bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diffusion-Perfusion Mismatch in Single Subcortical Infarction: A Predictor of Early Neurological Deterioration and Poor Functional Outcome
Authors: Kim Jun Pyo , Kim Suk Jae , Lee Jung Jae , Cha Ji Hoon , Bang Oh Young , Chung Chin-Sang , Lee Kwang Ho , Kim Gyeong-Moon
Published: May 2015

Background/Aims: Early neurological deterioration (END) is frequently observed and related to poor functional outcome in patients with single subcortical infarction (SSI). We evaluated the role of diffusion-perfusion mismatch (DPM) as a predictor of END and functional outcome in patients with SSI. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data for 274 patients with acute SSI. DPM was positive in the presence of a lesion on the perfusion map that was larger than that on the corresponding slice on diffusion-weighted imaging. END was defined as an increase of <1 points in the motor portion of the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) within 72 h from MRI acquisition. Patients with a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 3 or more at day 30 were considered having a poor functional outcome. Results: DPM was more frequently observed in the END (+) than in the END (-) group (21/35 (60.0%) vs. 50/239 (20.9%); p < 0.001). After adjusting for covariates, the presence of DPM and NIHSS score on admission were independently associated with END (DPM, OR 5.03, p < 0.001; NIHSS, OR 1.14, p = 0.033) and poor functional outcome (DPM, OR 2.44, p = 0.018; NIHSS, OR 1.48, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The DPM concept is applicable to prediction of END and functional disability in patients with SSI.
Association Study of the TREM2 Gene and Identification of a Novel Variant in Exon 2 in Iranian Patients with Late-Onset Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Mehrjoo Zohreh , Najmabadi Amin , Abedini Seyedeh Sedigheh , Mohseni Marzieh , Kamali Koorosh , Najmabadi Hossein , Khorram Khorshid Hamid Reza
Published: May 2015

Objective: To analyze the association between TREM2 exon 2 variants and late-onset (sporadic) Alzheimer's disease (AD) in an elderly Iranian population. Materials and Methods: Exon 2 of TREM2 in a total of 131 AD patients and 157 controls was genotyped using polymerase chain reaction and Sanger sequencing. Fisher's exact test was used to compare the allele and genotype frequency between the 2 study groups. Results: One homozygous and 2 heterozygous carriers of rs75932628-T in the AD patients and 1 heterozygous carrier in the control group were identified. One novel damaging variant, G55R, was also detected in the AD patient group. The frequency of rs75932628-T as well as the amount of rare variants were higher in the AD patients than in the controls, but this did not reach a statistically significant association with AD (odds ratio: 4.8; 95% confidence interval: 0.54 to 43.6; p = 0.270). Conclusion: The rs75932628-T allele frequency in the elderly Iranian population (0.86%) was high.
Unusual Clinical Presentation of Gastrointestinal Clear Cell Sarcoma
Authors: Raskin Grigory A. , Pozharisski Kazimir M. , Iyevleva Aglaya G. , Rikov Ivan V. , Orlova Rashida V. , Imyanitov Evgeny N.
Published: May 2015

Background: Use of molecular assays is gradually becoming a mandatory part of the clinical management of soft tissue tumors, however the choice and the interpretation of these tests may present a challenge. Summary: This report demonstrates an unusual presentation of sarcoma, which was initially diagnosed as a tumor of unknown primary site. Given the presence of vimentin, Fli-1, CD99 and S100 markers, lack of immunostaining for melan A, HMB45, MITF, synaptophysin, CD56, myf4, CKAE1/3 and WT-1, as well as the presence of EWSR1 translocation determined by a break-apart FISH assay, Ewing's sarcoma (ES) diagnosis seemed to be well justified. However, polymerase chain reaction testing for ES-specific rearrangements (EWSR1/FLI1, EWSR1/ERG, EWSR1/ETV1, EWSR1/ETV4, EWS/FEV) failed to confirm the ES origin of the neoplastic tissue. We further considered clinical, morphological, immunohistochemical and molecular diagnostic features of other types of EWSR1-rearranged sarcomas and performed molecular testing for gastrointestinal clear cell sarcoma. The polymerase chain reaction assay revealed EWSR1ex7/ATF1ex5 fusion, thus confirming the latter diagnosis. Subsequent high-precision computed tomography of the abdominal cavity revealed a 5-cm tumor of the small bowel, which was subjected to surgical resection. Key Message: This report exemplifies that the use of anonymous cytogenetic assays, such as break-apart FISH EWSR1 testing, may not be sufficient even in case of a perfect match with relevant morphological and immunohistochemical tumor features. Practical Implications: Explicit identification of the translocation gene partners is indeed important for proper sarcoma diagnosis management.
Duloxetine Hydrochloride-Induced Oral Lichenoid Reaction: A Case Report
Authors: Kadam Nilima S. , Patil Rahul A. , Gurav Abhijit N. , Shete Abhijeet , Jadhav Prashant D. , Naik Tari Ritam , Metkari Suryakant , Agarwal Dhanashree
Published: May 2015

Objective: To report the first case of duloxetine hydrochloride (DH)-induced oral lichenoid drug reaction (OLDR). Clinical Presentation and Intervention: A 57-year-old male patient presented with painful ulcerative lesions on the bilateral buccal mucosa of 2-year duration. The patient was on multiple drug therapy for his systemic ailments. After thorough evaluation for possible medical ailments and with the physician's consent, withdrawal of DH was done. The oral lesions were resolved after 2 weeks. Conclusion: In this case, DH induced OLDR.
Single-Incision Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy after Endoscopic Nasogallbladder Drainage: A Case Report
Authors: Igami Tsuyoshi , Ebata Tomoki , Yokoyama Yukihiro , Sugawara Gen , Mizuno Takashi , Yamaguchi Junpei , Nagino Masato
Published: May 2015

Objective: To report a single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) for a patient with cholecystitis that required endoscopic nasogallbladder drainage (ENGBD). Clinical Presentation and Intervention: A 75-year-old man was diagnosed with moderate acute cholecystitis and underwent antiplatelet therapy for a history of brain infarction. An ENGBD was performed as an initial treatment for his cholecystitis. After recovery from the cholecystitis, a SILC was performed using a SILS Port with an additional forceps. Because neither Rouviere's sulcus nor Calot's triangle could be identified with a favorable laparoscopic view, the fundus-first procedure was selected. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful, and he was discharged from the hospital on day 3 after surgery. Conclusion: In this case of a patient who had cholecystitis that required ENGBD, a SILC was successful performed using a combination of SILS Port with additional forceps and fundus-first procedure.
Vascular Flow Reserve Immediately After Infrapopliteal Intervention as a Predictor of Wound Healing in Patients With Foot Tissue Loss
Authors: Fukunaga Masashi , Fujii Kenichi , Kawasaki Daizo , Nishimura Machiko , Horimatsu Tetsuo , Saita Ten , Miki Kojiro , Tamaru Hiroto , Imanaka Takahiro , Naito Yoshiro , Masuyama Tohru
Published: May 2015

Background—

The purpose of this study was to verify whether the concept of coronary blood flow reserve can be applied to patients with critical limb ischemia who are undergoing endovascular treatment (EVT) for isolated infrapopliteal lesions.

Methods and Results—

Forty patients diagnosed with critical limb ischemia (Rutherford category 5) who were undergoing EVT for isolated infrapopliteal lesions were prospectively enrolled. All lesions were treated with conventional balloon angioplasty without stent placement. After successful EVT, a pressure/temperature sensor–tipped guidewire was positioned in the proximal popliteal artery. Using the thermodilution technique, the mean transit time (Tmn) was determined after bolus injections of 3-mL saline at baseline and at the onset of intra-arterial papaverine induced maximum hyperemia. Vascular flow reserve (VFR) was calculated as resting Tmn divided by hyperemic Tmn. Complete epithelialization of the reference wound (wound healing) was completely closed by either surgical or secondary intervention within 3 months after EVT. Wound healing was achieved in 22 patients after EVT (healing group) but was not achieved in 18 patients (nonhealing group). Postprocedural VFR was significantly lower in the nonhealing group than in the healing group (2.40; interquartile range, 2.00–3.08 versus 4.05; interquartile range, 3.60–4.60;
P
<0.0001). Receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed postprocedural VFR >3.6 as the best threshold value for complete wound healing after EVT. Univariate analysis revealed that postprocedural VFR >3.6 was a predictor of wound healing (
P
=0.0002).

Conclusions—

Advanced lower limb clinical setting may be caused by a poor capability of microvasculature. VFR, which is easily assessable, is useful in clinical risk stratification for patients with critical limb ischemia after EVT in the catheterization laboratory.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr
. Unique identifier: UMIN000009313.
Studying the Timing of Discrete Musical Air Gestures
Authors: Dahl Luke
Published: May 2015

Motion-sensing technologies enable musical interfaces where a performer controls sound by moving his or her body “in the air,” without touching a physical object. These interfaces work well when the movement and resulting sound are smooth and continuous, but it has proven difficult to design air instruments that trigger discrete sounds with precision that feels natural to performers and allows them to play rhythmically complex music.

This article presents a study of “air drumming” gestures. Participants performed drumming-like gestures in time to simple recorded rhythms. These movements were recorded and examined to look for aspects of the movement that correspond to the timing of the sounds. The goal is to understand what we do with our bodies when we gesture in the air to trigger a sound. Two movement features of the hand are studied: Hits are the moment where the hand changes direction at the end of the striking gesture, and acceleration peaks are sharp peaks in magnitude acceleration as the hand decelerates. Hits and acceleration peaks are also detected for the movement of the wrist. It is found that the acceleration peaks are more useful than the hits because they occur earlier and with less variability, and their timing changes less with note speed. It is also shown that timing differences between hand and wrist features can be used to group performers into different movement styles.
Computational Fugue Analysis
Authors: Giraud Mathieu , Groult Richard , Leguy Emmanuel , Levé Florence
Published: May 2015

One of the pinnacles of form in classical Western music, the fugue is often used in the teaching of music analysis and composition. Fugues alternate between instances of a subject and other patterns and modulatory sections, called episodes. Musicological analyses are generally built on these patterns and sections.

We have developed several algorithms to perform an automated analysis of a fugue, starting from a score in which all the voices are separated. By focusing on the diatonic similarities between pitch intervals, we detect subjects and countersubjects, as well as partial harmonic sequences inside the episodes. We also implemented tools to detect subject scale degrees, cadences, and pedals, as well as a method for segmenting the fugue into exposition and episodic parts.

Our algorithms were tested on a corpus of 36 fugues by J. S. Bach and Dmitri Shostakovich. We provide formalized ground-truth data on this corpus as well as a dynamic visualization of the ground truth and of our computed results. The complete system showed acceptable or good results for about one half of the fugues tested, enabling us to depict their design.
Early divergence of an Azorean endemic species in the moss genus Rhynchostegiella (Brachytheciaceae)
Authors: Vanderpoorten Alain , PatiÑo Jairo , Dirkse Gerard , BLOCKEEL TOM , Hedenäs Lars
Published: May 2015

Using the moss genus Rhynchostegiella (Brachytheciaceae) as a model, we address the question of whether taxonomic shortcomings account for the extremely low rates of endemism reported in the Azorean bryophyte flora. Eight accessions initially assigned to three of the four previously reported species in the Azores were identified as a distinct species using the Generalized Mixed Yule Coalescent method in the context of a molecular phylogenetic analysis of the genus. Rhynchostegiella azorica sp. nov. is therefore described as a new species that is endemic to the Azores. Its morphological features intergrade with those observed in other species, with a seta that ranges from almost smooth to rough; a length to width ratio of the laminal cells that matches the one of the R. curviseta group; but a leaf apex that is typical of the R. tenella group. This suggests that previous reports of four Rhynchostegiella species from Azores are erroneous and that a single, morphologically variable species, R. azorica, occurs in the archipelago. Rhynchostegiella azorica is sister to the remainder of the species of the genus, whose most recent common ancestor was dated at 4–20 Ma. This points to a more ancient origin in comparison with other Macaronesian endemic species of the genus. The unexpected discovery of an Azorean endemic species in Rhynchostegiella suggests that patterns of endemicity in the Azorean bryophyte flora are not well estimated from traditional taxonomic knowledge and point to the necessity of an extensive integrative taxonomic revision.
Systematics of Senecio section Crociseris (Compositae, Senecioneae)
Authors: CALVO JOEL , ÁLVAREZ INÉS , AEDO CARLOS
Published: May 2015

The complexity of the evolutionary history of Senecio is reflected in its conflicted taxonomy. Within this genus, Senecio section Crociseris (Compositae, Senecioneae), a group of perennial herbs distributed in Europe, western and Central Asia, and northwestern Africa, was not fully revised. A worldwide revision of this section recognizing 28 species and eight subspecies is presented here. The main morphological characters revealed as useful for distinguishing between species are the number and shape of supplementary and involucral bracts, synflorescence architecture, indumentum, and the shape and size of leaves and achenes. In this new taxonomic treatment S. provincialis and S. lagascanus have been segregated from S. doronicum, within which three subspecies are recognized (S. doronicum subsp. orientalis is validly published herein). On the other hand, S. ruthenensis from France and S. lusitanicus from Portugal have been synonymized to S. lagascanus, as well as S. ovatifolius, S. pisidicus, and S. tmoleus from Anatolia to S. kolenatianus, S. olympicus, and S. castagneanus respectively, S. bertramii from Lebanon to S. cilicius, and S. delbesianus from Syria to S. racemosus subsp. racemosus. Sixty eight names are lectotypified, the names S. barrelieri, S. pyrenaicus, and S. scopolii are neotypified, and one epitype is designated for the name S. perralderianus. Descriptions and distribution maps are provided for all the species included, as well as an identification key. Nine species are illustrated for the first time.
Vertical-Plane Dual-Doppler Radar Observations of Cumulus Toroidal Circulations
Authors: Wang Yonggang , Geerts Bart
Published: May 2015

High-resolution vertical-plane dual-Doppler velocity data, collected by an airborne profiling cloud radar in transects across nonprecipitating orographic cumulus clouds, are used to examine vortical circulations near cloud top. These vortices are part of a toroidal ring centered at an updraft, usually near the cloud top, and they are essential to cumulus entrainment and dynamics. A large number of transects across toroidal circulations are composited to reveal the typical kinematic structure and associated entrainment patterns. The toroidal ring circulation is ~1 km wide and about half as deep in the sampled clouds (Cu mediocris). The composite flow field shows two nearly symmetric, counterrotating vortices, with a core updraft of ~3 m s−1, consistent vortex-top divergence, two flanking downdrafts of the about same strength, and horizontal (toroidal) vorticity of ~0.03 s−1. Variations with vortex size, age, and ambient shear are examined, and the relative dilution of air in the vortex core is estimated by comparing the liquid water content, estimated from path-integrated power attenuation, with the adiabatic value.
The Potential Utility of High-Resolution Ensemble Sensitivity Analysis for Observation Placement during Weak Flow in Complex Terrain
Authors: Wile Sean M. , Hacker Joshua P. , Chilcoat Kenneth H.
Published: May 2015

Expansion in the availability of relocatable near-surface atmospheric observing sensors introduces the question of where placement maximizes gain in forecast accuracy. As one possible method of addressing observation placement, the performance of ensemble sensitivity analysis (ESA) is examined for high-resolution (Δx = 4 km) predictions in complex terrain and during weak flow. ESA can be inaccurate when the underlying assumptions of linear dynamics (and Gaussian statistics) are violated, or when the sensitivity cannot be robustly sampled. A case study of a fog event at Salt Lake City International Airport (KSLC) in Utah provides a useful basis for examining these issues, with the additional influence of complex terrain. A realistic upper-air observing network is used in perfect-model ensemble data assimilation experiments, providing the statistics for ESA. Results show that water vapor mixing ratios over KSLC are sensitive to potential temperature on the first model layer tens of kilometers away, 6 h prior to verification and prior to the onset of fog. Potential temperatures indicate inversion strength in the Salt Lake basin; the ESA predicts southerly flow and strengthened inversions will increase water vapor over KSLC. Linearity tests show that the nonlinear response is about twice the expected response. Experiments with smaller ensembles show that qualitatively similar conclusions about the sensitivity pattern can be reached with ensembles as small as 48 members, but smaller ensembles do not produce accurate sensitivity estimates. Taken together, the results motivate a closer look at the fundamental characteristics of ESA when dynamics (and therefore correlations) are weak.
Bringing Color into the Living Room
Authors: Upright Craig
Published: May 2015

Many contemporary students are unfamiliar with the cultural history of television programming in the United States. References to iconic series that represented significant milestones in minority representations and discussions of racial issues—such as I Spy, Julia, All in the Family, or even The Cosby Show—fail to serve as useful examples when instructors cannot assume widespread familiarity. The exercise described in this note uses cover images from the magazine TV Guide between 1953 and 1997 to illustrate changing representation of minorities, present an overview of television programming history, and provide an opportunity to apply theoretical insights. Using a web-based archive of the magazine covers, the students can observe the emergence of nonwhite entertainers not only on the television screens but also onto the coffee tables of mainstream American families. This exercise can precede several discussions about racial issues, such as minority representation, cultural reflection, or post-civil-rights-era history.
Social Media and Marketing Education
Authors: Brocato E. Deanne , White Nathan James , Bartkus Kenneth , Brocato Ashley Ann
Published: May 2015

Given the presumed importance of social media to marketing, along with the apparent lack of research concerning social media curriculum development, the purpose of this study is to conduct a systematic analysis of social media curriculum through the evaluation of undergraduate course syllabi in the United States. This research is intended to develop a better understanding of how social media content is being taught in institutions of higher education.
Maintaining occupation-based practice in Australian mental health practice: A critical stance
Authors: Ashby Samantha , Gray Mel , Ryan Susan , James Carole
Published: May 2015

Introduction

This paper explores the way dominant discourses, and their associated practice knowledge dimensions, shape personal paradigms and occupation-based practice in mental health workplaces.

Method

Narrative inquiry methods and narrative thematic analysis was used to explore the career stories of nine occupational therapists who had worked in mental health practice for more than five years.

Findings

The main narrative themes to emerge were (i) living with the biomedical practice knowledge discourse, (ii) living with the psychological practice knowledge discourse and (iii) reflection as a strategy for maintaining occupation-based practice. These discourses created the need to reflect on practice and adopt strategies to avoid the marginalisation of occupational perspectives and occupation-based practice. The strategies used to cope with these discourses varied from acceptance and embracing of other discourses to resistance and rejection.

Conclusion

This paper demonstrates that in some mental health workplaces there is a danger that occupational perspectives and occupation-based practice can become marginalised. Making visible the different discourses in mental health practice allows occupational therapists to analyse, better understand, and live with the tensions in their professional lives. This requires professional support strategies to be in place to maintain occupation-based practices and retain practitioners in the workforce.
Heavy Slow Resistance Versus Eccentric Training as Treatment for Achilles Tendinopathy
Authors: Beyer Rikke , Kongsgaard Mads , Hougs Kjær Birgitte , Øhlenschlæger Tommy , Kjær Michael , Magnusson S. Peter
Published: May 2015

Background:

Previous studies have shown that eccentric training has a positive effect on Achilles tendinopathy, but few randomized controlled trials have compared it with other loading-based treatment regimens.

Purpose:

To evaluate the effectiveness of eccentric training (ECC) and heavy slow resistance training (HSR) among patients with midportion Achilles tendinopathy.

Study Design:

Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1.

Methods:

A total of 58 patients with chronic (>3 months) midportion Achilles tendinopathy were randomized to ECC or HSR for 12 weeks. Function and symptoms (Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment–Achilles), tendon pain during activity (visual analog scale), tendon swelling, tendon neovascularization, and treatment satisfaction were assessed at 0 and 12 weeks and at the 52-week follow-up. Analyses were performed on an intention-to-treat basis.

Results:

Both groups showed significant ( P < .0001) improvements in Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment–Achilles and visual analog scale from 0 to 12 weeks, and these improvements were maintained at the 52-week follow-up. Concomitant with the clinical improvement, there was a significant reduction in tendon thickness and neovascularization. None of these robust clinical and structural improvements differed between the ECC and HSR groups. However, patient satisfaction tended to be greater after 12 weeks with HSR (100%) than with ECC (80%; P = .052) but not after 52 weeks (HSR, 96%; ECC, 76%; P = .10), and the mean training session compliance rate was 78% in the ECC group and 92% in the HSR group, with a significant difference between groups ( P < .005).

Conclusion:

The results of this study show that both traditional ECC and HSR yield positive, equally good, lasting clinical results in patients with Achilles tendinopathy and that the latter tends to be associated with greater patient satisfaction after 12 weeks but not after 52 weeks.
Shift Work in Rats Results in Increased Inflammatory Response after Lipopolysaccharide Administration
Authors: Guerrero-Vargas Natalí N. , Guzmán-Ruiz Mara , Fuentes Rebeca , García Joselyn , Salgado-Delgado Roberto , Basualdo María del Carmen , Escobar Carolina , Markus Regina P. , Buijs Ruud M.
Published: May 2015

The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) drives circadian rhythms in behavioral and physiological variables, including the inflammatory response. Shift work is known to disturb circadian rhythms and is associated with increased susceptibility to develop disease. In rodents, circadian disruption due to shifted light schedules (jet lag) induced increased innate immune responses. To gain more insight into the influence of circadian disruption on the immune response, we characterized the inflammatory response in a model of rodent shift work and demonstrated that circadian disruption affected the inflammatory response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) both in vivo and in vitro. Since food consumption is a main disturbing element in the shift work schedule, we also evaluated the inflammatory response to LPS in a group of rats that had no access to food during their working hours. Our results demonstrated that the shift work schedule decreased basal TNF-α levels in the liver but not in the circulation. Despite this, we observed that shift work induced increased cytokine response after LPS stimulation in comparison to control rats. Also, Kupffer cells (liver macrophages) isolated from shift work rats produced more TNF-α in response to in vitro LPS stimulation, suggesting important effects of circadian desynchronization on the functionality of this cell type. Importantly, the effects of shift work on the inflammatory response to LPS were prevented when food was not available during the working schedule. Together, these results show that dissociating behavior and food intake from the synchronizing drive of the SCN severely disturbs the immune response.
Deconstructing Vygotsky’s victimization narrative
Authors: Fraser Jennifer , Yasnitsky Anton
Published: May 2015

Although many facets of Lev Vygotsky’s life have drawn considerable attention from historians of science, perhaps the most popular feature of his personal narrative was that his work was actively chastised by the Stalinist government. Almost all contemporary references to Vygotsky’s personal history emphasize that from 1936 to 1956, it was forbidden to either discuss or disseminate any of Vygotsky’s works within the Soviet Union. Although this ‘Vygotsky ban’ is both widely acknowledged and frequently cited by a variety of scholars, the exact nature of this alleged Communist party censure has received far less historical attention. Through focusing on the logistics of Soviet ‘bans,’ this article attempts to shed light on this historical mystery and augment the growing body of revisionist literature that serves to deconstruct the mythologized persona of Lev Vygotsky.
Preparing copolyester–titanium dioxide nanocomposites with low melting point via in situ hydrolysis, catalysis and esterification process
Authors: Zhang Guoliang , Ke Yangchuan , Song Youzhi , Lu Shichao , Wang Zhaobin
Published: May 2015

Copolyester (CP)-titanium dioxide (TiO2) (CPT) nanocomposites with low melting point were synthesized by esterification of terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, ethylene glycol and 1,4-butanediol monomers in the presence of tetrabutyl orthotitanate (TBOT). TBOT hydrolysis caused the TiO2 nanoparticles to act as catalysts for polymerization. Transmission electron micrographs showed that the TiO2 nanoparticles with the content ranging from 0.2 wt% to 0.4 wt% were well dispersed in the copolyester matrix. The thermal properties of the nanocomposites were assessed by differential scanning calorimetry. The melting point of CPT nanocomposite with 1.2 wt% TiO2 was 201.9°C, significantly lower than that of pure polyethylene terephthalate (above 260°C). Therefore, the obtained CPT nanocomposites with low melting point are potentially better for industrial applications than the commercial product.
Using classification techniques to recognize patterns of resource utilization in organizations
Authors: Haeri Abdorrahman , Iranmanesh Seyed Hossein
Published: May 2015

In the current global economy, organizations encounter problems related to resource constraints, and thus, systematic approaches for better resource utilization are a necessity. These systematic approaches investigate different resources in the organizations and attempt to specify which resources have higher importance for each business process and to what extent heterogeneous resources are utilized efficiently in the related business processes. This study presents an approach used to detect and analyze patterns of resource utilization. In this approach, the business processes and the related resources were initially identified and classified. Next, a questionnaire was designed to gather the required data for the importance and efficiency indicators. Afterward, classification methods were applied to determine which resource utilization opportunities (which specifications) correspond to different efficiency indicators and levels of importance. The results of the study reveal interesting patterns that can aid managers in obtaining deep insight into resource utilization in business processes. To demonstrate the applicability and usefulness of the proposed approach, the approach is applied to a case study of an automotive supplier.
A new hybrid model based on the radius ratio for prediction of effective cutting limit of chip breakers
Authors: Lotfi Mohammad , Farid Ali Akhavan , Soleimanimehr Hamid
Published: May 2015

Determination of accurate limit of cutting condition in order to obtain broken chips for various chip breaker geometries is essential to improve the machinability. This work presents a hybrid model based on the ratio of broken chip radius to the initial radius of chip to predict the type of chip regarding the characteristics of a chip breaker geometry and cutting parameters. An analytical geometrical model was developed to calculate the initial radius of chip. After running experimental tests for four types of chip breaker geometries and calculation of their chip ratio, type of chips and tool–chip contact were selected as two criteria for classifying chip ratio into three limits representing usable, acceptable, and unacceptable chips. Finally, the normalized data were used to train a neural network model to predict the type of chip which was verified by experiments carried out on a new chip breaker geometry. The trained network could predict the type of chip accurately by providing the geometrical details of the chip breaker and cutting parameters for the network.
Time perspective in adolescents and young adults: Enjoying the present and trusting in a better future
Authors: Molinari Luisa , Speltini Giuseppina , Passini Stefano , Carelli Maria Grazia
Published: May 2015

Time perspective is crucial in adolescence and youth, when individuals make important decisions related to their present and future. The focus of this research was to use the six-factor short version Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (S-ZTPI) scale in a sample of adolescents and young adults, and to analyse its associations with decision-making, relational styles and engagement. A structural equation model of the effects of S-ZTPI on these variables was computed, and its psychometric properties were found adequate. The results underline that young people’s present orientation is associated with a relational style based on confidence in oneself and others, and with active engagement in terms of responsibility and trust in a better future. Our findings suggest a positive description of adolescents’ views, as they are able to enjoy the time they are living in without giving up their responsibilities for making a better world for the future.
Swiss Medical Board Mammography screening predictions for Switzerland: Importance of time-periods
Authors: de Koning HJ , Heijnsdijk EAM
Published: May 2015

Objectives

In 2013, the Swiss Medical Board (SMB) concluded that for three breast cancer screens over 13 years in Switzerland, cost-effectiveness was negative, with no additional benefits in quality-adjusted life-years gained. We compared these suggested predicted effects with other estimates.

Methods

We used an extensively validated model on the natural history of breast cancer in Switzerland, comparing a 13-year time frame, a life-time perspective, and a continuous screening programme, per 10,000 Swiss women. Both approaches used the Swedish randomized controlled trials for the theoretical effect.

Results

Over 13 years, both approaches yield comparable life-years gained (56 versus 67), but in expectation in 10,000 women’s lifetimes 444 life-years are gained, and in a continuous screening programme (instead of three screens) 839 years. The SMB estimate of 56 life-years gained is counterweighted by 57 negative quality of life adjusted years, primarily resulting from a 5% annual loss for 10% of women, being false-positive results. International literature is consistent with more than four times lower losses on false-positives. The estimate of overdiagnosed cases in the 13-year time frame was four times higher than in the long-term perspective.

Conclusions

By restricting life-years gained to a 13-year time frame the SMB prediction on benefits of mammography screening is unrealistically low. Predicting long-term harms and benefits, specifically tailored to observations, regarding the clinical situation before screening commences, and possible data during a screening programme, are crucial for women, professionals, and policymakers.
When the private sphere hides from the public sphere: The power struggle between Israeli national identity and football fandom
Authors: Tamir Ilan , Galily Yair
Published: May 2015

On 13 May 2012 Israeli sports fans were deprived of one of the season’s most important soccer tournaments, after the scheduling of both legs of the UEFA Champion’s League semi-final matches overlapped with national days of remembrance. A week before, Israel’s sports channels refused to play the first leg of semi-final matches since one of the games coincided with Holocaust Remembrance Day. And, again, a week later, Israeli sports fans were confounded with the same issue, with Memorial Day coinciding with the soccer tournament’s second leg of semi-final games. It is well known that sports spectatorship is a transformative experience through which fans escape their humdrum lives, just as religious experiences help the faithful to transcend their everyday existence. In an era where alternative channels (television, Internet, etc.) are easy to find, we used in-depth interviews with sports fans to learn more about the dilemma of both public and private media expressions and watching and enjoying soccer matches while the Israeli nation is in agony. Findings reveal a whole different viewing experience whereas instead of group watching, cheering and eating together rituals, on a regular match day, an unaccompanied, quiet and even embarrassing experience was marked.
The effect of magneto-rheological fluid on vibration suppression capability of adaptive sandwich plates: Experimental and finite element analysis
Authors: Eshaghi Mehdi , Sedaghati Ramin , Rakheja Subhash
Published: May 2015

This article presents an experimental and theoretical study of vibration analysis of a magneto-rheological fluid-based sandwich plate. Two sandwich plates consisting of polyethylene terephthalate face layers were fabricated with two different magneto-rheological fluids (MRF-132DG and MRF-122EG) as the core layer and silicon rubber spacer as the sealant. The dynamic responses of the cantilever sandwich plate were experimentally characterized. A finite element model based on the Classical Plate Theory was formulated to obtain governing equations of motion of the multi-layer magneto-rheological plate. The complex shear modulus of each magneto-rheological fluid in the pre-yield region was described by a phenomenological model as a function of the magnetic flux density and excitation frequency. The results clearly showed enhanced vibration suppression properties of the magneto-rheological sandwich plate over a broad frequency range through variations in both the stiffness and damping.
The Guide to Kuan Hua
Authors: Sinclair Paul , Blachford Dongyan
Published: May 2015

This article examines the Guide to Kuan Hua, arguably the world’s first business Chinese textbook series, exploring how a group of business communication experts in late 19th-century China created instructional materials that allowed foreigners to function efficiently in China’s business and bureaucratic environment. Rather than simply focusing on the mechanics of language, editors of the series fostered in students a set of literacies that would help them cope with the tumultuous change in 19th-century China. This study suggests that the experience of 19th-century textbook editors may inform our approach to complex intercultural communication challenges in today’s globalized world.
Experimental determination of heat partition in elastohydrodynamic contacts
Authors: Al-Hamood Amjad , Clarke A , Evans HP
Published: May 2015

Experimental and theoretical analyses are reported to study the heat generation and partition in an elastohydrodynamic rolling/sliding point contact. Heat is generated within the lubricant in the Hertzian region by shearing and compression of the oil film. This heat is essentially conducted to the contacting surfaces as the amount convected from the Hertzian zone by the lubricant can be neglected due to the very low lubricant mass flowrate. A two-disk test rig was used for the experimental tests using crowned, superfinished 76.2 mm diameter disks fixed on parallel shafts. Each disk was fitted with six thermocouples in two rows of three located 3 mm and 6 mm below the surface to measure the temperature distribution of the disks during the tests. In addition, the disks were insulated on both plane sides by ceramic washers to minimise heat transfer to the surroundings over those surfaces. A numerical model was developed to calculate the circumferential mean disk temperature distribution in the outer 6 mm annular ring using the inner row of thermocouples to provide a boundary condition. The model was used to predict the temperature distribution for given values of the fraction of the total heat entering the fast disk, β, and the heat transfer coefficient, h, for the disk running surfaces. Minimisation of error between predicted and experimentally measured temperatures at the thermocouple positions, together with consideration of the physical relationship between fast and slow shaft heat transfer coefficients led to the conclusion that β lies in the range 0.71–0.77 for the experiments reported in the paper and that approximately 75% of the frictional heat dissipated within the lubricant film flows into the faster disk. This result indicates that the likely mechanism of heat dissipation within the lubricant film is by slip at or near the faster surface and that consideration of heat partition is a more discerning judge of lubricant rheological behaviour than the usual consideration of traction measurements alone.
Tacit coordination in close dyads: The use of social focal points
Authors: Chartier Christopher R. , Abele Susanne
Published: May 2015

Tacit coordination is crucial for many social interactions, including those among couples. Two different coordination requirements have been distinguished. Matching problems require interdependent actors to choose the same action; mismatching problems require the choice of different actions. We tested the performance of romantic couples relative to complete strangers in both matching and mismatching coordination. Social focal point theory (SFPT) posits that knowledge of social similarity in a domain pertinent to the coordination task will enhance matching coordination while knowledge of divergence will enhance mismatching coordination. Hence, we predicted that couples are more likely to detect and use social focal points in matching but not mismatching tasks, due to their interpersonal similarity and their wealth of mutual social knowledge. Indeed, couples were significantly better than strangers at matching but not at mismatching. Further analyses suggest that interplay between social knowledge and task demands, as delineated in SFPT, determines coordination success.
Third-party intervention in intergroup reconciliation: The role of neutrality and common identity with the other conflict party
Authors: Harth Nicole Syringa , Shnabel Nurit
Published: May 2015

Third parties, particularly if neutral, have been found to promote instrumental conflict resolution. Using the needs-based model’s theoretical framework, we investigated whether third parties can also promote socioemotional reconciliation. Study 1 ( N = 124) revealed that in the context of fraud between universities, conciliatory messages from either the other conflict party or a third party sharing common identity with it increased group members’ willingness to reconcile more than equivalent messages from a neutral third party. Replicating and extending this pattern, Study 2 ( N = 177) exposed Israeli Jewish participants to texts which reminded them of historical transgressions conducted by Palestinians or against them. We found that compared to a control condition, messages supposedly conveyed by either Palestinians or Jordanians, but not by the UN, increased Israeli Jews’ willingness to reconcile with Palestinians. These effects were mediated by the extent to which the official conveying these messages was perceived as representing the other conflict party.
Dissemination of a theory-based online bone health program: Two intervention approaches
Authors: Nahm Eun-Shim , Resnick Barbara , Bellantoni Michele , Zhu Shijun , Brown Clayton , Brennan Patricia F , Charters Kathleen , Brown Jeanine , Rietschel Matthew , Pinna Joanne , An Minjeong , Park Bu Kyung , Plummer Lisa
Published: May 2015

With the increasing nationwide emphasis on eHealth, there has been a rapid growth in the use of the Internet to deliver health promotion interventions. Although there has been a great deal of research in this field, little information is available regarding the methodologies to develop and implement effective online interventions. This article describes two social cognitive theory–based online health behavior interventions used in a large-scale dissemination study (N = 866), their implementation processes, and the lessons learned during the implementation processes. The two interventions were a short-term (8-week) intensive online Bone Power program and a longer term (12-month) Bone Power Plus program, including the Bone Power program followed by a 10-month online booster intervention (biweekly eHealth newsletters). This study used a small-group approach (32 intervention groups), and to effectively manage those groups, an eLearning management program was used as an upper layer of the Web intervention. Both interventions were implemented successfully with high retention rates (80.7% at 18 months). The theory-based approaches and the online infrastructure used in this study showed a promising potential as an effective platform for online behavior studies. Further replication studies with different samples and settings are needed to validate the utility of this intervention structure.
Black feminist theory and the politics of irreverence: The case of women's rap
Authors: Chepp Valerie
Published: May 2015

Black feminist theory has shown how respectability politics shape cultural discourses about African American women's sexuality. Responding to ‘silent’ depictions resulting from racial uplift strategies among turn-of-the-century middle-class black women, subsequent work theorises alternative discourses that portray a desiring and agentic black female sexual subject. Locating these alternative discourses in a ‘politics of irreverence’, I argue that respectability/irreverence oppositional logic narrowly frames theorising of black female sexuality. Although recent work emphasises dialectical – rather than oppositional – dynamics, this analytic approach is unevenly applied. Binary frameworks continue to shape analyses of women's rap. Drawing upon lyrics of rappers Lil’ Kim and Foxy Brown, I highlight three discursive strategies whereby women rappers render the respectability/irreverence binary problematic: (1) using irreverence to claim respectability, (2) ‘claiming both’ or, embracing contradiction, and (3) beating to the punch. This analysis shows how dialectical approaches account for potential ‘third spaces’ where more complex representational politics are possible.
Simone de Beauvoir and the beginnings of the feminine subject
Authors: Hekman Susan
Published: May 2015

Since de Beauvoir’s bold pronouncement that ‘One is not born a woman’ feminists have been struggling with the subject in feminist theory. Each new iteration of the subject has been advanced by its adherents as the ‘right’ definition, superseding the flawed definition that preceded it. This pattern aptly describes the reception of de Beauvoir’s subject. Feminist theorists since de Beauvoir have been disdainful of her subject, rejecting it as a tainted example of existentialism that has nothing to offer contemporary feminist theory. In this article I will challenge this judgement, arguing that de Beauvoir’s approach to the subject reveals a highly nuanced understanding of the interaction of the social, natural, and psychological. I argue that, far from rejecting de Beauvoir’s subject, we can learn much from her approach.
Becoming musicians: situating young people’s experiences of musical learning between formal, informal and non-formal spheres
Authors: Lonie Douglas , Dickens Luke
Published: May 2015

This article considers the processes of musical learning that take place across formal, non-formal and informal contexts and spaces. Building on notions of embodied knowledge, identity and culture within education studies, specifically the concept of ‘musical habitus’, this article explores processes of access, inclusion and appropriation of music learning environments. Based on focus group discussions with a diverse group of young Londoners (aged 16–25 years) taking part in Wired4Music, a publicly funded youth leadership programme, the article considers definitions and the significance of music and learning places to these emerging musicians. This includes the processes through which musical learning takes place and the relevant factors that contribute to productive learning. Often operating within a context of subsidised arts provision, these perspectives are also considered within the current cultural policy landscape in England. Participants described implicit and explicit processes of exclusion to some formal music education settings and approaches, whereby a less formal though still intentional approach to learning was enacted in response. This included re-appropriating spaces and creating music in communities of practice, embracing multi-modal approaches to learning across art forms and genres and self-directing learning opportunities. These findings strongly resonate with studies which have critically appraised the specific sites and spaces where education takes place, as well as those suggesting that theories of identity, taste and cultural consumption should also be considered in education praxis, whether formal, non-formal or informal.