bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Au@Ag Core/Shell Nanorods Based Colorimetric Assay for the Rapid and Selective Detection of Cyanide Anions
Authors: Zhang Rui-Ling , Jia Shi-Liang , Wang Kai-Ming
Published: October 2019

A colorimetric assay based on Au@Ag core/shell nanorods was developed to rapidly determine cyanide in aqueous solution. The aspect ratios of Au@Ag core/shell nanorods were changed with the dissolution of metals in cyanide solution, which led to the decrease of Ag shell absorption spectra
and the blue shift of longitudinal plasmon absorption band of Au core, as well as the color change of Au@Ag core/shell nanorods. In contrast to spherical Au@Ag nanoparticles with less sample analysis time (1 min per sample), the distinguish ability of this assay was proven to be higher. Under
optimal conditions, the developed colorimetric assay gave a linear range of 1–200 μM for cyanide in water solution and a naked-eye detection limit of 0.5 μM. On the side, the colorimetric assay exhibited high selectivity towards cyanide over other common anions. The
developed Au@Ag nanorods probes have been successfully applied to determine the level of cyanide in local lake, river and industrial water samples.
Effect of Nano-Particle on Durability of Polyvinyl Alcohol Fiber Reinforced Cementitious Composite
Authors: Zhang Peng , Li Qingfu , Wang Juan , Shi Yan , Zheng Yuanxun , Ling Yifeng
Published: October 2019

In this study, the influence of nano-particle on flowability and durability of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibers reinforced cementitious composite containing fly ash was evaluated. In the cementitious composite, Portland cement was replaced with 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0% and 2.5% (by weight) of
nano-particles. Two kinds of nano-particle of SiO2 and CaCO3 nano-particles were adopted in this study. PVA fibers were incorporated to the composite at a dosage of 0.9% (by volume). The flowability of the fresh cementitious composite was assessed using slump flow measurements.
The durability of hardened cementitious composite includes carbonation resistance, permeability resistance, cracking resistance as well as freezing-thawing resistance, which were evaluated by the depth of carbonation, the water permeability height, cracking resistance ratio of the specimens,
and relative dynamic elastic modulus of samples after freeze-thaw cycles, respectively. Our results showed incorporation of nano-particles had a little disadvantageous effect on flowability of PVA fiber reinforced cementitious composite, and the flowability of the fresh mixtures decreased
with increases in the nano-particles content. The decrease in flowability of cementitious composite resulted by nano-SiO2 particles is more remarkable than nano-CaCO3 particles. The addition of both nano-SiO2 and nano-CaCO3 particles significantly
improved the durability of PVA fiber reinforced cementitious composite. However, the improvement of nano-SiO2 on durability is much better than that of nano-CaCO3. When the amount of SiO2 nano-particle was less than 2.5%, the durability of cementitious composites
increased with nano-SiO2 content. The microstructure of PVA fiber reinforced cementitious composite becomes much denser due to filler effect of nano-particle and generation of particles of hydrated products C–S–H gels. Both of SiO2 and CaCO3 nano-particle
improved the microstructure of PVA fiber reinforced cementitious composite, and nano-SiO2 particles might be more beneficial for PVA fibers to play the role of reinforcement than nano-CaCO3 particles in the composites.
Effects of Zn/Ni Ratio and Doping Material on Piezoelectric Characteristics of Pb((Zn, Ni)1/3Nb2/3)O3–Pb(Zr, Ti)O3 Ceramics
Authors: Kim So Won , Jeong Yong Jeong , Lee Hee Chul
Published: October 2019

This study investigates the effects of the Zn/Ni composition ratio and doping materials on the piezoelectric properties of PZNN-PZT ceramics for the fabrication of piezoelectric ceramics with excellent characteristics. A soft relaxor was used to improve the electrical characteristics
and sinterability. The ceramics were fabricated with a base composition ratio of 0.13Pb((Zn1–xNix)1/3Nb2/3)O3–0.87Pb(Zr0.5Ti0.5)O3. The columbite phase was formed by reacting NiO
and Nb2O5, which have low reactivity, as the first calcination, and the columbite precursor method was applied for the second calcination with PbO. Although the pellet was produced by sintering at a relatively low temperature of 950 °C, we obtained a dense ceramic
with a high density of 7.9 g/cm3 . To improve the quality factor in the composition with a Ni/(Ni + Zn) molar ratio of 0.1, the doping materials MnO2, Fe2O3, CuO, and Bi2O3 were added and their properties were confirmed. Pure
perovskite phases were formed in the ceramics of all compositions and doping materials. In particular, the PZNN-PZT ceramics doped with 0.3 wt% MnO2 showed a piezoelectric coefficient of 348 pC/N, electromechanical coupling factor of 0.59, mechanical quality factor of 345, and Curie
temperature of 316 °C, which are excellent piezoelectric characteristics.
Climate Warming Changed the Planting Boundaries of Varieties of Summer Corn with Different Maturity Levels in the North China Plain
Authors: Hu Qi , Ma Xueqing , Pan Xuebiao , Binxiang Huang
Published: October 2019

Climate warming in the North China Plain (NCP) is expected to greatly affect corn production. On the basis of a comprehensive consideration of the double-cropping system, we investigated the impacts of climate warming in the past 55 years on the planting boundaries and areas of varieties of summer corn with different maturity levels. In addition, we tried to explore the probable reasons for the changes in planting boundaries. Climate warming caused a northward shift in the planting boundaries of summer corn, resulting in the expansion of the total planting area. However, the trend for the planting area of each belt of corn maturity was not always consistent. Because of the advanced planting date and delayed physiological maturation date, the growing season of corn in the NCP has been prolonged in the past 55 years. Climate warming also increased the active accumulated temperature with a threshold of 10° (AAT10) during the corn growing season by 73.2°C decade−1, which was mainly caused by the increase in the number of days with a daily temperature over 10°C. In summary, the planting boundaries of varieties of summer corn with different maturity levels have greatly changed due to climate change, and corn production in the NCP could benefit from climate warming through the greater planting area and longer growing season.
Effect of Warm SST in the Subtropical Eastern North Pacific on Triggering the Abrupt Change of the Mei-Yu Rainfall over South China in the Early 1990s
Authors: Wu Yi-Kai , Huang An-Yi , Wu Chia-Kai , Hong Chi-Cherng , Chang Chi-Chun
Published: October 2019

In the early 1990s, the mei-yu rainfall over South China in early boreal summer exhibited an abrupt change and northward extension. This change altered the pattern of East Asian summer rainfall from a dipole-like to a monopole-like pattern; that is, the out-of-phase relationship between the rainfall in the south and that in the north of the Yangtze and Huaihe River valley changed to an in-phase relationship. The physical processes potentially responsible for triggering this abrupt change were analyzed in this study. Our observations revealed that the western North Pacific subtropical high (WNPSH), sea surface temperature (SST) in the subtropical eastern North Pacific (SENP), and the mei-yu rainfall in South China exhibited an abrupt increase in the early 1990s, suggesting that these factors are correlated. From the observations and results of numerical experiments, we proposed that the abrupt SST warming in the SENP in the early 1990s generated an east–west overturning circulation anomaly in the Pacific Ocean and that the anomalous downward motion in the western North Pacific consequently triggered the abrupt increase and westward extension of the WNPSH in the early 1990s. The enhanced and westward extension of WNPSH created a low-level southeasterly anomaly that transported considerable humid and warm air into East Asia and sequentially triggered the abrupt increase of mei-yu rainfall in the South China in the early 1990s.
Assessment of Three Common Methods for Estimating Terrestrial Water Storage Change with Three Reanalysis Datasets
Authors: Deng Shanshan , Liu Suxia , Mo Xingguo
Published: October 2019

Terrestrial water storage change (TWSC) plays a crucial role in the hydrological cycle and climate system. To date, methods including 1) the terrestrial water balance method (PER), 2) the combined atmospheric and terrestrial water balance method (AT), and 3) the summation method (SS) have been developed to estimate TWSC, but the accuracy of these methods has not been systematically compared. This paper compares the spatial and temporal differences of the TWSC estimates by the three methods comprehensively with the GRACE data during the 2002–13 period. To avoid the impact of different inputs in the comparison, three advanced reanalysis datasets are used, namely 1) the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP)–Department of Energy (DOE) Reanalysis II (NCEP R2), 2) the ECMWF interim reanalysis (ERA-Interim), and 3) the Japanese 55-Year Reanalysis (JRA-55). The results show that all estimates with PER and AT considerably overestimate the long-term mean on a regional scale because the data assimilation in the reanalysis opens the water budget. The difficulty of atmospheric observation and simulation in arid and polar tundra regions is the documented reason for the failure of the AT method to represent the TWSC phase over 30% of the region found in this study. Although the SS result exhibited the best overall agreement with GRACE, the amplitude of TWSC based on SS differed substantially from that of GRACE and the similarity coefficient of the global distribution between the SS-derived estimate and GRACE is still not high. More detailed considerations of groundwater and human activities, for example, irrigation and reservoir impoundments, can help SS to achieve a higher accuracy.
Transmission Raman Spectroscopic Quantification of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient in Coated Tablets of Hot-Melt Extruded Amorphous Solid Dispersion
Authors: Liu Yemin , Doddi Jayanth , Zheng Yanbing , Ho Vivien , Pheil Maurice , Shi Yi
Published: October 2019

Transmission Raman spectroscopy is an emerging technique, capable of quantitative analysis of drug products nondestructively using a multivariate data analysis approach. We developed and validated a chemometric method to quantify the active pharmaceutical ingredient in coated tablets of hot-melt extruded amorphous solid dispersion. A partial least squares regression (PLSR) model was developed and validated based on transmission Raman spectra data collected from coated tablet samples with variations in the content of active pharmaceutical ingredient, excipients, water content, a key oxidative degradant, milled extrudate particle size distribution, and tablet hardness. The method was proven to be accurate, linear, specific, and robust. Our work demonstrates that transmission Raman spectroscopy (TRS) is a viable, cost-effective, secondary method to high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for quantitation of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) in coated tablets of hot-melt extruded amorphous solid dispersion.
Multiple Constrained Reweighted Penalized Least Squares for Spectral Baseline Correction
Authors: Yang Guofeng , Dai Jiacai , Liu Xiangjun , Chen Meng , Wu Xiaolong
Published: October 2019

Baseline drift occurs in various measured spectra, and the existence of a baseline signal will influence qualitative and quantitative analyses. Therefore, it is necessary to perform baseline correction or background elimination before spectral analysis. In this paper, a multiple constrained asymmetric least squares method based on the penalized least squares principle is proposed for baseline correction. The method takes both baseline and peak characteristics into account. Based on the prior knowledge that the left and right boundaries of characteristic peaks should be symmetrical, additional constraints of penalized least squares are added, which ensure the symmetry of spectra. The experimental results of the proposed method on simulated spectra are compared with existing baseline correction methods to verify the accuracy and adaptability of the proposed method. The method is also successfully applied to the baseline correction of real spectra. The results show that it can be effective for estimating the baseline. In addition, this method can also be applied to the baseline correction of other similar spectral signals.
Time-Gated Single-Shot Picosecond Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (ps-LIBS) for Equivalence-Ratio Measurements
Authors: Gragston Mark , Hsu Paul , Patnaik Anil , Zhang Zhili , Roy Sukesh
Published: October 2019

Time-gated picosecond laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (ps-LIBS) for the determination of local equivalence ratios in atmospheric-pressure adiabatic methane–air flames is demonstrated. Traditional LIBS for equivalence-ratio measurements employ nanosecond (ns)-laser pulses, which generate excessive amounts of continuum, reducing measurement accuracy and precision. Shorter pulse durations reduce the continuum emission by limiting avalanche ionization. Furthermore, by contrast the use of femtosecond lasers, plasma emission using picosecond-laser excitation has a high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N), allowing single-shot measurements suitable for equivalence-ratio determination in turbulent reacting flows. We carried out an analysis of the dependence of the plasma emission ratio Hα (656 nm)/NII (568 nm) on laser energy and time-delay for optimization of S/N and minimization of measurement uncertainties in the equivalence ratios. Our finding shows that higher laser energy and shorter time delay reduces measurement uncertainty while maintaining high S/N. In addition to atmospheric-pressure flame studies, we also examine the stability of the ps-LIBS signal in a high-pressure nitrogen cell. The results indicate that the plasma emission and spatial position could be stable, shot-to-shot, at elevated pressure (up to 40 bar) using a lower excitation energy. Our work shows the potential of using ps-duration pulses to improve LIBS-based equivalence-ratio measurements, both in atmospheric and high-pressure combustion environments.
Patterns of Regime Breakdown Since the French Revolution
Authors: Djuve Vilde Lunnan , Knutsen Carl Henrik , Wig Tore
Published: October 2019

We present a temporally fine-grained data set on regimes, defined as the formal and informal rules essential for selecting leaders. The data set comprises more than 2,000 regimes from 197 polities, 1789 to 2016. We highlight how the frequency of breakdowns and particular modes of breakdown have followed cyclical rather than monotonic patterns across modern history. The most common breakdown modes, overall, are coups and incumbent-guided regime transformations. Furthermore, we report robust evidence that low income, slow or negative growth, and intermediate levels of democracy predict a higher likelihood of regime breakdown. Yet, by running change-point analysis we establish that breakdown risk has cycled substantively across periods of modern history, and the aforementioned explanatory factors are more clearly related to breakdown during certain periods. When disaggregating different breakdown modes, low income is related to, for example, breakdown due to popular uprisings, whereas intermediate democracy levels clearly predict coup-induced breakdowns and incumbent-guided transitions.
Home Environment, Living Alone, and Trajectories of Cognitive Function Among Older Adults With Functional Limitations
Authors: Park Sojung , Kim BoRin , Amano Takashi , Chen Qingru
Published: October 2019

This study aimed to investigate the effects of Person-Environment Fit on trajectories of cognitive function. Data came from the Health Retirement Study (1998-2010), focusing on those aged 65 and above who had at least one limitation in activities of daily living. Using longitudinal mixed-effect modeling, we analyzed the effects of living in supportive home environments on trajectories of cognitive function over time. Disabled older individuals living alone were likely to experience a decline in cognitive function over time. However, the detrimental effects of living alone were moderated when the home was equipped with supportive features and accessibility. The findings reveal the importance of home modifications for socially and physically vulnerable elders.
Morphological, physical, and mechanical properties of silanized wood-polymer composite
Authors: Ghorbani Maryam , Poorzahed Najmeh , Amininasab S Mojtaba
Published: October 2019

For investigation on the effect of silane compound on practical properties of poplar wood polymer composite, samples were impregnated using vacuum/pressure method with 3-trimethoxysilyl propyl methacrylate, and subsequently with styrene, methyl methacrylate, and mixtures of styrene/methyl methacrylate. Field emission scanning electron microscopy observations and Fourier transform infrared analysis indicated that styrene/methyl methacrylate copolymerized with 3-trimethoxysilyl propyl methacrylate and the resultant polymer tightly contacted to the wood cell walls without noticeable gaps. Impregnation with styrene resulted in a higher density of wood polymer composite compared to methyl methacrylate, which was more obvious in the presence of 3-trimethoxysilyl propyl methacrylate. Mechanical strength of the wood polymer composites improved and the highest strength was obtained for the 3-trimethoxysilyl propyl methacrylate/styrene/methyl methacrylate-modified samples. Maximum hardness was found in 3-trimethoxysilyl propyl methacrylate/styrene/methyl methacrylate-modified samples due to the cross-link formation between modified cell wall and polymer.
Greater Goods: Morality and Attitudes toward the Use of Nuclear Weapons
Authors: Rathbun Brian C. , Stein Rachel
Published: October 2019

Recent research into the public’s attitude toward the use of nuclear weapons repeats long-standing mistakes in how international relations theorists think about morality. Falsely equating consequentialism with state egoism and normative obligations with restrictions on the use of weapons of mass destruction implies that ethically motivated beliefs about foreign affairs must be other-regarding and that other-regarding behavior is not utilitarian in character. Drawing on empirical research into moral psychology, we argue that liberal, other-regarding morality is only one kind of ethical foundation. Alternative moral concerns such as retribution, deference to authority, and in-group loyalty also help to determine foreign policy beliefs. We find that all three are associated with support for the use of nuclear weapons in the American public. Our survey respondents act as moral utilitarians who weigh different ethical considerations in forming their judgments.
Teachers’ Classroom Job Performance: How Teachers’ Tasks Impact Their Classroom Job Performance in Edo Central School District, Nigeria
Authors: Imhangbe Osayamen S. , Oladele Victor Imoroa , Osarenren-Osaghae R. I.
Published: October 2019

This study examined public secondary schools teachers’ tasks and their classroom job performance in Edo central school district, Nigeria. With a total of 252 research participants and two adapted instruments—Teachers’ Task Questionnaire (TETAQ) and Teachers’ Class Performance Questionnaire (TECLAPEQ)—the study attempted to find out how teachers’ tasks associated with or impacted their classroom job performance. Data generated were analyzed using Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression analysis (MLRA) at 0.05 level of significance. The study found among other things that teachers’ instructional and administrative duties significantly predicted teachers’ classroom performance in the district.
Perceptions of and Attitudes Toward Death, Dying, Grief, and the Finitude of Life—A Representative Survey Among the General Public in Germany
Authors: Strupp Julia , Köneke Vanessa , Rietz Christian , Voltz Raymond
Published: October 2019

Some end-of-life aspects have become a significant political and social issue such as elderly care and euthanasia. But hardly anything is known about how the general public in Germany thinks about death and dying more generally. Therefore, we conducted a representative online survey ( N = 997) regarding 21 end-of-life aspects. Differences between subgroups were analyzed by conducting analyses of variance and Tukey honestly significance difference post hoc tests and by performing t tests. The findings revealed that the general public is open to engaging with topics of death, dying, and grief and that death education might even be promoted for children. Most participants appraised dealing with the finitude of life as part of a good life, but few have contemplated death and dying themselves so far. Attitudes and perceptions were related to age, subjective health, religious denomination, and gender. The survey provides useful implications for community palliative care, death education, and communication with dying people.
Public policy to support young farmers in Thailand
Authors: Faysse Nicolas , Phiboon Kassirin , Filloux Titouan
Published: October 2019

In newly industrialised countries in Asia, programmes to support the establishment of young farmers are still emerging. This in particularly true in Thailand, despite the declared importance of supporting young farmers in national development strategies. The aim of the present study was to analyse policy tools to help young people start farming in Thailand. First, we reviewed existing policy tools in Thailand and in other countries. Based on this review, a series of workshops were held with young rural people and young farmers in Thailand to assess the most promising policy tools. During the workshops, participants discussed a set of 22 policy tools designed to support access to land, capital and markets, capacity-building and making farming a more attractive profession. The workshop participants thought almost all the proposed policy tools would be useful but gave priority to subsidies to start farming and to secure land leases. Reversing the current, very rapid decrease in the number of young farmers in Thailand will require ambitious programmes, which could not only focus on helping young people who are already interested in farming but also appeal to a broader public by making farming more attractive.
The Role of Intergenerational Networks in Students’ School Performance in Two Differentiated Educational Systems: A Comparison of Between- and Within-Individual Estimates
Authors: Geven Sara , van de Werfhorst Herman G.
Published: October 2019

In this article, we study the relationship between intergenerational networks in classrooms (i.e., relationships among parents in classrooms, and between parents and their children’s classmates) and students’ grades. Using panel data on complete classroom networks of approximately 3,000 adolescents and their parents in approximately 200 classes in both Germany and the Netherlands, we compare estimates based on between-student differences in intergenerational networks (i.e., between-individual estimates) to estimates based on changes students experience in their intergenerational networks over time (i.e., within-individual estimates). We also examine how the relationship between intergenerational networks and grades is contingent on students’ location in the educational system (i.e., their ability track). When considering between-individual estimates, we find some support for a positive relationship between intergenerational networks and grades. However, we find no robust support when considering within-individual estimates. The findings suggest that between-individual estimates, which most previous research has relied on, may be confounded by unobserved differences across individuals. We find little support for variations in these estimates across ability tracks. We discuss the implications for Coleman’s social capital theory on intergenerational closure.
Towards a politics of urban climate responsibility: Insights from Hong Kong and Singapore
Authors: Fuller Sara
Published: October 2019

Cities are important sites for interrogating the social, scalar and spatial dynamics that underpin climate responsibility. To date, however, there is limited theoretical and empirical understanding about how discourses, practices and politics of climate responsibility might be enacted in the urban context. This gap is particularly significant in the Asia Pacific – a region characterised by high rates of economic growth and rapid urbanisation alongside extreme poverty and exposure to the effects of climate change. This article explores the politics of urban climate responsibility in two cities – Hong Kong and Singapore. Based on empirical research with NGOs, it considers if and how cities have a responsibility to act on climate change, how such responsibility may be configured within the city, and the role of international and regional dynamics in creating and maintaining climate responsibility. The article reframes the contested and contingent geographies of urban climate responsibility through the dimensions of attribution, production and spatialisation before drawing out implications for climate justice and resilience in the Asia Pacific region.
Monitoring the self: François-Marc-Louis Naville and his moral tables
Authors: Maas Harro
Published: October 2019

This paper examines the self-measurement and self-tracking practices of a turn-of-the-nineteenth-century Genevese pastor and pedagogical innovator, François-Marc-Louis Naville, who extensively used Benjamin Franklin’s tools of moral calculation and a lesser known tool, Marc-Antoine Jullien’s moral thermometer, to set a direction to his life and to monitor and improve his moral character. My contribution sheds light on how technologies of quantification molded notions of personal responsibility and character within an emerging utilitarian context. I situate Naville’s use of these tools within his work as a pastor in a parish of the (then occupied) Republic of Geneva and within the Genevese and Swiss pedagogical reform movement of the early nineteenth century. I provide a detailed examination of how Naville used and adapted Franklin’s and Jullien’s tools of moral accounting for his own moral and religious purposes. Time, God’s most precious gift to man, served Naville as the ultimate measure of his moral worth.
Prison Officer Self-Legitimacy and Support for Rehabilitation in Ghana
Authors: Akoensi Thomas D. , Tankebe Justice
Published: October 2019

Legitimacy remains a principal issue for prison researchers and managers. However, prison legitimacy literature tends to focus on views held by individuals in custody. Research on prison officer Self-Legitimacy—that is, the prison officers’ belief that the authority vested in them is morally right—remains scanty. Drawing on data from a survey of 1,062 prison officers in Ghana, this study examined both the correlates of prison officer Self-Legitimacy and the links between Self-Legitimacy and Support for Rehabilitation of individuals in custody. The results of multivariate analyses showed that having good Relations with Colleagues and being treated fairly by supervisors enhanced prison officers’ Self-Legitimacy. In turn, Self-Legitimacy was found to increase officers’ Support for Rehabilitation. Finally, perceived Fair Treatment by Supervisors and positive Relations with Individuals in Custody were associated with increased Support for Rehabilitation. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Leaders or “Guides” of Public Opinion? The Media Role of Chinese Foreign Policy Experts
Authors: Abb Pascal
Published: October 2019

This article explores the growing role of think tank experts in Chinese media coverage on international issues and determines the degree to which voices in this spectrum diverge from each other as well as the official line espoused by China’s central media organs. It combines a large-sample sentiment analysis of commentaries published by three major institutes that have developed significant public profiles with an in-depth discussion of selected pieces written by especially prolific experts. Based on the results, I argue that Chinese expert commenters sometimes enrich media coverage and show a substantial variety in opinions among them, but prevailing political constraints, skewed incentives, and a slanted media environment keep them from realizing their full potential as public intellectuals. This limits their usefulness both for improving policy outcomes and for managing public expectations about China’s rise.
Switching linear quadratic Gaussian control of a flexible blade structure containing magnetorheological fluid
Authors: Sivrioglu Selim , Bolat Fevzi Cakmak
Published: October 2019

The present study suggests a new active control structure with a switching algorithm for control current of the electromagnetic actuator to suppress vibrations of a flexible blade element containing magnetorheological (MR) fluid. An identification model between MR fluid inside the blade and the electromagnetic actuator is utilized to derive the force equation. Since only one electromagnet is employed to suppress the blade vibration, a single-sided control actuation occurs in the proposed system. Therefore, the pulling force used for vibration control is generated by the actuator when the blade moves to downward direction. A switching linear quadratic Gaussian (LQG) controller that produces always a positive control input is designed to attenuate the blade vibrations. The LQG controller with switching is experimentally implemented under the impact and steady-state aerodynamic disturbances. The results of experiments show that the proposed switching controller is effective to attenuate vibrations of the flexible blade element.
Short-term training on working memory updating and metacognition in primary school: The effect on reading comprehension
Authors: Artuso Caterina , Carretti Barbara , Palladino Paola
Published: October 2019

This study analyzed the potential transfer effects on reading comprehension skills of two different training programs administered to 9- to 10-year-old children attending fourth grade classes. One training program was based on a working memory updating paradigm (i.e., words, digits, sentence and text updating working memory tasks). The other program was based on metacomprehension activities focused on text structures, genres, text sensitivity, and text comprehension strategies. Performance was compared pre and post training on running memory, text updating, and reading comprehension tasks. The results showed that significant gains were obtained in both text updating and reading comprehension tasks, with a far transfer effect for both types of training. Limited nearest transfer effects suggest that gains could be due to acquisition of effective strategies in both programs, with training suitable for improving written text processing; however, performance did not differ between programs.
Prognostic Indicators in Base of Tongue Adenocarcinoma: A Population-Based Analysis
Authors: Kraimer Kristen , Ganti Ashwin , Plitt Max A. , Revenaugh Peter , Stenson Kerstin , Tajudeen Bobby A. , Al-Khudari Samer
Published: October 2019

Introduction:

The objectives of this investigation are to characterize the epidemiology of base of tongue adenocarcinoma utilizing a population-based database and to identify prognostic factors that may affect survival.

Methods:

A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Univariate Kaplan-Meier analysis and multivariate Cox-regression analysis were performed to evaluate the association of suspected prognostic factors with survival. Overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) were the primary outcome measures.

Results:

A total of 176 cases were eligible based on inclusion criteria. The 5-year OS and DSS were 49% and 66%, respectively. On multivariate analysis, surgical management was associated with improved OS and DSS (OS hazard ratio [HR]: 0.34, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.20-0.58, P < .001; DSS HR: 0.20, 95% CI: 0.09-0.48, P < .001), while higher tumor grade was associated with worse OS and DSS (OS HR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.14-2.19, P = .006; DSS HR: 1.68, 95% CI: 1.01-2.79, P = .045). Administration of chemotherapy or radiation did not have a significant association with OS or DSS.

Conclusion:

This investigation is the largest to date to analyze the base of tongue adenocarcinoma as its own entity. Surgery remains the mainstay of treatment, and lower tumor grade is associated with improved survival in these patients. Administration of radiation or chemotherapy was not associated with improved survival.
Devalued women, valued men: motherhood, class and neoliberal feminism in the creative media industries
Authors: Dent Tamsyn
Published: October 2019

This article contributes to the literature on gender inequality in the creative workforce. Motherhood has been attributed as a determining factor of female under-employment or unequal representation in the creative industries, a problematic claim that distracts attention from operational excluding structures. The article considers why motherhood has become an identified explanation for female under-representation by considering the question: what sort of mother are we referring to when we talk of the creative worker? Revising the genealogy of literature on maternal practice from second wave up to recent concepts of neoliberal feminism, this article explores how class-based practices associated with motherhood have an influence on how all women are valued as creative workers. This is in direct contrast to men whose employment value increases following parenthood. The term ‘value’ explores how individual choices emerge in response to wider structural issues, providing a framework to consider the relationship between gender and class in the context of the neoliberal, creative industry.
An illustration of Bayesian approximate measurement invariance with longitudinal data and a small sample size
Authors: Winter Sonja D. , Depaoli Sarah
Published: October 2019

This article illustrates the Bayesian approximate measurement invariance (MI) approach in M plus with longitudinal data and small sample size. Approximate MI incorporates zero-mean small variance prior distributions on the differences between parameter estimates over time. Contrary to traditional invariance testing methods, where exact invariance is tested, this method allows for some “wiggle room” in the parameter estimates over time. The procedure is illustrated using longitudinal data on college students’ academic stress as it changes in the period leading up to and right after an important midterm. Results show that traditional invariance testing methods come to a standstill due to the small sample size. Bayesian approximate MI testing was able to identify non-invariant parameters, after which a partially invariant model could be estimated.
What Comes after Caring? The Impact of Family Care on Women’s Employment
Authors: Ehrlich Ulrike , Möhring Katja , Drobnič Sonja
Published: October 2019

Previous research has shown that women providing family care tend to decrease paid work. We take the opposite perspective and examine how current and previous family care tasks influence women’s likelihood to (re-)enter employment or to increase working hours. Family care is defined as caring for an ill, disabled or frail elderly partner, parent, or other family member. Using German Socio-Economic Panel data, we apply Cox shared frailty regression modeling to analyze transitions (1) into paid work and (2) from part-time to full-time work among women aged 25–59. The results indicate that in the German policy context, part-time working women providing extensive family care have a lower propensity to increase working hours. When family care ends, the likelihood that part-time working women change to full-time does not increase. Homemaking women’s likelihood of entering the workforce is not influenced by either current or previous family care tasks.
Engaging Employees Through Employer Brand: An Empirical Evidence
Authors: Bhasin Jaya , Mushtaq Shahid , Gupta Sakshi
Published: October 2019

Practitioners and academicians are of the view that an engaged workforce is essential to attain competitive advantage. The role of employee engagement is even more critical in the service sector, as the organization’s success depends on effective service delivery by the employees who present themselves as brand ambassadors. Consequently, employers need to make strategic decisions to attract, retain and engage talent. This strategy is termed as employer branding. The objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between employer brand and two types of employee engagement, that is, job and organization engagement. A survey of 213 employees was conducted in the telecom sector in Jammu circle. Results of regression analysis indicate that all dimensions of employer brand (i.e. application, economic, interest, development and social value), except development value have a significant impact on job engagement and for organization engagement, all the dimensions except application value were significantly and positively associated. Furthermore, it was observed that dimensions of employer brand are more strongly associated with job engagement than organization engagement. The sample used for research is limited to employees in Jammu circle. Hence, the results might not be the same if samples are chosen from other geographical areas.
Honey, do I look fat? Perceptions of spouses’ weight and weight concerns predict marital relationship quality
Authors: Hochgraf Anna K. , McHale Susan M.
Published: October 2019

The majority of adults in the U.S. are overweight or obese, and yet Western ideals of beauty include low body fat composition as a component of physical attractiveness. In turn, perceived discrepancies between actual and ideal body shape and weight mean that many adults experience weight concerns—and they also may be dissatisfied with their spouse’s weight. This study examined whether weight concerns were linked to romantic relationship quality, an important domain of adult development. Specifically, we applied the Actor–Partner Interdependence Model to test how wives’ and husbands’ weight concerns and perceptions of their spouses’ overweight contributed to their own and their spouse’s reports of marital satisfaction and conflict over time. The sample was 197 heterosexual married couples ( Mage = 40.85 and 42.81 years for wives and husbands, respectively; Mlength of marriage = 18.6 years at Time 1) with children, who participated in a short-term longitudinal study of family relationships and adolescent development. Two-way interactions between partner perceptions of spouses’ weight and gender indicated that husbands’ perceptions that their wives were overweight predicted decreases in wives’ marital satisfaction and increases in wives’ reports of marital conflict across 1 year. In contrast, wives’ perceptions of husbands’ weight were not associated with changes in husbands’ marital satisfaction or conflict. A two-way interaction between actor and partner weight concerns indicated that individuals reported more marital conflict when there was a discrepancy between their own and their spouse’s weight concerns. Finally, a two-way interaction between actor and partner perceptions of spouse’s weight indicated that, for individuals whose spouses rated them as below ideal weight, their perceptions of the spouse’s overweight predicted their own lower marital satisfaction. Findings suggest that concerns about one’s own and one’s spouse’s weight have negative ramifications for marital relationships.
The Role of Social Problem Solving, Criminal Attitude, and ADHD in Aggression Among Incarcerated Youth in Hong Kong
Authors: Lau Jonathan S. F. , Hung S. W. , Kwong Eva Y. W.
Published: October 2019

It is not atypical for young offenders to use aggression to handle problems. This exploratory study examined the contribution of social problem-solving deficit, criminal attitude, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms to aggression among incarcerated young offenders in Hong Kong. Correlational and regression analyses were conducted to identify factors that help to predict aggression. To control for the influence of ADHD symptoms, hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to reexamine the contribution of the identified factors. The results showed that negative problem orientation (NPO) and contemptuous attitudes toward the law, court, and police (LCP) helped to predict aggression at the current moment and 3 months later. After controlling for ADHD symptoms, only LCP but not NPO remained a significant predictor of both current and near-future aggression. This finding suggests that the contribution of criminal attitude to aggression tends to be independent of the effects of ADHD and social problem-solving deficit. We conclude by discussing the theoretical and practical implications of conceptualizing aggression and improving psychological services for young offenders.
Experiences related to quality of life in people with dementia living in institutional settings – A meta-aggregation
Authors: Kristensen Hanne Kaae , Peoples Hanne
Published: October 2019

Introduction

Within dementia care, there remains a general lack of coherence in evidence-based knowledge on issues of importance for subjective experiences of quality of life in people with dementia. The aim of the meta-aggregation was to investigate experiences related to quality of life in people with dementia living in institutional settings.

Method

A meta-aggregation inspired by the Joanna Briggs Institute was undertaken. A systematic search was conducted in four databases and additional studies were found in the reference lists of the included studies. Only studies in English, Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian were considered, with publication dates from 2007 to 2018.

Findings

Ten original qualitative studies were included. Using critical appraisal, methodological quality was assessed. We extracted five main categories: acceptance and adaptation; autonomy; personhood; social connectedness; and activities.

Conclusion

Significant findings for future occupational therapy in dementia care concerned the importance of coming to terms with the illness and life situation, while being able to experience feelings of autonomy, independence, and personhood. Meaningful social relationships and activities, individualized flexible routines and regulations, and adjusted physical environments with room for privacy were also prioritized in order to achieve high quality of life.
Children and young people’s perspectives and experiences of a community wheelchair basketball club and its impact on daily life
Authors: Moss Philippa , Lim Kee Hean , Prunty Mellissa , Norris Meriel
Published: October 2019

Introduction

Although the benefits of physical activity are widely recognised, levels of inactivity are considerably higher for children and young people with disabilities than those without. Young people with disabilities struggle to access inclusive opportunities and there is a lack of research surrounding users’ experiences of disability sport more generally. This research aimed to explore members’ experiences of a community-based wheelchair basketball club and its impact on daily life.

Method

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 disabled and able-bodied members of the club (aged 6–25 years) to gain an in-depth understanding of their experiences.

Findings

Inductive thematic analysis identified an overarching theme of ‘wheelchair basketball elicits strong emotions’ and four main themes of ‘positive social interactions’, ‘benefitting health and independence’, ‘changing perceptions of disability’ and ‘a meaningful occupation that opens doors’. Participants reported positive experiences of wheelchair basketball, which improved their physical and mental health whilst increasing opportunities for socialisation and encouraging acceptance of disability.

Conclusion

The findings have implications at individual, organisational and societal levels, and provide some justification for the role of occupational therapy in disability sport. The findings demonstrate the potential for inclusive community sports clubs to improve health and social outcomes for individuals, regardless of disability.
Bitter Fruits of “A Merry Life?” Survival Chances of Children Born Out of Wedlock in Nineteenth-century Rural Estonia
Authors: Lust Kersti
Published: October 2019

The article explores the survival chances of children born out of wedlock in the Russian Baltic province of Livland from 1834 to 1891 and is based on court records as well as individual-level vital events data. The absence of a consistent mortality penalty for illegitimate infants and the considerable proportion of single mothers who went on to marry point to the lack of a strong social stigma. Other indicators, such as rates of stillbirths and early childhood mortality, mother’s age and socioeconomic status, and the time span between the birth and marriage, give evidence of marginalization.
Attenuated cardiac function degradation in ex vivo pig hearts
Authors: Kappler Benjamin , van Tuijl Sjoerd , Ergin Bülent , Fixsen Louis , Stijnen Marco , Ince Can , de Mol Bas AJM
Published: October 2019

Isolated hearts offer the opportunity to evaluate heart function, treatments, and diagnostic tools without in vivo factor interference. However, the early loss of cardiac function and edema occur over time and do limit the duration of the experiment. This research focuses on delaying these limitations using optimal blood control. This study examines whether blood conditioning by means of the combination of blood predilution and hemodialysis can significantly reduce cardiac function degradation. Slaughterhouse porcine hearts were revived in the PhysioHeart™ platform to restore physiological cardiac performance. Twelve hearts were divided into a control group and a dialysis group; in the latter group, hemodialysis was attached to the blood reservoir. Cardiac hemodynamics and blood parameters were recorded and evaluated. Blood conditioning significantly reduced the loss of cardiac pump function (control group vs dialysis group, −14.9 ± 6.3%/h vs −9.7 ± 2.7%/h) and loss of cardiac output (control group vs dialysis group, −11.8 ± 3.4%/h vs −5.9 ± 2.0%/h). Hemodialysis resulted in physiological and stable blood parameters, whereas in the control group ions reached pathological values, while interstitial edema still occurred. The combination of blood predilution and hemodialysis significantly attenuated ex vivo cardiac function degradation and delayed the loss of cardiac hemodynamics. We hypothesized that besides electrolyte and metabolic control, the hemodialysis-accompanied increase in hematocrit resulted in improved oxygen transport. This could have temporarily compensated the deleterious effect of an increased oxygen-diffusion distance due to edema in the dialysis group and resulted in less progression of cell decay. Clinically validated measures delaying edema might improve the effectiveness of the PhysioHeart™ platform.