bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The State as a Firm: Understanding the Autocratic Roots of Technocratic Populism
Authors: Buštíková Lenka , Guasti Petra
Published: September 2018

Why, when, and how does populism emerge in a stable democracy? This article investigates the political logic and ideological appeal of a rarely explored form of populism: technocratic populism. Technocratic populism uses the appeal of technical expertise to connect directly with the people, promising to run the state as a firm, while at the same time delegitimizing political opponents and demobilizing the electorate by instilling civic apathy. Technocratic populism is an anti-elite ideology that exploits competence to create the appearance of authenticity and proximity to ordinary people. It is less exclusionary than nativist or economic forms of populisms and its broad appeal is therefore arguably more threatening to representative democracy. In order to understand the appeal of technocratic populism, as well as why it arises at critical junctures when dominant ideologies are in turmoil, we argue that one must not ignore its historical roots, which shows that it transcends both regime changes and the traditional left–right divide. The article develops and examines these points using evidence from communist-era populist campaigns against “elitist” dissidents (from Charter 77) in the Czech Republic, and demonstrates how post-1989 politicians have exploited and also adapted ideas and strategies from the authoritarian past for the new democratic setting. The article highlights the adaptive character of technocratic populism across political regimes.
Long-Term Care for Older Adults in ASEAN Plus Three: The Roles of Family, Community, and the State in Addressing Unmet Eldercare Needs
Authors: Yeung Wei-Jun Jean , Thang Leng Leng
Published: September 2018

Objective: To introduce this Special Issue that focuses on understanding the issues surrounding the long-term care (LTC) in selected societies in Southeast and East Asian countries. Method: We first provide demographic and socioeconomic context for these countries and then summarize the seven articles in this issue. Results: The articles highlight the rapidly rising demand for LTC in this region in the next few decades given the declining fertility, lengthening life expectancy, and increasing migration. They also discuss challenges and strategies in meeting these demands. Most countries are ill prepared to cope with the demand for LTC with older adults heavily rely upon female family members for care. Elderly women in low-income households have the greatest unmet need. Discussion: Home-based and community-based services are set to become an integral part of the LTC system. It is important to incorporate older adults’ cultural norms and wishes in their care plan and provision.
Economic Effects on Million Dollar Giving
Authors: Osili Una O. , Ackerman Jacqueline , Li Yannan
Published: September 2018

This study investigates the impact of economic conditions on the number of charitable gifts of 1 million dollars or more within the United States using the Million Dollar List (MDL) data set. We investigate key donor types—individuals, corporations, and foundations—using quarterly data. Results indicate that individual donors are significantly responsive to underlying economic conditions, foundation giving tends to be countercyclical, and corporate giving is less closely linked with aggregate macroeconomic conditions. We also find that economic conditions vary in their influence on million dollar giving to subsectors, and gifts to public benefit and human services organizations increase significantly during periods of recession, holding other factors constant. In contrast, million dollar giving to arts and education organizations is significantly associated with favorable economic conditions, holding other factors constant. Findings have direct implications for philanthropists, fundraisers, and policy makers as they seek to understand how economic conditions affect large gifts.
Effect of the support systems’ compliance on total hip modular taper seating stability
Authors: Scholl Laura , Pierre David , Rajaravivarma Raga , Lee Reginald , Faizan Ahmad , Swaminathan Viswanathan , TenHuisen Kevor , Gilbert Jeremy L , Nevelos Jim
Published: September 2018

Assembly of a femoral head onto the stem remains non-standardized. The literature shows altering mechanical conditions during seating affects taper strength and lower assembly load may increase fretting corrosion during cyclic tests. This suggests overall performance may be affected by head assembly method. The purpose of this test was to perform bench-top studies to determine influence of peak force magnitude, load rate, and compliance of the system's support structure on initial stability of the taper. Custom manufactured CoCrMo femoral heads and Ti-6Al-4V taper analog samples were assembled with varying peak force magnitudes (2–10.1 kN), load rates (quasi-static vs impaction), and system compliance (rigid vs compliant). A clinically-relevant system compliance design was based off of force data collected during a cadaver impaction study. Tensile loads were then applied to disassemble the taper and quantify initial taper stability. Results indicated that taper stability (assessed by disassembly forces) increased linearly with assembly force and load rate did not have a significant effect on taper stability. When considering system compliance, a 42%–50% larger input energy, dependent on assembly force, was required in the compliant group to achieve a comparable impaction force to the rigid group. Even when this impaction force was achieved, the correlation between the coefficient, defined as distraction force divided by assembly load, was significantly reduced for the compliant test group. The compliant setup was intended to simulate a surgical scenario where patient and surgical factors may influence the resulting compliance. Based on results, surgical procedure and patient variables may have a significant effect on initial taper stability.
Multi-objective integrated planning and scheduling model for operating rooms under uncertainty
Authors: Ansarifar Javad , Tavakkoli-Moghaddam Reza , Akhavizadegan Faezeh , Hassanzadeh Amin Saman
Published: September 2018

This article formulates the operating rooms considering several constraints of the real world, such as decision-making styles, multiple stages for surgeries, time windows for resources, and specialty and complexity of surgery. Based on planning, surgeries are assigned to the working days. Then, the scheduling part determines the sequence of surgeries per day. Moreover, an integrated fuzzy possibilistic–stochastic mathematical programming approach is applied to consider some sources of uncertainty, simultaneously. Net revenues of operating rooms are maximized through the first objective function. Minimizing a decision-making style inconsistency among human resources and maximizing utilization of operating rooms are considered as the second and third objectives, respectively. Two popular multi-objective meta-heuristic algorithms including Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm and Multi-Objective Particle Swarm Optimization are utilized for solving the developed model. Moreover, different comparison metrics are applied to compare the two proposed meta-heuristics. Several test problems based on the data obtained from a public hospital located in Iran are used to display the performance of the model. According to the results, Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm-II outperforms the Multi-Objective Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm in most of the utilized metrics. Moreover, the results indicate that our proposed model is more effective and efficient to schedule and plan surgeries and assign resources than manual scheduling.
Lung ultrasound in the management of pneumocystis pneumonia: A case series
Authors: Limonta Silvia , Monge Elisa , Montuori Michele , Morosi Manuela , Galli Massimo , Franzetti Fabio
Published: September 2018

Despite the decline in HIV mortality and morbidity, Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) is still frequently seen, particularly in patients with a low CD4+ cell count. We present a case series where we analyzed the possible role of lung ultrasound (LUS) in the management of PJP in a real-life clinical setting. We describe the ultrasound findings from a consecutive series of six HIV patients hospitalized for PJP, all with a favorable outcome, and evaluated with LUS at admission in our ward and then repeated this once during the hospitalization. Multiple B lines indicating interstitial syndrome were detected at admission in all cases, with a bilateral asymmetric pattern mostly localized in middle and upper lobes. In the follow-up LUS, we noted a substantially improved pattern in all patients, observing a reduction of B lines which correlated with clinical amelioration. One patient at admission and three patients during the follow-up showed lung consolidations with hyperechoic spots inside, that might be typical of the disease. In conclusion, LUS could be a practical and noninvasive imaging tool for supporting diagnosis and treatment response of PJP.
Audializing migrant bodies: Sound and security at the border
Authors: Weitzel Michelle D
Published: September 2018

Sound represents a salient yet rarely examined counterpoint to visuality and materiality in security, international bordering, and mobility literature. Using the context of sub-Saharan African migration as grounding for empirical analysis and drawing on fieldwork conducted in Morocco in 2015 and 2016, this article lays the foundation for a research agenda that understands voice, and the sonic body more broadly, as mechanisms of political power. In examining the central roles that sound, hearing, and voice play in strategies of individual resistance at border crossings, as well as in state, private, and transnational communication and surveillance regimes, it attends to the ways in which sound and the audialized body reconfigure power relations, and structure mobility and personal identity. This analysis contributes to the growing literature addressing biometric borders and the deterritorialization of security practices, and argues that sound, along with more familiar nodes of securitization, constitutes a critical site of governmentality and therefore of ethical and moral negotiation.
Impact of Sales Promotion’s Benefits on Brand Equity: An Empirical Investigation
Authors: Sinha Somesh Kumar , Verma Priyanka
Published: September 2018

Sales promotion is known for providing additional benefits to the consumers and these benefits may have an impact on the development of consumer-based brand equity. Although previous studies have reported a positive influence of sales promotion on brand equity, but the impact of sales promotion’s benefits (i.e., hedonic and utilitarian benefits) on brand equity is less understood. This study examined the possible influence of sales promotion’s hedonic and utilitarian benefits on four components of brand equity (i.e., brand awareness, brand association, perceived quality and brand loyalty). A model is proposed to show the relations between sales promotion’s benefits and component of brand equity. This study includes a sample of 265 consumers of fast-moving consumer goods from Madhya Pradesh state in India. A covariance based structure equation modelling technique was used for data analysis and interpretation. Research findings revealed that the utilitarian benefit of sales promotion has maximum impact on brand loyalty, while the hedonic benefit of sales promotion has maximum impact on brand association. It provides a way of utilizing the benefits of sales promotion to create and support brand equity. Hedonic benefits of sales promotion can be utilized to make consumers associated with the brand, while utilitarian benefits of sales promotion can be utilized to enhance a repeat purchase of the brand.
Apparently high Leptospira antibody seropositivity in donkeys for slaughter in three municipalities in Durango, Mexico
Authors: Alvarado-Esquivel Cosme , Cruz-Romero Anabel , Romero-Salas Dora , Alvarado-Félix Ángel Osvaldo , Aguilar-Domínguez Mariel , Ochoa-Valencia José Luis , Alvarado-Esquivel Domingo , Hernández-Tinoco Jesús , Zamarripa-Barboza José Alfredo , Sánchez-Anguiano Luis Francisco
Published: September 2018

We determined the seropositive percentage and the determinants of Leptospira exposure in domestic donkeys presented for slaughter in the State of Durango, Mexico. We examined 194 donkeys in 4 gathering premises. Sera of donkeys were analyzed for anti- Leptospira IgG antibodies using a microscopic agglutination assay with a panel of 7 Leptospira antigens. The association between Leptospira seropositivity and general characteristics of donkeys was assessed by bivariate and multivariate analyses. Antibodies against Leptospira (for at least 1 of the 7 Leptospira serovars examined) were found in 151 of 194 (77.8%) donkeys. Seropositive donkeys were found in all regions, municipalities, and premises examined. The predominant serovar was L. interrogans Icterohaemorrhagiae ( n = 117; 60.3%), followed by L. interrogans Sejroe ( n = 96; 49.5%), L. interrogans Canicola ( n = 10; 5.2%), L. kirschneri Grippotyphosa ( n = 6; 3.1%), L. borgpetersenii Ballum ( n = 5; 2.6 %), L. biflexa Semaranga ( n = 3; 1.5%), and L. noguchii Panama ( n = 2; 1%). Leptospira seropositivity was associated with gathering premises (OR = 2.64; 95% CI: 1.27–5.46; p = 0.009) and municipalities (OR = 0.11; 95% CI: 0.01–0.78; p = 0.02). Our results demonstrate an apparently high seropositive percentage of Leptospira infection in the donkeys studied in Mexico.
Optimal piezoelectric resistive–inductive shunt damping of plates with residual mode correction
Authors: Toftekær Johan F , Benjeddou Ayech , Høgsberg Jan , Krenk Steen
Published: September 2018

This work concerns vibration suppression of plates and plate-like structures by resonant piezoelectric damping, introduced by resistive–inductive shunts. The performance of this type of shunt damping relies on the precise calibration of the shunt frequency, where an important aspect is the ability to account for the energy spill-over from the non-resonant modes, not taken into account by most available calibration methods. A newly proposed calibration procedure includes this residual mode contribution by a quasi-dynamic modal correction, taking both flexibility and inertia effects of the non-resonant modes into account. In this work, this procedure is implemented in a finite element model combining Kirchhoff plate bending kinematics for the host structure and a plane stress assumption for a pair of bonded piezoceramic patches. The established model is verified by comparison with shunt calibrations from benchmark examples in the literature. As demonstrated by frequency response plots and the obtained damping ratios, the resistive–inductive shunt tuning is influenced by the effect of the non-resonant modes and omission may yield a significant detuning of the shunt circuit. Finally, an alternative method for precise evaluation of the effective (or generalized) electromechanical coupling coefficient is derived from the modal electromechanical equations of motion. This results in a new shunt tuning method, based on the effective electromechanical coupling coefficient obtained by the short- and open-circuit frequencies of the coupled piezo-plate structure.
Braking control performances of a disk-type magneto-rheological brake via hardware-in-the-loop simulation
Authors: Wang Na , Wang Siyuan , Peng Zhen , Song Wanli , Xue Xinyu , Choi Seung-Bok
Published: September 2018

The aim of this work is to develop a magneto-rheological brake control system based on the hardware-in-the-loop simulation to analyze braking performances such as time response characteristics of the desired torque with the input currents. As a first step, a mathematical model of the braking torque is formulated and the optimized structure parameters of magneto-rheological brake are determined. Subsequently, the hardware-in-the-loop simulation system associated with the braking bench is established in which the software controlling the braking performances is implemented by a proportional–integral–derivative controller. Several tests to evaluate control performances of magneto-rheological brake are undertaken focusing on the decrement and increment by the input current. In addition, a quarter vehicle model equipped with the antilock brake system is tested through the hardware-in-the-loop simulation. It is shown that the antilock brake system integrated with magneto-rheological brake quickly tracks the desired slip rate resulting in stable performances.
An integrated principle solution synthesis method in multi-disciplinary mechatronic product conceptual design
Authors: Qi Jin , Hu Jie , Peng Ying-Hong
Published: September 2018

Synthesizing suitable principle solutions together to form the design solution is a universal method in conceptual design. For the modern mechatronic product, the conceptual design is often multi-disciplinary, which would be extremely time consuming and labour-intensive for designers to synthesize multi-disciplinary principle solutions together. Taking advantage of functional knowledge and structural knowledge of principle solution, this article proposes an integrated principle solution synthesis method which not only achieves the automated synthesis of multi-disciplinary principle solutions but also solves the undesired physical conflicts among principle solutions to be synthesized. In integrated principle solution synthesis, a synthesis agent is developed to chain the functional flows of principle solutions to form the combinatorial principle solution set, and synthesis agent selects the combinatorial principle solution with highest availability value as the recommended combinatorial principle solution. Then extensic theory is employed to deal with the partial design conflicts hidden in recommended combinatorial principle solution by extending and transforming the conflict functional structures. A case study on the emergency cutting off device design is given to prove the industrial applicability of integrated principle solution synthesis, which indicates that compared with traditional synthesis method, integrated principle solution synthesis can not only get multi-disciplinary design result of emergency cutting off device but also further resolve the design conflict (i.e. vibration impact) to optimize the functional structure of emergency cutting off device.
Which Immigrants Should Be Naturalized? Which Should Be Deported? Evidence from a Survey Experiment in Côte d’Ivoire
Authors: Cogley Nathaniel Terence , Doces John Andrew , Whitaker Beth Elise
Published: September 2018

Experimental studies on immigration attitudes have been conducted overwhelmingly in Western countries and have focused on immigrant admission and naturalization, neglecting deportation as a possible outcome. In a survey experiment in Côte d’Ivoire, where immigrants represent more than one-tenth of the population, we randomized attributes of hypothetical immigrants to determine which factors influenced respondents’ support for naturalization or deportation compared with staying in the country without citizenship. Support for naturalization was shaped by several expected economic and social attributes, while deportation preferences were influenced primarily by the immigrant’s legal status and level of savings. Cultural proximity produced mixed results, with respondents less likely to support the naturalization of immigrants from neighboring African countries but also less likely to deport immigrants with whom they shared a religious faith. Finally, respondents were more likely to support the naturalization of immigrants who planned to vote if granted citizenship, especially when they were of the same religion as the respondent, indicating a degree of electoral calculation in a context where voting patterns are associated with religious identities. Together, these findings suggest that citizen preferences for naturalization and deportation are influenced by somewhat different factors, a possibility that warrants further testing in other contexts.
Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma of the Bowel in Crohn’s Disease: The First Reported Case
Authors: Spasic Smiljana , Brcic Iva , Freire Rochelle , Garcia-Buitrago Monica T. , Rosenberg Andrew E.
Published: September 2018

Background. Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is an uncommon malignant endothelial neoplasm that most commonly arises in soft tissue, bone, lung, and liver. Crohn’s disease (CD) is an inflammatory bowel disease of unknown etiology that is frequently associated with complications including strictures, fistulas/fissures, and neoplasms. Case description. A 43-year-old woman with a 6-year history of severe CD presented with anal pain and bleeding. She had prior partial colectomy for a stricture and a diverting ileostomy for perianal fissures and stricture. Colonoscopy showed severe chronic active colitis, stricture at 30 cm of anal verge, and a perianal fistula. The patient underwent total proctocolectomy. The colonic mucosa exhibited segmental ulceration and irregular thickening of the colon wall. Beneath an ulcer of the anal canal within the muscularis propria was a 1.2-cm poorly circumscribed, firm, white-tan mass. The mass was composed of cords and groups of large epithelioid endothelial cells with intracytoplasmic vacuoles enmeshed in a myxohyaline stroma. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were positive for ERG, CD31, and CAMTA1 and focally positive for keratin and SMA. Next-generation sequencing revealed a WWTR1-CMATA1 fusion. The morphology, immunoprofile, and molecular genetics were diagnostic of EHE. Discussion. Long-standing inflammatory bowel disease is associated with significant risk for developing neoplasms, usually carcinomas, which can be indistinguishable radiologically and clinically from nonneoplastic complications. These tumors are often identified as an incidental finding in specimens resected for clinically severe disease. This is the first report of EHE arising in the bowel affected by CD, and it mimicked mural fibrosis and fissures.
The Impact of Web Metrics on Community News Decisions: A Resource Dependence Perspective
Authors: Arenberg Tom , Lowrey Wilson
Published: September 2018

This comparative case study of two community news organizations takes a Resource Dependence approach in assessing impact of audience metrics on news decisions, and on mechanisms underlying these decisions. Findings show that the organization that more strongly emphasizes metrics publishes fewer in-depth civic-issue stories, and metrics are more likely to influence newsworthiness. However, reporters’ expertise with strategies for increasing numbers may actually free reporters for enterprise work. Findings also suggest effects from community size.
Drinking to Cope Motivations as a Mediator of the Relationship Between Sexual Coercion Victimization and Alcohol Use Among College Women: The Role of Depressive Symptoms
Authors: Ehlke Sarah J. , Kelley Michelle L.
Published: September 2018

This cross-sectional study examined whether depressive symptoms strengthened the relationship between different forms of sexual coercion victimization and drinking to cope motivations, which was hypothesized to influence alcohol use. Participants were 214 female undergraduates who completed an online survey. Participants who experienced any lifetime sexual coercion and reported higher depressive symptoms were the most likely to report drinking to cope motivations, which in turn were associated with alcohol use. Depressive symptoms did not strengthen the relationship between specific forms of sexual coercion, drinking to cope, and alcohol use. Increasing emotion regulation strategies among sexual coercion victims may reduce drinking.
“Salía de uno y me metí en otro”: Exploring the Migration-Violence Nexus Among Central American Women
Authors: Cook Heffron Laurie
Published: September 2018

Increasing numbers of Central American women cross the U.S.–Mexico border, prompting social service providers, advocates, and policy makers to investigate motivations and appropriate responses. Drawing from a constructivist grounded theory study and in-depth qualitative interviews, this article explores women’s experiences of domestic and sexual violence in relation to migration. Findings reveal interconnections across multiple and interconnecting categories of violence as precipitating factors for migration, during border-crossing, and following arrival in the United States. This study fills gaps in our understanding of the violence-migration nexus and provides direction for policy, practice, and advocacy, in the context of shifting political landscapes and migration trends.
Economic violence against women: Testimonies from the Women’s Court in Sarajevo
Authors: Đurić Kuzmanović Tatjana , Pajvančić-Cizelj Ana
Published: September 2018

This article uses a feminist political economy framework to analyse economic violence against women in the context of the violent disintegration of Yugoslavia and the introduction of neoliberal regimes in its successor states from the late 1980s until 2015. The authors’ focus is on the following processes before, during and after the breakup: the wider social, political and economic context of Yugoslavia before the war, already marked by the introduction of orthodox neoliberal standards and practices and combined with nationalism; the period during the war, with escalation of conflict and growing nationalism; and the post-socialist transformation, marked by aggressive neoliberalism. The analysis is based on women’s testimonies given in preparation of (from 2011 until the end of 2014) and during the Women’s Court in Sarajevo in 2015. It points to the conclusion that orthodox neoliberal policy and privatization, intersecting with patriarchy, nationalism and conflict, induced economic violence against women in the region.
The legality and morality of judicial retirement ages
Authors: Goosey Stuart
Published: September 2018

The judicial retirement age in the United Kingdom, which requires judges to retire before they reach the age of 70, engages the age discrimination provisions of the Equal Treatment Framework Directive [2000/78/EC] and therefore is only lawful if it is shown to be a ‘objectively and reasonably justified by a legitimate aim’. This article argues that the judicial retirement age is justified and therefore lawful under European Union law. In support of this argument, I outline a pluralist theory of age discrimination that consists of principles that explain when age-differential treatment wrongs people and when that treatment is justified. The theory includes the following principles: equality of opportunity, social equality, autonomy, respect and efficiency. After considering these principles, I argue that the judicial retirement age in the United Kingdom is justified by advancing equality of opportunity and social equality by increasing the turnover of judges and therefore increasing the number of vacancies for younger people and under-represented groups.
Journalists’ contributions to political life in Switzerland: Professional role conceptions and perceptions of role enactment
Authors: Raemy Patric , Hellmueller Lea , Beck Daniel
Published: September 2018

Despite shifts in the news ecology, many journalists in Western democracies still aspire to function as contributors and informants of political life. This study investigates how these journalistic roles unfold in a political system that grants its citizens rather high political power. Based on survey data of 121 Swiss newspaper journalists, we study journalists’ role conceptions and perceptions of role enactment related to the domain of political life. In addition, we explore how characteristics of the media organization and the media system influence their perceptions. The results revealed five role types related to journalists’ news-gathering processes of politics and intended effects on their audiences: ‘advocating watchdog’, ‘monitoring watchdog’, ‘adversarial analyst’, ‘educating disseminator’, and ‘mediating analyst’. These results are discussed in regard to journalists’ role conceptions and perceptions of role enactment that depend on the social system as well as organizational and demographic factors.
Reading and reputation: sense, sensibility, and status in graduate education
Authors: Fine Gary Alan , Wohl Hannah
Published: September 2018

One of the skills of graduate education that is most central to the evaluation of students is their ability to read and report on complex disciplinary texts. The display of comprehension is central to the judgment of competence, creating a status hierarchy. Demonstrating reading prowess is taken as a transparent indication of intelligence. Based on thirty-six ethnographic interviews with graduate students in sociology, history, and economics, we examine how informants think about the establishment of their scholarly reputations through self-presentational skills in discussing reading in seminars, articles, and eventually in the dissertation itself. The ability to read disciplinary texts and to situate those texts within disciplinary contexts is crucial for a validated selfhood.
Guidelines and clinical practice at the primary level of healthcare in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus with and without kidney disease in five European countries
Authors: Eder Susanne , Leierer Johannes , Kerschbaum Julia , Rosivall Laszlo , Wiecek Andrzej , de Zeeuw Dick , Mark Patrick B , Heinze Georg , Rossing Peter , Heerspink Hiddo L , Mayer Gert
Published: September 2018

Background:

The number of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and diabetes mellitus–associated chronic kidney disease varies considerably between countries. Next to differences in genetic as well as life style risk factors, varying practices in medical care delivery might cause this diversity.

Method:

The PROVALID study recruited 4000 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus at the primary level of healthcare in five European countries (Austria, Hungary, The Netherlands, Poland and Scotland). Baseline data were used to describe patient characteristics and compare the adherence to ADA (American Diabetes Association) and KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes) guidelines with respect to metabolic and blood pressure control, use of renin–angiotensin system–blocking agents, statins and acetylsalicylic acid between the countries.

Results:

About 34.8% of the population had evidence of diabetes mellitus–associated chronic kidney disease. The median HbA1c level of the cohort was 6.8% (ranging from 6.5 in Poland to 7.0% in Scotland). Mean blood pressure was 136/79 (±17/10) and significantly higher in subjects with elevated albuminuria. These individuals also were more often treated with renin–angiotensin system–blocking agents (74.1% vs 84.6%), whereas the use of statins was driven by cardiovascular comorbidity. Acetylsalicylic acid was used in only 28.9% subjects. Despite similar cardiovascular comorbidities and renal function, the use of renin–angiotensin system–blocking agents varied significantly between the countries from 66.7% to 87.4%. An even higher variability was observed for patients >40 years of age using statins (39.8%–82.7%) and administration of acetylsalicylic acid in patients older than 50 years (5.2%–43.8%).

Conclusion:

Our study shows that medical practice in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with and without renal disease is different in European countries. Longitudinal follow-up will reveal if this diversity affects clinical endpoints.
A Nutrition Environment Measure to Assess Tribal Convenience Stores: The THRIVE Study
Authors: Wetherill Marianna S. , Williams Mary B. , Taniguchi Tori , Salvatore Alicia L. , Jacob Tvli , Cannady Tamela , Grammar Mandy , Standridge Joy , Fox Jill , Spiegel Jennifer , Blue Bird Jernigan Valarie
Published: September 2018

In rural American Indian (AI) communities, where supermarkets are rare, tribally owned and operated convenience stores are an important food source. Food environment measures for these settings are needed to understand and address the significant diet-related disparities among AIs. Through a tribal-university partnership that included tribal health and commerce representatives from two Native Nations in rural southeastern Oklahoma, we developed the Nutrition Environment Measures Survey for Tribal Convenience Stores (NEMS-TCS) to inform the development and evaluation of a healthy food retail intervention. The NEMS-TCS assessed four scored domains of the rural convenience store food environment—food availability, pricing, quality, and placement—and included 11 food categories that emphasized ready-to-eat food items. Trained raters administered the NEMS-TCS using a sample of 18 rural convenience stores (primarily ranging between 2,400 and 3,600 square feet). We assessed interrater reliability with kappa statistics for dichotomized variables and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) for continuous variables. NEMS-TCS demonstrated high inter-rater reliability for all food categories (>85% agreement), subscores (ICC = 0.73-1.00), and the total score (ICC = 0.99). The NEMS-TCS responds to recent calls for reliable measures for rural food environments and may be valuable for studying food environments of large convenience stores in other Native Nations as well as other rural settings.
Patient Awareness of Association of Diabetes and Periodontal Disease
Authors: Shimpi Neel , Glurich Ingrid , Schroeder Dixie , Katrak Callahan , Chyou Po-Huang , Acharya Amit
Published: September 2018

This cross-sectional study sought to assess the current awareness, knowledge, and behavior regarding diabetes mellitus (DM) and periodontal disease (PD) association among a convenience sample of patients from a large Wisconsin-based integrated medical-dental health care organization serving largely rurally based communities. An anonymous 10-question survey was distributed at regional medical and dental centers of dental and medical clinics of a single health care institution over a 4-week period, to achieve a cross-sectional sampling of patients aged 18 to 80 years. Among 946 respondents, 616 were female. Patient-reported periodicity for dental visits was highest between 6 months and 1 year (56.4%). Respondents reporting “poor-fair” knowledgeability surrounding DM–PD association correlated with highest interest in learning more about DM–PD relationship ( p <.0001). While over 80% of respondents correctly answered questions about gum disease symptomology and contribution of oral health practices on diabetes prevention, only 51% knew that PD affected blood sugar control. Willingness to comply with medical screening conducted by dental providers for diseases affecting oral health was indicated by 44% of respondents ( p < .0001). Study results indicated that knowledgeability levels among patients surrounding the effect of PD on DM needed improvement. Strategic educational interventions targeting improved health literacy among patients may further promote prevention of DM–PD complications. Health literacy gaps remain to be addressed in patient understanding of the importance of detecting and managing dysglycemia for maintenance of periodontal health, creating opportunities for patient education.
An analysis on the revoking mechanisms for JSON Web Tokens
Authors: Jánoky László Viktor , Levendovszky János , Ekler Péter
Published: September 2018

JSON Web Tokens provide a scalable solution with significant performance benefits for user access control in decentralized, large-scale distributed systems. Such examples would entail cloud-based, micro-services styled systems or typical Internet of Things solutions. One of the obstacles still preventing the wide-spread use of JSON Web Token–based access control is the problem of invalidating the issued tokens upon clients leaving the system. Token invalidation presently takes a considerable processing overhead or a drastically increased architectural complexity. Solving this problem without losing the main benefits of JSON Web Tokens still remains an open challenge which will be addressed in the article. We are going to propose some solutions to implement low-complexity token revocations and compare their characteristics in different environments with the traditional solutions. The proposed solutions have the benefit of preserving the advantages of JSON Web Tokens, while also adhering to stronger security constraints and possessing a finely tuneable performance cost.
Clinical significance of fucosylated GP73 in the differential diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Zhao Yunsheng , Zhang Lina , Huo Lijing , Pei Liu , Li Qiuping , Li Hongchen , Jin Liang
Published: September 2018

Objective:

To investigate the clinical value of fucosylated GP73 (Fuc-GP73) levels for differential diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma from other liver diseases.

Methods:

Serum specimens were collected from 50 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, 60 patients with other digestive system diseases (ODSD), and 40 normal controls. Lectin affinity chromatography column combining with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using the ELISA index was utilized to measure the level of Fuc-GP73. By receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis its sensitivity and specificity were used to evaluate the diagnostic significance of Fuc-GP73 in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Results:

The median serum Fuc-GP73 level of hepatocellular carcinoma (20.4 μg/L) was much higher than that of ODSD patients (1.8 μg/L) and the normal controls group (0.3 μg/L), significantly ( P <0.01). There was no significant correlation between serum Fuc-GP73 level and sex, age, and tumor size in the hepatocellular carcinoma group ( P > 0.05); however, it was related to tumor, node, metastasis stage and lymph node metastasis ( P <0.05). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of Fuc-GP73 to detect hepatocellular carcinoma alone was 0.885; with the prespecified specificity of 95%, the sensitivity and the cutoff value were 82% and 3.1 μg/L. In addition, the combined test of Fuc-GP73 with other biomarkers can improve the clinical diagnostic efficiency; the AUC can reach to 0.983; and with the prespecified specificity of 95% its sensitivity increased to 94%.

Conclusion:

Fuc-GP73 can act as a superior glycobiomarker for the differential diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma; its combined detection with other biomarkers can improve diagnostic accuracy.
An improved artificial potential field method of trajectory planning and obstacle avoidance for redundant manipulators
Authors: Wang Wenrui , Zhu Mingchao , Wang Xiaoming , He Shuai , He Junpei , Xu Zhenbang
Published: September 2018

In this article, we present an improved artificial potential field method of trajectory planning and obstacle avoidance for redundant manipulators. Specifically, we not only focused on the position for the manipulator end-effectors but also considered their posture in the course of trajectory planning and obstacle avoidance. We introduced boundaries for Cartesian space components to optimize the attractive field function. Moreover, the manipulator achieved a reasonable speed to move to the target pose, regardless of the difference between the initial pose and target pose. We proved the stability using Lyapunov stability theory by introducing velocity feedforward, when the manipulator moved along a continuous trajectory. Considering the shape of the manipulator joints and obstacles, we set up the collision detection model by projecting the obstacles to link coordinates. In this case, establishing the repulsive field between the nearest points on every joint and obstacles with the closest distance was sufficient for achieving obstacle avoidance for redundant manipulators. The simulation results based on a nine-degree-of-freedom hyper-redundant manipulator, which was designed and made in our laboratory, fully substantiated the efficacy and superiority of the proposed method.
Navigation risk assessment scheme based on fuzzy Dempster–Shafer evidence theory
Authors: Li Bo
Published: September 2018

In order to reduce the influence of subjective factors on navigation risk assessment, we present a novel scheme based on the fuzzy Dempster–Shafer evidence theory in this article. At first, we deduce the fuzzy set after analyzing various indicators in actual vessel navigation as an example. What’s more, the current data can be adaptively transformed into quantitative information on the basis of two-order membership functions. Considering the inherent defects of standard Dempster–Shafer evidence framework, the assessment process is improved to combine the uncertain and conflicting evidences from available indicators to make reliable decision. Further, three propositions are derived to explain the proposed scheme step by step. Finally, the numerical study results indicate that the proposed scheme has satisfactory performance for vessel navigation risk assessment in the complex waters without any subjective factors.
Eye-tracking evidence for active gap-filling regardless of dependency length
Authors: Chow Wing-Yee , Zhou Yangzi
Published: September 2018

Previous work on real-time sentence processing has established that comprehenders build and interpret filler-gap dependencies without waiting for unambiguous evidence about the actual location of the gap (“active gap-filling”) as long as such dependencies are grammatically licensed. However, this generalisation was called into question by recent findings in a self-paced reading experiment by Wagers and Phillips, which may be taken to show that comprehenders do not interpret the filler at the posited gap when the dependency spans a longer distance. In the present study, we aimed to replicate these findings in an eye-tracking experiment with better controlled materials and increased statistical power. Crucially, we found clear evidence for active gap-filling across all levels of dependency length. This diverges from Wagers and Phillips’s findings but is in line with the long-standing generalisation that comprehenders build and interpret filler-gap dependencies predictively as long as they are grammatically licensed. We found that the effect became smaller in the long dependency conditions in the post-critical region, which suggests the weaker effect in the long dependency conditions may have been undetected in Wagers and Phillips’s study due to insufficient statistical power and/or the use of a self-paced reading paradigm.
Novel Bluetooth-Enabled Tubeless Insulin Pump: Innovating Pump Therapy for Patients in the Digital Age
Authors: Ly Trang T. , Layne Jennifer E. , Huyett Lauren M. , Nazzaro David , O’Connor Jason B.
Published: September 2018

The Omnipod DASH™ Insulin Management System (Insulet Corp, Billerica, MA) is a discreet, tubeless, wearable insulin pump that holds up to 200 units of U-100 insulin and delivers therapy through customizable basal rates and bolus amounts. This recently FDA-cleared system consists of the insulin pump (“Pod”), which is worn on body and delivers insulin, and the Personal Diabetes Manager (PDM), which is a handheld device used to wirelessly control and monitor the Pod functionality. The PDM can also be paired with the CONTOUR® NEXT ONE blood glucose (BG) meter (Ascensia Diabetes Care, Basel, Switzerland) to wirelessly receive BG readings. This review provides a detailed description of the Pod and PDM. Key features of the Pod are described, including the novel pump delivery mechanism, waterproof (IP28) housing design, and automated cannula insertion. The technology introduced in the new system, such as touchscreen PDM interface, Bluetooth® wireless technology, and wireless internet connectivity, is also presented. Last, Omnipod® Insulin Management System clinical data are reviewed, including early feasibility results for the Omnipod Horizon™ Automated Glucose Control hybrid closed-loop system.
The Influence of Spatial Design on Team Communication in Hospital Emergency Departments
Authors: Naccarella Lucio , Raggatt Michelle , Redley Bernice
Published: September 2018

Objective:

To identify spatial design factors that influence informal interprofessional team-based communication within hospital emergency departments (EDs).

Background:

Effective team communication in EDs is critical for interprofessional collaborative care and prevention of serious errors due to miscommunication. Limited evidence exists about how informal communication in EDs is shaped by the physical workspace and how workplace design principles can improve the quality of ED team communication.

Method:

Two health services with four hospital sites in Victoria, Australia, participated. A multistage mixed-methods approach used (1) an anonymous online communication network survey ( N = 103) to collect data on patterns and locations of informal interprofessional team communication among ED staff, (2) focus groups ( N = 37) and interviews ( N = 3) using photoelicitation to understand the perspectives of ED staff about how spatial design influences team communication, and (3) validity testing of preliminary findings with executives and ED managers at the participating sites.

Results:

Informal communication with peers and within discipline groups on nonspecific areas of the ED was most common. Three key factors influenced the extent to which ED workspaces facilitated informal communication: (1) staff perceptions of privacy, (2) staff perceptions of safety, and (3) staff perceptions of connectedness to ED activity.

Conclusion:

Our research supports the proposition that ED physical environments influence informal team communication patterns. To facilitate effective team communication, ED workspace spatial designs need to provide visibility and connectedness, support and capture “case talk,” enable privacy for “comfort talk,” and optimize proximity to patients without compromising safety.
Group Status Modulates the Associative Strength Between Status Quo Supporting Beliefs and Anti-Black Attitudes
Authors: Stern Chadly , Axt Jordan R.
Published: September 2018

What belief systems are associated with negative attitudes toward lower status groups? Does the relationship differ across higher and lower status groups? We examined the extent to which status quo supporting beliefs (social dominance orientation and conservatism) were associated with negative attitudes toward African Americans and whether the strength of the relationship varied between members of higher and lower status racial groups. On explicit and implicit measures, status quo supporting beliefs were associated with negative attitudes toward African Americans among members of higher (White) and lower status (Black, Hispanic, and Asian) racial groups. The association was stronger among Whites than racial minorities and was stronger among Asians and Latinos than Blacks. Status quo supporting beliefs are associated with negative attitudes toward lower status groups regardless of one’s group status, but the strength of the association is greatest among the societally advantaged.