bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Robot workstation failure recovery based on a layout optimization
Authors: Filipović Marko , Bogdan Stjepan , Petrović Tamara
Published: July 2016

This article focuses on the robot workstation layout problem and briefly discusses a recovery control strategy. Since present industrial workstations utilize a flexible manufacturing cell served by a robot, researchers in this field try to find the best method determining the physical organization of resources in available space. As solving the facility layout problem (FLP) might reduce material handling expenses, the most common objective in these approaches is to minimize the material handling costs. Our work introduces a new approach in obtaining the optimal positions of resources in a robot workstation where considerable contribution to the final layout design comes from the failure recovery data. The optimization criteria include material flow and transportation cost as the standard FLP objectives. In our approach we also consider the resource rate of failure and treatment quality as a part of the failure recovery. The optimization problems were solved with the state of the art optimization algorithm for the nonlinear optimization problems. The computational results of the study are discussed and analysed on the basis of a real industrial application. The commonly used objective function is compared to the proposed objective function extended with the failure recovery. As an important part of the failure recovery strategy, making the proper recovery decision in the workstation control design is also discussed.
Developing an integrated and comprehensive training strategy for public sector leaders
Authors: Larat Fabrice
Published: July 2016

Because of their tasks and their high level of responsibilities, leadership aptitudes, besides managerial competences, are key for civil servants who will occupy top positions. The institutions in charge of their training and education must not only provide the leaders of tomorrow with the knowledge and skills they need to do their current job properly; they must also ensure that the leaders have the qualities required for the exercise of their responsibilities at all stages of their professional career. Based on the experience of the French national school of public administration (ENA) and its key role as the training organisation both for pre-service and lifelong learning for French public sector executives, this paper presents the different elements of the French approach for training future government administrative leaders. This comprehensive and integrated strategy takes into consideration the challenges of training for leadership and the needs for a permanent adaptation to the evolution of the administrative environment.
Single crossclamp: Safe training tool for coronary artery bypass grafting
Authors: Srivastava Vivek , Purohit Manoj , Bose Amal , Bittar Mohamed Nidal , Rogers Shaun , Zacharias Joseph
Published: July 2016

Objective

The single-crossclamp technique for coronary artery bypass grafting is recognized to reduce manipulation of the ascending aorta, and thereby improve neurological outcomes. However, there is a perceived disadvantage of long cardiopulmonary bypass and crossclamp times. Our objective was to evaluate outcomes with this technique and determine whether it is safe for training.

Methods

Patients undergoing coronary artery bypass between October 2005 and February 2014 with use of the single-crossclamp method were divided into 2 groups: a consultant group ( n = 1024), and a trainee group ( n = 504), depending on the primary surgeon. Their outcomes were compared.

Results

The consultants operated on more nonelective patients who had a higher risk profile (mean additive EuroSCORE I 4.05 vs. 3.80, p = 0.085; logistic EuroSCORE I 4.36 vs. 3.64, p = 0.002). There were 9 (0.9%) deaths in the consultant group and 5 (1%) in the trainee group. The mean number of grafts in the consultant group was greater, but the crossclamp time was similar and cardiopulmonary bypass time was shorter. There were 4 (0.4%) cerebrovascular events in the consultant group and 3 (0.6%) in the trainee group. Postoperative stay was shorter in the trainee group (7.19 vs. 7.97 days, p = 0.033). Other complication rates were similar.

Conclusions

The technique has excellent outcomes, especially neurological, and is safe for training junior surgeons.
Form and urban change – An urban morphometric study of five gentrified neighbourhoods in London
Authors: Venerandi Alessandro , Zanella Mattia , Romice Ombretta , Dibble Jacob , Porta Sergio
Published: July 2016

Research in Urban Morphology has long been exploring the form of cities and their changes over time, especially by establishing links with the parallel dynamics of these cities’ social, economic and political environments. The capacity of an adaptable and resilient urban form to provide a fertile environment for economic prosperity and social cohesion is at the forefront of discussion. Gentrification has emerged in the past few decades as an important topic of research in urban sociology, geography and economy, addressing the social impact of some forms of urban evolution. To some extent, these studies emphasize the form of the environment in which gentrification takes place. However, a systematic and quantitative method for a detailed characterization of this type of urban form is still far from being achieved. With this article, we make a first step towards the establishment of an approach based on ‘urban morphometrics’. To this end, we measure and compare key morphological features of five London neighbourhoods that have undergone a process of piecemeal gentrification. Findings suggest that these five case studies display similar and recognizable morphological patterns in terms of their built form, geographical location of main and local roads and physical relationships between street fronts and street types. These initial results, while not implying any causal or universal relationship between morphological and social dynamics, nevertheless contribute to (a) highlight the benefits of a rigorous quantitative approach towards interpreting urban form beyond the disciplinary boundaries of Urban Morphology and (b) define the statistical recurrence of a few, specific morphological features amongst the five cases of gentrified areas in London.
Point-of-care platelet function testing to predict blood loss after coronary artery bypass grafting surgery: a prospective observational pilot study
Authors: Ellis James , Valencia Oswaldo , Crerar-Gilbert Agnieszka , Phillips Simon , Meeran Hanif , Sharma Vivek
Published: July 2016

Aim:

With an increase in the number of patients who are on antiplatelet medications until the day of surgery, we undertook a prospective observational study to assess the ability of thromboelastography, thromboelastography platelet mapping and aggregometry via multiplate to detect platelet dysfunction and predict blood loss following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery.

Methods:

Platelet function was evaluated pre- and post-cardiopulmonary bypass via thromboelastography, thromboelastography platelet mapping and aggregometry via multiplate in 52 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting surgery. The median chest tube drainage of all patients in the study was ascertained to stratify patients into two groups: patients with and those without evidence of excessive blood loss after cardiac surgery.

Results:

Although all modalities could detect a decrease in platelet function following cardiopulmonary bypass, univariate and multivariate regression analysis identified preoperative arachidonic acid and adenosine diphosphate testing via multiplate as independent predictors of bleeding after cardiac surgery. Receiver operating curves on these multiplate parameters showed an area under the curve of 0.68 (p=0.03) and 0.66 (p=0.01) for arachidonic acid and adenosine diphosphate assays, respectively.

Conclusion:

This pilot study shows that preoperative multiplate testing may be a better predictor of platelet dysfunction and the resultant blood loss following cardiac surgery.
Robust belief space planning under intermittent sensing via a maximum eigenvalue-based bound
Authors: Bopardikar Shaunak D , Englot Brendan , Speranzon Alberto , van den Berg Jur
Published: July 2016

We consider the problem of computing a minimum uncertainty path for an autonomous vehicle from a start to a destination location in the presence intermittent sensing, modeled as a stochastic process, in addition to process and measurement noise. We introduce the use of a novel bound on the maximum eigenvalue of the estimation error covariance matrix as the cost function for belief space planning. Our main contributions are three-fold. We first derive an analytic bound on the performance of a state estimator under sensor misdetection (intermittency) occurring stochastically over time. Second, we use this bound as a proxy for the expected maximum eigenvalue evolution in a sample-based path planning algorithm to produce a path that trades off accuracy and robustness. This extends the recent body of work on planning under uncertainty to include the fact that sensors may not provide any measurement owing to misdetection. Computational results demonstrate the benefit of the approach and comparisons are made with the state of the art in path planning in belief space. Third, and finally, we establish theoretically that the proposed algorithm possesses the optimal substructure property, i.e. the algorithm returns an optimal path relative to the bound treated as a proxy for the expected maximum eigenvalue evolution.
Cell-free DNA increase over first 48 hours in emergency intensive care unit predicts fatal outcome in patients with shock
Authors: Xia Dun Ling , Zhang Hong , Luo Qing Li , Zhang A Fang , Zhu Li Xin
Published: July 2016

Objective

To investigate whether circulating cell-free (cf)-DNA levels are a useful biomarker for survival in patients with shock in the emergency intensive care unit (EICU).

Methods

This prospective observational study enrolled patients admitted to the EICU diagnosed with shock. Blood cf-DNA levels were analysed on admission, and after 24 and 48 h. As a measure of circulating cf-DNA, copy number of the β-globin gene in plasma was assessed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Results

Circulating cf-DNA levels were higher at hospital admission and after 24 h in EICU patients with shock who died than in those who recovered. Change in cf-DNA levels over the first 48 h in critical care was independently associated with 28-day mortality. The critical cut-off value for cf-DNA change over 48 h in predicting 28-day mortality was +16.12% (sensitivity 68.9%, specificity 89.7%).

Conclusions

Increased circulating cf-DNA levels in EICU patients with shock are associated with risk of death and measuring cf-DNA change over 48 h improves risk prediction. The present study suggests that cf-DNA may serve as a viable plasma biomarker of mortality risk in EICU patients with shock.
Incidence and possible causes of nontraumatic convexal subarachnoid haemorrhage in Chinese patients: A retrospective review
Authors: Zhao Haiyan , Han Jintao , Lu Ming , Zhang Yingshuang , Fan Dongsheng
Published: July 2016

Objective

To explore the incidence and possible underlying pathogenic mechanisms of nontraumatic convexal subarachnoid haemorrhage (cSAH; a rarely reported condition) in a cohort of Chinese patients.

Methods

Medical records from all patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) who had been treated at Peking University Third Hospital, China, between January 2010 and December 2014 were retrospectively reviewed to identify cases of cSAH.

Results

Of 144 patients with SAH, cSAH was observed in 14 cases (9.7%). The most frequent presenting symptoms in cSAH cases were severe headache ( n = 8) and a focal neurological deficit ( n = 8). The parietal (10/14 patients, 71.4%) and frontal (9/14 patients, 64.3%) lobes were the most common haemorrhage sites. Cause of cSAH was identified in 11 patients: in seven cases (50.0%), significant stenosis or occlusion in the internal carotid artery system, ipsilateral to cSAH, was reported; in four cases, cSAH was caused by cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, cerebrovascular malformation, anticoagulant therapy or possible cerebral amyloid angiopathy.

Conclusion

cSAH is an important subtype of nonaneurysmal SAH, with diverse aetiologies. In the present study, internal carotid artery system atherosclerotic stenosis was the most frequent cause of cSAH.
Exploring the High Reinjury Rate in Younger Patients Undergoing Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
Authors: Webster Kate E. , Feller Julian A.
Published: July 2016

Background:

Younger age is being increasingly recognized as a risk factor for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) graft rupture and contralateral ACL injury after ACL reconstruction. Recent reports estimate second ACL injury rates to be in the range of 20% to 40%, which is a significant concern and requires further exploration.

Purpose:

The primary purpose was to determine the rates of graft rupture and injury to the contralateral native ACL in younger athletes. We also sought to explore the influence of sex and age groupings (<18 years vs 18-19 years at the time of surgery) on the risk of subsequent ACL injury.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

The study cohort consisted of 354 consecutive patients who were younger than 20 years when they underwent their first primary hamstring tendon autograft ACL reconstruction. The number of subsequent ACL injuries (graft rupture or a contralateral injury to the native ACL) was determined at a mean follow-up of 5 years (range, 3-10 years). Subgroup analysis included sex and age (<18 years vs 18-19 years at the time of surgery) comparisons. Descriptive statistics were calculated for the timing of ACL graft rupture and contralateral ACL injury.

Results:

The overall follow-up rate was 89% (316/354). Graft ruptures occurred in 57 patients (18%) at an average time of 1.8 years after surgery. Almost half (47%) occurred within the first postoperative year, and 74% occurred within the first 2 years. The highest graft rupture rate of 28.3% was in the youngest males (<18 years), and this was significantly higher than in females of the same age (12.9%), as well as in male patients older than 18 years (13.8%). Contralateral ACL injuries occurred in 56 patients (17.7%) at an average time of 3.7 years after surgery. There were no significant age- or sex-based differences for contralateral ACL injuries. The total number of patients who had at least 1 further ACL injury subsequent to the primary surgery was 110 (35%).

Conclusion:

The high rate of subsequent ACL injury in younger patients was confirmed. Early graft ruptures were more prevalent in patients who underwent surgery when they were younger than 18 years versus those in the 18- to 19-year age group. Males had higher rates of graft rupture than did females, with the youngest males (<18 years) at the highest risk in the investigated cohort.
Inflammation and macrophage polarization in cutaneous melanoma: Histopathological and immunohistochemical study
Authors: Scali Elisabetta , Mignogna Chiara , Di Vito Anna , Presta Ivan , Camastra Caterina , Donato Giuseppe , Bottoni Ugo
Published: July 2016

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are considered to affect tumor growth and progression. Macrophages can be classified into two states of polarized activation, namely classically activated M1 macrophages and alternatively activated M2 macrophages. The dynamic balance between TAMs and tumor cells has an important impact on tumor homeostasis and progression. The aim of this study was to characterize the phenotype of TAMs present in different subtypes of superficial spreading cutaneous melanoma and their relationship with the lymphocytic infiltrate in order to identify new histopathological tools for melanoma prognosis and suitable targets for melanoma therapy. We selected four groups of patients with malignant melanoma in order to analyze the profile of polarized macrophage activation using immunohistochemical methods. Histopathological analysis showed that the macrophage polarization state appears to be more related to the lymphocytic infiltrate than to the thickness of the lesions. Further studies are necessary to increase understanding of the immunopathological dynamic of melanoma that may be modulated by future targeted immunotherapies.
Biomarkers of brain injury following an American football game: A pilot study
Authors: Rogatzki Matthew J , Soja Scott E , McCabe Colleen A , Breckenridge Ryanne E , White Jeffrey L , Baker Julien S
Published: July 2016

The goals of this study were to determine if the biomarkers of head injury, NSE and S100B, increased in serum following an American football game. Serum creatine kinase (CK) and cortisol levels were also measured to determine muscle damage and stress caused by the football game. NSE, S100B, CK, and cortisol were measured in the serum of 17 football players before and after a collegiate junior varsity football game. No head injuries were reported by the players, athletic training staff, or coaches yet both NSE (Pre-game: 7.0 μg•L–1 ± 2.2 versus Post-game: 13.1 μg•L–1 ± 7.0, P <0.001) and S100B (Pre-game: 0.013 μg•L–1 ± 0.012 versus Post-game: 0.069 μg•L–1 ± 0.036, P <0.001) increased significantly. Neither CK (Pre-game: 90.5 U•L–1 ± 41.9 versus Post-game: 120.2 U•L–1 ± 62.7, P = 0.116) nor cortisol (Pre-game: 369.2 nmoles•L-1 ± 159.8 versus Post-game: 353.0 nmoles•L–1 ± 170.5, P = 0.349) increased significantly following the football game. There was little correlation found between S100B and body mass (R2 = 0.029) or CK (R2 = 0.352) levels. Although serum NSE and S100B increase as a result of playing in an American football game, the values are similar to or lower than levels found following competition in other contact and non-contact sports. Furthermore, the lack of correlation between S100B and body mass or CK indicates that S100B increases independent of body mass or muscle injury.
Does CSR Contribute to Sustainable Development? What a Régulation Approach Can Tell Us
Authors: Lamarche Thomas , Bodet Catherine
Published: July 2016

We argue that corporate social responsibility depends on two distinct stylized facts concerning régulation and power. The first—institutional CSR—is institutional in nature, the other—strategic CSR—is economic and productive. The former permits and stabilizes the latter, which in turn gives rise to political compromises structuring institutional mechanisms. CSR strategies and institutions correspond to a private, oligopolistic régulation which shows no signs of being able to pursue a sustainable development regime.

JEL classification: B52, D02, L15, M14, P17
Precarious Work in Recession and Growth: A New Structural Feature of Labor Markets in Argentina?1
Authors: Felder Ruth , Patroni Viviana
Published: July 2016

Like several other countries in Latin America, after 2003 Argentina took considerable steps to distance itself from the neoliberal policies it had followed for almost 30 years. Yet there have also been critical continuities from the neoliberal era. Our argument is that these continuities manifest themselves most clearly in the nature of economic growth and in the endurance of some of the most troubling trends in labor markets over the last 30 years.

JEL classification: J21, J83, O54
Metachromatic Leukodystrophy
Authors: Eichler Florian S. , Cox Timothy M. , Crombez Eric , Dali Christine í , Kohlschütter Alfried
Published: July 2016

Metachromatic leukodystrophy is accompanied by severe motor and cognitive dysfunction. This is the first survey of metachromatic leukodystrophy caregiver perspectives to identify relevant clinical/quality-of-life outcomes for patients/caregivers. Interviews and 1 focus group were conducted with 30 caregivers representing 23 patients. Caregivers were asked about their experiences, including diagnostic process, signs/symptoms, symptoms affecting caregivers’ and patients’ lives, and treatment priorities. Caregivers reported loss of physical autonomy, weight loss, limited social relationships, frequent crying, and challenging sibling relationships. Most troublesome symptoms were immobility (9/30) and respiratory difficulties (6/30). Health care visits were frequent: 8/22 patients had experienced ≥11 hospitalizations since diagnosis, and 14/22 caregivers reported that these lasted ≥4 days. Caregivers also experienced work problems, feelings of fear/sadness, and loss of social relationships. Caregivers/physicians consider a therapy that could improve decline in mobility, pain, cognitive ability, communication, or food intake as conferring the greatest benefit. In conclusion, a so-far-unreported physical/economic burden in these families is presented.
Sexual Violence History and Welfare in Transgender People
Authors: Fernández-Rouco Noelia , Fernández-Fuertes Andrés A. , Carcedo Rodrigo J. , Lázaro-Visa Susana , Gómez-Pérez Eva
Published: July 2016

This study focuses on sexual violence experiences suffered by Spanish transgender individuals throughout the life span. Using a cross-sectional design, 33 face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted which included questions regarding the presence and/or absence of sexual violence, the nature of said sexual violence, by whom sexual violences were committed, coping mechanisms used, and certain mental health indicators. Results found a high percentage of transgender individuals to have been victims of sexual violence during childhood, to use avoidance as a coping mechanism for said experiences, as well as the frequent recurrence of experiences of sexual violence, showing victimization processes. In addition, the relationship between said experiences and mental health indicators were observed. This study highlights the importance of and need for addressing sexual violence among this population, and discusses and analyzes possible components of future educative and clinical intervention strategies.
A Kaleidoscope of Hope: Exploring Experiences of Hope Among Service Users and Informal Carers in Health Care Contexts
Authors: McCormack Brendan , Borg Marit , Cardiff Shaun , Dewing Jan , Jacobs Gaby , Titchen Angie , van Lieshout Famke , Wilson Valerie
Published: July 2016

Background: There is a large and diverse literature on the concept of hope in health care. This literature covers a broad spectrum of perspectives, from philosophical, conceptual, and theoretical analysis through to attempts at measuring the concept of hope with differing health care users. Aims: To explore the concept of hope through the secondary analysis of existing data sets, with the intention of understanding hope in the context of person-centeredness. Research Question: What is the experience of hope among service users and informal carers in different health care contexts? Method: Secondary analysis of data derived from three research studies. Findings: We identified four key themes that together illustrate what we describe as a kaleidoscope of hope, reinforcing the view that there is no one presentation of hope and that practitioners must engage authentically with service users to determine the most effective and appropriate intervention strategies. Conclusions: Hope is not a singular phenomenon, and in the context of person-centered practice there is a need for practitioners to engage authentically with service users and listen carefully to what may bring hope for them.
Epoxy matrix toughness improvement via reactive bio-resin alloying
Authors: Mohajeri S , Zohuriaan-Mehr MJ , Pazokifard S
Published: July 2016

A facile solvent-less approach to toughen epoxy thermosets by means of a bio-based resin, that is, poly(furfuryl alcohol) (PFA; furan resin) is reported. The bio-resin PFA was firstly synthesized through polycondensation reaction of furfuryl alcohol as a bio-monomer and maleic anhydride as a catalyst. Different amounts of PFA were blended with diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A epoxy resin and cured by diethylenetriamine as a hardener, which simultaneously cross-linked both of the epoxy and PFA resins. The curing process was studied by Furrier transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. Scanning electron microscopy of the chemically cured blends revealed no phase separation. It was found remarkable increase in flexural modulus and strength of the neat and modified epoxies with increasing PFA content up to around 15%. Moreover, in comparison with neat epoxy, the epoxy-PFA thermosets showed 60% increase in critical stress intensity factor and 123% increase in critical strain energy release rate. In fact, chemical reaction of PFA-incorporated epoxy could toughen the epoxy matrix without sacrificing the flexural strength and modulus. Toughening was obtained through cross-link density reduction. As exhibited by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, Tan δ and magnitude of β-relaxation were also increased for the epoxy-PFA alloys. Overall, this green, simple, concise and cost-effective approach was suggested for being considered to produce toughened epoxy thermosets in industrial scale.
The effect of the folding rear-seat aperture in the acoustic response of a sedan car
Authors: Oktav Akın , Anlaş Günay , Yılmaz Çetin
Published: July 2016

The coupled vibro-acoustic response of a sedan is analysed, and the effect of the folding rear-seat aperture is studied. First, a simplified model of an acoustic cavity that consists of two adjacent boxes connected by an aperture is modelled. An analytical solution is proposed to calculate the acoustic eigenfrequencies of the simplified model. Then, the uncoupled acoustic eigenfrequencies of the actual cavity (where the trunk cavity and the cabin cavity are connected through an aperture) are computed. It is shown that the planar acoustic eigenfrequencies of the sedan can be calculated approximately using the analytical solution proposed. To clarify the effect of the folding rear-seat aperture further, the coupled vibro-acoustic response of the sedan is analysed using different case studies. It is observed that the booming noise is highly correlated with the calculated uncoupled planar acoustic eigenfrequencies.
Component mode synthesis methods for a body-in-white noise and vibration analysis
Authors: Vizzini Simone , Olsson Magnus , Scattina Alessandro
Published: July 2016

In this work the dynamic substructuring approach was applied to a noise, vibration and harshness problem within the automotive engineering field. In particular, a noise, vibration and harshness analysis was carried out on the body-in-white structure of a passenger car. The work focuses on the theory of component mode synthesis. Two component mode synthesis reduction methods, namely the Craig–Bampton method and the Craig–Chang method, were applied to the body-in-white structure of the Volvo V40. The influences of various parameters were investigated. In particular, the effect of the reduction basis on the response accuracy and on the reduction time was studied. Moreover, the effects of the connection properties between different parts of the model were examined. The simulation times of the reduced models and of the full finite element model were compared. The results showed that the Craig–Chang method performs better when the modes are retained for up to one and a half times the maximum frequency response studied. Additionally, the Craig–Chang method gives a very accurate representation of the system dynamics even when connections with a low stiffness are used. Finally, it is possible to reduce the simulation time by up to 90% if component mode synthesis methods are used instead of the full finite element model.
Modeling and identification of highly maneuverable fighter aircraft dynamics using block-oriented nonlinear models
Authors: Roudbari Alireza , Saghafi Fariborz
Published: July 2016

In this paper, a new approach based on block-oriented nonlinear models for the modeling and identification of aircraft nonlinear dynamics is proposed. Some of the block-oriented nonlinear models are regarded as flexible structures, which are suitable for the identification of widely applicable dynamic systems. These models are able to approximate a wide range of system dynamics. In general, aircraft flight dynamics is considered as a nonlinear and coupled system whose dynamics—in addition to pilot control inputs—depend on the flight conditions such as Mach number and altitude, which cause the aircraft dynamics to have various operational points. In this study, three types of block-oriented models, namely the Hammerstein, Wiener, and Hammerstein–Wiener models with different nonlinear functions, have been used and compared in order to identify and model the aircraft nonlinear dynamics. These models have been employed in three forms of single-input single-output, multi-input multi-output, and multi-input single-output (MISO); of which, multi-input single-output has been recognized to have fewer errors in aircraft nonlinear dynamics identification. Thus, it has been demonstrated that six separate multi-input single-output models (with three inputs and one output), which have been trained with experimental flight test data, can model the coupled nonlinear six-degree-of-freedom dynamics of a highly maneuverable aircraft.
Spontaneous Metacognition in Rhesus Monkeys
Authors: Rosati Alexandra G. , Santos Laurie R.
Published: July 2016

Metacognition is the ability to think about thinking. Although monitoring and controlling one’s knowledge is a key feature of human cognition, its evolutionary origins are debated. In the current study, we examined whether rhesus monkeys ( Macaca mulatta; N = 120) could make metacognitive inferences in a one-shot decision. Each monkey experienced one of four conditions, observing a human appearing to hide a food reward in an apparatus consisting of either one or two tubes. The monkeys tended to search the correct location when they observed this baiting event, but engaged in information seeking—by peering into a center location where they could check both potential hiding spots—if their view had been occluded and information seeking was possible. The monkeys only occasionally approached the center when information seeking was not possible. These results show that monkeys spontaneously use information about their own knowledge states to solve naturalistic foraging problems, and thus provide the first evidence that nonhumans exhibit information-seeking responses in situations with which they have no prior experience.
Observer-based sensor fault estimation in nonlinear systems
Authors: Valibeygi Amir , Toudeshki Amirmasoud , Vijayaraghavan Krishna
Published: July 2016

Sensor bias faults and sensor gain faults are two important types of faults in sensor. Simultaneous estimation of these sensor faults in nonlinear systems in the presence of input disturbance and measurement noise is challenging and has not been adequately addressed in literature. Hence, this article develops an observer-based sensor fault estimation method for generalized sector-bounded nonlinear systems in the presence of input disturbance and measurement noise. A generalized sector-bounded nonlinearity was chosen because it encompasses a wide range of nonlinearities including Lipschitz, positive real, and dissipative. This article presents necessary and sufficient conditions to achieve a suboptimal cost for a cost function consisting of the sum of the square integrals of the estimation errors to the square integrals of the disturbances in the form of linear matrix inequality. The linear matrix inequality can be solved offline to explicitly calculate observer gain, and the resulting observer simultaneously estimates the system states as well as both bias and gain faults in the sensors. Compared to previous literature, the proposed methodology is designed to work in the presence of both input disturbance and measurement noise. Additionally, this article considers a generalized sector-bounded nonlinearity which encompasses a variety of different physical nonlinearities. Furthermore, the observer does not require the online solution of the Riccati equation and is thus computationally less intensive compared with the methods of extended Kalman filtering. The observer design procedure is demonstrated through two illustrative examples consisting of a fourth-order double spring–mass system and a third-order wind turbine power transmission mechanism.
A hybrid modeling and optimization approach for scheduling problems of assembly automation processes
Authors: Pang Yan , Xia Hao
Published: July 2016

Dynamics of assembly automation systems involve the interaction of discrete-event and continuous-variable dynamics. Hence, a hybrid model is a natural framework for scheduling tasks in assembly automation processes. This study indicates that a weighted scheduling problem can be transformed into a weighted time-optimal problem for hybrid systems. In particular, it shows that the problem can be cast as a constrained optimization problem with inequalities quantifiers. In order to obtain quantifier-free inequalities, quantifier elimination techniques are used. Based on the quantifier-free inequalities, the scheduling problem of the assembly manufacturing process can be solved using linear programming methods. Applicability and simulation results are provided to illustrate the performance of the developed algorithms.
Tetramethylpyrazine-2’-O-sodium ferulate attenuates blood–brain barrier disruption and brain oedema after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion
Authors: Xu S-H , Yin M-S , Liu B , Chen M-L , He G-w , Zhou P-P , Cui Y-J , Yang D , Wu Y-L
Published: July 2016

Disruption of blood–brain barrier (BBB) and subsequent oedema are major causes of the pathogenesis in ischaemic stroke with which the current clinical therapy remains unsatisfied. In this study, we examined the therapeutic effect of tetramethylpyrazine-2′-O-sodium ferulate (TSF)-a novel analogue of tetramethylpyrazine in alleviating BBB breakdown and brain oedema after cerebral ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R). Then, we explored the potential mechanism of the protection on BBB disruption in cerebral I/R rat models. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (250–300 g) were subjected to 120 min middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), followed by 48 h reperfusion. TSF (10.8, 18 and 30 mg kg−1) and ozagrel (18 mg kg−1) were administrated by intravenous injection immediately for the first time and then received the same dose every 24 h for 2 days. We found that TSF treatment significantly attenuated the cerebral water content, infarction volume and improved neurological outcomes in MCAO rats compared to I/R models. Moreover, we investigated the effect of TSF on the BBB for that cerebral oedema is closely related to the permeability of the BBB. We found that the permeability of BBB was improved significantly in TSF groups compared to I/R model group by Evans blue leakage testing. Furthermore, the expressions of tight junction (TJ) proteins junction adhesion molecule-1 and occludin significantly decreased, but the protein expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and aquaporin 4 (AQP4) increased after cerebral I/R, all of which were alleviated by TSF treatment. In conclusion, TSF significantly reduced BBB permeability and brain oedema, which were correlated with regulating the expression of TJ proteins, MMP-9 and AQP4. These findings provide a novel approach to the treatment of ischaemic stroke.
Students’ academic reading preferences: An exploratory study
Authors: Aharony Noa , Bar-Ilan Judit
Published: July 2016

The e-book reader revolution is already here. The questions we asked ourselves were: What are the reading preferences of Information Science students at the beginning of the second decade of the 21st century? How do different variables, such as relative advantage, comprehension, and learning strategies affect students’ reading preferences? The research was conducted in Israel during the first semester of the 2015 academic year and encompassed 177 Library and Information Science students in an Information Science Department in Israel. Three questionnaires were used: personal details, relative advantage, and learning strategies, and two further questions that focused on reading habits. The study showed students’ preferences for printed materials. In addition, it emphasizes the importance of two personal variables that may affect students’ will to read electronic materials: relative advantage and comprehension.
Neuroimaging of translocator protein in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a pilot study using [11C]DPA-713 positron emission tomography
Authors: Wang Yuchuan , Coughlin Jennifer M , Ma Shuangchao , Endres Christopher J , Kassiou Michael , Sawa Akira , Dannals Robert F , Petri Michelle , Pomper Martin G
Published: July 2016

Objective

Inflammation secondary to autoantibody-mediated effects occurring in multiple organs is a hallmark of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The inflammatory response to SLE-mediated damage in brain parenchyma has been postulated in both normal and cognitively impaired individuals. Our goal is to use molecular imaging to investigate the distribution within the brain of the mitochondrial translocator protein (TSPO) that is upregulated during glial cell activation, and is considered as a marker of brain injury and repair.

Methods

We sought to characterize TSPO distribution in the brain of SLE patients using positron emission tomography (PET) and [11C]DPA-713 (DPA), a radiopharmaceutical that targets TSPO. We imaged 11 healthy controls and 10 patients with SLE (years of diagnosis: 13.0 ± 7.7), all between the ages of 22 and 52. Results: Among the nine brain regions studied, no statistically significant increases in DPA binding were observed in SLE. Instead, there was a significant decrease in TSPO distribution in the cerebellum and hippocampus of SLE patients, as compared to healthy controls. Such decreases were most significant in cognitively normal SLE subjects, but showed pseudo-normalization in those with cognitive impairment, due to higher cerebellar and hippocampal DPA binding in the cognitively impaired (versus normal) SLE brain.

Conclusions

Results from this pilot study suggest a link between diminished regional TSPO expression in the brain of patients with SLE, as well as possible glial cell activation within the cerebellum and hippocampus of cognitively impaired individuals with SLE. Further studies are needed to elucidate how mitochondrial dysfunction and glial cell activation may act together in SLE and SLE-mediated neurocognitive deficits.
Exact confidence limits for the response rate in two-stage designs with over- or under-enrollment in the second stage
Authors: Shan Guogen
Published: July 2016

Simon’s two-stage design has been widely used in early phase clinical trials to assess the activity of a new investigated treatment. In practice, the actual sample sizes do not always follow the study design precisely, especially in the second stage. When over- or under-enrollment occurs in a study, the original critical values for the study design are no longer valid for making proper statistical inference in a clinical trial. The hypothesis for such studies is always one-sided, and the null hypothesis is rejected when only a few responses are observed. Therefore, a one-sided lower interval is suitable to test the hypothesis. The commonly used approaches for confidence interval construction are based on asymptotic approaches. These approaches generally do not guarantee the coverage probability. For this reason, Clopper-Pearson approach can be used to compute exact confidence intervals. This approach has to be used in conjunction with a method to order the sample space. The frequently used method is based on point estimates for the response rate, but this ordering has too many ties which lead to conservativeness of the exact intervals. We propose developing exact one-sided intervals based on the p-value to order the sample space. The proposed approach outperforms the existing asymptotic and exact approaches. Therefore, it is recommended for use in practice.
Stakeholders’ Views on Voluntary Human Capital Disclosures in Corporate Annual Reports of Top Bangladeshi and Indian Listed Companies
Authors: Absar Mir Mohammed Nurul
Published: July 2016

Anchored in stakeholder theory, the study aimed at examining the extent of voluntary human capital disclosures in annual reports of top 20 Bangladeshi and Indian listed companies. In addition to qualitative content analysis of the annual reports for the year 2010–2011, this study also conducted a series of in-depth interviews with a range of stakeholders of the companies of both the countries to understand their views on voluntary HC disclosures in corporate annual reports. It was found that the level of voluntary HC disclosures was very low in case of the companies of both the countries. Moreover, it was observed that HC disclosures of companies mostly composed of positive information. From the views of stakeholders, it was evident that stakeholders unanimously recognized the necessity of credible HC disclosures in corporate annual reports. The HC disclosure index framed in this study may be useful in developing a South Asian model of corporate HC disclosures. This study contributes to the existing literature on HC disclosures where there has been a distinct lack of engagement-based research works.
The under-representation and experiences of elite level minority coaches in professional football in England, France and the Netherlands
Authors: Bradbury Steven , van Sterkenburg Jacco , Mignon Patrick
Published: July 2016

This article will examine the previously under-researched area of the under-representation and experiences of elite level minority (male) coaches in (men’s) professional football in Western Europe. More specifically, the article will draw on original interview data with 40 elite level minority coaches in England, France and the Netherlands and identify a series of key constraining factors which have limited the potential for and realization of opportunities for career progression across the transition from playing to coaching in the professional game. In doing so, the article will focus on three main themes identified by interviewees as the most prescient in explaining the ongoing under-representation of minority coaches in the sport: their limited access to and negative experiences of the high level coach education environment; the continued existence of racisms and stereotypes in the professional coaching workplace; and the over-reliance of professional clubs on networks rather than qualifications-based frameworks for coach recruitment. Finally, the article will contextualize these findings from within a critical race theory perspective and will draw clear linkages between patterns of minority coach under-representation, the enactment of processes and practices of institutional racism, and the underlying normative power of hegemonic Whiteness in the sport.
Collective Care: Multiple Caregivers and Multiple Care Recipients in Mexican American Families
Authors: Evans Bronwynne C. , Coon David W. , Belyea Michael J. , Ume Ebere
Published: July 2016

Purpose: Specific stressors associated with caregiving in Mexican American (MA) families are not well documented, yet caregiving issues are paramount because informal care for parents is central to their culture. Although MA families who band together to provide care for one member are not unique, the literature does not describe the phenomenon of collective caregiving, which may be widespread but unrecognized. This article describes these understudied families who are poorly served by contemporary health systems because their characteristics are unknown. Design: Descriptive, multisite, longitudinal mixed-methods study of MA caregiving families. Findings: We identified three types of collective caregivers: those providing care for multiple family members simultaneously, those providing care successively to several family members, and/or those needing care themselves during their caregiving of others. Discussion and Conclusions: Collective caregiving of MA elders warrants further investigation. Implications for Practice: Exploration of collective caregiving may provide a foundation for tailored family interventions.
A study of active artificial hair cell models inspired by outer hair cell somatic motility
Authors: Joyce Bryan S , Tarazaga Pablo A
Published: July 2016

The cochlea displays an important, nonlinear amplification of sound-induced oscillations. In mammals, this amplification is largely powered by the somatic motility of the outer hair cells. The resulting cochlear amplifier has three important characteristics useful for hearing: an amplification of responses from low sound pressures, an improvement in frequency selectivity, and an ability to transduce a broad range of sound pressure levels. These useful features can be incorporated into designs for active artificial hair cells, bio-inspired sensors for use as microphones, accelerometers, or other dynamic sensors. The sensor consists of a cantilever beam with piezoelectric actuators. A feedback controller applies a voltage to the actuators to mimic the outer hair cells’ somatic motility. This article describes three control laws for an active artificial hair cell inspired by models of the outer hair cells’ somatic motility. The first control law is based on a phenomenological model of the cochlea while the second and third models incorporate physiological aspects of the biological cochlea to further improve sensor performance. Simulations show that these models qualitatively reproduce the key aspects of the mammalian cochlea, namely, amplification of oscillations from weak stimuli, higher quality factors, and a wider input dynamic range.
Development and Initial Validation of the Transracial Adoption Parenting Scale—Revised
Authors: Lee Jaegoo , Crolley-Simic Josie , Vonk M. Elizabeth
Published: July 2016

Purpose:

The purpose of this research is to provide an initial validation of a revision of the Transracial Adoption Parenting Scale—Revised (TAPS-R) with international transracial adoptive parents.

Method:

This study employed a cross-sectional, online survey design to recruit transracial adoptive parents from a parent support group, Families for Chinese Children.

Results:

Exploratory factor analysis reveals that the 47-item TAPS-R is a valid scale, which includes four factors: racial awareness, multicultural planning, integration, and coping skills. The analysis results of Cronbach’s α coefficient revealed that the scale as a whole and subscales have good or excellent reliability. Using correlational analyses, construct validity was established.

Discussion:

The TAPS-R proved to have sound reliability and validity to measure racial awareness and cultural and racial socialization practices and thus can be useful in transracial adoption parenting.