bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vocabulary as a Central Link between Phonological Working Memory and Narrative Competence: Evidence from Monolingual and Bilingual Four-Year-Olds from Different Socioeconomic Backgrounds
Authors: Korecky-Kröll Katharina , Dobek Neriman , Blaschitz Verena , Sommer-Lolei Sabine , Boniecki Monika , Uzunkaya-Sharma Kumru , Dressler Wolfgang U
Published: September 2018

Phonological working memory capacity, vocabulary size, and narrative competence are important skills in children’s L1 and L2 acquisition, which may vary as a function of their language background and socioeconomic status (SES). We investigated test data of 56 typically developing 4-year-old kindergarten children from two SES and two language backgrounds: 29 children (15 higher SES, 14 lower SES) were monolingual German-speaking, and 27 children (14 higher SES, 13 lower SES) were successive Turkish–German bilinguals. The tests comprised a non-word repetition task testing phonological working memory, receptive vocabulary tests (in L1 and L2), and a narrative task. We investigated the effects of SES and language background on children’s test performance. Results indicate that SES was a highly significant factor for phonological working memory and vocabulary in the monolingual children, but not in the bilingual children. Although the items of the non-word repetition task followed German phonotactic structure, lower SES (LSES) L2 children did not differ significantly from their monolingual LSES peers, demonstrating that there was no bilingual working memory disadvantage in the LSES group. A significant effect of language background was found for German vocabulary and for all categories of narrative competence, but only two slight SES effects on narrative competence. Significant correlations were found between phonological working memory and vocabulary as well as between vocabulary and narrative competence, but not between phonological working memory and narrative competence. Results suggest that phonological working memory and narrative competence are different domains of language awareness, and that vocabulary may act as the central variable mediating between them.
Using a fuzzy logic decision system to optimize the land suitability evaluation for a sprinkler irrigation method
Authors: Hoseini Yaser , Kamrani Morteza
Published: September 2018

Land evaluation for irrigation is the process of predicting land use potential on the basis of soil attributes. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) framework for land suitability evaluation is the most commonly used and is based on the biophysical properties of lands. The FAO framework method for land suitability application Boolean approach that has been criticized by some researchers. Because the Boolean representations ignore the continuous nature of soil and uncertainties in measurement and also its inability for overcoming problems related to vagueness in definition and other uncertainties, fuzzy set methodologies have been proposed. In the present study, the qualitative land suitability evaluation for sprinkler irrigation using parametric-based FAO learning and fuzzy inference system was carried out in an area of 5175 ha in Northwest Iran. By overlaying the layers (soil texture, soil depth, lime, electric conductivity, drainage, and slope) and use of spatial data modeler in ArcGIS 9.3, land evaluation maps for sprinkler irrigation were provided for the area under study. Results showed that based on the parametric approach, 1598 ha of the study area were classified as highly suitable (S1 class) for sprinkler irrigation; the area of highly suitable lands in the parametric method was about five times the area of highly suitable lands obtained through the fuzzy method. In addition, the two methods were completely different in determining moderately suitable lands (S2). Accordingly, 787 ha in the area was moderately suitable using the parametric method, which was about two times that obtained through the fuzzy method. This showed the significant difference between two methods applied to evaluate the lands. Moreover, fuzzy approaches accommodate the continuous nature of some soil properties and produce more intuitive distributions of land suitability indexes.
Disability Rating and 1-Year Mortality Among Veterans With Service-Connected Health Conditions
Authors: Maynard Charles , Nelson Karin , Fihn Stephan D.
Published: September 2018

Objectives:

Military service is associated with an increased risk of disability and death after discharge. This study determined the relationships among characteristics, disability ratings, and 1-year mortality risks of veterans receiving compensation for service-connected health conditions (ie, conditions related to illnesses or injuries incurred or aggravated during military service).

Methods:

This study included 4 010 720 living veterans who had ≥1 service-connected health condition and were receiving disability compensation on October 1, 2016. We obtained data on veteran demographic, military service, and disability characteristics from the Veterans Benefits Administration VETSNET file and on 1-year mortality from the Veterans Administration vital status file. We compared veteran characteristics and 1-year mortality rates within and between the following combined service-connected disability rating categories: low, 10% to 40% disability; medium, 50% to 90% disability; high, 100% disability. We used logistic regression analysis to determine the relationships between disability ratings and 1-year mortality rates.

Results:

Of 4 010 720 veterans, 515 095 (12.8%) had high disability ratings, 1 600 786 (39.9%) had medium disability ratings, and 1 894 839 (47.2%) had low disability ratings. The 1-year mortality rates were 4.5% for those with high disability, 1.9% for those with medium disability, and 1.9% for those with low disability ratings. Compared with veterans with low disability ratings, veterans with high disability ratings had more than twice the odds of 1-year mortality (odds ratio = 2.45; 95% confidence interval, 2.40-2.50).

Conclusions:

The combined disability rating is an important determinant of short-term survival among veterans with service-connected health conditions. Veterans with a 100% disability rating comprise a highly select group with increased short-term risk of death due at least in part to their military service. Future studies assessing the relationships among combat exposure, age, duration of disability, disability ratings, and survival would be valuable.
Sociodemographic Factors Associated With Engagement in Diabetes Self-management Education Among People With Diabetes in the United States
Authors: Adjei Boakye Eric , Varble Amanda , Rojek Rebecca , Peavler Olivia , Trainer Anna K. , Osazuwa-Peters Nosayaba , Hinyard Leslie
Published: September 2018

Objective:

Research outside the United States shows that certain subgroups of patients (eg, those who are older, male, of low socioeconomic status, and uninsured) are less likely than others to report receiving diabetes self-management education (DSME); however, less is known about DSME uptake in the United States. We examined sociodemographic, patient, and behavioral characteristics associated with DSME in a nationally representative sample.

Methods:

We analyzed data from the 2011-2013 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System for 84 179 adults who self-identified receiving a diagnosis of diabetes. We constructed weighted, multivariate logistic regression models to examine the associations between DSME and sociodemographic characteristics (age, sex, race/ethnicity, marital status, education, and annual household income), patient characteristics (body mass index, having a regular provider, health insurance status, health status, and insulin use), and self-management behaviors (home foot examination, home blood glucose testing, and physical activity).

Results:

More than half (n = 45 557, 53.7% [weighted]) of respondents reported engaging in DSME. Compared with non-Hispanic white adults, non-Hispanic black adults were more likely to engage in DSME (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.17; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07-1.29). Respondents were less likely to engage in DSME if they were male (aOR = 0.85; 95% CI, 0.80-0.91) or Hispanic (aOR = 0.81; 95% CI, 0.71-0.92), were a high school graduate (but no college; aOR = 0.71; 95% CI, 0.66-0.78) or less than a high school graduate (aOR = 0.51; 95% CI, 0.45-0.59), had an annual household income of $15 000-$24 999 (aOR = 0.81; 95% CI, 0.73-0.89) or <$15 000 (aOR = 0.70; 95% CI, 0.62-0.78), or had no health insurance (aOR = 0.87; 95% CI, 0.76-0.98). DSME was significantly associated with all 3 self-management behaviors.

Conclusions:

Increasing public health interventions aimed at educating people with diabetes about self-management could improve outcomes.
#UrbanAndMakingIt: Urban Youth’s Visual Counternarratives of Being #MoreThanAStereotype
Authors: Dunn Alyssa Hadley , Neville Mary L. , Vellanki Vivek
Published: September 2018

The purpose of this study was to analyze the narratives constructed by urban youth in a summer program for future educators of color. In particular, we asked, “In what ways do students use texts to create counternarratives of urban education?” Utilizing visual counternarratives and counterstorytelling as theoretical frames, and through thematic analysis and visual amalgamated findings, we examined how students’ written, visual, and audio texts countered stereotypes. Findings revealed that students used texts to create counternarratives of self, schools, and society.
Spiritual generosity: Biblical hospitality in the story of Lydia (Acts 16:14–16, 40)
Authors: Fleming Jody B.
Published: September 2018

The sending of the church to spread the good news of the gospel often crosses cultural and social boundaries. This means that Christians must be sensitive to the needs of others and provide a level of hospitality to others as a means of offering respect and humbly entering their world. Hospitality is grounded in generously giving to others and receiving the blessings they offer in return. This article discusses the connection between spiritual generosity that is experienced through the work of the Holy Spirit and an example of biblical hospitality shown in the story of Lydia found in Acts 16. The context of the exchange between Lydia, a well-to-do business woman and her friends and the Pharisee-turned-follower of Christ, Paul and his missionary companions provides a biblical example of the work of the Holy Spirit in both parties. Spiritual generosity comes from the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that indwells all believers, allowing the crossing of cultural boundaries to provide hospitality as a means of sharing the love of God through Christ. Hospitality is connected to spiritual generosity that assists Christians in accomplishing the missio Dei, the mission of God as a means of experiencing the kingdom of God on earth through the church. The Lydia–Paul story provides an example of how the generosity shown to humanity through the sacrifice of Christ and given to us through the Holy Spirit is directly connected to the need to extend hospitality to others as a means of accomplishing the missio Dei.
Watching Screencasts Help Students Learn APA Format Better Than Reading the Manual
Authors: Fallon Marianne , Mahon Mary A. , Coyle Melaney
Published: September 2018

Improving students’ knowledge and application of American Psychological Association (APA) formatting rules typically involves spending class time reviewing or practicing these rules. Screencasts (narrated lectures with real-time screen capture) can reduce the time professors devote to teaching APA format. In addition to imparting rules, screencasts illustrate how to implement rules in a digital environment. Across two experiments, we examined whether screencasts effectively taught students how to generally set up a paper and a title page in APA format. Compared to students who accessed the APA Manual, students who viewed screencasts demonstrated significantly greater gains in knowledge and corrected more errors in a digital environment. When technological demands were higher, students found the screencasts more informative, interesting, and useful than the APA Manual.
On the numerical scheme of a 2D optimal control problem with the hyperbolic system via Bernstein polynomial basis
Authors: Mamehrashi Kamal , Yousefi Sohrab Ali , Soltanian Fahimeh
Published: September 2018

A numerical method for solving a 2D optimal control problem (2DOCP) governed by a linear time-varying constraint is presented in this paper. The method is based upon the Bernstein polynomial basis. The properties of Bernstein polynomial functions are presented. These properties, together with the Ritz method, are then utilized to reduce the given 2DOCP to the solution of an algebraic system of equations. By solving this system, the solution of the proposed problem is achieved. The main advantage of this scheme is that the approximate solutions satisfy all initial and boundary conditions of the problem. We extensively discuss the convergence of the method. Finally, an illustrative example is included to demonstrate the validity and applicability of the new technique.
Sliding mode control for systems with mismatched time-varying uncertainties via a self-learning disturbance observer
Authors: Kayacan Erkan
Published: September 2018

This paper presents a novel sliding mode control (SMC) algorithm to handle mismatched uncertainties in systems via a novel self-learning disturbance observer (SLDO). A computationally efficient SLDO is developed within a framework of feedback-error learning scheme in which a conventional estimation law and a neuro-fuzzy structure (NFS) work in parallel. In this framework, the NFS estimates the mismatched disturbances and becomes the leading disturbance estimator while the former feeds the learning error to the NFS to learn system behaviour. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed SMC based on SLDO (SMC-SLDO) ensures robust control performance in the presence of mismatched time-varying uncertainties when compared to SMC, integral SMC (ISMC) and SMC based on a basic nonlinear disturbance observer (SMC-BNDO), and also remains the nominal control performance in the absence of mismatched uncertainties. Additionally, the SMC-SLDO not only counteracts mismatched time-varying uncertainties, but also improve the transient response performance in the presence of mismatched time-invariant uncertainties. Moreover, the controller gain of the SMC-SLDO is required to be selected larger than the upper bound of the disturbance estimation error rather than the upper bound of the actual disturbance to guarantee system stability, which results in eliminating the chattering effects on the control signal.
Adaptive control of the TORA system with partial state constraint
Authors: Wu Xianqing , Gu Minming
Published: September 2018

In this paper, we consider the problem of stabilization of a translational oscillator with a rotational actuator (TORA) system. In practical applications, TORA systems usually suffer from parametric uncertainties. Moreover, existing control methods for TORA systems cannot guarantee the rotational scope of the actuator and often lead to unwanted unwinding behaviour. To handle these issues, we present an adaptive control strategy for TORA systems with uncertain or unknown parameters, which is robust to parameter uncertainties and can guarantee that the rotational actuator rotates in a preset range. Specifically, a Lyapunov function is elegantly constructed on the basis of the nonlinear interaction between the translational oscillator and the eccentric rotational proof mass. Then an adaptive control method, along with an online estimation mechanism, is proposed straightforwardly and the stability of the closed-loop system is proven, invoking Lyapunov techniques and LaSalle’s invariance principle. Simulation results are provided to demonstrate the performance of the presented method.
Leader-following consensus for nonlinear multiagent systems with large delays
Authors: Du Shengli , Qiao Junfei , Li Wei
Published: September 2018

This paper considers the leader-following consensus problem for nonlinear multiagent systems with large delays. The time delays switch alternately between two different kinds of delays, called a small delay and a large delay. New Lyapunov functionals that depend on graph information are constructed. To guarantee the desired leader-following consensus, the concepts of the length and frequency of the large delay periods are introduced. Sufficient conditions for consensus are given in terms of linear matrix inequalities. Furthermore, low-dimensional criteria that are easily implemented especially for large-scale multiagent systems are provided. Finally, two simulation examples are presented to validate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.
Routines and Meaning in Life
Authors: Heintzelman Samantha J. , King Laura A.
Published: September 2018

Previous research links the experience of meaning in life (MIL) with environmental structure and the coherence of external stimuli. The current studies directly test the association between one source of structure in everyday life—routines—and MIL. First, Study 1 ( N = 317) found a positive relationship between trait preference for routine and MIL. Study 2 expanded upon this cross-sectional finding with experience sampling data ( N = 85; 2,590 episodes) showing that the degree to which current, naturally occurring, behavior followed a typical routine positively related to participants’ momentary feelings of MIL. These findings have implications for conceptualizations of MIL, suggesting a previously unnoted, mundane, and ubiquitous source of MIL. The potential roles of boredom and novelty and individual and situational differences for these effects are discussed.
Who are influential in Q&A communities? A measure of V-Constraint based on knowledge diffusion capability
Authors: Wang Jun , Luo Yang , Hao Jin-Xing , Ding Liting , Zhang Ruilin
Published: September 2018

Recent years have witnessed a surge of research on the identification of key users in online communities. However, seldom research has focused on their knowledge diffusion capabilities. The purpose of this study is to propose a new measure to find key users who perform well in knowledge diffusion in order to promote users’ active participation in Q&A communities. In particular, this article develops an improved measure consolidating both users’ structural hole and knowledge diffusion capability and evaluates its performance through a field study involving 230,000 users and more than 132 million network relations of users. Our results show that our proposed measure can be used to detect key users who occupy structural holes’ advantages in social networks. In addition, key users detected by our proposed measure generally perform well on nearly all dimensions of knowledge diffusion capability compared with other measures of key users. Our study entails important theoretical and practical contributions.
On Günther Anders, political media theory, and nuclear violence
Authors: Babich Babette
Published: September 2018

Günther Anders was a philosopher concerned with the political and social implications of power, both as expressed in the media and its tendency to elide the citizenry and thus the very possibility of democracy and the political implications of our participation in our own subjugation in the image of modern social media beginning with radio and television. Anders was particularly concerned with two bombs dropped on Japan at the end of World War II, and he was just as concerned with the so-called ‘peaceful’ uses of nuclear power, what he named our apocalypse-blindness and the urgency of violence. To make this case I draw on Baudrillard on ‘speech without response’ and Gadamer on conversation.
A Comparative Effectiveness Trial of Depression Collaborative Care: Subanalysis of Comorbid Anxiety
Authors: Choi Kristen R. , Sherbourne Cathy , Tang Lingqi , Castillo Enrico , Dixon Elizabeth , Jones Andrea , Chung Bowen , Eisen Carol , Wells Kenneth
Published: September 2018

The purpose of this exploratory subanalysis was to compare the effects of two depression quality improvement approaches on clinical outcomes and service utilization for individuals with comorbid depression/anxiety. This study used data from Community Partners in Care (CPIC), a cluster-randomized comparative effectiveness trial ( N = 1,018; depression = 360; comorbid depression/anxiety = 658). Each intervention arm received the same quality improvement materials, plus either technical support (Resources for Services, RS) or support for collaborative implementation planning (Community Engagement and Planning, CEP). For the comorbid depression/anxiety subgroup, the collaborative planning arm was superior at improving mental health-related quality of life and mental wellness, as well as decreasing behavioral hospitalizations and homelessness risk at 6 months. The effects were not significant at 12 months. A collaborative planning process versus technical support for depression quality improvement can have short-term effects on mental wellness and social determinants of health among those with comorbid depression/anxiety.
Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation and Heart Rate Variability: Analysis of STAR Trial Responders
Authors: Dedhia Raj C. , Shah Amit J. , Bliwise Donald L. , Quyyumi Arshed A. , Strollo Patrick J. , Li Qiao , Da Poian Giulia , Clifford Gari D.
Published: September 2018

Objective

Hypoglossal nerve stimulation represents a novel therapy for the treatment of moderate‐severe obstructive sleep apnea; nonetheless, its cardiovascular effects are not known. We examine the effects of hypoglossal nerve stimulation on heart rate variability, a measure of autonomic function.

Study Design

Substudy of the STAR trial (Stimulation Therapy for Apnea Reduction): a multicenter prospective single‐group cohort.

Setting

Academic and private practice centers in the United States and Europe.

Subjects and Methods

A subset of responder participants (n = 46) from the STAR trial was randomized to therapy withdrawal or therapy maintenance 12 months after surgery. Heart rate variability analysis included standard deviation of the R‐R interval (SDNN), low‐frequency power of the R‐R interval, and high‐frequency power of the R‐R interval. Analysis was performed by sleep with 5‐minute sliding window epochs during baseline, 12 months, and the maintenance/withdrawal period.

Results

A significant improvement from baseline to 12 months in heart rate variability was seen for SDNN and low frequency across all sleep stages. SDNN analysis demonstrated no change in the wake period (mean ± SD: 0.042 ± 0.01 vs 0.077 ± 0.07, P =. 19). Reduction in SDNN was correlated to improvement in apnea‐hypopnea index (r = 0.39, P =. 03). In the therapy withdrawal group, no significant changes in SDNN were seen for N1/N2, N3, or rapid eye movement sleep.

Conclusion

Hypoglossal nerve stimulation therapy appears to reduce heart rate variability during sleep. This reduction was not affected by a 1‐week withdrawal period. Larger prospective studies are required to better understand the effect of hypoglossal nerve stimulation on autonomic dysfunction in obstructive sleep apnea.
C‐reactive Protein in HPV‐Positive and HPV‐Negative Oropharyngeal Cancer
Authors: Johnson‐Obaseki Stephanie , Caulley Lisa , Corsten Martin , Liu Geoffrey , Dimitroulakos Jim , Goldstein David , Irish Jonathan , Rider Jennifer
Published: September 2018

Objective

Evaluate serum C‐reactive protein (CRP) in human papillomavirus (HPV)–positive oropharynx cancer as compared with HPV‐negative oropharynx cancer and determine if CRP levels were associated with overall survival and/or recurrence‐free survival.

Study Design

Prospective cohort study.

Setting

Tertiary care academic cancer center between 2007 and 2010.

Subjects and Methods

Among patients with oropharynx cancer and confirmed HPV status, plasma CRP levels were measured with a high‐sensitivity ELISA kit. Multivariable logistic regression analysis compared 4 categories of CRP (low, moderate, high, very high) between the HPV‐positive and HPV‐negative groups. Kaplan‐Meier methods and Cox regression models were used to determine overall survival and recurrence‐free survival by CRP level in both populations.

Results

Between 113 HPV‐positive and 110 HPV‐negative patients, CRP levels were significantly higher in the HPV‐positive group, but these levels did not demonstrate a statistically significant dose‐response trend. Higher CRP levels were also associated with reduced overall survival (P =. 016) and recurrence‐free survival (P <. 001) within the HPV‐negative group in univariable analysis; in multivariate analysis, the comparisons were not significantly different. Within HPV‐positive oropharynx cancer, CRP levels were not significantly associated with overall survival or recurrence‐free survival in univariable or multivariable analyses.

Conclusion

Circulating CRP was higher in HPV‐positive versus HPV‐negative oropharynx cancer. Among HPV‐negative patients, higher CRP levels were associated with reduced survival.
Bronchoscopy for Pediatric Airway Foreign Body: Thirty‐Day Adverse Outcomes in the ACS NSQIP‐P
Authors: Tan Grace X. , Boss Emily F. , Rhee Daniel S.
Published: September 2018

Objectives

(1) Describe outcomes of bronchoscopy with foreign body removal among children on the basis of a large standardized multi‐institutional data set. (2) Identify factors associated with 30‐day adverse events.

Study Design

Cross‐sectional analysis of a US national database.

Setting

Public data set from the ACS NSQIP‐P (American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program–Pediatric) from 2012 to 2015.

Subjects and Methods

Children <18 years old who underwent bronchoscopy with removal of foreign body were identified. Patient demographics, comorbidities, hospitalization factors, surgical characteristics, and 30‐day postoperative adverse events, including complication and readmission, were analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression identified predictive factors for postoperative complications and prolonged length of stay.

Results

A total of 275 children underwent bronchoscopic foreign body removal (n = 165 male, 60%; n = 75 nonwhite and/or Hispanic, 27%; mean age, 3.5 years [range, 0.63‐17.9; median, 2.0]). Adverse events occurred among 10 children (4%). Seven had pulmonary‐related complications, and 1 patient died. Three patients were readmitted; there were no reoperations. On multivariate analysis, preoperative pulmonary disease or need for pulmonary support (odds ratio [OR], 6.42; P =. 04) predicted postoperative complications. Preoperative pulmonary compromise (OR, 8.10; P <. 01), American Society of Anesthesiologists class 3 or 4 (OR, 4.13; P <. 01), and prolonged operative time (OR, 3.05; P =. 01) were associated with prolonged hospital stay.

Conclusion

Bronchoscopy for retrieval of foreign body among children has an overall low incidence of 30‐day adverse events. Children with preoperative pulmonary compromise have a significantly higher risk of postoperative complications. These findings may be applied to optimize perioperative care and counsel parents and families.
Determinants of Psycho-Social Adaptation in the Spanish Second Generation: A Fixed-Effects Analysis
Authors: Vickstrom Erik R. , Portes Alejandro
Published: September 2018

This analysis seeks to establish the key causal determinants of four psycho-social outcomes of children of immigrants — educational aspirations, educational expectations, perceptions of discrimination, and national self-identity — through first-differencing fixed-effects models. Using longitudinal data from the Spanish ILSEG study, we find that both increased identification with the host country and reported experiences of discrimination in it significantly increase educational ambition over time. Reduced experiences of discrimination facilitate increased identification with the host society, while such identification leads to less perceived hostility. Birthplace proves to be the strongest predictor of national self-identity.
Demographic Factors in the Evaluation of Students’ Satisfaction towards Quality in Higher Education: A Study of Government Colleges of Punjab (India)
Authors: Kaur Harpreet , Bhalla G.S.
Published: September 2018

The Punjab education system has witnessed significant expansion in public higher education, both in terms of number of institutions as well as the students’ enrolment with 10 state universities and 48 government colleges. But higher education sector in Punjab still confronts various problems. The extent of various factors of higher educational institutions effectiveness depends on individual features such as demographic variables. This article investigates the difference in the satisfaction of students towards college effectiveness on the basis of demographic variables. The sample of the study comprised of 369 students from the various government colleges of Punjab, and the data was analysed using mean value, t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results showed that on the basis of gender significance, differences were found in the case of infrastructure facilities, extracurricular activities, financial administration and placement services of the colleges. In the case of level of education, bachelor’s students were most satisfied for infrastructure facilities, placement services, student support services and financial management of the colleges. On the basis of course stream, arts group and commerce group were significantly different on responding towards the academic environment. In the case of college administration, significant differences were found between commerce and science groups, and for extracurricular activities differences were found among arts, commerce and science groups. According to the location of the colleges, significant differences were found in extracurricular activities and financial administration of the colleges.
Basement membrane and stroke
Authors: Yao Yao
Published: September 2018

Located at the interface of the circulation system and the CNS, the basement membrane (BM) is well positioned to regulate blood–brain barrier (BBB) integrity. Given the important roles of BBB in the development and progression of various neurological disorders, the BM has been hypothesized to contribute to the pathogenesis of these diseases. After stroke, a cerebrovascular disease caused by rupture (hemorrhagic) or occlusion (ischemic) of cerebral blood vessels, the BM undergoes constant remodeling to modulate disease progression. Although an association between BM dissolution and stroke is observed, how each individual BM component changes after stroke and how these components contribute to stroke pathogenesis are mostly unclear. In this review, I first briefly introduce the composition of the BM in the brain. Next, the functions of the BM and its major components in BBB maintenance under homeostatic conditions are summarized. Furthermore, the roles of the BM and its major components in the pathogenesis of hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke are discussed. Last, unsolved questions and potential future directions are described. This review aims to provide a comprehensive reference for future studies, stimulate the formation of new ideas, and promote the generation of new genetic tools in the field of BM/stroke research.
Who Will Own and Have Propriety over Our Automated Future? Considering Governance of Ownership to Maximize Access, Efficiency, and Equity in Cities
Authors: Campbell Hamish
Published: September 2018

Automated vehicle technology presents an opportunity to remake urban mobility in a way that maximizes access, efficiency, and equity. One of the roles for policymakers is to ensure that future governance of automated vehicles (AVs) achieves this. When considering governance, the current literature centers on issues related to the safe operation and deployment of AVs but has not fully considered the implications of AV ownership and ridesourcing platform data propriety on achieving the most desirable urban mobility outcomes. Specifically, the literature has not considered: a future scenario where individually owned AVs are shared when not in use; and the implications of ridesourcing platform data remaining proprietary in future. This paper analyzes why: the future of AV ownership may not be a binary choice between owning an AV/not sharing and sharing an unowned fleet, which is the current consensus in the literature; the incentives for consumers to simultaneously own an AV and share it when they are not using it could be high; the way ridesourcing platform data is collected, used, and shared could be a very influential factor for urban mobility outcomes, but its implications have not been robustly analyzed in the literature; and future scenario-building and modeling should consider the implications of widespread sharing of individually owned AVs, as well as the implications of ridesourcing platform data propriety on urban mobility outcomes. Developing a foundation for future good governance of AV ownership and ridesourcing platform data propriety should be an immediate priority for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners.
Finite Element Studies of Skid Resistance under Hot Weather Condition
Authors: Tang Tianchi , Anupam Kumar , Kasbergen Cor , Kogbara Reginald , Scarpas Athanasios , Masad Eyad
Published: September 2018

The skid resistance of a pavement surface is an important characteristic that influences traffic safety. Previous studies have shown that skid resistance varies with temperature. However, relatively limited work has been carried out to study the effect of temperature on skid resistance in hot climates. Recent developments in computing and computational methods have encouraged researchers to analyze the mechanics of the tire-pavement interaction phenomenon. The aim of this paper is to develop a thermo-mechanical tire pavement interaction model that would allow more robust and realistic modeling of skid resistance using the Finite Element (FE) method. The results of this model were validated using field tests that were performed in the State of Qatar. Consequently, the validated FE model was used to quantify the effect of factors such as speed, inflation pressure, wheel load, and ambient temperature on the skid resistance/braking distance. The developed model and analysis methods are expected to be valuable for road engineers to evaluate the skid resistance and braking distance for pavement management and performance prediction purposes.
Closed Course Performance Testing of a Work Zone Intrusion Alarm System
Authors: Theiss LuAnn , Lindheimer Tomas , Ullman Gerald L.
Published: September 2018

Oldcastle Materials, Inc. and ARTIS, LLC joined forces to develop an innovative work zone intrusion detection and alarm system. The alarm system flashes light-emitting diodes and emits an audible alarm if an intrusion is detected. Texas A&M Transportation Institute performed a closed course study to assess performance of the alarm system under conditions that may occur in real work zones. This testing was intended to verify that the alarm system does produce the proper alert when conditions warrant it and that alerts were not activated when conditions did not warrant them (i.e., that the system does not produce false alarms). Performance of the worker body alarms (designed to be worn by field personnel and activated when an intrusion threat is detected) was also evaluated. During testing, these devices were positioned at various locations to assess the ability of the system to correctly determine the location of the devices and their position relative to the intrusion threat. The alarm system was tested under two operating modes: lane closures and flagging operations. Several approach vehicle trajectories were used in both operating modes. The main alarm achieved a 100% success rate, whereas the worker body alarms achieved a 97% success rate. Unsuccessful events for the worker body alarms were attributable to the test protocol exceeding the effective communication range of the intrusion detection system. Ongoing improvements in the device are expected to significantly increase this communication range. All other device locations, scenarios, and trajectories tested achieved a 100% success rate.
Role of Spatial Configuration in Commuting Trade-Offs of Two-Worker Households: A Case Study in the Greater Toronto Area
Authors: Akbari Saidal , Habib Khandker Nurul
Published: September 2018

This research investigates the commuting trade-offs between individuals in two-worker households with home and work locations in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). A commuting trade-off occurs when a home relocation results in one worker incurring a higher commute distance for the other worker to work closer to the home location. This research uses stated preference data and multilevel modeling to demonstrate that two-worker households adjust their home–work spatial configuration which results in commuting trade-offs between individuals. This research uses the angle between the two workplaces, measured at the home location, as a variable in its empirical model. This variable is a descriptor of the home–work spatial configuration and a predictor of total household commute distance. The modeling results indicate an inverse relationship between total household commute distance and the difference between individual commutes. This suggests that individuals in two-worker households trade off their individual commute distances and, in that process, reduce total household commute distance. A key policy implication arising from this research relates to the jobs–housing balance within a catchment area. Two-worker households have been regarded as a hindrance to achieving jobs–housing balance as the two work locations present a constraint in relocating the home near both work locations. However, as this research shows, workers will trade off their individual commute distances such that a home relocation results in a shorter commute distance for one worker and longer commute distance for the other.
The Changing Strength of Siblings
Authors: Ortega-del-Cerro Pablo
Published: September 2018

The present work analyses fraternal relationships among Spanish naval officers during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The main aim of the article is to understand the important role played by siblings and the changes undergone by fraternal links over time. In order to do this, the article addresses three objectives: characterizing fraternal ties in the Spanish naval officer corps, analyzing fraternal relationships in relation to other family links and to the officer corps’ professional context, and exploring how siblinghood transformed during these two centuries. The main source of information used in this work is the testaments signed by naval officers in Spanish navy bases. The article is divided into two parts, dealing with quantitative and qualitative issues, respectively. The first part examines the proportion of naval officers who had siblings, while the second part studies the kind of relationship that existed between them; three kinds of relationship are proposed: vertical ties, horizontal links, and secondary relationships.
Optimal drainage cannula position in dual cannulation for veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
Authors: Togo Konomi , Takewa Yoshiaki , Katagiri Nobumasa , Fujii Yutaka , Yamashita Akihiro C , Tastumi Eisuke
Published: September 2018

Introduction:

Recently, the use of veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for adult patients with severe acute respiratory failure has increased. We previously investigated the optimal return cannula position; however, the optimal drainage cannula position has not yet been fully clarified. The aim of this study was to investigate the optimal drainage cannula position.

Methods:

Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was performed in four adult goats (mean body weight 59.6 ± 0.6 kg). The position of the drainage cannula was varied among the right atrium, the upper inferior vena cava, and the lower inferior vena cava, whereas the position of the return cannula was fixed in the superior vena cava. The recirculation fraction and arterial oxygen saturation and pressure (SaO2, PaO2) were measured in all drainage cannula positions.

Results:

In the lower inferior vena cava drainage cannula position, the recirculation fraction was the lowest. In the lower inferior vena cava, upper inferior vena cava, and right atrium drainage cannula positions at 3 L/min, SaO2 and PaO2 after 20 min were 92.9% ± 4.9% and 75.1 ± 26.0 mm Hg, 99.5% ± 0.5% and 113.8 ± 20.9 mm Hg, and 93.8% ± 6.2% and 91.9 ± 17.7 mm Hg, respectively.

Conclusion:

With respect to blood oxygenation, the optimal position for the drainage cannula was the upper inferior vena cava. These findings suggested that blood from the superior vena cava, inferior vena cava, and hepatic vein was most efficiently drained in the upper inferior vena cava cannula position.
Salvage extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in induction-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome in acute leukemia patients: A case series
Authors: Huprikar Nikhil A , Peterson Matthew R , DellaVolpe Jeffrey D , Sams Valerie G , Lantry James H , Walter Robert J , Osswald Michael B , Chung Kevin K , Mason Phillip E
Published: September 2018

Background:

The prognosis of hematologic malignancies has improved over the past three decades. However, the prognosis in hematologic malignancies with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome has remained poor. Initial reports regarding the utility of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in hematologic malignancies have been controversial, with limited evaluations of acute leukemia patients supported by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Methods:

We conducted a retrospective review of patients with acute leukemia who developed acute respiratory distress syndrome requiring veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support at our facility from July 2015 through August 2017.

Results:

Four cases of acute myelogenous leukemia with respiratory failure and acute respiratory distress syndrome treated with veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation while undergoing induction chemotherapy were identified. All patients completed induction therapy with addition of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support, with two patients dying secondary to their acute leukemia and the other two surviving to allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant. Overall, 75% (three of four) survived to decannulation with a 1-year survival rate following extracorporeal membrane oxygenation of 50% (two of four).

Conclusion:

Currently, the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in patients with hematologic malignancies who develop severe acute respiratory distress syndrome remains controversial. Although extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in post-allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant is associated with poorer outcomes, our data suggest that salvage extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support is a viable option to manage moderate to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome while completing therapeutic chemotherapy and following in the peri-induction phase of acute leukemia.
A Note on “Puzzles, Paradoxes, and Regularities: Cyclical and Structural Productivity in the United States (1950–2005)”
Authors: Krohn Gregory Alan
Published: September 2018

Jeon and Vernengo apply Okun’s Law and Verdoorn’s Law to examine the cyclical and structural effects of output growth on productivity. Their estimation method, however, is flawed, and their results are not robust. New estimates indicate that less of the variation in labor productivity growth is explained, that the Verdoorn and Okun coefficients are unstable over time, and that the results after 1973 are inconsistent with Kaldor’s interpretation of Verdoorn’s Law.

JEL Classification: E32; O47; O51
Political Economy of the Greek Crisis
Authors: Lapavitsas Costas
Published: September 2018

The Greek turmoil commenced as a balance of payments, or “sudden stop,” crisis induced by large current account and primary government deficits. It became an economic and social disturbance of historic proportions. Its proximate cause was loss of competitiveness within the Eurozone due in large part to domestic German wage policies. The bailout policies, imposed by the lenders primarily for reasons of Eurozone stability and adopted by Greece, have had disastrous effects on both economy and society. The “historical bloc” that dominates Greek society willingly submitted to the bailout strategy, losing sovereignty, for reasons including fear and identity.

JEL Classification: E66, F00, F02, F34
The Current Crisis of US Neoliberal Capitalism and Prospects for a New “Social Structure of Accumulation”
Authors: Jaffee David
Published: September 2018

Wage squeeze/profit squeeze crisis theories provide a powerful framework for the historical analysis of US capitalist crises and the alternating demand-side and supply-side social structures of accumulation (SSA). However, the current neoliberal SSA would seem to defy the logic of this model in its persistence in the face of a deep financial crisis and a failure to realize its espoused objectives. This paper reviews this theoretical model of economic crises, its relationship to and viability alongside the rise and establishment of neoliberalism, and some of the political and economic obstacles that would seem to prevent the construction of a new SSA that would address and correct the glaring deficiencies of neoliberal political economy.

JEL Classification: P16, G01
Reading Interventions Delivered Outside of School: Introduction to the Special Issue
Authors: Reed Deborah K.
Published: September 2018

Interventions for individuals with or at risk for reading disability (RD) need not occur only during the typical school day. Educators and researchers have been actively seeking opportunities to extend literacy learning through home-based, summer, and other tutoring programs. Nevertheless, alternative settings can pose greater difficulty with maintaining participation and ensuring high quality experiences. This introduction to a special issue on reading interventions delivered out-of-school explains the importance of exploring wraparound services and the reasons behind the challenges these forms of intervention face. It then summarizes the key purposes and findings of the three articles composing the special issue, which span early childhood as well as the school-age years.
Superior Performance in Prone in Infants With Congenital Heart Disease Predicts an Earlier Onset of Walking
Authors: Dagenais Lynn , Materassi Manuela , Desnous Beatrice , Vinay Marie-Claude , Doussau Amélie , Sabeh Pascale , Prud’homme Joelle , BSc Karine Gagnon , Lenoir Marien , Charron Marc-Antoine , Nuyt Anne Monique , Poirier Nancy , Beaulieu-Genest Laurence , Carmant Lionel , Birca Ala
Published: September 2018

Infants with congenital heart disease are at risk of impaired neurodevelopment, which frequently manifests as motor delay during their first years of life. This delay is multifactorial in origin and environmental factors, such as a limited experience in prone, may play a role. In this study, we evaluated the motor development of a prospective cohort of 71 infants (37 males) with congenital heart disease at 4 months of age using the Alberta Infant Motor Scales (AIMS). We used regression analyses to determine whether the 4-month AIMS scores predict the ability to walk by 18 months. The influence of demographic and clinical variables was also assessed. Fifty-one infants (71.8%) were able to maintain the prone prop position (AIMS score of ≥3 in prone) at 4 months. Of those, 47 (92.2%) were able to walk by 18 months compared to only 12/20 (60%) of those who did not maintain the position. Higher AIMS scores were predictive of a greater likelihood of walking by 18 months ( P < .001), with the scores in prone having a higher predictive ability compared to those in other positions (Exp(B) 15.2 vs 4.0). Shorter hospital stays and female gender were also associated with an earlier onset of walking. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that early ventral performance in infants with congenital heart disease impacts the age of acquisition of walking and could be used to guide referral to rehabilitation.