bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Innovative use of recovered municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash as a component in growing media
Authors: Sormunen Annika , Teo Kanniainen , Tapio Salo , Riina Rantsi
Published: June 2016

The utilisation of municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash has been extensively studied, for example, in the unbound layers of roads and the products of cement and concrete industry. On the other hand, less attention has been given to other innovative utilisation possibilities, such as using the municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash as a component in growing media of plants. The municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash contains useful substances, such as calcium, that can influence plant growth in a positive manner. Therefore, the utilisation of this waste-derived material in the growing media may substitute the use of commercial fertilisers. Since the municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash also contains hazardous substances that can be toxic to plants, the main aim of this study was to add different amounts of recovered municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash in the growing media and to evaluate the effect of this material on plant growth. Based on the obtained results, the concentration of, for example copper and zinc, increased in test plants; ryegrass and barley, when recovered municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash was added in their growing media. On the other hand, this did not have a significant effect on plant growth, if compared with the growth of plants in commercially produced growing medium. Furthermore, the replacement of natural sand with municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash had a positive liming effect in the growing media. Overall, these findings suggest that the utilisation of recovered municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash as a component in growing media is possible and, thus, may allow more widespread and innovative use of this waste-derived material.
“I Can Actually Be a Super Sleuth”
Authors: Jethwani Monique M. , Memon Nasir , Seo Won , Richer Ariel
Published: June 2016

Utilizing qualitative data gleaned from focus groups with adolescent girls participating in a cybersecurity summer program ( N = 38, mean age = 16.3), this study examines the following research questions: (a) How do adolescent girls perceive the cybersecurity field? (b) What are the promising practices that engage girls in cybersecurity education? Guided by ecological and social role theories, findings reveal that single-sex collaborative settings with encouraging and supportive teachers and female mentors are practices that contribute to girls’ increased interest in the field of cybersecurity. Findings also suggest that an emphasis on creative and collaborative problem-solving processes and the real-world application inherent to cybersecurity are likely to increase girls’ engagement in the field. Results have implications for educators, researchers, and policy makers aiming to close gender gaps in the field of computer science and build interest in cybersecurity, an area of critical national need.
Charging for Parking to Finance Public Services
Authors: Shoup Donald , Yuan Quan , Jiang Xin
Published: June 2016

Many cities have two serious problems: overcrowded on-street parking and undersupplied public services. This article examines a policy to address both problems: charge market prices to manage on-street parking and use the revenue to finance local public services. Our case study of a pilot program for alley improvements in Beijing finds that the estimated payback period for the investments in sanitation, security, landscaping, and parking is less than three years. Only 35 percent of households in the pilot program own a car and the average income of car-owning households is almost three times the income of carless households.
Shaping risky choices
Authors: Warren Marika
Published: June 2016

Choices to live “at risk” are complex and challenging and can be structured by organizational policy. Some individuals genuinely wish to live in situations that are, or are perceived to be, high risk because this affords them an important benefit. However, it is likely that these choices are significantly affected by context and might not be made under different circumstances. The following argues for a responsibility to be attentive to the effects of organizational decisions on choices to live at risk and the overall distribution of risk.
“I’m Paying, So I Decide”
Authors: Kopeček Lubomír
Published: June 2016

Business-firm parties founded on the initiative of a political entrepreneur are a phenomenon of growing importance in contemporary party politics. In practice, these are either commercial companies, whose structure is used for a political project, or new and separate organisations constructed on business principles. This article examines the case of Czech party ANO (“YES”), established by the owner of the Agrofert holding company Andrej Babiš. The party achieved remarkable success in the 2013 Czech general election. The opportunity for ANO’s success was provided by strong voter dissatisfaction, reinforced by the scandalous circumstances of the centre-right government’s fall. This context created a fertile ground for the introduction of a new entity espousing anti-party, anti-corruption, and anti-political sentiments. In ANO’s organisation and functioning, a strengthening of certain traits characteristic of this type of parties is apparent. A robust system for screening party members and representatives has been gradually put into place, and human resources–style techniques of psychological testing were employed at the party’s inception. Furthermore, the power in the party has been wholly centralised around the leader, and the party’s territorial structures assigned merely service tasks. ANO has also maximised its electoral-professional orientation. The strengthening of the typical traits of a business-firm party can be explained by reference to the party’s origin in the business environment and the notions entertained by its leader. In many respects, Babiš’s party has brought the organisational model of a business-firm party to its limits.
“Truly a Women of Color Organization”
Authors: Luna Zakiya
Published: June 2016

Research on the U.S. women’s movement has documented the difficulties of cross-racial work between White women and women of racial/ethnic minorities. Less understood is how racial/ethnic minorities do cross-racial work among themselves to construct a collective identity of “women of color” that encourages solidarity across race, class, and other statuses. Drawing on research from the reproductive justice movement, I examine how women of color organizations that strive for intersectional praxis negotiate sameness and difference. I identify two different logics at work within women of color organizations: the first relies on a presumption of “same difference” that emphasizes similar experiences of gender and race oppression; the second accords greater recognition to the “difference-in-sameness” that structures constituents’ lived experiences. While the former can reproduce precisely those forms of silencing and exclusion that women of color organizations seek to challenge, the second remains a (necessarily) ongoing process. The article concludes that women of color organizations must strive continuously to actively negotiate, rather than assume, commonality if they are to avoid reproducing various forms of marginalization and inequality.
Does the Recruitment of Offline Households Increase the Sample Representativeness of Probability-Based Online Panels? Evidence From the German Internet Panel
Authors: Blom Annelies G. , Herzing Jessica M. E. , Cornesse Carina , Sakshaug Joseph W. , Krieger Ulrich , Bossert Dayana
Published: June 2016

The past decade has seen a rise in the use of online panels for conducting survey research. However, the popularity of online panels, largely driven by relatively low implementation costs and high rates of Internet penetration, has been met with criticisms regarding their ability to accurately represent their intended target populations. This criticism largely stems from the fact that (1) non-Internet (or offline) households, despite their relatively small size, constitute a highly selective group unaccounted for in Internet panels, and (2) the preeminent use of nonprobability-based recruitment methods likely contributes a self-selection bias that further compromises the representativeness of online panels. In response to these criticisms, some online panel studies have taken steps to recruit probability-based samples of individuals and providing them with the means to participate online. Using data from one such study, the German Internet Panel, this article investigates the impact of including offline households in the sample on the representativeness of the panel. Consistent with studies in other countries, we find that the exclusion of offline households produces significant coverage biases in online panel surveys, and the inclusion of these households in the sample improves the representativeness of the survey despite their lower propensity to respond.
Chinese employer associations, institutional complementarity and countervailing power
Authors: Zhu Judith Shuqin , Nyland Chris
Published: June 2016

Prior to 2011 the China Enterprise Confederation (CEC) was the only employer association recognized by China’s government. Drawing on interviews with staff from employer associations, employers and state officials, this study clarifies the role of Chinese employer associations, with the focus being on the CEC. The study finds that the Confederation is a quasi-state agency that undertakes many of the activities conducted by employer associations in developed economies. It also finds that the demise of the CEC’s monopolization of employer representation can be attributed to its inability to act as an agent of countervailing power and its inability to sustain a complementary relationship with the social partners that are suited to the newly emergent employment relationship being constructed in China.
An improved total least square calibration method for straightness error of coordinate measuring machine
Authors: Gu Tianqi , Lin Shuwen , Fang Bing , Luo Tianzhi
Published: June 2016

The total least square method based on singular value decomposition for fitting straight line and plane surface has been developed to deal with the straightness calibration problem. Different from the ordinary least square method only taking into account the error of the dependent variable, total least square method considers the errors of all the variables in a symmetrical way. However, in practice, it is difficult to choose an optimal method for the variable errors of measurement data in an asymmetric way. This article presents an improved calibration method for straightness error of a coordinate measuring machine. The proposed method, named as improved total least square, could fit straight line and plane surface when the variables are in an asymmetric way. In improved total least square method, weight matrices with parameter λ set between the independent and dependent variables are introduced to augmented matrix. A procedure is developed to determine the parameter λ. Numerical cases and measurement experiment are given to prove the performance of improved total least square method.
Minimizing makespan and total flow time in permutation flow shop scheduling problems using modified gravitational emulation local search algorithm
Authors: Sanjeev Kumar R , Padmanaban KP , Rajkumar M
Published: June 2016

Permutation flow shop scheduling is a part of production scheduling problems. It allows “n” jobs to be processed on “m” machines. All the jobs are processed in all the machines, and the sequence of jobs being processed is the same in all the machines. It plays a vital role in both automated manufacturing industries and nondeterministic polynomial hard problem. Gravitational emulation local search algorithm is a randomization-based concept algorithm. It is used iteratively as the local search procedure for exploring the local optimum solution. Modified gravitational emulation local search algorithm is used for both exploring and exploiting the optimum solution for permutation flow shop scheduling problems. In this work, modified gravitational emulation local search algorithm is proposed to solve the permutation flow shop scheduling problems with the objectives such as minimization of makespan and total flow time. The computational results show that the performance solution of the proposed algorithm gives better results than the previous author’s approaches. Statistical tools are also used for finding out a relationship that exists between the two variables (makespan and total flow time) and to evaluate the performance of the proposed approach against the previous approaches in the literature.
A novel fusion algorithm for estimation of the side-slip angle and the roll angle of a vehicle with optimized key parameters
Authors: Jiang Guirong , Liu Lifu , Guo Changhong , Chen Jie , Muhammad Fahad , Miao Xiaolu
Published: June 2016

As is known, estimation of the dynamic states of a vehicle plays an important role in safety control, but it is difficult to obtain the vehicle states accurately without expensive measurement instruments because of the non-linear and huge hysteretic characteristics. Nowadays, many methods have been adopted to solve this problem, the results of which are not ideal because it is assumed that the key parameters are constant, in particular in severe manoeuvres. This paper develops a novel estimation method for the vehicle states using the extended Kalman filter with a fusion algorithm. First, the optimal key parameters (the equivalent roll stiffness and the equivalent roll damping) are identified by genetic algorithms using the data from the relationship between the key parameters and the vehicle real-time states. Then, a novel non-linear observer for the side-slip angle and the roll angle is established on the basis of a four-degree-of-freedom vehicle model by utilizing the identified key parameters and the sensors mounted on normal vehicles. The performance of the observer is investigated using both simulations and real-vehicle experiments. The results demonstrate the reasonable accuracy of the estimation method proposed in this paper.
A 2000-year temperature reconstruction in the Animaqin Mountains of the Tibet Plateau, China
Authors: Chen Feng , Zhang Yong , Shao Xuemei , Li MingQi , Yin Zhi-Yong
Published: June 2016

A 2665-year ring-width chronology was developed based on Qilian juniper from the upper treeline of the Animaqin Mountains on the eastern Tibetan Plateau. Correlation analysis results showed that the chronology was significantly negatively correlated with April–June maximum temperature at nearby meteorological stations, indicating that maximum temperature is the factor that limits tree growth in this area. Accordingly, we reconstructed the average April–June maximum temperature variations since 261 BC. Our regression model explained 37.9% of the total variance for the whole calibration period of 1960–2012. Our reconstruction revealed that the maximum temperature started to increase from approximately 1750 without a rapid warming trend, and the warmest period was from AD 890 to 947, as opposed to the recent period, whereas the period from AD 351–483 was the coldest. Significant periods in the wavelet power spectrum were approximately 2–8 years, 20–30 years, 30–60 years, and 60–130 years, as well as some long-term periods (more than 200 years). Comparisons with other temperature series from neighboring regions and the Northern Hemisphere as a whole support the validity of our reconstruction and suggest that it provides a representation of the temperature change for the Animaqin area, although asymmetric variation patterns in minimum and maximum temperatures were found.
Middle to late-Holocene decreased fluvial aggradation and widespread peat initiation in the Ishikari lowland (northern Japan)
Authors: Ishii Yuji , Hori Kazuaki , Momohara Arata , Nakanishi Toshimichi , Hong Wan
Published: June 2016

This study investigated the influence of sea-level and climate changes on the decreased fluvial aggradation and subsequent widespread peat initiation in the middle to late-Holocene in the Ishikari lowland, which is a coastal floodplain formed in response to the postglacial sea-level change. By introducing a new approach to separately evaluate the rates of organic and clastic sediment input, we demonstrated that the peat began to form when the fluvial sedimentation rate was significantly decreased (less than 0.6 mm/yr), while plant macrofossil analysis suggested that lowering of water level is also important to the peat initiation. Such changes in sedimentary environment may be associated with the abrupt abandonment of crevasse splays. The concentrated ages of the peat initiation around 5600–5000, 4600–4300, and 4100–3600 cal. BP suggest that an allogenic control promoted the abandonment of crevasse splays, and different onset ages can be explained by different fluvial responses of the Ishikari River and its tributaries. The abandonment of crevasse splays could result from sea-level fall or decreased precipitation. While submillennial sea-level fluctuations coincident with the peat initiation have not been reported in coastal lowlands of Japan, the close comparison of the onset ages and decreased precipitation recorded in a stalagmite from China, which represents the strength of the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM), suggests that decrease in precipitation led to the abandonment of crevasse splays. Our results may indicate that similar fluvial responses might be common in other coastal floodplains affected by the EASM.
Record of vegetation, climate change, human impact and retting of hemp in Garhwal Himalaya (India) during the past 4600 years
Authors: Demske Dieter , Tarasov Pavel E , Leipe Christian , Kotlia Bahadur S , Joshi Lalit M , Long Tengwen
Published: June 2016

This study is focused on a 3.55-m-long sediment core retrieved from Badanital (i.e. the BT core) in 2008. Badanital (30°29′50″N, 78°55′26″E, 2083 m a.s.l.) is a small lake located in the upper catchment area of the Ganges in Garhwal Himalaya, northern India. The lake and the regional broad-leaved semi-evergreen forests are under the influence of the Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) and westerly associated cyclones. Palynological investigation of the BT core revealed past vegetation changes reflecting both climate and human impact during the last 4600 years. Maximum spread of oaks occurred during c. AD 550–1100 and c. AD 1400–1630, that is, the intervals which partly overlap with the ‘Medieval Warm Period’ and the ‘Little Ice Age’, respectively. Three intervals of decreased oak pollen percentages are attributed to (1) continuously drier and cooler climatic conditions and fire activity ( c. 2600–500 BC), (2) severe reduction in oak forests followed by secondary succession of alder woods ( c. AD 1150–1270) and (3) pre-modern settlement activities since the British imperial occupation (after c. AD 1700). We argue that the high percentages (i.e. up to 28%) of Humulus/ Cannabis type and Cannabis type pollen point to intense local retting of hemp c. 500 BC–AD 1050. Based on our age model, Cannabis fibre production at Badanital is contemporaneous with archaeological records of ancient hemp products from different parts of Eurasia suggesting possible linkages to early trade and knowledge exchange routes connecting India and the Himalaya with Central and East Asia and possibly Europe.
People and plant interaction at the Houli Culture Yuezhuang site in Shandong Province, China
Authors: Crawford Gary W , Chen Xuexiang , Luan Fengshi , Wang Jianhua
Published: June 2016

Palaeoethnobotanical research at the Yuezhuang site, a Houli Culture settlement in Jinan, Shandong Province, China, dating to 8000–7700 cal. BP, documents human–environment interaction and the local subsistence economy soon after the initiation of food production in the region. This economy supported a sizeable community that occupied a kilometer stretch of floodplain along the Nandasha River. The research explores plant domestication, the extent to which the Yuezhuang population had developed a food production niche, and, to a lesser extent, the development of agriculture in the lower Yellow River valley. In order to do so, charred seeds from a variety of plant taxa were recovered by flotation of sediment from pits and cultural strata. Just over 30% of the seed assemblage is rice ( Oryza sativa), broomcorn/common millet ( Panicum miliaceum), and foxtail millet ( Setaria italica subsp. italica). The status of several other plants such as soybean ( Glycine max subsp. max or G. max subsp. soja), perilla ( Perilla sp.), and chenopod ( Chenopodium sp.) that are also cultivated in East Asia is also assessed. Most of the plant taxa are from open, sunlit, and anthropogenic, disrupted habitats. Diverse grasses similar to those found at later sites indicate that the farming niche documented at the late Neolithic Longshan Culture in Shandong Province was being established by 8000–7700 cal. BP. The plant remains assemblage is compared with three assemblages, two belonging to the Houli Culture and one from the late Neolithic Longshan Culture. Anthropogenic habitats and their formation, maintenance and use, wetland exploitation, cultivation, hunting–gathering–fishing, and animal management characterize the mature (late) Houli Culture niche.
Our findings, my method: Framing science in televised interviews
Authors: Armon Rony , Baram-Tsabari Ayelet
Published: June 2016

The public communication of science and technology largely depends on their framing in the news media, but scientists’ role in this process has only been explored indirectly. This study focuses on storied accounts told by scientists when asked to present their research or provide expert advice in the course of a news interview. A total of 150 items from a current affairs talk show broadcast in the Israeli media were explored through a methodology combining narrative and conversation analysis. Using the concept of framing as originally proposed by Erving Goffman, we show that researchers use personal accounts as a way of reframing news stories introduced by the program hosts. Elements of method and rationale, which are usually considered technical and are shunned in journalistic reports, emerged as a crucial element in the accounts that experts themselves provided. The implications for framing research and science communication training are discussed.
Towards an Inclusive Occupational Health and Safety For Informal Workers
Authors: Lund Francie , Alfers Laura , Santana Vilma
Published: June 2016

Large numbers of workers worldwide work informally. Yet the discipline and practice of occupational health and safety covers largely only formal workers, in formal work places. A comprehensive approach would have to take into account specific hazards faced by those in different occupations, working in “atypical” work places. Local authorities exert significant influence in the provision of infrastructure that impacts on health and safety, such as water and sanitation. Examples from Brazil and Ghana show that positive interventions are possible so long as informal workers are recognized as contributing to the economy. A more inclusive occupational health and safety is most likely to happen in contexts where informal workers have an organized voice and where there are responsive health and safety personnel who understand that the world of work has changed. Some policy interventions that impact on healthy and safe work will need to involve multiple stakeholders and institutions.
TMI
Authors: Kim Phillip H. , Buffart Mickaël , Croidieu Grégoire
Published: June 2016

One of the enduring insights about early-stage creative efforts is that their prospects for success depend on their ability to overcome a variety of liabilities of newness. In our study, we address one aspect of such liabilities: the ability to communicate credible claims about the merits of an idea when raising the funds required for execution. The narratives employed during fundraising are both a vehicle for assembling details about nascent ideas and a structure for communicating them to a wider audience. With this communication, entrepreneurs signal information that potential backers use to evaluate the claims. We argue that using language to differentiate new creative projects from the status quo is beneficial because of signal clarity, but employing a language of accountability that discloses too much information (TMI) may actually backfire when raising funds in open settings. We test this argument by analyzing a sample of crowdfunding campaign texts and find evidence supportive of our predictions. These results advance the literature on entrepreneurial narratives and signaling, establish some baseline characteristics of donation- and reward-based crowdfunding sites, and reinvigorate the application of Stinchcombe’s arguments about the liabilities of newness within a contemporary context.
Effects of the prestress levels on the stiffness of prismatic and star-shaped tensegrity structures
Authors: Cai Jianguo , Zhou Yuhang , Feng Jian , Deng Xiaowei , Tu Yongming
Published: June 2016

On the basis of the introduction of the stiffness matrix of tensegrity structures, the eigenvalue analysis is carried out to study the influence of the prestress level on the stiffness of tensegrity structures. The triangular prismatic tensegrity structure, the star-shaped tensegrity structure and the star-shaped tensegrity structure with a central strut are selected as the numerical examples. The analytical results show that some eigenvalues increase linearly with the prestress level, whereas other eigenvalues firstly increase and then decrease or firstly decrease and then increase with the increase of the prestress level. This is because the stiffness matrix of the tensegrity structures is mainly composed of the material stiffness matrix and geometric stiffness matrix. As the contribution of these two parts of stiffness to eigenvalue models is different, the trends of eigenvalue variations are different with the increase of the prestressed level.
Factors Associated With Discrepancy in Parent–Teacher Reporting of Symptoms of ADHD in a Large Clinic-Referred Sample of Children
Authors: Takeda Toshinobu , Nissley-Tsiopinis Jenelle , Nanda Salloni , Eiraldi Ricardo
Published: June 2016

Objective: To identify factors associated with discrepancy in parent–teacher reporting of symptoms of ADHD. Method: Parents and teachers rated 1,364 children using an ADHD rating scale. Data were analyzed using multiple regressions and ANOVA. Results: Demographic variables predicted greater parent–teacher discrepancy for ethnic minority families than for Caucasian families. Comorbidity variables predicted greater discrepancy for children who had a comorbid externalizing disorder. Academic performance variables predicted discrepancy for children who showed more homework problems. When all significant predictors were entered together, externalizing disorders and homework problems emerged as significant predictors. Participants whose parents reported higher levels of symptoms were of significantly higher socioeconomic status. Participants whose teachers reported higher levels of symptoms were significantly less likely to have a comorbid externalizing disorder and parent-reported homework problems. Conclusion: Parent–teacher discrepancies are likely to occur when the child has significant homework and externalizing behavior problems.
Processes of Personality Development in Adulthood: The TESSERA Framework
Authors: Wrzus Cornelia , Roberts Brent W.
Published: June 2016

The current article presents a theoretical framework of the short- and long-term processes underlying personality development throughout adulthood. The newly developed TESSERA framework posits that long-term personality development occurs due to repeated short-term, situational processes. These short-term processes can be generalized as recursive sequence of Triggering situations, Expectancy, States/State expressions, and Reactions (TESSERA). Reflective and associative processes on TESSERA sequences can lead to personality development (i.e., continuity and lasting changes in explicit and implicit personality characteristics and behavioral patterns). We illustrate how the TESSERA framework facilitates a more comprehensive understanding of normative and differential personality development at various ages during the life span. The TESSERA framework extends previous theories by explicitly linking short- and long-term processes of personality development, by addressing different manifestations of personality, and by being applicable to different personality characteristics, for example, behavioral traits, motivational orientations, or life narratives.
Bourdieu, Hysteresis, and Shame
Authors: Barrett Timothy
Published: June 2016

This article offers a consideration of the gendered emotion of “shame” within the context of the lived experiences of spinal cord injured men, using “found life histories” as a source material. Drawing upon the Bourdieusian concept of “hysteresis,” I theorize the emergence of a gendered disjuncture between incorporated expectations, values and assumptions, and the substantive enactments of masculinity socially available in the aftermath of spinal cord injury. Shame was often experienced within contexts characterized by “dangerous” social proximity to pathologized “others” (namely, disabled people and children) against which hegemonic masculinity is defined. I conclude the article by highlighting the particular limitations that Bourdieusian social theory can be used to identify in relation to individualized therapeutic interventions designed to encourage spinal cord injured men to adopt new understandings of masculinity.
Comparison of parasitic mite retrieval methods in a population of community cats
Authors: Milley Catherine , Dryden Michael , Rosenkrantz Wayne , Griffin Joya , Reeder Christopher
Published: June 2016

Objectives

This study compared methods of mite retrieval from community cats in the Ohio River Valley region of the USA and determined incidence of parasitic mites in this region.

Methods

In total, 493 community cats were humanely trapped and anesthetized for a trap–neuter–return program. Cats received a dermatologic examination, ear swabs, superficial skin scraping, flea combing, acetate tape preparation and feces collection. All samples were examined microscopically. Large volumes of hair and scale from flea combing were dissolved in 10% potassium hydroxide and centrifuged with Sheather’s solution. Fecal samples were mixed with Sheather’s solution, filtered and centrifuged.

Results

Ear swabs were significantly ( P <0.05) better than other methods for finding chigger mites and Otodectes cynotis, and skin scraping was significantly better than ear swabs for finding Cheyletiella species. Only cats with O cynotis had clinical lesions. Mites remained identifiable for 6 months at room temperature. Mite incidence rates were as follows: Notoedres cati (1/493 cats), 0.002 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0–0.006); Lynxacarus radovskyi (2/493 cats), 0.004 (95% CI 0–0.01); Demodex gatoi (5/493 cats), 0.01 (95% CI 0.001–0.019); chigger mites (10/493 cats), 0.02 (95% CI 0.008–0.033); Cheyletiella species (12/493 cats), 0.024 (95% CI 0.011–0.038); and O cynotis (124/493 cats), 0.252 (95% CI 0.213–0.29).

Conclusions and relevance

Ear swabs are recommended when O cynotis or chigger mites are suspected. Skin scraping is more likely to yield positive results than ear swabs, but was not significantly better than acetate tape preparations, flea combing or fecal flotation for finding Cheyletiella species. Mites can remain identifiable for prolonged periods at room temperature. With the exception of O cynotis, the incidence of feline parasitic mites in the Ohio River Valley region of the USA is low; however, D gatoi and L radovskyi were present in the area and should be considered in cats with dermatologic disease attributable to them. In this population of community cats, asymptomatic carriage of mites was common.
Dynamic characterization of tapered laminated composite sandwich plates partially treated with magnetorheological elastomer
Authors: Vemuluri Ramesh Babu , Rajamohan Vasudevan , Arumugam Ananda Babu
Published: June 2016

This study investigates the dynamic performance of the partially treated magnetorheological elastomer tapered composite sandwich plates. Various partially treated tapered magnetorheological elastomer laminated composite sandwich plate models are formulated by dropping-off the plies longitudinally in top and bottom composite face layers to yield tapered plates as the face layers. The uniform rubber and magnetorheological elastomer materials are considered as the core layer. The governing differential equations of motion of the various partially treated magnetorheological elastomer tapered composite sandwich plate configurations are derived using classical laminated plate theory and solved numerically. Further, silicon-based magnetorheological elastomer and natural rubber are being fabricated and tested to identify the various mechanical properties. The effectiveness of the developed finite element formulation is demonstrated by comparing the results obtained with experimental tests and available literature. Also, various partially treated magnetorheological elastomer tapered laminated composite sandwich plates are considered to the study the effect of location and size of magnetorheological elastomer segment on various dynamic properties under various boundary conditions. The effects of magnetic field on the variation of natural frequencies and loss factors of the various partially treated magnetorheological elastomer tapered laminated composite sandwich plate configurations are analysed at different boundary conditions. Also, the effect of taper angle of top and bottom layers, aspect ratio, ply orientations on the natural frequencies of different configurations are analysed. Further, the transverse vibration responses of three different partially treated magnetorheological elastomer tapered laminated composite sandwich plate configurations under harmonic excitation are analysed at various magnetic fields. This analysis suggests that the location and size of the magnetorheological elastomer segments strongly influence the natural frequency, loss factor and transverse displacements of the partially treated magnetorheological elastomer tapered laminated composite sandwich plates apart from the intensities of the applied magnetic field. This shows the applicability of partial treatment to critical components of a large structure to achieve a more efficient and compact vibration control mechanism with variable damping.
Repositioning science reform efforts: Four practical recommendations from the field
Authors: Ness Daniel , Farenga Stephen J , Shah Vishal , Garofalo Salvatore G
Published: June 2016

Appeals to reform science education by policy makers are not new phenomena. To be sure, while science reform efforts have been ongoing occurrences for nearly six decades, perpetual educational reform efforts as a whole have been evolving and gaining momentum in number for more than a century. The general motivation for continual reform appears to focus on unifying educational outcomes that can be implemented globally. Relentless clarion calls for science reform appear to parallel the mergers of corporations whose constituents wish to gain access to national education systems and their methods of curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Accordingly, scientists and science educators must reconsider what is taught in science classes at all levels. In this article, the authors examine the research on reform efforts in science education and several past science education reform initiatives, which are then placed in the context of the time when each was endorsed and sanctioned. Based on unifying strands of inquiry regarding past science education reform efforts, the authors conclude with four general recommendations for progressive reform that are believed to be beneficial to authentic science learning experiences.
Funny farm: Sexuality, neoliberalism and the refashioning of American rural life
Authors: Johnson Colin R
Published: June 2016

This essay examines the operation of neoliberal logic in The Fabulous Beekman Boys, a reality television show that premiered on the now rebranded Planet Green network during the summer of 2010. The essay’s analysis focuses primarily on the way the protagonists’ homosexuality is figured proleptically as something like an explanation for both their atypical successes as small-scale farmers and their inevitable failures. It also draws attention to way the show mobilizes stereotypes about gay men’s inherent tastefulness, and their penchant for taste-making, as a moralizing homily regarding the virtue of personal sacrifice, the nobility of risk-taking and the economically redemptive potential of niche marketing under conditions of late capitalism.
Can we say anything ethical about Digital Religion? Philosophical and methodological considerations
Authors: Ess Charles Melvin
Published: June 2016

Against the background of growing interest in normative frameworks within Media and Communication Studies and Internet Studies, I propose a virtue ethics framework for Digital Religion (DR). This framework conjoins loving as a virtue with consequent norms of equality and respect for persons. By understanding selfhood in terms of relational autonomy, this framework shares with DR a central focus on identity, community, and authority. Two applications of the framework within DR illustrate its practicality. I further show how this framework can counter two main objections to the introduction of normative interests within DR as an otherwise “value-free” social science.
Intergenerational Transfers over the Life Course: Addressing Temporal and Gendered Complexities via a Human Well-being Approach
Authors: Wright Katie
Published: June 2016

Research on intergenerational transmissions of poverty and inequality has tended to focus on material transfers. This article refocuses attention on the intersection of material and psychosocial transfers, which reveals temporal and gendered complexities. It examines three key ideas emerging from the life course literature (relationality, intersectionality and intergenerationality) to shed light on how these complexities might be addressed. It is argued that a human well-being lens is potentially useful as a unifying framework to integrate these ideas, as it interrogates what living well means over the life course and how it is constructed relationally.
A new face of homelessness? Researching the experience of “home” with Chinese high school students in Canadian homes
Authors: Song Wen Juan
Published: June 2016

In this paper, I critically reflect on my epistemological journey going from professional social work practice to finding a suitable qualitative research methodology for my doctoral research with Chinese high school international students in Canadian homes. I start with exploring the new face of homelessness that I observed among the Chinese students in my clinical practice. I then explore some of the reasons that bring them to Canada and engage in the critical examination of whiteness in the Canadian educational system. I conclude with proposing the metaphor of way-finding as a qualitative methodology for my doctoral research.
Single-Fraction Spine Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for the Treatment of Chordoma
Authors: Jung Edward W. , Jung David L. , Balagamwala Ehsan H. , Angelov Lilyana , Suh John H. , Djemil Toufik , Magnelli Anthony , Chao Samuel T.
Published: June 2016

Purpose:

Chordoma is a radioresistant tumor that presents a therapeutic challenge with spine involvement, as high doses of radiation are needed for local control while limiting dose to the spinal cord. The purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy and safety of single-fraction spine stereotactic body radiation therapy for the treatment of spine chordoma.

Methods:

A retrospective review of our institutional database from 2006 to 2013 identified 8 patients (12 cases) with chordoma of the spine who were treated with spine stereotactic body radiation therapy. Surgical resection was performed in 7 of the 12 cases. The treatment volume was defined by the bony vertebral level of the tumor along with soft tissue extension appreciated on magnetic resonance imaging fusion. Medical records and imaging were assessed for pain relief and local control. Treatment toxicity was evaluated using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.0.

Results:

Median age was 59 years (range, 17-91). Median target volume was 48 cm3 (1-304), and median prescription dose was 16 Gy (11-16). Median conformality index was 1.44 (1.14-3.21), and homogeneity index was 1.12 (1.05-1.19). With a median follow-up time of 9.7 months (.5-84), local control was achieved in 75% of the cases treated. One patient developed limited grade 2 spinal cord myelopathy that resolved with steroids. There were no other treatment toxicities from spine stereotactic body radiation therapy.

Conclusion:

Single-fraction spine stereotactic body radiation therapy can be safely delivered to treat chordoma of the spine with the potential to improve pain symptoms. Although the early data are suggestive, long-term follow-up with more patients is necessary to determine the efficacy of spine stereotactic body radiation therapy in the treatment of chordoma of the spine.
The Social and Emotional Dimensions of a Single Item Overall School Readiness Screener and its Relation to Academic Outcomes
Authors: Stormont Melissa A. , Thompson Aaron M. , Herman Keith C. , Reinke Wendy M.
Published: June 2016

The purpose of the study was to examine the relations among a single item school readiness screener, social/emotional ratings, and academic performance. A prior study found that single item kindergarten readiness ratings completed in the fall predicted end-of-year academic and behavior outcomes even after controlling for baseline scores. Here, we attempted to extend these findings by using a single overall readiness item, an expanded rating scale for the item, and a comparison with other social and emotional ratings provided by teachers. Fifty-five teachers in 18 elementary school sites completed the overall readiness item on 893 kindergarten students. Teachers also completed Likert-type social emotional items and assessments of emergent literacy skills on all students. Results suggested that teachers use basic social behavior expectations in their judgments of readiness rather than extreme disruptive behaviors. In addition, the single item identified students who were below benchmark and not prepared to start school with higher accuracy than a 14-item social rating scale. Discussion focuses on the promise and limitations of the single item measure and future directions for its study and use.
Single-Session Endovascular Treatment of Symptomatic Lower Extremity Deep Vein Thrombosis
Authors: Chung Hwan Hoon , Lee Seung Hwa , Cho Sung Bum , Kim Yun Hwan , Seo Tae-Seok
Published: June 2016

Background:

Feasibility of single-session mechanical thrombetomy, without thrombolytics, for the treatment of the subacute deep vein thrombosis (DVT) of the lower extremity remains poorly described.

Purpose:

To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of single-session endovascular treatment of DVT of the lower extremity that is more than 10 days old.

Materials and Methods:

From January 2010 to December 2013, single-session endovascular treatment was performed in 21 limbs of 21 patients (8 men and 13 women) with DVT more than 10 days old at our hospital. The mean age of the thrombosis was 21.5 days (range 11-45 days). Two patients had malignancy-related obstructions. A 14F introducer sheath was inserted through the popliteal vein followed by aspiration thrombectomy with a large bore catheter. Balloon angioplasty and/or maceration of the thrombus were added when needed. Stent insertions were performed for patients with combined iliac vein stenosis. Technical success, clinical success, mean procedure time, and complications were evaluated.

Results:

The technical success rate was 90.5% (19 of 21 patients). Among the 19 successful cases, aspiration thrombectomy alone was performed in 16 (84.2%) patients, additional balloon angioplasty of the femoral vein was performed in 2 (10.5%) patients, and both balloon angioplasty of the femoral vein and rotational thrombectomy were performed in 1 (5.3%) patient. Iliac vein stenting was performed due to combined iliac vein narrowing in 13 (68.4%) of the 19 successful cases. The mean procedure time was 86 minutes (26-179 minutes). All of the patients with technical success (19 of 21 patients) showed marked improvement in symptoms at the time of discharge (clinical success). Unexplained gastrointestinal hemorrhage developed in 1 patient.

Conclusion:

Single-session endovascular treatment is feasible and effective even for patients with aged deep vein thrombosis of the lower extremity more than 10 days old.
Compression Stockings for Prevention of Postthrombotic Syndrome
Authors: Jin Y. W. , Ye H. , Li F. Y. , Xiong X. Z. , Cheng N. S.
Published: June 2016

Objective:

The present meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of compression stockings for postthrombotic syndrome (PTS) prevention in patients with deep venous thrombosis (DVT).

Methods:

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) regarding the use of compression stockings for prevention of PTS were identified from the Medline, PubMed, and Embase databases as well as the Cochrane library. The resulting manuscripts were analyzed according to the criteria in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions.

Results:

Six RCTs involving 1465 patients with DVT were included. The meta-analysis indicated no statistical differences between the compression stocking and the control groups in PTS incidence, using either the Villalta scale (odds ratio [OR], 0.63; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.23-1.74) or the Ginsberg scale (OR, 1.13; 95% CI, 0.72-1.77). Based on the Villalta scale categorization, there were no differences in the incidence of mild–moderate PTS (OR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.36-1.41) or incidence of severe PTS (OR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.15-3.11). The difference in the recurrence of venous thromboembolism (OR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.61-1.30) was also not significant. In the 3 RCTs that reported side effects of compression stockings, they were primarily related to discomfort, including itching, erythema, and rash.

Conclusion:

The present meta-analysis has indicated that compression stockings may not prevent PTS, as determined by either the Villalta or the Ginsberg scale, in patients with DVT. However, owing to the limited number of trials, the evidence is not strong enough to draw a reliable conclusion. Further larger, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trials are needed.