bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Online Sexual Violence, Child Pornography or Something Else Entirely? Police Responses to Non-Consensual Intimate Image Sharing among Youth
Authors: Dodge Alexa , Spencer Dale C.
Published: August 2017

Due to child pornography laws, non-consensual intimate image sharing among youth is subjected to complex legal landscapes in a variety of jurisdictions such as Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. While a growing number of scholars have problematized the use of child pornography charges to respond to these cases, there remains little understanding regarding how the police that enforce these laws conceptualize this issue and how this influences responses to these cases. Drawing from interviews with members of sex crime–related units in police service organizations from across Canada, this article examines how police conceptions of non-consensual intimate image sharing among youth correspond with and/or diverge from legal and critical understandings of this issue. While it is widely understood that online and digitally enabled forms of sexual violence pose unique challenges for police, our research fills a gap in the literature by examining how police themselves understand and respond to these challenges.
Pakwheels.com—The Next Challenge!
Authors: Arif Farrah , Sarfraz Sarah Suneel
Published: August 2017

This case features the challenges of a start-up website in the used car market in 2015 as its founding partners assess potential sources of profitable growth and ways to maintain their competitive advantage. Founded in Pakistan, PakWheels.com was a vertically classified automotive portal. The case goes on to illustrate how PakWheels.com successfully revolutionized the used-car trade channel by bridging the gap between the traditional retail channel of car dealers and buyers. Key discussion points of the case revolve around the turning point of PakWheels business, namely retention of users while sustaining the current business model, identification of key strategies for scaling up and monetization, and response to competitive threats to safeguard its market position. Through assessing these options and discussing this case, students will learn about strategic problems faced by online portals as well as how these unique businesses create value for end users.
The independence of international courts – making reputation work?
Authors: Voigt Stefan
Published: August 2017

Posner and Yoo challenge the conventional wisdom that independent courts are desirable at the international level. Based on the finding that factually independent courts on the nation state level have a number of positive effects, I ask whether factually independent courts at the international level also have positive effects. I argue that the main product supplied by international courts is information and that reliable information about the past behaviour of parties to a treaty is a necessary condition for the reputation mechanism to work internationally. I further argue that the independence of international judges is a necessary condition for the courts to produce high quality information.
Verbalization and musical memory in string players
Authors: Timperman Eric , Miksza Peter
Published: August 2017

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of verbalization about a brief etude on collegiate string players’ short- and long-term recall of the etude in question. We examined competing hypotheses that suggest it is possible that verbalization (i.e., verbal analysis of musical features) (a) could aid in recall both by highlighting patterns and constraints that inform the music’s creation and by facilitating the creation of explicit performance cues that help to bridge gaps between associative recall chains or (b) may hinder recall by interfering with the creation of procedural and auditory memories necessary for musical performance. Participants ( N = 20) were assigned to experimental conditions in which they learned an unfamiliar etude either through repetition alone or through repetition followed by the completion of a verbalization worksheet provided by the experimenter. Recall was tested both immediately following initial practice and 24 hours later to examine the effect of verbalization on both short- and long-term retention. Findings indicated no differences between groups on immediate recall performance but significant differences at the 24-hour recall task with participants in the verbalization condition recalling more material. In addition, the patterns of errors found across groups indicated a strong primacy effect. Theoretical implications for the study of memory processes in musical contexts and practical implications regarding the preparation of memorized performance are discussed.
Redefining the “Normal” Worker: Law and Policy Choices for Work–Family Balance in Canada: Redéfinir le ‘travailleur normal’: Regard sur les choix législatifs et de politiques publiques en matière de conciliation travail-famille au Canada
Authors: Bernstein Stéphanie , Valentini Mathilde
Published: August 2017

While the need to reconcile work and family life has been recognized in discrete ways in legislation and policy over the years, there has not been a substantial shift away from the archetype of the “unencumbered” (male) worker to a new model of the “normal” worker. In Canada and elsewhere, legislative protection does not allow women or men to effectively reconcile work and family responsibilities over the life cycle. This paper examines the different ways in which work–family balance is regulated, with a focus on the Canadian federal jurisdiction and the province of Quebec, and underlines the need for coherent labor and social policy. The paper also explores the development of multi-stakeholder initiatives on work–family balance, including the development of voluntary standards and a proposal for a work–family “framework” law to ensure coherence among different laws and programs affecting work–family balance. The paper concludes by confirming the need to move away from an individualized approach toward a more mainstreamed and collectivized approach to work–family balance.

Résumé

Bien que la nécessité de concilier travail et vie familiale ait fait l'objet d'une reconnaissance timide dans la législation et les politiques publiques au fil des ans, il n'y a pas eu de changement substantiel de l'archétype du travailleur « sans engagements » (homme) vers un nouveau modèle de « travailleur normal ». Au Canada et ailleurs, la protection législative ne permet pas aux femmes ou aux hommes d'arrimer efficacement leurs responsabilités professionnelles et familiales au cours de leur vie. Cet article examine les différentes façons dont la conciliation travail-famille est réglementée, particulièrement en droit fédéral canadien et dans la province de Québec, et souligne la nécessité d'une politique sociale et de travail cohérente. Le texte explore également le développement d'initiatives multipartites, y compris l'élaboration de normes volontaires de style ISO et une proposition de loi-cadre travail-famille afin d'assurer une cohérence entre les différents lois et programmes touchant la conciliation famille-travail au Québec. L'article conclut en confirmant la nécessité de passer d'une approche individualisée à une approche plus intégrée et collectivisée de la conciliation travail-famille.
Dynamic characteristics of horizontally curved bridges
Authors: Amjadian Mohsen , Agrawal Anil K
Published: August 2017

Horizontally curved bridges have complicated dynamic characteristics because of their irregular geometry and nonuniform mass and stiffness distributions. This paper aims to develop a simplified and practical method for the calculation of the natural frequencies and mode shapes of horizontally curved bridges that would be of interest to bridge engineers for the estimation of the seismic response of these types of bridges. For this purpose, a simple three-degree-of-freedom (3DOF) dynamic model for free vibration equation of this type of bridge has been developed. It is shown that the translational motion of the deck of horizontally curved bridges in the direction that is perpendicular to their axis of symmetry is always coupled with the rotational motion of the deck, regardless of the location of the stiffness center. The model is further exploited to develop closed-form formulas for the estimation of the maximum displacements of the corners of the deck of one-way asymmetric horizontally curved bridges. The accuracy of the model is verified by finite-element model of a horizontally curved bridge prototype in OpenSEES. Finally, the model is utilized to study the influence of the location of the stiffness center with respect to the deck curvature center on the natural frequency and the maximum displacements of the corners of the deck for different curvatures of the deck. The results of free vibration analysis show that the natural frequencies of one-way asymmetric horizontally curved bridges, in general, increase with the increase of the subtended angle of the deck. The results of earthquake response spectrum analysis show that the increase in the subtended angle of one-way asymmetric horizontally curved bridges decreases the radial displacements of the corners of the deck but increases the azimuthal displacement. These two responses both increase with the increase in the distance between the stiffness center and the curvature center.
Effectiveness of adjuvant carboplatin-based chemotherapy compared to cisplatin in non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Couillard-Montminy Valérie , Gagnon Pierre-Yves , Fortin Sebastien , Côté Jimmy
Published: August 2017

Background

Cisplatin and vinorelbine given intravenously is a well-established adjuvant chemotherapy regimen after surgery for early non-small cell lung cancer. However, few validated alternatives exist when cisplatin is not indicated or tolerated. Carboplatin is frequently used in this setting. We evaluated the 5-year overall survival, progression-free survival and toxicity in patients treated for stage IB to IIIB resected non-small cell lung cancer receiving adjuvant carboplatin-based chemotherapy compared to cisplatin in association with vinorelbine.

Methods

Single-center retrospective study of patients having received adjuvant chemotherapy between January 2004 and December 2013 at the oncology clinic at Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec (Canada). Three sub-groups, cisplatin/vinorelbine, carboplatin/vinorelbine and the substitution of cisplatin/vinorelbine for carboplatin/vinorelbine (cisplatin/vinorelbine/carboplatin/vinorelbine), were studied during treatment.

Results

One hundred twenty-seven patients were included in this study. The median PFS was not significantly different, with 50.4 months for cisplatin/vinorelbine, 57.3 months for cisplatin/vinorelbine/carboplatin/vinorelbine and not yet achieved for the carboplatin/vinorelbine group ( p = 0.80). Overall survival also did not differ significantly between the three groups. The 5-year overall survival rates were 66% in cisplatin/vinorelbine group, 55% in carboplatin/vinorelbine group and 70% in cisplatin/vinorelbine/carboplatin/vinorelbine group ( p = 0, 95). No differences were noted between groups concerning high-grade hematologic toxicity.

Conclusions

Although the effectiveness and hematologic toxicity are comparable between cisplat in and carboplatin in the adjuvant treatment of resected non-small cell lung cancer, the results obtained corroborate the practice used at our oncology clinic. Nevertheless, more prospective studies would be needed to confirm these results.
Creation and evaluation of a cancer chemotherapy order review guide for use at a community hospital
Authors: Punke Alexandra P , Waddell JA
Published: August 2017

The proper evaluation of cancer chemotherapy orders is necessary for patients to receive safe and effective treatment. The chemotherapy treatment setting is evolving resulting in hospital pharmacists without extensive oncology training or experience now being responsible for evaluation of chemotherapy orders. The primary objective was to create a step-by-step chemotherapy order evaluation guide with a detailed explanation for each step. The secondary objective was to evaluate non-oncology trained pharmacists' ability to accurately review simulated chemotherapy orders post-education using the guide. A two-page chemotherapy order evaluation guide was created based on an accepted method of chemotherapy order review consisting of the following eight steps: regimen verification, clinical trial protocol verification, body surface area calculation, dose calculation, laboratory values, emesis prophylaxis, adjunctive or supportive care measures, and pharmacy labels. A literature search was performed for each step. A detailed explanation for each step was written as a separate component from the guide to encompass the literature search information and current guidelines in a more comprehensive manner. Non-oncology trained community hospital pharmacists were educated on use of the guide for approximately 30 min. The guide was evaluated using timed simulated chemotherapy orders pre- and post-education consisting of a general chemotherapy order and a carboplatin dosing order. Nineteen pharmacists were tested with simulated chemotherapy orders. A significant difference was detected between the pre- and post-education for both the general chemotherapy (p = 0.00032) order and carboplatin dosing order (p = 0.031).
‘You Can Change the World’
Authors: Pantea Maria-Carmen
Published: August 2017

At the time social entrepreneurship gains momentum, youth organizations try to assume new roles: either by providing youth entrepreneurship trainings or by becoming ‘entrepreneurial’ themselves. However, these processes are not free of contradictions and unsolved tensions. The article highlights some dilemmas of the conventional discourses on social entrepreneurship in the frame of youth organizations. It argues that both youth work and social entrepreneurship stand for civic values and have long-term (and hard to measure) outcomes. Yet, they both create high expectations and share a bias towards what works. The article aims to provoke reflection and, thus, to broaden the theoretical array that shapes practice in youth organizations.
‘I Know What Freedom and Responsibility Mean Now’
Authors: Jung Gowoon
Published: August 2017

This article analyses narratives of autonomous adulthood among Korean international students at an American state university. I categorize student narratives in terms of the number of activities associated with achieving adulthood markers and the efficacy of individual agency. A broad perspective considers a wide variety of activities to contribute to autonomous adulthood and valourizes individual agency. A narrow perspective focuses on activities tailored to one’s career, and downplays individual agency compared to larger institutional-structural factors. I examine these narratives among three groups of international students, depending on their time of arrival: pre-college migrants who moved to the USA during middle or high school, college-migrants who arrived during the first or second year of undergraduate college and post-college migrants who came for advanced degrees (e.g., MA, PhD). The finding suggests that students negotiate agency and structure differently depending on their past and current experiences in the sending and receiving countries.
Oncology Update: Anamorelin
Authors: Prommer Eric
Published: August 2017

Background:

Cancer cachexia is a catabolic syndrome associated with uncontrolled muscle breakdown. There may be associated fat loss. Occurring in high frequency in advanced cancer, it is an indicator of poor prognosis. Besides weight loss, patients experience a cluster of symptoms including anorexia, early satiety, and weakness. The 3 stages of cachexia include stages of precachexia, cachexia, and refractory cachexia. Refractory cachexia is associated with active catabolism or the presence of factors that make active management of weight loss no longer possible. Patients with refractory cachexia often receive glucocorticoids or megasterol acetate. Glucocorticoid effect is short and responses to megasterol are variable. Anamorelin is a new agent for cancer anorexia-cachexia, with trials completed in advanced lung cancer. Acting as an oral mimetic of ghrelin, it improves appetite and muscle mass. This article reviews the pharmacology, pharmacodynamics, and effect on cancer cachexia.

Methods:

A PubMed search was done using the Medical Subject Headings term anamorelin. Articles were selected to provide a pharmacologic characterization of anamorelin.

Results:

Anamorelin increases muscle mass in patients with advanced cancer in 2-phase 3 trials.

Conclusions:

Anamorelin improves anorexia-cachexia symptoms in patients with advanced non–small-cell lung cancer.
Seeing and sensing the railways: A phenomenological view on practice-based learning
Authors: Willems Thijs
Published: August 2017

This article explores the role of embodied, sensible knowledge in practice-based learning. Despite recent efforts to conceptualize how practitioners become skillful through corporeal and sensible learning, it still seems under-theorized and hard to understand what this exactly entails. The aim of this article is to account for the inherently embodied and sensible nature of knowledge by drawing on a 2-year ethnographic study of train dispatchers in a railway control room. Embodied and sensible knowledge is developed through the work of Merleau-Ponty and Heidegger, as phenomenology is a way to theorize the body beyond being an object to, instead, account for embodiment as lived and experienced. The data show that such knowledge can be understood as a matter of ‘attunement’: dispatchers become progressively skillful in bringing their bodies and senses in tune with practical situations and perturbations in the environment. The article contributes to a richer understanding of embodiment, especially in the relation between knowledge and practices, in organization studies and management learning.
Switching natalizumab to fingolimod within 6 weeks reduces recurrence of disease activity in MS patients
Authors: Leurs Cyra E , van Kempen Zoé LE , Dekker Iris , Balk Lisanne J , Wattjes Mike P , Rispens Theo , Uitdehaag Bernard MJ , Killestein Joep
Published: August 2017

Background:

Natalizumab is an effective treatment in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). Mainly because of the risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a substantial proportion of John Cunningham (JC) virus–positive patients switch to fingolimod. Previous reports show a clear benefit when the duration of a washout (WO) period of natalizumab is 0–3 months in comparison to longer WO periods. However, there is no consensus regarding the optimal duration of a WO period under 3 months.

Objective:

We compared MS disease activity after different WO periods. In addition, we investigated several factors that possibly influence recurrence of disease activity, including serum natalizumab concentration and lymphocyte counts.

Methods:

From a prospective observational cohort study of natalizumab-treated patients, we selected 52 patients who switched to fingolimod. We divided the patients in three groups (<6 weeks, 6–8 weeks, >8 weeks WO). Serum natalizumab concentration and lymphocyte count were assessed during and after natalizumab treatment.

Results:

Patients with a WO period of >8 weeks had a significant higher recurrence of disease activity (odds ratio, 6.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.4–32.8) compared to patients with a WO period of <6 weeks. Serum natalizumab concentration and lymphocyte count did not predict recurrence of disease activity.

Interpretation:

A short WO period decreases the risk of recurrence of disease activity. The possible impact of a short WO period on the risk of carry-over PML in JC virus–positive patients remains uncertain.
High-intensity interval exercise improves cognitive performance and reduces matrix metalloproteinases-2 serum levels in persons with multiple sclerosis: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Zimmer Philipp , Bloch Wilhelm , Schenk Alexander , Oberste Max , Riedel Stefan , Kool Jan , Langdon Dawn , Dalgas Ulrik , Kesselring Jürg , Bansi Jens
Published: August 2017

Background:

Aerobic exercise can improve cognitive performance in healthy elderly people.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of a 3-week high-intensity aerobic exercise programme (high-intensity training group (HIT)) on cognitive performance in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) compared with a standard exercise programme (control training (CT)).

Methods:

A total of 60 persons with MS (Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS): 1.0–6.5) were randomized to a HIT group (3×/week for 20 minutes, including five 3-minute exercise intervals at 80% of peak oxygen uptake (VO2-peak)) or a CT group (continuously 5×/week for 30 minutes/session at 65% of VO2-peak). Cognitive performance was assessed using the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for MS at entry ( t0) and discharge ( t1). Furthermore, VO2-peak, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, serotonin and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-2 and -9 were measured.

Results:

Compared to CT, HIT significantly improved verbal memory. Significant improvements over time in executive functions were found in both groups. Secondary outcomes indicated significant improvements in VO2-peak and a significant reduction in MMP-2 in the HIT group only.

Conclusion:

HIT represents a promising strategy to improve verbal memory and physical fitness in persons with MS. Further research is needed to determine the impact of exercise on biomarkers in MS.
Luxury shopping orientations of mainland Chinese tourists in Hong Kong
Authors: Correia Antonia , Kozak Metin , Kim Seongseop (Sam)
Published: August 2017

Previous literature has focused on luxury tourism or luxury shopping, revealing that luxury-driven attitudes comprised unveiled reasons such as materialism, a desire for social status and the need to conform with others. Different outlets play different roles in the enactment of shopping attitudes, but even this has been scarcely researched within the context of tourism. This research combines these three areas of research in order to assess how materialism, the desire for status or to conform with others enact tourists’ intentions of buying luxuries while on holiday, within different outlets. A sample of 314 tourists in Hong Kong was used to test eight hypotheses, by means of an ordered probit model. The study’s findings enlighten the social nature of luxury tourists’ shopping behaviours, a nature that depends not only on what they buy but also largely on where they buy.
Altogether now? Symbolic recognition, musical media events and the forging of civic bonds among minority youth in Norway
Authors: Nærland Torgeir Uberg
Published: August 2017

Drawing upon interviews with a group of minority youth in Norway, this study argues that recognition theory offers a valuable yet neglected perspective through which we can identify and understand key social and civic dimensions of minority audiences’ media reception. Empirically, the study concentrates on the reception of musical media events in which hip hop artists and performances were prominent. Through empirical examples, this article illustrates how the reception of these media events for the informants entailed experiences of recognition that in turn engendered feelings of symbolic inclusion. Based on the interview data, this study argues that media events constitute ‘moments of recognition’ where dynamics of recognition are intensified. The study further argues that given the politically charged context, music may function as the expressive raw material for what is termed ‘musically imagined civic communities’.
Occupational class inequalities in disability retirement after hospitalisation
Authors: Pietiläinen Olli , Laaksonen Mikko , Lahelma Eero , Salonsalmi Aino , Rahkonen Ossi
Published: August 2017

Aims: This study aimed to investigate whether hospitalisation is associated with increased risk of disability retirement differently across four occupational classes. Methods: 170,510 employees of the City of Helsinki, Finland were followed from 1990 to 2013 using national registers for hospitalisations and disability retirement. Increases in the risk of disability retirement after hospitalisation for any cause, cardiovascular diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, mental disorders, malignant neoplasms, respiratory diseases and injuries were assessed across four occupational classes: professional, semi-professional, routine non-manual and manual, using competing risks models. Results: In general, hospitalisation showed a slightly more increased risk of disability retirement in the lower ranking occupational classes. Hospitalisation among women for mental disorders showed a more increased risk in the professional class (hazard ratio 14.73, 95% confidence interval 12.67 to 17.12) compared to the routine manual class (hazard ratio 7.27, 95% confidence interval 6.60 to 8.02). Occupational class differences were similar for men and women. The risk of disability retirement among women increased most in the routine non-manual class after hospitalisation for musculoskeletal disorders and injuries, and most in the professional class after hospitalisation for cardiovascular diseases. The corresponding risks among men increased most in the two lowest ranking classes after hospitalisation for injuries. Conclusions: Ill-health as measured by hospitalisation affected disability retirement in four occupational classes differently, and the effects also varied by the diagnostic group of hospitalisation. Interventions that tackle work disability should consider the impact of ill-health on functioning while taking into account working conditions in each occupational class.
Energy poverty indicators: A critical review of methods
Authors: Herrero Sergio Tirado
Published: August 2017

The widespread recognition of energy poverty as a distinct societal and policy challenge in the EU has resulted in a surge in the number and complexity of energy poverty metrics. Drawing from the body of white and grey literature on domestic energy deprivation indicators now available, the paper offers a review-based discussion on the risks of uncritically elaborating and reporting energy poverty statistics. It identifies key conceptual and methodological challenges including: the diversity of domestic energy services and household needs accounted for; the distinction between actual and required domestic energy expenditures; the setting of thresholds and energy poverty lines; the equivalisation of household incomes and energy expenditures; the consideration of housing costs; the stated, subjective character of responses to survey questionnaires; the measurement of the ‘depth’ of energy poverty; issues surrounding measurement units and weighted indices; and issues around the socio-demographic, spatial and temporal representativeness of data. Based on the reviewed evidence and author’s experience, the paper argues against official, single-indicator energy poverty metrics like the UK’s low income-high cost and advocates for multiple-indicator approaches that explicitly acknowledge the shortcomings of each of the methods implemented.
Using environmental monitoring to complement in-depth qualitative interviews in cold homes research
Authors: de Chavez Anna Cronin , Gilbertson Jan , Tod Angela Mary , Nelson Peter , Powell-Hoyland Vanessa , Homer Catherine , Lusambili Adelaide , Thomas Ben
Published: August 2017

Cold homes contribute to 20,000 to 40,000 excess winter deaths each year in the UK and approximately 300,000 hospital admissions. Using fuel poverty as an identifier for those at risk does not always capture everyday exposure to cold homes due to variations in financial trade-offs and behavioural factors. Few fuel poverty studies have combined environmental measurements with qualitative data on lived experiences of fuel poverty and cold homes. This paper looks at strengths and limitations of using a mixed method, environmental and qualitative interviewing approach. A series of six discreet studies were conducted between 2001 and 2015 using a similar methodology with a mixed methods design, where in-depth interviews were conducted alongside temperature and humidity measurements. The research studies found that combining environmental monitoring with qualitative research methods allows both cross-validation and triangulation of data in order to provide a richer and more insightful examination into the lives of people living in cold homes. The studies demonstrate how a combined methodological approach can help explain the choices, decisions and behaviour of households experiencing cold homes and fuel poverty. The paper concludes with recommendations for future development and implementation of the research method.
H∞ active control of frequency-varying disturbances in a main engine on the floating raft vibration isolation system
Authors: Song Chunsheng , Xiao Yao , Yu Chuanchao , Xu Wei , Zhang Jinguang
Published: August 2017

Reducing the vibration of marine power machinery can improve warships' capabilities of concealment and reconnaissance. Being one of the most effective means to reduce mechanical vibrations, the active vibration control technology can overcome the poor effect in low frequency of traditional passive vibration isolation. As the vibrations arising from operation of marine power machinery are actually the frequency-varying disturbances, the H∞ control method is adopted to suppress frequency-varying disturbances. The H∞ control method can solve the stability problems caused by the uncertainty of the model and reshape the frequency response function of the closed loop system. Two-input two-output continuous transfer function models were identified by using the system identification method and are validated in frequency domain of which all values of best fit exceeds 89%. The method of selecting the weighting functions on the mixed sensitivity problem is studied. Besides, the H∞ controller is designed for a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) system to suppress the single-frequency-varying disturbance. The numerical simulation results show that the magnitudes of the error signals are reduced by more than 50%, and the amplitudes of the dominant frequencies are attenuated by more than 10 dB. Finally, the single excitation source dual-channel control experiments are conducted on the floating raft isolation system. The experiment results reveal that the root mean square values of the error signals under control have fallen by more 74% than that without control, and the amplitudes of the error signals in the dominant frequencies are attenuated above 13 dB. The experiment results and the numerical simulation results are basically in line, indicating a good vibration isolation effect.
Mean first-passage time of a tumor cell growth system with time delay and colored cross-correlated noises excitation
Authors: Li Shenghong , Huang Yong
Published: August 2017

In this paper, the mean first-passage time of a delayed tumor cell growth system driven by colored cross-correlated noises is investigated. Based on the Novikov theorem and the method of probability density approximation, the stationary probability density function is obtained. Then applying the fastest descent method, the analytical expression of the mean first-passage time is derived. Finally, effects of different kinds of delays and noise parameters on the mean first-passage time are discussed thoroughly. The results show that the time delay included in the random force, additive noise intensity and multiplicative noise intensity play a positive role in the disappearance of tumor cells. However, the time delay included in the determined force and the correlation time lead to the increase of tumor cells.
Sound field study of a building near a roadway via the boundary element method
Authors: Wang Haibo , Cai Ming , Zhong Shuqi , Li Feng
Published: August 2017

A two-dimensional boundary element method with a constant element type was adopted to study the sound field of a building near a roadway. First, a factor analysis of the computed results has been done, which include the element length, the Hankel functions’ calculation accuracy, and numerical integration accuracy. Then, boundary element method is applied to calculate building attenuation with different building aspect ratios and different frequencies with balconies, followed by drawing of the sound field distribution diagram. The calculation results revealed the following: (1) a wider building results in a more severe sound attenuation; (2) balconies on different floors produce a reduction of approximately 15 dB for broadband spectral characteristics of A-weight road traffic noise, and the maximum values appear at the bottoms of balconies; (3) for the points in the balconies, higher sound frequencies are correlated to larger insertion loss, with the insertion loss increasing from 3 dB to >10 dB when the sound frequency increases from 20 to 4000 Hz; (4) calculations of three typical frequencies indicate that the insertion loss of 500 Hz (main frequency of heavy vehicles) is 6 dB less than that of 800 Hz (main frequency of light vehicles), i.e. the flow control of heavy vehicles could conspicuously improve the ambient acoustic environment of buildings near a roadway.
Feedback control for two-degree-of-freedom vibration system with fractional-order derivative damping
Authors: Liu Canchang , Ma Chicheng , Zhou Jilei , Liu Lu , Yue Shuchang , Gong Qingmei
Published: August 2017

A two-degree-of-freedom nonlinear vibration system of a quarter vehicle suspension system is studied by using the feedback control method considered the fractional-order derivative damping. The nonlinear dynamic model of two-degree-of-freedom vehicle suspension system is built and linear velocity and displacement controllers are used to control the nonlinear vibration of the vehicle suspension system. A case of the 1:1 internal resonance is considered. The amplitude–frequency response is obtained with the multiscale method. The asymptotic stability conditions of the nonlinear system can be gotten by using the Routh–Hurwitz criterion and the ranges of control parameters are gained in the condition of stable solutions to the system. The simulation results show that the feedback control can effectively reduce the amplitude of primary resonance, weaken or even eliminate the nonlinear vibration characteristics of the suspension system. Fractional orders have an impact on control performance, which should be considered in the control problem. The study will provide a theoretical basis and reference for the optimal design of the vehicle suspension system.
Semi-active structural vibration control of base-isolated buildings using magnetorheological dampers
Authors: Oliveira Fernando , Botto Miguel Ayala , Morais Paulo , Suleman Afzal
Published: August 2017

In recent years, several solutions for structural vibration control of buildings have been proposed. In particular, the combination of base-isolated structures with complementary variable damping devices has been successful in reducing the base isolator displacements without increasing the building superstructure response when subjected to earthquake loads. In this paper, a magnetorheological device is installed on a 2-DOF mechanical model mounted on an experimental uniaxial shaking table. A simple numerical simulation model is derived for the experimental setup and it represents a typical base-isolated structure with a semi-active vibration controller. The control law combines a force tracking integral action with a clipped on–off adaptation rule that changes the magnetorheological damping in real time. The effectiveness of the proposed solution is demonstrated for both earthquake-like and real earthquake input ground motions. A comparison between the numerical and the experimental results validates the numerical simulations and it gives confidence in using this model for validation and evaluation of other semi-active control solutions based on magnetorheological dampers.
Structure and modal analysis of carbon fiber reinforced polymer raft frame
Authors: Jinguang Zhang , Hairu Yang , Guozhi Chen , Zeng Zhang
Published: August 2017

This paper mainly studies the structure of a carbon fiber reinforced polymer floating raft frame and analyzes its vibration mode. A frame-based floating raft frame is designed, and two floating rafts which are made of carbon fiber reinforced polymer and metal materials, respectively, and have the same size and structure are manufactured. Based on the modal theory of vibration, the Abaqus software is used to carry out the finite element modal analysis of the frames which are made of different materials, and compare the low-order flexible frequency and vibration mode. Later, the experimental modal test results are verified with modal assurance criterion, and the modal experiment is conducted to verify the accuracy of finite element modal calculations. The results show that under the circumstance of the same frame vibration mode, the damping ratio of the carbon fiber reinforced polymer frame is much higher than that of the metal frame. In addition, the carbon fiber reinforced polymer frame presents good vibration absorption performance. The data analysis results provide some reference value for floating raft vibration designers.
Ambivalence in networked intimacy: Observations from gay men using mobile dating apps
Authors: Chan Lik Sam
Published: August 2017

The increasing popularity of mobile dating apps in the past decade has transformed the ways in which gay men network with each other. Based on sociology and media studies literature, I contextualize this contemporary form of intimacy, which is known as networked intimacy, in relation to networked individualism and neoliberalism. Using a mixed-methods design with interviews ( N = 7) and a survey ( N = 245), this study explored how gay men experience intimacy on these platforms. Users reported ambivalence in establishing relationships, which is brought forth by the ambiguity of relationships, dominance of profiles, and over-abundance of connections on these apps. I conclude that these aspects of ambivalence are not at all exclusive to the private domain of gay men but are tightly intertwined with the neoliberal market and consumption practices.
Aligning sampling and case selection in quantitative-qualitative research designs: Establishing generalizability limits in mixed-method studies
Authors: Sykes Bryan L , Verma Anjuli , Hancock Black Hawk
Published: August 2017

Quantitative researchers increasingly draw on ethnographic research that may not be generalizable to inform and interpret results from statistical analyses; at the same time, while generalizability is not always an ethnographic research goal, the integration of quantitative data by ethnographic researchers to buttress findings on processes and mechanisms has also become common. Despite the burgeoning use of dual designs in research, there has been little empirical assessment of whether the themes, narratives, and ideal types derived from qualitative fieldwork are broadly generalizable in a manner consistent with estimates obtained from quantitative analyses. We draw on simulated and real-world data to assess the bias associated with failing to align samples across qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Our findings demonstrate that significant bias exists in mixed-methods studies when sampling is incongruent within research designs. We propose three solutions to limit bias in mixed-methods research.
Shifting borders: a case study of internationalisation of education within a Dutch school group in Amsterdam
Authors: Prickarts Boris
Published: August 2017

This article focuses on a case study of internationalisation of education, a process of change pertaining to the mission, vision and delivery of education. Teachers working in international schools can be understood as gearing a student’s disposition towards the ability and preparedness to handle and value differences and diversity. In an effort to cope with a number of challenges from within and outside of the Netherlands, a Dutch school group in Amsterdam embarked on a process of change by adopting an international dimension to the students’ experience. Instead of these schools becoming more similar to each other, i.e. converging towards an internationalising ‘master-viewpoint’, the schools’ alignment under pressure showed a process of ‘anisomorphism’: their education’s primary function, approach, tasks, role and objectives for society were changing into different internationalising directions. However, the pragmatic expectations and actions, particularly of the parents and the students, were creating new boundaries and rationales for the schools as bargaining zones. The ‘shifting borders’ between the schools were becoming more connected with a growing international focus, yet had different pragmatic and ideological implications for each of them. The result was that these borders became permeable, a nominal erosion of differences between the ‘international’ school selectively catering for children of internationally mobile families and the other schools catering for all children in the Netherlands. ‘International schools’ became places where students were trained to engage with difference and diversity and where the students had not necessarily been crossing geographical borders. This raises the issue of the role of education in a multicultural and globalising society, as – in this case – an increase in institutional diversity within the specific Dutch national context, and an increased uncertainty about the multiple aims of education, stretched the educational as well as social boundaries which constrain the futures for which students are being prepared.
The Journalist Who Interpreted Too Much: The New York Times’ Courtship, Defense, and Betrayal of John W. White
Authors: Stoker Kevin L.
Published: August 2017

This study analyzes the behind-the-scenes correspondence, from 1928 to 1941, between the New York Times’ news executives and editors and John W. White, who served as the paper’s first Chief South American Correspondent. An analysis of the correspondence and White’s dispatches shows that interactions between news management, foreign governments, and the U.S. State Department influenced White’s writing to the point that he avoided writing about Argentina’s neighbors; provided more positive, “Pollyanna” material; and censored his own dispatches. The study provides further evidence that Arthur Hays Sulzberger meddled in the paper’s news coverage, even before he became Times publisher in 1935. The correspondence between Sulzberger and White also calls into question the romantic myth of the autonomous foreign correspondent, free to report without fear or favor. Instead, it shows that American foreign correspondents faced scrutiny not only from their news executives and editors but also from foreign governments, police officials, local newspapers, Nazi and Fascist spies, U.S. business interests, the State Department, and even the President of the United States.
The Differential Victimization Associated With Depression and Anxiety in Cross-Cultural Perspective: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Yuchang Jin , Junyi Li , Junxiu An , Jing Wu , Mingcheng He
Published: August 2017

Traditional bullying and cyberbullying have become serious worldwide issues. The meta-analysis in this article took a cross-cultural perspective to explore whether there were any differences between the effects of cyber victimization and traditional victimization on the presence of depression and anxiety in children and adolescents and to examine the effects of moderators in explaining these differences/similarities. Fifty-six empirical studies (generating 148 independent samples) were included with a total sample size of 214,819 participants. The results indicated that the effects of cyber victimization and the subtypes of traditional victimization on anxiety were significantly different, and there was a marginally significant difference for depression. The moderating effects of country of origin were found to be significant for depression, with the mean effect size in North America being significantly higher than in China and Europe, which suggested that culture was an important factor. The moderating effects of age were also found to be significant for the relationships between traditional victimization and depression, traditional victimization and anxiety, cyber victimization and depression, and cyber victimization and anxiety. In addition, the effect size for cyber victimization and depression has increased in more recent publication years.
Reverse Distally Based Abductor Hallucis Muscle Flap for Soft Tissue Coverage of the First Metatarsophalangeal Joint Wounds
Authors: Rodriguez-Collazo Edgardo R. , Pereira Ryan J. , Craig Grace C.
Published: August 2017

Loss of soft tissue coverage distally around the foot poses threats of amputation of the exposed boney structures. An amputation of a portion of the foot leads to loss of the biomechanical structural integrity of the foot. This promulgates an imbalance with its inherent risks of developing new ulcers. This in turn potentiates the limb loss cycle. The reverse abductor hallucis muscle flap is ideally suited for small to moderate-sized defects in the vicinity of the first metatarsophalangeal joint based on its arc of rotation. In this article, we present cases of 5 patients who failed local wound care and healing by secondary intention for at least 6 months duration. The patients were treated successfully using reverse abductor hallucis muscle flap.
Night Splinting for Idiopathic Trigger Digits
Authors: Drijkoningen Tessa , van Berckel Marijn , Becker Stéphanie J. E. , Ring David C. , Mudgal Chaitanya S.
Published: August 2017

Background: This study assessed nighttime splinting for 6 weeks as treatment for recent onset idiopathic trigger fingers. Methods: Patients over 18 years with a Quinnell grade 1 or 2, idiopathic trigger finger or thumb causing symptoms for less than 3 months were eligible for a custom-made hand-based orthoplast night orthotic. Improvement of symptoms and/or resolution of triggering were recorded. Patients also completed the short version of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand and a numerical rating scale for pain at the initial visit, after 6 to 8 weeks, and after 3 months. Results: Thirty-four patients wore a night orthotic for at least 6 weeks. At final evaluation, there was a substantial reduction in disability and pain. Symptoms of triggering resolved completely in 18 patients (55%). Sixteen patients did not resolve their triggering after splinting and therefore underwent a steroid injection. Conclusion: Night splinting is a noninvasive treatment option for idiopathic trigger fingers/thumb with symptoms for less than 3 months.