bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Video Feedback Intervention With Children
Authors: Balldin Stina , Fisher Philip A. , Wirtberg Ingegerd
Published: October 2016

Objective:

Present a systematic analysis of the outcome research concerning video feedback (VF) programs.

Method:

Twenty-nine studies published between 1990 and 2014 were examined. They focused on children 0–12 years old and had at least one control group.

Results:

VF programs were similar in design, with interventions focusing on parental and child behavior, parental sensitivity and attachment. In 41% of the measurements, the program effects were moderate or large in favor of the intervention groups, particularly regarding maternal sensitivity and children’s behavior. Components of the VF programs were also examined. Two general problems emerged: lack of transparency/specificity of many programs with respect to the components, and heterogeneity among instruments used for measurement.

Conclusions:

Future research should focus on articulating intervention components and a standardized approach to measurement. This would facilitate comparisons of approaches and increase the possibility of implementing VF programs with fidelity in different professional settings.
Factor Structure of the Urban Hassles Index
Authors: Min Meeyoung O. , Kim June-Yung , Olgac Tugba , Francis Meredith W. , Shon En-Jung , Yoon Dalhee
Published: October 2016

Objective:

This study examined the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Urban Hassles Index (UHI).

Method:

Exploratory factor analyses (EFAs) were conducted via principal axis factoring extraction method. Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to evaluate the fit of the EFA-derived model using the weighted least squares estimator with mean and variance adjustments. Composite/scale scores were created for the extracted factors, with a total score derived by summing the scale scores. Criterion-related validity was examined using hierarchical regressions.

Results:

The UHI had four first-order factors ( environmental nuisance, safety concerns, drug, and coercion) accounting for 43% of the total variance. Covariance among the first-order factors was explained by a higher second-order factor. Moderate factor correlations and evidence for the criterion-related validity of the subscales and total score indicated multidimensionality of the UHI.

Conclusions:

The shortened 16-item UHI is a brief assessment tool evaluating stressors unique to urban adolescents, providing specific intervention targets.
From Rolls to Disappointments
Authors: Clarke Andrew J. , Jenkins Jeffery A. , Monroe Nathan W.
Published: October 2016

Much of the literature on partisan agenda setting in Congress focuses on the majority’s ability to exercise negative agenda control. As a result, the empirical emphasis has been on “rolls,” or how often the majority of the majority party opposes legislation that nonetheless passes. Although interesting, rolls are only one source of majority party failure. The other source, largely unexplored in the literature, is when the majority of the majority party supports legislation that is subsequently defeated. These cases represent “disappointments,” and are a means to determine how effective the majority party is at exercising positive agenda control. Making some basic modifications to a standard spatial model of agenda setting, we articulate why and where we might expect the majority party to fail to exercise positive agenda control effectively. We then derive hypotheses regarding (1) which members should vote “no” on roll calls that result in a disappointment and (2) why disappointments vary on a Congress-by-Congress basis across time, and test them using a dataset of final-passage votes on House bills in the post-Reconstruction era.
Anti-regime Uprisings and the Emergence of Electoral Authoritarianism
Authors: Kim Nam Kyu
Published: October 2016

This paper explores the role of threats from below in the emergence of electoral authoritarianism. Mass uprisings for democratic regime change undermine closed authoritarian regimes by making it difficult for autocrats to maintain their regimes through repression and co-optation. Anti-regime uprisings also promote the establishment of electoral authoritarianism by toppling the existing closed regime or by compelling autocrats to offer political reform as a survival strategy. Looking at closed authoritarian regimes from 1961 to 2006, my analysis reveals that anti-regime mass uprisings are significantly associated with transitions to electoral authoritarianism. I also find that nonviolent uprisings are more likely than violent uprisings to result in the establishment of electoral authoritarianism and that the effect of anti-regime uprisings on transitions to electoral authoritarianism is greater when a country is surrounded by more democracies or is ethnically or religiously homogeneous.
The Evaluation of Fibrin-Related Markers for Diagnosing or Predicting Acute or Subclinical Venous Thromboembolism in Patients Undergoing Major Orthopedic Surgery
Authors: Hasegawa Masahiro , Wada Hideo , Miyazaki Shinichi , Yamaguchi Toshio , Wakabayashi Hiroki , Fujimoto Naoki , Matsumoto Takeshi , Ohishi Kohshi , Sakaguchi Akane , Yamada Norikazu , Ito Masaaki , Yamashita Yoshiki , Katayama Naoyuki , Nakatani Kaname , Sudo Akihiro
Published: October 2016

Objective:

The cutoff values of fibrin-related markers (FRMs) diagnosing or predicting the occurrence of a venous thromboembolism (VTE) were evaluated.

Materials and Methods:

Fibrin-related markers such as fibrin monomer complex (FMC), D-dimer, and fibrinogen and fibrin degradation products (FDPs) before surgery were measured in 326 patients undergoing orthopedic surgery to diagnose subclinical VTE or predict postoperative VTE.

Results:

Although the FMC, D-dimer, and FDP levels were all useful for the diagnosis of acute VTE, the FDP level was not useful for diagnosing subclinical VTE or predicting postoperative VTE. The results of several D-dimer assays closely correlated with other D-dimer assays. There were various cutoff ranges for diagnosing or predicting VTE. Some D-dimer assays were useful for diagnosing low levels of D-dimer and others were useful for diagnosing moderate to high D-dimer levels. Increased D-dimer levels were useful for diagnosing acute (cutoff values: 2.0-5.9 μg/mL) or about 10% of subclinical VTE (cutoff values: 3.4-5.3 μg/mL), for predicting about 10% of postoperative VTE (cutoff values: 3.4-5.3 μg/mL), and for excluding VTE.

Conclusion:

Although increased D-dimer levels were useful for diagnosing subclinical VTE and predicting the risk of VTE, there were various cutoff values for the diagnosis or prediction of VTE.
Understanding Social Media Peer Communication and Organization–Public Relationships
Authors: Men Linjuan Rita , Muralidharan Sidharth
Published: October 2016

This study proposed and tested a social media peer communication model that links tie strength, social media dependency, and public–organization social media engagement to the peer communication process as well as organization–public relationship (OPR) outcomes. Through an online survey of 328 American and 304 Chinese social media users, results showed that tie strength and public–organization social engagement are positive predictors of peer communication about companies on social media, which further leads to quality OPRs.
Naked Aggression: The Meaning and Practice of Ejaculation on a Woman’s Face
Authors: Sun Chyng , Ezzell Matthew B. , Kendall Olivia
Published: October 2016

Based on in-depth interviews with 16 heterosexual men, this study focuses on participants’ meaning-making surrounding a common and controversial sexual act in pornography: ejaculation on a woman’s face (EOWF). We analyze the ways that male consumers decoded EOWF and the ways that EOWF, as a sexual script, was included in the men’s accounts of their sexual desires and practices. The majority of the men decoded EOWF through the preferred (encoded) meaning as an act of male dominance and sexual aggression and that they wanted to engage in it despite their general belief that women would not be interested in it.
The effect of ageing on elastohydrodynamic friction in heavy-duty diesel engine oils
Authors: Björling Marcus , Berglund Kim , Spencer Andrew , Larsson Roland
Published: October 2016

To further improve the efficiency of machine components found in automotive engine systems it is important to understand the friction generation in these components. Modelling and simulation of these components are crucial parts of the development process. Accurate simulation of the friction generated in these machine components is, amongst other things, dependent on realistic lubricant rheology and lubricant properties, where especially the latter may change during ageing of the lubricant. Many modern heavy-duty diesel engines are in operation for several hundred hours before the engine oil is changed. In this work, two engine oils, one 10 W-30 and one 5 W-20, have been aged in full heavy-duty diesel engine bench tests for 400 and 470 hours respectively. This roughly corresponds to the amount of ageing these oils are subjected to between oil drains in field conditions. The aged oils were subjected to a number of oil analyses showing, among other things, a maximum increase in oil viscosity of 12.9% for the 5 W-20 oil and 5.5% for the 10 W-30 oil, which is most likely primarily an effect of evaporation and oxidation. The aged oils were tested in a ball-on-disc test rig under elastohydrodynamic conditions where friction was measured and the performance was compared to fresh samples of the same oils. The results show that there is almost no difference in elastohydrodynamic friction when comparing the aged oils with the fresh oils. These results indicate that it is not necessary to include oil ageing in numerical elastohydrodynamic friction models as long as the oil is changed before the ageing has reached a critical level.
Pebbles, rocks, and boulders: The implementation of a school-based social engagement intervention for children with autism
Authors: Locke Jill , Wolk Courtney Benjamin , Harker Colleen , Olsen Anne , Shingledecker Travis , Barg Frances , Mandell David , Beidas Rinad
Published: October 2016

Few evidence-based practices, defined as the use of empirically supported research and clinical expertise for children with autism, have been successfully implemented and sustained in schools. This study examined the perspectives of school personnel ( n = 39) on implementing a social engagement intervention for children with autism. Semi-structured interviews, informed by the Domitrovich et al. (2008) framework, were conducted. Participants were asked about (1) school factors that affect the general implementation of evidence-based practices, (2) their specific experiences implementing the social engagement intervention, and (3) barriers to and facilitators of implementing the social engagement intervention. Data were analyzed using an integrated approach. General (e.g. implementation process, leadership, support, and staff) and intervention-specific (e.g. staff, barriers, and facilitators) implementation themes were identified. These findings suggest that a variety of factors should be considered when implementing evidence-based practices in schools and that implementing social engagement interventions for children with autism may require additional specific support for implementation.
Comorbidity prevalence, healthcare utilization, and expenditures of Medicaid enrolled adults with autism spectrum disorders
Authors: Vohra Rini , Madhavan Suresh , Sambamoorthi Usha
Published: October 2016

A retrospective data analysis using 2000–2008 three state Medicaid Analytic eXtract was conducted to examine the prevalence and association of comorbidities (psychiatric and non-psychiatric) with healthcare utilization and expenditures of fee-for-service enrolled adults (22–64 years) with and without autism spectrum disorders (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision–clinical modification code: 299.xx). Autism spectrum disorder cases were 1:3 matched to no autism spectrum disorder controls by age, gender, and race using propensity scores. Study outcomes were all-cause healthcare utilization (outpatient office visits, inpatient hospitalizations, emergency room, and prescription drug use) and associated healthcare expenditures. Bivariate analyses (chi-square tests and t-tests), multinomial logistic regressions (healthcare utilization), and generalized linear models with gamma distribution (expenditures) were used. Adults with autism spectrum disorders (n = 1772) had significantly higher rates of psychiatric comorbidity (81%), epilepsy (22%), infections (22%), skin disorders (21%), and hearing impairments (18%). Adults with autism spectrum disorders had higher mean annual outpatient office visits (32ASD vs 8noASD) and prescription drug use claims (51ASD vs 24noASD) as well as higher mean annual outpatient office visits (US$4375ASD vs US$824noASD), emergency room (US$15,929ASD vs US$2598noASD), prescription drug use (US$6067ASD vs US$3144noASD), and total expenditures (US$13,700ASD vs US$8560noASD). The presence of a psychiatric and a non-psychiatric comorbidity among adults with autism spectrum disorders increased the annual total expenditures by US$4952 and US$5084, respectively.
Implementation of the Early Start Denver Model in an Italian community
Authors: Colombi Costanza , Narzisi Antonio , Ruta Liliana , Cigala Virginia , Gagliano Antonella , Pioggia Giovanni , Siracusano Rosamaria , Rogers Sally J , Muratori Filippo ,   Prima Pietra Team
Published: October 2016

Identifying effective, community-based specialized interventions for young children with autism spectrum disorder is an international clinical and research priority. We evaluated the effectiveness of the Early Start Denver Model intervention in a group of young children with autism spectrum disorder living in an Italian community compared to a group of Italian children who received treatment as usual. A total of 22 young children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder received the Early Start Denver Model in a center-based context for 6 h per week over 6 months. The Early Start Denver Model group was compared to a group of 70 young children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder who received treatment as usual for an average of 5.2 h over 6 months. Children in both groups improved in cognitive, adaptive, and social skills after 3 months and 6 months of treatment. Children in the Early Start Denver Model group made larger gains in cognitive and social skills after 3 and 6 months of treatment. The Early Start Denver Model group made larger gains in adaptive skills after 3 months of treatment. Our results are discussed in terms of implications for intervention research and clinical practice. Our study supports the positive impact of the Early Start Denver Model in a non-English-speaking community.
One-year health and care costs after hip fracture for home-dwelling elderly patients in Norway: Results from the Trondheim Hip Fracture Trial
Authors: Hektoen Liv Faksvåg , Saltvedt Ingvild , Sletvold Olav , Helbostad Jorunn L. , Lurås Hilde , Halsteinli Vidar
Published: October 2016

Aim: The aim of this study was to estimate the one-year health and care costs related to hip fracture for home-dwelling patients aged 70 years and older in Norway, paying specific attention to the status of the patients at the time of fracture and cost differences due to various patient pathways after fracture. Methods: Data on health and care service provision were extracted from hospital and municipal records and from national registries; data on unit costs were collected from the municipalities, hospital administrations and previously published studies. Four different patient pathways were identified and the total costs for subgroups of patients according to age, sex, fracture type and instrumental activity of daily living at fracture incidence were calculated. Descriptive statistics were used to identify cost estimates. Results: The mean total one-year costs per patient were EUR 68,376 and the costs for patients alive one year after hip fracture were EUR 71,719. The patients’ age and pre-fracture functional status contributed most to the total cost. Conclusions: On average, care costs accounted for more than 50% of the total cost; even for patients with good functional status before hip fracture, care costs accounted for 40% of the total cost compared with hospital costs of 38%. To reduce the financial costs of hip fractures in the care sector, the results point to the importance of preventive programmes to reduce the risk of hip fracture, but also to the importance of comprehensive geriatric care in the initial phase after a hip fracture.
Implementers’ Perspectives on Fidelity of Implementation
Authors: Cutbush Stacey , Gibbs Deborah , Krieger Kathleen , Clinton-Sherrod Monique , Miller Shari
Published: October 2016

Fidelity of implementation is an essential factor in realizing outcomes of evidence-based interventions. Yet perspectives vary on the degree to which fidelity is necessary or desirable, implementers may receive limited guidance on fidelity, and research on implementers’ understanding and operationalization of fidelity is lacking. We conducted key informant interviews with 20 individuals who implemented an evidence-based teen dating violence prevention curriculum in seven sites. Interviews addressed how implementers defined fidelity and the adaptations they made in implementing the curriculum. Although all implementers reported delivering the curriculum with fidelity, their definitions of fidelity varied. Most defined fidelity in terms of adherence to the published curriculum, although definitions sometimes allowed modifications of pedagogy or adding or subtracting materials. A smaller group of implementers defined fidelity in terms of their perceptions of the curriculum’s core messages. All implementers described variations from the published curriculum, which were frequently inconsistent with their own definitions of fidelity. Implementers committed to the value of implementation with fidelity may need support in its definition and application. Developers can support implementers by communicating program theory in terms that implementers will understand, clarifying expectations for fidelity and allowable adaptations, and codifying lessons learned from previous implementation.
Lobbying Across Venues: An Issue-Tracing Approach
Authors: Jourdain Charlotte , Hug Simon , Varone Frédéric
Published: October 2016

This study examines lobbying activity during four California policymaking processes and through the four institutional venues available in that state: the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, and the ballot initiative. It shows that past advocacy activity explains future mobilization on the same policy issue. Groups that fail to reach their policy goals will be more likely to mobilize later if the policy process changes venue, compared with those that have achieved their policy preference. Thus, the availability of multiple venues provides a counterweight to the possible advantages received by certain group types in each venue. Furthermore, public interest groups are more likely to mobilize across venues and repeatedly within a venue, while business groups are less likely to do so.
Entangled Bodies: Black Girls Becoming-Molecular
Authors: Franklin-Phipps Asilia
Published: October 2016

Using Deleuze and Guattari’s concept of becoming alongside Massumi’s reading of A Thousand Plateaus (1992), I explore how Black girls become educated in the molar assemblage1 of schools: students, teachers, classrooms, bodies raced and gendered by the practices of White schooling. Through readings of narratives of Black girls, I examine how fixed notions of Blackness and girlhood are disrupted by girls becoming-molecular.2 Finally, I consider how Black girls are affected by White schooling spaces and how Black girls’ bodies shift and change schooling spaces by existing in them.
Targeting extracellular matrix remodeling in disease: Could resveratrol be a potential candidate?
Authors: Agarwal Renu , Agarwal Puneet
Published: October 2016

Disturbances of extracellular matrix homeostasis are associated with a number of pathological conditions. The ability of extracellular matrix to provide contextual information and hence control the individual or collective cellular behavior is increasingly being recognized. Hence, newer therapeutic approaches targeting extracellular matrix remodeling are widely investigated. We reviewed the current literature showing the effects of resveratrol on various aspects of extracellular matrix remodeling. This review presents a summary of the effects of resveratrol on extracellular matrix deposition and breakdown. Mechanisms of action of resveratrol in extracellular matrix deposition involving growth factors and their signaling pathways are discussed. Involvement of phosphoinositol-3-kinase/Akt and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways and role of transcription factors and sirtuins on the effects of resveratrol on extracellular matrix homeostasis are summarized. It is evident from the literature presented in this review that resveratrol has significant effects on both the synthesis and breakdown of extracellular matrix. The major molecular targets of the action of resveratrol are growth factors and their signaling pathways, phosphoinositol-3-kinase/Akt and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways, transcription factors, and SIRT-1. The effects of resveratrol on extracellular matrix and the molecular targets appear to be related to experimental models, experimental environment as well as the doses.
Heat delays skin wound healing in mice
Authors: dos Santos-Silva Marco Aurélio , Trajano Eduardo Tavares Lima , Schanuel Fernanda Seabra , Monte-Alto-Costa Andréa
Published: October 2016

In vivo studies have shown that the combination of infrared radiation (IR) and visible light (VIS) is responsible for the activation of metaloproteinases, causing matrix degradation and damage to healthy skin. However, the role of heat originating from the VIS spectrum on wound healing remains poorly understood. Our objective was to investigate the macroscopic, microscopic and biochemical effects of heat induced by visible light on cutaneous wound healing in mice. Male mice were anesthetized, subjected to a cutaneous excisional wound and divided into two groups ( n = 10/group) exposed to 23℃ or 43℃ in a thermal chamber for 30 min every other day, for 13 days. On day 14, the animals were sacrificed, and their lesions were processed for histochemistry, immunohistochemistry and protein expression analysis. The wound area was 42% greater 11 days ( p < 0.01) and 29% greater 14 days ( p < 0.001) after wounding in the 43℃ group than in the 23℃ group. The 43℃ group presented a lower (17%) percentage of reepithelialized wounds ( p < 0.001) 14 days after wounding. The length of the epidermal gap was greater in the 43℃ group ( p < 0.01). The volume density of myofibroblasts and the number of F4/80-positive macrophages was greater in the 43℃ group ( p < 0.05). The 43℃ group showed increased protein expression of type III collagen ( p < 0.001), decreased protein expression of type I collagen ( p < 0.05), increased MMP-1 expression ( p < 0.05), and decreased MMP-2 activity ( p < 0.001). The protein expression of fibrillin-1 ( p < 0.001), MMP-12 ( p < 0.05), TGF-β 1/2/3 ( p < 0.01) and ERK activation ( p < 0.05) was increased in the 43℃ group. Our results suggest that heat delays the stages of wound healing in mice.
Carrot solution culture bioproduction of uniformly labeled 13C-lutein and in vivo dosing in non-human primates
Authors: Smith Joshua W , Rogers Randy B , Jeon Sookyoung , Rubakhin Stanislav S , Wang Lin , Sweedler Jonathan V , Neuringer Martha , Kuchan Matthew J , Erdman John W
Published: October 2016

Lutein is a xanthophyll abundant in nature and most commonly present in the human diet through consumption of leafy green vegetables. With zeaxanthin and meso-zeaxanthin, lutein is a component of the macular pigment of the retina, where it protects against photooxidation and age-related macular degeneration. Recent studies have suggested that lutein may positively impact cognition throughout the lifespan, but outside of the retina, the deposition, metabolism, and function(s) of lutein are poorly understood. Using a novel botanical cell culture system ( Daucus carota), the present study aimed to produce a stable isotope lutein tracer for use in future investigations of dietary lutein distribution and metabolism. Carrot cultivars were initiated into liquid solution culture, lutein production conditions optimized, and uniformly labeled 13C-glucose was provided as the sole media carbon source for four serial growth cycles. Lutein yield was 2.58 ± 0.24 µg/g, and mass spectrometry confirmed high enrichment of 13C: 64.9% of lutein was uniformly labeled and 100% of lutein was labeled on at least 37 of 40 possible carbons. Purification of carrot extracts yielded a lutein dose of 1.92 mg with 96.0 ± 0.60% purity. 13C-lutein signals were detectable in hepatic extracts of an adult rhesus macaque monkey ( Macaca mulatta) dosed with 13C-lutein, but not in hepatic samples collected from control animals. This novel botanical biofactory approach can be used to produce sufficient quantities of highly enriched and pure 13C-lutein doses for use in tracer studies investigating lutein distribution, metabolism, and function.
Minireview: Fibronectin in retinal disease
Authors: Miller Charles G , Budoff Greg , Prenner Jonathan L , Schwarzbauer Jean E
Published: October 2016

Retinal fibrosis, characterized by dysregulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) protein deposition by retinal endothelial cells, pigment epithelial cells, and other resident cell-types, is a unifying feature of several common retinal diseases. Fibronectin is an early constituent of newly deposited ECM and serves as a template for assembly of other ECM proteins, including collagens. Under physiologic conditions, fibronectin is found in all layers of Bruch’s membrane. Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), a complication of retinal surgery, is characterized by ECM accumulation. Among the earliest histologic manifestations of diabetic retinopathy (DR) is capillary basement membrane thickening, which occurs due to perturbations in ECM homeostasis. Neovascularization, the hallmark of late stage DR as well as exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD), involves ECM assembly as a scaffold for the aberrant new vessel architecture. Rodent models of retinal injury demonstrate a key role for fibronectin in complications characteristic of PVR, including retinal detachment. In mouse models of DR, reducing fibronectin gene expression has been shown to arrest the accumulation of ECM in the capillary basement membrane. Alterations in matrix metalloproteinase activity thought to be important in the pathogenesis of AMD impact the turnover of fibronectin matrix as well as collagens. Growth factors involved in PVR, AMD, and DR, such as PDGF and TGFβ, are known to stimulate fibronectin matrix assembly. A deeper understanding of how pathologic ECM deposition contributes to disease progression may help to identify novel targets for therapeutic intervention.
Endovascular Reconstruction of Extrahepatic Portal Vein in Noncirrhotic and Nonmalignant Chronic Portal Vein Thrombosis Secondary to an Iatrogenic Stenotic Lesion
Authors: Guerrero-Hernandez Manuel , Hinojosa Carlos A. , Anaya-Ayala Javier E. , Elenes Erika , Torre Aldo
Published: October 2016

Portal vein (PV) thrombosis (PVT) in the absence of liver disease or thrombophilia is rare. We report a 57-year-old male with a history of stage 3 chronic kidney disease who presented at the emergency department 18 months after abdominal surgery with progressive abdominal pain and distention. Computed tomography revealed PVT with multiple collaterals and moderate ascites. He had undergone partial gastrectomy and gastrojejunal anastomosis at an outside facility for gastrointestinal stromal tumors that caused an iatrogenic stenotic lesion in the PV. The patient underwent balloon angioplasty and endovascular deployment of an 8 mm × 100 mm Viabahn covered stent (W. L. Gore and Associates, Flagstaff, Arizona) in the extrahepatic PV via a transhepatic approach; the device allowed complete restoration of prograde portal flow with clinical improvement. At 6 months from the intervention, he remains symptom-free with normal liver function tests and patent endoprosthesis on antiplatelet therapy.
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome in a Volleyball Player Due to Nonunion of the First Rib Fracture
Authors: Puttmann Kathleen T. , Satiani Bhagwan , Vaccaro Patrick
Published: October 2016

Fracture of the first rib with ensuing callus formation is a rare cause of thoracic outlet syndrome. We report a case of a 17-year-old female volleyball player who presented with months of chronic arm pain. Radiographic imaging demonstrated nonunion fracture of the first rib. Physical therapy had been unsuccessful in relieving the pain, and surgical management was performed with resection of the first rib through a transaxillary approach with complete resolution of symptoms. Inflammation surrounding such fractures may destroy tissue planes, making dissection more technically difficult.
HIV Screening and the Affordable Care Act
Authors: Carter Greg , Owens Christopher , Lin Hsien-Chang
Published: October 2016

Men continue to bear disproportionate accounts of HIV diagnoses. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care act aims to address health care disparities by recommending preventative services, including HIV screening, expanding community health centers, and increasing the healthcare workforce. This study examined the decision making of physician and primary care health providers to provide HIV screenings. A quasi-experimental design was used to estimate the effects of the Affordable Care Act on provider-initiated HIV screening. The National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey was used to examine HIV screening characteristic from two time periods: 2009 and 2012. Logistic regression indicated that patient and provider characteristics were associated with likelihood of being prescribed HIV screening. Non-Hispanic Black men were more likely to be prescribed HIV screening compared to non-Hispanic White men (odds ratio [OR] = 12.33, 95% confidence interval [CI; 4.42, 34.46]). Men who see primary care providers were more likely to be prescribed HIV screening compared to men not seeing a primary care provider (OR = 5.94, 95% CI [2.15, 16.39]). Men between the ages of 19 and 22 were more likely to be prescribed HIV screening compared to men between the ages of 15 and 18 (OR = 6.59, 95% CI [2.16, 20.14]). Men between the ages of 23 and 25 were more likely to be prescribed HIV screening compared with men between the ages of 15 and 18 (OR = 10.13, 95% CI [3.34, 30.69]). Health education programs identifying men at increased risk for contracting HIV may account for the increased screening rates in certain populations. Future research should examine age disparities surrounding adolescent and young men HIV screening.
Data Diffraction: Challenging Data Integration in Mixed Methods Research
Authors: Uprichard Emma , Dawney Leila
Published: October 2016

This article extends the debates relating to integration in mixed methods research. We challenge the a priori assumptions on which integration is assumed to be possible in the first place. More specifically, following Haraway and Barad, we argue that methods produce “cuts” which may or may not cohere and that “diffraction,” as an expanded approach to integration, has much to offer mixed methods research. Diffraction pays attention to the ways in which data produced through different methods can both splinter and interrupt the object of study. As such, it provides an explicit way of empirically capturing the mess and complexity intrinsic to the ontology of the social entity being studied.
A hybrid approach for haptics-based intelligent assembly planning
Authors: Xia Pingjun
Published: October 2016

Assembly planning is normally realized by automatic approach or interactive approach. Both of these methods have promising advantages, but they also have inevitable shortcomings. This article proposes a hybrid approach to combine automatic assembly planning and interactive assembly planning to generate optimal assembly sequence for industrial products. By defining a novel precedence constraint table to represent the assembly precedence relationships between components, the initial feasible assembly sequence can be generated by intelligent algorithm. This assembly sequence can be interactively simulated and evaluated in a haptics-based virtual environment. By simulating the multiple geometry constraints–based assembly process and assembly tool operation process, more practical precedence constraints and evaluation rules can be recognized, and more optimal assembly sequence can be re-planned. This is an iterative process until the best assembly sequence is obtained. The proposed hybrid approach can utilize the advantages of both methods, such as computer intelligence and human knowledge, and overcome their shortcomings. The generated results are more practical and flexible than traditional methods.
Design and analysis of mechanic-hydraulic servo control steering system for pure rolling in multi-axle vehicle
Authors: Du Heng , Ye Jixiao , Huang Bin
Published: October 2016

With more axles for multi-axle vehicles, conventional steering trapeziums are unable to let every tire fit Ackermann steering which cause tire wear increasingly more serious. To alleviate this problem, an original mechanic-hydraulic servo steering system with a controllable tie rod is designed. By controlling the angle of one wheel and the length of tie rod, both wheels can be controlled as per default trajectory which implemented Ackermann steering. This article utilized mechanic-hydraulic servo feedback to design a mechanic-hydraulic servo valve which controlled the tie rod accurately. It ensured dynamic characteristics of steering wheels and driving force. To understand inherent characteristics of system, the mathematical model was established. The transfer function was derived, and this high-order system was reduced by Routh approximation. Analyzed natural frequency and the main parameter (the gain coefficient of displacement) which influences the dynamic characteristics had been found out. Analysis shows that the lower the gain coefficient, the higher the speed of response. Moreover, the accurate simulation model of servo system is built on AMESim. Contrasting five groups of simulation results, it is obtained that the influence rule of the gain coefficient is consistent with theoretical analysis. This research provides a useful reference for future nonlinear control.
Exposure to secondhand smoke and risk of peripheral arterial disease in southern Chinese non-smokers: The Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study-Cardiovascular Disease Sub-cohort
Authors: Lu Liya , Jiang Chaoqiang , Mackay Danny F , Pell Jill P , Cheng Kar Keung , Lam Tai Hing , Thomas G Neil
Published: October 2016

Objectives

We studied the association between secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure and peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in Chinese non-smokers.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study using baseline data from the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study: Cardiovascular Disease Sub-cohort Study (GBCS-CVD). Guangzhou residents aged ≥ 50 years were recruited between 2003 and 2008. Baseline data included measurement of ankle brachial pressure index (ABPI) and self-reported smoking status and SHS exposure. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to analyze the association between SHS and PAD (defined as ABPI < 0.9).

Results

Of the 1507 non-smokers, 24 (1.6%) had PAD. Of these, 12 were men and 12 were women. Exposure to SHS at home of ≥25 h per week was reported by 16.7% of PAD cases compared with 3.8% of those without PAD (χ2 test, p = 0.003). After adjustment for potential confounders, exposure to ≥25 h per week at home was still associated with PAD (adjusted OR 7.86, 95% CI 2.00–30.95, p = 0.003), with suggestion of a dose-response relationship.

Conclusions

Our results extend the US Surgeon General’s 2006 report that SHS exposure is an independent risk factor for PAD. National smoke-free legislation is needed to protect all people from exposure.
The correlation of the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio with the severity of stenosis and stroke in patients with carotid arterial disease
Authors: İdil Soylu Ayşegül , Arıkan Cortcu Sümeyra , Uzunkaya Fatih , Atalay Yunus Oktay , Bekçi Tumay , Güngör Levent , Belet Ümit
Published: October 2016

Objectives

Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio is a novel biomarker, recently shown to be correlated with atherosclerotic inflammation. This study investigated the role of platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio in patients with carotid artery stenosis and stroke.

Methods

Patients, who underwent carotid angiography with Multiple Detector Computed Tomography Angiography at our hospital, were retrospectively screened. Patients enrolled were divided into three groups based on the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio. Patients with a platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio value between 55.0 and 106.71 were assigned to Group I, patients with a platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio value between 106.79 and 160.61 were assigned to Group II and patients with a platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio value between 162.96 and 619.61 were assigned to Group III. The carotid arterial stenosis calculated was classified as per the criteria of North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial.

Results

One hundred fifty patients were included in our trial (mean age 61.9 ± 13.1 with 104 males). The rate of carotid arterial stenosis was detected to be higher in patients with a high platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio value (p = 0.010). Additionally, the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio was positively correlated with the carotid arterial stenosis percentage (r = 0.250, p = 0.002). In the multi-variate regression analysis, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio was detected to be an independent variable with respect to stroke (odd’s ratio = 1.012, confidence interval = 1.001–1.024, p = 0.031).

Conclusions

Increased platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio could be a simple and practical marker of the clinical course in patients with carotid arterial stenosis.
Garlic tablet supplementation reduces lipopolysaccharide-induced TNF-alpha production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells
Authors: Mahdavi-Roshan Marjan , Rismanchi Marjan , Nasrollahzadeh Javad
Published: October 2016

This study was designed to investigate whether garlic tablets possess anti-inflammatory and lipid-lowering effects in healthy adults. Twelve healthy adults participated in a randomized, cross-over design with a three-week treatment and a two-week washout period. Participants received either garlic powder tablets twice daily or two placebo tablets/day for three weeks. Plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated from fasting blood samples at baseline and after each three-week treatment with garlic or placebo. PBMC were cultured, stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and changes in cell culture supernatants tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels were determined. In addition, changes in plasma high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), as well as plasma levels of lipids were determined. After three weeks of supplementation, LPS-stimulated TNF-α release in cell culture supernatant was lower after garlic than placebo ( P <0.05) whereas no significant changes were observed in unstimulated TNF-α release or plasma TNF-α. There were no significant differences in plasma hs-CRP, cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol levels between garlic and placebo. In healthy individuals, garlic supplementation did not change plasma levels of TNF-α and hs-CRP while it caused lower TNF-α release into cell culture supernatant after stimulation by LPS.
Testing of parameters of proposed robotic wrist based on the precision modules
Authors: Semjon Jan , Hajduk Mikulas , Sukop Marek , Balaz Vladimir , Pilat Zbigniew , Sulik Michal , Putala Jozef
Published: October 2016

The use of precision actuators in robotic arm comes from the need to ensure the resulting accuracy of the robot at the maximum speed of movement. The replacement of actuators by means of electrical module allows the use of carrier body of the module for gripping flanges or other modules. Development of new modules is based on the requirement of providing a complete solution for the customer’s needs. After the development of new modules, the producer checks the parameters, receives feedback, and uses the authentication options in the independent workplaces, which can provide impartial results. Based on this data, manufacturers can optimize their solutions and deliver the products to market, complying with not only their vision but mainly the needs of customers. This article describes how to verify the characteristics of the modules used in the construction of robotic wrist. It primarily focuses on verification of the accuracy of results and repeatability of position of the wrist on output flange end module. In addition, it presents the design of the testing stand and selection methodologies of measurement. The declared values are compared with the values measured during verification.
A method for the automatic generation of inverse kinematic maps in modular robotic systems
Authors: Mayyas Mohammad , Mellish Rochelle
Published: October 2016

Flexible manufacturing based on rapidly reconfigurable robotic systems will enable factories to meet time-sensitive and fast-changing industrial demands. However, with the rise of modular systems there is also the need to quickly and easily determine which configuration is optimal for performing a certain task. In this article, we present a path-based ad hoc technique for determining the inverse and forward kinematics map based on relative joint space variable to reduce the computational complexity. The proposed technique is nonsingular and suits kinematic analysis and optimization of robotic systems with undetermined configuration, and it can be extended to solve generalized inverse kinematic of robotics system involving large number of joint variable.
Robust facial landmark detection based on initializing multiple poses
Authors: Chai Xin , Wang Qisong , Zhao Yongping , Li Yongqiang
Published: October 2016

For robot systems, robust facial landmark detection is the first and critical step for face-based human identification and facial expression recognition. In recent years, the cascaded-regression-based method has achieved excellent performance in facial landmark detection. Nevertheless, it still has certain weakness, such as high sensitivity to the initialization. To address this problem, regression based on multiple initializations is established in a unified model; face shapes are then estimated independently according to these initializations. With a ranking strategy, the best estimate is selected as the final output. Moreover, a face shape model based on restricted Boltzmann machines is built as a constraint to improve the robustness of ranking. Experiments on three challenging datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed facial landmark detection method against state-of-the-art methods.
Robust adaptive multivariable higher-order sliding mode flight control for air-breathing hypersonic vehicle with actuator failures
Authors: Li Peng , Ma Jianjun , Zheng Zhiqiang
Published: October 2016

This article proposes an adaptive multivariable higher-order sliding mode control for the longitudinal model of an air-breathing vehicle under system uncertainties and actuator failures. Firstly, a fast finite-time control law is designed for a chain of integrators. Secondly, based on the input/output feedback linearization technique, the system uncertainty and external disturbances are modeled as additive certainty and the actuator failures are modeled as multiplicative uncertainty. By using the proposed fast finite-time control law, a robust multivariable higher-order sliding mode control is designed for the air-breathing hypersonic vehicle with actuator failures. Finally, adaptive laws are proposed for the adaptation of the parameters in the robust multivariable higher-order sliding mode control. Thus, the bounds of the uncertainties are not needed in the control system design. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed robust adaptive multivariable higher-order sliding mode control.
The calculations of Jordan curves trajectory of the robot movement
Authors: Bozek Pavol , Pokorný Peter , Svetlík Jozef , Lozhkin Alexander , Arkhipov Igor
Published: October 2016

Calculation of the moving mechanism on a trajectory described by a planar differentiable curve is challenging. The difficulty arises in compliance with high-precision movement. The new method of calculation based on the intrinsic properties of the plane is proposed. The method is based on mathematical linguistics and relational algebra. First, these disciplines are applied to analyze the intrinsic properties of the Euclidean plane. Calculation of classic and new methods for moving point for the flat rod is shown for comparison. Analytical formulas for Jordan curves can be obtained in some cases. The experiments in the areas of geometric modeling and control of a robot are listed briefly. The analytic solution was obtained by nontraditional methods not only for centrally symmetric conic sections but also for Jordan curves.
Support subspaces method for synthetic aperture radar automatic target recognition
Authors: Fursov Vladimir , Zherdev Denis , Kazanskiy Nikolay
Published: October 2016

This article offers a new object recognition approach that gives high quality using synthetic aperture radar images. The approach includes image preprocessing, clustering and recognition stages. At the image preprocessing stage, we compute the mass centre of object images for better image matching. A conjugation index of a recognition vector is used as a distance function at clustering and recognition stages. We suggest a construction of the so-called support subspaces, which provide high recognition quality with a significant dimension reduction. The results of the experiments demonstrate that the proposed method provides higher recognition quality (97.8%) than such methods as support vector machine (95.9%), deep learning based on multilayer auto-encoder (96.6%) and adaptive boosting (96.1%). The proposed method is stable for objects processed from different angles.
A two-stage visual tracking algorithm using dual-template
Authors: Xia Yu , Li Ju , Zhou Li-fan
Published: October 2016

Template matching and updates are crucial steps in visual object tracking. In this article, we propose a two-stage object tracking algorithm using a dual-template. By design, the initial state of a target can be estimated using a prior fixed template at the first stage with a particle-filter-based tracking framework. The use of prior templates maintains the stability of an object tracking algorithm, because it consists of invariant and important features. In the second step, a mean shift is used to gain the optimal location of the object with the stage update template. The stage template improves the ability of target recognition using a classified update method. The complementary of dual-template improves the quality of template matching and the performance of object tracking. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm improves the tracking performance in terms of accuracy and robustness, and it exhibits good results in the presence of deformation, noise and occlusion.