bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Welfare or politics? A survey experiment of political discontent and support for redistribution in Hong Kong
Authors: Wong Mathew YH
Published: March 2019

This study examines support for redistribution in the developed economy of Hong Kong from three theoretical perspectives: self-interest, ideology, and social affinity. The analysis uses a between-subjects randomized vignette experiment to explore the interplay between welfare and politics; in particular, it addresses whether people express opposition to a welfare policy to convey political discontent even if they otherwise support the policy. Drawing on a survey of university students (N = 1245), the study finds that self-interest and ideology, and specifically perceptions of social mobility and individual responsibility, are strong predictors of support for redistribution. The vignette experiment provides evidence that politics indeed spills over into support for welfare policies. Respondents expressed less support for public housing if cued that the policy was associated with the government and were already dissatisfied with political leadership. The findings have implications for research on political support for redistribution and welfare policies.
Exposing globalization: Visual approaches to researching global interconnectivity in the urban everyday
Authors: Pauwels Luc
Published: March 2019

This article explores how visual approaches to globalization as expressed and enacted in everyday life may enrich and complement the more abstract and mainly quantitatively supported discourses around this convoluted phenomenon. Visual methods, with their focus on empirically observable aspects of culture, indeed have the capacity to uncover forms of global interconnectivity in urban settings, by looking carefully at the material environment and artifacts as cultural expressions and at visual practices and performances of people within those spaces. Observing globalization in urban public space involves a wide variety of resources, methods, techniques and technologies, each with their specific affordances and limitations. Therefore this contribution is less a detailed study about globalization than it is about how to study aspects of globalization through its visual dimensions and by using visual means and methods to capture data and to communicate insight in novel ways.
Sensory retraining of the leg after stroke: systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Chia Fenny SF , Kuys Suzanne , Low Choy Nancy
Published: March 2019

Objective:

This systematic review aimed to investigate the effects of interventions intended for retraining leg somatosensory function on somatosensory impairment, and secondary outcomes of balance and gait, after stroke.

Data sources:

Databases searched from inception to 16 January 2019 included Cochrane Library, PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, PEDro, PsycINFO, and Scopus. Reference lists of relevant publications were also manually searched.

Review methods:

All types of quantitative studies incorporating interventions that intended to improve somatosensory function in the leg post stroke were retrieved. The Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies was used for quality appraisal. Standardised mean differences were calculated and meta-analyses were performed using preconstructed Microsoft Excel spreadsheets.

Results:

The search yielded 16 studies, comprising 430 participants, using a diverse range of interventions. In total, 10 of the included studies were rated weak in quality, 6 were rated moderate, and none was rated strong. Study quality was predominantly affected by high risk of selection bias, lack of blinding, and the use of somatosensory measures that have not been psychometrically evaluated. A significant heterogeneous positive summary effect size (SES) was found for somatosensory outcomes (SES: 0.52; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.04 to 1.01; I2 = 74.48%), which included joint position sense, light touch, and two-point discrimination. There was also a significant heterogeneous positive SES for Berg Balance Scale scores (SES: 0.62; 95% CI: 0.10 to 1.14; I2 = 59.05%). Gait SES, mainly of gait velocity, was not significant.

Conclusion:

This review suggests that interventions used for retraining leg somatosensory impairment after stroke significantly improved somatosensory function and balance but not gait.
Factors related to antibiotic-associated diarrhea in patients in the intensive care unit receiving antifungals: a single-center retrospective study
Authors: Jingjing Sun , Yanshu Zhang , Yu Liu , Qindong Shi , Xue Wang , Lei Zhang , Yingli He , Litao Guo
Published: March 2019

Objective

To analyze factors related to antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) in patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) receiving antifungals with the aim of informing rational antibiotic use.

Methods

Sex, age, medical history, use of proton pump inhibitors, administration of parenteral nutrition, albumin level, occurrence of AAD, type of antibiotics, duration of ICU admission, and prognosis were retrospectively analyzed. The associations of age, sex, medical history, and other factors with AAD were associated by logistic regression.

Results

In total, 284 patients were enrolled (antifungals, n = 110; no antifungals, n = 174). The total incidence of AAD was 32.39%. The incidence of AAD was significantly different between the groups (52.73% vs. 19.54%). The duration of proton pump inhibitor therapy, duration of antifungal therapy, enzyme inhibitor antibiotic use, and azithromycin use were associated with AAD in ICU patients receiving antifungal therapy. The mean duration of ICU admission was higher in patients receiving antifungal therapy (20.14 ± 11.50 vs. 14.48 ± 8.54 days). There was no significant difference in ICU mortality rates.

Conclusion

The duration of proton pump inhibitor therapy, duration of antifungal therapy, use of enzyme inhibitor antibiotics, and use of azithromycins were associated with AAD in ICU patients receiving antifungal therapy.
Implementation of an evidence-based practice to decrease surgical site infection after coronary artery bypass grafting
Authors: Al Salmi Hanadi , Elmahrouk Ahmed , Arafat Amr A , Edrees Azzahra , Alshehri Mashael , Wali Ghassan , Zabani Ibrahim , Mahdi Nasser A , Jamjoom Ahmed
Published: March 2019

Objective

Surgical site infection (SSI) is a serious complication after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). This study was performed to evaluate evidence-based practice and structured problem-solving to reduce SSI after CABG.

Methods

An infection control strategy including supervised chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) showers was implemented from January 2017 to March 2018 for 119 patients undergoing CABG. The controls comprised 244 patients who underwent CABG from 2014 to 2016. Risk factors for SSI were identified, and a problem-focused strategy was used to control SSI. Propensity score matching was used to study the effect of CHG showers on SSI.

Results

SSI occurred in 25 patients (10.25%) in the control group, and the significant risk factors were the postoperative blood glucose level, transfer from an outside hospital, emergency operation, redo sternotomy, a higher American Society of Anesthesiologists score, and the duration of surgery. After implementation of the program, the SSI rate significantly decreased to 3.36%. Patients who had undergone preoperative CHG showers had a significantly lower SSI rate (1.69%) than the matched controls (13.56%).

Conclusion

SSI after CABG can be reduced using evidence-based practice and structured problem-solving to identify risk factors. A preoperative CHG shower is associated with a lower SSI rate after CABG.
Successful role of adjuvant radiotherapy in a rare case of tracheal inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor: a case report
Authors: Lisi Roberto , Abate Gessica , D’Urso Pasqualina , Martinetti Maria Teresa , Siniscalchi Benedetta , Marampon Francesco , Bulzonetti Nadia , Tombolini Vincenzo
Published: March 2019

Background:

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is a rare benign cancer that can express a more aggressive phenotype related to the genetic mutation of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase receptor (ALK). Involvement of trachea is extremely rare and due to the clinical and radiologic nonspecificity, the definitive diagnosis is based on the histologic evaluation of tissue specimens. Total surgical excision is curative and chemotherapy or radiotherapy has been employed in the treatment of unresectable tumors or as adjuvant therapies.

Case presentation:

The case described here is being reported because of the rare tracheal location and the atypical treatment approach used for an ALK-positive IMT. A 7-week pregnant woman voluntary interrupted pregnancy and underwent total surgical excision that resulted to have close margins. Although ALK-positive expression indicated the use of ALK inhibitors, she refused any type of adjuvant therapy that could affect ovarian function. Thus, 3D conformational external beam radiotherapy was performed with a daily dose of 180 cGy, 5 times per week, up to 45 Gy at the level of trachea. A total of 62 months of follow-up showed and no signs of disease recurrence or late radiation therapy-related toxicity.

Conclusions:

This report describes an extremely rare case of a tracheal IMT, underlying the key role of radiotherapy as adjuvant treatment able to definitively cure IMT, limiting systemic chemotherapy-related toxicity.
Sexual Sadism and Psychopathy in Sexual Homicide Offenders: An Exploration of Their Associates in a Clinical Sample
Authors: Darjee Rajan
Published: March 2019

Sexual sadism and psychopathy are often considered synonymous with sexual homicide, but there is limited research on their associates in sexual homicide offenders. Associates of dimensional measures of sexual sadism (Sexual Sadism Scale; SeSaS) and psychopathy (Psychopathy Check List–Revised [PCL-R] total, Factor 1, and Factor 2) were examined in 51 male Scottish cases. Over a third were DSM-IV ( Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV) sexual sadists, just under a third screened in with the SeSaS, and a quarter were “Hare psychopaths.” Sexual sadism and PCL-R measures were moderately associated. Sexual sadism predicted control, sexual deviance, and unusual behaviour at crime scenes; attempted homicide and having a co-accused; and multiple sexual homicides and previous sexual offending. PCL-R Factor 1 predicted violent, exploitative, and evading detection behaviours at crime scenes; completed homicide; and previous violent offending. PCL-R Factor 2 predicted impulsive behaviours at crime scenes, substance misuse, and previous general offending. Psychopathy and sexual sadism play key roles in sexual homicide, interact with each other, and determine different aspects of offences and offenders.
A prospective study of headache and neuropeptides in patients with pituitary adenomas
Authors: Zhang Yixin , Pan Qi , Jiang Huahua , Yang Gang , Chen Lixue , Qin Guangcheng , Zhou Jiying
Published: March 2019

Objective

To evaluate clinical criteria for headache associated with pituitary adenoma (HaPA) in the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD) 3rd edition version criteria and further determine whether elevations of plasma calcitonin gene-related peptide and pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide 1-38 (PACAP1-38) concentration contribute to HaPA.

Methods

Demographic and clinical features of consecutive patients with pituitary adenoma were recorded. Plasma calcitonin gene-related peptide and PACAP1-38 concentrations in pituitary adenoma patients within 72 h pre- and post-operation were measured. Primary outcome for HaPA patients were 50% reduction of moderate-to-severe headache days at 3 months after discharge.

Results

Sixty-three patients with pituitary adenoma were recruited, 33 (52.4%) of whom had headache. The patients who had HaPA presented with migraine-like (32.9%), tension-type-like (12.1%), and stabbing headache (9.1%). Non-functional adenoma was present in the majority of cases (82.5%). Surgical resection improved headache in 83.3% of cases at 3 month follow-up. Pre- and post-operative calcitonin gene-related peptide and PACAP1-38 levels were significantly higher in patients with headache than in those without headache ( p < 0.05). Plasma calcitonin gene-related peptide and PACAP1-38 levels at 72 h post-operation were lower at 72 h after operation in patients who had greater improvement in headache compared with those who had little improvement, while plasma calcitonin gene-related peptide and PACAP1-38 levels were similar between these two groups preoperatively.

Conclusions

Most pituitary adenoma patients have non-functional adenoma, and half of this group have HaPA, indicating that the ICHD-3 criteria for HaPA with the emphasis on secretion status need further modifications. Lower plasma calcitonin gene-related peptide and PACAP1-38 concentrations at 72 h after operation may predict a better outcome in patients with HaPA.
Deep brain stimulation of chronic cluster headaches: Posterior hypothalamus, ventral tegmentum and beyond
Authors: Nowacki Andreas , Moir Liz , Owen Sarah LF , Fitzgerald James J , Green Alexander L , Aziz Tipu Z
Published: March 2019

Objective

We present long-term follow-up results and analysis of stimulation sites of a prospective cohort study of six patients with chronic cluster headaches undergoing deep brain stimulation of the ipsilateral posterior hypothalamic region.

Methods

The primary endpoint was the postoperative change in the composite headache severity score “headache load” after 12 months of chronic stimulation. Secondary endpoints were the changes in headache attack frequency, headache attack duration and headache intensity, quality of life measures at 12, 24, and 48 months following surgery. Stimulating contact positions were analysed and projected onto the steroetactic atlas of Schaltenbrand and Wahren.

Results

There was a significant reduction of headache load of over 93% on average at 12 months postoperatively that persisted over the follow-up period of 48 months ( p = 0.0041) and that was accompanied by a significant increase of reported quality of life measures ( p = 0.03). Anatomical analysis revealed that individual stimulating electrodes were located in the red nucleus, posterior hypothalamic region, mesencephalic pretectal area and centromedian nucleus of the thalamus.

Conclusions

Our findings confirming long-term effectiveness of deep brain stimulation for chronic cluster headaches suggest that the neuroanatomical substrate of deep brain stimulation-induced headache relief is probably not restricted to the posterior hypothalamic area but encompasses a more widespread area.
Fragmentation in Daily Schedule of Activities using Activity Sequences
Authors: McBride Elizabeth Callahan , Davis Adam Wilkinson , Goulias Konstadinos G.
Published: March 2019

A new method of sequence analysis to measure fragmentation in activity participation is presented in this paper. We applied this method to a sample of residents in the Central Coast of California that participated in the California Household Travel Survey in 2012–2013. This method explores sequences of daily activity and travel employing techniques from the sequencing of events in the life course of individuals. Studying sequences of daily episodes (each activity and each trip) is preferable to other techniques of studying activity-travel behavior because sequences include the entire trajectory of a person’s activity during a day while at the same time considering the number of activities, order of activities in a day, and their durations jointly. We found substantial fragmentation in activity participation among persons with children and in specific age groups (25–65) amplified by the presence of children in the household. We also found poverty plays an important inhibiting role. Examinations of the days of the week showed significant and substantial differences among the days with both Sundays and Saturdays being distinct, but also substantial differences among the weekdays. The paper provides details about this new technique and the statistical analysis of fragmentation. It also provides a discussion about future steps.
Roadside Sensing Information Enabled Horizontal Curve Crash Avoidance System Based on Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Technology
Authors: Wang Song , Li Zhixia
Published: March 2019

Horizontal curves are a major cause of road departure crashes that lead to fatal and severe injuries. Existing curve crash avoidance systems are typically enabled by displaying safety messages via in-vehicle heads-up/down display. However, these systems just pass the information to drivers. The final decision to reduce or maintain speed in response to the safety message is still the human driver’s. Because of the involvement of the human factor, there is potential for road departure crashes to happen if human drivers do not respond to safety messages appropriately. Autonomous vehicle (AV) technology targets elimination of human error in driving through an automated driving system. In this context, this paper proposes a conceptual prototype of a connected and AV-based horizontal curve crash avoidance system (CAV-HCCAS), aiming at achieving a permanent solution to horizontal curve safety by excluding human error through automated driving. In CAV-HCCAS, a roadside sensor detects pavement wetness level at the horizontal curve and communicates it to the vehicle via dedicated short-range communication. By processing the pavement wetness information, the AV applies a safe curve travel speed that reflects the real-time pavement conditions. An automated driving simulation experiment was performed to prove the concept. Dry and wet pavement conditions were simulated for a horizontal curve. Lane deviation data and the resulting lane departure conflicts were measured as safety performance measures. Results indicate a significant reduction of lane departure conflicts when CAV-HCCAS is implemented under both dry and wet pavement conditions, which reflects a substantial safety benefit.
“You Can Say I Got Desensitized to It”: How Men of Color Cope with Everyday Racism in Online Gaming
Authors: Ortiz Stephanie M.
Published: March 2019

Online trolling as a form of overt racism forces sociologists to reexamine contemporary understandings of racialization in a color-blind era. In this article, I demonstrate how men of color construct meanings about their experiences of racist hate speech, referred to as trash talk, on an online gaming platform. Analyzing semistructured interviews, I show that respondents cope with this form of racism through a process of desensitization. This strategy is mediated by respondents’ peer socialization on how to effectively manage this racism as men, and their stigmatization by others who do not view these experiences as “real” racism. Strategies to cope with racism in this domain are thus gendered in ways that encourage men of color to remain silent in the face of repeated hate speech. This study further demonstrates how individual strategies developed to navigate racism online are tied to broader, collective understandings of the meanings of race, racisms, and masculinity.
Casein Kinase 1 Underlies Temperature Compensation of Circadian Rhythms in Human Red Blood Cells
Authors: Beale Andrew D. , Kruchek Emily , Kitcatt Stephen J. , Henslee Erin A. , Parry Jack S.W. , Braun Gabriella , Jabr Rita , von Schantz Malcolm , O’Neill John S. , Labeed Fatima H.
Published: March 2019

Temperature compensation and period determination by casein kinase 1 (CK1) are conserved features of eukaryotic circadian rhythms, whereas the clock gene transcription factors that facilitate daily gene expression rhythms differ between phylogenetic kingdoms. Human red blood cells (RBCs) exhibit temperature-compensated circadian rhythms, which, because RBCs lack nuclei, must occur in the absence of a circadian transcription-translation feedback loop. We tested whether period determination and temperature compensation are dependent on CKs in RBCs. As with nucleated cell types, broad-spectrum kinase inhibition with staurosporine lengthened the period of the RBC clock at 37°C, with more specific inhibition of CK1 and CK2 also eliciting robust changes in circadian period. Strikingly, inhibition of CK1 abolished temperature compensation and increased the Q10 for the period of oscillation in RBCs, similar to observations in nucleated cells. This indicates that CK1 activity is essential for circadian rhythms irrespective of the presence or absence of clock gene expression cycles.
Conformity in Prescription and Administration of Respiratory Distress Protocols in a Tertiary Care Hospital in the Province of Quebec: RELIEVE Study
Authors: Dufort-Rouleau Camille , Martin Benjamin , Barré Vincent , Bédard Véronique , Rouleau Émilie Dufort , Beauchesne Marie-France , Quenneville Julie , Berteau Mathieu
Published: March 2019

Background:

Respiratory distress protocols (RDPs) are protocolized prescriptions comprised of 3 medications (a benzodiazepine, an opioid, and an anticholinergic) administered simultaneously as an emergency treatment for respiratory distress in palliative care patients in the province of Quebec, Canada. However, data on appropriate use that justifies the combination of all 3 components is scarce and based on individual pharmacodynamic properties along with expert consensus.

Objectives:

Our study aimed to evaluate the conformity and the effectiveness of RDPs prescribed and administered to hospitalized adult patients.

Methods:

This was a prospective and descriptive study conducted in a single center. Prescription and administration conformity were assessed based on predefined appropriateness criteria.

Results:

A total of 467 adult patients were prescribed a RDP, 175 administrations were documented, and 78 patients received at least 1 RDP. Prescription conformity was assessed on 1473 separate occasions over the trial period. Overall prescription conformity was found to be 37% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 33.6-40.4), and administration conformity was 37.7% (95% CI: 26.2-50.7). Low administration conformity was primarily explained by incorrect indications for RDP use. Seemingly important determinants of higher conformity were prescriber’s speciality in palliative care, use of preprinted orders, pharmacist involvement, and hospitalization in the palliative care unit.

Conclusion:

This study highlights important gaps in the use of RDPs in our institution. Health-care provider training appears necessary in order to ensure adequate conformity and allow for further evaluation of RDP effectiveness.
Problem Gambling and Family Violence: Factors Associated With Family Violence Victimization and Perpetration in Treatment-Seeking Gamblers
Authors: Dowling Nicki A. , Oldenhof Erin , Cockman Sue , Suomi Aino , Merkouris Stephanie S. , Jackson Alun C.
Published: March 2019

Although problem gambling and family violence are related, there is little available research exploring the factors associated with this relationship. The primary aim was to predict family violence (victimization and perpetration) in a sample of treatment-seeking gamblers by gambling indices (gambling symptom severity, gambling time spent, gambling frequency, gambling expenditure), psychological distress, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, gambling coping motives, alcohol and drug use, gambling-related legal consequences, work and social adjustment, impulsivity, and gender. A secondary aim was to explore the degree to which these factors moderate the relationship between gambling symptom severity and family violence. Participants ( n = 141) were consecutively recruited gamblers presenting to a gambling counseling service. The prevalence of family violence was 25.5%, with 18.4% reporting victimization and 19.1% reporting perpetration. Intimate partners and parents were most likely to be both perpetrators and victims of family violence. Victimization was significantly predicted by psychological distress, symptoms of PTSD, and gambling-related legal consequences, while perpetration was significantly predicted by gambling symptom severity, gambling-related legal consequences, and impulsivity. The association between gambling symptom severity and victimization was significant only for gamblers with low levels of gambling coping motives and moderate or high levels of alcohol use. These findings provide further support for routine screening in problem gambling and family violence services, particularly those who report gambling-related legal consequences; highlight the need for prevention and intervention programs to lower the co-occurrence of these behaviors; and suggest that reducing psychological distress, symptoms of PTSD, alcohol use, and impulsivity may be important in these efforts.
Paying the Trial Tax: Race, Guilty Pleas, and Disparity in Prosecution
Authors: Testa Alexander , Johnson Brian D.
Published: March 2019

The vast majority of criminal cases are disposed of through guilty pleas, yet relatively little empirical research focuses on the factors that are related to whether a defendant pleads guilty or goes to trial. The current work investigates this issue, analyzing three recent years of data from the Maryland Commission on Criminal Sentencing Policy. It examines predictors of guilty plea and trial dispositions as well as key differences among different types of guilty pleas. Findings indicate that Black and Latino defendants are substantially less likely to plead guilty, and that these differences are most pronounced for nonnegotiated guilty pleas. Little evidence emerges for gender disparities or for compound disadvantages associated with young, male, minority defendants. Results are discussed as they relate to contemporary theoretical perspectives on racial differences in perceived legitimacy and trust in the criminal justice system.
Expanding Strategic Opportunities in Nonprofits: Mapping the Interdependencies of Critical Performance Variables
Authors: Gamble Edward , Thorsen Andreas , Black Laura
Published: March 2019

In this article, we demonstrate the method of participatory causal modeling to map the interdependencies of critical performance variables in a complex nonprofit health care provider with considerable financial and operational control challenges. Critical performance variables are output performance dimensions that are fundamental indicators of organizational success. Causal modeling provides an approach for nonprofit leaders to examine how critical performance variables dynamically and recursively affect each other and thereby offers a path to identify key points of leverage for organizational action. Using a case study, we show that participatory system dynamics modeling revealed assumptions, choices, and complexities and so helped a nonprofit health care organization recognize possible strategic opportunities. This study demonstrates an approach that other nonprofits may deploy in situations where they are experiencing competing objectives and constraints in managing critical performance variables.
Nonprofits as Schools for Democracy: The Justifications for Organizational Democracy Within Nonprofit Organizations
Authors: King Daniel , Griffin Martyn
Published: March 2019

Nonprofit organizations are often claimed to be schools of democracy: “that produce citizens able and ready to participate in society” (as stated by Dodge and Ospina in Nonprofits as “schools of democracy”: A comparative case study of two environmental organizations, 2016, page 479). This claim is predicated the external role nonprofits play in producing democracy, particularly by engendering civic action. In contrast, this article promotes nonprofits’ internal organizing processes to produce democracy within nonprofits themselves. Drawing on the workplace democracy literature, we explore three main justifications for workplace democracy: consequentialist, deontological, and virtue ethics. Rather than viewing workplace democracy as an extrinsic good—based solely on consequences external to the organization—we argue that it should be considered an intrinsic good, valuable in and of itself. We, therefore, argue for a broadened imaginary for how nonprofits are managed, that include the internal organizational processes and widening of the social mission of nonprofit organization for greater democracy and freedom, based on good work.
Modelling and simulation of surface topography machined by peripheral milling considering tool radial runout and axial drift
Authors: Chen Hui-Qun , Wang Qing-Hui
Published: March 2019

Based on the Z-map model of a workpiece and the dynamic cutting forces model of peripheral milling in which the regenerative effect of tool radial runout and axial drift are considered, a model for the prediction of surface topography in peripheral milling operations is presented. According to the stability lobe diagram obtained by the zero-order analytical method, the relationship between spindle speed and surface topography, the tool radial runout, and the axial drift following the chatter are studied. The results show that a stable cutting status but a poor surface finish is obtained at the spindle speeds at which the dominant frequency of the milling system is integral multiples of the selected machining frequency, and a stable cutting status with a good surface finish can be obtained near and on the left side of the resonant spindle speeds determined by the predicted stability lobe diagram. The motion equations of any tooth end mill for peripheral milling are established, and these equations are based on the transformation matrix and the vector operation principle of motion-homogeneous coordinates. In addition, the simulation algorithm and the system of surface topography generated in peripheral milling are given based on the Z-map model. Cutting tests are carried out, and good agreement between the measured surface topographies and the topographies predicted by the model in this study is found in terms of their shape, magnitude, feed mark, profile height of cross-section, and surface roughness. The simulation results show that the milling surface roughness increases with the increase in feed per tooth, which further shows that this simulation system has high credibility. Thus, the simulation and experimental results can provide some practical instructions for the actual peripheral milling in determining the optimal machining conditions.
Study on the mechanism of preload decrease of bolted joints subjected to transversal vibration loading
Authors: Gong Hao , Liu Jianhua , Ding Xiaoyu
Published: March 2019

Sufficient preload in a bolted joint is key to ensuring the reliability of mechanical products; however, under vibration, preload decrease often occurs. The mechanism of preload decrease has not yet been fully clarified. In this study, finite element models of bolted joints with and without helix angles were constructed to study the mechanism of preload decrease under transversal vibration. Based on the finite element analysis results, a new cause of preload decrease, denoted as stress release and redistribution, was discovered and explained in detail. The mechanism of preload decrease caused by stress release and redistribution, cyclic plasticity deformation and rotation loosening is studied systematically, and the typical mode of preload decrease is proposed. Based on the preload decrease curve, more comprehensive evaluation criteria are established, quantified using three parameters to represent the locking behavior of bolted joints. Finally, experiments were conducted to verify the reliability of the preload decrease results.
Attitude-aware method for hydraulic support groups in a virtual reality environment
Authors: Xie Jiacheng , Wang Xuewen , Yang Zhaojian , Hao Shangqing
Published: March 2019

Current monitoring methods for hydraulic supports are designed for single machines and are unsuitable for global monitoring. This paper presents an attitude-aware method for hydraulic support groups in a virtual reality environment, which predicts the next cycle attitude in real time by a Grey–Markov prediction model. The attitude datum includes the supporting height and the corresponding attitude angles, which are obtained by installing tilt sensors on the base, the front or rear connecting rod, or the roof beam. The operation state of the hydraulic supports was determined by comparing the predicted and actual data. Next, the hydraulic support attitude was related to the coal-mining height observed through multiple cycles. The three-dimensional virtual monitoring was solved in SQL SERVER, Kingview, Unity3d, and Matlab software. Finally, the proposed method was verified on 40 hydraulic supports of a working face through 17 cycles in an underground experiment. The predictive lateral and longitudinal accuracy reached 78.9 and 82.3%, respectively. By efficiently visualizing the operation state of the hydraulic support groups in three-dimensional mode, this method can predict the future attitude with high accuracy and reliability. Therefore, it provides a theoretical approach to safe and efficient operation of a fully mechanized coal-mining face.
A review on squat-assist devices to aid elderly with lower limb difficulties in toileting to tackle constipation
Authors: Hari Krishnan R
Published: March 2019

Constipation is an important issue that has impact on quality of life and health expenses of the elderly. It may lead to many other gastrointestinal disorders like colon cancer, haemorrhoids, anal fissures and so on. Squatting is considered to be the natural, traditional and most widely followed posture for defecation and hence, it is one of the practical solutions for avoiding constipation. Musculoskeletal issues due to ageing and changes in lifestyle make it difficult for the elder population to follow squatting or semi-squatting posture for defecation. Developing assistive devices to overcome older people’s difficulty to attain squatting or semi-squatting posture is one of the research areas which need to be explored further. This review covers various designs of such devices which will enable a user to attain ‘semi-squatting’ posture to defecate and also addresses various challenges and limitations to overcome.
Is There a Positive Association Between Working Memory Capacity and Mind Wandering in a Low-Demand Breathing Task? A Preregistered Replication of a Study by Levinson, Smallwood, and Davidson (2012)
Authors: Meier Matt E.
Published: March 2019

Levinson, Smallwood, and Davidson (2012, Experiment 2) found that working memory capacity (WMC) correlated positively with mind-wandering rates measured by thought probes in a breath-awareness task but was unassociated with the tendency to self-catch mind wandering. Here, I sought to replicate the associations between mind wandering and WMC in Levinson et al.’s breath-awareness task. The data from the current study, collected from 315 subjects ( ns differed among analyses) and two measures of WMC, suggest that if WMC correlates with probe-caught mind wandering, the association is most likely negative. In addition, the evidence regarding self-caught mind wandering is consistent with that found by Levinson et al. for the sum of self-caught responses, but when self-caught responses were considered in proportion to probe-caught mind wandering, modest evidence was found for a positive association with WMC.
Is the premotor theory of attention essentially about pre-reflective intentionality?
Authors: Bielas Jacek , Michalczyk Łukasz
Published: March 2019

The Premotor Theory of Attention (PToA) is a prominent, albeit controversial, modern experimental account of attentional processes. According to the PToA, motor preparation is both necessary and sufficient for spatial attention. Explaining the cognitive process of attention in terms of sensori-motor machinery can be considered as embedded in the idea of embodied cognition. The vocabulary adopted by the PToA seems to bear a particular resemblance to Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenological notion of pre-reflective intentionality. He articulates it by means of directness towards the lived world, which is constituted in the spatial motility of the body-subject. In this epistemological state of affairs, we come up with two leading questions: (a) can the main tenets of PToA be essentially reconstructed in terms of the notion of pre-reflective intentionality and since the bodily motility is meant by the French phenomenologist to be at the root of all forms of intentionality, (b) can the PToA be expanded to account for all kinds of attention? In conclusion, we advocate a positive answer for the former question and point to serious doubts as to why it can rather not be retained regarding the latter.
Varieties of crisis and working conditions: A comparative study of Greece and Serbia
Authors: Psychogios Alexandros , Szamosi Leslie T. , Prouska Rea , Brewster Chris
Published: March 2019

Greece and Serbia are historically different, yet regionally connected. Their weak institutional foundations and long-term economic turbulence have prevented them from overcoming crises, leading to the institutionalization of adverse working conditions. We focus on the outcomes of the systemic crisis in Greece and the transition crisis in Serbia, using semi-structured interviews and focus groups with managers and employees in small- and medium-sized enterprises in two time periods. We argue that, although the crisis has different origins in the two countries, it has consolidated adverse working conditions. Our research explores the institutionalization of adverse working conditions and offers an understanding of the lived reality of institutions, examining variations in the origins, pressures and outcomes of different types of crises on business practices from an individual perspective.
Non-disclosure requests by parents: Who should decide? A legal and ethical framework
Authors: Limb Rebecca
Published: March 2019

This article contributes to existing academic commentary on who should decide if a non-Gillick competent child ought to be informed about their diagnosis, prognosis and treatment when their parents and clinicians disagree. A distinction is drawn between dilemmas involving treatment disputes and non-disclosure requests, arguing that the latter is of a different nature and thus requires a different type of expertise. This article argues that parental expertise should be respected and given greater weight than it currently is when a parent’s non-disclosure request is clearly within a child’s best interests or if the request falls into a ‘Gray Zone’, where it is unclear whether it is in a child’s best interests to be informed.
Optimal Licensing Contract: The Implications of Preference Function
Authors: Mukherjee Arijit
Published: March 2019

Our analysis provides a rationale for the existence of a positive fixed-fee and output royalty in the licensing contracts. In this article, we show that the preference functions play an important role in this respect. As the market expansion effect gets weaker, it reduces the possibility of a royalty-only contract, thus increasing the possibility of the co-existence of a positive fixed-fee and output royalty in the licensing contract. Our argument is different from the existing reasons based on imitation, number of firms, product differentiation and decreasing returns to scale.

JEL: D21, D43, L13
Body Mass Index Increases With Ageing and Risk Factors for Overweight/Obesity in a Representative Macau Population
Authors: Moores Carly J. , Ke Liang , Mason Rebecca S. , Gill Timothy P. , Mpofu Elias , Ho Jacky , Dibley Michael J. , Brock Kaye E.
Published: March 2019

The aim of this study was to investigate trends of body mass index (BMI) with age in westernizing Macau and to make comparisons with Australian data. A representative random sample (n = 1406, 18-93 years, 55% female) from Macau was recruited in 2012. The Australian sample was extracted from the Australian Health Survey 2011-2012 (n = 7958, 18 to ≥85 years, 52% female). BMI in Australians was greater than Macanese, mean difference 4.4 kg/m2 ( P < .001). While BMI increases steadily with ageing in each population, the plateau for Macau subjects appears 5 to 10 years earlier than Australians. Prevalence of overweight/obesity in young Macanese adults (18-40 years) was 25% (men) and 22% (women), with the greatest increase in BMI from age 25 to 39 years and 24 to 45 years in men and women, respectively. BMI shifts in younger Macanese men and women, which may reflect emerging lifestyle and nutrition transitions, are a future population health concern in Macau.
The identification of key factors predictive of traumatic brain injury in paediatric patients with a minor blunt head injury
Authors: Song Cheng Hee , Ahmad Mohammad Zikri , Siti-Azrin Ab Hamid , Wan-Nor-Asyikeen Wan Adnan
Published: March 2019

Introduction:

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major public health concern, and contributes significantly to mortality and morbidity in paediatric patients.

Objective:

The study is aimed to identify the factors predictive of TBI in paediatric patients with a minor blunt head injury.

Methods:

This was a retrospective cohort study conducted on 274 paediatric patients with a minor head injury and registered to Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) from the year 2009 to 2013. Patients with a minor blunt head injury aged less than 18 years who underwent computed tomography (CT) of the brain were included, while the patients with penetrating head injuries were excluded from the study. Simple and multiple logistic regression analysis were performed.

Results:

TBI occurred in 49% of the patients. Headache (adjusted odd ratio (AOR): 2.24; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.24, 4.05, p = 0.008), dizziness (AOR: 3.08, 95% CI: 1.27, 7.51, p = 0.013) and the presence of scalp haematoma (AOR: 2.93, 95% CI: 1.60, 5.34, p < 0.001) were the most important clinical variables for predicting TBI following a minor blunt head injury in paediatric populations.

Conclusion:

Headache, dizziness and scalp haematoma were identified as important clinical variables that can be used to predict TBI on a CT scan of paediatric minor head injury. The presence of these factors should alert emergency physicians to the need to monitor such children closely.
Supporting Reading Comprehension for Students Who Are Learning English and Have Learning Disabilities
Authors: Williams Kelly J. , Martinez Leticia R.
Published: March 2019

Many adolescent students who are learning English and are identified with learning disabilities have difficulties with both reading comprehension and English language proficiency. In the secondary grades, these students have fewer opportunities to improve their reading comprehension and to learn from a range of disciplinary texts. To address these challenges, this article provides research-based practices to improve the language and literacy skills of these students through explicit instruction on word reading and academic vocabulary.
Primary Pulmonary Acinic Cell Carcinoma: A Clinicopathological Study of 6 Cases and Literature Review
Authors: Nie Ling , Zhou Chunlei , Wu Hongyan , Zhou Qiang , Meng Fanqing
Published: March 2019

Primary pulmonary acinic cell carcinoma (ACC) is rare. The clinicopathological features are not identical to that of classic ACC that leads to misdiagnosis. In this article, we summarized the clinicopathological features of 25 such cases, including 6 cases in this series and additional 19 cases in the literature. Pulmonary ACCs showed an overwhelming solid growth pattern. The neoplastic cells had eosinophilic granular and clear cytoplasm in most cases and displayed basophilic cytoplasm in only 4 cases. Intratumoral fibrous septa, mitotic figure, necrosis, and psammoma bodies were observed in some cases. Prominent nuclear atypia and perineural invasion might suggest high-grade transformation, metastasis, and recurrence. The tumor cells were strongly positive for CK8/18 and negative for TTF-1, p63, S-100, mammaglobin, MUC5b, MUC5ac, and DOG1. CK7 was exclusively positive for neoplastic cells with ductal differentiation. Of the 25 included cases, 10 cases were initially misdiagnosed. The tumor was prone to involve the right bronchus. The patient outcome was favorable. The accurate diagnosis of primary pulmonary ACC relies on comprehensive evaluation of histological and immunohistochemical features and realization of the difference from classic ACC.
Social and Environmental Justice in Waterfront Redevelopment: The Anacostia River, Washington, D.C.
Authors: Avni Nufar , Fischler Raphaël
Published: March 2019

Waterfront redevelopment projects have often been criticized for prioritizing attractive skylines and glittering facades over the needs of local communities. Recently, however, they have increasingly seen goals of social and environmental justice integrated into their vision statements. This article focuses on the redevelopment of the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C. Since the early 2000s, the formerly neglected and contaminated river has been at the center of extensive regeneration efforts through the Anacostia Waterfront Initiative (AWI). We examine to what extent the AWI has helped to overcome inequities between the two disparate sides of the river. To answer this question, we build on interviews, analysis of planning documents, and site visits. Examining efforts toward both social and environmental justice, we show the convergence of the two but also the contradictions that arise between them. The findings suggest that employing a joint social and environmental justice approach to analyze waterfront redevelopments is important to reveal these tensions.
A Pathway-Based Strategy to Identify Biomarkers for Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Prognosis
Authors: Sheng Mengying , Xie Xueying , Wang Jun , Gu Wanjun
Published: March 2019

Current research has identified several potential biomarkers for lung cancer diagnosis or prognosis. However, most of these biomarkers are derived from a relatively small number of samples using algorithms at the gene level. Hence, gene expression signatures discovered in these studies have little overlaps. In this study, we proposed a new strategy to identify biomarkers from multiple datasets at the pathway level. We integrated the genome-wide expression data of lung cancer tissues from 13 published studies and applied our strategy to identify lung cancer diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. We identified a 32-gene signature that differentiates lung adenocarcinomas from other lung cancer subtypes. We also discovered a 43-gene signature that can predict the outcome of human lung cancers. We tested their performance in several independent cohorts, which confirmed their robust prognostic and diagnostic power. Furthermore, we showed that the proposed gene expression signatures were independent of several traditional clinical indicators in lung cancer management. Our results suggest that the pathway-based strategy is useful to identify transcriptomic biomarkers from large-scale gene expression datasets that were collected from multiple sources.
Nutritional Considerations of Cardiovascular Diseases and Treatments
Authors: Boban Marko , Bulj Nikola , Kolačević Zeljković Matea , Radeljić Vjekoslav , Krcmar Tomislav , Trbusic Matias , Delić-Brkljačić Diana , Alebic Tamara , Vcev Aleksandar
Published: March 2019

Nutritional considerations of many chronic diseases are not fully understood or taken into consideration in everyday clinical practice. Therefore, it is not surprising that high proportion of hospitalized patients with cardiovascular diseases remains underdiagnosed with malnutrition. Malnourished patients have increased risk of poor clinical outcomes, complications rate, prolonged hospital stay, more frequent rehospitalizations, and lower quality of life. The purpose of this review is to recapitulate recent data on nutritional considerations in cardiovascular medicine.