bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Autonomy and dignity of patients with dementia: Perceptions of multicultural caretakers
Authors: Bentwich Miriam Ethel , Dickman Nomy , Oberman Amitai
Published: April 2016

Background:

A key message in the World Health Organization’s report on dementia emphasizes the need to improve public and professional attitudes to dementia and its understanding, while acknowledging the fact that the workforce in dementia care is becoming increasingly diverse culturally.

Objectives:

To explore possible differences among formal caretakers from varied cultural background in their attitudes toward the autonomy and human dignity of patients with dementia.

Research design:

Semi-structured interviews and content analysis, utilizing two fictional vignettes for eliciting caretakers’ attitudes toward dignity and autonomy of their patients.

Participants and context:

A total of 20 formal caretakers of patients with dementia from three different cultural groups in Israel (“Sabras,” “Arabs,” and “Russians”), working in nursing homes and a hospital.

Ethical consideration:

Approvals of relevant research ethics committees were obtained and followed.

Findings:

In comparison with the other groups, most Arab caretakers offer markedly richer perceptions of human dignity and autonomy. Their human dignity’s conceptualization emphasizes “person-centered approach,” and their perception of patients’ autonomy includes provision of explanations and preservation and encouragement of independence.

Discussion:

The differences found in the attitudes toward the meaning of autonomy and human dignity between the Arab caretakers and the other caretakers stand in contrast to previous studies regarding human dignity, emphasizing the common nature of these attitudes. Offering a linkage (theoretical and empirical) between the Arab perceptions of dignity and autonomy, the study strengthen and further the importance attributed in existing literature to person-centered care in enhancing the quality of care for patients with dementia.

Conclusion:

The conceptualization of human dignity may vary among different cultural groups. It may also influence the extent to which the caretaker holds a full-fledged perception of the patients’ autonomy.
The emotion: A crucial component in the care of critically ill patients
Authors: Acebedo-Urdiales Maria Sagrario , Jiménez-Herrera Maria , Ferré-Grau Carme , Font-Jiménez Isabel , Roca-Biosca Alba , Bazo-Hernández Leticia , Castillo-Cepero M José , Serret-Serret Maria , Medina-Moya José Luis
Published: April 2016

Background:

The acquisition of experience is a major concern for nurses in intensive care units. Although the emotional component of the clinical practice of these nurses has been widely studied, greater examination is required to determine how this component influences their learning and practical experience.

Objective:

To discover the relationships between emotion, memory and learning and the impacts on nursing clinical practice.

Research design:

This is a qualitative phenomenological study. The data were collected from open, in-depth interviews. A total of 22 intensive care unit nurses participated in this research between January 2012 and December 2014.

Ethical considerations:

The School of Nursing Ethics Committee approved the study, which complied with ethical principles and required informed consent.

Findings:

We found a clear relationship between emotion, memory and the acquisition of experience. This relationship grouped three dimensions: (1) satisfaction, to relieve the patient’s pain or discomfort, give confidence and a sense of security to the patient, enable the presence of family members into the intensive care unit and provide family members with a realistic view of the patient’s situation; (2) error experience, which nurses feel when a patient dies, when they fail to accompany a patient in his or her decision to abandon the struggle to live or when they fail to lend support to the patient’s family; and (3) the feel bad–feel good paradox, which occurs when a mistake in the patient’s care or handling of his or her family is repaired.

Conclusion:

Emotion is a capacity that impacts on nurses’ experience and influences improvements in clinical practice. Recalling stories of satisfaction helps to reinforce good practice, while recalling stories of errors helps to identify difficulties in the profession and recognise new forms of action. The articulation of emotional competencies may support the development of nursing ethics in the intensive care unit to protect and defend their patients and improve their relationships with families in order to maximise the potential for patient care.
The development of incorporated structures for charities: A 100-year comparison of England and New Zealand
Authors: Cordery Carolyn J , Fowler Carolyn J , Morgan Gareth G
Published: April 2016

This article contrasts the emergence of two specific incorporated structures for non-profit organizations which came into being more than a century apart. We compare the ability for charities to form as “incorporated societies” under the New Zealand Incorporated Societies Act 1908 (effective from 1909), and to form as “charitable incorporated organizations” (CIOs), which were enacted in England and Wales under the Charities Act 2006 (effective from 2013). The article emphasizes the need for charitable non-profit organizations to incorporate for effective operation. This issue is rarely discussed, but the chosen legal form brings specific financial accounting obligations, affecting organizations’ accountability to third parties. Taking a comparative international history approach and drawing on a range of sources, we explore the socio-legal processes which led to the relevant legislation in each country. In particular, this diffusion study investigates why a specific corporate form for charitable non-profit organizations came into effect more than 100 years later in England as compared to New Zealand, with “place” emerging as the most significant comparative dimension.
The Securities Acts and public accounting: Financial statement audits as symbolic reform
Authors: Doron Michael E
Published: April 2016

This article attempts to provide a new look at the goals and achievements of the accounting and auditing provisions of the Securities Acts of 1933 and 1934. While endorsing the view that the Acts, and the New Deal programs as a whole, were essentially conservative, the article argues that the impact of the Securities Acts was nonetheless significant, if in many ways unintended and still often misunderstood. The New Dealers’ hope in 1933 was that strict accounting rules would be sufficient to ensure reliable financial reporting. But their views evolved quickly as they confronted the difficulties of writing and enforcing accounting rules with the limited resources Congress had granted them. Over the course of the 1930s they came to realize that empowering the independent public accountant was the only viable means of policing financial accounting in the American system. Following Baker and Quéré (2014), this article argues for the central role of the state in accounting regulation.
Modeling and parametric study of a force-amplified compressive-mode piezoelectric energy harvester
Authors: Yang Zhengbao , Zu Jean , Luo Jun , Peng Yan
Published: April 2016

Piezoelectric energy harvesters have great potential for achieving inexhaustible power supply for small-scale electronic devices. However, the insufficient power-generation capability and the narrow working bandwidth of traditional energy harvesters have significantly hindered their adoption. To address these issues, we propose a nonlinear compressive-mode piezoelectric energy harvester. We embedded a multi-stage force amplification mechanism into the energy harvester, which greatly improved its power-generation capability. In this article, we describe how we first established an analytical model to study the force amplification effect. A lumped-parameter model was then built to simulate the strong nonlinear responses of the proposed energy harvester. A prototype was fabricated which demonstrated a superior power output of 30 mW under an excitation of 0.3 g ([Formula: see text] m/s2). We discuss at the end the effect of geometric parameters that are influential to the performance. The proposed energy harvester is suitable to be used in low-frequency weak-excitation environments for powering wireless sensors.
A collaborative manufacturing execution system oriented to discrete manufacturing enterprises
Authors: Wang Huifen , Liu Linyan , Fei Yizheng , Liu Tingting
Published: April 2016

The study aims to present architecture and technology solution for collaborative manufacturing execution system oriented to discrete manufacturing enterprises. Under the networked manufacturing environment, the enterprises are facing challenges including the increasing manufacturing process complexity, the shorter product delivery, the higher customer satisfaction requirements, and so on. To deal with these challenges, the manufacturing enterprises must implement information management, while collaborative manufacturing execution system is one of the key technologies to realize informationization. Thus, in this study, the authors analyze production characteristics, typical production flow, and collaborative management requirements of multi-workshop production in the discrete manufacturing enterprise and propose an architecture of collaborative manufacturing execution system oriented to discrete manufacturing enterprises. The main functions of this system and key technologies to realize the system is also analyzed. Finally, a prototype system is developed and a case study is executed in Henan Pingyuan Optics Electronics Co., LTD in OPTO-Electronic Group to demonstrate the implementation and potentials of the system.
Conceptual and Empirical Scrutiny of Covarying Depression Out of Suicidal Ideation
Authors: Rogers Megan L. , Stanley Ian H. , Hom Melanie A. , Chiurliza Bruno , Podlogar Matthew C. , Joiner Thomas E.
Published: April 2016

Depression and suicidal ideation are highly intertwined constructs. A common practice in suicide research is to control for depression when predicting suicidal ideation, yet implications of this practice have not been subjected to sufficient empirical scrutiny. We explore what, precisely, is represented in a suicidal ideation variable with depression covaried out. In an adult psychiatric outpatient sample ( N = 354), we computed two variables—depression with suicidal ideation covaried out, and suicidal ideation with depression covaried out—and examined correlations between these residuals, three factors comprising a variegated collection of psychological correlates of suicidal ideation, psychiatric diagnoses, and past suicidal behavior. Findings indicated that suicidal ideation with depression covaried out appears to be characterized by fearlessness about death, self-sacrifice, and externalizing pathology. We propose that suicidal ideation may comprise two distinct components: desire for death (passive ideation and depressive cognitions) and will (self-sacrifice, fearlessness, externalizing behavior). Implications, limitations, and future directions are discussed.
Passivity-based cruise control of high speed trains
Authors: Faieghi Mohammadreza , Jalali Aliakbar , Mousavi Mashhadi Seyed Kamal-e-ddin , Baleanu Dumitru
Published: April 2016

The cruise control problem of high speed trains (HSTs) is revisited in this paper. Despite the ongoing trend of using Lyapunov-based approaches, the concept of passivity is used as the basis of cruise controller design. To begin with, the Euler–Lagrange modeling of longitudinal motion of HST is introduced. Consequently, passivity properties of the system is investigated and it is shown that the system presents a strictly passive input–output map output. This property is utilized to design a controller based on an energy-shaping method. Since the controller benefits from the passivity property of the train, it is structurally simple and computationally efficient while ensuring asymptotic velocity tracking. In addition, as revealed in our robust analysis, the controller is capable of dealing with bounded perturbations. That is to say, boundedness of velocity tracking errors is guaranteed for sufficiently large control feedback gains. The obtained theoretical results have been verified by numerical simulation.
Writing Slow Ontology
Authors: Ulmer Jasmine B.
Published: April 2016

What if—in light of the escalating pace of academic production—scholars adopted a Slow Ontology? Because this question moves beyond slowing the pace or volume of productivity to address underlying issues of ontology, it asks not how we can find a slower way of doing scholarship, but how we can find a slower way of scholarly being. A philosophy of Slowness has sparked movements around the globe regarding Slow Food and Slow Cities; these and similar movements disrupt daily practices that prioritize speed, efficiency, and output at the expense of quality. In response, a Slow Ontology approaches writing as a site of creative intervention. This article offers methodological possibilities for writing a Slow Ontology in qualitative inquiry: each attends to how we might write the materiality of our local environments. In writing a Slow Ontology, researchers might create writing that is not unproductive, but is differently productive.
Coethnic Endorsements, Out-Group Candidate Preferences, and Perceptions in Local Elections
Authors: Benjamin Andrea
Published: April 2016

Black and Latino voters support coethnic candidates at high rates in local elections. What is less clear is how Black and Latino voters respond to out-group candidates when they do not have the option to support a coethnic candidate. I posit that when race and ethnicity become salient in a campaign, endorsements from Black and Latino leaders and organizations increase support of out-group candidates among Blacks and Latinos. I find that this hypothesis is strongly supported among Blacks. However, the same is not true for Latinos, most likely because of the political heterogeneity of the group. Using data from a survey experiment, I show that Black endorsements of minority out-group candidates are persuasive for Blacks, while comparable endorsements from Latinos are not as influential among Latinos.
Tracking “Choice” in the Housing Choice Voucher Program: The Relationship Between Neighborhood Preference and Locational Outcome
Authors: Wang Ruoniu
Published: April 2016

Do residential locations of Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) households reflect tenants’ preferences for neighborhood quality? Study results come from a three-part methodology: (1) survey of voucher holders to find neighborhood preferences and other factors in the consumer decision-making model, (2) geographic information system (GIS) analysis of actual locational outcomes in terms of neighborhood opportunity and transportation accessibility, and (3) quantitative analysis of the strength of preference–outcome relationships. The results reveal that survey participants placed high priority on neighborhoods that were safe and clean, and with quality schools. Despite this, higher priority on quality housing and search barriers affected the housing choice. As such, to a large extent, the residents did not live in places that met their location preferences. The study calls for an expansion of location assessment measures in the current policy framework and the provision of more information about housing and neighborhood options to voucher recipients.
How Sustainability Is Reflected in the S&P 500 Companies’ Strategic Documents
Authors: Baral Nabin , Pokharel Mohan P.
Published: April 2016

This study’s goal was to analyze the contents of the S&P 500 companies’ mission, vision, and values statements to measure the extent to which they reflect the concept of sustainability. Data were collected from public domains (reports and websites) between April and June, 2013. Using inductive methods, we assessed corporations to reflect sustainability when their stated goal was not only to generate profits but also to care about people and the planet. The theme “generating the profit” emerged in 69.2% of the companies, while other themes of “caring for the people” and “safeguarding the planet” appeared respectively in 34.0% and 14.8% of the companies. About 12.0% of the companies had the triple bottom line (profit, people, and planet themes) in their strategic documents. Logistic regressions showed a sectoral difference in the emergence of profit, people, and planet themes. These findings are expected to instigate a healthy debate on sustainability.
Administrative data are not sensitive for the detection of peripheral artery disease in the community
Authors: Hong Yongzhe , Sebastianski Meghan , Makowsky Mark , Tsuyuki Ross , McMurtry M Sean
Published: April 2016

We sought to evaluate whether case ascertainment using administrative health data would be a feasible way to identify peripheral artery disease (PAD) patients from the community. Subjects’ ankle–brachial index (ABI) scores from two previous prospective observational studies were linked with International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and Canadian Classification of Interventions (CCI) codes from three administrative databases from April 2002 to March 2012, including the Alberta Inpatient Hospital Database (ICD-10-CA/CCI), Ambulatory Care Database (ICD-10-CA/CCI), and the Practitioner Payments Database (ICD-9-CM). We calculated diagnostic statistics for putative case definitions of PAD consisting of individual code or sets of codes, using an ABI score ⩽ 0.90 as the gold standard. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to investigate additional predictive factors for PAD. Different combinations of diagnostic codes and predictive factors were explored to find out the best algorithms for identifying a PAD study cohort. A total of 1459 patients were included in our analysis. The average age was 63.5 years, 66% were male, and the prevalence of PAD was 8.1%. The highest sensitivity of 34.7% was obtained using the algorithm of at least one ICD diagnostic or procedure code, with specificity 91.9%, positive predictive value (PPV) 27.5% and negative predictive value (NPV) 94.1%. The algorithm achieving the highest PPV of 65% was age ⩾ 70 years and at least one code within 443.9 (ICD-9-CM), I73.9, I79.2 (ICD-10-CA/CCI), or all procedure codes, validated with ABI < 1.0 (sensitivity 5.56%, specificity 99.4% and NPV 84.6%). In conclusion, ascertaining PAD using administrative data scores was insensitive compared with the ABI, limiting the use of administrative data in the community setting.
Social-class differences in self-concept clarity and their implications for well-being
Authors: Na Jinkyung , Chan Micaela Y , Lodi-Smith Jennifer , Park Denise C
Published: April 2016

A consistent/stable sense of the self is more valued in middle-class contexts than working-class contexts; hence, we predicted that middle-class individuals would have higher self-concept clarity than working-class individuals. It is further expected that self-concept clarity would be more important to one’s well-being among middle-class individuals than among working-class individuals. Supporting these predictions, self-concept clarity was positively associated with higher social class. Moreover, although self-concept clarity was associated with higher life satisfaction and better mental health, the association significantly attenuated among working-class individuals. In addition, self-concept clarity was not associated with physical health and its association with physical health did not interact with social class.
Co-occurring depression and alcohol misuse is under-identified in general practice: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Hobden Breanne , Bryant Jamie , Sanson-Fisher Rob , Oldmeadow Christopher , Carey Mariko
Published: April 2016

Depression and alcohol misuse are common co-occurring conditions. This study aimed to determine the accuracy of general practitioner identification of depression and alcohol misuse. Participants from 12 Australian general practices reported demographic and health risk behaviour data. General practitioners were asked to indicate the presence or absence of six health risk factors for individual patients. Accuracy of general practitioner identification was low at 21 per cent. Those with severe alcohol misuse, no chronic diseases and lower education levels were more likely to be identified. Routine screening prior to patient appointments may be a simple and efficient way to increase identification rates.
The time course of within and between-language interference in bilinguals
Authors: Incera Sara , McLennan Conor T
Published: April 2016

Purpose:

Recent research has provided support for linguistic coactivation, the view that the two languages of a bilingual are simultaneously active. Importantly, even if the system is fundamentally nonselective, the two languages of a bilingual can be activated to different degrees. The main contribution of the present paper is to empirically test what “different degrees of activation” really means. Differences could emerge in the timing or the magnitude of language activation.

Methodology:

Most of the research to date has been based on experiments using reaction times. In the present experiment participants responded to a bilingual Stroop task using a computer mouse. We argue that mouse tracking can provide new insights into the temporal dynamics of cognitive processes.

Data and analysis:

We used a series of t-tests to analyze participants’ mouse trajectories ( n = 20). We compared the x-coordinates over time for each of the four experimental conditions (Congruent-Within, Congruent-Between, Incongruent-Within, Incongruent-Between) with the x-coordinates over time for the control trajectory.

Findings:

Differences in the timing, but not the magnitude, of interference are at the root of the differential effects within and between languages. Within-language interference emerged 80 ms earlier than between-language interference.

Originality:

To our knowledge, the current experiment is the first to use the dynamic mouse-tracking paradigm to compare the time course of the two languages of a bilingual participant.

Implications:

The mouse-tracking paradigm can help to distinguish between the timing and the magnitude of interference, informing current theories of the bilingual mind.
Structural finite element model updating by using response surfaces and radial basis functions
Authors: Zhou Linren , Wang Lei , Chen Lan , Ou Jinping
Published: April 2016

Updating a finite element model of a large and complex structure involves a large number of updating parameters, some of which may be insensitive to structural measurements. Updating them wastes computing time and easily yields false-positive results. Model updating of response surfaces based on radial basis functions has previously been demonstrated to alleviate these problems. This study was designed to further validate the effectiveness and feasibility of the method for real-world civil engineering structures. The model updating procedure is illustrated in detail using a theoretical structure, a laboratory-scale bridge model, and an actual bridge. The key issues in selecting parameters and responses for updating are discussed. An objective function is proposed based on the differences between model predictions and measured responses. The alternatives of model updating solutions are discussed to obtain an optimal result. On the basis of the numerical simulation, experimental study, and real bridge application, the results indicate that this method works well and can easily be implemented in practice for updating models of complex bridges such as long-span, cable-stayed bridges.
Numerical evaluation of structural stay-in-place formwork in textile reinforced cement composite for concrete shells
Authors: Verwimp Evy , Tysmans Tine , Mollaert Marijke
Published: April 2016

This article presents the structural evaluation of textile reinforced cement composite elements as formwork and reinforcement for concrete shells. Different shell geometries of 10 m span and a height between 2.5 and 5 m are examined. On one hand, the minimum thickness of the composite element functioning as formwork for these shells is determined when supported with a different number of supports and for different concrete sections. On the other hand, the minimum thickness of the composite functioning as reinforcement is calculated to withstand the occurring maximum bending moment. For shells with a 10 to 15 mm concrete section, a minimum composite formwork of 5–6 mm is needed to carry the load of the cast concrete, while the minimum composite reinforcement needed to withstand the maximum occurring bending moment equals 2–3 mm. Conclusively, this preliminary numerical study demonstrates the structural potential of textile reinforced cement composite stay-in-place formwork for concrete shells and indicates the dominance of the casting stage over the final stage. More specifically, local buckling of the formwork is the determining factor and should drive future work towards this issue.
Health-Related Quality of Life, Cachexia and Overall Survival After Major Upper Abdominal Surgery: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Aahlin E. K. , Tranø G. , Johns N. , Horn A. , Søreide J. A. , Fearon K. C. , Revhaug A. , Lassen K.
Published: April 2016

Background and Aims:

Major upper abdominal surgery is often associated with reduced health-related quality of life and reduced survival. Patients with upper abdominal malignancies often suffer from cachexia, represented by preoperative weight loss and sarcopenia (low skeletal muscle mass) and this might affect both health-related quality of life and survival. We aimed to investigate how health-related quality of life is affected by cachexia and how health-related quality of life relates to long-term survival after major upper abdominal surgery.

Materials and Methods:

From 2001 to 2006, 447 patients were included in a Norwegian multicenter randomized controlled trial in major upper abdominal surgery. In this study, six years later, these patients were analyzed as a single prospective cohort and survival data were retrieved from the National Population Registry. Cachexia was derived from patient-reported preoperative weight loss and sarcopenia as assessed from computed tomography images taken within three months preoperatively. In the original trial, self-reported health-related quality of life was assessed preoperatively at trial enrollment and eight weeks postoperatively with the health-related quality of life questionnaire Short Form 36.

Results:

A majority of the patients experienced improved mental health-related quality of life and, to a lesser extent, deteriorated physical health-related quality of life following surgery. There was a significant association between preoperative weight loss and reduced physical health-related quality of life. No association between sarcopenia and health-related quality of life was observed. Overall survival was significantly associated with physical health-related quality of life both pre- and postoperatively, and with postoperative mental health-related quality of life. The association between health-related quality of life and survival was particularly strong for postoperative physical health-related quality of life.

Conclusion:

Postoperative physical health-related quality of life strongly correlates with overall survival after major upper abdominal surgery.
Work characteristics and psychological health in East Asian police personnel
Authors: Wang Weiwei , Leather Philip Joseph
Published: April 2016

In this study, the impact of the psychosocial work environment, namely demand, control and support, upon symptoms of depression and ill-health is examined in a sample of East Asian police personnel. Demand is found to be negatively related to well-being, whereas control and support are positively related. Support and career satisfaction are both examined as potential mediators in the links between demand and control (predictors) and depression and ill-health symptoms (outcomes). Empirical evidence is found for both mediation paths. Potential methodological limitations of the research are considered and possible suggestions for future studies are proposed. Interventions designed to increase control and support alongside assistance for career development are identified as possible effective course of actions.
Spilling over
Authors: Lambert Eric G , Qureshi Hanif , Frank James
Published: April 2016

Existing research has suggested that work–family conflict is associated with a host of negative consequences. One dimension of work–family conflict, known as strain-based conflict, occurs when workplace problems negatively impact the quality of home life. Unfortunately, there has been limited research on strain-based conflict among police officers, especially those in non-Western nations, and the existing research has failed to examine the relationships between a full range of relevant workplace characteristics and strain-based work–family conflict. Using survey data from Indian police officers, this study examined the association of time-based conflict, behavior-based conflict, role conflict, role ambiguity, role overload, role underload, perceived dangerousness of the job, supervision, views on training, job autonomy, and job variety with strain-based conflict. This study’s findings indicate that time-based conflict, behavior-based conflict, role conflict, and role overload were associated with higher levels of strain-based conflict in an ordinary least squares regression analysis. Job autonomy and views of training were associated with lower levels of strain-based conflict in a multivariate analysis. The findings also suggest a need to further study the impact of how work environment variables affect work–family conflict, particularly strain-based conflict, among police officers across a variety of nations.
Digital Islamophobia: The Swedish woman as a figure of pure and dangerous whiteness
Authors: Horsti Karina
Published: April 2016

This article addresses the digital culture of Islamophobic bloggers, focusing on the online circulation of a forensic photograph of a Swedish woman who was assaulted. The analysis shows how through appropriating this image, the bloggers created a unifying, imagined whiteness in the transnational Islamophobic network. The empirical analysis clarifies how this one image migrated and transformed in the blogosphere and legitimated the recurrent discursive trope of “Muslim rape.” This image became a subcultural “memory freeze frame” crystallizing the contemporary Islamophobic ideologies articulated in connection to race, ethnicity, nation, gender, and sexuality. The viral circulation of this image constructed a cultural, gendered, and racial Swedish whiteness, imagined to have become victimized by both Islam and liberal feminism, and therefore requiring global protection.
[Im]mobility in the age of [im]mobile phones: Young NEETs and digital practices
Authors: Thornham Helen , Gómez Cruz Edgar
Published: April 2016

This article draws on research with young NEETs (not in education, employment or training) in Leeds in order to contest the assumption that technological qualities informing new media devices (here mobile phones) simply or transparently translate into social or ontological categories. We draw on a long-term ethnographic study of NEET individuals to argue that one of the underpinning principles of mobile phones – that they pertain to mobility and that mobility is positive and agential – is called into question. Our aim is not only to unpack a number of concepts and assumptions underpinning the mobile phone but also to suggest that these concepts unhelpfully (and even detrimentally) locate mobile phones in relation to the technological possibilities on offer without taking into account what is simultaneously made impossible and immobile, and for whom. Finally, when we set the digital experiences of NEETs alongside the discourses around mobile phones, we find that mobility is restricted – not enabling, and that it is forged in, and articulated as part of an everyday life that is dominated by the social and economic horizons set by the groups status as NEET.
Making Southern theory? Gender researchers in South Africa
Authors: Morrell Robert
Published: April 2016

This article examines the work of six South African gender researchers working in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. It suggests that their work should be understood as situated in terms of politics, educational histories, theoretical connections and transnational engagements. It reflects on whether this work can be considered an example of Southern theory, and in turn suggests that Southern theory should itself be understood in relational terms that acknowledge both geopolitical connection and distance. The researchers who were interviewed by the author all draw on a feminist language and conceptual toolbox initially developed in Northern contexts, but in the recent period modified and extended by engagements with postcolonial and other feminisms. The article shows how South Africa’s repressive political conditions and deep racial and social class inequalities influenced the research. There was a strong link between anti-apartheid activism and research choices which reflected a battle for the inclusion of gender in struggles that prioritised the focus on race and class inequalities. Research was also shaped by the researchers’ relationship to activism and their engagement with marginality stemming from histories of colonialism and imperialism.
Is targeting ethical?
Authors: Devereux Stephen
Published: April 2016

Targeting as a mechanism for allocating scarce public resources efficiently and equitably has recently come under sustained attack, for both pragmatic reasons – the apparent impossibility of achieving perfect targeting accuracy – and ethical reasons – social divisiveness and perceptions that excluding some people from benefits is socially unjust. Universalism is offered as a fairer and more inclusive alternative, although universal programmes are sometimes erroneously conflated with categorically targeted programmes (such as social pensions for all older persons). This article critically examines the ‘targeting’ versus ‘universalism’ debate, drawing on three principles of redistributive justice – equality, equity and need. A trifurcated approach to social policy is proposed: the equality principle (universal provision) should be applied to essential social services; equity (payments proportionate to contributions) are appropriate for social insurance schemes, but social safety nets or social welfare grants should be allocated on the basis of need (vulnerable groups or poverty).
Examining meaning making from reading wordless picture books in Chinese and English by three bilingual children
Authors: Hu Ran , Liu Xiaoming , Zheng Xun
Published: April 2016

This qualitative study examined three bilingual children’s (aged 2, 3 and 4) meaning making and storytelling in relation to five wordless picture books over a period of 10 weeks. Guided by the Gradual Release of Responsibility Model the children were asked to read each book through four stages in both English and Chinese: I Read You Listen, I Read You help, You Read I help and You Read I Listen. The results suggested that the children applied a variety of techniques in their meaning-making process and that there were commonalities among the strategies they used as well as differences due to age, personal experiences and language ability. The children interacted with these books by making different connections and prompts from adults were also useful in facilitating their storytelling. Finally, the children’s preferences for language use and their unique characteristics in storytelling were also discussed.
A method to compensate non-damage-related influences on Damage Indices used for pitch-catch scheme of piezoelectric transducer based Structural Health Monitoring
Authors: Dragan Krzysztof , Dziendzikowski Michal
Published: April 2016

The risk of false calls of structural health monitoring systems is as much important for their application as their damage detection capabilities. Structural health monitoring based on guided waves propagation is particularly vulnerable to false calls. Signals acquired for piezoelectric transducer networks can be changed by many factors other than damage, for example, environmental factors or those related to the transducers’ aging or degradation of the transducers’ bonding with the monitored structure. A lot of studies were devoted to examine non-damage-related influences on structural health monitoring systems based on Lamb waves and to compensate the undesired effects. Most of compensation methods act on the level of the signal, that is, for a given factor influencing performance of piezoelectric transducers, signals are transformed to match the corresponding baselines. After such compensation procedure, the Damage Indices are calculated for the purpose of damage detection. In order to compensate the impact of all of non-damage-related factors, all of them need to be, at least, recognized. In this article, a different technique to compensate changes of Damage Indices values caused by factors other than damage is proposed. The method does not involve any operation on signals, but on the Damage Indices themselves. The factors causing Damage Indices’ changes neither have to be measured nor are even known. The capabilities of the method have been evaluated on the example of fatigue cracks detection in laboratory specimen tests and using results obtained during Full-Scale Fatigue Test of an aircraft.
Self-sensing concrete enabled by nano-engineered cement-aggregate interfaces
Authors: Gupta Sumit , Gonzalez Jesus G , Loh Kenneth J
Published: April 2016

The objective of this study was to design a multifunctional cement composite that could not only bear loads but also possessed electromechanical properties that are sensitive to damage. A mainstream approach is to disperse large quantities of conductive additives in the cement matrix, which can be costly, involve complex procedures, difficult to scale-up, and degrade concrete’s inherent mechanical properties. Instead, this research proposes a new method to design multifunctional and self-sensing concrete, which is achieved by altering the cement–aggregate interface using conductive, nano-engineered coatings. Here, a carbon nanotube–based ink solution was sprayed onto the surfaces of aggregates and then dried to form electrically conductive, thin film-coated aggregates. Then, the film-coated aggregates were used as is for casting concrete specimens. It was demonstrated experimentally that this procedure yielded concrete specimens that were not only conductive but also had electrical properties that varied in response to applied physical damage. An electrical impedance tomography algorithm was also implemented and used for estimating their spatial resistivity distributions. Since the electrical properties at every location of the film-enhanced concrete were sensitive to damage, electrical impedance tomography was able to produce electrical resistivity maps that indicated the locations and severities of damage. Multiple concrete cylinder, plate, and beam specimens were cast and tested for validating the self-sensing properties of film-enhanced concrete and the spatial damage detection capabilities of the electrical impedance tomography algorithm.
Statistical analyses for tensile properties of nonwoven geotextiles at different ambient environmental temperatures
Authors: Hsieh Jing-Chzi , Li Jia-Hsun , Huang Chen-Hung , Lou Ching-Wen , Lin Jia-Horng
Published: April 2016

Geotextiles primarily provide reinforcement, and their tensile properties can resist stresses and prevent soil structure deformation. Nonwoven geotextiles are also commonly used in railways, roads, soil and water conservation, and therefore their applications are subjected to climatic environments and geographical environments where the geotextiles are used. Therefore, this study recycles and reclaims Kevlar selvages that are then incorporated with polyester fibers and low-melting-point polyester fibers in order to form nonwoven geotextiles. The tensile properties of the geotextiles in relation to various ambient environmental temperatures are examined with the test temperatures being set as 25℃ (control group), 50, 60, 70, and 80℃. Statistical analyses are performed to examine the effects of fiber blending ratios, needle punching depth, and thermal treatments on the tensile properties of the nonwoven geotextiles. The test results indicate that nonthermally treated nonwoven geotextiles have a tensile strength that is significantly increased when the ambient temperature is increased. In contrast, according to the insignificant differences obtained from statistical analyses, the tensile strength of thermally treated samples is independent of the ambient temperatures, indicating that thermal treatment allows for heat setting of the geotextiles. In particular, the thermally treated polyester/low-melting-point polyester/Kevlar nonwoven geotextiles have the maximum tensile strength when they are composed of a blending ratio of 60/20/20 wt% and a needle punching depth of 0.5 cm.
Acupuncture for Dyspnea in Lung Cancer
Authors: Bauml Joshua , Haas Andrew , Simone Charles B. , Li Susan Q. , Cohen Roger B. , Langer Corey J. , Mao Jun J.
Published: April 2016

Purpose. Dyspnea is a common and distressing symptom for patients with lung cancer (LC) because of disease burden, therapy toxicity, and comorbid illnesses. Acupuncture is a centuries-old therapy with biological plausibility for relief of dyspnea in this setting. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of acupuncture for dyspnea among patients with LC. Methods. Eligible patients had a diagnosis of LC and clinically significant dyspnea without a clear organic cause. The treatment consisted of 10 weekly acupuncture sessions, with a follow-up visit 4 weeks after therapy. The primary outcome was dyspnea severity as measured using a validated Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) of 0 to 10 (10 being “most severe shortness of breath imaginable”). Results. We enrolled 12 patients in the study. The median age was 64.5 years; 66.7% of the patients were female, and 66.7% were Caucasians. Among those enrolled, 10 (83.3%) were able to complete all 10 acupuncture sessions. Acupuncture was well tolerated; adverse events were mild and self-limited. Mean (SD) dyspnea scores on the NRS improved from 6.3 (1.7) at baseline to 3.6 (1.9; P = .003) at the end of treatment and 3.2 (2.3; P = .008) at follow-up. Fatigue and quality of life also improved significantly with acupuncture ( P < .05). Conclusion. Among patients with LC, acupuncture was well tolerated and exhibited promising preliminary beneficial effects in the treatment of dyspnea, fatigue, and quality of life. Performing a trial in this population appears feasible.
Surveillance Duplex Ultrasonography of Stent Grafts for Popliteal Aneurysms
Authors: Pineda Danielle M. , Troutman Douglas A. , Dougherty Matthew J. , Calligaro Keith D.
Published: April 2016

Objective:

Stent grafts, also known as covered stents, have become an increasingly acceptable treatment for popliteal artery aneurysms. However, endovascular exclusion confers lower primary patency compared to traditional open bypass and exclusion. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether duplex ultrasonography (DU) can reliably diagnose failing stent grafts placed for popliteal artery aneurysms prior to occlusion.

Methods:

Between June 5, 2007, and March 11, 2014, 21 stent grafts (Viabahn; Gore, Flagstaff, Arizona) were placed in 19 patients for popliteal artery aneurysms. All patients had at least 1 follow-up duplex scan postoperatively. Mean follow-up was 28.9 months (9-93 months). Postoperative DU surveillance was performed in our Intersocietal Accreditation Commission noninvasive vascular laboratory at 1 week postprocedure and every 6 months thereafter. Duplex ultrasonography measured peak systolic velocities (PSVs) and ratio of adjacent PSVs (Vr) every 5 cm within the stent graft and adjacent arteries.

Results:

We retrospectively classified the following factors as “abnormal DU findings”: focal PSV > 300 cm/s, uniform PSVs < 50 cm/s throughout the graft, and Vr > 3.0. These DU criteria were derived from laboratory-specific data that we previously published on failing stent grafts placed for lower extremity occlusive disease. Four of the 21 stent grafts presented with symptomatic graft thrombosis within 6 months of a normal DU. Three of these 4 patients presented with rest pain and underwent thrombectomy (2) or vein bypass (1), and 1 elected for nonintervention for claudication.

Conclusion:

Our results suggest that surveillance DU using criteria established for grafts placed for occlusive disease may not be useful for predicting stent graft failure in popliteal artery aneurysms.
Treatment Outcomes and Lessons Learned From Transilluminated Powered Phlebectomy for Varicose Veins in 1034 Patients
Authors: Lin Peter H. , Matos Jesus M. , Chen Aaron , Kim Walter , Poi Mun J. , Jiang Jenny S. , Bechara Carlos F.
Published: April 2016

Introduction:

Transilluminated powered phlebectomy (TIPP) is a minimally invasive technique of varicose vein removal, which combines irrigated illumination with tumescent anesthesia for ablation of superficial varicosities and endoscopic-powered venous resection. The objective of this study was to analyze treatment outcomes of this treatment modality.

Methods:

A retrospective evaluation of prospectively collected data from all patients undergoing TIPP procedure for symptomatic varicose veins during a recent 12-year period was performed. Pertinent patient demographics, disease classification, perioperative complications, quality of life, and treatment outcomes were collected and analyzed.

Results:

A total of 1167 limbs in 1034 patients (mean age, 52.4 years) were treated during the study period. The mean procedure time was 18.4 ± 8.9 minutes (range, 6.0-82.0 minutes). The mean number of incisions for TIPP procedure was 6.3 ± 3.6. All TIPP procedures were technically successful, and no patient required conversion to hook stab phlebectomy. Fifteen (1.5%) patients developed residual or recurrent varicosities, which were treated with sclerotherapy during the follow-up period. Postoperative complications included hematoma at 2 weeks (5.8%), ecchymosis at 2 weeks (32.9%), saphenous neuropathy (0.3%), cellulitis (1.0%), and skin pigmentation (1.9%). There was no postoperative deep vein thrombosis or mortality.

Conclusions:

Transilluminated powered phlebectomy is an effective method for varicose vein removal and is associated with high clinical success and excellent cosmetic results. Meticulous technical steps are critical in achieving successful outcomes while minimizing complications. Technical considerations and lessons learned from our experiences are discussed in this report.
A new method for approximate solutions of some nonlinear equations: Residual power series method
Authors: Inc Mustafa , Korpinar Zeliha S , Al Qurashi Maysaa’ Mohamed , Baleanu Dumitru
Published: April 2016

In this work, a powerful iterative method called residual power series method is introduced to obtain approximate solutions of nonlinear time-dependent generalized Fitzhugh–Nagumo equation with time-dependent coefficients and Sharma–Tasso–Olver equation subjected to certain initial conditions. The consequences show that this method is efficient and convenient, and can be applied to a large sort of problems. The approximate solutions are compared with the known exact solutions.