bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Best practices for underplatform damper designers
Authors: Gastaldi Chiara , Berruti Teresa M , Gola Muzio M
Published: February 2018

The purpose of this paper is to offer a practical demonstration of how essential preoptimization is in the design of underplatform dampers for turbine blades. Preoptimization can be thought of as a “prescreening” which allows excluding, since the early design stages, a high number of poorly performing damper–platform configurations. This concept, previously presented by the authors, is here extended and its generality for all blade bending modes is rigorously demonstrated. The paper addresses a test case where the introduction of curved-flat underplatform dampers is necessary to avoid a dangerous resonance crossing in the operating rotational speed range of a real turbine disk. It is shown how preoptimized dampers are the only ones that manage to satisfy all functional requirements, including those in the nonlinear operating regime. The same set of dampers may have been identified by exploring, through hundreds of computationally intensive nonlinear calculations, the performance of all possible damper configurations. The latter approach, i.e. iterative design, is unpractical and has to be repeated for each new set of blades since it is based on a test case-specific trial-and-error procedure. Preoptimization substitutes iterations with knowledge of the damper behavior and can therefore be considered as “informed design”: viable damper configurations are instantly singled out through simple but insightful considerations on the damper equilibrium of forces and moments.
Theorizing the Relationship Between Social Law and Markets in Regional Integration Projects
Authors: Ashiagbor Diamond
Published: February 2018

This article explores regional integration projects in the global South and constraints upon them, in particular the social dislocations caused by global and European trade policies, and the response of states in the South to the institutional design of the global trade regime. Its focus is on the use of economic sociology of law as a methodological approach through which to rethink the relationship between law, markets and state – and to explore how these interact in the context of one regionalization project (the European Union (EU)) as well as interrogating whether economic sociology can similarly cast light on another regionalization project (the African Union (AU)). The rise of the market as the ‘metric of the rationality of law and policy’ challenges labour market institutions, especially in the context of cross-national market integration projects (namely the EU and the AU) of which a core raison d’être is that labour is commodified as one of the factors of production. The article examines the role of the ‘social state’ and of labour market institutions as part of an array of adjustment mechanisms responding to the liberalization of trade and the opening of national borders: to what extent can social law and social rights mediate the operation of markets, and what does this mean when viewed from the perspective of developing as well as industrialized countries?
LRRK2 Phosphorylation: Behind the Scenes
Authors: De Wit Tina , Baekelandt Veerle , Lobbestael Evy
Published: February 2018

Mutations in the gene encoding leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) are known today as the most common genetic cause of Parkinson’s disease (PD). LRRK2 is a large protein that is hypothesized to regulate other proteins as a scaffold in downstream signaling pathways. This is supported by the multiple domain composition of LRRK2 with several protein-protein interaction domains combined with kinase and GTPase activity. LRRK2 is highly phosphorylated at sites that are strictly controlled by upstream regulators, including its own kinase domain. In cultured cells, most pathogenic mutants display increased autophosphorylation at S1292, but decreased phosphorylation at sites controlled by other kinases. We only begin to understand how LRRK2 phosphorylation is regulated and how this impacts its physiological and pathological function. Intriguingly, LRRK2 kinase inhibition, currently one of the most prevailing disease-modifying therapeutic strategies for PD, induces LRRK2 dephosphorylation at sites that are also dephosphorylated in pathogenic variants. In addition, LRRK2 kinase inhibition can induce LRRK2 protein degradation, which might be related to the observed inhibitor-induced adverse effects on the lung in rodents and non-human primates, as it resembles the lung pathology in LRRK2 knock-out animals. In this review, we will provide an overview of how LRRK2 phosphorylation is regulated and how this complex regulation relates to several molecular and cellular features of LRRK2.
Optimal design of a viscoelastic vibration neutralizer for rotating systems: Flexural control by slope degree of freedom
Authors: Voltolini DR , Kluthcovsky S , Doubrawa Filho FJ , Lopes EMO , Bavastri CA
Published: February 2018

Rotating machines have become increasingly powerful and rapid over time, often working now close to, or even above, their critical speeds. When, as a result, resonance or dynamic instability occurs, it can cause high vibration levels in these machines, particularly when rolling bearings are used. Vibration control of rotating systems can be made by viscoelastic dynamic vibration neutralizers (VDVNs), which are relatively cheap passive devices with a wide range of applications. For the control of flexural vibration in dynamic rotors, a translational VDVN is usually employed. It should be attached to the rotor by means of a special support, commonly between bearings, where the amplitude of the vibration mode of concern is high. The particular point where this type of device is attached depends on the mode to be controlled and in machines with reduced internal space, it cannot be placed in a suitable position. Therefore, this paper introduces a new type of VDVN, the angular VDVN, and proposes a methodology for the optimal design of a set of these devices for shaft slope degree of freedom control. This control aims at indirectly reducing flexural vibration. According to this approach, the control device can be installed close to the bearing where the slope degree of freedom presents its highest value at any critical speed. The conceptual design of the angular VDVN is presented to illustrate the proposed methodology, and a numerical example is given to demonstrate the influence of the angular VDVN geometry on the response. The corresponding results are fully discussed.
Sampled-data mixed H∞ and passive control for attitude stabilization and vibration suppression of flexible spacecrafts with input delay
Authors: Zhu Baolong , Zhang Zhiping , Suo Mingliang , Chen Ying , Li Shunli
Published: February 2018

This paper deals with the problem of mixed [Formula: see text] and passive control for flexible spacecrafts subject to nonuniform sampling and time-varying delay in the input channel. An impulsive observer-based controller is introduced and the resulting closed-loop system is a hybrid system consisting of a continuous time-delay subsystem and an impulsive differential subsystem. As a first result, we derive a generalized bounded real lemma (GBRL), that is, a generalized [Formula: see text] performance criterion, for the impulsive differential subsystem by constructing a time-varying Lyapunov functional. Then, on the basis of this GBRL and utilizing the Lyapunov–Krasovskii approach, a sufficient condition is derived to asymptotically stabilize the closed-loop system and simultaneously guarantee a prescribed mixed [Formula: see text] and passivity performance index. A design method is proposed for the desired controller, which can be readily constructed by solving a convex optimization problem with linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) constraints. Finally, numerical experiments are provided to support the theoretical results, and comparisons with former approaches are also discussed.
Finite-time complex function synchronization of multiple complex-variable chaotic systems with network transmission and combination mode
Authors: Chen Xiangyong , Cao Jinde , Park Ju H , Zong Guangdeng , Qiu Jianlong
Published: February 2018

Two kinds of finite-time complex function synchronization for multiple complex-variable chaotic systems are investigated. Both the transmission mode and combination mode are respectively considered. By considering complex functions as the scaling factors, the definitions of the two different synchronization mechanisms are established, and the appropriate schemes are proposed to guarantee the finite-time stability of all error systems. Furthermore, two verifiable criteria are derived to synchronize multi-systems. Finally, detailed simulation analysis is provided to validate the effectiveness of all innovations.
Investigation of three-dimensional theory on sound transmission through compressed poroelastic sandwich cylindrical shell in various boundary configurations
Authors: Talebitooti R , Choudari Khameneh AM , Zarastvand MR , Kornokar M
Published: February 2018

The present work applies three-dimensional elasticity theory as well as extended full method based on Biot’s theory to inspect the effect of compressing porous material on sound transmission loss of the multilayered cylindrical shell subjected to porous core and air-gap insulation in the presence of external flow considering various boundary configurations. According to this fact, first, three-dimensional elasticity theory is employed for the double-walled laminated composite parts of the structure which leads to governing equations with no extra assumptions as well as considering extended full method for poroelastic section which models the structure in three directions with no need to identify the frequency domain (unlike the simplified method). Consequently, the obtained equations are solved applying state space method based on approximate laminate model beside transfer matrix approach. Likewise, the procedure is followed to obtain sound transmission loss in appropriate boundary condition. Second, the influence of compressing porous core on acoustic transmission of the current structure is cleared. Furthermore, this paper includes some configurations which compare the obtained results with those available in literature to indicate the accuracy, reliability and simplicity of the present method particularly in comparison with the simplified method. Finally, some configurations are appeared in numerical result section to show the effects of the various parameters on sound transmission loss.
Performing Frontier as Home: Yuanshengtai Performance and the Representational Politics of Homeland in Southwest China
Authors: Chen Huai-Hsuan , Hung Po-Yi
Published: February 2018

Yuanshengtai, a term derived from Chinese idea of ecotourism to indicate the pristine condition of environment, has been connected to an imagined authentic indigenous culture in China. With the mark of Zhang Yimou—one of the most famous film director in China, the show Impression Lijiang has strived for exploiting the symbols and icons of ethnic minority culture in order to invent an imaginary space for tourists to experience a yuanshengtai borderland in southwest China. A UNESCO site, Lijiang is known for its geographic imagery of cultural and natural landscape and as the brightest prospect for expressing Chinese nationalism and cultivating modern Chinese tourists. As such, it has been gradually transformed into a stage for displaying and (dis)locating the spatial imagery of home for Chinese tourists in post-socialist China. This article illustrates how yuanshengtai performances are a cultural mechanism of the Chinese state to spark a yearning for home. We will proceed with a theoretical approach relating home and homemaking in China’s cultural politics. After noting the research methods, we contextualize the development of yuanshengtai performances in Southwest China.
New wine in old bottles: Explaining the dimensional structure of European party systems
Authors: Rovny Jan , Polk Jonathan
Published: February 2018

In Europe, noneconomic political issues are seen as secondary but significant aspects of political competition. There is uncertainty, however, about the sources of the varying relationships between economic and cultural politics. This article explains the variance in the correlation of the economic and cultural dimensions in different party systems through the impact of historical religious conflict. Despite the rise of new cultural issues, historical religious divides strikingly predict the relative distinctiveness of the sociocultural dimension in today’s Europe. By demonstrating that economic conflicts did not always supersede religious divides, but were at times brought into standing religious cleavages, we deepen the understanding of cleavage formation and longevity, and dimensional structure of politics in Europe.
Predicting Activity and Workload in General Practice from the Demographic Structure of the Practice Population
Authors: Whynes David , Baines Darrin
Published: February 2018

Objectives:

The managerial requirements of budget-setting and performance monitoring in general practice (primary care) in the UK require an understanding of the causal relationship between practice activities and the characteristics of both the practice and its patients. This study sought to model the determinants of three major components of general practice activities (consultations, prescribing costs and referrals to secondary care), paying particular attention to the influence of the demographic structure of the patient list.

Methods:

Stepwise regression analysis was carried out on data for 98 practices in the county of Lincolnshire using 12 independent variables pertaining to patient and practice characteristics plus 14 statistical measures derived from the demographic structure of the patients registered with the practice.

Results:

Robust statistical models were estimated for the three dependent variables, of which list size emerged as the most significant independent variable. In addition, six other independent variables, including the patients' unemployment rate, fundholding status and single-handed status, were statistically significant in one or more of the equations. Variables based on the demographic structure of the practice population also appeared in each model. The Jarman score and degree of urbanization did not achieve statistical significance.

Conclusions:

Activity and workload in general practice can be predicted from routine data. Such models are of particular value for planning and financial management when demographic change in practice populations is anticipated.
The Costs of Alternative Types of Routine Antenatal Care for Low-Risk Women: Shared Care Vs Care by General Practitioners and Community Midwives
Authors: Ratcliffe Julie , Ryan Mandy , Tucker Janet
Published: February 2018

Objectives:

To compare the costs to the health service, women and their families of routine antenatal care provided by either traditional obstetrician-led shared care or general practitioner (GP)/community midwife care.

Method:

A multicentre randomized controlled trial in 51 general practices linked to nine maternity hospitals in Scotland: 1667 low-risk pregnant women provided information on costs to the health service. 704 of these women provided information on non-health service costs.

Results:

GP/midwife antenatal care was found to cost statistically significantly less than shared care. This was the case for investigations carried out at routine antenatal visits (GP/midwife = £87.25, shared care = £91.15, P = 0.05), staffing costs at routine antenatal visits (GP/midwife = £127.76, shared care = £131.09, P = 0.001), and non-health service costs incurred by women and their companions (GP/midwife = £118.53, shared care = £133.49, P = 0.001). While non-routine care in the GP/midwife arm of the trial costs less than in the shared care arm, the difference was not statistically significant (GP/midwife = £83.74, shared care = £94.43, P = 0.46). The total societal cost of antenatal care was £417.28 per woman in the GP/midwife arm of the trial and £450.19 in the shared care arm of the trial. This difference was statistically significant ( P < 0.001). The application of sensitivity analysis did not change these results.

Conclusions:

GP/midwife antenatal care is a satisfactory option for low-risk pregnant women in Scotland provided that clinical outcomes and women's satisfaction are at least the same as those of women with shared care.
May We Support Your Decision?
Authors: Gordon Colin
Published: February 2018

Expert systems to support medical decision-making have so far achieved few successes. Current technical developments, however, may overcome some of the limitations. Although there are several theoretical currents in medical artificial intelligence, there are signs of them converging. Meanwhile, decision support systems, which set themselves more modest goals than replicating or improving on clinicians' expertise, have come into routine use in places where an adequate electronic patient record exists. They may also be finding a wider role, assisting in the implementation of clinical practice guidelines. There is, however, still much uncertainty about the kinds of decision support that doctors and other health care professionals are likely to want or accept.
Ivan Illich and the Pursuit of Health
Authors: Bunker John P.
Published: February 2018

Fifty years ago, when medicine had relatively few effective treatments to offer, its value was unquestioned. Twenty-five years ago clinicians had become concerned that treatment could sometimes do harm and McKeown published epidemiological evidence claiming that medicine did little good. This state of affairs was used by Mich to bolster his crusade against technology in general. Today it is clear that medicine now makes a large contribution to health. But doubts still exist and alternative pathways to health are continually exhorted. Large-scale efforts at behavioural modification, encouraging the adoption of healthier lifestyles, have been largely unsuccessful. Social activists now argue that funds should be diverted from medical care to social programmes that, they claim, might contribute more to health. While it is true that health is strongly associated with socio-ecomonic status (income, education and occupation), there is little sense of how best to reallocate scarce resources so as to improve the health impact of social and economic programmes. Social reform is not a substitute for medical care. Rather, our social environment is a second, important but quite separate, determinant of health and well-being.
Did the Introduction of General Practice Fundholding Change Patterns of Emergency Admission to Hospital?
Authors: Toth Ben , Harvey Ian , Peters Tim
Published: February 2018

Objectives:

To test the hypothesis that the introduction of general practice fundholding was associated with a change in the proportion of emergency admissions to hospital.

Methods:

Before and after natural experiment with control group. The experimental group was first-wave fundholding general practices in the South Western Regional Health Authority, the control group was all practices that remained non-fundholding as of April 1993. Data were collected on episodes of care in hospitals in the South Western region involving cholecystectomy, hernia repair, intervertebral disc operation and prostatectomy. The additional impact of fundholding status on any underlying changes in proportions of emergency admissions was examined using multiple logistic regression.

Results:

There was no evidence of an interaction between fundholding status and before/after time period. Odds ratios and confidence intervals for the interaction of general practice fundholding status and time were: Prostatectomy 1.02 (0.77 to 1.34); hernia repair 0.94 (0.7 to 1.24); intervertebral disk operations 1.67 (0.8 to 3.47); prostatectomy 0.94 (0.69 to 1.27).

Conclusions:

The results provide no evidence that, in the first 2 years of the scheme, fundholding had an impact on the proportion of emergency admissions to hospital.
The Relationship between the Supply of Cardiac Catheterization Laboratories, Cardiologists and the use of Invasive Cardiac Procedures in Northern New England
Authors: Wennberg David , Dickens John , Soule David , Kellett Mirle , Malenka David , Robb John , Ryan Thomas , Bradley William , Vaitkus Paul , Hearne Michael , O'Connor Gerald , Hillman Robert
Published: February 2018

Objectives:

Utilization rates of coronary angiography and cardiac revascularization have been found to vary between areas. This study addresses the relationship between resource supply and procedure rates.

Methods:

We compared the association of per capita catheterization laboratories, per capita cardiologists and multi-provider markets (where more than one hospital offers coronary angiography services) with the utilization rates for angiography and cardiac revascularization in northern New England, USA. Administrative data were used to capture invasive cardiac procedures. Small area analyses were used to create coronary angiography service areas. Linear regression methods were used to measure associations between the resource supply and utilization rates.

Results:

Variation in the use of invasive cardiac procedures was strongly associated with the population-based availability of catheterization facilities and multi-provider markets and unrelated to cardiologist supply or need (as reflected in the hospitalization rates for myocardial infarction). In the multivariate model, an increase of 1 catheterization laboratory per 100 000 population was associated with an increase in the angiography rate of 1.62 per 1000 population; those service areas with multi-provider markets were associated with an additional increase in the angiography rate of 1.27 per 1000 population ( R2= 0.84, P = 0.0006). There was a moderately strong relationship between the catheterization laboratories per capita and the revascularization rates ( R2 = 0.43, P = 0.029). Angiography rates were highly associated with cardiac revascularization rates: An increase in the angiography rate of 1 per 1000 population was associated with a 0.46 per 1000 increase in the cardiac revascularization rate ( R2 = 0.85, P = 0.0001).

Conclusions:

Our work suggests that current efforts to address variation in cardiac procedures through activities such as appropriateness criteria, guidelines and utilization review are misdirected and should be redirected towards capacity, in this case the supply of catheterization facilities.
Integrating Mental Health Services through Reimbursement Reform and Managed Mental Health Care
Authors: Mechanic David
Published: February 2018

People with serious and persistent mental illness require a range of community services typically provided by different specialized agencies. At the clinical level, assertive team case management is the strategy commonly used to achieve integration of services across specialized sectors. The USA also has used various financial and organizational approaches to reduce fragmentation and increase effectiveness, including development of stronger public mental health authorities, use of financial incentives to change professional and institutional behavior, requirements to allocate savings from hospital closures to community systems of care, and introduction of mental health managed care on a broad scale. These approaches have potential but also significant problems and there is often a large gap between theory and implementation. These US developments are discussed with attention to the implications for mental health services in the UK.
Aggregating Health State Valuations
Authors: Dolan Paul
Published: February 2018

It is now recognized that preference-based measures of health status have an important role to play in determining priorities in health care. A number of methodological and ethical issues have been raised, but one that has as yet received little attention is the question of how individual responses should be aggregated when attempting to express the valuations of a given group. In a recent study of over 3000 members of the British general public, valuations were elicited for health states defined in terms of the EuroQol Descriptive System using the time trade-off method. A EuroQol ‘tariff’ of valuations has been generated which, because of the methodology employed, provides a good approximation of mean values. The purpose of this paper is to present a tariff based on median values. The nature of the distributions of values results in a median-based tariff which, compared to the mean-based one, has higher values for less severe states and lower values for more severe states. This is likely to have important implications for resource allocation decisions.
Exploring the affordances of digital storytelling in a media-arts restorative justice program
Authors: Morris Jordan
Published: February 2018

Both restorative justice and arts-based programs within the juvenile justice system provide offenders with promising alternatives to the punitive sanctions utilized by many courts. The present article represents an initial examination of how the restorative justice media-arts program – Young New Yorkers – employs restorative justice principles via the media-arts practice of digital storytelling. Findings suggest the digital storytelling allowed participants to create a narrative discourse about their crimes, their impact, and ways to improve their communities. Further, the production of digital stories enabled participants to process restorative values and apply them toward themselves and their social worlds through recontextualization and rearticulation and then realignment of selves in the digital storytelling process. Together these findings underscore the need for more research focusing on the participants’ perspective of restorative justice initiatives to promote greater and more consistent behavioral changes for youth.
Assessing and Mobilizing Faith Organizations to Implement Childhood Obesity Prevention Advocacy Strategies
Authors: Bozlak Christine T. , Kenady James M. , Becker Adam B.
Published: February 2018

Childhood obesity remains a public health problem requiring mobilization across diverse social and political sectors. The faith-based sector can contribute to obesity prevention advocacy when existing resources are supported and leveraged. This article describes an advocacy resource assessment conducted in six Chicago faith organizations. Key administrators and congregation members were surveyed to identify organizational resources that could be mobilized for childhood obesity prevention advocacy. Survey data were analyzed using SPSS and Excel. Descriptive statistics were calculated for each organization and for all combined. Organizational resources for advocacy were identified, with varying degrees of resources within organizations. Congregation members and faith leaders expressed interest in advocacy training and activities but acknowledged competing organizational priorities. Participating organizations received a stipend to pursue recommended action items based on their assessment. Faith organizations have unique resources and human capital and can be key partners in childhood obesity prevention. Conducting an assessment prior to planning interventions and advocacy approaches can strengthen partnerships, leverage assets among partners, and ensure efforts are relevant and beneficial for faith organizations. It may also be strategic to incorporate funding in grant budgets in order to empower faith organizations to act on findings from the assessment process.
Just War? War Games, War Crimes, and Game Design
Authors: Donald Iain
Published: February 2018

Military shooters have explored both historical and modern settings and remain one of the most popular game genres. While the violence of these games has been explored in multiple studies, the study of how war and the rules of war are represented is underexplored. The Red Cross has argued that as virtual war games are becoming closer to reality, the rules of war should be included. This article explores the argument put forward by the Red Cross and its reception by games media organizations, in order to consider how the concept of “just war” is represented within games. This article will focus on concerns over games adherence to the criteria of jus in bello (the right conduct in war) and will also consider the challenges that developers face in the creation of entertainment products in the face of publisher and press concerns.
From Manual to Automated to Digital: On Transmediality, Technological Specificity, and Playful Practice in Mahjong
Authors: Wirman Hanna , Leino Olli Tapio
Published: February 2018

Through a case study of variations in the game of Mahjong differing from each other in terms of the extent of technological assistance involved, this article sheds light on questions of transmediality and technological specificity of games and play. It argues that while the variations in Mahjong can be described as sitting together in a family resemblance, the specificities of the technologies and the sociocultural contexts involved give rise to new kinds of playful practices that are not reducible to the “transmedial Mahjong” but whose understanding nevertheless necessitates knowledge of the rules and conventions of Mahjong. This not only casts critical light on how the “ludological” paradigm of game studies has defined its object of study but also prompts reconsideration of the role of technology when applying perspectives that emphasize the processual nature of games.
Morality Play: A Model for Developing Games of Moral Expertise
Authors: Staines Dan , Formosa Paul , Ryan Malcolm
Published: February 2018

According to cognitive psychologists, moral decision-making is a dual-process phenomenon involving two types of cognitive processes: explicit reasoning and implicit intuition. Moral development involves training and integrating both types of cognitive processes through a mix of instruction, practice, and reflection. Serious games are an ideal platform for this kind of moral training, as they provide safe spaces for exploring difficult moral problems and practicing the skills necessary to resolve them. In this article, we present Morality Play, a model for the design of serious games for ethical expertise development based on the Integrative Ethical Education framework from moral psychology and the Lens of the Toy model for serious game design.
Game Theory for Computer Games Design
Authors: Taylor Mark , Baskett Mike , Reilly Denis , Ravindran Somasundaram
Published: February 2018

Designing and developing computer games can be a complex activity that may involve professionals from a variety of disciplines. In this article, we examine the use of game theory for supporting the design of gameplay within the different sections of a computer game and demonstrate its application in practice via adapted high-level decision trees for modeling the flow in gameplay and payoff matrices for modeling skill or challenge levels.
Word Play: A History of Voice Interaction in Digital Games
Authors: Allison Fraser , Carter Marcus , Gibbs Martin
Published: February 2018

The use of voice interaction in digital games has a long and varied history of experimentation but has never achieved sustained, widespread success. In this article, we review the history of voice interaction in digital games from a media archaeology perspective. Through detailed examination of publicly available information, we have identified and classified all games that feature some form of voice interaction and have received a public release. Our analysis shows that the use of voice interaction in digital games has followed a tidal pattern: rising and falling in seven distinct phases in response to new platforms and enabling technologies. We note characteristic differences in the way Japanese and Western game developers have used voice interaction to create different types of relationships between players and in-game characters. Finally, we discuss the implications for game design and scholarship in light of the increasing ubiquity of voice interaction systems.
Double Duty: Crowdfunding and the Evolving Game Production Network
Authors: Tyni Heikki
Published: February 2018

As independent game makers strive to tackle the demands of game production without the help of a traditional publisher, a familiar game production environment has started to evolve. Adopting a game production studies perspective, this article focuses on crowdfunding as a new channel for independent game development and the shifts crowdfunding causes in the game production network. Two successfully crowdfunded case examples— Bloodstained (2018), a digital game, and Conan (2016), a board game—are used to illustrate changes crowdfunding causes in the traditional game production environment. In removing the publisher as an “unnecessary” middleman, crowdfunded productions need to take care of the many tasks that used to belong to publishers, such as marketing, partner sourcing, distribution networks, and customer relationships. As projects turn to emerging production network intermediaries, their significance—as well as that of the crowdfunding backers—provides evidence to classify the crowdfunding model as a new game production logic.
Video Games and Agency in Contemporary Society
Authors: Muriel Daniel , Crawford Garry
Published: February 2018

In recent years, the idea of player control, or agency, has become central and explicit in certain video games and genres, affecting many debates concerning the study or definitions of video games. In spite of this, the notion of agency in video games has been rarely explicitly explored or defined in relation to its sociological and political dimensions. Hence, drawing on actor–network theory, (neo-)Foucauldian governmentality studies, and empirical data gathered over a 3-year period, this article expands to our understanding of video game player agency and, moreover, argues that video games provide an important example and perspective to consider the contemporary nature and political basis of agency.
Distal Radius Allograft Reconstruction Utilizing a Step-Cut Technique After En Bloc Tumor Resection
Authors: Luchetti Timothy J. , Wysocki Robert W. , Cohen Mark S.
Published: February 2018

Background: En bloc resection of the distal radius is a common treatment for advanced and recurrent giant cell tumors and less commonly for sarcoma. Various reconstructive options exist, including ulnar transposition, osteoarticular autograft and allograft, and allograft arthrodesis. We present a technique of reconstruction using a distal radius bulk allograft with a step-cut to allow for precise restoration of proper length and to promote bony union. Methods: Preoperative templating is performed with affected and contralateral radiographs to assess the size of the expected bony defect, location of the step-cut, and the optimal size of the distal radius allograft required. A standard dorsal approach to the distal radius is utilized, and the tumor is resected. A proximal row carpectomy is performed, and the plate/allograft construct is applied to the remaining host bone. Iliac crest bone graft is harvested and introduced at the graft-bone interface and radiocarpal arthrodesis sites. Results: We have previously reported outstanding union rates with the step-cut technique compared with a standard transverse cut. Conclusions: The technique described provides reproducible union and stabilization of the wrist and forearm with adequate function following en bloc resection of the distal radius for tumor.
Direct Cost Comparison of Open Carpal Tunnel Release in Different Venues
Authors: Carr Logan W. , Morrow Brad , Michelotti Brett , Hauck Randy M.
Published: February 2018

Background: The increased efficiency and cost savings have led many surgeons to move their practice away from the traditional operating room (OR) or outpatient surgery center (OSC) and into the clinic setting. With the cost of health care continuing to rise, the venue with the lowest cost should be utilized. We performed a direct cost analysis of a single surgeon performing an open carpal tunnel release in the OR, OSC, and clinic. Methods: Four treatment groups were prospectively studied: the hospital OR with monitored anesthesia care (OR-MAC), OSC with MAC (OSC-MAC), OSC with local anesthesia (OSC-local), and clinic with local anesthesia (clinic). To determine direct costs, a detailed inventory was recorded including the weight and disposal of medical waste. Indirect costs were not included. Results: Five cases in each treatment group were prospectively recorded. Average direct costs were OR ($213.75), OSC-MAC ($102.79), OSC-local ($55.66), and clinic ($31.71). The average weight of surgical waste, in descending order, was the OR (4.78 kg), OSC-MAC (2.78 kg), OSC-local (2.6 kg), and the clinic (0.65 kg). Using analysis of variance, the clinic’s direct costs and surgical waste were significantly less than any other setting ( P < .005). Conclusions: The direct costs of an open carpal tunnel release were nearly 2 times more expensive in the OSC compared with the clinic and almost 7 times more expensive in the OR. Open carpal tunnel release is more cost-effective and generates less medical waste when performed in the clinic versus all other surgical venues.
Neural network–based nonaffine control of air-breathing hypersonic vehicles with prescribed performance
Authors: Bu Xiangwei , Wang Qing
Published: February 2018

This article investigates a novel nonaffine control strategy using neural networks for an air-breathing hypersonic vehicle. Actual actuators are regarded as additional state variables and virtual control inputs are derived from low-computational cost neural approximations, while a new altitude control design independent of affine models is addressed for air-breathing hypersonic vehicles. To further reduce the computational load, an advanced regulation algorithm is applied to devise adaptive laws for neural estimations. Moreover, a new prescribed performance mechanism is exploited, which imposes preselected bounds on the transient and steady-state tracking error performance via developing new performance functions, capable of guaranteeing altitude and velocity tracking errors with small overshoots. Unlike some existing neural control methodologies, the proposed prescribed performance-based nonaffine control approach can ensure tracking errors with preselected transient and steady-state performance. Meanwhile, the complex design procedure of backstepping is also avoided. Finally, simulation results are presented to validate the design.
Favouritism: Exploring the ‘uncontrolled’ spaces of the leadership experience
Authors: Palermo Ofelia A , Carnaz Ana Catarina , Duarte Henrique
Published: February 2018

In this paper, we argue that a focus on favouritism magnifies a central ethical ambiguity in leadership, both conceptually and in practice. The social process of favouritism can even go unnoticed, or misrecognised if it does not manifest in a form in which it can be either included or excluded from what is (collectively interpreted as) leadership. The leadership literature presents a tension between what is an embodied and relational account of the ethical, on the one hand, and a more dispassionate organisational ‘justice’ emphasis, on the other hand. We conducted 23 semi-structured interviews in eight consultancy companies, four multinationals and four internationals. There were ethical issues at play in the way interviewees thought about favouritism in leadership episodes. This emerged in the fact that they were concerned with visibility and conduct before engaging in favouritism. Our findings illustrate a bricolage of ethical justifications for favouritism, namely utilitarian, justice, and relational. Such findings suggest the ethical ambiguity that lies at the heart of leadership as a concept and a practice.
Role of immune-checkpoint inhibitors in lung cancer
Authors: Jain Prantesh , Jain Chhavi , Velcheti Vamsidhar
Published: February 2018

Immune checkpoint inhibitors, mainly drugs targeting the programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA4) pathways, represent a remarkable advance in lung cancer treatment. Immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting PD-1 and PD-L1 are approved for the treatment of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer, with impressive clinical activity and durable responses in some patients. This review will summarize the mechanism of action of these drugs, the clinical development of these agents and the current role of these agents in the management of patients with lung cancer. In addition, the review will discuss the role of predictive biomarkers for optimal patient selection for immunotherapy and management of autoimmune side effects of these agents.
Quality Assurance in Professional Preparation of Community/Public Health Education Specialists: Contributions of SABPAC
Authors: Capwell Ellen M. , Cox Carol , Taub Alyson , Auld M. Elaine , Berhanu Elias
Published: February 2018

The Society for Public Health Education and American Association for Health Education Baccalaureate Program Approval Committee (SABPAC) provided a valuable service to the health education profession in the United States for 27 years. From 1987 to its sunset in 2014, SABPAC offered a voluntary process whereby undergraduate community/public health education professional preparation programs could seek review and evaluation of their programs against published national health education criteria. Those programs meeting SABPAC criteria were granted “Approval.” SABPAC approval was instituted as one way by which the health education profession could strive to promote consistent professional preparation in the field and ensure that health education graduates were prepared for contemporary workforce demands. Over the years, SABPAC chairs, committee members, and volunteers devoted countless hours reviewing self-studies and conducting on-site visits of professional preparation programs and documenting how they met SABPAC criteria and/or could enhance compliance with guidelines. Seeking SABPAC approval provided many program benefits. Recognizing that accreditation is the “gold standard” in education, the health education profession applied a thoughtful and researched process beginning in 2001 to transition from SABPAC approval to undergraduate accreditation through the Council on Education for Public Health. Three national task forces developed recommendations, conducted events to foster communication about the change, and assisted professional preparation programs to prepare for and seek the Council on Education for Public Health accreditation. This brief article documents the genesis, organization, and processes of SABPAC in the United States, until its sunset as a major contributor to quality assurance in health education for more than a quarter of a century.
Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography Associations of Neovascular Conversion in Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Authors: Yu Siqing , Wolf Sebastian , Munk Marion R. , Zinkernagel Martin S. , Ebneter Andreas
Published: February 2018

Purpose:

To identify spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) features associated with exudative conversion in fellow eyes of patients treated for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) in their first eye.

Methods:

Retrospective observational study. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography images of converting fellow eyes (study eyes) from 83 patients with nAMD were compared to fellow eyes of age- and sex-matched patients with nAMD who did not convert (control eyes). Parameters related to drusen, pigment epithelium detachment, hyperreflective foci (HRF), retinal pigment epithelium atrophy, small cystic cavities, and vitreoretinal interface were graded. Longitudinal analysis in study eyes and cross-sectional comparison with control eyes at the last 3 semiannual visits before nAMD conversion were performed.

Results:

For most biomarkers, the prevalence in study eyes increased and imaging findings worsened more than in control eyes. Drusen size and reticular pseudodrusen presence were significantly greater in converting eyes at all 3 time points. Outer retinal small cystic cavities were significantly more common in study eyes shortly before conversion. Binary logistic regression revealed that biggest drusen width was significantly associated with nAMD at all 3 time points (odds ratio [OR] > 1.010; P < .001). The presence of soft drusen was strongly associated with nAMD 18 months before conversion (OR: 7.034; P = .040). Clustering HRF in the inner retina were significantly associated with nAMD both 12 (OR: 1.324; P = .049) and 6 months (OR: 2.161; P = .035) before conversion.

Conclusions:

Emergence of HRF in fellow eyes, particularly in the inner retina, are sensitive SD-OCT features indicating conversion to exudative disease in patients treated unilaterally for nAMD.
Prevalence, risk factors and clinical correlates of COPD in a rural setting in Tanzania
Authors: Magitta Ng'weina Francis , Walker Richard William , Apte Komalkirti Keshavkiran , Shimwela Meshack Denson , Mwaiselage Julius David , Sanga Anna Alphonce , Namdeo Anil Kumar , Madas Sapna Jitendra , Salvi Sundeep Santosh
Published: February 2018

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) causes substantial burden of disease in developed countries, but there are limited data from Africa. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of COPD in Tanzania and identify the risk factors associated with it.

This was a cross-sectional descriptive survey involving adults aged ≥35 years. We collected data on symptoms and risk factors using the Burden of Obstructive Lung Diseases questionnaire. Spirometry was performed and COPD diagnosed based on post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 s/forced vital capacity <70%. We also measured indoor and outdoor carbon monoxide (CO) levels.

A total of 869 participants (49.1% females) completed the questionnaires. Of these, 57.1% completed post-bronchodilator spirometry. Of the 25.2% ever-smokers, only 5.4% were current smokers. COPD prevalence was estimated at 17.5% (21.7% in males and 12.9% in females). COPD was associated with a history of cough, phlegm production and wheezing. 51.7% of COPD patients reported cough and 85% had mild to moderate airway limitation. Females had a higher rate of exacerbation. Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) was reported in 10% of patients. Only 1.7% of patients who were diagnosed as COPD had ever received any medication, with only one female COPD patient having received an inhaler. 99.5% of the population used biomass fuels for cooking. The majority of households had CO levels up to 20 ppm.

The prevalence of COPD in Tanzania is high, with a peak at a relatively young age and a preponderance in males. A history of TB, cigarette smoking and male sex are important risk factors. Indoor air pollution coupled with use of biomass fuel for cooking and heating may be an important risk factor for developing COPD in rural Tanzania. However, these factors need to be studied further.