bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of a novel robotic platform with controllable stiffness manipulation arms for laparoendoscopic single‐site surgery (LESS)
Authors: Wang Jianchen , Wang Shuxin , Li Jinhua , Ren Xiangyun , Briggs Randall Miller
Published: August 2017

Background

For current LESS robotic systems, the trade‐off between dexterity and payload capability is always present. This paper presents a novel LESS robotic platform equipped with controllable stiffness manipulation arms.

Methods

Each manipulation arm with an articulated section and a controllable stiffness continuum section (CSCS) can be switched between a 7‐DoF compliant status and 5‐DoF rigid status according to the operation requirement. Screw theory and product exponential formula are used to quantify the kinematic performance.

Results

The stiffness of the manipulation arm promotes 3.03 to 4.12 times from compliant to rigid CSCS with maximum payload of 10 N in rigid status. The shortest rigid/compliant switching time is 5 s. The precision of a tracking test and an ex vivo procedure verified the accuracy and effectiveness of the controllable stiffness manipulation arms.

Conclusions

This robot could potentially improve the surgical performance and further expand robotic LESS procedures.
Input‐to‐state exponents and related ISS for delayed discrete‐time systems with application to impulsive effects
Authors: Liu Bin , Hill David J. , Sun Zhijie
Published: August 2017

This paper aims to investigate the input‐to‐state exponents (IS‐e) and the related input‐to‐state stability (ISS) for delayed discrete‐time systems (DDSs). By using the method of variation of parameters and introducing notions of uniform and weak uniform M‐matrix, the estimates for 3 kinds of IS‐e are derived for time‐varying DDSs. The exponential ISS conditions with parts suitable for infinite delays are thus established, by which the difference from the time‐invariant case is shown. The exponential stability of a time‐varying DDS with zero external input cannot guarantee its ISS. Moreover, based on the IS‐e estimates for DDSs, the exponential ISS under events criteria for DDSs with impulsive effects are obtained. The results are then applied in 1 example to test synchronization in the sense of ISS for a delayed discrete‐time network, where the impulsive control is designed to stabilize such an asynchronous network to the synchronization.
Point estimation in adaptive enrichment designs
Authors: Kunzmann Kevin , Benner Laura , Kieser Meinhard
Published: August 2017

Adaptive enrichment designs are an attractive option for clinical trials that aim at demonstrating efficacy of therapies, which may show different benefit for the full patient population and a prespecified subgroup. In these designs, based on interim data, either the subgroup or the full population is selected for further exploration. When selection is based on efficacy data, this introduces bias to the commonly used maximum likelihood estimator. For the situation of two‐stage designs with a single prespecified subgroup, we present six alternative estimators and investigate their performance in a simulation study. The most consistent reduction of bias over the range of scenarios considered was achieved by a method combining the uniformly minimum variance conditionally unbiased estimator with a conditional moment estimator. Application of the methods is illustrated by a clinical trial example.
A pattern‐mixture model approach for handling missing continuous outcome data in longitudinal cluster randomized trials
Authors: Fiero Mallorie H. , Hsu Chiu‐Hsieh , Bell Melanie L.
Published: August 2017

We extend the pattern‐mixture approach to handle missing continuous outcome data in longitudinal cluster randomized trials, which randomize groups of individuals to treatment arms, rather than the individuals themselves. Individuals who drop out at the same time point are grouped into the same dropout pattern. We approach extrapolation of the pattern‐mixture model by applying multilevel multiple imputation, which imputes missing values while appropriately accounting for the hierarchical data structure found in cluster randomized trials. To assess parameters of interest under various missing data assumptions, imputed values are multiplied by a sensitivity parameter,k, which increases or decreases imputed values. Using simulated data, we show that estimates of parameters of interest can vary widely under differing missing data assumptions. We conduct a sensitivity analysis using real data from a cluster randomized trial by increasingkuntil the treatment effect inference changes. By performing a sensitivity analysis for missing data, researchers can assess whether certain missing data assumptions are reasonable for their cluster randomized trial.
Bayesian analysis of pair‐matched case‐control studies subject to outcome misclassification
Authors: Högg Tanja , Petkau John , Zhao Yinshan , Gustafson Paul , Wijnands José MA , Tremlett Helen
Published: August 2017

We examine the impact of nondifferential outcome misclassification on odds ratios estimated from pair‐matched case‐control studies and propose a Bayesian model to adjust these estimates for misclassification bias. The model relies on access to a validation subgroup with confirmed outcome status for all case‐control pairs as well as prior knowledge about the positive and negative predictive value of the classification mechanism. We illustrate the model's performance on simulated data and apply it to a database study examining the presence of ten morbidities in the prodromal phase of multiple sclerosis.
Porous Cobalt Phosphide Polyhedrons with Iron Doping as an Efficient Bifunctional Electrocatalyst
Authors: Li Feng , Bu Yunfei , Lv Zijian , Mahmood Javeed , Han Gao‐Feng , Ahmad Ishfaq , Kim Guntae , Zhong Qin , Baek Jong‐Beom
Published: August 2017

Iron (Fe)‐doped porous cobalt phosphide polyhedrons are designed and synthesized as an efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst for both hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The synthesis strategy involves one‐step route for doping foreign metallic element and forming porous cobalt phosphide polyhedrons. With varying doping levels of Fe, the optimized Fe‐doped porous cobalt phosphide polyhedron exhibits significantly enhanced HER and OER performances, including low onset overpotentials, large current densities, as well as small Tafel slopes and good electrochemical stability during HER and OER.
Dual‐Stage Light Amplified Photodynamic Therapy against Hypoxic Tumor Based on an O2 Self‐Sufficient Nanoplatform
Authors: Liu Li‐Han , Zhang Yao‐Hui , Qiu Wen‐Xiu , Zhang Lu , Gao Fan , Li Bin , Xu Lu , Fan Jin‐Xian , Li Zi‐Hao , Zhang Xian‐Zheng
Published: August 2017

Tumor hypoxia severely limits the efficacy of traditional photodynamic therapy (PDT). Here, a liposome‐based nanoparticle (designated as LipoMB/CaO2) with O2 self‐sufficient property for dual‐stage light‐driven PDT is demonstrated to address this problem. Through a short time irradiation, 1O2 activated by the photosensitizer methylene blue (MB) can induce lipid peroxidation to break the liposome, and enlarge the contact area of CaO2 with H2O, resulting in accelerated O2 production. Accelerated O2 level further regulates hypoxic tumor microenvironment and in turn improves 1O2 generation by MB under another long time irradiation. In vitro and in vivo experiments also demonstrate the superior competence of LipoMB/CaO2 to alleviate tumor hypoxia, suppress tumor growth and antitumor metastasis with low side‐effect. The O2 self‐sufficient LipoMB/CaO2 nanoplatform with dual‐stage light manipulation is a successful attempt for PDT against hypoxic tumor.
An Injectable Hybrid Hydrogel with Oriented Short Fibers Induces Unidirectional Growth of Functional Nerve Cells
Authors: Omidinia‐Anarkoli Abdolrahman , Boesveld Sarah , Tuvshindorj Urandelger , Rose Jonas C. , Haraszti Tamás , De Laporte Laura
Published: August 2017

To regenerate soft aligned tissues in living organisms, low invasive biomaterials are required to create 3D microenvironments with a structural complexity to mimic the tissue's native architecture. Here, a tunable injectable hydrogel is reported, which allows precise engineering of the construct's anisotropy in situ. This material is defined as an Anisogel, representing a new type of tissue regenerative therapy. The Anisogel comprises a soft hydrogel, surrounding magneto‐responsive, cell adhesive, short fibers, which orient in situ in the direction of a low external magnetic field, before complete gelation of the matrix. The magnetic field can be removed after gelation of the biocompatible gel precursor, which fixes the aligned fibers and preserves the anisotropic structure of the Anisogel. Fibroblasts and nerve cells grow and extend unidirectionally within the Anisogels, in comparison to hydrogels without fibers or with randomly oriented fibers. The neurons inside the Anisogel show spontaneous electrical activity with calcium signals propagating along the anisotropy axis of the material. The reported system is simple and elegant and the short magneto‐responsive fibers can be produced with an effective high‐throughput method, ideal for a minimal invasive route for aligned tissue therapy.
The Impact of Multinational Presence on Domestic Investment: Firm‐Level Evidence from South Korea
Authors: Kim Kwang Soo , Leblebicioğlu Asli
Published: August 2017

In order to analyze the effects of foreign multinationals' presence on domestic firms' investment, we use a detailed firm level data set from South Korea for the 2006–2014 period. We combine it with the input‐output tables provided by the Bank of Korea to construct industry level measures of multinational presence in sectors that are horizontally and vertically linked, and estimate dynamic investment equations that are augmented with these foreign presence measures. We find a positive and significant effect of foreign presence in both horizontally and vertically linked industries on domestic firm's investment rate, with larger effects arising from multinational presence in the supplying sectors. Quantitatively, a 2 percentage point increase in the presence of multinational suppliers increases the domestic firm's investment rate by 3.24 percentage points. We also find that this effect is larger for small and medium firms, private firms, nonexporters, firms that are not part of a chaebol, and for firms in external finance dependent industries. A similar 2 percentage point increase in the foreign presence in downstream sectors increases the investment rate of domestic suppliers by 0.55 percentage points. This effect is larger if the domestic firm is part of a chaebol, or is in a less external finance dependent industry. Investment increase by 0.53 percentage points following a 2 percentage point increase in horizontal linkages.
Zum Verbundverhalten ausbetonierter Hohlprofilstützen mit massivem Stahlkern unter erhöhten Temperaturen
Authors: Schaumann Peter , Kleibömer Inka
Published: August 2017

Frau Univ.‐Prof. Dr.‐Ing. Ulrike Kuhlmann zur Vollendung ihres 60. Lebensjahres gewidmet

In diesem Beitrag werden experimentelle Untersuchungen zum Verbundverhalten von ausbetonierten Hohlprofilstützen mit massivem Stahlkern beschrieben. Da der innen liegende Stahlkern bei diesem Stützentyp den wesentlichen Anteil des Lastabtrags übernimmt, ist die Lasteinleitung und ‐verteilung von besonderer Bedeutung für die konstruktive Durchbildung der Stütze. Dabei ist es erstrebenswert, einen Teil der Lasten über die Verbundwirkung zwischen Baustahl und Beton zu übertragen und nur möglichst wenige mechanische Verbundmittel anzuordnen. Derzeit sind jedoch in Ermangelung einer experimentellen Datenbasis weder für Raumtemperaturbedingungen noch erhöhte Temperaturen Bemessungswerte der Verbundfestigkeit normativ erfasst. Die im Folgenden beschriebenen Untersuchungen können als Basis für die Entwicklung entsprechender Bemessungsvorschläge dienen. Es werden drei Serien von Push‐out‐Versuchen sowohl unter Raumtemperaturbedingungen als auch erhöhten Temperaturen hinsichtlich der gemessenen Verbundfestigkeit, der Reibfestigkeit sowie des Kurvenverlaufs der Verbundspannung‐Relativverschiebungskurven analysiert. Die Parameter der Versuchsreihen umfassen dabei den Stahlkerndurchmesser sowie die Betondeckung. Die Versuchsergebnisse offenbaren einerseits für Raumtemperaturbedingungen eine deutlich höhere Verbundfestigkeit als Daten von anderen Verbundstützentypen. Andererseits zeigt sich eine signifikante Reduktion der Verbund‐ und Reibfestigkeit bei erhöhten Temperaturen. Dabei dominiert die temperaturabhängige thermische Ausdehnung der Baustoffe das resultierende Verbundverhalten. Dieser Effekt ist in der Bemessung für den Brandfall zu berücksichtigen.
Geometrische Ersatzimperfektionen stabförmiger Bauteile unter Normalkraft, Biegung und Torsion
Authors: Winkler Rebekka , Reddel Julia , Knobloch Markus
Published: August 2017

Beim Ersatzimperfektionsverfahren zur Bemessung stabilitätsgefährdeter Stahlbauteile sind unter Berücksichtigung von Vorkrümmungen und Schiefstellungen Schnittgrößen nach Theorie II. Ordnung zu bestimmen und adäquate Querschnittsnachweise zu führen. Gegenwärtige Ersatzimperfektionsansätze berücksichtigen keine Torsionsbeanspruchung. Der vorliegende Beitrag beabsichtigt eine Ingenieurmethode zur Ermittlung von Ersatzimperfektionen stabförmiger Stahlbauteile unter Normalkraft‐, Biege‐ und Torsionsbeanspruchung zu entwickeln. Bemessungswerte der Vorkrümmungen werden auf der Grundlage sowohl der Abminderungsfaktoren nach Anhang A der EN 1993‐6 als auch Ergebnissen numerischer Simulationen abgeleitet. Damit wird der zunehmenden computergestützten Bemessungspraxis für biegedrillknickgefährdete Stahlbauteile auf der Grundlage des Ersatzimperfektionsverfahrens Rechnung getragen.
Zum Biegedrillknicken von Kranbahnträgern aus winkelverstärkten Walzprofilen
Authors: Dürr André , Walter Sebastian
Published: August 2017

Frau Univ.‐Prof. Dr.‐Ing. Ulrike Kuhlmann zur Vollendung ihres 60. Lebensjahres gewidmet

Kranbahnträger für Brückenkrane erfahren aufgrund der Radlasten und exzentrisch zum Schubmittelpunkt angreifenden Horizontallasten aus dem Kranbetrieb eine Beanspruchung aus zweiachsiger Biegung und Torsion. Die Kranbahnträger sind durch diese Beanspruchung stark kipp‐ bzw. biegedrillknickgefährdet. Der Biegedrillknicknachweis wird für Kranbahnträger von Brückenlaufträgern häufig bemessungsmaßgebend. Bei Walzprofilen ist die erforderliche Seitensteifigkeit am Obergurt oft schon bei leichtem Kranbetrieb und mittleren Stützweiten nicht mehr ausreichend. Um die Seitensteifigkeit am Obergurt der Kranbahnträger zu erhöhen, können neben anderen Varianten Walzprofile mit seitlich am Obergurt angeschweißten Winkeln verwendet werden. Diese Konstruktionsform wird auch als Kranbahnträger mit winkelverstärkten Walzprofilen bezeichnet und ist insbesondere bei mittelschwerem Kranbetrieb weit verbreitet. Die Nachweisführung gegen Biegedrillknicken ist für diese Kranbahnträger mit winkelverstärkten Walzprofilen allerdings infolge der zweiachsigen Biege‐ und Torsionsbeanspruchung und durch die lediglich einfache Symmetrie des Querschnitts erschwert. Im Rahmen dieses Beitrags werden die unterschiedlichen Nachweismöglichkeiten für Kranbahnträger aus winkelverstärkten Walzprofilen aufgezeigt und auf Grundlage eines Anwendungsbeispiels miteinander verglichen. Im Weiteren werden die Ergebnisse einer umfassenden Parameterstudie [1] zur Wirtschaftlichkeit der unterschiedlichen Nachweise zusammenfassend dargestellt, um Empfehlungen für einen möglichen Anwendungsbereich der einzelnen Nachweisverfahren geben zu können.
Forms of science capital mobilized in adolescents’ engineering projects
Authors: Wilson‐Lopez Amy , Sias Christina , Smithee Allen , Hasbún Indhira María
Published: August 2017

The purpose of this multiple case study was to identify the forms of science capital that six groups of adolescents mobilized toward the realization of their self‐selected engineering projects during after‐school meetings. Research participants were high school students who self‐identified as Hispanic, Latina, or Latino; who had received English as a Second Language (ESL) services; and whose parents or guardians had immigrated to the United States and held working class jobs. The research team used categories from Bourdieusian theories of capital to identify the forms of science capital mobilized by the participants. Data sources included transcripts from monthly interviews and from bi‐monthly group meetings during which the group members worked on their engineering projects. Data analysis indicated that the groups activated science capital in the following categories: embodied capital in the form of formal scientific knowledge, literacy practices, and experiences with solving everyday problems; social capital in the form of connections with authorities, experts, and peers; objectified capital in the form of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and measuring tools; and institutional capital in the form of awards and titles. The participants co‐mobilized multiple forms of science capital to advance their engineering projects, and some instances of co‐mobilization enabled the future activation of subsequent forms of science capital. Engineering, as a vehicle for learning science, provided the youth with opportunities to draw from diverse community resources and from multilingual literacy practices, recasting these resources and skills as forms of science capital, which were mobilized toward the attainment of other high‐status forms of science capital. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 55: 246–270, 2018
Re: Chronic hypertension and adverse pregnancy outcome: a cohort study. A. M. Panaitescu, A. Syngelaki, N. Prodan, R. Akolekar and K. H. Nicolaides. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2017; 50: 228–235.
Authors: Webster L. M.
Published: August 2017

Linked Comment: Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2017; 50: 228–235
Anal sphincter defects and fecal incontinence 15–24 years after first delivery: a cross‐sectional study
Authors: Guzmán Rojas R. A. , Salvesen K. Å. , Volløyhaug I.
Published: August 2017

Objectives

To establish the prevalence of external (EAS) and internal (IAS) anal sphincter defects present 15–24 years after childbirth according to mode of delivery, and their association with development of fecal incontinence (FI). The study additionally aimed to compare the proportion of women with obstetric anal sphincter injuries (OASIS) reported at delivery with the proportion of women with sphincter defect detected on ultrasound 15–24 years later.

Methods

This was a cross‐sectional study including 563 women who delivered their first child between 1990 and 1997. Women responded to a validated questionnaire (Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory) in 2013–2014, from which the proportion of women with FI was recorded. Information about OASIS was obtained from the National Birth Registry. Study participants underwent four‐dimensional transperineal ultrasound examination. Defect of EAS or IAS of ≥ 30° in at least four of six slices on tomographic ultrasound was considered a significant defect and was recorded. Four study groups were defined based on mode of delivery of the first child. Women who had delivered only by Cesarean section (CS) constituted the CS group. Women in the normal vaginal delivery (NVD) group had NVD of their first child and subsequent deliveries could be NVD or CS. The forceps delivery (FD) group included women who had FD, NVD or CS after FD of their first born. The vacuum delivery (VD) group included women who had VD, NVD or CS after VD of their first born. Multiple logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for comparison of prevalence of an EAS defect following different modes of delivery and to test its association with FI. Fisher's exact test was used to calculate crude odds ratios (ORs) for IAS defects.

Results

Defects of EAS and IAS were found after NVD (n = 201) in 10% and 1% of cases, respectively, after FD (n = 144) in 32% and 7% of cases and after VD (n = 120) in 15% and 4% of cases. No defects were found after CS (n = 98). FD was associated with increased risk of EAS defect compared with NVD (aOR = 3.6; 95% CI, 2.0–6.6) and VD (aOR = 3.0; 95% CI, 1.6–5.6) and with increased risk of IAS defect compared with NVD (OR = 7.4; 95% CI, 1.5–70.5). The difference between VD and NVD was not significant for EAS or IAS. FI was reported in 18% of women with an EAS defect, in 29% with an IAS defect and in 8% without a sphincter defect. EAS and IAS defects were associated with increased risk of FI (aOR = 2.5 (95% CI, 1.3–4.9) and OR = 4.2 (95% CI, 1.1–13.5), respectively). Of the ultrasonographic sphincter defects, 80% were not reported as OASIS at first or subsequent deliveries.

Conclusions

Anal sphincter defects visualized on transperineal ultrasound 15–24 years after first delivery were associated with FD and development of FI. Ultrasound revealed a high proportion of sphincter defects that were not recorded as OASIS at delivery. Copyright © 2017 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
The changing water cycle: impacts of an evolving supply and demand landscape on urban water reliability in the Bay Area
Authors: Gonzales Patricia , Ajami Newsha K.
Published: August 2017

The San Francisco Bay Area is no stranger to the emerging water challenges of climate change and population growth. As California bounces back from one of the most severe droughts in the state's history, utilities are forced to look for more resilient ways to manage their water resources. In the search for enhanced water reliability and resiliency, water providers must identify viable and innovative ways to increase water supplies and decrease demands. These decisions will be highly dependent on local characteristics, and the population dynamics that greatly affect supply, demand, and adaptation capacity in each region. This article explores the evolving supply and demand dynamics in 26 interconnected water utilities in the Bay Area. These utilities reflect not only the challenges that much of the state is facing due to the ongoing drought, but also the stresses of a growing population and shifting socioeconomic characteristics. The region has made significant investments in water efficiency and conservation that have helped increase resilience during the current drought, but conservation can only go so far and many uncertainties remain about future directions for supply and demand management. We explore: (1) how the supply and demand landscapes have evolved in these utilities over the past few decades, (2) what the main drivers have been, and (3) identify opportunities for the region to move forward in response to changing dynamics. The result is a holistic perspective that can help inform water managers and policy makers in preparation for the future. WIREs Water 2017, 4:e1240. doi: 10.1002/wat2.1240

This article is categorized under:

Engineering Water > Planning Water

Human Water > Rights to Water

Science of Water > Water and Environmental Change
ProFeat: feature-oriented engineering for family-based probabilistic model checking
Authors: Chrszon Philipp , Dubslaff Clemens , Klüppelholz Sascha , Baier Christel
Published: August 2017

The concept of features provides an elegant way to specify families of systems. Given a base system, features encapsulate additional functionalities that can be activated or deactivated to enhance or restrict the base system’s behaviors. Features can also facilitate the analysis of families of systems by exploiting commonalities of the family members and performing an all-in-one analysis, where all systems of the family are analyzed at once on a single family model instead of one-by-one. Most prominent, the concept of features has been successfully applied to describe and analyze (software) product lines. We present the toolProFeatthat supports the feature-oriented engineering process for stochastic systems by probabilistic model checking. To describe families of stochastic systems,ProFeatextends models for the prominent probabilistic model checkerPrismby feature-oriented concepts, including support for probabilistic product lines with dynamic feature switches, multi-features and feature attributes.ProFeatprovides a compact symbolic representation of the analysis results for each family member obtained byPrismto support, e.g., model repair or refinement during feature-oriented development. By means of several case studies we show howProFeateases family-based quantitative analysis and compare one-by-one and all-in-one analysis approaches.
Contemporary Management of Patients with Concomitant Coronary and Carotid Artery Disease
Authors: Poi Mun J. , Echeverria Angela , Lin Peter H.
Published: August 2017

The ideal management of concomitant carotid and coronary artery occlusive disease remains elusive. Although researchers have advocated the potential benefits of varying treatment strategies based on either concomitant or staged surgical treatment, there is no consensus in treatment guidelines among national or international clinical societies. Clinical studies show that coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with either staged or synchronous carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is associated with a high procedural stroke or death rate. Recent clinical studies have found carotid artery stenting (CAS) prior to CABG can lead to superior treatment outcomes in asymptomatic patients who are deemed high risk of CEA. With emerging data suggesting favorable outcome of CAS compared to CEA in patients with critical coronary artery disease, physicians must consider these diverging therapeutic options when treating patients with concurrent carotid and coronary disease. This review examines the available clinical data on therapeutic strategies in patients with concomitant carotid and coronary artery disease. A treatment paradigm for considering CAS or CEA as well as CABG and percutaneous coronary intervention is discussed.
Clinical Effect of Water‐Soluble Contrast Agents for Small Bowel Obstruction in the Virgin Abdomen
Authors: Fukami Yasuyuki , Kaneoka Yuji , Maeda Atsuyuki , Takayama Yuichi , Takahashi Takamasa , Uji Masahito
Published: August 2017

Background

Several studies have investigated the diagnostic and therapeutic role of water‐soluble contrast agents (WSCAs) in adhesive small bowel obstruction (SBO). However, the clinical effect of WSCA for SBO without previous intraabdominal operation (i.e., virgin abdomen, VA) is unclear. The aim of this study was to clarify the clinical effect of WSCA for SBO in the VA.

Methods

Between January 2008 and December 2015, 838 consecutive patients with SBO were initially managed with WSCA and were included in the study. Abdominal X‐rays were taken 5 h after administration of 100 ml WSCA and classified into complete/incomplete obstruction groups. The medical records of the patients with SBO were retrospectively analyzed and divided into two groups of patients with VA or non‐VA.

Results

A total of 44 and 794 VA and non‐VA patients were identified, respectively. Six VA patients (13%) and 121 non‐VA patients (15%) were classified with complete obstruction (p = 1.000) and subjected to operative exploration on the same day. There were no significant differences in the duration of nasogastric tube decompression (2.2 versus 2.5 days, p = 0.400) and intervals until the initiation of oral intake (2.4 versus 2.6 days, p = 0.553) between the VA and non‐VA groups. The overall operative rate was 16% in the VA and 17% in the non‐VA groups (p = 1.000). Compared with non‐VA, VA was associated with shorter hospital stays (9.6 versus 11.3 days, p = 0.006).

Conclusions

WSCA for SBO in the VA is as effective as in non‐VA patients in terms of a therapeutic strategy.
Evaluation of metabolism of azo dyes and their effects on Staphylococcus aureus metabolome
Authors: Sun Jinchun , Jin Jinshan , Beger Richard D , Cerniglia Carl E , Chen Huizhong
Published: August 2017

Dyes containing one or more azo linkages are widely applied in cosmetics, tattooing, food and drinks, pharmaceuticals, printing inks, plastics, leather, as well as paper industries. Previously we reported that bacteria living on human skin have the ability to reduce some azo dyes to aromatic amines, which raises potential safety concerns regarding human dermal exposure to azo dyes such as those in tattoo ink and cosmetic colorant formulations. To comprehensively investigate azo dye-induced toxicity by skin bacteria activation, it is very critical to understand the mechanism of metabolism of the azo dyes at the systems biology level. In this study, an LC/MS-based metabolomics approach was employed to globally investigate metabolism of azo dyes by Staphylococcus aureus as well as their effects on the metabolome of the bacterium. Growth of S. aureus in the presence of Sudan III or Orange II was not affected during the incubation period. Metabolomics results showed that Sudan III was metabolized to 4-(phenyldiazenyl) aniline (48%), 1-[(4-aminophenyl) diazenyl]-2-naphthol (4%) and eicosenoic acid Sudan III (0.9%). These findings indicated that the azo bond close to naphthalene group of Sudan III was preferentially cleaved compared with the other azo bond. The metabolite from Orange II was identified as 4-aminobenzene sulfonic acid (35%). A much higher amount of Orange II (~90×) was detected in the cell pellets from the active viable cells compared with those from boiled cells incubated with the same concentration of Orange II. This finding suggests that Orange II was primarily transported into the S. aureus cells for metabolism, instead of the theory that the azo dye metabolism occurs extracellularly. In addition, the metabolomics results showed that Sudan III affected energy pathways of the S. aureus cells, while Orange II had less noticeable effects on the cells. In summary, this study provided novel information regarding azo dye metabolism by the skin bacterium, the effects of azo dyes on the bacterial cells and the important role on the toxicity and/or inactivation of these compounds due to microbial metabolism.
The effects of accounting standards on the financial reporting properties of private firms: evidence from the German Accounting Law Modernization Act
Authors: Zicke Julia , Kiy Florian
Published: August 2017

This study investigates whether the 2009 German Accounting Law Modernization Act has affected the reporting and accounting practices of German private firms. In reforming German accounting standards, numerous accounting options were deleted, several accounting rules were transferred from IFRS to German GAAP with some modifications, and disclosure requirements were extended. In our analysis, we examine the changes in financial reporting and their effects on disclosures. We use four financial reporting property measures: discretionary accruals, the correlation between operating cash flow and accruals, the persistence of earnings, and the predictability of earnings. The results reveal no change across all financial reporting properties. Examining disclosure compliance for capitalized development costs and other provisions reveals substantial variation in compliance.
Analysis of the parathyroid function in maintenance hemodialysis patients from Changchun, China
Authors: Du Juan , Wang Songyan , Yu Wangbo , Li Shuang , Xu Jingbo
Published: August 2017

Objective

To evaluate the parathyroid function in maintenance hemodialysis patients from 4 hemodialysis centers and to analyze the cause of the dysfunction.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study included patients with chronic renal disease undergoing maintenance hemodialysis treatment at 4 hemodialysis centers in Changchun, China, between March 2014 and August 2015. A total of 337 patients were asked to complete a questionnaire including their name, gender, age, hemodialysis duration, the use of calcium carbonate and vitamin D3 supplements, health education status, hemofiltration frequency, appetite, and education level. Serum intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), phosphorus, total calcium, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine (Cre) levels were obtained from clinical information. Patients with iPTH data were divided into 2 groups: Normal group: the patients with an iPTH level < 100 pg/ml (28 subjects); Abnormal group: the patients with an iPTH level > 100 pg/ml (136 subjects). Intergroup differences were analyzed using the t‐test. The enumeration data were analyzed by the χ2 test.

Results

The iPTH levels were not monitored for 173 maintenance hemodialysis patients (51.3%) but for 164 patients (48.7%). Of the 164 patients, 28 (17.1%) had a normal serum iPTH level, while the other 136 (82.9%) had an abnormal iPTH level. The maintenance hemodialysis duration and phosphorus levels in the Abnormal group were higher than those in the Normal group (P < 0.05). The appetites of patients in the Abnormal group were better than those of patients in the Normal group (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

A lower proportion of patients on hemodialysis had a normal iPTH level. The phosphorus levels of patients on hemodialysis should be controlled via dietary interventions.
Leisure Time Physical Activity among Employed and Unemployed Women in Poland
Authors: Biernat Elżbieta , Piątkowska Monika
Published: August 2017

Objective/Background

The aim of the paper was to investigate the leisure time physical activity (LTPA) among Polish employed and unemployed women in light of meeting the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations and analysed its relationship with employment status. The concept of personal responsibility for a healthy lifestyle plays in the modern times a crucial role here and is an integral part of the prevention process (including the necessity for LTPA).

Methods

A sample (n = 527) of Polish women was surveyed by the long form of International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-LF), with statistically significant differences between variables (intensity and duration of the activity vs. employment status), in the model being verified by chi-square testing. Multi-variable logistic regression analysis was performed to find the relationship between socio-demographic criteria and the amount of exercise recommended by WHO. The relationship between LTPA and the amount of exercise recommended by WHO was assessed using the log-linear analysis.

Results

Over one-third of the respondents did not engage in any LTPA (employed –- 38.6 and unemployed –- 36.6%). Employed women engaged in vigorous exercises more often (18.2%) than those who were unemployed (5.8%). The amount of LTPA undertaken by the majority of respondents (58.7% employed and 65.2% unemployed) was not sufficient to maintain their health owing to lack of walking, moderate and vigorous LTPA.

Conclusion

Polish women nowadays (regardless of whether they are employed or not) still do not engage in a sufficient amount of LTPA to maintain their health. Intervention programme in both groups is needed.
It Takes More Than ‘Just Scratching the Surface’: The Perspectives of Young People on Living in a Disadvantaged Community
Authors: van der Wal Jelena , Grace Rebekah , Baird Kelly
Published: August 2017

This paper presents findings from research exploring young people's perspectives on the strengths, challenges and needs of their local community in a disadvantaged area of Sydney, Australia. These findings contribute to the growing body of literature that seeks to better understand the life experiences and support needs of vulnerable children and families. Young people's perspectives were gathered using a Photovoice methodology. Participants photographed aspects of their community that they considered to be a strength or challenge, and these photographs served as conversation prompts in subsequent individual interviews. Five key themes were identified from qualitative analysis of the data: (1) Local People and Places; (2) Financial Struggles and Opportunities; (3) Personal Resilience and Skills; (4) Health and Wellbeing and (5) The Impact of Stereotyping Media Constructions. Young people also made recommendations about what they perceived to be the most important forms of service and government investment in their community. This research gives emphasis to the importance of including the perspectives of young people in research and in providing an opportunity for them to identify the issues of most importance. It also discusses the community impact associated with the relentlessly deficit driven approach employed by researchers and the media when examining disadvantaged communities.
Rise of the Corporation and Corporate Social Responsibility: The Case for Corporate Customary International Law
Authors: STEFANIK KIRSTEN
Published: August 2017

Corporations have taken on an expansive role in the global community with transnational operations, extensive resources, power and influence, and significant environmental and human rights impacts. While corporate social responsibility (CSR) has developed standards and practices aimed at addressing the social responsibility of corporations, its legal effect, if any, is unclear. In part, this can be linked to the lack of status and direct accountability for corporations in international law. This article seeks to carve out a space for corporations in which the realities of their power and impact can be acknowledged, addressed, and managed. It suggests that this can be accomplished through the recognition of corporate customary international law. This corporate customary international law would apply the well-developed law-creation processes of traditional state-based customary international law to businesses. Employing CSR as a practical example, the article suggests that not only is corporate customary international law a theoretical possibility, but its elements can already be seen in the development of CSR. Ultimately, this article aims to show how customary international law, which is an existing tool of international law formation, can be used to bridge the gap between the traditional and contemporary international systems and increase opportunities for businesses to fulfil ethical and legal obligations and to be held accountable for environmental and human rights harms.
Electrifying Kyoto: Business and Politics in Light and Power, 1887–1915
Authors: XIA CHENXIAO
Published: August 2017

The city of Kyoto witnessed Japan’s first public-owned electric utility and first hydraulic station for general supply, and was the first Japanese city in which every household became electrified. Behind these achievements, the interaction between the privately owned Kyoto Electric Light Company and the government-owned Kyoto Municipal Electric Works were important. By exploring their origin, collusion, competition, and demarcation between them from 1887 to 1915, this article addresses business–government relations in the history of Japanese electrification through the case of Kyoto.
From ‘Opening Up’ to Democratic Renewal: Deepening Public Engagement in Legislative Committees
Authors: Hendriks Carolyn M. , Kay Adrian
Published: August 2017

Many legislatures around the world are undergoing a ‘participatory makeover’. Parliaments are hosting open days and communicating the latest parliamentary updates via websites and social media. Public activities such as these may make parliaments more informative and accessible, but much more could be done to foster meaningful democratic renewal. In particular, participatory efforts ought to be engaging citizens in a central task of legislatures – to deliberate and make decisions on collective issues. In this article, the potential of parliamentary committees to bring the public closer to legislative deliberations is considered. Drawing on insights from the practice and theory of deliberative democracy, the article discusses why and how deeper and more inclusive forms of public engagement can strengthen the epistemic, representative and deliberative capacities of parliamentary committees. Practical examples are considered to illustrate the possibilities and challenges of broadening public involvement in committee work.
Contaminated Portable Equipment Is a Potential Vector for Dissemination of Pathogens in the Intensive Care Unit
Authors: John Amrita , Alhmidi Heba , Cadnum Jennifer L. , Jencson Annette L. , Donskey Curtis J.
Published: August 2017

A DNA marker inoculated onto shared portable equipment in surgical and medical intensive care units disseminated widely to surfaces in patient rooms and provider work areas and to other types of portable equipment. These results demonstrate the potential for contaminated portable equipment to serve as a vector for dissemination of pathogens.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:1247–1249
Bullying Prevalence in Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Campbell Marilyn , Hwang Yoon-Suk , Whiteford Chrystal , Dillon-Wallace Julie , Ashburner Jill , Saggers Beth , Carrington Suzanne
Published: August 2017

All forms of bullying, physical, verbal, social, and cyber, are prevalent among youth worldwide. An especially vulnerable population for involvement in bullying is students with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although there are some studies that have investigated bullying in these students, many of these are beset by methodological issues. We surveyed 104 students with ASD on their bullying experiences in all 4 forms of bullying and examined their roles as victim, perpetrator, and bully-victim, comparing them with a group of typically developing students matched for age and gender. It was found that students with ASD reported significantly more traditional victimisation (physical, verbal, and social) than their typically developing peers. Cyberbullying victimisation was similar for the 2 groups. There were no differences between the groups on traditional bullying perpetration; however, typically developing students reported more cyberbullying perpetration behaviours. Implications for prevention and intervention are discussed.
The Race Project: Researching Race in the Social Sciences Researchers, Measures, and Scope of Studies
Authors: Garcia John A.
Published: August 2017

While the concept and measurement of race has been a longstanding focus of social science research, capturing its significance requires a broader notion than utilizing only racial group categories. More recently, race has been treated as both a “characteristic” and a set of experiences that affect a multitude of life conditions and outcomes. This discussion and analysis moves away from treating race as only a categorical and static characteristic to a multi-dimensional concept that is dynamic, relational, and represents the intersection of individual, ecological, and structural components. By exploring the data collection of the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research and studies that include race as a variable, we were able to trace how race has been used by social scientists over the past 60 years. Using an extensive coding protocol, we have attained key characteristics of the principal investigator(s) (PI), funders, scope of the overall study, and the use of different measures of race. As a result, this “meta-analysis” of social science surveys enabled this researcher to examine how these studies use a wide scope of racial “variables,” and the way in which PI characteristics affected the inclusion of race-related items. In addition, bivariate analysis is presented to examine social scientists’ tendencies in investigating race and inclusion of qualitative examples of item wordings and response categories. This overview of social science studies is placed in the context of conceptual and measurement issues surrounding the use and meaning of race. Hopefully this can serve to advance the discussion and strategic approaches in doing research about race and what should be incorporated in studying race as a lived experience.
Owning Immigration: Messenger Ethnicity, Issue Ownership, and Support for Latino Candidates
Authors: Shortle Allyson , Johnson Tyler
Published: August 2017

The public opinion literature stresses the importance of source cues in determining which types of messages affect attitudes and which types do not. Building upon such research, we seek to determine if messenger ethnicity influences how individuals evaluate candidates speaking on immigration in the context of a campaign. Do Americans (and Anglo Americans in particular) view Latino candidates as more experienced, stronger leaders, more trustworthy, and more qualified on immigration than Anglo candidates? Moreover, do such relationships hold regardless of the valence of the message itself? Through an original survey experiment presenting subjects with immigration talk on the campaign trail, we find Latino candidates are reviewed more positively than Anglo candidates when it comes to the immigration messages they speak (especially when it comes to pro-immigration messages). Such findings give us insight into whether or not Latino candidates have the potential to “own” the issue of immigration, as well as offering another path by which Latino candidates can gain a strong foothold with the public in the context of a campaign.
INTEGRAL MEANS OF HOLOMORPHIC FUNCTIONS AS GENERIC LOG-CONVEX WEIGHTS
Authors: DOUBTSOV EVGUENI
Published: August 2017

Let ${\mathcal{H}}ol(B_{d})$ denote the space of holomorphic functions on the unit ball $B_{d}$ of $\mathbb{C}^{d}$, $d\geq 1$. Given a log-convex strictly positive weight $w(r)$ on $[0,1)$, we construct a function $f\in {\mathcal{H}}ol(B_{d})$ such that the standard integral means $M_{p}(f,r)$ and $w(r)$ are equivalent for any $p$ with $0<p\leq \infty$. We also obtain similar results related to volume integral means.
SUBSPACES OF THE FREE TOPOLOGICAL VECTOR SPACE ON THE UNIT INTERVAL
Authors: GABRIYELYAN SAAK S. , MORRIS SIDNEY A.
Published: August 2017

For a Tychonoff space $X$, let $\mathbb{V}(X)$ be the free topological vector space over $X$, $A(X)$ the free abelian topological group over $X$ and $\mathbb{I}$ the unit interval with its usual topology. It is proved here that if $X$ is a subspace of $\mathbb{I}$, then the following are equivalent: $\mathbb{V}(X)$ can be embedded in $\mathbb{V}(\mathbb{I})$ as a topological vector subspace; $A(X)$ can be embedded in $A(\mathbb{I})$ as a topological subgroup; $X$ is locally compact.
DEFYING MERCANTILISM: ILLICIT TRADE, TRUST, AND THE JAMAICAN SEPHARDIM, 1660–1730
Authors: ZAHEDIEH NUALA
Published: August 2017

Recent historians have highlighted the importance of the web of illicit commercial transactions which connected competing imperial networks to create an integrated Atlantic economy but have paid little attention to how co-operation worked across borders. Of necessity, participants acted without the legal institutions which are often afforded a central role in narratives of modernization. In the case of Jamaica, a hub of illicit trade, most merchants found it difficult to survive in this high-risk environment but members of the Sephardic diaspora, a traditional, communitarian group, had competitive advantages which they exploited with vigour. They did not rely on innate attributes of kinship, ethnicity, or religion. They closed entry and built on a favourable historical and geographical legacy to cultivate attributes which maintained high levels of social discipline with credible rewards and punishments which were reinforced by their outsider status. Their competitive advantages did stimulate retaliation but also allowed the Sephardim to combine with the Christian elite to capture rent-seeking opportunities. Far from falling away as modernization gained pace, the Sephardic diaspora survived and flourished by constructing the strong private-order institutions needed in large swathes of the economy where neither impersonal corporations, nor state enforcement mechanisms, were able to manage risk.