bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structured decisions about Dutch probation service interventions
Authors: Bosker Jacqueline , Witteman Cilia , Hermanns Jo
Published: May 2013

There is convincing evidence that structuring decision making leads to better decisions. Comparing structured and unstructured professional decisions on a wide variety of topics in medicine, psychology or social welfare, it was found that structured decisions were as good as and often better than unstructured decisions. This can be explained by the fact that professionals, like anyone else, make errors of judgement. In different professional settings decision support tools have therefore been developed and implemented. As far as probation is concerned, tools for risk assessment are currently used in many countries. Assessment of the risks of recidivism and criminogenic needs thus have become structured, yet decisions on interventions are still to a large extent a matter of professional judgement. This is problematic, since this decision is fundamental in the probation process, and can have a large impact on the effectiveness of probation and on the life of the offender. Dutch probation practice shows that the quality of intervention planning indeed leaves something to be desired. Structuring the decision process for intervention planning, without replacing the professional, may improve the quality of probation work. It would seem to be a logical next step in the development of assessment tools.
Prisoners’ motivations for therapeutic community treatment
Authors: Stevens Alisa
Published: May 2013

Offenders’ motivations to undertake rehabilitative programmes are underexplored. Drawing upon semi-ethnographic research, this article considers the reasons why prisoners apply to join a democratic therapeutic community. It identifies a typology of motivation to participate, and determines that most applicants are seeking an alternative to the rehabilitative hegemony of structured, manualized, cognitive-behavioural interventions. The findings have important implications for correctional staff, and in particular, offender managers, who are best placed to identify and encourage suitable offenders to apply for admission.
Individualism and collectivism as moderators of the association between attachment insecurities, coping, and social support
Authors: Frías María Teresa , Shaver Phillip R. , Díaz-Loving Rolando
Published: May 2013

In two studies, we examined the role of country and individualism and collectivism as moderators of associations between attachment insecurities (anxiety and avoidance) and coping and social support. Study 1 examined the ability of anxiety, avoidance, and country to predict coping and social support variables in Mexico and the US. Anxiety, avoidance, and country had significant effects on coping and social support variables, but there were no significant interactions between the attachment dimensions and country. Study 2 examined the same variables as in Study 1, but also included measures of individualism and collectivism. The results were similar and support the universality of attachment theory but also show that high individualism and low collectivism are associated with stronger relations between attachment dimensions, on one hand, and with diversion coping and perceived social support, perhaps because these variables are related to the most salient aspects of collectivism: duty to one’s group and passive coping.
Examining the language skills of children with ADHD following a play-based intervention
Authors: Docking Kimberley , Munro Natalie , Cordier Reinie , Ellis Prudence
Published: May 2013

Communication and play skills are important aspects of development yet are largely uncharted in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This exploratory study examined whether changes in pragmatic skills and problem-solving skills were observed in children with ADHD pre- and post-participation in a play-based intervention conducted by occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists. The study also investigated whether the presence of language difficulties affected the children’s play outcomes. Fourteen children with ADHD (5;0–10;7 years) participated in a 7-week, pilot intervention to address play and social skill deficits. Pre- and post-intervention testing included: (a) the assessment of play and problem-solving skills via standardized testing, and (b) pragmatic skills via parent report. The children’s language skills were also screened and compared with their play scores. Play skills significantly improved post-intervention. No significant differences were observed for pragmatic skills while prediction skills, an aspect of problem-solving, significantly improved pre- and post-play-based intervention. Fifty percent of children failed the language screener, yet separate paired t-tests identified significant play improvements irrespective of the presence or absence of language difficulty. Two independent t-tests revealed significant differences in play scores between these groups at pre- but not post-intervention.

While play and predicting skills significantly improved post-play-based intervention, other aspects of problem-solving and pragmatics did not. Reasons for the lack of change in these areas are discussed. The presence of language difficulties did not appear to affect the play outcomes of children with ADHD following a play-based intervention. A larger scale experimental trial investigating the play and language skills of children with ADHD is warranted, as is future collaborative research between occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists in the assessment and management of children with ADHD.
A novel measurement and delivery system for synchronizing oxygen gas flow with blood flow during cardiopulmonary bypass
Authors: Okahara S , Ninomiya S , Miyamoto S , Takahashi H , Kurosaki T , Sueda T
Published: May 2013

Monitoring the blood pump and the oxygen gas flow meter are important maneuvers at the initiation of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). We present a novel system, designed to improve safety in the heart-lung machine by linking the control of blood flow and the oxygen gas flow meter. This system uses a mass flow controller to provide and control oxygen flow based on the ventilation-perfusion (V/Q) ratio, using the electronic signal of the blood flow. We tested the system, in vitro and in vivo, and examined the resulting level of blood oxygenation. When extracorporeal circulation was initiated, the oxygen flow was instantly linked to the circulating blood flow, providing an adequate V/Q ratio; the partial pressure of oxygen in the blood was maintained at a normal level. Although we have yet to confirm the safety of this system in clinical trials, the new safety assist device can automatically supply oxygen to the oxygenator at the beginning of CPB.
Efficacy of shellac, a natural product, for the prevention of wet gangrene
Authors: Alzahrani Hasan , Bedir Yhya , Al-Hayani Abdulmonaim
Published: May 2013

Objective

To determine the effects of applying a natural polymer solution (shellac) to dry gangrene, and thereby prevent infection and progression to wet gangrene, in diabetic patients.

Methods

This randomized, controlled, pilot study included patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who had unreconstructable peripheral vascular disease and were awaiting autoamputation. Eligible patients were contraindicated for surgery, had a limited life expectancy and/or had refused surgical amputations. All patients received the best possible medical treatment and were randomized to receive either topical shellac or antiseptic application of 10% povidone-iodine (PVP-I) solution to gangrenous areas.

Results

A total of 26 diabetic patients were eligible for inclusion, of whom 23 completed the study: 13 were treated with shellac and 10 with PVP-I. The amputation rate was higher in the conventional treatment group versus the shellac group (60.0% versus 46.2%, respectively), although this difference was not statistically significant.

Conclusions

Shellac is a natural solution that may be used to embalm gangrenous tissue in selected diabetic patients. More studies are needed to assess the long-term outcomes of this technique.
Prognostic value of serum paraoxonase and arylesterase activity in patients with sepsis
Authors: Li Yunhui , Zhai Rubo , Li Haifeng , Mei Xu , Qiu Guangbin
Published: May 2013

Objective

To determine whether serum paraoxonase (PON) and arylesterase (ARE) activity might predict sepsis mortality.

Methods

Patients with sepsis and healthy control subjects were enrolled in this retrospective study. Serum PON and ARE activity levels were measured. Patients were stratified according to 30-day mortality rates.

Results

Serum PON and ARE activity levels were significantly lower in patients with sepsis ( n = 61) than in healthy controls ( n = 32), and were significantly lower in nonsurviving patients ( n = 22) than in surviving patients ( n = 39). Low PON and ARE activity levels were significantly correlated with poor overall survival in patients with sepsis.

Conclusions

Decreased serum PON and ARE activity is related to poor prognosis in patients with sepsis. Measuring the activity of PON and ARE may represent a new method for evaluating the prognosis of sepsis. In addition, both PON and ARE are potential molecular treatment targets for sepsis.
‘It’s complicated’: Love, selves and Others – a response to Inwood
Authors: Morrison Carey-Ann , Johnston Lynda , Longhurst Robyn
Published: May 2013

Addressing the question ‘does using the term “Other” in relation to geographies of love flatten out difference?’ we argue that, while it may have this potential, it can also recognize collectivity (which is not necessarily the same as uniformity) among people. Politics involves working out which differences matter, when and where. Critiquing oppositional categories such as Self/Other (also love/hate, universal/particular) may do more to prompt critical understandings of love as spatial, relational and political rather than simply throwing out the term ‘Other’.
Arthroscopic Repair of Massive Rotator Cuff Tears
Authors: Chung Seok Won , Kim Joon Yub , Kim Min Hyung , Kim Sae Hoon , Oh Joo Han
Published: May 2013

Background:

Many patients with an unhealed cuff after repair show functional improvement.

Purpose:

To evaluate outcomes of arthroscopically repaired massive rotator cuff tears and to identify prognostic factors affecting rotator cuff healing and functional outcome, especially in patients with failed rotator cuff healing.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

Among 173 patients who underwent arthroscopic repair of a massive rotator cuff tear, 108 patients with a mean age of 63.7 years were included. Outcome evaluation was completed both anatomically (CT arthrography or ultrasonography) and functionally at a minimum of 1 year postoperatively; mean follow-up period was 31.68 ± 15.81 months. Various factors affecting cuff healing were analyzed, and factors affecting functional outcome were evaluated in patients with failed repairs using both univariate and multivariate analyses.

Results:

The anatomic failure rate was 39.8% in arthroscopically repaired massive rotator cuff tears; however, functional status significantly improved regardless of cuff healing ( P < .05). Several factors were associated with failure of cuff healing in the univariate analysis, but only fatty infiltration (FI) of the infraspinatus was significantly related to healing failure in the multivariate analysis ( P = .04). Among patients with failed rotator cuff healing, only reduced postoperative acromiohumeral distance (AHD) was related to poor functional outcome in the multivariate analysis ( P = .01), with a cutoff value of 4.1 mm.

Conclusion:

Despite a high rate of healing failures, arthroscopic repair can be recommended in patients with massive rotator cuff tears because of the functional gain at midterm follow-up. Higher FI of the infraspinatus was the single most important factor negatively affecting cuff healing. In cases of failed massive rotator cuff repair, no preoperative factor was able to predict poor functional outcome; reduced postoperative AHD was the only relevant functional determinant in the patients’ eventual functional outcome and should be considered when ascertaining a prognosis and planning further treatment strategies.
Correlation Between Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Clinical Outcomes After Cartilage Repair Surgery in the Knee
Authors: Blackman Andrew J. , Smith Matthew V. , Flanigan David C. , Matava Matthew J. , Wright Rick W. , Brophy Robert H.
Published: May 2013

Background:

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is often used to assess cartilage after surgical repair. The correlation between MRI and clinical outcomes is not well understood.

Hypothesis:

Postoperative MRI findings correlate with clinical outcome measures in patients after articular cartilage surgery of the knee.

Study Design:

Meta-analysis.

Methods:

A systematic review of the literature was performed to identify studies in which MRI and clinical outcomes were correlated after autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI), osteochondral autograft transfer system (OATS), or microfracture. Studies that reported correlation coefficients ( r) for different MRI parameters were then included in a meta-analysis.

Results:

A total of 26 studies were identified for inclusion in this systematic review, 15 of which were included in the meta-analysis. Most of the studies (n = 19) involved ACI, although studies were available for OATS (n = 5) and microfracture (n = 4). The strongest MRI correlates with clinical outcomes after ACI were graft hypertrophy ( r = 0.72) and repair tissue signal ( r = 0.71). After microfracture, the strongest MRI correlates were the Henderson score ( r = 0.97), subchondral edema ( r = 0.77), and repair tissue signal ( r = 0.76). Correlations after OATS were not as strong, with defect fill ( r = 0.53) and repair tissue structure ( r = 0.51) being the strongest.

Conclusion:

The MRI findings do correlate with clinical outcomes after cartilage repair surgery in the knee, although the specific parameters that correlate best vary by the type of procedure performed. No current MRI classification system has been shown to correlate with clinical outcomes after all types of cartilage repair surgery.
Waste incineration in rotary kilns: a new simulation combustion tool to support design and technical change
Authors: Lombardi Francesco , Lategano Emanuele , Cordiner Stefano , Torretta Vincenzo
Published: May 2013

This article presents a tool based on a simplified model developed for the combustion processes in a rotary kiln incinerator (slightly inclined rotating primary combustion chamber). The model was developed with the aim of supporting the design phase of the incinerator combustion chamber and, at the same time, of investigating possible technical changes in existing plants in order to optimise the combustion process and the dimension of the rotary kiln (length, diameter) as a function of the characteristics of the fed waste. The tool has been applied and the obtained results compared with a real incineration plant operating on healthcare waste located in Rome (Italy). The mass and thermal balances were taken into account, together with kinetic parameters for the combustion of the specific waste stream. The mass balance considered only the major mass components (carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and sulphur). The measured external temperatures appear to be in good agreement with the simulated results. A sensitivity analysis of the plant under different operating conditions was carried out using different input flow rates and excess air ratios, and an assessment was made of the refractory and insulator properties of the kiln’s behaviour. Some of the simulated results were used during the periodical maintenance to improve the refractory characteristics in order to reduce the fret and corrosion process.
Compact fluorescent lighting in Wisconsin: elevated atmospheric emission and landfill deposition post-EISA implementation
Authors: Arendt John D , Katers John F
Published: May 2013

The majority of states in the USA, including Wisconsin, have been affected by elevated air, soil and waterborne mercury levels. Health risks associated with mercury increase from the consumption of larger fish species, such as Walleye or Pike, which bio-accumulate mercury in muscle tissue. Federal legislation with the 2011 Mercury and Air Toxics Standards and the Wisconsin legislation on mercury, 2009 Wisconsin Act 44, continue to aim at lowering allowable levels of mercury emissions. Meanwhile, mercury-containing compact fluorescent lights (CFL) sales continue to grow as businesses and consumers move away from energy intensive incandescent light bulbs. An exchange in pollution media is occurring as airborne mercury emissions from coal-burning power plants, the largest anthropogenic source of mercury, are being reduced by lower energy demand and standards, while more universal solid waste containing mercury is generated each time a CFL is disposed. The treatment of CFLs as a ‘universal waste’ by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) led to the banning of non-household fluorescent bulbs from most municipal solid waste. Although the EPA encourages recycling of bulbs, industry currently recycles fluorescent lamps and CFLs at a rate of only 29%. Monitoring programs at the federal and state level have had only marginal success with industrial and business CFL recycling. The consumer recycling rate is even lower at only 2%. A projected increase in residential CFL use in Wisconsin owing to the ramifications of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 will lead to elevated atmospheric mercury and landfill deposition in Wisconsin.
The State of Civil Service Systems in the Asia-Pacific Region
Authors: Moon M. Jae , Hwang Changho
Published: May 2013

Despite increasing interest in Asian public administration, understanding of Asian civil service systems is limited. This study compares civil service systems in 14 Asia-Pacific countries, focusing on their size, legal frameworks, supervising agencies, and recruitment. The countries fall into four categories: Western countries (Australia, New Zealand, and the United States), Asian industrialized countries (Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan), Southeast Asian developing countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand), and socialist transitional countries (Cambodia, China, and Vietnam). The study shows that the size of the civil service is much greater in Western countries and smaller in Asian industrialized countries. Some civil service reform initiatives, such as performance management, are commonly found across countries in all groups, which indicates the global diffusion of those initiatives. New initiatives for recruitment reform, ethics and transparency, and compensation reform are found mostly in Southeast Asian developing countries and socialist transitional countries.
New Directions in Reading Instruction for Adolescents With Significant Cognitive Disabilities
Authors: Roberts Carly A. , Leko Melinda M. , Wilkerson Kimber L.
Published: May 2013

This article reports findings from a literature review on literacy instruction for adolescents with significant cognitive disabilities. Nineteen empirical studies published between 1975 and 2011 were included in the review and analyzed based on characteristics of interventions. The results were examined to determine whether the state of research in this area indicates a comprehensive approach to literacy for adolescents with significant cognitive disabilities. Results indicate that vocabulary instruction through sight word acquisition is still prevalent, instruction is not comprehensive, and instruction does not address recommendations from the field for adolescent literacy. However, innovative approaches to literacy instruction for this population are beginning to be explored. The current state of research on reading practices for adolescents with significant cognitive disabilities, implications for practice, and suggestions for new directions in research are discussed.
Does Access Matter? Time in General Education and Achievement for Students With Disabilities
Authors: Cosier Meghan , Causton-Theoharis Julie , Theoharis George
Published: May 2013

This study examined the relationship between hours in general education and achievement in reading and mathematics for students with disabilities. The study population included more than 1,300 students between the ages of 6 and 9 years old within 180 school districts. Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) was utilized with the Pre-Elementary Education Longitudinal Study (PEELS) data set (Institute of Education Sciences). The relationship between hours in general education and achievement in reading and mathematics was explored while accounting for student- and district-level factors. Results suggest a strong positive relationship between the number of hours students spent in general education and achievement in mathematics and reading. Implications for policy and practice in special education are presented and discussed.
Investigation of neurotoxic and immunotoxic effects of some plant growth regulators at subacute and subchronic applications on rats
Authors: Isik Ismail , Celik Ismail
Published: May 2013

The present study was aimed to investigate the effects of subacute and subchronic treatment of some plant growth regulators (PGRs), such as abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellic acid (GA3), on neurological and immunological biomarkers in various tissues of rats. The activities of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butrylcholinesterase (BChE) were selected as biomarkers for neurotoxic biomarkers. Adenosine deaminase (ADA) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) were measured as indicators for immunotoxic investigation purpose. Wistar albino rats were orally administered with 25 and 50 ppm of PGRs ad libitum for 25–50 days continuously with drinking water. The treatment of PGRs caused different effects on the activities of enzymes. Results showed that the administrations of ABA and GA3 increased AChE and BChE activities in some tissues of rats treated with both the dosages and periods of ABA and GA3. With regard to the immunotoxic effects, ADA activity fluctuated, while MPO activity increased after subacute and subchronic exposure of treated rat tissues to both dosages when compared with the controls. The observations presented led us to conclude that the administrations of PGRs at subacute and subchronic exposure increased AChE, BChE, and MPO activities, while fluctuating the ADA activity in various tissues of rats. This may reflect the potential role of these parameters as useful biomarkers for toxicity of PGRs.
Providing Mother’s Own Milk in the Context of the NICU
Authors: Hurst Nancy , Engebretson Joan , Mahoney Jane S.
Published: May 2013

Background:

Mothers of very preterm infants continue to face challenges related to providing their expressed breast milk in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Objective:

This qualitative study sought to understand the experience of mothers of hospitalized very preterm infants related to their daily pumping routine during the NICU stay.

Methods:

Fourteen women who were pumping breast milk for their hospitalized infants were interviewed. Sequential, semistructured, audiotaped individual interviews were conducted at 2 different time points: within 2 weeks following delivery when the mothers were pumping only, and 4 to 6 weeks once breastfeeding had been initiated.

Results:

The central themes found were: becoming a “mother–interrupted” and negotiating a paradoxical experience of separation and connection. Unique to these findings were the paradoxical view of the pump as both a wedge and a link to their infants, the intense dislike the mothers had for the tasks required to provide their expressed breast milk, and diversionary tactics used during pumping sessions.

Conclusion:

The complexity of thoughts, actions, and behaviors revealed in the mothers’ narrative accounts provides a guide to direct future breastfeeding interventions and management.
Through the Crisis
Authors: Carruthers John I. , Mulligan Gordon F.
Published: May 2013

This article extends previous research by the authors on the spatial and temporal evolution of housing values across the United States to examine the impact of the 2007 financial crisis. The specific goals are to (a) document certain pre- and postcrisis trends in the nation’s economic landscape, (b) estimate a series of simple income capitalization models aimed at weighing the relative importance of household income versus amenities in the aftermath of the recession, (c) examine the present state of the “plane of living” that households navigate when choosing where to live, and (d) posit an observation for public and private policy. The analysis considers the role of both natural and human amenities and, holding those factors constant, evaluates the extent to which the influence of income has waxed and waned over the course of the 2000 to 2010 decade. A key finding is that through the crisis the value of the contemporary plane of living, measured as the difference between 2007 and 2010, fell dramatically in major parts of the country.
Characteristics of regenerated nanocellulosic fibers from cellulose dissolution in aqueous solutions for wood fiber/polypropylene composites
Authors: Lee Sangyeob , Pan Hui , Hse Chung Y , Gunasekaran Alfred R , Shupe Todd F
Published: May 2013

The effects of aqueous solutions were evaluated on the properties of regenerated cellulosic nanofibers prepared from pure cellulose fibers in various formulations of aqueous solutions. Thermoplastic composites were prepared with reinforcement of the regenerated cellulosic nanofibers. The regenerated cellulosic fibers from cellulosic woody biomass were obtained from dissolved cellulose solutions by coagulating with sulfuric acid and water for phase separation. The properties of the regenerated cellulosic fibers were characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), field emission scanning electron microscopy, and tensile testing. The TGA, WAXRD, and FTIR spectra indicated that the regenerated nanofibers possessed cellulosic crystal type II. The micrographs of regenerated cellulosic fibers showed a dense composite structure and lower crystallinity than controlled fibers. The tensile strength of regenerated cellulosic fiber-reinforced polymer composites reached 30 MPa, which was 70% higher than the control fiber-reinforced composites. The composites prepared from regenerated fibers with sodium hydroxide (NaOH)/urea and NaOH/urea/thiourea aqueous solutions provided the best results. This work also provides a potential promising method to efficiently obtain nanocellulosic fibers as reinforcement materials in bio-based nanocomposites.
Thermal degradation and lifetime estimation of poly(ether imide)/carbon fiber composites
Authors: Batista Natassia L , Costa Michelle Leali , Iha Koshun , Botelho Edson C
Published: May 2013

The thermal decomposition behavior of poly(ether imide) (PEI)/carbon fiber composites used in aeronautical field was studied using thermogravimetric analysis in an inert atmosphere, at several heating rates between 2 and 10°C min−1. The activation energies ( Ea) were determined by Flynn–Wall–Ozawa (FWO) and Kissinger methods, and the preexponential factor ( A) was calculated by the FWO method. The obtained data were used in order to predict the thermal lifetime of the material under the established temperature range and 5% mass loss criterion. Overall, the results represented PEI’s good thermal stability. Furthermore, it was concluded that the material can be safely applied for aeronautical use.
The reinforcing effect of basalt fiber and polyamide-6 on the mechanical properties of polytetrafluoroethylene composite
Authors: Zhang Jianguo
Published: May 2013

Basalt-reinforced composites are recently developed materials. Basalt fiber (BF) as inorganic filler and polyamide-6 (PA6) as organic filler are characterized by mechanical properties analysis and morphology examination for polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) matrix blends. Effects of different filler content on tensile strength and impact strength are proposed. It is observed from scanning electron microscopic studies that addition of BF and PA6 are beneficial in increasing mechanical strength via increasing the interface-dispersed phase. The optimum tensile properties of BF content were at 10 wt% for PTFE composite. The optimum impact properties of PTFE/PA6/BF composite on melt mixing conditions were obtained at PA6 content was 4 wt% for PTFE/PA6/BF composite. The results showed a significant improvement in mechanical properties of PTFE/PA6/BF ternary blend composite, and it is useful for the development of an applicable theoretical constitutive composite materials model.
Chicken feather fibers–recycled high-density polyethylene composites
Authors: Supri Abdul Ghani , Aizat A Emy , Yazid MIM , Masturina M
Published: May 2013

The effects of ε-caprolactam on tensile properties, morphology, thermal degradation, and swelling behavior of recycled high-density polyethylene–chicken feather fiber composites (r-HDPE/CFF) were studied. The r-HDPE/CFF composites were prepared using Brabender Plasticorder at 160°C and a rotor speed of 50 r min−1 for 6 min. The r-HDPE/CFF/ε-caprolactam composites exhibit higher tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, and final decomposition temperature, but lower mass swell percentage and elongation at break than r-HDPE/CFF composites. Scanning electron microscopic morphology showed that the CFF was more widely dispersed in the r-HDPE matrix with the addition of ε-caprolactam as a coupling agent. It was also found that the addition of ε-caprolactam offers better thermal stability in r-HDPE/CFF/caprolactam composites than r-HDPE/CFF composites.
Influence of water immersion and ultraviolet weathering on mechanical and viscoelastic properties of polyphenylene sulfide–carbon fiber composites
Authors: Batista Natassia Lona , de Faria Maria Cândida Magalhães , Iha Koshun , de Oliveira Pedro Carlos , Botelho Edson Cocchieri
Published: May 2013

In order to investigate the combined action of temperature, humidity, and ultraviolet (UV) radiation, polyphenylene sulfide (PPS)–carbon fiber composite specimens were exposed to environmental degradation through two different techniques: water immersion and UV climatic chamber. The moisture weight gain curves of the composites were compared with those of the neat matrix in order to determine the interface effect on moisture absorption. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy of UV-weathered samples presented oxidation formation. Compressive tests and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMA) revealed that the weathered materials gained in stiffness, nevertheless a small deterioration in strength was found after long periods of UV radiation exposure.
The Lived Experience of Anxiety Among Late Adolescents During High School
Authors: Leone Diana R. , Ray Susan L. , Evans Marilyn
Published: May 2013

Purpose: To gain an understanding of everyday anxiety among late adolescents during high school. Design: An interpretive phenomenological approach was utilized. A purposive sample of eight males and females in late adolescence with everyday anxiety were interviewed. Method: Individual interviews were conducted. Data analysis was undertaken throughout the research study by utilizing a thematic analysis of text in which themes emerged to understand the lived experience of everyday anxiety among late adolescents during high school. Findings: The study revealed themes reflective of the lived body in time and space and in relation with others. The three themes were (a) the embodied experience of anxiety with the subtheme of the body and mind responds; (b) feeling uncomfortable in the lived space of school with the subthemes of the lived relations of bullying, the internal/external space of isolation, and the constant pressure to perform well; and (c) life at home with the subthemes of the lived space of home, the lived relations of pressure from parents, and life will get better. Conclusions: Nurses need to provide holistic care for late adolescents experiencing everyday anxiety by focusing on healing the whole person through the unity of body, mind, emotion, spirit, and environment.
Local safety policy: The approach of two Swedish cities to urgent safety problems
Authors: Hanberger Anders , Lundström Ulf , Mårald Gunilla
Published: May 2013

This article explores local safety policy (LSP) developed to resolve urgent safety problems in two Swedish municipalities. It shows that local safety actors conceive and construct safety problems in ways that make them manageable, and that LSP evolves as a web of interactions between safety actors in the public and private sectors. The actors use established safety solutions and routines while exploring new ways of managing the problems. The municipalities’ problem-solving structures differ mainly in that different actors and institutions are involved. The policy process and features of LSP correspond well to how policy is portrayed in other cross-sectoral policy domains. Local safety policy development cannot easily be separated from policy implementation, nor can safety policy be separated from safety work, for they evolve together. The implication of this study for governance is that policy workers at different levels and from different organisations create LSP. Although LSP is partly initiated and legitimised at the political–administrative level, it is not from this level that it evolves.
Manufacture and microstructure characterization of optically active poly(esterimide)/TiO2 bionanocomposites derived from natural amino acid–based diacid
Authors: Mallakpour Shadpour , Soltanian Samaneh
Published: May 2013

Bio-based nanocomposites were successfully synthesized by incorporation of bioactive titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles in biodegradable poly(esterimide) (PEI) matrix via ultrasonic irradiation. The optically active PEI was prepared by direct polycondensation of amino acid–based diacid (4) with 4,4′-thiobis(2-tert-butyl-5-methylphenol) (5) in the presence of tosyl chloride, pyridine, and N,N-dimethylformamide. The obtained bionanocomposites (BNCs) were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and thermogravimetric analysis. FE-SEM and TEM images of the nanocomposites revealed homogeneity and uniformity in the distribution of TiO2 nanoparticles in PEI matrix.
Molecularly imprinted polymeric microspheres with metalloporphyrin-based molecular recognition sites coassembled with methacrylic acid
Authors: Fa Huan-Bao , Zhang Hai-Feng , Yin Wei , Hou Chang-Jun , Huo Dan-Qun , Mao Ya-Li , Zhang Jin
Published: May 2013

Molecularly imprinted polymeric microspheres (MIPMs) for dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP) were prepared using methacrylic acid (MAA) and vinyl-substituted zinc(ii) porphyrin as functional monomers. The interactions of vinyl-substituted zinc(ii) porphyrin with DMMP were determined by ultraviolet–visible absorption spectroscopy. A comparison between the MIPMs-MAA that used only MAA with the MIPMs-zinc (Zn) + MAA that used both MAA and Zn porphyrin as functional monomers revealed that the MIPMs-Zn + MAA showed higher binding ability for DMMP. By the Scatchard analysis, the results of the equilibrium adsorption test showed that the MIPM-DMMP only had one affinity binding site. The dissociation constants of MIPMs-Zn + MAA and MIPMs-MAA were 0.167 and 0.338 mmol/L, respectively, and the maximum absorption quantities were 148 and 13.57 μmol/g, respectively. The MIPMs-Zn + MAA possessed the higher selectivity for DMMP as shown by the isotherm binding test. These results revealed that the MIPMs-Zn + MAA had highly specific binding sites because they were assembled by the two functional monomers, vinyl-substituted Zn(ii) porphyrin and MAA, which coordinated to achieve specific binding with DMMP.
A biomechanical study of the Birmingham mid head resection arthroplasty: Effect of stem size on femoral neck fracture
Authors: Aghayan Sam , Shepherd Duncan ET , Davis Edward T
Published: May 2013

The Birmingham mid head resection (BMHR) arthroplasty can be used as an alternative to conventional stemmed total hip arthroplasty in young patients unsuitable for hip resurfacing. This study investigated the effect of stem size on femoral neck fracture in the BMHR. Sawbones composite femurs were randomly allocated to one of the following groups: (1) unprepared femur with no prosthesis, (2) femur prepared with a Birmingham hip resurfacing (BHR) prosthesis, (3) femur prepared with a BMHR stem size 1 (BMHR-1) and (4) femur prepared with a BMHR stem size 3 (BMHR-3). Each femur was subjected to a compressive force using a materials testing machine until fracture of the femoral neck occurred. The highest force at fracture was in the unprepared femurs with a mean (±standard deviation) force at failure of 5.9 ± 0.2 kN. The mean force at failure for the femurs fitted with a prosthesis was 2.6 ± 0.4, 3.0 ± 0.4 and 3.5 ± 0.5 kN for the BHR, BMHR-1 and BMHR-3, respectively. Statistical analysis showed that the failure force for the unprepared femur was significantly ( p<0.05) greater than that of the BHR, BMHR-1 and BMHR-3. There was a significant difference ( p<0.05) between the force at failure for the BMHR-1 and BMHR-3, indicating that these two stem sizes have an effect on fracture force.
The use of muscle dynamometer for correction of muscle imbalances in the area of deep stabilising spine system
Authors: Malátová Renata , Rokytová Jitka , Stumbauer Jan
Published: May 2013

Dorsal pain caused by spine dysfunctions belongs to most frequent chronic illnesses. The muscles of the deep stabilising spine system work as a single functional unit where a dysfunction of only one muscle causes dysfunction of the whole system. Non-invasive, objective and statistically measurable evaluation of the condition of deep stabilising spine system has been made possible by the construction of muscular dynamometer. The aim of our work has been the assessment of deep stabilising spine system by diaphragm test and muscular dynamometer measurements. Based on an initial examination, a 6-week intervention programme was established including instructions on physiological body posture and correct basic body stabilisation for the given exercises and muscle strengthening. Consecutive measurements are then compared with the initial ones. It was presumed that a smaller number of the tested subjects would be able to correctly activate the deep stabilising spine system muscles before the intervention programme when compared to those after the intervention programme. A positive change of 87% has been found. It is clear that if a person actively approaches the programme, then positive adaptation changes on the deep stabilising spine system are seen only after 6 weeks. With the muscular dynamometer, activation of deep stabilising spine system can be objectively measured. Changes between the initial condition of a subject and the difference after some exercise or rehabilitation are especially noticeable. Also, the effect of given therapy or correct performance of the exercise can be followed and observed.
Manual Experience Shapes Object Representations
Authors: Yee Eiling , Chrysikou Evangelia G. , Hoffman Esther , Thompson-Schill Sharon L.
Published: May 2013

How do people represent object meaning? It is now uncontentious that thinking about manipulable objects (e.g., pencils) activates brain regions underlying action. But is this activation part of the meaning of these objects, or is it merely incidental? The research we report here shows that when the hands are engaged in a task involving motions that are incompatible with those used to interact with frequently manipulated objects, it is more difficult to think about those objects—but not harder to think about infrequently manipulated objects (e.g., bookcases). Critically, the amount of manual experience with the object determines the amount of interference. These findings show that brain activity underlying manual action is part of, not peripheral to, the representation of frequently manipulated objects. Further, they suggest that people’s ability to think about an object changes dynamically on the basis of the match between their (experience-based) mental representation of its meaning and whatever they are doing at that moment.
What’s in a name? The representation of illegal actors in the internal conflict in the Colombian press
Authors: García-Marrugo Alexandra
Published: May 2013

This article examines the linguistic patterns associated with the forms of representation of Marxist guerrillas and right-wing paramilitaries, the main illegal actors in the internal Colombian conflict, on the reporting in the Colombian press of their violent actions. The analysis is based on a 300,000+ word specialised corpus of hard news reports on the conflict from four major Colombian newspapers. The analytical tools used are Van Leeuwen’s network for the representation of social actors and an adaptation of Hasan’s cline of dynamism. In addition, the epistemic modality of ownership of the crimes reported is examined. The results reveal remarkable differences in the reporting of the actions of both groups.
Mothers’ accounts of healthcare encounters: Negotiating culpability and fulfilling the active mother role
Authors: Gunnarsson Nina V , Hemmingsson Helena , Hydén Lars-Christer
Published: May 2013

This article explores mothers’ accounts of initial interactions and encounters with healthcare professionals and the outcomes where questions about their children’s problems are concerned. A case-based storyline was reconstructed as part of the analysis, focusing on when and how mothers claimed to be responsible parents. The outcomes of these encounters were presented by the mothers in this study as a drawn-out process, with disagreement between mothers and healthcare providers, resulting in different performances of moral agency. Some mothers portrayed themselves as dependent on healthcare expertise and made moral claims by attributing and deflecting blame, negotiating back and forth about their own and the healthcare professionals’ culpability, restoring moral agency. Other mothers did not generally defend or justify their actions or place blame, but appealed instead to fulfilment of the active mother role where they controlled the interaction and claimed full responsibility for their child’s care, hence presenting their moral agency as indisputable.
Paleotemperature variability in central China during the last 13 ka recorded by a novel microbial lipid proxy in the Dajiuhu peat deposit
Authors: Huang Xianyu , Meyers Philip A , Jia Chengling , Zheng Min , Xue Jiantao , Wang Xinxin , Xie Shucheng
Published: May 2013

The Asian summer monsoon is a very important climatic component affecting the land ecosystem on the eastern Asian continent. Here we assess microbe-derived lipid biomarker evidence from a well-dated peat core from Dajiuhu to reconstruct paleotemperature changes in central China through the last 13 ka. The branched fatty alcohol ratio BNA15, which is defined as the relative contribution of branched C15 fatty alcohols over their straight-chain homolog, shows a positive correlation with air temperature ( R= 0.83, n=11, p<0.001) in an altitude transect at Shennongjia Mountain, central China. This correspondence suggests that the microbial activities associated with branched fatty alcohol synthesis are sensitive to differences in temperature. The BNA15 sequence in the Dajiuhu peat deposit shows a trend similar to the paleotemperature record derived from pollen results over the last 13 ka, further supporting that BNA15 is a sensitive proxy of paleotemperature. Absolute temperatures estimated from BNA15 values of modern surface peats are about 3–4°C lower than the modern annual mean air temperature in the peatland, which may result from the influences of factors other than temperature or from the different microbial communities in the mountain soils used to calibrate the BNA15 acidic peats. Fluctuations in the continuous 13 ka BNA15-derived record of relative temperature change from the Dajiuhu peat core imply that solar activity is the dominant cause for most cold events at multicentennial to submillennial timescales.
Holocene pollen records from Caution Bay, southern mainland Papua New Guinea
Authors: Rowe Cassandra , McNiven Ian J , David Bruno , Richards Thomas , Leavesley Matthew
Published: May 2013

This study presents new palynological data from Caution Bay, south-central Papua New Guinea (PNG). It explores Holocene mangrove transitional events along a tide-dominated shoreline, and expands reconstructive detail for the wider southern PNG lowlands. Coinciding with recent regional archaeological research, this study also holds implications for interpretations of the Holocene settlement of Caution Bay and long-term people–landscape interactions. Data demonstrate a late-Holocene mangrove to mudflat transition, with vegetation patterns largely a function of low sediment loading, sedimentary redistributions and salinisation upon sea level decline c. 2000 cal. yr BP. These trends appear unique to Caution Bay, highlighting a variety of Holocene shoreline vegetation changes along the PNG south coast, each dependent on geomorphologic setting and hydrological fluxes. Further work is required to elucidate vegetation change inland of the coastal zone. Greater understanding of burning patterns and an archaeological collaboration are required to determine more concisely dryland plant spatial and temporal variability.
Orbital, ice-sheet, and possible solar forcing of Holocene lake-level fluctuations in west-central Europe: A reply to Magny
Authors: Bleicher Niels K
Published: May 2013

In his comment on Bleicher (2013) Magny presents a revised version of his score method and reaffirms that it can prove a possible influence of solar activity on Central European lake levels. He also stresses the diagnostic value of archaeological lake site settlements. This paper points at methodological problems that are not yet resolved in the revised version. Since there is great consensus that not only is the the Sun a primary forcing factor in the climate’s system, but also that its effect cannot be expected to be linear for all of the Holocene, the use of the score record is questioned. The proposed relation between archaeological lake site settlements and solar activity is shown to be doubtful.
Climate imprints during the ‘Medieval Climate Anomaly’ and the ‘Little Ice Age’ in marine records from the Alboran Sea basin
Authors: Nieto-Moreno V , Martinez-Ruiz F , Giralt S , Gallego-Torres D , García-Orellana J , Masqué P , Ortega-Huertas M
Published: May 2013

An integrated multiproxy analysis from westernmost Mediterranean hemipelagic sediments has provided further insights into natural climate variability and forcing mechanisms in this region during the last two millennia. Two deep-sea marine records, with a robust age model provided by the activity–depth profiles of 210Pb and 137Cs, together with 14C dating, allowed us to perform a detailed reconstruction of paleoenvironmental and paleoceanographic responses during the ‘Medieval Climate Anomaly’ (MCA), the ‘Little Ice Age’ (LIA), the Industrial period (IP) and the second-half of the 20th century. Decreasing trends of fluvial-derived element (Si) and a increasing eolian input (Zr/Al ratio) characterized the MCA and the second-half of the 20th century as prevalent dry periods, while generally humid conditions are evidenced during the LIA and the IP, in accordance to a positive and a negative mode of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), respectively (Trouet et al., 2009). The LIA developed as a sequence of successive short and abrupt dry–humid phase alternation. Furthermore, a noteworthy and sharp decrease of redox-sensitive elements (V/Cr and Ni/Co ratios) and coarser sortable silt at ad 1450 and 1950 yr, support more energetic hydrodynamic conditions at this time (oxygenated bottom waters and faster bottom currents), likely promoted by strengthened cooler waters flowing into the Mediterranean Sea.