bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Association of Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 with Arterial Stiffness and Atherosclerosis in Patients with Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease
Authors: Coban Melahat , Inci Ayca , Yılmaz Ustun , Asilturk Emre
Published: July 2018

Background/Aims: In patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), cardiovascular events are the most frequent cause of mortality and morbidity. The aim of our study is to investigate the association between serum fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) and arterial stiffness (AS) as determined with brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and atherosclerosis development as determined with carotid artery intima-media thickness (CA- IMT). Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with totally 86 ADPKD patients, 50 (58.1%) female and 36 (41.9%) male, with a mean age of 49.5 ± 13.9 years. Patients were compared with healthy control group with similar distribution of age and gender. AS was assessed with baPWW, and atherosclerosis development was assessed with CA-IMT. CA-IMT > 9 mm was considered as increased atherosclerosis. Serum FGF-23 and soluble klotho (s-KL) levels were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Due to skewed distribution of variables, statistical calculations of FGF-23 and s-KL were performed with log10. Results: According to the CKD stages, 46 (53.5%) patients had stage 1-2, 32 (37.2%) had stage 3-4, and 8 (9.3%) had predialysis stage 5 disease. Mean log10FGF-23 was 2.43 ± 0.41 pg/mL, and mean log10s-KL was 1.28 ± 0.09 ng/mL. Mean baPWV was 7.48 ± 1.68 m/sec, and mean CA-IMT was 0.63 ± 0.14 mm. Among patients at various stages of CKD, systolic blood pressure (SBP) (p = 0.003), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (p = 0.002), creatinine, 1.25hydroxy(OH)2VitaminD3, log10FGF-23, baPWV, CA-IMT were higher (p < 0.001)andlog10s-KL were lower (p < 0.001) in comparison to healthy individuals. FGF-23 was positively correlated with creatinine, 1.25(OH)2VitD3 (p < 0.001), baPWV (p = 0.002) and CA-IMT (p = 0.005), and negatively correlated with eGFR (p < 0.001). Conclusion: In patients with ADPKD, as the disease stage advanced, serum FGF-23 levels increased while s-KL decreased. In ADPKD patients, AS and atherosclerosis development increased as compared to healthy subjects, and as CKD advanced. In ADPKD patients, the effect of serum FGF-23 on the development of AS and atherosclerosis in peripheral vessels is independent of s-KL.
Efficacies of Various Surgical Regimens in the Treatment of Renal Calculi Patients: a Network Meta-Analysis in 25 Enrolled Controlled Clinical Trials
Authors: Wang Yan-Bo , Cui Yan-Xin , Song Jun-Nian , Yang Qian , Wang Gang
Published: July 2018

Background/Aims: Renal calculi, or kidney stones, are masses made of crystals that affect people of all geographical, cultural, and racial groups. We conduct this study with the aim of comparing the efficacy of various surgical methods in the treatment of renal calculi. Methods: Controlled clinical trials (CCTs) related to different surgical treatment approaches for renal calculi were included in this study by retrieving them from electronic English databases. The odds ratios (OR), the weighted mean difference (WMD), 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) and surface under the cumulative ranking curves (SUCRA) were evaluated, followed by a cluster analysis. Results: Compared with the extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (SWL), minimally invasive percutaneous nephrolithotomy (mini-PCNL), retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS), standard percutaneous nephrolithotomy (standard PCNL), ureterorenoscopy (URS) and micro-percutaneous nephrolithotomy (microperc) regimens, the open anatrophic nephrolithotomy (Open AN), URS + RIRS and laparoscopic pyelolithotomy (LP) surgical procedures all presented with a higher stone-free rate in renal calculi. Lower auxiliary procedures were found in the URS + RIRS treatment approach compared with SWL, RIRS, URS and microperc regimens. In addition, the SWL regimen indicated a lower stone-free rate than the mini-PCNL, standard PCNL, Open AN, URS + RIRS and LP regimens. Finally, the RIRS regimen presented with the shortest in-patient stay compared to the mini-PCNL, standard PCNL, Open AN, URS, URS + RIRS and LP regimens. Conclusion: This meta-analysis demonstrated that the URS + RIRS surgical procedure has the best stone-free rate and the lowest number of auxiliary procedures. The RIRS and Microperc both have the shortest hospital stay and operative time.
Adipocyte-Derived Exosomes Carrying Sonic Hedgehog Mediate M1 Macrophage Polarization-Induced Insulin Resistance via Ptch and PI3K Pathways
Authors: Song Ming , Han Lu , Chen Fang-fang , Wang Di , Wang Feng , Zhang Lei , Wang Zhi-hao , Zhong Ming , Tang Meng-xiong , Zhang Wei
Published: July 2018

Background/Aims: Adipocyte-derived exosomes (ADEs) stimulate the activation of macrophages and contribute to the development of insulin resistance. Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) is an exosome-carrying protein and stimulates macrophages to secrete inflammatory cytokines. However, the impact of ADEs carrying Shh on the pro-inflammatory activation of macrophages and consequently, adipocyte insulin resistance is unclear. Methods: 3T3-L1 adipocytes were cultured with high glucose and insulin to imitate the pathogeny of insulin resistance. ADEs were isolated from conditioned media of 3T3-L1 adipocytes via differential ultracentrifugation. We explored the role of ADEs carrying Shh in the polarization of macrophages by flow cytometry. Western blot and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) were performed to determine the activation of Shh-mediated signalling pathways. The effects of ADE-treated macrophages on adipocyte insulin signalling were studied by Western blot. Results: We found that circulating Shh-positive exosomes were increased in type 2 diabetes patients. High glucose and insulin increased the secretion of Shh-positive ADEs. The ADEs carrying Shh induced pro-inflammatory or M1 polarization of bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) and RAW 264.7 macrophages. Inhibitors of Ptch and PI3K blocked the M1 polarization induced by ADEs, which suggests that ADEs carrying Shh mediated M1 macrophage polarization through the Ptch/PI3K signalling pathway. ADE-treated RAW 264.7 macrophages were subsequently used to assess the effect on insulin signalling in adipocytes. Using a co-culture assay, we showed that both ADE-treated macrophages and exosomes from these macrophages could decrease the expression of insulin-resistant substrate-1 (IRS-1) and hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) in adipocytes. Inhibitors of Ptch and PI3K blocked the down-regulation of IRS-1 and HSL induced by ADE-treated macrophages. Conclusion: Together, these data indicate that ADEs carrying Shh induce the M1 polarization of macrophages, which contributes to insulin resistance in adipocytes through the Ptch/PI3K pathway.
Synergistic Anticancer Activity of Combined Use of Caffeic Acid with Paclitaxel Enhances Apoptosis of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer H1299 Cells in Vivo and in Vitro
Authors: Min Jie , Shen Hua , Xi Wang , Wang Qing , Yin Liang , Zhang Yufeng , Yu Yue , Yang Qian , Wang Zhi-nong
Published: July 2018

Background/Aims: Caffeic acid (CA) is known to possess multiple biological activities including anti-cancer activities. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these activities in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells are not fully understood. We attempted to clarify whether CA could enhance paclitaxel (PTX)-induced cytotoxicity in H1299 cells. Methods: First, we tested the cytotoxic effects in both H1299 cells and normal human Bease-2b cells by cell proliferation experiments. Next, we use Annexin V/propidium iodide apoptosis analysis and flow cytometric analysis to investigate apoptosis and cell cycle arrest under the treatments mentioned above. To further pinpoint changes in apoptosis, we tested the caspase-associated apoptotic pathway, which involves the activities of caspase-3 and caspase-9. Moreover, apoptosis-related proteins and MAPK pathway proteins were examined by western blot. An H1299 xenograft nude mice model was used to further evaluate the tumor-suppressing effects of CA and PTX in vivo. Results: Combination treatment with low-dose CA and PTX decreased the proliferation of NSCLC H1299 cells but not normal Beas-2b cells. Flow cytometry showed that H1299 cells were arrested in the sub-G1 phase and apoptosis was significantly increased in H1299 cells after CA treatment. Caspase-3 and caspase-9 activities were both increased after CA treatment. Furthermore, CA increased the PTX-induced activation of Bax, Bid, and downstream cleaved PARP, and phosphorylation of extracellular signal regulated kinase1/2 and c-Jun NH2-terminal protein kinase1/2. An in vivo tumor-suppression assay demonstrated that CA and PTX combined treatment exerted a more effective suppressive effect on tumor growth in H1299 xenografts without causing significant adverse effects. Conclusions: Our results indicated that CA inhibited NSCLC H1299 cell growth by inducing apoptosis and CA and PTX combined produced a synergistic anti-cancer effect in H1299 cells.
Learning What to Attend to: From the Lab to the Classroom
Authors: Wu Rachel , Shimi Andria , Solis Michael , Scerif Gaia
Published: July 2018

Research in adult cognitive neuroscience addresses the bidirectional relationship between attentional selection and prior knowledge gained from learning and experience. This research area is ready for integration with developmental cognitive neuroscience, in particular with educational neuroscience. We review one aspect of this research area, learning what to attend to, to propose a path of integration from highly controlled experiments based on developmental and adult cognitive theories to inform cognitive interventions for learners across the lifespan. In particular, we review the research program that we have developed over the last few years, describe the constraints that we have faced in integrating adult and developmental paradigms, and delineate suggested next steps to inform educational neuroscience in more applied ways. Our proposed path of integration transitions from basic to applied research, while also suggesting that input from education could inform new basic research avenues that may more likely yield outcomes meaningful for education.
The Collider
Authors: Fang Ke , Shi Danqing , Qian Yunzi , Li Yin , Yu Junjie
Published: July 2018

The Collider is a door that only opens to those who don’t believe in its existence. Anyone who wants to pass through it must make a 10-meter run toward the door, without deceleration, before it springs open rapidly at the last instant. A series of sensors along the runway detect the runner’s speed, which is instantly analyzed by a computer algorithm that finally decides whether to open the door or not. The Collider provocatively asks the question: Do we trust the technologies we build? How should we trust them? Audiences find their own answers in participation, with their own bodies.
Protagoras’ Homo-Mensura Doctrine and Literary Interpretation in Certamen Homeri et Hesiodi
Authors: Osorio Peter
Published: July 2018

Taking a cue from the interpretive difficulties faced by Socrates and his interlocutors in Plato’s Theaetetus as they struggle to determine the meaning of Protagoras’ homo-mensura doctrine (HM), I argue that Protagoras, or early Protagoreans, used HM to speak on the relativity of literary criticism. For evidence I adduce an overlooked passage of the anonymous Certamen Homeri et Hesiodi, which contains an ethical formulation of HM. This formulation of HM, compatible with the portrait of Protagoras from Theaetetus, explains the concern for literary interpretation latent in two sections of the Certamen. From the evidence in the Certamen, we may infer that HM was directly related to Protagorean education in civic virtue, part of which included a study of how to read and listen to texts.
The Culpable Inability Problem for Synchronic and Diachronic ‘Ought Implies Can’
Authors: King Alex
Published: July 2018

My paper has two aims: to underscore the importance of differently time-indexed ‘ought implies can’ principles, and to apply this to the culpable inability problem. Sometimes we make ourselves unable to do what we ought, but in those cases, we may still fail to do what we ought. This is taken to be a serious problem for synchronic ‘ought implies can’ principles, with a simultaneous ‘ought’ and ‘can.’ Some take it to support diachronic ‘ought implies can,’ with a potentially temporally distinct ‘ought’ and ‘can.’ I will argue that this problem is not avoided by diachronic ‘ought implies can.’
Some Ordinary Theology of Assisted Dying
Authors: Armstrong Michael R.
Published: July 2018

This paper applies a small-scale research model to elicit the ordinary theology of a group of practising Christians within a local congregation on the issue of assisted dying (AD). Valid and informative data is produced which questions whether formal church opposition to AD is as clear, and as widely held among practicing Christians, as currently assumed.
The fern genera Lomaria, Lomariocycas, and Parablechnum (Blechnaceae, Polypodiopsida) in southern and southeastern Brazil
Authors: DITTRICH VINÍCIUS ANTONIO DE OLIVEIRA , SALINO ALEXANDRE , MONTEIRO REINALDO , GASPER ANDRÉ LUÍS DE
Published: July 2018

We conducted a taxonomic study of the fern genera Lomaria, Lomariocycas, and Parablechnum (Blechnaceae, Polypodiopsida) in southern and southeastern Brazil (Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul). We recognized six species (one of Lomaria, one of Lomariocycas, and four of Parablechnum), three of which have a broad neotropical distribution and three that are endemic to Brazil. Four new records are reported for four species in different regions or states from Brazil, and a new record for Guyana. Taxonomic descriptions, synonymies, lectotypifications, a neotypification (Parablechnum usterianum), geographical distributions, and comments are given for all species occurring in the study region, as well as a key for the identification of the Brazilian species of Parablechnum.
Epitypification and emendation of Olifantiella pseudobiremis, an epizoic diatom from the East China Sea Okinawa Trough
Authors: LI LANG , SUN LIN , CHEN CHANGPING , LI XUESONG , LIANG JUNRONG , GAO YAHUI
Published: July 2018

Olifantiella Riaux-Gobin & Compѐre (2009: 179) is a biraphid diatom genus established within the last ten years. All the taxa reported in the genus Olifantiella share a very small size (mostly 5–­1­7 μm long and 1.2–4 μm wide) (Riaux-Gobin & Al-Handal 2012, Riaux-Gobin 2015, Van de Vijver et al. 2016). As such, they are usually difficult to observe and identify under a light microscope (LM). However, electron microscopy (EM) has aided in the understanding of many morphological features. Externally, the striae are composed of macroareolae. An isolated process opening is often positioned at midvalve. This is quite different from the stigma openings of Gomphonema Ehrenberg (1832: 87) taxa (Kociolek & Kingston 1999, Kulikovskiy et al. 2015, Stancheva et al. 2016, Zhang et al. 2016). It is connected to an internal process named buciniportula. This tubular structure is unique in Olifantiella. It is more complex than rimoportulae in some araphid genera, such as Synedra Ehrenberg (1830: 60) (Williams & Round 1986) and Falcula Voigt (1960: 85) (Takano 1983, Donadel & Torgan 2016).
Eels of the genus Bathyuroconger in the northwestern Pacific, with descriptions of four new species (Anguilliformes: Congridae)
Authors: SMITH DAVID G. , HO HSUAN-CHING , TASHIRO FUMIHITO
Published: July 2018

Examination of the congrid genus Bathyuroconger in the northwestern Pacific reveals six species are present. Bathyuroconger albus sp. nov. differs from congeners in having a pale coloration, a moderately reduced gill opening that is close to but not touching the pectoral-fin base, trunk length 2.0–2.9 times HL, preanal vertebrae 45–54, preanal lateral-line pores 42–48. Bathyuroconger dolichosomus sp. nov. has a moderately reduced gill opening that is close to but not touching the pectoral-fin base, trunk length 3.2 times HL, preanal vertebrae 63, and preanal lateral-line pores 61. Bathyuroconger fowleri sp. nov. has a small gill opening distant from the pectoral-fin base, trunk length 1.7–2.1 times head length, dorsal-fin origin over middle of pectoral fin, predorsal vertebrae 10–14, preanal vertebrae 48–52, total vertebrae 173–178. Bathyuroconger hawaiiensis sp. nov. has a slightly reduced gill opening, separated from the pectoral-fin base, dark color, total vertebrae 201–210. Bathyuroconger parvibranchialis (Fowler, 1934), redescribed herein, has a small gill opening distant from the pectoral-fin base, dorsal-fin origin over base of pectoral fin, trunk length 1.4–1.7 times in HL, preanal vertebrae 43–48, total vertebrae 181–189, and a uniformly dark color in adults. Bathyuroconger cf. vicinus has a full-size gill opening in contact with pectoral-fin base, dark color, and total vertebrae 196–201. A key to the species in the northwestern Pacific is provided.
A new cutthroat eel of the genus Synaphobranchus (Anguilliformes: Synaphobranchidae) from Taiwan
Authors: HO HSUAN-CHING , HONG WEI-CHUN , CHEN HONG-MING
Published: July 2018

A new species of the cutthroat eel genus Synaphobranchus is described from Taiwan on the basis of 12 types and 11 non-type specimens. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners in having most of its head and abdomen naked, except for a patch of scales behind the eye, dorsal surface of trunk naked or covered by scattered scales; scales oval in shape; dorsal fin slightly before to about opposite to origin of anal fin; mean vertebral formula 28-28-131, precaudal vertebrae 50–56, total vertebrae 124–135. Comments of the congeners occurred in adjacent regions are provided.
Management Innovation Made in China: Haier’s Rendanheyi
Authors: Frynas Jedrzej George , Mol Michael J. , Mellahi Kamel
Published: July 2018

Emerging market companies create new management practices for an environment characterized by increased volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA). This article shows how Haier developed a platform of management practices called Rendanheyi to transform itself from a conventional hierarchical manufacturing firm to a highly responsive online-based entrepreneurial company. It demonstrates how the organizational, competitive, institutional, and technological contexts mattered for the development of Rendanheyi, showing how context-dependent management innovations are created to allow emerging market firms such as Haier to deal with a high VUCA world and creating an extended process model of management innovation that managers can readily apply.
Adolescent-led strategies within the home to promote healthy eating and physical activity
Authors: Foley Bridget C , Mihrshahi Seema , Shrewsbury Vanessa A , Shah Smita
Published: July 2018

Objectives:

This study aimed to identify barriers, facilitators and potential intervention strategies for adolescents to use within the home to promote healthy eating and active living.

Design:

Cross-sectional design using semi-structured discussion groups.

Setting:

Peer leaders (aged 15–16 years) from five secondary schools in Sydney, Australia, were invited to participate.

Methods:

In groups of four to nine, peer leaders completed a worksheet focused on three priority behaviours: eating breakfast daily, avoiding sugary drinks and being physically active. Each group discussed, identified and recorded barriers, facilitators and opportunities where they could act as agents of healthy lifestyle change in their homes. The worksheets and field notes were reviewed, analysed and coded into emergent themes.

Results:

All peer leaders ( n = 77; 51% girls) attending school on the day of the discussion groups participated in this study. They identified a variety of barriers and facilitators for each of the priority behaviours. From the adolescent-generated strategies, such as not having sugary drinks in the fridge, making a routine and cooking or being active with the whole family, three main themes emerged: ‘improving time management’, ‘using social activities to engage family members’ and ‘changing access and availability’.

Conclusion:

The strategies suggested by peer leaders in this study add to the limited literature of potential low-intensity interventions which young people can use to enable healthy lifestyle change in their home environment.
Resource dependence patterns, goal change, and social value in nonprofit organizations: does goal change matter in nonprofit management?
Authors: Seo JungWook
Published: July 2018

Resource acquisition is an important factor for the survival and success of nonprofit organizations. Nonprofit organizations are not free from the demands of potential funders and they experience involuntary goal changes in competitive environments. This article investigates the relationships among resource dependence patterns (resource dependency, resource competitiveness, and resource diversity), goal change, and social value in nonprofit organizations. The findings suggest that competition for financial resources (resource competitiveness) is positively associated with goal change in nonprofit organizations. Goal change in an environment of high resource competitiveness has a negative effect on social value. On the other hand, the empirical findings show that a diversified or balanced revenue structure (high resource diversity) helps nonprofit organizations to maintain their social value.

Points for practitioners

This study shows that frequent goal change can damage social value in the nonprofit sector. This can be interpreted as indicating that the involvement of external stakeholders makes it difficult to attain social value in that the demands of potential donors are a major cause of goal change in nonprofit organizations. To alleviate this problem, a nonprofit organization should try to reduce its dependency on one or a few financial resources for its autonomy and social value. In the mid- and long-term view, nonprofit organizations should enhance their financial independence in order to ensure their survival and success, as well as to improve their social value.
The housing market: challenges and policy responses
Authors: Aldridge Stephen
Published: July 2018

This article summarises the long-run decline in housing affordability in England and suggests this is substantially attributable to shortfalls in housing supply. Public attitudes to housing have become increasingly pro-development in recent years and the current policy framework – summarised in the article – seeks to provide a comprehensive and rounded response to the challenges facing the housing market.
Development of a warming multi-functional fabric Part I: The analytic hierarchy process combined with the technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution for the optimization of the multi-quality melt spinning parameters in far-infrared functional yarn
Authors: Lan Wei-Lun , Kuo Chung-Feng Jeffrey
Published: July 2018

This series study develops a multi-functional yarn with far-infrared emission, heating, and antistatic properties for winter clothing. In Part I, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is used as the polymer matrix, and nano germanium powder is uniformly mixed with PET by the melt blending process for modification, in order that the PET composite has far-infrared function. Afterwards, the modified PET is made into 75d/72f fully drawn yarn (FDY) by melt spinning and melt drafting. The properties of the yarn, including tensile strength, elongation at break, yarn count (in denier), far-infrared emissivity, and far-infrared heating are discussed. In order to optimize the quality of yarn in the melt spinning process, this study designs process parameters consisting of germanium powder addition, melt temperature, mold temperature, nozzle temperature, gear pump speed, and take-up speed using the Taguchi method. Then, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is applied to obtain the weights of each quality, which will be used in the technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS) to obtain the optimal processing parameters for multi-quality yarn. The results show that the tensile strength of the optimized modification PET yarn is 4.84 g/d, the elongation at break is 41.26%, yarn count is 74.39d/72f, the far-infrared emissivity is 89% and the far-infrared heating is 6.3℃. The properties of the optimized modified yarn are obviously better than general PET yarn.
Reflections on Shared Decision Making
Authors: Chi John J.
Published: July 2018

Decisions about medical and surgical treatment can be complex—even for health care providers, who can struggle with which treatment option to offer their patients. In the current landscape of patient‐centric value‐based health care, the need for appropriate medical decision making to maximize treatment outcomes is evermore important. Shared decision making is a process in which clinicians and patients make decisions together using the best available evidence while accounting for the patients’ values and beliefs. A patient‐centered approach has been associated with improved patient satisfaction, clinical outcomes, and patient adherence to treatment. Only by taking a collaborative care approach among patients, physicians, and caregivers can we hope to deliver the best possible care and improve our outcomes for each and every patient.
“Absence makes the heart grow fonder”: A qualitative examination of sibling relationships during emerging adulthood
Authors: Hamwey Meghan K. , Rolan Emily P. , Jensen Alexander C. , Whiteman Shawn D.
Published: July 2018

The present study explored the unique experiences of siblings during emerging adulthood. Using a qualitative design, this study sought to better understand sibling relationship dynamics (e.g., closeness and negativity), communication strategies (e.g., frequency, quality, and form), and the implications of siblings’ proximity with one another. Importantly, the period of emerging adulthood provides a unique context in which these experiences might be especially salient. We posited the following research questions: What do sibling relationships look like during emerging adulthood? What does communication look like between siblings during emerging adulthood and how does it impact their relationship? and What implications does proximity have for the sibling relationship? To answer these questions, nine different qualitative focus groups ( N = 45 participants) were conducted across two different university settings. Results suggested that siblings remained important in the lives of emerging adults, despite a lack of physical proximity and less frequent communication. Participants indicated that although communication was less frequent, the content of the discussions was often more meaningful. When sharing in-person conversations, participants described the relationships to have picked up where they had left off, with no time passing in between. Further, sibling relationship quality appeared to improve with participants, indicating they were happier with their sibling and felt more like equals and had a better understanding of one another. These findings help to fill a gap in knowledge about sibling relationships during emerging adulthood and elucidate our understanding of how these relationships are maintained and developed during this period of transition.
Imaging findings of radiologically misdiagnosed nodular fasciitis
Authors: Hu Pei-an , Zhou Zheng-rong
Published: July 2018

Background

Nodular fasciitis rarely occurs in young adults and children; it usually resembles other tumors, even malignancy.

Purpose

To review the imaging findings of six cases of nodular fasciitis misdiagnosed radiologically.

Material and Methods

The clinical and radiologic features of six cases of histologically proven but radiologically misdiagnosed nodular fasciitis were reviewed retrospectively. Two cases underwent both plain and enhanced computed tomography (CT) scans and the other four had both regular and enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) scans.

Results

All six patients were young (five children and one young adult). A rapid growing mass, pain or painless, was the most frequent presentation. Most masses were oval, well-defined, and homogeneous, with an average diameter of 2.2 cm. Five were found in superficial fascia with a broad base. Two cyst-like masses showed hypodensity relative to muscle on plain CT and without enhancement. Compared to muscle, these masses showed isointensity (n = 3) or slight hyperintensity (n = 1) on T1-weighted imaging, hyperintensity on T2-weighted imaging (n = 4), with homogeneous notable enhancement (n = 3) or mild enhancement (n = 1). Five (83.3%) were found with a “fascial tail” sign characterized as thickening of adjacent fascial layer with notable enhancement. One mass showed an “inverted target” sign.

Conclusion

Nodular fasciitis in young adults and children is usually superficial, rapid growing, well-defined, and homogeneous, frequently with a “fascial tail” sign. Radiologically, it can resemble a benign cyst and might be easily misdiagnosed. Therefore, nodular fasciitis should be remembered in the differential diagnosis for superficial soft tissue tumor found in young adult and children.
A Zero-Inflated Negative Binomial Regression Model to Evaluate Ship Sinking Accident Mortalities
Authors: Chai Tian , Xiong De-qi , Weng Jinxian
Published: July 2018

Sinking accidents are a seafarer’s nightmare. Using 10 years’ of worldwide sinking accident data, this study aims to develop a mortality count model to evaluate the human life loss resulting from sinking accidents using zero-inflated negative binomial regression approaches. The model results show that the increase of the expected human life loss is the largest when a ship suffers a precedent accident of capsizing, followed by fire/explosion or collisions. Lower human life loss is associated with contact and machinery/hull damage accidents. Consistent with our expectation, cruise ships involved in sinking accidents usually suffer more human life loss than non-cruise ships and there is be a bigger mortality count for sinking accidents that occur far away from the coastal area/harbor/port. Fatalities can be less when the ship is moored or docked. The results of this study are beneficial for policy-makers in proposing efficient strategies to reduce sinking accident mortalities.
Discrete-Time Hazard Model of the Dynamic Utilization of Parking Spaces within Park-and-Ride Lots
Authors: Sharma Bibhuti , Hickman Mark , Prato Carlo G.
Published: July 2018

Park-and-ride (P&R) offers an alternative to the exclusive use of the car when considering the door-to-door travel experience. The intended effects of good P&R services are an increase in public transport ridership, a decrease in the vehicle-kilometers traveled, and a reduction in the number of cars in the city centers. However, no consensus exists in the literature about the effectiveness of P&R, and no consideration of parking space utilization exists when searching for the optimal location of P&R lots or analyzing P&R choices. Accordingly, this study models the utilization of 7590 parking spaces in 20 P&R lots along the major arterials around Brisbane (Australia). A discrete-time logistic regression model calculates the probability that each parking space is occupied at the end of one of 60 time intervals between 4:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. on a weekday. The findings from the model suggest that the probability of a parking space to be occupied increases with a larger capacity of the P&R lot, a larger number of public transport services, and a lower walking time to the platforms. Moreover, the results suggest that a parking space is more likely to be occupied in P&R lots farther from the central business district (CBD) until 8.00 a.m., but it is more probable to be occupied in P&R lots closer to the CBD from 8.00 a.m. onwards. This dynamic model of parking space utilization within a P&R lot could contribute to the evaluation of future P&R utilization, the formulation of realistic optimization models, and the estimation of dynamic activity-based models.
Modeling Toll Pricing Strategies in Greater Toronto Area
Authors: Mekky Ali
Published: July 2018

Highway 407 (a four- to six-lane freeway), in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) (with a population of 5 million) has been considered for many years as a relief for Highway 401, the busiest highway in North America. Highway 407 is being planned as a toll highway. Ideally, the driver of each car should have a transponder in the car to identify the vehicle for electronic toll billing purposes. The value of the toll (variable toll) would depend on the number of kilometers traveled on the highway. However, to attract some of the drivers who do not want their origins and destinations to be tracked, a fixed-toll option might be available. A study was developed to estimate the changes in the travel and the revenue of Highway 407 if a fixed-toll option were allowed simultaneously with a variable one. The GTA mathematical model, within the EMME/2 environment, was used. Although the available transportation planning packages were not originally designed for evaluating these kinds of toll strategies, it is possible to do the evaluation using several multiclass generalized cost assignment runs with feedback loops. The mathematical model and the evaluation process used are described. One of the results of the evaluation is the finding that allowing fixed-toll operation does not increase the number of users of Highway 407 (operating under a variable toll scheme) but will increase the revenues in a marginal way. Therefore, it is concluded that using only a variable toll rate would maximize the net revenue for the year under consideration.
Efficient Organization of Highway Construction, Rehabilitation, and Maintenance
Authors: Sikow-Magny Catharina , Talvitie Antti P.
Published: July 2018

Economic analyses of highway construction, rehabilitation, and maintenance have been rare because of the complexity of the industry's production process and because of its political sensitivity. Yet efficient organization of highway agencies necessitates information of economies of scale and scope; factor substitution possibilities; and separability of outputs, inputs, and management decisions. The production processes of highway construction and rehabilitation and maintenance are studied using cost function approach. The results show that, based on economies of scale, construction regions and rehabilitation and maintenance districts are far too numerous in Finland. The optimal number of construction regions would be four to five instead of the actual nine. The optimal kilometers of road that a rehabilitation and maintenance district should be responsible for would be 800 to 1000 km rather than the current 500 km. Further, the highway agency turned out to be a multiproduct firm; that is simultaneous construction of the narrowest and widest highways (less than 6.5 m wide and greater than 9 m wide) and specialization in the construction of the most common width class (7–8.5 m) and small lump-sum projects would be the most cost efficient. As to rehabilitation and maintenance, joint production and specialization are equally efficient. These findings have major implications for contracting out work and the eventual privatization of highway production. Finally, management decisions about contracting strategy, labor policy, and input use have a major impact on total costs.
Restraint Use by Children Involved in Crashes in Hawaii, 1986–1991
Authors: James Joan L. , Kim Karl E.
Published: July 2018

The use of child safety seats for crash-involved children in Hawaii from 1986 through 1991 is described. Child safety seat use increased over this period, whereas unrestrained children and belt use for children decreased. Male drivers are more likely to have unrestrained infants; female drivers are more likely to have unrestrained toddlers. Toddlers are more likely to be unrestrained in automobiles and trucks, and infants are more likely to be unrestrained in vans, on the freeway, during nighttime hours, and in urban areas. Child-restraint use for infants is twice the rate for toddlers, and infants are less likely to suffer nonincapacitating, incapacitating, and fatal injuries. A logistic regression model shows that children riding in automobiles are less likely to be restrained; belted drivers are far more likely to restrain children; and one- and two-year-olds are less likely to be restrained. Separate logistic regressions for crash types reveals that restrained children are less likely to suffer a non-incapacitating, incapacitating, or fatal injury in head-on and rear-end crashes and more likely to sustain injuries in broadside crashes.
Impediments to and Methods for Evaluating Safety Management Systems
Authors: Bowman Brian L. , Crowley Larry
Published: July 2018

The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) mandates that individual states develop six transportation infrastructure management systems. One of these systems, the safety management system (SMS), focuses on reducing the number of roadway traffic accidents, injuries, and fatalities by considering the safety needs of the driver, vehicle, and roadway. This necessitates cooperation among state, city, and county roadway agencies as well as diverse public and quasi-public agencies. States have made significant advances toward implementing SMSs. The safety community recognizes that it is time to coordinate safety activities and responsibilities. Even if it is not mandated by Congress, as recent actions indicate, a large number of states are expected to implement elements of their SMS work plan. With this implementation comes the need for the evaluation of SMS's effectiveness in increasing traffic safety and ultimately reducing the number and severity of accidents. The challenge in evaluating SMS effectiveness is that many of the activities undertaken will not be directly quantifiable by accident statistics. Discussed here are some of the impediments, concerns, and design issues in an evaluation of SMS effectiveness in increasing traffic safety. Knowledge of these impediments and determination of an appropriate experimental design will enable the prior planning required to perform valid effectiveness evaluations.
Safety Monitoring of Air Brake Systems on Board Commercial Vehicles
Authors: Scheibe Robert R. , Reinhall Per G.
Published: July 2018

Research is leading to development of an on-board, intelligent air brake warning device (IBWD) for commercial vehicles equipped with such brakes. Recent statistics show that a disturbing proportion of commercial vehicles are operating with brakes that are out of adjustment or otherwise improperly maintained. Air brake systems on multiaxle vehicles are particularly sensitive to brake adjustment and provide poor feedback of deteriorating performance to drivers. Currently, the only active warning is for low air pressure; drivers receive no information about the effectiveness of the total system. Recent improvements, including automatic slack adjusters and antilock brake systems, are not sufficient to ensure adequacy of brakes. IBWD performs an on-board, real-time assessment of vehicle brake performance through measurement of a relatively small number of parameters. It gives drivers adequate time for corrective action and provides maintenance personnel and authorities with valuable information for improved servicing and inspection activities. In addition to the safety benefits, IBWD will enhance commercial vehicle productivity by reducing unnecessary delays at inspection points and by boosting overall acceptance of other intelligent transportation system technologies. A discussion of IBWD design philosophy and methodology is presented. The measurable parameters of interest are discussed, along with how they will be monitored. Analysis and modeling of empirical data collected from an extensive full-scale vehicle test program are presented, along with techniques for deriving a brake assessment algorithm.
Automatic Speed Management in the Netherlands
Authors: Oei Hway-liem
Published: July 2018

Speed warnings and enforcement can be administered locally on a road stretch, and on a road network. Local automatic speed warning at an urban intersection reduced the mean speed by 5 km/hr. Theoretically, a reduction in accidents of 25 to 65 percent can be achieved. At a rural intersection, the speed limit was reduced from 100 to 70 km/hr. An automatic sign warns speeding cars; this resulted in a lowering of the mean speed from around 80 to 63 km/hr. An automatic speed warning and enforcement system on two-lane rural road stretches where the speed limit is 80 km/hr resulted in a reduction of the mean speed from 78 to 73 km/hr; the percentage of speeders decreased from 40 to 10 percent. The total number of accidents was reduced by 35 percent. This effect was almost the same three years after concluding the experiment. The problem of vandalism could be diminished by mounting the camera on a high pole, mechanically preventing climbing of the pole, automatic detection of vandalism, and wireless communication to a nearby police station. Enforcement of speed on a provincial road network using radar and camera exclusively from a parked unmarked car was conducted in three provinces. A sign downstream of the enforcement site read “Your speed has been checked. Police.” Periodic information campaigns were conducted to increase awareness of the risk of being caught. The result was a reduction of average speed by 4 to 5 km/hr, although the percentage of speeders is still high a reduction from 40 to 30 percent. This type of enforcement is accepted by 75 percent of the drivers. Greater priority for speed enforcement is needed in addition to automating enforcement and processing to increase efficiency.
Freeway Speed Zones: Safety and Compliance Issues
Authors: Thornton Matthew , Lyles Richard W.
Published: July 2018

The effectiveness and appropriateness of establishing speed limits on freeways and the spatial extent of the zones were studied. Of particular interest were 55-mph (88-km/hr) speed zones that exist in the transition between urban and rural areas (determined according to urban area boundaries). Three types of freeway segments (urban-55, fringe-55, and rural-65) were analyzed, and although the study was of comparatively small scale, the results generally showed that higher speeds do not lead to more numerous or serious accidents. Moreover, compliance with speed limits is not necessarily a good measure of safety. On the other hand, motorists are self-policing to a certain degree in that they drive at reasonable speeds given the design of the different types of freeways. It is suggested that artificially lowered speed limits without a clear need being established from engineering and safety perspectives will not yield impressive safety benefits.
Analysis of Trucker and Motorist Opinions toward Truck-Lane Restrictions
Authors: Koehne Jodi , Mannering Fred , Hallenbeck Mark
Published: July 2018

Truck restrictions, which are becoming increasingly popular throughout the United States, are justified on the grounds of improving traffic operations and safety, decreasing pavement wear, and other related factors. Although an abundance of research has been aimed at quantifying the benefits and costs of truck restrictions, little has been done to measure truckers' and motorists' opinions of such restrictions statistically. Truckers' and motorists' opinions of the truck-lane restrictions in force in the Puget Sound region of Washington State are assessed statistically here. The assessment was made by administering separate opinion surveys to truckers and motorists and estimating logit models that give the probability of an individual's being in favor of or opposed to truck-lane restrictions. In addition, a logit model giving the probability that an individual is even aware of the truck-lane restrictions in the Puget Sound region is estimated. The results of these model estimations give a profile of individuals that are most likely to favor or oppose truck-lane restrictions. These profiles provide valuable information for policy analysts and administrators concerned with implementation since they define the opinions of population groups that can make or break truck restriction policies on U.S. highways.
Magnesium Oxychloride Cement Concrete with Recycled Tire Rubber
Authors: Biel Timothy D. , Lee Hosin
Published: July 2018

Either portland cement or magnesium oxychloride cement was used as binders for concretes that incorporated fine rubber aggregate, ranging from 0 to 25 percent by volume. The concretes were tested for their compressive and split tensile strengths to determine whether the use of a magnesium oxychloride cement along with recycled tire rubbers would improve concrete properties. Failure of the concrete around the rubber particles was attributed to tension failure, leading to weak shear failure of the concrete matrix. Both portland and magnesium oxychloride cement concretes lost 90 percent of their compressive strength with 25 percent rubber by volume. The portland cement concrete retained 20 percent of its tensile strength, and the magnesium oxychloride cement concrete retained 35 percent of its tensile strength. Both compressive and tensile strengths of magnesium oxychloride cement rubber concrete were significantly higher than rubberized portland cement rubber concrete.
Carrier Choices of Air Passengers in Pacific Rim: Using Comparative Analysis and Complementary Interpretation of Revealed Preference and Stated Preference Data
Authors: Yoo Kwang Eui , Ashford Norman
Published: July 2018

The flight choice behavior of Korean people for long-distance international air trips that take more than 10 hr air journey time was studied. Separate logit choice models were calibrated with revealed preference (RP) data and stated preference (SP) data, and the comparative analysis and the complementary interpretation of RP and SP data were tried. Required data were collected by the survey at Kimpo International Airport in Seoul, Korea, in 1993 and 1994. Journey time, air fare, service frequency, and nationality of airline were identified as major factors influencing flight choice in the market. It is remarkable that Korean airlines were considerably preferred in the market. Most Koreans are not fluent in English or other European languages and are not accustomed to western culture. This results in their preference for Korean airlines. Value of travel time and other trade-off ratios among variables to evaluate the relative importance of each factor were also identified through the results of RP and SP data analysis.
From Monopoly to Market: Polish Urban Mass-Transportation Companies
Authors: Mitric Slobodan
Published: July 2018

In line with new framework laws on decentralization and private-sector activities, several Polish cities have introduced changes to their mass-transportation sectors. Although state-owned companies monopolized the market in the pre-reform period, a greater reliance on market processes and actors has evolved. Major changes include a new legal status for mass-transportation companies that permits stock ownership by public and private partners and is intended to increase the independence of company management, create concession and subcontracting opportunities for private operators, introduce service agreements, and create new sectors reflecting the separation of mass-transportation companies' local regulatory and operational functions.
Developing a Travel Time Congestion Index
Authors: Levinson Herbert S. , Lomax Timothy J.
Published: July 2018

A congestion index that is keyed to the differences in actual versus desired travel times for various types of roadways is described. The suggested index provides a continuous scale for assessing the amount of congestion incurred. It encompasses a wide range of values and is easy to understand and use.