bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating Soil Moisture–Precipitation Interactions Using Remote Sensing: A Sensitivity Analysis
Authors: Ford Trent W. , Quiring Steven M. , Thakur Balbhadra , Jogineedi Rohit , Houston Adam , Yuan Shanshui , Kalra Ajay , Lock Noah
Published: July 2018

The complex interactions between soil moisture and precipitation are difficult to observe, and consequently there is a lack of consensus as to the sign, strength, and location of these interactions. Inconsistency between soil moisture–precipitation interaction studies can be attributed to a multitude of factors, including the difficulty of demonstrating causal relationships, dataset differences, and precipitation autocorrelation. The purpose of this study is to explore these potential confounding factors and determine which are most important for consideration when assessing statistical coupling between soil moisture and precipitation. Soil moisture is assessed via three remote sensing datasets: the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for Earth Observing System, the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Microwave Imager, and the Essential Climate Variable Soil Moisture. Estimates of soil moisture are coupled with afternoon thunderstorm events identified by the Thunderstorm Observation by Radar (ThOR) algorithm, and dry soil or wet soil preferences for convection initiation are determined for over 16 000 thunderstorm events between 2005 and 2007. Differences in soil moisture datasets were found to have the largest impact with regard to determining wet or dry soil preferences. Precipitation autocorrelation is prevalent in the data; however, precipitation autocorrelation did not influence the results with regard to dry or wet soil preferences. Consideration of the convective environment (i.e., weakly or synoptically forced) did result in significant differences in wet/dry soil preference, but only for certain soil moisture datasets. The results suggest that observation-driven soil moisture–precipitation interaction studies should both consider the convective environment and implement multiple soil moisture datasets to assure robust results.
Families and Crime
Authors: Parcel Toby L. , Hoffmann John P.
Published: July 2018

This volume highlights the theoretical and empirical connections between family sociology and criminology. We review the historical interconnections between these two fields. We argue for greater intellectual conversation across the two areas, and then we identify several elements they hold in common. These include their use of social theory, their attention to human development, and their use and appreciation of longitudinal research. We conclude with brief overviews of the six articles that make up this special issue.
Aggressive Perpetration and Victimization Among Polish Male and Female Adolescents: The Role of Attachment to Parents and Self-Control
Authors: Li Jian-Bin , Liberska Hanna , Salcuni Silvia , Delvecchio Elisa
Published: July 2018

Aggressive perpetration and victimization are a salient problem among Polish adolescents. Based on the general theory of crime, this study explored the associations between attachment to parents and self-control with perpetration and victimization among Polish adolescents ( N = 355, 146 boys and 209 girls). Results showed that (a) secure attachment to father related to less perpetration and victimization among boys and girls, whereas secure attachment to mother associated with less perpetration and victimization among girls; (b) secure attachment to father was related to better self-control for boys and girls; and (c) self-control related to reduced victimization and mediated the “attachment to father—victimization” association among girls. These findings suggest that generalizability of the general theory of crime in Polish adolescents is limited.
Quantifying effects of compositional variations on microstructural properties of polypropylene-wood fiber composites by melt rheology and tensile test data
Authors: Durmus Ali , Ozcan Mehmet , Aydin Ismail
Published: July 2018

In this study, melt-state rheological behavior and solid-state mechanical properties of polypropylene-wood fiber composites were investigated in detail depending on compositional variations such as (i) alkaline treatment on wood fibers, (ii) fiber size, (iii) wood fiber content, and (iv) compatibilizer/wood fiber ratio. Composite samples were prepared in a lab-scale co-rotating twin screw extruder by using a maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene as compatibilizer. Morphological features of composites were examined in a scanning electron microscopy. Viscoelastic behavior and mechanical properties of samples were analyzed by performing oscillatory tests in a rotational rheometer and a universal tensile test machine. It was found that the increasing amounts of wood fiber and compatibilizer/wood fiber ratio led to improve melt elasticity and tensile strength. It was concluded that the amount of compatibilizer into composite formulation was the most important compositional parameter compared to size and chemical treatment of wood fibers for improving the physical properties of composites. The Nicolais-Nicodemo micromechanical model showed that the increasing amount of compatibilizer yielded lower parameters which implied better interfacial adhesion between polypropylene and wood fibers.
Guns Yield Butter? An Exploration of Defense Spending Preferences
Authors: Williams Laron K.
Published: July 2018

The popular notion of a trade-off between social and defense spending—or guns versus butter—appears often in elite discourse, popular media, and empirical studies of budgetary politics. Yet, there are good reasons to suspect that the public’s preferences for these types of spending do not reflect that trade-off. I develop a theory that whether social and defense spending preferences are competing or complementary depends on if the respondent views the government as an important contributor to job creation. Using data from fifty-nine surveys in twenty-seven countries from 1985 to 2008, I show that favoring government-financed job creation makes a respondent much more likely to view social and defense spending as complementary. Indeed, aside from the anomalous case of the United States, preferences are consistent with guns yield butter instead of guns versus butter. This theory has important implications for the thermostatic model of policy responsiveness and theories of budgetary politics.
Cultural Values Moderate the Impact of Relative Deprivation
Authors: Smith Heather J. , Ryan Desiree A. , Jaurique Alexandria , Pettigrew Thomas F. , Jetten Jolanda , Ariyanto Amarina , Autin Frédérique , Ayub Nadia , Badea Constantina , Besta Tomasz , Butera Fabrizio , Costa-Lopes Rui , Cui Lijuan , Fantini Carole , Finchilescu Gillian , Gaertner Lowell , Gollwitzer Mario , Gómez Ángel , González Roberto , Hong Ying Yi , Høj Jensen Dorthe , Karasawa Minoru , Kessler Thomas , Klein Olivier , Lima Marcus , Renvik Tuuli Anna , Jasinskaja-Lahti Inga , Megevand Laura , Morton Thomas , Paladino Paola , Polya Tibor , Ruza Aleksejs , Shahrazad Wan , Sharma Sushama , Teymoori Ali , Torres Ana Raquel , van der Bles Anne Marthe , Wohl Michael
Published: July 2018

Relative deprivation (RD) is the judgment that one or one’s ingroup is worse off compared with some relevant standard coupled with feelings of dissatisfaction, anger, and resentment. RD predicts a wide range of outcomes, but it is unclear whether this relationship is moderated by national cultural differences. Therefore, in the first study, we used national assessments of individual-collectivism and power distance to code 303 effect sizes from 31 different countries with 200,578 participants. RD predicted outcomes ranging from life satisfaction to collective action more strongly within individualistic nations. A second survey of 6,112 undergraduate university students from 28 different countries confirmed the predictive value of RD. Again, the relationship between individual RD and different outcomes was stronger for students who lived in more individualistic countries. Group-based RD also predicted political trust more strongly for students who lived in countries marked by lower power distance. RD effects, although consistent predictors, are culturally bounded. In particular, RD is more likely to motivate reactions within individualistic countries that emphasize individual agency and achievement as a source of self-worth.
Filicide-suicide: An unusual variant of dyadic death
Authors: Ateriya Navneet , Saraf Ashish , Kanchan Tanuj , Meshram Vikas P , Singh Shekhawat Raghvendra , Setia Puneet
Published: July 2018

Dyadic suicides may be committed simultaneously or one after another by two or more people who may or may not have made a prior pact. The perpetrator is usually male and their victims female, and generally their intimate partners, with children less commonly involved. Another distinct type of homicide-suicide is the killing of children by a parent (filicide-suicide). The terms ‘maternal filicide’ or ‘paternal filicide’ are used respectively when the perpetrator is the mother or the father of the victim. We report a rare case of maternal filicide, where the mother drowned her three children and then herself in the same water tank. The case highlights the extreme stress put on a mother of girls in a patriarchal society where there is an overriding expectation and wish for sons. The resulting pressure on this mother for her ‘failure’ caused her to take her own and her children's lives.
Desirablizing Whiteness: A Discursive Practice in Social Justice Leadership That Entrenches White Supremacy
Authors: Radd Sharon I. , Grosland Tanetha Jamay
Published: July 2018

This article conceptualizes “Desirablizing Whiteness” as a discursive practice. Desirablizing Whiteness occurs when equity efforts aim to include racially minoritized students in actions, situations, formats, and settings where they have been absent or underrepresented, and which have been the “property” of Whites. The literature on discourse, discursive practices, and emotions serve to explain the nature of Desirablizing Whiteness as a complicated and contradictory construct. Tenets from critical race theory highlight the fundamentally racist effect of this discursive practice. Because Whiteness’ property value is both tangible and psychic, the presence and role of emotions are key to understanding how Desirablizing Whiteness has a dialectical relationship with human interactions and decision making, ultimately undermining social justice efforts. Practical recommendations for school leaders and scholars concerned with urban education close the article.
Elevated cardiac biomarkers and echocardiographic left ventricular dysfunction at admission in patients with dengue fever: report from a tertiary care center in Northwest India
Authors: Lakshman Arjun , Balasubramanian Prasanth , Nampoothiri Ram V , Vijayvergiya Rajesh , Bhalla Ashish , Varma Subhash C
Published: July 2018

Cardiac involvement is not an uncommon manifestation in dengue fever and diagnosing it has always been a challenge to physicians owing to its constellation of clinical features and lack of standard screening methods. We studied the prevalence of cardiac involvement among fifty sequential adult patients of dengue fever admitted in our emergency department, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India, who were assessed clinically and classified based on the severity. They were studied for possible cardiac involvement by means of point-of-care testing for serum cardiac biomarkers (quantitative troponin-I, creatinine kinase - MB Isoform and cardiac myoglobin) and two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiogram (2D-echo). Evidence of myocardial involvement was present in 16% and 30% patients based on 2D-echo and biomarker testing respectively. On univariate analysis, the presence of cardiac symptoms (p = 0.009) and of shock (p = 0.003) showed statistically significant association with biomarker elevation. However, this and evidence of myocardial dysfunction by 2-D echo showed poor inter-correlation.
Learning While Black: A Culturally Informed Model of the Impostor Phenomenon for Black Graduate Students
Authors: Stone Steven , Saucer Chastity , Bailey Marlon , Garba Ramya , Hurst Ashley , Jackson Stacey M. , Krueger Nolan , Cokley Kevin
Published: July 2018

This study presents a culturally informed model of the impostor phenomenon construct for Black graduate students who attend predominantly White universities. The impostor phenomenon is an internal sense of intellectual fraudulence and a tendency to attribute success to external factors, such as luck. However, the original construct was conceptualized with a sample of White individuals and may not capture the culturally relevant factors for Black graduate students such as race or racial discrimination. Furthermore, only one empirical study investigates impostor feelings in Black graduate students. The current study addresses these gaps by using focus groups to qualitatively investigate the impostor phenomenon in 12 Black graduate students. Inductive thematic analysis revealed five themes ( Awareness of Low Racial Representation, Questioning Intelligence, Expectations, Psychosocial Costs, and Explaining Success Externally) and multiple subthemes. The findings extend the original construct, contribute to a culturally informed framework for understanding the impostor phenomenon in Black graduate students, and have implications for theory, educators, clinicians, and researchers.
Comparing hybrid media systems in the digital age: A theoretical framework for analysis
Authors: Mattoni Alice , Ceccobelli Diego
Published: July 2018

The relationship between media and politics today is deeply entrenched in the wide use of information and communication technologies to the point that scholars speak about the emergence of hybrid media systems in which older and newer media logics combine. However, it is still unclear how the configuration of hybrid media systems changes across countries today, especially with regard to the interconnection between media and politics. In the article, we aim to develop a theoretical framework to capture such national differences. In so doing, we want to develop a heuristic device to understand whether the transformations brought about by information and communication technologies in the media and political realm also contribute to reshaping national media systems and to what extent. After outlining the main scope of the article in the ‘Introduction’ section, we discuss the theoretical framework that Hallin and Mancini developed to compare media systems across countries, and we present this framework’s main strengths and weaknesses when used as a tool for understanding the relationship between media and politics in the digital era. We then argue for the need for an updated and expanded version of such a theoretical framework: first, we update its four original dimensions (structure of media market, political parallelism, state intervention and journalistic professionalism) transversely including information and communication technologies–related indicators; second, we expand the original theoretical framework with one new dimension (grassroots participation) and the related indicators. In the ‘Conclusion’ section, we summarize our theoretical proposal and present some indicators and potential comparative data sources to assess similarities and differences of national media systems across countries. Finally, we also note two limitations of the article.
Effects of diacutaneous fibrolysis in patients with mild to moderate symptomatic carpal tunnel syndrome: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Jiménez del Barrio Sandra , Estébanez de Miguel Elena , Bueno Gracia Elena , Haddad Garay María , Tricás Moreno José Miguel , Hidalgo García César
Published: July 2018

Objective:

To compare the effects of diacutaneous fibrolysis with sham in patients with mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome.

Design:

Double-blind (patient and evaluator) randomized controlled trial.

Setting:

Miguel Servet University Hospital, Zaragoza, Spain.

Subjects:

A total of 52 patients (72 wrists) with carpal tunnel syndrome, 41 women and 11 men, mean age was 46.9 (8.8) years. They were divided into two groups: diacutaneous fibrolysis group and sham group.

Interventions:

Real diacutaneous fibrolysis in diacutaneous fibrolysis group and sham diacutaneous fibrolysis in sham group. Both groups received five sessions in the forearm, wrist and hand.

Main measures:

Neurophysiological parameters assessed at baseline and at the end of the treatment. Intensity of nocturnal symptoms (visual analogue scale (VAS)) and upper limb functional capacity (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire) at baseline, at the end of the treatment and one month after treatment.

Results:

Diacutaneous fibrolysis group (n = 30 wrists) improved in nerve conduction distal motor latency (mean difference: –0.26, 95% confidence interval (CI): –0.49/–0.26), sensory conduction velocity (mean difference: 6.52, 95% CI: 3.52/9.51), intensity of nocturnal symptoms (mean difference: –2.24, 95% CI: –4.08/–2.04) and upper limb functional capacity (mean difference: –19, 95% CI: –26.1/–11.9) compared to the sham group (n = 30 wrists) ( P < 0.02, P < 0.01, P < 0.01 and P < 0.01, respectively). At one-month follow-up, improvements in the nocturnal symptoms and upper limb functional capacity were maintained compared to the sham group ( P < 0.01).

Conclusion:

Diacutaneous fibrolysis provides short-term and one-month follow-up, improvements in sensory conduction velocity, motor distal latency, symptoms and functional capacity in patients with mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome.
Comparisons of Sexual Victimization Experiences among Sexual Minority and Heterosexual Women
Authors: López Gabriela , Yeater Elizabeth A.
Published: July 2018

This study examined the associations among heterosexual women (HW) and sexual minority women (SMW; for example, lesbian and bisexual), adolescent and adult sexual victimization experiences, childhood experiences of abuse, coping strategies, and mental health symptoms. Participants were 177 women recruited across the United States via the Internet to complete an online survey. Participants first completed the Sexual Experiences Survey and then described qualitatively their most distressing and/or severe sexual victimization experience. They were asked to include situational (e.g., location, alcohol, and drug use) and interpersonal features (e.g., relationship to perpetrator) of their experience. They then completed self-report questionnaires on childhood sexual abuse, coping with substances, coping through self-blame, social reactions to their assault disclosure, and symptoms of anxiety, depression, and somatization. Nonparametric tests were used to examine associations among the variables. There were no significant differences between SMW and HW in terms of the contextual features (i.e., situational, interpersonal) of their most distressing (i.e., severe) sexual victimization experiences or their postassault experiences. However, results revealed significant associations between sexual minority status and both victimization severity and sexual revictimization, with SMW reporting more severe victimization histories and higher rates of sexual revictimization relative to HW. In addition, there was a significant difference between SMW and HW with respect to coping through substances, with SMW reporting more substance use relative to HW. Future work should endeavor to identify the reasons for these important differences and seek to develop appropriate interventions for SMW who have experienced sexual violence.
Perceptions of Same-Gender and Different-Gender Intimate Partner Cyber-Monitoring
Authors: Messinger Adam M. , Birmingham Rachel S. , DeKeseredy Walter S.
Published: July 2018

There is a paucity of research comparing perceptions of technology-facilitated partner monitoring or stalking between same-gender and different-gender relationships. As such, a randomized vignette study was conducted with 738 undergraduate students at a large Midwestern university, who read one of four stories of intimate partner cyber-monitoring (IPCM): same-gender IPCM with physical violence, same-gender IPCM without physical violence, different-gender IPCM with physical violence, and different-gender IPCM without physical violence. Results show that participants were significantly less likely to recommend the survivor break up with the abuser if the story described a same-gender relationship. If the story involved IPCM alone rather than also physical violence, participants were significantly less likely to label the abuse as “domestic violence,” more likely to recommend doing nothing, and less likely to recommend most of the assessed protective actions—including being less likely to recommend asking the survivor to break up with the abuser, seeking help from friends and family, calling a domestic violence hotline, or calling the police. Results also indicate that IPCM is largely perceived to be less serious and less deserving of survivor support than physical intimate partner violence (IPV), for both same-gender and different-gender relationships. Implications for prevention education programming as well as research are discussed.
Preparation and physical properties of polyarylene ether nitrile and polyarylene ether sulfone random copolymers
Authors: Hu Weibin , You Yong , Tong Lifen , Tu Ling , Wang Yajie , Wei Renbo , Liu Xiaobo
Published: July 2018

Polyarylene ether nitrile sulfone (PENS) random copolymers consisting of polyarylene ether nitrile (PEN) and polyarylene ether sulfone (PES) were prepared from bisphenol A, bis(4-chlorophenyl)sulfone, and 2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile by the nucleophilic aromatic substitution polymerization. The structure of the PENS random copolymers was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectrometer and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance, and the properties of the PENS copolymers were investigated by thermal analysis (differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis), inherent viscosity measurements, mechanical tests, and dielectric tests. The samples showed excellent thermal stability, with the 5% weight loss temperature ( T 5%) greater than 480°C under nitrogen and glass transition temperature ( T g) greater than 180°C. The tensile strength, tensile modulus, and elongation at break of the PENS copolymers were improved with the increase of the PEN content, indicating the better mechanical property of PEN than that of PES. The dielectric constant and dielectric strength of the PENS random copolymers were also enhanced with the increase of the PEN content. As a result, PENS100 showed the highest energy storage density, which is 0.68 J/cm3. PES showed better thermal properties while worse mechanical and dielectric properties compared with PEN. PENS copolymers combined the excellent properties of PEN and PES due to the compatibility between them.
The impact of parental leave policy on the intensity of labour-market participation of mothers: Do the number of children and pre-birth work engagement matter?
Authors: Valentova Marie
Published: July 2018

In this article, we examine the impact of the introduction of parental leave policy in 1999 on the labour-market engagement of mothers with one and two children in Luxembourg, who had been working 20 or more hours per week before childbirth. Labour-market engagement is measured by the number of hours worked monthly, 1, 2 and 3 years following the birth of the last child. Analyses are conducted using longitudinal social security records data from 1995 to 2002. The difference-in-differences (DiD) method is used to establish a causal relationship between the introduction of the policy and its outcomes. The results of the analyses reveal that among mothers with one child, the introduction of the policy had a significant and positive impact on the working hours during the first 3 years after childbirth. Among mothers with two children, the impact of the policy was significant for 1 year after childbirth. Heterogeneity effect analysis shows that single-child mothers who worked part-time before childbirth were substantially more responsive to the policy than their full-time working counterparts.
Patterns of transnational trade union cooperation in Europe: The effect of regimes, sectors and resources
Authors: Vulkan Patrik , Larsson Bengt
Published: July 2018

How far, in what ways and on what issues do trade unions in Europe cooperate cross-nationally? Three important structural factors may explain differences in cooperation: national industrial relations contexts, sectoral contexts and unions’ organizational resources. We examine transnational union cooperation at sectoral level, and test the explanatory value of these three factors. We address cooperation in five broad sectors, using a Europe-wide questionnaire-based survey of trade union activities. We find that sectoral differences explain more of the variation in levels of transnational cooperation than do industrial relations regimes when controlling for resources, whereas both sectors and regimes influence which issues are seen as important for current and future cooperation. In addition, small trade unions engage in much less transnational cooperation than large ones.
Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy of Pulmonary Fibrosis
Authors: Chuang Hong-Meng , Shih Tina Emily , Lu Kang-Yun , Tsai Sheng-Feng , Harn Horng-Jyh , Ho Li-Ing
Published: July 2018

Although the clinical application of new drugs has been shown to be effective in slowing disease progression and improving the quality of life in patients with pulmonary fibrosis, the damaged lung tissue does not recover with these drugs. Thus, there is an urgent need to establish regenerative therapy, such as stem cell therapy or tissue engineering. Moreover, the clinical application of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy has been shown to be safe in humans with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). It seems that a combination of MSC transplantation and pharmaceutical therapy might have additional benefits; however, the experimental design for its efficacy is still lacking. In this review, we provide an overview of the mechanisms that were identified when IPF was treated with MSC transplantation or new drugs. To maximize the therapeutic effect, we suggest that MSC transplantation is combined with drug application for synergistic effects. This review provides clinicians and scientists with the most efficient medical options, in the hope that this will spur on future research and lead to an eventual cure for this disease.
Strategic-Maritime Triangle in the Indian Ocean: An Emerging Indo-US Naval Entente?
Authors: Choudhury Avinandan , Moorthy P.
Published: July 2018

The increasing Chinese naval presence in and around Indian ocean, coupled with the rise of the home-grown Indian Navy and the US naval dominance over the global commons, has brought about a strategic maritime triangle in the Indian Ocean. This article looks into the evolving role, capacity and objectives of the Indian, Chinese and US Navy vis-à-vis their strategic interests in the Indian Ocean region. The article argues that the ascendency of China’s naval prowess in Indian Ocean will prod India to opt for a tactical naval entente with the USA. Few impediments to the potential formation of a close-knit Indo-US partnership like India’s fear of losing strategic autonomy, its aversion in being an east Asian naval power, US–Pakistan ties and the difference in the Indian and USA’s interpretation of the concept of ‘Freedom of Navigation’ have been discussed. The article contends that an effective Indo-US naval cooperation will depend on how these impediments are taken into considerations within the make-up of their partnership.
Energy harvesting from quasi-static deformations via bilaterally constrained strips
Authors: Liu Suihan , Azad Ali Imani , Burgueño Rigoberto
Published: July 2018

Piezoelectric energy harvesting from ambient vibrations is well studied, but harvesting from quasi-static responses is not yet fully explored. The lack of attention is because quasi-static actions are much slower than the resonance frequency of piezoelectric oscillators to achieve optimal outputs; however, they can be a common mechanical energy resource: from large civil structure deformations to biomechanical motions. The recent advances in bio-micro-electro-mechanical systems and wireless sensor technologies are motivating the study of piezoelectric energy harvesting from quasi-static conditions for low-power budget devices. This article presents a new approach of using quasi-static deformations to generate electrical power through an axially compressed bilaterally constrained strip with an attached piezoelectric layer. A theoretical model was developed to predict the strain distribution of the strip’s buckled configuration for calculating the electrical energy generation. Results from an experimental investigation and finite element simulations are in good agreement with the theoretical study. Test results from a prototyped device showed that a peak output power of 1.33 μW/cm2 was generated, which can adequately provide power supply for low-power budget devices. And a parametric study was also conducted to provide design guidance on selecting the dimensions of a device based on the external embedding structure.
Healthy Start Home Visiting Program—School-Based Model: Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Leung Cynthia , Tsang Sandra , Heung Kitty , Tam Mia
Published: July 2018

Objective:

This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Healthy Start Home Visiting Program—School-Based Model (HSS), using a cluster randomized controlled trial design.

Methods:

Participants included 224 parents from 20 preschools randomized into intervention and wait-list control groups at the preschool level. Furthermore, 105 parents from the participating preschools were trained as parent ambassadors to assist in program delivery. They were randomized into intervention and control groups at the preschool level. Outcome measures included parent and teacher reports on children’s learning, parent report on children’s behavior and health, their own parenting, and direct assessment of children. Parent ambassadors completed measures on parenting and their children’s behavior before training and after program delivery.

Results:

There was significant improvement at postintervention in parenting, children’s behavior, and learning and health in the intervention group, compared with the control group.

Conclusions:

The results provided evidence on the effectiveness of the HSS program.
Boundary Objects and the Technical Culture Divide: Successful Practices for Voluntary Innovation Teams Crossing Scientific and Professional Fields
Authors: Kertcher Zack , Coslor Erica
Published: July 2018

This article examines the creation and stabilization of early-stage boundary objects by voluntary teams spanning divergent professional and scientific fields. Cross-disciplinary collaborators can share similar goals, yet nonetheless face frictions from differences in professional expertise, practices, and technical systems. Yet if boundary objects help to span disciplinary divides, the same challenges are likely to hinder initial boundary object development. Comparative ethnography of three projects adapting Grid computing technology to fields of science highlights challenges for boundary object creation, including a “mind-set shift” before the technology could stabilize. Enriching our knowledge of boundary object beginnings, we find successful stabilization requires both appropriate localization and further resources, which enable the simultaneously global–local nature of boundary objects. This essential feature is understudied in management research. Developing the boundary object concept on its own terms enhances empirical and theoretical application, particularly when researchers prefer one main theory of objects, rather than a “pluralist” approach.
Optic coherence tomography appearances of retinal astrocytic hamartoma and systemic features in tuberous sclerosis of Japanese patients
Authors: Kato Aya , Obana Akira , Gohto Yuko , Seto Takahiko , Sasano Hiroyuki
Published: July 2018

Purpose:

To describe the optical coherence tomography findings of retinal astrocytic hamartoma of tuberous sclerosis and to confirm the association between the type of retinal astrocytic hamartoma and systemic manifestations in Japanese patients.

Study Design:

A retrospective observational case series.

Methods:

The medical records of 35 patients with tuberous sclerosis who underwent ophthalmological examination were reviewed. The retinal astrocytic hamartomas were classified into four types based on the optical coherence tomography findings, and their association with systemic disease was evaluated.

Results:

A total of 40 retinal astrocytic hamartomas in 13 eyes of eight patients aged 4–28 years were identified. Optical coherence tomography images were obtained for 23 lesions in 10 eyes of seven patients. Retinal astrocytic hamartomas were seen as protruding lesions of varying heights (maximum thickness, range between 221 to 1043 μm). Of the 23, 15 lesions showed homogeneous reflectivity; in six lesions, hyper-reflective spots that presumably represented intratumoral calcification were noted. Vitreous changes were noted in 13 lesions; vitreous seeding by retinal astrocytic hamartoma was observed in seven eyes. There were no significant differences in the rates of each systemic feature among the optical coherence tomography types.

Conclusion:

Retinal astrocytic hamartomas were classified into four types according to the previous reports; however, this classification may be worthless because the extent of protrusion did not correspond to the intratumoral characteristics, and the involved depth of the retina was not same even in the same type. An association between the type of retinal astrocytic hamartoma and systemic manifestations was not confirmed in this small case series. We considered that the classification of retinal astrocytic hamartoma and its association with systemic manifestations need further study.
Moments of intermediality: The use of television in joker narratives
Authors: Nilsson Johan
Published: July 2018

This article uses the concept of intermediality to explore four different adaptations, across three different media, of the infamous supervillain the Joker. Independent of the medium representing him, a recurring practice is to have the Joker engage with media technologies. Television, in particular, is often used, as in the cases discussed here: Tim Burton’s film Batman (1989) and Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight (2008), the comic book Batman: Death of the Family (2014), and the video game Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009). Understood as media combination, intermedial referencing (Rajewsky (2005) Intermediality, intertextuality, and remediation: A literary perspective on intermediality. Intermédialités 6: 43–64), and through concepts such as contingency and liveness (Doane (2002) The Emergence of Cinematic Time: Modernity, Contingency, the Archive. Cambridge: Harvard University Press), these intermedial moments, by way of emphasizing the materiality and temporality of media, are found to promote immersion while simultaneously causing tension by destabilizing the act of viewing.
Evaluation of an innovative tele-education intervention in chronic pain management for primary care clinicians practicing in underserved areas
Authors: Furlan Andrea D , Zhao Jane , Voth Jennifer , Hassan Samah , Dubin Ruth , Stinson Jennifer N , Jaglal Susan , Fabico Ralph , Smith Andrew J , Taenzer Paul , Flannery John F
Published: July 2018

Introduction

Inadequate knowledge and training of healthcare providers are obstacles to effective chronic pain management. ECHO (extension for community healthcare outcomes) uses case-based learning and videoconferencing to connect specialists with providers in underserved areas. ECHO aims to increase capacity in managing complex cases in areas with poor access to specialists.

Methods

A pre-post study was conducted to evaluate the impact of ECHO on healthcare providers’ self-efficacy, knowledge and satisfaction. Type of profession, presenting a case, and number of sessions attended were examined as potential factors that may influence the outcomes

Results

From June 2014 to March 2017, 296 primary care healthcare providers attended ECHO, 264 were eligible for the study, 170 (64%) completed the pre-ECHO questionnaire and 119 completed post-ECHO questionnaires. Participants were physicians (34%), nurse practitioners (21%), pharmacists (13%) and allied health professionals (32%). Participants attended a mean of 15 ± 9.19 sessions. There was a significant increase in self-efficacy ( p < 0.0001) and knowledge ( p < 0.0001). Self-efficacy improvement was significantly higher among physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners than the non-prescribers group ( p = 0.03). On average, 96% of participants were satisfied with ECHO. Satisfaction was higher among those who presented cases and attended more sessions.

Discussion

This study shows that ECHO improved providers’ self-efficacy and knowledge. We evaluated outcomes from a multidisciplinary group of providers practicing in Ontario. This diversity supports the generalisability of our findings. Therefore, we suggest that this project may be used as a template for creating other educational programs on other medical topics.
Emotion regulation contributes to the well-being of patients with autoimmune diseases through illness-related emotions: A prospective study
Authors: Karademas Evangelos C , Dimitraki Georgia , Papastefanakis Emmanouil , Ktistaki Georgia , Repa Argyro , Gergianaki Irini , Bertsias George , Sidiropoulos Prodromos , Mastorodemos Vasileios , Simos Panagiotis
Published: July 2018

This prospective study aimed to examine whether illness-related negative emotions mediate the relationship of cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression to the well-being of 99 patients with rheumatoid arthritis or multiple sclerosis. After adjusting for disease and patient-related parameters, only cognitive reappraisal was associated with physical and psychological well-being through emotions. Expressive suppression was associated with psychological well-being only for patients reporting less use of cognitive reappraisal. These results underscore the need for prospective studies that will investigate the long-term impact of emotion regulation on adaptation to chronic illness and the conditions under which this impact takes place.
Words with weight: The construction of obesity in eating disorders research
Authors: Gotovac Sandra , LaMarre Andrea , Lafreniere Kathryn
Published: July 2018

In current public health discourse, obesity is conceptualized as a disease epidemic, with treatment being weight loss. The pursuit of weight loss as a treatment for the “disease” of obesity is in direct contradiction to the history of research in eating disorders, which has demonstrated the risks for the development of eating disorders. In this study, we critically examined the eating disorder literature to explore this contradiction. We analyzed 30 of the top-cited articles in the eating disorder literature between 1994 and 2011, asking: how is the concept of obesity examined in eating disorder research? We identified tensions related to body mass index and the perceived associated risks of lower or higher body mass index, assumptions of the “causes” of fatness (i.e. overeating and inactivity), and the anti-diet voice challenging the prescription of dieting for those in fat bodies. In our analysis, we highlight the problematics of, for instance, prescribing a body mass index range of 20–24 in eating disorder recovery, how many studies in eating disorders do not problematize the presumption that a higher body mass index is necessarily associated with ill health, and a lack of cultural sensitivity and acknowledgment of intersectional spaces of belonging. We discuss these themes in the context of biomedical discourses of obesity contributing to the cultural thin ideal. We argue that biomedical discourses on obesity contribute to the thin ideal nuanced against discourses of healthism that permeate our society. Rather than an ideal of emaciation, it is an ideal of a healthy, productive person, often constructed as morally superior. The moral panic around obesity is evident throughout the eating disorder literature, which is a concern given that we would hope that the aim of eating disorder treatment would be to promote wellness for all—not only those who are thin.
Bilingual adolescent vowel production in the Parisian suburbs
Authors: Cychosz Margaret
Published: July 2018

Aims and objectives:

The study examines how bilingualism and adolescent identity interact to influence acoustic vowel patterns. This is examined in students at a secondary school in the socially and economically disadvantaged working-class Parisian suburbs.

Design:

The front, round vowels /y/, /ø/, and /œ/ were analyzed in the speech of ( N = 22) adolescents. Three student groups were juxtaposed: monolingual Franco-French ( N = 9) and two simultaneous bilingual groups, Arabic-French ( N = 6), and Bantu-French ( N = 7). Crucially, unlike French, these contact languages do not have phonemically round front vowels.

Data and analysis:

To elicit naturalistic speech, sociolinguistic interviews were conducted with students speaking in dyads or small groups. Vowel roundedness, derived from acoustic measurements of the third formant and the difference between the third and second formants, was compared across speaker groups.

Findings:

Results show an effect of bilingual status for male speakers – monolingual speakers pattern differently from both bilingual groups. Still, bilingual Bantu-French and Arabic-French speakers show some distinct patterning. This suggests influences beyond first-language phonology on bilingual speakers’ production of French.

Originality:

This is one of the first studies to look beyond Arabic substrate influence in emerging Hexagonal urban youth vernaculars. It contributes naturalistic data from those most prone to language change, adolescents, for the study of French in contact. Finally, the study proposes a type of ‘laboratory in the field’: because none of the contact languages contrast vowels by roundedness, first-language influence is controlled for and the effect of social stigmatization upon speech can be isolated.

Implications:

The findings suggest that the social and ethnic divisions between dominant ethnic groups and minorities of immigrant descent may even be reflected in their phonetic patterning. Because these patterns are present in adolescents, who are the source of much language change, a connection between segregation and language change is drawn.
Admission and treatment at a weekend is not associated with worse outcomes for patients admitted with fractured neck of femur
Authors: Al-Ani Asef , Bence Matthew , Liddle Alexander D. , Ferris Barry
Published: July 2018

Introduction

The weekend effect is a reported phenomenon whereby patients admitted at a weekend are found to have worse outcomes than those admitted during the week. The causes are not well understood, but may have implications for the planning of medical workforces throughout the developed world. Although the magnitude of the weekend effect is reduced whenknown confounding factors are adjusted for, there are likely to be substantial residual unmeasured confounding factors. It remains unclear how much effect exists in comparable patients. The aim of this study was to determine whether the presence of a weekend effect could be detected for the patients admitted with hip fracture to our unit and to quantify this effect if detected.

Methods

All hip fracture patients admitted to our unit over a five-year period were examined. All patients had their details entered onto the National Hip Fracture Database which was investigated to compare inpatient, 30-day, 120-day and 365-day mortality with specific reference to day of admission and operative treatment.

Results

Two thousand one hundred and thirty fractured neck of femur patients were admitted from 2011 to 2016. We found no difference in mortality in being admitted or treated at the weekend or weekday; however, patients operated upon on a Tuesday had a statistically significant higher risk of death (OR 2.813, 95% CI 1.336–5.992, p = 0.006). The reasons for this are unclear.

Conclusions

In our unit there is no evidence of a weekend effect for hip fractures.
Observer-based H2 controller design for a vibration isolation stage having hybrid electromagnets
Authors: Yalçın Barış Can , Sever Mert , Erkan Kadir
Published: July 2018

Vibration isolation systems based on hybrid electromagnets, consisting of electromagnet and permanent magnet, have a potential usage in many industrial areas, such as clean room design, transportation, semiconductor manufacturing, suspension systems, and robotic surgery due to providing mechanical contact free vibration isolation. Using permanent magnets in the electromagnet structure has some crucial advantages, such as a minimized volume and a more compact structure. Furthermore, the essential force for levitation of vibration isolation stage can be generated by only the permanent magnet(s), which means, by using hybrid electromagnets, magnetic levitation can be achieved with considerably low energy consumption against possible vibrations. This property is called zero-power behavior. However, the main problems of magnetic levitation process are as follows: it has highly nonlinear nature even if it can be linearized; it has unstable pole(s), which makes the system vulnerable in terms of stability. In recent years, linear matrix inequality-based design of controllers has received considerable attention and become very popular due to their ability to satisfy multiobjective design requirements. However, an observer-based H2 controller design for a vibration isolation system having hybrid electromagnets has not been considered yet. Therefore, the linear matrix inequality-based controller is employed to minimize the effect of disturbances on the following objectives, such as vibration isolation, zero-power property, and protection of the levitation gap. The effectiveness of the proposed method is shown with the numerical simulation studies and compared with classical Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) approach.
Engaging mental health online: Insights from beyondblue’s forum influencers
Authors: McCosker Anthony
Published: July 2018

Digital platforms offer an important means for improving the reach, scale and accessibility of community-based support for those dealing with mental health issues. They enable new forms of health participation. A research gap remains in understanding the role of peer mentors in building effective digital environments for mental health support. This article presents part of a larger study centred on the digital interventions of prominent mental health organisation beyondblue. It combines qualitative content analysis and interviews with prominent peer mentors. The analysis presents insights into how some peer mentors are able to act as mental health influencers and examines their impact and role in activating supportive mental health publics. Effective mental health influencers build demonstrable non-professional expertise and authority and, through affective practices, play an active role in framing and re-framing mental health and recovery, stimulating cohesion-generating cycles of impact feedback among forum participants.