bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reexamining the Cost of Corporate Criminal Prosecutions
Authors: Pierce Jason R.
Published: July 2015

Agency theory foments the expectation that corporate criminal prosecutions mitigate crime by inducing firms to self-regulate. Whether this bears out in reality remains a topic of contentious debate. Although the U.S. government began prosecuting firms over a century ago, insufficient empirical evidence exists to determine how the costs of prosecutions actually affect firms. Moreover, the limited empirical record tells a surprising and somewhat confusing story. Scholars of management and related disciplines have consistently found that criminal convictions have negligible impacts on shareholder wealth despite theoretical expectations to the contrary. To explain these surprising findings and better understand how firms experience the costs of prosecutions, I apply agency theory to the criminal prosecution process and propose that each legally defined action in that process communicates unique information regarding potential and actual agency costs (i.e., sanctions). I also propose that formal convictions appear to elicit no reaction from principals because firm responses to early events in the prosecution process, what I call “conviction harbingers,” foretell unfavorable verdicts and sanctions well before courts make them official. Findings derived from a sample of 177 cases largely confirm my expectations by showing that prosecutions cause firm value to decline nearly 11%. In addition to exceeding previous estimates by a factor of three, this amount exceeds direct fines by a factor of five (i.e., shareholders lost more than $5 of wealth for each dollar of sanctions). I conclude by outlining implications of these findings for agency theory, corporate governance, policy, and practice.
Comparative Effectiveness of the Different Treatment Modalities for Snoring
Authors: Terryn Stefanie , De Medts Joris , Delsupehe Kathelijne
Published: July 2015

Objective

To evaluate what effects treatments of sleep‐disordered breathing have on snoring and sleepiness: snoring surgery including osteotomies, mandibular advancement device (MAD), and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP).

Study Design

Single‐institution prospective comparative effectiveness trial.

Setting

University‐affiliated secondary care teaching hospital.

Subjects and Methods

We prospectively studied 224 patients presenting with snoring at our department. All patients underwent detailed evaluation, including symptom questionnaires, clinical examination, polysomnography, and drug‐induced sleep endoscopy. Based on these results, a treatment was proposed after multidisciplinary consultation. Treatment was evaluated through 4 questionnaires before treatment and 6 weeks and 6 months after. Treatment success was defined as a global snoring visual analog scale score ≤3 at 6 months.

Results

A total of 195 patients complied with full workup and were proposed treatment. The mean age was 46 ± 11 years; the mean body mass index, 27 ± 4; and the median apnea‐hypopnea index, 10.0 (interquartile range, 4.7‐20.1). After discussion, 116 (59.5%) patients agreed to start treatment (46%, surgery; 26% MAD; 28% CPAP). All symptom scores, including Epworth Sleepiness Scale, decreased significantly for all treatments at 6 weeks and 6 months. Treatment was successful in 67% of the surgery patients, 67% of the MAD group, and 76% of the CPAP group. Only 6.7% reported an unchanged snoring score in the surgery group, compared with 13.6% in the MAD group and 9.6 % in the CPAP group.

Conclusion

Multidisciplinary agreed‐on treatment of snoring is effective across the proposed treatments.
Referral Patterns and Positive Airway Pressure Adherence upon Diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Authors: Russell Jonathon O. , Gales Jordan , Bae Charles , Kominsky Alan
Published: July 2015

Objective

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a serious medical condition that adds to patient morbidity and mortality. Treatment with positive airway pressure (PAP) is the standard of care, but many patients refuse or do not tolerate PAP. Little is known about the subsequent management of these patients. We sought to understand what types of treatment, if any, adult patients with OSA receive who either fail or refuse PAP therapy within our institution.

Study Design

Retrospective chart review.

Setting

Academic hospital.

Subjects

All adult patients undergoing polysomnogram during the months of March and April 2010 (n = 1174) who were diagnosed with OSA.

Methods

The electronic medical record was reviewed to determine the subsequent management of patients with a diagnosis of OSA, including tolerance or failure of PAP and referral to specialists upon intolerance.

Results

Of 1174 patients, 616 met inclusion criteria. Ultimately, 260 (42%) had documented adherence to PAP. Of 241 untreated patients, 84 patients (35%) were referred for further attempts at management of diagnosed OSA. Nearly half of patients with diagnosed OSA did not have continued treatment or referral.

Conclusion

To our knowledge, this is the first study to define the subsequent management of patients who have failed or refused PAP. Despite the known sequelae of OSA, clinicians are not treating a significant percentage of patients with diagnosed OSA. Those who fail to tolerate PAP therapy are unlikely to be referred for additional treatment. Therapies other than PAP may be warranted in this population.
Incidence and Risk Factors of Velopharyngeal Insufficiency Postadenotonsillectomy
Authors: Khami Maria , Tan Susan , Glicksman Jordan Thomas , Husein Murad
Published: July 2015

Objectives

To evaluate the incidence and risk factors of velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) postadenoidectomy, posttonsillectomy, and postadenotonsillectomy.

Study Design

Retrospective chart review.

Setting

Academic tertiary care center (2007‐2014).

Subjects and Methods

Retrospective review of patients who underwent adenoidectomies, tonsillectomies, or adenotonsillectomies by 1 pediatric otolaryngologist. Patient’s age, sex, type of surgery, indication for surgery, medical syndromes, tonsil grade, adenoid size, and pre‐ and postoperative nasal air emissions were obtained.

Results

The VPI risk at 3 weeks postoperatively was 13.6% (95% CI: 9.0%, 18.2%) for adenotonsillectomies, 3.2% (95% CI: 1.2%, 7.6%) for adenoidectomies, and 2.2% (95% CI: 2.1%, 6.5%) for tonsillectomies. There was a significantly higher risk of VPI with combined procedures in comparison with adenoidectomies (P =. 02) or tonsillectomies alone (P =. 03). There was no significant difference in risk of VPI between adenoidectomies and tonsillectomies (P =. 78); between surgical indication groups (sleep‐disordered breathing vs other; P =. 15); or in terms of sex (P =. 80), age (P =. 11), tonsil grade (P =. 96), or adenoid size (P =. 15). There was no qualitative difference in postoperative nasal air emissions between patients with and without medical syndromes.

Conclusion

Our data are consistent with the literature that most VPI after adenotonsillectomy is temporary in nature and resolves by 5 months postoperatively. Combined procedures were shown to have a significantly higher risk of VPI. Our rates of VPI were much higher than that previously cited and may be indicative of subclinical cases of VPI, which were accounted for due to this study’s unique methodology.
Fate of allogenic bone graft for sternal support in pectus excavatum repair
Authors: Ashour Mahmoud , Rafay Mohommad , Saleh Waleed , Ahmed Mohamed , Robaidi Hassan , Alamassi Mohammad , Al Kattan Khaled
Published: July 2015

Background

Techniques for pectus excavatum repair are based on sternal support using various implants that have been reported to cause complications including migration and perforation of adjacent vital organs. Thus the search for an ideal sternal support is ongoing. This study aimed to assess the feasibility and fate of allogenic bone grafts as a durable sternal support for pectus excavatum repair.

Methods

Pectus excavatum deformities in 3 men were corrected by modified Ravitch repair using allogeneic bone grafts for sternal support. Postoperatively, the patients were followed up for 3 years. Chest computed tomography and bone scans were performed to identify radiological features relevant to the stability, viability, and fate of the bone grafts.

Results

The postoperative course was uneventful in all patients. Cosmetic correction was rated as very good with patient satisfaction. Bone scans showed progressively increasing activity in the graft, indicating an ongoing process of neovascularization. Chest computed tomography showed not only bone resorption, new bone formation, and remodeling but also incorporation of the graft into the sternum and corresponding ribs through newly generated, normally configured sternocostal segments.

Conclusions

As seen radiologically, this technique offers a model for sternal support that has the potential to incorporate into the host tissue through newly generated, normally configured sternocostal segments, without restriction of chest wall expansion, features that have not been previously reported.
Design and validation of a Photographic Expressive Persian Grammar Test for children aged 4–6 years
Authors: Haresabadi Fatemeh , Ebadi Abbas , Shirazi Tahereh Sima , Dastjerdi Kazemi Mehdi
Published: July 2015

Syntax has a high importance among linguistic parameters, and syntax-related problems are the most common in language disorders. Therefore, the present study aimed to design a Photographic Expressive Persian Grammar Test for Iranian children in the age group of 4–6 years and to determine its validity and reliability. First, the target morphosyntactic structures among Persian-speaking 4–6-year-old children were extracted, and items related to each structure were designed. After both content and face validity were determined and modifications were applied, the initial version of the test was performed on 100 children. The final version of the test was performed on 400 eligible, typically-developing children selected using the random (cluster) method. Psychometric properties investigated in this study include construct validity (convergent validity and age and gender discriminative validity) and reliability (test–retest, inter-rater, and internal consistency). Content validity of each item was between 0.8 and 1, and content validity of the whole scale was 0.86. Exploration of construct validity suggested that age and gender affect the test scores. Convergent validity was found to be significant. Results of test–retest, and inter-rater reliability were significantly correlated and the test was found to have high internal consistency. The Photographic Expressive Persian Grammar Test with 40 items is the first reliable and valid scale that exclusively and accurately evaluates morphosyntactic characteristics of 4–6-year-old Persian-speaking children.
Developmental victimology
Authors: DeCamp Whitney , Zaykowski Heather
Published: July 2015

Although research on the age–crime curve has made significant advances in the past few decades, the understanding of victimization has not benefited to the same degree. The present study examines the age–victim curve to explore victimization trajectories, which increases understanding of risks over time through different life pathways. Using data from the Offending, Crime and Justice Survey, a national longitudinal survey in England and Wales, trajectory modeling is used to estimate different violent victimization trajectories for people aged 10 to 29 over four years of data. Analyses indicate the presence of four distinct victimization trajectories, including: rarely victimized; young adult victims; childhood victims; and chronically victimized. Further analyses indicated that young adult victims often were connected to intimate partner violence, whereas childhood victims often were victimized by other students.
Victims of sexual assaults
Authors: Boateng Francis D
Published: July 2015

The present study utilized a subsample of 72 respondents to investigate sexual assault victims’ reporting behavior and their experiences with the reporting process in a setting which is highly understudied. Using data collected in Accra, Ghana, the study found many reasons explaining why female sexual assault victims reported incidents to the police. The most important reason cited by victims was that they wanted offenders to be caught and punished. Reasons for not reporting included perpetrators being known to the victims as well as family solving the problem. A multivariate analysis showed that sexual assault type, education, and age were significantly correlated to reporting of sexual assault to the police by victims. Policy recommendations of the findings are discussed.
The role of visibility for a minority’s exposure to (hate) crime and worry about crime – a study of the Traveller community
Authors: Wallengren Simon , Mellgren Caroline
Published: July 2015

This study examines Travellers, a subset of the Roma minority; exposure to (hate) crime; and worry about criminal victimization in Sweden. Previous research has shown that the Roma in many respects constitute a marginalized group that is vulnerable to both discrimination and other criminal acts. This is problematic since there is a risk that minorities who are victims of crimes may be further stigmatized and may also lose cultural expression. The data are collected from a sample of Travellers living in the Gothenburg region of Sweden ( N = 121). Approximately one fifth of the respondents stated that they had experienced anti-Roma motivated victimization during the previous 12 months and as many as 84% stated that they had been the victims of such a crime at some point during their lifetime. The respondents also reported a high level of worry about criminal victimization, and 3 out of 10 respondents stated that their quality of life was highly affected by worry about crime. Further, a tendency was noted toward a higher degree of victimization, but a lower degree of worry, among those respondents who were open about their ethnicity by comparison with those who were not.
A Practical Application of Value of Information and Prospective Payback of Research to Prioritize Evaluative Research
Authors: Andronis Lazaros , Billingham Lucinda J. , Bryan Stirling , James Nicholas D. , Barton Pelham M.
Published: July 2015

Background and Objectives. Efforts to ensure that funded research represents “value for money” have led to increasing calls for the use of analytic methods in research prioritization. A number of analytic approaches have been proposed to assist research funding decisions, the most prominent of which are value of information (VOI) and prospective payback of research (PPoR). Despite the increasing interest in the topic, there are insufficient VOI and PPoR applications on the same case study to contrast their methods and compare their outcomes. We undertook VOI and PPoR analyses to determine the value of conducting 2 proposed research programs. The application served as a vehicle for identifying differences and similarities between the methods, provided insight into the assumptions and practical requirements of undertaking prospective analyses for research prioritization, and highlighted areas for future research. Methods. VOI and PPoR were applied to case studies representing proposals for clinical trials in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer and prostate cancer. Decision models were built to synthesize the evidence available prior to the funding decision. VOI (expected value of perfect and sample information) and PPoR (PATHS model) analyses were undertaken using the developed models. Results and Conclusions. VOI and PPoR results agreed in direction, suggesting that the proposed trials would be cost-effective investments. However, results differed in magnitude, largely due to the way each method conceptualizes the possible outcomes of further research and the implementation of research results in practice. Compared with VOI, PPoR is less complex but requires more assumptions. Although the approaches are not free from limitations, they can provide useful input for research funding decisions.
Valuation of Child Behavioral Problems from the Perspective of US Adults
Authors: Craig Benjamin M. , Brown Derek S. , Reeve Bryce B.
Published: July 2015

Objective. To assess preferences between child behavioral problems and estimate their value on a quality-adjusted life year (QALY) scale. Methods. Respondents, age 18 or older, drawn from a nationally representative panel between August 2012 and February 2013 completed a series of paired comparisons, each involving a choice between 2 different behavioral problems described using the Behavioral Problems Index (BPI), a 28-item instrument with 6 domains (Anxious/Depressed, Headstrong, Hyperactive, Immature Dependency, Anti-social, and Peer Conflict/Social Withdrawal). Each behavioral problem lasted 1 or 2 years for an unnamed child, age 7 or 10 years, with no suggested relationship to the respondent. Generalized linear model analyses estimated the value of each problem on a QALY scale, considering its duration and the child’s age. Results. Among 5207 eligible respondents, 4155 (80%) completed all questions. Across the 6 domains, problems relating to antisocial behavior were the least preferred, particularly the items related to cheating, lying, bullying, and cruelty to others. Conclusions. The findings are the first to produce a preference-based summary measure of child behavioral problems on a QALY scale. The results may inform both clinical practice and resource allocation decisions by enhancing our understanding of difficult tradeoffs in how adults view child behavioral problems. Understanding US values also promotes national health surveillance by complementing conventional measures of surveillance, survival, and diagnoses.
Exclusion Criteria in National Health State Valuation Studies
Authors: Engel Lidia , Bansback Nick , Bryan Stirling , Doyle-Waters Mary M. , Whitehurst David G. T.
Published: July 2015

Background. Health state valuation data are often excluded from studies that aim to provide a nationally representative set of values for preference-based health-related quality of life (HRQoL) instruments. The purpose was to provide a systematic examination of exclusion criteria used in the derivation of societal scoring algorithms for preference-based HRQoL instruments. Methods. Data sources included MEDLINE, official instrument websites, and publication reference lists. Analyses that used data from national valuation studies and reported a scoring algorithm for a generic preference-based HRQoL instrument were included. Data extraction included exclusion criteria and associated justifications, exclusion rates, the characteristics of excluded respondents, and analyses that explored consequential implications of exclusion criteria on the respective national tariff. Results. Seventy-six analyses (from 70 papers) met the inclusion criteria. In addition to being excluded for logical inconsistencies, respondents were often excluded if they valued fewer than 3 health states or if they gave the same value to all health states. Numerous other exclusion criteria were identified, with varying degrees of justification, often based on an assumption that respondents did not understand the task or as a consequence of the chosen statistical modeling techniques. Rates of exclusion ranged from 0% to 65%, with excluded respondents more likely to be older, less educated, and less healthy. Limitations included that the database search was confined to MEDLINE; study selection focused on national valuation studies that used standard gamble, time tradeoff, and/or visual analog scale techniques; and only English-language studies were included. Conclusion. Exclusion criteria used in national valuation studies vary considerably. Further consideration is necessary in this important and influential area of research, from the design stage to the reporting of results.
Laser steering using virtual trifocal visual servoing
Authors: Andreff Nicolas , Tamadazte Brahim
Published: July 2015

This paper focuses on the development of a weakly calibrated three-view-based visual servoing control law applied to the laser steering process. It proposes to revisit the conventional trifocal constraints governing a three-view geometry for a more suitable use in the design of an efficient trifocal vision-based control. Thereby, an explicit control law is derived, without any matrix inversion, which allows to simply prove the global exponential stability of the control. Moreover, only ‘[Formula: see text]’ are necessary to design a fast trifocal control system. Thanks to the simplicity of the implementation, our control law is fast, accurate, robust to errors on the weak calibration and it exhibits good behavior in terms of convergence and decoupling. This was demonstrated by different experimental validations performed on a test-bench for the steering of laser spot on a 2D and 3D surface using a two degrees-of-freedom commercial piezoelectric mirror, as well as in preliminary cadaver trials using an endoluminal micromirror prototype.
Multi-scale assembly with robot teams
Authors: Dogar Mehmet , Knepper Ross A. , Spielberg Andrew , Choi Changhyun , Christensen Henrik I. , Rus Daniela
Published: July 2015

In this paper we present algorithms and experiments for multi-scale assembly of complex structures by multi-robot teams. We also focus on tasks where successful completion requires multiple types of assembly operations with a range of precision requirements. We develop a hierarchical planning approach to multi-scale perception in support of multi-scale manipulation, in which the resolution of the perception operation is matched with the required resolution for the manipulation operation. We demonstrate these techniques in the context of a multi-step task where robots assemble large box-like objects, inspired by the assembly of an airplane wing. The robots begin by transporting a wing panel, a coarse manipulation operation that requires a wide field of view, and gradually shifts to a narrower field of view but with more accurate sensors for part alignment and fastener insertion. Within this framework we also provide for failure detection and recovery: upon losing track of a feature, the robots retract to using wider field of view systems to re-localize. Finally, we contribute collaborative manipulation algorithms for assembling complex large objects. First, the team of robots coordinates to transport large assembly parts which are too heavy for a single robot to carry. Second, the fasteners and parts are co-localized for robust insertion and fastening. We implement these ideas using four KUKA youBot robots and present experiments where our robots successfully complete all 80 of the attempted fastener insertion operations.
Real-time pose estimation of a dynamic quadruped in GPS-denied environments for 24-hour operation
Authors: Ma Jeremy , Bajracharya Max , Susca Sara , Matthies Larry , Malchano Matt
Published: July 2015

We present a real-time system that enables a highly capable dynamic quadruped robot to maintain an accurate six-degree-of-freedom pose estimate (within a 1.0% error of distance traveled) over long distances traversed through complex, dynamic outdoor terrain, during day and night, in the presence of camera occlusion and saturation, and occasional large external disturbances, such as slips or falls. The system fuses a stereo-camera sensor, inertial measurement unit, leg odometry, and optional intermittent GPS position updates with an extended Kalman filter to ensure robust, low-latency performance. To maintain a six-degree-of-freedom local positioning accuracy alongside the global positioning knowledge, two reference frames are used; a local reference frame and a global reference frame, with the former benefiting obstacle detection and mapping and the latter for operator-specified and autonomous way-point following. Extensive experimental results obtained from multiple field tests are presented to illustrate the performance and robustness of the system over hours of continuous runs and hundreds of kilometers of distance traveled in a wide variety of terrains and conditions.
Statistical mutual conversion between whole body motion primitives and linguistic sentences for human motions
Authors: Takano Wataru , Nakamura Yoshihiko
Published: July 2015

This paper describes a novel approach to linguistic mutual inference, which enables robots not only to linguistically interpret the motion patterns in the form of sentences but also to generate the motions from the sentences. The inference can be established based on two modules, the motion language model and the natural language model. The motion language model stochastically represents an association structure between symbols of motion patterns and the words in sentences assigned to the motion. This is a statistical model with a three layered structure of motion symbols, latent states and words. The natural language model statistically represents a structure of sentences based on word bigrams. The motion language model and the natural language model correspond to semantics and syntax respectively. An approach to the integration of motion language model with the natural language model allows the linguistic mutual inference for the robots. The two kinds of inference can be made by solving search problems, search for a sequence of words corresponding to a motion and search for a symbol of motion pattern corresponding to a sentence. The proposed approach to interpretation of motion patterns as sentences and generation of motion patterns from the sentences through the integration of motion language model with the natural language model is validated by an experiment on the human behavioral data.
Perception of nonadjacent tonic-key relationships
Authors: Woolhouse Matthew , Cross Ian , Horton Timothy
Published: July 2015

The issue of structural nonadjacency in music and language was explored from a musical perspective in an experiment employing a stimulus-matching paradigm. The experiment measured the perceptual effect of a temporally nonadjacent key on the closure of a musical phrase; participants rated a stimulus-ending two-chord probe cadence for its closural properties. The temporal rate of decay of the nonadjacent key in memory was observed by varying the length of the intervening key area; that is, the key temporally adjacent to the probe cadence. Evidence emerged that listeners were able to hold the nonadjacent key in memory for over 10 seconds, indicating “global” nonadjacent harmonic perceptions. The study provides qualified evidence to support the notion that there are syntactic parallelisms between language and music, particularly in respect of nonadjacent key relationships.
Influence of melodic emphasis, texture, salience, and performer individuality on performance errors
Authors: Gingras Bruno , Palmer Caroline , Schubert Peter N. , McAdams Stephen
Published: July 2015

We investigated the influence of melodic emphasis, musical texture, musical salience, and performer individuality on the distribution and frequency of errors in keyboard performance. Eight performers recorded different interpretations of two short Baroque organ pieces of contrasting texture (homophonic versus polyphonic style). Melodic emphasis affected the distribution of performance errors according to the location of the part intended as melody, whereas musical texture influenced the type of errors. The effect of musical salience was examined by inviting 16 performers to record a Bach organ fugue. Error rates were lower for notes belonging to recurring musical motives than for non-motivic passages, and for outer voices compared to inner voices. These results are consistent with error detection studies showing that errors in inner voices or unfamiliar melodies are less perceptually salient, suggesting that the error likelihood is inversely related to a note’s degree of perceptual and musical salience. Across all three pieces, error patterns were more consistent in within-performer comparisons than between-performer comparisons of recordings of the same piece, implying that error patterns are indicative of individual differences in the interpretation of musical structures.
The effect of audio recording and playback on self-assessment among middle school instrumental music students
Authors: Silveira Jason M. , Gavin Russell
Published: July 2015

This study examined the effect of audio recording and playback on middle school instrumentalists’ self-assessment. Middle school student musicians ( N = 112) completed a self-assessment immediately following their individual performance of an etude. The student musicians then listened to a recording of their individual performance and completed another identical self-assessment. A third identical self-assessment occurred 2 days later, again utilizing the recorded performance as subject material. The self-assessment tool asked students to rate individual aspects of their performances on a 7-point Likert-type scale. The elements of tone, pitch, and rhythm all evidenced significant differences in self-assessment ratings from the live performance to the recorded performance 2 days later. There were also significant differences in self-assessment ratings between the live performance and recorded performance conditions for the elements of pitch and rhythm. Only tone evidenced a significant difference in self-assessment ratings from the first recorded condition to the second recorded condition. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Patients’ and caregivers’ perceptions of occupational therapy and adapting to discharge home from an inpatient palliative care setting
Authors: Marston Celia , Agar Meera , Brown Ted
Published: July 2015

Introduction

There is limited research into the role of occupational therapy in discharge planning in palliative care. This study aimed to explore patients’ and caregivers’ perceptions of occupational therapy in the context of discharge home from an inpatient palliative care setting.

Method

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients and caregivers following discharge home from inpatient palliative care. Participants were selected using purposive sampling and data was thematically analysed.

Results

Five caregivers and three patients were interviewed. Three main themes emerged: (1) shared roles in discharge planning; (2) perceived benefits of occupational therapy; and (3) adapting to discharge home. Patients and caregivers viewed occupational therapy as the practical help needed to achieve discharge. They had difficulty differentiating between professional roles and perceived the discharge process as a shared responsibility between themselves and the clinicians. Adapting to discharge home involved coping with the uncertain and unexpected, where limited understanding of professional roles meant participants did not know who to seek assistance from.

Conclusion

Occupational therapy was viewed as the practical help needed for discharge home from a palliative care setting. Clinicians need to take primary responsibility for understanding each other’s roles and providing information on who can assist after discharge.
Shape, displacement and mechanical properties from isogeometric multiview stereocorrelation
Authors: Dufour John-Eric , Hild François , Roux Stéphane
Published: July 2015

It is proposed to develop a multiview framework to perform stereocorrelation by resorting to isogeometric descriptions of the observed three-dimensional surfaces. Once the three-dimensional surfaces have been reconstructed, the corresponding three-dimensional displacement fields are measured within the same space. These fields are subsequently utilized to update isogeometric analyses to calibrate the elastic properties in a tensile experiment. An alternative route consists of preforming such analyses within an integrated framework.
Peripheral nerve field stimulation for trigeminal neuralgia, trigeminal neuropathic pain, and persistent idiopathic facial pain
Authors: Klein Johann , Sandi-Gahun Sahr , Schackert Gabriele , Juratli Tareq A
Published: July 2015

Objective

Peripheral nerve field stimulation (PNFS) is a promising modality for treatment of intractable facial pain. However, evidence is sparse. We are therefore presenting our experience with this technique in a small patient cohort.

Methods

Records of 10 patients (five men, five women) with intractable facial pain who underwent implantation of one or several subcutaneous electrodes for trigeminal nerve field stimulation were retrospectively analyzed. Patients’ data, including pain location, etiology, duration, previous treatments, long-term effects and complications, were evaluated.

Results

Four patients suffered from recurrent classical trigeminal neuralgia, one had classical trigeminal neuralgia and was medically unfit for microvascular decompression. Two patients suffered from trigeminal neuropathy attributed to multiple sclerosis, one from post-herpetic neuropathy, one from trigeminal neuropathy following radiation therapy and one from persistent idiopathic facial pain. Average patient age was 74.2 years (range 57–87), and average symptom duration was 10.6 years (range 2–17). Eight patients proceeded to implantation after successful trial. Average follow-up after implantation was 11.3 months (range 5–28). Using the visual analog scale, average pain intensity was 9.3 (range 7–10) preoperatively and 0.75 (range 0–3) postoperatively. Six patients reported absence of pain with stimulation; two had only slight constant pain without attacks.

Conclusion

PNFS may be an effective treatment for refractory facial pain and yields high patient satisfaction.
Gender Bias in STEM Fields
Authors: Robnett Rachael D.
Published: July 2015

The current study focuses on girls’ and women’s reported experiences with gender bias in fields related to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). In the first set of analyses, I examined whether the prevalence of self-reported gender bias varied depending on the educational context. I then examined whether experiencing gender bias was associated with lower STEM self-concept and, if so, whether having a supportive network of STEM peers would buffer this effect. Data were collected through a self-report survey that was administered to high school girls who aspired to have STEM careers, women in STEM undergraduate majors, and women in STEM doctoral programs. Overall, 61% of participants reported experiencing gender bias in the past year, but the prevalence rate varied according to their phase of education and field of study. In particular, women in math-intensive undergraduate majors were especially likely to encounter gender bias, which predominately originated from male peers in their major. As expected, participants who encountered gender bias had lower STEM self-concept than participants who did not. However, this effect was attenuated for participants who also had a supportive network of STEM peers. These findings suggest that positive peer connections may be a valuable resource for girls and women in the STEM pipeline.
Effect of speed ratio in edge routing of carbon fiber-reinforced plastics by rotary ultrasonic elliptical machining
Authors: Geng Daxi , Zhang Deyuan , Xu Yonggang , Jiang Xinggang , Lu Zhenghui , Lu Dawei
Published: July 2015

Edge routing carbon fiber-reinforced plastic structures is the first and mandatory operation after demolding. In order to solve the problems such as tool clogging and mechanical damages at the machined surface in edge routing of carbon fiber-reinforced plastics by grinding tools, the rotary ultrasonic elliptical machining technique was used in edge routing carbon fiber-reinforced plastics for the first time. First, the rotary ultrasonic elliptical machining principle and an analysis of the effect of the speed ratio, Rs (i.e., the ratio of the nominal cutting speed to the maximum tool vibration speed in the cutting direction), on the relative motion of the tool and workpiece were presented as the speed ratio greatly influences the rotary ultrasonic elliptical machining performance. Then, the edge routing experiments by rotary ultrasonic elliptical machining were conducted to study the machining quality at different speed ratios. The results showed that the grinding forces at Rs 0.1 decreased about 19% (normal grinding force) and 17% (tangential grinding force) than that at Rs 0.8 after cutting 100min. The tool diameter reduction at Rs 0.1 was 34% lower than that at Rs 0.8 after cutting 100min and the machined surface integrity at Rs 0.1 was also modified at the end of the experiments. The experimental findings suggest that the optimal integrated surface could be achieved by applying the rotary ultrasonic elliptical machining method with the fine size diamond grinding tool and the low speed ratio.
Frequency and Severity of Parenteral Nutrition Medication Errors at a Large Children's Hospital After Implementation of Electronic Ordering and Compounding
Authors: MacKay Mark , Anderson Collin , Boehme Sabrina , Cash Jared , Zobell Jeffery
Published: July 2015

Introduction: The Institute for Safe Medication Practices has stated that parenteral nutrition (PN) is considered a high‐risk medication and has the potential of causing harm. Three organizations—American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (A.S.P.E.N.), American Society of Health‐System Pharmacists, and National Advisory Group—have published guidelines for ordering, transcribing, compounding and administering PN. These national organizations have published data on compliance to the guidelines and the risk of errors. The purpose of this article is to compare total compliance with ordering, transcription, compounding, administration, and error rate with a large pediatric institution. Method: A computerized prescriber order entry (CPOE) program was developed that incorporates dosing with soft and hard stop recommendations and simultaneously eliminating the need for paper transcription. A CPOE team prioritized and identified issues, then developed solutions and integrated innovative CPOE and automated compounding device (ACD) technologies and practice changes to minimize opportunities for medication errors in PN prescription, transcription, preparation, and administration. Thirty developmental processes were identified and integrated in the CPOE program, resulting in practices that were compliant with A.S.P.E.N. safety consensus recommendations. Data from 7 years of development and implementation were analyzed and compared with published literature comparing error, harm rates, and cost reductions to determine if our process showed lower error rates compared with national outcomes. Results: The CPOE program developed was in total compliance with the A.S.P.E.N. guidelines for PN. The frequency of PN medication errors at our hospital over the 7 years was 230 errors/84,503 PN prescriptions, or 0.27% compared with national data that determined that 74 of 4730 (1.6%) of prescriptions over 1.5 years were associated with a medication error. Errors were categorized by steps in the PN process: prescribing, transcription, preparation, and administration. There were no transcription errors, and most (95%) errors occurred during administration. Conclusion: We conclude that PN practices that conferred a meaningful cost reduction and a lower error rate (2.7/1000 PN) than reported in the literature (15.6/1000 PN) were ascribed to the development and implementation of practices that conform to national PN guidelines and recommendations. Electronic ordering and compounding programs eliminated all transcription and related opportunities for errors.
Experience in Bedside Placement, Clinical Validity, and Cost‐Efficacy of a Self‐Propelled Nasojejunal Feeding Tube
Authors: Puiggròs Carolina , Molinos Rosa , Ortiz M. Dolors , Ribas Montserrat , Romero Carlos , Vázquez Concepcion , Segurola Hegoi , Burgos Rosa
Published: July 2015

Background: The procedures needed to insert nasojejunal tubes (NJTs) are often invasive or uncomfortable for the patient and require hospital resources. The objectives of this study were to describe our experience in inserting a self‐propelling NJT with distal pigtail end and evaluate clinical validity and cost efficacy of this enteral nutrition (EN) approach compared with parenteral nutrition (PN). Materials and Methods: Prospective study from July 2009 to December 2010, including hospitalized noncritical patients who required short‐term jejunal EN. The tubes were inserted at bedside, using intravenous erythromycin as a prokinetic drug. Positioning was considered correct when the distal end was beyond the ligament of Treitz. Migration failure was considered when the tube was not positioned into the jejunum within 48 hours postinsertion. Results: Fifty‐six insertions were recorded in 47 patients, most frequently in severe acute pancreatitis (69.6%). The migration rates at 18 and 48 hours postinsertion were 73.2% and 82.1%, respectively. There was migration failure in 8.9% of cases, and 8.9% were classified null (the tube was no longer in the gastrointestinal tract at 18 hours). There were no reported or observed complications. The mean duration of the EN was 12 ± 10.8 days. Five different types of EN formula were used. The total study cost was 53.9% lower compared with using PN in all patients. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that bedside insertion of a self‐propelling NJT is a safe, cost‐effective, and successful technique for postpyloric enteral feeding in at least 73% of the patients, and only 18% of patients could eventually need other placement techniques. It can avoid the need for more aggressive or expensive placement techniques or even PN if we cannot achieve enteral access.
Constitution and in vivo test of micro-porous tubular scaffold for esophageal tissue engineering
Authors: Hou Lei , Jin Jiachang , Lv Jingjing , Chen Ling , Zhu Yabin , Liu Xingyu
Published: July 2015

Current clinical techniques in treating long-gap esophageal defects often lead to complications and high morbidity. Aiming at long-gap synthetic esophageal substitute, we had synthesized a biodegradable copolymer, poly(L-lactide-co-caprolactone) (PLLC), with low glass transition temperature. In this work, we developed a tubular PLLC porous scaffold using a self-designed tubular mold and thermal induced phase separation (TIPS) method. In order to enhance the interaction between tissue and scaffold, fibrin, a natural fibrous protein derived from blood fibrinogen, was coated on the scaffold circumferential surface. The fibrin density was measured to be 1.23 ± 0.04 mg/cm2. Primary epithelial cell culture demonstrated the improved in vitro biocompatibility. In animal study with partial scaffold implantation, in situ mucosa regeneration was observed along the degradation of the scaffold. These indicate that fibrin incorporated PLLC scaffold can greatly improve epithelial regeneration in esophagus repair, therefore serve as a good candidate for long-term evaluation of post-implantation at excision site.
The Impact of Polyvictimization on Delinquency Among Latino Adolescents: A General Strain Theory Perspective
Authors: Cudmore Rebecca M. , Cuevas Carlos A. , Sabina Chiara
Published: July 2015

Although criminological research has provided support for general strain theory (GST), there is still little known about the relationship between victimization and delinquency among Latino adolescents. This study seeks to fill the gap in the literature by examining the association between a broader measure of victimization (i.e., polyvictimization) and delinquent behavior using data from the Dating Violence Among Latino Adolescents (DAVILA) Study, a national sample of Latino youth. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine two issues: (a) whether polyvictimization is associated with self-reported delinquent behavior and (b) whether anger mediates the relationship between polyvictimization and delinquency. Our findings provided partial support for GST among Latino youth. Specifically, the effect of polyvictimization on delinquency was explained in part by its effect on anger. Contrary to the theory’s hypothesis, the effect of polyvictimization was not conditional on the effect of social support. Overall, findings suggested that GST is a promising framework for understanding the relationship between polyvictimization and delinquency among Latino youth.
Socioemotional Problems in Children Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence: Mediating Effects of Attachment and Family Supports
Authors: Fusco Rachel A.
Published: July 2015

Given the high likelihood of women remaining with their partner when intimate partner violence (IPV) is present, it is important to work with existing family strengths and social supports to minimize emotional harm to the children of these couples. The current study involved interviews with mothers of young children in the child welfare system across a state in the northeast ( n = 336). Roughly one third of these women reported IPV in the past year. The relationship between IPV and child socioemotional problems was explored, along with supports that might mediate this relationship. Study results showed that child exposure to IPV was directly related to socioemotional problems. This was mediated by three family and social factors: strength of mother–child attachment, overall family functioning, and level of mothers’ emotional support. Findings revealed the heterogeneity among families with IPV and highlight the need for interventions focused on the ecological context in which women are parenting.
Domestic and Marital Violence Among Three Ethnic Groups in Nigeria
Authors: Nwabunike Collins , Tenkorang Eric Y.
Published: July 2015

There is evidence that between half and two thirds of Nigerian women have experienced domestic violence, and that this is higher in some ethnic groups than others. Yet, studies that examine the ethnic dimensions of domestic and marital violence are conspicuously missing in the literature. We fill this void using data from the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey. Results indicate significant ethnic differences with Igbo women more likely to have experienced sexual and emotional violence compared with Yoruba women. Hausa women were however significantly less likely to experience physical and sexual violence but not emotional violence, compared with Yoruba women. Women with domineering husbands were significantly more likely to experience physical, sexual, and emotional violence. Similarly, those who thought wife-beating was justified were more likely to experience all three types of violence. The independent effects of ethnicity on domestic violence suggests that specific interventions may be needed for women belonging to different ethnic groups if the problem of domestic violence is to be dealt with effectively in Nigeria.
Research With Children Exposed to Partner Violence: Perspectives of Service-Mandated, CPS- and Court-Involved Survivors on Research With Their Children
Authors: Rizo Cynthia F. , Macy Rebecca J. , Ermentrout Dania M. , O’Brien Jennifer , Pollock McLean D. , Dababnah Sarah
Published: July 2015

Rapidly growing numbers of female survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) who are the primary caregivers for their children are being mandated to services by child protective services (CPS) and/or the court system. Research is needed to better understand the experiences of these children; however, such research is hindered by the dearth of empirical evidence to guide researchers in how best to recruit and collect data about and from IPV-exposed children whose families are mandated to services. From a qualitative study with 21 CPS- and/or court-involved mothers, this article reports findings about participants’ perspectives regarding research with their IPV-exposed children. Our analyses determined three key findings: (a) mothers’ reasons or motivations for allowing their children to participate in research, (b) mothers’ reasons for refusing consent for their children to participate, and (c) strategies for increasing research participation among this population. Based on these findings, we offer recommendations for enhancing research participation among IPV-exposed children from CPS- and/or court-involved families mandated to services, including specific recruitment and data collection strategies. These recommendations and strategies also hold value for research with other vulnerable families and children struggling with violence.