bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Corporate Debt and Outsourcing in India
Authors: Majumdar Sumit K
Published: June 2019

The structure of firms' activities, as to whether they should be undertaken internally or performed wholly or partially with the help of external firms, has been important. The issue of outsourcing has generated interest among academics and practitioners. Simultaneously, how firms' capital structures influence behaviour is important, because the divergent goals and preferences of different providers of capital can manifest themselves in the form of differences in strategies pursued by firms.

This article uniquely evaluates whether variations in Indian firms' capital structures, and more specifically, the quantity and type of debt chosen by firms, have influenced firms' outsourcing decisions. Governance mechanisms in Indian organizations have been unique when compared to that elsewhere, with government playing a big role in the financing of firms since banks and financial institutions are, in the main, government-owned. Also, the legal environment is unique and different from those in advanced economies. The link between capital structure and strategy, thus, can become quite unusual in India. The evaluation is based on a large sample of firms for which debt data were available.

The main finding noted is that as the proportion of funds borrowed by Indian firms from commercial banks and financial institutions rise, these firms engage in greater levels of outsourcing and are less inclined to vertically integrate. In the presence of financing by government-owned banks and financial institutions, industry has been able to engage in strategies that may not be compatible with asset and property rights protection and performance enhancement. This is due to the collective action problem banks and financial institutions may face in monitoring lenders. As far as corporate debentures are concerned, where debentures rise as a proportion of borrowings, firms continue to engage in outsourcing. Possibly they can ignore the pressures from bondholders, who in India have not yet had a significant presence as the corporate debt market in India is still relatively under-developed and inadequate as a source of funds. By that same logic, firms can ignore pressures from fixed deposit holders to adopt performance-enhancing or property rights protecting strategies. Yet, fixed deposit holders show an ability to influence firms to lower outsourcing as their presence in the debt structure of firms enhances. This may be not due to fixed deposit holders' influencing abilities but because the relative costs of fixed deposits are high, with interest rates on fixed deposits five to ten percentage points more than that for other debt. The enhancement of fixed deposits in firm' debt profiles will cause margin pressures. To obviate these, firms may resort to potentially cost-saving integration strategies.
The Equity Market around the Ex-Split Date: Evidence from India
Authors: Chakraborty Madhumita
Published: June 2019

Theory suggests that stock-splits are cosmetic corporate events as they simply increase the number of outstanding shares and decrease the price of each outstanding share. Hence, there should be no significant effect on the value of the firm. However, empirical evidence suggests that the market generally reacts favourably to stock splits. The contradiction between theory, which expects no change in firm value consequent to stock splits, and the reality, with scores of evidence of significant market reaction, motivates the present study.

The market response to stock splits is investigated with the dataset from an emerging country � India for the period from March 1999 to December 2008. Based on availability of data, analysis was possible for 234 splits. The result of the investigation is in line with the results of many other studies, which shows significantly positive returns on the day of split execution. The regression analysis suggests that the positive reaction can be attributed to the small firm hypothesis and liquidity hypothesis. The result for the post-split period is characterized by abnormally high negative returns which wipes out much more than the positive gain during the split execution. This seems to be mostly explained by the pre-split price increase, firm size, and size of transaction, suggesting that the firms which have experienced a high pre-split increase in price as well as the smaller firms are the ones which suffer the worst returns. The significantly positive co-efficient for transaction size along with the observation that post-split average size of transaction has declined, implies trading intensity by small investors, who face severe negative performance in the post-split period. It is possible that small investors are lured to the market on split execution, while the informed players exit the same when the prices are at their peaks leaving the uninformed small investors with over-priced stocks, whose prices fall rapidly in the post-split period.

These findings may have immense implications for the smaller investors in designing their trading strategies. There may also be implications for the market regulators in protecting the small investors.
Impact of Corporate Governance Regulation on Market Risk
Authors: Misra Dheeraj , Vishnani Sushma
Published: June 2019

In case of public limited companies, there has been a separation of ownership from management. There is a lack of congruence between the interests of shareholders and managers. Shareholders always believe in maximizing their wealth while managers may invest the funds provided by shareholders in projects which may increase the size of the company but may provide inadequate returns to the shareholders.

Managers are better informed than shareholders about the prospects of the company. Thus, there is an information asymmetry between shareholders and managers. This leads to agency cost. The system should be designed in such a way that it reduces the information asymmetry between them.

One of the means in which information asymmetry can be reduced between shareholders and managers is to impose an effective regulation on the companies such that the shareholders are better informed about the prospects of the company. Mandatory disclosures on corporate governance means equity investors in a company have access to more information about the current performance and future prospects of the company. This information effect of corporate disclosures provides better estimates to the investors regarding the expected future cash flows. The reduction in the degree of uncertainty regarding the estimates of the firm�s future cash flows lowers beta (market risk) of the firm. Thus, from a theoretical point of view, the impact of corporate governance regulation has an inverse impact on market risk

To achieve the same objective, SEBI, a regulator of the Indian capital market, imposed a regulation for the listed public limited companies with effect from March 31, 2001.

This paper attempts to analyse whether the corporate governance regulation has reduced the market risk of the Indian A-Group companies of BSE. To investigate the impact of the regulation on market risk, a sample carrying more than thirteen years time period from March 1995 to August 2008, has been chosen.

The results show that neither the corporate governance regulation imposed on March 31, 2001 nor the amendments on the same brought on January 1, 2006 has been able to significantly reduce the market risk of A-Group companies of BSE. However, the investors consider the information content provided in the amendments more genuine and simpler than the information content provided in the original regulation.
Motives for Mergers and Takeovers in the Indian Mutual Fund Industry
Authors: Banga Charu , Gupta Amitabh
Published: June 2019

The Indian industry has seen a phenomenal consolidation through a spate of mergers and takeovers during the last decade. The mutual fund industry in India is no exception. It therefore becomes very important to understand the motives of mergers and takeovers in the Indian mutual fund industry. However, there is a significant difference between a corporate merger and the merger of a mutual fund. The present study uses various motives (variables) of corporate mergers and takeovers that fit in case of motives for mergers and takeovers of mutual fund schemes. As far as India is concerned, this is the first study of its kind; even in the international arena, limited research is available in this area. A two-stage multivariate procedure is used to identify the important factors that drive the merger of a mutual fund scheme from the viewpoint of an acquirer. The present study conducts a survey of 65 fund managers through a questionnaire containing fifteen statements to examine the motives behind the mergers and takeovers of mutual fund schemes. It checks the internal consistency and the reliability of the data using the Cronbach's Alpha. It performs an exploratory factor analysis using the fifteen statements in the questionnaire as different variables. Finally, it examines the important motives by conducting an ordinary least squares regression using the factors extracted from factor analysis.

The results reveal the following: The factor analysis produces six broad factors, viz., attractive price, fund governance, expansion of marketing and management capabilities, expansion of asset size, benefits of diversification, and increase in the market share. These six factors are then subjected to multiple regression with increase in the market share as the dependent variable. The regression shows that three out of the five factors tested are significant.

The findings of the study suggest that expansion of marketing and management capabilities, expansion of asset size, and benefits of diversification are the three most important motives behind mergers and takeovers of mutual fund schemes in India. The study is valuable to the financial economists, asset management companies, fund managers, unit holders, and the regulators in order to understand the important factors that influence mergers and takeovers of mutual fund schemes in India and their implications in order to make regulations for the mutual fund industry.
Controlling Common Method Variance while Measuring the Impact of Emotional Intelligence on Well-being
Authors: Krishnaveni R , Deepa R
Published: June 2019

Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability of an individual to use emotions intelligently for positive outcomes. This ability is said to have an impact on many aspects of our personal and professional lives. Well-being (WB) is a person�s state of mind regarding his/her life.

Theory suggests that highly emotionally intelligent individuals are likely to experience psychological well-being at a higher level than individuals who are low in emotional intelligence. Based on this concept, this paper examines the empirical relation between EI and WB, both of which are attitudinal variables. A sample of 104 respondents from the manufacturing sector of South India was considered for the study and their emotional intelligence and well-being levels were assessed using appropriate tools. When two attitude-based constructs are obtained from the same respondent, using the same instrument, at the same time, then the relationship between them is said to be influenced by Common Method Variance (CMV). It is the variance that is attributable to the measurement method rather than to the constructs the measures represent and is said to introduce a spurious correlation between the variables of interest.

In this study, both EI and WB were obtained from the same respondent, through a single instrument. Hence CMV was considered and acted upon. While controlling the effect of CMV on the empirical relation between EI and WB, this paper aims at the following sub-objectives: To assess the EI and WB levels of the respondents To implement procedural remedies to control CMV To implement statistical remedies to control CMV To prove that EI is a predictor of WB, over and above the effect of CMV.

Procedural remedies were used with respect to questionnaire design and statistical remedies were used to partial out the effect of CMV. This paper should serve as a framework for researchers, who wish to evaluate the potential biasing effects of method variance in their research, pertaining to behavioural aspects.
Execution Times of Small Limit Orders: A Simpler Modeling Approach
Authors: Chatterjee Devlina , Mukhopadhyay Chiranjit
Published: June 2019

In an electronic stock market, an equity trader can submit two kinds of orders: a market order or a limit order. In a market order, the trade occurs at the best available price on the opposite side of the book. In a limit order, on the other hand, the trader specifies a price (lower limit in case of sell orders and higher limit in case of buy orders) beyond which they are not willing to transact. Limit orders supply liquidity to the market and aid in price discovery since they indicate the prices that traders are willing to pay at any point of time. One of the risks that a trader placing a limit order faces is the risk of delayed execution or non-execution. If the execution is delayed, then the trader also faces a “picking-off” risk, in the event of the arrival of new information. With these issues in the background, a trader placing a limit order at a certain price, given various economic variables such as recent price movements as well as characteristics of the company in question, is interested in the probability of execution of the order as a function of subsequent elapsed time. For example, if she places a small sell order at 0.5 percent above the last traded price for a given stock, what is the probability that the order will be executed in the next t minutes?

With this motivation, this paper considers execution times of small limit orders in an electronic exchange, specifically the National Stock Exchange (NSE) of India. Order execution times have been studied in several other works, where they are modeled by reconstructing the history of the order book using high-frequency data. Here, for the first time, the much simpler approach of small hypothetical orders placed at certain prices at certain points of time has been used.

Given that an order has been placed at a certain price, subsequent price movements determine the lower and upper bounds of the time to execution based on when (and if) the order price is first reached and when it is first crossed. Survival analysis with interval censoring is used to model the execution probability of an order as a function of time. Several Accelerated Failure Time models are built with historical trades and order book data for 50 stocks over 63 trading days.

Additionally, choice of distributions, relative importance of covariates, and model reduction are discussed; and results qualitatively consistent with studies that did not use hypothetical orders are obtained. Interestingly, for the data, the differences between the above-mentioned bounds are not very large. Directly using them without interval censoring gives survival curves that bracket the correct curve obtained with interval censoring.

The paper concludes that this approach, though data- and computation-wise much less intensive than traditional approaches, nevertheless yields useful insights on execution probabilities of small limit orders in electronic exchanges.
Determinants of Going-Public Decision in an Emerging Market: Evidence from India
Authors: Mayur Manas , Kumar Manoj
Published: June 2019

During the past two decades, numerous Indian firms have gone public by undertaking Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) of their equity shares. Yet, many other Indian firms have intentionally chosen to remain private even though they fulfill the eligibility criteria of going public. This raises the question as to what are the determinants of firms' going-public decision.

While researchers have propounded several theories to explain the firms� going-public decision, yet the empirical studies conducted to test the proposed theories are still scarce, mainly due to lack of data on privately held firms necessary for a direct investigation of the choice between going public and remaining private. None of the existing studies have assessed the determinants of Indian firms' going-public decision. Besides, no consistent stylized facts have so far emerged. Rather contradictory findings have been reported in some of the existing studies. Further these individual studies have not been comprehensive as each of them has focused only on a limited number of determinants.

This study investigates the determinants of going-public decision of the Indian firms, juxtaposing the following two related research issues: What ex-ante (pre-IPO) characteristics of going-public Indian firms differentiate them from those Indian firms that continue to remain private even though they fulfill the eligibility criteria of going public? What ex-post consequences of IPOs on firm characteristics influence their goingpublic decision?

The preceding research issues are examined using two independent analyses. First, a panel probit regression analysis is done to identify the ex-ante characteristics of going- public Indian firms that differentiate them from those Indian firms that continue to remain private even though they fulfill the eligibility criteria of going public. This analysis reveals that going-public Indian firms tend to be younger, riskier, transparent, more profitable, experiencing higher sales growth, and larger-sized than firms that decide to remain private. Also if a firm belongs to retail trade sectors, it increases its probability to go public. In the second analysis, ex-post consequences of IPOs on firm characteristics are examined by comparing pre-IPO characteristics of IPO firms with their post-IPO characteristics using Wilcoxon two-sample signed rank test. This analysis suggests that Indian firms go public to: finance their growth and investments diversify owners' risk rebalance their capital structure bring down their borrowing rates.
Beyond Domestic Violence Shelter: Factors Associated With Housing Placements for Survivors Exiting Emergency Shelters
Authors: Stylianou Amanda M. , Pich Changnary
Published: June 2019

Domestic violence (DV) shelters are a critical resource for many survivors facing housing instability. Although DV shelter programs may address an array of survivor needs, DV survivors often identify the most pressing concerns as the need for safe housing and the financial resources to maintain housing. This study examines the factors associated with housing placements for DV survivors residing in emergency shelters. Data for this study came from program data collected by one organization operating six DV emergency shelters in an urban northeastern city. Among the sample of 347 DV survivors, findings revealed that there were significant associations between sociodemographic variables, services received, and post-discharge variables and post-shelter housing. Among this sample, three out of four residents (74.9%) left the DV shelter with housing in place. However, the findings suggest that there are areas for improved services and policy efforts to further support survivors in accessing safe and affordable housing. Our findings invite researchers and practitioners to consider further examination of best practices around program and policy options that support survivors in gaining economic independence and securing safe and affordable housing.
Mechanical and thermal properties of a biocomposite based on polyvinylchloride/epoxidized natural rubber blend reinforced with rice husk microfiller
Authors: Bui QB , Colin J , Nguyen TD , Mao ND , Nguyen TML , Perré P
Published: June 2019

In this study, a biocomposite material derived from rice husk filler (RHF) reinforced for polyvinyl chloride (PVC)/epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) blend was developed. RHF particles obtained as a byproduct from the agricultural industry were used as environmentally friendly fillers. ENR was applied as a plasticizer and compatibilizer to improve the compatibilization between PVC matrix and RHF. Regarding the influence of RHF content, RHF particle size, and ENR amount on the properties of such biocomposite, the mechanical and thermal properties were analyzed. The obtained results implied that the combination between PVC, ENR, and RHF in an optimized ratio of 90/10/20 (wt%) can produce a novel biocomposite with enhanced properties, which can offer good advantages for various applications in requirement of environmental protection.
Two-layer structure algorithm for estimation of commercial vehicle mass
Authors: Cai Liuliu , Wang Hongliang , Jia Tianle , Peng Pai , Pi Dawei , Wang Erlie
Published: June 2019

Aiming at the problem of mass estimation for commercial vehicle, a two-layer structure mass estimation algorithm was proposed. The first layer was the grade estimation algorithm based on recursive least squares method and the second layer was a mass estimation algorithm using the extended Kalman filter. The estimated grade was introduced as the observation quantity of the second layer. The influence of the suspension deformation on grade estimation was considered in the first layer algorithm, which was corrected in real time according to the mass and road grade estimated by the second layer algorithm. The proposed estimation algorithm was validated via a co-simulation platform involving TruckSim and MATLAB/Simulink. Finally, a road test was carried out, and the evaluation method using the root mean square error was proposed. According to the test, the average value of the root mean square error reduces from 871.65 to 772.52, grade estimation is more accurate, and the convergence speed of mass estimation is faster, compared with estimation results of the extended Kalman filter method.
Numerical investigation of the aerodynamic performance of dragonfly-like flapping foil in take-off flight
Authors: Shanmugam AR , Sohn CH
Published: June 2019

In this study, the aerodynamic performance of a dragonfly-like flapping foil is investigated in take-off flight using two-dimensional numerical simulations. Two parameters, foil spacing L * ( L/c) and the phase shift between forefoil and hindfoil ψ, which characterize the flow in the tandem configuration, are varied to explore their impact on the resulting aerodynamic performance. Both the vertical and thrust forces generated in one cycle are found to be strongly dependent on ψ and relatively weakly dependent on L *. The tandem configuration is beneficial for the vertical force generation in the range of 0° ≤  ψ ≤ 30°, and further, it aids the thrust force generation for 40° ≤  ψ ≤ 110°. The flow interactions between the forefoil and hindfoil can increase the vertical force generated in a cycle by a maximum of ∼1.2 times when ψ is close to 0° relative to the no foil–foil interaction case (additive effect of two single foils). These interactions can also increase the thrust force generated in a cycle by a maximum of ∼2.8 times when ψ is close to 80°. The vortex structures reveal that the enhancement in thrust force mainly depends on the timing of interactions and how the hindfoil utilizes the vortex detached from the forefoil to benefit from it. Further, we find that dragonflies use in-phase stroking pattern ( ψ = 0 °) with a large downstroke angle of attack, α D ( α D = 86 °), in the initial phase of take-off as it aids in generating additional vertical force. Our findings can significantly contribute to the design of micro aerial vehicles.
Multivariate-t linear mixed models with censored responses, intermittent missing values and heavy tails
Authors: Lin Tsung-I , Wang Wan-Lun
Published: June 2019

Multivariate longitudinal data arisen in medical studies often exhibit complex features such as censored responses, intermittent missing values, and atypical or outlying observations. The multivariate- t linear mixed model (MtLMM) has been recognized as a powerful tool for robust modeling of multivariate longitudinal data in the presence of potential outliers or fat-tailed noises. This paper presents a generalization of MtLMM, called the MtLMM-CM, to properly adjust for censorship due to detection limits of the assay and missingness embodied within multiple outcome variables recorded at irregular occasions. An expectation conditional maximization either (ECME) algorithm is developed to compute parameter estimates using the maximum likelihood (ML) approach. The asymptotic standard errors of the ML estimators of fixed effects are obtained by inverting the empirical information matrix according to Louis' method. The techniques for the estimation of random effects and imputation of missing responses are also investigated. The proposed methodology is illustrated on two real-world examples from HIV-AIDS studies and a simulation study under a variety of scenarios.
Knowing Leadership: Students of Color (Re)considering Togetherness with Leaders and Authority Figures
Authors: Douglas Ty-Ron M. O. , Beasley Jennifer M. , Crawford Emily R. , Vega Juan A. RÍos , McCamish Cayce
Published: June 2019

Drawing on Bauman's (1995) conceptualization of various forms of togetherness and Giroux (2005) and Anzaldúa (2007) explication of border theory, this paper presents findings of a research study that investigates how students of color come to know leaders and authority figures. Findings suggest that students identified “leaders” in part based on their relationships and connections with them and the perceived benefit of such connection. Family members and teachers were considered leaders when students’ relationships with them reflected Bauman's (1995) “being-for” perspective, as characterized by positive role modeling and empathy. In schools, teachers—rather than school administrators—were most often described as leaders. These relationships were commonly associated with disciplinary issues and the enforcement of rules, and a colorblind system. Implications suggest that relationship characteristics in the borderlands of schools influence the perception of effective school leadership and school authority for students of color.
Emotional Aspects in the Transition From Teaching to Assistant Principalship
Authors: Cohen Rinat , Schechter Chen
Published: June 2019

The transition from teaching to assistant principalship is a turning point in a teacher’s professional career. This transition not only reflects a change in one’s hierarchical standing at the school but also constitutes a stage that affects one’s administrative identity and aspirations to further advance in the management arena. Despite the importance of the assistant principal’s position in the school, there is a lack of worldwide research on the transition process from teaching to assistant principalship and the emotional aspects of this process. This study’s objective is to examine the emotional challenges faced by teachers as they enter the position of assistant principal. It is based on a qualitative study in which 23 assistant principals were accompanied during various stages of their entering office. Thirty-seven semistructured in-depth interviews were conducted (some of which were repeated interviews, conducted a year after the initial interview). In addition, four focus group interviews were conducted with newly appointed assistant principals. The research findings indicate an unexpected emotional ordeal on entering the role of assistant principal, often including stress, fear, crying, insomnia, fatigue, regrets, and guilt feelings. The conclusions and recommendations provided by this study may enable educational systems and colleges of education to recognize the emotional challenges that new assistant principals may face, thus addressing their needs by offering them mentorship, training, and support programs fit to deal with this unique position in school organization.
Overall Results for a National Program of Photodynamic Therapy for Basal Cell Carcinoma: A Multicenter Clinical Study to Bring New Techniques to Social Health Care
Authors: Buzzá Hilde Harb , Moriyama Lilian Tan , Vollet-Filho José Dirceu , Inada Natalia Mayumi , da Silva Ana Paula , Stringasci Mirian Denise , Requena Michelle Barreto , de Andrade Cintia Teles , Blanco Kate C. , Ramirez Dora Patricia , Kurachi Cristina , Salvio Ana Gabriela , Bagnato Vanderlei S.
Published: June 2019

Along the past years, a national program to implement photodynamic therapy (PDT) for nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) was performed over the Brazilian territory. Using a strategy involving companies, national bank, and medical partners, equipment, medication, and protocols were tested in a multicenter study. With results collected over 6 years, we could reach a great deal of advances concerning the use of PDT for skin cancer. We present the overall reached results of the program and discuss several aspects about it, including public politics of treatment. A discussion about advantages of this technique within conditions of health care is placed, comparing PDT with surgery, including an analysis about the implementation of PDT in countries in development as Brazil, considering not only technical but social aspects, as the distribution of medical doctor in the Brazilian territory. The program resulted in a huge dissemination of PDT in Brazil and many countries in Latin America, in a partnership among public politics, universities, companies, and hospitals and clinics and in the insertion of national technologies as option to treat NMSC. Consequence of the program is mainly the continuation of the use of PDT in Brazil and many countries in Latin America.
Using Interval-Level Metrics to Investigate Situational-, Suspect-, and Officer-Level Predictors of Police Performance During Encounters With the Public
Authors: James Lois , James Stephen , Davis Rachel , Dotson Elizabeth
Published: June 2019

The issue of how to measure the impact of situational-, suspect-, and officer-level factors on police actions has long been debated in the policing literature. One promising method is to use interval-level metrics developed via a combined method of concept mapping and Thurstone scaling. Our objective here was to use these metrics to score 667 incident reports from a large ( n ∼ 1,500) urban police department. From this process, we explored significant trends in how police officers perform during encounters with the public. We found that officers performed better in “higher stakes” encounters and excelled in vigilance situational assessment as well as use of tactics and adapting tactics. Officers tended to receive the worst scores in routine police–citizen interactions and the highest in crisis encounters. Interpretation and implications of these findings for American policing are discussed.
Modelling and analysis for a cylindrical net-shell deployable mechanism
Authors: Lin Fei , Chen Chuanzhi , Chen Jinbao , Chen Meng
Published: June 2019

Existing cylindrical deployable structures have poor controllability of deployment or weak bearing capacity. In order to satisfy the application needs of cylindrical deployable structures in the space industry, a cylindrical net-shell deployable mechanism is established in this article. The proposed cylindrical net-shell deployable mechanism has a regular cuboid shape in the folded state and a truss structure in the deployed state, and it can fit cylindrical surface, parabolic cylindrical surface, sine cylindrical surface and so on. Furthermore, based on reciprocal screw theory and screw synthesis theory, the mobility of cylindrical net-shell deployable mechanism in the whole motion cycle is analysed by the proposed equivalent model method. Results show that the cylindrical net-shell deployable mechanism is a single-degree-of-freedom mechanism. Moreover, a prototype is manufactured, and its motion performance is tested. The experiment shows that the cylindrical net-shell deployable mechanism has a smooth motion performance, and the mobility analysis method for complex coupled mechanism in this study is valid. This study has a certain significance in expanding the application field of cylindrical shell structure.
Customer experience, not brands will be on the iron throne
Authors: Klaus Philipp “Phil”
Published: June 2019

The author will challenge the ancient “brand-related” thinking, submitting that somehow companies are still in control of what consumers think or even how customers act. As a counterproposition, the author highlights that the only thing companies can manage these days are the experiences customers have with them and their offerings. Supported by our research, I propose to end the chicken-and-egg question of if brands drive the customer experience which is (how CX), or vice versa. I suggest researching the only thing that matters, how CX offerings, and how CX influences the way customer search, collect, and evaluate information and behave. This proposition leads into the implications for the market research community and CX management.
Discontinuation of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or beta-blockers and the impact on heart failure hospitalization rates
Authors: Knafl George J , Moser Debra K , Wu Jia-Rong , Riegel Barbara
Published: June 2019

Background:

Adherence to evidence-based therapy is essential for optimal management of heart failure. Yet, medication adherence is poor in heart failure patients. The Ascertaining Barriers to Compliance Project decomposed the medication adherence process into initiation, implementation, and discontinuation stages, but electronic monitoring-based adherence analyses usually do not consider this process.

Aims:

The aim of this study was to describe individual-patient patterns of medication adherence from electronic monitoring data among adults with chronic heart failure, adherence types, and risk factors for increased all-cause hospitalization including measures of poor adherence such as discontinuation.

Methods:

Data from two prospective studies of adherence measured with electronic monitoring for heart failure patients were combined and restricted to monitoring of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and beta-blockers over an initial three-month period. Hospitalizations were recorded for this period as well as for a three-month follow-up period. Analyses were conducted using adaptive modeling methods to identify individual-patient adherence patterns, adherence types, and risk factors for an increased hospitalization rate.

Results:

Using electronic monitoring data for 254 heart failure patients, four adherence types were identified: highly consistent, consistent but variable, moderately consistent, and poorly consistent. Sixteen individually significant risk factors for increased hospitalization rates were identified and used to generate a multiple risk factors model. Medication discontinuation was the most important individual risk factor and most important in the multiple risk factors model.

Conclusion:

Discontinuation of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or beta-blockers increases hospitalization rates for heart failure patients. Interventions that effectively address this problem are urgently needed.
Goal-Driven Beam Setting Optimization for Whole-Breast Radiation Therapy
Authors: Wang Wentao , Sheng Yang , Yoo Sua , Blitzblau Rachel C. , Yin Fang-Fang , Wu Q. Jackie
Published: June 2019

Purpose:

To develop an automated optimization program to generate optimal beam settings for whole-breast radiation therapy driven by clinically oriented goals.

Materials and Methods:

Forty patients were retrospectively included in this study. Each patient’s planning images, contoured structures of planning target volumes, organs-at-risk, and breast wires were used to optimize for patient-specific–beam settings. Two beam geometries were available tangential beams only and tangential plus supraclavicular beams. Beam parameters included isocenter position, gantry, collimator, couch angles, and multileaf collimator shape. A geometry-based goal function was defined to determine such beam parameters to minimize out-of-field target volume and in-field ipsilateral lung volume. For each geometry, the weighting in the goal function was trained with 10 plans and tested on 10 additional plans. For each query patient, the optimal beam setting was searched for different gantry-isocenter pairs. Optimal fluence maps were generated by an in-house automatic fluence optimization program for target coverage and homogeneous dose distribution, and dose calculation was performed in Eclipse. Automatically generated plans were compared with manually generated plans for target coverage and lung and heart sparing.

Results:

The program successfully produced a set of beam parameters for every patient. Beam optimization time ranged from 10 to 120 s. The automatic plans had overall comparable plan quality to manually generated plans. For all testing cases, the mean target V95% was 91.0% for the automatic plans and 88.5% for manually generated plans. The mean ipsilateral lung V20Gy was lower for the automatic plans (15.2% vs 17.9%). The heart mean dose, maximum dose of the body, and conformity index were all comparable.

Conclusion:

We developed an automated goal-driven beam setting optimization program for whole-breast radiation therapy. It provides clinically relevant solutions based on previous clinical practice as well as patient specific anatomy on a substantially faster time frame.
Evaluating the Criterion Validity and Classification Accuracy of Universal Screening Measures in Reading
Authors: Thomas Asia S. , January Stacy-Ann A.
Published: June 2019

Educators use universal screening to identify students who may be at risk for not meeting proficiency on the state assessment. Given the potential high-stakes of state tests, using accurate screeners is critical. Independent research is emerging on screeners such as the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP), a computer adaptive test, and the Strategic Teaching Evaluation of Progress (STEP), a developmental reading assessment. This study evaluated the criterion-related validity of MAP and STEP with a state assessment. Additionally, the utility of each screener to distinguish between students at risk and not at risk was evaluated using multiple screening approaches. Participants were two cohorts (Cohort 1 N = 255; Cohort 2 N = 122) of children enrolled in two public charter schools. MAP and STEP were administered in spring of second grade and fall of third grade. Results suggested MAP and STEP scores were significant strong predictors of third-grade state assessment scores. STEP scores explained a small amount of variance in state assessment scores beyond MAP scores alone. Findings support using MAP and STEP to identify students who may be at risk; however, MAP is sufficient as a single screener, using locally derived cut-scores or cut-scores linked to the state assessment.
Women's Collections in Egypt: Insights into the American University in Cairo's Rare Books and Special Collections Library and the Women and Memory Forum's Archives
Authors: Urgola Stephen , Hassan Maissan
Published: June 2019

Two institutions of relatively small size play a major role in documenting women's history in Egypt: the Rare Books and Special Collections Library (RBSCL) of the American University in Cairo (AUC) and the Women and Memory Forum (WMF), a feminist research center in Cairo. This article presents case studies of these institutions’ efforts. The AUC RBSCL's collections are described, including those of leading 20th-century feminist leaders Huda Sharaawi (1879-1947), Doria Shafik (1908-1975), and Aziza Hussein (1919-2015), as are oral history initiatives related to women's history. The article also discusses programs and collections of the WMF, including private papers collections such as that of activist Wedad Mitri (1927-2007), and its Archive of Women's Oral History, which documents women's lives in Egypt and beyond. The initiatives in Egypt of the RBSCL and the WMF indicate how institutions can employ archival collecting, oral history, and outreach-like exhibitions to document and highlight women's historical contributions.
From the Shore to the Sublittoral: Liverpool's Algal Women
Authors: Reid Geraldine
Published: June 2019

The period between the two world wars (1918-1939) and postwar Britain (1945-1960s) was a pivotal time for phycology (the study of algae), with a surge in research activity dominated by a band of for-midable women whose inspiration and research has shaped the world of phycology. The University of Liverpool was at the forefront of this research, inspiring a generation of phycologists from the 1920s to the turn of the century. The researchers discussed in this article include Elsie May Burrows, Elsie Conway, Sheila M. Lodge, Mary Winifred Parke, Joanna Jones, and Margret Constance Helen Bladder. This article reviews the lasting legacy of these women researchers by examining their herbarium collections of algae and reflecting on their pioneering work.
Images of Botany: Celebrating the Contribution of Women to the History of Botanical Illustration
Authors: Pardoe Heather , Lazarus Maureen
Published: June 2019

The superb botanical illustration collection of Amgueddfa Cymru– National Museum Wales in Cardiff, Wales, has developed through bequests, donations, and selective purchases. Numbering more than 7,000 works, 15% of these are by women, including the work of well-known Victorian artists and leading contemporary artists such as Gillian Griffiths, Pauline Dean, and Dale Evans. In particular, the Cymmrodorion Collection is the most prestigious collection, containing illustrations dating from the 18th century and featuring works by Elizabeth Blackwell, Jane Loudon, and Sarah Drake. Using this and other collections from the museum, this article examines the contribution that women artists have made to the field of botanical illustration by referring to the lives of these women and considering their motives, whether they pursued botanical illustration out of financial necessity, out of scientific curiosity, or to allay boredom. The article further examines the social restrictions and prejudice that many of these women had to overcome.
Research on the Effects of the Chronic Treatment With Different Doses of Urocortin 2 in Heart Failure Rats
Authors: Yang Li-Zhen , Chen Ying
Published: June 2019

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) receptor type 2 (CRF2) exists in both cardiomyocytes and neurocytes. The purpose of this research was to explore if chronic treatment with urocortin 2 (UCN2), a CRF2 receptor agonist, at different doses can improve prognosis and regulate the expression of CRF2 receptor and calcium handling proteins without any adverse effects on behavior in heart failure. Heart failure was established in Sprague-Dawley rats and was confirmed by echocardiography. Heart failure rats were injected intraperitoneally with UCN2 (5, 10, or 20 µg·kg−1·d−1) for 30 days. Survival rate, cardiac function, expressions of cardiac CRF2 receptor, RyR2, SERCA2, and hypothalamic and hippocampal c-FOS, CRF receptor type 1 (CRF1) and CRF2 receptor were determined. Behavior was evaluated by Morris Water-Maze and Open-Field tests. Results showed that chronic peripheral UCN2 treatment improved survival rate in a dose–response manner and increased cardiac function and expression of CRF2 receptor and SERCA2 in heart failure, especially at the high dosage. Moreover, cellular-fos (c-FOS), CRF1 receptor, and CRF2 receptor expressions of both hypothalamic and hippocampal tissues were significantly increased in high dosage group. Furthermore, the behavior tests suggested that chronic UCN2 treatment did not exacerbate stress/anxiety-like behavior in HF. In conclusion, chronic peripheral treatment with UCN2 increases survival in a dose–response manner in heart failure rats without inducing stress/anxiety-like behavior.
A singularity handling algorithm based on operational space control for six-degree-of-freedom anthropomorphic manipulators
Authors: Kang Zhi-Hao , Cheng Ching-An , Huang Han-Pang
Published: June 2019

In this article, we analyze the singularities of six-degree-of-freedom anthropomorphic manipulators and design a singularity handling algorithm that can smoothly go through singular regions. We show that the boundary singularity and the internal singularity points of six-degree-of-freedom anthropomorphic manipulators can be identified through a singularity analysis, although they do not possess the nice kinematic decoupling property as six-degree-of-freedom industrial manipulators. Based on this discovery, our algorithm adopts a switching strategy to handle these two cases. For boundary singularities, the algorithm modifies the control input to fold the manipulator back from the singular straight posture. For internal singularities, the algorithm controls the manipulator with null space motion. We show that this strategy allows a manipulator to move within singular regions and back to non-singular regions, so the usable workspace is increased compared with conventional approaches. The proposed algorithm is validated in simulations and real-time control experiments.
Challenging borders: The case for open borders with Joseph Carens and Jean-Luc Nancy
Authors: Chamberlain James A
Published: June 2019

Joseph Carens develops one of the most prominent cases for open borders in the academic literature on the basis of freedom and equality. Yet the implementation of his social membership theory would mean that immigrants who have not yet lived in a country long enough to become members would be excluded from political and social rights, thus raising the possibility of their domination and subordination by citizens. Given that these problems arise because Carens aims to balance the freedom of individuals with the “claims of belonging” to a political community, can we theorize the relationship between freedom and community differently? French philosopher Jean-Luc Nancy does just that, by showing how to think freedom and community as mutually constitutive. Nancy thus offers the resources for an alternative case for open borders, grounded on the claim that the freedom of community entails openness to the outside. Drawing also on Nancy’s account of the common and of democratic politics, my Nancean argument for open borders challenges Carens’s exclusion of nonmembers from the rights of citizens, emphasizing instead the need for an ongoing political struggle to expand who is eligible to claim rights as well as the scope of the rights themselves.
Prevalence, risk factors, and glycaemic control of type 2 diabetes mellitus in eastern Sudan: a community-based study
Authors: Omar Saeed M. , Musa Imad R. , ElSouli Amir , Adam Ishag
Published: June 2019

Background:

Diabetes mellitus (DM) constitutes a global health threat and burden, especially in developing countries. We conducted a cross-sectional study in Gadarif in eastern Sudan to evaluate the prevalence and glycaemic control of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods:

We performed a cross-sectional community-based study. Data on blood glucose levels, and anthropometric, demographic and clinical history data were obtained.

Results:

Six hundred Sudanese adults with a mean (SD) age of 44.9 (16.5) years were enrolled. More than two-thirds (70.3%) of the study participants were women. The prevalence of T2DM, newly diagnosed T2DM and uncontrolled T2DM was 20.8%, 10.0% and 80.0%, respectively. Logistic regression analysis showed no significant association between education, marital status, body mass index, waist circumference and DM. However older age (AOR = 4.88, 95% CI = 3.09–7.70) and a family history of DM (AOR = 2.58, 95% CI = 1.59–4.20) were associated with T2DM.

Conclusion:

The prevalence of T2DM is high among the Sudanese population, especially in older people and those with a family history of DM. The high prevalence of uncontrolled DM in this setting is another hidden burden.