bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Maximum lesions area and orthogonal values accessed from DWI images would be alternative imaging markers for predicting the outcome of acute ischemia in the middle cerebral artery territory
Authors: Yuan Tao , Ren Guoli , Quan Guanmin , Liu Yawu
Published: August 2018

Background

Evaluating the acute ischemic volume on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory would predict outcome.

Purpose

To investigate the correlations between maximum area with restricted diffusion (MaxA), the orthogonal diameters (OD) as well as lesion volume on DWI, and to explore the role of MaxA and OD on predicting unfavorable outcome after an acute MCA ischemic stroke.

Material and Methods

Sixty consecutive adult patients, including modified Rankin Scale score (mRS) ≤2 (n = 31) and mRS > 2 (n = 29) groups, were retrospectively enrolled. The MaxA and OD of lesions were assessed at the slice containing the largest infarction size on DWI images. We compared the prediction efficiencies of these methods on unfavorable outcomes.

Results

The correlation coefficients between the MaxA and infarction volume and OD and infarction volume were 0.982 ( P < 0.001) and 0.952 ( P < 0.001), respectively. The times required for measuring MaxA (150 s [130–160]) and OD (30 s [20–60]) were much shorter than that for infarction volume measurement (1240 s [180–1480]) ( P = 0.001, P = 0.004). With thresholds of ≥57.3 mL for infarction volume, ≥15.2 cm2 for MaxA, and ≥38.1 for the arithmetic product of OD, the AUCs of infarction volume, MaxA, and OD for predicting an unfavorable outcome were 0.818, 0.821, and 0.820, respectively.

Conclusion

Since they correlated well with the infarction volume, MaxA and OD assessed on DWI were time-saving and achieved comparable diagnostic efficiencies; thus, they may represent alternative imaging markers for predicting unfavorable outcomes of acute ischemic stroke in MCA territory.
The concept of friendship in adolescents with cancer: Reflections and experiences
Authors: Mascarin Maurizio , Ferrari Andrea
Published: August 2018

Cancer can erupt in an adolescent’s life, damaging his or her multidimensional balance with its burden of physical suffering, changes in appearance, and anxiety, interrupting their activities, keeping them away from school, and isolating them socially. It is crucially important for adolescents with cancer to be able to feel the same as before, to feel they belong to a group of schoolmates. This is not always easy to achieve. Their peers sometimes lack the necessary resources to treat adolescents with cancer as normal ones, responding instead with pity or avoidance. This article discusses the concept of friendship in adolescents with cancer, based on direct experience of being with them, personal reflections, and texts chosen and shared with the patients, as part of the cultural activities dedicated to adolescents and young adults with cancer at the Youth Area of the Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, Aviano, and the Youth Project at the Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy.
Pseudodiverticula of the Small Intestine Associated With Idiopathic Smooth Muscle Hypertrophy in Domestic Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
Authors: Bertram Christof A. , Müller Kerstin , Halter Lesley , Nastarowitz-Bien Christiane , Schink Anne-Katrin , Lübke-Becker Antina , von Czapiewski Ellen , Klopfleisch Robert
Published: August 2018

Acquired outpouches of the intestinal tract are referred to as pseudodiverticula or false pulsion diverticula. In contrast to true diverticula, in which the wall contains all layers of the intestinal tract, the wall of pseudodiverticula lacks the tunica muscularis. Smooth muscle hypertrophy of the small intestine is commonly considered a cause of pseudodiverticulosis in animals due to increased intraluminal pressure. This study reports pseudodiverticula associated with idiopathic smooth muscle hypertrophy of the small intestine in lagomorphs. Four domestic rabbits had single or multiple (up to 200) pseudodiverticula of various size in the small intestine. In all cases the tunica muscularis was diffusely thickened, significantly exceeding reference thickness of 14 rabbits (mean, 112.3 µm; range, 26.3–389.0 µm). Clinical signs were considered to be caused by severe necrosis and inflammation of the wall of large pseudodiverticula, leading to perforation with subsequent peritonitis and mesenteric and omental abscess formation in 2 cases.
Microphthalmia With Multiple Anterior Segment Defects in Portuguese Water Dogs
Authors: Shaw Gillian C. , Tse May P. Y. , Miller Andrew D.
Published: August 2018

Portuguese Water Dog breeders and veterinary ophthalmologists recognize microphthalmia with multiple congenital ocular anomalies. Fifteen Portuguese Water Dog puppies (<8 weeks of age; 8 females, 7 males) and 1 adult (5 years old; castrated male) with microphthalmia were examined. The 2 most common abnormalities were microphthalmia (31/32 eyes; 97%) and lens abnormality (congenital cataract or aphakia; 32/32 eyes; 100%). Other common histologic lesions included lack of both a ciliary cleft and trabecular meshwork (15/32 eyes; 47%) and abnormal relationship of anterior segment structures (15/32 eyes; 47%). Many of the observed lesions were similar to those described in various types of anterior segment dysgenesis in humans. Our findings define the histologic lesions in affected Portuguese Water Dogs and suggest a genetic defect that causes anterior segment malformation early in development.
‘There was a young girl of the Somme, / Who sat on a number five bomb’: The Representation of Violence in First World War Trench Newspaper Nonsense Rhymes
Authors: Anderson Emily
Published: August 2018

The nonsense rhymes that were almost ubiquitous in First World War trench newspapers (periodicals produced by servicemen while on active service) present vivid, humorous, and arresting representations of violence. This article draws attention to servicemen’s widespread use of limericks and parodic nursery rhymes to depict soldiers being, variously, shot, shelled, and bayoneted, and establishes the hitherto unrecognised representational significance of these poems. Those portrayals of the First World War most frequently celebrated for their truthfulness and emotiveness tend to be both solemn and, in different ways, ‘new’. In contrast, written in the traditions of nineteenth-century nonsense literature and reflecting the popularity of nonsense in contemporary comic periodicals, nonsensical trench newspaper poems indicate the durability of nonsense as a form of Great War representation.
Return to work after stroke – Feasibility of 6-year follow-up
Authors: Phillips Julie , Gaffney Kathryn , Phillips Margaret , Radford Kate
Published: August 2018

Introduction

Little is known about long-term work sustainability of stroke survivors. A feasibility trial of early stroke specialist vocational rehabilitation had 32/46 (69.5%) participants available for follow-up at 12 months post stroke. Of these, 19/32 (59.4%) were in work. This study aims to determine the feasibility of longer-term follow-up and explore work status 6 years post stroke.

Method

Forty-eight participants fitting criteria for the feasibility trial were sent postal questionnaires measuring employment, income, mood, functional ability and quality of life, and were invited for interview to explore working 6 years after stroke. Ethical approval was obtained.

Results

Of the 48 participants, five (10.4%) had died; 19/43 (44.2%) responded. Fourteen were men; mean age 62 (24–78) years. Fourteen (74%) reported working (paid work n = 10, voluntary work n = 3, full-time education n = 1). Five had retired. Most (11/13) remained with preinjury employers. Half (8/15, 53%) reported decreased income since stroke. Compared to one year, median functional ability was marginally higher (extended activities of daily living 63 (IQR 8, range 32–66) to 60 (IQR 9, range 17–66)), but health-related quality of life was lower (EuroQuol Visual Analogue Scale mean 77.4 [SD 11] to 70.7 [SD14]). Six interviewees felt returning to work was the correct decision but struggled with invisible impairments.

Conclusion

This study suggests that long-term follow-up is feasible and that those who made a good recovery were more likely to respond. Work remains important to stroke survivors 6 years post stroke.
A nonlinear simulation of a bi-failure specimen through improved discretisation methods: A validation study
Authors: Farahani Behzad V , Belinha Jorge , Tavares Paulo J , Moreira Pedro MGP
Published: August 2018

A robust and efficient scheme is rendered to elastoplastically study the material nonlinearity of structural components. In this investigation, a specimen manufactured from the aluminium alloy AA6061-T6 is considered. It is mechanically loaded under a uniaxial tensile state and the experimental strain datum is analysed by three-dimensional digital image correlation. Due to specific specimen geometry, complex stress states will occur. However, the specimen yields due to an approximated uniaxial stress state. The obtained remote stress/strain from experimental data is used to validate the computational solutions using advanced discretisation approaches. Therefore, as a preliminary numerical study, the model is simulated through the finite element method formulation. Afterwards, another numerical strategy is adopted – the radial point interpolation method. The Newton–Raphson initial stiffness method is thereby adapted to complete the nonlinear solutions algorithm. Furthermore, the elastoplastic demeanour of aluminium alloys is determined with the von Mises yield criterion, an isotropic hardening rule and an associative flow rule. Obtained computational results fit the experimental digital image correlation solution, which allow to conclude that the proposed meshless methodology is efficient and reliable.
Legacies of a Broken United Kingdom: British Military Charities, the State and the Courts in Ireland, 1923–29
Authors: Huddie Paul
Published: August 2018

Over the past forty years, the historiography of British Army ex-serviceman in Ireland has undergone a veritable ‘historical revolution’. Like its British and international counterparts, the historiography on Ireland has focused on the lives and care of these men after the war within the Irish Free State; Irish government policy towards them; and ex-servicemen’s relationships with the Irish and British governments, British agencies and their own often hostile communities. Researchers continue to document the existence, organisation and activities of two British government agencies: the Land Trust and Ministry of Pensions, with brief analyses being undertaken on the British Legion and more especially the Southern Irish Loyalists Relief Association’s vital role in relieving impoverished ex-servicemen and their families. Yet far more can still be said about ‘British’ military charity in Ireland after 1922. The purpose of this article is twofold. First, to discuss two court cases that were fought by the Irish, British and Northern Irish governments and several other Irish interests between 1923 and 1929 over the legacies of two then redundant pre-war Irish military charities. Second, to analyse the place of two court cases within the broader contexts of Irish post-war state-building and the history of the British ex-serviceman, but more especially his family in Ireland. What would their fate be in an independent Ireland?
Privacy awareness issues in user data collection by digital libraries
Authors: Affonso Elaine Parra , Sant’Ana Ricardo César Gonçalves
Published: August 2018

This work has the objective of investigating privacy aspects in the collection of data by the National Digital Libraries of South America. Country-specific digital libraries were examined using an exploratory research method to identify data these libraries collected both with the user’s awareness and in the explicit presence of privacy policies within their environments. Brazil’s National Digital Library environment was also examined by using the Wireshark tool to identify possible data collected implicitly during user interaction. We identified that only two of the examined digital libraries provide privacy guidance, and in relation to the collection process, the data that are collected without the knowledge of the user stand out more than the data that the user makes available consciously. It is concluded that privacy issues can be influenced by low user awareness of when, how and where data collection takes place, and the availability of privacy policies becomes essential in digital libraries to raise awareness about this process.
Prevalence of Engagement in Single versus Multiple Types of Secondary Tasks: Results from the Naturalistic Engagement in Secondary Task (NEST) Dataset
Authors: Risteska Martina , Donmez Birsen , W. Chen Huei-Yen , Modi Miti
Published: August 2018

We investigated engagement in single vs. multiple types of secondary tasks in distraction-affected, safety-critical events (SCEs), i.e., crashes/near-crashes, and baselines reported in the Naturalistic Engagement in Secondary Tasks (NEST) dataset. NEST was created from Second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP2) data for studying distractions in detail. Early descriptive analysis on NEST found that most distraction-affected SCE and baseline epochs (10 s long) include more than one type of secondary task, suggesting that a considerable number of drivers may be engaging in multiple secondary activities within a relatively short time frame, potentially being exposed to increased demands brought on by multi-tasking and task-switching. We conducted inferential statistics on NEST focusing on engagement in single vs. multiple types of tasks across SCEs and baselines. A logit model was built to compare the odds of engaging in single vs. multiple types of tasks with the following predictors: event type (SCE, baseline), environmental demand, GPS speed, and driver age. The last three predictors were included to capture the driving demands experienced, which may have impacted drivers’ task engagement behavior. Odds of engagement in multiple types of secondary tasks was higher in SCEs than baselines. Furthermore, with marginal statistical significance, drivers 65 years and over were less likely to engage in multiple types of secondary tasks than younger drivers. Overall, engagement in multiple secondary task types is more prevalent in SCEs. Most crash risk studies to date have reported the effects associated with one type of secondary task. However, it appears that these effects may be confounded by the presence of other secondary tasks.
Challenges in Hazard Detection for Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers: A Driving Simulator Training Study
Authors: Park George D. , Hickman Jeffrey S. , Pitoniak Sean P. , Rosenthal Theodore J.
Published: August 2018

There are few research studies that have assessed the hazard detection (HD) challenges of experienced, skilled drivers. This paper presents the pilot study results of an HD training program, Commercial Driver Assessment and Training System (CDATS), developed for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. The training involved simulation-based videos that highlight potential vehicle, pedestrian, and visually hidden hazards during unprotected intersection maneuvers: left-turn, right-turn, and straight-thru. Low-fidelity driving simulations were designed to reinforce video lessons and increase the expectation and detection of potential hazards. Training efficacy was assessed using a driving simulator HD task presented to short-haul CMV drivers ( N = 16) at pre-/post-assignment to CDATS training or a control condition. Results suggested that CMV drivers had highest HD task accuracy (% correct) for vehicle hazards and lowest accuracy for visually hidden hazards. Performance for pedestrian hazards was dependent on the intersection maneuver, with performance decreases for left-turn, right-turn and straight-thru intersections, respectively. Post-test results suggested overall HD improvement in the CDATS training group with no change in the control group; however, there was no significant change in relative hazard type by intersection maneuver pattern. Similar to prior research, experienced CMV drivers may also exhibit challenges in HD, particularly for visually hidden and visible pedestrian hazards, and may benefit from HD training.
Revisiting the Jezebel Stereotype
Authors: Anderson Joel R. , Holland Elise , Heldreth Courtney , Johnson Scott P.
Published: August 2018

The overt objectification and dehumanization of Black people has a long history throughout the Western world. However, few researchers have explored whether such perceptions still persist implicitly and whether Black women are sexually objectified at an interpersonal level. We sought to address this gap by exploring whether Black women are sexually objectified to a greater extent than White women and whether target sexualization exacerbates this effect. In Study 1, using eye-tracking technology ( N = 38), we provide evidence that individuals attend more often, and for longer durations, to the sexual body parts of Black women compared to White women, particularly when presented in a sexualized manner. In Studies 2a ( N = 120) and 2b ( N = 131), we demonstrated that Black women are implicitly associated with both animals and objects to a greater degree than White women with a Go/No-Go Association Task. We discuss the implications of such dehumanizing treatment of Black people and Black women in U.S. society. We hope that this evidence will increase awareness that objectification can happen outside the realm of conscious thought and that related interventions ought to include an ethnicity-specific component. Additional online materials for this article, including online slides for instructors who want to use this article for teaching, are available on PWQ's website at http://journals.sagepub.com/page/pwq/suppl/index
The ‘Invisible Refugee’
Authors: Biran Hanni
Published: August 2018

This paper concerns what I call ‘the Invisible Refugee’ and the exploration of this in the domains of both the external world and the internal world. I borrow the term ‘refugee’ from the external world, and consider its metaphorical aspects with regard to the internal world. I will illustrate my ideas with clinical data from one of my slow-open groups, and then offer a further theoretical comment.
Ocean noise: Making sense of sounds
Authors: André Michel
Published: August 2018

The growing scientific and societal concern about the effects of underwater sound on marine ecosystems has recently been recognized through the introduction of several international initiatives aimed at measuring the environmental impact of ocean noise on large spatial and temporal scales. From a regulatory perspective, the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive includes noise as one of 11 descriptors to determine Good Environmental Status of the oceans. The Directive specifically requires European Union (EU) Member States to provide a measure of annually averaged noise. The international program LIDO (Listening to the Deep-Ocean Environment) has developed a software package that measures sound levels and monitors acoustic sources in real-time on a global scale; this software is now operating to provide industry with an environmentally responsible approach. The system is currently operating worldwide from several wired and radio- or satellite-linked platforms. It includes the automatic identification of acoustic events (physical processes, biological sounds and artificial noise) and the measurement of noise contributions from anthropogenic sources. Continuous monitoring of background noise will indeed help us to understand whether long-term exposures to noise, in areas with intense shipping or seismic campaigns, for instance, might alter animal natural behaviour and may be used in the future to assess the effects of ocean noise on marine life.
Predicting and testing a silo-free delivery system
Authors: Pepler Eileen Florence , Pridie Joy , Brown Steve
Published: August 2018

Given the scale and complexity of the challenge of addressing the aging population, increasing demand for complex and integrated care, this article sets out potential opportunities to predict a future without silos, based on international learnings. Examining another country’s health and delivery systems, it is interesting to see the similarities and differences, so we offer some reflections applicable to Canada. These models are breaking down the silos. Imagine a setting where you could collaboratively co-design scenarios, debate, refine policy, and predict future population needs. Using a transformation lab setting, governments and policy-makers, providers, patients, families, and community support groups could collaboratively take the time to learn new ways of working together in a risk-free environment before becoming accountable for delivering targeted outcomes. It is time to implement provincial transformation labs to test local strategies and operational plans to co-design scenarios, use simulation, and test the choices using evidence-based tools.
Conjoined Twins Separation Leading to the Death of One Twin: An Expanded Ethical Analysis of Issues Facing the ICU Team
Authors: Cummings Brian M. , Paris John J.
Published: August 2018

A recent case of conjoined twins required multiple hospitalizations in the pediatric intensive care unit and led to a difficult situation confronting staff regarding the potential separation where surgery would result in the death of one twin. The hospital ethics committee was consulted. A systematic approach was utilized to examine medical standards, historical precedents, and various ethical and legal frameworks. The ethics committee believed that either proceeding with or forgoing attempted separation surgery would be ethically acceptable. We share our reasoning and lessons learned for others facing this situation in the future.
Perspectives on Self-Compassion From Adult Female Survivors of Sexual Abuse and the Counselors Who Work With Them
Authors: McLean Lisa , Bambling Matthew , Steindl Stanley R.
Published: August 2018

While compassion-focused therapy (CFT) holds significant promise as an intervention for survivors of sexual abuse, a history of abuse can uniquely impact an individual’s capacity to cultivate compassion and may generate a fear of compassion. Understanding the specific perspectives of sexual abuse survivors may inform the application of CFT-based interventions with this client group. Two separate focus groups were established for this purpose, one with adult female survivors of sexual abuse ( n = 7) and another with sexual abuse counselors ( n = 7). Transcripts were analyzed according to a consensual qualitative research design. Analysis of the survivor focus group identified two core domains, Barriers to Compassion, including poor relational templates, negative perception of self, low coping self-efficacy, and fears, resistance, and misperceptions regarding self-compassion, and Factors Supporting Compassion, including support from others, compassion for others, high coping self-efficacy, motivation and hope for change, and timing and readiness for change. Analysis of the counselor focus group revealed three domains, Therapeutic Factors to Support Compassion, including counselor authenticity and modeling, gradual introduction with consideration to individual needs, acknowledgment of suffering and offering an alternative perspective; Factors Affecting Client Readiness and Capacity, including shame, self-blame, and negative sense of self, response from others, and difficulty in changing self-critical habits; and Anticipated Outcomes, including providing a hope and recovery focus, offering an alternative perspective and coping strategy, and restoring trust. Findings are discussed in relation to clinical implications and relevance to a CFT model of intervention.
An Investigation Into Repeat Requests for Charity: Evidence From the St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland, Australia
Authors: Ambrey Christopher L. , Parsell Cameron , Spallek Melanie , Robinson Richard N. S.
Published: August 2018

In advanced industrialized economies, charitable organizations work alongside formal social services provided through welfare states to assist people living in poverty. The work of charities with socially and economically marginalized people, however, often takes place in the absence of robust evidence about what impact charity has on people’s lives. This study draws on a large administrative database to investigate what determines repeat requests for charity and how people may achieve dignity. Our findings show that frequent residential address changes seem to make people more reliant on charity, whereas the more time spent with people receiving charity significantly decreases repeat requests for charity. We propose that the provision of charity can be an opportunity to promote connectedness.
Prehistoric process in HE: A critical review of institutional processes for business–academic partnerships in management development provision
Authors: Lee-Davies Linda
Published: August 2018

This article sets out to capture the benefits of business and universities working together to create robust management development programmes for the competitive markets ahead. It attempts to illustrate the changes in business approaches to providing people with management development, given the increased mobility of individuals from company to company, the pressures on budgets in more restricted financial times and the benefits of partnering with university provision. Using qualitative data sourced from both business organizations and higher education institutions (HEIs), underpinning a more detailed pivotal case study, themes are extracted on the current provision from institutions to business, bringing to light the reality that desire and actual outcome are two different things. The systems created for institutions before their contemporary dealings with business are still used to serve current needs, and it is clear from early research and practice that they are not fit for purpose. The result is a slow service for business clients and a loss of potential third-stream income – valuable to HEIs in a new competitive market. In the light of this research, recommendations are offered for HEIs to become more competitive when trying to penetrate commercial markets for this income.
Development of an end-effector device for loose body removal in hip arthroscopy
Authors: Park Chulmin , Park Shinsuk , Hong Hanpyo , Jeon In-Ho , Kim Keri
Published: August 2018

This article describes a novel hand-operated end-effector device developed for loose body removal in hip arthroscopy. This sterilizable and reusable device incorporates a wire-ball joint mechanism that provides motion with 5 degrees of freedom. The design accounted for the following: (1) the diameter of the femoral head, (2) range of motion of the wrist joint of the operator, (3) ease of assembly of modular parts, and (4) material stiffness and durability. The developed device is composed of three parts: a pistol-shaped hand-held unit, forceps module, and end-effector module, all of which were constructed using polyamide-imide. Experiments were conducted to characterize the range of motion, pushing force, and lateral stiffness of the end-effector. Seven consulting surgeons evaluated the performance of the device in arthroscopic hip model and cadaveric studies in comparison with that of a conventional linear grasper. The experimental results show that the developed device can perform tasks that conventional linear graspers cannot. A specialized end-effector device was developed for hip arthroscopy where a high degree of stiffness is required. The end-effector module is interchangeable based on the required outer diameter, and it is also reusable after sterilization at high temperature.
Asymptotic variability of (multilevel) multirater kappa coefficients
Authors: Vanbelle Sophie
Published: August 2018

Agreement studies are of paramount importance in various scientific domains. When several observers classify objects on categorical scales, agreement can be quantified through multirater kappa coefficients. In most statistical packages, the standard error of these coefficients is only available under the null hypothesis that the coefficient is equal to zero, preventing the construction of confidence intervals in the general case. The aim of this paper is triple. First, simple analytic formulae for the standard error of multirater kappa coefficients will be given in the general case. Second, these formulae will be extended to the case of multilevel data structures. The formulae are based on simple matrix algebra and are implemented in the R package “multiagree”. Third, guidelines on the choice between the different mulitrater kappa coefficients will be provided.
Impediments to the formation of intensive care nurses' professional identify
Authors: Mousazadeh Somayeh , Yektatalab Shahrzad , Momennasab Marzieh , Parvizy Soroor
Published: August 2018

Background:

Nurses face challenges regarding professional identify. Being unaware of these challenges and not owning positive professional identify leads to a lack of self-confidence. Thus, nurses face problems in interpersonal communication and lose their attachment to their profession. Few studies have engaged with impediments to forming positive professional identity in relation to intensive care nurses.

Objective:

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impediments to forming positive professional identity in nurses working in intensive care unit.

Research design:

In this study, the conventional content analysis method was used in order to obtain the impediments to forming positive professional identities in nurses. Data were collected through 15 semi-structured interviews and 2 focus group interviews from March 2015 to June 2016. Purposive sampling was used and participants were recruited until data saturation was reached; they were then analyzed using the conventional content analysis method.

Participants and research context:

In total, 24 intensive care unit nurses from one hospital in Northern Iran were selected through purposive sampling.

Ethical consideration:

This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences.

Findings:

Four main themes of professional identity challenges were extracted from the analysis of the data: neglect of professional status of nursing; distrust of nursing knowledge; unprofessional performance; and low professional attraction.

Discussion and conclusion:

Nurses stated that the neglect of the professional status of nursing and distrust of nursing knowledge have always been a hindrance in forming a positive professional identity. They also mentioned that unprofessional performance and low professional attraction are the other influencing factors in this regard. Thus, detecting these factors can guide nurses and their managers towards creating positive professional identity, and as a result, will improve their job satisfaction, professional advancement, and durability.
Indo-US Defence Industry Cooperation: A Prognosis
Authors: Behera Laxman Kumar , Balachandran G.
Published: August 2018

The defence industrial cooperation is a clear missing link in an otherwise expanding strategic relationship between India and the US. The one-way defence trade is not only out of sync with India’s traditional demand for technology transfer and license production from its arms suppliers, but is also contrary to Make in India initiative of the Indian government. It is, therefore, imperative for New Delhi in particular to find an industrial solution to its increasing yet skewed defence trade relationship with the Washington. Besides demanding industrial benefits from all possible defence deals with the US in the future, New Delhi has to do a few more things to deepen the industry-to-industry cooperation with the US. Among others, it has to use its defence offset policy carefully to facilitate greater military-specific technology transfers for its industry; and at the same time lay a strong foundation for a robust in-house industrial base which can receive and absorb all such transfers.
Book Review: Dogra, R., Durand’s Curse: A Line Across the Pathan Heart
Authors: Kaura Vinay
Published: August 2018

Dogra, R., Durand’s Curse: A Line Across the Pathan Heart. New Delhi: Rupa Publications, 2017, pp. 256, ₹595. ISBN: 978-81-291-4864-3 [Hardback].
A Strategic Essay: Dynamics between a Super President, a Military Alliance and an Intrastate Entity
Authors: Mukherjee Bhaswati
Published: August 2018

The emerging dynamics between President Trump, NATO and EU promises to constitute a fascinating new narrative of the changing contours of the international order in this millennium. President Trump has completely reversed American policy towards NATO.

As a businessman, Trump has made it clear that henceforth US funding and support would be linked to the US getting a ‘good deal’ from its NATO partners. NATO had earlier anchored itself to the benchmark goal that 2% of a country’s GDP should go to defence spending.

President Trump is yet to establish close and friendly relations either with NATO Secretary General or leaders of NATO Member States. Trump’s public embrace of autocratic rulers has caused resentment within NATO.

On CSDP the earlier European approach was to lean heavily on the Americans to fund NATO. The friction between the goals of NATO and CSDP increased under the Trump Presidency because of Trump’s insistence on burden sharing of resources and funds among NATO Member States. The CSDP and NATO have overlapping mandates which could be complicated in crisis situations. An independent CSDP remains the core issue causing friction. The U.S. and other non EU weapons producing countries (chiefly Norway and soon the U.K.) also believe that CSDP is manipulating the rules of defence procurement in favour of companies based on EU soil.

Is the US justified in attacking CSDP? Many EU Member States believe that protecting European defence industries is a small price to pay for ensuring that a NATO under American leadership not get involved in small regional wars, as an example, in Francophone Africa.

Brexit is casting a long shadow. EU and NATO would need to realign themselves from a strategic perspective. NATO and the EU need to prepare for a strategic scenario post Brexit. Following Brexit, 80 percent of NATO defence spending will come from non-EU members. This would shift the onus of decision making within NATO away from the EU.

One of the greatest challenges for NATO and the EU is America’s new narrative on Iran and North Korea. EU and NATO are slowly waking up to the new reality that there will be no “business as usual”. If NATO’s military deterrence loses its credibility, this will undermine the credibility of both EU and NATO and endanger international peace and security.

What could the EU and NATO do next? Are there any “low hanging fruits” that could be picked in the near future? The EU and NATO understand that there can be no ‘business as usual’. The new global narrative on security would depend on how NATO and EU respond to America’s changed narrative. A timely response is the need of the hour.
Urban Landscape Design Adaption to Flood Risk: A Case Study in Can Tho City, Vietnam
Authors: Van Long Nguyen , Cheng Yuning
Published: August 2018

Located in the centre of the Mekong Delta (MD), Can Tho City (CTC), with a development history of more than three centuries, has affirmed its strategic position as an interregional centre. The city on Hau river is blessed by nature with the identity of a delta landscape associated with riverine dynamics. First, this article presents the development history of CTC, and the correlation between its urbanization history and the existing characteristics of the urban landscape. Then, this study further analyses challenges in urban development, assessing existing water infrastructure and opportunities of current urban and rural landscapes. Finally, urban landscape design strategies have been discussed to suggest improved resilience of the city with flood management in the context of climate change.
Enclave Tenement Trap
Authors: Chan Steve Kwok-Leung
Published: August 2018

This article investigates the housing process of ethnic minorities in Hong Kong. The study is an attempt to explain how these minority ethnic groups are filtered and trapped in the private rented housing sector in inner city enclaves. Focus group and in-depth interviews are used to study the low-income Pakistani and Nepalese migrants in two districts in Hong Kong. Affordability, discrimination and locational consideration draw the Pakistani and Nepalese families towards the private rented sector in tenement slums. A model of enclave tenement trap is built based on empirical research conducted in Hong Kong. The model and findings provide directions for civil society institutions and housing policy.
Embodiment in Electronic Dance Music: Effects of musical content and structure on body movement
Authors: Burger Birgitta , Toiviainen Petri
Published: August 2018

Electronic dance music (EDM) is music produced with the foremost aim to make people move. While research has revealed relationships between movement features and, for example, musical, emotional, or personality characteristics, systematic investigations of genre differences and specifically of EDM are rather rare. This article aims at offering insights into the embodiment of EDM from three different angles: first from a genre-comparison perspective, then by comparing different EDM stimuli with each other, and finally by investigating embodiments in one specific EDM stimulus. Sixty participants moved freely to 16 stimuli of four different genres (EDM, Latin, Funk, Jazz – four stimuli/genre) while being recorded with an optical motion capture system. Subsequently, a set of movement features was extracted from the motion capture data. Results indicate that participants moved with significantly higher acceleration of torso, head, hands, and feet and more overall movement to the EDM stimuli than to the other genres. Between EDM stimuli, several significant correlations were found, suggesting an increase in acceleration of different body parts with clearer and more percussive rhythmic structures and brighter sounds. Within one EDM stimulus, participants’ movements differed in several movement features distinguishing the break from surrounding sections, showing less acceleration, as well as less overall movement and rotational speed during the break. These analyses propose different ways of studying EDM and indicate distinctive characteristics of EDM embodiment.
Primary central nervous system neoplasms in African hedgehogs
Authors: Muñoz-Gutiérrez Juan F. , Garner Michael M. , Kiupel Matti
Published: August 2018

In this retrospective study, we describe the clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical findings in a series of primary central nervous system (CNS) neoplasms in African hedgehogs ( Atelerix albiventris). Twelve CNS neoplasms were found among 762 African hedgehog submissions (1.6%) to a private diagnostic laboratory in an 18-y period. The median age of affected hedgehogs was 3.5 y. No sex predilection was found. Hindlimb paresis, weakness, and ataxia were the most commonly reported clinical signs. Gangliogliomas ( n = 6) and astrocytomas ( n = 5) were the most commonly observed neoplasms; one oligodendroglioma was found. Gangliogliomas were found in the cerebellar white matter (2 of 6), brainstem (4 of 6), cervical spinal cord (1 of 6), and frontal lobe (1 of 6); one metastasized to the tongue. Gangliogliomas were immunoreactive for neurofilament protein (NFP), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), S100, and CD34. All astrocytomas were gemistocytic, located in the cerebrum, and none of these neoplasms metastasized. Astrocytomas were positive for GFAP, S100, and CD34, but negative for NFP. The oligodendroglioma was located in the cerebrum, and was positive for S100, but negative for GFAP and NFP.
Identification of Family Factors That Affect Self-Management Behaviors Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A Qualitative Descriptive Study in Chinese Communities
Authors: Yue Peng , Lamb Karen V. , Chen Xiangyun , Wang Yongli , Xiao Shuqin , Feng Xinwei , Wu Ying
Published: August 2018

Introduction: In the past 30 years, the prevalence of diabetes in China has increased from 0.67% to 11.6%. Self-management behaviors (SMBs) are significant to improve health outcomes for diabetics. However, little is known about self-management experiences of Chinese diabetic patients. The purpose of this study was to explore family factors affecting SMBs. Methodology: A qualitative descriptive study was used. Purposive samples were recruited from Chinese communities. Semistructured interviews were conducted, and audio-recordings transcripts were analyzed using content analysis methods. Results: Twenty participants were interviewed, including 8 with well-controlled HbA1c while 12 were poorly controlled. Facilitators that promote patients’ SMBs were responsibility toward children and commitment to spouse; barriers that hinder patients’ SMBs were family experiences about starvation, seeking harmony-eating in a big family, living in an “empty nest,” and family financial burden. Discussion: This study provides insight into SMBs of Chinese diabetic patients. Professionals can develop tailored interventions in a Chinese cultural context according to patients’ perceptions of family responsibility, early experience, activities, and resources.
Policy and Program Considerations for Choosing Crisis Intervention Programs
Authors: Couvillon Michael A. , Kane Elisabeth J. , Peterson Reece L. , Ryan Joseph B. , Scheuermann Brenda
Published: August 2018

Recently there has been national media attention focusing on the number of deaths and injuries associated with the use of physical restraint and seclusion procedures in schools. Research shows these procedures are most frequently applied to students with disabilities, and that lack of staff training in de-escalation procedures, as well as the use of these interventions, is commonly viewed as a contributing factor to student injuries and death. This study compares and contrasts crisis intervention training from 17 commercial training programs as a way to assist administrators in finding the crisis training program that best matches their program goals and policy guidelines. Choosing an appropriate training program can be a difficult administrative decision given the legal and financial obligations that can be associated with such trainings. This study compares course content, and provides descriptive information about specific features of each program to allow stakeholders to make adequate comparisons. Similarities in these training programs, as well as some of the relatively wide variations in the way the training content is emphasized, are also noted.
“I Remember the Mental Chaos While They Tried To Seal the Well and Clean Up the Oil Spill – How Much Fear and Uncertainty Everyone Felt”: An interview with Marylee and Michael Orr, Louisiana Environmental Action Network
Authors: Sullivan John , Rosenberg Beth
Published: August 2018

In this interview, Marylee Orr and her son, Michael Orr, of the Louisiana Environmental Action Network (Baton Rouge, LA) recall the massive trauma among fishing families (including those whose boats were used in the clean-up effort) caused by the Deep Water Horizon spill, the state and federal closures of fishing grounds, and the moratorium on oil exploration and production activity during the clean-up efforts. They recount the history of their organization’s vision and growth, their role in regional environmental justice efforts, and outline how they developed an approach to rapid response community empowerment based on colearning, respect, consensus, and action—a vision that parallels the work of Paulo Freire and the practice values of community-based participatory research. They discuss the collaborative seafood sampling site map and toxicology primer they built and archived as a key community partner of the Gulf Coast Health Alliance: Health Risks Related to the Macondo Spill Project.
Gamification Misunderstood: How Badly Executed and Rhetorical Gamification Obscures Its Transformative Potential
Authors: Landers Richard N.
Published: August 2018

Although management gamification has immense potential to broadly benefit both management and employees, its impact to date has been lackluster and its value unclear. I credit this to a market proliferation of rhetorical or “fake” gamification, a process which involves the decoration of existing organizational processes with game elements but with little or no attention paid to the psychological processes by which those elements influence human behavior. For gamification to be successful, specific psychological characteristics of employees or customers must be targeted, and game elements must be chosen to influence those characteristics. In theoretical terms, legitimate gamification in management can be defined as a family of work and product design techniques inspired by game design, whereas rhetorical gamification is at best novice gameful design and at worst a swindle, an attempt to make something appear “game-like” purely to sell more gamification. Only by carefully distinguishing legitimate and rhetorical gamification can legitimate gamification’s potential be fully realized.
A continuum damage mechanics-based approach for the high cycle fatigue behavior of metallic polycrystals
Authors: Mareau Charles , Morel Franck
Published: August 2018

Polycrystalline elasto-plasticity models provide a general framework for investigating the effect of microstructural heterogeneities (e.g. grains, inclusions, pores) on the high cycle fatigue behavior of metallic materials. In this work, continuum damage mechanics is used to construct a set of constitutive relations to describe the progressive degradation of certain mechanical properties at the grain scale. The damage is considered to be coupled with the elastic behavior of the material. Special care is taken to include the anisotropic aspect of fatigue damage and the effect of intragranular internal stresses. The constitutive relations are then implemented within a self-consistent model to evaluate intergranular interactions. Finally, the model is used to investigate the high cycle fatigue behavior of polycrystalline copper. It is shown that the influence of certain loading conditions on the high cycle behavior is correctly reproduced. Specifically, the application of a mean shear stress does not result in an increase in damage; however, a mean normal stress is damaging. That is, a decrease in the fatigue resistance is predicted when the mean normal stress is increased.