bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pathways Toward Zero-Carbon Campus Commuting: Innovative Approaches in Measuring, Understanding, and Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Authors: Appleyard Bruce , Frost Alexander R. , Cordova Eduardo , McKinstry Jeremy
Published: October 2018

While universities are significant generators of transport-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, they are uniquely qualified to encourage more sustainable travel behaviors toward achieving rapid decarbonization to meet our global climate action goals. Building on previous university climate action plans, this paper contributes to the literature by describing new and innovative methods in surveying and geospatial analytics. The new geospatial methods involve mapping individuals’ routes to campus, and the creation of Commute/Policy Zones—walk, bike, transit, and motorized—proving useful in (1) quantifying emissions per mode and weighting the survey sample; (2) exploring and testing various policy scenarios; and (3) guiding policy discussions with key stakeholders throughout the campus community. This study also tests four synergistic policy options that, if implemented, could realize a pathway to zero-carbon campus commuting for San Diego State University (SDSU) by 2030, including: (1) more on-campus student housing; (2) expanding public transit use; (3) electrifying vehicles; and (4) electrifying public transit. Finally, the economic and health costs of auto-commuting for SDSU are considerable: Annually, personal auto-commuting is estimated to cost $46.7 million, healthcare costs from non-GHG air pollutants are $1.67 million, and $81 million worth of time (5.4 million hours) is lost in car commutes to campus. SDSU is also estimated to subsidize each parking space at over $700 per year. By reducing the demand for internal combustion engine vehicles, increasing housing near campus, improving access to walking, biking, public transit, and shared mobility technology, and repowering everything through renewable energy, a zero-carbon transportation network is within reach.
A Historical Perspective on the AASHTO Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities and the Impact of the Vehicular Cycling Movement
Authors: Schultheiss William , Sanders Rebecca L. , Toole Jennifer
Published: October 2018

This paper draws from a literature review and interviews to demonstrate the impact of advocacy, research, and culture on guidance for design users, bike lanes, and separated (protected) bike lanes in the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ bicycle guides’ content from 1974 to present. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, a bicycle renaissance in America resulted in efforts at the local, state, and federal level to encourage bicycling. After Davis, California, became the first community in the United States to build a network of bike lanes, a new brand of bicycle advocacy, vehicular cycling (VC), formed to oppose efforts to separate bicyclists from motorized traffic based on fears of losing the right to use public roads. Via positions of power and strong rhetoric, vehicular cyclists influenced design guidance for decades to come. Through the 1980s, VC philosophy aligned with a federal view that bicyclists freeloaded from the gas tax, resulting in diminished federal support for guidance and related research throughout the decade. However, the passing of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 led to increased bicycle networks and renewed interest in bicycle facility research. Although vehicular cyclists continue to oppose roadway designs that separate bicyclists from motorized traffic, research from the last decade demonstrates networks of separated bike lanes improve bicyclist safety and are necessary to meet the needs of the vast majority of the public who want to bicycle but feel unsafe in many traffic contexts.
A Spatial Latent Profile Analysis to Classify Land Uses for Population Synthesis Methods in Travel Demand Forecasting
Authors: McBride Elizabeth C. , Davis Adam W. , Goulias Konstadinos G.
Published: October 2018

In this paper, a new land use classification method is explored for its utility in explaining travel behavior and as a new dimension in population synthesis for travel demand forecasting. This method is based on latent profile analysis applied to 17 business establishment indicators for each of the more than 20,000 block groups in California. The method reproduces the four types of land use environments (urban, suburban, exurban, and rural) identified in a previous paper, and improves our ability to create a finer-grain geographic classification based on land use. It also offers similar indications about the difference between urban dwellers (that make more trips but travel shorter distances) and rural residents (that make fewer trips but with more vehicle miles traveled).
Simulation Modeling of a Prototype Designed to Address the Congestion of Passengers and Items at the Composure Area of Security Checkpoints
Authors: Janer Rubio Maria Luisa , Rossetti Manuel D.
Published: October 2018

Discrete event simulation is used to evaluate a novel configuration of the exit roller in the composure area of security checkpoints, which is designed to address the failures of the current exit roller configuration. The paper presents in detail the conceptual modeling of a two-lane system with the current configuration, and an additional model, featuring the new design in one of the lanes. The second model is used to evaluate statistically whether there is any reduction in the passengers’ system time from directing the passengers to the lane having the new design, based on the number of items passengers carry. Lastly, we perform an analysis to examine the range of arrival rates for which a single lane, featuring the new design, could replace a traditional two-lane system.
New York City’s Reuse Impact Calculator: Quantifying the zero waste impact of materials reuse
Authors: Fortuna Lorena M , Castaldi Marco J
Published: October 2018

In 2015, the city of New York (NYC) introduced a plan to reduce the volume of collected solid waste by 90% by 2030 and envisioned the expansion of reuse opportunities as one of its main drivers. The assessment of the contributions from reuse initiatives to the advancement of waste prevention and waste reduction goals requires a quantitative understanding of the scope of reuse activities. The high population density in NYC and well-organised collection efforts by The City of New York Department of Sanitation (DSNY) (DSNY) have resulted in a structure that enables the informal sector to readily contribute and access the reuse market. Importantly, the scale of the operations in NYC enable the results found to be a model for other municipalities of similar size. This article presents the Reuse Impact Calculator, developed from the need to automate and quantify the environmental impact of product reuse by nonprofit enterprises in NYC. Specifically, we will explain the development process, show the novel characteristics of this calculator, describe the software in terms of data input, auto mapping functionality and calculations and present a case study to demonstrate the implementation of the Reuse Impact Calculator. This calculator is a dynamic and easily modifiable tool that converts diverse datasets to comparable conditions and allows the assessment of the impact of reuse organisations to waste prevention in NYC.
The Usability of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for Pedestrian Observation
Authors: Park Keunhyun , Ewing Reid
Published: October 2018

The monitoring of pedestrian activity is challenging, primarily because its traffic levels are typically lower and more variable than those of motorized vehicles. Compared with other on-the-ground observation tools, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) could be suitable for counting and mapping pedestrians in a reliable and efficient way. Thus, this study establishes and tests a new method of pedestrian observation using UAVs. The results show that UAV observations demonstrate high levels of interrater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.99) and equivalence reliability (Cronbach’s α = .97 with on-the-ground counts and .73 with Google Street View). Practical implications of the new tool are discussed.
Relationship Churning and Desistance From Intimate Abuse
Authors: Halpern-Meekin Sarah , Turney Kristin
Published: October 2018

It is essential to understand how desistance from intimate abuse occurs so it can be facilitated for those experiencing it. Recognizing the category of churning relationships—in which partners separate and reunite—gives us analytic leverage in identifying the relationship dynamics that predict abuse desistance. Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a longitudinal survey of parents in urban areas, we compare desistance among churners (who experience a breakup only) with those who repartner (who experience a breakup and a new partnership) and those who are stably together (who experience neither a breakup nor a new partnership). We examine whether abuse desistance patterns are distinct for those who breakup and reconcile versus those who breakup and form new partnerships—that is, we can separate out the association between abuse desistance and the breakup versus the new partnership. We find that, among those with a history of intimate abuse, churners and those who later repartner are overrepresented. However, among those who do experience abuse, the repartnered are most likely to experience desistance from intimate abuse, controlling for individual sociodemographic characteristics. In breaking up and entering a new relationship, the repartnered may be most successful in developing a healthier relationship dynamic than the churners who reunite with one another.
Modification of bitumen by EPDM blended with hybrid nanoparticles: Physical, thermal, and rheological properties
Authors: Ghoreishi Atefeh , Koosha Mojtaba , Nasirizadeh Navid
Published: October 2018

The aim of this research is to study the physical, thermal, and rheological properties of bitumen modified with ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) elastomer and hybrid nanoparticles including carbon nanotubes (CNTs) masterbatch and bentonite nanoclay. Modified bitumen samples were prepared by mixing 60/70 bitumen with 3% EPDM, 0.1% CNT masterbatch, and 1.5% and 4.5% bentonite nanoclay. It was found that addition of these nanoparticles increased the softening point, reduced the penetration degree as well as temperature susceptibility of the modified bitumens. Results of rheological studies in the linear viscoelastic range showed that for the hybrid samples reinforced with EPDM, CNT masterbatch, and nanoclay, complex shear modulus was increased at high temperatures and the rutting factor was shifted from 81°C for the unmodified bitumen to >90°C for the EPDM-nano-modified bitumens. Thermogravimetric analysis also showed the improvement in the thermal degradation behavior of the hybrid samples. Our results indicate that the addition of small amounts of the additives used in this work can highly enhance the viscoelastic behavior of the bitumen at elevated temperatures. According to the findings of this work, the addition of EPDM (3%) and hybrid nanoparticles of CNT masterbatch (0.1%) and bentonite nanoclay (1.5%) to bitumen can synergistically result in the lowest penetration degree, highest softening point, and lowest temperature susceptibility and has the potential to have a better performance in warm areas.
Fostering Academic Major Satisfaction, Career Curiosity, and Job Search Behaviors Among Electrical/Electronic Technology Education Undergraduates
Authors: Chukwuedo Samson Onyeluka , Ogbuanya Chinyere Theresa
Published: October 2018

This study investigates the effect of practical skills-based career training intervention in electrical/electronic works on graduating students’ academic major satisfaction, career curiosity, and self-defeating job search behaviors (SDJSBs). We employed the quasi-experimental design, with a three-wave longitudinal survey. The participants were 101 electrical/electronic technology education undergraduates from two publicly owned universities in Nigeria. Our intervention procedures were guided by the tenets of social cognitive career theory and the theory of planned behavior. The findings revealed significant positive increase in the students’ satisfaction with their academic major, and career curiosity, as well as significant decrease in SDJSBs (viz., procrastination, impulsiveness, and failure to network). We also found mediating effects of learning self-efficacy and perseverance of effort on academic major satisfaction, career curiosity, and SDJSBs.
The Discursive Tapestry of Economic and Educational Story Lines
Authors: Carpenter Bradley W.
Published: October 2018

Using a critical policy analysis framework, this article examines the discursive foundation of the most recent era of educational reform. The purpose of this article is to provide educational practitioners and scholars with a better understanding of how neoliberal and globalized discourse may codetermine what practitioners—the readers and implementers of policy—are offered as legitimate policy solutions for public schools. The findings of this article examine the ideological foundations of the educational policies put forward by the Obama/Duncan and Trump/DeVos administrations. Specifically, this article shows how, over the past 40 years, two historically related elements determined the purposes of educational policy: (a) the continual threat of economic instability that began in the 1970s as the interconnectedness of global economics became apparent, and (b) the subsequent institutionalization of economic policies intended to secure the health of the economy and establish the United States as a dominant force in the global capitalist marketplace.
“Caught in the Nets of ‘Discipline’”: Understanding the Possibilities for Writing Teachers’ Resistance to Standardization in Local Policy
Authors: Duarte Bryan J. , Brewer Curtis A.
Published: October 2018

This article contributes to the practice of critical policy analysis by using de Certeau’s concept of consumption to analyze how writing teachers resist policies that work to systemize and commodify student writing. Through narratives, we represent the ways teachers tactically and strategically sidestepped the mandated curriculum in an effort to support their sociocultural views of writing. We use a poem built from participant responses to represent discomfort that teachers felt from dominant forms of organization that tried to define writing instruction. These multiple forms of representation extend the practice of critical policy analysis by allowing us to evoke the grind of resistance to local policy.
Lacosamide Pharmacokinetics in a Critically Ill Patient During Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy
Authors: Wieruszewski Patrick M. , Lopez-Ruiz Arnaldo , Albright Robert C. , Fugate Jennifer E. , Barreto Erin Frazee
Published: October 2018

The objective of this study is to describe the pharmacokinetics of lacosamide in a critically ill adult during continuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVH). A 78-year-old male developed sepsis and acute kidney injury following cardiac surgery. He was initially treated with intermittent hemodialysis but developed nonconvulsive status epilepticus at the end of the first session and was subsequently initiated on CVVH. In addition to lorazepam boluses, levetiracetam, and midazolam infusion, he was loaded with lacosamide 400 mg intravenously and started on 200 mg intravenously twice daily as maintenance therapy. Noncompartmental modeling of lacosamide pharmacokinetics revealed significant extracorporeal removal, a volume of distribution of 0.69 L/kg, elimination half-life of 13.6 hours, and peak and trough concentrations of 7.4 and 3.7 mg/L, respectively (goal trough, 5-10 mg/L). We found significant extracorporeal removal of serum lacosamide during CVVH, which was higher than previously reported. This led to subtherapeutic concentrations and decreased overall antiepileptic drug exposure. The relationship between serum lacosamide concentrations and clinical efficacy is not well understood; thus, therapeutic drug monitoring is not routinely recommended. Yet, we demonstrated that measuring serum lacosamide concentrations in the critically ill population during continuous renal replacement therapy may be useful to individualize dosing programs. Further pharmacokinetic studies of lacosamide may be necessary to generate widespread dosing recommendations.
Walking, Wounds and Washing Feet: Pedetic Textures of a Theo-Ethical Response to Migration
Authors: Snyder Susanna
Published: October 2018

Feet play a crucial role in migration, and experiences of death and hopes for new life are etched into migrants’ soles. In the face of complex and fraught ethical debates that have largely been deontological and teleological in tone, this article employs feet and footwashing as heuristic devices to suggest the need for receiving communities to develop a multi-textured virtue-based response alongside these. Cultivation of a habitus rooted in attention to bodies, service, power subversion, mutuality and confession could lead to new life both for those in migration and those long settled.
Still Human: A Thomistic Analysis of ‘Persistent Vegetative State’
Authors: Clem Stewart
Published: October 2018

Would Aquinas hold the view that a patient in a persistent vegetative state (PVS) is something other than a human being? Some recent interpreters have argued for this position. I contend that this reading is grounded in a false symmetry between the three stages of Aquinas’s embryology and the (alleged) three-stage process of death. Instead, I show that there are textual grounds for rejecting the view that the absence of higher brain activity in a patient would lead Aquinas to say that the patient no longer has a rational soul. On my reading of Aquinas, the patient in PVS has a rational soul and is unequivocally a human being.
Efficient crushable corrugated conical tubes for energy absorption considering axial and oblique loading
Authors: Ahmadi Alireza , Asgari Masoud
Published: October 2018

Thin-walled structures are of much interest as energy absorption devices for their great crashworthiness and also low weight. Conical tubes are favorable structures because unlike most other geometries, they are also useful in oblique impacts. This paper investigated the effect of corrugations on energy absorption characteristics of conical tubes under quasi-static axial and oblique loadings. To do so, conical tubes with different corrugation geometries were analyzed using the finite element explicit code and the effects of corrugations on initial peak crushing force and specific energy absorption were studied. The finite element model was validated by experimental quasi-static compression tests on simple and corrugated aluminum cylinders. An efficient analytical solution for EA during axial loading was also derived and compared with the FEM solution. The crushing stableness was analyzed using the undulation of the load-carrying capacity parameter and it was shown that corrugations made collapsing mode, more predictable and controllable. The findings have shown that corrugated conical tubes have much better energy absorption characteristics compared with their non-corrugated counterparts. It was also discovered that during oblique loadings, introducing corrugations can significantly increase the specific energy absorption compared with simple cones.
Reducing force transmission through exhaust mounts of a vehicle
Authors: Oktav Akın , Gavgani Vahab Hashemi , Anlaş Günay , Yılmaz Çetin
Published: October 2018

Under the excitation of an engine, an exhaust system vibrates, and the vibrational energy is transmitted to the vehicle body through the exhaust mounts. The transmitted energy makes contribution to the vibration of the body, which in turn increases the overall vehicle noise level. Noise contributed by the exhaust can be eliminated up to a certain level by reducing the force transmitted through the exhaust mounts. In this study, an objective function, which represents the force transmitted through the exhaust mounts, is defined. The aim is to minimise the transmitted force to achieve better vibration isolation. First, structural dynamic analysis of the vehicle exhaust system is evaluated using computational and experimental procedures. The finite element model of the exhaust system is complemented and validated by following an experimental modal analysis procedure. In the correlation procedure, it is observed that boundary conditions of the exhaust system have significant effects on the results. Hence, the definitions and the assumptions of boundary conditions are studied in detail to achieve a better correlation between the computational and the experimental models. Then, the validated computational model is used for optimisation studies. Moreover, a mass is attached to the exhaust system to reduce the forces transmitted to the vehicle body. For the optimisation problem, the stiffness and the location of exhaust mounts and the weight and the location of hanging mass are defined as design variables. Significant improvements are achieved compared to the initial design.
The development of late-Holocene farmed landscapes: Analysis of insect assemblages using a multi-period dataset
Authors: Smith David , Hill Geoff , Kenward Harry
Published: October 2018

Global agricultural intensification and expansion has led to the spread of a fairly cosmopolitan insect fauna associated with arable land and pasture. Studies of modern expansion and intensification of agriculture have shown profound effects in terms of declines in biodiversity, with implications for current nature conservation. However, modern entomological studies of farmland faunas do not consider if such effects occurred over a longer period of time or are merely a modern phenomenon. We examine the substantial British archaeoentomological dataset for the development of beetle (Coleoptera) faunas in a range of intensively farmed archaeological landscapes dating from the late Neolithic through to the early Medieval period ( c. 24,000 cal. BC–AD 900). The archaeological beetle fauna typically consisted of generalist species which still dominate modern farmland. Our analysis indicates that there is an essentially stable ‘core group’ of taxa that repeatedly occur regardless of period, location or the specific nature of the archaeological feature involved. On the basis of this result, we argue that the effects of the expansion of intensive farming on insect faunas seen in the modern world are a continuation of a longer pattern. We suggest that this is an example of human econiche replacement and ecosystem engineering. The approach taken here is applicable elsewhere in the world, and we offer suggestions for future British and international research strategies.
The effectiveness and safety of biological therapeutics in juvenile-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (JSLE): a systematic review
Authors: Peterknecht E , Keasey M P , Beresford M W
Published: October 2018

Objective

To systematically review and summarize the available literature regarding the effectiveness and safety of biologics in the treatment of juvenile-onset systemic lupus erythematosus.

Methods

PubMed was systematically searched for relevant literature (2012–2017 inclusive) using the following criteria: (1) patients diagnosed with juvenile-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (≤18 years at diagnosis); (2) treatment with any biological agent; and (3) outcome measures assessing effectiveness and safety. Systematic literature reviews, meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, case control studies, cross sectional surveys and case-series with ≥3 patients were included. Independent extraction of articles by two authors using predefined criteria was performed. The quality of each study was assessed using CASP tools and Oxford CEBM Levels of Evidence.

Results

Nine articles met inclusion criteria: six cohort studies, two case series and one pilot study, totalling 230 patients. All but one article reported the effects of rituximab, the other those of belimumab. Overall, patients had active disease refractory to standard of care regimens using corticosteroids and immunosuppressants. Available evidence for rituximab demonstrated improvements in disease activity, complement levels and anti-dsDNA titres accompanying a steroid-sparing effect.

Conclusion

Rituximab can be considered an effective treatment in juvenile-onset systemic lupus erythematosus patients with severe disease manifestations and/or refractory disease. Based on current evidence, use of belimumab in juvenile-onset systemic lupus erythematosus patients cannot be recommended. The long-term safety of these biological agents remains uncertain. Further prospective studies, ideally robust randomized controlled trials, are urgently needed to obtain more accurate data on the effectiveness and long-term safety of rituximab, belimumab and other biologics in juvenile-onset systemic lupus erythematosus.
Increased CD4+CD25-Foxp3+ T cells in Chinese systemic lupus erythematosus: correlate with disease activity and organ involvement
Authors: Yin Z-J , Ju B-M , Zhu L , Hu N , Luo J , He M , Feng X-Y , Lv X-H , Pu D , He L
Published: October 2018

Objective

The increment of CD4+CD25−Foxp3+T cells has been reported in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. However, the exact identity of this T cell subset is still unclear. Thus, we analyzed CD4+CD25−Foxp3+T cells and Treg cells (CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T cells) in a large sample of Chinese SLE patients in different disease states.

Methods

A total of 280 SLE patients and 38 healthy volunteers were enrolled, which included 21 patients with untreated new-onset lupus (UNOL), 13 patients with drug withdrawal more than 6 months and 246 patients with treatments. Phenotypic and functional analysis of peripheral blood CD4+CD25−Foxp3+ T cells and Treg cells were performed by flow cytometry. The correlation of CD4+CD25−Foxp3+T cells and Treg cells with disease activity, clinical indicators and organ involvement were analyzed.

Results

CD4+CD25−Foxp3+ T cells and Treg cells were significantly increased in SLE patients and showed significantly positive correlations with disease activity. CD4+CD25−Foxp3+ T cells were significantly increased in patients with skin and hematologic involvement as well as arthritis. Diverse changes between CD4+CD25−Foxp3+ T cells and Treg cells when faced with different medications, especially HCQ and MMF. CD4+CD25−Foxp3+ T cells expressed more IFN-γ and less CTLA-4 than CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T cells, which were similar to CD4+CD25+Foxp3− T cells, and expressed similar IL-17, ICOS and Helios to CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T cells. The synthesis capacity of IL-10 of CD4+CD25−Foxp3+ T cells and the expression of GITR on CD4+CD25−Foxp3+ T cells were between CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ and CD4+CD25+Foxp3− T cells.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that increased CD4+CD25−Foxp3+ T cells in lupus patients, which combined the features of suppression and pro-inflammatory, may serve as a biomarker for disease activity and organ involvement in SLE.
Medical applications of reflectance spectroscopy in the diffusive and sub-diffusive regimes
Authors: Akter Sharmin , Hossain Md. Golzar , Nishidate Izumi , Hazama Hisanao , Awazu Kunio
Published: October 2018

Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy is a widely used technique for medical applications that may analyze the optical characteristics of biological tissues. By using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, different tissue types can be distinguished based on specific changes on reflected light spectrum that are a result of differences on a molecular level between compared tissues. Identification of the structural features of tissue can be performed by applying diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and the spectra obtained from this technique could provide important diagnostic information about the tissue morphology and physiology. Moreover, different tissue types can be classified using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, during surgery on the basis of their optical properties that are related to the tissue morphology and constituents. In recent years, several research groups have been shown the feasibility of diffuse reflectance spectroscopy in discriminating benign and malignant tissue, and thus making it a good competitor for margin assessment. Therefore, the diffuse reflectance spectroscopy has the possibility to become an important optical means for disease diagnosis, treatment and prognosis monitoring. This review represents a summary of the literature on diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and its important clinical applications.
The relationship amongst ethical position, religiosity and self-identified culture in student nurses
Authors: White Jane H , Peirce Anne Griswold , Jacobowitz William
Published: October 2018

Background/purpose:

Research from other disciplines demonstrates that ethical position, idealism, or relativism predicts ethical decision-making. Individuals from diverse cultures ascribe to various religious beliefs and studies have found that religiosity and culture affect ethical decision-making. Moreover, little literature exists regarding undergraduate nursing students’ ethical position; no studies have been conducted in the United States on students’ ethical position, their self-identified culture, and intrinsic religiosity despite an increase in the diversity of nursing students across the United States.

Participants and Research Context Objectives:

The study’s two aims were to determine the relationship of self-identified culture, religiosity, and ethics position of undergraduate nursing student and whether students’ level of education and past ethics courses taken related to idealism. Two hundred and twelve volunteer undergraduate students participated.

Research design:

A descriptive cross-sectional study was designed for participants who completed the Ethical Position Questionnaire, The intrinsic subscale of the Religious Orientation Scale, and a Demographic, Cultural, Ethnicity Form. To test the five hypotheses, analyses included t-tests, correlations, and ANOVA.

Ethical Considerations:

The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board at Adelphi University.

Results:

Idealism and intrinsic religiosity were significantly related. Differences were observed for intrinsic religiosity and idealism for cultural identity and cultural dimensions such as parents’ place of birth, and if participants were US born. Students’ level of education or participation in past courses on ethics did not influence idealism.

Conclusions:

The study’s findings were similar to most of the research from other disciplines on culture, ethics position, and religiosity. Generic courses on ethics taken prior to clinical work may not assist nursing students in integrating principles into complex ethical dilemmas. Self-identified culture, religion, and intrinsic religiosity related to ethics position; completing ethics courses and level of education, juniors compared with seniors, did not influence idealism. Faculty should consider integrating students’ culture, religious orientation, and ethics position into teaching ethics for all levels of nursing education.
Evaluating ethical sensitivity in surgical intensive care nurses
Authors: Basar Zehra , Cilingir Dilek
Published: October 2018

Background and aim:

Surgical intensive care nurses should have ethical sensitivity allowing them to identify ethical issues in order that they can recognize them and make the right decisions. This descriptive study was conducted with the aim of evaluating the ethical sensitivity of surgical intensive care nurses.

Materials and methods:

The research was carried out with the participation of 160 nurses in six Turkish hospitals, four state, one university, and one private. The data were collected using the “Nurse Description Form” developed by the researcher and the “Ethical Sensitivity Questionnaire.” The percent, mean, standard deviation, median, minimum and maximum values, significance test for the difference between two means, variance analysis, Mann–Whitney U test, and Kruskal–Wallis Variance Analysis test were used to evaluate the data.

Ethical considerations:

Ethical commission permission and the corporate permission of the hospitals were received before conducting the research.

Results:

It was determined that the ethical sensitivities of surgical intensive care nurses were moderate based on the Ethical Sensitivity Questionnaire total score and subdimension score averages. A statistical difference was determined between the Ethical Sensitivity Questionnaire total score of surgical intensive care nurses and the institution where they worked, the period of working in the occupation, and the period of working in the intensive care unit (p < 0.05).

Conclusion:

Based on the results of the research, the organization of training and studies devoted to the elimination of ethical sensitivity differences between institutions and workers is suggested.
The relationship amongst student nurses’ values, emotional intelligence and individualised care perceptions
Authors: Culha Yeliz , Acaroglu Rengin
Published: October 2018

Background:

Students’ gaining and adopting basic professional values, improving their emotional intelligence skills during the process of nursing education plays a significant role on meeting the needs of healthy/patient individual and his or her family, and individualized care practices.

Objectives:

This (descriptive, correlational) research was carried out to evaluate the nursing values, emotional intelligence levels, and individualized care perceptions of senior nursing students and to determine the relationship between them.

Research question:

(1) What is the status of students to adopt nursing values? (2) What is the level of students’ emotional intelligence? (3) What is the students’ individualized care perception? (4) Is there a relationship between students’ nursing values, levels of emotional intelligence, and individualized perceptions of care?

Participants and research context:

The research was carried out with 218 senior nursing students at the Faculty of Nursing, affiliated to a state university in Istanbul, who agreed to participate in the study, completing basic nursing education in May 2017.

Ethical considerations:

Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Ethics Committee of Clinical Investigations of the Istanbul University Dentistry Faculty. Written permission was also obtained from the institution that research would be conducted. Before the data were collected, verbal permission was obtained by the investigator.

Findings:

It was observed that nursing values perceptions of students, emotional intelligence levels and individualized care perceptions were at a good level and there was a supportive relationship between them in the positive direction. It was determined that emotional intelligence skills of students, adoption of nursing values and individualized care perceptions increased in parallel with each other.

Conclusion:

In nursing education, nursing values peculiar to affective field, caring behaviors, and emotional intelligence skills that are guiding to maintain and direct these behaviors should be gained to students by supporting with correct learning methods and role models.
Ethical conflict among nurses working in the intensive care units
Authors: Pishgooie Amir-Hossein , Barkhordari-Sharifabad Maasoumeh , Atashzadeh-Shoorideh Foroozan , Falcó-Pegueroles Anna
Published: October 2018

Background:

Ethical conflict is a barrier to decision-making process and is a problem derived from ethical responsibilities that nurses assume with care. Intensive care unit nurses are potentially exposed to this phenomenon. A deep study of the phenomenon can help prevent and treat it.

Objectives:

This study was aimed at determining the frequency, degree, level of exposure, and type of ethical conflict among nurses working in the intensive care units.

Research design:

This was a descriptive cross-sectional research.

Participants and research context:

In total, 382 nurses working in the intensive care units in Iranian hospitals were selected using the random sampling method. Data were collected using the Ethical Conflict in Nursing Questionnaire-Critical Care Version (Persian version).

Ethical considerations:

This study was approved by the Medical Research Ethics Committee. Ethical considerations such as completing the informed consent form, ensuring confidentiality of information, and voluntary participation were observed.

Findings:

The results showed that the average level of exposure to ethical conflict was 164.39 ± 79.06. The most frequent conflict was related to “using resources despite believing in its futility,” with the frequency of at least once a week or a month (68.6%, n = 262). The most conflictive situation was violation of privacy (76.9%, n = 294). However, the level of exposure to ethical conflict according to the theoretical model followed was the situation of “working with incompetent staff.” The most frequently observed type of conflict was moral dilemma.

Conclusion:

The moderate level of exposure to ethical conflict was consistent with the results of previous studies. However, the frequency, degree, and type of ethical conflict were different compared to the results of other studies. Recognizing ethical conflict among intensive care unit nurses can be useful as it allows to consolidate those measures that favor low levels of ethical conflict, design appropriate strategies to prevent ethical conflicts, and improve the nursing work environment.
Older Community Residents Who Participate in Group Activities Have Higher Daily Physical Activity Levels and Lower Medical Costs
Authors: Otsuki Takeshi
Published: October 2018

Participation in a group activity improves levels of activities of daily living and self-rated health in community-dwelling older adults. However, whether the group activity is associated with daily physical activity (PA) levels and medical costs has not yet been explored. The author administered a questionnaire to participants of group activities for community-dwelling older adults. Levels of daily PA were greater in those who participated once a month (n = 1147), twice a month (n = 1432), and 4 times a month (n = 635) compared with nonparticipating counterparts (n = 570). In the stepwise regression, group activity participation rate was identified as an independent predictor of daily PA levels. Before group activities began, there were no differences in medical costs between participants (n = 721) and nonparticipants (n = 1124). However, after group activities were established, medical costs were lower in participants than in nonparticipants. These results suggest that older community residents who participate in group activities have higher daily PA levels and lower medical costs.
Fostering Situated Conversation Through Game Play
Authors: Corredor Javier
Published: October 2018

Background. Prior research suggests that video games function as spaces for informal interaction. In this way, they foster spontaneous conversation that supports gameplay. Such conversation can facilitate learning. In particular, conversations that connect gameplay with the learning materials have positive effects on learning. In this article, those conversations are called situated conversations and used as an important concept to understand video games as educational tools.

Aim. This study explores the conversations produced in educational activities supported by video games and the effects of these conversations on the learning of subject matter.

Method. This randomized design experiment compares the conversations of a group of students using traditional text-based learning materials with the conversations of a group of students using an educational video game, during a four week intervention focused on the viral-replication process. In both conditions, spontaneous conversation among students was allowed and registered, and learning was assessed using a think-aloud task at the end of the intervention.

Results. Students using the video game produced high-quality conversations focused on disciplinary content. The results show, additionally, that only conversations connecting different resources in the learning setting had a significant effect on learning, highlighting the importance of situated conversations for video game learning.

Conclusions. The concept of situated conversation is proposed to characterize conversations that connect different resources available in the social environment. This type of conversation increases knowledge levels by bringing external information into the learning process.
Development and Validation of the Workplace Dignity Scale
Authors: Thomas Benjamin , Lucas Kristen
Published: October 2018

As organizational scholars have become critically attuned to human flourishing in the workplace, interest in workplace dignity has grown rapidly. Yet, a valid scale to measure employees’ perceptions of dignity in the workplace has yet to be developed, thereby limiting potential empirical insights. To fill this need, we conducted a systematic, multi-study scale development project. Using data generated from focus groups ( N = 62), an expert panel ( N = 11), and two surveys ( N = 401 and N = 542), we developed and validated an 18-item Workplace Dignity Scale (WDS). Our studies reveal evidence in support of the WDS’ psychometric properties, as well as its content, construct, and criterion-related validity. Our structural models support predictive relationships between workplace characteristics (e.g., dirty work, income insufficiency) and dignity. Moreover, we observed the incremental validity of workplace dignity to account for variance in employee engagement, burnout, and turnover intentions above and beyond the explanatory effects of organizational respect and meaningful work. These results demonstrate the promise of the WDS for organizational research.
A Cross-National Study of Evolutionary Origins of Gender Shopping Styles: She Gatherer, He Hunter?
Authors: Dennis Charles , Brakus J. Joško , Ferrer Gemma García , McIntyre Charles , Alamanos Eleftherios , King Tamira
Published: October 2018

By investigating gendered shopping styles across countries, the authors explore whether the differences between male and female shopping styles are greater than the differences in shopping styles exhibited by consumers across countries. With a conceptual model, this study tests an extant convergence hypothesis that predicts that men and women should grow more similar in their shopping styles as traditional gender-based divisions in wage and domestic labor disappear. The results of a survey of shopping behavior across 11 countries indicate though that men and women are evolutionarily predisposed to different shopping styles. These differences in shopping styles also are greater in countries with higher levels of gender equality. Empathizing, or the ability to tune in to others’ thoughts and feelings, mediates shopping styles more for women; systemizing, or the degree to which a person possesses spatial skills, mediates shopping styles more for men. These results suggest that gender-based retail segmentation is more strategically relevant than country-based segmentation. The authors discuss the implications of their findings for international marketing theory and practice.
Access to Ambulatory Medicines for the Elderly in Georgia
Authors: Verulava Tengiz , Jorbenadze Revaz , Dangadze Beka , Eliava Ekaterine
Published: October 2018

Pensioners in Republic of Georgia are covered by the Universal Healthcare Program. In addition, socially vulnerable chronic patients additionally benefit from the Program for Providing Medicine for the Chronic Diseases (PPMCD). The research aims to assess the financial accessibility to outpatient medicines for the elderly in Georgia. Totally, 700 pensioners were surveyed within the quantitative research. The study showed that PPMCD (launched in 2017) has facilitated the affordability of medicines for elderly, especially the socially vulnerable chronic patients. However, the out-of-pocket spending on medicine is still high for most respondents. The main problem for the family is the high unaffordable price (26%). Nearly a third of respondents (31%) could not fully purchase all the outpatient medicine prescribed by the doctor, and 15% could not purchase them at all due to the high costs. Most of the respondents (57%) buy outpatient medicine without visiting family doctor and 37% self-medicate. This shows the irrational choice of elderly people during their health problems. In this regard, the pharmacy and self-treatment play an important role in the informal network of medical service. A significant part of the respondents (36%) does not know about PPMDC. The low level of awareness of the PPMCD among pensioners increases the risk of impoverishment. It is necessary to increase pensioners’ awareness about PPMCD. It is recommended to include not only socially vulnerable people in the PPMDC, but also chronic patients of pension age, because the expenses may often be catastrophic for them.
Governing through creativity: Discursive formation and neoliberal subjectivity in Korean firms
Authors: Yoon Se Joon , Chae Yeon Joo , Yang Kyunguk , Kim Hyeryun
Published: October 2018

After the 1997 financial crisis, South Korea abruptly transformed into a neoliberal state. This sudden neoliberal turn necessitated an invention of new subjectivities, making it one of the nation’s most urgent projects. Various efforts were made by the state and market, and among them the notion of ‘creativity management’ stood out. First employed by Samsung Group, creativity management in a wide variety of forms was soon emulated by numerous organizations in South Korea, private or public. This article, drawing upon Foucault’s notion of governmentality, examines how self-governing, neoliberal subjectivities were constructed by the practices and discourses of creativity management. For this, we performed a multilevel analysis of governmentality at the macro (societal), meso (organizational), and micro (individual) levels by using data collected from various media sources and in-depth interviews conducted at two large Korean firms. The analysis reveals that the macro-meso-micro frame is a useful way of understanding the processes by which creativity discourse at a societal level is materialized in organizational programs and how both the discourse and programs influence subjectivities. The finding of this study also suggests an almost universal applicability of the governmentality notion in explaining the advent of neoliberal subjects even in a previously authoritarian state like South Korea. The article concludes by elaborating on these and other contributions in the discussion section.
Effect of profile modification on the performance of spur gears in isothermal mixed-EHL regime using load-sharing concept
Authors: Kimiaei Masoud , Akbarzadeh Saleh
Published: October 2018

Spur gears are one of the most important tools for power transmission in the industry and thus can be considered a key mechanical element. As a result of power transmission, gears might fail or experience wear and fatigue. So the improvement in the design and modification of tooth profile of gears can significantly reduce friction loss and wear of the gear teeth and therefore it increases the useful life, improves the quality, and reduces the cost. The purpose of this study is to show the influence of addendum modification on the tribological performance of spur gears which are operating in the mixed elastohydrodynamic lubrication. In this paper, a model based on the load-sharing concept is employed to study the effect of changing addendum modification on the performance of spur gears, the amount of wear rate, and the lubricant film thickness. To this end, a model based on the load-sharing concept is employed which takes the geometry and lubricant properties as input and predicts the friction coefficient, load carried by fluid film and asperities, efficiency, and wear rate as output.