bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigating the Ability of a Land Surface Model to Simulate Streamflow with the Accuracy of Hydrological Models: A Case Study Using MOPEX Materials
Authors: Nasonova Olga N. , Gusev Yeugeniy M. , Kovalev Yeugeniy E.
Published: April 2009

In the Model Parameter Estimation Experiment (MOPEX) project, after calibration of model parameters, complex rainfall–runoff hydrological models (HMs) simulated streamflow better than land surface models (LSMs), including the Soil–Water–Atmosphere–Plant (SWAP) model. A possible explanation for this is that the LSMs may not have been well calibrated. To test this statement, different strategies to calibrate SWAP using daily streamflow from 12 MOPEX basins were investigated. Optimization of parameter values was performed using a combination of an automated optimization algorithm and manual efforts. For automated optimization, two different global optimization algorithms were used: 1) a random search technique and 2) a shuffled complex evolution method developed by the University of Arizona (SCE-UA). Two objective functions, based on the Nash–Sutcliffe coefficient of efficiency and the mean systematic error, were applied. The number of calibrated parameters ranged from 10 to 15. All adjusted parameters were kept within a reasonable range so as not to violate physical constraints while providing a close match between simulated and measured daily streamflow. The results of streamflow simulations with different sets of optimal parameters were compared with each other, with observations, and with simulation results obtained by the HMs that participated in the MOPEX project. The new SWAP calibration strategies resulted in significant improvement of SWAP streamflow simulations, which came close to the best HM results. It was confirmed that model performance depends greatly on the calibration strategy and that the land surface model SWAP, with appropriate calibration, can simulate runoff with the accuracy that is comparable to the accuracy of hydrological models.
Spectral Polarimetric Radar Clutter Suppression to Enhance Atmospheric Echoes
Authors: Unal Christine
Published: April 2009

The clutter present in the Doppler spectra of atmospheric targets can be removed by using polarimetry. The purpose is to suppress the Doppler velocity bins where spectral polarimetric parameters have atypical values. This procedure largely improves profiles of moments and polarimetric parameters of atmospheric targets. Several spectral polarimetric clutter-reduction techniques, which are based on thresholding and intended for real-time processing, are discussed in this paper. A new method, the double spectral linear depolarization ratio clutter-suppression technique, is proposed. Very satisfactory performances are obtained with this method, which can be used in the full range of elevations (0°–90°). Spectral polarimetric clutter-suppression techniques for real-time processing were studied for the S-band high-resolution Transportable Atmospheric Radar (TARA) profiler. For this study, precipitation, cloud, and clear-air scattering are considered examples of atmospheric echoes. After successful testing in 2008, the double spectral linear depolarization ratio filter was implemented in the real-time processing of the X-band scanning drizzle radar (IDRA).
Verification of Cloud Forecasts over the Eastern Pacific Using Passive Satellite Retrievals
Authors: Nachamkin Jason E. , Schmidt Jerome , Mitrescu Cristian
Published: April 2009

Operational cloud forecasts generated by the Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System (COAMPS)1 were verified over the eastern Pacific Ocean. The study focused on the accuracy of cloud forecasts associated with extratropical cyclone and convective activity during the late winter and spring of 2007. The condensed total water (liquid and solid) path was used as a proxy for cloud cover to compare the forecasts with retrievals from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES). Analyses of the GOES retrievals indicate that deep cloud systems were generally well represented during daylight hours. Thus, the bulk of the verification focused on the general aspects of quality and timing of these deep systems. Multiple statistics were collected, ranging from simple correlations and histograms to more sophisticated fuzzy and composite statistics. The results show that synoptic-scale systems were generally well predicted to at least two days, with the primary error being an overestimation of deep cloud occurrence. Smaller subsynoptic-scale systems were subject to spatial and timing biases in that a number of the forecasts were lagged by 3–6 h. Despite the bias, 60%–70% of the forecasts of the mesoscale phenomena displayed useful skill.
The Columbine Shootings and the Discourse of Fear
Authors: Altheide David L.
Published: April 2009

The tragic events on April 20, 1999, in Littleton, Colorado, provide an opportunity to reflect on the nature and consequences of not just the shootings but also the meanings that were ascribed to various facets of those events, including an emergent definition of the “Columbine Syndrome.” Based on a qualitative media analysis, this article examines part of the public presentations and news accounts of the “meanings of Columbine,” with particular emphasis on violence, crime, youth, popular culture, surveillance, social control, and terrorism. Analysis suggests that Columbine was merged with terrorism as part of the broader frame of fear and national security.
The Difficult Venous Ulcer: Case Series of 177 Ulcers Referred for Vascular Surgical Opinion following Failure of Conservative Management
Authors: Neequaye S. K. , Douglas A. D. , Hofman D. , Wolz M. , Sharma R. , Cummings R. , Hands L.
Published: April 2009

Venous leg ulcers are common, chronic, debilitating, and expensive. Evidence supports use of compression bandaging, with superficial venous surgery in selected cases, but these interventions frequently fail to achieve healing. We describe a series of 152 consecutive referrals from a nurse-led specialist dermatology clinic to a vascular surgical service; a group posing particularly challenging problems. This observational study, with median follow-up of 18 months, describes outcomes in a number of important clinically identifiable subgroups. Its findings may assist service planning and discussion of the surgical role within multidisciplinary ulcer management.
Prevalence of Overweight, Obesity, and Metabolic Syndrome Among Adult Kuwaitis: Results From Community-based National Survey
Authors: Al Rashdan Ibrahim , Al Nesef Yousef
Published: April 2009

Background: Although, metabolic syndrome and obesity are cardiovascular risk factors, little systematically collected community-based data are available from the Arabian Gulf region. Methods: We report a nationwide cross-sectional study from Kuwait. A random sample was selected. Demographic and clinical data were collected. Blood tests including fasting blood glucose, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides were collected. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to International Diabetes Federation criteria. Overweight and obesity were defined as body mass index ≥25, and body mass index ≥30, respectively. Results: Prevalence of overweight, obesity, and metabolic syndrome in adult Kuwaiti population were 80.4%, 47.5%, and 36.2%, respectively. Overweight and obesity rates were higher in women 81.9% and 53% compared to men 78% and 39.2%, respectively (P = .02, P > .001). MetS was equally distributed between men and women at 36.2% and 36.1%. Conclusions: Prevalence of overweight, obesity, and metabolic syndrome is alarmingly high in Kuwait. This requires urgent and active community-based public health intervention.
Determination of Prooxidant—Antioxidant Balance After Acute Coronary Syndrome Using a Rapid Assay: A Pilot Study
Authors: Ghayour-Mobarhan Majid , Alamdari Daryoush Hamidi , Moohebati Mohsen , Sahebkar Amirhossein , Nematy Mohsen , Safarian Mohammad , Azimi-Nezhad Mohsen , Reza Parizadeh Seyyed Mohammad , Tavallaie Shima , Koliakos George , Ferns Gordon
Published: April 2009

The purpose of the current study was to investigate a novel measure of oxidative stress in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) using a pro-oxidant—antioxidant balance (PAB) assay, which is simple and rapid. Blood samples were taken from 94 patients admitted with ACS. Pro-oxidant—antioxidant balance values were determined in the first and second 12 hours after the onset of symptoms and compared with values for 81 age- and sex-matched controls. The mean PAB values in the first and second 12-hour samples of patients were both significantly higher than that of controls (P < .001). Among patients, PAB values were also significantly higher in the second samples compared with the first samples (P < .001). These findings indicate a heightened state of oxidative stress following ACS and suggest that the PAB value may be considered as a cardiovascular risk predictor to estimate the extent of oxidative stress.
Is Inflammatory Bowel Disease a Risk Factor for Early Atherosclerosis?
Authors: Dagli Necati , Poyrazoglu Orhan K. , Ferda Dagli A. , Sahbaz Fatih , Karaca Ilgin , Ali Kobat M. , Bahcecioglu Ibrahim H.
Published: April 2009

Objectives: Chronic inflammatory diseases are associated with an accelerated atherosclerotic process. Recent studies have discussed whether inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) can predict early atherosclerosis. We investigated this possibility. Methods: The study consisted of IBD cases (group 1, n = 40) and healthy persons (group 2, n = 40). The IBD group was selected so as not to have vascular disease or the presence of established major cardiovascular risk factors. Results: Group 1 cases showed a significant increase in carotid intima media thickness (cIMT; P = .01). Carotid artery stiffness was impaired in group 1 (P = .03) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and homocysteine (Hyc) were higher in group 1 patients (P = .02, P = .03, P = .05). Conclusions: Inflammatory bowel disease patients have an increased risk of early atherosclerosis as shown by greater values of cIMT, carotid artery stiffness, Hyc, hsCRP, and insulin resistance.
John Milton — A Noble Nonconformity
Authors: Allen David
Published: April 2009

John Milton, born exactly four hundred years ago, preferred the quiet life of scholarship and poetry; but circumstances and his seriousness and strong sense of duty plunged him into the maelstrom of political life in one of the most turbulent periods of English history. This article traces his chequered career as poet and champion of intellectual and political liberty and assesses his importance and significance as a poet, political activist and, not least, as a Christian.
Africology and the Puzzle of Nomenclature
Authors: Asante Molefi Kete
Published: April 2009

This article seeks to survey a number of names offered for the discipline that originated as Black Studies. Taking the position that practice is not arbitrary, although naming could be quite arbitrary, the author examines the practice of the field to suggest that those who see the study as a discipline have participated in Afrocentric analysis or critiques of African phenomena. Thus, the name Africology is suggested as the referent for Afrocentric analyses and critiques.
Working With the Elderly: An Existential— Humanistic Approach
Authors: Suri Rochelle
Published: April 2009

This article describes how existential—humanistic psychotherapy can be useful in working with the elderly. Specifically, the article describes the psychotherapeutic themes of presence, spirituality, and meaning and shows how they are important in working with the geriatric population. Using case studies from the author’s own work, the article provides concrete illustrations of how to work with older individuals. Implications for research and training are discussed.
Emergent Literacy Intervention for Prekindergarteners at Risk for Reading Failure
Authors: Bailet Laura L. , Repper Karla K. , Piasta Shayne B. , Murphy Suzanne P.
Published: April 2009

This study examined the effectiveness of an assessment and intervention study targeting prekindergarten children at risk for reading failure. Across 38 child care sites, 220 children were identified as “at risk” for reading failure due to their performance on a screening measure of early literacy skills and randomly assigned to receive immediate or delayed intervention. The intervention consisted of eighteen 30-minute lessons delivered twice weekly for 9 weeks and focused on teaching critical emergent literacy skills within small groups. Hierarchical linear models were used to nest children within center and measure treatment and dosage effects for students' residualized gains in rhyming, alliteration, picture naming, and print and letter knowledge skills. Results indicated significant treatment effects on two of four outcome variables (rhyming and alliteration) and significant dosage effects on all four variables. The study demonstrated a significant positive impact of this intervention for prekindergartners at risk for reading failure.
Innovative Layered-combination Mode for Digital Jacquard Fabric Design
Authors: Ng M.C.F. , Zhou J.
Published: April 2009

Digital jacquard fabric has its design concept and method directly borrowed from computer images and color modes. This has enabled the creation of innovative jacquard fabric design that is far beyond what freehand patterns can express. In this paper, the principles of digital jacquard designing have been classified into two parts: colorless mode and colorful mode, and an innovative layered-combination design mode has been suggested that contains this new design concept, by which digital jacquard fabric can be designed from colorless single-layer structures to colorful compound structures. As a result, designed jacquard fabrics are capable of expressing picturesque and photo-realistic effects with a mega-level color number on the face of the fabric. It is envisaged that the results of the study are of tremendous benefit to the creation of new jacquard fabrics with inimitable digital effects that can be manufactured.
NIR Characterization and Measurement of the Cotton Content of Dyed Blend Fabrics
Authors: Rodgers James , Beck Keith
Published: April 2009

Near infrared (NIR) techniques for the measurement of cotton-polyester (PET) blend content have concentrated on yarn slivers and greige fabrics rather than the more difficult application to dyed or printed fabrics. The need for a robust and rapid measurement of the fiber content in dyed cotton-PET fabrics has been expressed by several organizations. Investigations were initiated to develop NIR techniques to measure the cotton content of dyed blend fabrics. NIR measurements were made on dyed or pigmented cotton-PET fabrics that comprised a wide range of cotton content, fabric parameters, and patterns/colors. The samples were analyzed on two NIR instruments at two locations with various reflectance NIR sampling systems. Significant spectral differences were observed for 100% cotton and 100% PET samples, and these spectral differences carried over to the dyed cotton-PET samples with changing cotton content. The impacts of significant differences in baseline were minimized with the use of advanced chemometric normalization techniques. Rapid (less than 5 minutes) and accurate NIR measurements of the blend content in dyed cotton-PET fabrics were developed, with a NIRlaboratory method agreement normally within ± 3.0% cotton for nearly 90% and higher of the validation samples.
Waterborne Polyurethane Coating and its New Applications in Plush Finishing
Authors: Hongxia Pan  , Dajun Chen
Published: April 2009

In this paper the anionic waterborne polyurethane (WPU) was prepared from poly(propylene) glycol, 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, dimethylol propionic acid, and butanediol. Triethylamine was used as a neutralization agent. The chemical structure of the WPU was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), which demonstrated that the sample with expected structure had been synthesized. The thermal properties of the WPU were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). DSC results demonstrate that the glass transition temperature of the WPU is much lower than that of the commercially used acrylate resin (PA). TGA results show that the onset temperature of thermal degradation for the WPU is 265°C. The dispersion was used as a coating material for plush finishing. The adhesive properties of the WPU to the plush were evaluated by scanning electron microscopic (SEM) observation and depilation ratio test. The results indicate that the adhesion and handle of the WPU to the plush is much better than that of the PA emulsion.
An Artificial Neural Network-based Hairiness Prediction Model for Worsted Wool Yarns
Authors: Khan Zulfiqar , Lim Allan E. K. , Lijing Wang  , Xungai Wang  , Beltran Rafael
Published: April 2009

This study evaluated the performance of multilayer perceptron (MLP) and multivariate linear regression (MLR) models for predicting the hairiness of worsted-spun wool yarns from various top, yarn and processing parameters. The results indicated that the MLP model predicted yarn hairiness more accurately than the MLR model, and should have wide mill specific applications. On the basis of sensitivity analysis, the factors that affected yarn hairiness significantly included yarn twist, ring size, average fiber length (hauteur), fiber diameter and yarn count, with twist having the greatest impact on yarn hairiness.
A Topological Study of Textile Structures. Part I: An Introduction to Topological Methods
Authors: Grishanov Sergei , Meshkov Vadim , Omelchenko Alexander
Published: April 2009

This paper proposes a new systematic approach for the description and classification of textile structures based on topological principles. It is shown that textile structures can be considered as a specific case of knots or links and can be represented by diagrams on a torus. This enables modern methods of knot theory to be applied to the study of the topology of textiles. The basics of knot theory are briefly introduced. Some specific matters relating to the application of these methods to textiles are discussed, including enumeration of textile structures and topological invariants of doubly-periodic structures.
Fabric Sound Depends on Fiber and Stitch Types in Weft Knitted Fabrics
Authors: Cho Soomin , Cho Gilsoo , Kim Chunjeong
Published: April 2009

The purpose of this study is to analyze the characteristic fast Fourier transform (FFT) spectra of weft-knitted fabrics, to investigate the relationship between sound parameters and the mechanical properties of the weft knits, and to determine the effects of fiber type and stitch type on the frictional sound and mechanical properties. The specimens included 12 weft-knitted fabrics made from a combination of 3 fiber types (100% wool, 100% cotton and 49%/51% wool/ cotton) and 4 stitch types (plain, rib, half cardigan and half milano stitch). The rustling sounds of each specimen were recorded and analyzed using FFT analysis including sound parameters such as LPT (level pressure of total sound), Δ L (level difference) and Δ f (frequency difference). We also used Zwicker's psychoacoustic model to calculate the loudness ( Z), sharpness ( Z), roughness ( Z) and fluctuation strength ( Z). In addition, the mechanical properties of the specimens were measured using the Kawabata Evaluation System (KES). The FFT spectra for the weft-knitted fabrics showed different shapes according to the fiber and stitch types. Mechanical properties such as the thickness and weight were correlated with several sound parameters. Fiber type was affected by Δ f and stitch type was affected by Δ L, roughness ( Z), fluctuation strength ( Z) and weight. Both fiber type and stitch type were affected by tensile properties. It is possible, by changing fiber and stitch types of weft-knitted fabrics, to obtain various kinds of knitted fabrics with different frictional sounds.
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, and Pharmacodynamics of Single Doses of LXR‐623, a Novel Liver X‐Receptor Agonist, in Healthy Participants
Authors: Katz Arie , Udata Chandrasekhar , Ott Elyssa , Hickey Lisa , Burczynski Michael E. , Burghart Peter , Vesterqvist Ole , Meng Xu
Published: April 2009

Liver X‐receptor (LXR) agonists have been postulated to enhance reverse cholesterol transport (RCT), a process believed to shuttle cholesterol from the periphery back to the liver. Enhancing RCT via the upregulation of cholesterol transporters such as the adenosine triphosphate—binding cassettes ABCA1 and ABCG1 could therefore inhibit the progression of atherosclerosis. LXR‐623 is a synthetic ligand for LXRs α and β that has shown promise in animal models of atherosclerosis. The authors present results from a single ascending‐dose study of the safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of LXR‐623 in healthy participants. LXR‐623 was absorbed rapidly with peak concentrations (Cmax) achieved at approximately 2 hours. The Cmax and area under the concentration‐time curve increased in a dose‐proportional manner. The mean terminal disposition half‐life was between 41 and 43 hours independently of dose. LXR activation resulted in a dose‐dependent increase in ABCA1 and ABCG1 expression. The effect of LXR‐623 concentration on ABCA1 and ABCG1 expression was further characterized via a population pharmacokinetic‐pharmacodynamic analysis, yielding EC50 estimates of 526 ng/mL and 729 ng/mL, respectively. Central nervous system—related adverse events were observed at the 2 top doses tested. The pharmacodynamic effects described here are the first demonstration of “target engagement” by an LXR agonist in humans.
Predicting Sexual Assault Prosecution Outcomes
Authors: Campbell Rebecca , Patterson Debra , Bybee Deborah , Dworkin Emily R.
Published: April 2009

Sexual assault prosecution is often influenced by extralegal factors, such as victims' age, race, and prior relationship to the assailant. The importance of evidentiary characteristics remains unclear. Prior studies suggest that victim credibility may be a central concern to law enforcement and prosecutors. However, many communities have implemented interventions to improve the accessibility and quality of medical forensic exams for sexual assault victims. One such intervention, a sexual assault nurse examiner program, was the focus of the current study. The authors examined what factors predicted adult sexual assault case investigation and prosecution in a large Midwestern county with such a program. They compared the predictive utility of victim characteristics, assault characteristics, and forensic medical evidence in explaining case outcomes. Medical forensic evidence collected by the sexual assault nurse examiner program accounted for significant unique variance in case outcomes, above and beyond victim and assault factors.
Persistent Dispositionalism in Interactionist Clothing: Fundamental Attribution Error in Explaining Prison Abuse
Authors: Haney Craig , Zimbardo Philip G.
Published: April 2009

The Stanford Prison Experiment demonstrated some important lessons about the power of social situations, settings, and structures to shape and transform behavior. At the time the study was done, the authors scrupulously addressed the issue of whether and how the dispositions or personality traits of the participants might have affected the results. Here the authors renew and reaffirm their original interpretation of the results and apply this perspective to some recent socially and politically significant events.
Family Research from the Life Course Perspective
Authors: Huinink Johannes , Feldhaus Michael
Published: April 2009

This article presents an argument for overcoming some of the limits of current family research. To start, some major research questions concerning the future challenges of demographic change and its implications for modern welfare states are addressed. The authors propose an agenda for making progress in this field via two interrelated steps. First, they propose an integration of theoretical approaches explaining family dynamics and design a conceptual framework to model couples' and family dynamics as a process of purposeful individual action and decision-making over the life course. Second, methodological requirements of family research from this theoretical perspective are identified. Conclusions are drawn with regard to longitudinal data collection covering all dimensions of couples' and family dynamics and not just the structural dimensions.
Poverty Dynamics in Europe
Authors: Callens Marc , Croux Christophe
Published: April 2009

This article uses multilevel recurrent discrete-time hazard analysis to simultaneously model the impact of life cycle events and structural processes on poverty entry and exit across European Regions. Research questions are, (1) what is the importance of life cycle events on the road to entry into and exit from poverty, (2) are there any differences in poverty dynamics between European Regions and if so, how can we explain these differences? The analysis is based on individual and household panel data of the European Community Household Panel linked with a regional time series database. Main findings are that men's poverty dynamics is dominated by employment-related events, while for women demographic events also play a role. Regional structural factors only have a slight or no influence on poverty transitions, but the welfare regime turns out to be highly significant for poverty entry.
The Psychological Well-Being of Taiwanese Youth
Authors: Yi Chin-Chun , Wu Chyi-In , Chang Ying-Hwa , Chang Ming-Yi
Published: April 2009

This study examines the growth trajectory of the psychological well-being of Taiwanese adolescents from early to late adolescence. Under the competitive educational system in Taiwan, family and school context are two major loci accounting for the developmental outcome. Data are taken from the Taiwan Youth Project, which is a longitudinal panel study of 2696 students since the year 2000. The study uses individual depressive symptoms as the dependent variable. Family cohesion, family educational strategy as well as classroom effects at school are chosen to indicate the potential contextual influence. Using the latent growth curve method, the analysis confirms that family and school factors do produce different effects over time. Family context is salient at the initial status, but not for subsequent development. Class cohesion as well as adolescents' perceptions of unfairness by teachers determine the depressive level, the linear slope and the non-linear quadratic growth curve. In other words, once the adolescent gets used to junior high school, the school context tends to exert more pronounced effects. Further analysis on gender comparisons indicates that selective family and school effects are more pronounced among females, with a greater degree of depressive symptoms over time. The article concludes that while family and school have different impacts on the growth curve of individual depressive symptoms, the school context exerts salient effects over an adolescent's life course.
Individual and Institutional Characteristics Related to Inmate Victimization
Authors: Pérez Deanna M. , Gover Angela R. , Tennyson Kristin M. , Santos Saskia D.
Published: April 2009

This study examines the effect of inmate and institutional characteristics on inmate victimization during incarceration. In addition, it examines whether factors related to inmate victimization varies by perpetrator type, specifically inmate versus staff victimizer. Self-reported data from 247 male and female inmates confined to eight correctional institutions are collected, including questions regarding their experiences of staff-on-inmate and inmate-on-inmate victimization. Results show that similar institutional-level variables predict both types of inmate victimization; however, there are some differences between outcomes based on inmate-level characteristics. The authors address possible explanations for the results and suggest several policy implications to reduce the incidence of prison violence.
Violence and the End of Revolution After 1989
Authors: Auer Stefan
Published: April 2009

The series of Velvet revolutions in 1989, which brought about the collapse of communism in Europe, seem to have vindicated those political theorists and activists who believed in the possibility of non-violent power. The relative success of the 1989 revolutions has validated a new paradigm of revolutionary change based on the assumption that radical changes were attainable through moderate means. Yet the legacy of these non-violent revolutions also points towards the limits of political strategies fundamentally opposed to violence. The article shows that the key architects of non-violent revolutions in 1989 were well aware of the contingent nature of all political actions, and were thus willing to take risks in their pursuit of freedom.
Le génocide des Tutsi dans la fiction narrative
Authors: Semujanga Josias
Published: April 2009

Cette étude vise l'analyse de récits narratifs sur le génocide des Tutsi, récits publiés dans le cadre du projet `Rwanda. Écrire par devoir de mémoire' en partant de l'hypothèse suivante: un texte littéraire se manifeste sous forme de double procès esthétique et axiologique dans lequel deux isotopies opèrent de manière solidaire. De type sémio-narratif, l'isotopie littéraire, qui engendre le procès esthétique, convoque les figures à connotation littéraire (genres, motifs, formes, etc.) et rattache le texte à un lieu discursif appelé `littérature' ou `art'. Un tel parcours isotope atteste de l'intentionnalité esthétique susceptible d'être analysée en quantité et en qualité. Parallèlement, une isotopie référentialiste et idéologique , qui articule le texte à un ancrage social et historique (onomastique, chronotopes, discours spécialisés, etc.), se met en place sous forme de procès axiologique et pose le rapport nécessaire entre un sujet écrivant et le monde représenté. Dans un premier temps, on analysera le procès esthétique du texte du roman en notant tous les procédés littéraires — intertextualité, symbole, thèmes et motifs stéréotypés, convocation des idéologies du discours social en amont du génocide — et dans un second temps, la dimension axiologique portera sur l'évaluation des narrateurs et des pratiques sociales dans une posture énonciative éthique. Jusqu'où peut-on dire que le texte littéraire, tout en parlant du social, ne saurait s'y réduire, puisque son intentionnalité est d'être d'abord littéraire?
Travels in Inhumanity
Authors: Hitchcott Nicki
Published: April 2009

Africans, particularly women, rarely assume the travel writer's gaze. The traveller is generally assumed to be white, Western and male. In 1998, Ivorian author Véronique Tadjo travelled to Rwanda with a group of other African writers to reflect upon and write about the 1994 genocide. This article focuses on L'Ombre d'Imana: voyages jusqu'au bout du Rwanda (2000), the travel narrative she published as a result of this trip. It analyses the ways in which Tadjo positions herself and her reader as an ambiguous tourist in Rwanda and how, in doing so, she succeeds in challenging received ideas about the genocide.
After Such Knowledge, What Forgiveness?
Authors: Bromley Roger
Published: April 2009

This article examines a small number of documentary films made since 2000 which focus on the post-genocide situation in Rwanda. It begins by tracing some of the debates about the contested versions of national unity and reconciliation produced by the RPF-led government, which seeks, at least at the level of its rhetoric, to transcend the politics of ethnicity and to end once and for all the culture of impunity which is seen as one of the root causes of the genocide. Acknowledging that the government has achieved a measure of peace and security in a relatively short space of time, critics argue that ethnicity is, however, still an issue in Rwanda and that there is an official RPF narrative — `we are all Rwandans now' — which many academics, journalists and NGO officials have bought into, while at the same time ignoring the elements of authoritarianism and the suppression of dissent which, it is claimed, mark the behaviour of the ruling, Tutsi-dominated elite. The documentary films are analysed in the context of these conflicting accounts of the complexities of the reconciliation process and are shown as cultural practices which reflect upon the contradictions and tensions manifested in the attempts to find top-down solutions to problems which require sensitive deployment of local knowledge, local resources and the experiences of everyday life in still predominantly rural Rwanda.
When Family Means More (or Less) Than Genetics
Authors: Burns McGrath Barbara , Edwards Karen L.
Published: April 2009

There is renewed interest in the use of family history to predict individual disease susceptibility, and as a result, standardized online family history tools are being developed and marketed as a “new genetic test.” It is not known how cultural variations in definitions of family influence collection of these data or what is the best format to use. This is significant given that the populations who carry the greatest burden of the target diseases have not been considered in efforts to test these tools. A qualitative study with a convenience sample of 19 Japanese Americans and Samoan Americans, two groups at high risk for type 2 diabetes, was conducted to explore the process of collecting family history. A particularly strong finding was the high degree of acceptance experienced by the participants with the process and their pride in visualizing their family graphically displayed in pedigrees. It was also found that Samoans included those linked by nonbiological ties in their families, which reflects their cultural practices. Further research is needed to assess the most effective and efficient way to gather family history given the complexities surrounding the deceptively simple concept of family.
The Influence of Low Energy Impacts on the Static and Dynamic Response of a Foam Core Composite Wing
Authors: Aktaş E. , Seaver M. , Nichols J.M. , Trickey S.T. , Davis W.R.
Published: April 2009

This work describes damage detection efforts on a composite wing subject to a series of low-energy (∼7 J) impacts. Two airfoils with fundamentally different damage scenarios were considered. The first damage scenario produced no visible signs of damage on the wing surface following eight impacts. A duplicate wing, subjected to a similar series of impacts, was investigated using flash thermography and subsequently autopsied. The flash thermography showed small, localized damage in the skin, but gave no information about core damage. The autopsy showed core/skin disbonding at both interfaces that varied with the number of impacts, core crushing, and a through the core shear crack. No clear changes to the static or dynamic wing response were observed for this scenario. The second damage scenario involved cracking of the wing skin. While damage quantification was not undertaken for this scenario, both static and dynamic changes in wing response were observed. An analytical model of the wing is presented which helps explain the observed behaviors of the two damage scenarios.
Approximate SIF of Mode-I Crack Closure in Matrix by Knotted SMA Fiber
Authors: Jin M. , Bao Z.B.
Published: April 2009

In this article, a theoretical model is proposed on closure of mode-I crack in matrix embedded with prestrained shape memory alloy (SMA) fiber as an actuator. To overcome fiber de-bonding in matrix, two knots are made on a SMA fiber. By shape memory effect with the rise in temperature, the SMA fiber generates a couple of recovery forces acting on the matrix at the two knots. This couple of recovery forces may restrain opening of the mode-I crack. Based on Tanaka constitutive law on SMA fiber and complex stress function near an elliptic hole under a point load, we have an analytical expression of relation between stress intensity factor (SIF) of mode-I crack closure and temperature in SMA fiber. Simulation results show that SIF of mode-I crack closure decreases obviously with the rise in temperature higher than the austenite start temperature of SMA fiber, and that there is an optimal position for SMA fiber to restrain crack opening, which is behind the crack tip.
Model-based Fuzzy Control for Buildings Installed with Magneto-rheological Dampers
Authors: Haiping Du  , Nong Zhang
Published: April 2009

The article presents a model-based fuzzy controller design method for seismic response reduction of building structures using MR dampers. Firstly, the MR damper model is obtained as a fuzzy model using T-S fuzzy modeling technique; then, this model is integrated with the linear structural model to formulate a fuzzy system; at last, the optimal control strategy, such as GH2 (generalized H2 or energy-to-peak) control of which objective is to minimize the peak value of control output under energy-bounded disturbance, is applied to design the fuzzy controller. The advantage of this new control strategy is that the optimal control theory can be directly applied to design a fuzzy controller such that the closed-loop system stability and performance can be theoretically guaranteed. In addition, the command signal can be obtained directly from the measured feedback signals. A numerical example is used to validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. It is confirmed by the simulations that the designed controller achieves better performance than existing semi-active control strategies such as clipped-optimal control and fuzzy control.
Thermal Effects on the Vibration Damping Properties of Shape Memory Alloys
Authors: Fosdick Roger , Ketema Yohannes
Published: April 2009

We study the effects of heat transfer on the vibration damping properties of a shape memory wire. We assume that the pseudoelastic behavior of the shape memory wire is due to a stress-induced phase transformation which is governed by a temperature-dependent kinetic relation. Impulsively initiated unforced motions and forced periodic oscillations are considered, and the results are compared to results from an earlier work where isothermal phase transformations were assumed. We demonstrate how the temperature dependence of the kinetic relation can be used to control the amplitude of steady state motions in the case of impulsively initiated motions.
Modeling of Magnetomechanical Actuators in Laminated Structures
Authors: Datta Supratik , Atulasimha Jayasimha , Mudivarthi Chaitanya , Flatau Alison B.
Published: April 2009

A magnetomechanical plate model (MMPM) has been developed to predict the elastic and magnetostrictive strains and mechanical stress in laminated structures with magnetostrictive and non-magnetic layers under the simultaneous effect of quasi-static mechanical stress and magnetic field. This model was obtained by combining an energy-based statistical magnetomechanical model with the classical laminated plate theory. The magnetomechanical plate model was used to study a unimorph structure having a magnetostrictive iron—gallium (Galfenol) patch attached to different non-magnetic substrates. The actuation response from the patch was obtained for in-plane axial magnetic field acting on the unimorph. The MMPM was used to predict the normalized tip displacement due to induced-strain actuation in a unimorph cantilever beam and the results were compared with existing modeling techniques. The model was used to study the effect of tensile and compressive axial pre-loads on the actuation response of the structure. A study was also performed to understand the effect of total thickness of the structure, the ratio of the active/ passive layer thickness and the effect of the mechanical properties of different substrate materials on the actuator performance. A non-dimensional parameter ST i (percentage strain transfer) was introduced to explain the behavior of the actuator in extension and bending dominated regimes and a critical thickness ratio (trc) was defined to demarcate these two regimes. The results demonstrate that the model captures the non-linearity in the magnetomechanical process and the different structural couplings.
Study on a Dynamic Stiffness-tuning Absorber with Squeeze-strain Enhanced Magnetorheological Elastomer
Authors: Ni Z.C. , Gong X.L. , Li J.F. , Chen L.
Published: April 2009

This article presents the design and analysis of a novel dynamic stiffness tuning vibration absorber working with Magnetorheological elastomers (MRE). In this design, the MRE worked in a shear mode, but its MR effect was significantly enhanced by dynamically squeezing the sample thickness with an embedded piezoelectric (PZT) actuator. With this design, both the quasi-static magnetic field and the PZT driven dynamic squeeze strain in the direction of particles chain were properly adjusted to control the vibration of the primary system. The vibration suppression capabilities were theoretically analyzed by the harmonic analysis. A combined control strategy (the tuning strategy and the ON—OFF strategy) and the control system were developed to suppress the vibration of the primary system. The simulation results indicate that the proposed MRE-PZT-based dynamic stiffness-tuning dynamic vibration absorber (DSTDVA) exhibits more effective suppression capabilities than those conventional MRE-based quasi-static tuned vibration absorbers; the stronger the enhanced effect of squeeze strain on MRE's shear storage modulus is, the more effective vibration suppression capabilities the proposed MRE-PZT-based DSTDVA has.
A Blend of Planning and Learning: Simplifying a Simulation Model of National Development
Authors: Kopainsky Birgit , Pedercini Matteo , Davidsen Pål I. , Alessi Stephen M.
Published: April 2009

Simulation models provide decision support to long-term planning processes. The Bergen Learning Environment for National Development (BLEND) is a game based on a simplified version of Millennium Institute's Threshold 21 model (T21) that sensitizes policy makers in sub-Saharan African nations to the need for simulation-based decision support. The simplification eliminates or aggregates details about individual policy sectors and maintains cross-sector relationships. Validation indicates that the full and the simplified T21 model generate very similar behavior patterns for a wide range of policy scenarios. Pilot tests demonstrate that the simplified T21 model contributes to the learning goals of BLEND. The debriefing employs causal loop diagrams and simulation for structural explanations of the behavior observed during the game. BLEND workshops with repeated runs of the game, full debriefing sessions and different formats of instructional support will contribute further to research on dynamic decision making and learning about tasks with great complexity.
Debriefing a Health-Related Educational Game: A Case Study
Authors: Lennon Jeffrey L.
Published: April 2009

This study sought to evaluate the utility of a Web-based game on the topic of immunity, based upon the work of Nobel Prize winner Ileya Mechnikov. This was accomplished through postgame written debriefing with an oral debriefing follow-up. A qualitative case study was conducted in a nonformal home setting. The participant learned new information, such as the capability of cells to alert the body to foreign pathogenic attack. Game dissatisfaction was described by the participant as well as suggestions for game improvement. The written debriefing response was generally briefer than the oral debriefing responses. While the participant gleaned information about immunity from the game without facilitator assistance, postgame debriefings aided the participant in reflection about the game. This was the first study to utilize a combination of postgame written and oral debriefing in the Nobel Prize Web-based game genre. It illustrates the value of postgame debriefing as an enhancement of the learning experience related to the health-related educational game.
Assessing the Coagulation Factor Levels, Inherited Thrombophilia, and ABO Blood Group on the Risk for Venous Thrombosis Among Brazilians
Authors: Teixeira Mello Tayana Bezerra , Machado Tânia F. G. , Montavão Silmara A. L. , Ozello Margarete C. , Annichino-Bizzacchi Joyce M.
Published: April 2009

Increased coagulation factor levels have been demonstrated to be a risk factor for venous thromboembolism in patients of Caucasian origin. Coagulation factors, hereditary thrombophilia, and ABO blood group were evaluated for venous thrombosis risk in a heterogeneous Brazilian population consisting of 122 women and 53 men, with a median age of 36 years (range 13-63), matched to a control group by age, sex, and ethnicity. Increased levels of factor VIII (odds ratio [OR], 3.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.6-6.0), von Willebrand factor (OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.4-5.4), non-O blood group (OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.3-3.4), and thrombophilia (OR, 3.4; 95% CI, 1.6-7.1) emerged as independent risk factors for venous thromboembolism. The interaction of high levels of factor IX and factor XI with other independent variables increased the potential for thrombosis synergistically. Therefore, the ability of identifying underlying thrombophilia risk factors in our population was enhanced by the inclusion of these factors in the prothrombotic laboratory workup.
Administration of an Exercise Regimen in Assisted-Living Facilities to Improve Balance and Activities of Daily Living
Authors: Wallmann Harvey , Schuerman Sue , Kruskall Laura , Alpert Patricia T.
Published: April 2009

Purpose: This pilot study examined the effects of an exercise program on functional balance and activities of daily living (ADLs) of residents in assisted-living facilities. Materials and methods: Thirty-four subjects participated in the initial evaluation, but only 13 subjects participated in the study. All participants completed the ADL questionnaires (Functional Assessment Screening Questionnaire [FASQ] and the Katz Index of ADL), but only 10 completed the 8-week exercise program and balance assessment (Berg Balance Scale [BBS]). Results: Significant differences were observed between the pre- and postmeasurements for BBS ( p = .008) and FASQ ( p = .023) but not for the Katz Index of ADL ( p = .066). This suggests that strengthening exercises can be beneficial in improving functional balance and ADLs. Conclusion: Further research with a larger sample size is needed to evaluate the impact of lower extremity strengthening exercises on balance and ADL preservation for elders in long-term care facilities.
Understanding Agency Culture and External and Internal Mitigating Factors in the Development of Compliance Plans
Authors: Rowe Jimmy , Long Michele
Published: April 2009

This article addresses the issues of organizational culture and the mitigating forces that affect and drive the development of compliance plans. It also offers insight into the potential benefits of developing a healthy compliance culture in an organization. The article discusses the major topics of understanding the culture that exists in an agency, core values for compliance, external mitigating factors, internal mitigating factors, and the benefits an agency can accrue by creating a healthy compliance culture.