bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Leaf anatomy and macro-morphology uncover a new species of Amorimia (Malpighiaceae) from Southeastern Brazil
Authors: ALMEIDA RAFAEL FELIPE DE , MELLO ANA CAROLINE MARQUES PEREIRA , OLIVEIRA DENISE MARIA TROMBERT , AMORIM ANDRÉ MARCIO ARAÚJO
Published: April 2017

The description of a new species belonging to the Amorimia rigida complex (Malpighiaceae) is herein presented, based on leaf anatomy and macro-morphology. Amorimia tumida is endemic to northern state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and it can be differentiated from the remaining species of the A. rigida complex by the absence of glands on the leaf blades, elliptic leaf blades, divergent angle of the secondary veins, reduced number of flowers in the inflorescence, thickened fruiting pedicels, and indumentum of the filaments, styles and samaras. This study includes macro and micro-morphological descriptions, along with an updated identification key for the species of the complex, illustrations, a distribution map, conservation assessment, and comments on ecology and taxonomy.
The recognition of Tibouchina setosociliata Cogn. (Melastomataceae, Melastomeae) and its transfer to Pleroma D. Don
Authors: MEYER FABRÍCIO SCHMITZ , MATOS FERNANDO BITTENCOURT DE
Published: April 2017

Pleroma setosociliatum (Cogn.) F.S. Mey. & F.B. Matos, from the states of Paraná and Santa Catarina, Brazil, has been indicated, still as a name in Tibouchina, as a synonym of T. dubia (Cham.) Cogn. on several floras and electronic databases. However, field observations and a more detailed analysis of herbarium specimens, including the types, led to the conclusion that these two species are distinct. They differ from each other not only in geographic distribuition, but also in growth habit, leaf size, indument, and dimensions of the connectives on antesepalous stamens. Tibouchina setosociliata is here transferred to Pleroma on the basis of morphology and results of a previously published molecular phylogeny.
Schlotheimia spinomitria (Orthotrichaceae, Subg. Schlotheimia), a new species from Brazilian Cerrado
Authors: PERALTA DENILSON F. , RISTOW RONY
Published: April 2017

Schlotheimia spinomitria (Orthotrichaceae, subg. Schlotheimia), is proposed, described and illustrated as a new species based on collections from central Brazil. It is characterized by its distinctive calyptra ornamentated with multicelled foliose spines. S. spinomitria is currently known only from three specimens from the Cerrado (Savana) area, and could be considered rare, vulnerable and potentially threatened. A key is provided to distinguish it from the other Brazilian species with ornamented calyptra.
First report of the genus Tettigonia Linnaeus (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Tettigoniinae) and record of Tettigonia caudata caudata (Charpentier, 1842) from India
Authors: NAGAR RAJENDRA , SWAMINATHAN R.
Published: April 2017

The genus Tettigonia Linnaeus (Tettigoniidae; Tettigoniinae) with the type species, Gryllus (Tettigonia) viridissima Linnaeus, 1758 belongs to the tribe Tettigoniini, which is represented by 15 genera and 27 species worldwide (Cigliano et al., 2017). According to the annotated checklist, the subfamily Tettigoniinae includes the only tribe Platycleidini Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893 with 2 genera and 3 species as reported from India by Shishodia et al. (2010). In a review of Orthoptera from the Eastern Palearctic region, the genus Tettigonia Linnaeus was reported by Storozhenko (1994); additionally, some new species of Tettigonia have been described by Ogawa (2003), Greenwalt and Rust (2014), Chobanov et al. (2014), Sultan et al. (2015) and Storozhenko et al. (2015). The sub-family Tettigoniinae is represented by many species endemic to the Asian part of the Palearctic region. In 1971, Kaltenbach studied the Decticinae of the Palearctic, a subfamily now considered part of Tettigoniinae, comprising 65 genera with 407 species; later, Rentz and Colless (1990) estimated 500 species for Tettigoniinae. Further, Rentz (1985) clarified that these species do not occur in tropical rainforests, but are found in grassland and mixed heath habitats. The shape of pronotum, with a distinct angulated shoulder incision, with the clarities and locations of its transversal sulci, and its short, compressed and depressed structure happens to be a common character for the members of the tribe Tettigoniini. The type genus Tettigonia is long winged; however, considerable variability in the wing length has been reported. Nevertheless, the short tegmina reaching to the end of hind knee is a character often used to separate T. caudata and T. viridissima from T. cantans and T. hispina (Haz, 1969).
Foehnlike Wind with a Traditional Foehn Effect plus Dry-Diabatic Heating from the Ground Surface Contributing to High Temperatures at the End of a Leeward Area
Authors: Takane Yuya , Kondo Hiroaki , Kusaka Hiroyuki , Katagi Jin , Nagafuchi Osamu , Nakazawa Koyomi , Kaneyasu Naoki , Miyakami Yoshihiro
Published: April 2017

A foehn wind is an important factor in the occurrence of many extreme high-temperature events in geographically complex regions. In this study, the authors verified the hypothesis that a foehnlike wind contributes to high temperatures at the end of the leeward (eastward) area using three difference approaches: field experiments, numerical experiments, and statistical analyses. According to the hypothesis, a foehnlike wind has the features of the sum of a traditional foehn effect with adiabatic heating, plus dry-diabatic heating from the ground surface along the fetch of the wind. Field experiments conducted at seven observational points on Nobi Plain, Japan, where a mesoscale westerly wind blew, revealed that the westerly wind clearly had the features of a traditional foehn effect in the western part of the Nobi Plain. In addition to field experiments, a simplified estimate using a simple mixed-layer model demonstrated that the wind was further heated by dry-diabatic heating (sensible heat supply) from the ground surface along the fetch (especially in urbanized areas in the eastern region of the Nobi Plain) of the wind. This diabatic heating effect along the fetch of the wind on the high temperature at the end of the leeward area was also supported by both additional numerical experiments and a statistical analysis. These results proved that the hypothesis is correct and indicated that ground conditions and the land use and land cover in the windward area were strongly related to air temperature at the end of the leeward area, where an extremely high temperature was observed.
Patient Experiences of Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis
Authors: Belser Alexander B. , Agin-Liebes Gabrielle , Swift T. Cody , Terrana Sara , Devenot Neşe , Friedman Harris L. , Guss Jeffrey , Bossis Anthony , Ross Stephen
Published: April 2017

The psychological mechanisms of action involved in psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy are not yet well understood. Despite a resurgence of quantitative research regarding psilocybin, the current study is the first qualitative study of participant experiences in psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy. Semistructured interviews were carried out with 13 adult participants aged 22 to 69 years ( M = 50 years) with clinically elevated anxiety associated with a cancer diagnosis. Participants received a moderate dose of psilocybin and adjunctive psychotherapy with an emphasis on the process of meaning-making. Verbatim transcribed interviews were analyzed by a five-member research team using interpretative phenomenological analysis. General themes found in all or nearly all transcripts included relational embeddedness, emotional range, the role of music as conveyor of experience, meaningful visual phenomena, wisdom lessons, revised life priorities, and a desire to repeat the psilocybin experience. Typical themes found in the majority of transcripts included the following: exalted feelings of joy, bliss, and love; embodiment; ineffability; alterations to identity; a movement from feelings of separateness to interconnectedness; experiences of transient psychological distress; the appearance of loved ones as guiding spirits; and sharing the experience with loved ones posttreatment. Variant themes found in a minority of participant transcripts include lasting changes to sense of identity, synesthesia experiences, catharsis of powerful emotion, improved relationships after treatment, surrender or “letting go,” forgiveness, and a continued struggle to integrate experience. The findings support the conclusion that psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy may provide an effective treatment for psychological distress in cancer patients. Implications for theory and treatment are discussed.
Beatification of Cardinal Henry Newman
Authors: May Peter
Published: April 2017

Claims of a miracle cure require objective and thorough investigation with a review of all contemporaneous medical records. This paper describes instances of apparent miraculous recoveries from fatal or incurable illnesses. Following more rigorous review of the medical documentation, when available, a different story emerges. Misdiagnosis and/or appropriate treatment account for the best cases.
The children of converts: Beyond the first generation of contemporary Pagans
Authors: Fennell Julie , Wildman-Hanlon Laura A
Published: April 2017

Very little is known about the adult religious retention of children and adolescents in New Religious Movements (NRMs). The current study seeks to examine the factors that determine the success of one NRM, contemporary Paganism, at retaining the children of its first generation of converts. Using a small convenience internet sample (n=183), we found that 45% of our sample continued to practice Paganism as adults, and a further 25% remained spiritually Pagan. We find that children and adolescents who were very religious Pagans are much more likely to remain members of the religion as adults, controlling for age, gender and sexual orientation. We also find that children who grew up in more specifically defined Pagan paths, such as Wicca or Druidism, are more likely to remain Pagan and in those paths, than children who were raised in more vaguely defined ways such as ‘eclectic Pagan’.
Managing the Past in Urban Portraitures in fin-de-siècle Saxon Transylvania
Authors: Török Borbála Zsuzsanna
Published: April 2017

The article addresses the cultural appropriation of multiethnic provincial urban spaces in Dualist Hungary. Scholarly topographies of towns experienced a boom at the turn of the century and were produced and marketed in the framework of collaborative enterprises, whether in the shape of state-sponsored committees or societies organized on voluntary basis. In Transylvania, the oldest academic institutions dedicated to such work were primarily the so-called Landeskunde (in Hungarian: honismeret) societies. The article explores the ways in which the social background, the target audience, and the material resources of the societies determined the outcome of the urban mapping by focusing on the multiethnic Transylvanian city Hermannstadt (in Romanian: Sibiu, in Hungarian: Nagyszeben). Here ethno-linguistic affiliations created the most fundamental dividing line that cut across the intellectual milieus during the time under scrutiny. The resulting urban mono-cultural topographies were part of shaping national historiographies, which in the Saxon case emphasized the cultural distinctness of the Transylvanian Lutheran Germans, and played down the difference between the towns and countryside.
Neighborhood Activism in Planning for New York City, 1945-1975
Authors: Reaven Marci
Published: April 2017

The practice of city planning in New York City was transformed in the decades after World War II. At the start of this period, the system was characterized by little citizen involvement and no transparency. By the mid-1970s, citizens had become accepted participants in land-use decision-making, and formal procedures for involving citizens in planning had been written into local law. This article explores how this turning point in citizen participation came about by focusing on the Cooper Square Committee—an ambitious practitioner of neighborhood activism on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Setting the Committee’s quest in the participatory context of the times uncovers a groundswell of voluntary groups who used the city’s neighborhoods as forums for democratic action. Along with government actors, planning professionals, and civic and social agencies, such groups contributed to the transformation in planning, which developed not by premeditated campaign but by a cumulative process of public problem-solving and social innovation.
More than Cosmetic Changes: The Challenges of Experiments with Police Demilitarization in the 1960s and 1970s
Authors: Schrader Stuart
Published: April 2017

In response to civil unrest, many U.S. police forces in the 1960s and 1970s adopted more aggressive postures, including “militarized” uniforms and tactics. A few, however, directed reform efforts toward “demilitarization.” This article focuses on the Menlo Park Police Department, in California, led by the maverick reformer Victor Cizanckas. It analyzes his attempts to change relations between the police and the public in his municipality, especially by decreasing incidents of abuse in one predominantly poor, black neighborhood. He instituted, for example, new uniforms and a nonhierarchical bureaucracy in the department. The article details how Cizanckas used emerging networks of law-enforcement professionalization to disseminate his ideas. It also analyzes the failures and challenges of these reform efforts. The article concludes that even radical police reform efforts in the period could not overcome racial inequality or a right-wing backlash against progressive ideas in policing.
Shareholder Proposals on the Auditor–Client Relationship: The Case of Nonaudit Service Purchases
Authors: Hermanson Dana R. , Rama Dasaratha V. , Ye Zhongxia (Shelly)
Published: April 2017

This article provides empirical evidence on shareholder proposals seeking to restrict nonaudit service (NAS) purchases by public companies from their independent auditors. Our analysis is based on 104 instances of shareholder proposals seeking to restrict NAS provided by independent auditors, received by 94 firms during a unique period from 2001 to 2004 (when the Securities and Exchange Commission [SEC] allowed such proposals to proceed to shareholder votes), and a control sample that did not receive such proposals. We find that firms targeted by shareholders had higher nonaudit fee ratios. We also find that firms receiving such shareholder proposals are likely to have steeper subsequent declines in the nonaudit fee ratio than firms not receiving such proposals. Finally, considering only the subset of firms that have a shareholder vote on proposals seeking to restrict NAS purchases, the subsequent reduction in the nonaudit fee ratio is positively related to the magnitude of the proportion of votes in favor of the shareholder proposal. Our findings suggest that permitting shareholder participation in issues related to the auditor–client relationship can lead to significant changes in the nature of the auditor’s relationship with the client, and they call into question recent SEC actions permitting companies to restrict shareholder participation in issues related to auditor selection.
An Approach to Reconciling Competing Ethical Principles in Aggregating Heterogeneous Health Preferences
Authors: Dewitt Barry , Davis Alexander , Fischhoff Baruch , Hanmer Janel
Published: April 2017

Background. Health-related quality of life (HRQL) scores are used extensively to quantify the effectiveness of medical interventions. Societal preference-based HRQL scores aim to produce societal valuations of health by aggregating valuations from individuals in the general population, where each aggregation procedure embodies different ethical principles, as explained in social choice theory. Methods. Using the Health Utilities Index as an exemplar, we evaluate societal preference-based HRQL measures in the social choice theory framework. Results. We find that current preference aggregation procedures are typically justified in terms of social choice theory. However, by convention, they use only one of many possible aggregation procedures (the mean). Central to the choice of aggregation procedure is how to treat preference heterogeneity, which can affect analyses that rely on HRQL scores, such as cost-effectiveness analyses. We propose an analytical-deliberative framework for choosing one (or a set of) aggregation procedure(s) in a socially credible way, which we believe to be analytically sound and empirically tractable, but leave open the institutional mechanism needed to implement it. Conclusions. Socially acceptable decisions about aggregating heterogeneous preferences require eliciting stakeholders’ preferences among the set of analytically sound procedures, representing different ethical principles. We describe a framework for eliciting such preferences for the creation of HRQL scores, informed by social choice theory and behavioral decision research.
The Development and Evaluation of a Computer-Simulated Science Inquiry Environment Using Gamified Elements
Authors: Tsai Fu-Hsing
Published: April 2017

This study developed a computer-simulated science inquiry environment, called the Science Detective Squad, to engage students in investigating an electricity problem that may happen in daily life. The environment combined the simulation of scientific instruments and a virtual environment, including gamified elements, such as points and a story for the scaffold and feedback mechanism that guides students to perform a scientific inquiry activity. This study conducted an experiment to understand the effect of this environment. The research findings revealed that students’ electricity knowledge was significantly increased through this activity, and most students had positive perceptions regarding the environment. This study also found that the participants’ inquiry performance gradually declined during the scientific inquiry activity, while performance of data analysis had the highest influence on their success in completing the activity. Thus, some design improvements for this virtual environment were derived from this study.
Clock Gene Expression in the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus of Hibernating Arctic Ground Squirrels
Authors: Ikeno Tomoko , Williams Cory T. , Buck C. Loren , Barnes Brian M. , Yan Lily
Published: April 2017

Most organisms have a circadian system, entrained to daily light-dark cycles, that regulates 24-h rhythms of physiology and behavior. It is unclear, however, how circadian systems function in animals that exhibit seasonal metabolic suppression, particularly when this coincides with the long-term absence of a day-night cycle. The arctic ground squirrel, Urocytellus parryii, is a medium-sized, semi-fossorial rodent that appears above-ground daily during its short active season in spring and summer before re-entering a constantly dark burrow for 6 to 9 months of hibernation. This hibernation consists of multiple week-long torpor bouts interrupted by short (< 20 h) arousal intervals when metabolism and body temperature (Tb) return to normal levels. Here, we used immunohistochemistry to measure the expression of daily or circadian rhythms of the protein products of 3 circadian clock genes, PER1, PER2, BMAL1, and the neural activity marker c-FOS in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of arctic ground squirrels before, during, and after the first torpor bout of hibernation. Before torpor, while under 12:12-h light:dark conditions, animals showed significant daily rhythms in their Tb, as well as in protein expression levels of PER1 and PER2, but not BMAL1. Upon entering first torpor (Tb < 30°C), animals were moved into constant darkness. When sampled at 6-h intervals—beginning 24 h after the last light out, with Tb 3°C to 4°C—there were no circadian oscillations in PER1, PER2, or c-FOS expression. Sampling across 24 h during the first spontaneous arousal interval, c-FOS expression was elevated only when Tb reached 20°C and PER1 and PER2 expression did not show any Tb- or time-dependent changes. These results suggest that the central circadian clock might have stopped functioning during hibernation in this species, and the timing of arousal from torpor in arctic ground squirrels is unlikely to be controlled by the circadian clock within the SCN.
Machinery fault diagnosis based on time–frequency images and label consistent K-SVD
Authors: Yuan HD , Chen J , Dong GM
Published: April 2017

Wavelet time–frequency analysis has been widely used for machinery fault diagnosis. Mechanical vibration signals can be converted to time–frequency images using wavelet transform, so machinery fault diagnosis can be transformed to the problem of image classification. Label consistent K-SVD algorithm has been proven to be effective in image classification, which incorporates a label consistent term namely discriminative sparse code error into the objective function. Therefore, in this paper, a novel bearing fault diagnosis method based on wavelet time–frequency image and label consistent K-SVD is proposed. Firstly, continuous wavelet transform is utilized to generate wavelet time–frequency images that can fully reflect bearing fault characteristics. Then texture feature extraction based on gray level co-occurrence matrix is implemented on the wavelet time–frequency images. Finally, label consistent K-SVD is conducted for classification of the time–frequency images, and thus bearing fault diagnosis is realized. The experiment results show that the texture features based on gray level co-occurrence matrix of wavelet time–frequency images can effectively extract the fault characteristics of rolling bearings, and label consistent K-SVD performs better than other classification methods based on dictionary learning under the same parameters.
Pseudomyxoma Peritonei as a First Manifestation of KRAS-Mutated Urachal Mucinous Cystadenocarcinoma of the Bladder: A Case Report
Authors: Shelekhova Ksenya V. , Zhuravlev Alexander S. , Krylova Daria D. , Konstantinov Alexey S. , Shtan Lidia V. , Kheinshtein Valeriia A.
Published: April 2017

Only 28 cases of pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) arising from urachal neoplasms have been reported. We report one example of this extremely rare disease with KRAS mutational status in its spectrum of pathology. A 45-year-old woman presented with urachal frankly invasive mucinous cystadenocarcinoma confined to the dome of the bladder, which clinically manifested as PMP and was not detected at the first surgery. The primary tumour was revealed 6 months later because of its recurrence as PMP. Microscopic investigation revealed tubular adenoma and cystadenocarcinoma communicating with the bladder lumen and transitioning from the urachal urothelium to the mucinous epithelium. A urachal remnant was identified near the neoplasm. On immunohistochemistry, the tumour proved positive for CK7, CK20, CEA, and CDX2. Staining for β-catenin revealed expression in both the cytoplasm and cell membrane. Mismatch repair protein expression was normal. Somatic KRAS-mutation (G12V) was revealed in tubular adenoma, cystadenocarcinoma, and mucinous carcinoma peritonei and may play an oncogenic role in the malignant transformation of urachal mucosa and the development of PMP.
Patients are willing to use telehealth for the multidisciplinary management of chronic musculoskeletal conditions: A cross-sectional survey
Authors: Cottrell Michelle A , Hill Anne J , O’Leary Shaun P , Raymer Maree E , Russell Trevor G
Published: April 2017

Introduction

Access to specialised multidisciplinary healthcare services is difficult for many patients with chronic musculoskeletal conditions. A possible solution could be delivery of care via telehealth. This study aims to identify current barriers in accessing healthcare services, and to determine if telehealth is an acceptable mode of healthcare delivery, from the perspective of patients with chronic musculoskeletal conditions.

Methods

Surveys were distributed to current patients receiving care within the Neurosurgical and Orthopaedic Physiotherapy Screening Clinic and Multidisciplinary Service (N/OPSC & MDS) at six facilities throughout Queensland, Australia. The 48-item survey evaluated five key areas including demographics; current barriers to attendance; satisfaction with current management provided by the N/OPSC & MDS; technology access and literacy; and attitudes and preference towards telehealth.

Results

In total, 85 patients (71%) completed the survey. The majority of patients were satisfied overall with the N/OPSC & MDS, but almost one-quarter of the patients reported ceasing treatment due to difficulty accessing services. Over half of the respondents were willing to use telehealth if it reduced the costs (53%) and time (57%) associated with attending appointments. Patients in paid employment were more likely (65%) to use telehealth if it reduced work absenteeism. Overall, 78% of patients were identified as having appropriate technology access to enable home telehealth. Specifically, 43% of patients would prefer home telehealth over having to travel to attend their appointments.

Discussion

The majority of N/OPSC & MDS patients are willing to engage in telehealth for the management of their chronic musculoskeletal condition. These findings justify consideration of telehealth as an additional method of service delivery within the existing N/OPSC & MD service.
At zero and turning in circles: refugee experiences and coping in Durban, South Africa
Authors: Labys Charlotte A. , Dreyer Chandré , Burns Jonathan K.
Published: April 2017

Millions of refugees are on the move globally, mostly settling in low- and middle-income (LMIC) “host” countries, where they often receive insufficient assistance and encounter a multitude of barriers. Despite a risk for developing mental illness, limited research exists on their struggles and coping strategies in these settings, especially outside of camps. Against this backdrop, our qualitative study aimed to gain a deeper understanding of refugee experiences in Durban, South Africa. We conducted semistructured individual interviews with 18 adult refugees from Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo at a community-based support center in Durban. Participants described their problems, effects on mental health, and coping abilities. Interviews were recorded and analyzed for themes. Major problems were reported with work, xenophobia/racism, mental health, physical safety, housing, healthcare, and quality of life. Participants discussed feelings of worry, fear, emotional pain, anger, powerlessness, hopelessness, worthlessness, and passive suicidal ideation. Coping mechanisms consisted of friendships, church, praying, work, physical activities, family, learning the local language, and avoidance of thoughts. Many interviewees expressed a strong desire to either return to their homeland or move elsewhere. Refugees in South Africa face considerable hardships including xenophobia, physical abuse, and work/legal obstructions. More research is needed in LMICs to identify the challenges, psychological effects, and coping in such populations so that appropriate and accessible mental health services can be created for those who require them.
Montessori-Based Activities Among Persons with Late-Stage Dementia: Evaluation of Mental and Behavioral Health Outcomes
Authors: Wilks Scott E , Boyd P August , Bates Samantha M , Cain Daphne S , Geiger Jennifer R
Published: April 2017

Objectives

Literature regarding Montessori-based activities with older adults with dementia is fairly common with early stages of dementia. Conversely, research on said activities with individuals experiencing late-stage dementia is limited because of logistical difficulties in sampling and data collection. Given the need to understand risks and benefits of treatments for individuals with late-stage dementia, specifically regarding their mental and behavioral health, this study sought to evaluate the effects of a Montessori-based activity program implemented in a long-term care facility.

Method

Utilizing an interrupted time series design, trained staff completed observation-based measures for 43 residents with late-stage dementia at three intervals over six months. Empirical measures assessed mental health (anxiety, psychological well-being, quality of life) and behavioral health (problem behaviors, social engagement, capacity for activities of daily living).

Results

Group differences were observed via repeated measures ANOVA and paired-samples t-tests. The aggregate, longitudinal results—from baseline to final data interval—for the psychological and behavioral health measures were as follows: problem behaviors diminished though not significantly; social engagement decreased significantly; capacities for activities of daily living decreased significantly; quality of life increased slightly but not significantly; anxiety decreased slightly but not significantly; and psychological well-being significantly decreased.

Conclusion

Improvements observed for quality of life and problem behaviors may yield promise for Montessori-based activities and related health care practices. The rapid physiological and cognitive deterioration from late-stage dementia should be considered when interpreting these results.
Optimal sensor placement within a hybrid dense sensor network using an adaptive genetic algorithm with learning gene pool
Authors: Downey Austin , Hu Chao , Laflamme Simon
Published: April 2017

This work develops optimal sensor placement within a hybrid dense sensor network used in the construction of accurate strain maps for large-scale structural components. Realization of accurate strain maps is imperative for improved strain-based fault diagnosis and prognosis health management in large-scale structures. Here, an objective function specifically formulated to reduce type I and II errors and an adaptive mutation-based genetic algorithm for the placement of sensors within the hybrid dense sensor network are introduced. The objective function is based on the linear combination method and validates sensor placement while increasing information entropy. Optimal sensor placement is achieved through a genetic algorithm that leverages the concept that not all potential sensor locations contain the same level of information. The level of information in a potential sensor location is taught to subsequent generations through updating the algorithm’s gene pool. The objective function and genetic algorithm are experimentally validated for a cantilever plate under three loading cases. Results demonstrate the capability of the learning gene pool to effectively and repeatedly find a Pareto-optimal solution faster than its non-adaptive gene pool counterpart.
Teachers’ lifelong learning: Emerging dialogues from Gert Biesta’s philosophical views
Authors: Guilherme Alexandre , Steren dos Santos Bettina , Spagnolo Carla
Published: April 2017

It is our contention in this article that lifelong learning for teachers is something that is essential and fundamental for the improvement of the teaching and learning processes in education. Here, we consider some aspects related to this important subject. First, we discuss official documents dealing with teachers’ lifelong learning: that is, we aim to understand the historical development of this topic and what has been proposed by international legislation. Second, we explain and discuss some theoretical views related to the theme of teachers’ lifelong learning, especially those put forward by Gert Biesta. Finally, following on from what we have discussed previously, we put forward some suggestions for teachers’ lifelong learning that aim to make a difference with regard to how teachers carry out their day-to-day activities.
Unma(s)king Education in the Image of Business: A Vivisection of Educational Consumerism
Authors: Schwartzman Roy
Published: April 2017

Configuring students as consumers and higher education as a commodity have been widely suggested as ways to empower students and improve efficiency. This critical autoethnography challenges the assumptions and implications of modeling education after free market economic principles. Personal perspectives on the promotion and tenure process, students confronting the marketplace, and exemplary mentoring accompany poetic reflections on market-infused university life.
The Beatings Will Continue Until Morale Improves
Authors: Herrmann Andrew F.
Published: April 2017

Political decisions about higher education and organizational decision-making within higher educational institutions reflect the acceptance of academic capitalist discourse, placing financial burdens on students, stress upon faculty, and the obliteration of trust between faculty and administration. In this critical layered narrative account, a tenure-track faculty member examines the impacts and influences of academic capitalism, including how this neoliberal discourse disregards the idea of higher education as a public good, creates an atmosphere of fear among faculty, and affects faculty-student relationships. This account illustrates how academic capitalism, with its emphasis on money and power, influenced decisions regarding a partnership with a software company, and of course, a rebooted football program.
A Pilot Study Evaluating the Use of Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Perfusion MRI to Predict Local Recurrence After Radiosurgery on Spinal Metastases
Authors: Kumar Kiran A. , Peck Kyung K. , Karimi Sasan , Lis Eric , Holodny Andrei I. , Bilsky Mark H. , Yamada Yoshiya
Published: April 2017

Purpose:

Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging offers noninvasive characterization of the vascular microenvironment and hemodynamics. Stereotactic radiosurgery, or stereotactic body radiation therapy, engages a vascular component of the tumor response which may be detectable using dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. The purpose of this study is to examine whether dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging can be used to predict local tumor recurrence in patients with spinal bone metastases who undergo high-dose radiotherapy with stereotactic radiosurgery.

Materials and Methods:

We conducted a study of 30 patients with spinal metastases who underwent dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging before and after radiotherapy. Twenty patients received single-fraction stereotactic radiosurgery (24 Gy), while 10 received hypofractionated stereotactic radiosurgery (3-5 fractions, 27-30 Gy total). Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to estimate the actuarial local recurrence rates. Two perfusion parameters (Ktrans: permeability and Vp: plasma volume) were measured for each metastasis. Percentage change in parameter values from pre- to posttreatment was calculated and compared.

Results:

At 20-month median follow-up, 5 of the 30 patients had pathological evidence of local recurrence. One- and 3-year actuarial local recurrence rates were 24% and 44% for the hypofractionated stereotactic radiosurgery cohort versus 5% and 16% for the single-fraction stereotactic radiosurgery cohort ( P = .20). The average change in Vp and Ktrans for patients without local recurrence versus those with local recurrence was −76% and −66% versus +28% and −14% ( P < .01 for both). With a cutoff point of −20%, Vp had a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 100%, 98%, 91%, and 100%, respectively, for the detection of local recurrence following high-dose radiotherapy. Using this definition, dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging identified local recurrence up to 18 months (mean [standard deviation], 6.6 [6.8] months) earlier than standard magnetic resonance imaging.

Conclusions:

We demonstrated that changes in perfusion parameters, particularly Vp, after high-dose radiotherapy to spinal bone metastases were predictive of local tumor recurrence. These changes predicted local recurrence on average >6 months earlier than standard imaging did.
Network-coding-based two-way relay cooperation with energy harvesting
Authors: Zhang Shunwai , Song Rongfang , Hong Tao
Published: April 2017

For the relay cooperation systems or networks, in some scenarios, the relay is deployed in the hard-to-reach areas, such as on the remote mountains or in the sea. It is impractical for the relay to be powered by grid energy. And if the relay is powered by battery, it is difficult and high cost to replace the depleted battery. To overcome the power dependence of the relay, this article proposes the network-coding-based two-way relay cooperation with energy harvesting, where the relay is equipped with multiple antennas for information decoding and energy harvesting. Network coding is adopted at the relay to reduce the time slots, and low-density parity check codes are employed at the sources to improve the reliability. We introduce a maximal ratio combining–based decoding algorithm for the proposed system to achieve coding gain and diversity gain. Furthermore, we analyze the outage probability and bit error rate of the system when the optimal antenna selection algorithm is adopted at the relay to transmit data. Theoretical analysis and numerical simulation results show that the proposed system outperforms the corresponding point-to-point system under the same condition. The result also demonstrates that the relay should be deployed closer to the user whose outage probability is required to be lower.
Functional and Quality of Life Outcomes of a Hand Surgery Mission to Honduras
Authors: Chuang Carolyn , Azurdia Jacob , Asuzu David , Ragins Kyle T. , Tomany Kevin , Islam Sohel , Williams Steven , Safanda John , Thomson J. Grant
Published: April 2017

Background: The objective of this study was to assess functional, quality of life, and satisfaction outcomes of a hand surgery short-term surgical mission (STSM) to Honduras, and determine whether patient demographics and surgery characteristics during a surgical mission correlate with outcome. Methods: A total of 63 patients who received upper extremity surgery at a week-long hand surgery STSM to Honduras in March 2013 participated in the study. A before-after study design was used. Before receiving surgery, participants completed the Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (QuickDASH) questionnaire and the Short Form 12 Health Survey version 2 (SF12v2). Four months postoperatively, participants completed the QuickDASH, SF12v2, and Satisfaction Survey. Results: The mean QuickDASH score significantly improved preoperatively to postoperatively. Demographics measures of age, sex, education, and income did not correlate with QuickDASH scores. Preoperative QuickDASH statistically significantly correlated with surgery type: Carpal tunnel patients had the highest scores (worst functioning). Postoperatively, mass excision and scar contracture/skin graft patients were correlated with the lowest scores. Carpal tunnel and tendon surgery patients showed greatest correlation with QuickDASH improvement. SF-12 scores revealed improvements in mental domains and declines in physical domains. Conclusions: Hand surgery performed during STSMs can result in significant functional improvement, regardless of socioeconomic status. Patients benefited from both simpler and more complex operations. Four months after surgery, general health-related quality of life measures showed improved mental indices. Measured physical indices declined despite improved QuickDASH scores. This may be due to the early general postoperative state. Further outcome research in STSMs in additional countries and specialties is required to expand our conclusions to other STSM contexts and guide best practices in STSMs.
Retriever first embolectomy (ReFirE): An alternative approach for challenging cervical access
Authors: Behme Daniel , Knauth Michael , Psychogios Marios-Nikos
Published: April 2017

After endovascular treatment became the standard of care procedure for acute ischaemic stroke with large artery occlusion in 2015 the number of performed interventions has increased dramatically. Especially because age is no exclusion criterion for endovascular treatment, a relevant number of patients with difficult to access carotid arteries has to be treated. In these patients a direct puncture of the carotid is a valuable tool but is associated with severe complications and an initial learning curve. We therefore developed the so called retriever first embolectomy (ReFirE) technique in which a stentretriever is deployed over a 5F diagnostic catheter and a microcatheter to establish a stable anchor prior to accessing the internal carotid artery/intracranial vasculature with an 8F guide catheter and a 5F/6F intermediate catheter. We hereby report the first case in which we performed a thrombectomy applying our novel technique.
Blogs as Elusive Ethnographic Texts
Authors: Kurtz Liza C. , Trainer Sarah , Beresford Melissa , Wutich Amber , Brewis Alexandra
Published: April 2017

Burgeoning online environments offer completely new opportunities for ethnographic and other forms of qualitative research. Yet there are no clear standards for how we study online texts from an ethnographic perspective. In this article, we identify barriers to the application of traditional qualitative methods online, using the example of a systematic thematic analysis of weight-loss blogs. These barriers include the influence of the technology structuring online content, the fluid nature of online texts such as blogs, and the highly connected and public nature of online identities, which may span multiple social media platforms. We discuss some potential approaches to addressing these challenges as preliminary steps toward developing a tool kit suited to ethical, high-quality online modes of ethnographic research.
The global television news agencies and their handling of user generated content video from Syria
Authors: Murrell Colleen
Published: April 2017

This article examines the role that the global television news agencies play in the handling of user generated content (UGC) video from Syria. In the almost complete absence of independent journalists, Reuters, Associated Press and Agence France-Presse are sourcing citizen videos from YouTube channels and passing it on to their clients. This article examines the verification processes that the agencies undertake to check on the veracity of this material and asks whether the agencies have abandoned independent journalism to activists. This article provides a comparative analysis of two months’ worth of UGC videos from Syria that were broadcast by the global news agencies after Russia joined the bombing campaign in Syria in late 2015. It analyses the content, verification processes and information that the agencies give their clients about this material. Through interviews with senior editors from the three organisations, questions of certainty versus probability are explored, along with ethical arguments about propaganda versus information transparency. The global news agencies are the engine drivers of international news coverage and their decisions and interpretation feed directly into the media ecology of mainstream and then alternative media.
Multiple Strokes Associated With Elongation of the Hyoid Bone
Authors: Ludt Cameron , Leppert Michelle , Jones Asher , Song John , Kuwayama David , Pastula Daniel M. , Poisson Sharon
Published: April 2017

Hyoid bone elongation is an uncommon cause of stroke. Here, we report a case of hyoid bone elongation causing localized trauma to the internal carotid artery, resulting in multiple strokes. A 32-year-old woman presented with unilateral weakness and history of a recent stroke. Imaging revealed the greater horn of the hyoid bone extending between the external and internal carotid with associated thrombus at the carotid bifurcation and acute stroke. Carotid ultrasound demonstrated movement of the hyoid bone in and out of the space between the external carotid artery and internal carotid artery with neck rotation. Treatment involved anticoagulation and partial hyoid bone resection. After resection, the stroke symptoms had not recurred in the patient. Hyoid bone–related carotid injury is an infrequent etiology of stroke, with no established treatment guidelines. Partial hyoid bone resection and antithrombotic therapy are likely a reasonably safe and effective treatment.
An activity-based integrated land-use transport model for urban spatial distribution simulation
Authors: Niu Fangqu , Li Jun
Published: April 2017

This research develops an activity-based integrated land use/transport interaction model based on the concepts – activities (mainly, households and employment activities), activity location and relocation for Chinese regions. It consists of a residential and employment location sub-model, a transport sub-model and an implicit real estate rent adjustment sub-model. The model is developed to model the urban activity distribution evolution, predict urban spatial development trends and examine various planning decision implications. It spatially distributes household and employment activity change of a study area by zone based on the current activity distribution, land use policies and the accessibilities of the zones. The model is subsequently calibrated to predict the distribution of households and employment activities in Beijing metropolitan area in 2025. Model results show that the resident and employment densities are still high in central Beijing in 2025, and most zones’ resident densities are higher than their employment densities. However, there is also significant population density increase along the 6th ring road, indicating the relocation trend of the residents and businesses to the outskirts. This is consistent with the government objectives to decentralize activities within the central urban area. The paper also suggests that the model should be used mainly in examining the possible differences arising from the adoption of different policies though predicting future of a city distribution proves feasible.
Digital Medicine: Innovative Drug-Device Combination as New Measure of Medication Adherence
Authors: Vallejos Ximena , Wu Christine
Published: April 2017

In September 2015, the Food and Drug Administration accepted the first digital medicine new drug application for a drug-device combination of Otsuka’s Abilify® (aripiprazole) and an ingestible sensor embedded in the tablet that digitally records ingestion. When this digital medicine is taken, it sends a signal to a patch worn by the patient. The information is recorded, time-stamped, and relayed to any Bluetooth-enabled device and, with patients’ consent, to their physicians and/or their caregivers. An encapsulation model in which a tablet is co-encapsulated with the ingestible sensor has been successfully used in the setting of renal transplant, diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia.