bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Link between Emotional Intelligence and Creativity
Authors: Geher Glenn , Betancourt Kian , Jewell Olivia
Published: June 2017

Empathic accuracy, or the ability to accurately know the emotional states of others, is a basic aspect of emotional intelligence. The current study explored the relationship between a standard measure of emotion-detection ability, the reading the mind in the eyes test, along with spontaneous measures of creativity (as well as the Big Five personality traits). To measure spontaneous creativity, participants were asked to come up with brief captions for two New Yorker cartoons. Three independent judges rated all captions along 10 continuous creativity dimensions. Participants also completed Gosling’s brief measure of the Big Five. In a sample of 265 adults from around the world, the reading the mind in the eyes emerged as significantly and positively predictive of 9 of the 10 creativity indices. Regression analyses demonstrated that these relationships existed after controlling for gender and age of participant. Further, of the Big Five traits, conscientiousness emerged as negatively related to several indices of creativity. Implications for the relationship between social-perceptual processes (e.g., empathic accuracy) and social-productive processes (e.g., spontaneous creativity) are discussed.
Community-led initiatives’ everyday politics for sustainability – Conflicting rationalities and aspirations for change?
Authors: Fischer Anke , Holstead Kirsty , Hendrickson Cary Y , Virkkula Outi , Prampolini Alessandra
Published: June 2017

Community-based initiatives are widely seen to play an essential role in a societal move towards a low carbon, sustainable future. As part of this, there is often an assumption that such initiatives share expectations (i.e. a guiding vision) of large-scale change and that their activities contribute to this change. Here, we ask to what extent this assumption reflects members’ own perspectives on and interpretations of the aims and ambitions of their community initiative, and what this implies for a larger vision of sustainability transitions. In doing so, we respond to calls for a better understanding of the ‘everyday politics’ of what could be seen as processes of societal transitions in practice. We conducted qualitative interviews with members of five community initiatives in Italy, Finland and the UK. In each of these initiatives, we found a range of aspirations (i.e. outcome-related aims) and rationalities (i.e. procedural guiding principles). While some of these aims and ways of working were compatible with each other, we identified three major tensions that could be found across our study initiatives. These tensions centred on (i) the degree of politicisation of the initiative, (ii) the extent to which financial aims should take priority and (iii) questions of organisational form. We interpret these tensions as conflicting expressions of larger, societal-level discourses, and argue that this diversity and resulting conflicts need to be acknowledged – both in transition research and at the practical level – to avoid co-optation and disenfranchisement.
A review of the design and analysis of reinforced thermoplastic pipes for offshore applications
Authors: Yu Kuang , Morozov Evgeny V , Ashraf Muhammad A , Shankar Krishna
Published: June 2017

The development and recent applications of reinforced thermoplastic pipes for offshore oil and gas applications are reviewed. The design and materials of reinforced thermoplastic pipes are presented. Reinforced thermoplastic pipes have been increasingly accepted as an important alternative to traditional metallic offshore pipes due to their distinct advantages such as a higher stiffness to weight ratio, improved fatigue resistance and better corrosion resistance. Their potential applications can be extended to deep-water risers. Loading conditions which could be experienced by them for offshore applications are described. Existent studies and analyses of offshore pipes under these loading conditions are discussed. Based on this discussion, this article outlines the limitations of the current studies of reinforced thermoplastic pipes and future work to improve the analysis and design of reinforced thermoplastic pipes is recommended.
Teachers’ Technology Competency and Technology Integration in 1:1 Schools
Authors: Sauers Nicholas J. , McLeod Scott
Published: June 2017

Although school 1:1 computing programs have been around for over 20 years, the literature base on such programs remains sparse. Despite limited research on efficacy and implementation, 1:1 initiatives are increasingly popular in P-12 schools. The impact of these programs is not yet certain. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact that 1:1 schools had on teachers’ technology competency and instructional integration. Propensity score matching was used in order to have similar control (non-1:1) and treatment (1:1) schools in the sample. The final sample included 110 high schools and 922 secondary school teachers in the state of Iowa. Data were collected from public databases as well as from teacher surveys. The final data analysis was conducted using a multilevel model with three separate models for each of the dependent variables (competency and integration). Results indicated that teachers in schools with 1:1 student computing initiatives report higher levels of personal technology competency and classroom integration of learning technologies.
Postmortem Whole Exome Sequencing Identifies Novel EIF2B3 Mutation With Prenatal Phenotype in 2 Siblings
Authors: Song Hannah , Haeri Sina , Vogel Hannes , van der Knaap Marjo , Van Haren Keith
Published: June 2017

Objective:

We describe 2 male siblings with a severe, prenatal phenotype of vanishing white matter disease and the impact of whole exome sequencing on their diagnosis and clinical care.

Methods:

The 2 children underwent detailed clinical characterization, through clinical and laboratory testing, as well as prenatal and postnatal imaging. Biobanked blood from the 2 siblings was submitted for whole exome sequencing at Baylor Laboratories.

Results:

Both male children had abnormal prenatal neuroimaging and suffered precipitous, fatal neurologic decline. Neuropathologic findings included subependymal pseudocysts, microcalcifications, and profound lack of brain myelin and sparing of peripheral nerve myelin. A novel homozygous mutation in the EIF2B3 gene (c.97A>G [p.Lys33Glu]) was found in both children; both parents were heterozygous carriers. The family subsequently conceived a healthy child via in vitro fertilization with preimplantation mutation screening.

Conclusion:

These histories expand the prenatal phenotype of eIF2b-related disorders and poignantly illustrate the impact that unbiased genomic sequencing can have on the diagnosis and medical decision making for families affected by childhood neurodegenerative disorders.
The Role of Family Support in the Explanation of Patterns of Desistance Among Individuals Convicted of a Sexual Offense
Authors: Walker Allyson , Kazemian Lila , Lussier Patrick , Na Chongmin
Published: June 2017

Despite the growing body of research on desistance from crime, there have been comparatively few studies that have focused specifically on desistance from sex offending. Much remains unknown about whether the findings from the general desistance literature are applicable to individuals convicted of a sexual offense. The current study explores this issue. Given the well-established importance of the social support network in the process of desistance from crime, this research focuses on the influence of indicators of family support on reoffending outcomes. We also examine the sustained effects of family ties on offending behavior over time. In addition, we look beyond traditional measures of social bonds (i.e., marital status and employment) and assess the impact of the stability of family support on reoffending outcomes. The current research explores the criminal career trajectories of a sample of 318 Canadian individuals convicted of a sexual offense and released back into their communities. Analyses yielded two distinct groups of offenders: one displaying a very low rate of reoffending that continued to decline over the follow-up period, and the other showing a higher rate of reoffending but also with steady declines throughout the observation period. Findings showed that while marriage was not significantly associated with reoffending, stable family support was significantly linked to reduced reoffending. We also found evidence of a sustained effect of family support on reoffending over a 3-year period. These findings underline the importance of expanding beyond the traditional measures of social bonds conventionally used in desistance studies.
Policy bargaining and militarized conflict
Authors: Bils Peter , Spaniel William
Published: June 2017

Studies of bargaining and war generally focus on two sources of incomplete information: uncertainty over the probability of victory and uncertainty over the costs of fighting. We introduce uncertainty over preferences of a spatial policy and argue for its relevance in crisis bargaining. Under these conditions, standard results from the bargaining model of war break down: peace can be Pareto inefficient and it may be impossible to avoid war. We then extend the model to allow for cheap talk pre-play communication. Whereas incentives to misrepresent normally render cheap talk irrelevant, here communication can cause peace and ensure that agreements are efficient. Moreover, peace can become more likely as (1) the variance in the proposer’s belief about its opponent’s type increases and (2) the costs of war decrease. Our results indicate that one major purpose of diplomacy is simply to communicate preferences and that such communications can be credible.
A study of optimization for vibration performance and electromagnetic force of the bone conduction speaker actuator asymmetry
Authors: Lee Jai Hyuk , Ko Dong Shin , Kwon Sang Youp , Kim Jae Yong , Hur Deog Jae
Published: June 2017

This study derives an optimal design of electromagnetic force, verifies the analysis of the optimum, and runs the vibration test to consider various properties of the optimal design in order to optimize the performance of the bone conduction speakers used in Smart Glasses, one of smart wearable devices. For performance factors that affect the electromagnetism of actuator in a bone conduction speaker which holds a magnetic structure, the diaphragm height, yoke pole height, magnet height, magnet and plate width, and coil turn number were selected. To analyze the properties of the performance factors, responsive factors needed to be classified first using fractional factorial design and full factorial design was used for influence analysis. The F-test was done as the means to conduct the valence test to show the independence and reciprocal action for selected performance factors, and it concluded that three independence factors were valid. Based on the valid performance factors, a regression equation to predict its performance was deducted and using the equation, an optimal design to maximize the electromagnetic force performance per component. To verify the characteristics of the optimal model, the finite element method (FEM) was used for analysis. Through electromagnetic analysis, magnetic flux density was obtained, and the particular information along with current and coil length contributed to deriving 0.052 N of electromagnetic force. After completing the frequency response analysis based on the electromagnetic force, it resulted in the 0.0772 mm of displacement at 590.12 Hz of resonant frequency. A sample model was fabricated, followed by vibration testing, after optimal design and analytical verification. Hence, it is verified that the optimal design method and the credibility of the analysis of this study is deemed very high. Furthermore, utilizing this mechanism would inspect the effect of the design parameter performance and increase the credibility and efficiency of a design.
A thermal resistances-based approach for thermal-elastohydrodynamic calculations in point contacts
Authors: de la Guerra Ochoa Eduardo , Echávarri Otero Javier , Chacón Tanarro Enrique , del Río López Benito
Published: June 2017

This article presents a thermal resistances-based approach for solving the thermal-elastohydrodynamic lubrication problem in point contact, taking the lubricant rheology into account. The friction coefficient in the contact is estimated, along with the distribution of both film thickness and temperature. A commercial tribometer is used in order to measure the friction coefficient at a ball-on-disc point contact lubricated with a polyalphaolefin base. These data and other experimental results available in the bibliography are compared to those obtained by using the proposed methodology, and thermal effects are analysed. The new approach shows good accuracy for predicting the friction coefficient and requires less computational cost than full thermal-elastohydrodynamic simulations.
Simulation study of the influence of cutting speed and tool–particle interaction location on surface formation mechanism in micromachining SiCp/Al composites
Authors: Liu Junwei , Cheng Kai , Ding Hui , Chen Shijin , Zhao Liang
Published: June 2017

The SiC particle-reinforced aluminum matrix composites are widely employed in different fields due to their outstanding performance. An in-depth understanding of their surface formation mechanism will pave a solid foundation for the widespread application. In this paper, two-dimensional microscale finite element models composed of a SiC particle and Al2024 matrix are established. The effects of cutting speed and tool–particle interaction location on particle behavior and surface formation during micromachining process are investigated. The location is categorized into two scenarios (tool cuts the upper and the lower part of the particle) and different cutting speeds for each scenario are presented. As a result, in scenario one (tool cuts the upper of the particle), the particle fractures by brittle fracture while the depth of surface defects decreases with increase of the cutting speed; in scenario two (tool cuts the lower part), the removal way of the particle changes from being pulled out to being crushed as the speed increases. The von Mises equivalent stresses of the particle and the matrix at the two scenarios are analyzed to explain these phenomena. Experimental measurements of micromilled surfaces are compared with simulation, showing promising results.
What’s Worth Talking About? Information Theory Reveals How Children Balance Informativeness and Ease of Production
Authors: Bannard Colin , Rosner Marla , Matthews Danielle
Published: June 2017

Of all the things a person could say in a given situation, what determines what is worth saying? Greenfield’s principle of informativeness states that right from the onset of language, humans selectively comment on whatever they find unexpected. In this article, we quantify this tendency using information-theoretic measures and report on a study in which we tested the counterintuitive prediction that children will produce words that have a low frequency given the context, because these will be most informative. Using corpora of child-directed speech, we identified adjectives that varied in how informative (i.e., unexpected) they were given the noun they modified. In an initial experiment ( N = 31) and in a replication ( N = 13), 3-year-olds heard an experimenter use these adjectives to describe pictures. The children’s task was then to describe the pictures to another person. As the information content of the experimenter’s adjective increased, so did children’s tendency to comment on the feature that adjective had encoded. Furthermore, our analyses suggest that children balance informativeness with a competing drive to ease production.
Arguments for exception in US security discourse
Authors: Hunter Duncan , MacDonald Malcolm N
Published: June 2017

In his influential State of Exception, Giorgio Agamben proposes that, even in apparently liberal western democracies, the state will routinely use the contingency of national emergency to suspend civil liberties and justify expansion of military and police powers. We investigated rhetorical strategies deployed in the web pages of US security agencies, created or reformed in the aftermath of the 9/11 events, to determine whether they present argumentation conforming to Agamben’s model. To expose rhetorical content, we examined strategies operating at two levels within our corpus. Argument schemes and underlying warrants were identified through close examination of systematically selected core documents. Semantic fields establishing themes of threat and danger were also explored, using automatic corpus tools to expose patterns of lexical selection established across the whole corpus. The study recovered evidence of rhetoric broadly consistent with the logic predicted by State of Exception theory, but also presented nuanced findings whose interpretation required careful re-appraisal of core ideas within Agamben’s work.
Women’s genital body work: Health, hygiene and beauty practices in the production of idealized female genitalia
Authors: Crann Sara E , Jenkins Amanda , Money Deborah M , O’Doherty Kieran C
Published: June 2017

Women’s genitalia are constructed as a bodily site requiring ongoing surveillance, maintenance and modification to conform to social norms. Women engage in a range of genital health, hygiene and beauty practices, including the use of commercial and homemade vaginal douches, washes, wipes, sprays and pubic hair removal, to modify their bodies. Using a social constructionist framework, we draw on interviews with 49 Canadian women to examine the construction of idealized (Western) genitalia as hairless, odourless and free of discharge, and “natural” female genitalia as problematic through the mobilization of normative femininity and (hetero)sexuality discourses. Theorizing women’s genital health, hygiene and beauty practices as a form of body work, we examine how women’s genital body work is constructed as a necessary and thus normative practice of femininity undertaken in the pursuit of idealized genitalia. A minority perspective that drew on alternative discourses to construct female genitalia as acceptable irrespective of genital body work is examined. Throughout our analysis, we examine the ways in which women negotiate issues of agency and choice in relation to their genital body work. Implications for women’s health in the context of the vaginal microbiome are explored.
A nonlinear switching control strategy of regulation and safety protection for aero-engines based on the equilibrium manifold expansion model
Authors: Chen Chao , Zhao Jun
Published: June 2017

This article proposes a nonlinear switching control strategy to solve the regulation control problem with safety constraint for aero-engines based on the equilibrium manifold expansion model. That is a kind of nonlinear model with satisfactory accuracy. The design procedure includes design of sub-controllers such as the nonlinear high-pressure spool speed tracking controller, high pressure turbine outlet temperature safety protection controller and the nonlinear dynamic feedback recovery controller. Also, switching law and dynamic controller state reset law are properly designed. Under the proposed strategy, system trajectory starting from temperature safety boundary will never return to the safety boundary. The designed reset law ensures a smooth switching from protection mode to recovery mode. Switch-off moment of the protection controller can be arbitrarily selected according to the tracking performance requirement. Freedom degree of selection is enlarged. The sub-controllers corresponding to objectives of regulation and safety protection are designed separately with more freedom degree and less conservatism. The effectiveness and the robustness of the proposed strategy are verified through a case study for a two-spool turbofan engine.
Higher Education: Catalysts for the Development of an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem, or … Are We the Weakest Link?
Authors: Wadee Ahmed A. , Padayachee Anshu
Published: June 2017

The promotion of entrepreneurship requires an ecosystem where Higher Education Institutions (HEI) hold a crucial position in collaboration with all stakeholders. Such systems require a high degree of interaction, involving institutions, people and processes that work together with the goal of creating entrepreneurial ventures that are mutually beneficial and self-sustaining. The university setting may be an ideal starting point such that it would serve to recognise potential entre-preneurs within communities and play critical roles in developing and supporting thriving entrepreneurial ecosystems. They may serve as conveners and collaborators for entrepreneurs and support communities to promote the economic development of the region. Such energy derived from university promoted environments in which learning is encouraged and discoveries are made reflects on Higher Educational aims. Obstacles in this role of universities include a lack of provision of the best instructional methods and venues by universities, programmes and curricula that are not conducive to promoting entrepreneurship, a lack of information on entrepreneurial activities in the informal sector and a dearth of appropriate role models within both universities and the business environment. It is therefore apparent that universities are the missing link for the development of a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem in South Africa.
Theoretical analysis and design for a multilayered ionic polymer metal composite actuator
Authors: Yang Woosung , Choi Sooho , Kim Hyungjoo , Cho Whang , Lee Sungon
Published: June 2017

Ionic polymer metal composites with a flexible large deformation have been used as biomimetic actuators and sensors in various fields. This work mainly focuses on the validation of the proposed theoretical prediction for various ionic polymer metal composite applications, such as a field needing a large resultant force, large tip deflection, or high response frequency. Such properties can be controlled by the number of layers and the thickness ratio of a multilayered ionic polymer metal composite actuator. Thus, we considered major design factors such as the number of layers and the thickness ratio in analysis of the proposed theoretical model and performed experiments to verify the static and dynamic electromechanical responses of multilayered (multimorph) ionic polymer metal composite structures acting as actuators. The relation between the polymer (Nafion) and electrode or substrate is represented by β. From this theoretical analysis, three properties were analyzed and predicted based on the Euler–Bernoulli beam theory, considering the dynamics of the ionic polymer metal composite, electrode, and bonding layers (substrate layers). The predicted results of a symmetric ionic polymer metal composite multimorph were compared with results of finite element analysis and experiments using ionic polymer metal composite multimorphs with one to five layers. Finally, this work examined how the number of layers and thickness affect the dynamic properties. This can contribute to predicting and optimally designing a multilayered ionic polymer metal composite actuator for satisfying a specific requirement.
40 Years (and Counting): Steve Kerr Reflections on the “Folly”
Authors: Wright Thomas A. , Hollwitz John , Stackman Richard W. , De Groat Arthur S. , Baack Sally A. , Shay Jeffrey P.
Published: June 2017

It has been more than 40 years since Steve Kerr first noted that organizations invariably violate a fundamental law of social nature by rewarding the very behaviors which they are supposedly trying to discourage, while failing to reward the behaviors they desire to reinforce. But it is simply more than a faulty reward system that has allowed these malfunctions to continue. In an engaging and thought-provoking interview reflection (and extension) on his classic management masterpiece and more, Steve Kerr provides his insights on both why the “Folly” remains as prevalent today and, equally relevant and important, provides valuable suggestions for what we can do to create better functioning organizations.
Safety and Efficacy of Pegfilgrastim When Given Less Than 14 Days Before the Next Chemotherapy Cycle: Review of Every 14-Day Chemotherapy Regimen Containing 5-FU Continuous Infusion
Authors: Donkor Kofi N. , Selim Julie H. , Waworuntu Ariani , Lewis Kelsey
Published: June 2017

Background:Pegfilgrastim should not be given <14 days from the next chemotherapy because of concerns for cytopenias. Some clinicians are prescribing pegfilgrastim to be given <14 days in patients receiving 5-fluorouracil continuous infusion (5-FUCI) regimens. Objective: To determine the effectiveness and safety of pegfilgrastim administered <14 days from the next chemotherapy in patients receiving 5-FUCI administered >46 hours. Methods: Single-institution retrospective cohort study of patients who received 5-FUCI administered >46 hours from June 2013 to December 2015. The unit of measurement was chemotherapy cycles. End points included the safety and efficacy of giving pegfilgrastim <14 days from the next chemotherapy (Pegfilgrastim-Less-Than-14-Days-Group) and comparing that to pegfilgrastim given ≥14 days (Pegfilgrastim-More-Than-14-Days-Group), filgrastim only (Filgrastim-Group), and no colony stimulating factors (No-CSF-Group). Generalized estimating equations (GEEs) were used to compare mean absolute neutrophil count (ANC) and white blood cell count (WBC). Poisson regression models with GEE were used to estimate relative risk (RR) for neutropenia. Results: There were no incidences of neutropenia, febrile neutropenia (FN), or hospitalizations for FN with the Pegfilgrastim-Less-Than-14-Days-Group. There was also a high mean ANC of 9.9 (5.7) × 109/L. Mean ANC and WBC were statistically significantly less with the Filgrastim-Group, No-CSF-Group, and Pegfilgrastim-More-Than-14-Days-Group compared with the Pegfilgrastim-Less-Than-14-Days-Group. The Filgrastim-Group and the No-CSF-Group had a 32% (1.10-1.56, P = 0.002) and 8% (1.04-1.12, P < 0.001) increased risk of incidence of neutropenia, respectively, compared with the Pegfilgrastim-Less-Than-14-Days-Group. The risk of incidence of neutropenia was the same with the Pegfilgrastim-More-Than-14-Days-Group and Pegfilgrastim-Less-Than-14-Days-Group (0.95-1.04, P = 0.821). Conclusion: This study shows a promising possibility that administering pegfilgrastim <14 days from the next chemotherapy cycle could be a safe and effective practice. However, better controlled clinical trials are needed.
Overexpression and Knockdown of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1 Disrupt the Expression of Steroidogenic Enzyme Genes and Early Embryonic Development in Zebrafish
Authors: Tan Tianfeng , Yu Richard Man Kit , Wu Rudolf Shiu Sun , Kong Richard Yuen Chong
Published: June 2017

Hypoxia is an important environmental stressor leading to endocrine disruption and reproductive impairment in fish. Although the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) is known to regulate the transcription of various genes mediating oxygen homeostasis, its role in modulating steroidogenesis-related gene expression remains poorly understood. In this study, the regulatory effect of HIF-1 on the expression of 9 steroidogenic enzyme genes was investigated in zebrafish embryos using a “gain-of-function and loss-of-function” approach. Eight of the genes, CYP11a, CYP11b2, 3β-HSD, HMGCR, CYP17a1, 17β-HSD2, CYP19a, and CYP19b, were found to be differentially upregulated at 24 and 48 hpf following zHIF-1α-ΔODD overexpression (a mutant zebrafish HIF-1α protein with proline-414 and proline-557 deleted). Knockdown of zHIF-1α also affected the expression pattern of the steroidogenic enzyme genes. Overexpression of zHIF-1α and hypoxia exposure resulted in downregulated StAR expression but upregulated CYP11a and 3β-HSD expression in zebrafish embryos. Conversely, the expression patterns of these 3 genes were reversed in embryos in which zHIF-1α was knocked down under normoxia, suggesting that these 3 genes are regulated by HIF-1. Overall, the findings from this study indicate that HIF-1–mediated mechanisms are likely involved in the regulation of specific steroidogenic genes.
Exploration of Spinal Cord Aging–Related Proteins Using a Proteomics Approach
Authors: Kamiya Koshiro , Furuya Takeo , Hashimoto Masayuki , Mannoji Chikato , Inada Taigo , Ota Mitsutoshi , Maki Satoshi , Ijima Yasushi , Saito Junya , Kitamura Mitsuhiro , Ohtori Seiji , Orita Sumihisa , Inage Kazuhide , Yamazaki Masashi , Koda Masao
Published: June 2017

How aging affects the spinal cord at a molecular level is unclear. The aim of this study was to explore spinal cord aging–related proteins that may be involved in pathological mechanisms of age-related changes in the spinal cord. Spinal cords of 2-year-old and 8-week-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were dissected from the animals. Protein samples were subjected to 2-dimentional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by mass spectrometry. Screened proteins were further investigated with immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. Among the screened proteins, we selected α-crystallin B-subunit (αB-crystallin) and peripherin for further investigation because these proteins were previously reported to be related to central nervous system pathologies. Immunohistochemistry and Western blotting revealed significant upregulation of αB-crystallin and peripherin expression in aged rat spinal cord. Further exploration is needed to elucidate the precise mechanism and potential role of these upregulated proteins in spinal cord aging processes.
Dependent Erythema of the Legs Associated With Mild Autonomic Nervous System Dysfunction
Authors: Bahrani Bahar , Sladden Christopher S.
Published: June 2017

Introduction:

Dependent erythema or rubor is an erythematous discoloration of the limbs, most commonly associated with peripheral artery disease. We present a case of florid dependent erythema, associated with additional autonomic symptoms.

Methods:

Examination and full workup of a 16-year-old healthy girl with an 8-year history of dependent erythema, chronic diarrhea, and mild hyperhidrosis. A literature search was performed to review any similar cases and generate a differential diagnosis.

Results:

Examination of our patient showed symmetrical, asymptomatic fiery to dusky erythematous patches of the lower legs and feet, with intermittent areas of pallor. These florid changes occurred with erect posture. Resolution to near normal occurred within minutes when the patient was in the supine position. Full physical examination revealed mild erythema and hyperhidrosis of the hands.

Conclusions:

To our knowledge, there have been no reports of painless dependent rubor associated with sympathetic dysfunction. Literature search reports a few cases of gravitational erythema and angiodyskinesia. This case presentation is most likely part of the spectrum of dependent erythema and may shed light on the underlying aetiology.
Lubricant transport across the piston ring with flat and triangular lubrication injection profiles on the liner in large two-stroke marine diesel engines
Authors: Overgaard H , Klit P , Vølund A
Published: June 2017

A theoretical investigation of the lubricant transport across the top compression piston ring in a large two-stroke marine diesel engine is presented. A numerical model for solving Reynolds equation between the piston ring and cylinder liner based on the finite difference method in one dimension has been made. The model includes force equilibrium of the piston ring, perturbation of Reynolds equation, and transient mass conservation. The model represents a new method of achieving mass conservation across the piston ring and between different time-dependent positions. For analyzing the lubricant transport across the piston ring, two different kinds of initial lubricant profile on the liner and two different kinds of load are investigated i.e. a flat profile and an approximated triangular profile as well as no load and a combustion load based on a combustion pressure profile. The impact from the different load conditions and different lubricant profiles on the liner are presented for film thicknesses, development in the lubricant profiles on the liner as well as the lubricant consumption at each stroke.
Investigating the function spiral in later life: Aging attitudes, physical activity, and gait
Authors: Whitehead Brenda R
Published: June 2017

This study tests the Function Spiral Model, which proposes that functional decline often occurs prematurely: negative aging attitudes reduce activity engagement, which then advances functional decline via physical deconditioning. A total of 89 adults aged 61–96 ( M = 77) years completed a questionnaire assessing aging attitudes and physical activity and participated in a follow-up assessment of gait/balance and function. Results supported the process model: physical activity mediated the impact of negative aging attitudes on gait/balance, and gait/balance mediated the impact of physical activity on function. Findings highlight multiple points of intervention that could mitigate the acceleration of functional decline in later life.
Thinking forward through the past: Prospecting for urban order in (Victorian) public parks
Authors: Churchill David , Crawford Adam , Barker Anna
Published: June 2017

Supplementing familiar linear and chronological accounts of history, we delineate a novel approach that explores connections between past, present and future. Drawing on Koselleck, we outline a framework for analysing the interconnected categories of ‘spaces of experience’ and ‘horizons of expectation’ across times. We consider the visions and anxieties of futures past and futures present; how these are constituted by, and inform, experiences that have happened and are yet to come. This conceptual frame is developed through the study of the heritage and lived experiences of a specific Victorian park within an English city. We analyse the formation of urban order as a lens to interrogate both the immediate and long-term linkages between past, present and possible futures. This approach enables us to ground analysis of prospects for urban relations in historical perspective and to pose fundamental questions about the social role of urban parks.
Beyond non-/use: The affected bystander and her escalation
Authors: Wagenknecht Susann
Published: June 2017

The article proceeds from the observation that in everyday life we are surrounded by technology, most of which we do not use ourselves. Rather, we are, often involuntarily, subjected to the effects of others’ technology use. The article characterizes this condition as affected bystanding, a condition that comes with quotidian, often banal, experiences of passivity and marginality. The affected bystander is neither entirely included nor excluded by a technological system and the practices of its operation. For this reason, affected bystanding is not adequately accounted for by established categories of exchange, participation, collaboration, use, and non-use. Since affected bystanding is often an undesirable condition, the article discusses how the affected bystander may address her condition— escalate it—by positioning herself as bystanding affector.
Race talk in preschool classrooms: Academic readiness and participation during shared-book reading
Authors: Beneke Margaret R , Cheatham Gregory A
Published: June 2017

Reading literature to engage young children in critical discussions about race – and how it impacts their daily lives – is a promising practice. This study examined how two teachers and eight young children talked about skin colour as they read books about racial diversity, and the extent to which participation structures and conversational topics influenced how teachers and children constructed, resisted, and/or reproduced discourses of race and racial injustice during shared-book readings. We draw on critical perspectives on classroom discourse to understand the identities (i.e. teacher and learner) and discourses (i.e. early childhood literacy) that the children and teachers co-constructed. We suggest that teachers used shared-book reading time to enact a discourse of literacy readiness and treated the activity as an opportunity to teach academic skills (e.g. classification and colour vocabulary) through teacher recitation. During these shared-book reading experiences, we argue that teachers and children constructed skin colour as politically neutral, without acknowledging the word ‘race’ or its deeply embedded meanings in the U.S. Based on this analysis, we discuss implications for teacher educators in terms of critical literacy practice in early childhood.
Does A Brief Mindfulness Intervention Impact Quiz Performance?
Authors: Calma-Birling Destany , Gurung Regan A. R.
Published: June 2017

Mindfulness practices improve cognition, emotional balance, and well-being in clinical and non-clinical populations. The bulk of mindfulness research in higher education has focused on improving psychological and cognitive variables, leaving academic performance largely unexplored. We investigated the effects of a brief mindfulness intervention on quiz performance in two sections of an undergraduate upper-level human development class ( N = 67). We used a between-group experimental design (waiting control group) and compared student quiz scores. Students assigned to practice mindfulness performed better on the first two quizzes than the control group. When the control group received the mindfulness intervention, there was no significant difference on quiz performance between the two groups. Mindfulness training did not impact state mindfulness or exam scores. Taken together, our results suggest that small doses of mindfulness training can briefly enhance students' knowledge retention of lecture content.
(Meta-)framing strategic entrepreneurship
Authors: Simsek Zeki , Heavey Ciaran , Fox Brian Curtis
Published: June 2017

In this essay, we seek to focus scholarly discourse on the conceptual identity, boundaries, and precision of strategic entrepreneurship as an organizational construct. To give a “face” to a construct, lines must be drawn, marking off what it encompasses and what it does not. We, thus, first frame and assess prior conceptualizations from a construct clarity perspective. Our intent here is not to exhaustively catalogue all the varied conceptualizations available, but rather to map in lieu of burrow the content domain of strategic entrepreneurship as a theoretical construct, illuminate points of convergence and divergence, and reveal potential blind spots and ambiguities in extant definitions. Then, we advance a meta-framework for stimulating discourse around the key construct parameters. We say “meta-framework” because we do not seek to offer a “silver bullet” but rather advance a core set of questions to view strategic entrepreneurship with greater clarity and precision. We conclude with a set of suggestions for guiding and stimulating future research.
A Scholar-Practitioner Perspective on a Leadership Development Program in Health Care: Integrating Connectivism Theory
Authors: Natt och Dag Kristina
Published: June 2017

The Problem

The U.S. health care system is currently undergoing reform, shifting from a volume to a value-based model. This transformation calls for strong leadership among physicians; however, they are often not prepared for leading changes for multiple reasons. Furthermore, physicians can be a challenging group to train when it comes to nonmedical disciplines. Therefore, identifying what will engage physicians in learning nonclinical topics is crucial for effective leadership development.

The Solution

I attempt to discuss this aspect by utilizing a year-long leadership development program, which yielded great response from physicians in terms of perceived value of learning. Exploring a more recent learning theory (connectivism) that considers the role of building personal learning networks (PLNs), I describe how the program unfolded and how the slow but steady emergence of PLNs became the basis for the learning. I also illustrate how theory has been used to guide program development, leading to successful outcomes.

The Stakeholders

Scholar-practitioners within human resource development (HRD), and leadership development professionals can be inspired to apply connectivism as a lens to further understand adult learning theories in the era of information and technology as well as apply to the development of leadership programs aimed at highly skilled professional groups.
Physician-Modified Thoracic Stent-Grafts for the Treatment of Aortic Arch Lesions
Authors: Canaud Ludovic , Baba Toshio , Gandet Thomas , Narayama Kouhei , Ozdemir Baris Ata , Shibata Tsuyoshi , Alric Pierre , Morishita Kiyofumi
Published: June 2017

Purpose: To evaluate outcomes of physician-modified thoracic stent-grafts for the treatment of aortic arch aneurysms. Methods: A retrospective dual-center analysis was performed involving 36 patients (mean age 74.7±9 years, range 58–91; 27 men) with an aortic arch lesion who were treated between November 2013 and June 2016 using physician-modified thoracic stent-grafts. Half of the patients had a degenerative aneurysm; the remainder had type B dissection (n=9), traumatic transection (n=3), type Ia endoleak after previous endografting (n=5), or aortoesophageal fistula (n=1). All patients were considered to be at high surgical risk. Patients were treated using an aortic arch stent-graft with a single fenestration (n=24) or a proximal scallop (n=12); zone 0 was involved in 16 patients, zone 1 in 9, and zone 2 in 11. The modified thoracic stent-graft was deployed after supra-aortic branch revascularization in 24 (67%) patients. Results: Mean time required for stent-graft modifications was 18 minutes (range 14–21). Technical success was obtained in all cases with no type I endoleak. One (3%) patient had a stroke without permanent sequelae. The 30-day mortality was 6%. During a mean follow-up of 11.4±6 months (range 2–36), there were no conversions to open repair. The overall mortality was 14%; aorta-related mortality was 6%. Conclusion: Our experience suggests that physician-modified thoracic stent-grafts are feasible for aortic arch lesions and provide encouraging results in the short term. Durability concerns will need to be assessed.
The Future of Bad Collectivity
Authors: Aslam Ali
Published: June 2017

This article argues for the value of “bad collectivity” to educate and encourage citizens estranged from democratic practices, traditions, and institutions, to participate in the process of democratic will-formation. Originating in Ben Lerner’s novel 10:04, bad collectivity refer to moments of collective identification with injury that briefly transcend a culture of individualism which identifies freedom in terms of legal rights, rather than association, and a splintered and increasingly privatized public sphere. Considering Black Lives Matter an example of bad collectivity, I show how the movement has made injury rather than a progressive historical narrative the normative basis of participation.
Labeling “Childishness” in Court
Authors: Eliaz Yoad
Published: June 2017

I examine the discursive identity construction of “childish” adult defendants in court as an arena of negotiation involving judges, lawyers, psychiatrists, probation service professionals, plaintiffs and defendants. Being categorized a “childish” defendant can be legally constructed as either contributing to the aggravation of punishment, or conversely, to mitigating the sentence. Based on court rulings retrieved from an Israeli judicial database, four categories of such “childish defendants” are identified and discussed: the innocent childish defendant, the influenced childish defendant, the childish defendant who is unable to control his/her behavior, and the childish defendant who lacks boundaries, with varying consequences for the court’s exercise of stringency, leniency, and other forms of social control. I conclude by discussing the findings’ implications for political intersections of law and age, and specifically childhood. The construction of childishness, as it takes place in courts, is further discussed as a means of control that transcends biological age.
Efficacy of sequential three-step empirical therapy for chronic cough
Authors: Yu Li , Xu Xianghuai , Hang Jingqing , Cheng Kewen , Jin Xiaoyan , Chen Qiang , Lv Hanjing , Qiu Zhongmin
Published: June 2017

Background:

Empirical three-step therapy has been proved in just one hospital. This study aimed to demonstrate applicability of the sequential empirical three-step therapy for chronic cough in different clinical settings.

Methods:

Sequential empirical three-step therapy was given to patients with chronic cough in one tertiary and three secondary care respiratory clinics. Recruiters were initially treated with methoxyphenamine compound as the first-step therapy, followed by corticosteroids as the second-step therapy and the combination of a proton-pump inhibitor and a prokinetic agent as the third-step therapy. The efficacy of the therapy was verified according to the changes in cough symptom score between pre- and post-treatment, and compared among the different clinics.

Results:

In total 155 patients in one tertiary clinic and 193 patients in secondary care clinics were recruited. The total dropout ratio is significantly higher in the secondary care clinics than that in the tertiary clinic (9.3% versus 3.2%, p = 0.023). The therapeutic success rate for cough was 38.7% at first-step therapy, 32.3% at second-step therapy and 20.0% at third-step therapy in the tertiary clinic, and comparable to corresponding 49.7%, 31.1% and 4.1% in secondary care clinics. Furthermore, the overall cough resolution rate was not significantly different (91.0% versus 85.0%, p = 0.091). However, the efficacy of the third-step therapy is much higher (20.0% versus 4.1%, p = 0.001) in the tertiary clinic than in the secondary care clinics.

Conclusions:

Sequential empirical three-step therapy is universally efficacious and useful for management of chronic cough in different clinical settings.
The impact of high humidity on the ice-phobicity of copper-based superhydrophobic surfaces
Authors: Zheng Liqiu , Shafack RoseMary , Walker Brandon , Chan Kwaichow
Published: June 2017

Humidity, as an important meteorological factor, has rarely been taken into account as far as the ice-phobicity research is concerned. For the first time, the ice-phobicity of a silver-modified copper surface with 1-dodecanethiol coating was investigated in an environment with 69% humidity. It turns out that high humidity has no impact on the superhydrophobicity of the surface at the room temperature. However, humidity compromises the water repellency by decreasing the contact angle from 156° ± 2° to 116° ± 2° when the temperature reaches zero. By further lowering the temperature, the robust ice-phobicity is observed on the superhydrophobically coated surface. In conjunction with the favorable topological configuration and in high humid surroundings, the intrinsic wettability of the superhydrophobic surfaces dramatically delays the freezing process for 120 s.
Synthesis and characterization of NiFe2O4, CoFe2O4 and CuFe2O4 thin films for anode material in Li-ion batteries
Authors: Karthigayan N , Manimuthu P , Priya M , Sagadevan Suresh
Published: June 2017

The searches for advanced battery materials are endless. Ferrites have drawn much attention as a potential anode material in Li-ion battery. Nanocrystalline transition metal ferrite MFe2O4 (M = Ni, Co and Cu) thin films were deposited by spray pyrolysis technique over antimony doped tin oxide substrate. The phase and surface morphology were studied by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope measurements, respectively. Magnetic property, film thickness and electrochemical performance of the materials are studied. The result shows that the films are of single phase, with cubic spinel structure for NiFe2O4 and CoFe2O4 and tetragonal structure for CuFe2O4. Magnetization studies reveal that the films are ferrimagnetic in nature. Electrochemical measurement reveals NiFe2O4 and CuFe2O4 are having good recyclable nature, which can be used as potential anode material for Li-ion batteries.