bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
What Is the Attraction? Pornography Use Motives in Relation to Bystander Intervention
Authors: Foubert John D. , Bridges Ana J.
Published: July 2015

Use of pornography is common among adolescents and young adults, with most men and a growing number of women viewing regularly. A vast body of research suggests pornography use is associated with multiple attitudinal and behavioral variables. One of those associations, for both men and women, is higher pornography use is correlated with a lower likelihood of intervening to prevent sexual assault. The present study explored how motives for viewing pornography related to male ( n = 139) and female ( n = 290) college students’ willingness and efficacy to intervene to help prevent a sexual assault from occurring. We found that several motivations to view pornography were associated with suppression of willingness to intervene as a bystander, even after controlling for frequency of pornography use. This study joins others in suggesting an association between pornography use and callousness toward sexual violence.
From the Delta Banks to the Upper Ranks
Authors: Rose Caleb P. , Maranto Robert , Ritter Gary W.
Published: July 2015

Knowledge is Power Program Delta College Preparatory School (KIPP DCPS), an open-enrollment charter school,1 opened in 2002 in Helena, Arkansas. KIPP DCPS students have consistently outperformed their peers from neighboring districts on year-end student achievement scores, and KIPP’s national reputation led Arkansas lawmakers to exempt KIPP from the state’s charter school cap. Yet, skeptics of KIPP in particular, and charter schools in general, voiced a concern that the apparent KIPP advantage in student achievement may have been due to the prior academic ability of the students who selected into KIPP rather than to the KIPP school itself. Furthermore, some KIPP critics have argued that student attrition at KIPP schools accounts for the apparent KIPP advantage. Until now, no prior study has rigorously compared performance of KIPP students with traditional public school peers on matched observable academic and demographic variables or carefully considered student attrition rates at KIPP DCPS. Here, we begin by summarizing prior evaluations of KIPP schools nationally. Next, we carefully examine student attrition from 2005 through 2011, and we find that KIPP DCPS attrition resembles that found in nearby traditional public schools. Finally, using regression models that control demographic and prior academic indicators, we find that KIPP DCPS students gain significantly more each year on standardized assessments than do their matched peers. These results are important as nearly all prior empirical work on KIPP schools has been conducted in urban settings. Despite the fact that many rural students struggle academically or attend struggling schools, we know relatively little about the potential benefits of No Excuses charter schools in rural areas, such as KIPP DCPS.
Mathematical Communication in State Standards Before the Common Core
Authors: Kosko Karl Wesley , Gao Yang
Published: July 2015

Mathematical communication has been an important feature of standards documents since National Council of Teachers of Mathematics’ (NCTM) (1989) Curriculum and Evaluation Standards. Such an emphasis has influenced content standards of states from then to present. This study examined how effective the prevalence of various forms of mathematical communication in 2009 state standards documents was in regard to National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2009 achievement scores for Grade 4. Analysis suggests mixed results with potential implications as states move toward fully implementing the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics. Specifically, although including language requiring mathematical descriptions from students had a positive effect on Grade 4 NAEP 2009 achievement scores, including language requiring rationales and justifications was not found to have a statistically significant effect.
From the native point of view
Authors: Doja Albert
Published: July 2015

In the standard native tradition of Albanian studies, descriptive and empirical research has only confirmed their own ultimate goal of constructing national specificity and a particularly antiquated view of national culture. In this article, I show how and why an articulate analysis of the main intellectual traditions and their impact can provide fresh insights into grasping the cultural particularism of Albanian studies. Methodologically, a new picture of knowledge production must arise if we consider the historical, cultural, political and ideological terrain on which certain influential ideas and practices in Albanian studies of people’s culture have emerged. The aim, then, is not to provide an exhaustive picture of a positive knowledge of culture and society, but to show the urgent need for avoiding any adoption of concepts that might be pure reconstructions of arbitrary and timeless structures and values, while rejecting any approach in terms of survivals and folklorism.
Aerodynamic impact of hub and shroud leakage flow on an axial turbine stage
Authors: Liu Huoxing , An Yuge , Zou Zhengping
Published: July 2015

This paper presents a study analyzing the aerodynamic effect and loss mechanism of hub and shroud leakage flow for an axial turbine stage. A series of computational fluid dynamics computations were performed to investigate the effect of various complexity of leakage configurations on the flow field. It is found that a non-linear relationship between different flow systems emerges in the vicinity of both the shroud and hub leakage flow exhibiting a deviation of flow direction and a radial shift of flow pattern, while the efficiency drop caused by the shroud and hub leakage configurations can be added linearly. By analyzing the expansion process in the cooled turbine and the spatial distribution of viscous dissipation term, the loss sources which can be directly traced back to the flow phenomena were indentified. Based on the aerodynamic feature of the turbine, an analytical approach to separate and quantify loss sources was proposed and applied to analyze the turbine. Four kinds of loss mechanisms, referred to as cavity losses, mixing losses, extra losses, and the leakage work reduction, were observed and their contributions were eventually represented by efficiency penalty.
A new hybrid force-position measure approach on the stability for a camera robot
Authors: Liu Peng , Qiu Yuanying , Su Yu
Published: July 2015

In order to evaluate the stability of a camera robot, a new stability performance index with combination of force and position based on the determinations of the cable tensions is proposed in this paper. First, two position factors based on the kinematic model of the camera robot are presented to show how far the specified position is away from the center of the horizontal plane at which the specified position locates within the workspace and how far the specified position is away from the top of the workspace, respectively. Then, two force factors are also developed to show the distributions of the minimum cable tensions in the specified region of the workspace. Furthermore, the stability performance index is described using the weighted method. And subsequently, the stability workspace is designed with the stability performance index. Finally, a robustness workspace with the external wrench is selected to demonstrate the effectiveness of the stability performance index above for the camera robot. Simulation results show that it is suitable to employ stability performance index to evaluate the stability of the camera robot.
Two-dimensional stick-slip motion of Coulomb friction oscillators
Authors: Fadaee M , Yu SD
Published: July 2015

Two-dimensional stick-slip motion of an oscillator subjected to dry friction is investigated in this paper. The equations of motion of the non-smooth system are discretized in the time domain by means of the implicit Bozzak-Newmark scheme. The system state equations in a time step are written in the incremental displacements to model the frictional constraints in accordance with Coulomb’s law. With the help of a coordinate transformation and introduction of paired non-negative and complementary variables, the non-smooth vibration problem is reduced to a mathematical programming problem for which a numerical solution can be obtained. Numerical results for a single body oscillator under a harmonic excitation are obtained using the proposed method and compared with those in the literature; excellent agreement is achieved. The proposed method is then applied to a general two-dimensional oscillator with stiffness and viscous coupling in addition to the frictional coupling. Experiments are conducted for free vibration of a single body vibration system subjected to two-dimensional dry friction. Good agreement between the measurements and numerical results obtained using the proposed scheme is observed.
Research on global and local stability of continuous welded rail based on finite element analysis and discrete short-time Fourier transform
Authors: Shu Di , Guo Lei , Yin Liang , Chen Juan , Qi Xin
Published: July 2015

The evaluation of the stability of continuous welded rail (CWR) is a major area of research activity. In this paper, a method is proposed that uses finite element analysis and discrete short-time Fourier transform methods to evaluate the global and local stabilities of in-service CWR on the Baotou–Xi’an line in the People’s Republic of China. A local stability evaluation criterion for the rail and a global standard deviation for the thermal stress fluctuation in the CWR are proposed. The global stability of a CWR that consists of two rails is taken to be that of the rail with the largest thermal stress fluctuation, whereas for a single rail, the fluctuation state of the local zone with the largest thermal stress fluctuation is used as the criterion.
Reworking the relation between sanitation and the city in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Authors: Pastore Maria Chiara
Published: July 2015

Africa is at present one of the most dynamic continents. It will play a key role in the next decades in relation to the growth of cities, and environmental conditions will be of primary importance. The structural lack of water and sanitation infrastructure affects the development of growing African cities. This paper analyses the status of the sanitation and drainage systems of Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), a city with a structural lack and general deterioration of the existing infrastructure, and with high annual growth, which has contributed to increasing water demand and strained the water and sanitation system. In particular, the paper describes the water and sanitation conditions of the city, and examines three areas in the city that highlight the relation among the evolution of the city’s growth, sanitation system, and type of settlement. The analysis leads to three main findings. Firstly, urban planning and water management must find common ground and work closely together. Secondly, both on-site (boreholes, wells, on-site latrines, etc.) and off-site (pipes) systems should be considered for the provision and safe discharge of water. Finally, local governments need to take a major step in the water and sanitation sectors in relation to the city.
Can Faces Prime a Language?
Authors: Woumans Evy , Martin Clara D. , Vanden Bulcke Charlotte , Van Assche Eva , Costa Albert , Hartsuiker Robert J. , Duyck Wouter
Published: July 2015

Bilinguals have two languages that are activated in parallel. During speech production, one of these languages must be selected on the basis of some cue. The present study investigated whether the face of an interlocutor can serve as such a cue. Spanish-Catalan and Dutch-French bilinguals were first familiarized with certain faces, each of which was associated with only one language, during simulated Skype conversations. Afterward, these participants performed a language production task in which they generated words associated with the words produced by familiar and unfamiliar faces displayed on-screen. When responding to familiar faces, participants produced words faster if the faces were speaking the same language as in the previous Skype simulation than if the same faces were speaking a different language. Furthermore, this language priming effect disappeared when it became clear that the interlocutors were actually bilingual. These findings suggest that faces can prime a language, but their cuing effect disappears when it turns out that they are unreliable as language cues.
From Effort to Value
Authors: Benozio Avi , Diesendruck Gil
Published: July 2015

In the current studies, we addressed the development of effort-based object valuation. Four- and 6-year-olds invested either great or little effort in order to obtain attractive or unattractive rewards. Children were allowed to allocate these rewards to an unfamiliar recipient (dictator game). Investing great effort to obtain attractive rewards (a consonant situation) led 6-year-olds, but not 4-year-olds, to enhance the value of the rewards and thus distribute fewer of them to others. After investing effort to attain unattractive rewards (a dissonant situation), 6-year-olds cognitively reduced the dissonance between effort and reward quality by reappraising the value of the rewards and thus distributing fewer of them. In contrast, 4-year-olds reduced the dissonance behaviorally by discarding the rewards. These findings provide evidence for the emergence of an effort-value link and underline possible mechanisms underlying the primacy of cognitive versus behavioral solutions to dissonance reduction.
Personality in Bonobos
Authors: Weiss Alexander , Staes Nicky , Pereboom Jeffrey J. M. , Inoue-Murayama Miho , Stevens Jeroen M. G. , Eens Marcel
Published: July 2015

To better understand human and chimpanzee personality evolution, we obtained trait ratings of personality for 154 captive bonobos (~80% of the U.S. and European population). We found factors that we labeled Assertiveness, Conscientiousness, Openness, Agreeableness, Attentiveness, and Extraversion. The interrater reliabilities and test-retest reliabilities for these factors were comparable to those found in humans and other species. Using orthogonal targeted Procrustes rotations, we compared the bonobo dimensions with those of three samples of captive chimpanzees. Overall congruence coefficients indicated a fair degree of similarity; at the factor level, there was good evidence for Assertiveness, Conscientiousness, Openness, and Agreeableness in the chimpanzee samples; evidence for Attentiveness and Extraversion was poor. These findings suggest that, as expected given their close phylogenetic relationship, bonobo personality structure resembles chimpanzee personality structure in some respects. However, divergent evolution, perhaps as a result of socioecological differences between bonobos and chimpanzees, also appears to have shaped personality structure in these species.
Application of integrated fuzzy logic and neural networks to the performance prediction of axial compressors
Authors: Gholamrezaei M , Ghorbanian K
Published: July 2015

An integrated fuzzy logic-neural network methodology is presented as a mean to improve the reconstruction of the performance map of axial compressors and fans. The learning capability of artificial neural network technique is integrated to the knowledge aspect of fuzzy inference system to offer enhanced prediction capabilities compared to using a single methodology independently. The proposed technique incorporates information of experimental data on surge, operating, and choke lines at any arbitrary but fixed rotational speed. A comparison of the predicted results with experimental data reveals a very good agreement. The proposed technique has the capability to model the nonlinear surge line as well as the kink in the performance map. Application of the method for compressor map generation showed that the proposed technique is robust and capable of enhancing any performance simulation tool used for the dynamic simulation and condition monitoring.
An early ‘Little Ice Age’ brackish water invasion along the south coast of the Caspian Sea (sediment of Langarud wetland) and its wider impacts on environment and people
Authors: Haghani Safiyeh , Leroy Suzanne AG , Khdir Sarkar , Kabiri Keivan , Naderi Beni Abdolmajid , Lahijani Hamid Alizadeh Ketek
Published: July 2015

Caspian Sea level has undergone significant changes through time with major impacts not only on the surrounding coasts but also on offshore. This study reports a brackish water invasion on the southern coast of the Caspian Sea constructed from a multi-proxy analysis of sediment retrieved from the Langarud wetland. The ground surface level of wetland is >6 m higher than the current Caspian Sea level (at −27.41 m in 2014) and located >11 km far from the coast. A sequence covering the last millennium was dated by three radiocarbon dates. The results from this new study suggest that Caspian Sea level rose up to at least −21.44 m (i.e. >6 m above the present water level) during the early ‘Little Ice Age’. Although previous studies in the southern coast of the Caspian Sea have detected a high-stand during the Little Ice Age period, this study presents the first evidence that this high-stand reached so far inland and at such a high altitude. Moreover, it confirms one of the very few earlier estimates of a high-stand at −21 m for the second half of the 14th century. The effects of this large-scale brackish water invasion on soil properties would have caused severe disruption to regional agriculture, thereby destabilising local dynasties and facilitating a rapid Turko-Mongol expansion of Tamerlane’s armies from the east.
Using video in childbirth research
Authors: Harte J Davis , Homer Caroline SE , Sheehan Athena , Leap Nicky , Foureur Maralyn
Published: July 2015

Background:

Conducting video-research in birth settings raises challenges for ethics review boards to view birthing women and research-midwives as capable, autonomous decision-makers.

Aim:

This study aimed to gain an understanding of how the ethical approval process was experienced and to chronicle the perceived risks and benefits.

Research design:

The Birth Unit Design project was a 2012 Australian ethnographic study that used video recording to investigate the physical design features in the hospital birthing space that might influence both verbal and non-verbal communication and the experiences of childbearing women, midwives and supporters.

Participants and research context:

Six women, 11 midwives and 11 childbirth supporters were filmed during the women’s labours in hospital birth units and interviewed 6 weeks later.

Ethical considerations:

The study was approved by an Australian Health Research Ethics Committee after a protracted process of negotiation.

Findings:

The ethics committee was influenced by a traditional view of research as based on scientific experiments resulting in a poor understanding of video-ethnographic research, a paradigmatic view of the politics and practicalities of modern childbirth processes, a desire to protect institutions from litigation, and what we perceived as a paternalistic approach towards protecting participants, one that was at odds with our aim to facilitate situations in which women could make flexible, autonomous decisions about how they might engage with the research process.

Discussion:

The perceived need for protection was overly burdensome and against the wishes of the participants themselves; ultimately, this limited the capacity of the study to improve care for women and babies.

Conclusion:

Recommendations are offered for those involved in ethical approval processes for qualitative research in childbirth settings. The complexity of issues within childbirth settings, as in most modern healthcare settings, should be analysed using a variety of research approaches, beyond efficacy-style randomised controlled trials, to expand and improve practice-based results.
Moral distress in Turkish intensive care nurses
Authors: Karagozoglu Serife , Yildirim Gulay , Ozden Dilek , Çınar Ziynet
Published: July 2015

Background:

Moral distress is a common problem among professionals working in the field of healthcare. Moral distress is the distress experienced by a professional when he or she cannot fulfill the correct action due to several obstacles, although he or she is aware of what it is. The level of moral distress experienced by nurses working in intensive care units varies from one country/culture/institution to another. However, in Turkey, there is neither a measurement tool used to assess moral distress suffered by nurses nor a study conducted on the issue.

Aim/objective:

The study aims to (a) validate the Turkish version of the Moral Distress Scale–Revised to be used in intensive care units and to examine the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the scale, and (b) explore Turkish intensive care nurses’ moral distress level.

Method:

The sample of this methodological, descriptive, and cross-sectional design study comprises 200 nurses working in the intensive care units of internal medicine and surgical departments of four hospitals in three cities in Turkey. The data were collected with the Socio-Demographic Characteristics Form and The Turkish Version of Moral Distress Scale–Revised.

Ethical considerations:

The study proposal was approved by the ethics committee of the Faculty of Medicine, Cumhuriyet University. All participating nurses provided informed consent and were assured of data confidentiality.

Results:

In parallel with the original scale, Turkish version of Moral Distress Scale–Revised consists of 21 items, and shows a one-factor structure. It was determined that the moral distress total and item mean scores of the nurses participating in the study were 70.81 ± 48.23 and 3.36 ± 4.50, respectively.

Conclusion:

Turkish version of Moral Distress Scale–Revised can be used as a reliable and valid measurement tool for the evaluation of moral distress experienced by nurses working in intensive care units in Turkey. In line with our findings, it can be said that nurses suffered low level of moral distress. However, factors which caused the nurses in our study to experience higher levels of moral distress are inadequate communication within the team, working with professionals they considered as incompetent, and futile care.
Technologies in older people’s care
Authors: Andersson Marchesoni Maria , Axelsson Karin , Fältholm Ylva , Lindberg Inger
Published: July 2015

Background:

The tension between care-based and technology-based rationalities motivates studies concerning how technology can be used in the care sector to support the relational foundation of care.

Objectives:

This study interprets values related to care and technologies connected to the practice of good care.

Research design:

This research study was part of a development project aimed at developing innovative work practices through information and communication technology.

Participants and research context:

All staff (n = 18) working at two wards in a care facility for older people were asked to participate in interviews, and 12 accepted. We analysed the data using latent content analysis in combination with normative analysis.

Ethical considerations:

The caregivers were informed that participation was voluntary and that they could drop out at any time without providing any explanation.

Findings:

Four values were identified: ‘presence’, ‘appreciation’, ‘competence’ and ‘trust’. Caregivers wanted to focus on care receivers as unique persons, a view that they thought was compromised by time-consuming and beeping electronic devices. Appraising from next-of-kin and been seen as someone who can contribute together with knowledge to handle different situations were other desires. The caregivers also desired positive feedback from next-of-kin, as they wanted to be seen as professionals who have the knowledge and skills to handle difficult situations. In addition, the caregivers wanted their employer to trust them, and they wanted to work in a calm environment.

Discussion:

Caregivers’ desire for disturbance-free interactions, being valued for their skills and working in a trustful working environment were interpreted as their base for providing good care. The caregivers’ arguments are based on caring rationality, and sometimes they felt the technological rationality interfered with their main mission, providing quality care.

Conclusion:

Introducing new technology in caring should support the caring relationship. Although society’s overall technology-based approach may have gained popularity as a problem solver, technology-based rationality may compromise a care-based rationality. A shift in attitudes towards care as a concept on all societal levels is needed.
Similar Students and Different Countries? An Analysis of the Barriers and Drivers for Erasmus Participation in Seven Countries
Authors: Beerkens Maarja , Souto-Otero Manuel , de Wit Hans , Huisman Jeroen
Published: July 2015

Increasing participation in the Erasmus study abroad program in Europe is a clear policy goal, and student-reported barriers and drivers are regularly monitored. This article uses student survey data from seven countries to examine the extent to which student-level barriers can explain the considerable cross-country variation in Erasmus participation rates. We observe remarkable similarities between countries with respect to how barriers cluster for students and what barriers characterize non-participants compared with participants. The study confirms that home ties and lack of interest are most robust predictors for non-participation. Data on student-level barriers and motivations, however, give surprisingly little information to explain why students in some countries are considerably more active participants. For further understanding, we need to study more how national and institutional policies and context influence students’ decision making and help them overcome perceived barriers to mobility.
Response time of magnetorheological fluid–based haptic device
Authors: Kikuchi Takehito , Noma Junichi , Akaiwa Syuichi , Ueshima Yuya
Published: July 2015

Haptics is a tactile feedback technology that recreates the sense of touch to the user by applying forces, vibrations, or motions. Haptic devices should have a high performance in their output characteristics, for example, low friction in off-state, constant force with constant input, and quick response with dynamic input, in order to generate a sufficient sense of touch to human skin. We have focused on rapid response of magnetorheological fluid and decided to use it as the working material of the haptic device. There are several types of magnetorheological fluids available, and the effects of the different types of magnetorheological fluids on the response time of the haptic device have not yet been reported. The objective of this study is to experimentally investigate the response time of a magnetorheological fluid–based haptic device with two different types of magnetorheological fluids. We originally developed a single-disc type magnetorheological fluid–based haptic device, and its response time was investigated with two types of magnetorheological fluids. We set three experimental conditions with regard to the fluid gap and rotational velocity. We modeled the haptic devices as a classic first-order lag system, and the time constant of this system was assumed to be representative of the response time of the haptic device. According to the results, the response times of a sample tend to be smaller with the narrow gap (0.1 mm), whereas those of the other tend to be smaller with the large gap (0.5 mm). In addition, the response time is non-dimensioned and investigated with Mason number.
Factors affecting the imaging of the impact location with inverse filtering and diffuse wave fields
Authors: Ciampa Francesco , Boccardi Salvatore , Meo Michele
Published: July 2015

Reciprocal time reversal (inverse filtering) of acousto-ultrasonic fields is a very efficient technique to focus elastic waves through reverberant isotropic and anisotropic media. Such a methodology relies on the correlation of the experimental Green’s function that is acquired by a set of receiver sensors from a limited number of impact sources. However, although heterogeneities and discontinuities within the structural response can be compensated by the inverse filtering process, environmental effects such as temperature variations as well as incoherent noise measurements and the finite number of excitation sources may degrade the quality of time reversal focusing. The scope of this article was to study the factors affecting the impact location imaging using the reciprocal time reversal method in the presence of complex diffuse wave fields. Particularly, a signal-stretch strategy was developed to compensate the temperature changes before remitting the back-propagated wave field at the focus point. Then, in order to investigate the imaging performance and the sensitivity of the proposed methodology, different sets of libraries with reduced input signals were created and tested. Finally, different configurations of the receiver piezoelectric sensors were used to perform the reciprocal time reversal method. To validate this research work, two geometrically complex composite structures, that is, a composite tail rotor blade and a stiffened composite panel, were used. Results showed that both the temperature compensation and the signal processing with the reduced time traced signals and receiver sensors allowed obtaining an accurate identification of the impact events.
Study and preparation of highly water-stable polyacrylonitrile–kraton–graphene composite membrane for bending actuator toward robotic application
Authors: Inamuddin  , Khan Ajahar , Jain Ravi K , Naushad Mu
Published: July 2015

In this article, polyacrylonitrile–kraton–graphene (PAN-KR-GR) ionomeric polymer membrane sandwiched between Pt electrode-based ionic polymer–metal composite (IPMC) actuator is developed. The aim of this study is to design and prepare multifunctional ionic polymer–metal composite membrane for robotic application. The water uptake capacity and ion exchange capacity of polyacrylonitrile–kraton–graphene ionomeric membrane is 133.33% at 45 °C for 8 h of immersion and 1.4 meq g−1 of dry membrane, respectively. Proton conductivity and maximum water loss of ionic polymer–metal composite membrane is 5.26 mS cm−1 and 38% after applying 7 V for 12 min, respectively. Scanning electron micrographs shows the smooth and uniform coating of platinum (Pt). Cyclic voltammetry, linear sweep voltammetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, and tip displacement of PAN-KR-GR-Pt IPMC membrane are also examined. A multifinger-based gripping system for dexterous handling is developed for robotic application.
Detection of damage precursors with embedded magnetostrictive particles
Authors: Haile Mulugeta A , Hall Asha J , Yoo Jin Hyeong , Coatney Michael D , Myers Oliver J
Published: July 2015

Polymer composites subjected to cyclic loading would exhibit damage precursors, such as crazes and microcracks, during the first few load cycles. However, damage precursors are not readily detectable with existing sensing techniques, and as such current service life prediction methods depend on macroscopic damage measures. For critical airframe structures, information on macroscopic damage does not provide adequate warning time for corrective actions. This article explores the feasibility of embedding particulate magnetostrictive particles for sensing damage precursors during the early stage of fatigue damage. The sensing is based on the notion that magnetostrictive particles undergo irreversible changes in magnetization intensity when subjected to cyclic loading, and that this change can be captured with an induction coil sensor. In the sequel, Terfenol-D particles are embedded between layers of pre-preg AS4/3501-6 material system. The specimen is then subjected to fatigue loading while monitoring the change in the strength of the magnetic flux density using pickup coil. Results show that the embedded system exhibits a change in magnetic state, in tens to hundreds of millivolts of pickup coil, starting from the first few load cycles. Scanning electron microscopy and acoustic emission data were used to validate the observed results.
The Power of Sponges
Authors: Meijer Sebastiaan
Published: July 2015

Background. Innovation in transport systems has a need for simulated environments to experiment with new configurations, ideas, and solutions. Gaming is one such environment. This article applies the approach to the context of capacity allocation and traffic control innovation in the Dutch railway system. Both high-tech and low-tech games are built and applied.

Aim and method. By comparing cases using low-tech and high-tech games for innovation in a related bundle of projects in the railway sector, this article aims to identify different patterns emerging from a retrospective cross case comparison. The cases aimed at testing and assessing various ideas about the innovation process through high- and low-tech gaming.

Results. The high-tech cases were used to generate more quantitative data, for purposes where a concept had to be tested that has been formulated at a higher level of detail. It shows that, despite the higher precision, fidelity of high-tech simulators was not necessarily better than that of low-tech cases. None of the cases were set up to formally accept or reject hypotheses, but followed the typical innovation logic of testing and assessing ideas early in the process.

Conclusions. The numerous qualitative data, gathered during the gaming sessions, illustrated the benefits and drawbacks of high- and low-tech gaming. The real world decisions made by the client, based on the gaming sessions, show that the scope of the project was broader than merely an intervention in an existing transport system. Low-tech games showed to be useful for dealing with rapid systems development (prototyping). They allow flexible role settings, varying rules, and resources. High-tech games did not provide obvious fidelity advantages, but yielded more quantitative data suitable for analysis.

Recommendations. The article identifies the need for a new methodological approach: gaming supporting system/organization design.
Effect of Lateral Soft Tissue Release on Sesamoid Position in Hallux Valgus Surgery
Authors: Woo Kyungjei , Yu In-Sang , Kim Jun-Ho , Sung Ki-Sun
Published: July 2015

Background:

The effect of lateral soft tissue release (LSTR) regarding the position of the sesamoid is not clear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of LSTR by comparing the radiologic and clinical outcomes of operative treatment for hallux valgus with or without LSTR.

Methods:

This study included a consecutive series of chevron osteotomy of 119 feet of 90 patients with symptomatic hallux valgus with incongruent first metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joints. Fifty-one feet underwent an operation with the LSTR procedure (LSTR group), and the remaining 68 feet underwent treatment without LSTR (control non-LSTR group). We evaluated the differences regarding the distance of the fibular sesamoid from the second metatarsal bone between these 2 groups to evaluate the effect of LSTR on sesamoid position. The tibial sesamoid position was also investigated to evaluate the degree of reduction of the metatarsal head to the sesamoids. The hallux valgus angle, intermetatarsal angle, and distal metatarsal articulation angle were analyzed as radiologic outcomes. Additionally, the preoperative and final follow-up American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society hallux MTP-IP scores and complications were evaluated as clinical assessments. The mean follow-up period was 43.3 weeks (range = 12-144).

Results:

There were no significant differences in the amount and direction of movement of the fibular sesamoid between the LSTR group and non-LSTR group (1.9 mm and 1.6 mm, respectively) ( P = .23). The direction was close to the second metatarsal bone in both groups. The complication rate in the LSTR group was 7.8% (n = 4) and 2.9% (n = 2) in the non-LSTR group ( P = .40).

Conclusions:

Although there were significantly improved clinical and radiologic outcomes after surgery, the LSTR procedure did not result in medial shift or reduction of the sesamoid position.

Level of Evidence:

Level III, retrospective case control study
Development of a 12-Item Abbreviated Three-Dimensional Wisdom Scale (3D-WS-12)
Authors: Thomas Michael L. , Bangen Katherine J. , Ardelt Monika , Jeste Dilip V.
Published: July 2015

Wisdom has been reported to be associated with better mental health and quality of life among older adults. Over the past decades, there has been considerable growth in empirical research on wisdom, including the development of standardized measures. The 39-item Three-Dimensional Wisdom Scale (3D-WS) is a useful assessment tool, given its rigorous development and good psychometric properties. However, the measure’s length can prohibit use. In this article, we used a sample of 1,546 community-dwelling adults aged 21 to 100 years ( M = 66 years) from the Successful AGing Evaluation (SAGE) study to develop an abbreviated 12-item version of the 3D-WS: the 3D-WS-12. Balancing concerns for measurement precision, internal structure, and content validity, factor analytic methods and expert judgment were used to identify a subset of 12-items for the 3D-WS-12. Results suggest that the 3D-WS-12 can provide efficient and valid assessments of Wisdom within the context of epidemiological surveys.
Building a Terminal
Authors: Bury Luke A. D. , Sabo Shasta L.
Published: July 2015

To create a presynaptic terminal, molecular signaling events must be orchestrated across a number of subcellular compartments. In the soma, presynaptic proteins need to be synthesized, packaged together, and attached to microtubule motors for shipment through the axon. Within the axon, transport of presynaptic packages is regulated to ensure that developing synapses receive an adequate supply of components. At individual axonal sites, extracellular interactions must be translated into intracellular signals that can incorporate mobile transport vesicles into the nascent presynaptic terminal. Even once the initial recruitment process is complete, the components and subsequent functionality of presynaptic terminals need to constantly be remodeled. Perhaps most remarkably, all of these processes need to be coordinated in space and time. In this review, we discuss how these dynamic cellular processes occur in neurons of the central nervous system in order to generate presynaptic terminals in the brain.
Narrowing the Knowledge Gap
Authors: Goh Debbie
Published: July 2015

Using a national survey of citizens during Singapore’s general election, this study finds that alternative online media filled information gaps and narrowed the knowledge gap between social status groups. Contrary to the original knowledge gap hypothesis, lower educated voters gained knowledge more rapidly from increased alternative media use than more highly educated voters. This indicates that the press system itself influences the knowledge gap. In authoritarian press systems, where mainstream news is regulated and framed to promote ruling party’s elite perspectives, alternative online information produced from the ground up embodies greater relevance and authenticity, facilitating greater knowledge gain among lower educated voters.
Making Change
Authors: Ekdale Brian , Singer Jane B. , Tully Melissa , Harmsen Shawn
Published: July 2015

Diffusion of innovations theory typically has been applied to the spread of a particular technology or practice rather than the interplay of a cluster of innovations. This case study of a news company undergoing significant change seeks to offer a deeper understanding of multi-faceted industry upheaval by considering the diffusion of three interdependent yet distinct changes. Findings suggest technological change faces the fewest hurdles, as journalists recognize the need to adapt their practices to newer capabilities. Changes to audience relationships face greater resistance, while responses to changes to the professional culture of journalism remain the most tepid.
Using Case Research to Reconstruct Concepts
Authors: Welch Catherine , Rumyantseva Maria , Hewerdine Lisa Jane
Published: July 2015

Concepts are regarded as the building blocks of theory, yet there is little debate about the evolution and application of the concepts that we use in management. As measurement concerns overtake conceptualization, concepts are treated as empirical facts rather than theoretical constructions. They may be stretched to increase their empirical coverage, without considering the theoretical implications. We provide an alternative pathway for the career of a concept, based on a pragmatist–interactionist paradigm. Our alternative, concept reconstruction, involves evaluating the state of an existing concept by reviewing its usage in existing research. The results of this review are used to guide the appropriate case selection strategy for subsequent fieldwork. Evidence from fieldwork is then used to reconstruct the concept. As an illustration of our methodology, we analyze a popular concept in international management and entrepreneurship: the “born global” firm or “international new venture.” We investigate the stretching of this concept by conducting a review of its usage in the scholarly literature, and by using the results of a “most-likely” case study to provide a way forward for reconstructing this concept.
Recurrent and non-recurrent feline injection-site sarcoma: computed tomographic and ultrasonographic findings
Authors: Zardo Karen Maciel , Damiani Lucas Petri , Matera Julia Maria , Fonseca-Pinto Ana Carolina Brandão de Campos
Published: July 2015

Objectives

This study describes the sonographic and computed tomographic (CT) characteristics of primary and recurrent feline injection-site sarcomas (FISSs).

Methods

Between 2005 and 2013, 32 cats were selected for prospective and retrospective studies. Tumor shape and margins, presence of thickening of the adipose tissue, muscular and bone involvement, pre- and postcontrast attenuation, blurring of fat planes, calcification and liquefactive necrosis, intratumoral areas and skip metastasis were analyzed in CT scans. Echogenicity, echotexture, tumor margins and peritumoral tissue characteristics were analyzed by ultrasound (US).

Results

Irregular shape (62.5%) with digitiform projections (100.0%), mixed (peripheral and intratumoral) contrast enhancement (67.7%), blurring of fat planes (68.8%) and signs of liquefactive intratumoral necrosis (68.8%) were the prevailing CT findings. Ultrasonography revealed irregular tumor margins, peripheral hyperechoic capsule-like rim, heterogeneous echotexture, and hyperechoic tissue contiguous with the formations and thickening of adjacent subcutaneous tissues in all cases. Mixed echogenicity with areas suggestive of tumor liquefactive necrosis was documented in 83.3% of cases. Skip metastases were highly correlated with tumor recurrence ( P = 0.001). The incidence of muscular involvement tended to be higher ( P = 0.003) in tumors presenting with thickening of adjacent adipose tissue.

Conclusions and relevance

CT and US features common to FISS lesions were highlighted in this study. The imaging modalities employed allowed assessment of peritumoral inflammation, particularly adipose tissue inflammation. Imaging data may contribute to FISS diagnosis, therapeutic planning and patient follow-up.
Comparison of non-contact infrared thermometry and rectal thermometry in cats
Authors: Nutt Kelly R , Levy Julie K , Tucker Sylvia J
Published: July 2015

Objectives

Body temperature is commonly used for assessing health and identifying infectious diseases in cats. Rectal thermometry, the most commonly used method, is stressful, invasive and time consuming. Non-contact infrared thermometry (NIRT) has been used with mixed success to measure temperature in humans and other species. The purpose of this study was to determine if NIRT measurements were comparable to rectal temperature measurements or, if not highly correlated, could at least identify cats in the hypothermic or hyperthermic range in need of further evaluation.

Methods

From a total of six NIRT devices and 15 anatomic sites, three devices and three sites (pinna, gingiva and perineum) with the highest correlation to rectal temperature were selected for further study. Measurements were made in 188 adult cats housed indoors at animal shelters, veterinary clinics and private homes across a wide range of body temperatures and compared with rectal temperatures.

Results

Bland–Altman analysis revealed poor agreement between NIRT and rectal thermometry. The mean NIRT measurements ranged from 0.7–1.3°C below the mean rectal measurements, but the effect was not consistent; NIRT measurements tended to exceed rectal measurements in hypothermic cats and fall below rectal measurements in normothermic and hyperthermic cats.

Conclusions and relevance

The accuracy of temperature measurements using NIRT devices is not reliable for clinical use in cats.
Prevalence of intestinal parasites in breeding cattery cats in Japan
Authors: Ito Yoichi , Itoh Naoyuki , Kimura Yuya , Kanai Kazutaka
Published: July 2015

Objectives

To address the lack of up-to-date published data, the present study assessed the prevalence of intestinal parasites in breeding catteries in Japan.

Methods

Fresh faecal samples were randomly collected from 342 cats (aged 1 month to 12 years) in seven breeding catteries in Japan, located in prefectures of Nagano (n = 2), Saitama (n = 1), Aichi (n = 2), Gifu (n = 1) and Miyagi (n = 1), on a single occasion. The samples were tested for the presence of Giardia species copro-antigen using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Other intestinal parasites were identified microscopically using the formalin–ethyl acetate sedimentation technique.

Results

The total prevalence of intestinal parasites was 20.8%; only two genera of protozoa ( Giardia species: 18.7% and Cystoisospora species: 5.0%) were detected. Coinfections of both protozoans were recorded in 2.9% of cats. In contrast, no helminths were detected. The presence of total infection, Giardia species, Cystoisospora species and multiple infections in cats <1 year old were significantly more prevalent than in cats ⩾1 year old. There were no significant differences among faecal conditions with or without intestinal parasites. Giardia species infection was present in samples from all breeding catteries, except for one facility. Cystoisospora species and coinfections were shown in four and two breeding catteries, respectively. The prevalence of intestinal parasites was markedly variable among the breeding catteries.

Conclusions and relevance

The present study demonstrates the significance of Giardia species and Cystoisospora species infections in breeding cattery cats. Additionally, it is suggested that environmental contamination is the most important factor influencing the prevalence of protozoal infections in breeding catteries.