bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Extracting a low-dimensional description of multiple gene expression datasets reveals a potential driver for tumor-associated stroma in ovarian cancer
Authors: Celik Safiye , Logsdon Benjamin A , Battle Stephanie , Drescher Charles W , Rendi Mara , David R Hawkins , Lee Su-In
Published: April 2016

Background:

Discovering patient subtypes and molecular drivers of a subtype are difficult and driving problems underlying most modern disease expression studies collected across patient populations. Expression patterns conserved across multiple expression datasets from independent disease studies are likely to represent important molecular events underlying the disease.

Methods:

We present the INSPIRE (INferringShared modules from multiPle gene expREssion datasets) method to infer highly coherent and robustmodulesof co-expressed genes and the dependencies among the modules from multiple expression datasets. Focusing on inferring modules and their dependencies conserved across multiple expression datasets is important for several reasons. First, using multiple datasets will increase the power to detect robust and relevant patterns (modules and dependencies among modules). Second, INSPIRE enables the use of multiple datasets that contain different sets of genes due to, e.g., the difference in microarray platforms. Many methods designed for expression data analysis cannot integrate multiple datasets with variable discrepancy to infer a single combined model, whereas INSPIRE can naturally model the dependencies among the modules even when a large proportion of genes are not observed on a certain platform.

Results:

We evaluated INSPIRE on synthetically generated datasets with known underlying network structure among modules, and gene expression datasets from multiple ovarian cancer studies. We show that the model learned by INSPIRE can explain unseen data better and can reveal prior knowledge on gene functions more accurately than alternative methods. We demonstrate that applying INSPIRE to nine ovarian cancer datasets leads to the identification of a new marker and potential molecular driver of tumor-associated stroma -HOPX. We also demonstrate that theHOPXmodule strongly overlaps with the genes defining the mesenchymal patient subtype identified in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) ovarian cancer data. We provide evidence for a previously unknown molecular basis of tumor resectability efficacy involving tumor-associated mesenchymal stem cells represented byHOPX.

Conclusions:

INSPIRE extracts a low-dimensional description from multiple gene expression data, which consists of modules and their dependencies. The discovery of a new tumor-associated stroma marker,HOPX,and its module suggests a previously unknown mechanism underlying tumor-associated stroma.
Third-generation sequencing and the future of genomics
Authors: Lee Hayan , Gurtowski James , Yoo Shinjae , Nattestad Maria , Marcus Shoshana , Goodwin Sara , Richard McCombie W. , Schatz Michael C.
Published: April 2016

Third-generation long-range DNA sequencing and mapping technologies are creating a renaissance in high-quality genome sequencing. Unlike second-generation sequencing, which produces short reads a few hundred base-pairs long, third-generation single-molecule technologies generate over 10,000 bp reads or map over 100,000 bp molecules. We analyze how increased read lengths can be used to address longstanding problems inde novogenome assembly, structural variation analysis and haplotype phasing.
Quantitative analysis of structural inhomogeneity in nanomaterials using transmission electron microscopy
Authors: Klinger Miloslav , Polívka Leoš , Jäger Aleš , Tyunina Marina
Published: April 2016

A method for quantifying inhomogeneity of crystal structure at the nanoscale is suggested and experimentally verified. The method is based on digital processing of images obtained by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. A series of images is acquired and each image is divided into several overlapping sliding windows. Interplanar distances are determined using a fast Fourier transform and theCrysTBoxsoftware. A spatial distribution of the estimated distances is obtained considering the size and position of the sliding window within the analysed sample. This approach provides for a picometric precision and accuracy if applied on ideal data. Although this accuracy was verified on experimental data, it can be worsened by errors specific to a particular application and data acquisition technique. The achieved spatial resolution ranges from a few to tens of nanometres. These levels of accuracy, precision and spatial resolution are reached without the need for aberration correction or for a reference lattice parameter, and using samples prepared by focused ion beam milling.
Neutron imaging using a conventional small-angle neutron scattering instrument
Authors: Dewhurst C. D. , Grillo I.
Published: April 2016

Neutron imaging has enjoyed a flurry of activity and application in recent years. The construction of dedicated beamlines at various neutron sources has demonstrated the significant interest among the science and engineering communities, with particular relevance to industrial applications, the nondestructive testing of components and imaging of precious archaeological artefacts. Here two methods are demonstrated of how neutron imaging can be performed using a conventional small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) instrument, such as D33 at the Institut Laue–Langevin, with spatial resolutions down to about 100 µm. The first is a magnified imaging technique from a quasi-point-like source with the magnified image recorded on the usual low-resolution SANS detector. The second method uses a fine beam in a raster-scan measurement over the area of interest. Images can be reconstructed either using the transmitted beam, as in conventional radiographic imaging, or from scattering data, giving access to transmission radiographic images as well as the dark-field or scattering contrasts and phase-contrast images.
NearTree, a data structure and a software toolkit for the nearest-neighbor problem
Authors: Andrews Lawrence C. , Bernstein Herbert J.
Published: April 2016

Many problems in crystallography and other fields can be treated as nearest-neighbor problems. The neartree data structure provides a flexible way to organize and retrieve metric data. In some cases, it can provide near-optimal performance.NearTreeis a software tool that constructs neartrees and provides a number of different query tools.
5-(2-Hydroxybenzoyl)-1-methyl-3-nitropyridin-2(1H)-one
Authors: Vimala G. , Poomathi N. , Perumal P. T. , SubbiahPandi A.
Published: April 2016

In the title compound, C13H10N2O5, the dihedral angle between the pyridine and phenyl ring is 50.47 (2)°. The hydroxyl H and ketone O atoms form an intramolecular O—H...O hydrogen bond with the hydroxyl group almost coplanar with the phenyl ring. In the crystal, molecules are linked by two C—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming dimers. The dimers are linked by further C—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming a three-dimensional architecture.
(4Z)-1-[(E)-(4-Methoxybenzylidene)amino]-2-phenyl-4-[(thiophen-2-yl)methylidene]-1H-imidazol-5(4H)-one
Authors: Singh Vikram D. , Kamni  , Subbulakshmi K. N. , Narayana B. , Sarojini B. K. , Anthal Sumati , Kant Rajni
Published: April 2016

In the title compound, C22H17N3O2S, the imidazole ring forms dihedral angles of 9.2 (2), 10.9 (2) and 12.5 (2)° with the thiophene, phenyl and methoxy-substituted benzene rings, respectively. There are two intramolecular C—H...N hydrogen bonds formingS(5) andS(6) rings and one intramolecular C—H...O hydrogen bond forming anS(6) ring.
1-Ethyl-5-nitro-1H-indazole
Authors: Boulhaoua Mohammed , El Hafi Mohamed , Benchidmi Mohammed , Essassi El Mokhtar , Mague Joel T.
Published: April 2016

In the title molecule, C9H9N3O2, the nitro substituent is twisted by 4.0 (2)° out of the plane of the indazolyl moiety; the ethyl group is perpendicular to the indazolyl plane, with the N—N—C—C torsion angle being 101.4 (2)°. In the molecular packing, C—H...O hydrogen bonds lead to supramolecular chains along [001]. Globally, molecules assemble into layers in thebcplane. π–π interactions between five- and six-membered rings consolidate the three-dimensional packing [inter-centroid distance = 3.591 (1) Å]. The sample was refined as an inversion twin.
5-(2-Hydroxybenzoyl)-2-(1H-indol-3-yl)pyridine-3-carbonitrile
Authors: Ezhilarasi K. S. , Poomathi Nataraj , Perumal P. T. , Vasanthi R. , Usha G.
Published: April 2016

In the title compound, C21H13N3O2, the indole and pyridine rings are planar. The pyridine ring is in an antiperiplanar (−ap) orientation with the indole ring system and an antiperiplanar (+ap) orientation with the hydroxyphenyl ring. An intramolecular O—H...O hydrogen bond stabilizes the molecular structure. In the crystal, N—H...N hydrogen bonds involving the indole NH group and the cyanide nitrogen atom lead to the formation of a two-dimensional supramolecular network lying parallel to (011).
Supply chain finance and financial contagion from disruptions - evidence from the automobile industry
Authors: Filbeck Greg , Kumar Sanjay , Liu Jiangxia , Zhao Xin
Published: April 2016

Purpose

This research explores the effect of supply chain disruptions on competitors. Using companies in the automobile industry, we study the contagion effect in supply chains based on the affected firm and its competitors, whether the disruption occurs domestically or by a foreign-based firm, and within the context of economic market cycles.

Design/methodology/approach

Standard event study methodology is used to test the stock price reaction to supply chain disruptions. The purpose of this methodology is to determine whether the announcement of an event produces a “significant” stock price reaction around the time of the announcement. To conduct such tests, daily stock returns are measured around the announcement date and compared with the expected return. To further test whether the event study results can be explained by the business cycle, sample period, and stock characteristics, we use regression analysis. Our analysis is based on a data of 408 disruptions compiled from news announcements.

Findings

Supply chain disruptions have consequences for affected companies as well as competitors. The stock market impact from disruptions in automobile companies is affected by market cycle as well as the brand domicile. We observe that negative stock effect of disruptions occurs in bear markets but not in bull markets. American-brand automakers experience a larger stock price decline in bear markets compared to Japanese-brand automakers. Our results support a contagion effect as American-brand automakers experience negative stock reactions when a competitor announces disruptions. The contagion is more pronounced for American-brand automakers in bear markets when disruptions are announced by Japanese-brand automakers. We do not find evidence of a contagion effect for Japanese-brand automakers, indicating that they may be more resilient and are not affected by competitors’ supply chain performance.

Research limitations/implications

The U.S. automobile industry is dominated by five major firms. While our research is ground-breaking, the ability to generalizing to other industries that are less concentrated in leadership and competition may be limited.

Practical implications

Our study has implications for supply chain managers who make decisions regarding investments in disruptions mitigation. The results are also of interest to investors who may seek opportunities to take short positions on stocks within the automobile industry.

Originality/value

Our paper is the first to test the impact of supply chain disruptions on competitors. Additionally, we characterize the impact of disruptions based on market cycle and company domicile.
Reverse factoring in the supply chain: objectives, antecedents and implementation barriers
Authors: Liebl John , Hartmann Evi , Feisel Edda
Published: April 2016

Purpose

Reverse factoring (RF) can generate win-win situations for buyers, banks and suppliers. However, the SCM literature generally tends to ignore financial influences and accounting support structures. Research in the area of reverse factoring is relatively new and considerably fragmented. To address this research gap this paper provides an analysis of the objectives, antecedents and barriers of implementation.

Design/methodology/approach

The study contributes fundamental new insights derived from eleven case studies. 28 interviews were conducted from the perspective of buyers, banks and suppliers and analyzed regarding influencing factors of different RF approaches.

Findings

Reverse factoring predominantly is used to extend days payable outstanding (DPO). However, secondary objectives such as the reduction of supplier default risk and process simplifications also play an important role. The number of integrated suppliers, dependence of suppliers on their buyers, spread between internal refinancing and RF costs and the diversity of target agreements strongly influence these objectives and therefore the configuration of RF solutions.

Originality/value

Most studies fall short of exploring the mechanism of reverse factoring from all of the different perspectives of buyers, banks and suppliers. This approach allows new insights regarding prerequisites and different motivations behind RF.
Supply chain finance: a literature review
Authors: Gelsomino Luca Mattia , Mangiaracina Riccardo , Perego Alessandro , Tumino Angela
Published: April 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is twofold: to classify the research to-date on Supply Chain Finance (SCF) according to the main themes and methods, and to propose directions for future research.

Design/methodology/approach

The review is based on 119 papers mainly published from 2000 to 2014 in international peer-reviewed journals and in the proceedings of international conferences.

Findings

The articles that provide a definition of SCF reflect two major perspectives: the ‘finance oriented’ perspective - focused on short-term solutions provided by financial institutions, addressing accounts payable and receivable - and the ‘supply chain oriented’ perspective - which might not involve a financial institution, and is focused on working capital optimisation in terms of accounts payable, receivable, inventories, and sometimes even on fixed asset financing.

Research limitations/implications

While efforts were made to be all-inclusive, significant research efforts may have been inadvertently omitted. However, the authors believe that this review is an accurate representation of the body of research on SCF published during the specified timeframe, and feel that confidence may be placed on the resulting assessments.

Originality/value

The paper presents a comprehensive summary of previous research on this topic and identifies the most important issues that need to be addressed in future research. On the basis of the identified gaps in the literature, four key issues have been highlighted which should be addressed in future research.
Prescribed consumption and consumers' decision-making styles: a cross-cultural comparison between Europe and Asia
Authors: Lamour Corinne , De La Robertie Catherine
Published: April 2016

Purpose

The goal of this research is 1) to check if shopping prescription consciousness is a fundamental decision-making characteristic, 2) to know its weight and position into consumer decision-making styles (DMS), and 3) to compare results between France and China.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative survey using the Consumer Styles Inventory (Sproles and Kendall, 1986) is done with 308 French and 221 Chinese pet food buyers. Factorial, multivariance, clustering and discriminant analyses are run.

Findings

Findings reveal that shopping prescription consciousness is a fundamental decision-making characteristic. Although this concept scores the same in both cultures, correlations between shopping prescription and other characteristics vary from a culture to another, showing a different prescription follower profile. In addition, opposite to our expectations prescription consciousness has a discriminant role on DMS in France but not in China. Finally, culture impacts overall DMS.

Research limitations/implications

The Chinese sample is weak. This study must be replicated in more product categories and involve more countries. This paper attempts to enrich prescribed consumption knowledge in a cross-cultural context.

Practical implications

This paper 1) enriches academic understanding of the decision delegation concept, in a cross-cultural context, and 2) encourages organizations involved in complex products to set up loyalty qualitative programs and prescriber networks to ease shopping decision and consequently increase sales.

Originality/value

This is the first time that decision delegation and prescription is studied according to decision-making styles in a cross-cultural context.
Material modelling of tensile steel component under impulsive loading
Authors: Ribeiro Joao , Santiago Aldina , Rigueiro Constança
Published: April 2016

Purpose

Characterization and modelling of the material properties, as well as the fracture simulation needed for the numerical analysis of bolted T-stub connection under impulsive loads. The strain rate effects are considered on the material law; fracture simulation is explored following “element deletion” technique for a given level of ductile damage.

Design/methodology/approach

The T-stub model is used in Eurocode 3 – part 1.8 as part of the “component method” for the representation of steel connection’s tension zone and is usually responsible for providing ductility to the connection. Looking forward to establish the “T-stub’s” maximum displacement capacity under impact loading, i) fracture simulation of steel elements is here explored following “element deletion” technique for a given level of ductile damage; ii) material softening and triaxial stress state dependency are assessed by finite element analysis of common uniaxial tension tests, and iii) strain rates effects are used based on results from Split-Hopkinson Bar tests, through the incorporation of the Johnson-Cook’s elevated strain rate law for material strain-hardening description. Numerical predictions of the model describing the “T-stub” behaviour and displacement capacity are compared against experimental results.

Findings

The FE model developed was found reliable in the description of the T-stub response subject to static and impact loads. Particularly, the strain rate sensitive material hardening following a calibrated Johnson-Cook law proved accurate in the description of the enhancement of the material strength. It was observed that when subject to impact loading regimes, the force-displacement response of T-stubs is: i) enhanced due to elevated strain rate effects, avoiding rupture when subject to a load equal the maximum static; ii) less ductile plastic failure modes in deformable T-stubs are expected, whilst the development of higher strains in the bolt may lead to a reduction in its ductility capacity.

Originality/value

A non-linear dynamic FE model of simple T-stub configuration using a strain rate effect on the material law and fracture simulation, providing insight of stress, strain, strain rate and damage contours developments, when exposed to impact loading.
The strengths and capacities of Authentic Followership
Authors: de Zilwa Deanna
Published: April 2016

Purpose

– Exploring a new conceptual framework for authentic followership (AF) comprised of three components: individual, dyadic and organisational. The purpose of this paper is to explain how the components of AF interact as a positive, non-linear feedback loop. It presents three propositions of positive outcomes arising from AF. First, AF builds follower’s strengths and capacities. Second, AF strengthens dyadic relationships between followers and leaders. Third, AF deepens and strengthens positive organisational culture thereby improving organisational performance. It discusses the practical significance of these propositions for followers, leaders and firms.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper provides an overview of AF. Then three propositions of positive outcomes arising from AF are presented. It identifies how these propositions could benefit followers, leaders and firms. In conclusion, it offers suggestions for future research directions and notes some limitations of this work.

Findings

– The key finding of this paper is that AF could potentially strengthen the capacities and performance of followers, leaders and organisations if the propositions presented in this work are correct – if the three components of AF interact with each other as a positive feedback loop strengthening and reinforcing each component of AF. To establish the validity of the AF model and the three propositions the paper suggests that investigations in different empirical settings are undertaken: SME’s and multinational corporations, in different countries under different market conditions, with followers and leaders of different gender, age, education level, roles and tenure of employment.

Originality/value

– The paper’s core contention that the components of AF interact as a positive feedback loop has significant practical implications – beneficial outcomes for followers, leaders and firms.P1explains how AF enables followers to gain confidence, maturity and create solid foundations from which to thrive and flourish.P2explains how dyadic relationships between followers and leaders could be strengthened, deepening trust and respect between each party, thereby enhancing leadership effectiveness.P3explains how the dynamic processes of AF can strengthen and deepen positive organisational culture and enhance organisational performance.
Innovation Process Management in Global Fashion Business: Modelling Iteration in Innovation Process Activities
Authors: Fung Hon-Kwok , To Chester Kin-man , Leung Chun-sun , Zhang Zhiming
Published: April 2016

Following the previous sequel, we posit innovation activity management as managing process-based interactivity dependencies to achieve organizations’ desired goals for novel competitive advantages in global supply pipelines, either by means of product or process development. In this paper, we propose a computational method to address the specific issue of modelling and managing a dynamic innovation process, and posit inter-organizational process dependency as a fundamental issue within the modelling organization’s cooperation process. Adopting the perspectives of interdependency within an embedded network, we define innovation activities as networked process structure systems, and simulate and evaluate the dynamic performance of embedded process structures through an adaptive heuristic process. To illustrate the use of this method and its potential benefits, we apply it to real life case studies of inter-organization cooperation, concerning an innovative control and coordination system for globally dispersed textile firms. The validity of our methodology is partially justified by the results of several computational experiments. From an industry point of view, this framework aims to benefit those concerned with design and selection of organization cooperation and coordination systems that are characterized by a high degree of complexity and structural dynamics within today's proliferating organizational cooperation contexts.
Weaving Process and Boolean Algebra
Authors: OSSELIN Jean-François , DREAN Jean-Yves
Published: April 2016

Appropriate mathematical tools for describing and processing weaves are useful for studying the properties of fabric. Taking into account the binary behaviour of the different steps in weaving process, the use of boolean algebra seems to be the most appropriate skill. The description of the weaving process as well as the definition of new weave-oriented boolean operators are hereafter introduced. Moreover, some unambiguous descriptions of weave are presented. This paper presents a set of weave operators that could be useful for describing weave derivative processes such as the quadrantal method or any other process.
Determining Functional Groups of Commercially Available Ink-Jet Printing Reactive Dyes Using Infrared Spectroscopy
Authors: Yuen C.W.M. , Ku S.K.A. , Choi P.S.R. , Kan C.W. , Tsang S.Y.
Published: April 2016

An infrared (IR) spectroscopic technique was used to determine the possible functional groups and chemical compounds present in commercially available ink-jet printing reactive dyes of four primary colours, i.e. Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black. Although other instrumental analytical methods can help to determine the actual chemical composition of reactive dyes, the IR technique alone can still provide important structural information about the commercially available reactive dyes. Experimental results revealed that the reactive dyes under determination contained the same functional groups and chemical compounds as the reference reactive dyes.
An Experimental Investigation on the Properties of the Spacer Knitted Fabrics for Pressure Reduction
Authors: Ye Xiaohua , Hu Hong , Feng Xunwei
Published: April 2016

In this paper, the properties of the warp knitted spacer fabrics for pressure reduction are experimentally investigated and compared to other materials. The influences of the different parameters such as thickness, spacer yarn diameter and connecting form are also analyzed and discussed. The results have shown that the spacer knitted fabrics have very good properties for pressure reduction when they are used as mattress or
cushions.
Secondary Flow in a Strong Curved Converging Channel
Authors: L.X. L.X. , Wang B. , She F.H.
Published: April 2016

A three-dimensional model is developed to evaluate the effect of secondary flow generated from strongly bent duct profiles and turbulent flow of high Reynolds number on fibre movement in a bent channel. The fibre configuration is more complex in a three-dimensional
model with the introduction of secondary flow. The strategies of mesh generation for threedimensional problems are discussed. The flow characteristic in the transfer-channel of a rotor spinning machine is predicted.
The Influence of Silk/Cotton Blending in Microspinning on the Tactile Feeling of Knitted Fabrics
Authors: R. Chollakup , L. Schacher , A. Sinoimeri , D.C. Adolphe
Published: April 2016

Using the framework of a general study on the ‘spinnability’ of silk/cotton blends, studies have been carried out to characterize the mechanical properties and tactile feeling of these blended textiles for different blend proportions, processing, and yarn count. The variable spinning parameters include the type of silk fibre, the blending technique (intimate and drawframe blending) and the silk content in the blend (25 and 50&), as well as the pure cotton used as the reference. Yarns and knitted fabrics have been produced and tested using classical processing methods and test instruments. However, the instrumental test measurements do not seem to be relevant for characterizing the influence of the variable processing parameters on the hand improvement of the final knitted fabric. Therefore, sensory analysis methodologies have been used to objectively describe the tactile feeling of these products compared to the cotton one. In this paper, the results of both analyses show that the changes in the physical properties of the blended yarns and the tactile feeling of the knitted fabrics are affected more by the blending technique than by the silk content.
Silk Waste/Cotton Blended Yarns in Cotton Microspinning: Physical Properties and Fibre Arrangement of Blended Yarn
Authors: Chollakup R. , Sinoimeri A. , Osselin J-F. , Frydrych R. , Drean J-Y.
Published: April 2016

The microspinning technology has generally been used for cotton in the case of small scale spinning test methods (50 gram fibres). One type of silk fibre waste -pierced cocoonprepared previously as short silk fibre with cut length of 35 mm is blended with cotton fibre to obtain further data concerning two blending techniques in this microspinning, and to compare pure and blended yarns. The intimate (before carding and drawframe blending as well as the roll settings in the drawing system are being examined. The silk content was changed at 0/100, 25/75 and 50/50 ratio for a yarn count of 30 tex. The physical properties, the irregularity and the fibre arrangement as terms of the Index of Blending Irregularity and the Migration Indices of the blended yarns have been studied. In addition, the effects of the blending techniques as well as those of the silk content have been brought to the fore.
Computer Modeling of Fiber Movements in High-Speed Airflow
Authors: Cai Yiyun , Oxenham William
Published: April 2016

High-speed airflow is widely used in many processes in the textile industry. Even though the interactions between fibers and airflows have attracted many researchers' interest, there have been few published studies that focus on the computer modeling of fiber motion in airflow fields. This research was aimed at developing a model that can effectively simulate the interactions between fibers and airflows, thus providing a clearer understanding of the behavior of textile fibers in certain processing machines.

A three-dimensional model of the aerodynamic component of a rotor spinning machine was established. A commercial computation fluid dynamics (CFD) software package was used to compute the airflow field of this model and the results were analyzed to study the airflow field's characteristics. Resultant data were used as input for the fiber movement model by using a one-way coupling method. A mathematical model of fiber movement was developed, including numerical methods and visualization programs that were used to solve the model and illustrate fiber movements. The results obtained were studied and compared under different initial and boundary conditions.

This research successfully demonstrates the effectiveness of computer modeling for studying the fiber motion in high-speed airflow. It provides a better understanding of fiber behavior in airflow fields and its potential and prospect in the research of textile processes, in which airflow plays an important role, are very promising.
Negotiating Employability: Migrant Capitals and Networking Strategies for Zimbabwean Highly Skilled Migrants in the UK
Authors: Thondhlana Juliet , Madziva Roda , McGrath Simon
Published: April 2016

In this paper we focus on highly skilled migration from Zimbabwe to the UK, exploring these migrants' social capital sources/structures and content. In doing so we pay attention to routes of migration and how they shape migrants' networking capabilities and patterns. We further take a Bourdieusian perspective and explore the intersection between social capital and cultural capital in the process of migrants' negotiation of employment opportunities, giving closer attention to how the distinctive habitus associated with being highly skilled migrants from Zimbabwe shape migrants' attitudes towards work. By exploring the interplay between external processes and internalised structures, we bring to the fore the multiple positioning of our participants, who we see not as simply depending on social networks, but as complex actors whose negotiation of employability in the UK is shaped by various factors including intersecting aspects of differentiation.
The Practice of Midwifery in Rural US Hospitals
Authors: Kozhimannil Katy B. , Henning‐Smith Carrie , Hung Peiyin
Published: April 2016

Introduction

Workforce shortages limit access to care for pregnant women in rural and remote areas. The goal of this analysis was to describe the role of certified nurse‐midwives (CNMs) in providing maternity care in rural US hospitals and to examine state‐level variation in rural CNM practice.

Methods

We identified 306 rural hospitals with at least 10 births in 2010 using discharge data from the Statewide Inpatient Databases for 9 US states. We conducted a telephone survey of hospital maternity unit managers (N = 244) from November 2013 to March 2014 to understand their maternity care workforce and practice models. We describe the presence of CNMs attending births by hospital and state characteristics. Using logistic multivariate regression, we examined whether CNMs attend births, adjusting for hospital characteristics, practice regulations, and state. We also analyzed the content of open‐ended responses about staffing plans, challenges, and opportunities that unit managers identified, with a focus on midwifery practice.

Results

CNMs attend births at one‐third of rural maternity hospitals in 9 US states. Significant variability across states appears to be partially related to autonomous practice regulations: states allowing autonomous midwifery practice have a greater proportion of rural hospitals with midwives attending births (34% vs 28% without autonomous midwifery practice). In rural maternity hospitals, CNMs practice alongside obstetricians in 86%, and with family physicians in 44%, of hospitals. Fourteen percent of all respondents planned recruitment to increase the number of midwives at their hospital, although many, especially in smaller hospitals, noted challenges in doing so.

Discussion

CNMs play a crucial role in the maternity care workforce in rural US hospitals. The participation of CNMs in birth attendance varies by hospital birth volume and across state settings. Interprofessional practice is common for CNMs attending births in rural hospitals, and administrators hope to increase the number of midwives in rural maternity practice.
Educational strategies and challenges in peritoneal dialysis: a qualitative study of renal nurses’ experiences
Authors: Bergjan Manuela , Schaepe Christiane
Published: April 2016

Aims and objectives

The aim of the study was to explore renal nurses’ experiences, strategies and challenges with regard to the patient education process in peritoneal dialysis.

Background

Patient education in peritoneal dialysis is essential to developing a successful home‐based peritoneal dialysis program. In this area research is scarce and there is a particular lack of focus on the perspective of the renal nurse.

Design

Qualitative design formed by thematic qualitative text analysis.

Methods

Five group interviews (n = 20) were used to explore the challenges peritoneal dialysis nurses face and the training strategies they use. The interviews were analyzed with thematic qualitative content analysis using deductive and inductive subcategory application.

Results

The findings revealed the education barriers perceived by nurses that patients may face. They also showed that using assessment tools is important in peritoneal dialysis patient education, as is developing strategies to promote patient self‐management. There is a need for a deeper understanding of affective learning objectives, and existing teaching activities and materials should be revised to incorporate the patient's perspective. Patients usually begin having questions about peritoneal dialysis when they return home and are described as feeling overwhelmed. Adapting existing conditions is considered a major challenge for patients and nurses.

Conclusions

The results provided useful insights into the best approaches to educating peritoneal dialysis patients and served to raise awareness of challenges experienced by renal nurses. Findings underline the need for nosogogy – an approach of teaching adults (andragogy) with a chronic disease. Flexibility and cooperation are competencies that renal nurses must possess.

Relevance to clinical practice

Still psychomotor skills dominate peritoneal dialysis patient training, there is a need of both a deeper understanding of affective learning objectives and the accurate use of (self‐)assessment tools, particularly for health literacy.
Mental Health, Racial Discrimination, and Tobacco Use Differences Across Rural‐Urban California
Authors: Agunwamba Amenah A. , Kawachi Ichiro , Williams David R. , Finney Rutten Lila J. , Wilson Patrick M. , Viswanath Kasisomayajula
Published: April 2016

Objective

Disparities in tobacco use persist despite successful policies reducing use within the United States. In particular, the prevalence of tobacco use in rural and certain minority communities is significantly higher compared to that of their counterparts. In this work, we examine the impact of rurality, mental health, and racial discrimination on tobacco use.

Methods

Data come from the 2003 California Health Interview Survey (n = 42,044). Modified Poisson regression models were adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, birth origin, education, income, insurance, and marital status.

Results

Compared to urban residents, rural residents had a significantly higher risk for smoking after adjustment (RR = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.01‐1.19). Those who reported having experienced racial discrimination also had a significantly greater risk for smoking compared to those who did not (RR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.07‐1.27). Additionally, those who reported higher stress had a significantly greater risk for smoking (RR = 1.61, 95% CI: 1.07‐1.67). There was evidence of interaction between rurality and race/ethnicity, and rurality and gender (P < .05).

Conclusion

Residing in rural areas was associated with an increased risk for smoking, above and beyond sociodemographics. There were no significant differences across rural‐urban environments for the relationship between stress and tobacco use—an indication that the impact of stress and discrimination is not buffered or exacerbated by environmental characteristics potentially found in either location. Mechanisms that explain rural‐urban tobacco use disparities need to be explored, and smoking cessation programs and policies should be tailored to target these factors within rural communities.
Measurement and Computational Skepticism
Authors: Matthews Robert J. , Dresner Eli
Published: April 2016

Putnam and Searle famously argue against computational theories of mind on the skeptical ground that there is no fact of the matter as to what mathematical function a physical system is computing: both conclude (albeit for somewhat different reasons) that virtually any physical object computes every computable function, implements every program or automaton. There has been considerable discussion of Putnam's and Searle's arguments, though as yet there is little consensus as to what, if anything, is wrong with these arguments. In the present paper we show that an analogous line of reasoning can be raised against the numerical measurement (i.e., numerical representation) of physical magnitudes, and we argue that this result is a reductio ad absurdum of the challenge to computational skepticism. We then use this reductio to get clearer about both (i) what's wrong with Putnam's and Searle's arguments against computationalism, and (ii) what can be learned about both computational implementation and numerical measurement from the shortcomings of both sorts of skeptical argument.
Son Preference and Gender Gaps in Child Nutrition: Does the Level of Female Autonomy Matter?
Authors: Dasgupta Shatanjaya
Published: April 2016

This paper examines the association between parental son preference and child anthropometric status, and the extent to which this relationship depends on the level of female autonomy. Results highlight the importance of maternal son preference and mothers' involvement in household decision making when gender gaps in child nutrition are considered. These findings have important policy implications.
Tariffs and Wages in Trade Theory
Authors: Thompson Henry
Published: April 2016

The theory of production and trade is motivated in large part by the effects of tariffs on wages. General equilibrium models that examine these effects include constant costs, factor proportions, specific factors, imperfect competition and noncompetitive factor market. The present paper reviews the effects of tariffs on wages in small open economies across this broad range of trade theory. From this wide perspective, tariffs support wages only under narrow sets of assumptions. There should be no presumption that tariffs support wages.
Generic Identifiability of Linear Structural Equation Models by Ancestor Decomposition
Authors: Drton Mathias , Weihs Luca
Published: April 2016

Linear structural equation models, which relate random variables via linear interdependencies and Gaussian noise, are a popular tool for modelling multivariate joint distributions. The models correspond to mixed graphs that include both directed and bidirected edges representing the linear relationships and correlations between noise terms, respectively. A question of interest for these models is that of parameter identifiability, whether or not it is possible to recover edge coefficients from the joint covariance matrix of the random variables. For the problem of determining generic parameter identifiability, we present an algorithm building upon the half‐trek criterion. Underlying our new algorithm is the idea that ancestral subsets of vertices in the graph can be used to extend the applicability of a decomposition technique.
A Framework for Monte Carlo based Multiple Testing
Authors: Gandy Axel , Hahn Georg
Published: April 2016

We are concerned with a situation in which we would like to test multiple hypotheses with tests whose p‐values cannot be computed explicitly but can be approximated using Monte Carlo simulation. This scenario occurs widely in practice. We are interested in obtaining the same rejections and non‐rejections as the ones obtained if the p‐values for all hypotheses had been available. The present article introduces a framework for this scenario by providing a generic algorithm for a general multiple testing procedure. We establish conditions that guarantee that the rejections and non‐rejections obtained through Monte Carlo simulations are identical to the ones obtained with the p‐values. Our framework is applicable to a general class of step‐up and step‐down procedures, which includes many established multiple testing corrections such as the ones of Bonferroni, Holm, Sidak, Hochberg or Benjamini–Hochberg. Moreover, we show how to use our framework to improve algorithms available in the literature in such a way as to yield theoretical guarantees on their results. These modifications can easily be implemented in practice and lead to a particular way of reporting multiple testing results as three sets together with an error bound on their correctness, demonstrated exemplarily using a real biological dataset.
Heat Transfer Analysis of Mixed Electro-osmosis Pressure-Driven Flow for Power-Law Fluids Through a Microtube
Authors: Chen Chien-Hsin
Published: April 2016

In this work, convection heat transfer for combined electro-osmotic and pressure driven flow of power-law fluid through a microtube has been analyzed. Typical results for velocity and temperature distributions, friction coefficient, and Nusselt number are illustrated for various values of key parameters such as flow behavior index, length scale ratio (ratio of Debye length to tube radius), dimensionless pressure gradient, and dimensionless Joule heating parameter. The results reveal that friction coefficient decreases with increasing dimensionless pressure gradient, and classical Poiseuille solutions can be retrieved as the dimensionless pressure gradient approaches to infinite. To increase the length scale ratio has the effect to reduce Nusselt number, while the influence of this ratio on Nusselt number diminishes as the pressure gradient increases. With the same magnitude of dimensionless Joule heating parameter, Nusselt number can be increased by increasing both the flow behavior index and dimensionless pressure gradient for surface cooling, while the opposite behavior is observed for surface heating. Also, singularities occurs in the Nusselt number variations for surface cooling as the ratio of Joule heating to wall heat flux is sufficiently large with negative sign.
Computation of Effective Thermal Conductivity of Powders for Selective Laser Sintering Simulations
Authors: Moser Daniel , Pannala Sreekanth , Murthy Jayathi
Published: April 2016

In this work, a discrete element model (DEM) is developed and implemented in the open source flow solver MFiX to simulate the effective thermal conductivity of powder beds for selective laser sintering (SLS) applications, considering scenarios common in SLS such as thin beds, high temperatures, and degrees of powder consolidation. Random particle packing structures of spherical particles are generated and heat transfer between the particles is calculated. A particle–particle contact conduction model, a particle–fluid–particle conduction model, and a view factor radiation model using ray-tracing for calculation of view factors and assuming optically thick particles are used. A nonlinear solver is used to solve for the particle temperatures that drive the net heat transfer to zero for a steady state solution. The effective thermal conductivity is then calculated from the steady state temperature distribution. Results are compared against previously published experimental measurements for powder beds and good agreement is obtained. Results are developed for the impacts of very high temperatures, finite bed depth, consolidation, Young's modulus, emissivity, gas conductivity, and polydispersity on effective thermal conductivity. Emphasis is placed on uncertainty quantification in the predicted thermal conductivity resulting from uncertain inputs. This allows SLS practitioners to control the inputs to which the thermal response of the process is most sensitive.
Active Vibration Control Using Centrifugal Forces Created by Eccentrically Rotating Masses
Authors: Bäumer Richard , Starossek Uwe
Published: April 2016

The twin rotor damper (TRD) is a newly developed active mass damper. It is presented here along with respective closed-loop control algorithms. The greatest advantage of the device is its low power demand when operated in a preferred mode of operation, the continuous rotation mode. In this mode, two eccentric masses rotate in opposite directions about two parallel axes with a mostly constant angular velocity. The resultant force is harmonic and can be used for the control of structural vibrations. To study the effect of the TRD on a single degree-of-freedom (SDOF) oscillator, various state variables are introduced and a feedback control algorithm is developed for the continuous rotation mode of operation. For reaching and leaving the continuous rotation mode, ramp-up and ramp-down trajectories are developed. These trajectories are designed such that the power and energy demand as well as the mechanical wear on the device are minimized. The feedback control algorithm is validated on a test setup. The damping effectiveness and the low power and energy demands encourage further investigation of the device under stochastic loading and comparisons with other active mass dampers.
Amorphous Si/SiO2 distributed Bragg reflectors with transfer printed single-crystalline Si nanomembranes
Authors: Cho Minkyu , Seo Jung-Hun , Zhao Deyin , Lee Jaeseong , Xiong Kanglin , Yin Xin , Liu Yonghao , Liu Shih-Chia , Kim Munho , Kim Tong J. , Wang Xudong , Zhou Weidong , Ma Zhenqiang
Published: April 2016

A distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) consisting of a single-crystal Si nanomembrane (NM) layer formed by the transfer printing technique on top of an evaporated amorphous Si (a-Si)/SiO2 DBR structure was demonstrated. The reflectivity of different DBR structures/pairs is measured and verified it by the simulation. An improved surface roughness of the top layer by employing a Si NM suggests that the smoother single crystalline surface not only minimizes light scattering loss but also can be an epitaxial template layer for subsequent Si growth without contributing any strain. The results indicate a simple pathway toward achieving high performance Si/SiO2 DBRs employing Si NM as a top layer. This method could also lead to the fabrication of large-area, high performance NM based DBRs at low cost with high throughput.