bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spatio-Temporal Hedonic Price Model to Investigate the Dynamics of Housing Prices in Contexts of Urban Form and Transportation Services in Toronto
Authors: Hawkins Jason , Habib Khandker Nurul
Published: June 2018

A spatio-temporal hedonic price model is developed for the Greater Toronto area to examine the effects of urban configurations and proximity to transit services on housing price. A spatial Durbin panel model is utilized to account for both spatial and temporal autocorrelation. This model is shown to have advantages through its ability to reduce the number of explanatory variables required to obtain a strong fit with empirical data. Analysis is completed for the period of 1996 to 2017 and distinctions are made in housing stock between single-family houses, townhouses, and condominiums. It is shown that heterogeneities exist between the hedonic representations of each dwelling type and that separate models should be employed for each. In all cases, the average income of the community, its distance to the central business district (CBD), and population and employment density are found to be significant factors in the determination of price.
Feasibility of using QR Codes in Highway Construction Document Management
Authors: Lee Hyun Woo , Harapanahalli Bharat Anand , Nnaji Chukwuma , Kim Jonghyeob , Gambatese John
Published: June 2018

Highway construction occasionally takes place in remote locations, making its document management challenging especially when frequent document revisions occur. With the recent advancement of smartphones and tablets, Quick Response (QR) codes can provide project teams rapid and reliable access to up-to-date documents required for field operations. As a result, the use of QR codes can lead to a reduced need for traveling or meeting for document revisions, and reduce the amount of hardcopy documents and storage space. Despite the potential for significant benefits, there have been few studies aimed at assessing the feasibility of using QR codes in highway construction. In response, the objective of the study was to investigate the benefits of and barriers to using QR codes in highway construction for document management. To conduct the study, first a multi-step process was used, involving an online survey and interviews, with a goal of determining the status quo of highway construction in terms of document management and mobile information technology (IT). The results indicate that hardcopy documentation is still the most prevalent form of document management in highway construction, and hence there is an opportunity for implementing QR codes in conjunction with mobile IT. In the second part of the study, a time study using a real-world infrastructure project was conducted based on three activities: detail look up, specification check, and version check. As a result, the study found statistical evidence that using QR codes can lead to significant time savings.
Exploring the Effect of Different Neighboring Structures on Spatial Hierarchical Joint Crash Frequency Models
Authors: Alarifi Saif A. , Abdel-Aty Mohamed A. , Lee Jaeyoung , Wang Xuesong
Published: June 2018

Corridor safety analysis is a primary interest of many road safety studies. Corridors typically contain intersections and roadway segments. Having both components while analyzing corridors in addition to corridor-level variables in a hierarchical joint model would provide a comprehensive understanding of the existing corridor safety problems. There will probably be spatial correlation among road entities along a corridor, especially if the distance between the road entities is not large. Therefore, it is crucial to consider spatial effects in the model. However, this data structure is relatively new, and the best spatial weight matrix for this hierarchical spatial joint model has yet to be investigated. Therefore, this study estimates a hierarchical Poisson-lognormal (HPLN) joint model with spatial effects and explores the effect of different neighboring structures. A total of thirteen HPLN joint models are estimated: one HPLN joint model with corridor random effect and twelve HPLN joint models with spatial effects. Four types of conceptualization of spatial relationships were considered: (a) adjacency-based, (b) adjacency-route, (c) distance-order, and (d) distance-based spatial weight features. The results show the importance of incorporating spatial effects in the model. It was found that having a joint model is important since one of the best models is the adjacency-based first-order model, where the feeding road entities in addition to the directly adjacent road entity of the same type as the road entity of interest are considered. The results confirm the importance of spatial autocorrelation between road entities along the same corridor.
Testing the “Freight Landscape” Concept for Paris
Authors: Sakai Takanori , Beziat Adrien , Heitz Adeline , Dablanc Laetitia
Published: June 2018

The concept of “freight landscape,” the basis for a modeling approach for urban freight traffic estimation using commonly available datasets, was proposed in 2017 with a case study applying it to the Los Angeles metropolitan area. To extend the scope of that research, we conduct another case study using data from the Paris region, France. We estimate spatial lag models using population, employment, or establishment transportation accessibilities as explanatory variables and network-based truck traffic as the dependent variable, modifying the approach used in the Los Angeles study. We identify differences in the characteristics of the variables and the models between the Los Angeles and Paris cases, each having a distinctively different urban structure. While the models estimated for the Paris region provide beneficial insights into the relationships between freight landscape indicators and urban freight traffic, the complex correlation structure among indicators, as well as the limitation of the models for specifying the areas of very high truck traffic, underlines the need for further research on the modeling framework and for more case studies.
Pedestrians/Bicyclists and Autonomous Vehicles: How Will They Communicate?
Authors: Stanciu Sergiu C. , Eby David W. , Molnar Lisa J. , St. Louis Renée M. , Zanier Nicole , Kostyniuk Lidia P.
Published: June 2018

Interpersonal roadway communication is a vital component of the transportation system. Road users communicate to coordinate movement and increase roadway safety. Future autonomous vehicle research needs to account for the role of interpersonal roadway communication. This literature review synthesizes research on interpersonal interaction between drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians while also directing attention to implications for autonomous and connected vehicle research. Articles were collected from TRID, PsycINFO, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect using search terms relevant to driving, communication, and vulnerable road users. The synthesis documents that interpersonal communication not only takes place but is also an important and understudied aspect of safe roadway travel. The review also found that road users employ a variety of communication methods that include gestures, facial expressions, and built-in vehicular devices. Comprehension of messages is influenced by several factors including culture, context, and experience. These results shed light on potential issues and challenges of interpersonal communication and the introduction of autonomous vehicles to the roadway.
Bone Bruise Patterns in Skeletally Immature Patients With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury: Shock-Absorbing Function of the Physis
Authors: Novaretti João V. , Shin Jason J. , Albers Marcio , Chambers Monique C. , Cohen Moises , Musahl Volker , Fu Freddie H.
Published: June 2018

Background:

Bone bruises are frequently found on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and have been related to the force associated with the trauma. Yet, little is known about the bone bruise distribution pattern of skeletally immature (SI) patients, as the presence of an open physis may play a role in energy dissipation given its unique structure.

Purpose:

To describe and compare the location and distribution of tibial and femoral bone bruises, observed on MRI, between 2 groups of ACL-injured knees: the first group with an open physis and the second with a closed physis. Additionally, based on the bone bruise distribution pattern, the secondary aim of the study was to propose a new classification of bone bruise in SI patients.

Study Design:

Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

A retrospective review was conducted to identify all cases of primary ACL tears in patients ≤16 years old, with MRI within 6 weeks of injury between January 2012 and December 2016. Overall, 106 patients were identified: 53 with open physis (skeletally immature [SI] group) and 53 with closed physis as control (skeletally mature [SM] group). MRI scans were reviewed to assess for the presence and location of bone bruises. Longitudinal bone bruise distribution was described as epiphyseal and metaphyseal in both femur and tibia. The proposed classification for tibia and femur has 2 parts: the location of the bone bruise in the (I) lateral, (II) medial, or (III) medial and lateral parts of the bone; and if the bone bruise (a) does not or (b) does cross the physis. For the tibia, if the bone bruise is also present in the central portion, a letter C is added.

Results:

The SI group had significantly fewer bone bruises cross the physis and extend into the metaphysis than did the SM group for both the tibia (25% vs 85%, respectively; P < .0001) and the femur (4% vs 42%; P < .0001). The most common patterns observed in the SI group were type IIICa in the tibia (medial/lateral and central, not extending into the metaphysis: 42%) and type Ia in the femur (lateral, not extending into the metaphysis: 59%).

Conclusion:

The data from this study shows that patients with an open physis at the occurrence of an acute ACL rupture have unique bone bruise patterns as compared with those with a closed physis. In the SI patients, the bone bruise pattern is significantly less frequently observed in the tibial and femoral metaphysis.
Le Bien Vieillir Désiré : quelle validité prédictive auprès des consommateurs âgés de 50 à 80 ans ?
Authors: Sengès Eloïse , Guiot Denis , Chandon Jean-Louis
Published: June 2018

Résumé

Peu investigué, le bien vieillir constitue un défi important pour le marketing. Pour y répondre, le concept de Bien Vieillir Désiré (BVD) fait référence aux objectifs psychologiques, physiques, sociaux et financiers, poursuivis dans la quête du bien vieillir. Nous en proposons un modèle de mesure bifactoriel (facteur général et facteurs spécifiques), fiable et valide dans lequel le BVD général s’accompagne de trois facteurs spécifiques, le BVD physique, le BVD social et le BVD financier. Le BVD se révèle être utile, en complément à l’âge pour expliquer la consommation dans quatre secteurs : l’e-santé, la chirurgie esthétique, les loisirs et les placements financiers. Les résultats obtenus suggèrent le développement d’un marketing du bien vieillir pour mieux concevoir et promouvoir les produits et services favorisant le bien vieillir.
Resource Use After Unwanted Sexual Experiences in Undergraduates: A Comprehensive Evaluation of Factors Related to the Decision to Seek Help
Authors: Fleming C. J. Eubanks , Lynch Kyle A. , Hakas Maggie B. , Belanger Elizabeth
Published: June 2018

The risk for sexual victimization in college is high, and although there can be significant mental and physical consequences for the survivor, resource utilization for this issue is extremely low. The current study used the frameworks of both the ecological model and the theory of planned behavior to examine factors related to resource use in undergraduate survivors of unwanted sexual experiences. The sample consisted of 217 undergraduates who reported at least one unwanted sexual experience while in college (89% female, 76.5% Caucasian, M age 19.6). Data were collected in an online survey from a private liberal arts college, and were analyzed using decision tree modeling. Results suggested that resource use was less related to demographic or event characteristics, but rather related to victim response to the event as well as perceptions about control over potential resource use. In addition to key assault prevention efforts, it is thus important to also support survivor mental health and self-efficacy postassault.
A meaning holistic (dis)solution of subject–object dualism – its implications for the human sciences
Authors: Piiroinen Tero
Published: June 2018

This article presents and analyses a social-practice contextualist version of meaning holism, whose main root lies in American pragmatism. Proposing that beliefs depend on systems of language-use in social practices, which involve communities of people and worldly objects, such meaning holism effectively breaks down the Enlightenment tradition’s philosophical subject–object dualism (and scepticism). It also opens the human mind up for empirical research – in a ‘sociologizing’, ‘anthropologizing’ and ‘historicizing’ vein. The article discusses the implications of this approach for the human sciences, for instance certain parallel developments in anthropology and archaeology.
Phenylethynyl-terminated oligoimides based on bis(p-aminophenoxy)dimethyl silane: Effect of siloxane structure on processability and thermal stability
Authors: Liu Yi , Mo Song , He Minhui , Zhai Lei , Xu Caihong , Fan Lin
Published: June 2018

A series of phenylethynyl-terminated oligoimides based on 2,3,3′,4′-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride (a-BPDA), 2,2′-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzidine (TFDB), and bis( p-aminophenoxy)dimethyl silane (APDS) with different siloxane content and various calculated molecular weights were synthesized. The effect of siloxane structure on the processability of oligoimides and the thermal stability of cured polyimides (PIs) was investigated. The results indicated that the oligoimides have lower melt viscosity and broader processing window with the incorporation of flexible siloxane segment. The thermal stability of the cured PIs can be significantly enhanced by high-temperature postcuring due to the oxidative cross-linking of siloxane. The polyimide PI-s1-15 exhibited good balance between processability and thermal stability with the minimum melt viscosity of 0.4 Pa·s at 325°C and glass transition temperature as high as 470°C after postcuring at 450°C. The carbon fiber-reinforced composite T800/PI-s1-15 displayed excellent high-temperature performance, which gave the flexural strength and interlaminar shear strength of 703 and 33 MPa, respectively, when tested at the temperature as high as 450°C.
A simulation-based concept design approach for combustion engine and battery electric vehicles
Authors: Holjevac Nikola , Cheli Federico , Gobbi Massimiliano
Published: June 2018

The early concept design of a vehicle is becoming increasingly crucial to determine the success of a car. Broadening market competition, more stringent regulations and fast technological changes require a prompt response from carmakers, and computer-aided engineering has emerged in recent years as the promising way to provide more efficient and cost-effective design and to cut development time and costs. The work presented in this paper shows an approach based on computer-aided engineering to determine vehicle’s energy consumption and performance. The different vehicle’s subsystem are first analyzed separately by using dedicated simulation tools and then integrated to obtain the entire vehicle. The work covers a wide range of vehicle layouts. Internal combustion engine vehicles and battery electric vehicles are considered and various transmission configurations are contemplated with respect to some of the most adopted solutions for these vehicles. The simulation results allow to identify the most effective design variables regarding the combustion engine and the electric motor and to compare the different layouts over various car segments. The results clearly point out that for internal combustion engine vehicles, the combustion engine is the crucial component that defines the vehicle’s characteristics and particularly the energy consumption. Conversely, battery electric vehicles show a more balanced distribution of the losses, and therefore to improve the vehicle’s behavior, different components should be considered in detail. Nevertheless, the choice of the number of electric motors and the transmission choice play a significant role in defining the vehicle performances.
Analysis of mixed convection past a heated sphere
Authors: Nath Dipjyoti , Pati Sukumar , Raju B Hema Sundar
Published: June 2018

The hydrodynamic and thermal characteristics for laminar axisymmetric mixed convection from a heated sphere are analyzed numerically in this work. The governing transport equations of conservation of mass, momentum, and energy have been solved using a higher order compact scheme. The results are presented in terms of the distribution of the streamlines, isotherms, and vorticity contours, and local Nusselt number along the sphere surface together with drag coefficient and average Nusselt number. We identify critical Richardson number above which separation of flow is suppressed. It is revealed that the drag coefficient decreases with an increase in the Reynolds number (Re) and the decrease is more profound for lower range of Re. It is further revealed that the drag coefficient increases monotonically with an increase in the Richardson number, while the same decreases with the increase in the Prandtl number. The average Nusselt number increases monotonically with the increase in Reynolds number, Prandtl number, and Richardson number.
Volute characteristics of centrifugal fan based on dynamic moment correction method
Authors: Zhou Shuiqing , Li Yuebing
Published: June 2018

The multi-blade centrifugal fan features an abundance of vanes (>48) and a spiral volute. The flowability and noise characteristics of the centrifugal fan are dependent on the type-line of volute and tongue geometries at the volute exit. The aim of this research was to find a better volute type-line for fan noise reduction without compromising on the performance. First, the viscosity factors of gas were used to modify the type-line shape of the volute by introducing a dynamic moment correction coefficient; a modified volute was then obtained to match the new fan system. Next, the performance of the original fan and retrofit fan were tested. The optimization scheme was verified and the feasibility of the proposed numerical calculation technique was confirmed.
Three-dimensional leader–follower formation control of multiple autonomous underwater vehicles based on line-of-sight measurements using the backstepping method
Authors: Pang Shikun , Wang Jian , Liu Jingyang , Yi Hong
Published: June 2018

This article presents the three-dimensional leader–follower formation control strategy of multiple autonomous underwater vehicles on the basis of line-of-sight measurement. Sensors on autonomous underwater vehicles can measure line-of-sight range and bearing information, and autonomous underwater vehicles in formation do not require mutual exchange with one another, which could avoid the problem of data transmission delay. The proposed Lyapunov-based backstepping approach is developed for the formation controller. The backstepping controller propels the follower autonomous underwater vehicles to follow the desired virtual reference route provided according to the range and bearing information of the leader autonomous underwater vehicle and the predetermined formation. Simulation results indicate that follower autonomous underwater vehicles can travel along the desired route and successfully achieve the designed formation shape. The effectiveness of the employed method is validated.
Model-free sliding mode control, theory and application
Authors: Ebrahimi Nahid , Ozgoli Sadjaad , Ramezani Amin
Published: June 2018

In this article, a novel data-driven sliding mode controller for a single-input single-output nonlinear system is designed from a new perspective. The proposed controller is model-free, that is, it is based on just input and output data. Therefore, it is suitable for systems with unknown models. The approach to design the controller is based on an optimization procedure. First, a linear regression estimation is assumed to exist for the system behavior. Then an optimal controller is designed for this estimated model. The cost function is proposed in a way that minimization of it, could guarantee that the sliding function and its first derivative converge to zero. Based on rigorous theoretical analysis, boundedness of the tracking error is then proved. Uncertainty is then considered and the control law is modified to cope with it. To demonstrate the validity and the performance of the proposed method in different situations, different computer simulations and experimental tests have been provided. Results show the effectiveness of the proposed method for different systems in different situations.
On the transition from hunting-gathering to food production in NE Morocco as inferred from archeological Phorcus turbinatus shells
Authors: Yanes Yurena , Hutterer Rainer , Linstädter Jörg
Published: June 2018

Processes behind the shift from hunting-gathering to food production lifestyle are multifaceted and not yet completely understood. The Mediterranean coast of NW Africa provides an eclectic transitional pattern, namely, a very hesitant transition to food production. The distribution and abundance of early Neolithic domesticated species is disparate and region specific. Climate and environmental change have been often considered as an important influencing factor for this transition. This hypothesis was tested using archeological shells of the rocky intertidal gastropod Phorcus turbinatus recovered from the Ifri Oudadane site in NE Morocco. The oxygen isotope composition (δ18O) of the shell was used to examine whether the hesitant transition to food production was linked to a local climate shift in the Mediterranean Maghreb. Intrashell δ18O values suggest a marked temperature increase from >7.6 to ~7.0 cal. ka BP, the time when Neolithic innovations first appear on site. An additional increase in temperature from ~7.0 to <6.8 cal. ka BP matches with the beginning of the main occupation phase and the doubtless breakthrough of cultivation at Ifri Oudadane. This apparent warming trend, although considered preliminary, seems to match well with warming tendency observed in several published regional climate proxies. Therefore, a temperature shift may have played a role in the timing and implementation of food production in the area. Last growth episode δ18O values suggest that shellfish were harvested throughout most of the year, with noticeable intensification during the cooler half of the year. This preliminary pattern was fairly consistent throughout the Epipaleolithic and early Neolithic phases, pointing to a probable near year-round site occupation rather than a single season settlement. Future research on Ifri Oudadane and other NW African archeological records are much needed to assess whether these patterns persist in Morocco and other Epipaleolithic and early Neolithic settlements in the western Mediterranean Maghreb.
Endothelial progenitor cells in age-related vascular remodeling
Authors: Yang Jin-Xiu , Pan Yan-Yun , Wang Xing-Xiang , Qiu Yuan-Gang , Mao Wei
Published: June 2018

Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) could facilitate the reendothelialization of injured arteries by replacing the dysfunctional endothelial cells, thereby suppressing the formation of neointima. Meanwhile, other findings suggest that EPCs may be involved in the pathogenesis of age-related vascular remodeling. This review is presented to summarize the characteristics of EPCs and age-related vascular remodeling. In addition, the role of EPCs in age-related vascular remodeling and possible solutions for improving the therapeutic effects of EPCs in the treatment of age-related diseases are discussed.
An Investigation into the Benefits of Investing in Chinese Multinational Companies
Authors: Berrill Jenny , Sun Shengkai
Published: June 2018

We provide a unique longitudinal analysis into firm-level multinationality of Chinese firms between 2002 and 2012 using two measures of multinationality—the Aggarwal, Berrill, Hutson and Kearney (2011, International Business Review, 20, 557–577) system and foreign sales as a percentage of total sales. We find that Chinese firms have low levels of multinationality with most foreign sales in the triad regions of Asia, Europe and North America. We use mean variance spanning tests to investigate the benefits from investing in Chinese multinational corporations (MNCs). We find that Chinese MNCs offer little diversification benefits to domestic investors and firms with greater multinationality levels do not result in greater benefits.
The Impact of Market-wide Volatility on Time-varying Risk: Evidence from Qatar Stock Exchange
Authors: Refai Hisham Al , Hassan Gazi Mainul
Published: June 2018

This study examines the impact of market-wide volatility on time-varying risk using the heteroscedastic market model with EGARCH (1,1) specification. Using daily sector returns from the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) market over the period 2007–2015, we find that in terms of systematic risk, the large sectors are as vulnerable to overall market volatility as the small ones. In addition, the results reveal evidence for asymmetry in time-varying risk due to the impact of market-wide shocks on sector returns. Specifically, we find that market-wide upswings reduce the systematic risk for industrials, while market-wide downswings increase the systematic risk for real estate, telecommunication and transportation. Our modified model survives a battery of robustness checks.
Damage evaluation for the dispersed microdefects with the aid of M-integral
Authors: Lv JunNan , Zhu WenJie , Li Qun
Published: June 2018

A unified method of evaluating the dispersed microdefects’ equivalent damage area/volume is innovatively proposed by using the M-integral. The corresponding damage evolution rate and fatigue driving force is preliminarily studied for the dispersed microdefects. First, the analytical expression of M-integral is deduced by using the Lagrangian energy density function (Λ), and the corresponding physical meaning of the M-integral is elucidated as the change of the total potential energy due to the damage evolution. Second, the actual damage area/volume induced by underlying dispersed microdefects are assumed equivalent to the area/volume of an individual circular/spherical void while the corresponding values of the M-integral for both cases are equal. As examples, the equivalent damage area associated with the M-integral for a series of representative defect(s) configurations is calculated, including the singular defect (void, crack, and ellipse) and the interactive defects (two voids, two cracks, one void, and one crack). The influences of the defects interaction effect and distribution on the damage level are analyzed quantitatively. Finally, the present method of damage evaluation is proposed to predict fatigue problems of the dispersed defects. A unified fatigue damage evolution law for the dispersed microdefects is preliminarily defined, and a protocol to experimentally measure the damage evolution rate is proposed. The present research will be beneficial to the damage tolerance design and lifetime prediction of engineering structures with dispersed microdefects.
An Integrative Model for Treatment of Sexual Desire Disorders
Authors: Schwartz Mark F. , Southern Stephen
Published: June 2018

An integrative model for treating sexual desire disorders was developed from the original work of Masters and Johnson Institute. Sensate focus exercises and psychoeducation were combined with couple therapy for relationship conflicts and individual therapies for issues with trauma and attachment disorders. The resulting model fits trends in systemic and integrative treatment.
Development of a marmalade for patients with type 2 diabetes: Sensory characteristics and acceptability
Authors: Zhilinskaya Nataliya V , Sarkisyan Varuzhan A , Vorobieva Valentina M , Vorobieva Irina S , Kochetkova Alla A , Smirnova Elena A , Glazkova Irina V
Published: June 2018

Type 2 diabetes is one of the most common noncommunicable diseases worldwide. The quality of life of people with this metabolic disorder is highly related to nutrition, given that products for glycemic control are of great importance for them. In this study, we have developed marmalades for glycemic control with the aims to investigate the most important sensory characteristics, to study the impact of the sensory properties on the acceptability of these marmalades, and to evaluate a difference in the acceptability of the marmalade samples between healthy people and people with type 2 diabetes. The main objects of the investigation were agar-, gelatin-, and pectin-based marmalades with maltitol, dried fruits, and berries for glycemic control. By means of descriptive sensory analysis, we have shown that major factors of the sensory differentiation of marmalade samples are the type of gelling agent and presence of nonsoluble components such as apple puree, which influencing the perception of “off-flavor,” “gumminess,” and “springiness” sensory attributes. Results of this research show that even with significant differences in sensory attributes it is possible to develop marmalade for glycemic control that will have no differences in the total liking score for the perception of both healthy people and patients with type 2 diabetes.
Design and characterization of trabecular structures for an anti-icing sandwich panel produced by additive manufacturing
Authors: Ferro Carlo Giovanni , Varetti Sara , Maggiore Paolo , Lombardi Mariangela , Biamino Sara , Manfredi Diego , Calignano Flaviana
Published: June 2018

The need for a high-efficiency hot air anti-icing system is met by the use of sandwich panels with high surface area trabecular structures as core. Trabecular structures have good mechanical properties and are able to act as thermal exchange and structural support. A structural characterization of complex trabecular structures made by Additive Manufacturing is required. For this study, AlSi10Mg specimens were produced by Selective Laser Melting technology varying cell shapes (with or without vertical struts), cell sizes (4 and 5 mm) and struts size (1 and 1.2 mm). Compressive tests were performed on the specimens and fracture mechanisms for the two cell types were analyzed by optical microscope observation. The rupture modes of the specimens are strongly dependent on the cell shape as shown by the mechanical results and confirmed by comparison with the Gibson–Ashby model.
Body Landscapes: Moving Images and Performing Narratives
Authors: Silva Monica Toledo
Published: June 2018

The article follows a theoretical and experimental research on body narratives and forms of creating meanings through aesthetic languages of cinema and video performances. Philosophers from phenomenology, neuroscientists, biologists, and linguistics whose dialogue between body and film studies, cognitive sciences, and art media possibilities illustrate this text, filled with examples of a series of artistic works from the author, which specify the body landscapes in imaging creation.
Gender, Sexuality, and Risk in the Practice of Affective Labour for Young Women in Bar Work
Authors: Coffey Julia , Farrugia David , Adkins Lisa , Threadgold Steven
Published: June 2018

This article explores the ways that gender, sexuality, pleasure, and risk are entangled in affective labour and the production of value in ‘front of house’ bar work. Through their work as bar staff at ‘hip’ inner-city Melbourne venues, the young women we discuss produce affects in the form of a ‘vibe’ of relaxation, fun, pleasure, and release. We address McRobbie’s call for the ‘actual working practices’ which comprise affective labour to be explored and highlight the ways gender relations including the heterosexual matrix of desire are mobilised in the production of value in young women’s bar work. We discuss the tensions at play in this context where women are required to generate both a positive and a pleasurable feeling in their interactions with others while negotiating the complex politics of heterosexual desire while at work, including managing and negotiating harassment from male customers. This management requires complex sensate and embodied practices that are both conscious and unconscious (described, for example, as an ‘instinct’), involving constantly ‘scanning’ and ‘reading the crowd’ and monitoring their own embodied and affective responses to particular men while they carry on other conversations or pour drinks. We argue it is critical to study the ‘actual working practices’ which comprise affective labour in order to expose the ways relations of inequality can be mobilised in the production of value in this context.
Language teacher education in the age of ambiguity: Educating responsive meaning makers in the world
Authors: Kubanyiova Magdalena
Published: June 2018

Language learning happens across many sites of social interactions; those scarred by injustices, conflicts and structural violence as well as those characterized by conviviality of human encounters and acts of welcoming the stranger. This article outlines new directions for language teacher education in this age of ambiguity. I propose that its core task should involve educating ‘responsive meaning makers in the world’, that is, teachers who are critically conscious of the politics of their social worlds while, at the same time, committed to growing their capacity to respond to the particular moment of an educational encounter. I suggest that creative arts may play a crucial part in preparing language teachers for such re-envisioned roles.
Transient vibration and acoustic radiation of steering engines
Authors: Lin Changgang , Zou Mingsong , Jiao Huifeng , Liu Peng
Published: June 2018

This paper mainly focuses on the remarkable transient vibration and underwater acoustic radiation when the underwater vehicle changes direction or depth, and a short time Fourier transform signal processing method to evaluate transient vibration and acoustic radiation of steering engine is provided in this paper. Based on the vibration test of the 1:1 experimental scaffold of the steering engine for an underwater vehicle, the transient maximum excitation forces acting at the contact points between steering engine and experimental scaffold are calculated indirectly by the least square method of load identification in frequency domain and the short time Fourier transform signal processing method. The accuracy and feasibility of results are verified. In addition, taking excitation forces as an approximate input, the numerical solution of transient acoustic radiation for a cylindrical shell with ribs of the steering engine room, based on elastic shell theory and fluid–structure interaction theory, is presented. In the simulation, the steering engine room of the underwater vehicle is simplified into a cylindrical shell with two simply supported tips, because a cylindrical shell with ribs is the basic structure-borne used in underwater vehicles. The results show that transient acoustic radiation of the tested steering engine is higher than allowable value, while the evaluation results of another electric steering engine without retarder are suitable.
A year in the life of Fiji’s beleaguered national news media: Insights from the 2016 state of the media report and some potential implications of ‘development journalism’
Authors: Singh Shailendra B
Published: June 2018

This case study on the state of the media in Fiji in 2016 highlights some problems of development journalism in the practical, applied sense. The case study looks at the changing nature of journalism in post-coup Fiji, reputed to have the South Pacific’s toughest media law. The analysis is conducted through a review of the media sector in 2016. Major issues pertaining to the sector were documented over the year and analysed to assess the impact of the 2006 coup and the punitive 2010 Media Industry Development Decree. Using 2016 as the case year allowed for the situation to be examined over a prolonged 12-month period. The review reveals a cornered media weaned on the Anglo-American watchdog tradition under constant pressure to produce development journalism, resulting in a possible identity crisis within the national journalist corps. The review concludes that normative discussions notwithstanding, achieving a compromise between the watchdog and developmental journalism models are harder to achieve in reality.
From free market to social policies? Mapping regulatory cooperation in education and health in MERCOSUR
Authors: Bianculli Andrea C
Published: June 2018

Regional cooperation has been an enduring feature of Latin American politics for more than half a century. With the turn of the century, regional organizations moved beyond traditional free trade issues to embrace cooperation in broader social policy areas. A recent literature relates this change to the left turn in the region, especially in South America. Yet, in practice, relevant differences persist in terms of how social policy is regulated at the regional level. This article looks precisely into this variation. In essence, it studies regulatory cooperation in the Common Market of the South (MERCOSUR) and thus offers a comparative assessment of the institutions and policy instruments devised in two social areas: education and health. Using an original dataset on the documents passed by MERCOSUR between 1991 and 2016, the findings provide evidence that the definition of the policy problem matters as this affects the institutional mechanisms and the policy instruments and strategies devised to address them. In this context, different policy problem definitions seem to account for two distinct emerging patterns of social regulatory cooperation in the Southern Cone.
Segmentation of mortality surfaces by hidden Markov models
Authors: Lagona Francesco , Barbi Elisabetta
Published: June 2018

Gender-specific mortality surfaces are panels of time series of mortality rates that allow to examine the temporal evolution of male and female mortality across ages. The analysis of these surfaces is often complicated by time-varying effects that reflect the association of age and gender with mortality under unobserved time-varying conditions of the population under study. We propose a hidden Markov model as a simple tool to estimate time-varying effects in mortality surfaces. Under this model, age and gender effects depend on the evolution of an unobserved (hidden) Markov chain, which segments each time series of rates according to time-varying latent classes. We describe the details of an efficient EM algorithm for maximum likelihood estimation of the parameters and suggest a straightforward parametric bootstrap routine to compute standard errors. These methods are illustrated on cardiovascular and cancer mortality rates, observed in Italy during the period 1980–2014.
On the ‘complexity turn’ in planning: An adaptive rationale to navigate spaces and times of uncertainty
Authors: Skrimizea Eirini , Haniotou Helene , Parra Constanza
Published: June 2018

Complexity sciences have been long ago acknowledged to be useful at conceptualizing a variety of phenomena relevant to planning. Nevertheless, the actual mechanisms that will prove adequate to tackle complex planning issues are still under debate. Considering that in today’s so-called era of the Anthropocene such planning issues are more present and evident than ever, the need for further investigating the implications of complexity sciences into building planning approaches becomes very relevant. In this article, we use the concept of complex systems as an analytical framework challenging our understanding of planning and we argue in favour of a ‘complexity turn’ in planning through the adaptive rationale. We define the adaptive rationale as an additional, both normative and analytical, trajectory in planning theory, in the interplay between certainty and uncertainty. Finally, to assimilate this rationale into planning mechanisms capable to respond to contemporary social and ecological challenges, we call for issue-driven adaptive planning approaches conceptualized through normative sustainability and nourished by post-normal science.
Analytical investigation of nonlinear heave-coupled response of tension leg platform
Authors: Tabeshpour Mohammad Reza , Hedayatpour Reza
Published: June 2018

Having deep view in structural response of tension leg platform is important issue not only for response analysis but also for engineering design. Coupling between surge and heave motions of tension leg platform is such a problem. Here, tension leg platform motions are considered only in surge and heave degrees of freedom without pitch effect. The coupled term of heave is a nonlinear differential equation. Because the focus of this article is on this term, therefore, Duffing equation of motion in the surge direction is linearized. The wave forces are calculated using Airy’s wave theory and Morison’s equation, ignoring the diffraction effects. Current force also can be very important in dynamic analysis of tension leg platform. Because it affects the term of heave that is coupled with surge. It is shown that the effect of surge motion coupling on heave motion is very important in large displacement of surge motion in many sea states. The main result is that the coupling effects appeared in some frequencies such as heave and surge frequency, twice the frequency of wave, twice the natural surge frequency, and summation and difference of frequency of wave and surge frequency.
Public Health Support for Weight-Related Practices in Child Care Settings in Minnesota
Authors: Pelletier Jennifer E. , Hassan Asha , Zukoski Ann P. , Loth Katie
Published: June 2018

Objective. Childhood obesity experts have identified licensed child care providers as a focus for prevention efforts. Since 2011, local public health agencies in Minnesota have provided training and support to child care providers to assist in implementation of weight-related policies and practices as part of Minnesota’s Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP). Method. A representative sample of licensed child care centers and family home providers in Minnesota participated in a 2016 survey of policies and practices on child nutrition, infant feeding, and physical activity ( n = 618, response rate = 38.5%). Results. In adjusted analyses, SHIP-participating providers were significantly more likely to implement child nutrition (prevalence ratio = 1.46, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.14, 1.88]) and physical activity (PR = 1.64, 95% CI [1.26, 2.14]) policies and implemented approximately one additional best practice in child nutrition and infant feeding, respectively. SHIP participation was associated with best practices and policies among home-based providers and policies among centers. Conclusions. Child care providers who participated in SHIP implemented more best practices and policies on weight-related topics than providers who did not participate. Findings suggest that efforts by local public health agencies to support child care providers can be effective at increasing adherence to practices and policies that are likely to influence child behavior and weight.
Perceptions of School-Based Kitchen Garden Programs in Low-Income, African American Communities
Authors: Knapp Megan B. , Hall Megan T. , Mundorf Adrienne R. , Partridge Kerrie L. , Johnson Carolyn C.
Published: June 2018

Introduction. While school-based kitchen garden programs are shown to improve fruit and vegetable consumption and knowledge among children, there has been little research on participant perceptions of these programs, specifically among minority populations that are disproportionately affected by and at high risk for overweight and obesity. This qualitative study examined the perceptions of and values associated with participation in school-based kitchen garden programs implemented through Edible Schoolyard New Orleans in low-income, predominantly African American schools in New Orleans, Louisiana. Method. Qualitative data were collected through semistructured focus group discussions with key stakeholder groups at schools offering Edible Schoolyard New Orleans. Results. A total of 10 focus groups were conducted across 4 middle schools with students ( n = 27), parents ( n = 17), and teachers ( n = 17). Four primary themes emerged during data analysis: development of life skills, food and health, family and community, and experiential and participatory learning. Conclusions. To strengthen the sustainability and potential impact of school-based kitchen garden programs, future intervention strategies should place specific emphasis on the themes that emerged from this study. School-based kitchen garden programs may be a promising strategy to positively influence the individual, social, and physical environmental factors that contribute to overweight and obesity in low-income, African American communities.
Marital Status and Return to Work After Living Kidney Donation
Authors: Frech Adrianne , Natale Ginny , Hayes Don , Tumin Dmitry
Published: June 2018

Purpose:

Living kidney donation is safe and effective, but patients in need of a transplant continue to outnumber donors. Disincentives to living donation include lost income, risk of job loss, perioperative complications, and unreimbursed medical expenses.

Methods:

This study uses US registry and follow-up data on living kidney donors from 2013 to 2015 to identify social predictors of return to work across gender following living kidney donation.

Results:

Using logistic regression, we find that predictors of return to work following living kidney donation differ for women and men. Among women, age, education, smoking status, and procedure type are associated with return to work. Among men, education, procedure type, and hospital readmission within 6 weeks postdonation are associated with return to work. Notably, single and divorced men are less likely to return to work compared to married men (odds ratio [OR] for single men 0.51, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.37-0.69, P < .001; OR for divorced men 0.51, 95% CI, 0.34-0.75, P = .006). Marital status is not associated with return to work for women. Single and divorced men’s greater odds of not returning to work are robust to controls for relevant pre- and postdonation characteristics.

Conclusions:

Single and divorced men’s lack of social support may present an obstacle to work resumption following living kidney donation.
Playing the Women’s Card: How Women Respond to Female Candidates’ Descriptive Versus Substantive Representation
Authors: Martin Danielle Joesten
Published: June 2018

When presented the choice between a male and female candidate, it is commonly assumed that women prefer a female candidate. But as more policy and ideologically diverse women run for office, this assumption may not hold true. Using an experimental design embedded in a nationally representative survey, I test how voters respond to female candidates with ideologies and abortion positions similar and contrary to their own preferences. I find that women, generally, prefer a female candidate, but support for a female candidate among women decreases significantly when she has a contrary ideology or policy position. Whether women prefer descriptive or substantive representation also is conditioned on individual-level characteristics. This study advances our understanding of voters’ responses to female candidates’ varying ideological and issue positions, which is increasingly important as more women run for office. Although women are more likely than men to give female candidates the benefit of the doubt, not just any female candidate will do—she needs to appeal to women on issue and ideological grounds too.