bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Physical Processes Associated with Heavy Flooding Rainfall in Nashville, Tennessee, and Vicinity during 1–2 May 2010: The Role of an Atmospheric River and Mesoscale Convective Systems
Authors: Moore Benjamin J. , Neiman Paul J. , Ralph F. Martin , Barthold Faye E.
Published: September 2011

A multiscale analysis is conducted in order to examine the physical processes that resulted in prolonged heavy rainfall and devastating flash flooding across western and central Tennessee and Kentucky on 1–2 May 2010, during which Nashville, Tennessee, received 344.7 mm of rainfall and incurred 11 flood-related fatalities. On the synoptic scale, heavy rainfall was supported by a persistent corridor of strong water vapor transport rooted in the tropics that was manifested as an atmospheric river (AR). This AR developed as water vapor was extracted from the eastern tropical Pacific and the Caribbean Sea and transported into the central Mississippi Valley by a strong southerly low-level jet (LLJ) positioned between a stationary lee trough along the eastern Mexico coast and a broad, stationary subtropical ridge positioned over the southeastern United States and the subtropical Atlantic. The AR, associated with substantial water vapor content and moderate convective available potential energy, supported the successive development of two quasi-stationary mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) on 1 and 2 May, respectively. These MCSs were both linearly organized and exhibited back-building and echo-training, processes that afforded the repeated movement of convective cells over the same area of western and central Tennessee and Kentucky, resulting in a narrow band of rainfall totals of 200–400 mm. Mesoscale analyses reveal that the MCSs developed on the warm side of a slow-moving cold front and that the interaction between the southerly LLJ and convectively generated outflow boundaries was fundamental for generating convection.
Rapamycin Affects Tissue Plasminogen Activator and Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 Expression
Authors: Ma Qian , Zhou Yujie , Nie Xiaomin , Yu Miao , Gao Fei , Wang Zhijian , Ge Hailong , Jia Dean , Yang Shiwei , Liu Xiaoli , Han Hongya , Hu Bin , Shen Hua , Xu Xiaohan
Published: September 2011

Although drug-eluting stents (DESs) can decrease the risk of restenosis, this benefit is tempered by a possible increased risk of in-stent thrombosis. We assessed the effects of rapamycin on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) to identify the alterations in gene expression associated with thrombosis. Expression of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) was assessed in HUVECs treated with rapamycin (final concentrations: 1, 10, 100, and 1000 ng/mL) for 24 and 48 hours. Incubation of HUVECs with rapamycin strongly reduced the expression of t-PA in a concentration-dependant manner ( P < .05 to < .01). However, the expression of PAI-1 was induced by rapamycin ( P < .05 to < .01). The increase in PAI-1 induction was up to 3.3-fold. In conclusion, rapamycin inhibited t-PA and induced PAI-1 expression in HUVECs. This effect may contribute to in-stent thrombosis associated with DESs.
The Utility of Collaborative Biobanks for Cardiovascular Research
Authors: Shalhoub Joseph , Davies Kerry J. , Hasan Nazeeha , Thapar Ankur , Sharma Pankaj , Davies Alun H.
Published: September 2011

Differences between animal and human atherosclerosis have led to the requirement for clinical data, imaging information and biological material from large numbers of patients and healthy persons. Where such “biobanks” exist, they have been fruitful sources for genomewide association, diagnostic accuracy, ethnicity, and risk stratification cohort studies. In addition once established, they attract funding for future projects. Biobanks require a network of medical contributors, secure storage facilities, bioinformatics expertise, database managers, and ethical working practices to function optimally. There is the opportunity for collaboration between individual biobanks to further amplify the advantages afforded.
Differences Among NGOs in the Business–NGO Cooperative Network
Authors: O’Connor Amy , Shumate Michelle
Published: September 2011

Informed by the symbiotic sustainability model, this theory-building research compares a stratified subsample ( N = 66) from 695 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that have relationships with U.S. Fortune 500 companies in 11 industries ( N = 155). Using network analysis and centering resonance analysis, the research compares the “about us” statements of three groups of NGOs with different indegree centralities. The results of this study suggest that NGOs with multiple corporate partners are distinct from NGOs with single corporate partners. Across all levels of centrality, NGOs in cross-sector cooperative relationships tend to focus on children and be service oriented. In addition, federated NGOs were more likely to occupy a central position in the business–NGO cooperative network and foundations were more likely to have relationships with multiple corporations. Local NGOs were more likely to have only one cross-sector relationship and were, by a significant margin, the largest group. Propositions for future research are offered based on the findings.
Parental Perspectives of Early Childhood Caries
Authors: Isong Inyang A. , Luff Donna , Perrin James M. , Winickoff Jonathan P. , Ng Man Wai
Published: September 2011

Background. Parental perspectives of children with early childhood caries may help inform the development and improvement of caries prevention strategies. Objectives. This study aimed to explore parents’ experiences, perceptions, and expectations regarding prevention and management of early childhood caries. Methods. The authors conducted semistructured interviews with 25 parents of children aged 2 to 5 years, with a known history of caries. All interviews were transcribed and coded, and iterative analyses were conducted to identify key emergent themes within the data. Results. Parents had limited knowledge of behaviors contributing to early childhood caries and when to first seek regular dental care. Parents expected pediatricians to provide education on how to prevent childhood caries, conduct preliminary oral health assessments, and help establish early linkages between medical and dental care. Conclusion. The findings make a strong case for pediatricians to take responsibility for engaging and educating parents on fostering optimal oral health and helping to access early childhood dental care.
Swaddling
Authors: Oden Rosalind P. , Powell Carmin , Sims Alexandra , Weisman Julie , Joyner Brandi L. , Moon Rachel Y.
Published: September 2011

Introduction. The supine sleep position is recommended to reduce sudden infant death syndrome risk. Swaddling may improve adherence with supine placement. Aim. To assess knowledge, attitudes, and practice regarding swaddling among adult caregivers of 0- to 3-month-old infants. Methods. Cross-sectional descriptive survey. Results. All 103 adults interviewed had swaddled their infant. Common reasons for swaddling included infant comfort and warmth. Almost 80% of those who swaddled their infant found it effective, 80% believed it to be comfortable, and ~90% believed swaddling to be safe. Parents who routinely used swaddling were more likely to find it effective and to place their infant supine when swaddled ( P < .01). Conclusions. Parents often use swaddling to comfort the infant, and most find it effective. Parents who routinely use swaddling are more likely to place their infant supine if swaddled. Swaddling may be a strategy for parents of infants who have difficulty sleeping in the supine position.
Children in Beardslee’s family intervention: Relieved by understanding of parental mental illness
Authors: Pihkala Heljä , Sandlund Mikael , Cederström Anita
Published: September 2011

Background:

Beardslee’s family intervention (FI), which is a family-based preventive method for children of mentally ill parents, has been implemented on a national level in Sweden.

Material:

Fourteen children and parents from nine families were interviewed about how the FI was for the children. Data were analysed by qualitative content analysis.

Discussion:

A central finding was children’s sense of relief and release from worry because of more knowledge and openness about the parent’s illness in the family.

Conclusion:

The results indicating relief for the children are encouraging.
The Role of Unions in Achieving a Family-friendly Workplace
Authors: Ravenswood Katherine , Markey Raymond
Published: September 2011

The role of unions in achieving a family-friendly organization can be pivotal through bargaining for family-friendly provisions. This role is determined not only by union monopoly power and the gendered structure of collective voice of the workforce, but also by national trends in the organization of work and the role of trade unions, as well as the relationship between individual unions and organizations. This case study of a New Zealand local government organization particularly focuses on the contrasts in family-friendly provisions of collective agreements negotiated by different unions at the same workplace. Using Gregory and Milner’s (2009) framework of ‘opportunity structures’, the article confirms that unions may have a key role in the provision of family-friendly policy, and provides a contextual picture of the relationships between family-friendly policy and organizational and union characteristics. This article suggests that strengthening the positions of unions and collective bargaining may be an effective route for the instigation of family-friendly policy.
Killing the Goose That Lays the Golden Egg
Authors: MacDonald Michael , Paul Darel E.
Published: September 2011

It’s a commonplace that Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke draws his policies from Milton Friedman and Anna Schwartz’s A Monetary History of the United States ( MH). With that in mind, this article establishes five points. First, contrary to conventional wisdom, Friedman and Schwartz merely insinuate their claim the Fed caused the Depression in MH. Second, their criticisms of Fed policy during the Depression, which turn on its refusal to adopt open market purchases (OMPs), repudiate Friedman’s famed libertarianism and market fundamentalism. Third, Friedman and Schwartz don’t refute the practical objections of bankers who opposed OMPs in the 1930s. Consequently, Bernanke’s policies for addressing the financial crisis risk doing precisely what Friedman’s targets warned against—encouraging financial speculation without addressing problems of unemployment. Fourth, Friedman and Schwartz’s prescriptions entail a neoliberal, not a libertarian, state, one governed by technocrats and answerable to financial markets. Finally, what accounts for and unifies Friedman’s contradictions is the beneficiary—finance.
The Affective Underpinnings of Hostile Media Perceptions
Authors: Matthes Jörg
Published: September 2011

The hostile media effect (HME) refers to a process by which highly involved audiences tend to perceive media coverage as biased against their own views. In this process, issue involvement is usually treated as a cognitive construct, that is, as the extent to which the attitudinal issue under consideration is of personal importance. Although Vallone, Ross, and Lepper raised the issue of affective involvement in their seminal study, hardly any research has tried to disentangle the effects of cognitive and affective involvement. Thus, the aim of this article is to clarify whether the HME is triggered by cognitive and/or affective involvement. Data from three survey studies demonstrate that affective involvement—measured as emotional arousal or as the experience of concrete emotions—can explain the HME over and beyond cognitive involvement. Implications of these findings for future HME research are discussed.
The management of emotion in British journalism
Authors: Richards Barry , Rees Gavin
Published: September 2011

This article reports on a study which aimed to assess how much attention journalism training and practice currently pay to the idea of emotional literacy, to explore what need news journalists and current affairs filmmakers see for closer evaluation of the emotional dimensions of their work, and to outline a strategy for enhancing emotional literacy in journalism training. While focused on encounters with traumatic situations, the research also addressed emotional aspects of more mundane reporting. This wider agenda links to political and theoretical questions about the contributions of news to the ‘emotional public sphere’, and more broadly to the diverse collection of cultural trends and phenomena concerned with acknowledging, understanding and managing emotions in diverse spheres of life — the ‘affective turn’. The findings of this interview-based study are discussed under the headings of journalists’ relations with sources, colleagues and audiences. They indicate a broad and fundamental ambivalence in the professional discourse of journalism between objectivity and emotional engagement, and a striking inattention to questions about the emotional impact of journalists’ work upon audiences. The article concludes with an assessment of the scope for a more emotionally literate approach to establish itself more firmly in journalistic practice.
A system in chaos? Knowledge and sense-making on immigration policy in public debates
Authors: Balch Alex , Balabanova Ekaterina
Published: September 2011

This article shows how press selection and presentation of knowledge and expertise relate to processes of sense-making over contemporary political dilemmas. It develops an approach that combines framing analysis with theoretical insights from the literature on narrative and complexity. It demonstrates the value of this approach through quantitative and qualitative analysis of media coverage of the UK government’s decision-making over access to the labour market for new European Union (EU) citizens in 2006. The findings illuminate the relationship between expertise and complexity, the partisan way in which the media utilize expertise, and how official and non-official sources relate to certainty and uncertainty over policy. The article also contributes to our understanding of how intense media scrutiny can shape public debates on immigration, where ‘moral panics’ are often accompanied by calls for government intervention, and the supposedly rational world of facts and figures is distorted into a ‘numbers game’.
Entertaining ideas: social issues in entertainment television
Authors: Klein Bethany
Published: September 2011

The educational potential of entertainment television has been acknowledged, with varying degrees of enthusiasm, through research into entertainment-education strategies, intersections of politics and popular media, and the mediated public sphere. This article explores educational possibilities of entertainment programming through a consideration of British television programmes that challenge traditional and typical media framings of crimes against children, immigration and disability. Drawing on interviews with writers, directors and producers, it considers the delicate balance of roles and responsibilities generated by entertainment television content that offers unconventional perspectives on social issues. Programme makers may be hesitant to embrace the role of educator, but descriptions of their work suggest a critical pedagogic approach that encourages deliberation in the popular public sphere.
Do Silicone Nasal Septal Splints with Integral Airway Reduce Postoperative Eustachian Tube Dysfunction?
Authors: Yilmaz M. Sinan , Guven Mehmet , Buyukarslan Deniz Gin , Kaymaz Recep , Erkorkmaz Unal
Published: September 2011

Objective

This study aims to compare the effects of Merocel nasal packs and silicone nasal septal splints with integral airway on the ventilation and pressure of the middle ear when applied intranasally after septoplasty for isolated septal deviation.

Study Design

A prospective, randomized trial.

Setting

A tertiary referral center.

Subjects and Methods

Fifty‐one patients who underwent septoplasty for nasal respiratory impairment caused by septal deviation were randomized into 2 groups. After septoplasty, bilateral anterior Merocel nasal packs were applied in one group, while silicone nasal septal splints with integral airway were applied in the other group. Middle ear pressures were compared using preoperative and post‐operative tympanometry.

Results

Pathological decrease in the middle ear pressure in at least 1 ear was determined in 17 patients (73.9%) in the Merocel group compared with only 6 patients (21.4%) in the silicone nasal septal splint group at the 48th postoperative hour. In the first 24 hours following surgery, decreases in tympanometric pressures were seen in both groups, but more in the Merocel group. After 24 hours, middle ear pressures continued to decrease in the Merocel group but started to increase in the silicone nasal septal splint group.

Conclusion

Because they allow inhalation through the nose and cause less Eustachian tube dysfunction than Merocel, using silicone nasal septal splints with integral airway instead of packing after septoplasty seems a more reasonable option.
Surveillance of immigrants from Turkey in Germany: From the disciplinary society to the society of control
Authors: Topal Çağatay
Published: September 2011

The surveillance of immigrants from Turkey in Germany functions on two seemingly contradictory levels: on the one hand, it de facto recognizes their inclusion in German society; on the other hand, it serves as an instrument to exclude them as ‘(un)suitable’ foreign subjects within that society. Since 1961, this surveillance has slowly but surely changed its character. The aim of this article is to examine these changes through the lens of the different characteristics of so-called disciplinary and control societies. The article reconsiders the theoretical definitions of discipline and control in light of the German context to develop these as more precise historical categories. The fundamental point is that contact between German society and the social fact of migration and an immigrant population decisively inflected German disciplinary and control societies from the very beginning. This study argues that there has been a gradual shift on the part of the German state from a more limited focus to broader considerations of the issue of migration. This shift reveals more inclusionary measures; yet, dialectically, at the very same time it defines and captures an expanding space of exclusion.
Comparing Direct Versus Indirect Measures of the Pedagogical Effectiveness of Team Testing
Authors: Bacon Donald R.
Published: September 2011

Direct measures (tests) of the pedagogical effectiveness of team testing and indirect measures (student surveys) of pedagogical effectiveness of team testing were collected in several sections of an undergraduate marketing course with varying levels of the use of team testing. The results indicate that although students perceived team testing to have a substantial impact on their learning, this pedagogy in fact had no impact on direct measures of learning. In an additional analysis, the performance of the team on the group test was best predicted by the best individual performance on the team. Possible explanations and directions for future research are discussed.
From the Field and Into the Classroom
Authors: Clayton Michael J. , Hettche Matt
Published: September 2011

Although it is difficult these days to find a company that does not have a website, you do not have to look very far for to find a website with significant design and architecture flaws. Getting a visitor to your website is one thing, making the experience effortless and allowing them to find exactly what they need is another story. That being said, understanding how the consumer comprehends and navigates webpage content is an important part of the interactive marketing process that demands extra attention. Although this field is well established among marketing research practitioners, information architecture assessment and website usability tests are user-centric methods of website analysis that receive little attention from marketing academics. This article discusses the importance of user-centric methods of website analysis for the field of direct and interactive marketing and outlines strategies for implementing qualitative research techniques in an educational context. Classroom exercises and take-home assignments for an undergraduate curriculum are provided and discussed.
Pancreatitis in Hyperlipemic Mink (Mustela vison)
Authors: Nordstoga K. , Sørby R. , Olivecrona G. , Smith A. J. , Christophersen B.
Published: September 2011

In both man and animals, inflammatory changes in the pancreas often occur with disturbances in lipid metabolism, including hypertriglyceridemia and an excess of free fatty acids. Hyperlipoproteinemia type I is a human condition caused by a deficiency of lipoprotein lipase. A similar metabolic disturbance that occurs in mink is of considerable comparative interest, as it is also followed by pancreatitis. Pancreatic lesions in hyperlipoproteinemic mink included overt variably sized nodules with hemorrhage and necrosis. These lesions began as intralobular necrosis of exocrine cells and progressed to total lobular destruction, with eventual involvement of interlobular tissue. Remnants of epithelial cells and lipid-filled macrophages were seen in necrotic areas, along with other types of inflammatory cells scattered in a lipid-rich exudate. Granulation tissue developed rapidly in necrotic areas. Additional observations included ductal proliferation, replacement of epithelial cells with fat, and mural arterial thickening, most conspicuously with vacuolated cells and endothelial proliferation. Extravasation of lipid-rich plasma is thought to be a major intensifier of the inflammatory response.
Articular Cartilage Treatment in High-Level Male Soccer Players
Authors: Kon Elizaveta , Filardo Giuseppe , Berruto Massimo , Benazzo Francesco , Zanon Giacomo , Della Villa Stefano , Marcacci Maurilio
Published: September 2011

Background: Soccer is a highly demanding sport for the knee joint, and chondral injuries can cause disabling symptoms that may jeopardize an athlete’s career. Articular cartilage lesions are difficult to treat, and the increased mechanical stress produced by this sport makes their management even more complex.

Hypothesis: To evaluate whether the regenerative cell-based approach allows these highly demanding athletes a better functional recovery compared with the bone marrow stimulation approach.

Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

Methods: Forty-one professional or semiprofessional male soccer players were treated from 2000 to 2006 and evaluated prospectively at 2 years and at a final 7.5-year mean follow-up (minimum, 4 years). Twenty-one patients were treated with arthroscopic second-generation autologous chondrocyte implantation (Hyalograft C) and 20 with the microfracture technique. The clinical outcome of all patients was analyzed using the cartilage standard International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) evaluation package. The sport activity level was evaluated with the Tegner score, and the recovery time was also recorded.

Results: A significant improvement in all clinical scores from preoperative to final follow-up was found in both groups. The percentage of patients who returned to competition was similar: 80% in the microfracture group and 86% in the Hyalograft C group. Patients treated with microfracture needed a median of 8 months before playing their first official soccer game, whereas the Hyalograft C group required a median time of 12.5 months ( P = .009). The International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective score showed similar results at 2 years’ follow-up but significantly better results in the Hyalograft C group at the final evaluation ( P = .005). In fact, in the microfracture group, results decreased over time (from 86.8 ± 9.7 to 79.0 ± 11.6, P < .0005), whereas the Hyalograft C group presented a more durable outcome with stable results (90.5 ± 12.8 at 2 years and 91.0 ± 13.9 at the final follow-up).

Conclusion: Despite similar success in returning to competitive sport, microfracture allows a faster recovery but present a clinical deterioration over time, whereas arthroscopic second-generation autologous chondrocyte implantation delays the return of high-level male soccer players to competition but can offer more durable clinical results.
Thermal performance and optical properties of wood–polymer composites
Authors: Butylina Svetlana , Martikka Ossi , Kärki Timo
Published: September 2011

The thermal performance and optical properties of wood–polypropylene composites made from untreated wood material with and without metal-containing pigments, and composites made from heat-treated wood material were studied. The thermal heat buildup and linear shrinkage were determined. The impact of the optical properties of the surface of the composites on the heat buildup was analysed. The wood–polypropylene composites made from untreated wood without pigment were found to have the lowest heat buildup; a similar composite containing grey pigment had the highest heat buildup. The linear shrinkage of the studied wood–polypropylene composites was in the range 0.05–0.16%.
Children and digital diversity: From ‘unguided rookies’ to ‘self-reliant cybernauts’
Authors: de Almeida Ana Nunes , Alves Nuno de Almeida , Delicado Ana , Carvalho Tiago
Published: September 2011

This article discusses the heterogeneity in children’s appropriation and use of the internet that make up contemporary digital divides. Based on a survey of Portuguese children in mandatory education (8- to 17-year-olds), it relies on multivariate statistical procedures to build a topological mapping of internet use patterns. Variations in digital practices and parental mediation are analysed in relation to social backgrounds and demographic traits. Four clusters of users were thus identified: ‘self-reliant cybernauts’, ‘nurtured cybernauts’, ‘nurtured beginners’ and ‘unguided rookies’. This article aims to contribute to deepening the debate on digital divides and digital diversity within the sociology of childhood.
The use of eigenpenalty parameters in structural stability analysis
Authors: Monterrubio L E
Published: September 2011

In a recent publication, it has been mathematically proven that the eigenvalues of systems with constraints can be bracketed by replacing the constraints with positive and negative pairs of either ordinary or eigenpenalty parameters. This approach has already been demonstrated in the calculation of natural frequencies of systems subjected to both absolute constraints (such as supports) and relative constraints (rigid connections between multiple degrees of freedom). This study demonstrates that positive and negative penalty functions applied to the matrix associated with the eigenvalue can be used to enforce essential boundary conditions and rigid connections to determine the critical loads of linear elastic structures using the Rayleigh–Ritz procedure.
A practical real-time non-uniform rational B-spline curve interpolator for computer numerical control machining
Authors: Li J-G , Qiu M-M , Zhang T-H , Li Z-X
Published: September 2011

Non-uniform rational B-spline (NURBS) interpolator, a key technique in computer numerical control (CNC) machining, has many advantages over linear and circular interpolator. A practical real-time NURBS interpolator based on an off-line algorithm, which is developed to handle the limitation of velocity and acceleration, is presented in this article. Two processing modules are employed to realize the real-time interpolator. In one module, a NURBS curve is split into shorter NURBS curves or approximated as continuous line segments according to the minimum splitting length first, and then the velocity planning of a short curve is applied. Inthe other module, the interpolation according to the velocity planning results is implemented. The proposed algorithm realizes the real-time velocity planning and interpolation of a NURBS curve regardless of the curve length or the continuity. It is also applicable to three-dimensional surface designed by computer-aided design system, which is composed of multiple NURBS curves or both NURBS curves and continuous line segments. Both the simulation and experiment results have proved the effectiveness of the proposed practical real-time NURBS interpolator.
Virtual Artifacts
Authors: Fay Emily
Published: September 2011

Criminological investigations into the trade in antiquities have mainly focused on the sale of stolen artifacts or looted archaeological material; however, the question of authenticity has received little attention. This article examines the market for antiquities on eBay to investigate the claims made by sellers about the authenticity of artifacts and discusses the complexities of unraveling the fake from the genuine.
Active Control of Geometrically Non-linear Transient Response of Smart Laminated Composite Plate Integrated with AFC Actuator and PVDF Sensor
Authors: Kerur Shravankumar B. , Ghosh Anup
Published: September 2011

A coupled electromechanical finite element formulation for active control of geometrically non-linear transient response of laminated composite plate is studied. First-order shear deformation theory and von Karman type non-linear strain displacements are used. The plate is discritized using eight-noded quadratic isoparametric elements with five mechanical degrees of freedom and one electrical degree of freedom per node. Newton-Raphson iterative method in association with Newmark time integration method is used to solve the non-linear finite element equilibrium equation. Negative velocity feedback control algorithm is used to control the dynamic response of the smart laminated composite plate. AFC layer poled in fiber direction acting as distributed actuator and PVDF layer poled in thickness direction acting as sensor are considered. This study involves two types of actuator sensor arrangements: (1) the substrate is sandwiched between AFC actuator and PVDF sensor, called non-collocated arrangement and (2) AFC actuator and PVDF sensor are placed on top of the substrate, called collocated arrangement. The effect of piezoelectric fiber orientation in actuator layer on vibration control for both cross-ply and angle-ply laminates are examined.
Design of a Magnetorheological Damper-Based Haptic Interface for Rehabilitation Applications
Authors: Asadi E. , Hoyle A. , Arzanpour S.
Published: September 2011

This article presents a novel haptic interface for rehabilitation purposes using MR-dampers. In the rehabilitation, patients are required to do certain exercises to train damaged muscles. Specialized devices are required to ensure patients will do the exercise accurately. Typical devices that are used for this application are difficult to program and may cause damage by applying excessive force to human body. The haptic device that is designed in this article will address the issues by employing MR-dampers and a user-friendly programming methodology. The concept of Resistive-Map generation is introduced as main strategy for activating MR-dampers and restricting the motion to the regions determined by the therapist. To simulate the performance of the system, an accurate model of MR-damper is obtained and validated experimentally. To test the performance of the proposed MR-based haptic device, the resistance-maps are first generated. MR-dampers are activated according to the positions of the MR-dampers in the resistance-map. The system is also simulated in MATLAB ®/ SimMechanics. The experimental and simulation results are in good agreement. The promising results of the proposed haptic interface make it a potential candidate for rehabilitation applications. Patients will be able to take the device home and the physiotherapists can online programme the exercises and monitor the performance of patients.
Self-Interest Masquerading as Ingroup Beneficence
Authors: Pinter Brad , Wildschut Tim
Published: September 2011

An altruistic rationalization explanation of the interindividual–intergroup discontinuity effect proposes that intergroup interactions are more competitive than interactions between individuals because group membership creates an opportunity to rationalize selfishly motivated competitiveness as being enacted for the ingroup’s sake. To test this explanation, we compared participants whose decisions did not influence the earnings of other participants, and who therefore had no opportunity for altruistic rationalization of competitiveness, with participants whose decisions did influence the earnings of other participants, and who therefore did have an opportunity for altruistic rationalization. Competition in a prisoner’s dilemma game was greater when opportunities for altruistic rationalization were present, but this effect was significant only for participants who were low in dispositional proneness to guilt, a trait that motivates prosocial behavior. In other words, we found that dispositionally selfish individuals were most likely to become more competitive when opportunities for altruistic rationalization were present. These findings provide evidence for an additional mechanism driving the discontinuity effect.
Repurposing an Old Game for an International World
Authors: Hofstede Gert Jan , Tipton Murff Elizabeth J.
Published: September 2011

The game SO LONG SUCKER was designed in the United States in 1964 with the aim of showing how potentially unethical behavior necessary for winning was inherent in the game’s incentive structure. Sessions with East Asian participants, however, led to very different game dynamics in which collaborative rather than antagonistic behaviors occurred. This confirms that the course of a simulation game run is determined by more than its rules and roles. The participants’ personalities, skills, personal histories, and preexisting relationships also play a role. Furthermore, the unwritten rules of social behavior that the participants have been socialized into, their culture, is of crucial importance. This article uses experiences with a mix of U.S. and Taiwanese participants to discuss the interaction of written and unwritten rules in determining game dynamics. The suitability for international classroom use of this game, and others, as a vehicle for drawing lessons about culture is argued.
Development and Validation of the Multidimensional State Boredom Scale
Authors: Fahlman Shelley A. , Mercer-Lynn Kimberley B. , Flora David B. , Eastwood John D.
Published: September 2011

This article describes the development and validation of the Multidimensional State Boredom Scale (MSBS)—the first and only full-scale measure of state boredom. It was developed based on a theoretically and empirically grounded definition of boredom. A five-factor structure of the scale (Disengagement, High Arousal, Low Arousal, Inattention, and Time Perception) was supported by exploratory factor analyses and confirmatory factor analyses of two independent samples. Furthermore, all subscales were significantly related to a single, second-order factor. The MSBS factor structure was shown to be invariant across gender. MSBS scores were significantly correlated with measures of trait boredom, depression, anxiety, anger, inattention, impulsivity, neuroticism, life satisfaction, and purpose in life. Finally, MSBS scores distinguished between participants who were experimentally manipulated into a state of boredom and those who were not, above and beyond measures of trait boredom, negative affect, and depression.
Using a Pictorial-Modified Stroop Task to Explore the Sexual Interests of Sexual Offenders Against Children
Authors: Ciardha Caoilte Ó , Gormley Michael
Published: September 2011

The results of two studies are reported examining the utility of a pictorial-modified Stroop task (P-MST) in the assessment of sexual interest in a sample of nonoffending participants and of sexual offenders against children. A mixed factorial design was adopted for both. Nine gay and 12 straight participants took part in the first study which found that participants typically had attentional bias on the P-MST that was in line with their stated sexual interests. Twenty four sexual offenders against children and 24 control participants took part in the second study. Again results indicated that the task was tapping into the participants’ stated sexual interests. Furthermore, extrafamilial offenders and offenders with an admitted sexual interest in children demonstrated the greatest mean bias for child stimuli relative to adult stimuli. A cautious interpretation of the results was recommended, given the sample size in the study, the heterogeneity of the sample, differences in cognitive speed among offenders and controls and other methodological caveats.
Validating a Self-Report Screen for ADHD in Early Adulthood Using Childhood Parent and Teacher Ratings
Authors: Brownlie E. B. , Lazare Kim , Beitchman Joseph
Published: September 2011

Objective:

This article evaluates the diagnostic utility of a self-report screening tool for adults based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; DSM-IV) ADHD criteria.

Method:

Children with speech/language (S/L) impairment and typically developing controls had ADHD symptoms rated by parents and teachers at ages 5 and 12. At age 19, participants completed the Adult Attention Problems Scale (AAPS), an 18-item screen. Receiver operative characteristic curve analyses were used to assess the efficiency of this instrument in screening for ADHD.

Results:

The AAPS had moderate sensitivity and high specificity, but only for adults without a history of communication disorders.

Conclusion:

The AAPS provides clinicians with the only self-report scales for ADHD in adulthood, validated with childhood ADHD symptoms assessed by multiple raters. However, scale characteristics were poor for the S/L-impaired cohort. Given the overlap between language impairment and ADHD, adult ADHD measures validated in S/L-impaired samples are needed.
Water Systems Meeting Everyday Life
Authors: Krantz Helena
Published: September 2011

The urban water and sanitation system has been questioned from various sustainability perspectives but, like other large technical systems, it is highly path dependent and resistant to change. The response to environmental demands is typically to optimize existing technology and procedures, adding new system-compatible technology, and to introduce policy instruments to improve water use by households. However, these policy instruments are general measures that touch on everyday life in various household contexts. Despite the geographical extension of water and sanitation networks, any policy instrument or systemic change will be interpreted and understood in local contexts, and users in households act locally. Nevertheless, conceptual discussion of the interconnectedness of system design, household context, and user routines is lacking. This article aims to provide a conceptual model combining systems and everyday-life views in the same framework. The model is applied to the concrete Swedish example of phosphorous recycling from wastewater.
Learning whom to trust in repeated social interactions: A developmental perspective
Authors: van den Bos Wouter , van Dijk Eric , Crone Eveline A.
Published: September 2011

How do people learn to trust or distrust others? In a repeated trust game setting, we investigated the development of trust within repeated interactions. We assessed the development of relation-specific trust across different age groups, ranging from late childhood to young adulthood. The results demonstrated that within relations the older participants showed lower levels of negative reciprocity. Additionally, with increasing age both the anger towards, and punishment of, noncooperative players decreased. Further analyses showed that the differential willingness to punish violations of trust was mediated by feelings of anger. Overall, the data provide initial evidence for the role of emotion regulation in the development of interpersonal trust.
Evaluation of the Energy Efficiencies of Pre-cast Composite Columns
Authors: Hong Won-Kee , Park Seon-Chee , Jeong Su-Young , Lim Gyun-Taek , Kim Jeong-Tai
Published: September 2011

Columns manufactured with pre-cast concrete could reduce construction waste and CO2 emissions by reducing the use of temporary materials such as formwork. In this paper, three types of connection methods are introduced. The structural performance of pre-cast composite columns connected to beams was investigated for the column connection. Multi-story pre-cast composite columns could significantly reduce the construction time, resulting in a decrease in CO2 emissions. This paper reports the analysis of the compression and bending of a two-story column so as to verify the structural performances of pre-cast composite columns to provide adequate integrity to ensure a safe environment for building accommodation. In addition, a steel-framed column and a steel-framed reinforced concrete (SRC) column configured to feature the same compression performance as a pre-cast composite column were designed on the basis of the analysis results. The CO2 emissions and energy efficiency of the composite columns were compared with those of conventional steel and SRC columns during the design and construction phases. This paper also presents new composite columns providing efficient energy consumption with reduced CO2 emissions for a more environmentally conscientious construction of buildings.
Indoor and Outdoor Relationships of Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter at Primary Schools in Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia
Authors: Sofian Nur Zafirah Mohd , Ismail Marzuki
Published: September 2011

Studies have found that indoor air pollution affects human, especially children and the elderly, more compared to ambient atmospheric air. This study aims to investigate respirable suspended particulate matter (RSP) concentration in selected primary schools with different surrounding human activities, and to establish statistical relationships between indoor and outdoor air pollutant concentrations in each selected schools in Kuala Terengganu. Failure to identify and establish indoor air pollution status can increase health problems for these young students and degrade their learning environment and comfort. Indoor air quality (IAQ) parameters in seven primary schools were conducted during the monsoon season of August 2008 until March 2009. Ineach classroom, RSP, air velocity, relative humidity and temperature were monitored during school hours, and a complete walkthrough survey was completed. Results show a statistically significant difference for the six IAQ parameters between the seven schools at the 95% confidence level. Indoor concentration levels were mainly affected by RSP of outdoor concentration levels, since there are strong relationships of RSP concentration between indoor and outdoor in all schools except for control school. We conclude our findings by confirming the important influence of surrounding human activities on indoor concentrations of pollutants at primary schools in Kuala Terengganu.
Science blogs as competing channels for the dissemination of science news
Authors: Colson Vinciane
Published: September 2011

Research has already highlighted the strained relationships between scientists and journalists. Scientists generally criticize journalists for being over-simplistic, while journalists criticize researchers for being non-communicative. However, with the advent of Web 2.0, some researchers became more communicative by creating their own blogs.

This article explores the various channels used for the dissemination of science news and how journalists and scientists who blog see each other. First, the study interviews science journalists in Belgium and France, to examine the criteria that they use to evaluate the credibility of science blogs. Second, interviews conducted with science bloggers reveal the reasons that prompted them to create a blog, and, if applicable, why they have become disillusioned with science journalism.

This article discusses the online relationships between science journalists and science bloggers. The findings of this study show that science journalists do not generally see science blogs as valuable sources of information. At the same time, it confirms that some scientists use their blogs to circumvent traditional media.
Science blogs as boundary layers: Creating and understanding new writer and reader interactions through science blogging
Authors: Shanahan Marie-Claire
Published: September 2011

This study examines the affordances that journalistic science blogging offers at the boundaries between science communicators, researchers, non-scientists, and other readers. Taking a framework of boundary phenomena, it examines, as a case study, the blog Not Exactly Rocket Science and in particular two posts that spawned a collaboration between a scientist and a farmer. Two existing boundary phenomena, boundary objects and boundary organizations, are examined as possible models for understanding the interactions facilitated by this science blog. These existing phenomena are argued to not adequately account for and describe the interactions between people and information facilitated by the case study posts. To better understand science blogging boundaries, a new category of boundary phenomenon – the boundary layer – is proposed.
Ten minutes a day: The impact of Interactive Writing instruction on first graders’ independent writing
Authors: Roth Kate , Guinee Kathleen
Published: September 2011

This study examined the effects of Interactive Writing, a dynamic approach to writing instruction designed specifically for young children, on the independent writing of first graders enrolled in urban schools in a large metropolitan area. Children in the Interactive Writing condition (N = 49) showed greater growth on measures of independent writing than a comparison group (N = 52). Students’ written performance in response to a prompt indicated that those who participated in Interactive Writing not only improved in their overall independent writing, but also made greater gains on nine out of 10 of the individual subcomponents of writing measured: Ideas, Organization, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, Spelling of High-Frequency Words, Spelling of Other Words, Capitalization, Punctuation, and Handwriting. These results were obtained in classrooms that spent an average of 10.5 minutes a day engaged in Interactive Writing and thus demonstrate its potential as a daily practice to improve children’s independent writing.
Campaigns Targeting Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence
Authors: Cismaru Magdalena , Lavack Anne M.
Published: September 2011

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a global public health concern with significant physical, emotional, and economic costs. Persuading IPV perpetrators to change their behavior could play an important role in ending violence. This article reviews and analyzes 16 campaigns targeting IPV perpetrators, created in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. Two well-known models, the Transtheoretical (Stages of Change) model and Protection Motivation theory (PMT), are combined to create the analytical framework. For each stage of change, the most salient PMT variables are outlined, the people found in that stage are described, and the most effective strategies for persuasion are posited. Together, these two models would suggest that future campaigns targeting IPV perpetrators should place a stronger emphasis on the benefits of changing and place a greater focus on increasing perpetrators’ confidence that they can abstain from violence.