bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Potential of variable diffuser vanes for extending the operating range of compressors and for improving the torque performance of turbocharged engines
Authors: Huang Qiangqiang , Zheng Xinqian
Published: August 2016

Turbocharging plays a significant role in internal-combustion engines. For engines in the future or for engines operating at a high altitude, compressors which are able to deliver a high pressure ratio are preferable. However, the poor low-end torque characteristics of turbocharged engines, which are often restricted by the narrow operating range of compressors at a high pressure ratio, result in a severe problem for turbocharging. The use of variable diffuser vanes is an effective method to increase the operating range, but the potential of an extended operating range at a high pressure ratio and improvement in the torque performance of engines is unclear. Nowadays, the pressure ratio of a turbocharger compressor may be only 1–4. Because of the increase in the pressure ratio, estimating the potential is ultimately worthwhile. In this paper the performances of a centrifugal compressor with different diffuser vane angles are investigated, the range extension and the improvement in the torque performance which benefited from variable diffuser vanes are estimated and the mechanisms for range extension are revealed. The approach includes steady three-dimensional Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes simulations and theoretical analysis. Adjusting the vane angle from −10° to 10° improves the operating range of a compressor from 23.5% (with fixed vanes) to 54.9% at a pressure ratio of 4.8. The range extension is obtained by utilizing the shifts in the choke line and the surge line. A method of assessing the choking component based on the simulation results is proposed. The diffuser, the flow stability of which was enhanced comparatively by closing it (pivoting the vanes by −10° and −5°), contributes mainly to reducing the surge flow. With this range extension, the improvement in the maximum torque is estimated to be 78%.
Men who have sex with men diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection are significantly more likely to engage in sexualised drug use
Authors: Ottaway Z , Finnerty Fionnuala , Amlani Aliza , Pinto-Sander Nicolas , Szanyi Joshua , Richardson Daniel
Published: August 2016

The sexualised use of recreational drugs (Mephedrone, GBL/GHB, Crystal Meth) generally known as ‘chemsex’ in men who have sex with men (MSM) is thought to be associated with sexually transmitted infection (STI) acquisition; however there is little data showing a direct relationship. We reviewed 130 randomly selected cases of MSM with an STI attending our STI service and 130 controls (MSM attending the STI service who did not have an STI) between 5 May 2015 and 2 November 2015. Reported condomless anal sex was significantly higher in cases 90/121 (74%) compared with controls 65/122 (53%); ( χ2 = 11.71, p < 0.005, OR 2.54). Recreational drug use in the cases 38/122 (31%) was significantly greater than in controls 20/125 (16%); ( χ2 = 7.88, p < 0.005, OR 2.37). This demonstrates a link between STI acquisition and recreational drug use in MSM. Harm reduction initiatives identifying and addressing party drug use can help to improve the sexual health of MSM, including reducing risk-taking behaviours.
Disturbance rejection control for attitude control of air-breathing hypersonic vehicles with actuator dynamics
Authors: Cheng Xianlei , Wang Peng , Liu Luhua , Tang Guojian
Published: August 2016

A novel disturbance rejection control scheme is proposed to address the robust attitude control problem for the air-breathing hypersonic vehicle with actuator dynamics and disturbances based on predictive sliding mode control and nonlinear disturbance observer. To achieve attitude control subtly and precisely, the attitude control system is decomposed into two subsystems: the outer-loop subsystem and inner-loop subsystem. Different control schemes are taken to attenuate or reject model uncertainties and external disturbances, whose influences on the two subsystems are different. The predictive sliding mode control is first utilized to attenuate model uncertainties imposed on the outer-loop subsystem. Then, a novel nonlinear disturbance observer–based predictive sliding mode control is proposed to tackle the mismatched disturbances with remarkable influence on the inner-loop subsystem. Afterward, both the effectiveness and stability of the proposed nonlinear disturbance observer–based predictive sliding mode control disturbance rejection control scheme are demonstrated from the theoretical prospective. Finally, simulation results are given to present the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed disturbance rejection control scheme.
A modularized cable-suspended robot: Implementation and oscillation suppression control
Authors: Lin Jonqlan , Liao Guan-Ting
Published: August 2016

Cable-suspended robots are categorized as a style of parallel manipulator that has appealed interest for manipulation jobs. This article presents a design for a cable-suspended robot system with oscillation suppression control. The major benefits of the system design are as follows: modular, transportable, reconfigurable, and easy to install. This robotic system consists of the main object, which is a suspended platform and a cable winch that maneuvers the main object by regulating cable lengths. Furthermore, this study presents a combined control module to serve as an associate controller to stabilize the system. The associate controller positions and oscillates the suppression properties by integration feedback control with the shaping signals. The fuzzy controller is rule based and constructed based on associate controller performance-related knowledge to act as a controller. Accordingly, the proposed control scheme effectively reduces cable oscillation, especially when fuzzy control methodology is applied. The broad variety of problems deliberated in this study can be applied to assembly, automation, and large-scale manufacturing that requires a cable-suspended system.
Negligence, genetics and families
Authors: Fay Michael
Published: August 2016

Genetic testing can reveal information significant to patients’ relatives. This familial aspect raises an important question: should clinicians owe a duty to disclose genetic risk to patients’ blood relations? In ABC v. St George’s Healthcare NHS Trust and Smith and Another v. University of Leicester NHS Trust, the High Court rejected claims by relatives regarding genetic information. Both cases are being appealed. The High Court’s analysis of duty was restrictive; foreseeable harm and proximity thus far receiving minimal scrutiny. A detailed analysis indicates harm and proximity are important in defining the scope of a duty. The foreseeable harm is argued as medically actionable genetic conditions. Proximity could be demonstrated by claimants establishing themselves as identifiable victims of non-disclosure that ought to be in defendants’ contemplation as so affected. It is also argued a duty is not prohibited by the policy reasons relied upon in ABC: incremental development, confidentiality, a right not to know and psychiatric harm.
Higher Education as an Extended Duration Service
Authors: Pham Hiep-Hung , Lai Sue Ling
Published: August 2016

Regarding higher education as a type of extended duration service, this article proposes a framework considering adjusted expectation, disconfirmation, satisfaction, and commitment in a conceptual model to explain international student loyalty. Employing a structure equation model to the sample data collected from 252 Vietnam overseas students studying in more than 15 countries, this study confirms the direct and indirect roles of satisfaction and commitment in student loyalty. Given the nature of extended duration service for higher education, another important finding is that adjusted expectation mediates the satisfaction–commitment relationship and subsequently affects student loyalty through commitment. An additional discovery is the encounter of a direct path from disconfirmation to adjusted expectation and to commitment, previously overlooked in prior studies. Our findings have implications for university and government strategies for retaining international students.
Exploring Perceived Risk and Risk Reduction Strategies in the Pursuit of Higher Education Abroad
Authors: Lam Jason M. S. , Tong David Yoon Kin , Ariffin Ahmad Azmi M.
Published: August 2016

While past studies have merely focused on perceived risks that influence how students select the destination of international education best suited to their needs, research on perceived risk regarding post-purchase behavior remains limited. This study attempts to extend and redefine the perceived risk paradigm by uncovering the underlying elements of perceived risk among international students who are studying in Malaysian universities. Furthermore, it seeks to explore how demographic factors and risk reduction strategies can be applied to the perception of risk. Results for a sample group of 515 international students reveal that there are seven dimensions of perceived risk. Of all demographic factors tested, only place of residence (while studying in Malaysia) was found to influence perceived risk. Seeking information from the relevant authorities, proper savings plans, well organized study schedules, and advice from family members or peers are considered important to reduce students’ perceptions of risk. This implies that perceived risk theory could also be applied to the higher education context in the post-purchase behavior.
Differential Expression of β-Catenin, EGFR, CK7, CK20, MUC1, MUC2, and CDX2 in Intestinal and Pancreatobiliary-Type Ampullary Carcinomas
Authors: Perysinakis Iraklis , Minaidou Emilia , Leontara Vasileia , Mantas Dimitrios , Sotiropoulos Georgios C. , Tsipras Hercules , Zografos George N. , Margaris Ilias , Kouraklis Gregory
Published: August 2016

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to associate immunohistochemical expression of β-catenin, EGFR, CK7, CK20, MUC1, MUC2, and CDX2 in ampullary adenocarcinomas with the type of differentiation and prognosis. Methods: Forty-seven patients with ampullary adenocarcinoma who underwent pancreatoduodenectomy with curative intent from 1997 to 2014 were included in this study. Nine patients with perioperative death were included in the association analysis but excluded from survival analysis. All tumors were classified as intestinal or pancreatobiliary type, according to histologic criteria, and immunohistochemically stained against the aforementioned markers. Results: Eighteen carcinomas were classified as intestinal type and 29 carcinomas as pancreatobiliary type. Univariate analysis revealed that CK20 and CDX2 expression correlates with intestinal type, whereas MUC1 positivity indicates pancreatobiliary type. A marginally significant trend was shown for intestinal-type tumors toward larger size and more frequent MUC2 expression. Using multivariate analysis CK20 ( P = .003) and MUC1 ( P = .004) were identified as independent predictors of the intestinal and pancreatobiliary types, respectively. Mean and median survival was 90.3 and 55 months, respectively. Overall 5-year survival rate was 48%. On univariate survival analysis, overall survival was adversely influenced by the number of infiltrated lymph nodes, elevated Ca19-9 serum levels, jaundice, poor differentiation, T4 stage, N1 stage, TNM stage III, and CDX2 immunonegativity. Multivariate analysis identified TNM stage as the only independent prognostic factor in ampullary adenocarcinoma ( P = .048). Conclusions: Immunoreactivity against CK20 and MUC1 in ampullary carcinomas is a useful adjunct to histologic examination in determining histotype. None of the immunohistochemical markers studied had prognostic significance.
Undifferentiated Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Mimicking Hodgkin Lymphoma With CD30 Expression
Authors: Jabbour Mark N. , Nassif Samer , Chakhachiro Zaher
Published: August 2016

The presence of CD30-expressing Hodgkin-like cells with a background of inflammation and eosinophils in a young adolescent is usually diagnostic of classical Hodgkin lymphoma. Herein we present the case of a 12-year-old boy presenting with enlarged cervical lymph node characterized by the presence of Hodgkin-like cells expressing CD30 and EBV-LMP1 with a Hodgkin-like background. The Hodgkin-like cells were negative for CD15, CD20, CD45, and Pax-5. The tumor cells, however, expressed several cytokeratins, confirming the diagnosis of an undifferentiated carcinoma nasopharyngeal type. This case highlights the importance of possessing a high index of suspicion when encountering lymph nodes with Hodgkin-like cells and a Hodgkin-like background, even with CD30 expression, as the differential can include undifferentiated carcinoma nasopharyngeal type.
A Contribution Toward the Adaptation and Validation of the Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy Scale in Italy and Portugal
Authors: Spagnoli Paola , Santos Susana C. , Caetano António
Published: August 2016

Entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) seems to play a key role in the entrepreneurial career choice. The main goal of this study is to examine the reliability and validity of the ESE Scale proposed by McGee, Peterson, Mueller, and Sequeira both in Italy and Portugal. In particular, this study aims to strengthen and extend previous evidence of the Italian version of the ESE Scale and to assess its psychometric properties in Portugal. Furthermore, it aims at investigating the differences between two groups of participants both in Italy and Portugal: entrepreneurs and students. Construct, convergent, and discriminant validity of the ESE Scale were assessed through confirmatory factorial analysis and multigroups confirmatory factorial analysis using structural equation modeling. Configural, full metric, and partial scalar invariance were achieved. Moreover, correlational analysis, reliability analysis, and one-way analysis of variance were conducted. The findings support the use of the ESE Scale in Italy and Portugal for research and practical purposes. Limitation and suggestion for further research are also discussed.
Adolescents’ Dialogic Composing With Mobile Phones
Authors: Warner Julie
Published: August 2016

This 14-month study examined the phone-based composing practice of three adolescents. Given the centrality of mobile phones to youth culture, the researcher sought to create a description of the participants’ composing practices with these devices. Focal participants were users of Twitter and Instagram, two social media platforms that are usually accessed by way of applications (mobile phone software). A Bakhtinian theoretical framework was used to locate composing as a social act involving relationships among multivocal texts and authors and audiences. Findings indicate that much of the participants’ literacy engagement was spontaneous, in the moment, reactive, and emergent. Another finding was that audience feedback informed text production. Finally, the practice of digital curation (appropriating others’ texts) was central to online phone-based composing practice.
Monitoring Academic and Social Skills in Elementary School
Authors: Caldarella Paul , Larsen Ross A. A. , Williams Leslie , Wehby Joseph H. , Wills Howard , Kamps Debra
Published: August 2016

Numerous well-validated academic progress monitoring tools are used in schools, but there are fewer behavioral progress monitoring measures available. Some brief behavior rating scales have been shown to be effective in monitoring students’ progress, but most focus only on students’ social skills and do not address critical academic-related behaviors. We conducted a quasi-replication of a study by Brady, Evans, Berlin, Bunford, and Kern examining the Classroom Performance Survey (CPS) by using a multi-step analytic strategy, including confirmatory factor analysis and reliability analysis. Over a period of 3 years, 160 elementary schoolteachers in 19 schools across three states completed a modified CPS on 356 elementary students identified as at-risk for emotional and behavioral disorders. The modified CPS was found to be comprised of two factors (Academic Competence and Interpersonal Competence) and showed evidence of reliability and validity. These results suggest that the CPS shows promise as a brief behavior rating scale for progress monitoring in elementary schools.
What is the value of world heritage status for a German national park? A choice experiment from Jasmund, 1 year after inscription
Authors: Wuepper David
Published: August 2016

There is an ongoing debate about whether World Heritage (WH) status has a significant tourism value. However, Su and Lin and Wuepper and Patry argue that the better question is which sites benefit and suggest a general pattern. In both studies, it is argued that in addition to broad regional trends, more remote and less famous destinations benefit most. We test this statement with a choice experiment at a small, remote, national park in northeast Germany. We find a per-person increase in willingness to pay of €4.70 which translates into an overall value increase of €3.8 million annually. Additionally, 9% of the visitors report they only know of the park because of the media coverage of its WH inscription and 15% report to have been convinced about the park’s quality by its WH status.
Abnormal pap tests among women living in a Hispanic migrant farmworker community: A narrative of health literacy
Authors: Vamos Cheryl A , Lockhart Elizabeth , Vázquez-Otero Coralia , Thompson Erika L , Proctor Sara , Wells Kristen J , Daley Ellen M
Published: August 2016

This study explored narrative responses following abnormal Pap tests among Hispanic migrant farmworkers ( N = 18; ages 22–50 years) via in-depth interviews in Florida. Qualitative analyses utilized health literacy domains (obtain/process/understand/communicate) as a conceptual framework. Participants described how they (1) obtained information about getting a Pap test, (2) processed positive and negative reactions following results, (3) understood results and recommended health-promoting behaviors, and (4) communicated and received social support. Women had disparate reactions and understanding following an abnormal Pap result. Health literacy was a meaningful conceptual framework to understand assets and gaps among women receiving an abnormal Pap test result. Future interventions should incorporate health literacy domains and facilitate patient–provider communications and social support to assist women in decision-making and health-promoting behaviors, ultimately decreasing cancer disparities.
Employment programmes and interventions targeting adults with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review of the literature
Authors: Hedley Darren , Uljarević Mirko , Cameron Lauren , Halder Santoshi , Richdale Amanda , Dissanayake Cheryl
Published: August 2016

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder face significant challenges entering the workforce; yet research in this area is limited and the issues are poorly understood. In this systematic review, empirical peer-reviewed studies on employment programmes, interventions and employment-related outcomes in individuals with autism spectrum disorder over 18 years with and without intellectual disability were identified and evaluated. The review was prefaced by a summary of previous systematic reviews in the area. Web of Science, Medline, PsychINFO, ERIC and Scopus databases were systematically searched through to October 2015. From 32,829 records identified in the initial search, 10 review and 50 empirical articles, comprising N = 58,134 individuals with autism spectrum disorder, were included in the review. Selected articles were organised into the following themes: employment experiences, employment as a primary outcome, development of workplace skills, non-employment-related outcomes, assessment instruments, employer-focused and economic impact. Empirical studies were limited by poor participant characterisation, small sample size and/or a lack of randomisation and use of appropriate controls. Poor conceptualisation and measurement of outcomes significantly limited study quality and interpretation. Future research will require a multidisciplinary and multifaceted approach to explore employment outcomes on the individual, the family system, co-workers and the employer, along with the impact of individual differences on outcome.
Do early caregiver concerns differ for girls with autism spectrum disorders?
Authors: Little Lauren M , Wallisch Anna , Salley Brenda , Jamison Rene
Published: August 2016

Given that early caregiver concerns may be different for children who go on to receive a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder versus another developmental disability, early caregiver concerns may differ for girls. Using a community-based sample of children (n = 241), we examined the extent to which gender differences may be related to caregiver concerns prior to a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder or other developmental disability. Participants were matched on chronological age, and cognitive functioning did not differ across groups. Using caregiver concern data, results showed that boys with autism spectrum disorder showed increased social interaction concerns; overall, autism spectrum disorder–related concerns did not differentiate those with autism spectrum disorder from developmental disability. Children with developmental disability, however, showed increased general developmental concerns as compared to those with autism spectrum disorder. Young girls with autism spectrum disorder may demonstrate behaviors that are not particularly salient or concerning for parents; future research may investigate the behaviors that differentiate girls with autism spectrum disorder early in development.
Form-finding of free-form tensegrity structures by genetic algorithm–based total potential energy minimization
Authors: Uzun Fatih
Published: August 2016

Free-form tensegrities are composed of randomly connected cable and strut elements. The complexity of these structures causes determination of their self-equilibrium form to be a formidable task. There can be an infinite number of solutions with different forms, but it is difficult to identify the best form in terms of stability. Based on the fact that stability of structures is inversely proportional to potential energy, a genetic algorithm minimization process is developed to determine the self-equilibrium form of free-form regular tensegrity structures. The capability of the form-finding process on determination of the most stable form with minimum potential energy is investigated using two main parameters of free-form regular tensegrities which are cable–strut length ratio at rest and number of strut elements. The computational performance of the proposed method is also tested using free-form tensegrities with different number of structural elements.
Content analysis across new media platforms: Methodological considerations for capturing media-rich data
Authors: Hurwitz Lisa B , Alvarez Aubry L , Lauricella Alexis R , Rousse Thomas H , Montague Heather , Wartella Ellen
Published: August 2016

Content analyses sway policy by describing the prevalence of mass media messages and implying effects. However, content-based research focusing ondynamic new media products such as websites, mobile applications, and video games presents methodological challenges. Our team recently conducted a large-scale content analysis exploring food marketing to children across media platforms, in which we captured and analyzed a variety of media-rich content. We consulted multiple sources to form our sampling frame, employed a complex sampling technique to allow for generalization of findings, used screen-capture software to record our exploration of media products, analyzed data using video coding software, and created a custom scale to determine the target audience of certain media products. We believe the steps we have taken may provide valuable insights into aspiring content analysts interested in studying media-rich content and address challenges that have been plaguing content analysts for the past two decades.
A Rumor of Noir: Calvin Trillin around town(s)
Authors: Wilson Christopher P
Published: August 2016

Rumor is customarily considered a taboo element in contemporary journalism; its use is roundly condemned in many official quarters. And yet, its actual persistence in everyday journalistic practice also suggests a need to reexamine its various functions. This essay considers the manifold uses of rumor in the journalism of The New Yorker author Calvin Trillin – specifically, his Noir essays on accidental death and murder in mid-size American towns and cities collected in Killings (1984) and American Stories (1991). Originally published as part of his ‘US Journal’ and ‘American Chronicles’ series for The New Yorker, these essays use rumor to reconstruct the private doubts and public opinions of its profiled towns – and as such, reveal Trillin’s debts to a Noir critique of the public sphere. Moreover, both as fieldwork and rhetorical tool, the marshaling of rumor plays a role both in Trillin’s own self-fashioning as a mid-American everyman and in The New Yorker’s larger claim to speak not only about such towns but also for them.
The imperial ‘we’: Racial justice, nationhood, and global war in Claudia Jones’ Weekly Review editorials, 1938–1943
Authors: Mislán Cristina
Published: August 2016

During World War II, Black journalists sought to shape United States’ domestic and international policies to fight Jim Crowism and fascism. This article demonstrates how Claudia Jones, a Trinidadian-born journalist, placed ‘superexploited’ voices at the center of a conversation about nationhood, race, and war politics. Employing a historical and thematic analysis of Jones’ editorials in the Young Communist League’s Weekly Review from 1938 to 1943, the author highlights three themes. This analysis demonstrates how Jones promoted US intervention in World War II by linking Jim Crowism to fascism and promoting military service and transnational solidarity. In centering ‘superexploited’ voices, Jones employed an imperial ‘we’ discourse that intersected racial justice with the Communist Party of the USA’s Popular Front platform. Her journalism complicates historical narratives about alternative journalism, illustrating how voices like Jones at times contributed to the growth of US global power, even while they critiqued its policies.
Strategies of pro-European parties in the face of a Eurosceptic challenge
Authors: Adam Silke , Antl-Wittenberg Eva-Maria , Eugster Beatrice , Leidecker-Sandmann Melanie , Maier Michaela , Schmidt Franzisca
Published: August 2016

We ask how pro-European parties communicate in the face of a Eurosceptic challenge and how this affects the politicization of European Union integration within a country. We draw on a quantitative content analysis of parties’ press releases issued in the run-up to the 2014 European Parliament elections in seven countries. Our results show that pro-European parties as such put Europe on the agenda, debate issues similar to those voiced by Eurosceptics and defend their pro-European positions: yet, they do so to varying degrees and with major exceptions. It is pro-European catch-all parties with strong internal dissent that silence Europe and choose blurring or adoption strategies. Consequently, the politicization of European integration varies among countries, thereby high topic visibility is accompanied by low levels of party conflict.
Simmel’s reading of Nietzsche: The promise of “philosophical sociology”
Authors: Partyga Dominika
Published: August 2016

This article explores Simmel’s engagement with Nietzsche to illuminate the dynamics of ethical agency in his late life-philosophy. The main argument is that Simmel’s reworking of the Nietzschean themes of the will to power, distinction, and self-overcoming lays the ground for his vitalist ethics in The View of Life. An integrative reading across Simmel’s intellectual biography points to the relevance of the Nietzschean doctrine of eternal return for Simmel’s critique of abstract Kantian morality. The Nietzschean promise of life-affirmation is problematized in relation to the broader project of sociological metaphysics, which transgresses the boundaries between classical sociology and social philosophy. Opening up the grounds for a more sustained investigation into Simmel’s engagement with Nietzsche, this article resonates with contemporary discussions on the ethics of the relational self and sociological vitalism.
Modelling and stabilization of a three-axis ship-mounted mobile antenna system
Authors: Kuseyri Sina
Published: August 2016

A mobile satellite communication antenna is a device installed on a moving carrier for mobile satellite communication. Gimballed motorized pedestals are used to eliminate the effect of disturbance and maintain uninterrupted communication when the carrier is moving. Mobile satellite communication antennas are becoming increasingly more popular due many advantages of mobile satellite communication. In this paper, a three-axis ship-mounted antenna on a pedestal gimbal system is studied. We study the problem with a different perspective and method from the previous work for two-axis antenna pedestals. The former studies treat the subsystems to be isolated and design controllers separately, which neglect the coupling effects in the dynamics of two or three-axis antenna pedestal gimbals. We treat three sub-systems as a whole and derive the dynamic model of the system using the Newton–Euler method. Based on the dynamic model, linear PI controllers are designed to stabilize the antenna to keep its orientation towards the satellite. The design objective of the control system is to direct the on-board antenna toward a satellite and to keep its orientation unaltered despite the effect of sea waves disturbing the antenna. Simulation results are presented to show the stabilization performance of the system with the synthesized controllers.
Choice behavior after burglary victimization: Moving, safety precautions, and passivity
Authors: Wollinger Gina Rosa
Published: August 2016

Several studies on burglary concern the psychological impact on victims of burglary. However, little research exists on changes in behavior with regard to burglary experiences. The present analysis focuses on choice behavior after a burglary by differentiating moving and safety precaution behavior as well as passivity. Here, a sample of N = 1329 victims of burglary from five big cities in Germany is used. The main findings indicate that psychological strain, age, housing condition, household income, social cohesion, and social disorganization are relevant predictors of choice behavior after a burglary. As such, different cost and benefit aspects will be considered as explanations for behavioral reactions.
Transcutaneous calf-muscle electro-stimulation: A prospective treatment for diabetic claudicants?
Authors: Ellul Christian , Gatt Alfred
Published: August 2016

Background:

First-line therapy for claudicants with diabetes include supervised exercise programmes to improve walking distance. However, exercise comes with a number of barriers and may be contraindicated in certain conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether calf-muscle electro-stimulation improves claudication distance.

Method:

A prospective, one-group, pretest–posttest study design was employed on 40 participants living with type 2 diabetes mellitus, peripheral artery disease (ankle-brachial pressure index < 0.90) and calf-muscle claudication. Calf-muscle electro-stimulation of varying frequencies (1–250 Hz) was applied on both ischaemic limbs ( N = 80) for 1 h per day for 12 consecutive weeks. The absolute claudication distance was measured at baseline and following the intervention.

Results:

The cohort ( n = 40; 30 males; mean age = 71 years; mean ankle-brachial pressure index = 0.70) registered a mean baseline absolute claudication distance of 333.71 m (standard deviation = 208). Following 91.68 days (standard deviation = 6.23) of electrical stimulation, a significant mean increase of 137 m (standard deviation = 136) in the absolute claudication distance was registered ( p = 0.000, Wilcoxon signed rank test).

Conclusion:

Electrical stimulation of varying low to high frequencies on ischaemic calf muscles significantly increased the maximal walking capacity in claudicants with type 2 diabetes. This therapeutic approach may be considered in patients with impaired exercise tolerance or as an adjunct treatment modality.
Translumbar Puncture for Retrograde Catheterization of a Kinked Left Renal Stent After Fenestrated Endograft Repair
Authors: Hertault Adrien , Clough Rachel E. , Martin-Gonzalez Teresa , Spear Rafaelle , Azzaoui Richard , Sobocinski Jonathan , Haulon Stéphan
Published: August 2016

Purpose: To describe a case of percutaneous retrograde left renal artery cannulation and restenting for severe distortion of a bridging stent diagnosed at the time of fenestrated endovascular aneurysm repair (FEVAR). Case Report: A 79-year-old man underwent 4-vessel FEVAR, during which completion angiography showed a good postoperative result, but cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) demonstrated severe distortion of the proximal part of the left renal stent. An antegrade or hybrid approach to recannulate the vessel was not possible due to the stent architecture and patient comorbidities. Contrast-enhanced CBCT was used to define the needle trajectory for a percutaneous translumbar approach. Fusion imaging software registered the planned needle track to the live fluoroscopy image. Respiratory motion compensation was used. Retrograde cannulation of the left renal artery was achieved; via a through-and-through wire with the left femoral artery, the left renal artery stent was relined using a covered stent. No deterioration of renal function was observed following the procedure. Contrast-enhanced duplex ultrasound demonstrated good flow in all target vessels without endoleak. Conclusion: Translumbar puncture and retrograde catheterization of a severely distorted left renal artery stent is possible during FEVAR using advanced imaging applications and can prevent target vessel loss.
Increasing Donation Opportunities for Vascularized Composite Allografts
Authors: Bramstedt Katrina A.
Published: August 2016

There are 40 vascularized composite allotransplant programs across 5 continents served by 31 organ procurement organizations (or equivalent). The organizations’ websites inform about organ and tissue donation. This research explored worldwide educational efforts on vascularized composite allograft (VCAG) donation via their corporate websites as well as options within donor registries and donor card systems to indicate a VCAG donation preference. Of these, 13 (41.9%) of 31 had VCAG content and 7 (22.6%) of 31 offered a mechanism for individuals to voice a preference about VCAG donation through an opt in donor registry or card or an opt out registry. In North America, the only donor registration/card system that facilitated VCAG donation is in Mexico. The resistance to consent for VACG donation is likely due to poor public education and the personal nature of face, hand, uterus, and penile allografts. Efforts to reduce this resistance can begin with the assistance of website content, registries, and donor cards.
From the Richmond Parkway to the Staten Island Greenbelt
Authors: Nugent Patrick
Published: August 2016

In the mid-1960s, the Staten Island Citizens Planning Committee (SICPC) thwarted plans for the Richmond Parkway, seeking instead to weave dense, affordable housing options within a network of linear preserves they donned “the Greenbelt.” By the mid-1970s, however, the SICPC decoupled their environmental concerns from dense housing schemes, turning instead toward ecological zoning strategies. The SICPC’s changing vision reveals the policies and park spaces that emerged when environmentalists ran square into the realities of the mid-1970s fiscal crisis. If such policies proved effective for preserving biodiversity, they also helped cement the segregated landscape taking shape across the metropolis.
Coordinated motion control model of a six-wheeled rocker lunar rover
Authors: Ding Tianxiang , Hou Xuyan , Xue Pingping , Zhang Kailiang , Deng Zongquan , Wang Yongbin
Published: August 2016

At present, control methods of the six-wheeled rocker lunar rover primarily consist of setting the same driving parameters for each wheel. This type of control method ignores the multiple active driving characteristics of the lunar rover and causes parasitic power loss. The main cause of the parasitic power loss is the uncoordinated motion of the driving elements. Therefore, in this article, a coordinated motion programming model of the six-wheeled rocker lunar rover based on the velocity projection theorem, the quasi-static mechanical model, and the rated power of the motor is established to eliminate parasitic loss, reduce driving energy, and improve energy efficiency. The analytical solution of the programming model based on the Kuhn–Tucker condition is also calculated. The coordinated motion control model saves energy, and it is suitable for other wheeled-type planet rovers. This model provides technical support for reducing the energy consumption of planet rovers.
The relationships between school autonomy gap, principal leadership, teachers’ job satisfaction and organizational commitment
Authors: Dou Diya , Devos Geert , Valcke Martin
Published: August 2016

This study examines the relationship between school autonomy gap, principal leadership, school climate, teacher psychological factors, teachers’ job satisfaction and organizational commitment under the context of school autonomy reform. A path model has been developed to define the relationships between principal leadership and teachers’ outcomes via mediating variables. Multiple-group comparison was used to explore the effect of school autonomy gap in this process. We collected the data through a survey carried out in 26 senior secondary schools in China. In total 528 teachers and 59 principals and assistant principals participated. The results suggest a significant influence of instructional and transformational leadership on teachers’ job satisfaction and organizational commitment, mediated by the indirect impact of school climate and teachers’ self-efficacy. School autonomy gap, which is closely related to principal leadership, emerged as an important influence in the path model.
Resolving ethical challenges when researching with minority and vulnerable populations: LGBTIQ victims of violence, harassment and bullying
Authors: Roffee James A , Waling Andrea
Published: August 2016

This article provides an analysis of the issues and ethical challenges faced in a study with LGBTIQ student participants concerning their experiences of violence, harassment and bullying in tertiary settings. The authors detail the ethical challenges behind the development of the project, and around conducting research with a minority and vulnerable population. The article illustrates how the utilization of feminist and queer theory has impacted the process of conducting ethical research, including approaches to recruitment and participant autonomy. The dilemmas of confidentiality within a self-labelled and easily identifiable population are resolved. Further, unexpected challenges and risks to participant safety created through adherence to institutional ethical research frameworks are rectified. Importantly, the authors seek to avoid revictimization of participants and to instead empower students in their responses to violence, harassment and bullying that they may have experienced. The authors point to utilization of theoretical foundations and continual reflexive improvement as elements of best practice for those seeking to research minority populations, and in projects marked by the participation of those deemed vulnerable and high-risk.
Compatibility measurement-based group decision making with interval fuzzy preference relations
Authors: Zhang Xue-Yang , Wang Zhou J
Published: August 2016

In this paper, we put forward a ratio-based compatibility degree between any two ]0,1[-valued interval numbers to measure how proximate they approach to each other. A compatibility measurement is presented to evaluate the compatibility degree between a pair of ]0,1[-valued interval fuzzy preference relations (IFPRs). By employing the geometric mean, a measurement formula is proposed to calculate how close one interval fuzzy preference relation is to all the other interval fuzzy preference relations in a group. We devise an induced interval fuzzy ordered weighted geometric (IIFOWG) operator to aggregate ]0,1[-valued interval numbers, and apply the induced interval fuzzy ordered weighted geometric operator to fuse interval fuzzy preference relations into a collective one. Based on the compatibility measurement between two interval fuzzy preference relations, a notion of acceptable consensus of interval fuzzy preference relations is introduced to check the consensus level between an individual interval fuzzy preference relation and a collective interval fuzzy preference relation, and a novel procedure is developed to handle group decision-making problems with interval fuzzy preference relations. A numerical example with respect to the evaluation of e-commerce websites is provided to illustrate the proposed procedure.
Distal transfers as a primary treatment in obstetric brachial plexus palsy: a series of 20 cases
Authors: Ghanghurde B. A. , Mehta R. , Ladkat K. M. , Raut B. B. , Thatte M. R.
Published: August 2016

The purpose of this study was to examine the results of spinal accessory nerve to suprascapular nerve (with or without axillary nerve neurotization) and an Oberlin transfer as primary treatment in children with Narakas type I obstetric brachial plexus injuries, when parents refused to consent to conventional nerve trunk-/root-level reconstruction. A total of 20 children with poor shoulder abduction and no biceps antigravity function but with good hand function were treated with spinal accessory nerve to suprascapular nerve and an Oberlin transfer at a mean age of 5.8 months (SD 3.27; range 3–12.) All the patients were evaluated at a mean of 2.8 years (SD 0.8; range 1.5 to 3.8) post-operatively. Three patients were lost to follow-up. Of the remainder, 11 had grade 4+ power of elbow flexion and six patients had grade 4 power at 1 year follow-up; all had 4+ power of elbow flexion at final follow-up. At final follow-up the Mallet score was a mean of 15; (SD 4.22, range 9 to 20). Primary distal nerve transfers can give good outcomes in patients with obstetric brachial plexus injuries and may be an alternative to surgery on the nerve trunks

Level of evidence: IV
Improving performances of the emergency department using discrete event simulation, DEA and the MADM methods
Authors: Gharahighehi Alireza , Kheirkhah Amir Saman , Bagheri Ali , Rashidi Ehsan
Published: August 2016

This article presents a method by which performances at an emergency department (ED) in a large hospital in Iran could be improved, where the long waiting times and unbalanced utilization create problems for patients and ED staff. This method firstly simulates patient flow in the ED and finds bottlenecks that cause inefficiency in ED performance. In the simulation model, patient arrival is assumed to be non-homogenous and the operation of medical tests such as MRI, CT scan, pathology testing, laboratory testing, ultrasonography, and radiology are detailed and virtual queues of patients' specimens are considered separately from patient queues. Based on the simulation reports of the current situation and target criteria, what-if scenarios were used to design scenarios that could improve ED performance. This method used the data envelopment method (DEA) to determine efficient scenarios, analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to specify the weight of each criterion, the Delphi method to specify suitable utilization rates for various resources, and the extended Vlsekriterijumska Optimizacija I KOmpromisno Resenje (VIKOR) method to compare data on 95% confidence intervals from efficient scenarios and to rank scenarios by considering conflicting criteria. Implementing the first scenario in the ranking would reduce acute patients' overall waiting time by approximately 5%, and it doesn't require any additional investments.
Rio 2016: Olympic audiences and publishing publics
Authors: Girginova Katerina
Published: August 2016

This essay explores how the organizers of the biggest media event in the world, the Olympic Games, interpret and construct their audiences. By critically tracing the discursive evolution of a 50-year span of official Olympic documents, we see the emergence of “the audience” as a key constitutive player in Olympic narratives. This is followed by a recognition of multiple audience groups and an emphasis on publishing publics in the digital era. The findings build on previous research by highlighting an important Western semantic distinction between audiences and publics and questioning what it means to be a member of the modern-day public when that is increasingly linked to digitally publishing an opinion.
Vaccine-Hesitant Justifications
Authors: Rodriguez Nathan J.
Published: August 2016

Vaccine-preventable diseases have re-emerged as more individuals have strayed from the recommended inoculation schedule. Previous work on vaccine hesitancy is generally limited to content analyses. Using grounded theory, this project examines vaccine debates on a prominent discussion board over a period of five years. Individuals generally justified opposition or hesitancy toward vaccines through personal experience and/or research, and the concepts of narrative persuasion and the conflation of expertise help describe the most prominent characteristics of such discourse. A consideration of online comments regarding vaccinations allows practitioners to not only become better prepared for patient concerns they might encounter, and but also become more familiar with the types of anecdotes and narratives that may be influential but left unspoken in face-to-face conversations.
Caring for Clients and Families With Anxiety
Authors: Yamamoto-Mitani Noriko , Noguchi-Watanabe Maiko , Fukahori Hiroki
Published: August 2016

This study elucidated Japanese home care nurses’ experiences of supporting clients and families with anxiety. We interviewed 10 registered nurses working in home care agencies and analyzed the data using grounded theory to derive categories pertaining to the nurses’ experiences of providing care. We conceptualized nurses’ approaches to caring for anxiety into three categories: First, they attempted to reach out for anxiety even when the client/family did not make it explicit; second, they tried to alter the outlook of the situation; and third, they created comfort in the lives of the client/family. The conceptualizations of nurses’ strategies to alleviate client/family anxiety may reflect Japanese/Eastern cultural characteristics in communication and their view of the person and social care system, but these conceptualizations may also inform the practice of Western nurses by increasing awareness of skills they may also have and use.