bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
What Does Augmented Reality Mean as a Medium of Expression for Computational Artists?
Authors: Chevalier Cécile , Kiefer Chris
Published: February 2019

As augmented reality (AR) quickly evolves with new technological practice, there is a growing need to question and reevaluate its potential as a medium for creative expression. The authors discuss AR within computational art, framed within AR as a medium, AR aesthetics and applications. The Forum for Augmented Reality Immersive Instruments (ARImI), a two-day event on AR, highlights both possibilities and fundamental concerns for continuing artworks in this field, including visual bias, sensory modalities, interactivity and performativity. The authors offer a new AR definition as real-time computationally mediated perception.
Metamorphic Leaves
Authors: Gokmen Sabri
Published: February 2019

This article introduces an algorithm influenced by Goethe's concept of metamorphosis capable of generating a wide range of parametric leaf forms. Metamorphosis is defined as alternating stages of expansion and contraction that are observable during the development of flowering plants. This principle is extended toward leaf morphology, where two main developmental trajectories are outlined. By formulating simple two-dimensional geometric rules, the author tests the concept of metamorphosis on parametric leaf forms.
The Acoustic Ceramic Module
Authors: Grygorowicz-Kosakowska Klaudia , Sygulska Anna
Published: February 2019

This paper discusses issues common to architecture, sculpture and acoustics and presents the authors' design of an acoustic ceramic module, currently in the prototype stage. The project was conceived to create a system of ceramic tiles that can create a space as well as enhance the acoustics of its interior. Modularity ensures that through numerous combinations many patterns can be produced from one tile design. The ceramic materials used may vary, from porous chamotte to the smooth surfaces of casting slips to glazing. The key issue, apart from shaping an interior architecture, was to focus on the acoustic function of the tiles. The creative process was of a two-fold nature: Its visual aspect focused on individualization of the space, while its functional one was to ensure acoustically comfortable interiors.
Typifications of thirty-three names and other nomenclatural clarifications referred to Doryopteris and Lytoneuron (Pteridaceae)
Authors: YESILYURT JOVITA CISLINSKI
Published: February 2019

A number of 30 lectotypes, two epitypes and one neotype for thirty-three binomials belonging to Doryopteris and Lytoneuron are designated here in advance of a forthcoming systematic revision of these genera. All decisions of lectotypifications are explained here, including some with further clarifications.
Erythrococca kaokoensis (Euphorbiaceae), a new species from Namibia and Angola
Authors: SWANEPOEL WESSEL
Published: February 2019

Erythrococca kaokoensis, here described as a new species, is only known from the mountains along the Kunene River in the Kaokoveld Centre of Endemism, southwestern Angola and northwestern Namibia. These shrubs or small trees grow among rocks of anorthosite, gneiss or limestone. Diagnostic characters for E. kaokoensis include the leaves that are subcordate or lanceolate to ovate, rarely elliptic, drying dark green, yellow-green, blue-green or violet to black, and the interruptedly racemose or subpaniculate inflorescences with flowers in clusters along the axis. A comparison of some of the more prominent morphological features to differentiate between E. kaokoensis and its possible nearest relative, E. trichogyne, is provided.
Arachniodes hehaii (Dryopteridaceae), a new fern from Guizhou, China
Authors: LU NGAN THI , GAO XIN-FEN , ZHANG LI-BING
Published: February 2019

A new fern of the genus Arachniodes (Dryopteridaceae), A. hehaii, is described and illustrated from a cave entrance in southwestern China’s Guizhou Province. The new species is similar to A. chinensis, but differs in the color of stipe scales, lamina width and shape, the morphology of lamina apex, and indusium thickness.
Description of three new species of spider genus Leptonetela Kratochvíl, 1978 from caves of Hunan Province, China (Araneae, Leptonetidae)
Authors: HE AILAN , LIU JINXIN , XU XIANG , YIN HAIQIANG , PENG XIANJIN
Published: February 2019

Three new species of the spider family Leptonetidae from caves in Hunan Province, China are described: Leptonetela biocellata sp. nov., Leptonetela latapicalis sp. nov. and Leptonetela tangi sp. nov. Detailed illustrations of the three new species are provided.
A revision of the mealybug genus Scaptococcus McKenzie (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Pseudococcidae), with descriptions of the adult male and female of Scaptococcus occultans sp. n. from the southwestern United States, and the male of S. milleri McKenzie
Authors: VON ELLENRIEDER NATALIA , WATSON GILLIAN W.
Published: February 2019

The adult female and male of Scaptococcus occultans sp. n. (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Pseudococcidae), a new mealybug species from the southwestern United States, are described and illustrated, as well as the male of S. milleri McKenzie. Females of the new species can be recognized by their unmodified prothoracic legs, anal ring with two rows of cellular pores, and presence of a circulus; the adult female is further characterized by the presence of bands across the thoracic and abdominal segments containing numerous dorsal modified oral collar tubular ducts (with the inner half of the outer duct sclerotized), quinquelocular pores and multilocular pores. The adult male of the new species differs from that of S. milleri by having unmodified prothoracic femora, small spine-like prothoracic claw denticles, fewer dorsal and ventral setae on abdominal segments II–V, and no sclerotized abdominal tergites laterally on the abdomen. The generic description of Scaptococcus is revised to include the new species, and an updated key to the adult females, diagnostic notes for the female nymphal instars, and updated distribution and host data for all the three species are provided.
Species of the Maera-clade collected from Japan. Part 2: genera Austromaera Lowry & Springthorpe, 2005 and Quadrimaera Krapp-Schickel & Ruffo, 2000 (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Maeridae)
Authors: ARIYAMA HIROYUKI
Published: February 2019

One species of Austromaera Lowry & Springthorpe, 2005 and four species of Quadrimaera Krapp-Schickel & Ruffo, 2000 included in the Maera clade, are described from Japan. Austromaera ariakensis sp. nov. is described, based on collections from Ariake Sea and can be distinguished from its congeners by the acutely produced coxa 1 and the merus of gnathopod 2 with a small posterodistal spine. Quadrimaera gotoensis sp. nov. from Goto Islands in Nagasaki Prefecture has a small quadrate excavation on the middle palmar margin of the male gnathopod 2. This new species is different from Q. mirandella Appadoo, Myers & Fagoonee, 2002 having such an excavation, in the larger posterodistal tooth of the male gnathopod 2 propodus and the wider bases of the pereopods 5–7. Quadrimaera pacifica (Schellenberg, 1938) was collected from many localities from Iwate Prefecture to Ariake Sea. This species is characterized by the transverse palm of the male gnathopod 2 with the large posterodistal tooth, the small rounded excavation in the middle and the anterior lobe narrower and produced more distally than the posterior lobe. Morphology of Q. pacifica is variable in the posterior excavation of the male gnathopod 2 palm, the uropod 3 rami and the distal end of the telson. Quadrimaera quadrimana (Dana, 1853) from the south of Yakushima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture has a distinct palm of the male gnathopod 2 with three excavations. Quadrimaera setibasis sp. nov. collected from the intertidal zone in Osaka Prefecture has a setose basis of the pereopod 6 like Q. schellenbergi (Ruffo 1938), but the bases of the pereopods 5 and 7 are not setose. A key to species of Austromaera in the world is provided.
150 years in the making: first comprehensive list of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Virginia, USA
Authors: IVANOV KALOYAN , HIGHTOWER LIBERTY , DASH SHAWN T. , KEIPER JOE B.
Published: February 2019

Due to Virginia’s geographic location, topographic variability, and diversity of physiographic provinces, the state ranks as one of the most biodiverse areas in the US. Virginia’s myrmecofauna, however, has been insufficiently studied and is not well known. Here we present the first comprehensive list of the ants of Virginia and provide county-level distributions for all taxa. With taxonomic updates taken into account, review of published records revealed that 130 species have been reported from the state. We add another 34 species based on newly collected materials, review of museum and personal collections, and online databases. At present, 164 species and morphospecies, including 15 ant exotics, are known to occur in the state. Another 12 species are provisionally excluded from the list as they represent distribution anomalies, or are based on erroneous records. The work presented here is an initial step towards a more complete treatment of the identification, taxonomy, and natural history of the ant fauna of Virginia.
A new species of the genus Megophrys Gunther, 1864 (Amphibia: Anura: Megophryidae) from Mount Wuyi, China
Authors: MESSENGER KEVIN R. , DAHN HOLLIS A. , LIANG YUANRUI , XIE PENG , WANG YONG , LU CHANGHU
Published: February 2019

A new species of horned toad, Megophrys ombrophila sp. nov., is described based on specimens found from Guadun village from Mount Wuyi in northwestern Fujian Province, China. The species is distinguished from other described Megophrys by morphology, bioacoustics, and molecular data of the 12S and 16S mitochondrial loci. The species is characterized by its rotund stature, head length approximately equal to head width, canthus rostralis well developed, tympanum large and distinct, vomerine teeth absent, margin of tongue smooth, not notched from behind, heels of the feet not meeting when femurs are held at 90° to the axis of the body and tibias are depressed against the femur, toes weakly webbed at base, dorsal skin mostly smooth with scattered granules and ridges, usually the presence of two discontinuous dorsolateral ridges, supratympanic fold distinct and well-developed, and with females ranging from 32.8–35 mm snout-to-vent length, and males ranging from 27.4–34.5 mm SVL. In its type locality, the species is sympatric with M. boettgeri and M. kuatunensis; and phylogenetically, the most closely related described species is M. obesa from southwest Guangdong province. As more cryptic species are described within the subfamily Megophryinae, the more apparent becomes the need for fine-scale molecular and phenotypic assessment to capture the many forms of this hyper-diverse group.
Characterization of Regional Wind Patterns Using Self-Organizing Maps: Impact on Dallas–Fort Worth Long-Term Ozone Trends
Authors: Kotsakis Alexander , Choi Yunsoo , Souri Amir H. , Jeon Wonbae , Flynn James
Published: February 2019

This study analyzes wind patterns in the Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW) area to gain a clearer understanding of meteorological patterns that have historically led to ozone exceedances in this region. Using a clustering algorithm called “self-organizing maps,” we analyzed five notable characteristic regional wind patterns that occurred between April and October in 2000–14. A regional-scale high pressure system, cluster 2, produced weak southeast winds over DFW and accounted for 35.2% of ozone exceedances. Clusters 1 and 5, characterized by southwesterly winds over the DFW area, were together associated with one-third of total ozone exceedances and show quantifiable impacts of the Barnett Shale region on downwind ozone production. Cluster 3, associated with Bermuda-high conditions, had relatively lower ozone in DFW (45.3 ppbv) resulting from transport of lower background ozone from the Gulf of Mexico. For clusters that produce southeasterly or southwesterly winds over Houston, ozone values in DFW were always larger than those in Houston. Further, to determine the potential impact of Houston pollution on DFW ozone, a sensitivity simulation with no Houston emissions and a base simulation were performed. The difference between the simulations revealed ozone enhancements of 1–2 ppbv and coincident enhancements in NOy under south-southeasterly wind conditions. From these results, we conclude that downwind pollution from Houston and the Barnett Shale area exacerbates DFW ozone concentrations, underscoring the impacts of specific wind patterns on air quality in DFW.
Characteristics of the Sea-Breeze Circulation in the Pearl River Delta Region and Its Dynamical Diagnosis
Authors: You Cheng , Chi-Hung Fung Jimmy
Published: February 2019

The Pearl River delta (PRD) region has experienced rapid economic development since the 1980s and has become one of the world’s largest industrial zones and metropolitan areas. Previous studies have shown that the sea-breeze circulation can contribute to pollutant transportation and convective initiation, so it is useful to study the dynamic structure of the sea-breeze circulation in the PRD region. Many researchers have focused on the effects of environmental factors, such as topography, urbanization, and background wind, on the sea breeze, but most focused only on case studies and did not quantify the characteristics of the sea-breeze circulation climatologically. In this study, a sea-breeze identification metric was defined to identify sea-breeze events from WRF simulation data of 2012 and quantify their characteristics, including their start time, end time, strength, height, frequency, pumping ability, and inland-penetrating distance. The results indicate that this method works well to identify and quantify the sea-breeze events of 2012. It is found that the solenoid term, the largest positive contributor to vorticity acceleration, is mostly modulated by the temperature gradient. Therefore, the frontogenesis of the sea-breeze front is discussed in this study. The result shows that offshore background wind that increases frontogenesis is favorable to the development of the sea breeze, but it also prevents it from propagating vertically and horizontally.
Associative Impact of Personality Orientation and Levels of Stress on Procrastination in Middle-level Managers
Authors: Munjal Sonia , Mishra Richa
Published: February 2019

To procrastinate is to ‘voluntarily delay an intended course of action despite expecting to be worse off for the delay’ (Steel, 2007, Psychological Bulletin 133(1), 65). This behaviour, despite its cost, is common in workplaces and other life domains. By understanding why it occurs and how to prevent it, managers can help optimise the performance and productivity of employees. Hence, this research article is an effort to add a little to the sparse knowledge base in this field. It is also an effort to throw light on the relationship of Levenson’s multidimensions of the locus of control (LOC) and stress on the procrastination of employees, which have not been explored earlier. Two categories of variable are tested as the predictors of procrastination: various dimensions of LOC and occupational stress. Research results confirm that occupational stress along with LOC dimension affects the procrastinating behaviour of the employees. One of the major findings to emerge from the current research is that managers with powerful others as their LOC dimensions were least procrastinating. This contradicts the previous research results that external factors procrastinate more than internal ones.
“Do not Disturb the Peace!” Identities, Livelihoods and the Politics of Post-War Discontent in Sierra Leone
Authors: Batty Fodei , M’Cormack-Hale Fredline
Published: February 2019

Although the collective memory of war is frequently invoked in post-war societies, who chooses to invoke it and to what effect has been less studied relative to other aspects of such societies. In this article we employ a case study of Sierra Leone to address this deficit in the post-conflict scholarship by illustrating how the collective memory of that country’s civil war is appropriated by diverse actors in the post-war society. Drawing from field interviews, we present evidence showing how, and why, several societal groups constituted as distinct post-war identities such as victims-rights groups, former defenders of the state, or perpetrators of the violence during the Sierra Leone civil war articulate dissatisfactions with their livelihoods and the reactions of state officials to their demands. The article explains why, and how, successive governments have selectively suppressed the discontent of some groups over livelihood insecurities that are construed as threats to public order while ignoring violent protests from other groups over similar issues, in spite of a 1965 public order act restricting protests. Thus, the article argues that state officials in Sierra Leone have not demonstrated superior commitment to peacebuilding than societal groups that make demands on the state.
Fasting of male mice – Effects of time point of initiation and duration on clinical chemistry parameters and animal welfare
Authors: Jensen Tanja L , Kiersgaard Maria K , Mikkelsen Lars F , Sørensen Dorte B
Published: February 2019

Fasting of mice is a common procedure, which can affect the outcome of the study as well as animal welfare. In this study, we assess the effects of fasting, fasting duration and fasting initiation time in relation to light schedule and present suggestions for optimization of fasting. Male C57BL/6NCrl mice were fasted for 0, 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 hours initiated either in the light period (photophase) or the dark period (scotophase). Body weight, gastric content, body temperature, corticosterone and 19 routine clinical chemistry parameters were evaluated.

Fasting caused significant changes in most of the measured parameters. Increasing duration of fasting resulted in increasing physiological changes. Fasting initiated in the scotophase caused more significant changes than fasting initiated in the photophase. To cause the least physiological changes in mice and increase animal welfare, mice should preferably be fasted in the photophase and for the shortest possible period allowed by the experimental purpose of fasting.
The relationship between micronutrient intake and labour productivity: Evidence from rice-farming households in Thailand
Authors: Tiwasing Pattanapong , Dawson Philip , Garrod Guy
Published: February 2019

Unreliable access to a sufficient quantity of nutritious food is a major cause of undernourishment and malnutrition and may lead to reduced worker capacity and low productivity in developing countries. This study examines the impact of micronutrient intake on the labour productivity of rice-producing households in Thailand in 2011. A semi-log wage equation and Cobb–Douglas production function are estimated using two-stage least squares and non-linear two-stage least squares methods, respectively. The results show that higher intakes of calcium, vitamin A and iron increase household earnings and farm output. However, calorie intake only contributes to a higher farm output. Enhancing micronutrient consumption is an investment for improving productivity.
Openness to Experience, Extraversion, and Subjective Well-Being Among Chinese College Students: The Mediating Role of Dispositional Awe
Authors: Dong Rui , Ni Shi G.
Published: February 2019

Awe is the emotion experienced when people confront stimuli so vast and novel that they require accommodation. Dispositional awe, in contrast, captures individual differences in the tendency to experience awe. Previous research has found that state awe could predict life satisfaction; however, no study has focused on the indirect effects of dispositional awe on the relationship between personality traits and subjective well-being. Previous studies have found that both openness to experience and extraversion were significant predictors of subjective well-being. Both openness to experience and awe involve cognitive flexibility. Awe can also arise from engaging in social events. Previous research has found that those who are higher in dispositional awe tend to be more extraverted and open to experience. Therefore, the main purpose of this study is to test the mediating role of dispositional awe among openness to experience, extraversion, and subjective well-being. To test this hypothesis, a total of 332 Chinese college students were invited to complete an anonymous survey using a cross-sectional design. The results of structural equation modeling showed that openness to experience and extraversion predicted higher levels of dispositional awe, while dispositional awe predicted higher levels of subjective well-being. Moreover, dispositional awe mediated the effects of openness to experience and extraversion on subjective well-being. The findings of this study suggest that openness to experience and extraversion may invite more experiences of awe and thus promote subjective well-being.
Do Well-off Families Compensate for Low Cognitive Ability? Evidence on Social Inequality in Early Schooling from a Twin Study
Authors: Gil-Hernández Carlos J.
Published: February 2019

This article bridges the literature on educational inequality between and within families to test whether high–socioeconomic status (SES) families compensate for low cognitive ability in the transition to secondary education in Germany. The German educational system of early-ability tracking (at age 10) represents a stringent setting for the compensatory hypothesis. Overall, previous literature offers inconclusive findings. Previous research between families suffers from the misspecification of parental SES and ability, while most within-family research did not stratify the analysis by SES or the ability distribution. To address these issues, I draw from the TwinLife study to implement a twin fixed-effects design that minimizes unobserved confounding. I report two main findings. First, highly educated families do not compensate for twins’ differences in cognitive ability at the bottom of the ability distribution. In the German system of early-ability tracking, advantaged families may have more difficulties to compensate than in countries where educational transitions are less dependent on ability. Second, holding parents’ and children’s cognitive ability constant, pupils from highly educated families are 27% more likely to attend the academic track. This result implies wastage of academic potential for disadvantaged families, challenging the role of cognitive ability as the leading criterion of merit for liberal theories of equal opportunity. These findings point to the importance of other factors that vary between families with different resources and explain educational success, such as noncognitive abilities, risk aversion to downward mobility, and teachers’ bias.
Prediction of the tactile comfort of fabrics from functional finishing parameters using fuzzy logic and artificial neural network models
Authors: Tadesse Melkie Getnet , Loghin Emil , Pislaru Marius , Wang Lichuan , Chen Yan , Nierstrasz Vincent , Loghin Carmen
Published: February 2019

This paper aims to predict the hand values (HVs) and total hand values (THVs) of functional fabrics by applying the fuzzy logic model (FLM) and artificial neural network (ANN) model. Functional fabrics were evaluated by trained panels employing subjective evaluation scenarios. Firstly, the FLM was applied to predict the HV from finishing parameters; then, the FLM and ANN model were applied to predict the THV from the HV. The estimation of the FLM on the HV was efficient, as demonstrated by the root mean square error (RMSE) and relative mean percentage error (RMPE); low values were recorded, except those bipolar descriptors whose values are within the lowermost extreme values on the fuzzy model. However, the prediction performance of the FLM and ANN model on THV was effective, where RMSE values of ∼0.21 and ∼0.13 were obtained, respectively; both values were within the variations of the experiment. The RMPE values for both models were less than 10%, indicating that both models are robust, effective, and could be utilized in predicting the THVs of the functional fabrics with very good accuracy. These findings can be judiciously utilized for the selection of suitable engineering specifications and finishing parameters of functional fabrics to attain defined tactile comfort properties, as both models were validated using real data obtained by the subjective evaluation of functional fabrics.
The Relationship between a Country’s Level of Tourism and Environmental Performance
Authors: Bojanic David C. , Warnick Rodney B.
Published: February 2019

The tourism industry has come under scrutiny as a human activity that contributes to the increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. While tourism certainly contributes to GHG emissions, it would be interesting to know if the level of tourism has an effect on environmental performance. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of the level of tourism on GHG emissions on a global level using WDI panel data from 1995 to 2016. The findings indicate that the level of tourism does have an impact on GHG emissions. There is evidence that countries that rely more heavily on tourism as a percentage of GDP, have more tourism arrivals, and have higher tourism density actually have lower amounts of GHG emissions and better environmental performance.
Diagnostic challenges in late-presenting congenital diaphragmatic hernia: a 16-year experience from tertiary care centre in North India
Authors: Rattan Kamal Nain , Singh Jasbir , Dalal Poonam
Published: February 2019

With increasing use of ultrasound screening, the prenatal diagnosis of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) in better resourced areas has become the norm. However, early diagnosis is still not universal in resource-poor settings and late presentations of CDH continue. We retrospectively analysed the medical records of children operated for late-presenting CDH from 2001 to 2016 at our tertiary care centre in North India. A total of 32 patients were operated during the period with a male-to-female ratio of 3:1. Of these, 78% presented with respiratory symptoms, 37% with recurrent vomiting and 18% with an acute abdomen. Nine (28%) had been treated erroneously for gastroenteritis and another six (18%) had received anti-tubercular therapy for variable periods. A plain chest radiograph with a Ryle’s tube in situ was confirmatory in 75% (24/32). In conclusion, initial misdiagnosis and subsequent unnecessary therapeutic interventions were the leading cause of morbidity .
Modeling the interrelationship between the parameters for improving weld strength in plastic hot plate welding: A DEMATEL approach
Authors: Mathiyazhagan K , Singh Krishna Kumar , Sivabharathi V
Published: February 2019

Application of plastics is increasing day by day since plastics offer many distinct advantages as compared to metals. Plastics has mainly good thermal and electrical insulation properties, corrosion resistance, chemical inertness, and high strength to weight ratio. Additionally, these are cheaper in cost as compared to conventional materials. Plastics are additionally easy to process. Nowadays, product requirements are getting critical and thus product design is getting more complex in shape. To manufacture intricate complex shape creates complexity in manufacturing process which is sometimes very difficult or almost not feasible to produce with single manufacturing process. To manufacture such critical products, welding is a complimentary process. Type of weld joint and welding process can be selected based on the product design and load application on the product. Hot plate welding is very simple welding process as compared to other plastic welding process and most commonly used. Good quality weld is the prime objective of welding process. Weld strength is dependent on several parameters which may be process parameters as well as product parameters. The objective of this study is to identify the key parameters in hot plate welding process of the plastics using Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory which is one of the prioritization techniques. Results of the study focus on understanding the key parameters affecting the weld strength. Study shows that hot plate temperature, welding time, and melting time are the key parameters affecting the weld strength.
An Imitation medical diagnosis method of hydro-turbine generating unit based on Bayesian network
Authors: Cheng Jiangzhou , Zhu Cai , Fu Wenlong , Wang Canxia , Sun Jing
Published: February 2019

In order to improve the intelligent level of fault diagnosis and condition maintenance of hydropower units, an Imitation medical diagnosis method (IMDM) is proposed in this study. IMDM uses Bayesian networks (BN) as the technical framework, including three components: machine learning BN model, expert empirical BN model, and maintenance decision model. Its characteristics are as follows: (i) the machine learning model uses a new node selection method to solve the problem that the traditional fault diagnosis model is difficult to connect with the state monitoring system. (ii) The expert experience BN model improves the traditional method: using the fault tree model to transform the BN structure, Noisy-Or model to simplify conditional probability table, and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method to obtain the conditional probability. (iii) By introducing the expected utility theory, a maintenance decision model is innovated, which makes sure the optimal maintenance decision scheme after the fault can be better selected. The performance of this proposed method is evaluated by using the experimental data. The results show that the accuracy of the fault reasoning model is higher than 80%, and the maintenance decision model successfully selects 236 optimal maintenance decision schemes from 3159 schemes generated by 13 faults.
How Multiple Organizational Changes Shape Managerial Support for Innovative Work Behavior: Evidence From the Australian Public Service
Authors: Wynen Jan , Boon Jan , Kleizen Bjorn , Verhoest Koen
Published: February 2019

Public organizations were once seen as the epitome of stability and implacability. More recently, however, public organizations have been subject to fast-paced environmental change. One common response to the challenges posed by these volatile environments has been the adoption of various organizational changes to make public organizations more adaptable. However, following threat-rigidity theory, this study argues that as employees perceive multiple organizational changes, managerial support for innovative work behavior (IWB) of employees decreases. Analyses on the Australian Public Service (APS) employee census support these assertions. Our results contribute to the literatures on work behavior, organizational innovation, and human resources management, by demonstrating that multiple organizational changes negatively affect managerial support for IWB of individual employees, which may—through their negative impact on individual-level innovations—ultimately affect the very adaptability of organizations that many changes aspire to achieve.
Mental health and addictions policy priorities and performance measurement frameworks
Authors: Sirotich Frank , Adair Carol E. , Durbin Janet , Lin Elizabeth , Canning Christopher
Published: February 2019

To inform the future development of a pan-Canadian Mental Health and Addictions (MHA) performance measurement framework, we undertook a review and comparison of current provincial/territorial MHA policies and performance measurement frameworks. Most did not have performance measurement approaches that were explicitly linked to policy actions but eleven acknowledged the importance of performance measurement. Among the provinces with a framework, there were few performance domains in common. The common policy priorities and areas of convergence in current performance measurement practices may provide a useful starting point for the development of a pan-Canadian MHA performance measurement framework.
Key steps for a mental health and addictions performance measurement framework for Canada
Authors: Sirotich Frank , Adair Carol E. , Durbin Janet , Lin Elizabeth , Canning Christopher
Published: February 2019

To inform the development of a pan-Canadian Mental Health and Addictions (MHA) performance measurement framework, we undertook a rapid review of the recent Performance Measurement (PM) literature and solicited input from 20 MHA policy and measurement experts. Six key steps for framework development were identified: recognizing and acknowledging key issues, developing shared language and understanding of key concepts, defining overall scope, defining framework dimension/domains, selecting indicators and using systematic engagement and consultation processes with stakeholders. Subject matter experts underscored the need for a comprehensive engagement process which would honour multiple stakeholder viewpoints and attend to key issues in the codesign of features of the PM framework. Findings from this analysis may be used to inform a comprehensive stakeholder consultation process for the development of a pan-Canadian PM framework for MHA.
The Risk of Acute Kidney Injury in Critically Ill Patients Receiving Concomitant Vancomycin With Piperacillin–Tazobactam or Cefepime
Authors: Molina Kyle C. , Barletta Jeffrey F. , Hall Scott T. , Yazdani Cyrus , Huang Vanthida
Published: February 2019

Purpose:

The objective of this study was to compare the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) among critically ill patients receiving combination therapy with vancomycin plus piperacillin–tazobactam (VPT) against patients receiving vancomycin plus cefepime (VC).

Methods:

A retrospective cohort study of adult patients admitted to an intensive care unit between September 2012 and December 2016 was conducted. Patients were included if they received combination therapy with VPT or VC for ≥48 hours. Patients were excluded if creatinine clearance was <60 mL/min or received renal replacement therapy prior to the initiation of therapy. The primary end point was AKI, as defined by the Acute Kidney Injury Network classification, during or within 48 hours of completion of therapy. The incidence of AKI was compared between groups and multivariate analysis was performed to control for relevant confounders.

Results:

A total of 394 patients received either VPT (n = 258) or VC (n = 136). There were no differences in baseline serum creatinine (0.8 [0.3]mg/dL vs 0.7 [0.3] mg/dL, P = 0.207), use of vasopressors (44% vs 38%, P = 0.255), mechanical ventilation (45% vs 40%, P = 0.350), or initial vancomycin trough (11.2 [5] mg/L vs 11 [4.8] mg/L, P = 0.668) between VPT and VC groups, respectively. The incidence of AKI was 28.7% for VPT patients versus 21.3% for VC patients ( P = 0.114). Multivariate analysis revealed vancomycin trough >20 mg/L (odds ratio, OR [95% confidence interval, CI] = 2.69 [1.62-4.47]), baseline SCr (OR [95% CI] = 3.34 [1.43-7.80]), vasopressors (OR [95% CI] = 1.77 [1.04-3.04]), and duration of combination therapy (OR [95% CI] = 1.009 [1.003-1.015]) as independent risk factors for AKI.

Conclusion:

The risk of AKI was similar between VPT and VC groups in critically ill patients. Risk factors for AKI were related to baseline renal function, duration of combination therapy, supratherapeutic vancomycin troughs, and severity of illness.
Settling the Neoliberal Contradiction through Corporate Volunteering: Governing Employees in the Era of Cognitive Capitalism
Authors: Shachar Itamar Y. , Hustinx Lesley
Published: February 2019

Corporations are increasingly interested in promoting corporate volunteering, and their efforts are aligned with supportive nonprofits and public policies. The article seeks to understand the reasons for this growing interest. It is based on insights from an ethnographic exploration of corporate volunteering activities in a transnational nonprofit that involves highly skilled corporate volunteers in its programs of entrepreneurship education. A multi-sited fieldwork was conducted in the organization’s program offices and its corporate partners in the United States, Belgium, and Israel. The analysis demonstrates how corporate volunteering conjoins various elements—ideological, interactionist, symbolic, and ethical—to maintain the creative engagement of highly skilled employees in cognitive capitalism. The article thus argues that the increasing interest in corporate volunteering emerges from a classwide rationality that extends beyond instrumental interests of particular corporations, as corporate volunteering constitutes a governmentality technique that molds employees’ subjectivities and maintains their wider commitment to capitalism.
Explaining Online News Engagement Based on Browsing Behavior: Creatures of Habit?
Authors: Möller Judith , van de Velde Robbert Nicolai , Merten Lisa , Puschmann Cornelius
Published: February 2019

Understanding how citizens keep themselves informed about current affairs is crucial for a functioning democracy. Extant research suggests that in an increasingly fragmented digital news environment, search engines and social media platforms promote more incidental, but potentially more shallow modes of engagement with news compared to the act of routinely accessing a news organization’s website. In this study, we examine classic predictors of news consumption to explain the preference for three modes of news engagement in online tracking data: routine news use, news use triggered by social media, and news use as part of a general search for information. In pursuit of this aim, we make use of a unique data set that combines tracking data with survey data. Our findings show differences in predictors between preference for regular (direct) engagement, general search-driven, and social media–driven modes of news engagement. In describing behavioral differences in news consumption patterns, we demonstrate a clear need for further analysis of behavioral tracking data in relation to self-reported measures in order to further qualify differences in modes of news engagement.
An internal model control-cascade Proportion-Integration-Differentiation method for manipulation of nano-quad-rotors
Authors: Wang Yuan , Zheng Xiangming , Li Hongda , Li Xiaoran
Published: February 2019

Nowadays, manipulation of quad-rotors faces complexity in controller parameter tuning process and system instability under uncertainties. Internal model control is featured with less controller parameters, simpler tuning process than conventional methods, good robustness and perfect capability in rejection of uncertainties. All its merits can be applied in the field of nano-quad-rotor control since its internal model is easy to be obtained and the suffered uncertainties, especially persistent ones such as model uncertainties and winds, can be rejected by the algorithm effectively. In this paper, an internal model control cascade Proportion-Integration-Differentiation (PID) method is developed to enhance the robustness and improve the capability of uncertainty rejection of nano-quad-rotors flying under persistent uncertainties. The system can be stabilized in a very easy way with all controller parameters tuned within 0 to 1. Comparison with internal model control method was carried out numerically; the results show that, in dealing with persistent uncertainties, the internal model control cascade PID-based method presents significant superiority in the maintenance of both the accuracy of trajectory tracking and the stability of attitude.
A practical attitude control scheme for hypersonic vehicle based on disturbance observer
Authors: Piao Minnan , Yang Zhihong , Sun Mingwei , Huang Jian , Chen Zengqiang
Published: February 2019

This paper proposes a practical three-channel attitude control scheme for hypersonic vehicle based on the linear active disturbance rejection control. The control scheme considers the weak and strong coupling scenarios separately due to the dynamic characteristics. For the weak coupling case, three linear active disturbance rejection controllers are designed for the Euler angles of the three channels, respectively, to deal with the strong uncertainties. The expected stability margin and dynamic performance can be guaranteed through the stability margin tester tuning method. Moreover, the control scheme for the pitch, yaw, and roll angles can be applied to the control of the angle of attack, the sideslip angle and the bank angle directly according to the flight dynamics of the hypersonic vehicle, thus realizing a unified control framework for all the attitude angles. For the strong coupling scenario like the fast reversal maneuver, the inner-loop angular rate feedback is performed first in this paper to enhance the damping characteristics, and then linear active disturbance rejection control is designed for the augmented plant to eliminate the strong coupling effects. Simulation results demonstrate the satisfactory tracking and disturbance rejection ability of the proposed methods.
Explaining Muslims’ Aggressive Tendencies Towards the West: The Role of Negative Stereotypes, Anger, Perceived Conflict and Islamic Fundamentalism
Authors: Mashuri Ali , Zaduqisti Esti
Published: February 2019

The current research was to investigate what psychological factors predict Muslims’ negative stereotypes of the West, and the underlying mechanism by which the negative stereotypes can translate into Muslims’ aggressive tendencies towards the West. A correlational survey among a sample of Indonesian Muslims ( N = 360) demonstrated that the more participants negatively stereotyped the West, the more they thought that Muslims should aggress the latter group. We also found as expected that Muslims’ negative stereotypes of the West were positively predicted by the perceived conflict between Islam and the West, and this perceived intergroup conflict in turn mediated the role of Islamic fundamentalism in predicting the negative stereotypes. These findings in sum highlight the role of contextual and individual factors in predicting Muslims’ negative stereotypes of the West, as well as the impact of these stereotypes on Muslims’ aggressive tendencies towards the West. Theoretical implications and research limitations of these empirical findings are discussed.
Symbol as Metonymy and Metaphor: A Sociological Perspective on Mathematical Symbolism
Authors: Malviya Saumya
Published: February 2019

As a social practice, mathematics remains shrouded in mystery and seems inaccessible for outsiders. It comes across as a closed formal system that is largely considered independent of the people who practise it and hence totally impervious to sociological investigation. This article seeks to question these assumptions and is offered as a contribution to an emerging sociology of mathematics and abstraction. The argument unfolds on an ethnographic register and follows the reactions to a particular mathematical symbol in two different contexts. The first stretch of the description tracks the responses to this symbol on an online forum devoted to discussing mathematics and the other draws from a classroom context the author was part of as a participant observer. Thus focussing on just one aspect of mathematical practice, the way in which symbols are handled by practitioners, it attempts to underline the character of mathematics as a distinctive form of sociality. In the process it raises and seeks to address the following questions. What do controversies over and reactions to mathematical symbols tell us about mathematics as a practice? What roles do symbols play in the mathematical discourse? And, can a broader sociological perspective on mathematical symbolism be developed?
A Dualistic Model of Tourism Seasonality: Approach–Avoidance and Regulatory Focus Theories
Authors: Senbeto Dagnachew L. , Hon Alice H. Y.
Published: February 2019

Seasonality in tourism is a key but poorly understood issue in the context of the tourism industry. Furthermore, theoretical and conceptual developments regarding seasonality in tourism remain limited. This conceptual study aims to integrate approach–avoidance and regulatory focus theories as frameworks for understanding seasonality in tourism. The study’s purpose is threefold. First, it evaluates current research on seasonality in tourism. Second, it outlines the features of approach–avoidance and regulatory focus theories and their underutilization in the tourism setting. Third, it illustrates the potential of the above theories and frameworks in understanding seasonality in tourism. Also important is our development of a dualistic model to augment policymakers’ understanding of how certain factors, such as fruition-based factors, structural factors, unforeseen factors, and climate-based factors, can influence seasonality in tourism. Implications and suggestions for future research are also discussed.
The clinical presentation, diagnosis and pathogenesis of symptomatic sports-related femoroacetabular impingement (SRFAI) in a consecutive series of 1021 athletic hips
Authors: Carton Patrick F , Filan David J
Published: February 2019

Aim:

To examine the pathogenesis and clinical presentation of sports-related femoroacetabular impingement (SRFAI) in a large consecutive series of symptomatic athletes.

Methods:

Between January 2009 and February 2017 prospectively collected data from competitive athletes within the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), and who subsequently underwent arthroscopic treatment for symptomatic FAI, were analysed. Data was collected using internationally validated health questionnaires (Harris Hip Score, UCLA, SF-36, WOMAC) and recognised clinical (ROM, symptom presentation, provocation tests) and radiological (AP pelvis, Dunn, False profile) indicators/measures of FAI.

Results:

A total of 1021 consecutive cases (mean 26.6 ± 6.2 years) were included. In every case, conservative treatment failed to resolve symptoms with athletes attending an average of 2.4 ± 1.1 health care professionals prior to referral. Symptoms developed gradually (78%) and consisted primarily of groin pain (76.1%) and hip stiffness (76.5%) following activity. An acetabular rim deformity (pincer) was present in all cases; a cam deformity in 72.1%. The prevalence and degree of cam deformity increased with progressing age groups ( p < 0.001); mean lateral centre-edge angle remained static ( p = 0.456). Increasing CEA, alpha angle and presence of rim fracture was associated with a reduction in all ranges of hip movement ( p < 0.001).

Conclusion:

Symptomatic SRFAI presented in this large series of GAA athletes failed to resolve with non-operative treatment. Increasing hip deformity resulted in poorer ROM. Abnormal acetabular morphology remains static with increasing athletic age while cam deformity is progressive and most likely a secondary pathology.