bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Parental experiences with a hospital‐based bead programme for children with congenital heart disease
Authors: Wilson Valerie , Chando Shingisai
Published: June 2014

Aims and objectives

To present survey findings on parental experiences with a hospital‐based bead programme for children with congenital heart disease.

Background

The Heart Beads programme commenced at a paediatric hospital in Australia in 2008. Children enrolled in the programme are awarded a distinctive bead for every procedure/treatment they have while in hospital. A previous evaluation study on the programme revealed that the beads are therapeutic for the child and parents; however, due to a small sample size, the results were representative of the experiences of a small number of families who participated in the programme.

Design

This was an evaluation study which employed a nonexperimental descriptive design.

Methods

Surveys were mailed to all eligible families who enrolled in the programme. Data collection occurred between July–December 2012. Questions on parental experiences with the Heart Beads programme were divided into three categories: understanding, acknowledgement and quality. Descriptive statistics were obtained and analysed.

Results/findings

One hundred and sixty‐two mothers and 136 fathers responded to the survey. Heart Beads assisted mothers (83%) and fathers (80%) with understanding their child's condition and helped them with communication (mothers 80%, fathers 58%). The majority of fathers felt that their experience was acknowledged by nursing staff (64%) and medical staff (62%), while mothers indicated a higher response from nurses (76%) compared to medical staff (67%). Overall, parents rated the programme positively; however, there was some concern that children at times missed out on beads.

Conclusion

Understanding how mothers and fathers experience the programme differently can guide staff in their communication with parents and inform future initiatives.

Relevance to clinical practice

The Heart Beads help nurses understand how parents are experiencing care and ways in which they can provide support and acknowledgement of the parent's experience.
Factors perceived to influence exercise adherence in women with breast cancer participating in an exercise programme during adjuvant chemotherapy: a focus group study
Authors: Husebø Anne Marie Lunde , Karlsen Bjørg , Allan Helen , Søreide Jon Arne , Bru Edvin
Published: June 2014

Aims and objectives

To explore factors influencing exercise adherence among women with breast cancer while following an exercise programme.

Background

Earlier research shows that women with breast cancer decrease physical activity following the cancer diagnosis and that adhering to exercise interventions can be a challenge. Research is needed to identify motivational factors and barriers for exercise adherence among women during treatment for breast cancer.

Design

This was a qualitative study to explore patient's perceptions of the challenges to exercise adherence during a randomised, controlled trial.

Methods

Twenty‐seven women with early‐stage breast cancer were purposively sampled for focus group interviews during 2011–2012 from their participation in the exercise intervention group during 2010–2012. Five focus groups were performed, and data analysis was completed using the systematic text condensation method.

Results

During the focus group study, five main themes were identified, which described factors participants perceived to influence their adherence to exercise during chemotherapy: ‘side effects of breast cancer treatment as a barrier to exercise’, ‘restoring and maintaining normality in daily life motivates exercise’, ‘other valued activities compete with exercise’, ‘constructive support enhances exercise’ and ‘positive beliefs about efficacy and outcomes motivate exercise’.

Conclusion

Adherence to exercise in women with breast cancer is challenged by internal and external conditions and may be improved by attention to the impact of treatment side effects and by supporting patient self‐efficacy towards changing health behaviour.

Relevance to clinical practice

Nurses should be aware that exercise adherence could be a challenge among women with breast cancer. They should help identify obstacles to exercise for women and ways to overcome them, as well as support them in their beliefs that they are capable of changing their health behaviour.
Clinical analysis of 65 cases of hyperemesis gravidarum with gestational transient thyrotoxicosis
Authors: Sun Shuiya , Qiu Xia , Zhou Jiaqiang
Published: June 2014

Aim

We investigated thyroid function and the impact of gestational transient thyrotoxicosis (GTT) on pregnancy outcome in patients with hyperemesis gravidarum (HG; n = 143) who were hospitalized for rehydration.

Methods

Serum thyroid‐stimulating hormone (TSH), free T3 (FT3), free T4 (FT4), thyroid globulin antibody (TgAb), thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) and hCG were measured after admission.

Results

The total prevalence of thyrotoxicosis in HG was 48.3%; GTT was the main form (45.5%). The total incidence of GTT increased significantly if serum hCG was more than 80 000 IU/L, subclinical GTT if serum hCG was 80 000–140 000 IU/L and clinical GTT if serum hCG was more than 180 000 IU/L. GTT did not require antithyroid therapy. The course of TSH, FT3 and FT4 were followed in 34 cases of GTT; thyroid function normalized by the second trimester. Of 65 patients with GTT, two underwent abortions due to unplanned pregnancies, two delivered prematurely and two infants had macrosomia. There were no other complications. All newborns (n = 63) of mothers with GTT had normal TSH levels.

Conclusion

GTT is common in HG. The severity of GTT is related to serum hCG levels. In patients with HG and GTT, thyroid function normalized by the second trimester without antithyroid treatment. GTT did not affect pregnancy outcomes.
Pelvic tuberculous granuloma successfully treated with laparoscopy to preserve fertility: A case report and review of the published work
Authors: Nakahara Tatsuo , Iwase Akira , Mori Masahiko , Kondo Mika , Goto Maki , Kikkawa Fumitaka
Published: June 2014

Tuberculous granuloma must be considered in the differential diagnosis of pelvic masses in women of reproductive age because the major sequela of pelvic tuberculosis is infertility; however, currently there is very little information about its fertility‐preserving treatment. We report the case of a woman with a history of tuberculous peritonitis who referred to our hospital for evaluation of an adnexal mass and primary infertility. The patient underwent excision of pelvic tuberculous granuloma with fertility‐preserving laparoscopic surgery. We resected as much of the tuberculous granuloma as possible using the laparoscopic technique without causing damage to the uterus or ovaries. In particular, we report for the first time in the published work the laparoscopic removal of tuberculous granuloma without causing damage to the uterus or ovaries. Our experience from this case suggests that laparoscopic diagnosis and treatment of tuberculous granuloma is a feasible procedure in a patient who wants to conceive.
Fetal echogenic bowel in association with Zellweger syndrome
Authors: Aydemir Ozge , Kavurt Sumru , Esin Sertaç , Kandemir Omer , Bas Ahmet Yagmur , Demirel Nihal
Published: June 2014

Increased echogenicity of fetal bowel in the second trimester obstetrical ultrasound has been described in association with several pathologic conditions, such as growth restriction, aneuploidy, cystic fibrosis, congenital infections, and gastrointestinal malformations. Zellweger syndrome (ZS) is the prototype of peroxisomal disorders characterized by craniofacial dysmorphism and severe neurologic abnormalities. We report two cases with fetal echogenic bowel (FEB) but no associated anomalies and normal fetal growth. After birth, clinical and laboratory findings led to diagnosis of ZS. Association of FEB with neurometabolic disorders is limited to a few case reports in the medical literature. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of ZS associated with FEB.
Concurrent use of Foley catheter and misoprostol for induction of labor: A randomized clinical trial of efficacy and safety
Authors: Lanka Sreelakshmi , Surapaneni Tarakeswari , Nirmalan Praveen K.
Published: June 2014

Aim

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of combined intracervical Foley catheter and low‐dose vaginal misoprostol with low‐dose vaginal misoprostol alone for induction of labor.

Material and Methods

This prospective non‐blinded randomized controlled trial was conducted over a 2‐year period in 126 pregnant women planned for induction of labor at a tertiary care centre. Women at ≥28 gestational weeks with a singleton fetus in cephalic presentation, intact membranes and a Bishop score of ≤4 were randomized for labor induction with either a combination of Foley catheter and misoprostol or only misoprostol. The primary outcome variable was the induction‐to‐delivery interval between the two groups. The secondary outcome variables included rate of vaginal deliveries, uterine hyperstimulation, cesarean section rate, Apgar scores at 1 and 5 min, neonatal intensive care unit admissions and chorioamnionitis.

Results

The mean induction‐to‐delivery interval and rate of vaginal deliveries were not significantly different between the groups (26.52 h in the combination group and 27.64 h in the misoprostol group, P = 0.65; 65.07% and 65.07%, respectively, P = 0.9). Uterine hyperstimulation and meconium‐stained liquor were significantly more prevalent in the misoprostol group (P = 0.001). Neonatal outcomes did not differ significantly between the groups.

Conclusion

The addition of Foley catheter to misoprostol did not cause any statistically significant benefit in reducing the induction‐to‐delivery time. However, it reduced the incidence of uterine hyperstimulation and meconium‐stained liquor.
Clinical features and prenatal risk factors for hypertensive disorders in twin pregnancies
Authors: Taguchi Takako , Ishii Keisuke , Hayashi Shusaku , Mabuchi Aki , Murata Masaharu , Mitsuda Nobuaki
Published: June 2014

Aim

The aim of this study was to identify the incidence, clinical features, and prenatal risk factors for hypertensive disorders, including gestational hypertension (GH) and pre‐eclampsia (PE), in twin pregnancies.

Material and Methods

We carried out a retrospective cohort study of twin pregnancies managed from the first trimester onward at a single center from 2002 through 2011. We retrospectively evaluated the incidence, severity, time‐point onset of GH or PE, as well as maternal and neonatal outcomes. Prenatal risk factors for disease were also analyzed with a multivariable logistic regression model.

Results

Of 742 twin pregnancies, 165 (22%) were diagnosed with GH or PE. Five women developed GH or PE at <32 weeks' gestation (early onset), and the remaining 160 developed them at ≥32 weeks (late onset). Of all 165 cases, 110 women (66.7%) developed their disease during the intrapartum or postpartum period. The significant risk factors associated with developing a hypertensive disorder in a twin pregnancy were primiparity (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.77; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.21–2.61), pregestational high body mass index (aOR 1.35, 95%CI: 1.08–1.70), family history of hypertension (aOR: 1.50; 95%CI: 1.02–2.17) and previous history of GH or PE (aOR 8.85; 95%CI: 2.70–29.0).

Conclusions

One‐fifth of the twin pregnancies developed GH or PE. Furthermore, more than half of the patients were diagnosed with the disease during the intrapartum or postpartum period. Significant risk factors for GH or PE in twin pregnancies were primiparity, pregestational body mass index, family history of hypertension, and history of a hypertensive disorder during a previous pregnancy. The significance of monitoring blood pressure after delivery for a twin pregnancy is stressed.
Retrospective study of tension‐free vaginal mesh operation outcomes for prognosis improvement
Authors: Sho Tomoko , Yoshimura Kazuaki , Hachisuga Toru
Published: June 2014

Aim

The aim of this study is to look at the weak points of tension‐free vaginal mesh (TVM) operation for pelvic organ prolapse by reviewing recurrent cases.

Methods

Five hundred and twenty‐six transobturator TVM operations were performed at the University of Occupational and Environmental Health hospital from August 2006 to December 2011. Thirty‐seven patients with pelvic organ prolapse quantification (POP‐Q) stage II or higher after their initial operations were diagnosed as recurrent and were enrolled in the present study. The patients' characteristics, procedures of the initial and second operations, and the recurrence rates in the pelvic organs were retrospectively reviewed.

Results

The median age, parity and body mass index of the patients were 66.5 years (range, 48–80), 2.2‐times (range, 1–5) and 24.1 kg/m2 (range, 17.6–32.1), respectively. The mean/median follow‐up periods of the whole group were 29.7/35.9 months and the recurrent prolapse rate was 7.0% (37/526 cases). We performed reoperations in eight cases (8/526 cases; 1.5%). The median recurrent period after the initial operations was 6.9 months (range, 1–24). All recurrent cases showed severe prolapse with POP‐Q stage III to IV before the initial operations. The uterus showed the most frequent recurrent prolapse after anterior posterior TVM or anterior TVM.

Conclusion

Because the uterus is the most recurrent organ after TVM operations, TVM operations may not be sufficient for apical suspension.
Mandibular kinematic changes after unilateral cross‐bite with lateral shift correction
Authors: Venancio F. , Alarcon J. A. , Lenguas L. , Kassem M. , Martin C.
Published: June 2014

The aim of this randomised prospective study was to evaluate the effects of slow maxillary expansion with expansion plates and Hyrax expanders on the kinematics of the mandible after cross‐bite correction. Thirty children (15 boys and 15 girls), aged 7·1–11·8, with unilateral cross‐bite and functional shift were divided into two groups: expansion plate (n = 15) and Hyrax expander (n = 15). Thirty children with normal occlusion (14 boys and 16 girls, aged 7·3–11·6) served as control group. The maximum vertical opening, lateral mandibular shift (from maximum vertical opening to maximum intercuspation, from rest position to maximum intercuspation and from maximum vertical opening to rest position) and lateral excursions were recorded before and 4 months after treatment. After treatment, the expansion plate group showed a greater lateral shift from rest position to maximum intercuspation than did the control group. The expansion plate patients also presented greater left/contralateral excursion than did the control group. Comparisons of changes after treatment in the cross‐bite groups showed significant decreases in the lateral shift from the maximum vertical opening to maximum intercuspation and from the maximum vertical opening to rest position, a significant increase in the homolateral excursion and a significant decrease in the contralateral excursion in the Hyrax expander group, whereas no significant differences were found in the expansion plate group. In conclusion, the Hyrax expander showed better results than did the expansion plate. The Hyrax expander with acrylic occlusal covering significantly improved the mandibular lateral shift and normalised the range of lateral excursion.
Are Students With Asthma at Increased Risk for Being a Victim of Bullying in School or Cyberspace? Findings From the 2011 Florida Youth Risk Behavior Survey
Authors: Gibson‐Young Linda , Martinasek Mary P. , Clutter Michiko , Forrest Jamie
Published: June 2014

BACKGROUND

Adolescents with asthma are at risk for psychological and behavioral problems. The aim of this study was to determine whether high school students with asthma are at increased risk for bullying in school and cyberspace, and to explore the role of depressive symptoms in moderating this association.

METHODS

A secondary data analysis was completed with the 2011 Florida Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Participant included a random sample of adolescents in grades 9 through 12 who attended public high schools in Florida. Descriptive and inferential statistics were conducted using SPSS software.

RESULTS

We examined data from 6212 high school adolescents and found a significant relationship between current asthma and cyberbullying in adolescents. Of the sample diagnosed with asthma, 15.6% reported bullying and 17% cyberbullying (versus 10.2% and 11% of nonasthmatics). We further examined data using depressive symptoms as a mediating and moderating variable and found significance on all accounts.

CONCLUSIONS

Adolescents with asthma are at increased risk for being victims of bullying in school and cyberspace. Our findings suggest that adolescents with asthma who also report depressive symptoms are particularly at high risk for bullying than adolescents with asthma who did not report depressive symptoms. Efforts to increase education and decrease all types of bullying at the high school level for both students with and without asthma are warranted.
Carrots and Sticks: Compliance Provisions in State Competitive Food Laws—Examples for State and Local Implementation of the Updated USDA Standards
Authors: Gourdet Camille K. , Chriqui Jamie F. , Piekarz Elizabeth , Dang Quang , Chaloupka Frank J.
Published: June 2014

BACKGROUND

Competitive foods remain prevalent in schools even though the majority of states' laws have addressed this for several years. Whereas updated federal standards take effect during school year 2014‐2015, aspects of competitive food regulation will remain relegated to the states and districts and concerns exist about compliance with the federal standards. This study examined compliance provisions codified into state law that focused on incentives, monetary penalties, or contracts which could provide examples for other jurisdictions.

METHODS

Codified statutory and administrative laws effective as of January 2013 for all 50 states and the District of Columbia were compiled using Boolean searches in Lexis‐Nexis and Westlaw. All laws were analyzed by 2 study authors to determine the presence and components of relevant provisions.

RESULTS

Eighteen states' laws contained compliance mechanisms including financial and/or programmatic incentives (5 states), contract provisions (11 states), and monetary penalties for noncompliance (7 states). Five states' laws contained a combination of approaches.

CONCLUSIONS

Compliance measures help to strengthen competitive food laws by providing state agencies with an enforcement mechanism. Enforcing such provisions will help to create healthier school environments. This study will provide useful insight for governments at all levels as they implement competitive food laws.
Home‐use icterometry in neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia: Cluster‐randomised controlled trial in Vietnam
Authors: Luu Mitchell N , Le Loc T , Tran Bich H , Duong Tuan K , Nguyen Ha T , Le Vui T , Partridge John C
Published: June 2014

Aim

To determine whether home‐use icterometry improves parental recognition of neonatal jaundice, early care seeking and treatment to minimize risks of bilirubin encephalopathy.

Methods

Cluster‐randomised controlled trial of community‐level icterometry used at home by mothers in Chi Linh, Vietnam. Rural health‐care workers identified and enrolled term newborns. Post‐partum mothers received jaundice education and icterometry instructions and were cluster‐randomised by commune. Cases received icterometers (icterometer group (IG)) and controls did not (control group (CG)). Subjects received mobile telephone calls from post‐natal days 2–7 to determine maternal recognition by visual inspection and icterometer detection of jaundice (≥3.0 on five‐point scale). Mothers without telephones, premature newborns (<35 weeks) or newborns hospitalised >5 days were excluded.

Results

Three hundred fifty‐two subjects were enrolled (183 IG and 169 CG), of whom 11 (3.4%) were lost to telephone follow‐up. Jaundice was recognised and/or detected in 94 (27%) of all newborns. Icterometry helped 11 mothers (6%) detect neonatal jaundice that was not visually recognised by IG mothers. Detection by IG mothers was not statistically greater than CG mothers (P = 0.09). Follow‐up care seeking was 8% in both groups (P = 0.2), and 11% of jaundiced newborns received treatment (9% IG vs. 16% CG, P = 0.3). Newborns who received care had bilirubin measurements that averaged 257 μmol/L IG vs. 322 μmol/L CG (P = 0.3). There were no deaths.

Conclusions

In this pilot study, home‐use icterometry may help improve parental detection of jaundice in rural Vietnam. However, larger studies are necessary to determine the changes in recognition, care seeking and treatment.
Virtual Word of Mouth and Willingness to Pay for Consumer Electronic Innovations
Authors: Parry Mark E. , Kawakami Tomoko
Published: June 2014

The authors examine the impact of virtual word‐of‐mouth (vWOM) communication on willingness to pay (WTP) for an innovation. A series of hypotheses are developed that link vWOM to the credibility of innovation information, perceived utilitarian value, and the perceived hedonic value of an innovation, which are in turn hypothesized to influence WTP. The authors test these hypotheses using data collected in Japan from 658 potential adopters of e‐readers and from 565 potential adopters of smartphones. Findings indicate that, in both samples, vWOM is positively correlated with the perceived credibility of innovation information, which in turn is positively correlated with both perceived utilitarian value and perceived hedonic value. WTP is also positively correlated with an innovation's perceived utilitarian and perceived hedonic value. In addition, the path between vWOM and perceived hedonic value is positive and significant in both samples. However, the path between vWOM and perceived utilitarian value is positive and significant in the smartphone sample, but not in the e‐reader sample.

The empirical findings provide support for theoretical arguments that link WTP for complex consumer electronic products to consumer perceptions of utilitarian and hedonic value. The results also have important implications for the creation of vWOM strategies designed to reduce the price sensitivity of potential adopters.
Legal Change and Sentencing Norms in the Wake of Booker: The Impact of Time and Place on Drug Trafficking Cases in Federal Court
Authors: Lynch Mona , Omori Marisa
Published: June 2014

The federal sentencing guidelines have lost some authoritative force since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a series of recent cases that the guidelines are advisory, rather than presumptive, in determining criminal sentences. While these court decisions represent a dramatic legal intervention, sociolegal scholarship suggests that organizational norms are likely to change slowly and less dramatically than the formal law itself. The research reported here looks specifically at the consequences of such legal transformations over time and across locale, using multilevel analysis of U.S. Sentencing Commission sentence outcome data from 1993 to 2009. Our findings suggest that districts vary considerably from each other in sentencing practices over the time period studied, and that there is relative within-district stability of outcomes within districts over time, including in response to the Supreme Court's mandates. We also find that policy change appears to influence the mechanisms by which cases are adjudicated in order to reach normative outcomes. Finally, we find that the relative district-level reliance upon mandatory minimums, which were not directly impacted by the guidelines changes, is an important factor in how drug trafficking cases are adjudicated. We conclude that local legal practices not only diverge in important ways across place, but also become entrenched over time such that top-down legal reform is largely reappropriated and absorbed into locally established practices.
The Supreme Court and the Social Conception of Abortion
Authors: Vecera Vincent
Published: June 2014

Skeptics of Supreme Court power have pointed to abortion policy as an example of surprising limits on the justices' power to change society. I argue, however, that the Court's ruling in Roe v. Wade played a critical role in transforming how Americans think and talk about abortion. I develop an account of the development of the social conception of abortion from a critical reading of twentieth century American journalism and then test some predictions of that account through the use of quantitative content analyses. I conclude by discussing some implications for the study of judicial politics and public constitutionalism.
Djuna Barnes in a Material World: Fashion and Transatlantic Modernity in the 1910s
Authors: Oliver Sophie
Published: June 2014

Fashion is becoming a highly productive context in which to study modernist literature, and its relevance to the work of Djuna Barnes is an exciting ground for further exploration. The untimely qualities that critics have come to regard as so central to her art have troubled her relationship to modernity, but this article suggests that Barnes was invested in fashion as a paradigm for transatlantic modernity and a material example of its effects. With its conceptual and philosophical appeal, and central place in print and popular cultures, fashion provides a way of relating Barnes's complex attitude towards time and the contemporary resonances of her work. The article opens up a relationship between Barnes's early output – journalism, short stories, illustrations and, notably, the 1915 collection of poetry and drawingsThe Book of Repulsive Women– and transatlantic fashions in the 1910s. In so doing, it considers the place of both Barnes and fashion in the new modernist studies.
Core Competency Model for the Family Planning Public Health Nurse
Authors: Hewitt Caroline M. , Roye Carol , Gebbie Kristine M.
Published: June 2014

Objectives

A core competency model for family planning public health nurses has been developed, using a three stage Delphi Method with an expert panel of 40 family planning senior administrators, community/public health nursing faculty and seasoned family planning public health nurses.

Design and Sample

The initial survey was developed from the 2011 Title X Family Planning program priorities. The 32‐item survey was distributed electronically via SurveyMonkey®.

Results

Panelist attrition was low, and participation robust resulting in the final 28‐item model, suggesting that the Delphi Method was a successful technique through which to achieve consensus.

Conclusions

Competencies with at least 75% consensus were included in the model and those competencies were primarily related to education/counseling and administration of medications and contraceptives. The competencies identified have implications for education/training, certification and workplace performance.
Achaemenid Religion
Authors: Skjærvø Prods Oktor
Published: June 2014

“Achaemenid religion” was the religion of the rulers of Iran in the second half of the first millennium BCE and the local form of Zoroastrianism, the ancient religion of the Iranians. The earliest form of Zoroastrianism is known from the Avesta, their sacred texts, which probably originated in the last half of the second and first half of the first millennium BCE, but were transmitted only orally until priests began writing them down in the seventh century. The “Achaemenid religion” is known from cuneiform inscriptions in the local Iranian language, Old Persian, and from tablets in Elamite found at Persepolis, as well as from other sources. It was a dualist religion, postulating the existence of good and evil from the beginning, as well as a polytheistic religion, but with one god, Ahura‐Mazdā, outranking the others. Scholarly discussion has centered on the question whether the Achaemenids were real Zoroastrians, in the sense of following the reformed teachings of the historical Zarathustra. As the assumed historicity of Zarathustra and his reform are increasingly being questioned, scholars are now focusing on the interpretation of the inscriptions, notably from the point of view of the orality of Iranian traditions and their relationship with the Avesta, but also increasingly on the editing of the Elamite tablets and mining them for information.
Private Information in Healthcare Utilization: Specification of a Copula-Based Hurdle Model
Authors: Shi Peng , Zhang Wei
Published: June 2014

We study whether individuals' private information on health risk affects their medical care utilization. The presence of such information asymmetry is critical to the optimal payment design in healthcare systems. To do so, we examine the relationship between self-perceived health status and healthcare expenditures. Because of simultaneity, we employ a copula regression to model jointly the mixed outcomes, with the association parameter capturing the residual dependence conditional on covariates. The semicontinuous nature of healthcare expenditures leads to a two-part interpretation of private health information: the hurdle component assesses its effect on the likelihood of using medical care services, and the conditional component quantifies its effect on the expenditures given consumption of care. The methodology proposed is applied to a survey data set of a sample of the US civilian non-institutionalized population to test and quantify the effects of private health information. We find evidence of adverse selection in the utilization of various types of medical care services.
Predicting Sympathy and Prosocial Behavior From Young Children's Dispositional Sadness
Authors: Edwards Alison , Eisenberg Nancy , Spinrad Tracy L. , Reiser Mark , Eggum‐Wilkens Natalie D. , Liew Jeffrey
Published: June 2014

The purpose of this study was to examine whether dispositional sadness predicted children's prosocial behavior and if sympathy mediated this relation. Constructs were measured when children (n = 256 at time 1) were 18, 30, and 42 months old. Mothers and non‐parental caregivers rated children's sadness; mothers, caregivers, and fathers rated children's prosocial behavior; sympathy (concern and hypothesis testing) and prosocial behavior (indirect and direct, as well as verbal at older ages) were assessed with a task in which the experimenter feigned injury. In a panel path analysis, 30‐month dispositional sadness predicted marginally higher 42‐month sympathy; in addition, 30‐month sympathy predicted 42‐month sadness. Moreover, when controlling for prior levels of prosocial behavior, 30‐month sympathy significantly predicted reported and observed prosocial behavior at 42 months. Sympathy did not mediate the relation between sadness and prosocial behavior (either reported or observed).
A Heuristic Approach to Train Dispatch Planning
Authors: Vilela Plínio R. S. , Christofoletti Luciano M. , Dias Rafael L. , Vieira Anderson P.
Published: June 2014

Decision support tools that employ the use of computational intelligence are natural candidates to tackle the problem of dispatching trains in a railroad, allowing for the construction of flexible algorithms that explore the solution space optimizing the result for a defined objective, besides supporting the insertion of knowledge to the solution search process.

We present a solution based on discrete-event simulation and heuristics to find feasible routes for all the trains. Decisions about passings and overtakings follow a set of heuristics that adhere to the railway circulation rules. Empirical results show that this algorithm runs in polynomial time.

Some possibilities for improving the results provided by the tool are discussed. The first is to collect information from one planning run to feed the next run and improve the subsequent result, this approach is called adaptive. We use a rules executing environment that process a set of facts collected from previous executions of the planning tool and alter the results based on the set of rules and collected facts. The second approach is based on the simultaneous execution of different algorithms, an architecture to support it is being developed and the goal is to be able to choose the best result provided by a set of planning algorithms and not just one.
Development of a Bogie-Mounted Vehicle On-Board Weighing System
Authors: Maraini Dan , Shahidi Parham , Hopkins Brad M. , Seidel Andrew
Published: June 2014

Knowledge of the payload of freight cars is of utmost importance to shippers and carriers, used for billing and ensuring compliance with overload regulations. Typically, rail cars are weighed at dedicated sites, using strain-gage based pit-type scales, or weigh-in-motion scales. Shippers often weigh the shipped payload using mass flow meters, or force transducers integrated into infrastructure such as hoppers. Although accuracy on the order of 0.2% is achievable with these weighing methods, they carry high installation and maintenance costs, are sparsely distributed, and often require re-routing and decoupling of rail cars.

The need for a high-accuracy (less than 1% of full-scale) vehicle-mounted, standalone solution has been expressed by chemical, grain, and coal shippers. This paper presents the key benefits of a standalone system, including real-time monitoring of car filling, and periodic monitoring. Real-time monitoring during filling allows customers to monitor and control fill rates, optimize filling methods, and prevent over-loading assets. Weight penalties can thus be avoided and infrastructure damage can be reduced. Periodic monitoring, when combined with GPS tracking, allows the customer to monitor filling/emptying events and the subsequent location. Theft and tampering can be monitored using alerts to notify customers of events taking place outside of designated facilities.

Additionally, the development and implementation of a proprietary weighing system is presented. The performance of several prototype instrumented bogies is shown, including: 1) the results of repeated calibration cycles using full-scale bogie loads in a load frame, and 2) field performance computed by comparing instrumented bogie readings to reference instrumentation used by a chemical shipper.
Lateral Instability Detection
Authors: Shahidi Parham , Hopkins Brad , Maraini Dan , Seidel Andrew
Published: June 2014

Lateral instability of rail vehicles, more colloquially known as “hunting” is a dynamic instability mode of high importance. In extreme cases hunting can lead to derailments, but more frequently it is the cause of a number of less catastrophic yet costly damages to track, truck, and lading.

It is known in the railroad industry that wheel conicity inherently affects the stability of the rail car on the track. Additional factors include reduced warp restraint of the truck system, low truck/car body rotational resistance due to degraded side bearings, and hollow worn wheels. Nonetheless, reconditioning of these components does not always lead to the desired result of reduced lateral accelerations. Furthermore, with trains often consisting of up to 200 cars, worn truck systems may go undetected for long periods of time until either a Truck Hunting Detector (THD) or visual inspection reveals the issue.

Accurate detection of hunting and estimation of hunting severity remain challenging tasks. The network of truck hunting detectors is sparse, provides limited insight, and is expensive to expand and maintain. Furthermore, the nature of the detection method does not provide the user with information about the cause of the failure. This increases the probability of reoccurrence of lateral instability in reconditioned truck systems.

In this paper, the root causes, dynamic behavior, and existing measurement techniques are evaluated. Additionally, a novel method to detect dynamic instability is presented. This method has been developed to provide a new way to examine dynamic instability in a more direct and detailed manner. A preliminary study to evaluate the proposed method has been completed and the results are presented in this paper. To evaluate the benefit of the proposed method, the test data is measured against AAR limits.
A Composite Risk Model for Railroad Operations Utilizing Positive Train Control (PTC)
Authors: Abadie Andre’ , Bandara Damindra , Wijesekera Duminda
Published: June 2014

This paper proposes a novel approach for composite risk management of rail operations incorporating operational risk computed by the rail industry and cyber security risk introduced due to Positive Train Control (PTC). The suggested risk model focuses on a given train location to estimate likelihood of the PTC system failing by considering environmental risk factors (precipitation, vegetation, obstacles) and the inherent vulnerability of the radio frequency — yielding a measure of system impact. For the same location, the risk model considers safety related attributes such as train speed, track curvature, freight type, etc. — offering an estimate of operational consequence if there were an accident due to the failure of PTC. It is this intersection of impact / consequence that separates the proposed model from existing risk calculations of impact / likelihood. This is accomplished by distinguishing the likelihood of a safety accident from the likelihood of a PTC system failure — and incorporating them both. What results is an enhancement of both models; the operational risk model factors potential PTC failure in its risk assessment and gains awareness of possible requirements for operator intervention while the system risk model factors operational risk as its severity metric leading to possible requirements for automated risk mitigation by dynamic configuration change to the PTC radio.
Field Testing of Prototype Systems for the Non-Destructive Measurement of the Neutral Temperature of Railroad Tracks
Authors: Phillips Robert , Lanza di Scalea Francesco , Nucera Claudio , Fateh Mahmood , Choros John
Published: June 2014

In both high speed and freight rail systems, the modern construction method is Continuous Welded Rail (CWR). The purpose of the CWR method is to eliminate joints in order to reduce the maintenance costs for both the rails and the rolling stock. However, the elimination of the joints increases the risk of rail breakage in cold weather and buckling in hot weather. In order to predict the temperature at which the rail will break or buckle, it is critical to have knowledge of the temperature at which the rail is stress free, namely the rail Neutral Temperature. The University of California at San Diego (UCSD) has developed an innovative technique based on non-linear ultrasonic guided waves, under Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) research and development grants for the non-destructive measurement of the Neutral Temperature of CWR. Through the licensing of this technology from UCSD and under the sponsorship of the FRA Office of Research and Development, a field deployable prototype system has been developed and recently field-tested at cooperating railroad properties. Three prototype systems have been deployed to the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF), AMTRAK, and the Union Pacific (UP) railroads for field testing and related data acquisition for a comprehensive evaluation, with respect to both performance and economy of operation. This paper summarizes the results of these field tests, as compared to well-established techniques such as VERSE and strain gages.
Validation of the Accessible Lavatory Recommendations for the Next Generation of Accessible Passenger Rail Cars
Authors: Hunter-Zaworski Kate , Kiff Robin , Shurland Melissa
Published: June 2014

The accessible lavatory specifications are part of the recommendations for specifications of the Next Generation of Passenger Rail Vehicles. These are being validated using virtual tools to model wheeled mobility aids with occupants using “concept” lavatories to determine optimal spatial configurations for accessible lavatories on board passenger rail vehicles. The overall project objectives included the development of accessibility specifications for the single and bi-level cars that can be used by the rail manufacturing industry to produce vehicles for high speed (HSR) and intercity passenger rail. The specific objective includes developing “virtual” models of accessible lavatories that incorporate the recommended accessibility specifications reported in paper No. JRC 2013-2554 in the proceedings of the 2013 Joint Rail Conference. The “virtual” models will permit both calibration and validation of the recommendations that were submitted to the PRII A Accessibility Working Group (the Working Group). The Working Group requested that prior to acceptance of the recommendations that they be validated and calibrated. The use of “virtual” validation tools and models permits the development, validation and calibration of different lavatory concepts and configurations prior to any future full scale testing. The construction and testing of full scale models is expensive, and some of the costs can be defrayed through the use of virtual modeling.

This project extends the work undertaken in the development of the draft specifications for the accessibility of next generation of passenger rail cars. The draft specifications increase the size of both the wheeled mobility devices and occupants as a reflection of the changes in population demographics, this has prompted the need to develop new accessible lavatories that are more inclusive for the user, and still meet the design constraints of the vehicle builders. The project uses the new recommended design parameters for wheeled mobility devices and the draft guidelines for new accessibility features. Current accessible lavatories that are used on VIA Rail cars in Canada, and the TALGO and the Acela in the US serve as base models for the 2-D and 3-D renderings. These designs are optimized, validated, and calibrated with mannequins that represent the 5th and 95th percentile populations on large wheeled mobility devices including; sport manual wheelchairs, power wheelchairs and 4 wheel scooters that meet the 30 inch wide by 54 inch long footprint. It is known that some accessible lavatories that on are on existing rolling stock do not meet the needs of all customers. This project will provide quantitative measures to evaluate current designs and recommend future designs that are more inclusive.
Product-Based Safety Verification Using Formal Methods
Authors: Georgiadis Sofia K.
Published: June 2014

How could the safety of a system be proven? Is it possible to apply the rigor of mathematical proofs to large, complex software systems? This paper addresses these questions through a presentation of the use of the Event-B [1] language to prove the safety of the New York City Transit (NYCT) Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) systems.
Seismic Surface Wave Testing for Track Substructure Assessment
Authors: Stark Timothy D. , Dehlin Thomas J. , Nazarian Soheil , Azari Hoda , Yuan Deren , Ho Carlton L.
Published: June 2014

This paper presents some results of a Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) sponsored research project on using seismic surface waves to evaluate track substructure (ballast and subgrade) condition and performance. The main objective of this project is to develop a system for rapidly, nondestructively, and quantitatively assessing the engineering properties of the track substructure (ballast and subgrade). These engineering properties — shear modulus, Young’s modulus, and shear strength — are derived from measurement of the shear wave velocity profile and can be used to evaluate track safety and to predict inspection and maintenance intervals. This paper describes the seismic testing, results of field measurements, and numerical modeling of the seismic wave propagation in the track substructure. Procedural issues addressed by the numerical models and presented herein include the size and location of the excitation source and orientation and spacing of the receiving accelerometers.
Locomotive Assignment Under Consist Busting and Maintenance Constraints
Authors: Jaumard Brigitte , Tian Huaining , Finnie Peter
Published: June 2014

We propose a new optimization model with column generation (CG) decomposition for the locomotive assignment problem (LAP). Although several algorithms have been developed for LAP, including exact mathematics models, approximate dynamic programming and heuristics, previously published optimization algorithms all suffer from scalability or solution accuracy issues. In addition, each of the optimization models lacks part of the constraints that are necessary in real-world train/locomotive assignments, e.g., maintenance shop constraints or consist-busting avoidance. We propose a train string based LAP model, which includes those constraints and which can efficiently be solved using large scale optimization techniques, namely column generation techniques. Numerical results are conducted on the railway network infrastructure of Canada Pacific Railway, with up to 1,394 trains and 4 types of locomotives over a two-week time period. We investigate the impact of the size of the locomotive fleet on the consist busting.
Battery Storage of Propulsion-Energy for Locomotives
Authors: Iden Michael E.
Published: June 2014

Significant technical, regulatory and media attention has recently been given to the use of electrical storage batteries onboard a line-haul (long-distance) locomotive or “energy storage tender” (coupled adjacent to a locomotive) as a means of improving railroad fuel efficiency and reducing freight locomotive exhaust emissions. The extent to which electrical energy stored onboard could supplement or replace diesel generated power has yet to be quantified or proven. There are significant technical design, maintainability, logistical and safety challenges to making this technology commonplace, especially for over-the-road (line-haul) freight trains.

The use of electrical batteries to provide some amount of point-source fuel- and/or emissions-free locomotive power is not a new concept. Recent claims that onboard storage of locomotive propulsion energy is “new locomotive technology” are unfounded. The world’s first all-battery-powered locomotive was built in 1838 only 34 years after the world’s first steam locomotive operated. A total of 126 identifiable locomotives using onboard batteries to store propulsion energy have been built and operated to some extent in the United States (US) since 1920. Almost all were low-power switching locomotives and none are currently in revenue freight service. Two high-horsepower line-haul experimental engineering test locomotives with an experimental battery design and regenerative dynamic braking have been built (in 2004 and 2007) but very little revenue service testing has occurred.

This paper reviews propulsion battery-equipped locomotives over the past 95 years in the US, and discusses future options and possibilities including the technical and logistical challenges to such propulsion.

Capturing dynamic braking energy (developed by locomotive traction motors during deceleration or downhill operation) could be a source of onboard battery recharging, but will require significant additional locomotive control system development work to achieve practicality. New battery technologies are being developed but none are yet practical for large-scale locomotive applications. Retrofitting of large amounts of onboard battery storage on existing (or even future) diesel-electric locomotives will be limited by onboard space constraints. The development and use of energy storage “tenders” will bring complications to locomotive and train operations to make effective use (if commercialized) practical and safe.

This paper is also intended to provide technical background and clarity for various regulatory agencies regarding battery energy storage technologies for future locomotive propulsion.