bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Observations on two Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) species (Nematoda: Camallanidae) from freshwater fishes in Argentina, including description of Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) juana sp.nov.
Authors: RAMALLO GERALDINE , AILÁN-CHOKE LORENA GISELA
Published: September 2017

Helminthological examination of specimens of the freshwater fishes Pimelodus albicans Valenciennes (Pimelodidae), Pimelodella gracilis (Valenciennes) (Heptapteridae) and Hyphessobrycon anisitsi Eigenmann (Characidae), collected from the Salado River, province of Santiago del Estero, Argentina, revealed the presence of two species of parasitic nematodes, Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) juana sp. nov. and Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) hilarii (Camallanidae). Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) juana sp. nov. was characterized by the presence of six visible pores located around the oral opening in both sexes, 14 cephalic papillae, buccal capsule with 5-7 spiral thickenings, three pairs of preanal papillae, and three pairs of postanal papillae, and conspicuous and pre-equatorial vulva in females. Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) hilarii was recorded for the first time in Hyphessobrycon anisitsi from northern Argentina. Moreover, zoogeographical and host information for the genus Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) is summarized.
A new species of Theretra Hübner (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) from the southern Western Ghats, India
Authors: SONDHI YASH , KITCHING IAN J. , BASU DIPENDRA NATH , KUNTE KRUSHNAMEGH
Published: September 2017

A new species of the genus Theretra Hübner [1819], Theretra shendurneensis sp. nov., is described from Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary, southern Western Ghats, India, based on external and internal morphology, and genetic markers. The new species is compared in external and male genital morphology, genetic divergence and geographic range with three similar and closely related species: T. boisduvalii (Bugnion, 1839), T. sumatrensis (Joicey and Kaye, 1917) and T. rhesus (Boisduval, [1875]). Recent changes to the classification of Theretra are discussed and rejected.
Infrared Extinction Performance of Randomly Oriented Microbial-Clustered Agglomerate Materials
Authors: Li Le , Hu Yihua , Gu Youlin , Zhao Xinying , Xu Shilong , Yu Lei , Zheng Zhi Ming , Wang Peng
Published: September 2017

In this study, the spatial structure of randomly distributed clusters of fungi An0429 spores was simulated using a cluster aggregation (CCA) model, and the single scattering parameters of fungi An0429 spores were calculated using the discrete dipole approximation (DDA) method. The transmittance of 10.6 µm infrared (IR) light in the aggregated fungi An0429 spores swarm is simulated by using the Monte Carlo method. Several parameters that affect the transmittance of 10.6 µm IR light, such as the number and radius of original fungi An0429 spores, porosity of aggregated fungi An0429 spores, and density of aggregated fungi An0429 spores of the formation aerosol area were discussed. Finally, the transmittances of microbial materials with different qualities were measured in the dynamic test platform. The simulation results showed that the parameters analyzed were closely connected with the extinction performance of fungi An0429 spores. By controlling the value of the influencing factors, the transmittance could be lower than a certain threshold to meet the requirement of attenuation in application. In addition, the experimental results showed that the Monte Carlo method could well reflect the attenuation law of IR light in fungi An0429 spore agglomerates swarms.
Acoustic performances of silicone foams for sound absorption
Authors: Abbad Ahmed , Jaboviste Kévin , Ouisse Morvan , Dauchez Nicolas
Published: September 2017

The aim of this study is to investigate the link between the elaboration process, the microstructure and the acoustic behaviour of silicone foams obtained using a two-component silicone. Different parameters such as the ratio of components, the addition of a thinning agent and the curing temperature are varied, with the objective of understanding the influence of each parameter in the foam’s acoustic absorption. The microstructure is analysed using scanning electron microscopy and acoustic properties are measured. Two non-acoustical properties of the porous material are also investigated, namely the porosity and the flow resistivity. Pore cell size and interconnected porosity have great impact on acoustical properties. Significant enhancements of the absorption properties could be obtained in the low-frequency band by increasing the rate of agent B through an increase in the amount of interconnected porous cells. An improvement in absorption is observed in the higher frequency range when a thinning agent is added to the mixture. Representative models of the foam for acoustic simulations are obtained allowing estimation of the tortuosity, viscous and thermal characteristic length from acoustic measurements. These models are able to simulate the acoustic behaviour of the silicone foams when embedded in sound packages.
Microstructural properties and mechanical behavior of magnesium/hydroxyapatite biocomposite under static and high cycle fatigue loading
Authors: Sabet AS , Jabbari AH , Sedighi M
Published: September 2017

In this study, magnesium/hydroxyapatite biocomposites having 2.5 and 5 wt% of hydroxyapatite have been fabricated using stir casting followed by hot extrusion method. Both microstructural and mechanical behaviors of these composites have been studied, which contain particle distribution, grain size, microhardness, tension, and compression tests. Then, high cycle fatigue tests were performed using a rotating-bending testing machine (under stress ratio of R = −1). The results indicate an acceptable particle distribution and grain refinement in the composites. Also, the microhardness of the composites has been increased in comparison with the pure extruded sample. The yield stress has been enhanced in both tension and compression tests by increasing the amount of reinforcement, while the maximum strain reduced. Moreover, the fabricated biocomposites revealed better overall high cycle fatigue life in comparison to pure Mg, and infinite life (>107 cycles) could be achieved in the composites. Scanning electron microscope images of the fracture surfaces showed that the agglomeration of hydroxyapatite particles is one of the most important criteria for crack initiation in the composites.
Contemporary Burial Practices in Three Caribbean Islands Among Christians of African Descent
Authors: Huggins Camille L. , Hinkson Glenda M.
Published: September 2017

Burial rituals are symbolic activities that encourage the expression of grief as a positive way to heal while helping to confirm the reality of death. In the Caribbean, consisting of multiple distinct islands and histories of colonization, how individuals are buried on each island depends on the historical intermingling of the colonizer’s Christian religion and African (spiritual) rituals. Each island has distinct burial rituals that are a blending of Christian and African religious or spiritual cultures. This article highlights the distinct burial rituals on the Caribbean islands of Barbados, Haiti, and Trinidad and how its historical past has shaped present burial rituals and its significance to the African Caribbean grieving processes.
Agency in Action
Authors: Wilson Gregory D. , Rawlins Jacob D. , Crane Kate
Published: September 2017

In 2014, Rawlins and Wilson proposed a typology of agential interactions between users and designers of interactive data displays. This article tests that typology by studying 20 users working with three different types of interactive data displays and answering questions, which were coded by verb and actor and analyzed for themes. The authors show that rhetorical agency is marked by thoughts, actions, and language. Affordances by the designer open a shared rhetorical space where user and designer are coparticipants. As interactivity increases, participants see themselves as rhetorical agents in a community of rhetorical agents rather than as conduits of information.
Book Review: Rajeev Bhattacharyya, Rendezvous with Rebels: Journey to Meet India’s Most Wanted Men
Authors: Sultana Parvin
Published: September 2017

Rajeev Bhattacharyya, Rendezvous with Rebels: Journey to Meet India’s Most Wanted Men. New Delhi: Harper Collins Publishers India, 2014, Paperback, 311 pp., ₹399, ISBN: 978-9351363163.
Book Review: Will Sweetman and Aditya Malik (Eds), Hinduism in India: Modern and Contemporary Movements
Authors: Chophy G. Kanato
Published: September 2017

Will Sweetman and Aditya Malik (Eds), Hinduism in India: Modern and Contemporary Movements. New Delhi: SAGE Publications, 2016, xvii + 308 pp., ₹795, ISBN: 9789351500995 (Hardbound).
Engaging students as co-producers: A critical reflection on the policy commission model
Authors: Blair Alasdair , Griggs Steven , Mackillop Eleanor
Published: September 2017

The teaching of political science has a tendency towards traditional classroom-based learning environments. This article describes the development of an innovative model of student learning that takes place outside the bounded nature of the established curriculum through the creation of a Policy Commission. The Policy Commission established an innovative ‘community of action’ that challenged traditional perceptions of the lone student as a producer of knowledge. This article describes the work of the Policy Commission, which engaged students in the act of ‘doing Politics’ and discusses the impact that it had on student learning. The article examines the potential of the Policy Commission model to offer a new form of learning.
Organizational hierarchy and structural diversity of microvascular pericytes in adult mouse cortex
Authors: Grant Roger I , Hartmann David A , Underly Robert G , Berthiaume Andrée-Anne , Bhat Narayan R , Shih Andy Y
Published: September 2017

Smooth muscle cells and pericytes, together called mural cells, coordinate many distinct vascular functions. Canonically, smooth muscle cells are ring-shaped and cover arterioles with circumferential processes, whereas pericytes extend thin processes that run longitudinally along capillaries. In between these canonical mural cell types are cells with features of both smooth muscle cells and pericytes. Recent studies suggest that these transitional cells are critical for controlling blood flow to the capillary bed during health and disease, but there remains confusion on how to identify them and where they are located in the brain microvasculature. To address this issue, we measured the morphology, vascular territory, and α-smooth muscle actin content of structurally diverse mural cells in adult mouse cortex. We first imaged intact 3D vascular networks to establish the locations of major gradations in mural cell appearance as arterioles branched into capillaries. We then imaged individual mural cells occupying the regions within these gradations. This revealed two transitional cells that were often similar in appearance, but with sharply contrasting levels of α-smooth muscle actin. Our findings highlight the diversity of mural cell morphologies in brain microvasculature, and provide guidance for identification and categorization of mural cell types.
Mitigating agency risk between investors and ventures’ managers
Authors: Bellavitis Cristiano , Kamuriwo Dzidziso Samuel , Hommel Ulrich
Published: September 2017

The general management literature has long focused on the agency risks involved in the relationship between general managers and shareholders. Shareholders can deploy contractual and noncontractual mechanisms to reduce these inefficiencies. This study examines—based on a broad international sample of investment contracts—how the use of contractual and noncontractual mechanisms is related to the degree of risks associated with the venture’s development stage as well as how these practices differ across countries. Hypotheses are tested using a proprietary data set of 265 hand-collected investment contracts associated with ventures in the United States, Israel, and nine European countries. Findings suggest that the use of mitigating contractual and noncontractual mechanisms is related to the degree of agency risks and that these practices vary across countries. This study draws implications for how investors can best deploy their capital in different institutional settings while nurturing their relationships with managers and entrepreneurs.
Managerial support
Authors: Travaglione Antonio , Scott-Ladd Brenda , Hancock Justin , Chang Joshua
Published: September 2017

This study investigates how Australian employees perceive managerial support and the influence of union membership on their perception of managerial support using data from 4124 employed persons in Australia across a range of industry sectors. The results indicate that employee perceptions of the work environment (control over working hours, job security, pay equity and safety) influence their perceptions of managerial support, regardless of union membership. The findings imply that managers have a critical role to play in supporting the needs of employees, particularly as organizations confront the challenges posed by aging workforces, growing skill shortages and an increasingly diverse and mobile workforce. This article addresses the call for organizations to provide more support to their employees from governments and management scholars. It also addresses the issue of managers taking on greater prerogative as employee advocates in the light of declining union influence.
Effects of Peer Support Arrangements Across Instructional Formats and Environments for Students With Severe Disabilities
Authors: Schaefer John M. , Cannella-Malone Helen , Brock Matthew E.
Published: September 2017

Peer support arrangements are an evidence-based practice for increasing interactions between students with severe disabilities and their peers in general education classrooms, but it is unclear how interactions vary across instructional formats or generalize outside the classroom. In this single-case design study, we tested the efficacy of peer support arrangements with three middle school students with severe disabilities, and focused on variability across instructional formats and generalization to the cafeteria and recess yard. We replicated previous findings of increased interactions and extended the literature by demonstrating positive effects across instructional formats with the largest gains during small group instruction and independent work time. We found no evidence of generalization; interactions only increased in nonclassroom settings after we directly targeted those settings. We recommend educators to implement peer support arrangements in general education classrooms, increase opportunities for small group instruction when appropriate, and purposefully target social interactions across settings.
Patient, Family, and Physician Satisfaction With Planning for Direct Discharge to Home From Intensive Care Units: Direct From ICU Sent Home Study
Authors: Lam Joyce Nga Hei , Lau Vincent I. , Priestap Fran A. , Basmaji John , Ball Ian M.
Published: September 2017

Background:

In the new era of decreasing hospital bed availability, there is an increasing rate of direct discharge to home (DDH) from intensive care units (ICUs), despite sparse literature informing this practice.

Objectives:

To evaluate patient, family, and ICU attending physician satisfaction with planning for DDH from the ICU and intensivists’ current DDH practices and perceptions.

Methods:

Prospective cohort study, using convenience sampling, of adult patients undergoing DDH from an ICU between February 2016 and February 2017 using a modified FS-ICU 24 satisfaction survey completed by patients, family members, and attending physicians at the time of patient discharge to home from the ICU.

Results:

Seventy-two percent of patients, 37% of family members, and 100% of ICU physicians recruited completed the survey. A majority of patients (89%) and families (78%) were satisfied or very satisfied with DDH. Only 6% of patients and 8% of families were dissatisfied to very dissatisfied with DDH. Conversely, ICU physician satisfaction varied, with only 5% being very comfortable with DDH and the majority (50%) only somewhat comfortable. Twenty percent of staff consultants were uncomfortable to very uncomfortable with the practice of DDH. Thirty-one percent of staff physician respondents felt that patient and family discomfort would be barriers to DDH. Compared to physicians and other allied health professionals, nurses were identified as the most helpful members of the health-care team in preparation for DDH by 98% of patients and 92% of family members. The DDH rates have increased for the past 12 years in our ICUs but declined during the study period (February 2016 to February 2017).

Conclusions:

Patients and family members are satisfied with the practice of DDH from ICU, although ICU physician satisfaction is more variable. Physician comfort may be improved by data informing which patients may be safely DDH from the ICU.
Trust: A Concept Analysis With Watson’s Theoretical Perspective
Authors: Gonzalez Kattiria M.
Published: September 2017

Trust is a concept discussed in the literature of many disciplines, but the definitions used are varied. In this paper, the author explores the use of trust in various disciplines to create a definition suitable for nursing science using Watson’s theoretical perspective.
Relational Inquiry Approach: Nursing Practice in Pakistan – A Case Study
Authors: Younas Ahtisham
Published: September 2017

The relational inquiry approach enables nurses to understand and examine different nursing situations within complex healthcare contexts using the ideologies of pragmatism, critical theory, and hermeneutic phenomenology. In this paper, the author presents the application of the relational inquiry approach using Newman’s theory to analyze a case of a man who refused coronary artery bypass surgery in Pakistan. This analysis demonstrates that relational inquiry is useful in examining patients’ experiences and related healthcare needs and helps the nurses to perform appropriate actions to produce desirable outcomes.
Middle-Range Theory: Coping and Adaptation with Active Aging
Authors: Salazar-Barajas Martha Elba , Salazar-González Bertha Cecilia , Gallegos-Cabriales Esther Carlota
Published: September 2017

Various disciplines focus on a multiplicity of aspects of aging: lifestyles, personal biological factors, psychological conditions, health conditions, physical environment, and social and economic factors. The aforementioned are all related to the determinants of active aging. The aim is to describe the development of a middle-range theory based on coping and adaptation with active aging. Concepts and relationships derived from Roy’s model of adaptation are included. The proposed concepts are hope, health habits, coping with aging, social relations, and active aging.
Thoughts About Population Health Nursing Research Methods: Questions About Participants and Informed Consent
Authors: Fawcett Jacqueline , AbuFannouneh AbdulMuhsen M.
Published: September 2017

The purpose of this essay is to discuss who participants should be in population health nursing research within the context of the Conceptual Model of Nursing and Population Health. The emphasis is on recruitment of research participants who constitute populations rather than samples drawn from populations and the challenges of obtaining informed consent from populations.
A Framework for Latino Nursing Leadership
Authors: Villarruel Antonia M.
Published: September 2017

There is an urgent need for Latino leaders in nursing, yet little has been written about Latino leaders and leadership. Leadership comes with challenges and opportunities in particular for Latino nurses who contend with specific cultural imperatives and obstacles. In this article, I review the current healthcare environment and propose a framework for Latino nursing leadership within the context of current challenges and opportunities and my personal experience in nursing. This framework is meant to serve as a guide for the development of Latino nurses who will improve the health and well-being of those in the most vulnerable communities by utilizing their cultural strengths and professional skills to deliver quality and compassionate care.
Development of lightweight hydraulic cylinder for humanoid robots applications
Authors: Elasswad M , Tayba A , Abdellatif A , Alfayad S , Khalil K
Published: September 2017

This paper presents a lightly weighted hydraulic actuator that is designed mainly for robotic applications. This hydraulic cylinder will be used as the main actuator for the hydraulic humanoid robot HYDROïD. For implementation, the knee joint is taken as an example in order to execute the necessary steps to build the actuator from carbon fiber composite material. An optimization process is used to minimize the total weight of the actuator and satisfy its constraints. Meanwhile, the mechanical design with the integrated sensors is shown. In addition, results are discussed on the spot of the weight minimization and actuator performance. Finally, experimental testing is carried out to monitor the pressure and the position readings of the hydraulic cylinder.
Burr holes, bone flaps, and goose quills: Dr Frank Turnbull, Vancouver’s first neurosurgeon
Authors: Ye Vincent C
Published: September 2017

Dr Frank Turnbull was a pioneer neurosurgeon – the first neurosurgeon in Vancouver, Canada. He started his practice in 1933 after spending time during a neurosurgical ‘residency’ with Dr Kenneth Mackenzie, Canada’s first neurosurgeon. Dr Turnbull practiced at a time when the perception of his speciality was dim, and the resources available to him were limited. However, Dr Turnbull overcame these obstacles, and two World Wars to help change the landscape of neurosurgery in the northwest Canada, and his career achievements also extend into medical politics and medical education. This paper documents the life and adventures of Dr Frank Turnbull, pioneer neurosurgeon.
Contribution of Microfinance in Achieving Millennium Development Goals
Authors: Prasad Pati Ambika
Published: September 2017

Evidences world over largely acknowledge the contribution of empowered women on education and health of the family. Since all over the world microfinance (MF) is mainly intervened through women, their economic empowerment should have a salubrious impact on poverty and social variables. The linkage of MF with Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) accepted by United Nations in 2010 further boosted this belief. However, literature on MF linkage with social transformations does not provide concrete evidence. In this article, with the help of a set of 92 cross-country pooled data for 9 years (2007–15), a linkage assessment of MF and MDGs related to poverty, that is, poverty headcount ratio and school enrolment at primary level of female and ratio of girls to boys in primary education, that is, Gender Parity Index, is attempted. With the help of pooled ordinary least square regression, three models were separately developed for the selected MDGs. While the findings do provide evidence about the participation of poor in MF and poverty reduction linkage, the education-related MDGs were less influenced by the MF programme. This prompts to suggest that overall capacity-building interventions at grass-roots level are also required along with MF for achieving MDGs.
Potential therapeutic implications of miRNAs in osteosarcoma chemotherapy
Authors: Chen Dan , Liu Ding , Chen Zhiwei
Published: September 2017

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone cancer in young adults and adolescents. Drug resistance is the main cause leading to therapeutical failure. The mechanisms of drug resistance of osteosarcoma have not been fully understood. Notably, recent researches associate microRNA with drug resistance in osteosarcoma cells, raising the awareness that targeting microRNAs may help in chemotherapy success. In this review, we summarize the mechanisms linking microRNAs to drug resistance and ongoing researches on microRNAs in drug response to osteosarcoma. In addition, the therapeutic potential of microRNAs in chemotherapy will also be discussed.
The role of p53-microRNA 200-Moesin axis in invasion and drug resistance of breast cancer cells
Authors: Alam Farheen , Mezhal Fatima , EL Hasasna Hussain , Nair Vidhya A , Aravind SR , Saber Ayad Maha , El-Serafi Ahmed , Abdel-Rahman Wael M
Published: September 2017

This study aimed to analyze the expression of microRNAs in relation to p53 status in breast cancer cells and to delineate the role of Moesin in this axis. We used three isogenic breast carcinoma cell lines MCF7 (with wild-type p53), 1001 (MCF7 with mutated p53), and MCF7-E6 (MCF7 in which p53 function was disrupted). MicroRNA expression was analyzed using microarray analysis and confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The 1001 clone with mutant p53 showed 22 upregulated and 25 downregulated microRNAs. The predicted targets of these 47 microRNAs were >700 human genes belonging to interesting functional groups such as stem cell development and maintenance. The most significantly downregulated microRNAs in the p53-mutant cell line were from the miR-200 family. We focused on miR-200c which targets many transcripts involved in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition including Moesin. We found that Moesin was expressed in 1001 but not in its p53 wild-type parental MCF7 consistent with the observed mesenchymal features in the 1001, such as vimentin positivity, E-cadherin negativity, and ZEB1 positivity in addition to the morphological changes. After Moesin silencing, the p53-mutant cells 1001 reverted from mesenchymal-to-epithelial phenotype and showed subtle reduction in migration and invasion and loss of ZEB1 and SNAIL expression. Interestingly, Moesin silencing restored the 1001 sensitivity to Doxorubicin. These results indicate that loss of miR-200c, as a consequence of p53 mutation, can upregulate Moesin oncogene and thus promote carcinogenesis. Moesin may play a role in metastasis and drug resistance of breast cancer.
A Literature Review and Case Study on the Strengths and Struggles of Typically Developing Siblings of Persons With Disabilities
Authors: Wofford Joseph Rufus , Carlson Ryan G.
Published: September 2017

Many counselors may recognize the importance of providing treatment to a person with a disability and that person’s primary caregiver due to the strain placed on the family. However, counselors may be less aware of issues concerning nondisabled sibling(s) in such families. Siblings of persons with disabilities (SPDs) may be forgotten in the counseling process, despite the increased stressors they experience. Therefore, in this article, we (a) provide a review of the literature on typically developing SPDs, (b) highlight the positive effects of having a sibling with a disability, and (c) describe a clear approach for counseling with this population and provide a case illustration.
Outcomes of Talus Fractures Associated With High-Energy Combat Trauma
Authors: Junge Travis , Bellamy Jaime , Dowd Thomas , Osborn Patrick
Published: September 2017

Background:

Talus fractures are infrequent injuries that are often associated with poor clinical outcomes. Literature reviewing talus fractures is limited to a civilian population, with few studies characterizing these injuries sustained in active duty personnel. The aim of this study was to characterize talus fractures sustained in combat trauma by reporting their surgical outcomes.

Methods:

The Department of Defense Trauma Registry (DoDTR) was queried to identify US service members who sustained talus fractures in battle conditions between 2001 and 2014. These patients underwent a retrospective chart review. Injury and fracture patterns were characterized. We examined the incidence of secondary surgical procedures and reviewed patients undergoing early and late transtibial amputations. Forty-eight talus fractures were identified.

Results:

All injuries were related to high-energy trauma: 43 (90%) resulting from improvised explosive devices (IED), 3 (6%) from gunshot wounds (GSW), and 2 (4%) from propelled explosive devices. Ten (20.8%) patients underwent early transtibial amputation. Early amputations were associated with calcaneus fractures (10/10 vs 16/38, P = .0009) but not with open fractures (8/10 vs 20/38, P = .163). Twenty-six fractures were available with longer term follow-up. Twenty-three fractures had associated injuries to the ipsilateral lower extremity. Sixteen (61.54%) injuries underwent a total of 26 additional surgical procedures. Eight fractures required secondary fusions (30.8%). Subtalar fusions were associated with ipsilateral calcaneus fractures (5/6 vs 2/10, P = .03). One patient underwent a delayed transtibial amputation 17 months after injury.

Conclusions:

Talus fractures sustained within the combat environment were associated with high rates of early amputations and secondary surgical intervention. When the limb was salvaged, patients could expect the need for additional procedures to address ongoing issues.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, case series.
Let Us Dance
Authors: Fitzpatrick Esther , Worrell Frank C. , Alansari Mohamed , Yang Li Alex
Published: September 2017

I looked at the call for papers, “Poetic responses to Orlando” and paused. Should I contribute? And then I thought, how could I hide in the safety of my so-called normality and straightness when others may have become afraid to dance? So I invited my friends to join me in a poetic response.
Pulsing
Authors: Borchard Kurt
Published: September 2017

I first learned about the mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, through the television. Popular news anchors provided “on the scene” reporting. I saw interviews with officials, with those present at the shooting, and with families and friends of victims. The media narrative unfolded against a visual backdrop of the club, almost always a great distance off, blocked by police cars and tape. I thought hard about that distance. I felt the repetition of the information, the personalization of the event through “selfie” photos of individual victims, and the witness accounts emphasizing the ringing of cell phones in the silence following the rampage. Reporters discussed the killer’s radical politics and his use of social media during his killing spree. Beyond these details of an emergent tragedy, though, was a well-rehearsed, overly familiar narrative frame. A recurring spectacle now grows less and less spectacular.
Pulse/Second Birth: A Double Bind in Autoethnographic Poetic Response to Tragedy
Authors: Whitworth Colin
Published: September 2017

Pulse/Second Birth is a poetic response to the Pulse gay club shooting of June, 2016. Following the work modeled by Sandra Faulkner in Poetry as Method (2009), this poem leans into the ways that we may use autoethnographic writing as therapy or sense-making during times of community trauma. Attending to relevant conversations in autoethnography around therapy and aesthetic writing through praxis, the poem reaches towards the hope of queer survival on the horizon.
Feeling Fear, Feeling Queer: The Peril and Potential of Queer Terror
Authors: Harris Anne , Holman Jones Stacy
Published: September 2017

This essay considers what we are calling queer terror, an affective condition not limited to LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) or other minoritarian subjects, and its relationship to fear, hate, and factionalism (or isolationism). That is, queer terror is both terror against queer subjects and a queering of terror culture itself. We ask whether, through the act and its viral media representations, queer terror creates minoritarian public sphere that can be shared by queer people of color (QPOC) and allies alike. This affectively queer allyship begins with a racially and queerly attentive politics and seeks community both in response to and as a refusal of the kinds of terror that made Orlando possible.
Optical coherence tomography angiography retinal vascular network assessment in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Lanzillo Roberta , Cennamo Gilda , Criscuolo Chiara , Carotenuto Antonio , Velotti Nunzio , Sparnelli Federica , Cianflone Alessandra , Moccia Marcello , Brescia Morra Vincenzo
Published: September 2017

Background:

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) angiography is a new method to assess the density of the vascular networks. Vascular abnormalities are considered involved in multiple sclerosis (MS) pathology.

Objective:

To assess the presence of vascular abnormalities in MS and to evaluate their correlation to disease features.

Methods:

A total of 50 MS patients with and without history of optic neuritis (ON) and 46 healthy subjects were included. All underwent spectral domain (SD)-OCT and OCT angiography. Clinical history, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), Multiple Sclerosis Severity Score (MSSS) and disease duration were collected.

Results:

Angio-OCT showed a vessel density reduction in eyes of MS patients when compared to controls. A statistically significant reduction in all SD-OCT and OCT angiography parameters was noticed both in eyes with and without ON when compared with control eyes. We found an inverse correlation between SD-OCT parameters and MSSS ( p = 0.003) and between vessel density parameters and EDSS ( p = 0.007).

Conclusion:

We report a vessel density reduction in retina of MS patients. We highlight the clinical correlation between vessel density and EDSS, suggesting that angio-OCT could be a good marker of disease and of disability in MS.
Bodies and desires on the internet: An approach to trans women sex workers’ websites
Authors: Vartabedian Julieta
Published: September 2017

Most literature on prostitution centres exclusively on street and female sex workers. Considering the lack of inclusion of trans sex workers within research agendas and public policies, in this article I analyse websites where trans women offer their services in Portugal and the UK. I examine the way trans women escorts present themselves to potential clients through detailed descriptions of their bodies’ sizes, physical attributes, personal characteristics and lovemaking skills, and how they negotiate gender, nationality, race, ethnicity and sexuality in relation to the cultural and socio-economic demands of the market. An intersectional framework provides the critical perspective from which to consider how certain trans narratives are displayed through these online advertisements while decentring hegemonic notions (mainly, white and middle class) of representing trans experiences. This exploratory research aims to better understand the online trans sex industry as a place of empowerment where ‘beautiful’ trans escorts can strategically position themselves in order to succeed in a competitive market and, simultaneously, lay claim for a certain degree of (finite) recognition.
Police practitioners and place managers’ understandings and perceptions of heritage crime in Nottinghamshire
Authors: Poyser Bethan , Poyser Sam
Published: September 2017

‘So you know, as daft as it sounds, if you’ve got a building, that really isn’t a priority, is it?’ Despite the wealth of heritage sites in the UK, the topic is a marginalised area of criminological study here. It has been argued that there is discordance between the concepts of ‘heritage’ and ‘crime’. One is holistic; the other set in the law. Through a programme of semi-structured interviews with ‘heritage place managers’ and questionnaires delivered to neighbourhood policing teams in Nottinghamshire Police, this research aimed to examine this clash. In particular, it aimed to compare and contrast heritage place managers’ understandings and experiences of heritage crime with those of police practitioners. It was found that the two groups differed markedly in this respect, creating feelings of frustration and stagnation for both. Such findings are of particular concern in the light of statistics which demonstrate that heritage crime is occurring frequently across the UK, and evidence that offenders are targeting new heritage assets and sites in response to changing legislation. Budget cuts, which continue to impact upon policing priorities in Nottinghamshire, further compound the problem. The conclusion of this article details the potential impacts of these findings and suggests changes relating to both the heritage and policing sectors.
A control-oriented combustion model for a turbulent jet ignition engine using liquid fuel
Authors: Song Ruitao , Vedula Ravi Teja , Zhu Guoming , Schock Harold
Published: September 2017

A control-oriented engine model is necessary for developing and validating the associated engine control strategies. For engines equipped with the turbulent jet ignition system, the interaction between the pre- and main-combustion chambers should be considered in the control-oriented model for model-based control strategies that optimize the overall thermal efficiency in real-time. Therefore, a two-zone combustion model based on the newly proposed parameter-varying Wiebe function is proposed. Since the engine uses the liquid fuel, a pre-chamber air–fuel mixing and vaporization model are also developed. The model was validated using the experimental data from a single-cylinder turbulent jet ignition engine under different operational conditions, and the simulation results show a good agreement with the experimental data. The relative simulation error of the in-cylinder pressure is less than 8%. For most of the other pressure-related variables, such as indicated mean effective pressure and main-chamber burn duration, the relative errors are within 5%.
The effect of team-based learning on content knowledge: A meta-analysis
Authors: Swanson Elizabeth , McCulley Lisa V , Osman David J , Scammacca Lewis Nancy , Solis Michael
Published: September 2017

This article reports a synthesis and meta-analysis of intervention studies investigating the effects of team-based learning on content knowledge outcomes. Team-based learning is a particular set of instructional components most often used in higher education classrooms. Authors of team-based learning reviews report that team-based learning improves students’ end of course grades, test performance, and classroom engagement. Students report that team-based learning is interesting, allows for deeper understanding of content, and prepares them more effectively for assessment and course performance. A total of 30 studies were located and synthesized. In total, 17 studies met criteria for a meta-analysis, yielding a mean effect size estimate of 0.55, p < 0.001 across all measures. Moderator analysis indicated that group size moderated the magnitude of effect to a statistically significant degree, with smaller group sizes contributing to additional effects. The meta-analysis is followed by a confirmatory synthesis of the remaining 13 studies. Implications for instruction incorporating the use of team-based learning are described.
Symptoms, acceptance of illness and health-related quality of life in patients with atrial fibrillation
Authors: Jankowska-Polańska Beata , Kaczan Aleksandra , Lomper Katarzyna , Nowakowski Dariusz , Dudek Krzysztof
Published: September 2017

Introduction:

Acceptance of illness plays a key role, allowing the patient to adapt to the disease and its treatment, and to maintain their health-related quality of life (HRQOL) despite chronic conditions.

Aim:

The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between severity of arrhythmia symptoms, acceptance of illness and HRQOL in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Methods:

The study included 99 patients (mean age 64.6) treated for atrial fibrillation. Three standardized instruments were used: the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQoL-BREF) questionnaire, the Arrhythmia-Specific Questionnaire in Tachycardia and Arrhythmia (ASTA) and the Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS).

Results:

Patients with high illness acceptance levels obtained better results in all WHOQoL-BREF domains: physical (57.0±8.9 vs. 51.1±12.5 vs. 42.0±6.2; p<0.001), social (62.6±19.8 vs. 52.5±20.0 vs. 45.7±16.0; p=0.019) and environmental (62.9±12.7 vs. 52.7±7.6 vs. 60.7±3.6; p<0.001), and in the ASTA HRQOL scale (10.5±5.4 vs. 16.1±7.6 vs. 20.3±0.5; p<0.001). Multiple-factor analysis showed AIS to be a statistically significant independent determinant of HRQOL in the physical domain of the WHOQoL (β=0.242) and in the overall HRQOL assessment in the ASTA HRQOL scale (β= −0.362). Other statistically significant independent predictors included: the negative impact of female sex on the physical (β= −0.291) and social (β= −0.284) domains of the WHOQOL-BREF, and the positive impact of urban residence on the physical WHOQOL-BREF domain and on symptom intensity in the ASTA symptom scale.

Conclusions:

Acceptance of illness is an important factor which has been shown to impact on HRQOL in atrial fibrillation. Female sex is a predictor of worse HRQOL, while urban residence improves HRQOL in the physical domain and decreases symptom intensity (ASTA symptom scale).
Life as a Political Problem: The Post-Human Turn in Political Theory
Authors: Zolkos Magdalena
Published: September 2017

The post-human turn in political theory has challenged the anthropocentric assumption that individuated human agency is the exclusive domain of political action, subjectivity, and community. Recently, there has emerged an important intersection between, on one hand, the “post-human turn” in political theory and, on the other hand, the critical studies of neoliberal governance and ideology, which define the contemporary historical moment in terms of the late capitalist monitoring, regulation, and exploitation of biological life of populations. In this context, the post-human turn in political theory has meant the extension of focus from human agency to include animals, plants, inanimate objects, and machines. Focusing on the work of Catherine Malabou, Maurizio Lazzarato, Brian Massumi, Brad Evans, and Julian Reid, I discuss some of the problems that arise from the attempt at non-anthropocentric theorizing of politics, including what it means—theoretically, politically, and epistemologically—to consider biological and machinic units in terms of political agency. I suggest that the problems encountered by these post-humanist contributions to the field of political theory are epistemological, analytical, and political. I focus in particular on whether the non-anthropocentric refiguring of politics offers new critical insights into, and resistances against, neoliberal governance.

Bhandar B and Goldberg-Hiller J (eds) (2015) Plastic Materialities: Politics, Legality, and Metamorphosis in the work of Catherine Malabou. Durham, NC: Duke University Press.

Evans B and Reid J (2014) Resilient Life: The Art of Living Dangerously. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Lazzarato M (2014) Signs and Machines: Capitalism and the Production of Subjectivity (trans J D Jordan). Los Angeles, CA: Semiotext(e).

Massumi B (2014) What Animals Teach us about Politics. Durham, NC: Duke University Press.
Intrafractional Tracking Accuracy of a Transperineal Ultrasound Image Guidance System for Prostate Radiotherapy
Authors: Yu Amy S. , Najafi Mohammad , Hristov Dimitre H. , Phillips Tiffany
Published: September 2017

Purpose:

The aim of this study is to evaluate the tracking accuracy of a commercial ultrasound system under relevant treatment conditions and demonstrate its clinical utility for detecting significant treatment deviations arising from inadvertent intrafractional target motion.

Methods:

A multimodality male pelvic phantom was used to simulate prostate image-guided radiotherapy with the system under evaluation. Target motion was simulated by placing the phantom on a motion platform. The tracking accuracy of the ultrasound system was evaluated using an independent optical tracking system under the conditions of beam-on, beam-off, poor image quality with an acoustic shadow introduced, and different phantom motion cycles. The time delay between the ultrasound-detected and actual phantom motion was investigated. A clinical case example of prostate treatment is presented as a demonstration of the utility of the system in practice.

Results:

Time delay between the motion phantom and ultrasound tracking system is 223 ± 45.2 milliseconds including video and optical tracking system frame rates. The tracking accuracy and precision were better with a longer period. The precision of ultrasound tracking performance in the axial (superior–inferior) direction was better than that in the lateral (left–right) direction (root mean square errors are 0.18 and 0.25 mm, respectively). The accuracy of ultrasound tracking performance in the lateral direction was better than that in the axial direction (the mean position errors are 0.23 and 0.45 mm, respectively). Interference by radiation and image quality do not affect tracking ability significantly. Further, utilizing the tracking system as part of a clinical study for prostate treatment further verified the accuracy and clinical appropriateness.

Conclusions:

It is feasible to use transperineal ultrasound daily to monitor prostate motion during treatment. Our results verify the accuracy and precision of an ultrasound system under typical external beam treatment conditions and further demonstrate that the tracking system was able to identify important prostate shifts in a clinical case.
Learning Metabolic Brain Networks in MCI and AD by Robustness and Leave-One-Out Analysis: An FDG-PET Study
Authors: Yao Zhijun , Hu Bin , Chen Xuejiao , Xie Yuanwei , Gutknecht Jürg , Majoe Dennis
Published: September 2017

This study attempted to better understand the properties associated with the metabolic brain network in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Graph theory was employed to investigate the topological organization of metabolic brain network among 86 patients with MCI, 89 patients with AD, and 97 normal controls (NCs) using 18F fluoro-deoxy-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) data. The whole brain was divided into 82 areas by Brodmann atlas to construct networks. We found that MCI and AD showed a loss of small-world properties and topological aberrations, and MCI showed an intermediate measurement between NC and AD. The networks of MCI and AD were vulnerable to attacks resulting from the altered topological pattern. Furthermore, individual contributions were correlated with Mini-Mental State Examination and Clinical Dementia Rating. The present study indicated that the topological patterns of the metabolic networks were aberrant in patients with MCI and AD, which may be particularly helpful in uncovering the pathophysiology underlying the cognitive dysfunction in MCI and AD.
Behaviour coordinations and motion synchronizations for humanoid robot
Authors: Parasuraman S , Hock Phua Seong , Khan MKA Ahamed , Jeba Singh D Kingsly , Han Chin Yun
Published: September 2017

Many features have to be solved by humanoid robot during soccer game to get evidences from the environment such as detect ball, goal, lines and other robotmates. Having these data, the robot has to self-localize and proceed for next action reactively and ensure sense–think–act process efficiently. Sense–think–act processes are still a challenge task for humanoid robots. Hence, a modular framework is proposed for soccer ball game in which the architecture is mainly composed of object detection, field detection and motion synchronization behaviours. Object detection is modularized into ball detection, segmentation and depth estimation to facilitate the control actions. Similarly, field detection is modularized into goalpost and boundaries detection. Motion synchronization is modularized into primitives such as scoring, kip up and diving which uses the proposed support polygon and centre of moment methods. The behaviour synchronization and execution takes place in multilayers which include player and keeper mode as expert layer, modular behaviours as reactive layers and servo and motor command are executed in skill layer. The behaviour analysis and performance are targeted on the trigonometric depth estimation, grid-based segmentation pattern learning and recognition as well as support polygon and Centre Of Mass (COM). Experimental results are demonstrated and discussed. The proposed modular framework in this work has been tested using the NAO robot.