bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Childhood Motor Coordination and Adult Affective Experience Among Extremely Low Birth Weight Survivors
Authors: Chiorean Andreea , Savoy Calan , Schmidt Louis A. , Morrison Katherine , Saigal Saroj , Van Lieshout Ryan J.
Published: May 2019

Poor motor coordination in childhood has been associated in adulthood with more negative affect, less positive affect, and an increased risk of psychopathology. While survivors of extremely low birth weight (ELBW; < 1,000 grams) are more likely to manifest poor motor coordination than people born at normal birth weight (NBW; > 2,500 g), they have had better mental health outcomes than those with NBW who have motor difficulties. How emotion is experienced is an important risk factor for mental illness; yet, little is known about the affective experience of survivors of ELBW who also have poor motor coordination. In this longitudinal study, we examined interactions between birth weight status and childhood motor coordination on affective experience among 88 ELBW and 89 NBW participants. We first assessed childhood motor coordination at eight years of age, using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, and we later gathered self-report data regarding affective style, using the Positive and Negative Affect Scedule and the Affective Styles Questionnaire, when these participants were 30-35 years of age. We found a statistically significant interaction between motor coordination and birth weight status. As motor coordination worsened among ELBW survivors, positive affect increased, while we observed the opposite trend in NBW participants ( p < 0.05). There was no interaction for negative affect. Positive affect may contribute to previous findings of better relative adult mental health among ELBW survivors with poor childhood motor coordination. Strategies aimed at optimizing positive affect may be fruitful for optimizing mental health outcomes among preterm survivors and others with reduced motor proficiency.
Laboratory Studies of Grains from outside the Solar System: A New Kind of Astronomy
Authors: Ott U.
Published: May 2019

Several phases whose origins predate that of the solar system have been identified in primitive meteorites during the past dozen years. The properties and the observed isotopic structures of these grains provide a variety of information, not obtainable in this detail by other means, on several highly interesting subjects: (a) details of the nuclear processes by which the chemical elements are synthesized in stars; (b) mixing during the life and during the explosion of stars; (c) circumstellar grain formation, and (d) constraints on conditions in the interstellar medium and the early solar system. An overview is given with special emphasis on implications for heavy element nucleosynthesis, and several cases are pointed out where the laboratory study of interstellar grains has led to “a new kind of astronomy”
Methylation of Inorganic Arsenic in Different Mammalian Species and Population Groups
Authors: Vahter Marie
Published: May 2019

Thousands of people in different parts of the world are exposed to arsenic via drinking water or contaminated soil or food. The high general toxic of arsenic has been known for centuries, and research during the last decades has shown that arsenic is a potent human carcinogen. However, most experimental cancer studies have failed to demonstrate carcinogenicity in experimental animals, indicating marked variation in sensitivity towards arsenic toxicity between species. It has also been suggested that there is a variation in susceptibility among human individuals. One reason for such variability in toxic response may be variation in metabolism. Inorganic arsenic is methylated in humans as well as animals and micro-organisms, but there are considerable differences between species and individuals. In many, but not all, mammalian species, inorganic arsenic is methylated to methylarsonic acid (MMA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), which are more rapidly excreted in urine than is the inorganic arsenic, especially the trivalent form (AsIII, arsenite) which is highly reactive with tissue components. Absorbed arsenate (AsV) is reduced to trivalent arsenic (AsIII) before the methyl groups are attached. It has been estimated that as much as 50–70% of absorbed AsV is rapidly reduced to AsIII, a reaction which seems to be common for most species. In most experimental animal species, DMA is the main metabolite excreted in urine. Compared to human subjects, very little MMA is produced. However, the rate of methylation varies considerably between species, and several species, e.g. the marmoset monkey and the chimpanzee have been shown not to methylate inorganic arsenic at all. In addition, the marmoset monkey accumulates arsenic in the liver. The rat, on the other hand, has an efficient methylation of arsenic but the formed DMA is to a large extent accumulated in the red blood cells. As a result, the rat shows a low rate of excretion of arsenic. In both human subjects and rodents exposed to DMA, about 5% of the dose is excreted in the urine as trimethylarsine oxide. It is obvious from studies on human volunteers exposed to specified doses of inorganic arsenic that the rate of excretion increases with the methylation efficiency, and there are large inter-individual variations in the methylation of arsenic. Recent studies on people exposed to arsenic via drinking water in northern Argentina have shown unusually low urinary excretion of MMA. Furthermore, children had a lower degree of methylation of arsenic than adults. Some studies indicate a lower degree of arsenic methylation in men than in women, especially during pregnancy. Whether the observed differences in methylation of arsenic are associated with variations in the susceptibility of arsenic remains to be investigated.
Polymeric Oxygen and Nitrogen: Why Not?
Authors: Wright J. S. , Mckay D. J.
Published: May 2019

Carbon occurs in many different polymeric forms, but nitrogen and oxygen do not. Beginning with the hydrogen polyoxides of general formula H2On, we look into the reasons for this observation. Calculations show that the geometry of an oxygen chain is in the form of a helix, and that there is a minimum bond dissociation energy for an oxygen chain which contains six oxygen atoms. Most surprisingly, longer chains are harder to break. A similar analysis applies to nitrogen chains, except that they are predicted to be more stable than their oxygen counterparts. In solution, however, proton transfer mechanisms provide low-energy paths to decomposition which explains why the polyoxide and polynitride chains have not been observed experimentally. We also look at another polymeric form of nitrogen in the form of a perfect icosahedron (‘dodecahedrazane’). We predict that long-chain polymers could be formed by linking together these nitrogen clusters with carbon connectors. The synthetic difficulties to create new compounds such as these will be formidable, but one possible outcome is a totally pollution-free fuel based on polymeric nitrogen.
Engineering Approaches to Chewing and Digestion
Authors: Alexander R. McN.
Published: May 2019

The guts of people and animals function like industrial chemical plants. They are assemblies of tubes and tanks in which foods are hydrolysed by enzyme-catalysed reactions, or fermented by microorganisms. Raw materials enter at one end, waste matter is voided at the other, and valuable products are abstracted on the way. A mill at the entrance end reduces the raw materials to small fragments, enabling the reactions to proceed faster. This paper shows how ideas from chemical engineering are guiding research on the gut, giving much clearer understanding of how foods respond to chewing, and of how guts are designed to process different foods. We will discuss the teeth as a grinding mill, and the digestive tube as a chain of chemical reactors.
Quantum Chemical Studies on the Reactivity of Electron-Rich Heterocycles: Benzofuroxans
Authors: Rauhut Guntram , Eckert Frank
Published: May 2019

Quantum chemical methods enable the investigation of chemical reaction mechanisms and must be considered a powerful tool for gaining a detailed understanding of chemical reactivity. Their state-of-the-art applications, known as ‘computational chemistry’ or ‘molecular modeling’ have been successful in drug design, biotechnology, and many other areas. However, their application to electron-rich heterocycles is hampered by so-called electron-correlation effects. The dramatic developments in computer technology and recent progress concerning the efficiency of quantum chemical algorithms allow for the investigation of these compounds and their reactions. Still, the sensitivity of the electronic structure of these molecules make such a task a subject to high-performance computing. The molecular class off uroxans and benzofuroxans are known as ‘electron-overcrowded’ and could thus not be treated reliably by computational methods at low levels. An overview is presented here that mainly deals with molecular rearrangements of benzofuroxans and nitrobenzofuroxans. Although most of these reactions are known for a long time their detailed mechanisms could not be explained based only on experimental evidence or at least gave rise to repeated speculations about the basic steps of the actual reaction paths. The progress in understanding the reactivity of benzofuroxans by means of computing the transition states of their reaction mechanisms is summarized.
Structural Investigations of Calcium and Zinc Binding in Proteins
Authors: Brodersen D. E. , Kjeldgaard M.
Published: May 2019

Metal ions are used in a variety of ways in our cells to regulate, activate, and stabilise specific protein molecules. In this review, we describe some of the regulatory functions of calcium and zinc that have been examined using X-ray crystallographic structural studies of specific proteins. These studies indicate that very precise control of cellular activity can be achieved by exploiting the specific physio-chemical properties of different metal ions.
Computer Simulations of the Mechanical Properties of Metals
Authors: Schiøtz J. , Vegge T.
Published: May 2019

Atomic-scale computer simulations can be used to gain a better understanding of the mechanical properties of materials. In this paper we demonstrate how this can be done in the case of nanocrystalline copper, and give a brief overview of how simulations may be extended to larger length scales. Nanocrystalline metals are metals with grain sizes in the nanometre range, they have a number of technologically interesting properties such as much increased hardness and yield strength. Our simulations show that the deformation mechanisms are different in these materials than in coarsegrained materials. The main deformation is occurring in the grain boundaries, and only little dislocation activity is seen inside the grains. This leads to a hardening of the material as the grain size is increased, and the volume fraction of grain boundaries is decreased.
Improving Empirical Scrutiny of the Habitus: A Plea for Incorporating Implicit Association Tests in Sociological Research
Authors: Schaap Julian , van der Waal Jeroen , de Koster Willem
Published: May 2019

Many studies invoke the concept of the Bourdieusian habitus to account for a plethora of stratified patterns uncovered by conventional social-scientific methods. However, as a stratum-specific, embodied and largely non-declarative set of dispositions, the role of the habitus in those stratified patterns is typically not adequately scrutinised empirically. Instead, the habitus is often attributed theoretically to an empirically established link between stratification indicators and an outcome of interest. In this research note, we argue that combining conventional methods in stratification research with latency-based measures such as the Implicit Association Test enables better measurement of the habitus. This sociological application of Implicit Association Tests enables researchers to: (1) identify empirically the existence of different habitus among different social strata; and (2) determine their role in the stratified patterns to which they have thus far been attributed theoretically.
Family Secrets and the Slow Violence of Social Stigma
Authors: Barnwell Ashley
Published: May 2019

This article uses Rob Nixon’s theory of ‘slow violence’ to examine how families keep secrets to manage stigma over time. In an age driven by hurriedness and distraction, Nixon calls for scholars to attend to the uneventful injustices that slip beneath the radar, dismissed or postponed. While his concept addresses environmental pollution, I argue that it is also relevant to the temporal dimensions of other sociological problems. To understand the social causes and impacts of family secrets I apply the concept of slow violence to qualitative survey responses collected from non-professional family historians in 2016. Bringing Nixon’s idea to family secrets, I argue, exposes how stigma – as an often unseen and accretive form of social violence – is felt and managed within families across generations. The article demonstrates how Nixon’s time-centred theory valuably foregrounds long-term ramifications in a context where the churn of election and policy cycles often sets a short-term view.
Evaluation of HIV Reporting Form in Sana’a City, Yemen, 2016
Authors: Abdulrazzak Mahmoud Hassan , Alsahybi Abdul Hamid , Assabri Ali , Khader Yousef
Published: May 2019

Yemen has witnessed a significant rise in AIDS-related deaths because of very poor access to antiretroviral treatment and because of the current war situation. This study aimed to assess the attributes of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) reporting form, including usefulness, simplicity, flexibility, and acceptability, which is used for reporting HIV cases in Sana’a, Yemen. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 311 physicians from public and private health facilities in Sana’a city. Physicians were interviewed using a structured questionnaire to assess the form’s attributes. The mean score was calculated for each attribute and converted to percentages which were interpreted as very poor, poor, average, good, and excellent. The usefulness overall score was 76%, indicating average usefulness. Of the total participants, 283 (91%) and 304 (97.7%) stated that the form is clear and easy to fill, respectively. More than two-thirds (68.5%) of physicians stated that the form ensures the privacy of the customer’s identity. The simplicity attribute score was 74.5%, indicating average simplicity. The overall flexibility was 69.2%, indicating average flexibility. A total of 175 (56%) physicians indicated that they are completely satisfied with the reporting form. The acceptability score was 75.2%, indicating that the HIV/AIDS reporting form of HIV is average in acceptability. The HIV/AIDS reporting form in Yemen was scored average in usefulness, simplicity, flexibility, and acceptability. Training health workers on using the reporting form would improve the performance of HIV/AIDS reporting. Moreover, the reporting form could be adapted to be integrated with other surveillance such as tuberculosis surveillance.
Customer Resistance to Tourism Innovations: Entrepreneurs’ Understanding and Management Strategies
Authors: Rodríguez Sánchez Isabel , Williams Allan M. , García Andreu Hugo
Published: May 2019

Customer resistance is the greatest risk to innovation for the entrepreneur. The aim of this exploratory study is to provide insights into this underdeveloped area in the tourism innovation literature. A qualitative approach is adopted to understand the resistance experienced by 57 entrepreneurs when introducing their innovations into the market, the causes and the actions taken to minimize resistance. Findings indicate that most entrepreneurs often encounter resistance from sceptical customers, satisfied with their status quo and with no or low appetites for innovation. The analysis reveals two main sources of resistance: the association of the innovations with particular risks, and the customers' lack of understanding of the innovation value. Communication strategies are crucial to decrease the associated risks and for trust building. The article provides a critical perspective on the challenges faced by innovators, challenges that are often overlooked given the near-iconic status of innovation in studies of economic development.
How Far Is the Ideal Destination? Distance Desire, Ways to Explore the Antinomy of Distance Effects in Tourist Destination Choice
Authors: Cao Jingjing , Zhang Jinhe , Wang Chang , Hu Huan , Yu Peng
Published: May 2019

This study aims to explore the antinomy of distance effects in tourist destination choice by demonstrating its catalytic effect and functionary mechanism. The concept of “distance desire” is proposed to express the catalytic effect of distance, while the attributes and subdivisional dimensions of this concept are also analyzed. A tourist destination decision model is constructed to explore the relationships between the related behavior variables and tourist travel intention. The results of this study indicate that distance desire as well as tourist attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control are important variables that positively affect tourist travel intention. Distance desire has also been demonstrated to play an intermediary role between tourist attitudes and travel intention and tourist subjective norms and travel intention. The introduction of distance desire can improve and enhance the interpretation and forecasting capabilities of the tourist destination decision model.
Torsion of ovarian endometrioma in pregnancy: a case report and review of the literature
Authors: Hua Dingchao , Zhao Peng , Jiang Lianyun
Published: May 2019

Adnexal torsion induced by an endometrioma has seldom been reported. Because of its rarity and its complexity in respect of fetal health during pregnancy, the diagnosis and treatment is challenging. We report a 25-year-old primigravida in the eighth week of gestation presenting with acute onset lower abdominal pain. A pelvic ultrasonography showed an intrauterine single viable embryo with a right ovarian cyst measuring 6 × 6 cm in diameter. Exploratory laparotomy revealed torsion of the right adnexa by 360°. After a right adnexectomy was performed, the patient proceeded to full-term pregnancy.

Adnexal torsion is defined as rotation of > 45° in the long axis of the adnexae. Its occurrence during gestation is reported as 2%, accounting for 2.7% of surgical emergencies in pregnant women. Most cases are caused by dermoid and functional ovarian cysts. Because of the rarity of torsion induced by an endometrioma, the diagnosis and treatment are challenging. In poor-resource conditions, a diagnostic laparoscopy (or laparotomy) remains a logical method of diagnosis, offering simultaneous therapeutic options.
Revisiting the U.S. Navy Submarine Service Psychological Casualty Rate in World War II
Authors: MacKenzie S. P.
Published: May 2019

Conclusions concerning how many World War II U.S. Navy submariners should be classified as psychiatric casualties have long been based on a pioneering study by two navy physicians, Commander Ivan Duff, MD, and Captain Charles Shilling, MD, that was first made public in the Journal of the American Psychiatric Association shortly after the war. This article seeks to show that, despite the longevity of the resulting published figures, there were serious problems in their approach and conclusions. The data set of the study was far from comprehensive, which, in turn, led to erroneous calculations generating a minuscule number—approximately two cases per 1,000 submariners—that in turn necessitated explanatory overreach. Reasons for the approach taken in the original work, and subsequent longevity of acceptance and celebration of the results produced, are then examined through the lens of confirmation bias.
A forgetting-factor based data-driven optimal terminal iterative learning control with applications to product concentration control of ethanol fermentation processes
Authors: Lin Na , Liang Hao , Lv Yunkai , Chi Ronghu
Published: May 2019

Ethanol fermentation process (EFP) is characterized as a repetitive batch process with strong nonlinear behavior, changing operational conditions and exogenous disturbances which causes huge cost and hard difficulties in modeling an EFP. In this work, a forgetting-factor based data-driven optimal terminal iterative learning control (FF-DDOTILC) is proposed for the product concentration control of an EFP, which is regarded as an unknown nonlinear and nonaffine discrete-time system in general. An iterative dynamic linearization method is introduced to transfer the nonlinear system equivalently into a linear parametric incremental input-output form. The learning control law is derived by iteratively optimizing the proposed new objective function with a forgetting-factor. Meanwhile, a project parameter updating law is designed to estimate the unknown parameters in the linear input-output data model. By introducing a forgetting-factor, the proposed method becomes more flexible and efficient with a better control performance. The proposed FF-DDOTILC only depends on the I/O data for the design and analysis where the convergence of tracking error is guaranteed mathematically. The proposed method is applicable and effective in the product concentration control of the ethanol fermentation process verified through detail simulations.
The Resistance to Change-Beliefs Scale: Validation of a New Measure of Conservative Ideology
Authors: White Katherine R. G. , Kinney Dakota , Danek Rose H. , Smith Brandt , Harben Charles
Published: May 2019

The motivated social cognition (MSC) model of conservative ideology posits there are two core facets of conservative political ideology—endorsement of hierarchies and resistance to change. The present research tested the validity and reliability of a scale developed to measure resistance to change. Five studies support the validity, reliability, and factor structure of the Resistance to Change-Beliefs (RC-B) scale. Scores on the RC-B scale correlated with social and cognitive motivations as well as self-identified conservatism. RC-B also predicted more conservative stances on political issues and factor analyses supported the predicted internal structure of the RC-B scale. This provides the field with a validated instrument that avoids problems inherent in previous measures, can be used to test predictions from the MSC model, and has potential applications beyond political psychology.
Automated Test Assembly Using SAS Operations Research Software in a Medical Licensing Examination
Authors: Shao Can , Liu Silu , Yang Hongwei , Tsai Tsung-Hsun
Published: May 2019

Mathematical programming has been widely used by professionals in testing agencies as a tool to automatically construct equivalent test forms. This study introduces the linear programming capabilities (modeling language plus solvers) of SAS Operations Research as a platform to rigorously engineer tests on specifications in an automated manner. To that end, real items from a medical licensing test are used to demonstrate the simultaneous assembly of multiple parallel test forms under two separate linear programming scenarios: (a) constraint satisfaction (one problem) and (b) combinatorial optimization (three problems). In the four problems from the two scenarios, the forms are assembled subjected to various content and psychometric constraints. Assembled forms are next assessed using psychometric methods to ensure equivalence about all test specifications. Results from this study support SAS as a reliable and easy-to-implement platform for form assembly. Annotated codes are provided to promote further research and operational work in this area.
City Services by Design: Policy Feedback, Social Construction, and Inequality
Authors: Grogan-Myers Patrick , Hatch Megan E.
Published: May 2019

This article reviews Jessica Trounstine’s book Segregation by Design: Local Politics and Inequality in American Cities, situating it within the literature on local government policies, segregation, and inequality. In doing so, we demonstrate social construction and policy feedback reinforce the relationship Trounstine identifies between property owners’ desire to protect their property values, local government policies, segregation, unequal services, and political polarization.
Receiving Support and Care in Older Age: Comparing LAT Relationships With First Marriages, Remarriages, and Cohabitation
Authors: Broese van Groenou Marjolein , te Riele Saskia , de Jong Gierveld Jenny
Published: May 2019

Living apart together (LAT) combines intimacy with autonomy and flexibility but, possibly, with lower commitment to exchanging support and care compared with first marriages, remarriages, and cohabitation of older adults. Data from 50- to 79-year-old respondents in the Family and Fertility Survey 2013 (Statistics Netherlands; N = 4,108) showed that older LAT partners are most often involved in exchanging emotional support. No differences were found in the receipt of daily care. Multivariate analyses showed that receiving support and care from the partner was associated with more health problems, higher quality of the partner relationship, and a broader support network. When in poor health, LAT partners were less likely to receive daily care, but not emotional support, from their partner compared with the other types. Partner relationships in later life are well equipped to provide emotional support, but partner care is facilitated largely by help from others.
Ex Vivo Gene Therapy: Graft-versus-host Disease (GVHD) in NSG™ (NOD.Cg-Prkdcscid Il2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ) Mice Transplanted with CD34+ Human Hematopoietic Stem Cells
Authors: Chandra Sundeep , Cristofori Patrizia , Fonck Carlos , O’Neill Charles A.
Published: May 2019

A therapeutic option for monogenic disorders is gene therapy with ex vivo-transduced autologous hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Safety or efficacy studies of ex vivo-modified HSCs are conducted in humanized mouse models after ablation of the murine bone marrow and transfer of human CD34+ HSCs. Engrafted human CD34+ cells migrate to bone marrow and differentiate into various human hematopoietic lineages. A 12-week study was conducted in NSG™ mice to evaluate engraftment, differentiation, and safety of human CD34+ cells that were transduced ( ex vivo) with a proprietary lentiviral vector encoding a human gene (BMRN-1) or a mock (green fluorescent protein) vector. Several mice intravenously injected with naive CD34+ cells or transduced CD34+ cells had variable lymphohistiocytic inflammatory cell infiltrates and microgranulomas in the liver and lungs consistent with graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Spleen, bone marrow, stomach, reproductive tract, but not the skin had similar inflammatory changes. Ex vivo viral transduction of CD34+ cells did not impact engraftment or predispose to xenogeneic GVHD.
Coping: “This Is More Than a Trip—It Is a Journey”
Authors: Chaponniere Paulette A. , Hall Laura E.
Published: May 2019

A 2-week community health clinical experience in Ghana, Africa, provided undergraduate nursing students a study abroad opportunity to expand their cross-cultural skills. Journal entries ( N = 512) of four cohorts were analyzed for common themes using Atlas.ti 7 in this descriptive qualitative study. No emphasis was placed on how to cope with cultural shock in Ghana, nor any attempt made to teach effective coping skills during the trips. Bochner’s ABC cultural learning response model provided the framework for grouping themes. Positive coping skills included the need for control, humor, normalizing, and reframing as well as a need for a break and relaxation. Venting, frustration, and physical ailments were coded as negative responses to culture shock. Due to these findings, student preparation for short-term study abroad should include discussions on effective coping with culture shock during orientation sessions and on-going debriefing.
Why did the North East Combined Authority fail to achieve a devolution deal with the UK government?
Authors: Lemprière Maximilian , Lowndes Vivien
Published: May 2019

This article seeks to provide a theoretically informed account of the vexed process of forming a combined authority in the North East of England. It addresses the puzzle of why the North East, an area with a strong regional identity and major regeneration needs, has stumbled in setting up a combined authority and negotiating a devolution deal with central government. Using existing theoretical work on processes of institutional formation, it seeks to account for the concomitant influence of agential, spatial and temporal contingencies as causal factors in explaining the particular path this combined authority took. The process stuttered because of relatively weak and fragmented leadership, contested and poorly articulated constitutional and governmental rules at multiple levels, and spatial and temporal legacies that undermined attempts at city-region governance. It was not possible to mobilise the ‘memory’ of prior institutional arrangements to underpin the new project and economic geographies proved complex and overlapping. In short, the challenges encountered in the North East reflected the animated, nested and embedded character of institutional formation processes.
Local Enterprise Partnerships: Seven-year itch, or in need of a radical re-think? – Lessons from Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, UK
Authors: Marlow David
Published: May 2019

England has struggled to create and sustain intermediate tier institutions of leadership and governance between national government (UKG) and local authorities. This ‘in perspective’ paper reflects on the establishment of 39 Local Enterprise Partnerships between 2010 and 2012, and their assumption of increasing powers and resources during their first seven years of existence (2010–17). This is considered in the light of the lessons of the Greater Cambridgeshire Greater Peterborough Local Enterprise Partnership. Greater Cambridgeshire Greater Peterborough Local Enterprise Partnership was a first round Local Enterprise Partnerships eventually wound up and absorbed into a Mayoral Combined Authority – itself a new form of intermediate tier institution – in early 2018. Greater Cambridgeshire Greater Peterborough Local Enterprise Partnership exemplifies the challenges of intermediate tier leadership and governance in England in many ways – the tensions between administrative and functional economic geographies; between national and local legitimacy and accountabilities; between political, business, and third sector stakeholders; between strategic leadership and delivery effectiveness. In mid-2018 Government’s ‘Strengthened LEPs’ Review – partly stimulated by the Greater Cambridgeshire Greater Peterborough Local Enterprise Partnership experience – sought to reconcile some of these tensions. The paper suggests major limitations with the review’s approach, which may also have surfaced fundamental contradictions in Government’s devolution ambitions and policies. England will almost certainly need a new approach to local and regional growth as BREXIT issues play out over 2019–21, and as it seeks to deliver Local Industrial Strategies. The Local Industrial Strategies seek to tackle fundamental industrial and inclusive growth challenges across England’s cities and regions with their wide territorial variations in performance. Whether this can be founded on an evolution of the Local Enterprise Partnership system or requires a radical fresh start remains an open question.
Combined Authorities for more sub-regions? – Learning the adverse lessons from England beyond the metropolitan conurbations
Authors: Townsend Alan
Published: May 2019

The paper presents an analysis of the latent need for further Combined Authorities across England and finds that there are many potential functional areas, like the Cambridge and Peterborough Authority, which merit them on grounds of size or growth. They often correspond to Local Enterprise Partnership or past Multi-Area Agreement areas and stand among many abortive devolution proposals of the last four years. Their travel-to-work areas frequently conflict with shire counties’ present boundaries, a problem which provides the strongest obstacle to new ‘larger-than-local’ governance arrangements. The present government’s abandonment of the requirement for new non-city Combined Authorities to have a directly elected mayor would remove a main barrier to establishing new devolution agreements across England, which is delayed by the need for a promised policy paper from government.
Are Combined Authorities in England strategic and fit for purpose?
Authors: Shutt John , Liddle Joyce
Published: May 2019

This paper focuses on new governance arrangements in an English context and seeks to answer the question on whether or not Combined Authorities are strategic or fit for purpose. Combined Authorities are a fragmented response to changing boundaries, employment and labour markets and the desire for functional geographies to aid competition in a global world, but also a response to the UK and English devolution conundrum. The paper highlights some of the challenges and issues arising in a BREXIT era and points to some key research priorities for the future. Drawing on the findings from all papers presented in the special issue, the authors conclude that in a post BREXIT world there will be an even greater imperative for the leaders of Britain’s cities and towns to simultaneously act locally and globally in developing economic development strategies to transform local economies.
Clinical efficacy of extracorporeal shockwave therapy for knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-regression of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Liao Chun-De , Tsauo Jau-Yih , Liou Tsan-Hon , Chen Hung-Chou , Huang Shih-Wei
Published: May 2019

Objective:

This study determined the clinical efficacy of extracorporeal shockwave therapy and the predictors of its efficacy for knee osteoarthritis.

Data Sources:

Electronic databases and search engines, namely MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library Database, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), China Academic Journals Full-text Database, and Google Scholar, were searched until 5 March 2019, for randomized controlled trials without restrictions on language and publication year.

Review Methods:

Eligible trials and extracted data were identified by two independent investigators. The included articles were subjected to a meta-analysis and risk of bias assessment. Outcomes of interest included treatment success rate, pain, and physical function outcomes. A meta-regression analysis was performed to determine the predictors of treatment outcomes following shockwave therapy.

Results:

We included 50 trials (4844 patients) with a median (range) PEDro score of 6 (5–9). Meta-analyses results revealed an overall significant effect favoring shockwave therapy on the treatment success rate (odds ratio 3.22, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.21–4.69, P < 0.00001; heterogeneity ( I2) = 62%), pain reduction (standardized mean difference (SMD) −2.02, 95% CI −2.38 to −1.67, P < 0.00001; I2 = 95%), and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index function outcome (SMD −2.71, 95% CI −3.50 to −1.92, P < 0.00001; I2 = 97%). Follow-up duration and energy flux density were independent significant predictors of shockwave efficacy.

Conclusion:

Shockwave therapy is beneficial for knee osteoarthritis. Shockwave dosage, particularly the energy level and intervention duration, may have different contributions to treatment efficacy.
Moving stroke rehabilitation evidence into practice: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Bird Marie-Louise , Miller Tiev , Connell Louise A , Eng Janice J
Published: May 2019

Objective:

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of interventions aimed at moving research evidence into stroke rehabilitation practice through changing the practice of clinicians.

Data sources:

EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane and MEDLINE databases were searched from 1980 to April 2019. International trial registries and reference lists of included studies completed our search.

Review methods:

Randomized controlled trials that involved interventions aiming to change the practice of clinicians working in stroke rehabilitation were included. Bias was evaluated using RevMan to generate a risk of bias table. Evidence quality was evaluated using GRADE criteria.

Results:

A total of 16 trials were included (250 sites, 14,689 patients), evaluating a range of interventions including facilitation, audit and feedback, education and reminders. Of which, 11 studies included multicomponent interventions (using a combination of interventions). Four used educational interventions alone, and one used electronic reminders. Risk of bias was generally low. Overall, the GRADE criteria indicated that this body of literature was of low quality. This review found higher efficacy of trials which targeted fewer outcomes. Subgroup analysis indicated moderate-level GRADE evidence (103 sites, 10,877 patients) that trials which included both site facilitation and tailoring for local factors were effective in changing clinical practice. The effect size of these varied (odds ratio: 1.63–4.9). Education interventions alone were not effective.

Conclusion:

A large range of interventions are used to facilitate clinical practice change. Education is commonly used, but in isolation is not effective. Multicomponent interventions including facilitation and tailoring to local settings can change clinical practice and are more effective when targeting fewer changes.
A distributed, plug-n-play algorithm for multi-robot applications with a priori non-computable objective functions
Authors: Kapoutsis Athanasios Ch , Chatzichristofis Savvas A , Kosmatopoulos Elias B
Published: May 2019

This paper presents a distributed algorithm applicable to a wide range of practical multi-robot applications. In such multi-robot applications, the user-defined objectives of the mission can be cast as a general optimization problem, without explicit guidelines of the subtasks per different robot. Owing to the unknown environment, unknown robot dynamics, sensor nonlinearities, etc., the analytic form of the optimization cost function is not available a priori. Therefore, standard gradient-descent-like algorithms are not applicable to these problems. To tackle this, we introduce a new algorithm that carefully designs each robot’s subcost function, the optimization of which can accomplish the overall team objective. Upon this transformation, we propose a distributed methodology based on the cognitive-based adaptive optimization (CAO) algorithm, that is able to approximate the evolution of each robot’s cost function and to adequately optimize its decision variables (robot actions). The latter can be achieved by online learning only the problem-specific characteristics that affect the accomplishment of mission objectives. The overall, low-complexity algorithm can straightforwardly incorporate any kind of operational constraint, is fault tolerant, and can appropriately tackle time-varying cost functions. A cornerstone of this approach is that it shares the same convergence characteristics as those of block coordinate descent algorithms. The proposed algorithm is evaluated in three heterogeneous simulation set-ups under multiple scenarios, against both general-purpose and problem-specific algorithms.
Enormous primary renal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: A case report and literature review
Authors: Cheng Xu , Huang Zhichao , Li Daiqiang , Wang Yinhuai
Published: May 2019

Introduction

Primary renal lymphoma is a rare malignant lymphoma that is difficult to differentiate from renal cell carcinoma. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography and image-guided percutaneous biopsy are valuable tools for diagnosis.

Case report

A 64-year-old woman presented with a 2-year history of repeated right waist pain and a 1-month history of nausea, vomiting, and frequent and urgent urination. A computed tomography scan showed a huge mass that was initially considered to be renal cell carcinoma at the upper pole of the right kidney. The mass had invaded the renal pelvis, narrowed the right renal artery, and constricted the inferior vena cava and liver. Postoperative examination of the tumor confirmed lymphoma. We herein present this case and its multidisciplinary team management.

Conclusion

Multidisciplinary team management is efficient for preoperative assessment and surgery in difficult and high-risk cases. Based on our literature review, we suggest biopsy before chemotherapy whenever possible. Chemotherapy can be implemented after surgery for better survival outcomes.
Slow Temporal Dynamics of Motion-Induced Brightness Shift Reveals Impact of Adaptation
Authors: Hong Sang Wook , Kang Min-Suk
Published: May 2019

Brightness of an object is determined by various factors including ambient illumination, surface reflectance of the object, and spatial and temporal relation between the object and its surrounding context. Recently, it has been demonstrated that the motion of an object alters its own and nearby object’s appearance such as brightness and color. This study aims to unveil mechanisms of the motion-induced brightness shift by measuring its temporal dynamics. We found that the motion-induced brightness shift occurred instantaneously with the motion onset when the motion was introduced abruptly. However, the brightness of a stationary object was altered gradually by a nearby moving object in about 2 s time window when the stationary dot was introduced abruptly. Two distinct temporal dynamics (slow vs. fast) of the motion-induced brightness shift demonstrate that both slow neural adaptation and fast neural normalization processes determine the brightness shift induced by the object’s motion.
Perceived Rigidity Significantly Affects Visually Induced Self-Motion Perception (Vection)
Authors: Nakamura Shinji
Published: May 2019

When an observer sees a uniformly moving visual stimulus, he or she typically perceives an illusory motion of his or her body in the opposite direction (vection). In this study, the effects of the visual inducer’s perceived rigidity were examined using a horizontal sine wave-like line stimulus moving horizontally. Lowering the sine wave amplitude resulted in the perception of a less rigid visual stimulus motion, although the stimulus was always set to move completely rigidly. The psychophysical experiment revealed that visual self-motion perception was weaker in the lower amplitude condition where the visual stimulus was perceived as less rigid. The follow-up experiments showed that the effects of sine wave amplitude manipulation were unrelated to the modulation of the perceived speed. Furthermore, small gaps inserted into the sine waves effectively increased the perceived rigidity and resulted in a strong self-motion perception even in the lower amplitude condition. The current investigation, together with previous studies, clearly demonstrated that perceived features, in addition to the physical ones, play a key role in visual self-motion perception. Visual stimuli, perceived as more rigid, provide a more reliable frame of reference in the observers’ spatial orientation, determining their self-motion perception.
Engineering Properties of Asphalt Binders from Different Sources and Their Influence on Stiffness of Asphalt Concrete Mixtures
Authors: Torres Alexandra
Published: May 2019

The quality and quantity of asphalt binder are crucial for proper adhesion, cohesion, and performance of asphalt concrete (AC) mixtures. The current Superpave grading system for asphalt binders provides engineers with the high and low temperature ranges at which the asphalt binder should perform satisfactorily. The objectives of this study are to document the differences in the performance of different asphalt binders with the same nominal performance grade (PG) acquired from different refineries and to investigate the impact that binder properties may have on the stiffness of the AC mixes. To that end, five PG 64-22 and five PG 70-22 binders were studied. Each binder was graded twice, in the original state and extracted from the mix conditions. The conventional performance grading tests such as the bending beam rheometer, dynamic shear rheometer, pressure aging vessel, and rolling thin-film oven were conducted on all asphalt binders. Alternative binder parameters (e.g., parameter ΔTc, viscosity) that can potentially supplement the current PG system were measured and documented. The stiffness properties of the ten mixes as measured with the dynamic modulus tests were correlated with the measured binder properties. The asphalt binders with the same performance grades yielded different cracking, rutting, and stiffness properties, which may explain the differences in their performance when used to design AC mixes.
Developing a Guideline for Setting Targets for National Performance Management Measures to Assess Performance of the National Highway System in South Carolina
Authors: Siddiqui Chowdhury , Dennis Michael
Published: May 2019

This paper presents a framework for establishing targets for national system performance measures for reliability. The paper outlines step-by-step procedures followed using the National Performance Management Research Data Set and provides a possible range of estimates for future years’ targets for South Carolina highways. This paper focuses only on the percentage of person-miles traveled on both Interstate and non-Interstate national highway system. The framework presented in this paper is reproducible for other state Departments of Transportation, and accounts for construction projects that might influence the future predicted target number(s).
Seasonal and Long-Term Changes to Pavement Life Caused by Rising Temperatures from Climate Change
Authors: Knott Jayne F. , Sias Jo E. , Dave Eshan V. , Jacobs Jennifer M.
Published: May 2019

Pavements are vulnerable to reduced life with climate-change-induced temperature rise. Greenhouse gas emissions have caused an increase in global temperatures since the mid-20th century and the warming is projected to accelerate. Many studies have characterized this risk with a top-down approach in which climate-change scenarios are chosen and applied to predict pavement-life reduction. This approach is useful in identifying possible pavement futures but may miss short-term or seasonal pavement-response trends that are essential for adaptation planning. A bottom-up approach focuses on a pavement’s response to incremental temperature change resulting in a more complete understanding of temperature-induced pavement damage. In this study, a hybrid bottom-up/top-down approach was used to quantify the impact of changing pavement seasons and temperatures on pavement life with incremental temperature rise from 0 to 5°C at a site in coastal New Hampshire. Changes in season length, seasonal average temperatures, and temperature-dependent resilient modulus were used in layered-elastic analysis to simulate the pavement’s response to temperature rise. Projected temperature rise from downscaled global climate models was then superimposed on the results to determine the timing of the effects. The winter pavement season is projected to end by mid-century, replaced by a lengthening fall season. Seasonal pavement damage, currently dominated by the late spring and summer seasons, is projected to be distributed more evenly throughout the year as temperatures rise. A 7% to 32% increase in the asphalt-layer thickness is recommended to protect the base and subgrade with rising temperatures from early century to late-mid-century.