bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Digital Divide and Veterans’ Health: Differences in Self-Reported Health by Internet Usage
Authors: Swed Ori , Sheehan Connor McDevitt , Butler John Sibley
Published: November 2018

The digital divide's implications on health inequality among American Military veterans has been discussed extensively in research; however, it remains unclear what is the association between Internet usage and health specifically among Veterans. We examine this question by addressing the growing digital gaps in the veteran population, looking at the association of Internet use and self-reported health. Using the National Survey of Veterans we find that compared to those who use the Internet daily, those who use the Internet less frequently have significantly higher odds of reporting “fair” or “poor” self-rated health. The significant association remained when demographic, socioeconomic, and military factors were controlled. While our results indicate that veterans that use the Internet more frequently report more favorable self-reported health, given our data we are unable to distinguish a causal relationship. We conclude by discussing potential policy interventions, targeting helping those who are left behind.
Best Intentions Are Not Best Practices: Lessons Learned While Conducting Health Research With Trauma-Impacted Female Victims of Nonpartner Sexual Violence in Haiti
Authors: Rahill Guitele J. , Joshi Manisha , Shadowens Whitney
Published: November 2018

Culturally sound health research and culturally relevant interventions are foundational to health promotion and disease prevention around the globe, especially for vulnerable populations in low-and middle-income countries who bear a disproportionate burden of sociodemographic and structural adversities, including gender-based violence and nonpartner sexual violence. There is a limited amount of scientific knowledge regarding the promotion of health equity for Haitian populations and about the challenges of cross-cultural practice and research among them. Using the social dominance and social justice theories as a framework, we discuss challenges encountered and biases discovered while conducting research aimed at finding ways to mitigate biological risks and psychological trauma among female victims of nonpartner sexual violence in Haiti. We highlight personal, professional/ethical, and social and structural barriers. We appeal to researchers who work in Haiti or who desire to work there to collaborate and consolidate their research objectives, to consciously engage in decolonizing their attitudes, and to promote antioppressive discourse about Haiti and its people.
Design of coordinated control strategy during driving mode switching for parallel hybrid electric vehicles
Authors: Fu Jiangtao , Song Shuzhong , Fu Zhumu , Ma Jianwei
Published: November 2018

Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) require the power to drive the vehicle via a combination of internal combustion engine (ICE) and electric machine (EM). To improve the drivability, the smooth torque change during the driving mode switching is essential. This task can be achieved by using the coordinated control strategy. This paper presents a coordinated control strategy based on considering the different dynamic response characteristics of the ICE and the EM, which can effectively suppress the torque surge during the driving mode switching processes. The novelty lies in the proposed control is a motor active synchronization control strategy without clutch disengagement based on the mode switching classification. The coordinated control strategy is designed according to the classification of the driving modes. The objective is to minimize torque fluctuation and maintain or improve the driving performance of the vehicle. Results from the computer simulation demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach in reducing the torque surge without sacrificing vehicle performance.
A new robust weight update for cerebellar model articulation controller adaptive control with application to transcritical organic rankine cycles
Authors: Samiuddin J. , Badkoubeh B. , Sadeghassadi M. , Pieper J.K. , Macnab C.J.B.
Published: November 2018

This work proposes modifications to the adaptive update law for a cerebellar model articulation controller (CMAC) and develops a model of a transcritical organic rankine cycle (ORC) to test it on. Owing to the local nature of its basis functions, the CMAC exhibits more weight drift (overlearning) than other types of neural networks, and practical applications have been restricted to systems without persistent oscillations of the inputs. The proposed solution to this problem here involves identifying a set of weights that is the best found so far in the training, and keeps the weights from drifting too far from these best weights. The method results in uniformly ultimately bounded signals, established through Lyapunov analysis. To show the improved training algorithm now allows the CMAC to control more general systems, it is applied to the control of a transcritical ORC. Part of the contribution of this paper also includes developing a model to describe the behaviour of a supercritical fluid in the ORC evaporator. The control method is compared with proportional–integral control, where the controls have to provide robustness to fluctuations and step changes in heat source temperatures.
Sleep in Caregivers of Children With Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Feeley Christine A. , Clougherty Marilyn , Siminerio Linda , Charron-Prochownik Denise , Allende Anna L. , Chasens Eileen R.
Published: November 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to explore caregivers’ descriptions of their experience of nighttime sleep.

Design and Methods

Caregivers (N = 22) of children 10 to 18 years of age with type 1 diabetes (T1D) were recruited for this descriptive study. Anonymous questionnaires contained demographic information and both open- and closed-ended questions that focused on caregiving as it related to sleep. Open-ended questions were reviewed to help understand the effect of nocturnal caregiving activities on parental sleep.

Results

The sample of caregivers were all female and had a mean age of 43 years; 96% graduated high school, 68% were married or partnered, and 100% were white. Children had been diagnosed with T1D for a mean of 5 years, with a mean age of 12.2 years. Caregivers reported short sleep duration (mean, 5.8 hours). Over half of the participants reported they required ≥7 hours of sleep to feel their best, 64% indicated trouble sleeping at night, and 86% reported that caregiving interfered with their nighttime sleep, while 54% responded that sleep was “very important.” Content analysis of the open-ended questions revealed 2 themes: (1) anxiety about the child’s blood glucose levels and (2) nighttime disruptions.

Conclusions

Caregivers are frequently sleep deprived and worry about their child’s nighttime glucose. Caregiving duties, anxiety, and sleep fragmentation may contribute to their poor sleep.
Mentorship and Discipleship of OMF Short-Term Mission Volunteers as With-ness and Consociation
Authors: Roldan Andrea
Published: November 2018

Short-Term Mission (STM) is a reality that is intertwined and integrated into the fabric of world mission and Christian experience. Many discussions revolving around short-term mission have been descriptive and about best practices. This article moves beyond an appraisal of short-term mission as a phenomenon and instead looks at why and how OMF International, a long-term mission agency, aligned STM with long-term mission, vision and strategy by focusing on the mentorship and discipleship of its STM volunteers. It also looks at with-ness and consociation as a model for mentorship, and discipleship as a means of addressing the opportunities and challenges that STM presents to long-term mission agencies.
Obstructive sleep apnea during REM sleep and daytime cerebral functioning: A regional cerebral blood flow study using high-resolution SPECT
Authors: Baril Andrée-Ann , Gagnon Katia , Brayet Pauline , Montplaisir Jacques , Carrier Julie , Soucy Jean-Paul , Lafond Chantal , Blais Hélène , d'Aragon Caroline , Gagnon Jean-François , Gosselin Nadia
Published: November 2018

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) predominantly during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep may have impacts on brain health, even in milder OSA cases. Here, we evaluated whether REM sleep OSA is associated with abnormal daytime cerebral functioning using high-resolution single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). We tested 96 subjects (25 F, age: 65.2 ± 6.4) with a wide range of OSA severity from no OSA to severe OSA (apnea–hypopnea index: 0–97 events/h). More respiratory events during REM sleep were associated with reduced daytime regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in the bilateral ventromedial prefrontal cortex and in the right insula extending to the frontal cortex. More respiratory events during non-REM (NREM) sleep were associated with reduced daytime rCBF in the left sensorimotor and temporal cortex. In subjects with a lower overall OSA severity (apnea–hypopnea index<15), more respiratory events during REM sleep were also associated with reduced daytime rCBF in the insula and extending to the frontal cortex. Respiratory events that characterized OSA during NREM versus REM sleep are associated with distinct patterns of daytime cerebral perfusion. REM sleep OSA could be more detrimental to brain health, as evidenced by reduced daytime rCBF in milder forms of OSA.
Continuous-time Gaussian process motion planning via probabilistic inference
Authors: Mukadam Mustafa , Dong Jing , Yan Xinyan , Dellaert Frank , Boots Byron
Published: November 2018

We introduce a novel formulation of motion planning, for continuous-time trajectories, as probabilistic inference. We first show how smooth continuous-time trajectories can be represented by a small number of states using sparse Gaussian process (GP) models. We next develop an efficient gradient-based optimization algorithm that exploits this sparsity and GP interpolation. We call this algorithm the Gaussian Process Motion Planner (GPMP). We then detail how motion planning problems can be formulated as probabilistic inference on a factor graph. This forms the basis for GPMP2, a very efficient algorithm that combines GP representations of trajectories with fast, structure-exploiting inference via numerical optimization. Finally, we extend GPMP2 to an incremental algorithm, iGPMP2, that can efficiently replan when conditions change. We benchmark our algorithms against several sampling-based and trajectory optimization-based motion planning algorithms on planning problems in multiple environments. Our evaluation reveals that GPMP2 is several times faster than previous algorithms while retaining robustness. We also benchmark iGPMP2 on replanning problems, and show that it can find successful solutions in a fraction of the time required by GPMP2 to replan from scratch.
Biochemical changes associated with temporomandibular disorders
Authors: Demir Canser Yilmaz , Ersoz Muhammet Eren
Published: November 2018

Objective

To assess vitamin D, parathyroid hormone, calcitonin, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium levels in patients with versus without temporomandibular disorders (TMDs).

Methods

This prospective observational study included patients with TMDs and age-matched healthy controls. TMDs were diagnosed via physical and radiologic examination, and serum levels of 25 (OH) vitamin D, parathyroid hormone, calcitonin, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus were determined. The impact of age, sex and seasonal variations in serum 25 (OH) vitamin D levels was controlled by the inclusion of age, sex and date-matched control patients.

Results

The study included 100 patients, comprising 50 patients with TMDs and 50 control patients. No statistically significant between-group differences were found regarding age or sex. No statistically significant between-group differences were found in terms of serum 25 (OH) vitamin D, calcitonin, calcium, magnesium or phosphorus levels. Parathyroid hormone levels were statistically significantly higher in patients with TMDs versus healthy control patients.

Conclusion

In patients with temporomandibular disorders, increased parathyroid hormone levels in response to vitamin D deficiency was significantly more prominent. These data suggest that, in patients with temporomandibular disorders, vitamin D deficiency should be assessed and corrected.
The Armstrongs of Manorhamilton and West Gwillimbury: A Study of Settlement and Migration Patterns of Irish Immigrants to Upper Canada
Authors: Neff Charlotte , Matthew Patricia
Published: November 2018

This article considers the land transactions, occupations, and last known residence of three brothers, Protestant landed gentry from Manorhamilton, Leitrim County, Ireland, who arrived in West Gwillimbury, Simcoe County, Upper Canada (Ontario) in 1819, 1822, and 1825, and of their sons, sons-in-law, and grandchildren. At least one aspired to a large estate, but none acquired more land than they needed for themselves and their sons. Most of their children (all born in Ireland) or their husbands farmed in Ontario, most in Simcoe County, but their grandchildren dispersed widely across North America and less than half remained in farming.
Drafting for Success: How Good Are NFL Teams at Identifying Future Productivity at Offensive-Skill Positions in the Draft?
Authors: Pitts Joshua D. , Evans Brent
Published: November 2018

Employing data on offensive-skill players drafted between 2002 and 2013, we are able to determine if the factors correlated with a player’s productivity in the National Football League (NFL) are the same factors correlated with him being selected earlier in the NFL draft. While our findings affirm many of the strategies employed by NFL teams, the analysis uncovers potential avenues for improving drafting strategy. For instance, our results suggest that teams are overvaluing or undervaluing certain player characteristics on draft day. We also compare the performance of our empirical models with that of NFL teams in their ability to project the future productivity of incoming players. We conclude that the NFL teams most likely to enjoy success moving forward are those that are able to combine traditional player evaluation methods with analytical approaches to player evaluation.

JEL Classifications: L83, M51, Z20, Z22
On micromechanics approach to stiffness and strength of unidirectional composites
Authors: Huang Zheng-Ming
Published: November 2018

The purposes of this paper are sixfold. First, any micromechanics model for predicting elastic property (stiffness) of a composite is applicable to a reasonable prediction of a composite strength, provided that the homogenized internal stresses in the matrix are converted into true values. The conversion for all of the stress components free of biaxially transverse loads is presented in the paper. Second, the predictability of 12 well-known micromechanics models for stiffness and strength of a unidirectional composite is assessed against the measured data of all of the nine unidirectional composites used in three world-wide failure exercises. An accuracy ranking is made accordingly. Third, it is demonstrated that the smallest fiber volume in a representative volume element for a finite element approach plays a more dominant role than other issues such as a random fiber array to achieve the highest simulation accuracy. This feature has been largely ignored in the current literature. Fourth, a consistency of a micromechanics model in calculating the internal stresses in the fiber and matrix of the composite is an issue that should be taken into account. Among the 12 models considered, only Bridging Model is consistent. A non-consistency implies that a full three-dimensional approach should be used to predict an effective property of the composite even though it is subjected to a uniaxial load. Fifth, an effective method to detect an interface debonding between the fiber and matrix subjected to an arbitrary load is presented in the paper. Only a transverse tensile strength of the composite, in addition to the original fiber and matrix properties, is needed. Whereas essentially any load can cause the interface to debond earlier before a composite failure, only a transverse tensile load carrying capacity of the composite is influenced significantly by the debonding. Specifically, an interface debonding has insignificant effect on a shear strength of the composite. Sixth, a fiber misalignment-induced kink band failure is analyzed by virtue of the original fiber and matrix properties, and a longitudinal compressive strength is predicted micromechanically.
The Dimpleplasty: A New Streamlined Approach to Surgical Creation of Dynamic Facial Dimples, Our Experience, and Results
Authors: Chen Achih , Gerry Daniel , Zimmerman Zachary
Published: November 2018

The purpose of the study is to provide a review of published techniques for creating facial dimples as context for describing a new streamlined approach, and to describe our experience and results in a series of 20 patients. A consecutive series of 20 patients was selected. All patients underwent bilateral open, trans-oral dimpleplasty procedures consisting of the use of an 8-mm punch to excise a core of tissue extending from mucosa to subcutaneous fascia, followed by placement of intradermal polydioxanone (PDS) sutures placed from the intra-oral mucosa, including the dermis, and all intervening layers. Patients were followed for a period of 6 months, with postoperative complications, persistence of static versus dynamic dimple formation, and overall patient satisfaction recorded as primary endpoints. Out of 20 patients, 2 adverse outcomes were reported: one reversal of dimpling was associated with accidental removal of PDS sutures by the patient’s dentist, and one, unilateral, postoperative infection was associated with postoperative antibiotic noncompliance. All other patients reported persistent bilateral dynamic dimple formation and excellent overall satisfaction with aesthetic results. Our experience with a new streamlined approach to surgical dimple creation produced consistent, reliable, and durable results with a low rate of complications, minimal investment of surgical time, and excellent patient satisfaction with their aesthetic results.
Changes in Food Insecurity and Smoking Status over Time: Analysis of the 2003 and 2015 Panel Study of Income Dynamics
Authors: Kim-Mozeleski Jin E. , Seligman Hilary K. , Yen Irene H. , Shaw Susan J. , Buchanan David R. , Tsoh Janice Y.
Published: November 2018

Purpose:

To examine whether food insecurity longitudinally affects smoking status.

Design:

Population-based prospective study

Setting:

Data from the 2003 and 2015 Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID).

Participants:

Four thousand five hundred sixty-three adults who were smokers and nonsmokers, participating in the 2003 (current study baseline) and 2015 (current study follow-up) waves of PSID.

Measures:

Based on self-reported smoking status at baseline and follow-up, respondents were categorized as continued smoking, stopped smoking, started smoking, and continued nonsmoking. Similarly, respondents were categorized as stayed food secure, stayed food insecure, became food insecure, and became food secure based on responses to the Food Security Survey at baseline and follow-up.

Analysis:

Two logistic regression analyses to examine (1) among smokers at baseline the odds of stopping versus continuing smoking by follow-up and (2) among nonsmokers at baseline the odds of starting versus continuing nonsmoking by follow-up. In both models, change in food insecurity status was the primary independent variable, controlling for demographics including poverty.

Results:

Among smokers at baseline, becoming food insecure (vs staying food secure) was independently associated with lower likelihood of stopping smoking by follow-up (odds ratio [OR] = 0.66). Among nonsmokers at baseline, becoming food insecure (vs staying food secure) was independently associated with higher likelihood of starting smoking by follow-up (OR = 3.77).

Conclusions:

Food insecurity is a risk factor for smoking, which has significant implications for developing interventions to reduce smoking prevalence, especially among low-income groups.
Physician compliance with quality and patient safety regulations: The role of perceived enforcement approaches and commitment
Authors: Weske Ulrike , Boselie Paul , van Rensen Elizabeth , Schneider Margriet
Published: November 2018

The implementation of a quality and patient safety accreditation system is crucial for hospitals. Although control systems—such as accreditation—can contribute to quality improvements, they also run the risk of unintended consequences. As a result, ways should be found to avoid or reduce these undesirable consequences. This study aims to answer this call by exploring the association of different approaches to the enforcement of rules (punishment, based on monitoring and threats of sanctions; and persuasion, based on dialog and suggestion) with compliance. To test the relation between perceived enforcement and compliance, this study used survey data collected from medical specialists (N = 92) of a large academic medical center. The findings indicate that the same system is interpreted differently and that only a perceived persuasion approach is related to higher levels of compliance. This effect is fully mediated by affective commitment. No direct or indirect effects on compliance were found for a perceived coercive approach. These results suggest that control systems can be perceived in different ways and that the implementation of a control system does therefore not automatically lead to negative and unintended outcomes.
A research on the time-varying stiffness of the ball bearing considering the time-varying number of laden balls and load distribution
Authors: Liu Yongzhen , Zhang Yimin
Published: November 2018

In response to the fact that not all rolling balls are laden when the angular contact ball bearing working under the condition with certain combined loads especially when the axial preload is not large enough, an analytical method for the determination of the time-varying stiffness of angular contact ball bearing considering the effect of time-varying number of laden balls and load distribution is proposed in this paper. According to the definition of the stiffness, the time-varying stiffness under different sets of combined loads is obtained by the implicit function derivation method. Only the principal diagonal elements of the stiffness matrix are studied for the sake of simplicity. Several numerical examples are simulated and the simulation results indicate that the time-varying number of laden balls and load distribution have a significant effect on the stiffness. The period of the time-varying stiffness is consistent with the time required for the cage to rotate the angle between the adjacent rolling balls. The calculation of the ball bearing quasi-static model and the analytical method for the determination of the stiffness is verified by the existing references.
Compliant assembly analysis including initial deviations and geometric nonlinearity—Part I: Beam structure
Authors: Liu Tao , Li Zhi-Min , Jin Sun , Chen Wei
Published: November 2018

In the past decades, several compliant assembly analysis models have been developed to consider structural deformations during assembly progresses. Available methods address the influence of linear elastic deformations, whereas for the case of large-scale flexible structures with complex boundary conditions, the geometric nonlinearity will be a significant factor affecting the accuracy of assembly variation prediction. This paper introduces a refined mechanical model to develop a variation analysis method for beam structures. Based on the Timoshenko theory, governing equations of flexible beam are obtained by using the principle of virtual work with consideration of initial deviations and a von Kármán type of kinematic nonlinearity. Moreover, corresponding finite element formulas are presented, which also can be degenerated into non-initial deviation form or the linearized form. With the nonlinear beam model, an assembly variation analysis method is proposed for beam structures, which takes initial deviations, fixture errors, and matching deviations into account. Case studies of static loading analysis and slender beam assembly springback analysis are demonstrated to verify the feasibility and accuracy of the presented method.
Individual dynamic predictions using landmarking and joint modelling: Validation of estimators and robustness assessment
Authors: Ferrer Loïc , Putter Hein , Proust-Lima Cécile
Published: November 2018

After the diagnosis of a disease, one major objective is to predict cumulative probabilities of events such as clinical relapse or death from the individual information collected up to a prediction time, usually including biomarker repeated measurements. Several competing estimators have been proposed, mainly from two approaches: joint modelling and landmarking. These approaches differ by the information used, the model assumptions and the complexity of the computational procedures. This paper aims to review the two approaches, precisely define the derived estimators of dynamic predictions and compare their performances notably in case of misspecification. The ultimate goal is to provide key elements for the use of individual dynamic predictions in clinical practice. Prediction of two competing causes of prostate cancer progression from the history of prostate-specific antigen is used as a motivated example. We formally define the quantity to estimate and its estimators, propose techniques to assess the uncertainty around predictions and validate them. We then conduct an in-depth simulation study compare the estimators in terms of prediction error, discriminatory power, efficiency and robustness to model assumptions. We show that prediction tools should be handled with care, in particular by properly specifying models and estimators.
Nothing ‘Mere’ to It: Reclaiming Subjective Accounts of Normativity of Law
Authors: Swaminathan S.
Published: November 2018

If the bindingness of morality was to rest on something as ‘subjective’ as the non-cognitivist says it does, the grouse goes, and morality itself would come down crashing. Nothing less than an ‘objective’ (response-independent) source of normativity, it is supposed, could hold morality in orbit. Some of these worries automatically morph into worries about the projectivist model of normativity of law (based on a non-cognitivist meta-ethic) as well: one which understands the authority or normativity of law in terms of subjective attitudes taken towards the law. As well as the stock worries about non-cognitivism, there are some additional ones that the projectivist model brings in its wake that it cannot account for the ‘uniform’ bindingness of law and that a subjective source of normativity of law based on mental states is unintelligible. This essay makes the case for acquitting the projectivist model of normativity of law from the above charges. But the route to that necessarily leads through first acquitting the non-cognitivist model of moral bindingness from analogous charges.
Running between the raindrops: Running marathons and the potential to put marriage in jeopardy
Authors: Lev Assaf , Zach Sima
Published: November 2018

For many amateur long-distance runners the marathon is not merely an event – it is a demanding activity, both physically and mentally. While being immersed in this activity they enter the running social world and undergo a process of identity transformation. This process encompasses immersion into a ‘zone’ that is often outside the partnership of marriage and includes absorption into social networks that are unlimited in time and place. In this study, an ethnographic research design was utilized, employing a combination of participant observation, interviews, and website analysis. Key findings illustrate both the complexity and the fragility regarding the encouragement of the non-running partner. It is suggested that, even if the non-running partner is supportive, embracing a serious marathon identity by the running partner can jeopardize the marriage. In other words, the partnership may crumble due to the identity transformation of one of the partners when the other doesn’t play an active part in the new social world.
Social Justice and Environmental Justice Is an Easy Blend For Us: You Can’t Have One Without the Other—An Interview With CEEJ
Authors: Sullivan John , Parady Katelyn
Published: November 2018

Reverend James Black and his daughter, Joi Black-Tate, are key members of the Center for Environmental and Economic Justice team that served as a community hub for risk dissemination and clinical cohort management during the Gulf Coast Health Alliance: Health risks related to the Macondo Spill effort to characterize risk from the Deepwater Horizon well explosion and crude oil spill. In this interview, Reverend James Black and Ms. Black-Tate discuss how their community in Biloxi, Mississippi, was impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and connect this catastrophe to their previous experiences with collaborative Environmental Protection Agency projects measuring dioxin in “Back Bay Biloxi” and toxic chemical seepage from the Keesler Air Force Base. They elaborate on why they view their organization’s commitment to environmental justice as a natural outgrowth of the struggle for African-American civil rights and social justice in Mississippi and share reflections on the spiritual core of their relationship to community, social change, health, and the natural world.
Do Health-Care Professionals Really Understand the Role of Occupational Therapy in Hospice Care?
Authors: Knecht-Sabres Lisa Jean , Weppner Ashley , Powers Cassandra , Siesel Brooke
Published: November 2018

Background:

The distinct value of occupational therapy (OT) in end-of-life care is to facilitate quality of life for clients and their caregivers through engagement in occupations during the clients’ remaining days. The purpose of this study was to explore health-care professionals’ perceptions and knowledge regarding the role of OT in hospice care and to better understand why OT may be underutilized in this setting.

Participants:

A total of 104 professionals working in hospice care from 31 different states participated in this study.

Methods:

Electronic surveys were distributed to hospice agencies throughout the United States.

Data Analysis:

Descriptive statistics was used to analyze quantitative data, and content analysis was used to identify patterns with qualitative data. Rigor was enhanced through peer-review, multiple coders, and triangulation.

Results:

The results of this study revealed that OT’s role in hospice care is misunderstood, and OT services are underutilized. Five themes were identified regarding the underutilization of OT services: (1) lack of reimbursement, (2) timing of referral, (3) knowledge of the role of OT, (4) refusal of services by family members, and (5) lack of OT presence in this setting.

Conclusion:

This study revealed that health-care professionals do believe that OTs are vital members of the hospice care team. However, many recipients of hospice care are not receiving OT. More consistent referrals to OT may better ensure that the terminally ill are able to attain end-of-life goals and live their lives to the fullest, regardless of life expectancy.
A Randomized Controlled Trial on the Effectiveness of Family Group Conferencing in Child Welfare: Effectiveness, Moderators, and Level of FGC Completion
Authors: Dijkstra Sharon , Asscher Jessica J. , Deković Maja , Stams Geert Jan J. M. , Creemers Hanneke E.
Published: November 2018

The present study examined the effectiveness of Family Group Conferencing (FGC) in child welfare. Effects were operationalized in terms of child safety (child maltreatment, supervision order, and out-of-home placement), number of professional services used, parental empowerment, and social support in a 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up. Furthermore, the influence of family characteristics and the level of FGC completion were examined. A total of 328 families were included, randomly assigned to an experimental group ( n = 229) and a care as usual (CAU) group ( n = 99). FGC was equally effective as CAU in improving child safety but resulted in more out-of-home placements. Furthermore, FGC resulted in a longer duration of child welfare involvement, a marginally higher number of professional services used, and increased parental empowerment and social support. Family characteristics did not moderate the results. Level of FGC completion was in general low. Higher levels of completion were related to a larger social network, a higher number of professional services used, and, marginally, less parental empowerment. In conclusion, although some beneficial results marginally support the use of FGC, it is the question whether these effects outweigh FGC costs, a longer duration of child welfare involvement and a higher number of professional services used.
Striated and Smooth Leadership Spaces
Authors: Moe Merete
Published: November 2018

This article is experimenting with posthuman and new-material approaches to explore new concepts or maybe try to reconceptualize leadership. Thinking with Deleuze and Guattari’s immanent ontology and Barad’s agential realism, I wonder how diffractions and leadership productions in smooth and striated rooms affect and are affected by bodies, work environments, and events. Diffraction is a physical phenomenon concerning how the waves of water, electricity, and light move, overlap, and spread in ever changing directions when encountering obstructions. The research is based on thinking, talking, and wondering with glowing events after shadowing director Maria in the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) center Dandelion. As an encountering thought, a glowing event is challenging our beliefs and basis for discussion on how leadership is both smoothing and striating the space, sometimes creating turning points. The event is glowing as an example of leadership production affecting relations and well-being.
Inter-rater and inter-device reliability of mechanical thresholds measurement with the Electronic von Frey Anaesthesiometer and the SMALGO in healthy cats
Authors: Adami Chiara , Lardone Elena , Monticelli Paolo
Published: November 2018

Objectives

The aim of this study was to compare the Electronic von Frey Anaesthesiometer (EVF) and the Small Animal ALGOmeter (SMALGO), used to measure sensory thresholds in 13 healthy cats at both the stifle and the lumbosacral joint, in terms of inter-rater and inter-device reliability.

Methods

Two independent observers carried out the sets of measurements in a randomised order, with a 45 min interval between them, in each cat. The inter-rater and inter-device reliability were evaluated by calculating the inter-rater correlation coefficient (ICC) for each pair of measurements. The Bland–Altman method was used as an additional tool to assess the level of agreement between the two algometers.

Results

The mean ± SD sensory thresholds measured with the EVF were 311 ± 116 g and 378 ± 178 g for the stifle and for the lumbosacral junction, respectively, whereas those measured with the SMALGO were 391 ±172 g and 476 ± 172 g. The inter-rater reliability was fair (ICC >0.4) for each pair of measurements except those taken at the level of the stifle with the SMALGO, for which the level of agreement between observers A and B was poor (ICC = 0.01). The inter-device reliability was good (ICC = 0.73; P = 0.001). The repetition of the measurements affected reliability, as the thresholds obtained after the 45 min break were consistently lower than those measured during the first part of the trial ( P = 0.02).

Conclusions and relevance

The EVF and the SMALGO may be used interchangeably in cats, especially when the area to be tested is the lumbosacral joint. However, when the thresholds are measured at the stifle, the inter-observer reliability is better with the EVF than with the SMALGO. The reliability decreases when the measurements are repeated within a short time interval, suggesting a limited clinical applicability of quantitative sensory testing with both algometers in cats.
Vaccination Guidelines for Patients With Immune-Mediated Disorders on Immunosuppressive Therapies
Authors: Papp Kim A. , Haraoui Boulos , Kumar Deepali , Marshall John K. , Bissonnette Robert , Bitton Alain , Bressler Brian , Gooderham Melinda , Ho Vincent , Jamal Shahin , Pope Janet E. , Steinhart A. Hillary , Vinh Donald C. , Wade John
Published: November 2018

Background:

Patients with immune-mediated diseases on immunosuppressive therapies have more infectious episodes than healthy individuals, yet vaccination practices by physicians for this patient population remain suboptimal.

Objectives:

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of vaccines in individuals exposed to immunosuppressive therapies and provide evidence-based clinical practice recommendations.

Methods:

A literature search for vaccination safety and efficacy in patients on immunosuppressive therapies (2009-2017) was conducted. Results were assessed using the Grading of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system.

Results:

Several immunosuppressive therapies attenuate vaccine response. Thus, vaccines should be administered before treatment whenever feasible. Inactivated vaccines can be administered without treatment discontinuation. Similarly, evidence suggests that the live zoster vaccine is safe and effective while on select immunosuppressive therapy, although use of the subunit vaccine is preferred. Caution regarding other live vaccines is warranted. Drug pharmacokinetics, duration of vaccine-induced viremia, and immune response kinetics should be considered to determine appropriate timing of vaccination and treatment (re)initiation. Infants exposed to immunosuppressive therapies through breastmilk can usually be immunized according to local guidelines. Intrauterine exposure to immunosuppressive agents is not a contraindication for inactivated vaccines. Live attenuated vaccines scheduled for infants and children ⩾12 months of age, including measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella, can be safely administered as sufficient time has elapsed for drug clearance.

Conclusions:

Immunosuppressive agents may attenuate vaccine responses, but protective benefit is generally maintained. While these recommendations are evidence based, they do not replace clinical judgment, and decisions regarding vaccination must carefully assess the risks, benefits, and circumstances of individual patients.
Contextualizing privilege and disadvantage: Lessons from women expatriates in the Middle East
Authors: Rodriguez Jenny K. , Ridgway Maranda
Published: November 2018

This article explores how the simultaneity of privilege and disadvantage shapes the experiences of women expatriates in the Middle East. The article problematizes the simultaneity of being an elite group (e.g. expatriates) and a disadvantaged group (e.g. women) within the context of Gulf Cooperation Council countries. Drawing on the literature about women and work expatriation, the article analyses the narratives of women expatriates to highlight the complexity and multidimensionality of their experiences, positioning the discussion within the framework of gendered institutions. The article concludes that privilege and disadvantage are inseparable to the way the experiences of women expatriates unfold in the Middle East, and that institutional settings articulate this inseparability in order to regulate and help to maintain the gender social order. The article contributes a nuanced understanding of the experiences of women expatriates, challenging dominant views that present this group as generally privileged by virtue of their skilled and mobile status.
Understanding, attitudes and dehumanisation towards autistic people
Authors: Cage Eilidh , Di Monaco Jessica , Newell Victoria
Published: November 2018

Research suggests that while individuals may self-report positive attitudes towards autism, dehumanising attitudes (seeing another as less than human) may still prevail. This study investigated knowledge, openness and dehumanising attitudes of non-autistic people towards autistic people. A total of 361 participants completed a survey measuring autism openness, knowledge and experience, along with a measure of dehumanisation. Results showed that knowledge of autism was comparable to past research and females were more open towards autism. Findings also indicated evidence for dehumanisation, with a particular denial of ‘human uniqueness’ traits. Furthermore, dehumanisation was related to openness towards autism. These findings have implications for targeting attitudes to reduce stigma associated with autism.
The ballad of Leah and Amanda: Ritual and history at the wedding of a Jewish lesbian couple in Melbourne, Australia
Authors: Silverstein Jordana
Published: November 2018

At the beginning of 2014, Leah and Amanda became one of the first pairs of Jewish lesbians to have a Jewish wedding in Melbourne, Australia. Held in a secular reception venue and officiated by a Reform rabbi, this ceremony was a Jewish religious ceremony that had no relationship to the Australian state. In this ceremonial search for a ritual that would be true to themselves, would express their love, and would engage with communal and familial cultures and histories, dominant discourses of both Jewish and Australian weddings were simultaneously challenged and reinforced.

In this article, utilizing oral history methodologies, I will explore some of the ways that Leah and Amanda articulated and enacted their relationships, histories and futures. In particular, I suggest that their utterances make visible the production of historically specific iterations of normativity. Through an exploration of this intimate relationship, this article thus works to come to an understanding of some of the ways in which Australian Jewish lesbian practices and ideas of assimilation, normativity and difference, come to exist. How can these relationships be both normative and transgressive, as lesbian relationships and as Jewish ones? By inquiring into the Jewish character, as well as the lesbian character, of this wedding and this intimate relationship between these two women, this article proposes an intervention into historical understandings of homonormativity.
Documentation of breakthrough pain in narrative clinical records of children with life-limiting conditions: Feasibility of a retrospective review
Authors: Oostendorp Linda JM , Rajapakse Dilini , Kelly Paula , Crocker Joanna , Dinsdale Andrew , Fraser Lorna , Bluebond-Langner Myra
Published: November 2018

This study explored the feasibility of generating reliable information on the frequency, nature and management of breakthrough pain (BTP) in children with life-limiting conditions and life-threatening illnesses (LTIs) from narrative clinical records. In the absence of standardized ways for documenting BTP, we conducted a consensus exercise to develop a glossary of terms that could denote BTP in the records. Thirteen clinicians who contributed to the records reached consensus on 45 terms which could denote BTP, while emphasizing the importance of contextual information. The results of this approach together with guidance for improving the reliability of retrospective reviews informed a data extraction instrument. A pilot test of this instrument showed poor agreement between raters. Given the challenges encountered, we do not recommend a retrospective review of BTP using narrative records. This study highlighted challenges of data extraction for complex symptoms such as BTP from narrative clinical records. For both clinical and research purposes, the recording of complex symptoms such as BTP would benefit from clear criteria for applying definitions, a more structured format and the inclusion of validated assessment tools. This study also showed the value of consensus exercises in improving understanding and interpretation of clinical notes within a service.
Tracking the chaotic behaviour of fractional-order Chua’s system by Mexican hat wavelet-based artificial neural network
Authors: Khan Najeeb A , Hameed Tooba , Razzaq Oyoon A , Ayaz Muhammad
Published: November 2018

In this paper, a process is devised systematically to scrutinize the scrolling chaotic behaviour of fractional-order Chua's system. The process is composed of fractional Laplace transformation, artificial neural network with Mexican hat wavelet as an activation function and simulated annealing. Sequentially, the parametric expansion of fractional Laplace transform is employed to convert the governing fractional system into an ordinary differential system. Next, artificial neural network and simulated annealing approximate and optimize the attained system and produce accurate solutions. The predictability and elaboration of double scrolling chaotic structures of fractional-order Chua's system are also studied using the Lyapunov exponent and fifth–fourth Runge–Kutta method. Moreover, the mean absolute error and root mean square error are measured for the convergence analysis of the proposed scheme. On the whole, the accurate approximate solutions, the phase plots of Lyapunov exponent spectrum and bifurcation maps of the dynamical evolution of fractional Chua's system are a triumph of this endeavour.
Just like us, but Jewish: Jewishness, ethnicity, class affinity and transnationality in Lima
Authors: Yalonetzky Romina
Published: November 2018

Small Jewish, Latin-American communities have been commonly overlooked by the fields of Latin-American Studies and Jewish Studies. They, however, provide valuable sources for the study of ethnicity, religion, multiculturalism, national and transnational experience in Latin America. The article examines Jewish life in Lima (Peru) from the second half of the twentieth century to the first decade of the twenty-first century. It presents the case of a small, Latin-American, Jewish organized community and sheds light on the forms in which the reconfiguration of social classes in Peru, changes within the Catholic Church, the creation of a Jewish nation-state in Israel and the change in status of American Jewry have shaped this minority. While trying to establish how Jewishness and Peruvian-ness are negotiated in this context, the article addresses the process of social insertion of Limeño Jews, an otherwise diasporic, ethnic and religious group, into the upper-middle class as one of the main features of the ‘Jewish version of Lima’.