bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Meta-Analytic Review of Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Financial Performance
Authors: Wang Qian , Dou Junsheng , Jia Shenghua
Published: May 2015

The relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate financial performance (CFP) has long been a central and contentious debate in the literature. However, prior empirical studies provide indefinite conclusions. The purpose of this study is to review systematically and quantify the CSR–CFP link in a meta-analytic framework. Based on 119 effect sizes from 42 studies, this study estimates that the overall effect size of the CSR–CFP relationship is positive and significant, thus endorsing the argument that CSR does enhance financial performance. Furthermore, this work sheds light on the causal relationship between CSR and CFP. Subsequent financial performance is associated with prior social responsibility, while the reverse direction is not supported. This finding supports the instrumental stakeholder theory. As predicted, the meta-analysis results indicate that the measurement strategies of the two key constructs of CSR and CFP explain some variations of the CSR–CFP relationship. Last, this study examines the moderating effect of the environmental context on the CSR–CFP link. This work proposes that CSR in the developed world, with a relatively mature institutional system and efficient market mechanism, will be more visible than CSR in the developing world. The results show that the CSR–CFP relationship is stronger for firms from advanced economies than for firms from developing economies.
Work Volition Among U.S. Veterans
Authors: Duffy Ryan D. , Jadidian Alex , Douglass Richard P. , Allan Blake A.
Published: May 2015

The present study examined correlates of work volition—the perceived capacity to make occupational choices despite constraints—with a diverse sample of 213 U.S. veterans. Veterans with higher levels of formal education, higher yearly incomes, were married, and were employed, endorsed greater work volition. Those who experienced lower posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, endorsed lower levels of neuroticism, higher levels of conscientiousness, and higher levels of internal locus of control, also demonstrated greater levels of work volition. A structural model was run where PTSD symptoms, neuroticism, and conscientiousness were hypothesized to predict work volition via locus of control and compared with an alternative model. After identifying a best fitting model, bootstrapping analyses demonstrated that locus of control fully mediated the relations between PTSD symptoms, neuroticism, and conscientiousness to work volition. Specifically, the key reason PTSD symptoms, neuroticism, and conscientiousness were related to work volition was their effect on general locus of control. Practical implications are discussed.
“Mi incammino verso l’Asia”: L’immagine dell’Oriente nell’opera del Settecento
Authors: De Rosa Guido
Published: May 2015

Nel corso del Settecento, il teatro musicale europeo, in cerca di nuovi orizzonti tematici, si apre all’Oriente. Sui palcoscenici d’Europa compaiono melodrammi dai titoli esplicitamente esotici: Le Cinesi, L’Eroe Cinese, L’Orfano Cinese ecc. Quanto c’è di genuinamente orientale in queste opere? L’analisi condotta sui libretti dell’epoca mostra inequivocabilmente come gli ideali illuministi rimangano, per quanto concerne il teatro in musica, soltanto dei buoni propositi. La conoscenza dell’altro, infatti, non va oltre le evidenze esterne del vivere e non mira a un’effettiva interpretazione antropologica. L’esotismo è relegato alle scenografie e ai costumi, elementi immediatamente percettibili che permettono quindi al pubblico di godere subito della “varietà dilettevole” offerta da tali opere; è soltanto nella cura dell’allestimento che si ricorre alla consultazione di appositi volumi, in cerca di una maggiore verosimiglianza. La musica propria dell’Oriente rimane “inascoltata”, schiacciata dalla sbrigativa prassi di rappresentare attraverso la musica europea un carattere attribuito ai cinesi. Se ne deduce che quello portato sulla scena musicale europea settecentesca è un Oriente favolistico, privo di qualsiasi consistenza storica effettiva. Una semplice vernice esotizzante ricopre personaggi e intrecci drammaturgici lasciandoli del tutto invariati.
Foreign Direct Investment, Trade Openness and Economic Growth
Authors: Yusoff Mohammed B. , Nuh Ruslee
Published: May 2015

In recent years, the Thailand economy has become more open to foreign trade as well as foreign direct investment (FDI). Thus, the main objective of this article is to examine whether FDI and international trade have positively contributed to the economic growth of Thailand. The results of the Granger causality tests indicate that they are indeed important determinants of growth in Thailand. This suggests that policymakers in Thailand should liberalize its economy to encourage foreign trade and FDI inflows to achieve a sustained high economic growth.
Preparation of natural rubber-based polyol by oxidative degradation under supercritical carbon dioxide for flexible bio-based polyurethane foams
Authors: Amnuaysin Thidarat , Buahom Piyapong , Areerat Surat
Published: May 2015

Nowadays, polyurethane foams play a key role in widespread applications, and their market demand is still growing globally. This work aims to prepare hydroxyl telechelic liquid natural rubber, a bio-based polyol, as a sustainable raw material and to enhance elastic properties of soft segment bio-based polyurethane foams. A hydroxyl telechelic liquid natural rubber with a viscosity-average molecular weight of 4.2 × 103 g/mol was successfully produced by oxidative degradation of natural rubber with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of supercritical carbon dioxide, then modifying the chain-end functionality to obtain hydroxyl number of 59 mg KOH/g. The functionality of hydroxyl telechelic liquid natural rubber was confirmed by FT-IR and 1H-NMR. Bio-based polyurethane foams were then prepared by mixing the synthesized hydroxyl telechelic liquid natural rubber with commercial diisocyanate. Morphological properties and thermal stability of polyurethane foams were investigated.
A novel lab-scale batch foaming equipment: The mini-batch
Authors: Tammaro D , Contaldi V , Carbone MG Pastore , Di Maio E , Iannace S
Published: May 2015

In this paper, we report the design of a new experimental apparatus for the study of the foaming process of thermoplastic polymers with physical blowing agents. The novel lab-scale batch foaming equipment is capable of achieving accurate control of the processing variables, namely, the temperature, the saturation pressure and the pressure drop rate and, furthermore, of allowing the achievement of very high pressure drop rates, the observation of the sample while foaming and the very fast extraction of the foamed sample. By recalling the considerations discussed by Muratani et al. ( J Cell Plast 2005; 24: 15), the design converged into a simple, cheap, and very small pressure vessel, thereby denoted as mini-batch. We herein describe the overall design path of the mini-batch, its characteristics, configurations, together with some examples of use with polystyrene and CO2 as the blowing agent.
Characterization and mechanical properties investigation of the cellulose/gypsum composite
Authors: Nindiyasari Fitriana , Griesshaber Erika , Zimmermann Tanja , Manian Avinash Pradip , Randow Clemens , Zehbe Rolf , Fernandez-Diaz Lurdes , Ziegler Andreas , Fleck Claudia , Schmahl Wolfgang W
Published: May 2015

We synthesized cellulose/gypsum composites in the presence and absence of sodium alginate and investigated the interaction between the composite components as well as the mechanical properties of the final composites. Four different types of cellulose fiber materials were used: cellulose UFC100, cellulose B400, nanofibrillated cellulose, and Lyocell fiber. For all investigated composites the total amount of admixed cellulose was between 1 and 2 wt%, the amount of admixed sodium alginate was 0.5 wt%. We determined the morphology of the composites and observed that the particle and fiber dimensions of the admixed cellulose affect the mode of gypsum–gypsum interlocking and the total porosity of the composites. This in turn had a substantial influence on the mechanical properties of the final composite materials. The addition of sodium alginate resulted in an increase of ultimate strain values. Composites with Lyocell fiber, a synthetic fiber, also had a high Young’s modulus.
COUP-TFII Stimulates Dentin Sialophosphoprotein Expression and Mineralization in Odontoblasts
Authors: Hur S.-W. , Oh S.-H. , Jeong B.-C. , Choi H. , Kim J.-W. , Lee K.-N. , Hwang Y.-C. , Ryu J.-H. , Kim S.-H. , Koh J.-T.
Published: May 2015

Chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter transcription factor 2 (COUP-TFII), an orphan nuclear receptor belonging to the steroid-thyroid hormone receptor superfamily, plays an important role in cell fate determination of various tissues. However, the specific role of COUP-TFII in tooth development has not yet been elucidated. In the present study, we aimed to explore the role of COUP-TFII in dentin sialophosphoprotein ( DSPP) expression and matrix mineralization in odontoblast-lineage cells. In primary human dental pulp cells (HDPCs) and murine dental papilla-derived cells (MDPC-23) cultured in a mineralizing medium, the expression of COUP-TFII was induced along with the increased odontoblast-specific dentin matrix protein-1 ( DMP-1) and DSPP expression. Endogenous expression of COUP-TFII in maxillary second molar germs of rats showed an increasing tendency as development of the tooth progressed. Also, COUP-TFII protein was detected in greater quantity in the odontoblastic layer of second molar germs than in that of third molar germs of rats. Overexpression of COUP-TFII using an adenoviral system upregulated the expression of odontoblast-specific genes with increased alkaline phosphatase activity and matrix mineralization in odontoblast-lineage cells. In contrast, knockdown of COUP-TFII using small interfering RNA decreased the expression of odontoblast-specific genes, which reduced matrix mineralization. Mechanistic studies revealed that COUP-TFII increased DSPP transcription by direct binding on the DSPP promoter. In addition, COUP-TFII physically interacted with the homeodomain transcription factor Msx2 and antagonistically regulated the Msx2 effect on DSPP promoter activity. Taken together, these results suggest that COUP-TFII has a stimulatory role in DSPP expression and matrix mineralization in odontoblast-lineage cells.
Transfer spending in the English premier league: the haves and the have nots
Authors: Burdekin Richard C.K. , Franklin Michael
Published: May 2015

Transfer spending among English Premier League clubs has increased drastically since the inception of the league, often funded by extremely wealthy owners who began purchasing majority stakes in clubs. Using data from the Deloitte Annual Review of Football Finance, we allow for different tiers of football clubs representing the haves and the have nots as well as a comparison between the first and second decades of the Premier League. Our finding that heightened spending has improved on-field performance only at the expense of hurting profitability is in line with win maximisation surmounting profit maximisation in today's Premier League.
The Struggle for the Meaning of Dissent
Authors: Cerda García Alejandro
Published: May 2015

Political dissent, a significant part of any democratic process, must be understood not only as a historical and social construction but also from a structural and relational perspective. Social movements and organizations, especially autonomist indigenous ones, attempt to persuade the public that dissent is a right and a proper form for thinking about the political. The social construction of dissent as a crime not only is promoted by state regimes but also seeks to be accepted, legitimated, and sustained by the society. Socially deconstructing it requires considering the law as a historical production, connecting its analysis to legitimacy, and recognizing its ideological and fictional dimension and the influence of structural conditions such as the organization of production.

El disenso político, parte sustancial de todo proceso democrático, requiere ser comprendido como construcción social e histórica y desde una perspectiva estructural y relacional. Organizaciones y movimientos sociales, especialmente los indígenas autonomistas, despliegan acciones para influir en la opinión pública a fin de sostener que disentir es un derecho y una forma idónea de pensar lo político. La construcción social de la disidencia como delito es un proceso que, si bien es impulsado por regímenes estatales, busca ser aceptado, legitimado y sostenido por la sociedad. La tarea de desconstruirlo socialmente requiere considerar el derecho como producto histórico, vincular su análisis a la legitimidad, y reconocer su dimensión ideológica y ficcional y la influencia por condiciones tales como la organización de los procesos de producción.
Does Diabetes Self-management Education in Conjunction With Primary Care Improve Glycemic Control in Hispanic Patients?
Authors: Ferguson Sacha , Swan Melanie , Smaldone Arlene
Published: May 2015

Purpose

The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to evaluate the effectiveness of diabetes self-management education (DSME) interventions delivered in conjunction with primary care among Hispanic adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods

A systematic search of PubMed, Cochrane Library, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature identified randomized controlled trials (RCT) that tested the effect of DSME interventions in Hispanic adults with T2DM. Studies reporting hemoglobin A1C (A1C) pre and post intervention or change in A1C were eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis.

Results

Of 625 studies identified, 13 RCTs met criteria for inclusion in the systematic review; of these, 11 studies were included in the meta-analysis. The 13 RCTs represent data from 2784 adult Hispanic subjects. DSME interventions (individual, group, telephone/electronic, and multimodal sessions) varied in intensity from 1-time DSME sessions with phone follow-up to contact every 4 to 6 weeks over 5 years. At ≥6 months following intervention, pooled A1C reduction was −0.25 (95% CI, −0.42 to −0.07), favoring the intervention group.

Conclusions

DSME in conjunction with primary care is effective in improving glycemic control in Hispanic adults with T2DM. Future comparative effectiveness research is needed to identify best delivery methods to optimize effectiveness of DSME delivered to the Hispanic population.
Eliot’s rose garden: Some phenomenology and theology in “Burnt Norton”
Authors: Hart Kevin
Published: May 2015

T. S. Eliot's Four Quartets respond to and gradually modify the experience that is evoked in the first part of “Burnt Norton”. Yet the well-known rose garden scene has been variously interpreted, the “presences” being either naturalized or regarded as supernatural entities. A phenomenological reading of the rose garden scene gives us a more secure, and also a more nuanced, understanding of what happens in the rose garden, and therefore allows us to develop a fuller and more reliable reading of Four Quartets.
Without a doubt: The portrayal of Christian conversion in Jean Rotrou’s Le Véritable Saint Genest
Authors: Wood Hadley
Published: May 2015

Jean Rotrou’s Le Véritable Saint Genest, one of the rare successful martyrdom tragedies produced for the 17th-century French commercial stage, is often interpreted as a proto-postmodern play about the confusing nature of reality and the indeterminacy of faith. Structural details of both plot and characterization, however, validate a Christian reading of this play. By carefully constructing a contrast between the world of Christian faith and the world without faith, Rotrou attempts to create for his audience the sense of an encounter with the divine and a realization of the urgency of a commitment to God.
Performance Benefits From Providing Assistance in Networks: Relationships That Generate Learning
Authors: Shah Neha Parikh , Cross Rob , Levin Daniel Z.
Published: May 2015

Social network scholarship emphasizes that receiving resources from others in a network can benefit an individual’s job performance. Yet this paradigm rarely considers the effects on the provider of assistance. Outside the networks literature, scholars have been increasingly attentive to factors that affect motivations to provide help (i.e., prosocial motivation). However, the performance effects associated with providing help have been mixed. We concentrate specifically upon assistance that has the potential to enhance the providers’ learning and knowledge base and, hence, their performance. Using a bounded-network survey in a large consulting firm, we show that providing problem-solving assistance to many others on task-related matters increases the provider’s own work performance. We then consider how this learning may be affected by other relational and contextual factors. In so doing, we shift the predominant network perspective that people accrue performance advantages from receiving assistance to show that such advantages also occur—under the right circumstances—from providing it.
Influence of Tonsillar Size on OSA Improvement in Children Undergoing Adenotonsillectomy
Authors: Tang Alice , Benke James R. , Cohen Aliza P. , Ishman Stacey L.
Published: May 2015

Objective

To determine if pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) improves after adenotonsillectomy (AT) regardless of tonsil size.

Study Design

Case series with chart review.

Setting

Pediatric Otolaryngology Department, Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Subjects

Seventy children 1 to 18 years of age who underwent polysomnography (PSG) before and after AT.

Methods

Tonsil size was evaluated using the Brodsky grading scale.

Results

Children were stratified by tonsil size as 2+ (n = 20), 3+ (n = 36), and 4+ (n = 14). There was a significant improvement in obstructive apnea‐hypopnea index (oAHI), apnea index (AI), and saturation nadir across all 3 groups after AT. Preoperative oAHI, AI, and hypopnea index (HI) were similar regardless of tonsil size (P >. 05). Overall, oAHI improved from a median of 11.8 ± 21.7 to 2.0 ± 6.1 events/h, with 40% (28/70) of children having complete resolution. The oAHI (P <. 0001‐0.02), AI (P <. 0001‐0.017), HI (P <. 0001‐0.058), and saturation nadir (P <. 0001‐0.017) significantly improved for the 2+, 3+, and 4+ groups. Only the HI (P =. 058) in the 2+ group did not. The median oAHI improvement was 3.4 ± 26.4 events/h in the 2+ group, 8.3 ± 16.6 events/h in the 3+ group, and 12.3 ± 19.5 events/h in the 4+ group, with 25% (5/20), 50% (18/36), and 36% (5/14), respectively, having complete resolution. There was no correlation between OSA severity and tonsil or adenoid size (P >. 32).

Conclusion

Tonsil size did not correlate with OSA severity. While a larger proportion of patients classified as 3+ and 4+ had complete resolution after surgery, significant improvement was seen in AI and saturation nadir even in those classified as 2+.
Social Media, Financial Algorithms and the Hack Crash
Authors: Karppi Tero , Crawford Kate
Published: May 2015

‘@AP: Breaking: Two Explosions in the White House and Barack Obama is injured’. So read a tweet sent from a hacked Associated Press Twitter account @AP, which affected financial markets, wiping out $136.5 billion of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index’s value. While the speed of the Associated Press hack crash event and the proprietary nature of the algorithms involved make it difficult to make causal claims about the relationship between social media and trading algorithms, we argue that it helps us to critically examine the volatile connections between social media, financial markets, and third parties offering human and algorithmic analysis. By analyzing the commentaries of this event, we highlight two particular currents: one formed by computational processes that mine and analyze Twitter data, and the other being financial algorithms that make automated trades and steer the stock market. We build on sociology of finance together with media theory and focus on the work of Christian Marazzi, Gabriel Tarde and Tony Sampson to analyze the relationship between social media and financial markets. We argue that Twitter and social media are becoming more powerful forces, not just because they connect people or generate new modes of participation, but because they are connecting human communicative spaces to automated computational spaces in ways that are affectively contagious and highly volatile.
How blind individuals discriminate braille characters: An identification and comparison of three discrimination strategies
Authors: Graven Torø
Published: May 2015

This study investigated (1) how blind individuals describe discriminating braille characters, including ranking braille features in importance – their discrimination strategy: explored qualitatively, and (2) whether exploration time, accuracy, and after-decision certainty in detecting one target among distractors depend on discrimination strategy: tested quantitatively. In all, 23 blind individuals participated. Three discrimination strategies and their phases of attention when processing information were identified: the figure identity strategy with two phases of focused attention, the global characteristics strategy with one pre-attentive phase, and the touch vision strategy with one phase of semi-focused and one of narrowly focused attention. The figure identity strategy and the global characteristics strategy were equally fast, accurate, and used with equal amounts of after-decision certainty. Exploration time, accuracy, and after-decision certainty of the touch vision strategy varied according to visual experience. In teaching, the pupil’s nonobligatory pattern of decisions needs to be recognised, whether occasional or signalling a discrimination strategy.
Looking back at the service delivery models of sex education in the United States: Adults with visual impairments report on their experiences
Authors: Kelly Stacy M , Wild Tiffany A , Ryan Caitlin L , Blackburn Mollie V
Published: May 2015

This study investigated the sex education experiences of adults with visual impairments who attended either an itinerant or residential service delivery model during their school age years in the United States. We sought to answer the research questions through an online survey instrument that included quantifiable survey items. Findings demonstrate particular sex education content presented to participants in the school curriculum was more frequent for participants who attended residential schools. However, there were little or no meaningful methods or materials (e.g., role plays, explicit talk, tactile graphics, electronic materials, anatomically correct models) used by the participants in their sex education experiences regardless of their educational school setting. The information reported by participants in this study underscores the claim that more thorough and in-depth sex education is needed in all types of service delivery models that takes into account the needs of students with visual impairments.
Endovenous laser ablation is an effective treatment for great saphenous vein incompetence in teenagers
Authors: Terlecki Piotr , Przywara Stanislaw , Iłżecki Marek , Terlecki Karol , Kawecki Piotr , Zubilewicz Tomasz
Published: May 2015

Objectives

The current knowledge of chronic venous disease in teenagers and its treatment is very limited. The aim of the study is to present our experience and the available literature data on the treatment of varicose veins in teenagers with endovenous laser ablation of the great saphenous vein.

Methods

Five patients, aged 15–17 years, were qualified for surgery, based on typical signs and symptoms of chronic venous disease. Minimally invasive treatment with endovenous laser ablation of the great saphenous vein was applied.

Results

The technical success of surgery was achieved in all patients. Over a 2-year follow-up we did not observe any case of recanalisation of the great saphenous vein, recurrence of varicose veins, or serious complications, such as deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. One patient presented with resolving of post-operative bruising, and two cases of local numbness were transient.

Conclusions

Endovenous laser ablation of the great saphenous vein in the treatment of chronic venous disease in teenagers is effective and safe. The method provides excellent cosmetic effects, very short recovery time and high levels of patient satisfaction.
Bilateral total hip replacement: periprosthetic pseudotumor collections are more prevalent in metal-on-metal implants compared to non-metal-on-metal ones
Authors: Slonimsky Einat , Kushnir Tammar , Kadar Assaf , Menahem Aharon , Grundshtein Alon , Dekel Shmuel , Eshed Iris
Published: May 2015

Background

Metal-on-metal (MoM) hip prostheses were shown to have high failure rates including the formation of periprosthetic cystic masses called periprosthetic pseudotumor collections (PPCs).

Purpose

To compare MRI prevalence and size of PPCs in patients after bilateral total-hip-replacement (THR) in which at least one hip was replaced by a MoM prosthesis.

Material and Methods

All sequential MRI examinations of patients with bilateral THR in which at least one is MoM (2010–2013) were retrospectively evaluated. MRIs were analyzed separately by two readers for the presence and size of PPCs. These were compared between MoM and non-MoM implants and between patients with unilateral or bilateral-MoM prostheses. Blood metal ion levels were also compared.

Results

Seventy hips of 35 patients (male:female ratio, 9:26; mean age, 64 years; age range, 35–82 years) were assessed. Sixteen patients (45%) underwent bilateral MoM-THRs and 19 (55%) had one MoM and the other non-MoM, yielding 51 MoM THRs and 19 non-MoM THRs. Twenty-eight PPCs were detected in 19 patients (54%): 26 in MoM THRs (51%) and two in non-MoM THRs (10.5%, P = 0.00009). The mean PPC volume in the MoM implants (107 mm3) was higher than that of the non-MoM implants (18 mm3, P = 0.49). Cobalt/chromium blood levels were 78 µg/L/25 µg/L for bilateral MoM THRs and 21 µg/L/10 µg/L for unilateral MoM implants ( P = 0.1 and 0.16, respectively).

Conclusion

PPCs are more prevalent in MoM THRs compared to non-MoM THRs. Larger PPC volumes and higher blood metal ion levels were detected in patients with bilateral MoM THRs compared to unilateral MoM THRs ( P > 0.05).
Three-dimensional effects at the tip of rounded notches subjected to mode-I loading under cyclic plasticity
Authors: Marangon Christian , Campagnolo Alberto , Berto Filippo
Published: May 2015

In this work, a comprehensive theoretical and numerical study on the cyclic elastic–plastic notch stress and strain distributions is carried out. In more detail, the incremental cyclic plasticity theory, already proposed by other authors to determine the actual stress and strain state arising in two-dimensional or axisymmetric notched components, is extended to the study of three-dimensional effects at the tip of rounded notches in plates of finite thickness. The analytical frame is initially validated considering a number of plane problems and later modified to consider three-dimensional effects. Different notch geometries are investigated, such as plane specimens with finite thickness weakened by circular holes, U-notches and rounded V-notches subjected to cyclic mode-I loading. Theoretical results based on the incremental cyclic plasticity theory are compared with time-consuming elastic–plastic finite element analyses carried out with a commercial finite element code showing a very satisfactory agreement. Finally, a link between the averaged strain energy density criterion and the area subtended by the hysteresis loops tied to the different stress and strain components acting at the notch tip has been investigated.
Clinical Outcomes After Arthroscopic Hip Labral Repair Using Looped Versus Pierced Suture Techniques
Authors: Sawyer Gregory A. , Briggs Karen K. , Dornan Grant J. , Ommen N. Dawn , Philippon Marc J.
Published: May 2015

Background:

With an improved understanding of the importance of the labrum, labral repair is replacing labral debridement as a component of hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement. Labral repair can be performed by passing suture limbs either around (looped) or through (pierced) the labral tissue.

Purpose:

To determine whether there is any clinical difference between these different labral repair techniques.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

A prospective data registry was queried for patients who underwent primary hip arthroscopy with labral repair from 2009 to 2011. Patients older than 18 years who had undergone labral repair were included in the study. Exclusion criteria included previous hip surgery, avascular necrosis, joint space less than 2 mm, and labral reconstruction or augmentation. Patients were grouped based upon the 3 labral repair techniques: looped, pierced, or combined. Statistical equivalence testing was performed to evaluate the primary outcome measure, the Hip Outcome Score–activities of daily living subscale (HOS-ADL). Other measures included the HOS–sport subscale (HOS-Sport), modified Harris hip score (mHHS), Short Form–12 (SF-12), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and patient satisfaction with outcome (1-10 scale; 10 = very satisfied).

Results:

Preoperative scores improved in the looped group (HOS-ADL, from 68 to 91; mHHS, from 64 to 83; HOS-Sport, from 51 to 81; and WOMAC, from 23 to 9), the pierced group (HOS-ADL, from 64 to 89; mHHS, from 62 to 83; HOS-Sport, from 46 to 77; and WOMAC, from 34 to 12), and the combined group (HOS-ADL, from 64 to 89; mHHS, from 63 to 83; HOS-Sport, from 52 to 79; and WOMAC, from 26 to 12). Median patient satisfaction in all groups was 9.0. The 3 labral repair groups were shown to be statistically and clinically equivalent ( P < .05) with respect to the validated HOS-ADL to within a clinically irrelevant threshold at mean 36-month follow-up. In addition, there were no differences in secondary outcome measures or in the revision rate (looped, 7% [14/209], pierced, 8% [5/65], and combined, 6% [5/83]).

Conclusion:

This study showed equivalent HOS-ADL outcomes between looped, pierced, and combined labral repairs. Secondary outcome measures, including failure and revision rates, were not significantly different among the groups. Thus, suture type did not influence outcomes.
Sex Influences the Biomechanical Outcomes of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction in a Preclinical Large Animal Model
Authors: Kiapour Ata M. , Fleming Braden C. , Proffen Benedikt L. , Murray Martha M.
Published: May 2015

Background:

The risk of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is 2 to 10 times greater in women than men. While the effect of sex on injury risk is well established, its effects on surgical outcomes remain controversial.

Purpose/Hypothesis:

To investigate whether the biomechanical outcomes of ACL reconstruction are affected by sex using an established porcine model that displays similar sex-specific differences in knee anatomy and ligament structural properties to humans. The hypothesis was that there will be sex differences in ACL reconstruction outcomes with regard to the graft structural properties, knee laxity, and cartilage damage.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

A total of 41 adolescent Yucatan minipigs (23 male, 18 female) underwent unilateral ACL transection and ACL reconstruction using sex-matched bone–patellar tendon–bone allografts (with or without additional bioenhancement). Graft biomechanical and histological properties, knee laxity, and cartilage damage were assessed after 15 weeks. A 2-factor analysis of variance was used to investigate the effect of sex on all the measured outcomes after adjusting for the treatment effect.

Results:

After 15 weeks of healing, female pigs had a significantly lower mean normalized graft yield load (by 18.5% ± 7.7%; P = .023) and linear stiffness (by 11.9% ± 5.6%; P = .043) compared with male pigs. Female pigs had significantly greater side-to-side differences in anteroposterior knee laxity at 30° (by 1.4 ± 0.6 mm; P = .028) and 90° (by 1.8 ± 0.8 mm; P = .032). Female pigs had a lower graft vascular density (by 0.8 ± 0.3 [analog scoring]; P = .021) with similar cellular and collagen-based histologic scores in both sexes ( P > .6). Female pigs also had a significantly larger area of cartilage damage (by 43.3 ± 14.8 mm2; P = .014) after conventional ACL reconstruction compared with their male counterparts.

Conclusion:

Female pigs had significantly worse outcomes (ie, graft structural properties, knee laxity, and cartilage damage) compared with male pigs in this translational model after 15 weeks of healing.

Clinical Relevance:

These data suggest that further optimization of ACL injury treatments may be needed to accommodate each sex instead of using a “one fits all” approach to improve surgical outcomes, decrease incidence of reinjury, and decrease posttraumatic osteoarthritis risk after ACL reconstruction.
A novel mold design for one-continuous permeability measurement of fiber preforms
Authors: Yalcinkaya M Akif , Sarioglu Aysen , Sozer E Murat
Published: May 2015

One-continuous permeability measurement experiments allow measuring permeability of a fiber preform within a range of fiber volume fractions by conducting a single unsaturated (a.k.a. transient) flow experiment on a dry specimen at an initial thickness, and a set of saturated flow experiments on the wetted specimen by varying the thickness of the mold cavity. This approach allows quicker database construction and reduces the effect of inherent variation of fabric structure caused by inconsistent labor on permeability. In this study, the drawbacks of previous mold designs are eliminated by using appropriate sealing, gap thickness adjustment mechanism and features that allow straightforward and reliable manual operation. Experiments for three different fabric types are conducted and the results are discussed. It is mainly observed that the unsaturated permeability is higher than the saturated permeability.
Viscoelastic properties of coil carbon nanotube-coated carbon fiber-reinforced polymer nanocomposites
Authors: Sharma Raghunandan , Yadav Amit K , Panwar Vinay , Kar Kamal K
Published: May 2015

Strong interfacial bonding is necessary between carbon fiber and polymer matrix to take advantage of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composites in structural applications. An attempt has been made to improve the interfacial bonding by coating coiled carbon nanotubes on carbon fiber surface through a single-step chemical vapor deposition process. Coiled structures were synthesized on nickel-coated carbon fiber by using thiophene as a sulphur impurity and acetylene as a carbon precursor. The coiled carbon nanotube-coated carbon fiber and epoxy were used, respectively, as the reinforcement and the matrix to form carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composites. The role of coiled carbon nanotubes on thermo-mechanical properties of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composites was investigated using dynamic mechanical thermal analysis in three different modes of deformation. Unsized carbon fiber (carbon fiber heat-treated to remove sizing agents)/epoxy composites were used as the reference to evaluate the enhancement due to coiled carbon nanotubes. Substantial improvements in viscoelastic properties of coiled carbon nanotube/carbon fiber/polymer composites over unsized carbon fiber/polymer composites were observed in all of the deformation modes. Coiled Carbon nanotube composites in shear mode exhibit highest enhancements in both storage as well as loss moduli due to superior mechanical interlocking between coiled carbon nanotubes and polymer matrix.
Influence of electrospun nanofibers on the interlaminar properties of unidirectional epoxy resin/glass fiber composite laminates
Authors: Saghafi Hamed , Palazzetti Roberto , Zucchelli Andrea , Minak Giangiacomo
Published: May 2015

Nylon 6,6 nanofibers were interleaved in the mid-plane of glass fiber/epoxy matrix composite laminates for Mode I and II fracture mechanic tests. The present study investigates the effect of the nanofibers on the laminates’ mechanical response. Results showed that Nylon 6,6 nanofibers improved specimen’s fracture mechanic behavior: the initial energy release rates GIC and GIIC increased 62% and 109%, respectively, when nanofibrous interlayer was used. Scanning electron microscope micrographs showed that nanofiber bridging mechanism enhances performances of the nanomodified specimens, still able to link the layers when the matrix is broken.
Methotrexate-loaded glass ionomer cements for drug release in the skeleton: An examination of composition–property relationships
Authors: Kiri Lauren , Filiaggi Mark , Boyd Daniel
Published: May 2015

Chemotherapeutic-loaded bone cement may be an effective method of drug delivery for the management of cancer-related vertebral fractures that require cement injection for pain relief. Recent advancements in the development of aluminum-free glass ionomer cements (GICs) have rendered this class of biomaterials clinically viable for such applications. To expand the therapeutic benefits of these materials, this study examined, for the first time, their drug delivery potential. Through incrementally loading the GIC with methotrexate (MTX) by up to 10-wt%, composition–property relationships were established, correlating MTX loading with working time and setting time, as well as compressive strength, drug release, and cytotoxic effect over 31 days. The most significant finding of this study was that MTX was readily released from the GIC, while maintaining cytotoxic activity. Release correlated linearly with initial loading and appeared to be diffusion mediated, delivering a total of 1–2% of the incorporated drug. MTX loading in this range exerted minimal effects to handling and strength, indicating the clinical utility of the material was not compromised by MTX loading. The MTX-GIC systems examined herein are promising materials for combined structural delivery applications.
Effect of l-lysine-assisted surface grafting for nano-hydroxyapatite on mechanical properties and in vitro bioactivity of poly(lactic acid-co-glycolic acid)
Authors: Liuyun Jiang , Lixin Jiang , Chengdong Xiong , Lijuan Xu , Ye Li
Published: May 2015

It is promising and challenging to study surface modification for nano-hydroxyapatite to improve the dispersion and enhance the mechanical properties and bioactivity of poly(lactic acid- co-glycolic acid). In this paper, we designed an effective new surface grafting with the assist of l-lysine for nano-hydroxyapatite, and the nano-hydroxyapatite surface grafted with the assist of l-lysine (g-nano-hydroxyapatite) was incorporated into poly(lactic acid- co-glycolic acid) to develop a series of g-nano-hydroxyapatite/poly(lactic acid- co-glycolic acid) nano-composites. The surface modification reaction for nano-hydroxyapatite, the mechanical properties, and in vitro human osteoblast-like cell (MG-63) response were characterized and investigated by Fourier transformation infrared, thermal gravimetric analysis, dispersion test, electromechanical universal tester, differential scanning calorimeter measurements, and in vitro cells culture experiment. The results showed that the grafting amount on the surface of nano-hydroxyapatite was enhanced with the increase of l-lysine, and the dispersion of nano-hydroxyapatite was improved more, so that it brought about better promotion crystallization and more excellent mechanical enhancement effect for poly(lactic acid- co-glycolic acid), comparing with the unmodified nano-hydroxyapatite. Moreover, the cells’ attachment and proliferation results confirmed that the incorporation of the g-nano-hydroxyapatite into poly(lactic acid- co-glycolic acid) exhibited better biocompatibility than poly(lactic acid- co-glycolic acid). The above results indicated that the new surface grafting with the assist of l-lysine for nano-hydroxyapatite was an ideal novel surface modification method, which brought about better mechanical enhancement effect and in vitro bioactivity for poly(lactic acid- co-glycolic acid) with adding higher g-nano-hydroxyapatite content, suggesting it had a great potential to be used as bone fracture internal fixation materials in future.
Isolation, characterization, and in vitro evaluation of bovine rumen submucosa films of collagen or chitosan-treated collagen
Authors: Gopal Shankar K , Udhaya Kumar S , Sowndarya S , Suresh Babu P , Rose C
Published: May 2015

Bovine rumen is hitherto considered as an inedible waste of meat industry. The rumen tissues can be used as an alternative source of collagen to produce biocompatible materials for clinical application. In an effort to develop a functional biomaterial from the inedible mammalian tissues, this study aims to isolate and characterize bovine rumen submucosa. Initially, the rumen tissue was sequentially processed using chemical and enzymatic treatment to decellularize, neutralize, stabilize, and to produce a native collagen matrix which is referred as collagen film (COL-F). Thus, prepared matrix was treated with 1% (w/v) chitosan solution to produce a hybrid film which is referred as collagen–chitosan film (COL/CS-F). The comparative study includes the evaluation of physical, chemical, and biological properties of the biofilms prepared. The surface topology of COL-F exhibited a continuous collagenous network with fibrous nature, while the chitosan treatment provided smooth plain surface to the parent film. Incorporation of chitosan in COL-F increased the tensile properties, as well as the thermal stability and durability of the films. The Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy results revealed the presence of respective amide peaks, which corresponds to protein (collagen), and the evidence of collagen–chitosan interlinking. The submucosa layer was electrophoretically found to have type I collagen. The X-ray diffraction data showed the presence of amorphous and crystalline peak which attributes to the triple helical structure of collagen in the films. Cytotoxicity studies on the films were performed in vitro using human keratinocytes. The results of cell viability and proliferation demonstrated that COL-F and COL/CS-F exhibit good biocompatibility and therefore can augment cell infiltration and proliferation. However, enhanced cellular activity was observed on the chitosan treated COL-F. These observations demonstrate that the biofilms prepared in this study can be used as an alternative functional biomaterial in tissue engineering.
The Personality Divide
Authors: Russo Silvia , Amnå Erik
Published: May 2015

Personality traits are considered efficient predictors of off-line political participation. However, the effects of personality traits on online political engagement have been largely understudied. The main goal of this cross-sectional research ( N = 1,134, sample of young adults) was to investigate the relationships between personality traits, as measured by the Big Five Inventory, and online political engagement. As dependent variables, we took three dimensions of online political engagement: e-targeted, e-expressive, and e-news. A latent variables structural equation model showed that personality traits directly and indirectly predict modes of online political engagement via the mediation of political attitudes and the proneness to use Internet. On the whole, we found that people open to experience and extraverts take part in online political actions, whereas agreeable and conscientious people tend to avoid them. The findings provide insights on the differences between traditional form (i.e., off-line) and the new online modes of political engagement by showing that, to some extent, the latter appeal to different personality profiles. In sum, online engagement seems to be marked by a personality divide.
Comparison of Job Satisfaction Between Nonprofit and Public Employees
Authors: Lee Young-joo
Published: May 2015

The dissimilarities in governance, clientele, and organizational imperatives between the nonprofit and public sectors suggest that understanding employee job satisfaction requires distinction between the two. This study examines similarities and differences in what affects managers’ job satisfaction in nonprofit and public organizations, focusing on managers’ perception of their organization, job, and top management. While the results suggest that pride in the organization is a determining factor of managers’ job satisfaction in both sectors, they also reveal that certain attributes of job satisfaction influence managers’ job satisfaction differently between the two sectors. In particular, the findings suggest that nonprofit organizations should establish clear definitions of employees’ tasks and roles and allow employees more autonomy to increase their job satisfaction.
The design and analysis of wind turbine based on differential speed regulation
Authors: Su Rui , Rui Xiaoming , Wu Xin , Yin Qidong
Published: May 2015

Aiming problems arising from the wind turbine with the frequency converter, this paper proposes a design for wind turbine based on differential speed regulation. The dynamic characteristics and parameter determination method of the structural components including differential gear train and speed regulating motor (SRM) were studied and the dynamic characteristic expression were obtained. The critical conditions about input power or output power for ring gear driven by SRM were researched. The way to determine the optimal structure parameters of SRM was put forward. The minimum peak power of SRM was regarded as the objective function while the transmission ratios of three gear sets which were placed in the different positions of overall structure scheme was optimized. A SIMULINK model of 1.5 MW wind turbine based on differential speed regulation was built and ran. The rotational speed, torque and power of the wind rotor, the SRM and the synchronous generator were obtained respectively. The simulation results can verify effectiveness of the theoretical analysis and parameter configuration.
HIV infection presenting proliferation of CD8+ T lymphocyte and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis
Authors: Usman Mohammad , Thapa Sudeep D , Hadid Hiba , Yessayan Lenar T
Published: May 2015

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis is a rare hyperinflammatory disorder characterised by CD8+ T lymphocyte activation and hypercytokinemia. Autoimmune disorders including hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis have been described in HIV patients; however, it is a rare initial presentation of HIV infection. We present an unusual case of HIV infection presenting with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.