bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Modern Dilemma: How Experts Grapple with Ambiguous Genetic Test Results
Authors: Scherr Courtney L. , Ross Arguedas Amy A. , Getachew-Smith Hannah , Marshall-Fricker Charlotte , Shrestha Neeha , Brooks Kayla , Fischhoff Baruch , Vadaparampil Susan T.
Published: July 2020

Objective. Clinicians regularly use panel genetic testing to identify hereditary breast cancer risk, but this practice increases the rate of receiving an ambiguous test result, the variant of uncertain significance (VUS). VUS results are a growing and long-term challenge for providers and have caused negative patient outcomes. The objective of this study was to elicit expert opinions about patients’ decision making after receiving a VUS result to provide future guidance for VUS disclosure. Methods. Using an adapted mental models approach, experts ( N = 25) completed an online survey and in-depth interview eliciting qualitative judgments of the factors relevant to informed patient decision making after receiving a VUS result. Content analysis of interview transcripts clarified the basis for these judgments. Results. Participants identified 11 decisions facing patients after receiving VUS results grouped into ambiguity management or risk management. The experts also identified 24 factors relevant to each decision, which reflected 2 themes: objective factors (e.g., clinical information, guidelines) and psychosocial factors (e.g., understanding or risk perception). Conclusion. This study presents an adaptation of the mental models approach for communication under conditions of ambiguity. Findings suggest providers who present VUS results from genetic testing for hereditary breast cancer should discuss decisions related to ambiguity management that focus on hope for future reclassification, and be directive when discussing risk management decisions. Objective and psychosocial factors should influence both ambiguity and risk management decisions, but especially risk management decisions.
Red cell distribution width is correlated with all-cause mortality of patients in the coronary care unit
Authors: Peng Yangpei , Guan Xueqiang , Wang Jie , Ma Jun
Published: July 2020

Objective

The predictive value of red blood cell distribution width (RDW) in patients in the coronary care unit (CCU) remains unknown. This study aimed to examine the prognostic value of RDW in these patients.

Methods

Clinical data were extracted from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care-III database. Baseline data were collected within 24 hours after patients’ first admission to the CCU. The outcomes of our study were 30-day and 90-day mortality.

Results

A total of 8254 patients were included and their mean age was 66.9 ± 15.8 years (56% were men). For 30-day all-cause mortality, the hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) of the medium RDW (13.7–15.3) and high-RDW groups > 15.3) were 1.72 (1.55, 1.91) and 2.57 (2.33, 2.85), respectively, compared with the reference group in an unadjusted model. This association remained similar in multivariate models. Similar correlations were observed for 90-day all-cause mortality. The areas under the curve of RDW and the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score were 0.625 and 0.692, respectively.

Conclusions

RDW is correlated with an increased risk of 30-day and 90-day mortality of patients in the CCU. The predictive value of RDW is not as good as that of the SOFA score.
Pre-treatment Factors Affecting Post-treatment Velopharyngeal Incompetency in Patients with Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Treated with Maxillary Rigid External Distraction
Authors: Agarwal S. S. , Londhe Sanjay , Mitra Rajat , Datana Sanjeev
Published: July 2020

Introduction: Maxillary advancement (MA) with rigid external distraction (RED) to correct mid-face deficiency in adult cases with cleft lip and palate (CLP) may trigger velopharyngeal incompetency (VPI) post-surgically.

Aim and objectives: To determine pre-treatment factors affecting worsening of post-surgical VPI in patients with repaired unilateral CLP who underwent MA with RED.

Material and methods: Treatment records of 10 patients with unilateral CLP who underwent MA with RED were selected from institutional archives. All patients underwent clinical evaluation of velopharyngeal function at T1 (1 week before surgery) and T2 (3 months after surgery). Based on post-surgical VPI status, patients were divided into 2 groups: group 1 (no change in VPI) and group 2 (worsened VPI). Lateral cephalograms were manually traced at T1 and T2 to determine the changes in length of soft palate (LSP) and pharyngeal depth (PD) at T2. The information regarding amount of MA and presence of pre-surgical VPI was obtained from case sheets of patients.

Results: Mean LSP and PD at T2 were higher compared to T1 ( p-value < .001). No significant difference was observed in mean pre-surgical age, gender, pre-surgical LSP, and pre-surgical PD between the study groups ( p-value > .05 for all). The worsened VPI post-surgically was significantly associated with the presence of VPI pre-surgically and also with the amount of MA ( p-value < .05 for both).

Conclusions: Amount of MA and presence of pre-surgical VPI are most important factors affecting post-surgical VPI. Prospective studies are recommended to validate the findings of this study.
Financial Advice for Difficult Times: 2 Sides of a Coin
Authors: Anshul Kumar , Mehta Shrey
Published: July 2020

This article invites 2 experts having knowledge of financial management: one from within the dental fraternity and one from outside to assist the orthodontists (academic and practitioners alike) to help provide some guidance to sail through these turbulent times. With the COVID-19 pandemic, we are witnessing an unprecedented moment in history that has impacted the entire globe at a never before seen scale. This coronavirus has resulted in a double black swan event where there is a health and financial pandemic at the same time. As orthodontists, you are also corona warriors and part of the first line of defense! But even you would be facing a decrease in patients and earnings, maybe even an increase in your expenses as you are battling through this pandemic. These turbulent times have greatly affected businesses and livelihoods, and everyone wants to know the best thing that they can do to manage and optimize their personal finances.
Variable-Capacity Operations with Modular Transits for Shared-Use Corridors
Authors: Shi Xiaowei , Chen Zhiwei , Pei Mingyang , Li Xiaopeng
Published: July 2020

Since passenger demand in urban transit systems is asymmetrically distributed across different periods in a day and different geographic locations across the cities, the tradeoff between vehicle operating costs and service quality has been a persistent problem in transit operational design. The emerging modular vehicle technology offers us a new perspective to solve this problem. Based on this concept, we propose a variable-capacity operation approach with modular transits for shared-use corridors, in which both dispatch headway and vehicle capacity are decision variables. This problem is rigorously formulated as a mixed integer linear programming model that aims to minimize the overall system cost, including passenger waiting time costs and vehicle operating costs. Because the proposed model is linear, the state-of-the-art commercial solvers (e.g., Gurobi) can be used to obtain the optimal solution of the investigated problem. With numerical experiments, we demonstrate the feasibility of the mathematical model, verify the effectiveness of the proposed model in reducing overall system costs in transit systems, as well as the robustness of the proposed model with different parameter settings.
Eco Look-Ahead Control of Battery Electric Vehicles and Roadway Grade Effects
Authors: Ahn Kyoungho , Rakha Hesham A. , Park Sangjun
Published: July 2020

Roadway grade is one of the major variables that affects a vehicle’s energy consumption. This study demonstrates the potential benefits of an eco look-ahead control for battery electric vehicles (BEVs). The proposed eco look-ahead controller was developed for the lead vehicle of a platoon of BEVs. The eco look-ahead control predicts the optimum speed and acceleration levels within a preset speed window to minimize energy consumption considering the instantaneous energy used and the regenerated energy. The developed BEV eco look-ahead control system integrates a BEV energy consumption model and a powertrain model to save fuel while maintaining vehicle speed within a user-specified window. In addition, the study demonstrates the effects of roadway grade on BEV energy consumption. The results show that the energy consumption of BEVs are significantly reduced on downhill roads compared with internal combustion engine vehicles owing to regenerative braking. Specifically, testing showed that BEVs could even produce extra energy on downhill roads. The study also tested the eco look-ahead control on an 18-km section of I-81 and found that the system produced savings of 8.51% and 26.88% in the uphill and downhill directions, respectively. This study demonstrated that regenerative energy in BEVs is a critical factor in energy efficiency and the developed eco look-ahead control significantly improved the energy efficiency for BEVs.
A modified stability analysis method of landfills dependent on gas pressure
Authors: Liu Chao , Shi Jianyong , Lv Yaru , Shao Guojian
Published: July 2020

Excessive gas pressure (GP) in landfills is a potential triggering mechanism for slope failure, which is rarely considered in analytical models. This paper presents a modified analytical model for landfill stability dependent on GP. A two-layered GP model is established to describe the GP above and below the leachate level. The distribution of GP is then used to calculate the factor of safety (FS) using a modified wedge stability analysis method. It is found that the lack of consideration of the GP in landfill stability analysis leads to serious overestimation of the FS. In addition, the GP gas pressure within the landfill accelerates the critical interface of a multilayer liner system shifting from one to another. A new estimation criterion for FS is proposed. The proposed criterion can directly estimate the stability of the landfill by the field-tested pore pressure. Finally, the proposed method is applied to estimate the slope failure of Xiaping landfill in Shenzhen, and the results verify the proposed method.
Application of risk analysis to landfills in Italy: Developed and tested methodology at provincial level
Authors: Gibellini Silvia , Vaccari Mentore
Published: July 2020

In the Italian authorization procedure for the construction of a landfill, the risk analysis (RA) is mandatory in case of request for derogation from the current legislation (Ministerial Decree (D.M.) 27 September 2010) in order to demonstrate that there is no risk for the environment. This paper describes the experience of the Province of Brescia, public body appointed for giving authorizations for new landfills, and its collaboration with the University of Brescia for the specific topic of RA applied to landfills. The research was undertaken because a lack of complete and specific indications about the application of such methodology to landfills has been identified. In particular, the province of Brescia faced the issue of verifying the proper application of such methodology in relevant cases. After referring to the legal and technical framework, including the current national legislation and a summary of the technical documents available for the topic (guidelines and instructions by technical bodies), the paper outlines the technical-preliminary approach applied by the Province of Brescia. This is complemented by a description of the methodological approach followed for RA for groundwater and for gaseous emissions, with a focus on biogas, together with the presentation of the results for three relevant case studies. The critical aspects that were faced and the proposal to overcome them, which are under discussion with the responsible bodies, are described as well.
Artificial Intelligence in Lung Cancer: Bridging the Gap Between Computational Power and Clinical Decision-Making
Authors: Christie Jaryd R. , Lang Pencilla , Zelko Lauren M. , Palma David A. , Abdelrazek Mohamed , Mattonen Sarah A.
Published: July 2020

Lung cancer remains the most common cause of cancer death worldwide. Recent advances in lung cancer screening, radiotherapy, surgical techniques, and systemic therapy have led to increasing complexity in diagnosis, treatment decision-making, and assessment of recurrence. Artificial intelligence (AI)–based prediction models are being developed to address these issues and may have a future role in screening, diagnosis, treatment selection, and decision-making around salvage therapy. Imaging plays an essential role in all components of lung cancer management and has the potential to play a key role in AI applications. Artificial intelligence has demonstrated value in prognostic biomarker discovery in lung cancer diagnosis, treatment, and response assessment, putting it at the forefront of the next phase of personalized medicine. However, although exploratory studies demonstrate potential utility, there is a need for rigorous validation and standardization before AI can be utilized in clinical decision-making. In this review, we will provide a summary of the current literature implementing AI for outcome prediction in lung cancer. We will describe the anticipated impact of AI on the management of patients with lung cancer and discuss the challenges of clinical implementation of these techniques.
Comparing “Individual Health” Message Framing to “Organizational Efficiency” Message Framing to Encourage Adoption of Wearable Health Technologies at Work
Authors: Kwong Jillian K. , Cruz Ignacio , Murphy Sheila T.
Published: July 2020

Purpose:

To determine the relative impact of framing on employee intention to adopt wearable technology (eg, Fitbits) at work.

Setting and Design:

Posttest only online experiment utilizing a 2 (framing: organizational efficiency vs individual health) × 2 (financial incentive: absent vs present) between-subjects design.

Participants:

Participants (N = 310) were 18 years or older, currently employed, and residing in the United States.

Measures:

Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) subscale on behavioral intent (modified for wearable technology).

Analysis:

Chi-square and between-subjects analysis of variance.

Results:

Participants receiving the organizational efficiency frame ( M = 3.97) expressed significantly lower intention to adopt a wearable compared to the individual health frame ( M = 4.37), F2,308 = 3.99, P = .047. Financial incentives had a positive effect on adoption intention ( M = 4.39 with incentive, M = 3.95 no incentive), F2,308 = 4.46, P = .036. The main effects of frame and incentive were additive, with participants in the individual health with incentive condition (n = 78, M = 4.60) expressing the highest intention to adopt and organizational efficiency without incentive expressing the lowest adoption intention (n = 77, M = 3.80; P = .03).

Conclusions:

Messaging emphasizing individual health benefits plus financial incentives might prove most successful when encouraging adoption of wearables at work.
Mental Health Risk Among Members of the Millennial Population Cohort: A Concern for Public Health
Authors: Lucero Julie E. , Emerson Amber D. , Bowser Teysha , Koch Brandon
Published: July 2020

Purpose:

Within the millennial population cohort, identify groups reporting increased risk of nonspecific psychological distress. As the largest living population cohort, taking stock of health and well-being early is necessary as substantial national resources may be needed as this cohort ages.

Design:

The 2017 National Health Interview Survey data, an annual multipurpose survey of the US population, was used.

Sample:

A sample of 7303 respondents were created by limiting data set to birth years 1980 to 1998.

Measures:

Outcomes were feeling like everything is an effort, worthlessness, hopelessness, restlessness, nervousness, and sadness. Combined these statements of feeling make up a measure of nonspecific psychological distress, past 30 days.

Analysis:

A logistic regression was performed on each outcome. All models controlled for demographic variables known to be associated with psychological distress.

Results:

Females are 1.4 times more likely than males to report nonspecific psychological distress ( P < .001), whereas Hispanics and Blacks are less likely to report nonspecific psychological distress (odds ratio [OR] = 0.49, OR = 0.57, P < .001). American Indians were less likely to report worthlessness (OR = 0.30, P < .05). However, multiple race individuals increasingly reported hopelessness (OR = 1.55, P < .05). Young adults are less likely than emerging adults to report sadness (OR = 0.85, P < .05).

Conclusion:

In this sample, racial/ethnic groups fared better than referent groups. Health programs need to integrate intersectional identities into promotion of mental health.
Geodemographies of Breastfeeding Support
Authors: Grubesic Tony H. , Durbin Kelly M.
Published: July 2020

Background

Mother-to-mother breastfeeding support organizations provide important information and guidance for helping mothers initiate and maintain breastfeeding, postpartum. However, the availability of this support is limited by a constellation of barriers, including race, culture, socioeconomic status, and geography.

Research aims

To identify the geodemographic composition of communities where breastfeeding support was available from the mother-to-mother support organizations Breastfeeding USA and La Leche League, identify underlying issues of equity, and highlight locations where more support resources may be needed.

Methods

The locations of mother-to-mother support meetings were collected by ZIP code ( N = 180) and were combined with a geodemographic database and exploratory spatial data analysis to explore the compositional characteristics of communities served ( N = 1,173).

Results

Significant gaps in the geographic distribution of breastfeeding support existed. While many metropolitan areas benefited from numerous mother-to-mother support groups and peer counselors, the geographic footprint of this support favored communities that were white, affluent, and suburban.

Conclusion

Spatial analytics combined with geodemographic analysis provide a unique perspective into the diverse landscape of mother-to-mother breastfeeding support groups at a local level. Our results highlighted inequities in the distribution of support provided and prescriptive guidance regarding where more resources may be needed.
A Lack of Practice Effects on Memory Tasks Predicts Conversion to Alzheimer Disease in Patients With Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment
Authors: De Simone Maria Stefania , Perri Roberta , Rodini Marta , Fadda Lucia , De Tollis Massimo , Caltagirone Carlo , Carlesimo Giovanni Augusto
Published: July 2020

The aim of the current study was to test the accuracy of practice effects, that is, improvement in test performance due to repeated neuropsychological evaluations, in identifying patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (a-MCI) at greater risk of conversion to Alzheimer disease (AD). For this purpose, we conducted a longitudinal study of 54 patients diagnosed with a-MCI at the first assessment and followed-up for 4 years. During this time, 18 patients converted to AD. Baseline and 6- to 12-month follow-up performances on a large set of neuropsychological tests were analyzed to determine their diagnostic ability to predict later conversion to dementia. Results demonstrate that a lack of practice effects on episodic memory tests is an accurate prognostic indicator of late conversion to AD in a-MCI patients. In fact, even though the performance of both groups was substantially comparable at the baseline evaluation, stable a-MCI patients greatly improved their memory performance at retest after 6 to 12 months; instead, scores of converter a-MCI remained stable or decreased passing from baseline to follow-up. Standardized z-change scores on memory tasks, which were computed as a reliable measure of performance change, classified group membership with very good overall accuracy, which was higher than the classification of converter and stable a-MCIs provided by baseline or follow-up scores. We hypothesize that the lack of practice effects on memory tasks mirrors the early involvement of medial temporal lobe areas in converter a-MCI that are fundamental for the consolidation of new memory traces.
Theorising leadership for inclusion in the Irish context: A triadic typology within a distributed ecosystem
Authors: Morrissey Barry
Published: July 2020

Leadership for inclusion is a contested concept with competing definitions suggested by many researchers and educationalists. While broad and narrow interpretations of ‘inclusion’ exist, this article focuses solely on the inclusion of learners with special educational needs (SEN) in Irish mainstream schools. A critical literature review of various different leadership typologies, relevant to inclusive education, is presented, from a practising principal's perspective. This review is used to theorise a hybrid leadership typology, present in schools where children with SEN are included in mainstream classes. The centrepiece of this theoretical model is that any leadership approach, in an inclusive education setting, must be triadic in structure. As a construct, it must be underpinned by a triad of teacher leadership, managerial leadership and values leadership. The argument is advanced that if this triadic structure is to flourish, then a distributed leadership framework is a necessity.
A detailed characterization of sandalwood-filled high-density polyethylene composites
Authors: Atagür Metehan , Kaya Nusret , Uysalman Tuğçe , Durmuşkahya Cenk , Sarikanat Mehmet , Sever Kutlay , Seki Yoldaş
Published: July 2020

In this study, the performance of sandalwood (SW), as an efficient potential filler material for high-density polyethylene (HDPE), was investigated in detail. Firstly, the characterization of SW was conducted by the determination of chemical composition with chemical and thermal analysis methods. The distribution of SW particles, which were used in composite fabrication, was obtained by using a dynamic light scattering analyzer. Then, the composites of SW, whose weight fractions varied from 5% to 20%, with HDPE were produced in a high-speed thermokinetic mixer. The detailed characterization of composites was made by using thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), Fourier transform infrared, thermal conductivity measurements, and tensile and three-point bending tests. From DMA, storage modulus and loss modulus values of the HDPE matrix increased with increasing the weight fraction of SW. It is clearly seen that SW incorporation into HDPE at weight fractions of 5% and 20% exhibited the best improvement in terms of tensile and flexural strengths, respectively. It can be noted that the reinforcement effect of SW for HDPE is more prominent at high temperatures.
Burden in primary family caregivers caring for uremic patients on maintenance peritoneal dialysis
Authors: Zhang Rongzhi , Pu Congshan , Cui Xiaohui , Zhang Ning , Li Xue , Zheng Feng
Published: July 2020

Background:

Managing the burden of care for patients with chronic debilitating diseases is an important issue. Herein, we assessed the burden in primary family members caring for uremic patients on maintenance peritoneal dialysis.

Methods:

One hundred seventy caregivers and 170 patients were recruited. Self-perceived scoring along the Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale (ZCBS), World Health Organization Five-item Well-Being Index (WHO-5), and Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS) were determined for caregivers.

Results:

There was an inverse relationship between ZCBS and WHO-5 or WEMWBS scores in caregivers, suggesting that the higher the burden, the lesser the self-perceived well-being. One hundred two of 170 caregivers (60%) reported mild to moderate burden, indicating a common presence of mild to moderate caring-related mental and physical stress. Moreover, 31 caregivers (18.2%) reported moderate to severe burden. Several patient disease factors, including diabetes and frailty, increased caregiver burden, while insurance coverage and out-of-pocket medical costs were also positively correlated. Caregivers who lived with patients and spent longer hours in caring-related activities had higher burden scores, while regular exercise seemed to partially alleviate the burden.

Conclusion:

Our study clearly showed that caring for patients with maintenance peritoneal dialysis caused physical, mental, and social burden in family caregivers, with the extent of the stress being influenced by patients’ disease severity and other demographic factors in both patients and caregivers.
Kenaz: A figure created out of the scriptures?
Authors: Vette Nathanael
Published: July 2020

Kenaz is a marginal figure in the Jewish scriptures. And yet for Pseudo-Philo, Kenaz’s importance rivals that of Moses and Joshua. Pseudo-Philo gives Kenaz a long and illustrious career unparalleled in the extant literature (LAB 25–28). But whereas past scholarship has seen the roots of Pseudo-Philo’s description of Kenaz in the language of Judg 1–3, this link is tenuous at best. Instead, the description of Kenaz is pieced together out of unrelated passages from the Jewish scriptures. This article explores the scriptural sources for Pseudo-Philo’s description of Kenaz. In short, Pseudo-Philo has not inherited Kenaz from tradition or exegesis but has invented him using the Jewish scriptures.
Histories of sexology today: Reimagining the boundaries of scientia sexualis
Authors: Leng Kirsten , Sutton Katie
Published: July 2020

The historiography of sexology is young. It is also expanding at a remarkable pace, both in terms of the volume of publications and, more notably, in terms of its geographical, disciplinary, and intersectional reach. This special issue takes stock of these new directions, while offering new research contributions that expand our understanding of the interdisciplinary and transnational formation of this field from the late 19th through to the mid 20th century. The five articles that make up this special issue stage historiographical interventions by challenging the tendency within sexological history to focus on the medical, the homosexual, the human, and the Western European at the expense of other disciplines, diagnoses, non-human subjects, and geographical locations. A particular strength of these contributions is their focus on mapping conversations among and between sexologists on both sides of the Atlantic in the early to mid 20th century – particularly in Germany, Britain, and the US – and between East and West in the early Cold War era.
An efficient particle swarm optimization-joint probability distribution optimization method for structural reliability analysis
Authors: Mansourinejad Hossein , Daneshjou Kamran
Published: July 2020

The performance function of many engineering structures and mechanisms is usually complex, highly nonlinear, and described in the implicit form. The reliability analysis of these structures using common methods requires high cost and time. In this paper, a new approach for reliability analysis of engineering structures and mechanisms by using the particle swarm optimization algorithm is presented. The advantages of this method in comparison with the conventional methods are its simplicity and accuracy. In addition, the limitations of the common previously presented methods are eliminated by the proposed method. This approach is based on a new redefinition of most probable point in the reliability analysis. To evaluate the performance and validity of the proposed method, some examples in the reliability analysis of various functions are employed. Finally, the superiority of the proposed method in performance and accuracy is demonstrated and compared to the conventional methods and it can be used for reliability analysis of complicated engineering structures.
Dynamic path planning and path following control for autonomous vehicle based on the piecewise affine tire model
Authors: Chen Wuwei , Yan Mingyue , Wang Qidong , Xu Kai
Published: July 2020

This paper proposes a novel dynamic path planning and path following control method for collision avoidance, which works based on an improved piecewise affine tire model. The main contribution of this work is the design of a dynamic path planning method based on model predictive control, where it replans a maneuverable path to avoid moving obstacle in real time. A hierarchical control framework contains a high-level path replanning model predictive control and a low-level path following model predictive control. A collision avoidance cost function in the high hierarchies was designed to calculate the relative dynamic distance, which copes with the sudden obstacle. Moreover, the replanning path is the optimized output according to reference trajectory, obstacle, and handling stability. The control objective of the low hierarchies is to accurately track the replanning path, especially for the increased nonlinearity of large tire sideslip angle. For this reason, an improved piecewise affine tire model is designed and used for model predictive control to improve the path following performance and reduce calculated burden. The main improvement of the piecewise affine tire model is that the varied lateral stiffness coefficients adapt to the change of the tire sideslip angle in different tire regions. Based on the CarSim and Simulink platform, the dynamic path planning and path following simulations are designed to test the proposed method. The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Torque distribution method based on vibration instability of PS-HEV transmission system
Authors: Cai Yingfeng , Dou Lei , Hu Donghai , Chen Long , Shi Dehua , Wang Jiajia
Published: July 2020

The power-split hybrid electric vehicle has multiple working modes, which can be switched to different working mode according to different working conditions. The main switching process involved in the vehicle driving is the switch from the pure electric mode to the hybrid driving mode. This paper studies the mode switching process involved in the power-split hybrid electric vehicle driving process, and a nonlinear dynamic equation of the electromechanical coupling of the corresponding transmission system is established. Then the multi-scale method is employed to solve the dynamic equation, and the amplitude-frequency response curve is drawn. According to the curve, the effects of load, mechanical input excitation of the engine and motor electromagnetic excitation on the electromechanical coupling torsional vibration of the transmission system are studied. The engine and motor torque distribution schemes are obtained by analyzing the amplitude-frequency response curve of the torsional vibration characteristics of the system. The analysis results show that the vibration instability phenomenon of the transmission system can be avoided by establishing the nonlinear dynamic equation of the transmission system, analyzing the vibration characteristics of the vibration system, and optimizing the torque distribution of a PS-HEV at different working modes.
Neuroanatomical relationship between Jingbi and the brachial plexus
Authors: Chia Kwan Leung , Teoh Jian Hung , Haberberger Rainer Viktor
Published: July 2020

Background:

This study examined the stratified anatomy of the traditional acupuncture point Jingbi and the neuroanatomical relationship between Jingbi and the brachial plexus, and investigated neural pathways that could be affected by acupuncture stimulation at Jingbi.

Methods:

Twelve dissected specimens were used to study the pathway of an acupuncture needle inserted at Jingbi. The stratified anatomy and the neuroanatomical relationship between Jingbi and the brachial plexus were studied. Our samples were grouped by gender and cause of death for comparative analysis.

Results:

All needles ( n = 24, on both sides of a total of 12 cadavers) punctured the anterior scalene muscle medial to the brachial plexus and external jugular vein, lateral to the phrenic nerve and internal jugular vein, and superior to the clavicle and subclavian artery/vein. The depth of needle insertion at Jingbi on the right side of male samples was 28.0 (interquartile range (IQR), 22.5–30.8) mm, which was approximately 8 mm deeper than for female subjects ( p < 0.05). The needle was 3.0 (IQR, 2.0–5.0) mm and 7.0 (IQR, 5.5–8.0) mm medial to the brachial plexus on the left and right sides, respectively.

Conclusion:

Deep needle insertion at Jingbi can puncture the anterior scalene muscle. The mechanism of action of acupuncture stimulation at Jingbi might be related to its close relationship with the brachial plexus. Significant differences in needling depth were observed when our samples were grouped by gender. More studies are needed.
Experimental investigation of mechanical and erosion behavior of eggshell nanoparticulate epoxy biocomposite
Authors: Panchal Manoj , Raghavendra G , Reddy A Rahul , Omprakash M , Ojha S
Published: July 2020

In the present work, the mechanical and the tribological properties of eggshell nanoparticulate epoxy biocomposite were studied. The nanoparticles of eggshell were synthesized by planetary ball milling technique. Synthesized eggshell nanoparticulate were characterized with the aid of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction analysis, and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy. Fabrication of eggshell nanoparticulate epoxy biocomposite was done by hand lay-up technique with different weight percentages (1 wt%, 2 wt%, 3 wt%, 4 wt%) of eggshell nanoparticles. To examine the solid particle erosion behavior of eggshell nanoparticulate epoxy biocomposite, four different impact angles (30°, 45°, 60°, 90°) and three different velocities (101 m s−1, 119 m s−1, 148 m s−1) were chosen. The effect of eggshell nanoparticles incorporation on the tensile properties, hardness, and the flexural properties was also investigated. The fractured surfaces of the tensile test, flexural test, and erosion test samples were examined with a SEM for morphological analysis. It was found that the eggshell nanoparticulate addition has a fruitful effect on tensile and flexural strength. The maximum tensile strength was found for 2 wt% nanoparticles addition, while the maximum flexural strength was found for 3 wt% of nanoparticles addition. The sand erosion study established a maximum wear rate at 60° of impact angle. The maximum erosion resistance was found in 2 wt% of eggshell nanoparticulate concentration.
Quality of Work Life and Work–Life Balance
Authors: Bhende Pravin , Mekoth Nandakumar , Ingalhalli Varsha , Reddy Y. V.
Published: July 2020

The purpose of this article is to unearth the dimensions of quality of work life and work–life balance and to find the impact of the quality of work life on work–life balance. Data have been gathered from 89 managers of public and private sector banks in India using a convenience sampling method and analysed using principal component analysis and multiple regression analysis. Both qualities of work life and work–life balance are multidimensional constructs. Results indicate that the productivity dimension of a work–life balance was influenced by all dimensions of quality of work life except grievance redress. Further, the skill deployment dimension was predicted by all three dimensions of quality of work life. However, none of the quality of work life dimensions had any relation with the efficiency dimension of work–life balance. The study will help managers to ensure employee productivity and skill deployment by enhancing the quality of work life. The study has relevance for employee welfare and organizational output. The study has unearthed new dimensions in quality of work life and work–life balance and has established new relationships.
Growing up Poor: Early Family Life and Education
Authors: Bose Nitika
Published: July 2020

Children’s experiences in families, schools and neighbourhoods influence their childhoods as individuals learn to act in meaningful ways within social institutions. Many recent research works document challenges that economic and culturally disadvantaged students experience at colleges due to incongruence between their backgrounds and the culture at higher educational institutions. Rarely has early life experiences at one’s home and family been the focal point of inquiry. The present article explores the accounts of early family life provided by students first in their families to pursue higher education. It discusses the ways in which socialisation impacts one’s life trajectories related to education. Through emphasising on the process, the article focuses on the lived experiences of students marked by constraints due to poverty at home and its relation to the shaping of their academic decisions. In depth interviews with nine participants from Delhi studying in reputed colleges affiliated to a university at Delhi shows how one’s economic and cultural position affect one’s sense of belonging at home and educational spaces wherein students negotiate relationships and identity that are restructured and transformed while they navigate through them. Attempting to study student’s self-constructions, the article shows how formal education continues to function as a project of western modernity creating fragmented bourgeoisie subjects out of poor children.
How do Multilingual Children Experience English Language Acquisition in an Urban Indian School?
Authors: Rajasekaran Subhashini , Kumar Rajesh
Published: July 2020

In the multilingual, multicultural emerging economy of India, the language debate may seem to have settled with the adoption of the Three-Language Formula in the first National Policy of Education 1968. However, 50 years later, does this policy still hold? Has research on language acquisition informed our education policy and classroom practices, at the school level and the system level?

This research attempts to understand how language practices manifest themselves in an urban middle-class English-medium school with multilingual and non-English-speaking students. We examine the students’ communicative practices to uncover some of the patterns in language acquisition across three primary grades and two income levels, using empirical data from survey questionnaires, classroom observations, videography and closed- and open-ended interviews. We present some hypotheses and analyse these against the organisational structure and culture of the school and the larger socio-economic and political context of the education system.

The findings suggest that strict compartmentalising of languages for learning, at the cost of isolating social and linguistic identities, is likely to be counterproductive and unsustainable. The sooner we adapt our education policies and practices to support the multilingual practices of students and by association, their diverse identities, greater the possibility of building a strong and confident citizenry.
Efficiency of Small-scale Irrigation Farmers in Northern Ghana: A Data Envelopment Analysis Approach
Authors: Adams Abdulai , Balana Bedru , Lefore Nicole
Published: July 2020

This study measures and explains technical efficiency (TE), economic efficiency and allocative efficiency of 110 small-scale vegetable farmers practicing various irrigation technologies for increased productivity. We employed the two-stage approach to estimate efficiency scores under constant returns to scale (CRS) and variable returns to scale (VRS) specifications. First, using a linear programming method, efficiency scores of the irrigated vegetable farmers were measured using the data envelopment analysis approach. The results show that about 27.3 per cent of the farmers currently operate on the production possibility frontier and are technically efficient, while 3.6 per cent were found to be both economically and allocatively efficient. The mean TE score for CRS was 50.6 per cent, compared with 78.1 per cent under the VRS. A Tobit regression at the second-stage analysis revealed that gender, experience, health and credit utilization have significant effects on TE. These results are valuable for stakeholders interested in promoting efficiency in smallholder irrigated production.

JEL Classification: C14, C61, D24, D61, Q12
Does Education Produce Identical Labour Market Outcomes for All? A Study on India
Authors: Chaudhury Anjan Ray , Sinha Madhabendra
Published: July 2020

According to the neoclassical economists, discrimination exists in the labour market if employers treat two equally qualified and skilled persons differently based on gender, race, age, disability, religion, caste, etc. In this article, we attempt to look at discrimination in the Indian labour market by applying the multinomial probit model of regression to the National Sample Survey Office data set. By taking years of schooling (as an indicator of skill and ability) as an independent variable in the model, we find that identically educated persons from different caste and gender groups are not equally likely to achieve similar occupational status, indicating the existence of discrimination in the Indian labour market.

JEL Classifications: I31, C31
Maximizing Learning Through Cohesion: Contributions From a Nonlinear Approach
Authors: Dimas Isabel Dórdio , Lourenço Paulo Renato , Rebelo Teresa , Rocha Humberto
Published: July 2020

This study explores the relationship between team cohesion and team learning by adopting a nonlinear approach. A quantitative study with a sample composed of 82 organizational teams was conducted. Radial basis function (RBF) interpolation models were used, and results showed that the best predicting ability was obtained by the Thin Plate RBF model, which revealed that an increase in both dimensions of cohesion leads to an increase in team learning up to a certain threshold. Moreover, our results showed that the maximum value of team learning is obtained at higher values of task cohesion and moderate values of social cohesion.
A Self-Regulated Learner Framework for Students With Learning Disabilities and Math Anxiety
Authors: Johnson Evelyn S. , Clohessy Anne B. , Chakravarthy Pragnyaa
Published: July 2020

Students with math learning disabilities have been shown to experience math anxiety at rates nearly double those of their typical peers. Anxiety about math is thought to disrupt learning by co-opting attentional resources that could be used in problem-solving and may be caused by the way in which students interpret their math-related experiences. This article describes a math intervention designed through a framework of self-regulated learning that defines self-regulated learners as students who are connected, self-aware, self-determined, strategic, and resilient. Specifically described is an intervention that helps students regulate anxiety, initiate a problem-solving strategy, and advocate as needed to use approaches they find effective.
The Development and Validation of a Teacher Belief Survey for the Constructivist Classroom
Authors: von Oppell Monika A. , Aldridge Jill M.
Published: July 2020

The research reported in this article was part of a larger study which took place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The large-scale education reform, being carried out at the time of the study, required paradigm shifts in practice; from a traditional to a constructivist approach. The education reform posed on-going challenges and posed questions regarding the future impact for teachers, particularly with respect to their beliefs with respect to classroom practice. This article describes the development and validation of a survey to assess teachers’ beliefs in this new context. The survey assesses teachers’ beliefs about their role in the classroom and philosophy of teaching and learning and their classroom practice. The translation validity of the survey was supported by examining the content and face validity. Further, analysis of the data collected 182 Arab teachers was used to provide support for the reliability and validity of the newly developed Teacher Belief Survey in terms of factor structure, internal consistency reliability, discriminant and concurrent validity. This instrument has the potential to be useful for ascertaining teachers’ professional development needs and for understanding the beliefs of student teachers. In regions of cross-cultural diversity the findings may assist in creating understanding and sensitivity of the cultural differences between people, their knowledge, perspectives and practices.
Oral Amelanotic Melanomas: Clinicopathologic Features of 8 Cases and Review of the Literature
Authors: Soares Ciro Dantas , Carlos Román , Andrade Bruno Augusto Benevenuto de , Cunha John Lennon Silva , Agostini Michelle , Romañach Mário José , Hernandez-Guerrero Juan Carlos , Mosqueda-Taylor Adalberto , Almeida Oslei Paes de , Jorge Jacks
Published: July 2020

Mucosal melanomas are aggressive tumors, rarely observed in the oral cavity. The diagnosis is based on the clinical and microscopical features. Often these tumors had variable amounts of melanin pigmentation. However, when melanin is absent, the tumors are denominated amelanotic, presenting a tendency to misdiagnosis and delayed treatment. The aim of this study was to describe the clinicopathologic features of a series of oral amelanotic melanomas (OAM). Records of all cases of OAM were retrospectively retrieved from oral pathology services from January 2002 to January 2019. Data regarding the clinical features, morphological aspects, immunohistochemical reactions, treatment, and follow-up status were collected. Eight cases of OAM were included, 6 in men and 2 in women (ratio of 3:1) ranging in age from 33 to 77 years (mean 53.6 years). Clinically, the tumors presented as masses or ulcerated swellings. The most common intraoral locations of the tumors were gingiva and palate. Cervical lymph node metastasis was detected in 3 patients at the first examination. All but one patient died from complications of the tumors after a mean follow-up period of 8.5 months. In conclusion, OAM is a very aggressive malignant tumor, and when melanin is absent, an immunohistochemical panel comprising S100, melan A, HMB45, and SOX10 should be performed.
Measuring Career Preparedness Among Adolescents: Development and Validation of the Career Resources Questionnaire—Adolescent Version
Authors: Marciniak Julian , Hirschi Andreas , Johnston Claire S. , Haenggli Madeleine
Published: July 2020

Adolescents need to develop career preparedness to successfully transition from school to work. Many factors represent career preparedness, which are difficult to measure comprehensively and economically. We used a career resources framework to assess key aspects of career preparedness among in-school adolescents, and adapted and validated the Career Resources Questionnaire. The questionnaire assesses 12 distinct aspects of career preparedness (i.e., occupational expertise, labor market knowledge, soft skills, career involvement, career confidence, career clarity, social support from school, family, and friends, networking, career exploration, and self-exploration). We demonstrate the reliability, factor structure, and validity evidences based on internal structure and relations with other variables of the new measure among two samples ( N1 = 186; N2 = 1,004). In sum, the study indicates that the assessment can be used by researchers and practitioners to reliably and economically assess several key indicators of career preparedness.