bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Essay Selection Methods for Adaptive Rater Monitoring
Authors: Wang Chun , Song Tian , Wang Zhuoran , Wolfe Edward
Published: October 2016

Constructed-response items are commonly used in educational and psychological testing, and the answers to those items are typically scored by human raters. In the current rater monitoring processes, validity scoring is used to ensure that the scores assigned by raters do not deviate severely from the standards of rating quality. In this article, an adaptive rater monitoring approach that may potentially improve the efficiency of current rater monitoring practice is proposed. Based on the Rasch partial credit model and known development in multidimensional computerized adaptive testing, two essay selection methods—namely, the D-optimal method and the Single Fisher information method—are proposed. These two methods intend to select the most appropriate essays based on what is already known about a rater’s performance. Simulation studies, using a simulated essay bank and a cloned real essay bank, show that the proposed adaptive rater monitoring methods can recover rater parameters with much fewer essay questions. Future challenges and potential solutions are discussed in the end.
Design and Analysis Considerations for Cluster Randomized Controlled Trials That Have a Small Number of Clusters
Authors: Deke John
Published: October 2016

Background:

Cluster randomized controlled trials (CRCTs) often require a large number of clusters in order to detect small effects with high probability. However, there are contexts where it may be possible to design a CRCT with a much smaller number of clusters (10 or fewer) and still detect meaningful effects.

Objectives:

The objective is to offer recommendations for best practices in design and analysis for small CRCTs.

Research design:

I use simulations to examine alternative design and analysis approaches. Specifically, I examine (1) which analytic approaches control Type I errors at the desired rate, (2) which design and analytic approaches yield the most power, (3) what is the design effect of spurious correlations, and (4) examples of specific scenarios under which impacts of different sizes can be detected with high probability.

Results/Conclusions:

I find that (1) mixed effects modeling and using Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) on data aggregated to the cluster level both control the Type I error rate, (2) randomization within blocks is always recommended, but how best to account for blocking through covariate adjustment depends on whether the precision gains offset the degrees of freedom loss, (3) power calculations can be accurate when design effects from small sample, spurious correlations are taken into account, and (4) it is very difficult to detect small effects with just four clusters, but with six or more clusters, there are realistic circumstances under which small effects can be detected with high probability.
Quality of Life after Sequential Bilateral Cochlear Implantation: An Updated Comprehensive Cochlear Implant Questionnaire
Authors: Nahm Edmund A. , Liberatos Penny , Shi Qiuhu , Lai Erica , Kim Ana H.
Published: October 2016

Objective

Assess psychometric properties of the Comprehensive Cochlear Implant Questionnaire (CCIQ) as a tool for assessing changes in health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) after receiving a second cochlear implant (CI2).

Study Design

Prospective study.

Setting

Academic cochlear implant center.

Subjects and Methods

The CCIQ is a 29‐item questionnaire assessing the physical and psychosocial benefits of a CI2 based on a 5‐point Likert scale. The CCIQ was administered with the Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaire and the Short Form–12 Patient Questionnaire (SF‐12) to patients with a CI2. Speech perception was tested with the consonant‐nucleus‐consonant (CNC) word test and AzBio test.

Results

Of 56 patients, 32 (57.1%) completed the instruments sent by mail. Of the 32 patients, 22 (68.8%) completed retest CCIQs 6 weeks later. CCIQ scores demonstrated significantly increased HRQoL in all domains. Internal consistency was very good overall (Cronbach’s α = 0.90), with all subdomains exceeding an alpha value of 0.70. Test‐retest reliability was good, with an overall intraclass correlation of 0.62. The CCIQ showed a moderate correlation with the Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaire and a low correlation with the SF‐12. Average CNC and AZBio scores significantly improved by 31% ± 29% and 34% ± 33%, respectively. Audiometric data were not significantly correlated with the CCIQ.

Conclusion

The CCIQ shows (1) good reliability and evidence of construct validity, (2) a significant increase in HRQoL and significantly improved speech perception after CI2, and (3) greater sensitivity at detecting CI2 improvements to HRQoL. This promising measure is quick and easy to administer and provides subjective assessments of HRQoL specifically for those with a CI2.
Laryngotracheal Stenosis: Risk Factors for Tracheostomy Dependence and Dilation Interval
Authors: Gadkaree Shekhar K. , Pandian Vinciya , Best Simon , Motz Kevin M. , Allen Clint , Kim Young , Akst Lee , Hillel Alexander T.
Published: October 2016

Objective

Laryngotracheal stenosis (LTS) is a fibrotic process that narrows the upper airway and has a significant impact on breathing and phonation. Iatrogenic injury from endotracheal and/or tracheostomy tubes is the most common etiology. This study investigates differences in LTS etiologies as they relate to tracheostomy dependence and dilation interval.

Study Design

Case series with chart review.

Setting

Single‐center tertiary care facility.

Subjects and Methods

Review of adult patients with LTS was performed between 2004 and 2015. The association of patient demographics, comorbidities, disease etiology, and treatment modalities with patient outcomes was assessed. Multiple logistic regression analysis and Kaplan‐Meier analysis were performed to determine factors associated with tracheostomy dependence and time to second procedure, respectively.

Results

A total of 262 patients met inclusion criteria. Iatrogenic patients presented with greater stenosis (P =. 023), greater length of stenosis (P =. 004), and stenosis farther from the vocal folds (P <. 001) as compared with other etiologies. Iatrogenic patients were more likely to be African American, use tobacco, and have obstructive sleep apnea, type II diabetes, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or a history of stroke. Iatrogenic LTS (odds ratio [OR] = 3.1, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 1.2‐8.2), Cotton‐Myer grade 3‐4 (OR = 2.6, 95% CI = 1.1‐6.4), and lack of intraoperative steroids (OR = 2.9, 95% CI = 1.2‐6.9) were associated with tracheostomy dependence. Nonsmokers, patients without tracheostomy, and idiopathic LTS patients had a significantly longer time to second dilation procedure.

Conclusion

Iatrogenic LTS presents with a greater disease burden and higher risk of tracheostomy dependence when compared with other etiologies of LTS. Comorbid conditions promoting microvascular injury—including smoking, COPD, and diabetes—were prevalent in the iatrogenic cohort. Changes in hospital practice patterns to promote earlier tracheostomy in high‐risk patients could reduce the incidence of LTS.
Ultrasonographic Evaluation of Cervical Lymph Nodes in Thyroid Cancer
Authors: Machado Maria Regina Marrocos , Tavares Marcos Roberto , Buchpiguel Carlos Alberto , Chammas Maria Cristina
Published: October 2016

Objective

To determine what ultrasonographic features can identify metastatic cervical lymph nodes, both preoperatively and in recurrences after complete thyroidectomy.

Study Design

Prospective.

Setting

Outpatient clinic, Department of Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Brazil.

Subjects and Methods

A total of 1976 lymph nodes were evaluated in 118 patients submitted to total thyroidectomy with or without cervical lymph node dissection. All the patients were examined by cervical ultrasonography, preoperatively and/or postoperatively. The following factors were assessed: number, size, shape, margins, presence of fatty hilum, cortex, echotexture, echogenicity, presence of microcalcification, presence of necrosis, and type of vascularity. The specificity, sensitivity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of each variable were calculated. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted. A receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to determine the best cutoff value for the number of variables to discriminate malignant lymph nodes.

Results

Significant differences were found between metastatic and benign lymph nodes with regard to all of the variables evaluated (P <. 05). Logistic regression analysis revealed that size and echogenicity were the best combination of altered variables (odds ratio, 40.080 and 7.288, respectively) in discriminating malignancy. The ROC curve analysis showed that 4 was the best cutoff value for the number of altered variables to discriminate malignant lymph nodes, with a combined specificity of 85.7%, sensitivity of 96.4%, and efficiency of 91.0%.

Conclusion

Greater diagnostic accuracy was achieved by associating the ultrasonographic variables assessed rather than by considering them individually.
Perspectives on advance care planning among patients recently requiring non-invasive ventilation for acute respiratory failure: A qualitative study using thematic analysis
Authors: Smith Tracy A , Disler Rebecca T , Jenkins Christine R , Ingham Jane M , Davidson Patricia M
Published: October 2016

Background:

Patients requiring non-invasive ventilation for acute-on-chronic respiratory failure due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or heart failure exacerbations may have a poor prognosis underscoring the importance of advance care planning.

Aim:

We aimed to describe attitudes to, and experiences of, discussing the future among patients recently treated with non-invasive ventilation.

Design:

Qualitative research using thematic analysis.

Settings and participants:

Tertiary teaching hospital. Patients with acute hypercapnic respiratory failure requiring non-invasive ventilation.

Results:

Individuals recently treated with non-invasive ventilation describe feeling the future is beyond their control and instead controlled by their illness. Participants often recognised their poor prognosis but avoided discussing some difficult topics. The majority preferred not to undergo cardiopulmonary resuscitation but most had not discussed this with healthcare professionals. When participants voiced concerns about their future health to family members, they were met with polarised responses. Some encountered willingness for further discussion, while others met deflection, deterring further conversation. An overarching narrative of ‘Looking through my illness to an uncertain but concerning future’ unites these themes.

Conclusion:

This study suggests opportunities and barriers for advance care planning in individuals with chronic disease. Patients’ understanding of their prognosis and their attitudes to cardiopulmonary resuscitation suggests an opportunity for advance care planning. Structuring discussions around patients’ preferences for care during future exacerbations may foster a sense of control over the future despite illness. The diversity of familial responses to patients’ concerns about their future health has implications for advance care planning. These findings have the potential to improve care for patients with respiratory failure and suggest an important ongoing research agenda.
A metasynthesis study of family caregivers’ transition experiences caring for community-dwelling persons with advanced cancer at the end of life
Authors: Duggleby Wendy , Tycholiz Jamie , Holtslander Lorraine , Hudson Peter , Nekolaichuk Cheryl , Mirhosseini Mehrnoush , Parmar Jasneet , Chambers Thane , Alook Angele , Swindle Jennifer
Published: October 2016

Background:

Family caregivers (broadly defined as family and friends) experience multiple concurrent transitions when caring for a person with advanced cancer.

Aims:

To (a) explore the transition experience of family caregivers caring for persons with advanced cancer living in the community, (b) describe potential triggers for transitions, (c) identify what influences this experience, and (d) develop a conceptual framework of their transition experience.

Design:

Sandelowski and Barroso’s methodology for synthesizing qualitative research included (a) a comprehensive search of empirical literature, (b) quality appraisal of qualitative studies, (c) classification of studies, and (d) synthesis of the findings.

Data sources:

Literature was sourced from six electronic data bases. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (a) published qualitative studies (and mixed-method designs) of the caregiving experience of family caregivers of community-living persons with advanced cancer at the end of life, (b) participants (caregivers and care recipients) of 18 years of age and above, (c) studies published in English in any country, and (d) studies published between 2004 and 2014.

Results:

A total of 72 studies were included in the metasynthesis. Family caregivers experience a “life transition” whereby their lives are permanently altered. The participants described the process of redefining normal which consisted of coming to terms with their situation and connecting with others. Outcomes of these processes were as follows: (a) maintaining a sense of personhood, (b) reframing hope, (c) maintaining self-efficacy, (d) finding meaning, and (e) preparing for the death of their care recipient.

Conclusion:

The findings provide a framework to guide the development of supportive programs and future research.
‘There’s a Catch-22’ – The complexities of pain management for people with advanced dementia nearing the end of life: A qualitative exploration of physicians’ perspectives
Authors: De Witt Jansen Bannin , Brazil Kevin , Passmore Peter , Buchanan Hilary , Maxwell Doreen , McIlfatrick Sonja J , Morgan Sharon M , Watson Max , Parsons Carole
Published: October 2016

Background:

Pain management is a cornerstone of palliative care. The clinical issues encountered by physicians when managing pain in patients dying with advanced dementia, and how these may impact on prescribing and treatment, are unknown.

Aim:

To explore physicians’ experiences of pain management for patients nearing the end of life, the impact of these on prescribing and treatment approaches, and the methods employed to overcome these challenges.

Design:

Qualitative, semi-structured interview study exploring barriers to and facilitators of pain management, prescribing and treatment decisions, and training needs. Thematic analysis was used to elicit key themes.

Setting/participants:

A total of 23 physicians, responsible for treating patients with advanced dementia approaching the end of life, were recruited from primary care ( n = 9), psychiatry ( n = 7) and hospice care ( n = 7).

Results:

Six themes emerged: diagnosing pain, complex prescribing and treatment approaches, side effects and adverse events, route of administration, importance of sharing knowledge and training needs. Knowledge exchange was often practised through liaison with physicians from other specialities. Cross-speciality mentoring and the creation of knowledge networks were believed to improve pain management in this patient population.

Conclusion:

Pain management in end-stage dementia is complex, requiring cross-population of knowledge between palliative care specialists and non-specialists, in addition to collateral information provided by other health professionals and patients’ families. Regular, cost- and time-effective mentoring and ongoing professional development are perceived to be essential in empowering physicians to meet clinical challenges in this area.
Family caregivers’ conceptualisation of quality end-of-life care for people with dementia: A qualitative study
Authors: Davies Nathan , Rait Greta , Maio Laura , Iliffe Steve
Published: October 2016

Background:

People with dementia have been described as the ‘disadvantaged dying’ with poor end-of-life care. Towards the end of life, people with dementia cannot report on the care they receive. It is therefore important to talk to caregivers; however, few have explored the views about end-of-life care from the caregivers’ perspective. The majority of research on family caregivers has focussed on the burden and psychological impact of caring for a relative with dementia.

Aim:

This study aimed to explore the views of family caregivers about quality end-of-life care for people with dementia.

Design:

Qualitative study using in-depth interviews and analysed using thematic analysis.

Setting/participants:

Purposive sampling from a third sector organisation’s caregiver network was used to recruit 47 caregivers in England (2012–2013), consisting of (1) family caregivers of someone who had recently received a diagnosis of dementia, (2) family caregivers currently caring for someone with dementia and (3) bereaved family caregivers.

Results:

Three over-arching themes were derived from the interviewees’ discourse, including maintaining the person within, fostering respect and dignity and showing compassion and kindness.

Conclusion:

End-of-life care for people with dementia does not differ from care throughout the dementia trajectory. Throughout the findings, there is an implicit underlying theme of conflict: conflict between family caregivers and an increasingly systematised service of care and conflict between family caregivers and professionals. This study has in particular demonstrated the importance of the psycho-social aspects of care, aligning with the holistic definition of palliative care.
Effect of high rate rTMS on somatosensory evoked potential in migraine
Authors: Kalita Jayantee , Bhoi Sanjeev K , Misra Usha K
Published: October 2016

Background

Sensitization and impaired habituation of cortical neurons have been reported in migraineurs. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) may change these phenomena and be the basis of therapeutic response. We report the effect of 10 Hz rTMS on sensitization and habituation of median somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) in migraineurs, and correlate these changes with clinical response.

Methods

Migraineurs having four or more episodes of headache per month were included and their clinical details were noted. Three sessions of 10 Hz rTMS, 600 pulses in 412.4 seconds were delivered on the left frontal cortex corresponding to the hot spot of right abductor digiti minimi, on alternate days. Median SEP was done before and 30 minutes after the third rTMS session. Sensitization (block I N20 amplitude) and impaired habituation (if N20 amplitude of block 2 or 3 were not suppressed compared to block I) were noted. The reduction in frequency and severity of headache in the next month were noted and correlated with SEP changes.

Results

Ninety-four migraineurs were included; 56 received true rTMS and 38 sham stimulation. Following stimulation, reduction in N20 amplitude of block 1 correlated with a reduction in frequency and severity of headache at one month. The impaired habituation significantly improved in the true rTMS group compared to sham stimulation, and correlated with a reduction in the severity of headache but not with frequency.

Conclusion

In migraineurs, 10 Hz rTMS improves habituation and may be the biological basis of headache relief.
European Co-production Funds and Latin American Cinema: Processes of Othering and Bourgeois Cinephilia in Claudia Llosa's La teta asustada
Authors: Shaw Deborah
Published: October 2016

Latin American women's filmmaking has an unprecedented international profile thanks to the films of the Peruvian director Claudia Llosa, and the Argentine directors Lucía Puenzo and Lucrecia Martel. What is frequently unacknowledged when discussing the work of these award-winning filmmakers is the fact that all of their films are co-productions with Europe, and that programmes such as Cinéfondation, a programme aligned with the Cannes film festival, the Hubert Bals Fund, the World Cinema Fund and Ibermedia have been instrumental in their production. This article will tell this story through a discussion of the work of Claudia Llosa with an introduction to the issues raised by her award winning festival film Madeinusa (2006), and a focus on La teta asustada/The Milk of Sorrow (2009). It will consider the arguments of theorists who critique what they see as neo-colonial European interventions in ‘world cinema’, and those who celebrate the enabling work of the funding bodies. The chapter asks where can we place the cultural production of Llosa within these paradigms? Does the film confirm the critical positions by being subject to a process of othering for a European cinephile festival audience? Does it create its protagonist Fausta, an Andean migrant to Lima, from racist, neo-colonial stereotypes as some critics claim? Or, does it raise important questions relating to class and ethnic divisions within contemporary Peruvian society? The article ends with a discussion of how Llosa's second film, that presents the urban poor and the colonial class from a bourgeois point of view, compares with the films of Lucrecia Martel and Lucía Puenzo which provide a bourgeois point of view on the bourgeoisie itself.
Conspiracy theories as stigmatized knowledge
Authors: Barkun Michael
Published: October 2016

Most conspiracy theories exist as part of “stigmatized knowledge” – that is, knowledge claims that have not been accepted by those institutions we rely upon for truth validation. Not uncommonly, believers in conspiracy theories also accept other forms of stigmatized knowledge, such as unorthodox forms of healing and beliefs about Atlantis and UFOs. Rejection by authorities is for them a sign that a belief must be true. However, the linkage of conspiracy theories with stigmatized knowledge has been weakening, because stigmatized knowledge itself is growing more problematic. What was once clearly recognizable as “the fringe” is now beginning to merge with the mainstream. This process of “mainstreaming the fringe” is the result of numerous factors, including the ubiquity of the Internet, the growing suspicion of authority, and the spread of once esoteric themes in popular culture. Only a permeable membrane now separates the fringe from the mainstream. Thus conspiracism is no longer the province only of small, isolated coteries. It now has the potential to make the leap into public discourse. This, of course, does not apply to every conspiracy theory, but it happens enough to suggest that we are at an important transition point. The recent controversy in the United States over whether a conspiracy existed to hide President Obama's alleged foreign birth – a claim that years earlier would never have emerged beyond small radical groups – suggests the nature of the change. It also suggests the dangers that political cultures may face in the future.
Detection of Ventilator Autotriggering by an Esophageal Catheter Used to Monitor the Neural Input and Diaphragm Excitation
Authors: Sangha Harbaksh , Whitacre Troy
Published: October 2016

Patient-ventilator synchrony has been the focus of attention in the field of mechanical ventilation for quite some time now. Toward that end, the modern ventilators are equipped with very sensitive pneumatic triggering mechanisms, which allow for minimal wasting of patient effort. The increasingly sensitive pneumatic triggers have the potential to cause autotriggering, where stimuli other than neural signals (eg, cardiac oscillations) can trigger the mechanical breath. Although autotriggering has been well documented in brain-dead patients, its existence is difficult to prove in patients who have the ability to trigger breath through neural diaphragmatic activity. The only way to be sure that the triggered breath is indeed from the neural diaphragmatic activity rather than a spurious change in pressure or flow is to monitor neural signals during triggered mechanical breaths. Autotriggering can have deleterious effects including diaphragmatic atrophy, increased duration on the mechanical ventilator, and increased stay in the intensive care unit. Esophageal catheters, with the ability to measure phrenic nerve and diaphragmatic activity, allow for the detection of the extent of autotriggering. This article demonstrates the hitherto unknown but potentially common occurrence of autotriggering through nonneural stimuli and their amelioration by making the pneumatic autotriggering less sensitive. The full extent of the phenomenon and its deleterious effects remain to be explored in larger patient populations.
Cit/CuS@Fe3O4-based and enzyme-responsive magnetic nanoparticles for tumor chemotherapy, photothermal, and photodynamic therapy
Authors: Zhu Xiali , Huang Heqing , Zhang Yingjie , Zhang Huijuan , Hou Lin , Zhang Zhenzhong
Published: October 2016

Safe and efficient drug delivery in a controllable fashion, especially remote and repeatable switch of on-demand drug release, is the subject of widespread attention. A kind of magnetic nanoparticles (DOX-Cit/CuS@Fe3O4-NPs) simultaneously consisted of Cit/CuS@Fe3O4 and doxorubicin (DOX) was presented. The drug release from DOX-Cit/CuS@Fe3O4-NPs could be successfully triggered by the presence of gelatinase, showing great promise for tumor-targeted drug release through an enzymatic degradation mechanism. Compared with free DOX, DOX-Cit/CuS@Fe3O4-NPs could not only specially deliver Cit/CuS@Fe3O4 and DOX into MCF-7 cells, but also could greatly improve the quantity of ROS produced in MCF-7 cells under of 980 nm laser irradiation. DOX-Cit/CuS@Fe3O4-NPs also had highly selective accumulation at tumor tissue of S180 tumor-bearing mice, which were along with a magnet near the tumor site. Furthermore, when combined with NIR laser irridation, DOX-Cit/CuS@Fe3O4-NPs showed a higher antitumor efficacy than the individual therapies in vitro and in vivo. This study showed that DOX-Cit/CuS@Fe3O4-NPs could be used as a platform for tumor chemotherapy, photothermal and photodynamic therapy.
Norms of Masculinity and the Cultural Narrative of Intimate Partner Violence Among Men in Vietnam
Authors: James-Hawkins Laurie , Salazar Kelsey , Hennink Monique M. , Ha Vu Song , Yount Kathryn M.
Published: October 2016

Semi-structured interviews with 31 men in Hung Yen Province in Northern Vietnam are used to elucidate a conceptual narrative to understand men’s perceptions and perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV) in Vietnam. This narrative suggests that cultural definitions of masculinity and changes in women’s participation in the labor force have contributed to status conflicts that normalize IPV as part of masculine superiority. The narratives of both IPV perpetrators and non-perpetrators demonstrate how violence is incorporated into the cultural definition of masculinity and illustrates how men use this definition to minimize their own and other men’s perpetration. We suggest that attempts to reduce IPV in Vietnam must address constructions of masculinity and the socio-historical context of IPV by providing gender-sensitivity training and opportunities for men to evaluate critically how constructions of masculinity in their families and communities contribute to IPV perpetration.
Minimizing time of contour-parallel pocket end-milling by prescribing limit axial and radial depth pairs
Authors: Godwin Ozoegwu Chigbogu
Published: October 2016

The purpose of this study is to minimize pocketing time by exploiting the most beneficial aspects of tool dynamics and the most beneficial chronology of tool passes in contour-parallel toolpath. This is achieved by always prescribing limiting axial and radial depth pairs on a contour-parallel toolpath as a means of minimizing pocketing time within milling machine load specifications. The optimization approach is identified to be of two types: boundary to centre ( b→ c) execution and centre to boundary ( c→ b) execution. Expression for pocketing time is developed for each type taking into account the revelation that the lengths of the bivariately optimized cyclic passes between the first and last cycles constitute an arithmetic series. The presented expressions are demonstrated to be useful in systematic determination of choice of progression (either ( b→ c) execution or ( c→ b) execution) of contour-parallel pocketing operation and choice of limiting axial and radial depth pairs that guarantee minimum machining time. For example, the studied experimentally characterized case gave that ( c→ b) execution is more time saving than ( b→ c) execution by about 3.5565%–15.7690%. This experimentally characterized case also confirms the expectation that continuous tool–workpiece contact of contour-parallel toolpath always ensures a shorter pocketing time than both one-way up- and down-milling toolpaths. It is further seen that it is faster pocketing at high radial depth range of 60%–100% of tool diameter which fortunately is the range of less load restrictions. The benefits of contour-parallel toolpath relative to one-way up- and down-milling toolpaths got more strongly confirmed when the pocket got larger (for example, the time saving of ( c→ b) execution relative to one-way up-milling attained 51.6733% for a larger pocket, while time saving of 41.3385% was recorded for smaller pocket) and when the slope of limiting radial depth versus axial depth got less.
Sensitivity analysis and prediction of the orientation error of a three translational parallel manipulator
Authors: Chebbi AH , Chouaibi Y , Affi Z , Romdhane L
Published: October 2016

This paper deals with the sensitivity analysis and the prediction of the orientation error limits of a three-DoF translational parallel manipulator (3-TPM). An analytical model relating the robot accuracy to the design parameters uncertainties, the joints clearances, the nominal pose, and the external load is developed. Based on this model, an analytical sensitivity analysis is performed to show the influence of each parameter on the orientation error. An algorithm based on the interval analysis is used to predict the bounds of the translator orientation error. Using the RAF robot as an example, it is shown that the pin length of the revolute joint, the width of the parallelogram structure and the radial clearance in the revolute joints are the most influential parameters on the orientation error of the manipulator. Moreover, one of the main results of this analysis is that an increase of the tolerances on certain parameters does not necessarily lead to an increase of the orientation error of the robot, for this specific example.
The influence of the contact features on the tyre wear in steady-state conditions
Authors: Wang Chen , Huang Haibo , Chen Xing , Liu Jinpeng
Published: October 2016

This paper focuses on invetigating the relationship between the contact features of the tyres and the tyre wear in a quantitative sense as a function of the tyre structure and the manoeuvre parameters by utilizing a modified theoretical tyre wear model. The modified tyre wear model was developed by combining a modified ring model for the tyres and a modified brush model and was validated. The model parameters were also identified by physical experiments. Moreover, the contact features were characterized as the contact length, the asymmetry factor and the rolling resistance shift in order to investigate the influence of the contact features on the tyre wear. The amount of wear versus the three key variables of the contact features with variations in the tyre parameters was plotted and analysed. The results show that the maximum normal contact pressure does not play the most important role in the tyre wear. An increase in the damping coefficient can lead to an increase in the tyre wear, whereas increases in the effective elastic constant, the effective bending density and the effective bending stiffness result in a decrease in wear. The three key variables of the contact features increase with increasing vertical load, increasing rolling velocity and increasing damping coefficient and with decreasing inflation pressure and decreasing effective bending stiffness. The tyre wear follows the same trend when the three key variables increase or decrease synchronously. This analysis provides a quantitative indication of the relationship between the contact features and the tyre wear in order to obtain guidelines for tyre manufacturers on how to achieve less tyre wear.
Improving turbine endwall cooling uniformity by controlling near-wall secondary flows
Authors: Thomas Mitra , Povey Thomas
Published: October 2016

In this paper, we propose a design philosophy for cooling high-pressure nozzle guide vane endwalls, which exploits the momentum of cooling jets to control vane secondary flows thereby improving endwall cooling uniformity. The impact of coolant-to-mainstream pressure ratio, hole inclination angle, hole diameter, vane potential field, and overall mass flux ratios are considered. Arguments are developed by examining detailed experimental studies conducted in a large-scale low-speed cascade tunnel with engine-realistic combustor geometry and turbulence profiles. Computational fluid dynamics predictions validated by the same are used to extend the parameter space. We show that the global flow field is highly sensitive to the inlet total pressure profile, which in turn can be modified by introducing relatively low mass flow rates of cooling gas at engine realistic coolant-to-mainstream pressure ratios and mass flux ratios. This interaction effect must be understood for successful design of optimised endwall cooling schemes, an effect which is not sufficiently emphasized in much of the literature on this topic. Design guidelines are given that we hope will be of use in industry.
4-GNSS radio occultation satellite constellation design based on Dual-gate uniformity evaluation index
Authors: Wang Jue-yao , Liang Bin
Published: October 2016

A brand-new area of low earth orbit satellite constellation research has been expanded by global navigation satellite system (GNSS) radio occultation (RO) atmosphere sounding technology in the last decade. The possibility of reducing the sounding satellites while keeping the amount of atmosphere soundings increasing to produce low-cost meteorological data product is investigated, and a constellation capable of receiving the RO signals from all the 4-GNSS, such as GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and Compass, is proposed in this paper. This paper focuses on the mathematical problems on the design of 4-GNSS RO satellite constellation. A forward GNSS RO sounding simulation algorithm based on ideal atmosphere model and two-dimensional radial tracing algorithm is presented for a rapidly and accurately sounding performance prediction of 4-GNSS RO satellite constellations. Then, an improved uniformity evaluation factor named Dual-gate is established for 4-GNSS RO satellite constellation optimization design, which is a combination of the uniformity evaluation factors for the latitudinal distribution of RO soundings and those for the gridding uniformity. On the basis of low earth orbit satellite orbit dynamics and spherical geometry, the impacts of partial constellation parameters on the amount and coverage performance accorded with Dual-gate uniformity evaluation index are derived, and a series of design criteria of 4-GNSS RO satellite constellation are summarized. A simplified 4-GNSS RO satellite constellation model is built on the basis of the design criteria, and an improved ant colony algorithm is used to optimize the parameters of a 4-GNSS RO constellation including as many satellites as COSMIC-2. The simulation result shows that this 4-GNSS RO constellation is capable of obtaining near 3000 atmosphere soundings per 3 h. It obtains 13% more soundings than COSMIC-2 with the same 4-GNSS RO sounding devices, and the uniformity of soundings is increased by 9%.
Virtual flow-diverter treatment planning: The effect of device placement on bifurcation aneurysm haemodynamics
Authors: Peach Thomas , Spranger Katerina , Ventikos Yiannis
Published: October 2016

Bifurcation aneurysms account for a large fraction of cerebral aneurysms and often present morphologies that render traditional endovascular treatments, such as coiling, challenging and problematic. Flow-diverter stents offer a potentially elegant treatment option for such aneurysms, but clinical use of these devices remains controversial. Specifically, the deployment of a flow-diverter device in a bifurcation entails jailing one or more potentially vital vessels with a low-porosity mesh designed to restrict the flow. When multiple device placement configurations exist, the most appropriate clinical decision becomes increasingly opaque. In this study, three bifurcation aneurysm geometries were virtually treated by flow-diverter device. Each aneurysm was selected to offer two possible device deployment positions. Flow-diverters similar to commercially available designs were deployed with a fast-deployment algorithm before transient and steady state computational fluid dynamics simulations were performed. Reductions in aneurysm inflow, mean wall shear stress and maximum wall shear stress, all factors often linked with aneurysm treatment outcome, were compared for different device configurations in each aneurysm. In each of the three aneurysms modelled, a particular preferential device placement was shown to offer superior performance with the greatest reduction in the flow metrics considered. In all the three aneurysm geometries, substantial variations in inflow reduction (up to 25.3%), mean wall shear stress reduction (up to 14.6%) and maximum wall shear stress reduction (up to 12.1%) were seen, which were all attributed to device placement alone. Optimal device placement was found to be non-trivial and highly aneurysm specific; in only one-third of the simulated geometries, the best overall performance was achieved by deploying a device in the daughter vessel with the highest flow rate. Good correspondence was seen between transient results and steady state computations that offered a significant reduction in simulation run time. If accurate steady state computations are combined with the fast-deployment algorithm used, the modest run time and corresponding hardware make a virtual treatment pipeline in the clinical setting a meaningful possibility.
The Effect of Regional Innovation Type on the Pursuit of Open Innovation in Korean Firms
Authors: Yoo Gwang Min , Kwak Sunjoo
Published: October 2016

The purpose of this study is to empirically investigate the firm- and regional-level determinants of a firm’s adoption of open innovation practices. In particular, we categorise sixteen Korean regions into seven regional innovation types to account for each regions’ varying innovation conditions. Using data from the Korean Innovation Survey and a hierarchical linear model, we find that firm-level factors such as firm size, R&D innovation capability and the number of networks for absorbing external knowledge and regional-level factors such as local government R&D funds matching had a significantly positive effect on open innovation. We also find that of the firm-level determinants, the number of networks had a strong effect on open innovation, and that this differed by regional innovation type. Based on these findings, we argue that innovation policy should strive to stimulate open innovation through measures that take each region’s innovation resources and environment into account, rather than attempting to look for a single optimised model for all regions.
Attitude and Consumption Patterns of the Indian Chocolate Consumer: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Chawla Deepak , Sondhi Neena
Published: October 2016

This exploratory study is a pioneering research in the study of chocolate consumption amongst Indian consumers. Most studies look at chocolate consumption as deviant behaviour. However, for a developing country like India the frequency and amount of consumption is low; hence the factors influencing/hindering the consumption are of interest both for academicians as well as practitioners. The study went on to analyze the prevailing attitude towards chocolate consumption and tested the difference in attitude across relevant demographic variables. A cross-sectional consumer survey of 186 Indian chocolate consumers was conducted across the National Capital Region (NCR) of New Delhi, India. Factor analysis of consumer attitudes resulted in two distinct factors— cultural significance of sweets and chocolate value proposition. Younger consumers were found to be more value seeking as compared to older consumers. Taste followed by the brand were the most important criteria while choosing a chocolate and predominant reason for buying chocolates was for gifting purpose.
The effect of authenticity in music on the subjective theories and aesthetical evaluation of listeners: A randomized experiment
Authors: Wu Liming , Spieß Martin , Lehmann Marco
Published: October 2016

This study evaluates the influence of cultural and personal aspects of authenticity on the cognitive elaboration of music. Cognitive elaboration of music is comprised of a recipient’s subjective theories about and aesthetical evaluation of (a piece of) music. Subjective theories are based on information from different sources including oneself and the media. They can, for example, be used to explain the liking and perceived aesthetics of a piece of music. We suggest a theoretical model of the positive effects of authenticity on subjective theories and aesthetical evaluation. The model was tested in an online experiment with a randomized 2 × 2 between-subjects design, with cultural authenticity (high vs. low) and personal authenticity (high vs. low) as experimental factors. The levels of authenticity were manipulated in three musical excerpts and musicians’ images induced through album reviews of fictitious bands. Cognitive elaboration was measured by number of ideas related to the music whereas aesthetical evaluation of the music was measured by ratings of liking of the music. A sample of 492 subjects participated. Results indicate a positive effect of cultural authenticity on the function- and affect-based aspect of aesthetical evaluation. The data did not support a positive effect of authenticity on subjective theories.
Validation of a Measure of Foster Home Integration for Foster Youth
Authors: Kothari Brianne H. , McBeath Bowen , Bank Lew , Sorenson Paul , Waid Jeff , Webb Sara Jade
Published: October 2016

Objectives:

This article introduces a youth-reported measure (Essential Youth Experiences [EYE]) developed to assess the experiences of foster youth in their home environment and their critical relationships across a number of service systems. Empirically, the article reports on the psychometric properties of a 9-item scale within the EYE that measures the construct of positive home integration (PHI).

Methods:

The EYE was administered to 328 preadolescent and adolescent youth (164 sibling dyads) enrolled in a larger randomized clinical trial.

Results:

Correlational analysis suggests that the PHI Scale shows good psychometric properties and strong current and predictive validity.

Conclusion:

The PHI is a reliable and valid scale that measures youth perspectives of inclusion in the foster home and relationships with their foster care provider. This scale quickly gathers youth perspectives and differentiates between youth who have more versus less significant needs. Implications for research and social work practice are discussed.
When Are Caregivers More Likely to Offer Sugary Drinks and Snacks to Infants? A Qualitative Thematic Synthesis
Authors: Moore Deborah Anne , Goodwin Tom Lloyd , Brocklehurst Paul R. , Armitage Christopher J. , Glenny Anne-Marie
Published: October 2016

Many children consume more sugar than is recommended, and caregivers often find it difficult to change this habit once established. This thematic synthesis aims to identify the “critical situations” where caregivers may be more likely to offer infants sugary drinks and snacks. This thematic synthesis is reported in accordance with the statement for enhancing transparency in reporting the synthesis of qualitative research (ENTREQ). Our confidence in the findings of our synthesis was assessed using the CERQual (Confidence in the Evidence From Reviews of Qualitative Research Approach). We included 16 studies from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Denmark. We identified eight “critical situations” when caregivers may be more likely to offer sugary drinks and snacks to infants. Interventions that seek to reduce sugar intake for caries prevention in infants and young children may be more successful if they provide caregivers with practical parenting strategies to replace the nonnutritive functions of sugary foods and drinks, as opposed to taking an information-giving approach.
Families Living Well With Chronic Illness
Authors: Robinson Carole A.
Published: October 2016

Chronic illness is a global issue of escalating importance. While prevention, control, and management of chronic disease are imperative, it is also critical to shift our focus away from illness and toward living. In particular, attention needs to focus on living well despite illness. This article reports a grounded theory study with 43 members from 17 families who perceived they were managing well with serious chronic illnesses. The theory that captures the circular, iterative healing process of moving on is comprised of five phases: the fight, accepting, living with the chronic illness, sharing the experience, and reconstructing life. Families moved on through the process and moved on over time toward healing where they lived well alongside chronic illness. Family issues associated with each phase are identified as well as implications for health care providers. The theory provides a way of conceptualizing wellness in illness that supports patient- and family-centered care.
Clinical Pharmacist Patient-Safety Initiative to Reduce Against-Label Prescribing of Statins With Cyclosporine
Authors: Lamprecht Donald G. , Todd Brittany A. , Denham Anne M. , Ruppe Leslie K. , Stadler Sheila L.
Published: October 2016

Background: Against-label prescribing of statins with interacting drugs, such as cyclosporine, represents an important patient safety concern. Objective: To implement and evaluate the effectiveness of a clinical pharmacist patient-safety initiative to minimize against-label prescribing of statins with cyclosporine. Methods: Kaiser Permanente Colorado clinical pharmacists identified patients receiving both cyclosporine and against-label statin through prescription claims data. Academic detailing on this interaction was provided to health care providers. Clinical pharmacists collaborated with physicians to facilitate conversion to on-label statin. Conversion rates along with changes in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were assessed. Results: Of the 157 patients identified as taking cyclosporine, 48 were receiving concurrent statin therapy. Of these 48 patients, 33 (69%) were on an against-label statin regimen; 25 (76%) of these patients were converted to on-label statin. Overall, patients converted to on-label statin had a mean LDL-C prior to conversion of 82.9 (±26.4) mg/dL and mean LDL-C after conversion of 90.7 (±31.2) mg/dL ( P = 0.21). In all, 17 patients (68%) were switched to pravastatin 20 mg daily and 8 patients (32%) to rosuvastatin 5 mg daily. In patients converted to pravastatin 20 mg daily, the mean LDL-C was 13.5 mg/dL higher than prior to conversion ( P = 0.066). In patients converted to rosuvastatin 5 mg daily, the mean LDL-C was 3.8 mg/dL lower than prior to conversion ( P = 0.73). Conclusion: Utilizing a patient-safety-centered approach, clinical pharmacists were able to reduce the number of patients on against-label statin with cyclosporine while maintaining a comparable level of LDL-C control.