bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Toddler Encounters as Aesthetic Interviews? Discussing an Arts-Based Data Gathering
Authors: Vist Torill
Published: October 2018

This article introduces encounters between the researcher and toddlers, in which the interaction is performed and data primarily constructed through the arts, and the encounters seen as aesthetic interviews. The aim of the article is to exemplify, explore, and discuss such an arts-based data gathering, and to elicit how understanding this as interviews may put forward other nuances of such a methodology. Although the method has obvious resemblances with observation methods, the energy and intervention on behalf of the researcher is most similar to the qualitative interview, keeping the relational qualities from the interview at the forefront. Exemplified by a fieldwork in a Norwegian day-care center and inspired by interview theories, early childhood research, arts-based research, and more, the article questions the dominance of the verbal language in interviews, and discusses the core of the interview as a relational interchange of views, dialogue, interaction, and as aesthetic habits of mind.
Peridynamics review
Authors: Javili Ali , Morasata Rico , Oterkus Erkan , Oterkus Selda
Published: October 2018

Peridynamics (PD) is a novel continuum mechanics theory established by Stewart Silling in 2000. The roots of PD can be traced back to the early works of Gabrio Piola according to dell’Isola et al. PD has been attractive to researchers as it is a non-local formulation in an integral form, unlike the local differential form of classical continuum mechanics. Although the method is still in its infancy, the literature on PD is fairly rich and extensive. The prolific growth in PD applications has led to a tremendous number of contributions in various disciplines. This manuscript aims to provide a concise description of the PD theory together with a review of its major applications and related studies in different fields to date. Moreover, we succinctly highlight some lines of research that are yet to be investigated.
Mappila Muslim Masculinities: A History of Contemporary Abjectification
Authors: Kasim Muhammadali P.
Published: October 2018

This article explores multiple dimensions of stereotyping Mappila Muslim masculinities in the south Indian state of Kerala, as abject and demonized other. I begin with a survey of the British colonial construction of Mappila masculinity as, for example, militant religious fanatic, against the historical background of encounters between the two. It follows an examination of the new ways of reproducing these constructs in a changed yet hegemonic narrative public domain of the contemporary where Hindu majoritarian nationalism gathers its momentum. In so doing, this article also scrutinizes the larger mythological and structural elements of the contemporary refiguring. Drawing from these historical and contemporary trajectories, I argue that abjectification of Muslim masculinities is one of the basic ingredients of Islamophobia at work, often in banal forms.
Poker avatars: affective investment and everyday gambling platforms
Authors: Albarrán-Torres César , Apperley Thomas
Published: October 2018

This article examines the use of player-controlled avatars on digital gambling platforms and apps. Through a discussion of the influential, but now defunct, online gambling platform PKR ‘The Second Life of gambling’ the article illustrates how the avatar has a key role in the routinization of online gambling and cultivating affective investment from gamblers. The process of creating, maintaining and updating avatars promotes spending winnings in-house as the house now provides digital items that allow players to personalize their avatars. For gamblers, the affective investment in avatars adds a crucial qualitative and social dimension to what is otherwise a game of numbers and odds. The customizable avatar introduces a qualitative uncertainty by creating the possibility for indirect communication through avatar appearance, accessories and gestures, which reconnects online poker to face-to-face gambling through traditions such as bluffing. Affective investment in the avatar thus creates a feeling of co-presence between gamblers while gamblers and gambling platforms.
Inaugural KS Inglis address: making Australian media history
Authors: Griffen-Foley Bridget
Published: October 2018

This address considers the development of media history as a field of research in Australia. It takes the form of a historiographical excursion, beginning with a focus on the press, and then extending to broadcasting, and touching on the work of KS Inglis as a through line. After considering what I identify as a historiographical blossoming since the 1980s, I extend my gaze to the tools and institutions for media history that have emerged, including online resources, a conference series and a research centre. Finally, I use my own 1990s research into the Packer empire to illustrate how some of the techniques for doing media history have changed in the past 20 years. In doing so, I reflect on both the benefits, and the limitations, of digital tools and techniques for Australian media historians.
Diagnostic Assessment Reviews: is cost-effectiveness analysis helpful or necessary?
Authors: Mistry Hema , Mason James
Published: October 2018

Objective

Diagnostic Assessment Reviews are part of the work programme of the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in England to evaluate emergent medical technologies and so ensure timely and consistent adoption within the National Health Service (NHS). New diagnostics have the potential to improve health outcomes and impact positively on health service resource use. This study sought to assess the quality of economic evidence informing Diagnostic Assessment Reviews.

Methods

We reviewed 27 Diagnostic Assessment Reviews that had been published by NICE as of 30 May 2017 by summarizing and interpreting the evidence that was used to carry out cost-effectiveness analyses. Common issues and challenges of the assessment process were illustrated. Findings: DARs differed in the methods and assumptions used to construct economic models, and linkage of economic model and diagnostic findings. Even though some diagnostic technologies were estimated to be cost-effective, they were not always adopted for routine use in the NHS. The majority of Diagnostic Assessment Review economic models relied heavily on assumptions and expert opinion, with considerable uncertainty about the cost-effectiveness of diagnostic testing.

Conclusions

Diagnostic Assessment Reviews appraisals as commissioned by NICE typically feature varying evidence for diagnostic performance and limited evidence for resource implications and quality of life, often leading to recommendations for further research. Given the process opportunity cost, a two-stage topic selection process, with initial assessment specifying further research and proceeding to full assessment when adequate evidence is available may be more appropriate and help signal to diagnostics companies the type of research evidence required.
Imperfection sensitivity in cylindrical shells under uniform bending
Authors: Fajuyitan O Kunle , Sadowski Adam J
Published: October 2018

Efforts are ongoing to characterise a comprehensive resistance function for cylindrical shells under uniform bending, a ubiquitous structural system that finds application in load-bearing circular hollow sections, tubes, piles, pipelines, wind turbine support towers, chimneys and silos. A recent computational study by Rotter et al. demonstrated that nonlinear buckling of perfect elastic cylinders under bending is governed by four length-dependent domains –‘short’, ‘medium’, ‘transitional’ and ‘long’– depending on the relative influence of end boundary conditions and cross-sectional ovalisation. The study additionally transformed its resistance predictions into compact algebraic relationships for use as design equations within the recently developed framework of reference resistance design. This article extends on the above to present a detailed computational investigation into the imperfection sensitivity of thin elastic cylindrical shells across the most important length domains, using automation to carry out the vast number of necessary finite element analyses. Geometric imperfections in three forms – the classical linear buckling eigenmode, an imposed cross-sectional ovalisation and a realistic manufacturing ‘weld depression’ defect – are applied to demonstrate that imperfection sensitivity is strongly length dependent but significantly less severe than for the closely related load case of cylinders under uniform axial compression. The axisymmetric weld depression almost always controls as the most deleterious imperfection. The data are processed computationally to offer an accurate yet conservative lower-bound algebraic design characterisation of imperfection sensitivity for use within the RRD framework. The outcomes are relevant to researchers and designers of large metal shells under bending and will appeal to computational enthusiasts who are encouraged to adopt the automation methodology described herein to explore other structural systems.
Numerical and experimental investigation on nonlinear dynamic behavior of satellite antenna reflector mechanism considering geometrical nonlinear effect and laminated composite material
Authors: You Bindi , Liang Dong , Sun Yiming , Yu Xiangjie , Wen Xiaolei
Published: October 2018

A nonlinear dynamic modeling method for a satellite antenna system composed of laminated composite shell reflector undergoing large rotation considering its geometrically nonlinear effect and material nonlinearity effect is proposed in this paper. The present model treats flexible appendages of a spacecraft mechanism as laminated composite material and takes into account the coupling relations between nonlinear constitutive relation of laminated material characteristics and large-angle maneuver. Then, the corresponding efficient formulations for laminated paraboloidal reflector based on higher order shear deformation theory and Hamilton's principle are developed to capture the correct dynamic response. Furthermore, the experiment for evaluating the dynamic behavior of laminated composite reflector is conducted; the vibration of the laminated composite material is smaller than that of isotropic material. Numerical results are in good agreement with those obtained from experiment to validate the correctness of the present modeling formulation. Finally, numerical simulations demonstrate that nonlinear stiffness terms and elastic force resulting from with different curvature and different laying angle have significant effect on the dynamic characteristics. The larger curvature of the reflector and the larger laying angle of the laminated composite material will induce the larger deformation of the reflector. The conclusion has important theoretical value and practical significance for the study of controlling the pointing behavior of satellite antennas.
Black Sexual Minority Men’s Disclosure of Sexual Orientation Is Associated With Exposure to Homonegative Religious Messages
Authors: Lassiter Jonathan Mathias , Brewer Russell , Wilton Leo
Published: October 2018

Previous research has highlighted the homonegative atmospheres of many religious communities in Western society and their harmful impact on Black sexual minority (SM) people’s mental and physical health. However, few studies have examined the relationship between sexual orientation disclosure to church members and exposure to homonegative religious messages in religious settings. This online quantitative study investigated this relationship among a sample of 320 Black SM men. The participants for this study were recruited nationally from across the United States and had a mean age of 34 years. Descriptive statistics and linear regression analyses were conducted. Findings indicated that sexual orientation disclosure to church members was significantly associated with exposure to homonegative religious messages, even when controlling for geographic region of residence and denominational affiliation. Black SM men who had higher levels of disclosure were exposed to fewer homonegative religious messages. The implications of these findings for health research and clinical work with Black SM men are discussed in detail.
Numerical investigation for the influence of the car underbody on aerodynamic force and flow structure evolution in crosswind
Authors: Yuan Zhiqun , Gu Zhengqi , Wang Yiping , Huang Xiaoqun
Published: October 2018

To investigate the aerodynamic behavior of underbody structure in crosswind conditions, two numerical simulation models have been developed by using computational fluid dynamics method. First, to validate the accuracy of these models, the wind tunnel experiment of model with simplified flat underbody has been designed. The computationally predicted results of realizable k-e model show consistency with experimental data, and the correlation deviation of aerodynamic force is less than 10%. By using such model, the aerodynamic force and flow field of car under steady crosswind are simulated using underbody structure, and the influence on the aerodynamic characteristic has been analyzed. It can be found that the aerodynamic force increased significantly under different yaw angle. The physical mechanism response has been clearly shown by investigating the flow field around car body by vortices visualization technique. The results of this study can be served as a suggestion for studying the vehicle stability of high-speed under crosswind.
Design and analysis of a novel active screw-drive pipe robot
Authors: Li Pengs , Tang Ming , Lyu Congyi , Fang Mengjun , Duan Xingguang , Liu Yunhui
Published: October 2018

This study proposes a novel active screw-drive in-pipe robot that can adapt the circular-type and square-type pipe structure. The pipe robot is composed of four driving units and a wall-pressing suspension mechanism. Each driving unit contains a motor, a transmission train, and an electromagnetic brake, which is for switching the motion transmission route. DC motors drive the helical wheels, and the incline angle of the helical wheels can be adjusted by using the electromagnetic brake. The wheels of the driving unit exhibit rolling and steering motion. Thus, the robot is capable of translation movements, rotation movements, and screw motions with respect to the axis of the pipe according to the different positions of the helical wheels. The robot can avoid obstacles by using the rotation and screw modes. Moreover, the wall-pressing mechanism is analyzed and modified, and a criteria for entering a reduction pipe reducer are derived for the double scissor-like suspension mechanism. We also analyze the robot motion in curved pipes in two typical postures. The simulation experiments reveal the relationship between the translation and rotation motion of the robot and indicates that the steering angle of the wheels can be regarded as a regulator to adjust the movement speed of the robot aside from tuning the posture of the robot. Elbow experiments are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the motion strategy. The robot can be adapted for both circular and square tube pipes without any change in its structure due to the special configuration.
Bearing condition degradation assessment based on basic scale entropy and Gath-Geva fuzzy clustering
Authors: Wang Bing , Hu Xiong , Sun Dejian , Wang Wei
Published: October 2018

A method based on basic scale entropy and Gath-Geva fuzzy clustering is proposed in order to solve the issue of bearing degradation condition recognition. The evolution rule of basic scale entropy for bearing in performance degradation process is analyzed first, and the monotonicity and sensitivity of basic scale entropy are emphasized. Considering the continuity of the bearing degradation condition at the time scale, three-dimensional degradation eigenvectors are constructed including basic scale entropy, root mean square, and degradation time, and then, Gath-Geva fuzzy clustering method is used to divide different conditions in performance degradation process, thus realizing performance degradation recognition for bearing. Bearing whole lifetime data from IEEE PHM 2012 is adopted in application and discussion, and fuzzy c-means clustering and Gustafson–Kessel clustering algorithms are analyzed for comparison. The results show that the proposed basic scale entropy-Gath-Geva method has better clustering effect and higher time aggregation than the other two algorithms and is able to provide an effective way for mechanical equipment performance degradation recognition.
Design and experiment of adaptive modified super-twisting control with a nonlinear sliding surface for a quadrotor helicopter
Authors: Akbar Reesa , Uchiyama Naoki
Published: October 2018

Quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle is a nonlinear system of 6-degree-of-freedom motion. In order to handle the nonlinearity that causes undesirable behavior, robustness of flight control has been studied. In this work, we consider the combination of higher order sliding mode control and nonlinear time-varying sliding surface for robustness and accuracy in tracking. An adaptive super-twisting control, a second-order sliding mode control, is utilized to compensate for the uncertainty and perturbation of a quadrotor system. A time-varying sliding surface is designed with a nonlinear function to provide varying properties of closed-loop dynamics and to improve control performance with energy consumption reduction. The proposed control system performance including energy consumption was compared among nonlinear adaptive super-twisting control algorithm, linear adaptive super-twisting control algorithm, and linear super twisting controllers, without and under wind disturbance. The robustness and effectiveness of the proposed control system are demonstrated by several times simulation and experiment using a quadrotor helicopter test bed.
Research on adaptive gearshift decision method based on driving intention recognition
Authors: Lei Yulong , Zhang Yuanxia , Fu Yao , Liu Ke
Published: October 2018

One of the main tasks of adaptive gearshift decision-making is to recognize the driving intention, which reflects the adaptability of the vehicle to the driver. This article proposes a method of classification and recognition to recognize this kind of intention, which based on an improved Gustafson–Kessel clustering analysis, and constructs the corresponding fuzzy recognition system based on the method of extracting the fuzzy rules of the driving intention from classification results. Driving intention recognition results as the driver power demand factor, which is the basis of adaptive gearshift decision for the vehicle to adapt to the driving intention, which reflects the driver’s demand for vehicle power. Based on the factor, by using the method of interpolation between economy and power shift line, making gearshift decision is adaptive of driver’s intention. In the end, through the real vehicle experiment, it is proved that the method can effectively recognize the driving intention and the adaptability of the decision.
The feasibility of external gas-assisted mold-temperature control for thin-wall injection molding
Authors: Minh Pham Son , Do Thanh Trung , Uyen Tran Minh The
Published: October 2018

Simulation and experimental testing were conducted on an external gas-assisted mold-temperature control combined with a pulsed cooling system used for thin-wall injection molding to determine its effect on the heating rate and temperature distribution of a mold surface. For mold heating via external gas-assisted mold-temperature control, a hot gas was directly discharged on the cavity surface. Based on the heat convection between the hot gas and the cavity surface, the cavity temperature rose to the target value. Practically, the gap between the heating surface and the gas gate is an important parameter as it strongly influences the heating process. Therefore, this parameter was analyzed under different values of plate-insert thickness herein. Heating was elucidated by the temperature distribution and heating-rate data detected by the infrared camera and sensors. Then, external gas-assisted mold-temperature control was applied for the thin-wall injection-molding part of 0.5 mm thickness with the local-gate-temperature control. The results show that with 300°C gas temperature, the heating rate could reach 9°C/s with a 0.5-mm stamp thickness and a 4-mm gas gap. The results show that with local heating at the melt-entrance area of the mold plate, the cavity was filled with a 20-s heating cycle.
Attributions of leaders’ charisma increase after their death: The mediating role of identity leadership and identity fusion
Authors: van Dick Rolf , Fink Louisa , Steffens Niklas K , Peters Kim , Haslam S. Alexander
Published: October 2018

In the present research, we replicate previous research showing that death increases attributions of a leader’s charisma and that this is mediated by followers’ perceptions of a connection between the leader and their group (identity fusion). We also extend previous research by including identity leadership as a further mediator, examining the importance of a leaders’ perceived ability to strengthen the identity of the group they lead. Predictions were tested in the unique context of the death of two former German chancellors (Helmut Schmidt, Helmut Kohl) with participants ( n = 233) evaluating one of these leaders either before or after their death. Results show that the leaders’ identity leadership, identity fusion, and charisma were perceived to be significantly higher after their death. Analysis also supported the proposed serial mediation model in which condition (alive or dead) impacted charisma via identity leadership and then fusion. Results support claims that charisma is a social attribution.
The Axial Age, social evolution, and postsecular consciousness
Authors: Mendieta Eduardo
Published: October 2018

This article focuses on Karl Jaspers’s notion of the Axial Age, some of its critical appropriation, and how in particular Habermas has returned to this idea, after several critical engagements with Jaspers’s work through his long scholarly productivity. The article, however, centers on Habermas’s selective and critical use of Jaspers’s notion in his own latest and extensive engagement with what he calls “a genealogy of postmetaphysical thinking.” The goal of the article is to identify the ways in which Habermas is refurbishing Jaspers’s generative concept, but at the same time, how his work on postsecular consciousness opens itself to some liabilities by not taking enough distance from the concept.
Extending the Minority Stress Model to Understand Mental Health Problems Experienced by the Autistic Population
Authors: Botha Monique , Frost David M.
Published: October 2018

Research into autism and mental health has traditionally associated poor mental health and autism as inevitably linked. Other possible explanations for mental health problems among autistic populations have received little attention. As evidenced by the minority disability movement, autism is increasingly being considered part of the identities of autistic people. Autistic individuals thus constitute an identity-based minority and may be exposed to excess social stress as a result of disadvantaged and stigmatized social status. The authors test the utility of the minority stress model as an explanation for the experience of mental health problems within a sample of high-functioning autistic individuals ( n = 111). Minority stressors including everyday discrimination, internalized stigma, and concealment significantly predicted poorer mental health, despite controlling for general stress exposure. These results indicate the potential utility of minority stress in explaining increased mental health problems in autistic populations. Implications for research and clinical applications are discussed.
Clinical Outcomes Associated With Allogeneic Red Blood Cell Transfusions in Spinal Surgery: A Systematic Review
Authors: Blackburn Collin W. , Morrow Katherine L. , Tanenbaum Joseph E. , DeCaro Jessica E. , Gron Judith M. , Steinmetz Michael P.
Published: October 2018

Study Design:

Systematic review.

Objectives:

The objectives of this systematic review were to report the available clinical evidence on patient outcomes associated with perioperative allogeneic red blood cell (RBC) transfusions in adult patients undergoing spinal surgery and to determine whether there is any evidence to support an association between transfusion timing and clinical outcomes.

Methods:

A systematic review of the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases was performed to identify all articles examining outcomes of adult spinal surgery patients who received perioperative allogeneic RBC transfusions. The level of evidence for each study was assessed using the “Oxford Levels of Evidence 2” classification system. Meta-analysis was not performed due to the heterogeneity of reports.

Results:

A total of 2759 unique citations were identified and 76 studies underwent full-text review. Thirty-four studies were selected for analysis. All the studies, except one, were retrospective. Eleven studies investigated intraoperative or postoperative transfusions. Only one article compared outcomes related to intraoperative versus postoperative transfusions.

Conclusions:

Perioperative transfusion is associated with increased rates of postoperative complications, especially infectious complications, and prolonged length of stay. Some evidence suggests that a dose-response relationship may exist between morbid events and the number of RBC units administered, but these findings are inconsistent. Because of the heterogeneity of reports and inconsistent findings, the incidence of specific complications remains unclear. Limited research activity has focused on intraoperative versus postoperative transfusions, or the effect of transfusion on functional outcomes of spine surgery patients. Further research is warranted to address these clinical issues.
A Comprehensive Return-to-Play Analysis of National Basketball Association Players With Operative Patellar Tendon Tears
Authors: Nguyen Michael V. , Nguyen John V. , Taormina David P. , Pham Hien , Alaia Michael J.
Published: October 2018

Background:

Patellar tendon tears impart potentially debilitating sequelae among professional basketball athletes.

Hypothesis:

Professional basketball athletes with patellar tendon tears have decreased return-to-play performance in seasons after injury compared with preinjury statistics.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

Patellar tendon tears among National Basketball Association (NBA) athletes from the 1999-2000 to 2014-2015 seasons were identified. Player performance statistics for players who underwent operative patellar tendon repair were compared from 1 season before injury to 1 season after injury and 2 seasons before injury to 2 seasons after injury using the primary outcome of player efficiency rating (PER). Secondary performance outcomes were also analyzed.

Results:

A total of 13 patellar tendon tears (10 complete, 3 partial) were identified among 12 NBA athletes. Three players (25%) did not return to play in the NBA. No significant differences were found in PER in comparisons of 1 season before and after injury (16.6 ± 1.5 vs 14.3 ± 1.7; P = .20) or in comparisons of 2 seasons before and after injury (15.8 ± 0.8 vs 6.3 ± 2.3; P = .49). Diminished performance outcomes were noted for total minutes played (2598 ± 100 vs 1695 ± 78; P = .01), games played (74.8 ± 1.9 vs 60.5 ± 1.4; P = .04), and minutes per game (34.8 ± 1.5 vs 28.2 ± 1.8; P = .02) in comparisons of 1 season before and after injury. Total minutes played per season (2491 ± 190 vs 799 ± 280; P = .045) decreased in comparisons of 2 seasons before and after injury.

Conclusion:

Patellar tendon tears were not associated with diminished efficiency-adjusted performance, as measured by PER, games played, minutes per game played, points per 36 minutes, and rebounds per 36 minutes. However, decreases in total minutes played were observed following patellar tendon tear. Orthopaedic surgeons may be better prepared to counsel basketball athlete patients with patellar tendon tear given these findings.
Gods, rituals and religious ideas: An exploration of the Avesta and the R. gveda
Authors: Mahalakshmi R.
Published: October 2018

This article seeks to study the earliest textual traditions in the Iranian and Indian contexts in a comparative perspective. It focuses on certain key ideas such as heaven and hell, as reflected (or their absence, as the case might be) in the Avesta and Ṛg Veda, to expose the cultural distinctiveness that the religions may reveal.1 Both of these texts are understood to belong to the same time periods, and there is much in the language cultures that suggest common origins. However, it appears that some earlier ideas, specifically in the Proto-Iranian context, may have affected the religious orientation and ritual beliefs of the people in the region. By focusing on these indicators of cultural variance and adaptation, this article seeks to trace the evolution of specific forms of language cultures, where the shared linguistic affinities are not supported by other cultural traits.2
Broadly neutralizing antibodies in HIV-1 treatment and prevention
Authors: Kumar Rajesh , Qureshi Huma , Deshpande Suprit , Bhattacharya Jayanta
Published: October 2018

Antibodies that naturally develop in some individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) and are capable of broadly neutralizing diverse strains of HIV-1 are useful for two applications: they can inform the rational design of vaccine immunogens, and they may be capable of preventing and treating HIV-1 infection when administered passively. A phase IIb study has been initiated with the experimental broadly neutralizing antibody (bnAb) VRC01, which has considerable breadth and potency (also referred to as a phase IIb HVTN 703/HPTN 081 and HVTN 704/HPTN 085 AMP efficacy trials) to evaluate its protective efficacy in individuals at risk of HIV acquisition. bnAbs prevent HIV-1 infection by selectively targeting vulnerable sites on the viral envelope (Env) protein that facilitates the entry of HIV. Although in very early stages, bnAbs capable of neutralizing a broad range of inter- and intraclade HIV-1 isolates have been demonstrated to have potential in treating patients either alone or in combination with antiretroviral drug therapy (cART); however, they are proposed to be advantageous over the latter as far as durability and side effects are concerned. Recent studies have indicated that combination therapy of potent bnAbs along with latency-reversing agents (LRAs) might also target latent reservoirs of HIV and kill them by recruiting effector cells, such as natural killer cells, thus confirming clinical progression. Possession of such qualities makes these new-generation potent bnAbs extremely valuable in effectively complementing the shortcomings of current ART drugs and improving the quality of life of infected individuals.
Corrosion prevention prospects of polymeric nanocomposites: A review
Authors: Kausar Ayesha
Published: October 2018

Corrosion is a serious problem for implementing metallic components and devices in industrial zones. Considerable effort has been made to develop corrosion prevention strategies. Initially, paints, pigments, and organic coatings have been applied to prevent metal corrosion. Consequently, conjugated polymers, epoxy resin, phenolics, acrylic polymers, and many thermoplastics as well as thermoset resins have been used to inhibit corrosion. Lately, nanofillers such as fullerene, nanodiamond, graphene, graphene oxide, carbon nanotube, carbon black, nanoclay, and inorganic nanoparticle have been introduced in polymeric matrices to harness valuable corrosion protection properties of the nanocomposite. Corrosion protection performance of a nanocomposite depends on nanofiller dispersion, physical and covalent interaction between matrix/nanofiller and nanofiller adhesion to the substrate. Moreover, a high performance anti-corrosion nanocomposite must have good barrier properties, and high scratch, impact, abrasion, and chemical resistance. Thus, polymeric nanocomposites have been found to prevent corrosion in aerospace and aircraft structural parts, electronic components, bipolar plates in fuel cells, and biomedical devices and systems. However, numerous challenges need to be addressed in this field to attain superior corrosion resistant nanocomposites. Future research on polymer nanocomposites has the potential to resolve the current challenges of metal corrosion through entire replacement of metal-based materials with advanced nanomaterials.
The effects of cash transfers on adult labor market outcomes
Authors: Baird Sarah , McKenzie David , Özler Berk
Published: October 2018

ᅟ

The basic economic model of labor supply has a very clear prediction of what we should expect when an adult receives an unexpected cash windfall: they should work less and earn less. This intuition underlies concerns that many types of cash transfers, ranging from government benefits to migrant remittances, will undermine work ethics and make recipients lazy. We discuss a range of additional channels to this simple labor-leisure trade-off that can make this intuition misleading in low- and middle-income countries, including missing markets, price effects from conditions attached to transfers, and dynamic and general equilibrium effects. We use this as a lens through which to examine the evidence on the adult labor market impacts of a wide range of cash transfer programs: government transfers, charitable giving and humanitarian transfers, remittances, cash assistance for job search, cash transfers for business start-up, and bundled interventions. Overall, cash transfers that are made without an explicit employment focus (such as conditional and unconditional cash transfers, and remittances) tend to result in little to no change in adult labor. The main exceptions are transfers to the elderly and to some refugees, who reduce work. In contrast, transfers made for job search assistance or business start-up tend to increase adult labor supply and earnings, with the likely main channels being the alleviation of liquidity and risk constraints.

JEL Classification

O15, J22, I38, H23
Relief effects correction on frequency-domain electromagnetic data
Authors: Valera Sifontes Rimary , Sato Hédison Kiuity
Published: October 2018

During a frequency-domain electromagnetic (FDEM) land survey using transmitter-receiver distances of kilometer order, the receiver and transmitter may be at different altitudes. To increase the signal-to-noise ratio, the transmitting coil size must be increased to the order of a hundred meters and its geometry will be determined by the terrain roughness. Therefore, the equivalent magnetic dipole axis may be neither vertical nor normal to the mean plane representing the terrain surface. Considering the perpendicular loop-loop arrangement, these factors modify the expected secondary magnetic field in two ways: (1) A horizontal primary field arises at the receiving coil position as well as (2) the secondary fields induced by the abnormal currents in the subsurface caused by the tilting of the transmitter dipole axis. A correction procedure is proposed to remove these effects on field FDEM data and tested by using simulated FDEM data with two- or three-layered tilted models to represent the earth with a dipping surface and a nonvertically oriented transmitter magnetic dipole representing a large coil laid on rough terrain. The results demonstrate that the proposed correction procedure has a limited effectiveness, but it can be applied to the FDEM data collected on terrain surfaces having small dipping angles. It is observed that maximum values of the transmitter dipole or surficial plane tilt angle should be 2° to ensure error values in the apparent conductivity less than 10%. Even for the said value, in some combinations of geometric and physical parameters, the tilting and dipping angles can be increased to the order of 5°.
Generalized velocity approximation
Authors: Stovas Alexey , Fomel Sergey
Published: October 2018

We have developed a new approximation for P-wave velocity that has the same functional form for phase and group velocities. We call it the generalized velocity approximation (GVA) because it is similar to the generalized moveout approximation. The 2D GVA has five parameters, and the 3D GVA has 12 parameters. Our approximation is exact for the phase velocity in a transversely isotropic medium. The parameters of the 3D version of the proposed approximation are defined in all of the symmetry planes in the same fashion. Numerical examples indicate that our approximation has the same accuracy as recently proposed anelliptic approximation, but it has fewer parameters.
Free-surface and internal multiple elimination in one step without adaptive subtraction
Authors: Zhang Lele , Slob Evert
Published: October 2018

We have derived a scheme for retrieving the primary reflections from the acoustic surface-reflection response by eliminating the free-surface and internal multiple reflections in one step. This scheme does not require model information and adaptive subtraction. It consists only of the reflection response as a correlation and convolution operator that acts on an intermediate wavefield from which we compute and capture the primary reflections. For each time instant, we keep one value for each source-receiver pair and store it in the new data set. The resulting data set contains only primary reflections, and from this data set, a better velocity model can be built than from the original data set. A conventional migration scheme can then be used to compute an artifact-free image of the medium. We evaluated the success of the method with a 2D numerical example. The method can have a wide range of applications in 3D strongly scattering media that are accessible from one side only.
Internet Access and Breast Cancer Awareness Among Akure Residents
Authors: Anyanwu-Akeredolu Betty
Published: October 2018

Purpose

Of the leading types of cancer in women, breast cancer presents with the highest number of cases and is the leading cause of cancer death in less developed countries. Despite the promising positive impact of the Internet on breast cancer awareness, there is a paucity of information on the effect of Internet access on breast cancer knowledge in Nigeria. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of Internet access on breast cancer knowledge and the perceived benefit of breast self-examination among adults residing in Akure Town, Ondo State, Nigeria.

Methods

A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used to determine the effect of access to the Internet on breast cancer knowledge and the perceived benefit of breast self-examination among Akure residents. The study was conducted in 295 men and women age 18 to 60 years residing in Akure who were selected using a systematic sampling technique. A telephone survey was used to collect data. Simple frequency distribution was used to describe the data, and bivariable logistic regression was used to test the association between variables.

Results

Almost all adults residing in Akure are aware of breast cancer and more than one half have a good knowledge of the disease. Although more than one half of the study population was found to have a good knowledge of breast cancer, most adults do not have knowledge of the risk factors of breast cancer. Nearly 97% of the 84% of participants who have ever conducted breast self-examination does so at least once in a month. Adults residing in Akure who have access to the Internet were more than two times more likely to have a good knowledge of breast cancer compared with their counterparts with no Internet access.

Conclusion

Knowledge of breast cancer is above average among Akure adults; however, more than one half of the adult populace in Akure still lacks adequate knowledge of the risk factors of breast cancer. Breast cancer awareness programs that are targeted at Akure residents should emphasize breast cancer risk factors and use the platform provided by the Internet.

AUTHOR’S DISCLOSURES OF POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

The following represents disclosure information provided by authors of this manuscript. All relationships are considered compensated. Relationships are self-held unless noted. I = Immediate Family Member, Inst = My Institution. Relationships may not relate to the subject matter of this manuscript. For more information about ASCO's conflict of interest policy, please refer to www.asco.org/rwc or ascopubs.org/jco/site/ifc . No COIs from the author.
Training to Improve the Quality of Early Detection of Breast Cancer in Low-Resource Settings
Authors: Bain Carolyn , Butrón Maria Teresa Núñez , Castillo Vanesa , Larios Wilfredo , Tsu Vivien , Balassaninan Ron
Published: October 2018

Purpose

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer among women in Latin America, yet many countries lack the capacity to provide early detection and diagnostic services. In Peru, mammograms are not readily available in secondary cities, and 57% of women who are diagnosed with BC are diagnosed with stage III and IV disease. To bring services to women in a northern region of Peru, PATH collaborated with Peruvian health institutions at the local, regional, and national levels to design and implement a strategic algorithm with which to increase the early detection of BC in the absence of mammography. Here, we evaluate the impact of training on the quality of clinical breast exam (CBE), ultrasound triage, and fine-needle aspiration (FNA) sampling and the reading of FNA biopsy for triage-positive women.

Methods

Two hundred twenty-four midwives and 15 doctors were included in two-step training in Trujillo, Peru. CBE trainings were performed using anatomic models and patient exams in 2-day sessions. Team discussion with trainers was used to improve skills. Doctors’ trainings for FNA sampling were led by two international expert pathologists in 2014 and by a Peruvian expert pathologist in 2016. Then in 2017, 43 pretraining and 50 post-training FNA biopsy samples were evaluated for adequacy and quality of diagnosis.

Results

Since the trainings, 14,223 women have received CBE on an opportunistic basis. Midwives refer abnormal cases (n = 281) for follow-up. All doctors felt well trained for CBE and FNA, whereas five of 15 doctors perceived the need for additional ultrasound training. Quality assessment revealed that the adequacy of FNA samples improved from 26% pretraining to 37% post-training. Of the 43 FNA samples, a low concordance with reviewers was observed in the detection of suspicious/carcinoma (6.9% v 13.9%), whereas full concordance was observed after the training, although the numbers were small.

Conclusion

In Peru, CBE remains an acceptable and feasible approach if complemented with ultrasound triage and FNA biopsy. Additional efforts are needed to increase coverage through a structured program. Training and continuous monitoring are essential for quality assurance.

AUTHORS' DISCLOSURES OF POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

The following represents disclosure information provided by authors of this manuscript. All relationships are considered compensated. Relationships are self-held unless noted. I = Immediate Family Member, Inst = My Institution. Relationships may not relate to the subject matter of this manuscript. For more information about ASCO's conflict of interest policy, please refer to www.asco.org/rwc or ascopubs.org/jco/site/ifc . Ronald Balassanian Stock or Other Ownership: Cerus Corp ($400.00)
Subtype of Breast Cancer in Lao People’s Democratic Republic: A Study in a Limited-Resource Setting
Authors: Luangxay Thitsamay , Virachith Siriphone
Published: October 2018

Purpose

Three main treatment markers—estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) —are not routinely tested as a result of a lack of infrastructure of health care facilities. Quality control with which to validate these tests is also not available, and patients or their families have to pay for additional examination cost. Without hormonal receptor and HER2 status, treatment decisions are based on clinical finding; therefore, it is almost impossible to select patients who will benefit from therapy. Currently, none of the related research has ever been published in Lao People’s Democratic Republic.

Methods

From 2013 to 2016, formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded tissue blocks of 76 patients with primary breast cancer were retrieved at the University of Health Sciences (Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic). Patient information and previous histologic reports were reviewed. Immunohistochemistry was performed using antibodies against estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, HER2/neu, and the protein encoded by the MKI67 gene (MIB-I).

Results

Mean age of patients was 49 years, with a majority of histologic type of invasive ductal carcinoma, not otherwise specified (90.7%). Proportions of each subtype were as follows: hormone receptor positive and HER2 negative, 44.7%; hormone receptor positive and HER2 positive, 3.9%; hormone receptor negative and HER2 positive,13.2%; and triple negative, 38.2%. Of patients, 40.8% were estrogen receptor positive and 47.4% were progesterone receptor positive. More than one half had poorly differentiated cancer (65.8%), followed by moderately differentiated cancer (34.2%). Tumors presented with pT2 (60.5%), followed by pT3 (25.0%) and pT4 (7.9%).

Conclusion

Breast cancer among Lao women is characterized by a large percentage of the triple-negative subtype as well as by being less susceptible to hormonal receptors. Most of our patients presented with locally advanced stage. HER2-positive and triple-negative breast cancer must be further investigated. To provide adequate care, basic pathology services should be the first requirement in Lao People’s Democratic Republic. Our findings could provide fundamental, useful data for a national policy to control breast cancer in the future.

AUTHORS' DISCLOSURES OF POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

The following represents disclosure information provided by authors of this manuscript. All relationships are considered compensated. Relationships are self-held unless noted. I = Immediate Family Member, Inst = My Institution. Relationships may not relate to the subject matter of this manuscript. For more information about ASCO's conflict of interest policy, please refer to www.asco.org/rwc or ascopubs.org/jco/site/ifc . No COIs from the authors.