bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
IR in Dialogue … but Can We Change the Subjects? A Typology of Decolonising Strategies for the Study of World Politics
Authors: Sabaratnam Meera
Published: April 2011

In an effort to reconceive the conduct of ‘dialogue’ within world politics, it is necessary for us to find new subject-positions from which to speak. This article develops a typology of six distinctive intellectual strategies through which ‘decolonising’ approaches to social theory can help rethink world politics by bringing alternative ‘subjects’ of inquiry into being. These strategies include pointing out discursive Orientalisms, deconstructing historical myths of European development, challenging Eurocentric historiographies, rearticulating subaltern subjectivities, diversifying political subjecthoods and re-imagining the social-psychological subject of world politics. The value of articulating the project in this way is illustrated in relation to a specific research project on the politics of the liberal peace in Mozambique. The article discusses a number of tensions arising from engaging with plurality and difference as a basis for conducting social inquiry, as well as some structural problems in the profession that inhibit carrying out this kind of research.
Reframing the Pluralist— Solidarist Debate
Authors: Weinert Matthew S.
Published: April 2011

The pluralist—solidarist debate in English School theory — which concentrates on discerning the kind of international society in which we live — encourages overgeneralisations that either overstate international society’s presumed solidarity or vigorously defend instrumental commitments that underplay actual ethical advances. Building upon insights by Bellamy, Buzan and Hurrell, I attempt to extricate the debate from its current impasse by recasting pluralism and solidarism as ideal-typical assessments of agreements within particular issue areas. The argument is illustrated with reference to human security. Two reasons are behind this choice. Firstly, it allows me to pose more pluralist-friendly claims on a terrain that is presumably ceded to solidarists. Secondly, the contested nature of human security allows me to highlight the fluidity of the concepts, which reveals not necessarily solidarism’s cooperative potential or pluralism’s minimalist pledges, but rather fissures, uncertainties and dissonances that in the end are resolved by continual mediations between the two.
Dialogue and Discovery: In Search of International Relations Theories Beyond the West
Authors: Acharya Amitav
Published: April 2011

Scholars of International Relations (IR) increasingly realise that their discipline, including its theories and methods, often neglects voices and experiences outside of the West. But how do we address this problem and move the discipline forward? While some question whether ‘Western’ and ‘non-Western’ (or ‘post-Western’) are useful labels, there are also other perspectives, including those who believe in the adequacy of existing theories and approaches, those who argue for particular national ‘schools’ of IR, and those who dismiss recent efforts to broaden IR theory as ‘mimicry’ in terms of their epistemological underpinnings. After reviewing these debates, this article identifies some avenues for further research with a view to bringing out the global heritage of IR. These include, among other things, paying greater attention to the genealogy of international systems, the diversity of regionalisms and regional worlds, the integration of area studies with IR, people-centric approaches to IR, security and development, and the agency role of non-Western ideas and actors in building global order. I also argue for broadening the epistemology of IR theory with the help of non-Western philosophies such as Buddhism. While the study of IR remains dominated by Western perspectives and contributions, it is possible to build different and alternative theories which originate from non-Western contexts and experiences.
Accounting for uncertainty when mapping species distributions: The need for maps of ignorance
Authors: Rocchini Duccio , Hortal Joaquín , Lengyel Szabolcs , Lobo Jorge M. , Jiménez-Valverde Alberto , Ricotta Carlo , Bacaro Giovanni , Chiarucci Alessandro
Published: April 2011

Accurate mapping of species distributions is a fundamental goal of modern biogeography, both for basic and applied purposes. This is commonly done by plotting known species occurrences, expert-drawn range maps or geographical estimations derived from species distribution models. However, all three kinds of maps are implicitly subject to uncertainty, due to the quality and bias of raw distributional data, the process of map building, and the dynamic nature of species distributions themselves. Here we review the main sources of uncertainty suggesting a code of good practices in order to minimize their effects. Specifically, we claim that uncertainty should be always explicitly taken into account and we propose the creation of maps of ignorance to provide information on where the mapped distributions are reliable and where they are uncertain.
The changing trajectory of snow mapping
Authors: Linde Jonathan , Grab Stefan
Published: April 2011

Snow cover and its associated melt have a variety of important biological, hydrological, economic and hazards implications, which under current global change scenarios are anticipated to continue operating as major environmental agents. To this end, considerable advances have been made in recording and mapping snow cover over the past few decades. This review examines the development of snow mapping over time, and explores the application of modern technology to the measurement of snow distribution and characterization. Some advantages and limitations of current snow mapping methods and techniques are discussed, as are their potential to facilitate future snow mapping. It is demonstrated that advances in remote sensing technology and ground-based measurement devices have upgraded snow mapping to a fully digital process during recent decades, and it is anticipated that three-dimensional snow mapping will facilitate a fundamental step toward a new generation of snow observation techniques in the coming years.
Hydrological modelling in a changing world
Authors: Peel Murray C. , Blöschl Günter
Published: April 2011

Changing hydrological conditions due to climate, land use and infrastructure pose significant ongoing challenges to the hydrological research and water management communities. While, traditionally, hydrological models have assumed stationary conditions, there has been much progress since 2005 on model parameter estimation under unknown or changed conditions and on techniques for modelling in those conditions. There is an analogy between extrapolation in space (termed Prediction in Ungauged Basins, PUB), and extrapolation in time (termed Prediction in Ungauged Climates, PUC) that can be exploited for estimating model parameters. Methods for modelling changing hydrological conditions need to progress beyond the current scenario approach, which is reliant upon precalibrated models. Top-down methods and analysis of spatial gradients of a variable of interest, instead of temporal gradients (a method termed ‘Trading space for time’) show much promise for validating more complex model projections. Understanding hydrological processes and how they respond to change, along with quantification of parameter estimation and modelling process uncertainty will continue to be active areas of research within hydrology. Contributions from these areas will not only help inform future climate change impact studies about what will change and by how much, but also provide insight into why any changes may occur, what changes we are able to predict in a realistic manner, and what changes are beyond the current predictability of hydrological systems.
Fiber length, thermal, mechanical, and dynamic mechanical properties of injection-molded glass-fiber/polyamide 6,6: plasticization effect
Authors: Hassan Aziz , Salleh Noordini M. , Yahya Rosiyah , Sheikh M.R.K.
Published: April 2011

Unreinforced- and glass fiber-reinforced-polyamide 6,6 specimens were subjected to dry, 50% RH, and wet conditions. FLD study showed that more fiber degradation occurred during processing of the composites with higher fiber loading. TGA results revealed that about 2% and 5% levels of moisture have been absorbed by the specimens subjected to 50% RH and wet conditions, respectively. From DSC results, with moisture uptake, there were no significance changes in the melting temperature, crystallization temperature, and enthalpy of crystalline; however, degree of crystallinity and enthalpy of melting decreased. Tensile strength, tensile modulus, flexural strength, and flexural modulus decreased with moisture uptake, while tensile strain and flexural displacement increased. DMA study showed that tan delta at room temperature and tan delta maxima increased with moisture absorption, while temperatures at maximum tan delta in α- and β-transition regions decreased.
Mechanical, damping, and thermal properties of calcium sulfate whisker-filled castor oil-based polyurethane/epoxy IPN composites
Authors: Shoubing Chen  , Qihua Wang  , Tingmei Wang
Published: April 2011

A series of calcium sulfate whiskers (CSW)-filled, castor oil-based polyurethane/epoxy resin graft interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) composites were prepared. The tensile and impact strengths, fractured surfaces, damping properties, and thermal stability of the IPN composites were studied systematically in terms of composition. Results revealed that the addition of CSW can significantly improve the tensile strength though the impact strength was impaired. The damping properties were the best when the CSW content was 3%. The thermal decomposition temperature was also improved by the incorporation of CSW. It is expected that the CSW-filled IPN composites may be used as structural damping materials.
Studying the effect of fiber size and fiber loading on the mechanical properties of hybridized kenaf/PALF-reinforced HDPE composite
Authors: Aji I.S. , Zainudin E.S. , Khalina A. , Sapuan S.M. , Khairul M.D.
Published: April 2011

Hybridization, especially where only variant natural lignocelluloses are combined, is fast receiving encouraging attention because it offers a range of properties that may be difficult to obtain with a single kind of reinforcement. In this study, tensile, flexural, and impact properties of hybridized kenaf/PALF-reinforced HDPE composite were studied. Sheets from which tensile, flexural, and impact specimens were cut out were produced from the compression molding of composite pellets and subsequently conditioned in an oven for 21 h at 103°C. The tensile and flexural specimens were tested according to ASTM D638 and ASTM D790 using a 5-kN INSTRON bluehill universal testing machine accordingly. While a notched Izoid impact test was conducted using a 1-J universal pendulum according to ASTM D256. All specimens were prepared at a fiber ratio of 1:1 kenaf:PALF and fiber lengths of 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 2 mm; fiber loadings of between 10% and 70% were utilized for the study. About 0.25 mm fiber showed the best tensile and flexural properties with a linear increase in properties up to 60% fiber loading while impact strength showed better property with 0.75 and 2 mm fiber lengths. At 0.25 mm fiber length, tensile strength of 32.24 MPa, flexural strength and modulus of 34.01 MPa and 4114.11 MPa, respectively, were observed at 60% fiber loading. Moduli results of all the composites formulated generally obeyed the ROM. SEM was used to examine the surface of composites produced. Tensile and impact strengths result showed inverse proportionality while flexural strength of the composite generally adhered to the ROM. However, a positive effect was observed in the case of composite’s impact strength in respect of increasing fiber length. Thus, reduction in some mechanical properties of the composite with respect to increasing fiber length is attributed more to fiber entanglement rather than attrition.
Understanding Intra-Abdominal Hypertension
Authors: Al-Mufarrej Faisal , Abell Lynn M. , Chawla Lakhmir S.
Published: April 2011

Received November 10, 2009. Received Revised June 17, 2010. Submitted June 21, 2010. Intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) and abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) are highly morbid conditions that are common and underrecognized in the intensive care unit. Intra-abdominal hypertension affects the critically ill patient population and is not solely limited to the trauma and surgical subgroups. The recognition of IAH and ACS as distinct clinical states has become more apparent. Extensive bench and clinical research has shed significant light into the definition, incidence, etiology, physiology, clinical manifestations, and treatment strategies. Although further research into this morbid condition is needed, improvement in recognition is a critical first step. This review aims to scrutinize the basic science and clinical literature available on this condition in a surgically focused, organ-system-based approach.
Dexmedetomidine and Clonidine
Authors: Pichot C. , Ghignone M. , Quintin L.
Published: April 2011

In the critical care setting, α-2 agonists present a multifaceted profile: sedation combined with arousability, suppression of delirium, preservation of respiratory drive, reduced O2 consumption, preserved renal function, and reduced protein metabolism. In addition, this review details the reduced arterial impedance, improved left ventricular performance, preserved vascular reactivity to exogenous amines, preserved cardiac baroreflex reactivity, preserved vasomotor baroreflex activity combined with a lowered pressure set point: these features may explain the good tolerance observed when α-2 agonists are used as continuous infusion without any loading dose. Reviewing the literature allows one to suggest that a new management appears possible with arousable sedation. However, it remains to be demonstrated whether this arousable sedation can be combined with the preservation of spontaneous ventilation, in the setting of severe respiratory distress, as opposed to conventional controlled mechanical ventilation combined with conventional sedation. Should such a speculative view be confirmed, then α-2 agonists will move from second-line sedative agents to first-line sedative agents. However, key studies are lacking to demonstrate the effect of α-2 agonists on physiological endpoints and outcome. Presently, the existing body of data suggests a niche for the use of α-2 agonists in the critical care setting.
Shape and cost analysis of pressurized fabric structures for subsea compressed air energy storage
Authors: Pimm A J , Garvey S D , Drew R J
Published: April 2011

In this article, three different methods are presented for finding the deformed shape of pressurized fabric structures underwater. The methods are used here to analyse the shape and cost of ‘energy bags’, inflatable bags that can be anchored to the seabed and used for subsea compressed air energy storage. First, a system of coupled ordinary differential equations is derived which can be solved to find the shape of an inextensible axisymmetric membrane. Then finite-element analysis (FEA) of an axisymmetric natural shape bag is carried out using cable elements, giving the deformed shape of an extensible axisymmetric membrane. Finally, a full three-dimensional FEA is presented which includes cable and membrane elements. A simple optimization is also used to minimize the cost per unit of energy stored in an axisymmetric natural shape energy bag, and it is shown that if only materials costs are taken into account, the cost of surface is approximately equal to the cost of meridional reinforcement in the optimum-sized bag.
An estimation of modelling parameters for condensed multi-component fuels
Authors: Raghavan V , James W T , Rangwala A S
Published: April 2011

A case study to evaluate the thermo-physical properties and chemical kinetics parameters, which are employed to model the gas-phase combustion taking place over the surface of a condensed fuel, has been presented. This procedure relies on accurate experimental measurements of gaseous pyrolysis products. The pyrolysis gases can be treated as a virtual fuel, namely C xH yO z, where x, y, and z are estimated by performing atom balances for C, H, and O atoms in all the pyrolysis species. Thermo-physical properties of this virtual fuel are calculated based on the temperature and species concentration of the pyrolysis mixture. Similarly, based on the rate constant values of the reactant species present in the pyrolysis mixture, Arrhenius parameters such as pre-exponential factor and activation energy have been calculated. Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) is used as an example fuel in this study, and a step-by-step procedure for the estimation of the thermo-physical properties and global reaction kinetics parameters of PMMA at low to moderate ambient pressure environment is presented. In general, the technique discussed here can be applied to any condensed fuel. Following the procedure reported in this study, modelling parameters can be evaluated for complex fuels.
Experimental study and molecular dynamics simulation of wall slip in a micro-extrusion flowing process
Authors: Zhao D , Jin Y , Wang M , Song M
Published: April 2011

Wall slip is one of the most important characteristics of polymer melts’ elasticity behaviours as well as the most significant factor which affects the flow of polymer melts. Based on the traditional Mooney method, through a double-barrel capillary rheometer, the relationship between velocities of wall slip, shear stress, shear rate, diameters of dies, and temperature of polypropylene (PP), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polystyrene (PS), and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) is explored. The results indicate that the velocities of the wall slip of PP and HDPE increase apparently with shear stress and slightly with temperature. Meanwhile, the rise of temperature results in the decrease of critical shear stress. The wall-slip velocities of PS and PMMA are negative which means that the Mooney method based on the adsorption–desorption mechanism has determinate limitation to calculate the wall-slip velocity. Based on the entanglement–disentanglement mechanism, a new wall-slip model is built. With the new model, the calculation values of velocity of PP and HDPE correspond to the experimental values very well and the velocities of PS and PMMA are positive. The velocities of PS and PMMA increase obviously with the rise of shear stress. The rise of temperature results in the increase of velocity and decrease of critical shear stress. Then, the molecular dynamics simulation is used to investigate the combining energy between four polymer melts and the inside wall. The results show that at the given temperature and pressure, the molecules of PS and PMMA combine with atoms of the wall more tightly than those of PP and HDPE which means when wall slip occurs, the molecules of PS and PMMA near the wall will adsorb to the surface of the wall. However, those of PP and HDPE will be easy to slip. Therefore, the wall-slip mechanism of PP and HDPE is the adsorption–desorption mechanism, and that of PS and PMMA is the entanglement–disentanglement mechanism. According to the different wall-slip mechanisms of four polymers, an all-sided calculation method of wall-slip velocity is raised which consummates the theory of wall slip of polymer melts.
Finite-element analysis of multi-body contacts for pile driving using a hydraulic pile hammer
Authors: Guo Y , Hu J P , Zhang L Y
Published: April 2011

This article treats the pile driving as multi-body dynamic contacts. By using the penalty function method and three-dimensional model of finite-element method, the dynamic process of pile driving is acquired and a method for choosing the cushion material of the hydraulic pile hammer to improve driving efficiency is proposed. The process of pile driving in the real situation of an industrial experiment is simulated. The results of stress on test point are consistent with the test point. By analysing the stress distributed along the direction of pile radius and pile axis, the rule of the stress distribution on the pile is concluded. The rule for cushion material choice is obtained by comparing the influence for the impact stress with different elastic modulus ratio of the hammer cushion to the pile and the pile cushion to the pile.
From Body Form to Biological Motion
Authors: Orgs Guido , Bestmann Sven , Schuur Friederike , Haggard Patrick
Published: April 2011

In two experiments, we investigated time perception during apparent biological motion. Pictures of initial, intermediate, and final positions of a single movement were presented, with interstimulus intervals that were constant within trials but varied across trials. Movement paths were manipulated by changing the sequential order of body postures. Increasing the path length produced an increase in perceived movement velocity. To produce an implicit measure of apparent movement dynamics, we also asked participants to judge the duration of a frame surrounding the stimuli. Longer paths with higher apparent movement velocity produced shorter perceived durations. This temporal bias was attenuated for nonbody (Experiment 1) and inverted-body (Experiment 2) control stimuli. As an explanation for these findings, we propose an automatic top-down mechanism of biological-motion perception that binds successive body postures into a continuous percept of movement. We show that this mechanism is associated with velocity-dependent temporal compression. Furthermore, this mechanism operates on-line, bridging the intervals between static stimuli, and is specific to configural processing of body form.
Force-interactive patterns in immigration discourse: A Cognitive Linguistic approach to CDA
Authors: Hart Christopher
Published: April 2011

In the last few years, a highly productive space has been created for Cognitive Linguistics inside critical discourse analysis. So far, however, this space has been reserved almost exclusively for critical metaphor studies where Lakoff and Johnson’s (1980) Conceptual Metaphor Theory has provided the lens through which otherwise naturalized or opaque ideological patterns in text and conceptualization can be detected. Yet Cognitive Linguistics consists of much more than Conceptual Metaphor Theory. Its efficacy for critical discourse analysis (CDA) may therefore extend beyond critical metaphor studies. In this article, I propose that Talmy’s (1988, 2000) theory of Force-Dynamics in particular represents a further, useful framework for the Cognitive Linguistic approach to CDA. Using this analytical framework, then, I identify some of the indicators of, and demonstrate the ideological qualities of, force-dynamic conceptualizations in immigration discourse.
War legitimation discourse: Representing ‘Us’ and ‘Them’ in four US presidential addresses
Authors: Oddo John
Published: April 2011

This article presents an intertextual analysis of legitimation in four ‘call-to-arms’ speeches by Franklin D. Roosevelt and George W. Bush. Drawing on Thibault’s (1991) account of critical intertextual analysis, I identify key legitimation strategies and thematic formations that underlie the rhetoric of both speakers. In addition, I (re)situate the speeches in their wider social and historical context to demonstrate how both presidents manipulated the public. In the analysis, I first examine how both speakers use polarizing lexical resources to constitute ‘Us’ and ‘Them’ as superordinate thematic categories that covertly legitimate war. Next, I analyze how representations of the past and future also function to legitimate violence across the four speeches. Finally, I examine how both presidents demarcate group membership to discredit opponents of war at home, and legitimate violence against non-aggressors abroad. I conclude that, in spite of popular mythology, Bush is not an aberrant American president; he is one of many to have misled the public into war.
Sexuality in Patients With Advanced Cancer: A Prospective Study in a Population Admitted to an Acute Pain Relief and Palliative Care Unit
Authors: Vitrano Valentina , Catania Viviana , Mercadante Sebastiano
Published: April 2011

The aim of this study was to characterize sexuality attitudes and feelings in a larger sample of patients with advanced cancer in comparison with their previous status before diagnosis. Of the 100 patients randomized, 65 patients answered to all the questions included in the questionnaire. Of these 65, 25 patients were male and 40 were female, with a mean Karnofsky of 58 (range 40-70) and a mean well-being sensation of 5.67 (range 2-10). In all, 60% of patients did not feel to be less attractive after disease, 30% of patients a little, and only 10% very much. Most patients (86.4%) considered important to talk about sexuality and to face such an issue with skilled people. About half of the patients (47%) reported that sexuality was very important for psychological well-being. Only 7.6% of patients had a good sexual intercourse, 15.2% had a light activity, 39.4% had an insufficient activity, and 37.8% did not have any activity. A significant relationship was observed with age (0.002), Karfnosky status (P = .024), and well-being (P = .004). Only 12.1% of patients had a good sexual satisfaction, 12.1% experienced a mild satisfaction, 30.3% had insufficient satisfaction, and 45.5% had no sexual satisfaction. The difference was significant (P < .001). A significant relationship was observed with age (.047), Karfnosky status (P = .001), and well-being (P = .009). Only 3% of patients had a good frequency, 7.6% had a mild frequency, 37.9% had a limited frequency, and 51.5% had no sexual intercourses (P = .01). Emotional aspects maintained a relevant role in sexuality, as in 50% of patients these aspects were very important and for 12.1% important. Despite sexual activities decreased after the development of cancer, most patients considered important to talk about sexuality and to face such an issue with some experienced operators. Moreover, some patients were still able to maintain a sufficient sexual activity, in terms of quality and quantity. The emotional aspects had a relevant role in sexuality, possibly as a surrogate of impeded physical activity. The data gathered from this survey reveal how much sexuality continues to be present even though in different formality (satisfaction during the relationships) and different times (frequency of the relationships) in the life of the patients with advanced cancer.
Transdisciplinary ITexts and the Future of Web-Scale Collaboration
Authors: Fernheimer Janice W. , Litterio Lisa , Hendler James
Published: April 2011

Changes in Web infrastructure have allowed ITexts to become a vehicle for transdisciplinary Web-scale collaboration so that large-scale teams can create new knowledge despite differences in team members’ disciplinary training, geographic location, and levels of expertise. In this article, the authors define Web-scale collaboration and illustrate the need for transdisciplinary approaches to problem solving. Then they introduce heuristics for creating and evaluating such transdisciplinary, collaborative Web-scale ITexts, drawing on examples generated at a workshop sponsored by the National Science Foundation that was held at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in April 2010.
The Relationship Between Play and Couple Satisfaction and Stability
Authors: Vanderbleek Linda , Robinson Edward H. , Casado-Kehoe Montserrat , Young Mark E.
Published: April 2011

Play in couple counseling has been proposed as an intervention, but research has not determined the effectiveness of couple play in increasing satisfaction and stability in couples. This study examined the influence of couple play on relationship factors that predict couple satisfaction and stability. The 30 couples in the study completed measures of couple play, relationship satisfaction, communication, conflict resolution, the couple’s view of the relationship, physical health, and individual emotional health. The frequency of couple play was predictive of the relationship measures, but not of individual physical or emotional health. The implications of the findings for using couple play in assessment and intervention in couples counseling are discussed.
The Impact of Counselor Training on Students’ Couple Relationships: A Qualitative Inquiry
Authors: Murray Kirsten W. , Kleist David M.
Published: April 2011

The following qualitative study examined the impact of counselor training on the experience and process of four counseling students’ couple relationships. Students were selected from a Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accredited program to take part in three rounds of interviews and member-check procedures. Data were analyzed using a grounded theory methodology informed by Strauss and Corbin (1998) and Clarke (2005). Findings indicated that couple relationships transform as counselors-in-training expose themselves to the discovery of new awareness. This newfound awareness fostered both personal and relationship changes for the counseling students. The relationship changes described by participants were further influenced by experiences of support and gratitude within their couple relationships.
A Developmental Model for Counseling Infertile Couples
Authors: Stark Marcella D. , Keathley Rosanne S. , Nelson Judith A.
Published: April 2011

The authors used Combs, Bustamante, and Onwuegbuzie’s Interactive Literature Review Process (ILRP) to identify, collect, and evaluate the literature on infertility. During this process, we noted that couples experiencing infertility had different concerns depending on what stage of the process they were situated. Thus, the authors identified positive methods and interventions for treating infertile clients using a developmental approach. The Developmental Model for Counseling Infertile Couples is specifically geared for mental health counselors who work with infertile couples.
Ethical Code for the International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors
Authors: Hendricks Bret , Bradley Loretta J. , Southern Stephen , Oliver Marvarene , Birdsall Bobbie
Published: April 2011

The Board of Directors of the International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors (IAMFC) requested the IAMFC Ethics Committee to revise the IAMFC Ethical Code (2006). The revised Ethical Code of the IAMFC focuses on current issues in marriage and family counseling. The Ethical Code of IAMFC (2011), which appears in the following article, has been approved by the Board of Directors of IAMFC and the American Counseling Association and is consistent with the current Code of Ethics of the American Counseling Association (2005).
A Cross-National Examination of Marriage and Early Life Stressors as Correlates of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress
Authors: Meyer Dixie , Paul Robert
Published: April 2011

This study examined the relationship between marital status, early life stressors (ELS) and depression, anxiety, and stress in a nonclinical population of individuals aged 20 and older. Individuals with a history of ELS reported stressors such as physical abuse, sexual abuse, poverty, and/or physical illnesses in childhood. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that current symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress scores were positively associated with a history of ELS. In addition, anxiety and depression scores were negatively associated with being married when high (defined as three or more experiences) ELS was entered as the second predictor variable. This implies that for those individuals experiencing a greater number of stressing events in childhood, maintaining a stable romantic relationship may be beneficial for their mental health. However, the relationship between marital status, depression, and anxiety needs further exploration in order to either confirm or deny this suggestion. Finally, being married was positively associated with stress scores.
Cross-National Predictors of Crime: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Nivette Amy E.
Published: April 2011

Cross-national research has increased in the past few decades, resulting in a large body of empirical research. In particular, cross-national studies are often limited in data sources, which restrict variable selection to debatable proxy indicators. This study therefore uses meta-analytic techniques to examine major cross-national predictors of homicide to determine strengths and weaknesses in theory and design. The findings indicate several critical limitations to cross-national research, including biased sample composition, a lack of theoretical clarity in predictor operationalizations, and an overwhelming reliance on cross-sectional design. The predictors that showed the strongest mean effects were Latin American regional dummy variables, income inequality indicators and the Decommodification Index. Conversely, static population indicators, democracy indices, and measures of economic development had the weakest effects on homicide.
The enfranchisement lottery
Authors: López-Guerra Claudio
Published: April 2011

This article compares the ‘enfranchisement lottery’, a novel method for allocating the right to vote, with universal suffrage. The comparison is conducted exclusively on the basis of the expected consequences of the two systems. Each scheme seems to have a relative advantage. On the one hand, the enfranchisement lottery would create a better informed electorate and thus improve the quality of electoral outcomes. On the other hand, universal suffrage is more likely to ensure that elections are seen to be fair, which is important for political stability. This article concludes that, on balance, universal suffrage is prima facie superior to the enfranchisement lottery. Yet the analysis shows that the instrumental case for the ‘one person, one vote’ principle is less conclusive than democratic theorists usually suppose.
Improving Quality of Food Frequency Questionnaire Response in Low-Income Mexican American Children
Authors: Garcia-Dominic Oralia , Treviño Roberto P. , Echon Roger M. , Mobley Connie , Block Torin , Bizzari Ansam , Michalek Joel
Published: April 2011

The authors evaluated the validity and reliability of the Block Kids Food Frequency Questionnaire (BKFFQ) and the Block Kid Screener (BKScreener) in Mexican American children living along the Texas–Mexico border who participated in the National Institutes of Health–funded Proyecto Bienestar Laredo. The Bienestar/NEEMA health program is a school-based diabetes and obesity control program, and the Proyecto Bienestar Laredo is the translation of the Bienestar/NEEMA health program to 38 elementary schools in Laredo, Texas. Par ticipants included 2,376 eight-year-old boys (48%) and girls (52%) from two school districts in Laredo. Two Food Frequency Questionnaire (BKFFQ and BKScreener) dietary intakes were collected, and an expert panel of nutritionist assigned a classification response quality of “Good,” “Questionable,” and “Poor,” based on playfulness (systematic or nonrandom) patterns and completion rates. In addition, both instruments were assessed for reliability (test–retest) in 138 students from a San Antonio School District. Children’s height, weight, percentage body fat, reported family history of diabetes, and Texas Assessments of Knowledge and Skills in reading and mathematics scores were collected. This study showed that for Mexican American children living along the Texas–Mexico border, within the time constraints of the classroom, BKScreener yielded better data than the BKFFQ.
Turn Me On, Dead Media
Authors: Smith Jacob
Published: April 2011

In an era of CD-Rs and MP3 sound files, the vinyl phonograph record has attained iconic status as the quintessential old analog media form. An analysis of the theory and practice of “backmasking” reveals how a discourse of the occult “re-newed” the old medium of recorded sound one hundred years after its invention. Little scholarly attention has been paid to debates in the 1980s about the alleged presence of backmasking: the term given to the process whereby messages were thought to be placed in popular phonograph records such that their full meaning could be discovered only when the record was played in reverse. The backmasking controversy provides an example of the re-enchantment of an old medium, not through the work of avant-garde artists but conservative Christian preachers, anticult lecturers, and high school teachers, whose antimedia discourse was culturally productive far beyond their local origins or narrow intentions. To appreciate the multiple sources and unintended results of the backmasking panic, this article makes use of scholarly work on new media, the sociology of religion, the history of occult discourses surrounding the electronic media, debates about subliminal advertising, and the cultural history of recorded sound. By thus placing backmasking within these various historical and cultural frames, we are better able to understand how vernacular media theory and the grassroots public performances of traveling showmen constructed a sense of astonishment often associated with media technologies only when they are new.
The Limited Local Impacts of Ethnic and Racial Diversity
Authors: Hopkins Daniel J.
Published: April 2011

The United States has more immigrants than at any time since the 1920s and immigration rates remain high. Past research unequivocally predicts that the resulting increase in ethnic and racial diversity will reduce local investments in public goods. By analyzing a new, comprehensive data set on U.S. cities from 1950 to 2002, this article challenges those predictions. In the 1950s and early 1960s, the percent Black had no strong impacts on local public goods. Since the 1970s, the impact of diversity has been limited chiefly to criminal justice, an issue that has remained racially coded, nationally salient, and relevant to localities. Contrary to past work, diversity’s influence on local public goods is neither pervasive nor consistent. These findings challenge static conceptions of local ethnic and racial divisions, and they suggest a connection between diversity’s local impacts and trends in national politics.
Migration and Sorting in the American Electorate: Evidence From the 2006 Cooperative Congressional Election Study
Authors: McDonald Ian
Published: April 2011

Migration is a significant factor in the composition of U.S. electoral constituencies, including U.S. House districts. Does migration contribute to geographic homogeneity, and does the result contribute to political polarization in a significant way? This article considers this question using the 2006 Cooperative Congressional Election Survey. To determine individual-level migration patterns, residence information from individual survey respondents is matched to the U.S. Postal Service’s change of address database. This technique provides precise information about respondents’ migration history that follows the preferences expressed in each individual’s survey response. I find support for the claim that migrants are more likely to move into a congressional district that matches their ideological preferences even after controlling for the partisanship in the district of origin. This result emerges for both major parties in two sets of model specifications: multinomial logit models restricted to migrants and a selection model that includes all respondents.
Causality in Political Networks
Authors: Fowler James H. , Heaney Michael T. , Nickerson David W. , Padgett John F. , Sinclair Betsy
Published: April 2011

Investigations of American politics have increasingly turned to analyses of political networks to understand public opinion, voting behavior, the diffusion of policy ideas, bill sponsorship in the legislature, interest group coalitions and influence, party factions, institutional development, and other empirical phenomena. While the association between political networks and political behavior is well established, clear causal inferences are often difficult to make. This article consists of five independent essays that address practical problems in making causal inferences from studies of political networks. They consider egocentric studies of national probability samples, sociocentric studies of political communities, measurement error in elite surveys, field experiments on networks, and triangulating on causal processes.
Long-term beta blockers for stable angina: systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Shu De Fen , Dong Bi Rong , Lin Xiu Fang , Wu Tai Xiang , Liu Guan Jian
Published: April 2011

Objectives: To assess the effects of long-term beta blockers in patients with stable angina.

Methods: We reviewed the literature up to June 2010 from CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CBM, and CNKI for randomized controlled trials. The appropriate data were meta-analysed using Revman 5.0.

Results: Twenty-six trials including 6108 patients were identified. The treatment with beta blockers has significantly decreased all-cause mortality when compared with no control (OR 0.40, 95% CI 0.20 to 0.79), but has had no statistically differences when compared with placebo (OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.62 to 1.38) and with calcium-channel blocker (CCB) (OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.49 to 1.44). This was similar in patients with fatal and non-fatal acute myocardial infarction when compared with placebo (OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.57 to 1.17) or CCB (OR 1.08, 95% CI 0.71 to 1.66); on revascularization and quality of life. The beta blockers reduced the incident of unstable angina compared to no treatment (OR 0.14, 95% CI 0.07 to 0.29), but increased unstable angina compared to placebo (OR 3.32, 95% CI 1.50 to 7.36). There was a significant reduction of nitrate consumption when beta blockers were compared with CCBs (OR −1.18, 95% CI −1.54 to −0.82), but not with placebo and trimetazidine. There was no significant difference in angina attack between each group. Side effects in beta blocker were similar with ones in controls.

Conclusions: Beta blockers may decrease the death and unstable angina when compared with no treatment, but no more effective than other anti-anginal agents on prophylaxis of myocardial ischaemia in stable angina patients.
Application of linear optimal preview control theory to severe braking of a car
Authors: Sharp R S
Published: April 2011

Linear optimal preview control theory is applied to severe braking of a car, providing an extension of work already reported. A new technique is developed to prepare equilibrium running states for a braking vehicle, from which linearized, small-perturbation models can be constructed, with sets of optimal preview controls following. Simulations of straight-line manoeuvres with near-limit decelerations demanded are conducted, first, with linear interpolation of trim states and control gains according to car speed and, second, with bilinear interpolation according to car speed and deceleration. A special procedure is required to compute the preview controls in the latter case. Bilinear gain scheduling over speed and deceleration is shown to give excellent tracking and tyre-force utilization in very challenging circumstances, giving substantial advantage with respect to the alternative simpler scheme.
Vibration control of a pendulum structure by a dynamic vibration absorber moving in both normal and tangential directions
Authors: Viet L D , Anh N D , Matsuhisa H
Published: April 2011

There are two types of dynamic vibration absorbers (DVAs) for vibration reduction of a pendulum structure. The first one moving in the tangential direction of the pendulum's orbit can reduce all kinds of vibrations but the effectiveness is quite poor when the DVA locates near the centre of oscillation. Conversely, the second one moving in the normal direction of the pendulum's orbit can only reduce large vibration but has a good effect when the DVA's location is near the centre of oscillation. In this article, the authors propose the DVA, which can move in the normal and tangential directions at the same time. The proposed DVA can overcome the shortcoming of two DVAs moving in only one direction. Because the system's non-linearity is quite complex, a numerical method is used for obtaining the optimal parameters. Then, the authors introduce the convenient empirical formulas of optimal parameters based on the numerical results. The effect of the proposed DVA is demonstrated by the numerical calculations of free vibration of a ropeway gondola.
Dynamic circle of plane motion
Authors: Radomirovic D , Kovacic I
Published: April 2011

A rigid body in plane motion is considered. The location of all instantaneous points for which a general equation for moments is of the form equivalent to the one written with respect to the mass centre is determined. It is found that the curve containing all these points is a circle. Two examples are given to illustrate some applications of the findings.
An analytical model of cymbal transducer dynamics. Radial vibration of a piezoelectric disc
Authors: Ganilova O A , Lucas M , Cardoni A
Published: April 2011

This article represents the first step in an attempt to obtain an analytical model of a cymbal transducer. The structure is considered as two mechanically coupled systems (i.e. a piezoelectric disc producing radial motion and end caps amplifying under the compression caused by this radial behaviour). Therefore, an analytical model of the piezoelectric disc, core driver of the cymbal, and its dynamics under an electrical signal are presented in this article. The function describing the radial motion of the disc, distribution of the electrical potential along the thickness, and displacement along the thickness are obtained analytically. The obtained radial motion function will be used for modelling the end cap amplification as a compressive loading.
Fostering Collaborative and Interdisciplinary Research in Adult Education
Authors: Erichsen Elizabeth Anne , Goldenstein Cheryl
Published: April 2011

The article investigates the interdisciplinary nature of research in adult education and suggests interactive research guides and other interactive resources for fostering collaboration and interdisciplinary inquiry. The purpose is to foster the development of a more functional literacy for information seeking as expressed across disciplines and the thoughtful integration of such information into academic and practical research projects within the field of adult education. Studies of researcher behavior are utilized to suggest some techniques and resources that could be employed more widely in conducting literature searches, including the creation and use of interactive resource guides. Some trends in libraries that offer promise for knowledge discovery and sharing, such as federated searching, customizable workspaces, and user-generated content, are also explored. Finally, tools and resources currently available to promote collaboration and interdisciplinary research are also noted.