bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Susceptibility-weighted imaging in post-treatment evaluation in the early stage in patients with acute ischemic stroke
Authors: Liang Jia , Gao Peiyi , Lin Yan , Song Ligang , Qin Haiqiang , Sui Binbin
Published: September 2018

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the association between abnormal signs on susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) and post-treatment outcome in the early stage in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Methods

Thirty-seven patients with middle cerebral artery territory infarction were recruited. Baseline and 24-hour follow-up magnetic resonance imaging was performed. Pre- and 24-hour post-treatment clinical conditions were assessed with the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score. Prominent vessel sign (PVS) on SWI and infarcted areas on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) were assessed using the Alberta Stroke Program Early CT (ASPECT) score system. Susceptibility vessel sign (SVS) was evaluated and recorded. The associations between image abnormalities and clinical scores were analyzed.

Results

PVS was found in 35 patients and SVS in seven patients. The extent of PVS was significantly correlated with the post-treatment DWI ASPECT score (r = 0.79), but not with the post-treatment NIHSS score or the post−pre NIHSS difference score. The presence of SVS was significantly correlated with the post-treatment NIHSS score (r = 0.41).

Conclusion

PVS might be a useful predictor of early imaging prognosis and infarct growth in patients with acute ischemic stroke. SVS is related to a poor early outcome and could be useful for assessing stroke.
Information Communication Technologies and Intimate Partner Violence in China
Authors: Xue Jia , Lin Kai , Sun Ivan Y. , Liu Jianhong
Published: September 2018

Although a substantial number of studies have investigated factors that influenced intimate partner violence (IPV), very few have assessed the connection between the use of information and communication technology (ICT) and such violence. Using survey data collected from over 400 women in a large Chinese city, this study explored how the involvement of various ICT-related activities affects Chinese women’s experiences with psychological, physical, and sexual abuse. We found that some forms of media usage and online activities, such as times spent on paper books and Internet and browsing entertainment and sports news as well as watching movies and TVs online, were linked to a higher or lower likelihood of being a victim of IPV. Feelings of loneliness and helplessness were associated with more IPV victimization experiences. Married women were less likely to experience IPV, whereas working women were subject to greater IPV.
Environmental Benefits of Cold-in-Place Recycling
Authors: Pakes Angela , Edil Tuncer , Sanger Morgan , Olley Renee , Klink Tyler
Published: September 2018

The conventional highway resurfacing technique of mill and overlay (M&O) partially removes the existing pavement and replaces it with asphalt derived from some recycled but mostly virgin materials. Cold-in-place recycling (CIR) is an alternative highway resurfacing method that partially mills the existing pavement and uses it beneath a thinner layer of new asphalt. CIR has become widely used for convenience and cost benefits, but the environmental impacts are poorly quantified. The objective of this study was to quantify the environmental life cycle benefits of using CIR for highway resurfacing instead of M&O. Material quantities and equipment used for CIR and what would have been used in M&O for the same project were provided by contractors for nine highway resurfacing projects in Wisconsin. With this information, a life cycle assessment (LCA) tool was used to determine the relative environmental impacts of the two methods, with energy consumption, water usage, and carbon dioxide emissions chosen as the metrics of the LCA. Results show average environmental savings of 23% in energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions and 20% in water consumption when using CIR instead of M&O for highway resurfacing. Additionally, CIR reduced virgin aggregate consumption by 37%. Environmental savings achieved by using CIR were found to be directly related to the reduction in volume of new hot mix asphalt (HMA) used, and to the reduction in transportation of materials to and from the site. Linear correlations that can be used to estimate savings of future CIR projects were projected.
Trip Energy Estimation Methodology and Model Based on Real-World Driving Data for Green-Routing Applications
Authors: Holden Jacob , Van Til Harrison , Wood Eric , Zhu Lei , Gonder Jeffrey , Shirk Matthew
Published: September 2018

A data-informed model to predict energy use for a proposed vehicle trip has been developed in this paper. The methodology leverages roughly one million miles of real-world driving data to generate the estimation model. Driving is categorized at the sub-trip level by average speed, road gradient, and road network geometry, then aggregated by category. An average energy consumption rate is determined for each category, creating an energy rate look-up table. Proposed vehicle trips are then categorized in the same manner, and estimated energy rates are appended from the look-up table. The methodology is robust and applicable to a wide range of driving data. The model has been trained on vehicle travel profiles from the Transportation Secure Data Center at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and validated against on-road fuel consumption data from testing in Phoenix, Arizona. When compared against the detailed on-road conventional vehicle fuel consumption test data, the energy estimation model accurately predicted which route would consume less fuel over a dozen different tests. When compared against a larger set of real-world origin–destination pairs, it is estimated that implementing the present methodology should accurately select the route that consumes the least fuel 90% of the time. The model results can be used to inform control strategies in routing tools, such as change in departure time, alternate routing, and alternate destinations to reduce energy consumption. This work provides a highly extensible framework that allows the model to be tuned to a specific driver or vehicle type.
Conference Proceedings: Dairy Nutrition, An Engine for Economic Growth
Authors: Whitsett-Morrow Dacia
Published: September 2018

The U.S. Dairy Export Council’s Dairy for Global Nutrition Initiative hosted a conference titled, “Dairy Nutrition: An Engine for Economic Growth,” held on May 10 to 11, 2017, at the Boise Center in Boise, Idaho. Speakers explored the role of dairy products in mitigating malnutrition, stimulating local economies, and promoting better health, globally.
Dairy Sector Paves the Way to Inclusive Growth and Nutrition in Emerging Markets
Authors: Moses Gene
Published: September 2018

This manuscript is an opinion editorial, which summarizes the presentation given at the Dairy Nutrition: An Engine for Economic Growth conference.
Maximizing Recovery and Growth When Treating Moderate Acute Malnutrition with Whey-Containing Supplements
Authors: Stobaugh Heather
Published: September 2018

Background:

Much debate exists about the utility of dairy ingredients in the supplementary foods used to treat childhood moderate acute malnutrition (MAM).

Objective:

To review the evidence regarding the effectiveness of dairy-containing supplements, particularly specially formulated foods containing whey permeate and whey protein concentrate, in treating children with MAM.

Methods:

A summary of a conference presentation regarding an overview of current evidence behind the use of whey in supplementary foods, including results of a randomized double-blinded clinical effectiveness trial involving 2259 Malawian children treated for MAM using either a soy ready-to-use supplementary food (RUSF) or a novel whey RUSF treatment.

Results:

While the majority of the evidence base only suggests potential benefits of including whey in supplementary foods to treat MAM, a recent study specifically demonstrates that a whey RUSF produced superior recovery and growth outcomes in treating children with MAM when compared with a soy RUSF.

Conclusions:

The use of whey ingredients has been shown to improve outcomes in the treatment of MAM; however, further research is needed to identify the ideal amount and type of dairy protein required to produce the best outcomes for the lowest cost.
Mapping Nutrition Interventions, a Key Analytical Tool for Informing the Multisectoral Planning Process: Example From Burkina Faso
Authors: Doudou Maimouna Halidou , Ouedraogo Ousmane , Ouaro Bertine , Bidault Nicolas , Reinhardt Kristina
Published: September 2018

Background:

The government of Burkina Faso, along with the United Nations Network for Nutrition (UNN), activity REACH (Renewed Efforts Against Child Hunger and undernutrition) partnership, conducted a mapping of nutrition interventions and stakeholders to identify the best approaches for scaling up priority nutrition interventions and to strengthen a multisectoral response to fight malnutrition.

Objective:

The objectives include describing the process used to map a set of country-prioritized nutrition interventions and to describe how the results contributed to the multisectoral nutrition planning process in Burkina Faso.

Methods:

The mapping exercise was designed as a cross-sectional study using the Excel-based Scaling Up Nutrition Planning and Monitoring Tool (SUN PMT) to collect, store, and analyze data.

Results:

The results present different analyses produced by the SUN PMT for 29 prioritized nutrition interventions. The analyses include the distribution of nutrition stakeholders for each intervention, the calculation of geographic and population coverage for each intervention, and the utilization of delivery mechanisms to reach beneficiaries.

Conclusions:

The mapping of key nutrition interventions and stakeholders supporting those interventions in Burkina Faso was an important tool in the multisectoral planning process. The exercise made it possible to identify gaps and needs; launch a discussion on nutrition planning and the scaling up of interventions; and mobilize sectors and development partners around nutrition.
Useful Tools for Food Aid: Linear Programming and Protein Quality Tools
Authors: Callaghan-Gillespie Meghan , Mui Melody
Published: September 2018

The development of a superior treatment option for severe acute malnutrition (SAM) which allowed for home-based therapy put in place constraints that are crucial for ensuring the feasibility and nutritional integrity of the treatment. Soon after the initial success of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), there were attempts to modify the formulation for cost and other areas of acceptability. While alternative formulations have been taken on in clinical trials, they have been inferior to the standard RUTF recipe. Linear programming (LP) technology, however, has streamlined the formulation process allowing the user to account for the crucial constraints required to maintain the feasibility and nutritional integrity of standard RUTF. With the aid of an LP tool and other functional tools for assessing nutrient quality, nutrition researchers can use innovative approaches in food development that could potentially revolutionize food aid products.
Commodities as Products of Capital: A Reply to Skillman’s Review of Money and Totality
Authors: Moseley Fred
Published: September 2018

This paper responds to the most important criticism in Skillman’s review of my book Money and Totality: A Macro-Monetary Interpretation of Marx’s Logic in Capital—that I misinterpret the fundamental concept of the “value” of commodities in Marx’s theory in Volume 1 of Capital. My reply emphasizes the difference between “simple commodities” and “commodities as products of capital.” I argue that Marx’s theory of value is about the value of commodities produced by capital, which is the macroeconomic total price of all commodities, and which is equal to the sum of the actual constant capital advanced at the beginning of the circuit of money capital and the new-value produced by labor of the current period ( P = C + N = C + m Lc).

JEL Classification: B51; B14
Being Done: Why People Leave the Church, But Not Their Faith
Authors: Packard Josh , Ferguson Todd W.
Published: September 2018

Institutionally organized religious life in the United State is undergoing a dramatic transformation. While individual beliefs and practices remain relatively stable, institutional affiliation and participation has declined dramatically. In this article, we explore the religious “Dones”—those who have disaffiliated with their religious congregations but, unlike the Nones, continue to associate with a religious tradition. Drawing on a unique dataset of 100 in-depth interviews with self-identified Christians, we explain the “push” and “pull” factors that lead a person to intentionally leave their congregations. We find that a bureaucratic structure and a narrow focus on certain moral proscriptions can drive people away, while the prospect of forming more meaningful relationships and the opportunities to actively participate in social justice issues draw people out. From these factors, we show that an “iron cage of congregations” exists that is ill-suited to respond to a world where religious life is increasingly permeable as people enact their spirituality outside traditional religious organizations. We conclude by questioning whether the spiritual lives of the Dones are ultimately sustainable without institutional support.
Organizational Citizenship Behavior in the Public and Private Sectors: A Multilevel Test of Public Service Motivation and Traditional Antecedents
Authors: Ingrams Alex
Published: September 2018

Scholarly knowledge of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) has developed significantly in the private and public sectors. However, comparisons between sectors have not been advanced. This article aims to address the gap with hierarchical linear modeling of OCB antecedents across sectors, accounting for individual- and sector-level differences. The results show a significant association between public service motivation (PSM) and OCB, as well as several other central correlates of OCB in the public sector: goal clarity, job satisfaction, and leader–member exchange (LMX). In addition, although there are marginally higher levels of OCB in the public sector, the interaction effect of sector and PSM is not significant. This finding suggests the effect of PSM on OCB is important across sectors rather than solely being a function of public sector employment.
Improving access to health services in Canada
Authors: Urbach David R.
Published: September 2018

The Commonwealth Fund 2017 report ranked Canada’s healthcare system low in access to care and last among all 11 counties studied in terms of timeliness of care. While long wait times for certain elective surgical procedures appear to be emblematic of Canadian Medicare, they are not inevitable. Wait times could be improved by focusing on public awareness and measurement of wait times and improving the appropriateness, efficiency (eg, with implementation of single-entry models for surgical referrals and greater use of ambulatory surgery), and productivity of surgical care (eg, by activity-based funding for surgical procedures and by reducing the cost of perioperative care). Ideas on how physician leaders can build on recent accomplishments are provided.
Family Dynamics and Young Adults’ Well-Being: The Mediating Role of Sibling Bullying
Authors: Plamondon Andréanne , Bouchard Geneviève , Lachance-Grzela Mylène
Published: September 2018

Although a common form of family violence, sibling bullying is often viewed as harmless by families and society. Consequently, it has not received as much attention in research compared with peer bullying or other types of family violence, such as interpartner violence, child abuse, and elder abuse. Considering that sibling relationships have lasting effects on children’s development, this retrospective study focused on the antecedents and outcomes of sibling bullying. Grounded in family system theory and social learning theory, it explored whether sibling bullying during childhood and adolescence mediated the relationship between negative family dynamics (i.e., sibling rivalry, interparental hostility, and parental hostility) and young adults’ well-being (i.e., sense of competence, internalized problems, self-esteem, and satisfaction with life). Data from 216 respondents were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results revealed that young adults who reported higher levels of sibling rivalry and interparental hostility were more likely to be victims of sibling bullying. In turn, sibling bullying was associated with lower sense of competence, self-esteem, and life satisfaction, as well as more internalized problems. Parents’ hostile behaviors toward their children were not associated with sibling bullying but were negatively associated with well-being in early adulthood. Our work underlines the importance of harmonious family dynamics and the need for sibling bullying to be taken more seriously by parents and family members. From a clinical point of view, our findings suggest that clinicians and human service workers should adopt a family-level approach when trying to reduce sibling bullying and its negative outcomes by educating parents about the interdependence of family relationships.
Mock Jurors’ Perceptions of Sexual Assault on a University Campus
Authors: Pica Emily , Sheahan Chelsea L. , Pozzulo Joanna
Published: September 2018

The purpose of this study was to examine how defendant gender, victim gender, location of sexual assault (professor’s office vs. fraternity party), and whether the defendant was intoxicated influenced mock jurors’ decisions in a sexual assault case. Mock jurors ( N = 503) read a mock trial transcript depicting an alleged sexual assault and were asked to render a dichotomous verdict, continuous guilt rating, and rate their perceptions of the victim and defendant. There was no influence on mock jurors’ dichotomous verdicts. However, the presence of intoxication did influence continuous guilt ratings; intoxicated defendants elicited higher guilt ratings compared to sober defendants. Whether the defendant was intoxicated and the location of the crime were found to impact mock jurors’ perceptions of the defendant (e.g., believability, credibility); whereas the gender of the defendant affected the perceived control the defendant had over the situation. Victim gender was found to impact mock jurors perceptions of the victim, such that female victims were perceived more favorably than male victims; this may support the idea that male victims of sexual assault are generally perceived more negatively than female victims. These results, and more, are discussed in terms of the current study and the larger implications.
Fire-resistant hydrophobic nanocoated composite partition sheets
Authors: Bavithran BG , Nagarajan VA , Vinod Kumar KP
Published: September 2018

Composite partition sheets were prepared by vacuum infusion process using noncombustible glass fiber and waste nylon along with polyester matrix. The waste nylon materials obtained in the form of discarded fishing nets were reinforced in sheets with T90° orientation. They were then coated using two types of fumed silica nanopowders mixed in polyester resin. Two types of coated and corresponding bare hybrid composite samples were examined for their various properties. Appreciable values for mechanical properties were obtained for all the hybrid sheets which are more pronounced for the nanocoated sheets. Furthermore, horizontal flammability tests proved that the fumed silica-coated sheets have better flame-retardant characteristics. With constant heat flux of 50 W/m2, the specimens were investigated for the peak heat release rate (HRR) and fire reaction properties like total oxygen consumed, average specific mass loss rate, total smoke release, and average HRR which gave good results for the nanocoated sheets. Moreover, water-absorbing properties of the hybrid sheets were generally less and it was better in the case of hydrophobic fumed silica-coated samples. These low cost and less weight composite sheets were successfully developed and the results obtained were encouraging, which can be used as partition sheets in the construction of affordable buildings.
Effect of the inter-car gap length on the aerodynamic characteristics of a high-speed train
Authors: Li Tian , Li Ming , Wang Zheng , Zhang Jiye
Published: September 2018

In wind tunnel experiments, the inter-car gaps are designed in such a way as to separate the force measurements for each car and prevent the interference between cars during tests. Moreover, the inter-car gap has a significant effect on the aerodynamic drag of a train. In order to guide the design of the inter-car gaps between cars in wind tunnel experiments, the impact of the inter-car gap length on the aerodynamic characteristics of a 1/8th scale high-speed train is investigated using computational fluid dynamics. The shear stress transport k-ω model is used to simulate the flow around a high-speed train. The aerodynamic characteristics of the train with 10 different inter-car gap lengths are numerically simulated and compared. The 10 different inter-car gap lengths are 5, 8, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, and 80 mm. Results indicate that the aerodynamic drag coefficients obtained using computational fluid dynamics fit the experimental data well. Rapid pressure variations appear in the upper and lower parts of the inter-car gaps. With the increase of the inter-car gap length, the drag force coefficient of the head car gradually increases. The total drag force coefficients of the trains with the inter-car gap length less than 10 mm are practically equal to those of the trains without inter-car gaps. Therefore, it can be concluded from the present study that 10 mm is recommended as the inter-car gap length for the 1/8th scale high-speed train models in wind tunnel experiments.
Efficacy of sinecatechins 10% as proactive sequential therapy of external genital warts after laser CO2 ablative therapy: The PACT study (post-ablation immunomodulator treatment of condylomata with sinecatechins): a randomized, masked outcome assessment, multicenter trial
Authors: Puviani Mario , Galluzzo Marco , Talamonti Marina , Mazzilli Sara , Campione Elena , Bianchi Luca , Milani Massimo , Luppino Ivano , Micali Giuseppe
Published: September 2018

External genital warts (EGW) are the most common viral sexually transmitted infection. Ablative treatments like cryotherapy, curettage, and CO2 laser therapies offer rapid onset of effect, fast clearance, and reduction of virus load. However, these procedures are associated with high recurrence rates (RRs) ranging from 20% to 77% in the short and medium terms and do not provide sustained clearance. After laser therapy removal of EGW, an RR up to 77% has been reported. Topical sinecatechins (TS) 10% is a patient-applied regimen for the treatment of EGW with a low RR (<6.5%) at three months after completion of the therapy in the pivotal trials conducted so far. Sinecatechins can be considered a suitable proactive sequential therapy (PST) after ablative strategies to obtain a low RR. So far, no prospective data are available regarding the efficacy of sinecatechins 10% as PST. We evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of TS 10% ointment applied twice daily in subjects with “difficult to treat” EGW after CO2 laser ablative treatment in a prospective controlled trial. A total of 87 subjects (76 men and 11 women; mean age 42 years) were enrolled in this three-month masked outcome assessment parallel group trial with imbalanced randomization allocation (2:1). One week after a successful CO2 laser treatment, 60 subjects were randomized to TS 10% treatment and 27 subjects to no treatment (control group: ConTRol (CTR); no sequential therapy). All patients had a history of an average of 4.5 previous ablative treatments in the last 12 months due to recurrent EGW. Mean (standard deviation) baseline number of treated lesions was 6.5 (2.7). One subject in the TS arm dropped out due to burning sensation after the application of the product. Therefore, 86 subjects completed the study. After three months, in the TS group, three subjects presented new EGW lesions (RR: 5%) on treated sites. In the CTR group, eight subjects presented new EGW lesions (RR: 29%) on treated sites (p = 0.0024; odds ratio: 0.16; 95% confidence interval: 0.04–0.68). In the TS group, 34 subjects (56%) reported mild to moderate erythema or burning sensation at the application site. In this prospective multicenter trial, the use of TS 10% as PST after ablative treatment with CO2 laser was associated with a lower recurrence rate of new EGW lesions in the short term in comparison with the control group. Comparative larger trials are warranted to evaluate the role of this approach as PST (Trial Registration Number: ISRCTN44037479).
Correlates of HIV prevalence among female sex workers in four north and east Indian states: findings of a national bio-behavioural survey
Authors: Misra Gunjika , Sahu Damodar , Reddy Umenthala S , Nair Saritha
Published: September 2018

The socio-demographic, sex work characteristics and the factors affecting HIV prevalence among female sex workers (FSWs) are not well known in low prevalence states showing rising trends within the HIV epidemic. This paper studies these attributes among FSWs in three north (Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh) and one east Indian states (Jharkhand). Integrated Biological and Behavioural Surveillance (IBBS) data, collected from 4491 FSWs in the study states, were analysed, with HIV status as the dependent variable and several socio-demographic, sex work, knowledge and agency characteristics as independent variables. Multivariate analysis found a number of factors such as age above 25 years (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 5.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4–18.1), client solicitation in rented rooms (AOR 2.8, 95% CI 1.2–6.4) and the use of mobile phones for client solicitation (AOR 5.1, 95% CI 1.6–16.0) to be significantly associated with HIV risk. The study found low levels of HIV programme services uptake and HIV/AIDS knowledge among FSWs in the study states. There is an urgent need to focus on these risk factors for improving the effectiveness of the ongoing HIV prevention efforts and attaining the ‘Sustainable Development Goals’ goal of ‘Ending the AIDS epidemic’ by 2030.
Development of a multiplex real-time PCR assay using two thermocycling platforms for detection of major bacterial pathogens associated with bovine respiratory disease complex from clinical samples
Authors: Loy John D. , Leger Laura , Workman Aspen M. , Clawson Michael L. , Bulut Ece , Wang Bing
Published: September 2018

Bovine respiratory disease complex (BRDC) is one of the most significant diseases of cattle. Bacterial pathogens involved in BRDC include Mannheimia haemolytica, Mycoplasma bovis, Histophilus somni, and Pasteurella multocida. We developed and evaluated a multiplexed real-time hydrolysis probe (rtPCR) assay using block-based Peltier and rotary-based thermocycling on lung tissue, nasal swabs, and deep nasopharyngeal swabs. The rtPCR results were compared to culture or a gel-based M. bovis PCR using statistical analysis to determine optimum quantification cycle (Cq) cutoffs to maximize agreement. The limits of detection were 1.2–12 CFU/reaction for each pathogen. M. haemolytica was the most prevalent organism detected by rtPCR, and was most frequently found with P. multocida. The rtPCR assay enabled enhanced levels of detection over culture for all pathogens on both thermocycling platforms. The rotary-based thermocycler had significantly lower Cq cutoffs (35.2 vs. 39.7), which maximized agreement with gold standard culture or gel-based PCR results following receiver operating characteristic analysis to maximize sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp). However, overall assay Se and Sp were similar on both platforms (80.5% Se, 88.8% Sp vs. 80.1% Se, 88.3% Sp). Implementation of these tests could enhance the detection of these pathogens, and with high-throughput workflows could reduce assay time and provide more rapid results. The assays may be especially valuable in identifying coinfections, given that many more antemortem samples tested in our study were positive for 2 or more pathogens by rtPCR ( n = 125) than were detected using culture alone ( n = 25).
Node-dependent kinematic elements for the dynamic analysis of beams with piezo-patches
Authors: Zappino Enrico , Li Guohong , Carrera Erasmo
Published: September 2018

This article extends the use of one-dimensional elements with node-dependent kinematics to the dynamic analysis of beam structures with piezo-patches. Node-dependent kinematics allows the kinematic assumptions to be defined individually on each finite element node, leading to finite element models with variable nodal kinematics. Derived from Carrera unified formulation, node-dependent kinematics facilitates the mathematical refinement to an arbitrary order at any desirable region on the nodal level while keeping the compactness of the formulation. As an ideal approach to simulate structures with special local features, node-dependent kinematics has been employed to model piezo-patches in static cases. In this work, the application of node-dependent beam elements in dynamic problems is demonstrated. Node-dependent kinematics is applied to increase the numerical accuracy in the areas where the piezo-patches lie in through sufficiently refined models, while lower order assumptions are used elsewhere. The dissimilar constitutive relations of neighboring components are appropriately considered with layer-wise models. Both open- and short-circuit conditions are considered. The results are compared against those from literature. The numerical study shows that the adoption of node-dependent kinematics allows accurate results to be obtained at reduced computational costs.
Conjugate unscented transformation–based uncertainty analysis of energy harvesters
Authors: Nanda Aditya , Singla Puneet , Karami M Amin
Published: September 2018

This article presents a probabilistic approach to investigate the effect of parametric uncertainties on the mean power, tip deflection, and tip velocity of linear and nonlinear energy harvesting systems. Recently developed conjugate unscented transformation algorithm is used to compute the statistical moments of the output variables with multidimensional Gaussian uncertainty in parameters. The principle of maximum entropy is used to construct the probability density function of output variables from the knowledge of obtained statistical moments. The probability density functions for mean power were significantly complicated in shape with two and three distinct peaks for the nonlinear monostable and nonlinear bistable harvesters, respectively. Monte-Carlo simulations with N = 8 × 104 samples for monostable harvester and N = 6.5 × 104 samples for bistable harvester were used for validating the probability density functions. It is concluded that conjugate unscented transformation methodology affords a significant computational advantage without compromising accuracy. In addition, using conjugate unscented transformation method, we show that the dependence of mean power on parameters (excitation frequency, excitation amplitude, etc.), when multidimensional uncertainties are present, is decidedly different relative to a purely deterministic trend. The discrepancy in predicted power between the deterministic and uncertain trends for the monostable harvester, for instance, reach a maximum of 100%, 234%, and 110% for base frequency, base acceleration, and magnet gap, respectively. The deterministic trend consistently overestimates the harvested power relative to the uncertain trends. This work, therefore, may have applications in evaluating “worst case scenario” for harvested power. The major advantage of the presented methodology relative to extant techniques in energy harvesting literature is the accurate and computationally effective applicability to multidimensional uncertainty in parameters.
Training to Improve Communication Quality: An Efficient Interdisciplinary Experience for Emergency Department Clinicians
Authors: Aaronson Emily L. , White Benjamin A. , Black Lauren , Brown David F. , Benzer Theodore , Castagna Allison , Raja Ali S. , Sonis Jonathan , Mort Elizabeth
Published: September 2018

Patient–provider communication has been recognized as a critical area of focus for improved health care quality, with a mounting body of evidence tying patient satisfaction and provider communication to important health care outcomes. Despite this, few programs have been studied in the emergency department (ED) setting. The authors designed a communication curriculum and conducted trainings for all ED clinical staff. Although only 72% of clinicians believed the course would be a valuable use of their time before taking it, 97% reported that it was a valuable use of their time after ( P < .001). Pre-course self-evaluation of knowledge, skill, and ability were high. Despite this, post-course self-efficacy improved statistically significantly. This study suggests that it is possible, in a brief training session, to deliver communication content that participants felt was relevant to their practice, improved their skills and knowledge, changed their attitude, and was perceived to be a valuable use of their time.
Place, Injury Patterns, and Female-Victim Intimate Partner Homicide
Authors: Reckdenwald Amy , Szalewski Alec , Yohros Alexis
Published: September 2018

Research demonstrates place matters in the study of intimate partner violence (IPV) and intimate partner homicide (IPH) with rural women experiencing more severe IPV and a higher risk of IPH. In addition, research points to variations in injury patterns with intimates characterized by more wounds and facial injuries. Little is known whether injury for female IPH victims differs across place; however, research suggests that abuse is a product of a larger social context. Using data from the National Violent Death Reporting System, results indicate that some variations exist based on degree of urbanicity of the county in which the IPH occurred.
Evaluation of Educational Material to Improve Communication Between Nursing Assistants and District Nurses About Patients With Cognitive Impairment and Dementia: A Pilot Study
Authors: Saleh Stattin Nouha , Haapaniemi Leila , Södergren Marita , Törnkvist Lena
Published: September 2018

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of educational material to improve knowledge about cognitive impairment and dementia and communication between district nurses (DNs) and nursing assistants (NAs). Questionnaires were administered before and 4 months after the intervention in Stockholm, Sweden. Total number of subjects included were 12 DNs and 72 NAs. The DNs provided education for the NAs on dementia and how to communicate with the DNs. NAs’ understanding of what they should report to DNs improved as did their perceived communication with the DNs but they still did not report more than before the intervention, and exchange of information and feedback did not improve. DNs thought communication with the NAs did not work well. Participants experienced the educational materials as positive.
Safety Assessment of PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate as Used in Cosmetics
Authors: Johnson Wilbur , Bergfeld Wilma F. , Belsito Donald V. , Hill Ronald A. , Klaassen Curtis D. , Liebler Daniel C. , Marks James G. , Shank Ronald C. , Slaga Thomas J. , Snyder Paul W. , Andersen F. Alan , Heldreth Bart
Published: September 2018

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel (Panel) reviewed the safety of polyethylene glycol (PEG)-150 pentaerythrityl tetrastearate, which functions as a viscosity-increasing agent-aqueous in cosmetic products and is being used at concentrations up to 5%. Given the chemical structure (large molecule), skin penetration is not likely. The available toxicity data and the low ingredient use concentrations suggest that systemic toxicity would not be likely even if percutaneous absorption were to occur. Additionally, the negative human repeated insult patch test data on the undiluted ingredient were deemed sufficient for evaluating skin irritation and sensitization potential. The Panel concluded that PEG-150 pentaerythrityl tetrastearate is safe in cosmetics in the present practices of use and concentration described in this safety assessment.
Insufficient Effort Responding as a Partial Function of Implicit Aggression
Authors: DeSimone Justin A. , Davison H. Kristl , Schoen Jeremy L. , Bing Mark N.
Published: September 2018

In recent years, researchers have devoted greater attention to insufficient effort responding (IER), in which participants fail to attend to instructions, do not read item content carefully, or intentionally engage in random responding. While IER is typically considered a purely methodological concern, recent research has begun to examine whether it also has a substantive basis (e.g., personality). Here we extend the nomological network surrounding IER by examining the role of implicit aggression. In three studies, we demonstrate that higher levels of implicit aggression are indeed related to IER even after controlling for previously established correlates of IER. Furthermore, we also demonstrate that IER, as measured by the selection of illogical responses to Conditional Reasoning Tests of Aggression, can predict theoretically relevant behavioral criteria. The theoretical and practical implications of this work are discussed.
Estimating Subgroup Differences in Staffing Research When the Selection Mechanism Is Unknown: A Response to Li’s Case IV Correction
Authors: Fife Dustin A. , Mendoza Jorge , Day Eric , Terry Robert
Published: September 2018

When estimating subgroup differences on incumbents, range restriction may bias estimates. Bobko, Roth, and Bobko recognized this problem and developed a Case II and Case III correction for Cohen’s d. Subsequently, Li developed a Case IV correction, which seeks to estimate group differences on a predictor using only incumbent data but must assume that group membership (e.g., ethnicity) plays no role in selection decisions. In this paper, we extend Li’s correction and relax this assumption. In addition, this new correction allows for the estimation of subgroup differences on both the criterion and predictor. Using Monte Carlo simulation, we study the performance of both estimators under situations where Li’s assumptions are violated and demonstrate that this new procedure almost always outperforms Li’s Case IV correction and does so with greater precision. We also provide R code to assist applied researchers in using these corrections.
Using the once familiar to make the familiar strange once again: engaging with historical inquiry and autobiography in contemporary ethnographic research
Authors: Allan Alexandra
Published: September 2018

This article builds on Delamont’s strategies for fighting familiarity, particularly her argument that ethnographers need to revisit educational ethnographies of the past. (Delamont, Atkinson and Pugsley 2010) The article argues that wider historical accounts, from both inside and outside of education, can also cultivate the sociological imagination in this way. Inspired by feminist historical inquiry the author will demonstrate how she has used history (historical research and feminist autobiography) to make the ‘familiarity’ of contemporary girlhood ‘strange’. The article will draw on examples from the author’s own experience of interpreting and representing the lives and experiences of girls in elite educational settings, to show how this subject, which was once considered strange, can become all too familiar and thus prey to historical amnesia. An argument is made here for the need for strategies which help us fight familiarity in our interpretations and theorisations of the lives of those we study. The article suggests that historical accounts represent one way in which we can bring an openness and playfulness to this process, in order to question the self-evidence of what we see.
The metaphorical representation of depression in short, wordless animation films
Authors: Forceville Charles , Paling Sissy
Published: September 2018

Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) claims that human beings can only understand abstract, complex phenomena by metaphorizing them in terms of concrete, more basic phenomena – and do so systematically. Unsurprisingly, therefore, expressing a state of ‘depression’ often draws on metaphors. Such metaphors, however, are not necessarily verbal in nature. In this article, the authors analyse the metaphors used to communicate depression in nine short, wordless animation films. They conclude that these films feature two dominant metaphors: depression is a dark monster and depression is a dark confining space, proposing that these two can be understood as linked on the basis of Lakoff’s ‘duals’ theory discussed in ‘The contemporary theory of metaphor’ (1993). Finally, the authors argue that the medium of animation has affordances for presenting conceptual metaphors that are not available to language. The article will primarily benefit metaphor scholars, since the further development of CMT crucially requires that not only verbal manifestations of conceptual metaphors are examined but also visual and multimodal ones. Moreover, it needs to be established to what extent such metaphors draw on a limited set of embodied source domains, as CMT would predict. The authors hope that their findings will also be relevant to anyone with an interest in the representation of depression.
Toward a better fitness club: Evidence from exerciser online rating and review using latent Dirichlet allocation and support vector machine
Authors: Jia Susan (Sixue)
Published: September 2018

Fitness clubs have never ceased searching for quality improvement opportunities to better serve their exercisers, whereas exercisers have been posting online ratings and reviews regarding fitness clubs. Studied together, the quantitative rating and qualitative review can provide a comprehensive depiction of exercisers’ perception of fitness clubs. However, the typological and dimensional discrepancies of online rating and review have hindered the joint study of the two data sets to fully exploit their business value. To this end, this study bridges the gap by examined 53,979 pairs of exerciser online rating and review from 100 fitness clubs in Shanghai, China. Using latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) based text mining, we identified the 17 major topics on which the exercisers were writing. A support vector machine (SVM) classifier was then employed to establish the rating-review relations, with an accuracy rate of up to 86%. Finally, the relative impact of each topic on exerciser satisfaction was computed and compared by introducing virtual reviews. The significance of this study is that it systematically creates a standardized protocol of mining and correlating the massive structured/quantitative and unstructured/qualitative data available online, which is readily transferable to the other service and product sectors.
Is music-with-movement intervention better than music listening and social activities in alleviating agitation of people with moderate dementia? A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Cheung Daphne Sze Ki , Lai Claudia Kam Yuk , Wong Frances Kam Yuet , Leung Mason Chin Pang
Published: September 2018

Aim

Interactive music intervention is generally perceived as more effective on clinical outcomes than a receptive approach because it can better engage the people with dementia. The aim of this study is to compare the effects of the 6-week music-with-movement intervention on agitation of people with moderate dementia, music listening and social activity.

Methods

A multi-centre randomized controlled trial was conducted on 165 nursing home residents with moderate dementia. The participants were randomly allocated into three groups: music-with-movement, music listening or social activities groups. Participants in the music-with-movement group listened to preferred music and moved their body parts for 45 minutes, twice a week for 6 weeks. While the participants in the music listening group only listened to their preferred music and social activity group chatted with the other group members. The agitation level was examined with the Chinese Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory – Nursing Home version. Total scores and sub-scores (physically aggressive, physical non-aggressive, verbal aggressive and verbal non-aggressive) were compared at baseline, at post-intervention and 6 weeks post-intervention.

Results

The results showed that there are no significant differences in agitation among three groups. Repeated measures univariate analyses revealed that all three groups yielded significant improvement in agitation from baseline to post-intervention, of which music-with-movement presented the largest effect size.

Conclusion

This study showed that interactive or receptive type of music intervention or social activities may be helpful in managing agitation although there is no statistically significant difference among them.
Predicted performance of a two-phase underwater ramjet with a Laval nozzle
Authors: Zhang Jiarui , Xia Zhixun , Huang Liya , Ma Likun
Published: September 2018

To predict engine performance and further instruct the integral engine design, a more reasonable and accurate numerical model of the two-phase underwater ramjet was introduced in this article by considering the bubble formation process. Two-fluid model was used to examine the bubbly flow in the nozzle and its mathematical model was solved by a fourth-order Runge–Kutta method. Subsequently, the influences of vessel velocity, gas mass flow rate, navigational depth, and orifice diameter of the bubble injector on the performance of the engine were discussed. Results show that, compared with convergent nozzle, Laval nozzle is proved to improve the thrust of the engine, especially at relatively high velocity and gas mass flow rate. With the other conditions fixed, there is an optimum vessel velocity for the ramjet, in which maximum thrust is generated. And a smaller orifice diameter always promotes the engine performance, while this promotion is negligible when the orifice diameter is smaller than 1 mm. Besides, increasing backpressure will cause serious performance drop, which means that the the two-phase underwater ramjet is only efficient for shallow depths.
Characterization of Cell Membrane Permeability In Vitro Part I: Transport Behavior Induced by Single-Pulse Electric Fields*
Authors: Sweeney Daniel C. , Weaver James C. , Davalos Rafael V.
Published: September 2018

Most experimental studies of electroporation focus on permeabilization of the outer cell membrane. Some experiments address delivery of ions and molecules into cells that should survive; others focus on efficient killing of the cells with minimal temperature rise. A basic method for quantifying electroporation effectiveness is measuring the membrane’s diffusive permeability. More specifically, comparisons of membrane permeability between electroporation protocols often rely on relative fluorescence measurements, which are not able to be directly connected to theoretical calculations and complicate comparisons between studies. Here we present part I of a 2-part study: a research method for quantitatively determining the membrane diffusive permeability for individual cells using fluorescence microscopy. We determine diffusive permeabilities of cell membranes to propidium for electric field pulses with durations of 1 to 1000 μs and strengths of 170 to 400 kV/m and show that diffusive permeabilities can reach 1.3±0.4×10−8 m/s. This leads to a correlation between increased membrane permeability and eventual propidium uptake. We also identify a subpopulation of cells that exhibit a delayed and significant propidium uptake for relatively small single pulses. Our results provide evidence that cells, especially those that uptake propidium more slowly, can achieve large permeabilities with a single electrical pulse that may be quantitatively measured using standard fluorescence microscopy equipment and techniques.