bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Mother-Delivered Social Stories and Video Modeling in Teaching Social Skills to Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders
Authors: Acar Cimen , Tekin-Iftar Elif , Yikmis Ahmet
Published: May 2016

An adapted alternating treatments design was used to compare mother-developed and delivered social stories and video modeling in teaching social skills to children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Mothers’ opinions about the social validity of the study were also examined. Three mother–child dyads participated in the study. Results showed that mothers could develop social stories and video images with 100% accuracy and implement them with high treatment integrity. Results also showed that both interventions were effective in teaching social skills to children with ASD, and both mothers and children could maintain and generalize their acquired skills; video modeling was more efficient for two children and social stories were more efficient for one child. Finally, mothers’ opinions about the social validity of both interventions were positive. Future research is needed to support these findings.
EU membership, financial services and stability
Authors: Armstrong Angus
Published: May 2016

This paper examines whether EU membership enhances or diminishes the UK's financial sector stability, and therefore its prominence in global finance. The UK is host to the largest share of financial services in the EU, despite being outside of the Eurozone. An important reason is that, as a member of the EU, the UK has direct access to the Eurozone's financial infrastructure. If the UK leaves the EU (and EEA) banks and other financial services firms may continue to have access to the Single Market, but they are unlikely to have direct access to the Eurozone's infrastructure. Banks in the UK will no longer be direct members the Eurozone's payments system. The swap arrangement between the European Central Bank and Bank of England would have no legal enforcement mechanism. Resolution of cross-border banks would be more challenging with less incentive for a cooperative outcome. While some may welcome the reduced size of the financial system, not without reason, this could be achieved more effectively with domestic regulation than by leaving the EU. Given the uncertainty that would follow a vote to leave, there is a risk of capital flight.
The Influence of Acute Physical Activity on Working Memory
Authors: Zach Sima , Shalom Eyal
Published: May 2016

The effect of three types of physical activity on two types of working memory were investigated. Participants were 20 adult males who trained twice a week in volleyball two hours per session. Procedures included two pre and post intervention tests of working memory: the Digit span and Visual Memory Span subtests of the Wechsler Memory Scale–Revised. Interventions included tactical volleyball formation, body-weight resistance exercises, 15 minutes of running, and sub-maximal aerobic activity. Volleyball activity improved memory performance to a greater extent than the other two activities. Results indicate that immediately after acute exercise there is an increase in working memory function, more evident after physical activity in which cognitive functioning is inherent.
Effects of Motion in the Far Peripheral Visual Field on Cognitive Test Performance and Cognitive Load
Authors: Bevilacqua Andy , Paas Fred , Krigbaum Genomary
Published: May 2016

Cognitive load theory posits that limited attention is in actuality a limitation in working memory resources. The load theory of selective attention and cognitive control sees the interplay between attention and awareness as separate modifying functions that act on working memory. Reconciling the theoretical differences in these two theories has important implications for learning. Thirty-nine adult participants performed a cognitively demanding test, with and without movement in the far peripheral field. Although the results for movement effects on cognitive load in this experiment were not statistically significant, men spent less time on the cognitive test in the peripheral movement condition than in the conditions without peripheral movement. No such difference was found for women. The implications of these results and recommendations for future research that extends the present study are presented.
Design Factors Affecting the Reaction Time for Identifying Toilet Signs: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Chen Yi-Lang , Sie Cai-Cin
Published: May 2016

This study focused on the manner in which design factors affect the reaction time for identifying toilet signs. Taiwanese university students and staff members (50 men, 50 women; M age = 23.5 year, SD = 5.7) participated in the study. The 36 toilet signs were modified on three factors (six presenting styles, two figure-ground exchanges, and three colors), and the reaction time data of all participants were collected when the signs were presented in a simulation onscreen. Participants were quickest when reading Chinese text, followed by graphics and English texts. The findings also showed that men and women had different reaction times across various design combinations. These findings can serve as a reference for practically designing toilet signs, since design factors can lead to difficulties with comprehension based on reaction time measurements.
Relative Age Effect in Mind Games: The Evidence from Elite Chess
Authors: Breznik Kristijan , Law Kris M. Y.
Published: May 2016

Numerous studies have attempted to investigate the factors affecting superior intellectual performance, and it has been proposed that a possible biological marker for superior intellectual performance is the month of birth. In this study, birth details of chess players were obtained from the official international chess federation website. The rating lists of top junior female chess players (“Girls” category), top junior male chess players (“Boys”), top female chess players (“Female”), and top male chess players (“Male”) were collected between July 2000 and August 2015. The birth months of each player that appeared in the top rating list were categorized into quarters. Additionally, relative age of chess players was calculated. Results supported the existence of the relative age effect in chess in all categories although a “reverse” RAE was found in the “Male” category.
Application of a Motor Learning Treatment for Speech Sound Disorders in Small Groups
Authors: Skelton Steven L. , Richard Jennifer T.
Published: May 2016

Speech sound treatment in the public schools is often conducted in small groups, but there are minimal data on the efficacy of group treatment. This study evaluated the efficacy of a motor learning-based treatment (Concurrent Treatment) provided to elementary-school students in small groups. Concurrent Treatment incorporates the randomized sequencing of various practice tasks (e.g., words, sentences, or storytelling) and can result in rapid speech sound acquisition during individual treatment settings. Twenty-eight 6- to 9-year-old children participated in a randomized pretest–posttest control group design. The experimental group received Concurrent Treatment, while the control group received treatment (if needed) after the study. Participants in the experimental group acquired their target speech sounds within 40 30-minute sessions in groups of up to four participants (effect size, d = 1.31).
Negatively-Reinforced Mands
Authors: Chezan Laura C. , Drasgow Erik , Martin Christian A. , Halle James W.
Published: May 2016

In this study, we extended the literature on negatively-reinforced mands by teaching multiple novel, socially appropriate alternative mands to two young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). First, we replaced existing mands (e.g., pushing away) with two novel, socially appropriate, negatively-reinforced mands. Next, we examined responding under immediate- and delayed-reinforcement conditions to assess resurgence to existing mands and to determine whether the function of the communicative behavior influences the consistency with which different mands are emitted. Finally, we examined generalization to different social partners. Our data suggest that both children acquired the new mands and used them to avoid nonpreferred items. Resurgence to existing mands during delayed-reinforcement conditions was documented for one child, and the sequence in which mands were emitted within a response class was not influenced by the function of the communicative behavior. Generalization data indicate that both children emitted the new mands and one of the two children alternated between the two mands with a social partner who was not involved in the training. We discuss the importance of teaching multiple negatively-reinforced alternative mands to children with autism in applied settings.
Financially Linked Independent Directors and Bankruptcy Reemergence: The Role of Director Effort
Authors: Arora Punit
Published: May 2016

This study examines if the effort of financially linked independent (FLI) directors enable firms to reemerge from bankruptcy, a major organizational crisis. Using a sample of 307 bankrupt U.S. firms with instrumental variables regression methodology, I find that the efforts of these directors are critical for firm reemergence. FLI directors’ efforts increase the likelihood of reemergence as well as improve access to financial resources. In contrast, I do not find any evidence that non-FLI directors’ efforts are associated with reemergence. I also find that resourceful but uninvolved directors are not helpful for firms trying to navigate their way out of bankruptcy. My study highlights (a) the changing nature of roles played by directors in various lifecycle stages, (b) the greater importance of resource provisioning over monitoring during reemergence, and (c) that efforts of FLI directors, and not others director categories, matter for reemergence. Overall, my study extends research that suggests directors’ motivation may cause differential firm outcomes and provides evidence that directors do not always put in their best effort on behalf of their firms. This, I suggest, has profound implications for corporate governance research and practice.
When dating shows encounter state censors: a case study of If You Are the One
Authors: Guo Shaohua
Published: May 2016

Postmillennial China has witnessed a surge of TV entertainment programs that constantly straddle the line between market demands and state mandate. Taking If You Are the One, a top-rated dating program that has evoked much controversy as a case study, this article seeks to expand current understanding of the entangled relationship between entertainment and politics in contemporary China. Delving into the critical juncture at which If You Are the One encounters state censors, this article illuminates how the official mandate has played a pivotal role in catalyzing the transformation of If You Are the One from a copycat of Western reality shows into one imprinted with Chinese characteristics. Moreover, the readiness and flexibility of those involved with television programming to negotiate, reciprocate, and adjust their stances characterize the nascent norm of television culture production. Thus, the way in which If You Are the One reinvents its agenda to meet state expectations, pacifies the irritated audience, and subsequently enhances its critical agency illustrates the mutually reconfiguring relationships between official, commercial, and mainstream forces.
Femoral Head Growth Plate Dysplasia and Fracture in Juvenile Rabbits Induced by Off-target Antiangiogenic Treatment
Authors: Hall A. Peter , Mitchard T. , Rolf M. G. , Stewart J. , Duffy P.
Published: May 2016

Epiphyseal growth plate dysplasia (chondrodysplasia) might be considered as the pathognomonic feature of antiangiogenic treatment in preclinical species as it is reliably and dose-responsively induced in rodents and monkeys with vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) inhibitors, fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptor inhibitors, matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors, and vascular targeting agents. Here we report epiphyseal growth plate dysplasia in juvenile rabbits treated with an oral spleen tyrosine kinase inhibitor induced by off-target antiangiogenic inhibition of VEGF and FGF family kinase receptors. Epiphyseal growth plate dysplasia resulted in weakening and fracturing of the femoral head physis in 6 of 10 male and 1 of 10 female animals as well as microfracturing and dysplasia of the distal femoral articular cartilage in 1 male animal. Fracture lines ran through the zone of hypertrophic cartilage (as well as adjacent zones), were orientated parallel to the physeal plane, and often involved displacement of the femoral head. We would suggest that the high prevalence of growth plate fracture in the rabbit may represent a potential additional adverse risk to those already established for children treated with antiangiogenic therapy.
Family Involvement at the Secondary Level
Authors: Carpenter Bradley W. , Young Michelle D. , Bowers Amanda , Sanders Kimberly
Published: May 2016

The purpose of this study is to provide an understanding of how successful secondary schools located along the Texas-Mexico border, particularly those enrolling predominantly Latino students, have supported high achievement among their student population and promoted parental involvement. The roles and perspectives of parents and school community members in the family-school relationship are examined through a secondary data analysis, as we explore how different views affect both the definitions of, as well as reasons for, involvement.
Liquid planning, wiki-design—Learning from the Case Pispala
Authors: Partanen Jenni
Published: May 2016

As the key aspects of theories of complex systems have been established, the premises for academic research on planning and on planning praxis still necessitates the development of novel planning tools and approaches to address inevitable urban self-organizing transformations. We have accepted that cities emerge from bottom up. However, planning methods simulating this emergence are still limited. Progress has been made in recent decades and many systemic, evolutionary, and computing based planning approaches have been proposed. The work here builds on these premises.

Network theoretical, computational, and democracy discourses have proposed proxy or liquid approaches as for genuinely democratic forms of decision-making. More importantly, they enable information organization from bottom up in a digital platform. This process actually follows the very principles of self-organization of information in information or cognitive sciences: entropy decreases as the “bits” of information self-organize into coherent classes. These principles are also applicable in bottom-up planning. Hence, and to bring this discourse closer to the planning realm, I compared the conceptualized structures of Liquid Democracy, SIRN cognitive model and prior self-organizing planning proposals in a bottom-up planning experiment in Pispala neighborhood, Tampere, Finland. I evaluated its capacity for self-organization of information and hypothesized that the case provides a frame for a new self-organizing planning method. Based on this evaluation a structure for a digitalized Liquid Planning procedure is suggested and discussed.
Tidying rooms and tending hearts: An explorative, mixed-methods study of hospital cleaning staff’s experiences with seriously ill and dying patients
Authors: Jors Karin , Tietgen Svenja , Xander Carola , Momm Felix , Becker Gerhild
Published: May 2016

Background/aim:

Palliative care is based on multi-professional team work. In this study, we investigated how cleaning staff communicate and interact with seriously ill and dying patients as well as how cleaning staff cope with the situation of death and dying.

Design:

Sequential mixed methods, consisting of semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and a questionnaire. Interviews and focus group discussions were content analyzed and results were used to create a questionnaire. Quantitative data were submitted to descriptive analysis.

Setting:

Large university clinic in southern Germany.

Participants:

A total of 10 cleaning staff participated in the interviews and 6 cleaning staff took part in the focus group discussion. In addition, three managerial cleaning staff participated in a separate focus group. Questionnaires were given to all cleaning staff ( n = 240) working at the clinic in September 2008, and response rate was 52% (125/240).

Results:

Cleaning staff described interactions with patients as an important and fulfilling aspect of their work. About half of participants indicated that patients talk with them every day, on average for 1–3 min. Conversations often revolved around casual topics such as weather and family, but patients also discussed their illness and, occasionally, thoughts regarding death with cleaning staff. When patients addressed illness and death, cleaning staff often felt uncomfortable and helpless.

Conclusion:

Cleaning staff perceive that they have an important role in the clinic—not only cleaning but also supporting patients. Likewise, patients appreciate being able to speak openly with cleaning staff. Still, it appears that cleaning staff may benefit from additional training in communication about sensitive issues such as illness and death.
The Properties of 3 Different Plasma Formulations and Their Effects on Tendinopathic Cells
Authors: Rubio-Azpeitia Eva , Bilbao Ane M. , Sánchez Pello , Delgado Diego , Andia Isabel
Published: May 2016

Background:

Tendinopathies are attributed to failure of the healing process and inadequate tissue remodeling. Plasma injections can trigger regenerative responses by modifying the molecular microenvironment.

Purpose:

To examine the differences in the mitotic, chemotactic, anabolic, and inflammatory effects between leukocyte- and platelet-rich plasma (L-PRP), platelet-rich plasma (PRP), and platelet-poor plasma (PPP).

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Tendinopathic cells were cultured in 3-dimensional (3D) hydrogels formed using PPP, PRP, and L-PRP. Cell migration was evaluated using a μ-Slide chemotaxis chamber with video microscopy. Proliferation was assessed using XTT assays. Expression of genes associated with matrix turnover, including type 1 collagen ( COL1A1), COL3A1, aggrecan, decorin, fibronectin, matrix metalloproteinase 1 ( MMP-1), MMP-3, A Disintegrin-Like And Metalloprotease With Thrombospondin Type 1 Motif proteins 4 ( ADAMTS-4), and ADAMTS-5, was assessed using real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Secreted inflammatory proteins, including interleukin (IL)–1β, IL-6, IL-8, monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1), and regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), as well as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results:

Tendinopathic cells migrate at a higher velocity along L-PRP and PRP than along PPP gradients. PRP and L-PRP promote hypercellularity. PPP and PRP showed more pronounced anabolic properties, as demonstrated by enhanced COL1A1 and COL3A1 and reduced MMP-1 expression. Decorin, fibronectin, and aggrecan were downregulated in L-PRP compared with PPP and PRP. L-PRP and PRP were shown to be more proinflammatory than PPP in terms of IL-6 secretion, but cells in PPP showed MCP-1high phenotype. CTGF secretion was significantly reduced in L-PRP compared with PPP and PRP.

Conclusion:

The main advantages of L-PRP and PRP use, compared with PPP, include their stronger chemotactic and proliferative properties. While PPP and PRP stimulate matrix anabolism, L-PRP is more proinflammatory. Emphasis should be placed on the temporal needs and biological characteristics of injured tendons, and plasma formulations need to be tailored accordingly.

Clinical Relevance:

Versatile systems allowing the preparation of different plasma formulations, such as PPP, PRP, or L-PRP, can help refine clinical applications by taking advantage of their different biological properties.
Upstream Pathways Controlling Mitochondrial Function in Major Psychosis
Authors: Machado Alencar Kolinski , Pan Alexander Yongshuai , da Silva Tatiane Morgana , Duong Angela , Andreazza Ana Cristina
Published: May 2016

Mitochondrial dysfunction is commonly observed in bipolar disorder (BD) and schizophrenia (SCZ) and may be a central feature of psychosis. These illnesses are complex and heterogeneous, which is reflected by the complexity of the processes regulating mitochondrial function. Mitochondria are typically associated with energy production; however, dysfunction of mitochondria affects not only energy production but also vital cellular processes, including the formation of reactive oxygen species, cell cycle and survival, intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis, and neurotransmission. In this review, we characterize the upstream components controlling mitochondrial function, including 1) mutations in nuclear and mitochondrial DNA, 2) mitochondrial dynamics, and 3) intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis. Characterizing and understanding the upstream factors that regulate mitochondrial function is essential to understand progression of these illnesses and develop biomarkers and therapeutics.
Towards a reconstructive approach in political philosophy
Authors: Arentshorst Hans
Published: May 2016

This paper compares the democratic theories of Pierre Rosanvallon and Axel Honneth. The aim is to show how their work could form the basis of a ‘reconstructivist’ approach in political philosophy that rehabilitates the insights of 19th-century thinkers such as Guizot and Hegel concerning the benefits of combining political philosophy with history and sociology. Whereas the dominant procedural approaches in political philosophy tend to disconnect normative theory from the actual study of society and its history, Rosanvallon and Honneth argue that in order to understand the problems that face our democratic societies today we need a closer connection between theory and practice. Both have therefore developed a method that consists of historically reconstructing developments in modern society in order to identify certain pathologies. The paper compares the different diagnosis that Rosanvallon and Honneth give of the central pathology that faces democracy today, which in Rosanvallon’s reconstruction is related to the problem of representation and in Honneth’s account to the problem of recognition.
Investigating the Structure of the Pediatric Symptoms Checklist in the Preschool Setting
Authors: DiStefano Christine , Liu Jin , Burgess Yin
Published: May 2016

When using educational/psychological instruments, psychometric investigations should be conducted before adopting to new environments to ensure that an instrument measures the same constructs. Exploratory structural equation modeling and confirmatory factor analysis methods were used to examine the utility of the short form of the Pediatric Symptoms Checklist (PSC-17) in the school setting. Using a sample of 836 preschool children rated by teachers, three factors were identified across both techniques, with factors matching the hypothesized structure of the instrument. The PSC-17 may be an option for use in preschool settings when conducting behavioral and emotional screening.
Breast Milk Lead Levels in 3 Major Regions of the West Bank of Palestine
Authors: Shawahna Ramzi , Zyoud Ahed , Dwikat Jamela , El-Helo Maram , Yacoub Bayan , Hilal Hikmat
Published: May 2016

Background:

Lead is a neurotoxic pollutant that is ubiquitously spread in our environment. Breast milk contaminated with lead poses a potential risk of exposing a recipient infant to lead.

Objectives:

The primary aims of this study were to evaluate the breast milk lead levels (BMLLs) in breastfeeding mothers in 3 major regions of the West Bank of Palestine and to investigate the effects of some sociodemographic variables on the BMLLs.

Methods:

Breast milk samples were collected from 89 breastfeeding mothers from the Nablus, Ramallah, and Jerusalem regions and analyzed for their BMLLs using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Breastfeeding mothers were interviewed and responded to a sociodemographic questionnaire.

Results:

The median BMLL was 4.0 µg/L, ranging from 2.0 to 12.0 µg/L. Breast milk lead levels in 19.1% of the samples analyzed were higher than the World Health Organization’s safety limits of 2.0 to 5.0 µg/L for an occupationally unexposed population. Breast milk lead levels were significantly higher in breast milk of mothers who lived in cities and refugee camps ( P < .01), had lower monthly household income levels ( P < .05), lived close to paint shops ( P < .05), lived in houses with peeling or chipping paint ( P < .05), used eye kohl ( P < .01), and worked in agriculture for a duration longer than 3 years ( P < .01).

Conclusion:

Breast milk lead levels were higher than the safety limits for occupationally unexposed populations. Authorities need to implement measures to eliminate or reduce lead exposure, especially in refugee camps and cities. Marketed eye kohl preparations should be tested for their lead contents.
Big Data, Big Noise
Authors: Waldherr Annie , Maier Daniel , Miltner Peter , Günther Enrico
Published: May 2016

In this article, we focus on noise in the sense of irrelevant information in a data set as a specific methodological challenge of web research in the era of big data. We empirically evaluate several methods for filtering hyperlink networks in order to reconstruct networks that contain only webpages that deal with a particular issue. The test corpus of webpages was collected from hyperlink networks on the issue of food safety in the United States and Germany. We applied three filtering strategies and evaluated their performance to exclude irrelevant content from the networks: keyword filtering, automated document classification with a machine-learning algorithm, and extraction of core networks with network-analytical measures. Keyword filtering and automated classification of webpages were the most effective methods for reducing noise, whereas extracting a core network did not yield satisfying results for this case.
Getting a Picture
Authors: Nagel Daniel A. , Stacey Dawn , Momtahan Kathryn , Gifford Wendy , Doucet Shelley , Etowa Josephine B.
Published: May 2016

Delivery of care by nurses in virtual environments is rapidly increasing with uptake of digitally mediated technologies, such as remote patient monitoring (RPM). Knowing the person is a phenomenon in nursing practice deemed requisite to building relationships and informing clinical decisions, but it has not been studied in virtual environments. Purpose of Study: The intent of this study was to explicate the processes of how nurses come to know the person using RPM, one form of telehealth technology used in a virtual environment. Study Design and Method: The study was informed by Charmaz’s constructivist grounded theory and included 33 interviews and 5 observational experiences of nurses using RPM in 7 different settings. Findings: Getting a Picture evolved as the core category to a theoretical conceptualization of nurses knowing the person through use of RPM and other technologies, such as telephone and electronic medical records. Getting a Picture reflected a dynamic flow and integration of seven processes, such as Connecting With the Person and Recording and Reflecting, to describe how nurses strove to attain a visualization of the person. Conclusions: While navigating disparate and disconnected information and communication technologies, Getting a Picture was important for providing safe, holistic, person-centered care.
Dynamics and control of a 6-DOF space robot with flexible panels
Authors: Zhang-Wei Yu , Xiao-Feng Liu , Hai-Quan Li , Guo-Ping Cai
Published: May 2016

With the development of space exploration, researches on space robot will cause more attentions. However, most existing researches about dynamics and control of space robot concern planar problem, and the effect of flexible panel on dynamics of the system is not considered. In this article, dynamics modeling and active control of a 6-DOF space robot with flexible panels are investigated. Dynamic model of the system is established based on the Jourdain's velocity variation principle and the single direction recursive construction method. The computed torque control method is used to design point-to-point active controller of the space robot. The validity of the dynamic model is verified through the comparison with ADAMS software; the effects of panel flexibility on the system performance and the active controller design are studied in detail. Simulation results indicate that the proposed model is effective to describe the dynamics of space robot; panel flexibility has large influence on the dynamic behavior of space robot; the designed controller can effectively make the robot reach a specified position and the elastic vibration of the panels may be suppressed simultaneously.
Graphology in German psychiatry (1870–1930)
Authors: Schäfer Armin
Published: May 2016

This article discusses both the use of graphology in German psychiatry (1870–1930) and the use of handwriting in psychiatric experiments. The examination of handwriting was part of an ensemble of diagnostic tools. Although disorders of handwriting seemed to indicate psychic diseases, graphology did not seem the right method to produce valid observations. Nevertheless, psychiatrists began to incorporate the process of writing into research and diagnosis and to make the process of handwriting an experimental field. Emil Kraepelin invented an apparatus – the so-called Writing-Scale – with which he could measure the dynamics of writing in various dimensions and, in particular, the pressure of movements. The experiments produced a huge amount of data, but the psychiatrists were unable to interpret them in a comprehensible way. Although psychiatrists failed to grasp the psychopathology in handwriting, they discovered a systemic behaviour of the organism controlled by feedback.
Improving compressor surge performance with advanced control
Authors: Kurvinen Emil , Fittro Roger , Maslen Eric
Published: May 2016

Single stage compressors supported in magnetic bearings are known to exhibit compromised capacity to handle loads associated with compressor surge and stall – generally in a frequency range from about 10 Hz to 100 Hz. The present work explores the premise that this reduced capacity is an artifact of the choice of PID control for the magnetic bearings, rather than something fundamental to magnetic bearing physics. A case study of a machine similar to a chiller compressor was used to compare performance achieved with two kinds of PID control (local control versus tilt/translate control) to that achieved with a generalized, multiple-input multiple-output control approach, such as H-infinity. It was found that H-infinity could readily achieve between two and three times the load rejection of PID in the frequency range associated with surge and stall, nearly reaching the theoretical capacity limit in that range. The more common approach of simply increasing the physical size of the bearings was also examined, and it was found (as expected) that a 40 percent increase in bearing size yielded roughly a 40 percent increase in capacity. More importantly, it was found that the smaller bearing with the better control algorithm substantially outperformed the larger bearing with conventional PID control. These observations provide motive to more strongly consider advanced MIMO control methods for active magnetic bearings.
Synthesis and characterization of Fe3O4-PEG-LAC-chitosan-PEI nanoparticle as a survivin siRNA delivery system
Authors: Arami S , Rashidi MR , Mahdavi M , Fathi M , Entezami AA
Published: May 2016

The limited effectiveness of the conventional methods for cancer treatment makes the researchers to find novel safe and effective therapeutic strategies. One of these strategies is to use small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). A major challenge here is the siRNA delivery into the cells. The purpose of this study was to design and prepare a biocompatible, biodegradable, and safe nanosized particle for siRNA delivery into human breast cancer MCF-7 and leukemia K562 cells. Chemically synthesized magnetic nanoparticles containing polyethyleneglycol-lactate polymer (PEG-LAC), chitosan, and polyethyleneimine (PEI) were successfully prepared and used as a gene delivery vehicle. The nanoparticles were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and zeta potential. The Fe3O4-PEG-LAC-chitosan-PEI nanoparticle showed efficient and stable survivin siRNA loading in gel retardation assay. The cytotoxicity of the prepared nanoparticle was studied using 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide assay and was compared with that of mitoxantrone (MTX) in combination with the prepared siRNA delivery system to evaluate the possible synergic effect of MTX and survivin siRNA. The nanoparticles with and without noncomplementary siRNA showed low toxicity against both cell lines; however, a twofold decrease was observed in cell survival percent after MTX addition to MCF-7 cells treated with either nanoparticle itself or complexed with noncomplementary siRNA. While survivin siRNA nanoplex caused threefold decrease in the cell survival percent, its combination with MTX did not result in a significant increase in the cytotoxic effect. Therefore, Fe3O4-PEG-LAC-chitosan-PEI nanoparticle should be considered as a potential carrier for enhanced survivin siRNA delivery into MCF-7 and K562 cells.
An ethical analysis of a home visit case study
Authors: Pibernat Artur Dalfó , Vidal Jessica Rosell , Pibernat Enric Dalfó , Rodríguez Francisco Javier Pelegrina , Colomer Gerard , Cid Maria Feijoo
Published: May 2016

This article will explore a clinical case study of a home visit carried out by the case manager nurse. In this case, we will discuss the dilemma of finding the balance between autonomy and beneficence from the perspective of principlist ethics, virtue ethics and the ‘ethics of care’. The main conflict in this case study deals with all proposals are unsuitable and it is not necessary for a nurse to pay him a home visit, whereas for the healthcare system it is considered necessary. We could conclude that, during the home visit, the case manager aspires to achieve excellence, and throughout his clinical relationship with Francesc, searches for a series of virtues, respecting certain fundamental principles. In this way, the case managers ensure that Jaume’s care is more humanised. The case has been anonymised and confidentiality maintained.
Holding up half the sky? Women at work in the 21st century
Authors: Pocock Barbara
Published: May 2016

This is an edited version of the 2015 Fay Gale Lecture soon after the author’s retirement as Director of the University of South Australia’s Centre for Work + Life. It begins with the author’s personal work reminiscences as a touchstone for reflecting on continuity and change in women’s working lives. A first job in sheep-shearing sheds illustrates the insecurity and hard physical and emotional labour associated with manual work. Despite strides in Australian women’s qualification levels, discrimination is being ‘refreshed and remade’. Examples include recent Australian reversals in paid parental leave policy and the role of sexual harassment in patrolling work boundaries. The institutional basis of unequal pay and inflexible work/family time allocation is demonstrated in the Productivity Commission’s 2015 Workplace Relations agenda. This recommends reduced Sunday penalty rates that will disproportionately affect feminised, low-paid retail and hospitality work and rejects any strengthening of parents’ statutory right to request flexible work arrangements. Three remedies are proposed – creative approaches to research, campaigning and political action.
Why Assessment Will Never Work at Many Business Schools
Authors: Bacon Donald R. , Stewart Kim A.
Published: May 2016

On the long and arduous journey toward effective educational assessment, business schools have progressed in their ability to clearly state measurable learning goals and use direct measures of student learning. However, many schools are wrestling with the last stages of the journey—measuring present learning outcomes, implementing curricular/pedagogical changes, and then measuring postchange outcomes to determine if the implemented changes produced the desired effect. These last steps are particularly troublesome for a reason unrecognized in the assessment literature—inadequate statistical power caused primarily by the use of small student samples. Analyses presented here demonstrate that assessment efforts by smaller schools may never provide the statistical power required to obtain valid results in a reasonable time frame. Consequently, decisions on curricular and pedagogical change are too often based on inaccurate research findings. Rather than waste time and resources toward what essentially is a statistical dead end, an alternate approach is recommended: Schools should examine published pedagogical studies that use direct measures of learning with sufficient statistical power and utilize the findings to improve student learning.
The Existential Struggle of Second-Generation Turkish Immigrants in Kreuzberg
Authors: Güney Serhat , Kabaş Bülent , Pekman Cem
Published: May 2016

The second generation of Turks to migrate to Germany played a crucial role in recasting the migration experience of the 1960s into a unique diasporic culture. This research, which takes the Kreuzberg district of Berlin as a center of the Turkish diaspora’s ongoing maneuvering for existence, shows how in various stages of migration history, the second generation’s narratives transect the quarter’s own sociopolitical history and spatiotemporal change. It notes three crossroads. The first is when the Turkish diaspora stakes a claim as an independent power within hobohemia. The second is when a political, oppositional momentum is activated among the diaspora. The third crossroads, comprising the first 10 years after the fall of the Wall, is the stage where the district comes under the influence of neoliberalism and becomes just “bohemia.” This research shows how Turkish immigrants have been positioned at a crossroads where the “hobo” character of the quarter evolved into a bohemia.
Cold War Reduction
Authors: Pike David L.
Published: May 2016

The bunkerization of Europe is a Cold War story that has continued to resonate into the 21st century through foreign policy, the built environment, and cultural traces both material and imaginary. This essay explores the physical, ideological, and cultural bunkerization of Switzerland, one of the most heavily fortified countries in the world, through its military and civil defense history, the spatial manifestations of that history, and the cultural responses to these manifestations during and after the Cold War. The essay compares the unusually democratic process of the Swiss civil defense infrastructure and its ramifications for thinking about the spatial legacy of the Cold War with the bunker fantasy in the United States and the rest of Europe.
Hot judder behavior in multidisc clutches
Authors: Ma Biao , Yang Likun , Li Heyan , Lan Nan
Published: May 2016

This paper presents an investigation of the hot judder phenomenon of multidisc clutches, which takes place during the engagement process. Depending on the results of finite element analysis, a pressure distribution function is defined and a contact pressure equation is established to demonstrate the non-uniformity of the contact pressure distribution on the friction interfaces due to frictional heat. The relationship between the coefficient of friction and the temperature is analyzed. A 4 degrees of freedom power-train model is developed to evaluate the clutch judder behavior. The paper indicates that the clutch judder is influenced by the non-uniformity of the interface contact pressure distribution, which is excited by frictionally induced thermal load. The non-uniform contact pressure distributions along the radial direction have a slight influence on the clutch judder, while the uneven contact pressure distributions along the circumference contribute to the judder substantially. Furthermore, the results in this work can be used to study the operation instability and the thermal failure of clutches.
An ‘excess of the normal’: Luxury and difference in Polish fur critique
Authors: Magee Siobhan
Published: May 2016

This article calls upon fieldwork carried out in Kraków in order to analyse charges of ‘luxury’ in Polish fur critique. It draws from commentary both from ‘card-carrying’ members of Polish animal rights organizations and comparatively off-the-cuff remarks of those reflecting on fur’s provocativeness, without participating in the animal rights movement. In Central and Eastern European socialist and postsocialist contexts alike, luxury has often held a dialectical relationship with ‘normality’. The article argues that the meaning of luxury that emerges in Polish fur critique can be aptly described as ‘an excess of the normal’. Power, with which fur is frequently associated, is conceptualized not only as residing in the hands of elites but in the ‘normal’ and normalizing material culture that fur embodies. The ‘visibility’ of fur as outdoor clothing is critical in this regard. In discussing fur’s luxuriousness, themes of gendered and generational power and of the shortcomings of ethical consumption as a mode of political resistance come to the fore.
The Prevalence and Regional Variation of Major Depressive Disorder Among Patients With Peripheral Arterial Disease in the Medicare Population
Authors: Columbo Jesse A. , Stone David H. , Goodney Philip P. , Nolan Brian W. , Stableford Jennifer A. , Brooke Benjamin S. , Powell Richard J. , Finn Christine T.
Published: May 2016

Background:

Current evidence suggests an association between coronary artery disease and major depressive disorder (MDD). Data to support a similar association between peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and MDD are more limited. This study examines the prevalence and regional variation of both PAD and MDD in a large contemporary patient sample.

Methods:

All Medicare claims, part A and B, from January 2009 until December 2011 were queried using diagnosis codes specific for a previously validated clinical algorithm for PAD and major depression. Codes for PAD included those specific to cerebrovascular disease, abdominal aortic aneurysm, and peripheral vascular disease. Peripheral arterial disease prevalence, major depression prevalence, and coprevalence rates were determined, respectively. Regional variation of both conditions was determined using zip code data to identify potential endemic areas of disease intensity for both diagnoses.

Results:

Over the study interval, the percentage of Medicare beneficiaries with a diagnosis of PAD remained relatively constant (3.0%-3.7%, n = 0.85-1.06 million in part A and 17.4%-17.5%, n = 4.82-4.93 million in part B), and MDD showed a similar trend (1.6%-2.7%, n = 0.46-0.79 million in part A and 6.1%-6.7%, n = 1.69-1.90 million in part B). The observed rate of MDD in those with an established diagnosis of PAD was 5-fold higher than those without PAD in part A claims (1.8-fold in part B claims). Moreover, there was a significant linear geographic correlation among patients with PAD and MDD ( r = .54, P ≤ .01).

Conclusions:

This study documents a correlation between PAD and MDD and may, therefore, identify an at-risk population susceptible to inferior clinical outcomes. Significant regional variation exists in the prevalence of PAD and MDD, though there appear to be specific endemic regions notable for both disorders. Accordingly, health-care resource allocation toward endemic regions may help improve population health among this at-risk cohort.
Humeral head intraosseous access: Filling the military training gap
Authors: Sotomayor Teresita , Maraj Crystal , Mott Jeffrey , Hill Brian , Stadler Edward
Published: May 2016

Humeral head intraosseous (HHIO) infusion is the process of injecting fluids directly into the marrow of the humerus, or upper arm bone, to provide a non-collapsible entry point into the circulatory system. This technique provides fluids and medication quickly when intravenous (IV) access is not feasible in emergency situations. As of 2010, Tactical Combat Casualty Care guidelines recommend using intraosseous (IO) infusion in any resuscitation scenario where IV access is not feasible. The US Army Center for Pre-Hospital Medicine (CPHM) provides pre-deployment training to Roles I, II, and III medical providers. In addition, the CPHM provides training for deploying Forward Surgical Teams and en route care via the Critical Care Flight Paramedic Program. The Army’s Program of Instruction currently lacks an adequate simulation-based training model for the HHIO procedure and relies on live tissue training. The US Army Research Laboratory, Human Research and Engineering Directorate, Advanced Training and Simulation Division, developed a capability (i.e., Partial Task Trainer, or PTT) to train this procedure. This study assessed the usability of the PTT device for training on the IO procedure. Specifically, this paper seeks to identify statistically significant differences among the usability ratings of the PTT for paramedics and emergency medicine physicians.
Predictors of Intention to Obtain Colorectal Cancer Screening Among African American Men in a State Fair Setting
Authors: Rogers Charles R. , Goodson Patricia , Dietz Lindsey R. , Okuyemi Kola S.
Published: May 2016

Racial disparities in health among African American men in the United States are appalling. African American men have the highest mortality and incidence rates from colorectal cancer compared with all other ethnic, racial, and gender groups. Juxtaposed to their white counterparts, African American men have colorectal cancer incidence and mortality rates 27% and 52% higher, respectively. Colorectal cancer is a treatable and preventable condition when detected early, yet the intricate factors influencing African American men’s intention to screen remain understudied. Employing a nonexperimental, online survey research design at the Minnesota State Fair, the purpose of this study was to explore whether male role norms, knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions influence intention to screen for colorectal cancer among 297 African American men. As hypothesized, these Minnesota men (ages 18 to 65) lacked appropriate colorectal cancer knowledge: only 33% of the sample received a “passing” knowledge score (85% or better). In a logistic regression model, the three factors significantly associated with a higher probability of obtaining colorectal cancer screening were age, perceived barriers, and perceived subjective norms. Findings from this study provide a solid basis for informing health policy and designing health promotion and early-intervention colorectal cancer prevention programs that are responsive to the needs of African American men in Minnesota and beyond.
Image intensifier X-ray beam collimation and its effect on radiation dose during ureteroscopy
Authors: Horsburgh Ben A , Babajews Wesley , Altham Samantha , Cowan Helen
Published: May 2016

Objective:

This study aims to assess the use of primary X-ray beam collimation during ureteroscopy and its effect on patient radiation dose.

Methods:

A retrospective review of images and radiation doses of patients undergoing ureteroscopy.

Results:

The use of primary X-ray beam collimation during ureteroscopy is associated with lower radiation doses to the patient. Only 3% of images had evidence of collimation.