bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lingual Leiomyomatous Hamartoma in an Adult Male
Authors: Phoon Nguyen Amanda , Firth Norman , Mougos Sophie , Kujan Omar
Published: August 2018

An otherwise healthy 20-year-old male presented with an exophytic, polypoid, yellowish lesion involving the dorsal surface of his tongue, which he reported being present since birth and unchanged. This was removed by surgical excision and diagnosed as a leiomyomatous hamartoma. Histological examination revealed a combination of fibrovascular connective tissue, conspicuous smooth-muscle bundles, adipose tissue, minor salivary gland tissue, blood vessels, lymphoid tissue, peripheral nerves, and normal skeletal muscle. This case is exceptional due to the patient’s age, as until now, lingual leiomyomatous hamartomas have been reported almost exclusively in a paediatric population. To our knowledge, this is the eldest age at which a LLH has been reported in the literature. This underscores the need for clinicians to consider this rarely reported entity when considering the radiographic and clinical differential diagnoses for these lesions, both in the paediatric and adult populations. We also present a review of the literature regarding lingual leiomyomatous hamartomas.
Calcaneus Metastasis from Follicular Thyroid Carcinoma 12 Years after Total Thyroidectomy
Authors: Rahal Mohammad Jawad H. , Karam Karam M. , Nasser Selim M. , Daher Jihad A. , Abdel Nour Hicham G. , Nehme Alexandre H. , Moucharafieh Ramzi C.
Published: August 2018

We report the case of a sixty-eight-year-old female patient who presented for left ankle pain; X-rays and MRI showed a benign calcaneal cyst, found to be delayed distant metastasis from primary papillary thyroid carcinoma. Patient required surgical excision of the cyst. Results of histological examination showed metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma. The patient underwent total thyroidectomy 12 years prior to presentation, with the same pathology. Postoperatively, she was treated with radioactive iodine. At 10-year follow-up post calcaneal mass excision, she was found to have a right proximal tibial mass and found to be recurrent with the same pathology. This case reports a rare condition that will be taken into consideration in bone metastasis with thyroid cancer.
Surveillance of Antibiotic Prescribing in Intensive Care Units in Poland
Authors: Trejnowska Ewa , Deptuła Aleksander , Tarczyńska-Słomian Magda , Knapik Piotr , Jankowski Miłosz , Misiewska-Kaczur Agnieszka , Tamowicz Barbara , Śmiechowicz Jakub , Antończyk Remigiusz , Armatowicz Paul , Sułkowski Wiktor , Durek Grażyna
Published: August 2018

Antibiotic use and microbial resistance in health care-associated infections are increasing globally and causing health care problems. Intensive Care Units (ICUs) represent the heaviest antibiotic burden within hospitals, and sepsis is the second noncardiac cause of mortality in ICUs. Optimizing appropriate antibiotic treatment in the management of the critically ill in ICUs became a major challenge for intensivists. We performed a surveillance study on the antibiotic consumption in 108 Polish ICUs. We determined which classes of antibiotics were most commonly consumed and whether they affected the length of ICU stay and the size and category of the hospital. A total of 292.389 defined daily doses (DDD) and 192.167 patient-days (pd) were identified. Antibiotic consumption ranged from 620 to 3960 DDD/1000 pd. The main antibiotic classes accounted for 59.6% of the total antibiotic consumption and included carbapenems (17.8%), quinolones (14%), cephalosporins (13.7%), penicillins (11.9%), and macrolides (2.2%), respectively, whereas the other antibiotic classes accounted for the remainder (40.4%) and included antifungals (34%), imidazoles (20%), aminoglycosides (18%), glycopeptides (15%), and polymyxins (6%). The most consumed antibiotic classes in Polish ICUs were carbapenems, quinolones, and cephalosporins, respectively. There was no correlation between antibiotic consumption in DDD/1000 patient-days, mean length of ICU stay, size of the hospital, size of the ICU, or the total amount of patient-days. It is crucial that surveillance systems are in place to guide empiric antibiotic treatment and to estimate the burden of resistance. Appropriate use of antibiotics in the ICU should be an important public health care issue.
Solving of Two‐Dimensional Unsteady Inverse Heat Conduction Problems Based on Boundary Element Method and Sequential Function Specification Method
Authors: Wang Shoubin , Deng Yuanzheng , Sun Xiaogang
Published: August 2018

The boundary element method (BEM) and sequential function specification method (SFSM) are used to research the inverse problem of boundary heat flux identification in the two‐dimensional heat conduction system. The future time step in the SFSM is optimized by introducing the residual error principles to get the more accurate inversion results. For the forward problems, the BEM is used to calculate the required temperature value of discrete point; for the inverse problems, the impacts of different future time steps, measuring point position, and measuring error on the inversion results are discussed. Furthermore, the comparison is made for the optimal future time step obtained by introducing the residual error principle and the inherent future time step. The example analysis shows that the method proposed still has higher accuracy when the measuring error exists or the measuring point position is far away from the boundary heat flux.
Exploiting Spatial and Temporal for Point of Interest Recommendation
Authors: Chen Jinpeng , Zhang Wen , Zhang Pei , Ying Pinguang , Niu Kun , Zou Ming
Published: August 2018

An increasing number of users have been attracted by location‐based social networks (LBSNs) in recent years. Meanwhile, user‐generated content in online LBSNs like spatial, temporal, and social information provides an ever‐increasing chance to study the human behavior movement from their spatiotemporal mobility patterns and spawns a large number of location‐based applications. For instance, one of such applications is to produce personalized point of interest (POI) recommendations that users are interested in. Different from traditional recommendation methods, the recommendations in LBSNs come with two vital dimensions, namely, geographical and temporal. However, previously proposed methods do not adequately explore geographical influence and temporal influence. Therefore, fusing geographical and temporal influences for better recommendation accuracy in LBSNs remains potential. In this work, our aim is to generate a top recommendation list of POIs for a target user. Specially, we explore how to produce the POI recommendation by leveraging spatiotemporal information. In order to exploit both geographical and temporal influences, we first design a probabilistic method to initially detect users’ spatial orientation by analyzing visibility weights of POIs which are visited by them. Second, we perform collaborative filtering by detecting users’ temporal preferences. At last, for making the POI recommendation, we combine the aforementioned two approaches, that is, integrating the spatial and temporal influences, to construct a unified framework. Our experimental results on two real‐world datasets indicate that our proposed method outperforms the current state‐of‐the‐art POI recommendation approaches.
Distance Effects on Diversity and Abundance of the Flower Visitors ofOcimum kilimandscharicumin the Kakamega Forest Ecosystem
Authors: Mandela Hellen K. , Tsingalia Mugatsia H. , Gikungu Mary , Lwande Wilbur M.
Published: August 2018

Pollination is an important ecosystem service in the maintenance of biodiversity and most importantly in food production. Pollination is on the decline due to habitat loss, exotic species invasions, pollution, overharvesting, and land use changes. This study analyzed the abundance and diversity of flower visitors’ ofOcimum kilimandscharicumin Kakamega forest with increasing distance from the forest edge. Data were collected through direct observation and sweep netting. Six study sites were identified along two transects each 2.5 km long and labeled A to F. Distance in metres from the forest edge to each site was A=221, B=72, C=83, D=198, E=113, and F=50. Sampling was done from 7:30 am to 4:00 pm, three days in a week for five months consecutively. Diversity indices of different flower visitors were calculated using the Shannon-Wiener diversity index. One-way analysis of variance was used to compare differences between sites and a two-sample t-test was used to identify mean significant differences in species diversity between the closest and the furthest sites. A total of 645 individuals belonging to 35 species were captured from 4 families. The highest diversity was at site F (H’= 2.38) which was closest to the forest edge and the lowest diversity was from site A (H’=1.44) which was furthest from the forest edge. Distance from the forest edge significantly influenced species diversity (F(3, 20)=14.67, p=0.024). Distance from the forest edge also significantly influenced species abundance between the furthest sites A, D, and E and the nearest sites F, B, and C to the forest edge (t=4.177; p=0.0312) and species richness (t=3.2893; p=0.0187). This study clearly demonstrates thatOcimum kilimandscharicumflower visitors play essential roles in pollination and their higher number of visits translates into higher numbers of seeds set. Many of these pollinators are associated with the forest and hence the need to conserve the Kakamega forest as a source pool for pollinators.
High-Efficiency Crossed-Loop 4G LTE Antenna for All Display Metal-Rimmed Smartphones
Authors: Choi Jaehyun , Hwang Woonbong , You Chisang , Jung Byungwoon , Hong Wonbin
Published: August 2018

A symmetrically crossed-loop antenna featuring very high radiation efficiency across the entire LTE frequency bands for metal-rimmed smartphones with only 2 mm ground clearance is proposed, analyzed, and verified. The employment of even and odd modes is utilized to achieve wide bandwidth across 698–960 MHz (low-frequency spectrum), 1710–2170 MHz (middle-frequency spectrum), and 2300–2690 MHz (high-frequency spectrum). Empirical analysis confirms the crossed-loop topology results in a 180° phase shift of the electric current distribution on the ground plane, resulting in enhancement of the radiation resistance. As a result, the devised LTE antenna exhibits more than 48% to 75% total system efficiency across the entire band of interest, which is the highest efficiency reported in literature for metal-rimmed smartphones with extremely small ground clearance.
Urinary Urgency in the Elderly
Authors: Potts Jeannette M. , Payne Christopher K.
Published: August 2018

The last 2 decades have brought an explosion of research, new products, and general attention to the problem of urinary urgency, and yet patients continue to be plagued by this symptom – especially the elderly. What is it? What does it mean? How can we guide patients successfully through this challenge? This paper presents a review of current thinking about urgency relevant to the practicing clinician, including the epidemiology, pathophysiology, evaluation, and treatment of these patients.
Choroid Plexus Hyperplasia with Intractable Ascites and a Resulting Communicating Hydrocele following Shunt Operation for Hydrocephalus
Authors: Hori Yusuke S. , Nagakita Keina , Ebisudani Yuki , Aoi Mizuho , Shinno Yoko , Fukuhara Toru
Published: August 2018

Choroid plexus hyperplasia/papilloma and resulting hyperproduction of cerebrospinal fluid is a rare cause of hydrocephalus. In these patients, intractable ascites can occur after a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunting operation. However, shunt-related hydrocele is a rare complication of VP shunting. Previous reports have indicated catheter-tip migration to the scrotum as a cause of hydrocele. Here, we present the first documented case of choroid plexus hyperplasia that led to intractable ascites after shunting and a resulting hydrocele without catheter-tip migration into the scrotum.
SNHG6 Promotes Tumor Growth via Repression of P21 in Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Li Zhaoming , Qiu Ran , Qiu Xia , Tian Tian
Published: August 2018

Background/Aims: SNHG6 (Small Nucleolar RNA Host Gene 6) is a novel non-coding RNA (ncRNA) and its cellular function is largely unknown. Methods: Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) cell growth assay, colony formation and flow cytometry were used to determine colorectal cancer cell proliferation, cell cycle progression and apoptosis in vitro. The xenograft tumor formation assay in nude mice was established to evaluate tumor growth in vivo. RNA immunopreciptation (RIP) analysis was performed to examine whether SNHG6 could bind to EZH2 (enhancer of zeste 2 polycomb repressive complex 2 subunit), and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay was conducted to examine whether SNHG6 could repress p21 transcription by recruiting EZH2 to the p21 promoter. Results: Here we found that SNHG6 was upregulated and its expression levels were positively correlated with advanced tumor stage in colorectal cancer. Survival analysis suggested that higher expression of SNHG6 predicted poor prognosis in patients with colorectal cancer. Functional studies indicated that SNHG6 could promote cell proliferation via a direct suppression of p21 expression in colorectal cancer cells. Moreover, SNHG6 repressed p21 transcription through recruiting EZH2 to the p21 promoter in colorectal cancer cells. Conclusion: Taken together, our study demonstrates that SNHG6 promotes tumor growth via repression of p21 in colorectal cancer, which may provide a promising target for novel anticancer therapeutics.
A Questionnaire on Monuments
Authors: Allais Lucia , Anderson Noel W. , Weiner Andrew , Bruguera Tania , Burr Tom , Carroll Mary Ellen , Cassils  , Chan Paul , Cole Andrew , Diers Michael , Durant Sam , Fiduccia Joanna , Fischer Noah , Flood Finbarr Barry , Foner Eric , Fusco Coco , Green Renée , Harrison Rachel , Hayes Sharon , Hirschhorn Thomas , Huyssen Andreas , Kolbowski Silvia , Kunkel Benjamin , Kunzru Hari , Kushner Rachel , Benning James , Lansdowne John , Lax Thomas J. , Lê An-My , Lewis Sarah , Lichtenstein Alex , Lichtenstein Andrew , Marcus Greil , Mbembe Achille , Nuttall Sarah , Mohaiemen Naeem , Nadkarni Maya , Nelson Steven , Nyong'o Tavia , Phillips Ruth B. , Reitz Chris , Rowland Cameron , Savage Kirk , Sholette Gregory , Slifkin Robert , Small Irene V. , Smith Jason E. , Stierli Martino , Upton Dell , Wilson Mabel O. , Winegar Jessica
Published: August 2018

“A Questionnaire on Monuments” features 49 responses to questions formulated by Leah Dickerman, Hal Foster, David Joselit, and Carrie Lambert-Beatty: “From Charlottesville to Cape Town, there have been struggles over monuments and other markers involving histories of racial conflict. How do these charged situations shed light on the ethics of images in civil society today? Speaking generally or with specific examples in mind, please consider any of the following questions: What histories do these public symbols represent, what histories do they obscure, and what models of memory do they imply? How do they do this work, and how might they do it differently? What social and political forces are in play in their erection or dismantling? Should artists, writers, and art historians seek a new intersection of theory and praxis in the social struggles around such monuments and markers? How might these debates relate to the question of who is authorized to work with particular images and archives?”
Third-Party Preferences for Imitators in Preverbal Infants
Authors: Powell Lindsey J. , Spelke Elizabeth S.
Published: August 2018

Participants in social interactions often imitate one another, thereby enhancing their affiliation. Here we probe the nature and early development of imitation-based affiliation through studies of infants’ preferences for animated characters who imitate, or are imitated by, other characters. Four experiments provide evidence that preverbal infants preferentially attend to and approach individuals who imitate others. This preferential engagement is elicited by the elements of mimicry in simple acts of helping. It does not, however, extend to the targets of imitation in these interactions. This set of findings suggests infants’ imitation-based preferences are not well explained by homophily, prestige, or familiarity. We propose instead that infants perceive imitation as an indicator of valuable attributes in a potential social partner, including the capacity and motivation for social attention and coordinated action.
Interaction between frugivorous vertebrates and two plant species of the genus Spondias
Authors: Sampaio Rebeca A.P. , Moreira Danielle O. , de Assis André M. , Mendes Sérgio L. , Gatti Andressa
Published: August 2018

Most plant species in the Atlantic Forest invest in zoochory as a dispersal mechanism and many depend on vertebrates to fulfill that role. The sizes of fruits and seeds are limiting factors in interactions between vertebrates and plant species. For example, plants that produce fruits with large seeds are more dependent on large frugivorous vertebrates for dispersal. We used camera traps to observe the interactions between frugivorous vertebrates and two large seed-producing plants of the genus Spondias in the Tableland of the Atlantic Forest of Espírito Santo, Brazil. Between 2015 and 2016 (622 camera days), we recorded 17 species of frugivorous vertebrates potentially ingesting fruit at the studied sites. Among the species recorded, only the lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris) was observed interacting directly with S. venulosa and S. macrocarpa. Our analysis indicates that the type of interaction depends on the body size of the vertebrate species, meaning that direct interaction with fruits of Spondias is commonly performed by medium and large vertebrates, such as spotted pacas, agoutis, and tapirs. Our study highlights the importance of these vertebrates in the forest remnants of the Atlantic Forest Tableland, such as the Linhares-Sooretama forest complex, for conservation and regeneration of plant communities.
Certiorari through the Back Door? The Judgment by the European Court of Human Rights in Burmych and Others v. Ukraine in Perspective
Authors: Ulfstein Geir , Zimmermann Andreas
Published: August 2018

In its Burmych and Others v. Ukraine judgment of October 2017 the European Court of Human Rights dismissed more than 12,000 applications due to the fact that they were not only repetitive in nature, but also mutatis mutandis identical to applications covered by a previous pilot judgment rendered against Ukraine. This raises fundamental issues as to the role of the Court within the human rights protection system established by the European Convention on Human Rights, as well as those concerning the interrelationship between the Court and the Committee of Ministers.
Traumatic and Nontraumatic Driving Accidents Due to Dry Spells in Northern Iran: A Time Series Analysis
Authors: Rad Enayatollah Homaie , Yousefzadeh-Chabok Shahrokh , Mohtasham-Amiri Zahra , Khodadadi-Hasankiadeh Naeima , Davoudi-Kiakalayeh Ali , Kouchakinezhad-Eramsadati Leila , Reihanian Anita
Published: August 2018

Driving in rain is very dangerous, and drivers seem not to drive properly whenever it rains. In such situations, the risk of driving increases on rainy days, especially after a prolonged dry period. This would be a problem for drivers steering on slippery roads. In this study, the effect of dry spells on road traffic accidents and resulting mortality in Rasht, Iran, located in the southern margin of the Caspian Sea, in a 3-yr period from 21 March 2014 to 19 March 2017 was examined using time series patterns. The results of the study showed that the first day after a dry spell had the greatest impact on road accidents and resulting injuries and deaths. It was also found that with increased length of a dry spell, the risk of accidents and related deaths and injuries rises.
On the inside of generalized trust: Trust dispositions as perceptions of self and others
Authors: Frederiksen Morten
Published: August 2018

Generalized trust correlates strongly with many desirable institutional and societal characteristics and for this reason, variations in the level of generalized trust have been the object of intense scrutiny. However, the subjective contents of generalized trust have only been the object of theoretical, rather than empirical, investigation. This article adds some first, key insights into this issue and provides findings which fundamentally question the way we think about generalized trust. It investigates the subjective content of different levels of generalized trust in a mixed methods study analysing how trust dispositions relate to tolerance, solidarity and social identity. The study combines multiple correspondence analysis of survey data and thematic analysis of interview data in an iterative research design. The study suggests that generalized trust varies in multiple dimensions, rather than only one as assumed in survey items. First, generalized trust varies in a dimension of generalizability between whether trust should be generalized or not, rather than whether one should trust or not. Second, it varies in a dimension of justifications between assumptions of shared norms of trustworthiness and rational cooperation. In addition, the importance of experienced trustworthiness for generalized trust varies between different trust dispositions.
Stress and coping among university students in Sierra Leone: Implications for social work practice to promote development through higher education
Authors: Bulanda Jeffrey J , Conteh Abdulai B , Jalloh Fatmata
Published: August 2018

This participatory action study involved interviews with 80 Sierra Leonean university students. Participants reported stress caused by personal challenges (financial, access to transportation, peer pressure, lack of emotional support), university resources (lack of accommodation, water, toilets, learning materials, technology), and issues with instructors (sexual harassment, bribery). Also, the students described their coping strategies, including ‘staying quiet’, seeking external support, turning toward God, engaging in recreation, and ‘encouraging myself’. Implications for social work interventions on the micro level, organizational level, and policy level are discussed in order to take a holistic, systems approach to promoting quality tertiary education in developing countries.
Missing Data Techniques and the Statistical Conclusion Validity of Survey-Based Alcohol and Drug Use Research Studies: A Review and Comment on Reproducibility
Authors: Grigsby Timothy J. , McLawhorn Justin
Published: August 2018

The goal of the present review was to examine whether or not the use of modern missing data techniques impacts the statistical conclusion validity of research on alcohol and drug use outcomes in survey-based research studies. We identified 28 papers and received complete case data from the authors of 12 studies. Seven studies (25%) reported the missing data pattern (missing not at random [MNAR], missing at random [MAR], missing completely at random [MCAR]), 15 studies (53.6%) indicated the amount of missing observations in the data set, and a significant proportion of studies ( n = 13, 46.4%) did not report any of the conditions or assumptions under which the missing data analysis was performed or implemented. Six of the 12 (50%) studies analyzed reported a different number of statistically significant associations between the complete case and full sample analyses. Efforts should be made to make missing data analysis more accessible, easy to implement and report to improve transparency and reproducibility of findings.
Effectiveness of a Business Development Training for Rehabilitation Counselors Who Work With Consumers Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired
Authors: McDonnall Michele C. , Sui Zhen
Published: August 2018

The passage of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act has placed increased emphasis on business engagement for vocational rehabilitation agencies, yet many rehabilitation counselors are not prepared to work with businesses. The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the initial effectiveness of a business development training for rehabilitation counselors who work with consumers who are blind or visually impaired. A secondary purpose was to report on the sample’s pretraining status on variables associated with business development. Participants were 80 counselors and counselor supervisors employed by four separate agencies who completed the 19-h in-person training. Data were collected from participants prior to and immediately following the training. Outcome variables were self-perceived knowledge, skills, and comfort level with business development activities and measured business development knowledge and self-efficacy. Prior to the training, participants recognized the importance of, and a personal need for training in, business development and perceived moderate levels of comfort, knowledge, and skills. Participants demonstrated statistically significant increases on all outcome measures, with effect sizes ranging from medium to large. These results provide support for the effectiveness of the training in improving business development outcomes in the short term. Additional research is needed to evaluate its long-term effectiveness.
An Artifact for Evaluating the Quality of Health Service Providers: Evidence From Brazil
Authors: Mendes Lúcia Helena da Silva , Mendes Luiz Cláudio Sampaio , dos Santos Lilian Lucy , Senff Carlos Otávio , Veiga Claudimar Pereira da , Duclós Luiz Carlos
Published: August 2018

The aim of this article is to present an artifact for evaluating the quality and performance of service providers in the field of health care: the UNIPLUS Program. To verify the scientific nature of the artifact and ensure that it meets the criteria set by the community and the environment, the premises of Design Science Research (DSR) were used. As this research field lacks empirical evidence, the artifact was tested from 2013 to 2015 with 25 health care service providers from different categories, with an emphasis on hospitals and clinics located in 7 cities in the south of Brazil. This article makes 3 main contributions to the field: (1) the artifact can be applied to any health insurance operator in Brazil and other countries, as it meets the legal norms and requirements established by current legislation; (2) it helps health service providers by generating information that identifies shortfalls and possibilities for improvement for every aspect analyzed in the evaluation process; and (3) it uses the DSR methodology in an evaluation artifact that evaluates the quality and performance of services in the field of health care. The artifact proved to be adequate for the purpose in question, helping to improve the quality of care and institutional performance.
Storage of blood samples at or above 33℃ leads to rapid appearance of appreciable systemic bias in platelet and mean corpuscular volume related parameters: an important pre-analytical factor in tropical conditions
Authors: Jain Ashish , Jain Sanchit , Singh Neha , Meinia Sushant Kumar , Chowdhury Nilotpal
Published: August 2018

There is scant documentation of the stability of common haematological parameters on storage of blood samples under tropical conditions. K2EDTA samples in multiple vials were taken from 20 healthy blood donors, baseline readings taken, and stored at 33°C and 37°C. Readings from the stored vials were taken after 1, 3 and 6 h. The percent change against the baseline readings at each time point for each storage temperature was calculated. Platelet counts showed an unacceptable shift within 1 h at 37°C and 3 h at 33°C; red cell volume related parameters showed an unacceptable shift within 3 h at 37°C and 6 h at 33°C. Haemoglobin, red blood cell count, white blood cell count and mean corpuscular haemoglobin remained stable for 6 h at both temperatures. The unacceptable change for many parameters on storage at ≥33°C demonstrates the importance of ensuring pre-analytical control in regions experiencing such climatic conditions.
SE-Sync: A certifiably correct algorithm for synchronization over the special Euclidean group
Authors: Rosen David M , Carlone Luca , Bandeira Afonso S , Leonard John J
Published: August 2018

Many important geometric estimation problems naturally take the form of synchronization over the special Euclidean group: estimate the values of a set of unknown group elements [Formula: see text] given noisy measurements of a subset of their pairwise relative transforms [Formula: see text]. Examples of this class include the foundational problems of pose-graph simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) (in robotics), camera motion estimation (in computer vision), and sensor network localization (in distributed sensing), among others. This inference problem is typically formulated as a non-convex maximum-likelihood estimation that is computationally hard to solve in general. Nevertheless, in this paper we present an algorithm that is able to efficiently recover certifiably globally optimal solutions of the special Euclidean synchronization problem in a non-adversarial noise regime. The crux of our approach is the development of a semidefinite relaxation of the maximum-likelihood estimation (MLE) whose minimizer provides an exact maximum-likelihood estimate so long as the magnitude of the noise corrupting the available measurements falls below a certain critical threshold; furthermore, whenever exactness obtains, it is possible to verify this fact a posteriori, thereby certifying the optimality of the recovered estimate. We develop a specialized optimization scheme for solving large-scale instances of this semidefinite relaxation by exploiting its low-rank, geometric, and graph-theoretic structure to reduce it to an equivalent optimization problem defined on a low-dimensional Riemannian manifold, and then design a Riemannian truncated-Newton trust-region method to solve this reduction efficiently. Finally, we combine this fast optimization approach with a simple rounding procedure to produce our algorithm, SE-Sync. Experimental evaluation on a variety of simulated and real-world pose-graph SLAM datasets shows that SE-Sync is capable of recovering certifiably globally optimal solutions when the available measurements are corrupted by noise up to an order of magnitude greater than that typically encountered in robotics and computer vision applications, and does so significantly faster than the Gauss–Newton-based approach that forms the basis of current state-of-the-art techniques.
Roadway-Related Truck Crash Risk Analysis: Case Studies in Texas
Authors: Zhao Qun , Goodman Tyrie , Azimi Mehdi , Qi Yi
Published: August 2018

Since 1994, Texas has had the highest number of fatal crashes involving large trucks in the United States, and this number increased by 82% from 2009 to 2012. Due to the size and weight of large trucks, their crashes usually are very destructive. Although large trucks have a significant impact on traffic safety in Texas, very little analysis has been conducted of the risk factors associated with crashes involving large trucks, especially the roadway-related risk factors. In this paper, the results of a collision-diagram-based analysis are presented for selected areas in Texas where frequent crashes of large trucks occur. First, historical data related to large truck crashes from 2011 through 2015 were extracted and entered into ArcGIS to identify areas within a 0.5-mi radius of where large truck crashes occur frequently, which were named hot spots. Then, based on the results of the identified hot spots, we identified hot areas, that is, areas with clusters of hot spots. Police reports of all of the crashes that occurred in the selected hot areas were then reviewed, and collision diagrams were developed. By analyzing all of the collision diagrams that were developed, five roadway-related risk factors were identified, and potential effective countermeasures were proposed to prevent or mitigate crashes involving large trucks.
Evaluation of Viscoelastic and Fracture Properties of Asphalt Mixtures with Long-Term Laboratory Conditioning
Authors: Rahbar-Rastegar Reyhaneh , Daniel Jo Sias , Dave Eshan V.
Published: August 2018

Aging affects the properties of asphalt mixtures in different ways; increase of stiffness, decrease of relaxation capability, and the increase of brittleness, resulting in changes in cracking behavior of asphalt mixtures. In this study, ten plant-produced, lab-compacted mixtures with various compositions (recycled materials, binder grades, binder source, and nominal maximum aggregate size) are evaluated at different long-term aging levels (24 hours at 135°C, 5 days at 95°C, and 12 days at 95°C on loose mix and 5 days at 85°C on compacted specimens). The asphalt mixture linear viscoelastic properties (|E*| and δ) and master curve shape parameters measured from complex modulus testing and fracture properties (measured from disc-shaped compact tension and semi-circular bending fracture testing) are compared at different levels of aging. The results indicate that the mixture exposure time to aging is proportional to the dynamic modulus and phase angle changes. Generally, the fracture parameters of mixtures become worse when aging level changes from 5 to 12 days aging. In spite of the similar viscoelastic properties, the mixtures with 24 hours at 135°C and 12 days at 95°C aging do not show similar fracture parameters.
α- & β-crystalline phases in polyvinylidene fluoride as tribo-piezo active layer for nanoenergy harvester
Authors: Rajeev Sreenidhi Prabha , Sabarinath S , Subash CK , Valiyaneerilakkal Uvais , Parameswaran Pattiyil , Varghese Soney
Published: August 2018

The manuscript introduces the use of non-electrically polled spin-coated thin polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) films as the active layers in a contact electrification-based nanoenergy harvester. The four-layered device utilizes both piezo and triboelectric effect coupled with electrostatic induction. The elucidation of potential generation during contact between crystalline phases ( α and β) of PVDF layer material is investigated in the manuscript. Fourier transform infrared–attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy is carried out to illustrate the α- and β-phases in PVDF pellet, prepared film as well as the film after contact. Dynamic contact mode electrostatic force microscopy (DC-EFM) along with atomic force microscopy is used for the evaluation of reverse piezoelectric, local ferroelectric, triboelectric voltage and adhesive energy of the PVDF films before–after contact process. Quantum chemical calculation is performed using density functional theory to explain possible electron transitions in the active layers between the cylindrically symmetric α-phase and electrical double layer charges in the β-phase of PVDF. The interface study of the film is also carried out both experimentally using DC-EFM and through quantum chemical calculations. The fabricated device with the hybrid piezo-tribo layer promises to be a simple and low-cost energy source for the next-generation self-powered electronic devices. The device can also be used as knock sensor in engines as well as a capacitor.
Improved disturbance rejection control based on H∞ synthesis and equivalent-input-disturbance for aircraft longitudinal autopilot design
Authors: Li Tong , Yang Huabo , Tian Jiayi , Zhang Shifeng
Published: August 2018

Disturbance rejection control has been developed over decades attracting wide interest and research attention. Aiming at providing a potential engineering application of disturbance rejection control to aircraft control system design following traditional frequency-domain methods, this paper presents an improved disturbance rejection control of two degrees of freedom based on [Formula: see text] synthesis and equivalent-input-disturbance for an aircraft longitudinal autopilot design. The mismatched disturbance is transformed as a “total disturbance” in the input channel for compensation through the establishment of an equivalent-input-disturbance system. The [Formula: see text] synthesis based on classical frequency-domain analysis is applied to a disturbance filter and a composite feedback controller design. In terms of the controller design, the system including the filter is considered as a whole in [Formula: see text] optimization process without separate design to guarantee the stability of the overall system. Furthermore, the proposed method is successfully implemented on the autopilot design by modeling nonlinear aircraft longitudinal dynamics as a linear equivalent-input-disturbance formulation of angle of attack. The simulation of tracking performance in comparison with existing renowned methods is conducted in the presence of aerodynamic uncertainties, gust disturbance, actuator characteristics and sensor noise. The results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method with excellent performance and practical prospects.
Localized micro-discharges group dielectric barrier discharge vortex generators: Disturbances source for active transition control
Authors: Moralev Ivan , Bityurin Valentin , Firsov Alexander , Sherbakova Victoria , Selivonin Igor , Maxim Ustinov
Published: August 2018

In this study, a new type of dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuator for boundary layer control, based on the controllable inhomogeneity of the discharge along the exposed electrode, is developed. The structure of the flow, generated by the isolated groups of microdischarges, was studied in detail in quiescent conditions. In the two-dimensional laminar boundary layer, the flow structure downstream of the actuator was studied for various sweep angles of the electrode. The equivalent model of the actuator, including the force and heat sources, is formulated based on the analysis of the flow created by the actuator in quiescent conditions. The model is verified by simulating the flow downstream of the actuator in two-dimensional boundary layer. As a final step, the applicability of the localized microdischarge group actuator for active transition control on a swept wing was studied. The generation of a cross-flow mode by the actuator was demonstrated in numerical simulation for low-velocity experiment conditions.
Utilization of Hospice Care in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Chauhan Nabeel , Ali Syed F. , Hannawi Yousef , Hinduja Archana
Published: August 2018

Background:

A significant percentage of terminally ill patients are discharged to hospice care following a devastating stroke.

Objective:

We sought to determine the factors associated with hospital discharge to hospice care in a large cohort of patients with stroke.

Methods:

Using the institutional Get With The Guidelines-Stroke database, all consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) who were alive at discharge, from January 2009 until July 2015, were analyzed. Univariate and multivariable statistical analyses were performed to determine the factors associated with discharge to hospice care.

Results:

Of 2446 patients with AIS, 3.4% died and were excluded of remaining 2363 patients, and 4.2% were discharged to hospice care. Univariate analysis identified patients who were discharged to hospice care to be older, caucasian, Medicare or private insurance, have atrial fibrillation, heart failure and less often had diabetes mellitus or smoked. Altered mentation at presentation and urinary tract infection were more common in patients discharged to hospice. On multivariable analysis, patients transferred to hospice care were older (odds ratio [OR]: 1.04, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-1.07; P < .001), had a high National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS; OR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.10-1.20; P < .001), and altered mental status at presentation (OR: 2.42, 95% CI: 1.29-4.55; P < .001).

Conclusion:

In our study, elderly patients with high NIHSS and altered mental status were identified as factors associated with transition to hospice care following AIS. Prospective studies on the optimal timing of initiation of these consults are needed.
Analysis of the Changes in the Clinical Outcomes According to Time After Arthroscopic Microfracture of Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus
Authors: Kim Tae Yong , Song Seung Hyun , Baek Jong Hun , Hwang Yeok Gu , Jeong Bi O
Published: August 2018

Background:

Arthroscopic microfracture can effectively treat osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLTs). However, very few studies have reported on symptomatic improvement duration and time when symptomatic improvement ceases. This study aimed to investigate the clinical outcome changes after arthroscopic microfracture in patients with OLT.

Methods:

Among patients who underwent arthroscopic microfracture for OLT, 70 patients were available for follow-up for more than 3 years. Of these, 6 patients who showed worsening or no improvement in the 6 months after surgery were excluded, and a total of 64 patients were included in the analysis. To analyze and compare the clinical outcome changes according to time, the visual analog scale (VAS) and American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot scores were evaluated every 3 months up to 1 year postoperatively and every 1 year thereafter. The clinical outcome differences based on the lesion size, lesion location, lesion containment, presence of cyst and bone marrow edema, age, sex, and obesity were analyzed.

Results:

The preoperative and final follow-up VAS scores significantly improved from 6.2 ± 1.1 to 1.2 ± 1.1 ( P< .05) and the AOFAS score from 63.1 ± 7.3 to 91.0 ± 7.3 ( P< .05). The overall success rate for arthroscopic microfracture in this study was 88.6%. The postoperative VAS and AOFAS scores at 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, and 36 months were 3.7 ± 1.4, 2.5 ± 1.3, 2.0 ± 1.1, 1.6 ± 1.2, 1.2 ± 1.2, and 1.3 ± 1.2 and 74.7 ± 10.3, 80.5 ± 8.9, 84.3 ± 7.4, 88.3 ± 7.3, 91.1 ± 7.2, and 90.8 ± 7.5, respectively, showing significant improvements up to 2 years. After 2 years, the symptoms did not improve but were maintained at a certain level up to 3 years. No clinical outcome differences based on the lesion size, lesion containment, presence of cyst and bone marrow edema, age, sex, and obesity were observed.

Conclusion:

Symptomatic improvement early after arthroscopic microfracture for OLT was observed continuously for up to 2 years postoperatively. Symptom improvement was maintained without worsening for up to 3 years after surgery. Determining the final outcome of microfracture at least after 2 years would be reasonable.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, case series.
Practice and Structure as Concepts of a Sociology of Visual Communication: Toward a Methodology of Visual and Structural Analysis
Authors: Kautt York
Published: August 2018

The concept of practice occurs frequently in current research about the visual. However, the term remains problematic as it cannot always clarify the complexity of the topic. Following an initial discussion of the subject area and central questions of a sociology of visual communication, I proceed to show that visual practices are embedded in many different social structures that condition forms of practice. This aspect is reflected on theoretically with reference to the concept of artifacts outlined by Herbert Simons in Sciences of the Artificial. As Simons does not seek to establish any connection to sociology, his thoughts must first be developed for the discipline. This is achieved, inter alia, by taking up the structural concepts of Giddens and Luhmann. Having established this background, the notion of practice is reconsidered in relation to the structures of social realities and to a concept of the sociology of visual communication. In the discussion, methodological and methodical conclusions are drawn from these conceptual considerations, which are important for the further development of the analysis of the visual.
“We Are Book Eight”: Dialoging the collective imagination through literary fan activism
Authors: Carriere Kevin R
Published: August 2018

This paper will explore how individuals employ imagination through collective action. First, I will outline a definition of imagination, focusing on how the dialogic nature of imagination provides an overarching framework for individuals focused on producing change. Next, I will discuss symbolic resources as a way to link one’s imagination with another’s. Qualitative interviews from The Harry Potter Alliance will be examined as a case where collective action is taken through shared resources. It will highlight how placing real-world issues in dialogue with imaginary constructs can assist in sharing imaginations toward worlds of what-if. Discussions around the relational aspect of collective imagination will end the paper.
‘Announcement’ trailers and the inter-temporality of Hollywood blockbusters
Authors: Moulton Carter
Published: August 2018

This article examines the blockbuster ‘announcement’ trailer. As teasers-for-the-teaser-trailer, these ephemeral texts invite audiences to look forward to an upcoming film while also calling on them to look back to a previous cinematic encounter. Moreover, their specific reveal-conceal structure also encourages fans to scan the text for clues (to look inward) while making connections to previous texts (to look outward). Building on Jonathan Gray’s concept of ‘speculative consumption’, wherein audiences ‘create an idea of what pleasures any one text will provide’, this article refers to this textual construction and affective sensation as speculative nostalgia, asserting that it is constitutive of today’s blockbuster culture. When situated into the contexts of their industrial and spectatorial temporality, announcement trailers prove to be rich sites for examining blockbusters, not only as intertextual commodities which spread far and wide, but also as inter-temporal commodities in which specific temporal structures are shaped, shared, revised, and felt.
Amplitude–frequency relationship to a fractional Duffing oscillator arising in microphysics and tsunami motion
Authors: Wang Yan , An Jian-Ye
Published: August 2018

Fractional oscillators can effectively deal with noise in the vibration. This paper adopts He’s fractional derivative, which is defined through the variational iteration algorithm. Ji-Huan He’s amplitude–frequency formulation is used to solve the fractional Duffing equation.
Women ageing solo in Ireland: An exploratory study of women’s perspectives on relationship status and future care needs
Authors: Reilly Eileen , Hafford-Letchfield Trish , Lambert Nicky
Published: August 2018

This study explores the impact of relationship status for women in Ireland who are ageing ‘solo’ and their perspectives on relationship status and their future care needs. Solo women were defined as those over 55 years who identify with long-term, non-partnered relationship status and have not had children. In-depth qualitative interviews with 10 women were used to gather data on how participants responded to their solo status. Voice-relational method was used to analyse the data and we report on three themes relating to social work. Firstly, participants experienced social stigma related to their status as solo women; secondly, their resistance and resilience in response and thirdly, the anticipated challenges and experiences of solo ageing in relation to meeting their care and support needs. Whilst conducted in Ireland, further research in this area is important to identify how social policy is inclusive for marginalised populations in ageing in similar contexts. Our findings suggest the need for increased professional awareness of women ageing solo when undertaking assessment and designing women’s person-centred support.