bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Responses of Basal Melting of Antarctic Ice Shelves to the Climatic Forcing of the Last Glacial Maximum and CO2 Doubling
Authors: Obase Takashi , Abe-Ouchi Ayako , Kusahara Kazuya , Hasumi Hiroyasu , Ohgaito Rumi
Published: February 2017

Basal melting of the Antarctic ice shelves is an important factor in determining the stability of the Antarctic ice sheet. This study used the climatic outputs of an atmosphere–ocean general circulation model to force a circumpolar ocean model that resolves ice shelf cavity circulation to investigate the response of Antarctic ice shelf melting to different climatic conditions (i.e., to a doubling of CO2 and to the Last Glacial Maximum conditions). Sensitivity experiments were also conducted to investigate the roles of both surface atmospheric change and changes of oceanic lateral boundary conditions. It was found that the rate of change of basal melt due to climate warming is much greater (by an order of magnitude) than that due to cooling. This is mainly because the intrusion of warm water onto the continental shelves, linked to sea ice production and climate change, is crucial in determining the basal melt rate of many ice shelves. Sensitivity experiments showed that changes of atmospheric heat flux and ocean temperature are both important for warm and cold climates. The offshore wind change, together with atmospheric heat flux change, strongly affected the production of both sea ice and high-density water, preventing warmer water approaching the ice shelves under a colder climate. These results reflect the importance of both water mass formation in the Antarctic shelf seas and subsurface ocean temperature in understanding the long-term response to climate change of the melting of Antarctic ice shelves.
Boreal Summer Intraseasonal Phases Identified by Nonlinear Multivariate Empirical Orthogonal Function–Based Self-Organizing Map (ESOM) Analysis
Authors: Chu Jung-Eun , Wang Bin , Lee June-Yi , Ha Kyung-Ja
Published: February 2017

This study develops an empirical orthogonal function (EOF)-based self-organizing map (SOM) (ESOM) analysis to identify the nonlinear characteristics of the boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation (BSISO), which involves interactions between the summer mean circulation and the convectively coupled equatorial waves, which make BSISO evolution more complex than the Madden–Julian oscillation. The method utilizes the first five principal components of the outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) and the zonal wind at 850 hPa (U850) and has the advantages of filtering out uncertainties from noise and being free from mathematical restrictions, such as orthogonality and linearity.

The ESOM analysis enables the detection of BSISO over the Asian summer monsoon region with eight phases. The four most distinguishable phases represent 1) a pair of stationary patterns with a dipole between the eastern Indian Ocean and the Philippine Sea (phases 1 and 5) and 2) a pair of propagating patterns with a northwest–southeast-tilted rain belt structure (phases 3 and 7). Phases 1 and 5 show an alternating seesaw oscillation throughout the summer with a 30–60-day period, whereas phases 3 and 7 peak in mid-June and early June denoting the monsoon rainy season and premonsoon period of Asian summer monsoon. ESOM captures that phases 1 and 5 happen more frequently and last longer than phases 3 and 7, whereas multivariate EOF analysis fails to describe this nonlinear occurrence. Phases 3 and phase 7 display distinct asymmetries in convective activity over the eastern Indian Ocean related to the relatively slow-growing and fast-decaying convective activity. The relationship with large-scale SST forcing is also discussed.
Postprocessing of GEFS Precipitation Ensemble Reforecasts over the U.S. Mid-Atlantic Region
Authors: Yang Xingchen , Sharma Sanjib , Siddique Ridwan , Greybush Steven J. , Mejia Alfonso
Published: February 2017

The potential of Bayesian model averaging (BMA) and heteroscedastic censored logistic regression (HCLR) to postprocess precipitation ensembles is investigated. For this, outputs from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) 11-member Global Ensemble Forecast System Reforecast, version 2 (GEFSRv2), dataset are used. As part of the experimental setting, 24-h precipitation accumulations and forecast lead times of 24 to 120 h are used, over the mid-Atlantic region (MAR) of the United States. In contrast with previous postprocessing studies, a wider range of forecasting conditions is considered here when evaluating BMA and HCLR. Additionally, BMA and HCLR have not yet been compared against each other under a common and consistent experimental setting. To compare and verify the postprocessors, different metrics are used (e.g., skills scores and reliability diagrams) conditioned upon the forecast lead time, precipitation threshold, and season. Overall, HCLR tends to slightly outperform BMA but the differences among the postprocessors are not as significant. In the future, an alternative approach could be to combine HCLR with BMA to take advantage of their relative strengths.
Bush Psychiatric Services
Authors: Yellowlees Peter
Published: February 2017

This is a description of the psychiatric services at present provided to the Far West Region of New South Wales. On account of the isolation of the region, and noting that the area probably has a higher than normal rate of psychiatric and psycho-social morbidity, there are special problems involved in the provision of comprehensive treatment services. I am the only resident psychiatrist within the region, and work as both a Visiting Medical Officer to the Broken Hill Base Hospital, to Wilcannia Hospital, and to the Prison Medical Service, as well as half time in private practice. The Mental Health Services to the area are at present being considerably expanded, and in this paper their structure and function will be described, and the special problems of providing a comprehensive service to an isolated area of the bush will be discussed. The inequity of service allocation to the region will be highlighted. It is noted that the region's total share of the financial mental health cake has dropped by about 40% in the last ten years as a result of the setting up of local community services and dramatically reduced in-patient hospitalisation costs in Sydney and Adelaide.
Why Didn’t You Text Me? Poststudy Trends From the DepoText Trial
Authors: Buchanan Cara R. Muñoz , Tomaszewski Kathy , Chung Shang-en , Upadhya Krishna K. , Ramsey Alexandra , Trent Maria E.
Published: February 2017

Objective. To evaluate the longitudinal impact of a 9-month text message intervention on participant adherence beyond the intervention to highly effective contraceptive methods among urban adolescent and young adult women enrolled in the DepoText randomized control trial (RCT). Study Design. Retrospective longitudinal cohort study of long-term follow-up data from the DepoText RCT. Sixty-seven female participants (aged 13-21 years) using depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) were recruited from an urban academic adolescent practice in Baltimore, Maryland. The principal outcome measured was a comparison of contraceptive method choice between the control and intervention groups during the 20 months postintervention. Results. Intervention participants were 3.65 times more likely to continue using DMPA or a more efficacious method at the 20-month postintervention evaluation (odds ratio 3.65, 95% CI 1.26-10.08; P = .015). Conclusion. Participation in the DepoText trial was associated with continued use of DMPA or a more effective contraceptive method almost 20 months after the intervention exposure ended.
Consultation-Based Programming: Instituting the Collaborative Ethic in Schools
Authors: Phillips Vicki , Mccullough Laura
Published: February 2017

Consultation-based programming is widely supported as a logical augmentation to the current educational service delivery system. However, despite increasing advocacy for formats that foster collaborative efforts of multidisciplinary personnel, implementation of these program formats in schools remains sporadic. This article (a) discusses a number of the conceptual principles which underpin program development, (b) proposes informal standards for ecological evaluation of specific formats, and (c) identifies factors that maximize the potential for successful installment of consultation-based programs in schools.
Students with Low-Incidence Disabilities in Disadvantaged, Rural Settings
Authors: Capper Colleen A.
Published: February 2017

This descriptive study investigated the impact of special education policy on the school day of three disadvantaged, rural students with severe disabilities. A constant comparative method of single and cross-site data analysis revealed that the product of policy was a day with little or no instruction and limited opportunities for peer interaction. Barriers to policy implementation included shortage of personnel, weak political influence of poor families, and lack of positive service examples.
Church and State in the New Testament
Authors: Russell E.A.
Published: February 2017

‘The dilemma how to serve the higher good when in the hour of trial has a poignant reality that words can never recapture nor outsiders ever really fathom, and those who stand at a safe distance are in no position to pass judgment. The Moscow Patriarchate, the Ail-Union Council of Baptists, and the Jewish Rabbinate, for example, have problably been no less heroic in shouldering the agony and burden of accommodation than Orthodox resisters, Baptist reformers, and spokesmen of the new voice of Soviet Jewry have been in their refusal to yield any ground to the totalitarian claims of the State’.1
Mean Profiles of the NEO Personality Inventory
Authors: Allik Jüri , Church A. Timothy , Ortiz Fernando A. , Rossier Jérôme , Hřebíčková Martina , de Fruyt Filip , Realo Anu , McCrae Robert R.
Published: February 2017

The Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) and its latest version, the NEO-PI-3, were designed to measure 30 distinctive personality traits, which are grouped into Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness domains. The mean self-rated NEO-PI-R scores for 30 subscales have been reported for 36 countries or cultures in 2002. As a follow-up, this study reports the mean scores of the NEO-PI-R/3 for 71,870 participants from 76 samples and 62 different countries or cultures and 37 different languages. Mean differences in personality traits across countries and cultures were about 8.5 times smaller than differences between any two individuals randomly selected from these samples. Nevertheless, a multidimensional scaling of similarities and differences in the mean profile shape showed a clear clustering into distinctive groups of countries or cultures. This study provides further evidence that country/culture mean scores in personality are replicable and can provide reliable information about personality dispositions.
The oracle or the crowd? Experts versus the stock market in forecasting ceasefire success in the Levant
Authors: Schneider Gerald , Hadar Maya , Bosler Naomi
Published: February 2017

The forecasting literature has come to mistrust the predictions made by experts who forecast political events in mass media. Distinguishing between judgements made by one or few individuals (‘oracles’) and assessments made by larger groups (‘crowds’), we contrast journalistic predictions with forecasts stemming from the financial industry. These two competing views were evaluated in a quantitative analysis of the ex ante success of 24 ceasefire agreements in various conflicts which took place in the Levant from 1993 to 2014. Our analysis compares the forecasts appearing in press commentaries ( Haaretz, Jerusalem Post and New York Times) with the expectations that the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange had about the stability of these cooperative efforts. To evaluate the predictions of these very dissimilar sources, the effectiveness of the ceasefires was analysed through the number of violent events following the official start of the truce. The analysis shows that the financial industry performs better than the media industry in the comparative evaluation of ceasefire forecasts, but that neither source provides sufficiently accurate predictions. The partial support for the crowd thesis is discussed in light of recent literature that resuscitates the usage of well-trained experts for forecasting purposes, but warns against the dramatizing predictions of media pundits.
Gypsy leadership, cohesion and social memory in the Evangelical Church of Philadelphia
Authors: Cantón-Delgado Manuela
Published: February 2017

Nowadays, although throughout Europe the Catholic, Orthodox, Muslim and Protestant denominational identities remain among Roma, the conversion rate would suggest the number of Roma Pentecostal will have numerically overtaken all the others in just a few years’ time. The uniqueness of Spanish Gypsy Pentecostalism contradicts some of the stereotypes of global Pentecostalism and resides in its organisational complexity and hierarchical structure, its rapid institutionalisation as a sole church, the thorough theological training of its leaders, and its autonomy both from the State and from the European and Latin American Pentecostal Roma Movement. This article is structured around a life history and two concerns: (a) the role of the constant circulation of the gypsy evangelical ministers as regards charisma and leadership; (b) the growing transfer of prestige from the respected gypsy elders to the young evangelical pastors and their role in wide pacification processes involving ethnic cohesion and kinship.
Convergence(s) et singularité(s): À propos des deux concepts clés de l’eschatologie transhumaniste
Authors: Liogier Raphaël
Published: February 2017

NBIC convergence (Nano, Bio, Info, Cognitive science) is not merely a reality in the evolution of the technosciences but the object of an eschatological narrative. In transhumanist mythology – which is not a simple fiction but a plausible framework for interpreting reality as given, this convergence becomes the major sign of the imminence of a unique event both in the history of man, as well as the history of life and the universe as a whole. This event, whose most explicit significance designates the moment when machines become more ‘complex’ and, consequently, more ‘intelligent’ and thus more ‘powerful’ than humans, may at once be perceived as negative, an unprecedented catastrophe, or as positive, the moment of a revelation, the occasion for a surpassing that we should anticipate and prepare for now. Thus the concepts of convergence(s) and singularity(/ies) (which the inter-nesting significations take on, from the most exoteric to the most esoteric) emerge as the two central themes of a technoscientific eschatology characterizing transhumanist mythology. Transhumanist eschatology, provided with these two themes of convergence and singularity, is the most radical religious expression of informational ontology.
Nanocoating on alkali-resistant glass fibers by octadecyltrichlorosilane to improve the mechanical strength of fibers and fibers/epoxy composites
Authors: Kumar Anuj , Vlach Tomáš , Chira Alexandru , Laiblova Lenka , Škapin Andrijana Sever , Tywoniak Jan , Hajek Petr
Published: February 2017

Surface defects cause the measured tensile strength of alkali glass fibers to be significantly lower than their theoretical values. Coatings can be used to “heal” surface flaws and to modify surface properties. In the present work, the nanocoating on alkali-resistant glass (ARG) fiber rovings was carried out by self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS). The ARG roving was dipped into OTS nanosol, which deposited the organic–inorganic SAMs of OTS on the ARG surface. The assessment of changes in the fiber surfaces was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and fluorescence microscopy, while the chemical changes were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Furthermore, the influence of nanocoating on the tensile properties of ARG and OTS-treated ARG with and without an epoxy matrix was also studied. The SEM analysis revealed the formation of nanoscale layers on the ARG surfaces and the XPS confirmed the deposition of organic–inorganic monolayers. The tensile strength of ARG rovings with and without the epoxy matrix was improved significantly. The OTS treatment almost created a superhydrophobic nanocoating on ARG, which was confirmed by the sessile drop water contact angle, and the water absorption by the ARG/epoxy composites reduced.
Technology-Based Shared Story Reading for Students With Autism Who Are English-Language Learners
Authors: Alison Caryn , Root Jenny R. , Browder Diane M. , Wood Leah
Published: February 2017

Demonstrating comprehension of text is a complex skill that is an area of difficulty for many students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Shared story reading is an intervention that has a history of effectiveness in teaching literacy skills to students with extensive support needs. This study used a multiple probe across participants design to evaluate the effects of shared story reading using e-texts and embedded prompting on vocabulary and reading comprehension of grade-aligned narrative texts by elementary students with ASD who were also English-language learners. Outcomes indicate shared story reading with the embedded technological supports was effective for teaching comprehension of WH questions as well as identification of WH rules and definitions. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
Positive Well-Being in Youth With Type 1 Diabetes During Early Adolescence
Authors: Steinberg Dara M. , Anderson Barbara J. , de Wit Maartje , Hilliard Marisa E.
Published: February 2017

Developmental shifts during early adolescence relate to type 1 diabetes (T1D) self-management, increased risk of emotional distress, and worsening health status. Less is known about positive experiences related to T1D. This study evaluated associations of positive well-being (PWB) with diabetes burden, self-management, and glycemic control. Youth ( N = 55, age = 12-13 years; [Formula: see text] age = 12.75 + 0.56 years, 50.9% male, 38.2% non-Caucasian) reported PWB, depressive symptoms, and diabetes burden. Parents reported on overall T1D adherence. Adherence behaviors and glycemic control were assessed objectively. Higher PWB correlated with lower depressive symptoms ( rs = −.45), less diabetes burden ( rs = −.48), and better glycemic control ( rs = −.43), all p < .01. When controlling for diabetes duration, higher PWB correlated with lower depressive symptoms and better glycemic control. PWB was not related to demographics or adherence. Initial exploration suggests PWB is related to key diabetes constructs, and maybe valuable to consider along with efforts to support youth with T1D during a vulnerable developmental period.
Human modeling for human–robot collaboration
Authors: Hiatt Laura M , Narber Cody , Bekele Esube , Khemlani Sangeet S , Trafton J Gregory
Published: February 2017

Teamwork is best achieved when members of the team understand one another. Human–robot collaboration poses a particular challenge to this goal due to the differences between individual team members, both mentally/computationally and physically. One way in which this challenge can be addressed is by developing explicit models of human teammates. Here, we discuss, compare and contrast the many techniques available for modeling human cognition and behavior, and evaluate their benefits and drawbacks in the context of human–robot collaboration.
Endothelial protein C receptor polymorphisms and risk of sepsis in a Chinese population
Authors: Liang Yanbing , Huang Xia , Jiang Yujie , Qin Yueqiu , Peng Dingwei , Huang Yuqing , Li Jin , Sooranna Suren R , Pinhu Liao
Published: February 2017

Objective

To examine the potential relationship of EPCR polymorphisms and the risk of sepsis in a Chinese population.

Methods

Snapshot SNP genotyping assays and DNA sequencing methods were used to detect polymorphisms of the EPCR gene, rs2069948C/T (2532C/T) and rs867186A/G (6936A/G), in 64 patients with sepsis and in 113 controls. Soluble EPCR (sEPCR) was measured by ELISA.

Results

There were significant differences in the allele and genotype frequencies of EPCR gene rs2069948C/T and allele frequencies of rs867186A/G between male and female patients and controls. Females carrying rs2069948 C/T genotype or T allele and males carrying rs867186 A allele were associated with a significantly increased risk of sepsis. Plasma sEPCR levels of sepsis patients were higher than controls and showed no correlation with EPCR gene polymorphisms.

Conclusions

EPCR polymorphisms may be associated with increased risk of sepsis, but this has no effect on the release of sEPCR in patients with sepsis.
Networks and regional economic growth: A spatial analysis of knowledge ties
Authors: Huggins Robert , Thompson Piers
Published: February 2017

In recent years, increased attention has been given to role of inter-organisational knowledge networks in promoting regional economic growth. Nevertheless, the empirical evidence base concerning the extent to which inter-organisational knowledge networks influence regional growth is at best patchy. This article utilises a panel data regression approach to undertake an empirical analysis of economic growth across regions of the UK. Drawing on the concept of network capital, significant differences in the stocks of network capital and flows of knowledge within and across regions are found, which are significantly associated with regional rates of economic growth. The analysis finds that both inter and intra-regional networks shape regional growth processes, highlighting the role of both embedded localised linkages and the importance of accessing more geographically distant knowledge. The study adds weight to the suggestion that one of the most interesting implications of endogenous growth theory relates to the impact of the spatial organisation of regions on flows of knowledge. It is concluded that the adoption of a relational approach to understanding differing economic geographies indicates that network systems are a key component of the regional development mix.
Pretransition Marital Fertility Variation over Time: Was there Deliberate Control in England?
Authors: Friedlander Dov , Okun Barbara S.
Published: February 2017

An important line of research concerning historical fertility patterns in currently developed countries of Europe has concluded that, prior to the fertility transition, marital fertility was essentially constant over time, and deliberate fertility control was virtually unknown. It has been argued that variations over time in overall fertility were largely the consequence of variations in nuptiality. Other researchers have challenged these views and present evidence for the existence of a significant minority of fertility controllers in pretransition populations. In this article, we find support for this second view and argue that (1) there was significant, non-random variation in marital fertility over time, prior to the transition; (2) in many cases, this variation in marital fertility was large relative to contemporaneous variations in nuptiality; and (3) in a substantial minority of the cases, the variation over time in pretransition marital fertility was so large that it is suggestive of deliberate fertility control. Thus, our findings question the view of fertility transition as an innovation in deliberate marital fertility control. While most of our evidence is based on data from England and Wales, we find corroboration of our key results in other European data.
Medieval Monogamy
Authors: Betzig Laura
Published: February 2017

Was polygyny stopped by the Christian Church? Probably not. In the Middle Ages, as in other ages, powerful men married monogamously, but mated polygynously. Both laymen and church men tended to have sexual access to as many women as they could afford. But first-born sons were allowed a legitimate wife, on whom they got legitimate heirs. And latter-born sons were often celibate—that is, ineligible to sire heirs, though not chaste—that is, ineligible to sire bastards. Church men, like laymen, sought wealth to provide for their women and children. To get it, church men used canon law. Authorities like Gratian and Lombard insisted that “mutual consent” made a marriage. That undercut parents' ability to impose celibacy. And church bans against incest, divorce and remarriage, concubinage, wet nursing, and maybe even incontinence kept laymen from rearing heirs. That let the men who filled the monasteries come into their fathers' estates by default. In short, both church men and laymen practiced polygynous mating. At the same time, both approved of monogamous marriage. There was no conflict in either case. The conflict came when they tried to sow their seeds on the same finite plot. Neither wanted to get cut out of an inheritance.
Mental and Active Preparation: Examining Variations in Women’s Processes of Preparing to Leave Abusive Relationships
Authors: Bermea Autumn M. , Khaw Lyndal , Hardesty Jennifer L. , Rosenbloom Lindsay , Salerno Craig
Published: February 2017

Although the process of leaving abusive relationships has received increased research attention, preparing to leave is still largely understudied. Despite an emphasis on safety planning, not all women take active steps to prepare, and the characteristics and experiences of those who do or do not actively prepare are unknown. We address this gap with a secondary data analysis of interviews with 25 abused mothers in the process of leaving. All women initially engaged in mental planning, where they had emotionally disconnected from their partners. Using constructivist grounded theory techniques, we identified two distinct groups: those whose mental planning led to active planning ( n = 11), and those who moved directly from mental planning to leaving ( n = 14) with little time or need to actively plan. The groups differed on several individual, relationship, and child factors, which may have impacted the ability or decisions to prepare. This study supports the feminist view that survivors are not helpless victims but active agents who strategize for safety. Those who engage solely in mental planning still prepare to leave, even if they do not engage in active planning. Practitioners should consider factors affecting preparations and acknowledge mental planning as a necessary effort in leaving.
Legislative Opinions Concerning the Private Operation of State Prisons: The Case of Florida
Authors: Vardalis James J. , Becker Fred W.
Published: February 2017

Although most prisons in the United States continue to be operated by public agencies, there has been a substantial increase in reliance on private organizations for the operation of corrections facilities in the past decade. Even though state legislators have critical roles in approving or denying proposals to privatize prison operations, little is known why state legislators either favor or oppose the privatization of state prisons. Based on a survey of Florida state legislators in 1998-1999, the authors attempt to identify the factors affecting legislative opinions on this issue. Legislative attitudes are examined from the perspectives of efficiency and effectiveness concerns, personal characteristics and political concerns of the individual legislators, and issues relating to coercive force, liability, and accountability. Based on that empirical evidence, the prospect of an increase in the privatization of prison operations at the state and local levels of government in the United States is addressed.
Legal Help—Seeking Experiences of Former Intimate—Stalking Victims
Authors: Brewster Mary P.
Published: February 2017

Few researchers have explored the experiences of stalking victims in the legal system. Data for this study were gathered through extensive interviews with 187 women who were stalked by former intimate partners. Content analyses of interview transcripts revealed that most victims initially attempted to handle the situation themselves, but the majority ultimately sought assistance from the legal system. Logistic regression analyses examined predictors of legal help seeking. Predictors of seeking any type of legal help, filing for a protection from abuse order or temporary restraining order, and/or seeking police assistance included age (i.e., older women were more likely to seek help), race (i.e., White women were most likely to seek assistance), the presence of threats of violence, violent acts by the stalker, and length of stalking. Likert-type scale ratings by victims of the police, prosecutors', and judges' handling of their cases revealed greatest satisfaction with judges, followed by prosecutors. Suggestions for ways in which the system can better respond to the needs of stalking victims are made. Policy recommendations include greater criminal justice responsiveness to victims of stalking and more coordinated efforts between the police and courts.
Zoning Practices and Neighborhood Physical Disorder
Authors: Novak Kenneth J. , Seiler Charlotte L.
Published: February 2017

Several research studies have identified disorder as a causal factor of both petty and serious crime. Consequently, policy recommendations have focused on reducing disorder in hopes of experiencing a residual effect on community crime rates. It is interesting that less research has focused on the actual correlates of disorder. Using systematic social observations, this article adds to a growing body of research aimed at understanding the incidence of physical disorder. Results indicate that residential housing located near commercial establishments was in significantly greater disrepair compared to housing stock located on residential-only blocks. Policy implications for problem-oriented policing, local government agencies, and community organizations are discussed.
New Technology in Survey Research: Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI)
Authors: Baker Reginald P.
Published: February 2017

This paper summarizes what is currently known about computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI). It gives an overview of research on CAPI within U.S. Government agencies, at a number of European statistical agencies, and at university-based research organizations in the United States. The paper focuses on four areas of concern among CAPI developers that have slowed deployment of this technology on a broader scale: respondent acceptance, interviewer acceptance, impact on data quality, and costs. It argues that experience to date relative to all of these issues has been encouraging, although we are more certain at this stage about acceptance by respondents and interviewers than we are about the precise impact on data quality or the likely costs of CAPI.
Design and Collection of a Handwriting Sample Image Database
Authors: Garris M. D.
Published: February 2017

NIST, under sponsorship from the Bureau of the Census, has collected a database consisting of 2,100 pages of binary image data of handprinted characters including numerals and text. NIST Special Database 1 contains handwriting samples from 2,100 writers geographically distributed across the United States, NIST is currently using this database to research field-isolation, box detection and removal, character segmentation, and writer-independent neural character recognition. In addition to advancing the design of algorithms, this database and its study can aid the social sciences. Observations can be compiled and used to improve form design and field layout strategies. Region-based studies and comparisons are also possible due to regionally distributed and referenced populations of writers in the database. In creating this large database, obstacles to the effective archiving of images have been dealt with and eliminated. This paper describes the database's content in terms of its collection, organization, and usefulness. The strategies and conventions used to develop NIST Special Database 1 can be applied to any discipline requiring the use of image archives.
The Set Theory Matching System: An Application to Ethnographic Research
Authors: Slaven Bradley E.
Published: February 2017

The Set Theory Matching System is a computer system application that matches data records from two independently collected data sources. The two data sources used in this study are the standard census enumeration results and an alternative enumeration using ethnographic field observation techniques. The research project this system was designed to assist is an effort to identify in more detail the kinds of people who are missed in a standard census enumeration and the circumstances that lead to less-than-complete enumeration (Brownrigg & Martin, 1989). The matching process is complicated by the occurrence of inaccurate, incomplete, and conflicting data in both data sources. The Set Theory Matching System attempts to resolve data differences by a complex set of algorithmic decisions. The system uses a hierarchical decision system that considers whole households as the primary unit of matching consideration and the evaluation of household members as the secondary matching criterion. The paper discusses the theoretical applications of the hierarchical decision theory involved in the Set Theory Matching System. It also presents an evaluation of the performance of the system in a large-scale ethnographic enumeration research project carried out in 28 sites throughout the United States for the 1990 Decennial Census.
Claim More™: Empowering African American Women to Make Healthy Choices
Authors: Tkatch Rifky , Musich Shirley , Draklellis Jennifer , Hetzel Marla , Banks Jo , Dugan Jessica , Thompson Kaylene , Hawkins Kevin
Published: February 2017

Diabetes is a serious issue for African American women. The purpose of this project was to develop and test the feasibility of a culturally appropriate and faith-based healthy eating program for African American women at risk for developing diabetes. At total of 30 women from two churches completed a 12-week, faith-based program using a community-based approach with lay health educators in the church setting. Participants set healthy eating goals, attended weekly education classes, and received daily text messaging reminders related to their goals. Outcomes included high levels of social support, frequent engagement with the program, and improved healthy eating. This program demonstrated the ability to target African American women at risk for diabetes and engage them in a health-related program.
Extended state observer based control scheme for the A-EHPS with load pressure estimation
Authors: Shuai Cheng , Jian Song
Published: February 2017

The accumulative electro-hydraulic power steering system (A-EHPS) is essentially an electro-hydraulic servo system with high parametric uncertainties and nonlinearities that are caused by the characteristics of the hydraulic system. The throttle structure in the steering gear and the on-way resistance increase the control difficulty of the plant. This paper reports the construction of a mathematical model that contains the throttle structure and the on-way resistance for the A-EHPS system. Furthermore, an extended state observer and a sliding mode controller are synthesized to estimate uncertain nonlinear components and improve the quality of control in the A-EHPS. The uncertain nonlinear parts contain important information on the high-pressure chamber’s load pressure, which cannot be directly measured. That is, the proposed control scheme can be used to estimate steering resistance, which is essential for the top-layer control strategy. Simulations are performed to validate the control performance and the parameter design principle of the proposed extended state observer scheme. The scheme is then implemented in an actual system, and its robustness advantages over traditional controllers are verified.
An innovative design for cardiopulmonary resuscitation manikins based on a human-like thorax and embedded flow sensors
Authors: Thielen Mark , Joshi Rohan , Delbressine Frank , Bambang Oetomo Sidarto , Feijs Loe
Published: February 2017

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation manikins are used for training personnel in performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation. State-of-the-art cardiopulmonary resuscitation manikins are still anatomically and physiologically low-fidelity designs. The aim of this research was to design a manikin that offers high anatomical and physiological fidelity and has a cardiac and respiratory system along with integrated flow sensors to monitor cardiac output and air displacement in response to cardiopulmonary resuscitation. This manikin was designed in accordance with anatomical dimensions using a polyoxymethylene rib cage connected to a vertebral column from an anatomical female model. The respiratory system was composed of silicon-coated memory foam mimicking lungs, a polyvinylchloride bronchus and a latex trachea. The cardiovascular system was composed of two sets of latex tubing representing the pulmonary and aortic arteries which were connected to latex balloons mimicking the ventricles and lumped abdominal volumes, respectively. These balloons were filled with Life/form simulation blood and placed inside polyether foam. The respiratory and cardiovascular systems were equipped with flow sensors to gather data in response to chest compressions. Three non-medical professionals performed chest compressions on this manikin yielding data corresponding to force–displacement while the flow sensors provided feedback. The force–displacement tests on this manikin show a desirable nonlinear behaviour mimicking chest compressions during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in humans. In addition, the flow sensors provide valuable data on the internal effects of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. In conclusion, scientifically designed and anatomically high-fidelity designs of cardiopulmonary resuscitation manikins that embed flow sensors can improve physiological fidelity and provide useful feedback data.
The investigation of patients with HIV infection: 10 years of progress
Authors: Kingston M A , Bowman C A
Published: February 2017

The past decade has seen great advances in the management of patients with HIV infection. The introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has resulted in a decrease in opportunistic infections but the development of new clinical entities such as lipodystrophy and immune reconstitution illnesses. The use of investigations such as lipid profiles and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scanning to assess lipodystrophy have been necessitated by these changes in the epidemic. Technological advances have resulted in new techniques such as viral resistance assays and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scanning. The appropriate use of these investigations is subject to ongoing assessment.
Characteristics of female sexually transmitted disease clinic clients who report same-sex behaviour
Authors: Marrazzo Jeanne M , Koutsky Laura A , Handsfield H Hunter
Published: February 2017

Female STD clinic clients were categorized by report of sex partners' gender in the preceding 2 months and characterized with respect to HIV risk and STD diagnosis. Among 18,585 visits, 290 women (1.5%) reported sex exclusively with women, and 841 (4.5%) reported sex with both men and women. Relative to women reporting sex only with men, those reporting sex with both men and women reported more recent partners, sex with partners at high risk for HIV, injection drug and crack cocaine use, and exchange of sex for drugs or money. Women reporting sex exclusively with women more frequently reported prior sex with a bisexual man or an HIV-infected partner. Female STD clinic clients who report sex with both men and women may be at increased HIV risk relative to women reporting sex exclusively with men, and women who report sex only with women may be more likely to have had sex with men at high risk for HIV infection.
Selected Abstracts
Authors: Quah SP
Published: February 2017

The Royal Society of Medicine Press produce, as a regular feature of the Journal, a selection of abstracts from 60 of the leading journals which regularly publish in the field of sexually transmitted infections and HIV. The aim is to inform readers of recent advances, which they may otherwise have overlooked. The articles included are personal selections made by Dr W W Dinsmore (Editor) and myself. We hope that this will provide a valuable service.
The fragility of de facto abortion on demand in New Zealand Aotearoa
Authors: McCulloch Alison , Weatherall Ann
Published: February 2017

On the whole, women in New Zealand have good access to safe and affordable means to terminate unwanted pregnancies. Although seemingly ideal, the current situation is a fragile one. Under current legislation, abortion is criminalised and legal access to it relies on gaining the approval of two certifying consultant physicians. In this report, we provide an historical overview of the social and political influences shaping New Zealand’s current approach to abortion, considering the consequences of having abortion governed by criminal law. The situation in New Zealand is used to support a proposal that a pragmatic liberal feminist approach to abortion is best for women where it is a medical matter rather than a legal or moral one.
“Simply providing information”: Negotiating the ethical dilemmas of obstetric ultrasound, prenatal testing and selective termination of pregnancy
Authors: Stephenson Niamh , Mills Catherine , McLeod Kim
Published: February 2017

Obstetric ultrasound is key to opposing ways of valuing foetuses, that is, both to the ascription of foetal personhood and to foetal selection and termination of pregnancy. Whilst ultrasound images are increasingly common within the public sphere there has been relatively little public discussion of its role in identifying actual or potential foetal anomaly and the consequences of this. This paper examines how professionals working with obstetric ultrasound encounter, navigate and make sense of the different uses of this technology. Professionals commonly delineate their work (as providing information) from women’s autonomous choices. Emphasising “women’s choice” can obscure consideration of different collective ways of valuing foetuses with anomalies. It can also deflect consideration of the fundamentally ambiguous information that ultrasound can produce. Distinguishing information from choice is underpinned by a questionable fact–value distinction. We describe alternate professional practices which involve questioning these binaries and foregrounding clinicians’ responsibilities for women’s current and future experience. Public discussion of ultrasound’s different roles in valuing foetuses would be enriched if the discourses and practices shaping professionals’ attempts to facilitate ethical decision-making were included for collective consideration.
Depicting abortion access on American television, 2005–2015
Authors: Sisson Gretchen , Kimport Katrina
Published: February 2017

Despite an increasing number of restrictions on accessing abortion care in the United States, most Americans remain unaware of challenges to obtaining abortion. Theorists of abortion stigma have posited that entertainment media contribute to ongoing lack of knowledge about abortion care. Analyzing all plotlines that aired on American television between 2005 and 2015 in which abortion is considered (n = 89), we examine how access to abortion is portrayed, whether characters are able to surmount barriers, and what documented real-life challenges to access are missing from onscreen representations. We find that 42% show at least one barrier to accessing abortion care, most frequently illegality, cost of the procedure, and social stigma. Almost no barriers—including illegality—are insurmountable, and most are easily overcome for the characters seeking abortion. Some barriers, however, change how abortion is understood by a character such that she opts to continue the pregnancy. This underrepresentation of the difficulty of obtaining abortion care may contribute to public beliefs that abortion restrictions do not pose real challenges for women’s access to abortion.
Abortion in the United States: The continuing controversy
Authors: Beckman Linda J
Published: February 2017

In the United States, abortion rates have been falling for several decades while attitudes have remained relatively stable. Given this background, this paper examines the current status of the fluid and contentious US abortion debate. Five relevant questions are examined: (1) What is responsible for the new wave of restrictive laws and what are their effects? (2) What is most likely responsible for changes in abortion rates? (3) What are the effects of the addition of medication abortion into the mix of abortion services? (4) What forces continue to fuel economic, geographic and racial/ethnic disparities in access to abortion services? (5) Why have gay rights been embraced by a majority of the US public and supported in legislation and judicial decisions, while during this same time period abortion rights have stagnated or declined? It is crucial for feminists to continue to promote the cause of abortion and other reproductive rights. Most important, however, is a focus on broader social issues for women (e.g., adequate education, affordable day care) and the underlying causes of unequal power in society.
Knowing, Being, and Doing: Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal Collaboration in Cancer Services
Authors: Zubrzycki Joanna , Shipp Rick , Jones Victoria
Published: February 2017

This qualitative inquiry explored the processes and practices of collaboration as experienced by a group of Australian multidisciplinary Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal health workers. Each worker had participated, for a period of 2 to 5 years, in an Australian Government–funded project in which a range of health initiatives led to improved access to cancer services by Aboriginal communities in a rural region of South Eastern Australia. Initiatives which addressed high rates of mortality from cancer, poor access to cancer screening, and engagement with cancer treatment were developed through the formation of close working relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal health workers. These relationships were regarded as personally and professionally transformative. Through the sharing of knowledge, skills, and experiences, new ways of knowing, being, and doing emerged. Developing a deeper understanding of cross-cultural collaboration is one way of addressing complex health problems and building the capacity of the health workforce.
Local Treatment of Respiratory Infections with Antibiotics
Authors: Stout Susan A. , Derendorf Hartmut
Published: February 2017

Local administration of antibiotics for the treatment of respiratory infections has the potential advantage of reduced systemic toxicity and increased drug concentration at the site of infection. This article reviews the basic principles of pulmonary drug delivery using aerosols and the clinical efficacy of local antibiotic therapy of respiratory infections. Clinical studies have been conducted with locally administered aminoglycosides, penicillins, cephalosporins, and polypeptides. The results of these investigations and the pharmacokinetic aspects of pulmonary antibiotic delivery are summarized.