bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estimating Nonraining Surface Parameters to Assist GPM Constellation Radiometer Precipitation Algorithms
Authors: Turk F. Joseph , Haddad Z. S. , You Y.
Published: April 2016

The joint National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) is a constellation mission, centered upon observations from the core satellite dual-frequency precipitation radar (DPR) and its companion passive microwave (MW) GPM Microwave Imager (GMI). One of the key challenges for GPM is how to link the information from the single DPR across all passive MW sensors in the constellation, to produce a globally consistent precipitation product. Commonly, the associated surface emissivity and environmental conditions at the satellite observation time are interpolated from ancillary data, such as global forecast models and emissivity climatology, and are used for radiative transfer simulations and cataloging/indexing the brightness temperature (TB) observations and simulations within a common MW precipitation retrieval framework.

In this manuscript, the feasibility of an update to the surface emissivity state at or near the satellite observation time, regardless of surface type, is examined for purposes of assisting these algorithms with specification of the surface and environmental conditions. Since the constellation MW radiometers routinely observe many more nonprecipitating conditions than precipitating conditions, a principal component analysis is developed from the noncloud GMI–DPR observations as a means to characterize the emissivity state vector and to consistently track the surface and environmental conditions. The method is demonstrated and applied over known complex surface conditions to probabilistically separate cloud and cloud-free scenes. The ability of the method to globally identify “self-similar” surface locations from the TB observations without requiring any ancillary knowledge of geographical location or time is demonstrated.
Relationships Between Working Conditions and Special Educators’ Instruction
Authors: Bettini Elizabeth A. , Crockett Jean B. , Brownell Mary T. , Merrill Kristen L.
Published: April 2016

Students with disabilities (SWDs) depend upon special education teachers (SETs) to provide effective instruction. SETs, in turn, depend upon school leaders to provide conditions necessary to learn and engage in effective instructional practices for students with the most significant learning needs. A promising body of research indicates that working conditions such as administrative support and school culture influence general educators’ effectiveness and their students’ achievement. This literature review examines research investigating relationships between SETs’ working conditions and instructional quality and SWDs’ academic achievement, to provide insights into how working conditions might be leveraged to improve SETs’ instruction and SWDs’ achievement.
London cabs, Wilkie Collins and The Woman in White
Authors: Middlebrook Ian
Published: April 2016

For all its industrial and technological heat, Victorian Britain remained a largely horse-drawn society. Focusing on the use of horse-drawn vehicles in Wilkie Collins’ 1860 novel The Woman in White, this essay explores representations of city space, intra-urban mobility, connectivity and public transport in popular nineteenth-century fiction. Cabs, I argue, represent intriguing and paradoxical spaces, poised between public and private, continually on the move in the static city. I ask how literary figurations of horse cabs focus and negotiate anxieties associated with travel within Victorian cities. I also suggest that cabs – vehicles for the fast and disreputable – articulate new ways of occupying space.
The Family-Couple-Parenting Questionnaire
Authors: Carli Lucia Leonilde , Anzelmo Elena , Gatti Elisa , Santona Alessandra , Pozzi Stefania , Gallucci Marcello
Published: April 2016

This work describes the construction of family-couple-parenting (FCP) questionnaire, a new measure of three aspects related to the developmental path toward parenting choices, within the perspective of the family life cycle and attachment theory. Two studies are reported. Study 1 reports the development of the FCP questionnaire and its psychometric properties. Study 2 assesses the FCP’s nomological validity by investigating group differences on FCP factors and links between FCP factors and romantic attachment (experience in close relationships–revised) and recalled parental bonding (parental bonding instrument). Participants were 791 Italian participants: 405 young adults (203 students, 202 workers) and 193 couples (91 childless-by-choice, 102 parents-to-be). The results suggest that the FCP’s stable psychometric structure and strong theoretical basis make FCP a useful instrument for research related to the path to parenthood.
Prescription errors in the National Health Services, time to change practice
Authors: Hamid Tahir , Harper Luke , Rose Samman , Petkar Sanjive , Fienman Richard , Athar Syed M , Cushley Michael
Published: April 2016

Introduction

Medication error is a major source of iatrogenic illness. Error in prescription is the most common form of avoidable medication error. We present our study, performed at two, UK, National Health Services Hospitals.

Material and methods

The prescription practice of junior doctor’s working on general medical and surgical wards in National Health Service District General and University Teaching Hospitals in the UK was reviewed. Practice was assessed against standard hospital prescription charts, developed in accordance with local pharmacy guidance.

Results

A total of 407 prescription charts were reviewed in both initial audit and re-audit one year later. In the District General Hospital, documentation of allergy, weight and capital-letter prescription was achieved in 31, 5 and 40% of charts, respectively. Forty-nine per cent of discontinued prescriptions were properly deleted and signed for. In re-audit significant improvement was noted in documentation of the patient’s name 100%, gender 54%, allergy status 51% and use of generic drug name 71%. Similarly, in the University Teaching Hospital, 82, 63 and 65% compliance was achieved in documentation of age, generic drug name prescription and capital-letter prescription, respectively. Prescription practice was reassessed one year later after recommendations and changes in the prescription practice, leading to significant improvement in documentation of unit number, generic drug name prescription, insulin prescription and documentation of the patient’s ward.

Conclusion

Prescription error remains an important, modifiable form of medical error, which may be rectified by introducing multidisciplinary assessment of practice, nationwide standardised prescription charts and revision of current prescribing clinical training.
Living Theory
Authors: Herring Chris , Rosaldo Manuel , Seim Josh , Shestakofsky Benjamin
Published: April 2016

This article details the principles and practices animating an “ethnographic” method of teaching social theory. As opposed to the traditional “survey” approach that aims to introduce students to the historical breadth of social thought, the primary objective of teaching ethnographically is to cultivate students as participant observers who interpret, adjudicate between, and practice social theories in their everyday lives. Three pedagogical principles are central to this approach, the first laying the groundwork for the two that follow: (1) intensive engagement with manageable portions of text, (2) conversations among theorists, and (3) dialogues between theory and lived experience. Drawing on examples from our experiences as graduate student instructors for a two-semester theory sequence, we offer practical guideposts to sociology instructors interested in integrating “living theory” into their own curricula by clarifying how each principle is put into action in course assignments, classroom discussions and activities, and evaluations of student learning. We conclude by encouraging sociology departments and instructors to consider the potential benefits and drawbacks of offering social theory courses built around in-depth readings of and conversations between social theorists and the social world.
Influencing Myself: Self-Reinforcement Through Online Political Expression
Authors: Cho Jaeho , Ahmed Saifuddin , Keum Heejo , Choi Yun Jung , Lee Jong Hyuk
Published: April 2016

Over the past decade, various online communication platforms have empowered citizens to express themselves politically. Although the political impact of online citizen expression has drawn considerable attention, research has largely focused on whether and how citizen-generated messages influence the public as an information alternative to traditional news outlets. The present study aims to provide a new perspective on understanding citizen expression by examining its political implications for the expressers themselves rather than those exposed to the expressed ideas. Data from a national survey and an online discussion forum study suggest that expressing oneself about politics provides self-reinforcing feedback. Political expressions on social media and the online forum were found to (a) reinforce the expressers’ partisan thought process and (b) harden their pre-existing political preferences. Implications for the role the Internet plays in democracy will be discussed.
Public Frame Building: The Role of Source Usage in Times of Crisis
Authors: van der Meer Toni G. L. A.
Published: April 2016

New media have markedly enhanced the public’s capacity to influence the framing of an issue, especially within crisis situations. By relying on research triangulation, this study aims to map the comprehensive frame-building process of the public as an understudied domain within framing and crisis research. Study 1 uses advanced automated content analyses of crisis-related tweets ( N = 252,711) to examine how the public built frames online with the use of information sources. Study 2 applies an innovative vignette study ( N = 772) to investigate the conditions that influence the public’s source selection during crises. The findings illustrate how the public uses sources to address certain frame functions and show that source usage is subject to external factors (i.e., crisis origin and magnitude) as well as internal factors (i.e., crisis involvement and habitual source use).
Republicanism under scrutiny
Authors: Kaul Volker
Published: April 2016

This introduction discusses articles on the theory and politics of republicanism that were presented at the Istanbul Seminars 2015. It asks the following questions: Could it be that republicanism is at least in part the cause of the current cultural clashes and religious violence in both the Arab world and Europe?. Is it just an accident that republics in many parts of the post-colonial world turned authoritarian? Or does republicanism as such risk resulting in illiberal outcomes? In this regard, it analyses, first, if there is a tension or inherent contradiction between republicanism and Islam. Second, this article examines if the political models in Turkey and France are misconceptions of republicanism and the republican ideal of freedom as non-domination. Last but not least, it raises the question if deliberative democracy is the best possible interpretation of republicanism, able to accommodate both freedom as non-domination and pluralism.
Soluble Immune Complexes in Sera from Head and Neck Cancer Patients: A Preliminary Report
Authors: Maxim Peter E. , Veltri Robert W. , Sprinkle Philip M. , Pusateri Robert J.
Published: April 2016

With the recent demonstrations of circulating immune complexes in a variety of malignant and nonmalignant diseases, we have examined the sera of head and neck cancer patients for evidence of soluble immune complexes. Using the Raji cell test, we have shown that immune complexes are present in over 80% of the cancer sera examined as compared to less than 10% of normal control sera, and that these complexes persist following treatment of the patients by surgery or radiation therapy. These complexes may be acting as blocking factors which would account for the anergic state of these patients.
The Otolaryngologist and the Hearing Aid Delivery System: Current Federal Regulations
Authors: Catlin Francis I.
Published: April 2016

New proposed rules and regulations concerning trade practices for the hearing aid industry have been developed in response to political pressures from Congress and consumer groups. Revisions to the trade regulations proposed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) include (1) more stringent limitations in advertising, (2) written permission to sell a hearing aid at home or in the buyer's place of business, and (3) the right of a buyer to cancel a hearing aid sale, rental, or lease within 30 days. Testimony on hearings regarding this rule are being reviewed by the FTC presiding officer.

Food and Drug Administration national standards for the labeling and sale of hearing aids became effective Aug 15, 1977. A medical evaluation by a licensed physician is required before a hearing aid may be sold. Fully informed adults may request a waiver of this requirement for religious or personal beliefs, but a medical evaluation is mandatory for persons under 18 years of age. A User Instructional Brochure, which lists several conditions for which medical advice is advised, must be reviewed with the prospective buyer.

In the recognition that some physicians may be dispensers of hearing aids, the Judicial Council of the American Medical Association has recommended that a physician may dispense hearing aids if it is in the best interest of the patient, but that a physician should not be encouraged to retail hearing aids in his office if other adequate community facilities exist.
Evaluation of a silicon‐substrate modiolar eighth nerve implant in a guinea pig
Authors: Zappia John J. , Hetke Jamille F. , Altschuler Richard A. , Niparko John K.
Published: April 2016

The availability of thin‐film multichannel electrodes provides new possibilities for implantation and direct stimulation of the modiolar portion of the auditory nerve. Electrodes in direct contact with the auditory nerve should be functional at lower thresholds and might require fewer remaining neurons for stimulation compared to electrodes in the scala tympani. This strategy would also provide close contact with neural elements subserving a greater frequency range. Implantation of the eighth nerve may also be advantageous in profoundly deaf subjects who lack an implantable scala tympani. In this study we evaluated the effect of surgical implantation and chronic placement of a silicon substrate implant in the modiolar portion of the auditory nerve of the guinea pig. Of six chronically implanted ears, five showed changes limited to the loss of spiral ganglion cells in the canal of Rosenthal, immediately adjacent to the Implant. The sixth ear showed more extensive cochlear alteration in a pattern suggestive of vascular injury. In separate acute experiments, implants were placed in the modiolar portion of the auditory nerve and electrophysiologic analysis was performed. Middle latency responses with good morphology were obtained at thresholds below those found with scala tympani implants. Input‐output functions exhibited a plateau in response amplitude at stimulus levels below thresholds for seventh or vestibular portion of the eighth nerve. Further modifications of the modiolar portion of the auditory nerve electrode design will include development of an electrode interconnect that will allow chronic implantation with stimulation.
Severity of obstructive sleep apnea
Authors: Simmons F. Blair , Hochman Marcelo
Published: April 2016

A four‐level severity scale for obstructive sleep apnea is offered using four criteria: Maximum oxygen desaturation, apnea/hyponea index, symptoms of excessive daytime sleepiness, and symptoms of related cardiac disease. Oxygen desaturation and the apnea/hyponea index for 175 patients, all having had uvulopalatopharyngoplasty surgery, showed 19% mild, 33% moderate, 17% moderately severe, and 31% severe obstructive sleep apnea. There was a very poor correlation between oxygen desaturations and number of obstructive events, which demands that both be used in any estimation of disease severity.
Top-down and bottom-up narratives of peace and conflict
Authors: Mac Ginty Roger , Firchow Pamina
Published: April 2016

Based on findings from the Everyday Peace Indicators project, the article considers how top-down and bottom-up narratives and understandings of conflict often differ. The article posits that top-down narratives are often the result of a peculiar framing system that imposes imaginaries on conflicts and those experiencing them. The bottom-up narratives, based on research in South Africa, South Sudan, Uganda and Zimbabwe, show that localised perceptions of peace, safety and security are not only articulated in different ways to top-down narratives but also raise different issues.
Attentional bias to smoking and other motivationally relevant cues is affected by nicotine exposure and dose expectancy
Authors: Robinson Jason D , Versace Francesco , Engelmann Jeffery M , Cui Yong , Gilbert David G , Waters Andrew J , Gritz Ellen R , Cinciripini Paul M
Published: April 2016

We investigated the effects of acute nicotine dose and expected dose on attentional bias (AB) to smoking and affective cues in overnight nicotine-deprived smokers ( n=51; 24 women) using a balanced placebo design, which counterbalanced given nicotine dose (Given-NIC vs. Given-DENIC) with instructed nicotine dose expectancy (Told-NIC vs. Told-DENIC). Before and after smoking a study cigarette, smokers completed a vigilance task where they pressed buttons to every third consecutive even or odd digit, while ignoring intermittent smoking, pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral picture distracters. We examined the early posterior negativity (EPN) and late positive potential (LPP) components of the event-related potentials (ERPs) to the distracters, reaction time (RT) to the target digits, and ratings of the study cigarettes. The EPN was sensitive to both given and instructed nicotine dose, while the instructed dose moderated the impact of given dose for the LPP. The RT metrics were sensitive to given but not to instructed dose. The effects of given dose on ratings following cigarette smoking (e.g. enjoyment) were moderated by the instructed dose. The ERP findings suggest that the anticipated effects of nicotine improve attention much like receiving actual nicotine.
Redbones and earth mothers: The influence of rap music on African American girls’ perceptions of skin color
Authors: Maxwell Morgan L. , Abrams Jasmine A. , Belgrave Faye Z.
Published: April 2016

While a small body of research has implicated rap music as a disseminator of colorist messages, more systematic explorations in this area are needed, particularly among youth. Employing an objectivist grounded theory approach, this study explored contemporary rap music as a medium through which skin color related messages are covertly or overtly transmitted to African American female adolescents. In addition, this study investigated the degree to which such lyrical and visual messages are understood and evaluated by this group. Interviews and focus groups were conducted with African American female adolescents ( N = 30). Iterative coding and thematic analysis revealed rap music to be an influential purveyor of skin color messages, especially with regard to skin tone preferences. Three primary themes emerged: 1) Preferences for light-skinned females, 2) Unfavorable messages about or exclusion of dark-skinned females, and 3) Use of skin color nicknames. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.
A contemporary view of corporate finance theory, empirical evidence and practice
Authors: Faff Robert W , Gray Stephen , Tan Kelvin Jui Keng
Published: April 2016

This article uses a survey of Australian corporate treasurers to shed light on the gap between the theory and practice of corporate finance in Australia. Seven areas are examined: capital structure, payout policy, cash holdings, initial public offerings, seasoned equity offering, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate governance. We also exploit the global financial crisis (GFC) to examine the effect of liquidity shocks on a firm’s capital structure choices. We then compare our Australian survey results with results from a comprehensive US survey conducted by Graham and Harvey. Our survey shows that the board of directors plays the most important role in determining capital structure decisions and that corporate treasurers play the most important role in cash holding decisions. This contrasts with the academic literature that has typically focused on the role of chief executive officer (CEO) in both capital structure and cash holding decisions. In addition, our respondents do not view the tax advantage of interest deductibility to be of first order of importance for debt issuance choices, which contrasts with most of the US empirical studies. Finally, we juxtapose the theory–practice perspective, with a review of the most recent 5 years (2011–2015) of corporate finance research published in the leading Asia Pacific Basin finance journals.
Mild hybrid technique using the automotive air-conditioning system
Authors: Zhang Quansheng , Canova Marcello
Published: April 2016

Among all the ancillary loads of a vehicle, the air-conditioning system accounts for the majority of fuel consumption, and its performance significantly affects the fuel economy of the vehicle. Topological similarities between the electrical system and the air-conditioning system can be utilized to formulate a new mild hybrid technique in which the compressor is treated as an energy conversion device and the evaporator as an energy storage device. Thus, the free kinetic energy during vehicle deceleration is harvestable by the air-conditioning system, provided that the on–off sequence of the clutch command is synchronized to the occurrence times of deceleration events. Motivated by this conceptualization, we are interested in three problems: first, the way in which the specific energy and the specific power of the evaporator can be measured; second, the types of new feature that the formulated optimization problem has; third, the method that is an appropriate mathematical tool for solving the problem. In order to solve these problems, energy-based models developed for air-conditioning systems with conventional evaporators and storage evaporators using a phase-change material are utilized, because they are physics based and have been validated against experimental data in previous work. A framework similar to that used in the energy management of a hybrid electric vehicle is established, and its unique characteristics are identified. The low-cost method using the air-conditioning system as an energy buffer, which is a very promising mild hybrid technique that has been demonstrated in conventional vehicles, is also applicable to hybrid electric vehicles.
First case of pancreas transplant alone in a patient with diabetes and HIV infection
Authors: Mittal Shruti , Choudhary Pratik , Callaghan Chris , Hilton Rachel , Drage Martin
Published: April 2016

Chronic conditions have largely replaced opportunistic infections as the leading causes of mortality in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Pancreas transplantation alone can be performed for people with difficult to manage diabetes associated with severe hypoglycaemic unawareness. For carefully selected patients, pancreas transplantation alone has the potential to dramatically improve quality and quantity of life. Historically, HIV was considered a contraindication to transplantation; however, today renal transplantation for people with end-stage kidney disease and HIV infection is increasingly common. We describe the use of a standard immunosuppression regimen in combination with effective antiretroviral control using a stable highly active antiretroviral therapy regimen with minimal interaction with immunosuppressants. We describe what is, to our knowledge, the first case of pancreas transplantation alone performed for this particularly challenging group, resulting in complete resolution of hypoglycaemic symptoms. We suggest that this group of patients should receive optimal diabetes management, including access to transplantation where appropriate, and demonstrate that pancreas transplantation alone is feasible for people with HIV infection.
Review of modelling and control of flexible-link manipulators
Authors: Sayahkarajy Mostafa , Mohamed Z , Mohd Faudzi Ahmad Athif
Published: April 2016

In recent decades, flexible manipulators have been studied by many researchers from robotics, solid mechanics, and control fields. Flexible manipulators have many advantages, including low weight because of the slenderness of the links of the robot. Although the original objective was to take advantages of the slenderness or flexibility in real robots, the challenging dynamics of the systems intrigued interests to employ an experimental flexible manipulator as a test bed to evaluate different modelling or control methods. With such a vast and various literatures, a review is indispensable for researchers who want to adapt their interests with the area. Some valuable review articles have been published, referencing numerous articles on single-link or multi-link flexible arms. This article pays an inclusive focus on trends of the research on modelling and control of multi-link flexible-link manipulators. The scope of this review article is particularly on two-link flexible manipulators, relevant models presented for closed-loop applications, and model-based control. Recent and historical contributions in the modelling and control of flexible-link manipulators are presented and discussed. As regular industrial manipulators normally have multiple links with two long links, that is, upper arm and forearm, this review can introduce advances in considering elasticity effects to robotic researchers.
Archaeobotanical records of Middle and Late Neolithic agriculture from Shandong Province, East China, and a major change in regional subsistence during the Dawenkou Culture
Authors: Jin GuiYun , Wagner Mayke , Tarasov Pavel E , Wang Fen , Liu YanChang
Published: April 2016

As heated debates about the origin of rice domestication and cultivation in southern and eastern China continuously attract attention of the broad scientific community, new evidence for early rice exploitation from the regions located outside the core area of domestication, the lower Yangtze, are very important. Here, we present new archaeobotanical results of plant macrofossil and phytolith analyses, including directly dated rice grains from the sites of Dongpan (4030–3820 cal. BC) and Beiqian (3700–2900 cal. BC). These results fill (at least partly) an existing gap between the c. 8000-year-old rice remains from the Early Neolithic Houli Culture ( c. 6500–5500 BC) sites north of the Shandong Highlands and the Longshan Culture ( c. 2600–1900 BC) sites, where intensive rice agriculture was practiced. Neither rice nor millet made substantial contribution to the plant macrofossil assemblage at Dongpan, while broomcorn (and to a lesser extent foxtail) millet contributed up to 75% to the macrofossil assemblage at Beiqian. This increase can be interpreted as a major change in regional subsistence from strongly relying on wild resources and small scale cultivation during the Beixin Cultural period to a millet-based economy during the Dawenkou Culture.
Enhancing students career readiness through peer counselling programme in Hong Kong
Authors: Wong Shui-wai , Chui Yat Hung , Chan Yuk Chung , Ting S Raymond , Lam Jason K. H.
Published: April 2016

The present study is the first empirical research in Hong Kong to evaluate a peer career counselling programme consisting of a 3.5-day training and a school-based service project. Using a quasi-experimental design, the evaluation was based on the Career Readiness Scales ratings at three waves of data collection. Results showed that the programme was effective in enhancing peer counsellors’ career readiness. The effect came mainly from the training and less from the service project.
The State of Transportation for People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services 1915(c) Waivers
Authors: Friedman Carli , Rizzolo Mary C.
Published: April 2016

Transportation is the most frequently reported problem for people with disabilities. While some people with disabilities have difficulty with limited or no public transportation systems, others have trouble with inaccessible infrastructures and systems. In addition, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) often have trouble with many of the skills that navigating transportation requires. Although accessible transportation is crucial for independent living, Medicaid only requires states cover nonemergency medical transportation and does not require transportation related to other aspects necessary for community living such as accessing work, errands, or recreational activities. The purpose of this article is to examine Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) 1915(c) waivers, the largest provider of long-term services and supports for people with IDD, to see how transportation is provided for people with IDD. Our examination of 99 waivers for FY 2013 revealed 58 waivers provided transportation-specific services and 71 waivers provided transportation within another service. The majority of waivers provided transportation for people with IDD through these two means; however, this transportation was often limited to very specific purposes. From our findings, it appears transportation services for people with IDD in waivers need to be expanded to support community access and integration.
A new adaptive sliding mode control for Macpherson strut suspension system with magneto-rheological damper
Authors: Dutta Saikat , Choi Sang-Min , Choi Seung-Bok
Published: April 2016

This work proposes a new adaptive sliding mode controller to enhance ride comfort and steering stability of automobile associated with a semi-active magneto-rheological damper. In this study, a Macpherson strut type suspension system which is widely used in light vehicles is considered. The dynamic model of the Macpherson strut with magneto-rheological damper is obtained and the governing equations are then formulated using kinematic properties of the suspension system following Lagrange’s formulation. In the formulation of the model, both the rotation of the wheel assembly and the lateral stiffness of the tire are considered to represent the nonlinear characteristic of Macpherson type suspension system. Subsequently, in order to effectively reduce unwanted vibrations, a new adaptive sliding mode controller is designed by adopting moving sliding surface instead of conventional fixed sliding surface. In order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed controller, a cylindrical magneto-rheological damper is designed and manufactured on the basis of practical application conditions such as required damping force. Then, ride comfort, suspension travel, and road handling are evaluated and some benefits of the proposed controller such as enhanced ride comfort are evaluated.
Experimental characterisation of dual-mass vibration energy harvesters employing velocity amplification
Authors: Frizzell Ronan , Kelly Gerard , Cottone Francesco , Boco Elisabetta , Nico Valeria , O’Donoghue Declan , Punch Jeff
Published: April 2016

Vibration energy harvesting extracts energy from the environment and can mitigate reliance on battery technology in wireless sensor networks. This article presents the nonlinear responses of two multi-mass vibration energy harvesters that employ a velocity amplification effect. This amplification is achieved by momentum transfer from larger to smaller masses following impact between masses. Two systems are presented that show the evolution of multi-mass vibration energy harvester designs: (1) a simplified prototype that effectively demonstrates the basic principles of the approach and (2) an enhanced design that achieves higher power densities and a wider frequency response. Various configurations are investigated to better understand the nonlinear dynamics and how best to realise future velocity-amplified vibration energy harvesters. The frequency responses of the multi-mass harvesters show that these devices have the potential to reduce risks associated with deploying vibration energy harvester devices in wireless sensor network applications; the wide frequency response reduces the need to re-tune the harvesters following frequency variations of the source vibrations.
Older Adults’ Digital Gameplay
Authors: Kaufman David , Sauvé Louise , Renaud Lise , Sixsmith Andrew , Mortenson Ben
Published: April 2016

Background. Empirical evidence suggests that digital gameplay can enhance social interaction and improve cognition for older adults. However, if digital games are to be effectively used as interventions to address age-related challenges, it is important to explore older adults’ experiences in playing them.

Aim. The purpose of this survey design study was to identify digital gameplay patterns, perceived socio-emotional and cognitive benefits, and difficulties encountered in the gameplay experiences of older adults.

Method. Adults aged 55 or older, recruited from seniors’ centers and local shopping malls in a Canadian city, responded to a printed, mainly closed-ended questionnaire.

Results. 463 respondents reported that they actively play digital games. Most played alone rather than with others, and most rated themselves as intermediate or expert players. Players self-reported cognitive benefits but few socio-emotional benefits and few difficulties.

Conclusions. The results of this study show promise for the use of digital games to provide innovative and engaging activities for enhancing older adults’ aging processes. Significant associations were found between player skill level and reported benefits.

Recommendations. To perceive these benefits, older adults need to play frequently enough to develop beyond a beginner level. Education, facilitation, and support may be needed to encourage older adults to realize socio-emotional benefits from digital gameplay.
Early Complications and Secondary Procedures in Transfibular Total Ankle Replacement
Authors: Tan Eric W. , Maccario Camilla , Talusan Paul G. , Schon Lew C.
Published: April 2016

Background:

A new transfibular total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) system has not been assessed for potential early complications.

Methods:

We retrospectively assessed prospectively collected data on the initial cohort of patients undergoing TAA with this implant. We evaluated visual analog scale (VAS) pain and function, range of motion, and early radiographic outcomes.

Results:

Twenty consecutive TAAs (19 patients) were treated with the implant from January 2013 through June 2014. Average patient age was 63.7 (range, 41-80) years, with an average follow-up of 18 (range, 12-27) months. No fibular nonunion or implant failure was found at 12 months postoperatively. One patient had asymptomatic mild tibial lucency. Four of 20 TAAs underwent additional surgery for anterior impingement (1 ankle), deep infection and symptomatic fibular hardware (1 ankle), and symptomatic fibular hardware (2 ankles).

Conclusion:

Of 20 ankles treated with a new transfibular arthroplasty system, no fibular nonunion, delayed union, or implant failure was noted at 12 months postoperatively. Two complications were resolved with secondary treatment, and 2 other ankles underwent secondary surgery for symptomatic fibular hardware with good outcome. The findings suggest that this total ankle system is safe and effective at short-term follow-up.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, retrospective case series.
Influence of Hindfoot Malalignment on Hallux Valgus Operative Outcomes
Authors: Ginés-Cespedosa Alberto , Pérez-Prieto Daniel , Muñetón David , González-Lucena Gemma , Millán Angelica , de Zabala Santiago , Busquets Rosa
Published: April 2016

Background:

Hindfoot deformity has been described as a risk factor for poor hallux valgus (HV) surgery outcomes. However, there has been no study that demonstrates it. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the influence of hindfoot misalignment in HV surgery results.

Methods:

All patients operated on for HV during 2010 and 2011 at 3 university hospitals were included. The preoperative and 2-year postoperative radiologic data included the HV and the intermetatarsal (IM) angles, the naviculocuboid overlap (NC), the talonavicular coverage (TN) angle, the talus–first metatarsal (T-1MT) angle, as well as the calcaneal pitch (CP) angle. Additionally, the Short Form–36 questionnaire version 2.0 (SF-36) and the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) score, satisfaction and recurrence were also analyzed. A total of 207 met the inclusion criteria. There were 26 patients (12.6%) who could not be assessed at the 2-year follow-up. Patients were allocated to a varus, normal, or a valgus hindfoot tertile using the values for the CP, NC, TN, and T-1MT angles.

Results:

No significant differences ( P > .05) were found between the groups when the HV or IM angles, AOFAS, SF-36 Mental Composite Scale, SF-36 Physical Composite Scale, or satisfaction were compared. Similarly, no significant and strong correlations were observed ( P > .05, ρ < 0.3) between any of the mentioned hindfoot measures and the outcomes scales.

Conclusion:

No influence of hindfoot misalignment on HV surgery outcomes was found in the present study in terms of correction, pain, function, satisfaction, or quality of life. Patients with hindfoot misalignment did not obtain worse outcomes in HV surgery.

Level of Evidence:

Level II, prognostic, comparative study.
Catalog of 199 register-based definitions of chronic conditions
Authors: Hvidberg Michael F. , Johnsen Søren P. , Glümer Charlotte , Petersen Karin D. , Olesen Anne V. , Ehlers Lars
Published: April 2016

Introduction: The aim of the current study was to present and discuss a broad range of register-based definitions of chronic conditions for use in register research, as well as the challenges and pitfalls when defining chronic conditions by the use of registers. Materials and methods: The definitions were defined based on information from nationwide Danish public healthcare registers. Medical and epidemiological specialists identified and grouped relevant diagnosis codes that covered chronic conditions, using the International Classification System version 10 (ICD-10). Where relevant, prescription and other healthcare data were also used to define the chronic conditions. Results: We identified 199 chronic conditions and subgroups, which were divided into four groups according to a medical judgment of the expected duration of the conditions, as follows. Category I: Stationary to progressive conditions (maximum register inclusion time of diagnosis since the start of the register in 1994). Category II: Stationary to diminishing conditions (10 years of register inclusion after time of diagnosis). Category III: Diminishing conditions (5 years of register inclusion after time of diagnosis). Category IV: Borderline conditions (2 years of register inclusion time following diagnosis). The conditions were primarily defined using hospital discharge diagnoses; however, for 35 conditions, including common conditions such as diabetes, chronic obstructive lung disease and allergy, more complex definitions were proposed based on record linkage between multiple registers, including registers of prescribed drugs and use of general practitioners’ services. Conclusions: This study provided a catalog of register-based definitions for chronic conditions for use in healthcare planning and research, which is, to the authors’ knowledge, the largest currently compiled in a single study.
Interpreting children’s best interests: Needs, attachment and decision-making
Authors: Keddell Emily
Published: April 2016

Many decisions in the child welfare arena revolve around the concept of ‘children’s best interests’, but determining what they actually consist of is contestable and subject to conflicting criteria. This article describes the content of ‘children’s best interests’ discourses used by social workers and parents as part of decision-making rationales.

Findings

This study found that the construction of children’s ‘best interests’ was underpinned by concepts related to children’s needs. Needs were framed as emotional needs best met by family relationships, and theorised primarily using attachment theory. This resulted in decisions that tended to favour stability over change, as children’s distress on separation, indiscriminate affection, and difficult behaviours were interpreted as evidence of attachment problems that should lead to decisions to retain stable caregiving arrangements. The use of attachment theory was not straightforward, and illustrates the uneasy juxtapositions of conflicting discourses impacting on child welfare decision-making, particularly the influence of policy orientation.

Applications

These conflicts highlight the contested child welfare domain, and the contextualised interpretations required of attachment theories in decision-making contexts in order to make sound decisions for specific children. Implications for practice and education are discussed.
Eco-social work and community resilience: Insights from water activism in Canada
Authors: Case Robert A
Published: April 2016

Only recently has social work begun to grapple with its place in relation to environmental issues. While considerable progress has been made in bringing environmental considerations into the centre of our profession's scholarship and practice, this project is far from complete. Drawing on environmental literature and based on findings of a qualitative case study of water activism in one Canadian city, this paper argues that the concept of “community resilience” provides both a practical and a conceptual framework for advancing social work's engagement with issues of the natural environment and environmental justice through community praxis.

Findings

In Guelph, Ontario, Canada, water issues are the focal point of considerable community activism. The case study research reveals, however, that while water is the focus, much of this activism is driven by three broad social priorities that reflect ideas of community resilience and which suggest entry points for social work participation in community-based environmental initiatives: self-reliance and sustainability, localization and direct citizen participation, and community.

Applications

“Community resilience” is increasingly popular in environmental and community development fields as a conceptual framework for assessing and building the capacity of communities to support wellbeing in the face of environmental change, adversity and risk. While the concept of “resilience” is well established in social work, “community resilience” remains under-examined in social work literature. In this paper, the author draws attention to this arena of resilience thinking, highlighting its potential for the integration of considerations of the natural environment into social work scholarship, education, and practice.
Chromaticity shifts due to light exposure of inorganic pigments used in traditional Chinese painting
Authors: Dang R , Yuan Y , Luo C , Liu J
Published: April 2016

Museum lighting must use a light source suitable for preserving the colours of the objects being lit. This paper examines how prolonged exposure to three light sources typically used in museums affect the chromaticity of five pigments commonly used in Chinese traditional heavy colour painting. The three light sources were tungsten halogen with an infrared filter, metal halide and an RYGB-type LED. The chromaticities of the pigments were measured at regular intervals over 1152 hours of exposure. These data were used to reveal the chromaticity shifts occurring and hence the relative effect of each typical light source. Of the three light sources measured, the RYGB-type LED had the least chromaticity shift, on average. These results provide a database for related research on Chinese traditional heavy colour painting illumination and provide a more general reference for the choice of light source in the design of museum lighting.
Drug-Eluting Stent vs Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty for Treatment of Femoropopliteal In-Stent Restenosis
Authors: Murata Naotaka , Takahara Mitsuyoshi , Soga Yoshimitsu , Nakano Masatsugu , Yamauchi Yasutaka , Zen Kan , Kawasaki Daizo , Yokoi Hiroyoshi , Tosaka Atsushi , Tanaka Nobuhiro , Iida Osamu
Published: April 2016

Purpose: To compare drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) in the treatment of femoropopliteal in-stent restenosis (ISR). Methods: A comparison was performed of data from 112 ZEPHYR registry patients (mean age 74±9 years; 60 men) with 119 femoropopliteal ISR lesions treated with a drug-eluting stent (Zilver PTX) with historical data from 116 patients (mean age 72±8 years; 83 men) with 133 lesions treated with PTA. The patients were stratified for analysis by lesions with (101/252, 40%) and without (n=151) in-stent occlusion. The primary outcome measure was the 1-year incidence of recurrent restenosis; the secondary outcome was major adverse limb events (MALE). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to look for any independent association of DES implantation with 1-year recurrent restenosis in the respective subgroups; results are presented as the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: In the subgroup without in-stent occlusion, there was no significant difference between DES and PTA in the 1-year incidence of recurrent restenosis (40.5% vs 45.7%, p=0.583, respectively) or MALE (27.8% vs 20.7%, p=0.322, respectively). However, in the subgroup with in-stent occlusion, DES implantation was associated with significantly lower incidences of recurrent restenosis (44.1% vs 90.3% for PTA, p<0.001) and MALE (25.5% vs 53.6% for PTA, p<0.001). Multivariate analysis confirmed that DES implantation had a significant independent negative association with the risk of recurrent restenosis in the subgroup with occlusion (OR 0.2, 95% CI 0.1 to 0.6, p=0.006). Conclusion: DES implantation may be more effective than PTA in the management of femoropopliteal ISR with occlusion, but equally effective to PTA in nonocclusive ISR lesions. These results require confirmation in prospective randomized studies.
Superstars, Uncertainty of Outcome, and PGA Tour Television Ratings
Authors: Gooding Chase , Stephenson E. Frank
Published: April 2016

Using 2010–2013 television ratings data for 33 Professional Golfers’ Association Tour events, this article analyzes determinants of audience size. Only one of six measures of uncertainty of outcome based on the leader’s margin or the number of golfers within five strokes of the leader is found to be positively correlated with ratings. Instead, ratings are strongly related to certain tournaments, particularly The Masters and the U.S. Open, and to the presence of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. Ratings are found to increase by about 50% if Woods is in contention.