bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Action Intention-based and Stimulus Regularity-based Predictions: Same or Different?
Authors: Korka Betina , Schröger Erich , Widmann Andreas
Published: August 2019

We act on the environment to produce desired effects, but we also adapt to the environmental demands by learning what to expect next, based on experience: How do action-based predictions and sensory predictions relate to each other? We explore this by implementing a self-generation oddball paradigm, where participants performed random sequences of left and right button presses to produce frequent standard and rare deviant tones. By manipulating the action–tone association as well as the likelihood of a button press over the other one, we compare ERP effects evoked by the intention to produce a specific tone, tone regularity, and both intention and regularity. We show that the N1b and Tb components of the N1 response are modulated by violations of tone regularity only. However, violations of action intention as well as of regularity elicit MMN responses, which occur similarly in all three conditions. Regardless of whether the predictions at sensory levels were based on either intention, regularity, or both, the tone deviance was further and equally well detected at hierarchically higher processing level, as reflected in similar P3a effects between conditions. We did not observe additive prediction errors when intention and regularity were violated concurrently, suggesting the two integrate despite presumably having independent generators. Even though they are often discussed as individual prediction sources in the literature, this study represents to our knowledge the first to directly compare them. Finally, these results show how, in the context of action, our brain can easily switch between top–down intention-based expectations and bottom–up regularity cues to efficiently predict future events.
A Minimum Free Energy Model of Motor Learning
Authors: Mitchell B. A. , Lauharatanahirun N. , Garcia J. O. , Wymbs N. , Grafton S. , Vettel J. M. , Petzold L. R.
Published: August 2019

Even highly trained behaviors demonstrate variability, which is correlated with performance on current and future tasks. An objective of motor learning that is general enough to explain these phenomena has not been precisely formulated. In this six-week longitudinal learning study, participants practiced a set of motor sequences each day, and neuroimaging data were collected on days 1, 14, 28, and 42 to capture the neural correlates of the learning process. In our analysis, we first modeled the underlying neural and behavioral dynamics during learning. Our results demonstrate that the densities of whole-brain response, task-active regional response, and behavioral performance evolve according to a Fokker-Planck equation during the acquisition of a motor skill. We show that this implies that the brain concurrently optimizes the entropy of a joint density over neural response and behavior (as measured by sampling over multiple trials and subjects) and the expected performance under this density; we call this formulation of learning minimum free energy learning (MFEL). This model provides an explanation as to how behavioral variability can be tuned while simultaneously improving performance during learning. We then develop a novel variant of inverse reinforcement learning to retrieve the cost function optimized by the brain during the learning process, as well as the parameter used to tune variability. We show that this population-level analysis can be used to derive a learning objective that each subject optimizes during his or her study. In this way, MFEL effectively acts as a unifying principle, allowing users to precisely formulate learning objectives and infer their structure.
Andalusi Contests, Syrian Media Content: the Poetic Ritual Ijāzah
Authors: England Samuel
Published: August 2019

This article moves the poetic ijāzah from the periphery, where modern scholars have generally placed it, to a central position in Arabic poetry and mass media. The ijāzah was well developed before its adoption in the western Mediterranean, but Cordoban, Sevillian, and expatriate Sicilian poets distinguished the competitive improvised poem from corollary works in the Middle East, where it had first been invented. I argue that it is precisely the Andalusi innovations to the ijāzah’s formal development that have allowed traditional criticism to minimize its importance, against a larger trend of popular audiences appreciating performed ijāzahs, on stage and in mass media. Modern Arabic theatre and television have found enthusiastic audiences for the Andalusi poetic dialogue, a phenomenon that frames my Classical research. Media outlets, including those working closely with government officials, stage the ijāzah in ways that maximize its ideological value. As they use it to promote secularism and putatively benevolent dictatorship, propelling Andalusi literature into current Middle Eastern politics, we critics should seek to understand the dialogic form in its contemporary, insistently political phase of development.
Healthcare Services Utilisation by Eritrean Immigrants in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
Authors: Ndou Nthomeni Dora , Mavhandu-Mudzusi Azwihangwisi Helen , Asgedom Mesgane Girmai , Anokwuru Rafiat
Published: August 2019

Immigrants in the United States of America (usa) face challenges regarding the utilisation of healthcare services. Issues include difficulty to access healthcare services. Qualitative descriptive phenomenological design was used in the analysis. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview format with eight conveniently selected Eritrean immigrants living in Indianapolis. Data were analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis Framework for data analysis. The findings indicate that the cultural beliefs, socioeconomic status, immigration status of Eritrean emigrants and the policies related to financing healthcare services for migrants in Indianapolis have a huge impact on determining the utilisation of healthcare services by Eritrean immigrants in Indianapolis. It is concluded that there is limited access by Eritrean immigrants in Indianapolis to healthcare services. There is a need for policy revision regarding the financing of healthcare services for immigrants and the provision of services to improve access and accommodate cultural diversity.
Challenging Sensationalism: Narratives on Rape as a Weapon of War in Syria
Authors: Lokot Michelle
Published: August 2019

Rape during conflict is often over-simplified and sensationalised in the accounts of international humanitarian agencies. This article suggests that such narratives on rape are connected to the way international tribunals and courts have narrowly framed the crime of rape. Limited legal constructions of rape reinforce a hierarchy where rape is seen as more worthy of protection than other forms of gender-based violence – a hierarchy that international humanitarian agencies perpetuate through their narratives on rape during conflict. Based on ethnographic accounts from Syrian women and men, this article draws attention to the problematic consequences of focusing on sensational narratives. It aims to reposition rape – and gender-based violence more broadly – within unequal power structures and a wider system of women’s subordination. It argues that while less incendiary, other kinds of gender-based violence during conflict may be just as insidious as rape.
The Importance of Reinforcing the Rules against Corruption: Whistleblowing to Improve the Saudi Economic Environment for Saudi Vision 2030
Authors: Altawyan Ahmed A.
Published: August 2019

As international efforts mount to combat corruption, whistleblower protections have become increasingly important. As a G20 nation, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has made commitments to reinforce the rules relating to such communication. However, the lack of comprehensive laws has become an obstacle. This study examines the current whistleblowing laws and offers suggestions through which Saudi Arabia can achieve its goals for Saudi Vision 2030. To attract foreign investments and businesses, the Saudi Kingdom will need to prove that there are mechanisms in place to prevent instances of corruption. As there are already relevant examples provided by other nations, Saudi legislative bodies should be able to look to these examples to develop valid countermeasures to corruption.
The GCC Human Rights Declaration: An Instrument of Rhetoric?
Authors: El-Mumin Mustafa
Published: August 2019

Despite being promulgated in 2014 by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the Gulf Declaration of Human Rights (GDHR) has received little academic attention. Khalifa Alfadhel is one scholar who has sought to engage with the declaration, citing it as a significant regional document worthy of commendation due to its reconciliation of both Islamic and international notions of human rights, a feat other comparable regional human rights documents have yet to achieve. Furthermore, Alfadhel praises the GDHR as it embodies the GCC’s commitment to human rights and political reform, with the GDHR supplying the foundation for a regional customary law regime. This article questions such claims, arguing that Alfadhel has overlooked unambiguous flaws that contradict the GDHR’s alleged regional promotion of human rights, ultimately undermining its supposed significance. Certainly, this article highlights how the GDHR is a rhetorical document that intrinsically negates the same rights it purports to protect.
The genus Marasmius (Basidiomycota, Agaricales, Marasmiaceae) from Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, West Africa
Authors: GRACE CHRIS L. , DESJARDIN DENNIS E. , PERRY BRIAN A. , SHAY JACKIE E.
Published: August 2019

This treatise serves as a preliminary monograph and phylogenetic treatment of Marasmius from the African island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe (ST&P), based on data generated from 30 specimens collected in 2008. Twenty-one species are described, seven of which represent species new to science (Marasmius albisubiculosus, M. diversus, M. elaeocephaliformis, M. laranja, M. leptocephalus, M. paratrichotus, M. segregatus), and all represent new distribution records for ST&P. Species are delimited based on comprehensive morphological characters and DNA sequence data. Prior to the collection of these specimens, only one Marasmius species had been documented from these islands. Phylogenetic hypotheses generated from analyses of DNA sequences of the Internal Transcribed Spacer regions (ITS1+5.8S+ITS2) are proposed to explore the evolutionary relationships amongst ST&P Marasmius and global Marasmius diversity. A dichotomous key to aid in identification, illustrations of pertinent micromorphological features, colour photographs of basidiomata, comprehensive descriptions and commentaries are provided.
A novelty in the genus Hechtia (Hechtioideae, Bromeliaceae) from Jalisco, Mexico
Authors: FLORES-ARGÜELLES ALEJANDRA , LÓPEZ-FERRARI ANA ROSA , ESPEJO-SERNA ADOLFO , ROMERO-GUZMÁN ARIOSTO RAFAEL
Published: August 2019

Hechtia ibugana a new species from the municipality of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, is described and illustrated. The new taxon is compared with H. pretiosa and H. rosea, species that also present sepals and petals rose to reddish, as well as with H. iltisii and H. santanae, endemic species of the state of Jalisco, Mexico.
LAMP Upgraded Convection and Total Lightning Probability and “Potential” Guidance for the Conterminous United States
Authors: Charba Jerome P. , Samplatsky Frederick G. , Kochenash Andrew J. , Shafer Phillip E. , Ghirardelli Judy E. , Huang Chenjie
Published: August 2019

Localized Aviation MOS Program (LAMP) convection and lightning probability and “potential” guidance forecasts for the conterminous United States, developed by the Meteorological Development Laboratory (MDL), have been produced operationally and made available to aviation and other users through the National Digital Guidance Database (NDGD) since April 2014. In response to user requests for improved skill and resolution of these forecasts, MDL has recently made extensive upgrades, and a switch to the new LAMP guidance was made in January 2018. Upgrades include improved spatial and temporal resolution of the predictands, which were enabled by first time LAMP use of finescale radar reflectivity products from the Multi-Radar Multi-Sensor (MRMS) system, total lightning observations from a ground-based lightning sensing system, and finescale model output from the High Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) model. This article describes how these new data inputs are applied in the LAMP model to obtain improved skill and sharpness of the convection and total lightning probability forecasts. Strengths and limitations in LAMP performance are shown through verification statistics and example verification maps for a selected intense convective storm case.
Diritto e letteratura a dialogo nella tradizione italiana: Introduzione al volume
Authors: Piciché Bernardo
Published: August 2019

The intertwining of law and literature in the Italian tradition constitutes the subject of the present issue of Forum Italicum. The volume is divided into a first section of scholarly essays and a second section of dialogues between the editor of the volume and Italian authors and one publisher whose works are imbued with legal elements. An analysis of recent judiciary events through the lens of a literary mindset ends the work.

This introduction to the volume starts by bringing examples of the presence of the legal discourse in Italian literary texts. Then, it offers the editor’s view on the relationship between the two disciplines. As the author of this introduction sees it, law and literature are ontologically different disciplines, no matter how much they intersect and cross-fertilize each other. Commented synopsis of the essays and dialogues will conclude this introduction.
Staff and Parent Perspectives on a Therapeutic Recreation-Based Bereavement Camp for Families Whose Child Has Died From Serious Illness
Authors: Hanlon Peter , Kiernan Gemma , Guerin Suzanne
Published: August 2019

This study explores the nature of a therapeutic recreation-based bereavement camp for families whose child has died from serious illness. Open-ended surveys and interviews were conducted with parents attending a three-camp cycle over a 12-month period or a reunion camp. Thirteen parents completed open-ended surveys before and after each camp and six of these also completed interviews after the final camp. Six additional parents completed interviews after the reunion camp. Six staff working with families during the camps were also interviewed. Content analysis of surveys and thematic analysis of interviews revealed the aims, structure, and content of the camp. The findings suggest a model whereby shared experience allows for normalization and offers a nonjudgmental place to share stories, discuss difficulties come together as a family, and create a support network. These findings highlight the value of therapeutic recreation-based bereavement interventions for families whose child has died from serious illness.
Body Composition and Physical Fitness Tests Among US Army Soldiers: A Comparison of the Active and Reserve Components
Authors: Russell Dale W. , Kazman Joshua , Russell Cristel Antonia
Published: August 2019

Objectives:

US Army reserve soldiers and active-duty soldiers differ in their daily work demands and supporting resources, yet research on reservists’ health and fitness is lacking. The objectives of this study were to (1) determine whether physical test failure rates and health behaviors differed between active-duty soldiers and reserve soldiers and (2) establish which demographic and health behavioral factors were associated with failing physical tests.

Methods:

We analyzed a sample of 239 329 US Army active-duty and reserve soldiers surveyed from September 2013 through March 2015 using the Global Assessment Tool. We extracted data on soldier demographic characteristics and health behaviors, as well as Body Composition Test (BCT) and Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) results. We compared the 2 groups using the active-to-reserve adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for each variable. We used logistic regression models to determine which variables were associated with failing these tests.

Results:

The odds of failing the BCT (aOR = 0.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.73-0.78) or the APFT (aOR = 0.31; 95% CI, 0.30-0.32) were lower among active-duty soldiers than among reservists, and the odds of doing high levels of high-intensity interval training (aOR = 1.47; 95% CI, 1.42-1.51), resistance training (aOR = 1.45; 95% CI, 1.42-1.48), and vigorous physical activity (aOR = 2.92; 95% CI, 2.86-2.98) were higher among active-duty soldiers than among reservists. The odds of using tobacco (aOR = 1.37; 95% CI, 1.35-1.40), binge drinking alcohol (aOR = 1.11; 95% CI, 1.09-1.13), having insomnia (aOR = 1.46; 95% CI, 1.43-1.48) or mild depression (aOR = 1.50; 95% CI, 1.48-1.53), and sustaining a physical activity–related injury (aOR = 2.52; 95% CI, 2.47-2.57) were higher among active-duty soldiers than among reservists.

Conclusions:

Policy makers and military leaders could use this information to implement health screenings and tailor health-promotion, intervention, and treatment programs.
Autonomy in Relatedness: How Need Fulfillment Interacts in Close Relationships
Authors: Kluwer Esther S. , Karremans Johan C. , Riedijk Larisa , Knee C. Raymond
Published: August 2019

A driving force of relationship maintenance is the fulfillment of basic psychological needs, in particular, the needs for relatedness and autonomy. Until now, research has considered the fulfillment of relatedness and autonomy needs as independent determinants of relationship functioning or as one merged construct called need fulfillment. Little is known about how motivational states interact, even though partners possess and pursue multiple needs at a time in everyday life. Combining theoretical insights from self-determination theory and family systems theory, we test the hypothesis that relatedness and autonomy need fulfillment interact to affect relationship maintenance behavior. In three studies ( N = 388, N = 241, and N = 220), we found that relatedness was positively related to accommodation, but especially (or only) when participants reported high, rather than low, autonomy. This research emphasizes the importance of maintaining a sense of self while being closely connected to the partner.
‘Connecting the unconnected’: a critical assessment of US satellite Internet services
Authors: Graydon Matthew , Parks Lisa
Published: August 2019

An estimated 4 billion people worldwide still lack reliable access to the Internet, with the majority concentrated in developing countries. It is within this context that a significant expansion of the satellite Internet industry is taking place, bringing grand visions of social and economic growth through connectivity. Previously dismissed as a limited technology due to high operating costs and latency, as well as the failure of early ventures like Teledesic, satellite Internet has re-emerged in recent years as a viable alternative to the time and energy-intensive practice of laying thousands of miles of fiber optic cable. Utilizing innovative non-synchronous orbit constellations of small, mass-produced satellites that lower production costs and improve latency to better compete with broadband, new Silicon Valley–related companies such as OneWeb, SpaceX, and O3b have promised cheap, high-speed Internet access throughout the world. Drawing upon industry research, site visits, and interviews with technical specialists, development experts, and other actors, this article briefly explores the history of satellite Internet services, analyzes the promises of emerging satellite Internet companies, and argues that without serious commitments from governments and the private sector to follow through on this rhetoric, satellite Internet technology could fail to reach the communities that need it most.
Couples’ Communication Behaviors and Diurnal Cortisol Patterns
Authors: Seiter Natasha S. , Lucas-Thompson Rachel G. , Henry Kim L.
Published: August 2019

Previous research suggests that more negative or less positive couple communication can be stressful and that chronic stress can lead to less healthy patterns of physiological stress functioning. Our goal was to investigate whether couples’ observed communication behaviors and reported relationship conflict were related to diurnal cortisol patterns, an important indicator of hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis functioning. Sixty-two couples ( n = 124 individuals) reported marital conflict and were video-recorded engaging in a coded conflict discussion. Diurnal cortisol samples were collected. Results suggested that men’s greater observed communication quality predicted women’s higher awakening cortisol levels as well as men’s steeper decreases in cortisol across the day (i.e., slopes), men’s greater reported conflict predicted women’s lower awakening levels, and, in some models, women’s greater reported resolution predicted women’s lower awakening levels and men’s steeper slopes. These findings suggest that less positive and more negative marital conflict contribute to dysfunction of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis.
Who has a duty to support? Care practices and legal responsibilities in South Africa
Authors: Moore Elena
Published: August 2019

It is not always clear, through policies or law, where and when family responsibility ends. This article outlines the tensions that underlie policy and legal conceptions of obligation and everyday obligations that shape typically gendered patterns of care in families in South Africa. An examination of court cases reveals that the court found practices of intergenerational financial support amongst diffuse kin relations and ruled that the social insurance system (Road Accident Fund) was obliged to continue these following the death of a breadwinner in a road accident. The Road Accident Fund contested this responsibility by disputing the legal obligation of the deceased to support the kin member. The cases highlight the lack of coherence in policy and law concerning the agreed social norms about the family. On the one hand, the RAF’s approach reproduces the gendered assumption of care, i.e. the role of the state is reduced, and the onus is placed on working class black South African women to take care of themselves and their families. On the other hand, the judiciary’s focus on social practices of care rather than rights is applauded for being transformative. I argue that the state’s ambiguous approach to recognising committed care work results in a situation where people have to ‘win’ their case in court and consequently leaves the care of family members to the unpaid and paid resources of women.
When Collaboration Is Risky Business: The Influence of Collaboration Risks on Formal and Informal Collaboration
Authors: Terman Jessica N. , Feiock Richard C. , Youm Jisun
Published: August 2019

In the last two decades, local governments have increasingly engaged in energy conservation and sustainability programs and policy. However, the benefits of these policies (i.e., cleaner air, less congestion, etc.) are often perceived as dispersed and costly. As such, localities consider collaborating with one another. However, decisions to collaborate pose considerable risks that can be magnified or mitigated by the mechanisms through which collaboration occurs. We investigate decisions to engage in formal and informal collaboration in the area of energy efficiency and conservation as a response to collaboration risks.
Limits of the Application of Bayesian Modeling to Perception
Authors: Luccio Riccardo
Published: August 2019

The general lines of Bayesian modeling (BM) in the study of perception are outlined here. The main thesis argued here is that BM works well only in the so-called secondary processes of perception, and in particular in cases of imperfect discriminability between stimuli, or when a judgment is required, or in cases of multistability. In cases of “primary processes,” on the other hand, it is often arbitrary and anyway superfluous, as with the laws of Gestalt. However, it is pointed out that in these latter cases, simpler and more well-established methodologies already exist, such as signal detection theory and individual choice theory. The frequent recourse to arbitrary values of a priori probabilities is also open to question.
Changes in Urban and Sacred Landscapes of Memphis in the Third to the Fourth Centuries ad and the Eclipse of the Divine Apis Bulls
Authors: Marković Nenad
Published: August 2019

Memphis served as a main royal residence and the military, administrative, and economic capital of Egypt for much of its history. The city’s gradual decline had begun already under the Ptolemies, whose true capital was at Alexandria, and important changes in administrative practice during the Roman period diminished its traditional status further. The god Ptah and his earthly manifestation, the divine Apis bull, certainly continued to enjoy both religious and socio-political importance until the first decades of the third century ad at the latest, as will be discussed in the article. Given the fragmentary and haphazard nature of surviving evidence on the site, it is almost impossible to trace a coherent history of traditional Memphite cults beyond this date. This article aims to discuss the decline of the divine Apis bulls in the context of broader historical developments of the third to the fourth centuries ad.
The Incidence of Traumatic Posterior and Combined Labral Tears in Patients Undergoing Arthroscopic Shoulder Stabilization
Authors: Javed Saqib , Gheorghiu Daniel , Torrance Emma , Monga Puneet , Funk Lennard , Walton Michael
Published: August 2019

Background:

Posterior and combined shoulder instabilities have been reported as accounting for only 2% to 5% of cases. More recently, an increased incidence of posterior capsulolabral tear has been reported.

Purpose:

To assess the incidence of posterior and combined labral tears in a large cohort of patients with surgically treated shoulder labral tears.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

This was a retrospective study that evaluated 442 patients who underwent an arthroscopic capsulolabral repair over a 3-year period. Patients were categorized according to the location of their labral tear and whether their injury was sustained during sporting or nonsporting activity. Proportions of labral tears between sporting and nonsporting populations were compared using the chi-square test.

Results:

Patients had a mean age of 25.9 years and 89.6% were male. Isolated anterior labral tears occurred in 52.9%, with posterior and combined anteroposterior labral tears accounting for 16.3% and 30.8%, respectively. The frequency of posterior and combined lesions was greater in the sporting population compared with the nonsporting population ( P = .013).

Conclusion:

Posterior and combined labral tears are more prevalent than previously reported, particularly in the sporting population.
Preparation and tensile properties of guar gum hydrogel films
Authors: Jussen Daniel , Sharma Sandeep , Carson James K , Pickering Kim L
Published: August 2019

Guar gum hydrogels may be dried to form polymer films which have the potential for use as biodegradable alternatives to polymers such as low-density polyethylene. In this study, the tensile strength and tensile modulus of guar gel films having moisture contents ranging between 15% and 18% (wet basis) were measured at a strain rate of 1 mm min−1. Mean tensile strengths of the films ranged between 25 MPa and 40 MPa (dependent on composition) which is of similar magnitude to the tensile strength data for polyethylene and cellophane that are reported in the literature. The mean tensile modulus of the films (1.5–2.5 GPa) was higher than the tensile modulus values reported for low-density polyethylene but comparable to those for cellophane (3 GPa).
Revision of a dual-modular stem in patients with adverse tissue reaction
Authors: Talmo Carl T , Robbins Claire E , Siddiqi Ahmed , Nandi Sumon , Bono James V , Ward Daniel M
Published: August 2019

Background:

Dual-modular femoral components with exchangeable cobalt-chrome neck segments have had higher than expected failure rates due to corrosion and adverse local tissue reaction (ALTR). Complications, survival rates and early clinical outcomes of revision surgery for the treatment of corrosion and ALTR as a result of these implants are underreported.

Methods:

We identified 44 cases of revision THA for corrosion and ALTR resulting from the same dual modular stem. All revision procedures were performed using a modular tapered fluted titanium stem, ceramic heads and highly cross-linked polyethylene.

Results:

Complications included: dislocation, infection, reoperation, and chronic pain. Mean Harris Hip Score was 84 following revision surgery.

Conclusions:

Patients undergoing revision surgery for ALTR related to this prosthesis should be aware of the risk of postoperative dislocation and other complications and the potential long-term risk of some chronic pain.
Influences of operation parameters on noise of journal bearing with compound texture considering lubricant thermal effect
Authors: Meng Fanming , Shu Ruihong , Chen Lin
Published: August 2019

Effects of operation parameters on the noise of the compound textured journal bearing are analyzed using computation fluid dynamic method and broadband noise source theory. After a three-dimensional model of the compound textured bearing is established, the lubrication performances of the bearing are compared under the isothermal and thermal situations. Further, the noise performances of the textured and smooth bearings are studied at the varied operation parameter. Numerical results show that appropriately decreasing the eccentricity ratio or rotational speed can reduce the noise of the compound textured bearing. Moreover, there is a critical length–diameter ratio of the bearing for suppressing the noise of the compound textured bearing. A part of the above conclusions is also verified experimentally.
Graphic designed bedroom doors to support dementia wandering in residential care homes: Innovative practice
Authors: Varshawsky Alexandria L , Traynor Victoria
Published: August 2019

Dementia-friendly designs are important in residential care homes but an aspect that remains neglected is the potential role of door designs in promoting wayfinding. A pilot project in NSW, Australia, tested the effects of unique room door designs for a small group of individuals living with dementia in a residential care home. Internal doors were transformed using a giant adhesive poster created by a commercial graphic designer. The poster replicated the look of traditional front doors, including a range of bright bold colours and architectural features, such as brass doorknockers, letterboxes and door guards. The Revised Algase Wandering Scale (RAWS) was used to identify the effects of introducing the doors on persistent walking, eloping behaviours and spatial disorientation. A total of nine individuals living with dementia participated in the project. The post-intervention data demonstrated that there was a reduction in persistent walking, eloping behaviours and spatial disorientation. In addition, ongoing anecdotal evidence found that individuals continued to seek out others to showcase their unique door.
Do Relatives With Greater Reproductive Potential Get Help First?: A Test of the Inclusive Fitness Explanation of Kin Altruism
Authors: Schriver Jordan , Perunovic W.Q. Elaine , Brymer Kyle , Hachey Timothy
Published: August 2019

According to inclusive fitness theory, people are more willing to help those they are genetically related to because relatives share a kin altruism gene and are able to pass it along. We tested this theory by examining the effect of reproductive potential on altruism. Participants read hypothetical scenarios and chose between cousins (Studies 1 and 2) and cousins and friends (Study 3) to help with mundane chores or a life-or-death rescue. In life-or-death situations, participants were more willing to help a cousin preparing to conceive rather than adopt a child (Study 1) and a cousin with high rather than low chance of reproducing (Studies 2 and 3). Patterns in the mundane condition were less consistent. Emotional closeness also contributed to helping intentions (Studies 1 and 2). By experimentally manipulating reproductive potential while controlling for genetic relatedness and emotional closeness, we provide a demonstration of the direct causal effects of reproductive potential on helping intentions, supporting the inclusive fitness explanation of kin altruism.
Experimental and Preliminary Clinical Study of Real-Time Registration in Liver Tumors During Respiratory Motion Based on a Multimodality Image Navigation System
Authors: Ren Chao , Liu Shi-rong , Wu Wen-bo , Yu Xiao-ling , Cheng Zhi-gang , Liu Fang-yi , Liang Ping
Published: August 2019

Purpose:

To develop a fusion imaging system that combines ultrasound and computed tomography for real-time tumor tracking and to validate the accuracy of performing registration via this approach during a specific breathing phase.

Materials and Methods:

The initial part of the experimental study was performed using iodized oil injection in pig livers and was focused on determining the accuracy of registration. Eight points (A1-4 and B1-4) at different positions and with different target sizes were selected as target points. During respiratory motion, we used our self-designed system to perform the procedure either with (experimental group, E) or without (control group, C) the respiratory monitoring module. The registration errors were then compared between the 2 groups and within group E. The second part of this study was designed as a preliminary clinical study and was performed in 18 patients. Screening was performed to determine the combination of points on the body surface that provided the highest sensitivity to respiratory motion. Registration was performed either with (group E) or without (group C) the respiratory monitoring module. Registration errors were compared between the 2 groups.

Results:

In part 1 of this study, there were fewer registration errors at each point in group E than at the corresponding points in group C ( P < .01). In group E, there were more registration errors at points A1 and B1 than at the other points ( P < .05). There was no significant difference in registration errors among the remaining points. During part 2 of the study, there was a significant difference in the registration errors between the 2 groups ( P < .01).

Conclusions:

Real-time fusion registration is feasible and can be accurately performed during respiratory motions when using this system.
Constructing Effective Responses: Considerations for Integrating a Service Animal Into a Public School
Authors: Morgan Anita F. , Sears Julie A. , Driscoll Lisa G.
Published: August 2019

A respected principal finds himself caught in the middle of a complex legal conundrum when a student requests to bring a service animal to his public school where another student may be dangerously allergic to the animal. This case explores how accommodations per the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) intersect in a public school setting where classroom space and personnel resources are limited. Educational leaders will be able to construct effective responses by understanding how the three laws apply to students with disabilities who request that their service animals accompany them to public school and when their requests may come into conflict with the needs of others.
The effects of production technologies on the air permeability and crack development of cross-laminated timber
Authors: Kukk Villu , Kalamees Targo , Kers Jaan
Published: August 2019

In a building envelope, the cross-laminated timber is often used as an air barrier layer. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of production technologies such as edge bonding, different initial moisture content of lamination and number of lamination layers (three and five) on the air permeability properties of the cross-laminated timber. Air leakage and crack area in cross-laminated timber panels were measured after the panels were conditioned in environments with different relative humidities in progressive steps from humid to dry environments (relative humidity 75% → relative humidity 43% → relative humidity 30% → relative humidity 15%). The test results showed that the five-layer specimens combined with initially drier laminations had the most considerable effect on avoiding air leakages through the panel. The greater number of layers helps to avoid any overlapping of gaps between laminations that are possible sources of air leakages. Based on the results, it is recommended to combine the technologies of using a larger number of layers together with initially drier laminations to minimise the growth of cracks on panel surfaces and avoid air leakages during the time of use.
Preoperative information needs of parents: a descriptive survey
Authors: Aranha Priya Reshma , Dsouza Sharin Neetal
Published: August 2019

Background

Receiving preoperative information is a right of all parents whose children are admitted for surgery. Information for parents can help to prepare children and lessen anxiety for both parent and child.

Aim

This study aims to assess the preoperative information needs of parents.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional descriptive study. A non-probability convenience sampling technique was used to select 100 parents whose children, aged between 0 and 18 years, were admitted for surgery. The Parents Desire for Information scale was used to collect the data, which were then analysed using descriptive statistics.

Results

The majority of the sample indicated that it is essential to receive preoperative information. The aspects of preoperative information rated as essential were as follows: need for the surgery; duration of hospitalisation; informed consent; fasting time; investigations; medications; physical preparations; dress code for the child; waiting time and place; parental involvement in the operating theatre/recovery/ward; pain management; post-operative care including eating, drinking, ambulation, wound care, discharge instructions and follow up. The majority (60%) of the parents said that they prefer to receive verbal instructions. The majority (63%) of the study participants said that it was the doctors who provided the information, and of these, 70% rated the information received as good.

Conclusions

The present study concludes that parents of children undergoing surgery welcome comprehensive preoperative information.
ICU Patient Family Stress Recovery During Breaks in a Hospital Garden and Indoor Environments
Authors: Ulrich Roger S. , Cordoza Makayla , Gardiner Stuart K. , Manulik Bette J. , Fitzpatrick Paul S. , Hazen Teresia M. , Perkins R. Serene
Published: August 2019

Objectives:

Measure the immediate change in intensive care unit (ICU) family members’ state stress levels from the beginning to the end of a person’s visit to a hospital garden and compare the changes produced by the garden with those associated with spending time in indoor hospital environments intended for respite and relaxation.

Background:

No previous research has compared the efficacy of different physical environments as interventions to foster stress reduction in family members of ICU patients, a group of hospital visitors known to experience high levels of distress.

Method:

A convenience sample of 42 ICU patient family (from 42 different families) completed the Present Functioning Visual Analogue Scales (PFVAS) before and after each visit (128 total visits) to a garden, an atrium/café, or ICU waiting room.

Results:

Stress scores significantly declined (i.e., improved) from the start to the end of a break on all PFVAS subscales ( p < .0001) in both the garden and indoors locations. However, it is noteworthy that garden breaks resulted in significantly greater improvement in the “sadness” scale than breaks in indoor locations ( p = .03), and changes in all five other PFVAS scores showed somewhat more reduction of stress for breaks spent in the garden than indoors, although these differences were not statistically significant.

Conclusion:

Creating an unlocked garden with abundant nature located close to an ICU can be an effective intervention for significantly mitigating state stress in family members of ICU patients and can be somewhat more effective than indoor areas expressly designed for family respite and relaxation.
Axes of Formation: A Model for Assessing Theories of Spiritual Formation
Authors: Gruenberg Jeremiah , Asumang Annang
Published: August 2019

The proliferation of theories of spiritual formation necessitates versatile tools for their assessment so as to achieve a degree of desirable standardization in the field. Empirically, the ideal assessment tool should be ecumenically applicable, receptive to interdisciplinary approaches, biblically grounded, theologically sound, and comprehensive in scope. This article outlines a four-axis model to be used for assessment of major elements of any spiritual formation theory. Assessment along the four axes evaluates a theory’s goal, its integrative paradigmatic concept, its theological depth, and its proposed formational activities. The utility of the proposed model is illustrated by critically engaging an account of spiritual formation given by N. T. Wright. By breaking down a theory of spiritual formation into four axes, that theory’s strengths and weaknesses are more readily addressed, and further, comparisons between theories may be made in a more consistently compatible manner.
Dentistry considerations for the dysphagic patient: Recognition of condition and management
Authors: Quek Heng Chuan , Lee Yan Shan
Published: August 2019

Dysphagia is a symptom of various underlying medical conditions. It can be attributed to age related changes, neurological, cognitive, respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases. These conditions may cause functional and anatomical changes along the swallowing tract. Impaired swallowing function and oromotor insufficiencies may result in inadvertent aspiration of fluids and/or particles during dental procedures. This article attempts to highlight the importance of identifying patients with dysphagia and discusses ways to reduce life threatening conditions that may arise during dental procedures.
Translating Presuppositions
Authors: Kroeger Paul R.
Published: August 2019

Expressing source language (SL) presuppositions as presuppositions in the receptor language (RL) is sometimes impossible, due to linguistic differences between the languages. In other cases it can cause problems of comprehension or naturalness for RL readers, especially when the “presupposition” constitutes new information to the reader. The most common solution to such problems is to express the presupposed content as a separate assertion. This strategy preserves the propositional content of the original but distorts the information packaging. Another strategy that may be useful in such cases is to render the problematic SL presupposition as a conventional implicature, preserving the “backgrounded” status of the presupposed information without triggering an inference that this information is already known to the addressee.
Psalm 102.13-23: Qualifications Rather Than Actions
Authors: van Wolde Ellen
Published: August 2019

In Psalm 102 semantic contrasts abound, as is widely acknowledged in biblical scholarship. However, the contrasts on the syntactic level and on the level of the represented viewpoint have remained unnoticed, resulting in serious consequences for the translation of the tenses. The present analysis of the syntactic and narratological components of vv. 13-23 demonstrates that they express qualifications rather than actions. YHWH’s sovereignty presented in v. 13 and the syntactic arrangements in vv. 14-16 identify YHWH’s unique qualities: He is the one who feels compassion for Zion and his people, who rebuilds their city, and whose glory becomes perceptible for its inhabitants. The syntactic analysis also explains the uniqueness of Zion’s inhabitants for him, for they are set apart from the other nations in order to praise him (v. 19). Thus the linguistic structure confirms and reinforces the psalm’s understanding of a world divided into opposing realms.
Carriers of pain: Vulnerable meetings between staff and clients with a dual diagnosis
Authors: Sorsa Minna Anneli
Published: August 2019

Persons with complex problems challenge nursing. The interest of this study was to identify the tools staff have used to continue working with compassion, empathy and sensitivity amongst vulnerable clients with complex problems, mental ill health and substance use (so-called dual diagnosis). The data were collected in a focused ethnographic study at a low-threshold service for substance users, and were analysed using Leininger’s ethnographic and a phenomenological lifeworld method. The staff attitude was positive towards the clients, they approved of the client’s background. Vulnerability appeared as a common pain, which touched both the staff and clients, and needed to be negotiated. A staff tool was the capability of carrying the pain, not being overwhelmed by it. The implications for practice are to recognize openness, awareness, reflexivity and communion with other staff members, the need for balancing of personal and ethical roles with professional requirements.
Assessing Human Factor in the Adoption of Computer-Based Information Systems as the Internal Corporate Social Responsibility
Authors: Farooq Qamar , Fu Peihua , Ahmad Shahzad , Zhang Yanni , Hao Yunhong
Published: August 2019

Computerization in management information systems has thickly segregated employment and unemployment which are being discussed due to technological implementation at operational and strategic levels. In this article, we have evaluated the criticism and internal corporate social responsibility (CSR) challenges caused due to the espousal of computer-based information systems (CBIS) by the companies. Based on existing measures, a comprehensive questionnaire was designed and distributed to 120 employees of the companies having the adoption plan of CBIS. The hypothesized model of CBIS implementation intention disclosure and human factor was tested with correlation and regression analysis of the data received from 108 employees (90% response rate). Results show a positive relationship between technological trends and motivation of computer literate employees. We have established our study in the context of human capital management which is a sociobehavioral notion for meeting the internal CSR. Theoretical implications of this study have been progressively discussed simultaneously with the limitations therein. Our research has practical implications for corporate managers, human resource managers, and management information systems managers in manufacturing industries.