bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Innovativeness as a driver of the international expansion of developing markets’ firms
Authors: Bortoluzzi Guido , Kadic-Maglajlic Selma , Arslanagic-Kalajdzic Maja , Balboni Bernardo
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the curvilinear effects of firm innovativeness (i.e. product, organisational and marketing innovation) on international expansion as well as the effect of expansion on performance in the developing countries (DCs) setting.

Design/methodology/approach

Research hypotheses are tested using survey data obtained from firms located in four South-East European DCs. Covariance-based structural equation modelling is used to test the proposed conceptual framework.

Findings

Empirical findings support the hypothesised U-shaped relationship between product innovation and organisational innovation and the level of international expansion of firms in developing markets. The authors found an inverse U-shaped relationship between marketing innovation and the level of international expansion. Furthermore, the existence of a strong positive link between the level of international expansion and firm performance is also confirmed.

Research limitations/implications

While this research utilises a sample of firms from a homogenous group of DCs, further research could use a more heterogeneous sample and thus control the model for various contingency effects (e.g. environment turbulence, market structure and competitive dynamics).

Practical implications

When it comes to product and organisational innovation, international expansion is achieved only with a higher level of innovativeness. On the contrary, beyond a certain level, further investments in marketing innovation do not have additional positive effects on international expansion.

Originality/value

This study is one of the first that explicitly focuses on examining the non-linear effects of innovativeness on international expansion in the DC context.
Progressive public administration and new public management in public sector accountancy
Authors: Vivian Bruce , Maroun Warren
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to evaluate responses to the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board’s proposed conceptual framework for evidence of support of new public management doctrines by key stakeholders, namely, accounting professionals, government agencies and international bodies.

Design/methodology/approach

The research uses a content analysis of response letters to select phases of the conceptual framework project to identify themes/principles pointing to acceptance or rejection of new public management principles by stakeholders.

Findings

Accounting professionals tend to support proposals that are consistent with principles of new public management providing evidence of normative and mimetic isomorphic pressure to align public and private sector accounting practices. Some government agencies and international organisations appear to have conformed but the majority resist efforts to incorporate a new public management discourse in public sector accounting.

Research limitations/implications

The study is based on a content analysis of publically available response letters. It does not engage directly with respondents. In addition, not all stakeholders have submitted an equal number of response letters, with the result that it was not possible to compare responses from the developed and developing world or according to variations in legal and governance systems.

Originality/value

The study provides empirical evidence of different perspectives of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board’s conceptual framework project, which have not been considered explicitly by the previous research. The findings support the view that the accounting profession, as an integral part of the capital market system, exerts pressure to drive standardisation of financialised accounting practices. In contrast, government agencies support accounting systems aligned with conventional accountability principles aligned with jurisdiction-specific contexts. The interaction of these opposing perspectives is a primary determinant of change in accounting practice in the public sector space.
Evaluating the long-term valuation effect of efficient asset utilization and profit margin on stock returns
Authors: Houmes Robert , Jun Charlie Chulee , Capriotti Kim , Wang Daphne
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the relations between long-window stock returns and prior years’ increases in DuPont identity components: profit margin and asset turnover. In particular, the authors examine the relative effectiveness of profit margin and asset turnover to predict years ahead stock returns.

Design/methodology/approach

To test the assertions, the authors regress raw, Capital Asset Pricing Model and Fama-French returns on controls and variables of interest, profit margin and asset turnover, lagged years t − 1, t − 2 and t − 3. To control for factors that could affect returns over the long windows, they also include returns lagged over years t − 1, t − 2 and t − 3 to coincide with the lagged profit margin and asset turnover variables of interest.

Findings

Results show a negative (positive) relation between returns and increases in lagged profit margin (asset turnover). However, the negative returns-profit margin relation is mitigated when increases in profit margin and asset turnover occur in the same lagged year.

Originality/value

This study adds to the existing body of research on the DuPont identity by temporally evaluating the relative long-run contributions of profit margin and asset turnover to firm value.
A chronological review of the Australian litigation risk environment surrounding IPO earnings forecasts
Authors: Artiach Tracy C. , Gallery Gerry , Pick Kimberley J.
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to provide a chronological review of changes in the institutional setting regulating Australian initial public offering (IPO) firms’ earnings forecasts over the period from 1994 to 2012. The changing forecasting environment covers both IPO firms’ prospectus earnings forecasts and post-listing updates to those forecasts.

Design/methodology/approach

This historical analysis reviews the changes in corporate regulation and enforcement, Australian Securities Exchange listing requirements and the outcomes of securities class actions (SCA) that affect IPO firms’ earnings forecasts.

Findings

A review of the institutional setting regulating Australian IPO firms’ earnings forecasts reveals two inter-temporal shifts in (increasing) litigation risk over 1994-2012 period which have arisen from more onerous regulations, stronger regulatory enforcement and a more active SCA market. The authors document the corporate responses to those shifts.

Originality/value

This is the first study to comprehensively document research of an inter-temporal litigation risk shift on IPO firms’ earnings forecasting behaviour. It therefore provides a formative base and a useful resource for researchers, practitioners and investigators (regulators, forensic accountants, etc.) when examining the impact of the changes on IPO firms’ forecasting behaviour following regulatory change and enforcement.
Delegation to a possibly ignorant agent
Authors: Semenov Aggey
Published: February 2018

In a delegation problem, an uninformed principal delegates decision‐making powers to a biased and possibly ignorant agent. The principal cannot use monetary payments but can restrict the set of the agent's choices. I show that in the general case, the principal may offer a disconnected set of choices. In a setting with arbitrary bias the uncertainty principle holds—the principal benefits as the likelihood that the agent is informed increases. When the bias is constant, I show that the ally principle holds—the principal benefits as the bias becomes smaller. Finally, when the likelihood of the agent being informed is determined by the agent's effort, then for small biases the principal benefits from limiting the agent's choice. When the agent is sufficiently biased, the principal gives more choice to the agent, so as to to improve incentives for information acquisition.
“It wasn't feasible for us”: Queer Women of Color Navigating Family Formation
Authors: Karpman Hannah E. , Ruppel Emily H. , Torres Maria
Published: February 2018

Objective

This intersectional analysis was designed to explore how lesbian, bisexual, and queer (LBQ) women of color understand and navigate family formation decisions.

Background

Family formation research centers White heterosexual parents and heteronormative pathways (i.e., adoption and cryobank purchased sperm). Choosing a known donor may be a way for LBQ women of color to circumvent a process that has not been responsive to their needs.

Method

Our qualitative analysis of 13 interviews of LBQ parents in families of color examined (a) the processes through which queer women of color arrive at the selection of a known donor, (b) the characteristics that queer women of color prioritize in donor selection, and (c) how women's interactions with external institutions (e.g., cryobanks) and histories of oppressive racialized family formation practices influence their decision‐making.

Results

Participants arrived at the selection of known donors because the desired donor characteristics were unavailable through commercial sperm banks, particularly with regard to the intersection of a person who could be known and mirrored specific racial, ethnic, and cultural characteristics. This decision was highly connected to their individual identities and the intersections of those identities.

Conclusion

LBQ women of color may choose known sperm donors and seek to minimize their use of biotechnology because they do not consider other alternatives (e.g., bank‐acquired sperm) desirable or feasible.

Implications

Findings invite the reimagination of a cryobanking system that operates on a relational rather than biomedical model and the need for services that practice outside of White, heteronormative paradigms.
A summary of research-based assessment of students' beliefs about the nature of experimental physics
Authors: Wilcox Bethany R. , Lewandowski H. J.
Published: February 2018

Within the undergraduate physics curriculum, students' primary exposure to experimental physics comes from laboratory courses. Thus, as experimentation is a core component of physics as a discipline, lab courses can be gateways in terms of both recruiting and retaining students within the physics major. Physics lab courses have a wide variety of explicit and/or implicit goals for lab courses, including helping students to develop expert-like beliefs about the nature and importance of experimental physics. To assess students' beliefs, attitudes, and expectations about the nature of experimental physics, there is currently one research-based assessment instrument available—the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey for Experimental Physics (E-CLASS). Since its development, the E-CLASS has been the subject of multiple research studies aimed at understanding and evaluating the effectiveness of various laboratory learning environments. This paper presents a description of the E-CLASS assessment and a summary of the research that has been done using E-CLASS data with a particular emphasis on the aspects of this work that are most relevant for instructors.
Heat transfer and evaporative cooling in the function of pot-in-pot coolers
Authors: Chemin Arsène , Levy Dit Vehel Victor , Caussarieu Aude , Plihon Nicolas , Taberlet Nicolas
Published: February 2018

A pot-in-pot cooler is an affordable electricity-free refrigerator which uses the latent heat of vaporization of water to maintain a low temperature inside an inner compartment. In this article, we experimentally investigate the influence of the main physical parameters in model pot-in-pot coolers. The effect of the wind on the evaporation rate of the cooling fluid is studied in model experiments while the influence of the fluid properties (thermal conductivity, specific heat, and latent heat) is elucidated using a variety of cooling fluids (water, ethanol, and ether). A model based on a simplified heat conduction equation is proposed and is shown to be in good quantitative agreement with the experimental measurements.
Double well potentials with a quantum moat barrier or a quantum wall barrier give rise to similar entangled wave functions
Authors: Ibrahim A. , Marsiglio F.
Published: February 2018

The solution to a problem in quantum mechanics is generally a linear superposition of states. The solutions for double well potentials epitomize this property, and go even further than this: they can often be described by an effective model whose low energy features can be described by two states—one in which the particle is on one side of the barrier, and a second where the particle is on the other side. Then the ground state remains a linear superposition of these two macroscopic-like states. In this paper, we illustrate that this property is achieved similarly with an attractive potential that separates two regions of space, as opposed to the traditionally repulsive one. In explaining how this comes about we revisit the concept of “orthogonalized plane waves,” first discussed in 1940 to understand electronic band structure in solids, along with the accompanying concept of a pseudopotential. We show how these ideas manifest themselves in a simple double well potential, whose “barrier” consists of a moat instead of the conventional wall.
An online secondary path modeling method with regularized step size and self-tuning power scheduling
Authors: Yang Tiejun , Zhu Liping , Li Xinhui , Pang Lihong
Published: February 2018

This paper investigates the active noise control algorithms and improves them by using online secondary path modeling. The proposed method uses three adaptive filters to track the convergence of the system as well as reduce the target noise. By theoretical analysis, the optimized step size and injected random noise gain are derived. The step size is varied according to the convergence of three adaptive filters and the gain of injected random noise is proportional to the power of modeling error, which makes the method more stable even in the presence of strong perturbation. Compared with previous methods, the proposed method improves the convergence rate and estimation accuracy for both the active control system and the secondary path modeling process with less increase of computational complexity. The simulation results verify the above analysis by controlling three different kinds of noise.
‘CAMERA’ records cell action with new CRISPRtricks
Authors: Cohen Jon
Published: February 2018

The powerful genome editor shows off its versatility again.
Capsules made from prefabricated thin films
Authors: Amstad Esther
Published: February 2018

Droplets become encapsulated after falling into floating polymer films
Electrical chaos
The Spinning Magnet
Alanna Mitchell
Dutton, 2018. 333 pp.
Authors: Buffett Bruce
Published: February 2018

A candid portrait of the scientists studying Earth's declining magnetism warns of potential peril if the poles swap places
Controlling learning and epilepsy together
Authors: Scharfman Helen E.
Published: February 2018

Silencing dentate gyrus mossy cells affects spatial learning as well as seizures
Is evolution predictable?
Authors: Reznick David , Travis Joseph
Published: February 2018

Simple traits may not have simple, predictable evolutionary paths
Optical coherence tomography angiography in pseudophakic cystoid macular oedema compared to diabetic macular oedema: qualitative and quantitative evaluation of retinal vasculature
Authors: Sacconi Riccardo , Corbelli Eleonora , Carnevali Adriano , Mercuri Stefano , Rabiolo Alessandro , Querques Lea , Marchini Giorgio , Bandello Francesco , Querques Giuseppe
Published: February 2018

Aims

To describe optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) abnormalities of patients with pseudophakic cystoid macular oedema (PCMO) before and after pharmacological resolution, compared with diabetic macular oedema (DMO) and normal eyes.

Methods

In this retrospective, observational study, 44 eyes (30 patients) were included: 15 eyes (15 patients) affected by PCMO; 14 healthy fellow eyes used as negative control group; 15 eyes (15 age-matched and sex-matched patients) with DMO used as positive control group. All patients underwent a complete ophthalmological examination at baseline, including OCT-A scans of the macula through AngioPlex CIRRUS-5000 (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, USA). Patients with PCMO and DMO were re-evaluated after the pharmacological resolution of cystoid macular oedema (CMO).

Results

Disruption of parafoveal capillary arcade and cystoid spaces in deep capillary plexus (DCP) were frequent in patients with PCMO and DMO (73% and 100%, 87% and 100%). Capillary abnormalities and non-perfusion greyish areas in DCP were more frequent in DMO (P<0.001 and P=0.014). Patients with PCMO showed a larger foveal avascular zone area in DCP at baseline (P<0.001), which significantly reduced after treatment (P=0.001). Vessel density of full-thickness retina and DCP was reduced in patients with PCMO (P=0.022 and P=0.001), and no changes were observed after treatment. Interestingly, DCP appeared less represented in patients with DMO than PCMO subjects (P=0.001).

Conclusions

Patients with PCMO have an impairment of mainly DCP, partially reversible after treatment. Furthermore, we disclosed that different alterations of the retinal vasculature characterise CMO derived from two different diseases, namely PCMO and DMO, and this could be due to their distinct pathophysiology.
Pregnancy diet and offspring asthma risk over a 10-year period: the Lifeways Cross Generation Cohort Study, Ireland
Authors: Viljoen Karien , Segurado Ricardo , O’Brien John , Murrin Celine , Mehegan John , Kelleher Cecily C
Published: February 2018

Objective

The association of maternal pregnancy diet with offspring asthma risk have been reported. However, literature on longitudinal patterns of asthma risk relative to intrauterine nutrient exposure is limited. We aimed to establish whether vegetable, oily fish and vitamin D intake during pregnancy are associated with childhood asthma risk over a 10-year period in the Irish Republic.

Design

Mother–child pairs (n=897) from the Lifeways prospective birth cohort, with data on nutrient intake during pregnancy and asthma status, respectively, were eligible for inclusion in the analysis. Data on socioeconomic and morbidity indicators over 10 years of follow-up on mothers and the index child were collected through self-administered questionnaires. Asthma status as diagnosed by the general practitioner at any time point over 10 years was related to maternal vegetable, oily fish and vitamin D intake during pregnancy, while adjusting for gestational age, socioeconomic status, smoking at delivery, breast feeding, season of birth and supplement use. Data were modelled with a marginal model on correlated observations over time within individuals.

Results

In the fully adjusted model, asthma was inversely associated with higher daily average intake of oily fish (OR 0.23 per serving/day, 95% CI 0.04 to 1.41) and of vegetables (OR 0.96 per serving/day, 95% CI 0.88 to 1.05), but the confidence limits overlapped 1. A higher daily vitamin D intake was associated with reduced odds of asthma (OR 0.93 per μg/day, 95% CI 0.89 to 0.98).

Conclusion

This analysis suggests higher daily average intake of vitamin D in pregnancy is associated with asthma risk in offspring over the first 10 years of life.
Evaluation of learning from Practical Obstetric Multi-Professional Training and its impact on patient outcomes in Australia using Kirkpatrick’s framework: a mixed methods study
Authors: Kumar Arunaz , Sturrock Sam , Wallace Euan M , Nestel Debra , Lucey Donna , Stoyles Sally , Morgan Jenny , Neil Peter , Schlipalius Michelle , Dekoninck Philip
Published: February 2018

Objectives

The aim of this study was to evaluate the implementation of the Practical Obstetric Multi-Professional Training (PROMPT) simulation using the Kirkpatrick’s framework. We explored participants’ acquisition of knowledge and skills, its impact on clinical outcomes and organisational change to integrate the PROMPT programme as a credentialing tool. We also aimed to assess participants’ perception of usefulness of PROMPT in their clinical practice.

Study design

Mixed methods approach with a pre-test/post-test design.

Setting

Healthcare network providing obstetric care in Victoria, Australia.

Participants

Medical and midwifery staff attending PROMPT between 2013 and 2015 (n=508); clinical outcomes were evaluated in two cohorts: 2011–2012 (n=15 361 births) and 2014–2015 (n=12 388 births).

Intervention

Attendance of the PROMPT programme, a simulation programme taught in multidisciplinary teams to facilitate teaching emergency obstetric skills.

Main outcome measure

Clinical outcomes compared before and after embedding PROMPT in educational practice.

Secondary outcome measure

Assessment of knowledge gained by participants through a qualitative analysis and description of process of embedding PROMPT in educational practice.

Results

There was a change in the management of postpartum haemorrhage by early recognition and intervention. The key learning themes described by participants were being prepared with a prior understanding of procedures and equipment, communication, leadership and learning in a safe, supportive environment. Participants reported a positive learning experience and increase in confidence in managing emergency obstetric situations through the PROMPT programme, which was perceived as a realistic demonstration of the emergencies.

Conclusion

Participants reported an improvement of both clinical and non-technical skills highlighting principles of teamwork, communication, leadership and prioritisation in an emergency situation. An improvement was observed in management of postpartum haemorrhage, but no significant change was noted in clinical outcomes over a 2-year period after PROMPT. However, the skills acquired by medical and midwifery staff justify embedding PROMPT in educational programmes.
Which patients benefit specifically from short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (STPP) for depression? Study protocol of a systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data
Authors: Driessen Ellen , Abbass Allan A , Barber Jacques P , Connolly Gibbons Mary Beth , Dekker Jack J M , Fokkema Marjolein , Fonagy Peter , Hollon Steven D , Jansma Elise P , de Maat Saskia C M , Town Joel M , Twisk Jos W R , Van Henricus L , Weitz Erica , Cuijpers Pim
Published: February 2018

Introduction

Short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (STPP) is an empirically supported treatment that is often used to treat depression. However, it is largely unclear if certain subgroups of depressed patients can benefit specifically from this treatment method. We describe the protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data (IPD) aimed at identifying predictors and moderators of STPP for depression efficacy.

Method and analysis

We will conduct a systematic literature search in multiple bibliographic databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase.com, Web of Science and Cochrane’s Central Register of Controlled Trials), ‘grey literature’ databases (GLIN and UMI ProQuest) and a prospective trial register (http://www.controlled-trials.com). We will include studies reporting (a) outcomes on standardised measures of (b) depressed (c) adult patients (d) receiving STPP. We will next invite the authors of these studies to share the participant-level data of their trials and combine these data to conduct IPD meta-analyses. The primary outcome for this study is post-treatment efficacy as assessed by a continuous depression measure. Potential predictors and moderators include all sociodemographic variables, clinical variables and psychological patient characteristics that are measured before the start of treatment and are assessed consistently across studies. One-stage IPD meta-analyses will be conducted using mixed-effects models.

Ethics and dissemination

Institutional review board approval is not required for this study. We intend to submit reports of the outcomes of this study for publication to international peer-reviewed journals in the fields of psychiatry or clinical psychology. We also intend to present the outcomes at international scientific conferences aimed at psychotherapy researchers and clinicians. The findings of this study can have important clinical implications, as they can inform expectations of STPP efficacy for individual patients, and help to make an informed choice concerning the best treatment option for a given patient.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42017056029.
Outcomes after sudden cardiac arrest in sports centres with and without on-site external defibrillators
Authors: Aschieri Daniela , Penela Diego , Pelizzoni Valentina , Guerra Federico , Vermi Anna Chiara , Rossi Luca , Torretta Lucia , Losi Giulia , Villani Giovanni Quinto , Capucci Alessandro
Published: February 2018

Objective

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a rare but tragic event during amateur sports activities. Our aim is to analyse whether availability of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in amateur sports centres could impact on SCA survival.

Methods

This is an observational study. During an 18-year period, data regarding exercise-related SCA in sports centres were prospectively collected. Survival rates and time to response were compared between centres with an AED already available and centres where an AED was not already present.

Results

Out of 252 sports facilities, 207 (82%) acquired an AED during follow-up while 45 (18%) did not. From 1999 to 2014, there were 26 SCAs (24 (92%) men, 54±17 years old) with 15 (58%) of them in centres with on-site AED. Neurologically intact survival rates were 93% in centres with on-site AED and 9% in centres without (P<0.001). Presence of on-site AED, presence of shockable rhythm, first assistance by a lay bystander and time to defibrillation were all related to neurological intact survival, but the presence of on-site AED was the only independent predictor in the multivariate analysis. The use of on-site AED resulted in a lower time to first shock when compared with emergency medical system-delivered AED (3.3±1.4min vs 7.3±3.2 min; P=0.001).

Conclusions

The presence of on-site AEDs is associated with neurologically intact survival after an exercise-related SCA. Continuous efforts are recommended in order to introduce AEDs in sports and fitness centres, implement educational programmes and increase common awareness about SCA.
Endovascular thrombectomy beyond 12 hours of stroke onset: a stroke network’s experience of late intervention
Authors: Motyer Ronan , Thornton John , Power Sarah , Brennan Paul , O’Hare Alan , Looby Seamus , Williams David J , Moynihan Barry , Murphy Sean
Published: February 2018

Background

Selected patients with proximal anterior circulation ischemic stroke who demonstrate limited infarct and sufficient penumbra may benefit from endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) beyond conventional time limits.

Objective

To perform a retrospective review of all cases of EVT performed at our institution for proximal anterior circulation acute ischemic stroke with onset >12 hours.

Materials and methods

Patients were assessed with non-contrast CT brain and multiphase CT angiography, with Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS) and collateral grade informing patient selection. Data, including patient demographics, workflow, neuroimaging findings, procedural details, recanalization rates, and 90-day functional outcomes, were collected.

Results

Of the 542 consecutive endovascular thrombectomy cases performed during the study period, 25 (4.6%) were >12 hours from stroke onset. Median age was 69 years (IQR 55–80), median National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score on presentation was 14 (IQR 11–18.5), median ASPECTS was 8 (IQR 8–9), and rate of moderate–good collateral status was 96% (n=24). Median time to groin puncture was 14 hours 40 min (IQR 12 hours 36 min – 16 hours 18 min). Rate of successful recanalization (modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral infarction 2b–3) was 88% (n=22). Rate of functional independence (90-day modified Rankin Scale score 0–2) was 52% (n=13). There were no cases of symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage and 90-day mortality rate was 12% (n=3).

Conclusion

With the use of ASPECTS and collateral grade to guide patient selection, good functional outcome with acceptable safety parameters may be achieved in patients undergoing EVT beyond 12 hours from stroke onset.
Republished: Isolated intraventricular hemorrhage secondary to dural arteriovenous fistula
Authors: Amuluru Krishna , Al-Mufti Fawaz , Romero Charles
Published: February 2018

Isolated intraventricular hemorrhage due to dural arteriovenous fistula (dAVF) is extremely rare and has been reported only a few times in the literature. The pathophysiological cause of isolated intraventricular hemorrhage in these cases was hypothetically attributed to retrograde venous flow into subependymal vessels, although none of these cases demonstrated radiographic evidence of such reflux. We present the first case of a dAVF with radiographic evidence of severe cortical venous reflux into the subependymal venous network causing isolated intraventricular hemorrhage, thus lending proof for the underlying pathophysiology. Furthermore, ours is the first case of dAVF with isolated intraventricular hemorrhage that was successfully treated using multimodality transvenous and transarterial embolization techniques. In cases of high-grade dAVF, multimodality treatment may offer the greatest chance for success, and should be strongly considered for management.
Development of clinical sign‐based scoring system for assessment of omphalitis in neonatal calves
Authors: Steerforth Daniel‐Dean , Van Winden Steven
Published: February 2018

Omphalitis contributes significantly to morbidity and mortality in neonatal calves. Diagnosis of omphalitis is based on the local signs of inflammation—pain, swelling, local heat and purulent discharge. An abattoir trial identified an optimal, sign‐based, scoring system for diagnosis of omphalitis. A sample of 187 calves aged between 7 and 15 days old were clinically examined for signs of umbilical inflammation and compared with postmortem examination of navels. On postmortem findings, 64 calves (34.2 per cent) had omphalitis. In the examined omphalitis cases, the most commonly affected umbilical structure was the urachus (78.1 per cent). Multivariable logistic regression revealed that thickening of the umbilical stump over 1.3 cm (P<0.001), discharge (P<0.001), raised local temperature (P=0.003) and the presence of umbilical hernia (P=0.024) were correlated and positive predictors of omphalitis. Discharge from the umbilical stump was associated with intra‐abdominal inflammation (P=0.004). Assigning weights based on the multivariable logistic regression coefficients, a clinical scoring algorithm was developed. The cumulative score ranged from 0 to 9. Using this scoring system, calves were categorised as positive if their total score was ≥2. This scoring method had a sensitivity of 85.9 per cent, specificity of 74.8 per cent and correctly classified 78.6 per cent of all calves.
Competitive Online Routing on Delaunay Triangulations
Authors: Bose Prosenjit , De Carufel Jean-Lou , Durocher Stephane , Taslakian Perouz
Published: February 2018

Let [Formula: see text] be a graph, [Formula: see text] be a source node and [Formula: see text] be a target node. The sequence of adjacent nodes (graph walk) visited by a routing algorithm is a [Formula: see text]-competitive route if its length in [Formula: see text] is at most [Formula: see text] times the length of the shortest path from [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text] in [Formula: see text]. We present a [Formula: see text]-competitive online routing algorithm on the Delaunay triangulation of an arbitrary given set of points in the plane. This improves the competitive ratio on Delaunay triangulations from the previous best of [Formula: see text]. We also present a [Formula: see text]-competitive online routing algorithm for Delaunay triangulations of point sets in convex position.
ON THE EXACT CONVEX HULL OF IFS FRACTALS
Authors: VASS JÓZSEF
Published: February 2018

The problem of finding the convex hull of an IFS fractal is relevant in both theoretical and computational settings. Various methods exist that approximate it, but our aim is its exact determination. The finiteness of extremal points is examined a priori from the IFS parameters, revealing some cases when the convex hull problem is solvable. Former results are detailed from the literature, and two new methods are introduced and crystallized for practical applicability — one more general, the other more efficient. Focal periodicity in the address of extremal points emerges as the central idea.
Ultrasonic wave velocity measurements for detecting decay in carbonate rocks
Authors: Fioretti Giovanna , Andriani Gioacchino Francesco
Published: February 2018

Ultrasonic testing is a non-destructive technique commonly employed for assessing indirectly some geomechanical parameters of natural building stones. Pulse wave propagation in rock materials depends not only on physical properties, e.g. density, elasticity, porosity and water content, but also on fabric elements and their arrangements, spatial distributions and preferred orientations. In contrast, ultrasonic velocity can reflect the state of conservation of stone by comparing data from fresh material with those obtained from tests made on decayed material.

The ‘Avorio’ limestone is a valuable building and ornamental material, quarried in the Trani stone basin (Apulia, southern Italy), which is very popular in Italy and abroad where it is used in modern and historic buildings.

The stone response to decay processes is not fully understood simply because this material has not yet been well studied. To better understand how durable this material is in terms of physical resistance to change with respect to salt and thermal deterioration mechanisms, selected samples of the ‘Avorio’ limestone were submitted to artificial ageing processes by thermal stresses and by stresses due to salt crystallization, performed independently. The artificial ageing processes involved thermal cycles at temperatures between 200 and 600°C, based on an experimental procedure, and a standardized salt crystallization test in sodium sulphate solution.

Repeated measurements of pulse velocity, before, during and after every accelerated ageing cycle, were compared with mass loss and porosity changes, the latter by water imbibition and capillarity testing. Very statistically significant relationships between physical response and rates and patterns of the stone decay were illustrated. The experimental results showed that the ultrasonic pulse velocity decreases as deterioration of the stone increases under accelerated ageing: a strong negative correlation exists between P-wave velocity and porosity. This study confirmed that ultrasonic pulse velocity is a good indicator of damage for carbonate stones, particularly for varieties without clear anisotropies, in terms of structure and texture.
Characterizing void ratio and compressibility of Holocene peat with CPT for assessing coastal–deltaic subsidence
Authors: Koster Kay , De Lange Ger , Harting Ronald , de Heer Eppie , Middelkoop Hans
Published: February 2018

Cone penetration testing (CPT) was used to determine the void ratio and compressibility of Holocene peat present in the coastal–deltaic plain of the Netherlands, to explore its application for mapping the subsidence potential of this low-lying area. CPT sounds the mechanical behaviour of subsurface layers when penetrated with a cone, and is the most widely used site investigation method in the Netherlands. In this study 41 peat layers in the coastal–deltaic plain were sounded, and subsequently cored for determination of peat type, organic matter content, degree of decomposition and void ratio. The results revealed that cone resistance depends on the void ratio of the peat layer. The compression parameters coefficient of volume compressibility (
m
v
) and compression index (
C
c
) were derived from this. The results further revealed that the compressibility of the peat increases with increasing organic matter content. It is concluded that for mapping the susceptibility of the coastal–deltaic plain to future subsidence by peat compression, CPT has the potential to become a useful tool, as thousands of CPTs are conducted in the Netherlands each year, and their logged measurements are stored in a freely accessible national database.
Lithospheric heating by crustal thickening: a possible origin of the Parnaíba Basin
Authors: McKenzie D. , Rodríguez Tribaldos V.
Published: February 2018

The subsidence of basins formed by extension is now quite well understood. But that of cratonic basins is not, though a variety of models have been proposed. This volume is concerned with the structure and evolution of one such basin, the Parnaíba basin in NE Brazil. At the moment probably more is known about this basin than about any other cratonic basin. A long deep seismic reflection profile across the basin shows no evidence of extension, or of structural control by the underlying basement. Backstripping of two wells in the basin show that the time scales for their subsidence are 68 and 74 Ma. We show that these observations are consistent with a thermal model for the formation of the basin, where the thermal disturbance results from the emplacement and removal of a crustal layer whose thickness is 35–40 km, and not from extension. Such a layer is presently being emplaced as a gravity current on the thick lithosphere of northern India as Tibet flows southwards. Such currents and cratonic basins have similar circular shapes. This model is not incompatible with the relevant geological observations. It may be possible to test its predictions by careful study of the growth of metamorphic minerals.
Visual SLAM and Structure from Motion in Dynamic Environments
Authors: Saputra Muhamad Risqi U. , Markham Andrew , Trigoni Niki
Published: February 2018

In the last few decades, Structure from Motion (SfM) and visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (visual SLAM) techniques have gained significant interest from both the computer vision and robotic communities. Many variants of these techniques have started to make an impact in a wide range of applications, including robot navigation and augmented reality. However, despite some remarkable results in these areas, most SfM and visual SLAM techniques operate based on the assumption that the observed environment is static. However, when faced with moving objects, overall system accuracy can be jeopardized. In this article, we present for the first time a survey of visual SLAM and SfM techniques that are targeted toward operation in dynamic environments. We identify three main problems: how to perform reconstruction (robust visual SLAM), how to segment and track dynamic objects, and how to achieve joint motion segmentation and reconstruction. Based on this categorization, we provide a comprehensive taxonomy of existing approaches. Finally, the advantages and disadvantages of each solution class are critically discussed from the perspective of practicality and robustness.
Guest editors' introduction wearable technologies and communication design
Authors: Jones John , Gouge Catherine C.
Published: February 2018

Using the data generated by both consumer- and medically-oriented wearable devices to assess and improve fitness, wellbeing, and specific health outcomes demands attention to the user experiences of such devices as well as to the kinds of claims being made about their promise (cf. Gouge & Jones, 2016). This special issue participates in such work by presenting case studies situated at the intersections of wearables, communication design, and rhetorical analysis that explore the health, justice, and wellness-oriented promises of specific wearables. In this introduction, we briefly survey the research on wearables in the fields of rhetoric and technical communication, preview the essays in the collection, and propose some areas for future work that might be of interest to technical communication, communication design, and rhetoric scholars.
Sensors and gizmos and data, oh my
Authors: Amidon Timothy R. , Williams Elizabeth A. , Lipsey Tiffany , Callahan Randy , Nuckols Gary , Rice Spencer
Published: February 2018

This study identifies communication design challenges associated with firefighters' personal protective equipment (PPE), an assemblage of wearable technologies that shield these workers from occupational hazards. Considering two components of modern firefighting PPE through Zuboff's (1998) theorization of information technology, we offer an extended case study that illustrates how these wearables, as interfaces,
automate
or
informate
firefighters' practice of safety. Often lauded for their abilities to augment firefighters' work capacities and increase safety outcomes, our analysis revealed that these wearables engender practices that expose firefighters to unforeseen hazards and displace the "tacit craft skills and knowledge" that these workers mobilize to mitigate workplace risk (Spinuzzi, 2005, p. 164). Drawing from these insights, we sketch four points of tension that communication designers, system architects, and practitioners may utilize to consider the informating potential of smart-firefighting PPE equipped with physiological sensors.
Impatient patients
Authors: Arduser Lora
Published: February 2018

As wearable medical technologies take on an increasingly prominent role in how health care is delivered, pressure to make the development process for such devices shorter increases. This case study will recount one attempt at a do-it-yourself (DIY) development process and collaborative usability testing. I argue that these efforts can complement traditional usability methods used in the development process of a wearable diabetes technology and provide more immediate access to technologies that can meet the diverse needs of end users. The case involves an open source DIY project developed by parents of children with type 1 diabetes in order to remotely monitor the blood sugar levels of their children.
Coexistent Non–Small Cell Carcinoma and Small Cell Carcinoma in a Patient Presenting with Hyponatremia
Authors: Ross Mitchell D. , Biswas Roy Sreeja , Patil Pradnya D. , Huang Jasmine L. , Thawani Nitika , Drosten Ralph , Panchabhai Tanmay S.
Published: February 2018

Despite recent advances in screening methods, lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. By the time lung cancer becomes symptomatic and patients seek treatment, it is often too advanced for curative measures. Low-dose computed tomography (CT) screening has been shown to reduce mortality in patients at high risk of lung cancer. We present a 66-year-old man with a 50-pack-year smoking history who had a right upper lobe (RUL) pulmonary nodule and left lower lobe (LLL) consolidation on a screening CT. He reported a weight loss of 45 pounds over 3 months, had recently been hospitalized for hyponatremia, and was notably cachectic. A CT of the chest showed a stable LLL mass-like consolidation and a 9×21 mm subsolid lesion in the RUL. Navigational bronchoscopy biopsy of the RUL lesion revealed squamous non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration of the LLL lesion revealed small cell lung cancer (SCLC). The final diagnosis was a right-sided Stage I NSCLC (squamous) and a left-sided limited SCLC. The RUL NSCLC was treated with stereotactic radiation; the LLL SCLC was treated with concurrent chemotherapy and radiation. In patients with multiple lung nodules, a diagnosis of synchronous multiple primary lung cancers (MPLCs) is crucial, as inadvertent upstaging of patients with MPLC (to T3 and/or T4 tumors) can lead to erroneous staging, inaccurate prognosis, and improper treatment. Recent advances in the diagnosis of small pulmonary nodules via navigational bronchoscopy and management of these lesions dramatically affect a patient’s overall prognosis.
Pancreaticoduodenectomy for an Ampullary Region Carcinoma Occurred in Annular Pancreas Coexistent with Replaced Common Hepatic Artery
Authors: Komine Ryuji , Shimizu Atsushi , Mori Kazuhiko , Minamimura Keisuke , Hirata Toru , Kobayashi Takashi , Toda Nobuo , Mori Masaya
Published: February 2018

Introduction. Annular pancreas is a rare congenital abnormality characterized by a ring of pancreatic tissue surrounding the descending portion of the duodenum. Annular pancreas coexisting with replaced common hepatic artery which is also a rare anatomical variation has not been reported previously.Case Presentation. A 53-year-old man visited our hospital complaining of epigastric pain. Based on radiological examinations, he was diagnosed as having pancreatitis, annular pancreas, and hepatomesenteric trunk. One month later, obstructive jaundice developed. Endoscopic examination revealed ampullary region carcinoma. We performed pancreaticoduodenectomy using the “artery-first” approach.Discussion. Both annular pancreas and common hepatic artery anomaly are rare. High-quality preoperative imaging and awareness of such rare conditions are necessary for operative safety. Although the embryological relationship between these anomalies is uncertain, the present case may suggest some relevance between the two.Conclusion. The “artery-first” approach may be a useful method for pancreaticoduodenectomy in patients who have an anatomical abnormality.
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone Secreting Pheochromocytoma Underlying Glucocorticoid Induced Pheochromocytoma Crisis
Authors: Geva Gil A. , Gross David J. , Mazeh Haggi , Atlan Karine , Ben-Dov Iddo Z. , Fischer Matan
Published: February 2018

Context. Pheochromocytomas are hormone secreting tumors of the medulla of the adrenal glands found in 0.1–0.5% of patients with hypertension. The vast majority of pheochromocytomas secrete catecholamines, but they have been occasionally shown to also secrete interleukins, calcitonin, testosterone, and in rare cases adrenocorticotropic hormone. Pheochromocytoma crisis is a life threatening event in which high levels of catecholamines cause a systemic reaction leading to organ failure. Case Description. A 70-year-old man was admitted with acute myocardial ischemia following glucocorticoid administration as part of an endocrine workup for an adrenal mass. Cardiac catheterization disclosed patent coronary arteries and he was discharged. A year later he returned with similar angina-like chest pain. During hospitalization, he suffered additional events of chest pain, shortness of breath, and palpitations following administration of glucocorticoids as preparation for intravenous contrast administration. Throughout his admission, the patient demonstrated both signs of Cushing’s syndrome and high catecholamine levels. Following stabilization of vital parameters and serum electrolytes, the adrenal mass was resected surgically and was found to harbor an adrenocorticotropic hormone secreting pheochromocytoma. This is the first documented case of adrenocorticotropic hormone secreting pheochromocytoma complicated by glucocorticoid induced pheochromocytoma crisis. Conclusion. Care should be taken when administering high doses of glucocorticoids to patients with suspected pheochromocytoma, even in a patient with concomitant Cushing’s syndrome.