bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Postauricular Melanocytic Neuroectodermal Tumor of Infancy: A Rare Site of a Rare Tumor—MNTI as a Postauricular Mass with Literature Review
Authors: Evans S. , Woolley A.
Published: July 2018

Melanocytic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy (MNTI) is a rare osteolytic neoplasm of neural crest cell origin. There are less than 500 documented cases, most frequently affecting the maxilla of infants less than 1 year old. We present a unique case of a two-month-old male with a progressive postauricular mass since birth, confirmed to be a MNTI. The lesion required three resections over the course of five months, with rapid recurrence ultimately requiring a craniectomy, highlighting the difficulty in treating these tumors. Histological and radiographic features were reviewed; an updated literature review for identifying and treating these lesions is presented.
Granulomatous Lobular Mastitis: Antituberculous Treatment and Outcome in 22 Patients
Authors: Liu Lu , Zhou Fei , Zhang Xiaoxia , Liu Shuchen , Liu Liyuan , Xiang Yujuan , Guo Mingming , Yu Lixiang , Wang Fei , Ma Zhongbing , Li Liang , Gao Dezong , Zhang Qiang , Fu Qinye , Yu Zhigang
Published: July 2018

Background: Granulomatous lobular mastitis (GLM) is a rare chronic inflammatory condition of the breast. The purpose of this study was to describe antituberculous treatment of GLM and the long-term follow-up outcome. Methods: This retrospective study included 22 patients who had been histopathologically diagnosed with GLM at the Second Hospital of Shandong University from January 2011 to March 2015. Clinical characteristics, ultrasonography and mammography findings, laboratory tests, treatment regimens, follow-up information, and recurrences were recorded. Results: All patients were female with a median age of 29 (range 23-44) years. The most common symptom was a breast mass with or without pain. Large irregular hypoechoic masses could be found in the breast ultrasounds of 13 patients. All patients received triple antituberculous therapy. During a median follow-up period of 40 months, 3 patients were lost to follow-up; of the remaining 19 patients, 18 achieved clinical complete remission and no recurrences were observed. Conclusion: GLM is an unusual benign breast condition that mimics breast carcinoma in its clinical and imaging presentation. Antituberculous therapy seems to be an effective alternative option in the treatment of GLM.
Evaluation of Factors Affecting Lymph Node Metastasis in Clinical Stage I-II Epithelial Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Erdem Baki , Yüksel Ilkbal T. , Peker Nuri , Ulukent Suat C. , Aşıcıoğlu Osman , Özaydin Ipek Y. , Ülker Volkan , Akbayir Ozgur
Published: July 2018

Background: Systematic lymphadenectomy is useful for accurate staging of early-stage ovarian cancer and has obvious prognostic value. Accurate staging may prevent unnecessary postoperative chemotherapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the rate of lymph node involvement and factors affecting it in clinically early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC; stages I, II). Patients and Methods: The study included 163 patients who underwent surgery at our hospital between January 2004 and April 2017 and who were diagnosed with early-stage EOC based on preoperative and intraoperative examination. Patient data were retrospectively analyzed. The rate of lymph node involvement and factors affecting it were analyzed. Results: Of 163 patients, 21 (12.9%) had lymph node metastasis, whereas 16 (16.3%) of 98 patients who underwent comprehensive lymphadenectomy had lymph node metastasis. According to the univariate results for patients undergoing any type of lymphadenectomy, the rate of positive lymph nodes was significantly higher (37.1%) in those with bilateral ovarian involvement (p < 0.001). The rate was significantly higher in patients with positive intraabdominal fluid cytology (25.9%; p < 0.001), serous histology (20.5%; p = 0.02), and grade 3 disease (33.3%; p < 0.001). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the rate was significantly higher in patients with bilateral adnexal involvement (p = 0.012). The risk of positive lymph nodes was significantly higher in patients with grade 3 disease (p = 0.016). Conclusion: Comprehensive lymphadenectomy increases the detection rate for metastatic lymph nodes in patients with clinically early-stage EOC. The rate of lymph node involvement is significantly higher in grade 3 tumors, serous cytology, bilateral adnexal involvement, and positive intraabdominal fluid cytology.
Unique Francisella Phosphatidylethanolamine Acts as a Potent Anti-Inflammatory Lipid
Authors: Ireland Robin , Schwarz Benjamin , Nardone Glenn , Wehrly Tara D. , Broeckling Corey D. , Chiramel Abhilash I. , Best Sonja M. , Bosio Catharine M.
Published: July 2018

Virulent Francisella tularensis subsp. tularensis (Ftt) is a dynamic, intracellular, bacterial pathogen. Its ability to evade and rapidly suppress host inflammatory responses is considered a key element for its profound virulence. We previously established that Ftt lipids play a role in inhibiting inflammation, but we did not determine the lipid species mediating this process. Here, we show that a unique, abundant, phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), present in Francisella, contributes to driving the suppression of inflammatory responses in human and mouse cells. Acyl chain lengths of this PE, C24: 0 and C10: 0, were key to the suppressive capabilities of Francisella PE. Addition of synthetic PE 24: 0–10: 0 resulted in the accumulation of PE in host cells for up to 24 h of incubation, and recapitulated the inhibition of inflammatory responses observed with native Ftt PE. Importantly, this novel PE significantly inhibited inflammatory responses driven by a medically and globally important flavivirus, dengue fever virus. Thus, targeting these lipids and/or the pathways that they manipulate represents a new strategy to combat immunosuppression engendered by Ftt, but they also show promise as a novel therapeutic intervention for significant viral infections.
Sicherung der beruflichen Perspektive von Krebsüberlebenden bei ihrer Rückkehr an den Arbeitsplatz
Authors: Lang Susanne
Published: July 2018

Due to improving treatment options, the number of so-called long-term cancer survivors is steadily increasing. Current studies assume that more than 60% of adults survive their cancer. These patients have a variety of problems (chemotherapy-induced neuropathy, fatigue, etc.) that require very special care. In addition to somatic and psychological side effects of the cancer or its treatment, these patients also suffer from the financial and social consequences of the disease. Thus, for a long-term survivor of working age, the question of a ‘return to workʼ represents a significant problem since otherwise the financial existence of the patient, and often the family, may substantially deteriorate. Studies show that cancer patients classify financial worries with regard to the quality of life as more significant than physical or psychological side effects of the cancer or its treatment. Furthermore, there are initial studies showing that the social descent due to the disease may also prove relevant for cancer prognosis. In contrast, it was shown in studies and in a Cochrane analysis that professional assistance and support services are suitable for keeping patients in their professional lives. Therefore, both patients and physicians need to be aware of this problem.
Pros and Cons of the New Edition of TNM Classification of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Denaro Nerina , Russi Elvio Grazioso , Merlano Marco Carlo
Published: July 2018

The TNM classification is a worldwide standard staging system used to define the extent of cancer and is a major prognostic factor in predicting the outcome of patients. The TNM Classification of Malignant Tumours, 8th edition, has been used since January 1, 2018. In the area of head and neck cancer major modifications were produced: important updated T and N modification for oral cavity and nasopharyngeal cancer, the introduction of clinical and pathological stages for neck disease, and a new HPV-16-positive HNSCC classification. While until a few years ago the TNM staging system classified prognostic risk groups based on tumour size, the 8th edition responds to the need to categorize the prognosis of patients with similarly sized tumours but with very different clinical and biological behaviour. This review details TNM changes and the clinical need for these modifications, valuating possible limits in daily applicability.
TIFA Promotes Cell Survival and Migration in Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Men Wanfu , Li Wenya , Zhao Jungang , Li Yu
Published: July 2018

Background/Aims: TNF-α receptor-associated factor (TRAF)-interacting protein with a forkhead-associated (FHA) domain (TIFA) may mediate the impact of TRAF on the development of lung cancer. The current study was conducted to investigate the expression of TIFA in lung adenocarcinoma and its potential role in the regulation of cancer cell proliferation and migration, and its influence on patient survival. Methods: Specimens of lung adenocarcinoma tissues and their adjacent normal lung tissues were obtained from 116 patients who underwent surgical resection of lung cancer. The expression of TIFA in the lung tissues was examined by immunohistochemistry, immunoblotting, and real-time RT-PCR in four different lung cancer cell lines and one normal bronchial epithelial cell line (BEAS-2B). TIFA was silenced by RNAi technique, and cell proliferation was then assessed by the CCK8 method. Furthermore, cell migration was determined by wound-healing trans-well and wound-healing migration assays. Additionally, cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis were assessed by flow cytometry analysis. Results: TIFA was positively detected in 63 (54.3%) out of 116 lung adenocarcinoma specimens, which was significantly higher than the respective rate established in normal tissues adjacent to the tumor (30.1%, p < 0.05). The overall survival rate was significantly lower in the patients with positive TIFA expression than that in the patients with negative TIFA expression (p < 0.05). TIFA was also highly expressed in the lung cancer cell lines (H1299, H1975, and HCC827) tested. It is noteworthy that siRNA suppressed the expression of TIFA, which contributed to the attenuation of cell proliferation and migration, but promoted cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. Furthermore, the silencing of TIFA caused upregulation of p53, p21, and cleaved-caspase-3, but downregulation of Bcl-2, cyclin D1, and CDK4, as well as phosphorylation of IKKß, IκB, and p65. Conclusions: TIFA may serve as a biomarker in the prediction of lung adenocarcinoma. Furthermore, TIFA may modulate lung cancer cell survival and proliferation through regulating the synthesis of apoptosis-associated proteins.
Assessing Intercultural Competence in Language Teacher Education
Authors: Marques-Schäfer Gabriela , Menezes Danielle de Almeida , Zyngier Sonia
Published: July 2018

This paper investigates the concept(s) of intercultural competence held by undergraduate students from teacher education courses in English and German languages. To this end, first and fourth year undergraduates of English and German from a federal university in Rio de Janeiro answered two versions of a questionnaire designed to lead students to inductively formulate what they understood as intercultural competence and how they would help their future students develop this competence. Responses were submitted to content analysis and the four groups were compared. Results show that students of English and German who participated in this study hold different perspectives on intercultural competence and one of the reasons for that may be attributed to their educational background.
Stem Cell Therapy for Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome
Authors: Bittle Gregory J. , Morales David , Deatrick Kristopher B. , Parchment Nathaniel , Saha Progyaparamita , Mishra Rachana , Sharma Sudhish , Pietris Nicholas , Vasilenko Alexander , Bor Casey , Ambastha Chetan , Gunasekaran Muthukumar , Li Deqiang , Kaushal Sunjay
Published: July 2018

Hypoplastic left heart syndrome is a type of congenital heart disease characterized by underdevelopment of the left ventricle, outflow tract, and aorta. The condition is fatal if aggressive palliative operations are not undertaken, but even after the complete 3-staged surgical palliation, there is significant morbidity because of progressive and ultimately intractable right ventricular failure. For this reason, there is interest in developing novel therapies for the management of right ventricular dysfunction in patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Stem cell therapy may represent one such innovative approach. The field has identified numerous stem cell populations from different tissues (cardiac or bone marrow or umbilical cord blood), different age groups (adult versus neonate-derived), and different donors (autologous versus allogeneic), with preclinical and clinical experience demonstrating the potential utility of each cell type. Preclinical trials in small and large animal models have elucidated several mechanisms by which stem cells affect the injured myocardium. Our current understanding of stem cell activity is undergoing a shift from a paradigm based on cellular engraftment and differentiation to one recognizing a primarily paracrine effect. Recent studies have comprehensively evaluated the individual components of the stem cells’ secretomes, shedding new light on the intracellular and extracellular pathways at the center of their therapeutic effects. This research has laid the groundwork for clinical application, and there are now several trials of stem cell therapies in pediatric populations that will provide important insights into the value of this therapeutic strategy in the management of hypoplastic left heart syndrome and other forms of congenital heart disease. This article reviews the many stem cell types applied to congenital heart disease, their preclinical investigation and the mechanisms by which they might affect right ventricular dysfunction in patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, and finally, the completed and ongoing clinical trials of stem cell therapy in patients with congenital heart disease.
New Myocyte Formation in the Adult Heart
Authors: Vagnozzi Ronald J. , Molkentin Jeffery D. , Houser Steven R.
Published: July 2018

Death of adult cardiac myocytes and supportive tissues resulting from cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction is the proximal driver of pathological ventricular remodeling that often culminates in heart failure. Unfortunately, no currently available therapeutic barring heart transplantation can directly replenish myocytes lost from the injured heart. For decades, the field has struggled to define the intrinsic capacity and cellular sources for endogenous myocyte turnover in pursuing more innovative therapeutic strategies aimed at regenerating the injured heart. Although controversy persists to this day as to the best therapeutic regenerative strategy to use, a growing consensus has been reached that the very limited capacity for new myocyte formation in the adult mammalian heart is because of proliferation of existing cardiac myocytes but not because of the activity of an endogenous progenitor cell source of some sort. Hence, future therapeutic approaches should take into consideration the fundamental biology of myocyte renewal in designing strategies to potentially replenish these cells in the injured heart.
Design(ing) and the Placebo Effect—A Productive Idea
Authors: Drayson Hannah
Published: July 2018

While it has offered an apparent problem for orthodox biomedicine, the idea of the placebo effect is compatible with models of perception and embodiment that inform design theory. It is also, to an extent, occult within a number of design practices that contribute to or are associated with medicine. As a concept, the placebo effect offers an example of how the discourses of medical science shape expectations for engagement with the products of design and also invokes affordances that mediate the affective and somatic potential of cultural products.
Revision of the Ambrysus pulchellus Montandon species complex (Heteroptera: Nepomorpha: Naucoridae)
Authors: REYNOSO-VELASCO DANIEL , SITES ROBERT W.
Published: July 2018

The Ambrysus pulchellus Montandon species complex is revised and includes A. buenoi Usinger, A. californicus Montandon, A. pulchellus Montandon, and A. vanduzeei Usinger. The unifying features among species in this complex are related to the morphology of the male phallosoma and the medial lobes of abdominal tergum VIII. The species in this complex are diagnosed and a key for identification is presented. The subspecies A. pulchellus nitidulus Montandon and A. pulchellus pallidulus Montandon are proposed as junior synonyms of A. pulchellus Montandon. Ambrysus pulchellus is newly recorded from Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama in Central America. This species has the widest distribution in the subgenus Ambrysus Stål and includes parts of the Nearctic and Neotropical biogeographic realms. Ambrysus buenoi is distributed in Mexico and the United States, whereas A. californicus is endemic to the coastal ranges of California in the United States and A. vanduzeei to the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico.
Three new species of the leafhopper subfamily Iassinae (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) from China
Authors: WANG XIAN-YI , WU YUN-FEI , DAI REN-HUAI
Published: July 2018

Three new species of leafhoppers: Siniassus hamulus sp. nov., Decliviassus sagittatus sp. nov., Krisna quadrimaculosus sp. nov. are described and illustrated from China. An updated checklist and key to 22 of the 24 known Chinese species of these three genera (Siniassus, Decliviassus, Krisna) are provided.
Highly Sensitive Enzyme-Less Glucose Biosensor Based on α-Fe2O3 Nanoparticles
Authors: Umar Ahmad , Singh Kulvinder , Mehta S. K. , Fouad H. , Alothman Othman Y.
Published: July 2018

This paper reports the synthesis, characterization and fabrication of enzyme-less glucose sensor based on iron oxide (α-Fe2O3) nanoparticles synthesized by facile hydrothermal process. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by various techniques
to understand the morphologies, composition and scattering properties. The morphological and structural studies confirmed the successful formation of α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles in large quantity which exhibiting well-crystallinity and rhombohedral crystal structures.
The fabricated enzyme-less glucose sensor based on α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles revealed high sensitivity of 30.89 μA/mM cm2 with a fast response time (5 sec). The fabricated glucose sensor exhibited high reproducibility and its electrochemical
response found to be linear over a wide concentration range of glucose from 1 to 10 mM with coefficient of regression (R) = 0.9981.
Observed Atlantification of the Barents Sea Causes the Polar Front to Limit the Expansion of Winter Sea Ice
Authors: Barton Benjamin I. , Lenn Yueng-Djern , Lique Camille
Published: July 2018

Barents Sea Water (BSW) is formed from Atlantic Water that is cooled through atmospheric heat loss and freshened through seasonal sea ice melt. In the eastern Barents Sea, the BSW and fresher, colder Arctic Water meet at the surface along the Polar Front (PF). Despite its importance in setting the northern limit of BSW ventilation, the PF has been poorly documented, mostly eluding detection by observational surveys that avoid seasonal sea ice. In this study, satellite sea surface temperature (SST) observations are used in addition to a temperature and salinity climatology to examine the location and structure of the PF and characterize its variability over the period 1985–2016. It is shown that the PF is independent of the position of the sea ice edge and is a shelf slope current constrained by potential vorticity. The main driver of interannual variability in SST is the variability of the Atlantic Water temperature, which has significantly increased since 2005. The SST gradient associated with the PF has also increased after 2005, preventing sea ice from extending south of the front during winter in recent years. The disappearance of fresh, seasonal sea ice melt south of the PF has led to a significant increase in BSW salinity and density. As BSW forms the majority of Arctic Intermediate Water, changes to BSW properties may have far-reaching impacts for Arctic Ocean circulation and climate.
Machine vision based in-process light-emitting diode chip mounting system
Authors: Ho Chao-Ching , Chen You-Min , Li Po-Chieh
Published: July 2018

Background:

In this study, a machine vision–based method was developed for automated in-process light-emitting diode chip mounting lines with position uncertainty. In order to place the tiny light-emitting diode chips on the pattern of a printed circuit board, a highly accurate mounting process is achieved with online feedback of the visual assistance.

Methods:

The system consists of a charge-coupled device camera, a six-axis robot arm, and a delta robot. The lighting system is a critical point for the in-process machine vision problem. Hence, designing the optimal lighting solution is one of the most difficult parts of a machine vision system, and several lighting techniques and experiments are examined in this study. In order to commence the mounting process, the light-emitting diode chip targets inside the camera field were identified and used to guide the delta robot to the grabbing zone based on the calibrated homography transformation. Efforts have been focused on the field of machine vision–based feature extraction of the chip pins and the holes on the printed circuit board. The correspondence of each other is determined by the position of the chip pins and the printed circuit board circuit pattern. The image acquisition is achieved directly online in real time. The image analysis algorithm must be sufficiently fast to follow the production rate. In order to compensate for the uncertainty of the light-emitting diode chip mounting process, a visual feedback strategy in conjunction with an uncertainty compensation strategy is employed.

Results:

Finally, the light-emitting diode chip was automatically grabbed and accurately placed at the desired positions.

Conclusion:

On-line and off-line experiments were conducted to investigate the performance of the vision system with respect to detecting and mounting light-emitting diode chips.
A Functionally Graded PICN Material for Biomimetic CAD-CAM Blocks
Authors: Eldafrawy M. , Nguyen J.F. , Mainjot A.K. , Sadoun M.J.
Published: July 2018

The objective of this study was to introduce a functionally graded (FG) polymer-infiltrated ceramic network (PICN) block, characterized by a gradient of mechanical properties, as a biomimetic material for computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD-CAM) prostheses. FG-PICN blocks were manufactured from a slurry of glass-ceramic powder, which was subsequently centrifuged and sintered. The ceramic network was infiltrated with urethane dimethacrylate and polymerized under high temperature-pressure. Blocks were sectioned into 9 layers, and each layer was subsequently cut into 3 samples. Samples were loaded into a 3-point bending device and tested for flexural strength, flexural load energy, and flexural modulus. The volume percentage of glass-ceramic, hardness, and brittleness index were also measured and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations were performed. Katana translucent zirconia (HT-ZIR) and e.max-CAD (EMX) were tested for comparison. Flexural strength, flexural load energy, and Weibull modulus of FG-PICN were shown to increase from the first (enamel-like zone) to the ninth layer (dentin-like zone), while, on the contrary, flexural modulus, hardness, brittleness index, and ceramic volume percentage decreased. SEM characterization highlighted a higher porosity in layer 9 than in layer 1. Flexural strength of the dentin-like zone (372.7 ± 27.8 MPa) was similar to EMX and lower than HT-ZIR. Flexural modulus was shown to vary from 41.9 ± 5.1 to 28.6 ± 2.0 GPa from surface to depth. Flexural load energy in the dentin-like zone (27.1 ± 4.9 mJ) was significantly superior to EMX and HT-ZIR. Hardness gradient was shown to be close to tooth tissues. This work introduces FG-PICN blocks, with a gradient of mechanical and optical properties through the entire thickness of the block designed to mimic dental tissues. FG-PICN demonstrated a favorable gradient of flexural strength, elastic modulus, and, most of all, flexural load energy and hardness compared to other CAD-CAM materials, which can promote the biomechanical behavior of single-unit restorations on teeth and implants.
Tonal Neutralization of Taiwanese Checked and Smooth Syllables: An Acoustic Study
Authors: Chien Yu-Fu , Jongman Allard
Published: July 2018

Taiwanese tonal alternation is realized in a circular chain shift fashion for both smooth and checked syllables. Debate regarding the processes of less productive Taiwanese tonal alternation has centered on whether a surface tone is derived from an underlying tone, or whether a surface tone is selected without undergoing any derivation. The current study investigates this controversial issue by examining Taiwanese checked tone and smooth tone sandhi neutralization in production. In particular, we analyzed whether checked citation and sandhi tone 53 (C21→C53), checked citation and sandhi tone 21 (C53→C21), smooth citation and sandhi tone 55 (S51→S55), and smooth citation and sandhi tone 21 (S33→S21) are acoustically completely neutralized in fundamental frequency (F0) height, contour, and duration. A non-sandhi exception was also included to evaluate the effect of position-in-word on F0 height and duration given that citation tones always appear in phrase-final position. Any trace of influence from the underlying representation would indicate a computational mechanism, whereas the absence of any trace would suggest a lexical mechanism for the production of Taiwanese tonal alternation. Results did not show any influence of F0 height, F0 contour, or tone duration from the underlying representation for both checked and smooth tones, supporting a lexical mechanism in speech production for less productive tonal alternations.
Agents of Popular Sovereignty
Authors: Wolkenstein Fabio
Published: July 2018

Popular sovereignty requires that citizens perceive themselves as being able to act and implement decisions, and that they are de facto causally connected to mechanisms of decision making. I argue that the two most common understandings of the exercise of popular sovereignty—which center on direct decision making by the people as a whole and the indirect exercise of democratic agency by elected representatives, respectively—are inadequate in this respect, and go on to suggest a complementary account that stresses the central role of internally democratic and participatory political parties in actualising popular sovereignty, drawing on the democratic theory of Hans Kelsen.
Characterization and thermal kinetic analysis of pineapple leaf fibers and their reinforcement in epoxy
Authors: Jain Jyoti , Jain Shorab , Sinha Shishir
Published: July 2018

The progress in the development of composites with natural fibers for various applications in different sectors witnesses remarkable success worldwide in the last decade. Among the various natural fibers existing worldwide, pineapple leaf fibers (PALFs) possess remarkable mechanical properties because of the maximum content of cellulose (∼80%) among all natural fibers. In spite of having few limitations such as hydrophilicity, its advantages such as low cost, low weight, and biodegradability overweigh their limitations. The PALFs are poorly reported in the literature as a reinforcement in epoxy material. Bagasse, wheat straw, and coir have been successfully reinforced with epoxy resin; but inspite of having highest tensile strength among all natural fibers, PALF’s are seldom used. PALF has been characterized chemically, morphologically, and thermally. Using thermal analysis, the models were fitted to calculate its activation energies at different fraction levels using different heating rates. PALF epoxy composites have been prepared using the hand layup method. The effect of fiber loading has also been studied for morphological, chemical, mechanical, and thermal properties of composites. Composites with 10% fiber loading have better mechanical properties in comparison to composites with other fiber loading. Scanning electron microscopic micrographs of fractured surfaces have been analyzed for all fiber loading composites, and the results have been successfully studied linking the stated work of other distinguished researchers of this arena.
Model reference adaptive attitude control for near space hypersonic vehicle with mismatched uncertainties
Authors: Guo Jianguo , Zhang Tianbao , Cheng Cheng , Zhou Jun
Published: July 2018

In this paper, a new model reference adaptive attitude control based on backstepping approach is presented for near space hypersonic vehicle with mismatched uncertainties. Firstly, the attitude dynamic model of near space hypersonic vehicle is divided into two control loops, which is composed of an attitude angle control loop and an attitude angular rate control loop. Secondly, a novel model reference adaptive attitude control approach is proposed by introducing reference model to avoid the calculating expansion problem in backstepping technique. Meanwhile, the reference models for every loop are independently designed to improve the tracking performance. The stability of attitude control system is strictly proven by using Lyapunov stability theory. Finally, the simulation results demonstrate that the attitude control system by applying the proposed method has good stability, dynamic property and strong robustness in the presence of input constraints and parameters perturbation.
Detection of turbulent error by helicity in an ultrasonic flowmeter
Authors: Jie Geng , Dong Li , Guang-sheng Du , Zheng-gang Liu , De-cai Hu
Published: July 2018

Turbulence generated by invading structures in pipes introduces uncertainties into measurements using ultrasonic flowmeters. A numerical model based on large eddy simulation (LES) is developed here to study the features of turbulent errors in a typical U-shaped ultrasonic flowmeter. According to the flow structures obtained by LES, a one-dimensional turbulent spectrum and probability density function of helicity along the effective ultrasonic propagation path are calculated. It can be seen that the turbulent error is dominated by the large-scale anisotropic vortices in a specific range on the sampling line, and the anisotropic vortices have the common largest fluctuating scales in the error-dominated area in which the Reynolds number ( Re) exceeds 15,000. The results provide possibilities for reducing the turbulent error by limiting the largest fluctuating scale through structure optimization. The probability density function of streamwise helicity is first introduced to unveil the continuous turbulent development in an ultrasonic flowmeter, which has the potential to contribute to turbulent analyses.
Numerical simulation of hydraulic fracturing in coal seam for enhancing underground gas drainage
Authors: Fan Chaojun , Li Sheng , Luo Mingkun , Yang Zhenhua , Lan Tianwei
Published: July 2018

Hydraulic fracturing is an efficiency approach to improve underground gas drainage. Although the interaction of fluid and coal has been comprehensively investigated in fracturing process and gas drainage process, fewer scholars have combined these two processes together and taken the gas–water two-phase flow into account, which brought a large deviation for design of hydraulic fracturing enhancing underground gas drainage. In this paper, we proposed a fully coupled hydraulic stress damage mathematical model considering gas–water two-phase flow, which can be used to simulate the whole process of hydraulic fracturing enhancing underground gas drainage. The coal seam is simplified as a dual-porosity single-permeability elastic media with elastic modulus reduce and permeability increase when encountered damage. The permeability and porosity serving as the coupling term is a function of stress, water/gas pressure, gas ad/desorption, and damage value. The proposed model was first verified by showing that the modeled gas flux agrees with the field data. The evolution laws of permeability and gas pressure during hydraulic fracturing enhancing underground gas drainage were studied and several influence factors were analyzed by accomplishing a series of simulations. Gas drainage can be effectively enhanced only when the hydraulic fracturing induced damage zone is breakthrough at drainage hole. After the coal seam is effectively fractured, the gas flux has a decline–incline–decline tendency with increasing of drainage time. The breakthrough time of damage zone increases linearly with coal seam elastic modulus, increases exponentially with vertical stress and borehole spacing, and decreases exponentially with injecting pressure.
Planning for Change
Authors: Mitchell David , Larson Sarah E. , Colantonio Claudia , Nguyen Christina
Published: July 2018

Many governments have adopted strategic plans to improve outcomes, but these efforts often fail because they do not take implementation into consideration as they plan. Past research indicates that the situational context of a strategic initiative influences implementation success. This study explores how context influences the relationship between implementation best practices and success by examining 155 strategic initiatives from 36 U.S. municipalities through a series of multiple regression analyses. The evidence indicates that context does alter the success rate of implementation best practices and should be taken into consideration during strategic planning in order to improve government effectiveness.
Organizing the Environmental Governance of the Rare-Earth Industry: China’s passive revolution
Authors: Bo Le , Böhm Steffen , Reynolds Noelia-Sarah
Published: July 2018

The rare-earth industry is of strategic importance for China and many ‘clean’ technologies worldwide. Yet the processes of mining, smelting and separating rare-earth ores are heavily polluting. Using a neo-Gramscian perspective in the context of organization studies, this article analyses the dynamic interactions between government agencies, business and civil society in the development of the environmental governance of China’s rare-earth industry over the past 30 years, with a particular focus on China’s ‘top-down’ passive revolution. Making use of rarely granted access to China’s biggest rare-earth company, one of the country’s key strategic assets, the analysis makes visible the changes of environmental contestations among five different governance actors over what we identify as three environmental governance eras in China. Besides offering unique empirical insights into the organizational processes that constitute the dynamically evolving hegemony of China’s rare-earth industry, the article makes three theoretical contributions to the field of organization studies. First, we analyse the changing role of state institutions in a non-Western context, which has been de-emphasized by existing organization scholars. Second, we conceptualize the dynamics of environmental governance in China as a form of top-down ‘passive revolution’. Third, we problematize the dual role of Chinese NGOs as both supporting and challenging state power. Overall, we contribute to our understanding of the organization of governance systems in non-Western contexts, which has been neglected in organizational studies.
Bone Toolbox: Biomarkers, Imaging Tools, Biomechanics, and Histomorphometry
Authors: Varela Aurore , Jolette Jacquelin
Published: July 2018

Bone is a unique tissue with turnover, metabolic, and cellular activities that vary through development to aging and with a mineralized matrix in which the current state and the history of a bone coexist. Qualitative histopathology often lacks sensitivity to detect changes in bone formation, mineralization and resorption, which often requires chronic dosing to result in structural changes such as variation in bone mass and geometry. A large panel of modalities can be used to fully analyze the health of the skeleton, including biomarker evaluation in serum or urine, imaging techniques ranging from radiology to computed tomography, biomechanical testing, and undecalcified tissue processing with bone histomorphometry. The use of clinically relevant biomarkers provides an important noninvasive, sensitive, rapid, and real-time tool to monitor bone activity at the whole skeleton level when conducting safety assessments in a preclinical setting. Imaging modalities also allow in vivo longitudinal assessments with a powerful, noninvasive and clinically translatable tools to monitor drug effects. Different imaging modalities are used in the preclinical studies to evaluate the bone tissues: standard radiography, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT), micro-computed tomography, and high-resolution pQCT. Bone histomorphometry is an important tool that provides sensitive evaluation to detect effects of test articles on bone resorption, formation, mineralization, remodeling rates and growth to address a potential target- or class-related theoretical bone liability. Ultimately, the measurement of bone mechanical properties in pharmaceutical testing is critical to understand the potential effects of that pharmaceutical on bone health and fracture risk. Important considerations are required for including these different techniques in toxicology rodents and nonrodent studies, to actually integrate these into safety assessment.
Managing territorial stigmatization from the ‘middle’: The revitalization of a post-industrial Business Improvement Area
Authors: Kudla Daniel , Courey Michael
Published: July 2018

Wacquant’s territorial stigmatization concept asserts that state/private actors mobilize discourses of stigmatization about specific areas in a city in order to legitimize spatial solutions in an attempt to solve complex political-economic problems. Unlike conventional studies of territorial stigmatization which delineate the concept between the production of stigma from ‘above’ and the resistance of stigma from ‘below,’ this paper contributes the concept of territorial stigmatization from the ‘middle’. Given their conceptualization as key players in the urban assemblage, we specifically examine how Business Improvement Areas (also known as Business Improvement Districts in the U.S) negotiate territorial stigmatization throughout the neighbourhood revitalization process. We highlight Business Improvement Areas’ unique middle position by drawing on data collected from interviews, media articles, and urban planning reports in London Ontario’s Old East Village over a fifteen-year period. In short, we find the use of territorial stigmatization by Business Improvement Areas is contingent upon their relationship within the urban assemblage (both actors from above and below).
Design and Evaluation of K-Pass: A Bicycle-Friendly Modification of Speed Bumps
Authors: Vasudevan Vinod , Rajurkar Aniruddha , Soni Rahul , Tiwari Akhil
Published: July 2018

Traffic safety is a major concern across the world. Since speed is a major cause of traffic crashes, various traffic calming measures are used to enhance the safety of the road users in urban areas. Speed humps and bumps are the most widely used traffic calming devices. As a considerable number of bicyclists use the road along with motorized users, it is important to consider them while deploying any traffic calming devices. Studies have shown that bicyclists experience significantly larger discomfort as compared to motorized vehicles while passing over speed humps. In this study, a modification has been proposed to enhance riding comfort of bicyclists without compromising the traffic calming attribute of a speed bump. This modification is named “K-pass.” Analysis of data collected before and after the modification justifies the effectiveness in reducing the discomfort of bicyclists. Over a period of eight months, 70% of the bicyclists chose to use K-pass. Data also revealed that a high proportion of motorized two-wheeler users also used the K-pass at reduced speeds. It is expected that the K-pass will be a useful modification to the existing speed humps and speed bumps in areas where bicycle usage is expected.
Epidemiology of Upper Extremity Injuries in NCAA Men’s and Women’s Ice Hockey
Authors: Melvin Patricia R. , Souza Spenser , Mead R. Nelson , Smith Christopher , Mulcahey Mary K.
Published: July 2018

Background:

Ice hockey is a physically demanding sport where athletes are susceptible to a variety of injuries. Several studies reported the overall injury rates in ice hockey; however, there is a paucity of information on upper extremity (UE) injuries among collegiate ice hockey players.

Purpose:

To describe the epidemiology of UE injuries among collegiate male and female ice hockey players with NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) injury surveillance data from 2004-2005 to 2013-2014.

Study Design:

Descriptive epidemiology study.

Methods:

Data were obtained from the NCAA Injury Surveillance Program for all UE injuries sustained during the academic years 2004-2005 to 2013-2014. Injury rates, rate ratios (RRs), and injury proportion ratios were reported with 95% CIs.

Results:

During the 10 years studied, the overall rate of UE injuries for men was higher than that for women (236 vs 125 injuries per 100,000 athlete-exposures [AEs]; RR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.67-2.15). UE injuries sustained during either pre- or postseason were approximately 3 times higher for men than for women (preseason: 149 vs 53 per 100,000 AEs; RR, 2.83; 95% CI, 1.69-4.74; postseason: 143 vs 49 per 100,000 AEs; RR, 2.91; 95% CI, 1.33-6.38). The overall injury rate was highest during the regular season (men: 257 per 100,000 AEs; 95% CI, 242-272; women: 143 per 100,000 AEs; 95% CI, 126-160). Additionally, the injury rate for men and women was higher during competition than practice (men: 733 vs 83 per 100,000 AEs; 95% CI, 687-780 and 75-92; women: 303 vs 64 per 100,000 AEs; 95% CI, 259-348 and 52-76). The most common injury observed was acromioclavicular joint sprain (men, 29.1%; women, 13.8%). For both groups, acromioclavicular joint injuries accounted for most non–time loss, moderate time loss (2-13 days), and severe time loss (≥14 days) injuries.

Conclusion:

Men and women sustained a significant number of UE injuries playing collegiate ice hockey during the period studied, with acromioclavicular joint sprain being the most common UE injury and the one that most frequently led to significant time loss. These data may provide insight for future injury prevention and guide improvements in training.
Organizing Young Workers Under Precarious Conditions: What Hinders or Facilitates Union Success
Authors: Simms Melanie , Eversberg Dennis , Dupuy Camille , Hipp Lena
Published: July 2018

Under what conditions do young precarious workers join unions? Based on case studies from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States, the authors identify targeted campaigns, coalition building, membership activism, and training activities as innovative organizing approaches. In addition to traditional issues such as wages and training quality, these approaches also featured issues specific to precarious workers, including skills training, demands for minimum working hours, and specific support in insecure employment situations. Organizing success is influenced by bargaining structures, occupational identity, labor market conditions, and support by union leaders and members. Innovative organizing tends to happen when unions combine new approaches with existing structures.
The Relationship Among Stigma Consciousness, Perfectionism, and Mental Health in Engaging and Retaining STEM Women
Authors: Reilly Erin D. , Awad Germine H. , Kelly Megan M. , Rochlen Aaron B.
Published: July 2018

As research on retention for working women matures, it is necessary to identify particular factors that influence work satisfaction for women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This study collected data on 249 women who had worked 11.51 years on average in STEM. To investigate retention, we modeled the relationship between perfectionism, depression, and stigma consciousness on work engagement and intention-to-leave one’s job using hierarchical multiple regression analysis. Depression, stigma consciousness, and perceived lack of comparable pay positively predicted greater intent to leave one’s job, with a perfectionistic mind-set representing a nonsignificant predictor. In terms of reported work engagement, depression, perfectionistic discrepancy, and stigma consciousness were significant negative predictors, while having perfectionistic high standards positively predicted work engagement. For work engagement, lack of comparable pay was a nonsignificant predictor. Implications and future directions for culturally responsive and intersectional research on the psychological and occupational functioning of STEM women are discussed.
A Quality Improvement Initiative to Improve Medication Management in an Acute Care for Elders Program Through Integration of a Clinical Pharmacist
Authors: Chowdhury Tasmiah P. , Starr Rebecca , Brennan Maura , Knee Alexander , Ehresman Mike , Velayutham Lalitha , Malanowski Alexander J. , Courtney Heidi-Ann , Stefan Mihaela S.
Published: July 2018

Purpose:

To describe the implementation and impact of integrating a clinical pharmacist into interdisciplinary Acute Care for Elderly (ACE) rounds at a teaching hospital.

Methods:

Pre- and postanalyses were performed 6 months before and 12 months after the intervention. We report the total number, type, and frequency of recommendations made by the clinical pharmacist, the acceptance rate by the physician, and interventions on potentially inappropriate medications (PIM).

Results:

Among the 588 patients who met the ACE inclusion criteria, mean age was 81.2 years, 54.9% were female, and 79.8% were of white race. A total of 1243 pharmacy recommendations were recorded. The median number of recommendations per patient increased from a median of 1 (range: 1-7) in the preintervention to 2 (1-13) in the postintervention period, resulting in an incidence rate ratio of 1.25 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.10-1.40). The main categories of recommendations were dose adjustment, avoidance of inappropriate therapy, and prevention of adverse drug events. In the postintervention period, there was an increase in recommendations among analgesics (from 3.7% to 7.5%), PIMs (from 12% to 14%), and, in particular, antidepressant/antipsychotics (from 1.9% to 6.0%). The acceptance rate of the recommendations remained roughly the same (86.5% vs 84.4%).

Conclusion:

Proactive involvement of a clinical pharmacist in ACE rounds resulted in a substantial increase in recommendation for medication changes, most notably for PIMs. These recommendations generally were accepted by physicians. The integration of a clinical pharmacist requires significant dedicated time but leads to increased recognition of drug-related problems in the acute-care setting, resulting in improved patient outcomes.