bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Concept of Time in Rehabilitation and Psychosocial Adaptation to Chronic Illness and Disability
Authors: Livneh Hanoch
Published: May 2012

The first part of this article focused on providing the reader with a general overview of the concept of time with special emphasis on understanding time’s role in the structure of personality theories and their associated therapeutic approaches, as well as linking the discussion to the understanding of time in the context of psychosocial adaptation to chronic illnesses and disabilities (CIDs). In the second part of this article, the author seeks to (a) briefly comment on the association among death, disability, and time; (b) discuss findings from the clinical and empirical literatures regarding time perception/orientation within the context of psychiatric disabilities; (c) review findings on the relationships between time perception/orientation and psychosocial adaptation to CIDs; and (d) highlight those treatment modalities that have been suggested for individuals whose disabilities have resulted in time distortions.
Teaching Content Analysis through Harry Potter
Authors: Messinger Adam M.
Published: May 2012

Content analysis is a valuable research tool for social scientists that unfortunately can prove challenging to teach to undergraduate students. Published classroom exercises designed to teach content analysis have thus far been predominantly envisioned as lengthy projects for upper-level courses. A brief and engaging exercise may be more beneficial for introductory social science courses in which less time can be allotted to any one topic, such as content analysis. With this in mind, this article presents a highly engaging and temporally compact classroom exercise designed to teach introductory social science students about content analysis. In the exercise, students are guided through a content analysis of the music in Harry Potter films. An evaluation study suggests that the exercise improves students’ understanding of content analysis and that students find it both highly helpful and enjoyable.
Measuring Clinical Decision Making
Authors: Hurtz Gregory M. , Chinn Roberta N. , Barnhill Grady C. , Hertz Norman R.
Published: May 2012

Reliable and objective assessment of clinical decision-making skills has been a long-standing goal in occupational testing in the allied health professions. With this goal in mind, the key features problem (KFP) format was developed which elicits targeted decisions about key features of clinical scenarios. To build on a small body of empirical evidence evaluating their efficacy, this study evaluates whether KFPs successfully assess higher order cognitive processes. Analysis of objective data (item length and difficulty, item performance, and response times) and subjective data (expert ratings of cognitive complexity) supported the proposition that KFPs tend to be more cognitively complex than conventional multiple-choice questions. Not only were they rated as more complex, but this complexity accounted for some of the increase in time spent responding to these items. Results support the use of KFPs in standardized assessments for measuring higher order cognitive processes such as clinical decision making.
Enhancing Job Analysis Surveys in the Medical Specialties With CMS Data
Authors: Babcock Ben , Yoes Michael E.
Published: May 2012

Job analysis surveys are a key component in validating certification examinations in the medical specialties. Few organizations, however, confirm the survey data-gathering process using external data. This article demonstrates how an organization can use data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to supplement job analysis survey results using a real example from medical imaging. Organizations can also use CMS data longitudinally to predict which procedures are increasing and decreasing in frequency. This prediction can greatly assist with future comprehensive job analyses or smaller, more targeted updates between comprehensive job analyses.
Molecular Basis of Tobacco‐Induced Bacterial Biofilms
Authors: Antunes Marcelo B. , Chi John J. , Liu Zhi , Goldstein‐Daruech Natalia , Palmer James N. , Zhu Jun , Cohen Noam A.
Published: May 2012

Objective

To evaluate changes in the expression of biofilm‐related genes when exposed to tobacco smoke and oxidative stress.

Study Design

Experimental, in vitro.

Setting

Laboratories of Rhinology and Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania.

Subjects and Methods

Bacterial biofilm mass was measured using crystal violet staining and measurement of the optical density. Biofilm‐related genes of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 strain (pilF, flgK, lasI, lasB, rhlA, and algC) were studied following repetitive exposure to exogenous tobacco smoke and hydrogen peroxide. This was done using a reporter plasmid.

Results

After 1 exposure to smoke, there was no change in biofilm formation. However, after 2 and 3 exposures, the biofilm formed had an increased mass (P <. 05). With respect to oxidative stress in the form of H2O2, bacterial cultures demonstrated a dose‐ and time‐dependent induction of biofilm formation compared with control conditions. Gene expression following repetitive smoke exposure demonstrated an increase in expression of pilF, flgK, algC, and lasI genes (P <. 05); a decrease in rhlA (P <. 05); and no significant change in the lasB gene (P = 0.1). Gene expression following H2O2 exposure demonstrated an increase in pilF (P <. 05), whereas the other genes failed to demonstrate a statistical change.

Conclusions

Repetitive tobacco smoke exposure leads to molecular changes in biofilm‐related genes, and exposure to oxidative stress in the form of H2O2 induces biofilm growth in PAO1. This could represent adaptative changes due to oxidative stress or chemically mediated through any of the several chemicals encountered in tobacco smoke and may explain increased biofilm formation in microbes isolated from smokers.
Culture of Human Septal Chondrocytes in a Rotary Bioreactor
Authors: Reuther Marsha S. , Wong Van W. , Briggs Kristen K. , Chang Angela A. , Nguyen Quynhhoa T. , Schumacher Barbara L. , Masuda Koichi , Sah Robert L. , Watson Deborah
Published: May 2012

Objectives

(1) To show that extracellular matrix deposition in 3‐dimensional culture of human septal chondrocytes cultured in a rotary bioreactor is comparable to the deposition achieved under static culture conditions. (2) To demonstrate that the biomechanical properties of human septal chondrocytes cultured in a bioreactor are enhanced with time and are analogous to beads cultured under static culture.

Study Design

Prospective, basic science.

Setting

Research laboratory.

Methods

Human septal chondrocytes from 9 donors were expanded in monolayer and seeded in alginate beads. The beads were cultured in a rotary bioreactor for 21 days in media supplemented with growth factors and human serum, using static culture as the control. Biochemical and biomechanical properties of the beads were measured.

Results

Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) accumulation significantly increased during 2 measured time intervals, 0 to 21 days and 10 to 21 days (P <. 01). No significant difference was seen between the static and bioreactor conditions. Substantial type II collagen production was demonstrated in the beads terminated at day 21 of culture in both conditions. In addition, the biomechanical properties of the beads were significantly improved at 21 days in comparison to beads from day 0.

Conclusion

Human septal chondrocytes cultured in alginate beads exhibit significant matrix deposition and improved biomechanical properties after 21 days. Alginate bead diameter and stiffness positively correlated with GAG and type II collagen accretion. Matrix production in beads is supported by the use of a rotary bioreactor.
Surgical Treatment of Laryngeal Papillomatosis Using Narrow Band Imaging
Authors: Imaizumi Mitsuyoshi , Okano Wataru , Tada Yasuhiro , Omori Koichi
Published: May 2012

Laryngeal papillomatosis has a high rate of recurrence after surgery. Narrow band imaging (NBI) is a novel optical enhancement technology used for the diagnosis. This is the first report to date to indicate the availability of the combination of laryngomicro surgery and videoendoscopic surgery for laryngeal papillomatosis using NBI technology. The patients were a 34‐year‐old man and a 30‐year‐old man. Both patients underwent surgery in another hospital. However, due to recurrence, they were subsequently referred to the authors’ department for further evaluation. The presence of papillomas was confirmed by NBI, and the papillomas were removed using an XPS Micro Debrider and a CO2 laser. Using the NBI system, the border between the normal mucosa and the papillomas could be clearly identified, allowing precise resection. Further treatment on the lesions has been carried out several times to date using NBI. The lesions have now been eradicated without further recurrence.
Using an experimental medicine model to understand the antidepressant potential of the N-Methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor antagonist memantine
Authors: Pringle A , Parsons E , Cowen LG , McTavish SF , Cowen PJ , Harmer CJ
Published: May 2012

There is growing interest in the role of the glutamatergic system both in depression and as a novel target for treatments. Preclinical studies suggested that the non-competitive N-Methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor antagonist memantine might have antidepressant properties, but a randomised controlled trial failed to support this. A healthy volunteer model of emotional processing was used to assess the neuropsychological profile of action of memantine. Healthy volunteers ( n=32) were randomised to receive a single dose of memantine (10 mg) or placebo, and subsequently completed a battery of tasks measuring emotional processing, including facial expression recognition, emotional memory, dot-probe and emotion-potentiated startle tasks, as well as working and verbal memory. Memantine treated volunteers showed an increased emotion-potentiated startle, and a reduced bias for negative items in emotional recognition memory. There were no effects of the drug on any other aspect of emotional or non-emotional information processing. These results suggest that a single dose of memantine produces an early anxiogenic response in the emotion-potentiated startle similar to that seen following a single dose of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, citalopram. However, the overall profile of effects is more limited than that which might be expected in response to a conventional antidepressant.
The effect of phosphodiesterase inhibitors on the extinction of cocaine-induced conditioned place preference in mice
Authors: Liddie Shervin , Anderson Karen L , Paz Andres , Itzhak Yossef
Published: May 2012

Several phosphodiesterase inhibitors (PDEis) improve cognition, suggesting that an increase in brain cAMP and cGMP facilitates learning and memory. Since extinction of drug-seeking behavior requires associative learning, consolidation and formation of new memory, the present study investigated the efficacy of three different PDEis in the extinction of cocaine-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) in B6129S mice. Mice were conditioned by escalating doses of cocaine which was resistant to extinction by free exploration. Immediately following each extinction session mice received (a) saline/vehicle, (b) rolipram (PDE4 inhibitor), (c) BAY-73-6691 (PDE9 inhibitor) or (d) papaverine (PDE10A inhibitor). Mice that received saline/vehicle during extinction training showed no reduction in CPP for >10 days. BAY-73-6691 (a) dose-dependently increased cGMP in hippocampus and amygdala, (b) significantly facilitated extinction and (c) diminished the reinstatement of cocaine CPP. Rolipram, which selectively increased brain cAMP levels, and papaverine which caused increases in both cAMP and cGMP levels, had no significant effect on the extinction of cocaine CPP. The results suggest that increase in hippocampal and amygdalar cGMP levels via blockade of PDE9 has a prominent role in the consolidation of extinction learning.
The Reifying and Commoditizing Effects of Disciplines
Authors: Vanderburg Willem H.
Published: May 2012

The present analysis revisits the economics of inattention and the resulting commoditization and creation of privileged goods. These act as a significant force that pushes human history toward a future that will be less livable and sustainable. The analysis traces the roots of these developments to the reorganization of human knowing and doing by putting them on a discipline-based footing. It is part of a larger analysis that shows the need to create a different kind of scientific and technical specialization that rebalances breadth with depth, and the accompanying university reforms that will be required.
Public versus private takeovers of Australian stock exchange listed targets
Authors: Bugeja Martin , Sinelnikov Kosta
Published: May 2012

In this study we investigate the association between bidding firm listing status and the abnormal returns and characteristics of target firms, in the context of Australian takeovers. Similar to the US, target abnormal returns are significantly lower in private bids. However, this difference is only significant when comparing public bidders with private non-operating bidders suggesting the results are driven by a lack of operating synergy available to non-operating bidders rather than public bidder agency problems. We also study how target firm characteristics differ between public and private bidders. The results indicate that different private bidders have alternative motivations for making an acquisition. Private equity targets have a less independent board than targets of public bidders and are more undervalued. In comparison, targets of private bidders without existing business activities are smaller, have higher management ownership, lower growth and lower cash flows than targets of public bidders.
Optimization of landfill leachate management in the aftercare period
Authors: Wang Yu , Pelkonen Markku , Kaila Juha
Published: May 2012

The management of sanitary landfills after closure is an important engineering, economic and sustainability issue and is referred to as the greatest unresolved landfill challenge. Most sanitary landfills are operated according to the dry tomb principle, resulting in aftercare periods of hundreds of years. To study landfill body behaviour, long-term leachate emissions were studied with anaerobic landfill simulators, and a forecast model was developed targeting the behaviour of NH4-N, COD and chlorides as a function of temperature and the L/S-ratio (liquid-to-solid). It was found that NH4-N is the decisive factor in leachate management, requiring the highest L/S-ratio (around 6) to meet the direct discharge limit values. Various scenarios were constructed to find optimal leachate management strategies both in large (waste height H = 25 m) and medium-sized landfills ( H = 10 m) with corresponding temperature ranges. The results show that by minimizing the aftercare period length with leachate pre-treatment and recirculation, both sustainability and economic benefits can be achieved. The results provide new views on how to manage the long-term leachate aftercare problem. In the case of large landfills, further efforts are needed to reach stabilization within a reasonable time frame.
Evolution of sorted waste collection: a case study of Spanish cities
Authors: Gallardo Antonio , Bovea María D , Mendoza Francisco J Colomer , Prades Míriam
Published: May 2012

This work analyses how selective collection evolved over the period 1998–2007 in Spanish towns and cities with more than 50 000 inhabitants. To do so, both the legislation in force during the years included in the study and logistic factors, such as the radius of action of the pick-up points, were taken into account. Information about the towns and cities was obtained from a survey sent out in 1998 and 2007 to the councils of the municipalities included in the study. The results obtained in the two years show that the most widely implemented separate collection system in 1998 no longer existed in 2007 but, in order to comply with the law, had been transformed by adding new fractions, above all that of lightweight packaging. To determine whether the targets set by law as regards recovery and recycling were met in the two years, an efficiency indicator was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the collection systems. Results show how separation increased in the paper/board and glass fractions.
A survey of operational characteristics, socioeconomic and health effects of scavenging activity in Lagos, Nigeria
Authors: Afon Abel
Published: May 2012

This study presents the social, economic, health and environmental implications of solid waste scavenging activity in Olusosun, one of the government’s designated open waste dumpsites in Lagos, Nigeria. Using incidental or convenience sampling methods of questionnaire administration, 112 scavengers were sampled. It was established that scavenging on the site was only possible through registration with an associate on site. Recovering items from hills of waste involved physical energy and the use of manually-operated rudimentary equipment. Thus, 87% of the scavengers were males in their early twenties (minimum age = 19 years; maximum age = 35 years; mean = 26.7 years; SD = 4.2). The daily mean income from the exercise was Naira480.80 (Naira160 = $1.00). The most important method of arriving at the selling prices of the scavenged products was the use of scale measurement. Although the scavengers were aware that scavenging exposed them to both environmental and health hazards, they continued scavenging for economic and social reasons. The study concluded that because of the level of employment provided and the large number of people directly involved (1243 on this site alone), outright banning, even when the open dump is closed down, without rehabilitating the scavengers will constitute a social, economic and security threat to the community. Scavenging should, therefore, be integrated fully into the waste-management system and regulated.
Application of raster-based GIS techniques in the siting of landfills in Trabzon Province, Turkey: a case study
Authors: Yildirim Volkan
Published: May 2012

One of the most important steps in solid waste management is the selection of an appropriate landfill site. The site selection process requires the evaluation and analysis of several criteria. However, the traditional evaluation method is not sufficient for the site selection process. Geographical information system (GIS) technologies are effectively used in the process of site selection, which is a spatial problem. This article describes a raster GIS-based landfill site selection (LSS) method. This method utilizes a raster-based spatial database in which the factors affect the landfill site selection. The final product in this method is the cost surface map showing pixel-based values of the appropriate areas. Furthermore, this GIS-based LSS method was applied for the evaluation of two landfill sites in Trabzon Province in Turkey, for which the traditional evaluation method for site selection was used. The suitability values on the cost surface map of these two landfills have shown that these sites are not appropriate for a solid waste landfill. In conclusion, it was demonstrated that the method of raster GIS-based site selection gives more effective results than traditional methods.
Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of an Institutional Daily Awakening and Spontaneous Breathing Trial Protocol
Authors: Kher Sucharita , Roberts Russel J. , Garpestad Erik , Kunkel Chris , Howard William , Didominico Dorothy , Fergusson Anne , Devlin John W.
Published: May 2012

Introduction:

While one controlled trial found that a daily awakening and spontaneous breathing trial (DA-SBT) decreases time on mechanical ventilation (MV), there is a paucity of real-world data surrounding the development, implementation, and impact of DA-SBT protocols.  We describe a multidisciplinary process improvement effort in 2, 10-bed medical intensive care units (MICUs) at a 330-bed academic medical center that focused on the development, implementation, and evaluation of a new DA-SBT protocol.

Methods:

A DA-SBT protocol, developed using results from a nursing survey literature and available institutional resources, was implemented after extensive clinician education and institution of quality reminders to boost use. Postprotocol compliance was evaluated. Use of sedation, DA and SBT practices, and clinical outcomes were retrospectively compared between the before and after DA-SBT protocol groups (ie, consecutive MICU patients requiring a continuously infused sedative [CIS] ≥24 hours).

Results:

In the after group (n = 32), the DA and SBT compliances were 44% and 84%, respectively. Compared with the before group (n = 33), after group patients received CIS on fewer days of MV (100% vs 67%, P = .003) and had their CIS down-titrated by ≥25% on more days of CIS (40% vs 71%, P = .006). Neither total CIS dose ( P = .49), total MV days ( P = .75), days of MV where a SBT occurred ( P = .38), nor episodes of self-extubation (15% vs 6%, P = .43) differed between the 2 groups.

Conclusion:

Despite the implementation of a DA-SBT protocol that was individualized to clinician preferences and institutional resources and accompanied by substantial education and reminders for use, compliance to the DA component of this protocol was low and duration of MV remained unchanged. Additional quality improvement strategies are needed to overcome barriers to DA-SBT protocol use that may not exist in controlled clinical trials.
Extremely Large Breast Abscess in a Breastfeeding Mother
Authors: Martić Krešimir , Vasilj Oliver
Published: May 2012

Puerperal mastitis often occurs in younger primiparous women. Most cases occur between 3 and 8 weeks postpartum. If mastitis results in the formation of a breast abscess, surgical drainage or needle aspiration is most commonly performed. We report a case of an extremely large breast abscess in a primiparous 20-year-old woman, which presented 6 weeks postpartum. Surgical incision and evacuation of 2 liters of exudate were performed, and intravenous antibiotics therapy was administered. On the sixth day after incision, we secondarily closed the wound. Examination after 3 months showed symmetrical breasts with a small scar in the incision area of the right breast. A high degree of suspicion and adequate diagnostic procedures are essential to avoid delay in the treatment of mastitis and breast abscess and thereby prevent unnecessary surgical treatment.
Overcoming Barriers to Baby-Friendly Status
Authors: McKeever Joyce , Fleur Rose St.
Published: May 2012

The journey toward Baby-Friendly status at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, NJ began with a desire to improve overall breastfeeding rates at the hospital. Although evidence showed that hospitals that incorporated some or all of the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding had improved breastfeeding rates, it was difficult to overcome barriers that prevented the hospital physicians and nursing staff from seeing the value in adopting this quality initiative. Long-standing practices combined with misinformation compounded the problem. That situation changed when several factors nationally and statewide came together to create a prime environment for implementation of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative. This article will discuss the barriers that one hospital encountered and the strategies used to overcome these common barriers to achieving Baby-Friendly status. This hospital is not yet designated as Baby-Friendly but is awaiting the outcome of a site visit in 2012.
Self-excited oscillations attenuation of drill-string system using nonlinear energy sink
Authors: Ahmadabadi Z Nili , Khadem SE
Published: May 2012

Application of nonlinear energy sink in annihilating self-excited oscillations of a slightly modified experimental and theoretical torsional vibration model of drill-string with real parameter values is studied in this article. Various configurations have been examined in order to procure steady-state responses in less time and expand the range of the existence of stable equilibria. Moreover, applied modification to the experimental model resulted in more realistic response. It is proven that attaching nonlinear energy sink to different components of a drill-string would help to acquire better responses and/or to improve applicability of the nonlinear energy sink.
The position control of a spatial binary hyper redundant manipulator through its inverse kinematics
Authors: Bayram Atilla , Özgören M Kemal
Published: May 2012

This article is about the position control of a binary hyper redundant manipulator, which is driven by pneumatic on-off actuators. The end platform of the binary hyper redundant manipulator bears a small fine tuning manipulator, which is a continuously actuated six-joint manipulator attached as a versatile error-compensation tool. It is employed to compensate especially the discretization errors. The position control aims to make the end-effector of the fine tuning manipulator track a specified sequence of successive poses as required by the task to be performed. This aim is achieved by solving the inverse kinematics problem of the binary hyper redundant manipulator, i.e. by determining the binary positions of the on-off actuators, so that the end platform of the binary hyper redundant manipulator enters the inverted working volume of the fine tuning manipulator for each specified target pose of the end effector. As to solve the inverse kinematics problem of the binary hyper redundant manipulator, three methods are presented. They are the plain spline fitting method, the extended spline fitting method, and the workspace filling method. The plain spline fitting method is based on forcing the actual backbone curve of the binary hyper redundant manipulator to approximate a spatial reference spline which is specified as the desired backbone curve. In the extended spline fitting method, the result found in the plain spline fitting method is improved by using a genetic algorithm. In the workspace filling method, the workspace of the binary hyper redundant manipulator is filled randomly with a sufficiently large finite number of discrete configurational samples. If it is desired to have a concentration on a particular region of the workspace, then that region is filled by using a genetic algorithm. After the filling stage, the sample closest to the desired configuration is determined by a suitable searching algorithm. The three methods are demonstrated and comparatively discussed by means of several examples.
Performance characteristics of a chilled water spirally coiled finned tube in cross flow for air conditioning applications
Authors: Gomaa Abdalla , Aly Wael IA , Elsaid Ashraf Mimi , Eid Eldesuki I
Published: May 2012

In the present study, the thermo-fluid characteristics of a spirally coiled finned tube in cross flow were experimentally investigated. This investigation covered different design parameters such as curvature ratio, air velocity, flow direction, fin pitch and flow rate of chilled water on performance characteristics of the spirally coiled finned tube. The purpose was to evaluate this kind of the spirally finned-tube cooling coils with particular reference to bare coiled tube. Six test specimens were designed and manufactured with curvature ratios of 0.027, 0.03, 0.04, tube pitches of 18, 20, 30 mm and fin pitches of (33, 22, 11 mm). Experiments were carried out in a pilot wind tunnel with air Reynolds number ranging from 35,500 to 245,000. Two types of chilled water flow directions entering the spiral coil were tested at Reynolds number ranging from 5700 to 25,300, the first was inward flow direction and the other was to outward flow direction. The results revealed that the inward flow direction has significant enhancement effect on the Nusselt number compared with outward flow direction by 37.0% for tube pitch of 18 mm and curvature ratio of 0.027. The decrease of fin pitch enhances the Nusselt number by 21.92% on expense of friction factor by 10.9%. In the case of spirally coiled bare tube, the decreasing of the curvature ratio increases air side Nusselt number by 33.69% on expense of friction factor by 18.36%. General correlations of Nusselt number and air friction factor for bare and finned spirally coiled tube were correlated based on reported experimental data.
Nonlinear, parametrically excited dynamics of two-stage spur gear trains with mesh stiffness fluctuation
Authors: Liu Gang , Parker Robert G
Published: May 2012

This work studies the nonlinear, parametrically excited dynamics of two spur gear pairs in a two-stage counter-shaft configuration. The dynamic model includes parametric excitations and contact loss of both tooth meshes with two different mesh frequencies. The time-varying mesh stiffnesses and nonlinear tooth separation functions are reformulated into forms suitable for perturbation analysis. The periodic steady-state solutions are obtained by the method of multiple scales and compared against a semi-analytical harmonic balance method as well as numerical integration for fundamental and subharmonic resonances for ranges of system parameters. The interaction of the two meshes is found to depend strongly on the relation of the two mesh periods. The dynamic influences of design parameters, such as shaft stiffness, mesh stiffness variations, contact ratios, and mesh phasing, are discussed. The closed-form solutions provide design guidelines in terms of the system parameters.
An improved holospectrum-based balancing method for rotor systems with anisotropic stiffness
Authors: Zhang Yun , Mei Xuesong , Shao Mingping , Xu Muxun
Published: May 2012

As a ubiquitous phenomenon in rotor systems, anisotropic stiffness generally causes the response of an unbalanced rotor to vary across radial directions. The standard holospectrum-based balancing method, which adopts the initial phase vector as a balancing object, cannot be used in rotor systems with anisotropic stiffness. To tackle the limitations of the standard holospectrum-based balancing method, an improved holospectrum-based balancing method with increased accuracy and a greater scope of application is presented in this article. First, a dynamic model of an unbalanced rotor system with anisotropic stiffness is developed, the theoretical expression of the deviation between the initial phase vector and the unbalance is examined, and the effects of anisotropic stiffness on the initial phase vector are analysed. Second, based on the analysis of the precession characteristics of the rotor, a modified initial phase vector that compensates for the negative influence of anisotropic stiffness is presented as the new balancing object. An improved holospectrum-based balancing method is proposed based on this modified initial phase vector, and the balancing procedures are summarised in detail. Finally, the initial phase vector induced error in the identification of the unbalance is simulated for different initial conditions, and the feasibility of the modified initial phase vector is verified on a rotor test rig. Both the numerical analysis and the empirical test validate the effectiveness and accuracy of this new method.
Simulation of three-dimensional laminar forced convection flow of a radiating gas over an inclined backward-facing step in a duct under bleeding condition
Authors: Atashafrooz M , Nassab SA Gandjalikhan
Published: May 2012

This study presents a numerical analysis of three-dimensional laminar forced convection flow of a radiating gas over an inclined backward-facing step in a rectangular duct under bleeding condition. The fluid is treated as a gray, absorbing, emitting, and scattering medium. The three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system is used to solve the governing equations which are the conservations of mass, momentum, and energy. These equations are solved numerically using the computational fluid dynamic techniques to obtain the temperature and velocity fields, while the blocked-off method is employed to simulate the incline surface. Discretized forms of these equations are obtained by the finite volume method and solved using the SIMPLE algorithm. Since the gas is considered as a radiating medium, besides the convective and conductive terms in the energy equation, the radiative term also presented. For computation of this term, the radiative transfer equation is solved numerically by the discrete ordinates method to find the divergence of radiative heat flux distribution inside the radiating medium. By this numerical procedure, the role of radiation heat transfer on convection flow of a radiating gas which has many engineering applications (for example in heat exchangers and combustion chambers) is studied in detail. Beside, the effects of bleeding coefficient, albedo coefficient, optical thickness, and the radiation–conduction parameter on heat transfer behavior of the system are investigated. Comparison of numerical results with the available data published in the open literature shows a good agreement.
Driver’s head pose estimation using a hierarchical classification on an effective feature space
Authors: Ghaffari Ali , Rezvan Mahdieh , Khodayari Alireza , Sadati Seyed Hossein , Vahidi-Shams Afra
Published: May 2012

This paper introduces a direct accountability technique for the real-time estimation of the head’s position and orientation. Unlike existing works which rely on feature extraction either in the image domain or in three-dimensional space, our proposed approach based on a hierarchical expert classification will estimate the head pose for real-time applications, specifically for driver assistance systems. We proposed a method for feature extraction which aims at keeping only the angle-related features, independent of identity. We then used a hierarchical algorithm for classification which divides the whole space into smaller spaces. Moreover, we made a performance study aiming at evaluating the accuracy of the proposed approach. Experimental results show that the proposed features are able to describe the pose of the driver face image successfully, with a performance in agreement with the actual poses. This approach is not only useful for automobile safety and security but also can help severely handicapped people and can be used in collision prevention systems and other driving applications.
‘The Pathology and Treatment of Mediomania’, by Frederic Rowland Marvin (1874)
Authors: Alvarado Carlos S , Zingrone Nancy L
Published: May 2012

During the nineteenth century there were several examples of attempts to pathologize mediumship. One of them was the work of US physician Frederic Rowland Marvin (1847–1918), who is the author of this Classic Text. The excerpt presented here comes from the second part of Marvin’s book, The Philosophy of Spiritualism and the Pathology and Treatment of Mediomania (1874). Marvin argued for a diagnosis he called ‘mediomania’, conceived by him as a neurosis of uterine aetiology that could assume epidemic dimensions. His views are consistent with nineteenth-century somatic ideas of psychopathology as well as with ideas about the weaknesses and vulnerabilities of women.
Psychology during the expeditions of the heroic age of Antarctic exploration
Authors: Guly HR
Published: May 2012

The psychology of Antarctic explorers and groups in Antarctic bases has been much studied in recent years, and current knowledge has been summarized in a review by Palinkas and Suedenfeld (2008). There was no formal psychological research during the heroic age of Antarctic exploration, but a number of the doctors and non-medical personnel on the expeditions were keen observers of the psychological aspects of the expeditions and wrote about them. In this paper, I describe their understanding of the psychology of Antarctic exploration. By comparing this with current knowledge, it is clear that most of what has been found by formal study was known to the explorers of the heroic age.
R.D. Laing’s theological hinterland: the contrast between mysticism and communion
Authors: Miller Gavin
Published: May 2012

Contrasting elements in R.D. Laing’s psychiatry can be traced to two kinds of Christian theology: mystical theology and corporate theology. On one hand, Laing’s mystical theology combined with psychoanalytic theory, to provide a New Age psychotherapeutic account of the recovery of authentic selfhood via metanoia. On the other, his incarnational, corporate theology promoted social inclusion of the mentally ill, particularly via therapeutic communities. For Laing, as for other post-war British Christians, a turn inwards, to mysticism and the sacralization of the self, and a turn outwards, to social and political activism, were ways of negotiating with the decline of traditional Christianity.
Between phenomenological and community psychiatry: the Comprehending Anthropology of Jürg Zutt
Authors: Schönknecht Peter , Dening Tom
Published: May 2012

Phenomenological and existential philosophical approaches to mental illness have had great influence on psychiatric research and theory in European psychiatry (Berrios, 1992: 309). Among them, the work of Jürg Zutt (1893–1980), Professor of Psychiatry at University Hospital Frankfurt 1950–63, closely relates to the anthropological psychiatry of Ludwig Binswanger, Victor von Gebsattel and Erwin Straus. Since both anthropological psychiatry and social psychiatry are based on a person-centred approach, it was hypothesized that common roots are to be detected in what is called humanistic psychology. The main finding of the present paper is that there is a strong relationship between Zutt’s concept of Comprehending Anthropology and the biopsychosocial model on which social psychiatry is based. However, it cannot be concluded from the existing evidence that the reform of psychiatric services necessarily resulted from the anthropological approach.
Limited to no responsibility: addiction, alcoholism and the law in modern Germany
Authors: Lewy Jonathan
Published: May 2012

In Germany, a perpetrator had to be of sound mind to be convicted of a crime throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The criminal code was clear, but reality was not. From the moment that physicians accepted alcoholism and drug addiction as diseases of mind and body, the question of what to do with alcoholic and addicted criminals troubled legal theorists. How were judges to maintain the balance of justice if, on the one hand, a potential perpetrator chose to be of unsound mind by drinking or using drugs, but on the other, he was sick, unable to control his actions? As this article demonstrates, the legal system was lenient towards inebriated perpetrators as a by-product of the insistence of German doctors that alcoholism and addiction were diseases.
Mothers as smoking guns: Fetal overnutrition and the reproduction of obesity
Authors: Warin Megan , Zivkovic Tanya , Moore Vivienne , Davies Michael
Published: May 2012

Mothers are expected to monitor their children’s dietary intakes and physical activities and are blamed for over feeding their children if they are obese. Women are also urged to manage their own weight in preparation for conception and during pregnancy in order to reduce complications associated with maternal obesity at childbirth. Through a theoretical lens of maternal blame, we argue that Australian media representations of scientific studies of the fetal overnutrition hypothesis extend behavioural maternal blame to the interiority of women’s bodies. Women’s intrauterine environments are positioned in the media as central to the intergenerational transmission of obesity, with women portrayed as responsible for passing obesity on to their children (and grandchildren) via biology and ill-informed ‘lifestyle choices’. Linking in with historical and contemporary discourses of maternal bodies and individual responsibility, the implications of the ‘double damage’ caused by women entails a concerning return to essentialism in which women’s bodies are being largely blamed for producing and reproducing obesity across generations.
A spatial bivariate probit model for correlated binary data with application to adverse birth outcomes
Authors: Neelon Brian , Anthopolos Rebecca , Miranda Marie Lynn
Published: May 2012

Motivated by a study examining geographic variation in birth outcomes, we develop a spatial bivariate probit model for the joint analysis of preterm birth and low birth weight. The model uses a hierarchical structure to incorporate individual and areal-level information, as well as spatially dependent random effects for each spatial unit. Because rates of preterm birth and low birth weight are likely to be correlated within geographic regions, we model the spatial random effects via a bivariate conditionally autoregressive prior, which induces regional dependence between the outcomes and provides spatial smoothing and sharing of information across neighboring areas. Under this general framework, one can obtain region-specific joint, conditional, and marginal inferences of interest. We adopt a Bayesian modeling approach and develop a practical Markov chain Monte Carlo computational algorithm that relies primarily on easily sampled Gibbs steps. We illustrate the model using data from the 2007–2008 North Carolina Detailed Birth Record.
Relationship between Oil Price Shocks and Stock Market Performance: Evidence for Select Global Equity Markets
Authors: Sehgal Sanjay , Kapur Radhika
Published: May 2012

In this article, we examine the relationship between oil price shocks and stock market behaviour using market index data for 15 sample countries. The sample countries are classified into four categories, based on their economic strength and oil exporting/importing status, to verify if the testable relationship varies across different economic settings. The study period ranges from 1 January 1993 to 31 March 2009. We find that on a pre-event basis, sample stock markets do not provide any extra normal returns. This implies that there are no serious leakages in oil price information, which could be exploited by investors in these markets. Further, after it is observed that irrespective of the nature of oil prices shocks (price increases and decreases), the high-growth emerging economies do provide significantly positive returns on post-event basis. Among the Asian economies, the Chinese stock market reacts to oil price shock in a lagged manner. Our findings are relevant for portfolio managers who are continuously on the lookout for global trading strategies that generate extra normal returns. From the policy makers’ perspective, given the high and stable demand for oil in the case of high growth emerging economies, it seems that supply side bottlenecks mainly cause the oil price shocks. Our work contributes to the market efficiency and behavioural finance literature in the global capital market context.
An Empirical Study on Investors’ Perception towards Mutual Fund Products through Banks with Reference to Tiruchirapalli City, Tamil Nadu
Authors: Karthikeyan K. , Bharath S. , Kumar K. Ranjith
Published: May 2012

Financial markets are constantly becoming more efficient by providing more promising solutions to the investors. Thus, it is high time to understand and analyze investor’s perception and expectations and unveil some extremely valuable information to support financial decision making of mutual funds (MF). The main objective of this study was to find out the response of customers towards provision of mutual fund products by banks. This will help in devising further strategies for the tier-II cities in India to cross sell mutual fund products through the branch network of banks. This article examines the investors’ perception towards mutual fund products through banks. Data were collected from 108 valued investors of various banks in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu (India), and the type of sampling used is convenient sampling. Using statistical package for social science, the researchers have employed the following analysis, namely ( a) factor analysis, ( b) multiple regression and ( c) correlation. To check whether the sample is reliable, the researchers have used Cronbach’s Alpha Reliability Test (0.718). Some of the major findings were derived that will be useful, relevant and significant to the present scenario for marketing of mutual fund products through banks in the Tiruchirappalli zone.
An EOQ Model with Exponentially Increasing Demand under Two Levels of Storage
Authors: Reddy B. Chandrasekhara , Ranganatham G.
Published: May 2012

In almost every activity, it is difficult to determine what constitutes the ‘best practice’. Businesses around the world spend millions of dollars searching for ‘best practices’, believing that there is a silver bullet solution that will solve their inventory problems but often don’t know whether it is the ‘best practice’ or not. A known fact is that it is difficult to develop a model that reflects the reality as close as possible simultaneously simply for analysis. For this reason, various models are developed under different contexts. The simplest form of the mathematical model for inventory control is known as Wilson’s EOQ model, which is a convenient decision rule for keeping the stock. It is a well-known fact that this formula is based on heavy assumptions, of which the demand rate being treated as constant over time. This assumption, however, is always not true in the real world. When the demand changes from time to time, the inventory problem becomes dynamic. An extensive research work has been carried out by many researchers in the field of inventory considering different patterns of demand like Constant, Linear, Power pattern, and so on. The present article mainly stresses on two specific aspects, namely exponential increasing demand and two levels of storage, that is, Own Warehouse (OW) and Rented Warehouse (RW). A mathematical model is developed for the case of exponentially increasing demand under two levels of storage and the working of the model is demonstrated numerically.
Diagnosis of Porcine teschovirus encephalomyelitis in the Republic of Haiti
Authors: Deng Ming Y. , Millien Max , Jacques-Simon Rodney , Flanagan J. Keith , Bracht Alexa J. , Carrillo Consuelo , Barrette Roger W. , Fabian Andrew , Mohamed Fawzi , Moran Karen , Rowland Jessica , Swenson Sabrina L. , Jenkins-Moore Melinda , Koster Leo , Thomsen Bruce V. , Mayr Gregory , Pyburn Dave , Morales Paula , Shaw John , Burrage Thomas , White William , McIntosh Michael T. , Metwally Samia
Published: May 2012

In February and March 2009, approximately 1,500 backyard pigs of variable age became sick, and approximately 700 of them died or were euthanized in the Lower Artibonite Valley and the Lower Plateau of the Republic of Haiti. The main clinical sign was posterior ataxia followed by paresis and/or paralysis on the second or third day of illness. No gross lesions were observed at postmortem examinations. The morbidity and mortality were approximately 60% and 40%, respectively. Diagnostic samples (whole blood, brain, tonsil, lymph nodes, spleen, and lung) were negative for Classical swine fever virus and African swine fever virus. Porcine teschovirus type 1 was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reactions in brain samples. Results of virus isolation, electron microscopy of virus particles, histopathological analysis on brain tissues, nucleic acid sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis of the viral isolate supported the diagnosis of teschovirus encephalomyelitis. The outbreak of the disease in Haiti is the first appearance of the severe form of teschovirus encephalomyelitis in the Americas. This disease poses a potential threat to the swine industries in other Caribbean countries, as well as to Central and North American countries.