bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sex Differences in Mental Rotation Performance Through Holding Weights By the Hands
Authors: Muto Hiroyuki , Matsushita Soyogu , Morikawa Kazunori
Published: August 2020

Mental rotation is known to be mediated by sensorimotor processes. To deepen our understanding of the role of somatosensory inputs in mental rotation, we investigated the effects of holding weight by the hands on mental rotation performance. In an experiment, 22 male and 22 female students performed a chronometric mental rotation task while holding either light or heavy bags in both hands. Results showed that females holding heavy bags were quicker and more accurate at mental rotation than females holding light bags, as evidenced by shallower slopes for response times (RTs) and error rates. In contrast, males showed no such heavy-bag-induced improvement. Unlike slopes, intercepts for RTs and error rates were equivalent regardless of sex and bag weight. Consistent with previous research on embodied cognition, the present findings demonstrated the facilitatory role of somatosensory cues by weight in mental rotation and suggested sex differences in embodied processes in mental rotation.
Scaling simulation-to-real transfer by learning a latent space of robot skills
Authors: Julian Ryan C , Heiden Eric , He Zhanpeng , Zhang Hejia , Schaal Stefan , Lim Joseph J , Sukhatme Gaurav S , Hausman Karol
Published: August 2020

We present a strategy for simulation-to-real transfer, which builds on recent advances in robot skill decomposition. Rather than focusing on minimizing the simulation–reality gap, we propose a method for increasing the sample efficiency and robustness of existing simulation-to-real approaches which exploits hierarchy and online adaptation. Instead of learning a unique policy for each desired robotic task, we learn a diverse set of skills and their variations, and embed those skill variations in a continuously parameterized space. We then interpolate, search, and plan in this space to find a transferable policy which solves more complex, high-level tasks by combining low-level skills and their variations. In this work, we first characterize the behavior of this learned skill space, by experimenting with several techniques for composing pre-learned latent skills. We then discuss an algorithm which allows our method to perform long-horizon tasks never seen in simulation, by intelligently sequencing short-horizon latent skills. Our algorithm adapts to unseen tasks online by repeatedly choosing new skills from the latent space, using live sensor data and simulation to predict which latent skill will perform best next in the real world. Importantly, our method learns to control a real robot in joint-space to achieve these high-level tasks with little or no on-robot time, despite the fact that the low-level policies may not be perfectly transferable from simulation to real, and that the low-level skills were not trained on any examples of high-level tasks. In addition to our results indicating a lower sample complexity for families of tasks, we believe that our method provides a promising template for combining learning-based methods with proven classical robotics algorithms such as model-predictive control.
(Dis)ability-informed mentors support occupational performance for college students with learning disabilities and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders through problem-solving and a focus on strengths
Authors: Kreider Consuelo M , Medina Sharon , Koedam Hannah M.
Published: August 2020

Introduction

Students with learning disabilities and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder are well represented on college campuses. However, they experience challenges to meeting occupational and role expectations associated with being in college. Mentors serve as natural supports for young people within college environments. This study investigates the ways in which graduate-student mentors, who were supported in understanding learning disabilities and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and their mentee’s strengths and challenges through an occupational lens, provided problem-solving supports for undergraduate mentees with learning disabilities and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Methods

Thematic qualitative analysis was used to investigate problem-solving supports provided by mentors ( n = 57) of undergraduate mentees ( n = 52) with learning disabilities and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Results

Three themes, executive functioning, adult life skills, and academics, represent areas in which mentors worked with mentees in guiding and co-creating strategies to address academic, social, and daily life challenges. Mentors’ understanding of their mentees’ disability-related challenges and strengths within everyday life situations was important for fostering the occupational performance of mentees.

Conclusion

The inclusion of biopsychosocial approaches is needed in the development of disability-related mentorship interventions where occupational therapists can leverage disciplinary understanding of disabilities and the fostering of occupational performance to support social functioning and participation in college.
Central banks: Climate governors of last resort?
Authors: Langley Paul , Morris John H
Published: August 2020

The global and regional leadership of central banks in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has heightened public and political debates over their role in the governance of an arguably more fundamental planetary crisis: the climate crisis. Strategically harnessing the resources and reach of central banks would seem crucial to achieving a genuine step-change in the governance of the climate crisis. We consider how critical social scientists might contribute to debates over the potential of central banks to act as ‘climate governors of last resort’.
Anaesthesia, pain and recovery profiles in children following dental extractions
Authors: Akl Natalie , Sommerfield Aine , Slevin Lliana , Drake-Brockman Thomas FE , Wong Susan , Winters John C , Ungern-Sternberg Britta S von , Sommerfield David
Published: August 2020

The aim of this prospective cohort study was to describe the anaesthetic practices, rates of postoperative pain and the recovery trajectory of children having urgent dental extractions at our institution. Demographic, anaesthetic and surgical details of children undergoing dental extractions were obtained by case note review. Parent-proxy pain scores were collected via telephone on the day of surgery and on postoperative days, as well as details of analgesia given, behavioural disturbance, and nausea and vomiting. Follow-up was continued until each child no longer had pain. Datasets were analysed for 143 patients. Fasting times were prolonged, with 81 children (56.6%) fasted for over four hours from fluids. Moderate or severe pain was recorded in 14 children (9.8%) postoperatively on the day of surgery, with higher rates in children who had a greater number of teeth extracted. Low rates of moderate to severe pain were observed during follow-up, affecting six children (4.2%) on postoperative day 1 and three children (2.1%) on postoperative day 2 with primarily simple analgesia administered at home. Only eight children (5.6%) had nausea and/or vomiting on the day of surgery. Rates of reported behavioural disturbance at home were low, extending beyond the second postoperative day in only two children (1.4%), and only four children (2.8%) attended a dentist during the follow-up period. In conclusion, the low rates of pain and nausea and vomiting reported in the days following surgery for urgent dental procedures suggest that children can be cared for at home with simple analgesia.
Modeling Crosstie-Ballast Load Distribution in a Railroad Trackbed using a Linear-Elastic Analysis
Authors: Thompson Brent D. , Clarke David B. , Rose Jerry G.
Published: August 2020

This paper details a linear-elastic approach to modeling crosstie-ballast interfacial load distribution in a railroad timber crosstie trackbed using RISA 3D, a finite element modeling software. RISA results closely mirrored experimental findings with some slight deviation as discussed in the paper. The modeling methodology outlined here advances previous trackbed research at the University of Kentucky, U.S., and could be used in future trackbed finite element analyses for design or research in load path distribution and load magnitude predictability. This paper details the approach used to model a timber crosstie trackbed superstructure, including initial troubleshooting stages, and explains the derivation of program input variables. A sensitivity analysis performed on the main model determined the workable extent of linearity. The analysis also examined the effect of a poor/muddy trackbed support loading condition. The paper concludes with potential recommendations in relation to the work.
Arc Detection and Recognition in the Pantograph-Catenary System Based on Multi-Information Fusion
Authors: Huang Shize , Chen Wei , Sun Bo , Tao Ting , Yang Lingyu
Published: August 2020

The pantograph-catenary system is critical to high-speed railways. Electric arcs in the pantograph-catenary system indicate possible damages to the whole railway system, and detecting them in time has been a critical task. In this paper, a fusion method for the pantograph-catenary arc detection based on multi-type videos is proposed. First, convolutional neural network (CNN) is employed to detect arcs in visible light images, and a threshold method is applied to identify arcs in infrared images. Second, the CNN-based environment perception model is established on visible light images. It obtains the dynamical adjustment of the reliability weights for different scenarios where trains usually work. Finally, the information fusion model based on evidence theory uses those weights and integrates the detection results on visible light images and infrared results. The experimental results demonstrate the fusion method can avoid misjudgments of the two individual detection methods in certain scenarios, and perform better than each of them. This approach can adapt to the complex environments of high-speed trains.
Characterization of Aggregate Angularity in the Frequency Domain
Authors: Xu Hongbin , Prozzi Jorge A. , Kim Moo Yeon , Hernandez Joaquin Bernardo
Published: August 2020

The morphology of aggregate particles used for pavement construction plays an essential role in the structural capacity and safety performance of pavement structures. Each of the three main components of aggregate morphology (form, angularity, and texture) has a distinct effect on pavement performance and corresponds to a different frequency range. Considering the challenge in segregating form, angularity, and texture in the space domain, characterizing them separately in the frequency domain would be beneficial and would allow for a more objective and detailed classification system for aggregate morphology. This study focuses on the characterization of aggregate angularity in the frequency domain with the objective of obtaining a parameter that is free of individual subjectivity. Since aggregate angularity is a subjective visual descriptor of aggregate shape variations at corners, a survey was conducted of pavement engineers to collect visual ratings of aggregate angularities using a set of aggregates. Thereafter, using the average visual ratings from the survey responses as reference, three common aggregate angularity indexes were evaluated: roundness, the University of Illinois Aggregate Image Analyzer (UIAIA) angularity index, and the Aggregate Image Measurement System (AIMS) angularity index. In addition, with the aid of the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) algorithm, the contributing frequencies were acquired for visual rating, along with roundness and the UIAIA and AIMS angularity indexes. Based on the contributing frequencies identified, prediction models were successfully established for visual rating: roundness and the UIAIA and AIMS angularity indexes. It was concluded that DFT can be accurate in objectively assessing angularity and that roundness is the more robust parameter and can be accurately predicted by the models developed.
Non-Parametric Association Rules Mining and Parametric Ordinal Logistic Regression for an In-Depth Investigation of Driver Speed Selection Behavior in Adverse Weather using SHRP2 Naturalistic Driving Study Data
Authors: Nasim Khan Md , Das Anik , Ahmed Mohamed M.
Published: August 2020

Human error is considered to be one of the major causes of crashes, especially in inclement weather. Although many studies have investigated the effect of adverse weather on traffic safety and operations, there is a lack of research into the differences in driving behavior and performance during adverse weather, particularly at a trajectory level. With this research gap in mind, this study presents a novel approach for an in-depth investigation of driver speed selection behavior in adverse weather utilizing trajectory-level data acquired from the SHRP2 Naturalistic Driving Study using a promising association rules data mining technique. The preliminary analysis revealed that drivers reduced their speeds by 3.9% in the presence of light rain, by 10.2% in heavy rain, 15.2% in light snow, 29.8% in heavy snow, 1.8% with distant fog, and 7.4% with near fog. The findings from the association rules mining approach indicated that driving more than 5 mph above the speed limit was closely associated with clear weather as well as young and inexperienced drivers; whereas a reduction in speed to more than 5 mph below the speed limit was closely associated with snowy road surfaces combined with affected visibility. These findings are also in line with the results from the ordered logistic regression, which revealed that drivers were 1.4 times more likely to reduce their speeds in light rain, 1.7 times in heavy rain, 4.3 in light snow, 12.2 in heavy snow, 1.7 with distant fog, and 2.0 with near fog. The findings from this study provide an unprecedented opportunity to develop a Human-in-the-Loop Variable Speed Limit algorithm.
Mechanistic Modeling and Economic Analysis of Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting Potential in Airport Pavements
Authors: Zhao Jingnan , Wang Hao
Published: August 2020

This study investigated the feasibility of applying piezoelectric energy harvesting technology in airfield pavements through mechanistic modeling and economic analysis. The energy harvesting performance of piezoelectric transducers was evaluated based on mechanical energy induced by multi-wheel aircraft loading on flexible airfield pavements. A three-dimensional finite element model was used to estimate the stress pulse and magnitude under moving aircraft tire loading. A stack piezoelectric transducer design was used to estimate the power output of a piezoelectric harvester embedded at different locations and depths in the pavement. The aircraft load and speed were found to be vital factors affecting the power output, along with the installation depth and horizontal locations of the energy harvester. On the other hand, the installation of the energy module had a negligible influence on the horizontal tensile strains at the bottom of the asphalt layer and compressive strains on the top of the subgrade. However, the near-surface pavement strains increased when the edge ribs of the tire were loaded on the energy module. Feasibility analysis results showed that the calculated levelized cost of electricity was high in general, although it varies depending on the airport traffic levels and the service life of the energy module. With the development of piezoelectric materials and technology, further evaluation of energy harvesting applications at airports needs to be conducted.
Effects of Operating Speed and Traffic Flow on Severe and Fatal Crashes using the U.S. Road Assessment Program Methodology and Field Data Verification
Authors: Hossain Fahmid , Medina Juan C.
Published: August 2020

This paper explores the effects of operating speed and traffic flow on roadway safety in light of the methodology provided by the U.S. Road Assessment Program (usRAP). Unlike traditional approaches, usRAP produces a systemic expected roadway safety performance, more specifically the likelihood of being involved in a severe or a fatal crash, that is derived purely from roadway, roadside, and traffic characteristics, without need for detailed historical crash data. Data from over 7,000 mi of segments coded using the usRAP protocols and 5 years of crash data were used to examine changes in expected safety performance with changes in operating speed and traffic volumes. Speed and flow emerged as candidates for initial exploration as their effect is explicitly considered in the usRAP formulation for all crash types. The usRAP methodology indicated a gradual increase in the frequency of expected severe and fatal crashes with an increase in the operating speed, and such trends followed those observed in the field. Increase in traffic flow was generally associated to increase in severe and fatal crashes, but to a much smaller scale compared with the effect found for speed. Effects of traffic flow were more evident at smaller ranges, both in the field and in the usRAP results, with the safety effects diminishing and even reversing as the flow approached lane capacity. Crash data were examined using a risk ratio that considers the relative frequency of severe and fatal crashes to the exposure of a given segment group, as well as star rating scores and star ratings from usRAP outputs.
The impact of intradialytic cycling on the removal of protein-bound uraemic toxins: A randomised cross-over study
Authors: De Vos Celine , Lemarcq Laure , Dhondt Annemieke , Glorieux Griet , Van Biesen Wim , Eloot Sunny
Published: August 2020

The evidence on impact of intradialytic exercise on the removal of urea, is conflictive. Impact of exercise on kinetics of serum levels of protein-bound uraemic toxins, known to exert toxicity and to have kinetics dissimilar of those of urea, has so far not been explored. Furthermore, if any effect, the most optimal intensity, time point and/or required duration of intradialytic exercise to maximise removal remain obscure. We therefore studied the impact of different intradialytic cycling schedules on the removal of protein-bound uraemic toxins during haemodialysis (HD).

This randomised cross-over study included seven stable patients who were dialysed with an FX800 dialyser during three consecutive midweek HD sessions of 240 min: (A) without cycling; (B) cycling for 60 min between 60th and 120th minutes of dialysis; and (C) cycling for 60 min between 150th and 210th minutes, with the same cycling load as in session B. Blood and dialysate flows were respectively 300 and 500 mL/min. Blood was sampled from the blood inlet at different time points, and dialysate was partially collected (300 mL/h). Small water soluble solutes and protein-bound toxins were quantified and intradialytic reduction ratios (RR) and overall removal were calculated per solute.

Total solute removal and reduction ratios were not different between the three test sessions, except for the reduction ratios RR60–120 and RR150–210 for potassium.

In conclusion, we add evidence to the existing literature that, regardless of the timing within the dialysis session, intradialytic exercise has no impact on small solute clearance, and demonstrated also a lack of impact for protein-bound solutes.
Conversation Technology With Micro-Learning: The Impact of Chatbot-Based Learning on Students’ Learning Motivation and Performance
Authors: Yin Jiaqi , Goh Tiong-Thye , Yang Bing , Xiaobin Yang
Published: August 2020

This study investigated the impact of a chatbot-based micro-learning system on students’ learning motivation and performance. A quasi-experiment was conducted with 99 first-year students taking part in a basic computer course on number system conversion. The students were assigned to a traditional learning group or a chatbot-based micro-learning group. After the experiment, both groups achieved a comparable performance, suggesting that students are sufficiently competent to learn independently in the chatbot-based learning environment without the need for continuous face-to-face delivery. Moreover, students in the chatbot learning group attained significantly higher intrinsic motivation than the traditional learning group with perceived choice and perceived value as core predictors of intrinsic motivation. Further analysis with the Johnson-Neyman procedure revealed differences on interaction between the perceived choice and the learning environments. For students with a high initial perceived choice (>=5.1), chatbot-based learning further enhances their post choice motivation whereas for students with a low initial perceived choice (<=3.0), the traditional classroom is more suitable to enhance their post choice motivation. The implications of the findings can help instructors to incorporate chatbot-based learning in the classroom.
The dataset of Political Agreements in Internal Conflicts (PAIC)
Authors: Fontana Giuditta , Kartsonaki Argyro , Neudorfer Natascha S , Walsh Dawn , Wolff Stefan , Yakinthou Christalla
Published: August 2020

This paper introduces the new dataset of Political Agreements in Internal Conflicts (PAIC) and presents its first application. PAIC captures the institutional provisions in political agreements concluded between 1989 and 2016. It provides information on 91 variables, along five dimensions: power sharing, transitional justice, cultural institutions, territorial self-governance and international assistance. First, the paper presents the data collection and coding procedures. Then it replicates Hartzell’s and Hoddie’s (2007, Crafting Peace, The Pennsylvania State University Press) seminal study on the relationship between power sharing and negotiated agreements, showing the long-term importance of a previously overlooked realm: commissions.
Are We Protecting Our History? A Municipal-Scale Analysis of Historic Preservation, Flood Hazards, and Planning
Authors: Rumbach Andrew , Bierbrauer Anna , Follingstad Gretel
Published: August 2020

Historic resources are important community assets that may be at risk from natural hazards, but few studies examine their risk or protection. We map the location of historic resources in municipal areas in Colorado ( n = 863) and find that 16.8 percent of National Register and State Register properties ( n = 145) intersect with a mapped floodplain, as well as 74.0 percent of National Register districts. We then study fourteen case study municipalities that are representative of those with substantial shares of their historic resources in floodplains. We find that most municipalities value their historic resources but very few proactively plan for their protection from hazards.
Home Care Nursing Visits and Same-Day Emergency Department Use: Which Patients Are Most at Risk?
Authors: Schumacher Connie , Jones Aaron , Costa Andrew P.
Published: August 2020

Background

Home care patients are a growing group of community-dwelling older adults with complex care needs and high health service use. Adult home care patients are at high risk for emergency department (ED) visits, which is greater on the same day as a nursing visit.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine whether common nursing indicators modified the association between nursing visits and same-day ED visits.

Methods

A case-crossover design within a retrospective cohort of adult home care patients in Ontario.

Results

A total of 11,840 home care nursing patients were analyzed. Home care patients who received a home nursing visit were more likely to go the ED afterhours on the same day with a stronger association for visits not admitted to the hospital. Having a urinary catheter increased the risk of a same-day ED visit (OR: 1.78 (95% CI 1.15–1.60) vs. 1.21 (95% CI 1.15–1.28)). No other clinical indicator modified the association.

Conclusions

The findings of this study can be used to inform care policies and practices for home care nurses in the management of indwelling urinary catheter complications. Further examination of system factors such as capacity and resources available to respond to catheter related complications in the community setting are recommended.
“Just Bring Us the Real Ones”: The Role of Forensic Crime Laboratories in Guarding the Gateway to Justice for Sexual Assault Victims
Authors: Campbell Rebecca , Fehler-Cabral Giannina
Published: August 2020

Throughout the United States, hundreds of thousands of sexual assault kits (SAKs; also termed “rape kits”) have never been submitted by law enforcement personnel to a crime laboratory for forensic DNA testing. Prior research indicates that negative stereotypes about victims influence police decisions to submit kits for testing, but forensic crime laboratory personnel may also be involved in SAK submission decisions. The purpose of the current study was to explore the communication and collaboration between police and crime lab personnel regarding SAK submissions within a community with large numbers of unsubmitted rape kits. Drawing from 3 years of ethnographic observations and longitudinal qualitative interviews, we found that the police department’s crime lab did not have sufficient resources to test all rape kits in police custody, which is a problem forensic laboratories are facing throughout the United States. However, we also found that access to this limited resource was controlled by crime lab personnel and their rape myth beliefs about which victims and which cases were considered worthy of the time, effort, and attention of the criminal justice system. Lab personnel emphasized that police should only submit “real” cases for forensic DNA testing, which they typically defined as physically violent stranger-perpetrated sexual assaults; “shady” cases did not merit testing, which they defined as known-offender assaults, reports made by adolescent victims, and cases in which the victim may have been engaged in sex work. We noted marked similarities in police and lab personnel’s rape myth acceptance, and stakeholders readily agreed that they did have a common understanding about which victims were not credible and therefore which SAKs did not merit testing. We discuss these findings in light of recommendations from the National Academy of Sciences for the independence and autonomy of the forensic sciences from law enforcement.
The Anatomy of a Battle Jacket: A Multimodal Ethnographic Perspective
Authors: O’Hagan Lauren
Published: August 2020

The battle jacket—a sleeveless denim jacket customized with band patches—is a staple item of clothing for heavy metal fans. This paper brings together social semiotic analysis and ethnographic insights to explore three different types of battle jacket: the “classic” jacket, the “tribute” jacket, and the “modern” jacket. It discovers that, despite the jacket’s assortment of bold images, colours, typography, and symmetrical arrangements, owners, in fact, consider aesthetics as secondary to the jacket’s function as a “channeler” of memories, relationships, beliefs, and ideologies. For each owner, the jacket serves a unique purpose, whether acting as a biography of their musical life (“classic” jacket), representing social ties and connections with loved ones (“tribute” jacket), or promoting particular political and religious beliefs (“modern” jacket). Through a multimodal ethnographic approach, battle jackets are revealed to be sophisticated and multifaceted artefacts with a range of sociocultural functions embedded in a rich history.
The Pursuit of Equal Educational Opportunity: A Historical Analysis of the South Texas/Border Initiative
Authors: Carales Vincent D. , Doran Erin E.
Published: August 2020

The purpose of this historical study was to investigate how individuals articulated the call for the South Texas/Border Initiative, a legislative mandate that funneled unprecedented amounts of funding to underserved universities along the Texas-Mexico border region between 1987 and 2003. Utilizing archival sources, we conducted an analysis of the intentional shifts in funding critical to equity and access in higher education. The events surrounding the South Texas/Border Initiative are unique in that they represent purposeful Latina/o community and state-wide activism that challenged higher education funding inequities.
Racial Differences in Respite Use among Black and White Caregivers for People Living with Dementia
Authors: Parker Lauren J. , Fabius Chanee D.
Published: August 2020

Objectives: To examine racial differences in respite utilization among a nationally representative sample of caregivers for persons living with dementia (PLwD). A secondary aim identified factors associated with respite utilization. Methods: Using data from the 2015 National Health and Aging Trends Study and National Study of Caregiving, we conducted binary logistic regression to examine racial difference in respite use among Black and white caregivers ( n = 750). Results: 22% of the sample used respite for PLwD. Black dementia caregivers were 69% less likely (odds ratio: .31, p = .001) to use respite compared to white caregivers. Other factors associated with utilization included education, receiving help with caregiving, and providing care for more self-care/mobility tasks or to a Medicaid-enrollee. Discussion: Findings suggest that Black dementia caregivers may be at risk for less frequent use of respite and highlight the need to identify factors that promote respite use.
Study on phase transformation in cutting Ni-base superalloy based on molecular dynamics method
Authors: Hao ZhaoPeng , Lou ZaiZhen , Fan YiHang
Published: August 2020

Nickel-based single crystal alloys are widely used in aerospace and other important fields of national defense due to their excellent properties. Phase transformation occurs during high-speed cutting of nickel-based single crystal alloy, which seriously affects the surface quality. It is of great significance to carry out theoretical research on phase transformation for improving the machining quality of nickel-based alloy. In this paper, molecular dynamics method is used to study the nano-cutting of single crystal nickel-based alloy with silicon nitride ceramic tool. The mechanism of phase transformation and the effect of cutting speed on phase transformation in workpieces are studied in detail. The nano-cutting model is established. Morse potential functions for molecular dynamics simulation are calculated, and EAM and Tersoff potential functions are selected. The effect of cutting speed on phase transformation was studied by using radial distribution function, coordination number analysis, common neighbor analysis, and the deep reasons for the sharp change of lattice structure were analyzed from many aspects. Finally, in order to verify the universality of the research results and explore the new properties of compression, nano compression (the same strain rate as the nano cutting process) was simulated. The results show that the increase of cutting speed leads to the increase of hydrostatic stress, the increase of energy in crystal and the rise of cutting temperature. As a result, the change of lattice structure becomes more and more intense, and the conversion rate of different crystal structures increases greatly.
Mistuning identification for coated blisks using small amount of experimental data
Authors: Xu Kunpeng , Yan Xianfei , Sun Wei , Wang Jin
Published: August 2020

Because the coatings are likely to produce new mistuning which aggravates the vibration failure of coated blades, it is particularly important to study the mistuning identification for coated blades. In this study, the degrees of freedom of the whole disk of the coated blisk is completely constrained, and the orders of the dynamic model of the coated blisk based on component mode mistuning (CMM) method is further reduced. Based on this model, a novel mistuning identification method for the coated blade of the coated blisk by small amount of experimental data is proposed, which can identify the mass, stiffness and damping mistuning of the blade substrates and coatings. The input parameters with high amount of data, such as modal shape matrix, are removed from identification formulas, thus, both the amount of data for identification calculation and the workload of vibration testing are reduced. The mistuning identifications of the numerical case and actual case are carried out respectively, and the identification process of the mistuning identification method in this paper is compared with the one based on the classical CMM model. It is shown that the mistuning identification method is effective and feasible, and the identification efficiency is higher than the classical CMM identification method.
Cooling structure design of gas turbine blade by using multi-level highly efficient design platform
Authors: Zhao Zhiqi , Luo Lei , Li Shouzuo , Qiu Dandan , Wang Songtao , Wang Zhongqi
Published: August 2020

In this paper, the internal cooling structure of a second-stage rotor blade is designed by using a multi-level highly efficient design platform. The design process is divided into schematic design and detailed design in sequence. The calculations of pipe-network and heat conduction are presented to preliminary evaluate the cooling structures derived from the schematic design stage. The flow field and heat transfer characteristics of the revised cooling structures are analyzed in the detailed design by using the three-dimensional conjugated heat transfer calculation method. Topological structure, mass flow rate, pressure distribution, heat transfer coefficient and temperature distribution of the cooling channels are presented. It is found that the schematic design results based on one-dimensional to three-dimensional solution method are in good agreement with the detailed design results. Meanwile, the introduction of the schematic design is helpful to shorten the cooling design cycle and reduce the dependence of the design experience. In this work, a five-pass serpentine passage with single cooling air inlet in the cooling system may lead to low flow rate at the trailing edge, which is prone to cause hot gas back-flow and local high heat load. The cooling system with a right-angle channel and a three-pass serpentine channel helps to distribute the flow reasonably and reduce the thermal gradient on the blade surface. The optimal cooling structure meet the requirements well. Compared with the uncooled blade, the average temperature of the blade decrease over 530 K with limited cooling air.
Public library circulation records: What do they reveal about users’ reading preferences?
Authors: Galyani-Moghaddam Golnessa , Taheri Parvin
Published: August 2020

This study investigates the reading preferences of young users of public libraries located in different districts of Tehran. The study uses a quantitative bibliometric method. It was carried out through an analysis of the online borrowing data recorded in the circulation departments of six Tehran public libraries ranked 3 by the Iran Public Libraries Foundation. The books borrowed by 12–18-year-old library users were analysed using Excel. The data shows that the users, regardless of their gender, preferred to borrow books not related to their coursework (non-supplementary books). Novels, adventure stories and fantasy were the genres most preferred by the users. Male and female youth, however, exhibited different reading preferences.
What do students find difficult when they read Shakespeare? Problems and solutions
Authors: Murphy Sean , Culpeper Jonathan , Gillings Mathew , Pace-Sigge Michael
Published: August 2020

Teaching and learning Shakespeare takes place across the world. Pedagogical matters have been the subject of much discussion in the last few decades. This article begins by reviewing that discussion, showing how different approaches – textual, contextual and active (or performance) – connect with the language of the plays. No study, it is pointed out, has conducted an empirical investigation as to what exactly students find problematic when they read the language of Shakespeare’s plays, an obvious first step, one might think, in designing an approach. The main aim of this article was to describe a study designed to do exactly this. It was conducted with two groups of Shakespeare students, one with English as a first language and one with English as an additional language. Participants were asked to identify difficulties in extracts from plays, rate specific linguistic forms according to difficulty and discuss what they think of Shakespeare’s language. Common areas of difficulty included archaic words, borrowings from other languages, coinages and false friends. With these findings in mind, the article briefly reflects on pedagogical solutions that are corpus-related, arguing that these address some of the problems associated with traditional textual approaches by requiring the active involvement of learners, treating language in a contextualised fashion and focussing on the language itself.
The 1869 controversy of cellular theory: Goodsir versus Virchow
Authors: Tracy Michael T
Published: August 2020

The Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) is Scotland’s national academy of science and letters and has been in existence since the eighteenth century. On 23 November 1868, a general meeting was held by the RSE at which members nominated the German academic, Professor Rudolf Virchow, as an Honorary Fellow in recognition of his key contributions to cellular theory. This nomination was opposed by the Reverend Joseph Taylor Goodsir, brother of the late Professor of Anatomy at Edinburgh University, John Goodsir. Reverend Goodsir went on to accuse the German professor of plagiarising his late brother’s pioneering work in the formulation of cell theory. The resultant furore created by the Reverend Goodsir led to an acrimonious scientific dispute in the Edinburgh medical establishment, then one of the leading centres of medical education. The current work describes the history of cellular theory as it pertains to John Goodsir and Rudolf Virchow, discusses the history behind the scientific dispute and interprets Reverend Joseph Taylor Goodsir’s role relating his actions to his continuing battle with mental illness, and the aftermath of the dispute as it affected the reputation of John Goodsir.
Navigating from Brand Image to Patient Loyalty: Mediating Effect of Service Quality and Patient Satisfaction
Authors: Vimla  , Taneja Udita
Published: August 2020

Purpose: This study aims to analyse brand image (BI)–service quality (SQ)–patient satisfaction (PS)–loyalty in healthcare by understanding BI and SQ modelled as multidimensional constructs in Indian healthcare. Furthermore, the mediating effect from BI to loyalty through SQ and PS is examined.

Design/methodology/approach: Analysis of survey data of 210 patients from Indian hospitals reveals that BI directly affects SQ, PS and loyalty, that SQ directly influences PS, that PS directly influences loyalty of patients and that PS and BI are significant determinants of loyalty.

Findings: Our findings suggest that BI has both a direct and indirect (through SQ and PS) impact on loyalty of patients. Moreover, the mediation of BI to loyalty through SQ and PS is partial and complementary mediation.

Practical implications: By understanding the relationship between BI, SQ, PS and loyalty, managers will be able to better understand the mechanism to enhance loyalty. As BI impacts loyalty indirectly through SQ and PS, managers need to improve quality, which will enhance satisfaction of patients and thus help in the formation of loyal patients.

Originality/value: This study shows how the mediating effect of SQ and PS can be used to improve patient loyalty by building positive BI.
COVID-19 Lifecycle: Predictive Modelling of States in India
Authors: Behl Ramesh , Mishra Manit
Published: August 2020

The study captures the COVID-19 lifecycle in different states of India using predictive analytics. Drawing upon the seminal susceptible–infected–removed (SIR) model of capturing the spread of viral diseases, this study models the spread of COVID-19 in the ten most infected states of India (as on 30 April 2020). Using publicly available state-wise time series data of COVID-19 patients during the period 1–30 April 2020, the study uses the forecasting technique of auto-regressive integrated moving averages (ARIMA) to predict the likely population susceptible to COVID-19 in each state. Thereafter, based on the SIR model, predictive modelling of state-wise COVID-19 data is carried out to determine: (a) the predictive accuracy; (b) the likely number of days it would take for the disease to reach the peak number of infections in a state; (c) the likely number of infections at the peak; and (d) the state-wise end date. The SIR model is implemented by running Python 3.7.4 on Jupyter Notebook and using the package Matplotlib 3.2.1 for visualization. The study offers rich insights for policymakers as well as common citizens.
Free vibration analysis of a porous rotor integrated with regular patterns of circumferentially distributed functionally graded piezoelectric patches on inner and outer surfaces
Authors: Heidari Yaser , Irani Rahaghi Mohsen , Arefi Mohammad
Published: August 2020

This article studies dynamic characteristics of a novel porous cylindrical hollow rotor based on the first-order shear deformation theory and Hamilton’s principle. The proposed model is made from a core including aluminum with porosity integrated with an arrangement of functionally graded piezoelectric patches placed on its inner and outer surfaces with a customized circumferential orientation. The piezoelectric patches are subjected to applied electric potential as sensor and actuator. The kinematic relations are developed based on the first-order shear deformation theory. Hamilton’s principle is used to derive governing equations of motion with calculation of strain and kinetic energies and external work. Solution procedure of the partial differential equations of motion is developed using Galerkin technique for simple boundary conditions. The accuracy and trueness of this work is justified using a comprehensive comparison with previous valid references. A large parametric study is presented to show influence of significant parameters such as dimensionless geometric parameters, porosity coefficient, angular speed, inhomogeneous index, and characteristics of patches on the mode shapes, natural frequencies, and critical speeds of the structure.
Unsettling Knowledge Synthesis Methods Using Institutional Ethnography: Reflections on the Scoping Review as a Critical Knowledge Synthesis Tool
Authors: Dalmer Nicole K.
Published: August 2020

Scoping reviews are an increasingly popular knowledge synthesis method. While knowledge synthesis methods abound in evidence-based practices, these methods are critiqued for their reliance on positivism. Drawing on a scoping review that mapped scholarly conceptualizations of family caregivers’ information-related dementia care work, in this article, I reconcile institutional ethnography’s epistemological and ontological assumptions with the prescribed scoping review framework. I first explore the textual organization of scoping reviews. I then unpack the process of modifying three scoping review stages in keeping with an institutional ethnography method of inquiry, and in doing so, transform the scoping review into a critical knowledge synthesis tool. Through a reflexive process, I deconstruct scoping review’s textual authority and uncover that scoping reviews bring about a double decontextualization of family caregivers’ information work, removing family caregivers from their experiences of their information-related care work while simultaneously reducing them to objects of techno-scientific interventions.
Complications Associated With Midline Incision for Insertional Achilles Tendinopathy
Authors: Hörterer Hubert , Baumbach Sebastian Felix , Oppelt Sonja , Böcker Wolfgang , Harrasser Norbert , Walther Markus , Polzer Hans
Published: August 2020

Background:

The midline-incision trans-achillary approach (MITA) is frequently used for addressing all pathologies of insertional Achilles tendinopathy (IAT). The aim of this study was to assess the complication rate and possible influencing factors following a MITA for IAT treatment.

Methods:

Presented is a retrospective cohort study with current follow-up. Patients treated surgically by a MITA, addressing all pathologies of IAT, between January 2010 and October 2016 at a single reference center with at least 12 months of follow-up were included. General demographics (age, sex, and body mass index), medical history, surgical details (individual and sum of pathologies addressed), and duration of in-hospital stay were assessed. Patient satisfaction, shoe conflict, current employment status, time to return to sports, and type of sports were recorded using a custom questionnaire. Standard statistics, chi-square, and t tests were performed using SPSS. A total of 118 patients (follow-up, 63.4%) with a mean age (± SD) of 50 ± 12 years and a mean final follow-up time (± SD) of 4.2 ± 2.1 were included.

Results:

Fourteen percent of patients had a minor complication, the majority (75%) of which were surgical site infections. Forty-one percent were limited in their shoe selection, and 32% reported a shoe conflict. Seventy-eight percent were very satisfied, and 89% would recommend the surgery. Neither the individual surgical procedures, their sum, nor any other parameter showed a significant influence on the complication rate. The only factor negatively affecting patient satisfaction was a shoe conflict ( P < .001).

Conclusion:

The MITA for IAT treatment showed a moderate minor complication rate with good midterm patient satisfaction. However, the approach might predispose patients to shoe conflict, which negatively influences their satisfaction.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, retrospective cohort study.
Local Thrombolysis in High-Risk Pulmonary Embolism—13 Years Single-Center Experience
Authors: Macovei Liviu , Presura Razvan Mihai , Magopet Robert , Prisecariu Cristina , Macovei Carmen , Omete Gabriela , Nedelciuc Igor , Balasanian Mircea
Published: August 2020

To evaluate the prognosis after local thrombolysis compared to systemic thrombolysis in high-risk pulmonary embolism. Observational study during 13 years which included 37 patients with high-risk pulmonary embolism treated with local thrombolysis and 36 patients with systemic thrombolysis (streptokinase, 250 000 UI/30 minutes followed by 100 000 UI/h). Cardiogenic shock has totally remitted in the group with local thrombolysis ( P = .002). The decrease in pressure gradient between right ventricle and right atrium was comparable in both groups in the acute period (the results being influenced by the higher in-hospital mortality after systemic thrombolysis), but significantly better in the next 24 months follow-up after in situ thrombolysis. Major and minor bleeding did not have significant differences. In hospital, mortality was significantly lower in the group with local thrombolysis ( P = .003), but for the next 24 months follow-up, the survival was comparable in both groups. Local thrombolysis, during the hospitalization, was associated with lower mortality rate comparing with systemic thrombolysis. In the next 24 months follow-up, the evolution of residual pulmonary hypertension was significantly better after in situ thrombolysis.