bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experimental characterization of composite laminates under low-velocity multi-impact loading
Authors: Ezéckiel Amouzou Adadé Seyth , Sicot Olivier , Chettah Ameur , Aivazzadeh Shahram
Published: February 2019

The use of composite materials undergoes a significant growth in many industries including aeronautic, railway, and automotive. Laminated composites are often subjected to severe loading conditions such as hailstones on aircraft and road gravels on automobiles. The present paper deals with the damage tolerance in carbon fiber-reinforced polymer structures caused by low velocity multiple impacts. Low velocity multi-impact tests at different energy levels (10, 15, and 20 J) are performed in order to simulate the gravels' impact conditions corresponding to mass of 10–50 g for velocity of 100–150 km/h. These tests were carried out on composite laminates with three types of stacking sequences (AERO, QIQH45, and QIQH60). AERO, widely used in aviation industry, is symmetric stacking sequence, and the two others QIQH45 and QIQH60 are quasi-isotropic and quasi-homogeneous laminates based on 45° and 60° ply orientation, respectively. Two specific parameters D and d are deduced from force–displacement and force–time responses which make it possible to rank the three stacking sequences to their damage tolerances. The impact damage assessment within the composite material with non-destructive testing method using ultrasonic inspection gives a good correlation with parameter D. Better impact damage tolerance is achieved with QIQH45 than the QIQH60 and AERO laminates. The parameter D can be regarded as a failure criterion for dimensioning of composite structures subjected to repetitive impacts.
Progress in Marketing Research
Authors: Taylor Malcolm D.
Published: February 2019

Members of the Associations are requested to supply the Chairman with summaries of all marketing research projects that are under way, or that have been completed recently, so that these can be included in the next issue of the Journal. Brief abstracts of doctoral dissertations based on marketing research should be sent in also.
The Decline of British Manufacturing, 1973–2012: The Role of Total Factor Productivity
Authors: Harris Richard , Moffat John
Published: February 2019

This paper uses plant-level estimates of total factor productivity covering 40 years to examine what role, if any, productivity has played in the decline of output share and employment in British manufacturing. The results show that TFP growth in British manufacturing was negative between 1973 and 1982, marginally positive between 1982 and 1994 and strongly positive between 1994 and 2012. Poor TFP performance therefore does not appear to be the main cause of the decline of UK manufacturing. Productivity growth decompositions show that, in the latter period, the largest contributions to TFP growth come from foreign-owned plants, industries that are heavily involved in trade, and industries with high levels of intangible assets.
Fuzzy sliding mode control for synchronization of multiple induction motors drive
Authors: Sun Chenchen , Gong Guofang , Yang Huayong , Wang Fei
Published: February 2019

In order to achieve high reliability and control precision of multiple induction motors drive systems, a fuzzy sliding mode control (FSMC)-based synchronization control strategy is proposed by combining the FSMC technique with the ring coupling synchronization structure. Also, a fuzzy controller is utilized as a switching control part of the FSMC to attenuate chattering phenomena despite large uncertainties that exist in practical applications. Moreover, the stability analysis of the proposed control strategy is derived by Lyapunov stability theorem. The proposed FSMC-based synchronization scheme possesses several attractive advantages of simple control framework, high control precision, strong robustness to uncertainties, and chattering elimination. Furthermore, the performance of the proposed control strategy is investigated on a four induction motors driving system. The numerical simulation results clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed FSMC based synchronization strategy for multiple induction motors drive at different operating conditions, and its superiority is indicated by comparison with proportional integral (PI) control and conventional SMC.
Critical review and illustrative examples of office occupant modelling formalisms
Authors: D'Oca Simona , Gunay H Burak , Gilani Sara , O'Brien William
Published: February 2019

It is widely understood that occupants can have a significant impact on building performance. Accordingly, the field has benefited extensively from research efforts in the past decade. However, the methods and terminology involved in modelling occupants in buildings remains fragmented across a large number of studies. This fragmentation represents a major obstacle to those who intend to join in this research endeavor as well as for the convergence and standardization of methods. To address this issue, this paper investigates occupant modelling methods for the key domains of electric lighting, blinds, operable windows, thermostats, plug loads, and occupancy. In the reviewed literature, five broad categories of occupant model formalisms were identified: schedules, Bernoulli models, discrete-time Markov models, discrete-event Markov models, and survival models. Illustrative examples were provided from two independent datasets to demonstrate the strengths and weaknesses of these model forms. It was shown that Markov models are suitable to represent occupants' adaptive behaviors, while survival models are suitable to represent occupancy, non-adaptive behaviors, and infrequently executed adaptive behaviors, such as the blinds opening behavior.

Practical application: The engineering application of the occupant modelling formalisms that are critically reviewed in this paper is that these models are highly beneficial for incorporating occupants' presence and behaviors into building design and control. Building design can be improved significantly regarding energy use and occupant comfort when the most suitable occupant models are implemented in simulation-aided building design process. Ultimately, like for any modelling domain, the most suitable model is dependent on the modelling objective (e.g. optimizing passive design, equipment sizing), building type and size, occupant-related domain (e.g. occupancy, window-opening behavior), and climate zones. Furthermore, there is great potential in improving occupant comfort and energy savings of existing buildings when occupants' presence and interactions with buildings' systems and components are predicted accurately using occupant models.
Multidimensional scale of self-esteem (EMES-16): Psychometric evaluation of a domain-specific measure of self-esteem for French-speaking adolescents
Authors: Barbot Baptiste , Safont-Mottay Claire , Oubrayrie-Roussel Nathalie
Published: February 2019

The EMES-16 is a very short multidimensional measure of domain-specific Self-Esteem designed for French-speaking adolescents. This study presents a psychometric evaluation of this measure among 2603 adolescents with a focus on its factor structure tested in CFA for alternative, theoretically grounded models. Results revealed the superiority of a domain-specific, and partly hierarchical structure, over unidimensional or fully hierarchical structures. This structure supports the derivation of five domain-specific scores (Emotional, Social, Physical, Academic and Creative Self-Esteem) as well as a superordinate composite index (Core Self-Evaluation) underlying the Emotional, Social and Physical Self-Esteem. Measurement invariance testing supported partial equivalence of the construct measured by the EMES-16 across gender and strict equivalence by age groups. Construct validity evaluation suggested strong evidence of EMES-16’s scores convergent and divergent validity with measures of unidimensional Self-Esteem, Self-Concept Clarity, Big Five Personality and Social Desirability. Internal consistency was also satisfactory given the concision of the EMES-16 scales. In conclusion, we discuss the promise of the EMES-16 as a psychometrically solid measure for screening and developmental research purposes among French-speaking adolescents.
What Is “Preclinical Device Pathology”: An Introduction of the Unfamiliar
Authors: Kirchhof Nicole
Published: February 2019

Medical device pathologists are involved in the preclinical evaluation of medical devices that will be temporarily inserted or permanently and often irreversibly implanted in the human body. The medical device industry is technology based, allowing for rapid device iterations; innovations occur at an accelerated rate compared to the innovations in the pharmaceutical industry. The device pathologist provides the pathology results and is, by training and experience, in an ideal position to help the medical engineer and innovator tackle biomedical problems and to comment on the possible and actual outcomes of preclinical studies. Device pathology expertise is typically a necessity in the prelude for regulatory submission. However, there is a lack of detailed guidelines for a comprehensive preclinical pathology evaluation of the final product after implantation in a test animal. What specifically unites device pathologists is the reliance on gross pathology as the basis for spatial context needed for appropriate histopathologic analyses, the knowledge of detailed protocol instructions, a good understanding of wound healing including the “implant trauma,” and interaction with ambitious device innovators. In this article, it is my aim to amalgamate the following articles in this issue with pertinent background information intended to be informative, critical, and stimulating.
Bringing compassion into information systems research: A research agenda and call to action
Authors: Raman Roopa , McClelland Laura
Published: February 2019

In this article, we assert that compassion-driven approaches are the sustainable way for information and communication technologies to contribute to economic value. We urge future information systems research to emphasize, with equal vigor, the joint goals of compassion and financial gains from information and communication technologies. We present a broad agenda for future information systems research based on this premise. We also discuss how certain core assumptions underlying traditional information systems research—so far, driven primarily by economic value as outcome—would need to change in order to support this new agenda emphasizing compassion and economic value as complementary and synergistic outcomes. We provide a brief concrete illustration of this proposed agenda, and its underlying revised assumptions, by drawing on the example of a prominent field of study in information systems research, namely health information systems research.
Devicing future populations: Problematizing the relationship between quantity and quality of life
Authors: Moreira Tiago
Published: February 2019

Taking as point of departure the claim that, in late modern societies, there has been shift from a focus on producing measures of life and death towards metrics of health and disability, this paper investigates how, through what means and processes was this transition achieved. It proposes that such questions can be addressed by analysing the transcripts and sociotechnical network of a meeting held at the United States Senate on July 15th 1983 to assess the validity and sensitivity of life expectancy forecasts. The paper analyses how members of the Hearing transformed a weakly articulated set of differing life expectancy projections into a controversy about the issue of vitality and health in populations. Analysis of the Hearing proceedings suggests that ‘calculative devices’ played a generative role in problematizing the relationship between forms of expertise, calculative procedures, data infrastructures and specific expectations of the effect of technology on health and longevity. The paper details empirically that this re-composition was possible through a collective investigation – an opening up – of key instruments in the management of populations in ‘insurance societies’.
Craftivism for occupational therapists: finding our political voice
Authors: Youngson Bel
Published: February 2019

Craftivism is an ongoing movement, combining craft with activism, to bring about positive change in the world. There is a growing emphasis on the need for occupational therapists to engage with the politics of the profession to tackle occupational challenges and injustice. This opinion piece considers whether, with the historical links to and resurgence of craft internationally within the profession, now is the time for occupational therapists to engage in craftivism to effect positive change and transformation for a just and inclusive society. It suggests that craftivism may enable the profession to find its political voice and suggests ideas for action.
Drivers of Bridge Decommissioning in the United States
Authors: Bektas Basak Aldemir , Albughdadi Ahmed J. M.
Published: February 2019

Extending the useful life of bridges through better design, construction, and management is a shared effort among the bridge management community. Data in the National Bridge Inventory (NBI) is valuable for understanding the behavior of bridges throughout their service lives. While the primary reason for bridge replacement, intuitively, would be condition, research has indicated that bridge replacement may not necessarily be driven by the condition of the bridge. The estimated median service life for bridges, 53 years, is much lower than the desired service life of 75 years. This paper summarizes the results of an NCHRP Project which identified the main drivers for bridge decommissioning in the United States, based on findings from three complementary analyses using historic NBI data files, select agency records, and data from old and new structure pairs. A common finding in previous studies was that a significant portion (15–30%) of decommissioning could not be associated with any particular reason. Although poor condition is a significant factor, the major driver of bridge decommissioning is functional improvement, and this explains the majority of the unexplained cases. Structures replaced due to functional reasons tend to be replaced at a younger age, leading to a decrease in the overall decommissioning age. While decisions on functional improvement projects are not led by bridge offices, bridge networks are substantially affected by these decisions. Coordinating functional improvement decisions at the agency level and integrating relevant information with decision support tools can improve financial planning and asset management processes.
Simulator and Field Study of Green Lights on Truck-Mounted Attenuators in Missouri during Mobile Operations
Authors: Zhang Siyang , Qing Zhu , Brown Henry , Sun Carlos , Edara Praveen
Published: February 2019

Mobile work zones for various types of moving operations (e.g., striping, pothole patching, sweeping) are an important component in highway maintenance activities which have particular safety issues. To help mitigate the risk and severity of collisions, a truck-mounted attenuator (TMA) is attached to a construction vehicle, typically equipped with amber/white lights. Despite these visible warnings, collisions involving TMAs and traffic still occur. In an effort to improve upon the traditional amber/white lights, the use of green lights on TMAs was investigated. The study included the evaluation of four light-color configurations: amber/white, green only, green/amber, and green/white. Driving simulator tests obtained various driver behavior measures, including the first blinker distance, merge distance, work zone and arrow direction recognition distance, and disability glare. Vehicle speeds were captured in both a simulator study and a field study. In the simulator study, the use of the amber/white combination led to the highest work zone visibility but also created the greatest concern with disability glare. Although the green-only configuration led to the lowest disability glare, it also resulted in low visibility. The results showed an inverse relationship between visibility (awareness of work zone) and arrow board recognition (easy on eyes). Other findings from the field study include lower traffic speeds for the green light TMA and lower vehicle speeds for lower TMA vehicle speeds. Overall, the study showed that the four configurations had various tradeoffs and none stood out as clearly superior in terms of the performance measures.
Influence of ply angle and length on buckling behavior of composite shells under hydrostatic pressure
Authors: Wei Ranfeng , Pan Guang , Jiang Jun , Shen Kechun
Published: February 2019

This paper is devoted to the buckling problem of the composite cylindrical shell subjected to hydrostatic pressure. Both analytical and numerical methods are applied to investigate the buckling behavior. Based on the study of analytical formulas, it is found that the composite cylindrical shells with the same length-to-diameter ratio, diameter-to-thickness ratio, and type of layup have the same buckling pressure. Thus, a scale model experiment method is then proposed, which uses the scale model to replace the full-scale model in pressure test experiment to reduce the manufacturing cost of the test specimen. The feasibility of this method is verified by numerical calculation. The influences of ply orientation angle and length of shell on buckling shape and critical buckling pressure have been investigated numerically and demonstrated by several examples. Based on the study of the influence of shell length on critical buckling pressure, a modified finite element model, which can overcome the conservatism of optimization result due to the stress concentration caused by boundary conditions, is combined with the genetic algorithm to optimize the laminations for mass reduction.
Youth homelessness and housing stability: What outcomes should we be looking for?
Authors: Gaetz Stephen , Ward Ashley , Kimura Lauren
Published: February 2019

In North America, the key performance indicator of success in community strategies to address homelessness is whether a homeless person is housed or not. In this article, we argue that for young people experiencing homelessness, we need to advance a broader consideration of outcomes to include a range of well-being indicators designed to understand the needs of developing adolescents and young adults and contribute to housing stability. We articulate that the positive outcomes of young people across life domains that include housing stability as well as their safety and security, health and well-being, social connections to peers, family and meaningful adults, connections to groups/neighbourhoods/communities, interests and recreation and leisure, and school and career/work aspirations and goals must be at the centre of these efforts. The Making the Shift project is designed to test this outcomes framework in order to enhance service and measurement capacity and ultimately improve outcomes for youth.
Dark Triad Traits and Perceptions of Sexual Harassment
Authors: Brewer Gayle , Lyons Minna , Perry Alexandra , O’Brien Freya
Published: February 2019

Those high on Dark Triad traits (narcissism, Machiavellianism, primary and secondary psychopathy) are more likely to engage in sexual harassment and less likely to empathize with others. Few studies have, however, considered the impact of Dark Triad traits on perceptions of sexually aggressive behavior performed by others. The present study investigated the relationship between Dark Triad traits and perceptions of sexual harassment. Heterosexual women ( N = 142) aged 18 to 50 years ( M = 20.86, SD = 5.62) completed the NPI-16 (Narcissistic Personality Inventory), Mach IV, Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale, and Sexual Harassment Attitudes Questionnaire. Standard multiple regressions were conducted to investigate the extent to which Dark Triad traits predicted victim and perpetrator blame and attitudes toward victim responses to sexual harassment. Primary psychopathy was the only significant individual predictor such that women with higher levels of the trait were more likely to blame the victim and less likely to blame the perpetrator. In addition, primary psychopathy was related to higher endorsement of victim compliance, and lower likelihood of supporting confrontation of the perpetrator.
Negotiating climate change: A frame analysis of COP21 in British, American, and Chinese news media
Authors: Pan Yeheng , Opgenhaffen Michaël , Van Gorp Baldwin
Published: February 2019

Climate negotiations have increasingly resonated with global governance and world power relations. However, media studies of climate change have paid relatively less attention to media frames of the problem solving. This study addresses this issue by examining the media coverage of COP21 from three countries that have considerable influence on climate politics: the United Kingdom, the United States, and China. By applying an inductive frame analysis, the study identified 10 media frames embedded in the discussions on climate negotiations. A deductive analysis further assessed the prevalence of these frames. The findings suggest that the frames were significantly influenced by the values of the established and emerging powers in the international policy area. The British and American media upheld the underlying norms that have long underpinned the existing Western-led order, while Chinese media coverage manifested a rising power in need of world recognition.
The optimal chest compression point on sternum based on chest-computed tomography: A retrospective study
Authors: Jiang Libing , Min Jie , Yang Fan , Shao Xiaotong
Published: February 2019

Background:

High-quality chest compression is crucial for cardiac arrest patients. However, only few studies are focusing on the optimal compression point.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to explore the optimal compression point based on chest-computed tomography.

Methods:

We retrospectively selected 166 adult health subjects between January 2018 and May 2018 in a university-affiliated hospital.

Results:

The median length of sternum was 14.9 cm. The median length from the inter-nipple line to the distal end of sternum was 1.0 cm. The median length from the point at which the maximal left ventricular diameter projected onto the sternum to the distal end of the sternum was −1.4 (–2.2 to 0.0) cm. The median value of the length from the inter-nipple line to the distal end of sternum plus the length from the point at which the maximal left ventricular diameter projected onto the sternum to the distal end of the sternum was 2.0 (1.0–3.1) cm.

Conclusion:

One size does not fit all. The point recommended by the current guideline may not appropriate for Chinese person. Further studies are required focusing on individual chest compression during cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Levosimendan treatment in a child with treatment-resistant left ventricular systolic dysfunction after scorpion sting
Authors: Yöntem Ahmet , Yıldızdaş Rıza Dinçer , Horoz Özden Özgür , Aslan Nagehan , Mısırlıoğlu Merve , Yılmaz Hayri Levent , Erdem Sevcan
Published: February 2019

Background:

Scorpion stings are common in countries dominated by rural and coastal settlements with temperate climate. Scorpion stings are usually harmless and can be seen in local findings, but in some cases, systemic, neurotoxic, and cardiotoxic findings can be seen.

Case report:

A 3 year 7 month old girl was referred to pediatric emergency care 2 h after yellow scorpion (species of Leiurus abdullahbayrami) sting. In our case, cardiac function insufficiently progressed in spite of the standard inotropic and milrinone treatment. On the third day of hospitalization, levosimendan was initiated with good clinical effect.

Conclusion:

In the literature, the use of levosimendan in pediatric patients has been limited to those with low cardiac output syndrome after cardiovascular surgery. The use of levosimendan in children with scorpion sting has been previously reported only in Banille et al.’s study. Scorpion antivenom should be administered intravenously as soon as possible in cases of systemic findings that develop after scorpion stings. This report suggests that levosimendan is temporally associated with improvement in patients who have severe cardiac dysfunction due to scorpion sting and refractory to current treatment.
The Inevitable Labor and Environmental Crises and the Need for a New Economic System
Authors: Zink Trevor
Published: February 2019

Capitalism is economically stable only if new investment creates jobs at least as fast as efficiency eliminates them, and physically sustainable only if sufficient material sources and pollution sinks exist to support new investment. We are passing limits on both conditions, leading to twin problems: A labor problem, where technology may begin to eliminate more jobs than it creates; and an environmental problem, where industrial activities are breaching planetary boundaries that will limit our ability to meet basic human needs. Both problems are products of a growth-based capitalist economy and are fundamentally unsolvable within that framework. We must endeavor to replace our capitalist growth economy with a system based on human flourishing. Drawing on degrowth literature, I propose several criteria for a replacement and suggest that they are met by tribal communities. Although challenges remain in design and implementation of such systems, the alternative of inaction is untenable.
Using CorMatrix for partial and complete (re)construction of arteriovenous fistulas in haemodialysis patients: (Re)construction of arteriovenous fistulas with CorMatrix
Authors: Leskovar Bostjan , Furlan Tjasa , Poznic Simona , Hrastelj Miran , Adamlje Anton
Published: February 2019

Introduction:

CorMatrix is an acellular extracellular matrix that acts as a biological scaffold and remodels into site-specific tissue. We used it for the (re)construction of arteriovenous fistulas.

Methods:

In this prospective pilot case study, we used CorMatrix in six patients. We included patients who required vascular access reconstruction due to thrombosis of unsalvageable arteriovenous fistulas, patients with high-flow arteriovenous fistulas and patients with microvasculature in which autologous arteriovenous fistulas did not mature, requiring reconstruction with a graft. We sutured the CorMatrix plate into a tubular shape and then constructed arterial and venous anastomoses.

Results:

There were no periprocedural complications, CorMatrix-related infections, bleeding or limb swelling after the procedures. CorMatrix was first punctured after 8–10 weeks. In five patients, a percutaneous angioplasty due to CorMatrix stenosis was performed; in one patient, a stent was placed due to refractory stenosis. We observed eight thromboses during the observation period (four in one patient). Perianastomotic stenosis of CorMatrix and interdialytic hypotension were the causes of the thrombosis in five patients, cephalic arch stenosis in two patients and thromboembolism to the brachial artery and arteriovenous fistula in one patient. Thrombendarteriectomy was successful in 87.5% of patients, and one patient required arteriovenous fistula reconstruction. After a median observation period of 12.5 (range 4–23) months, all arteriovenous fistulas were patent, with a median brachial artery flow of 1450 (range 700–1700) mL/min.

Conclusion:

Arteriovenous fistula (re)construction with CorMatrix seems to be feasible and safe, with a relatively high incidence of neointimal hyperplasia, predominantly at venous anastomoses, but additional clinical studies are needed.
Nurse-performed venous sheath removal in patients undergoing radiofrequency catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation: a randomised study
Authors: Rolantova Lucie , Bulava Alan , Eisenberger Martin , Chloubova Ivana , Tothova Valerie , Hanis Jiri
Published: February 2019

Background:

Catheter ablation procedures have recently become a widely accepted method for treating cardiac arrhythmias, and referrals for these procedures have been steadily increasing. As a result, it is now common that sheath removal is handled as a nursing procedure. Regardless of who performs the sheath removal, it is important to extract ablation sheaths without any early or late complications.

Objective:

The aim of this randomised study was to determine the safety of sheath extraction after heparin reversal with low-dose protamine sulfate in patients undergoing radiofrequency catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation and whether these sheaths can be safely removed by nurses.

Methods:

Eighty-one patients were randomly assigned to either receiving protamine to reverse heparin after an ablation ( n=40) or to the standard protocol without heparin reversal ( n=41). Nurse-led sheath removal was done in the cath lab (protamine group) or on the ward (standard group) as soon as activated partial thromboplastin time dropped below 60 s. All adverse events, groin compression time, immobilisation time and procedure characteristics were recorded.

Results:

The manual compression time for the standard group was significantly longer than for the protamine group (15.9 ± 2.5 vs. 21.9 ± 3.1 minutes, P<0.001) as well as the total immobilisation time (13.2 ± 2.4 vs. 20.3 ± 3.8 hours, P=0.01). Minor groin haematomas occurred less frequently in the protamine group (4 vs. 12, P=0.02) and the haematomas tended to be smaller (4.1 ± 2.1 vs. 5.2 ± 2.5 cm, P=0.09). No serious adverse events were observed when the femoral sheaths were extracted by specially trained staff nurses.

Conclusion:

Fewer and milder complications and shorter immobilisation times were reported with protamine reversal compared to the conventional method. Staff nurses can safely remove femoral venous sheaths after a radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation.
One-Year Results of the LIBERTY 360 Study: Evaluation of Acute and Midterm Clinical Outcomes of Peripheral Endovascular Device Interventions
Authors: Mustapha Jihad , Gray William , Martinsen Brad J. , Bolduan Ryan W. , Adams George L. , Ansel Gary , Jaff Michael R.
Published: February 2019

Purpose: To report the 1-year results of a multicenter study of peripheral artery disease (PAD) treatment with a variety of endovascular treatment strategies employed in routine practice. Materials and Methods: The LIBERTY trial ( ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01855412) is a prospective, observational, core laboratory–assessed, multicenter study of endovascular device intervention in 1204 subjects (mean age 69.8±10.7 years; 770 men) stratified by Rutherford category (RC): claudicants (RC2,3; n=501) and critical limb ischemia (CLI) with no/minimal tissue loss (RC4,5; n=603) or significant tissue loss (RC6; n=100). Key outcomes included quality of life (QoL) measures (VascuQol and EuroQol) and freedom from major adverse events (MAE), defined as death (within 30 days), major amputation, and target vessel revascularization based on Kaplan-Meier analysis. Results: Successful revascularization was beneficial, with RC improvement noted across all groups. Thirty-day freedom from MAE estimates were high across all groups: 99.2% in RC2,3, 96.1% in RC4,5, and 90.8% in RC6. At 12 months, the freedom from MAE was 82.6% in RC2,3, 73.2% in RC4,5, and 59.3% in RC6 patients. Estimates for freedom from major amputation at 12 months were 99.3%, 96.0%, and 81.7%, respectively. QoL scores improved significantly across all domains in all groups with 12-month VascuQol total scores of 5.3, 5.0, and 4.8 for RC2,3, RC4,5, and RC6, respectively. Conclusion: The results indicate that peripheral endovascular intervention is a viable treatment option for RC2,3, RC4,5, and RC6 patients as evidenced by the high freedom from major amputation, as well as the improvement in QoL and the RC at 12 months. Furthermore, primary unplanned amputation is often not necessary in RC6.
Reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the ADL-focused Occupation-based Neurobehavioural Evaluation (A-ONE J): Applying Rasch analysis methods
Authors: Higashi Yasuhiro , Takabatake Shinichi , Matsubara Asako , Nishikawa Koji , Shigeta Hiroto , Árnadóttir Guðrún
Published: February 2019

Background/objective

The ADL-focused Occupation-based Neurobehavioral Evaluation (A-ONE) can be used to evaluate both performances of activities of daily living (ADL) tasks and neurobehavioural problems that interfere with ADL task performance among clients with neurological disorders. Research studies have demonstrated acceptable psychometric properties of the original version of the A-ONE as well as the Rasch analysed version. The aim of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the A-ONE (A-ONE J).

Methods

Rasch analysis was performed on data obtained from eight different hospitals in Japan on performances of 150 individuals diagnosed with a stroke based on the functional independence (FI) scale items. The rating scale structure was investigated and internal validity and reliability were examined. Unidimensionality of the items was examined by mean square infit values and principal component analysis of residuals. The targeting between person ability and item difficulty was explored, as well as the separation reliability. Finally, psychometric values and item difficulty hierarchies obtained in this study were compared to the original Rasch analysis of the A-ONE.

Results

The rating scale structure might be improved by collapsing two categories twice (from five categories to three categories). Unidimensionality of the items was obtained for 20 items. Targeting was acceptable, and separation reliability for item calibrations was high and acceptable for people. Conclusion/limitations: This study provides important information regarding the possibilities for revising the ordinal A-ONE J FI Scale, converting it into a unidimensional scale. Further study with increased and more diverse sample is needed.
Developing Partnerships to Improve School Nursing: The Domino Effect
Authors: Maughan Erin D. , Willgerodt Mayumi A.
Published: February 2019

School nursing is a rewarding but difficult job. As professionals, we need to better understand how our work fits in the larger context of schools and influences not just health but also academia and the school environment. This article explains how school nurses can use systems-level thinking and interprofessional collaboration to facilitate their goals and provides five practice steps that can be undertaken immediately to begin making the change.
The Libyan/Trans-Mediterranean Slave Trade, the African Union, and the Failure of Human Morality
Authors: Mafu Lucas
Published: February 2019

In this article, I argue that the recently exposed slave trade in Libya involving Black African migrants seeking opportunities in Europe is not merely a crime against humanity that has been justly condemned by the international community, but is also a serious indictment on the failings of the African Union’s leadership. It is a reflection of the duplicitous nature of Europe’s commitment to human rights and exposes the African leaders’ moral and leadership deficiencies. Through the use of the Hamitic hypothesis and the cultural racism theory, I discuss some causal factors that have led to the abuse of sub-Saharan Africans migrating to Europe and also the African response to the migrant crisis. Finally, I draw parallels between what I term the New Slavery and the evolving narrative of racism and conclude that poor African leadership is the Achilles’ heel in the restoration of African dignity.
The Barrow Biomimetic Spine: Face, Content, and Construct Validity of a 3D-Printed Spine Model for Freehand and Minimally Invasive Pedicle Screw Insertion
Authors: Bohl Michael A. , Mauria Rohit , Zhou James J. , Mooney Michael A. , DiDomenico Joseph D. , McBryan Sarah , Cavallo Claudio , Nakaji Peter , Chang Steve W. , Uribe Juan S. , Turner Jay D. , Kakarla U. Kumar
Published: February 2019

Study Design:

Description and evaluation of a novel surgical training platform.

Objectives:

The purpose of this study was to investigate the face, content, and construct validity of 5 novel surgical training models that simulate freehand and percutaneous (minimally invasive surgery [MIS]) pedicle screw placement.

Methods:

Five spine models were developed by residents: 3 for freehand pedicle screw training (models A-C) and 2 for MIS pedicle screw training (models D and E). Attending spine surgeons evaluated each model and, using a 20-point Likert-type scale, answered survey questions on model face, content, and construct validity. Scores were statistically evaluated and compared using means, standard deviations, and analysis of variance between models and between surgeons.

Results:

Among the freehand models, model C demonstrated the highest overall validity, with mean face (15.67 ± 5.49), content (19.17 ± 0.59), and construct (18.83 ± 0.24) validity all measuring higher than the other freehand models. For the MIS models, model D had the highest validity scores (face, content, and construct validity of 11.67 ± 3.77, 18.17 ± 2.04, and 17.00 ± 3.46, respectively). The 3 freehand models differed significantly in content validity scores ( P = .002) as did the 2 MIS models ( P < .001). The testing surgeons’ overall validity scores were significantly different for models A ( P = .005) and E ( P < .001).

Conclusions:

A 3-dimensional-printed spine model with incorporated bone bleeding and silicone rubber soft tissue was scored as having very high content and construct validity for simulating freehand pedicle screw insertion. These data has informed the further development of several surgical training models that hold great potential as educational adjuncts in surgical training programs.
Artist Communication: An Interdisciplinary Business and Professional Communication Course
Authors: Carradini Stephen
Published: February 2019

The arts have not received much attention from business and professional communication (BPC) scholars who are interested in workplace communication. This article begins to fill that gap by explaining a course focused on the BPC that artists produce in their careers. Students learned BPC genres by addressing arts situations: They crafted email pitches to promoters, took promotional photography, created crowdfunding proposals, and more. I argue that teaching artist communication can give a new context to existing BPC assignments, encourage interdisciplinary initiatives, and allow for the incorporation of natively digital communication genres into existing courses.
Framing the future of food: The contested promises of alternative proteins
Authors: Sexton Alexandra E , Garnett Tara , Lorimer Jamie
Published: February 2019

This paper offers a critical examination of the narrative landscape that has emerged with a new movement of alternative proteins intended as substitutes for conventional meat, milk and other animal-based food products. The alternative protein approaches analysed include edible insects, plant-based proteins and cellular agriculture, the latter of which encompasses ‘cultured’ or ‘clean’ meat, milk and egg products produced in vitro via cell-science methods. We build on previous research that has analysed the promissory narratives specific to cultured/clean meat by examining the key promises that have worked across the broader alternative protein movement. In doing so, we develop a five-fold typology that outlines the distinct yet interconnected claims that have operated in alternative protein promotional discourses to date. The second part of the paper examines the counter-narratives that have emerged in response to alternative protein claims from different stakeholders linked to conventional livestock production. We offer a second typology of three counter-narratives that have so far characterised these responses. Through mapping this narrative landscape, we show how different types of ‘goodness’ have been ascribed by alternative protein and conventional livestock stakeholders to their respective approaches. Moreover, our analysis reveals a series of tensions underpinning these contested food futures, many of which have long histories in broader debates over what constitutes better (protein) food production and consumption. The paper's discussion contributes to ongoing research across the social sciences on the ontological politics of (good) food, and the key role of narratives in constructing and contesting visions of ‘better’ food futures.
Subgemmal Neurogenous Plaque: A Clinical and Pathologic Review With Comparison to Common Head and Neck Neural Tumors
Authors: Alnajar Hussein , O’Toole Thomas R , Lin Diana Murro , Al-Khudari Samer , Gattuso Paolo
Published: February 2019

Objective:

In humans, subgemmal neurogenous plaques (SNPs) are normally found associated with taste buds. On histology, SNP may be mistaken for a neural neoplasm. The objective of this study was to correctly differentiate SNP among head and neck neural lesions and provide clinical and pathologic information that may assist in avoiding misdiagnosis. To our knowledge, this is the first study to provide an estimate of the degree of overdiagnoses of mucosal lesions in the head and neck mucosal area.

Study design:

Retrospective pathology and chart review.

Methods:

All cases of head and neck mucosal neural lesions only in the mucosa of the oral cavity, oropharynx, or larynx from the pathology archives of a single urban tertiary care center between 3/2000 and 6/2017 were obtained. The pathologic and clinical data were reviewed.

Results:

Twenty-six cases were identified: 9 neuromas, 9 neurofibromas, 2 ganglioneuromas and 6 cases of hyperplastic subepithelial nerve bundles. The mean greatest dimension of SNPs was 2.0 mm (range 1-3 mm) and most were subjacent to taste buds (13 cases). The 20 cases of SNP involved 15 women and 5 men. Their median age was 60 years (range 30-85 years). Clinical data were available in 19 cases. The most common presenting complaint was of a painless lesion (8 patients).

Conclusions:

This review confirmed the rarity of true neural neoplasms in the head and neck mucosa and estimates the risk of their over diagnosis given the possible diagnostic confusion with SNP.
Understanding cell fate control by continuous single-cell quantification
Authors: Loeffler Dirk , Schroeder Timm
Published: February 2019

Cells and the molecular processes underlying their behavior are highly dynamic. Understanding these dynamic biological processes requires noninvasive continuous quantitative single-cell observations, instead of population-based average or single-cell snapshot analysis. Ideally, single-cell dynamics are measured long-term in vivo; however, despite progress in recent years, technical limitations still prevent such studies. On the other hand, in vitro studies have proven to be useful for answering long-standing questions. Although technically still demanding, long-term single-cell imaging and tracking in vitro have become valuable tools to elucidate dynamic molecular processes and mechanisms, especially in rare and heterogeneous populations. Here, we review how continuous quantitative single-cell imaging of hematopoietic cells has been used to solve decades-long controversies. Because aberrant cell fate decisions are at the heart of tissue degeneration and disease, we argue that studying their molecular dynamics using quantitative single-cell imaging will also improve our understanding of these processes and lead to new strategies for therapies.
Clonal approaches to understanding the impact of mutations on hematologic disease development
Authors: Nangalia Jyoti , Mitchell Emily , Green Anthony R.
Published: February 2019

Interrogation of hematopoietic tissue at the clonal level has a rich history spanning over 50 years, and has provided critical insights into both normal and malignant hematopoiesis. Characterization of chromosomes identified some of the first genetic links to cancer with the discovery of chromosomal translocations in association with many hematological neoplasms. The unique accessibility of hematopoietic tissue and the ability to clonally expand hematopoietic progenitors in vitro has provided fundamental insights into the cellular hierarchy of normal hematopoiesis, as well as the functional impact of driver mutations in disease. Transplantation assays in murine models have enabled cellular assessment of the functional consequences of somatic mutations in vivo. Most recently, next-generation sequencing–based assays have shown great promise in allowing multi-“omic” characterization of single cells. Here, we review how clonal approaches have advanced our understanding of disease development, focusing on the acquisition of somatic mutations, clonal selection, driver mutation cooperation, and tumor evolution.
Organic content and maturation effects on elastic properties of source rock shales in the Central North Sea
Authors: Hansen Jørgen André , Mondol Nazmul Haque , Fawad Manzar
Published: February 2019

We have investigated the effects of organic content and maturation on the elastic properties of source rock shales, mainly through integration of a well-log database from the Central North Sea and associated geochemical data. Our aim is to improve the understanding of how seismic properties change in source rock shales due to geologic variations and how these might manifest on seismic data in deeper, undrilled parts of basins in the area. The Tau and Draupne Formations (Kimmeridge shale equivalents) in immature to early mature stages exhibit variation mainly related to compaction and total organic carbon (TOC) content. We assess the link between depth, acoustic impedance (AI), and TOC in this setting, and we express it as an empirical relation for TOC prediction. In addition, where S-wave information is available, we combine two seismic properties and infer rock-physics trends for semiquantitative prediction of TOC from [Formula: see text] and AI. Furthermore, data from one reference well penetrating mature source rock in the southern Viking Graben indicate that a notable hydrocarbon effect can be observed as an addition to the inherently low kerogen-related velocity and density. Published Kimmeridge shale ultrasonic measurements from 3.85 to 4.02 km depth closely coincide with well-log measurements in the mature shale, indicating that upscaled log data are reasonably capturing variations in the actual rock properties. Amplitude variation with offset inversion attributes should in theory be interpreted successively in terms of compaction, TOC, and maturation with associated generation of hydrocarbons. Our compaction-consistent decomposition of these effects can be of aid in such interpretations.
Spiritual/Spectral “Structures of Feeling” in Andrey Platonov’sSouland Juan Rulfo’sPedro Páramo
Authors: Wind Ariel
Published: February 2019

Despite linguistic and cultural divides, the works Pedro Páramo by Juan Rulfo and Soul by Andrey Platonov parallel each other in their strikingly overlapping literary treatment of the spirit—one in the spectral form of the ghost, and the other in the internal, intangible form of the soul—and its affective manifestation in comparable contexts of postrevolutionary modernization and agricultural-economic transition. Both texts rupture the social realism that had dominated the literary scenes of Russia and Mexico, respectively, in the early twentieth century through the use of the social figure of the spirit/specter that emerges in the protagonists’ return to places of origin. In the liminal yet visionary desert landscapes haunted by the Comalan ghosts and the enduring Dzhan dispossessed, the Hegelian notion of historical development is unseated and, with it, the dialectical (im)possibility of utopia after upheaval, generating consideration of a new political and social order. In both works, the reader is left to make meaning in a spatialized, affective framework wherein spectral melancholy is not necessarily tied only to mourning or loss but also to imagination, endurance, and ambiguity about the future, loosely in the vein of Fredric Jameson’s linking of death to utopia and Walter Benjamin’s vision of “mortification.”