bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Performance evaluations of a shrouded contra-rotating rotor based on a novel-designed platform with multiple testing possibilities
Authors: Huo Chao , Liu Zhen
Published: May 2020

This paper aims to design a novel experimental platform with multiple testing possibilities on different individual performance parameters and different rotary propulsion systems. Three mechanic swingarms were constructed to separately and simultaneously test the rotor(s) and shroud, so that the interactions among different components can be involved. Based on it, measurements on the total thrust, torque, and power were conducted to evaluate the system global performance and the effects of key design parameters. The test results indicate that the performance parameters such as total thrust, torque, power, and power loading of the shrouded double rotor (SDR) are asymmetric between the current system and the one with switched rotational speed. Compared with free rotors, the shroud presence can increase the total thrust by 61.2% and power loading by 60%; the combination of divergent nozzle and, relatively, great inlet can improve the system performance, but it is limited by the flow separation; the system behaves insensitively to the rotor locations and rotor number. The location at the upstream cylindrical section is recommended; the optimal performance usually occurs under the condition of the upstream rotational speed lower than the downstream one. All revealed phenomena and the effectively designed test platform give the technique references for the shrouded system design and optimization.
Er,Cr:YSGG laser surface treatment of gamma titanium aluminide: Scanning electron microscopy–energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer analysis, wettability and Eikenella corrodens and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans bacteria count—in vitro study
Authors: Koopaie Maryam , Kia Darbandsari Ali , Hakimiha Neda , Kolahdooz Sajad
Published: May 2020

Dental implants play an important role in oral health. Titanium dental implants must endure the complex microflora environment of the oral cavity. Moreover, bacterial infections have been considered as one of the most important factors of implant failure. The issue of dental improvement through modification of chemical composition and surface treatment has received considerable critical attention. γ-TiAl as a novo biocompatible material revealed a slower corrosion rate in biological media rather Ti-6Al-4V. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of Er,Cr:YSGG laser on γ-TiAl in comparison with sandblasted and acid-etched samples as the control groups and machined samples.

Wettability, surface roughness, surface topography, scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer analysis of surface and subsurface of samples were investigated and bacteria counts of two periodontal bacterial strains ( Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Eikenella corrodens) were evaluated on the Er,Cr:YSGG laser surface-treated sandblasted and acid-etched and machined samples.

The results of this investigation show that Er,Cr:YSGG laser surface treatment affects surface roughness, surface topography, wettability, chemical composition of the surface and bacteria count. Scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer analysis of the sample revealed the increment of titanium and oxygen content and reduction of aluminum content in the surface and subsurface layer. A. actinomycetemcomitans and E. corrodens count were found from the lowest level to highest in the sandblasted and acid-etched samples, laser samples and machined samples, respectively.

Using controlled parameters of Er,Cr:YSGG laser ensured no significant adverse alteration. The findings to emerge from this study revealed the significant correlation between microbial count and wettability. Furthermore, the contact angle strongly correlated with surface roughness.
Safe and competent nursing care: An argument for a minimum standard?
Authors: Tønnessen Siri , Scott Anne , Nortvedt Per
Published: May 2020

There is no agreed minimum standard with regard to what is considered safe, competent nursing care. Limited resources and organizational constraints make it challenging to develop a minimum standard. As part of their everyday practice, nurses have to ration nursing care and prioritize what care to postpone, leave out, and/or omit. In developed countries where public healthcare is tax-funded, a minimum level of healthcare is a patient right; however, what this entails in a given patient’s actual situation is unclear. Thus, both patients and nurses would benefit from the development of a minimum standard of nursing care. Clarity on this matter is also of ethical and legal concern. In this article, we explore the case for developing a minimum standard to ensure safe and competent nursing care services. Any such standard must encompass knowledge of basic principles of clinical nursing and preservation of moral values, as well as managerial issues, such as manpower planning, skill-mix, and time to care. In order for such standards to aid in providing safe and competent nursing care, they should be in compliance with accepted evidence-based nursing knowledge, based on patients’ needs and legal rights to healthcare and on nurses’ codes of ethics. That is, a minimum standard must uphold a satisfactory level of quality in terms of both professionalism and ethics. Rather than being fixed, the minimum standard should be adjusted according to patients’ needs in different settings and may thus be different in different contexts and countries.
Measuring the Impact of Microfinance on Economic Enhancement of Women: Analysis with Special Reference to India
Authors: Samineni Sridevi , Ramesh Kandela
Published: May 2020

Enhancing economic opportunities among the self-help groups (SHG), women through micro-credit is considered to be a major resource. The aspiration is to build resilient livelihoods through SHGs for graduating into small enterprises through efficient microfinance outreach. It is the dream objective with the efficient SHG–bank linkages to be acheived. Previously, SHGs were focused only on saving skills, but now the emphasis is to enhance economic opportunities through exposure to income-generating activities and build confidence to earn and handle money. In India, few states with a higher level of microfinance outreach are the states with relatively high levels of economic enhancement. In this facet, the methodological aspects of the journey of microfinance towards unleashing the power of women in India is systematically analysed, and the state-wise analysis of women’s economic enhancement performance is examined. In the light of empirical evidence, a wide variation in the outreach of microfinance intervention to the poor women is observed across the regions of the country. Women’s empowerment is seen as the progressive index for development. Across India, only 11 states have women empowerment index more than 1, while the remaining states score lower than 1. The strategy is to train and promote talented women to establish micro-enterprises for earning recurring income. For understanding the status of women across the country the mean analysis between the regions was done using two variables. The results confirm that the southern and eastern regions lead in dispersion (MD1) of funds, whereas microfinance access (MD2) is dominant in southern and central regions, indicating relatively high levels of economic enhancement. It is, thus, assumed that microfinance in true spirit can be a useful tool for achieving vibrant growth by narrowing the non-performing assets (NPAs) of the SHGs and channelizing the resources into micro-level planning and training for self-sustenance.
Measuring Socio-Economic Inequality in Self-Reported Morbidity in India: Decomposition Analysis
Authors: Akhtar M.D. Azharuddin , Ahmad Nadeem , Chowdhury Indrani Roy
Published: May 2020

This paper assesses socio-economic inequalities in self-reported morbidities (SRMs) among households in India. Particularly, we addressed two questions. Is socio-economic-related inequality in SRMs significantly pro-rich or pro-poor? What are the major socio-economic and regional determinants contributing to inequality? This study is based on National Sample Survey 71st round (2014). We calculated equity ratio and concentration index (CI) to assess socio-economic-related inequality. Further, we applied probit regression and decomposition of CI to identify the major factors contributing to inequality.

The finding suggests that SRMs and hospital admission have significantly pro-rich distribution, and accessibility to healthcare is a constraint against poor households. After adjusting the inequality, the unjust inequality due to socio-economic gradient is still found to be significant. Overall, income and regional differences are observed to be inflating factors, while education and insurance are observed to be deflating factors in socio-economic inequality in SRMs. High out-of-pocket expenditure with high proportion of transportation cost indicates high burden of accessing healthcare, which acts as a deterrent for poor in seeking healthcare. The government targets of investing 2.5 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product in the healthcare sector and running an ambitious programme like Universal Health Coverage are necessary efforts in the presence of income and health inequalities.
Sciatic Nerve Structural and Functional Recovery with Extract of Phyllanthus amarus and Esculetin in STZ-Induced Hyperglycemic Rats
Authors: Srilatha Kota , Reddy Karnati Pratap
Published: May 2020

Background: Diabetes-instigated nerve damage is a chronic complication including impaired peripheral nerve function with lowered nerve conduction velocity (NCV), demyelination of nerve fibres and alterations in the behaviour. Many clinical and experimental studies have proved that Phyllanthus amarus and esculetin have potential effects against various diseases.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to assess the neuroprotective role of hydro-ethanolic extract of Phyllanthus amaras (PAE) and esculetin (ESC) on NCV, metabolism, behavioural and structural changes in diabetic rats.

Methods: The extent of protection using PAE and ESC in diabetic rats was determined by checking the HbA1c, NO, myeloperoxidase (MPO), total calcium, protein content, Na+-K+ ATPase activity, acetylcholine content and behavioural alterations using rotarod and maze learning tests on 7, 14 and 21 days. NCV was measured on the 21st day.

Results: The diabetic rats showed increased HbA1c, nitrite, MPO, calcium and decreased protein, Na+-K+ ATPase activity, NCV, acetylcholine, behavioural alterations and morphological changes of sciatic nerve so that diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is manifested. Continuous treatment for three weeks with Phyllanthus amarus and esculetin significantly minimized the damage to axons and myelin sheath and enhanced the sciatic NCV by reversing all the mentioned parameters.

Conclusion: Phyllanthus amarus and esculetin showed the anti-diabetic as well as anti-inflammatory characteristics by prevention of initiation of adverse processes of the sciatic nerve morphology, internal cell functions leading to improved coordination, behavioural and physiological functions in STZ-induced diabetic rats. PAE has shown similar effects with the ESC. However, further studies are essential to confirm their detailed therapeutic effects.
Employees With Autism Spectrum Disorders in the Digitized Work Environment: Perspectives for the Future
Authors: Tomczak Michał T.
Published: May 2020

The aim of this article is to examine the opportunities for employees with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), arising from digital technology (DT) development. The author discusses assistive technology (AT) as a mean of creating a better work environment, making the digitized workplace more friendly for people with ASD. A possible solution of communication problems is replacing the interpersonal communication between employees with electronic (non-direct) forms of communication, such as online communicators or chatbots. Another solution is the implementation of wearable electronic systems, monitoring stress levels and facilitating effective stress control. In the future, the whole digitized workplace could be designed according to a “smart workplace” concept. Sensors recording various human body parameters could be connected to a network with sensors recording physical parameters of the work environment (temperature, humidity, noise, smell, sunlight exposure) and also with controllers of its values, adjusting it dynamically to reduce distracting factors. As a result, communication, stress management, and sensory sensitiveness problems could be limited, improving the work comfort of people with ASD, and their colleagues. The pertinence of solutions proposed was also confirmed by the experts interviewed in the field who were asked to assess it in the context of future implementation.
Experimental validation of piezoelectric shunt tuning with residual mode correction: Damping of plate-like structures
Authors: Toftekær Johan Frederik , Høgsberg Jan
Published: May 2020

The effective vibration mitigation properties of piezoceramic patches with inductive-resistive shunts are investigated experimentally. A shunt tuning method is proposed, in which a consistent correction for the influence from residual vibration modes is included by an effective modal capacitance, evaluated from measured charge and voltage amplitudes in short- and open-circuit conditions, respectively. The robustness of the proposed method is verified experimentally for both a free beam and a free plate structure with four shunted piezoceramic patch pairs. A stable and fully passive inductor is produced by winding a copper wire around a magnetic core, which requires precise inductance tuning to determine the final number of turns. It is demonstrated that the effective modal capacitance interpolates consistently between the blocked and static capacitances, commonly used for single-mode tuning of piezoelectric inductive-resistive shunts. By imposing pseudo-random vibrations, the piezoelectric current and voltage signals are measured and evaluated by their frequency response functions. Spectrum peak values determine the apparent short-circuit charge to open-circuit voltage ratio for each shunt, which directly determines the shunt components by explicit tuning formulas. Good correlation between numerical and experimental results are obtained for the free beam, while for the free plate experiment effective multi-mode shunt tuning is obtained by a modified effective electromechanical coupling coefficient.
The Development and Implementation of a Cardiac Home Hospice Program: Results of a RE-AIM Analysis
Authors: Jordan Lizeyka , Russell David , Baik Dawon , Dooley Frances , Masterson Creber Ruth M.
Published: May 2020

Background:

Use of hospice has grown among patients with heart failure; however, gaps remain in the ability of agencies to tailor services to meet their needs.

Aim:

This study describes the implementation of a cardiac home hospice program and insights for dissemination to other hospice programs.

Design:

We conducted a multimethod analysis structured around the Reach Effectiveness Adoption Implementation and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework.

Settings/Participants:

We used electronic medical records for our quantitative data source and interviews with hospice clinicians from a not-for-profit hospice agency (N = 32) for our qualitative data source.

Results:

Reach—A total of 1273 participants were enrolled in the cardiac home hospice program, of which 57% were female and 42% were black or Hispanic with a mean age was 86 years. Effectiveness—The cardiac home hospice program increased hospice enrollment among patients with heart failure from 7.9% to 9.5% over 1 year (2016-2017). Adoption—Institutional factors that supported the program included the acute need to support medically complex patients at the end of life and an engaged clinical champion. Implementation—Program implementation was supported by interdisciplinary teams who engaged in care coordination. Maintenance—The program has been maintained for over 3 years.

Conclusion:

The cardiac home hospice program strengthened hospice clinicians’ ability to confidently provide care for patients with heart failure, expanded awareness of their symptoms among clinicians, and was associated with increased enrollment of patients with heart failure over the study period. This RE-AIM evaluation provides lessons learned and strategies for future adoption, implementation, and maintenance of a cardiac home hospice program.
An Innovative Assessment of the Dynamics of Facial Movements in Surgically Managed Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Using 4D Imaging
Authors: Gattani Shyam , Ju Xiangyang , Gillgrass Toby , Bell Aileen , Ayoub Ashraf
Published: May 2020

Objective:

Assess facial asymmetry during maximum smile in patients with surgically managed unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP), using a dynamic 3-dimensional (3D) imaging (4-dimensional) system.

Design:

Prospective 2 cohort comparative study.

Methods:

Twenty-five surgically managed UCLP cases and 75 controls at 8 to 10 years of age were recruited. Facial movements during maximum smile were recorded using video stereophotogrammetry at a rate of 60 3D facial images per second. Maximum smile took approximately 3 seconds and generated 180 3D facial images for the analysis. A generic facial mesh which consists of more than 7000 quasi landmarks was used for the assessment of facial asymmetry at 5 key 3D frames representing the pattern of maximum smile.

Results:

Statistically significant differences were seen regarding the magnitude of facial asymmetry between the UCLP group and the noncleft controls. Higher average asymmetry in the UCLP group was seen in the 3D frame midway between maximum smile and rest (frame 4) followed by the frame at peak expression of maximum smile (frame 3). The average magnitude of nasolabial asymmetry of the control group was within 0.5 mm in comparison with the UCLP cases which was about 1.8 mm.

Conclusion:

This study provided for the first time, an objective tool for analysis of the dynamics of muscle movements which provided an unprecedented insight into the anatomical basis of the residual dysmorphology. The research demonstrates the limitations of the primary lip repair in achieving symmetrical results and underpins the required refinements to improve the quality of surgical repair of cleft lip.
Ethical Leadership and Team Ethical Voice and Citizenship Behavior in the Military: The Roles of Team Moral Efficacy and Ethical Climate
Authors: Kim Dongkyu , Vandenberghe Christian
Published: May 2020

In recent years, unethical conduct (e.g., Enron, Lehman Brothers, Oxfam, Volkswagen) has become an important issue in management; relatedly, there is growing interest regarding the nature and implications of ethical leadership. Drawing from social learning theory, we posited that ethical leadership would positively relate to team ethical voice and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) through team moral efficacy. Furthermore, building on social information processing theory and the social intuitionist model, we expected these effects to be accentuated in teams with a strong ethical climate. Using survey data from subordinates and leaders pertaining to 150 teams from the Republic of Korea Army, ethical leadership was found to indirectly relate to increased team ethical voice and OCB directed at individuals and the organization through team moral efficacy. These relationships tended to be amplified among teams with a strong ethical climate. In addition, these findings persisted while controlling for transformational leadership, thereby highlighting the incremental value of ethical leadership for team outcomes. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
What Do Parents Think About School Meals? An Exploratory Study of Rural Middle School Parents’ Perceptions
Authors: Meier Cristian L. , Brady Patrick , Askelson Natoshia , Ryan Grace , Delger Patti , Scheidel Carrie
Published: May 2020

Interventions targeting school meals have been used to combat obesity in rural youth. Parents play a powerful role in childhood nutrition; however, we know little about parents’ perceptions of school meal programs. This study aimed to understand parents’ perceptions of school meal programs. Surveys were administered to middle school parents ( n = 576) at six schools in a rural state. We conducted univariate and multivariate analyses to measure parents’ overall perceptions of the school meals program and to identify differences in perceptions by their children’s participation in the Free and Reduced Price School Meals (F&RM) program. Parents had largely negative views of school meals but agreed that they met students’ needs. Results of the multivariate analysis revealed differences in perceptions by participation in F&RM including the relative importance of meal components. Including parents in meal-related experiences and decision making could improve their perceptions and increase children’s participation in school lunch programs.
On Seitz’s The Elder Testament: He Pitched a Winning Game but with Unforced Errors
Authors: Van Leeuwen Raymond C.
Published: May 2020

Seitz’s new book is a “ Summa” of his decades-long work of theological exegesis which shows the theological “pressure” that the Old Testament inherently exerts towards the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. His focus is not just the “economic” Trinity—God in God’s historical works—but the “ontological Trinity”: God in God’s very self. His exegesis mines theological insights from the church fathers to the great Reformers, Luther and Calvin. An unfortunate weakness in the book is its copy editing and proofreading.
Utility of Volumetric Measurement via Weight-Bearing Computed Tomography Scan to Diagnose Syndesmotic Instability
Authors: Bhimani Rohan , Ashkani-Esfahani Soheil , Lubberts Bart , Guss Daniel , Hagemeijer Noortje C. , Waryasz Gregory , DiGiovanni Christopher W.
Published: May 2020

Background:

Weight-bearing computed tomography (WBCT) allows evaluation of the distal syndesmosis under physiologic load. We hypothesized that WBCT volumetric measurement of the distal syndesmosis would be increased on the injured as compared to the contralateral uninjured side and that these 3-dimensional (3D) calculations would be a more sensitive determinant than 2-dimensional (2D) methodology among patients with syndesmotic instability.

Methods:

Twelve patients with unilateral syndesmotic instability requiring operative fixation who underwent preoperative bilateral foot and ankle WBCT were included in the study group. The control group consisted of 24 patients without ankle injury who underwent similar imaging. On WBCT scan, 2D measurements of the syndesmosis joint were first measured 1 cm above the joint line in the axial plane via syndesmotic area and distances between the anterior, middle, and posterior quadrants. Thereafter, comparative 3D volumetric measurements of the syndesmotic joint were also calculated: (1) from the tibial plafond extending until 3 cm proximally, (2) 5 cm proximally, and (3) 10 cm proximally.

Results:

In patients with unilateral syndesmotic instability, all 3 weight-bearing volumetric measurements were significantly larger on the injured side as compared to the contralateral, uninjured side ( P < .001). In the control group, there was no difference between syndesmotic volumes at any level. Of these 3 anatomic reference points, the 3D measurement spanning from the tibial plafond to a level 5 cm proximally had the highest relative volumetric ratio between the injured and uninjured side, suggesting it is the most sensitive in distinguishing between stable and unstable syndesmotic injury ( P < .001). Notably, this 3D volumetric measurement was also more sensitive than 2D measurements ( P = .001).

Conclusion:

3D volumetric measurement of the syndesmosis joint appears to be the most effective way to diagnose syndesmotic instability, compared with more traditional 2D syndesmosis measurement.

Level of Evidence:

Level III, retrospective comparative study.
Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 Inhibitors and Ezetimibe on Risk of New-Onset Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Large, Double-Blinded Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Chiu Sarah W. , Pratt Cristina M. , Feinn Richard , Chatterjee Saurav
Published: May 2020

Background:

Previous meta-analyses have shown that statins may cause incident diabetes. This article reviews randomized controlled trials using proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin 9 inhibitors (PCSK9i) or ezetimibe on the risk of new-onset diabetes.

Methods:

Eight trials involving PCSK9i and 3 trials of ezetimibe were selected for review. PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Clinicaltrials.gov were thoroughly searched for relevant trials. Inclusion criteria included at least 100 patients per treatment arm, follow-up of at least 52 weeks, and at least double-blinded study design. Exclusion criteria included patients with previously diagnosed diabetes, nonrandomized, placebo-controlled, open-label, and crossover trials. The primary outcome was the number of incident diabetes cases. A random effects model was used. Heterogeneity in effect sizes was measured with I 2 parameter and the Q statistic was used to test for excessive between-study heterogeneity.

Results:

A total of 52 214 participants for the PCSK9i and a total of 20 084 for the ezetimibe meta-analyses were included. Participants randomized to PCSK9i did not differ from the control patients in diabetes incidence (risk ratio [RR] = 0.99, P = .87, 95% CI = 0.92-1.07). Participants randomized to ezetimibe did not differ from the control patients in diabetes incidence (RR = 1.05, P = .37, 95% CI = 0.95-1.15).

Discussion:

The use of PCSK9i and ezetimibe does not appear to impact the risk of incident diabetes mellitus when added to guideline-directed medical therapy.
Short- and Midterm Adherence to Platelet P2Y12 Receptor Inhibitors After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Drug-Eluting Stents
Authors: Morita Fernando , Wajngarten Mauricio , Katz Marcelo , Fernandes-Silva Miguel Morita , Caixeta Adriano , Franken Marcelo , Lemos Pedro A. , Pesaro Antonio E.
Published: May 2020

Introduction/Objectives:

In patients who have undergone recent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), poor adhesion to antiplatelet agents may increase the risk of stent thrombosis and death. We aimed to investigate the adherence to different P2Y12 receptor inhibitors after PCI with drug-eluting stent in stable and unstable patients and to evaluate the factors associated with low adherence.

Method:

In a prospective study conducted between 2014 and 2018, the 8-item Morisky scale was applied at 30 days and 6 months post-PCI to measure P2Y12 receptor inhibitors adherence. Also, we describe the characteristics of patients using different platelet receptor P2Y12 inhibitors. Regression models were used to identify predictors of poor adherence.

Results:

A total of 214 patients were included (65 ± 12 years, 81% man, 61% acute coronary syndromes). Patients in the clopidogrel group were older than those in the prasugrel (68 ± 12 vs 59 ± 11 years, P < .01, respectively) or ticagrelor group (68 ± 12 vs 62 ± 12 years, P < .01). Patients with low/moderate adherence at 30 days and 6 months represented, respectively, 19.8% and 27.5% of our sample. Current smokers and preexisting cardiovascular disease at presentation were associated with lower adherence at 30 days.

Conclusions:

We found substantial rates of moderate and low adherence to P2Y12 receptor inhibitors early after PCI. Current smokers and preexisting cardiovascular disease at presentation were associated with a lower likelihood of adherence. These results highlight the need of monitoring adherence to medical treatment after PCI.
Entropy algorithms for detecting incipient damage in high-rise buildings subjected to dynamic vibrations
Authors: Amezquita-Sanchez Juan P
Published: May 2020

Civil structures are considered vital elements to the society and economy, but they are susceptible to different kinds of damage during their lifetime. Hence, the development of methodologies capable of assessing the condition of civil structures is of paramount importance. In this work, a new entropy-based methodology for detecting incipient damage in a high-rise building subjected to dynamic vibrations is presented. As different entropy methods have been introduced in the literature, the most representative entropy methods, Shannon entropy, Renyi entropy, approximate entropy, sample entropy, permutation entropy, and dispersion entropy, are investigated for evaluating their performance for damage detection. For performing this task, the vibrational responses measured in the high-rise building to different levels of damage are analyzed.
Structural damage detection in plates using a deep neural network–couple sparse coding classification ensemble method
Authors: Bokaeian Vahid , Khoshnoudian Faramarz , Fallahian Milad
Published: May 2020

The present study aims at identifying damages in plate structures by applying a pattern recognition–based damage detection technique using the frequency response function. The large number of degrees of freedom is one of the crucial obstacles in the way of accurately identifying damages in plate structures. On the other hand, frequency response functions include many details that dramatically lower the computing speed and enlarge the memory needed for storing data, hampering the application of this method. Furthermore, this study performs principal component analysis as an authoritative feature extraction method with the purpose of reducing the dimensions of the measured frequency response function data and generating distinct feature patterns. Also, because there has been no individual optimal classifier applicable to all problems, an ensemble comprising two powerful classifiers containing couple sparse coding classification and deep neural networks is used to predict the structure damage. This study evaluates the accuracy of damage detection by the proposed method in square-shaped structural plates with the lengths of 1 m and 2 m under different damage scenarios, namely, single and multiple element.
Are Transplant Centers That Meet Insurer Minimum Volume Requirements Better Quality?
Authors: Nicholas Lauren Hersch , Stith Sarah See
Published: May 2020

A pervasive viewpoint in health care is that higher patient volume leads to better outcomes, implying that facility volume can be used to identify high-quality providers. Hundreds of studies documenting a positive correlation between hospital volume and patient survival have motivated payers to use arbitrary minimum volume standards for elective surgical procedures, though it is unknown whether these policies actually improve patient outcomes. Using an instrumental variables approach, we show that minimum volume requirements in kidney transplantation do not reduce posttransplant mortality. These results suggest minimum volume requirements are not a useful proxy measure for quality and that restricting the number of hospitals from which patients can receive care could reduce access to necessary health care services.
Deep belief network–Based Matrix Factorization Model for MicroRNA-Disease Associations Prediction
Authors: Ding Yulian , Wang Fei , Lei Xiujuan , Liao Bo , Wu Fang-Xiang
Published: May 2020

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small single-stranded noncoding RNAs that have shown to play a critical role in regulating gene expression. In past decades, cumulative experimental studies have verified that miRNAs are implicated in many complex human diseases and might be potential biomarkers for various types of diseases. With the increase of miRNA-related data and the development of analysis methodologies, some computational methods have been developed for predicting miRNA-disease associations, which are more economical and time-saving than traditional biological experimental approaches. In this study, a novel computational model, deep belief network (DBN)-based matrix factorization (DBN-MF), is proposed for miRNA-disease association prediction. First, the raw interaction features of miRNAs and diseases were obtained from the miRNA-disease adjacent matrix. Second, 2 DBNs were used for unsupervised learning of the features of miRNAs and diseases, respectively, based on the raw interaction features. Finally, a classifier consisting of 2 DBNs and a cosine score function was trained with the initial weights of DBN from the last step. During the training, the miRNA-disease adjacent matrix was factorized into 2 feature matrices for the representation of miRNAs and diseases, and the final prediction label was obtained according to the feature matrices. The experimental results show that the proposed model outperforms the state-of-the-art approaches in miRNA-disease association prediction based on the 10-fold cross-validation. Besides, the effectiveness of our model was further demonstrated by case studies.
Three-Year Results of the Nellix Endovascular Aneurysm Sealing System for Treatment of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms in Frail Patients with Poor Anatomical Features
Authors: Sonetto A. , Laukontaus S. , Vikatmaa L. , Aho P. , Venermo M.
Published: May 2020

Introduction:

Endovascular aneurysm sealing represents an alternative to advanced technology devices for compromised patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms. We report our results of 15 fragile patients with very low-quality infrarenal necks treated with endovascular aneurysm sealing.

Material and methods:

All patients treated with Nellix device in our hospital between June 2015 and October 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. The primary endpoints are the following: overall survival and freedom from reintervention rates. The secondary endpoints are the following: technical success; 30-day mortality; abdominal aortic aneurysm–related mortality; and freedom from endoleak rate, complications, and surgical conversion rate.

Results:

Nellix was used in 15 patients, median age 75.5 years, of which 67% were unfit for open surgery. Mean aneurysm diameter was 60 mm. One-third (5/15) of the patients were inside the Nellix instructions for use. Technical success rate was 93.3%. No perioperative complications existed, and 30-day mortality was 0%. Median follow-up was 35 (interquartile range: 11–37) months. Survival rates at 1 and 3 years were 80% and 59.3%. Abdominal aortic aneurysm–related mortality occurred in 3 of 15 cases. Freedom from rupture rates at 1 and 3 years were 92.9% and 66%. Freedom from endoleak rates at 1 and 3 years were 92.9% and 74.5%. Freedom from reintervention rates at 1 and 3 years were 86.7% and 70.6%, with a dramatic drop to 37.1% at 4 years of follow-up. Three open surgery conversions were needed. There were no statistically significant differences in results between patients treated inside and outside instructions for use.

Conclusion:

The endovascular aneurysm sealing has shown encouraging short-term results, but its safety and effectiveness during time is questionable, because this system still carries high rates of reintervention, conversions for type IA endoleaks, and secondary aneurysm ruptures.
Are you ready for artificial Mozart and Skrillex? An experiment testing expectancy violation theory and AI music
Authors: Hong Joo Wha , Peng Qiyao , Williams Dmitri
Published: May 2020

This study employs an experiment to test assessments of music composed by artificial intelligence. We examined the influence of (a) met or unmet expectations about artificial intelligence (AI)-composed music, (b) whether the music is better or worse than expected, and (c) the genre of the evaluation of music using a 2 (expectancy violation vs confirmation) × 2 (positive vs negative evaluation) × 2 (electronic dance music vs classical) design. The relationship between the belief about creative AI and the music evaluation was also analyzed. Participants ( n = 299) in an online survey listened to a randomly assigned music piece. The acceptance of creative AI was found to have a positive relationship with the assessment of AI-composed music. A two-way interaction between the expectancy violation and its valence, and a three-way interaction between the expectancy violation, its valence, and the genre of music were found. Implications for Expectancy Violation Theory and AI applications are discussed.
In Search of the Ideal Tool for International School Teachers to Increase their Global Competency: An Action Research Analysis of the Global Competency Learning Continuum
Authors: Carter Adam
Published: May 2020

It is clear that if international school teachers are to be able to properly prepare students for a 21st century globalized workplace, they must first develop the global competence and intercultural skills needed to implement their students’ development of global knowledge, skills and attitudes. Unfortunately, in many public schools and international schools, teachers do not possess the global competency needed to do so effectively. Since it can be expensive and ambitious to instill global competency in teachers on a school-wide, district-wide or nation-wide level, it may be more feasible for individual teachers to address their global competency deficit and take the necessary steps to improve it. There are several tools that can be used by individual teachers seeking to improve the awareness, skills and dispositions needed to become a truly globally competent teacher.

This study focused on an innovative new tool, the Global Competency Learning Continuum (GCLC), which was designed for teachers and offers a resource library to help teachers address their shortcomings in twelve different levels of global competency. The research sought to ascertain whether the Global Competency Learning Continuum is an appropriate tool for international school teachers to use to assess and improve their global competency – or if there is a demand for an entirely new instrument that is more applicable to international school teachers. After reviewing research from surveys of international teachers, the data indicates that the Global Competency Learning Continuum is a promising and effective tool for use by international school teachers. It is the only tool designed specifically for teachers by a highly-respected educational institution, is free of charge and offers a valuable trove of resources for teachers who wish to actively improve their global competency.
Studying Abroad in Britain: Advantages and Disadvantages
Authors: Grace Chien Y
Published: May 2020

There are two sides to every door. This research investigated the advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad at a university in south west England through a sequential exploratory mixed methods design. Except for slight differences in ranking of the perceived top study abroad benefits, interview and survey findings regarding advantages were mostly consistent, suggesting that study abroad issues are generally double-edged to include both positive and negative effects, including for one-year Masters programmes in Britain. In terms of employment advantage, instead of a traditionally so-called ‘Western’ or ‘Eastern’ country of origin commonly stated in existing studies, this research suggests that the degree of economic development seems to be strongly related to differences in international students’ homeland employment opportunities. Finally, advantages rather than disadvantages of study abroad experiences were reported more strongly by research participants throughout the study.
Evaluation of acoustic emission source localization accuracy in concrete structures
Authors: Zhang Fengqiao , Pahlavan Lotfollah , Yang Yuguang
Published: May 2020

Acoustic emission source localization is a promising monitoring technique for concrete structures. However, the accuracy of acoustic emission source localization is influenced by many factors, such as the presence of cracks, which are commonly observed in existing reinforced concrete structures. In this article, the acoustic emission source localization is evaluated using a numerical model with a total number of 11,827,200 independent simulated tests. In this work, the investigated influential factors include the presence of cracks, arrival time picking error, and senor layout. The accuracy of source localization is quantified by the characteristic error defined in this article. Using the proposed wave propagation properties, a relatively stable characteristic error of 150 mm is estimated in the detection zone with the maximum sensor spacing less than 1 m. The evaluation approach and simulated characteristic error are validated experimentally by comparing the 200 manually generated signals using hammer hits on a cracked concrete beam.
Says who? How the match between the social identity of organizations and their audiences increases perceptions of organizational authenticity
Authors: Kovács Balázs , Horwitz Suzanne
Published: May 2020

Research shows that people systematically prefer “authentic” organizations above organizations that are not deemed authentic. Yet, people who desire authenticity may also be unable to detect what is authentic. We propose that endorsement by audiences that match the organization’s identity may provide a useful cue for authenticity. Using an experimental approach, we test for audience effects in the context of online reviews about a restaurant’s authenticity and find that reviewers whose ethnic identity match the restaurant’s cuisine are more influential on third-party perceptions of authenticity and subsequent liking of the restaurant. These experiments demonstrate that the effect works through a stereotype-based inferred expertise mechanism, but do not provide support to the “mere presence” and “ingroup-homophily” mechanisms. We discuss the scope conditions of our theory and explore how our general theory of audience-organization identity match applies to organizations besides restaurants, to audience characteristic besides ethnicity, and to organizational characteristics beside authenticity.
Negotiating human engagement and the fixity of computational design: Toward a performative design space for the differently-abled bodymind
Authors: Ahlquist Sean
Published: May 2020

Computational design affords agency: the ability to orchestrate the material, spatial, and technical architectural system. In this specific case, it occurs through enhanced, authored means to facilitate making and performance—typically driven by concerns of structural optimization, material use, and responsivity to environmental factors—of an atmospheric rather than social nature. At issue is the positioning of this particular manner of agency solely with the architect auteur. This abruptly halts—at the moment in which fabrication commences—the ability to amend, redefine, or newly introduce fundamentally transformational constituents and their interrelationships and, most importantly, to explore the possibility for extraordinary outcomes. When the architecture becomes a functional, social, and cultural entity, in the hands of the idealized abled-bodied user, agency—especially for one of an otherly body or mind—is long gone. Even an empathetic auteur may not be able to access the motivations of the differently-abled body and neuro-divergent mind, effectively locking the constraints of the design process, which creates an exclusionary system to those beyond the purview of said auteur. It can therefore be deduced that the mechanisms or authors of a conventional computational design process cannot eradicate the exclusionary reality of an architectural system. Agency is critical, yet a more expansive terminology for agent and agency is needed. The burden to conceive of capacities that will always be highly temporal, social, unpredictable, and purposefully unknown must be shifted far from the scope of the traditional directors of the architectural system. Agency, and who it is conferred upon, must function in a manner that dissolves the distinctions between the design, the action of designing, the author of design, and those subjected to it.
Moving Away From Partisanship: Diversifying the Motives Behind Political Polarization
Authors: Guan Tianru , Liu Tianyang , Yang Yilu
Published: May 2020

Most current academic work on political polarization treats partisanship as the dominant motivational driver behind social cleavage and mass polarization. This essay engages in the debate by moving beyond the conceptual straitjacket of partisanship-driven polarization, recasting the primary motives behind political polarization into the three situated and interrelated ideologies that drive the phenomenon of polarization at a mass level, namely, populism, system-justifying attitudes, and state-sponsored ideologies (including religiosity and other cultural identities). By signposting more open-ended, processual, and ambivalent conceptions behind polarization, this article attempts to systematically map the alternative motives of polarization, and in doing so supplement our understanding of the deep ideological divides present not only in Western democracies, but also in many (semi-)authoritarian contexts. The article offers a point of departure for appreciating the coexistence, coevolution, and mutual constitution of the different ideological motives behind polarization, and suggests ways to develop paths to depolarization through a grounded, processual–relational analysis of the world.
Assessing the Effectiveness of an Extender Model Partnership in Implementing a Multicomponent, School-Based Nutrition Intervention
Authors: Scherr Rachel E. , Jones PhD Anna M. , Colorafi Rachel , Klisch Shannon , Linnell Jessica D. , Soule Katherine E.
Published: May 2020

Childhood obesity continues to be a problem of national concern; school-based obesity prevention programs that incorporate nutrition education are among the efforts to address this issue. Implementation of these programs is often conducted through partner agencies like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed). As educators within these agencies have limited time and many schools qualify for programming, developing programs that extend reach by partnering with classroom teachers to deliver nutrition education is critical. The purpose of this article is to evaluate the effectiveness of a teacher extender model compared with direct nutrition education from trained staff using the research-tested, evidence-based Shaping Healthy Choices Program. Data collected as part of this evaluation in intervention and control groups included nutrition knowledge, body mass index percentile, and vegetable identification in youth; lesson fidelity observations and feasibility from teachers; and demographics from parents. Overall, unequal within variances did not allow for the statistical power to detect change. Generally, teachers enjoyed the program but found it too time-consuming to implement. While results were unclear, important lessons were learned regarding the implementation of extender programs warranting further research. Overall, this study aligns with others in the literature that indicate time is a major barrier to implementing nutrition education in the classroom. This study underscores the need for policy mandating nutrition education in schools.