bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neurodevelopmental Disorders in the PICU Population
Authors: Sobotka Sarah A. , Peters Sarah , Pinto Neethi P.
Published: November 2017

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), affecting 11% of children and adolescents, increases risk for injury and may predispose children to illness. However, the prevalence of ADHD and other developmental disorders in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) has not been previously studied. We performed a single-center, prospective cohort study of children aged 6 to 12 years who were hospitalized in the PICU from May through August 2016. Parents described their child’s educational and neurodevelopmental history, and completed ADHD and emotional/behavioral disorder screening on enrollment and 1 month after discharge. Twenty-four children were enrolled. Ten patients (42%) had a prior neurodevelopmental diagnosis, and 7 (29%) met study criteria for ADHD. Children hospitalized for critical illness have a high prevalence of neurodevelopmental disabilities and are more susceptible to the impact of critical illness on development and behavior. More research is needed to better understand how to support this vulnerable population after critical illness.
Acute Hepatocellular Jaundice After Dofetilide Initiation: A Case Report
Authors: Rose Patrick Gary , Seabury Robert , Cwikla Gregory
Published: November 2017

Dofetilide’s hepatotoxicity is not well described. In this case report, we describe acute hepatocellular jaundice related to dofetilide use in a 33-year-old male being treated for atrial fibrillation. Both viral and ischemic causes of hepatocellular damage were ruled out as unlikely in this case. This case report outlines a rare yet probable report of idiosyncratic dofetilide-induced liver injury.
Changes in Pharmacy Residency Training Design Between 2012 and 2017: A Perspective of Academic Medical Centers
Authors: Krasniak Anne , Darko William , Miller Christopher D. , Seabury Robert , Probst Luke A.
Published: November 2017

Purpose:The role of health-system pharmacists continues to expand, and this area of pharmacy practice increasingly requires augmented baseline training. It is unclear how Post Graduate Year 1 (PGY-1) pharmacy residencies may be changing to meet these needs.The objectives of our survey were to describe PGY-1 pharmacy residency program design among academic medical centers, characterize program changes enacted over 5-year period, and describe career paths among PGY-1 pharmacy residency graduates. Methods: A 32-item questionnaire was developed independently, which was reviewed and validated by 4 residency program directors. The survey was uploaded to an online survey tool and sent electronically to residency program directors of 109 Vizient academic medical centers with PGY-1 pharmacy residency programs. Residency program directors were identified from a list of Vizient-participating hospitals. The survey was re-sent at 2-week intervals on 4 occasions to improve response rates. SPSS version 23.0 was used to analyze the data. Results: Overall, 49 (45%) of hospitals responded to the survey. Survey responses showed statistically significant increases over the 5-year survey period in the following areas: the number of PGY-1 resident positions offered ( P = .001), percent of time spent on teaching experiences ( P = .001), and percentage of PGY-1 residents pursuing PGY-2 or fellowship training ( P = .026). Conclusion: We found that PGY-1 pharmacy residency programs at Vizient academic medical centers have undergone limited changes over the 5-year survey period and substantial variation exists between program designs. The most common change to program design was an increase in the percentage of time residents spend on teaching experiences. There was an increase in residents pursuing PGY-2 or fellowship training, which may suggest a shift toward increased specialization in clinical pharmacy practice or may reflect changes in the availability of job opportunities.
Tribological behavior of polyacetal composite filled with rice bran ceramics particles under water lubrication
Authors: Shibata Kei , Ii Takeshi , Yamaguchi Takeshi , Hokkirigawa Kazuo
Published: November 2017

We investigated the tribological behavior of polyacetal polyoxymethylenecomposite filled with rice bran ceramics particles under water lubrication, compared to those of polyoxymethylene composites filled with glass beads and glass fibers. Furthermore, the local contact pressure between a particle and the paired ball was calculated based on a simple contact model. The polyoxymethylene/rice bran ceramics composite showed low wear ( ws < 10−8 mm2/N) and low friction ( μ < 0.10) under water lubrication, irrespective of the normal load and sliding velocity. On a Stribeck curve, the lubrication condition of the polyoxymethylene/rice bran ceramics composite appeared to be near hydrodynamic lubrication. The specific wear rates of the polyoxymethylene/rice bran ceramics composite were the lowest of the composites, regardless of the bearing characteristic number. A smooth worn surface was observed for both the polyoxymethylene/rice bran ceramics composite and the paired ball. The dimensionless roughness parameters of the polyoxymethylene/rice bran ceramics composite were smaller than 1.0, irrespective of the bearing characteristic number. The friction coefficients of the polyoxymethylene composites decreased exponentially with decreasing dimensionless roughness parameter; the low friction of the polyoxymethylene/rice bran ceramics composite resulted from the small roughness parameters. The rice bran ceramics particles indicated a small contact pressure per particle, which was nearly half the Vickers hardness of the steel ball. As a result, the rice bran ceramics particles rarely damaged the steel ball with increasing surface roughness. Therefore, the low friction of the polyoxymethylene composite filled with the rice bran ceramics particles was attributable to the decrease in the roughness, e.g., polishing without the formation of a transfer film and the filler detachment.
The effect of sintering time, temperature, and graphene addition on the hardness and microstructure of aluminum composites
Authors: Gürbüz Mevlüt , Can Şenel Mahmut , Koç Erdem
Published: November 2017

Currently, graphene is used in aluminum matrix composite manufacturing due to its superior mechanical properties. However, few detailed studies exist on the effect of the process conditions such as sintering temperature ( TS), time ( tS), and a number of graphene nanoplatelets. Therefore, the effects of different sintering times ( tS = 60, 120, 180, 300 min), sintering temperatures ( TS = 550, 600, 630℃), and graphene addition (0.1, 0.3, 0.5 wt%) on apparent density and hardness were reported in detail in this study. The crystal structure and microstructure of fabricated composites by powder metallurgy method were examined with X-ray diffractometer and scanning electron microscopy. Apparent density and mechanical properties were tested by density meter and micro Vickers hardness tester. The results indicated that the best sintering time, sintering temperature, and graphene addition were determined to be 180 min, 630℃, and 0.1 wt%, respectively, for the best hardness of composite. The hardness of composite increased from 38 to 57 HV when compared with pure aluminum under the best process conditions.
Token Frequency Effects in Homophone Production: An Elicitation Study
Authors: Conwell Erin
Published: November 2017

In natural production, adults differentiate homophones prosodically as a function of the frequency of their intended meaning. This study compares adult and child productions of homophones to determine whether prosodic differentiation of homophones changes over development. Using a picture-based story-completion paradigm, isolated tokens of homophones were elicited from English-learning children and adult native English speakers. These tokens were measured for duration, vowel duration, pitch, pitch range, and vowel quality. Results indicate that less frequent meanings of homophones are longer in duration than their more frequent counterparts in both adults and children. No other measurement differed as a function of meaning frequency. As speakers of all ages produce longer tokens of lower frequency homophones, homophone differentiation does not change over development, but is included in children’s early lexicons. These findings indicate that production planning processes alone may not fully account for differences in homophone duration, but rather that the differences could be learned and represented from experience even in the early stages of lexical acquisition.
Communicating Cosmopolitanism and Motivating Global Citizenship
Authors: Cameron John David
Published: November 2017

This article analyses strategies of communication to motivate ordinary individuals to act in accord with cosmopolitan ethics. The central argument of the article is that research on cosmopolitan motivation needs to engage much more actively with research in psychology and communications, which provide significant insights on the effectiveness of strategies that moral philosophers have proposed to motivate cosmopolitan action. The article critically analyses ‘thick cosmopolitan’ motivation strategies, which highlight the collective culpability of affluent individuals in the global North for the poverty in the global South as a means to motivate cosmopolitan action. Drawing on research in psychology, the article argues that the emphasis on culpability can have adverse impacts at odds with cosmopolitan ethics. The article then proposes alternative communication strategies for cosmopolitan motivation, drawing again on research in psychology and communications.
Policy Agendas and Economic Inequality in American Politics
Authors: Epp Derek A
Published: November 2017

This article investigates the relationship between economic inequality and US congressional agendas. Longstanding insights into the influence of political spending on public policy suggest that money can narrow the scope of policy conflicts. I argue that rising inequality should intensify these negative-agenda forces as wealthy interests gain a political advantage relative to other social groups and use this advantage to protect their socioeconomic position by donating to candidates who pursue less disruptive agendas. The expectation is that economic inequality narrows the purview of policymaking and that this is manifest through a reduction in the diversity of the congressional agenda. Empirical analysis supports this position. Error-correction models show that rising inequality is associated with a reduction in the diversity of congressional hearings, bill introductions, and laws. Moreover, it is legislators who are heavily dependent on deep-pocketed donors and political action committees that engage with a narrower range of policy topics.
‘The Government Should Be Ashamed’: On the Possibility of Organisations’ Emotional Duties
Authors: Collins Stephanie
Published: November 2017

When we say that ‘the government should be ashamed’, can we be taken literally? I argue that we can: organisations have duties over their emotions. Emotions have both functional and felt components. Often, emotions’ moral value derives from their functional components: from what they cause and what causes them. In these cases, organisations can have emotional duties in the same way that they can have duties to act. However, emotions’ value partly derives from their felt components. Organisations lack feelings, but can have duties to increase the likelihood that their members have relevant emotions (with the right felt components), in virtue of and in accordance with their role in the organisation. To systematise these conclusions, I provide a taxonomy of organisations’ – and individuals’ organisationally situated – emotional duties. This taxonomy will enable scholars of electoral politics, international politics and public policy to systematically integrate emotions into the study of organisations.
Attitudes towards English Diversity of Students in the International College and the Non-IC Programmes at a University in Taiwan
Authors: Wang Chaochang
Published: November 2017

As English is a lingua franca that has developed along many different pathways with the result that numerous varieties continue to evolve, effective communication requires mutual adjustment and understanding. A considerable body of research on English diversity is focussed on attitudes towards the sociolinguistic reality of English and interactional features in lingua franca contexts. However, very little research has been conducted on the attitudes towards English diversity of students in international education (IE) settings in which adjustment and acceptance are important to communication at all levels. Indeed no research has been done on comparing attitudes of IE settings’ local students and those of non-IE students. The purpose of this study is to address this gap in the literature. In this study the participants comprised international students and local Taiwanese students at a university where an international environment has been created via an international college offering degree programmes with English used as the instructional medium and the intercultural means of communication. The study results shed light on how international education of this nature may impact the views of and attitudes towards the sociolinguistic reality of English today.
Biopsychosocial and Retirement Factors Influencing Satisfaction With Life: New Perspectives
Authors: Siguaw Judy A. , Sheng Xiaojing , Simpson Penny M.
Published: November 2017

Founded on expectation confirmation theory and a resource perspective, this research examines the impact of retiree resources, retirement planning, conditions of work exit, and confirmation of retirement expectations on satisfaction with life in retirement. The study of 543 retirees found significant effects of retiree resources (i.e., self-efficacy, health, and income), confirmation of retirement expectations, ageism, retirement planning, and conditions of exit on retirees’ satisfaction with life. The study also showed that self-efficacy, activity participation, health, income, ageism, and retirement planning significantly impacted confirmation of retirement expectations, although conditions of exit did not significantly affect confirmation of retirement expectations.
Development of the Survey of Parent/Provider Expectations and Knowledge (SPEAK)
Authors: Suskind Dana L. , Leung Christy Y. Y. , Webber Robert J. , Hundertmark Alison C. , Leffel Kristin R. , Suskind Elizabeth , Hernandez Marc W. , Graf Eileen
Published: November 2017

This study reported the development and initial validation of the Survey of Parent/Provider Expectations and Knowledge (SPEAK), a self-administered questionnaire assessing expectations and knowledge about early childhood cognitive and language development. Development of the SPEAK was guided by the theory emphasizing the role of language input quality in young children’s language development. Items were refined through cognitive interviews ( N = 29), expert consultations, and the first field test ( N = 131). Rasch analysis following the second field test ( N = 346) resulted in a 17-item SPEAK (α = .84); expert review confirmed its content validity. A third field test with low-income caregivers ( N = 103) showed that higher SPEAK scores were correlated with higher education, receptive language ability, stronger endorsement of incremental mindset, and more language stimulation available to the child at home, supporting its concurrent validity. Findings provided preliminary evidence supporting the reliability and validity of the SPEAK to assess expectations and knowledge of early childhood cognitive and language development.
White Look-Alikes: Mainstream Culture Adoption Makes Immigrants “Look” Phenotypically White
Authors: Kunst Jonas R. , Dovidio John F. , Dotsch Ron
Published: November 2017

White Americans generally equate “being American” with “being White.” In six studies, we demonstrate that White Americans perceive immigrants who adopt American mainstream culture as racially White and, reciprocally, perceive White-looking immigrants as assimilating more. In Studies 1 and 2, participants visually represented immigrants who adopted U.S. culture by acculturating to mainstream American culture or by holding a common or dual identity as more phenotypically White and less stereotypic in appearance. In Studies 3 and 4, these processes explained why participants were less likely to racially profile immigrants but also regarded them as less qualified for integration support. In Study 5, participants perceived light skin to fit to high U.S. culture adoption and dark skin to low U.S. culture adoption. Finally, in Study 6, light-skinned immigrants were seen as less threatening because they were perceived as assimilating more. Immigrants’ acculturation orientation and appearance interact and shape how they are evaluated.
Development of face detection in preschool children
Authors: Meissner Tobias W. , Prüfer Helen , Nordt Marisa , Semmelmann Kilian , Weigelt Sarah
Published: November 2017

We investigated the ability to detect a face among other visual objects in a complex visual array in 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old children, as well as in adults. To this end, we used a visual search paradigm implemented on a touch-tablet device. Subjects ( N = 100) saw up to eighty 3 × 3 visual search arrays and had to find and tap upon a target—a face or a car—among eight objects that served as distractors. Our data revealed a relative face detection advantage, which did not differ in its extent between children and adults. This suggests that, beginning in young childhood and ending in adulthood, face detection performance advances as a consequence of other cognitive functions such as a general advance in visual search performance. Our study closes a gap in the knowledge about the development of face detection—as a prototype for social stimuli and their capacity to attract attention—from early to middle childhood.
Neuroscience and literacy acquisition
Authors: Maurer Urs , McBride Catherine
Published: November 2017

A special section of the International Journal of Behavioral Development (IJBD) devoted to the topic “Neuroscience and Literacy Acquisition.”
Intellectual Itinerary and Reception of Zygmunt Bauman’s Liquid Sociology in France
Authors: Tabet Simon
Published: November 2017

Zygmunt Bauman’s sociology has known very divers receptions, depending on the intellectual contexts and periods of writing. Through a study of the prolific work of the author, this article aims at describing the different steps of this path, in order to grasp the process leading to such disparities. This analysis will try to explain the feeble reception of the thinker within the French intellectual sphere, as well as the several polemics engendered by his work in the English-speaking academic world. Lastly, this article would like to partially define the form and status of what the author has called ‘liquid sociology’ in recent years.
Critical, agentic and trans-media: Frameworks and findings from a foresight analysis exercise on audiences
Authors: Das Ranjana , Ytre-Arne Brita
Published: November 2017

We write this article presenting frameworks and findings from an international network on audience research, as we stand 75 years from Herta Herzog’s classic investigation of radio listeners, published in Lazarsfeld and Stanton’s 1944 war edition of Radio Research. The article aims to contribute to and advance a rich strand of self-reflexive stock-taking and sorting of future research priorities within the transforming field of audience analysis, by drawing on the collective efforts of CEDAR – Consortium on Emerging Directions in Audience Research – a 14-country network (2015–2018) funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, United Kingdom, which conducted a foresight analysis exercise on developing current trends and future scenarios for audiences and audience research in the year 2030. First, we wish to present the blueprint of what we did and how we did it – by discussing the questions, contexts and frameworks for our project. We hope this is useful for anyone considering a foresight analysis task, an approach we present as an innovative and rigorous tool for assessing and understanding the future of a field. Second, we present findings from our analysis of pivotal transformations in the field and the future scenarios we constructed for audiences, as media technologies rapidly change with the arrival of the Internet of Things and changes on many levels occur in audience practices. These findings not only make sense of a transformative decade that we have just lived through but they present possibilities for the future, outlining areas for individual and collective intellectual commitment.
Current methods of preventing aseptic loosening and improving osseointegration of titanium implants in cementless total hip arthroplasty: a review
Authors: Apostu Dragos , Lucaciu Ondine , Berce Cristian , Lucaciu Dan , Cosma Dan
Published: November 2017

Hip osteoarthritis is the most common joint disorder, and is represented by a degenerative process, resulting in pain and functional impairment. If conservative treatment for hip osteoarthritis fails, the only remaining option is hip arthroplasty. Despite good survival of implants, loosening of components is the most common complication. This leads to revision surgeries, which are technically demanding, expensive, and result in a low satisfaction rate. Uncemented hip replacements require proper osseointegration for increased survival. Physical characteristics of implants include biocompatibility, Young’s modulus of elasticity, strength, and corrosion resistance, and each influence fixation of implants. Moreover, implant surface treatments, pore size, pore density, and femoral stem design should be appropriately selected. Patients’ optimization of obesity, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, psychotic disorders, and smoking cessation are associated with a higher survival of implants. Surgical factors, such as approach, drilling and rasping, acetabular bone coverage, acetabular cup positioning, and implant size, also affect survival of implants. Avoiding drugs, which may impair osseointegration of implants, and having an appropriate rehabilitation protocol are important. Future directions include anabolic and anti-catabolic bone-acting drugs to enhance osseointegration of implants. Comprehensive knowledge of the factors mentioned above is important for preventing aseptic loosening, with important socioeconomic consequences.
“Nothing is useless in nature”: Delhi’s repair economies and value-creation in an electronics “waste” sector
Authors: Corwin Julia Eleanor
Published: November 2017

This paper follows the return of electronic waste back into commodity circuits through widespread processes of reuse, repair and remanufacturing across Delhi, India. Tracing the movements of “waste” from the scrap shop back into secondary use industries, I situate e-waste in India as operating primarily within economies of reuse and repair, rather than waste and recycling. Instead of managing waste, India’s broad reuse industries are production-based, maintaining and making new things out of a diversity of new and used materials. The production of value from used things is dependent on the e-waste trader and the repair worker, who see the potential for seemingly unlimited trajectories of multitudinous conditions and configurations. This view of e-waste from the repair shop (and even the scrap shop) rather than a recycling factory offers a very different rendering of e-waste and particularly informal e-waste labor in the Global South than is presented in policy and popular media. Building on scholarship on vibrant waste economies, I demonstrate that India’s electronic “waste” sector is in fact a powerful source of value (and product) creation and call into question e-waste as a definitive “waste” product and its management in a “waste” economy.
The state and class discipline: European labour market policy after the financial crisis
Authors: Umney Charles , Greer Ian , Onaran Özlem , Symon Graham
Published: November 2017

This article looks at two related labour market policies that have persisted and even proliferated across Europe both before and after the financial crisis: wage restraint and punitive workfare programmes. It asks why these policies, despite their weak empirical records, have been so durable. Moving beyond comparative-institutionalist explanations which emphasise institutional stickiness, it draws on Marxist and Kaleckian ideas around the concept of ‘class discipline’. It argues that under financialisation, the need for states to implement policies that discipline the working class is intensified, even if these policies do little to enable (and may even counteract) future stability. Wage restraint and punitive active labour market policies are two examples of such measures. Moreover, this disciplinary impetus has subverted and marginalised regulatory labour market institutions, rather than being embedded within them.
Intra-articular Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy for the Human Joint: A Systematic Review
Authors: McIntyre James A. , Jones Ian A. , Han Bo , Vangsness C. Thomas
Published: November 2017

Background:

Stem cell therapy is emerging as a potential treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) and chondral defects (CDs). However, there is a great deal of heterogeneity in the literature. The indications for stem cell use, the ideal tissue source, and the preferred outcome measures for stem cell–based treatments have yet to be determined.

Purpose:

To provide clinicians with a comprehensive overview of the entire body of the current human literature investigating the safety and efficacy of intra-articular mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy in all joints.

Methods:

To provide a comprehensive overview of the current literature, all clinical studies investigating the safety and efficacy of intra-articular MSC therapy were included. PubMed, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for published human clinical trials involving the use of MSCs for the treatment of OA and CDs in all joints. A total of 3867 publications were screened.

Results:

Twenty-eight studies met the criteria to be included in this review. Fourteen studies treating osteoarthritis and 14 studies treating focal chondral defects were included. MSCs originating from bone marrow (13), adipose tissue (12), synovial tissue (2), or peripheral blood (2) were administered to 584 distinct individuals. MSCs were administered into the knee (523 knees), foot/ankle (61), and hip (5). The mean follow-up time was 24.4 months after MSC therapy. All studies reported improvement from baseline in at least 1 clinical outcome measure, and no study reported major adverse events attributable to MSC therapy.

Discussion:

The studies included in this review suggest that intra-articular MSC therapy is safe. While clinical and, in some cases, radiological improvements were reported for both OA and CD trials, the overall quality of the literature was poor, and heterogeneity and lack of reproducibility limit firm conclusions regarding the efficacy of these treatments.

Conclusion:

This review provides strong evidence that autologous intra-articular MSC therapy is safe, with generally positive clinical outcomes.
Effects of Anterior Closing Wedge Tibial Osteotomy on Anterior Cruciate Ligament Force and Knee Kinematics
Authors: Yamaguchi Kent T. , Cheung Edward C. , Markolf Keith L. , Boguszewski Daniel V. , Mathew Justin , Lama Christopher J. , McAllister David R. , Petrigliano Frank A.
Published: November 2017

Background:

A certain percentage of patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction will experience graft failure, and there is mounting evidence that an increased posterior tibial slope (PTS) may be a predisposing factor. Theoretically, under tibiofemoral compression force (TFC), a reduced PTS would induce less anterior tibial translation (ATT) and lower ACL force.

Hypothesis:

Ten-degree anterior closing wedge osteotomy of the proximal tibia will significantly reduce ACL force and alter knee kinematics during robotic testing.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Eleven fresh-frozen human knees were instrumented with a load cell that measured ACL force as the knee was flexing continuously from 0° to 50° under 200-N TFC as our initial testing condition, followed by the addition of the following tibial loads: 45-N anterior force (AF), 5-N·m valgus moment (VM), 2-N·m internal torque (IT), and all loads combined. ACL force and knee kinematics were recorded before and after osteotomy.

Results:

Osteotomy produced significant changes in the tibiofemoral position at full extension (as defined by a 2-N·m knee extension moment). This resulted in apparent knee hyperextension (9.4° ± 1.9°), posterior tibial translation (7.9 mm ± 1.6 mm), internal tibial rotation (3.2° ± 2.3°), and valgus tibial rotation (3.2° ± 1.5°). During straight knee flexion with TFC alone, osteotomy reduced ACL force to 0 N beyond 5° of flexion, and ATT was reduced between 0° and 45° ( P < .05). With TFC + AF, ACL force was reduced beyond 5° of flexion, and ATT was reduced between 5° and 45° ( P < .05). With TFC + VM, ACL force was less than 10 N beyond 5° of flexion, and ATT was reduced at all flexion angles ( P < .05). Under the loading conditions TFC + IT and TFC + IT + AF + VM, osteotomy did not significantly change ACL force or ATT at any flexion angle.

Conclusion:

In general, osteotomy lowered ACL force and reduced ATT when IT was not present. The benefits of osteotomy were negated when IT was included possibly because the dominant mechanism of ACL force generation was cruciate impingement from internal winding and not ATT.

Clinical Relevance:

PTS-reducing osteotomy significantly decreased ACL force and reduced ATT for knee loads that did not include IT.
Influence of grammage on heat release rate of polypropylene fabrics
Authors: Hernandez Nicolas , Sonnier Rodolphe , Giraud Stéphane
Published: November 2017

The flammability of nine polypropylene fabrics or sheets has been tested using cone calorimeter at various heat fluxes (25, 35, 50, and 75 kW/m2) in order to assess the relevance of this fire test for thermally thin materials. The chosen procedure uses a grid and allows maintaining a constant exposed surface during the test, except for the lightest fabric. The structure of the knitted fabrics has a relatively small influence on the main flammability parameters. On the contrary, the area density of the sample (from 218 to 5729 g/m2) impacts strongly the time to ignition, the peak of heat release rate, and the increase in heat release rate after ignition (fire growth rate). At a fixed heat flux, thicker is the sample, higher are the time to ignition and the peak of heat release rate and lower is the fire growth rate. Moreover, thick samples exhibit the highest sensitivity of peak of heat release rate and the lowest sensitivity of fire growth rate to heat flux. This study emphasizes the fact that a moderate change in weight may have a significant influence on cone calorimeter results, without any significance on real flammability.
Guidelines for Genome-Scale Analysis of Biological Rhythms
Authors: Hughes Michael E. , Abruzzi Katherine C. , Allada Ravi , Anafi Ron , Arpat Alaaddin Bulak , Asher Gad , Baldi Pierre , de Bekker Charissa , Bell-Pedersen Deborah , Blau Justin , Brown Steve , Ceriani M. Fernanda , Chen Zheng , Chiu Joanna C. , Cox Juergen , Crowell Alexander M. , DeBruyne Jason P. , Dijk Derk-Jan , DiTacchio Luciano , Doyle Francis J. , Duffield Giles E. , Dunlap Jay C. , Eckel-Mahan Kristin , Esser Karyn A. , FitzGerald Garret A. , Forger Daniel B. , Francey Lauren J. , Fu Ying-Hui , Gachon Frédéric , Gatfield David , de Goede Paul , Golden Susan S. , Green Carla , Harer John , Harmer Stacey , Haspel Jeff , Hastings Michael H. , Herzel Hanspeter , Herzog Erik D. , Hoffmann Christy , Hong Christian , Hughey Jacob J. , Hurley Jennifer M. , de la Iglesia Horacio O. , Johnson Carl , Kay Steve A. , Koike Nobuya , Kornacker Karl , Kramer Achim , Lamia Katja , Leise Tanya , Lewis Scott A. , Li Jiajia , Li Xiaodong , Liu Andrew C. , Loros Jennifer J. , Martino Tami A. , Menet Jerome S. , Merrow Martha , Millar Andrew J. , Mockler Todd , Naef Felix , Nagoshi Emi , Nitabach Michael N. , Olmedo Maria , Nusinow Dmitri A. , Ptáček Louis J. , Rand David , Reddy Akhilesh B. , Robles Maria S. , Roenneberg Till , Rosbash Michael , Ruben Marc D. , Rund Samuel S.C. , Sancar Aziz , Sassone-Corsi Paolo , Sehgal Amita , Sherrill-Mix Scott , Skene Debra J. , Storch Kai-Florian , Takahashi Joseph S. , Ueda Hiroki R. , Wang Han , Weitz Charles , Westermark Pål O. , Wijnen Herman , Xu Ying , Wu Gang , Yoo Seung-Hee , Young Michael , Zhang Eric Erquan , Zielinski Tomasz , Hogenesch John B.
Published: November 2017

Genome biology approaches have made enormous contributions to our understanding of biological rhythms, particularly in identifying outputs of the clock, including RNAs, proteins, and metabolites, whose abundance oscillates throughout the day. These methods hold significant promise for future discovery, particularly when combined with computational modeling. However, genome-scale experiments are costly and laborious, yielding “big data” that are conceptually and statistically difficult to analyze. There is no obvious consensus regarding design or analysis. Here we discuss the relevant technical considerations to generate reproducible, statistically sound, and broadly useful genome-scale data. Rather than suggest a set of rigid rules, we aim to codify principles by which investigators, reviewers, and readers of the primary literature can evaluate the suitability of different experimental designs for measuring different aspects of biological rhythms. We introduce CircaInSilico, a web-based application for generating synthetic genome biology data to benchmark statistical methods for studying biological rhythms. Finally, we discuss several unmet analytical needs, including applications to clinical medicine, and suggest productive avenues to address them.
Use of Standardized Assessment Tools to Improve the Effectiveness of Palliative Care Rounds
Authors: Spaner Donna , Caraiscos Valerie B. , Muystra Christina , Furman Margaret Lynn , Zaltz-Dubin Jodi , Wharton Marilyn , Whitehead Katherine
Published: November 2017

Background:

Optimal care for patients in the palliative care setting requires effective clinical teamwork. Communication may be challenging for health-care workers from different disciplines. Daily rounds are one way for clinical teams to share information and develop care plans for patients.

Objective:

The objective of this initiative was to improve the structure and process of daily palliative care rounds by incorporating the use of standardized tools and improved documentation into the meeting. We chose a quality improvement (QI) approach to address this initiative. Our aims were to increase the use of assessment tools when discussing patient care in rounds and to improve the documentation and accessibility of important information in the health record, including goals of care.

Methods:

This QI initiative used a preintervention and postintervention comparison of the outcome measures of interest. The initiative was tested in a palliative care unit (PCU) over a 22-month period from April 2014 to January 2016. Participants were clinical staff in the PCU.

Results:

Data collected after the completion of several plan-do-study-act cycles showed increased use and incorporation of the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System and Palliative Performance Scale into patient care discussions as well as improvement in inclusion of goals of care into the patient plan of care.

Conclusion:

Our findings demonstrate that the effectiveness of daily palliative care rounds can be improved by incorporating the use of standard assessment tools and changes into the meeting structure to better focus and direct patient care discussions.
Evaluation of Parenting Interventions to Prevent Violence Against Children in Colombia: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Skar Ane-Marthe Solheim , Sherr Lorraine , Macedo Ana , Tetzchner Stephen von , Fostervold Knut Inge
Published: November 2017

The effects of the International Child Development Programme (ICDP) and the specific addition of a violence prevention module were observed in a preidentified population in Colombia where children are experiencing high levels of violence. Participants were 176 parents of 3- to 4-year-olds attending child centers who were randomly allocated to one of three conditions: organized Community Activities at child centers and ICDP (CA + ICDP), CA, ICDP, and a preventive Violence Curriculum (CA + ICDP + VC), or a comparison group with only CA. The parents completed questionnaires about corporal punishment, intimate partner violence, community violence, and mental health at baseline and at 6 months follow-up. Univariate logistic regressions were used to examine uses of child violence, predictors of intimate partner violence, and prevalence of mental health problems. McNemar tests were used to assess differences between intervention groups and comparison group at two different time points. Participants were mostly female (78.5%) and had an average age of 32 years. Among these, 58.5% had been exposed to community violence and 98.3% reported using physical assault to discipline their children. Reported prevalence of child violence decreased in all groups whereas the reduction of severe forms of violence was larger for the intervention groups, and especially for the CA + ICDP + VC group. There was a significant reduction of victimization of intimate partner violence in both intervention groups as well as a decrease in mental health problems, especially for the CA + ICDP group (from 22.4% to 5.1%). The general ICDP seems effective in reducing violence. The addition of a specific violence intervention component seemed to reduce intimate partner violence, but not violence related to children. The comparison group attending the child center and other social activities also reported reduced violence but to a lesser extent than the groups who attended specific interventions.
Hydrothermal aging behaviors of CMR/PLA biocomposites
Authors: Bao Yuheng
Published: November 2017

By melt blending method, the Chinese medicine residue (CMR) and polylactide (PLA) were mixed together using dioctyl phthalate (DOP) as plasticizer. The extrusion and injection-molding processes were used to prepare all the specimens of CMR/PLA composites. Hydrothermal aging was implemented through immersing samples in distilled water at 60, 90°C, and room temperature in different aging cycles. The properties of the CMR/PLA composites were characterized by mechanical property testing and the analyses of thermogravimetric (TG), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The result showed that the temperature has a significant effect on the hydrothermal aging behavior of the composites. After 60°C hydrothermal aging of 8 days, the bending strength and the tensile strength have reduced to 7.04 and 4.32 MPa, respectively, while the bending strength and the tensile strength became to 1.32 and 2.48 MPa after 90°C hydrothermal aging of 15 h and then the mechanical properties completely lost after 20 h. When hydrothermal aged, the CMR/PLA composites continually undergo degradation, generating bare fibers and broken into small molecular chain structure from macromolecular. Through hydrolysis of ester group, fragmentation of macromolecule chain and the molecular weight decreased, and the interfacial adhesion between the CMR and the PLA is weakened.
Synthesis of n-octadecane/poly (styrene-methyl methacrylate) (St-MMA) energy-storage microcapsules via emulsion polymerization
Authors: Wu Weili , Chen Zhe
Published: November 2017

Poly (methyl methacrylate) block copolymer is interesting due to its good compatibility with many polymers. In this study, a novel phase-change energy storage material, n-octadecane/poly (styrene-methyl methacrylate) (OD/P(St-MMA)) microcapsules, were designed and synthesized by emulsion polymerization, in which n-OD was used as core materials, the copolymer of St and MMA as shell materials, and sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) as emulsifier. The morphology, phase-change thermal properties and thermal stability of microcapsules were investigated by particle size analyzer, transmission electron microscope, thermogravimetric (TG) analyzer, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results showed that when the ratio of the two monomers, St and MMA, was 1/5 and the dosage of SDBS was 1.5 g (3% of the total mass), the particle size dispersion of microcapsules was uniform and microcapsule particles were well wrapped. TG analysis showed that the long-term use temperature of microcapsules could not exceed 131°C. DSC showed that the phase-change enthalpy of microcapsule was 148.39 J·g−1, which indicated the microcapsules had excellent energy storage property.
Predictions of fiber concentration in injection molding simulation of fiber-reinforced composites
Authors: Tseng Huan-Chang , Chang Rong-Yeu , Hsu Chia-Hsiang
Published: November 2017

The microstructures of injection-molded short fiber composites, involving fiber orientation and fiber concentration, strikingly influence flow behaviors and mechanical properties. Through the use of certain commercial software, reported numerical predictions of fiber orientation for the shell–core structure have been obtained to date. However, no work has been done on fiber concentration prediction available in processing simulations. In the theoretical field of suspension rheology, the suspension balance (SB) model has proven successful in capturing particle migration behavior under the simple Couette shear flow of “spherical” particle suspension, hence the attempt to verify the SB model applied in the “like-rod” suspensions. To predict flow-induced variations of fiber concentration, the SB model is implemented in 3-D-injection molding simulation with more general flows. It is remarkable for the shell–core structure is explored to reflect the relationship between fiber orientation and fiber concentration.
Pharmacist Intentions to Prescribe Hormonal Contraception Following New Legislative Authority in California
Authors: Vu Kevin , Rafie Sally , Grindlay Kate , Gutierrez Hialy , Grossman Daniel
Published: November 2017

Objective:

Following a California law expanding pharmacists’ scope of practice to include directly providing self-administered hormonal contraception to patients pursuant to a statewide protocol, this study aimed to assess California pharmacists’ intentions to provide this new service prior to the protocol development and implementation.

Design:

Descriptive, nonexperimental, cross-sectional study.

Setting:

California between August and September 2014.

Participants:

California pharmacists working in community pharmacies.

Intervention:

Invitations to participate in the online survey were sent to 1774 pharmacists.

Main Outcome Measures:

Main outcomes included pharmacists’ current practices, intentions to prescribe hormonal contraception, comfort performing various activities, knowledge about contraceptive methods, training needs, and barriers to prescribing.

Results:

A total of 257 responses (14.5% response rate) were received. Of those, 121 respondents met inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. About half of the respondents (49.6%) reported working in a community chain pharmacy, 46.3% in an independent pharmacy, and 4.1% in other community pharmacy settings. The majority (72.7%) of pharmacists reported that they would likely provide this new service. Respondents reported being comfortable educating patients on short-acting (94.2%) and long-acting reversible contraception (81.7%), as well as identifying drug interactions with hormonal contraception (96.7%). Respondents indicated time constraints (74.4%), lack of reimbursement (63.6%), and liability concerns (62.0%) as barriers to prescribing hormonal contraception.

Conclusions:

California pharmacists expressed strong intentions and comfort in prescribing hormonal contraception. Pharmacists’ additional training needs and barriers should be addressed for successful implementation. This new service has great potential to increase access to contraception, potentially fostering increased use and adherence.
Numerical analysis of acoustic radiation properties of laminated composite flat panel in thermal environment: A higher-order finite-boundary element approach
Authors: Sharma Nitin , Mahapatra Trupti Ranjan , Panda Subrata Kumar
Published: November 2017

In this article, the vibration-induced acoustic responses of laminated composite flat panels subjected to harmonic mechanical excitation under uniform temperature load are investigated numerically. The natural frequencies alongside corresponding modes of the flat panels resting on an infinite rigid baffle are obtained by using finite element method in the framework of the higher-order shear deformation theory. A coupled finite and boundary element formulation is then employed to acquire the acoustic responses. The governing equation for the sound radiaiton from the vibrating structures is derived by solving the Helmholtz wave equation. The vibration and acoustic responses are computed by using the present scheme via an in-house computer code developed in MATLAB environment. In order to avoid any excess thermal loading conditions first, the critical buckling temperature of the panel structure is obtained and authenticated with the benchmark values. Further, the sound power levels for isotropic and laminated composite panels are computed using the present scheme and validated with the existing results in the published literature. Finally, the influence of lamination scheme, support conditions and modular ratio on the acoustic radiation behavior of laminated composite flat panels in an elevated thermal environment is studied through various numerical examples. The thermal load is found to have substantial influence on the stiffness of the panels and the peaks in the free vibration responses tend to shift to lower frequencies for higher temperatures. It is also inferred that the panels radiate less efficiently whereas the overall sound pressure level is found to follow an increasing trend with increasing temperature.
High-pressure jet-assisted turning of AISI 304: Experimental and multi-objective optimization approach
Authors: Mirmohammadsadeghi Sayed E , Amirabadi H
Published: November 2017

High-pressure jet-assisted turning is an effective method to decrease the cutting force and surface roughness. Efficiency of this process is related to application of proper jet pressure proportional to other process parameters. In this research, experiments were conducted for high-pressure jet-assisted turning in finishing AISI 304 austenitic stainless steel, based on response surface method. Against the expectations, the maximum jet pressure could not lead to the most efficient results, which means that applying high-pressure jet-assisted turning without considering optimal process parameters will diminish the improving effects of high-pressure jet assistance. For this purpose, two artificial neural networks were trained by genetic algorithm to model the surface roughness and cutting force based on the process parameters. Ultimately, nondominated sorting genetic algorithm was implemented for multi-objective optimization of process. Results demonstrated that the employed method provides an effective approach that indicates optimized range of process parameters.