bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Methods for Estimating Axle Factors and Axle Classes from Vehicle Length Data
Authors: Avelar Raul E. , Petersen Scott , Lindheimer Tomas , Ashraf Sruthi , Minge Erik
Published: September 2018

This study developed methods to estimate axle factors and vehicle class from length-based data streams. A set of eight methods was proposed and evaluated in different testing schemes intended to observe performance on homogeneous and heterogeneous data. The initial analysis used length-based data from 61 sites in Wisconsin. The research team compared performance of the methods estimating axle factors and vehicle class proportions. Performance was comparable and consistent between homogeneous and heterogeneous subsets of data. The research team selected two methods for a final round of analysis based on their accuracy and robustness to heterogeneity. For the final round of analysis, the research team assembled a multistate dataset using data from Wisconsin and from 14 other states represented in a dataset from the Long Term Pavement Performance program. The final round of analysis compared performance under different seasons, facility type, and road character (urban vs. rural). Performance of the two identified methods was deemed appropriate and they are recommended for implementation.
Improving High-Frequency Transit Performance through Headway-Based Dispatching: Development and Implementation of a Real-Time Decision-Support System on a Multi-Branch Light Rail Line
Authors: Fabian Joshua J. , Sánchez-Martínez Gabriel E. , Attanucci John P.
Published: September 2018

Service reliability is a major concern for public transportation agencies. Transit services experience natural variability in operations performance, due to factors such as congestion, changes in demand, and operator behavior. This variability leads to irregular headways, resulting in longer passenger waits and decreased effective capacity as gaps in service form. Real-time control strategies allow controllers to regulate service and improve performance. This research tested the effectiveness of a headway-based dispatching strategy at a terminal on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Green Line in Boston, a complex, four-branch light rail line. Terminal personnel were provided with tablet computers showing departure times optimized by an even-headway policy. When optimized departure times were adhered to, peak period headway variability was reduced by 40%. The average wait was shortened by 15% (30 sec), and the 90th percentile wait was shortened by 21% (90 sec). The results show that adopting headway-based dispatching at terminals of high-frequency lines promises significant benefits to service and passengers if operational changes are accompanied by improved supervision.
Development of a novel keratin dressing which accelerates full-thickness skin wound healing in diabetic mice: In vitro and in vivo studies
Authors: Konop Marek , Czuwara Joanna , Kłodzińska Ewa , Laskowska Anna K , Zielenkiewicz Urszula , Brzozowska Iwona , Nabavi Seyed M , Rudnicka Lidia
Published: September 2018

Impaired wound healing is a major medical problem in diabetes. The objective of this study was to determine the possible application of an insoluble fraction of fur-derived keratin biomaterial as a wound dressing in a full thickness surgical skin wound model in mice ( n = 20) with iatrogenically induced diabetes. The obtained keratin dressing was examined in vitro and in vivo. In vitro study showed the keratin dressing is tissue biocompatible and non-toxic for murine fibroblasts. Antimicrobial examination revealed the keratin dressing inhibited the growth of S. aureus and E. coli. In vivo studies showed the obtained dressing significantly ( p < 0.05) accelerated healing during the first week after surgery compared to control wounds. Keratin dressings were incorporated naturally into granulation and regenerating tissue without any visible signs of inflammatory response, which was confirmed by clinical and histopathological analysis. It is one of the first studies to show application of insoluble keratin proteins and its properties as a wound dressing. The obtained keratin dressing accelerated wound healing in mice with iatrogenically induced diabetes. Therefore, it can be considered as a safe and efficient wound dressing. Although future studies are needed to explain the molecular mechanism behind fur-derived keratin effect during the multilayer wound healing process, our findings may open the way for a new class of insoluble fur keratin dressings in chronic difficult to heal wounds treatment.
Understanding race and educational leadership in higher education
Authors: Arday Jason
Published: September 2018

The dearth of representation regarding Black and Ethnic Minorities (BME) in senior educational leadership roles within higher education (HE) has become a salient issue as egalitarian notions associated with equality and diversity continue to be contradicted by university institutions, despite increased calls for greater diversification. Educational leadership in higher education within the United Kingdom (UK), particularly when aligned to the primacy of race, remains oblivious to some of the organizational barriers encountered by BME academics attempting to navigate a career trajectory towards senior leadership. The diversification of senior leaders within the Academy in the UK has increasingly become an issue that, although prevalent, has stagnated owing to the lack of visible BME senior leaders and penetrative change to address the disparity regarding recruitment and promotion of more BME academics to leadership hierarchies. This article draws on a collective biography methodology, which will utilize narratives from three BME academics in senior leadership positions within higher education in the UK, in an attempt to illuminate the challenges that saturate the Academy, concerning leadership opportunities and career pathways for BME academics. The issues drawn upon identify synergies between constructions of race and leadership, whilst considering the interplay between these two vehicles when situated within a higher education context.
Leadership and intersectionality
Authors: Moorosi Pontso , Fuller Kay , Reilly Elizabeth
Published: September 2018

Using intersectionality theory, the article presents constructions of successful leadership by three Black women school principals in three different contexts: England, South Africa and the United States. The article is premised on the overall shortage of literature on Black women in educational leadership, which leaves Black women’s experiences on the periphery even in contexts where they are in the majority. Through a life-history approach, we interviewed three Black women leaders on their experiences of gender and race in constructing success in leadership, and used intersectionality theory to analyse their accounts. Our analysis suggests that Black women leaders’ constructions of success are shaped by overcoming barriers of their own racialized and gendered histories to being in a position where they can lead in providing an education for their Black communities, where they are able to inspire a younger generation of women and to practice leadership that is inclusive, fair and socially just. We conclude with a range of implications for the scholarship of intersectionality and educational leadership practice.
Threat of Limited Nuclear War
Authors: Hrubec Marek
Published: September 2018

The article addresses the contemporary risks of limited nuclear war and its threat for societies. It offers a critical analysis based on the difference between the strategy of a global destructive war following classical application of standard nuclear weapons, on the one hand, and the new political military plan of limited nuclear war, without its global continuation, on the other. First, the article explains the problems connected with the new US strategic documents pursuing limited nuclear war. Second, within this context of the risks of limited nuclear war, it explains conflicts of political (potentially democratic), corporate, and technical military interests in global capitalism which can lead to the limited nuclear war. Third, it concludes by clarifying the historical trajectory of debates concerning the strategies of possible nuclear war, and stresses the current real danger of limited nuclear war and its possible global escalation.
Simplified transfer function approach for modeling frequency dependency of damping characteristics of rubber bushings
Authors: Aydemir Eren , Sendur Polat
Published: September 2018

Physical systems that consist of parts and vibration isolators such as rubber bushings are usually modeled in multibody simulations, where parts are represented as rigid bodies with their mass and inertia properties and rubber bushings are modeled with Voigt models to represent their stiffness and damping characteristics. Employment of Voigt models in multi-degree-of-freedom systems, however, may result in lower accuracy due to limitations in representing frequency-dependent dynamic characteristics of vibration isolators. To overcome this challenge, in this study, we develop and present a simplified frequency-dependent transfer function model by generating their frequency-dependent complex stiffness and damping from vehicle-level measurements. The damping characteristics of rubber bushings as a function of frequency is represented by a second-order transfer function. Three parameters of the transfer function are determined by solving an optimization problem to minimize the integral of absolute error between the measurement and simplified model’s predictions. Sequential Quadratic Programming, a gradient descent–based algorithm, is selected as the optimization algorithm for this purpose. The proposed methodology is demonstrated on a heavy commercial truck. Truck cabin is represented as a rigid body connected to four rubber bushings, which are modeled to show the frequency dependency of the damping as a simple transfer function. Simulation results are well correlated with the measurements obtained from prototype vehicle tests on various road profiles showing capability improvement over Voigt modeling approach due to a more representative damping characteristic of rubber bushings as a function of frequency. Integration of the proposed method into multibody simulation software is also demonstrated with cosimulation between MSC.ADAMS and MATLAB software.
Ultrasound-assisted synthesis of biodiesel from peanut oil by using response surface methodology
Authors: Shalmashi A , Khodadadi F
Published: September 2018

Biodiesel is a non-toxic and renewable fuel produced by a transesterification reaction between alcohol and vegetable oil. The objective of this paper is to optimize the ultrasound-assisted production of biodiesel. The central composite design method was used to optimize the transesterification reaction conditions of biodiesel production from peanut oil. The independent variables investigated in the course of the experiment include the catalyst concentration, the reaction time, and the ultrasonic amplitude. The reaction was done by employing ultrasound under set conditions of atmospheric pressure and ambient temperature. A statistical model predicted the optimum conversion yield of peanut biodiesel to be 100.00% under the following optimum experimental conditions: ultrasonic amplitude equals 69.7%, catalyst concentration equals 0.88% weight percent catalyst, and reaction time of 39.38 s. Also, such conditions led to obtaining the linear equation for predicting the conversion yield of biodiesel production.
Energy intensity, carbon emissions, renewable energy, and economic growth nexus: New insights from Romania
Authors: Emir Fırat , Bekun Festus Victor
Published: September 2018

This study empirically examines the relationship between energy intensity, carbon emissions, renewable energy consumption, and economic growth for the case of Romania given the conflicting evidences in the literature between 1990 and 2014 on a quarterly basis. To this end, our study employs an autoregressive distributive lag (ARDL) model for cointegration, while direction of causality was achieved via the Toda–Yamamoto model. Empirical findings reveal cointegration among the variables under consideration. The causality results show feedback causality between energy intensity and economic growth while uni-directional causality is seen running from renewable energy consumption to economic growth. Thus, this study affirms the energy-led growth hypothesis. Therefore, our study corroborates with the current success story of Romania attaining her energy targets within two decades. However, there is need to sustain this milestone by further diversification of her energy portfolio into other cleaner energy sources.
A Bayesian adaptive phase II clinical trial design accounting for spatial variation
Authors: Guo Beibei , Zang Yong
Published: September 2018

Conventional phase II clinical trials evaluate the treatment effects under the assumption of patient homogeneity. However, due to inter-patient heterogeneity, the effect of a treatment may differ remarkably among subgroups of patients. Besides patient’s individual characteristics such as age, gender, and biomarker status, a substantial amount of this heterogeneity could be due to the spatial variation across geographic regions because of unmeasured or unknown spatially varying environmental and social exposures. In this article, we propose a hierarchical Bayesian adaptive design for two-arm randomized phase II clinical trials that accounts for the spatial variation as well as patient’s individual characteristics. We treat the treatment efficacy as an ordinal outcome and quantify the desirability of each possible category of the ordinal efficacy using a utility function. A cumulative probit mixed model is used to relate efficacy to patient-specific covariates and geographic region spatial effects. Spatial dependence between regions is induced through the conditional autoregressive priors on the spatial effects. A two-stage design is proposed to adaptively assign patients to desirable treatments according to each patient’s spatial information and individual covariates and make treatment recommendations at the end of the trial based on the overall treatment effect. Simulation studies show that our proposed design has good operating characteristics and significantly outperforms an alternative phase II trial design that ignores the spatial variation.
Governance through pluralization: Jerusalem’s modular security provision
Authors: Volinz Lior
Published: September 2018

Security responses increasingly involve the delegation of security roles from state actors, such as the police and the military, to a plurality of public and private institutions. This article focuses on the emergence of a modular governance logic in security provision, in which urban security is diffused into differing modules – security actors, performances, technologies and practices – which can be enlisted, deployed, instructed, entwined, detached and withdrawn at will. This article identifies three features of urban modular security provision: the heterogeneity of its public and private components, the development of reserved capacities, and the differential multifacetedness of its performances and practices. These are explored through the case study of East Jerusalem, in which a modular security provision emerged where previously undefined and ad-hoc security arrangements became cohesive, normalized and codified through practice and law. In tracing the flows of security authorities, personnel and knowledge produced within a modular security assemblage, this article proposes that the modular assembly of security actors complements policing institutions by providing other informal disciplinary, punitive and statecrafting powers, in a manner which obfuscates controversial state policies and unequally distributes rights and resources.
Family Firms in the Ownership Network: Clustering, Bridging, and Embeddedness
Authors: Mani Dalhia , Durand Rodolphe
Published: September 2018

In this article, we investigate family firms' position in the intercorporate ownership network. Rooting our predictions in the Behavioral Agency Model and a Network analytical framework, we predict and find that family involvement decreases the likelihood of business group affiliation and of cross-group ties leading to a lower embeddedness within the overall network. We predict and find the opposite effect for community involvement. We use the complete longitudinal dataset of publicly listed firms' corporate ownership ties in India (2001, 2005, and 2009). Theoretical and substantive contributions are to research on family businesses and to research on interorganizational networks.
Development of the Care Environment Scale–Long-Term Care
Authors: Boltz Marie , Lee Kyung Hee , Shuluk Joseph , Secic Michelle
Published: September 2018

A critical dimension of Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) activity in long-term care is an analysis of the care environment, that is, the way care and services are organized. The purpose of this study was to develop and pilot test a psychometrically sound tool that long-term care staff could use to assess the care environment and guide performance improvement activity. Focus groups with 57 interdisciplinary participants in five nursing homes developed initial items, with excellent content validity (item content validity index = 1.0) evaluated by an expert panel. Pilot testing of internal consistency of the Care Environment Scale–Long-Term Care (CES-LTC) was conducted in a web-based administration of the items by 425 interdisciplinary staff members in 30 nursing homes and four assisted living facilities. The CES-LTC is internally consistent (Cronbach’s alpha = .90) and accounts for approximately 71.6% of the total variance. The three factors extracted from the exploratory factor analysis are Institutional Values ( k = 6), Access to Resources ( k = 10), and Person-Centered Approaches ( k = 12). Intrarater reliability in a subsample of 66 registered nurses revealed good test-retest results (overall intraclass correlation coefficients [ICC] = 0.78). The CES-LTC appears to be a valid and reliable measure of staff perceptions of the care environment and may be used to actively engage staff in QAPI endeavors including root cause analyses and improvement activity.
How Do Actions Influence Attitudes? An Inferential Account of the Impact of Action Performance on Stimulus Evaluation
Authors: Van Dessel Pieter , Hughes Sean , De Houwer Jan
Published: September 2018

Over the past decade, an increasing number of studies have shown that the performance of specific actions (e.g., approach and avoidance) in response to a stimulus can lead to changes in how that stimulus is evaluated. In contrast to the reigning idea that these effects are mediated by the automatic formation and activation of associations in memory, we describe an inferential account that specifies the inferences underlying the effects and how these inferences are formed. We draw on predictive processing theories to explain the basic processes underlying inferential reasoning and their main characteristics. Our inferential account accommodates past findings, is supported by new findings, and leads to novel predictions as well as concrete recommendations for how action performance can be used to influence real-world behavior.
The optical coherence tomography angiography findings of rheumatoid arthritis patients taking hydroxychloroquine
Authors: Ozek Dilay , Onen Mehmet , Karaca Emine Esra , Omma Ahmet , Kemer Ozlem Evren , Coskun Cigdem
Published: September 2018

Purpose:

The aim of this study is to measure retinal vessel density and thickness of the macula by optical coherence tomography angiography in patients with rheumatoid arthritis taking hydroxychloroquine.

Methods:

The study included 40 patients with rheumatoid arthritis taking hydroxychloroquine and 20 age-, gender-, and axial length-matched control subjects. Patients were divided into two groups according to the duration of hydroxychloroquine use. Twenty four of the patients were taking hydroxychloroquine for more than 5 years (Group 1), and the rest of 16 were taking hydroxychloroquine for less than 5 years (Group 2). A total of 20 age- and gender-matched volunteers with similar axial length were selected as Group 3. All of the patients underwent optical coherence tomography angiography, and 3 mm × 3 mm scanning mode was chosen for analyzing vascular density and morphological characteristics on the choriocapillaris layer. In addition, Humphrey visual field 10–2 was evaluated in each subject.

Results:

The temporal deep vascular density was measured as 48.13% ± 8.5% in Group 1, 54.42% ± 10.3% in Group 2, and 60.35% ± 13.1% in Group 3. Deep temporal and deep hemi-inferior vascular density was significantly lower in Group 1 in comparison with Group 3 (p = 0.041 and p = 0.046, respectively). Visual field testing was normal in all patients.

Conclusion:

The optical coherence tomography angiography findings showed that the parafoveal deep temporal and deep hemi-inferior vascular plexus density was reduced in patients taking hydroxychloroquine for more than 5 years despite having normal perimetry. This observation, which can be obtained only through optical coherence tomography angiography, may be relevant to the early findings of hydroxychloroquine toxicity.
Comparative study of the efficacy of selective laser trabeculoplasty as initial or adjunctive treatment for primary open-angle glaucoma
Authors: Gračner Tomaž
Published: September 2018

Aim:

The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy of selective laser trabeculoplasty as initial or adjunctive treatment for primary open-angle glaucoma in a retrospective chart review.

Methods:

28 eyes of 28 patients with newly diagnosed primary open-angle glaucoma, who formed the initial selective laser trabeculoplasty group, and 31 eyes of 31 patients suffering from medical uncontrolled primary open-angle glaucoma, who formed the adjunctive selective laser trabeculoplasty group, were treated with 180° selective laser trabeculoplasty. Patients were evaluated 1, 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months after treatment. Success was defined as an intraocular pressure lowering exceeding 20% of pretreatment intraocular pressure.

Results:

The mean follow-up time was 20.25 months (standard deviation = 8.1) for the initial selective laser trabeculoplasty group and 18.87 months (standard deviation = 8.8) for the adjunctive selective laser trabeculoplasty group (p = 0.538). No significant difference was found between the two groups for mean pretreatment intraocular pressure (21.43 mmHg (standard deviation = 3.2) vs 21.97 mmHg (standard deviation = 2.6); p = 0.766), for mean intraocular pressures and mean intraocular pressure reductions during whole follow-up period. At all follow-up visits, the mean percent intraocular pressure reduction was smaller in the adjunctive selective laser trabeculoplasty group than in the initial selective laser trabeculoplasty group, and such a difference was significant at 1 month (21.55% vs 26.79%; p = 0.039) and 24 months (24.82% vs 28.10%; p = 0.041). According to the Kaplan–Meier survival analysis, the 24-month success rate was 71.4% in the initial selective laser trabeculoplasty group and 71% in the adjunctive selective laser trabeculoplasty group, with no differences between the groups (p = 0.913).

Conclusion:

Selective laser trabeculoplasty is equally efficient in reducing intraocular pressure as initial or adjunctive treatment for primary open-angle glaucoma over 24 months.
Negotiating Spaces and the Public–Private Boundary: Language Policies Versus Language Use Practices in Odessa
Authors: Polese Abel , Urinboyev Rustamjon , Kerikmae Tanel , Murru Sarah
Published: September 2018

While the so-called “end of public space” literature, focusing on encroachment of private interests and state surveillance, has contributed to critical thinking of access (or the lack thereof) to public space, and the loss of publicity of public space, the conceptual tools such literature offers to understand contestations in and over public space have remained underdeveloped or, at best, underexplored. This article builds on the above debates to provides further empirical evidence on the way actors of a country compete over, and negotiate, the use of public space and the way it should be regulated. Empirically, it illustrates competition and negotiation of the use of language in Odessa, the third largest city of Ukraine, where Ukrainian should be the official language but Russian is widely used. Theoretically, starting from the way public and private are negotiated, and the extent to which this happens, we will suggest that resistance to state measures, and policies, that do not suit a considerable portion of a population may happen not only formally but also informally. The practices, tactics, and mechanisms used may, however, remain “invisible” for some time and then surprise everyone by emerging, all of a sudden, one day. A possible way to notice these dynamics is to engage with an “everyday” approach, thus acknowledging that everyday practices are a meaningful, and useful, site for understanding sociopolitical developments in the process of the construction of “the political.”
An investigation into the nature and function of metaphor in advanced music instruction
Authors: Wolfe Jocelyn
Published: September 2018

Metaphors are an important linguistic device that can enable music teachers to explain expressive performance features in a way that makes sense to their students. This study extends the limited literature on the application of metaphors within advanced music instruction, providing new insights into the nature and function of metaphor in the way that music is perceived, performed and taught. It is based on an investigation of 80 hours of teacher instruction recorded across five instrument areas: strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion and keyboard. Metaphors were identified, analysed in relation to contextual meanings, and explored in relation to relevant literature. The findings suggest that with attentive use, metaphors can be useful “bridges to learning” in music instruction contexts.
The roller coaster ride: Our music teacher educator identity development
Authors: Kastner Julie Derges , Reese Jill , Pellegrino Kristen , Russell Heather A.
Published: September 2018

In transitioning from the K–12 classroom to higher education, teacher educators often experience tensions and challenges, which may be due to a misalignment between their situational and substantial selves. While many researchers have explored identity transitions of teacher educators, more research is needed to understand this experience with music teacher educators. Using self-study, we explored our identities as four music teacher educators, plus one additional participant, in transitioning from being music teachers to early-career music teacher educators. Data included interviews and personal journals, and we developed restoried narratives, non-linear representations, and cartoons during data analysis. These revealed three themes: misalignment, adaptation and acceptance, and roller coaster of growth. Misalignment describes the disconnect we experienced between our substantial and situational selves as a result of three factors: balance, autonomy, and identity. Adaptation and acceptance describes the strategies we developed to respond to the factors leading to our misalignment and accept our developing identities as music teacher educators. Roller coaster of growth describes the indirect nature of the process we experienced as we shifted between misalignment and acceptance. Based on these findings, we suggest further research in the identities of teacher educators throughout their careers and recommend strategies for professional development and support.
Symptomatology and symptomatic treatment in multiple sclerosis: Results from a nationwide MS registry
Authors: Rommer Paulus Stefan , Eichstädt Kerstin , Ellenberger David , Flachenecker Peter , Friede Tim , Haas Judith , Kleinschnitz Christoph , Pöhlau Dieter , Rienhoff Otto , Stahmann Alexander , Zettl Uwe Klaus
Published: September 2018

Background:

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative disease. Over time, symptoms accumulate leading to increased disability of patients.

Objective:

The objective of this article is to analyze the prevalence of symptoms and symptomatic treatment patterns in a nationwide MS registry.

Methods:

Data sets from 35,755 patients were analyzed.

Results:

More than two-thirds of patients were women with a mean age of 46.1 (±12.8) years. Median Expanded Disability Status Score (EDSS) was 3.0. The most frequently reported symptoms were fatigue, spasticity, and voiding disorders. In patients with short disease duration, fatigue was reported most frequently. Symptomatic treatment was most common for spasticity and depression, whereas fatigue was treated only in a third of affected patients. Almost a fifth of patients with EDSS ⩽ 3.5 and neuropsychological symptoms had retired from work.

Conclusion:

Whereas treatment for spasticity and depression is common in our cohort, sexual dysfunction, dysphagia, cognitive dysfunction, and fatigue are treated to a far lesser extent. The need for psychological support, physical, and occupational therapy has to be recognized as neuropsychological symptoms have a great impact on retirement at an early stage. Overall symptomatic treatment rates for the most common symptoms have increased over the last years ( p < 0.001).
Relationships among resilience, self-esteem, and depressive symptoms in Chinese adolescents
Authors: Chung JOK , Lam KKW , Ho KY , Cheung AT , Ho LLK , Gibson F , Li WHC
Published: September 2018

This study explored the relationships among resilience, self-esteem, and depressive symptoms in Hong Kong Chinese adolescents. We selected a stratified random sample of 1816 Form 1 students from all 18 districts of Hong Kong. This study revealed that about 21 percent adolescents are experiencing some depressive symptoms. Our results contribute novel findings to the literature showing that resilience is a strong indicator of adolescents at a higher risk of depression and increasing adolescents’ resilience to psychological distress is crucial to enhance their mental well-being. It is crucial to develop interventions that can enhance resilience and promote positive mental well-being among adolescents.
How are smartphones associated with adolescent materialism?
Authors: Wang Pengcheng , Nie Jia , Wang Xingchao , Wang Yuhui , Zhao Fengqing , Xie Xiaochun , Lei Li , Ouyang Mingkun
Published: September 2018

This study examined whether smartphone addiction predicted adolescent materialism and whether self-esteem mediated the relation between smartphone addiction and adolescent materialism. Moreover, this study tested whether this mediating process was moderated by student–student relationship. Our theoretical model was tested among 748 middle school students in China (mean age = 16.80, standard deviation = .73). The results indicated that smartphone addiction was positively related to adolescent materialism. Mediation analysis showed that self-esteem mediated this relation. Moderated mediation test further revealed that the mediated path was moderated by student–student relationship.
Assembling the ‘Fitbit subject’: A Foucauldian-sociomaterialist examination of social class, gender and self-surveillance on Fitbit community message boards
Authors: Esmonde Katelyn , Jette Shannon
Published: September 2018

The rise of fitness-tracking devices such as the Fitbit in personal health and wellness is emblematic of the use of data-gathering health and fitness technologies by institutions to create a surveillance regime. Using postings on Fitbit community message boards and the theoretical frames of Michel Foucault and sociomaterialist scholars, the goal of this article is to analyse the experiences of those who choose to self-track using a Fitbit and the constellation of barriers and facilitators (human and non-human) related to social class and gender that enable and constrain one’s ability to use a Fitbit as intended. First, we examine the social class assumptions of Fitbit as a risk management tool in the workplace, illustrating what elements must come together – both human and non-human – to create an environment that enables walking throughout the workday to combat the risks of sedentary work. Second, we explore the ways that Fitbit users ‘confessed’ to their past inactivity and how gendered home labour differently enables and constrains some of the users’ abilities to act on their confessions. Ultimately, one’s ability to engage in the idealized use of the Fitbit in the minds of its users, or what we term the ‘Fitbit subject assemblage’, is structured by numerous material and social factors that must be taken into account when examining the mechanics of power in fitness tracking.
Are “they” out to get me? A social identity model of paranoia
Authors: Greenaway Katharine H. , Haslam S. Alexander , Bingley William
Published: September 2018

This research tests a social identity model of paranoia, building on work showing that identification with social groups is associated with less paranoid thinking. Studies 1 ( N = 800) and 2 ( N = 779) supported this model, showing that national group identification is associated with lower paranoia. Study 3 ( N = 784) added to the literature by probing the mechanisms underlying these relationships, and found that it is through enhanced control and trust that identification is associated with better mental health. Studies 4 ( N = 390) and 5 ( N = 904) manipulated identification to provide evidence of causality. A minimeta analysis revealed a robust association between national identification and paranoia across the studies, although no association emerged between political identification and paranoia. The results point to the role that lack of social connections can play in underpinning paranoid thinking, and suggest that, as with other mental health issues, the problems caused by paranoia may have a social cure.
An accessible and efficient autism screening method for behavioural data and predictive analyses
Authors: Thabtah Fadi
Published: September 2018

Autism spectrum disorder is associated with significant healthcare costs, and early diagnosis can substantially reduce these. Unfortunately, waiting times for an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis are lengthy due to the fact that current diagnostic procedures are time-consuming and not cost-effective. Overall, the economic impact of autism and the increase in the number of autism spectrum disorder cases across the world reveal an urgent need for the development of easily implemented and effective screening methods. This article proposes a new mobile application to overcome the problem by offering users and the health community a friendly, time-efficient and accessible mobile-based autism spectrum disorder screening tool called ASDTests. The proposed ASDTests app can be used by health professionals to assist their practice or to inform individuals whether they should pursue formal clinical diagnosis. Unlike existing autism screening apps being tested, the proposed app covers a larger audience since it contains four different tests, one each for toddlers, children, adolescents and adults as well as being available in 11 different languages. More importantly, the proposed app is a vital tool for data collection related to autism spectrum disorder for toddlers, children, adolescent and adults since initially over 1400 instances of cases and controls have been collected. Feature and predictive analyses demonstrate small groups of autistic traits improving the efficiency and accuracy of screening processes. In addition, classifiers derived using machine learning algorithms report promising results with respect to sensitivity, specificity and accuracy rates.
The inferior white: Politics and practices of racialization of people from the Middle East in the US
Authors: Khoshneviss Hadi
Published: September 2018

In this paper, I argue that racialization, as a process whose initiation and preservation requires collaboration between state institutions, elites, and citizens, can be better understood in relation to colonial histories and in the current context of colonial situation, and by transcending the corporeal conception of racialization. By looking specifically into the case of people from the Middle East in the US, an ethnically and racially diverse population which historically has been conflated with Muslims due to Orientalist notions of the region, this paper surveys the historical racialization of the categorical figure of Muslim as the ultimate civilizational ‘other.’ Considering that according to the US Census Bureau, people from the Middle East are racially white, this paper also examines how a legally white population in white America is pushed to the margins of civility and center of attack. I conclude that racialization processes in the US rely on a historical politico-legal and socio-cultural repertoire of old modes of othering upon which the foundations of the structurally racist system rest. This socio-cultural repertoire which started from the Spanish Inquisitions against Muslims and Jews, later was transformed and applied to indigenous populations in Americas and enslaved Africans. The current Global War on Terror is a return to that initial start.
An Exploration of the Influences Contributing to Food Insecurity in Chester County, Pennsylvania
Authors: Christaldi Joanne , Pazzaglia Gina
Published: September 2018

Food security refers to the ideal state or condition of households that have access at all times to enough food for their members to live an active, healthy life. To better understand local food insecurity, a needs assessment was implemented to explore contributing factors and discuss solutions. A qualitative study including nine focus groups with low-income adults who receive food assistance (N = 82) and four focus groups with emergency food providers (N = 21) was conducted. Focus group data were analyzed using phenomenological methods. Five themes emerged from the residents: (1) food accessibility both contributes to and reduces food insecurity; (2) residents understand the need for and practice the act of preserving foods; (3) food shopping behaviors were similar for the residents and stores were well received; (4) benefits and barriers with food insecurity are similar; and (5) variety and quality of food and food safety of emergency foods are concerns. The food provider focus groups indicated that they recognized similar problems faced by the residents, and they stressed the need for education. Food insecure individuals should continue in the conversations around solutions, and a comprehensive look at food insecurity through local food and health care systems might determine additional needs.
Electrospun polyimide/organic montmorillonite composite nanofibrous membranes with enhanced mechanical properties and flame retardancy
Authors: Wang Liang , Cui Lingyan , Fan Jie , Liu Yong
Published: September 2018

Polyimide/organic montmorillonite nanofibrous membranes were fabricated through electrospinning of polyamic acid/organic montmorillonite precursors followed by a thermal imidization process. Scanning electron microscopy micrographs showed small amounts of organic montmorillonite addition (<3%) and increase in the diameter of polyimide nanofibers. However, higher organic montmorillonite fraction generated microspheres due to the aggregation of clay nanoplatelets. Transmission electron microscopy images indicated that both exfoliated and intercalated organic montmorillonites existed in polyimide nanofibers when low quantity of clay was loaded (<3%). As the clay amount increased, exfoliated structure disappeared and stacked clay layers were observed. The optimum concentration of organic montmorillonite is 3%. By incorporating 3% clay, the tensile strength and modulus of membrane increased by 92.1 and 48.6%, respectively. Moreover, the limiting oxygen index value arose from 29.2 to 30.4%. Higher thermal stability was also achieved because of the heat barrier effect of clay layers. The onset decomposition temperature increased by 17℃ by adding 5% clay. These results demonstrate that tiny organic montmorillonite incorporation is relatively effective for improving the mechanical properties as well as flame retardancy of polyimide nanofibrous membrane.
Banxia Xiexin Decoction Is Effective to Prevent and Control Irinotecan-Induced Delayed Diarrhea in Recurrent Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Lu Hongyang , Qin Jing , Han Na , Xie Fajun , Gong Lei , Li Chenghui
Published: September 2018

Background: Irinotecan (CPT-11) can be used as a first-line therapeutic drug against extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC); it can also be used in second-line treatment for SCLC. CPT-11-induced delayed diarrhea restricts its clinical application. This study aimed to confirm whether Banxia Xiexin decoction was effective in preventing and controlling CPT-11-induced delayed diarrhea. Methods: A total of 27 patients with recurrent SCLC undergoing chemotherapy regimens including CPT-11 were enrolled for the study. UGT1A1*28, UGTlAl*6, ABCB1*2, and SLCO1B1*15 gene polymorphisms were detected. If delayed diarrhea occurred in the first cycle of chemotherapy, Banxia Xiexin decoction was orally administered for 5 consecutive days starting 1 day before the second cycle of chemotherapy to prevent and control the delayed diarrhea. The objective response, overall survival, and toxicity were recorded. Results: Complete response, partial response, and stable disease were observed in none, 6, and 10 patients, respectively. Delayed diarrhea occurred in 6 patients, and 4 of 5 patients were relieved or controlled using Banxia Xiexin decoction. The median overall survival was 6 months. Conclusion: Banxia Xiexin decoction appeared to prevent and control delayed diarrhea induced by CPT-11 in this small observational study, and further study with a larger sample size, including potentially randomized trials, is suggested.
Patient-Reported Outcomes version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events: Methods for item selection in industry-sponsored oncology clinical trials
Authors: Trask Peter C , Dueck Amylou C , Piault Elisabeth , Campbell Alicyn
Published: September 2018

As new cancer treatment regimens demonstrate increased potential to improve patients’ survival, more focus is directed toward the quality of that extension of life and to obtaining additional information from patients regarding their experience with treatment. The utility of capturing patient-reported treatment-related symptoms to complement traditional clinician-rated symptomatic adverse event reporting is well-documented. The National Cancer Institute’s Patient-Reported Outcomes version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events is an item library aimed at capturing patient-reported symptoms to inform the patient perspective on a treatment’s tolerability. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recommended using the Patient-Reported Outcomes version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events in clinical trials. A practical guideline is needed to inform a priori selection of specific Patient-Reported Outcomes version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events items for use in any given industry-sponsored oncology clinical trial. Standardizing this selection process will foster systematic and consistent data collection as part of drug development and enhance our knowledge on how to use patient-relevant information as part of a treatment’s risk/benefit assessment. This article presents methods and consensus recommendations for selecting specific Patient-Reported Outcomes version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events items to include in early-phase and late-phase oncology clinical trials.
Conspiracy Theories: Evolved Functions and Psychological Mechanisms
Authors: van Prooijen Jan-Willem , van Vugt Mark
Published: September 2018

Belief in conspiracy theories—such as that the 9/11 terrorist attacks were an inside job or that the pharmaceutical industry deliberately spreads diseases—is a widespread and culturally universal phenomenon. Why do so many people around the globe believe conspiracy theories, and why are they so influential? Previous research focused on the proximate mechanisms underlying conspiracy beliefs but ignored the distal, evolutionary origins and functions. We review evidence pertaining to two competing evolutionary hypotheses: (a) conspiracy beliefs are a by-product of a suite of psychological mechanisms (e.g., pattern recognition, agency detection, threat management, alliance detection) that evolved for different reasons, or (b) conspiracy beliefs are part of an evolved psychological mechanism specifically aimed at detecting dangerous coalitions. This latter perspective assumes that conspiracy theories are activated after specific coalition cues, which produce functional counterstrategies to cope with suspected conspiracies. Insights from social, cultural and evolutionary psychology provide tentative support for six propositions that follow from the adaptation hypothesis. We propose that people possess a functionally integrated mental system to detect conspiracies that in all likelihood has been shaped in an ancestral human environment in which hostile coalitions—that is, conspiracies that truly existed—were a frequent cause of misery, death, and reproductive loss.
How youth athletes satisfy their team? Identifying significant predictors of perceived coach leadership and team cohesion, team commitment: A hierarchical regression analysis
Authors: Shang I-Wei , Ku Gordon Chih-Ming
Published: September 2018

The purpose of this study was to identify how youth athletes’ perceptions of coach leadership behavior, team cohesion, and team commitment influenced team satisfaction. Purposive sampling was used to select athletes from 77 athletic teams at 27 middle schools in Hualien County, Taiwan. Five-hundred questionnaires were distributed to students and 403 questionnaires were collected, representing an effective response rate of 80.6%. Descriptive analysis and hierarchical regression analysis were utilized to analyze the data. Results indicated that emotional commitment, coach training, and instructional behavior increased the team satisfaction for both elite and non-elite youth athletes. Moreover, the team satisfaction of elite youth athletes increased with camaraderie whereas that of non-elite youth athletes increased with positive feedback from coaches. We recommend that governments and school administrators conduct coaching workshops to improve instructional behavior.
Ivory arthroplasty for trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis: 10-year follow-up
Authors: Vissers Gino , Goorens Chul Ki , Vanmierlo Bert , Bonte Francis , Mermuys Koen , Fils Jean-François , Goubau Jean F.
Published: September 2018

This prospective study investigates long-term functional outcome after total trapeziometacarpal joint replacement with the Ivory arthroplasty for trapeziometacarpal joint osteoarthritis. Clinical outcome, overall function, pain, and radiologic outcome after a minimum of 10 years were evaluated for 26 Ivory arthroplasty in 24 patients. Two patients had bilateral arthroplasties. The female to male ratio was 22:2, and the mean age was 71 years (range 57–83). The mean follow-up period was 130 months (range 120–142). Overall functioning as defined by the QuickDASH score and visual analogue pain score improved by 50% and 81%, respectively, when compared with the preoperative status. However, these outcomes deteriorated beyond 5 years after surgery. Long-term results suggest the Ivory arthroplasty to be a reliable treatment for trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis since it improves overall function and reduces pain up to 10 years postoperatively. However, revision within 10 years after surgery was needed in four of 26 cases.

Level of evidence: II