bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Incentives to Encourage Participation in the National Public Health Accreditation Model: A Systematic Investigation
Authors: Davis Mary V. , Cannon Margaret M. , Corso Liza , Lenaway Dennis , Baker Edward L.
Published: July 2009

Objectives. We sought to identify the incentives most likely to encourage voluntary participation in the national public health accreditation model.

Methods. We reviewed existing incentives, held meetings with key informants, and conducted a survey of state and local public health agency representatives. The survey was sent to all state health departments and a sample of local health departments. Group-specific differences in survey responses were examined.

Results. Survey response rates were 51% among state health department representatives and 49% among local health department representatives. Both state health department and local health department respondents rated financial incentives for accredited agencies, financial incentives for agencies considering accreditation, and infrastructure and quality improvement as important incentives. State health department respondents also indicated that grant administration and grant application would encourage their participation in the national accreditation model, and local health department respondents also noted that technical assistance and training would encourage their participation.

Conclusions. Incentives to encourage participation of state and local agencies in the national voluntary accreditation model should include financial support as well as support for agency infrastructure and quality improvements. Several initiatives are already under way to support agency infrastructure and quality improvement, but financial support incentives have yet to be developed.
A Preliminary Analysis of the Receipt of Mental Health Services Consistent With National Standards Among Children in the Child Welfare System
Authors: Raghavan Ramesh , Inoue Megumi , Ettner Susan L. , Hamilton Barton H. , Landsverk John
Published: July 2009

Objectives. We sought to examine the extent to which children in the child welfare system receive mental health care consistent with national standards.

Methods. We used data from 4 waves (3 years of follow-up) of the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being, the nation's first longitudinal study of children in the child welfare system, and the Area Resource File to examine rates of screening, assessment, and referral to mental health services among 3802 youths presenting to child welfare agencies. Weighted population-averaged logistic regression models were used to identify variables associated with standards-consistent care.

Results. Only half of all children in the sample received care consistent with any 1 national standard, and less than one tenth received care consistent with all of them. Older children, those exhibiting externalizing behaviors, and those placed in foster care had, on average, higher odds of receiving care consistent with national standards.

Conclusions. Adverse consequences of childhood disadvantage cannot be reduced unless greater collaboration occurs between child welfare and mental health agencies. Current changes to Medicaid regulations that weaken entitlements to screening and assessment may also worsen mental health disparities among these vulnerable children.
The Long-Term Health Consequences of Relationship Violence in Adulthood: An Examination of Low-Income Women From Boston, Chicago, and San Antonio
Authors: Hill Terrence D. , Schroeder Ryan D. , Bradley Christopher , Kaplan Lauren M. , Angel Ronald J.
Published: July 2009

Objectives. We examined the long-term health consequences of relationship violence in adulthood.

Methods. Using data from the Welfare, Children, and Families project (1999 and 2001), a probability sample of 2402 low-income women with children living in disadvantaged neighborhoods in Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois; and San Antonio, Texas, we predicted changes in the frequency of intoxication, psychological distress, and self-rated health over 2 years with baseline measures of relationship violence and a host of relevant background variables.

Results. Our analyses showed that psychological aggression predicted increases in psychological distress, whereas minor physical assault and sexual coercion predicted increases in the frequency of intoxication. There was no evidence to suggest that relationship violence in adulthood predicted changes in self-rated health.

Conclusions. Experiences with relationship violence beyond the formative and developmental years of childhood and adolescence can have far-reaching effects on the health status of disadvantaged urban women.
The Politics of Smoking in Federal Buildings: An Executive Order Case Study
Authors: Cook Daniel M. , Bero Lisa A.
Published: July 2009

Executive orders are important presidential tools for health policymaking that are subject to less public scrutiny than are legislation and regulatory rulemaking. President Bill Clinton banned smoking in federal government buildings by executive order in 1997, after the administration of George H. W. Bush had twice considered and abandoned a similar policy.

The 1991 and 1993 Bush proposals drew objections from agency heads and labor unions, many coordinated by the tobacco industry. We analyzed internal tobacco industry documents and found that the industry engaged in extensive executive branch lobbying and other political activity surrounding the Clinton smoking ban.

Whereas some level of stakeholder politics might have been expected, this policy also featured jockeying among various agencies and the participation of organized labor.
An Account of Collective Actions in Public Health
Authors: Siegal Gil , Siegal Neomi , Bonnie Richard J.
Published: July 2009

Aggregated health decisions by individuals are of paramount importance to public health professionals and policymakers, especially in situations where collective participation is a prerequisite for achieving an important public health goal such as herd immunity. In such circumstances, concerted action often falls short of the common good through lack of sufficient participation.

Collective action problems are traditionally attributed to rational egoists seeking to promote their interests and enjoy a “free ride.” We call attention, however, to the behavioral features of collective action and their implications for solving public health policy problems.
Long-Term Effects of Repealing the National Maximum Speed Limit in the United States
Authors: Friedman Lee S. , Hedeker Donald , Richter Elihu D.
Published: July 2009

Objectives. We examined the long-term effects of the 1995 repeal of federal speed limit controls on road fatalities and injuries in fatal crashes.

Methods. We used a Poisson mixed-regression model to assess changes in the number of fatalities and injuries in fatal crashes between 1995 and 2005 on rural interstates, where all US states have raised speed limits since the repeal, as well as on urban interstates and noninterstate roads, where many states have raised speed limits.

Results. We found a 3.2% increase in road fatalities attributable to the raised speed limits on all road types in the United States. The highest increases were on rural interstates (9.1%) and urban interstates (4.0%). We estimated that 12 545 deaths (95% confidence interval [CI] = 8739, 16 352) and 36 583 injuries in fatal crashes (95% CI = 29 322, 43 844) were attributable to increases in speed limits across the United States.

Conclusions. Reduced speed limits and improved enforcement with speed camera networks could immediately reduce speeds and save lives, in addition to reducing gas consumption, cutting emissions of air pollutants, saving valuable years of productivity, and reducing the cost of motor vehicle crashes.
Disentangling the Influence of Socioeconomic Status on Differences Between African American and White Women in Unmet Medical Needs
Authors: Wiltshire Jacqueline C. , Person Sharina D. , Kiefe Catarina I. , Allison Jeroan J.
Published: July 2009

Objectives. We sought to disentangle the relationships between race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES), and unmet medical care needs.

Methods. Data from the 2003–2004 Community Tracking Study Household Survey were used to examine associations between unmet medical needs and SES among African American and White women.

Results. No significant racial/ethnic differences in unmet medical needs (24.8% of Whites, 25.9% of African Americans; P = .59) were detected in bivariate analyses. However, among women with 12 years of education or less, African Americans were less likely than were Whites to report unmet needs (odds ratio [OR] = 0.57; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.42, 0.79). Relative to African American women with 12 years of education or less, the odds of unmet needs were 1.69 (95% CI = 1.24, 2.31) and 2.18 (95% CI = 1.25, 3.82) among African American women with 13 to 15 years of education and 16 years of education or more, respectively. In contrast, the relationship between educational level and unmet needs was nonsignificant among White women.

Conclusions. Among African American women, the failure to recognize unmet medical needs is related to educational attainment and may be an important driver of health disparities, representing a fruitful area for future interventions.
Understanding Evidence-Based Public Health Policy
Authors: Brownson Ross C. , Chriqui Jamie F. , Stamatakis Katherine A.
Published: July 2009

Public health policy has a profound impact on health status. Missing from the literature is a clear articulation of the definition of evidence-based policy and approaches to move the field forward. Policy-relevant evidence includes both quantitative (e.g., epidemiological) and qualitative information (e.g., narrative accounts).

We describe 3 key domains of evidence-based policy: (1) process, to understand approaches to enhance the likelihood of policy adoption; (2) content, to identify specific policy elements that are likely to be effective; and (3) outcomes, to document the potential impact of policy.

Actions to further evidence-based policy include preparing and communicating data more effectively, using existing analytic tools more effectively, conducting policy surveillance, and tracking outcomes with different types of evidence.
Permeability, Relative Permeability, Microscopic Displacement Efficiency and Pore Geometry of M_1 Bimodal Pore Systems in Arab D Limestone
Authors: Clerke Edward A.
Published: July 2009

Pore geometrical parameters for the M_1 petrophysical rock type of the Arab D limestone in Ghawar field have been related to static and dynamic reservoir properties and geological facies (Clerke et al. 2008). The M_1 bimodal pore system is the most common and important member of a new set of ultimate recovery petrophysical rock types (URPRT), which uses a new pore system classification for the Arab D limestone. The dynamic reservoir property results for the bimodal M_1 are reviewed here. The roles played by the pore system parameters describing the macropores (M) and micropores (Type 1) within the M_1 in permeability, imbibition oil relative permeability, and microscopic displacement efficiency are examined in detail. All pore systems are analyzed by the Thomeer method using an extensive mercury injection capillary pressure (MICP) data set in conjunction with dynamic experiments performed on samples prepared using the same wettability restoration. Effects commonly ascribed to wettability changes are observed by changes in the distribution of porosity between the M and Type 1 subsystems.

An extensive study of the pore systems of the Ghawar Arab D limestone gathered a large and comprehensive MICP data set (484 samples) (Clerke et al. 2008; Cantrell and Hagerty 1999, 2003; Clerke 2003, 2004; Ahr et al. 2005). All MICP data were type-curve matched by Thomeer functions (Clerke et al. 2008; Thomeer 1960). The study of this carefully prepared MICP data is the foundation for a new pore system classification. The new classification is built upon intrinsic, fundamental, and separate maximum pore-throat diameter modal elements named "porositons" (Clerke 2008; Ahr et al. 2005). Porositons are stable and recurring modes in the statistics of the Thomeer maximum pore-throat diameter of these carbonate pore systems. Porositon combinations are used to construct meaningful petrophysical rock types. Petrophysical rock types (PRTs) are defined by Clerke et al. (2008) as objects or combinations of objects that are present in the 3D space of the Thomeer pore-system parameters. Porositons are a new PRT object type; other PRT objects are clusters, trends, and surfaces. By constructing PRTs from porositons, strong relationships are found connecting the geological facies, PRTs, and reservoir-flow properties of these complex multimodal carbonate rocks (Clerke et al. 2008). These relationships demonstrate that these PRTs are important for defining ultimate recovery.
Pore-Level Examination of Gel Destruction During Oil Flow
Authors: Seright R. S. , Lindquist W. Brent , Cai Rong
Published: July 2009

Pore-scale X-ray computed microtomography (XMT) images were obtained at a variety of oil (hexadecane) throughput values after gel placement in cores [involving a pore-filling Cr(III)-acetate-hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) gel]. For each pore in our image volume, we followed oil and water saturations as a function of oil throughput. These studies were performed both in water-wet Berea sandstone and in hydrophobic porous polyethylene cores. In hydrophobic porous polyethylene, oil saturations increased and gel was destroyed (presumably dehydrated) quite quickly in the smallest pores. Also, oil saturations increased and gel was destroyed quickly in the largest pores. In contrast, oil saturations rose much more gradually for the most common or intermediate-size pores (around 10-4 mm3). The minimum in oil saturation vs. pore size may result from a balance between gel dehydration by oil film growth vs. gel extrusion.

In contrast, in water-wet Berea sandstone, increases in oil saturation occurred evenly over all pore sizes (10-6 to 0.02 mm3) for all oil throughput values. Consistent with imbibition and drainage studies performed before gel placement, oil apparently had equal access to Berea pores of all sizes and, thus, uniformly dehydrated gel in pores of all sizes. Gel extrusion did not appear to be significant in the Berea pores.
Introduction of Steerable Percussion Air Drilling System
Authors: Bui H.D. , Meyers J.A. , Yost Albert B.
Published: July 2009

By increasing penetration rates and bit life, especially in hard formation, the use of down-hole air hammers in the oil field has significantly reduceddrilling costs in the Northeast U.S. and West Texas (Ref. 1). Unfortunately, drilling by this percussion method has been limited mostly to straight holeapplications. This paper presents a new concept of a percussion drilling tool which performs both the function of a down-hole hammer as well as that of adown-hole motor. Such a drilling tool, being introduced here as Steerable Percussion Air Drilling System (SPADS), eliminates the necessity to rotate the drill string and, consequently, enables the use of downhole air hammers to drill directional wells.

Introduction

In hard rock formations such as those found in the Appalachian mountains, the Permian basin, and the Rocky Mountain regions of the U.S. and Canada, the use of air or gas as the drilling medium is advantageous because of improved penetration rates. Conventional down-hole air hammer, on one hand, yields very high penetration rates. On the other hand, it depends on the rotation of the entire drill string to rotate the bit. The ability to control the direction of the well bore is therefore severely restricted. Directional drilling, undermost circumstances, requires the use of a PDM down-hole motor with a bent housing. Unfortunately, when employing gas or air as the drilling medium, PDMmotors, which were designed to operate with mud, suffer from poor stator life, due to high RPM and insufficient lubrication, low torque capacity, due to the compressibility of the drilling medium, and poor bit life, due to insufficient cooling of the seals and/or bearing while being subjected to high RPM.
Process for the Controlled Precipitation of the Inhibitor Scale in a Subterranean Formation
Authors: Bezerra M. C. , Rosário F. F. , Prais F. , Rodrigues J. R. P.
Published: July 2009

The injection of seawater in offshore wells is used to maintain the reservoir pressure and keep the oil production. The seawater having high concentration of sulfate is incompatible with barium and strontium rich-formation water, causing the precipitation and scaling of sulfates at the base of the production tubing. Precipitation inhibitor squeeze treatment has been performed in wells to avoid barium sulfate and strontium sulfate scaling in the producing tubing. This treatment is usually performed by pumping a sequence of fluids containing respectively, the inhibitor, a spacer solution and a metal cation (Ca++) into the formation. Although this sequence of fluids avoids any precipitation during the injection, the efficiency of the inhibitor fixing on the rock depends on how good the mixture of the fluids are. In order to improve the efficiency of the precipitation squeeze treatment, a process for extending the fixing of scale inhibitor, in the pores of the petroleum-production formation was developed. The process is based on the injection of a single treatment solution replacing the conventional three solutions precipitation squeeze treatments. The kinetic of the reaction was determined and adjusted, for the conditions of sandstone formation, to assure that the precipitation does not ocurr before a delay of 5 hours. The precipitation squeeze inhibitor using a single treatment solution is applicable for fractured, horizontal and multilateral wells where conventional precipitation squeeze treatment does not work.
Successful Application of Coiled-Tubing-Conveyed Perforating Techniques in Egyptian Wells
Authors: Salahudin Sharifudin , Conrad Bruce , Maatjes Rein
Published: July 2009

This paper presents three case histories that demonstrate the successful use of coiled tubing (CT) to convey tubing-conveyed perforating (TCP) guns under diverse well conditions and applications. The deployment of this type of gun with coiled tubing is commonly referred to as CTCP.

The three different well configurations perforated with the CTCP include an extended reach, intermediate pressure (>3,000 psi WHP) live gas well with slotted liner; a horizontal openhole oil producer; and one well in which a downhole fish had to be bypassed to reach the perforating interval.

The paper discusses coiled tubing equipment selection, both surface and downhole, TCP equipment selection including gun size and firing head choice. Depth control is identified as a critical task in the process and is discussed in detail.

The paper concludes that CTCP technology can be applied successfully to a wide range of operations and well conditions.
Good Jobs, Green Jobs, Eh? A Canadian Perspective
Authors: King Andy
Published: July 2009

A group of Canadians pondered the dramatic change in momentum in the United States and began to think more concretely about strategies to bring unions and environmentalists together around a common green economic agenda. The campaign against toxic chemicals has proven to be a natural meeting place for labor and environmental activists. We share a common history and concern about the lack of effective regulation. The more challenging areas are about transition, the need for good jobs, and a viable economic strategy.
A Green Jobs Primer
Authors: Hendricks Bracken , Light Andrew , Goldstein Benjamin
Published: July 2009

The authors ask and answer four basic questions about green jobs and their effect on the economy: what are they, will they pay well, do they come at the cost of losses elsewhere in the economy, and do they result from luck in choosing technological “winners.”
Growing a Strong Middle Class
Authors: O'Malley Martin
Published: July 2009

An important mission for the country is achieving sustainability while strengthening the middle class. American leadership and innovation can play a critical role in defining the interconnectedness of our economy and environment—and in unlocking, harnessing, and advancing green technologies. The State of Maryland has launched a Green Jobs Initiative focused on attracting green businesses, working with existing businesses to adopt sustainable practices, promoting clean energy research and use, and training the work force for ne, green-collar jobs.
A Case for Green Energy Manufacturing
Authors: Brown Sherrod
Published: July 2009

Investing in green energy research and in policies that tackle climate change and reduce our dependence on dirty foreign oil can lead the U.S. to renewed economic success. This rare opportunity to reinvigorate manufacturing by building demand for products and technologies in a brand new industry is something we haven't had in 40 years. We can literally grow our economy as we protect our environment.
High-Speed Rail—Coming to America?
Authors: Cameron David Ossian
Published: July 2009

The United States lags many parts of the world when it comes to high-speed rail. But investing in high-speed rail could help us through current problems. Funds—$8 billion—in the economic stimulus package passed by Congress are designated for high-speed rail. Other funds in the pipeline total approximately $15.5 billion. High-speed rail can relieve congestion, free up national airspace, provide reliable transportation and positive economic development, create jobs, and is more energy efficient than other modes of travel.
Rebuild America Clean and Green
Authors: Gerard Leo W.
Published: July 2009

The testimony of International President Leo Gerard of the United Steelworkers before a House subcommittee on trade in March addressed how to minimize “carbon leakage” between nations—when emissions reductions in one country lead to increased emissions in another that has strict climate change policies—in a manner that will sustain existing U.S. jobs and keep domestic industry competitive.
Green Jobs to Meet America's Biggest Challenges
Authors: Lehner Peter
Published: July 2009

We confront a pivotal moment sparked by a crisis. Such times in the past have sparked important changes. Our economic and ecosystems are linked and both now demand quick attention and action. We need wise decisions that maximize job creation.
Changing Course—And the World
Authors: O'Sullivan Terence M.
Published: July 2009

For too long some corporations have held a gun to our heads and demanded that we choose jobs or choose the Earth. It's a false choice. We share a dream to build an America in which every worker who builds green can afford a hybrid car and every worker who is struggling to keep their house warm can join the struggle against global warming. The foundation that LIUNA has put in place over the last century can help build the green economy. Most green jobs for the foreseeable future will not be created by businesses alone, but through partnerships between business and government in the form of subsidies, incentives, or outright contracts.
Together We'll Take America Back
Authors: Jones Van
Published: July 2009

In this excerpted speech, Jones asserts that politics was realigned last year, and it was inspiring. It also was the first step in a movement. Now the struggle goes from the ballot box to the work place to devise an economy to help both people and the planet. We must find our way back to the wisdom of our close-to-the-earth ancestors to move forward wisely from this place. And you are Ground Zero.
Global Green New Deal
Authors: Steiner Achim
Published: July 2009

The last year was marked by food, fuel, and financial crises and the latter has translated itself into a global economic crisis. Climate change is accelerating and, unless checked, it promises to be the greatest market failure of all time with serious and significant implications for employment and economic activity. We must produce and consume in far more efficient and less extractive ways; we must re-invest in the productivity of the work force, innovation, and the natural assets that beget prosperity.
A Strategic Approach to a Green Economy
Authors: Trumka Richard L.
Published: July 2009

The crash has happened and we face dual market failures: climate change and the greatest economic crisis of our lifetimes. American labor believes that we must have a strategic approach to greening the economy centered on domestic investment in new technologies, the creation of good jobs, and leading a shared international response to both these issues. The nay-sayers are the same financial and industrial interests that advised the world economy into chaos. Their advice to us is more of the same: no rules, no regulations, free markets, and free trade. But now is the time for real change.
Green Jobs and a Strong Middle Class
Authors: Podesta John D.
Published: July 2009

Green jobs are critical to building a strong middle class, and millions of green jobs can be created through energy efficiency. The models already exist for this work, but we need sustained investment to bring them to scale.
Perception and Reality in Congressional Earmarks
Authors: Crespin Michael H , Finocchiaro Charles J. , Wanless Emily O
Published: July 2009

Earmarks added to appropriations bills have generated a considerable amount of attention from the media, politicians, and fiscal watchdog groups. Taken as a whole, three truths" about earmarks are frequently discussed: 1) earmarks are the reason for large budget deficits, 2) using omnibus legislation instead of regular order leads to more earmarks, and 3) airdropped" earmarks added at the conference stage compound the problem of pork. In this paper, we examine these truths" and find the conventional wisdom does not stand up to empirical tests. Finally, we show how Congress easily worked around new rules concerning the addition of earmarks at the conference stage.
Even Closer, Even Longer: What If the 2008 Democratic Primary Used Republican Rules?
Authors: Arbour Brian
Published: July 2009

Did the Democratic rules for delegate allocation cost Hillary Clinton the Democratic nomination in 2008? Did these same rules prolong the contest, creating further division within the Democratic Party? I address these two questions by re-running" the 2008 Democratic primaries under a different set of delegate allocation rulesthe ones used in the Republican nominating contest. Under these rules, Hillary Clinton would have held a four-delegate advantage at the end of the primaries and caucuses. The race would then have been decided by delegates selected at state conventions and by the Republican version of super-delegates." So while Clinton would have benefitted under Republican rules, the use of these rules would not have given her the nomination. And Republican rules would have produced a more prolonged and divisive contest for the Democratic nomination.
The Obama Effect: Patterns of Geographic Clustering in the 2004 and 2008 Presidential Elections
Authors: Seabrook Nicholas R
Published: July 2009

This paper investigates patterns of geographic clustering in the county vote for the presidential elections of 2004 and 2008. Using local indicators of spatial association (LISA), the statistically significant areas of Democratic and Republican support are identified for both elections, thereby uncovering major sources of spatial autocorrelation in recent presidential voting. Most interestingly, the change in the presidential vote from 2004 to 2008 appears to be significantly more spatially dependent than the raw vote itself, suggesting that the so-called "Obama Effect" also exhibits a high degree of geographic clustering.
Institutional Structure and Democratic Values: A Research Note on a Natural Experiment
Authors: Shafer Byron , Wichowsky Amber
Published: July 2009

The presidential nominating contest of 2008 resurrected an earlier debate about the democratic impact of the main institutional alternatives for delegate selection. This time, however, the debate came packaged with a major 'natural experiment' comparing the impact of primaries versus caucuses, courtesy of the Democratic Party of Texas which actually used both institutions on the same day to select different parts of the Texas delegation. Evidence from their simultaneous use suggests that the power of strong racial and ethnic attachments is not much influenced by the choice of institutions. Yet the same evidence suggests that the power of social class and class position is powerfully influenced by just such a choice. This result appears to present a particularly sharp dilemma for the self-conscious party of the less advantaged, the Democrats.
U.S. Health Care and Real Health in Comparative Perspective: Lessons from Abroad
Authors: Wilensky Harold L.
Published: July 2009

Among the 19 rich democracies I have studied for the past 40 years, the United States is odd-man-out in its health-care spending, organization, and results. The Obama administration might therefore find lessons from abroad helpful as it moves toward national health insurance. In the past hundred years, with the exception of the U.S., the currently rich democracies have all converged in the broad outlines of health care. They all developed central control of budgets with financing from compulsory individual and employer contributions and/or government revenues. All have permitted the insured to supplement government services with additional care, privately purchased. All, including the United States, have rationed health care. All have experienced a growth in doctor density and the ratio of specialists to primary-care personnel. All evidence a trend toward public funding. Our deviance consists of no national health insurance, a huge private sector, a very high ratio of specialists to primary-care physicians and nurses, and a uniquely expensive (non)system with a poor cost-benefit ratio. The cure: increase the public share to more than 65% from its present level of 45%. In regards to funding the transition cost and the permanent cost of guaranteed universal coverage: no rich democracy has funded national health insurance without relying on mass taxes, especially payroll and consumption taxes. Whatever we do to begin, broad-based taxes will be the outcome. Three explanations of "why no national health insurance in the U.S.?" are examined.
Formulation and Spectral Reduction of the Dynamical Model of a Circulating Fluidized Bed Combustor
Authors: Bizon Katarzyna , Continillo Gaetano
Published: July 2009

The distributed dynamic model of a circulating fluidized bed combustor in isothermal operation is developed and proposed, consisting of four 1D evolutionary partial differential equations and relevant boundary and initial conditions. The continuum model is then approximated by a finitedifference method to provide a "reference" solution. Then, proper orthogonal decomposition with Galerkin projection is introduced to derive a reduced order model. The POD modes are then tested in the low-order reconstruction of space profiles of the state variables at different times, during the transient and at steady-state. PODbased models prove to be effective, being able to reproduce steadystate with four basis functions. Quantitative accuracy even during the early transient stage is achieved with as little as 24 modes.
Rehabilitation After Hallux Valgus Surgery: Importance of Physical Therapy to Restore Weight Bearing of the First Ray During the Stance Phase
Authors: Schuh Reinhard , Hofstaetter Stefan G. , Adams Samuel B. , Pichler Florian , Kristen Karl-Heinz , Trnka Hans-Joerg
Published: July 2009

Background

Operative treatment of people with hallux valgus can yield favorable clinical and radiographic results. However, plantar pressure analysis has demonstrated that physiologic gait patterns are not restored after hallux valgus surgery.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to illustrate the changes of plantar pressure distribution during the stance phase of gait in patients who underwent hallux valgus surgery and received a multimodal rehabilitation program.

Design

This was a prospective descriptive study.

Methods

Thirty patients who underwent Austin (n=20) and scarf (n=10) osteotomy for correction of mild to moderate hallux valgus deformity were included in this study. Four weeks postoperatively they received a multimodal rehabilitation program once per week for 4 to 6 weeks. Plantar pressure analysis was performed preoperatively and 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 6 months postoperatively. In addition, range of motion of the first metatarsophalangeal joint was measured, and the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) forefoot questionnaire was administered preoperatively and at 6 months after surgery.

Results

The mean AOFAS score significantly increased from 60.7 points (SD=11.9) preoperatively to 94.5 points (SD=4.5) 6 months after surgery. First metatarsophalangeal joint range of motion increased at 6 months postoperatively, with a significant increase in isolated dorsiflexion. In the first metatarsal head region, maximum force increased from 117.8 N to 126.4 N and the force-time integral increased from 37.9 N·s to 55.6 N·s between the preoperative and 6-month assessments. In the great toe region, maximum force increased from 66.1 N to 87.2 N and the force-time integral increased from 18.7 N·s to 24.2 N·s between the preoperative and 6-month assessments.

Limitations

A limitation of the study was the absence of a control group due to the descriptive nature of the study.

Conclusions

The results suggest that postoperative physical therapy and gait training may lead to improved function and weight bearing of the first ray after hallux valgus surgery.
Development of a Self-Report Measure of Fearful Activities for Patients With Low Back Pain: The Fear of Daily Activities Questionnaire
Authors: George Steven Z. , Valencia Carolina , Zeppieri Giorgio , Robinson Michael E.
Published: July 2009

Background

Self-report measures for assessing specific fear of activities have not been reported in the peer-reviewed literature, but are necessary to adequately test treatment hypotheses related to fear-avoidance models.

Objective

This study described psychomotor properties of a novel self-report measure, the Fear of Daily Activities Questionnaire (FDAQ).

Design

A prospective cohort design was used.

Methods

Reliability and validity cohorts were recruited from outpatient physical therapy clinics. Analyses for the reliability cohort included internal consistency and 48-hour test-retest coefficients, as well as standard error of measurement and minimal detectable change estimates. Analyses for the validity cohort included factor analysis for construct validity and correlation and multiple regression analyses for concurrent and predictive validity. Four-week responsiveness was assessed by paired t test, effect size calculation, and percentage of patients meeting or achieving MDC criterion.

Results

The FDAQ demonstrated adequate internal consistency (Cronbach alpha=.91, 95% confidence interval=.87–.95) and 48-hour test-retest properties (intraclass correlation coefficient=.90, 95% confidence interval=.82–.94). The standard error of measurement for the FDAQ was 6.6, resulting in a minimal detectable change of 12.9. Factor analysis suggested a 2- or 3-factor solution consisting of loaded spine, postural, and spinal movement factors. The FDAQ demonstrated concurrent validity by contributing variance to disability (baseline and 4 weeks) and physical impairment (baseline) scores. In predictive validity analyses, baseline FDAQ scores did not contribute variance to 4-week disability and physical impairment scores, but changes in FDAQ scores were associated with changes in disability. The FDAQ scores significantly decreased over a 4-week treatment period, with an effect size of .86 and 55% of participants meeting the minimal detectable change criterion.

Limitations

The validity cohort was a secondary analysis of a clinical trial, and additional research is needed to confirm these findings in other samples.

Conclusions

The FDAQ is a potentially viable measure for fear of specific activities in physical therapy settings. These analyses suggest the FDAQ may be appropriate for determining graded exposure treatment plans and monitoring changes in fear levels, but is not appropriate as a screening tool.
Quality factor and finesse optimization in buried InGaAsP/InP ring resonators
Authors: Ciminelli Caterina , Passaro Vittorio M. N. , Dell’Olio Francesco , Armenise Mario N.
Published: July 2009

Quality factor and finesse of buried In1−xGaxAsyP1−y / InP ring resonators have been optimized in this paper by a very general modelling technique. Limiting effect of propagation loss within the ring has been investigated using a three-dimensional (3D) highly accurate complex mode solver based on mode matching method to analyze bending loss dependence on ring radius and wavelength. Coupling between straight input/output (I/O) bus waveguides and ring resonator has been studied by 3D Beam Propagation Method (BPM), deriving coupling loss and coupling coefficient for a large range of ring radius and bus waveguides-ring distance values (for both polarizations). Ring resonator has been modelled by the transfer-matrix approach, while finesse and quality factor dependence on radius has been estimated for two resonator architectures (including one or two I/O bus waveguides) and for quasi-TE and quasi-TM modes. Guiding structure has been optimized to enhance resonator performance. The modelling approach has been validated by comparing results obtained by our algorithm with experimental data reported in literature. Influence of rejection (at resonance wavelength) at through port on quality factor and finesse has been widely discussed. A quality factor larger than 8×105 has been predicted for the ring resonator employing only one I/O bus waveguide and having a radius of 400 µm. This resonator exhibits a rejection of −8 dB at through port.
Design of passive ring resonators to be used for sensing applications
Authors: Ciminelli Caterina , Campanella Carlo Edoardo , Armenise Mario Nicola
Published: July 2009

In this paper we report on the effects of two optical beams counterpropagating in a passive ring resonator that is the building block of several devices in a lot of sensing applications. By using the transfer matrix method in combination with the coupled mode theory, the analytical expressions of the power transfer functions for drop and through port configurations are derived in both cases of single beam and double beams inside the ring. The implemented model has shown some improvements in the resonator performance, such as the increase of the transmission power and the reduction of the linewidth, when the interaction between the two beams is considered, with respect to the single beam ring resonator configuration.
Comparison of the photoluminescence properties of semiconductor quantum dots and non-blinking diamond nanoparticles. Observation of the diffusion of diamond nanoparticles in living cells
Authors: Faklaris Orestis , Garrot Damien , Joshi Vandana , Boudou Jean-Paul , Sauvage Thierry , Curmi Patrick A. , Treussart François
Published: July 2009

Long-term observations of photoluminescence at the single-molecule level were until recently very difficult, due to the photobleaching of organic fluorophore molecules. Although inorganic semiconductor nanocrystals can overcome this difficulty showing very low photo-bleaching yield, they suffer from photoblinking. A new marker has been recently introduced, relying on diamond nanoparticles containing photoluminescent color centers. In this work we compare the photoluminescence of single quantum dots (QDs) to the one of nanodiamonds containing a single-color center. Contrary to other markers, photoluminescent nanodiamonds present a perfect photostability and no photoblinking. At saturation of their excitation, nanodiamonds photoluminescence intensity with a single NV-color center is only three times smaller than one of the single QDs. Moreover, the bright and stable photoluminescence of nanodiamonds allows wide field observations of single nanoparticles motion. We demonstrate the possibility of recording the trajectory of such single particle in culture cells.
Reinventing India through “A quite witty pastiche”: Reading Tom Stoppard'sIndian Ink
Authors: Bhatia Nandi
Published: July 2009

In his play Indian Ink (1995), Tom Stoppard's juxtaposition of different time-periods from colonial and postcolonial India and Britain to make past and present indistinguishable, his collapsing of spatial particularities, and the insertion of conflicting conversations through a “quite witty pastiche” are elements that aim to dismantle rigid boundaries between India and its empire and critique exclusionary identity politics in post-imperial Britain, especially during the Thatcher years. Such engagement with the colonial past places Indian Ink among historical fictions that aim to destabilize colonialist myths, examine contradictory outcomes of colonialism, and interrogate the “impartial” claims of history. Yet, I argue in this article, that such strategies of representing colonial history, which obscure questions of power that are germane to postcolonial societies, remain inadequate for acknowledging the uneven outcomes of imperialism and transform the play primarily into a theatrical show that represents the empire as a benign enterprise.
Ambulation after Deep Vein Thrombosis: A Systematic Review
Authors: Anderson Cathy M. , Overend Tom J. , Godwin Julie , Sealy Christina , Sunderji Aisha
Published: July 2009

Purpose: To systematically review the effects of early ambulation on development of pulmonary embolism (PE) and progression or development of a new thrombus in patients with acute deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Methods: Medline, PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, PEDro, and Cochrane Library databases were searched from inception to June 2008. Study quality was appraised using the Jadad and PEDro scales. Meta-analyses were reported as relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results: Four randomized trials were accepted. For development of a PE, the pooled relative risks for ambulation and compression versus bed rest and compression (RR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.34–1.19) and for ambulation and compression versus bed rest alone (RR = 1.36, 95% CI: 0.57–3.29) were not significant. For progression of an existing thrombus or development of a new thrombus, the independent relative risks for ambulation and compression versus bed rest and compression (RR = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.13–1.14) and for ambulation and compression versus bed rest alone (RR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.20–1.57) were also not significant.

Conclusions: Given the clinical benefits of mobility, and because there was no significant difference between ambulation and bed rest for risk of developing a PE or development and progression of a new DVT in any of the studies, clinicians should be confident in prescribing ambulation in this population.
Effects of Exercise Intervention on Persons with Metastatic Cancer: A Systematic Review
Authors: Beaton Rebekah , Pagdin-Friesen Wendy , Robertson Christa , Vigar Cathy , Watson Heather , Harris Susan R.
Published: July 2009

Purpose: To systematically review and synthesize results of studies that examined the effects of exercise on persons with metastatic cancer.

Methods: Databases searched were MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Search terms used were “metastatic or advanced or palliative AND cancer or neoplasms AND exercise or physical activity or exercise therapy or physical fitness.” The search identified 8 studies published in 10 articles between 2000 and 2007. Two quality-assessment tools were used, and levels of evidence were assigned according to the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (CEBM) guidelines.

Results: Of the eight studies, three were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and five were case series. Because three of the RCTs were based on the same sample, only one was included in the results and discussion sections. CEBM levels of evidence ranged from 2b to 4. Two overall recommendations were made, one grade A and one grade C. Exercise interventions ranged from aerobic exercise and strength training to multidimensional programmes with exercise as one component. All studies used physical and/or quality-of-life outcome measures.

Conclusions: Review findings suggest that exercise may be beneficial for persons with metastatic cancer. Future research should clarify optimal exercise dose parameters.
Immediate Effects of Cane Use on Gait Symmetry in Individuals with Subacute Stroke
Authors: Beauchamp Marla K. , Skrela Martina , Southmayd Degen , Trick Jaime , Kessel Meghan Van , Brunton Karen , Inness Elizabeth , McIlroy William E.
Published: July 2009

Purpose: In stroke rehabilitation, there is a lack of consensus regarding the effects of cane use on gait symmetry. This study aimed to evaluate the immediate effects on gait symmetry of ambulating with a standard cane and a quad cane among individuals with subacute stroke.

Method: A within-subject experimental design was used to evaluate symmetry in in-patients with subacute stroke during ambulation on a pressure-sensitive walkway for three task conditions: with no cane, with standard single-point cane, and with quad cane.

Results: Fourteen patients were classified as symmetric (n = 5) or asymmetric (n = 9) based on their gait symmetry while walking without an aid. Overall, use of a standard cane during ambulation significantly improved symmetry in asymmetric patients (p = 0.028). In contrast, the use of a quad cane did not improve symmetry (p = 0.36). There was no effect on symmetry in symmetric patients with use of either a standard cane (p = 0.88) or a quad cane (p = 0.32).

Conclusions: These results indicate that the immediate effect of a standard cane is to improve symmetry in patients with subacute stroke who have asymmetric gait. Future studies are required to determine the long-term effects of canes on gait symmetry in this population.
Microsurgical anatomy of the ventral callosal radiations: new destination, correlations with diffusion tensor imaging fiber-tracking, and clinical relevance
Authors: Peltier Johann , Verclytte Sébastien , Delmaire Christine , Deramond Hervé , Pruvo Jean-Pierre , Le Gars Daniel , Godefroy Olivier
Published: July 2009

Object

In the current literature, there is a lack of a detailed map of the origin, course, and connections of the ventral callosal radiations of the human brain.

Methods

The authors used an older dissection technique based on a freezing process as well as diffusion tensor imaging to investigate this area of the human brain.

Results

The authors demonstrated interconnections between areas 11, 12, and 25 for the callosal radiations of the trunk and rostrum of the corpus callosum; between areas 9, 10, and 32 for the genu; and between areas 6, 8, and 9 for the ventral third of the body. The authors identified new ventral callosal connections crossing the rostrum between both temporal poles and coursing within the temporal stem, and they named these connections the “callosal radiations of Peltier.” They found that the breadth of the callosal radiations slightly increases along their course from the rostrum to the first third of the body of the corpus callosum.

Conclusions

The fiber dissection and diffusion tensor imaging techniques are complementary not only in their application to the study of the commissural system in the human brain, but also in their practical use for diagnosis and surgical planning. Further investigations, neurocognitive tests, and other contributions will permit elucidation of the functional relevance of the newly identified callosal radiations in patients with disease involving the ventral corpus callosum.