bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Water Transit and Ferry-Oriented Development in Sweden: Comparisons with System Trends in Australia
Authors: Tanko Michael , Burke Matthew I. , Cheemakurthy Harsha
Published: June 2018

Water transit is increasingly becoming an option for cities looking to expand their public transport network and provide an alternative to land-based transport congestion. But there are challenges in realising a functional urban ferry network, especially in Sweden which faces land use policy and weather-related constraints. This paper has three related aims: i) to compare the development of water transit in Swedish and Australian cities, ii) to compare changes in patronage over time, and iii) to analyze the role of ferry-oriented development (FOD) and planning policy effects on water transit development. Our approach is exploratory and comparative, and we use the cases of Stockholm and Gothenburg in Sweden with comparison to Brisbane and Sydney in Australia. Patronage figures indicate that in both countries, water transit systems are a small part of the total public transport network, from 0.5% of total public transport trips in Stockholm to 3.7% in Brisbane. However, there has been modest growth in patronage that in relative terms has exceeded that of urban rail and bus services in all cities except Sydney. Integration of water transit with land use plans in FOD varies, with Brisbane and Sydney embarking on large-scale waterfront and transit plans focused on economic development. In Sweden integration with land use remains in early stages, with ad hoc terminal location and restrictive land use being limiting factors, especially in Stockholm. There are also conflicting strategies toward FOD in Gothenburg. Better conceptualization of land use implications for development of water transit planning is therefore suggested.
Return to Sport After Surgical Treatment for Anterior Shoulder Instability: A Systematic Review
Authors: Abdul-Rassoul Hussein , Galvin Joseph W. , Curry Emily J. , Simon Jason , Li Xinning
Published: June 2018

Background:

For athletes, a return to preinjury activity levels with minimal time away is a metric indicative of successful recovery. The knowledge of this metric would be helpful for the sports medicine specialist to advise patients on appropriate expectations after surgery.

Purpose:

To evaluate the rate and amount of time needed for athletes to return to sport (RTS) after different surgical treatments for anterior shoulder instability.

Study Design:

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods:

The MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched for articles relevant to athletes’ RTS after surgical anterior shoulder stabilization with variants of the Latarjet and Bankart procedures. Article selection was based on relevant inclusion and exclusion criteria. After the articles were reviewed, the data pertinent to rates of and time to RTS were extracted, compiled, and analyzed.

Results:

Sixteen articles met the inclusion criteria. Based on these articles, the rate of RTS was 97.5% after arthroscopic Bankart, 86.1% after open Bankart, 83.6% after open Latarjet, 94.0% after arthroscopic Latarjet, and 95.5% after arthroscopic Bankart with remplissage. Among the athletes who did RTS, arthroscopic Bankart had the highest rate of return to preinjury levels (91.5%), while arthroscopic Latarjet had the lowest rate (69.0%). The time to RTS was 5.9 months after arthroscopic Bankart, 8.2 months after open Bankart, 5.07 months after open Latarjet, 5.86 months after arthroscopic Latarjet, and 7 months after arthroscopic Bankart with remplissage.

Conclusion:

Of the pooled data, patients who underwent arthroscopic Bankart showed the highest rate of RTS, while patients who underwent open Latarjet showed the shortest time to RTS. Return to preinjury level was highest in the arthroscopic Bankart group and lowest in the arthroscopic Latarjet group. Physicians can utilize these data to set expectations for their patient-athletes regarding RTS after anterior shoulder stabilization procedures.

Clinical Relevance:

When treating an athlete, many factors must be taken into account to weigh treatment options. Two important factors to consider with the patient-athlete are the rate of return to the previous activity level and the timeline for this to occur. This study provides a guide for physicians and a time frame for athletes with respect to the mean percentage and time for return to sport after different surgical procedures for anterior shoulder instability.
Refugees as the Other: Large-group identity, terrorism and border psychology
Authors: Volkan Vamık D.
Published: June 2018

On 27 August, 2015 two vessels with 550 migrants on board sank off the Libyan coast, and more than 400 persons were estimated to have drowned. Some credit this event as having coined the phrase ‘European refugee crisis’ that is still used to describe the present refugee situation in Europe. On 13 November 2015 a series of coordinated terrorist attacks took place in Paris and a northern suburb of the city. When a Syrian passport that belonged to an asylum seeker was found near the body of one of the gunmen, fear of Islamic State militants disguised as asylum seekers or refugees spread. This event, linked to similar tragedies that have occurred in many other countries before and since, evolved as a major symbol linking newcomers, and refugees in general, to terrorism and extreme forms of Islam.

When observing newcomers and local people in different host countries, in addition to accompanying societal reactions to multiple traumas, medical problems, legal, political, financial and other practical issues and security concerns, there is always an increased investment in large-group identity by both refugees and persons in the host countries. This article does not explore the psychology of asylum seekers, immigrants or refugees. It describes what large-group identity is, how it develops and why a population’s preoccupation with physical borders increases. Its aim is to examine shared psychological processes in European countries and the United States that manifest when perception of newcomers as the dangerous Other takes place.
A Voice Needs to be Heard: The Meaning of “Going Home”
Authors: Shimoinaba Kaori , Lee Susan , Johnson Claire E.
Published: June 2018

Background:

This case report addresses a client from a minority cultural background in Australia and her complex cultural needs at the end of life.

Case History:

A 66-year-old Japanese female client diagnosed with renal cancer, and lung and spine metastasis shared her story. Since a left nephrectomy in 2007, she has had hemodialysis 3 days a week. She left Japan more than 30 years ago and moved to Australia 20 years ago. With the 6-month prognosis, she expressed her desire to “go home.” The meaning of “going home” was explored with the author who shares the same cultural background and language and is a palliative care nurse. The meanings for wanting to go home were her nostalgia for the traditional food, language, land, and death rituals.

Discussion:

The client identified her preferred place to die and discussed her death wishes. Open, honest communication with health professionals about her condition and prognosis facilitated meaningful discussions.

Conclusion:

The narrative demonstrates the complex issues and needs of clients from minority cultural backgrounds and the importance of understanding the real cultural meaning behind their stories. Exploring the meaning with compassionate curiosity as well as interpretation support was the key.
Strengthening the Tie: Creating Exchange Relationships That Encourage Employee Advocacy as an Organizational Citizenship Behavior
Authors: Walden Justin A. , Kingsley Westerman Catherine Y.
Published: June 2018

This study investigates the communication elements within organizations that enhance social exchanges and influence an individual’s willingness to spread positive information about their employer. Findings from a survey of employees in a United States–based health care organization ( N = 223) indicate that organizational commitment mediates the relationship between employee-centered internal communication by organizations and employee advocacy. Employees with strong organizational commitment perceive that their organization values the exchange relationship, and employees, in turn, report they are likely to take extra steps to support their organization. To encourage organization-supportive employee advocacy behavior, organizations should engage in open and supportive communication with employees and cultivate lasting relationships with them.
Evidential network-based failure analysis for systems suffering common cause failure and model parameter uncertainty
Authors: Zuo Lin , Xiahou Tangfan , Liu Yu
Published: June 2018

The fault tree analysis has been extensively implemented in failure analysis of engineered systems. In most cases, the probabilities of basic events, e.g. components’ failures, are represented by crisp values in the fault tree analyses. However, due to lack of knowledge, scarcity of failure data, or vague judgments from experts, it may produce parameter uncertainty associated with degradation models of components/systems, and such model parameter uncertainty can be quantified by the epistemic uncertainty. In addition, the common cause failure, related to the simultaneous failures of two or more components caused by physical interactions or shared environments, often exists in advanced engineered systems and computing systems. In this paper, by considering both the common cause failure and the epistemic uncertainty associated with model parameters, an evidential network model embedded with common cause failure is proposed to facilitate system failure analysis. The detailed transformations from some logic gates of a fault tree to an evidential network model are given. Moreover, the conditional belief mass tables are constructed to quantify the dependency between the states of components and the entire system. An engineering case of an aero-engine oil system, together with comparative results, is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed evidential network model.
Improved design of Savonius rotor for green energy production from moving Singapore metropolitan rapid transit train inside tunnel
Authors: Laws Praveen , Bethi Rajagopal V , Kumar Pankaj , Mitra Santanu
Published: June 2018

Nonrenewable fossil fuels are finite resources that will ultimately deplete in near future. Nature sheds colossal amount of renewable wind energy but humans harvest a morsel. Taking this into account a numerical study is proposed on wind energy harvesting from a speeding subway train. Subways trains generate a remarkable gust of wind that can be transferred to useful electrical energy on daily basis. To this aim, a numerical analysis is modeled by placing Savonius wind turbine in a subway tunnel to crop the wind energy produced from the speeding train. The passage of train in the tunnel generates very high velocity slipstreams along the length of the tunnel. The slipstream phenomena develop a boundary layer regime that will be absorbed by the Savonius wind turbine to self-start and generate power. In the present study, a two-dimensional numerical simulation with modified turbine blade design is carried out using open source tool OpenFOAM® with PimpleDyMFoam solver coupled with six degrees of freedom mesh motion solver sixDoFRigidBodyMotion and k–ɛ turbulence modeling, to measure the amount of torque predicted by the rotor from the gust of wind produced by the speeding train in the tunnel. Being a self-start turbine with no yaw mechanism required the turbine collects air from any direction and converts it into useful power.
Effects of the passive electromagnetic damper on the behavior of a fluid-conveying pipeline
Authors: Kavianipour Omid
Published: June 2018

This paper studies the passive electromagnetic damper effects on the behavior of a pipeline conveying fluid. In this work, a uniform cantilever Euler–Bernoulli beam, a follower force, and a transversal force are utilized for modeling of the pipe, fluid force, and electromagnetic damping force, respectively. The passive electromagnetic damper includes a permanent-magnet DC motor, a ball screw, and a nut. The most important purpose of this study is first to decrease the pipe vibration amplitude resulting from the fluid velocity and then transform the dissipated energy into the electric energy. To achieve this goal, the stability and vibration of the model were investigated using Ritz and Newmark methods. The effects of the electromagnetic damper characteristics on the critical velocity were considered first, and then the energy storage of the passive electromagnetic damper was inspected. The results of simulation showed that the passive electromagnetic damper can simultaneously reduce the pipeline vibration and store energy up to 4.3 [mW] for low fluid flow velocity.
Age and racial disparities in substance use and self-reported viral suppression among men who have sex with men with HIV
Authors: Brown Monique J , Serovich Julianne M , Laschober Tanja C , Kimberly Judy A
Published: June 2018

HIV disproportionately affects men who have sex with men (MSM). Substance use is common among people living with HIV and may affect antiretroviral therapy adherence. Nevertheless, research examining the association between substance use and viral suppression is lacking. The aims of this study were to determine the association between substance use and self-reported viral suppression, and by age and race among MSM living with HIV. Data were obtained from 309 HIV-positive MSM. Logistic regression was used to determine the association between substance use and self-reported viral suppression at baseline, and by age and race. Approximately 67% of participants reported they were virally suppressed. After adjusting for sociodemographics, every increase in substance use score was associated with a 7% decrease in the odds of reporting viral suppression (odds ratio [OR]: 0.93; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.89–0.98; p = 0.003). The negative association between substance use and self-reported viral suppression remained statistically significant among MSM aged 25–34 years (OR = 0.89; 95% CI: 0.79–1.00; p = 0.041) and statistically significant for Black MSM (OR = 0.92; 95% CI: 0.86–0.98; p = 0.009). Intervention programs for MSM living with HIV aimed at improving viral suppression should address substance use and consider the differences by age and race.
Effects of tris(1-chloro-2-propyl)phosphate and tris(2-chloroethyl)phosphate on cell viability and morphological changes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (in vitro study)
Authors: Mokra K , Bukowski K , Woźniak K
Published: June 2018

Organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs) are a group of chemicals widely used in various everyday use products. Tris(2-chloroethyl)phosphate (TCEP) and tris(1-chloro-2-propyl)phosphate (TCPP) are one of the commonly used chemicals belonging to this group. Due to the need of limitation of the use of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) as retardants, the share of the compounds tested in our experiments in chemicals production systematically increases. There is limited information about the influence of halogenated OPFRs on living cells, especially on the immune system cells. That is why the aim of this study was to assess the impact of TCEP and TCPP on viability and morphological alterations of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The cells were incubated with selected flame retardants in the concentrations ranging from 0.001 to 1 mM for 24 h. It was found that TCEP at 1 mM and TCPP at 0.5 mM decreased viability of PBMCs, while only TCPP induced morphological alterations in the incubated cells. The results of our experiments suggest that TCPP is more cytotoxic than TCEP, which can be explained by the presence of methyl groups in the molecule of this compound. Similar to other studies, our data also suggest that OPFRs are suitable replacements for PBDEs.
Timely care: Rhythms of bureaucracy and everyday life in cases involving youths with complex needs
Authors: Andersen Ditte , Bengtsson Tea Torbenfeldt
Published: June 2018

Through a conceptualization of timely care defined as the right care at the right time, this article analyzes the challenges involved in synchronizing the needs of vulnerable youth with the care provided through the welfare state bureaucracy. While the process of timing care provision with fluctuating human needs is a major challenge for any welfare state bureaucracy, the issue of time has yet to be integrated systematically into research on care provision. In particular, the subjective time dimensions of care remain understudied. To help address this gap, we introduce Henri Lefebvre’s work on rhythms to develop a deeper theoretical understanding of how the rhythms of everyday life and the bureaucracy face a continuous risk of falling “out of sync.” Empirically, we draw on two studies of care provision in Denmark: one study focusing on youths with complex needs and the other focusing on welfare state professionals’ provision of care. The analysis demonstrates various ways in which the professional rhythms of bureaucracy and the everyday lives of youth can be out of sync and how that can be reflected in different youth experiences such as neglect and clientization. Conversely, we demonstrate how care provided “in sync” with a youth’s perceived needs is experienced as timely. Based on this, we argue that provision of timely care is possible in welfare state bureaucracies given sensitivity toward the subjective time dimensions.
Cellular Subsets of Maternal Microchimerism in Umbilical Cord Blood
Authors: Kanold Anna Maria Jonsson , Westgren Magnus , Götherström Cecilia
Published: June 2018

Maternal microchimerism may arise in the offspring during pregnancy, and may be favorable or unfavorable. Additionally, maternal cells present in umbilical cord blood used for stem cell transplantation may affect the outcome after transplantation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cellular subset and frequency of maternal cells in umbilical cord blood following vaginal deliveries and elective Cesarean sections where the umbilical cord clamping time was measured. A total of 44 healthy women with normal pregnancies were included in the study. Of these, 24 delivered vaginally and 20 by elective Cesarean sections. In the fresh umbilical cord blood, cellular subsets of CD3+ (T-cells), CD19+ (B-cells), CD33+ (myeloid cells), CD34+ (hematopoietic progenitor cells) and CD56+ (natural killer cells) cells were isolated and DNA extracted. A single-nucleotide polymorphism unique to the mother was identified and maternal microchimerism in the different cellular fractions was detected using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction with a sensitivity of 0.01%. Overall, 5 out of the 44 (11%) umbilical cord blood samples contained maternal microchimerism. The positive fractions were total DNA (whole blood, n = 3), CD34+ ( n = 1), CD56+ ( n = 1) and CD34+/CD56+ ( n = 1). Overall, four of the five (80%) positive samples were from Cesarean sections and one was from a vaginal delivery. The conclusion from this study is that maternal microchimerism in umbilical cord blood is not a common phenomenon but includes both lymphoid and hematopoietic progenitor lineages.
Impact of Venture Capital Investment on Firm Performance: An Indian Evidence
Authors: Katti Supriya , Raithatha Mehul
Published: June 2018

We evaluate the monitoring and certification hypotheses associated with venture capital (VC) investors involved with Indian listed firms having the potential to influence firm performance. Empirical results of our study do not support monitoring and certification hypotheses associated for VC investors involved in publicly listed firms in India. On the other hand, we find the evidence of value erosion due to the presence of VC investors. The negative effect is justified through the opportunistic behaviour of the investor having a very easy route to exit investment through the secondary market in case of expected underperformance of the firm. The study also reveals that the origin of VC investors does influence firm performance. The results have a significant impact due to the regulatory framework defining the portfolio of VC investors.
From Welfare to Work and From Work to Welfare: A Comparison of People With and Without Disabilities
Authors: Yosef Liat , Soffer Michal , Malul Miki
Published: June 2018

In this study, we explore the behavioral factors that play a role in the decision—among people with and without disabilities—to move from welfare to work and from work to welfare. A survey of people with and without disabilities in Israel was conducted; a nonprobability quota sample of 193 individuals was drawn (95 people with disabilities and 98 nondisabled people). The data were collected by means of a closed-ended questionnaire. The results show that people with disabilities tended more than nondisabled persons to favor decisions that maintain their current employment status quo bias). Furthermore, compared with nondisabled individuals, people with disabilities demanded more wages or benefits while changing status in the labor market. The more years of education people with disabilities have, the less incentive is needed to resume or begin working. In addition, the noneconomic value of work is higher among more-educated people compared with less-educated people with disabilities. The results emphasize the need to design various policies to lower the status quo bias effect, especially, among people with disabilities. Maintaining employment status among this population, and promoting their education level, should be central rehabilitation priorities.
“We Won’t Retire Without Skeletons in the Closet”: Healthcare-Related Regrets Among Physicians and Nurses in German-Speaking Swiss Hospitals
Authors: von Arx Martina , Cullati Stéphane , Schmidt Ralph E. , Richner Silvia , Kraehenmann Rainer , Cheval Boris , Agoritsas Thomas , Chopard Pierre , Burton-Jeangros Claudine , Courvoisier Delphine S.
Published: June 2018

Physicians and nurses are expected to systematically provide high-quality healthcare in a context marked by complexity, time pressure, heavy workload, and the influence of nonclinical factors on clinical decisions. Therefore, healthcare professionals must eventually deal with unfortunate events to which regret is a typical emotional reaction. Using semistructured interviews, 11 physicians and 13 nurses working in two different hospitals in the German-speaking part of Switzerland reported a total of 48 healthcare-related regret experiences. Intense feelings of healthcare-related regrets had far-reaching repercussions on participants’ health, work-life balance, and medical practice. Besides active compensation strategies, social capital was the most important coping resource. Receiving superiors’ support was crucial for reaffirming professional identity and helped prevent healthcare professionals from quitting their job. Findings suggest that training targeting emotional coping could be beneficial for quality of life and may ultimately lead to lower job turnover among healthcare professionals.
The Impact of Maxillary Advancement on Consonant Proficiency in Patients With Cleft Lip and Palate, Lay Listeners’ Opinion, and Patients’ Satisfaction With Speech
Authors: Hagberg Emilie , Flodin Stina , Granqvist Svante , Karsten Agneta , Neovius Erik , Lohmander Anette
Published: June 2018

Objective:

This study investigates the impact of maxillary advancement (Le Fort I osteotomy) on consonant proficiency in patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP) and explores how these patients and lay people perceive their speech 1 year post Le Fort I osteotomy.

Design:

Retrospective group study before and after treatment.

Participants:

All patients with CLP who had undergone Le Fort I osteotomy for maxillary retrognathia between 2007 and 2010 at Karolinska University Hospital, Sweden (n = 21). Six patients were excluded due to additional malformations and missing data. Two experienced speech and language pathologists assessed consonant proficiency, and speech accuracy was determined by lay listeners from pre- and postoperative standardized audio recordings. The patients’ satisfaction with speech postoperatively was collected from medical records.

Main Outcome Measures:

Percentage of oral consonants correct and acoustic analysis of /s/, lay listeners’ opinion, and patients’ satisfaction with speech.

Results:

One year postoperation, 11 of the 15 patients had improved articulation, especially on the /s/-sound, without speech intervention. The mean percentage of oral consonants correct before treatment (82%) was significantly improved later (95%; P > .01). This assessment was supported by the patients’ satisfaction with speech. However, lay listeners’ opinion on accuracy was inconsistent. Length of maxillary advancement or change in occlusion did not correlate with change in articulation.

Conclusion:

Maxillary advancement performed to normalize occlusion and facial profile improved consonant proficiency in patients with CLP 1 year postoperation. Lay listeners’ and patients’ perceptions of speech need further exploration.
Significant drug interaction between voriconazole and dexamethasone: A case report
Authors: Taghvaye Masoumi Hamidreza , Hadjibabaie Molouk , Gholami Kheirollah , Zarif-Yeganeh Morvarid , Ghavamzadeh Ardeshir
Published: June 2018

Background

Voriconazole is extensively metabolized by the CYP450 isoenzymes 2C19 and 3A4 and to a lesser extent by CYP2C9; therefore, any medication that affects this pathway can alter its plasma concentration. Treatment failure can probably occur if subtherapeutic levels are achieved.

Case description

A 32-year-old woman who suffered from acute lymphoblastic leukemia was admitted and received treatment with vincristine and dexamethasone. After several days, to control her fever, based on two consecutive positive serum galactomannan test results, voriconazole as an antifungal agent was added to Aspergillus infection treatment. Through the first week after voriconazole initiation, its plasma concentrations were subtherapeutic. The most suspicious medication for interaction was dexamethasone, which can induce CYP450 isoenzymes and reduce plasma concentration.

Conclusion

As a result of the narrow therapeutic window of voriconazole and the relationship between efficacy and plasma concentration of azoles, therapeutic drug monitoring of voriconazole in patients receiving a high dose of glucocorticoids is recommended, in order to achieve optimal response to treatment and toxicity reduction. Further studies regarding the interaction between voriconazole and dexamethasone to prevent clinically relevant interactions should be considered.
A Case of Upper Ureter Rupture With Acute Kidney Injury
Authors: Mutsuyoshi Yuko , Kaneko Shohei , Minato Saori , Yanai Katsunori , Ishii Hiroki , Kitano Taisuke , Shindo Mitsutoshi , Miyazawa Haruhisa , Ito Kiyonori , Ueda Yuichiro , Hirai Keiji , Hoshino Taro , Ookawara Susumu , Morishita Yoshiyuki
Published: June 2018

We herein report a case of ureter rupture with severe oliguric acute renal injury due to benign prostatic hypertrophy. After insertion of an indwelling urinary catheter, the patient’s urine output immediately increased. His symptoms and renal function also rapidly improved to the normal range without a surgical operation. Clinicians should note this complication in patients with oliguria.
Parents’ Expressions of Concerns and Hopes for the Future and Their Concomitant Assessments of Disability in Their Children
Authors: Illum Niels Ove , Bonderup Mette , Gradel Kim Oren
Published: June 2018

Aim:

To assess parents’ ability to express their concerns and hopes for the future in their children with disability and assess their children’s disability as well as to analyse these data for consistency.

Method:

Parents of 162 children with spina bifida, spinal muscular atrophy, muscular disorders, cerebral palsy, visual impairment, hearing impairment, mental disability, or disability following brain tumours were asked to freely express their concerns and hopes for the future and to assess disability in their own children by employing a set of 26 International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, Children and Youth Version (ICF-CY) body function (b) codes and activity and participation (d) codes. A grounded theory approach was employed to systematize parents’ expressions of concerns and hopes; then, parents scored qualifiers on a 5-step qualitative Likert scale. Parents assessed their children’s disability in the same way using the ICF-CY 5-step qualifier scale.

Results:

Altogether, 119 parents freely expressed their concerns and hopes, and 101 of them also assessed their children’s disability using the 26 ICF-CY codes. A total of 475 expressions of concern and hopes (issues) were expressed and categorized into 34 areas of concern and hopes (subsections). The most frequently mentioned issues were education; understanding, goodwill, and communication between parents; and community support. Qualitative data on both 5-step qualifier scales showed good reliability. Rasch analysis maps on concerns and hopes for children as well as on the ICF-CY assessment demonstrated good alignment and a clinically relevant progression from the least to the most disabled children.

Conclusion:

Parents can express valid and reliable data on their concerns and hopes for the future and can reliably assess disability in their own children.
Images and Spaces of Port Cities in Transition
Authors: Kowalewski Maciej
Published: June 2018

The concept of a port city, when narrated by popular visualities, goes through intense transformations of port spaces. Globalization, technological transformations of the maritime industry, and waterfront renewal programs influence a romantic myth of the port town and maritime culture. The aim of the article is to interpret the cultural conventions governing the portrayal of port cities and present a picture postcard as a visual narrative. Visual discourse analysis is used for a study of seven European port cities and their visual representations. Three metaphorical dominants of visual discourse have been distinguished: (1) waterfront and the port town tertiary sector; (2) technology, power, and domination; and (3) maritime culture and romanticism. The postcards that are analyzed reflect a tension between the intensely transformed postindustrial areas and the romantic images of a port city.
Mother, baby and Facebook makes three: does social media provide social support for new mothers?
Authors: Archer Catherine , Kao Kai-Ti
Published: June 2018

Many mothers can find themselves increasingly isolated and overwhelmed after giving birth to a new baby. This period can be a source of extreme stress, anxiety and depression, which can not only have an economic impact on national health services, but can also have long-term effects on the development of the child. At the same time, social media use among most new mothers has become ubiquitous. This research investigates the role of social media, potentially as a mechanism for social support, among Australian mothers of young children aged from birth to 4 years. The findings indicate that participants had mixed responses to their social media use. While social support was deemed a benefit, there were also some negative aspects to social media use identified. The findings highlight the need to critically interrogate social media’s ability to act as a source of social support for new mothers.
Teachers’ responsibility and expectations: Dependent on the school organisation?
Authors: Sæbø Grethe Ingebrigtsvold , Midtsundstad Jorunn H
Published: June 2018

This article presents findings from a qualitative case study focusing on teachers’ communication concerning expectations and responsibilities in different schools. The study indicates the following: (1) the connection between structural expectations and responsibility is important, (2) different expectation structures provide different opportunities for collective responsibility, and (3) expectations from others and towards others in a learning community can limit or expand opportunities to learn from each other. These findings enable a discussion on how teachers’ responsibility depends on schools’ expectations and also raise questions about teachers’ expectations towards themselves and the quality of the schools’ expectations towards the teachers.
Evaluating teacher and school development by learning capital: A conceptual contribution to a fundamental problem
Authors: Adolfsson Carl-Henrik , Håkansson Jan
Published: June 2018

In light of an international policy movement to increase focus on students’ academic achievement, the question of how to improve schools has become an important issue at all levels in the school system. Substantial resources have been invested in reforms to improve conditions for pupils’ learning. Great expectations and responsibility are often placed on teachers in terms of their professional development (PD), the aim being to improve their teaching practices. Consequently, the question of how to evaluate the results of school improvement programmes, including teachers’ PD, has arisen. However, there is a lack of theoretical concepts that can capture the outcomes of such development in a qualified way. Taking inspiration from the research on teachers’ PD and theories relating to teachers’ knowledge and capabilities, the aim of this study is to outline a conceptual framework that can serve as an analytical tool when evaluating both school improvement initiatives in general and school actors’ learning in particular. Four types of learning capital that are intended to reflect the central aspects of teachers’ and school organisations’ learning and the capabilities linked to teaching practice and its development are outlined. This conceptual framework is applied and exemplified based on the results of a 3-year research project evaluating a school improvement programme in a Swedish municipality. Finally, some conclusions are drawn regarding the different types of analysis possible with the current conceptual framework related to the evaluation of school improvement efforts.
The impact of bilingualism on executive function in adolescents
Authors: Chung-Fat-Yim Ashley , Himel Cari , Bialystok Ellen
Published: June 2018

Aims and objectives/purpose/research questions:

In early childhood and older adulthood, bilinguals generally demonstrate better performance on executive function tasks than their monolingual counterparts, but in the young adult population, these differences are infrequently observed. However, few studies have examined these effects in the adolescent population, so the trajectory of these changes is unclear. The objective of the study was to compare performance on a modified flanker task for monolingual and bilingual adolescents, a time when the executive functions are still developing.

Design/methodology/approach:

The flanker task was adapted by including a rule-switching component and contained three blocks: (1) rule; (2) flanker; and (3) mixed. In the rule block, a single red or blue arrow (indicated by light grey or medium grey in Figure 1) denoted a response rule; for example, a blue arrow signaled pressing the button indicating the direction the arrow was pointing but a red arrow signaled pressing the button indicating the opposite direction. The flanker block was a standard flanker task consisting of congruent and incongruent trials. The mixed block manipulated both congruency and rule conditions.

Data and analysis:

Mean reaction times and accuracy from 33 monolingual and 32 bilingual adolescents were analyzed using a repeated-measures analysis of variance with language group as the between-subjects variable and congruency and/or rule-type as the within-subjects variable depending on the block.

Findings/conclusions:

Bilingual adolescents outperformed monolingual adolescents but only on the block that was most similar to the standard flanker task. The blocks with the rule-switching component yielded equivalent performance.

Originality:

Unlike previous studies, the current study adapted a simple executive control task to require greater attentional resources by manipulating task demands.

Significance/implications:

Our findings add to the growing body of literature examining bilingualism and executive control in the adolescent population and fill in the gap in our understanding of the lifespan trajectory of these effects.
First passage probability assessment of stationary non-Gaussian process using the third-order polynomial transformation
Authors: Zhao Yan-Gang , Zhang Long-Wen , Lu Zhao-Hui , He Jun
Published: June 2018

In this article, an analytical moment-based procedure is developed for estimating the first passage probability of stationary non-Gaussian structural responses for practical applications. In the procedure, an improved explicit third-order polynomial transformation (fourth-moment Gaussian transformation) is proposed, and the coefficients of the third-order polynomial transformation are first determined by the first four moments (i.e. mean, standard deviation, skewness, and kurtosis) of the structural response. The inverse transformation (the equivalent Gaussian fractile) of the third-order polynomial transformation is then used to map the marginal distributions of a non-Gaussian response into the standard Gaussian distributions. Finally, the first passage probabilities can be calculated with the consideration of the effects of clumping crossings and initial conditions. The accuracy and efficiency of the proposed transformation are demonstrated through several numerical examples for both the “softening” responses (with wider tails than Gaussian distribution; for example, kurtosis > 3) and “hardening” responses (with narrower tails; for example, kurtosis < 3). It is found that the proposed method has better accuracy for estimating the first passage probabilities than the existing methods, which provides an efficient and rational tool for the first passage probability assessment of stationary non-Gaussian process.
Behaviour of concrete-filled steel tubular members under pure bending and acid rain attack: Test simulation
Authors: Xie Li , Chen Mengcheng , Sun Wei , Yuan Fang , Huang Hong
Published: June 2018

As infrastructure in China continues to develop rapidly, concrete-filled steel tubular structures are increasingly attracting interest for use in construction engineering owing to their high section modulus, high strength and good seismic performance characteristics. However, acid rain occurs throughout much of China, and the mechanical behaviour of concrete-filled steel tubular members may be affected by the corrosive environment created by acid rain. In this study, a total of 14 circular and square-shaped concrete-filled steel tubular members made of different types of concrete (general and recycled) and with varying corrosion rates (0%, 10%, 20% and 30%) were tested under four-point bending. After testing, the flexural behaviour of the corroded and uncorroded concrete-filled steel tubular beams were analysed in detail in terms of their failure modes, moment versus deformation curves and ultimate strength. The results indicate that the corrosion leads to an evident decrease in yield strength, elastic modulus and tensile strain capacity of steel plates and also to a noticeable deterioration in the ultimate strength of the concrete-filled steel tubular members. The replacement of general concrete aggregate with recycled concrete aggregate has little impact on the flexural performance of corroded and uncorroded concrete-filled steel tubular beams. Finally, comparisons were made between the experimental results and predicted ultimate strengths from four existing codes (GB 50936-2014, DB36/J001-2007, AIJ and EN 1994-1-1:2004).
Dynamic characteristics of the over-actuated cutterhead driving system in tunnel machine
Authors: Liu Tong , Gong Guofang , Yang Huayong , Chen Yuxi , Zhou Xinghai
Published: June 2018

The cutterhead driving system of tunnel machine is over-actuated by redundant driving chains with inevitable load and parameter deviations. These deviations were rarely considered, and the researches on multi-motors synchronization and gear dynamics were usually isolated. In this paper, a novel electromechanical coupled model of the whole cutterhead driving system is established by connecting the vector-controlled motors via gear meshing system. Force transmissions between all coupled elements are investigated by analyzing rotational and translational dynamics, and the time-varying meshing stiffness and nonlinear backlash of both parallel pinions driving and multi-stage planetary reducer are considered. The phase and frequency features of meshing dynamics are also investigated. Comparative simulations are carried out with load and parameter deviations between multi-chains under two control structures, speed parallel control and torque master-slave control; some practical control principles are also concluded. The simulation results are verified and applied on a Φ2.5-m test rig. The consistent results indicate that, the meshing dynamics have the frequency components of carrier revolution and the meshing frequencies of both current planet and endmost pinion. Torque master-slave control could realize torque synchronization against all the adverse deviations while speed parallel control fails, and the vibration could be significantly reduced with lower rigidity in speed control.
Cardiovascular outcomes in patients who experienced a myocardial infarction while treated with liraglutide versus placebo in the LEADER trial
Authors: Nauck Michael A , Tornøe Karen , Rasmussen Søren , Treppendahl Marianne Bach , Marso Steven P
Published: June 2018

Objective:

Animal studies demonstrated that glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists reduce myocardial necrosis following regional ischaemia induction. This effect may improve cardiovascular outcomes after myocardial infarction. Risk of cardiovascular death or hospitalisation for heart failure after myocardial infarction was evaluated in patients with type 2 diabetes at high cardiovascular risk in the LEADER trial.

Methods:

Data from patients randomised to liraglutide or placebo, in addition to standard of care, in Liraglutide Effect and Action in Diabetes: Evaluation of Cardiovascular Outcome Results (LEADER) (NCT01179048) were analysed post hoc. Cox regression, with myocardial infarction as a time-dependent covariate, was used to analyse time from randomisation to a composite of cardiovascular death or hospitalisation for heart failure.

Results:

Patients who experienced myocardial infarction had a sevenfold higher risk of the composite endpoint (with myocardial infarction: n = 148, 25.0%; without myocardial infarction: n = 716, 8.2%; hazard ratio: 7.0; 95% confidence interval: 5.8, 8.4). The risk of the composite endpoint after myocardial infarction was not significantly lower in the liraglutide group ( n = 63, 23.0%) compared with placebo ( n = 85, 26.7%; hazard ratio: 0.91; 95% confidence interval: 0.66, 1.26).

Conclusion:

The data demonstrated that having myocardial infarction significantly increased the risk of subsequent cardiovascular death or hospitalisation for heart failure. However, we did not find evidence for a reduced risk in these cardiovascular outcomes following myocardial infarction in patients treated with liraglutide versus placebo.
Automated Surgical Approach Planning for Complex Skull Base Targets: Development and Validation of a Cost Function and Semantic At-las
Authors: Aghdasi Nava , Whipple Mark , Humphreys Ian M. , Moe Kris S. , Hannaford Blake , Bly Randall A.
Published: June 2018

Successful multidisciplinary treatment of skull base pathology requires precise preoperative planning. Current surgical approach (pathway) selection for these complex procedures depends on an individual surgeon’s experiences and background training. Because of anatomical variation in both normal tissue and pathology (eg, tumor), a successful surgical pathway used on one patient is not necessarily the best approach on another patient. The question is how to define and obtain optimized patient-specific surgical approach pathways? In this article, we demonstrate that the surgeon’s knowledge and decision making in preoperative planning can be modeled by a multiobjective cost function in a retrospective analysis of actual complex skull base cases. Two different approaches— weighted-sum approach and Pareto optimality—were used with a defined cost function to derive optimized surgical pathways based on preoperative computed tomography (CT) scans and manually designated pathology. With the first method, surgeon’s preferences were input as a set of weights for each objective before the search. In the second approach, the surgeon’s preferences were used to select a surgical pathway from the computed Pareto optimal set. Using preoperative CT and magnetic resonance imaging, the patient-specific surgical pathways derived by these methods were similar (85% agreement) to the actual approaches performed on patients. In one case where the actual surgical approach was different, revision surgery was required and was performed utilizing the computationally derived approach pathway.
The method for determining working resistance of advance support bracket in deep fully mechanized roadway based on Flac3D
Authors: Xue Guanghui , Cheng Jijie , Guan Jian , Chai Jingxuan , Zhang Guofeng , Hao Xuedi , Wu Miao
Published: June 2018

Fully mechanized roadway is an area of high accident incidence, and the problem is more prominent with the increase of mining depth of coal resources. The advance support scheme put forward for fully mechanized mining roadway with self-moving support and anchor combined unit, and the configuration and working principle of support robot was explicated. A determination method on the working resistance of advance support bracket was proposed based on mechanical coupling model of surrounding rock-advance support brackets. Taking the geological conditions of the Qishan mine as an example, the process of analyzing and determining the working resistance of the advance support bracket was described using this method. An advance support bracket was designed using SolidWorks, and the working load was obtained based on numerical calculations. Then the stress and strain were analyzed using ANSYS. The results showed that the designed advance support bracket can withstand the corresponding top plate pressure. It provides a new method and thought for study and development of advance supporting equipment in deep fully mechanized roadway.
The environmental navigation using geometric virtual reality
Authors: Hu Nien-Tsu , Tsai Pu-Sheng , Wu Ter-Feng , Chen Jen-Yang , Lee Lin
Published: June 2018

This article explores the construction of a geometric virtual reality platform for the environmental navigation. Non-panoramic photos and wearable electronics with Bluetooth wireless transmission functions are used to combine the user’s actions with the virtual reality environment in a first-person virtual reality platform. The 3ds Max animation software is used to create three-dimensional models of real buildings. These models are combined with the landscape models in Unity3d to create a virtual campus scene that matches real landscape. The wearable device included an ATMega168 chip as a microcontroller; it was connected to a three-axis accelerometer, a gyroscope, and a Bluetooth transmitter to detect and transmit various movements of the user. Although the development of the mechatronics, software, and engineering involved in the three-dimensional animation are the main objective, we believe that the methods and techniques can be modified for various purposes. After the system architecture was created and the operations of the platform were verified, wearable devices and virtual reality scenes are concluded to be able to be used together seamlessly.