bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Validity and reliability of the Japanese Interest Checklist for the Elderly
Authors: Nakamura-Thomas Hiromi , Kyougoku Makoto , Taylor Renee
Published: March 2016

Introduction

The validity and reliability of the Japanese Interest Checklist for the Elderly were examined.

Method

687 participants responded, using the new scale system: ‘currently participate based on interest,’ ‘participate less because of health status’ or ‘no interest.’ The convergent and discriminant validity of the factorial structure were examined using two-stage Confirmatory Factor Analysis approaches. The discriminant validity and reliability of the scale system were examined using two-stage Item Response Theory approaches.

Results

The first Confirmatory Factor Analysis stage indicated values representing good (factor loadings: 0.99–0.75; Comparative Fit Index: 0.99; Tucker-Lewis Index: 0.98) to adequate (Root Mean Square Error of Approximation: 0.054) fit levels. Both the discriminant validity and convergent validity were identified to be high. The second Confirmatory Factor Analysis stage with a Path analysis and consideration of age and gender indicated values representing a good fit (factor loadings: 0.99–0.78; Comparative Fit Index: 0.99; Tucker-Lewis Index: 0.98; Root Mean Square Error of Approximation: 0.048). The first Item Response Theory stage indicated the values for the discriminant validity in the expected ranges; however, it displayed lower reliability in some activities. The second Item Response Theory state with the latent-class model-based multi-group Item Response Theory confirmed the pattern of invariance.

Conclusion

The factorial structure was valid across different groups of people. The scale system has to be improved.
The Altar Not Destroyed in Deuteronomy 16.21
Authors: Bautch Richard J.
Published: March 2016

Deuteronomy 16.21–17.1 articulates three cultic laws establishing norms for worship. Interacting with recent Pentateuchal scholarship, this study examines Deut. 16.21–17.1 with an eye to issues in the text. An initial observation is that the literary unit does not cohere well with the surrounding laws in Deuteronomy. To address the problem of context, the study extends to comparable cultic laws elsewhere in Deuteronomy and in Exodus (Exod. 34.13; Deut. 7.5; 12.2–3). The comparison sheds greater light on Deut. 16.21–17.1 and suggests a dating of the text to the middle of the Second Temple period. Such dating, in turn, explains why this literary unit fits uneasily into its context of Deut. 16.18–18.22. The conclusion focuses on the altar in Deut. 16.21 as a reflection of changing perspectives on cultic worship expressed within the book of Deuteronomy.
“It Gave Me Ways to Solve Problems and Ways to Talk to People”
Authors: Deutsch Nancy L. , Reitz-Krueger Cristina L. , Henneberger Angela K. , Futch Ehrlich Valerie A. , Lawrence Edith C.
Published: March 2016

Group mentoring is an increasingly popular intervention, but is still under-studied. This article reports findings from a qualitative study of the Young Women Leaders Program (YWLP), a combined group and one-on-one mentoring program for early adolescent girls. Protégés ( n = 113) were interviewed post-program about changes they made as a result of the program and mechanisms of those changes. Girls reported making changes in four major domains as a result of YWLP: (a) Academics (e.g., study habits), (b) Relational Development (e.g., trusting people), (c) Self-Regulation (e.g., thinking before acting), and (d) Self-Understanding (e.g., being yourself). Relational development and self-understanding were the most frequently reported types of change. Protégés reported mentors as contributing to changes in academics more often than the mentoring group. They reported the mentoring group as the change mechanism more often than mentors for relational development. Protégés reported the mentors and mentoring groups about equally as the mechanisms of change for self-regulation and self-understanding. The findings support prior research on group mentoring and suggest that social and relational skills are a developmental domain in which group-based mentoring programs for early adolescent girls may be particularly effective at intervening.
Students’ Perceptions of an Online Graduate Program in Special Education for Emotional and Behavioral Disorders
Authors: Leader-Janssen Elizabeth M. , Nordness Philip D. , Swain Kristine D. , Hagaman Jessica L.
Published: March 2016

The purpose of this study was to evaluate graduate students’ perceptions of a completely online master’s degree program in special education for emotional and behavioral disorders. The Community of Inquiry survey was used to examine graduate students’ perceptions of the online program in the areas of teaching, cognitive, and social presences. The results suggest that teaching and cognitive presence can be addressed with a high level of satisfaction in an online program. Activities related to creating a social presence within an online program may need additional attention. Given the limited amount of research on how to evaluate online teacher preparation programs, the findings from this study provide a starting point for determining the effectiveness of online programs in education.
Intentions to Be an Athletic Director
Authors: Wells Janelle E. , Kerwin Shannon
Published: March 2016

The aim of this study was to evaluate senior athletic administrators’ expectations and intentions of becoming National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I athletic directors (ADs) and explore women and racial minority senior athletic administrators’ athletic workplace experience. To serve the purpose, two studies using social cognitive career theory (SCCT) were employed. First, demographic (i.e., gender and race) differences by SCCT variables were assessed through survey collection and multivariate analysis of variance. Second, content analysis of interviews was used to assess the experiences of athletic administrators. Results revealed women and racial minority senior athletic administrators’ had similar self-efficacy compared to White men, but they encountered more barriers, unfavorable outcome expectations, and lower choice goals associated with becoming an NCAA Division I AD. Further, findings show women and racial minority senior athletic administrators felt occupational segregation limited their access and opportunities for career advancement to a Division I AD position.
Arthritis and Risk of Cognitive and Functional Impairment in Older Mexican Adults
Authors: Veeranki Sreenivas P. , Downer Brian , Jupiter Daniel , Wong Rebeca
Published: March 2016

Objective: This study investigated the risk of cognitive and functional impairment in older Mexicans diagnosed with arthritis. Participants included 2,681 Mexicans, aged ≥60 years, enrolled in the Mexican Health and Aging Study cohort. Method: Participants were categorized into arthritis and no arthritis exposure groups. Primary outcome included participants categorized into “cognitively impaired” or “cognitively normal” groups. Secondary outcomes included participants categorized into Normal, Functionally Impaired only, Cognitively Impaired only, or Dementia (both cognitively and functionally impaired) groups. Multivariable logistic and multinomial regression models were used to assess the relationships. Results: Overall, 16% or 7% were diagnosed with cognitive impairment or dementia. Compared with older Mexicans without arthritis, those who were diagnosed with arthritis had significantly increased risk of functional impairment (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.82, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.45, 2.29]), but not of dementia. Conclusion: Arthritis is associated with increased risk of functional impairment, but not with dementia after 11 years in older Mexicans.
Viscoelastic rough contact mechanics: A multiscale investigation
Authors: Putignano C
Published: March 2016

The full understanding of the viscoelastic contact mechanics between rough surfaces is a crucial issue in modern engineering research. This paper investigates the role that the number of rough scales, i.e. the cut-off of the power spectrum of the surface roughness, has on quantities like contact area, mean separation, and friction. Furthermore, an effective, though approximate, definition of an equivalent modulus is provided in order to reduce the viscoelastic contact domain to an elastic equivalent one.
Combining blind separation and cyclostationary techniques for monitoring distributed wear in gearbox rolling bearings
Authors: Elia GD , Cocconcelli M , Mucchi E , Dalpiaz G
Published: March 2016

This work seeks to study the potential effectiveness of the Blind Signal Extraction (BSE) as a pre-processing tool for the detection of distributed faults in rolling bearings. In the literature, most of the authors focus their attention on the detection of incipient localized defects. In that case, classical techniques (i.e. envelope analysis) are robust in recognizing the presence of the fault and its characteristic frequency. However, when the fault grows, the classical approach fails, due to the change of the fault signature. De facto, in this case the signal does not contain impulses at the fault characteristic frequency, but more complex components with strong non-stationary contents. Moreover, signals acquired from complex machines often contain contributions from several different components as well as noise; thus the fault signature can be hidden in the complex system vibration. Therefore, pre-processing tools are needed in order to extract the bearing signature, from the raw system vibration. In this paper the authors focalize their attention on the application of the BSE in order to extract the bearing signature from the raw vibration of mechanical systems. The effectiveness and sensitivity of BSE is here exploited on the basis of both simulated and real signals. Among different procedures for the BSE computation, the Reduced-Rank Cyclic Regression algorithm (RRCR) is used. Firstly a simulated signal including the effect of gear meshing as well as a localized fault in bearings is introduced in order to tune the parameters of the RRCR. Next, two different real cases are considered, a bearing test-rig as an example of simple machine and a gearbox test-rig as an example of complex machine. In both examples, the bearings were degreased in order to accelerate the wear process. The BSE is compared with the usual pre-processing technique for the analysis of cyclostationary signals, i.e. the extraction of the residual signal. The fault detection is carried out by the computation of the Integrated Cyclic Modulation Spectrum on the extracted signals. The results indicate that the extracted signals via BSE clearly highlight the distributed fault signature, in particular both the appearance of the faults as well as their development are detected, whilst noise still hides fault grow in the residual signals.
Pedestal looseness fault diagnosis in a rotating machine based on variational mode decomposition
Authors: An Xueli , Zhang Fei
Published: March 2016

According to the non-stationary characteristic of rotating machinery vibration signals of a rotor system with a loose pedestal fault, variational mode decomposition was applied in the pedestal looseness fault diagnosis for such a rotor system. Variational mode decomposition is used to decompose the rotor vibration signal into several stable components. This can achieve the separation of the pedestal looseness fault signal from the background signals, and extract the fault characteristic of a vibration signal from a rotor system with pedestal looseness. Experimental data from a rotor system with pedestal looseness were used to verify the proposed method. The results showed that the stable components of the rotor vibration signal obtained by variational mode decomposition have obvious amplitude modulation characteristics. The components which contain fault information were analyzed by envelope demodulation, which can extract the pedestal looseness fault features of a rotor vibration signal. Therefore, the variational mode decomposition method can be effectively applied to the pedestal looseness fault diagnosis of such a rotor system.
New models for depicting corrosion fatigue behaviour and calendar life of metallic structural component
Authors: Fu Yu , Xiong Junjiang , Shenoi R Ajit
Published: March 2016

New [Formula: see text] surface model is proposed for depicting corrosion fatigue behaviour and novel formulae are derived to estimate the parameters of proposed model by best fitting from a minimal experimental dataset of corrosion fatigue tests. From the Palmgren–Miner rule, a cumulative damage model for the alternation between corrosion and fatigue is developed to evaluate calendar life of metallic structural component. Corrosion tests are conducted on unnotched and notched specimens from LD10CS aluminium alloy and 15CrMnMoVA alloy steel in artificial corrosion environments. Fatigue tests are also performed on corroded specimens subjected to constant amplitude loading and the interaction mechanisms between corrosion and fatigue are deduced from fractographic studies. The applicability of the new models has been shown for experimental datasets for depicting corrosion fatigue behaviour and for evaluating calendar life of motor brace rod in helicopter.
A computer-assisted automatic conceptual design system for the distributed multi-disciplinary resource environment
Authors: Chen Bin , Xie You-Bai
Published: March 2016

The trend of large-scale development of design industry requires efficient and full use of the rich design resources in the distributed multi-disciplinary resource environment. However, the designers are susceptible to many subjective and objective impacts, like knowledge structure, computing capability, geographic position, and administrative division. These impacts make the usage of design resources unstable and inefficient. Therefore, this paper proposed a computer-assisted automatic conceptual design system (CACDS). This system assumes that the design resources in the distributed multi-disciplinary resource environment exist in the form of functional elements with the same format, so that, the geographic, administrative, and disciplinary barriers in the design process can be broken, and the design resources can be fully used. CACDS is based on a group of basic concepts and their representations, its core is a functional solution generating algorithm, which is used to automatically generate functional solutions. As the result of the conceptual design, these functional solutions are also the starting point of the following detail design phase. Finally, a lighting system for underground greenhouse is designed as an illustrative case to validate the feasibility of the proposed CACDS.
A new differential evolution algorithm with a combined mutation strategy for optimum synthesis of path-generating four-bar mechanisms
Authors: Lin WY , Hsiao KM
Published: March 2016

A one-phase synthesis method using heuristic optimization algorithms can solve the dimensional synthesis problems of path-generating four-bar mechanisms. However, due to the difficulty of the problem itself, there is still room for improvement in solution accuracy and reliability. Therefore, in this study, a new differential evolution (DE) algorithm with a combined mutation strategy, termed the combined-mutation differential evolution (CMDE) algorithm, is proposed to improve the solution quality. In the combined mutation strategy, the DE/best/1 operator and the DE/current-to-best/1 operator are respectively executed on some superior parents and some mediocre parents, and the DE/rand/1 operator is executed on the other inferior parents. Furthermore, the individuals participating in the three mutation operators are randomly selected from the entire set of parents. The proposed CMDE algorithm with the three different search modes possesses better population diversity as well as search ability than the DE algorithm. The effectiveness of the proposed CMDE algorithm is demonstrated using five representative problems. Findings show a marked improvement in solution accuracy and reliability. The most accurate results are obtained with an approximate combination ratio for the three mutation operators.
Analysis of a mechanism with redundant drive for antenna pointing
Authors: Li Xin , Ding Xilun , Chirikjian Gregory S
Published: March 2016

Orientation accuracy is a key factor in the design of mechanisms for antenna pointing. Our design uses a redundantly actuated parallel mechanism which may provide an effective way to solve this problem, and even can increase its payload capability and reliability. The presented mechanism can be driven by rotary motors fixed on the base to reduce the inertia of the moving parts and to lower the power consumption. The mechanism is redundantly actuated by three arms, and is used as a two-dimensional antenna tracking and pointing device. Both the forward and inverse kinematics are investigated to find all the possible solutions. Detailed characters of the platform are analyzed to demonstrate the advantages in eliminating singularities and improving pointing accuracy. A method of calculating the overconstrained orientational error is also proposed based on the differential kinematics. All the methods are verified by numerical examples.
Addressing the housing challenge: avoiding the Ozymandias syndrome
Authors: Buckley Robert M , Kallergis Achilles , Wainer Laura
Published: March 2016

Over the past decade, housing policy in developing countries has witnessed an important shift. After decades of limited and in some cases decreasing investments in housing, there has been a sudden, extraordinarily large, and simultaneous expansion of multi-billion-dollar housing programmes. These new investments reveal a radical policy change, one that signals the serious and welcomed effort of tackling the looming affordability concerns that have been plaguing cities across the world. Yet this paper raises concerns over the direction of current housing policies and programmes. It argues that the new emphasis on addressing the problem through the production of industrial-scale new housing on the outskirts of cities, or through the development of new cities requiring extraordinarily expensive infrastructure, does not necessarily address the affordability concerns. For this reason, the paper raises a series of questions and offers recommendations that address some of the most important elements of decision-making that should be taken into account when planning affordable housing. These are meant to help identify why housing challenges arise, in order to avoid Thomas Pynchon’s well-known aphorism: “If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don’t have to worry about answers.”
Effects of aerodynamic parameters on steam vortex cooling behavior for gas turbine blade leading edge
Authors: Du Changhe , Li Liang , Li Sen , Feng Zhenping
Published: March 2016

Three-dimensional Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations are applied to further explore steam vortex cooling mechanism in gas turbine blade leading edge. Grid independence analysis and turbulence model validation are carried out to determine the proper grid dimension and turbulence model for simulations. Influences of Reynolds number and temperature ratio on steam vortex cooling flow and heat transfer behavior for the blade leading edge are investigated. Heat transfer and friction correlations for steam vortex cooling are achieved on the basis of numerical data. Results show that radial convection is generated due to violent rotational motion and uneven density distribution, contributing to heat transfer enhancement. For the sake of increasing steam velocity, the obvious increase in heat transfer intensity and decrease in friction coefficient are observed with the increasing Reynolds number. When the temperature ratio increases, the heat transfer intensity decreases slightly and the friction coefficient decreases significantly. The thermal performance increases with the increasing Reynolds number and the decreasing temperature ratio. Compared with calculating results, the heat transfer and friction correlations can predict steam vortex cooling characteristics accurately.
Recontextualisation of neoliberalism and the increasingly conceptual nature of discourse: Challenges for critical discourse studies
Authors: Krzyżanowski Michał
Published: March 2016

This article highlights that by focusing on concepts, many contemporary discourses increasingly turn towards (re/definitions of) various abstract ideas while moving their focus away from representations of doers as well benefactors of social and politico-economic processes. Focusing on the process of such an increasingly conceptual nature of discourse as one of the key displays of contemporary neoliberal logic in public and regulatory discourse, the article argues that the concept-driven logic – evident in policies, but also in media and political genres – necessitates new theoretical (and analytical) tools in critical discourse studies (CDS). It is suggested that, on the one hand, incorporation of ideas from within conceptual history ( Begriffsgeschichte) into CDS is necessary. On the other hand, it is also argued that an in-depth rethinking of the ways in which CDS approaches recontextualisation as a concept is equally crucial. As is argued, both insights might help tackling the conceptual dynamics in/of discourses by tracing the conceptual logic of discourse and identifying ideological ontologies of contemporary public and regulatory discourses. They also help scrutinise discourses in which social practice is often regulated and where the image of non-agentic ‘invisible’ social change allows for legitimisation of the often-negative social and politico-economic dynamics.
The need for a social and affordance-driven multimodal critical discourse studies
Authors: Machin David
Published: March 2016

Given the way multimodality as a field has expanded, becoming more diverse and complex, it is important to pause to identify exactly which concepts, theories and processes of multimodal analysis are more or less suitable for the needs of critical discourse analysis (CDA) and the wider field of critical discourse studies (CDS). The article argues that the field of multimodality remains fragmented both internally, with a range of divergent core interests, and externally from academic fields that have long dealt with the topics to which it is turning its interest. In this article, looking at some key ideas from visual studies, I reflect on what kind of multimodal approach best aligns with the needs of CDS. I argue for an affordance-based approach and one driven by the social and not by need to model on the basis of language.
Possible risk factors associated with greater damage in systemic lupus erythematosus patients: an Egyptian multicenter study
Authors: Hammad M , Eissa M , Fathi S
Published: March 2016

Objectives

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a prototypic multisystem autoimmune disorder. The total damage in a patient with SLE may result from SLE itself or from any other pathologic process. The aim of this study was to assess risk factors of greater damage in a sample of Egyptian SLE patients.

Methods

This Egyptian multicenter retrospective study included 100 SLE patients: 64 patients from Cairo University Hospitals and 36 patients from Zagazig University Hospitals. The Systemic Lupus International Collaborative Clinics (SLICC)/American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Damage Index (ACR-DI) was used to document the damage in each patient.

Results

The total SLICC/ACR-DI score ranged from 0 to 8. A higher DI score was found in hypertensive patients, compared to normotensive patients; and among those with positive anti-phospholipid antibodies, compared to those with negative anti-phospholipid antibodies. This difference was statistically significant ( p < 0.01). Also, a higher DI score was found in cyclophosphamide users, compared to non-users; and in those with proteinuria and seizures, compared to those without; and the difference was statistically significant ( p < 0.05). There was a significant positive correlation between the DI and patient age ( p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Damage in SLE cannot be prevented completely, as SLE disease is considered an aggressive disease treated by aggressive medications, but rheumatologists should try to minimize damage as much as possible to maintain the patients’ health, functioning and general wellbeing.
Newborn screening for sickling and other haemoglobin disorders using tandem mass spectrometry: A pilot study of methodology in laboratories in England
Authors: Daniel Yvonne A , Henthorn Joan
Published: March 2016

Objective

To determine (i) if electrospray mass spectrometry–mass spectrometry with the SpOtOn Diagnostics Ltd reagent kit for sickle cell screening could be integrated into the English newborn screening programme, under routine screening conditions, and provide mass spectrometry–mass spectrometry results which match existing methods, and (ii) if common action values could be set for all manufacturers in the study, for all assessed haemoglobins, to indicate which samples require further investigation.

Methods

Anonymised residual blood spots were analysed using the SpOtOn reagent kit as per manufacturer’s instructions, in parallel with existing techniques at four laboratories. Mass spectrometry–mass spectrometry instrumentation at Laboratories A and B was AB Sciex (Warrington, UK) AP4000, and at Laboratories C and D, Waters Micromass (Manchester, UK), Xevo TQMS and Premier, respectively.

Results

There were 23,898 results accepted from the four laboratories. Excellent specificity at 100% sensitivity was observed for haemoglobin S, haemoglobin C, haemoglobin E and haemoglobin OArab. A common action value was not possible for Hb C, but action values were set by manufacturer. The two haemoglobin DPunjab cases at Laboratory D were not detected using the common action value. Conversely, false-positive results with haemoglobin DPunjab were a problem at the remaining three laboratories.

Conclusions

This multicentre study demonstrates that it is possible to implement mass spectrometry–mass spectrometry into an established screening programme while maintaining consistency with existing methods for haemoglobinopathy screening. However, one of the instruments investigated cannot be recommended for use with this application.
Constitutive modeling of nonlinear reversible and irreversible ferromagnetic behaviors and application to multiferroic composites
Authors: Avakian Artjom , Ricoeur Andreas
Published: March 2016

The coupling of magnetic and mechanical fields due to the constitutive behavior of a material is commonly denoted as magnetostrictive effect. The latter is only observed with large coupling coefficients in ferromagnetic materials, where coupling is caused by the rotation of the domains as a result of magnetic (Joule effect) or mechanical (Villari effect) loads. However, only a few elements (e.g. Fe, Ni, Co, and Mn) and their compositions exhibit such a behavior. In this article, the constitutive modeling of nonlinear ferromagnetic behavior under combined magnetomechanical loading as well as the finite element implementation is presented. Both physically and phenomenologically motivated constitutive models have been developed for the numerical calculation of principally different nonlinear magnetostrictive behaviors. On this basis, magnetization, strain, and stress are predicted, and the resulting effects are analyzed. The phenomenological approach covers reversible nonlinear behavior as it is observed, for example, in cobalt ferrite. Numerical simulations based on the physically motivated model focus on the calculation of hysteresis loops and the prediction of local domain orientations and residual stress going along with the magnetization process. Finally, a model for ferroelectric materials is applied in connection with the physically based ferromagnetic approach, in order to predict magnetoelectric coupling coefficients in multifunctional composite.
Meal Supervision During Medical Hospitalization for Eating Disorders
Authors: Kells Meredith , Schubert-Bob Pamela , Nagle Katharine , Hitchko Louise , O’Neil Kathleen , Forbes Peter , McCabe Margaret
Published: March 2016

The focus of medical hospitalization for restrictive eating disorders is weight gain; however, no guidelines exist on how to achieve successful and safe weight gain. Meal supervision may be a supportive intervention to aid in meal completion and weight gain. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of standardized meal supervision on weight gain, length of stay, vital signs, electrolytes, and use of liquid caloric supplementation in hospitalized adolescents and young adults with restrictive eating disorders. A chart review compared patients who received meal supervision from admission through discharge to an earlier cohort who received meal supervision as needed. There were no differences in weight, electrolytes, or vital signs between the two cohorts. Length of stay for those who received meal supervision from admission was 3 days shorter than earlier cohort. Nursing supervised meals beginning at admission may shorten length of stay and decrease health care costs.
Between Critical and Normative Theory
Authors: Bagg Samuel
Published: March 2016

Over the last decade, a call for greater “realism” in political theory has challenged the goals and methods that are implicit in much contemporary “normative” theory. However, realists have yet to produce a convincing alternative research program that is “constructive” rather than primarily “critical” in nature. I argue that given their common wariness of a devotion to abstract principles, realists should consider adopting John Dewey’s vision of theoretical expertise as an expansive kind of prediction that engages all of our historical, scientific, and imaginative resources. After demonstrating that realists are in need of such an affirmative vision, I outline Dewey’s original proposal, and elaborate its value in contemporary circumstances as a “predictive” method for political theory that stands between familiar critical and normative approaches.
A Bottom-Up Approach to Short-Term Immersion in Subsistence Marketplaces
Authors: Viswanathan Madhu , Venugopal Srinivas , Minefee Ishva , Guest Jeremy S. , Mariñas Benito J. , Bauza Valerie , Valentino Lauren , Kupaza Ramadhani , Jones Maria
Published: March 2016

We discuss an international immersion research experience conducted by an interdisciplinary team of business and environmental engineering students and faculty in Tanzania. Using this experience as “data,” we bring out methodological and substantive issues in studying the intersection of poverty and the environment. The approach we describe is bottom-up, beginning with micro-level details of life circumstances. Such micro-level details are often the most challenging to learn and the most neglected in terms of informing practice. Our work speaks to a number of issues such as organizing a short research immersion for effectiveness and efficiency, covering different units of analysis in terms of individuals, households, communities, village-level leadership, and the outside ecosystem of organizations using a bottom-up approach, and combining natural science analytical testing with social science to focus on the substantive domains of environments in subsistence contexts.
Simplified analytical model for tapered sandwich beams using variable stiffness materials
Authors: Ai Qing , Weaver Paul M
Published: March 2016

A simplified layer-wise sandwich beam model to capture the effects of a combination of geometric taper and variable stiffness of the core on the static response of a sandwich beam is developed. In the present model, the face sheets are assumed to behave as Euler beams and the core is modelled with a first-order shear deformation theory. With geometrical compatibility enforced at both upper and lower skin/core interfaces, the beam’s field functions are reduced to only three, namely the extensional, transverse and rotational displacements at the mid-plane of the core. The minimum total potential energy method is used in combination with the Ritz technique to obtain an approximate solution. Geometrically nonlinear effects are considered in the present formulation by introducing von Kármán strains into the face sheets and core. Two types of sandwich beams, uniform and tapered, with different boundary conditions are studied. Results show that the proposed model provides accurate prediction of displacements and stresses, compared to three-dimensional finite element analysis. It is found that due to the axial stiffness variation in the core, displacements of beams and stresses of face sheets and core are significantly affected. The potential design space is shown to be expanded by utilizing variable stiffness materials in sandwich constructions.
On the electronic measurement of pain intensity: Can we use different pain intensity scales interchangeably?
Authors: Sánchez-Rodríguez Elisabet , Castarlenas Elena , de la Vega Rocío , Roset Roman , Miró Jordi
Published: March 2016

The objective of this work was to study the agreement between four pain intensity scales when administered electronically: the Numerical Rating Scale-11, the Faces Pain Scale-Revised, the Visual Analogue Scale and the Coloured Analogue Scale. In all, 180 schoolchildren between 12 and 19 years old participated in the study. They had to report the maximum intensity of their most frequent pain using the electronic versions of the four scales. Agreement was calculated using the Bland–Altman method. Results show that the electronic versions of Numerical Rating Scale-11, Coloured Analogue Scale and Visual Analogue Scale can be used interchangeably.
Tests on 1/4-scale six-story two-bay hybrid concrete moment-resisting frames under lateral loading
Authors: Xue Weichen , Yang Xinlei
Published: March 2016

The hybrid concrete frame investigated herein was composed of precast concrete T beams and cast-in-place concrete columns. This study presents the results of experimental investigations on 1/4-scale six-story two-bay hybrid concrete frames under cyclic loading and monotonic loading, respectively. Behavior of the specimens was evaluated in terms of failure pattern, failure mechanism, stiffness degradation, energy dissipation, and displacement ductility. The results revealed that the plastic hinge first occurred in the second story beam end. Both specimens, as expected, exhibited a mixed sideway mechanism. The hysteresis loops of the test specimen were globally stable and exhibited some pinching. The maximum load-carrying capacity under cyclic loading was about 6% higher than that under monotonic loading. Both specimens behaved in a ductile manner, and the global displacement ductility under cyclic loading was 38% lower than that under monotonic loading. An overview of damage observations and the local and global behaviors were provided.
A spherical lattice shell composed of six-bar tetrahedral units: Configuration, structural behavior, and prefabricated construction
Authors: Dong Shi-lin , Bai Guang-bo , Zheng Xiao-qing , Zhao Yang
Published: March 2016

A novel spherical lattice shell composed of six-bar tetrahedral units whose horizontal projections are quadrilaterals is proposed. The lattice shell provides an advantage in industrialized production and prefabricated construction by comprising a plurality of similarly shaped modular units. Kinematic analysis for the lattice shell, based on which several strengthening structures and joint rigidity arrangements are proposed, is carried out. The structural behavior of a basic structure of the lattice shell, whose chord and web members are designed as beam and bar elements, respectively, is studied systematically. Construction details of the nodal joints and six-bar tetrahedral modular units are suggested, followed by a discussion about the construction scheme. A tool called A-shaped installing frame is designed to realize the prefabricated construction without scaffold. A test model of 10-m span was built to verify the feasibility of the nodal joint construction as well as the prefabricated construction scheme.
News values on social media: News organizations’ Facebook use
Authors: Al-Rawi Ahmed
Published: March 2016

This study examines the news selection practices followed by news organizations through investigating the news posted on social networking sites and, in particular, the Facebook pages of four foreign Arabic language TV stations: The Iranian Al-Alam TV, Russia Today, Deutsche Welle, and BBC. A total of 15,589 news stories are analyzed in order to examine the prominence of references to countries and political actors. The study reveals that social significance and proximity as well as the news organizations’ ideological agenda are the most important elements that dictate the news selection process.
Women’s changing responsibilities and pleasures as consumers: An analysis of alcohol-related advertisements in Finnish, Italian, and Swedish women’s magazines from the 1960s to the 2000s
Authors: Törrönen Jukka , Rolando Sara
Published: March 2016

Since the 1960s, feminist movements have emphasized that men and women should be seen as equal in their roles as parents, breadwinners, and citizens. This conception is not confirmed by the images produced in advertising. This article presents an analysis of alcohol-related advertisements published in Finnish, Italian, and Swedish women’s magazines from the 1960s to the 2000s. The advertisements are approached as performative texts in which gender is made visible “here and now” by placing women in particular consumer positions relative to private or public spheres and by associating specific kinds of gender expectations and norms that reflect women’s shifting responsibilities and pleasures. The article asks what kind of drinking-related identities have been portrayed as desirable in women’s magazine advertisements over the past few decades and how they have changed as we move closer to the present day. The analysis reveals both continuity and variability in alcohol-related consumer identities in advertisements in Finnish, Italian, and Swedish women’s magazines. It shows that as Finland, Italy, and Sweden have developed from modern societies to late-modern societies, women’s responsibilities and pleasures have expanded from the traditional domain of the private sphere into multiple new areas. The expansion of women’s identities has occurred differently in each geographical area. This does not, however, mean that the traditional gender norms have disintegrated and been replaced by equal gender norms. Rather, it seems that traditional gender norms continue to be reproduced with varying nuances in alcohol-related advertising.
Deconstructing complexity: Configurations of institutional complexity and structural hybridity
Authors: Raynard Mia
Published: March 2016

This article unpacks the notion of institutional complexity and highlights the distinct sets of challenges confronting hybrid structural arrangements. The framework identifies three factors that contribute to the experience of complexity—namely, the extent to which the prescriptive demands of logics are incompatible, whether there is a settled or widely accepted prioritization of logics within the field, and the degree to which the jurisdictions of the logics overlap. The central thesis is that these “components” of complexity variously combine to produce four distinct institutional landscapes, each with differing implications for the challenges organizations face and for how they might respond. The article explores the situational relevance of an array of hybridizing responses and discusses their implications for organizational legitimacy and performance. It concludes by specifying the boundary conditions of the framework and highlighting fruitful directions for future scholarship.
Recognition of prior learning at the centre of a national strategy: Tensions between professional gains and personal development
Authors: Lima Licínio C , Guimarães Paula
Published: March 2016

This paper focuses on recognition of prior learning as part of a national policy based on European Union guidelines for lifelong learning, and it explains how recognition of prior learning has been perceived since it was implemented in Portugal in 2000. Data discussed are the result of a mixed method research project that surveyed adult learners, some of whom were interviewed, who successfully completed the recognition of prior learning process from 2007 to 2011 in a new opportunities centre. Adult educators, and workplace representatives from the companies in which these adults in the recognition of prior learning process were working, were also part of the survey. A theme-based content analysis was done on the resulting data. Findings revealed tension between the goals of economic and human resource management and the change experienced by these adult learners in their professional status. Based on these results, the closing remarks to this article highlight the tensions caused by the failure of the goals of the policy to which recognition of prior learning was central, and the personal and social changes referred to by learners. Important educational changes were achieved although they were undermined by the adult education policy and European Union guidelines.
Older adult education in two universities: A comparison in the New Zealand and Scottish contexts
Authors: Findsen Brian , Mark Rob
Published: March 2016

This article examines the character of older adult education provision in two universities at opposite ends of the globe. The universities of Waikato (New Zealand) and Strathclyde (Scotland) are analysed in terms of specific domains: funding, curriculum and provision, older people’s participation and university–community relationships. These two universities’ work in these areas is contextualised in the wider framework of prevailing societal trends, lifelong learning discourses, higher education, and adult and community education. While both institutions have much in common from the perspective of a British influence, there are significant differences across the four domains as both universities contest the right to engage with older adults’ learning in a neoliberal environment.
Examining the relationship between HbA1c and diabetes risk models in a European population indicates a lower threshold to identify ‘high risk’ is required
Authors: Gray Benjamin J , Bracken Richard M , Turner Daniel , Morgan Kerry , Thomas Michael , Williams Sally P , Williams Meurig , Rice Sam , Stephens Jeffrey W ,   on behalf of the Prosiect Sir Gâr Group
Published: March 2016

This study examined whether changes in HbA1c values are reflected in the risk scores and categories of four validated risk-assessment tools (QDiabetes, Leicester Risk Assessment, Finnish Diabetes Risk Score and Cambridge Risk Score). Retrospective analysis was performed on 651 individuals with no prior diagnosis of cardiovascular disease or diabetes who participated in a UK workplace-based risk-assessment initiative. There were significant positive correlations ( p < 0.01) revealed between HbA1c values and predicted risk scores: QDiabetes ( r = 0.362), Leicester Risk Assessment ( r = 0.315), Finnish Diabetes Risk Score ( r = 0.202) and Cambridge Risk Score ( r = 0.335). HbA1c values increased within risk prediction categories, and at ‘high-risk’ categories, median HbA1c values were at least 39 mmol mol−1 (5.7%) irrespective of gender or risk-assessment model. Overall, an association is present between increases in HbA1c scores and predicted risk of type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, the ‘high-risk’ median HbA1c values in each of the risk assessments are more akin to the lower American recommendations rather than those suggested by the UK expert group.
Estimating the extent and economic impact of under and overdiagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in primary care
Authors: Spyratos Dionisios , Chloros Diamantis , Michalopoulou Dionisia , Sichletidis Lazaros
Published: March 2016

The aim of the present study was to estimate the frequency of under- and over-diagnosis as well as overtreatment and their impact on the financial burden of inhaled drugs for stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We examined 3200 subjects (65.5% males) of the general population (>40 year old, current or former smokers, and asthma patients were excluded) during a 3-year period. All participants gave detailed medical history, underwent spirometry, and their current and past inhaled medications were registered through the national electronic prescription system. We diagnosed 342 subjects (10.7%) with COPD of whom 180 (52.6%) had no prior medical diagnosis. Overdiagnosis was the case for 306 subjects (9.6%) of whom 35.1% were treated with inhaled drugs during the last year. We calculated that 55.4% of the current cost for inhaled drugs is wasted to overtreatment and overdiagnosis. If there was adherence to Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines both for the diagnosis and treatment it would be a net profit of 36,059€ annually, which would be increased to 116,017€ if we had excluded underdiagnosed patients. Under- and over-diagnosis of COPD as well as non-adherence to GOLD guidelines for treatment are common problems in the primary care setting that increase significantly the economic burden of inhaled medications.
Intraoperative Laparoscopic Near-Infrared Fluorescence Cholangiography to Facilitate Anatomical Identification
Authors: Zarrinpar Ali , Dutson Erik P. , Mobley Constance , Busuttil Ronald W. , Lewis Catherine E. , Tillou Areti , Cheaito Ali , Hines O. Joe , Agopian Vatche G. , Hiyama Darryl T.
Published: March 2016

Recent technological advances have enabled real-time near-infrared fluorescence cholangiography (NIRFC) with indocyanine green (ICG). Whereas several studies have shown its feasibility, dosing and timing for practical use have not been optimized. We undertook a prospective study with systematic variation of dosing and timing from injection of ICG to visualization. Adult patients undergoing laparoscopic biliary and hepatic operations were enrolled. Intravenous ICG (0.02-0.25 mg/kg) was administered at times ranging from 10 to 180 minutes prior to planned visualization. The porta hepatis was examined using a dedicated laparoscopic system equipped to detect NIRFC. Quantitative analysis of intraoperative fluorescence was performed using a scoring system to identify biliary structures. A total of 37 patients were enrolled. Visualization of the extrahepatic biliary tract improved with increasing doses of ICG, with qualitative scores improving from 1.9 ± 1.2 (out of 5) with a 0.02-mg/kg dose to 3.4 ± 1.3 with a 0.25-mg/kg dose ( P < .05 for 0.02 vs 0.25 mg/kg). Visualization was also significantly better with increased time after ICG administration (1.1 ± 0.3 for 10 minutes vs 3.4 ± 1.1 for 45 minutes, P < .01). Similarly, quantitative measures also improved with both dose and time. There were no complications from the administration of ICG. These results suggest that a dose of 0.25 mg/kg administered at least 45 minutes prior to visualization facilitates intraoperative anatomical identification. The dosage and timing of administration of ICG prior to intraoperative visualization are within a range where it can be administered in a practical, safe, and effective manner to allow intraoperative identification of extrahepatic biliary anatomy using NIRFC.