bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gender Matters: Racial Variation and Marital Stability Among Intraracial Couples
Authors: Petts Amy L. , Petts Richard J.
Published: May 2019

Studies assessing differences between intraracial and interracial marriages typically use race data from one time point. Yet because racial identification can vary across time, context, or perspective, whether a relationship is defined as intraracial or interracial can also differ. We use a sample of 2,845 respondents from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1997, whose marriages are intraracial (based on 2002 data) to examine whether marital stability differs for those whose racial identification varied across waves and whether this effect is moderated by gender. Approximately 6% of respondents in intraracial relationships had inconsistent racial identities. We also find evidence that the association between racial variation and marital stability differs by gender. Women whose race varied are more likely to divorce than any other group, including static-race couples and men whose race varied. More attention should be given to intraracial heterogeneity, especially as groups that are more likely to have varying racial identities grow in number.
An isolated azygos vein rupture from blunt chest trauma
Authors: laohathai Sira
Published: May 2019

We report a case of isolated traumatic rupture of the azygous vein. A 33-year-old female suffered blunt chest injury from the airbag explosion in a car accident. Initial examination revealed decreased breath sounds in the right chest. Computed tomography showed a massive right hemothorax without evidence of rib fracture or great vessel injury. An emergency exploratory thoracotomy was performed due to massive hemothorax with unstable vital signs. A laceration in the anterior wall of the azygos vein was identified. Bleeding was controlled by double ligation at the injury site. The patient was discharged on postoperative day 7 without any sequelae.
Adams-Stokes attack with delayed heart block after ventricular septal repair
Authors: Chaiyakulsil Chanapai , Sirichongkolthong Boonchu
Published: May 2019

A child with Down syndrome, who had undergone uneventful ventricular septal defect repair one year earlier with a normal heart rate during routine follow-up, presented with recurrent seizure-like episodes that did not respond to antiepileptics. She was subsequently found to have complete heart block with significant bradycardia requiring permanent pacemaker insertion. This late and unusual presentation of complete heart block after ventricular septal defect repair is discussed. Prudence must be applied in the evaluation of children who have undergone surgical correction of congenital heart defects and presented with recurrent seizure-like episodes.
Smart cities and the banality of power
Authors: Datta Ayona , Odendaal Nancy
Published: May 2019

Smart cities have begun to garner increasing global popularity and political legitimacy in recent years. Driven largely by corporate interests, smart cities provide highly normative solutions to future urban and economic crises and are now popular in the global north and south alike. Despite a growing critical scholarship on smart cities, the processes and politics through which they manifest in different locations are widely different. Yet, there is a dearth of research on how an understanding of smart cities through the lens of power might contribute to our understanding of contemporary urban theory, citizenship and wider urban transformations. The papers, in this special issue, represent a range of entry points for examining the dynamics of power in the operationalisation of the smart city concept in different contexts. The intention is to examine how smart cities produce and engage power, as a way of normalising the structural and social violence inherent in urban transformations across the world.
Neonatal Kawasaki syndrome presenting as out of hospital cardiac arrest rescued by extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Authors: Tyson Marguerite , Mustafa Ala , Venugopal Prem , Whitehead Ben , Anderson Ben , Mattke Adrian Christian
Published: May 2019

A 7-week-old girl presented in severe shock to a local emergency department. During transfer to the quaternary pediatric hospital, the child had a cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation was commenced en route. Upon arrival to the pediatric intensive care unit, extracorporeal life support was initiated via trans-sternal cannulation. Chest CT performed after extracorporeal life support cannulation, demonstrated widespread aneurysms and a diagnosis of Kawasaki disease was made. Immunomodulatory therapy with immunoglobulin and glucocorticoid medication was commenced and the child was separated from extracorporeal life support after 48 hours. Our case highlights both an unusual presentation of Kawasaki disease and the role extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation can play in the treatment of this disease. It describes the youngest reported patient in the literature with Kawasaki disease rescued by extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation and highlights how extracorporeal life support therapy can facilitate appropriate investigations to resolve diagnostic uncertainty and treat the underlying condition.
A review of goal setting theories relevant to goal setting in paediatric rehabilitation
Authors: Pritchard-Wiart Lesley , Thompson-Hodgetts Sandra , McKillop Ashley B
Published: May 2019

Background:

Goal setting in paediatric rehabilitation is influenced by shifting parent, sibling, caregiver, and child roles over time and evolving child developmental capacity for participation in the process. A theoretical and evidence-informed approach to goal setting, specific to paediatrics, would provide a framework for goal setting in practice and facilitate systematic evaluation of the effects of goal-setting processes on child and family outcomes.

Objective:

To provide an overview of relevant goal-setting theories and their implications for paediatric rehabilitation.

Methods:

Prevalent theories were identified from relevant rehabilitation, motivation, behaviour change, and goal-setting literature. Implications for goal setting in paediatrics are summarized according to goal-setting and action-planning phases: (1) preparation, (2) formulation of goals, (3) formulation of action plan, (4) coping planning, and (5) follow up.

Results:

Social cognitive theory, self-determination theory, Health Action Process Approach, Mastery Motivation, and goal-setting theory are reviewed. Examples of implications for goal setting include, sharing information with families about the purpose of goal setting; identifying goals that are specific, proximal, challenging, and important to the child; and addressing self-efficacy.

Conclusion:

The theories reviewed have clear implications for paediatric rehabilitation research and practice. They address considerations not typically discussed in adult rehabilitation such as observing children to obtain information about meaningful goals when they are unable to communicate them directly and the importance of establishing flexible processes that will accommodate changing family roles over time. Research is needed to evaluate the effects of goal-setting processes and strategies on outcomes in paediatric rehabilitation.
Thrombosis of the dorsal vein of the penis as first clinical presentation of pancreatic cancer metastatic to the penis
Authors: Virdis Matteo , Bonifacio Cristiana , Brambilla Tatiana , Capretti Giovanni , De Nittis Pasquale , Uccelli Fara , Zerbi Alessandro
Published: May 2019

Introduction:

Though metastatic disease is a common presentation of pancreatic adenocarcinoma, localization to the penis is an extremely rare event despite its abundant vascularization. Primary cancers responsible for penile metastases usually occur in prostate and rectum and are often associated with disseminated malignancy and poor prognosis.

Case description:

A 66-year-old man was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the tail of the pancreas after the onset of thrombosis of the dorsal vein of the penis; pubis ultrasound and total body computed tomography scan were negative for metastases at other sites. The patient was submitted to distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy for a pT3 N1 G4 pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Three weeks after discharge, the patient returned to the outpatient clinic complaining of a painful permanent turgidity of the penis shaft. Ultrasound revealed a complete replacement of the cavernosal bodies by multiple nodular masses and a penile biopsy confirmed metastases from the primary pancreatic cancer. The patient started chemotherapy with NAB-paclitaxel and gemcitabine, with excellent control of symptoms. However, the disease progressed to bone and liver and the patient died 9 months after surgery.

Conclusions:

Penile localization is an extremely rare event and a standard of care has not been elaborated. Treatments are palliative and mainly aimed at pain relief and can comprise chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery. Identification of venous thrombosis as an early sign of involvement could potentially offer patients an earlier diagnosis and a better treatment option.
Equity-linked executive compensation, hedging and foreign exchange exposure: Australian evidence
Authors: Loriot Blake , Hutson Elaine , Au Yong Hue Hwa
Published: May 2019

Using a sample of 268 Australian firms over the period 2009–2014, we examine the relation between the equity-linked compensation (shares and options) of Australian executives – CEOs, CFOs and directors – and firms’ foreign exchange hedging programmes. We find that the greater the number of shares held by CEOs, the higher its exposure to exchange rate movements. While this suggests that remuneration in the form of shares has a critical downside, we also find evidence for a more positive and important role in foreign exchange risk management for the share- and option-related incentives provided to CFOs.

JEL Classification: G32, G15, F31
Concurrent Progression of Through and Turning Movements for Arterials Experiencing Heavy Turning Flows and Bay-Length Constraints
Authors: Chen Yen-Hsiang , Cheng Yao , Chang Gang-Len
Published: May 2019

Contending with congestion on major urban arterials by providing progression bands has long been a priority task for the traffic community. However, on an arterial experiencing heavy left-turn volumes at major intersections, the left-turn queue may spill back rapidly and further degrade the effectiveness of the through progression band if the left-turn volume and the limited bay length have not been accounted for in the optimization of signal coordination plan. Such negative impact from left-turn queues also justifies the need to take into account the concurrent progression of through and left-turn flows on major arterials. To address these two issues, this paper presents a three-staged signal optimization model that can circumvent or minimize the impact of left-turn spillback to the through movements and concurrently minimize the delay of left-turn flows. The proposed model firstly obtains an initial maximized bandwidth from an existing state-of-the-art method and then maximizes the portion of through bandwidth not impeded by the left-turn overflows. The delay of left-turn flows at each intersection will also be minimized under the obtained effective through bandwidth. The results from the numerical analyses have confirmed the benefits and need of including the left-turn volume and its bay length in the design of dual progression for through and left-turn movements. The simulation experiments further show a reduction in the average delay and the number of stops, by 6.4% and 5.5%, respectively, for vehicles traversing an arterial segment of six intersections, compared with the state-of-the-art model, MULTIBAND.
Automatic Vehicle Classification using Roadside LiDAR Data
Authors: Wu Jianqing , Xu Hao , Zheng Yichen , Zhang Yongsheng , Lv Bin , Tian Zong
Published: May 2019

This research presented a new approach for vehicle classification using roadside LiDAR sensor. Six features (one feature, object height profile, contains 10 sub-features) extracted from the vehicle trajectories were applied to distinguish different classes of vehicles. The vehicle classification aims to assign the objects into ten different types defined by FHWA. A database containing 1,056 manually marked samples and their corresponding pictures was provided for analysis. Those samples were collected at different scenarios (roads and intersections, different speed limits, day and night, different distance to LiDAR, etc.). Naïve Bayes, K-nearest neighbor classification, random forest (RF), and support vector machine were applied for vehicle classification. The results showed that the performance of different methods varied by class. RF has the highest overall accuracy among those investigated methods. Some types were merged together to serve different types of users, which can also improve the accuracy of vehicle classification. The validation indicated that the distance between the object and the roadside LiDAR can influence the accuracy. This research also provided the distribution of the overall accuracy of RF along the distance to LiDAR. For the VLP-16 LiDAR, to achieve an accuracy of 91.98%, the distance between the object and LiDAR should be less than 30 ft. Users can set up the location of the roadside LiDAR based on their own requirements of the classification accuracy.
Prediction and Factor Identification for Crash Severity: Comparison of Discrete Choice and Tree-Based Models
Authors: Wang Xinyi , Kim Sung Hoo
Published: May 2019

Crash severity is one of the most widely studied topics in traffic safety area. Scholars have studied crash severity through various types of models. Using the publicly available 2017 Maryland crash data from the Department of Maryland State Police, the authors develop a multinomial logit (MNL) model and a random forest (RF) model, which belong to discrete choice and tree-based models, respectively, to (1) identify factors contributing to crash severity and (2) compare prediction performances and interpretation abilities between the two models. Based on the model results, major contributing factors of crash severity are identified, including collision type, occupant age, and speed limit. For the given dataset, RF has a higher prediction accuracy than MNL based on multiple measures (precision, recall, and F1 score), even though the differences are not dramatic. Sensitivity analysis results show that RF is less sensitive than MNL. RF can automatically capture the non-linear effects of continuous variables and reduce the influence of collinearity relationships existing among explanatory variables. This study shows the possibility of conducting sensitivity analysis to enhance understanding of MNL and RF results, and uncovers unique characteristics of the discrete choice and tree-based models.
Evaluating Fuel Tax Revenue Impacts of Electric Vehicle Adoption in Virginia Counties: Application of a Bivariate Linear Mixed Count Model
Authors: Jia Wenjian , Jiang Zhiqiu , Chen T. Donna , Paleti Rajesh
Published: May 2019

Increasing electric vehicle (EV) shares and fuel economy pose challenges to a fuel tax-based transportation funding scheme. This paper evaluates such fuel tax revenue impacts using Virginia as a case study. First, a bivariate count model is developed using vehicle registration data in 132 counties from 2012 to 2016. Model results indicate strong correlation between presence of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) on a county basis. Counties with higher percent of males are associated with higher BEV (but not PHEV) counts. In contrast, higher average commute time is predicted to increase the number of PHEVs in each county, but not BEVs. Greater population density, population over 65, population with graduate degrees, and household size are found to increase PHEV and BEV counts, whereas more households with children is associated with fewer EVs. The analysis forecasts 0.6–10% statewide EV adoption by 2025, with an adoption rate of 2.4% in the most likely scenario. Nine scenarios, combining different predictions of EV adoption and fuel economy improvement, project 2025 statewide fuel tax revenue to decrease by 5–19%, relative to 2016 receipts. Furthermore, model results suggest that, on average, a light-duty vehicle in a rural area will pay 28% more in fuel taxes than its urban counterpart by 2025. The framework proposed here provides a reference for other regions to conduct similar analysis using public agency data in the vehicle electrification era.
Development of a Performance-Volumetric Relationship for Asphalt Mixtures
Authors: Wang Yizhuang David , Ghanbari Amir , Underwood Benjamin Shane , Kim Youngsoo Richard
Published: May 2019

This paper aims to establish the relationship between the volumetric performance of asphalt mixtures and their performance in relation to pavement fatigue cracking and rutting. A good performance-volumetric relationship (PVR) can dramatically improve the working efficiency of mixtures and can be used in future performance-engineered mixture design and performance-related specifications. For this study, three asphalt mixtures were first designed to incorporate systematic changes in volumetric conditions, then fatigue cracking and rutting performance tests were conducted at each condition. Statistical analyses of the results suggest that a first-order (linear) model and power model would be an appropriate form of the PVR function. The number of volumetric conditions required to calibrate the PVR function is also investigated. Finally, a rule of thumb for selecting the volumetric conditions for the model calibrations is provided. The verification results show that the proposed PVR function is able to capture the response of mixture performance to changes in volumetric conditions.
Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware Crash Testing and Evaluation of Multiple Mailbox Supports for Use with Locking Architectural Mailboxes
Authors: Silvestri Dobrovolny Chiara , Bligh Roger P. , Obinna Justin , McDaniel Mark , Odell Wade
Published: May 2019

With increasing concern about mail-identity theft, there is a growing demand among homeowners and businesses for the use of locking mailboxes for theft deterrence and resistance to vandalism. Lockable mailbox products can be significantly larger and heavier than standard lightweight mailboxes. Therefore, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) requested evaluation of their crashworthiness before permitting their use on the state highway system. Under TxDOT Project 9-1002-12, crash tests were performed following the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) guidelines and procedures to assess the impact performance of lockable, secure mailboxes in both single and multiple mount configurations. Testing of the larger and heavier locking mailboxes on multiple-mount support posts was unsuccessful owing to vehicle windshield deformation and intrusion. This paper describes the efforts to develop and evaluate the crashworthiness of new proposed designs for multiple mailbox supports used with a combination of lockable and standard mailboxes. The crash tests were performed following MASH guidelines and the evaluation criteria. Two proposed designs were evaluated through full-scale crash testing. Both systems satisfied all required MASH evaluation criteria at low and high impact speeds using a passenger car, which was considered to be the critical design vehicle based on the mailbox mounting height.
Robust Control for Regulating Frequent Bus Service: Supporting the Implementation of Headway-Based Holding Strategies
Authors: van der Werff Ellen , van Oort Niels , Cats Oded , Hoogendoorn Serge
Published: May 2019

Reliability is a key determinant of the quality of a transit service. Control is needed to deal with the stochastic nature of high-frequency bus services and to improve service reliability. This study focuses on holding control, both schedule- and headway-based strategies. An assessment framework is developed to systematically assess the effect of different strategies on passengers, the operator, and the transport authority. This framework can be applied by operators or authorities to determine which holding strategy is most beneficial to regulate headways, and thus solve related problems. In this research knowledge is gained about what service characteristics affect the performance of holding strategies and the robustness of these strategies in disrupted situations, by using scenarios. The framework is applied to a case study of a high-frequency regional bus line in the Netherlands. Based on the simulation results, the study identified the line characteristics that are important for the performance of schedule- and headway-based strategies and determined how robust different strategies are in the case of disruptions. Headway-based control strategies better mitigate irregularity along the line, especially when there are disruptions. However, schedule-based control strategies are currently easier to implement, because they do not require large changes in practice, and the performance of both strategies is generally equal in regular, undisrupted situations. In this paper, insights into what the concerns are for operators with respect to technical adaptations, logistical changes, and behavioral aspects when using a headway-based strategy are given.
Evaluating Safety Effectiveness of Truck Climbing Lanes using Cross-Sectional Analysis and Propensity Score Models
Authors: Haq Muhammad Tahmidul , Zlatkovic Milan , Ksaibati Khaled
Published: May 2019

The State of Wyoming is characterized by heavy truck traffic flow, especially along Interstate 80 (I-80). A large portion of I-80 in Wyoming goes through mountainous and rolling terrain, resulting in significant vertical grades. About 9% of I-80 in each direction is within vertical grades of more than 3%, with certain sections reaching grades of close to 7%. Currently, there are 14 miles of climbing lanes in both directions. This study investigates the effects of climbing lanes on traffic safety using sections of I-80 in Wyoming. Cross-sectional analysis and propensity score methods were applied to evaluate the safety effectiveness and calibrate the Crash Modification Factor (CMF) and Relative Risk (RR) for climbing lanes. Data were collected from different sources and Wyoming-specific safety performance functions were developed using crash data from 2008 to 2016 for total crashes and truck-related crashes. All the segments were selected from I-80 in Wyoming with climbing lanes as treatment sites, and segments with similar geometrical characteristics without climbing lanes as comparison sites. Aggregated data were used to develop Negative Binomial and Zero-Inflated Negative Binomial models for performing cross-sectional analysis as they were found to fit better for the crash data. On the other hand, panel count data were used to conduct a propensity scores-potential outcomes framework. The CMFs and RR for climbing lanes from both analyses were found to be effective in reducing total and truck-related crashes. This is a first study that develops CMFs for climbing lanes in Wyoming.
Field Imaging and Volumetric Reconstruction of Riprap Rock and Large-Sized Aggregates: Algorithms and Application
Authors: Huang Haohang , Luo Jiayi , Moaveni Maziar , Tutumluer Erol , Hart John M. , Beshears Sheila , Stolba Andrew J.
Published: May 2019

Riprap rock and large-sized aggregates have been used extensively in geotechnical and hydraulic engineering. They essentially provide erosion control, sediment control, and scour protection. The sustainable and reliable use of riprap materials demands efficient and accurate evaluation of their large particle sizes, shapes, and gradation information at both quarry production lines and construction sites. Traditional methods for assessing riprap geometric properties involve subjective visual inspection and time-consuming hand measurements. As such, achieving the comprehensive in-situ characterization of riprap materials still remains challenging for practitioners and engineers. This paper presents an innovative approach for characterizing the volumetric properties of riprap by establishing a field imaging system associated with newly developed color image segmentation and three-dimensional (3-D) reconstruction algorithms. The field imaging system described in this paper with its algorithms and field application examples is designed to be portable, deployable, and affordable for efficient image acquisition. The robustness and accuracy of the image segmentation and 3-D reconstruction algorithms are validated against ground truth measurements collected in stone quarry sites and compared with state-of-the-practice inspection methods. The imaging-based results show good agreement with the ground truth and provide improved volumetric estimation when compared with currently adopted inspection methods. Based on the findings of this study, the innovative imaging-based system is envisioned for full development to provide convenient, reliable, and sustainable solutions for the onsite Quality Assurance/Quality Control tasks relating to riprap rock and large-sized aggregates.
Nutrition and the Use of Supplements in Women During Pregnancy: A Cross-Sectional Survey
Authors: Moran-Lev Hadar , Bauer Smadar , Farhi Adir , Nehama Haim , Yerushalmy-Feler Anat , Mandel Dror , Lubetzky Ronit
Published: May 2019

Objective:

A healthy diet during pregnancy is essential to ensure optimal fetal growth and development. Women’s awareness of dietary guidelines may assist them in following a healthy diet for themselves and their unborn babies. The Institute of Medicine and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology have published recommendations concerning the nutrition of pregnant/nursing women. The Israeli Ministry of Health has adopted these recommendations in revised guidelines published in 2015. The aim of this study was to describe the dietary habits among pregnant/nursing women in Israel and to assess the correlation between socioeconomic parameters and adherence to those guidelines.

Methods:

We performed a cross-sectional survey by interviewing pregnant/lactating women attending family health centers (FHC) in different areas of Tel Aviv, Israel.

Results:

One-half of the 239 recruited women reported having been informed of the guidelines for dietary changes during and after pregnancy, 30% by a professional source. Women in a lower socioeconomic status (SES) consumed more undercooked (rare) beef, raw fish, and caffeine compared to women in a higher SES (P = 0.03 and P = 0.003, respectively). The former was less compliant with the recommendation for folic acid supplementation (155 [(88.1]) vs 47 [(77]), P = 0.05) and less likely to use other dietary supplements during pregnancy, e.g., multivitamins and omega 3, than the latter (P = 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively).

Conclusion:

This survey revealed deficiencies in adherence to the implementation of medical guidelines to nutrition during and after pregnancy, as well as gaps between women of different SESs, mostly in the use of dietary supplements.
Transobturator tape and mini-sling methods in stress urinary incontinence: Results of a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Emami Maryam , Momtazan Abdolreza , Maghsoudi Robab , Ameli Mojtaba , Kashi Amirhosein , Amirpoor Minoo , Karimi Sara
Published: May 2019

Background:

Stress urinary incontinence is one of the most common types of incontinence in premenopausal women, accounting for almost 50% of such cases. Mid-urethral slings are currently the most widely used surgical method for stress urinary incontinence. This study aimed at comparing the efficacy, complications, urodynamic changes and the sexual function status between mini-sling surgery and transobturator tape to help us select the best method in such patients.

Method:

In this randomized controlled trial, 80 cases were studied and randomly assigned to either the mini-sling or transobturator tape group (n = 40). A full medical history was taken and the Q.tip and cough tests were performed for each patient to record their urinary incontinence and hypermobility. Abdominal and pelvic ultrasound study was requested by specifying PVR and urodynamic testing. The International Consultation on Incontinence Modular Questionnaire-6 was filled by the patients and the Female Sexual Functioning Index questionnaire by the physician. The patients were followed-up 8 weeks after discharge by urodynamic tests, ultrasound study, and the International Consultation on Incontinence Modular Questionnaire test.

Results:

The mean age, body mass index, and parity were not significantly different between the two groups. The mean surgical time, amount of bleeding, hospitalization period, and pain index were significantly less in the mini-sling group. The International Consultation on Incontinence Modular Questionnaire and Female Sexual Functioning Index indices before and after surgery showed no significant difference between the two groups. The difference in urodynamic test parameters was also insignificant.

Conclusion:

In the mini-sling method which is a less invasive method compared to transobturator tape, the intraoperative bleeding, surgical time, hospitalization period, pain, and surgical complications were far less while its efficacy was similar to transobturator tape; therefore, it is recommended in treating stress urinary incontinence among women.
Dissatisfied Creators: Generating Creative Ideas Amid Negative Emotion in Health Care
Authors: Lee Yuna S. H. , Nembhard Ingrid M. , Cleary Paul D.
Published: May 2019

Improving performance often requires creative ideas in extreme work settings like health care. Frontline workers are promising sources of creative ideas. The authors assert that their job dissatisfaction is positively associated with creativity in health care settings because negative emotion spurs creativity when tied to engaging work and that characteristics such as shorter tenure, greater role centrality, and high boundary spanning can strengthen this relationship. The authors find supporting evidence in data on ideas generated over 18 months by health professionals in 12 clinics. Results suggest that health care organizations should not overlook dissatisfied workers as valuable sources of creative improvement ideas.
Cognitive Impairments during the Transition to Working at Night and on Subsequent Night Shifts
Authors: McHill Andrew W. , Wright Kenneth P.
Published: May 2019

Demands of modern society force many work operations into the night when the internal circadian timekeeping system is promoting sleep. The combination of disturbed daytime sleep and circadian misalignment, which is common in overnight shift work, decreases cognitive performance, yet how performance may differ across multiple consecutive nights of shift work is not fully understood. Therefore, the primary aim of this study was to use a simulated night-shift protocol to examine the cognitive performance and ratings of sleepiness and clear-headedness across the hours of a typical daytime shift, a first night shift with an afternoon nap and extended wakefulness, and 2 subsequent overnight shifts. We tested the hypothesis that cognitive performance would be worse on the first night shift as compared with the baseline and subsequent nighttime shifts and that performance during nighttime shifts would be reduced as compared with the baseline daytime shift. Fifteen healthy adults (6 men) were studied in the 6-day in-laboratory protocol. Results showed that working during the night increased subjective sleepiness and decreased clear-headedness and performance on the Psychomotor Vigilance Task (i.e., slower median, fastest and slowest reaction times, and increased attentional lapses), Stroop color word task (decreased number of correct responses and slower median reaction time), and calculation addition performance task (decreased number attempted and correct). Furthermore, we observed limited evidence of sleepiness, clear-headedness, or performance adaptation across subsequent nights of simulated night work. Our findings demonstrate that night-shift work, regardless of whether it is the first night shift with a nap and extended wakefulness or subsequent night shifts, decreases performance and clear-headedness as compared with the day shift.
Measuring and Modeling Exposure to External Workplace Aggression in Three Types of Emergency Responders
Authors: van Reemst Lisa , Jongerling Joran
Published: May 2019

The measurement properties of indices about workplace aggression initiated by the public, referred to as external workplace aggression, are under-researched. This study addressed how exposure to external workplace aggression is best measured and modeled in three types of emergency responders. The study inspected the factor structure and explored the addition of severity to an existing measure of frequency of exposure to workplace aggression, which addresses forms of physical aggression, threats, and verbal and nonverbal/nonphysical aggression (gestures) by people outside the organization directed toward employees. Self-reported data from 1,499 emergency responders, including emergency medical workers, firefighters, and police officers in the Netherlands, were analyzed using factor analyses in Mplus. In addition, the relationships between workplace aggression indices and a measure of the situational risk for violence were tested. Results show that the frequency index measured exposure to external workplace aggression better than the index combining the frequency and severity, and that factor structures of indices differed, regarding number and content of factors, between the three groups of emergency responders. An important implication is that researchers and policy employees can use a relatively simple measure to examine exposure to aggression in organizations.
Investigation of friction-induced vibration in a disk brake model, including mode-coupling and gyroscopic mechanisms
Authors: Ghorbel Ahmed , Zghal Becem , Abdennadher Moez , Walha Lassâad , Haddar Mohamed
Published: May 2019

The brake squeal reduction has been extensively investigated in many academic and industrial researchers. Friction-induced vibrations can be considered as a dynamic instability problem. Generally, automotive engineers and researchers working in the domain of disk brake noise treat instabilities due to the force of friction as a friction-induced vibration. In the case of squeal noise, mode coupling may cause instability of the system. The aim of this article is to propose a minimal two degree of freedom disk brake model in order to investigate the effects of different parameters on mode-coupling instability. This model takes into account self-excited vibration, gyroscopic effect, friction-induced damping, and brake pad geometry. Thus, a stability analysis of equilibrium by calculating complex eigenvalues is presented to investigate the influence of the main parameters on the stability zone such as the opening angle of the brake pad and preload. For the validation of the stability analysis, squeal index and time domain response are used. The results obtained show the importance of optimizing the physical and geometrical parameters of the brake and that some of these parameters have greater effects compared to the others to reduce noise.
A modified HIV continuum of care: A six-year evaluation of a viral load cascade at a hospital-based clinic in Kingston, Jamaica
Authors: Barrow Geoffrey J , Brandeau Margaret L
Published: May 2019

To achieve the goal of HIV viral suppression, provision of medication alone is not sufficient. Concomitant frameworks to evaluate HIV care delivery programmes are needed. This study examined the care continuum at a hospital-based HIV clinic in Kingston, Jamaica using a modified HIV continuum of care, with an increased focus on viral load indicators (viral load samples taken, results returned and viral suppression). A statistical analysis of patient flow through the care continuum to identify gaps in programme delivery was performed. Key programmatic areas for process improvement and the utility of this approach for viral load suppression interpretation were identified. Between 2010 and 2015, more than 1600 patients had been registered for care and more than 1000 had accessed antiretroviral therapy at this location. Consistent trends in programme performance were seen from 2010 to 2012. Although declines in the proportion of viral load samples taken and results returned occurred because of laboratory failures in 2013, the trend of increasing numbers and proportions of virally suppressed patients continued. Statistical analysis indicated that improvements in laboratory quality (fraction of viral load samples returned with accurate test results) could increase viral load suppression among patients at the clinic by up to 17%. Refining care delivery processes can significantly improve HIV viral load suppression rates. Expanding monitoring frameworks to include all of the essential processes that affect final outcome indicators can provide valuable insight into trends of outcome indicators and programme performance.
Population-level impact of information sources on HIV testing uptake in South Africa: gender and age disparities
Authors: Wand Handan , Reddy Tarylee
Published: May 2019

In South Africa, mass media and interpersonal communication sources have been used extensively to increase awareness of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS. A sub-population of 10,565 black Africans who participated in the 2011–2012 household survey was analysed. Overall compared to men, a higher proportion of women had ever been tested for HIV (76% versus 60%). In age-specific analysis, men and women aged 25–49 years were more likely to be ever been tested compared to the youngest (<25 years) and the oldest age groups (50+ years). More than 80% of the study population was exposed to mass media tools, while exposure to interpersonal information sources was less common (16–72%). Among adolescents, 37% (men) and 41% (women) of the HIV tests were collectively associated with exposure to interpersonal programmes, while mass media tools had substantial contributions on HIV testing rates among the older individuals. Information sources to promote HIV/AIDS awareness should be tailored to reduce age–gender disparities.
Quantification of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and emtricitabine in generic pre-exposure prophylaxis tablets obtained from the internet
Authors: Wang Xinzhu , Nutland Will , Brady Michael , Green Ian , Boffito Marta , McClure Myra
Published: May 2019

In this study, we addressed the recent concerns over the authenticity of generic pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) purchased online by sampling 14 generic PrEPs from different manufacturers and suppliers and measuring tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and emtricitabine (FTC) content using high-performance liquid chromatography. We confirmed that all the PrEP tablets contained 94.3% to 104.9% of the 300 mg of TDF claimed on the label and 97.3% to 104.4% of the 200 mg FTC claimed on the label.
Adenovirus-associated paraphimosis
Authors: Pollack Alisa , Varma Rick
Published: May 2019

We present the first reported case of paraphimosis associated with concurrent adenoviral urethritis and conjunctivitis in a heterosexual man. This case reinforces the need to consider adenovirus in the differential diagnosis of non-gonococcal urethritis and describes a potentially serious complication.
Active steering control for autonomous vehicles based on a driver-in-the-loop platform: A case study of collision avoidance
Authors: Chen Keji , Pei Xiaofei , Sun Daoyuan , Chen Zhenfu , Guo Xuexun , Guo Konghui
Published: May 2019

Leveraging the advancements in sensor and mapping technologies, the collision-free autonomous vehicle becomes possible in the future. In this article, a case study of collision avoidance by active steering control is presented and verified by a driver-in-the-loop platform. The proposed control system integrates a risk assessment algorithm and a hierarchical model predictive control approach to ensure a safe driving. First, a fuzzy logic is used to estimate the potential conflict. Besides, a nonlinear model predictive control is introduced in the upper layer of the model predictive controller to generate a collision-free trajectory. Furthermore, the lower layer determines the optimal steering angle based on the linear time-variant model predictive control to follow the replanning path. The performance of the controller has been evaluated in the real-time driver-in-the-loop test. The results show that the autonomous vehicle is able to avoid the collision with the surrounding vehicle that is operated by a real driver, and the performance of collision avoidance is improved by means of the risk assessment.
Refusal bias in HIV data from the Demographic and Health Surveys: Evaluation, critique and recommendations
Authors: Adegboye Oyelola A , Fujii Tomoki , Leung Denis HY
Published: May 2019

Non-response is a commonly encountered problem in many population-based surveys. Broadly speaking, non-response can be due to refusal or failure to contact the sample units. Although both types of non-response may lead to bias, there is much evidence to indicate that it is much easier to reduce the proportion of non-contacts than to do the same with refusals. In this article, we use data collected from a nationally representative survey under the Demographic and Health Surveys program to study non-response due to refusals to HIV testing in Malawi. We review existing estimation methods and propose novel approaches to the estimation of HIV prevalence that adjust for refusal behaviour. We then explain the data requirement and practical implications of the conventional and proposed approaches. Finally, we provide some general recommendations for handling non-response due to refusals and we highlight the challenges in working with Demographic and Health Surveys and explore different approaches to statistical estimation in the presence of refusals. Our results show that variation in the estimated HIV prevalence across different estimators is due largely to those who already know their HIV test results. In the case of Malawi, variations in the prevalence estimates due to refusals for women are larger than those for men.
Preparation and studies of pigeon pea stalk/polypropylene composites with and without compatibilizer
Authors: Luthra Priyanka , Singh Ram , Kapur GS
Published: May 2019

The pigeon pea stalk (PS) is an agricultural by-product. In this article, we have studied its potential as natural fibers to be utilized in polypropylene (PP) composite preparation. The mechanical, thermal, and morphological properties of the PP/PS composites with and without compatibilizer have been investigated. The maleic anhydride grafted PP was used as the compatibilizer. The morphological study showed a better dispersion of stalk fibers in the matrix with the addition of compatibilizer. An increase in the mechanical properties and thermal stability of the composites was observed with the addition of PS fiber to PP. The X-ray diffraction results confirmed the beta crystalline phase in the composites.
Enacting accountability: The case of the Asili di Carità, 1913–1926
Authors: Sian Suki , Magli Francesca , Nobolo Alberto A. , Guarini Enrico
Published: May 2019

The Asili di Carità was a non-profit educational institution established for very young children by the Catholic Church in 1836 in the City of Milan. This study shows how the First World War, changes in political ideology and economic developments in northern Italy directly impacted upon the, sometimes precarious, financial position of the Asili. Within the context of such change, the Board of the Asili enacted accountability through the maintenance and presentation of accounting records and meetings with stakeholders. This study draws from both public and private archives to examine the decisions made by the Board in response to change. The study focuses on the Asili’s relations with its most economically powerful stakeholders in the period from 1913 to 1926 as it transitioned from a privately funded organisation to one that was funded predominantly by the Municipality of Milan, before reverting to private hands.
Explaining workers’ role in illegitimate wage underreporting practice: Evidence from the European Union
Authors: Franić Josip
Published: May 2019

Despite substantial endeavours of international institutions and governments around the world to promote decent work, recent years have witnessed resurgence of non-standard and precarious labour practices. This article scrutinises one of the most recently described types of non-standard work, which is known as quasi-formal or under-declared employment. Companies relying on this illegitimate strategy, which is particularly prevalent in Europe, deliberately misreport the take-home pay of their formally employed workers. Alongside the officially declared wage, a quasi-formal worker thus receives an additional cash-in-hand payment which remains untaxed. To explore why so many European Union workers accept quasi-formal jobs in spite of obvious limitations, we report the evidence from interviews with 616 workers who were surveyed within the Special Eurobarometer 284/Wave 67.3. A two-level cumulative logistic regression emphasises tax morale and the exact function of the cash-in-hand payment as the key factors in this respect. On the other hand, neither perceived detection risk nor expected penalties are found to affect the readiness of quasi-formal workers to keep obeying an illegitimate arrangement with their employer. These findings therefore endorse recent studies on the matter, which illuminate low trust in the state and fellow citizens as the main reason for many workers to voluntarily misreport their income.

JEL Codes: E26, H26, J46
Associations Among End-of-Life Discussions, Health-Care Utilization, and Costs in Persons With Advanced Cancer: A Systematic Review
Authors: Starr Lauren T. , Ulrich Connie M. , Corey Kristin L. , Meghani Salimah H.
Published: May 2019

Background:

Aggressive end-of-life (EOL) care is associated with lower quality of life and greater regret about treatment decisions. Higher EOL costs are also associated with lower quality EOL care. Advance care planning and goals-of-care conversations (“EOL discussions”) may influence EOL health-care utilization and costs among persons with cancer.

Objective:

To describe associations among EOL discussions, health-care utilization and place of death, and costs in persons with advanced cancer and explore variation in study measures.

Methods:

A systematic review was conducted using PubMed, Embase, and CINAHL. Twenty quantitative studies published between January 2012 and January 2019 were included.

Results:

End-of-life discussions are associated with lower health-care costs in the last 30 days of life (median US$1048 vs US$23482; P < .001); lower likelihood of acute care at EOL (odds ratio [(OR] ranging 0.43-0.69); lower likelihood of intensive care at EOL (ORs ranging 0.26-0.68); lower odds of chemotherapy near death (ORs 0.41, 0.57); lower odds of emergency department use and shorter length of hospital stay; greater use of hospice (ORs ranging 1.79 to 6.88); and greater likelihood of death outside the hospital. Earlier EOL discussions (30+ days before death) are more strongly associated with less aggressive care outcomes than conversations occurring near death.

Conclusions:

End-of-life discussions are associated with less aggressive, less costly EOL care. Clinicians should initiate these discussions with patients having cancer earlier to better align care with preferences.