bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Political autonomy and independence: Theory and experimental evidence
Authors: Abbink Klaus , Brandts Jordi
Published: March 2015

We use a game-theoretical model and results from laboratory experiments to study the process by which subordinated regions of a country can obtain a more favorable political status. In our theoretical model a dominant and a dominated region first interact through a political process. This process involves two referenda, one at the level of the country as a whole and one at the level of the subordinated region. If the political process succeeds, then the new autonomy level is implemented. If this process fails, then both regions engage in a costly political conflict in which both sides can spend resources to win the upper hand. We show that in the subgame-perfect equilibrium of our game the voting process leads to an intermediate arrangement acceptable for both parts so that the costly political struggle never occurs. In contrast, in our experiments we observe frequent fighting involving high material losses.
Computational fluid dynamics–based analysis of material removal characteristics in fluid jet polishing
Authors: Cao Zhong-Chen , Cheung Benny CF , Kong LB
Published: March 2015

Fluid jet polishing is an enabling ultra-precision machining technology, which has not only been widely used for removing machine tool marks in order to achieve super finished surfaces, but also for controlling the form accuracy in machining freeform surfaces. Due to the complex machining mechanism, it is difficult to model the material removal rate accurately with consideration of a lot of operational parameters in fluid jet polishing. In this article, the optimal operational parameters and the significance of the important parameters are determined by the Taguchi design of experiments. Hence, a computational fluid dynamics–based analysis is built for the determination of the material removal rate in fluid jet polishing. In this model, the impact information of the particles with respect to the workpiece is computed by computational fluid dynamics simulation which is then coupled with a local mechanics erosion model so as to predict the detailed distribution of the material removal rate in fluid jet polishing. To verify the computational fluid dynamics–based erosion model, a series of polishing experiments have been conducted. The experimental results are found to agree well with the predicted form error and the pattern of the material removal rate by the integrated erosion prediction model.
Investigations in subsurface damage when machining γ′-strengthened nickel-based superalloy
Authors: Chen Yujie , Bunget Cristina , Mears Laine , Kurfess Thomas R
Published: March 2015

γ′-strengthened nickel-based superalloys are developed for high-performance systems such as jet engines, internal combustion engines, and gas turbines. Their excellent properties are given by specifically designed microstructure. Unfortunately, the structure is deformed during machining. Too much deformation generated results in components with low mechanical integrity and reduced in-service life. Experimental investigations indicated that the machining affected zone or subsurface damage formation for nickel-based superalloys is an atypical phenomenon; its dependence on the process parameters is fundamentally different from the conventional materials. This research investigates subsurface damage formation in orthogonal cutting tests performed on nickel-based superalloys, followed by empirical and numerical modeling. The simulations are used to estimate the depth of the subsurface damage and are compared with the experimental results. The knowledge can then be applied to select optimum cutting parameters for an acceptable depth of subsurface damage.
Modelling of vibratory harvest with finite element method for trellis plantations
Authors: Fenyvesi László , Csatár Attila , Fenyvesi Dániel
Published: March 2015

The trellis supports of plants significantly affect their mechanical properties. Because trellises are usually used in grape plantations, their mechanical properties were measured in these systems. Vibrational grape harvesting was simulated using a finite element method. The major component of the vibration system is primarily represented by an elastic wire, and the green plants act as a mass with damping properties. The harvester ‘excitation’ was assumed to be sinusoidal with defined parameters. The real acceleration was measured during operation. The measured and calculated results correlated well. The process of detaching the crops can be determined using the calculated tearing force. This method helps to determine the dimensions of the trellis system and characterise the harvester’s operation.
Three-dimensional finite element modeling of effect on the cutting forces of rake angle and approach angle in milling
Authors: Gok Kadir , Sari Hüseyin , Gok Arif , Neseli Süleyman , Turkes Erol , Yaldiz Süleyman
Published: March 2015

In this study, milling operations were carried out using AISI 1040 specimens steel in dry cutting conditions. The cutting tools used in the experiment include P20 tool steel and they also have three different approach angles (45°, 60°, 75°) and rake angles (0°, −6°, −12°). In milling experiments, cutting parameters with a depth of cut of 1.5 mm, cutting speed of 193 m/min, and feed rate of 313 mm/min were selected. A comparison was presented between the force values which were obtained by measured value and predicted with numerical simulations, and then a good agreement was found between measured and predicted force values. As result of, it was observed that the rake and approach angles were effective in milling operations.
Multiple frailty model for clustered interval-censored data with frailty selection
Authors: Pan Chun , Cai Bo , Wang Lianming
Published: March 2015

Interval-censored time-to-event data often occur in studies of diseases where the symptoms of interest are not directly observable but require lab examinations for detection. Furthermore, the independence assumption among observations may not be valid if they are from clusters. Some methods have been developed for analysing clustered interval-censored data with a shared frailty to account for overall heterogeneity. In this paper, we propose a multiple frailty proportional hazards model, where we not only account for the baseline heterogeneity and effect variation across clusters for predictors, but also quantify the probabilities of the existence of such frailties. This proposed model will be especially useful for analysing multi-center randomised clinical trials for HIV, infections or progression-free survival in oncology studies.
Factors Influencing the Intent to Migrate in Nursing Students in South Korea
Authors: Lee Eunjoo
Published: March 2015

Purpose: To identify Korean nursing students’ level of intent to migrate and the factors influencing their intention to migrate. Method: Using a cross-sectional correlational design, data were collected from 886 nursing students in two nursing schools. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and hierarchical multiple regressions with SPSS version 18. Results: Nursing students had moderate levels of intent to migrate. Variables that were independently associated with intention to migrate were class year and having previously considered the possibility of overseas employment on admission to nursing school. The full model accounted for 45.1% of the variance in intention to migrate. Conclusion: The most significant predictor of intent to migrate by nursing students was the possibility of overseas employment on admission to nursing school. To more positively manage the intent to migrate, appropriate strategies to enhance the nursing work environment should be investigated.
Trajectory of Externalizing Child Behaviors in a KEEP Replication
Authors: Uretsky Mathew C. , Lee Bethany R. , Greeno Elizabeth J. , Barth Richard P.
Published: March 2015

Objective:

The purpose of this study is to examine the correlates of child behavior change over time in a replication of the KEEP intervention.

Method:

The study sample was drawn from the treatment group of the Maryland replication of KEEP (n=65). Change over time was analyzed using multilevel linear mixed modeling.

Results:

Parents’ use of positive reinforcement relative to discipline was associated with the rate of child behavior change among program participants; parents with the lowest initial levels of reinforcement reported the greatest decrease in child problem behaviors. Other participant characteristics were not associated with child behavior change during the study period.

Conclusions:

The results indicate the efficacy of an evidence-based foster parent training program for reducing child problem behaviors and underscore the utility of teaching parents to use more positive responses relative to discipline as a robust path to improved child outcomes.
Using Sandelowski and Barroso’s Meta-Synthesis Method in Advancing Qualitative Evidence
Authors: Ludvigsen Mette S. , Hall Elisabeth O. C. , Meyer Gabriele , Fegran Liv , Aagaard Hanne , Uhrenfeldt Lisbeth
Published: March 2015

The purpose of this article was to iteratively account for and discuss the handling of methodological challenges in two qualitative research syntheses concerning patients’ experiences of hospital transition. We applied Sandelowski and Barroso’s guidelines for synthesizing qualitative research, and to our knowledge, this is the first time researchers discuss their methodological steps. In the process, we identified a need for prolonged discussions to determine mutual understandings of the methodology. We discussed how to identify the appropriate qualitative research literature and how to best conduct exhaustive literature searches on our target phenomena. Another finding concerned our status as third-order interpreters of participants’ experiences and what this meant for synthesizing the primary findings. Finally, we discussed whether our studies could be classified as metasummaries or metasyntheses. Although we have some concerns regarding the applicability of the methodology, we conclude that following Sandelowski and Barroso’s guidelines contributed to valid syntheses of our studies.
Photovoice
Authors: Annang Lucy , Wilson Sacoby , Tinago Chiwoneso , Wright Sanders Louisiana , Bevington Tina , Carlos Bethany , Cornelius Evangeline , Svendsen Erik
Published: March 2015

Photovoice is a qualitative method of inquiry whereby individuals can document their lived experiences, particularly individuals whose voices are not typically heard in regard to promoting social change and policy development. We used photovoice to elicit major themes regarding community members’ perceptions of the long-term impact on their quality of life as a deadly technological disaster hit a small, rural town in South Carolina. Overall, participants photographed more negative images than positive. Overarching themes included residential and business vacancies, economic decline, the need for clean-up and modernization, attention to wellness or rehabilitation, and concerns for safety. Emergency response agencies should consider the themes elicited from these community residents to help identify where to focus disaster response efforts both in the immediate aftermath and during the long-term recovery period of technological disasters, particularly in underserved, rural communities.
A Grounded Theory of Students’ Long-Distance Coping With a Family Member’s Cancer
Authors: Basinger Erin D. , Wehrman Erin C. , Delaney Amy L. , McAninch Kelly G.
Published: March 2015

In this study, we explore how family members cope with one source of stress—cancer diagnosis and treatment. We suggest that coping away from one’s family is characterized by constraints that are not common to proximal coping. We conducted six focus groups with college students ( N = 21) at a university in the United States to investigate their long-distance coping experiences and used grounded theory methods to develop a model of college students’ long-distance coping. Negotiating the tension between being here (at school) and being there (at home) was central to their experiences. Participants described four manifestations of their negotiation between here and there (i.e., expressing/hiding emotion, longing to care for the patient there/avoiding responsibility here, feeling shock at degeneration there/escaping degeneration by being here, and lacking information from there) and three strategies they used to cope (i.e., being here and withdrawing, being here and doing school, and seeking/not seeking support).
The Prevalence of Neuropathic Pain in Terminally Ill Patients With Cancer Admitted to a Palliative Care Unit
Authors: Harada Shinsuke , Tamura Fumihiko , Ota Shuhei
Published: March 2015

Objective:

The primary aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of neuropathic pain (NP) in patients with cancer receiving palliative care.

Methods:

In this prospective observational study, terminally ill patients with cancer having NP were identified by a pain management clinician using the diagnostic algorithm of NP from the International Association for the Study of Pain on the day of admission.

Results:

A total of 220 patients who were hospitalized in the palliative care unit were enrolled in this study. The median survival times were 21.5 days (range, 0-173 days), and 57.7% of patients were male. Among the 220 patients, 41 (18.6%; 95% confidence interval, 13.5%-23.8%) developed NP.

Conclusion:

The prevalence of NP in terminally ill patients with cancer in Japanese palliative care units was 18.6%.
Hierarchical simulation of plastic deformation and fracture of complexly alloyed brass
Authors: Smirnov SV , Myasnikova MV , Pugacheva NB
Published: March 2015

The paper deals with simulating plastic deformation and fracture of the constituents of complexly alloyed brass in upsetting under the plane strain state in view of their geometry, mechanical properties and the stress state during deformation. The peculiarities of the formation of a net of localised strain bands are discussed. It is demonstrated that brass deformation is mainly due to the malleable matrix and that it is brittle silicide particles that fail. Stress non-uniformity in silicides has been detected with the presence of both tensile and compressive normal stress areas in them. Stress stiffness coefficient distribution functions have been constructed, and a relationship between the ultimate strains of brittle silicide particles in the soft phase and the stress stiffness coefficient has been defined. The dependence has been used to simulate damage accumulation in the silicides before fracture during upsetting under plane strain. The probability of silicide fracture under deformation is shown to be reducible due to the use of stress states offering a high level of macroscopic compressive stresses – high enough to minimise zones with prevailing tensile stresses in the silicides.
Targeting Nondomestic Violence Inside Houses of Multi-Occupancy
Authors: Bowden Simon , Barnes Geoffrey C.
Published: March 2015

The issue of indoor, nondomestic violence has been largely ignored in research on hot spots of crime. One prime example in the United Kingdom is a growth of both licensed and unlicensed Houses in Multiple Occupancy (HMOs). These dwellings feature high densities of unrelated adults sharing bathroom, kitchen, and bedroom space. No previous evidence shows whether HMOs have an elevated risk of nondomestic violent crime, but police experience suggests it. The present study used a list of all 47 registered HMOs and all 117 suspected (but unlicensed) HMOs to examine the distribution of 94 nondomestic violent offenses occurring in all 4,401 dwellings in a Berkshire town close to London over calendar year 2013. Eighty-four percent of those indwelling violent offenses occurred in the licensed or suspected HMOs, which constituted 0.4% of all dwellings. The combined HMO rate of 48 violent crimes per 100 dwellings was 137 times higher than the 15 crimes in 4,237 non-HMO dwellings (non-HMO rate of 0.35 crimes per 100 dwellings). Virtually, all of that violence was concentrated in the 117 unlicensed HMOs, which had 78 violent crimes (67 per 100 dwellings), a rate 191 times higher than the non-HMO dwelling rate and 32 times higher than the rate of 1 violent crime in 47 licensed HMOs (2.1 per 100 dwellings). Suspected but unlicensed HMOs may be a prime target for violence prevention through multiagency full enforcement.
Tracking Quality of Police Actions in a Victim Contact Program
Authors: Slothower Molly , Sherman Lawrence W. , Neyroud Peter
Published: March 2015

In policing, quality of implementation—not just whether a policy is implemented, but how it is implemented—often means the difference between achieving the desired outcomes or not. Police leaders can respond to tracking evidence that shows poor quality of implementation by either improving officer compliance with policy, improving the policy itself, or both. We report a case study of the tracking of implementation quality in a randomized controlled trial of a police policy for contacting victims, in which the first author was a participant-observer. We show that when the results of tracking were fed back to officers to improve compliance, and to managers, who then redesigned policy and training in repeated iterations, the quality of implementation and victim satisfaction improved substantially. This evidence-based, training-tracking-feedback strategy of implementation can be applied more generally to improve the quality of police services and outcomes.
A Clinical Decision Rule Identifies Risk Factors Associated With Antimicrobial-Resistant Urinary Pathogens in the Emergency Department
Authors: Faine Brett A. , Harland Kari K. , Porter Blake , Liang Stephen Y. , Mohr Nicholas
Published: March 2015

Background: Identifying patients at high risk for multidrug-resistant urinary tract infections (UTIs) is important for guiding empirical antimicrobial therapy. Clinical risk factors associated with antimicrobial-resistant urinary pathogens and the derivation of a simple clinical decision rule could help define health care–associated UTI. Objective: To derive a simple clinical decision rule to identify clinical risk factors associated with antimicrobial-resistant urinary pathogens. Methods: This was a retrospective case-control study of all emergency department (ED) patients from July 1, 2011, to July 1, 2012, who presented to the ED with UTI and a positive urine culture. Candidate risk factors were collected retrospectively from medical record review. We compared differences in patient characteristics stratified by the presence of an antimicrobial-resistant urinary pathogen. Results: A total of 360 patients with UTI had a positive, noncontaminated urine culture during the study period. About 6.7% of patients (n = 24) had a multidrug-resistant (MDR) urinary infection. Logistic regression modeling identified 3 clinical factors associated with the identification of a MDR pathogen: male sex, chronic hemodialysis, and nursing home residence. A scoring system was created to identify patients with MDR pathogens. Test characteristics were calculated using bootstrapping for internal validation, with a sensitivity of 74.7% (95% CI = 55.1%-91.3%) and specificity of 85.1% (95% CI = 77.8%-86.2%), positive likelihood ratio of 4.3, and a negative likelihood ratio of 0.3. Conclusions: Clinical factors can be used to identify UTI patients at high risk of MDR urinary pathogens.
Refiguring Family Therapy
Authors: Phipps Warwick D. , Vorster Charl
Published: March 2015

Postmodernism involves the view that knowing is subjective or interpretive. Narrative therapy, which draws on this approach, places emphasis on the interpretation of the client’s subjective experience—the intrapsychic perspective. This perspective, which represents a return to an earlier development, is however not a logical or necessary consequence of postmodernism. In refiguring family therapy/psychology, and thus going beyond narrative therapy, what remains to be determined is how postmodernism as well as the phase of development from the intrapsychic to interpsychic perspective—as incorporated by general system theory (i.e., the interactional approach)—can be applied in a meaningful and integrative way.
Mid- to Long-term Clinical Outcome and Gait Biomechanics After Realignment Surgery in Asymmetric Ankle Osteoarthritis
Authors: Nüesch Corina , Huber Cora , Paul Jochen , Henninger Heath B. , Pagenstert Geert , Valderrabano Victor , Barg Alexej
Published: March 2015

Background:

Joint-preserving, realignment surgical procedures have gained increasing popularity as treatment of asymmetric early- and mid-stage ankle osteoarthritis. The aim of the present study was to quantify bilateral gait biomechanics in patients who underwent ankle realignment surgery by supramalleolar osteotomies.

Methods:

Eight patients, a minimum of 7 years after realignment surgery, and 8 healthy controls were included in this study. Three-dimensional instrumented gait analysis was used to assess spatiotemporal parameters, bilateral joint angles, and moments. Furthermore, a clinical evaluation on pain, ankle function, and quality of life was performed.

Results:

Compared with the healthy controls, the patients walked more slowly, had a smaller sagittal hindfoot range of motion on their affected leg, and had a lower peak ankle dorsiflexion moment ( P < .05). There were no significant differences compared with controls for the ranges of motion in the foot segments of the nonaffected foot and for the knee and hip joint ranges of motion and peak moments of both legs. Additionally, patients and controls did not differ in the quality of life score. However, in the pain subscore, the patients reported significantly more pain than the healthy persons.

Conclusion:

Despite different gait biomechanics of the affected foot after ankle realignment surgery, the quality of life for patients was comparable to that of healthy controls. Therefore, supramalleolar osteotomies should be considered as a promising treatment option in patients with asymmetric non-end-stage ankle osteoarthritis.

Level of Evidence:

Level III, comparative study.
Families Living With Chronic Illness
Authors: Årestedt Liselott , Benzein Eva , Persson Carina
Published: March 2015

Beliefs can be described as the lenses through which we view the world. With emerging illness, beliefs about the illness experience become important for nurses to understand to enhance well-being and healing. The aim of this study was to illuminate illness beliefs of families living with chronic illness. A qualitative design was chosen, including repeated narrative research interviews with seven Swedish families living with chronic illness. Hermeneutic analysis was used to interpret the transcribed family interviews. The result described beliefs in families, both within and across families. Both core beliefs and secondary beliefs about illness, family, and health care were revealed. Illness beliefs have importance for how families respond to and manage situations that arise from their encounters with illness. Nurses have to make space for and listen to families’ stories of illness to become aware of what beliefs may support and encourage family well-being and healing. The Illness Beliefs Model provides a touchstone whereby nurses can distinguish both individual and shared beliefs within families living with chronic illness and provide ideas for family intervention if needed.
Waiting to Return to Normal
Authors: West Christina H. , Bell Janice M. , Woodgate Roberta L. , Moules Nancy J.
Published: March 2015

The illness suffering of families in childhood cancer is characterized in part by a loss of family normalcy. Hermeneutic phenomenology and family process research methods were used to analyze videotaped family intervention sessions and post-intervention family/clinician interviews. Within this article, some of the findings from the larger doctoral study that focused on the illness suffering of family members and relational, family systems intervention based on the Illness Beliefs Model are described. Although the larger study included findings of family interventions that addressed several aspects of the illness suffering experienced, this article details specific findings related to the theme of the loss of family normalcy and a longing to return home. Family systems intervention practices which facilitated a lessening of illness suffering included the following: offering new interpretations of suffering within a reflecting team, articulating family strength, sensitively acknowledging the illness suffering, and eliciting the experiences of family members in a shared therapeutic conversation.
Emergency Management 2.0
Authors: Kasdan David Oliver
Published: March 2015

There are more causes of fiscal distress than remedies. A nascent field is emerging built on the practices utilized to confront fiscal distress. The usual method follows a federal structure in that the state has ultimate responsibility when local governments fail, leaving communities to live in a “new normal” of austere oversight. As more urban areas contend with extended economic downturns, political paralysis, and social apathy in the face of unsustainable governance, there is a need for a strategic approach to the administrative side of fiscal distress management. Although cutbacks, consolidations, and service reductions are the tactical tools of the trade, emergency financial management also requires a guiding strategy that protects the fundamental purpose and character of the local government. This article uses ideas from disaster management and the fiscal crises in Michigan to develop four key elements in a strategic approach to emergency financial management.
Disparities in the Population Distribution of African American and Non-Hispanic White Smokers Along the Quitting Continuum
Authors: Trinidad Dennis R. , Xie Bin , Fagan Pebbles , Pulvers Kim , Romero Devan R. , Blanco Lyzette , Sakuma Kari-Lyn K.
Published: March 2015

Purpose. To examine disparities and changes over time in the population-level distribution of smokers along a cigarette quitting continuum among African American smokers compared with non-Hispanic Whites. Methods. Secondary data analyses of the 1999, 2002, 2005, and 2008 California Tobacco Surveys (CTS). The CTS are large, random-digit-dialed, population-based surveys designed to assess changes in tobacco use in California. The number of survey respondents ranged from n = 6,744 to n = 12,876 across CTS years. Current smoking behavior (daily or nondaily smoking), number of cigarettes smoked per day, intention to quit in the next 6 months, length of most recent quit attempt among current smokers, and total length of time quit among former smokers were assessed and used to recreate the quitting continuum model. Results. While current smoking rates were significantly higher among African Americans compared with non-Hispanic Whites across all years, cigarette consumption rates were lower among African Americans in all years. There were significant increases in the proportion of former smokers who had been quit for at least 12 months from 1999 (African Americans, 26.8% ± 5.5%; non-Hispanic Whites, 36.8% ± 1.6%) to 2008 (African Americans, 43.6% ± 4.1%; non-Hispanic Whites, 57.4% ± 2.9%). The proportion of African American former smokers in each CTS year was significantly lower than that of non-Hispanic Whites. Conclusions. Despite positive progression along the quitting continuum for both African American and non-Hispanic White smokers, the overall distribution was less favorable for African Americans. The lower smoking consumption levels among African Americans, combined with the lower rates of successful smoking cessation, suggest that cigarette addiction and the quitting process may be different for African American smokers.
The Feasibility of Reducing Sitting Time in Overweight and Obese Older Adults
Authors: Rosenberg Dori E. , Gell Nancy M. , Jones Salene M. W. , Renz Anne , Kerr Jacqueline , Gardiner Paul A. , Arterburn David
Published: March 2015

Background. Overweight and obese older adults have high sedentary time. We tested the feasibility and preliminary effects of a sedentary time reduction intervention among adults over age 60 with a body mass index over 27 kg/m2 using a nonrandomized one-arm design. Methods. Participants ( N = 25, mean age = 71.4, mean body mass index = 34) completed an 8-week theory-based intervention targeting reduced total sitting time and increased sit-to-stand transitions. An inclinometer (activPAL™) measured the primary outcomes, change in total sitting time and sit-to-stand transitions. Secondary outcomes included physical activity (ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometer), self-reported sedentary behaviors, physical function (Short Physical Performance Battery), depressive symptoms (8-item Patient Health Questionnaire), quality of life (PROMIS), and study satisfaction. Paired t tests examined pre–post test changes in sitting time, sit-to-stand transitions, and secondary outcomes. Results. Inclinometer measured sitting time decreased by 27 min/day ( p < .05) and sit-to-stand transitions increased by 2 per day ( p > .05), while standing time increased by 25 min/day ( p < .05). Accelerometer measured sedentary time, light-intensity, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity improved (all p values ≤ .05). Self-reported sitting time, gait speed, and depressive symptoms also improved (all p values < .05). Effect sizes were small. Study satisfaction was high. Conclusions. Reducing sitting time is feasible, and the intervention shows preliminary evidence of effectiveness among older adults with overweight and obesity. Randomized trials of sedentary behavior reduction in overweight and obese older adults, most of whom have multiple chronic conditions, may be promising.
Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption by Adult Caregivers and Their Children
Authors: Hennessy Michael , Bleakley Amy , Piotrowski Jessica Taylor , Mallya Giridhar , Jordan Amy
Published: March 2015

Objective. To examine how parents’ beliefs about beverage attributes and exposure to sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) advertising are associated with parents’ and their children’s SSB consumption. Design. Cross-sectional representative telephone survey of Philadelphia parents in households with children between the ages of 3 and 16 years. Participants. Three hundred and seventy-one randomly selected survey respondents. The response rate was 27% using the American Association for Public Opinion Research RR3 formula. Main Outcome Measures. SSB consumption, health ratings of SSBs, exposure to SSB ads, and exposure to anti-SSB public service advertisements. Analysis. Seemingly unrelated regression was used to correct for Type I error and significance levels were set at .05 or less. Results. Assessment of SSB “healthiness” was associated with the increased adult consumption of SSBs for three of the five SSBs and associated with children’s consumption for all four SSBs with child consumption data. For both groups, ratings of SSB sugar and caloric content were not related to consumption. Adult exposure to SSB-specific advertising was related to consumption for three of five SSBs and two of four SSBs consumed by children. Conclusions and Implications. These results suggest that sugar and calories are not relevant to consumption, absent an explicit connection to a healthiness evaluation of SSBs.
Training Head Start Teachers to Conduct Trial-Based Functional Analysis of Challenging Behavior
Authors: Rispoli Mandy , Burke Mack D. , Hatton Heather , Ninci Jennifer , Zaini Samar , Sanchez Lisa
Published: March 2015

Trial-based functional analysis (TBFA) is a procedure for experimentally identifying the function of challenging behavior within applied settings. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a TBFA teacher-training package in the context of two Head Start centers implementing programwide positive behavior support (PWPBS). Four Head Start teachers were trained in TBFA procedures as part of ongoing technical assistance on individualized behavior supports. Following training and performance feedback, all teachers were able to implement TBFA with 100% fidelity during simulation probes. With minimal additional coaching, teachers implemented TBFA sessions with a child in their classroom with 100% fidelity. Implications for future research and for the use of TBFA in early childhood settings are presented.
Correction strategies of debris concentration for engine wear monitoring via online visual ferrograph
Authors: Cao Wei , Dong Guangneng , Chen Wei , Wu Jiaoyi , Xie You-Bai
Published: March 2015

Changing or replenishing the oil in an engine influences the accuracy of oil monitoring. An online visual ferrograph (OLVF) was used to monitor engine wear in this study. The variation in the debris concentration in an engine lubrication system was studied, and its equilibrium concentration of debris was determined to correct the data acquired using an OLVF after fresh oil was added to the system. This correction made the monitoring data of OLVF continuous, thereby enabling the raw data collected before and after oil replenishment to be compared. Changing the oil caused an interruption in the raw data. By combining different prediction modes, a comprehensive trend prediction framework was constructed to correct the data acquired after the engine’s oil was changed. Thus, the data acquired before and after the oil change could be analysed and compared. In addition, the engine’s whole wear trends could be observed. This correction strategy could also be used to assess the engine’s health and to predict its degradation trend.
The Queen’s speech: Desecuritizing the past, present and future of Anglo-Irish relations
Authors: Donnelly Faye
Published: March 2015

This article adopts the Copenhagen School’s concept of desecuritization to analyse the gestures of reconciliation undertaken during the 2011 state visit of Queen Elizabeth II to the Republic of Ireland, including her willingness to speak in Gaeilge at Dublin Castle. In the process, it opens new pathways to explore if, when and how desecuritizing moves can become possible. To respond to these questions, this article advances the concept of bilingual speech acts as a nuanced, yet fruitful, way to tease out the complexities of security speech and (de)securitization processes. It is also suggested that the concept of bilingual speech acts provides a way to respond to calls to include translation in critical security and securitization studies. However, while acknowledging the importance of these calls, it is shown that paying attention to bilingual speech acts demonstrates what can also be lost in translation. Empirically, this article provides an in-depth analysis of the 2011 state visit to unpack the different kinds of desecuritizing moves that were undertaken in this context, as well as the different modalities of security speech that were in play. To conclude, the merit of bilingual speech acts for understanding how to speak security in different ways and vocabularies is discussed.
David in Goliath’s citadel: Mobilizing the Security Council’s normative power for Palestine
Authors: Graubart Jonathan , Jimenez-Bacardi Arturo
Published: March 2015

This article reviews the remarkable success of the Palestinian Liberation Organization in alliance with the Non-Aligned Movement in appropriating the Security Council’s normative power to transform the global understanding of the Israel–Arab conflict. We feature the alliance’s submission of multiple declaratory resolutions from late 1967 through 1980, which condemned Israel’s occupation policies, declared all of the territories conquered in the 1967 war as occupied, and endorsed a Palestinian state. Collectively, these resolutions, including the vetoed ones, legitimized a new consensus whereby Palestinian statehood became regarded as indispensable for a just resolution, while Israel’s continued control over the occupied territories became viewed as the primary obstacle, with full withdrawal expected. This consensus endures despite concerted Israeli–US efforts to undermine it. Besides its appeal to scholars of Israel–Palestine, the study contributes fresh insights into the Security Council’s normative authority and the influence of non-powerful, non-Western actors. We explain the dynamics by which these actors appropriate the Security Council’s normative influence, through its declaratory resolutions, to boost broader advocacy campaigns. Specifically, we highlight anti-colonial normative framing — featuring self-determination and territorial integrity — coalition building, and trapping. The first two dynamics generate powerful political and normative pressure, which, in turn, traps uncommitted states into supporting the cause so as to avoid isolation and the appearance of normative hypocrisy. By featuring the Non-Aligned Movement and the Palestinian Liberation Organization as the primary agents and anti-colonial values as the defining norms, we present a rarely examined counter-trajectory of norm dissemination in what is thought to be the least receptive international forum.
Distinct effects of losartan and atenolol on vascular stiffness in Marfan syndrome
Authors: Bhatt Ami B , Buck J Stewart , Zuflacht Jonah P , Milian Jessica , Kadivar Samoneh , Gauvreau Kimberlee , Singh Michael N , Creager Mark A
Published: March 2015

We conducted a randomized, double-blind trial of losartan (100 mg QD) versus atenolol (50 mg QD) for 6 months in adults with Marfan syndrome. Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), central augmentation index (AIx), aortic diameter and left ventricular (LV) function were assessed with arterial tonometry and echocardiography. Thirty-four subjects (18 female; median age 35 years, IQR 27, 45) were randomized. Central systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased comparably with atenolol and losartan ( p = 0.64 and 0.31, respectively); heart rate decreased with atenolol ( p = 0.02), but not with losartan. PWV decreased in patients treated with atenolol (–1.15 ± 1.68 m/s; p = 0.01), but not in those treated with losartan (–0.22 ± 0.59 m/s; p = 0.15; between-group difference p = 0.04). In contrast, AIx decreased in the losartan group (–9.6 ± 8.6%; p < 0.001) but not in the atenolol group (0.9 ± 6.2%, p = 0.57; between-group difference p < 0.001). There was no significant change in aortic diameters or LV ejection fraction in either treatment group. In adults with Marfan syndrome, 6 months of treatment with atenolol improves PWV, whereas losartan reduces the AIx. By improving vascular stiffness via distinct mechanisms of action, there is physiologic value to considering the use of both medications in individuals with Marfan syndrome.
The structure of feared social situations among race-ethnic minorities and Whites with social anxiety disorder in the United States
Authors: Asnaani Anu , Aderka Idan M. , Marques Luana , Simon Naomi , Robinaugh Donald J. , Hofmann Stefan G.
Published: March 2015

We investigated feared social situations in individuals with social anxiety disorder from different racial and ethnic groups in the United States. The sample included 247 African Americans, 158 Latinos, and 533 non-Latino Whites diagnosed with social anxiety disorder within the past 12 months from the integrated Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Studies data set. After randomly splitting the full sample, we conducted an exploratory factor analysis with half of the sample to determine the structure of feared social situations in a more diverse sample than has been used in previous studies. We found evidence for a model consisting of three feared social domains: performance/public speaking, social interaction, and observational. We then conducted a confirmatory factor analysis on the remaining half of the sample to examine whether this factor structure varied significantly between the race-ethnic groups. Analyses revealed an adequate fit of this model across all three race-ethnic groups, suggesting invariance of the factor structure between the study groups. Broader cultural contexts within which these findings are relevant are discussed, along with important implications for comprehensive, culturally sensitive assessment of social anxiety.
Vicarious resilience and vicarious traumatisation: Experiences of working with refugees and asylum seekers in South Australia
Authors: Puvimanasinghe Teresa , Denson Linley A. , Augoustinos Martha , Somasundaram Daya
Published: March 2015

The negative psychological impacts of working with traumatised people are well documented and include vicarious traumatisation (VT): the cumulative effect of identifying with clients' trauma stories that negatively impacts on service providers' memory, emotions, thoughts, and worldviews. More recently, the concept of vicarious resilience (VR) has been also identified: the strength, growth, and empowerment experienced by trauma workers as a consequence of their work. VR includes service providers' awareness and appreciation of their clients' capacity to grow, maintaining hope for change, as well as learning from and reassessing personal problems in the light of clients' stories of perseverance, strength, and growth. This study aimed at exploring the experiences of mental health, physical healthcare, and settlement workers caring for refugees and asylum seekers in South Australia. Using a qualitative method (data-based thematic analysis) to collect and analyse 26 semi-structured face-to-face interviews, we identified four prominent and recurring themes emanating from the data: VT, VR, work satisfaction, and cultural flexibility. These findings—among the first to describe both VT and VR in Australians working with refugee people—have important implications for policy, service quality, service providers' wellbeing, and refugee clients' lives.
Comparative Investigation of Postoperative Complications in Patients With Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer Treated With Preoperative Chemotherapy or Surgery Alone
Authors: Achiam M. P. , Jensen L. B. , Larsson H. , Jensen L. S. , Larsen A. C. , Holm J. , Svendsen L. B.
Published: March 2015

Background and aim:

Gastroesophageal junction cancer is one of the leading causes to cancer-related death and the prognosis is poor. However, progress has been made over the last couple of decades with the introduction of multimodality treatment and optimized surgery. Three-year survival rates have improved to 50% in patients receiving neoadjuvant therapy. Only a few studies have focused on the difference of postoperative complications in patients receiving neoadjuvant therapy in relation to a comparative surgery-only group. The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of postoperative complications of patients with cancer at the gastroesophageal junction treated with either neoadjuvant chemotherapy or surgery alone in patients from “The Danish Clinical Registry of Carcinomas of the Esophagus, the Gastro-Esophageal Junction and the Stomach.”

Materials and methods:

A historical follow-up study, comparing postoperative complications between two cohorts before and after implementation of chemotherapy was completed.

Results:

In all, 180 consecutive patients treated with perioperative chemotherapy and a comparative surgery-only group of patients were identified from The Danish Clinical Registry of Carcinomas of the Esophagus, the Gastro-Esophageal Junction and the Stomach. No difference was found in demographics between the two groups, except for alcohol consumption and a lower T and N stage in the surgery-only group, and no difference in complication rates was found. Furthermore, no variable in the multivariate analysis was significantly associated with anastomotic leakage which was considered the most severe complication.

Conclusion:

Since perioperative chemotherapy does not appear to increase surgical complications, the future challenges include defining the optimal combination of chemo- and/or radiotherapy, but more importantly also to select the patients who will benefit the most from the different neoadjuvant strategies.
Measurement of the viscoelastic mechanical properties of the skin tissue under uniaxial loading
Authors: Karimi Alireza , Haghighatnama Maedeh , Shojaei Ahmad , Navidbakhsh Mahdi , Motevalli Haghi Afsaneh , Adnani Sadati Seyed Jafar
Published: March 2015

Skin as an external membrane has a key asset in the human body, i.e. heat balance and protection from the peripheral mechanical loads. The mechanical properties of the skin tissue are almost intricate under various loading conditions that may also differ according to the anatomical locations of a body. Although the mechanical properties of the skin tissue have been largely studied using different testing methods as well as different material models, the time-dependent viscoelastic mechanical behavior of the skin in different anatomical regions has not been quantified via the Quasi-linear viscoelastic model. In this study, the quasi-linear viscoelastic mechanical properties of the rat back and abdomen skins were computed under uniaxial loading. The relaxation test was carried out on the back and abdomen of eight rats and afterward the quasi-linear viscoelastic coefficients were calculated by fitting the quasi-linear viscoelastic model to the experimental stress–relaxation data. The results revealed that the peak stress in the abdomen skin samples is slightly higher than that of the back ones. Besides, the stress reached to a balance in 100 s for both the back and abdomen skin tissues in tension. The findings of this study may have implications not only for understanding the viscoelastic time-dependent mechanical behavior of the back and abdomen skin tissues but also to give a biomechanical awareness in a variety of areas such as tissue engineering, dermatology, and cosmetics industry.
The “sustainable tourist”: Values, attitudes, and personality traits
Authors: Passafaro Paola , Cini Francesca , Boi Lorenzo , D'Angelo Michela , Heering Maria Sofia , Luchetti Laura , Mancini Armando , Martemucci Valentina , Pacella Giulia , Patrizi Fabio , Sassu Federica , Triolo Monica
Published: March 2015

This paper reports the results of two exploratory studies (overall N=532) which aimed at drawing the profile of the “sustainable tourist” (a person committed to respect the sustainability principles when on holiday) in terms of personal values, attitudes, and personality traits, following an environmental psychology approach. More specifically, study 1 explored the role of attitudes toward sustainable tourism, affinity toward (social and environmental) diversity, and personal values, while study 2 assessed the role of the Big Five personality traits in the prediction of preferences for sustainable and unsustainable tourist activities. Results indicate that biospheric values, positive attitudes toward sustainable tourism, and higher levels of affinity toward diversity are able to predict more sustainable tourism choices while personality traits seemed to play a more indirect and complex role.