bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dropsonde Observations of Total Integrated Water Vapor Transport within North Pacific Atmospheric Rivers
Authors: Ralph F. M. , Iacobellis S. F. , Neiman P. J. , Cordeira J. M. , Spackman J. R. , Waliser D. E. , Wick G. A. , White A. B. , Fairall C.
Published: August 2017

Aircraft dropsonde observations provide the most comprehensive measurements to date of horizontal water vapor transport in atmospheric rivers (ARs). The CalWater experiment recently more than tripled the number of ARs probed with the required measurements. This study uses vertical profiles of water vapor, wind, and pressure obtained from 304 dropsondes across 21 ARs. On average, total water vapor transport (TIVT) in an AR was 4.7 × 108 ± 2 × 108 kg s−1. This magnitude is 2.6 times larger than the average discharge of liquid water from the Amazon River. The mean AR width was 890 ± 270 km. Subtropical ARs contained larger integrated water vapor (IWV) but weaker winds than midlatitude ARs, although average TIVTs were nearly the same. Mean TIVTs calculated by defining the lateral “edges” of ARs using an IVT threshold versus an IWV threshold produced results that differed by less than 10% across all cases, but did vary between the midlatitudes and subtropical regions.
Latitude or Latent Control? How Occupational Embeddedness and Control Shape Emergent Coordination
Authors: Bechky Beth A. , Chung Daisy E.
Published: August 2017

We examine how different occupational communities that are embedded in organizations exercise control processes to achieve emergent coordination as they create complex products together. We compare two types of organizations, equipment manufacturing and film production, and find that although occupational control was important for emergent coordination in both settings, this relationship varied according to two aspects of occupational embeddedness: organizational acknowledgment of occupational control and occupational interdependence. In the equipment manufacturing setting, occupational control was latent: the communities visibly conformed to organizational control processes while exercising occupational control behind the scenes to coordinate emergently. In the film setting, the organization granted the occupational community significant latitude over its tasks, which enabled members to coordinate emergently to solve problems the majority of the time. We propose that these two aspects of occupational embeddedness must be analyzed together with occupational control processes to explain how integration unfolds in knowledge-based settings in ways that organizational control processes are ill-equipped to manage.
Opportunistic Accountability: State–Society Bargaining Over Shared Interests
Authors: Grossman Shelby , Phillips Jonathan , Rosenzweig Leah R.
Published: August 2017

Conflicting preferences between the state and society underpin most accountability mechanisms by providing a credible way for society to impose costs on the state. Adapting a classic bargaining framework, we argue that broader conditions can support state–society bargaining. Policies that both the state and society value can also enhance society’s negotiating power, provided society has a relatively lower valuation and is more patient than the state. By threatening to sabotage their own interests but hurt the impatient state even more, citizens can compel the state to deliver broader policy benefits. We illustrate this logic with the case of polio vaccination in northern Nigeria, where entire communities have resisted the vaccine as a strategy to bargain for more desired services. To resolve and preempt noncompliance, the Nigerian government has enhanced service delivery in other areas, demonstrating the opportunity for improved accountability in the presence of shared-interest policies.
Assessing the Representativeness of NIBRS Arrest Data
Authors: Pattavina April , Carkin Danielle Marie , Tracy Paul E.
Published: August 2017

This article examines the coverage of the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) arrest data as of 2016. We use NIBRS and Uniform Crime Report (UCR), Summary Reporting System on persons arrested. We examine the correspondence of arrests measures between the UCR and NIBRS for overall arrests, and arrests by sex, race, and age. We found that NIBRS arrest data are a close match to UCR data overall and the differences across demographic measures are very slight.
Exploring the Universe of UN Human Rights Agreements
Authors: von Stein Jana
Published: August 2017

The international human rights (HR) regime is vast and complex. Yet, most of what we know about it draws from a handful of agreements, often chosen for their prominence and/or perceived centrality to the HR project. This article argues that HR research needs to expand its scope to encompass all agreements in this realm, and presents a new data resource that enables scholars to accomplish that goal. Using the data, I demonstrate that the literature has painted an unrepresentative portrait of HR agreements. In addition to making comprehensive analysis possible, the database moves the literature forward by (1) taking into account important legal distinctions in the process of making treaties binding, (2) providing information on treaty design, and (3) considering relationships between agreements. I present several applications and discuss future areas of inquiry. Network analysis and the linking of treaty participation to HR outcomes are two notable areas of interest.
Cultural Strengths of Latino-American Subgroups: Differential Associations With Their Self-Rated Mental and Physical Health
Authors: Ai Amy L. , Carretta Henry J. , Aisenberg Eugene
Published: August 2017

Few studies have examined subgroup differences regarding the role of collective cultural strengths among Latinos, the largest minority population in the United States today. Based on cultural and social psychologists’ emphasis on their importance to minorities, this study explored the association of three cultural factors with self-reported mental and physical health for three Latino subgroups identified in the National Latino and Asian American Study (NLAAS). Relative to Cubans, Mexicans and Puerto Ricans experienced poorer physical health and, not surprisingly, more religious involvement. Cubans reported stronger ethnic identity and social support (SS) and were socioeconomically more affluent compared with both Puerto Ricans and Mexicans. Multivariate analyses revealed positive effects of religious attendance on the mental and physical health of Puerto Ricans, controlling for the negative role of discrimination and other known predictors. Racial/ethnic identity was linked with better mental health of all three Latino subgroups, whereas SS had no significant effect.
New Evidence of Dynamic Links between Tourism and Economic Growth Based on Mixed-Frequency Granger Causality Tests
Authors: Liu Han , Song Haiyan
Published: August 2017

The relationship between tourism and economic growth has created a large body of literature investigating the hypotheses of tourism-led economic growth (TLEGH) and economy-driven tourism growth (EDTGH). In this article, we use mixed-frequency Granger causality tests to investigate the relationship between the two types of growth in Hong Kong from 1974 to 2016. Our analysis reveals the following empirical regularities. First, the hidden short-run causality of TLEGH is detected, and EDTGH is proved in the short run and also in the long run when Granger causality tests are performed in a mixed-frequency framework. Second, mixed-frequency Granger tests demonstrate more power in testing the TLEGH and EDTGH via the rejection frequencies (bootstrap p value). Finally, rolling Granger causality tests reveal an unstable relationship between tourism and economic growth in both magnitude and direction, and the relationship is highly economic- and tourism-event-dependent.
International approaches to school-based mental health: Intent of the Special Issue
Authors: McLaughlin Courtney L.
Published: August 2017

This article provides an overview of the special issue on international approaches to school-based mental health. It introduces the significance of the issues associated with mental health across the world and introduces the reader to the four articles highlighting different aspects of school-based mental health. Across these four articles, information about school-based mental health (SBMH) from the United States, Canada, Norway, Liberia, Chile, and Ireland are represented. The special issue concludes with an article introducing new methodology for examining mental health from a global perspective.
Current State of Overlapping, Concurrent, and Multiple‐Room Surgery in Otolaryngology: A National Survey
Authors: Cognetti David M. , Nussenbaum Brian , Brenner Michael J. , Chi David H. , McCormick Michael E. , Venkatraman Giri , Zhan Tingting , McKinlay Alex J.
Published: August 2017

Objective

Multiple‐room surgery has gained attention due to reports in the lay press scrutinizing the activity, with hospitals and the government collecting data on current practice. We studied practices and attitudes toward multiple‐room surgery in otolaryngology.

Methods

A survey was developed by members of the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Committee of the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery. The survey was distributed to members of the Academy and included questions on demographics, current practices, and opinions regarding multiple‐room surgery. The survey was designed to capture the spectrum of multidisciplinary, overlapping, and simultaneous/concurrent surgery practices. Data were collected via SurveyMonkey.

Results

A total of 907 of 9520 members completed the survey. Of the respondents, 40.4% reported performing some form of multiple‐room surgery. Multiple‐room surgery is more common amongst subspecialists than general otolaryngologists. Most believed that regulations disallowing multiple‐room surgery would result in an increase in late starts (73.5%), an increase in the time to schedule surgery (84.5%), a detriment to residency training (63.1%), and no improvement in patient safety (60%.)

Discussion

Multiple‐room surgery is common among responding otolaryngologists. Most respondents consider the practice to serve a role in facilitating access, efficiency, and training.

Implications for Practice

Due to recent attention placed on multiple‐room surgery, institutions are reviewing policies regarding the practice. This survey suggests that policy changes that restrict multiple‐room surgery must consider a potential unintended negative impact on patient care and access.
Shaping the vibro-isolation properties of horizontal seat suspension
Authors: Maciejewski Igor , Krzyzynski Tomasz , Meyer Lutz , Meyer Henning
Published: August 2017

In this paper, an effective procedure of shaping the vibro-isolation properties of seat suspension system is presented. The simulation model is created to determine the dependence of evaluation criteria to the design parameters by means of which the system characteristics are formed. The developed optimisation procedure allows to find Pareto-optimal system configuration for the conflicted vibro-isolating criteria, i.e. the frequency weighted transmissibility factor used to evaluate dynamic seat comfort based on acceleration signals and the suspension travel. In order to optimise both the conflicted vibro-isolation criteria, a minimising of the transmissibility factor (primary criterion) is proposed taking into account the suspension travel that is transferred to a non-linear inequality constraint. The correctness of proposed procedure is evaluated using experimental research of the best solution of horizontal seat suspension. This research is performed using the passive system with optimal visco-elastic characteristics, which are selected especially for the well-defined input vibration. The satisfactory agreement of experimental and numerical results is obtained for the analysed vibration reduction system.
Hybrid modelling of driver seat-cushion coupled system for metropolitan bus
Authors: Zhao Leilei , Zhou Changcheng , Yu Yuewei , Yang Fuxing
Published: August 2017

For the complex structure of driver seat-cushion coupled system for metropolitan buses, there are still lack of convenient and reliable modelling methods for the system at present. To improve ride comfort, the coupled dynamic model is urgently needed to give insight into the dynamic properties of the coupled system. In this paper, for a standard commercially available seat fitted into metropolitan buses, the coupling between the seat and cushion, the nonlinear damping characteristics of the seat damper, and the elastic properties of the damper mounting bushings have been accounted for in a three degree-of-freedom driver seat-cushion coupled system model. Combing field measurements of the seat suspension excitation and cushion acceleration response, a specific flow of hybrid modelling of driver seat-cushion coupled system without the requirement of further bench tests was presented. The analogy between acceleration responses in the frequency domain and the time courses proves that the model can predict the dynamic characteristics of the coupled system with good accuracy for stationary random excitation. The model parameters were also validated by the corresponding bench test. The results show that the accuracy of the model parameters is sufficient and the hybrid modelling method is reliable, which provide a foundation for the optimal design of seat suspension and/or cushion to further improve ride comfort.
Multi-objective robust optimization design for powertrain mount system of electric vehicles
Authors: Xin Fu-Long , Qian Li-Jun , Du Hai-Ping , Li Wei-Hua
Published: August 2017

A multi-objective robust optimization scheme for the powertrain mount system of an electric vehicle is proposed in this paper. A permanent magnet synchronous motor model is established by taking account of the effects of magnetic saturation and space harmonics, in which the d–q-axis inductance and the flux linkage excited by permanent magnet were obtained by finite element method. The rippled output torque of the permanent magnet synchronous motor mixed with harmonic components is obtained with the New European Driving Cycle as the running condition of the electric vehicle. A six degree-of-freedoms (DOFs) powertrain mount system is established and the response of the system is obtained with the rippled torque as the excitation input. A multi-objective optimization model of the powertrain mount system is built with the stiffness’s of the mounts as the design variables, and with the goal of maximizing the decoupling rates and minimizing the dynamic reaction forces of the mounts acting on the car body. Genetic algorithm is used to conduct the global optimization and all the Pareto optimal solutions are found out based on the optimization theory, and the solution with the optimal robustness of dynamic reaction force is obtained by Latin hypercube sampling method. The results show that with the proposed multi-objective robust optimization scheme applied for the parameters optimization of the motor mount system, the decoupling rates increase obviously, the dynamic reaction force decreases apparently, and the optimization result shows good robustness. The optimization results can make the powertrain mount system of electric vehicles processing of optimal dynamic response characteristics correspondingly.
A 4-degree-of-freedom Kirchhoff beam model for the modeling of bending–torsion couplings in active-bending structures
Authors: Lefevre Baptiste , Tayeb Frédéric , du Peloux Lionel , Caron Jean-François
Published: August 2017

Gridshells are lightweight structures made of interconnected slender beams. Due to large displacements, high interaction between the beams, and bending–torsion coupling, modeling gridshells requires specific non-linear numerical tools to reach convergence within a reasonable time. In this article, the development of such a tool is presented. It is based on the Kirchhoff beam theory and uses the dynamic relaxation method. First, from Kirchhoff’s equations, the internal forces and moments acting on a beam are obtained. Once this mathematical work is done, the dynamic relaxation method is used in order to get the static equilibrium configuration of the beam. This new approach is tested on several examples and validated for slender beams with arbitrary rest-state configuration and cross sections. In particular, results for ribbons with high bending–torsion coupling are presented. Finally, this process enables the fast and precise modeling of gridshells including bending–torsion coupling.
Exploring the Asian innovation networks (AINs) characteristics
Authors: Bai Xu , Liu Yun
Published: August 2017

In this study, we attempted to fill an important gap that literature has yet to investigate: the characteristics of the Asian Innovation Networks. This paper depicts the characteristics of the Asian Innovation Networks for four main emerging technologies: 3D printing technology, big data technology, integrated circuit technology and carbon nanotubes and graphene technology. The networks’ characteristics are presented by calculating the different network centrality indicators. In order to show these characteristics intuitively, the visualization method was also used. Both methods are based on an analysis of patents and patent data are collected from the European Patent Office (EPO) database. The results indicate that Japan ranks first in betweenness centrality, while China has the highest degree centrality among nearly all the emerging technologies. In the carbon nanotubes and graphene technology innovation network, India has tight interactions with South Korea, and Iran is closely related to Malaysia. Thailand plays an important role in the big data technology innovation network. The centrality trend for Asian countries in innovation networks has gradually decreased. This could be useful for developing Asian countries to make international scientific and technological collaboration strategies and policies in the future.
Prevalence and characteristics of prisoners requiring end-of-life care: A prospective national survey
Authors: Pazart Lionel , Godard-Marceau Aurélie , Chassagne Aline , Vivot-Pugin Aurore , Cretin Elodie , Amzallag Edouard , Aubry Regis
Published: August 2017

Background:

Ensuring adequate end-of-life care for prisoners is a critical issue. In France, data investigating the impact of laws allowing release of seriously ill prisoners are lacking.

Aim:

To assess the number and characteristics of prisoners requiring palliative care in French prisons.

Design:

A prospective, national survey collecting data over a 3-month period.

Setting/participants:

All healthcare units ( n = 190) providing care for prisoners in France. The prison population was 66,698 during the study period. Data collection concerned prisoners requiring end-of-life care, that is, with serious, advanced, progressive, or terminal illness and life expectancy <1 year.

Results:

Estimated annual prevalence of ill prisoners requiring end-of-life care was 15.2 (confidence interval: 12.5–18.3) per 10,000 prisoners. The observed number of prisoners requiring palliative care ( n = 50) was twice as high as the expected age- and sex-standardized number based on the general population and similar to the expected number among persons 10 years older in the free community. In all, 41 of 44 (93%) of identified ill prisoners were eligible for temporary or permanent compassionate release, according to their practitioner. Only 33 of 48 (68%) of ill prisoners requested suspension or reduction in their sentence on medical grounds; half (16/33) received a positive answer.

Conclusion:

The proportion of prisoners requiring palliative care is higher than expected in the general population. The general frailty and co-existing conditions of prisoners before incarceration and the acceleration of these phenomena in prison could explain this increase in end-of-life situations among prisoners.
Collateral perfusion using arterial spin labeling in symptomatic versus asymptomatic middle cerebral artery stenosis
Authors: Lou Xin , Ma Xiaoxiao , Liebeskind David S , Ma Ning , Tian Chenglin , Lyu Jinhao , Long Xiaojing , Ma Lin , Wang Danny JJ
Published: August 2017

The purpose was to assess the difference of collaterals in symptomatic versus asymptomatic patients with unilateral middle cerebral artery (MCA) stenosis by comparing cerebral blood flow (CBF) at two post labeling delays (PLD) using three-dimensional pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (3D pCASL). Eighty-one patients (49 symptomatic and 32 asymptomatic) with unilateral MCA stenosis ≥50% who underwent pCASL with two PLDs were included. Mean CBF and CBF subtraction images between two PLDs of MCA territories were compared in symptomatic and asymptomatic groups, respectively. Compared with the asymptomatic group, patients with symptomatic MCA stenosis had significantly lower CBF in the MCA territory of stenotic side at each PLD. The CBF of stenotic territory showed greater increase than that of normal side from PLD 1.5 to 2.5 s. The CBF of asymptomatic MCA territory increased similarly with that of symptomatic MCA territory from PLD of 1.5 to 2.5 s in stenotic side, while symptomatic patients experienced significantly slower antegrade flow. On CBF subtraction images, asymptomatic patients showed larger volume of differences between PLD of 1.5 and 2.5 s compared with those of symptomatic patients ( p = 0.037). The results suggest that more robust collateral perfusion on two-delay 3D pCASL is present in asymptomatic patients compared with symptomatic patients.
Role of ultrasound in the assessment of percutaneous laser ablation of cervical metastatic lymph nodes from thyroid carcinoma
Authors: Zhang Lu , Zhou Wei , Zhan WeiWei
Published: August 2017

Background

Few studies have examined the feasibility and efficiency of performing ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) after percutaneous laser ablation (PLA) of cervical metastatic lymph nodes from thyroid cancer.

Purpose

To investigate and describe the use of conventional ultrasound and CEUS in evaluating PLA of metastatic lymph nodes.

Material and Methods

PLA was performed in a small, prospective, observational study of 21 metastatic lymph nodes in 17 thyroid cancer patients who underwent radical thyroid resection. CEUS was conducted prior to PLA and 1 h and seven days after ablation. Conventional ultrasound examination of all nodes was performed during follow-up after ablation. We observed contrast agent perfusion in the lymph nodes, calculated perfusion defect volumes using CEUS and determined the rates of reduction for metastatic lymph nodes for a mean duration of 17.86 ± 4.704 months (range = 12–27 months).

Results

CEUS demonstrated that the perfusion defect volume was larger on day 7 than on day 1 post-ablation in 47% of the ablated nodes. Compared to the largest diameters and volumes pre-PLA, the corresponding post-PLA values significantly decreased ( P < 0.05 versus baseline). No statistically significant change in thyroglobulin (Tg) levels before and after PLA was observed in this study ( P > 0.05 versus baseline).

Conclusion

CEUS can be effectively used to distinguish the margins of ablated regions, assess the accuracy of PLA, and monitor short-term changes in necrotic areas. However, long-term follow-up assessments of the curative effect of PLA will predominantly rely on conventional ultrasonography.
Diagnostic performances of supplemental breast ultrasound screening in women with personal history of breast cancer
Authors: Song Sung Eun , Cho Nariya , Chang Jung Min , Chu A Jung , Yi Ann , Moon Woo Kyung
Published: August 2017

Background

Supplemental breast ultrasonography (US) has been used as a surveillance imaging method in women with personal history of breast cancer (PHBC). However, there have been limited data regarding diagnostic performances.

Purpose

To evaluate diagnostic performances of supplemental breast US screening for women with PHBC and to compare with those for women without PHBC.

Material and Methods

Between 2011 and 2012, 12,230 supplemental US exams were performed in 12,230 women with negative mammograms: 6584 women with PHBC and 5646 women without PHBC. Cancer detection rate, interval cancer rate, abnormal interpretation rate, positive predictive values (PPVs), sensitivity, and specificity were calculated and compared.

Results

Overall cancer detection rate and first-year interval cancer rate were 1.80/1000 exams and 0.91/1000 negative exams, both of which were higher in women with PHBC than in women without PHBC (2.88 vs. 0.53 per 1000, P = 0.003; 1.50 vs. 0.20 per 1000, P = 0.027). Abnormal interpretation rate was lower in the women with PHBC than in women without PHBC (9.1% vs. 12.1%, P < 0.001). Sensitivity was not different (67.9% vs. 75.0%, P = 1.000), whereas specificity and PPV3 were higher in women with PHBC than in women without PHBC (91.2% vs. 88.0%, P < 0.001; 22.6% vs. 3.1%, P < 0.001). The majority of detected cancers in women with PHBC (78.9%, 15/19) were stage 0 or 1.

Conclusion

Supplemental breast US screening increases early stage second breast cancers with high specificity and PPV3 in women with PHBC, however, high interval cancer rate in younger women with PHBC should be noted.
Ultra-low-dose lung screening CT with model-based iterative reconstruction: an assessment of image quality and lesion conspicuity
Authors: Ju Yun Hye , Lee Geewon , Lee Ji Won , Hong Seung Baek , Suh Young Ju , Jeong Yeon Joo
Published: August 2017

Background

Reducing radiation dose inevitably increases image noise, and thus, it is important in low-dose computed tomography (CT) to maintain image quality and lesion detection performance.

Purpose

To assess image quality and lesion conspicuity of ultra-low-dose CT with model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR) and to determine a suitable protocol for lung screening CT.

Material and Methods

A total of 120 heavy smokers underwent lung screening CT and were randomly and equally assigned to one of five groups: group 1 = 120 kVp, 25 mAs, with FBP reconstruction; group 2 = 120 kVp, 10 mAs, with MBIR; group 3 = 100 kVp, 15 mAs, with MBIR; group 4 = 100 kVp, 10 mAs, with MBIR; and group 5 = 100 kVp, 5 mAs, with MBIR. Two radiologists evaluated intergroup differences with respect to radiation dose, image noise, image quality, and lesion conspicuity using the Kruskal–Wallis test and the Chi-square test.

Results

Effective doses were 61–87% lower in groups 2–5 than in group 1. Image noises in groups 1 and 5 were significantly higher than in the other groups ( P < 0.001). Overall image quality was best in group 1, but diagnostic acceptability of overall image qualities in groups 1–3 was not significantly different (all P values > 0.05). Lesion conspicuities were similar in groups 1–4, but were significantly poorer in group 5.

Conclusion

Lung screening CT with MBIR obtained at 100 kVp and 15 mAs enables a ∼60% reduction in radiation dose versus low-dose CT, while maintaining image quality and lesion conspicuity.
Aeroplane headache, mountain descent headache, diving ascent headache.. Three subtypes of headache attributed to imbalance between intrasinusal and external air pressure?
Authors: Mainardi Federico , Maggioni Ferdinando , Zanchin Giorgio
Published: August 2017

Background

Headache attributed to aeroplane travel (AH) is currently codified in Chapter 10.1.2 of the International Classification of Headache Disorders 3 beta (ICHD 3 beta). After our previous papers, the investigation was enlarged to 200 patients.

Material and methods

People affected by AH contacted us by mail and agreed to fill in a detailed anonymous questionnaire that allowed a thorough definition of the headache features.

Results

This extended case series allows us to confirm most of the clinical features of AH, reported in our previously published article, and to partially modify others. New results mainly regard the higher occurrence of accompanying symptoms and the presence of a long lasting mild headache phase, usually not exceeding 24 h, that follows the short lasting acute pain, the duration of which has been confirmed as less than 30 min. Moreover, headache attacks identical to those of AH are reported in a portion of patients, triggered by the ascent during free/snorkeling or scuba diving and rapid descent from high mountains.

Conclusion

The coexistence of AH with headache triggered by different environmental factors (ascent during free/scuba diving and descent from high mountains) indicates a common causal mechanism, that is, the imbalance between intrasinusal and external air pressure. We propose to classify them together, within Chapter 10 “ Headache attributed to disorders of homoeostasis”, under a unique heading “ Headache attributed to imbalance between intrasinusal and external air pressure”.
Sporting Activity Is Reduced 11 Years After First-Generation Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation in the Knee Joint
Authors: Erdle Benjamin , Herrmann Simon , Porichis Stella , Uhl Markus , Ghanem Nadir , Schmal Hagen , Suedkamp Norbert , Niemeyer Philipp , Salzmann Gian M.
Published: August 2017

Background:

Little is known about long-term sporting activity after periosteal autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI-P) and its correlation to clinical, morphological, and ultrastructural cartilage characteristics on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Purpose:

To evaluate long-term sporting activity after ACI-P and to correlate with clinical and MRI findings.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

Patients who underwent ACI-P for isolated cartilage defects of the knee joint between 1997 and 2001 were analyzed for sporting ability for 3 different time points: lifetime until the onset of pain, the year before ACI-P, and 11 years (range, 9.0-13.4 years) postoperatively. Sporting activity was assessed and patients’ level of activity scaled using standardized questionnaires. MRI scans of the affected knee joint at follow-up were analyzed using the MOCART (magnetic resonance observation of cartilage repair tissue) score and T2 mapping.

Results:

Seventy of 86 patients (81% follow-up rate) consisting of 25 female and 45 male patients, with a mean age of 33.3 ± 10.2 years at the time of surgery, mean defect size of 6.5 ± 4.0 cm2, and 1.17 treated defects per patient, agreed to participate in the study at a mean 10.9 ± 1.1 years after ACI-P. Fifty-nine patients (69% of total; 84% of follow-up) agreed to MRI, allowing the complete evaluation of 71 transplant sites. Before the onset of symptoms (lifetime), 95.7% of patients played a mean 6.0 sporting activities at a competitive level. In the year before ACI-P, 81.4% of patients played a mean 3.4 sporting activities in 2.4 sessions during 5.4 hours per week at a recreational level. At follow-up, 82.9% of the patients played a mean 3.0 sporting activities in 1.8 sessions during 3.0 hours per week at a recreational level. In contrast to objective factors, 65.6% of the patients felt that their subjective sporting ability had improved or strongly improved after ACI-P, whereas 12.9% felt that their situation had declined or strongly declined, and 21.4% stated that their sporting ability had undergone no change because of surgery. Factors of sporting activity correlated significantly with clinical long-term outcomes. MRI analysis with a mean repair tissue T2 relaxation time of 35.2 milliseconds and mean MOCART score of 44.9 showed no conclusive significant correlation to sporting activity. Level of performance was the only sporting activity factor to show a weak correlation with subgroups of the MOCART score.

Conclusion:

The premorbid level of sporting and recreational activities cannot be achieved 11 years after ACI-P. The MRI results determined at this time point did not conclusively correlate with long-term sporting activity.
Comparison of Clinical and Structural Outcomes by Subscapularis Tendon Status in Massive Rotator Cuff Tear
Authors: Lee Sung Hyun , Nam Dae Jin , Kim Se Jin , Kim Jeong Woo
Published: August 2017

Background:

The subscapularis tendon is essential in maintaining normal glenohumeral biomechanics. However, few studies have addressed the outcomes of tears extending to the subscapularis tendon in massive rotator cuff tears.

Purpose:

To assess the clinical and structural outcomes of arthroscopic repair of massive rotator cuff tears involving the subscapularis.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Between January 2010 and January 2014, 122 consecutive patients with massive rotator cuff tear underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Overall, 122 patients were enrolled (mean age, 66 years; mean follow-up period, 39.5 months). Patients were categorized into 3 groups based on subscapularis tendon status: intact subscapularis tendon (I group; n = 45), tear involving less than the superior one-third (P group; n = 35), and tear involving more than one-third of the subscapularis tendon (C group; n = 42). All rotator cuff tears were repaired; however, subscapularis tendon tears involving less than the superior one-third in P group were only debrided. Pain visual analog scale, Constant, and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons scores and passive range of motion were measured preoperatively and at the final follow-up. Rotator cuff integrity, global fatty degeneration index, and occupation ratio were determined via magnetic resonance imaging preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively.

Results:

We identified 37 retears (31.1%) based on postoperative magnetic resonance imaging evaluation. Retear rate in patients in the C group (47.6%) was higher than that in the I group (22.9%) or P group (20.0%) ( P = .011). Retear subclassification based on the involved tendons showed that subsequent subscapularis tendon retears were noted in only the C group. The improvement in clinical scores after repair was statistically significant in all groups but not different among the groups. Between-group comparison showed significant differences in preoperative external rotation ( P = .021). However, no statistically significant difference was found in any shoulder range of motion measurements after surgery.

Conclusion:

Arthroscopic repair of massive tears results in substantial improvements in shoulder function, despite the presence of combined subscapularis tears. However, this study showed a high failure rate of massive posterosuperior rotator cuff tear repair extending more than one-third of the subscapularis tendon. When combined subscapularis tendon tear was less than the superior one-third of the subscapularis tendon, arthroscopic debridement was a reasonable treatment method where comparable clinical and anatomic outcomes could be expected.
Green-house gas mitigation capacity of a small scale rural biogas plant calculations for Bangladesh through a general life cycle assessment
Authors: Rahman Khondokar M , Melville Lynsey , Fulford David , Huq SM Imamul
Published: August 2017

Calculations towards determining the greenhouse gas mitigation capacity of a small-scale biogas plant (3.2 m3 plant) using cow dung in Bangladesh are presented. A general life cycle assessment was used, evaluating key parameters (biogas, methane, construction materials and feedstock demands) to determine the net environmental impact. The global warming potential saving through the use of biogas as a cooking fuel is reduced from 0.40 kg CO2 equivalent to 0.064 kg CO2 equivalent per kilogram of dung. Biomethane used for cooking can contribute towards mitigation of global warming. Prior to utilisation of the global warming potential of methane (from 3.2 m3 biogas plant), the global warming potential is 13 t of carbon dioxide equivalent. This reduced to 2 t as a result of complete combustion of methane. The global warming potential saving of a bioenergy plant across a 20-year life cycle is 217 t of carbon dioxide equivalent, which is 11 t per year. The global warming potential of the resultant digestate is zero and from construction materials is less than 1% of total global warming potential. When the biogas is used as a fuel for cooking, the global warming potential will reduce by 83% compare with the traditional wood biomass cooking system. The total 80 MJ of energy that can be produced from a 3.2 m3 anaerobic digestion plant would replace 1.9 t of fuel wood or 632 kg of kerosene currently used annually in Bangladesh. The digestate can also be used as a nutrient rich fertiliser substituting more costly inorganic fertilisers, with no global warming potential impact.
Family Violence Pathways and Externalizing Behavior in Youth
Authors: Bozzay Melanie L. , Joy Lendi N. , Verona Edelyn
Published: August 2017

While studies suggest that youth who experience violence in the home are more likely to engage in externalizing behaviors (e.g., aggression, substance use, rule breaking), research is needed to understand factors that may explain how family violence is linked to externalizing, and whether there may be gender-specific trajectories to this outcome. The present study used a cross-sectional design and multigroup, path analytic modeling to test the degree to which personality traits (negative emotionality, constraint) in boys and girls (Model 1), as well as status offending primarily in girls (Model 2), may help explain relationships between exposure to familial adversity (witnessing family violence and child abuse) and adolescent externalizing behaviors in a mixed-gender, community sample with both caregiver and youth reports ( N = 237, 57% female, 10-17 years old). Results indicated that personality traits fully explained the relationship between witnessing family violence and externalizing and partially explained the relationship between child abuse and externalizing among youth. Despite theory suggesting a female-specific trajectory involving status offenses, both models were similarly relevant for boys and girls. These findings have implications for understanding processes by which adverse family circumstances may relate to externalizing behavior in youth. Preliminary suggestions are provided for future longitudinal research, policy changes, and clinical techniques that may be essential in preventing the progression to long-term adverse outcomes among youth.
Decoupled disturbance rejection control for a turbocharged engine with a dual-loop exhaust gas recirculation system
Authors: Chen Song , Yan Fengjun
Published: August 2017

Dual-loop exhaust gas recirculation with a variable-geometry turbocharger is an effective architecture for achieving desired intake manifold conditions, such as the temperature, the pressure and the oxygen concentration of the intake manifold, which have critical roles in advanced combustion mode control. However, the widely used control-oriented model is derived on the basis that the heat transfer between the pipes and the gas is negligible, which means that it suffers from non-trivial errors. Simulation results show that other error sources, including the volumetric efficiency and the orifice equation, are difficult to calibrate accurately and also cause significant errors in the system, particularly in transient situations. Modified active disturbance rejection control with an extended state observer is utilized to deal with the non-linear, multiple-input multiple-output system in this paper. It is demonstrated that the performance of active disturbance rejection control mainly depends on the performance of the extended state observer. In this paper, an extended state observer, which is based on the sliding-mode concept rather than the conventional linear observer, is introduced. By taking advantage of its strong robustness, the system is decoupled into three loops. For each loop, the internal errors and the external errors, including the modelling error and the coupling effects, are lumped into one term; they are then actively estimated and cancelled out by the control input in real time. The proposed method was validated using calibrated GT-Power model simulations.
The effect of volcanism on submontane rainforest vegetation composition: Paleoecological evidence from Danau Njalau, Sumatra (Indonesia)
Authors: Setyaningsih Christina A , Biagioni Siria , Saad Asmadi , Achnopha Yudhi , Sabiham Supiandi , Behling Hermann
Published: August 2017

Volcanic processes might have played an important role in the vegetation history of Sumatra, one of the largest and most tectonically active region in Southeast Asia. Palynological and macro-charcoal analysis results from Lake Njalau in the Kerinci Seblat National Park (KSNP) in Sumatra (Indonesia) provide an understanding of interactions between the volcanic deposition and vegetation in the past 5000 years. The deposition of volcanic material in the depression of the Lake Njalau (5100–4400 cal. yr BP) led to the dominance of pioneer species of Casuarina and Myrica, which grow in deforested land and volcano slopes (volcanophile taxa). The formation of the modern forest composition took several centuries after the volcanic deposition in the soil ended (ca. 900 years at ca. 2400 cal. yr BP). This suggests that the vegetation changes were not driven by a successional pattern, and soil formation was the most important environmental factor explaining this slow change in composition. The palynological records show no evidence for prehistoric human–landscape interactions in the area despite the close proximity to known megalith sites. The local fire regime reconstructed using macro-charcoal analysis indicates that fire was rare for the last 5000 years, and the average fire return interval was ca. 500 years. Phases of increased fire frequency could not be linked to either any of the vegetation phases or regional climatic changes, suggesting that fire occurrences were stochastic events. Our results overall suggest that volcanism has acted as one important driver of changes in the rainforests of the KSNP.
Plasma ADAMTS-13 activity in proliferative lupus nephritis: a large cohort study from China
Authors: Tan Y , Luan Z Q , Hao J B , Song D , Yu F , Zhao M H
Published: August 2017

Objectives

The aim of this study was to investigate plasma ADAMTS-13 activity in patients with proliferative lupus nephritis and to evaluate the role of clinical, laboratory and pathological features, especially the vascular lesions in lupus nephritis.

Methods

Plasma samples from 163 class III and IV lupus nephritis patients confirmed by biopsy examinations and 98 normal controls were collected. ADAMTS-13 activity was evaluated by a residual collagen binding assay. IgG autoantibodies against ADAMTS-13 were detected by ELISA using recombinant ADAMTS-13 as a solid-phase ligand. Levels of vWF were measured by ELISA. Their associations with clinical, laboratory and pathological features were further assessed.

Results

Plasma ADAMTS-13 activity in lupus nephritis patients was significantly lower than that in normal controls (84 ± 21% vs. 90 ± 13%, p = 0.005). IgG ADAMTS-13 autoantibodies were detected in only three patients. The plasma level of vWF was significantly higher in the lupus nephritis group than in normal controls (1.00 ± 0.79 vs. 0.70 ± 0.30, p = 0.025). Plasma ADAMTS-13 activity was negatively correlated with the level of serum creatinine and proteinuria ( r = –0.354, p < 0.001; r = –0.200, p = 0.011, respectively). Patients with a higher level of ADAMTS-13 activity had significantly higher levels of factor H (401.51 ± 183.01 µg/ml vs. 239.02 ± 155.45 µg/ml, p = 0.005). Plasma ADAMTS-13 activity was negatively associated with total pathological AI scores ( r = –0.326, p < 0.001), endocapillary hypercellularity ( r = –0.419, p < 0.001), cellular crescents ( r = –0.274, p < 0.001), subendothelial hyaline deposits ( r = –0.266, p = 0.001), interstitial inflammatory cell infiltration ( r = –0.304, P < 0.001), tubular atrophy ( r = –0.199, p = 0.011), acute glomerular vascular lesions ( r = –0.344, p < 0.001) and acute renal vascular lesions ( r = –0.338, p < 0.001). No association was found between level of vWF and plasma ADAMTS-13 activity ( r = 0.033, p = 0.671). Low level of ADAMTS-13 activity was a risk factor for renal outcomes ( p = 0.039, HR = 0.047, 95% CI: 0.120–1.005).

Conclusions

Decreased ADAMTS-13 activity was found in patients with proliferative lupus nephritis, and plasma ADAMTS-13 activity was closely associated with renal injury indices, especially pathological vascular scores. The role of ADAMTS-13 in the disease remains to be further investigated.
Unconventional patterns in the experimental poetry of E. E. Cummings: A stylistic approach to punctuation marks
Authors: Gómez-Jiménez Eva María
Published: August 2017

For some time scholars have examined unconventional linguistic patterns in E. E. Cummings’ poetic style. Of all the aspects under consideration, it is grammar, lexis and morphology that have been most widely researched, while only a small number of studies have looked at graphology or, least of all, punctuation. This article is a contribution to the latter research field, and is aimed at developing a systematic approach to the use of punctuation marks in E. E. Cummings’ experimental poetry. I deal with two fundamental research questions: What foregrounding patterns are present in E. E. Cummings’ unorthodox use of punctuation marks, and what effects derive from his singular use of marks? Using 157 experimental poems as a corpus, I identify any instances of unconventional punctuation and classify the different devices that break with convention, determining the meaning implications (if any) that derive from these particular uses. An in-depth analysis of these poems reveals that there are three basic unconventional devices in Cummings’ use of punctuation marks (substitution, omission and insertion) and that these help Cummings to achieve a variety of purposes: emphasize certain elements within the poem, shift the tempo of the lines, create chaotic scenes, produce iconic effects, schematize any unit within the poem, omit letters and words, signal heteroglossia, indicate imperative voice, articulate the poem into different layers, create plays on words, and reproduce features of spoken language.
In search of lost hybridity: The French Daniel Deronda
Authors: Wolf Alain JE
Published: August 2017

Starting from a set of examples of borrowings from French in George Eliot’s Daniel Deronda, I explore the various ways in which the characters’ and narrator’s use of mixed English–French utterances generates inferences which make the transcending of their mono-cultural self possible. I go on to argue that in Jumeau’s recent French translation of the novel, the reader is not given access to those inferences, resulting in the erasing of an Anglo-European, cosmopolitan identity.