bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Perils of Perfectionism: American Reaction to the Dumbarton Oaks Proposals
Authors: Johnstone Andrew
Published: July 2018

In the debate that followed the release of the Dumbarton Oaks proposals in 1944, the US government vigorously promoted the idea of international organization, partly due to fears of a resurgent isolationism. Yet as the debate progressed, it became clear that isolationism was not the main enemy, and concerns that the USA would not engage at all with the UN proved unfounded. Instead, the most active critics of the Dumbarton Oaks proposals were not those who wished to ignore the Dumbarton Oaks proposals, but those who wanted to perfect them. Calls for a more perfect international union came from across the political spectrum and for different reasons. Ultimately, the Roosevelt administration recognized that perfectionism was an issue that threatened the peace process. Fearing a repeat of the rejection of the League of Nations, the Roosevelt administration worked tirelessly to share the message of the Dumbarton Oaks proposals to the American people. But that message was mostly a cautious one, highlighting that while the proposed UN was not perfect, it was the best option for peace.
Converting lower-body features from three-dimensional body images into rules for individualized pant patterns
Authors: Su Junqiang , Ke Ying , Kuang Caiyuan , Gu Bingfei , Xu Bugao
Published: July 2018

This paper focuses on a new method to classify and convert the lower-body features of young females into the rules of individualized elements that are necessary for pant pattern design. Approaches used to develop a customized apparel pattern and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed in the literature review. Subsequently, a new method to analyze lower-body features for the development of individualized pant patterns is presented. The main method involved is the classification of certain body features into grades that provided alternatives for different body shapes, and the use of elements that are needed for pattern-making but that are difficult to measure directly in a three-dimensional image to predict the girths, half-girths and the other key measurements of a body. Three sets of rules were derived from this method: (a) individualized rules on height to classify the height at a feature into different grades, which help to find the location of the feature based on the height of a body; (b) individualized rules on girth to sort the thickness/width ratio of different cross-sections into grades at different features, which predict the girth of a characteristic feature from the thickness and the width of a feature; and (c) individualized rules on the crotch to find the relationship between the length of the measuring line at the divided points and the thickness of a certain girth, which reveal the individuality of the crotch and benefit the development of an individualized pant pattern. The method presented has the potential to realize individuality in female pant design by converting lower-body features into grades and establishing relationships with personalized parameters. This method can reduce the complexity of customization in pattern design.
Jesus at the well (John 4.4–42): Our approach to the ‘other’
Authors: Neely Brent
Published: July 2018

This article employs the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman in John 4 as a prism through which to examine Christian perceptions of and approaches to the outsider – especially the ‘foreigner’, the migrant or the Muslim. The study is particularly concerned with some broadly similar dynamics at play between the Judean and Samaritan communities in the first century and between Jews, Christians and Muslims in our world today. An important aspect of these dynamics, in the story and frequently today as well, is the concern for ritual purity and group separation. The encounter is framed as a potentially fraught and tense ‘ethnic’ encounter, which then, as now, may well entail painful friction over matters ranging from religion to politics to communal metanarrative. Christians, Muslims and Jews remain connected and divided over such realities as scripture, history, land and even the names of prophets and places held in common. The posture of Jesus of Nazareth presents a vital challenge to his followers today in our age of intense nationalism, populism, terror and xenophobia.
Contract Design, Complexity, and Incentives: Evidence From U.S. Federal Agencies
Authors: Girth Amanda M. , Lopez Lauren E.
Published: July 2018

Financial incentives are used throughout the public and private sectors to control costs, expedite projects, maximize quality, and encourage performance. Although federal agencies in the United States utilize incentive contracts, there is little research on the scope of their use or effectiveness. This study analyzes nearly 390,000 federal contracts across service acquisitions of varying complexity to determine whether incentive contracts differ in contract duration, cost, or technical performance when compared with other types of contracts. The results indicate that contracts appear to execute differently on these three dimensions based on the complexity of the acquired service. The findings provide a heightened understanding of the accountability dynamics in third-party implementation, particularly when financial incentives are used to motivate contractor performance.
Approximation algorithms for tours of height-varying view cones
Authors: Plonski Patrick A , Isler Volkan
Published: July 2018

We introduce a novel coverage problem that arises in aerial surveying applications. The goal is to compute a shortest path that visits a given set of cones. The apex of each cone is restricted to lie on the ground plane. The common angle [Formula: see text] of the cones represent the field of view of the onboard camera. The cone heights, which can be varying, correspond with the desired observation quality (e.g. resolution). This problem is a novel variant of the traveling salesman problem with neighborhoods (TSPN). We name it Cone-TSPN. Our main contribution is a polynomial time approximation algorithm for Cone-TPSN. We analyze its theoretical performance and show that it returns a solution whose length is at most [Formula: see text] times the length of the optimal solution where [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are the heights of the tallest and shortest input cones, respectively.We demonstrate the use of our algorithm in a representative precision agriculture application. We further study its performance in simulation using randomly generated cone sets. Our results indicate that the performance of our algorithm is superior to standard solutions.
Growth rate of serous pancreatic neoplasms in vivo: a retrospective, observational study
Authors: Park Chan , Kim Hyoung Jung , Kim So Yeon , Lee Seung Soo , Byun Jae Ho , Kim Song Cheol , Kim Myung-Hwan
Published: July 2018

Background

Determining the growth rate of pancreatic cystic lesions on follow-up imaging is important in managing patients with these lesions. However, the growth rates of serous pancreatic neoplasms (SPNs) have been reported to vary among studies.

Purpose

To determine the in vivo growth rate of SPNs.

Material and Methods

This retrospective, single-institutional study included patients diagnosed with SPNs during 2006–2015. The diagnosis of SPNs was based on the results of surgery, endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS)-guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) or core needle biopsy (CNB), or typical radiologic features of SPN. A linear mixed-effects model was utilized to determine whether the diagnostic intervention was associated with tumor growth rate in all patients. The in vivo growth rate of SPNs was estimated from patients without or before diagnostic intervention. SPN growth rates were compared before and after diagnostic intervention.

Results

SPN growth rates in the overall patient cohort (n = 304) differed significantly between patients who did and did not undergo diagnostic interventions. The in vivo SPN growth rate in 204 patients without or before diagnostic intervention was 1.9 mm/year (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.6–2.2). In the 130 patients who underwent diagnostic intervention, the SPN growth rate was significantly greater before than after diagnostic intervention (1.8 vs. 0.2 mm/year).

Conclusions

In the absence of diagnostic intervention, the in vivo growth rate of SPNs was 1.9 mm/year (95% CI = 1.6–2.2). EUS-guided FNA or CNB may affect the growth rate of SPNs.
Regional differences of fat depot attenuation using non-contrast, contrast-enhanced, and delayed-enhanced cardiac CT
Authors: Rodriguez-Granillo Gaston A , Capunay Carlos , Deviggiano Alejandro , De Zan Macarena , Carrascosa Patricia
Published: July 2018

Background

Regional fat density assessed by computed tomography (CT) has been suggested as a marker of perivascular adipose tissue inflammation. Dual energy CT (DECT) allows improved tissue characterization compared to conventional CT.

Purpose

To explore whether DECT might aid regional fat density discrimination.

Material and Methods

We included patients who had completed a non-enhanced cardiac CT scan, CT coronary angiography (CTCA), and a delayed enhancement CT. Attenuation levels (Hounsfield units [HU]) were assessed at the epicardial, paracardial, visceral, and subcutaneous fat. The number of coronary segments with disease (SIS) was calculated.

Results

A total of 36 patients were included in the analysis. Twenty-six (72%) patients had evidence of obstructive disease at CCTA and 25 (69%) patients had evidence of previous myocardial infarction. At non-contrast CT, we did not identify significant attenuation differences between epicardial, paracardial, subcutaneous, and visceral fat depots (−110.8 ± 9 HU, vs. −113.7 ± 9 HU, vs. −114.7 ± 8 HU, vs. −113.8 ± 11 HU, P = 0.36). Significant attenuation differences were detected between fat depots at mid and low energy levels, both at CTCA and delayed-enhancement scans ( P < 0.05 for all). Epicardial fat showed the least negative attenuation, irrespective of the acquisition mode; epicardial fat evaluated at 40 keV was related to the SIS (r = 0.37, P = 0.03).

Conclusions

In this study, regional fat depots amenable to examination during thoracic CT scans have distinctive regional attenuation values. Furthermore, such differences were better displayed using contrast-enhanced monochromatic imaging at low energy levels.
The Joint Effects of Income, Vehicle Technology, and Rail Transit Access on Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Authors: Boarnet Marlon G. , Bostic Raphael W. , Eisenlohr Andrew , Rodnyansky Seva , Santiago-Bartolomei Raúl , Jamme Huê-Tâm Webb
Published: July 2018

This paper examines the relationship between income, vehicle miles traveled (VMT), and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for households with varying access to rail transit in four metropolitan areas—Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego, and Sacramento—using data from the 2010–2012 California Household Travel Survey. Daily vehicle GHG emissions are calculated using the California Air Resources Board’s 2014 EMFAC (emission factors) model. Two Tobit regression models are used to predict daily VMT and GHG by income, rail transit access (within or outside 0.5 miles of a rail transit station in Los Angeles and the Bay Area, and linear distance to rail in San Diego and Sacramento), and metropolitan area. Comparing predicted VMT and GHG emissions levels, this paper concludes that predicted VMT and GHG emission patterns for rail access vary across metropolitan areas in ways that may be related to the age and connectivity of the areas’ rail systems. The results also show that differences in household VMT due to rail access do not scale proportionally to differences in GHG emissions. Regardless, the fact that GHG emissions are lower near rail transit for virtually all income levels in this study implies environmental benefits from expanding rail transit systems, as defined in this paper.
Framework for Interactive M3 Visualization of Microscopic Traffic Simulation
Authors: Yang Hong , Shen Yuzhong , Hasan Mahmud , Perez Daniel , Shull John
Published: July 2018

Full comprehension of microscopic traffic simulation (MTS) models has necessitated the development of proper visualizations. Existing MTS models only provide limited capability of two- and/or three-dimensional displays that often restrict users’ viewpoint to a flat screen. Their downscaled scenes neither provide a realistic representation of the environment nor allow different users to simultaneously experience the simulation model from different perspectives. This largely prevents analysts from effectively demonstrating and disseminating their simulation results to various stakeholders of different background and knowledge. In light of these issues, this paper aims to develop a framework that enables a multi-user, multi-perspective, and multi-mode ( M3) visualization architecture for microscopic traffic simulation. The proposed framework is empowered by the latest advances in cloud computing and virtual reality (VR) to support interactive and immersive visualization for simulated traffic environments. A client-server architecture allows multiple users at distributed physical locations to view the same simulation from multiple perspectives simultaneously and supports a variety of virtual/augmented reality devices. A prototype of the proposed M3 visualization framework is implemented and demonstrated by simulating and visualizing a model of typical traffic operations in a high-density urban area. The promising capability of the M3 visualization framework is attested. Potential improvements over the present study to further excel current visualization framework are also discussed.
Use of Fiber-Reinforced Self-Consolidating Concrete to Enhance Serviceability Performance of Damaged Beams
Authors: Abdulhameed Haider A. , Nassif Hani , Khayat Kamal H.
Published: July 2018

The use of fiber-reinforced self-consolidating concrete (FR-SCC) in repairing damaged concrete beams has been evaluated. An experimental program was conducted to design and test key fresh and hardened properties of SCC and FR-SCC mixtures. The designed FR-SCC mixtures included two types of supplementary cementitious materials (silica fume (SF) and slag (SL)) and two types of fibers (steel fiber (STF) and polypropylene fiber (PPF)) were used. To ensure good workability to repair congested areas, the optimized volume fractions of the STF were 0.25% and 0.50% compared with 0.10%, 0.15%, and 0.20% for the PPF. In addition, the flexural behavior of 10 beam specimens was investigated. The main reinforcement for the control beams consisted of #5 reinforcing bars, while the main reinforcement for the repaired beams was either #4 or #3 reinforcing bars that were introduced to simulate 35% and 65% reduction of the bar areas, respectively, due to corrosion. The results demonstrate that the optimized FR-SCC mixtures are effective repair materials and can develop adequate bond strength to existing concrete. The flexural test results showed that the repair mixtures were able to increase the cracking load for the repaired beams compared with the control beams. Such an increase is expected to contribute to extending the life of the damaged member or structure at the service load level. This paper also presents a comparison of the predicted values for the first-crack load strength using the ACI 544 code equation with the experimental data. Results showed that the code equation provides safe prediction.
Applying Innovative Performance Metrics for Corridor Evaluation
Authors: Vyas Maria , Harris Jeffery , Knowlton Ted , LaBonty G. J. , Milam Ronald T. , Seager Shawn , Williges Chris , Zundel Lisa
Published: July 2018

Widespread application of traditional performance metrics such as vehicle level of service has resulted in transportation networks that are often suited for only one mode of transportation to the detriment of others. Moreover, the continued investment in capacity expansion intended to meet level of service expectations increases financial burdens on transportation agencies for the capital, operating, and maintenance costs of these facilities, without regard to whether those resources are being used efficiently. Shifting focus to alternative and more comprehensive performance metrics can result in a more economical approach to transportation infrastructure, allowing communities to understand what investment combinations provide the best bang for the buck. Innovative performance metrics also allow communities to consider priorities beyond level of service, and design infrastructure accordingly. The Wasatch Front Central Corridor Study, undertaken in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, is one example of a regional application of efficiency-focused performance metrics such as person throughput, seat utilization, benefit–cost ratio, access to employment, and economic impacts. Further research opportunities could include development of best practices to standardize benefit–cost analysis for transportation projects, other methods of evaluating overall system efficiency, and the role of parking policy and land use change in maximizing use of transportation resources.
Vehicle Consumer Complaint Reports Involving Severe Incidents: Mining Large Contingency Tables
Authors: Das Subasish , Mudgal Abhisek , Dutta Anandi , Geedipally Srinivas R.
Published: July 2018

According to 2010–2014 Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data, nearly 6.35% of fatal crashes happened as a result of vehicles’ pre-existing manufacturing defects. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) vehicle complaint database incorporates more than 1.37 million complaint reports (as of June 1, 2017). These reports contain extended information on vehicle-related disruptions. Around 5% of these reports involve some level of injury or fatalities. This study had two principal objectives, namely (1) perform knowledge discovery to understand the latent trends in consumer complaints, and (2) identify clusters with high relative reporting ratios from a large contingency table of vehicle models and associated complaints. To accomplish these objectives, 67,201 detailed reports associated with injury or fatalities from the NHTSA vehicle complaint database were examined. Exploratory text mining and empirical Bayes (EB) data mining were performed. Additionally, this study analyzed five years (2010–2014) of FARS data to examine the research findings. Results show that major vehicular defects are associated with air bags, brake systems, seat belts, and speed controls. The EB metrics identified several key ‘ vehicle model with major defect’ groups that require more attention. This study demonstrates the applicability of consumer complaints in identifying major vehicular defects as well as key groups of ‘ vehicle model with major defect.’ The findings of this study will provide a significant contribution to the reduction of crashes from vehicle-related disruptions. The research presented in this paper is crucial given the ongoing advancement of connected and automated vehicle technologies.
Transit Route Design Applications Using Geographic Information Systems
Authors: Ramirez Ana I. , Seneviratne Prianka N.
Published: July 2018

The design of public transportation networks is made difficult by a multitude of conflicting objectives. For example, networks designed to minimize travel time cannot be expected to maximize coverage and accessibility. Two simple methods for designing and improving public transportation routes with the aid of TransCAD, a geographic information system, are presented. The first method involves a direct demand model that uses readily available socioeconomic and demographic variables to compute a generalized impedance function, which subsequently is used to determine the best alignment for transit routes. The second uses rider origin and destination data (addresses) and TransCAD's address-matching capabilities to improve transit coverage to specific heavy-traffic locations such as universities and hospitals. The first method is illustrated using data from Logan, Utah—a newly urbanized community with a population of approximately 33,000 people and home to Utah State University, which, beginning in 1994, has had an annual enrollment of more than 16,000 students. Two alignments were determined for the same origin-destination pair. The first alignment represents the route established with the sole criterion of minimizing travel distance, and the second represents the route established with the criterion of minimizing the generalized impedance function. When the alignments are compared, the second is found to increase route coverage significantly, but at the expense of a slight increase in travel time.
Analysis of Feeling of Security on Public Transit among Residents of Small Urban Area
Authors: Morse Lawrence B. , Benjamin Julian M.
Published: July 2018

Magnitude estimation for assessing personal security is introduced. Magnitude estimates were obtained and used to compute security indexes. The advantage of magnitude estimate–based indexes over summated scales is that they are ratio rather than ordinal data. Residents of Greensboro, North Carolina, were surveyed regarding crime in the vicinity of bus stops. Responses were analyzed, and violent crime around bus areas was rated 2.5 times more serious than nonviolent crime (e.g., panhandling). In a model of the index, the gender of residents, an interaction term denoting crime victimization and taking precautionary measures, and the crime rate were significant predictors; race and age were not.
Paying Equitably for Urban Congestion through National Road Pricing System
Authors: Najafi Fazil T. , Nassar Fadi Emil , Kaczorowski Paul
Published: July 2018

Automated toll collection (ATC) systems have been implemented successfully in the United States to collect tolls on bridges and at tunnels and turnpikes. A conceptual national automated road pricing system (NARPS) is described. NARPS consists of a nationwide application of an integrated and coordinated ATC system. Its primary purpose is to collect variable tolls on congested urban roads to improve traffic distribution and the overall efficiency of the highway system. The components of the proposed system are transponders, detectors, and processors used to automatically identify approaching vehicles at normal speed, calculate applicable tolls, and maintain local data bases of all tolls and vehicles to be processed remotely in a control center. A nationwide application of an integrated ATC system offers numerous significant advantages: cost savings, efficiency, traffic management, and a host of secondary applications that are not feasible with localized ATC systems. The management of the system is simplified by billing only drivers who exceed a threshold toll amount, thereby exempting the majority of drivers in rural and other areas.
How to Pass Local Option Taxes to Finance Transportation Projects
Authors: Beale Henry B. R. , Bishop Elbert R. , Marley William G.
Published: July 2018

Local jurisdictions are increasingly using local option taxes, usually sales taxes or gas taxes, to finance transportation projects. Local option taxes are usually authorized by state legislation and often require a referendum for adoption. This research entailed case studies of local jurisdictions in 11 states with such local option taxes. Findings that identify and characterize the principal factors that contribute to the success of a local option tax referendum are presented. These factors include an identified critical need for transportation improvements and design of a suitable tax; a thorough planning process that involves and informs the electorate and produces a realistic expenditure plan; detailed earmarking of funds; effective public and private leadership, provision of information, and promotion of the expenditure plan and the tax to finance it; distribution of tax burdens, revenues, and benefits that are perceived as fair; neutralization or cooption of special interests; neutralization of anti-tax sentiment; thoughtful drafting of the ballot language and a suitable strategy for implementing the referendum; and fulfilling promises to build support for future referenda. Although many individual factors contribute to the success of a referendum, effective planning encompasses most of them. Creativity in addressing local issues and circumstances is also associated with many of the most successful referenda.
Gasoline and Travel Demand Models Using Time Series and Cross-Section Data from United States
Authors: Schimek Paul
Published: July 2018

The price and income elasticities of highway gasoline and automobile travel demand are useful for forecasting gasoline tax revenues and highway investment needs and evaluating policies to reduce automobile use, improve fuel efficiency, or reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Gasoline and travel demand elasticities are calculated using 1950 to 1994 time series data for the United States and 1988 to 1992 pooled data for states of the United States. Gasoline demand was found to be price inelastic in the short run, but in the long run, it was found to be —0.7. Even in the United States, gasoline price has a significant impact on gasoline use. The response to price changes is divided among driving, fuel efficiency, and the size of the vehicle stock, although the latter is the smallest. The Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) program was found to be associated with an average 1 percent annual decline in per capita fuel consumption. The elasticity of driving with respect to fuel efficiency— the rebound effect—was found to be —0.3, confirming previous results. The state-level data produce inconclusive results; it is hypothesized that this is the result of the confounding effect of CAFE.
Feasibility of Standardized Diagnostic Device for Maintenance and Inspection of Commercial Motor Vehicles
Authors: Middleton Dan , Rowe John
Published: July 2018

The rapid growth in the number of trucks on the nation's highways combined with the fact that safety violation rates have not declined significantly have created an urgency to increase the efficiency of heavy-truck inspections. At the same time, the growing number of on-board electronic systems are delivering more information than ever before about key components of vehicle operation. The objective of this study is to determine whether it would be feasible to standardize electronic diagnostic interface systems and use them to help make roadside inspection faster, more accurate, and less constrained by shortages of qualified inspection personnel. The study found that electronics has made significant inroads into components of heavy-duty commercial vehicles. In addition to widely adopted systems, such as electronically controlled engines, transmissions, and antilock brakes, the technology exists for a number of new applications. The heavy-duty Class 8 truck of the year 2000 and beyond could be equipped with as many as 50 electronic systems but more likely with three to seven intelligent control devices for the engine, transmission, brakes, retarder, instrument cluster, trip recorder, and off-board communications. There is potential for using these electronics in roadside inspections as standardization efforts by the Society of Automotive Engineers and The Maintenance Council successfully continue if the proper on-board parameters are made available to inspectors.
Concrete Bridge Service Life Extension Using Sealers in Chloride-Laden Environments
Authors: Żemajtis Jerzy , Weyers Richard E.
Published: July 2018

The early deterioration of concrete structures in chloride-laden environments is well known. The severity of the deterioration of bridges in the United States has resulted in the development of a large number of corrosion protection and rehabilitation methods for service life extension. For bridge engineers to make best use of public funds, service life, service life extension, and method application costs are needed. A methodology based on diffusion properties is presented for determining the service life (reapplication period) and service life extension of concrete bridge surface treatments and sealers. Consideration is given to traffic wear, degradation by ultraviolet light, and the ability of sealers to reduce the rate of ingress of chlorides into the concrete. Service life extension periods are presented for four sealers: solvent and water-based epoxies, silane, and siloxane. Service life extension periods consider the severity of the environment and the bridge member exposure conditions.
Cathodic Protection of Prestressed Bridge Members—Full-Scale Testing
Authors: Funahashi Miki , Young Walter T.
Published: July 2018

The results of a study on the use of cathodic protection on prestressed and post-tensioned concrete bridge members are summarized. Previous laboratory tests to evaluate hydrogen embrittlement of high strength steel embedded in concrete have proven that cathodic protection will generate hydrogen on high-strength steel in concrete if the potential is more negative than the thermodynamic hydrogen evolution potential. The hydrogen generated will enter the steel and cause a loss in ductility that will adversely affect the steel's performance if a notch is present. Full-scale beams were constructed to further study those phenomena. Four pretensioned beams were constructed. In addition, two post-tensioned slabs were constructed to evaluate cathodic protection of anchorages and tendons encased in metal or plastic conduits. Cathodic protection currents were supplied by IR drop-free potential controlled rectifiers. Good potential control at control points was achieved by using externally mounted silver-silver chloride reference electrodes and a conductive gel bridge. However, inconsistent potential control occurred at locations other than at the control points. Later in the study, constant current power supplies were used on two of the beams. Hydrogen entering the steel as the result of corrosion appears to have masked the presence of hydrogen that might have been produced by cathodic protection. The analysis also revealed that there was corrosion of some pretensioned wires at crossings with interior steel reinforcing bars due to interference (stray current) caused by cathodic protection application. Analysis of the post-tensioned slabs indicated little effect of cathodic protection on tendons inside plastic or metal ducts from the application of cathodic protection. Beneficial effects were noted on anchor points where mortar was in contact with the metal.
Airport Ramp Risk Analysis and Management System
Authors: Ashford Norman J. , Ndoh Ngoe N. , Brooke Andrew S.
Published: July 2018

The aviation industry is experiencing intense interest in the safety of handling operations at airports. This is because of the level of risk exposure identified in this area, the exposure of expensive aircraft to such high levels of risk, and the increasingly high cost of ramp accidents. The costs to the industry are becoming unacceptable; a global estimate has been made by Boeing of $2 billion per year to airlines. To minimize these costs and control the level of ramp accidents, an overall ramp safety management system approach is required that involves risk analysis and risk management. Risk analysis involves establishing the organization's risk profile, and risk management encompasses the various measures that can be implemented to minimize accidents, control loss, and transfer risk by insurance on the basis of the identified risk profile of an organization. A systems approach to ground handling risk analysis and a description of a spreadsheet-based model developed at Lough-borough University for ramp risk management within an organization, such as an airport, airline, or ground handling agent, are presented. The work has been carried out in response to the demonstrated need of industry to control in a systematic manner rapidly rising ramp accident costs that are currently almost universally treated as an unavoidable cost marginal to the core business.
Hubbing in U.S. Air Transportation System: Economic Approach
Authors: Weidner Tara J.
Published: July 2018

The dynamics of airline hubbing in the postderegulation U.S. air transportation system are examined. It is asserted that hubbing is not the result of arbitrary decisions by airlines but of economic forces that allow hubbed traffic to be understood and possibly predicted. On the basis of three primary hubbing criteria, an economic model of hub choice is developed. In the model, hubbing is assumed to be (a) intricately tied to the national air network, (b) grounded in the airlines' economic cost structure, and (c) the result of a balance of supply and demand forces. The route choice model is estimated for domestic U.S. hub markets. The model results support the first two of the three hubbing criteria and produce relative valuations of in-flight time, airport capacity delays, and schedule delays for connecting flights. These results are valuable in understanding the interplay of forces that lead to hub development and decline. In addition, the model structure is promising as a planning tool to investigate the redistribution of traffic in the U.S. air transportation network under various development scenarios and policy actions.
Evaluation of Remote Altimeter Setting Penalty at Four North Georgia Airports
Authors: Nissalke Thomas E.
Published: July 2018

Although an airport may have an instrument approach procedure, the procedures' ceiling minimums may be artificially increased as a result of a lack of a local altimeter setting. If the pilot is not allowed to land at the intended airport because of the required use of a remote altimeter setting, the community is potentially denied economic benefit because of flight disruption. Altimeter settings based on automated weather observation systems at four northern Georgia airports recorded during a 6-month period in early 1995 are analyzed. Each airport was assigned a hypothetical remote altimeter setting source (one of the three other airports). A comparison was made between the altimeter settings at each destination airport and the hypothetical remote altimeter setting source airport for differences in altimeter settings. These altimeter setting differences were then compared with the associated ceiling penalty a pilot would be given when executing an instrument approach at an airport using a remote altimeter source. For the extreme differences found in the data, it was found that the existing remote altimeter setting source penalty protected an aircraft from possibly descending too low when using a remote altimeter setting source.
Toward a Common Parking Policy: A Cross-Jurisdictional Matrix Comparison of Municipal Off-Street Parking Regulations in Metropolitan Dade County, Florida
Authors: Bradley John
Published: July 2018

Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) were developed to promote regional approaches to transportation problems in large metropolitan areas. However, one particular aspect of the overall transportation picture—off-street parking requirements—has generally been left to local municipal regulation without a conscious effort to integrate local parking policies into areawide transportation programs. In an effort to promote regional approaches that take into account the impact of parking policies on transportation problems, a study was designed to show in matrix form the cross-jurisdictional similarities and differences in off-street parking requirements as regulated by local municipal zoning ordinances in a typical multijurisdictional setting. In addition, the study highlighted several basic overall parking policy aspects that may serve as starting points in the consensual development of a regional parking policy for metropolitan areas such as Dade County under the aegis of an MPO.
How Do We Know Employer-Based Transportation Demand Management Works? The Need for Experimental Design
Authors: Higgins Thomas J.
Published: July 2018

Several studies of employer-based demand management programs have been conducted in the past few years. Many have drawn conclusions about effects of the programs by examining before and after program changes in the proportion of solo drivers among the employees involved in the program. Others compare before and after data to solo driving trends in the surrounding area or at selected employment sites. Still other studies do not use before and after data at all, but simply compare the proportion of solo driving among program participants after implementation with an average rate for the area or region. The weaknesses of these approaches to evaluating demand management programs are discussed, remedies for these weaknesses based on classical experimental design from the social science and statistical literature are suggested, and the results of an experimental design of employer trip reduction programs in the Denver region are highlighted. The example illustrates the required elements of an experimental design, as well as some difficulties in executing the design.
The Chinese Version of the EPOCH Measure of Adolescent Well-Being: Testing Cross-Cultural Measurement Invariance
Authors: Kern Margaret L. , Zeng Guang , Hou Hanchao , Peng Kaiping
Published: July 2018

Recent decades have brought growing interest in understanding and measuring psychological well-being. Although multiple measures of well-being exist, most were developed with Western populations. The current study tested the factor structure of a Chinese translation of the engagement, perseverance, optimism, connectedness and happiness (EPOCH) Measure of Adolescent Well-Being with 3,629 Chinese students (1,980 males, 1,649 females), and tested measurement invariance. The five-factor structure of the model was supported, and the model was invariant across age and gender. Combined with data from 2,041 American and 1,057 Australian adolescents, measurement invariance across cultures was supported for factor loadings but not intercepts or residuals. Results suggest that the factor structure is adequate across cultures, but the mean scores should not be directly compared. The findings support the EPOCH measure as an adequate scale, raise questions about different modeling decisions, and inform culturally sensitive approaches to comparing positive psychological variables across cultures.
Inner Strength—State of the Science
Authors: Smith Charles S. , Dingley Catherine , Roux Gayle
Published: July 2018

The phenomenon of inner strength has been investigated since 1990. Foundations for inner strength have been developed using inductive designs that have led to a middle-range theory of inner strength and a conceptual model. Two instruments have been developed to measure and test inner strength and have been predominantly used in samples of women and the elderly. This paper will trace the development of inner strength knowledge from two distinct paradigms in North America and Northern Europe. Empirical testing is described. Gaps in the current state of knowledge of inner strength are identified as well as implications for future research.
Effect of Ketogenic Diet on Motor Functions and Daily Living Activities of Children With Multidrug-Resistant Epilepsy: A Prospective Study
Authors: Çubukçu Duygu , Güzel Orkide , Arslan Nur
Published: July 2018

Aims:

To investigate the effect of ketogenic diet on motor function and daily living activities in children with epilepsy.

Methods:

A total of 62 children (median age 5.0 years) were enrolled. Motor function was assessed using the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM), and daily living activities and cognitive functions were assessed using the Functional Independence Measure (WeeFIM) before treatment and 3, 6, and 12 months after ketogenic diet treatment.

Results:

Significant improvement in total GMFM and WeeFIM scores ( P < .001) were found during the 12 months of ketogenic diet treatment. There was a positive correlation between total GMFM scores and WeeFIM scores at baseline (r= 0.792, P = .0001), and at 3 (r= 0.780, P = .0001), 6 (r= 0.744, P = .0001), and 12 months (r= 0.692, P = .0001) of treatment. Both the responder (50 patients, 80.7%) and nonresponder (12 patients, 19.3%) patient groups showed significantly higher GMFM and WeeFIM scores at 12 months of treatment compared to baseline values. A ≥50% reduction in seizure frequency was observed in 77.4%, 72.6%, and 80.7% of the patients after 3, 6, and 12 months of treatment, respectively.

Conclusion:

Ketogenic diet treatment improves motor functions and daily living activities in children with epilepsy during the 12 months of treatment.
Surviving All the Way to College: Pathways Out of One of America’s Most Crime Ridden Cities
Authors: Meloy Michelle , Curtis Kristin , Tucker Shelby , Previ Barbara , Storrod Michelle Lyttle , Gordon Gaylene , Larson Mitch , Webb Wayne , Delacruz Mariel
Published: July 2018

The purpose of this study is to better understand the factors and processes related to resilience of youth who are among the most at risk for academic failure and involvement in the criminal justice system. To address the research questions about resilience and risk, in-depth interviews were conducted with a racially and ethnically diverse sample ( N = 146) from one of the “most dangerous” cities in America. To obtain an objective assessment of risk, crime data were disaggregated by the city’s census tracts. Respondents were recruited from a college campus that is located within the city limits of the research site. The retrospective interviews included questions related to family structure and dynamics, educational experiences and support, peers, mentors, extra-curricular activities, neighborhood attributes, inner traits of the respondent, and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Results suggest that this diverse sample of college students and recent graduates were not immune from the dangers and adversity known to exist within the northeastern city where they grew up. Crime rates and poverty indicators within the neighborhoods far exceeded national averages and findings indicate participants were exposed to serious forms and levels of community violence. Furthermore, outcome data suggest that participants also suffered from many traditional ACEs (e.g., high rates of parental separation, household substance abuse and mental illness, and family incarceration). The outcomes suggested a trifecta of protective factors in the respondent’s resilience: engaged parenting, self-selected high schools, and the interaction of an individual’s inner traits and local ecological supports. Community level suggestions include targeted parental programming, educational support, gang and crime resistance initiatives, and coping interventions for community violence exposure. Future resilience studies should consider an array of ecological factors that may help mediate the harms associated with exposure to community violence as well as data on household level stressors.
When Crime Is a “Young Man’s Game” and the Ethnographer Is a Woman: Gendered Researcher Experiences in Two Different Contexts
Authors: Bucerius Sandra M. , Urbanik Marta
Published: July 2018

Ethnographers have long explored the challenges of gender dynamics in researcher–participant relationships, particularly in relation to attempts by female researchers to gain and maintain access to male research populations. However, little is known about these relationships in urban research settings characterized by crime and violence, where gender relations between young men and women are shaped by often extreme forms of social marginalization. Drawing on the field experiences of two female ethnographers who studied disadvantaged and criminalized groups of men in Germany and Canada, our article sheds light on how our experiences in our respective research sites were molded by the local contexts where our ethnographies took place. In particular, we analyze how the respective cultural meanings that the men subscribed to affected their perceptions of women, and how these perceptions ultimately shaped our interactions with our research groups, structured our gendered experiences, and presented quite different challenges for us as female “crime” ethnographers.
Non-linear tyre model–based non-singular terminal sliding mode observer for vehicle velocity and side-slip angle estimation
Authors: Li Boyuan , Du Haiping , Li Weihua , Zhang Bangji
Published: July 2018

Vehicle velocity and side-slip angle are important vehicle states for the electronic stability programme and traction control system in vehicle safety control system and for the control allocation method of electric vehicles with in-wheel motors. This paper proposes an innovative side-slip angle estimator based on the non-linear Dugoff tyre model and non-singular terminal sliding mode observer. The proposed estimation method based on the non-linear tyre model can accurately present the tyre’s non-linear characteristics and can show advantages over estimation methods based on the linear tyre model. The utilised Dugoff tyre model has a relatively simple structure with few parameters, and the proposed non-linear observer can be applied in various vehicle tyres and various road conditions. Precise determination of the Dugoff tyre model parameters is not required and the proposed observer can still perform good estimation results even though tyre parameters and the tyre–road friction coefficient are not accurate. The proposed non-singular terminal sliding mode observer can achieve fast convergence rate and better estimation performance than the traditional sliding mode observer. At the end of this paper, simulations in various conditions are presented to validate the proposed non-linear estimator.
Growth changes after inhalant abuse and toluene exposure: A systematic review and meta-analysis of human and animal studies
Authors: Crossin R , Lawrence AJ , Andrews ZB , Churilov L , Duncan JR
Published: July 2018

Inhalant abuse is a significant public health issue, particularly for adolescents, the predominant group of inhalant users. Adolescence is a critical growth period, and inhalant abuse has been associated with growth impairments, including reduced body weight and height. However, the extent to which inhalant abuse affects growth remains unquantified, and potential moderators remain unknown. To address this knowledge gap, a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical human and preclinical animal studies utilizing toluene exposure (the primary solvent in abused products) was conducted. Five-hundred and sixty-nine studies were screened; 31 met inclusion criteria, yielding 64 toluene-control comparisons for body weight and 6 comparisons for height. Toluene exposure was negatively associated with body weight ( d = −0.73) and height ( d = −0.69). Concentration of inhaled toluene, but not duration, moderated the effect of toluene exposure on body weight, with more severe impairments at higher concentrations. Differences in effect size for body weight were observed for study characteristic subgroups including sex, age at first exposure, administration route and species. However, these findings should be interpreted cautiously due to low study numbers. Growth impairments, particularly during adolescence, can cause long-term health consequences. These effects on growth are therefore an important clinical outcome for individuals with a history of inhalant abuse.