bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reconstructed Phase Space-Based Damage Detection Using a Single Sensor for Beam-Like Structure Subjected to a Moving Mass
Authors: Nie Zhenhua , Ngo Tuan , Ma Hongwei
Published: February 2017

This paper presents a novel damage detection method based on the reconstructed phase space of vibration signals using a single sensor. In this approach, a moving mass is applied as excitation source, and the structure vibration responses at different positions are measured using a single sensor. A Moving Filter Function (MFF) is also presented to be used to separate and filter the responses before phase space reconstruction. Using the determined time delay and embedding dimensions, the responses are translated from time domain into the spatial domain. The index CPST (changes of phase space topology) values are calculated from the reconstructed phase space and used to identify structural damage. To demonstrate the method, six analysis scenarios for a beam-like structure considering the moving mass magnitude, damage location, the single sensor location, moving mass velocity, multiple types of damage, and the responses contaminated with noise are calculated. The acceleration and displacement responses are both used to identify the damage. The results indicate that the proposed method using displacement response is more sensitive to damage than that of acceleration responses. The results also proved that the proposed method can use a single sensor installed at different location of the beam to locate the damage/much damage reliably, even though the responses are contaminated with noise.
Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head in an Adolescent on Long-Term Inhalational Corticosteroids
Authors: Egger Anthony C. , Ballock R. Tracy
Published: February 2017

A relationship between the development of osteonecrosis of the femoral head and systemic corticosteroids has been well established in the literature, particularly in adults. However, the link between osteonecrosis and inhaled corticosteroids is less researched and understood. We report an usual case report of a 10-year-old male who developed ipsilateral femoral head osteonecrosis after long-term inhalational corticosteroid and intermittent short courses of oral steroid usage with a unique presentation and delayed diagnosis.
ASP Flooding: Theory and Practice Progress in China
Authors: Guo Hu , Li Yiqiang , Wang Fuyong , Yu Zhaoyan , Chen Zhiwei , Wang Yansheng , Gao Xian
Published: February 2017

In low oil price era, it seems that ASP flooding has little market. However, ASP progress in China shows that ASP flooding is good technology to help oil companies thrive and make profit. Since 2014, ASP flooding has entered industrial application in Daqing oilfield. ASP flooding production in 2015 is 3.5 million ton, 9% of the oilfield’s total production of Daqing oilfield. There are 22 ASP flooding blocks in Daqing, containing 7231 wells and 3 are new blocks in 2016. Obviously, more and more ASP flooding is being carried out. Another large ASP flooding field test in high temperature (80°C) in Henan oilfield has got staged incremental oil recovery of 7.7%. Latest theory and application in ASP flooding in China are reviewed to help ASP flooding go from success to more application. Weak alkali is better than strong alkali ASP flooding. Relation between viscosity and IFT is discussed. This paper also explains why weak alkali ASP flooding is promoted in Daqing after 12 field tests on strong alkali one. ASP flooding can be a great help to survive low oil price.
A New Analysis Method for Chemotaxis-Induced Instability in Multispecies Host-Parasitoid Systems
Authors: Cao Huaihuo
Published: February 2017

We propose a new method applying matrix theory to analyse the instability conditions of unique homogeneous coexistent state of multispecies host-parasitoid systems. We consider the eigenvalues of linearized operator of systems, and by dimensionality reduction, this infinite dimensional eigenproblem will be reduced to a parametrized finite dimensional eigenproblem, thereby applying combinatorial matrix theory to analyse the linear instability of such constant steady-state.
CRISPR Knockout of the HuR Gene Causes a Xenograft Lethal Phenotype
Authors: Lal Shruti , Cheung Edwin C. , Zarei Mahsa , Preet Ranjan , Chand Saswati N. , Mambelli-Lisboa Nicole C. , Romeo Carmella , Stout Matthew C. , Londin Eric , Goetz Austin , Lowder Cinthya Y. , Nevler Avinoam , Yeo Charles J. , Campbell Paul M. , Winter Jordan M. , Dixon Dan A. , Brody Jonathan R.
Published: February 2017

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, whereas colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer. The RNA-binding protein HuR (ELAVL1) supports a pro-oncogenic network in gastrointestinal (GI) cancer cells through enhanced HuR expression. Using a publically available database, HuR expression levels were determined to be increased in primary PDA and colorectal cancer tumor cohorts as compared with normal pancreas and colon tissues, respectively. CRISPR/Cas9 technology was successfully used to delete the HuR gene in both PDA (MIA PaCa-2 and Hs 766T) and colorectal cancer (HCT116) cell lines. HuR deficiency has a mild phenotype, in vitro, as HuR-deficient MIA PaCa-2 (MIA.HuR-KO(−/−)) cells had increased apoptosis when compared with isogenic wild-type (MIA.HuR-WT(+/+)) cells. Using this isogenic system, mRNAs were identified that specifically bound to HuR and were required for transforming a two-dimensional culture into three dimensional (i.e., organoids). Importantly, HuR-deficient MIA PaCa-2 and Hs 766T cells were unable to engraft tumors in vivo compared with control HuR-proficient cells, demonstrating a unique xenograft lethal phenotype. Although not as a dramatic phenotype, CRISPR knockout HuR HCT116 colon cancer cells (HCT.HuR-KO(−/−)) showed significantly reduced in vivo tumor growth compared with controls (HCT.HuR-WT(+/+)). Finally, HuR deletion affects KRAS activity and controls a subset of pro-oncogenic genes.

Implications: The work reported here supports the notion that targeting HuR is a promising therapeutic strategy to treat GI malignancies. Mol Cancer Res; 15(6); 696–707. ©2017 AACR.
Versican Promotes Tumor Progression, Metastasis and Predicts Poor Prognosis in Renal Carcinoma
Authors: Mitsui Yozo , Shiina Hiroaki , Kato Taku , Maekawa Shigekatsu , Hashimoto Yutaka , Shiina Marisa , Imai-Sumida Mitsuho , Kulkarni Priyanka , Dasgupta Pritha , Wong Ryan Kenji , Hiraki Miho , Arichi Naoko , Fukuhara Shinichiro , Yamamura Soichiro , Majid Shahana , Saini Sharanjot , Deng Guoren , Dahiya Rajvir , Nakajima Koichi , Tanaka Yuichiro
Published: February 2017

The proteoglycan versican (VCAN) promotes tumor progression and enhances metastasis in several cancers; however, its role in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) remains unknown. Recent evidence suggests that VCAN is an important target of chromosomal 5q gain, one of the most prevalent genetic abnormalities in ccRCC. Thus, we investigated whether VCAN expression is associated with the pathogenesis of ccRCC. VCAN expression was analyzed using three RCC and normal kidney cell lines as well as a clinical cohort of 84 matched ccRCC and normal renal tissues. Functional analyses on growth and progression properties were performed using VCAN-depleted ccRCC cells. Microarray expression profiling was employed to investigate the target genes and biologic pathways involved in VCAN-mediated ccRCC carcinogenesis. ccRCC had elevated VCAN expression in comparison with normal kidney in both cell lines and clinical specimens. The elevated expression of VCAN was significantly correlated with metastasis (P < 0.001) and worse 5-year overall survival after radical nephrectomy (P = 0.014). In vitro, VCAN knockdown significantly decreased cell proliferation and increased apoptosis in Caki-2 and 786-O cells, and this was associated with alteration of several TNF signaling–related genes such as TNFα, BID, and BAK. Furthermore, VCAN depletion markedly decreased cell migration and invasion which correlated with reduction of MMP7 and CXCR4. These results demonstrate that VCAN promotes ccRCC tumorigenesis and metastasis and thus is an attractive target for novel diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic strategies.

Implications: This study highlights the oncogenic role of VCAN in renal cell carcinogenesis and suggests that this gene has therapeutic and/or biomarker potential for renal cell cancer. Mol Cancer Res; 15(7); 884–95. ©2017 AACR.
Optimal Systolic Blood Pressure Levels for Primary Prevention of Stroke in General Hypertensive Adults
Authors: Fan Fangfang , Yuan Ziwen , Qin Xianhui , Li Jianping , Zhang Yan , Li Youbao , Yu Tao , Ji Meng , Ge Junbo , Zheng Meili , Yang Xinchun , Bao Huihui , Cheng Xiaoshu , Gu Dongfeng , Zhao Dong , Wang Jiguang , Sun Ningling , Chen Yundai , Wang Hong , Wang Xiaobin , Parati Gianfranco , Hou Fanfan , Xu Xiping , Wang Xian , Zhao Gang , Huo Yong
Published: February 2017

We aimed to investigate the relationship of time-averaged on-treatment systolic blood pressure (SBP) with the risk of first stroke in the CSPPT (China Stroke Primary Prevention Trial). A post hoc analysis was conducted using data from 17 720 hypertensive adults without cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and renal function decline from the CSPPT, a randomized double-blind controlled trial. The primary outcome was first stroke. Over a median follow-up duration of 4.5 years, the association between averaged on-treatment SBP and risk for first stoke followed a U-shape curve, with increased risk above and below the reference range of 120 to 130 mm Hg. Compared with participants with time-averaged on-treatment SBP at 120 to 130 mm Hg (mean, 126.2 mm Hg), the risk of first stroke was not only increased in participants with SBP at 130 to 135 mm Hg (mean, 132.6 mm Hg; 1.5% versus 0.8%; hazard ratio, 1.63; 95% confidence interval, 1.01–2.63) or 135 to 140 mm Hg (mean, 137.5 mm Hg; 1.9% versus 0.8%; hazard ratio, 1.85; 95% confidence interval, 1.17–2.93), but also increased in participants with SBP <120 mm Hg (mean, 116.7 mm Hg; 3.1% versus 0.8%; hazard ratio, 4.37; 95% confidence interval, 2.10–9.07). Similar results were found in various subgroups stratified by age, sex, and treatment group. Furthermore, lower diastolic blood pressure was associated with lower risk of stroke, with a plateau at a time-average on-treatment diastolic blood pressure <80 mm Hg. In conclusion, among adults with hypertension and without a history of stroke or myocardial infarction, diabetes mellitus, or renal function decline, a lower SBP goal of 120 to 130 mm Hg, as compared with a target SBP of 130 to 140 mm Hg or <120 mm Hg, resulted in the lowest risk of first stroke.
Divergent Effects of miR‐181 Family Members on Myocardial Function Through Protective Cytosolic and Detrimental Mitochondrial microRNA Targets
Authors: Das Samarjit , Kohr Mark , Dunkerly‐Eyring Brittany , Lee Dong I. , Bedja Djahida , Kent Oliver A. , Leung Anthony K. L. , Henao‐Mejia Jorge , Flavell Richard A. , Steenbergen Charles
Published: February 2017

Background

Micro
RNA
(miRNA) is a type of noncoding
RNA
that can repress the expression of target genes through posttranscriptional regulation. In addition to numerous physiologic roles for mi
RNA
s, they play an important role in pathophysiologic processes affecting cardiovascular health. Previously, we reported that nuclear encoded microRNA (miR‐181c) is present in heart mitochondria, and importantly, its overexpression affects mitochondrial function by regulating mitochondrial gene expression.

Methods and Results

To investigate further how the miR‐181 family affects the heart, we suppressed miR‐181 using a miR‐181‐sponge containing 10 repeated complementary miR‐181 “seed” sequences and generated a set of H9c2 cells, a cell line derived from rat myoblast, by stably expressing either a scrambled or miR‐181‐sponge sequence. Sponge‐H9c2 cells showed a decrease in reactive oxygen species production and reduced basal mitochondrial respiration and protection against doxorubicin‐induced oxidative stress. We also found that miR‐181a/b targets phosphatase and tensin homolog (
PTEN
), and the sponge‐expressing stable cells had increased
PTEN
activity and decreased
PI
3K signaling. In addition, we have used miR‐181a/b
−/−
and miR‐181c/d
−/−
knockout mice and subjected them to ischemia‐reperfusion injury. Our results suggest divergent effects of different miR‐181 family members: miR‐181a/b targets
PTEN
in the cytosol, resulting in an increase in infarct size in miR‐181a/b
−/−
mice due to increased
PTEN
signaling, whereas miR‐181c targets mt‐
COX
1 in the mitochondria, resulting in decreased infarct size in miR‐181c/d
−/−
mice.

Conclusions

The miR‐181 family alters the myocardial response to oxidative stress, notably with detrimental effects by targeting mt‐
COX
1 (miR‐181c) or with protection by targeting
PTEN
(miR‐181a/b).
Screen Exposure During Daily Routines and a Young Child’s Risk for Having Social-Emotional Delay
Authors: Raman Sajani , Guerrero-Duby Sara , McCullough Jennifer L. , Brown Miraides , Ostrowski-Delahanty Sarah , Langkamp Diane , Duby John C.
Published: February 2017

This cross-sectional study assessed associations between social-emotional development in young children and their number of daily routines involving an electronic screen. We hypothesized children with poor social-emotional development have a significant portion of daily routines occurring with a screen. Two hundred and ten female caregivers of typically developing children 12 to 36 months old completed the Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social-Emotional (ASQ: SE) and a media diary. Caregivers completed the diary for 1 day around 10 daily routines (Waking Up, Diapering/Toileting, Dressing, Breakfast, Lunch, Naptime, Playtime, Dinner, Bath, and Bedtime). Median number of daily routines occurring with a screen for children at risk and not at risk for social-emotional delay (as defined by the ASQ: SE) was 7 versus 5. Children at risk for social-emotional delay were 5.8 times more likely to have ≥5 routines occurring with a screen as compared to children not at risk for delay (χ12 = 9.28, N = 210, P = .002; 95% confidence interval = 1.66-20.39).
Operationalizing the definition of e-leadership: identifying the elements of e-leadership
Authors: Van Wart Montgomery , Roman Alexandru , Wang XiaoHu , Liu Cheol
Published: February 2017

The effects of the ongoing digital revolution have been profound and have been studied in many contexts such as government interaction with the public (e-participation) and administrative structures (e-administration). However, the study of how the digital revolution has changed leaders’ interactions with followers via information and communication technologies (ICTs) has been modest, and the theory building in organizational studies and public administration has been, for the most part, nonexistent. A major reason for this lack of progress is the inability to produce an operational definition of e-leadership that spans telework, team, and enterprise settings. The article examines an exploratory case study to propose an operational definition based on six factors (or broad e-competencies) for e-leadership. Research limitations and future research opportunities are discussed.

Points for practitioners

E-leadership, technology-mediated leadership, has become critically important for leaders at all levels, both inside and outside of the organization. E-leadership is as much about blending technologies and traditional communication as it is about simply using more ICT-mediated communication. While there is a lot of consistency in the types of leadership skills needed in traditional and virtual environments, they are not the same and the differences are critical to success and failure. The areas in which competence in e-skills were most important included: e-communication, e-social skills, e-team building, e-change management, e-technology skills, and e-trustworthiness.
Exploring Cognitive Decision-making Processes, Computer-focused Cyber Deviance Involvement and Victimization
Authors: Louderback Eric R. , Antonaccio Olena
Published: February 2017

Objectives:

Investigate the relationship between thoughtfully reflective decision-making (TRDM) and computer-focused cyber deviance involvement and computer-focused cybercrime victimization.

Method:

Survey data collected from samples of 1,039 employees and 418 students at a large private university were analyzed using ordinary least squares and negative binomial regression to test the effects of TRDM on computer-focused cyber deviance involvement and victimization.

Results:

TRDM reduces computer-focused cyber deviance involvement and computer-focused cybercrime victimization across measures and samples. The sensitivity analyses also indicated that TRDM is a more robust predictor of cyber deviance involvement than victimization. The results from moderation analyses showed that, whereas protective effects of TRDM are invariant across genders, they are less salient among older employees for the scenario-based measure of cybercrime victimization.

Conclusions:

Individual-level cognitive decision-making processes are important in predicting computer-focused cyber deviance involvement and victimization. These results can inform the development of targeted institutional and criminal justice policies aimed at reducing computer-focused cybercrime.
The Attitudes of Black Females toward Upper and Lower Class Black Males
Authors: Jackson Lorraine B.
Published: February 2017

Sarbin's adjective word list was administered to 100 Black female college students. The subjects were asked to select adjectives which they thought described upper and lower class Black and white males, and to assign favorability ratings to the adjectives. Both groups of Black males were assigned more favorable traits than both groups of white males.
A Systematic Review of Pliance, Tracking, and Augmenting
Authors: Kissi Ama , Hughes Sean , Mertens Gaëtan , Barnes-Holmes Dermot , De Houwer Jan , Crombez Geert
Published: February 2017

Within relational frame theory, a distinction has been made between three types of rule-governed behavior known as pliance, tracking, and augmenting. This review examined whether there is support for the concepts of pliance, tracking, and augmenting in the experimental analysis of behavior; whether these concepts refer to distinct functional classes of behavior; and how these concepts have been operationalized in experimental (behavioral-analytic) research. Given that the concepts of pliance, tracking, and augmenting were first defined by Zettle and Hayes, we confined our review to studies published in or after 1982. Our results indicate that (a) experimental research investigating pliance, tracking, and/or augmenting is extremely limited; (b) it is difficult to determine the extent to which the concepts of pliance, tracking, and augmenting allow for relatively precise experimental analyses of distinct functional classes of behavior; and (c) pliance and tracking have been operationalized by using a limited set of procedures.
Resisting gendered change: Feminist institutionalism and critical actors
Authors: Thomson Jennifer
Published: February 2017

Feminist institutionalism is concerned with the ‘rules of the game’ in political institutions. It is interested to explore how institutions create gender-just conditions in terms of the policies and actions they undertake and the make-up of the elected representatives they contain. It also has a growing interest in how institutions can resist or obstruct positive gendered change. It is argued here that employing the concept of ‘critical actors’ alongside a feminist institutionalist framework can further our understanding of why some institutions resist change. Using the example of abortion legislation in Northern Ireland, this article illustrates how the literatures on feminist institutionalism and critical actors can, when combined, help to build a fuller narrative of why gendered policy change does not happen.
Filling the gaps: Unpaid (and precarious) work in the nonprofit social services
Authors: Baines Donna , Cunningham Ian , Shields John
Published: February 2017

Unpaid work has long been used in nonprofit/voluntary social services to extend paid work. Drawing on three case studies of nonprofit social services in Canada, this article argues that due to austerity policies, the conditions for ‘pure’ gift relationships in unpaid social service work are increasingly rare. Instead, employers have found various ways to ‘fill the gaps’ in funding through the extraction of unpaid work in various forms. Precarious workers are highly vulnerable to expectations that they will ‘volunteer’ at their places of employment, while expectations that students will undertake unpaid internships is increasing the norm for degree completion and procurement of employment, and full-time workers often use unpaid work as a form of resistance. This article contributes to theory by advancing a spectrum of unpaid nonprofit social service work as compelled and coerced to varying degrees in the context of austerity policies and funding cutbacks.
Saving from poverty: A critical review of Individual Development Accounts
Authors: Feldman Guy
Published: February 2017

The much-heralded anti-poverty strategy of asset-building has been adopted by many countries across the world. Asset-building programmes are designed to help low-income families achieve long-term financial stability through savings and asset accumulation. This article offers a comprehensive and critical review of the current state of theory and research on asset-building programmes, with an emphasis on Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) in the United States. Studies of IDAs have involved quantitative evaluations of the programme, focusing on three key topics: the programme’s effects on clients’ savings behaviour, its effects on clients’ outlook on life, and its long-term impact. On the basis of a careful review of these findings, it is argued that the claim that IDA programmes and asset-building in general have the potential to reduce poverty is overrated and premature. The article builds on theoretical insights regarding the nature of neoliberalism to make sense of the picture portrayed in the research literature.
Researching leveraged finance part 2
Authors: Hunter Ian
Published: February 2017

Leveraged finance is an important market for professional advisory firms such as investment banks, financial sector law firms and the ‘Big 4’ consultancies. As well as researching the leveraged finance market, researchers and information professionals in these firms are often asked to find the underlying documentation for high yield bonds and leveraged loans. In this article Ian Hunter discusses the availability of these documents and considers the best sources.
Relevance of privacy for corporate library and information services
Authors: Pedley Paul
Published: February 2017

The article considers privacy from the perspective of corporate libraries and their users, including the issues that the sector has in common with other types of library as well as those that are unique to the sector. The future of business information will include greater portability and personalization, both of which pose privacy challenges. Reliance on vendors and third parties in order to be able to deliver services as well as increasing usage of cloud computing also creates privacy risks which need to be carefully addressed. Corporate libraries aren’t immune from data breaches. These can sometimes be traced back to vendors. Library vendors serving the corporate sector can’t be expected to fully address customer privacy concerns if information professionals don’t make clear to them precisely what those concerns are. Argues that components of strategies to address privacy concerns include vendor management as well as a privacy/data protection audit.
A synergy of knowledge management and competitive intelligence
Authors: Chawinga Winner Dominic , Chipeta George Theodore
Published: February 2017

With competition becoming more intense and complex, the market orientation perspectives dictate that enterprises whether large or small have one choice if they are to survive the torrent and turbulent market environment in which they operate to upgrade their internal business activities and to integrate events from the external environment. This article is concerned with knowledge management (KM) and competitive intelligence (CI) as springboards for competitive advantage in small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Specifically, the study investigates how KM and CI can be a source of competitive advantage to SMEs in Mzuzu, Malawi. Based on the findings, we demonstrate the combined effect of KM and CI on the success of enterprises or competitive advantage.
The harms of hate
Authors: Benier Kathryn
Published: February 2017

Studies have demonstrated that hate crime victimisation has harmful effects for individuals. Victims of hate crime report anger, nervousness, feeling unsafe, poor concentration and loss of self-confidence. While victims of non-hate crimes report similar feelings, harm is intensified for hate crime victims due to the targeted nature of the incident. While there is some evidence that experiencing or even witnessing hate crime may have a detrimental effect on residents’ community life, the effects of being victim of a hate crime inside one’s own neighbourhood remain unstudied. Using census data combined with survey data from 4396 residents living across 148 neighbourhoods in Brisbane, Australia, this study examines whether residents who report hate crime within their own neighbourhood differ in their participation in community life when compared to victims of non-hate crime or those who have not been victimised. This is the first study to focus on victims’ views on: how welcoming their neighbourhood is to ethnic diversity; their attachment to their neighbourhood; their frequency of social interactions with neighbours; their number of friends and acquaintances in the neighbourhood; and their fear of crime. Results from propensity score matching (PSM) indicate that there are important differences in patterns of neighbourhood participation across these three groups.
Dopamine D4 receptor stimulation contributes to novel object recognition: Relevance to cognitive impairment in schizophrenia
Authors: Miyauchi Masanori , Neugebauer Nichole M , Meltzer Herbert Y
Published: February 2017

Several atypical antipsychotic drugs (APDs) have high affinity for the dopamine (DA) D4 receptor, but the relevance to the efficacy for the treatment of cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia (CIAS) is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of D4 receptor stimulation or blockade on novel object recognition (NOR) in normal rats and on the sub-chronic phencyclidine (PCP)-induced novel object recognition deficit. The effect of the D4 agonist, PD168077, and the D4 antagonist, L-745,870, were studied alone, and in combination with clozapine and lurasidone. In normal rats, L-745,870 impaired novel object recognition, whereas PD168077 had no effect. PD168077 acutely reversed the sub-chronic phencyclidine-induced novel object recognition deficit. Co-administration of a sub-effective dose (SED) of PD168077 with a sub-effective dose of lurasidone also reversed this deficit, but a sub-effective dose of PD168077 with a sub-effective dose of clozapine, a more potent D4 antagonist than lurasidone, did not reverse the sub-chronic phencyclidine-induced novel object recognition deficit. At a dose that did not induce a novel object recognition deficit, L-745,870 blocked the ability of clozapine, but not lurasidone, to reverse the novel object recognition deficit. D4 receptor agonism has a beneficial effect on novel object recognition in sub-chronic PCP-treated rats and augments the cognitive enhancing efficacy of an atypical antipsychotic drug that lacks affinity for the D4 receptor, lurasidone.
A shared control method for obstacle avoidance with mobile robots and its interaction with communication delay
Authors: Storms Justin , Chen Kevin , Tilbury Dawn
Published: February 2017

Teleoperation allows human operators to safely extend themselves to remote environments that are typically difficult or dangerous to access. The remote environments are often unstructured (i.e. not having clear roads or paths to follow) and only accessible by wireless communication (introducing factors such as degraded signals and communication delay). Teleoperated driving under these conditions can result in slow operation speeds and unintended collisions with obstacles. Automating portions of the teleoperation task can help mitigate some of the negative effects of wireless communication. Shared control is used to combine inputs from the human teleoperator and automation. This work presents a new model predictive control based shared control method. We introduce a new representation for obstacle free regions that works well with unstructured robot environments and allows for an model predictive control problem formulation that can be solved rapidly. The shared control method is implemented in a robot simulator and tested with human subjects. Two user studies involving a search task with a mobile robot evaluate the effectiveness of the shared control method and explore its interaction with factors such as communication delay and input interface style. Communication delay is found to have the largest magnitude effect on performance and safety measures. Results demonstrate that the shared control method can improve both performance and safety when delays are present.
A Prospective Safety Study of Autologous Adipose-Derived Stromal Vascular Fraction Using a Specialized Surgical Processing System
Authors: Berman Mark , Lander Elliot
Published: February 2017

Autologous adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction (SVF) has been proposed as a remedy for a number of inflammatory, autoimmune, and degenerative conditions. This procedure had mainly been evaluated in veterinary medicine and outside the United States when this study was initiated. This study looks at adverse events to evaluate safety as its primary objective and secondarily follows efficacy of SVF as deployed through intra-articular injections and intravenous infusions for a variety of orthopedic and non-orthopedic conditions. We hypothesized that autologous SVF deployment using a specialized surgical processing system (the CSN Time Machine® system, trademark name for the MediKhan Lipokit/Maxstem system; MediKhan, Los Angeles, California) was safe (ie, minimally acceptable adverse events) and that clinical efficacy could be demonstrated. This was a prospective case series. After institutional review board approval, 1698 SVF deployment procedures were performed between 2011 and 2016 by us and other affiliates with our same system trained by us as a nearly closed sterile surgical lipotransfer procedure on 1524 patients with various degenerative, inflammatory, and autoimmune conditions with a majority involving the musculoskeletal system. All outcome test data were collected in an online database over a 5-year period. Our study shows a very low number of reported adverse events and a reduction in pain ratings after 6 months or more across a variety of musculoskeletal diseases and improvements in a variety of other degenerative conditions. Our system for producing adipose-derived SVF therapy for our patients was safe and benefits could be measured for a long time after SVF deployment. Further controlled long-term studies for specific disease conditions with large patient populations are necessary to further investigate the benefits observed.
Geometric accuracy design and error compensation of a one-translational and three-rotational parallel mechanism with articulated traveling plate
Authors: Sun Tao , Wang Panfeng , Lian Binbin , Liu Sida , Zhai Yapu
Published: February 2017

The demands for advanced and flexible docking equipment are increasing in the fields of aerospace, shipbuilding and construction machinery. Position and orientation accuracy is one of the most important criteria, which would directly affect the docking quality. Taking a novel one-translational and three-rotational docking equipment, referred to as PaQuad parallel mechanism as example, this article proposed an accuracy improvement strategy by geometric accuracy design and error compensation. Drawing mainly on screw theory, geometric error modeling of PaQuad parallel mechanism was first carried out via four independent routes. Joint perturbations and geometric errors were included in each route error twist. Wrenches due to articulated traveling plate were applied to eliminate joint perturbations. Then, geometric accuracy design was implemented at component and substructure levels. The basic principle was to transfer geometric errors into dimensional or geometric tolerance. High-precision machining/assembling techniques were applied to satisfy the tolerance. Finally, error compensation resorting to kinematic calibration was implemented at mechanism level. It can be summarized as identification modeling, measurement planning, and parameter identification and modification. Maximum deviations of PaQuad parallel mechanism before calibration experiment were 0.01 mm, [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text]. And they become 0.01 mm, [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] after kinematic calibration. Orientation accuracy of PaQuad parallel mechanism has improved one order of magnitude. It proves the effectiveness of accuracy improvement in terms of geometric accuracy design and error compensation.
The nature of the vortical structures in the near wake of the Ahmed body
Authors: Venning James , Lo Jacono David , Burton David , Thompson Mark C , Sheridan John
Published: February 2017

This study presents the results from high-spatial-resolution water-channel velocity-field measurements behind an Ahmed body with 25° rear slant angle. The Ahmed body represents a simplified generic model of a hatchback automobile that has been widely used to study near-wake flow dynamics. The results help clarify the unresolved question of whether the time-mean near-wake flow structure is topologically equivalent to a toroidal vortex or better described by a pair of horizontally aligned horseshoe vortices, with their legs pointing downstream. The velocimetry data presented allows the tracking of the vortical structures throughout the near wake through a set of orthogonal planes, as well as the measurement of their circulation. The spanwise vortices that form as the flow separates from the top and bottom rear edges are shown to tilt downstream at the sides of the body, while no evidence is found of a time-mean attached toroidal vortex, at least for the Reynolds number (based on the square root of the frontal area) of [Formula: see text] under consideration.
Disturbance observer based dynamic surface flight control for an uncertain aircraft
Authors: Ma Jianjun , Li Peng , Zheng Zhiqiang
Published: February 2017

To handle the flight control problem of an uncertain aircraft with highly nonlinear characteristics, internal uncertainties and external disturbances, an adaptive dynamic surface controller based on nonlinear disturbance observer is designed in this paper. A novel nonhomogeneous nonlinear disturbance observer is designed to approximate the uncertainties and disturbances, which can exactly estimate the disturbances in finite time. Dynamic surface control is utilized to avoid the explosion of complexity in traditional backstepping design. Through Lyapunov synthesis, the closed-loop control system is demonstrated to be semi-globally uniformly ultimately bounded and the tracking error converges to a small neighborhood of origin. Besides, actuator dynamics are taken into account, and the controller for actuator dynamics with consideration of limitation is developed based on sliding-mode control theory. The effectiveness of the proposed control is shown by simulation experiments.
Coping with poor water supply in peri-urban Bandung, Indonesia: towards a framework for understanding risks and aversion behaviours
Authors: Nastiti Anindrya , Muntalif Barti Setiani , Roosmini Dwina , Sudradjat Arief , Meijerink S V , Smits A J M
Published: February 2017

This paper explores the daily risks of households with respect to dimensions of inadequate water access and supply (quality, quantity, continuity and affordability). We describe how perceptions of risk are shaped and how households seek to reduce possible health impacts and potential economic losses through aversion behaviours. To this end, households’ activities relating to water storage, treatment and usage, together with water source preference, were analysed using a qualitative approach. We developed a framework that describes actual risk, risk perceptions and aversion behaviours. Risk perceptions and the adoption of aversion behaviours of varying frequency and intensity are based on a complex interaction between personal and shared experiences that relate to water supply dimensions, socioeconomic characteristics, and social networking. Moreover, we discuss household risk management strategies and provide some recommendations aimed at improving future approaches to the study of aversion behaviours.
Societal response to monsoonal fluctuations in NE Thailand during the demise of Angkor Civilisation
Authors: Yamoah Kweku Afrifa , Higham Charles FW , Wohlfarth Barbara , Chabangborn Akkaneewut , Chawchai Sakonvan , Schenk Frederik , Smittenberg Rienk H
Published: February 2017

This paper investigates the possible social responses to changes in the strength of the southwest monsoon in northeastern Thailand during the currency of the Angkor civilisation. These assessments are based on hydrogen and carbon isotope records of leaf waxes (δDwax and δ13Cwax) from a 2000-year-long wetland sequence of Pa Kho in northeastern Thailand, a region that formed the northern boundary of the Angkor Kingdom. Our data indicate anthropogenic flooding of the Pa Kho wetland through the control of water through dam construction from c. AD 1300 in response to the fluctuating strength of monsoon rains. δDwax, a proxy for regional hydroclimate variability, corroborates pre-existing evidence that increased summer monsoon rains, which supported the expansion of the agrarian economy, aided the rise of the Angkorian Empire whereas extreme drought contributed to its demise. Interestingly, our δDwax record shows already a gradual decreasing monsoon intensity from c. AD 1000 onwards, although Angkor’s prosperity reached its peak at c. AD 1200. We suggest that the complex hydrological system established under royal patronage at Angkor provided a resilient buffer against short-term monsoon fluctuations. The long-term decline in monsoon rains over a ~300-year period, combined with ongoing urbanisation, may have stretched the hydrological systems to their limit. We suggest that this was a major factor that contributed to the demise of Angkor in the mid-15th century.
Lead pollution resulting from Roman gold extraction in northwestern Spain
Authors: Hillman Aubrey L , Abbott Mark B , Valero-Garcés BL , Morellon Mario , Barreiro-Lostres Fernando , Bain Daniel J
Published: February 2017

Roman mining and metallurgy left a detectable signal of lead pollution throughout Europe, northern Africa, and the Middle East. Las Médulas, in Northwestern Iberia, was the largest Roman gold mine and fundamentally altered the local landscape. To document the environmental consequences of this activity, we present a 4000-year record of lake sediment geochemistry from Laguna Roya, 35 km south of Las Médulas. Using the concentrations of trace metals weakly bound to sediment including lead, antimony, bismuth, and arsenic, we find increased levels of these metals from 300 BC to AD 120, during the Roman Republic/Empire. We attribute these increases to the atmospheric deposition of heavy metals arising from the regional extraction, processing, and/or smelting of gold ores. Lead pollution at the peak of this activity (15 BC) is twice as high as modern-day concentrations, suggesting that the amount of pollution generated by pre-Industrial civilizations and the associated environmental impacts are much larger than previously estimated. We find additional increases in antimony and bismuth from AD 1500 to 1700, possibly associated with post-medieval mining activity. Concentrations of lead begin to increase again ~AD 1860 during the start of the Industrial Revolution and reach a peak in AD 1990. Declining modern-day levels of lead can be attributed to the phase out of leaded gasoline. This is one of only a handful of studies to document pre-industrial pollution levels substantially higher than present-day, adding to a growing body of evidence that anthropogenic environmental degradation has been taking place for several thousands of years.
Thinking inside the frame: A framing analysis of the humanities in Danish print news media
Authors: Knudsen Sanne
Published: February 2017

The humanities, the natural and social sciences all represent advanced and systematic knowledge production—and they all receive public funding for doing so. However, although the field of public understanding of science has been well established for decades, similar research attention has not been directed at the humanities. The purpose of this study is to argue the case for further research of public understanding of the humanities and to take a first step in that direction by presenting a study of the framing of the humanities in Danish print news media. Different framings of the humanities are analyzed. Despite the differences in the issue-specific frames, the generic framing of the humanities shared by most articles is as follows: 75% explicitly frame the humanities as deficit, while the remaining 25% are more neutral. Consequently, if newspapers constitute the only source of information concerning the humanities, newsreaders may not be much wiser in understanding what the humanities might be—but they will know that whatever the humanities is, it is broken and useless.
Best interests: The ‘best’ way for courts to decide if young children should act as bone marrow donors?
Authors: Then Shih-Ning
Published: February 2017

Young children who are called upon to donate regenerative tissue – most commonly bone marrow – to save the life of a sick relative are in a unique position. The harvest of tissue from them is non-therapeutic and carries the risk of physical and psychological harm. However, paediatric donation is relatively common medical practice around the world. Where some doubt exists over the legality of allowing a child to donate, courts can be asked to authorize the procedure and in doing so will apply the ‘best interests’ test in making their decision. How are a young child’s rights recognized in such a situation? This article considers whether the best interests test is the ‘best’ test to be applied by courts when cases of potential child donors come before it. The approach of courts in three jurisdictions is analysed, and problems in the application of the test in this context are discussed. While the continued use of the test by courts is supported, the way the test has been used by courts is critiqued and recommendations made to better respect the rights of the potential donor child.
The silent world of young next of kin in mental healthcare
Authors: Martinsen Elin Håkonsen , Weimand Bente M , Pedersen Reidar , Norvoll Reidun
Published: February 2017

Background:

Young next of kin to patients with mental health problems are faced with many challenges. It is important to focus on the special needs of children and adolescents as next of kin to ensure their welfare and prevent harm.

Research questions:

We aimed to investigate young next of kin’s need for information and involvement, to examine the ways they cope with situations involving coercion related to the treatment of their relative, and to identify ethical challenges.

Research design:

We conducted a qualitative study based on semi-structured, individual interviews.

Participants and research context:

Seven young next of kin aged 14–22 years participated in the study. The informants were recruited from a regional hospital trust in Norway.

Ethical considerations:

The study was approved by the National Data Protection Official for Research and based upon informed consent and confidentiality.

Findings:

The adolescents wanted more information and described a need for increased interaction with their sick relative at the hospital. They struggled to keep their relationship with their relative intact, and they described communication problems in the family. Coercive treatment was perceived in a negative way.

Discussion:

The study finds that there are ethical challenges at stake for young next of kin and their families other than those that are often emphasized by traditional healthcare, which often focuses on the individual patient’s rights. These challenges are related to the young next of kin’s needs for interconnectedness and for the preservation of relationships as well as challenges related to family communication and the need for information.

Conclusion:

The study finds a need for more family-oriented perspectives in both mental healthcare practices and healthcare ethics.
Biopolitical Excess: Techno-Legal Assemblage of Stem Cell Research in India
Authors: Prasad Amit
Published: February 2017

Stem cell research on cardiac patients at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), which was disclosed through the media in 2005, created a storm. On the one hand, it was celebrated as a ‘global first in pioneering stem cell medicine’. On the other hand, not only the AIIMS study, but, more broadly, stem cell research and therapy in India was criticised for ‘tall claims [and] questionable ethics’. The responses of the policymakers and regulators in India were equally divergent. How are we to understand the contingency and unpredictability of the regulatory regime in India? The answers to this and other related questions are often presented through a regulatory fix—countries such as India need to tighten their regulatory regime. The need for a legally binding regulatory regime is undeniable; nevertheless, a narrow focus on a regulatory fix fails to explain several issues. In this article, I analyse the stem cell research on cardiac patients at AIIMS. Through a focus on epistemic, ethical and juridical assemblage of stem cell research, I highlight the inescapable contingency in the translation between ‘governmental rationality’ and ‘the practice of government’ and show how this reflects biopolitical excess.
Thinking on writing a critical essay
Authors: Ng Lillian Lywan
Published: February 2017

Objective:

To provide a strategy for writing a critical essay for the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists examination using a sample question.

Conclusion:

To prepare for writing a critical essay, candidates are advised to read widely and critically, to practise writing essays with a clear structure under examination conditions and seek constructive critique from colleagues. This will help them to write succinctly and develop a reasoned argument that is relevant to the quotation.