bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assist-as-needed control strategy for upper-limb rehabilitation based on subject’s functional ability
Authors: Mounis Shawgi Younis Ahmed , Azlan Norsinnira Zainul , Sado Fatai
Published: October 2019

The assist-as-needed technique in robotic rehabilitation is a popular technique that encourages patients’ active participation to promote motor recovery. It has been proven beneficial for patients with functional motor disability. However, its application in robotic therapy has been hindered by a poor estimation method of subjects’ functional or movement ability which is required for setting the appropriate robotic assistance. Moreover, there is also the need for consistency and repeatability of the functional ability estimation in line with the clinical procedure to facilitate a wider clinical adoption. In this study, we propose a new technique of estimation of subject’s functional ability based on the Wolf Motor Function Test. We called this estimation the functional ability index. The functional ability index enables the modulation of robotic assistance and gives a more consistent indication of subjects’ upper-limb movement ability during therapy session. Our baseline controller is an adaptive inertia-related controller, which is integrated with the functional ability index algorithm to provide movement assistance as when needed. Experimental studies are conducted on three hemiplegic patients with different levels of upper-limb impairments. Each patient is requested to perform reaching task of lifting a can from table-to-mouth according to the guidelines stipulated in the Wolf Motor Function Test. Data were collected using two inertial measurement unit sensors installed at the flexion/extension joints, and the functional ability score of each patient was rated by an experienced therapist. Results showed that the proposed functional ability index algorithm can estimate patients’ functional ability level consistently with clinical procedure and can modify generated robotic assistance in accordance with patients’ functional movement ability.
Numerical calculation and experimental study on response characteristics of pneumatic solenoid valves
Authors: Zhang Xiang , Lu Yonghua , Li Yang , Zhang Chi , Wang Rui
Published: October 2019

In order to analyze the response characteristics of the solenoid valve in depth, the flow field of the solenoid valve is analyzed by means of the computational fluid dynamics, and the aerodynamic parameters that are difficult to be obtained by the traditional methods are obtained with software FLUENT. We also set up the mathematical model of the solenoid valve, including the aerodynamic model, the circuit model, the magnetic circuit model and the mechanical motion model. The calculation is completed in the Simulink, and the results of the calculation are analyzed. A set of the solenoid valve response characteristic test system is built, and the response characteristic parameters such as response time and maximum action frequency of the solenoid valve are tested. The experimental results are verified by comparing them with the simulation results. The final result shows that the response characteristics are basically irrelevant to the action frequency at a suitable working frequency. The open switching time of the solenoid valve decreases with the increase in the inlet pressure and the driving voltage and increases with the increase in the number of coil turns. The close switching time increases with the increase in the inlet pressure, the driving voltage and the number of coil turns.
Speed sensorless model predictive control method for a direct-drive wind energy conversion system
Authors: Li Shengquan , Li Juan , Wu Hanwen , Lin Zhongwen
Published: October 2019

Considering the problems of the internal and external disturbances of wind speed in the direct-drive wind energy conversion system based on a permanent magnet synchronous generator, a novel model predictive control based on the extended state observer method without the accurate mathematical system model is proposed in this paper. First, a model predictive control method is employed as the feedback controller, while the mathematical model of the control system can be adjusted online via the rolling optimization strategy. Second, an extended state observer is introduced to estimate the state variables and lumped disturbances, that is, the internal disturbances including nonlinear characteristic, multi-variety coupling effect, uncertainties of system parameters, and external disturbances including variations of wind speeds and uncertainties of the natural environment. Third, the effect of lumped disturbances can be attenuated by the estimated disturbance value via a feedforward channel. In addition, in order to achieve the real-time speed control performance of the permanent magnet synchronous generator, a speed sensorless algorithm based on a flux observer is proposed to solve the problem of unsuitability of mechanical speed sensor. Finally, the simulation results with several wind speed types show that the proposed sensorless model predictive control with the extended state observer strategy is an effective way to improve the performance of anti-disturbance and ability of tracking maximum wind energy of the wind power control system.
What Constitutes an “Opportunity to Learn” in Teacher Preparation?
Authors: Cohen Julie , Berlin Rebekah
Published: October 2019

Teacher education research is in still in the process of developing a robust set of tools that can measure the key features of coursework and fieldwork. This article focuses on the design of measures of “opportunities to learn” (OTLs) in content method courses that can be used across large populations of candidates at diverse preparation programs. We draw on the survey and interview data from a broader, longitudinal study of teacher preparation across four programs in the United States ( n = 455 candidates). Variance decomposition suggests far greater within-program variation than between-program variation in reported OTL. More nuanced analyses at a single university indicate significant associations between individual characteristics and reports of OTL, suggesting that self-reports of OTL may tell us more about the candidates who complete a survey than the programs that prepare them. Discussion focuses on implications for teacher education research and next steps for studying OTL in methods coursework.
Life Came to a Full Stop: The Experiences of Widowed Fathers
Authors: Holmgren Helle
Published: October 2019

This study investigated how the death of the mother affected four Danish families. In-depth interviews were undertaken with both children ( N = 7, 7–19 years) and fathers ( N = 4, average age: 46 years) within the same families. The results presented in this article focus on the experiences of the fathers. Thematic analyses as set out by Braun and Clarke resulted in three overall themes: Coping with Loss, Transitions, and Mismatch between Experienced Needs and Provided Help. The results bear witness to a group of bereaved individuals experiencing heavy demands on their time and mental resources while trying to cope with their own grief and that of their children simultaneously. This is especially the case for the three men with younger children. Implications for practice are highlighted, such as a need for focusing on the individual and not offering a one-size-fits-all approach to bereavement support.
Reducing Health Care Disparities in Sickle Cell Disease: A Review
Authors: Lee LaTasha , Smith-Whitley Kim , Banks Sonja , Puckrein Gary
Published: October 2019

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited blood disorder most common among African American and Hispanic American persons. The disease can cause substantial, long-term, and costly health problems, including infections, stroke, and kidney failure, many of which can reduce life expectancy. Disparities in receiving health care among African Americans and other racial/ethnic minority groups in the United States are well known and directly related to poor outcomes associated with SCD. As an orphan disease—one that affects <200 000 persons nationwide—SCD does not receive the research funding and pharmaceutical investment directed to other orphan diseases. For example, cystic fibrosis affects fewer than half the number of persons but receives 3.5 times the funding from the National Institutes of Health and 440 times the funding from national foundations. In this review, we discuss the health inequities affecting persons with SCD, describe programs intended to improve their care, and identify actions that could be taken to further reduce these inequities, improve care, control treatment costs, and ease the burden of disease.
Identification of mechanical parameters of fiber-reinforced composites by frequency response function approximation method
Authors: Li Hui , Xue PengCheng , Rong Wanchong , Li XiaoPeng , Wen BangChun
Published: October 2019

This article proposes frequency response function approximation method to identify mechanical parameters of fiber-reinforced composites. First, a fiber-reinforced composite thin plate is taken as a research object, and its natural characteristic and vibration response under pulse excitation are solved based on the Ritz method and mode superposition method, so that the theoretical calculation of frequency response function of such composite plates can be realized. Then, the identification principle based on frequency response function approximation method is illustrated and its correctness is validated by comparing with other published literature in the verification example, and the specific identification procedure is also proposed. Finally, frequency response function approximation method is applied in a study case, where the elastic moduli, Poisson’s ratios, and loss factors of the TC300 carbon/epoxy composite thin plate are identified, and the influences of boundary conditions, approximation points, total number of modes, and calculation step size on the identification accuracy and efficiency are discussed. It has been proved that the proposed method can identify mechanical parameters of fiber composite materials with high precision and efficiency.
Increasing complexities: Teaching public policy in the age of discontent
Authors: Haigh Yvonne
Published: October 2019

This paper draws on nine years of undergraduate student course evaluation surveys to explore learning and teaching practices in an introductory public policy course in Australia. The paper situates student responses in terms of an increasingly complex teaching and learning environment. The student cohort includes a diverse group of arts, law, business and technology-based undergraduates. The paper explores both quantitative and qualitative survey data in order to draw out students’ perceptions and views on teaching, learning and their engagement with public policy. The paper considers some of the ways students grapple with increasing levels of complexity, their perceptions of interactive and participatory teaching strategies as tools for learning, and their views around enhancing university learning. The paper provides a set of reflections that may enhance student experiences in increasingly complex environments.
Privacy at Work: A Review and a Research Agenda for a Contested Terrain
Authors: Bhave Devasheesh P. , Teo Laurel H. , Dalal Reeshad S.
Published: October 2019

Privacy in the workplace is a pivotal concern for employees and employers. Employees expect to be in control of the personal information and access they provide to the organization. Employers, however, expect extensive information regarding their employees as well as extensive access to employees’ presence. The chasm between these two often competing expectations has been magnified by regulatory and technological trends. We begin the review by integrating viewpoints from multiple disciplines to disentangle definitions of privacy and to delineate the privacy contexts of information privacy and work environment privacy. We then identify the key stakeholders of privacy in the workplace and describe their interests. This discussion serves as a platform for our stakeholders’ privacy calculus model, which in turn provides a framework within which we review empirical findings on workplace privacy from organizational research and related disciplines and from which we identify gaps in the existing research. We then advance an extensive research agenda. Finally, we draw attention to emerging technologies and laws that have far-reaching implications for employees and employers. Our review provides a road map for researchers and practitioners to navigate the contested terrain of workplace privacy.
No escape from the technosystem?
Authors: Susen Simon
Published: October 2019

The main purpose of this article is to provide an in-depth review of Andrew Feenberg’s Technosystem: The Social Life of Reason (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2017). To this end, the analysis is divided into two parts. The first part gives an overview of its thematic structure and elucidates its key arguments. The second part discusses its most controversial aspects and grapples with its principal weaknesses and limitations. By way of conclusion, the article argues that Feenberg’s book demonstrates the pivotal role that the technosystem plays in shaping contemporary society.
Learning thresholds for early career occupational therapists: A grounded theory of learning-to-practise
Authors: Murray Carolyn M , Edwards Ian , Jones Mark , Turpin Merrill
Published: October 2019

Introduction

Early career occupational therapists experience considerable learning. This research sought to develop a theory of how they learn once practising.

Method

The research employed a constructivist grounded theory methodology. Interviews were conducted with 20 participants who were either experienced ( n = 8), early career occupational therapists ( n = 10) or in supporting roles for early career occupational therapists ( n = 2). Participants were asked their views about what early career occupational therapists find troublesome and how they respond. Data were collected and analysed concurrently. Open, focused and theoretical coding were used to develop a theory.

Findings

The theory of learning-to-practise occupational therapy included four learning thresholds: consolidating professional reasoning; navigating into the workplace; building competence and confidence; and developing a personal theory and practise style. There were 11 strategies identified that early career occupational therapists use to cross the learning thresholds. Early career occupational therapists’ understanding and value of knowledge shifted, which culminated in them ‘realising’ their personal theory and practice style. They refined their values and beliefs and learned to be more deliberate and reflective in their thinking and actions.

Conclusion

Early career occupational therapists were challenged, which promoted learning. This research extends understanding of the learning needs, thinking and actions taken by early career occupational therapists to cross learning thresholds and to develop their personal theory and practice style.
Leveraging a contextually sensitive approach to rural geriatric interprofessional education
Authors: Poulin Laura I. L. , Skinner Mark W.
Published: October 2019

Interprofessional Education (IPE) has been recognized on an international and national level as an effective method of preparing health professionals for practice while also improving health system outcomes. In particular, recent research highlights that geriatric IPE initiatives can be mutually beneficial both to learners and older adults in rural communities. Despite this trend, IPE initiatives continue to produce mixed results. Although some scholars have acknowledged that IPE initiatives need to consider the complexity of healthcare contexts, there is a dearth of research that considers the diversity of rural communities or rural older adult health. This paper proposes that leveraging contextually sensitive rural gerontological health research marks a next step in IPE development.
Housing Inequality in Urban China: Theoretical Debates, Empirical Evidences, and Future Directions
Authors: Fang Yiping , Liu Zhilin , Chen Yulin
Published: October 2019

Within three decades, the urban housing reform in China has changed access to housing from a system of socialist administrative allocation to that of more market-dominated housing development and consumption. Researchers have studied the socioeconomic and spatial consequences of these profound transformations. This review focuses on China’s housing inequality literature in relation to the changing origins, spatial patterns, and recent policy responses. The article reveals the unique features of China’s transitional economy along with massive urbanization, in which housing inequalities are rooted in socialism and strengthened by institutional changes of a state-led market economy.
Pathways toward Change: Ideologies and Gender Equality in a Silicon Valley Technology Company
Authors: Wynn Alison T.
Published: October 2019

Companies have devoted significant resources to diversity programs, yet such programs are often largely ineffective. Cultivating an organizational commitment to diversity is critical, but scholars lack a clear understanding of how top executives conceptualize change. In this article, I analyze data from a year-long case study of a Silicon Valley technology company implementing a gender equality initiative. The data include 50 in-depth interviews and observation of 80 executive meetings. I pay special attention to longitudinal interviews with 19 high-level executives and explore how their ideologies about inequality affected their change efforts. I find that executives tend to favor individualistic and societal explanations of gender differences and inequality, and these explanations correspond with change efforts focused mainly on altering individuals or affecting external communities. Executives rarely engaged in attempts to change the organization structurally. Thus, the implementation of gender equality remains limited by top executives’ ideas and assumptions about the sources of inequality.
Polypropylene/wood powder composites: Evaluation of PP viscosity in thermal, mechanical, thermomechanical, and morphological characters
Authors: Ferreira Eduardo da Silva Barbosa , Luna Carlos Bruno Barreto , Araújo Edcleide Maria , Siqueira Danilo Diniz , Wellen Renate Maria Ramos
Published: October 2019

Large waste amounts from wood industries as powder and sawdust are daily produced, and reusing these materials otherwise would be discharged to the environment has become an economically viable and environmentally friendly alternative to produce new materials. Based on these arguments, polypropylene (PP)/Jatobá wood powder composites upon addition of two types of PP were processed in a corotational twin screw extruder; specimens were injected and molded and their characterization was performed through differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetry, mechanical properties (impact, tensile, flexural, and hardness), heat deflection temperature (HDT), Vicat softening temperature, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Increased elastic modulus, shore D hardness, HDT, and Vicat related to neat PPs were reached. Nevertheless, losses in impact and tensile strength as well as in elongation at break were also verified. These lower data may be associated with the wood agglomeration, as shown in SEM images. Apparently, the investigated properties were not affected by PP viscosities, where both of them presented similar data. Summing up, presented results can be considered commercially feasible, focusing at economic and environmental benefits while producing higher performance products.
The Dynamics of Political Elections: A Big Data Analysis of Intermedia Framing Between Social Media and News Media
Authors: Lo Wai Han , Lam Benson Shu Yan , Cheung Meily Mei Fung
Published: October 2019

This article examines the news framing of the 2017 Hong Kong Chief Executive election using a big data analysis approach. Analyses of intermedia framing of over 370,000 articles and comments are conducted including news published in over 30 Chinese press media, four prominent Chinese online press media, and posts published on three candidates’ Facebook pages within the election period. The study contributes to the literature by examining the rarely discussed role of intermedia news framing, especially the relationship between legacy print media, online alternative news media, and audience comments on candidates’ social network sites. The data analysis provides evidence that audiences’ comments on candidates’ Facebook pages influenced legacy news coverage and online alternative news coverage. However, this study suggests that legacy news media and comments on Facebook do not necessarily have a reciprocal relationship. The implication of the findings and limitations are discussed.
Slider Bars in Multi-Device Web Surveys
Authors: Maineri Angelica M. , Bison Ivano , Luijkx Ruud
Published: October 2019

This study explores some features of slider bars in the context of a multi-device web survey. Using data collected among the students of the University of Trento in 2015 and 2016 by means of two web surveys ( N = 6,343 and 4,124) including two experiments, we investigated the effect of the initial position of the handle and the presence of numeric labels on answers provided using slider bars. It emerged that the initial position of the handle affected answers and that the number of rounded scores increased with numeric feedback. Smartphone respondents appeared more sensitive to the initial position of the handle but also less affected by the presence of numeric labels resulting in a lower tendency to rounding. Yet, outcomes on anchoring were inconclusive. Overall, no relevant differences have been detected between tablet and PC respondents. Understanding to what extent interactive and engaging tools such as slider bars can be successfully employed in multi-device surveys without affecting data quality is a key challenge for those who want to exploit the potential of web-based and multi-device data collection without undermining the quality of measurement.
Improving the surface energy of titanium implants by the creation of hierarchical textures on the surface via three-dimensional elliptical vibration turning for enhanced osseointegration
Authors: Sajjady Sayed Ali , Lotfi Mohammad , Amini Saeid , Toutounchi Hamidreza , Bami Alireza Bagheri
Published: October 2019

An increase in bone-implant contact and an increase in surface hydrophilicity are the two important factors involved in improving osseointegration. Therefore, three-dimensional elliptical vibration turning method is applied to increase the hydrophilicity of titanium surface by the generation of hierarchical nano- and micro-textures. That being the case, face turning process at different cutting conditions is carried out in this research. Surface roughness and the contact angle of water drops with machined surfaces were selected to be measured for the analysis of surface hydrophilicity. The results show that an additional surface area can be achieved by the generation of micro- or nano-textures, resulting in a lower contact angle. Furthermore, intermittent movement of cutting tool in vibration cutting causes the process to be more stable, achieving the desired range of surface roughness.
Borderline personality disorder and violence
Authors: Sarkar Jaydip
Published: October 2019

Objective:

This paper aims to provide a selective review of the co-occurrence of borderline personality disorder (BPD) and violence, a much less explored aspect of aggression with this cohort.

Conclusions:

Violence in BPD patients is expressed particularly towards intimate partners and known persons, usually in the homes of perpetrators. Anger, impulsivity and avoiding abandonment are traits associated with violence while suicidal behaviour, identity disturbance and affective instability are not. These patients are disproportionately found in higher levels of secure care although most violence occurs in the community. In males it is more likely driven by substance use, often at transition from adolescence to adulthood, while more severe borderline pathology is implicated in women. Early identification of an at-risk cohort is recommended with development of collaborative safety plans with patients that include identification of a ‘risk signature’ that guides risk management. A multi-modal approach using risk management protocols with availability of contingency plans within a multi-agency forum in a local context is recommended.
Marked Variation Exists Among Surgeons and Hospitals in the Use of Secondary Cleft Lip Surgery
Authors: Sitzman Thomas J. , Carle Adam C. , Lundberg Jaclyn N. , Heaton Pamela C. , Helmrath Michael A. , Trotman Carroll-Ann , Britto Maria T.
Published: October 2019

Objective:

To identify child-, surgeon-, and hospital-specific factors at the time of primary cleft lip repair that are associated with the use of secondary cleft lip surgery.

Design:

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting:

Forty-nine pediatric hospitals.

Participants:

Children who underwent cleft lip repair between 1999 and 2015.

Main outcome measure:

Time from primary cleft lip repair to secondary lip surgery.

Results:

By 5 years after primary lip repair, 24.0% of children had undergone a secondary lip surgery. In multivariable analysis, primary lip repair before 3 months had a 1.22-fold increased hazard of secondary surgery (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02-1.46) compared to repair at 7 to 12 months of age, and children with multiple congenital anomalies had a 0.77-fold decreased hazard of secondary surgery (95% CI: 0.68-0.87). After adjusting for cleft type, age at repair, presence of multiple congenital anomalies, and procedure volume, there remained substantial variation in secondary surgery use among surgeons and hospitals ( P < .01). For children with unilateral cleft lip repaired at 3 to 6 months of age, the predicted proportion of children undergoing secondary surgery within 5 years of primary repair ranged from 4.9% to 21.8% across surgeons and from 4.5% to 24.7% across hospitals.

Conclusions:

There are substantial differences among surgeons and hospitals in the rates of secondary lip surgery. Further work is needed to identify causes for this variation among providers.
Compressive behavior of small-diameter concrete-filled fiber-reinforced polymer tubes as internal reinforcements
Authors: Fang Shu , Li Li-Juan , Jiang Tao , Fu Bing
Published: October 2019

Concrete infilled in a small-diameter fiber-reinforced polymer tube is strongly confined, thus having a high compressive strength and excellent deformability. Such a feature is exploited in the development of two types of high-performance hybrid members at Guangdong University of Technology, China, by incorporating small-diameter (30 to 60 mm) concrete-filled fiber-reinforced polymer tubes as internal reinforcements. Understanding the compressive behavior of small-diameter concrete-filled fiber-reinforced polymer tubes is essential to understanding the behavior of the proposed hybrid members and the development of their design approaches. This article therefore presents a systematic study on the axial compressive behavior of small-diameter concrete-filled fiber-reinforced polymer tubes with the test parameters being the thickness, diameter, and fiber type of fiber-reinforced polymer tubes and concrete strength. The test results show that the tested small-diameter concrete-filled fiber-reinforced polymer tubes have a compressive strength and an ultimate axial strain of up to 267 MPa and 10.3%, which are, respectively, about 6 and 34 times that of the corresponding unconfined specimens, demonstrating the great potential of small-diameter concrete-filled fiber-reinforced polymer tubes as internal reinforcements for use in high-performance hybrid members. The applicability of three widely accepted stress–strain models developed based on test results of fiber-reinforced polymer-confined concrete cylinders with a diameter of 150 mm or above is also examined. It is shown that the three models tend to predict a steeper second portion of stress–strain responses than the test results, revealing the need of a tailored stress–strain model for small-diameter concrete-filled fiber-reinforced polymer tubes.
Young women and men: Imagined futures of work and family formation in Australia
Authors: Hill Elizabeth , Baird Marian , Vromen Ariadne , Cooper Rae , Meers Zoe , Probyn Elspeth
Published: October 2019

In the debates about the future of work there is a lack of analysis on how young women and men are approaching their future work and family lives. In this article we use data collected in the Australian Women’s Working Future (AWWF) Project 2017 to analyse what young workers imagine will be important to their future success in work and family. We find that formal workplace supports for care, such as paid parental leave and childcare, and workplace flexibility are identified as very important. Shared domestic labour is also desired. Parents have the strongest expectations for care policy supports. Young men without children are least likely to factor these into future work trajectories, while young women do. However, data on women’s plans for family formation, compared with men’s, suggests that difficulties accessing vital care supports pose a risk to young women’s ability to work, form families and care.
Book review: Kapoor, D. 2017: Against Colonization and Rural Dispossession: Local Resistance in South and East Asia, the Pacific and Africa
Authors: Kumar Naresh
Published: October 2019

Kapoor, D. 2017: Against Colonization and Rural Dispossession: Local Resistance in South and East Asia, the Pacific and Africa. London: Zed Books. X+351 pp. £19.99. ISBN: 9781783609437 (paperback). £19.99. ISBN: 9781783609451 (eBook ePub). £19.99. ISBN: 9781783609475 (eBook Kindle). £19.99. ISBN: 9781783609444 (Library Edition).
What evidence exists for myofunctional therapy with prefabricated appliances? A systematic review with meta-analyses of randomised trials
Authors: Papageorgiou Spyridon N , Koletsi Despina , Eliades Theodore
Published: October 2019

Objective:

To assess the treatment efficacy/efficiency with prefabricated myofunctional appliances (PMA) for children with malocclusion.

Data sources:

Nine databases searched without limitations till July 2019.

Data selection:

Randomised trials comparing PMAs to functional appliance treatment or no treatment.

Data extraction:

Study selection, data extraction and risk of bias assessment were done in duplicate.

Data synthesis:

Random-effects meta-analyses of mean differences (MDs) or relative risks (RRs) with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were conducted on seven publications (three published and one unpublished trials; 232 patients; 53% male; mean age 10.2 years). Compared to no treatment, one trial indicated that PMAs were somewhat effective in reducing overjet (MD −2.4; 95% CI −3.3 to −1.5), reducing overbite (MD −2.5; 95% CI −3.2 to −1.8), reducing mandibular crowding (RR 0.4; 95% CI 0.2–0.8) and establishing Class I canine relationship (RR = 2.3; 95% CI 1.1–4.9). However, compared to custom-made functional appliances, three trials indicated that PMAs were less effective in reducing the ANB angle (MD 0.9; 95% CI 0.5–1.4), increasing mandibular ramus length (MD −2.2; 95% CI −2.9 to −1.51), reducing overjet (MD 1.5; 95% CI 0.9–2.1), establishing a solid Class I molar relationship (RR 0.3; 95% CI 0.2–0.7), reducing the nasolabial angle (MD 5.8; 95% CI 0.8–10.8) and reducing facial convexity (MD −2.6; 95% CI −4.3 to −0.9). Finally, the quality of evidence was moderate to low due to risk of bias.

Conclusions:

PMAs are more effective in reducing overjet, overbite, mandibular crowding and establishing Class I canine relationship than no treatment. However, compared to custom-made functional appliances, PMAs are less effective in producing dental, skeletal or soft-tissue changes, even though they are less costly.
Adolescent Violence Towards Parents: A Case of Specialisation?
Authors: Moulds Lauren Grace , Mayshak Richelle , Mildred Helen , Day Andrew , Miller Peter
Published: October 2019

Adolescent violence towards parents (AVTP) is a form of family violence that tests family relationships and the role of parents and can have lasting impacts on all members of families. This study aimed to explore typologies of AVTP offenders based on their criminal justice system involvement, as well as explore differences between groups of AVTP based on their offending. Data were collated by the South Australian Office of Crime, Statistics and Research (OCSAR) in 2017 and included young people who had been apprehended by the South Australian Police between 2008 and 2012 for violence against a parent or step parent. There were a total of 305 young people included in the study, ranging in age from 10 to 17 years. The study found that there were three different groups of AVTP offenders: AVTP offenders, AVTP non-violent offenders who have committed other non-violent crimes and AVTP violent offender who have committed other violent crimes outside of their AVTP offence. Findings suggested that an AVTP offence in isolation is a rarity, and most AVTP offenders commit other non-violent or violent offending. The study concluded that AVTP may be a function of general anti-sociality and occur within the context of a pattern of violent or deviant behaviour, as opposed to a specialist, targeted, isolated incidence of violence.
Early Academic Momentum: Factors Contributing to Community College Transfer Students’ STEM Degree Attainment
Authors: Zhang Yi Leaf
Published: October 2019

Guided by the notion of academic momentum, this study drew data from longitudinal transcript records at a large public 4-year research university and examined factors that specifically contribute to community college transfer students’ academic momentum. It also explored how early academic momentum along with students’ sociodemographic characteristics impact degree attainment in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields of study. This study conducted multinomial logistic regression analysis and found that certain students’ background characteristics (i.e., gender, age, and family income), community college academic achievement (i.e., associate degree completion, and number of community college credits accepted), and early academic performance at the 4-year university (math and English preparedness, number of credit hours attempted, and first-semester grade point average) were significantly related to transfer students’ likelihood of obtaining a STEM degree. The findings provide new knowledge about academic momentum and could be used to enhance the community college pathway to STEM degree completion.
Refugees and Recruitment: Understanding Violations Against Children in Armed Conflict With Novel Data
Authors: Atkinson Kelly E.
Published: October 2019

What makes child recruitment into armed conflict more likely? Violations against children in armed conflict pose a significant challenge to conflict resolution, long-term peacebuilding efforts, and international stability, yet little data are available on a global scale to understand the scope and causes of child recruitment into conflict. This article makes two contributions towards closing this analytical gap. First, utilising annual reports of the United Nations Secretary-General on children and armed conflict, this article codes child recruitment and other grave violations against children for 28 countries from 2006 to 2015 producing a new data set. Second, using this data set, this article examines the broad role of displacement in shaping child recruitment into armed conflict. Ultimately, this article finds that displacement within a country is positively and statistically significantly correlated with violations against children in armed conflict to include child recruitment and introduces policy recommendations for engaging this finding.
Polymer leak with the Ovation Abdominal Stent Graft System: Early recognition and treatment
Authors: Gupta Navyash , Hynes Karen L , Mahrouyan Omeed , Briggs Charles S , Azzizadeh Ali
Published: October 2019

Objective

Endovascular aneurysm repair can be performed using multiple commercially available stent graft systems, each with their own unique design features and potential complications. This study evaluated the incidence, risk factors and outcomes of patients who developed an anaphylactic reaction following systemic exposure to the polymer used with the Ovation Abdominal Stent Graft System (Endologix Inc., Irvine, CA).

Methods

We reviewed all reports related to polymer leak with the device received by the manufacturer (formerly known as TriVascular, Santa Rosa, CA). Patients who developed an anaphylactic or hypersensitivity reaction were evaluated for root cause. The manufacturer was contacted to assemble all available data and outcomes related to the case reports.

Results

Between November 2009 and August 2016, polymer leak was reported in 26 patients (mean age, 77, range 61–100 years) from approximately 10,000 device implants (reported incidence, 0.26%). Symptoms occurred in 24 patients, with hypotension being the primary symptom. Treatment was in accordance for an anaphylactic reaction. There were no deaths, and the aneurysm sac remained unexcluded in three patients at the end of the case. Of these, one patient underwent successful endovascular re-intervention, one was converted to open surgical repair and one patient continued to be monitored. Factors that appear to contribute to the risk of polymer leak include initial manufacturing process for the device, excessive graft manipulation, early ballooning prior to complete polymer cure and lower body temperature, which can slow the polymer cure rate.

Conclusion

Although polymer leak and anaphylaxis appear to be an infrequent event associated with use of the Ovation graft, awareness of this complication and prompt recognition can allow for timely treatment. Returning the patient to hemodynamic stability can allow for completion of the procedure and successful exclusion of the aneurysm sac.
An enhanced state convergence architecture incorporating disturbance observer for bilateral teleoperation systems
Authors: Asad Muhammad Usman , Farooq Umar , Gu Jason , Balas Valentina E , Abbas Ghulam , Balas Marius , Muresan Vlad
Published: October 2019

To bilaterally control an nth-order teleoperation system modeled on state space, state convergence methodology provides an elegant way to design control gains through a solution of 3 n + 1 equations. These design conditions are obtained by allowing the master–slave error to evolve as an autonomous system and then assigning the desired dynamic behavior to the slave and error systems. The controller, thus obtained, ensures the motion synchronization of master and slave systems with adjustable force reflection to the operator. Although simple to design and easy to implement, state convergence method suffers from its dependence on model parameters, and thus the performance of the controller may degrade in the presence of parametric uncertainties. To address this limitation, we propose to integrate an extended state observer in the existing state convergence architecture which will not only compensate the modeling inaccuracies by treating them as a disturbance but will also provide the estimates of the master and slave states. These estimated states are then used to construct the bilateral controller which is designed by following the method of state convergence. In this case, 2 n + 2 additional design equations are required to be solved to fix the observer gains. To validate the proposed enhancement in the state convergence architecture, simulations and semi-real-time experiments are performed in MATLAB/Simulink environment on a single degree-of-freedom teleoperation system.
Rumors on the Net: A Brackish Suspension of Speech and Hate
Authors: Wagner Anne , Marusek Sarah
Published: October 2019

The legitimacy of public memory and socially normative standards of civility is questioned through rumors that abound on online social media platforms. On the Net, the proclivity of rumors is particularly prone to acts of bullying and frameworks of hate speech. Legislative attempts to limit rumors operate differently in France and throughout Europe from the United States. This article examines the impact of online rumors, the mob mentality, and the politicization of bullying critics within a cyber culture that operates within the limitations of law.
Evaluation of functional outcomes after brachial plexus injury
Authors: Quick Tom J. , Brown Hazel
Published: October 2019

Major nerve injuries such as those of the brachial plexus present a significant challenge for both rehabilitation and evaluation of outcome. With these often complex and multi-faceted injuries, correct selection of outcome measures is important. Healthy nerve function in humans heightens our interactions with the world, creating quality and enjoyment through our experiences of movement and touch. Therefore, assessments should be holistic and representative of all of these features. This article considers the assessment and evaluation of all of the features of nerve injury: sensorimotor, sensation (including that of pain), function and the psychosocial aspects. Current practice is described and combined with clinical experience and research findings to provide suggestions and recommendations for the selection of the most appropriate tools for use with this patient group.
Forecasting residential building costs in New Zealand using a univariate approach
Authors: Zhao Linlin , Mbachu Jasper , Zhang Huirong
Published: October 2019

Construction cost index has been widely used to prepare cost estimates, budgets, and bids for construction projects. It can also be regarded as an indicator of cost level, which makes it valuable to public authorities for understanding the conditions in the construction industry. Accurate forecasting of future construction cost index is essential for construction industry at both micro- and macro-level. To improve the accuracy of the cost forecasting, time series modeling techniques are adopted in this study. The performance of the exponential smoothing models and seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models for forecasting the building cost of five categories of residential building (one-story house, two-story house, town house, apartment, and retirement village building) in New Zealand is compared. Exponential smoothing models can produce more accurate forecasts for cost series of the one-story house and two-story house in New Zealand, while seasonal ARIMA models outperform exponential smoothing models across the cost series for town house, apartment, and retirement village building. This study contributes toward the development of the current state of knowledge in the area of cost index forecasting for New Zealand and provides insights that should be valuable from the practitioner perspectives.
An MTurk Crisis? Shifts in Data Quality and the Impact on Study Results
Authors: Chmielewski Michael , Kucker Sarah C.
Published: October 2019

Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (MTurk) is arguably one of the most important research tools of the past decade. The ability to rapidly collect large amounts of high-quality human subjects data has advanced multiple fields, including personality and social psychology. Beginning in summer 2018, concerns arose regarding MTurk data quality leading to questions about the utility of MTurk for psychological research. We present empirical evidence of a substantial decrease in data quality using a four-wave naturalistic experimental design: pre-, during, and post-summer 2018. During and to some extent post-summer 2018, we find significant increases in participants failing response validity indicators, decreases in reliability and validity of a widely used personality measure, and failures to replicate well-established findings. However, these detrimental effects can be mitigated by using response validity indicators and screening the data. We discuss implications and offer suggestions to ensure data quality.
The prevalence and impact of depression and anxiety in cardiac rehabilitation: A longitudinal cohort study
Authors: Rao A , Zecchin R , Newton PJ , Phillips JL , DiGiacomo M , Denniss AR , Hickman LD
Published: October 2019

Background

Co-morbid depression and anxiety symptoms are frequently under-recognised and under-treated in heart disease and this negatively impacts self-management.

Aims

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence, correlates and predictors of depression and anxiety in cardiac rehabilitation programmes, the impact of cardiac rehabilitation on moderate depression, anxiety and stress symptoms, and the relationship between moderate depression, anxiety and stress symptoms and cardiac rehabilitation adherence.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study of 5908 patients entering cardiac rehabilitation programmes from 2006–2017, across two Sydney metropolitan teaching hospitals. Variables included demographics, diagnoses, cardiovascular risk factors, medication use, participation rates, health status (Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36) and psychological health (Depression Anxiety Stress Scales) subscale scores.

Results

Moderate depression, anxiety or stress symptoms were prevalent in 18%, 28% and 13% of adults entering cardiac rehabilitation programmes, respectively. Adults with moderate depression (24% vs 13%), anxiety (32% vs 23%) or stress (18% vs 10%) symptoms were significantly less likely to adhere to cardiac rehabilitation compared with those with normal-mild symptoms ( p < 0.001). Anxiety (odds ratio 4.395, 95% confidence interval 3.363–5.744, p < 0.001) and stress (odds ratio 4.527, 95% confidence interval 3.315–6.181, p < 0.001) were the strongest predictors of depression. Depression (odds ratio 3.167, 95% confidence interval 2.411–4.161) and stress (odds ratio 5.577, 95% confidence interval 4.006–7.765, p < 0.001) increased the risk of anxiety on entry by more than three times, above socio-demographic factors, cardiovascular risk factors, diagnoses and quality of life.

Conclusion

Monitoring depression and anxiety symptoms on entry and during cardiac rehabilitation can assist to improve adherence and may identify the need for additional psychological health support. Exploring the relevance and use of adjunct psychological support strategies within cardiac rehabilitation programmes is warranted.