bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cruise Observation of Rossby Waves with Finite Wavelengths Propagating from the Pacific to the South China Sea
Authors: Xie Lingling , Zheng Quanan , Tian Jiwei , Zhang Shuwen , Feng Ying , Yi Xiaofei
Published: July 2016

This study deals with the physical properties and 3D structures of the wave motions with finite wavelengths of O(100–550) km in the tropical western North Pacific and their variation as propagating from the Pacific to the South China Sea (SCS) using conductivity–temperature–depth observations taken in October and November 2005 and concurrent satellite altimeter data. Three wave components with wavelength bands of O(100), O(200), and O(550) km are derived from the isopycnal undulation signals along 21°, 18°, and 15°N using the ensemble empirical mode decomposition analysis. Their maximum amplitudes are over 100 m in the layer of 1000–2000 m. Phase speeds are derived from cruise-observed vertical profiles of zonal-mean geostrophic flow velocity and the Brunt–Väisälä frequency based on linear quasigeostrophic wave theory with background flow and topography. The speeds are also derived from concurrent sea level anomaly data with the objective Radon transform method. They are close to that of the first baroclinic mode of theoretical solutions, implying that the observed wave motions possess the physical properties of Rossby waves (RWs). The vertical structures of the first generalized modes are derived from cruise observations at three sections. It is shown that the RWs continuously propagate from the Pacific to the SCS, and the available potential energy of RWs 1 and 2 intensify 3–4 times in the Luzon Strait and the SCS compared to that in the Pacific.
Injectable Aorta Tissue Paste for Vocal Fold Medialization
Authors: Burns James A. , Botelho Jaime L. , Bell Jonathan I. , Faquin William , Lopez-Guerra Gerardo , Ackerman Jerome L. , Kobler James B.
Published: July 2016

Objectives:

Aortic homografts integrate well with laryngeal tissue when used in reconstructive surgery. It was hypothesized that a paste of aortic homograft, rich in slow-to-degrade elastin, would compare favorably in residence time and biocompatibility to predicate materials used for vocal fold injection-medialization.

Methods:

An injectable aorta paste (AP) was made by pulverizing aortic homografts at −196°C (cryomilling). To assess residence time and biocompatibility, 0.3 cc was injected subdermally in guinea pigs (n = 3 per 2-, 4-, 8-, 16-, 24-week time points) followed by histological analysis. To test particle size versus residence time, APs made using 80 or 200 seconds of cryomilling were compared. Implant characteristics of AP were then compared to Restylane, Radiesse Voice (Hydroxylapatite), Radiesse Voice Gel, and Cymetra in additional animals (n = 6 per 4-, 8-, 12-week time points).

Results:

Injected AP formed ovoid masses with minimal inflammation. Cellular infiltration was mild and increased with survival time. There was a gradual reduction of implant volume to ~40% at 24 weeks. Increased residence time for paste with larger particles (80 cryomilling seconds) was noted. Von Kossa staining showed progressive calcification of the AP. Cymetra was difficult to reconstitute reliably but formed subdermal masses similar to AP in shape, size, and reactivity and without calcification. The other predicates showed good biocompatibility but spread more widely and erratically in the tissue.

Conclusion:

Aortic paste is easy to create, biocompatible, degrades slowly, and forms well-defined implants in guinea pig subdermal tissue. The AP implants calcified over time, and experiments are ongoing to determine the source of calcification and how it might be controlled or exploited clinically.
I Am Dumber When I Look Dumb in Front of Many (vs. Few) Others
Authors: Seo Minjae , Kim Young-Hoon , Tam Kim-Pong , Rozin Paul
Published: July 2016

People from all cultures are averse to looking dumb in front of others, especially if there is a large audience. However, there could be a difference between Face and Dignity cultures in the extent to which their members see themselves as dumb when they perform poorly before a large versus small audience. In the present study, Chinese and Americans were asked to imagine themselves performing poorly on tasks either in front of 10 others or one other and make judgments about how poorly (a) they thought and (b) others would think they performed on the tasks. Chinese were found to judge their performance more negatively in the large (vs. small) audience, but Americans were not. Audience size effect on self-judgments was mediated by how the Chinese perceived others to judge their performance in the large (vs. small) audience. Findings are discussed in the context of the logic of Face and Dignity cultures.
More Than Friends and Family? Estimating the Direct and Indirect Effects of Religiosity on Substance Use in Emerging Adulthood
Authors: Thomson Robert A.
Published: July 2016

Religiosity tends to negatively influence substance use among emerging adults because religious communities can serve as pro-social reference groups and provide alternative resources for coping with stress and negative life events. The relationship may also be mediated, however, by differences in family attachments and drug- and alcohol-using peer associations. With data from a nationally representative panel study, I implemented longitudinal structural equation modeling to simultaneously assess both direct and indirect effects of religiosity on substance use. While a substantive portion of its effect is mediated by substance-using peers, it is mostly direct, and increasingly so as individuals transition from late adolescence to emerging adulthood. Furthermore, religion appears to be a particularly effective social institution, as religiosity decreases contemporary substance use but is not itself affected by prior substance use. Religiosity may thus be beneficial with regard to certain short- and long-term health outcomes related to substance use during emerging adulthood.
Framing the human-technology relationship: How Religious Digital Creatives engage posthuman narratives
Authors: Campbell Heidi A
Published: July 2016

This article highlights the fact that careful study of common posthuman outlooks, as described by Roden (2015), reveals three unique narratives concerning how posthumanists view the nature of humanity and emerging technologies. It is argued that these narratives point to unique frames that present distinct understandings of the human-technology relationship, frames described as the technology-cultured, enhanced-human, and human-technology hybrid frames. It is further posited these frames correlate and help map a range of ways people discuss and critique the impact of digital culture on humanity within broader society. This article shows how these frames are similarly at work in the language used by Religious Digital Creatives within Western Christianity to justify their engagement with digital technology for religious purposes. Thus, this article suggests careful analysis of ideological discussions within posthumanism can help us to unpack the common assumptions held and articulated about the human-technology relationship by members within religious communities.
Optimal PID controller design with Kalman filter for Qball-X4 quad-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle
Authors: Pan Feng , Liu Lu , Xue Dingyu
Published: July 2016

In this paper, we used a Qball-X4 quad-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) which was developed by the Quanser Company as the experimental platform. First, a fundamental mathematical model of the Qball-X4 quad-rotor UAV was built and a simulation model was set up based on the proposed mathematical model; then, a double closed-loop optimal proportional–integral–derivative (PID) controller based on integral of time multiplied by absolute error (ITAE) indices was designed according to the model structure. In consideration of the possible system error and data delay, we designed a corresponding Kalman filter, which can estimate the target trajectory and be put before the proposed PID controller to ensure their validity. Finally, simulation results of the system with presented PID controller and Kalman filter were shown to verify their effectiveness.
Visual Processing in Generally Gifted and Mathematically Excelling Adolescents
Authors: Paz-Baruch Nurit , Leikin Roza , Leikin Mark
Published: July 2016

Little empirical data are available concerning the cognitive abilities of gifted individuals in general and especially those who excel in mathematics. We examined visual processing abilities distinguishing between general giftedness (G) and excellence in mathematics (EM). The research population consisted of 190 students from four groups of 10th- to 12th-grade students who differed in their G and EM levels. The students performed a battery of visual processing tests: visual-spatial memory, visual speed of information processing (SVIP), visual perception (VP), and visual attention (VA). The results demonstrate that EM type has a significant effect on the Backward Corsi-Span, whereas G type has a main effect on the Pattern-Recognition test and d2-CP (concentration performance) and d2-E (number of errors) scores in the attention test. SVIP and the fluctuation rate in VA tests (d2-FR) were associated with both G and EM types. The current study identified two different components of visual processing that were accordingly termed Visual-Serial and Pattern-Recall. It seems that G-EM students can be characterized by superior performance on Visual-Serial processing.
The politics of dissensus and political liberalism
Authors: Alnes Jan Harald
Published: July 2016

An emerging branch of political theory, ‘the politics of dissensus’, starts out from the premise that in order to understand the politics of constitutional democracies, one needs to focus on parliamentary politics, which compromises both institutional settings and debates. Politics takes place among adversaries, and dissensus and argumentation pro et contra is the rule. The focus on the conditions for consensus in contemporary democratic theory accordingly misses the essence of politics. The politics of dissensus tends to think that the political philosophy inaugurated by John Rawls, political liberalism in particular, is too idealistic and utopian to capture real parliamentary politics. I argue that this basic objection against political liberalism is misconceived. To the contrary, the politics of dissensus and political liberalism supplement each other. The impact of my argument is that research in these disparate fields of political studies ought to enlighten each of them.
Dimensions of shrinkage: Evaluating the socio-economic consequences of population decline in two medium-sized cities in Europe, using the SULD decision support tool
Authors: Saraiva Miguel , Roebeling Peter , Sousa Silvia , Teotónio Carla , Palla Anna , Gnecco Ilaria
Published: July 2016

All over Europe, it is a known fact that cities are shrinking. One of the main causes is population decline, but the consequent reduction of urban area is neither immediate nor easy to foresee spatially. Questions arise such as where do cities start to ‘shrink’ first? What are the most fragile areas that face the risk of becoming derelict? What are the most vulnerable social groups? And how does this affect real estate values across the city? Existing models for projecting the effects of shrinkage have been criticized for lacking spatial-explicitness, being excessively data-dependent, and failing to incorporate various socio-economic, urban and environmental aspects in the assessment of attractiveness of urban areas and of decisions by households. In this article, we attempt to overcome this criticism by applying the spatially-explicit Sustainable Urbanizing Landscape Development decision support tool (SULD), based on hedonic pricing theory, in two cities in southern Europe (Aveiro, Portugal and Imperia, Italy). SULD is used to project, assess and compare changes in land-use, household type distribution, real estate values and household densities, in three different scenarios of population decline (−5%, −10% and −15%). Results quantify the amount of contraction of urban area, housing quantity and living space; highlight the most problematic areas; and uncover low income households as the least affected, whereas the relocation of high income households may cause gentrification of medium income households in some areas of the historical city centre.
Cardiac output: a central issue in patients with respiratory extracorporeal support
Authors: Romagnoli Stefano , Zagli Giovanni , Ricci Zaccaria , Villa Gianluca , Barbani Francesco , Pinelli Fulvio , De Gaudio Raffaele , Chelazzi Cosimo
Published: July 2016

The iLA-activve® Novalung is a new extracorporeal device specifically designed for lung support in patients with hypercapnic and/or hypoxemic respiratory failure. To date, only low-flow applications for decompensated hypercapnic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have been reported in the literature. Here, we briefly report three cases of iLA-activve use in patients with hypercapnic-hypoxemic acute lung failure assisted with mid-flow (up to 2.4 L/min) and different single/double venous cannulation. The main findings of our small case series were: firstly, extracorporeal blood flows over 2.0 L/min across the membrane provided clinically satisfying decarboxylation and improved oxygenation; secondly, the ratio between blood flow through the membrane and the patient’s cardiac output (CO) was a major determinant for the oxygen increase. The latter could, therefore, be a useful indicator for understanding performance in the complex and multifactorial evaluation of patients with extracorporeal veno-venous lung support.
A retrospective analysis of the effect of blood transfusion on cerebral oximetry entropy and acute kidney injury
Authors: Engoren Milo , Brown Russell R. , Dubovoy Anna
Published: July 2016

Purpose:

Acute anemia is associated with both cerebral dysfunction and acute kidney injury and is often treated with red blood cell transfusion. We sought to determine if blood transfusion changed the cerebral oximetry entropy, a measure of the complexity or irregularity of the oximetry values, and if this change was associated with subsequent acute kidney injury.

Methods:

This was a retrospective, case-control study of patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass at a tertiary care hospital, comparing those who received a red blood cell transfusion to those who did not. Acute kidney injury was defined as a perioperative increase in serum creatinine by ⩾26.4 μmol/L or by ⩾50% increase. Entropy was measured using approximate entropy, sample entropy, forbidden word entropy and basescale4 entropy in 500-point sets.

Results:

Forty-four transfused patients were matched to 88 randomly selected non-transfused patients. All measures of entropy had small changes in the transfused group, but increased in the non-transfused group (p<0.05, for all comparisons). Thirty-five of 132 patients (27%) suffered acute kidney injury. Based on preoperative factors, patients who suffered kidney injury were similar to those who did not, including baseline cerebral oximetry levels. After analysis with hierarchical logistic regression, the change in basescale4 entropy (odds ratio = 1.609, 95% confidence interval = 1.057–2.450, p = 0.027) and the interaction between basescale entropy and transfusion were significantly associated with subsequent development of acute kidney injury.

Conclusions:

The transfusion of red blood cells was associated with a smaller rise in entropy values compared to non-transfused patients, suggesting a change in the regulation of cerebral oxygenation, and these changes in cerebral oxygenation are also associated with acute kidney injury.
Hemorheological abnormalities and their associations with coronary blood flow in patients with cardiac syndrome X: a comparison between males and females
Authors: Yi Jeong-Eun , Youn Ho-Joong
Published: July 2016

Aim:

The role of elevated whole blood viscosity (WBV) in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis is well known. We sought to investigate the gender differences in the association between WBV, coronary blood flow and tissue oxygen delivery index (TODI) in cardiac syndrome X (CSX).

Methods:

Forty-six CSX patients and 14 healthy volunteers were enrolled. The coronary flow parameters were obtained with transthoracic Doppler echocardiography and WBV was measured (at high-shear and low-shear rates of 300s-1 and 5s-1, respectively) using a scanning capillary tube viscometer. TODI was determined from the ratio of hematocrit to WBV measured at a low-shear rate of 5s-1.

Results:

In male patients, the mean diastolic coronary flow velocity (CFV) and diastolic velocity time integral (VTI) were significantly decreased compared to control group (all p<0.05) and the WBV showed significant negative correlation with peak systolic CFV (r = −0.559 at 300s-1, r = −0.438 at 5s-1), mean systolic CFV (r = −0.577 at 300s-1, r = −0.488 at 5s-1), systolic VTI (r = −0.576 at 300s-1, r = −0.530 at 5s-1) and diastolic VTI (r = −0.553 at 300s-1, r = −0.551 at 5s-1) (all p<0.01). Meanwhile, although female patients showed no significant relationships between WBV and coronary flow parameters, TODI were significantly decreased compared to the control group (3.64 ± 0.34 vs. 4.07 ± 0.38%/centipoises (cP), respectively, p=0.008).

Conclusion:

Our study suggests that there are gender-related differences in the pathogenesis of microvascular angina and gender-specific approaches for CSX patients might be needed.
London and New York as a safe deposit box for the transnational wealth elite
Authors: Fernandez Rodrigo , Hofman Annelore , Aalbers Manuel B
Published: July 2016

The paper focuses on transnational wealth elites buying residential properties in New York and London as an investment rather than as a primary residence. The transnational wealth elite is a group of people that have their origin in one locality, but invest their wealth transnationally since they entertain transnational jobs, assets and social networks. New York and London real estate has the unique quality that it is perceived to be highly liquid, i.e. easily resold to other investors. Together with the safe haven and socio-cultural characteristics of both cities and the way the real estate market and its professionals are organised, global city residential real estate functions as a ‘safe deposit box’. The paper brings together different geographies: of the wealth elite, of offshore financial centres through which most real estate purchases are organised, and of real estate investment locations. It also maps the consequences of the safe deposit box function of real estate, in terms of not only house prices increases, but also of economic, social and cultural changes and how elite decision-making impacted this comprehensive set of changes in the fabric of the city. In doing this, the paper substantiates work on the financialisation of real estate by focusing attention on the agency of the wealth elite and their investment and legal networks rather than on property developers, housing associations or institutional investors.
Gender and sexuality II
Authors: Johnston Lynda
Published: July 2016

This report considers genders and sexualities within and across spaces of activism. Geographers concerned with social belonging, equity, human rights, civic duties, and gendered and sexed identities often engage in activism through participatory research and/or direct action. This report brings together geographical scholarship on feminist and queer (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer) – LGBTIQ – activism to examine the construction of transformative geographical knowledges. Feminist and queer activist geographers can be powerful forces for positive social change and challenge heteronormativity. They may also, however, reinforce normalizations and hierarchies within and beyond activist spaces. I bring together references that position geographers at the centre of activism, genders, sexualities and place.
Using offshore wind technology for large-scale cooling applications
Authors: Galea Matthew , Sant Tonio
Published: July 2016

A system which makes use of offshore wind energy to directly provide large-scale cooling through the exploitation of cold deep seawater below the thermocline is proposed. This system is composed of a hydraulic wind turbine directly coupled to an air cycle machine. A 4-year case study of this conceptual system operating in a central Mediterranean region was carried out, with results showing that such system could operate efficiently during instances of high cooling demands. In fact, it was established that during such instances, the proposed system could lead to an increased cooling capacity when compared to conventional refrigerant-based chillers operated with surface seawater.
ACL Fibers Near the Lateral Intercondylar Ridge Are the Most Load Bearing During Stability Examinations and Isometric Through Passive Flexion
Authors: Nawabi Danyal H. , Tucker Scott , Schafer Kevin A. , Zuiderbaan Hendrik Aernout , Nguyen Joseph T. , Wickiewicz Thomas L. , Imhauser Carl W. , Pearle Andrew D.
Published: July 2016

Background:

The femoral insertion of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) has direct and indirect fiber types located within the respective high (anterior) and low (posterior) regions of the femoral footprint.

Hypothesis:

The fibers in the high region of the ACL footprint carry more force and are more isometric than the fibers in the low region of the ACL footprint.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Ten fresh-frozen cadaveric knees were mounted to a robotic manipulator. A 134-N anterior force at 30° and 90° of flexion and combined valgus (8 N·m) and internal (4 N·m) rotation torques at 15° of flexion were applied simulating tests of anterior and rotatory stability. The ACL was sectioned at the femoral footprint by detaching either the higher band of fibers neighboring the lateral intercondylar ridge in the region of the direct insertion or the posterior, crescent-shaped fibers in the region of the indirect insertion, followed by the remainder of the ACL. The kinematics of the ACL-intact knee was replayed, and the reduction in force due to each sectioned portion of insertion fibers was measured. Isometry was assessed at anteromedial, center, and posterolateral locations within the high and low regions of the femoral footprint.

Results:

With an anterior tibial force at 30° of flexion, the high fibers carried 83.9% of the total anterior ACL load compared with 16.1% in the low fibers ( P < .001). The high fibers also carried more anterior force than the low fibers at 90° of flexion (95.2% vs 4.8%; P < .001). Under combined torques at 15° of flexion, the high fibers carried 84.2% of the anterior ACL force compared with 15.8% in the low fibers ( P < .001). Virtual ACL fibers placed at the anteromedial portion of the high region of the femoral footprint were the most isometric, with a maximum length change of 3.9 ± 1.5 mm.

Conclusion:

ACL fibers located high within the femoral footprint bear more force during stability testing and are more isometric during flexion than low fibers.

Clinical Relevance:

It may be advantageous to create a “higher” femoral tunnel during ACL reconstruction at the lateral intercondylar ridge.
The Developmental Trajectories of Depressive Symptoms in Early Adolescence: An Examination of School-Related Factors
Authors: Wu Pei-Chen
Published: July 2016

This study investigated the heterogeneity of depressive symptom trajectories and the roles of school-related factors in predicting the membership of different trajectories in a sample of early adolescents in Taiwan. In all, 870 junior high school students were followed for 3 years. Using growth mixture modeling, the study identified four distinct trajectories: stable-low depression, stable-moderate depression, steadily increasing depression, and early elevated but later decreasing depression. Female and private school students tended to belong to the high-risk group. Students with negative academic self-concept, low self-esteem, or poor peer relationships tended to follow the two high-risk trajectories (stable-moderate depression and steadily increasing depression). The findings suggested that these school-related factors could be used to target the high-risk depressive symptom groups for receiving further counseling, especially in the East Asian context.
Examining the Relationships Between Diversity and Work Behaviors in U.S. Federal Agencies: Does Inclusive Management Make a Difference?
Authors: Moon Kuk-Kyoung
Published: July 2016

Workforce diversity has been depicted as a double-edged sword that leads to both positive and negative work-related outcomes. As a result, the critical issue in diversity research is concerned with enhancing the benefits and reducing the detriments of heterogeneity within organizations on work behaviors. By combining theories on diversity and inclusiveness, this article examines inclusive management at the federal subagency level as a moderator of the relationships between demographic diversity (gender and race) and work behaviors (innovative and turnover behavior). Using survey and personnel data drawn from federal subagencies, inclusive management—a set of policies aimed at recognizing all employees as valued organizational insiders with unique identities—not only strengthens the positive relationship between racial diversity and innovative behavior but also attenuates the positive relationship between gender diversity and turnover behavior. These findings suggest that inclusive management is a key strategy for effectively managing diversity.
The sensuous secrets of shelter: How recollections of food stimulate Irish men’s reconstructions of their early formative residential experiences in Leicester, Sheffield and Manchester
Authors: Maye-Banbury Angela , Casey Rionach
Published: July 2016

This paper examines the intersection between food, recollection and Irish migrants’ reconstructions of their housing pathways in the three English cities of Leicester (East Midlands), Sheffield (South Yorkshire) and Manchester (North). Previous studies have acknowledged more implicitly the role of memory in representing the Irish migrant experience in England. Here, we adopt a different stance. We explore the mnemonic power of food to encode, decode and recode Irish men’s reconstructions of their housing pathways in England when constructing and negotiating otherness. In doing so, we apply a ‘Proustian anthropological’ approach in framing the men’s representations of their formative residential experiences in the boarding houses of the three English cities during the 1950s and 1960s are examined. The extent to which food provided in the boarding houses was used as an instrument of discipline and control is examined. The relevance of food related acts of resistance, food insecurity and acts of hedonic meat-centric eating in constructing the men’s sociocultural identity are also explored.
Enhanced osteogenesis on biofunctionalized poly(ɛ-caprolactone)/poly(m-anthranilic acid) nanofibers
Authors: Guler Zeliha , Silva Jorge C , Sarac Abdulkadir S
Published: July 2016

Biofunctionalized nanofibers with a desired biological function can be used as a tissue engineering scaffold due to their small fiber diameters and porous structure. In the present study, poly(ɛ-caprolactone)/poly( m-anthranilic acid) nanofibers were biofunctionalized with covalent immobilization of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) through 1-ethyl-3-(dimethyl-aminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride/ N-hydroxysuccinimide activation. Fourier transform infrared analysis of the nanofiber surfaces confirmed the successful immobilization. The amount of immobilized BMP-2 was determined with bicinchoninic acid protein assay. The nanofibers before and after BMP-2 immobilization were non-cytotoxic and enhanced the attachment and proliferation of Saos-2 cells. Biofunctionalization of nanofibers with BMP-2 promoted in vitro osteogenic activity. The alkaline phosphatase activity and calcium mineralizatio of cells after 14 days of in vitro culture were enhanced on nanofibers with immobilized BMP-2.
The community dimensions of union renewal: racialized and caring relations in personal support services
Authors: Birdsell Bauer Louise , Cranford Cynthia
Published: July 2016

Union renewal research calls for moving beyond broad terms, like community unionism, to specify how social relations of work shape renewal for different workers, sectors and contexts. Analysis of interviews with union officials and union members in publicly funded, in-home personal support reveal two community dimensions: both caring and racialized relations between workers and service recipients. Scholarship on care workers emphasizes empathy and coalition with service recipients as a key aspect of union renewal, yet says little about racialized tensions. Studies of domestic workers emphasize organizing in response to racialization, but provide little insight into caring social relations at work. This article develops arguments that both positive and negative worker–recipient relations shape union organizing and representation in the service sector by specifying the ways in which racialization contributes to this dynamic. It suggests that anti-racist organizing at work, alongside coalition building and collective bargaining, are important renewal strategies for this sector.
Mass media and bureaucracy-bashing: Does the media influence public attitudes towards public administration?
Authors: Rölle Daniel
Published: July 2016

At least part of the academic literature on public administration asserts that the mass media is responsible for the somewhat negative popular image of administrative agencies. Through negative reporting about the (mis-)behaviour of civil servants or about public administration as a whole, the media shape stereotypes in the collective mind of the citizens. However, while the ascribed role of mass media reporting is plausible, these effects have not yet been empirically verified. This article summarises the scientific discussion about the relationship between public administration and the mass media. Furthermore, it adds to this discussion by simultaneously examining both media usage and attitudes towards administrative agencies in Germany through a secondary analysis of data spanning nearly 30 years.
Good, Truth and Being: The Ethical Thought of Romano Guardini
Authors: Rajčáni Jakub
Published: July 2016

In this article, I present one view of Guardini’s ethics, to which he dedicated his late academic life. Christian ethics for Guardini is only a natural consequence of the whole Christian existence and thus unique. Therefore, it is fundamentally a christocentric ethics but it affirms also the being of man as creature and hence realistic. It is indeed based on the nature of man, but not natural in the biological sense. I focus on the interpretation of the good that is never in Guardini’s eyes a mere concept, but objectively existing and concrete. I point out that ethics is always connected with the personal dimension, that man’s doing is radically a working-with-God, and that in and through action man grasps and perfects himself. Christian ethics is a participation in Christ’s properties and conformity to him, who is the personal and living norm of the new life.
Research on a thin-walled part manufacturing method based on information-localizing technology
Authors: Wang Yongqing , Hou Bo , Wang Fengbiao , Ji Zhichao , Liang Zhao
Published: July 2016

A new information-localization strategy for machining large thin-walled parts is presented in this paper. This strategy uses sub-areas and fiducials calibration methods to improve processing precision of large thin-walled parts, which are of poor machinability, low rigidity, and poor deformation coupling. In our experiments, the large thin-walled part is firstly divided into several sub-areas based on the actual state of the workpiece sampled by a binocular vision sensor. And then each divided sub-area is calibrated by the machining benchmark fiducials. Finally, the machining error of each sub-area is automatically compensated based on the measurement results of fiducials in each sub-area by the touch probe. Two verification experiments show that the proposed strategy is feasible and efficient.
Experimental fatigue characterization and elasto-plastic finite element analysis of notched specimens made of direct-quenched ultra-high-strength steel
Authors: Dabiri Mohammad , Isakov Matti , Skriko Tuomas , Björk Timo
Published: July 2016

The low-cycle fatigue behavior of a direct-quenched ultra-high-strength steel was experimentally characterized and numerically modeled. Fatigue and cyclic parameters were obtained by conducting strain-controlled low-cycle fatigue tests on uniform-gage specimens. Surface residual stresses were minimized and axial deflection eliminated by optimization of machining parameters and post-machining electro-polishing. The steel material showed cyclic softening and decrease in yield strength. Cyclic softening, stabilized response, and the cyclic stress–strain curve were numerically simulated using finite element analysis with a model capable of describing nonlinear kinematic-isotropic hardening. The results showed good agreement with experimental values and validated the model’s ability to simulate the softening and cyclic stabilization of the material under investigation. The same numerical method was then used in elasto-plastic stress–strain analysis of notched specimens made of the same material to make fatigue life predictions. Estimated lives were compared with predictions made by analytical approximations such as the linear rule, Neuber’s rule, and the strain energy density method and verified by experimental data. Finite element analysis using stabilized cyclic response yields the most accurate predictions and, thus, provides an effective tool for the fatigue analysis of this material.
Design of a cutting head for a crosscutting machine
Authors: Croccolo D , De Agostinis M , Fini S
Published: July 2016

The present paper deals with the structural analysis and the re-design of a cutting head for an automatic crosscutting machine. The machine is already marketed, and can process rectangular section wooden slats. The principal goal of this work is to develop a new mechanism capable of enhancing the productivity of the machine by around 80%. The work has been carried out by means of both numerical finite element analysis tools and analytical models. In fact, a secondary aim of the research is to define an analytical model which can capture the dynamic behavior of the device: this tool will be helpful to the design engineer in order to save costs associated with the development of future head designs.
A 1600-year diatom record of hydroclimate variability from Wolf Lake, New York
Authors: Stager Jay Curt , Cumming Brian F , Laird Kathleen R , Garrigan-Piela Alex , Pederson Neil , Wiltse Brendan , Lane Chad S , Nester Jessica , Ruzmaikin Alexander
Published: July 2016

A high-resolution diatom record from Wolf Lake, a minimally disturbed ‘heritage’ lake, provides insights into the hydroclimatic history of the Adirondack Mountains of northern New York during the last c. 1600 years. Three pronounced dry periods occurred during c. AD 490–610, 780–870, and 1010–1080, and low precipitation generally prevailed during the warm Medieval Climate Anomaly ( c. AD 950–1350), a finding that fills an important gap in knowledge of the spatial extent of droughts across North America during that period. During the cooler ‘Little Ice Age’ interval ( c. AD 1350–1800), inferred water balance was generally more positive. Seven peaks in charcoal abundance represent fire events during both wet and dry periods. Unusually high charcoal and inorganic sediment deposition c. AD 1700 could reflect human activity in the watershed, as might an abrupt rise in the relative abundances of planktonic and tychoplanktonic diatoms in Wolf Lake during the AD 1860s. The diatom record displays periodicities of c. 256 and 512 years in addition to high-frequency fluctuations, suggesting that significant precipitation variability is likely to continue to disrupt climatic trends in this region.
Reconstruction of early Holocene Thermal Maximum temperatures using present vertical distribution of conifers in the Pannon region (SE Central Europe)
Authors: Molnár Attila , Végvári Zsolt
Published: July 2016

Palaeoclimatic reconstruction is a main subject of palaeoecology, clarifying fossil palaeoenvironmental patterns. Our study provides a macroecological approach to reconstruct the mean annual temperature (MAT) of the Pannon region at the early Holocene Thermal Maximum (HTM, warmest period of the Holocene), based on the absence of forest-dwelling conifers in the North Hungarian Mountains and their presence in the surrounding Carpathians on the same altitude. We suppose that the HTM was enough warm to drive conifers to extinction from elevations between 900 and 1100 m a.s.l. in the relatively isolated N-Hungarian Mts. Conversely, HTM still allowed the survival of residual dwarf pine ( Pinus mugo) stands on the isolated peaks of the West Transylvanian Mountains between 1600 and 1800 m a.s.l. Our study provides an estimate for the value of MAT of HTM of Pannon region with an interval of 0.4°C, relying on macroecological considerations. We calculate the temperature of the HTM 1.3–1.7°C warmer than the present temperature. This method can be used in a general sense, if conditions meet the requirements of the method even in horizontal cases, with area isolates of climate-sensitive species.
Was it ‘terra desolata’? Conquering and colonizing the medieval Prussian wilderness in the context of climate change.
Authors: Szal Marta , Kupryjanowicz Mirosława , Tylmann Wojciech , Piotrowska Natalia
Published: July 2016

Pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs, charcoal and geochemical analyses of sediments from Lakes Salęt and Ruskowiejskie (NE Poland) were used to reconstruct vegetation changes in the former Galindia territory (Old Prussia) related to human activity and the climatic instability of the medieval period. Among archaeologists and historians, there is a widespread opinion that the permanent transformations of the environment in Prussia (south-eastern Baltic region) began not earlier than after its conquest by the Teutonic Order and resulted from its economic activity and intensive colonization. The impact of previous inhabitants of this land on the environment has been considered as definitely weak. Our results provide entirely contrasting evidence and demonstrate that strong and permanent deforestation started as early as in the early 11th century AD, in the pre-Teutonic Order time, and were associated with the economic activity of the Prussian Galinditae tribes. In this paper, we also discuss a possible interpretation of the medieval distribution patterns of Quercus. We assume that human activity catalysed and amplified both its spreading process and decline, primarily driven by the ‘Little Ice Age’ climatic deterioration. Our palynological results indicate the significant spread of Picea from ca. AD 1000, which we interpret as reflecting hydrological and climatic changes. Moreover, we hypothesize that the spread of Carpinus in the early medieval period (11th–13th centuries), which occurred in connection with more intense human activity, was largely because of woodland pasturing.
Multistate transitional models for measuring adherence to breast cancer screening: A population-based longitudinal cohort study with over two million women
Authors: Sutradhar R , Gu S , Paszat LF
Published: July 2016

Objective

Prior work on the disparities among women in breast cancer screening adherence has been methodologically limited. This longitudinal study determines and examines the factors associated with becoming adherent.

Methods

In a cohort of Canadian women aged 50–74, a three-state transitional model was used to examine adherence to screening for breast cancer. The proportion of time spent being non-adherent with screening was calculated for each woman during her observation window. Using age as the time scale, a relative rate multivariable regression was implemented under the three-state transitional model, to examine the association between covariates (all time-varying) and the rate of becoming adherent.

Results

The cohort consisted of 2,537,960 women with a median follow-up of 8.46 years. Nearly 31% of women were continually up-to-date with breast screening. Once a woman was non-adherent, the rate of becoming adherent was higher among longer term residents (relative rate = 1.289, 95% confidence interval 1.275–1.302), those from wealthier neighbourhoods, and those who had an identifiable primary care provider who was female or had graduated in Canada.

Conclusion

Individual and physician-level characteristics play an important role in a woman’s adherence to screening. This work improves the quality of evidence regarding disparities among women in adherence to breast cancer screening and provides a novel methodological foundation to investigate adherence for other types of screening, including cervix and colorectal cancer screening.
Quality of Public Goods, Public Policy and Human Development: A State-wise Analysis
Authors: Singh Jitender
Published: July 2016

The provision of quality public goods not only addresses market failures but is also a precondition for well-functioning markets for economic growth, inclusive development and overall quality of life in the country. Government failure to adequately provide public goods can lower the quality of life and diminish public welfare.

This study provides a framework to examine the role of public policy in provisioning public goods. It also examines the status of the quality of government-produced goods (GPGs) across major states in India. Finally, it explores the link of quality of GPGs to human development and income poverty in India.

Without appropriate public policy intervention, the quality of a public good tends to remain low. Using a comprehensive definition of quality, we classify different types of quality attributes and identify the role of public policy in the promotion of quality. It is found that the quality of GPGs varies across the states but remains low. It is also found that a better quality of public goods would lead to higher human development and lower poverty.
The Feasibility of Creating Partnerships Between Palliative Care Volunteers and Healthcare Providers to Support Rural Frail Older Adults and Their Families: An Integrative Review
Authors: Connell Braydon , Warner Grace , Weeks Lori E.
Published: July 2016

Background/Question:

Volunteers are important in the support of frail older adults requiring palliative care, especially in rural areas. However, there are challenges associated with volunteer supports related to training, management and capacity to work in partnership with healthcare providers (HCP). This review addresses the question: What is the feasibility of a volunteer-HCP partnership to support frail older adults residing in rural areas, as they require palliative care?

Methods:

This integrative review identified ten articles that met the identified search criteria. Articles were appraised using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklists, designed for use across a range of quantitative and qualitative studies.

Results:

Studies were drawn from international sources to understand how volunteer roles vary by culture and organization; the majority of studies were conducted in North America. Studies varied in methodology, including quantitative, qualitative and educational commentary. Identified factors that were crucial to the feasibility of volunteer-HCP partnerships in rural areas included volunteer training dynamics, relationships between volunteers and HCP, and rural environmental factors.

Conclusion:

Preliminary evidence indicates that a volunteer-HCP palliative partnership is feasible. However, training policies/procedures, volunteer-HCP relationships, and rural specific designs impact the feasibility of this partnership. Additional research is needed to further establish the feasibility of implementing these partnerships in rural settings.
Antiretroviral Treatment Switching and Its Association With Economic Outcomes and Adverse Treatment Effects Among Commercially Insured and Medicaid-Enrolled Patients With HIV in the United States
Authors: Korsnes Jennifer S. , Goodwin Bridgett B. , Murray Miranda , Candrilli Sean D.
Published: July 2016

Background: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) of HIV typically involves the use of 2 nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors plus a third agent (eg, protease inhibitor). It has been shown that over the course of treatment, a proportion of patients switch their ART for various reasons (eg, tolerability, long-term toxicities). We hypothesize that there is a relationship between ART treatment switching and economic and clinical outcomes among HIV patients. Objective: To determine whether switching ART regimens is associated with greater health care costs, resource use, and adverse treatment effects. Methods: Administrative health care claims were used to identify commercially insured and Medicaid-enrolled patients in the United States who had ≥2 claims containing an HIV/AIDS diagnosis from 2006 to 2011 and received an ART prescription from 2007 to 2010. The final population included patients who were ≥18 years old on their index date (ie, date of first ART prescription) and had continuous health plan enrollment for ≥12 months before and after their index date. Treatment characteristics (eg, switching), adverse treatment effects, and health care resource utilization and costs, were evaluated during a 12-month follow-up period. Multivariable models assessed the relationship between ART switching and economic outcomes (ie, costs, number of health care encounters) and adverse treatment effects. Results: A total of 14 590 commercially insured patients met all inclusion criteria and 12% had an ART switch; further, 5744 Medicaid-enrolled patients met all inclusion criteria, and 14% switched treatment. After adjusting for confounders, ART switching was associated with 64% and 36% ( P < 0.0001) increases in hospitalizations, 36% and 25% ( P < 0.0001) increases in nonpharmacy costs, and 15% and 18% ( P < 0.0001) increases in pharmacy costs, among commercially insured and Medicaid-enrolled patients, respectively. ART switching increased the risk of adverse treatment effects, overall and for specific conditions of interest (eg, gastrointestinal intolerance). Conclusions: This study suggests that ART switching is associated with economic outcomes and certain adverse treatment effects. Efforts to put patients on an optimal ART regimen initially, therefore reducing the need for subsequent switching, may have a positive effect on patients specifically and the health care system in general.
Sliding mode boundary control for vibration suppression in a pinned-pinned Euler–Bernoulli beam with disturbances
Authors: Karagiannis Dimitri , Radisavljevic–Gajic Verica
Published: July 2016

This work addresses the control of a pinned-pinned beam represented by the fourth order partial differential equation commonly known as the Euler–Bernoulli beam model. The system under consideration has pinned boundary conditions on one end (displacement and bending moment fixed at zero) and controlled boundary conditions on the other end (displacement and bending moment are prescribed by control functions). There are also unknown bounded disturbances included on the controlled boundary. A backstepping control technique which introduces arbitrary damping into the system is discussed, and a method for applying this control in the presence of unknown disturbances is developed using sliding mode control theory. Sliding mode controllers are developed in a way that does not create a chattering effect, which is a common issue with sliding mode control. Simulation results are presented to show how the system dampens out vibrations at an arbitrarily determined rate and how the control functions respond to unmodeled disturbances.