bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social empowerment through knowledge transfer: Transborder actions of Hong Kong social workers in mainland China
Authors: Kang Yi
Published: August 2020

This is a study of a group of Hong Kong social workers who have worked in mainland China for the past decade building a social work profession. In an unfamiliar environment full of uncertainties and obstacles, the interactions of these overseas professionals with local state and societal actors have effected change in the transmission of knowledge and techniques across borders, forging of local alliances to initiate change, adaptation of professional practices to local contexts, and contestation of encroachments on their professional autonomy, ethics, and standards. In their endeavours to introduce novel knowledge and practices into the mainland, these social workers have actively engaged with state agents and inspired indigenous societal actors, attempting to turn them into ‘rooted cosmopolitans’ and to create opportunities and platforms for state-in-society rather than state-versus-society scenarios.
Factors affecting placement and hiring decisions: A study of students’ perceptions
Authors: Dhingra Meenakshi , Kundu Subhash C
Published: August 2020

This paper assesses students’ perceptions concerning the level of campus placement activities of their higher education institution (HEI) and determines the order of importance of various factors, as perceived by students, relating to employers’ selection criteria. Primary data based on the responses of 621 students in 29 HEIs operating in the National Capital Region of India, were analysed using statistical tools such as average, t-test and Garrett Ranking. The t-test results indicated that students’ perceptions across the five demographics under study were significantly different. Further, the Garrett Ranking method revealed that students perceived performance in the interview as the most important factor affecting their selection or rejection by employers during campus placements. The findings should assist educational institutions in formulating an effective campus placement process and students in preparing for their transition to the labor market. Moreover, companies engaging in campus placements will obtain a better understanding of students’ perceptions regarding their hiring decisions. The major implication of the study is that the gap in perception between students and employers needs to be bridged through collaboration between HEIs and industry.
Bionic microstructure on titanium alloy blade with belt grinding and its drag reduction performance
Authors: Xiao Guijian , He Yi , Huang Yun , He Shui , Wang Wenxi , Wu Yuan
Published: August 2020

Researches show that surface with bionic structure plays an important role in improving the aerodynamic performance on aero engine parts. Belt grinding, a popular method to process titanium alloy parts such as aero-engine blade, is also found that it can be used to obtain bionic microstructure through special grinding method and parameters.

In order to explore the performance of bionic microstructure processed by belt grinding and its effects on airflow dynamics, several groups of simulation and an experiment are carried out in this paper. Firstly, the mechanism of drag reduction of bionic microstructure is discussed. It shows that the effect of drag reduction of bionic microstructure is related to protrusion height, which is related to the shape and size of the bionic microstructure. Then, three groups of typical belt grinding bionic microstructure are set up. In addition, the drag reduction values are calculated in CFD simulation. The results are analyzed and discussed. Further, to verify the airflow dynamics of drag reduction of belt grinding bionic microstructure, an experiment of aero-engine blade is carried out. Finally, the effects of airflow dynamic performance of blade with belt grinding bionic microstructure are obtained in CFD simulation. In general, the shape of wave ribs, compared to V-ribs and trapezoidal ribs, has the best performance in drag reduction. To a certain extent, the improvement of airflow dynamic performance is higher with the increasing of the size of bionic microstructure, which suggests lower feed rate and higher grinding pressure for bionic structure.
Investigation on tip clearance control for the high-pressure rotor of an uncooled vaneless counter-rotating turbine
Authors: Zhao Wei , Sui Xiuming , Zhang Kai , Wei Zeming , Zhao Qingjun
Published: August 2020

In order to develop a tip clearance control system for an uncooled vaneless counter-rotating turbine, tip clearance variation of its high pressure rotor blade at off-design conditions is analyzed. Aero-thermal interaction simulation is performed to predict the temperature and deformation of the solid blade. At operating conditions with rotating speeds greater than 60% design value and expansion ratios greater than 85% design value, the blade tip clearance height at leading edge remains unchanged when the expansion ratio decreases, meanwhile that at trailing edge decreased obviously. However, the tip clearance height variations at the leading edge and trailing edge are almost the same in a conventional subsonic turbine at such conditions. The cause is that the flow in the high-pressure rotor is choked at these conditions. The choked flow results in that the fluid and solid blade temperatures upstream of the throat are not affected by the back pressure and only those downstream of the throat increases with the back pressure. Consequently, the blade height at leading edge keeps constant, and that at trailing edge varies because of thermal expansion. To avoid the rubbing of the blade and case, the blade height at trailing edge is diminished by 30%. As a result, the blade tip clearance height at low speed operating conditions increases in axial direction. Such a design leads to a stronger tip leakage flow. More flow losses might be generated. Therefore, a casing cooling method is proposed to control the blade tip clearance height at leading edge and trailing edge respectively. The deformations of the casing with different mass flow rate of cooling air at design and off-design conditions are calculated. It shows that the blade tip clearance heights at leading edge and at trailing edge of the rotor can be well controlled with appropriate amount of cooling air.
Finite element modelling of hybrid stabilization systems for the human lumbar spine
Authors: Demir Eylül , Eltes Peter , Castro Andre PG , Lacroix Damien , Toktaş İhsan
Published: August 2020

Intersomatic fusion is a very popular treatment for spinal diseases associated with intervertebral disc degeneration. The effects of three different hybrid stabilization systems on both range of motion and intradiscal pressure were investigated, as there is no consensus in the literature about the efficiency of these systems. Finite element simulations were designed to predict the variations of range of motion and intradiscal pressure from intact to implanted situations. After hybrid stabilization system implantation, L4-L5 level did not lose its motion completely, while L5-S1 had no mobility as a consequence of disc removal and fusion process. BalanC hybrid stabilization system represented higher mobility at the index level, reduced intradiscal pressure of adjacent level, but caused to increment in range of motion by 20% under axial rotation. Higher tendency by 93% to the failure was also detected under axial rotation. Dynesys hybrid stabilization system represented more restricted motion than BalanC, and negligible effects to the adjacent level. B-DYN hybrid stabilization system was the most rigid one among all three systems. It reduced intradiscal pressure and range of motion at the adjacent level except from motion under axial rotation being increased by 13%. Fracture risk of B-DYN and Dynesys Transition Optima components was low when compared with BalanC. Mobility of the adjacent level around axial direction should be taken into account in case of implantation with BalanC and B-DYN systems, as well as on the development of new designs. Having these findings in mind, it is clear that hybrid systems need to be further tested, both clinically and numerically, before being considered for common use.
Comparison of femur strain under different loading scenarios: Experimental testing
Authors: Levadnyi Ievgen , Awrejcewicz Jan , Zhang Yan , Gu Yaodong
Published: August 2020

Bone fracture, formation and adaptation are related to mechanical strains in bone. Assessing bone stiffness and strain distribution under different loading conditions may help predict diseases and improve surgical results by determining the best conditions for long-term functioning of bone-implant systems. In this study, an experimentally wide range of loading conditions (56) was used to cover the directional range spanned by the hip joint force. Loads for different stance configurations were applied to composite femurs and assessed in a material testing machine. The experimental analysis provides a better understanding of the influence of the bone inclination angle in the frontal and sagittal planes on strain distribution and stiffness. The results show that the surface strain magnitude and stiffness vary significantly under different loading conditions. For the axial compression, maximal bending is observed at the mid-shaft, and bone stiffness is also maximal. The increased inclination leads to decreased stiffness and increased magnitude of maximum strain at the distal end of the femur. For comparative analysis of results, a three-dimensional, finite element model of the femur was used. To validate the finite element model, strain gauges and digital image correlation system were employed. During validation of the model, regression analysis indicated robust agreement between the measured and predicted strains, with high correlation coefficient and low root-mean-square error of the estimate. The results of stiffnesses obtained from multi-loading conditions experiments were qualitatively compared with results obtained from a finite element analysis of the validated model of femur with the same multi-loading conditions. When the obtained numerical results are qualitatively compared with experimental ones, similarities can be noted. The developed finite element model of femur may be used as a promising tool to estimate proximal femur strength and identify the best conditions for long-term functioning of the bone-implant system in future study.
Borderscapes in landscape: Identity meets ideology
Authors: Nugin Raili , Palang Hannes
Published: August 2020

This article explores the interrelatedness of ideology and everyday practices, which initiate and shape bordering practices in landscape. By analysing a case study of (re)arranging Estonian land usage borders after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, it gives a glance at how the conflicts that arise from bordering practices are reconciled on the individual and collective level. The empirical material of the study is based on the minutes of the Estonian Parliament (1990–1995), semistructured interviews, and land maps. The article maps the intermingling of (a) ideology, (b) everyday practices, and (c) bordering practices on changes in the landscape during the period of legislative turbulence in the 1990s. The article suggests that the processes of shaping borders in landscape are dynamic, depending on complex interrelations of identity and ideology. Additionally, past layers become important both in negotiating everyday lives and in negotiating legal issues.
Mid-Holocene palaeohydrochemistry and palaeohydrology of Yamdrok Yumtso, southern Tibetan Plateau, reconstructed from δ18O and δ13C of fossil shells of the gastropod Radix auricularia
Authors: Chen Feng , Feng Jin-Liang , Hu Hai-Ping , Wang Ping
Published: August 2020

Palaeohydrochemical and palaeohydrological changes of lakes have seldom been reconstructed from the fossil shells of the gasropod Radix auricularia, which is a new, and potentially high-resolution environnmental archive. We conducted a geochemical and stable isotope study of the shells of Radix from the exposed fluvio-lacustrine sediments near Lake Yamdrok Yumtso in the southern Tibetan Plateau. Our aims were to determine the sedimentary environment, palaeo-lake hydrochemistry and hydrological status. AMS 14C and OSL dating indicates that a lake-level stage of Yamdrok Yumtso higher than that of today occurred during ~4.7–1.2 cal. kyr BP. Results of Sr/Ca, δ13C and δ18O analysis of the fossil shells of Radix auricularia indicate that the lake-level fluctuations were mainly controlled by changes of the Indian Summer Monsoon; decreasing evaporation during the mid- to late-Holocene was also responsible. In addition, based on the geochemical relationship between Radix sp. shells and the ambient water in lakes, the values of δ18OPalaeo-water and Sr/CaPalaeo-water reconstructed using the fossil shells of Radix auricularia are −8.2‰ to −5.1‰ and 0.0012 to 0.0057, respectively. Further, based on the values of δ18Oshell, together with geomorphological evidence, we infer that Yamdrok Yumtso was a closed lake system, and we estimate its possible extent during the interval of high lake-level. In addition, we speculate that the water level of Yamdrok Yumtso at this time exceeded 4448.9 m a.s.l., but was less than 4451 m a.s.l., and that the major separation of various components of the Yamdrok Yumtso system occurred after 1.2 kyr BP.
Inevitability, contingency, and the epistemic significance of time
Authors: Benda Libor
Published: August 2020

A considerable attention has been given recently to the analysis of the temporal dimension(s) of science and the impact of the changes therein on scientific work. One of the questions that has emerged from the rapidly growing discussion is whether and (if so) how these changes affect not only the general structural aspects of scientific practice but also the very content of scientific knowledge. In this study, I critically examine these epistemological considerations in the available body of work on scientific temporality and argue that while there has been significant progress in our understanding of the manifold temporal layers of scientific practice, the analysis of their epistemic impact has remained rather limited in certain aspects. In particular, whereas the recent studies of academic time successfully overcome the binary perspective of “fast versus slow” academia, their considerations of the epistemic role of scientific temporality in particular seem nevertheless still couched in similarly binary terms. Against this background, the study explores—in a deliberately speculative fashion—how the available investigations into the temporal structure of science can be progressively utilized and further developed so as to enable an even more complex, nonbinary understanding of the manifold ways in which scientific practice is affected by its temporal conditions. Drawing on the contingentism/inevitabilism debate in the contemporary philosophy of science, as well as on Andrew Pickering’s “mangle” theory of practice, I develop a tentative argument that the temporal structure of scientific work should be perceived as affecting not merely the speed of scientific development—whether negatively or positively—but more importantly also its direction.
Enhancing Participatory Strategies With Designerly Ways for Sociolegal Impact: Lessons From Research Aimed at Making Hate Crime Visible
Authors: Kessaris Amanda Perry- , Perry Joanna
Published: August 2020

This paper draws the attention of impact-curious sociolegal researchers to the potential of participatory research strategies; and proposes that the effectiveness of those strategies can be enhanced by the introduction of ‘designerly ways’. It explores and evidences this proposition through the multi-country Facing All the Facts project which aimed to support and accelerate the process of making hate crime conceptually and empirically visible in Europe. The paper concludes that by pursuing the designerly strategy of making experiences, perceptions and expectations around hate crime reporting and recording visible and tangible in artefacts (formal graphics and collaborative prototypes), the project activities generated structured-yet-free spaces in which publics/stakeholders could more effectively participate in practical, critical and imaginative discussion about how things are, and how they might be; and that this has improved the relevance and rigour of the research, and its ability to generate meaningful change (‘impact’).
Neoliberal Urbanity and the Right to Housing of the Urban Poor in Dhaka, Bangladesh
Authors: Lata Lutfun Nahar
Published: August 2020

In Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh with a population of 18 million, nearly one-third are living under the threat of eviction without resettlement due to lack of tenure security. This occurs despite the Bangladesh government’s ratification of multiple international conventions as well as provisions within the national Constitution with regard to people’s rights. Within this context, drawing on Lefebvre’s theorization of space and using the right to the city (RTC) framework, this article explores the urban poor’s right to housing in the context of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Findings suggest that the local and central government officials categorize slum dwellers as encroachers and criminals, who pose a direct threat to an orderly, clean and green city. Hence, they cannot be allowed to exist in the city. Additionally, the state has shifted the development of land and housing markets to real estate developers, following a neoliberal economic model. Consequently, a few powerful developers control Dhaka’s land and housing markets, only supplying housing for the growing middle class. Access to these houses is far beyond poor people’s reach. Thus, the urban poor’s housing rights are denied both by the state and by the market in Dhaka.
Why Employees Help Teammates When Their Leader Looks Powerful: A Multilevel Investigation
Authors: Kim Mee Sook , Park Haeseen , Park Won-Woo
Published: August 2020

We extend prior research on leader power by examining why and when leader referent and expert powers influence team members’ organizational citizenship behaviors directed at other individuals (OCBI) from the multilevel perspective. We propose that leader referent and expert power perceptions operate at both individual and team levels and lead to OCBI through distinct motivational mechanisms. Drawing upon social identity theory, we suggest that team-level leader referent and expert powers facilitate social identification as salient team features and in turn promote team members’ OCBI through collective team identification. On the other hand, at the individual level, leader referent and expert powers are experienced discretionarily and affect members’ OCBI through dyadic exchange relationships with a leader–member exchange (LMX) based on the reciprocity norm. Furthermore, collective team identification is hypothesized to moderate the relationship between LMX and OCBI. Findings from 465 employees in 80 teams show that team-level leader referent power enhances collective team identification and OCBI beyond expert power but not vice versa. At the individual level, both referent and expert powers have positive indirect impact on OCBI via LMX. The moderating effect of collective team identification is supported in that team members convert high-quality LMX into OCBI only when collective team identification is higher. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.
Dendritic Spines: Mediators of Cognitive Resilience in Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Walker Courtney K. , Herskowitz Jeremy H.
Published: August 2020

Cognitive resilience is often defined as the ability to remain cognitively normal in the face of insults to the brain. These insults can include disease pathology, such as plaques and tangles associated with Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, traumatic brain injury, or other lesions. Factors such as physical or mental activity and genetics may contribute to cognitive resilience, but the neurobiological underpinnings remain ill-defined. Emerging evidence suggests that dendritic spine structural plasticity is one plausible mechanism. In this review, we highlight the basic structure and function of dendritic spines and discuss how spine density and morphology change in aging and Alzheimer’s disease. We note evidence that spine plasticity mediates resilience to stress, and we tackle dendritic spines in the context of cognitive resilience to Alzheimer’s disease. Finally, we examine how lifestyle and genetic factors may influence dendritic spine plasticity to promote cognitive resilience before discussing evidence for actin regulatory kinases as therapeutic targets for Alzheimer’s disease.
Variety Is the Spice of Life: Positive and Negative Effects of Noise in Electrical Stimulation of the Nervous System
Authors: Howard Calvin W. , Toossi Amirali , Mushahwar Vivian K.
Published: August 2020

Noisy stimuli may hold the key for optimal electrical stimulation of the nervous system. Possible mechanisms of noise’s impact upon neuronal function are discussed, including intracellular, extracellular, and systems-level mechanisms. Specifically, channel resonance, stochastic resonance, high conductance states, and network binding are investigated. These mechanisms are examined and possible directions of growth for the field are discussed, with examples of applications provided from the fields of deep brain stimulation or spinal cord injury. Together, this review highlights the theoretical basis and evidence base for the use of noise to enhance current stimulation paradigms of the nervous system.
Calcium oxalate crystals retinopathy following domino liver transplant: A case report
Authors: Khanna Raoul Kanav , Ferguson Adriana , Pisella Pierre-Jean , Le Lez Marie-Laure
Published: August 2020

Introduction:

Hyperoxaluria is a rare cause of hereditary crystalline retinopathy. We report the first case of acquired calcium oxalate crystalsretinopathy following domino liver transplantation (DLT).

Clinical case:

A 72-year-old patient was referred for bilateral visual impairment 9 months after DLT. Slit lamp examination was unremarkable. Fundus examination revealed calcium oxalate crystals accumulation within both retina. Owing to multi-organ failure, the patient underwent combined liver-kidney retransplantation. During the following two years, calcium oxalate crystals accumulation within the retina gradually decreased and visual acuity improved. Nevertheless, OCT-angiography revealed abnormalities in the inner and outer retinal vascular plexus (i.e. retinal vessels occlusion and dilatation). Visual field examination revealed bilateral constriction associated with decreased optic nerve fibre layer thickness suggesting optic nerve atrophy.

Conclusion:

This case highlights the need for ophthalmologists to consider the diagnosis of acquired hyperoxaluria in patients with progressive bilateral visual impairment following DLT, especially if the postoperative course is marked by renal failure. Moreover, even after liver-kidney transplantation with a conventional graft, visual function can remain impaired owing to maculopathy and optic atrophy.
Determining the incidence of needle-related complications in hemodialysis access: We need a better system
Authors: Gage Shawn M , Reichert Heidi
Published: August 2020

Introduction:

Hemodialysis access complications are common. We hypothesize that many of these complications can be traced back to needle-related injury from routine cannulation practices or inadvertent cannulation injuries. We set out to compare the rates of hemodialysis access complications under prior and current diagnosis coding systems, determine the incidence of needle-related complications for hemodialysis access, and describe the association of needle-related complications and resulting interventions.

Methods:

Arteriovenous graft and arteriovenous fistula placements occurring in the first 6 months of 2014 and 2016 were identified in the United States Renal Data System Medicare claims data. Placements were followed until end of hemodialysis access life or end of the calendar year. Diagnoses and resulting interventions occurring during placement life were identified and mapped to needle-related complication terms.

Results:

Almost 30,000 placements for 27,000 patients were followed in each year, with 67% of all accesses placed being arteriovenous fistula and 33% arteriovenous graft. In both years, 75% of arteriovenous fistulae and arteriovenous grafts required one or more interventions. Stenosis and thrombosis were the most common complications diagnosed and treated (41% and 16%, respectively); however, potential needle-related complications accounted for 6% of this dataset.

Discussion:

International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, was inadequate for determining the incidence of specific hemodialysis access complications or needle-related complications. International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, introduced several more hemodialysis access diagnoses but is still subject to coding confusion and catch-all coding for a variety of common and otherwise well-defined complications, suggesting that the true incidence of needle-related complications is buried in the non-specific diagnosis codes. These findings mark the clear need for an improved diagnosis coding system that consistently represents all common hemodialysis access complications.
Acute Ischemia of Lower Limbs Caused by Thrombosis of Persistent Sciatic Artery: Case Report
Authors: Luo Hailong , Fu Jian , Tang Bo
Published: August 2020

Background:

Hypoplasia of the external iliac artery with persistent sciatic artery (PSA) is rare. Patients with this condition seek medical treatment mainly due to the formation of persistent sciatic aneurysm or aneurysm complicated with distal ischemia.

Case presentation:

In the present study, we report a case of a patient with thrombosis of PSA without aneurysm in the left lower limb that underwent endovascular treatment.

Conclusion:

Thrombosis of PSA may be associated with sedentary or other unhealthy lifestyles. Endovascular treatment of sciatic arterial diseases could be performed through the brachial artery approach, especially for those with hypoplasia of bilateral iliofemoral arteries.
Efficacy of Docetaxel Plus Ramucirumab as Palliative Third-Line Therapy Following Second-Line Immune-Checkpoint-Inhibitor Treatment in Patients With Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Stage IV
Authors: Brueckl Wolfgang M , Reck Martin , Rittmeyer Achim , Kollmeier Jens , Wesseler Claas , Wiest Gunther H , Christopoulos Petros , Tufman Amanda , Hoffknecht Petra , Ulm Bernhard , Reich Fabian , Ficker Joachim H , Laack Eckart
Published: August 2020

Background:

Antiangiogenic agents have been shown to stimulate the immune system and cause synergistic effects with chemotherapy. Effects might be even stronger after immune-checkpoint-inhibitor (ICI) therapy. The purpose of this analysis was to evaluate the efficacy of ramucirumab plus docetaxel (R + D) as third-line treatment after failure of a first-line platinum-based chemotherapy and a second-line ICI treatment in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) stage IV.

Methods:

Retrospective data were collected from 9 German thoracic oncology centers. Only patients who had received at least 1 cycle of third-line R + D were included. The numbers of cycles, objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were investigated.

Results:

Sixty-seven patients met the criteria for inclusion. Third-line treatment with R + D achieved an ORR of 36% and a disease control rate (DCR) of 69%. Median PFS for third-line therapy was 6.8 months with a duration of response (DOR) of 10.2 months. A median OS of 29 months was observed from the start of first-line therapy with a median OS of 11.0 months from the start of third-line treatment. No unexpected toxicities occurred.

Conclusion:

R + D is a highly effective and safe third-line treatment after failure of second-line programmed cell death protein 1/programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD1/PD-L1)-derived ICI therapy irrespective of NSCLC histology. As there may be synergistic effects of second- and third-line treatments, this sequence is a very suitable option for patients not treated with first-line ICI. In addition, R + D should continue to be investigated as a second-line treatment option after failure of chemotherapy plus ICI in the palliative first–line treatment.
Ramelteon for Decreasing Delirium in Surgical Intensive Care Unit Patients
Authors: Lopez Chelsea N , Fuentes Amaris , Dhala Atiya , Balk Jonathan
Published: August 2020

In intensive care unit (ICU) patients, delirium contributes to prolonged hospitalization, long-term cognitive impairment and increased mortality. Sleep disturbance, a risk factor for delirium, has been attributed to impaired melatonin secretion in critically ill patients. Ramelteon, a synthetic melatonin receptor agonist, is indicated for insomnia; there is limited, but growing evidence, to support its use for the prevention of delirium. The primary objective of this study is to describe the use of ramelteon and the incidence of delirium, assessed by Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU (CAM-ICU) scores, in adult surgical ICU patients from May 22, 2016 to June 30, 2018. The primary endpoint is the number of delirium free days in the week prior to and post first ramelteon administration. A total of 231 patients were included in the study with 201 (87%) positive for delirium at least once during the study timeframe. The median number of CAM-ICU negative days in the week pre-ramelteon administration was 4 days (IQR 2-7 days) compared to 6 days (IQR 3-7 days) in the week post-first ramelteon administration ( P < .05). The time to CAM-ICU positive increased slightly to 3 days (IQR 1-7 days) following ramelteon initiation compared to 2 days (IQR 1-5 days) from initial ICU admission. Additionally, the median number of antipsychotic doses per patient decreased from 4 doses (IQR 1.25-14 doses) prior to ramelteon to 2 doses (IQR 1-4 doses) after ramelteon. Ramelteon administration was associated with a greater number of CAM-ICU negative days in surgical ICU patients. These findings describe a potential role for ramelteon in mitigating delirium in this patient population.
Particle abrasion of lifting elbow in dilute pneumatic conveying
Authors: Ji Yun , Liu Songyong , Gao Dianrong , Zhao Jianhua
Published: August 2020

Elbows are widely used in various industrial fields and are important for industrial applications. In this study, Eulerian coupling method was used to address the fluid-particle, and particle-particle interactions in a gas-solid two-phase flow while considering the effects of lifting angle, airflow velocity, and solid mass flow rate. The Hertz-Mindlin contact model and empirical Erosion/Corrosion Research Center erosion model were used to predict erosion in a lifting elbow, and the erosion ratio was used for validation with the experimental results. Experimental results indicated that the established model herein is accurate with different airflow velocities and lifting angles. The orthogonal design method was applied to the simulation scheme design, and range and variance analyses were used for the analysis of the results. Results indicated that the solid mass flow rate most affected elbow erosion comparing with lifting angles and airflow velocities. Additionally, the effect of the elbow lifting angle on the erosion mechanism was considered, and results indicated that the maximum erosion region is independent of the airflow velocity, lifting angle, and solid mass flow rate.
The tension between managerial and critical professional discourses in social work
Authors: Timor-Shlevin Shachar , Benjamin Orly
Published: August 2020

While managerialism is widely criticized for its deskilling effect on professional discourses, the evaluation of the power relations between managerialism and the critical professionalism that opposes it has not yet been sufficiently developed. To enable the assessment of fluctuations in these power relations, this study used in-depth interviews with 14 street-level social workers to examine the encounter between these discursive standpoints in the context of a specific case of an administrative request for critical professional programs to be implemented in the field.

Findings

The findings highlight the operation of recognition as a salient parameter of discursive power positions. We address three aspects of recognition—discursive, interpersonal, and institutional—and demonstrate the existence of a struggle over the acceptable professional standpoint in the institutionalized public field of social work.

Applications

Attention should be given to the different dimensions of recognition in order to enable the implementation of critical practice in the public field of social work. These dimensions can be addressed through broad training of various players in the field and the institutional backing of critical practice requirements.
Psychological distress among social workers
Authors: Kagan Maya , GreenblattKimron Lee
Published: August 2020

The purpose of the current study was to examine the moderating role of social support in the association between self-efficacy and psychological distress among social workers. The data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to a sample of 726 social workers in Israel. Selected variables, found in previous studies to correlate with psychological distress, served in the current study as covariates: gender, years of professional experience, self-rated health, self-defined burnout, and self-reported loneliness.

Findings

The hierarchical multiple regression revealed that social workers who had more years of professional experience, better self-rated health, lower levels of burnout and of self-reported loneliness, reported lower levels of psychological distress. Higher levels of self-efficacy were found to be associated with lower levels of psychological distress only among social workers with lower levels of perceived social support.

Application

In the absence of adequate social support, self-efficacy can be an important resource for social workers, since it is related to lower levels of psychological distress. Hence, it is recommended that action be taken to promote awareness and enhance social workers’ self-efficacy at the academic level, from the initial stages of their socialization into the profession and at their work places. Also, action should be taken on the policy level to provide assistance with developing and maintaining social workers’ support mechanisms.
Analyzing proprietary, private label, and non-brands in fresh produce purchases
Authors: Anesbury Zachary William , Jürkenbeck Kristin , Bogomolov Timofei , Bogomolova Svetlana
Published: August 2020

When purchasing packaged products within a supermarket, consumers choose between proprietary or private label brands. However, when purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables, non-branded produce is the dominant option—with proprietary and private label brands only recently becoming available. Previous fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) research finds that proprietary and private label brands affect consumer loyalty—however, no research exists for fresh categories. This research is the first to determine the effect of emerging brands in fresh categories on consumer buying behavior. Our research examines consumers’ loyalty toward proprietary, private label, or non-branded fresh fruits and vegetables and the level of customer sharing between these options, using analytical approaches applicable to FMCG categories. The panel data contains nearly 46,000 households making over 8 million purchases in the United States during 2015. Results show that proprietary, private label, and now non-branded fresh produce have expected loyalty levels, for their size, and consumers share their purchases across the three options (i.e., consumers are not loyal to just one option). The study analyzes and interprets purchase data in fresh categories offering marketing academics and practitioners actionable advice for working with fresh produce purchase data.
Measuring attitude toward the ad: A test of using arbitrary scales and “p < .05” criterion
Authors: Li Cong , Ali Khudejah
Published: August 2020

Attitude toward the ad is an important construct frequently measured in advertising and marketing research. However, it is somewhat ambiguous in regard to how to quantify attitude toward the ad with a numerical scale. This study examines the practice and effect of using arbitrary scales when measuring attitude toward the ad (i.e., 1–5, 1–7, 1–9, 0–10, and 0–100). A longitudinal experiment with thousands of adult participants (Time 1: n = 2,366, Time 2: n = 1,165) was conducted. The experimental results revealed that different scales, in general, will lead to consistent findings, but if the conventional p < .05 criterion is used, the study conclusion may differ. Based on these findings, theoretical discussions and practical recommendations are provided.
A new approach to health condition identification of rolling bearing using hierarchical dispersion entropy and improved Laplacian score
Authors: Yan Xiaoan , Liu Ying , Huang Dongsheng , Jia Minping
Published: August 2020

Since bearing fault signal under complex running status is usually manifested as the characteristics of nonlinear and non-stationary, which implies it is difficult to extract accurate affluent features and achieve effective fault identification via conventional signal processing tools. In this article, a hybrid intelligent fault identification scheme, the combination of hierarchical dispersion entropy and improved Laplacian score, is proposed to address this problem, which is mainly composed of three procedures. First, the particle swarm optimization–based optimized hierarchical dispersion entropy is adopted to excavate multilevel fault symptoms from low-frequency and high-frequency components, which can both solve the shortcoming of missing of high-frequency feature information existing in the recently presented multiscale dispersion entropy and artificial parameter selection issue of hierarchical dispersion entropy. Second, an improved feature selection strategy based on improved Laplacian score is proposed to select the sensitive features to establish a low-dimensional feature data set by incorporating the weight coefficient into Laplacian score. Finally, the established low-dimensional feature data set is fed to a Softmax classifier to automatically identify different health conditions of rolling bearing. The efficacy of the proposed method is validated by two experimental cases. Results show that our approach is highly effective in recognizing different fault categories and severities of rolling bearing. Meanwhile, our approach exhibits higher accuracy and better identification performance than some similar entropy-based hybrid approaches and other identification methods reported in this article.
Intravascular Ultrasound Imaging During Aortoiliac Stenting: No Impact on Outcomes at 1 Year
Authors: Tsujimura Takuya , Takahara Mitsuyoshi , Iida Osamu , Yamauchi Yasutaka , Shintani Yoshiaki , Sugano Teruyasu , Yamamoto Yoshito , Kawasaki Daizo , Yokoi Hiroyoshi , Miyamoto Akira , Mano Toshiaki , Nakamura Masato
Published: August 2020

Purpose

To investigate the effect of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging use on clinical outcomes after aortoiliac stenting in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD).

Materials and Methods

Subjects for this retrospective analysis were derived from the OMOTENASHI registry database, which contained 803 symptomatic PAD patients (Rutherford categories 2–4) who were treated with self-expanding stent implantation for aortoiliac atherosclerotic lesions at 61 centers in Japan between January 2014 and April 2016. Of the 803 patients, 545 (67.9%) patients (mean age 73±9 years; 453 men) underwent IVUS-supported stent implantation and were compared with the 258 patients (mean age 73±8 years; 217 men) treated without IVUS. A propensity score analysis of 138 matched pairs was conducted to compare treatment strategies and clinical outcomes between patients having IVUS-supported endovascular therapy and those treated without IVUS.

Results

Endovascular strategies and postoperative medications were not significantly different between the IVUS and no-IVUS groups. A procedure time under 1 hour was less frequent in the IVUS group, which had a longer fluoroscopy time. The 12-month restenosis rate was not significantly different between the 2 groups [10.2% (95% CI 6.9 to 14.9%) vs 10.3% (95% CI 5.4 to 18.6%), p=0.99]. There was no interaction between baseline characteristics and the association of IVUS use with restenosis risk.

Conclusion

Propensity score matching analysis revealed that duration and fluoroscopy time during IVUS-supported procedures were significantly longer than in cases without IVUS use, whereas the 12-month restenosis rate was not significantly different between the groups. IVUS use in aortoiliac lesions may be unnecessary.
The effect of nonwoven structure on thermomechanical properties of feather waste reinforced polyester composite
Authors: Mrajji Ouahiba , Wazna Mohamed EL , Samouh Zineb , Bouari Abdeslam EL , Cherkaoui Omar , El Moznine Reddad
Published: August 2020

Natural fibers offer good prospective as reinforcements in polymer composites due to their superior properties, they are preferred over synthetic fibers in various applications such as construction, automotive and aerospace. This experimental study emphasizes the effect of nonwoven structure on the mechanical, thermal and biodegradability properties of feathers nonwoven reinforced polyester composite. Vacuum molding method was adopted for manufacturing of the biocomposites with two contents of polyester resin (30% and 50%) and different composition of nonwovens. As a result, the morphological analysis revealed excellent compatibility and regular distribution of fiber in the polyester matrix. The thermal conductivity of manufactured composites varies considerably from 0.0378 W/(m•K) to 0.0778 W/(m•K) at 10°C. The origin of the variation of this property is due to differences in composition of nonwovens, densities and the percentage of the resin. After soaking for 240 h, the biodegradability test show that the kinetics of degradation of the composites decreased with the addition of nonwovens. The biodegradability rate was found between 62 to 92% depending on the sample nature. The mechanical results showed that the nonwoven structure clearly affected the performance of the composites. The results obtained from this study can be useful to develop new low cost, sustainable, light product and environmentally friendly materials.
GPSM2 Serves as an Independent Prognostic Biomarker for Liver Cancer Survival
Authors: Yang Dingquan , Ji Fujian , Li Yanqing , Jiao Yan , Fang Xuedong
Published: August 2020

Background and Objective:

Liver cancer is a malignancy with a poor prognosis. G protein signaling modulator 2 is mainly related to cell division and cell cycle regulation. In this review, the relationship between G protein signaling modulator 2 and clinical characteristics of patients with liver cancer has been explored, especially with respect to its prognostic value.

Methods:

G protein signaling modulator 2 messenger RNA expression and clinicopathological characteristics of patients with liver cancer were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas. The expression level of G protein signaling modulator 2 RNA-Seq was validated by using Gene Expression Omnibus. Chi-square test was performed to evaluate the relationship between G protein signaling modulator 2 expression and clinical characteristics. The threshold value of G protein signaling modulator 2 in the diagnosis of liver cancer was evaluated by a receiver–operating characteristic curve. Cox regression analysis and Kaplan-Meier curves were performed to evaluate the relationship between G protein signaling modulator 2 and liver cancer prognosis, which included overall and residual-free survival, and explored the prognostic value of G protein signaling modulator 2. Liver cancer survival analyses were validated by using the data of G protein signaling modulator 2 RNA-Seq from the International Cancer Genome Consortium.

Results:

The expression level of G protein signaling modulator 2 messenger RNA was remarkably higher in liver cancer than that in healthy tissues ( P < 2.2 × e−16), which was also validated by data from the GSE14520 database. In addition, high G protein signaling modulator 2 expression significantly correlated with histological grade ( P = .020), vital status ( P < .001), clinical ( P = .001), and T stage ( P = .001). The receiver–operating characteristic curves showed G protein signaling modulator 2 to be an advantageous diagnostic molecule for liver cancer (area under curve = 0.893). Furthermore, the results of Cox analysis and Kaplan-Meier curves suggested that the upregulation of G protein signaling modulator 2 expression is linked to poor prognosis and G protein signaling modulator 2 messenger RNA could be an independent predictor for liver cancer, which was validated by data from the International Cancer Genome Consortium database.

Conclusions:

G protein signaling modulator 2 messenger RNA was overexpressed in liver cancer, and G protein signaling modulator 2 is an independent prognostic factor. G protein signaling modulator 2 is expected to be a treatment target for cancer.
Rapid On-Site Evaluation During Radial Endobronchial Ultrasound–Guided Transbronchial Lung Biopsy for the Diagnosis of Peripheral Pulmonary Lesions
Authors: Xu Chunhua , Wang Wei , Yuan Qi , Hu Huidi , Li Li , Yang Rusong
Published: August 2020

Objective:

To evaluate the diagnostic value of radial endobronchial ultrasound (R-EBUS) combination with rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) guided transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) for peripheral pulmonary lesions.

Methods:

Peripheral pulmonary lesions identified by computed tomography underwent R-EBUS with or without ROSE randomly from February 2016 to August 2017. The diagnostic yield and the operation time were compared.

Results:

In total, 158 patients were involved in and completed this research, including 84 cases in the group of R-EBUS with ROSE, and 74 in the group without ROSE. The diagnostic yield of ROSE group was 85.7%. Among these positive cases, 69.4% cases were malignant tumors, and 30.6% cases were benign lesions. The operation time was (24.6 ± 6.3) min. In the group without ROSE, the diagnostic yield was 70.3%, including 35 malignant tumors (67.3%), and 17 benign lesions (32.7%). The operation time was (31.5 ± 6.8) min. There were significant differences between both groups in the diagnostic yield (χ2 = 5.556, P = 0.018) and in the operation time (t = 3.187, P < 0.01). No serious procedure related complications were observed, such as pneumothorax and hemorrhage.

Conclusion:

ROSE can improve the diagnostic yield, and shorten the operation time. R-EBUS combined with ROSE is a safe and effective technique for peripheral pulmonary lesions.
Lifestyle Medicine and Worker Productivity
Authors: Burton Wayne N. , Edington Dee W. , Schultz Alyssa B.
Published: August 2020

The issue of employee productivity has become a major concern for companies. Inefficiency can occur at every stage of production either as poor design, worker limitation, or other factors. It is generally assumed that a healthy worker is more productive than an unhealthy worker. As early as 1776 Adam Smith observed and published in The Wealth of Nations that poor worker health was a detriment to industrial productivity. The objective of this article is to review the literature documenting the gain or loss of productivity related to the health of workers, as well as any lifestyle management strategies that can be used to improve employee health and productivity. The impact of employee obesity, smoking, physical activity, sleep, and behavioral health on productivity will be explored. By identifying and addressing health risks that impair worker performance, lifestyle medicine professionals can demonstrate a significant return on investment by creating a healthier and more productive work force.