bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design, analysis and experiment of an eight-wheel robotic vehicle with four-swing arms
Authors: He Miaolei , Ren Changji , He Jilin , Wu Kang , Zhao Yuming , Wang Zhijie , Wu Can
Published: July 2019

Purpose

Excellent obstacle surmounting performance is essential for the robotic vehicles in uneven terrain. However, existing robotic vehicles depend on complex mechanisms or control algorithms to surmount an obstacle. Therefore, this paper aims to propose a new simple configuration of an all-terrain robotic vehicle with eight wheels including four-swing arms.

Design/methodology/approach

This vehicle is driven by distributed hydraulic motors which provide high mobility. It possesses the ability to change the posture by means of cooperation of the four-swing arms. This ensures that the vehicle can adapt to complex terrain. In this paper, the bionic mechanism, control design and steering method of the vehicle are introduced. Then, the kinematic model of the center of gravity is studied. Afterward, the obstacle surmounting performance based on a static model is analyzed. Finally, the simulation based on ADAMS and the prototype experiment is carried out.

Findings

The experiment results demonstrate that the robotic vehicle can surmount an obstacle 2.29 times the height of the wheel radius, which verifies the feasibility of this new configuration. Therefore, this vehicle has excellent uneven terrain adaptability.

Originality/value

This paper proposes a new configuration of an all-terrain robotic vehicle with four-swing arms. With simple mechanism and control algorithms, the vehicle has a high efficiency of surmounting an obstacle. It can surmount a vertical obstacle 2.29 times the height of the wheel radius.
District offices fostering educational change through instructional leadership practices in Australian Catholic secondary schools
Authors: Wilkinson Jane , Edwards-Groves Christine , Grootenboer Peter , Kemmis Stephen
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how Catholic district offices support school leaders’ instructional leadership practices at times of major reform.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper employs the theory of practice architectures as a lens through which to examine local site-based responses to system-wide reforms in two Australian Catholic secondary schools and their district offices. Data collection for these parallel case studies included semi-structured interviews, focus groups, teaching observations, classroom walkthroughs and coaching conversations.

Findings

Findings suggest that in the New South Wales case, arrangements of language and specialist discourses associated with a school improvement agenda were reinforced by district office imperatives. These imperatives made possible new kinds of know-how, ways of working and relating to district office, teachers and students when it came to instructional leading. In the Queensland case, the district office facilitated instructional leadership practices that actively sought and valued practitioners’ input and professional judgment.

Research limitations/implications

The research focussed on two case studies of district offices supporting school leaders’ instructional leadership practices at times of major reform. The findings are not generalizable.

Practical implications

Practically, the studies suggest that for excellent pedagogical practice to be embedded and sustained over time, district offices need to work with principals to foster communicative spaces that promote explicit dialogue between teachers and leaders’ interpretive categories.

Social implications

The paper contends that responding to the diversity of secondary school sites requires district office practices that reject a one size fits all formulas. Instead, district offices must foster site-based education development.

Originality/value

The paper adopts a practice theory approach to its study of district support for instructional leader’ practices. A practice approach rejects a one size fits all approach to educational change. Instead, it focusses on understanding how particular practices come to be in specific sites, and what kinds of conditions make their emergence possible. As such, it leads the authors to consider whether and how different practices such as district practices of educational reforming or principals’ instructional leading might be transformed, or conducted otherwise, under other conditions of possibility.
Antecedents and consequences of attitude contagion processes: the example of apparel brand fan pages
Authors: Hsu Li-Chun
Published: July 2019

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the social, utilitarian and hedonic benefits associated with a brand behavioral performance from an attitude contagion theory perspective. An integrated empirical model was constructed to identify the antecedents and consequences of consumer attitude contagion.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were obtained from 609 members of Facebook apparel brand fan pages using purposive sampling. Structural equation modeling was used to validate the proposed theoretical model.

Findings

Social, utilitarian and hedonic benefits could be used to explain the effects of attitude contagion on various relationships. Attitude contagion factors partially mediate exogenous factors and the behavior of brand fans. Regarding the attitude contagion effect, perceived community attitude and attitude toward fans’ sponsored recommendation posts have stronger explanatory powers for attitude toward products than for attitude toward brands. Specifically, attitude toward brands can indirectly influence members’ purchase intention through brand recall. The proposed model exhibited desirable goodness-of-fit.

Practical implications

The findings can give brand community managers insight into the development of consumer attitude contagion and assist companies to improve their community management.

Originality/value

This study contributes to multiple perspectives in the literature regarding social, utilitarian and hedonic benefits and adopted an extension viewpoint to explain that the formation of consumer attitude is a complex process.
Non-medical health centers – directions for service researchers
Authors: Glover Troy Daniel , Parry Diana Catharine
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide directions for research on non-medical health service and servicescapes by building off Rosenbaum’s study of social support for men at a resource center for testicular cancer.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper cites literature and introduces directions for future research.

Findings

This paper contains insights on non-medical health services and servicescapes, including the salience of social connection for coping, the need to connect with others who are experiencing the same health issue, the relevance of place and face-to-face contact, the role of leisure in drawing people together and the need to look at these environments critically.

Originality/value

This viewpoint provides insights to anyone interested in transformative service research, particularly those who apply this approach to study health-care services.
Nursing shared governance at hospitals – it’s Finnish future?
Authors: Kanninen Taina Hannele , Häggman-Laitila Arja , Tervo-Heikkinen Tarja , Kvist Tarja
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to describe council structure, its benefits, supportive and obstructive factors and developmental needs as a part of shared governance in a university hospital.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a descriptive study, where semi-structured interviews with 12 nurses was conducted in 2014 and documents from 75 council meetings from 2009 to 2014 were gathered and analyzed. Qualitative content analysis method was used on the data.

Findings

The study hospital has been developing nursing shared governance with unique structure and processes of councils. Professors and university researchers act as chair and members are voluntary nursing staff. The factors supporting the councils are nurse managers’ support, enthusiastic personnel and neighboring university. The factors obstructing the councils are lack of time, understanding and skills. The work of the councils benefits the organization by improving patient care, harmonizing nursing practices and informing decision-making. The council’s developmental needs were more visibility, concentration into everyday problems and interprofessionality.

Research limitations/implications

Applying nursing shared governance structures into an organization improves the professional practice environment of nursing personnel.

Practical implications

The study hospital has its own, unique council structure. It did not cover the whole hospital or all of the nursing personnel, but it is already producing promising results. It should be given an official status and more support from nurse managers, and it should be developed into an inter-professional discussion. The results presented here indicate that shared governance, even, in its early stage, contributes positively to the quality of care, harmonizes nursing practices and informs decision-making. Applying shared governance structures into an organization improves the professional practice environment of nursing personnel. The study showed concrete supporting and obstructing factors that should be notified in nursing leadership.

Originality/value

Despite the extensive empirical studies on nursing shared governance, there is very little research on councils in the Scandinavian countries.
The impact of political risk on real estate investment: evidence from the Scottish “neverendum”
Authors: Jones Colin
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to consider the role of political risk in real estate and to specifically examine the implications in Scotland of continuing uncertainty caused by political events.

Design/methodology/approach

The primary research links the political timeline around the Scottish independence referendum in 2014 to time series of a combination of individual investment transactions, measures of sentiment from investment agents and yields. The analysis distinguishes between UK and overseas investors.

Findings

The political risk over six years ebbed and flowed with the changing probability of constitutional change but ultimately it has been a cumulative dampener on investment in Scotland. An element of the political risk can be deemed to be specific risk linked to UK institutional fund mandates that stems from concerns about possible forced sales with independence. In addition political risk is in the eye of the beholder with overseas investors in Scotland unfazed by the prospects of independence.

Practical implications

The short-term impact on investment of the Scottish “neverendum” is very similar to that for independence. The consequences are depressed investment and development that seem set to continue at least until the constitutional hiatus begins to be resolved.

Originality/value

This is the first study to explicitly examine the impact of political uncertainty on the real estate sector.
Effects of 7,8‐dihydroxyflavone on rat jejunal dynamics subjected to ischaemia–reperfusion injury
Authors: Ma Li , Qu Zhiqiang , Luan Xiao , Jiang Xiuli , Pan Rongfang , Zhao Ting , Ma Xuan , He Baoguo
Published: July 2019

It is known that 7,8‐dihydroxyflavone (7,8‐DHF), a synthetic agonist specific for TrkB, promotes intestinal cholinergic contraction. However, after intestinal ischaemia–reperfusion (IR) injury, how 7,8‐DHF affects intestinal contractile dynamics is unknown. In this study, an IR injury model was prepared with rats subjected to 45 minutes clamping of the superior mesenteric artery. The IR injury decreased postoperative food intake and body weight, delayed defecation time, lowered intestinal propulsive rate and decreased cholinergic contraction of jejunal muscle strips, indicating the occurrence of injured jejunal contraction after IR. Feeding rats with 7,8‐DHF improved these intestinal activities injured by IR, which exhibited the in vivo effect of 7,8‐DHF. To explore its molecular mechanism, the expression and phosphorylation of TrkB, PLC γ1, Akt, and ERK1/2 in the jejunal strips were examined with western blots. The IR injury significantly decreased the expression and phosphorylation levels of all factors studied here. However, 7,8‐DHF feeding specifically enhanced the phosphorylation of TrkB, PLC γ1 and Akt factors in both sham‐ and IR‐operated rats, indicating that 7,8‐DHF may have activated TrkB which then activated its downstream PLC γ1 and Akt. Finally, we found that 7,8‐DHF augmented cholinergic receptor M3 expression somehow. These results imply a possibility that 7,8‐DHF might be capable of alleviating the jejunal contractile damage caused by IR through activation of TrkB and augmentation of M3 expression.
Microbial, physico‐chemical and sensory characteristics of mango juice‐enriched probiotic dairy drinks
Authors: Ryan Jessica , Hutchings Scott C , Fang Zhongxiang , Bandara Nandika , Gamlath Shirani , Ajlouni Said , Ranadheera C Senaka
Published: July 2019

This study aimed to determine whether mango juice can improve the viability of probiotics in a fermented dairy‐based beverage whilst maintaining its quality characteristics. Formulations containing Lactobacillus acidophilus La‐5 culture, whole cow's milk and varying concentrations of mango juice (0%, 10%, 20%, 30% and 40% (w/w)) were produced and stored for five weeks at 4 °C. Results showed that probiotic viability was enhanced with the addition of 10% mango juice. Additionally, this formulation improved probiotics tolerance when exposed to in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. According to the sensory analysis, beverage sensory scores improved as levels of mango juice increased from 20% to 40%.
Comparison of Common Analytical Methods for the Quantification of Total Polyphenols and Flavanols in Fruit Juices and Ciders
Authors: Ma Sihui , Kim Cathlean , Neilson Andrew P. , Griffin Laura E. , Peck Gregory M. , O'Keefe Sean F. , Stewart Amanda C.
Published: July 2019

Multiple analytical methods are used for quantification of total polyphenols and total flavanols in fruit juices and beverages. Four methods were evaluated in this study: Folin‐Ciocalteu (F‐C), Lowenthal permanganate (L‐P), 4‐dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde (DMAC), and the bovine serum albumin (BSA) precipitation method. Method validation parameters, including working range, limit of detection, limit of quantitation, precision (repeatability), accuracy, and specificity, were assessed and compared. The F‐C method was not specific to polyphenols, and the L‐P method had the widest working range but lacked accuracy. The DMAC method was the most specific to flavanols, and the BSA method was not suitable for quantification of smaller flavanols, such as catechin and epicatechin. Quantitative performance was evaluated using commercial fruit juice samples (n = 14), apple juice samples of different cultivars (n = 22), and commercial ciders (n = 17). In general, the L‐P titration method and DMAC method resulted in higher quantitative values than the F‐C method and BSA precipitation method, respectively. However, ratios of results obtained by the L‐P and F‐C method ranged from 1 to 28, and ratios of results obtained by the DMAC and BSA precipitation method ranged from <1 to 280. This tremendous variation is likely due to variation in polyphenol composition and sample matrix. This information provides perspective for comparison of results obtained through these different methods, and a basis for choosing the most appropriate analytical method for quantification of polyphenols to address a specific research question when working with commercial fruit juice, apple juice from different apple cultivars, and commercial ciders.

Practical Application

This study compared results obtained when four common polyphenol quantification methods were applied to a diverse selection of fruit juices and beverages with distinct polyphenol composition and sample matrix. The matrix and polyphenol composition of the samples significantly influenced the results. Our findings can help manufacturers of fruit‐based products choose the most appropriate analytical method for polyphenol quantification as part of a quality assurance program or to convey information on dietary polyphenol content to consumers. An assessment of analytical method validation parameters is provided for each of the four methods, which will help users of these methods to understand their limitations.
Species and Geographical Origins Discrimination of Porcini Mushrooms Based on FT‐IR Spectroscopy and Mineral Elements Combined with Sparse Partial Least Square‐Discriminant Analysis
Authors: Wang Ye , Li Jie , Liu Honggao , Fan Maopan , Wang Yuanzhong
Published: July 2019

Misrecognition and toxic elements are two of several reasons responsible for food poisoning even death in the summer, a time when a great deal of edible mushrooms is celebrated in Southwestern China featured as complex environment conditions. It is highly important to identify the difference of chemical constituents in edible mushrooms at the regional‐scale. In this study, Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry were applied to investigate organic matters and 18 mineral elements in porcini mushrooms of six species collected from 17 sampling sites in nine Yunnan cities. Classification models on the species, regions, and part levels were established using sparse partial least square‐discriminant analysis and principal component analysis. At the species level and region level accuracies of greater than 92.1% and 92.8% was achieved, respectively, whereas on the part level caps and stipes were classified with 96.7% accuracy. One of the most popular mushrooms is Boletus edulis characterized by polysaccharide, lipid, and ribonucleic acid as well as several phenolic compounds. Temperature and precipitation show possible influences on accumulations of polysaccharides and ribonucleic acid. Furthermore, the most important elements of caps contributed the difference between two parts are copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and phosphorus (P), whereas stipes instead by manganese (Mn) and cobalt (Co). These results demonstrated that FT‐IR spectroscopy and elements contents provide information sufficient for classifying different porcini mushroom samples, which might be helpful for controlling food security and quality assessment of edible mushrooms.
Preparation of N‐(1‐Deoxy‐Α‐D‐Xylulos‐1‐Yl)‐Glutamic Acid via Aqueous Maillard Reaction Coupled with Vacuum Dehydration and Its Flavor Formation Through Thermal Treatment of Baking Process
Authors: Xu Man , Cui Heping , Sun Fuli , Jia Chengsheng , Zhang Song‐Lin , Hussain Shahzad , Tahir Muhammad Usman , Zhang Xiaoming , Hayat Khizar
Published: July 2019

Amadori rearrangement product (ARP) derived from glutamic acid (Glu) and xylose (Xyl) was prepared by aqueous Maillard reaction. Subsequently, ion exchange chromatography, MS, and NMR were used for purification and identification, confirming that the molecular formula of ARP was C10H17NO8, namely N‐(1‐deoxy‐α‐D‐xylulos‐1‐yl)‐glutamic acid, with a molecular mass of 279 Da. To improve the aqueous yield of ARP, a thermal reaction coupled with vacuum dehydration was used and the yield of ARP was increased from 2.07% to 75.11%. Furthermore, flavor formation capacity of ARP by a thermal treatment simulated to a baking process was compared with Maillard reaction products, Maillard‐dehydration reaction products, and Glu‐Xyl mixture. The results indicated that a larger amount of volatile flavor compounds and a biscuit‐like, burnt aroma was generated rapidly from the mixture of ARP and unreacted Glu‐Xyl, which could be a potential flavor enhancer for baked foods.

Practical Application

Maillard reaction performed in aqueous medium through thermal reaction combined with vacuum dehydration is a novel and practical technology that could be widely used to produce Maillard reaction intermediates (MRIs), such as Amadori or Heyns rearrangement products, which are regarded as significant nonvolatile aroma precursors and have stable physical and chemical properties compared with Maillard reaction products (MRPs). MRI derived from glutamic acid and xylose is a potential substitute of MRPs for flavorings preparation and shows a great capacity to generate fresh flavors in a short time at high temperature, which meets the requirements of baking foods. Therefore, the new developed method could be a promising tool for MRI preparation and application in food and flavoring industries.
PGC‐1α, a potential therapeutic target against kidney aging
Authors: Lee Gayoung , Uddin Md Jamal , Kim Yoojeong , Ko Minji , Yu Inyoung , Ha Hunjoo
Published: July 2019

Aging is defined as changes in an organism over time. The proportion of the aged population is markedly increasing worldwide. The kidney, as an essential organ with a high energy requirement, is one of the most susceptible organs to aging. It is involved in glucose metabolism via gluconeogenesis, glucose filtration and reabsorption, and glucose utilization. Proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTECs) depend on lipid metabolism to meet the high demand for ATP. Recent studies have shown that aging‐related kidney dysfunction is highly associated with metabolic changes in the kidney. Peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma coactivator‐1 alpha (PGC‐1α), a transcriptional coactivator, plays a major role in the regulation of mitochondrial biogenesis, peroxisomal biogenesis, and glucose and lipid metabolism. PGC‐1α is abundant in tissues, including kidney PTECs, which demand high energy. Many in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that the activation of PGC‐1α by genetic or pharmacological intervention prevents telomere shortening and aging‐related changes in the skeletal muscle, heart, and brain. The activation of PGC‐1α can also prevent kidney dysfunction in various kidney diseases. Therefore, a better understanding of the effect of PGC‐1α activation in various organs on aging and kidney diseases may unveil a potential therapeutic strategy against kidney aging.
The relationship between pheromone trap catch and local population density of the oak processionary moth Thaumetopoea processionea (Lepidoptera: Thaumetopoeidae)
Authors: Straw Nigel A. , Hoppit Andrew , Branson Julia
Published: July 2019

Oak processionary moth (OPM) was introduced into the U.K. in 2004–2005 and pheromone traps have been used to monitor its spread and provide an early warning of the colonization of new areas.

The traps capture adult male OPM, although catches are highly variable and it has proved difficult to establish a relationship between the numbers of males caught and local population densities.

Surveys carried out around 260 pheromone traps as part of the U.K. OPM control programme, however, reveal a consistent linear relationship between square‐root transformed adult males per trap and cube‐root (or log10) transformed numbers of larval nests (r2 = 0.47; P < 0.001)

In 91% of cases where traps captured no adult males, there were no OPM nests within 250 m and, where nests were present, the numbers of nests were low. Traps that captured more than 10–20 males were associated with counts of ≥ 50 larval nests.

Defoliation and risks to human health from OPM are more closely related to nest density (i.e. the numbers of nests per tree). Consequently, identifying trap catches that might initiate a management response also requires information on the number of oak trees in the surrounding area.
Clinical concepts for cabazitaxel in the management of metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer
Authors: Al‐Mansouri Loma , Gurney Howard
Published: July 2019

Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy in male patients. The second‐generation taxanes, cabazitaxel, is a therapeutic option with an overall survival advantage for patients with metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer. This review explores specific aspects of cabazitaxel including the duration of treatment, the efficacy of lower dose and effect on the incidence of adverse effects, and optimal sequencing of cabazitaxel. A systematic search of data baselines “PubMed, Ovid Medline, Scopus, and Embase” was carried out using the keywords “cabazitaxel” and “metastatic prostate cancer.” The search was limited to clinical studies performed after October 2010 addressing duration of treatment, the efficacy of lower dose, adverse effects, the sequence of cabazitaxel in relation to other lines of therapy and use in chemotherapy naïve patients. The current evidence supports the utility and safety of cabazitaxel as either a second‐ or third‐line agent after docetaxel, or as an alternative to docetaxel in the chemotherapy‐naive setting. Extended duration of cabazitaxel beyond 10 cycles is feasible and does not appear to lead to cumulative toxicity. In conclusion, cabazitaxel can improve survival in castrate‐resistant prostate cancer with an acceptable risk of toxicity. Studies confirmed the efficacy of reduced dose and utility in patients without prior chemotherapy.
Bifocals reduce strabismus in children with Down syndrome: Evidence from a randomized controlled trial
Authors: de Weger Christine , Boonstra Nienke , Goossens Jeroen
Published: July 2019

Abstarct

Purpose

Children with Down syndrome (DS) more often have strabismus, refractive errors, accommodative lags and reduced visual acuity (VA) than typically developing children. In this study, we compare the effects of bifocal glasses with those of unifocal glasses in children withDS. Changes in angle of strabismus, accommodation and refractive error were analysed in this paper.

Methods

In a multicentre randomized controlled trial, 119 children withDS, aged 2–16, were randomly allocated for bifocal or unifocal glasses (with full correction of refractive error in cycloplegia). The 15 centres, all in the Netherlands, followed the participants for 1 year. Changes in refractive error, accommodative accuracy, strabismus, binocularity and stereopsis were compared across 4 subsequent visits.

Results

Refractive errors and accommodative errors showed no significant change throughout the course of our study in either intervention group. The manifest angle of strabismus, however, reduced significantly in the bifocal group. This improvement was observed shortly after the children received their new correction (~6 weeks) (linear regression:t = 3.652, p < 0.001) and remained present in the final measurements after 1 year (linear regression:t = 3.604, p < 0.001). The percentage of children with positive binocularity and stereo tests showed no significant differences between the groups.

Conclusion

Bifocals with full correction of refractive error reduce the manifest angle of strabismus within a few weeks. No effects on accommodation, refractive error, stereopsis and binocularity occurred over the course of 1 year.
Editorial: not yet time for universal susceptibility‐guided first‐line Helicobacter pylori treatment
Authors: Argueta Erick A. , Moss Steven F.
Published: July 2019

Linked Content

This article is linked to Chen et al and Lu and Graham papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15273 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15373.
Letter: immunogenicity of anti‐TNF in elderly IBD patients—authors' reply
Authors: Singh Siddharth , Jairath Vipul
Published: July 2019

Linked Content

This article is linked to Singh et al and Paul and Robin papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15214 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15312.
Letter: use of collagen proportionate area to quantify liver fibrosis and predict clinical outcomes non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease—authors' reply
Authors: Buzzetti Elena , Tsochatzis Emmanuel A.
Published: July 2019

Linked Content

This article is linked to Buzzetti et al and Huang et al papers. To view
these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15219 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15362.
Risk factors for child maltreatment in South Korea: An investigation of a nationally representative sample
Authors: Ahn Jaejin , Yoo Joan P.
Published: July 2019

This study investigated the risk factors associated with the occurrence of child physical and psychological abuse in South Korea based on the ecological theory of child maltreatment. A subsample of 3‐ to 18‐year‐old children from “A Study on the Current State of Child Abuse and Neglect,” a nationally representative study on child abuse and neglect, was utilized for secondary data analysis. The sample was divided into two age groups (third graders in elementary school and below and fourth graders and above). We utilized hierarchical logistic regression for each age group separately to analyze the data. The variables at each level of the system (i.e., ontogenic development, microsystem, and exosystem) were entered into the model in sequential order. The results showed the common risk factors for both age groups are the caregiver's experience of abuse in childhood, the child's problem behavior, exposure to domestic violence, community size, and informal social control. The child's age was also significant in both groups but in the opposite direction. Social support was a significant predictor for the younger age group only, while the caregiver's level of education was significant for the older age group only. Implications for future research and practice are discussed based on the study results.
English Reading Growth in Spanish‐Speaking Bilingual Students: Moderating Effect of English Proficiency on Cross‐Linguistic Influence
Authors: Relyea Jackie Eunjung , Amendum Steven J.
Published: July 2019

This study examined the extent to which kindergarten Spanish reading affected English reading growth trajectories through fourth grade among nationally representative Spanish‐speaking bilingual students (N = 312) in the United States and whether the association varied by students' English oral proficiency. Multilevel growth curve analyses revealed that stronger early Spanish reading was related to greater English reading growth. Within the stronger Spanish reading group, students with lower English oral proficiency initially began behind their counterparts but caught up with and surpassed them later. Within the weaker Spanish reading group, the difference between lower and higher English oral proficiency groups increased over time. Findings suggest that initially well‐developed Spanish reading competence plays a greater role in English reading development than English oral proficiency.
Diagnostic value of fecal B cell activating factor in patients with abdominal discomfort
Authors: Xie C , Quan R , Wang L , Chen C , Yan W , Fu Y
Published: July 2019

Fecal calprotectin has successfully been widely recommended as a sensitive biomarker of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Recently, we have identified an excellent new fecal biomarker, B cell activating factor (BAFF), as being as effective as fecal calprotectin for diagnosing intestinal inflammation. In this study, a total of 230 patients with abdominal discomfort were prospectively enrolled and fecal samples were collected within 24 h before the endoscopic examinations. We show that fecal BAFF levels were significantly higher in patients with ulcerative colitis (median = 1549 pg/g, P < 0·0001), Crohn’s disease (median = 735 pg/g, P < 0·0001), gastric cancer (median = 267 pg/g, P < 0·0001) and colorectal cancer (median = 533 pg/g, P < 0·0001) than those in healthy groups (median = 61 pg/g), while the values of which in patients with gastric polyps, colorectal polyps, esophagitis/gastritis/duodenitis and peptic ulcer were in the range of healthy individuals (P > 0·05). An optimal cut-off value at 219·5 pg/g of fecal BAFF produced sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive and negative predictive values of 85, 91, 84 and 92%, respectively, for IBD or carcinoma. Our results therefore indicate a potential role for fecal BAFF as a sensitive screening parameter for IBD and gastrointestinal carcinoma, as well a useful tool to select patients with abdominal discomfort for further endoscopic examinations.
Evolution of in vivo assessed retention forces in one‐piece mini dental implant‐retained mandibular overdentures: 5‐Year follow‐up of a prospective clinical trial
Authors: Abou‐Ayash Samir , Enkling Norbert , Srinivasan Murali , Haueter Marius , Worni Andreas , Schimmel Martin
Published: July 2019

Background

The evolution of retention forces in one‐piece mini dental implants (MDIs) retaining implant overdentures (IODs) is of major importance, as the male parts cannot be exchanged, due to the implant design.

Purpose

To report the evolution of retention forces of one‐piece MDIs, retaining mandibular IODs with ball/ O‐ring attachments during 5 years assessed in vivo.

Materials and Methods

Four MDIs were installed in the interforaminal region and immediately loaded using the existing mandibular complete denture. Directly post‐op, at the 1‐year and the 5‐year follow‐up, the retention forces were assessed with a validated strain gauge at each implant site separately.

Results

At the male part, changes could only be observed at implant site 34: During the first year, there was a statistically significant increase, whereas the retention forces were decreased at the 5‐year follow‐up. At the female part, retention forces decreased significantly over time. Baseline values could be reestablished by exchanging the O‐rings. The changes of the retention forces were more obvious in the posterior, compared to the anterior implants.

Conclusions

Retention forces at the female part decrease significantly over time, when retaining mandibular IODs by MDIs with ball/ O‐ring attachments. Baseline values can be reestablished by exchanging the O‐rings. At the male part, changes of retention forces depend on the implant location.
De‐legitimizing hostility and strengthening joint agency: Lutheran inter‐religious commitment today
Authors: Sinn Simone
Published: July 2019

The ELCA Declaration of Inter‐Religious Commitment is an important instrument for mainstreaming inter‐religious engagement in local communities and diverse ministries. This article assesses this recent policy document and highlights how the text engages Lutheran theological reasoning on “the neighbor” for a profound understanding of God's grace, theologically de‐legitimizes hostility and exclusion, and strengthens joint agency. This resonates with current concerns in the global Lutheran communion and the wider ecumenical movement.
Data envelopment analysis with neutrosophic inputs and outputs
Authors: Abdelfattah Walid
Published: July 2019

Since the recent appearance of neutrosophic theory as a generalization of fuzzy and intuitionistic fuzzy theories, many multicriteria decision methods have adopted this theory to deal with incomplete and indeterminate data. However, it has not yet been applied to the data envelopment analysis (DEA) methodology. Therefore, this study presents a DEA model with triangular neutrosophic inputs and outputs that considers the truth, indeterminacy, and falsity degrees of each data value. As an alternative, a parametric approach based on what we term the variation degree of a triangular neutrosophic number is developed. This approach transforms a neutrosophic DEA model into an interval DEA model that can be solved using one of many existing techniques. Interval efficiency scores obtained from our numerical example show the flexibility and authenticity of the proposed approach.
Fatigue performance of single lap joints with CFRP and aluminium substrates prior and after hygrothermal aging
Authors: Machado J. J. M. , Marques E. A. S. , Barbosa A. Q. , da Silva L. F. M.
Published: July 2019

Adhesive bonding has been extensively used to join composites and aluminium alloys in the automotive industry, but a deeper understanding of its fatigue behaviour is still required. This work presents a novel evaluation of the combined performance of joints manufactured with carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) and aluminium substrates subjected to fatigue loads in the unaged, hygrothermally aged, and dried after hygrothermal aging states. The experimental results allowed to conclude that the fatigue performance of joints can be affected by changes induced by the drying process or losses in the interface strength and that dissimilar combination of substrates sustains higher number of cycles to failure. The fatigue performance of joints with dissimilar substrates was found to be better than that of joints with similar substrates, which can be attributed to the lower stresses acting on the adhesive layer. The presence of water has also noticeably changed the fatigue performance of joints with dissimilar substrates.
Experimental and theoretical studies on thermo‐mechanical fatigue test for aluminium cast alloy
Authors: Zhang Shuiqiang , Wang Zian , Han Yongsheng , Zheng Yuqing , Zhang Dongsheng
Published: July 2019

Evaluation of the thermo‐mechanical behaviour and prediction of the service life of cast aluminium alloys are important for the design of automobile engine cylinder heads. In this study, cast Al alloy specimens are extracted from cylinder heads and subjected to in‐phase thermo‐mechanical cyclic loading. The hysteresis curves related to stress and strain were recorded under the individual thermo‐mechanical loading conditions. The number cycles to failure corresponding to multiple mechanical strain and temperature ranges were obtained. It is found that the cyclic stress amplitude decreases and the cyclic softening rate increases with increasing maximum temperature rise. A modified fatigue‐creep model based on energy conservation has been developed for prediction of the fatigue life of cylinder heads. The proposed method shows good agreement with the well‐established Ostergren model and low standard deviations. In summary, the proposed method described in this study provides an option for prediction of the thermo‐mechanical behaviour of metals.
Dense glass‐ceramics by fast sinter‐crystallization of mixtures of waste‐derived glasses
Authors: Rabelo Monich Patricia , Vollprecht Daniel , Bernardo Enrico
Published: July 2019

Dense glass‐ceramics were obtained by cold pressing and sinter‐crystallization of a glass originated from the plasma gasification of municipal solid waste (“Plasmastone”) mixed with recycled soda‐lime glass and kaolin clay. The optimum mixture featured 45% Plasmastone/45% soda‐lime glass/10% kaolin clay and it was sintered according to a fast heat treatment (30 minutes at 1000°C with heating and cooling rates of approximately 40°C/min), mimicking that of industrial ceramic tiles. The fast treatment avoided extensive crystallization during heating, promoting the viscous flow. In this way, dense glass‐ceramics with a water absorption below 0.7% could be produced. The developed tiles presented mechanical properties comparable to those of commercial ceramic tiles. Finally, the environmental impact assessment performed on these materials showed that the leaching of hazardous elements was particularly limited. Microprobe analyses indicated that heavy metals were incorporated in newly formed crystals, consisting mainly of hedenbergite, wollastonite, and iron oxide‐rich “islands” surrounded by residual glass. The results show that Plasmastone, combined with recycled soda‐lime glass and kaolin clay, may be converted in building materials, with a possible commercial exploitation.
Structural, morphological, dielectric and magnetic properties of Zn‐Zr co‐doping yttrium iron garnet
Authors: Cao Hechun , Zheng Hui , Fan Lining , Cheng Zifeng , Zhou Jianwei , Wu Qiong , Zheng Peng , Zheng Liang , Zhang Yang
Published: July 2019

In this study, yttrium iron garnet co‐doped with Zn and Zr atoms with a chemical formula Y3ZnxZrxFe(5−2x)O12 (x = 0.0‐0.3) has been successfully prepared by the solid‐state reaction method. The effects of doping concentration on the microstructure, crystal structure, magnetic properties, and dielectric properties of Y3ZnxZrxFe(5−2x)O12 were investigated. The microstructure analysis indicates that co‐doping of YIG with Zn and Zr can effectively reduce the grain size of the ceramic. The crystal structure results reveal that the doping concentration of Zn–Zr has substantial influence on the lattice parameters of YIG, such as, increases the lattice constant, crystal cell size, and interplanar spacing. However, the second phase of ZrO2 appears once x ≥ 0.15. Additionally, the dielectric properties of YIG ferrite can be regulated using this Zn–Zr co‐doping method. Zn–Zr co‐doping can improve the dielectric stability and reduce the dielectric loss at high temperature. The magnetization measurement shows that the saturation magnetization is stabilized at x < 0.15, and the magnetic loss is decreased with the increase in the doping concentration. Overall, the findings show that the ceramic with x = 0.1 exhibits better properties included high saturation magnetization (24.607 emu/g), low magnetic loss (0.0025 @ 1 MHz), and relatively low dielectric loss (496 @ 400°C).
Non‐nativeness as a dimension of inclusion: A multimodal representational analysis of EFL textbooks
Authors: Motschenbacher Heiko
Published: July 2019

The article first introduces the special issue on the topic of Linguistic Dimensions of Inclusion in Educational and Multilingual Contexts. Key aspects of inclusive education are outlined and applied to the realm of language, communication and language learning. The concept “linguistic barrier,” a collective term for linguistic practices and communicative aspects that may pose obstacles to language learning, communicative success or a successful integration of individuals in multilingual contexts, is discussed. Focal points of the individual contributions to the special issue are briefly outlined.

In the second part, the article hones in on non‐nativeness as a dimension of inclusion in foreign language teaching. Processes of exclusion and inclusion are illustrated through a multimodal critical discourse analysis of representational practices in units from the German EFL textbook series Navi Englisch. The main focus of analysis lies on verbal and visual cultural indexes that allow for conclusions on the representation of native and non‐native social actors as well as ENL, ESL and EFL cultures. Based on the finding that the material shows a strong predominance of native language user representation, it is argued that a mainstreaming of second language identities and English as an international lingua franca in ELT can foster higher levels of inclusion that are likely to have positive, empowering effects for learners of English and non‐native English language teachers alike.
Utilisation of protein fractions from porcine spleen as technofunctional ingredients in emulsified cooked meat sausages
Authors: Toldrà Mònica , Parés Dolors , Saguer Elena , Carretero Carmen
Published: July 2019

Spleen is a low commercial value meat by‐product from industrial slaughterhouses that is mostly underutilised. In this study, porcine spleens were processed to obtain two protein fractions (i.e. soluble and insoluble extracts in sodium citrate buffer 0.1 m pH 5) and the potential of using them to replace functional ingredients in cooked sausages was assessed. Specifically, a pasteurised insoluble protein extract was used as soy protein replacer in mortadella‐type sausages, whereas spray‐dried soluble proteins were used instead of sodium caseinate in Frankfurt‐type sausages. Both splenic extracts performed well as functional ingredients since no differences in proximate composition, emulsion stability, water‐holding capacity or texture were found. The only differences were found in the colour of the sausages containing the soluble protein extract, because of the haem and myoglobin content in this ingredient. The results showed that spleens could be a suitable source of non‐allergenic functional proteins for meat products.
The development of Singapore nursing education system – challenges, opportunities and implications
Authors: Goh H.S. , Tang M.L. , Lee C.N. , Liaw S.Y.
Published: July 2019

Background

Singapore's nursing services and education need to keep pace with the ever‐changing healthcare landscape and international trends in nursing capability development.

Aims

To examine the development of Singapore's nursing education and to propose recommendations for its future development.

Sources of Evidence

This discussion paper examined journal articles, books and grey literature that documented the development of nursing education in Singapore.

Discussion

There are three main challenges and opportunities for nursing education in Singapore: (1) the establishment of registered nurse preparatory education at the baccalaureate level, (2) the expansion of master's programmes for clinical specialization and (3) the need to increase nursing faculties through the growth of doctoral education.

Conclusion

Singapore's nursing education has made a significant progress in its development since the 1990s. To advance nursing education, individual nurses, local nursing associations and academic institutions should be empowered to develop its own clinical, education and research capabilities to meet future healthcare challenges.

Implications for Nursing Policy

Nurses should assume greater roles in determining their own professional and educational developments. Strategies to advance Singapore's nursing education include establishing a national body for regulating continuing nursing education and specialties certification, creating a greater diversity in academic offerings beyond baccalaureate programmes and building local nursing clinical and research capabilities within universities.
The profitability of trading on large Lévy jumps
Authors: Chan Kam Fong , Gray Phil , Pan Zheyao
Published: July 2019

While past research has studied the profitability of trading based on jump signals, the notion of differentiating between jumps according to their magnitude has received relatively little attention. We utilize the approach of Lee and Hannig (2010) to identify Lévy jumps and classify them as small and large. The empirical analysis shows that the arrival of large Lévy jumps provides a strong trading signal in five major equity markets. In contrast, the signal from small Lévy jumps is negligible.
Augmented Reality in Design Education: Landscape Architecture Studies as AR Experience
Authors: Kerr Jeremy , Lawson Gillian
Published: July 2019

The rapid and ongoing development of digital technologies continues to create new opportunities for education. Over the last decade this has enabled the establishment of blended learning approaches and online education. More recently, Augmented Reality (AR) has emerged as a unique technology that can transform learning experiences across diverse disciplines. This article outlines the development of an AR prototype, Master of Time, which was created to educate first year students and non‐designers on the foundational principles of landscape architecture. This study examines the learning potential and benefits of AR technology with a focus on creating new practices in digital storytelling across situated experiences. In outlining project outcomes, the authors propose a series of critical design principles, strategies and methodologies for educators to apply when developing AR learning experiences across disciplines. Included within this is a framework for transdisciplinary and co‐design collaboration, which is essential for educators working in the forefront of learning technologies.