bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of air plasma treatment on interfacial shear strength of carbon fiber–reinforced polyphenylene sulfide
Authors: Xu Dongxia , Liu Baoying , Zhang Gang , Long Shengru , Wang Xiaojun , Yang Jie
Published: May 2015

Plasma treatment, an environmentally safe method, was applied for surface modification of carbon fibers (CFs) and polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) fibers. The morphology, crystallization property, thermal stability, and chemical properties of CF/PPS composites were determined, respectively, by scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetry analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Interfacial micromechanical performance of CF/PPS composites was investigated by microbond test. The influence of plasma treatment on the apparent interfacial shear strength ( τapp) of CF/PPS micro-composite was systematically evaluated. The plasma treatment of CF reduced the τapp of the micro-composite by 13.7% and that of CFs and PPS fibers by 3.4%. However, the plasma-treated PPS fibers increased the τapp of the micro-composite by 17.1%. The present study demonstrates that matching of polarity between CF and the resin plays a great role in reinforcement of interfacial property.
Synthesis and properties of novel 9,9-diphenyl xanthene-based poly(aryl ether ketone)s with methyl substituents
Authors: Guo Dong-Dong , Jiang Jian-Wen , Yu La-Mei , Liu Xiao-Ling , Sheng Shou-Ri
Published: May 2015

A new bisphenol, 9,9-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methylphenyl)xanthene, was synthesized via a one-pot, two-step synthetic procedure in good yield and used for polymerization with difluorinated aromatic ketones in tetramethylene sulfone in the presence of anhydrous potassium carbonate to form several aromatic poly(ether ketone)s (PEKs) with 9,9-diphenylxanthene moieties and methyl substituents. The newly synthesized high-molecular-weight PEKs having number-average molecular weights in the range of 20,500–25,600 g mol−1 with the polydispersity index ranging from 1.9 to 2.1 were all amorphous and showed high glass transition temperatures in the range of 194–229.8°C, and the temperatures at the 5% weight loss were in the range of 420–445°C with char yields above 60% at 600°C under nitrogen atmosphere. All new PEKs are soluble in polar aprotic solvents, such as N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, N, N-dimethylacetamide, chloroform, pyridine, m-cresol, and tetrahydrofuran, and could form transparent, strong, and flexible films with tensile strengths of 66–74 MPa, Young’s moduli of 2.47–2.77 GPa, and elongations at break of 8–14%. In addition, these polymers had high transparency with an ultraviolet–visible absorption cutoff wavelength in the 352–356 nm range and low moisture absorption in the range of 0.41–0.56%.
Magnetic field effects on the slip velocity and temperature jump of nanofluid forced convection in a microchannel
Authors: Karimipour Arash , Afrand Masoud
Published: May 2015

Forced convection of water–Cu nanofluid in a two-dimensional microchannel is studied numerically. The microchannel wall is divided into three parts. The entry and exit ones are kept insulated while the middle one has more temperature than the inlet fluid. The whole of microchannel is under the influence of a magnetic field with uniform strength of B0. Slip velocity and temperature jump are involved along the microchannel walls for different values of slip coefficient such as B = 0.001, B = 0.01, and B = 0.1 for Re = 10, Re = 50, and Re = 100. Navier–Stokes equations are discretized and numerically solved by a developed computer code in FORTRAN. Results are presented as the velocity, temperature, and Nusselt number profiles. Moreover, the effect of magnetic field on slip velocity and temperature jump is investigated for the first time in the present work. Larger Hartmann number, Reynolds number, and volume fraction correspond to more heat transfer rate; however, the effects of Ha and ϕ are more significant at higher Re.
Effect of lubrication on hardness in the ring compression test
Authors: HariKrishna CH , Davidson MJ , Nagaraju CH , Anil Kumar B
Published: May 2015

This paper focuses on the hardness distribution in the AA2014-T6 ring specimens upset under rigid dies. Three different types of lubricants namely soap, boric acid and vaseline were employed as lubricants and the friction factor corresponding to the lubricant employed was evaluated using standard ‘Ring compression test’. The strain distributions obtained from the simulation studies were used to predict the hardness inside the ring specimen. The hardness measured experimentally was validated with the predicted hardness and it was found that the errors in the predicted results were less than 10%. The hardness variations inside the upset metallic ring specimens were compared with the deformed solid cylinders to understand the behavior of differential strain hardening. It can be reported from the experimental and predicted results that the hardness is not uniform inside the deformed ring specimen and it varies at the bulge head; on the surface and along the neutral plane.
Elastokinematics and compliance of a rectilinear rear independent suspension
Authors: Liu Xiang , Zhao Jing-Shan , Zhang Jie , Feng Zhi-Jing
Published: May 2015

A rectilinear rear independent suspension has a distinct difference from the traditional ones in that its wheel alignment parameters remain invariable in theoretical kinematics. However, they change within a narrow interval during jounce and rebound when the elasticity of parts, especially the rubber bushings, is taken into account. With the aim of investigating the compliance of the rectilinear rear independent suspension, an elastokinematic model is established in accordance with static equilibrium equations and compatibility conditions. The elastokinematic model has 28 unknowns corresponding to the 5 static equilibrium equations and 23 compatibility equations. Different configurations of rubber bushing and the sensitivity of the suspension stiffness to that of the rubber bushing are analysed. The analytical results indicate that the rubber bushings are best mounted close to the knuckle, and the suspension stiffness is sensitive to the compressive stiffness and the torsional stiffness about the z-axis of the rubber bushing. In addition, the results from kinematic and compliance tests not only verified the elastokinematic model but also revealed the excellent wheel alignment capacity of the rectilinear rear independent suspension compared with that of the MacPherson suspension. This work provided the foundations for the engineering design of a rectilinear rear independent suspension.
Improvement in the combustion mode transition for a spark ignition engine capable of homogeneous charge compression ignition
Authors: Zhang Shupeng , Huisjen Andrew , Zhu Guoming G , Schock Harold
Published: May 2015

It is fairly challenging to achieve a smooth mode transition between spark ignition combustion and homogeneous charge compression ignition combustion for a spark ignition engine capable of homogeneous charge compression ignition, because their in-cylinder thermal and charge mixture properties are quite different owing to the distinct combustion characteristics. In this paper, a mode transition strategy between spark ignition combustion and homogeneous charge compression ignition combustion was developed over the entire transition boundary between the spark ignition mode and the homogeneous charge compression ignition mode, where the engine speed is between 1100 r/min and 2000 r/min and the corresponding load (the indicated mean effective pressure) is between 3.8 bar and 5.0 bar. During the combustion mode transition and steady-state homogeneous charge compression ignition operation the normalized air-to-fuel ratio of the engine was maintained between 1.0 and 1.3; the charge air was heated by a manifold charge cooler heated by the engine coolant, and a test gasoline fuel with a research octane number of 85 was used for all the experiments conducted. The mode transition strategy was experimentally validated on a spark ignition engine capable of homogeneous charge compression ignition equipped with electric variable-valve-timing systems, dual-lift valves and an electronic throttle control system. Because of the limitation on the electric variable-valve-timing response time, it takes 5–10 cycles of the engine, depending on the engine speed, to complete the mode transition. The throttle was opened step by step to its wide-open position for the transition from spark ignition to homogeneous charge compression ignition or closed directly to the target position for the transition from homogeneous charge compression ignition to spark ignition, where the hybrid combustion mode was employed with spark assistance to change gradually to the desired homogeneous charge compression ignition mode or spark ignition combustion mode respectively, by increasing or decreasing the percentage of homogeneous charge compression ignition combustion during the hybrid combustion operation. The experimental results show that the developed strategy is able to achieve a smooth combustion mode transition with the net mean effective pressure and the combustion phase fluctuations at the level of stable spark ignition and homogeneous charge compression ignition combustion.
Augmented utilisation of possession time: Analysis for track geometry maintenance
Authors: Famurewa Stephen M , Juntti Ulla , Nissen Arne , Kumar Uday
Published: May 2015

The demand for increased capacity on existing railway networks is a challenge for many Europe-based infrastructure managers; addressing this challenge requires augmented utilisation of track possession time. It is considered that large-scale maintenance tasks such as geometry maintenance can be improved; thus, reducing the on-track maintenance time and allowing more traffic. In this study, an analysis of track geometry maintenance was performed with the objective of reducing the required possession time. The procedure and models for planning and optimizing track geometry maintenance are presented. A statistical model that uses a simulation approach was used to determine the condition of the track geometry, and a schedule optimization problem was formulated to support intervention decisions and optimize the track possession time. The results of the case study show that optimizing the maintenance shift length and cycle length are opportunities to reduce the extent of track possession required for the maintenance of the track geometry. In addition, continuous improvement of the tamping process through lean analysis promises about a 45% reduction in the required possession time for a tamping cycle.
Impact of HIV infection on tuberculous pleural effusion
Authors: Marjani Majid , Yousefzadeh Amir , Baghaei Parvaneh , Tabarsi Payam , Moniri Afshin , Masjedi Mohammad Reza , Velayati Ali Akbar
Published: May 2015

The nature of tuberculosis (TB), being one of the most common opportunistic infections, is different among HIV-infected patients than HIV-negative patients. A retrospective study was conducted on HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients with new TB pleural effusion who were admitted to the National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases in Tehran, Iran from 2005 to 2012. The two groups were compared with respect to clinical, imaging, mycobacteriologic and histopathologic characteristics of TB pleural effusion. In all, 42 HIV-positive and 132 HIV-negative cases of TB pleural effusion were included. Bilateral pleural effusion was statistically more common in the HIV-positive group ( p = 0.004, OR = 3.81, 95% CI: 1.46–9.94) without any correlation with CD4 cell count. Pulmonary infiltration was found in 81% of HIV-positive and 49.2% of HIV-negative patients ( p = 0.001, OR = 4.38, 95% CI: 1.88–10.1). Mycobacteriologic studies led to the diagnosis of TB in 66.6% of HIV-infected and 49.2% of HIV-negative patients. In 23.8% of HIV-positive and 50.7% of HIV-negative patients TB was ultimately diagnosed by pleural biopsy. HIV remained significantly associated with positive culture of pleural fluid in multivariate analysis. The diagnostic approach to TB pleural effusion in HIV-infected patients may be different. The diagnostic yield of mycobacteriologic studies was higher among HIV-positive patients, which may help in reducing the need for invasive procedures like pleural biopsy.
Prevalence and risk factors of cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions among HIV-infected women in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Authors: Liu Enju , McCree Renicha , Mtisi Expeditho , Fawzi Wafaie W , Aris Eric , Lema Irene A , Hertzmark Ellen , Chalamilla Guerino , Li Nan , Vermund Sten H , Spiegelman Donna
Published: May 2015

To determine the prevalence and predictors of cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL) among HIV-infected women in Tanzania, a cross-sectional study was conducted among HIV-infected women at HIV care and treatment clinics. A Papanicolaou (Pap) smear was used as a screening tool for detection of cervical SIL. From December 2006 to August 2009, 1365 HIV-infected women received cervical screening. The median age was 35 (interquartile range [IQR]: 30–42) years, and the median CD4 + cell count was 164 (IQR: 80–257) cells/mm3. The prevalence of cervical SIL was 8.7% (119/1365). In multivariate analysis, older age (≥50 versus 30–<40 years: prevalence ratio [PR], 2.36; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.45–3.84, p for trend = 0.001), lower CD4 + cell counts (<100 versus ≥200 cells/mm3: PR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.01–2.36, p for trend = 0.03) and cervical inflammation (PR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.16–2.60, p = 0.008) were associated with an increased risk of cervical SIL. Women with advanced WHO HIV disease stage (IV versus I/II: PR, 3.45; 95% CI, 1.35–8.85, p for trend = 0.01) had an increased risk for high-grade SIL. In resource-limited settings where it is not feasible to provide cervical cancer prevention services to all HIV-infected women, greater efforts should focus on scaling-up services among those who are older than 50 years, with lower CD4 cell counts and advanced HIV disease stage.
Determinants of intravaginal practices among HIV-infected women in Zambia using conjoint analysis
Authors: Alcaide Maria L , Cook Ryan , Chisembele Maureen , Malupande Emeria , Jones Deborah L
Published: May 2015

Intravaginal practices (IVPs) are associated with an increased risk of bacterial vaginosis and may play a role in HIV transmission. The objective of this study was to identify the importance of factors underlying the decision to engage in IVP using conjoint analysis; a novel statistical technique used to quantify health-related decisions. This study was a cross-sectional study. HIV-infected women in Zambia completed audio computer-administered self-interview questionnaires assessing demographic, risk factors and IVPs. Reasons for engaging in IVPs were explored using conjoint questionnaires. Conjoint analysis was used to identify the relative importance of factors for engaging in IVPs. Results of the conjoint analysis demonstrated that hygiene was the most important reason for engaging in IVPs (mean importance score = 61, SD = 24.3) followed by partner’s preference (mean importance score = 20, SD = 14.4) and health (mean importance score = 17, SD = 13.5). When making the decision to engage in IVPs, women rank the importance of hygiene, partner preference and health differently, according to their personal characteristics. The use of conjoint analysis to define the characteristics of women more likely to engage in specific practices should be used to develop tailored rather than standardised IVP interventions, and such interventions should be incorporated into clinical practice and women’s health programmes.
Use of aspirin and statins for the primary prevention of myocardial infarction and stroke in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection
Authors: Park Tae Eun , Yusuff Jameela , Sharma Roopali
Published: May 2015

This retrospective, cross-sectional study evaluated whether HIV-infected patients received aspirin and statins for the primary prevention of myocardial infarction and stroke. Among the 258 patients included, 50.4% (n = 130/258) of the patients had a high risk of myocardial infarction and 14% (n = 36/258) of stroke. Overall, 43.1% (n = 56/130) and 50% (n = 18/36) of the patients were prescribed aspirin for the primary prevention of myocardial infarction and stroke, respectively. Among the patients who required statin therapy, 42.5% (n = 34/80) and 37.1% (n = 13/35) of patients received it for the primary prevention of myocardial infarction and stroke, respectively. The patients who had hypertension (odds ratio 3.8, 95% confidence interval 1.5–10.9) and diabetes mellitus (odds ratio 5.6, 95% confidence interval 2.6–12.4) were more likely to receive aspirin. Interventions are needed to improve provider awareness of the use of aspirin and statins in the primary prevention of myocardial infarction and stroke in HIV-infected patients.
Prevalence and correlates of Trichomonas vaginalis infection among female sex workers in a city in Yunnan Province, China
Authors: Luo Li , Reilly Kathleen H , Xu Jun-Jie , Wang Gui-Xiang , Ding Guo-Wei , Wang Ning , Wang Hai-Bo
Published: May 2015

Sexual transmission is the fastest growing route of HIV transmission in China, and Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) can facilitate HIV transmission and acquisition. Our goal was to determine the prevalence and correlates of TV infection among female sex workers (FSWs). This cross-sectional study was conducted in a city of Yunnan Province in southern China, with confidential face-to-face interviews and laboratory tests for TV (wet mount) and other sexually transmitted infections. A total of 734 FSWs participated in the study. The prevalence of TV was 9.0% (95% confidence interval [CI] 7.02–11.30). In multivariate analyses, adjusted odds ratios of TV infection were 3.0 (95% CI 1.47–6.01) for herpes simplex virus type 2 seropositive, 2.4 (95% CI 1.37–4.14) for Chlamydia trachomatis infection, 2.6 (95% CI 1.30–5.31) for genital ulcer, 1.9 (95% CI 1.11–3.30) for starting age in commercial sex <20 years, and 0.5 (95% CI 0.27–0.87) for vaginal douching. We found a relatively high prevalence of TV infection among FSWs in Yunnan Province. A range of control strategies that include TV screening are recommended among FSWs, which could contribute significantly to the disruption of transmission by the provision of immediate treatment.
Rectal chlamydia infection in women at high risk of chlamydia attending Canberra Sexual Health Centre
Authors: Musil Kate , Currie Marian , Sherley Miranda , Martin Sarah
Published: May 2015

Chlamydia is the most commonly notified sexually transmitted infection in Australia. Australian guidelines recommend urogenital screening in asymptomatic men and women, and rectal screening in men who have sex with men or women reporting anal sex/symptoms. International studies describe a rectal chlamydia prevalence in women of 5% to 21%. We found that in women at high risk of chlamydia, 57% (32/56) tested positive for rectal chlamydia. Of these, 97% (31/32) had concurrent urogenital chlamydia. Women with urogenital chlamydia were significantly more likely to have a positive rectal result (χ2, p = 0.000). Neither anal symptoms nor reported anal sex were associated with a positive rectal chlamydia test. The recommended treatment of rectal chlamydia differs substantially from that of urogenital chlamydia, raising the possibility that Australian women are being regularly undertreated due to a lack of rectal testing. Untreated rectal chlamydia may increase the risk of persistent infection, reproductive tract reinfection, complications and transmission. Further work is needed to determine the optimal management of chlamydia in women.
The Exposure Advantage
Authors: Fan Samantha P. , Liberman Zoe , Keysar Boaz , Kinzler Katherine D.
Published: May 2015

Early language exposure is essential to developing a formal language system, but may not be sufficient for communicating effectively. To understand a speaker’s intention, one must take the speaker’s perspective. Multilingual exposure may promote effective communication by enhancing perspective taking. We tested children on a task that required perspective taking to interpret a speaker’s intended meaning. Monolingual children failed to interpret the speaker’s meaning dramatically more often than both bilingual children and children who were exposed to a multilingual environment but were not bilingual themselves. Children who were merely exposed to a second language performed as well as bilingual children, despite having lower executive-function scores. Thus, the communicative advantages demonstrated by the bilinguals may be social in origin, and not due to enhanced executive control. For millennia, multilingual exposure has been the norm. Our study shows that such an environment may facilitate the development of perspective-taking tools that are critical for effective communication.
Experimental and numerical investigations of biogas vortex combustion
Authors: Khaleghi Mostafa , Hosseini Seyed Ehsan , Wahid MA
Published: May 2015

Low calorific value of biogas is one of the most important barriers of biogas development in industrial scale. Since biogas upgrading is complicated and not economic, various characteristics of pure biogas combustion have been experimented in recent years. In this paper, the characteristics of biogas flame structure and emissions in nonpremixed vortex combustion are studied experimentally and numerically. A lab-scale asymmetric chamber is employed as an industrial vortex combustor model and characteristics of biogas vortex combustion such as temperature distribution inside the chamber, the flame stability and the combustion emissions are investigated with respect to the various mole fraction of CO2 in the biogas content. The flame structure and emissions were recorded by changing the percentage of CO2 mole fraction in the biogas from 0 to 40% by volume. The results indicate that the stability of nonpremixed biogas combustion decreases when the rate of CO2 mole fraction increases in the fuel. The rate of both CO2 and NO x formation of nonpremixed combustion reduce monotonically when the rate of CO2 fraction increases in the biogas ingredients.
The co-construction of cybersex narratives
Authors: Myketiak Chrystie
Published: May 2015

This article discusses the linguistic practice of cybersex and how it is discursively constructed. The analysis is based on naturally occurring, private cybersex conversations from an online community that is not sexual in scope or purpose. It is argued that cybersex participants co-construct narratives that differ from both standard dialogic and polyphonic narratives. Additionally, participants shift between first-, second- and third-person reference forms. It is reasoned that the distinct narrative and style shifts serve as communicative functions in co-constructing a cybersex scene. Although participants rely on mutual engagement and linguistic reciprocity, there are notable gender differences in who constructs the narrative’s ‘complicating action’ and who supports it through linguistic attentiveness (e.g. backchannelling) and responsiveness (e.g. mirroring). Ultimately, it is argued that although cybersex narratives are co-constructed, they are also reflections and reifications of heteronormative ideologies of sex and gender, particularly with respect to sexual agency.
Linear programming predictive control with actuator saturation: Experimental robustness and performance results
Authors: Amezquita-Brooks Luis , Hernandez Diana , Gonzalez-Sanchez Francisco , Tudón-Martínez Juan C
Published: May 2015

Linear programming optimization is widely used in several application areas. One possible application of this optimization technique, which has not received sufficient attention, is process control. In particular, the standard structure of linear programming optimization problems allows formulating optimal predictive control schemes with the additional advantage of facilitating the handling of actuator saturation. Actuator saturation appears in many engineering applications and there are several control approaches dealing with this problem. In this article, a very simple predictive control scheme based on linear programming optimization for actuator saturation control is proposed. The main characteristics of the presented scheme are simplicity and practical robustness/performance tuning parameters. First, the simplest possible output-feedback linear programming predictive controller is proposed as a starting point. Next, through several practical observations inspired in classical control engineering, a series of modifications to the basic controller structure are proposed. These modifications aim at effectively increasing the performance and robustness of the control algorithm. The experimental results confirm that the proposed control algorithm can operate effectively under the presence of perturbations, something which is currently not widely reported in the literature for linear programming actuator saturation predictive control.
Total cost and cost predictors in systemic lupus erythematosus – 8-years follow-up of a Swedish inception cohort
Authors: Jönsen A , Bengtsson A A , Hjalte F , Petersson I F , Willim M , Nived O
Published: May 2015

Objective

To study the annual direct and indirect costs in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and how age, disease manifestations, disease activity, and organ damage influence total costs and predicted costs for SLE.

Methods

Clinical data on all patients with a diagnosis of SLE living in a defined area in southern Sweden during eight years were linked to health authority registries and the social insurance system which contain data on cost. Cost data on four matched population controls for each patient were also extracted. The controls were matched for age, sex, and area of residence.

Results

Data from 127 patients with SLE and 508 population controls were extracted. The mean annual total cost for SLE patients was SEK 180,520 ($30,093); the highest costs were found in the subgroup with nephritis SEK 229,423 ($38,246). The total costs for the patient group were significantly higher ( p < 0.05) compared to the population controls of SEK 59,985 ($10,000). Of the total costs, 72% were due to indirect costs, 3% to SLE-specific pharmaceuticals, and the remaining 25% were in- and outpatient related costs. During the study period, inpatient days decreased by 60%, while outpatient contacts increased by 25%. Age (inverse relation), increasing disease activity, and acquired organ damage were significant predictors of total costs (all p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The total annual costs for unselected SLE patients were found to be three times those for matched population controls. Important predictors of total costs were found.
Embracing and resisting climate identities in the Australian press: Sceptics, scientists and politics
Authors: Jaspal Rusi , Nerlich Brigitte , van Vuuren Kitty
Published: May 2015

This article charts the development of a label that appeared early on in Australian debates on climate change, namely ‘greenhouse sceptics’. We explore who uses the label, for what purposes and with which effects, and how this label may contribute to the development of social representations in the climate debate. Our findings show that over the last 25 years, ‘greenhouse sceptic’ has been used by journalists and climate scientists to negativize those criticizing mainstream climate science, but that it has also been used, even embraced, by Australian climate sceptics to label themselves in order to construct a positive identity modelled on celebrity sceptics in the United States. We found that the label was grounded in religious metaphors that frame mainstream science as a catastrophist and alarmist religious cult. Overall, this article provides detailed insights into the genealogy of climate scepticism in a particular cultural and historical context.
Boundaries of confidentiality in nursing care for mother and child in HIV programmes
Authors: Våga Bodil Bø , Moland Karen Marie , Blystad Astrid
Published: May 2015

Background:

Confidentiality lies at the core of medical ethics and is the cornerstone for developing and keeping a trusting relationship between nurses and patients. In the wake of the HIV epidemic, there has been a heightened focus on confidentiality in healthcare contexts. Nurses’ follow-up of HIV-positive women and their susceptible HIV-exposed children has proved to be challenging in this regard, but the ethical dilemmas concerning confidentiality that emerge in the process of ensuring HIV-free survival of the third party – the child – have attracted limited attention.

Objective:

The study explores challenges of confidentiality linked to a third party in nurse–patient relationships in a rural Tanzanian HIV/AIDS context.

Study context:

The study was carried out in rural and semi-urban settings of Tanzania where the population is largely agro-pastoral, the formal educational level is low and poverty is rife. The HIV prevalence of 1.5% is low compared to the national prevalence of 5.1%.

Methods:

Data were collected during 9 months of ethnographic fieldwork and consisted of participant observation in clinical settings and during home visits combined with in-depth interviews. The main categories of informants were nurses employed in prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV programmes and HIV-positive women enrolled in these programmes.

Ethical considerations:

Based on information about the study aims, all informants consented to participate. Ethical approval was granted by ethics review boards in Tanzania and Norway.

Findings and discussion:

The material indicates a delicate balance between the nurses’ attempt to secure the HIV-free survival of the babies and the mothers’ desire to preserve confidentiality. Profound confidentiality-related dilemmas emerged in actual practice, and indications of a lack of thorough consideration of the implication of a patient’s restricted disclosure came to light during follow-up of the HIV-positive women and the third party – the child who is at risk of HIV infection through mother’s milk. World Health Organization’s substantial focus on infant survival (Millennium Development Goal-4) and the strong calls for disclosure among the HIV-positive are reflected on in the discussion.
Descriptive Epidemiology of Unintentional Burn Injuries Admitted to a Tertiary-Level Government Hospital in Nepal
Authors: Sharma Narayan Prasad , Duke Janine M. , Lama Bir Bahadur , Thapa Buland , Dahal Peeyush , Bariya Nara Devi , Marston Wendy , Wallace Hilary J.
Published: May 2015

This study describes the epidemiology of unintentional adult burn injury admissions in a tertiary hospital in Nepal, from 2002 to 2013, focusing on gender-specific patterns. Chi-square tests and Wilcoxon Rank Sum tests were performed. There were 819 unintentional burn admissions: 52% were male and 58% younger than 35 years. The median percentage total body surface area burned (interquartile range) was greater in females than in males ( P < .001): 28% (17-40) versus 20% (12-35), and female mortality was higher (32% vs 11%). A higher proportion females were illiterate than males (48% vs 17%). Burns occurred at home (67%), work (28%), and public places (5%); gender-specific patterns were observed. Flame burns accounted for 77%, electricity 13%, and scalds 8%. Kerosene (31%) and biomass (27%) were the major fuels. Cooking, heating, and lighting were the main activities associated with burn injury. Results support interventions to reduce the use of open fires and kerosene and to promote electrical safety.
Environmental upgrading of apparel firms in global value chains: Evidence from Sri Lanka
Authors: Khattak Amira , Stringer Christina , Benson-Rea Maureen , Haworth Nigel
Published: May 2015

Buyer firms in the apparel industry are using environmental standards to coordinate their global value chains (GVCs). In turn, supplier firms are complying with environmental standards as a way to increase their competitiveness. This article addresses the nascent gap in the GVC literature in relation to firm- and chain-level responses to environmental concerns, which enable apparel firms to upgrade. The article examines the drivers and conditions under which apparel firms embrace environmental upgrading in Sri Lanka. Findings suggest that GVCs represent both the drivers of environmental upgrading and the means by which to obtain the knowledge needed to upgrade particularly for firms in relational networks. The strategic intent and capability of the suppliers to assimilate the transfer of knowledge and upgrade are critical. However, upgrading does not necessarily yield higher profits for supplier firms. The incentive for upgraded firms to maintain their environmental performance is competitive advantage arising from reduced costs.
Response to the crisis and gender segregation in Turkey’s labour market
Authors: Yücel Yelda
Published: May 2015

This study addresses the effectiveness of the fiscal stimulus package announced by the Turkish government in 2009 in terms of its particular gendered outcomes, with a special emphasis on employment policies. Through an analysis of the package’s components and the policies of the Public Employment Agency of Turkey (Iskur), this article demonstrates the public sector’s reluctance to take a leading role in generating employment and the insufficiency of its efforts in addressing the stated goal of increasing women’s employment. Active and passive employment policies in Turkey are instead shown to be accommodating the country’s gender-segregated labour markets and discrimination against women.
An anisotropic gradient damage model based on microplane theory
Authors: Badnava Hojjat , Mashayekhi Mohammad , Kadkhodaei Mahmoud
Published: May 2015

In this paper, a thermodynamically consistent formulation and numerical implementation of a gradient-enhanced anisotropic microplane damage model are proposed. The microplane model is derived based on the volumetric–deviatoric split and the kinematic constraint assumption. The mixed finite element formulation of displacement and nonlocal strains field is developed to simulate anisotropic quasi-brittle fracture. The proposed model is used to describe the mechanical behavior of anisotropic quasi-brittle materials by numerical simulations of uniaxial tension, simple shear, tension of a bar with localized deformation, and a rectangular specimen with a material imperfection. The results show the ability of the proposed approach to predict mesh-independent results for quasi-brittle damage behavior accompanied by the localization of deformation. Comparison between numerical and experimental results shows that the relatively simple model based on microplane theory together with the standard finite elements implementation is capable to realistically simulate complex behaviors related to fracture of quasi-brittle material such as concrete.
A micromechanics-based incremental damage theory of bulk metallic glass matrix composites
Authors: Jiang Yunpeng , Tohgo Keiichiro , Shimamura Yoshinobu
Published: May 2015

Based on the Mori–Tanaka’s mean field concept, a micromechanics-based incremental damage theory was developed to investigate the mechanical performance of bulk metallic glass matrix composites under tension. Firstly, the shear band was considered to be a microcrack, and therefore a spherical fictitious inclusion-containing microcracks and the surrounding bulk metallic glass matrix were constructed. Based on the equivalence between the effective elasticity of microcrack-containing media and porous material, the volume fraction of the fictitious inclusion could be determined by the density of microcracks generated during a strain increment. The stress-based Weibull probability distribution function and percolation theory were applied to describe the microcrack evolution that results in the progressive damaging of bulk metallic glass composites. Based on the present model, the impact of shear bands on the tensile ductility was discussed for the composites with various microstructures. The predictions are in fairly good agreement with the experimental data, demonstrating that the developed analytical model is capable of successfully capturing the main features, such as yield strength, strain hardening, and stress softening elongation, of particle-toughened bulk metallic glass. The main conclusions will shed some light on optimizing the microstructures in effectively improving the tensile ductility of bulk metallic glass composites.
Ontology-based information integration and sharing for collaborative part and tooling development
Authors: He Lina , Ming Xinguo , Ni Yanrong , Li Miao , Zheng Maokuan , Xu Zhitao
Published: May 2015

One critical factor in collaborative part and tooling development is the information integration and sharing. After analyzing characteristics of the collaboration process, the problem of information integration and sharing is transformed into a problem of domain ontology integration and sharing. First, an activity model is presented to describe interactions among domains of part, process, and tooling. Next, three local ontologies are constructed to serve as formal, explicit specifications of domain-specific information. To integrate local ontologies as global ontology, the relations and constrains among domains are explicitly represented using Semantic Web Rule Language. Then, the ontology sharing method via similarity matching is studied. Finally, the proposed approach is demonstrated by a case.
Performing The Refrain of Art’s Prosthetic Pedagogy
Authors: Garoian Charles R.
Published: May 2015

Included in this special issue of Qualitative Inquiry are 10 scholars’ writings whom I invited to position their research and creative work adjacent to The Prosthetic Pedagogy of Art to explore and experiment their betweenness, their multiple lines of flight, and their accidental encounters for potential unforeseen and unknown alliances as they are read and understood through each other. While the word prosthesis typically invokes artificial devices and augmentations, my use of the metaphor constitutes playing with and playing off reductive cultural constructs to conceptualize prosthesis as an irreducible metaphor of embodied learning that resists intellectual closure and challenges representationalism.
Detection of 5-fluorouracil surface contamination in near real time
Authors: Smith Jerome P , Sammons Deborah L , Pretty Jack R , Kurtz Kristine S , Robertson Shirley A , DeBord D Gayle , Connor Thomas H , Snawder John E
Published: May 2015

Objectives

Contamination of workplace surfaces by antineoplastic drugs presents an exposure risk for healthcare workers. Traditional instrumental methods to detect contamination such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) or liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) are sensitive and accurate but expensive and incapable of producing results in real time. This limits their utility in preventing worker exposure. We are currently developing monitors based on lateral flow immunoassay that can detect drug contamination in near real time. In this report, we describe the laboratory performance of a 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) monitor.

Methods

The monitor was evaluated by spiking ceramic, vinyl, composite, stainless steel, and glass surfaces of 100 cm2 area with 5-FU masses of 0, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 ng. The surface was sampled with a wetted cotton swab, the swab was extracted with buffer, and the resulting solution was applied to a lateral flow monitor. Two ways of evaluating the response of these monitors were used: an electronic method where a lateral flow reader was used for measuring line intensities, and a visual method where the intensity of the test line was visually compared to the control line.

Results

The 5-FU monitor is capable of detecting 10 ng/100 cm2 (0.1 ng/cm2) using the electronic reader and 25 ng/100 cm2 (0.25 ng/cm2) using the visual comparison method for the surfaces studied. The response of the monitors was compared to LC-MS/MS results for the same samples for validation and there was good correlation of the two methods but some differences in absolute response, especially at higher spiking levels for the surface samples.
Pegfilgrastim use and bone pain: a cohort study of community-based cancer patients
Authors: Pawloski Pamala A , Larsen Mitch , Thoresen Assel , Giordana Monique D
Published: May 2015

Purpose

Bone pain is a common adverse effect of the granulocyte colony-stimulating factors filgrastim and pegfilgrastim. However, the incidence of reported bone pain varies and therapies to mitigate this adverse effect are limited to case reports and one randomized controlled trial. The purpose of this study was to describe pegfilgrastim use, the incidence and treatment of bone pain, and rate of severe or febrile neutropenia among cancer patients receiving pegfilgrastim at a metropolitan, hospital-based, community cancer center.

Methods

This retrospective chart review included the first 100 adult oncology patients who received at least one dose of pegfilgrastim from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2012. Descriptive analyses were used to evaluate the primary and secondary outcomes.

Results

Of the identified cases, 69 cancer patients were evaluable. Most patients (74%) received pegfilgrastim for primary prophylaxis. Pegfilgrastim-associated bone pain occurred in 19% and loratadine was the most common medication used to treat it. Among the patients who received pegfilgrastim for primary prophylaxis, 8% were hospitalized for febrile neutropenia. Among those hospitalized for febrile neutropenia, 64% had not received pegfilgrastim for primary prophylaxis.

Conclusions

Pegfilgrastim is commonly used for primary prophylaxis during the first cycle of chemotherapy. Hospitalizations for febrile neutropenia occurred most commonly among patients without primary prophylaxis. Pegfilgrastim-associated bone pain occurred in a similar percentage, as reported in randomized controlled trials but less than that reported by survey. Loratadine was the most commonly employed medication to mitigate this adverse effect.
Case study of multiple trace transform implementations
Authors: Besard Tim , De Sutter Bjorn , Frías-Velázquez Andrés , Philips Wilfried
Published: May 2015

Scientific algorithms are designed and implemented in a variety of programming languages. Depending on the exact application, some languages are a better choice than others: some offer a productive environment while others focus on performance. Selecting a language is often difficult, with poor choices resulting in much higher development times.

By implementing a case study algorithm in multiple programming languages, we compare their pros and cons. As a case study, we selected the trace transform, an image processing algorithm from the widely used class of integral transforms. We describe each implementation, including a highly optimized version for NVIDIA graphics processing units, and present a productivity overview and an in-depth performance analysis, from which we draw more generic conclusions.

We have found that MATLAB is still the best choice overall, but Julia proves an interesting emerging choice. For realistic images, our compute unified device architecture (CUDA) implementation offers the best performance, albeit at a high development cost.
You Say You Want a Revolution? Drawing on Social Movement Theory to Motivate Transformative Change
Authors: Mirabito Ann M. , Berry Leonard L.
Published: May 2015

Personal well-being of service employees and others is declining, yet well-being is likely to influence on-the-job productivity. Workplace wellness programming (WWP) is prevalent among service organizations, but is controversial with critics questioning the appropriateness and efficacy of employer involvement in personal health. To understand how employers engage employees in personal wellness, we conducted a qualitative field study of WWP in 10 diverse organizations. We found lower employee engagement and higher resentment in firms that relied primarily on wellness training, incentives, and impersonal communications. Employee engagement was higher in firms that collaborated with wellness-minded employees to (1) tap into long-standing, deeply held belief systems to forge an inspirational wellness ideology, (2) leverage social capital to recruit participants and resources, and (3) modify the physical environment to signal the importance of healthful behaviors and to reduce obstacles to healthful choices. The three strategies are pillars of social movement (SM) organization. Drawing on the rich SM literature and our fieldwork, we developed and tested an SM-inspired model for cultural and behavioral change. The findings have implications for internal marketing and social marketing theory and for managers seeking to create a culture of health and improve employee productivity and effectiveness in serving customers.
Service Firm Performance Transparency
Authors: Liu Yeyi , Eisingerich Andreas B. , Auh Seigyoung , Merlo Omar , Chun Hae Eun Helen
Published: May 2015

Calls for increased transparency and reduced information asymmetry between service firms and their customers are getting louder in the marketplace. Yet, it remains unclear what exactly constitutes transparency in the eyes of customers and how, if at all, service firms benefit from it. This research contributes to extant knowledge by articulating the key properties of service firms’ performance transparency and by developing and validating a parsimonious scale to measure it. We show that through a reduction in customer uncertainty, the provision of accessible and objective information about a firm’s service offering is positively associated with customers’ intention to purchase and willingness to pay a price premium for its service. Furthermore, we find that the positive effect of performance transparency is influenced by customers’ perceptions of a firm’s ability to deliver on its service promise. An important managerial implication of the current research is that performance transparency benefits customers by lowering uncertainty, and hence service firms should proactively consider it as a critical measure that helps differentiate their services from competitive offerings, even when customer perceptions of a service firm’s ability are low.
Crescentic Back Cut
Authors: Nasseri Eiman , Murray Christian
Published: May 2015

Background:

Facial reconstruction requires the use of various techniques to repair cutaneous defects. Sliding flaps, such as advancement and rotation flaps, typically result in tension alterations and skin redundancy, necessitating a secondary defect.

Objective:

We describe a back cut technique that allows minimization of the scar line and appropriate placement of tension vectors in certain locations, which we call the crescentic back cut.

Methods:

A patient with a surgical defect on his preauricular cheek is repaired by use of a rotation flap modified with a crescentic back cut. We briefly review the alternative methods for management of flap/defect discrepancies in rotation flaps.

Results:

The crescentic back cut is simple to suture, can be adjusted in length and thickness to minimize pedicle transection, and keeps the scar short and within the relaxed skin tension lines.

Conclusion:

The crescentic back cut is a useful option to manage flap/defect discrepancies in rotation flaps.
Is the Australian domestic holiday a thing of the past? Understanding baby boomer, Generation X and Generation Y perceptions and attitude to domestic and international holidays
Authors: Gardiner Sarah , Grace Debra , King Ceridwyn
Published: May 2015

This study adopts a generational perspective to understand the shift in domestic and international travel motivations of Australians. In consideration of the largest and most dominant travel consumers at present, the Baby Boomer, Generation X and Generation Y cohorts, the study reveals significant differences between the cohorts’ value perceptions, attitude and intention associated with domestic holidays. However, the findings revealed no significant differences between the cohorts in Australians’ value perceptions and attitude towards international holidays. The study offers important insights for destination marketers seeking ways to address changes in tourism demand from a generational perspective, particularly those seeking to target the Australian tourism market.