bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
International Market Segmentation Based on Consumer–Product Relations
Authors: Ter Hofstede Frenkel , Steenkamp Jan-Benedict E.M. , Wedel Michel
Published: December 2018

With increasing competition in the global marketplace, international segmentation has become an ever more important issue in developing, positioning, and selling products across national borders. The authors propose a methodology to identify cross-national market segments, based on means–end chain theory. The methodology offers the potential for integrating product development and communication strategies by linking product characteristics to consumer benefits and values. For that purpose, a model is developed that identifies relations between the consumer and the product at the segment level, which increases the actionability and responsiveness of the segments. The model accounts for different response tendencies, across and within countries, that commonly hamper identification of cross-national segments. A Monte Carlo study shows that the model performs well in recovering the parameters across a wide range of conditions. The segmentation model is applied to consumer data on yogurt collected in 11 countries of the European Union. Four international segments are identified and found to be related to consumer sociodemographics, consumption patterns, media consumption, and personality. The authors show that the model has high predictive validity and outperforms the standard clustering approaches traditionally employed in international segmentation.
Making Complementary Choices in Consumption Episodes: Highlighting versus Balancing
Authors: Dhar Ravi , Simonson Itamar
Published: December 2018

Although most research on consumer decision making has focused on individual choices, the majority of products are purchased and consumed with other products (e.g., an appetizer, an entree, and a dessert) as part of the same purchase and/or consumption episode (e.g., a meal). The authors investigate consumption episode effects, whereby the attribute levels of one component affect the chosen levels of another component (e.g., the effect of consuming a tasty, unhealthy entree on the experience and likelihood of choosing a tasty, unhealthy dessert). Building on a distinction between goals and resources, the authors propose that (1) in episodes involving a tradeoff between a goal (e.g., pleasure) and a resource (e.g., money), consumers tend to highlight either goal fulfillment or resource conservation by selecting similar attribute levels for items consumed in the same episode (e.g., a tasty, expensive appetizer and a tasty, expensive entree on one occasion and less tasty, less expensive items on another occasion) and (2) if each choice involves a tradeoff between two goals (e.g., pleasure and good health), consumers tend to balance attribute levels (e.g., in each episode have one tasty item and one healthy item). These predictions are supported in a series of studies, with a total of approximately 2650 respondents, that also examined rival explanations and the boundaries of consumption episode effects. The authors discuss the theoretical and practical implications of the findings.
How and When Factual Ad Claims Mislead Consumers: Examining the Deceptive Consequences of Copy × Copy Interactions for Partial Comparative Advertisements
Authors: Barone Michael J. , Miniard Paul W.
Published: December 2018

The current research considers how ad claims that are factual may mislead consumers. This possibility is examined in the context of advertisements that present a combination of comparative and noncomparative information. In particular, the authors explore how and when processing of the former type of ad information can cause deceptive beliefs about the latter type of ad information, an outcome referred to as “copy × copy” interactions. The authors examine alternative processes that may underlie copy × copy interactions, as well as when these interactions are most likely to occur by testing their robustness across potential moderators. The authors also provide evidence regarding the magnitude and seriousness of copy × copy interactions and present implications for public policy and directions for additional research.
Market Motives, Distinctive Capabilities, and Domestic Inertia: A Hybrid Model of Innovation Generation
Authors: Chandrashekaran Murali , Mehta Raj , Chandrashekaran Rajesh , Grewal Rajdeep
Published: December 2018

The authors develop and test a model of innovation in which the generative process of innovation is fostered by a balance of three forces: market motives, distinctive capabilities, and domestic inertia. The authors distinguish between potential and realized competition and, focusing on interinnovation duration as the dependent variable, develop hypotheses to capture the effects of competition, feedback from the marketplace, and product characteristics on innovation dynamics. Weekly diffusion and innovation data for 11 computer software products available on the Internet, involving more than 100 new versions in the period 1991 to 1994, are used to test the hypotheses. Model comparison tests provide strong support for the hybrid model over models based on restricted conceptualizations. Domestic inertia considerations explain 45% of the variance in interinnovation duration, and market motives and distinctive capabilities explain 33% and 22%, respectively. The authors support the expectation of a U-shaped effect of potential competition and find that realized competition increases interinnovation duration. Products that are more customer-driven witness faster innovation, and the diffusion rate of a current innovation plays a significant role in future innovative activities: It moderates the effect of potential competition and interacts with product bundling to delay innovation. Furthermore, the authors find that product bundling per se does not influence innovation activities and that, when a product is enjoying a high rate of diffusion, competition does not hasten the arrival of innovations.
Reply to “A Note on Ramaswamy, Chatterjee, and Cohen's Latent Joint Segmentation Models”
Authors: Ramaswamy Venkatram , Chatterjee Rabikar , Cohen Steven H.
Published: December 2018

Walker and Damien (1999) assert that the latent segmentation model developed by Ramaswamy, Chatterjee, and Cohen (1996) is nonidentifiable. In response, the authors show that this assertion is incorrect, because the model considered by Walker and Damien is not equivalent to Ramaswamy, Chatterjee, and Cohen's model. The authors discuss and clarify issues of identifiability pertaining to latent segmentation models.
Motivation and opportunity for conflict-induced migration: An analysis of Syrian migration timing
Authors: Schon Justin
Published: December 2018

How do civilians decide when to leave their homes during conflict? Existing research emphasizes the role of violence in driving civilian migration decisions. Yet, migration timing often does not correspond with the timing of violence. To explain this discrepancy, I argue that violence fits within broader considerations of motivation and opportunity to migrate. Witnessing violence triggers post-traumatic growth that delays narrative ruptures and the subsequent migration that they motivate. Civilians who have ‘wasta’ – an advantaged social position resulting from some combination of money and connections – have the opportunity to migrate safely. Civilians who possess both motivation and opportunity migrate earlier. I use over 170 structured interviews with Syrian refugees in Turkey to test this argument. Descriptively, respondents who did not witness violence (early motivation) left their homes seven months earlier, on average. Respondents with wasta (opportunity) left their homes one full year earlier, on average. Respondents who both did not witness violence (early motivation) and had wasta left their homes approximately one and a half years earlier, on average. Cox proportional hazard models reveal that respondents only migrated earlier in the conflict if they had both early motivation and opportunity. Open-ended responses from the interviews support the quantitative results and help explain their causal mechanisms. These findings contribute to understandings of conflict-induced migration, civil war, and the Syrian conflict.
Prejudice, Integrativeness, and Motivation to Learn a Second Language: A Mediation Analysis
Authors: Nicol Adelheid AM , De France Kalee
Published: December 2018

The role of prejudice in second-language acquisition has received little attention but may be related to an individual’s motivation to learn another language. For instance, learners who express high Social Dominance Orientation or Right-Wing Authoritarianism, constructs reflective of prejudice and worldviews that endorse hostility towards or fear of outgroup members, may be less motivated to learn a second language. Moreover, increased Social Dominance Orientation and/or Right-Wing Authoritarianism scores may be associated with reduced motivation to learn a second language due to the impact of prejudice on Integrativeness, which is the extent to which a person has an interest in learning a second language and in interacting with members who speak that second language. The current study sought to test these associations with a sample of 110 college participants learning French as a second language in a bilingual institution. Integrativeness was found to fully mediate the relations between Social Dominance Orientation, Right-Wing Authoritarianism, and Motivation to learn a second language. Results suggest the importance of examining the role of prejudice in second-language acquisition.
The aesthetics of memory: Ruins, visibility and witnessing
Authors: Palacios Margarita
Published: December 2018

This article presents the findings of research regarding the transformation of the meaning of ex-detention and extermination sites in Chile. In the context of the increasing cost of land and the ‘urban cleansing’ associated with global processes of neoliberalization, the author reflects in particular upon the dynamics of visibility and erasure that accompany the life of these recent ruins, and the various politics of their memorialization. From a critical phenomenological perspective the author argues that ruins of sites of violence have the capacity to interrupt, transgress and even contradict narratives about them; furthermore, the relation between affect, ethics and aesthetics is discussed so as to raise questions about the possibility of witnessing and the challenges of memorialization.
A Tale of the Half Full or Half Empty Cup: Core Values in Local Government Organizations in Practice
Authors: Barth Thomas J. , Chattopadhyay Jacqueline
Published: December 2018

Scholars argue that core values must operate throughout an organization’s layers to support that organization’s performance and legitimacy. Yet, little evidence exists—especially at the local level—on whether public managers work to infuse core values throughout their units and on whether such efforts trickle down through these organizations. This article reports suggestive evidence on these questions from original interviews and surveys with leaders and staff in two North Carolina local governments. Leaders report taking several steps to weave core values into their units; however, subordinates report uncertainty about these values, impeding their application in the organization’s work.
Construct Validity and Internal Consistency of the Catalan Version of the Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire in Young People With Chronic Pain
Authors: Castarlenas Elena , Solé Ester , Galán Santiago , Racine Mélanie , Jensen Mark P. , Miró Jordi
Published: December 2018

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the construct validity and reliability of the Catalan version of the Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ) in a sample of young people with chronic pain. Two hundred twenty-seven young people with chronic pain (age range = 12–24 years, mean age = 17.87 years, SD = 3.08 years) participated in this study. The findings support a one-factor structure of the PSEQ, and the scale demonstrated excellent internal consistency reliability in our sample. In addition, convergent validity was supported by a loading of average variance extracted (AVE) greater than .50, and discriminant validity was supported by the finding that self-efficacy and pain-related anxiety AVEs were greater than the shared variance between both constructs. Further support for the measure’s construct validity was shown by (1) significant and positive associations between PSEQ scores and adaptive coping strategies and (2) negative and significant associations between PSEQ scores and maladaptive coping strategies and catastrophizing thoughts. The results of this study indicate that the Catalan version of the PSEQ is reliable and valid when used to assess pain self-efficacy beliefs in young people with chronic pain.
Increasing Medical Adherence in Elderly With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review
Authors: Mehdi Hazavehei Seyed Mohammad , Khoshravesh Sahar , Taheri-Kharameh Zahra
Published: December 2018

Background

One of the most common problems that the elderly with chronic diseases, especially diabetes, faces is lack or poor medical adherence. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of interventions in increasing medical adherence in the elderly with type 2 diabetes.

Methods

The databases of Cochrane, Embase, PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, and web of science were searched until April 2017 free from time and language limitation. In review, only randomized controlled trial (RCT) design studies were investigated. The studies of interest were evaluated from three perspectives: educational intervention with or without theories/models of health education and promotion, educational intervention (individual or group education), and noneducational intervention to increase medical adherence. The qualification of RCTs was evaluated through Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Tool.

Results

Finally, five studies were considered in this systematic review. Educational interventions were used in all of the studies, and in three of these studies, noneducational interventions such as support group, psychiatric consultation, and phone consultation were implemented along with educational intervention. In all studies, medical adherence in the intervention group increased when compared with the control group or basic conditions ( p < .05). All RCTs had high risk of bias.

Conclusion

This review provides evidence which must be considered in the elderly with diabetes a combination of the educational and noneducational methods to increase medical adherence. It is necessary to conduct studies with higher quality to assess the efficacy of interventions.
Patient Perspective on Factors Contributing to Nonadherence to Dietary Therapy: A Qualitative Study in Multicultural Population of Kedah, Malaysia
Authors: Mohd Suan Mohd Azri , Asli Siti Ertina , Abdullah Wan Muhana , Shafie Zainab , Johari Nor Hafiza
Published: December 2018

The purpose of this study is to explore diabetes patients’ views on various factors contributing to nonadherence to dietary therapy. Using a qualitative approach, 17 in-depth interviews were conducted with type 2 diabetes mellitus patients at Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah, Kedah state, Malaysia. All interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and translated before analysis. Thematic content analysis was used and three main themes emerged. The main factors that affect diabetes patients’ dietary adherence were “individual preference,” “family support,” and “social and cultural activities.” Difficulty to change the existing meals, poor family support, practice of eating out, and social and cultural gatherings were among the factors that influenced diabetes patients’ adherence toward dietary therapy. Most challenges were related to the social role of food in the multicultural population. Therefore, in addition to the family and community involvement, dietary therapy should be individualized to improve patient adherence.
Feasibility and Efficacy of Decision Aids to Improve Decision Making for Postmastectomy Breast Reconstruction: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Berlin Nicholas L. , Tandon Vickram J. , Hawley Sarah T. , Hamill Jennifer B. , MacEachern Mark P. , Lee Clara N. , Wilkins Edwin G.
Published: December 2018

Background. The decision-making process for women considering breast reconstruction following mastectomy is complex. Research suggests that fewer than half of women undergoing mastectomy have adequate knowledge and make treatment decisions that are concordant with their underlying values. This systematic review assesses the feasibility and efficacy of preoperative decision aids (DAs) to improve the patient decision-making process for breast reconstruction. Methods. A systematic review was performed using PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Cochrane Databases published prior to January 4, 2018. Studies that assessed the impact of a DA on patient decision making for breast reconstruction were identified. The effect of preoperative DAs on decisional conflict in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was measured with inverse variance-weighted mean differences (mean difference [MD] ± 95% confidence interval [CI]). Results. Among 1299 unique articles identified, 1197 were excluded after reviewing titles and abstracts against selection criteria. Among the 17 studies included in this review, 11 assessed the efficacy of DAs for breast reconstruction and 6 additional studies described the development and usability of these DAs. Studies suggest that DAs reduce patient-reported decisional conflict (MD, –4.55 [95% CI, –8.65 to –0.45], P = 0.03 in the fixed-effects model and MD, –4.70 [95% CI, –10.75 to 1.34], P = 0.13 in the random-effects model). Preoperative DAs also improved patient satisfaction with information and perceived involvement in the decision-making process. Conclusions. The existing literature suggests that DAs reduce decisional conflict, improve self-reported satisfaction with information, and improve perceived involvement in the decision-making process for women considering breast reconstruction.
Comparing Strategies for Modeling Competing Risks in Discrete-Event Simulations: A Simulation Study and Illustration in Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Degeling Koen , Koffijberg Hendrik , Franken Mira D. , Koopman Miriam , IJzerman Maarten J.
Published: December 2018

Background. Different strategies toward implementing competing risks in discrete-event simulation (DES) models are available. This study aims to provide recommendations regarding modeling approaches that can be defined based on these strategies by performing a quantitative comparison of alternative modeling approaches. Methods. Four modeling approaches were defined: 1) event-specific distribution (ESD), 2) event-specific probability and distribution (ESPD), 3) unimodal joint distribution and regression model (UDR), and 4) multimodal joint distribution and regression model (MDR). Each modeling approach was applied to uncensored individual patient data in a simulation study and a case study in colorectal cancer. Their performance was assessed in terms of relative event incidence difference, relative absolute event incidence difference, and relative entropy of time-to-event distributions. Differences in health economic outcomes were also illustrated for the case study. Results. In the simulation study, the ESPD and MDR approaches outperformed the ESD and UDR approaches, in terms of both event incidence differences and relative entropy. Disease pathway and data characteristics, such as the number of competing risks and overlap between competing time-to-event distributions, substantially affected the approaches’ performance. Although no considerable differences in health economic outcomes were observed, the case study showed that the ESPD approach was most sensitive to low event rates, which negatively affected performance. Conclusions. Based on overall performance, the recommended modeling approach for implementing competing risks in DES models is the MDR approach, which is defined according to the general strategy of selecting the time-to-event first and the corresponding event second. The ESPD approach is a less complex and equally performing alternative if sufficient observations are available for each competing event (i.e., the internal validity shows appropriate data representation).
Assessment of the mechanical properties of aluminium metal matrix composite: A review
Authors: Maurya Manish , Kumar Sudhir , Bajpai Vivek
Published: December 2018

In the present scenario, composites are in huge demand in the industries due to their light weight, wear resistance, stiffness and high strength. The functional and structural properties were improved according to the need of industry. Particulate reinforcement is one of the methods to enhance the strength, ductility and toughness of the composites. Stir casting or friction stir processing technique was used to fabricate the metal matrix composite. For technology seekers it is very difficult to select appropriate techniques because there is lack of bench mark standards and industry experiences. The novel contribution of this paper is to provide systematic approaches and methodology which enable academic user as well as industry persons to select appropriate method and parameters for the fabrication of the metal matrix composite. This study guides the new researchers to fabricate and characterize the mechanical properties of aluminium-based composites reinforced with Al2O3, B4C, SiC, TiC, graphite and TiB2 particles.
Why Artificial Intelligence Will Not Outsmart Complex Knowledge Work
Authors: Pettersen Lene
Published: December 2018

The potential role of artificial intelligence in improving organisations’ performance and productivity has been promoted regularly and vociferously since the 1960s. Artificial intelligence is today reborn out of big business, similar to the occurrences surrounding big data in the 1990s, and expectations are high regarding AI’s potential role in businesses. This article discusses different aspects of knowledge work that tend to be ignored in the debate about whether or not artificial intelligence systems are a threat to jobs. A great deal of knowledge work concerns highly complex problem solving and must be understood in contextual, social and relational terms. These aspects have no generic nor universal rules and solutions and, thus, cannot be easily replaced by artificial intelligence or programmed into computer systems, nor are they constructed based on models of the rational brain. In this respect, this article draws on philosopher Herbert Dreyfus’ thesis regarding artificial intelligence.
Cu (II) coordination modification of aramid fiber and effect on interfacial adhesion of composites
Authors: Li Ting , Wang Zengxiao , Yu Junrong , Wang Yan , Zhu Jing , Hu Zuming
Published: December 2018

In this article, active groups were introduced to the surface of aramid fiber by building a Cu2+ bridge between the aramid fiber and polyethyleneimine (PEI) to improve adhesion in composites between the aramid fiber and the matrix such as epoxy resin. The changes in the structure and properties of the aramid fiber were verified with Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and the single-fiber pull-out test. The FTIR and XPS results show a significant change in the structure and morphology of the aramid fiber after modification. The results of the single-fiber pull-out test show that the interfacial shear strength (IFSS) of epoxy composites reinforced with PEI-grafted aramid fiber increases by 48.8% compared with the IFSS of epoxy composites reinforced with untreated fiber. Thus, the proposed method can improve the interfacial bonding of composites by creating a copper ion bridge between the aramid fiber and PEI.
Parent Perceptions of Initial Feeding Experiences of Children Born With Cleft Palate in a Rural Locale
Authors: Snyder Meghan , Ruscello Dennis M.
Published: December 2018

Background and Hypothesis:

An early problem frequently present in infants born with cleft lip (CL), cleft lip and palate (CLP), or cleft palate (CP) is difficulty feeding. In many cases, health-care professionals are not familiar with the appropriate feeding techniques and unable to instruct parents correctly. This problem can be particularly significant in rural areas where health-care resources are limited and children with clefts are seen on an infrequent basis. The purpose of the investigation was to study the initial feeding experiences of parents who reside in rural areas and whose children were born with CL, CLP, or CP.

Method:

A 29-item questionnaire was developed and administered to 26 families. The results were analyzed and summarized descriptively.

Results and Conclusion:

The majority of parents reported initial difficulties with feeding their infants. They indicated the need to seek information and assistance from various sources. As a result of the findings, an informational resource was developed to inform rural health-care professionals of the early feeding issues of children born with CL, CLP, or CP.
Common problems of plausibility and probabilism
Authors: Wittlin Maggie
Published: December 2018

In this response to Allen and Pardo’s Relative Plausibility and Its Critics, I argue that while relative plausibility presents certain advantages over probabilism, it also fails to avoid several problems that the authors attribute to probabilism. I note that relative plausibility can be understood as probabilism under certain constraints that characterise a typical trial. I then argue that two of Allen and Pardo’s central problems with probabilism—the absence of an objective means for measuring the strength of evidence and the conjunction problem—apply to both probabilism and relative plausibility, although neither problem poses a serious threat to accuracy. I conclude that each theory, despite these problems, is useful for certain purposes—relative plausibility better models how advocates present cases and how jurors process information; probabilism serves as a valuable tool for modelling relevance and prejudice.
Embodying the nation: The production of sameness and difference in national-day parades
Authors: Gabriel Marie-Christin , Lentz Carola , N’Guessan Konstanze
Published: December 2018

National-day parades constitute a common format of embodying the nation. Composed of numerous distinct bodies of persons with individual characteristics (being short or tall) and multilayered societal roles (being a nurse, a father etc.), parades primarily evoke an image of sameness, while they also display differences. Focusing on the preparation of the Burkinabè national-day parades, this paper explores practices of disciplining bodies and making them appear similar and/or different. We ask how national-day parades mirror and produce images of the nation and how they treat differences like sex, ethnic belonging and occupation. The paper highlights that performances of the nation, as produced through civilian parades, are co-productions of all actors involved. Moreover, the focus on the rehearsals reveals that they generate a group experience for both organisers and participants, arguing that parades should not only be understood as ephemeral events, but as social interactions creating group experiences that have lasting impact.
“If only they could understand me!” Acute hospital care experiences of patients with Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Jensen Anders Møller , Pedersen Birthe D , Olsen Rolf Bang , Wilson Rhonda L , Hounsgaard Lise
Published: December 2018

Patients with dementia as co-morbidity find hospital stays challenging, because the focus is primarily on the somatic cause for the admission, with less emphasis on the needs pertaining to dementia-related support and care. This results in poorer holistic outcomes, compared to patients without dementia, and an increased cost for the healthcare sector and, society as a whole. The quest is to make hospitals a dementia-friendly context, because this is likely to lead to better patient outcomes for people with dementia generally; however, further research is required to understand where gains may be made in this regard. This study conducted participant observation research strategies to follow patient journeys with Alzheimer’s disease admitted to orthopaedic wards, to learn about their experiences as patients. Longitudinal data were gathered by following patients on both day and evening shifts within a specialist orthopaedic hospital ward, commencing at patient admission and concluding at time of discharge. The data were interpreted from a phenomenological-hermeneutic perspective, inspired by Ricoeur’s interpretation theory. The study revealed a communication style among nurses who failed to take into account the comprehensive needs of patients with dementia, in terms of timely information exchange and clinical relevance. Patients expressed the desire to be more fully engaged in the care decision-making, together with indicating their appreciation of the work of the health professionals who cared for them. The data revealed that the process of getting to know the patient at the beginning of every shift left little room to alleviate patients’ experienced distress, caused by being in hospital. This resulted in patients who were less involved in the caring situation, or, if a patient took the initiative to act, intentions ended up being misinterpreted as disruptive behaviour. The findings have relevance for staff and ward management who are interested to strive to enhance the patient journey as a dementia-friendly hospital.
Against coloniality: Toward an epistemically insurgent curriculum
Authors: Fregoso Bailón Raúl Olmo , De Lissovoy Noah
Published: December 2018

This study interrogates the colonial and Western epistemology underlying mainstream curricula and proposes a decolonial approach that can build an epistemically insurgent curriculum that takes into account non-Western epistemologies. We begin with an analysis of coloniality in Western culture and knowledge systems, including in education. Then, building on the epistemological challenge proposed within decolonial literary works by Pablo Neruda, Eduardo Galeano, and Josías López Gómez, we describe how history and literature curricula can foreground non-dominant saberes (ways of knowing) that call into question the monopoly on understanding claimed by Western modes of reason, and how they can participate in the ethical and analectical project of attending to the being and agency of those who have been marginalized. This approach can help teachers and students to participate in building a sophisticated global border thinking and can provide them with new conceptual tools to make sense of their own realities.
Functional status measures for the COPD patient: A practical categorization
Authors: Lareau Suzanne Claire , Blackstock Felicity Clair
Published: December 2018

The objective of this study is to review available functional status measures (FSMs) validated for use in the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) population and categorizing the measures by their commonalities to formulate a framework that supports clinicians in the selection and application of FSMs. A literature review identifying valid and reliable measures of functional status for people with COPD was undertaken. Measures were thematically analyzed and categorized to develop a framework for clinical application. A variety of measures of activity levels exist, with 35 included in this review. Thematic categorization identified five categories of measures: daily activity, impact, surrogate, performance-based, and disability-based measures. The vast variety of FSMs available for clinicians to apply with people who have COPD may be overwhelming, and selection must be thoughtfully based on the nature of the population being studied/evaluated, and aims of evaluation being conducted, not simply as a standard measure used at the institution. Psychometric testing is a critical feature to a strong instrument and issues of reliability, validity, and responsiveness need to be understood prior to measurement use. Contextual nature of measures such as language used and activities measured is also important. A categorical framework to support clinicians in the selection and application of FSMs has been presented in this article.
Acute and Chronic Effects of Whole-Body Vibration on Balance, Postural Stability, and Mobility in Women With Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Freitas Eduardo D. S. , Frederiksen Christine , Miller Ryan M. , Heishman Aaron , Anderson Mark , Pardo Gabriel , Fjeldstad Cecilie , Bemben Debra A. , Bemben Michael G.
Published: December 2018

The acute and chronic effects of whole-body vibration (WBV) on balance, postural stability, and mobility were evaluated in 21 women with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) randomly assigned to control (n = 9) or experimental (n = 12) groups. To assess acute responses, outcome variables were assessed before and immediately after a session of WBV (five 30-second bouts of vibration; frequency 30 Hz; amplitude 3 mm; 1-minute rest intervals) during their first visit (week 1) using field (Timed-Up and Go; 500-m walk; Berg Balance Scale) and laboratory tests (NeuroCom Balance Master and EquiTest System—Sensory Organization Test, Adaptation Test, Limits of Stability, Modified Clinical Test for Sensory Integration of Balance, Unilateral Stance, Tandem Walk, Step/Quick Turn). Acute responses were also measured after their fifth visit for only the Adaptation and Sensory Organization tests. For the chronic responses, participants were exposed to the WBV protocol once a week, for a total of 5 weeks, and then at week 5, were reassessed with the Adaptation and the Sensory Organization tests. Neither acute nor chronic exposure to the WBV protocols used in this study resulted in significant improvements ( P > .05) in balance, postural stability, or mobility as assessed by either field or laboratory tests. However, based on promising results from other studies that have used WBV with other clinical populations, either alone or in conjunction with exercise, additional studies that increase the dose of vibration exposure, both acutely and chronically, should be conducted in patients with MS.
Working Towards the Promise of Participatory Action Research: Learning From Ageing Research Exemplars
Authors: Benjamin-Thomas Tanya Elizabeth , Corrado Ann Marie , McGrath Colleen , Rudman Debbie Laliberte , Hand Carri
Published: December 2018

Within research addressing issues of social justice, there is a growing uptake of participatory action research (PAR) approaches that are ideally committed to equitable participation of community members in all phases of the research process in order to collaboratively enact social transformation. However, the utilization of such approaches has not always matched the ideal, with inconsistencies in how participation and action are incorporated. “Participation” within various research processes is displayed differently, with the involvement of community members varying from full participation to their involvement as simply participants for data collection. Similarly, “action” is varyingly enacted from researchers proposing research implications for policy and practice to the meaningful involvement of community members in facilitating social change. This inconsistency in how PAR is utilized, despite widespread publications outlining key principles and central tenets, suggests there are challenges preventing researchers from fully embracing and enacting the central tenets of equitable participation and social transformation. This article intends to provide one way forward, for scholars intending to more fully enact the central tenets of PAR, through critically discussing how, and to what extent, the principles of PAR were enacted within 14 key exemplars of PAR conducted with older adults. More specifically, we display and discuss key principles for enacting the full commitment of PAR, highlight a critical appraisal guide, critically analyze exemplars, and share strategies that researchers have used to address these commitments. The critical appraisal guide and associated research findings provide useful directions for researchers who desire to more fully embrace commitments and practices commensurate with enacting the promise of PAR for equitable collaboration and social transformation.
Wear reliability of spur gear based on the cross-analysis method of a nonstationary random process
Authors: Yuan Zhe , Wu Yuhou , Zhang Ke , Dragoi Mircea-Viorel , Liu Minghe
Published: December 2018

Tooth wear is one of the main reasons that lead to gear failure. The amount of wear is nonlinearly related to temperature, lubrication, load, and various random factors of materials, with obvious randomness and slow time-varying characteristics. Wear is a nonstationary random process, which has no accurate mathematical model or accurate reliability estimation method. This article proposes a reliability model of spur gears which works under a nonstationary random process that exceeds the limit, and the time-varying wear reliability is studied based on the level crossing analysis method. The wear at tooth root is revised in the calculation under the nonstationary random process, and the reliability curves are obtained afterwards. An experiment is carried out on the spur gear meshing test rig, and the reliability model and wear performance are verified and analyzed. Results obtained with the proposed tooth surface wear reliability model match well with the experimental results. Therefore, this model is applicable for situations under a nonstationary random process. The new method makes contribution to the assessment of gear running status and is of great significance in the prediction of wear life under a nonstationary random process.
Complex dispersion solutions for guided waves and properties of non-propagating waves in a piezoelectric spherical plate
Authors: Zhang Xiaoming , Li Zhi , Yu Jiangong
Published: December 2018

The vibration modes of an elastic plate are usually divided into propagating and non-propagating (evanescent) kinds. Non-propagating wave modes are very important for guided wave inspection of defect size and shape. But it is difficult to obtain the complex solutions of the transcendental dispersion equation, corresponding to the non-propagating wave. In this article, we present an improved Legendre polynomial method to calculate the complex-valued dispersion and study properties of the non-propagating wave in a piezoelectric spherical plate. Comparisons with other related studies are conducted to validate the correctness of the presented method. The complete dispersion and attenuation curves are plotted in three-dimensional frequency-complex wave number space. The influences of material piezoelectricity and radius–thickness ratio on non-propagating waves in piezoelectric spherical plates are investigated. The amplitude distributions of the electric potential and displacement are also discussed in detail. All the results presented in this work can provide theoretical guidance for ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation and are promising to be applied to improve the resolution of piezoelectric transducers.
The Rotating Glass Illusion: Material Appearance Is Bound to Perceived Shape and Motion
Authors: Tamura Hideki , Nakauchi Shigeki
Published: December 2018

We report a novel illusion in which a rotating transparent and refractive triangular prism (glass object) is perceived as being made of a specular reflective material (mirror), and simultaneously, its direction of rotation (clockwise or anticlockwise) is also misperceived. Our findings suggest that physical motion strongly influences viewers’ judgements of material in some situations.
Study protocol testing toolkit versus usual care for implementation of screening, brief intervention, referral to treatment in hospitals: a phased cluster randomized approach
Authors: Newhouse Robin , Janney Michelle , Gilbert Anne , Agley Jon , Bakoyannis Giorgos , Ferren Melora , Mullins C. Daniel , Johantgen Meg , Schwindt Rhonda , Thoele Kelli
Published: December 2018

Background

Alarming rates of unhealthy alcohol, non-prescription drug, and tobacco use highlight the preventable health risks of substance abuse and the urgent need to activate clinicians to recognize and treat risky use. Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) is an efficacious and effective processes to identify, reduce and prevent risky use of substances. This paper describes a study protocol testing implementation of a toolkit to enhance use of SBIRT in acute care settings to recognize and address patient risky alcohol, drug, and tobacco use.

Methods

This study uses a phased cluster randomized mixed method design to test nurse-led implementation of an SBIRT toolkit on one medical-surgical unit at 14 acute care hospitals (critical access, community and academic health centers). Medical surgical units will be randomly assigned to implement the SBIRT toolkit (engagement and communication, assessment, planning, training, and evaluation tools) or a wait-list usual care control group that begins implementation 6 months later. Primary endpoints are documentation of SBIRT delivery in randomly selected electronic medical records at baseline, 6 months and 12 months after group 1 implementation (61 records per unit per time period, N = 2562). Two surveys will be administered to unit nurses: smoking cessation activities will be assessed at baseline and SBIRT use will be assessed on randomly-selected days after implementation. In addition, site coordinators will complete a baseline capacity assessment, an implementation fidelity survey post-implementation, and a structured interview at the end of the study. Multilevel mixed-effects effects logistic and linear models will be used to analyze use of SBIRT and cost outcomes.

Discussion

This study will guide subsequent SBIRT implementation, dissemination, and spread across rural, community and urban healthcare systems throughout the state and beyond. The long-term objective is to activate clinicians to recognize, intervene and refer people with risky substance use to improve health and decrease substance use disorders.

Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03560076
An introduction to Marchenko methods for imaging
Authors: Lomas Angus , Curtis Andrew
Published: December 2018

Geoscientists often have little information about earth’s subsurface heterogeneities prior to mapping them using seismic or other geophysical data. Marchenko methods are a set of novel, data-driven techniques that help us to project surface seismic data to points in the subsurface, to form seismograms as though they had been created at each point. In so doing, Marchenko methods account for many of the complex, multiply reflected seismic wave interactions that take place in the real earth’s subsurface. The resulting seismograms are the information required to create subsurface images that are more accurate than standard methods. Our aim is to introduce these concepts with the minimum amount of mathematics required to understand how the Marchenko method can iterate to a solution and to provide a well-commented, easily editable MATLAB code package for demonstration and training purposes. Green’s function estimation using the Marchenko method is first illustrated for a constant velocity, variable density, 1D medium, with results that indicate a near-perfect match when compared with true, synthetically modeled solutions. Similar quality results are shown for variable velocity, 2D Green’s function estimation. Finally, we determine how these estimates could be used to create images of the subsurface, which, when compared with standard methods, contain reduced contamination due to multiple-related artifacts. Our code package includes the 2D data set required to reconstruct the relevant figures that we present, and it allows for experimentation with the implementation of the Marchenko method and the application of Marchenko imaging.
Image-domain wavefield tomography for VTI media
Authors: Li Vladimir , Guitton Antoine , Tsvankin Ilya , Alkhalifah Tariq
Published: December 2018

Processing algorithms for transversely isotropic (TI) media are widely used in depth imaging and typically bring substantial improvements in reflector focusing and positioning. Here, we develop acoustic image-domain tomography (IDT) for reconstructing VTI (TI with a vertical symmetry axis) models from P-wave reflection data. The modeling operator yields an integral wave-equation solution, which is based on a separable dispersion relation and contains only P-waves. The zero-dip NMO velocity ([Formula: see text]) and anellipticity parameter [Formula: see text] are updated by focusing energy in space-lag images obtained by least-squares reverse-time migration (LSRTM). Application of LSRTM helps mitigate aperture- and illumination-induced artifacts in space-lag gathers and improve the robustness of [Formula: see text]-estimation. The impact of the trade-off between [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] is reduced by a three-stage inversion algorithm that gradually relaxes the constraints on the spatial variation of [Formula: see text]. Assuming that the depth profile of the Thomsen parameter [Formula: see text] is known at two or more borehole locations, we employ image-guided interpolation to constrain the depth scale of the parameter fields and of the migrated image. Image-guided smoothing is also applied to the IDT gradients to facilitate convergence towards geologically plausible models. The algorithm is tested on synthetic reflection and borehole data from the structurally complicated elastic VTI Marmousi-II model. Although the initial velocity field is purely isotropic and substantially distorted, all three relevant parameters ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text]) are estimated with sufficient accuracy. The algorithm is also applied to a line from a 3D ocean-bottom-node data set acquired in the Gulf of Mexico.
Influence of Sex, Menstrual Cycle, and Menopause Status on the Exercise Pressor Reflex
Authors: SMITH JOSHUA R. , KOEPP KATLYN E. , BERG JESSICA D. , AKINSANYA JOSHUA G. , OLSON THOMAS P.
Published: December 2018

In this review, we highlight the underlying mechanisms responsible for the sex differences in the exercise pressor reflex (EPR), and, importantly, the impact of sex hormones and menopausal status. The EPR is attenuated in premenopausal women compared with age-matched men. Specifically, activation of the metaboreflex (a component of the EPR) results in attenuated increases in blood pressure and sympathetic vasomotor outflow compared with age-matched men. In addition, premenopausal women exhibit less transduction of sympathetic outflow to the peripheral vasculature than men. In stark contrast, postmenopausal women exhibit an augmented EPR arising from exaggerated metaboreflex-induced autonomic and cardiovascular reflexes. We propose that metaboreflex-induced autonomic and cardiovascular changes associated with menopause majorly contribute to the elevated blood pressure response during dynamic exercise in postmenopausal women. In addition, we discuss the potential mechanisms by which sex hormones in premenopausal women may impact the EPR as well as metaboreflex.
Editorial
Authors: Gough Melinda J. , Kelly Erin E. , Ostovich Helen M. , Johnson Sarah E.
Published: December 2018

This editors' introduction to volume 21, issue 2 (December 2018) calls attention to anticipated future content and offers a memorial to the late Andrew Bretz, a valued Early Theatre contributor and colleague.