bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dynamics and Predictability of the Intensification of Hurricane Edouard (2014)
Authors: Munsell Erin B. , Zhang Fuqing , Sippel Jason A. , Braun Scott A. , Weng Yonghui
Published: November 2016

The dynamics and predictability of the intensification of Hurricane Edouard (2014) are explored through a 60-member convection-permitting ensemble initialized with an ensemble Kalman filter that assimilates dropsondes collected during NASA’s Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel (HS3) investigation. The 126-h forecasts are initialized when Edouard was designated as a tropical depression and include Edouard’s near–rapid intensification (RI) from a tropical storm to a strong category-2 hurricane. Although the deterministic forecast was very successful and many members correctly forecasted Edouard’s intensification, there was significant spread in the timing of intensification among the members of the ensemble.

Utilizing composite groups created according to the near-RI-onset times of the members, it is shown that, for increasing magnitudes of deep-layer shear, RI onset is increasingly delayed; intensification will not occur once a critical shear threshold is exceeded. Although the timing of intensification varies by as much as 48 h, a decrease in shear is observed across the intensifying composite groups ~6–12 h prior to RI. This decrease in shear is accompanied by a reduction in vortex tilt, as the precession and subsequent alignment process begins ~24–48 h prior to RI. Sensitivity experiments reveal that some of the variation in RI timing can be attributed to differences in initial intensity, as the earliest-developing members have the strongest initial vortices regardless of their environment. Significant sensitivity and limited predictability exists for members with weaker initial vortices and/or that are embedded in less conducive environments, under which the randomness of moist convective processes and minute initial differences distant from the surface center can produce divergent forecasts.
Singing Ability, Musical Self-Concept, and Future Music Participation
Authors: Demorest Steven M. , Kelley Jamey , Pfordresher Peter Q.
Published: November 2016

Research on adults who identify as “tone deaf” suggest that their poor musical self-concept is shaped by a view of themselves as nonsingers even when their perceptual skills and singing ability are not significantly worse than the general population. Many of these adults self-selected out of further participation as children but expressed regret as adults for lost opportunities. The purpose of this investigation was to explore the role of musical self-concept, attitude, and related variables in predicting students’ decisions to participate in elective music instruction in junior high and whether those same variables were related to their assessed singing ability. Findings suggest that family music participation and positive attitudes toward music, particularly their view of themselves as musicians, can predict with 74% accuracy which students choose to continue in elective music. Musical self-concept was also a unique predictor of singing accuracy performance, suggesting a connection between students’ actual singing ability and their view of themselves as musicians.
Evaluating public participation in Denmark’s water councils
Authors: Graversgaard Morten , Thorsøe Martin Hvarregaard , Kjeldsen Chris , Dalgaard Tommy
Published: November 2016

Under the Water Framework Directive, public participation was identified as a key part of water planning. This caused a paradigm shift in Danish water planning. Water councils in River Basin Districts were established to provide public input on how to improve the physical conditions in streams. A study of the water councils found that Denmark has complied with the requirements of making background information available to the public and ensuring consultation. The facilitation of the councils’ processes has worked well. However, while they are presented as the ‘new governance option’ in Danish water planning, this does not accord with reality. The water council processes are limited in scope and controlled by the central government. Their process can be better characterized as expanded stakeholder consultation, officially part of the policy process but involving very little active public involvement. The article concludes by indicating the consequences for participation and collaborative innovation.
Mediating boundaries between knowledge and knowing
Authors: Reichelt NT , Wallis PJ , Ison RL , Davies J , Carberry P , Sparrow A , Hall A , Maru Y
Published: November 2016

This article reflects critically on the use of a wiki as a data repository for knowledge transfer and as a mediating technical platform for social learning in the context of a multi-country programme of agricultural research for development. The wiki was designed to foster sustainable social learning and an emergent community of practice among biophysical and social researchers acting for the first time as co-researchers. Over time, the technologically mediated element of the learning system was judged to have failed. The article is based on an inquiry that asked ‘How can learning system design cultivate learning opportunities and respond to learning challenges in an online environment to support research for development practice?’ The article also considers the wider context and institutional setting in which the knowledge work took place.
Simulation for whole-body vibration to assess ride comfort of a low–medium speed railway vehicle
Authors: Kumar Vivek , Rastogi Vikas , Pathak PM
Published: November 2016

Vibration in trains constitutes one aspect of the physical environment that can cause discomfort to passengers. In order to assess the vibration, a variety of techniques have been developed and used. The general approach is to acquire acceleration at the passenger–train interface, and to then process these acceleration signals in order to calculate human comfort. However, the comfort index so calculated is independent of the seat characteristics and human parameters. Thus, a human biodynamic model with dynamic seat characteristics is necessary in order to perform true comfort analysis. The biodynamics of human subjects has been a topic of interest over the years, and a number of mathematical models have been established. However, there are only a few studies incorporating biodynamic models in railway applications. So, the present work proposes to evaluate Sperling’s Ride Index for a low–medium speed railway vehicle and further to calculate root mean square acceleration of different body parts, as per the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 2631 guidelines, through bond graph technique. Car body flexibility is also incorporated using modal expansion of a free–free beam. Physiological effects of the vibrations on the human body were analyzed using the criteria specified in ISO 2631.
Examining Augmented Reality to Improve Navigation Skills in Postsecondary Students With Intellectual Disability
Authors: Smith Cate C. , Cihak David F. , Kim Byungkeon , McMahon Don D. , Wright Rachel
Published: November 2016

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of using mobile technology to improve navigation skills in three students with intellectual disability (ID) in a postsecondary education program. Navigation skills included using an augmented reality iPhone app to make correct “waypoint” decisions when traveling by foot on a university campus to target destinations. The results indicate that all students improved their navigation skills. Findings are discussed in the context of teaching the use of mobile technology to improve wayfinding skills in students with ID.
Gut Homeostasis, Microbial Dysbiosis, and Opioids
Authors: Wang Fuyuan , Roy Sabita
Published: November 2016

Gut homeostasis plays an important role in maintaining animal and human health. The disruption of gut homeostasis has been shown to be associated with multiple diseases. The mutually beneficial relationship between the gut microbiota and the host has been demonstrated to maintain homeostasis of the mucosal immunity and preserve the integrity of the gut epithelial barrier. Currently, rapid progress in the understanding of the host–microbial interaction has redefined toxicological pathology of opioids and their pharmacokinetics. However, it is unclear how opioids modulate the gut microbiome and metabolome. Our study, showing opioid modulation of gut homeostasis in mice, suggests that medical interventions to ameliorate the consequences of drug use/abuse will provide potential therapeutic and diagnostic strategies for opioid-modulated intestinal infections. The study of morphine’s modulation of the gut microbiome and metabolome will shed light on the toxicological pathology of opioids and its role in the susceptibility to infectious diseases.
Well-being in Alternative Economies
Authors: Watson Forrest , Ekici Ahmet
Published: November 2016

Alternative economies are built on shared commitments to improve subjects’ well-being. Traditional commercial markets, premised upon growth driven by separate actors pursuing personal material gain, lead to exploitation of some actors and to negligible well-being gains for the rest. Through resocializing economic relations and expanding the recognition of interdependence among the actors in a marketing system, economic domination and exploitation can be mitigated. We define shared commitments as a choice of a course of action in common with others. We empirically demonstrate the existence of shared commitments through an in-depth study of a spatially extended alternative food network in Turkey. Finally, we offer an inductive model of how shared commitments can be developed between local and non-local actors to bring new economies into being and improve the well-being of consumers and producers, localities, markets, and society.
Region-Specific Effect of the Decellularized Meniscus Extracellular Matrix on Mesenchymal Stem Cell–Based Meniscus Tissue Engineering
Authors: Shimomura Kazunori , Rothrauff Benjamin B. , Tuan Rocky S.
Published: November 2016

Background:

The meniscus is the most commonly injured knee structure, and surgical repair is often ineffective. Tissue engineering–based repair or regeneration may provide a needed solution. Decellularized, tissue-derived extracellular matrices (ECMs) have received attention for their potential use as tissue-engineered scaffolds. In considering meniscus-derived ECMs (mECMs) for meniscus tissue engineering, it is noteworthy that the inner and outer regions of the meniscus have different structural and biochemical features, potentially directing the differentiation of cells toward region-specific phenotypes.

Purpose:

To investigate the applicability of mECMs for meniscus tissue engineering by specifically comparing region-dependent effects of mECMs on 3-dimensional constructs seeded with human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs).

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Bovine menisci were divided into inner and outer halves and were minced, treated with Triton X-100 and DNase, and extracted with urea. Then, hBMSCs (1 × 106 cells/mL) were encapsulated in a photo–cross-linked 10% polyethylene glycol diacrylate scaffold containing mECMs (60 μg/mL) derived from either the inner or outer meniscus, with an ECM-free scaffold as a control. The cell-seeded constructs were cultured with chondrogenic medium containing recombinant human transforming growth factor β3 (TGF-β3) and were analyzed for expression of meniscus-associated genes as well as for the collagen (hydroxyproline) and glycosaminoglycan content as a function of time.

Results:

Decellularization was verified by the absence of 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI)–stained cell nuclei and a reduction in the DNA content. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction showed that collagen type I expression was significantly higher in the outer mECM group than in the other groups, while collagen type II and aggrecan expression was highest in the inner mECM group. The collagen (hydroxyproline) content was highest in the outer mECM group, while the glycosaminoglycan content was higher in both the inner and outer mECM groups compared with the control group.

Conclusion:

These results showed that the inner mECM enhances the fibrocartilaginous differentiation of hBMSCs, while the outer mECM promotes a more fibroblastic phenotype. Our findings support the feasibility of fabricating bioactive scaffolds using region-specific mECM preparations for meniscus tissue engineering.

Clinical Relevance:

This is the first report to demonstrate the feasibility of applying region-specific mECMs for the engineering of meniscus implants capable of reproducing the biphasic, anatomic, and biochemical characteristics of the meniscus, features that should contribute to the feasibility of their clinical application.
Living Sin Papeles
Authors: Fernández-Esquer Maria Eugenia , Agoff Maria Carolina , Leal Isabel M.
Published: November 2016

In the United States, the construction of “illegality” of undocumented Latino workers is predicated upon multiple interacting social, economic, political, and sociological factors and consignment to an inferior social status, harsh living conditions, and exploitation. These “cumulative vulnerabilities” contribute to increased stressors and poor psychological health outcomes. However, little is known about these marginalized workers’ experience of negotiating life in “illegality.” This qualitative study adopts a social constructivist perspective to examine the strategies these undocumented workers use to manage “illegality” and psychosocial stress. We conducted four focus groups with 27 participants and in-depth interviews with eight of these participants. Thematic analysis combined with constant comparison yielded the overarching theme of living sin papeles (without legal papers). Findings reveal that, phenomenologically, sin papeles extends far beyond legal status, being a condition of ever-present instability, insecurity, and hypervigilance that affects the social, work, health, and living conditions of undocumented Latino immigrants.
Differences in Durability, Dislodgement, and Other Complications With Use of Low‐Profile Nonballoon Gastrostomy Tubes in Children
Authors: Hajjat Temara , Rahhal Riad M.
Published: November 2016

Background:Nonballoon low‐profile gastrostomy tubes (GTs) are used for enteral nutrition support in a subset of pediatric patients with feeding difficulties when use of balloon GTs is problematic. Different nonballoon low‐profile tube types are available, but comparative studies are lacking.Materials and Methods:This was a retrospective cohort study comparing complications and outcomes between different low‐profile nonballoon GTs at a pediatric tertiary care center over 10 years.Results:We identified 43 patients with 160 tube placement procedures, including 93 (58%) BARD tubes (type A) and 67 (42%) Mini‐ONE tubes (type B). Accidental tube dislodgment occurred exclusively with type B (33% vs 0%,P< .0001) with dislodgment occurring at a median of 54 days after placement. Type A GTs were more likely to be changed due to leakage (47% vs 8%,P< .0001). Minor gastrostomy site bleeding was more likely to be seen with type A tube changes (46% vs 7%,P< .0001). Patient sedation or site dilation was rarely needed in either group. Time to tube change was longer in the type B GTs (BARD) (P= .016) with a median tube survival in the type A and type B groups at 432 and 284 days, respectively, with a hazard ratio of 1.89 (95% confidence interval, 1.2–2.99), but once confounders were accounted for, the effect of tube type was no longer statistically significant.Conclusion:Our study shows that differences exist with use of various low‐profile nonballoon GTs. This should be taken into consideration when counseling families about the most appropriate tube type for their children.
Private Health Insurance Exchanges
Authors: Kilgour John G.
Published: November 2016

The Affordable Care Act of 2010 created a number of federal and state exchanges through which buyers and sellers of health care services conduct business. Some private health insurance exchanges had existed before the Affordable Care Act, mainly for Medicare-eligible retirees. However, beginning in 2012, in response to a number of developments, private sector employers began using such exchanges for active employee health plans. The adoption of private exchanges has been spectacular, and they will soon dominate the private sector employer-sponsored health benefits market. This article examines this important development.
Holistic Nursing Simulation: A Concept Analysis
Authors: Cohen Bonni S. , Boni Rebecca
Published: November 2016

Simulation as a technology and holistic nursing care as a philosophy are two components within nursing programs that have merged during the process of knowledge and skill acquisition in the care of the patients as whole beings. Simulation provides opportunities to apply knowledge and skill through the use of simulators, standardized patients, and virtual settings. Concerns with simulation have been raised regarding the integration of the nursing process and recognizing the totality of the human being. Though simulation is useful as a technology, the nursing profession places importance on patient care, drawing on knowledge, theories, and expertise to administer patient care. There is a need to promptly and comprehensively define the concept of holistic nursing simulation to provide consistency and a basis for quality application within nursing curricula. This concept analysis uses Walker and Avant’s approach to define holistic nursing simulation by defining antecedents, consequences, and empirical referents. The concept of holism and the practice of holistic nursing incorporated into simulation require an analysis of the concept of holistic nursing simulation by developing a language and model to provide direction for educators in design and development of holistic nursing simulation.
A ‘Scottish Poor Law of Lunacy’? Poor Law, Lunacy Law and Scotland’s parochial asylums
Authors: Farquharson Lauren
Published: November 2016

Scotland’s parochial asylums are unfamiliar institutional spaces. Representing the concrete manifestation of the collision between two spheres of legislation, the Poor Law and the Lunacy Law, six such asylums were constructed in the latter half of the nineteenth century. These sites expressed the enduring mandate of the Scottish Poor Law 1845 over the domain of ‘madness’. They were institutions whose very existence was fashioned at the directive of the local arm of the Poor Law, the parochial board, and they constituted a continuing ‘Scottish Poor Law of Lunacy’. Their origins and operation significantly subverted the intentions and objectives of the Lunacy Act 1857, the aim of which had been to institute a public district asylum network with nationwide coverage.
Mayors, Partisanship, and Redistribution: Evidence Directly from U.S. Mayors
Authors: Einstein Katherine Levine , Glick David M.
Published: November 2016

Policymakers and scholars are increasingly looking to cities to address challenges including income inequality. No existing research, however, directly and systematically measures local political elites’ preferences for redistribution. We interview and survey 72 American mayors—including many from the nation’s largest cities—and collect public statements and policy programs to measure when and why mayors prioritize redistribution. While many of the mayors’ responses are consistent with being constrained by economic imperatives, a sizable minority prioritize redistributive programs. Moving beyond the question of whether mayors support redistribution, we find that partisanship explains much of the variation in a mayor’s propensity for redistribution. Moreover, the impact of partisanship very rarely varies with institutional and economic contexts. These findings suggest that national political debates may be shaping local priorities in ways contrary to conventional views, and that they may matter even more than other recent findings conclude.
Domo Arigato Mr. Roboto
Authors: van Doorn Jenny , Mende Martin , Noble Stephanie M. , Hulland John , Ostrom Amy L. , Grewal Dhruv , Petersen J. Andrew
Published: November 2016

Technology is rapidly changing the nature of service, customers’ service frontline experiences, and customers’ relationships with service providers. Based on the prediction that in the marketplace of 2025, technology (e.g., service-providing humanoid robots) will be melded into numerous service experiences, this article spotlights technology’s ability to engage customers on a social level as a critical advancement of technology infusions. Specifically, it introduces the novel concept of automated social presence (ASP; i.e., the extent to which technology makes customers feel the presence of another social entity) to the services literature. The authors develop a typology that highlights different combinations of automated and human social presence in organizational frontlines and indicates literature gaps, thereby emphasizing avenues for future research. Moreover, the article presents a conceptual framework that focuses on (a) how the relationship between ASP and several key service and customer outcomes is mediated by social cognition and perceptions of psychological ownership as well as (b) three customer-related factors that moderate the relationship between ASP and social cognition and psychological ownership (i.e., a customer’s relationship orientation, tendency to anthropomorphize, and technology readiness). Finally, propositions are presented that can be a catalyst for future work to enhance the understanding of how technology infusion, particularly service robots, influences customers’ frontline experiences in the future.
What is Journalism For? Call for Journalism Educators to Think beyond Industry Practice
Authors: Wake Alexandra , Farrer Gordon
Published: November 2016

This article suggests that journalism educators are potentially doing a disservice to the industry by continuing to echo industry practitioner responses to the question: ‘What is journalism for?’ This article reports on a survey of journalism academics and practising journalists in Australia, which found that they predominately share views about the role of journalism. With massive shifts occurring in the way journalism is funded and produced, it is clear that journalism requires new thinking from scholars who have the time and resources to reflect beyond current normative frames and professional values. The authors suggest that in the interests of the journalism industry’s future, the Australian academy should differentiate itself from the industry’s immediate needs and be more forward thinking in its work.
Digital absolution
Authors: Grønning Ingeborg , Tjora Aksel
Published: November 2016

Based on online observation of communication in a web-based weight loss forum, this article identifies the relevance of confession and absolution as characteristics of online interactions. Our close study of forum messages, arranged as web diaries open to comments from participants, shows that self-blaming posts elicited absolutional replies. With a primary interest in those personal posts which had a confessional character, we identified three aspects of absolution in replies: collective, prospective and supportive. Of special sociological interest is how online interaction in the forum challenges the concept of ‘civil inattention’ (Goffman, 1971) as a basic social norm for interaction in public spaces. Rather, absolutional attention defines the interactional order within the forum, in which diary authors receive feedback on their accounts of challenges, problems and failures. Studying online communication in detail may contribute to an important theoretical refinement of interactionist sociology, which currently strongly rests on studies from pre-Internet times.
Performance of recycled aggregate concrete–filled square steel tubular columns exposed to fire
Authors: Yang You-Fu , Zhang Lei , Dai Xianghe
Published: November 2016

Experimental and theoretical investigation on the fire performance of concentrically loaded recycled aggregate concrete–filled square steel tubular columns with or without fire protective coating is reported in this article. Tests of nine specimens were conducted with the variation in the recycled coarse aggregate replacement ratio, axial compressive load ratio and thickness of fire protective coating. The failure pattern, typical temperature development, axial displacement and fire resistance of the tested specimens are presented and analysed. The experimental results reveal that the temperatures of the core concrete decrease with increasing recycled coarse aggregate replacement ratio and decreasing thickness of fire protective coating under the same fire exposure time. In general, the specimens with the recycled coarse aggregate replacement ratio of 50% have a similar behaviour as the corresponding specimen with normal concrete; however, the performance of specimens with the recycled coarse aggregate replacement ratio of 100% is clearly different from the reference specimen with normal concrete. Moreover, the fire resistance of recycled aggregate concrete–filled square steel tubular columns increases with an increase in the thickness of fire protective coating and a decrease in axial compressive load ratio. A finite element analysis model was developed for simulating the performance of recycled aggregate concrete–filled square steel tubular columns exposed to fire, and the finite element analysis model was validated against the experimental results.
Virtual environments in cancer care: Pilot-testing a three-dimensional web-based platform as a tool for support in young cancer patients
Authors: Høybye Mette Terp , Olsen Pia Riis , Hansson Helena Eva , Spiegel David , Bennetsen Henrik , Cheslack-Postava Ewen
Published: November 2016

Bringing virtual environments into cancer support may offer a particular potential to engage patients and increase adherence to treatment. Developing and pilot-testing an online real-time multi-user three-dimensional platform, this study tested the use of an early prototype of the platform among adolescent and young adult cancer patients. Data were collected with an online questionnaire and using ethnographic methods of participant observation. The adolescent and young adult patients tested basic features of the virtual environment and some conducted brief in-world interactions with fellow patients during hospitalization. They had no reservations about using the technology and shared their ideas about its use. Our pilot test pointed to a number of areas of development for virtual environment applications as potential platforms for medical or behavioral interventions in cancer care. Overall, the results demonstrate the need for high user involvement in the development of such interventions and early testing of intervention designs.
Diagramming: A creative methodology for tourist studies
Authors: Barry Kaya
Published: November 2016

Tourists experience a range of everyday practices that are subtle, momentary and mundane, which can be difficult to document. Finding documentation techniques that encourage hands-on and collaborative experiences can assist in gathering and producing a variety of perspectives from researchers and tourists. Using the Deleuzian concept of the ‘diagram’, this article examines how creative documentation methods can be used to explore everyday practices of tourists. From a creative arts and philosophical perspective, a diagram is a methodological tool that allows the tracing of relations through a range of techniques. Tracing the development of participatory artwork that uses a diagrammatic approach demonstrates how the experiences of both tourists and researchers can be fused. This encourages a wider perspective of how tourist practices are generated through interactive and affective registers. Diagramming is a creative methodological approach that can assist in tracing experiences and relationships that emerge in tourist studies.
Regulating equity crowdfunding in Hong Kong
Authors: Ho John Kong Shan
Published: November 2016

In March 2016, the Financial Services Development Council (FSDC) of Hong Kong published a paper to examine whether the financial market of Hong Kong should introduce regulatory framework to promote equity crowdfunding. This article examines the recent experiences of the United States and United Kingdom in setting a regulatory framework on equity crowdfunding and seeks to identify what Hong Kong can learn from its Anglo-American counterparts in regulating such activity. It is ultimately argued that these experiences provide a good platform for implementing a broadly similar regime in Hong Kong by permitting crowdfunding within the scope of current regulated activities.
Can Eosinophil Count, Platelet Count, and Mean Platelet Volume Be a Positive Predictive Factor in Penile Arteriogenic Erectile Dysfunction Etiopathogenesis?
Authors: Sönmez Mehmet Giray , Göğer Yunus Emre , Sönmez Leyla Öztürk , Aydın Arif , Balasar Mehmet , Kara Cengiz
Published: November 2016

Blood count parameters of patients referring with erectile dysfunction (ED) were examined in this study and it was investigated whether eosinophil count (EC), platelet count (PC), and mean platelet volume values among the suspected predictive parameters which may play a role in especially penile arteriogenic ED etiopathogenesis had a contribution on pathogenesis. Patients referring with ED complaint were evaluated. Depending on the medical story, ED degree was determined by measuring International Index of Erectile Function. Penile Doppler ultrasonography was taken in patients suspected to have vasculogenic ED. According to penile Doppler ultrasonography result, patients with arterial deficiency were included in the penile arteriogenic ED group and the patients with normal results were included in the nonvasculogenic ED group. A total of 36 patients participated in the study from the penile arteriogenic ED group and 32 patients from the nonvasculogenic ED group. Compared with the nonvasculogenic ED group, the penile arteriogenic ED group’s low International Index of Erectile Function score, high EC, mean platelet volume and PC values were detected to be statistically significant ( p < .001, p = .021, p = .018, p = .034, respectively). No statistically significant difference was observed among the two groups when age, white blood cells, red blood cells, and hemoglobin values were considered. Pansystolic volume velocities were detected as statistically significantly low compared with the nonvasculogenic ED group in the measurements made in 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th minutes on the right and left sides in the penile arteriogenic ED group. High MPV value and PC is a significant predictive factor for penile arteriogenic ED and vasculogenic ED and high EC is specifically predictive of arteriogenic ED.
Prospective Evaluation of Opioid Consumption Following Hand Surgery Performed Wide Awake Versus With Sedation
Authors: Miller Andrew , Kim Nayoung , Ilyas Asif M.
Published: November 2016

Background: We prospectively evaluated opioid consumption postoperatively following trigger finger release (TFR) and open carpal tunnel release (CTR), and hypothesized that cases performed wide awake with local anesthesia and no tourniquet (WALANT) would result in increased opioid consumption compared with cases performed under monitored anesthesia care (MAC). Methods: Postoperative opioid consumption following CTR and TFR was prospectively collected over 6 months. The primary end points of the study were: (1) total opioid consumption; and (2) the number of days an opioid was used for both groups. Results: Mean opioid use and number of days the opioid was used for all MAC cases were 3.95 pills and 1.8 days, respectively. The results for WALANT were 3.85 pills and 1.6 days. Conclusions: These results suggest that effective pain control postoperatively may be independent of anesthesia type for soft tissue procedures of the hand. Specifically, average opioid consumption and days of utilization were similar in both the MAC and WALANT groups. Average postoperative opioid consumption was approximately only 4 opioid pills. Consideration should be given to prescribing fewer opioids for surgeries such as CTR and TFR.
Simplified variational iteration method for solving ordinary differential equations and eigenvalue problems
Authors: Pan Chao , Zhang Ruifu , Luo Hao , Shen Hua
Published: November 2016

A simplified variational iteration method is proposed to solve high-order homogeneous or nonhomogeneous linear ordinary differential equation and ordinary differential equation eigenvalue problems more efficiently and conveniently. The simplification includes two aspects: (1) explicitly deducing the general form of the differential equation for the identification of the general Lagrange multiplier while avoiding the complexity of variational calculations during identification and (2) simplifying the iterative expressions to reduce the computational work of each iteration. Three ordinary differential equations in mechanics are solved by this simplified variational iteration method, which proves that it is valid and more concise than traditional methods. To make the method more practical, it is suggested that some complicated analytical derivations be executed numerically, thereby achieving a simplified semi-analytical variational iteration method that can be easily implemented by computer programs. The method is then used to numerically solve two complex ordinary differential equation problems derived from the continuum analysis of tall building structures: a sixth-order nonhomogeneous ordinary differential equation with complex boundary conditions and a sixth-order ordinary differential equation eigenvalue problem. Numerical computer programs are developed for these two problems, and corresponding examples are provided to verify the accuracy and efficiency of the simplified variational iteration method in solving complex ordinary differential equation problems.
EmSBot
Authors: Peng Long , Guan Fei , Perneel Luc , Timmerman Martin
Published: November 2016

Component-based approaches are prevalent in software development for robotic applications due to their reusability and productivity. In this article, we present an Embedded modular Software framework for a networked ro BoTic system (EmSBoT) targeting resource-constrained devices such as microcontroller-based robots. EmSBoT is primarily built upon μCOS-III with real-time support. However, its operating system abstraction layer makes it available for various operating systems. It employs a unified port-based communication mechanism to achieve message passing while hiding the heterogeneous distributed environment from applications, which also endows the framework with fault-tolerant capabilities. We describe the design and core features of the EmSBoT framework in this article. The implementation and experimental evaluation show its availability with small footprint size, effectiveness, and OS independence.
A survey on inspecting structures using robotic systems
Authors: Almadhoun Randa , Taha Tarek , Seneviratne Lakmal , Dias Jorge , Cai Guowei
Published: November 2016

Advancements in robotics and autonomous systems are being deployed nowadays in many application domains such as search and rescue, industrial automation, domestic services and healthcare. These systems are developed to tackle tasks in some of the most challenging, labour intensive and dangerous environments. Inspecting structures (e.g. bridges, buildings, ships, wind turbines and aircrafts) is considered a hard task for humans to perform and of critical importance since missing any details could affect the structure’s performance and integrity. Additionally, structure inspection is time and resource intensive and should be performed as efficiently and accurately as possible. Inspecting various structures has been reported in the literature using different robotic platforms to: inspect difficult to reach areas and detect various types of faults and anomalies. Typically, inspection missions involve performing three main tasks: coverage path planning, shape, model or surface reconstruction and the actual inspection of the structure. Coverage path planning ensures the generation of an optimized path that guarantees the complete coverage of the structure of interest in order to gather highly accurate information to be used for shape/model reconstruction. This article aims to provide an overview of the recent work and breakthroughs in the field of coverage path planning and model reconstruction, with focus on 3D reconstruction, for the purpose of robotic inspection.
A Taxonomic Analysis of Abstraction
Authors: Reed Stephen K.
Published: November 2016

An important characteristic of knowledge is that it exists at multiple levels of abstraction. This article illustrates how different levels of abstraction influence perception, comprehension, categorization, memory, and thought. Theories exist for how abstraction influences each of these cognitive processes, but there are few unifying principles for discussing these theories within a common conceptual framework. My proposed taxonomy examines three senses of abstraction: (a) an abstract entity is a concept that has no material referent, (b) abstraction focuses on only some attributes of multicomponent stimuli, and (c) an abstract idea applies to many particular instances of a category. The first refers to instances, the second to attributes of instances, and the third to classes of instances. Concrete mental representations consist of modal images for instances, equivalent attributes, and exemplars or episodes for categories. Abstract mental representations consist of amodal propositions for instances, distinctive attributes, and rules or prototypes or schema for categories. I first apply the taxonomy to words, pictures, and problems. The next section shows how categorization strategies combine with abstraction at the attribute, instance, and category levels. The subsequent section applies the taxonomy to hierarchical (subordinate, basic, superordinate) levels. A concluding section proposes directions for further development.
Varieties of Fame in Psychology
Authors: Roediger Henry L.
Published: November 2016

Fame in psychology, as in all arenas, is a local phenomenon. Psychologists (and probably academics in all fields) often first become well known for studying a subfield of an area (say, the study of attention in cognitive psychology, or even certain tasks used to study attention). Later, the researcher may become famous within cognitive psychology. In a few cases, researchers break out of a discipline to become famous across psychology and (more rarely still) even outside the confines of academe. The progression is slow and uneven. Fame is also temporally constricted. The most famous psychologists today will be forgotten in less than a century, just as the greats from the era of World War I are rarely read or remembered today. Freud and a few others represent exceptions to the rule, but generally fame is fleeting and each generation seems to dispense with the lessons learned by previous ones to claim their place in the sun.
Taking Advantage of Citation Measures of Scholarly Impact
Authors: Ruscio John
Published: November 2016

Professional decisions about hiring, tenure, promotion, funding, and honors are informed by assessments of scholarly impact. As a measure of influence, citations are produced by experts but accessible to nonexperts. The h index is the largest number h such that an individual has published at least h works cited at least h times apiece. This is easy to understand and calculate, as or more reliable and valid than alternative citation measures, and highly robust to missing or messy data. Striving for a large h index requires both productivity and influence, which provides healthy incentives for researchers striving for eminence through scientific impact. A number of factors that can influence h are discussed to promote the mindful use of what might otherwise be an ambiguous or misleading measure. The h index adds a transparent, objective component to assessments of scholarly impact, and even academic eminence, that merits at least two cheers.
The Spirituality of Sport and the Role of the Athlete in the Tennis Essays of David Foster Wallace
Authors: King Kyle R.
Published: November 2016

The well-known novelist and creative writer David Foster Wallace (1962–2008) belongs to a select group of “occasional sportswriters” whose writings about sport have influenced cultural discourse about tennis and animated future sports writing. Wallace uses three rhetorical tactics—providing knowledge to the reader as confidant, making meaning out of the athletic cliché, and translating the form of professional tennis into prose—that establish his cultural authority on tennis while positioning the athlete as a transcendent spiritual practitioner. This characterization redefines dominant understandings of the athlete’s relationship to religion and the spectator’s relationship to the athlete, while discarding the possibility of recognizing the athlete as citizen.
Medical Residents’ and Practicing Physicians’ e-Cigarette Knowledge and Patient Screening Activities
Authors: Geletko Karen W. , Myers Karen , Brownstein Naomi , Jameson Breanna , Lopez Daniel , Sharpe Alaine , Bellamy Gail R.
Published: November 2016

Purpose:

The purpose of this study was to compare medical residents and practicing physicians in primary care specialties regarding their knowledge and beliefs about electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). We wanted to ascertain whether years removed from medical school had an effect on screening practices, recommendations given to patients, and the types of informational sources utilized.

Methods:

A statewide sample of Florida primary care medical residents (n = 61) and practicing physicians (n = 53) completed either an online or paper survey, measuring patient screening and physician recommendations, beliefs, and knowledge related to e-cigarettes. χ2 tests of association and linear and logistic regression models were used to assess the differences within- and between-participant groups.

Results:

Practicing physicians were more likely than medical residents to believe e-cigarettes lower cancer risk in patients who use them as an alternative to cigarettes ( P = .0003). Medical residents were more likely to receive information about e-cigarettes from colleagues ( P = .0001). No statistically significant differences were observed related to e-cigarette knowledge or patient recommendations.

Conclusions:

Practicing primary care physicians are accepting both the benefits and costs associated with e-cigarettes, while medical residents in primary care are more reticent. Targeted education concerning the potential health risks and benefits associated with the use of e-cigarettes needs to be included in the current medical education curriculum and medical provider training to improve provider confidence in discussing issues surrounding the use of this product.
Cytohesin 1 regulates homing and engraftment of human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells
Authors: Rak Justyna , Foster Katie , Potrzebowska Katarzyna , Talkhoncheh Mehrnaz Safaee , Miharada Natsumi , Komorowska Karolina , Torngren Therese , Kvist Anders , Borg Åke , Svensson Lena , Bonnet Dominique , Larsson Jonas
Published: November 2016

Key Points

RNA interference screen targeted to primary human HSPCs identified CYTH1 as a crucial mediator of cell adhesion. CYTH1 is required for homing and proper bone marrow localization of HSPCs following transplantation.
Diagnosis and management of AML in adults: 2017 ELN recommendations from an international expert panel
Authors: Döhner Hartmut , Estey Elihu , Grimwade David , Amadori Sergio , Appelbaum Frederick R. , Büchner Thomas , Dombret Hervé , Ebert Benjamin L. , Fenaux Pierre , Larson Richard A. , Levine Ross L. , Lo-Coco Francesco , Naoe Tomoki , Niederwieser Dietger , Ossenkoppele Gert J. , Sanz Miguel , Sierra Jorge , Tallman Martin S. , Tien Hwei-Fang , Wei Andrew H. , Löwenberg Bob , Bloomfield Clara D.
Published: November 2016

The first edition of the European LeukemiaNet (ELN) recommendations for diagnosis and management of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in adults, published in 2010, has found broad acceptance by physicians and investigators caring for patients with AML. Recent advances, for example, in the discovery of the genomic landscape of the disease, in the development of assays for genetic testing and for detecting minimal residual disease (MRD), as well as in the development of novel antileukemic agents, prompted an international panel to provide updated evidence- and expert opinion-based recommendations. The recommendations include a revised version of the ELN genetic categories, a proposal for a response category based on MRD status, and criteria for progressive disease.
Widespread and dynamic translational control of red blood cell development
Authors: Alvarez-Dominguez Juan R. , Zhang Xu , Hu Wenqian
Published: November 2016

Key Points

Critical roles for dynamic translational control during terminal erythroid differentiation. RBM38 can regulate translation during terminal erythropoiesis.
Hypoxia-induced responses by endothelial colony-forming cells are modulated by placental growth factor
Authors: Hookham Michelle B. , Ali Imran H. A. , O’Neill Christina L. , Hackett Emer , Lambe Melanie H. , Schmidt Tina , Medina Reinhold J. , Chamney Sara , Rao Bharathi , McLoone Eibhlin , Sweet David , Stitt Alan W. , Brazil Derek P.
Published: November 2016

Background

Endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs), also termed late outgrowth endothelial cells, are a well-defined circulating endothelial progenitor cell type with an established role in vascular repair. ECFCs have clear potential for cell therapy to treat ischaemic disease, although the precise mechanism(s) underlying their response to hypoxia remains ill-defined.

Methods

In this study, we isolated ECFCs from umbilical cord blood and cultured them on collagen. We defined the response of ECFCs to 1% O2 exposure at acute and chronic time points.

Results

In response to low oxygen, changes in ECFC cell shape, proliferation, size and cytoskeleton phenotype were detected. An increase in the number of senescent ECFCs also occurred as a result of long-term culture in 1% O2. Low oxygen exposure altered ECFC migration and tube formation in Matrigel®. Increases in angiogenic factors secreted from ECFCs exposed to hypoxia were also detected, in particular, after treatment with placental growth factor (PlGF). Exposure of cells to agents that stabilise hypoxia-inducible factors such as dimethyloxalylglycine (DMOG) also increased PlGF levels. Conditioned medium from both hypoxia-treated and DMOG-treated cells inhibited ECFC tube formation. This effect was reversed by the addition of PlGF neutralising antibody to the conditioned medium, confirming the direct role of PlGF in this effect.

Conclusions

This study deepens our understanding of the response of ECFCs to hypoxia and also identifies a novel and important role for PlGF in regulating the vasculogenic potential of ECFCs.