bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sounds of Intent in the Early Years: A proposed framework of young children’s musical development
Authors: Voyajolu Angela , Ockelford Adam
Published: April 2016

Sounds of Intent in the Early Years explores the musical development of children from birth to five years of age. Observational evidence has been utilised together with key literature on musical development and core concepts of zygonic theory (Ockelford, 2013) to investigate the applicability of the original Sounds of Intent framework of musical development, intended for children and young people with learning difficulties, as an assessment model for all children in the early years. One hundred and twenty five observations of 58 children (aged 10 weeks to five years) engaging with music were taken in the form of video recordings over a six-month period within an early years children’s centre. These observations were analysed using the original Sounds of Intent framework to determine whether the types and levels of engagement with music could be framed within the existing model and to identify areas of potential mismatch. A preliminary framework has been designed from which practitioners and parents can gauge their children’s level of musical development in order to support them effectively.
The in vitro wear behavior of nanozirconia-filled dental composite in food slurry condition
Authors: Kumar Shiv Ranjan , Patnaik Amar , Bhat I K
Published: April 2016

The purpose of this investigation was to analyze the effect of adding different weight fraction of nanozirconia on wear characteristics of resin-based dental composite. The dental composites were fabricated by adding (0–3 wt.%) of silane-modified nanozirconia particles into a monomer system (50 wt.% bisphenol-A glycidyl methacrylate, 49 wt.% tri-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, 0.2 wt.% Camphorquinone, and 0.8 wt.% ethyl 4 dimethyl amino benzoate). The experiments were conducted based on steady state condition and Taguchi’s orthogonal design in a dental wear simulator. A theoretical model was proposed for wear assessment and validated with the experimental results. The findings of the experiments indicated that the composite with 3 wt.% nanozirconia demonstrated lowest volumetric wear rate.
A significant decrease in diagnosis of primary progressive multiple sclerosis: A cohort study
Authors: Westerlind Helga , Stawiarz Leszek , Fink Katharina , Hillert Jan , Manouchehrinia Ali
Published: April 2016

Background:

Several reports indicate changes to prevalence, incidence, female-to-male ratio in multiple sclerosis. Diagnostic criteria, course definitions and clinical management of the disease have also undergone change during the recent decades.

Objective:

To investigate temporal trends in the diagnosis of primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) in Sweden.

Methods:

Through the Swedish MS registry we investigated the proportion of PPMS diagnosis in birth, diagnosis and age period cohorts using Poisson regression.

Results:

A total of 16,915 patients were categorised into six birth-cohorts from 1946 to 1975 and seven date-of-diagnosis-cohorts from 1980 to 2014. We observed a decrease in the uncorrected analysis of diagnosis of PPMS from 19.2% to 2.2% and an average decrease of 23% ( p < 0.001) per 5-year birth-cohort in the adjusted analysis. An average 21% ( p < 0.001) decrease per diagnosis-cohort was seen. In the age-specific diagnosis period cohorts the same decreasing trend of PPMS diagnosis was observed in almost all groups.

Conclusion:

The diagnosis of PPMS has significantly decreased in Sweden specifically after introduction of disease-modifying treatments. Such decrease can have severe impacts on the future research on PPMS. Our data also suggest that the current trend to emphasise presence or absence of inflammatory activity is already reflected in clinical practice.
Sedentary behaviour in people with multiple sclerosis: Is it time to stand up against MS?
Authors: Veldhuijzen van Zanten Jet JCS , Pilutti Lara A , Duda Joan L , Motl Robert W
Published: April 2016

Historically, people with multiple sclerosis (MS) have been considered sedentary, although the actual scientific study of sedentary behaviour in MS did not originate until 2011. Sedentary behaviour, which is conceptually distinct from physical inactivity, is defined as any waking activity characterised by an energy expenditure ⩽ 1.5 metabolic equivalents and in a sitting or reclining posture. In the general population, the volume of sitting time is associated with increased risks of morbidity and mortality, independent of physical activity, and has been suggested to carry a greater risk of mortality than smoking behaviour. There are many symptoms of MS (e.g. mobility disability and fatigue) that could increase the prevalence of sedentary behaviour, and sedentary behaviour may have considerable implications for the development of comorbid conditions prevalent in MS. This review provides a summary of the rates, correlates, consequences and interventions attempting to reduce sedentary behaviour in MS. We provide a research agenda that guides future research on sedentary behaviour in MS. This paper provides a clarion call that it is time to ‘stand up against MS’.
Reinventing television in rural Zambia
Authors: Parks Lisa
Published: April 2016

During the past decade, digital distribution has brought about major changes in the ways that states regulate, corporations profit from, and people consume media content in places around the world. These technological and industrial shifts have also catalyzed an important area of inquiry in media studies, leading to investigations of ‘connected viewing’ defined by Holt and Sanson as a ‘broader ecosystem in which digital distribution is rendered possible and new forms of user engagement take shape’. Most scholarly research on connected viewing has focused on postindustrial contexts in North America, Europe, and East Asia. Few have considered these practices in developing contexts such as rural sub-Saharan Africa, where energy infrastructure is underdeveloped and media devices are scarce. Adopting a user-centered approach, this article situates the concept of connected viewing in rural Zambia and explores how remote communities with very limited resources access and produce media content across various platforms. The research is based upon 6 weeks of fieldwork in Macha, Zambia, in 2012 and 2013. It begins with a descriptions of the ways people energize media devices in Macha and proceeds to a discussion of three exemplary connected viewing scenarios: (1) the daisy-chaining of satellite TV services, (2) the streaming of YouTube videos, and (3) the production and distribution of local music video. Far from a model of ‘video on demand’ typical in most postindustrial settings, Machan distribution practices generate more occasional, collective, and limited experiences of television that are scaled to local capacities, enabled by an amalgam of technologies, and frequently interrupted by power outages and network failures. Despite this, underserved rural Zambian audiences are pushing connected viewing practices forward in ways that the region’s telecom and media companies are not by innovating cross-platform tactics for (re)distributing audiovisual content in conditions of energy, bandwidth, and economic scarcity.
Losing touch – Teachers’ self-regulation in physical education
Authors: Öhman Marie
Published: April 2016

The question of physical interaction is especially relevant in school physical education, where a lot of the teaching and activities are based on body movements. However, the issue of ‘touching’ has been questioned in recent years. This paper takes its starting point in the discourse of child protection and the growing anxiety around intergenerational touch in educational settings. The purpose is to examine PE teachers’ self-regulation in relation to the child protection discourse and no touch policies. What sort of strategies have the teachers developed for dealing with physical contact in their teaching? It is a matter of problematising teachers’ pedagogical interactions in PE practice.

The study takes its starting point in a discourse-analytical tradition using a methodology based on Foucault’s ideas about governmentality. Twenty-three teachers (10 women and 13 men) aged 30–63 and at different stages in their careers were interviewed. The results show two different self-regulating processes: (1) adaptation using avoidance-oriented strategies and (2) resistance using downplaying-oriented strategies. The paper discusses potential consequences for PE teachers’ pedagogical work if they feel that they have to protect themselves instead of operating in a way that is in the best interest for students’ learning and development. The study aims to contribute to the literature on child protection and ‘no touch’ policies and to a more multifaceted understanding of physical interaction in PE.
A didactic analysis of content development during Cooperative Learning in primary physical education
Authors: Wallhead Tristan , Dyson Ben
Published: April 2016

The purpose of this study was to use the Joint Action Studies in Didactics (JASD) to understand how teachers’ and students’ interactions co-construct knowledge during Cooperative Learning (CL). The basis of CL is that students learn with and from each other through a structured interdependent relationship. A case study approach was used to examine how a group of three year-5 students and their teacher from an ethnically diverse primary school in New Zealand co-constructed knowledge within a 3-month CL intervention in physical education. The JASD protocol included collecting data on the teacher’s intention, practical epistemology and student interactions as they engaged in CL task structures. Data analysis included a search for patterns in the evolution of the didactic contract of content learned as students interacted in the co-construction of knowledge. Findings revealed that the CL tasks provided a pedagogical structure where student interactions were generally aligned with the didactic intent of the tasks. The teaching techniques of the student coach served to make the development of content more dynamic, with an increased frequency of breaches in the didactic contract. This dynamic may facilitate student learning during productive group problem-solving tasks. When the intended content was more specifically defined, the topogenetic technique of teacher intervention within tasks was critical to re-align students’ interpretation of the knowledge at stake in the CL tasks.
Differential effects of instruction on the development of second language comprehensibility, word stress, rhythm, and intonation: The case of inexperienced Japanese EFL learners
Authors: Saito Yukie , Saito Kazuya
Published: April 2016

The current study examined in depth the effects of suprasegmental-based instruction on the global (comprehensibility) and suprasegmental (word stress, rhythm, and intonation) development of Japanese learners of English as a foreign language (EFL). Students in the experimental group ( n = 10) received a total of three hours of instruction over six weeks, while those in the control group ( n = 10) were provided with meaning-oriented instruction without any focus on suprasegmentals. Speech samples elicited from read-aloud tasks were assessed via native-speaking listeners’ intuitive judgments and acoustic analyses. Overall, the pre-/post-test data showed significant gains in the overall comprehensibility, word stress, rhythm, and intonation of the experimental group in both trained and untrained lexical contexts. In particular, by virtue of explicitly addressing first language / second language linguistic differences, the instruction was able to help learners mark stressed syllables with longer and clearer vowels; reduce vowels in unstressed syllables; and use appropriate intonation patterns for yes/no and wh-questions. The findings provide empirical support for the value of suprasegmental-based instruction in phonological development, even with beginner-level EFL learners with a limited amount of second-language conversational experience.
Decarceration and justice disinvestment: Evidence from New York State
Authors: Martin William G
Published: April 2016

After 30 years of relentless expansion, the United States’ prison system faces the prospect of considerable contraction. This was certainly not expected and continues to be refuted by policy makers, activists, and academic theorists alike. Using evidence drawn from New York State, this essay argues that decarceration is taking place and may be expected to continue. Preliminary findings indicate, however, that the outcome is not likely to be the most commonly speculated ones: a return to a rehabilitative model, liberal reform along the lines of justice reinvestment, or the straightforward replacement of mass incarceration with parole and probation. Evidence to date suggests that a new and harsher criminal justice regime marked by justice disinvestment is being forged, entailing a significant shift from state penal institutions to differentiated, community-based social control, new private and non-profit actors, and new data and hardware technologies. These observations suggest a substantial rethinking of the political economy and theories of mass incarceration and the ‘carceral’ or ‘centaur’ state.
How Do You Watch a Revolution? Notes from the 21st Century
Authors: Adami Elisa
Published: April 2016

Focusing on the events of the Arab Spring, this article considers the visual language of the protest within geopolitical contexts characterized by violent repression and state monopoly on information media. The author looks at the ways new technologies – namely mobile phones and social media – are used to produce and disseminate counter-documentation that actively challenges states of invisibility and conditions of deformation. The regime of visibility and visuality of the protestors’ statements are analysed in their relation to existing systems of power and to the channels of distribution of information through an examination of the material conditions of their production and reception, and through an attempt at retracing their erratic and multiple trajectories – from YouTube’s unsanctioned and unchecked collections, to international news broadcasts, to their re-presentation in public screenings and in works of art.
Activism, Visuality, and the Needs of Queer Youth
Authors: Motta Carlos
Published: April 2016

As LGBTI issues become visible within society there is a growing belief that society is ready to confront prejudices around sexuality and gender. But who is represented in these processes of visualization? The LGBTI agenda has focused on the defense of marriage, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, federal hate crime statutes and the Employment Non-discrimination Act. The political strategy around these issues has been defined by a moderate approach based on demanding inclusion into existing institutions. A look at the normalization of sexual politics reveals that minorities remain at the margins. I approached activists from QUEEROCRACY and immigration activist Felipe Baeza to discuss: What are the social issues young people care about ? What forms of activism do young people favor and what motivates them to organize? What forms of visuality do young queer activists use and how do these relate to the strategies of the previous generations?
Between Rebel Creativity and Reification: For and Against Visual Activism
Authors: Demos TJ
Published: April 2016

Examining the advantages and limitations of the term ‘visual activism’, this article considers three case studies: the artist–activist work of the Laboratory of Insurrectionary Imagination, a France-based collective dedicated to rebel creativity as part of the alter-globalization struggle for a world of economic equality, environmental sustainability, and social justice; the Grupo de Investigation en Arte y Politica (GIAP), until recently based in Chiapas, Mexico, where members have worked closely with the Zapatistas and their revolutionary politics of aesthetics and autonomous ecologies; and the photographer Subhanker Banerjee, who has dedicated himself to representing, researching, and politically organizing around Arctic environmentalism in recent years. All have used visual elements creatively in their practices to expand their political engagements, just as they have variously mobilized the political elements of their practices to redefine what art means today.
Between banality and radicality: Arendt and Kant on evil and responsibility
Authors: Burdman Javier
Published: April 2016

The paper reads Kant’s notion of radical evil as anticipating and clarifying problematic aspects of what Arendt called ‘the banality of evil’. By reconstructing Arendt’s varied analyses of this notion throughout her later writings, I show that the main theoretical challenge posed by it concerns the adjudication of responsibility for evil deeds that seem to lack recognisable evil intentions. In order to clarify this issue, I turn to a canonical text in which the relationship between evil and responsibility plays a central role: Kant’s Religion within the Boundaries of Mere Reason. Relying on an interpretation of this writing by Arendt’s mentor Karl Jaspers published in 1935, in evident connection to National Socialism, I challenge Arendt’s own interpretation of Kant’s notion of radical evil, which, I argue, represents an antecedent, rather than a contrast, to ‘the banality of evil’. For Kant, radical evil consists in the destruction of the person’s sense of responsibility, thus producing a self-exculpatory mentality such as the one that characterised Eichmann during his trial.
Building consensus for provision of breathlessness rehabilitation for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic heart failure
Authors: Man William D-C , Chowdhury Faiza , Taylor Rod S , Evans Rachael A , Doherty Patrick , Singh Sally J , Booth Sara , Thomason Davey , Andrews Debbie , Lee Cassie , Hanna Jackie , Morgan Michael D , Bell Derek , Cowie Martin R
Published: April 2016

The study aimed to gain consensus on key priorities for developing breathlessness rehabilitation services for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and chronic heart failure (CHF). Seventy-four invited stakeholders attended a 1-day conference to review the evidence base for exercise-based rehabilitation in COPD and CHF. In addition, 47 recorded their views on a series of statements regarding breathlessness rehabilitation tailored to the needs of both patient groups. A total of 75% of stakeholders supported symptom-based rather than disease-based rehabilitation for breathlessness with 89% believing that such services would be attractive for healthcare commissioners. A total of 87% thought patients with CHF could be exercised using COPD training principles and vice versa. A total of 81% felt community-based exercise training was safe for patients with severe CHF or COPD, but only 23% viewed manual-delivered rehabilitation an effective alternative to supervised exercise training. Although there was strong consensus that exercise training was a core component of rehabilitation in CHF and COPD populations, only 36% thought that this was the ‘most important’ component, highlighting the need for psychological and other non-exercise interventions for breathlessness. Patients with COPD and CHF face similar problems of breathlessness and disability on a background of multi-morbidity. Existing pulmonary and cardiac rehabilitation services should seek synergies to provide sufficient flexibility to accommodate all patients with COPD and CHF. Development of new services could consider adopting a patient-focused rather than disease-based approach. Exercise training is a core component, but rehabilitation should include other interventions to address dyspnoea, psychological and education needs of patients and needs of carers.
College Student Retention on a Racially Diverse Campus: A Theoretically Guided Reality Check
Authors: Xu Yonghong Jade , Webber Karen L.
Published: April 2016

Theoretically grounded in Tinto’s model of retention and Braxton and colleagues’ revisions , this study is designed to examine the applicability of the integration model to students of different racial backgrounds. Results from a sample of full-time undergraduate students at a research-extensive university suggest that (a) academic and social integrations function differently to the persistence of Black and White students, (b) financial pressure was the most consistent impediment to college retention for all students, and (c) institutional control over academic quality is critical to student retention. In addition, results show that students of different racial backgrounds do not differ significantly in their reported intention to drop out. Implications for policy and planning are discussed.
The Potential (F)utility of a Passive Organ Donor Registration Opportunity
Authors: Siegel Jason T. , Alvaro Eusebio M. , Tan Cara N. , Navarro Mario A. , Garner Lori R. , Jones Sara Pace
Published: April 2016

Context:

Approximately 22 people die each day in the United States as a result of the shortage of transplantable organs. This is particularly problematic among Spanish-dominant Hispanics. Increasing the number of registered organ donors can reduce this deficit.

Objective:

The goal of the current set of studies was to conceptually replicate a prior study indicating the lack of utility of a lone, immediate and complete registration opportunity (ICRO).

Design and Setting:

The study, a quasi-experimental design involving a total of 4 waves of data collection, was conducted in 2 different Mexican consulates in the United States. Guided by the IIFF Model (ie, an ICRO, information, focused engagement, and favorable activation), each wave compared a lone ICRO to a condition that likewise included an ICRO but also included the 3 additional intervention components recommended by the model (ie, information, focused engagement, and favorable activation).

Participants:

Visitors to the Mexican consulates in Tucson, Arizona, and Albuquerque, New Mexico, constituted the participant pool.

Main Outcome Measure:

New organ donor registrations represented the dependent variable.

Results:

When all 4 components of the IIFF Model were present, approximately 4 registrations per day were recorded; the lone ICRO resulted in approximately 1 registration every 15 days.

Conclusion:

An ICRO, without the other components of the IIFF Model, is of minimal use in regard to garnering organ donor registrations. Future studies should use the IIFF Model to consider how the utility of ICROs can be maximized.
Human ductal plate and its derivatives express antigens of cholangiocellular, hepatocellular, hepatic stellate/progenitor cell, stem cell, and neuroendocrine lineages, and proliferative antigens
Authors: Terada Tadashi
Published: April 2016

Molecular mechanisms of human ductal plate (DP) development and differentiation (DD) are unclear. The author immunohistochemically investigated expressions of cholangiocellular antigens (CEA, CA19-9, EMA, MUC1, MUC2, MUC5AC, MUC6, mucins, CK7, and CK19), hepatocellular antigens (HepPar1, AFP, CK8, and CK18), hepatic stellate/progenitor cell (HSC) antigens or stem cell (SC) antigens (C-erbB2, CD56, chromogranin, synaptophysin, bcl2, NSE, NCAM, KIT, and PDGFRA), and proliferating antigen (Ki67) in 32 human fetal livers (HFL). The DD of human intrahepatic bile duct (IBD) could be categorized into four stages: DP, remodeling DP, remodeled DP, and immature IBD. All the molecules examined were expressed in the DP and DP derivatives. These results suggest that human DP or DP derivatives have capacities to differentiate into cholangiocellular, hepatocellular, HSC, SC, and neuroendocrine lineages. The data also suggest that NCAM, KIT/SC factor-signaling, NSE, HGF/MET signaling, PDGFa/PDGFRA signaling, chromogranin, synaptophysin, and CD56 play important roles in DD of DP and biliary cells of HFL. DP, DP derivatives, and IBD in HFL have proliferative capacity.
Driving Surgical Quality Using Operative Video
Authors: O’Mahoney Paul R. A. , Yeo Heather L. , Lange Marilyne M. , Milsom Jeffrey W.
Published: April 2016

Recent evidence suggests surgical quality may be demonstrated and evaluated using video capture during surgery. Operative video documentation may also aid in quality improvement initiatives. We discuss how operative video has the potential to help improve patient outcomes and increase professional accountability, patient safety, and surgical quality.
Trial Participants’ Understanding of Randomization, Double-Blinding, and Placebo Use in Low Literacy Populations
Authors: Ndebele Paul , Wassenaar Douglas , Masiye Francis , Munalula-Nkandu Esther
Published: April 2016

Concerns have been raised about the limits of understanding of consent by clinical trial participants in developing countries. Consequently, this empirical study was conducted in Malawi to assess microbicide trial participants’ understanding of randomization, double-blinding, and placebo use. The study used a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, including structured questionnaire interviews with a random sample of 203 individual participants, four in-depth interviews with research nurses, and two focus group discussions with 18 study participants. Most respondents earned high scores on questions related to randomization (85%) and placebo use (72%), while a greater proportion of the same respondents obtained low scores on questions related to double-blinding (68%) and personal implications of the study procedures (63%). Overall, most respondents (61%; n = 124) obtained low scores on combined understanding of all the three concepts under study.
Heterogeneity in European Research Integrity Guidance
Authors: Godecharle Simon , Nemery Benoit , Dierickx Kris
Published: April 2016

Similar forms of misconduct are perceived differently throughout Europe. There are no extensive surveys on the guidance on research integrity in the different countries of Europe. Therefore, we performed a systematic content analysis of (biomedical) research integrity guidance documents from all the countries of the European Economic Area. We show that there is strong heterogeneity concerning research integrity guidance on crucial aspects, for example, the defining of research misconduct, at both an international and a national level. We also sought to explain why the guidance documents differ by distinguishing the approaches that underlie them. We distinguished a value-based and a norm-based approach, as well as different perspectives on trust. The current confusing situation concerning research integrity guidance hampers international research and possibly wastes research funds. We risk talking past each other, if we do not take the distinction between these underlying approaches into account.
Informed Consent, Biobank Research, and Locality
Authors: Petersen Imme , Desmedt Christine , Harris Adrian , Buffa Francesca , Kollek Regine
Published: April 2016

Comparative studies are missing that explore how socio-cultural and institutional circumstances influence patient comprehension and expectations regarding informed consent for current and future research on their tissue and data. This study compares how breast cancer patients in three European countries (the United Kingdom, Belgium, and Germany) who have consented to participate in tumor banking assess the given consent and the accompanying local contextual factors influencing it. Our survey demonstrates that only 59% of the patients in the British survey, but about 90% in the German and Belgian surveys, correctly recalled tissue and data donation for study purposes. Of those who remembered the study participation status correctly, about 90% had altruistic motives. At the same time, approximately half of the survey participants, or even 70% of the Belgians, expected personal benefit from research participation and information on cancer risk within the family. About half of the interviewees, but only 27% of the British participants, definitively wanted to be asked for re-consent for future research. Of the local contextual factors under study, participants’ appraisals of medical science and data protection were particularly pertinent. More culturally and contextually sensitive comparative research is needed to better understand patient attitudes toward research participation and tissue donation in the context of biobank research.
Adaptive robust trajectory tracking control of a parallel manipulator driven by pneumatic cylinders
Authors: Shang Ce , Tao Guoliang , Meng Deyuan
Published: April 2016

Due to the compressibility of air, non-linear characteristics, and parameter uncertainties of pneumatic elements, the position control of a pneumatic cylinder or parallel platform is still very difficult while comparing with the systems driven by electric or hydraulic power. In this article, based on the basic dynamic model and descriptions of thermal processes, a controller integrated with online parameter estimation is proposed to improve the performance of a pneumatic cylinder controlled by a proportional valve. The trajectory tracking error is significantly decreased by applying this method. Moreover, the algorithm is expanded to the problem of posture trajectory tracking for the three-revolute prismatic spherical pneumatic parallel manipulator. Lyapunov’s method is used to give the proof of stability of the controller. Using NI-CompactRio, NI-PXI, and Veristand platform as the realistic controller hardware and data interactive environment, the adaptive robust control algorithm is applied to the physical system successfully. Experimental results and data analysis showed that the posture error of the platform could be about 0.5%–0.7% of the desired trajectory amplitude. By integrating this method to the mechatronic system, the pneumatic servo solutions can be much more competitive in the industrial market of position and posture control.
A video surveillance system designed to detect multiple falls
Authors: Chen Ming-Chih
Published: April 2016

This work presents a fall detection system that is based on image processing technology. The system can detect falling by various humans via analysis of video frame. First, the system utilizes the method of mixture and Gaussian background model to generate information about the background, and the noise and shadow of background are eliminated to extract the possible positions of moving objects. The extraction of a foreground image generates more noise and damage. Therefore, morphological and size filters are utilized to eliminate this noise and repair the damage to the image. Extraction of the foreground image yields the locations of human heads in the image. The median point, height, and aspect ratio of the people in the image are calculated. These characteristics are utilized to trace objects. The change of the characteristics of objects among various consecutive images can be used to evaluate those persons enter or leave the scene. The method of fall detection uses the height and aspect ratio of the human body, analyzes the image in which one person overlaps with another, and detects whether a human has fallen or not. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can efficiently detect falls by multiple persons.
Evaporation and dynamic characteristics of a high-speed droplet under transcritical conditions
Authors: Yang Shichun , Gao Yanfei , Deng Cheng , Xu Bin , Ji Fenzhu , He Yongling
Published: April 2016

An evaporation and aerodynamic interaction model is developed for an isolated droplet introduced into transcritical and strong convective environments. The new numerical model takes into account variable thermophysical properties, gas solubility in the liquid phase, and vapor–liquid interfacial thermodynamics. The proposed model is verified by high-speed photography experiments carried out under different operating conditions. The influences of ambient conditions on the transcritical evaporation and aerodynamic interaction are investigated with the new model. The results indicate that (1) with increasing the liquid–gas relative velocity, the spatial temperature distribution becomes more nonuniform initially and then more uniform; (2) the drop drag increases rapidly with ambient pressure in the initial period and then significantly decreases; and (3) when the ambient temperature is lower than 1.5 times the fuel critical temperature, the droplet drag force decreased with the ambient temperature; otherwise, the drag force increased initially and then decreased with the ambient temperature.
Numerical analysis of the interaction between high-pressure resin spray and wood chips in a vapour stream
Authors: Milani Massimo , Montorsi Luca , Lai Daniele , Zoffoli Lauro
Published: April 2016

This article investigates the interaction between the resin spray and the wood chips in a vapour stream using a multi-phase multi-component computational fluid dynamics approach. The interaction between the spray and the chips is one of the main issues in the industrial process for manufacturing medium density fibre boards. Thus, the optimization of this process can lead to important benefits, such as the reduction in the emission of formaldehyde-based toxic chemicals, the reduction in energy consumption in the blending process and energy saving in the fibreboard drying process. First step of the study is the numerical analysis of the resin injector in order to extend the experimental measurements carried out with water to the resin spray. The effects of the injector’s geometrical features on the spray formation are highlighted under different injection pressure values and needle displacements. Afterwards, the results obtained in the analysis of the single injector are used for the complete simulation of multi-injector rail where the mixing of the resin spray and wood chips takes place. The influence of the main operating conditions, such as the vapour and the wood chip flow rates, on the resin distribution is addressed in order to optimize the resination process.
Vibration control of a semi-active railway vehicle suspension with magneto-rheological dampers
Authors: Oh Jong-Seok , Shin Yu-Jeong , Koo Hyung-Wook , Kim Hwan-Choong , Park Jinhyuk , Choi Seung-Bok
Published: April 2016

This article presents vibration control performances of a semi-active railway vehicle suspension system using a magneto-rheological damper tested on the roller rig. In order to evaluate control performances, a mathematical railway vehicle model with 15 degrees of freedom is first derived to represent the lateral, yaw and roll motions of the car body, bogie frame, and wheel set, respectively. Based on the formulated model, the design parameters of magneto-rheological damper are determined to undertake a compatible comparison with dynamic performances of conventional (existing) passive railway vehicle suspension system. The designed magneto-rheological damper is manufactured and its field-dependent damping force characteristics are experimentally evaluated. Subsequently, in order to enhance the ride quality of a railway vehicle suspension equipped with magneto-rheological damper, a skyhook controller associated with an extended Kalman filter is designed in a state space representation. The railway suspension system incorporated with the car body and two bogies is then experimentally set up on the roller rig in order to evaluate the ride quality. It is demonstrated from experimental realization of the controller that the ride quality of the suspension system with magneto-rheological damper can be significantly enhanced compared with the existing passive suspension system.
Morality in sport: The coach's perspective
Authors: Peláez Sandra , Aulls Mark Wesley , Bacon Simon Louis
Published: April 2016

Literature in the field of sport has noted that coaches can be major contributors to the moral tone held in the sport environment and athletes are receptive to the moral frame provided by the coach. At the same time, coaches' perspectives of morality have been associated with the way coaches face moral issues that arise in the field. Therefore, the present study aimed at extending previous research seeking to illuminate the coach's perspectives of morality by (a) exploring coaches' perspectives of morality; (b) analysing coaches' responses in light of previous evidence; and (c) discussing the theoretical and practical implications of evidence. The present pilot study was designed as a qualitative multiple case study. Participants were six coaches ( Mage = 46.5; SD = 7.6), who had extended sport involvement, underwent required coaching education and were coaching at the time of the interview. Case 1 was represented by three females coaching an artistic individual sport and case 2 was represented by three males coaching an interactive team sport. Thematic data analysis was conducted. Results indicated that coaches found it difficult to articulate a definition of morality; though they did describe it as an ongoing learning process, context-related, that entailed reciprocity, and therefore, required permanent interchange, co-creation, negotiation and adjustment. The coaches also identified two main perspectives of morality: the moral perspective (i.e. being able to differentiate what is right from what is wrong, doing what is right and considering self-related wellbeing) and the social perspective (i.e. sport involvement and team dynamics). Extrapolating the evidence from this study may suggest that coaches could benefit from moral education interventions, which may then translate to a reduction in or prevention of undesired consequences associated with encompassing moral behaviour.
Talent development in sport: A critical review of pathways to expert performance
Authors: Coutinho Patrícia , Mesquita Isabel , Fonseca António M
Published: April 2016

This review aims to examine the most significant research regarding the development of talent in sport, with a focus on the quantity and type of practice necessary for the attainment of expertise. A total of 54 peer-reviewed empirical articles were collected and analysed for their content. The literature reveals considerable evidence demonstrating that both early specialization and early diversification can lead to expertise development. However, the contrasting views of deliberate practice and deliberate play do not provide a sufficient spectrum of different learning activities for talent development. Furthermore, the content analysis highlights some inconsistencies in the criteria used to characterize different types of learning activities, pointing to the need for a more rigorous and detailed characterization of activities that affect talent development throughout the lifespan. Finally, this review underscores the need for different methodological approaches to complement athletes’ perceptions of their past practice experiences gathered from retrospective interviews. The potential value of using systematic observations to provide a detailed examination of the microstructure of different learning activities is discussed.
Sleep disordered breathing in pregnancy: Food for thought
Authors: Pengo Martino F , Banerjee Debasree , Kaur Amanpreet , Bourjeily Ghada
Published: April 2016

The last few years have witnessed a number of publications linking sleep disordered breathing to adverse pregnancy and neonatal outcomes in various populations. Associations with preeclampsia, gestational diabetes and growth restriction have been consistent across many studies. Though the manuscripts reviewed here consist mostly of preliminary data and need further confirmation, the studies have highlighted new directions in the assessment of the impact of sleep disordered breathing and pregnancy, and paved the way for new fields of research in this area.
The Nature of Professional Learning Needs of Rural Secondary School Teachers
Authors: Mukeredzi Tabitha Grace
Published: April 2016

Recruitment of professionally unqualified teachers into teaching appears to be internationally acclaimed to address shortages in rural schools. Nevertheless, teachers with limited knowledge are linked to lower quality education and student achievements. Relatively little attention has been given to professional needs of unqualified teachers in rural schools. Qualitative interview data were analyzed to explore professional needs of six teachers completing postgraduate certificate in education, to identify their needs as they traversed rural school contexts in becoming professionals. Data revealed needs around general pedagogy and pedagogic content knowledge, resourcing, and recognition and identity. The article illustrates that teacher learning and curriculum delivery among unqualified teachers may be enhanced if their needs are given attention.
Evidence for an Environmental and Inherited Predisposition Contributing to the Risk for Global Tendinopathies or Compression Neuropathies in Patients With Rotator Cuff Tears
Authors: Tashjian Robert Z. , Farnham James M. , Granger Erin K. , Teerlink Craig C. , Cannon-Albright Lisa A.
Published: April 2016

Background:

Rotator cuff tearing has been found to be clinically associated with other tendinopathies and compression neuropathies; a significant excess of these phenotypes has been seen in patients with rotator cuff tears. It is unclear if the association is secondary to environmental or genetic influences.

Purpose:

To examine population-based data for comorbid association of rotator cuff tearing and tendinopathies and compression neuropathies and to determine whether the association extends to relatives of patients with rotator cuff tears, which could suggest a genetic contribution.

Study Design:

Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

The Utah Population Database (UPDB) contains health and genealogical data on over 2 million Utah residents. Current Procedural Terminology, Fourth Revision, codes (CPT 4) and International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, codes (ICD-9) entered in patient records were used to identify patients with rotator cuff tearing and with comorbid tendinopathies and compression neuropathies. We tested the hypothesis of excess familial clustering of these other phenotypes with rotator cuff tearing using a well-established method (estimation of relative risks) in the overall study group of rotator cuff patients (N = 1889).

Results:

Significantly elevated risk for elbow, hand/wrist, foot/ankle, knee, and hip tendinopathies, as well as for all tendinopathies and compression neuropathies, was observed in rotator cuff tear cases themselves ( P < 2.8e–13), in their spouses ( P < .02), and in their first-degree relatives ( P < 5.5e–4). A significant excess of elbow ( P = .01), foot/ankle ( P = .04), and all tendinopathies ( P = 3.1e–3) was also observed in second-degree relatives, and a significant excess of compression neuropathies ( P = .03) was observed in third-degree relatives.

Conclusion:

The current study shows strong evidence of familial clustering of rotator cuff tearing with other tendinopathies and with compression neuropathy. Observed increased risks in spouses and first-degree relatives supports shared environmental risk factors for rotator cuff tearing, most tendinopathies, and compression neuropathies. Increased risks to third-degree relatives for compression neuropathy suggest an association of these phenotypes that may have a shared genetic etiology.
Runx1 downregulates stem cell and megakaryocytic transcription programs that support niche interactions
Authors: Behrens Kira , Triviai Ioanna , Schwieger Maike , Tekin Nilgün , Alawi Malik , Spohn Michael , Indenbirken Daniela , Ziegler Marion , Müller Ursula , Alexander Warren S. , Stocking Carol
Published: April 2016

Key Points

Runx1 is a key determinant of megakaryocyte cell-fate decisions in multipotent progenitors. Runx1 downregulates cell-adhesion factors that promote residency of stem cells and megakaryocytes in their bone marrow niche.
Loss of Ezh2 cooperates with Jak2V617F in the development of myelofibrosis in a mouse model of myeloproliferative neoplasm
Authors: Yang Yue , Akada Hajime , Nath Dipmoy , Hutchison Robert E. , Mohi Golam
Published: April 2016

Key Points

Loss of Ezh2 inhibits erythropoiesis but increases megakaryopoiesis in Jak2V617F knock-in mice. Loss of Ezh2 induces rapid progression to myelofibrosis in mice expressing Jak2V617F.
Comparison of effectiveness and safety of imipenem/clavulanate-versusmeropenem/clavulanate-containing regimens in the treatment of MDR- and XDR-TB
Authors: Tiberi Simon , Sotgiu Giovanni , D'Ambrosio Lia , Centis Rosella , Abdo Arbex Marcos , Alarcon Arrascue Edith , Alffenaar Jan Willem , Caminero Jose A. , Gaga Mina , Gualano Gina , Skrahina Alena , Solovic Ivan , Sulis Giorgia , Tadolini Marina , Alarcon Guizado Valentina , De Lorenzo Saverio , Roby Arias Aurora Jazmín , Scardigli Anna , Akkerman Onno W. , Aleksa Alena , Artsukevich Janina , Auchynka Vera , Bonini Eduardo Henrique , Chong Marín Félix Antonio , Collahuazo López Lorena , de Vries Gerard , Dore Simone , Kunst Heinke , Matteelli Alberto , Moschos Charalampos , Palmieri Fabrizio , Papavasileiou Apostolos , Payen Marie-Christine , Piana Andrea , Spanevello Antonio , Vargas Vasquez Dante , Viggiani Pietro , White Veronica , Zumla Alimuddin , Migliori Giovanni Battista
Published: April 2016

No large study to date has ever evaluated the effectiveness, safety and tolerability of imipenem/clavulanateversusmeropenem/clavulanate to treat multidrug- and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR- and XDR-TB). The aim of this observational study was to compare the therapeutic contribution of imipenem/clavulanateversusmeropenem/clavulanate added to background regimens to treat MDR- and XDR-TB cases.

84 patients treated with imipenem/clavulanate-containing regimens showed a similar median number of antibiotic resistances (8versus8) but more fluoroquinolone resistance (79.0%versus48.9%, p<0.0001) and higher XDR-TB prevalence (67.9%versus49.0%, p=0.01) in comparison with 96 patients exposed to meropenem/clavulanate-containing regimens. Patients were treated with imipenem/clavulanate- and meropenem/clavulanate-containing regimens for a median (interquartile range) of 187 (60–428)versus85 (49–156) days, respectively.

Statistically significant differences were observed on sputum smear and culture conversion rates (79.7%versus94.8%, p=0.02 and 71.9%versus94.8%, p<0.0001, respectively) and on success rates (59.7%versus77.5%, p=0.03). Adverse events to imipenem/clavulanate and meropenem/clavulanate were reported in 5.4% and 6.5% of cases only.

Our study suggests that meropenem/clavulanate is more effective than imipenem/clavulanate in treating MDR/XDR-TB patients.
Oxygen desaturation in 6-min walk test is a risk factor for adverse outcomes in COPD
Authors: Waatevik Marie , Johannessen Ane , Gomez Real Francisco , Aanerud Marianne , Hardie Jon Andrew , Bakke Per Sigvald , Lind Eagan Tomas Mikal
Published: April 2016

The 6-min walk test (6MWT) is an exercise test that measures functional status in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients and provides information on oxygen desaturation. We investigated oxygen desaturation during 6MWT as a risk factor for important COPD outcomes: mortality, frequency of exacerbations, decline in lung function and decline in lean body mass.

433 COPD patients were included in the Bergen COPD Cohort Study 2006–2009, and followed-up for 3 years. Patients were characterised using spirometry, bioelectrical impedance measurements, Charlson comorbidity score, exacerbation history, smoking and arterial blood gases. 370 patients completed the 6MWT at the baseline of the study. Information on all-cause mortality was collected in 2011.

Patients who experienced oxygen desaturation during the 6MWT had an approximately twofold increased risk of death (hazard ratio 2.4, 95% CI 1.2–5.1), a 50% increased risk for experiencing later COPD exacerbations (incidence rate ratio 1.6, 95% CI 1.1–2.2), double the yearly rate of decline in both forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (3.2% and 1.7%versus1.7% and 0.9%, respectively) and manifold increased yearly rate of loss of lean body mass (0.18 kg·m−2versus0.03 kg·m−2among those who did not desaturate).

Desaturating COPD patients had a significantly worse prognosis than non-desaturating COPD patients, for multiple important disease outcomes.