bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experimental Evaluation of a Variable Shear Modulus Characteristic for Magnetorheological Elastomer Due to Induced Current
Authors: Kim Jin-Su , Yoon Ji-Hyun , Jeong Un-Chang , Oh Jae-Eung
Published: October 2014

The purpose of this study is to fabricate an anisotropic magnetorheological elastomer (MREs) based on natural rubber (NR) that has a more advanced MR effect than isotropic MREs by using an anisotropic mold. We evaluated variation in the shear modulus of the MREs in the frequency domain under a magnetic field with a continuously-variable induced current. An evaluation system is proposed that includes a magnetic flux generator, which generates a magnetic field via a continuously-variable induced current. One of the anisotropic MREs possessing 30 vol. %, 40 vol. %, and 50 vol. % carbonyl iron powder was expected to have the highest shear modulus variation as a function of the variable induced current. With the evaluation system, we identified the variation and maximum variation rate of the shear modulus of MREs with three different volume fractions of carbonyl iron powder (CIP) and continuously-variable induced current. The magnetic flux density generated by the magnetic flux generator (MFG) is optimized by electromagnetic finite element method (FEM) analysis and response surface method techniques. The values of each design factor determined by the response surface method (RSM) were applied to the redesign of the evaluation system, including the MFG. The proposed system is verified for the range in which MFG can generate magnetic flux density in order to determine the existence of magnetic saturation of the MFG by magnetic circuit analysis. Consequently, the appropriate volume fraction of CIP in MREs without inducing currents can be determined for any desired shear modulus. The desired volume fraction of CIP in the anisotropic MREs can be approximated to achieve an appropriate shear modulus variation rate. This study demonstrates that it is possible to obtain an appropriate volume fraction of CIP and induced current to achieve the desired shear modulus variation rate of an anisotropic MRE.
Failure Mode of Pedicle Screw Fixation Depends Upon the Presence, Absence, and Position of Interbody Spacers. A Pilot Study
Authors: Keen Jeffrey , Lissy Christopher , Kirkpatrick John S.
Published: October 2014

Transpedicular screw fixation permits segmental stabilization to supplement anterior, transforamenal, posterior lumbar interbody, or postero-lateral fusion techniques. This study was designed to evaluate the use of ASTM F1717-14 in determining the failure mode of pedicle screw constructs using these four different fusion constructs. Single level pedicle screw constructs were assembled and tested for axial stiffness and possible failure mode. The constructs included interbody spacers placed anteriorly, unilaterally, posteriorly, and with no spacer. The anterior specimens failed at supraphysiologic loads with rods bending in the sagittal plane. The unilateral specimens failed in physiologic range of loads with expulsion of the spacers and deformation of the constructs in the coronal plane. The posterior specimens failed at supraphysiologic loads and relatively large cycle numbers with screw fatigue fractures and subsequent set screw disengagement. The specimens with no spacers failed at physiologic loads with abutting of the anterior aspect of the test blocks. Failure of lumbar fusion constructs in this laboratory model occur in different modes depending on the fusion construct. In general, when the spacer is placed in line with the load axis, the pedicle instrumentation is “protected” from failure. When the spacer is off the load axis or no spacer is used, the pedicle screw system is subject to potential failure within physiologic loads. Considering the different modes of failure depending on placement of the interbody device, no single testing model is applicable to all clinically used constructs.
Characterizing Compactability of High RAP and Warm Mix Asphalt Mixtures in the Superpave Gyratory Compactor.
Authors: Braham Andrew , Lynn Todd , Steger Richard , Pyle Roger
Published: October 2014

Compactability of asphalt concrete mixtures is critical for successful long-term performance in the field. Laboratory samples are necessary for volumetric analysis and performance testing during the design process, so the ability to quantify compactability during specimen production in the lab would be highly beneficial. While there has been significant work in defining compaction characteristics of asphalt concrete, most of this work has revolved around traditional Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA), and little work has been done with Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA) or high percentage Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP) mixtures. This research examined HMA without RAP (HMA Virgin), HMA with 35 % RAP (HMA RAP), and two WMA technologies with 35 % RAP (WMA 1 and WMA 2). Four compactability metrics were evaluated, including number of gyrations to 92 % density (N92), Construction Densification Index (CDI), the Construction Force Index (CFI), and the newly introduced Normalized Shear Index (NSI). This research found that the WMA technologies improved the compactability of asphalt concrete, as did the addition of RAP. In general, the WMA 1 showed better compactability than WMA 2, but this could be partially attributed to a softer binder grade, higher asphalt binder content, and the potential for a tender mix, as indicated by the normalized shear curve. The HMA RAP mixture also had a higher asphalt binder content compared to HMA Virgin, which could have contributed to the improved compactability. The NSI metric consistently showed the lowest Coefficient of Variation (COV) values and has the potential to distinguish tender mixtures.
Poisson's Ratio of Hot Asphalt Mixtures Determined by Relaxation and Small Amplitude Oscillation Test
Authors: Zak Josef , Stastna Jiri , Vavricka Jiri , Milackova Kristyna , Kasek Lukas , Zanzotto Ludo
Published: October 2014

One of the basic material characteristics of solids is Poisson's ratio. Its exact knowledge, including its dependence on time, allows us to model the effect of load, with given boundary conditions, on the behavior of material under consideration. Poisson's ratio, or rather the relationship between the longitudinal and transverse strain, has an important implication in engineering mechanical applications (assessment of pavement structure performance). Nowadays, Poisson's ratio is usually used as a constant, based on an incorrect assumption that a hot asphalt mix is a linear elastic material. This paper reports Poisson's ratio as a function of time determined from the relaxation and small amplitude oscillation tests on cylindrical specimens. A hot asphalt mix is considered homogeneous isotropic material and linear theory of viscoelasticity is applied for the experimental determination of the lateral contraction ratio.
Carbon Fiber Heating Wire for Pavement Deicing
Authors: Wu Jianmin , Yang Fei , Liu Jianguo
Published: October 2014

The use of electric heating technology in pavement deicing has received considerable attention because of its fast and environmentally friendly features. Carbon fiber heating wire (CFHW) buried in concrete slabs is a type of technology that belongs in this category. This study conducts indoor heating tests to analyze and determine the factors that influence the heating rate of CFHW, including depth of installation, layout interval, input current, ambient temperature, and overlying material. A finite element model is established and calibrated by simulating the indoor heating tests. The heating effect of concrete pavement in different environmental conditions is analyzed through finite element simulation. Results show that CFHW is effective for pavement deicing.
Experimental Study on Engineering and Thermal Properties of Mortar and Plaster Produced With Pumice Aggregate
Authors: Eren Özgür , Marar Khaled , İlter Osman , Çelik Tahir
Published: October 2014

Now, it is widely accepted by civil engineers and architects that walls and masonry building units, which are made of pumice, can insulate buildings against both heat and sound, and also reduce the dead load of the building compared to traditional buildings. In this study, pumice was used as a fine aggregate in mortar and plaster instead of traditional crushed limestone sand. This study shows that the properties of pumice mortars indicate lower values compared to limestone mortars for workability durations, time of settings, and fresh and hardened unit weights. Other properties of pumice mortars indicate higher values compared to limestone mortars, such as water absorption, coefficient of capillary water absorption, drying shrinkage, flexural strength, and compressive strength. Also, wall systems made with pumice mortar and plaster show significant benefits in terms of thermal conductivity.
Use of Non-Standard Specimens to Study the Compressive Strength of Multi-Coat Renders
Authors: Soares A. , Flores-Colen I. , de Brito J.
Published: October 2014

The compressive strength of coating mortars is considered a fundamental property in most standards and is one of the properties most frequently determined in the laboratory. There are as yet only a few studies on evaluating the compressive strength of coating mortar from specimens collected in situ. This paper analyzes the possibility of correlating non-standard specimens, prepared in laboratory with several coats, with cores extracted from prototypes of brick coated with mortar (traditional and premixed) through the pull-off technique. The results enable us to conclude that the use of those non-standard specimens (with different thickness and various layers) instead of standard ones (specimens with 40 × 160 × 160 mm3, with only one mortar) can be a closer-to-reality alternative to study the compressive strength of renders, particularly those that are applied in more than one coat as traditional renders are.
Elucidating How Interface Design and Cognitive Function Affect Learning Performance in the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Software System
Authors: Wang Cheng-Hua , Tsai Wen-Ya
Published: October 2014

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is an increasingly widely utilized educational model globally. Several scholars have suggested that user satisfaction and intention to use can each effectively affect learning performance. However, whether user satisfaction and learning performance are related remains unclear. This study has the following four objectives: to examine the primary determinants of user learning satisfaction in an ERP environment; to determine how user satisfaction, intention to use, and learning performance are related to each other; to determine whether intention to use affects learning performance and mediates the relationship between user satisfaction and learning performance, and to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed model in explaining the effects of the learner interface, interaction and attitude of the instructor toward the student on user satisfaction, supporting evaluation of mediation learning performance by intention to use. The results of SEM analysis indicate that the model that is proposed exhibits goodness-of-fit. Interface design and cognitive function significantly and positively influence learning performance. User satisfaction and intention to use both significantly and positively affect learning performance. Intention to use mediates the relationship between between user satisfaction and learning performance.
Properties of Polymer-Modified Mortar Using Silane as an Integral Additive
Authors: Jiesheng Liu , Ke Liu , Juan Zhang , Jixiang Li
Published: October 2014

In the present paper, the addition of silane to improve the properties of mortar was experimentally investigated. The morphology and microstructure of mortar were investigated by using both scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and polarizing microscopy (PM). The results show that silane significantly alters the microstructure of mortar, reduces the crystallization, restricts the degree of hydration of cement-based materials, and decreases micro-voids. As a result, silane effectively improves the chemical and carbonation resistance, as well as the chloride and water penetration resistance of mortar. Results also indicate that the consistency of mortar was improved but the compressive strength of the mortar was decreased. Specifically, silane would also be beneficial to the bridging cracking function to resist crack propagation.
Testing a Framework for Evaluating Critical Success Factors of Projects
Authors: Yang Li-Ren , Chen Jieh-Haur , Chang Shu-Ping
Published: October 2014

Electronic component sales (ECS) projects are unique in the electronics industry. The key processes and personnel factors in ECS projects are distinct from those in other areas. The primary objective of this study was to develop a comprehensive framework for evaluating the critical success factors (CSFs) of ECS projects. The second objective was to identify and prioritize project CSFs using the analytical network process (ANP). The results suggest that the two most influential CSF categories in the electronic component distribution sector are factors related to the project manager and the external environment. The results also indicate that the job satisfaction of team members is perceived as the most critical success factor. Project managers can use the results of this study to understand the associations between adoption of CSFs and ECS project success, and to modify their current project planning and control process.
Effect of Film Thickness and Voids in Mineral Aggregate in Basic Oxygen Furnace Slag Dense-Graded Asphalt Concrete
Authors: Chen Shih-Huang , Lin Jyh-Dong , Huang Daud , Hung Ching-Tsung
Published: October 2014

This research is focused on how the volumetric properties and performance tests for asphalt concrete are influenced by the 100 % replacement of coarse natural aggregates with basic oxygen furnace (BOF) slag. A statistical analysis was conducted to explore whether the replacement of coarse natural aggregate with basic oxygen furnace slag would increase the moisture sensitivity and reduce the strength of asphalt concrete. According to the results of the mixture design, except for the basic oxygen furnace slag asphalt mixture with upper gradation curve, the film thicknesses are from 6 to 9 μm. However, performance tests, especially the moisture sensitivity and creep test, show that the lack of film thickness and void in mineral aggregate did not adversely affect the durability of asphalt concrete. Based on the results of the mixture design and the performance tests, complete replacement of coarse natural aggregates with basic oxygen furnace slag in asphalt concrete is considered feasible and worthy of further study.
Ambulance Service Area Considering Disaster-Induced Disturbance on the Transportation Infrastructure
Authors: Chen Albert Y. , Yu Ting-Yi , Lu Tsung-Yu , Chuang Wen-Ling , Lai Jihn-Sung , Yeh Chin-Hsun , Oyang Yen-Jen , Heui-Ming Ma Mathew , Sun Wei-Zen
Published: October 2014

The effectiveness of emergency medical services (EMS) depends on the existing infrastructure and allocation of medical resources. The response time for ambulances is in general considered a critical factor to the survival of EMS patients. EMS is a challenging task due to the spatial distribution of the population and geographical layout in the urban area. The spatial configuration of ambulance fleets and hospitals should be assessed to provide an efficient service. Additionally, EMS plays a critical role in disaster situations. In this research, the effect of disasters is considered as the disturbance to the EMS system. The objective of this research is to assess the service area of EMS after a disaster. In this study, the deviation of service area before and after the disaster on the transportation infrastructure is evaluated. Multi-layer perceptron (MLP) was used to predict EMS demand in usual conditions, and a loss estimation tool is used to model the disaster triggered demand. Given the usual and disaster triggered EMS demand, location of ad hoc EMS facilities were determined using cluster analysis, and the reachability of the facilities to individual demand points were evaluated using service area analysis. The proposed approach serves as an assessment methodology and also a planning tool for the preparedness of future disaster occurrences.
An Importance-Performance Analysis of Human Factors for Patient Safety Management Strategy
Authors: Wang Cheng-Hua , Lee Yuan-Duen , Chou Hui-Lin
Published: October 2014

This study was undertaken to identify factors affecting perception of the importance and practice of patient safety management strategies among hospital employees in Taiwan. Importance-performance analysis enables management to evaluate and identify the major strengths and weaknesses of a hospital's key success factors. This work attempts to show the usefulness of an importance-performance analysis grid in evaluating hospital patient safety from employee perspectives in Taiwan. The authors identified a list of 19 items from patient safety literature reviews, and each item was rated using a 5-point Likert scale. Responses were obtained from 236 usable questionnaires. The importance-performance grid showed that nine items fell into the “Keep up the good work” quadrant, two items fell into the “Concentrate here” quadrant, six items fell into the “Low priority” quadrant, and two items fell into the “Possible overkill” quadrant. The findings suggest that the vision of the supervisor is necessary in order to better match organizational characteristics and enhance medical quality. The results are useful in identifying areas for strategic focus to help hospital managers develop patient safety strategies.
Economic Design of Acceptance Sampling Plans Based on Conforming Run Lengths Using Loss Functions
Authors: Fallah Nezhad M. S. , Ahmadi Yazdi A.
Published: October 2014

In this paper, a new sampling plan is introduced based on the run length of conforming items and Taguchi loss function. Run length of conforming items is used for decision making about the quality of a lot. The proposed sampling plan is based on the Markov modeling. A continuous Taguchi loss function is used to obtain loss of deviations between the value of quality characteristics and its target. An optimization model is developed for obtaining the optimal control tolerances and the corresponding critical acceptance and rejection thresholds based on the geometric distribution, which minimizes the loss function for both producers and consumers. For practical purpose, a numerical example is presented to illustrate how the proposed procedure can be applied to design acceptance sampling plans. In addition, the results of a comparison study denoted the merits of proposed model. At the end, a general model regarding the risk of consumer and producer is developed. A sensitivity analysis is carried out on the different values of the required parameters in order to validate the results of optimization model.
MEDIATION AND REMEDIATION
Authors: Torchin Leshu
Published: October 2014

In L’image manquante/The Missing Picture (Rithy Panh, 2013), Rithy Panh continues his exploration of the Cambodian genocide. Combining Khmer Rouge propaganda films, contemporary video footage and painted clay figurines in stunningly crafted—often multimedia—dioramas, the documentary couples ruminations on mediation, trauma, and history with Panh’s personal story. However, the film reaches beyond individual narrative and reflection, functioning as cinematic witness as it counters silences, fills historical gaps, and provides a testimony that is polyphonic and collective. And through his deployment of clips from his former films, Panh creates a sedimented text, suggestive of a past that refuses to stay past and of the magnitude of history, where any production of memory can both preserve and veil the lives of others.
Beyond the Sovereign Body
Authors: Guthman Julie , Broad Garrett , Klein Kendra , Landecker Hannah
Published: October 2014

This conversation is part of a special issue on “Critical Nutrition” in which multiple authors weigh in on various themes related to the origins, character, and consequences of contemporary American nutrition discourses and practices, as well as how nutrition might be known and done differently. In this section, authors reflect on the limits of standard nutrition in understanding the relationship between food and human health. Two authors explore the role of industrial food production in generating foodborne illness and environmental diseases. Such an approach draws attention to the limits of nutrition education per se as a way to encourage dietary health and suggests more emphasis on collective action to regulate how food is produced. Two authors focus on new scientific discoveries, such as the role of gut bacteria and epigenetic programming in bodily function and phenotype. In certain ways this emerging knowledge challenges the idea that health can actually be controlled through diet.
Doing Nutrition Differently
Authors: Hayes-Conroy Jessica , Hite Adele , Klein Kendra , Biltekoff Charlotte , Kimura Aya H.
Published: October 2014

This conversation is part of a special issue on “Critical Nutrition” in which multiple authors weigh in on various themes related to the origins, character, and consequences of contemporary American nutrition discourses and practices, as well as how nutrition might be known and done differently. In this section, authors reflect on the limits of standard nutrition in understanding the relationship between food and human health. They also focus on how nutrition practitioners are or could be creating different practices for how nutritional information is made available, shared, and absorbed. Among the different frameworks under discussion are individualized nutrition, ecological nutrition, critical dietary literacy, feminist nutrition, and technologies of humility.
Harriet Martineau’s Epistemology of Gossip
Authors: Pond Kristen A.
Published: October 2014

Kristen A. Pond, “Harriet Martineau’s Epistemology of Gossip” (pp. 175–207)

This essay is a fresh examination of Harriet Martineau’s only domestic novel, Deerbrook (1838). Though the novel seems like an interruption to those writings considered more typical of the author, and more successful, this essay traces the way in which Deerbrook’s preoccupation with epistemology connects it in important ways to the rest of Martineau’s oeuvre. While in most of her writing Martineau gives preference to what the Victorians considered to be empirical and rational ways of knowing, in Deerbrook she focuses on more typically feminized knowledge forms that rely on speculation and intuition, in particular the discourse of gossip. This essay argues that gossip’s main function in Deerbrook is not as plot device or didactic warning; rather, it functions as an epistemological category that challenges Enlightenment presumptions to certain knowledge. Read as a source of knowledge rather than a female vice, gossip becomes the tool through which Martineau raises the possibility of alternative forms of knowledge that might counter, or at least complicate, assumptions about what constitutes certain truth and right knowledge.
Jesus Didn't Tap: Masculinity, Theology, and Ideology in Christian Mixed Martial Arts
Authors: Greve Justine
Published: October 2014

This essay analyzes blogs, sermons, videos, and published interviews to examine the religious rhetoric of Christian practitioners of mixed martial arts as well as pastors who promote or reference the sport in their sermons. In the tradition of muscular Christianity (the Bible-based manhood movement of the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries), these fighters and pastors argue that MMA teaches Christian virtues such as discipline and self-control. Linking a healthy physical body with a healthy mind and spirit, they suggest that athletes enact and embody Christian values and ideals of manliness. Some scholars (such as Tony Ladd and James Mathisen) have argued that modern incarnations of muscular Christianity preach a mere “folk theology”—that is, essentially a locker-room pep talk with a touch of Jesus thrown in. Drawing on the field of lived religion, however, I argue that practitioners of Christian MMA experience a close connection between the sport and their religious beliefs. Though the theology may take the language of the “folk,” certain values (discipline and self-sacrifice), theological positions (premillennialism, life as a struggle, Jesus as the focus of religion), and social agendas (addressing masculine aggression and religious and cultural effeminacy) characterize both turn-of-the-century muscular Christianity and Christian MMA today. Athletes strive to imitate Christ and embody Christian values—aided, perhaps, by the bodily practice of their sport. Their focus on Jesus at the expense of doctrine does not indicate a lack of theology. Rather, the image of a manly Christ who will not give up represents a strong, assertive, masculine ideal that fits clearly into an evangelical worldview.
Youth, Christianity, and the Crisis of Civilization, 1930–1945
Authors: Bergler Thomas E.
Published: October 2014

During the 1930s and 1940s, the Great Depression and the rise of communism and fascism in Europe convinced a broad spectrum of Americans that they were living through a prolonged “crisis of civilization” with real potential to destroy all they held dear. Meanwhile, they saw evidence that these global problems put young people especially at risk for immorality, loss of hope, and political subversion. Because the “youth problem” and the “world crisis” seemed to be inextricably linked, even the everyday behaviors of young people took on a heightened political significance in the eyes of many adults. Christian leaders from across the spectrum of churches—Mainline Protestant, Evangelical, Roman Catholic, and African American—did not just capitalize on this obsession with youth and the fate of civilization; they did all they could to fan those flames. They did so not cynically, but sincerely, believing that they could and should save the world by saving American youth. Yet these leaders were also making a bid for influence in American society and for control of the future of their churches. The resulting politicized views of youth and youth work would not only influence the outcomes of internal church battles, but they would also shape how various Christian groups responded to the Cold War.
PI3K/PTEN/Akt and TSC/mTOR signaling pathways, ovarian dysfunction, and infertility: an update
Authors: Makker Annu , Goel Madhu Mati , Mahdi Abbas Ali
Published: October 2014

Abnormalities in ovarian function, including defective oogenesis and folliculogenesis, represent a key female reproductive deficiency. Accumulating evidence in the literature has shown that the PI3K/PTEN/Akt and TSC/mTOR signaling pathways are critical regulators of ovarian function including quiescence, activation, and survival of primordial follicles, granulosa cell proliferation and differentiation, and meiotic maturation of oocytes. Dysregulation of these signaling pathways may contribute to infertility caused by impaired follicular development, intrafollicular oocyte development, and ovulation. This article reviews the current state of knowledge of the functional role of the PI3K/PTEN/Akt and TSC/mTOR pathways during mammalian oogenesis and folliculogenesis and their association with female infertility.
Differential Maternal Feeding Practices, Eating Self-Regulation, and Adiposity in Young Twins
Authors: Tripicchio Gina L. , Keller Kathleen L. , Johnson Cassandra , Pietrobelli Angelo , Heo Moonseong , Faith Myles S.
Published: October 2014

OBJECTIVE:

Restrictive feeding is associated with childhood obesity; however, this could be due to other factors that drive children to overeat and parents to restrict (eg, child genetics). Using a twin design to better control for confounders, we tested differences in restrictive feeding within families in relation to differences in twins’ self-regulatory eating and weight status.

METHODS:

Sixty-four same-gender twin pairs (4–7 years old) were studied with their mothers. Child caloric compensation ability (COMPX% index) was assessed by using a laboratory-based protocol. The Child Feeding Questionnaire assessed mothers’ self-reported feeding styles toward each twin. Child BMI (kg/m2) and BMI z score were calculated by using measured weight and height; percent body fat and waist circumference were also assessed. Partial correlations examined within-twin pair differences in Child Feeding Questionnaire subscales in relation to within-twin pair differences in anthropometry and caloric compensation (COMPX%).

RESULTS:

Differences in maternal restriction were significantly associated with within-pair differences in child COMPX% and BMI z score. Mothers reported more restriction toward the heavier and more poorly compensating twin. Additionally, within-pair differences in parental pressure to eat were associated with significant differences in BMI z score, percent body fat, and waist circumference. Mothers were more pressuring toward the lighter twin.

CONCLUSIONS:

Mothers vary in their feeding practices, even among same-gender twin pairs, which might influence differences in adiposity. Future research needs to elucidate cause-and-effect and intervention implications regarding parental restriction and pressure-to-eat prompts.
Policy Change for Infants Born at the “Cusp of Viability”: A Canadian NICU Experience
Authors: Mahgoub Linda , van Manen Michael , Byrne Paul , Tyebkhan Juzer M.
Published: October 2014

Resuscitation and life-support treatments for infants born at the “cusp of viability” continue to be subject to clinical and ethical debate. Reported positive outcomes for these infants led our Neonatal Program to critically review our historic practice of discouraging resuscitation of infants born at <24 weeks’ gestational age. This practice change required a multifaceted, collaborative approach including neonatal, perinatal, and obstetric efforts. An exceptional experience was the formation of a dedicated working group that included invaluable input from parents who had lived the NICU experience. The inclusion of family members in the development of clinical policy was a novel experience for NICU staff, which we feel ultimately resulted in a more ethically sound approach to the care of these infants and their families. In this article, we explore our experience of the process of policy change, which although detailed and transparent was also complex and challenging in development and implementation.
Promoting Optimal Care in Childbirth
Authors: Lothian Judith A.
Published: October 2014

In 1996, the World Health Organization set out guidelines for normal birth. Because that time birth in the United States has continued to be intervention intensive, the cesarean rate has skyrocketed and maternal mortality, although low, is rising. At the same time, research continues to provide evidence for the benefits of supporting the normal physiologic process of labor and birth and the risks of interfering with this natural process. This article reviews the current state of U.S. maternity care and discusses research and advocacy efforts that address this issue. This article describes optimal care in childbirth and introduces the Lamaze International Six Healthy Birth Practices.
Healthy Birth Practice #1: Let Labor Begin on Its Own
Authors: Amis Debby
Published: October 2014

As cesarean rates have climbed to almost one-third of all births in the United States, current research and professional organizations have identified letting labor begin on its own as one of the most important strategies for reducing the primary cesarean rate. At least equally important, letting labor begin on its own supports normal physiology, prevents iatrogenic prematurity, and prevents the cascade of interventions caused by labor induction. This article is an updated evidence-based review of the “Lamaze International Care Practices That Promote Normal Birth, Care Practice #1: Let Labor Begin on Its Own,” published in The Journal of Perinatal Education, 16(3), 2007.
Healthy Birth Practice #2: Walk, Move Around, and Change Positions Throughout Labor
Authors: Ondeck Michele
Published: October 2014

In the United States, obstetric care is intervention intensive, resulting in 1 in 3 women undergoing cesarean surgery wherein mobility is treated as an intervention rather than supporting the natural physiologic process for optimal birth. Women who use upright positions and are mobile during labor have shorter labors, receive less intervention, report less severe pain, and describe more satisfaction with their childbirth experience than women in recumbent positions. This article is an updated evidence-based review of the “Lamaze International Care Practices That Promote Normal Birth, Care Practice #2: Freedom of Movement Throughout Labor,” published inThe Journal of Perinatal Education,16(3), 2007.
Healthy Birth Practice #3: Bring a Loved One, Friend, or Doula for Continuous Support
Authors: Green Jeanne , Hotelling Barbara A.
Published: October 2014

All women should be allowed and encouraged to bring a loved one, friend, or doula to their birth without financial or cultural barriers. Continuous labor support offers benefits to mothers and their babies with no known harm. This article is an updated evidence-based review of the “Lamaze International Care Practices that Promote Normal Birth, Care Practice #3: Continuous Labor Support,” published in The Journal of Perinatal Education, 16(3), 2007.
Atmospheric Controls on Gas Flow Directions in a Waste Rock Dump
Authors: Lahmira Belkacem , Lefebvre René , Hockley Daryl , Phillip Mark
Published: October 2014

The Sullivan Mine No. 1 Shaft waste rock dump was built on a natural slope and covered by till. The outflow of O2–deficient gas through a leachate drainage pipe in an enclosure at the base of the dump resulted in four fatalities. A numerical model was developed to understand the mechanism controlling gas flow, which was found to be the relative buoyancy of the gas phase within the dump compared with atmospheric air. Changes in atmospheric air density are caused by atmospheric temperature variations, whereas dump gas‐phase density is relatively constant due to a steady internal dump temperature. When the air temperature is lower than the internal dump temperature, atmospheric air density is higher than the dump gas density, inducing upward dump gas flow and air entry into the drainage pipe. Downward dump gas flow occurs and exits the drainage pipe when high atmospheric temperature leads to an air density lower than the dump gas density. A gas flow behavior similar to what was observed at the No. 1 Shaft dump could occur in other covered dumps.
Leaching of Glyphosate and Aminomethylphosphonic Acid from an Agricultural Field over a Twelve‐Year Period
Authors: Norgaard Trine , Moldrup Per , Ferré Ty P.A. , Olsen Preben , Rosenbom Annette E. , de Jonge Lis W.
Published: October 2014

The globally used herbicide glyphosate [N‐(phosphonomethyl)glycine] and its most frequently detected metabolite, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), were studied in a unique 12‐yr field‐scale monitoring program. The leaching of glyphosate, AMPA, and soil particles was studied in a shallow drainage system beneath a 1.26‐ ha field. Five annual glyphosate applications were applied with different autumn application dates. Solute mass flux from the drain system following the five glyphosate applications were compared to determine how different factors affect the leaching of glyphosate, AMPA, and particles. Glyphosate and AMPA leaching were highly event driven, controlled by the time and intensity of the first rainfall event after glyphosate application. A high similarity in cumulative drainage and leached pesticide masses with time suggests near‐constant drainage and leaching rates. There was no clear relationship between particle‐facilitated transport and the transport of glyphosate or AMPA. However, soil particles, glyphosate, and AMPA all showed distinct, simultaneous concentration curves, indicating common dominant transport mechanisms. Also, soil‐water content at the time of application and the level of the groundwater table relative to the drain depth exerted clear controls on detection of solutes in the drainage water. To summarize our findings, we present a leaching risk chart to illustrate the dependence of glyphosate, AMPA, and soil particle leaching based on rainfall intensity and the timing of rainfall events after glyphosate application.
Optimization of server performance in the CMX educational MMORPG for computer programming
Authors: Malliarakis Christos , Satratzemi Maya , Xinogalos Stelios
Published: October 2014

A new generation of computer games has taken over during the last few years,
called Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPG). In parallel,
the usage of games in education has increased, exploiting the fact that young
people are familiarized with them and would be more motivated to learn while
entertained. However, MMORPG require significant amounts of resources, such
as bandwidth, RAM and CPU capacity to support learning. In this paper, we
propose a new methodology to achieve monitoring and optimization of the load
balancing, so that the essential resources for the proper execution of an
educational MMORPG for computer programming can be foreseen and bestowed
without overloading the system. Moreover, we present an educational MMORPG
called CMX, which aims to teach computer programming through interactive
activities and role-playing. We finally apply the proposed model to CMX by
conducting an experiment and conclude that the server?s performance is indeed
increased.
‘It's Been a Search for What I Wanted to Do’: Mid-Life Reflections on Career Transitions and Lifelong Learning
Authors: Barabasch Antje
Published: October 2014

This Special Issue is compiled of articles that are all based on biographical data collected in a European research project designed, funded and steered by the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) and coordinated by the University of Warwick. Under the heading, ‘Learning for Career and Labour Market Transitions – individual biographies’, a group of researchers from Italy, Spain, Denmark, France and Germany collected 25 biographical interviews from mid-career adults in each country. The methodology applied, the recruitment of interviewees, the interviewing strategies and the foci of analysis differed between the countries as a result of varying historical, intellectual and cultural traditions which lead to a rewarding learning process among the researchers. The stories generated rich data which enabled comparisons to take place across the five countries. Overall, the study illuminates individuals' approaches to career transitions under different structural and individual conditions and reveals the complex processes of learning, labour market experiences and working-life transitions. The themes covered in this special issue are based on theoretical lenses, such as the interrelationship of agency and structure, career decision-making styles, the development of career adaptability, and gender, which the researchers in the various country teams used in their data analysis. The interdisciplinary and intercultural approach in this study ensured that the topic of career transitions and lifelong learning would be covered in its complexity within a European framework.
Model of Learning for Career and Labour Market Transitions
Authors: Brown Alan , Bimrose Jenny
Published: October 2014

The study, upon which this special issue focuses, used narrative interviews to investigate how learning can support workers' transitions in the labour market in five European countries (Denmark, France, Germany, Italy and Spain). The five countries were chosen to represent very different contexts in the way learning can support career and labour market transitions and the findings showed considerable variation in the types of skill formation and career and learning pathways with which many people in their mid-career and with middle level qualifications engaged. The narrative interviews, outlining the respondents' strategic career and learning biographies, were a powerful way to investigate how adults established in their careers navigated their ways through changing labour markets. The findings were also used to develop a more comprehensive model of learning for career and labour market transitions that would accommodate the different ways in which learning could support career transitions across the life-course, where these transitions may involve shifts away from initial occupational identities.
Thoracoscopic-assisted pulmonary surgery for partial and complete lung lobectomy in dogs and cats: 11 cases (2008–2013)
Authors: Wormser Chloe , Singhal Sunil , Holt David E. , Runge Jeffrey J.
Published: October 2014

Objective—To describe the use of thoracoscopic-assisted pulmonary surgery (TAPS) for partial and complete lung lobectomy in small animal patients and to evaluate short-term outcome.

Design—Retrospective case series.

Animals—11 client-owned dogs and cats.

Procedures—Medical records of dogs and cats that underwent a partial or complete TAPS lung lobectomy were reviewed. All patients underwent general anesthesia and were positioned in lateral recumbency with the affected hemithorax uppermost. One-lung ventilation was not implemented in any patient. For initial exploration, a 5- to 10-mm incision was made for insertion of a 30° telescope approximately 5 to 7 rib spaces away from the site of the pulmonary lesion in the dorsal third of the thorax. All subsequent incision placements were case dependent and determined by the location of the lesion to be resected. Following lesion localization, a 2- to 7-cm minithoracotomy incision was made with direct thoracoscopic visualization without the use of rigid rib retractors. In 10 of 11 patients, a 360° wound retraction device was placed at the minithoracotomy site prior to exteriorization and resection of the affected lung. Lymph nodes were inspected intraoperatively, but biopsies were not performed; incisions were closed routinely, and a thoracostomy tube was placed in all patients.

Results—3 cats and 8 dogs underwent successful partial (5) or complete (6) TAPS lung lobectomy over a 5-year period (2008 through 2013). Median surgery time was 92.7 minutes (range, 77 to 150 minutes). Thoracostomy tubes were removed a median of 22.3 hours after surgery (range, 18 to 36 hours). The median time to discharge was 3.1 days (range, 1 to 6 days). No intraoperative complications were encountered. All patients were discharged from the hospital, with 9 of 11 patients alive 6 months after surgery.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results of this study suggested that lung lobectomy by means of TAPS can be successfully performed in dogs and cats. When compared with total thoracoscopic surgery, TAPS may offer a more technically feasible approach from both a surgical and anesthetic standpoint, because it provides the benefits of minimally invasive thoracic surgery without the necessity of 1-lung ventilation.
Estimating Network Fundamental Diagram Using Three-Dimensional Vehicle Trajectories
Authors: Saberi Meead , Mahmassani Hani S. , Hou Tian , Zockaie Ali
Published: October 2014

This paper evaluates measurement methods for traffic flow variables taken at the network level. Generalized Edie's definitions of fundamental traffic flow variables along highways are extended for considering vehicles traveling in networks. These definitions are used to characterize traffic flow in networks and form the basis for estimating relationships among network density, flow, and speed in the form of a network fundamental diagram. The method relies on three-dimensional vehicle trajectories to provide estimates of network flow, density, and speed. Such trajectories may be routinely obtained from particle-based microscopic and mesoscopic simulation models and are increasingly available from tracking devices on vehicles. Numerical results from the simulation of two networks, in Chicago, Illinois, and Salt Lake City, Utah, are presented to illustrate and validate the estimation methodology. As part of the verification process, the study confirms that the traffic flow fundamental identity (Q = K · V) holds at the network level only when networkwide traffic flow variables are defined consistently with Edie's definitions.
New Generic Multiclass Kinematic Wave Traffic Flow Model
Authors: van Wageningen-Kessels Femke , van Lint Hans , Hoogendoorn Serge P. , Vuik Kees
Published: October 2014

Fastlane, a generic multiclass kinematic wave traffic flow model, is proposed and analyzed. The model takes into account heterogeneity of driver-vehicle units with respect to speed and space occupancy: long vehicles with large headways (e.g., trucks) take more space than short vehicles with short headways (e.g., passenger cars). What makes the model unique is that it considers that this effect is larger when traffic volume is greater. This state-dependent space occupancy is reflected in dynamic passenger car equivalent values. The resulting model is shown to satisfy important requirements, such as providing a unique solution and being anisotropic. Simulations compare Fastlane to other multi-class models. The characteristic velocity is shown to depend on the truck share, which is one of the main consequences of the modeling approach.
Using Travel Time Data to Generate Aggregated Measures of Traffic
Authors: Navarro Matías , Herrera Juan C.
Published: October 2014

Reliable travel time data are easier to obtain than they were a few years ago because of technological advances. These data are used by drivers to plan their trips and by agencies to monitor traffic. However, travel time data are usually collected from a certain sample of all the vehicles traveling on the road. This paper proposes a simple and effective methodology for obtaining more information from these types of data. The method uses travel time data to construct cumulative curves at two points on a road section. Aggregated measures such as arrival flow and total delay then can be computed. This method is a simpler way to assess the social cost of congestion caused by various bottlenecks and adds value to travel time data.
Jam Occupancy and Other Lingering Problems with Empirical Fundamental Relationships
Authors: Coifman Benjamin
Published: October 2014

This paper explores several commonly overlooked factors affecting empirical fundamental relationships that are commonly used to relate the traffic state parameters: speed, flow, and concentration. Most of these factors are conceptually simple, but collectively they result in unexpectedly large, nonlinear distortions of the empirical traffic state measurements. In some cases the impacts are known but are underappreciated, for example, passenger car equivalents and measurement errors arising from sampling artifacts. In other cases the impacts have not been recognized in the literature; for example, jam occupancy should be about 80%. The paper also discusses often-overlooked effects of an inhomogeneous vehicle fleet and nonstationary traffic, both of which can add considerable noise to empirical measurements of the traffic state. As a result of these distortions, on a freeway more than half the physical distance along the queued regime of the fundamental relationship in the flow-density plane (and flow-occupancy plane) results from speeds below 10 mph. This outcome inadvertently gives greater weight to the low-speed measurements because they are spread over a large physical region of the plane, while the higher-speed measurements are compressed into a narrow sliver. However, as the paper illustrates, the low-speed samples are subject to the largest measurement errors, are the least likely to come from stationary conditions, and often violate the assumptions used to measure the traffic state. Aggregated low-speed data from conventional vehicle detectors should be discounted or possibly discarded when an empirical fundamental relationship is constructed.