bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gender inequality and disabled inclusivity in accounting higher education and the accounting profession during financial crises
Authors: Lodh Suman , Nandy Monomita
Published: August 2017

In this article, the authors find that, during financial crises, the wage gap between female and male accounting professionals declines and gender inequality in higher education is affected. In addition, less support and lower wages for disabled accounting professionals demotivate disabled students in accounting higher education. Because of budget cuts during financial crises, universities limit their support to women and the disabled. The authors consider 104 universities from the database of the United Kingdom’s Higher Education Statistics Agency for 2005–2011. Their theoretical and empirical findings establish that there was a growth in female students and a decline in disabled accounting students during the recent financial crisis. The established link between the higher education and the accounting profession enriches the accounting literature and may help policymakers to identifying better ways of enhancing equality and the inclusion of disabled students in accounting higher education to address inequality and non-inclusivity in the profession, especially during periods of financial crisis.
Disbond detection in a composite honeycomb structure of an aircraft vertical stabilizer by fiber Bragg gratings detecting guided ultrasound waves
Authors: Fiesler Saxena Indu , Guzman Narciso , Hui Kaleonui , Mal Ajit K
Published: August 2017

Efficient and accurate nondestructive inspection systems that save time can benefit scheduled maintenance of aircraft structures. Portable nondestructive inspection techniques capable of scanning larger area structures could find great utility and save considerable time and labor. Contemporary fixed location nondestructive inspection systems, such as the gold standard water-coupled ultrasound imaging by the “squirter” require structural disassembly of the part to be inspected and transportation to/from dedicated location. For large aircraft structures, such as vertical or horizontal stabilizers, this adds weeks to the off-site nondestructive inspection process. An on-site ultrasound detecting method for larger areas, comprising a flexible transducer panel of embedded fiber optic Bragg gratings that is lightweight and portable, and reusable over different structures, is described here. It is shown that this fiber Bragg grating embedded ultrasound transducer panel and readout hardware–software system can map tiny surface displacements of guided wave ultrasound, onsite, over an area of approximately 2 square feet in just over 10 min. The test sample is a sandwich structure with composite skins on both sides of an aluminum metal honeycomb section of an aircraft vertical stabilizer with an artificial engineered disbond. The ultrasound propagation data acquired at 612 positions over the large area, enables in situ nondestructive inspection of defects/ damage by comparing post-damage data with baseline data, and is independent of the material information.
A probabilistic optimization approach for motion planning of autonomous vehicles
Authors: Kim Junsoo , Jo Kichun , Lim Wonteak , Sunwoo Myoungho
Published: August 2017

This paper presents a novel probabilistic approach for improving the motion planning performance of autonomous driving. The proposed approach is based on the sampling-based planning algorithm, which generates an optimal trajectory from a set of trajectory candidates. In order to treat the uncertainty in the perception data and the vehicle system, the particle filter framework is applied to the motion planning algorithm with four main steps: the time update of the trajectory candidates, the perception measurement update, the trajectory selection and the motion goal resampling. Since the proposed planning algorithm recursively generates an optimal trajectory, the time update of the trajectory candidate updates the motion goals of the trajectory candidates in the previous step using the vehicle model, and it also generates a new set of candidates. In order to evaluate the optimality of each candidate with regard to the safety and the reliability, a perception measurement update is performed. In this step, the importance weight of each candidate is computed using perception data and its adaptive likelihood function. Based on the candidates with updated importance weights, an optimal trajectory is determined in the trajectory selection. Then, the motion goal resampling modifies the set of motion goals based on the importance weights for efficient management of the motion goals in the iterative planning algorithm. The developed algorithm is validated using various types of test. The results show that the proposed method not only provides an integrated probabilistic interface between the perception and the planning but also results in an excellent performance in terms of the computation efficiency.
Robust guaranteed-cost path-following control for autonomous vehicles on unstructured roads
Authors: Guo Jinghua , Wang Jin , Hu Ping , Li Linhui
Published: August 2017

This paper deals with the problem of automatic path-following control for a class of autonomous vehicle systems with parametric uncertainties and external disturbances in cross-country conditions. In the unstructured environments, the unevenness, the discontinuity and the variability of the terrain greatly increase the parametric uncertainties and the external perturbations of autonomous vehicles. To overcome these difficulties, a novel automatic path-following control scheme of vision-based autonomous vehicles is presented by utilizing the guaranteed-cost control theory. First, a new road detection algorithm used for segmenting and extracting the traversable path in unstructured terrains is achieved by using a combination consisting of multiple sensors, and the local relative position information between the vehicles and the desired trajectories can be acquired by the proposed detected algorithm in real time. Then, an optimal guaranteed-cost path-following control system is proposed, which can deal with the parametric uncertainties of autonomous vehicles and ensure the stability of the closed-loop control system. Finally, both simulation tests and experimental results demonstrate that the proposed control scheme can guarantee high path-tracking accuracy irrespective of the parametric uncertainties.
Smooth backstepping sliding mode control for missile attitude system based on parameters online adjusting and estimating for square of disturbance upper bound
Authors: Wu Yun-Jie , Zuo Jing-Xing , Sun Liang-Hua
Published: August 2017

To efficaciously eliminate the effect of chattering caused by parametric uncertainties and external disturbances on attitude tracking control of missile systems, a chattering-free backstepping sliding mode controller based on parameters online adjusting and square of disturbance upper bound estimating is proposed in this paper for the quaternion-described missile model, which is nonlinear in aerodynamics. The controller comprises the back stepping sliding mode strategy and several adaptive laws. First, one adaptive law is applied to adjust the uncertain parameters, involving inertias, atmospheric moment coefficients, and steering efficiencies online, which reduces the upper bound of the equivalent disturbances. Then, another adaptive law, estimating square of the disturbance upper bound, is introduced. Combining with the backstepping sliding mode controller, the expected missile attitude can be tracked asymptotically. Compared with other missile attitude controllers, key innovation of the proposed control laws are that the controller is based on the novel online adjusting model rather than the conventional fixed-parameter reference model and square of disturbance upper bound is estimated rather than the upper bound itself, which thoroughly abstains the chattering problem. Simulation results of a specific missile model demonstrate that the proposed controller is independent of the parametric uncertainties and can achieve a fast convergence rate without any chattering.
Analysis and comparison of wrist splint designs using the finite element method: Multi-material three-dimensional printing compared to typical existing practice with thermoplastics
Authors: Cazon Aitor , Kelly Sarah , Paterson Abby M , Bibb Richard J , Campbell R Ian
Published: August 2017

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease affecting the joints. Treatment can include immobilisation of the affected joint with a custom-fitting splint, which is typically fabricated by hand from low temperature thermoplastic, but the approach poses several limitations. This study focused on the evaluation, by finite element analysis, of additive manufacturing techniques for wrist splints in order to improve upon the typical splinting approach. An additive manufactured/3D printed splint, specifically designed to be built using Objet Connex multi-material technology and a virtual model of a typical splint, digitised from a real patient-specific splint using three-dimensional scanning, were modelled in computer-aided design software. Forty finite element analysis simulations were performed in flexion–extension and radial–ulnar wrist movements to compare the displacements and the stresses. Simulations have shown that for low severity loads, the additive manufacturing splint has 25%, 76% and 27% less displacement in the main loading direction than the typical splint in flexion, extension and radial, respectively, while ulnar values were 75% lower in the traditional splint. For higher severity loads, the flexion and extension movements resulted in deflections that were 24% and 60%, respectively, lower in the additive manufacturing splint. However, for higher severity loading, the radial defection values were very similar in both splints and ulnar movement deflection was higher in the additive manufacturing splint. A physical prototype of the additive manufacturing splint was also manufactured and was tested under normal conditions to validate the finite element analysis data. Results from static tests showed maximum displacements of 3.46, 0.97, 3.53 and 2.51 mm flexion, extension, radial and ulnar directions, respectively. According to these results, the present research argues that from a technical point of view, the additive manufacturing splint design stands at the same or even better level of performance in displacements and stress values in comparison to the typical low temperature thermoplastic approach and is therefore a feasible approach to splint design and manufacture.
Failure as process
Authors: Dearborn Carly , Meister Sam
Published: August 2017

Disaster, loss, and failure preoccupy the minds of many digital preservation professionals, and yet, despite the prominence of digital disaster planning guidelines which seem to anticipate failure, there is limited discussion of experience with preservation system or network failures, which are often framed as inevitable in digital preservation. Despite this framing, negative perceptions of failure influence the digital preservation discourse by associating failure with poor planning, unreliability, and untrustworthiness on the part of institutions. This article will interrogate the issue of failure within the digital preservation field and consider the need for more conversations around network failure and recovery. The authors will argue that failure is part of the process of digital preservation and more honest conversations around this topic will contribute to the practice of openness and transparency within the digital preservation community. To illustrate these issues, the authors will discuss the actual hardware failures experienced by the MetaArchive Cooperative, a community-based distributed digital preservation network, and how the Cooperative’s utilization of the LOCKSS software allowed it to recover from those failures. Additionally, the lessons learned and resulting changes the Cooperative made to technical infrastructure, hardware diversity, policies and procedures will be shared.
The usefulness of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging performed in the acute phase as an early predictor of delayed neuropsychiatric sequelae in acute carbon monoxide poisoning
Authors: Kim YS , Cha YS , Kim MS , Kim HJ , Lee YS , Youk H , Kim HI , Kim OH , Cha K-C , Kim H , Lee KH , Hwang SO
Published: August 2017

Delayed onset of neuropsychiatric symptoms after apparent recovery from acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning has been described as delayed neuropsychiatric sequelae (DNS). No previous study has determined whether early use of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) can predict which patients will develop DNS in the acute CO poisoning. This retrospective observational study was performed on adult patients with acute CO poisoning consecutively treated over a 17-month period. All included patients with acute CO poisoning underwent DWI to evaluate brain injury within 72 h after CO exposure. DWI was evaluated as follows: (1) presence of pathology, (2) number of pathologies, (3) asymmetry, and (4) location of pathology. Patients were divided into two groups. The DNS group was composed of patients with delayed sequelae, while the non-DNS group included patients with no sequelae. A total of 102 patients with acute CO poisoning were finally enrolled in this study. DNS developed in 10 patients (9.8%). Between the DNS group and the non-DNS group, presence of pathology on DWI and initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) showed significant difference. There was also a statistical difference between the non-DNS group and DNS group in terms of CO exposure time, troponin I, rhabdomyolysis, acute kidney injury, and pneumonia. The presence of pathology in DWI and initial GCS (cutoff: <12) at the emergency department served as an early predictors of DNS.
Evaluating disease prediction models using a cohort whose covariate distribution differs from that of the target population
Authors: Powers Scott , McGuire Valerie , Bernstein Leslie , Canchola Alison J , Whittemore Alice S
Published: August 2017

Personal predictive models for disease development play important roles in chronic disease prevention. The performance of these models is evaluated by applying them to the baseline covariates of participants in external cohort studies, with model predictions compared to subjects' subsequent disease incidence. However, the covariate distribution among participants in a validation cohort may differ from that of the population for which the model will be used. Since estimates of predictive model performance depend on the distribution of covariates among the subjects to which it is applied, such differences can cause misleading estimates of model performance in the target population. We propose a method for addressing this problem by weighting the cohort subjects to make their covariate distribution better match that of the target population. Simulations show that the method provides accurate estimates of model performance in the target population, while un-weighted estimates may not. We illustrate the method by applying it to evaluate an ovarian cancer prediction model targeted to US women, using cohort data from participants in the California Teachers Study. The methods can be implemented using open-source code for public use as the R-package RMAP (Risk Model Assessment Package) available at http://stanford.edu/~ggong/rmap/ .
A concept analysis of professional commitment in nursing
Authors: García-Moyano Loreto , Altisent Rogelio , Pellicer-García Begoña , Guerrero-Portillo Sandra , Arrazola-Alberdi Oihana , Delgado-Marroquín María Teresa
Published: August 2017

Background:

The concept of professional commitment is being widely studied at present. However, although it is considered an indicator for the most human part of nursing care, there is no clear definition for it, and different descriptors are being used indiscriminately to reference it.

Objective:

The aim of this study is to clarify the concept of professional commitment in nursing through the Rodgers’ evolutionary concept analysis process.

Design:

Systematic search using English and Spanish descriptors and concept analysis. Studies published between 2009 and June 2015, front-to-back analysis of the Nursing Ethics journal and manual check of articles cited in studies related to the Nijmegen Professionalism Scale.

Research design:

The procedure of concept analysis developed by Rodgers was used.

Ethical considerations:

Although the topic was not labeled as sensitive and subject to ethical approval, its realization was approved by the Ethical Committee of Clinical Research of Aragon (CEICA) approved the study on 18 March 2015 and also careful procedures have been followed according to ethics expressed in the Declaration of Helsinki.

Findings and discussion:

A total of 17 published studies. A clear definition of the concept was made, and surrogate terms, concept dimension, differential factors related to the concept, sociocultural variations and consequences for nursing practice were identified.

Conclusion:

There is a need for continuous advancement in the development of the concept, specific actions to encourage this and the improvement of evaluation methods for its study.
International Students’ Perceptions of Their Needs When Going Abroad: Services on Demand
Authors: Perez-Encinas Adriana , Rodriguez-Pomeda Jesus
Published: August 2017

In this article, we analyze international students’ perceptions of their needs when going abroad. The trend toward internationalization and the increase in mobility drives the agenda for globalization in many higher education institutions, and in some cases without any clear strategy for identifying the possible needs of international students. Are universities aware of the international students’ perceptions and needs? The purpose of this article is to reflect on the different needs that international students have when visiting new countries, and what particular services they require. Little research exists on this aspect of student mobility. We offer a new approach to it by using Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), a probabilistic topic model that has been used to analyze 59,662 student opinions and to group them into categories. To ensure a holistic approach and reliable visualization of the data, we also use a network analysis tool that allows us to collect together students’ perceptions and needs in a distilled format.
Addressing Compassion Fatigue and Stress of Special Education Teachers and Professional Staff Using Mindfulness and Prayer
Authors: Sharp Donahoo Lori M. , Siegrist Beverly , Garrett-Wright Dawn
Published: August 2017

Alternative therapies are promising nursing interventions for improvement of compassion fatigue in educators working in special education. A convenience sample of 27 teachers and professional staff working in special education participated in a quasi-experimental pilot study and completed a pre/posttest of demographic questions, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) (10-item) and Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL). All attended a presentation on stress, compassion satisfaction (CS), mindfulness, prayer, and social support. Nearly, one half received weekly electronic text message reminders encouraging use of mindfulness and prayer. All were offered support groups. Use of alternative therapies was self-selected and self-reported. Significant improvement occurred in posttest PSS scores ( p = .0485) of participants with the highest reported levels of use of mindfulness. ProQOL CS scores ( p = .0289) and PSS scores ( p = .0244) significantly improved when evaluating difference in means between groups with the highest levels and lowest levels of prayer and mindfulness. ProQOL burnout scores ( p = <.0001) increased from pretest to posttest. Findings were not significant in regard to reminders and social support.
Comparing Trust in Auto-GCAS Between Experienced and Novice Air Force Pilots
Authors: Lyons Joseph B. , Ho Nhut T. , Van Abel Anna Lee , Hoffmann Lauren C. , Sadler Garrett G. , Fergueson William E. , Grigsby Michelle A. , Wilkins Mark
Published: August 2017

We examined F-16 pilots’ trust of the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (Auto-GCAS), an automated system fielded on the F-16 to reduce the occurrence of controlled flight into terrain. We looked at the impact of experience (i.e., number of flight hours) as a predictor of trust perceptions and complacency potential among pilots. We expected that novice pilots would report higher trust and greater potential for complacency in relation to Auto-GCAS, which was shown to be partly true. Although novice pilots, compared with experienced pilots, reported equivalent trust perceptions, they also reported greater complacency potential.
A Meta-Analysis of the Correlates of Educational and Vocational Goals for Latina/o Students
Authors: Risco Cristina M. , O’Brien Karen M. , Grivel Margaux M. , Castro Janice E.
Published: August 2017

Among Latina/o Americans, the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population, disparities exist in educational and career attainment. The emergence of research on Latina/o students has resulted in varied findings that make it difficult to draw conclusions as to which predictors are most closely associated with goal outcomes for this population. Using meta-analytic techniques, the current study examined the magnitude, direction, and heterogeneity of effect sizes across multiple educational and vocational goal outcomes for Latina/o students (i.e., educational/vocational aspirations, expectations, goals/plans, and persistence). Across 34 independent samples from 33 studies, career-related self-efficacy, peer support, adult support, barriers, and Anglo acculturation had moderate effects on at least one of the outcomes, with career-related self-efficacy and peer support being moderately related to two or more outcomes. If replicated, this research suggests that interventions focused on career-related self-efficacy and peer support could enhance the development of educational and career goals for Latina/o students.
Hindfoot Arthritis Progression and Arthrodesis Risk After Total Ankle Replacement
Authors: Dekker Travis J. , Walton David , Vinson Emily N. , Hamid Kamran S. , Federer Andrew E. , Easley Mark E. , DeOrio James K. , Nunley James A. , Adams Samuel B.
Published: August 2017

Background:

The purpose of this study was to assess the radiographic progression of subtalar and talonavicular degenerative joint disease in a series of patients who had undergone TAA (total ankle arthroplasty) with minimum follow-up of 5 years.

Methods:

TAA patient radiographs from a single institution were analyzed for peritalar arthritic changes by extrapolating the modified Kellgren Lawrence (KL) grades of the knee to the subtalar and talonavicular joints. Patients were included if they had a minimum of 5 years of follow-up. Patients who had undergone prior arthrodesis of the talonavicular or subtalar joints were excluded. A total of 140 patients with average follow-up of 6.5 years (range, 5.0-8.9 years) were included.

Results:

Overall, 27% of patients advanced 1 KL grade at the subtalar joint and 31% of patients increased 1 KL grade at the talonavicular joint. Furthermore, 60% and 66% of patients showed no progression in the subtalar and talonavicular joints, respectively. Two patients progressed greater than 2 KL subtalar arthritis grades and only 2 patients with talonavicular arthritis progressed to the same extent. Sixteen patients went on to require a subtalar arthrodesis compared to 2 requiring a talonavicular fusion ( P < .05).

Conclusion:

This study suggests a moderate but nominal radiographic increase in adjacent subtalar and talonavicular arthritis over a minimum of 5 years after TAA. Future studies require a comparative control group of ankle fusion, but these data may suggest the motion preserved with an arthroplasty diminishes the stresses and compensatory motion incurred during tibiotalar arthrodesis.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, retrospective case series.
The Meaning of Choosing a Spouse Among Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Women Who Found Themselves in a Violent Relationship
Authors: Band-Winterstein Tova , Tuito Ilanit
Published: August 2017

This research note addresses how ultra-Orthodox Jewish women in Israel coping with intimate partner violence experienced the spouse selection process. In-depth semistructured qualitative–phenomenological interviews were conducted with 17 women. Four major themes emerged: (a) “The matchmaker seemingly fell asleep on her watch”; (b) The parents’ mistakes; (c) “The rabbi told me to jump into the water. Now he should hand me the paddles to get out!” The rabbi’s role; and (d) “That’s it . . . I follow it blindly”: The system. The findings add to the professional knowledge about violent partnerships in the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in Israel.
Collaborative Civil Society Organizations and Sustainable Cities: The Role of “Mobilizing Leadership” in Building the Integral Commons
Authors: McDermott Kevin , Kurucz Elizabeth C. , Colbert Barry A.
Published: August 2017

Sustainability issues are characterized by their relational nature and so require stakeholders working across sectors to integrate their interests. This article conducts an empirical examination across seven convening organizations we describe as “Collaborative Civil Society Organizations” to understand the intentional leadership activities that catalyze cross-sector social partnerships in the context of regional sustainability initiatives. Our research findings suggest that social movement theory can provide insight to inform our understanding of the nature of intentional leadership activities that help to motivate and initiate the formation of these cross-sector social partnerships. By enfolding this literature in the interpretation of our findings, we have articulated an empirically grounded construct of “mobilizing leadership.” We suggest that by approaching regional sustainability initiatives as a social movement, mobilizing leadership has the potential to extend the cosmopolitan view toward building a biosphere consciousness, enabling the development of local multisector interactions in response to global issues of sustainability.
Myopathic mtDNA Depletion Syndrome Due to Mutation in TK2 Gene
Authors: Martín-Hernández Elena , García-Silva María Teresa , Quijada-Fraile Pilar , Rodríguez-García María Elena , Rivera Henry , Hernández-Laín Aurelio , Coca-Robinot David , Fernández-Toral Joaquín , Arenas Joaquín , Martín Miguel A , Martínez-Azorín Francisco
Published: August 2017

Whole-exome sequencing was used to identify the disease gene(s) in a Spanish girl with failure to thrive, muscle weakness, mild facial weakness, elevated creatine kinase, deficiency of mitochondrial complex III and depletion of mtDNA. With whole-exome sequencing data, it was possible to get the whole mtDNA sequencing and discard any pathogenic variant in this genome. The analysis of whole exome uncovered a homozygous pathogenic mutation in thymidine kinase 2 gene ( TK2; NM_004614.4:c.323 C>T, p.T108M). TK2 mutations have been identified mainly in patients with the myopathic form of mtDNA depletion syndromes. This patient presents an atypical TK2-related myopathic form of mtDNA depletion syndromes, because despite having a very low content of mtDNA (<20%), she presents a slower and less severe evolution of the disease. In conclusion, our data confirm the role of TK2 gene in mtDNA depletion syndromes and expanded the phenotypic spectrum.
Novel COL1A1 Mutation c.3290G>T Associated With Severe Form of Osteogenesis Imperfecta in a Fetus
Authors: Tanner Laura , Vainio Paula , Sandell Minna , Laine Jukka
Published: August 2017

Osteogenesis imperfecta is a genetically and clinically heterogenous group of skeletal dysplasias characterized by bone fragility. Its severity ranges from nearly asymptomatic individuals to perinatal lethality. The majority of cases are caused by mutations in either the COL1A1 or the COL1A2 gene coding for alpha 1 and alpha 2 chains of collagen type 1, respectively, and a large number of pathogenic variants of these genes has been identified. We describe a novel COL1A1 mutation associated with prenatally diagnosed severe form of osteogenesis imperfecta.
Severe Intrauterine Amputations in One Dichorionic Twin With Pentalogy of Cantrell: Further Evidence and Consideration for Mechanical Teratogenesis
Authors: Salinas-Torres Víctor M , De La O-Espinoza Estivaliz A , Salinas-Torres Rafael A
Published: August 2017

Pentalogy of Cantrell (PC) is characterized by midline supraumbilical abdominal wall defect, lower sternum defect, anterior diaphragmatic and pericardial defect, and congenital cardiac anomalies. Several etiological influences have been postulated, however, most of the reported cases are sporadic. In addition, evidence for mechanical teratogenesis in PC is limited. Here, we describe in one dichorionic twin with complete PC, additional severe intrauterine amputations (mainly head and neck) not previously reported resultant from mechanical teratogenesis. This morphologic constellation prompts us to emphasize the consideration of this etiological influence and provides further evidence. In fact, the pattern of anomalies in the affected fetus provides new insight into the severity and presentation of PC due to mechanical teratogenesis, which is a significant etiological consideration in clinical evaluation and implies that the syndrome involves a complex defective fetal development.
Placental Pathologic Associations With Morbidly Adherent Placenta
Authors: Ernst Linda M , Linn Rebecca L , Minturn Lucy , Miller Emily S
Published: August 2017

Background

The pathology that underlies morbidly adherent placenta (MAP) is poorly understood. The objective of this study was to describe the placental pathology, especially implantation site pathology, associated with MAP.

Methods

This was a single institution, retrospective case-control study design examining placentas of patients who delivered between January 2008 and September 2013. MAP cases were defined by the need for clinical intervention at delivery beyond spontaneous placental delivery or simple manual extraction of the placenta. Controls consisted of patients with placentas sent for examination due to a history of maternal malignancy with no clinical suspicion of accreta. Placental pathologic findings of maternal vascular underperfusion (MVU), acute inflammation, chronic inflammation, fetal vascular obstruction, and hemorrhage were recorded and compared using bivariable and multivariable analyses.

Results

Three categories of pathologic changes were seen more commonly in MAP placentas (N = 101) than control placentas (N = 110): chronic basal inflammation, villous changes of MVU, and retromembranous and subchorionic/intervillous hemorrhage. In multivariable analyses adjusted for confounders, basal chronic villitis (aOR 5.6, 1.73–18.18), plasma cell deciduitis (aOR 2.63, 1.08–6.39), increased syncytial knots (aOR 3.92, 1.57–9.75), villous agglutination (aOR 24.85, 2.78–221.75), increased perivillous fibrin (aOR 5.08, 1.49–17.34), and the presence of subchorionic/intervillous thrombi (aOR 4.01, 1.63–9.86) remained associated with MAP.

Conclusions

MAP is highly associated with evidence of intraparenchymal placental hemorrhage, villous changes of MVU, and a lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate at the implantation site. The contribution of this basal chronic inflammatory infiltrate to MAP requires further investigation.
Pitfalls in the Diagnosis and Management of Invasive Pneumococcal Meningoencephalitis – What We Can Learn From a Case
Authors: Grzonka Pascale S , Sutter Raoul
Published: August 2017

Invasive pneumococcal meningitis is a life-threatening infectious disease affecting the central nervous system. It continues to be the most common type of community-acquired acute bacterial meningitides. Despite advances in neuro-critical care, the case fatality rate remains high. Rapid diagnosis and initiation of antibiotic therapy precludes mortality and long-term neurological sequelae in survivors. However, not all cases are easily recognised, and unanticipated complications may impede optimal course and outcome. Here, we describe a case of invasive pneumococcal meningoencephalitis in a 65-year-old man with an unusual initial presentation and pitfalls in the course of the disease. We highlight the importance of early diagnosis and treatment as well as recognition and management of complications.
A Case of Rare Diffuse Alveolar Hemorrhage and Review of Literature
Authors: Scollo Viviana , Zanoli Luca , Russo Elisa , Distefano Giulio , Rapisarda Francesco
Published: August 2017

It is well known that some disorders can cause concomitant kidney dysfunction with lung involvement. These syndromes, characterized by the simultaneous presence of intra-alveolar hemorrhage and acute glomerulonephritis, are caused by numerous and variable disorders. The most frequent are the antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA)-associated vasculitis and Goodpasture syndrome. A quick discerning of the underlying causes and initiation of adequate treatment is crucial to prevent acute respiratory failure and irreversible loss of renal function. We reported the case of a 33-year-old man having hemorrhagic alveolitis presenting a picture consistent with Goodpasture syndrome in the absence of anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) antibodies or ANCA at lab test and a review of literature. This case highlights the need to consider the chances of falsely seronegative cases of anti-GBM disease, as well as the importance of using all available assay routine tests. These cases would appear indeed more common than before if just taken into consideration their existence. Several reports have shown false seronegatives especially in patients with relapses, in smokers, and in patients with predominantly pulmonary symptoms.
Seismic behavior of steel-reinforced recycled concrete inner-beam–column connection under low cyclic loads
Authors: Xue Jianyang , Zhai Lei , Bao Yuze , Ren Rui , Zhang Xicheng
Published: August 2017

This article presents the results of low cyclic loading tests on steel-reinforced recycled concrete inner-beam–column connections, including four 1:2.5 scaled specimens with different replacement rates of recycled coarse aggregates. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the seismic behavior of steel-reinforced recycled concrete inner-beam–column connection based on the seismic tests of the four specimens under low cyclic loads with vertical axial force. The main design parameter of the beam–column connections in this research is the recycled coarse aggregate replacement percentage. The crack status, failure modes, hysteresis loops, skeleton curves, energy dissipation, capacity stiffness of degradation, and ductility of steel-reinforced recycled concrete inner-beam–column connections are presented and analyzed. The results indicate that the main failure pattern of the steel-reinforced recycled concrete inner-beam–column connection is the shearing diagonal compression in the beam–column connection zone. As the recycled aggregate replacement percentage increases, both the bearing capacity and ductility of the steel-reinforced recycled concrete beam–column connections decrease to some extent. However, the seismic behavior of the steel-reinforced recycled concrete inner-beam–column connection does not degrade significantly compared with the ordinary steel-reinforced concrete beam–column connection.
Are perceptions of social norms regarding peer alcohol and other drug use associated with personal use in Danish adolescents?
Authors: Vallentin-Holbech Lotte , Rasmussen Birthe Marie , Stock Christiane
Published: August 2017

Aims: This study aims to describe norm perceptions among Danish pupils aged 13–17 years related to the prevalence of personal lifetime use of alcohol and other drugs (AODs). Further we examined if norm perceptions were associated with personal lifetime AOD use. Method: The data were collected as baseline data in the trial The GOOD Life. A total of 2601 pupils from 42 public schools in the Region of Southern Denmark completed an online questionnaire measuring personal lifetime AOD use and personal approval of use. Additionally the perceived frequency of AOD use and approval of use among peers of their own grade were measured. Lifetime AOD outcome variables were alcohol consumption (at least one drink, being drunk and had five or more drinks on one occasion), smoking, and cannabis use. Results: Pupils’ perceptions of peer approval were significantly higher than pupils’ personal approval of AOD use among adolescents for all outcomes. With the exception of cannabis use the estimated AOD prevalence among peers (median) were higher than the actual prevalence of personal lifetime use. Multilevel logistic regression models showed a significantly increased risk of personal AOD use for pupils that overestimated their peers’ AOD use and also for pupils that perceived peers to approve of AOD use. Conclusions: The findings highlight that pupils’ exaggerated perceptions regarding their peers’ use and approval of AOD use are related to personal experience with AODs.
Social selection in cohort studies and later representation of childhood psychiatric diagnoses: The Danish National Birth Cohort
Authors: Madsen Kathrine Bang , Hohwü Lena , Zhu Jin Liang , Olsen Jørn , Obel Carsten
Published: August 2017

Aim: This study aimed to estimate the relative representation of childhood psychiatric diagnoses and use of psychotropic medication in the Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC) compared to the general population. Methods: The general population was identified as all childbirths in Denmark during 1998–2002 ( N=344,160). Linking the DNBC ( N=91,442) and the general population to the Danish national health registries, all children were followed until they received an ICD-10 psychiatric diagnosis, had a prescription of psychotropic medication or to the end of follow-up in 2013. The prevalence ratios (PRs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated for each psychiatric diagnosis and by sex. Age at first diagnosis presented as means were compared using the one-sample t-test. Results: In the DNBC, the selected childhood psychiatric diagnoses were underrepresented by 3% (PR=0.97, 95% CI 0.94–0.99), ranging from a 20% underrepresentation for schizophrenia (PR=0.80, 95% CI 0.59–1.09) to a 6% over-representation for anxiety disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder (PR=1.06, 95% CI 0.97–1.17). The majority of the specific diagnoses were modestly underrepresented in the DNBC compared to the general population, while use of psychotropic medication had similar representation. Girls were generally more underrepresented than boys. Depression was on average diagnosed 0.4 years earlier in the DNBC than in the general population ( p=0.023). Conclusions: These findings suggest that the social selection may influence the prevalence of diagnosed childhood psychiatric disorders in the DNBC.
Women, ethnic minorities and newsworthiness: Journalists’ perceptions
Authors: Vandenberghe Hanne , d’Haenens Leen , Van Gorp Baldwin
Published: August 2017

This study seeks to determine the extent to which the Flemish press gives voice to gender and ethnic diversity. A total of 16 in-depth interviews with print journalists outlined five key arguments about diversity in the newsroom. Two of these view the portrayal of diversity as conceptually irrelevant or inconsistent with a notion of universal equality. The third argument defines diverse representation as an active search process that is part and parcel of a journalist’s mission. Two additional arguments blame the lack of diversity in news reporting on practical obstacles – professional practices that make it difficult to aim for a diverse source selection, or the less prominent role of women and ethnic minorities in society which leads to a less diverse set of news sources. This study seeks to find explanations in the news production process as to why gender and ethnic diversity in the news continues to be consistently scarce.
Acoustic emission monitoring and finite element analysis of debonding in fiber-reinforced polymer rebar reinforced concrete
Authors: Li Weijie , Ho Siu Chun Michael , Patil Devendra , Song Gangbing
Published: August 2017

The acoustic emission technique is widely used for mechanical diagnostics and damage characterization in reinforced concrete structures. This article experimentally investigated the feasibility of debonding characterization in fiber-reinforced polymer rebar reinforced concrete using acoustic emission technique. To this end, carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer rebar reinforced concrete specimens were prepared and they were subjected to pullout tests to study the interfacial debonding between concrete and reinforcement. Test results showed that the debonding failure between concrete and reinforcement was characterized by the total peeling off of the helical wrapping layer of the carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer reinforcement. The response of acoustic emission activity was analyzed by descriptive parameters, such as cumulative acoustic emission hits, amplitude, and peak frequency. The evolution of debonding failure is thus characterized by these acoustic emission parameters. The results demonstrated a clear correlation between the damage evolution of carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer rebar pullout and the acoustic emission parameters. In addition, finite element analysis was adopted to study the stress field during the pullout of the reinforcement. The simulation results agreed well with the experimental investigations.
Quantitative analysis of pit defects in an automobile engine cylinder cavity using the radial basis function neural network–genetic algorithm model
Authors: Yang Xiaoxia , Xue Bin , Jia Lecheng , Zhang Hao
Published: August 2017

In the automotive remanufacturing movement, the inspection of the corrosion defects on the engine cylinder cavity is a key and difficult problem. In this article, based on the ultrasonic phased array technology and the radial basis function neural network–genetic algorithm model, a new quantitative analysis method is proposed to estimate the size of the pit defects on the automobile engine cylinder cavity. Echo signals from the small pit defects with different sizes are acquired by an ultrasonic phased array transducer. According to the ultrasonic signal characteristics, the feature vectors are extracted using wavelet packet, fractal technology, peak amplitude method, and some routine extract methods. The radial basis function neural network–genetic algorithm model is investigated for the quantitative analysis of the pit defects, which can obtain an optimal quantitative model. The results show that the proposed model is effective in the corrosion estimation work.
In-situ damage localization for a wind turbine blade through outlier analysis of stochastic dynamic damage location vector-induced stress resultants
Authors: Ulriksen Martin Dalgaard , Tcherniak Dmitri , Hansen Lasse M , Johansen Rasmus Johan , Damkilde Lars , Frøyd Lars
Published: August 2017

Today, structural integrity inspections of wind turbine blades are typically carried out by the use of rope or platform access. Since these inspection approaches are both tedious and extremely costly, a need for a method facilitating reliable, remote monitoring of the blades has been identified. In this article, it is examined whether a vibration-based damage localization approach proposed by the authors can provide such reliable monitoring of the location of a structural damage in a wind turbine blade. The blade, which is analyzed in idle condition, is subjected to unmeasured hits from a mounted actuator, yielding vibrations that are measured with a total of 12 accelerometers; of which 11 are used for damage localization. The employed damage localization method is an extended version of the stochastic dynamic damage location vector method, which, in its origin, is a model-based method that interrogates damage-induced changes in a surrogate of the transfer matrix. The surrogate’s quasi-null vector associated with the lowest singular value is converted into a pseudo-load vector and applied to a numerical model of the healthy structure in question, hereby, theoretically, yielding characteristic stress resultants approaching zero in the damaged elements. The proposed extension is based on outlier analysis of the characteristic stress resultants to discriminate between damaged elements and healthy ones; a procedure that previously, in the context of experiments with a small-scale blade, has proved to mitigate noise-induced anomalies and systematic, non-damage-associated adverse effects.
Damage detection based on sparse virtual element boundary measurement using metal-core piezoelectric fiber
Authors: Zhang Chao , Cheng Li , Qiu Jinhao , Wang Hongyuan
Published: August 2017

Pseudo-excitation approach is a recently developed vibration-based damage detection method, exhibiting some appealing features for structural health monitoring applications. However, two main bottlenecking problems, that is, dense measurement points and venerable noise immunity, hamper its use in practical applications. This article tackles these problems by proposing a novel method based on sparse virtual element boundary measurement using metal-core piezoelectric fiber sensors. Different from the local “point-by-point” interrogation modality used in the original pseudo-excitation approach, the proposed method divides the entire structure into several virtual elements to construct a damage location index, describing the damage-induced dynamic perturbation in the corresponding virtual element. To avoid the high-order derivative calculation, which is mainly responsible to the low noise robustness of the original pseudo-excitation approach, metal-core piezoelectric fiber sensors are used to directly measure the surface strains, but only at the virtual element boundaries, leading to a significantly reduced number of measurement points. Experiment is designed and carried out using a cantilever beam, in which a 10-metal-core piezoelectric fiber sensor array is embedded in the structure. Along with the sparse laser Doppler vibrometer measurement, a normalized damage location index is constructed. Results demonstrate that the proposed method not only enhances the noise robustness but also allows a significant reduction in the number of measurement points.
A nondestructive method for the pretension detection in membrane structures based on nonlinear vibration response to impact
Authors: Liu Chang-Jiang , Todd Michael D , Zheng Zhou-Lian , Wu Yu-You
Published: August 2017

The pretension of building membrane structures may relax over its service lifetime, which may cause engineering failure under external loads. Therefore, the pretension of building membrane structures should be monitored or estimated regularly to compare the actual pretension to its design pretension and then to adopt some strengthening measures to mitigate future problems. Based on the geometrically nonlinear vibration of a rectangular orthotropic membrane structure, a nondestructive detection method for monitoring its pretension is developed in this article. This method is achieved by impacting a low-velocity pellet onto the membrane surface to generate vibration and detecting its response amplitude. Then the detected amplitude is converted into a pretension estimate via a derived formula. In addition, experiments for three kinds of conventional membrane material (Heytex H5573, Xing Yi Da, and ZZF 3010) were carried out according to the theoretical idea. The experimental results proved this method is feasible and verified the theoretical derivation is reasonable.