bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interobserver variability in the assessment of the clinical severity of superficial venous insufficiency
Authors: Sinabulya Helen , Holmberg A , Blomgren L
Published: December 2013

Background

The clinical class C, of the CEAP classification (Clinical-Etiology-Anatomy-Pathophysiology), is often used when selecting patients for treatment within the national healthcare system. The aim of this study was to test the interobserver reproducibility of C when used in a clinical situation where the decision for reimbursement was made.

Methods

An unselected series of 78 patients (106 limbs) with varicose veins were examined by three independent surgeons with regard to C of CEAP and whether there was a medical indication for treatment. Interobserver reproducibility was calculated with kappa statistic.

Results

Total agreement between the three observers for clinical class was obtained in 61% of all cases (κ .55–.68 (95% CI)) and for medical indication in 60% of all cases (κ.35–.57 (95% CI)).

Conclusion

The reproducibility of C when deciding medical indication for treatment is moderate. This may be due to inherent difficulties in the CEAP, lack of specific training, or the simultaneous assessment of reimbursement that may influence the clinical classification.
Perceived Ethnic Discrimination and Problem Behaviors in Muslim Immigrant Early Adolescents
Authors: Maes Marlies , Stevens Gonneke W. J. M. , Verkuyten Maykel
Published: December 2013

Previous research has identified ethnic group identification as a moderator in the relationship between perceived ethnic discrimination and problem behaviors in ethnic minority children. However, little is known about the influence of religious and host national identification on this relationship. This study investigated the moderating role of ethnic, religious, and host national identification on the relationship between perceived discrimination and problem behaviors in Muslim immigrant early adolescents living in the Netherlands. Analyses revealed gender-specific moderating effects for ethnic and religious group identification. For boys, no moderating effects were found. For girls, strong religious group identification increased the relationship between perceived ethnic discrimination and problem behaviors, whereas a strong ethnic identification served a buffering role. No moderating effects were found for host national identification. The findings underline the importance of including different types of group identification in research on the relation between perceived discrimination and immigrant adolescent problem behaviors.
Characterizing focal hepatic lesions by free-breathing intravoxel incoherent motion MRI at 3.0 T
Authors: Watanabe Haruo , Kanematsu Masayuki , Goshima Satoshi , Kajita Kimihiro , Kawada Hiroshi , Noda Yoshifumi , Tatahashi Yukichi , Kawai Nobuyuki , Kondo Hiroshi , Moriyama Noriyuki
Published: December 2013

Background

Diffusion-weighted (DW) imaging is commonly used to distinguish between benign and malignant liver lesions.

Purpose

To prospectively evaluate the true molecular-diffusion coefficient ( D), perfusion-related diffusion coefficient ( D*), perfusion fraction ( f), and ADC of focal hepatic lesions using a free-breathing intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) DW sequence, and to determine if these parameters are useful for characterizing focal hepatic lesions.

Material and Methods

One hundred and twenty hepatic lesions (34 metastases, 32 hepatocellular carcinoma [HCC], 33 hemangiomas, and 21 liver cysts) in 74 patients were examined. Mean D, D*, f, and ADC values of hepatic lesions were compared among pathologies. ROC curve analyses were performed to assess the performances of D, D*, f, and ADC values for the characterization of liver lesions as benign or malignant.

Results

The mean D and ADC values of benign lesions were greater than those of malignant lesions ( P < 0.001). Although the mean D and ADC values of liver cysts were greater than those of hemangiomas ( P < 0.001), and these values were not significantly different between metastases and HCCs ( P = 0.99). Area under the ROC curve for ADC values (0.98) was significantly greater ( P = 0.048) than that for D values (0.96) for the differentiation of benign and malignant lesions. Sensitivity and specificity for the detection of malignant lesion were 89% and 98%, respectively, when an ADC cut-off value of 1.40 was applied.

Conclusion

D and ADC values have more potential for characterizing focal hepatic lesions than D* or f values, and for the differentiation of malignancy and benignity.
Transjejunal biliary interventions: going back to a road less traveled
Authors: Lopera Jorge E , Ramsey Gregory R
Published: December 2013

Percutaneous transhepatic biliary interventions are not without risk and potential complications. In patients with bilioenteric anastomosis in whom repeat biliary interventions are expected, percutaneous transjejunal access is a very useful approach that is not frequently used nowadays. We provide a brief review of the history, indications, and current status of transjejunal biliary interventions. Transjejunal biliary access provides a relatively atraumatic pathway to the biliary system in patients that need repeat interventions. Multiple studies have provided convincing data that in appropriately chosen patients receiving a bilioenteric anastomosis, an antecolic limb of jejunum should be placed for subsequent access in biliary intervention.
Association between severity of knee osteoarthritis and serum and synovial fluid interleukin 17 concentrations
Authors: Chen Biao , Deng Yu , Tan Yang , Qin Jun , Chen Liao-Bin
Published: December 2013

Objective

To determine interleukin (IL)-17 concentrations in serum and synovial fluid from patients with knee osteoarthritis, and evaluate their correlation with disease severity.

Methods

Serum and synovial fluid were collected from patients with primary knee osteoarthritis; age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects provided serum samples. This study was conducted retrospectively. IL-17 was quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Osteoarthritis severity and grade were assessed using the Lequesne index and Kellgren and Lawrence (KL) grading system, respectively.

Results

Serum IL-17 concentrations were significantly higher in patients ( n = 98) than in controls ( n = 50). In the patient group, the synovial fluid IL-17 concentration increased significantly with KL grade and was significantly positively correlated with Lequesne index ( r = 0.6232).

Conclusions

The synovial fluid IL-17 concentration could represent a useful biochemical marker to reflect knee osteoarthritis severity and progression.
Evaluation of plasma endothelial microparticles in pre-eclampsia
Authors: Ling Li , Huang Huaping , Zhu Lingyun , Mao Ting , Shen Qian , Zhang Hong
Published: December 2013

Objective

To compare the antepartum and postpartum plasma concentrations of endothelial microparticles (EMPs) in patients with pre-eclampsia with those of healthy control subjects with normal pregnancies.

Methods

Plasma concentrations of EMPs were measured using specific antibody labelling and flow cytometry prior to delivery by caesarean section (antepartum), and again at 24 h and 72 h postpartum. The correlations between EMP concentration and mean arterial pressure (MAP), and between EMP concentration and 24-h urine protein were analysed.

Results

A total of 59 patients with pre-eclampsia and 60 healthy control subjects participated in the study. The antepartum plasma EMP concentration was significantly higher in patients with pre-eclampsia than in healthy control subjects with normal pregnancies (2863.5 ± 1543.1 versus 1703.0 ± 592.2 EMPs/ml, respectively); similar findings were observed at 24 h postpartum (1836.7 ± 1153.8 versus 1421.8 ± 760.2 EMPs/ml, respectively). There was no significant difference between the two groups at 72 h postpartum. The antepartum plasma EMP concentration in patients with pre-eclampsia demonstrated a significant positive correlation with MAP ( r = 0.716) and with 24-h urine protein ( r = 0.770).

Conclusion

Plasma EMP concentration might serve as a biomarker to evaluate the severity of pre-eclampsia in the future.
Horizontally Transferred Genetic Elements and Their Role in Pathogenesis of Bacterial Disease
Authors: Gyles C. , Boerlin P.
Published: December 2013

This article reviews the roles that laterally transferred genes (LTG) play in the virulence of bacterial pathogens. The features of LTG that allow them to be recognized in bacterial genomes are described, and the mechanisms by which LTG are transferred between and within bacteria are reviewed. Genes on plasmids, integrative and conjugative elements, prophages, and pathogenicity islands are highlighted. Virulence genes that are frequently laterally transferred include genes for bacterial adherence to host cells, type 3 secretion systems, toxins, iron acquisition, and antimicrobial resistance. The specific roles of LTG in pathogenesis are illustrated by specific reference to Escherichia coli, Salmonella, pyogenic streptococci, and Clostridium perfringens.
Current Health-Related Quality of Life Is Lower in Former Division I Collegiate Athletes Than in Non–Collegiate Athletes
Authors: Simon Janet E. , Docherty Carrie L.
Published: December 2013

Background:

College athletes participate in physical activity that may increase chronic stress and injury and induce overtraining. However, there is little known about how previous injuries that have occurred during college may limit current physical activity and/or decrease their subsequent health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

Purpose:

To evaluate HRQoL in former United States National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I athletes and nonathletes with the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) and a demographics questionnaire.

Study Design:

Cohort study (prognosis); Level of evidence, 2.

Methods:

The study sample was recruited through alumni databases at a large Midwestern university and consisted of 2 cohorts: (1) former Division I athletes and (2) nonathletes who participated in recreational activity, club sports, or intramurals while attending college. Participants answered a survey constructed with a web-based system. All individuals contacted were between the ages of 40 and 65 years. Study participants responded to the questions on the PROMIS scales for sleep, anxiety, depression, fatigue, pain interference, physical function, and satisfaction with participation in social roles. The PROMIS was developed to fill the void of HRQoL being evaluated by multiple instruments. An additional questionnaire was constructed to record demographic and exercise information.

Results:

Initially, 1280 former Division I athletes and nonathletes were contacted; 638 surveys were returned (49.8%). Surveys eligible for analyses (71.6%) were completed by 232 former Division I athletes (mean age ± SD, 53.36 ± 7.11 years) and 225 nonathletes (mean age ± SD, 53.60 ± 6.79 years). Univariate analyses for the effect of group was significantly related to PROMIS scales for physical function, depression, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and pain interference ( P < .05). The overall scores were significantly worse for the former Division I athletes than for the nonathletes on 5 of the 7 scales. In addition, the former Division I athletes reported significantly more limitations in daily activities and more major and chronic injuries than did the nonathlete controls.

Conclusion:

According to these data, former Division I athletes have decreased HRQoL compared with nonathletes.

Clinical Relevance:

Sports encourage physical activity, which help promote a healthy lifestyle. Moderate activity and exercise should be encouraged. However, the demands of Division I athletics may result in injuries that linger into adulthood and possibly make participants incapable of staying active as they age, thereby lowering their HRQoL.
Femoral Tunnel Enlargement After Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction
Authors: Berard Jean-Baptiste , Magnussen Robert A. , Bonjean Grégoire , Ozcan Soner , Lustig Sebastien , Neyret Philippe , Servien Elvire
Published: December 2013

Background:

In recent years, significantly more attention has been focused on the role of the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) in patellar stability, and MPFL reconstruction has become a mainstay of surgical treatment of episodic patellar dislocations. Although previously described in detail after reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament, tunnel enlargement has not been investigated after MPFL reconstruction.

Hypotheses:

(1) Femoral tunnel enlargement occurs after MPFL reconstruction. (2) Patella alta, trochlear dysplasia, and tunnel malposition are risk factors for tunnel enlargement. (3) The presence of tunnel enlargement is not associated with recurrent dislocations or poorer patient-reported outcome scores after MPFL reconstruction.

Study Design:

Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Fifty-five of 59 knees treated for episodic patellar dislocations with MPFL reconstruction between 2005 and 2010 were evaluated at 1 year postoperatively for the presence of tunnel enlargement on lateral radiographs. Tunnel enlargement was defined as a tunnel area greater than 2 times that of the original tunnel. Knees with tunnel enlargement at 1 year were compared with those without tunnel enlargement. Patients were assessed for recurrent subluxations or dislocations at a mean of 3 years postoperatively, and patient-reported outcome scores were assessed in a subset of patients at a mean of 3.7 years postoperatively.

Results:

Tunnel enlargement was noted in 23 knees (41.8%). No differences in patient age or body mass index were noted between the 2 groups. The mean patellar height was significantly higher in the enlarged tunnel group ( P = .03). A higher prevalence of trochlear dysplasia or tunnel malposition was not demonstrated in the enlarged tunnel group. Patient-reported outcome scores and the risk of recurrent patellar instability were equal in the 2 groups.

Conclusion:

Femoral tunnel enlargement after MPFL reconstruction is common, with patients with patella alta at an increased risk. The influence of tunnel malposition and trochlear dysplasia on this condition requires further research. Recurrent instability and patient-reported outcome scores are not affected by tunnel enlargement.
Health-Related Quality of Life After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
Authors: Filbay Stephanie R. , Ackerman Ilana N. , Russell Trevor G. , Macri Erin M. , Crossley Kay M.
Published: December 2013

Background:

Anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions (ACLRs) are frequently performed on young, active patients and can result in persistent knee symptoms and activity limitations that may affect health-related quality of life (HRQoL). To date, there has been no systematic review of HRQoL outcomes after ACLR.

Purpose:

The objectives of this study were to report HRQoL ≥5 years after ACLR, compare HRQoL outcomes with available population norms, and describe factors that may affect HRQoL in this population.

Study Design:

Systematic review.

Methods:

All studies reporting HRQoL ≥5 years after ACLR with hamstring or patellar tendon autografts were eligible for review. Common HRQoL outcomes were pooled using a random-effects meta-analysis and compared with published population norms. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient (ρ) was used to identify variables associated with HRQoL outcomes. Where insufficient data were available, outcomes were reported descriptively.

Results:

Fourteen studies were eligible for review, and HRQoL was reported for 2493 patients at a mean of 9 years (range, 5-16 years) after ACLR. Pooling of knee-related quality of life outcomes (Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score [KOOS]–QOL) found impairments after ACLR when compared with population norms. In comparison, studies using the Short Form–36 (SF-36) reported similar or better HRQoL compared with normative data. The KOOS-QOL subscores correlated strongly with KOOS-sport/recreation (ρ = .70, P = .04) and KOOS-pain (ρ = .85, P = .003) subscores. Severe radiographic osteoarthritis, meniscal injuries sustained after surgery, and revision ACLR were associated with poorer HRQoL outcomes at a minimum 5-year follow-up. The negative influence of concomitant meniscal surgery on HRQoL became apparent more than 10 years after ACLR.

Conclusion:

This review found that patients assessed using a knee-specific measure (KOOS-QOL) were more likely to report poorer HRQoL values, compared with population norms, than those assessed using a generic HRQoL measure (SF-36). Revision surgeries, meniscal injuries, and severe radiographic osteoarthritis were associated with poorer HRQoL outcomes after ACLR. However, these relationships should be interpreted with caution, as they were only investigated in a small number of studies.

Clinical Relevance:

These results can be used by clinicians to educate patients about potential long-term outcomes after ACLR and to develop strategies for optimizing postoperative HRQoL.
Commitment Intensity in Public Organizations
Authors: Im Tobin , Campbell Jesse W. , Jeong Jisu
Published: December 2013

Individuals with high levels of Public Service Motivation (PSM) are assumed to be a good fit for public organizations due to their commitment to service-orientated values. However, public organizations vary in terms of performance, leadership, and other qualities, and some organizations may be a better fit for PSM-driven employees than others. This study examines whether organizational characteristics influence the relationship between PSM and affective organizational commitment. The findings indicate that perception of organizational performance and transformational leadership strengthen the relationship between PSM and commitment. On the other hand, climate for innovation is shown to have a strong direct influence on organizational commitment for all employees regardless of their PSM level. A number of theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.
Flammability limits of biogenic volatile organic compounds emitted by fire-heated vegetation (Rosmarinus officinalis) and their potential link with accelerating forest fires in canyons: A Froude-scaling approach
Authors: Chetehouna Khaled , Courty Léo , Garo Jean P. , Viegas Domingos X. , Fernandez-Pello Carlos
Published: December 2013

The accelerating forest fire phenomenon for two real accidents is studied. This phenomenon is investigated using the thermochemical hypothesis, based on the ignition of a biogenic volatile organic compounds cloud accumulated in canyons. By heating a Rosmarinus officinalis plant in a specific hermetic enclosure, a mixture of 14 biogenic volatile organic compounds is identified and their mass fractions determined as temperature functions. The theoretical flammability limits of those components are calculated by means of empirical correlations. Froude-scaling law is applied to laboratory emission results to find the concentrations of biogenic volatile organic compounds at field scale. The comparison of the flammability limits with the calculated concentrations at real scale using this changing-scale analysis shows that the emitted biogenic volatile organic compounds can lead to an accelerating forest fire.
Poly(vinylidene-trifluoroethylene)/barium titanate composite for in vivo support of bone formation
Authors: Lopes Helena B , Santos Thiago de S , de Oliveira Fabiola S , Freitas Gileade P , de Almeida Adriana LG , Gimenes Rossano , Rosa Adalberto L , Beloti Marcio M
Published: December 2013

In this study, we evaluated the effect of poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene)/barium titanate (P(VDF-TrFE)/BT) membrane on in vivo bone formation. Rat calvarial bone defects were implanted with P(VDF-TrFE)/BT and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membranes, and at 4 and 8 weeks, histomorphometric and gene expression analyses were performed. A higher amount of bone formation was noticed on P(VDF-TrFE)/BT compared with PTFE. The gene expression of RUNX2, bone sialoprotein, osteocalcin, receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B ligand, and osteoprotegerin indicates that P(VDF-TrFE)/BT favored the osteoblast differentiation compared with PTFE. These results evidenced the benefits of using P(VDF-TrFE)/BT to promote new bone formation, which may represent a promising alternative to be employed in guided bone regeneration.
A Model of Spatially Constrained Social Network Dynamics
Authors: Erbach-Schoenberg Elisabeth zu , Bullock Seth , Brailsford Sally
Published: December 2013

Social networks characterize the set of relationships among a population of social agents. As such, their structure both constrains and is constrained by social processes such as partnership formation and the spread of information, opinions, and behavior. Models of these coevolutionary network dynamics exist, but they are generally limited to specific interaction types such as games on networks or opinion dynamics. Here we present a dynamic model of social network formation and maintenance that exhibits the characteristic features of real-world social networks such as community structure, high clustering, positive degree assortativity, and short characteristic path length. Although these macrostructural network properties are stable, the network microstructure undergoes continuous change at the level of relationships between individuals. Notably, the edges are weighted, allowing for gradual change in relationship strength in contrast to more abrupt mechanisms, such as rewiring, used in other models. We show how the structural features that characterize social networks can arise as the result of constraints placed on the interactions between individuals. Here we explore the relationship between structural properties and four idealized constraints placed on social interactions: space, affinity, time, and history. We show that spatial embedding and the subsequent constraints on possible interactions are crucial in this model for the emergence of the structures characterizing social networks.
Social Simulation in the Social Sciences
Authors: Squazzoni Flaminio , Jager Wander , Edmonds Bruce
Published: December 2013

This article provides an overview of the social simulation approach to the study of social phenomena. We focus especially on the relevance of heterogeneity of social behavior and dynamics and the complex interplay of agent behavior and social structure. The article identifies the peculiarities and the explanatory achievements of this approach and then discusses its prospects and challenges. Special attention is given to (i) how micro-level behavioral detail can be used to understand social patterns and dynamics; (ii) the importance of the meso level of social networks; and (iii) the two-way, process linkages between micro and macro aspects as a fundamental source of social uncertainty and unpredictability.
Dabigatran Use in the Real World
Authors: Kimmons Lauren A. , Kabra Rajesh , Davis McLisa , Segars Beth V. , Oliphant Carrie S.
Published: December 2013

Dabigatran etexilate, an oral direct thrombin inhibitor, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration to reduce the risk of stroke and systemic embolism in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation based on the outcomes of the Randomized Evaluation of Long-term anticoagulant therapY (RE-LY) study. Although this study provides robust data on the efficacy and safety of dabigatran, there may be differences in the drug use and outcomes in routine clinical practice following drug approval. In this retrospective chart review study, we describe the use of dabigatran in 160 patients in 4 adult hospitals (1 academic and 3 community), including appropriate prescribing for indication, starting dose, concomitant anticoagulant and antiplatelet use, and clinical outcomes such as bleeding, myocardial infarction, and stroke. The study revealed appropriate indication of nonvalvular atrial fibrillation in 145 (91%) of the 160 patients. The dose of dabigatran was appropriate in 90% of the patients, with the most common cause of inappropriate dosing due to perceived bleeding risk. Over a follow-up period of 6 months, bleeding complications were noted in 6 patients still taking dabigatran, 5 of which were gastrointestinal bleeding. Our study underscores the importance of prescriber education regarding the appropriate indication, dosage, and safety of dabigatran with active participation of pharmacists in this process.
Assessing the Potential of E-mail for Communicating Drug Therapy Recommendations to Physicians in Patients With Heart Failure and Ventricular-Assist Devices
Authors: Lekura Jona , Tita Cristina , Lanfear David E. , Williams Celeste T. , Jennings Douglas L.
Published: December 2013

Purpose: This project explores electronic mail (e-mail) as a potential medium for pharmacists to communicate pharmacotherapy interventions to prescribers. Methods: This retrospective descriptive analysis was conducted at an urban, academic teaching hospital. The pharmacist attempted a drug therapy intervention via e-mail when unable to make face-to-face contact with the attending physician. Eligible patients for this project were admitted to the advanced heart failure (HF) team between December 1, 2010, and July 31, 2011, and had at least 1 attempted e-mail intervention. The primary outcome was the number of accepted interventions, while the secondary end point was the time until a physician e-mail response. Results: A total of 51 e-mail interventions were attempted on 29 patients (mean age = 53, 24% caucasian, 59% male, 69% left ventricular-assist device [VAD]). Overall, of the total 51 interventions,44 (86.3%) were accepted. The average time to a physician e-mail response was 41 minutes. Initiation of drug therapy and changing dose and route or frequency accounted for the most frequent intervention (33%). The most common drug classes involved in the e-mail interventions were angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (15.7%), loop diuretics (9.8%), and antiplatelet agents (7.8%). Conclusion: Clinical pharmacists with well-established physician relationships can effectively implement timely drug therapy recommendations using e-mail communications in patients with advanced HF or VADs.
The Place of Foundations and Endowments in German History
Authors: Adam Thomas , Lingelbach Gabriele
Published: December 2013

This essay provides the very first account of the historical size and scope of German philanthropy from the mid-19th century to the 1950s. Our historical-statistical analysis of various unpublished and published sources about associations, foundations, and endowments supports an interpretation that suggest that foundations and endowments were important sources of financing for many public institutions in Germany. Our article dispels, thus, commonly held notions about the marginal position of philanthropy in German society and further suggests that philanthropy should be acknowledged as an important source for organizing and structuring modern German society.
Comparing Workplace Organization Design Based on Form of Ownership
Authors: Ben-Ner Avner , Ren Ting
Published: December 2013

This study offers hypotheses concerning differences in organization design among for-profit (FP), nonprofit (NP), and local government (LG) organizations. We empirically examine design in a sample of 105 Minnesota nursing homes, using data from an original survey. The findings generally support our hypotheses: (a) NP and LG nursing homes delegate more decision-making authority to their nurses than their FP counterparts, (b) NP and LG nurses enjoy greater efficiency wages than their FP counterparts, (c) NP homes rely more on the social networks of their employees to recruit new employees than FP and LG homes, (d) FP tend to use more performance-based incentives than NP and LG, and (e) there is little difference in the extent to which FP, NP, and LG homes monitor their nurses. The differences that we do detect are significant but are probably tempered by regulation, market competition, and institutional pressures for similarity.
Public Funding and Its Impact on Nonprofit Advocacy
Authors: Neumayr Michaela , Schneider Ulrike , Meyer Michael
Published: December 2013

This article aims to contribute to the long-standing discussion about nonprofit organizations’ (NPOs) dependence on public funding and its consequences on their advocacy role in modern societies. Drawing on resource dependence theory and data from a quantitative survey, the study investigates the impact of public funding and its extent on nonprofit engagement in advocacy. Traditionally, scholars have cautioned that NPOs reliant on public sources will hesitate to pursue political objectives and to engage in advocacy work. Yet, empirical findings are strikingly inconsistent. One of the reasons for these ambiguous findings may be the way advocacy is measured. To address this issue, we apply two different approaches to evaluate NPO engagement. Both sets of findings from our multivariate analyses of Austrian NPOs suggest that public funding does not have a negative impact on advocacy.
‘Make do and mend’ after redundancy at Anglesey Aluminium: critiquing human capital approaches to unemployment
Authors: Dobbins Tony , Plows Alexandra , Lloyd-Williams Huw
Published: December 2013

This article tracks workers’ responses to redundancy and impact on the local labour market and regional unemployment policy after the closure of a large employer, Anglesey Aluminium (AA), on Anglesey in North Wales. It questions human capital theory (HCT) and its influence on sustaining neo-liberal policy orthodoxy – focused on supplying skilled and employable workers in isolation from other necessary ingredients in the policy recipe. It is concluded that HCT and associated skills policy orthodoxy are problematic because supply of particular skills did not create demand from employers. Ex-AA workers faced a paradox of being highly skilled but underemployed. Some workers re-trained but there were insufficient (quality) job opportunities. In picking up the pieces after redundancy many workers found themselves part of a labour ‘precariat’ with little choice but to ‘make do and mend’.
‘I’d rather work in a supermarket’: privatization of home care work in Japan
Authors: Broadbent Kaye
Published: December 2013

The rise in nuclear family households and more married women engaging in paid work have forced governments to address the issue of aged care for the elderly to a greater degree. A good illustration is home care in Japan where the government introduced a Long Term Care Insurance scheme (LTCI) (2000) focused on offering affordable almost universal care by extending existing home care services. Japan’s home care services were privatized in 2006 and, while this is not unique to Japan, the combination of cost-cutting measures and the client-driven model encompassed in the LTCI has had a significant impact on employment conditions and the organization of work in home care services. This research assesses the impact on employment conditions and the organization of work in Japan’s former government-run home care sector compared with the pre-LTCI period and argues that privatization has resulted in work intensification and deteriorating employment conditions.
What is armchair anthropology? Observational practices in 19th-century British human sciences
Authors: Sera-Shriar Efram
Published: December 2013

The study of human diversity in the first half of the 19th century has traditionally been categorized as a type of armchair-based natural history. If we are to take seriously this characterization of the discipline it requires further unpacking. Armchair anthropology was not a passive pursuit, with minimal analytical reflection that simply synthesized the materials of other writers. Nor was it detached from the activities of informants who were collecting and recording data in the field. Practitioners in the 19th century were highly attuned to the problems associated with their research techniques and continually sought to transform their methodologies. The history of British anthropological research is one of gradual change and the adoption of new observational techniques into its methodologies. This article looks at the history of 19th-century British anthropology and examines in detail the observational practices of its researchers. In doing so it aims to answer the question: What is armchair anthropology?
Deprived of touch
Authors: Raz Mical
Published: December 2013

In 1943, a distinguished child psychiatrist at Johns Hopkins University, Leo Kanner, published what would become a landmark article: a description of 11 children who suffered from a distinct disorder he called ‘infantile autism’. While initially quite obscure, in the early 1950s Kanner’s report garnered much attention, as clinicians and researchers interpreted these case studies as exemplifying the ill-effects of maternal deprivation, a new theory that rapidly gained currency in the United States. Sensory deprivation experiments, performed in the mid-1950s, further complicated the picture, as experts debated whether maternal deprivation was unique or simply a form of environmental stimulation. As experts strove to make sense of this new disorder, they relied on concepts of maternal and sensory deprivation, both to promote their own theories and to critique or refute those of their colleagues. This interplay between the two theories also informed new forms of intervention, including ‘rage reduction therapy’, which served as a precursor for controversial forms of therapy today termed as the ‘attachment therapies’. This article sheds light on a little-known aspect of the history of autism, and examines the far-reaching effect popular etiological theories have in shaping debates over emerging medical concerns.
Aerothermodynamics of a hypersonic vehicle with a forward-facing parabolic cavity at nose
Authors: Yadav Rajesh , Guven Ugur
Published: December 2013

Numerical experiments are carried out using commercially available Navier–Stokes solver to investigate the effect of forward-facing parabolic cavity on the heat fluxes over a spherical nosed blunt body. A wide range of parabolic cavities with depths varying between 2 and 10 mm placed at the nose of sphere-cylinder with base diameter 40 mm and overall length 70 mm have been investigated. The ratio of the cavity radius at intersection with y-axis to depth of cavity ( r/d) of these cavities varies from 1.5 to 2.5. All computations have been done at a freestream Mach number of 6.2 and sea level atmospheric conditions assuming air to be a thermally perfect gas. The steady-state solutions obtained through time marching solution of axisymmetric Navier–Stokes equations suggest that the total heat transfer rate, area weighted average heat flux and the peak heat fluxes to the body can be favorably reduced for shallow parabolic cavities.
A general assessment of a new inverse trigonometric shear deformation theory for laminated composite and sandwich plates using finite element method
Authors: Grover Neeraj , Singh Bhrigu Nath , Maiti Dipak Kumar
Published: December 2013

In this study, a general assessment of inverse trigonometric shear deformation theory, recently developed by the authors, is performed and the structural responses (static, buckling, and free vibration) of laminated-composite and sandwich plates are investigated. The in-plane displacement components are expressed in terms of an inverse cotangent function, which yields the nonlinear shear deformation while the constant transverse displacement is assumed over the thickness of the plate. A computationally efficient finite element model for the implementation of above-mentioned theory is proposed. The continuity requirement of the finite element model is maintained as C0 by a suitable choice of nodal field variables. Numerous analysis problems are selected to study the effects of various parameters such as span-to-thickness ratio, lamination sequence, loading conditions, boundary conditions, etc. on the response characteristics of plates. Higher modes are also obtained for the buckling and vibration problems and the ability to investigate higher modes is ensured. The comparison of the present results with the established results in literature indicates the efficiency and range of applicability of the present formulation. Moreover, the formulation is presented in a generalized approach which enables the implementation of all existing seven degree-of-freedom theories in a single computer algorithm thereby making it practically more significant.
Assessment of architectural options for a dual-mode disaster monitoring constellation supported by on-orbit propellant depots
Authors: Hong SeungBum , Na Hyungho , Ahn Jaemyung
Published: December 2013

This paper introduces a concept, a baseline design, and a trade study for a new space-based global continuous disaster monitoring system composed of a dual-mode satellite constellation and on-orbit propellant depots. The proposed constellation operates in two different modes: a normal mode and a disaster mode, which are responsible for atmospheric/oceanic imaging and disaster monitoring, respectively. The dual-mode concept enables the system to manage the uncertainties associated with the unknown time and location of a disaster and to enhance its operational efficiency by improving its utilization. The mode-change requires orbit transfers accompanying large amounts of fuel consumption, and this challenge is addressed by an on-orbit refueling system to support the constellation. A reference design for the proposed satellite constellation and the orbiting depot is presented. Orbital parameters and the options for mode-change transfers are explored considering the trade-off relationships among the propellant consumption (to minimize), the response time (to minimize), and the access area in normal mode (to maximize). Options for the number of on-orbit propellant depots and the drift rate for the refueling operation are also explored considering the time to complete the preparation and associated probability to get ready for the next disaster outbreak.
Effects of upstream strut on the combustion of liquid kerosene in a model cavity scramjet
Authors: Bao Wen , Zong Youhai , Chang Juntao , Hu Jichao , Yang Qingchun , Song Jian , Wu Meng
Published: December 2013

A supersonic combustion organizer that consists of both cavity flameholder and strut injector was applied in a liquid-kerosene-fueled model scramjet. The experimental results indicated that the strut injection can improve the combustion performance. When the strut was mounted near the cavity, transverse injection from the strut gave the best performance. However, the excessive long distance between the upstream strut and the cavity led to upstream spreading of combustion to the isolator and pressure rise at the isolator entrance. Besides that, parallel injection was found difficult to establish effective combustion due to the poor spreading performance, except in the condition that the strut was mounted close to the cavity and wall injection was used simultaneously.
Application of conjugate heat transfer and fluid network analysis to improvement design of turbine blade with integrated cooling structures
Authors: Peigang Yan , Ying Cui , Liang Shi , Jiaqi Zhu
Published: December 2013

A combination of fluid network analysis method with conjugate heat transfer are applied to the improvement design of the integrated cooling structures in a high-performance turbine blade, coupled with the 3D viscous solver for the gas flow field. By comparison with the experimental results of open literatures, the methodology developed is numerically validated. For a high-pressure turbine rotor blade, it is used to rapidly predict and evaluate the aerodynamic and heat transfer performances of its integrated inner cooling structures. According to the computation results, three ways are definitely proposed for the improvement design, including the adjustment of the coolant flow mass entering into the front and rear cavities in a more appropriate flow mass ratio, the improvement of the turning geometries in serpentine channels to minimize the inner coolant flow resistance, and the adjustment of the local cooling structure dimension according to the high temperature region on outer surface of blade. Through the verification of the fully 3D conjugate heat transfer simulation for the fields of gas flow, solid blade and coolant flow, it shows that the maximum temperature on rotor blade surface is reduced obviously, the temperature distribution becomes more uniform after improvement, and the inlet parameters of cooling cavities are matched more reasonably. It is concluded that in this paper the fluid network combined with conjugate heat transfer significantly shortens the aerodynamic and heat transfer design cycle for the turbine blade with integrated cooling structures.
Debiasing the Mind Through Meditation
Authors: Hafenbrack Andrew C. , Kinias Zoe , Barsade Sigal G.
Published: December 2013

In the research reported here, we investigated the debiasing effect of mindfulness meditation on the sunk-cost bias. We conducted four studies (one correlational and three experimental); the results suggest that increased mindfulness reduces the tendency to allow unrecoverable prior costs to influence current decisions. Study 1 served as an initial correlational demonstration of the positive relationship between trait mindfulness and resistance to the sunk-cost bias. Studies 2a and 2b were laboratory experiments examining the effect of a mindfulness-meditation induction on increased resistance to the sunk-cost bias. In Study 3, we examined the mediating mechanisms of temporal focus and negative affect, and we found that the sunk-cost bias was attenuated by drawing one’s temporal focus away from the future and past and by reducing state negative affect, both of which were accomplished through mindfulness meditation.
Better Off Than We Know
Authors: Chambers John R. , Swan Lawton K. , Heesacker Martin
Published: December 2013

Three studies examined Americans’ perceptions of incomes and income inequality using a variety of criterion measures. Contrary to recent findings indicating that Americans underestimate wealth inequality, we found that Americans not only overestimated the rise of income inequality over time, but also underestimated average incomes. Thus, economic conditions in America are more favorable than people seem to realize. Furthermore, ideological differences emerged in two of these studies, such that political liberals overestimated the rise of inequality more than political conservatives. Implications of these findings for public policy debates and ideological disagreements are discussed.
Time, Money, and Morality
Authors: Gino Francesca , Mogilner Cassie
Published: December 2013

Money, a resource that absorbs much daily attention, seems to be involved in much unethical behavior, which suggests that money itself may corrupt. This research examined a way to offset such potentially deleterious effects—by focusing on time, a resource that tends to receive less attention than money but is equally ubiquitous in daily life. Across four experiments, we examined whether shifting focus onto time can salvage individuals’ ethicality. We found that implicitly activating the construct of time, rather than money, leads individuals to behave more ethically by cheating less. We further found that priming time reduces cheating by making people reflect on who they are. Implications for the use of time primes in discouraging dishonesty are discussed.
Multiple model–based fault detection and diagnosis for helicopter with actuator faults via quantum information technique
Authors: Chen Fuyang , Zhang Shijun , Jiang Bin , Tao Gang
Published: December 2013

A multiple model–based fault detection and diagnosis approach for a helicopter with actuator faults and disturbances is developed in this article. Particularly, the actuator is locked in-place and does not respond to subsequent commands. A multiple model scheme is proposed to detect and isolate the faults. In the multiple model scheme, a series of parallel observers are constructed, each of which is based on a model that describes the system in the presence of a particular actuator fault. In addition, quantum information technique is used to choose which model matches the current system. Furthermore, to estimate the locked position, a robust fast adaptive fault estimation algorithm based on linear matrix inequality technique is proposed by considering the disturbances. Finally, the simulation results show the efficiency of this scheme.
Passivity constraints for the impedance control of series elastic actuators
Authors: Tagliamonte Nevio Luigi , Accoto Dino
Published: December 2013

Robots operating in close contact with humans require actuators capable of accurately and safely modulating the delivered torque. To this aim, rotary series elastic actuators are largely adopted. Torque control is often implemented using a cascade control scheme involving proportional–integral regulators (velocity controller nested in a torque controller) for its simplicity and its potential of ensuring coupled stability. A high-level impedance control loop is also commonly added to regulate the interaction with the external agents. In the present work, conservative passivity conditions are derived when a cascade-controlled series elastic actuator is used to haptically display different models of virtual impedance. In particular, the case of a null impedance, of a pure spring and of series and parallel spring–damper systems (corresponding to standard linear viscoelastic bodies) are analyzed in order to derive design guidelines useful for the selection of the control gains as well as for determining the ranges of renderable virtual impedance.
Late-Holocene temperature and precipitation changes in Vindelfjällen, mid-western Swedish Lapland, inferred from chironomid and geochemical data
Authors: Berntsson Annika , Rosqvist Gunhild C , Velle Gaute
Published: December 2013

In this article, we present results from a palaeolimnological study from Lake Vuoksjávrátje in the mountain tundra region in the Vindelfjällen Mountains, northwest Sweden. We suggest that the influence of precipitation may be one of the factors causing discrepancies between chironomid-based late-Holocene July temperature (JulyT) reconstructions from Fennoscandia. We combine quantitative temperature reconstruction using chironomids for the last 5100 years with qualitative analysis of chironomid composition and geochemical analyses, such as x-ray fluorescence (XRF), total organic carbon (TOC) and C/N analysis. The studied sequence is dated by 210Pb, 137Cs and 11 14C datings from terrestrial macrofossils. The aim of the study was to use chironomids to reconstruct late-Holocene summer temperature variation on a multi-centennial to centennial timescale and to use geochemical data to identify periods during which the changes in chironomid composition might have been forced by environmental variables other than temperature, such as within lake processes or precipitation. Based on ordination techniques, and a comparison between chironomid-inferred JulyTs and changes in minerogenic sedimentation with regional temperature and wetness records, it is concluded that the JulyT signal was modulated by precipitation. The proxies indicate that both JulyT and annual precipitation have influenced the chironomid communities in Lake Vuoksjávrátje, and that catchment-related processes caused by enhanced precipitation have overridden the summer temperature signal between 3000 and 2200 cal. yr BP, and between 1050 and 100 cal. yr BP.