bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Simulation and real weather data: A comparison for Cyprus case
Authors: Ozdenefe Murat , Dewsbury Jonathan
Published: September 2015

This paper compares three sets of weather data for Cyprus and investigates the relationship between similarity of weather data and similarity of building heating and cooling loads. A building energy simulation weather file containing a year of hourly values of typical weather data for Larnaca was compared with 10 years of daily mean data (dry bulb temperature, global solar radiation, wind speed and relative humidity) for two other locations (Kyrenia and Nicosia). This was done by reducing the hourly data to daily mean values, generating the cumulative distribution functions of the three data sets and calculating the Finkelstein-Schafer statistics as a measure of similarity. It was found that the data for Larnaca were similar to that for Kyrenia and Nicosia, and most similar to that for Nicosia. The relationship between similarity of weather data, as measured by the Finkelstein-Schafer statistic, and the space heating and cooling loads of a simulated simple building was then investigated for some locations in the Mediterranean region. It was found that there was no apparent relationship between the Finkelstein-Schafer statistics and the total heating and cooling loads, but that there was a clear relationship between the Finkelstein-Schafer statistics and the heating and cooling loads considered separately. It is concluded that: the Finkelstein-Schafer statistic is a useful measure of similarity when comparing weather data sets; it is important to consider space heating and cooling loads separately, not just total load; comparing weather data for Palermo, Cairo and Jerusalem with that for Larnaca, a smaller value of the Finkelstein-Schafer statistic is associated with more similar heating and cooling loads; the Finkelstein-Schafer statistics are smaller for Kyrenia and Nicosia than for Palermo, Cairo and Jerusalem, so weather data for Larnaca can be considered for use in building energy simulation studies for Kyrenia and Nicosia.

Practical application: There are many simulation weather data files available for different locations that can be used for dynamic thermal simulations of buildings. Yet, it is not practical to generate weather data file for every location. This work suggests that if a building energy simulation weather data set for a location is not available, then similar data for another location can be used, provided that FS statistic is small between the locations. This comparison has been performed for three locations in Cyprus in this work.
What High School Administrators Need to Know About Secondary Transition Evidence-Based Practices and Predictors for Students With Disabilities
Authors: Test David W. , Bartholomew Audrey , Bethune Lauren
Published: September 2015

In response to legislative mandates that schools use evidence-based instructional practices, the National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center has identified evidence-based practices and predictors in the area of secondary transition for high school students with disabilities. This article provides an overview of practices and predictors, as well as providing examples of how school administrators can use the practices and predictors to help guide staff development and school policy.
Physical activity, physical fitness, and body composition among children and young adults with visual impairments: A systematic review
Authors: Augestad Liv Berit , Jiang Lin
Published: September 2015

The aim of the review was to evaluate current evidence-based knowledge about physical activity, physical fitness, and body composition among children and young adults with visual impairments. A systematic literature review of articles published between January 1984 and April 2014 inclusive was conducted. The participants were in the age range of 5–22 years. A total of 29 publications met the inclusion criteria. In general, the findings revealed lower levels of participation in physical activity, poorer physical fitness, and higher prevalence of overweight and obesity among children with visual impairments compared to children with no reported visual impairments. Lack of longitudinal observational studies and randomized clinical trials reduced the possibilities to draw cause–effect conclusions. However, the 23 cross-sectional studies confirmed that young adults with visual impairment may need more physical activity to become fitter and have a healthier body composition. Furthermore, low physical activity may influence higher prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and young adults with vision loss.
The effect of physical activity on mental health among adolescents with and without self-reported visual impairment: The Young-HUNT Study, Norway
Authors: Brunes Audun , Flanders W Dana , Augestad Liv Berit
Published: September 2015

The purpose was to study the effect of physical activity (PA) on mental health according to self-reported vision categories among adolescents. The study was conducted in Nord-Trøndelag, Norway, during the period 1995–1997, with a follow-up 4 years later. Self-reported measurements were used to assess PA and vision at baseline, and mental health problems and well-being at follow-up. The main linear regression analyses included 1417 adolescents between the age of 12 and 17 years, of which 46 had reported visual impairment. Among those reporting no impairment, conducting <1 day per week of PA was significantly associated with having lower levels of well-being at follow-up compared to those conducting ⩾1 day of PA. Among those reporting visual impairment, the mental health benefits of conducting weekly PA compared with conducting non-weekly PA were observed only among those who were more emotionally unstable or introvert at baseline. In conclusion, further longitudinal studies are warranted to examine whether the mental health responses of PA may be dependent on the adolescent’s vision status.
Task-specific reach-to-grasp training after stroke: development and description of a home-based intervention
Authors: Cunningham Paul , Turton Ailie J , Van Wijck Frederike , Van Vliet Paulette
Published: September 2015

This series of articles for rehabilitation in practice aims to cover a knowledge element of the rehabilitation medicine curriculum. Nevertheless they are intended to be of interest to a multidisciplinary audience. The competency addressed in this article is to transparently describe the process of developing a complex intervention for people after stroke as part of a feasibility randomised controlled trial.

Objective:

To describe and justify the development of a home-based, task-specific upper limb training intervention to improve reach-to-grasp after stroke and pilot it for feasibility and acceptability prior to a randomized controlled trial.

Intervention description:

The intervention is based on intensive practice of whole reach-to-grasp tasks and part-practice of essential reach-to-grasp components. A ‘pilot’ manual of activities covering the domains of self-care, leisure and productivity was developed for the feasibility study. The intervention comprises 14 hours of therapist-delivered sessions over six weeks, with additional self-practice recommended for 42 hours (i.e. one hour every day). As part of a feasibility randomized controlled trial, 24 people with a wide range of upper limb impairment after stroke experienced the intervention to test adherence and acceptability. The median number of repetitions in one-hour therapist-delivered sessions was 157 (interquartile range IQR 96–211). The amount of self-practice was poorly documented. Where recorded, the median amount of practice was 30 minutes (interquartile range 22–45) per day. Findings demonstrated that the majority of participants found the intensity, content and level of difficulty of the intervention acceptable, and the programme to be beneficial. Comments on the content and presentation of the self-practice material were incorporated in a revised ‘final’ intervention manual.

Discussion:

A comprehensive training intervention to improve reach-to-grasp for people living at home after stroke has been described in accordance with the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR) reporting guidelines. The intervention has been piloted, and found to be acceptable and feasible in the home setting.

Trial registration:

ISRCTN56716589
Marketing Communications, Acculturation in Situ, and the Legacy of Colonialism in Revolutionary Times
Authors: Touzani Mourad , Hirschman Elizabeth C. , Smaoui Fatma
Published: September 2015

Over the past few years the political and economic landscape of the Middle East-North Africa (MENA) region has been dramatically transformed through a series of revolutions. These events call into question the legitimacy of Western-style marketing practices in the region. Marketers are now confronted with challenges due to the continuing legacy of Western colonialism. Tunisia, like several other countries of the region, seems still to be under the influence of Western culture. Our study utilizes the concept of acculturation in situ, which may provide a novel perspective through which the tumultuous economic and political events of the region may be understood. Adopting a socio-culturally embedded approach and mobilizing several colonial/post-colonial theories, we provide insights on the evolution of marketing and communication practices in the MENA region. Through a field study conducted prior to and after the revolution in Tunisia – the first of the MENA nations to successfully revolt against dictatorship – we document the transition toward marketing practices which may allow countries in the region to build a new identity.
Coalition formation games for dynamic multirobot tasks
Authors: Bayram Haluk , Bozma H. Işıl
Published: September 2015

In this paper we study the problem of forming coalitions for dynamic tasks in multirobot systems. As robots, either individually or in groups, encounter new tasks for which individual or group resources do not suffice, robot coalitions that are collectively capable of meeting these requirements need to be formed. We propose a hybrid approach to this problem where coalitions proceed with the task if they have sufficient resources after liberating redundant members while they report it to a task coordinator in cases where their resources do not suffice. In turn, the task coordinator forms capable coalitions based on coalition formation games in which groups of robots are evaluated together in regards to each task’s required resources and cost of forming a coalition. The resulting coalitions are such that no group of robots has a viable alternative to staying within their assigned coalition. Thus, as new tasks are confronted, coalitions merge and split so that the resulting coalitions are capable of the newly encountered tasks. Simulations and experiments performed on groups of heterogeneous mobile robots demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Teaching of mechanical engineering concepts through three-dimensional geometric modeling
Authors: Sharma GVSS , Dumpala Ravikumar
Published: September 2015

In the present pedagogical work, the importance of teaching mechanical engineering concepts using three-dimensional spatial visualization was emphasized and explained using specific examples. Elementary concepts of the mechanical engineering such as vortex flow, geometric and dimensional tolerances, orthographic projections, machine components, and hydraulic machinery were depicted in three dimensions, using a computer-aided geometric modeling software. The conventional schematic methods used to describe the mechanical engineering concepts were mapped into spatial three-dimensional geometric models. These three-dimensional geometric models bring clarity in understanding the complex engineering concepts in an accurate and precise way because of the ease in visualization. An improvement in students’ level of understanding is recorded through percentage marks obtained in the students’ performance in the classroom environment.
Proverbs and the Problems of the Moral Self
Authors: Camp Claudia V.
Published: September 2015

This article applies the Heelas–Lock model of conceptualizing the moral self to the book of Proverbs in such a way as to account, in psychological-anthropological terms, for the variety of moral voices in Proverbs 10–30, while holding that the idea of just deserts cannot be treated lightly, as if it were just one voice among others. The alternatives offered to the theory of retribution are just that: attempts to deal with its inadequacy in real life while maintaining its dominance in the concept of the moral self and its formation. The moral reasoning underlying such alternatives is inherently contradictory to the logic of retribution, but both individuals and cultures can accommodate logically incompatible beliefs as long as no one attempts to impose a single system of knowledge on them. As this article tries to show in regard to Proverbs 1–9, to do so accentuates the anxiety latent in the fact of competing moral logics to the degree that the anxiety must, in turn, be suppressed. In the opening instructions, the relatively blithely (save, perhaps, for Agur) fragmented moral self projected by the proverb collections is confounded by its desires and by the teacher's conflicted efforts to both mask and capitalize on them.
A Divided Tongue: The Moral Taste Buds of the Book of Daniel
Authors: Breed Brennan
Published: September 2015

Carol Newsom employs Moral Foundations Theory to illuminate the symbolic worlds of various biblical texts. This article summarizes the ‘moral taste buds’ proposed by Jonathan Haidt and then analyzes the moral ‘flavors’ of the book of Daniel. Whereas Daniel 1–6 focuses on moral aspects of authority and loyalty, Daniel 7–12 emphasizes the moral dimension of authority as framed by concerns with sanctity and liberation. Both parts of the book of Daniel concern themselves with the sovereignty of Yhwh, but their distinct moral frameworks reveal different understandings of the pressing problems facing Yhwh's sovereignty and the appropriate response of the faithful.
Comparative Matched-Pair Analysis of the Injection Versus Implantation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Knee Osteoarthritis
Authors: Kim Yong Sang , Kwon Oh Ryong , Choi Yun Jin , Suh Dong Suk , Heo Dong Beom , Koh Yong Gon
Published: September 2015

Background:

The mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)–based tissue engineering approach has been developed to address the problem of articular cartilage repair in knee osteoarthritis (OA). However, the most effective method of MSC application has not yet been established.

Purpose:

To compare the injection and implantation of MSCs in patients with knee OA in terms of clinical and second-look arthroscopic outcomes.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Among 182 patients treated with arthroscopic surgery using MSCs for knee OA from October 2010 to August 2012, patients treated with an injection of MSCs in combination with platelet-rich plasma (injection group; n = 20) were pair-matched with patients who underwent MSC implantation on a fibrin glue scaffold (implantation group; n = 20) based on sex, age, and lesion size. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score and Tegner activity scale, and cartilage repair was assessed arthroscopically with the International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) grading system.

Results:

The mean (±SD) IKDC and Tegner activity scores significantly improved from 38.5 ± 9.2 to 55.2 ± 15.0 and from 2.5 ± 1.2 to 3.5 ± 1.2, respectively, in the injection group and from 36.6 ± 4.9 to 62.7 ± 14.1 and from 2.3 ± 0.9 to 3.6 ± 1.1, respectively, in the implantation group at the time of second-look arthroscopic surgery (mean, 12.6 months postoperatively) ( P < .001 in all cases). At final follow-up (mean, 28.6 months postoperatively), the mean IKDC and Tegner activity scores in the implantation group had improved further to 64.8 ± 13.4 and 3.9 ± 1.0, respectively ( P < .001 and P = .035, respectively), while no significant improvements were found in the injection group ( P = .130 and P = .655, respectively). At final follow-up, there was a significant difference in the mean IKDC score between groups ( P = .049). Significant correlations between the number of administered MSCs and the postoperative clinical outcomes were found only in the injection group. Significant correlations between the clinical outcomes and the ICRS grades were found in both groups. The ICRS grades were significantly better in the implantation group ( P = .041). In the injection group, 2 of the 20 lesions (10%) were grade I (normal), 5 (25%) were grade II (near normal), 8 (40%) were grade III (abnormal), and 5 (25%) were grade IV (severely abnormal). In the implantation group, 6 of the 20 lesions (30%) were grade I, 7 (35%) were grade II, 4 (20%) were grade III, and 3 (15%) were grade IV.

Conclusion:

Utilizing the described method, MSC implantation for knee OA resulted in better clinical and second-look arthroscopic outcomes than an MSC injection.
Assessors or Popular Jury? Variations around Citizen Participation in the Chinese Justice System
Authors: Li Bin
Published: September 2015

Citizen participation in Chinese justice may take the shape of assessors sitting alongside professional judges, or, as it is sometimes the case on an experimental basis, of the introduction of a people's jury in local courts. Yet, these forms of participation do not alter the fundamental features of Chinese governance: the lack of legal autonomy of law, and the lack of independence of judges with respect to the political authority. These remain the main obstacles to the extablishment of the rule of law in China. In fact, the changes in the system of assessors and jurors have failed to legitimate the judicial power through participation and transparency. Experience has shown, on the contrary, that assessors and jurors remain fully subordinate to professional judges, who continue to have the controlling hand over the justice system. Nevertheless Chinese citizens, along with the parties involved in trials, are not duped by such arrangements. Once the limits of the practical utility of assessors and jurors becomes apparent, the question of the relationship between the people and judicial authority will inevitably be posed anew. The reply to the question will be even more pressing, since it will no longer be possible to use the same subterfuge. That is why citizen participation in justice is so crucial in a China in search of democracy.
On a Bilingual Copto-Arabic Manuscript of 4 Ezra and the Reception of this Pseudepigraphon in Coptic Literature
Authors: Suciu Alin
Published: September 2015

The text of 4 Ezra has survived in many ancient languages. Among these, the Sahidic Coptic version is the most poorly attested. The focus of this study is to introduce a new Sahidic fragment of this Jewish pseudepigraphon, which is preserved in a bilingual Copto-Arabic manuscript from the Monastery of Apa Shenoute. This hitherto unknown fragment is datable to the late fourteenth or early fifteenth century. The article provides an edition of the newly identified fragment, together with a paleographical description, an analysis of the text, and a survey of the relevant sources pertaining to the reception of 4 Ezra in Coptic and Copto-Arabic literature.
Effect of tool wear on chip formation during dry machining of Ti-6Al-4V alloy, part 1: Effect of gradual tool wear evolution
Authors: Sun Shoujin , Brandt Milan , Dargusch Matthew S
Published: September 2015

Geometric features of the segmented chip have been investigated along with the volume of material removed at a cutting speed at which tool wear is characterized by the gradual development of flank wear when cutting Ti-6Al-4V alloy. The chip geometric variables varied with an increase in the volume of material removed as the combined effect of change in tool’s geometry and increase in cutting temperature. Plastic deformation dimples were observed as periodical regions on the machined surface, a row on each undeformed surface and region on the top of the slipping surface of the segmented chip when cutting with new tool; these dimples on the undeformed surface and machined surface are elongated in the direction of chip flow. All these dimples became less with an increase in the volume of material removed and almost disappeared when the chip was removed with the worn tool at the end of its life. A model of segmented chip formation process has been proposed to satisfactorily explain the formation of the plastic deformation dimples on the undeformed surface and machined surface of the segmented chip produced with a new cutting tool and the transition of chip geometry with the evolution of tool wear.
An Enhanced Default Approach Bias Following Amygdala Lesions in Humans
Authors: Harrison Laura A. , Hurlemann Rene , Adolphs Ralph
Published: September 2015

Approach and avoidance constitute a basic dimension of all animal behavior. Although a large number of studies have investigated approach and avoidance elicited by specific sensory stimuli, comparatively little is known about default approach biases when stimulus information is absent or reduced. The amygdala is well known to contribute to approach and avoidance behaviors in response to specific sensory stimuli; we tested whether the amygdala’s role might extend to situations in which stimulus information is reduced. In a novel task, 3 patients with rare bilateral amygdala lesions (and control subjects) made approach-related judgments about photos of intact faces and of the same faces with all internal facial features occluded. Direct comparisons of the judgments of these stimuli isolated a default bias. The patients showed a greater tendency than the control subjects to rate occluded faces as more approachable than whole faces. These findings suggest that the amygdala’s role in approach behavior extends beyond responses to specific stimuli.
Developing the DESCARTE Model
Authors: Carolan Clare M. , Forbat Liz , Smith Annetta
Published: September 2015

Case study is a long-established research tradition which predates the recent surge in mixed-methods research. Although a myriad of nuanced definitions of case study exist, seminal case study authors agree that the use of multiple data sources typify this research approach. The expansive case study literature demonstrates a lack of clarity and guidance in designing and reporting this approach to research. Informed by two reviews of the current health care literature, we posit that methodological description in case studies principally focuses on description of case study typology, which impedes the construction of methodologically clear and rigorous case studies. We draw from the case study and mixed-methods literature to develop the DESCARTE model as an innovative approach to the design, conduct, and reporting of case studies in health care. We examine how case study fits within the overall enterprise of qualitatively driven mixed-methods research, and the potential strengths of the model are considered.
Drafting “foot soldiers”: The social organization of the war for talent
Authors: Porschitz Emily T , Smircich Linda , Calás Marta B
Published: September 2015

The “global war for talent” refers to the increasing competition among organizations and regional governments for top employees. The concept of “war” in this context acts as a powerful metaphor, heightening the intensity with which organizational and regional leaders mobilize their efforts to create, attract, and retain “top talent.” However, this article argues that the “war for talent” is not a distant practice articulated between corporate and state spheres of action but a set of activities directly connected to those in higher education institutions. Framed through the theoretical and methodological approach of Institutional Ethnography, this study tracked students’ activities and experiences with a university’s economic development initiative, Generation Now, showing how the students’ experiences are connected to the global war for talent, how they become its foot soldiers, and with what consequences. More generally, tracing these connections is critical for making sense of contemporary modes of organizing in university classrooms, furthering class hierarchies and neoliberal rationales not necessarily related to students’ educational expectations in the conventional sense. Specifically in this case, experiences derived from classroom activities drafted and differentiated students for a war not of their making while naturalizing their “rightful” places in the global economy.
To intubate or not to intubate – management of multiple rib fractures
Authors: Shah Mukul
Published: September 2015

You are a trauma team leader. Your patient has multiple rib fractures as well as a flail chest and is clearly in pain and has somewhat laboured breathing. The anaesthetist is getting ready to induce and then intubate the patient to take him up to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for mechanical ventilation. You wonder if it is a good idea to be this aggressive, and if more conservative management would result in a better outcome. You do not however have any evidence to hand to prove things one way or the other. This Best Evidence Topic review answers this question analysing the available evidence. The clinical bottom line being; CPAP and good analgesia with PCA and epidural anaesthesia is enough to avoid intubation and its complications in most conscious and breathing patients who have multiple rib fractures.
Dirty secrets and being ‘strange’: using ethnomethodology to move beyond familiarity
Authors: Morriss Lisa
Published: September 2015

The paper is a discussion of my attempt to move beyond familiarity by using ethnomethodology – and the emotional impact of doing so; namely, the feeling of having a ‘dirty secret’. As a social work group member interviewing social workers, the process of fieldwork was all too familiar. However, during transcription and analysis, what I had considered to be ‘business as usual’ was revealed as something more complex. The paper describes how the ethnomethodological notions of being a member, the unique adequacy requirement of methods, and breaching worked to make the familiar strange and became key to my understanding.
Attentional Bias for Sexual Threat Among Sexual Victimization Survivors
Authors: Latack Jessica A. , Moyer Anne , Simon Valerie A. , Davila Joanne
Published: September 2015

The current meta-analysis examined the effects of sexual victimization (SV) on attentional bias for sexual threat. This relationship was also examined among victims of SV with and without a current diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The broader aim was to elucidate potential mechanisms operating between SV and negative health outcomes. As hypothesized, the findings supported a positive relationship between SV and attentional bias toward sexual threat stimuli, and subanalyses indicated that PTSD symptomatology significantly contributed to this association.
Description and Preliminary Evaluation of a Low-Cost Simulator for Training and Evaluation of Flexible Endoscopic Skills
Authors: Berger-Richardson David , Kurashima Yo , von Renteln Daniel , Kaneva Pepa , Feldman Liane S. , Fried Gerald M. , Vassiliou Melina C.
Published: September 2015

Background. The Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons developed the Fundamentals of Endoscopic Surgery (FES) to test the knowledge and skills required to perform flexible endoscopy. The program includes online didactic material to complement the written component, but does not have a practice component for the skills portion. The purpose of this study was to develop and pilot test low-cost models to train for the hands-on component of the FES examination. Methods. Based on the deconstructed skills tested in FES, a low-cost simulator and metrics that model retroflexion, instrumentation and targeting, loop reduction, and mucosal evaluation were developed. The model is reuseable and requires a real endoscope and tower. Validity evidence was obtained by comparing performance between novice endoscopists (NEs) and experienced endoscopists (EEs). Results. Six NEs and 6 EEs participated. In retroflexion, EEs and NEs scored (median [interquartile range]) 72.9 (67.1; 78.6) and 37.9 (25.7; 50.0; P = .004), respectively. In targeting, EEs scored 102.0 (75.0; 110.0) and NEs scored 50.0 (25.0; 50.0; P = .089). In navigation and loop reduction, EEs scored 189.0 (108.0; 267.0) and NEs scored 0.0 (0.0; 0.0; P = .004). In mucosal evaluation, EEs scored 133.3 (103.3; 150.0) and NEs scored 66.7 (50.0; 103.3; P = .015). The median global scores were 116.6 (109.6; 135.8) for EEs and 39.1 (29.1; 40.6; P = .004) for NEs. Conclusion. This pilot study provides preliminary validity evidence to support using these tasks to measure basic flexible endoscopic skills. Subsequent studies will examine the implementation of a proficiency curriculum using this model and its value as a training tool for flexible endoscopy, or to prepare for the FES exam.
Modelling and analysis of breathing-induced lung motion in swimming performance
Authors: De Mel Ranjaka , Chauhan Sunita
Published: September 2015

Sporting was solely considered to be based on talent and physical capabilities in the past. Adaption of computer-aided engineering, particularly computational fluid dynamics, in sports-engineering has made significant advancements by developing concentrated techniques that could help individuals to reach their peak performance. Studies show that physical performance could be mainly limited by three main components, namely, muscular, cardiovascular and pulmonary systems. Due to inevitable limitations that exist in the pulmonary system, researchers are more concerned in training respiratory muscles. Inspiratory-muscle training is a well-known technique in many sports, particularly in high-intensity breathing-related sports such as rowing, cycling and swimming that require an individual’s aerobic capability and respiratory system with a high-minute ventilation to sustain exhaustive breathing scenarios. This article describes inspiratory-muscle training dynamics followed by a methodology for three-dimensional lung model to understand the interdependence of several control parameters for comparative performance, thereby generating an inverse control model for potential performance improvement criteria. The three-dimensional lung model is developed based on Visible Human Project® database, which provided detailed anatomical dimensions. The shape functions are constructed using cubic splines to fit tomographic slices. Parametric studies using variables such as pressure exerted by chest cavity on lungs, lung compliance, fluid-flow/volume, average elasticity for inspiratory-muscle training and breathing-time constants are conducted. Our hypothesis is based upon synchronising the position of lung centroids with working stroke execution, which can result in enhanced swimming performance. Simulation results showed that lung centroid could vary from 109.95E−5 to 109.99E−5 m, proving that there is a possibility to change the swimmer’s floatation angle by 0.036% during each swimming cycle. The lung centroid could be varied optimally by controlled breathing patterns. A typical swimmer with 25°–35° floatation angles can increase or decrease the floatation angles during recovery and gliding phases, respectively, by synchronising breathing patterns with the stroke during different phases of swimming cycle. Previous studies showed that the distance between lung centroid and body gravity can change up to 1.5 mm. Results obtained from our model equations showed that the change in displacement of lung centroid is 1.099 mm. Therefore, the variation of accuracy of our results is about 27% from the previous studies. However, results generated from our studies are generic, that is, results are gender independent, and the effect of body-to-lung ratio in stroke execution is not taken into consideration. These factors potentially provide a platform for further improvement in our simulation models.
Culinary efficacy: an exploratory study of skills, confidence, and healthy cooking competencies among university students
Authors: Murray Douglas W , Mahadevan Meena , Gatto Kelsey , O’Connor Kaitlyn , Fissinger Alexis , Bailey Dylan , Cassara Eric
Published: September 2015

Aims:

This study was conducted to determine whether a group of college-age students in New Jersey, USA, had the requisite culinary skills, knowledge, and confidence to take personal control of their meal planning and production. The long-term threat to the public health systems posed by high rates of obesity among young adults in higher education institutions has garnered widespread attention across the world. Studies have shown that assuming personal responsibility over preparing and consuming food can play a key role in addressing the problem of poor nutrient intakes.

Methods:

Focus groups were conducted with students ( N = 24) who fit the eligibility criteria of not having a university meal plan, and living independently at the time of the study (not with family members). The sessions were recorded, transcribed, and then coded into themes. Two trained research assistants tested the results and inter-rater reliability was confirmed.

Results:

Content analysis revealed three major themes: Health Perceptions, Life influences, and Barriers to Cooking and Eating Healthy. The students’ comments indicated that while they had a basic knowledge of the key principles of eating a balanced diet, it may not have necessarily translated into actual food choices and cooking practices. Several students reported an overreliance on processed and prepared foods, and they consumed few fruits and vegetables.

Conclusions:

Factors such as lack of culinary knowledge and skill, financial instability, inadequate access to healthy food options, and other time/lifestyle constraints may have played a significant role in limiting their ability to prepare and consume healthy meals. The findings of this study highlight the importance of designing programmes with effective strategies to motivate and encourage college students to improve their food behaviours and practices.
A Nationwide Analysis of Outcomes of Weekend Admissions for Intracerebral Hemorrhage Shows Disparities Based on Hospital Teaching Status
Authors: Patel Achint A. , Mahajan Abhimanyu , Benjo Alexandre , Pathak Ambarish , Kar Jitesh , Jani Vishal B. , Annapureddy Narender , Agarwal Shiv Kumar , Sabharwal Manpreet S. , Simoes Priya K. , Konstantinidis Ioannis , Yacoub Rabi , Javed Fahad , El Hayek Georges , Menon Madhav C. , Nadkarni Girish N.
Published: September 2015

Background and Purpose:

With the “weekend effect” being well described, the Brain Attack Coalition released a set of “best practice” guidelines in 2005, with the goal to uniformly provide standard of care to patients with stroke. We attempted to define a “weekend effect” in outcomes among patients with intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) over the last decade, utilizing the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) data. We also attempted to analyze the trend of such an effect.

Materials and Methods:

We determined the association of ICH weekend admissions with hospital outcomes including mortality, adverse discharge, length of stay, and cost compared to weekday admissions using multivariable logistic regression. We extracted our study cohort from the NIS, the largest all-payer data set in the United States.

Results:

Of 485 329 ICH admissions from 2002 to 2011, 27.5% were weekend admissions. Overall, weekend admissions were associated with 11% higher odds of in-hospital mortality. When analyzed in 3-year groups, excess mortality of weekend admissions showed temporal decline. There was higher mortality with weekend admissions in nonteaching hospitals persisted (odds ratios 1.16, 1.13, and 1.09, respectively, for 3-year subgroups). Patients admitted during weekends were also 9% more likely to have an adverse discharge (odds ratio 1.09; 95% confidence interval: 1.07-1.11; P < .001) with no variation by hospital status. There was no effect of a weekend admission on either length of stay or cost of care.

Conclusion:

Nontraumatic ICH admissions on weekends have higher in-hospital mortality and adverse discharge. This demonstrates need for in-depth review for elucidating this discrepancy and stricter adherence to standard-of-care guidelines to ensure uniform care.
Racial Disparity in Probationers’ Views about Probation
Authors: Siddique Julie A. , Belshaw Scott H.
Published: September 2015

The current study examined racial disparity in probationers’ views about probation services using survey data from 1,896 probationers in a large county in north Texas. Two multivariate logistic regression models predicting probationers’ views about the helpfulness of the probation department and optimism that their time on probation would help them stay out of trouble were estimated using racial identification and a number of controls as predictors. Racial identification was a significant predictor in both models even after controlling for probationers’ evaluations of probation administration and their relationships with their probation officers. Black probationers were significantly more likely to be dissatisfied with probation services, whereas Hispanic probationers were significantly more likely to be optimistic that their time on probation would help them stay out of trouble, as compared to White probationers. Results from mean tests did not indicate that probationers of different racial identifications differed significantly in their evaluations of probation administration or their relationships with probation officers. Racial disparity in probationers’ views, therefore, was less likely to be related to perceived differential treatment by the probation department and more likely to be related to other factors. Implications for future research are discussed.
The Policing of Youth on the U.S.–Mexico Border
Authors: Durán Robert J. , Posadas Carlos E.
Published: September 2015

The study of disproportionate minority contact (DMC) has encountered at least three obstacles: the lack of research on policing, the difficulty of expanding research beyond Blacks and Whites, and the absence of research focused on different regions of the country. The authors of this article seek to fill these three gaps by exploring the reasons why Hispanic juveniles have a greater number of arrests for delinquent and nondelinquent behavior than White youth. The geographic context for this study is the Southern New Mexico border with Mexico, which is one of the poorest regions in the United States. Using various sources of data, both qualitative and quantitative, the authors contribute to the theory of minority group threat to explain how law enforcement officers participate in reinforcing DMC despite a perception of juvenile justice leniency in minority majority communities. We devote special focus toward the policing of poor communities, school discipline, and internal divisions regarding punishment-oriented strategies.
New Jersey’s Historical Development of a Statewide Children’s System of Care, Including the Lessons Learned From Embedding CANS Tools
Authors: McGill Kenneth , Rea Karen
Published: September 2015

New Jersey has made significant investments in their creation of a “statewide” reform to better serve the most vulnerable children and their families. Many states can learn from New Jersey’s statewide reform, which now celebrates completion of its first decade. This article details the historic timeline of the implementation processes as well as the structural components of a system of care. The particular role of each system entity is identified as well as their adaptation of the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) assessment tool to best serve the children/youth in a statewide system of care. This article also examines the methods for effectively training and embedding the CANS tools within New Jersey’s Division of Children’s System of Care (DCSOC). As the children’s system of care (SOC) celebrates a milestone and its second decade of existence, much data have been accumulated with the next logical step being a series of reviews and systemic update. Result shows the need for planning for transitioning to adulthood especially among a population profile or 16 years and older, which we referred to as “emerging adult” population.
Who is Responsible for Doping in Sports? The Attribution of Responsibility in the German Print Media
Authors: Starke Christopher , Flemming Felix
Published: September 2015

The fight against doping has been one of the most profound challenges in the world of (media-) sports. However, communication research has not addressed the mediated attribution of responsibility for this problem. Drawing on the distinction between episodic and thematic framing, this study analyzes the attribution of responsibility in three quality German national newspapers. We find that responsibility for causing performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) use is equally attributed to the individual and systemic levels, while responsibility for finding solutions is directed at the systemic level. Individual responsibility attributions occur more frequently in articles with an episodic news frame. Given the often proclaimed ambiguous role of the media with regard to PED use, the study attaches particular importance to the self-attribution of responsibility by the media. Our findings show that the media neglect to discuss their own role and do not see themselves as responsible for the problem of doping. This study demonstrates that the investigation of mediated responsibility attribution provides a fruitful new approach to the research on media and PED use in sports.
The Price of Perspective Taking
Authors: Manczak Erika M. , Basu Devika , Chen Edith
Published: September 2015

Parental empathy is generally held as a positive characteristic; however, might there be contexts in which parental empathy is actually harmful? The present study examined whether adolescents’ depressive symptoms might have immunologic costs for more empathic parents. A total of 143 parents and their children completed self-report measures of empathy and depressive symptoms, respectively. One year later, production of four proinflammatory cytokines in parents’ blood was measured in response to in vitro exposure to a bacterial product. Significant interactions across all inflammatory markers emerged, such that parents who were higher in empathy showed greater inflammatory cytokine production if their children also reported high levels of depressive symptoms, but lower cytokine production if their children reported low levels of symptoms. Less empathic parents showed the opposite pattern. These results provide support for the hypothesis that parents high in empathy may be especially sensitive physiologically to their children’s psychopathologic symptoms.
Partial reconstitution of humoral immunity and fewer infections in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia treated with ibrutinib
Authors: Sun Clare , Tian Xin , Lee Yuh Shan , Gunti Sreenivasulu , Lipsky Andrew , Herman Sarah E. M. , Salem Dalia , Stetler-Stevenson Maryalice , Yuan Constance , Kardava Lela , Moir Susan , Maric Irina , Valdez Janet , Soto Susan , Marti Gerald E. , Farooqui Mohammed Z. , Notkins Abner L. , Wiestner Adrian , Aue Georg
Published: September 2015

Key Points

Ibrutinib allows for partial reconstitution of normal B cells and humoral immunity in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Infection rate decreased with time on ibrutinib and was inversely correlated with improvements in serum IgA.
Influence ofN-acetylcysteine on chronic bronchitis or COPD exacerbations: a meta-analysis
Authors: Cazzola Mario , Calzetta Luigino , Page Clive , Jardim Josè , Chuchalin Alexander G. , Rogliani Paola , Gabriella Matera Maria
Published: September 2015

In order to clarify the possible role ofN-acetylcysteine (NAC) in the treatment of patients with chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), we have carried out a meta-analysis testing the available evidence that NAC treatment may be effective in preventing exacerbations of chronic bronchitis or COPD and evaluating whether there is a substantial difference between the responses induced by low (≤600 mg per day) and high (>600 mg per day) doses of NAC.

The results of the present meta-analysis (13 studies, 4155 COPD patients, NAC n=1933; placebo or controls n=2222) showed that patients treated with NAC had significantly and consistently fewer exacerbations of chronic bronchitis or COPD (relative risk 0.75, 95% CI 0.66–0.84; p<0.01), although this protective effect was more apparent in patients without evidence of airway obstruction. However, high doses of NAC were also effective in patients suffering from COPD diagnosed using spirometric criteria (relative risk 0.75, 95% CI 0.68–0.82; p=0.04). NAC was well tolerated and the risk of adverse reactions was not dose-dependent (low doses relative risk 0.93, 95% CI 0.89–0.97; p=0.40; high doses relative risk 1.11, 95% CI 0.89–1.39; p=0.58).

The strong signal that comes from this meta-analysis leads us to state that if a patient suffering from chronic bronchitis presents a documented airway obstruction, NAC should be administered at a dose of ≥1200 mg per day to prevent exacerbations, while if a patient suffers from chronic bronchitis, but is without airway obstruction, a regular treatment of 600 mg per day seems to be sufficient.
Interstitial lung disease in systemic sclerosis: where do we stand?
Authors: Cappelli Susanna , Bellando Randone Silvia , Camiciottoli Gianna , De Paulis Amato , Guiducci Serena , Matucci-Cerinic Marco
Published: September 2015

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is common in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients and despite recent advances in the treatment is, at present, the major cause of death. Today, an early diagnosis of ILD is possible, and is mandatory to improve the prognosis of the disease.

Pulmonary function tests and high-resolution computed tomography remain the mainstay for the diagnosis of SSc-ILD, but there is a growing interest in lung ultrasound. Recently, the correlation between severity of fibrosis and some peripheral blood biomarkers has been described.

Nonselective immunosuppressors are still the main treatment for ILD, with cyclophosphamide (CYC) most widely used to obtain remission. Novel therapies towards specific molecular and cellular targets have been suggested; in particular, rituximab (RTX) has shown promising results, but further research is needed. It is of paramount importance to define the severity of the disease and the risk of progression in order to define the need for treatment and the treatment intensity. We propose the division of the treatment strategies at our disposal to induce remission into three categories: high intensity (haematopoietic stem cell transplantation), medium intensity (CYC and RTX) and low intensity (azathioprine (AZA) and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF)). After obtaining remission, maintenance treatment with AZA or MMF should be started.

In this review we explore new advances in the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of SSc-ILD.