bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Correction of radiographic measurements of acetabular cup wear for variations in pelvis orientation
Authors: Derbyshire Brian
Published: February 2018

Radiographic measurement of two-dimensional acetabular cup wear is usually carried out on a series of follow-up radiographs of the patient’s pelvis. Since the orientation of the pelvis might not be consistent at every X-ray examination, the resulting change in view of the wear plane introduces error into the linear wear measurement. This effect is amplified on some designs of cup in which the centre of the socket is several millimetres below the centre of the cup or circular wire marker. This study describes the formulation of a mathematical method to correct radiographic wear measurements for changes in pelvis orientation. A mathematical simulation of changes in cup orientation and wear vectors caused by pelvic tilt was used to confirm that the formulae corrected the wear exactly if the radiographic plane of the reference radiograph was parallel to the true plane of wear. An error analysis showed that even when the true wear plane was not parallel to the reference radiographic plane, the formulae could still provide a useful correction. A published correction formula was found to be ineffective.
Non-consensual sterilization of women living with HIV
Authors: Rowlands Sam , Amy Jean-Jacques
Published: February 2018

Women living with HIV are stigmatized and discriminated against. They often wish to have children, but they are subjected to the practice of forced (involuntary) sterilization in at least 27 countries under the guise of protecting maternal health and preventing the birth of infected infants. Some women are not asked to give consent, or a third party consents on their behalf. Others are given insufficient information or fed misinformation. The circumstances under which such women have been asked to sign consent forms for sterilization include fear, coercion, intimidation, and undue influence. Courts have been clear that such practice is a breach of human rights, but, so far, it has not been formally declared in courts that such practice constitutes discrimination. More needs to be done in terms of education, sanctions against those who carry out this practice, and help for victims.
Domain-Specific and Domain-General Individual Differences in Visual Object Recognition
Authors: Gauthier Isabel
Published: February 2018

Research in visual object recognition has largely focused on mechanisms common to most people, but there is increased interest in whether and how people differ in the ability to recognize objects and faces. New tests with a variety of familiar categories are being created and validated to measure domain-specific abilities. Because variability in experience with familiar objects contributes to performance, tests with novel objects were designed; these tests provided evidence for a domain-general visual ability that is relatively independent from general intelligence. These advances have led to improvements in linking activity in some visual areas of the brain with domain-specific experience. Much remains to be done to uncover the neural correlates of domain-general visual ability and assess the predictive ability of visual abilities in real-world settings.
Existential loneliness: An attempt at an analysis of the concept and the phenomenon
Authors: Bolmsjö Ingrid , Tengland Per-Anders , Rämgård Margareta
Published: February 2018

Background:

According to ethical guidelines, healthcare professionals should be able to provide care that allows for the patients’ values, customs and beliefs, and the existential issues that are communicated through them. One widely discussed issue is existential loneliness. However, much of the debate dealing with existential loneliness concludes that both the phenomenon and the concept are quite vague.

Aim:

To clarify what constitutes existential loneliness, and to describe its lived experiences. A further aim was to provide a definition of existential loneliness that can function as a tool for identifying the phenomenon and for differentiating it from other kinds of loneliness.

Method:

A literature review including theoretical and empirical studies. Different search strategies were used to gather the articles included in the study. The analysis of the empirical studies had an interpretative approach. The articles were also analysed with the aim of providing a definition of existential loneliness. This was done by means of criteria such as language, uniqueness, theory and usefulness. This study is not empirical and does therefore not require an ethics review.

Results:

The analysis resulted in two main characteristics. The first one was perceiving oneself as inherently separated (disconnected) from others and from the universe. The second one brings out emotional aspects of EL, such as isolation, alienation, emptiness and a feeling of being abandoned. The empirical findings were divided into two categories: experiences of EL and circumstances in which EL arises. A definition of EL is also suggested, based on the two main characteristics identified.

Conclusion:

In order to meet patients’ needs, it is an ethical duty for healthcare staff to be able to recognise experiences of EL, that is, to communicate with the patients about these experiences in an appropriate manner. This in turn demands knowledge about existential issues and skills to deal with them.
Book Review: A. Campbell, M. Gutierrez and M. Lancelott, Operating Model Canvas
Authors: Almeida Fernando
Published: February 2018

A. Campbell, M. Gutierrez and M. Lancelott, Operating Model Canvas, 2017, Zaltbommel, Netherlands: Van Haren Publishing, 224 pp., $41.00. ISBN: 078-0401800716.
An Emerging Integrated Middle-Range Theory on Asian Women’s Leadership in Nursing
Authors: Im Eun-Ok , Broome Marion E. , Inouye Jillian , Kunaviktikul Wipada , Oh Eui Geum , Sakashita Reiko , Yi Myungsun , Huang Lian-Hua , Tsai Hsiu-Min , Wang Hsiu-Hung
Published: February 2018

Introduction: Asian cultures reflect patriarchal cultural values and attitudes, which likely have influenced women leaders in their countries differently from women in Western cultures. However, virtually no leadership theories have been developed to reflect the experiences and development of nursing leaders from Asian cultures. The purpose of this article is to present an emerging integrated middle-range theory on Asian women’s leadership in nursing. Methodology: Using an integrative approach, the theory was developed based on three major sources: the leadership frames of Bolman and Deal, literature reviews, and exemplars/cases from five different countries. Results: The theory includes two main domains (leadership frames and leadership contexts). The domain of leadership frames includes human resources/networks, structure/organization, national/international politics, and symbols. The domain of leadership contexts includes cultural contexts, sociopolitical contexts, and gendered contexts. Discussion: This theory will help understand nursing leadership in Asian cultures and provide directions for future nurse leaders in this ever-changing globalized world.
Freeze–thaw actuator and applications
Authors: Elvin Niell , Elvin Alex
Published: February 2018

Significant portions of the earth’s land mass undergo annual freeze–thaw cycles, and although water is abundant and practically a free resource, the possibility of using the water–ice phase transition for smart material applications and actuators for machines has not been studied. This article details some of the characteristics of a freeze–thaw actuator, compares it to other smart material actuators, and presents three experimental demonstrations of its potential for engineering applications. The first application is the conversion of the freeze cycle into electrical energy by coupling the freeze–thaw actuator with a bistable piezoelectric element. The second application demonstrates the ability to store energy mechanically and keep a count of multiple freeze–thaw cycles. This stored energy can then be released after a preset number of freeze–thaw cycles. The third application demonstrates a self-powered mechanism that is capable of moving itself one body length per freeze–thaw cycle.
Strategizing and Fatalizing: Self and Other in the Trauma Narratives of Justice-Involved Women
Authors: Emerson Amanda M.
Published: February 2018

Jail admissions in the United States number nearly 1 million women annually. Many have limited access to public support and must seek assistance from family, friends, and strangers to maintain health and safety after release. This study sought to learn more about how women with a history of interpersonal trauma and criminal justice involvement perceive and manage social relationships. In-depth, story-eliciting interviews were conducted over 12 months with 10 participants who were selected from the convenience sample of an ongoing parent study in a Midwestern urban jail. Embedded trauma narratives were analyzed for self-presentation, form, and theme. The trauma narratives registered a continuum of agency, anchored at either end by patterns of strategizing talk and fatalizing talk. Providers and advocates can improve support for justice-involved women post incarceration by becoming familiar with and responding to patterns of strategizing and fatalizing in their personal narratives.
An Exploration of Syndemic Factors That Influence Engagement in HIV Care Among Black Men
Authors: Quinn Katherine G. , Reed Sarah J. , Dickson-Gomez Julia , Kelly Jeffrey A.
Published: February 2018

Syndemic theory seeks to understand the interactions and clustering of disease and social conditions and explain racial disparities in HIV. Traditionally applied to HIV risk, this study characterizes the syndemic challenges of engagement in care among Black men living with HIV and provides insight into potential HIV treatment interventions to retain vulnerable individuals in care. Interviews were conducted with 23 HIV-positive men who were either out-of-care or nonadherent to antiretroviral therapy (ART). Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and coded using MAXQDA qualitative software. Researchers analyzed data using thematic content analysis to identify syndemic factors associated with disengagement in care or suboptimal ART adherence among Black men. Analyses revealed the syndemic nature of four themes: intersectional stigma, depression, substance use, and poverty. Findings from this study offer numerous opportunities for intervention including social and structural-level interventions to address syndemic processes and the influence of stigma and poverty on engagement in care.
Urban Redevelopment with Justice Implications: The Role of Social Justice and Social Capital in Residential Relocation Decisions
Authors: Kim Hyun , Marcouiller David W. , Choi Yeol
Published: February 2018

Using recent residential redevelopment projects in South Korea, relocation decisions were investigated with respect to social justice, social capital, and various urban spatial attributes at individual, neighborhood, and community levels. Drawing on previous social justice theory, a spatial multilevel analysis using both primary and secondary data was employed to measure community attributes that reflected social justice, social capital, social services, environmental, and economic characteristics. Results suggest that relationships with neighbors in the redevelopment project lead to a lower likelihood of relocation. These empirical findings are intended to inform policy makers interested in the perspectives of residents who are potentially displaced by public and private redevelopment efforts.
Founding myths of EU Europe and the workings of power in the EU heritage and history initiatives
Authors: Lähdesmäki Tuuli
Published: February 2018

Along with the European Union’s (EU) increased interest in a common European culture and past, narration as a means to create and communicate about them has gained new momentum. By applying the Discourse-Mythological Approach, I explore how the EU narrates the story of the origins of EU Europe in two recent EU heritage/history initiatives. The analysis brought out three storylines in the mythmaking of EU Europe. While the first storyline emphasizes temporal continuity, shared cultural roots, and preservation and transmission of a common legacy, the second focuses on the idea of a break and a rebirth of a civic/political community. The third storyline highlighting founding figures and key heroes functions as a mediator between these two narratives. The founding myths seek to justify the political aims of the EU, that is, strengthening European unification and multilevel integration, and presenting these aims as choiceless and morally and ethically legitimated.
Impact of a personalised active labour market programme for persons with disabilities
Authors: Adamecz-Völgyi Anna , Lévay Petra Zsuzsa , Bördős Katalin , Scharle Ágota
Published: February 2018

Aims: The paper estimates the impact of a supported employment programme implemented in Hungary. Methods: This is a non-experimental evaluation using a matching identification strategy supported by rich data on individual characteristics, personal employment and unemployment history and the local labour market situation. We use a time-window approach to ensure that programme participants and matched controls entered unemployment at the same point in time, and thus faced very similar labour market conditions. Results: We find that the programme had a positive effect of 16 percentage points on the probability of finding a job among men and 25 percentage points among women. The alternative outcome indicator of not re-entering the unemployment registry shows somewhat smaller effects in the case of women. Conclusions:In comparison to similarly costly programmes that do not facilitate employment in the primary labour market, rehabilitation services represent a viable alternative.
Economic rationalism in Canberra 25 years on?
Authors: Pusey Michael
Published: February 2018

This article, based on an edited transcript of a speech at The Australian Sociological Association (TASA) conference in Melbourne in December 2016, summarises the criticisms of ‘economic rationalism’, cum neoliberalism, that emerged from the ‘economic rationalism debate’ in Australia of the early 1990s to the present. Economic rationalism reversed Australia’s historic nation-building legacy. Free market neoliberal doctrines have captured the central Canberra policy-making apparatus and radically reduced the coordinating role of the state in most areas of public policy. Economic ‘reform’ is seen primarily as a political project led by international and domestic corporate interest groupings and aimed at the transformation of Australia’s institutions. The neoliberal orthodoxy continues to distort the policy process as it has become functionally indispensable for the process of policy making and government, despite its failing intellectual legitimacy.
Newsworthy actors, illegitimate voices: Journalistic strategies in dealing with voices deemed anti-democratic and violent
Authors: Larsen Anna Grøndahl
Published: February 2018

In recent years, violent extremism has been high on the global public agenda, invoking normative questions about the limits of free speech and how liberal democracies should deal with actors who promote views deemed anti-democratic and violent. Based on in-depth interviews with Norwegian newsroom professionals and content analysis of news from major Norwegian news outlets (n = 1819), this article explores how newsrooms deal with an important dilemma in reporting extremism: how to fulfill their democratic roles of informing the public of forces deemed anti-democratic and violent, while refraining from legitimizing and advancing extremist ideas and aims. The analysis shows that newsroom staff perceive these dilemmas as inherently challenging, with few clear-cut solutions as to how to strike a balance between inclusion and exclusion, ‘neutrality’ and condemnation, and these assessments are further complicated in the digital media environment, raising new dilemmas and questions concerning journalistic roles and responsibilities. In practice, editorial dilemmas are dealt with by making a distinction between newsworthy actors and legitimate voices. Reporters foregrounded several reasons why voices deemed extremist should be included in the news. Yet, analysis of news content showed that these voices tended to be included in short and de-contextualized bits that served to fulfill some stated journalistic aims, such as warning national audiences, while largely neglecting others, such as providing understanding of the motives and ideas of actors deemed extremist, with important implications for news construction of extremism. Theoretically, the article contributes to the literature on news access, limits of mediated debate, and construction of deviance in the news.
Interactive topic hierarchy revision for exploring a collection of online conversations
Authors: Hoque Enamul , Carenini Giuseppe
Published: February 2018

In the last decade, there has been an exponential growth of asynchronous online conversations (e.g. blogs), thanks to the rise of social media. Analyzing and gaining insights from such discussions can be quite challenging for a user, especially when the user deals with hundreds of comments that are scattered around multiple different conversations. A promising solution to this problem is to automatically mine the major topics from conversations and organize them into a hierarchical structure. However, the resultant topic hierarchy can be noisy and/or it may not match the user’s current information needs. To address this problem, we introduce a novel human-in-the-loop approach that allows the user to revise the topic hierarchy based on her feedback. We incorporate this approach within a visual text analytics system that helps users in analyzing and getting insights from conversations by exploring and revising the topic hierarchy. We evaluated the resulting system with real users in a lab-based study. The results from the user study, when compared to its counterpart that does not support interactive revisions of a hierarchical topic model, provide empirical evidence of the potential utility of our system in terms of both performance and subjective measures. Finally, we summarize generalizable lessons for introducing human-in-the-loop computation within a visual text analytics system.
Flow and noise from septa nozzles
Authors: Zaman KBMQ , Bridges JE
Published: February 2018

Flow and noise fields are explored for the concept of distributed propulsion. A model-scale experiment is performed with an 8:1 aspect ratio rectangular nozzle that is divided into six passages by five septa. The septa geometries are created by placing plastic inserts within the nozzle. It is found that the noise radiation from the septa nozzle can be significantly lower than that from the baseline rectangular nozzle. The reduction of noise is inferred to be due to the introduction of streamwise vortices produced by secondary flow within each passage. Thus, the geometry of the internal passages of the septa nozzle can have a large influence. The flow evolution is profoundly affected by slight changes in the geometry. These conclusions are reached by experimental results of the flowfield aided by brief numerical simulations.
Wavepacket modeling of the jet noise source
Authors: Papamoschou Dimitri
Published: February 2018

This study is motivated by the need for physical models for the jet noise source to be used in practical noise prediction schemes for propulsion–airframe integration concepts. The basis for the source model is an amplitude-modulated traveling wave—the wavepacket. The source is parameterized and the parameters are determined by minimizing the difference between the modeled and experimental sound intensity distributions in the far field. Even though the pressure signal that reaches the far field is highly filtered, sufficient information is available to construct a wavepacket with reasonable physical characteristics. A simple stochastic extension of this concept shows a connection between the shape of the far-field sound pressure level spectrum and the emission polar angle. It suggests that the broadening of the spectrum with increasing polar angle from the downstream axis can be explained on the basis of a single noise source (the wavepacket), rather than the prevailing model of two distinct noise sources, one coherent and the other incoherent.
“We’re kind of at a pivotal point”: Opt Out’s vision for an ethic of care in a post-neoliberal era
Authors: Schroeder Stephanie , Currin Elizabeth , McCardle Todd
Published: February 2018

This article explores the Opt Out Florida (OOF) movement, a predominantly woman-led group seeking to dismantle neoliberal education policy by coaching children to boycott high-stakes standardized tests. Guided by Campbell’s assertion that neoliberalism will never disappear without a “gender revolution” and Noddings’s belief that those who have claimed power in the “traditional masculine structure” of our educational institutions will not readily cede their authority, we assert that movements like Opt Out are not only necessary to bring about a post-neoliberal future, but offer important insight into the role activist mothers may play in fulfilling that vision for all children. As a noticeably maternal movement, Opt Out displays a commitment to Noddings’s description of moral education and her assertion that “if an enterprise precludes…meeting the other in a caring relation, [one] must refuse to participate in that enterprise.” Understanding standardized tests as instruments of control meant to defund and privatize public education, Opt Out members actively resist them. Their ethic of care eschews corporate influence, and guides both their mission to return control of the classroom to the local level and their rejection of the deskilling and intensification of the teaching profession. Drawing on critical ethnographic data from OOF, we ultimately argue that the movement’s emphasis on the ideal moral and caring relations between school and child offers one example of what post-neoliberal education might look and sound like from a distinctly feminine perspective.
Structure design and optimization for a cutting force measurement tool with embedded nickel–chromium film sensor
Authors: Li Xuerui , Wu Wenge , Cheng Yunping , Liu Lijuan
Published: February 2018

The cutting force generated during the cutting process affects the quality of the workpieces and tool wear. Accurate real-time monitoring of cutting forces plays an important role in the study of cutting mechanism and machining quality improvement. This article describes a tool with embedded nickel–chrome thin film sensor for cutting force measurement. The tool structure is optimized with grooving, drilling to form stepped sidewalls in the appropriate position. A simplified cantilever model for finite element simulation analysis in mechanics is used for analysis, in which the substrate thickness and Ni-Cr thin film–resistive grid position are determined through analysis. The output voltage is proportional to the external force with a factor of 0.0091 at 0.2 mm substrate thickness, which is a 100% gain over the original model. The designed tool with embedded sensors fabricated on the 0.5 mm substrate was validated with static calibration and cutting test. The results demonstrate that the sensor output voltage is proportional to the external force with a scale factor of 0.00518 and the resistance grid factor of 1.6. The tool and the Kistler dynamometer are in good agreement, with an error of 6.8% in measuring the main cutting force.
Barriers and facilitators to clinical trial participation among parents of children with pediatric neuromuscular disorders
Authors: Peay Holly L , Biesecker Barbara B , Wilfond Benjamin S , Jarecki Jill , Umstead Kendall L , Escolar Diana M , Tibben Aad
Published: February 2018

Background/aims:

Pediatric rare disease presents a challenging situation of high unmet need and a limited pool of potential clinical trial participants. Understanding perspectives of parents of children who have not participated in trials may facilitate approaches to optimize participation rates. The objective of this study was to explore factors associated with parental interest in enrolling children with pediatric neuromuscular disorders in clinical trials.

Methods:

Parents of individuals with Duchenne or Becker muscular dystrophy and spinal muscular atrophy were recruited through advocacy organizations, a registry, and clinics. These parents ( N = 203) completed a questionnaire including assessments of barriers and facilitators to clinical trial participation, parents’ interest in trial participation, and their perceptions of others’ views about participation in a clinical trial.

Results:

Trial interest in participating parents was high (64% combined group). The most highly endorsed barrier to participation was the possibility of receiving placebo, followed by not having enough information on risks and trial procedures. Compared to parents of children with Duchenne or Becker muscular dystrophy, parents of children with spinal muscular atrophy endorsed significantly more information and knowledge barriers. The greatest facilitators of participation were (1) confidence in improving disease understanding and (2) guarantee to receive the treatment after a successful trial. A logistic regression model, χ2 (4, n = 188) = 80.64, p < .001, indicated that higher perceived barriers and more frequent trial communication by the provider were associated with lower interest, while positive trial perceptions by the child’s providers and concordance in trial perceptions among those close to the decision-maker were associated with higher interest.

Conclusion:

We found high parental interest in pediatric neuromuscular trials that was tempered by concerns about the potential for randomization to a placebo arm. Participants perceived that their trial participation would be facilitated by additional education and guidance from their clinicians. Yet, intentions were negatively associated with frequency of provider communication, perhaps reflecting waning parental interest with a greater understanding of limitations in trial access, increased sophistication in their understanding of trial design, and appreciation of potential burden. To support parents’ informed decisions, it is important to educate them to evaluate the quality of research, as well as providing lay information explaining the use of placebo, trial processes, and potential barriers to long-term drug access. Our findings should inform the development of targeted educational content, clinician training, and decision support tools.
Putting pharmacists in specialist outpatient clinics: a pilot approach to integrate services under one roof
Authors: Lai Yi Feng , Tan Yan Ru , Oh Shu Xin , Wang Xianqi , Tan Angelina Hui Min
Published: February 2018

Patient journey with multiple stopovers has long been recognized as suboptimal and attempts to co-locate pharmacists with physicians have been explored in various healthcare systems to integrate processes and improve patient experience. This prospective study aims to evaluate and compare process efficiency between a decentralized prescription review workflow (intervention) and conventional prescription filling workflow (control). Both workflows were concurrently assessed in selected specialist outpatient clinics. Outcome measure was end-to-end prescription processing time between intervention and control workflows. A total of 1117 complete prescription time–motion data entered analysis. There was significant reduction in patients’ waiting time of approximately 25% (803.6 ± 409.0 s vs 618.6 ± 468.3 s, p < 0.001). For patients undergoing intervention workflow, instant collection of medication was achieved 96% of the time. However, reduction in dispensing time spent in intervention arm was not observed compared to control workflow. The findings may support further modification and implementation of the decentralized workflow in other healthcare institutions in order to realize team-based patient-centered care that ensures timely supply of medications that are optimized for the purpose of treatment.
Markers of neutrophil extracellular traps are associated with adverse clinical outcome in stable coronary artery disease
Authors: Langseth Miriam Sjåstad , Opstad Trine Baur , Bratseth Vibeke , Solheim Svein , Arnesen Harald , Pettersen Alf Åge , Seljeflot Ingebjørg , Helseth Ragnhild
Published: February 2018

Background

Neutrophil extracellular traps, comprising chromatin and granule proteins, have been implicated in atherothrombosis.

Design and methods

We investigated whether the circulating neutrophil extracellular traps markers, double-stranded DNA and myeloperoxidase-DNA were associated with clinical outcome and hypercoagulability in patients with stable coronary artery disease. Patients with angiographically verified stable coronary artery disease ( n = 1001) were included. Follow-up was 2 years, recording 106 clinical endpoints (unstable angina, non-haemorrhagic stroke, myocardial infarction or death). Serum collected at baseline was used to determine double-stranded DNA and myeloperoxidase-DNA levels.

Results

The neutrophil extracellular traps markers were weakly intercorrelated ( r = 0.103, P = 0.001). Patients with the highest quartile of double-stranded DNA had weakly but significantly elevated hypercoagulability markers (prothrombin fragment 1+2, D-dimer, free and total tissue factor pathway inhibitor ( P < 0.001 for all)). Men, smokers, patients with metabolic syndrome and patients with a previous myocardial infarction had significantly elevated double-stranded DNA levels ( P ≤ 0.002 for all). Significantly higher double-stranded DNA levels were observed in the group experiencing a clinical endpoint compared to the group without ( P = 0.019). When categorising double-stranded DNA into quartiles, a distinct cut-off between the lowest and upper three quartiles was observed. Adjusting for relevant covariates, patients in the upper three quartiles had an odds ratio of 2.01 (95% confidence interval 1.12, 3.58, P = 0.019) for experiencing a clinical endpoint. Myeloperoxidase-DNA was not significantly associated with clinical outcome or hypercoagulability.

Conclusions

Double-stranded DNA levels were significantly related to adverse clinical outcome after 2 years, but only weakly associated with hypercoagulability. These observations suggest that the detrimental effects of neutrophil extracellular traps in coronary artery disease might extend beyond those related to hypercoagulability.
Fertility potential in a man with ankylosing spondylitis as revealed by semen analysis by light, electron and fluorescence microscopy
Authors: Chatzimeletiou Katerina , Galanis Nikiforos , Karagiannidis Alexandros , Sioga Antonia , Pados George , Goulis Dimitrios , Kalpatsanidis Antonis , Tarlatzis Basil C
Published: February 2018

Ankylosing spondylitis affects 0.1%–0.5% of the adult population. The aim was to investigate the possible effects of both the disease and its treatment on semen quality by performing a highly detailed analysis in a man with ankylosing spondylitis, presenting for infertility. Sperm characteristics were evaluated by light microscopy, morphology by electron microscopy (transmission electron microscopy), DNA fragmentation by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling using fluorescence microscopy and chromosomal abnormalities by fluorescence in situ hybridisation using probes for chromosomes 13,15,16,18,21,22,X and Y. There was no evidence for an effect of either ankylosing spondylitis or its treatment with celecoxib and sulphasalazine on sperm quality as all parameters including concentration, motility, DNA fragmentation and aneuploidy incidence were within normal limits. Transmission electron microscopy, however, revealed a high incidence of head, neck and tail abnormalities, as well as the presence of immature sperm and phagocytes. Hysteroscopic removal of an endometrial polyp enabled the achievement of a spontaneous pregnancy and the delivery of a healthy boy.
Leaks during multiple-breath washout: characterisation and influence on outcomes
Authors: Lenherr Nina , Ramsey Kathryn A. , Jost Kerstin , Hornwall Linn , Singer Florian , Yammine Sophie , Latzin Philipp
Published: February 2018

Nitrogen multiple-breath washout (N2MBW) is increasingly used in patients with cystic fibrosis. The current European Respiratory Society/American Thoracic Society consensus statement for MBW recommends the rejection of measurements with leaks. However, it is unclear whether this is necessary for all types of leaks. Here, our aim was to 1) model and 2) apply air leaks, and 3) to assess their influence on the primary MBW outcomes of lung clearance index and functional residual capacity.

We investigated the influence of air leaks at various locations (pre-, intra- and post-capillary), sizes, durations and stages of the washout. Modelled leaks were applied to existing N2MBW data from 10 children by modifying breath tables. In addition, leaks were applied to the equipment during N2MBW measurements performed by one healthy adolescent.

All modelled and applied leaks resulted in statistically significant but heterogeneous effects on lung clearance index and functional residual capacity. In all types of continuous inspiratory leaks exceeding a certain size, the end of the washout was not reached. For practical application, we illustrated six different “red flags”,i.e.signs that enable easy identification of leaks during measurements.

Air leaks during measurement significantly influence N2MBW outcomes. The influence of leaks on MBW outcomes is dependent on the location, relation to breath cycle, duration, stage of washout and size of the leak. We identified a range of signs to help distinguish leaks from physiological noise.
Reproducibility of hypercapnic ventilatory response measurements with steady-state and rebreathing methods
Authors: Mannée Denise C. , Fabius Timon M. , Wagenaar Michiel , Eijsvogel Michiel M.M. , de Jongh Frans H.C.
Published: February 2018

In this study, the hypercapnic ventilatory response (HCVR) was measured, defined as the ventilation response to carbon dioxide tension (PCO2). We investigated which method, rebreathing or steady-state, is most suitable for measurement of the HCVR in healthy subjects, primarily based on reproducibility. Secondary outcome parameters were subject experience and duration.

20 healthy adults performed a rebreathing and steady-state HCVR measurement on two separate days. Subject experience was assessed using numeric rating scales (NRS). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICCs) of the sensitivity to carbon dioxide above the ventilatory recruitment threshold and the projected apnoea threshold were calculated to determine the reproducibility of both methods.

The ICCs of sensitivity were 0.89 (rebreathing) and 0.56 (steady-state). The ICCs of the projected apnoea threshold were 0.84 (rebreathing) and 0.25 (steady-state). The steady-state measurement was preferred by 16 out of 20 subjects; the differences in NRS scores were small.

The hypercapnic ventilatory response measured using the rebreathing setup provided reproducible results, while the steady-state method did not. This may be explained by high variability in end-tidalPCO2. Differences in subject experience between the methods are small.
Modeling scattering and intrinsic attenuation of crosswell seismic data in the Michigan Basin
Authors: da Silva Josimar A. , Poliannikov Oleg V. , Fehler Michael , Turpening Roger
Published: February 2018

Scattering of seismic waves may cause a significant amount of apparent attenuation, particularly in regions having strong heterogeneity. We find that the radiative transfer method can be used to model intrinsic and scattering attenuation of crosswell seismic data. To solve the radiative transfer equation, we assume that the medium can be described by a stationary random field and then we use a particle-based method in which millions of particles are released from a source and scatter through the random medium according to the Born scattering coefficients. Intrinsic attenuation is modeled by assigning probabilities that the particles will die off on the path between scattering events. We apply the seismic particle method to crosswell seismic data acquired on a carbonate reef in the Michigan Basin, and we use a grid search to estimate a set of model parameters that fit the data. Based on well logs, we fixed the velocity heterogeneity strength at 3% and estimated the medium velocity correlation length to be between [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. Our results also indicate that scattering attenuation is one order of magnitude larger than intrinsic attenuation, a result that we interpret as a consequence of the highly heterogeneous nature of the rock comprising the reservoir. Contrary to other attenuation estimation methods, such as the centroid method, in which scattering attenuation is neglected by invoking that the reservoir is homogeneous, our results indicate that accounting for scattering attenuation is of paramount importance in attenuation estimation using crosswell seismic data.
3D correlative electron microscopy reveals continuity of Brucella-containing vacuoles with the endoplasmic reticulum
Authors: Sedzicki Jaroslaw , Tschon Therese , Low Shyan Huey , Willemart Kevin , Goldie Kenneth N. , Letesson Jean-Jacques , Stahlberg Henning , Dehio Christoph
Published: February 2018

Entry of the facultative intracellular pathogen Brucella into host cells results in the formation of endosomal Brucella-containing vacuoles (eBCVs) that initially traffic along the endocytic pathway. eBCV acidification triggers the expression of a type IV secretion system that translocates bacterial effector proteins into host cells. This interferes with lysosomal fusion of eBCVs and supports their maturation to replicative Brucella-containing vacuoles (rBCVs). Bacteria replicate in rBCVs to large numbers, eventually occupying most of the cytoplasmic volume. As rBCV membranes tightly wrap each individual bacterium, they are constantly being expanded and remodeled during exponential bacterial growth. rBCVs are known to carry endoplasmic reticulum (ER) markers; however, the relationship of the vacuole to the genuine ER has remained elusive. Here, we have reconstructed the 3-dimensional ultrastructure of rBCVs and associated ER by correlative structured illumination microscopy (SIM) and focused ion beam/scanning electron microscopic tomography (FIB/SEM). Studying B. abortus-infected HeLa cells and trophoblasts derived from B. melitensis-infected mice, we demonstrate that rBCVs are complex and interconnected compartments that are continuous with neighboring ER cisternae, thus supporting a model that rBCVs are extensions of genuine ER.
Wrong beginnings: our response to a bold report
Authors: Jarvis Pam , Whitebread David
Published: February 2018

The recent Ofsted report on good quality reception practice has caused a furore across the sector and, despite the inspectorate downplaying its findings, there is evidence that it is having a negative impact.
Effect of Drainage Water Management on Nitrate Nitrogen Loss to Tile Drains in North Carolina
Authors: Poole Chad A. , Skaggs R. Wayne , Youssef Mohamed A. , Chescheir George M. , Crozier Carl R.
Published: February 2018

Abstract.

Short-term studies have demonstrated that drainage water management (DWM), or controlled drainage (CD), can be used to substantially reduce the loss of nitrogen (N) from drained lands for a wide range of soils, crops, locations, and climates. Long-term studies on the effects of the practice are limited. This article presents results on the effects of CD on nitrate-N (NO3-N) losses for three crops, corn ( L.), wheat ( L.), and soybean ( [L.] Merr.), in a two-year rotation in North Carolina. Nitrate losses were measured on replicated plots under CD and conventional, or free drainage (FD), treatments for nine years between 1992 and 2012 on a tile-drained site near Plymouth, North Carolina. The site is on a Portsmouth sandy loam soil with parallel drains 22.9 m apart and 1.15 m deep. The subsurface drainage characteristics under FD were drainage intensity (DI) = 8 mm d-1, drainage coefficient (DC) = 14 mm d-1, and Kirkham coefficient (KC) = 18 mm d-1. Compared to FD, CD reduced annual drainage outflow by 33% and NO3-N export by 30%, with an average annual reduction of 6.3 kg ha-1 year-1. CD increased average NO3-N concentrations by 0.9 mg L-1, but the difference was not significant. The reduction in NO3-N export observed in the CD treatment was equal to the increase in N removed by the harvested grain. The results document the effects of CD on NO3-N export over a wide range of weather conditions during the nine-year study. While the average 30% reduction in NO3-N losses in drainage water is in the midrange of that reported by previous studies for different soils and climates, this is believed to be the first time such a reduction has been attributed to the effect of CD on increasing yields and N removed in the harvested grain. Keywords: Controlled drainage (CD), Corn, Drainage water, Drainage water management (DWM), Nitrate, Nitrogen, Soybean, Water quality, Wheat.
Ontology of the Pee-Cock Gen2 3-in-1
Authors: Jenkins Kevin
Published: February 2018

Between the tensions of Jane Bennett’s human-nonhuman heterogeneous assemblage and Ian Bogost’s alienness of things to each other and humans, the author questions the agency of a prosthesis by speculating on its daily experiences and its thing-power (Bennett) on the user. As a visual essay in the form of shaped prose, the thingness of textual components becomes evident as their proximity and isolation across the surface of the page or at page breaks forces the reader to move back and forth between content and form. Thus, we may also consider how words are both manipulated in the construction of assemblages and have the power to shape ideas and aesthetic ideals that necessitate the existence of some objects, including prostheses.
Burning cotton: Art education and the unemptied dustbin of history
Authors: Stabler Albert
Published: February 2018

Developed by Graham Harman, the philosophical approach known as ‘object-oriented ontology’ examines reality on the basis of objects. Harman has referenced an image of burning cotton, which he uses to illustrate the point that, as objects, fire and cotton interact without changing the essential nature of either object. In keeping with Harman’s speculative and poetic approach, I invoke as an example the incidences of cotton being burned during the American Civil War, undertaken first by the Confederacy and later by Union soldiers, including freed slaves; the slaves followed the model of Haitian revolutionaries who famously burned sugarcane fields. Using Harman’s ideas about objects, and drawing on one of his major influences, Bruno Latour, I relate the image of burning cotton to other acts of destruction, including repeated attempts made by African Americans to overcome the legacy of being reduced to the status of objects and repeated attempts by whites to sustain this legacy. I link this history to my decade-long tenure as a full-time art teacher on the southeast side of Chicago, and discuss education in an apartheid school system as a conflicted and asymmetrical transaction mediated by objects with distinct boundaries and roles. In closing, I argue for a consideration of objects by art teachers thinking about their students’ historical context, and an examination of their own role in the community as teachers.
Avaliação da vulnerabilidade intrínseca a contaminação do aquífero cárstico Salitre no município de Cafarnaum, Bahia
Authors: Gasser Rodolfo Santos , Moreira Cruz Manoel Jerônimo , Gonçalves Manuel Vitor Portugal
Published: February 2018

O aquífero cárstico Salitre situa-se na Bacia Carbonática de Irecê, na região centro-norte da Bahia, no contexto geológico da Formação Salitre. É constituído por espessas sequências de calcarenitos, calcilutitos, calcissiltitos e dolomíticos intercalados, por vezes, com sequências terrígenas subordinadas, constituídas por silexitos, arenitos, siltitos, laminitos e margas. O objetivo principal do estudo é avaliar a vulnerabilidade intrínseca natural à contaminação do aquífero cárstico Salitre, no município de Cafarnaum, para isso usou-se a metodologia COP. Os aquíferos cársticos são especialmente vulneráveis à contaminação devido a sua pouca profundidade, a alta velocidade do fluxo de água, a sua conexão direta com a superfície e a sua recarga através de formas de absorção abertas. Para a avaliação da vulnerabilidade natural do aquífero cárstico à contaminação através da metodologia COP, levam-se em consideração três parâmetros hidrogeológicos: concentração do fluxo, camadas sobrepostas e regime de precipitação. A análise do mapa de vulnerabilidade intrínseca a contaminação, permitiu a delimitação de 4 classes de vulnerabilidade na área: muito alta (12,5% - 70,20 km²), alta (0,7% - 4,0 km²), moderada (28,0%, 154,41 km²) e baixa (58,7%, 330,00 km²). A individualização das feições cársticas e de sua área de influência é o fator que teve um papel significativo para a delimitação da classe de vulnerabilidade muito alta.
Metodología para el cálculo de coeficientes de sustentación y arrastre en perfiles aerodinámicos simétricos aplicado a turbinas Darrieus
Authors: Rolón Ortiz Humberto Alejandro , Villamizar González Yesenia , Acevedo Peñaloza Carlos Humberto
Published: February 2018

Las turbinas tipo Darrieus han adquirido protagonismo como fuente de energía limpia; así, la geometría de estas, sus alabes, se enfrentan a amplios rangos de ángulos de ataque debido a su desplazamiento circunferencial. En el siguiente artículo se caracterizan los coeficientes de sustentación y arrastre para cada ángulo, partiendo de datos iniciales generados en el software JavaFoil; se implementó el método de extrapolación de Montgomerie para deducir los valores en ángulos de ataque posteriores al coeficiente de sustentación máximo y se comparó con datos experimentales producidos por Robert Sheldahl en los laboratorios Sandia, dando como resultado una correlación cercana entre las series de datos.
Content Analysis in Scientific Research: Meta-Analysis, Meta-Synthesis, and Descriptive Content Analysis
Authors: DİNÇER Serkan
Published: February 2018

Considering
the research methods of the studies in the field of educational sciences, it
can be stated that studies follow similar research steps or phases though using
different terminology to refer to these steps. While such differentiated use of
terminology is significantly fewer in research designs such as experimental or
descriptive, there has been an increase in such misuse in the studies utilizing
content analysis design and the literature in the field reveals interchangeable
use of terms like technique, design, and method. Reviewing the literature
reveals mistakes in the use of content analysis since it is not only a method
of research but a method of data analysis as well. In this respect, the present
study aims to define and group the approaches on content analysis as one of the
frequently discussed and confused concept. Following an extensive literature
review, the study attempts to define content analysis and to categorize various
approaches related. The categories include meta-analysis, meta-synthesis, and
descriptive content analysis. Lastly, the issues that researchers need to pay
special attention are highlighted.