bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of carbon fiber amount and length on flame retardant and mechanical properties of intumescent polypropylene composites
Authors: Atabek Savas Lemiye , Mutlu Aysenur , Dike Ali Sinan , Tayfun Umit , Dogan Mehmet
Published: May 2017

The effects of carbon fiber amount and length were studied on the flame retardant, thermal, and mechanical properties of the intumescent polypropylene composites. The flame retardant properties of the intumescent polypropylene-based composites were investigated using limiting oxygen index, vertical burning test (UL-94), and mass loss calorimeter. The mechanical properties of the composites were studied using tensile test and dynamic mechanical analysis. According to the flammability tests results, the antagonistic interaction was observed between carbon fiber and ammonium polyphosphate. The limiting oxygen index value reduced steadily as the added amount of carbon fiber increased. Mechanical test results revealed that the addition of carbon fiber increased the tensile strength and the elastic modulus as the added amount increased. No effect of carbon fiber length was observed on the flammability, fire performance, and tensile properties of composites, whereas the elastic modulus increased as the carbon fiber initial length increased.
Prediction and optimization of yarn path in braiding of mandrels with flat faces
Authors: Fouladi Ali , Jafari Nedoushan Reza
Published: May 2017

Braided preforms are used in many applications to make modern textile composites. Mechanical properties of braided composites are strongly dependent on braided preform’s characteristics such as braid angle and yarn spacing. In this paper, theoretical relationships are presented to predict these parameters in braiding of a mandrel with flat faces. These relationships are very simple in deriving and coding and also they are suitable for sharp edges. It was observed that considering the distance between the yarn’s fell point on the mandrel and guide ring plane is an important issue to calculate an accurate braid angle. Braid angle and yarn spacing was also measured experimentally. Theoretical relations predictions are in close agreement with experimental measurements. The effects of the mandrel aspect ratio and the mandrel eccentricity to produce a part with variable braid angle are investigated. It is observed that while mandrel dimension aspect ratio has no significant effect, the braid angle can be considerably varied from one face to another face by locating the mandrel out of the center of the machine. An optimization process is proposed to find the best mandrel eccentricity to manufacture a preform with desired braid angles on individual faces.
Induction of Salivary Gland–Like Cells from Dental Follicle Epithelial Cells
Authors: Xu Q.L. , Furuhashi A. , Zhang Q.Z. , Jiang C.M. , Chang T.-H. , Le A.D.
Published: May 2017

The dental follicle (DF), most often associated with unerupted teeth, is a condensation of ectomesenchymal cells that surrounds the tooth germ in early stages of tooth development. In the present study, we aim to isolate epithelial stem-like cells from the human DF and explore their potential differentiation into salivary gland (SG) cells. We demonstrated the expression of stem cell–related genes in the epithelial components of human DF tissues, and these epithelial progenitor cells could be isolated and ex vivo expanded in a reproducible manner. The human DF-derived epithelial cells possessed clonogenic and sphere-forming capabilities, as well as expressed a panel of epithelial stem cell–related genes, thus conferring stem cell properties (hDF-EpiSCs). When cultured under in vitro 3-dimensional induction conditions, hDF-EpiSCs were capable to differentiate into SG acinar and duct cells. Furthermore, transplantation of hDF-EpiSC–loaded native de-cellularized rat parotid gland scaffolds into the renal capsule of nude mice led to the differentiation of transplanted hDF-EpiSCs into salivary gland–like cells. These findings suggest that hDF-EpiSCs might be a promising source of epithelial stem cells for the development of stem cell–based therapy or bioengineering SG tissues to repair/regenerate SG dysfunction.
Diurnal rhythms of blood glucose, serum ghrelin, faecal IgA and faecal corticosterone in rats subjected to restricted feeding using the diet board
Authors: Kasanen Iiris , Inhilä Katja , Savontaus Eriika , Voipio Hanna-Marja , Õkva Kai , Mering Satu , Kiviniemi Vesa , Hau Jann , Laaksonen Sakari , Nevalainen Timo
Published: May 2017

Laboratory rats are generally fed ad libitum, although this method is associated with obesity and an increased frequency of spontaneous tumours. It has been challenging looking for ways to limit feed consumption in group-housed rats without any setbacks to animal welfare and scientific results. The diet board, as a method of dietary restriction, was used in the present study. Diet board feeding allows group housing and should result in enhanced welfare compared with traditional methods of dietary restriction. With respect to animal model robustness and translatability of results it is important that the feeding regime does not affect diurnal rhythmicity of biological parameters. In the present study the effects of diet board feeding on diurnal rhythms of blood glucose, serum ghrelin, faecal immunoglobulin A (IgA) and faecal corticosterone were assessed. The diet board did not alter diurnal rhythms, and adds weight to the use of this method for dietary restriction which should benefit animal health and the validity of scientific results generated from the animals.
Refugees and civic stratification: The “Asian rejection” hypothesis and its implications for protection claimants in Hong Kong
Authors: Lai Ada Pui Yim , Kennedy Kerry J
Published: May 2017

Hong Kong is not a signatory to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees yet, it has historically attracted refugees from Mainland China and, in the 1970s, from Vietnam. Today, there is a refugee flow from different parts of Southeast Asia. This paper highlights the plight of refugees in an environment where there are no legal frameworks for managing refugees, where there is a deliberate policy of not settling refugees, irrespective of the validity of their claims, and where minimal support is provided for claimants waiting to have their claims assessed. Civic stratification is advanced as a theoretical framework for understanding the status of refugees in Hong Kong and the extent to which resistance is possible within this framework is demonstrated.
Somatosensory gating is altered and associated with migraine chronification: A magnetoencephalographic study
Authors: Hsiao Fu-Jung , Wang Shuu-Jiun , Lin Yung-Yang , Fuh Jong-Ling , Ko Yu-Chieh , Wang Pei-Ning , Chen Wei-Ta
Published: May 2017

Background

Brain excitability is changed in migraine but not fully characterized yet. This study explored if somatosensory gating is altered in migraine and linked to migraine chronification.

Methods

Paired electrical stimuli were delivered to the left index fingers of 21 patients with migraine without aura (MO), 22 patients with chronic migraine (CM), and 36 controls. The first and second responses to the paired stimuli were obtained from the contralateral primary (cSI), contralateral secondary (cSII) and ipsilateral secondary (iSII) somatosensory cortices to compute the gating ratios (second vs. first response strengths).

Results

The first and second cSI responses and gating ratios differed in all groups ( p < 0.05); the responses were typically smaller in the MO and CM groups. The cSI gating ratio increased as a continuum across controls (0.73 ± 0.04, p < 0.001), MO (0.83 ± 0.04) to CM (0.97 ± 0.06) and was higher in CM vs. controls ( p < 0.001). When MO and CM were combined, cSI gating ratio was associated with headache frequency (r = 0.418, p = 0.005). Paired responses and gating ratios of cSII and iSII did not differ among the groups.

Conclusions

Somatosensory gating is altered in migraine and associated with headache chronification. Further studies must clarify if this abnormal sensory modulation is a true gating deficit independent of low preexcitation level.
A feasibility study of municipal solid waste incineration fly ash utilisation in Estonia
Authors: Berber Hakan , Frey Ruedi , Voronova Viktoria , Koroljova Arina
Published: May 2017

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the alternative environmental management options for the utilisation of municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration fly ash (FA), which is generated at Iru Power Plant where MSW is incinerated in Estonia. To determine sustainable and economically feasible environmental management options for MSW incineration FA in Estonia, CO2 sequestration with a further carbonation process was examined. A partial Cost & Benefit Analysis has been conducted to compare the carbonation process to the current situation. Two carbonation options were developed. Option 1 is to use carbonated FA in any other processes based on the waste-to-product principle. Option 2 is to send carbonated FA to the non-hazardous landfill in Tallinn, Estonia. Important parameters, such as Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Benefit–Cost Ratio (BCR) and Break Even Point (BEP), have been calculated for carbonation options and the current case. In addition, a sensitivity analysis has been conducted to examine its robustness. The results showed that the best option is carbonation Option 1 with NPV of 9,209,662 EUR, IRR of 43%, BCR of 2.63 and BEP between 2018 and 2019. Both Options 1 and 2 constitute more sustainable and environmentally friendly management options compared to the current situation. It can be concluded that this preliminary feasibility study showed that running a carbonation plant may be profitable and sustainable for Estonia. Currently, there is no treatment technology for MSW incineration FA in Estonia and FA is sent to a neighbouring country for further utilisation. This is the first study to demonstrate FA management options with economic and environmental benefits.
Effective factors on the performance of woven wire screens against leaf firebrand attacks
Authors: Hashempour Javad , Sharifian Ahmad
Published: May 2017

Firebrand spotting is the dominant wildfire propagation mechanism. The use of wire screens to prevent firebrand entry into structures is recommended or mandated by many standards. The existing standards address only one feature of screens which is opening size. This experimental study aims to explore several other factors that may influence the performance of wire screens and may need to be incorporated in codes and standards development process for structures located in wildfire-prone areas. The results demonstrate a previously unreported shattering mechanism in the case of Eucalyptus populnea (from the Myrtle family) leaf firebrands under a moderate wind speed of 14.5 m s−1. The results also show that screen porosity, screen type and wind speed would be appropriate to be addressed in developing standards, but there is no need for concern about screen orientation as long as the screen is placed perpendicular to the wind direction during the experiment.
Electrically conductive borate-based bioactive glass scaffolds for bone tissue engineering applications
Authors: Turk Mert , Deliormanlı Aylin M
Published: May 2017

In this study, electrically conductive, borate-based, porous 13-93B3 bioactive glass composite scaffolds were prepared using a polymer foam replication technique. For this purpose, a slurry containing 40 vol% glass particles and 0–10 wt% graphene nanoplatelets was prepared by dispersing the particles in ethanol in the presence of ethyl cellulose. Composite scaffolds were subjected to a controlled heat treatment, in air atmosphere, to decompose the foam and sinter the glass particles into a dense network. It was found that the applied heat treatment did not influence the structure of graphene in the glass network. Graphene additions did not negatively affect the mechanical properties and enhanced the electrical conductivity of the glass scaffolds. In X-ray diffraction analysis, the crystalline peak corresponding to hydroxyapatite was observed in all the samples suggesting that all of the samples were bioactive after 30 days of immersion in simulated body fluid. However, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis and scanning electron microscope observations revealed that hydroxyapatite formation rate decreased with increasing graphene concentration especially for samples treated in simulated body fluid for shorter times. Based on the cytotoxicity assay findings, the MC3T3-E1 cell growth was significantly inhibited by the scaffolds containing higher amount of graphene compared to bare glass scaffolds. Best performance was obtained for 5 wt% graphene which yielded an enhancement of electrical conductivity with moderate cellular response and in vitro hydroxyapatite forming ability. The study revealed that the electrically conductive 13-93B3 graphene scaffolds are promising candidates for bone tissue engineering applications.
Improved tribological properties, electrochemical resistance and biocompatibility of AISI 316L stainless steel through duplex plasma nitriding and TiN coating treatment
Authors: Kao Wen-Hsien , Su Yean-Liang , Horng Jeng-Haur , Hsieh Yun-Ting
Published: May 2017

AISI 316L specimens were nitrided using a low temperature (390℃) plasma nitriding process and then coated with a thin layer of titanium nitride by closed field unbalanced magnetron sputtering. The microstructure, adhesion properties and hardness of the duplex-treated samples were examined using X-ray diffraction, scratch testing and nanoindentation, respectively. In addition, the tribological properties were investigated by means of reciprocating wear tests performed against 316L, Si3N4 and Ti6Al4V balls under a load of 10 N for 24 min in 0.9% NaCl solution. The electrochemical resistance of the samples was evaluated by potentiodynamic polarisation tests. Finally, the biocompatibility of the samples was investigated by seeding purified mouse leukemic monocyte macrophage cells (Raw 264.7) on the sample surface for one, three and five days, respectively. In general, the results showed that the duplex nitriding and titanium nitride coating process significantly improved the tribological properties, electrochemical resistance and biocompatibility of the AISI 316L samples.
Evaluation of Early Versus Late Postdischarge Medication Reconciliation on Readmission Rates and Emergency Department Visits
Authors: Joseph Tina , Barros Rebecca A. , Kim Elise , Shah Bupendra
Published: May 2017

Background:

The current literature speculates ideal postdischarge follow-up focusing on transitions from hospital to home can range anywhere between 48 hours and 2 weeks. However, there is a lack of evidence regarding the optimal timing of follow-up visit to prevent readmissions.

Objective:

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of early (<48 hours) versus late (48 hours-14 days) postdischarge medication reconciliation on readmissions and emergency department (ED) use.

Methods:

In this retrospective study, data for patients who had a clinic visit with a primary care provider (PCP), clinical pharmacist, or both for postdischarge medication reconciliation were reviewed. Primary outcome included hospital use rate at 30 days. Secondary outcomes included hospital use rate at 90 days and hospital use rate with a postdischarge PCP follow-up visit, clinical pharmacist, or both at 30 days.

Results:

One hundred sixty patients were included in the analysis: 31 early group patients and 129 late group patients. There was no significant difference on hospital use at 30 days in patients who received early or late groups (32.3% vs 21.8%, P = .947). There was also no significant difference on hospital use at 90 days in patients in early versus late group (51.6% vs 50.3%, P = .842). The type of provider (PCP vs pharmacists) conducting postdischarge medication reconciliation did not show significance on hospital use at 30 days (19.9% vs 21.4%, P = .731).

Conclusion:

Results from this study suggest patients can be seen up to 14 days postdischarge for medication reconciliation with no significant difference on hospital use.
Simulating real-life exposures to uncover possible risks to human health: A proposed consensus for a novel methodological approach
Authors: Tsatsakis AM , Kouretas D , Tzatzarakis MN , Stivaktakis P , Tsarouhas K , Golokhvast KS , Rakitskii VN , Tutelyan VA , Hernandez AF , Rezaee R , Chung G , Fenga C , Engin AB , Neagu M , Arsene AL , Docea AO , Gofita E , Calina D , Taitzoglou I , Liesivuori J , Hayes AW , Gutnikov S , Tsitsimpikou C
Published: May 2017

In real life, consumers are exposed to complex mixtures of chemicals via food, water and commercial products consumption. Since risk assessment usually focuses on individual compounds, the current regulatory approach doesn’t assess the overall risk of chemicals present in a mixture. This study will evaluate the cumulative toxicity of mixtures of different classes of pesticides and mixtures of different classes of pesticides together with food additives (FAs) and common consumer product chemicals using realistic doses after long-term exposure. Groups of Sprague Dawley (CD-SD) rats (20 males and 20 females) will be treated with mixtures of pesticides or mixtures of pesticides together with FAs and common consumer product chemicals in 0.0, 0.25 × acceptable daily intake (ADI)/tolerable daily intake (TDI), ADI/TDI and 5 × ADI/TDI doses for 104 weeks. All animals will be examined every day for signs of morbidity and mortality. Clinical chemistry hematological parameters, serum hormone levels, biomarkers of oxidative stress, cardiotoxicity, genotoxicity, urinalysis and echocardiographic tests will be assessed periodically at 6 month intervals. At 3-month intervals, ophthalmological examination, test for sensory reactivity to different types of stimuli, together with assessment of learning abilities and memory performance of the adult and ageing animals will be conducted. After 24 months, animals will be necropsied, and internal organs will be histopathologically examined. If the hypothesis of an increased risk or a new hazard not currently identified from cumulative exposure to multiple chemicals was observed, this will provide further information to public authorities and research communities supporting the need of replacing current single-compound risk assessment by a more robust cumulative risk assessment paradigm.
Mother Rocks the Cradle and She Waits: Towards a Feminist Theology of Obscurity
Authors: Sharp Brenda
Published: May 2017

In this article I will argue that systemic institutional conditions contained within a family structure result in oppression and obscurity for mothers. In countering this somewhat gloomy assertion, I will introduce a feminist theology of obscurity as a means of actualizing personhood for mothers and acknowledging the concomitant empowerment to be found within motherhood.
Rehabilitation Myths? How Transaction Costs Reduce Farmer Welfare After Land Acquisition
Authors: Patil Vikram , Ghosh Ranjan
Published: May 2017

In this article, we show how transaction costs lead to farmer marginalization as displaced farmers embark on the process of acquiring new land. Existing studies have focused on the links between monetary compensation and landowners’ investment decisions, but before new land is acquired. However, the post-displacement scenario and the investment decisions of land owners to restore income have not been carefully examined. We use a transaction cost framework to suggest that local specificities related to land characteristics, uncertainties in search for alternatives and information constraints may impose high non-monetary costs on displaced farmers and force them to settle for inferior new land. The article concludes with a preliminary assessment of whether the newly enacted land acquisition framework, the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act 2013, promises to minimize these ex-post transaction costs that farmers face.
Spillover Effects of Research and Development, Exports and Foreign Investment on Productivity
Authors: Pradeep V. , Bhattacharya Mita , Chen Jong-Rong
Published: May 2017

The economic reforms in India since the early 1990s have aimed to improve the productivity and competitiveness of major industries. This article examines direct and indirect (spillover) effects from research and development (R&D), exporting activities and foreign direct investment (FDI) on the productivity of foreign and domestic manufacturing firms. Our empirical model employs data from over 1,000 Indian manufacturing firms between 1994 and 2008. With a balanced panel, robust estimation techniques including generalized method of moment (GMM) and system-GMM (sys-GMM) are employed for our empirical analysis. In most cases, our findings indicate that foreign presence has a significant positive spillover effect on the productivity of Indian manufacturing firms when compared to alternative spillovers from R&D and export initiatives. The spillover effects may vary due to R&D efforts and exporting activities. We also find that spillovers may vary between FDI and non-FDI firms and with the technological advances of industries.
Atomic psychiatry? An essay
Authors: Burges Watson Ian Patrick (Paddy)
Published: May 2017

Objective:

This article aims to address the need to rethink the classification of mental illness and to draw attention to the current use of quantum biology and its likely future use in understanding the nature of mental illness.

Conclusion:

It is desirable to separate out neuroscience and clinical research and to become better acquainted with the concepts of quantum mechanical/quantum biological theory and its contribution to medicine.
Compensated positive position feedback for active control of piezoelectric structures
Authors: Wu Yongsheng , Zhang Weizhong , Meng Xiuyun , Su Yu
Published: May 2017

This article presents a compensated positive position feedback strategy for active control of flexible structures with piezoelectric actuators. In the proposed compensated positive position feedback method, a negative feedback compensator is involved to remedy the deficiency of traditional positive position feedback and to introduce roll-off characteristic at low frequencies. Thus, compensated positive position feedback controllers can be developed with minimal influences on lower order modes and cause no steady-state error to the controlled system. For demonstration purpose, the design processes and the effectiveness of the compensated positive position feedback method are illustrated by active control of a cable net structure with integrated piezoelectric stacked actuators. The numerical simulations demonstrate that compared to the conventional positive position feedback method, the proposed compensated positive position feedback approach overcomes the fundamental defects of frequency shift and spillover into lower order modes and achieves the goal of step-tracking with zero steady-state error. These comparative results confirm the efficacy and superiority of the proposed compensated positive position feedback methodology in active control of flexible structures.
Linking Environmental Sustainability, Health, and Safety Data in Health Care
Authors: Kaplan Susan B. , Forst Linda
Published: May 2017

Limited but growing evidence demonstrates that environmental sustainability in the health-care sector can improve worker and patient health and safety. Yet these connections are not appreciated or understood by decision makers in health-care organizations or oversight agencies. Several studies demonstrate improvements in quality of care, staff satisfaction, and work productivity related to environmental improvements in the health-care sector. A pilot study conducted by the authors found that already-collected data could be used to evaluate impacts of environmental sustainability initiatives on worker and patient health and safety, yet few hospitals do so. Future research should include a policy analysis of laws that could drive efforts to integrate these areas, elucidation of organizational models that promote sharing of environmental and health and safety data, and development of tools and methods to enable systematic linkage and evaluation of these data to expand the evidence base and improve the hospital environment.
The Costs of Recovery
Authors: King Kelly , Murray Christine E. , Crowe Allison , Hunnicutt Gwen , Lundgren Kristine , Olson Loreen
Published: May 2017

The present study relies on the voices of survivors of past abuse to describe the amount, type, and impact of costs related to their experience of intimate partner violence (IPV). We use a content analysis methodology to present common themes that survivors face regarding financial recovery from past IPV. Costs are conceptualized within the Triumph Process Model of Overcoming IPV with an emphasis on “embracing freedom and power” and “emotional and physical healing” dimensions. Implications for recovering from IPV and service provision are discussed.
Black and White Biracial Marriage in the United States
Authors: Robinson Marlon C.
Published: May 2017

This article looks at marital quality in Black and White biracial marriage in the United States. It gives an overview of some of the statistics of Black and White biracial marriage. The current article also highlights variables associated with marital quality in Black and White biracial marriage such as racial differences, probability for divorce, racial identity, age, socioeconomic status, and number of children. Several practical suggestions for helping this population are pulled together at the end of the article.
Anatomic Structures at Risk When Utilizing an Intramedullary Nail for Distal Fibular Fractures: A Cadaveric Study
Authors: Goss David A. , Reb Christopher W. , Philbin Terrence M.
Published: May 2017

Background:

Retrograde intramedullary fibular nail fixation is being utilized with increasing frequency, particularly in patients at higher risk of wound complications. The purpose of this anatomic study was to assess the relative risk to nearby anatomic structures when implanting a contemporary retrograde locked intramedullary fibular nail.

Methods:

Ten human cadaveric lower extremities were instrumented with a fibular nail. The cadavers were dissected. The shortest distance, in millimeters (mm), between the site of procedural steps and nearby named structures of interest (ie, sural nerve, superficial peroneal nerve, and the peroneal tendons) was measured and recorded. Levels of risk were assigned based on observed distances as high (0 to 5 mm), moderate (5.1-10 mm), and low (greater than 10 mm).

Results:

The peroneus brevis (PB) tendon was found to be less than 5.0 mm from the distal skin incision in all specimens. When reaming and inserting the nail through the distal fibula aperture, the PB was less than 5.0 mm in 6 specimens. The peroneus longus tendon was at moderate to high risk when inserting both the proximal and distal syndesmotic screws in 9 specimens. The superficial peroneal nerve was at high risk when inserting an anterior to posterior distal locking screw in 7 specimens. The sural nerve was at low risk for all procedural steps. No structures were violated or damaged during any portion of the fibular nail instrumentation.

Conclusion:

The peroneal tendons and superficial peroneal nerve were at the highest risk; however, no structures were injured during instrumentation.

Clinical relevance:

The current findings indicate that strict adherence to sound percutaneous technique is needed in order to minimize iatrogenic damage to neighboring structures when performing retrograde locked intramedullary fibular nail insertion. This includes making skin-only incisions, blunt dissection down to bone, and maintaining close approximation between tissue protection sleeves and bone at all times.
Friction and wear response of vegetable oils and their blends with mineral engine oil in a reciprocating sliding contact at severe contact conditions
Authors: Bahari Adli , Lewis Roger , Slatter Tom
Published: May 2017

Although many studies investigating the tribological performance of pure vegetable oils have been conducted, a better understanding of vegetable oil tribological performance at extreme conditions is still needed. Similarly, little work has been carried out to study the influence of the vegetable oils on the performance of a lubricant formed from a blend of vegetable oil and conventional mineral engine oil. This work presents the tribological performance of vegetable oils, and their blends with mineral oil, in a high temperature and contact pressure reciprocating contact. Palm- and soybean-based vegetable oils were mixed with a commercial mineral engine oil at a 1:1 ratio by volume. The conventional mineral oil was also tested to provide a benchmark. The pure palm oil exhibited lower friction than soybean oil, but for the wear performance, this was reversed. The friction performance of the palm oil was competitive to that of the mineral engine oil. The mineral engine oil was far superior in wear resistance over both vegetable oils. When blended with mineral engine oil, both vegetable oils demonstrated a reduction in coefficient of friction when compared to their pure oil states. An improvement in the wear performance was observed for both a blend of palm oil and mineral engine oil (25% improvement) and that of soybean and mineral engine oil (27% improvement). This work shows that for palm oil and soybean oil, the performance of a blended oil is influenced by its vegetable oil component and that tribological characteristics of vegetable oils are dominant. That said, the significant limitation of these vegetable oils is their ability to provide a satisfactory level of wear resistance. It is suggested that any future work in this area should have a greater emphasis on the enhancement of wear resistance.
Disruptive ambient music: Mobile phone music listening as portable urbanism
Authors: Lasen Amparo
Published: May 2017

This article explores the use of mobile phones as portable remediated sound devices for mobile listening – from boom boxes to personal stereos and mp3 players. This way of engaging the city through music playing and listening reveals a particular urban strategy and acoustic urban politics. It increases the sonic presence of mobile owners and plays a role in territorialisation dynamics, as well as in eliciting territorial conflicts in public. These digital practices play a key role in the enactment of the urban mood and ambience, as well as in the modulation of people’s presence – producing forms of what Spanish architect Roberto González calls portable urbanism: an entanglement of the digital, the urban and the online that activates a map of a reality over the fabric of the city, apparently not so present, visible or audible.
The management of survivors’ guilt through the construction of a favorable self in Hiroshima survivor narratives
Authors: Cantrell Akiyo M
Published: May 2017

This study examines how Hiroshima atomic bomb survivors linguistically construct favorable selves – that is, selves that they want to present to others – in stories about events where they may feel survivors’ guilt. While discourse analysts started studying Holocaust narratives in the past decade, the field has not yet investigated narratives from Hiroshima survivors, nor has guilt been extensively investigated linguistically. In narrating those episodes where guilt can be attributed, Hiroshima survivors use various prosodic and syntactic devices to maintain their favorable selves by describing their powerlessness in a chaotic situation. Focusing on the telling of the same experience by three different survivors, the analysis reveals that narrators use various linguistic strategies to protect their positions as moral persons. The study contributes to a better understanding of the linguistic management of emotion, especially survivors’ guilt. Furthermore, linguistic examination of Hiroshima stories brings a discourse perspective to the study of global tragedies.
Zhuangzi: Closet Confucian?
Authors: Nylan Michael
Published: May 2017

Confucius (aka Kongzi) and Zhuangzi are the two most famous thinkers in all of Chinese history, aside from Laozi, the Old Master. They occupy positions in the history of Chinese thinking roughly comparable to those held by Plato and Epicurus in the Western narrative of civilisation, in that they offer visions of the engaged political life and the engaged social self to which later political theorists and ethicists invariably return. For the last century or so, if not longer, Sinologists and comparative philosophers have been apt to name Confucius the ‘founder’ of a Confucian ‘school’, and Zhuangzi, one of two ‘founders’ of a rival Daoist ‘school’, despite the lack of evidence for sectarian factions in early China. What is at stake in this essay is nothing less than a recasting of the entire early history of Chinese thinking in ways both bracing and potentially troubling to modern academics.
The Silent Exception: Hunger Striking and Lip-Sewing
Authors: Bargu Banu
Published: May 2017

Border zones and detention centers are often characterized as spaces that concretize a permanent “state of exception” where resistance is deemed unlikely. This article explores hunger striking and lip-sewing practices of migrants and refugees as a largely neglected form of protest that takes a silent exception from the exception. Focusing on their gesture of a double withdrawal – from nutrition and from speech –, I make the case for an expanded conception of agency that is non-instrumental and expressive. Pursuing an alethurgic analysis, I situate the violent and embodied silence of these protests in Foucault’s problematic of parrhesiastic practice. I examine these practices as processes of subjectivation that unmake and remake the self, call into being parrhesiastic counter-publics, and courageously critique the present.
Signs of Social Class: The Experience of Economic Inequality in Everyday Life
Authors: Kraus Michael W. , Park Jun Won , Tan Jacinth J. X.
Published: May 2017

By some accounts, global economic inequality is at its highest point on record. The pernicious effects of this broad societal trend are striking: Rising inequality is linked to poorer health and well-being across countries, continents, and cultures. The economic and psychological forces that perpetuate inequality continue to be studied, and in this theoretical review, we examine the role of daily experiences of economic inequality—the communication of social class signals between interaction partners—in this process. We theorize that social class signals activate social comparison processes that strengthen group boundaries between the haves and have nots in society. In particular, we argue that class signals are a frequent, rapid, and accurate component of person perception, and we provide new data and analyses demonstrating the accuracy of class signaling in 60-s interactions, Facebook photographs, and isolated recordings of brief speech. We suggest that barriers to the reduction of economic inequality in society arise directly from this class signaling process through the augmentation of class boundaries and the elicitation of beliefs and behaviors that favor the economic status quo.
Restoring Agency to the Human Actor
Authors: Swann William B. , Jetten Jolanda
Published: May 2017

A cursory read of the social psychological literature suggests that when people find themselves in strong situations, they fail to display agency. The early classic studies of conformity, obedience, and bystander intervention, for example, are renowned for showing that when challenged by strong situational pressures, participants acquiesced—even if it meant abandoning their moral principles or disregarding their own sensory data. Later studies of learned helplessness, ego depletion, and stereotype threat echoed this “power of the situation” theme, demonstrating that exposure to (or the expectation of) a frustrating or unpleasant experience suppressed subsequent efforts to actualize goals and abilities. Although this work has provided many valuable insights into the influence of situational pressures, it has been used to buttress an unbalanced and misleading portrait of human agency. This portrait fails to recognize that situations are not invariably enemies of agency. Instead, strong situational forces often allow for, and may even encourage, expressions of human agency. We examine the nature, causes, and consequences of this phenomenon. We endorse a broader approach that emphasizes how responding to situational pressure can coexist with agency. This new emphasis should create greater convergence between social psychological models and the experience of agency in everyday life.
Social Buffering of Stress in Development: A Career Perspective
Authors: Gunnar Megan R.
Published: May 2017

This review provides a broad overview of my research group’s work on social buffering in human development in the context of the field. Much of the focus is on social buffering of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) system, one of the two major arms of the mammalian stress system. This focus reflects the centrality of the HPA system in research on social buffering in the fields of developmental psychobiology and developmental science. However, buffering of the cardiovascular and autonomic nervous system is also discussed. The central developmental question in this area derives from attachment theory, which argues that the infant’s experience of stress and arousal regulation in the context of her early attachment relationships is not an immature form of social buffering experienced in adulthood but rather the foundation out of which individual differences in the capacity to gain stress relief from social partners emerges. The emergence of social buffering in infancy, changes in social buffering throughout childhood and adolescence, the influence of early experience on later individual differences in social buffering, and critical gaps in our knowledge are described.
Narcissistic Force Meets Systemic Resistance: The Energy Clash Model
Authors: Sedikides Constantine , Campbell W. Keith
Published: May 2017

This article focuses on the interplay between narcissistic leaders and organizations. It attempts to capture the gist of this interplay with a model outlining the narcissistic organizational trajectory. The Energy Clash Model borrows and adapts a phase/state physics metaphor to conceptualize narcissism as a force that enters or emerges in a stable system (i.e., organization) as a leader, destabilizes it, and stabilizes it at a different state or is expelled. The model consists of three time-contingent phases: perturbation, conflict, and resolution. Narcissists create instability through waves of excitement, proposed reforms, and an inspiring vision for organization’s future ( perturbation). With the passage of time, though, systemic awareness and alertness intensify, as organizational costs—in terms of human resources and monetary losses—accrue. Narcissistic energy clashes directly with the organization ( conflict), a clash likely to restabilize the system eventually. The conflict may provoke the exit of the narcissistic leader or his or her accommodation, that is, steps or controls negotiated between the system and the leader ( resolution). Although narcissism is subject to organizational liability, narcissistic energy, when managed and directed properly, may contribute to organizational innovation and evolution. Thus, several interventions for working with narcissistic leaders are discussed.
Naltrexone efficacy in treating alcohol-use disorder in individuals with comorbid psychosis: a systematic review
Authors: Sawicka Martyna , Tracy Derek K
Published: May 2017

Background:

Psychotic illnesses, such as schizophrenia, are typically enduring and disabling conditions, impacting individual, family, and societal outcomes. Individuals with these face greater vulnerabilities in developing alcohol-use disorder (AUD). Furthermore, the nature of psychoses, often manifesting with paranoia, cognitive impairment, a lack of insight, sub-optimal treatment adherence, and stigma from others, means that they can pose unique treatment challenges when these two conditions comorbidly occur. These challenges mean that the standard literature on the effectiveness of the opioid antagonist naltrexone in AUD does not necessarily translate to this vulnerable population.

Methods:

Following PRISMA guidelines, we herein systematically reviewed the evidence for naltrexone in individuals with both psychosis and AUD. Overall, there is a paucity of research in this important area, with only nine reports meeting search criteria, only four of which were randomized control trials. Studies compared naltrexone with: placebo, another pharmaceutical agent, or upon changes to baseline drinking behaviour. One study evaluated the long-acting injectable formulation of this drug.

Results:

Most studies, including the methodologically more robust ones, supported naltrexone’s effectiveness over placebo in terms of reduction in drinking days and numbers of drinks consumed on such days in this cohort. Work comparing naltrexone to other pharmaceutical interventions showed approximate equivalence with disulfiram, and modest superiority over acamprosate.

Conclusions:

On this limited evidence base, this review endorses the use of naltrexone as both safe and effective in those with both psychotic illnesses and AUD. Several key issues remain to be elucidated. Critically, study designs meant that they were limited to individuals with good engagement with services, and levels of adherence were attained that are unlikely to be replicated in this cohort in real-world settings. Finally, effects of specific psychosis symptomatology, not least paranoia and insight, upon naltrexone use, and the reverse directional potential of ‘double dysphoria’ from an opioid antagonist remain largely unexplored.
Rental Markets of Agricultural Capital Goods as Substitute of Consolidation of Holdings
Authors: Das Anup Kumar , Bezbaruah M P
Published: May 2017

Consolidation of small and fragmented holdings was felt necessary to make holdings large enough for viable use of capital goods, irrigation and various productivity-enhancing practices. However, agricultural operations across all size classes of holdings are now getting mechanised even in areas where this component of land reform remained largely unimplemented. With the emergence of rental markets, agricultural capital goods have now become available for hiring. A farmer, hence, can hire a capital good as per requirement rather than acquiring lumpy machines, which the farm cannot fully utilise. Field investigation in the Brahmaputra Valley has confirmed that these rental markets have enabled even small and marginal farmers to mechanise their tilling and irrigating operations. Rental market participants have also been found to be using production-enhancing inputs and practices. In fulfilling goals meant to be achieved through consolidation of holdings, the rental markets have largely substituted this long-pending agrarian reform.
Schoolwide Systems of Positive Behavior Support: Implications for Students at Risk and With Emotional/Behavioral Disorders
Authors: Lewis Timothy J. , McIntosh Kent , Simonsen Brandi , Mitchell Barbara S. , Hatton Heather L.
Published: May 2017

The use of schoolwide multitiered systems of support to address challenging social and emotional behavior has been established in >20,000 schools across the United States and 19 other countries worldwide. The systems approach of schoolwide positive behavior support is guided by implementation science and embeds evidence-based behavioral interventions across a continuum based on documented student need. The extant research base to date, including randomized controlled trials, is robust with respect to universal or Tier I interventions and supports. Less is known about the impact on students who are at high risk for manifesting a disability, as well as those currently served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The purpose of this article is to provide a rationale for, and overview of, schoolwide positive behavior support as a comprehensive framework to support children and youth with emotional/behavioral disorders and review the research to date across a continuum of supports. Research, professional development and implementation, and policy implications are discussed.
Efficient and Fair Heart Allocation Policies for Transplantation
Authors: Hasankhani Farhad , Khademi Amin
Published: May 2017

Background: The optimal allocation of limited donated hearts to patients on the waiting list is one of the top priorities in heart transplantation management. We developed a simulation model of the US waiting list for heart transplantation to investigate the potential impacts of allocation policies on several outcomes such as pre- and posttransplant mortality. Methods: We used data from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) and the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipient (SRTR) to simulate the heart allocation system. The model is validated by comparing the outcomes of the simulation with historical data. We also adapted fairness schemes studied in welfare economics to provide a framework to assess the fairness of allocation policies for transplantation. We considered three allocation policies, each a modification to the current UNOS allocation policy, and analyzed their performance via simulation. The first policy broadens the geographical allocation zones, the second modifies the health status order for receiving hearts, and the third prioritizes patients according to their waiting time. Results: Our results showed that the allocation policy similar to the current UNOS practice except that it aggregates the three immediate geographical allocation zones, improves the health outcomes, and is “closer” to an optimal fair policy compared to all other policies considered in this study. Specifically, this policy could have saved 319 total deaths (out of 3738 deaths) during the 2006 to 2014 time horizon, in average. This policy slightly differs from the current UNOS allocation policy and allows for easy implementation. Conclusion: We developed a model to compare the outcomes of heart allocation policies. Combining the three immediate geographical zones in the current allocation algorithm could potentially reduce mortality rate and is closer to an optimal fair policy.
The neighbourhood roots of social cohesion: Notes on an exceptional case of Singapore
Authors: Ho KC , Chua Vincent
Published: May 2017

At a time where neighbourhood ties seem to be declining, society’s expectations remain high that such local relations can be mobilized to manage a range of social issues. From a policy perspective, can the neighbourhood do more? Analyzing five waves of pooled cross-sectional data from Singapore between 2001 and 2009, we observe significant variations in neighbouring activity across residential contexts (e.g. public vs. private) as well as across time. By using the exceptional case of Singapore (small country, strong administrative capacity and high levels of public housing ownership), our study highlights the importance of public housing allocation and provision policies in fostering higher rates of neighbouring and neighbourly sentiments (compared to private housing estates); the positive connection between neighbourhood sentiment and national sentiment; and the sustainability of such effects over time.
CD7-edited T cells expressing a CD7-specific CAR for the therapy of T-cell malignancies
Authors: Gomes-Silva Diogo , Srinivasan Madhuwanti , Sharma Sandhya , Lee Ciaran M. , Wagner Dimitrios L. , Davis Timothy H. , Rouce Rayne H. , Bao Gang , Brenner Malcolm K. , Mamonkin Maksim
Published: May 2017

Key Points

Genomic disruption of CD7 prior to CAR transduction allows generation of CD7 CAR T cells without extensive self-antigen-driven fratricide. CD7 CAR T cells have robust activity against T-cell malignancies in vitro and in vivo.