bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Executive Functioning Profiles and Test Anxiety in College Students
Authors: O’Donnell Patrick S.
Published: April 2016

The current study attempted to answer whether a specific executive functioning profile for individuals with test anxiety exists and whether deficits in working memory are associated with an earlier onset of test anxiety. Two hundred eighty-four undergraduate students completed a survey on test anxiety and self-report measures of test anxiety and executive functioning. Executive functioning profiles were compared between test anxiety groups (below average, average, and above average) for differences in severity and pattern. Onset of test anxiety was analyzed in relation to working memory. Executive functioning profiles were found to significantly vary in severity and pattern based on level of test anxiety. Working memory varied significantly based on onset of test anxiety. These results suggest that deficits across multiple areas of executive functioning may provide a more robust etiology for test anxiety. In addition, working memory deficits may be an early indicator for the development of test anxiety.
Sales Organization Culture, Compensation Strategy and Firm Valuation
Authors: Madhani Pankaj M.
Published: April 2016

Many sales organizations today are focusing on their culture as a strategic tool, deciding what it should be, aligning with strategic goals, business strategy and sales compensation design. The culture of sales organization is comprised of fundamental principles and beliefs that are shared by its members and hence determines the norms that dictate how sales employees should think and behave. In addition to this, compensation systems promote behaviour of sales employees that ultimately becomes dominant behaviour in the sales organization. An effective sales performance supported by an appropriate compensation strategy and culture of sales organization plays a significant role in determining financial performance, enhancing valuation of the sales organizations and increasing competitive advantage in the market place. This research provides various frameworks and models for establishing relationship between organization culture and compensation structure and deriving its impact on sales performance. Study also provides numerous illustrations to calculate optimal compensation structure and corresponding organization culture to achieve maximum valuation of sales organization.
The shadow of future homeownership: the association of wanting to move into homeownership with labour supply
Authors: Lersch Philipp M , Uunk Wilfred
Published: April 2016

Previous research has shown that labour supply – especially of partnered women with supplemental incomes – is positively associated with homeownership status. This literature is advanced by testing whether wanting to move into homeownership before the actual entry into homeownership affects individuals’ labour supply in couples. The empirical analysis is based on longitudinal data from the British Household Panel Survey (1991–2008). Fixed-effects panel regression models are used to predict the labour supply of women and men separately. Labour supply changes associated with homeownership are found to mainly occur when individuals want to move into homeownership and prior to the actual entry into homeownership. When wanting to move into homeownership, women and men increase their labour supply, where women are more likely to take up work and men to increase work hours. For women, the association between wanting to move into homeownership and labour supply is moderated by regional house price changes.
Can I be Judged If I Don’t Remember My Sins? Questioning What Is Significant about Life after Death
Authors: Harris Harriet
Published: April 2016

We are preoccupied with memory and psychological continuity in what it would mean to survive one’s death, and so are challenged when our memories fade. If we test the philosophical focus on continuity with theological expectations of transformation, we can look for what emerges, rather than what is lost, even in the most memory-ravaging conditions.
An unusual case of underlying rilpivirine resistance in an antiretroviral-naïve man with AIDS
Authors: Skalweit Marion J
Published: April 2016

Primary resistance mutations to second generation HIV non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors are rare in HIV-infected persons in the US (estimated at 1.8%). We report an antiretroviral treatment (ART)-naïve patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) (CD4 cell count 20 cells/mm3, viral load 8439 copies/mL), who was infected with HIV-1 sub-type B virus containing a reverse transcriptase mutation, E138A, associated with rilpivirine resistance. Subsequently, he was initiated on a single tablet ART regimen containing an integrase inhibitor and developed immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS), presenting as Mycobacterium avium cervical adenitis. The patient went on to develop rifamycin-induced neutropenia during treatment of his opportunistic infection but later recovered his counts, and remains well on an integrase-based HIV regimen. His case illustrates the growing importance of archived resistance mutations including the less common E138A mutation, as well as the risk and rapid occurrence of IRIS in AIDS patients initiated on integrase inhibitors.
A prospective assessment of costs and benefits of renewable energy use in the European union
Authors: Resch Gustav , Welisch Marijke , Liebmann Lukas , Breitschopf Barbara , Held Anne
Published: April 2016

This article presents the outcomes of an assessment of expected costs and benefits of future renewable energy use in the European Union by 2020 and beyond. A binding European Union-wide renewable energy systems target of achieving at least 27% renewable energy systems share in gross final energy demand by 2030 was adopted by the Council of the European Union in October 2014. This has to be seen as an important first step in defining the framework for renewable energy systems post-2020. Other steps, like a clear concept for and an agreement on the effort sharing across Member States have to follow. For doing so, clarity on associated costs and benefits of the future renewable energy systems expansion across European Union Member States appears highly beneficial. The aim of this article is to contribute to the renewable energy systems policy debate, providing an indication of costs and benefits resulting from increased renewable energy systems deployment within the European Union in the 2020 and 2030 frameworks. Within the discussion of costs and benefits, we follow a standardized concept that takes into account the diversity of policies in force and depicts the cost and benefits of renewable energy systems deployment at different levels, avoiding double counting or mixing up of effects. The outcomes of the analysis presented here remain, however, incomplete, focussing on certain indicators and on a related cross-country comparison rather than presenting a complete overview on expected impacts of future renewable energy systems deployment within the European Union.
I am not an animal but I am a sexist: Human distinctiveness, sexist attitudes towards women, and perceptions of meaning in life
Authors: Roylance Christina , Abeyta Andrew A , Routledge Clay
Published: April 2016

Existential concerns relating to human physicality influence cultural worldviews and norms regarding women. When people are striving to bolster perceptions of meaning, they respond negatively to the aspects of the female body that serve as reminders that humans are animals. In the present research, we sought to further explore whether attitudes about human animality relate to attitudes about women. Specifically, we examined the association between beliefs about human–animal continuity and sexist attitudes. Since women serve as potent reminders that humans are biological creatures, we predicted that greater desire to perceive humans as distinct from other animals would be associated with higher levels of hostile and benevolent sexism among male participants. Results supported this hypothesis. We also tested and found support for the assumption that the belief that humans are distinct from and superior to other animals is associated with greater perceptions of meaning in life.
Cooperation as an Imperative Link in Upholding Sturdy Business Relations
Authors: Chalotra Vipul
Published: April 2016

Cooperation is an association of business partners, formed to assist each other in both good and bad times and is regarded as the apex silent body that assists the partners in dealing with contemporary business issues. This article explores the implications of cooperation among 44 owners/managers of small-scale industries (SSIs), 74 wholesalers and 120 retailers in the district of Udhampur in the state of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). A primary survey was conducted to gather data which, after being properly sanitized, were validated through factor analysis. The data, thereafter, were analyzed using multivariate tools for drawing meaningful conclusions. The results of hierarchal regression model and analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that cooperation enhances effectiveness and efficiency, promotes shared goals and values, promotes honesty and openness and endorses acquiescence between business parties in order to enhance business relationships. Further, it was observed that managers with different qualifications significantly differ with regard to formulating sturdy cooperative business relationships, whereas managers with different work experience do not differ significantly with regard to cooperative relations. The study reveals that cooperation in business leads to business growth and profitability.
Development and Validation of the Family Feedback on Child Welfare Services (FF-CWS)
Authors: Ayala-Nunes Lara , Jiménez Lucía , Hidalgo Victoria , Deković Maja , Jesus Saul
Published: April 2016

Objective:

The measurement of Family Feedback on Child Welfare Services (FF-CWS) is gaining prominence as an efficacy indicator and is coherent with concerns about family-centered practice and empowerment. The aim of this study was to develop and validate an instrument that would overcome the scarcity of psychometrically sound measures in this field.

Methods:

Following item construction and selection, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses with a sample of 263 Spanish (52%) and Portuguese (48%) caregivers of children involved with CWS were conducted.

Results:

Three subscales were identified: Intervention Efficacy, Perception of Workers, and Satisfaction with the Intervention Process. In general, all dimensions showed good reliability, convergent, and criterion-related validity results. Multigroup analyses confirmed measurement invariance for both countries.

Conclusions:

The FF-CWS Questionnaire is a brief self-report measure that can be a useful assessment tool to frontline practitioners, agency managers, and policy makers for program evaluation and planning.
Intelligent knowledge recommending approach for new product development based on workflow context matching
Authors: Liu Tingyu , Wang Huifen , He Yong
Published: April 2016

The variety of product types/specifications in discrete manufacturing enterprises makes new product development tasks real tough work. Therefore, it is a common strategy for workers to refer to similar outcomes (e.g. the product drawings and work instructions) of former new product development tasks. In order to discover similar historic outcome, this article presents an intelligent approach to measure the cohesion between workflow contexts in process-aware information systems and exploit it for runtime task knowledge recommendation. The measure of context similarity is preceded by (1) modeling the task context with ontology theory and (2) using the ontology matching algorithms to evaluate the similarities between context ontology entities of different tasks. Specifically, the term frequency–inverse document frequency approach is utilized to compute the context cohesion between current task and historic ones, and the tasks with the highest similarity will be recommended to the task executors, along with their outcomes. Comparative evaluation is performed using term frequency–inverse document frequency, Levenshtein, and Affine Gaps, and results demonstrate that the proposed approach achieves good precision and recall and is efficient in task knowledge recommendation.
Cross-National Gender Gaps in Political Knowledge
Authors: Fortin-Rittberger Jessica
Published: April 2016

Although the majority of studies on political knowledge document lingering gender-based differences in advanced industrial democracies, most contributors have drawn such conclusions from a single or a handful of countries, using limited batteries of political information items. Exploiting a pooled data set of the Comparative Study of Electoral Systems encompassing 106 post-election surveys in forty-seven countries between 1996 and 2011, this article demonstrates that survey instrument–related factors, such as question format and content, as well as the overall difficulty of questions, are more consequential in shaping the size of gender gaps in political knowledge than institutional factors, such as electoral rules or opportunity structures. The research design of this article draws from almost three hundred different items measuring factual political knowledge using the broadest country coverage and most comprehensive approach to measurement to date.
Using G-Theory to Enhance Evidence of Reliability and Validity for Common Uses of the Paulhus Deception Scales
Authors: Vispoel Walter P. , Morris Carrie A. , Kilinc Murat
Published: April 2016

We applied a new approach to Generalizability theory (G-theory) involving parallel splits and repeated measures to evaluate common uses of the Paulhus Deception Scales based on polytomous and four types of dichotomous scoring. G-theory indices of reliability and validity accounting for specific-factor, transient, and random-response measurement error supported use of polytomous over dichotomous scores as contamination checks; as control, explanatory, and outcome variables; as aspects of construct validation; and as indexes of environmental effects on socially desirable responding. Polytomous scoring also provided results for flagging faking as dependable as those when using dichotomous scoring methods. These findings argue strongly against the nearly exclusive use of dichotomous scoring for the Paulhus Deception Scales in practice and underscore the value of G-theory in demonstrating this. We provide guidelines for applying our G-theory techniques to other objectively scored clinical assessments, for using G-theory to estimate how changes to a measure might improve reliability, and for obtaining software to conduct G-theory analyses free of charge.
Resource-Based Analysis of the Survival of Independent Web-Native News Ventures
Authors: Massey Brian L.
Published: April 2016

Independently owned news websites are an emerging but understudied part of the changing news business. This study applied resource-based theory to an analysis of the longevity of these mostly small-scale entrepreneurial ventures. The results show that as an aggregate sample, the sites do not fit the theory’s expectations. Disaggregating the sample by the sites’ basic business model uncovered clear differences between for-profits and nonprofits in the effect of resources on their longevity. The sharpest difference was for “product reputation,” which had inverse effects between the two groups.
The compression and friction of tubular rubber seal under the curved surface loading
Authors: Ke Yuchao , Yao Xuefeng , Yang Heng , Ma Yinji , Liu Yinghua
Published: April 2016

In this paper, the mechanical behaviors of the tubular rubber seal under the curved surface loading are studied by the experimental and finite element methods. First, both the compressive behaviors and the frictional performance of the tubular rubber seal under the plane loading are studied experimentally. Second, two-dimensional finite element model about the tubular rubber seal is established and the constitutive model parameters of the rubber seal material are extracted. Finally, the mechanical behavior of the tubular rubber seal under the curved surface loading is investigated by means of the approximation analysis method and the finite element simulation. The results indicate that the physical parameters based on the experiment and finite element method simulation of the tubular rubber seal under the plane loading can describe the mechanical behavior under the curved surface loading. Both the strain distribution of the tubular rubber seal and the driving torque are slightly influenced by the friction coefficient between the tubular rubber seal and the curved surfaces. The influence factor of the friction coefficient on the driving torque is proposed, which plays an important role in the design and evaluation of advanced tubular rubber seal.
How far right local party organizations develop
Authors: Ellinas Antonis A , Lamprianou Iasonas
Published: April 2016

The literature on far right parties emphasizes the importance of party organization for electoral persistence. Yet, a lot is still unknown about the organizational development of these parties. This article examines the microdynamics of organizational development and explores why some party organizations succeed and others fail. It focuses on the local rather than the national level and analyzes grassroots activities rather than party leadership, institutions, or members. To analyze organizational development, the article uses an original and unique data set of 3594 activities of the Greek Golden Dawn (GD) supplemented by interviews with the GD leadership and activists as well as with evidence from hundreds of newspaper reports. It uses this evidence to trace local party activism and to document variation in local organizational outcomes. To account for why some local party organizations succeed or fail, it suggests that, rather than solely following electoral logic, the organizational development of far right parties also relates to the way they respond to challenges from antifascist groups and state authorities.
Students’ verbal exchanges and dynamics during Sport Education
Authors: Brock Sheri , Hastie Peter
Published: April 2016

In physical education (PE), children frequently participate in teams and the exchanges that transpire shape their perspectives and subsequently, influence learning. While Sport Education is one pedagogical model designed to enhance social exchanges through team membership, we previously identified the need for additional research to monitor these exchanges more closely. This study examined the verbal exchanges of students in two fourth grade PE classes participating in a season of team handball. One mixed-skill team from Class 1 (a heterogeneous skill league) and one low-skill team from Class 2 (a homogeneous skill league) were selected for in-depth study. Data collection included videotaped lessons from each team. Data analysis produced descriptive results of the frequency and focus of students’ individual exchanges. Our results indicated middle-to-high status students had higher rates of exchanges at the commencement of the season segments. Students in the homogeneous league had higher frequencies of exchanges than those in the heterogeneous league, and the focus of exchanges predominantly included on-task exchanges for the skill, in both skill leagues. This study highlights the potential for varied rates of exchange, based on student characteristics and unit design. Careful consideration for these factors should be employed to determine optimal learning environments for students.
The Image and the Void
Authors: Minh-ha Trinh T
Published: April 2016

This article addresses an expansive approach to the ‘visual’, including discussions of the forms of invisibility generated within the visible, the power of the unseen, or of blanks, holes and chairs kept empty.
Collegial “nests” can foster critical thinking, innovative ideas, and scientific progress
Authors: Schwab Andreas , Starbuck William H.
Published: April 2016

How can management and strategy scholars organize to generate more productive, more innovative, and more impactful research? With appropriate cultures and leaders, small and egalitarian discussion groups that we call “collegial nests” can become powerful generators of innovative ideas and creators of extraordinary scholars. Collegial nests need cultures that free participants to think critically, to cherish new viewpoints, and to speak freely without fear of ridicule. They also need leaders who model such cultures and facilitate frequent discussions. Two case examples illustrate how productive collegial nests can create better science and better scientists. To generate scientific innovation and progress on a large scale, many autonomous groups tackling related issues are desirable. Modern communication technology is making it feasible for groups to operate over large distances and to coordinate with each other at very low cost. Collegial nests offer greater potential for enhancing scholarly productivity and innovation than do attempts to regulate scholarship via hierarchical structures. Multiplicity can lower the probability of wasting resources on low-yield paths, egalitarian control can reduce the influence of vested interests, and a combination of shared goals and partial autonomy can integrate enthusiasm with sensible risk taking.
Research With Latina and Black Women for an HIV Prevention Campaign
Authors: Colarossi Lisa G. , Hazel Daphne S. , Collier Kate L. , DeSouza Sheldon , Pappas Les
Published: April 2016

We present the process of developing a social marketing campaign to promote HIV testing with Black and Latina women living in neighborhoods with high rates of HIV. We developed partnerships with organizations serving women at high risk for contracting or transmitting HIV as well as with experts in prevention, marketing, and research. Focus groups with community organizations’ staff members helped create motivational messages. These data led us to focus on health promotion attitudes toward enhancing well-being rather than on fear-based messages about disease and risk behaviors. Additionally, we determined that to shape norms and self-efficacy, messenger images should be women that the focus audience would identify with as a model of their “best self”—attainable and positive. A series of messages were then pretested to Latina and Black women receiving services at the partner organizations. They confirmed that they did not want to read negative messages or see portraits of women representing their community in a stigmatizing way. Women also related barriers to testing such as fear of medical providers, stigma, and child welfare intervention, which would impact the costs and benefits of testing. Motivations to get tested included availability of health-care services in addition to testing and a “strong/positive” messenger for testing. Materials were distributed in locations that would be coordinated with HIV prevention services of testing, education, and linkage to care. A small-scale evaluation indicated that 14% of women recognized the campaign and 33% of those women said it influenced their behavior.
Stereotactic Radiosurgery for the Treatment of Primary and Metastatic Spinal Sarcomas
Authors: Miller Jacob A. , Balagamwala Ehsan H. , Angelov Lilyana , Suh John H. , Djemil Toufik , Magnelli Anthony , Qi Peng , Zhuang Tingliang , Godley Andrew , Chao Samuel T.
Published: April 2016

Purpose:

Despite advancements in local and systemic therapy, metastasis remains common in the natural history of sarcomas. Unfortunately, such metastases are the most significant source of morbidity and mortality in this heterogeneous disease. As a classically radioresistant histology, stereotactic radiosurgery has emerged to control spinal sarcomas and provide palliation. However, there is a lack of data regarding pain relief and relapse following stereotactic radiosurgery.

Methods:

We queried a retrospective institutional database of patients who underwent spine stereotactic radiosurgery for primary and metastatic sarcomas. The primary outcome was pain relief following stereotactic radiosurgery. Secondary outcomes included progression of pain, radiographic failure, and development of toxicities following treatment.

Results:

Forty treatment sites were eligible for inclusion; the median prescription dose was 16 Gy in a single fraction. Median time to radiographic failure was 14 months. At 6 and 12 months, radiographic control was 63% and 51%, respectively. Among patients presenting with pain, median time to pain relief was 1 month. Actuarial pain relief at 6 months was 82%. Median time to pain progression was 10 months; at 12 months, actuarial pain progression was 51%. Following multivariate analysis, presence of neurologic deficit at consult (hazard ratio: 2.48, P < .01) and presence of extraspinal bone metastases (hazard ratio: 2.83, P < .01) were associated with pain relief. Greater pain at consult (hazard ratio: 1.92, P < .01), prior radiotherapy (hazard ratio: 4.65, P = .02), and greater number of irradiated vertebral levels were associated with pain progression.

Conclusions:

Local treatment of spinal sarcomas has remained a challenge for decades, with poor rates of local control and limited pain relief following conventional radiotherapy. In this series, pain relief was achieved in 82% of treatments at 6 months, with half of patients experiencing pain progression by 12 months. Given minimal toxicity and suboptimal pain control at 12 months, dose escalation beyond 16 Gy is warranted.
Bubbling cell death: A hot air balloon released from the nucleus in the cold
Authors: Chang Nan-Shan
Published: April 2016

Cell death emanating from the nucleus is largely unknown. In our recent study, we determined that when temperature is lowered in the surrounding environment, apoptosis stops and bubbling cell death (BCD) occurs. The study concerns the severity of frostbite. When exposed to severe cold and strong ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, people may suffer serious damages to the skin and internal organs. This ultimately leads to limb amputations, organ failure, and death. BCD is defined as “formation of a single bubble from the nucleus per cell and release of this swelling bubble from the cell surface to extracellular space that causes cell death.” When cells are subjected to UV irradiation and/or brief cold shock (4℃ for 5 min) and then incubated at room temperature or 4℃ for time-lapse microscopy, each cell releases an enlarging nuclear gas bubble containing nitric oxide. Certain cells may simultaneously eject hundreds or thousands of exosome-like particles. Unlike apoptosis, no phosphatidylserine flip-over, mitochondrial apoptosis, damage to Golgi complex, and chromosomal DNA fragmentation are shown in BCD. When the temperature is increased back at 37℃, bubble formation stops and apoptosis restarts. Mechanistically, proapoptotic WW domain-containing oxidoreductase and p53 block the protective TNF receptor adaptor factor 2 that allows nitric oxide synthase 2 to synthesize nitric oxide and bubble formation. In this mini-review, updated knowledge in cell death and the proposed molecular mechanism for BCD are provided.
Capturing extracellular matrix properties in vitro: Microengineering materials to decipher cell and tissue level processes
Authors: Abdeen Amr A , Lee Junmin , Kilian Kristopher A
Published: April 2016

Rapid advances in biology have led to the establishment of new fields with tremendous translational potential including regenerative medicine and immunoengineering. One commonality to these fields is the need to extract cells for manipulation in vitro; however, results obtained in laboratory cell culture will often differ widely from observations made in vivo. To more closely emulate native cell biology in the laboratory, designer engineered environments have proved a successful methodology to decipher the properties of the extracellular matrix that govern cellular decision making. Here, we present an overview of matrix properties that affect cell behavior, strategies for recapitulating important parameters in vitro, and examples of how these properties can affect cell and tissue level processes, with emphasis on leveraging these tools for immunoengineering.
Repeated Episodes of Remote Ischemic Preconditioning for the Prevention of Myocardial Injury in Vascular Surgery
Authors: Thomas Kate N. , Cotter James D. , Williams Michael J. A. , van Rij André M.
Published: April 2016

Objectives:

Remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) involves the phenomenon whereby transient episodes of limb ischemia induced by cuff inflation provide cardioprotection. The effectiveness of RIPC in vascular surgery is uncertain. This randomized, controlled trial was designed to investigate the potential of two episodes of RIPC to provide myocardial protection in patients undergoing vascular surgery.

Design and Methods:

Patients undergoing an elective major vascular procedure (open abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair, endovascular aneurysm repair, and lower-limb bypass grafting) were randomized into RIPC group (n = 42) or control group (n = 43). Remote ischemic preconditioning consisted of three 5-minute cycles of upper limb cuff occlusion with 5-minutes of reperfusion between cycles, both 24 hours and immediately before surgery. Control patients received a similarly timed sham treatment. Cardiac high-sensitivity troponin T (hsTnT) concentration was measured in plasma at 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours post-surgery, and at 72, 96, and 120 hours in patients still in hospital. Perioperative clinical adverse events and readmissions within ∼12 months were recorded.

Results:

Myocardial injury was demonstrated perioperatively in 43% of RIPC patients and 49% of controls, as defined by a significant hsTnT elevation. These incidences were statistically equivalent (odds ratio 0.79, 95% confidence interval 0.33-1.85, P = .58). The 48-hour area under the curve for hsTnT change from baseline also revealed no difference (RIPC vs control median: 5.3 vs 7.5 ng/L.h, P = .22). Each group had one type I and one type II myocardial infarction and no difference in complications or readmissions.

Conclusions:

This trial could not confirm that two episodes of RIPC reduce myocardial injury following vascular surgery. Along with other equivocal studies, it appears that RIPC does not induce a clear benefit in vascular surgery.
A Unique Case of Aortic Thrombosis With Elevated Lipoprotein(a)
Authors: Ostertag-Hill Claire A. , Titus Jessica M. , Skeik Nedaa
Published: April 2016

Aortic thrombosis is a rare condition that can be caused by atherosclerosis, aneurysms, thrombophilia, vasculitis, trauma, and malignancy. Symptoms vary based on thrombus size and site of embolization. It can lead to devastating complications including acute limb ischemia, myocardial infarction, stroke, and other target organ ischemia. Diagnosis is based on clinical presentation, imaging findings, and relevant laboratory work-up. Although not well defined, management for aortic thrombosis includes surgical intervention, such as thromboembolectomy, and conservative measures, such as anticoagulation. Here, we present a unique case of aortic thrombosis causing acute lower limb ischemia with elevated lipoprotein(a) and other comorbidities. Based on our literature review, our article is the first to establish the connection between elevated lipoprotein(a) and aortic thrombosis in the nonaneurysmal aorta.
Integrating decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory model and failure mode and effect analysis to determine the priority in solving production problems
Authors: Lee Yu-Cheng , Chu Wen-Hua , Chen Quan , Tsai Sang-Bing , Wang Jiangtao , Dong Weiwei
Published: April 2016

Failure mode and effect analysis has been applied in manufacturing and service industries but can still be improved. Failure mode and effect analysis is a common tool used to evaluate risk priority number; however, numerous scholars have doubted the effectiveness of failure mode and effect analysis and have thus proposed methods for correcting failure mode and effect analysis from its conventional formula. Because implemented actions can determine or influence resource allocation and its effects, completing one corrective action can occasionally simultaneously improve various failure modes. In this study, failure mode and effect analysis and decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory were integrated to correct failure modes and increase their effectiveness. First, failure mode and effect analysis was employed to identify the items for improvement. Second, decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory was adopted to examine the reciprocal influences and causality among these items. Finally, the priority for improving the items was proposed. By combining the advantages of failure mode and effect analysis and decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory, this research method complemented the shortcomings of the two techniques. According to the empirical research of this case study in which decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory was employed to analyze the causality among the items of the failure modes, the malfunction of production lines can be solved faster and more effectively compared with merely considering the size of risk priority number values.
Traffic design and signal timing of staggered intersections based on a sorting strategy
Authors: Cai Zhengyi , Xiong Manchu , Ma Dongfang , Wang Dianhai
Published: April 2016

A staggered intersection is a special type of intersection in a road network. Its geographical characteristics consist of two T-legged intersections that cause the lost time per cycle to become longer than at cross intersections under conventional signal control, thus leading to low intersection efficiency. This article shows that the problem can be eliminated at the left–right type of staggered intersection by channelization and signal phasing, based on a sorting strategy and pre-signal, which reduce the amount of lost time during the signal cycle using the split distance as the sorting area. VISSIM was used to model and analyze the proposed method as well as the conventional method for comparison purposes. The simulation revealed that the proposed method reduced the average delays and maximum queue lengths in each movement and for the entire intersection, both in the peak hours and in the off-peak hour.
Non-uniform sampling finite-time control for networked control systems via event-driven transmission
Authors: Liu Lijia , Liu Xianli , Liu Yuanhong
Published: April 2016

This article investigates the networked finite-time control problem for a class of continuous-time linear systems. A novel event-driven data transmission scheme is invoked to reduce the network loads. Moreover, the non-uniform sampling triggered by sampling jitter or the fault of hold circuits is taken into account. By employing an input-delay approach, the underlying system is first reformulated to linear system with time-varying delays. Based on the Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional method, the stabilizing controller is then designed in the finite-time control sense, such that the closed-loop system is finite-time bounded. Potential and advantage of the developed techniques are demonstrated by a numerical example and an application to damping boring bar system.
Sound attenuation analysis of water-filled perforated pipe silencers using three-dimensional time-domain computational fluid dynamics approach
Authors: Zhou Xu , Ji Zhenlin
Published: April 2016

The three-dimensional time-domain computational fluid dynamics approach is employed to calculate and analyze the sound attenuation behavior of water-filled perforated pipe silencers. Transmission loss predictions from the time-domain computational fluid dynamics approach and the frequency-domain finite element method agree well with each other for the straight-through and cross-flow perforated pipe silencers without flow. Then, the time-domain computational fluid dynamics approach is used to investigate the effects of flow velocity, diameter, and porosity of orifices on the sound attenuation behavior of the silencers. The numerical predictions demonstrate that the flow increases the transmission loss, especially at high frequencies. Based on the above analysis, partially plugged straight-through perforated pipe silencer is proposed to improve the sound attenuation performance by increasing the flow velocity through the orifices. In order to eliminate the pass frequency of the perforated pipe silencers and improve the sound attenuation performance in mid- to high-frequency range, a folded straight-through perforated pipe silencer is designed and its sound attenuation behavior is analyzed numerically using the time-domain computational fluid dynamics approach.
Thermal analysis of a single-storey livestock barn
Authors: Hamilton James , Negnevitsky Michael , Wang Xiaolin
Published: April 2016

Theoretical thermal analysis of the barned livestock environment affords owners the opportunity to explore process efficiency, energy substitution and animal response ahead of costly and time-consuming field trials. In this article, a thermodynamic model is developed and experimentally validated against a homogeneous, cage-free, single-storey broiler barn. The simulation predictions agree well with the experimental results. The average root mean square error is 5.8% for the temperature prediction and 6.3% for the humidity prediction. The model further allows assessment of heating and ventilation efficiency, demonstrating the significant energy savings available to insulated barned structures, with such efficiency measures recommended ahead of any consideration for energy substitution.
Enhanced active dynamic balancing of the planar robots using a three-rotating-bar balancer
Authors: Wang Kun , Li Ke , Zhang Qiuju , Luo Minzhou , Chen Peng
Published: April 2016

The concept of full compensation against the resultant shaking forces and moments for arbitrary robots using a single active dynamic balancing mechanism is first addressed. And the application principle and general balancing conditions of the active dynamic balancing mechanism are presented. With the purpose of providing detailed description of these problems, a compact planar 3-degree-of-freedom active dynamic balancing mechanism is proposed. The active balancer is composed of three independent rotating bars with their respective actuators. The rotations of the three bars could change their center of gravity positions and then generate balancing forces for the unbalanced robots. Moreover, the changing of the angular acceleration of the bars can also generate a dynamic torque to balance the shaking moment. In order to present more detail of the balancing theory, the structure and kinematic and dynamic analysis of the proposed balancing mechanism are given. Finally, numerical examples illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed three-rotating-bar balancer.
What’s in a frame? A comparative content analysis of American, British, French, and Russian news articles
Authors: Godefroidt Amélie , Berbers Anna , d’Haenens Leen
Published: April 2016

Drawing on the agenda-setting and framing literature, this quantitative content analysis examines how le Figaro, the Daily Telegraph, the New York Times, and the Moscow Times covered the Syrian war before and after the chemical weapon attack of 21 August 2013. Overall, the nationalization frame was most frequent, followed by the responsibility and conflict frames. Despite the large impact of the conflict, the morality, human interest, and economic impact frames were hardly present. Although all newspapers followed a similar pattern, the Daily Telegraph was the most heavily framed. Moreover, the stories barely provided any context while discussing several solutions largely in keeping with the suggestions of the governments. These findings raise questions about the neutrality of the newspapers and their impact on public opinion.
Gynaecomastia
Authors: Thoroughgood Vasandhara
Published: April 2016

Gynaecomastia refers to the benign enlargement of glandular breast tissue in men. It is defined by the presence of more than 2 cm of breast tissue and can affect males of any age between infancy and old age. True gynaecomastia must be distinguished from pseudo-gynaecomastia where, although the breasts appear enlarged due to excess adipose tissue, there is in fact no actual breast tissue present. In many cases gynaecomastia is an incidental finding when patients are examined for other reasons, however, occasionally patients present with gynaecomastia as the primary problem. Most cases are physiological; however, it is important to identify pathological causes, as these require specific treatment. This article aims to cover the causes of gynaecomastia and an approach to assessment and its management.
Repair Potential of Matrix-Induced Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate and Matrix-Induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation for Talar Osteochondral Repair
Authors: Desando Giovanna , Bartolotti Isabella , Vannini Francesca , Cavallo Carola , Castagnini Francesco , Buda Roberto , Giannini Sandro , Mosca Massimiliano , Mariani Erminia , Grigolo Brunella
Published: April 2016

Objective

The low regenerative potential of cartilage contributed to the development of different cell therapies aimed to improve the clinical outcome in young patients with Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus (OLT). This study is designed to assess the regenerative potential of autologous matrix-induced Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (mBMAC) and matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation (mACI) evaluating, on a small number of osteochondral biopsies, the expression of some catabolic, inflammatory, and pain mediators.

Design

Twenty-two patients with OLT were analyzed in this study; 7 were treated with mACI and 15 with mBMAC. Informed consent was obtained from all the patients. Clinical assessments were performed pre-operatively and at 12, 24, and 36 months after surgery using the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS). Histology and immunohistochemistry were used to assess cartilage repair at 24 months. Data were analyzed using non-parametric Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney and Spearman tests.

Results

A remarkable improvement in AOFAS score was noticed for both treatments up to 36 months; however, patients treated with mACI reported the best AOFAS score. Various degrees of tissue remodeling were observed by histological analysis for both cell strategies. However, mBMAC treatment showed a higher expression of some fibrous and hypertrophic markers compared to mACI group. A mild positivity for nerve growth factor, as pain mediator, was noticed for both treatments.M

Conclusions

Our findings demonstrated the best histological and clinical results following mACI treatment since different fibrotic and hypertrophic features were evident in the mBMAC group at 24-month follow-up.
People as Intuitive Retaliators
Authors: Gollwitzer Mario , Braun Judith , Funk Friederike , Süssenbach Philipp
Published: April 2016

Two studies explore whether people intuitively approve or rather disapprove of a victim personally retaliating against an offender. Participants in Study 1 were introduced to the case of Ameneh Bahrami, an Iranian woman who had been blinded by a jealous suitor and who was given the opportunity to blind her perpetrator in return. Results show that participants who were instructed to complete a secondary task (cognitive load condition) reacted most positively to Ameneh Bahrami’s decision to retaliate. Participants in Study 2 read vignettes about fictitious offenses. Participants low in need for cognition approved more of the victim retaliating against the offender when they adopted an intuitive (vs. a reflective) mind-set. Together, these findings demonstrate that people intuitively approve of retaliation carried out by victims.
Quality of life in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Mathai Stephen C. , Ghofrani Hossein-Ardeschir , Mayer Eckhard , Pepke-Zaba Joanna , Nikkho Sylvia , Simonneau Gérald
Published: April 2016

Patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) experience debilitating symptoms that have a negative impact on their quality of life (QoL) in terms of physical capability, psychological wellbeing and social relationships. The use of QoL measurement tools is important in the assessment of treatment efficacy and in guiding treatment decisions. However, despite the importance of QoL, particularly to the patient, it remains under-reported in clinical studies of CTEPH therapy. CTEPH is unique in pulmonary hypertension in that it is potentially curable by surgery; however, a proportion of patients either have residual PH following surgery or are not operable. Although some patients with CTEPH have been treated off-label with pulmonary arterial hypertension-specific therapies, there have been few randomised controlled trials of these therapies in patients with CTEPH. Moreover, in these trials QoL outcomes are variably assessed, and there is little consistency in the tools used. Here we review the assessment of QoL in patients with CTEPH and the tools that have been used. We also discuss the effect of surgical intervention and medical therapies on QoL. We conclude that further studies of QoL in patients with CTEPH are needed to further validate the optimal QoL tools.
Microarray analysis in pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Hoffmann Julia , Wilhelm Jochen , Olschewski Andrea , Kwapiszewska Grazyna
Published: April 2016

Microarrays are a powerful and effective tool that allows the detection of genome-wide gene expression differences between controls and disease conditions. They have been broadly applied to investigate the pathobiology of diverse forms of pulmonary hypertension, namely group 1, including patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension, and group 3, including pulmonary hypertension associated with chronic lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. To date, numerous human microarray studies have been conducted to analyse global (lung homogenate samples), compartment-specific (laser capture microdissection), cell type-specific (isolated primary cells) and circulating cell (peripheral blood) expression profiles. Combined, they provide important information on development, progression and the end-stage disease. In the future, system biology approaches, expression of noncoding RNAs that regulate coding RNAs, and direct comparison between animal models and human disease might be of importance.
The two-wavelength laser cleaning methodology; theoretical background and examples from its application on CH objects and monuments with emphasis to the Athens Acropolis sculptures
Authors: Pouli Paraskevi , Papakonstantinou Evi , Frantzikinaki Katerina , Panou Anastasia , Frantzi Giasemi , Vasiliadis Costantinos , Fotakis Costas
Published: April 2016

The two-wavelength laser cleaning methodology has been introduced and developed in order to meet demanding cleaning challenges in CH. The innovation lies on the combined use of two laser beams, allowing thus control of the laser ablation effective regimes towards an efficient and safe cleaning result. A series of studies on technical samples and real fragments aimed at defining and refining this methodology in order to ensure that the original surface, including its details and historic traces, will be safeguarded. In this paper related research and applications will be presented in an attempt to enlighten the associated laser ablation processes, as well as the potential cleaning applications in CH field. Laser-assisted removal of pollution accumulations from the Athens Acropolis monuments and sculptures is a unique highlight on the use of this methodology in practice. IESL-FORTH in collaboration with the Acropolis Restoration Service and the Acropolis Museum has developed an innovative cleaning methodology and a prototype laser cleaning system, which since 2002 have been introduced to the everyday conservation practice and will be presented in this paper.