bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Common Carotid Artery Diameter and Risk of Cardiovascular Events and Mortality
Authors: Sedaghat Sanaz , van Sloten Thomas T. , Laurent Stéphane , London Gérard M. , Pannier Bruno , Kavousi Maryam , Mattace-Raso Francesco , Franco Oscar H. , Boutouyrie Pierre , Ikram M. Arfan , Stehouwer Coen D.A.
Published: May 2018

Carotid arterial diameter enlargement is a manifestation of arterial remodeling and may be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). We evaluated the association between carotid artery diameter and risk of stroke, coronary heart disease, CVD, and all-cause mortality and explored whether the associations could be explained by processes involved in arterial remodeling, that is, blood pressure–related media thickening, arterial stiffness, arterial wall stress, and atherosclerosis. We included 4887 participants (mean age 67±9 years; 54% women) from 4 cohort studies: Rotterdam Study, NEPHROTEST, Hoorn Study, and a study by Blacher et al. Common carotid artery properties were measured using echotracking. Incident cases were recorded based on medical records. We used Cox proportional hazard models adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors and estimates of processes underlying arterial remodeling. During follow-up (mean, 11 years), 379 (8%) individuals had a stroke, 516 had a (11%) coronary heart disease, 807 had a (17%) CVD, and 1486 (30%) had died. After adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors, individuals in the highest tertile of carotid diameter (diameter >8 mm) compared with those in the lowest tertile (diameter <7 mm) had a higher incidence of stroke (hazard ratio, 1.5; 95% confidence interval, 1.1–2.0). From all estimates of processes underlying arterial remodeling, adjustment for carotid intima-media thickness attenuated this association (hazard ratio after adjustment for intima-media thickness, 1.2; 95% confidence interval, 0.9–1.6). Larger carotid diameter was associated with risk of CVD and mortality but not clearly with coronary heart disease risk. We showed that a larger carotid diameter is associated with incident stroke, CVD, and mortality. Carotid intima-media thickness, a measure of blood pressure–related media thickening, partially explained the association with stroke incidence.
Low-Frequency Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Familial Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis Type 5
Authors: Bezdjian Aren , Bruijnzeel Hanneke , Pagel Julia , Daniel Sam J. , Thomeer Hans G.X.M.
Published: May 2018

Introduction:

Familial hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (FHL) is an autosomal recessive disease affecting the cytotoxic pathway. Due to the recent advances in molecular diagnosis, immuno-chemo therapy, and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation treatment, FHL survival rates have drastically increased.

Case Presentation:

Herein, we describe a case of FHL type 5 presenting with low-frequency sensorineural hearing loss. Alongside our reported case, 6 additional patients were identified in the literature.

Management and Outcome:

The progressive nature of FHL disorder may cause bilateral, low-frequency, irreversible sensorineural hearing loss. This type of hearing loss should be considered among the long-term sequelea presenting with FHL5.

Discussion:

We recommend audiological evaluation at initial FHL5 diagnosis to assess for hearing functions. Follow-up in audiology should be part of the long-term monitoring of patients with FHL5 as hearing loss could develop long after diagnosis.
Validity of the Hum Test, a Simple and Reliable Alternative to the Weber Test
Authors: Ahmed Omar H. , Gallant Sara C. , Ruiz Ryan , Wang Binhuan , Shapiro William H. , Voigt Erich P.
Published: May 2018

Objectives:

To compare the diagnostic performance of the Hum Test against the Weber Test using pure tone audiometry (PTA) as the “gold standard” comparator.

Methods:

29 participants with normal hearing of ages 18 to 35 without any history of hearing abnormalities or otologic conditions were enrolled. Subjects underwent three tests (Hum Test, Weber Test, and PTA) across two conditions: with an ear plug in one ear (side randomized) and without ear plugs.

Results:

When examining the ability of the Hum Test to detect simulated conductive hearing loss (CHL), the test had a sensitivity of 89.7% and specificity of 100% with high pitched humming and 93.1% and 100%, respectively, with low pitched humming. The Weber Test had a sensitivity and specificity of 96.6% and 100%, respectively. McNemar’s test demonstrated agreement between the Hum Test, performed with either high pitched ( P = .32) or low pitched ( P = .56) humming, and the Weber Test. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for the Hum Test (both high and low pitched) and Weber test were compared and demonstrated no statistically significant difference.

Conclusion:

The Hum Test is comparable to the Weber Test with regards to its sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy in assessing new onset unilateral CHL in previously normal hearing subjects.
Hybrid consensus sigma point approximation nonlinear filter using statistical linearization
Authors: Wang Guoqing , Li Ning , Zhang Yonggang
Published: May 2018

In this paper, a hybrid consensus sigma point approximation nonlinear filter is proposed for state estimation in collaborative sensor network, where hybrid consensus of both measurement and information is utilised. Statistical linearization of nonlinear functions is used in sigma point filters, that is, unscented Kalman filter (UKF), cubature Kalman filter (CKF), and central difference Kalman filter (CDKF). Stability of the proposed algorithm is also analysed with the help of linearization operation and some conservative assumptions. Two typical target tracking examples are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithms are more stable than existing algorithms, and among our proposed algorithms, CKF- and CDKF-based algorithms are more accurate and stable than the UKF-based one.
Funk jamming in New Orleans: Musical interaction in practice and theory
Authors: Brinck Lars
Published: May 2018

This article reports long-term fieldwork on jamming funk musicians’ interaction from a combined anthropological, ethnographic, and grounded theory perspective. The study draws from over 20 years of data collection through personal interviews with New Orleans funk musicians, personal experiences with jamming and second-lining, and participant observation of funk jam sessions and second line parades. Also the author’s personal funk jam teaching experiences are included. The article is in four parts to mark the historical phases in the longitudinal research process towards a theoretical, empirical argument for how funk musicians think and act when they jam. The final theory suggests funk jamming to be guided by overarching notions of “making the music feel good” and “making them dance” and in an iterative spiral process of “open approach,” “prioritized focusing,” “categorical reflection,” and “artistic realization.” Based on this, some educational implications for learning and teaching how to jam conclude the article.
Continuous cytokine haemoadsorption incorporated into a venoarterial ECMO circuit for the management of postcardiotomy cardiogenic and septic shock – a case report
Authors: Nemeth Endre , Szigeti Szabolcs , Varga Tamas , Daroczi Laszlo , Barati Zoltan , Merkely Bela , Gal Janos
Published: May 2018

Introduction:

The acute surgical treatment of infective endocarditis (IE) carries a high risk of postoperative mortality. Most complications are linked to uncontrolled sepsis and inflammatory processes. Cytokine haemoadsorption is an extracorporeal technique which has benefits reported in haemodynamic stability and inflammatory response.

Case Report:

A 46-year-old male patient underwent emergency cardiac surgery due to progressive IE. Postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock associated with cardiac surgery required the implantation of venoarterial (VA)-ECMO. Three days later, the patient developed secondary septic shock. The novel application of continuous CytoSorbTM treatment installed in the VA-ECMO circuit is demonstrated in this case during the management of simultaneous shocks. Advanced intensive care led to an improvement in the patient’s condition, which facilitated successful weaning from mechanical ventilation. However, the patient died from a new onset fulminant septic shock two months after his initial cardiac surgery.

Discussion:

VA-ECMO is suitable for installation of the CytoSorbTM cartridge. This modality could be an option for high-volume, continuous cytokine haemoadsorption when VA-ECMO is employed without renal replacement therapy.

Conclusion:

This specific application of CytoSorbTM was safe, feasible and contributed to the optimal management of simultaneous shocks.
Distribution characteristics of cells in splenomegaly due to hepatitis B-related cirrhotic portal hypertension and their clinical importance
Authors: Han Xiaoyu , Lv Yunfu , Li Yejuan , Deng Jie , Qiu Qingan , Liu Ning , Zhao Shuya , Liao Caixian
Published: May 2018

Objectives

To investigate peripheral cytopenia in patients with splenomegaly due to hepatitis B-related cirrhotic portal hypertension (HBRCPH) by comparing blood cell counts from enlarged spleens with peripheral blood.

Methods

This prospective study involved patients undergoing splenectomy at the Nangfang Hospital from June 2013 to December 2015. Blood cell counts from peripheral blood were compared with those from splenic blood taken during splenectomies.

Results

Clinical data were available from 30 patients. White blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC) and platelet counts were statistically significantly lower in peripheral blood compared with splenic blood. After splenectomy, peripheral blood cell counts increased significantly compared with pre-operative levels. Platelet and WBC counts in the lower spleen were significantly higher than those in the porta lienis (middle segment) and upper spleen.

Conclusions

In patients with splenomegaly due to HBRCPH, the counts of three blood cell lineages were significantly higher in the spleen than in peripheral blood. Splenectomy can aid the return of peripheral blood cell counts to normal levels. The most significant retention of platelets and WBCs occurred in the lower spleen which may be useful information for surgeons performing partial splenectomies.
Political Responsibility as a Virtue
Authors: Tholen Berry
Published: May 2018

Contemporary virtue ethics is often criticized for its silence on political issues. In this article, it is argued, however, that virtue ethical theory can provide a clarifying understanding of political responsibility. Building on the work of Nussbaum, MacIntyre, and Ricoeur, first, the virtue ethical meaning of politics is elaborated. Then, the vulnerability of politics for typical threats is presented. Finally, it is established what political responsibility as the virtue to deal with these threats encompasses.
Can music reduce national prejudice? A test of a cross-cultural musical education programme
Authors: Neto Félix , Pinto Maria da Conceição , Mullet Etienne
Published: May 2018

This study examined the impact of a cross-cultural musical program on young Portuguese adolescents’ national prejudice. Two-hundred and twenty-nine sixth-grade pupils who attended public schools in the area of Lisbon, Portugal, were first presented with two tasks measuring national prejudice: a trait attribution task comprising positive and negative personality traits, and an overall affective evaluation of in-group and out-group people. Half of the pupils were subsequently exposed, at school, to a six-month musical program that included Cape Verdean songs as well as Portuguese songs. The other half was exposed to the usual program, which comprised no songs from Cape Verde but included all the Portuguese songs. Measures of national prejudice taken at the end of the program showed that the impact of the program was specific. In the experimental group, prejudice towards Cape Verdean people was reduced whereas attitudes to other groups were not altered (Portuguese and Brazilian). In the control group no reduction for any group was observed. Measures taken three months later showed that the impact of the experimental program was enduring.
Building Consensus on an Integrated Care Pathway in Geriatric Rehabilitation: A Modified Delphi Study Among Professional Experts
Authors: Everink Irma H. J. , van Haastregt Jolanda C. M. , Kempen Gertrudis I. J. M. , Schols Jos M. G. A.
Published: May 2018

To improve continuity and coordination of care in geriatric rehabilitation, an integrated care pathway was developed in the south of the Netherlands. This study aims to reach nationwide consensus on the content and structure of this locally developed pathway using a two-round Delphi study with specialized elderly care physicians ( n = 37) as experts. In the first round, experts indicated their level of agreement on 65 statements representing the pathway on a 5-point Likert-type scale. Statements that did not gain consensus (interquartile range > 1) were redistributed to participants in Round 2. Consensus was reached on 56 statements (86%) after Round 1 and on 60 statements (92%) after Round 2. In total, 53 statements were assessed as relevant, seven statements were considered irrelevant, and five statements did not reach consensus. We conclude that there is broad nationwide consensus on the pathway, which therefore has the potential to be disseminated and implemented on a wider scale.
GIS-based planning system for managing the flow of construction and demolition waste in Brazil
Authors: Paz Diogo Henrique Fernandes da , Lafayette Kalinny Patrícia Vaz , Sobral Maria do Carmo
Published: May 2018

The objective of this article was to plan a network for municipal management of construction and demolition waste in Brazil with the assistance of a geographic information system, using the city of Recife as a case study. The methodology was carried out in three stages. The first was to map the illegal construction and demolition of waste disposal points across Recife and classify the waste according to its recyclability. In sequence, a method for indicating suitable areas for installation of voluntary delivery points, for small waste generators, are presented. Finally, a method for indicating suitable areas for the installation of trans-shipment and waste sorting areas, developed for large generators, is presented. The results show that a geographic information system is an essential tool in the planning of municipal construction and demolition waste management, in order to facilitate the spatial analysis and control the generation, sorting, collection, transportation, and final destination of construction and demolition waste, increasing the rate of recovery and recycling of materials.
Alcohol Mixed With Energy Drinks and Sexually Related Causes of Conflict in the Barroom
Authors: Ball Natalie J. , Miller Kathleen E. , Quigley Brian M. , Eliseo-Arras Rebecca K.
Published: May 2018

The popularity of alcohol mixed with energy drinks (AmED) among young adults has spurred studies that focus on its links to aggression and risk-taking behaviors, including risky sex and sexual victimization. However, no studies to date have looked at the relationship between AmED and causes of interpersonal conflict in bars at the event level. The present study evaluated whether AmED use at the time of the bar conflict was associated with greater odds that a bar conflict would be precipitated by sexually related causes. Online survey data, including a description of a recent bar conflict, were collected from a community sample of 175 young adult (97 female) AmED users age 18 to 30 in western New York state. Qualitative findings included the natural categorization of sexually related causes of conflict, consisting of unwanted sexual advances and jealousy, and the prominence of sexual competition in these conflicts. Proportion of AmED use (out of the total quantity of alcoholic drinks) predicted the odds that the bar conflict would have a sexually related cause, above and beyond control variables. How AmED use might be associated with sexual competition and conflict in the bar is discussed.
Irony, Conflict, and Tragedy in Cultural Analysis: Hip-Hop between Bourdieu and Nietzsche
Authors: Berard Timothy J. , Meeker James K.
Published: May 2018

Culture has increasingly been analyzed ironically in relation to social conflict, emphasizing themes of ideology, co-optation, and complicity in reproducing inequalities. Arguably the most sophisticated ironic cultural critique is provided by Bourdieu. Bourdieu’s critique is often criticized for reductionism, but without pursuing what is neglected by ironic reductionism. Nietzsche provides a remarkable counterpoint, offering both seminal resources for modern social criticism, and profound reflections on culture’s potential to affirm life with integrity and authenticity. Nietzsche’s analysis of classical Greek tragedy suggests how culture can collectively affirm life through art without illusions. The relative emphases and insights of these two critics are contrasted here in relation to the cultural phenomenon of hip-hop, addressing latent ideological baggage but also its social activism and tragic-realist aesthetic. Grounded in this discussion of hip-hop as predictably compromised, but also incisively defiant and painfully honest, a challenge is posed for cultural analysis to be critical without being dismissive of existential and aesthetic questions, or blind to the potentials of popular culture. Culture is neither as derivative as much social criticism would suggest, nor as autonomous as many artists and art critics would suggest. Cultural studies therefore must find a middle way, navigating between cynicism and naiveté.
Brand Strategy Co-Creation in a Nonprofit Context: A Strategy-as-Practice Approach
Authors: Vallaster Christine , von Wallpach Sylvia
Published: May 2018

Literature increasingly acknowledges stakeholders’ voluntary involvement in formerly internal processes and structures of nonprofit organizations. This article contributes to extant literature by investigating how stakeholders get involved in and co-create brand strategy, a core intangible asset for nonprofit organizations. To this end, the article conceptualizes the process of nonprofit brand strategy co-creation from a strategy-as-practice perspective and empirically investigates this process in the context of a child care facility. The article identifies four processes characterizing strategic branding praxis—informing, relating, caring, and reassuring—that manifest in a variety of situated practices and foster the maintenance of a strategic status quo. The data further show a dynamic interplay of stability and adaptation shaped by individual, organizational, and market contexts. These findings provide the basis for proposing a model of brand strategy co-creation that synthesizes the social and contextual dynamics characterizing brand strategy development in a nonprofit context.
Application of the auxiliary wheel cleaning jet in the plunge cylindrical grinding with Minimum Quantity Lubrication technique under various flow rates
Authors: Bianchi Eduardo C , Rodriguez Rafael L , Hildebrandt Rodolfo A , Lopes José C , de Mello Hamilton J , de Aguiar Paulo R , da Silva Rosemar B , Jackson Mark J
Published: May 2018

Minimum Quantity Lubrication is an alternative technique to conventional techniques that are related to environmental sustainability and economic benefits. This technique promotes the substantial reduction of the amount of coolant employed in machining processes, representing a mitigation of risks to people’s health that are involved with the process. On the other hand, it has been reported in the literature that some problems of using the Minimum Quantity Lubrication technique can impair the grinding efficiency. One of these problems is associated with wheel clogging phenomenon, which is caused by inefficient chip removal from the cutting zone as well as from mixture of metal dust and oil accumulated on the wheel surface during grinding. If chips lodge inside the pores of the grinding wheel as machining progresses, they will adversely affect dimensional and geometric quality of final product. Also, this will require more frequent dressing. A solution for this problem can be an effective cleaning system of the abrasive wheel during grinding with the traditional Minimum Quantity Lubrication technique Assisted with Wheel Cleaning Jet. In this context and aiming to explore the various potential health, environmental and economic benefits that have been widely reported in the literature about the use of Minimum Quantity Lubrication technique in grinding, this study presents an application of the Minimum Quantity Lubrication technique at flow rates (30, 60 and 120 mL/h) and assisted with wheel cleaning jet (Minimum Quantity Lubrication + Assisted with Wheel Cleaning Jet) in plunge grinding of a hardened steel with an aluminum oxide wheel. Experiments were also carried out with traditional Minimum Quantity Lubrication (without wheel cleaning) and with the conventional coolant techniques for comparison. The output variables were geometrical errors (surface roughness and roundness) of the workpiece, diametric wheel wear, acoustic emission, vibration and tangential cutting force. Results showed that Minimum Quantity Lubrication + Assisted with Wheel Cleaning Jet (with wheel cleaning jet) not only outperformed the traditional Minimum Quantity Lubrication technique in all the parameters analyzed, but in some cases it proved to be compatible with the conventional coolant technique under the conditions investigated. Also, most of values of the output parameters tested decreased with increase in flow rate.
A physics-based turbocharger model for automotive diesel engine control applications
Authors: Song Kang , Upadhyay Devesh , Xie Hui
Published: May 2018

Control-oriented models of turbocharger processes such as the compressor mass flow rate, the compressor power, and the variable geometry turbine power are presented. In a departure from approaches that rely on ad hoc empirical relationships and/or supplier provided performance maps, models based on turbomachinery physics and known geometries are attempted. The compressor power model is developed using Euler’s equations of turbomachinery, where the gas velocity exiting the rotor is estimated from an empirically identified correlation for the ratio between the radial and tangential components of the gas velocity. The compressor mass flow rate is modeled based on mass conservation, by approximating the compressor as an adiabatic converging-diverging nozzle with compressible fluid driven by external work input from the compressor wheel. The variable geometry turbine power is developed with Euler’s equations, where the turbine exit swirl and the gas acceleration in the vaneless space are neglected. The gas flow direction into the turbine rotor is assumed to align with the orientation of the variable geometry turbine vane. The gas exit velocity is calculated, similar to the compressor, based on an empirical model for the ratio between the turbine rotor inlet and exit velocities. A power loss model is also proposed that allows proper accounting of power transfer between the turbine and compressor. Model validation against experimental data is presented.
Design optimization of an automobile torque arm using global and successive surrogate modeling approaches
Authors: Acar Erdem , Tüten Nahide , Güler Mehmet Ali
Published: May 2018

The design of lightweight automotive structures has become a prevalent practice in the automotive industry. This study focuses on design optimization of an automobile torque arm subjected to cyclic loading. Starting from an available initial design, the shape of the torque arm is optimized for minimum weight such that the fatigue life of the torque arm does not fall below that of the initial design and the maximum von Mises stress developed in the torque arm does not exceed that of the initial design. The stresses are computed using ANSYS finite element software, and the fatigue life is calculated using the Smith–Watson–Topper model. Surrogate-based optimization approach is used to reduce the computational cost. Optimization results based on global surrogate modeling and successive surrogate modeling approaches are compared. It is found that the successive surrogate modeling approach results in 28.7% weight reduction for the torque arm, whereas the global surrogate modeling approach results in 25.7% weight saving for the torque arm.
Application of fuzzy data fusion theory in fault diagnosis of rotating machinery
Authors: Jafari Hamideh , Poshtan Javad , Sadeghi Hamed
Published: May 2018

In this article, the most common induction motor faults including bearing outer race defect, broken rotor bar, and short-circuit of stator windings are diagnosed with high reliability. The decentralized fuzzy-integral data fusion method is used for information fusion in feature level. In the proposed scheme, the feature vectors are constructed using signatures created by time-domain characteristics obtained from stator three-phase current measurements. Partial matching of each feature is calculated by the fuzzy c-mean classifier algorithm, and features with high diagnosis ability are fused by Choquet fuzzy integral. The technique is validated experimentally on the 4 hp induction motor of an electropump, and the results are presented.
Real-time implementation of self-tuning regulator control technique for coupled tank industrial process system
Authors: Ayten Kagan Koray , Dumlu Ahmet , Kaleli Aliriza
Published: May 2018

This article presents the self-tuning regulator control technique for a coupled tank liquid level system that often used in industry. An autoregressive with exogenous model has been used as the liquid process model with the self-tuning control implementation in order to track the desired tank level trajectories with disturbances and uncertainties of the system dynamics. The designed self-tuning controller has been sensitive to parameter variations of the nonlinear coupled tank system. The parameters of the proposed controller are periodically updated themselves during the process by means of online recursive least square method with the forgetting factor algorithm. In this way, the parameter variations and unwanted disturbances of the system are eliminated in real-time application. In order to demonstrate the efficiency of the self-tuning regulator control technique, the real-time studies have been executed. The obtained experimental results demonstrated that the proposed controller gives the better trajectory tracking performance and smaller magnitude in overshot and undershot than the designed classical proportional–integral and sliding mode controllers.
A self-learning propotional–integral–derivative control of grouting pressure using the back-propagation model
Authors: Li Fengling , Hou Zhixiang , Chen Juan
Published: May 2018

For the security of grouting process of dam foundation, grouting pressure control is one of the most important problems. In order to avoid dangerous grouting pressure fluctuation and improve the control precision, a feedback propotional–integral–derivative control method was presented for the whole grouting system. Because the grouting pressure is affected by many factors such as grouting flow, grouts density, and geological conditions, the parameters of propotional–integral–derivative must be tuned. In this article, the adaptive tuning method is presented. The back-propagation artificial neural networks model was proposed to simulate the grouting control process, and sensitivity analysis algorithm based on orthogonal test method was adopted for the selection of input variables. To obtain the optimal propotional–integral–derivative parameters, an iteration algorithm was used in each sampling interval time and the discrete Lyapunov function of the tracking error. The simulation results showed that self-learning propotional–integral–derivative tuning was robust and effective for the realization of the automatic control device in the grouting process.
SAARC for Geopolitical Symbolism
Authors: Singh Manasi
Published: May 2018

Unlike its other counterparts, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) as the first of its kind experiment at regional integration in South Asia has almost reached a point of stagnation. The idea that was flagged off in 1985 has not delivered significant returns either as a forum to enhance intra-regional trade or as an institutional platform for conflict management and dialogue. This article argues that the SAARC as an idea has not been seen more than a geopolitical symbol of regional cooperation in South Asia. As global power pivots towards Asia, a stable and integrated South Asia could well be a game changer. However, the regional organisation has not been able to embody the spirit of multilateralism and remains on the sidelines, marred by long-standing bilateral issues. States in South Asia are either looking beyond the region or investing in subregional initiatives to further their interests.
How to Uncover Sources of Unwarranted Practice Variation: A Case Study in Emergency Medicine
Authors: Feufel Markus A.
Published: May 2018

Forty years of statistical database analyses have demonstrated the existence of unwarranted practice variation in care delivery, that is, variations independent of medical need, evidence, or patient preference. Alas, little is known about the underlying mechanisms and thus finding interventions to reduce unwarranted variations remains difficult, hampering quality, equity, and efficiency of care. Whereas statistical analyses describe deviations from ideal patterns, ethnographically inspired analyses aim at understanding when, how, and why variations occur in practice. Based on case studies derived from shadowing emergency physicians, I demonstrate that analyzing practice variation in practice helps to (a) advance the understanding of mechanisms and (b) evaluate/expand the existing repertoire of interventions. Results revealed unmet expectations and new sources of known variations as well as interventions complementing systemic changes with those that empower individuals to better cope with the existing system. These findings highlight the benefits of mixed-methods for understanding and tackling practice variation.
Community Efforts to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities: Challenges and Facilitators Identified by 16 Multistakeholder Alliances
Authors: Hamil Jaime , Yonek Juliet , Mahmud Yasmin , Kang Raymond , Garrett Ariane , Duckett Philethea , Jean-Jacques Muriel
Published: May 2018

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Aligning Forces for Quality (AF4Q) program aimed to improve health care quality and reduce racial and ethnic disparities in 16 diverse communities in the United States from 2006 to 2015; yet most communities failed to make substantive progress toward advancing health care equity by the program’s end. This qualitative analysis of key stakeholder interviews aims to identify the major contributors to success versus failure in addressing local health disparities during AF4Q and identified five major themes. Three themes highlight challenges related to collecting local data on racial and ethnic health disparities and transitioning from data collection to action. Two themes capture the critical contribution of stakeholder engagement and access to technical expertise to successful efforts. The challenges and facilitators experienced by these 16 AF4Q communities may help inform the disparities reduction efforts of other communities and guide state or federal policies to reduce health disparities.
Order out of Chaos: The Case for a New Conceptualization of the Cross-Boundary Instruments of American Regionalism
Authors: Miller David , Nelles Jen
Published: May 2018

In the absence of consensus about which organizations matter or are the “right” manifestations of American regional intergovernmentalism scholarship has had to develop an imprecisely defined and tacitly circulated perception of regions and the cross-boundary organizations that embody them. Even where effort has been made to establish a broad and consistent definition for regional cross-boundary organizations these standards have been applied loosely and with notable exceptions. We argue that the lack of conceptual precision and consensus, to date, makes large-scale comparative research difficult and prone to potential blind spots. We offer a framework within which we can unify these different pieces. Rather than focusing on organization type, or geographical scales, we propose a system of identifying and studying regional organizations by five core attributes. We submit these regional intergovernmental organizations (RIGOs) as a conceptual lingua franca that transcends organizational nomenclature and statistical constructs and enables broad, methodologically rigorous, comparative research.
Advancing a Model of Dining
Authors: Roberts Chris , Shea Linda J. , Johanson Misty
Published: May 2018

Dining is the process of consuming food, regardless of the setting; however, human behaviors appear to vary depending on the setting. A model of dining is considered when viewed through the lens of dining at home, in the local community, and while traveling far away from home. The concepts introduced by Roberts and Shea (2017) are advanced in this conceptual article with the goal toward generating a model of dining behaviors.
Contributions Toward a Theory of Lodging
Authors: Roberts Chris , Shea Linda J. , Johanson Misty
Published: May 2018

Theory building is a scholarly pursuit that requires rigor in the process of observation, classification, and then defining relationships. The first step of observation in exploring a potential theory of lodging began with the initial perspectives offered by Roberts and Shea, where the behavior of the guest was noticed as different while at home versus during an overnight stay at a commercial lodging establishment. In this article, the next step of model building is explored.
Transmitting acoustic phenomena and aural illusions: Examples from Athanasius Kircher’s Phonosophia anacamptica
Authors: Tronchin Lamberto , Knight David J
Published: May 2018

This article continues the preliminary exploration of the sonic observations of Athanasius Kircher, namely, the first book of his Phonurgiæ Nova (1673), the Phonosophia anacamptica (Tronchin, Durvilli and Tarabusi). This book analyzes in particular sound propagation in enclosed spaces. In this work, Kircher also describes the statua citofonica, or ‘talking statue’, in relation to the magical effect created by aural illusion and the famous ancient Egyptian acoustical phenomenon and cultural sound-mark associated with the Colossus of Memnon, the famous lost sound phenomenon of the northern of the two colossi of Amenhotep III in the Theban Necropolis, near Luxor, Egypt, that reportedly emitted a sound with the first and final daily touch of sunlight at dawn and dusk. This article aims to describe, analyse and comment on the 17th century contributions of Athanasius Kircher by understanding his Phonosophia anacamptica and the contemporary intellectual context in which he worked. This article differs from our former work; for example, in this article, an earlier example of Francis Bacon’s methods of enquiry into acoustic phenomena illustrates differences with Kircher’s own line of inquiry. We show how Kircher accepts and embraces a Baroque fascination for the ‘marvellous world’ and the allegiance between science and magic, specifically with the mysterious magical affect of sound through the construction of interior listening strategies, or aural espionage, as in the Heidelberg Palace, the Villa Simonetta, and via talking statues such as the Colossus of Memnon.
Does continuing family-based treatment for adolescent anorexia nervosa improve outcomes in those not remitted after 20 sessions?
Authors: Wallis Andrew , Miskovic-Wheatley Jane , Madden Sloane , Alford Colleen , Rhodes Paul , Touyz Stephen
Published: May 2018

Objective:

Our aim was to investigate the benefit of ongoing family-based treatment (FBT) sessions for adolescent anorexia nervosa if remission criteria were not met at session 20.

Method:

Participants were 69 medically unstable adolescents with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed; DSM-IV) anorexia nervosa from a randomized controlled trial investigating length of hospital admission prior to outpatient FBT. Participants were divided post hoc into those meeting remission criteria at session 20 ( n = 16), those that had not remitted but continued with FBT ( n = 39) and those who ceased FBT undertaking alternative treatments ( n = 14). Outcome was assessed as remission and hospital readmission days at 12 months after FBT session 20.

Results:

There were no differences between groups at baseline. There was a significant difference in the use of hospital admission days with those in the Alternate Treatment Group who did not continue with FBT using 71.93 days compared to those in Additional FBT Group with only 12.51 days ( F(2, 66) = 13.239, p < .01). At 12 months after FBT session 20, the Additional FBT Group had a 28.2% increase in remission rate, significantly higher than those in the Alternate Treatment Group (χ2(2) = 17.68, p  < .001).

Discussion:

Continuing FBT after session 20 if remission is not achieved can significantly reduce hospital readmission days and improve remission rates.
Coping with post-war mental health problems among survivors of violence in Northern Uganda: Findings from the WAYS study
Authors: Amone-P’Olak Kennedy , Omech Bernard
Published: May 2018

Cognitive emotion regulation strategies and mental health problems were assessed in a sample of war-affected youth in Northern Uganda. Univariable and multivariable regression models were fitted to assess the influence of CERS on mental health problems. Maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies (e.g., rumination) were significantly associated with more mental health problems while adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies (e.g., putting into perspective) were associated with reporting fewer symptoms of mental health problems. The youth with significant scores on mental health problems (scores ≥ 85th percentile) reported more frequent use of maladaptive than adaptive strategies. Interventions to reduce mental health problems should focus on enhancing the use of adaptive strategies.
Representing the middle-class ‘hipster’: Emerging modes of distinction, generational oppositions and gentrification
Authors: le Grand Elias
Published: May 2018

This article explores how representations of the ‘hipster’ in newspapers and on blogs are bound up with processes of class distinction in contemporary Britain. The analysis demonstrates that the hipster is a contested middle-class social type who is the object of both denigration and prestige. The hipster is typically represented as a young person associated with the middle-class fraction of the cultural intermediaries who is engaged in a particular set of reflexive and trendy consumption practices, often performed in gentrified urban spaces and linked to the creative industries. The article suggests that the disputed status of ‘hipster cool’ is indicative of shifting class distinctions in cultural taste and classificatory struggles within the middle class between generational groupings that involve questions of authenticity. Such contestations are reflected by the increasing legitimacy of emerging forms of cultural capital rooted in popular culture and embraced by young people, and the waning symbolic power of traditional highbrow culture associated with an older generation of middle-class people. It is also argued that the classificatory struggles over hipster tastes and lifestyles have a spatial dimension as bound up with the public controversies and social anxieties linked to gentrification in neoliberal Britain.
Social and biological intergroup hierarchy beliefs: A cross-cultural comparison between the US and South Korea
Authors: Shin Hyeyoung , Dovidio John F. , Napier Jaime L , Stangor Charles G. , Uleman James S.
Published: May 2018

The present research investigated social and biological intergroup hierarchy beliefs in the US and South Korea, representative Northern European-heritage and East Asian cultures, respectively. We hypothesized that individual-orientation (the emphasis on individuals and individual achievements) and group-orientation (the emphasis on groups and efficient functioning of groups) would predict social and biological hierarchy beliefs differently within and between these cultures. As expected, intergroup hierarchy beliefs were stronger in South Korea than in the US, particularly for biological hierarchy beliefs. Multigroup structural equation modeling analyses revealed that group-orientation predicted intergroup hierarchy beliefs across cultures, but more strongly in South Korea than in the US. Also, an emphasis on individual achievements predicted social hierarchy beliefs only in the US, whereas an emphasis on roles/positions within groups predicted social and biological hierarchy beliefs only in South Korea. Results implied that intergroup hierarchy beliefs may be generally associated with group-orientation and the value of competence or efficiency in each culture.
Damage assessment of bridge piers subjected to vehicle collision
Authors: Zhou Deyuan , Li Ruiwen
Published: May 2018

In this article, a method was proposed to assess damage of the bridge piers subjected to vehicle collision with the help of the detailed numerical model. Nonlinear material constitutive laws considering the strain rate effect were adopted in the models. Validation was performed by comparing the numerical results with the available experimental results in terms of impact force, displacement, and failure pattern. Based on the validated numerical models, the failure process and different damage levels of the piers under impacts were analyzed. The results showed a four-stage failure process as well as four damage levels with the increase of the vehicle impact force. According to the numerical study, a new damage index and the corresponding assessment criterion were defined to assess damage of the impacted pier. A vehicle impact force equation and a half-sine impact impulse were developed for damage index.
Shaking table test of reinforced concrete coupled shear walls with single layer of web reinforcement and inclined steel bars
Authors: Zhang Jianwei , Zheng Wenbin , Yu Cheng , Cao Wanlin
Published: May 2018

In this study, five 1/4 scaled shaking table tests were conducted to investigate the seismic performance of reinforced concrete coupled shear walls with single layer of web reinforcement and inclined steel bars. The five tested coupled shear walls included three models with normal opening ratio (19%) and two models with large hole ratio (27%). The three models with normal opening included one model with single layer of web reinforcement, two models with single layer of web reinforcement and 75° inclined steel bars in the limbs’ web or at the bottom. Two reinforced concrete coupled shear walls with large hole and single row of reinforcements also were tested with inclined reinforcements or without them. The dynamic characteristics, dynamic response, and failure mode of each model were compared and analyzed. The test and analysis results demonstrate that the inclined steel bars are identified as an efficient means of limiting overall deformation, increasing energy dissipation, and reducing the possible damage by earthquake for reinforced concrete coupled shear walls with single layer of web reinforcement. Thus, reinforced concrete coupled shear walls with inclined steel bars have better seismic performance than reinforced concrete coupled shear walls without inclined steel bars. With appropriate design, reinforced concrete coupled shear walls with single layer of web reinforcement and inclined steel bars can be applied in multi-story buildings.
Analytical study to evaluate the effect of higher modes of reinforced concrete moment-resisting frames with thin steel shear wall under simple pulse
Authors: Salimbahrami S Reza , Gholhaki Majid
Published: May 2018

The response of flexible structures with long period to near-fault earthquakes shows an imposed demand on these structures which exceeds their capacity. Also, the relationship between frequency content of earthquake and the main frequency of structure is a significant parameter to the response of structure. Therefore, the sensitivity of the response of structure to period of pulse and the lack of enough records for near-fault earthquakes with different amounts of period of pulse is the most important challenge of structural analysis. Of all methods for this analysis, proposed model by Agraval was used in this study. To achieve this goal, various ratios of period of pulse to main period of structure ( Tp/ T1) were considered, where the effect of higher modes on estimating displacement demands was assessed. Meanwhile, the distribution of shear forces for 6-, 12-, and 24-story reinforced concrete moment frames with steel shear wall was evaluated. The results showed that maximum displacement and force demands were obtained for different structures with Tp/ T1 = 1. Meanwhile, by increasing the number of stories, the effect of higher modes decreased and structures tended to fluctuate in first mode. Furthermore, the most effect of higher modes was obtained for shear force at the roof ( Vroof) and then base shear force ( Vbase), where displacement of roof ( Uroof) did not have any effect on the period of models.
Effects of central stabilizing barriers on flutter performances of a suspension bridge with a truss-stiffened deck under skew winds
Authors: Zhu Ledong , Tan Xiao , Guo Zhenshan , Ding Quanshun
Published: May 2018

To improve the flutter performance of a suspension bridge with a 1088-m-span truss-stiffened deck, the aerodynamic measures of upper and lower central stabilizing barriers were investigated at first via wind tunnel tests of sectional model under the normal wind condition. The yaw wind effect on the flutter performance of the bridge with the above aerodynamic measures was then examined via a series of wind tunnel tests of oblique sectional models. The test results show that the effect of the lower central stabilizing barrier on the flutter critical wind speed is remarkably different from that of the upper central stabilizing barrier for both the normal and skew wind cases. The inclination angle +3° is the most unfavorable inclination angle to the flutter performance of the truss-stiffened suspension bridge no matter whether the aerodynamic control measures are adopted or not. Furthermore, for most cases, the lowest flutter critical wind speed occurs when the incident wind deviates from the normal direction of the bridge span by a small yaw angle between 5° and 10°.