bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Immediate Recall of Sentences Plus Digits: a New Approach
Authors: Scholes Robert J. , Heilman Kenneth M. , Rasbury Wiley C.
Published: June 2017

Subjects were asked to recall sentences followed by random strings of digits. Presentation was auditory, recall was spoken and the format followed the Wechsler digit retention sub-test. Consideration of the number of digits correctly recalled following correct recall of the sentence indicated that (a) simple active affirmative declarative sentences reduced the average digits recalled by 2, (b) passivization did not significantly increase this reduction while (c) adding clauses did. Consideration of the serial position of digit recall errors indicated that the sentences and digits were disjoint in memory. Analysis of errors in sentence recall suggested that detransforming occurs in immediate recall tasks and that reversibility was a factor in correct recall.
Does Memory Constrain Utilization of Top-Down Information in Spoken word Recognition? Evidence from Normal Aging
Authors: Wingfield Arthur , Alexander Andrea H. , Cavigelli Sonia
Published: June 2017

Young and elderly adults heard recorded words that had been computer-edited from connected speech so as to be heard in isolation from their linguistic surround. Word identification was tested for words in isolation and when heard with increasing amounts of linguistic context that had either preceded or followed them in their original utterances. Although the elderly subjects were poorer in identifying the words in isolation compared to young adults, both age groups showed similar increases in correct word identification as increasing amounts of prior context were presented. By contrast, context that followed the target words was less effective for the elderly subjects than it was for the young. It is argued that a memory trace of the unclear stimulus must be maintained for effective utilization of following context in a retrospective analysis. The elderly subjects' relative inability to utilize following context implicates an age-related memory deficit operating at the sentence level.
Changing places, changing childhoods: Regeneration and children’s use of place in Istanbul
Authors: Severcan Yucel Can
Published: June 2017

This article is based on a comparative study of 9- to 11-year-old children’s place use and preferences in six low-income historic Istanbul neighbourhoods with varying degrees of redevelopment. Data on places used and preferred by children were obtained using the participatory photography technique. The article contributes to the existing literature by showing that children in more redeveloped neighbourhoods are more likely than those in less redeveloped ones to be confined to highly controlled and regulated places and less likely to interact with nature, pay attention to the social attributes of their communities and appreciate heritage.
Jharkhand since Independence: A demographic analysis
Authors: Singh Abhishek , Ram Faujdar
Published: June 2017

We use data from the Census of India, Sample Registration System (SRS), National Family Health Surveys (NFHS), Rapid Household Survey (RHS-RCH) and District Level Household Survey (DLHS-RCH) to examine the socio-economic and demographic profile of Jharkhand. Data from various censuses are employed to study the changes in the socio-economic and demographic profile of Jharkhand since independence. All the districts that existed in the Census of 2001 are constructed backwards since 1961 using the information available in various census publications. The paper provides data for 18 districts of Jharkhand since 1961. The data from SRS, NFHS, RHS-RCH and DLHS-RCH are used to understand the trends in fertility, mortality and health service utilisation indicators. We find some improvement in the socio-economic condition of the people of Jharkhand over the past five decades. Fertility and mortality rates are found to be quite high in the state. The utilisation of health services is found to be very low in the districts of Jharkhand. The improvement in utilisation of health services for the Scheduled Tribes is found to be least among the various caste groups in the state. Wide variations exist in almost all the indicators among the districts of Jharkhand.
Female sterilization and ethical issues: The Indian experience
Authors: Pradhan Manas Ranjan , Ram Usha
Published: June 2017

In view of the prevalent gender norms that rationalize the bargaining power of women, lack of informed choice and high infant as well as child mortality, female sterilization as a family planning measure in India raises questions that need urgent attention in the broader context of individual freedom and human ethics. Data from the District Level Household Survey-Reproductive and Child Health (2002-04) covering a nationally representative sample of 507622 currently married women aged 15-44 years has been used for the present analysis. Bivariate and multivariate analyses have been performed to identify the factors associated with female sterilization acceptance within the broader framework of ethical issues. Although about one-third of Indian women use female sterilization as a method for regulating fertility, analysis reveals that people from different socio-economic, religious and demographic strata do not generally opt for sterilization in equal proportion. Informed choice has found to be very poor among women and so also the quality of available services. The need of the hour is to offer choice and quality services. Besides sensitizing the providers about the importance of ethical issues, government need to think over improving information education and communication, better quality services, and importance on spacing methods.
Conflict Structures in Family Networks of Older Adults and Their Relationship With Health-Related Quality of Life
Authors: Widmer Eric D. , Girardin Myriam , Ludwig Catherine
Published: June 2017

This study explores the interrelationships between health-related quality of life and conflict structures in family networks of older adults. Data were derived from a sample of 2,858 elders (aged 65 years and older) from the Vivre/Leben/Vivere study, a large survey addressing family life and health conditions of older people in Switzerland. Conflict density in family networks and the betweenness centrality of respondents in family conflict are significantly associated with health-related quality of life measures. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that conflict–health associations are mediated by the level of perceived individual stress where psychological health is concerned. Family conflict structures depend to a large extent on family composition and age. This study stresses the importance of older adults actively shaping the composition of their family contexts in ways that promote both conflict and stress avoidance.
Book Review: railway.com
Authors: Wood Geoffrey E.
Published: June 2017

railway.com by Robert C.B. Miller. Institute of Economic Affairs, London, 2003. Price: £12.50. ISBN 0 255 36534 9.
Production, Productivity and Employment
Authors: Leach Donald
Published: June 2017

The solution to unemployment is often seen as lying in renewed economic growth leading to industrial expansion. The Index of Production (IOP) gives a measure of total industrial output for which the associated number of employees is also available. Productivity may then be defined as production per employee and an index generated by dividing the IOP by the number of employees. Increases of both production and productivity are seen as implicit in economic growth and high, medium and low growth trends may be extrapolated for both. This allows nine combinations of Production and Productivity to be modelled for their impact on employment. A comparison of these models with the number of employees in industry over the period 1959–82 shows that the behaviour can be explained by the rate of growth of production being less than that of productivity. The analysis is extended to include the aggregate of annual working time and, hence, hourly productivity from which it is concluded that even renewed growth of production at 3.5 per cent per annum would be accompanied by further job loss over the rest of the 1980’s.
The Cooperative Movement in the United Arab Emirates: Objectives and Obstacles
Authors: Al-Jassim Sulaiman Moosa
Published: June 2017

Although Cooperative Societies, in its modern concept was accepted somewhat easily by the UAE society, it’s socio-economic role has not yet been fully understood by both, government officials and society members. The cooperative movement in the UAE which emerged officially after the oil boom in the country has accomplished remarkable successes, however, it is still in the primary stage and facing serious obstacles.
Kuwaiti Cooperative Societies as the Principal Retailers in the National Economy
Authors: Abduljader Hassan
Published: June 2017

In comparison with the progress of the cooperative movement elsewhere in the Arab world and internationally, the Kuwaiti Cooperative Societies have achieved considerable success in a short period as the principal retailers in the Kuwaiti national economy, providing consumers with about 70 per cent of all services and commodities in the local market.

Over the past 25 years, the Kuwaiti cooperative movement has succeeded in maintaining stability in the prices of essential commodities and services, in preventing artificial increases and in winning the confidence of consumers.

The goals of the cooperative movement in Kuwait are both economic and social. The economic goal is to co-ordinate individual efforts and public interests within the framework of the cooperative society, while the social goal is to protect low income groups from exploitation, to spread democratic concepts and to consolidate social links, thereby promoting social harmony and solidarity among the various sections of society.

The current aims of the cooperative movement in Kuwait are to overcome obstacles to progress and to enhance the efficiency of its operations.
A Costly Contracting Analysis of the Insurance Firm
Authors: Adams M.B. , Cahan S.F.
Published: June 2017

The financial economics’ literature predicts that corporate decisions are influenced by internal contracting and incentive structures emanating from organizational form. The insurance industry is dominated by two main forms of organization—the mutual and stock company—which differ in terms of their contracting structure and systems of monitoring. As such, it offers an interesting environment within which to examine diversity in economic decision-making between firms of different ownership structure. Mutuals are considered to have economic advantages over stock companies because there are fewer constituents among whom costly contracting has to take place. On the other hand, mutuals have a more diffuse ownership-control structure than stock companies which means that policyholders are less able to closely monitor and control the contractual obligations of managers. Because managers in mutual companies are less closely monitored, they can impose higher contracting costs on policyholders as owners of the insurance firm. To mitigate costly contracting, policyholders will seek to protect their interests by limiting managerial discretion in economic activities, such as production, investment and reinsurance. To stimulate further empirical research, four propositions derived from a costly contracting analysis of the insurance firm are put forward. The paper concludes that costly contracting analysis can provide researchers with rich insights into the economic behaviour of insurance companies.
Instability Behaviour of Single Layer Reticulated Shells
Authors: Gioncu Victor , Balut Nicolae
Published: June 2017

The aim of the present paper is to draw the attention of the designers (often fascinated by the beauty of static analysis) to the essential factors influencing the behaviour of single-layer reticulated shells. These can be classified into geometrical factors (shell geometry and mesh density) and behaviour factors (geometrical and material nonlinearities, forms of instability, imperfections, stiffness of joints, load distribution). The analysis and design conceptions (equilibrium bifurcation or limitation, continuum or discrete structure) are discussed in the final part of the paper. It was tried to present all aspects in the simplest possible form, emphasizing the essence of the investigated phenomena.
Roofing Geometry of Deployable X-Frames
Authors: Escrig Felix , Valcárel Juan Pérez , Sánchez José
Published: June 2017

Deployable X-Frames are sets of scissors connected together that interact taking different forms, from a completely folded bundle, to an extended assembly occupying a large area. Although there are mechanisms activated during the deploying process, when expanded, they can be stiffened by connecting some points to external supports or by including some elements as additional bars. These spatial grids are very useful because of their capability to be assembled rapidly. However the structure must be completed by the addition of a roof material that permits enclosure of the building. This cover can be placed when the structure is deployed and can be rigid, such as metal panels or flexible, such as a fabric roof. It is possible to achieve different solutions for the cladding that can be packed together with the structure and then unfolded or deployed simultaneously with the deployment of the space frame. Our study includes not only flexible materials that are easy to deploy but also rigid plates, that although heavier can also be folded and unfolded.
Non-elastic taping, but not elastic taping, provides benefits for patients with knee osteoarthritis: systemic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Ouyang Jin-Han , Chang Kwang-Hwa , Hsu Wen-Yen , Cho Yen-Ting , Liou Tsan-Hon , Lin Yen-Nung
Published: June 2017

Objective:

To determine whether therapeutic taping, which includes elastic (Kinesio tape) and non-elastic (Leukotape) taping, is superior to control taping in improving pain and functions for patients with knee arthritis. To understand whether both elastic and non-elastic taping are beneficial.

Methods:

We searched the PubMed and Scopus databases from their earliest record to 31 May 2017 for randomized controlled and cross-over studies that used taping to treat knee osteoarthritis. We extracted the mean differences and SD between baseline and posttreatment for selected outcomes measured in the experimental and control groups for subsequent meta-analyses.

Results:

In total, 11 studies were included in the review. Of which, five Leukotaping and five Kinesio taping studies involving 379 participants were used in the meta-analysis. PEDro scores of the Leukotaping and Kinesio taping studies were 4.2 and 7.8, respectively. Overall, therapeutic taping exhibited significantly greater pain reduction than control taping with a significant weighted mean difference of 12.8 mm on a 0- to 100-mm visual analogue scale. Compared to control taping, Leukotaping produced a significant weighted mean difference of 11.6 mm regarding pain with a large effect size of 0.89 and I2 = 0%, while Kinesio taping produced a non-significant weighted mean difference of 12.1 mm and I2 = 93%. Leukotaping also exhibited a large and significant standard mean difference of 0.82, while Kinesio taping exhibited a non-significant standard mean difference of 1.34 regarding climbing stairs and stepping.

Conclusion:

Therapeutic taping seemed to be superior to control taping in pain control for knee osteoarthritis. Non-elastic taping, but not elastic taping, provides benefits in pain reduction and functional performance.
Positivist Victimology: A Critique Part 2: Critical Victimology
Authors: Miers David
Published: June 2017

So far I have argued that in its attempt to explain victimisation by an examination of those held to be victims, and in its particular concentration on the notion of victim-types, on victims of inter-personal crime and on those who contribute to their own victimisation, positivist victimology has faced profound theoretical and operational difficulties which have inevitably limited its explanatory potential. What it has signally failed to do is to explain the everyday social process of identifying and responding to victimising events. The second part of this article examines the central role which this process performs in social life, and proceeds to analyse the parameters and the consequences of that process.
Changes in pulmonary function and functional capacity in adolescents with mild idiopathic scoliosis: observational cohort study
Authors: Abdelaal Ashraf Abdelaal Mohamed , Abd El Kafy Ehab Mohamed Abo El Soad , Elayat Mohamed Salah Eldien Mohamed , Sabbahi Mohamed , Badghish Mohamed Salem Saed
Published: June 2017

Objective

This observational cohort study aimed to evaluate ventilatory function (VF) and functional exercise capacity (FEC) in mild adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS).

Methods

Seventy-three adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis, aged approximately 10 to 17 years (mean age: 13.43 ± 1.27 years), with a Cobb angle less than 20° (mean: 16.44° ± 1.59°), met the inclusion criteria and were assigned to group A. Another 34 healthy adolescents with normal VF and FEC served as controls (group B). Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV), and FEC (by the 6-minute walk test [6MWT]) were the main outcome measures.

Results

Post-study mean values of FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, MVV, and the 6MWT were 2.42 ± 0.36 L and 3.26 ± 0.59 L, 2.14 ± 0.31 L and 3.03 ± 0.43 L, 88.13% ± 3.89% and 91.14% ± 4.67%, 76.96 ± 6.85 L/m and 107.61 ± 11.44 L/m, and 581.12 ± 12.25 m and 627.74 ± 15.27 m in groups A and B, respectively. Between-group comparisons showed significant differences in FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, MVV, and the 6MWT.

Conclusion

Mild pulmonary and functional restrictions start early in mild AIS. This issue requires immediate intervention to prevent further deterioration.
Neoplasms in the Adenohypophysis of Dogs
Authors: Capen C. C. , Martin S. L. , Koestner A.
Published: June 2017

Twenty-six neoplasms of the adenohypophysis were classified either as chromophobe adenomas (20 dogs) or adenomas of the pars intermedia (6 dogs). In 62% of the dogs the neoplasms were functionally active (14 chromophobe adenomas, 2 adenomas of the pars intermedia) and associated with a syndrome of hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing's-like disease). The adrenal cortical hypertrophy and hyperplasia, muscular weakness and wasting, leukocytosis with a neutrophilia, eosinopenia and lymphopenia, deposition of fat in the liver, increased serum corticosteroid, and increased urinary 17-hydroxycorticosteroids all suggested the neoplasms were producing ACTH. Mineralization of the lungs and other tissues was consistently present in dogs with functional neoplasms.

Adenomas of the pars intermedia appeared to arise from the lining epithelium of the residual hypophysial lumen covering the infundibular process. They were sharply demarcated from the compressed pars distalis.
Endometrial Adenocarcinoma in a Cat
Authors: Belter Lester F. , Crawford Edwin M. , Bates Hampton R.
Published: June 2017

An adenocarcinoma of the uterus simulating a gravid uterus occurred in an 11 1/2-year-old unspayed Siamese cat.
The Demonstration of Heinz Bodies in Tissue Sections
Authors: Levy Mildred C. , Pereira D. W. , Payne B. J.
Published: June 2017

A method is described whereby Heinz bodies in erythrocytes may be demonstrated in histologic sections of formalin-fixed tissue. It consists of applying Natt's stain to 4 μ sections cut on a cryostat. The Heinz bodies appear with a clarity comparable to that seen in blood films.
The Introduction of Children's Allowances in Ireland 1939–1944
Authors: Cousins Mel
Published: June 2017

Our ability to provide social security services depends on our productivity. Our only source of wealth is what we produce by the application of human effort to natural resources…. The development of social services must, therefore, proceed side by side with the development of plans for economic development. We are, by setting up this service, proposing to divert purchasing power from one section of the community to another, and we think we are justified in doing so because of the need of the section which will benefit. That is all we are doing.
Theoretical and Experimental Analysis of Solids Conveying in Single-Screw Extruders
Authors: Hyun Kun Sup , Spalding Mark A. , Hinton Carlos E.
Published: June 2017

Solids conveying is the least understood process for single-screw extruders. This lack of understanding was caused by the unavailability of solids conveying rate data. A new device has been developed to measure solids conveying rates as a function of barrel and screw temperatures, screw speed, and discharge pressure. These data along with friction and bulk density data will be used to determine the accuracy of several solids conveying models.
Fiber Waviness and Other Mesostructures in Filament Wound Materials
Authors: Stecenko T. , Piggott M. R.
Published: June 2017

Glass-epoxy filament windings were made with circular and hexagonal sections. They were sectioned and examined for fiber angular deviations and packing anomalies. Results were compared with those from a carbon-epoxy commercially wound circular section tube. In addition, flat regions from the hexagonal section tubes were tested using the short beam shear test. It was found that in-plane waviness was usually much more serious than out-of-plane, especially with the commercial tube. Winding pressure appears to be very important when tubes are not consolidated after winding. Thus the hexagonal sections had very high void contents (here the winding pressure is negligible) and the unsupported hexagonal section windings had relatively low fiber volume fractions. The apparent shear strength was reduced by the voids, but did not correlate with any other mesostructural parameter, nor with fiber volume fraction.
Treatment of Congenital Nevi with Ruby and Alexandrite Lasers
Authors: Amiry Syed A. , Fitzpatrick Ritchard E. , Goldman Mitchell P. , Detwiler Susan
Published: June 2017

Introduction:

Laser treatment of congenital nevi, especially large nevi, is controversial. Currently, the standard of care is treatment by surgical excision, which can lead to scarring and permanent hypopigmentation. Furthermore, excision of giant congenital nevi might involve a substantial body surface area and could require multiple excisions, resulting in multiple scars. Additionally, some nevi are in cosmetically sensitive anatomic locations where surgical excision could compromise function or leave cosmetically unacceptable scars.

Materials and Methods:

Seventeen patients with small to giant nevi of different sizes were treated with ruby and/or alexandrite lasers either in the same or different treatment sessions at 3–8-week intervals. Baseline biopsies of giant and some medium congenital nevi were obtained. All the nevi treated were histologically benign. In treating the two giant congenital nevi, the maximum effective fluences were determined through histological examination of treated anatomic locations after treatment at different energy levels.

Results:

Two small nevi (12%) completely cleared and 12 small and medium nevi (71%) showed partial or cosmetically acceptable response. The two giant congenital nevi achieved 50–75% lightening after 6 or 7 treatment sessions. Side effects were minimal in most patients and included crusting and purpura immediately postoperatively. More severe hemorrhagic reaction and superficial thermal necrosis resulting in several patches of scar tissue 1–2 cm in width was seen in one of the two patients with giant congenital nevi. The hypertrophic scarring was effectively treated with pulse dye laser and intralesional Kenalog and 5-FU. Histological examination of the treated giant congenital nevi showed elimination of nevus cells in the upper dermis without appreciable fibrosis.

Discussion:

The ruby and alexandrite lasers are effective in partial or complete elimination of small nevi and lightening of medium to giant congenital nevi. Treatment of the giant congenital nevi requires dedicated patients, as well as persistence and diligence on the part of the treating physician. The risks and benefits should always be weighed before starting a course of treatment.
Evaluation of the potential of kartogenin encapsulated poly(L-lactic acid-co-caprolactone)/collagen nanofibers for tracheal cartilage regeneration
Authors: Yin Haiyue , Wang Juan , Gu Ziqi , Feng Wenhao , Gao Manchen , Wu Yu , Zheng Hao , He Xiaomin , Mo Xiumei
Published: June 2017

Tracheal stenosis is one of major challenging issues in clinical medicine because of the poor intrinsic ability of tracheal cartilage for repair. Tissue engineering provides an alternative method for the treatment of tracheal defects by generating replacement tracheal structures. In this study, we fabricated coaxial electrospun fibers using poly(L-lactic acid-co-caprolactone) and collagen solution as shell fluid and kartogenin solution as core fluid. Scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope images demonstrated that nanofibers had uniform and smooth structure. The kartogenin released from the scaffolds in a sustained and stable manner for about 2 months. The bioactivity of released kartogenin was evaluated by its effect on maintain the synthesis of type II collagen and glycosaminoglycans by chondrocytes. The proliferation and morphology analyses of mesenchymal stems cells derived from bone marrow of rabbits indicated the good biocompatibility of the fabricated nanofibrous scaffold. Meanwhile, the chondrogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells cultured on core-shell nanofibrous scaffold was evaluated by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The results suggested that the core-shell nanofibrous scaffold with kartogenin could promote the chondrogenic differentiation ability of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. Overall, the core-shell nanofibrous scaffold could be an effective delivery system for kartogenin and served as a promising tissue engineered scaffold for tracheal cartilage regeneration.
Effect of Demineralized Bone Matrix on Bone Growth within a Porous HA Material: A Histologic and Histometric Study
Authors: Damien Christopher J. , Parsons J. Russell , Preweit Annamarie B. , Huismans Frank , Shors Edwin C. , Holmes Ralph E.
Published: June 2017

Coralline hydroxyapatite (cHA) is an osteoconductive material currently being used as a bone graft substitute. Created by the hydrothermal conversion of the calcium carbonate skeleton of coral to hydroxyapatite, this material has a porous structure similar to cancellous bone. Addition of demineralized bone matrix (DBM) would conceivably create a composite with both osteoconductive and osteoinductive properties. This pilot study evaluated the healing of rabbit cranial defects that had been filled with cHA or cHA augmented with a DBM gel formed by adding glycerol to the DBM particulate. Data from these were then compared to unfilled defects from a previous study. Results indicated enhancement of new bone formation and an increase in the rate of healing in the defects filled with the cHA-DBM gel composite. Further studies are warranted.
Considering the Impact of Early Trauma on Coping and Pathology to Predict Posttraumatic Growth Among 9-1-1 Telecommunicators
Authors: London Melissa J. , Mercer Mary C. , Lilly Michelle M.
Published: June 2017

Recent research has demonstrated that first responders may report posttraumatic growth (PTG), positive psychological changes that arise in the aftermath of a trauma. Less is known regarding the perception of PTG among 9-1-1 telecommunicators, a group of first responders exposed to a high degree of lifetime trauma, including duty-related trauma as well as early and non-duty-related trauma. Moreover, the impact of childhood trauma on the processes involved in the perception of growth is less clear. While some distress is needed to facilitate processes that lead to the perception of PTG, it has been suggested that positive associations between PTG and pathology reflect avoidant coping or represent an illusory component of PTG. Structural equation models were used to examine early trauma exposure, coping, and pathology in predicting PTG among 9-1-1 telecommunicators ( N = 788). In separate models using active and avoidant forms of coping, childhood trauma exposure had an indirect effect on PTG through coping. In a model considering both forms of coping, childhood trauma had an indirect effect on PTG through psychopathology, but not through coping. The results show that early trauma exposure leads to the perception of growth through pathways indicative of both adaptive and maladaptive coping processes.
Obtaining minimum-drag shapes through surrogate-based global optimization: An application to the aerodynamic shape design of the landing gear master cylinder
Authors: Andrés-Pérez Esther , González-Juárez Daniel , Martin-Burgos Mario J , Carro-Calvo Leopoldo , Salcedo-Sanz Sancho
Published: June 2017

Nowadays, one of the priorities of the European Commission is to reduce the environmental impact of aviation through the advanced design of novel aircraft configurations. This is of utmost importance in order to decrease the environmental footprint of aviation and to reduce fuel consumption and make airlines more profitable. This implies that new methods and tools for aerodynamic shape optimization will have to be developed, allowing aircraft configurations that cannot be obtained with traditional strategies. This paper focuses on the application of enhanced methods in aerodynamic shape design optimization to enable advanced aircraft configurations. In particular, this work aims to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed strategy to reach optimal configurations that are far away from its baseline geometry. For this purpose, evolutionary algorithms are combined with support vector machines and applied to the optimization of a baseline geometry for different flow conditions. In particular, the selected application is based on the shape optimization problem of the landing gear master cylinder. Results pointed out the feasibility of the mentioned strategy to enable novel configurations within an aerodynamic shape optimization process.
Effect of standoff distance and area ratio on the performance of circular exhaust ejector using computational fluid dynamics
Authors: Singh L , Singh SN , Sinha SS
Published: June 2017

Numerical investigation is carried out to study the effect of standoff distance and area ratio on mass entrainment of an air–air circular exhaust ejector. Nozzle and mixing tube are the two components of an ejector, and for the present study, circular cross section shape has been chosen. Numerical simulations have been carried out at Reynolds number in the range of 6.85 × 104 and 4.11 × 105. Area ratio is varied between 1.25 < area ratio < 4 and standoff distance is varied from 1 Dnz < standoff distance < 4 Dnz, where Dnz represent the nozzle exit diameter. It is observed that for the ejector configuration with area ratio as 2, 2.25, and 2.5, the mass entrainment characteristics are nearly independent of standoff distance between 1 Dnz to 4 Dnz. For ejector configuration with area ratio below 2, mass entrainment decreases with increase in standoff distance. For ejector configuration with area ratio greater than 2.5, mass entrainment increases with increase in standoff distance for the range investigated and has the tendency to taper off beyond 4 Dnz for most of the area ratios. Effect of change in mixing tube length is also studied. It is seen that the mass entrainment improves with increase in length up to 8 Dnz. Further increase in length does not effect mass entrainment. This study provides important guidelines that can aid in arriving at an optimal design of circular exhaust ejectors.
Pulmonary involvement of secondary syphilis
Authors: Ogawa Yoshihiko , Imai Yuichiro , Yoshihara Shingo , Fujikura Hiroyuki , Hirai Nobuyasu , Sato Masatoshi , Ogawa Taku , Uno Kenji , Kasahara Kei , Yano Hisakazu , Mikasa Keiichi
Published: June 2017

Pulmonary involvement in secondary syphilis is considered a rare occurrence; however, the number of cases has increased in the 2000s. This is likely due to the increased use of computed tomography scans and molecular diagnostic testing. We report a case of an HIV-positive man with pleural chest pain and bilateral subpleural nodules on chest computed tomography. His rapid plasma reagin and Treponema pallidum hemagglutination tests were positive, and the specimen of one of the pulmonary nodules obtained by transthoracic biopsy was positive for the polA gene of Treponema pallidum. Since clinical manifestations of syphilis are highly variable, clinicians should bear in mind that pleural chest pain with bilateral subpleural nodules can be caused by pulmonary syphilis.
Characteristics of hospital admissions for pneumonia in HIV-positive individuals in Winnipeg, Manitoba: a cross-sectional retrospective analysis
Authors: van Gaalen S , Duff Michael , Arroyave Luisa F , Rueda Zulma Vanessa , Kasper Ken , Keynan Y
Published: June 2017

Lung infection in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive individuals remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality, even in the current antiretroviral therapy era. Pneumonia is the most common cause of admission in HIV-positive individuals in our centre as reported in a previously published study. The objective of this retrospective observational study was to further characterize these admissions, with respect to index of disease severity at presentation, organisms identified, and investigations pursued including bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). There were 123 unique patients accounting for a total of 209 admissions from 2005 to 2015. An organism was isolated in only 33% of all admissions (68/209). The most common organism was Pneumocystis jirovecii with a frequency of 29% of all admissions. Eighty-seven percent of presentations were mild, and 13% were moderate by CURB-65 criteria. A total of 39 BALs were performed, of which 27 yielded an organism (69%). Considering the burden of disease, low diagnostic yield of the current diagnostic strategy and increased morbidity and mortality caused by pneumonia in HIV-positive individuals, further methods are needed to more accurately target therapy. The preponderance of mild disease in this study suggests that better diagnostic tests may identify individuals that can be candidates for outpatient therapy.
The Significations of Representing Dialect in Writing
Authors: Toolan Michael
Published: June 2017

This article reviews some of the constraints and implications involved in the reporting of speech in fiction and elsewhere, paying particular attention to some of the issues that attend the representation of dialect. A number of cases are discussed, but a specific focus is the apparent absence of rendering of urban black South African speech in the fiction of the pre-eminent contemporary white South African writers, J.M. Coetzee and N. Gordimer. This absence of ‘giving voice’ is interpreted as an avoidance strategy, seemingly necessary but certainly troubled, given the charged socio-political context, in which for these authors to represent the voices of those individuals could too easily be construed as appropriation. In this case; as in others discussed, questions of power, distance versus affinity, and rights of free expression and of silence are involved.
Why do economists study happiness?
Authors: Piekałkiewicz Marcin
Published: June 2017

Recently economists have expressed increasing interest in studying the determinants of happiness. Their main task has been to identify economic and non-economic sources of well-being to define policies aimed at maximising happiness in nations. As yet, it has not been precisely explained why ‘happiness economics’ is actually a part of economic science. In this article, we show that happiness can be an economic concept providing a critical review of the literature on (a) economic applications of happiness data and (b) economic consequences of happiness. Happiness data have been used to analyse microeconomic phenomena and to value non-market goods. Happiness may act as a determinant of economic outcomes: it increases productivity, predicts one’s future income and affects labour market performance. A growing number of happiness studies indicate a role of personality traits in understanding the link between well-being and economic outcomes.
Resilience and Coping Strategies Influencing the Quality of Life in Patients With Brain Tumor
Authors: Pan Chiu-Ju , Liu Hui-Chun , Liang Shu-Yuan , Liu Chieh-Yu , Wu Wei-Wen , Cheng Su-Fen
Published: June 2017

The study purpose was to evaluate how much of the variance in quality of life (QOL) among Taiwanese patients with brain tumor could be accounted for by resilience and coping strategy. This cross-sectional study included 95 patients who had undergone a treatment of operations or chemotherapy or radiotherapy relevant to brain tumor after at least 1 month and completed the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QOL Questionnaire–Brain Cancer Module (EORTC QLQ-BN20), Resilience Scale (RS), and Ways of Coping Checklist–Revised (WCC-R). There was a significant negative correlation between resilience and future uncertainty QOL and motor dysfunction QOL. In addition, there was a significant positive correlation between the emotion-focused coping and future uncertainty QOL, as well as a significant negative correlation between problem-focused coping and motor dysfunction QOL. Resilience accounted for 4.8% and the emotion-focused coping accounted for 10.20% of the variance in separately predicting the future uncertainty QOL. This study highlights the potential importance of resilience and coping strategies in patients’ QOL, which is relevant to brain tumor treatment.
Conceptions of Conflict in Organizational Conflict Research: Toward Critical Reflexivity
Authors: Mikkelsen Elisabeth Naima , Clegg Stewart
Published: June 2017

Diverse and often unacknowledged assumptions underlie organizational conflict research. In this essay, we identify distinct ways of conceptualizing conflict in the theoretical domain of organizational conflict with the aim of setting a new critical agenda for reflexivity in conflict research. In doing so, we first apply a genealogical approach to study conceptions of conflict, and we find that three distinct and essentially contested conceptions frame studies of conflict at work. Second, we employ two empirical examples of conflict to illustrate how organizational conflict research can benefit from a more reflexive approach and advance our understanding of conflict. In this essay, we emphasize how philosophical and political assumptions about conflict frame knowledge production within the field and we encourage future theory development to build on different notions of conflict to become better at coping with the complex and dynamic nature of conflict.
Effectiveness of a Combined Drug Self-Administration and Patient Teaching Program
Authors: Newcomer Darrell R. , Anderson Roger W.
Published: June 2017

A study of the effectiveness of a drug self-administration and patient teaching program for semi-acute care patients is outlined. Three general programs were available for the administration of medications: the monitored self-administration (MSA) program, the self-administration (SA) program, and the nurse-administered (NA) unit dose program. Criteria for the selection of patients for drug self-administration and guidelines for the preparation of patient instructions are suggested. Drug self-administration and drug counseling by a pharmacist significantly improved the patient's knowledge of drug names, of optimum times to take their medications, of common side effects and special instructions, and of adverse or allergic drug reactions.
Dosage Modifications of Cancer Chemotherapeutic Agents in Renal Failure
Authors: Shinn Arthur F. , Rutkowski Diane , Wilner Freeman M. , Morita Yoshikazu
Published: June 2017

Oncology patients undergoing chemotherapy often present with associated renal dysfunction requiring dosage modifications due to possible accumulation of toxic metabolites. We have devised a chart which can be used as a guideline by the physician for determining dosage modifications of cancer chemotherapeutic agents in patients with renal failure.
Monitoring Drug Therapy in Skilled Nursing Facility Patients
Authors: Stewart Jesse E. , Marttila James K. , Kabat Hugh F. , Wertheimer Albert I.
Published: June 2017

A discussion of one system designed for monitoring drug therapy in skilled nursing facility (SNF) patients is presented. This system will enable the pharmacist to fulfill the federal requirement for monitoring drug therapy and will provide the opportunity for gathering and analyzing drug usage data in fulfillment of the facility's utilization review requirement. The system described was developed and tested at five SNF's. Follow-up studies at each of the five facilities were then performed for comparison purposes. The data presented describe and analyze the results from both studies for two of the ten drugs studied: Digoxin and hydrochlorothiazide. The high rates of nonconformance to the established criteria are discussed and specific insights as to why drug therapy in these patients often seems inappropriate are provided.
Prescriptions Ordered by Podiatrists for Ambulatory Patients
Authors: Rucker T. Donald , Janis Leonard , Bennett Marialice
Published: June 2017

This pilot study describes and suggests quality of care considerations related to prescriptions ordered by podiatrists for ambulatory patients. During the four-month survey period, the average podiatrist initiated 120 prescription orders and utilized 26 different drug entities. The 44 practitioners employed 235 different preparations, headed by Lotrimin®, Mepergan Fortis® and erythromycin. Although refill orders were judged as conservative, questions are raised about the use of oral dosage form combination products, agents employed infrequently, and the desired therapeutic intention of some preparations.
Evaluation of Long-Term Triazolam Use in an Ambulatory Veterans Administration Medical Center Population
Authors: De Tullio Pamela L. , Kirking Duane M. , Zacardelli Debra K. , Kwee Paul
Published: June 2017

Triazolam is indicated for the short-term treatment of insomnia. To determine how it was being prescribed and used, we examined triazolam use in patients who had received the drug for greater than six weeks. We reviewed medical charts of 72 adult male patients from an ambulatory Veterans Administration population who had received a 30-day triazolam prescription with at least one refill. Results showed that although prescribed daily doses of triazolam were generally appropriate for the age of the patient being treated, the average length of therapy was 6.2 months. Seventy-five percent of the prescriptions had been written for a one-month supply with five refills. Neither prescriber specialty nor level of training was significantly related to length of therapy. Thirty-nine of the patients (54 percent) were available for a telephone interview to determine how the drug was actually being used and the adverse effects profile. Over 60 percent claimed to be taking the drug every night, 95 percent at the dose prescribed. Sixty-seven percent of the patients taking triazolam nightly reportedly did not sleep as well if they tried a night without the drug. Apart from effects on sleep, dizziness and confusion were the most commonly reported adverse effects. As a result of this study, automatic stop orders on discharge were implemented to limit triazolam therapy to inpatient stays. Physicians must evaluate the need for continued hypnotic therapy so that a longer-acting agent like flurazepam may be used if chronic medication is necessary.
A Nationwide Survey of Antibiotic Prescribing Patterns and Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Bacterial Pneumonia
Authors: Grasela Thaddeus H. , Welage Lynda S. , Walawander Cynthia A. , Timm Edward G. , Pelter Mitchell A. , Poirier Therese I. , Walters J. Ken
Published: June 2017

Antibiotic prescribing information was prospectively collected on 1822 hospitalized patients treated for suspected or documented bacterial pneumonia. Antibacterial therapy with a single antibiotic was employed in more than 50 percent of the patients, with cefazolin, cefuroxime, ampicillin, and ceftriaxone sodium representing the most commonly employed agents. Combination therapy using two antibiotics was employed in approximately 30 percent of patients with the aminoglycosides, particularly gentamicin, used extensively. A satisfactory outcome was achieved in approximately 80 percent of patients with a community- or institutional-acquired pneumonia; only 66 percent of nosocomial pneumonias had a satisfactory outcome. An important observation was the apparently common practice of switching patients to an oral antibiotic regimen after an average of seven days of antibiotics and subsequently discharging the patient. No difference was observed in the patterns of clinical response or duration of therapy for culture-positive versus culture-negative patients. The results of this surveillance program can serve as a basis for comparison of institution-specific drug utilization evaluation programs.
Current and Future Drugs for Acid-Peptic Disease: A Plethora of Opinions on Possible Mechanisms of Action
Authors: Dent John , McCloy Rory F. , Garner Andrew , Matthews Jeffrey B. , Rune Simon , Blum Andre L.
Published: June 2017

Sixty-seven invited participants involved in the development, evaluation, and use of therapies for acid-peptic disorders participated in a meeting to discuss the scientific basis for healing actions of ulcer drugs and the prospects for future developments (“Realities of Mucosal Protection in the Upper Gastrointestinal Tract”, Lausanne, Switzerland, November 8–10, 1987). Eighty-one key statements were prepared and subsequently analyzed on the basis of a voting system. Of the 45 statements that dealt with existing therapies, only 3 statements showed positive consensus (agreement of two-thirds or more of voters) about mechanisms of ulcer healing. Participants agreed that both (1) hydrogen/potassium adenosine triphosphatase inhibitors and (2) histamine H2 antagonists healed ulcers solely by acid inhibition, and (3) that sucralfate works by topical action. Substantial uncertainty about the mechanisms by which bismuth compounds and antacids heal ulcers was noted as well as their wide range of effects. The mechanism of ulcer healing by prostaglandins and the clinical relevance of antiulcer effects of drugs demonstrated in acute studies with animals were also controversial. There was greater agreement among participants about unexplored drug effects that might produce ulcer healing. Of the 36 such mechanisms surveyed, the most support went to therapies aimed at enhancement of mucosal blood flow, epithelial restitution, and mucosal alkaline secretion or inhibition of luminal pepsin activity. The diversity of opinions among participants suggests a high level of empiricism in the development of ulcer healing drugs apart from those that inhibit acid secretion. This empiricism probably arises from inadequate understanding of processes of mucosal injury and repair.