bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
OBD-II Communications Anomaly List
Authors:   Vehicle E E System Diagnostic Standards Committee
Published: February 2017

To define a list of anomalies related to OBD Communications. Misinterpretations of various OBD Communications Standards and Recommended Practices have resulted in OBD “no-communications” situations in the field. This Information Report identifies the most prevalent of these.
Instrumentation for Impact Test—Part 2: Photographic Instrumentation
Authors:   Safety Test Instrumentation Standards Committee
Published: February 2017

The purpose of this SAE Recommended Practice is to define criteria of performance for an optical data channel when numerical time and space data are taken from the images to analyze impact test results.
Fuel Components and Systems Leak Tightness Specifications and Test Practices (or Methods)
Authors:   Fuel Systems Standards Committee
Published: February 2017

This SAE recommended practice specifies a standard geometry leak channel to set the leak threshold and compare results from a variety of leak test technologies and test conditions. This practice applies to fuel system assemblies and components which have a risk of allowing regulated fuel or fuel vapors to continuously escape to atmosphere. A component or assembly tested to this standard has a zero HC leakage threshold because the selected leak channel (Equivalent Channel) will self-plug and will not emit measurable hydrocarbon liquid or vapors. Therefore this standard eliminates leaks as a source of evaporative emission. This practice was primarily developed for pressurized and non-pressurized fuel systems and components containing liquid hydrocarbon based fuels.
Low-duty Inertia Dynamometer Hydraulic Brake Wear Test Procedures for Vehicles Above 4536 kg (10 000 lb) of GVWR
Authors:   Truck and Bus Hydraulic Brake Committee
Published: February 2017

This Recommended Practice is derived from OEM and tier-1 laboratory tests and applies to two-axle multipurpose passenger vehicles, or trucks with a GVWR above 4536 kg (10 000 pounds) equipped with hydraulic disc or drum service brakes. Before conducting testing for a specific brake sizes or under specific test conditions, review, agree upon, and document with the test requestor any deviations from the test procedure. Also, the applicable criteria for the final test results and wear rates deemed as significantly different require definition, assessment, and proper documentation; especially as this will determine whether or not Method B testing is needed.

This Recommended Practice does not evaluate or quantify other brake system characteristics such as performance, noise, judder, ABS performance, or braking under extreme temperatures or speeds. Minimum performance requirements are not part of this recommended practice. Consistency and margin of pass/fail of the minimum requirements related to wear rates and wear behavior can be assessed as part of the project in coordination with the test requestor.

NOTE: This Recommended Practice uses the unit conversion and rounding techniques from the NIST Special Publication 811. This to ensure the use of standard conversion factors and to determine the appropriate number of significant digits to ensure the Rounding Error (RE) of the converted unit is smaller than or similar to the RE of the original English or Imperial unit.
Glaucoma Surgery in Scleromalacia: Using Endoscopic Cyclophotocoagulation where Conventional Filtration Surgery or Angle Procedures are contraindicated
Authors: Lindfield Dan , Stanford Miles R , Goyal Saurabh
Published: February 2017

Aim

To describe the surgical management of glaucoma in a patient with severe scleromalacia, and secondary angle closure.

Introduction

The management of glaucoma with coexisting scleromalacia plus secondary angle closure is challenging as most commonly performed incisional glaucoma surgery as well as minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS), which targets the drainage angle are all contraindicated.

Case report

Medically refractory glaucoma in a 60-year-old male with a 30-year history of granulomatosis with polyangiitis resulting in extensive severe scleromalacia, cicatricial lower lid retraction with significant conjunctival exposure, and widespread synechial angle closure from chronic anterior uveitis was managed with combined phacoemulsification cataract surgery, and endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation (ECP). Careful postoperative management with intensive immunosuppression was used to successfully prevent complications related to the surgery, which resulted in improved visual acuity, and control of intraocular pressure (IOP).

Conclusion

The ECP is a minimally invasive procedure that targets inflow of aqueous, and can be safely and successfully used to control IOP in challenging patients with complex secondary glaucoma, where the use of traditional incisional surgery, and other MIGS procedures are all contraindicated.

Clinical significance

The choice of surgical treatment for medically refractory glaucoma needs to be selected based on the circumstances of individual patients, and take into consideration the condition of the sclera, conjunctiva and drainage angle, against the safety and efficacy of possible treatments.

How to cite this article

Rodrigues IAS, Lindfield D, Stanford MR, Goyal S. Glaucoma Surgery in Scleromalacia: Using Endoscopic Cyclophotocoagulation where Conventional Filtration Surgery or Angle Procedures are contraindicated. J Curr Glaucoma Pract 2017;11(2):73-75.
Clinical Experience with the M4 Ahmed Glaucoma Drainage Implant
Authors: Sluch Ilya , Gudgel Brett , Dvorak Justin , Ahluwalia Mary Anne , Ding Kai , Vold Steve , Sarkisian Steven
Published: February 2017

Aim

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the M4 (porous polyethylene plate) Ahmed Glaucoma Valve (AGV) drainage implant in a multicenter retrospective study.

Materials and methods

A retrospective chart review of medical records of patients who had undergone the M4 Ahmed valve was performed from January 2013 to April 2015. The primary outcome measure was surgical failure defined as: Less than a 20% reduction in baseline intraocular pressure (IOP) to last follow-up visit, final IOP less than 5 mm Hg or greater than 18 mm Hg, reoperation for glaucoma, or loss of light perception vision. All eyes not meeting the above criteria were defined as success.

Results

A total of 291 eyes met all study inclusion criteria. The average follow-up in the study was 6 months (±7.6 months) with 112 patients achieving 12-month follow-up (38.5%). 208 eyes (71.5%) met the study success criteria at final follow-up. No statistically significant spikes in postoperative IOP at 1 and 4 months were detected. The average preoperative IOP was 26.0 on an average of 2.8 medications. At 6 months, the average IOP dropped to 16.7 on 0.9 medications and stayed relatively stable at 15.8 on 1.2 medications at 12-month follow-up.

Conclusion

The M4 valve appears to have less of a hypertensive phase compared with the other Ahmed class valves with a similar safety profile. While 71.5% success rate was achieved at final follow-up, the failure rate steadily increased over time.

Clinical significance

While the M4 production has been discontinued, the porous design of the M4 may avoid a pressure spike in the Ahmed valve class and warrants future investigation for valve design.

How to cite this article

Sluch I, Gudgel B, Dvorak J, Ahluwalia MA, Ding K, Vold S, Sarkisian S. Clinical Experience with the M4 Ahmed Glaucoma Drainage Implant. J Curr Glaucoma Pract 2017;11(3):92-96.
Being together – Exploring the modulation of affect in improvisational music therapy with a man in a persistent vegetative state – a qualitative single case study
Authors: Schmid Wolfgang
Published: February 2017

This article explores the role of affective expression and modulation as a means of communication in improvisational music therapy with a 44-year-old man living in a persistent vegetative state. Within a practice-based approach two vignettes from music therapy illustrate the regulation of the intensity of affect in an interpersonal relationship. Perspectives from modern attachment theory, developmental psychology, and embodiment research will be introduced and discussed, to theoretically frame and embed the practical work. It is suggested that the bodily-emotional situatedness of the man and the music therapist form the area of exchange for a non-verbal, affect-driven communication. In this way, playing with the affect is the main topic for the encounter, promoting self-organizational processes in both individuals involved.
Mindfulness training for chronic fatigue syndrome: a pilot study
Authors: Sollie Katinka , Næss Eva Therese , Solhaug Ida , Thimm Jens C.
Published: February 2017

Background

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a condition characterized by persistent and unexplained fatigue that may result in severe impairment of daily functioning. Currently, there is no curative treatment for CFS, and many patients experience the existing interventions as ineffective. Thus, there is a need for new approaches that target psychological maintenance factors and coping. Mindfulness is an approach to increasing awareness and acceptance of ongoing mental processes. Mindfulness-based interventions have been shown to reduce stress and enhance quality of life in patients with chronic diseases, to increase the tolerance of unpleasant feelings and bodily dysfunction, as well as to facilitate use of appropriate coping skills. This pilot study examined the effect and acceptability of a mindfulness-based intervention for patients with CFS.

Participants and procedure

Ten patients with CFS (eight women, two men) participated in the study. The mindfulness training had a duration of eight weeks with 2-hour weekly meetings. The effect of the intervention was evaluated using a single case series design with a 3-month follow-up.

Results

All patients completed the intervention. Medium to large effect sizes were found for anxiety, fatigue, rumination, depression, and mindfulness. The participants’ feedback indicated increased quality of life and more adaptive coping.

Conclusions

It is concluded that mindfulness-based interventions have a potential to improve the condition of patients with CFS.
Calprotectin in rheumatic diseases: a review
Authors: Kopeć-Mędrek Magdalena , Widuchowska Małgorzata , J. Kucharz Eugeniusz
Published: February 2017

Calprotectin also known as MRP8/14 or S100A8/A9 is a heterodimeric complex of two S100 calcium-binding proteins: myeloid-related protein 8 (MRP-8 or S100A8) and MRP-14 (or S100A9). At present, according to many authors, it is considered that calprotectin MRP8/14 is a potentially more sensitive biomarker of disease activity in rheumatoid disease than conventional inflammatory indices such as the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein and others. A review of the literature on concentration of calprotectin in patients with some rheumatic diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, adult-onset Still’s disease, systemic vasculitis, polymyalgia rheumatica, ankylosis spondylitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and primary Sjögren’s syndrome) is presented.
Meteorological context of the onset and end of the rainy season in Central Amazonia during the 2014–15 Go-Amazon Experiment
Authors: Marengo Jose A. , Fisch Gilberto F. , Alves Lincoln M. , Sousa Natanael V. , Fu Rong , Zhuang Yizhou
Published: February 2017

Abstract. The onset and demise of the rainy season in Amazonia are assessed in this study using meteorological data from the Go Amazon experiment, with focus is on the 2014–15 rainy season. In addition, global reanalyses are also used to identify changes in circulation leading to the establishment of the rainy season in the region. Our results show that the onset occurred in January 2015, 2–3 pentads later than normal, and the rainy season during austral summer of 2015 exhibited several periods with consecutive dry days in both Manacapuru and Manaus, which are not common for the wet season, and thus determining below normal precipitation. The onset of the rainy season has been strongly associated with changes in large-scale weather conditions in the region due to the effect of the MJO. Regional thermodynamic indices (CAPE, CIN) and the height of the PBL did not present a significant difference between the onset and demise of wet season 2015. This suggests that local changes such the regional thermodynamic characteristics may have not influenced the onset of the rainy season. Variability of the large-scale circulation was responsible for regional convection and rainfall changes in Amazonia during the austral summer of 2014–15.
A ubiquitous ice size bias in simulations of tropical deep convection
Authors: Stanford McKenna W. , Varble Adam , Zipser Ed , Strapp J. Walter , Leroy Delphine , Schwarzenboeck Alfons , Potts Rodney
Published: February 2017

Abstract. The High Altitude Ice Crystals – High Ice Water Content (HAIC-HIWC) joint field campaign produced aircraft retrievals of total condensed water content (TWC), hydrometeor particle size distributions (PSDs), and vertical velocity (w) in high ice water content regions of mature and decaying tropical mesoscale convective systems (MCSs). The resulting dataset is used here to explore causes of the commonly documented high bias in radar reflectivity within cloud-resolving simulations of deep convection. This bias has been linked to overly strong simulated convective updrafts lofting excessive condensate mass but is also modulated by parameterizations of hydrometeor size distributions, single particle properties, species separation, and microphysical processes. Observations are compared with three Weather Research and Forecasting model simulations of an observed MCS using differing microphysics while controlling for w, TWC, and temperature. Two bulk microphysics schemes (Thompson and Morrison) and one bin microphysics scheme (Fast Spectral Bin Microphysics) are compared. For temperatures between −10 °C and −40 °C and TWC > 1 g m−3 inside updrafts, all microphysics schemes produce median mass diameters (MMDs) that are generally larger than observed, and the precipitating ice species that controls this size bias varies by scheme, temperature, and w. Despite a much greater number of samples, all simulations fail to reproduce observed high TWC conditions (> 2 g m−3) between −20 °C and −40 °C in which only a small fraction of condensate mass is found in relatively large particle sizes greater than 1 mm in diameter. Although more mass is distributed to relatively large particle sizes relative to observed across all schemes when controlling for temperature, w, and TWC, differences with observations for a given particle size vary greatly between schemes. As a result, this bias is hypothesized to partly result from errors in parameterized hydrometeor PSD and single particle properties, but because it is present in all schemes, it may also partly result from errors in parameterized microphysical processes present in all schemes. Because of these ubiquitous ice size biases, microphysical parameterizations inherently produce a high bias in convective reflectivity for a wide range of temperatures, vertical velocities, and TWCs.
A complete glacier inventory of the Antarctic Peninsula based on Landsat 7 images from 2000 to 2002 and other preexisting data sets
Authors: Huber Jacqueline , Cook Alison J. , Paul Frank , Zemp Michael
Published: February 2017

Abstract. The glaciers on the Antarctic Peninsula (AP) potentially make a large contribution to sea level rise. However, this contribution has been difficult to estimate since no complete glacier inventory (outlines, attributes, separation from the ice sheet) is available. This work fills the gap and presents a new glacier inventory of the AP north of 70° S, based on digitally combining preexisting data sets with geographic information system (GIS) techniques. Rock outcrops have been removed from the glacier basin outlines of Cook et al. (2014) by intersection with the latest layer of the Antarctic Digital Database (Burton-Johnson et al., 2016). Glacier-specific topographic parameters (e.g., mean elevation, slope and aspect) as well as hypsometry have been calculated from the DEM of Cook et al. (2012). We also assigned connectivity levels to all glaciers following the concept by Rastner et al. (2012). Moreover, the bedrock data set of Huss and Farinotti (2014) enabled us to add ice thickness and volume for each glacier. The new inventory is available from the Global Land Ice Measurements from Space (GLIMS) database (doi:10.7265/N5V98602) and consists of 1589 glaciers covering an area of 95 273 km2, slightly more than the 89 720 km2 covered by glaciers surrounding the Greenland Ice Sheet. Hence, compared to the preexisting data set of Cook et al. (2014), this data set covers a smaller area and one glacier less due to the intersection with the rock outcrop data set. The total estimated ice volume is 34 590 km3, of which one-third is below sea level. The hypsometric curve has a bimodal shape due to the unique topography of the AP, which consists mainly of ice caps with outlet glaciers. Most of the glacierized area is located at 200–500 m a.s.l., with a secondary maximum at 1500–1900 m. Approximately 63 % of the area is drained by marine-terminating glaciers, and ice-shelf tributary glaciers cover 35 % of the area. This combination indicates a high sensitivity of the glaciers to climate change for several reasons: (1) only slightly rising equilibrium-line altitudes would expose huge additional areas to ablation, (2) rising ocean temperatures increase melting of marine terminating glaciers, and (3) ice shelves have a buttressing effect on their feeding glaciers and their collapse would alter glacier dynamics and strongly enhance ice loss (Rott et al., 2011). The new inventory should facilitate modeling of the related effects using approaches tailored to glaciers for a more accurate determination of their future evolution and contribution to sea level rise.
Spatio-temporal approach to moving window block kriging of satellite data v1.0
Authors: Tadić Jovan M. , Qiu Xuemei , Miller Scot , Michalak Anna M.
Published: February 2017

Abstract. Numerous existing satellites observe physical or environmental properties of the Earth system. Many of these satellites provide global-scale observations, but these observations are often sparse and noisy. By contrast, contiguous, global maps are often most useful to the scientific community (i.e., Level 3 products). We develop a spatio-temporal moving window block kriging method to create contiguous maps from sparse and/or noisy satellite observations. This approach exhibits several advantages over existing methods: (1) it allows for flexibility in setting the spatial resolution of the Level 3 map, (2) it is applicable to observations with variable density, (3) it produces a rigorous uncertainty estimate, (4) it exploits both spatial and temporal correlations in the data, and (5) it facilitates estimation in real time. Moreover, this approach only requires the assumption that the observable quantity exhibits spatial and temporal correlations that are inferable from the data. We test this method by creating Level 3 products from satellite observations of CO2 (XCO2) from the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT), CH4 (XCH4) from the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) and solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) from the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment-2 (GOME-2). We evaluate and analyze the difference in performance of spatio-temporal vs. recently developed spatial kriging methods.
Prediction of the area affected by earthquake-induced landsliding
based on seismological parameters
Authors: Marc Odin , Meunier Patrick , Hovius Niels
Published: February 2017

Abstract. We present an analytical, seismologically consistent expression for the surface area of the region within which landslides induced by a given earthquake are distributed. The expression is based on scaling laws relating seismic moment, source depth and focal mechanism with ground shaking and fault rupture length and assumes a globally constant critical acceleration for onset of systematic mass wasting. The seismological assumptions are identical to those recently used to propose a seismologically consistent expression for total landslide volume and area. To test the accuracy of the model we gathered geophysical information and estimates of the landslide distribution area for 83 earthquakes. To reduce uncertainties and inconsistencies in the estimation of the landslide distribution area, we propose an objective definition based on the shortest distance from the seimsic wave emission line containing 95 % of the total landslide area. Without any empirical calibration the model explains 56 % of the variance in our dataset, and predicts 35 to 49 out of 83 cases within a factor two, depending on how we account for uncertainties on the seismic source depth. For most cases with comprehensive landslide inventories we show that our prediction compares well with the smallest region around the fault containing 95 % of the total landslide area. Aspects ignored by the model that could explain the residuals include, local variations of the critical acceleration and processes modulating the surface ground shaking, such as the distribution of seismic energy release on the fault plane, the dynamic stress drop or the rupture directivity. Nevertheless, its simplicity and first order accuracy suggest that the model can yield plausible and useful estimates of the landslide distribution area in near-real time, with earthquake parameters issued by standard detection routines.
Trapped Planetary (Rossby) Waves Observed in the Indian Ocean by Satellite Borne Altimeters
Authors: De-Leon Yair , Paldor Nathan
Published: February 2017

Abstract. Using 20 years of accurately calibrated, high resolution, observations of Sea Surface Height Anomalies (SSHA) by satellite ‎borne altimeters we show that in the Indian Ocean south of the Australian coast the low frequency variations of SSHA are ‎dominated by westward propagating, trapped, i.e. non-harmonic, planetary waves. Our results demonstrate that the ‎meridional-dependent amplitudes of the SSHA are large only within a few degrees of latitude next to the South-Australian ‎coast while farther in the ocean they are uniformly small. This meridional variation of the SSHA signal is typical of the ‎amplitude structure in the trapped wave theory. The westward propagation speed of the SSHA signals is analyzed by ‎employing three different methods of estimation. Each one of these methods yields speed estimates that can vary widely ‎between adjacent latitudes but the combination of at least two of the three methods yields much smoother variation. The ‎estimates obtained in this manner show that the observed phase speeds at different latitudes exceed the phase speeds of ‎harmonic Rossby (Planetary) waves by 140 % to 200 %. In contrast, the theory of trapped Rossby (Planetary) waves in a ‎domain bounded by a wall on its equatorward side yields phase speeds that approximate more closely the observed phase ‎speeds.‎
The dark side of e-petitions? Exploring anonymous signatures
Authors: Berg Janne
Published: February 2017

This paper analyzes anonymous political participation in the form of e-petition signing. The purpose of this study is to increase knowledge about patterns behind anonymous e-petition signing. Since online political participation evokes an important discussion about the balance between the need for transparency on the one hand, and the right for anonymity on the other hand, it is crucial to increase our knowledge of the factors affecting citizens’ choices to remain anonymous. Using quantitative content analysis of 220 informal e-petitions on the site adressit.com in Finland, this study seeks to find possible determinants for the share of anonymous signatures. Findings indicate that the type of demand presented in the e-petition is a key factor predicting the share of anonymous signatures.
The new world of data: Four provocations on the Internet of Things
Authors: Weber Steven , Wong Richmond Y.
Published: February 2017

The development and deployment of Internet of Things (IoT) is rapidly emerging as the next major step in the ongoing evolution of the digital society and economy. To gain better insight and foresight into key characteristics that will differentiate this more intensely connected future from the present, we shift the focus of attention in this paper from the Internet of ‘things’ per se, to the data that the Internet of Things will generate. We put forward four provocations about IoT data that pose what we argue will be the most critical questions about business models, privacy, economic geography, and security. The next phase of Internet development will raise new challenges — in particular, around risk, governance, and responsibility — that we articulate here as a forward-looking research and action agenda aimed at maximizing the upside potential of IoT over the next decade.
Comparison and Translation: A Perspective from Actor-Network Theory
Authors: Felski Rita
Published: February 2017

What can scholars of comparative literature learn from other fields about theories and practices of comparison? This article turns to actor-network theory (ANT) and its explorations of translation, comparison, and similar terms. ANT, it argues, offers an intriguing angle on such modes of relation. In literary studies, comparison has often been subject to stringent critique, accused of imposing false equivalences and oppressive forms of homogenization. Perhaps, however, we can flip things around, reassessing critique via a stress on the complexities of comparison. ANT, as we will see, offers a relational ontology, in contrast to the ethos of negativity that has dominated literary studies in recent years.
The Rhetorical Aesthetics of More: On Archival Magnitude
Authors: Rice Jenny
Published: February 2017

The Aristotelian concept of magnitude (megethos) can expand our understanding of how abundant information accumulates in ways that expand beyond epistemic registers, creating a sense of coherence. This sense of coherence, in turn, is more of an aesthetic effect than the result of epistemic validity drawn from that evidentiary abundance. In this article, I explore two different examples of archival magnitude: one is the fine-grained enormity of conspiracy discourse and the second is the large-scale quantities that power big data. These examples of archival magnitude are simply two narratives through which to explore the aesthetic and rhetorical operation of megethos. By redefining discourses that call on magnitude—the power of more—as aesthetic discourse, we may also find that the most fitting response is likewise an aesthetic one.
Editorial
Authors: Saraiva Ariane De Oliveira
Published: February 2017

Não tem resumo
Editorial
Authors: Culpi Ludmila A.
Published: February 2017

NÃO HÁ
Editorial
Authors: Culpi Ludmila
Published: February 2017

Item sem resumo
Carbohydrate knowledge in diabetic emergency department patients at an academic institution
Authors: Dalawari Preeti , Sprowls David , Moran Vicki , Armbrecht Eric
Published: February 2017

Background: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) affects 12.3% of the U.S. population and is responsible for $245 billion in annual costs. Knowledge about their disease is an important part of patients’ self-management.Objective: The objective of this study was to describe the baseline level of knowledge of patients with diabetes in this emergency department (ED), including behaviors related to healthy eating such as carbohydrate counting (CC).Methods: This was a cross sectional interview survey conducted at an academic tertiary center. An 8-item survey was developed to assess areas of diabetes self-care and carbohydrate knowledge. Trained research assistants approached all medically stable, non-pregnant ED patients with a past medical history of diabetes for participation. Descriptive statistics and ANOVA analysis were used.Results: Of the 115 patients approached, 98 were willing to participate; 54% were using insulin and 68% were female. The average age was 55 (SD +/- 14) years and diagnosed for an average of 12 (SD +/- 10) years. Fifty three percent did not check their morning blood sugar. Only 20% could accurately state the target hemoglobin A1c. While 48% of participants could relate the importance of carbohydrates to blood sugar, only 5% could state the number of grams of carbohydrates in a slice of bread. Only 1 participant correctly answered all 4 of the carbohydrate questions. Higher education and more visits with a nutritionist were associated with carbohydrate knowledge.Conclusions: Carbohydrate knowledge among this ED population was poor. Opportunities exist for patient education.
Clostridium difficile Infection: An Orthopaedic Surgeon’s Guide to Epidemiology, Management, and Prevention
Authors: Anderson Paul A. , Bernatz James , Safdar Nasia
Published: February 2017

Clostridium difficile infection is a growing concern in health care and is a worrisome complication in orthopaedics. The incidence and severity of this infection are increasing, although the incidence following orthopaedic surgery is comparatively lower than that seen in patients in most other surgical specialties. The typical geriatric orthopaedic patient may have many risk factors that increase the likelihood of C difficile infection, including advanced age, residence in a long-term care facility, multiple comorbidities, the use of perioperative antibiotics, and a long length of stay. Many antibiotics used for prophylaxis in orthopaedic procedures have been correlated with an increased incidence of C difficile infection. The indications for C difficile testing may vary, and diagnostic methods differ in sensitivity and specificity. The prevention of this infection is multifaceted and consists of practitioner and patient hand hygiene, antibiotic stewardship, contact precautions, and proper environmental cleaning. The main treatment options are metronidazole for mild cases and vancomycin for moderate to severe disease. Up to 40% of cases may have one or more recurrence. Further research is needed to identify novel therapeutic and prevention strategies for C difficile infection.
Distal Radius Fractures in the Elderly
Authors: Levin L. Scott , Rozell Joshua C. , Pulos Nicholas
Published: February 2017

Distal radius fractures are common in elderly patients, and the incidence continues to increase as the population ages. The goal of treatment is to provide a painless extremity with good function. In surgical decision making, special attention should be given to the patient’s bone quality and functional activity level. Most of these fractures can be treated nonsurgically, and careful closed reduction should aim for maintenance of anatomic alignment with a focus on protecting fragile soft tissues. Locked plating is typically used for fracture management when surgical fixation is appropriate. Surgical treatment improves alignment, but improvement in radiographic parameters may not lead to better clinical outcomes. Treatment principles, strategies, and clinical outcomes vary for these injuries, with elderly patients warranting special consideration.
Functional Bracing After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Systematic Review
Authors: Lowe Walter R. , Warth Ryan J. , Davis Elizabeth P. , Bailey Lane
Published: February 2017

Introduction:

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the current literature on the use of functional knee braces after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction with respect to clinical and in vivo biomechanical data.

Methods:

A systematic search of both the PubMed and Embase databases was performed to identify all studies that reported clinical and/or in vivo biomechanical results of functional bracing versus nonbracing after ACL reconstruction. Extracted data included study design, surgical reconstruction techniques, postoperative rehabilitation protocols, objective outcomes, and subjective outcomes scores. The in vivo biomechanical data collected included kinematics, strength, function, and proprioception. Subjective clinical outcomes scores were collected when available. Quality appraisal analyses were performed using the Cochrane Collaboration tools for randomized and nonrandomized trials to aid in data interpretation.

Results:

Fifteen studies met the selection criteria (including 3 randomized trials [level II], 11 nonrandomized trials [level II], and 1 retrospective comparative study [level III]), with follow-up intervals ranging from 3 to 48 months. Most studies were designed to compare the effects of functional bracing versus nonbracing on subjective and objective results in patients who underwent previous primary ACL reconstruction. Functional bracing significantly improved kinematics of the knee joint and improved gait kinetics, although functional bracing may decrease quadriceps activation without affecting functional tests, range of motion, and proprioception. Four studies reported no differences in subjective outcomes scores with brace use; however, one study reported increased patient confidence with brace use, whereas another study reported decreased pain and quicker return to work when the brace was not used.

Conclusions:

The effectiveness of postoperative functional bracing following ACL reconstruction remains elusive. Some data suggest that functional bracing may have some benefit with regard to in vivo knee kinematics and may offer increased protection of the implanted graft after ACL reconstruction without sacrificing function, range of motion, or proprioception. However, limited evidence exists supporting the use of routine functional bracing to decrease the rate of reinjury after ACL reconstruction.
Decision Making for Labral Treatment in the Hip: Repair Versus Débridement Versus Reconstruction
Authors: Domb Benjamin G. , Hartigan David E. , Perets Itay
Published: February 2017

The role and function of the acetabular labrum have been studied extensively in the past decade. Recent studies have proposed that, in addition to causing pain and mechanical symptoms, labral tears may accelerate arthritis. Labral preservation is believed to be important because of the role the labrum plays in maintaining a healthy joint. Treatment of the acetabular labrum is becoming one of the fastest growing fields in orthopaedics; therefore, the treatment decision-making process must be refined. Currently, three commonly practiced labral treatments are available: repair, débridement, and reconstruction. Arguments for and against each treatment option exist in the literature. Reviewing the currently proposed indicators for labral tear treatments in conjunction with the treatment procedures yields a thorough decision-making guide for choosing the appropriate labral procedure.
Resilience of Parents with a Child with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Factors for Its Potential Enhancement: Family Income and Educational Level
Authors: Kavaliotis Paschalis
Published: February 2017

Autism is linked to bodily and psychological challenges for the parents who raise autistic children, it creates increased stress levels and reduced resilience because of these factors. However, many parents face the additional problem of the weakness to cope with the expenses of each therapeutic intervention, whereas often they are not adequately educated so as to be able to manage properly the information about the treatment of autism and maybe also its intake as a compulsory condition for the family environment. The writer explored the effect of family income and the parents’ educational level on the reduction of resilience through a quantitative research based on a population sample that consisted of the parents of 312 autistic children in Greece, all of them couples, namely 624 men and women, divided in equal numbers. The important impact of the annual family income on the shaping of the levels of the characteristics under study is confirmed, as the result that was drawn is that the level of financial strength is positively connected to the social support the parents receive and the resilience they develop. Likewise, the level of education is linked to social support. The social support increases when the educational level is higher, on the contrary, the opposite goes for the levels of the total stress, parental distress, parent-child dysfunctional interaction, difficulty of child, which the lower educational level increases.
De wenselijkheid van nawerking van algemeen verbindend verklaarde cao-bepalingen in het licht van het juridische systeem
Authors: Beltzer R.M.
Published: February 2017

Het aan de Minister van Sociale Zaken en Werkgelegenheid toegekende instrument van algemeenverbindendverklaring is sinds 1937 opgenomen in de Wet op het algemeen verbindend en onverbindend verklaren van bepalingen van collectieve arbeidsovereenkomsten (verder: Wet Avv). Het doel van deze wet is ondergraving van een cao door concurrentie op arbeidsvoorwaarden tegen te gaan. Algemeenverbindendverklaring ordent hierbij op twee wijzen: zij ordent de concurrentie op de afzetmarkt en zij brengt ordening op de arbeidsmarkt teweeg. Het effect van algemeenverbindendverklaring is dat alle werkgevers binnen de betreffende bedrijfstak en alle bij hen in dienst zijnde werknemers die betrokken zijn bij de cao wier bepalingen algemeen verbindend worden verklaard, aan hetzelfde rechtsregime onderworpen zijn. Afwijkende afspraken zijn nietig ingevolge het bepaalde in art. 3 Wavv.
Angst voor de democratische route? Fritz Scharpf over de eurocrisis
Authors: Blom Tannelie
Published: February 2017

Reflection and Debate initiates academically inspired discussions on issues that are on the current policy agenda.
Een kleine tragedie met een kleurrijk einde
Authors: Mensink Wouter
Published: February 2017

In this feature authors review recently published books on subjects of interest to readers of Beleid en Maatschappij.
Robots en arbeid: technologisch determinisme revisited?
Authors: Dekker Fabian
Published: February 2017

Robots and employment: technological determinism revisited?

In today’s debate on the impact of new technology on employment, many fear that robots will substitute human labour. Due to increased exposure to market pressure and the decline in union power, the adoption of new technology at the workplace is perceived as an inevitable course in order to remain competitive. This rejects the basic principles behind organizational choice theory: the idea that technology is shaped by social agency. Analysis of qualitative data from 23 in-depth interviews in two sectors of the Dutch economy shows that the use of robotics at the workplace is far more limited than anticipated.
Politieke partijen binden zich met CPB-doorrekeningen van partijprogramma’s aan invloedrijk staatsorgaan
Authors: Hollanders David
Published: February 2017

In this feature authors discuss recent research findings that are of interest to readers of Beleid en Maatschappij.
Laat het CPB alleen doen waarvoor het is opgericht
Authors: De Beer Paul
Published: February 2017

In this feature authors discuss recent research findings that are of interest to readers of Beleid en Maatschappij.
Na TTIP zal handelspolitiek nooit meer hetzelfde zijn
Authors: Engelen Ewald
Published: February 2017

In this feature authors review recently published books on subjects of interest to readers of Beleid en Maatschappij.
Als je merkt dat niemand het merkt
Authors: Schuyt C.J.M.
Published: February 2017

If you notice that no one notices. On science fraud

In this article the author deals with some issues concerning fraud in science. First, he wonders if this is a new phenomenon. After exploring the definition of scientific fraud he sets the inquiry to the prevalence of this phenomenon. Various recent science fraud cases are discussed, as well as possible explanations for science fraud. Finally, the author formulates a criminological-oriented hypothetical explanation, which opposes frequently heard explanations dealing with contemporary problems in the universities, such as the publication pressure.
Drones: zegen of vloek?
Authors: Elands P.J.M.
Published: February 2017

Drones: a blessing or a curse?

This article discusses the risks of the use of drones in airspace. The author describes the various applications of drones and the impact of drones on society. Which laws and rules apply in the Netherlands for the use of drones? What changes should be made so that public safety is guaranteed while the development of beneficial forms of drone use can continue to flourish?
Liar’s domination in graphs under some operations
Authors: Canoy Sergio Jr. Rosales , Balandra Carlito Bancoyo
Published: February 2017

A set $S\subseteq V(G)$ is a liar's dominating set ($lds$) of graph $G$ if $|N_G[v]\cap S|\geq 2$ for every $v\in V(G)$ and $|(N_G[u]\cup N_G[v])\cap S|\geq 3$ for any two distinct vertices $u,v \in V(G)$. The liar's domination number of $G$, denoted by $\gamma_{LR}(G)$, is the smallest cardinality of a liar's dominating set of $G$. In this paper we study the concept of liar's domination in the join, corona, and lexicographic product of graphs.
The Benefits of Using ICT in the EFL Classroom: From Perceived Utility to Potential Challenges
Authors: Azmi Noureddine
Published: February 2017

Research has shown that the use of Info-Tech in the EFL classroom can improve and enhance students′ language acquisition and substantially motivate them to continue their learning and stimulate their creativity and passion. However, the challenges and barriers that many EFL teachers and professors encounter while attempting to incorporate ICT in their teaching have triggered debates and growing concerns about the real utility of ICT use in the language classroom. So, do these benefits provide tangible evidence for the improvement of English language teaching and learning or are they just knickknacks that are beautiful rather than useful? Does the use of ICT in the EFL classroom boost learning and provide an environment for a more productive and varied learning? Research findings show that the use of information technology in the language classroom boosts autonomous learning, maximises targeted outcomes, motivates learners and helps them improve their performance in the EFL classroom. However, using ICT without careful planning and well-defined objectives will more likely be a waste of time and effort.
The Teacher Mentor’s Need for Pedagogical Instruction at Bethlehem University
Authors: Mizel Omar
Published: February 2017

The professional literature extensively discusses the needs of the student for emotional and cognitive development; this topic has been neglected in connection with pedagogical instruction. A prominent scholar who deals with this topic is A.H. Maslow (1956), who argues that we are all born with needs that direct us toward growth, development and self-realization. No systematic research studies have yet been conducted on the subject of the student’s needs in this respect, and the lack of a methodical approach to that subject is sorely felt. The identification of these needs could increase collaboration and trust between the teacher training college and the school. The sample in the present study consisted of 15 teacher mentors - 9 males and 6 females - who participated in an action research study on the topic of pedagogical instruction. The central tools chosen for this study were interviews, documentation and observation of a course in the process of its being taught. The findings point to the difficulty teacher mentors encounter in the fulfillment of their needs, including even their basic needs, and to the result that the teacher mentors′ feelings of alienation and their distrust of pedagogical instruction makes it hard for them to build a cooperative relationship. One of the recommendations is to develop an organizational structure that will invite all the participants in the pedagogical instruction encounter to work together so that they will all feel that they are vital to the success of their fellow participants.
The Macroeconomic Landscape of Post-Apartheid South Africa: A Critical Review of the Effect of the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) Program on the Success of Female SMEs Operators
Authors: Irene B.N.O.
Published: February 2017

Previous business research has highlighted the impact of government policy in the processes of formulating business strategies and in the decision-making process of organizations. In the South African context, a review of this impact on organizational strategy is for the most part important especially after the fall of apartheid as businesses have been saddled with widespread institutional change the purpose of which is to redress historic inequalities that characterized the apartheid regime. Specifically, the introduction of a far-reaching B-BBEE policy aimed at increasing participation of PIDs in economic activities. Previous researchers have been focused on the impact of B-BBEE policy on mergers and acquisitions, strategic decisions and value chain structures, as well as ROEs. The current report from STATS-SA indicates that the failure rate for women-owned businesses remains at a high rate despite the implementation of the B-BBEE policy. Therefore, research on the impact of BBBEE on business strategy and success of female SMMEs operators may provide an accurate and deep understanding that will be beneficial to policymakers because of the social pressures to emphasis more on a 'broad-based' BEE (B-BBEE) policy aimed at increasing the participation of the black population (and in particular women) in economic activities as well as increasing the number of black ownership in businesses or creating employment for the black population. This study used appropriate data tools and techniques to analyze the data drawn from a sample of female entrepreneurs in South Africa. The study applies culturally instantiated facets of the debate on gender entrepreneurship as part of a detailed and empirically sophisticated consideration of the status of female entrepreneurship within South Africa. This paper involves an in-depth survey using the ten dimensions of business performance as a basis to study small South African women-owned businesses given that the approach is useful in the development of a theory in fields where not much research has been undertaken. The businesses studied for this research are based on a setting where B-BBEE program is a principal factor in the strategic framework of the South African female business owner. This paper contributes to existing literature on the implications of the BBBEE program on SMEs by studying the relationship between business strategies, outcomes, and the B-BBEE program.