bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Incorporating Quality Considerations in Merger Analysis:
Authors: Golder Peter N. , Mitra Debanjan , Moorman Christine
Published: May 2018

Mergers are common occurrences reshaping the competitive landscape in many industries. Traditionally, merger analysis has focused on the impact of the merger on price. However, price analysis ignores the other half of the value proposition for customers, namely, the quality of the product or service being offered. The authors argue that merger analysis must fully incorporate quality considerations in order to understand how customers will be affected by the merger. Some mergers will promote quality, while other mergers will inhibit quality depending on a wide variety of product, market, and customer characteristics. In order to guide merger analysts in incorporating quality considerations, the authors provide a detailed framework for answering why, what, when, and how quality should be considered in merger analysis.
On the Added Value of Multiple Factor Score Estimates in Essentially Unidimensional Models
Authors: Ferrando Pere J. , Lorenzo-Seva Urbano
Published: May 2018

Measures initially designed to be single-trait often yield data that are compatible with both an essentially unidimensional factor-analysis (FA) solution and a correlated-factors solution. For these cases, this article proposes an approach aimed at providing information for deciding which of the two solutions is the most appropriate and useful. The procedures we propose are an FA extension of the “added-value” procedures initially proposed for subscale scores in educational testing. The basic principle is that the multiple FA solution is defensible when the factor score estimates of the primary factors are better measures of these factors than score estimates derived from a unidimensional or second-order solution. Methodologically, new results are obtained, and relations with factor indeterminacy measures and second-order FA are discussed. The procedures have been implemented in a noncommercial and widely known program for exploratory FA. The functioning of the proposal is assessed by means of a simulation study, and its usefulness is illustrated with a real-data example in the personality domain.
Embodied Neoliberalism: Epidemiology and the Lived Experience of Consumer Debt
Authors: Sweet Elizabeth , DuBois L. Zachary , Stanley Flavia
Published: May 2018

A growing set of epidemiological data links personal financial debt to negative mental and physical health outcomes. These findings point to debt as a potentially significant socioeconomic determinant of population health, especially given rising rates of household and consumer debt in industrialized nations. However, the political and economic contexts in which rising consumer debt is embedded and the ways in which it is experienced in everyday life are underexplored in this epidemiological literature. This gap leaves open questions about how best to situate and understand debt as a health determinant with both psychosocial and neo-material attributes. In this article, we discuss findings from a qualitative study of personal debt experience in Boston, Massachusetts. Participants’ debt narratives highlight the powerful feelings of shame, guilt, and personal responsibility that debt engenders. The findings point to the influence of neoliberal ideology in shaping emotional responses to debt and suggest that these responses may be important pathways through which debt affects health. We discuss our findings within the broader landscape of American neoliberal economic policy and its role in shaping trends of consumer debt burden.
‘Men on Transit’ and the Rural ‘Farmer Housewives’: Women in Decision-making Roles in Migrant-labour Societies in North-Western Zimbabwe
Authors: Thebe Vusilizwe
Published: May 2018

Studies on migrant-labour systems have focused on the negatives, particularly on women left behind as guardians of men’s interests, but with no real control. My extended research on former migrant-labour societies in north-western Zimbabwe has challenged this ‘doomsday’ narrative. It did not only reveal the feminisation of household and societal decisions, but also how the migration of men has liberated women and allowed them to play crucial roles within the household and society systems. My study thus illuminates differences between rural societies and cautions against the risks of over-generalisation when looking at the relationship between women and migration. It stresses the importance of migration on development, and the empowerment potential on women who take up prominent positions in the household and in society decision-making structures.
A new methodology for race-tracking detection and criticality in resin transfer molding process using pressure sensors
Authors: Siddig Nihad A , Binetruy Christophe , Syerko Elena , Simacek Pavel , Advani Suresh
Published: May 2018

In this study, a simplified cost effective simulation-based methodology is proposed to assist manufacturing engineers in the design and development phase of the resin transfer molding process. Race-tracking is unavoidable in the resin transfer molding and can lead to entrapment of air pockets, which results in parts being discarded as scrap. A purely numerical methodology is presented to distinguish between the critical and non-critical race-tracking scenarios, that will guide the design and production engineers plan an efficient and effective manufacturing strategy. The detection methodology is based on computing the pressure evolution with time during the injection process. The novelty relies on the superimposition of the computed pressure gradient maps that reveals unsuspected common features in the numerous race-tracking cases investigated in the various geometries of increasing complexity considered. The pressure sensors are meant to detect and evaluate different race-tracking scenarios and their level of criticality. The minimum number and locations of pressure sensors arise directly from the highest pressure gradient zones for simple geometries. Sensors placement guidelines are introduced for a simple rectangular shape, then this information is used to qualitatively apply the guidelines to parts of more complex shapes. A general rule that all parts, no matter how complex, can be considered as a combination of simpler ones is presented. Furthermore, a new failure criterion is proposed based on the flow patterns that highlights the likely flow patterns to entrap voids.
Karafuto Repatriates and the Work of the Hakodate Regional Repatriation Centre, 1945–50
Authors: Bull Jonathan
Published: May 2018

This article demonstrates how discourse about those repatriated from Japan’s former colonial empire was constructed in early postwar Japan. US Occupation planning assumed that a repatriate had a ‘home’ to return to from which he or she could make a ‘new’ start. Aware that repatriation was more complex, Japanese officials tried to respond more flexibly but met with little success until an intensifying Cold War rivalry prompted US officials to intervene in repatriate affairs due to a concern that communist ideology might appeal to repatriates. Hokkaido officials’ response to the Cold War imperative for a more nuanced policy toward repatriates from Karafuto (Sakhalin) was to promote a narrative of the ‘Karafuto repatriate’. Intended by officials to help Karafuto repatriates ‘resettle’ in postwar Hokkaido, this narrative harked back to aspects of the settler identity promoted by colonial officials in the 1930s and early 1940s. In addition, using a rare set of notes from officials’ group interviews with repatriates, this article analyses the importance of settler identity for repatriates’ coming to terms with the transition from Karafuto to Sakhalin to Hokkaido. Hokkaido officials' and Karafuto repatriates’ interpretations of regional connections were crucial for reintegrating in trans-war, post-imperial society.
Subject to qualification: Weakening links between job roles and qualifications in Australian manufacturing enterprise agreements
Authors: Oliver Damian , Walpole Kurt
Published: May 2018

This article examines job classifications in enterprise agreements from the Australian manufacturing industry, focusing on the recognition of formal qualifications. It follows earlier research that found the strength and frequency of references to qualifications vary considerably between modern awards, with manufacturing industry awards having some of the strongest connections. A representative sample of 350 agreements (13.5% of the total) made under the Fair Work Act between 2010 and 2013 was analysed. Analysis revealed that linkages between formal qualifications and job classification structures are less common in enterprise agreements than in relevant modern awards. However, the overall effects of enterprise bargaining on recognition of employees' qualifications are complex. We find that, one way or another, the award classification structure continues to apply in 47.1% of enterprise agreements. Through logistic regression, we explore factors influencing the use of formal qualifications as part of job classifications, with a particular focus on whether this extends beyond the licensing requirements of tradespeople (Certificate III). Our finding that three factors – workplace size, award coverage and union coverage – significantly affect enterprise bargaining outcomes is likely to be generalisable beyond this study's focus on job classifications to many other important terms in enterprise agreements.
A disaster waiting to happen: Silently silencing stakeholders at the Pike River Coal Mine
Authors: Lamm Felicity , Lips-Wiersma Marjolein
Published: May 2018

Prior to the Pike River Coal Mine disaster in which 29 workers were killed, the discourse around the mine was one of success in terms of safety and environment, yet the post-disaster the discourse quickly shifted to ‘a disaster waiting to happen’. The central question is: why did so many individuals remain silent over the lethal working conditions prior to a major mining disaster? In order to understand the reasons, we draw on the corporate social responsibility literature and Thomas Mathiesen’s work on systemic silencing of stakeholders as it provides an inclusive framework of the subtle, pervasive methods of a network consisting of professional associations, organisations, government departments and whole communities that are pressured into silence. The framework not only provides an analysis of why and under what conditions individuals remain silent, but it also provides the context in which silencing occurs. Analysis of the Pike River Coal Mine disaster demonstrates that silently silencing stakeholders is not solely a consequence of suppressive stances of the corporation, but rather that the corporation itself is one of many stakeholders in a social, economic and political industrial relations context that leads to systemic silencing of individuals and, in this case, the deaths of 29 workers at the mine.
Markets, institutions and policies: A perspective on the adoption of agricultural innovations
Authors: Orr Alastair
Published: May 2018

Successful adoption of agricultural innovations depends not just on the right technology but also on markets, institutions, and policies. We illustrate this argument with four case studies of agricultural innovations in the semi-arid tropics, two with high and two with low adoption. We show that the success of both hybrid pearl millet in India and dual-purpose cowpea in Nigeria depended on identifying market demand correctly and on innovative institutions to overcome constraints in the production and delivery of improved seed. Conversely, the low adoption of improved varieties of pigeon pea in Malawi and conservation agriculture in Zimbabwe reflect uncertain market conditions, misunderstood demand and the lack of sustainable institutions for input delivery. The results highlight how variations in the enabling conditions may influence the fate of agricultural innovations.
The Childhood to Prison Pipeline: Early Childhood Trauma as Reported by a Prison Population
Authors: Stensrud Robert H. , Gilbride Dennis D. , Bruinekool Robert M.
Published: May 2018

This study explored the degree and type of childhood trauma experienced before the age of 18 years reported by prison inmates. The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) instrument was administered to 328 incarcerated and/or recently released individuals. Participants included women, males convicted of sex offenses, and males convicted of low-risk crimes. The majority of respondents reported levels of childhood trauma substantially above that reported in the general population. Women and males convicted of sex offenses reported the highest degree of trauma. The discussion addresses how rehabilitation counselors can collaborate with others in the counseling profession for earlier identification of individuals who may be experiencing or have experienced childhood trauma and promote better trauma-informed transition services to postsecondary education and employment and reduce levels of incarceration.
A Critical Review of Spiritual Well-Being Scales: Implications for Research, Practice, and Education in Rehabilitation Counseling
Authors: Lu Junfei , Lo Chu-Ling , Bang Na Mi , Romero Devon
Published: May 2018

The primary goal of rehabilitation counseling services is to holistically enhance quality of life (QOL) of persons with disabilities. However, the spiritual dimension of QOL may be the area least attended to by both rehabilitation counselors and counselor educators. It is imperative to raise attention to and understanding of this dimension and specifically its main indicator—spiritual well-being (SWB). In response, the authors of this study reviewed and examined 15 SWB scales regarding scale domains, item generation, selected sample, scaling approaches, as well as psychometric properties (i.e., reliability and validity). The results raised various issues that should be considered by professionals in rehabilitation counseling when studying SWB and its measurement. Implications were provided with regard to research, practice, and teaching on the topic of SWB in rehabilitation counseling.
“So Why Is It OK Here?” Literacy Candidates Grappling With Culture/Culturally Relevant Pedagogy in Urban Fieldsites
Authors: Jacobs Katrina Bartow
Published: May 2018

Drawing on culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) and the development of cultural competence, this study explores how teacher learners in a critical inquiry group narrated and discussed their urban field experiences, particularly in regard to equity-oriented literacy education. More specifically, this study demonstrates both the impact that deep-seated deficit perspectives had on how the teacher learners approached their work as educators and the tensions they felt between engaging in CRP and maintaining high standards. The article ends by offering a heuristic for “critical practice-based field experiences” as a way of contextualizing practice within school-based teacher learning.
The Impact of Strain on Self-Control: A Longitudinal Study of Korean Adolescents
Authors: Kim Joonggon , Siennick Sonja E. , Hay Carter
Published: May 2018

The main purpose of this study is to broaden our understanding of the predictors of self-control. We test how two types of strain variables (bullying victimization and grade dissatisfaction) influence the level of self-control during adolescence using three-wave panel data collected from Korean adolescents ranging in age from 14 to 16. We estimated two-level random effects regression models using hierarchical linear model(ing; HLM) 7.0. The results revealed that these two strain variables have negative, significant within-individual and between-individual effects on adolescent self-control. In addition, adolescents who have experienced a higher level of mean grade dissatisfaction over 3 years showed a more decreasing trajectory in the development of self-control during the same period. The result indicates that strainful circumstances can account for within-individual self-control deterioration as well as between-individual differences in the developmental trajectory of self-control.
Representing Variation in Creole Continua: A Folk Linguistic View of Language Variation in Trinidad
Authors: Stell Gerald
Published: May 2018

The issue of linguistic distinctions in creole continua has been extensively debated. Are creole continua comprised of just an “acrolect” and a “basilect,” or do they also comprise additional varieties? Studies of variation in creole continua have been typically based on directly observed linguistic data. This study argues that perceived sociolinguistic distinctions can offer one point of departure for establishing what linguistic components constitute creole continua. Following a protocol developed within “Perceptual Dialectology” (see, e.g., Preston 1999) this study describes perceived sociolinguistic distinctions via folk linguistic descriptors elicited by means of linguistic map-drawing and labeling tasks. The aim of this study is to investigate perceived language variation in the Caribbean island of Trinidad, where Standard English historically co-exists as an official language with creolized varieties of English, which the literature generally refers to as “Trinidadian Creole English.” The main finding of this study is that Standard English has a strong perceptual association with Trinidad’s historic urban centers, while non-standard varieties collectively referred to as “dialect” or “creole” are associated with the rest of the island. The study discusses indications that linguistic boundaries—largely parallel to ethnoracial boundaries—are perceived within the standard and non-standard part of the Trinidadian continuum. One major perceived linguistic criterion for differentiation within the non-standard part of the continuum is the presence or absence of Standard English elements. The saliency of “mixed” varieties suggests that a variety located halfway between Standard English and Trinidadian Creole English could be emerging. The study concludes that the urban-rural divide and ethnoracial distinctions constitute two salient social fault lines that future studies of language variation in Trinidad should take account of while searching the Trinidadian continuum for objectively verifiable linguistic boundaries.
The Role of Sanctions and Incentives in Promoting Successful Reentry: Evidence From the SVORI Data
Authors: Mowen Thomas J. , Wodahl Eric , Brent John J. , Garland Brett
Published: May 2018

Prior work on the efficacy of incentives and sanctions in community supervision practices suggests both can encourage desistance during prison reentry. Yet limited scholarship has investigated how sanctions and incentives impact reentry together and most research in this area is cross-sectional. Using four waves of data from the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative, results of cross-lagged dynamic panel models reveal that certain incentives, namely supervision officer praise, relate to significantly lower levels of offending and substance use. Conversely, supervision sanctions and supervision officer reprimands relate to higher levels of offending and substance use over time. Overall, supervision practices that emphasize recognizing prosocial behavior over punishing noncompliance appear to hold greater promise for promoting successful reentry. Findings suggest that supervision agencies should consider the potential negative outcomes of sanctions during the reintegration process, and policies should be put into place that more closely consider the role of sanctions on behavior.
Correlates of Treatment Readiness Among Formerly Incarcerated Homeless Women
Authors: Nyamathi Adeline M. , Salem Benissa E. , Ekstrand Maria , Yadav Kartik , Le Yen , Oleskowicz Tanya , Shin Sanghyuk S.
Published: May 2018

Treatment readiness is a key predictor of drug treatment completion, rearrest, and recidivism during community reentry; however, limited data exist among homeless female offenders (HFOs). The purpose of this study was to present baseline data from a randomized controlled trial of 130 HFOs who had been released from jail or prison. Over half (60.8%) of HFOs had a treatment readiness score of ≥40 ( n = 79, mean [μ] = 40.2, SD = 8.72). Bivariate analyses revealed that methamphetamine use, psychological well-being, and high emotional support were positively associated with treatment readiness. On the contrary, depressive symptomatology and depression/anxiety scores were negatively associated with the treatment readiness score. Multiple linear regression revealed that depressive symptomatology was negatively associated with treatment readiness (β = −0.377, p = .001). Further analyses revealed that the effect of emotional support on treatment readiness was mediated by depressive symptomatology.
Does Mandatory Disclosure of Internal Control Weaknesses Affect Corporate Financing Decisions?
Authors: Gao Xinghua , Jia Yonghong , Li Siyi
Published: May 2018

We examine the impact of internal control weaknesses (ICWs) on firms’ financing choices and how firms alter their financing behavior after the mandated disclosure of ICWs. We find that, before disclosure, ICW firms tend to seek external financing more than non-ICW firms do and are more likely to use equity financing as opposed to debt. After the disclosure, however, ICW and non-ICW firms exhibit similar financing preferences. In exploring the motivations for equity financing, we find that ICW firms are more prone than non-ICW firms to use the equity proceeds to fund investments and that this penchant disappears post-disclosure. The overall evidence indicates that ICW disclosure alters the information environment and managerial incentives, which has significant impact on firms’ financing decisions.
Insurance Acquisition Costs: Capitalizing Versus Expensing
Authors: Liu Chi-Chun , Liao Yi-Ping
Published: May 2018

This article examines whether the capitalization–amortization or the direct-expensing method for insurance acquisition costs and commissions better reflects the economic substance. We find that both the currently capitalized–amortized acquisition costs and the as-if asset balance of expensed commissions are positively associated with the market value of equity, and are closely related to the level and volatility of subsequent insurance premiums. Results also show that when explaining the market value of equity, the insurance commission is significantly negative if capitalized and amortized, but is insignificant if directly expensed. The authors are the first to examine how the insurance acquisition costs and commissions are related to subsequent economic benefits, and our results are consistent with IFRS 17 under which the acquisition costs shall not be immediately expensed.
Beyond Numbers: How Investment Managers Accommodate Societal Issues in Financial Decisions
Authors: Arjaliès Diane-Laure , Bansal Pratima (Tima)
Published: May 2018

Investment managers use financial numbers to assess the quality of their portfolios, which requires them to estimate the market value of their assets—i.e., the priced trading of such assets. Prior research has shown that investment managers tend to disregard information that does not easily integrate into financial numbers, such as environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria. We argue that when investment managers use visuals to incarnate ESG criteria, they are more likely to accommodate societal issues in their financial decisions. We undertook a three-year ethnography of an asset management company to better understand how investment managers respond to ESG criteria. We found that fixed-income investment managers attempted to include ESG criteria in their financial models by financializing the data, so that ESG-related information could be commensurated with their existing models. Equity investment managers, on the other hand, did not financialize ESG issues, but introduced visuals, specifically emojis, to incarnate ESG issues. In this way, ESG criteria were juxtaposed against, rather than integrated into, financial criteria. In doing so, equity managers created a sense of dissonance between financial numbers and the visuals, which fostered creative friction. The visuals permitted equity managers to analyze the ESG criteria not only for their financial insights, but also for the social and environmental information that could not be financialized. We discuss the implications of these findings for prior research on financialization and calculative devices.
Alginate Ototoxicity in the Mouse Model
Authors: Alvi Sameer A. , Nelson‐Brantley Jennifer , Staecker Hinrich
Published: May 2018

Objective

To determine whether alginate exposure to the round window of the mouse causes any measurable ototoxicity.

Study Design

Prospective animal study.

Setting

Basic science laboratory affiliated with a tertiary care university medical center.

Subjects and Methods

After Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee approval, 5 adult mice were obtained and underwent bullostomy and round window niche application of alginate. Auditory brainstem response (ABR) tests were completed at baseline prior to the procedure and also 5, 14, and 30 days postprocedure. Results were compared. At termination of procedure, the mice were sacrificed with harvest of the cochleae, which were viewed under histologic section.

Results

There were no significant increases in ABR thresholds in any of the test animals at all test periods after alginate exposure compared to baseline. There were also no observable behavioral changes after the procedure to indicate vestibular dysfunction. Cochlear sectioning revealed no evidence of histologic damage.

Conclusion

Exposure of alginate to the round window does not cause any obvious ototoxicity in the mouse model. Further clinical trials will be needed to elucidate the effect of alginate in the human middle ear.
Raman Spectroscopy for Inverted Papilloma: A Proof‐of‐Concept Study
Authors: Mascarella Marco A. , Alrasheed Abdulaziz , Fnais Naif , Gourgas Ophelie , Jalani Ghulam , Cerruti Marta , Tewfik Marc A.
Published: May 2018

Inverted papillomas are tumors of the sinonasal tract with a propensity to recur. Raman spectroscopy can potentially identify inverted papillomas from other tissue based on biochemical signatures. A pilot study comparing Raman spectroscopy to histopathology for 3 types of sinonasal tissue was performed. Spectral data of biopsies from patients with normal sinonasal mucosa, chronic rhinosinusitis, and inverted papillomas are compared to histopathology using principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis after data preprocessing. A total of 18 normal, 15 chronic rhinosinusitis, and 18 inverted papilloma specimens were evaluated. The model distinguished normal sinonasal mucosa, chronic rhinosinusitis, and inverted papilloma tissue with an overall accuracy of 90.2% (95% confidence interval, 0.86‐0.94). In conclusion, Raman spectroscopy can distinguish inverted papilloma, normal sinonasal mucosa, and chronically rhinosinusitis tissue with acceptable accuracy.
The mysterious ruins: Rescuing the Spafford farmstead from the forgotten war of 1812
Authors: Tucker Patrick M
Published: May 2018

The Amos Spafford farmstead (33Wo50) of Port Miami in northwest Ohio disappeared from the historical record after the War of 1812. Port Miami, a Franco-American village, was the first U.S. federal customs facility established in Ohio in 1805. It was destroyed in 1812 by a British and Native American detachment led by Captain Peter Latouche Chambers (British 41st Regiment of Foot), the Shawnee leader Tecumseh, and the Wyandot leader Roundhead. Port Miami’s destruction became lost over the years to the historical memory and consciousness of Ohio. Salvage excavations of the Spafford farmstead (1810–1823) in 1977 and its history provide an archaeological window within which to view Port Miami’s obliteration and its recovery to the community heritage of the state.
Augmenting the Past: Historical and Political Consciousness in Vālmīki’s Uttarakāṇḍa
Authors: Goldman Robert P.
Published: May 2018

The Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki, although widely renowned as a kāvya, and, indeed, as the very origin and inspiration of the entire genre of poetry, is also understood to be an itihāsa, a history. It shares, in fact, both non-mutually exclusive genre designations with its sister epic, the Mahābhārata. Nonetheless, the central books of the work, particularly kāṇḍas two through six, in large measure read as much like a romance as they do an account of human military and political history. In this article, I argue that the lack of such history in these books was a concern of the authors of the epic’s seventh and final kāṇḍa, the Uttarakāṇḍa, and that one of the several functions of this important but generally understudied, frequently criticized and often excised book is to remedy this perceived lack. In support of this argument, I compare the treatment of history in the Rāmāyaṇa and the Mahābhārata and examine a series of largely ignored Uttarakāṇḍa passages in which the authors appear to revise and extend the military and political history of the earlier kāṇḍas in ways suggestive of their reading of the Mahābhārata.
Is psychopathy associated with deficits in bonding in an adult noninstitutionalized sample? The association between intimate social network size, attachment behavior, and psychopathy
Authors: Christian Elliott , Sellbom Martin , Wilkinson Ross B.
Published: May 2018

The diminished capacity to form bonds is an attribute that has been widely ascribed to psychopathy, particularly the affective domain of the construct. The purpose of the current study was to investigate this hypothesis by examining the association between psychopathy, intimate social network size, and attachment bonds, using self-report measures in a large mixed Australian sample of university students and members of the general community. Our results indicated that psychopathy is associated with some deficits in bonding. Psychopathy was associated with fewer peer relationships and less attachment behavior toward familial relationships. The results also tended to differ across psychopathy factors. Higher scorers on the affective domain of psychopathy consistently displayed diminished attachment behavior with both peers and family. However, the effect sizes were generally small and raise some question as to the centrality of bonding deficits to psychopathy, at least in adult noninstitutionalized samples.
Empowering women with information: An investigation of rural desert women’s information behaviour in Pakistan
Authors: Naveed Muhammad Asif , Suhaib Ayesha
Published: May 2018

This study investigated the information behaviour of rural desert women residing in Hafizwala village from the Bahawalnagar district, Pakistan. Data were collected from adult females using an interview questionnaire. Face to face interviews with each female were conducted by visiting their houses. The rural desert women required information mainly on health (self and family), child education, religion, pregnancy related issues, cattle and poultry care, water purification. They perceived political, agricultural, nutritional, housekeeping, and current affaires related information as important. These respondents relied heavily on informal information sources such as family members, close relatives, and friends in information acquisition. Inaccessibility, illiteracy, lack of awareness, poor economic conditions, cultural restrictions, and language or communication barriers were the primary barriers in acquiring everyday information. These results are useful in planning need-based information delivery system for desert communities in Pakistan as well as other developing countries in Africa and Asia.
Dl-3-N-butylphthalide attenuates ischemic reperfusion injury by improving the function of cerebral artery and circulation
Authors: Qin Chuan , Zhou Panting , Wang Liping , Mamtilahun Muyassar , Li Wanlu , Zhang Zhijun , Yang Guo-Yuan , Wang Yongting
Published: May 2018

Dl-3-N-butylphthalide (NBP) is approved in China for the treatment of ischemic stroke. Previous studies have shown that NBP promotes recovery after stroke via multiple mechanisms. However, the effect of NBP on vascular function and thrombosis remains unclear. Here, we aim to study the effect of NBP on vascular function using a rat model of transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and a state-of-the-art high-resolution synchrotron radiation angiography. Eighty SD rats underwent MCAO surgery. NBP (90 mg/kg) was administrated daily by gavage. Synchrotron radiation angiography was used to evaluate the cerebral vascular perfusion, vasoconstriction, and vasodilation in real-time. Neurological scores, brain infarction and atrophy were evaluated. Real-time PCR was used to assess the expression levels of thrombosis and vasoconstriction-related genes. Results revealed that NBP attenuated thrombosis after MCAO and reduced brain infarct and atrophy volume. NBP administrated at 1 and 4 h after MCAO prevented the vasoconstriction of the artery and maintained its diameter at normal level. Administrated at one week after surgery, NBP functioned as a vasodilator in rats after MCAO while displayed no vasodilating effect in sham group. Our results suggested that NBP attenuates brain injury via increasing the regional blood flow by reducing thrombosis and vasoconstriction.
Exploring Performance Management in Italian Local Government: The Necessity of Outcome Measures and Citizen Participation
Authors: Rivenbark William C. , Fasiello Roberta , Adamo Stefano
Published: May 2018

The purpose of this article is to identify what internal and external factors increase the probability of local officials actually using performance data for decision making within Italian local government, responding to one of the basic questions of performance management theory. Based on a sample of local governments from the Apulia region, we used an ordinary least squares regression model to show that local officials are more likely to engage in performance data use when they rely on input, output, and outcome measures and when they increase the level of citizen participation. While the reliance on more advanced performance measures clearly builds on previous research, our study represents one of the few studies that demonstrates a statistically significant relationship between performance management and citizen participation in local government. We conclude from our findings that we cannot forget about basic performance measurement and external stakeholder involvement as scholars continue to push the boundaries of performance management theory.
Exactly sparse delayed state filter on Lie groups for long-term pose graph SLAM
Authors: Lenac Kruno , Ćesić Josip , Marković Ivan , Petrović Ivan
Published: May 2018

In this paper we propose a simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) back-end solution called the exactly sparse delayed state filter on Lie groups (LG-ESDSF). We derive LG-ESDSF and demonstrate that it retains all the good characteristics of the classic Euclidean ESDSF, the main advantage being the exact sparsity of the information matrix. The key advantage of LG-ESDSF in comparison with the classic ESDSF lies in the ability to respect the state space geometry by negotiating uncertainties and employing filtering equations directly on Lie groups. We also exploit the special structure of the information matrix in order to allow long-term operation while the robot is moving repeatedly through the same environment. To prove the effectiveness of the proposed SLAM solution, we conducted extensive experiments on two different publicly available datasets, namely the KITTI and EuRoC datasets, using two front-ends: one based on the stereo camera and the other on the 3D LIDAR. We compare LG-ESDSF with the general graph optimization framework ([Formula: see text]) when coupled with the same front-ends. Similarly to [Formula: see text] the proposed LG-ESDSF is front-end agnostic and the comparison demonstrates that our solution can match the accuracy of [Formula: see text], while maintaining faster computation times. Furthermore, the proposed back-end coupled with the stereo camera front-end forms a complete visual SLAM solution dubbed LG-SLAM. Finally, we evaluated LG-SLAM using the online KITTI protocol and at the time of writing it achieved the second best result among the stereo odometry solutions and the best result among the tested SLAM algorithms.
Patterns of malignant non-mass enhancement on 3-T breast MRI help predict invasiveness: using the BI-RADS lexicon fifth edition
Authors: Lee Seung Min , Nam Kyung Jin , Choo Ki Seok , Kim Jin You , Jeong Dong Wook , Kim Hyun Yul , Kim Jee Yeon
Published: May 2018

Background

Non-mass enhancements (NME) with invasive components account for 10–42% of total malignant NMEs. The factors associated with invasiveness on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could be useful for clinical assessment and treatment.

Purpose

To evaluate the clinical significances of the distributions and internal enhancement patterns (IEP) of malignant NMEs on 3-T breast MRI.

Material and Methods

A total of 448 consecutive women with newly diagnosed breast cancer that had undergone preoperative MRI and surgery between February 2013 and March 2016 were identified. After exclusions, 72 malignant NMEs without a mass in 72 women (mean age = 51.5 years) were included. Two readers independently assessed distributions and IEPs of NME, according to the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System lexicon fifth edition. Collected data included the presence of invasion and histopathologic factors.

Results

A clustered ring IEP was significantly associated with invasive cancer (75.0%, P = 0.001, Reader1; 72.9%, P < 0.001, Reader 2), absence of necrosis (79.0%, P < 0.001; 72.1%, P < 0.001, respectively), and high Ki-67 expression (74.2%, P = 0.048; 74.2%, P = 0.003, respectively). A clumped IEP was related to ductal carcinoma in situ (33.3%, P = 0.025; 50.0%, P = 0.001, respectively), absence of lymph node metastasis (24.1%, P = 0.029; 31.5%, P = 0.030, respectively), and presence of necrosis (34.5%, P = 0.003; 44.8%, P = 0.001, respectively).

Conclusion

The presence of a clustered ring IEP in patients with breast cancer was found to be significantly associated with invasive breast cancer and high Ki-67 expression.
Association between serum S100A1 level and Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events score in patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome
Authors: Li Yuanmin , Han Chenjun , Zhang Peng , Zang Wangfu , Guo Rong
Published: May 2018

Objective

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is associated with several clinical syndromes, one of which is acute non-ST-segment ACS (NSTE-ACS). S100A1 is a calcium-dependent regulator of heart contraction and relaxation. We investigated the association between the serum S100A1 level and the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) risk score in patients with NSTE-ACS and the potential of using the serum S100A1 level to predict the 30-day prognosis of NSTE-ACS.

Methods

The clinical characteristics of 162 patients with NSTE-ACS were analyzed to determine the GRACE score. The serum S100A1 concentration was determined using fasting antecubital venous blood. The patients were divided into different groups according to the serum S100A1 level, and the 30-day NSTE-ACS prognosis was evaluated using Kaplan–Meier analysis.

Results

The serum S100A1 levels differed significantly among the groups. Correlation analysis showed that the serum S100A1 level was positively correlated with the GRACE score. Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed that the number of 30-day cardiac events was significantly higher in patients with an S100A1 level of >3.41 ng/mL.

Conclusions

S100A1 is a potential biomarker that can predict the progression of NSTE-ACS and aid in its early risk stratification and prognosis.
Tubular colonic duplication in an adult: case report and brief literature review
Authors: Wu Xin , Xu Xiequn , Zheng Chaoji , Li Binglu
Published: May 2018

Gastrointestinal tract duplication is a rare congenital anomaly that can occur anywhere along the alimentary tract. Most of the reported patients present with acute abdomen during childhood. We describe a case of tubular colonic duplication in an adult. The patient was a 25-year-old woman who presented with abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, and emesis for 3 days. The physical examination was remarkable for abdominal distension, tenderness, and rigidity. Abdominal computed tomography scan revealed abnormal intestinal dilatation. Exploratory laparotomy was performed, and tubular colonic duplication was identified intraoperatively. The diagnosis was verified by postoperative pathology results. The patient was discharged on postoperative day 14 and followed for 2 years without specific events or complications. Furthermore, we reviewed the published literature on colorectal duplication in adults for the past two decades.
‘Too much preoccupied with dole and dolour’: Walter Greenwood's Search for the Radical and the Popular in His Worship the Mayor
Authors: O'Brien Phil
Published: May 2018

This article reveals the cultural history of Walter Greenwood's second novel His Worship the Mayor (1934). It tracks its trajectory from being Love on the Dole's critically acclaimed semi-sequel to a dismissed and subsequently forgotten work. New and extensive archival research uncovers the censorship history of Give Us This Day, the play the novel became. It details how the stage version attracted the attention of the Lord Chamberlain's office before an intervention from the BBC's Director-General in 1952 meant it was never performed again as a radio production. Further, the reasons why the various adaptations of His Worship the Mayor were not deemed as commercially attractive as Love on the Dole are analysed; finally, I argue that Greenwood struggled to find an acceptable mediation between popular appeal and political radicalism.
Comparison of gradient and nongradient algorithms in the structural optimization course
Authors: Zuo Wenjie , Zhao Changfeng , Zhou Liming , Guo Guikai
Published: May 2018

Gradient and nongradient optimization algorithms are currently available for structural design in structural optimization course. Despite the successful application of gradient algorithm in structural optimization, nongradient algorithm is also extensively adopted to solve the structural optimization problem. However, the efficiency of nongradient algorithm has caused a heated debate recently. To clarify this issue for the graduate students, sequential linear programming and genetic algorithm are, respectively, chosen as the representatives of gradient and nongradient algorithms to solve truss size optimization problem. Firstly, the size optimization formulations of truss structure for sequential linear programming and genetic algorithm are summarized, respectively. Secondly, an educational finite element software for truss structure is developed by using the object-oriented programming to create the software framework. This study aims to provide an open-source, extensible, and benchmarking software, which do assist the students to understand the structural optimization process in engineering education. Finally, two benchmarking examples are introduced to compare the efficiency and accuracy of sequential linear programming and genetic algorithm.
Before–After Evaluation of the Realignment of Horizontal Curves on Rural Two-Lane Roads
Authors: Srinivasan Raghavan , Carter Daniel , Lyon Craig , Albee Matthew
Published: May 2018

This study determined the crash modification factors (CMFs) associated with horizontal curve realignment using the before–after empirical Bayes method and compared the results from published CMFs from cross-sectional studies. This evaluation used data from rural, two-lane roads in California, North Carolina, and Ohio. The evaluation revealed a 68% reduction in total crashes, a 74% reduction in injury and fatal crashes, a 78% reduction in run-off-road and fixed object crashes, a 42% reduction in crashes during dark conditions, and an 80% reduction in wet-road crashes, all of which were statistically significant at the 95% confidence level. The results pertain to a range of site characteristics, the most important of which is the range of before and after degree of curve. The average degrees of curve in the before and after periods were 18.1 (with a minimum of 3.2 and a maximum of 52.1) and 6.9 (with a minimum of 0.0 and a maximum of 16.3), respectively. The average central angle of the curves was approximately 42° (with a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 117). The CMFs from this before–after evaluation are lower compared to CMFs estimated from two previous cross-sectional studies. There is a need for further research with a larger sample of sites to assess the reliability of the CMFs obtained from this before–after evaluation.
Performance-Graded Specifications for Asphalt Emulsions Used in Chip Seal Preservation Treatments
Authors: Adams Javon , Ilias Mohammad , Castorena Cassie , Kim Y. Richard
Published: May 2018

This paper details the development of a framework for emulsion performance-grade (EPG) specifications for chip seal treatments. Chip seals are preservation surface treatments that are designed to improve the condition of the pavement surface while mitigating deterioration of the overall pavement structure. Asphalt emulsions used in chip seals often are selected based on factors that are not necessarily related to performance. Aggregate loss and bleeding have been identified as the most critical chip seal distresses that are related to binder performance. Storage stability, sprayability, and drain-out have been determined to be the most critical constructability concerns. For this study, binder and mixture test methods were identified to reflect the failure mechanisms for each critical distress type. The emulsion residue test methods that were identified to capture chip seal performance are the multiple stress creep and recovery test for bleeding and the dynamic shear rheometer frequency sweep test for low-temperature aggregate loss. The fresh emulsion test methods that were identified to capture chip seal constructability are the three-step shear test and storage stability test. The proposed EPG specifications for the fresh emulsion properties that are related to constructability were developed using statistical analysis of the binder test results. The proposed EPG specifications for the residual binder properties were developed by defining the temperature-independent relationships between the emulsion residue properties and mixture performance that correspond to each critical distress. Preliminary specification limits were then established based on the values of the binder properties that correspond to the critical mixture performance thresholds.