bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recidivism Among Licensed-Released Prisoners Who Participated in the EM Program in Israel
Authors: Shoham Efrat , Yehosha-Stern Shirley , Efodi Rotem
Published: February 2014

Toward the end of 2006, a pilot program was launched in Israel wherein licensed-released prisoners were put under electronic monitoring (EM). In addition to EM, the pilot program, operated by the Prisoners’ Rehabilitation Authority, provides programs of occupational supervision and personal therapy and is designed to allow for early release of those prisoners who, without increased supervision, would have been found unsuitable for early release. The aim of this study was to ascertain whether participation in the EM program among licensed-released prisoners in Israel might bring about lessened recidivism. For that matter, rates of arrests and incarceration were examined during a follow-up period of up to 4 years, among the entirety of licensed-released prisoners participating in the EM program between the years 2007 and 2009 ( n = 155). To compare recidivism rates, a control group was assembled from among the entirety of released prisoners who were found unsuitable for early release in judicial conditions, and had therefore served the full term of their incarceration, to be released between the years 2005 and 2006 (a period of time during which an EM program was not yet operated among licensed-released prisoners in Israel). Study findings clearly show that while among the control group, 42% of released prisoners were re-incarcerated, at the end of a 4-year follow-up period, only 15% among the study group had returned to prison. These findings can be explained by combining the Social Control theory and the Self-Control theory which consider the period of time under EM program and the occupational and familial integration tools for reducing criminal connections and enhancing pro-social behavior.
Geographic Information Science I
Authors: Roche Stéphane
Published: February 2014

In this report I propose to examine the concept of the ‘smart city’ from the standpoint of spatial enablement. I analyse emerging research on smart cities, particularly those addressing the potential role of GISciences in the development and implementation of the concept of smart cities. I develop the idea that the intelligence of a city should be measured by its ability to produce favourable conditions to get urban operators (citizens, organizations, private companies, etc.) actively involved into sociospatial innovation dynamics. To obtain such a commitment, I believe that operators should be able to develop and mobilize (digital) spatial skills so that they could efficiently manage their spatiality. In other words, I argue that a smart city is first of all a spatially enabled city.
Human geography and archaeology
Authors: Hill Lisa J.
Published: February 2014

This essay explores the scope for greater engagement between human geographers and archaeologists, by taking a first step towards identifying convergences in theoretical development and possible topics for dialogue. Focusing on cultural geography and contemporary archaeology, I examine the changing role of matter and time within the field of archaeology. In doing so, I reflect on the opportunities for dialogue that are opened up as archaeologists rethink a series of ideas that have for many years remained fundamental to archaeological endeavour.
Salvage of Contaminated Osteochondral Allografts
Authors: Campbell Joel , Filardo Giuseppe , Bruce Benjamin , Bajaj Sarvottam , Friel Nicole , Hakimiyan Arnavaz , Wood Stephen , Grumet Robert , Shafikhani Sasha , Chubinskaya Susan , Cole Brian J.
Published: February 2014

Background:

Because chondrocyte viability is imperative for successful osteochondral allograft transplantation, sterilization techniques must provide antimicrobial effects with minimal cartilage toxicity. Chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) is an effective disinfectant; however, its use with human articular cartilage requires further investigation.

Purpose:

To determine the maximal chlorhexidine concentration that does not affect chondrocyte viability in allografts and to determine whether this concentration effectively sterilizes contaminated osteoarticular grafts.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Osteochondral plugs were subjected to pulse lavage with 1-L solutions of 0.002%, 0.01%, 0.05%, and 0.25% CHG and cultured for 0, 1, 2, and 7 days in media of 10% fetal bovine serum and antibiotics. Chondrocyte viability was determined via LIVE/DEAD Viability Assay. Plugs were contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus and randomized to 4 treatment groups. One group was not contaminated; the 3 others were contaminated and received no treatment, saline pulse lavage, or saline pulse lavage with 0.002% CHG. Serial dilutions were plated and colony-forming units assessed.

Results:

The control group and the 0.002% CHG group showed similar cell viability, ranging from 67% ± 4% to 81% ± 22% (mean ± SD) at all time points. In the 0.01% CHG group, cell viability was reduced in comparison with control by 2-fold at day 2 and remained until day 7 ( P < .01). The 0.05% and 0.25% CHG groups showed a 2-fold reduction in cell viability at day 1 ( P < .01). At day 7, cell viability was reduced to 15% ± 18% (4-fold decrease) for the 0.05% CHG group and 10% ± 19% (6-fold decrease) for the 0.25% CHG group ( P < .01). Contaminated grafts treated with 0.002% CHG demonstrated no colony-forming units.

Conclusion:

Pulse lavage with 0.002% CHG does not cause significant cell death within 7 days after exposure, while CHG at concentrations >0.002% significantly decreases chondrocyte viability within 1 to 2 days after exposure and should therefore not be used for disinfection of osteochondral allograft. Pulse lavage does not affect chondrocyte viability but cannot be used in isolation to sterilize contaminated fragments. Overall, 0.002% CHG was shown to effectively decontaminate osteoarticular fragments.

Clinical Relevance:

This study offers a scientific protocol for sterilizing osteochondral fragments that does not adversely affect cartilage viability.
Effects of Prior Knee Surgery on Subsequent Injury, Imaging, and Surgery in NCAA Collegiate Athletes
Authors: Rugg Caitlin M. , Wang Dean , Sulzicki Pamela , Hame Sharon L.
Published: February 2014

Background:

High school and professional athletes with a history of orthopaedic surgery have decreased career lengths and are at a greater risk for reinjury compared with their peers. It is unknown whether the same risk applies to intercollegiate athletes.

Purpose:

To determine the effect of prior knee surgery in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I athletes in the United States.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Division I athletes who began participation in collegiate athletics at a single institution from fall 2003 to spring 2008 were identified. Athletes with a history of orthopaedic surgery were identified through preparticipation evaluation forms. Data on the number of seasons and games played, number of days missed, diagnostic imaging, athletic injuries sustained, and surgical operations during college were collected through medical records and the Sports Injury Monitoring System (SIMS).

Results:

During the 5-year study period, 456 athletes completed preparticipation evaluation forms. Of these, 104 athletes (22.8%) had a history of orthopaedic surgery (Ortho group). Forty-eight (10.5% of all athletes) had a history of knee surgery (Knee group), 16 (3.5%) had a history of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL group), and 28 (6.1%) had a history of multiple surgeries (Multiple group). Days missed per season due to any injury and due to knee injury were increased for all surgical groups compared with controls ( P < .016). The rate of knee injury and knee surgery while in college was significantly increased for all surgery groups. Athletes in the Knee and ACL groups were 6.8- and 19.6-fold more likely to sustain a knee injury and 14.4- and 892.9-fold more likely to undergo a knee surgery during their collegiate careers compared with controls ( P < .001). The number of MRIs per season were 0.83 for the Knee group ( P < .001), 1.29 for the ACL ( P = .009), and 0.97 for the Multiple group ( P < .001), compared with 0.37 for controls. Average career length and percentage of games played were not significantly different between any of the surgery groups compared with controls.

Conclusion:

Athletes who had a history of knee surgery before participation in collegiate athletics miss more days due to injury, have increased rates of knee injury and knee surgery, and require more MRIs during their collegiate careers than their peers.
Production of graded porous polyamide structures and polyamide-epoxy composites via selective laser sintering
Authors: Jande Yusufu AC , Erdal Merve , Dag Serkan
Published: February 2014

Selective laser sintering was used for producing uniformly porous and graded porous polyamide structures. The porous structures were infiltrated with epoxy to produce composites. The porous and composite specimens were physically and mechanically characterized. Within the capabilities of the selective laser sintering machine and the materials used, porosities in the range 5–29% could be obtained in a controlled, repeatable manner. The ultimate tensile strength of the produced uniformly porous polyamide structures ranged from 20 MPa (for 29% porosity) to 44 MPa (for 5% porosity). The graded porous structures exhibited continuously changing porosity grades. As the number of grade increments rose, the grade profile fit closely with the design grade profile. The grades need to be constructed at porosities 9% or more for clear grade variation. Five percent porosity remained in all epoxy-polyamide composites after infiltration of the polyamide preforms with epoxy resin. Improvement in strength with epoxy infiltration was observed for preform porosities above 9%. The composite strength varied from 37 MPa to 44 MPa with respect to epoxy resin volume fraction. The maximum strength of the composites was found to be the same as the strength of the sintered polyamide powder (44 MPa).
Assessing the Influence of Intensive Care Unit Organizational Factors on Outcomes in Canada
Authors: Dodek Peter M. , Norena Monica , Wong Hubert , Keenan Sean , Martin Claudio
Published: February 2014

Objective:

To illustrate the complexities of assessing the influence of individual organizational factors on outcomes for intensive care unit (ICU) patients in Canada.

Methods:

In this cross-sectional study, we used retrospectively collected data from all patients admitted to all ICUs in British Columbia between April 01, 1994, and March 31, 1999, or to 20 ICUs in Ontario during 2002. We used responses to a survey about organizational factors for all ICUs in British Columbia and Ontario that was done in 2001. Clustered data regression models were used to assess the influence of organizational factors on outcomes after adjustment for patient-level confounders.

Results:

Despite adjustment for age, sex, comorbidity score of patients, and limitation of the data sets to minimize confounding, we found variable relationships between ICU outcomes (hospital mortality, ICU length of stay, and hospital length of stay) and any of “closed” administrative model, daily rounds, presence of an ICU medical director, medical director trained in critical care medicine, presence of a nurse leader in the ICU, nurse–patient ratio, and presence of an ICU pharmacist. Closed administrative model was associated with lower hospital mortality (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 0.75 [0.66-0.85]), shorter length of ICU stay (rate ratio [95% confidence interval]: 0.76 [0.62-0.92]), and shorter length of hospital stay (rate ratio [5% confidence interval]: 0.78 [0.72-0.84]) in nontertiary ICUs but many other “advantageous” factors were associated with higher mortality.

Conclusions:

The lack of a consistent relationship between organizational factors and ICU outcomes, and relationships that show increased mortality associated with some advantageous factors, suggests that there is residual confounding in these relationships. Models that adjust for only conventional patient-level confounders are unlikely to provide valid estimates of the influence of organizational factors.
The Relationship Between a Mother’s Attitude Toward Domestic Violence and Children’s Schooling Outcomes in Turkey
Authors: Rende Sevinc
Published: February 2014

This study explores the relationship between a mother’s attitude toward domestic violence and her children’s schooling outcomes in Turkey. The sample is drawn from the 2003 Turkish Demographic and Health Survey and consists of 7,951 children within the ages of legally mandated compulsory education. A probit regression model is used to analyze the data. The results suggest that the daughters of mothers who find domestic violence acceptable are 2.6 percentage point less likely to enroll in school, all else being equal, than the daughters of mothers who do not tolerate abuse. In comparison, the schooling outcomes of male children are not statistically sensitive to the mother’s attitude toward wife beating. The policy implications of the results are discussed.
Locus of Control Redux
Authors: Ahlin Eileen M.
Published: February 2014

While research suggests that an external locus of control predicts violence among offenders, it is unclear whether an internal locus of control (ILOC) acts as a protective factor against involvement in violent behaviors. Furthermore, we know little about the contextual factors that influence the development of an ILOC. This study analyzes the relationship between ILOC and involvement in violent behaviors, examines contextual influences on the development of an ILOC, and assesses whether contextual influences affect the relationship between locus of control and violence. Data are derived from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods, a multi-cohort accelerated longitudinal research study of youth living in 80 Chicago neighborhoods during 1994. Focusing on 1,767 youths aged 9 to 19, results indicate that an ILOC is a significant predictor of abstention from violence, even when controlling for individual characteristics and family and neighborhood contextual factors known to influence violence. Several family and neighborhood contextual factors influence an ILOC orientation. Results also indicate that those who are younger, female, and non-Hispanic are more likely to express an ILOC. Implications of the results are discussed.
Survivor’s Costs of Saying No
Authors: Pajak Carla Rose , Ahmad Farah , Jenney Angelique , Fisher Penny , Chan Linda M. Y.
Published: February 2014

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a crucial public health concern with substantial detrimental effects, including poorer physical and mental health as well as increased difficulties accessing formal services. Most research to date has focused on frequencies, barriers, and facilitators of service use among IPV survivors. However, what remains poorly understood is the perspectives of IPV survivors on their experiences of accessing multiple services after leaving the abusive situations. To answer this, six one-on-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with survivors using expanded definition of “services,” which included social services, shelters, health care, police, legal assistance, and so forth. Data were analyzed using Constant Comparison. Four resulting themes were (a) Positive Aspects, (b) Negative Aspects, (c) Impact of Experiences With Services, and (d) Contextual Factors. Within each of these categories, several sub-categories emerged and are discussed within the context of the literature and recommendations are made for improving services for IPV survivors.
Synthesis and properties of aligned all-aromatic liquid crystal networks
Authors: Iqbal Mazhar , Picken Stephen J. , Dingemans Theo J.
Published: February 2014

A series all-aromatic main-chain liquid crystalline (LC) polymers based on 6-hydroxy-2-naphtoic acid (HNA), biphenyl-4,4′-dicarboxylic acid (BA), resorcinol (RS), and a cross-linkable ethynyl functionality, 4,4′-(1,2-ethynediyl)bisbenzoic acid (EBA) were synthesized using a one-pot melt condensation method. In contrast with reactive LC oligomers where reactive functionalities were placed at the chain terminus, the reactive ethynyl group is now used as a cross-linking functionality placed in the polymer main-chain. Differential scanning calorimetric analysis reveals that these polymers can be cured at temperatures above 350°C in the nematic melt and exhibit excellent thermal properties, that is, temperature at 5% weight loss > 465°C, and reaches a maximum after cure glass transition temperature ( Tg) of 167°C. When only 5 mol% of BA was replaced with EBA, a slightly cross-linked nematic network, HNA/BA/RS/EBA-5, was obtained and thin films thereof could be stretched by 400% strain above Tg in four consecutive steps. A maximum order parameter [Formula: see text] of 0.54 could be achieved, and this moderately aligned LC network displays a room temperature storage modulus ( E′) of 29 GPa, a tensile strength of 330 MPa, a tensile modulus of 7 GPa, and an elongation at break of 7%. Cross-linking also improved the transverse properties of the nematic films. E′ of HNA/BA/RS/EBA-5 is 1.0 GPa at 150°C after being stretched by 400% versus 0.16 GPa for the non-cross-linked reference polymer. An affine deformation model was used to calculate E′ using [Formula: see text], and the predicted values are in close agreement with the experimental results.
An improved algorithm for the normal contact stiffness and damping of a mechanical joint surface
Authors: Wan Fei , Li Guo-xi , Gong Jing-zhong , Wu Bao-zhong
Published: February 2014

The contact stiffness and damping play an important role in determining the dynamic characteristics at various mechanical joint surfaces in an assembly body. In this article, a bi-fractal model is proposed to overcome the drawbacks of the G-W and M-B models, which only considered the contacts that have the same fractal parameters for the joint surfaces. A surface impact coefficient is also introduced to calculate the real contact area from the microscopic and macroscopic perspectives, which can be used to obtain the contact stiffness and damping of rough surfaces by applying the contact formula between rough planes. In addition, the contact body is approximated to a number of asperities stacked on a base, similar to a series structure of two springs. The series structure can reasonably account for the limitations of the contact stiffness and damping at joint surfaces. With these improvements, this study establishes a more precise joint surface model determining the stiffness–load and damping–load relationships. An experiment is performed to compare the contact stiffness and damping determined from this theory with the experiment results. The theoretical values correspond well with the experimental values. The contact stiffness increases non-linearly with the load; the increase is initially quick and then slows down and stabilises. A value of D = 1.42 is obtained as an estimated critical value which determined the contact damping increase or decrease with load. The model can predict the trend in the contact stiffness and damping based on the loading to better prepare for a dynamic assembly analysis.
Effect of oblique angle on low velocity impact response of delaminated composite conical shells
Authors: Dey Sudip , Karmakar Amit
Published: February 2014

This paper presents the effect of oblique impact angle on low velocity transient dynamic responses of delaminated composite pretwisted shallow conical shells. An eight-noded isoparametric quadratic plate bending element is employed in the ﬁnite element formulation incorporating rotary inertia and effects of transverse shear deformation based on Mindlin’s theory. The modiﬁed Hertzian contact law which accounts for permanent indentation is utilized to compute the contact force, and the time-dependent equations are solved by Newmark’s time integration scheme. A comparative study is carried out on torsion stiff, cross-ply, and bending stiff laminates to investigate the effects of triggering parameters like angle of twist, plate displacement, striker’s velocity, and displacement for graphite-epoxy composite laminate subjected to low velocity oblique impact at the center.
Experimental investigation into biomechanical and biotribological properties of a real intestine and their significance for design of a spiral-type robotic capsule
Authors: Zhou Hao , Alici Gursel , Than Trung D , Li Weihua
Published: February 2014

This article reports on the results and implications of our experimental investigation into the biomechanical and biotribological properties of a real intestine for the optimal design of a spiral-type robotic capsule. Dynamic shear experiments were conducted to evaluate how the storage and loss moduli and damping factor of the small intestine change with the speed or the angular frequency. The sliding friction between differently shaped test pieces, with a topology similar to that of the spirals, and the intestine sample was experimentally determined. Our findings demonstrate that the intestine’s biomechanical and biotribological properties are coupled, suggesting that the sliding friction is strongly related to the internal friction of the intestinal tissue. The significant implication of this finding is that one can predict the reaction force between the capsule with a spiral-type traction topology and the intestine directly from the intestine’s biomechanical measurements rather than employing complicated three-dimensional finite element analysis or an inaccurate analytical model. Sliding friction experiments were also conducted with bar-shaped solid samples to determine the sliding friction between the samples and the small intestine. This sliding friction data will be useful in determining spiral material for an optimally designed robotic capsule.
New surveillance technologies and their publics: A case of biometrics
Authors: Martin Aaron K. , Donovan Kevin P.
Published: February 2014

Before a newly-elected government abandoned the project in 2010, for at least eight years the British state actively sought to introduce a mandatory national identification scheme for which the science and technology of biometrics was central. Throughout the effort, government representatives attempted to portray biometrics as a technology that was easily understandable and readily accepted by the public. However, neither task was straightforward. Instead, particular publics emerged that showed biometric technology was rarely well understood and often disagreeable. In contrast to some traditional conceptualizations of the relationship between public understanding and science, it was often those entities that best understood the technology that found it least acceptable, rather than those populations that lacked knowledge. This paper analyzes the discourses that pervaded the case in order to untangle how various publics are formed and exhibit differing, conflicting understandings of a novel technology.
Media coverage of climate change in Russia: Governmental bias and climate silence
Authors: Poberezhskaya Marianna
Published: February 2014

This paper explores which actors and factors influence media coverage of climate change in Russia. It does this by analysing the coverage of three events by five Russian national newspapers ( Komsomol’skaya pravda, Rossiyskaya gazeta, Izvestiya, Kommersant and Sovetskaya Rossiya). The three events are the Kyoto Conference in 1997, the Copenhagen Conference in 2009 and the Russian heat-wave of 2010. This paper concludes that regardless of the ownership structure of the newspapers or their dependence on advertising, there is little difference in quantity and quality of overall coverage on climate change. With most newspapers relying on Russian officials as information sources, almost none criticise or question Russian climate policy. Furthermore, the article concludes that, in Russia, the omission of climate change issues from discussion in national newspapers becomes a greater problem than biased coverage, as the lack of commentary decidedly prevents these issues from entering the public debate.
Detection of Avian bornavirus in multiple tissues of infected psittacine birds using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction
Authors: Delnatte Pauline , Mak Matthew , Ojkic Davor , Raghav Raj , DeLay Josepha , Smith Dale A.
Published: February 2014

Avian bornavirus (ABV), the cause of proventricular dilation disease in psittacine birds, has been detected in multiple tissues of infected birds using immunohistochemical staining (IHC) and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). In the current study, real-time RT-PCR, using primers targeting the ABV matrix gene, was used to detect ABV in 146 tissues from 7 ABV-infected psittacine birds. Eighty-six percent of the samples tested positive, with crossing point values ranging from 13.82 to 37.82 and a mean of 22.3. These results were compared to the findings of a previous study using gel-based RT-PCR and IHC on the same samples. The agreement between the 2 RT-PCR techniques was 91%; when tests disagreed it was because samples were negative using gel-based RT-PCR but positive on real-time RT-PCR. Agreement with IHC was 77%; 16 out of 74 samples were negative using IHC but positive on real-time RT-PCR. The results suggest that real-time RT-PCR is a more sensitive technique than gel-based RT-PCR and IHC to detect ABV in tissues. The tissues that were ranked most frequently as having a high amount of viral RNA were proventriculus, kidney, colon, cerebrum, and cerebellum. Skeletal muscle, on the other hand, was found to have a consistently low amount of viral RNA.
Using an Optimality Index to Understand Perinatal Health Disparities
Authors: Gonzales Felisa A. , Le Huynh-Nhu , Perry Deborah F.
Published: February 2014

Purpose: This study demonstrates preliminary evidence of the utility of an optimality index as a simple tool for monitoring complications across the perinatal period. Method: The medical records of 147 Latina women participating in a preventive randomized controlled trial for perinatal depression were reviewed for outcomes across the perinatal period. Results: Application of the optimality index found optimality scores ranging from 77.3% to 97.7% in a Latina immigrant population known to have low rates of low–birthweight infants and preterm birth. Optimality scores were significantly lower among women who had a preterm birth or low–birthweight infant. Discussion: The ability of optimality indices to capture within-group variability will allow for a more nuanced understanding of the antecedents and sequelae of negative birth outcomes. Implications for Practice: Increasing reliance on electronic medical records will facilitate the calculation of optimality scores that can be used to track patterns of perinatal health disparities.
Multi-timescale nexting in a reinforcement learning robot
Authors: Modayil Joseph , White Adam , Sutton Richard S
Published: February 2014

The term ‘nexting’ has been used by psychologists to refer to the propensity of people and many other animals to continually predict what will happen next in an immediate, local, and personal sense. The ability to ‘next’ constitutes a basic kind of awareness and knowledge of one’s environment. In this paper we present results with a robot that learns to next in real time, making thousands of predictions about sensory input signals at timescales from 0.1 to 8 seconds. Our predictions are formulated as a generalization of the value functions commonly used in reinforcement learning, where now an arbitrary function of the sensory input signals is used as a pseudo reward, and the discount rate determines the timescale. We show that six thousand predictions, each computed as a function of six thousand features of the state, can be learned and updated online ten times per second on a laptop computer, using the standard temporal-difference( λ) algorithm with linear function approximation. This approach is sufficiently computationally efficient to be used for real-time learning on the robot and sufficiently data efficient to achieve substantial accuracy within 30 minutes. Moreover, a single tile-coded feature representation suffices to accurately predict many different signals over a significant range of timescales. We also extend nexting beyond simple timescales by letting the discount rate be a function of the state and show that nexting predictions of this more general form can also be learned with substantial accuracy. General nexting provides a simple yet powerful mechanism for a robot to acquire predictive knowledge of the dynamics of its environment.
A model of flow-shop production system planning using multiple criteria and multiple constraint levels (MC2)
Authors: Wong Shih-Fang , Zhang Yu-Yong
Published: February 2014

Scheduling is one of the most important functions in managing industrial production. This article deals with the scheduling for the flow-shop production system planning by presenting a model that uses the framework of multiple criteria and multiple constraint levels ([Formula: see text]) linear programming, aiming at advancing the adaptation of the model to the situation when there are more than one decision makers in the system. At first, a flow-shop production system planning model with multiple constraint levels is proposed considering fluctuation in resource constraints such as the investment constraint and time constraint. Then, an improved algorithm is proposed. Finally, an example about production scheduling of an actual production is given, and the computational results are presented.
Low-Level Laser Therapy for the Treatment of Chronic Plantar Fasciitis
Authors: Jastifer James R. , Catena Fernanda , Doty Jesse F. , Stevens Faustin , Coughlin Michael J.
Published: February 2014

Background:

Plantar fasciitis affects nearly 1 million people annually in the United States. Traditional nonoperative management is successful in about 90% of patients, usually within 10 months. Chronic plantar fasciitis develops in about 10% of patients and is a difficult clinical problem to treat. A newly emerging technology, low-level laser therapy (LLLT), has demonstrated promising results for the treatment of acute and chronic pain.

Methods:

Thirty patients were administered LLLT and completed 12 months of follow-up. Patients were treated twice a week for 3 weeks for a total of 6 treatments and were evaluated at baseline, 2 weeks post procedure, and 6 and 12 months post procedure. Patients completed the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Foot Function Index (FFI) at study follow-up periods.

Results:

Patients demonstrated a mean improvement in heel pain VAS from 67.8 out of 100 at baseline to 6.9 out of 100 at the 12-month follow-up period. Total FFI score improved from a mean of 106.2 at baseline to 32.3 at 12 months post procedure.

Conclusion:

Although further studies are warranted, this study shows that LLLT is a promising treatment of chronic plantar fasciitis.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, case series.
Pacemaker Neurons and the Development of Nociception
Authors: Baccei Mark L.
Published: February 2014

Spontaneous activity is known to be essential for the proper formation of sensory networks in the developing CNS. This activity can be produced by a variety of mechanisms including the presence of “pacemaker” neurons, which can be defined by their intrinsic ability to generate rhythmic bursts of action potential discharge. Recent work has identified pacemaker activity within lamina I of the neonatal rodent spinal cord that emerges from a complex interaction between voltage-dependent and voltage-independent (“leak”) ionic conductances, including an important modulatory role for the inward-rectifying K+ (Kir) channels. The available evidence suggests that lamina I pacemakers are glutamatergic and project extensively throughout the dorsal-ventral axis of the spinal cord, although the identity of their postsynaptic targets has yet to be elucidated. A better understanding of this connectivity could yield valuable insight into the role of the lamina I pacemaker population in the maturation of spinal circuitry underlying nociceptive processing and/or sensorimotor integration.
Seeking Information About Climate Change
Authors: Ho Shirley S. , Detenber Benjamin H. , Rosenthal Sonny , Lee Edmund W. J.
Published: February 2014

This study replicates and extends the planned risk information seeking model (PRISM) in the context of impersonal risk by incorporating media use as an antecedent of risk information seeking intention. Results indicate that the model applies equally well to Singaporeans’ climate change information seeking intention as it does in the context of personal health information, suggesting that the model is generalizable across different risk and cultural contexts. Findings suggest that media use is an important source of perceived knowledge and, indirectly, sufficiency threshold, which clarifies the role of actual information seeking in risk perceptions and future information seeking.
Robust flatness-based tracking control for brushless direct current motor drives
Authors: Yousef Hassan A , Soliman Hisham M
Published: February 2014

The trajectory tracking problem for nonlinear brushless direct current drive is solved by combined robust and flatness state feedback control. The drive's nonlinear model is shown to have the flatness property. The proposed controller consists of two parts, linear and nonlinear. Linear matrix inequalities (LMI) optimization is used to design the linear part which achieves robust stability against system uncertainties, desired swiftness, and guaranteed cost performance. System uncertainty due to changes in the drive's parameters is represented with a norm-bounded structure. The nonlinear control part solves the motion planning problem through flatness which avoids integrating the differential equations of the dynamics. The main advantages of this technique are that the LMI algorithm includes an optimal part to preclude high control efforts, and the control burden is heavily placed on the linear part to achieve flatness properties. In some systems, in which flatness cannot be achieved, adding robust linear control can overcome or alleviate this problem.
Economic assessment of aseptic compounding rooms in hospital pharmacies in five European countries
Authors: Dekyndt Bérengère , Décaudin Bertrand , Lannoy Damien , Odou Pascal
Published: February 2014

Purpose

The aims of the study are to make an inventory of fixtures of aseptic compounding structures, to compare, using real examples, the design and operating costs of controlled atmosphere area (CAA) with isolators and CAA with laminar flow biological safety cabinets (BSCs) in order to determine the most economical scheme in hospitals and to give a final facilities cost calculated for one workstation.

Methods

Forty-three hospitals were interviewed (21 French and 22 from four European countries) over seven months. Hospital pharmacists completed a form with 390 items. Hospitals are compared according to their workstation type: BSCII or BSCIII (group B) and isolator (group I), using Mann and Whitney’s statistical test and Monte-Carlo modeling.

Results

Twenty-one hospitals responded (11 French and 10 from other European countries). All European compounding unit organizations are not significantly different. The study compared items such as infrastructure cost, equipment cost, staff cost, consumable cost, cleaning cost and control cost. A synthesis of all costs has been drafted to calculate an estimated preparation cost which seemed to be higher for group B than for group I when staff costs were included ($46 and $31, respectively, in study conditions).

Conclusions

The different costs studied have revealed little significant difference between group B and I. The preparation cost in group B appears higher than in group I. This pilot study has resulted in the calculation of an estimated manufactured preparation cost but this work should be completed to help optimize resources and save money.
Accuracy of Electronic Health Record–Derived Data for the Identification of Incident ADHD
Authors: Daley Matthew F. , Newton Douglas A. , DeBar Lynn , Newcomer Sophia R. , Pieper Lisa , Boscarino Joseph A. , Toh Sengwee , Pawloski Pamala , Nordin James D. , Nakasato Cynthia , Herrinton Lisa J. , Bussing Regina
Published: February 2014

Objective: To assess the accuracy of electronic health record (EHR)–derived diagnoses in identifying children with incident (i.e., newly diagnosed) ADHD. Method: In 10 large health care organizations, electronic diagnoses data were used to identify all potential cases of incident ADHD among 3- through 9-year-old children. A random sample of records was manually reviewed to determine whether a diagnosis of ADHD was documented in clinician notes. Results: From electronic diagnoses data, a total of 7,362 children with incident ADHD were identified. Upon manual review of 500 records, the diagnosis of incident ADHD was confirmed in clinician notes for 71.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] = [56.5, 86.4]) of records for 3- through 5-year-old children and 73.6% (95% CI = [65.6, 81.6]) of records for 6- through 9-year-old children. Conclusion: Studies predicated on the identification of incident ADHD cases will need to carefully consider study designs that minimize the likelihood of case misclassification.
An Examination of Mental Health, Hostility, and Typology in Homicide Offenders
Authors: Brad Curtis A. , Coupland Richard B. A. , Olver Mark E.
Published: February 2014

We examined the psychological characteristics of homicide offenders ( n = 95) compared with incarcerated samples of rapists ( n = 232) and generally violent men ( n = 97) using the original Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), its Overcontrolled Hostility (O-H) scale, and the Buss Durkee Hostility Inventory (BDHI). Prominent MMPI elevations were found on scales 4 and 8 for each group. While general violent offenders had the highest BDHI scores, there were no differences among groups in O-H. Cluster analyses revealed a disordered and nondisordered homicide offender type. Results are discussed in light of extant findings with directions for applied homicide offender research.
Diagnostic accuracy of the vertebral heart score and other radiographic indices in the detection of cardiac enlargement in cats with different cardiac disorders
Authors: Guglielmini Carlo , Baron Toaldo Marco , Poser Helen , Menciotti Giulio , Cipone Mario , Cordella Alessia , Contiero Barbara , Diana Alessia
Published: February 2014

A retrospective search was conducted to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the vertebral heart score (VHS) and other related radiographic indices in the detection of cardiac enlargement associated with different cardiac disorders in the cat. One hundred and five cats with a complete echocardiographic examination and radiographic examination of the thorax with at least two orthogonal views were enrolled. Eighty-three cats had different cardiac disorders, 72 with left-sided cardiac disorders (LSCD) and 11 with right-sided cardiac disorders; 22 cats were free of cardiovascular abnormalities. Measurements of VHS and cardiac long and short axes on lateral (L) and dorsoventral or ventrodorsal radiographs were obtained. Receiver operating characteristic curves were calculated to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of each radiographic index in differentiating between cats with cardiac disorders or cats with LSCD and cats without cardiac abnormalities and, among cats with LSCD, between those with no or mild left atrial enlargement (LAE) or those with moderate-to-severe LAE and healthy cats. The L-VHS at the cut-off of 7.9 had high diagnostic accuracy in distinguishing cats with LSCD and moderate-to-severe LAE from healthy cats, but all the other radiographic indices were moderately accurate in distinguishing between cats with overall cardiac disorders or LSCD, either with no or mild LAE and moderate-to-severe LAE, and healthy cats. The considered radiographic indices were also moderately accurate in predicting different degrees of LAE in cats with LSCD. Radiographic indices are reasonably specific, but less sensitive predictors of cardiac enlargement in cats with heart disorders.
The equality conundrum
Authors: Towns Ann , Karlsson Erika , Eyre Joshua
Published: February 2014

This article examines the gender ideology of the parliamentary radical right populist party (RRPP) – the Sweden Democrats. More specifically, the article analyses how the party integrates old nationalist ideas about the importance of traditional gender roles and male superiority for the stability and welfare of the nation with new nationalist ideas about Sweden as the most gender-equal nation in the world. Prior studies suggest that RRPPs have integrated gender equality as a policy measure against multiculturalism and immigration. Our analysis shows this to be true also of the Sweden Democrats. However, unlike prior scholarship, we argue that the integration of gender equality is a tenuous and difficult one, as nationalist ideologies generally rest on ideas of sexual difference and male superiority. While the Sweden Democrats claim to support gender equality in discussions of multiculturalism and immigration, the party is a fierce critic of gender equality in all other contexts.
Tracking ‘learning behaviours’ in the incidental acquisition of two dimensional adjectives by Japanese beginner learners of L2 English
Authors: Shintani Natsuko , Ellis Rod
Published: February 2014

The purpose of this article is to examine both the process and product of vocabulary learning in a task-based instructional context. The article reports a study that investigated the acquisition of two dimensional adjectives (‘big’ and ‘small’) by six-year-old Japanese children who were complete beginners. It tracked the ‘learning behaviours’ that occurred in the classroom interactions involving the use of these adjectives in nine task-based lessons to show how these behaviours developed over time. It also collected test data to establish whether the learners had developed the receptive and productive knowledge required for the independent use of two adjectives. In this way, the study shows how second language (L2) learning evolves through interaction by exploring the relationships between the learners’ different learning behaviours and the differences in their test performance. The main finding was that differences in the success of the individual learners in acquiring productive control over the dimensional adjectives – as shown in the tests – was directly traceable to their learning behaviours in the task-based interactions.
See the error of your ways: Belligerent expertise and the curative power of ‘tough love’
Authors: Eriksson Göran
Published: February 2014

This article examines a particular form of popular expertise, one that uses aggressive, face-threatening confrontations as a means of achieving its goals. The specific case under scrutiny is the Swedish home renovation programme The Angry Carpenter (Sw: Arga snickaren), here considered as an instance of what has been labelled belligerent broadcasting. The analysis demonstrates that belligerent outbursts and emotional displays serve essential, but varying functions in the construction of the host’s expertise. Belligerence is both a method to achieve epistemic status and for the enactment of expertise. Paradoxically, through his belligerence the host promotes a common-sense theory of good communication. A key lesson to be learned from programmes like this is the curative power of ‘tough love’. When nothing else works, belligerence is justified as a method for diagnosing problems, dealing with personal difficulties and restoring healthy households.
A study on the direct control of the start of homogeneous charge compression ignition combustion by pulsed flame jet with rapid compression expansion machine
Authors: Murase Eiichi , Moriue Osamu , Hashimoto Hideki , Nakashima Fumihiro , Komai Yoshinobu
Published: February 2014

Aiming at direct ignition-timing control of homogeneous charge compression ignition in low-load conditions, pulsed flame jet, which is the jet of burning gas issuing from a small cavity facing a combustion chamber, was utilized. The characteristics of homogeneous charge compression ignition combustion initiated by pulsed flame jet were investigated using rapid compression expansion machine, which realizes single compression and expansion strokes and thus the measurement of indicated work. Higher indicated mean effective pressure was obtained using pulsed flame jet without increasing NOx emission drastically, and it was shown that pulsed flame jet has potential to control the onset of homogeneous charge compression ignition combustion appropriately. The validity of pulsed flame jet utilization was shown through pressure and NOx measurements.
Optimisation of boosting strategy for controlled auto-ignition combustion in a four-valve camless gasoline direct injection engine running in two-stroke cycle
Authors: Zhang Yan , Zhao Hua
Published: February 2014

Due to their ability to simultaneously reduce fuel consumption and NOx emissions, controlled autoignition or homogeneous charge compression ignition combustion processes have been extensively researched over the last decade and adopted on prototype gasoline engines. Despite the fact that they were initially achieved on conventional two-stroke ported gasoline engines, there have been much fewer studies carried out on controlled autoignition combustion in two-stroke engines because of the inherent problems associated with the conventional two-stroke engine with intake and exhaust ports. In the meantime, engine downsizing has been actively researched and developed as an effective means to improve the vehicle’s fuel economy by operating the engine at higher load and more efficient regions and by reducing the number of cylinders. But the aggressive engine downsizing of the current four-stroke gasoline engine is limited by the knocking combustion and high peak cylinder pressure. As an alternative approach to engine downsizing, the boosted two-stroke cycle in a poppet valve engine is proposed and researched. It has been shown that the controlled autoignition combustion in the two-stroke cycle could be readily achieved and it led to significant reduction in carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbon emissions than the spark ignition combustion. In this study, extensive engine experiments have been performed to determine the optimum boosting for minimum fuel consumption in a single-cylinder gasoline direct injection camless engine operating in the two-stroke cycle. In order to minimise the air short-circuiting rate, the intake and exhaust valve timings were adjusted. Lean boost was applied to the engine operation, which was found to extend the range of controlled autoignition combustion, result in higher combustion and thermal efficiencies and significantly lower carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions. By means of the cycle-resolved in-cylinder measurements and heat release analysis, the improvement in combustion and thermal efficiencies was attributed to the improved in-cylinder mixture, optimised autoignition and combustion phases.