bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Risk Knowledge and Psychological Distress During Pregnancy Among Primiparous Women of Advanced Age and Their Partners
Authors: Guedes Maryse , Canavarro Maria Cristina
Published: September 2014

Introduction

First childbirth at advanced maternal age has become a growing public health concern due to its increased risks for maternal–fetal health. The present study aimed to characterize the risk knowledge of primiparous women of advanced age and their partners and to examine interindividual variability on risk knowledge depending on sociodemographic and reproductive characteristics. The study also examined the influence of one partner's risk knowledge on both partners’ psychological distress.

Methods

The present study is part of an ongoing longitudinal project focusing on 2 timings of assessment: the prenatal diagnosis visit (time 1) and the third trimester of pregnancy (time 2). A total of 95 primiparous women of advanced age and their partners were consecutively recruited in a Portuguese referral urban hospital. Participants completed a questionnaire on knowledge of maternal age‐related risks of childbearing at time 1 as well as the Brief Symptom Inventory‐18 at time 2.

Results

Both partners showed incomplete risk knowledge, with the exception of the impact of maternal age on fertility, the probability to request medical help to conceive, and increased risk of Down syndrome. Women's risk knowledge did not vary depending on sociodemographic and reproductive characteristics. Male partners with prior infertility and medically assisted reproduction treatments reported higher risk knowledge. Higher risk knowledge in male partners increased psychological distress during pregnancy in both members of the couples.

Discussion

The findings indicated that first childbirth at advanced maternal age is rarely an informed reproductive decision, emphasizing the need to develop preventive interventions that may enhance couples’ knowledge of maternal age‐related risks. Given the influence of the risk knowledge of male partners on women's psychological distress, antenatal interventions should be couple‐focused. Interventions should inform couples about maternal age‐related risks, enhance their perceived control, and promote effective dyadic communication and coping strategies to address risk.
Impact of Access on TAVI Procedural and Midterm Follow‐Up: A Meta‐Analysis of 13 Studies and 10,468 Patients
Authors: CONROTTO FEDERICO , D'ASCENZO FABRIZIO , FRANCESCA GIORDANA , COLACI CHIARA , SACCIATELLA PAOLO , BIONDI‐ZOCCAI GIUSEPPE , MORETTI CLAUDIO , D'AMICO MAURIZIO , GAITA FIORENZO , MARRA SEBASTIANO
Published: September 2014

Introduction

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) may be performed using the transfemoral (TF) or transapical (TA) approach in most patients with aortic stenosis. The impact of access choice on peri‐procedural and midterm results remains to be defined.

Methods

Medline and Cochrane Library were searched for articles describing differences in baseline, peri‐procedural, and midterm outcomes among patients undergoing TF or TA TAVI. The primary end‐point was all‐cause mortality after at least 1‐year follow‐up, while secondary end‐points were 30 days mortality and in‐hospital complications (bleeding and cerebrovascular events). The independent impact of access choice was evaluated with pooled analysis using a random‐effect model.

Results

Thirteen studies with 10,468 patients were included. TF was the most exploited strategy (69.5% vs. 30.5%). After adjusting for confounding variables, 30‐day and midterm follow‐up mortality (median 365 days, range 222–400) were lower in TF patients with a pooled adjusted odds ratio of 0.81 (0.68–0.97 I2 99%) and 0.85 (0.80–0.90 I2 96%), respectively. Regarding periprocedural outcomes, TF reduced risk of bleedings and strokes (OR of 0.74 [0.66–0.82 I2 95%] and 0.91 [0.83–0.99] I2 86%, respectively).

Conclusions

The TF approach reduces mortality in TAVI patients, due to lower rates of periprocedural bleedings and strokes. (J Interven Cardiol 2014;27:500–508)
Throwing in the Towel: Burnout among Practicing Interior Designers
Authors: Hill Caroline , Hegde Asha L. , Matthews Carl
Published: September 2014

Job turnover is often preceded by burnout, a psychological syndrome involving prolonged response to stressors on the job (Maslach & Leiter, 2008). This phenomenon is measured along a continuum ranging from job engaged to full burnout. Higher levels of burnout can result in turnover, excessive absenteeism, and numerous physical and emotional symptoms among employees. The purpose of this study was to assess levels of burnout among practicing interior designers, and identify both individual and situational factors relative to burnout. The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI–GS) was used to measure burnout and a Job Satisfaction survey gathered basic demographic and situational (job–related) information from practicing interior designers ( N = 130). The voluntary and anonymous surveys were distributed via US Mail and the response rate was 52%. Results revealed that study participants were experiencing a moderate level of burnout. However, when compared with other professions, interior designers rated highest in cynicism and second only to nurses in exhaustion, as measured by the MBI–GS. Statistically significant correlations and regressions were found between burnout and the individual factors of age and years of professional practice as well as the situational factors of workload, control, reward, and fairness. The results and implications of the study are relevant to both interior design practitioners and academics and the discussion calls upon these communities to reconsider discipline–based traditions and expectations that may exacerbate burnout to keep practitioners healthy and positively engaged in the profession.
Audio–Visual Environment and the Religious Experiences in Green Church Buildings: A Cross–Case Study
Authors: Shin Jung–hye , Miller Shadeequa
Published: September 2014

This embedded cross–case study examined two innovative green religious buildings in the same climatic zone of Wisconsin. Both organizations used green building certification as a way to express their missions of earth stewardship. The study aimed at understanding: (1) the degree of success in expressing the mission of earth stewardship through the buildings; and (2) the relationships between the audio–visual environment and the religious experiences during Sunday worship in their main assembly rooms. The study findings suggest that both organizations succeeded in their mission delivery through their green buildings. It also indicates that the users were generally satisfied with the audio–visual environment of the assembly rooms, but significant acoustic and glare issues existed, as the buildings were designed to bring in an ample amount of daylight according to green building principles. The conflicting issues were explored through both subjective and objective assessment. Finally, while audio–visual environmental factors critically shaped three major outcome variables of overall satisfaction, adequacy for prayer, and place attachment, factors such as acoustics and window views played more significant roles than the glare issues. The study suggested various ways to solve the identified issues and to further enhance users’ worship experiences.
A sleep bruxism detection system based on sensors in a splint – pilot clinical data
Authors: McAuliffe P. , Kim J. H. , Diamond D. , Lau K. T. , O'Connell B. C.
Published: September 2014

It is difficult in a dental setting to accurately diagnose sleep bruxism and to objectively assess the severity, frequency or natural history of the condition in an individual patient. Yet this information is essential for the management of sleep bruxism and to plan appropriate dental treatment. The objective of this study was to clinically test a device that could be used to record bruxism events in a home environment. Pressure sensors were developed for use under the surface of an occlusal splint, and circuitry was designed to facilitate the recording and wireless transmission of the pressure sensor signal to a computer. Controlled mandibular movements were carried out in vivo to simulate bruxism and non‐bruxism patterns. These patterns of force application were graphically presented to two examiners who were asked to identify the type of activity represented by the force curves. Examiners were largely able to distinguish bruxism from non‐bruxism activity; the sensitivity ranged from 80% to 100% and the specificity from 75% to 100%. Using sensors in an occlusal splint, it is possible to recognise the typical tooth contact patterns seen in sleep bruxism. Such a device may be useful for monitoring sleep bruxism over an extended period at home.
Use of parent report to screen for feeding difficulties in young children
Authors: Marshall Jeanne , Raatz Madeline , Ward Elizabeth C , Dodrill Pamela
Published: September 2014

Aims

This study aimed to collect data on Australian children with regard to feeding difficulties using a standardised questionnaire, compare these data to international data collected using the same tool, assess the short‐term reliability of this tool and determine the sensitivity and specificity of this tool in detecting feeding difficulties.

Methods

Parents completed the Behavioral Pediatric Feeding Assessment Scale. Data on 54 typically developing children and 81 children with feeding difficulties aged 2–6 years are presented.

Results

Our Australian sample performed comparably to normative data from Canada and the UK. Reliable results were demonstrated over a 2‐week period, and the scale was shown to have high specificity. There was a significant difference between typically developing children and children with feeding difficulties in frequency of undesirable mealtime behaviours (P < 0.01) and the number of behaviours reported as a problem by parents using this tool (P < 0.01).

Conclusions

This study confirmed that the Behavioral Pediatric Feeding Assessment Scale is a valid tool for identifying Australian children with feeding difficulties. Given that it is simple to administer and has a high reliability and specificity, it is suggested as a useful screening tool for physicians working with young children. Data collected using this tool found that typically developing children display few undesirable feeding behaviours, and few behaviours are perceived as problems by parents. Therefore, any child presenting with a large number of feeding problems on this parent‐reported measure should be referred for further multidisciplinary evaluation and treatment as required.
A skeletal disorder in a dog resembling the Klippel–Feil Syndrome with Sprengel's Deformity in humans
Authors: Bertolini G. , Trotta M. , Caldin M.
Published: September 2014

A five‐year‐old intact male golden retriever dog was evaluated for cervical pain and right hemiparesis. Clinical and computed tomography features suggested a caudal cervical instability and myelopathy due to a cervicoscapular malformation resembling the human Klippel–Feil Syndrome with Sprengel Deformity, a rare complex congenital disorder. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct sequencing of MEOX1, PAX1 and FGFR3 genes were performed in this dog to investigate a possible underlying genetic predisposition, but no mutations were detected in the coding regions of the three target genes evaluated. Other genes can be involved in this condition in dogs and require further investigation. This report describes a cervical vertebral fusion and complex scapular anomaly in a dog. The presence of an omovertebral bone should be considered in the setting of signs characteristic of myelopathy in dogs with or without obvious skeletal deformity.
Rejecting Evolution: The Role of Religion, Education, and Social Networks
Authors: Hill Jonathan P.
Published: September 2014

Large segments of the American public are skeptical of human evolution. Surveys consistently find that sizable minorities of the population, frequently near half, deny that an evolutionary process describes how human life developed. Using data from the National Study of Youth and Religion, I examine the role of religion and education in predicting who changes their beliefs about evolution between late adolescence and early emerging adulthood. I conclude that religion is far more important than educational attainment in predicting changing beliefs about evolution. Perhaps more importantly, I find that social networks play an important moderating role in this process. High personal religiousness is only associated with the maintenance of creationist beliefs over time when the respondent is embedded in a social network of co‐religionists. This finding suggests that researchers should pay far more attention to the social context of belief formation and change.
The Roles of Religion in National Legitimation: Judaism and Zionism's Elusive Quest for Legitimacy
Authors: Abulof Uriel
Published: September 2014

Why and how do nations turn to religion to justify claims for statehood? This article addresses this question in both theory and practice, showing that religion plays multiple legitimating roles that shift dynamically according to the success they yield for national movements. I posit four legitimating models: (1) nationalism instead of religion (“secular nationalism”), (2) nationalism as a religion (“civil religion”), (3) religion as a resource for nationalism (“auxiliary religion”), and (4) religion as a source of nationalism (“chosen people”). Empirically, I analyze the roles of religion in Zionist efforts to legitimate a Jewish state in Palestine. I argue that Zionism has responded to persistent delegitimation by expanding the role of religion in its political legitimation. The right of self‐determination, which stands at the core of the “secular Zionism” legitimation, has given way to leveraging Judaism, which in turn has been eclipsed by constructing a Zionist civil religion and a “chosen people” justification.
Polysemic Objects and Partial Translations: Museums and the Interpretation of Indigenous Material Culture in Taiwan
Authors: Varutti Marzia
Published: September 2014

This article explores the polysemic character of objects through an analysis of multiple interpretations of indigenous material culture in contemporary Taiwan. My study focuses on a specific type of object—the canoe of the Tao indigenous group of Taiwan—and its interpretations inside and outside of museums. Theoretically, my analysis draws on the concepts of polysemy, boundary objects, and cultural translation to examine the different meanings and contextualizations of Tao canoes. The unique cultural density of Tao canoes provides opportunities to critically engage with the propensity of museums to act as sites for the production, transformation, and dissemination of knowledge about indigenous cultures and to address the complex political discourses in which indigenous material culture is entangled in contemporary Taiwan. [museums, indigenous, material culture, Taiwan, translation, boundary objects, canoes]
Extinctions of vascular plants in Spain
Authors: Aedo C. , Medina L. , Barberá P. , Fernández‐Albert M.
Published: September 2014

The catalogue of extinct plants in Spain, comprising 27 taxa is updated. Included are four species not previously classified as extinct in Spain: Cyclamen purpurascens, Grammitis quaerenda, Stratiotes aloides and Vallisneria spiralis. We analyze the causes of extinction and explore the possible influence of botanical collections in species loss. The obtained data suggest that habitat loss has been the main cause of extinction and the impact of collecting is demonstrated to be irrelevant. We list the 21 species that have been designated as extinct in previous catalogues but which no longer have that status, 14 of them having been recovered thanks to botanical exploration and collection works.
Differences in weight loss and health outcomes among African Americans and whites in multicentre trials
Authors: Wingo B. C. , Carson T. L. , Ard J.
Published: September 2014

The efficacy of behavioural lifestyle interventions (BLI) for weight loss and prevention and treatment of diabetes and hypertension is well established but may vary among racial/ethnic subgroups. This report reviews literature from 1990 to 2012 to determine if outcomes were similar among African Americans (AA) and whites participating in multicentre BLIs funded by the National Institutes of Health. We identified seven relevant trials that reported subgroup analyses for AA. On average, AA lost less weight at 6 months (AA: −1.6 to −7.5 kg; whites: −3.8 to −8.2 kg), but also had less or similar weight regain compared with whites. There were no reported differences between races in diabetes incidence. Three analyses reported no differences in blood pressure; however, a fourth reported that AA women were the only group that did not experience a significant change in blood pressure. Despite increased attention to cultural relevance, race‐specific differences in weight loss persist in trials spanning 20 years; however, risk factor modification was similar across race/ethnic groups. Additional research is needed to understand the mechanisms of risk factor modification, and potential for weight change to promote even greater risk factor modification for AA than has been observed to date.
Species traits and abundances predict metrics of plant–pollinator network structure, but not pairwise interactions
Authors: Olito Colin , Fox Jeremy W.
Published: September 2014

Plant–pollinator mutualistic networks represent the ecological context of foraging (for pollinators) and reproduction (for plants and some pollinators). Plant–pollinator visitation networks exhibit highly conserved structural properties across diverse habitats and species assemblages. The most successful hypotheses to explain these network properties are the neutrality and biological constraints hypotheses, which posit that species interaction frequencies can be explained by species relative abundances, and trait mismatches between potential mutualists respectively. However, previous network analyses emphasize the prediction of metrics of qualitative network structure, which may not represent stringent tests of these hypotheses. Using a newly documented temporally explicit alpine plant–pollinator visitation network, we show that metrics of both qualitative and quantitative network structure are easy to predict, even by models that predict the identity or frequency of species interactions poorly. A variety of phenological and morphological constraints as well as neutral interactions successfully predicted all network metrics tested, without accurately predicting species observed interactions. Species phenology alone was the best predictor of observed interaction frequencies. However, all models were poor predictors of species pairwise interaction frequencies, suggesting that other aspects of species biology not generally considered in network studies, such as reproduction for dipterans, play an important role in shaping plant–pollinator visitation network structure at this site. Future progress in explaining the structure and dynamics of mutualistic networks will require new approaches that emphasize accurate prediction of species pairwise interactions rather than network metrics, and better reflect the biology underlying species interactions.
Plakoglobin Immunolocalization as a Diagnostic Test for Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy
Authors: ERMAKOV SIMON , URSELL PHILIP C. , JOHNSON COLLEEN J. , MEADOWS ALISON , ZHAO SUSAN , MARCUS GREGORY M. , SCHEINMAN MELVIN
Published: September 2014

Background

A recent study using an anti‐plakoglobin antibody and immunofluorescence methods in endomyocardial tissue specimens found that a marked reduction in plakoglobin staining was highly sensitive and specific for the diagnosis of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC). The purpose of our study was to determine the diagnostic utility of plakoglobin immunolocalization using more standard immunoperoxidase methods suitable for clinical laboratories.

Methods

Between January 2007 and October 2010, all patients at our center with suspected ARVC underwent noninvasive and genetic testing, right ventricular (RV) angiography, electrophysiologic studies, and endomyocardial biopsy from the RV septum. Several studies using anti‐plakoglobin antibodies were performed using standard immunoperoxidase methods at concentrations of 1:50,000 and 1:75,000 after serial dilutions.

Results

Among 16 patients, nine patients fulfilled the clinical criteria for ARVC, and seven patients were found to have other cardiac diagnoses. In the initial study (1:50,000) only one of nine ARVC patients showed reduced plakoglobin signal while the others had normal staining. On repeat staining (1:75,000), reduced signal was observed in three of five of the ARVC patients compared to none in controls (four patients did not have adequate tissue for the repeat experiment).

Conclusion

These results confirm that abnormal plakoglobin staining can differentiate biopsies from patients with ARVC from those with other myopathies, but with low sensitivity. Further, each specimen must be studied at a particular concentration due to variable antibody reactivity. The necessity for such fine‐tuning of the reaction, as well as the subjectivity involved in interpretation of the results, would make this method difficult to utilize in routine hospital laboratories.
Severe Central Sleep Apnea Is Associated with Atrial Fibrillation in Patients with Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction
Authors: GRIMM WOLFRAM , SASS JULIA , SIBAI EMAD , CASSEL WERNER , HILDEBRANDT OLAF , APELT SANDRA , NELL CHRISTOPH , KOEHLER ULRICH
Published: September 2014

Background

The results of previous studies investigating the association between atrial fibrillation (AF) and central sleep apnea (CSA) in patients with left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction are contradictory.

Methods

We prospectively enrolled 267 patients in this cross‐sectional study with LV ejection fractions ≤50%, who were screened for sleep disordered breathing using cardiorespiratory polysomnography after patients with predominantly obstructive sleep apnea or insufficient sleep studies had been excluded.

Results

AF at study entry was found in 70 of 267 patients (26%). CSA with an apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) ≥15/hour was present in 116 patients (43%) and 67 patients (25%) had severe CSA with an AHI > 30/hour. Univariate analysis revealed a significant association between AF and severe CSA, age, male gender, arterial hypertension, left atrial diameter, brain natriuretic peptide, chronic kidney disease, New York Heart Association class, digitalis, and the lack of angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers. Multivariate analysis revealed a significant association between AF and severe CSA (odds ratio [OR]: 5.21; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.67–16.27, P = 0.01), age (OR: 1.22 per 5‐year increase; 95% CI: 1.05–1.40, P = 0.01), left atrial diameter (OR 1.61 per 5‐mm increase; 95% CI: 1.22–2.01, P < 0.01), and digitalis (OR: 2.7; 95% CI: 1.26–5.79, P = 0.01).

Conclusions

AF is associated with severe CSA but not with moderate CSA in addition to age, use of digitalis, and left atrial size in patients with LV systolic dysfunction. Future studies evaluating the potential benefit of adaptive servo‐ventilation therapy to prevent AF or to decrease the AF burden in heart failure patients should therefore focus on patients with severe central sleep apnea.
Philosophical Expertise
Authors: Nado Jennifer
Published: September 2014

Recent work in experimental philosophy has indicated that intuitions may be subject to several forms of bias, thereby casting doubt on the viability of intuition as an evidential source in philosophy. A common reply to these findings is the ‘expertise defense’ – the claim that although biases may be found in the intuitions of non‐philosophers, persons with expertise in philosophy will be resistant to these biases. Much debate over the expertise defense has centered over the question of the burden of proof; must defenders of expertise provide empirical evidence of its existence, or should we grant the existence of philosophical expertise as a ‘default’ assumption? Defenders have frequently appealed to analogy with other fields; since expertise clearly exists in, e.g., the sciences, we are entitled to assume its existence in philosophy. Recently, however, experimentalists have begun to provide empirical evidence that biases in intuition extend even to philosophers. Though these findings don't yet suffice to defeat the default assumption of expertise the analogy argument motivates, they do force any proponent of the analogy argument to provide more specific and empirically informed proposals for the possible nature of philosophical expertise.
Regression‐based estimation of ERP waveforms: II. Nonlinear effects, overlap correction, and practical considerations
Authors: Smith Nathaniel J. , Kutas Marta
Published: September 2014

A companion paper introduced the rERP framework, which recasts traditional event‐related potential (ERP) averaging as a special case of a more flexible regression‐based approach to estimating ERP waveforms. Here, we build on this foundation, showing how rERP analysis can also handle the estimation of nonlinear effects (a generalization of both the well‐known approach of dichotomizing continuous covariates, and also of the ERP image technique), and can disentangle overlapping ERPs to temporally adjacent stimuli. We then consider how the use of rERPs impacts on other parts of the EEG analysis pipeline, including baselining, filtering, significance testing, and artifact rejection, and provide practical recommendations. Free software implementing these techniques is available.
An Upper‐Bound Assessment of the Benefits of Reducing Perchlorate in Drinking Water
Authors: Lutter Randall
Published: September 2014

The Environmental Protection Agency plans to issue new federal regulations to limit drinking water concentrations of perchlorate, which occurs naturally and results from the combustion of rocket fuel. This article presents an upper‐bound estimate of the potential benefits of alternative maximum contaminant levels for perchlorate in drinking water. The results suggest that the economic benefits of reducing perchlorate concentrations in drinking water are likely to be low, i.e., under $2.9 million per year nationally, for several reasons. First, the prevalence of detectable perchlorate in public drinking water systems is low. Second, the population especially sensitive to effects of perchlorate, pregnant women who are moderately iodide deficient, represents a minority of all pregnant women. Third, and perhaps most importantly, reducing exposure to perchlorate in drinking water is a relatively ineffective way of increasing iodide uptake, a crucial step linking perchlorate to health effects of concern.
China as a Developmental State
Authors: Knight John B.
Published: September 2014

The paper examines the notion of a ‘developmental state’ and shows that China possesses the relevant characteristics. It explains the political economy which generated such a state in China. It analyses the institutions and methods that were introduced to create a developmental state, in particular the incentive structures that the leadership used to solve the principal‐agent problem implicit in having centralised political control but decentralised economic management. These include personnel policies, fiscal decentralisation and patronage relationships. That leads to a review of its successes, limitations and adverse consequences and to the question: can China's developmental state be sustained? Among these issues are the great socioeconomic changes that rapid economic growth has entailed – which have strengthened the case for broadening government policy objectives beyond the previous narrow focus on growth. Conclusions are drawn for both China and other developing countries.
Skill in a Globalized World: Migrant Workers in the Gold Jewelry‐Making Industry in Kerala, India
Authors: Maruthur Sumeetha Mokkil
Published: September 2014

The article analyzes the labor process in the gold jewelry‐making industry in Kerala, the southern state of India, particularly focusing on a single dimension “skill.” Informal manufacturing has emerged as a substantial income and employment‐generating activity in the post‐liberalization (1990s) period in the country. This was accompanied by the accentuating internal migration throughout India aided by strong social networks and commissioned agents. The gold jewelry making in Kerala like in other parts of India was organized in caste lines up to the 1960s, dominated by the Viswakarma caste. Work was carried out in response to local orders by a single craftsman, assisted by an apprentice. The burgeoning market economy and the enforcement of deregulation had profound effects on the production relations, hierarchy, and organization in the industry. The deregulation of the gold industry ushered in different kind of workers into the industry. The core of the article is an examination of the variety of skill requirements in the industry and the position and place of workers—local workers, women workers, and migrants in the industry.
Countertopographies of Migrant Women: Transnational Families, Space, and Labor as Solidarity
Authors: Francisco Valerie , Rodriguez Robyn Magalit
Published: September 2014

Through our analysis of the domestic workers' lives in New York City and Hong Kong, we explore how Filipina migrants make transnational connections, how these connections operate, and when these connections act as a basis for transnational mobilization. We find that, although Filipina migrant workers experience very different working and living conditions, they similarly engage in transnational solidarity organizing with and for one another across their migrant locations. Further, the subjectivities through which they engage in cross‐border activism can take parallel forms. We find that migrant women's experiences of gendered social reproductive labor, both paid and unpaid, are salient in shaping their political subjectivities, and they connect these experiences to a critique of their “home” state.
Made in the EU: Foxconn in the Czech Republic
Authors: Andrijasevic Rutvica , Sacchetto Devi
Published: September 2014

Next to its 32 factories in mainland China, Foxconn has another 200 factories and subsidiaries around the world on which there is little or no data. This article focuses on plants in the Czech Republic, Foxconn's most important European site and the hub for export‐oriented electronics industry. It asks whether there are similarities between Foxconn's Chinese and European sites, two locations commonly imagined as separate and opposite in their management practices and treatment of the workforce. Drawing on sixty interviews with workers and privileged informants, the article outlines the labor process, forms of control, composition of labor, the role of the state, and the reach and impact of the trade unions in Foxconn's Czech plants. It makes visible the deterioration of working conditions in the Czech Republic, both under European Union regulations and just‐in‐time production by multinationals, and suggests that in order to understand the ongoing changes there is a need to move away from the idea of labor and labor markets as solely domestic actors, and toward a discussion on globally integrated politics of production.
On the Apparent Propagation Speed in Transmission Line Matrix Uniform Grid Meshes
Authors: Brandão Alexandre S. , Cataldo Edson , Leta Fabiana R.
Published: September 2014

Numerical models consisting of two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) uniform grid meshes for the transmission line matrix method (TLM) currently use 2 and 3, respectively, to compensate for the apparent sound speed. In this paper, new compensation factors are determined from a priori simulations, performed without compensation, in 2D and 3D TLM one-section tube models. The frequency values of the first mistuned resonance peaks, obtained from these simulations, are substituted in the corresponding equations for the resonance frequencies in one-section tubes to find the apparent sound propagation speed in the mesh environment and, thus, the necessary compensation. The new factors have been tested in more complex models like a two-tube concatenation model and a realistic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-reconstructed human vocal tract (VT) model. Important VT modeling results confirm the improvement over the conventional compensation factors, particularly for frequencies above 4 kHz. Among these results are the identification of the spectral trough at about 5200 Hz caused by the piriform fossa and the application of a pitch extraction algorithm to the 3D TLM output signal, finding a difference smaller than 0.66% relatively to human voice pitch.
Modeling and Experimental Characterization of Pressure Drop in Gravity-Driven Microfluidic Systems
Authors: Mäki Antti-Juhana , Hemmilä Samu , Hirvonen Juha , Girish Nathaniel Narra , Kreutzer Joose , Hyttinen Jari , Kallio Pasi
Published: September 2014

Passive pumping using gravity-driven flow is a fascinating approach for microfluidic systems. When designing a passive pumping system, generated flow rates should be known precisely. While reported models used to estimate the flow rates do not usually consider capillary forces, this paper shows that their exclusion is unrealistic in typical gravity-driven systems. Therefore, we propose a new analytical model to estimate the generated flow rates. An extensive set of measurements is used to verify that the proposed model provides a remarkably more precise approximation of the real flow rates compared to the previous models. It is suggested that the developed model should be used when designing a gravity-driven pumping system.
Surface Finish of Ball-End Milled Microchannels
Authors: Berestovskyi D. , Hung W. N. P. , Lomeli P.
Published: September 2014

This study develops a hybrid micromanufacturing technique to fabricate extremely smooth surface finish, high aspect ratio, and complex microchannel patterns. Milling with coat and uncoated ball-end micromills in minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) is used to remove most materials to define a channel pattern. The milled channels are then electrochemically polished to required finish. Assessment of the fabricated microchannels is performed with optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and white-light interferometry. Theoretical models were derived for surface finish of ball-end milling. The predicted surface finish data agree with experimental data in mesoscale milling, but the calculated data are lower than microscale milling data due to size effects. Built-up-edges, being detrimental in micromilling, can be reduced with optimal coating and milling in MQL. When micromilling and then electrochemical polishing of 304, 316L stainless steels and NiTi alloy, this hybrid technique can repeatedly produce microchannels with average surface finish in the range of 100–300 nm.
Accuracy and Computational Efficiency of Finite Element Models for Low Velocity Impact on Composite Structures Subject to Progressive Damage and Delamination1
Authors: Ibrahim Ahmed H. A. , Yigit Ahmet S.
Published: September 2014

There has been growing interest to use composites in load carrying structures where high strength and light weight are of major concern, e.g., oil industry (offshore structures and platforms, pipe systems, and tubings), sports equipment, automobiles, and aircraft industries. Despite extensive research in the last two decades, mechanical behavior of composite structures subject to contact and impact loading is still not well understood. It is well known that composites are highly vulnerable to various modes of failure and damage due to impact by foreign objects. Such impact events are not only dependent on the material behavior but also on the dynamics of the structure. Finite element (FE) packages are capable of simulating impact response of composite structures subject to impact. It requires extensive training and in-depth knowledge to obtain an adequate FE model with proper impact response prediction and acceptable computational efficiency. Limited FE models have the ability to capture composite damage due to impact when internal delamination or fiber/matrix failures are present. Severe nonlinearities are encountered during FE analysis to capture composite damage progression or material degradation. This work investigates different FE modeling approaches by analyzing their prediction of force–time history and force–indentation curve occurring in composite plates as a result of low velocity impact. The objective is to provide guidelines on selecting the most appropriate approach for a given impact situation. Moreover, a computationally efficient approach in contact modeling is presented. The proposed approach yields better computation efficiency for contact modeling on both isotropic and composite materials.
New Liquid Transfer Active Balancing System Using Compressed Air for Grinding Machine
Authors: Xin Pan , Haiqi Wu , Jinji Gao , Weimin Wang
Published: September 2014

Grinding wheel unbalance will result in vibrations of grinding machines and affect the quality and precision of workpieces. Therefore, a balancing system is necessary for grinding machines to lower the vibrations caused by unbalance. In this study, a liquid transfer active balancing system, in which the balancing liquid was forced by compressed air to transfer between opposite chambers, was applied to the high-speed grinding spindle. The requirements of gas pressure and linearity of balancing ability were analyzed to confirm the feasibility of the proposed device. In addition, an active balancing experiment was also carried out efficiently during the operation.
Ratchet Limit Solution of a Beam With Arbitrary Cross Section
Authors: Adibi-Asl R. , Reinhardt W.
Published: September 2014

The classical approaches in shakedown analysis are based the assumption that the stresses are eventually within the elastic range of the material everywhere in a component (elastic shakedown). Therefore, these approaches are not very useful to predict the ratcheting limit (ratchet limit) of a component/structure in which the magnitude of stress locally exceeds the elastic range at any load, although in reality the configuration will certainly permit plastic shakedown. In recent years, the “noncyclic method” (NCM) was proposed by the present authors to predict the entire ratchet boundary (both elastic and plastic) of a component/structure by generalizing the static shakedown theorem (Melan's theorem). The fundamental idea behind the proposed method is to (conservatively) determine the stable and unstable boundary without going through the cyclic history. The method is used to derive the interaction diagrams for a beam subjected to primary membrane and bending with secondary bending loads. Various cross-sections including rectangular, solid circular and thin-walled pipe are investigated.
Composition and interface analysis of InGaN/GaN multiquantum-wells on GaN substrates using atom probe tomography
Authors: Liu Fang , Huang Li , Davis Robert F. , Porter Lisa M. , Schreiber Daniel K. , Kuchibatla Satyanarayana V. N. T. , Shutthanandan Vaithiyalingam , Thevuthasan Suntharampillai , Preble Edward A. , Paskova Tania , Evans Keith R.
Published: September 2014

In0.20Ga0.80N/GaN multiquantum wells (MQWs) grown on [0001]-oriented GaN substrates with and without an InGaN buffer layer were characterized using three-dimensional atom probe tomography. In all samples, the upper interfaces of the QWs were slightly more diffuse than the lower interfaces. The buffer layers did not affect the roughness of the interfaces within the quantum well structure, a result attributed to planarization of the surface of the first GaN barrier layer, which had an average root-mean-square roughness of 0.18 nm. The In and Ga distributions within the MQWs followed the expected distributions for a random alloy with no indications of In clustering. High resolution Rutherford backscattering characterizations showed the ability to resolve the MQWs, and the resulting compositions and widths corroborated those determined from the atom probe analyses.
Simple brush painted Ag nanowire network on graphene sheets for flexible organic solar cells
Authors: Seo Ki-Won , Lee Ju-Hyun , Cho Nam Gwang , Kang Seong Jun , Kim Han-Ki , Na Seok-In , Koo Hyun-Woo , Kim Tae-Woong
Published: September 2014

The authors report on highly flexible and transparent Ag nanowire (NW) coated graphene hybrid electrodes for flexible organic solar cells (FOSCs). Brush painted Ag NW percolating network on the transparent graphene sheet led to an invisible Ag NW/graphene hybrid electrode with a sheet resistance of 15.25 Ω/sq. and a high optical transmittance of 77.4% as well as superior flexibility. In particular, similar bending radius of Ag NW/graphene hybrid electrode to graphene bilayer electrode during outer bending test demonstrated the superior mechanical flexibility of the Ag NW/graphene hybrid electrodes. FOSCs fabricated on Ag NW/graphene hybrid electrode showed higher power conversion efficiency (2.681%) than that (1.681%) of FOSC with graphene bilayer electrode due to lower sheet resistance and improved wettability for hole extracting layer. This indicates that brush painting of conductive Ag NW is a critical solution to solve the problem of high resistance and hydrophobic graphene electrode for use in FOSC.
Race Weight: Perceptions of Elite Female Road Cyclists
Authors: Haakonssen Eric C. , Martin David T. , Jenkins David G. , Burke Louise M.
Published: September 2014

Purpose:

This study investigated the satisfaction of elite female cyclists with their body weight (BW) in the context of race performance, the magnitude of BW manipulation, and the association of these variables with menstrual function.

Methods:

Female competitors in the Australian National Road Cycling Championships (n = 32) and the Oceania Championships (n = 5) completed a questionnaire to identify current BW, BW fluctuations, perceived ideal BW for performance, frequency of weight consciousness, weight-loss techniques used, and menstrual regularity.

Results:

All but 1 cyclist reported that female cyclists are “a weight-conscious population,” and 54% reported having a desire to change BW at least once weekly; 62% reported that their current BW was not ideal for performance. Their perceived ideal BW was (mean ± SD) 1.6 ± 1.6 kg (2.5% ± 2.5%) less than their current weight (P < .01), and 73% reported that their career-lowest BW was either “beneficial” or “extremely beneficial” for performance. 65% reported successfully reducing BW in the previous 12 months with a mean loss of 2.4 ± 1.0 kg (4.1% ± 1.9%). The most common weight-loss technique was reduced energy intake (76%). Five cyclists (14%) had been previously diagnosed as having an eating disorder by a physician. Of the 18 athletes not using a hormonal contraceptive, 11 reported menstrual dysfunction (oligomenorrhea or amenorrhea).

Conclusion:

Elite Australian female cyclists are a weight-conscious population who may not be satisfied with their BW leading into a major competition and in some cases are frequently weight conscious.
Prior Heavy-Intensity Exercise’s Enhancement of Oxygen-Uptake Kinetics and Short-Term High-Intensity Exercise Performance Independent of Aerobic-Training Status
Authors: Caritá Renato A.C. , Greco Camila C. , Denadai Benedito S.
Published: September 2014

Prior high-intensity exercise can improve exercise performance during severe-intensity exercise. These positive alterations have been attributed, at least in part, to enhancement of overall oxygen-uptake (VO2) kinetics.

Purpose:

To determine the effects of prior heavy-intensity exercise on VO2 kinetics and short-term high-intensity exercise performance in individuals with different aerobic-training statuses.

Methods:

Fifteen active subjects (UT; VO2max = 43.8 ± 6.3 mL · kg−1 · min−1) and 10 well-trained endurance cyclists (T; VO2max = 66.7 ± 6.7 mL · kg−1 · min−1) performed the following protocols: an incremental test to determine lactate threshold and VO2max, 4 maximal constant-load tests to estimate critical power, and two 3-min bouts of cycle exercise, involving 2 min of constant-work-rate exercise at severe intensity followed by a 1-min all-out sprint test. This trial was performed without prior intervention and 10 min after prior heavy-intensity exercise (ie, 6 min at 90% critical power).

Results:

The mean response time of VO2 was shortened after prior exercise for both UT (30.7 ± 9.2 vs 24.1 ± 7.2 s) and T (31.8 ± 5.2 vs 25.4 ± 4.3 s), but no group-by-condition interaction was detected. The end-sprint performance (ie, mean power output) was improved in both groups (UT ~4.7%, T ~2.0%; P < .05) by prior exercise.

Conclusion:

The effect of prior heavy-intensity exercise on overall VO2 kinetics and short-term high-intensity exercise performance is independent of aerobic-training status.
Physical and Technical Demands of Rugby League 9s Tournament Match Play: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Kempton Thomas , Coutts Aaron J.
Published: September 2014

Purpose:

To describe the physical and technical demands of rugby league 9s (RL9s) match play for positional groups.

Methods:

Global positioning system data were collected during 4 games from 16 players from a team competing in the Auckland RL9s tournament. Players were classified into positional groups (pivots, outside backs, and forwards). Absolute and relative physical-performance data were classified as total high-speed running (HSR; >14.4 km/h), very-high-speed running (VHSR; >19.0 km/h), and sprint (>23.0 km/h) distances. Technical-performance data were obtained from a commercial statistics provider. Activity cycles were coded by an experienced video analyst.

Results:

Forwards (1088 m, 264 m) most likely completed less overall and high-speed distances than pivots (1529 m, 371 m) and outside backs (1328 m, 312 m). The number of sprint efforts likely varied between positions, although differences in accelerations were unclear. There were no clear differences in relative total (115.6−121.3 m/min) and HSR (27.8−29.8 m/min) intensities, but forwards likely performed less VHSR (7.7 m/min) and sprint distance (1.3 m/min) per minute than other positions (10.2−11.8 m/min, 3.7−4.8 m/min). The average activity and recovery cycle lengths were ~50 and ~27 s, respectively. The average longest activity cycle was ~133 s, while the average minimum recovery time was ~5 s. Technical involvements including tackles missed, runs, tackles received, total collisions, errors, off-loads, line breaks, and involvements differed between positions.

Conclusions:

Positional differences exist for both physical and technical measures, and preparation for RL9s play should incorporate these differences.
Why Women Become Competitive Amateur Bodybuilders
Authors: Baghurst Timothy , Parish Anthony , Denny George
Published: September 2014

The purpose of this study was to determine reasons women become competitive amateur bodybuilders. Participants were 63 adult female competitive bodybuilders who posted their biographies on a bodybuilding website. Each statement explaining why participants became bodybuilders was classified by a panel of current female bodybuilders into one of six categories. The most frequently stated category was Emulation (27%), followed by Self Esteem and Empowerment (24%), Previous Participation in Sport (22%), Health (17%), and Other (10%). These findings suggest that motivators for competitive female amateur bodybuilding stem from multiple sources, but in general are similar to those of their male counterparts. Future avenues for research are discussed.