bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Highly sensitive and stretchable strain sensors based on chopped carbon fibers sandwiched between silicone rubber layers for human motion detections
Authors: Azizkhani MB , Rastgordani Sh , Anaraki A. Pourkamali , Kadkhodapour J , Hadavand B Shirkavand
Published: July 2019

Tuning the electromechanical performance in piezoresistive composite strain sensors is primarily attained through appropriately employing the materials system and the fabrication process. High sensitivity along with flexibility in the strain sensing devices needs to be met according to the application (e.g. human motion detection, health and sports monitoring). In this paper, a highly stretchable and sensitive strain sensor with a low-cost fabrication is proposed which is acquired by embedding the chopped carbon fibers sandwiched in between silicone rubber layers. The electrical and mechanical features of the sensor were characterized through stretch/release loading tests where a considerably high sensitivity (the gauge factor about 100) was observed with very low hysteresis. This implies high strain reversibility (i.e. full recovery in each cycle) over 700 loading cycles. Moreover, the sensors exhibited ultra-high stretchability (up to ∼300% elongation) in addition to a low stiffness meaning minimal mechanical effects induced by the sensor for sensitive human motion monitoring applications including large and small deformations. The results suggest the promising capability of the present sensor in reflecting the human body motion detection.
Seeing What They See: Elementary EFL Students Reading Science Texts
Authors: Hung Yueh-Nu , Kuo Hui-Yu , Liao Shih-Chieh
Published: July 2019

Science texts use various text features and multiple representations to communicate meaning to their readers. English science texts are challenging for elementary-level English as a foreign language (EFL) learners in Taiwan because they are familiar with reading language-controlled texts from textbooks. Teaching students to make use of various text features and visual representations will help them achieve a more successful science text reading experience. In this study, 27 Grade 6 Taiwanese students were instructed in science text reading strategies that included understanding text features, creating imagery, and using visual representations. Before and after the instruction, they took an English reading and writing test. Their eye movements during science text reading were recorded before and after the instruction to more fully understand their visual attention while reading English science texts. Eye movement performances such as number of fixations, mean fixation duration, and saccade size were examined. The findings showed that although the participants’ English reading and writing performance improved in the post-test, they focussed more on the written language than the visuals in both tests. More visual representation reading strategies should therefore be taught to help young EFL students read and learn from science texts.
Epithelial Squamous Metaplasia and Dysplasia in Inflammatory Nasal Polyps: An Observational Study
Authors: Perić Aleksandar , Stoiljkov Marko , Đokić Danijela , Đurđević Biserka Vukomanović
Published: July 2019

Nasal polyposis (NP) is characterized by polypoid outgrowths of chronically inflamed respiratory mucosa. The presence of squamous metaplasia and dysplasia on the mucosal surface of nasal polyps (NPs) represents different manifestations of epithelial atypia. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the presence of epithelial squamous metaplasia and dysplasia in ethmoidal NPs. This retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data involved 212 patients with NP undergoing endoscopic ethmoidectomy. To evaluate possible etiological factors for epithelial atypia, the patients in whom we histopathologically detected the presence of epithelial atypia were compared with patients with “normal” NPs in accordance with the following characteristics as found in the patients’ medical records: gender, age, main symptoms, preoperative extent of sinus disease on computed tomography, atopic status, aspirin sensitivity, cigarette smoking, and occupational exposure to different noxious factors. Epithelial atypia were detected histopathologically in 44 (20.7%) NP patients, whereas features of “true” dysplasia were found in only 1 (0.5%) patient. The presence of atypia was more frequent in males than in females ( P = .008). The association with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease and with long-term occupational exposure to different noxious chemicals, especially in workers exposed to salts of heavy metals, was more frequent in NP patients with epithelial atypia than in patients without atypia ( P = .023; P = .006, respectively). Our results suggest epithelial atypia in NPs are associated with aspirin sensitivity and occupational exposure to different noxious chemicals. Although extremely rare, epithelial dysplasia may occasionally be noted in NPs, a fact potentially useful for both rhinologists and pathologists.
Vitalism Now – A Problematic
Authors: Greco Monica
Published: July 2019

This paper considers whether and how ‘vitalism’ might be considered relevant as a concept today; whether its relevance should be expressed in terms of disciplinary demarcations between the life sciences and the natural sciences; and whether there is a fundamental incompatibility between a ‘vitalism of process’ and a ‘vitalism as pathos’. I argue that the relevance of vitalism as an epistemological and ontological problem concerning the categorical distinction between living and non-living beings must be contextualized historically, and referred exclusively to the epistemic horizon defined by classical physics. In contrast to this, drawing on the philosophies of Canguilhem, Whitehead, and Atlan, I propose an appreciation of the contemporary relevance of vitalism premised on the pathic and indeterminate character of nature as a whole. From this perspective vitalism expresses a politically significant ethos concerning the relationship between life, knowledge, problems and their solutions.
After dispossession: An urban rights praxis of remaining in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside
Authors: Masuda Jeffrey R , Franks Aaron , Kobayashi Audrey , Wideman Trevor
Published: July 2019

Drawing from a multi-year research presence in Vancouver, Canada’s Downtown Eastside, we generate insights into the praxis of the historically dispossessed within contemporary processes of subaltern urbanisms. Interviews with past and present Downtown Eastside residents reveal parallel narratives of dispossession and remaining between Japanese Canadians who were expelled during the Second World War and communities in the present-day neighborhood. A common frame of reference, a form of dispossessive collectivism, takes shape in a tenuous Right to Remain premised on material, cultural, existential, and political struggles that have inflected life in the Downtown Eastside for over a century of colonial urbanization. The Right to Remain can provide a situated and integrative vocabulary for consolidating grassroots praxis across diverse social groupings and settings to address urban spatial claims (symbolically and materially) and to confront forces of gentrification driving dispossession processes in Vancouver and beyond.
The Stroke Stigma Scale: a reliable and valid stigma measure in patients with stroke
Authors: Zhu Minfang , Zhou Hongzhen , Zhang Weibin , Deng Yingying , Wang Xiaoyan , Bai Xuejie , Li Muling , Hu Ruidan , Hou Jiakun , Liu Yangyang
Published: July 2019

Objective:

The objective of the study is to analyse the psychometric properties of the Stroke Stigma Scale, a novel scale to assess perceived stigma of patients with stroke.

Design:

This is a psychometric study.

Setting:

Neurology or rehabilitation units in three hospitals in China.

Subjects:

A total of 288 patients with stroke.

Interventions:

None.

Measures:

The content validity of the Stroke Stigma Scale was assessed through expert consultation. Criterion validity was evaluated based on the scale’s relationships with the Stigma Scale for Chronic Illness and the Self-rating Depression Scale. Construct validity was assessed using exploratory factor analysis, and internal consistency was tested with Cronbach’s α.

Results:

The final version Stroke Stigma Scale consists of 16 items. It showed strong positive correlations with both the Stigma Scale for Chronic Illness ( ρ = 0.89, P < 0.001) and the Self-rating Depression Scale ( ρ = 0.82, P < 0.001). The exploratory factor analysis revealed four components of the Stroke Stigma Scale: internalized stigma, physical impairment, discrimination experience, and social isolation, which were strongly associated with our perceived stroke stigma model. Cronbach’s α for the total scale was 0.92, and that of each subscale was 0.77–0.86. The test–retest reliability with intra-class correlation coefficients of the total scale was 0.92 ( P < 0.001), and intra-class correlation coefficients of each subscale were 0.74–0.89 ( P < 0.001).

Conclusions:

The Stroke Stigma Scale is a reliable and valid measure of perceived stigma in patients with stroke, which may be useful in stigma prevention and stroke rehabilitation.
Validation and noninvasive kinetic modeling of [11C]UCB-J PET imaging in mice
Authors: Bertoglio Daniele , Verhaeghe Jeroen , Miranda Alan , Kertesz Istvan , Cybulska Klaudia , Korat Špela , Wyffels Leonie , Stroobants Sigrid , Mrzljak Ladislav , Dominguez Celia , Liu Longbin , Skinbjerg Mette , Munoz-Sanjuan Ignacio , Staelens Steven
Published: July 2019

Synaptic pathology is associated with several brain disorders, thus positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A (SV2A) using the radioligand [11C]UCB-J may provide a tool to measure synaptic alterations. Given the pivotal role of mouse models in understanding neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders, this study aims to validate and characterize [11C]UCB-J in mice. We performed a blocking study to verify the specificity of the radiotracer to SV2A, examined kinetic models using an image-derived input function (IDIF) for quantification of the radiotracer, and investigated the in vivo metabolism. Regional TACs during baseline showed rapid uptake of [11C]UCB-J into the brain. Pretreatment with levetiracetam confirmed target engagement in a dose-dependent manner. VT (IDIF) values estimated with one- and two-tissue compartmental models (1TCM and 2TCM) were highly comparable (r=0.999, p < 0.0001), with 1TCM performing better than 2TCM for K1 (IDIF). A scan duration of 60 min was sufficient for reliable VT (IDIF) and K1 (IDIF) estimations. In vivo metabolism of [11C]UCB-J was relatively rapid, with a parent fraction of 22.5 ± 4.2% at 15 min p.i. In conclusion, our findings show that [11C]UCB-J selectively binds to SV2A with optimal kinetics in the mouse representing a promising tool to noninvasively quantify synaptic density in comparative or therapeutic studies in neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorder models.
Importance of stabilization of the neonatal transport network in critically ill neonates
Authors: Xu Xiao-Jing , Li Li-Na , Wu Wen-Yan
Published: July 2019

Objective

This study aimed to investigate how to stabilize the condition of critically ill neonates within the neonatal transport network.

Methods

A total of 243 critically ill newborns in four hospitals involved in the transport network were enrolled. The newborns were divided into the research and control groups. In the research group, medical staff underwent theoretical training, and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) professionals participated and provided on-site guidance on delivery of high-risk infants. Delivery of high-risk neonates in the control group was conventionally managed in local hospitals, and neonates were transferred after a phone call to the NICU.

Results

Gestational age and body weight were lower, and dexamethasone use was higher in the research group than in the control group. The proportions of neonates who underwent mask pressure, endotracheal intubation, pulmonary surfactant application, and chest compressions were higher, and those with dyspnea and nervous system abnormalities were lower in the research group than in the control group. Blood gas and sugar levels were better in the research group than in the control group.

Conclusion

Strengthening professional training and participation of professional NICU staff in childbirth can improve the conditions of high-risk neonates and increase safety of their transportation.
Practice analysis: Critical reflexivity on discourses constraining socially transformative occupational therapy practices
Authors: Farias Lisette , Rudman Debbie Laliberte
Published: July 2019

Statement of context:

Despite recognition of the potential of occupation for enacting social transformation, occupational therapy continues to struggle in developing and enacting practice approaches that address sociopolitical barriers to people’s right to engage in occupations.

Critical reflection on practice:

Ways of thinking and writing about problems and solutions, that is discourses, shape occupational therapy practices. This article draws attention to three dominant discourses that constrain the development of occupational therapy practices aimed at social transformation, specifically, individualism, healthism and managerialism.

Implications for practice:

Examining discourses that bound occupational therapy practice can open spaces for alternative ways of thinking and more socially responsive practices addressing sociopolitical barriers to occupation.
Reliability Assessment of Steel Bridges for Specialized Hauling Vehicles
Authors: Lou Peng , Gao Dongjian , Nassif Hani , Reddy Mula
Published: July 2019

Specialized hauling vehicles (SHVs) are short heavy trucks within the legal weight limits but induce higher load effects than routine commercial loads. The Manual for Bridge Evaluation (MBE) adopted a series of single-unit trucks (SUs) to represent this type of vehicle. However, the SUs were introduced without rigorous reliability-based analysis due to the lack of data on SHVs. With the availability of vast amounts of data on weigh-in-motion (WIM) truck weights and configurations, the reliability of steel bridges under the SHVs should be evaluated in a more robust and quantitative manner. Through the utilization of WIM data, the authors quantified the SHVs in terms of percentages of SHVs among all truck traffic, daily average counts of SHVs, and number of axles. The gross vehicle weights (GVWs) and typical configurations of SHVs were investigated. In addition, their load effects were determined and normalized by the corresponding SUs. The maximum live loads corresponding to a return period of 5 years were also extrapolated using normal probability paper (NPP). To evaluate the effectiveness of current load-rating procedures for SHVs, the authors investigated the relationship between the load-rating factors and the corresponding reliability indices for existing bridges using the developed live load parameters based on the WIM data. Results indicated that the current live load factors were not able to provide a uniform and appropriate reliability index at different average daily truck traffic (ADTT) scenarios. This paper thus proposes new live load factors and weight adjustments of SU trucks to provide an adequate and uniform safety margin for the evaluation of steel bridges.
Influence of Autonomous Vehicles on Car-Following Behavior of Human Drivers
Authors: Rahmati Yalda , Khajeh Hosseini Mohammadreza , Talebpour Alireza , Swain Benjamin , Nelson Christopher
Published: July 2019

Despite numerous studies on general human–robot interactions, in the context of transportation, automated vehicle (AV)–human driver interaction is not a well-studied subject. These vehicles have fundamentally different decision-making logic compared with human drivers and the driving interactions between AVs and humans can potentially change traffic flow dynamics. Accordingly, through an experimental study, this paper investigates whether there is a difference between human–human and human–AV interactions on the road. This study focuses on car-following behavior and conducted several car-following experiments utilizing Texas A&M University’s automated Chevy Bolt. Utilizing NGSIM US-101 dataset, two scenarios for a platoon of three vehicles were considered. For both scenarios, the leader of the platoon follows a series of speed profiles extracted from the NGSIM dataset. The second vehicle in the platoon can be either another human-driven vehicle (scenario A) or an AV (scenario B). Data is collected from the third vehicle in the platoon to characterize the changes in driving behavior when following an AV. A data-driven and a model-based approach were used to identify possible changes in driving behavior from scenario A to scenario B. The findings suggested there is a statistically significant difference between human drivers’ behavior in these two scenarios and human drivers felt more comfortable following the AV. Simulation results also revealed the importance of capturing these changes in human behavior in microscopic simulation models of mixed driving environments.
The Focality of Sexual Trauma and Its Effects on Women’s Symptoms and Self-Perceptions
Authors: Keshet Hadar , Gilboa-Schechtman Eva
Published: July 2019

Sexual trauma is associated with particularly harmful consequences in comparison to other types of trauma. Studies investigating differences between trauma-types usually focus on the most distressing (i.e., main) trauma of each participant and do not consider the cumulative effects of multiple traumas, which many individuals experience. We sought to fill this gap by examining the effects of trauma-type (sexual vs. nonsexual), as well as the focality assigned to the sexual trauma (whether it was perceived as a main vs. background trauma), on symptoms and self-perceptions. Our sample comprised 231 Jewish-Israeli women: 96 with a single trauma-type and 135 with multiple (two to three) trauma-types. Women completed online measures of trauma history, symptoms, and self-perceptions. Women who were exposed to sexual trauma reported greater symptom severity and self-perception impairments than women with a history of nonsexual trauma-type(s). Among women with multiple trauma-types, those with a main sexual trauma reported greater symptom severity and self-perception impairments than women with a background sexual trauma. When controlling for levels of posttraumatic symptoms, differences in self-perceptions ceased to be significant. Our findings highlight the importance of collecting a detailed trauma history, with attention to trauma-centrality, and of addressing various symptoms and self-perceptions among sexual trauma survivors.
Minimum 5-Year Outcomes of Arthroscopic Hip Labral Reconstruction With Nested Matched-Pair Benchmarking Against a Labral Repair Control Group
Authors: Domb Benjamin G. , Battaglia Muriel R. , Perets Itay , Lall Ajay C. , Chen Austin W. , Ortiz-Declet Victor , Maldonado David R.
Published: July 2019

Background:

Labral reconstruction has demonstrated short-term benefit for the treatment of irreparable labral tears. Nonetheless, there is a scarcity of evidence for midterm outcomes of this treatment.

Hypotheses:

Arthroscopic segmental reconstruction in the setting of irreparable labral tears would show improvement in patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and high patient satisfaction at minimum 5-year follow-up. Second, primary labral reconstruction (PLRECON) would result in similar improvement in PROs at minimum 5-year follow-up when compared with a matched-pair primary labral repair (PLREPAIR) control group.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Data from February 2008 to April 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were included if they underwent hip arthroscopy for segmental labral reconstruction in the setting of irreparable labral tear and femoroacetabular impingement, with minimum 5-year follow-up for modified Harris Hip Score, Nonarthritic Hip Score, Hip Outcome Score–Sports Specific Subscale, patient satisfaction, and visual analog scale for pain. Exclusion criteria were Tönnis osteoarthritis grade >1, prior hip conditions, or workers’ compensation claims. PLRECON cases were matched in a 1:3 ratio to a PLREPAIR control group based on age ±5 years, sex, and body mass index ±5 kg/m2.

Results:

Twenty-eight patients were eligible for the study, of which 23 (82.14%) had minimum 5-year follow-up. The authors found significant improvement from preoperative to latest follow-up in all outcome measures recorded: 17.8-point increase in modified Harris Hip Score ( P = .002), 22-point increase in Nonarthritic Hip Score ( P < .001), 25.4-point increase in Hip Outcome Score–Sports Specific Subscale ( P = .003), and a 2.9-point decrease in visual analog scale pain ratings ( P < .001). Mean patient satisfaction was 7.1 out of 10. In the nested matched-pair analysis, 17 patients who underwent PLRECON were matched to a control group of 51 patients who underwent PLREPAIR. PLRECON demonstrated comparable survivorship and comparable improvements in all PROs with the exception of patient satisfaction (6.7 vs 8.5, P = .04).

Conclusion:

Hip arthroscopy with segmental labral reconstruction resulted in significant improvement in PROs at minimum 5-year follow-up. PLRECON reached comparable functional outcomes when compared with a benchmark PLREPAIR control group but demonstrated lower patient satisfaction at latest follow-up.
Anterior and Rotational Knee Laxity Does Not Affect Patient-Reported Knee Function 2 Years After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
Authors: Magnussen Robert , Reinke Emily K. , Huston Laura J. ,   MOON Knee Group, Andrish Jack T. , Cox Charles L. , Dunn Warren R. , Flanigan David C. , Hewett Timothy , Jones Morgan H. , Kaeding Christopher C. , Lorring Dawn , Matava Matthew J. , Parker Richard D. , Pedroza Angela , Preston Emily , Richardson Brian , Schroeder Bettina , Smith Matthew V. , Wright Rick W. , Spindler Kurt P.
Published: July 2019

Background:

While a primary goal of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is to reduce pathologically increased anterior and rotational knee laxity, the relationship between knee laxity after ACL reconstruction and patient-reported knee function remains unclear.

Hypothesis:

There would be no significant correlation between the degree of residual anterior and rotational knee laxity and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) 2 years after primary ACL reconstruction.

Study Design:

Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

From a prospective multicenter nested cohort of patients, 433 patients younger than 36 years of age injured in sports with no history of concomitant ligament surgery, revision ACL surgery, or surgery of the contralateral knee were identified and evaluated at a minimum 2 years after primary ACL reconstruction. Each patient underwent Lachman and pivot-shift evaluation as well as a KT-1000 arthrometer assessment along with Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score and subjective International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) scores. A proportional odds logistic regression model was used to predict each 2-year PRO score, controlling for preoperative score, age, sex, body mass index, smoking, Marx activity score, education, subsequent surgery, meniscal and cartilage status, graft type, and range of motion asymmetry. Measures of knee laxity were independently added to each model to determine correlation with PROs.

Results:

Side-to-side manual Lachman differences were IKDC A in 246 (57%) patients, IKDC B in 183 (42%) patients, and IKDC C in 4 (<1%) patients. Pivot-shift was classified as IKDC A in 209 (48%) patients, IKDC B in 183 (42%) patients, and IKDC C in 11 (2.5%) patients. The mean side-to-side KT-1000 difference was 2.0 ± 2.6 mm. No significant correlations were noted between pivot-shift or anterior tibial translation as assessed by Lachman or KT-1000 and any PRO. All predicted differences in PROs based on IKDC A versus B pivot-shift and anterior tibial translation were less than 4 points.

Conclusion:

Neither the presence of IKDC A versus B pivot-shift nor increased anterior tibial translation of up to 6 mm is associated with clinically relevant decreases in PROs 2 years after ACL reconstruction.
Scapular Spine Dimensions and Suitability as a Glenoid Bone Graft Donor Site
Authors: Rohman Eric , Gronbeck Kyle , Tompkins Marc , Mittelsteadt Marcus , Kirkham James A. , Arciero Robert A.
Published: July 2019

Background:

Current structural bone graft options used for glenoid augmentation in glenohumeral instability have known drawbacks. The scapular spine may be a possible alternative graft choice, but its dimensions and anatomy are not fully reported.

Hypothesis:

The scapular spine’s harvestable graft dimensions will be similar to harvestable dimensions of the coracoid and iliac crest.

Study Design:

Descriptive laboratory study.

Methods:

The scapular spine, coracoid, and iliac crest dimensions were recorded and compared bilaterally in 50 patients with 3-dimensional computed tomography imaging. The portion of the scapular spine with the largest harvestable dimensions was quantified and its location defined. Measurements were independently taken by 2 investigators and averaged for the final result.

Results:

The scapular spine has 81.5 mm of harvestable length and a “flare” located approximately 49.6 mm lateral to the medial scapular border, where the widest harvestable cross section is located (mean harvestable dimensions: 10.9-mm height, 11.5-mm width). Mean coracoid dimensions were 24-mm length, 14.2-mm height, and 10.6-mm width. Mean iliac crest width was 14.7 mm. In sum, 96% of scapular spines, 85% of coracoids, and 100% of iliac crests exceeded minimum dimensions of 8 mm × 8 mm × 20 mm. The coronal radius of curvature of the glenoid was significantly different from the corresponding plane of all measured structures.

Conclusion/Clinical Relevance:

The scapular spine has dimensions similar to the coracoid and iliac crest in the majority of patients and is therefore appropriate for further investigation as a potential graft choice in glenohumeral instability. A harvest location 49.6 mm lateral to the medial scapular border will provide the largest cross-sectional graft while avoiding the acromial base.
Dimensions of Adolescent Civic Reasoning: An Examination of Individual Differences
Authors: Alvis Lauren M. , Metzger Aaron
Published: July 2019

The current study examined sociodemographic characteristics and political discussion as correlates of adolescents’ qualitative understanding of three civic behaviors. Participants were 743 adolescents ( Mage = 15.87, range = 13-20; 55.6% female; 89.9% White) from a midsized city and a small rural town in an Appalachian state. Open-ended responses to three civic behavior scenarios, asking participants why should people protest, vote, and volunteer were content coded (28 codes total). Anecdotal statements are provided to illustrate the variety of themes that emerged among adolescents’ written responses. Adolescents applied domain-specific reasons (moral, conventional, and personal) for specific types of civic behavior. Structural justifications were provided for all three civic behaviors, suggesting that many adolescents reason about the broader, structural impact of civic behaviors. In probit regression models, coding categories were differentially associated with adolescent demographic characteristics and political discussion. Findings offer insight into youth’s divergent understanding of different forms of civic responsibility and shed light on individual differences in youth’s developing civic beliefs.
RhythmicAlly: Your R and Shiny–Based Open-Source Ally for the Analysis of Biological Rhythms
Authors: Abhilash Lakshman , Sheeba Vasu
Published: July 2019

Research on circadian rhythms often requires researchers to estimate period, robustness/power, and phase of the rhythm. These are important to estimate, owing to the fact that they act as readouts of different features of the underlying clock. The commonly used tools, to this end, suffer from being very expensive, having very limited interactivity, being very cumbersome to use, or a combination of these. As a step toward remedying the inaccessibility to users who may not be able to afford them and to ease the analysis of biological time-series data, we have written RhythmicAlly, an open-source program using R and Shiny that has the following advantages: (1) it is free, (2) it allows subjective marking of phases on actograms, (3) it provides high interactivity with graphs, (4) it allows visualization and storing of data for a batch of individuals simultaneously, and (5) it does what other free programs do but with fewer mouse clicks, thereby being more efficient and user-friendly. Moreover, our program can be used for a wide range of ultradian, circadian, and infradian rhythms from a variety of organisms, some examples of which are described here. The first version of RhythmicAlly is available on Github, and we aim to maintain the program with subsequent versions having updated methods of visualizing and analyzing time-series data.
Product reliability–oriented optimization design of time-between-events control chart system for high-quality manufacturing processes
Authors: Chen Zhaoxiang , He Yihai , Cui Jiaming , Han Xiao , Zhao Yixiao , Zhang Anqi , Zhou Di
Published: July 2019

In high-quality manufacturing processes, the yield is no more the only issue, and the quality control approach that also considers the product’s actual performance gradually becomes the focus. Reliability is a critical dimension of quality, and its degradation in usage is always determined by the manufacturing quality. To mitigate the degradation of reliability, this article presents a product reliability–oriented optimization design of the time-between-events control chart system, where the quantitative impact of process quality on the product reliability is analyzed. First, critical-to-reliability process parameters are identified, and a product reliability degradation model is proposed considering the effect of process variations and defects. Second, the observed event and the used statistics are determined to prearrange the time-between-events chart system. Third, all individual time-between-events charts are systematically optimized to minimize the expected batch product reliability degradation caused by potential process shifts, where the cost and statistical performance are considered as constraints. The result of the case study shows that the proposed design can reduce 27.02% of batch product reliability degradation due to manufacturing process quality, and this model can also save the operating cost on the basis of attaining minimum reliability degradation in certain situations.
Design of a frictional–electromagnetic compound disk brake for automotives
Authors: Huang Shan , Bao Jiusheng , Ge Shirong , Yin Yan , Liu Tonggang
Published: July 2019

According to the disadvantages of serious wear and heat fade of friction pad in frequent and high speed braking of friction brakes, and the insufficient power of electromagnetic brakes in low speed braking, a novel frictional-electromagnetic compound disk brake which combines both of these two brake principles is proposed for automotives in this paper. The excitation coils are designed based on the Zhang Yicheng theory model, and the compound brake prototype is manufactured based on the self-made magnetic brake pads and existing automotive brakes. The magnetic field and dynamic of the brake are simulated by using COMSOL Multiphysics software. The frictional–electromagnetic compound brake tests are implemented on the reconstructive disk brake simulation test bench. The experimental results show that the friction braking torque accounts for more than 90% of the compound braking torque in the process of compound braking, and the trend of the change is the same as that of the compound braking torque. When the initial braking speed exceeds 75 km/h, the electromagnetic braking torque does not increase with the increase in speed, instead, it decreases slightly because of demagnetization. The designed frictional–electromagnetic compound disk brake has good braking performance.
Optimization-based gravity-assisted calibration and axis alignment of 9-degrees of freedom inertial measurement unit without external equipment
Authors: Razavi Hamidreza , Salarieh Hassan , Alasty Aria
Published: July 2019

Applicable in numerous fields, low-cost micro-electromechanical system inertial measurement units often require on-sight calibration by the end user due to the existence of systematic errors. A 9-degrees of freedom inertial measurement unit comprises a tri-axis accelerometer, a tri-axis gyroscope, and a tri-axis magnetometer. Various proposed multi-position calibration methods can calibrate tri-axis accelerometers and magnetometers to a degree. Yet the full calibration of a tri-axis gyroscope and axis alignment of all the sensors still often requires equipment such as a rate table to generate a priori known angular velocities and attitudes or relies on the disturbance-prone magnetometer output as a reference. This study proposes an augmentation to the popular multi-position calibration scheme, capable of fully calibrating and aligning the sensor axes of the 9-degrees of freedom inertial measurement unit while eliminating the reliance on external equipment or magnetometer. The algorithm does not rely on the inertial measurement unit attitude during various stages of the multi-position data acquisition. Instead, it uses the gravity vector measured by the accelerometer to calibrate the gyroscope and align the magnetometer axes with the sensor body frame. Experimental results using a navigation module with factory calibration and extensive simulation results indicate the current method's ability in estimating large calibration parameters with relative errors below 0.5%.
Relative pollen productivity estimates for vegetation reconstruction in central-eastern Europe inferred at local and regional scales
Authors: Kuneš Petr , Abraham Vojtěch , Werchan Barbora , Plesková Zuzana , Fajmon Karel , Jamrichová Eva , Roleček Jan
Published: July 2019

Understanding pollen-vegetation relationships is crucial for accurate land-cover and climate reconstructions, yet important parameters for quantifying past vegetation abundance are mostly unknown for large parts of Europe harbouring temperate thermophilous ecosystems. We collected pollen and vegetation data in central-eastern Europe, a region covered by patchy cultural landscapes of high biodiversity to estimate relative pollen productivity (RPP) for important pollen-equivalent taxa. Our study area was situated in the south-western part of the White Carpathians (Czechia–Slovakia borderland), where we collected 40 modern moss pollen samples scattered over 250 km2 and mapped vegetation within 100 m around each pollen site. Additional vegetation data were compiled from Forest management plans, Natura 2000 habitat mapping and floristic inventories over the entire area. We calculated RPP (referenced to Poaceae) by testing two approaches: the extended R-value (ERV) model by estimating relevant source area of pollen and the REVEALS-based productivity using regional scale vegetation estimates. Two models were applied to depict pollen dispersal: Lagrangian stochastic and the Gaussian plume (Prentice) models. We estimated RPP for 16 taxa using the ERV model and an additional nine taxa using REVEALS. Both approaches found Plantago lanceolata-type to be a high pollen producer, Quercus medium-to-high, Asteraceae subf. Cichorioideae, Anthemis-type, Ranunculus acris-type and Rubiaceae low-to-medium and Brassicaceae and Senecio-type as low pollen producers. Results for other, mainly tree taxa, significantly differed in both approaches mainly due to largely uneven representation in both local and regional vegetation. In comparison with other studies, our data demonstrate a high variability in the estimated RPPs which could be influenced by climatic conditions or potentially vegetation structure. We suggest that the accuracy of RPP estimates could be enhanced by comparing modern pollen data with large-scale vegetation data in the future.
Perspectives of Childhood Cancer Symptom-Related Distress: Results of the State of the Science Survey
Authors: Skeens Micah A. , Cullen Patsy , Stanek Joe , Hockenberry Marilyn
Published: July 2019

Management of symptom-related distress is an important area of pediatric oncology nursing. Participants who attended the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) State of the Science Symposium on symptom distress completed an anonymous survey. The purpose was to explore participant perceptions of symptom distress experienced by children receiving cancer treatment on clinical trials, determine how symptom distress is currently assessed at COG institutions, and to identify what interventions are used to reduce symptom distress for these children. Among the 90 symposium attendees, 72% completed the survey, the majority (92%) of whom were nurses. The five most distressing symptoms in children with cancer enrolled on clinical trials identified by survey respondents were nausea/vomiting, fatigue, pain, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. Results from our survey also suggest that symptom distress may differ by disease type. For example, symptoms associated with leukemia/lymphoma included steroid side effects, procedural pain, and neuropathy. The majority of respondents (90%) also reported that symptoms go unrecognized by health care providers. The most commonly described unrecognized symptoms were behavioral (i.e., sadness, anxiety, fear, depression, and emotional needs; 45%) and fatigue (19%). Key focus areas reported by respondents included informal and inconsistent symptom assessment, the need for uniform measurement tools, and improved documentation of symptom-related distress. Management of symptom-related distress is an important aspect of pediatric oncology nursing. Further exploration of symptom distress experienced by children with specific types of cancers, and the development of standardized symptom assessment processes, will provide a foundation for developing future interventions aimed at alleviating symptom-related distress.
Fighting for America’s Schools: Toward a More Democratic Approach
Authors: Chambers Stefanie
Published: July 2019

This article addresses several questions The Fight for America’s Schools pushes us to consider as scholars of urban education policy. By extrapolating from the themes in the chapters of the book, a number of issues are brought forward in this article. These issues include the challenges of coalition building against neoliberal reforms, the role of philanthropy in education policymaking, and questions about how scholars might engage more as activists in the area of education policymaking. In the end, this article asks scholars to reflect on how our scholarship can move beyond a critique of neoliberal reforms and toward a more democratic approach to education policymaking.
The Backlash Against School Choice and Accountability Policies: The Organizations and Their Politics
Authors: Anzia Sarah F.
Published: July 2019

The organizers of this colloquy and the authors of The Fight for America’s Schools ask two important questions: What are the political and organizational challenges faced by groups opposed to school choice and test-based accountability reforms? And what do they portend for the landscape of education politics going forward? In this article, I discuss two such challenges and their implications. First, the groups discussed in the book have so far been united by opposition to school choice and test-based accountability reforms, but they may well suffer going forward from the absence of a positive policy agenda—a set of specific alternative policies that would improve student achievement and school performance. Second, the strongest of these groups by far are teacher unions, but barring fundamental changes in union leaders’ incentives, they are unlikely to adopt the book’s recommendation that they abandon the traditional model of “business unionism” in favor of “social justice unionism.”
Prospects for Grassroots Influence: Can We Be Realistic Without Being Fatalistic?
Authors: Henig Jeffrey R.
Published: July 2019

In The Fight for America’s Schools, Barbara Ferman and her coauthors show parents and communities mobilizing in new and effective ways to resist or reconfigure threats imposed in the name of education reform. In this reflection on the volume, I discuss ways in which the political terrain has been changing and why these changes make the traditional model of organizing—neighborhood-based, localized, focused on education-specific arenas—problematic. Finally, taking off from the ideas and examples presented in the Ferman volume, I sketch out a more optimistic portrayal of why and how new approaches have a chance to succeed.
The Role of Language Skills in Mid-Adolescents’ Science Summaries
Authors: Uccelli Paola , Deng Ziyun , Phillips Galloway Emily , Qin Wenjuan
Published: July 2019

Mid-adolescence is a period of considerable potential growth in the language for academic writing. Yet, to date, few writing studies explore language development during this period and even fewer focus on longitudinal or diverse samples. In this study, we examined the development of language skills for academic writing in a socio-economically diverse sample followed from sixth to seventh grade ( n = 124). In each grade, participants wrote summaries of a science text. Subsequently, summaries were scored for writing quality (WQ) and analyzed for productive language skills (lexico-syntactic and discourse features). Participants completed a receptive academic language assessment and a test that measured reading comprehension of the source text. First, we examined if WQ or productive language skills changed over time. Next, we tested if Grade 6 productive and receptive language skills predicted Grade 7 WQ. Results revealed syntactic growth over time. Grade 6 use of connectives and receptive language skills emerged as predictors of Grade 7 WQ.
Anti-Fel d1 immunoglobulin Y antibody-containing egg ingredient lowers allergen levels in cat saliva
Authors: Satyaraj Ebenezer , Li Qinghong , Sun Peichuan , Sherrill Scott
Published: July 2019

Objectives

Fel d1 is the major cat allergen, causing IgE reactions in up to 90% of cat-allergic adults. Fel d1 secreted in saliva is spread to the haircoat during grooming. Current management includes attempts to reduce or eliminate exposure to Fel d1. A novel approach to reducing immunologically active Fel d1 (aFel d1) exposure, which involves binding the Fel d1 with an anti-Fel d1-specific polyclonal egg IgY antibody (sIgY), was evaluated. The hypothesis was that saliva from cats fed diets containing this sIgY would show a significant reduction in aFel d1.

Methods

Two trials in cats were completed. In trial 1, saliva was collected 0, 1, 3 and 5 h post-feeding during a 2 week baseline and subsequent 6 week treatment period. Trial 2 included a control and treatment group, and saliva was collected once daily. Trial 2 cats were fed the control diet during a 1 week baseline period, and then fed either control or sIgY diet during the 4 week treatment period. Fel d1-specific ELISA was used to measure salivary aFel d1. Data were analysed using repeated-measures ANOVA and a linear mixed-model analysis.

Results

Salivary aFel d1 decreased post-treatment in both trials. There were no differences in aFel d1 based on time of collection relative to feeding in trial 1. In trial 2, 82% of treatment group cats showed a decrease in aFel d1 of at least 20% from baseline vs just 38% of control cats. Only one (9%) treatment cat showed an increase in aFel d1 vs 63% of control cats.

Conclusions and relevance

Feeding sIgY significantly reduced aFel d1 in the saliva of cats within 3 weeks. Although additional research is needed, these findings show promise for an alternative approach to the management of allergies to cats.
Predictive models of world conflict: accounting for regional and conflict-state differences
Authors: Shallcross Nicholas J , Ahner Darryl K
Published: July 2019

Developing nation-conflict forecasting models is of vital importance to international resource allocation strategies that affect regional and worldwide security and stability. A nation in conflict may evolve very differently to one that is not. Using a unique set of open-source data, a suite of region-specific models are developed that predict nation-state transitions into and out of violent conflict. Conflict transition predictor variables differ not only between the regions, but also within each region dependent on if a nation is identified as in conflict or not. Accurate modeling of complex regional environments is achieved with parsimonious and interpretable models. While we ensure the causal variables of the previous study are considered for inclusion in the models developed, this paper focuses on the ability to accurately predict conflict over individual independent variable analysis.
ADAMS model validation for an all-terrain vehicle using test track data
Authors: Kanchwala Husain , Chatterjee Anindya
Published: July 2019

MD ADAMS® is widely used for vehicle suspension modeling. In this article, we present modeling, simulation, and test track evaluation of an all-terrain recreational vehicle. Our intention is to study the degree to which simplified ADAMS modeling actually matches human-driven vehicle response. For suspension model validation, a vehicle is generally tested on a four-poster test rig and base excitation is applied at four ground-wheel contacts. However, actual driving experience does not match idealized testing conditions. In this work the vehicle is manually driven on a variety of tracks at different speeds, and the vertical accelerations at four axle locations and four body points are measured. The same are then compared in detail against predictions from ADAMS simulation with vertical base excitation. The contribution of this article is in identifying those aspects of the simulation results that match experiments well and identifying possible sources for the observed mismatch, especially under more severe test conditions.
Counting with understanding? What is at stake in debates on researching domestic violence
Authors: Myhill Andy , Kelly Liz
Published: July 2019

This article addresses recent debates relating to the measurement of domestic violence, and in particular the ‘domestic violent crime’ framework proposed by Sylvia Walby and colleagues. We argue for the utility of coercive control as a framework for measurement of domestic violence, and highlight what we see as misrepresentation of this concept in the work of Walby and colleagues. We also point to the limitations of traditional crime codes in capturing the range of abuse suffered by victims of coercive control, and question whether measuring physical assault is any more straightforward in sample surveys than measuring non-violent forms of coercion. We conclude by calling for greater attention to qualitative narratives and practice-based knowledge to ensure that measurement frameworks reflect the lived experiences of victim-survivors.