bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ghosted and Ancestral Selves inHamlet: Loewald’s “Present Life” and Winnicott’s “Potential Space” in Shakespeare’s Play
Authors: Reisner Gavriel
Published: July 2019

This psychoanalytic reading of Hamlet places Shakespeare’s play in the theoretical contexts of Loewald on time and Winnicott on space. For Loewald the subject moves from past to present, in a therapeutic fashion, through the intervention of the analyst, a contemporary object. A redemption of time occurs in the internalized action of thought and dialogue. In Winnicott the redemptive movement is from an internal-subjective to an external-objective way of perceiving. The passage occurs in a transitional space where the presence of another allows the discovery of a world. Hamlet suffers from a ghosted self emptied in submission to the father-ghost. In the temporality of thought and the spatiality of action Hamlet moves toward an ancestral self, filled and stable, through the mediation of Horatio, his friend-counselor-analyst.
Spindle Cell Lipomas of the Respiratory Tract: A Case Report and Comprehensive Literature Review
Authors: Reid Jonathan , Wehrli Bret , Sowerby Leigh J.
Published: July 2019

Background:

Spindle cell lipomas (SCLs) are benign tumors that are characteristically present on the upper back and neck, but in rare cases present throughout the respiratory mucosa, causing hoarseness, stridor, dyspnea, and obstruction.

Objective:

To highlight the importance of considering SCL in the diagnosis of benign respiratory tract tumors, a literature review identified all published cases of respiratory tract SCLs, including 2 from our institution: one case in the nasopharynx and 1 in the nasal valve.

Methods:

All case reports, series and literature reviews from the English literature from 1975 through March 2018 were systematically identified for review in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Scopus databases. Two additional cases from our institution were described.

Results:

In total, 24 cases of SCL in the respiratory tract were identified for review. Two cases from our institution are described here, bringing the total of reported cases to 26. Extensive analyses of oral cavity SCLs already exist, so we excluded this site from our review and focused on sites where SCLs may present with respiratory symptoms. Excluding the oral cavity and oropharynx, the most common location described is the larynx. All 26 cases were treated with excision. One tumor required a second surgery, but there were no other complications nor recurrences.

Conclusion:

Although rare, SCLs may arise from throughout the respiratory tract and cause dyspnea, hoarseness and stridor. Spindle cell lipoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a respiratory tract mass. This diagnosis confers a good prognosis and patients may be reassured that surgery is almost always curative.
Performance of composite sandwich structures under thermal cycling
Authors: Hegde Sandesh Rathnavarma , Hojjati Mehdi
Published: July 2019

Effect of thermally induced microcracks on mechanical performance of a space grade laminated sandwich panel is investigated. A simple non-contact setup using liquid nitrogen is developed to subject the material to low temperature of −170℃ with cooling rate of 24℃/min. Then the samples are exposed to the elevated temperature of 150℃ inside oven. Microcracks formation and propagation are monitored through microscopic observation of cross-section during the cycling. Flatwise tensile test is performed after a number of cycles. A correlation is made between number of cycles and flatwise mechanical strength after quantifying the microcracks. It is observed that the crack formation gets saturated at about 40 cycles, avoiding the need to conduct more thermal cycles. Microcrack formation both at the free edge and middle of laminate was observed. The crack density at the middle was comparatively less than the ones found on the free edges. Results for non-contact cooling are compared with samples from direct nitrogen contact cooling. Microscopic inspection and flatwise test show differences between contact and non-contact cooled samples. Flatwise tensile strength for non-contact cooled samples shows 15% reduction, while the contact cooled samples have about 30% decrease in bond strength. A 3D finite element analysis is conducted to qualitatively identify the location of stress concentration which can be possible sites of crack formation. Good agreement is observed between the model and experimental results.
Doing Less Is Doing More: Living Statues as a Medium in Drama Therapy
Authors: Berger Ronen
Published: July 2019

This article presents the living statues method as a prime medium in expressive art therapy and particularly in drama therapy. It describes the method, its specific characteristics and their meaning, and shows how a public performance can be a space for a creative, art-based, therapeutic process. Two vignettes from practice illustrate how the living statues method can be applied to work with teenagers with behavioral problems and the elderly. It also highlights the relationships between this nonverbal, creative, “body–mind–spirit” performance-oriented method and humanistic psychology.
Chemical modifications of castor oil: A review
Authors: Chauke Ntsako Portia , Mukaya Hembe Elie , Nkazi Diakanua Bavon
Published: July 2019

The necessity of using petrochemicals for the development of polymers has been deteriorating because of the depletion in fossil fuels and environmental concerns such as the effect of greenhouse gases, global warming, and increasing population. Research has shown a shift from petroleum-based fuels to plant oil–based fuels in order to shift to renewable resources. Natural oils such as castor oil have shown competitive physical and chemical properties as compared to fossil fuels. The use of natural oils has gained a lot of research interest due to the fact that they are renewable, affordable, and environmentally friendly. Bio-oils are versatile because they have various derivatives and can be used in different grades based on the application in various industries such as agriculture, food, paper, and electronics. Bio-binders have been considered as the most promising materials for the different applications. In this review, the processes of chemical modifications of castor oil are discussed.
Risk Spillovers in Returns for Chinese and International Tourists to Taiwan
Authors: Chang Chia-Lin , Hsu Shu-Han , McAleer Michael
Published: July 2019

Fluctuations in the numbers of visitors directly affect the rates of return on tourism business activities. This article is the first to examine the spillover effects between the rate of change in the numbers of Chinese tourist arrivals and the rate of change in the numbers of international traveler arrivals. The study used daily data from January 1, 2014, to October 31, 2016, with 1,035 observations. The diagonal BEKK model was used to analyze the co-volatility spillover effects between the rate of change in the international travelers and the rate of change in the amount of Chinese tourists visiting Taiwan. The empirical findings suggest that Taiwan should abandon its development strategy of focusing only on a single market, namely, China. Moreover, with the reduction in Chinese tour groups visiting Taiwan, and increases in individual travelers, the Taiwan Government should change its previous travel policies of mainly attracting Chinese tour group travelers and actively promote in-depth tourism among international tourists.
Cartridge-based nucleic acid amplification test: a novel rapid diagnostic tool to study the burden of tuberculosis from a tertiary care hospital
Authors: Kashyap Bineeta , Goyal Nisha , Hyanki Puneeta , Singh NP , Khanna Ashwani
Published: July 2019

Despite efforts to limit the morbidity and mortality from tuberculosis (TB), it continues to be an important cause of death. There is an urgent need for a diagnostic test that accurately and quickly diagnoses TB, especially if it is also a near-point-of-care test. The GeneXpert polymerase chain reaction test (known in India as CBNAAT [cartridge-based nucleic acid amplification test] and is capable of diagnosing TB and rifampicin resistance within 2 h) is a promising tool.

The duration of our study was two years and was carried out in the DOTS centre of a tertiary care hospital in India. A total of 5449 samples were processed using CBNAAT. Of the total samples tested, 2068 were extra-pulmonary. The following information was collected: number of extra-pulmonary samples processed; number of Mycobacterium tuberculosis ( M. tuberculosis)-positive samples; patterns of rifampicin sensitivity; number of people living with HIV (PLHIV); and number of children.

Of the samples, 62.1% were from suspected pulmonary TB patients. Out of the total samples tested using CBNAAT, 21.8% were positive for M. tuberculosis. Rifampicin resistance was seen in 9.2%, 8.5% and 10.3% of the total, pulmonary and extra-pulmonary samples, respectively, in M. tuberculosis-positive samples. Overall, 36.9% samples were from the paediatric population and 5.7% belonged to PLHIV. Rifampicin resistance was seen in 8.8% and 8.3% of the M. tuberculosis-positive paediatric and PLHIV samples, respectively.
Federal Regulation of Infant and Toddler Food and Drink Marketing and Labeling
Authors: Pomeranz Jennifer L. , Harris Jennifer L.
Published: July 2019

Foods and beverages marketed for infants, babies, and toddlers through 3 years of age is a $7 billion industry in the United States, incorporating a wide range of products, including infant formula and other types of drinks, foods, and snacks. The World Health Organization (“WHO”) found that mothers “are often inundated with incorrect and biased information” from direct advertising, health claims on products, information packs from sales representatives, and the distribution of samples of infant formula and “educational materials” by infant formula manufacturers. To address these problematic practices, in 1981, the WHO established the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes (the “Code”) to end the inappropriate marketing of infant formula and other food and drinks intended for children up to age two. In 2016, WHO expanded the definition of breastmilk substitutes to include milk and milk products specifically marketed for feeding infants and young children up to age three. However, the United States is one of a minority of countries that has not passed any legislation or regulation to implement the Code. Furthermore, U.S. regulation and enforcement actions have not kept pace with the introduction of new products and product categories and the profusion of labeling and marketing claims questionably implying nutritional and developmental benefits from these products.
Bucketed common vector scaling for authorship attribution in heterogeneous web collections: A scaling approach for authorship attribution
Authors: Agun Hayri Volkan , Yilmazel Ozgur
Published: July 2019

Domain, genre and topic influences on author style adversely affect the performance of authorship attribution (AA) in multi-genre and multi-domain data sets. Although recent approaches to AA tasks focus on suggesting new feature sets and sampling techniques to improve the robustness of a classification system, they do not incorporate domain-specific properties to reduce the negative impact of irrelevant features on AA. This study presents a novel scaling approach, namely, bucketed common vector scaling, to efficiently reduce negative domain influence without reducing the dimensionality of existing features; therefore, this approach is easily transferable and applicable in a classification system. Classification performances on English-language competition data sets consisting of emails and articles and Turkish-language web documents consisting of blogs, articles and tweets indicate that our approach is very competitive to top-performing approaches in English competition data sets and is significantly improving the top classification performance in mixed-domain experiments on blogs, articles and tweets.
Finding the “Golden Moments”: Strategies of Perseverance Among Parents and Siblings of Persons With Severe Mental Illness and Violent Tendencies
Authors: Sporer Karyn , Speropolous Lisa , Monahan Katarina E.
Published: July 2019

This article examines strategies family members identify as being helpful when challenged by stressors related to living with an aggressive child or sibling with severe mental illness. Data from in-depth, ethnographic interviews with 42 parents and siblings of violent children with severe mental illness were analyzed using a modified version of grounded theory. Our analysis identified three themes that represent helpful strategies: (a) gaining insight and knowledge, (b) joining peer support programs, and (c) identifying a silver lining. Giving attention to these strategies may prove beneficial for other family members confronted and confused by mental illness, violence, and the complex mental health system. We recommend mental health practitioners help family members locate and engage with these resources and strategies to minimize family members’ sense of isolation and confusion, and to increase their knowledge of mental illness.
The role of cultural production in celebrity politics: Comparing the campaigns of Jesse ‘The Body’ Ventura (1999) and Donald Trump (2016)
Authors: Moon David S
Published: July 2019

This article draws out the significant similarities between the political insurgencies of Jesse Ventura in 1999 and Donald Trump in 2016, charting their own premillennial political collaborations as members of the Reform Party, before identifying wider lessons for studies of contemporary celebrity politicians through a comparison of their individual campaigns. Its analysis is based upon the concept of the ‘politainer’, introduced by Conley and Schultz, into which it incorporates Mikhail Bakhtin’s conception of the carnival fool. The heterodox nature of both Ventura and Trump’s political campaign styles, it argues, is in part explained by the nature of the cultural spheres within which their public personas were produced; specifically, the fact that these personas, which they carried over from the entertainment to political spheres, were produced within genres of popular culture generally positioned as having ‘low’ cultural value. This, it argues, furnished both with an anti-establishment ethos as ‘no bullshit’ straight-talkers, marking them as outsider candidates able to act as conduits for political protest by an electorate alienated from mainstream political elites. It concludes by emphasising the potential importance that political celebrities’ specific cultural production can play in shaping a subsequent political campaign in general.
Making Sense of the League of Nations Secretariat – Historiographical and Conceptual Reflections on Early International Public Administration
Authors: Gram-Skjoldager Karen , Ikonomou Haakon A.
Published: July 2019

This article reintroduces the League of Nations Secretariat as a fundamentally significant object of historical study. By drawing on key insights from three generations of historiography on the Secretariat, the authors explore how historians can use a Bourdieusian conceptual framework to study this first major international administrative body. Each generation of literature has emphasized one of three professional archetypes – the bureaucrat, the diplomat and the technocrat. Moving beyond these archetypes, and applying Antoine Vauchez's concept of ‘weak fields’ and the notions of import, brokering capacity and hybridity, we see how the professional templates that were being imported into the Secretariat were culturally specific (mainly to Britain and Northern Europe) and how they were merged and reinvented to secure the smooth running of a multilateral, multinational and multivalent organization given charge of a series of new functions, thus producing new, specific forms of expertise exclusive to the Secretariat. Accordingly, we capture both the complexities of what kind of professional cultures came to dominate the Secretariat and the novelty of some of the types of expertise it rested upon: an important step towards a deeper understanding of the characteristics and role of international public administration in international politics in the twentieth century.
A Historical Case of Anglo-Ottoman Musical Interactions: The English Autopiano of Sultan Abdulhamid II
Authors: Kutlay Evren
Published: July 2019

Initiated by Queen Elizabeth I upon sending the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed III an organ, Anglo-Ottoman music-historical relations date back to the sixteenth century. Such interactions continued during the Nizam-ı Cedid (New Order) period of the eighteenth century and became more frequent in the nineteenth century, during the modernization movement of the Ottomans. After the establishment of the Muzıka-yı Hümâyûn (The Imperial Music School), the Ottoman Empire began to import many European musical instruments, including pianos, to Ottoman lands. To this end, some English piano manufacturers became the main piano suppliers of the Ottoman Empire. Among them was Kastner & Co. Ltd. According to two archival files identified in the Turkish Prime Ministry Ottoman Archives in Istanbul, an autopiano was bought for Sultan Abdulhamid II from Kastner & Co. of London in 1907. The files include the receipt of the shipped equipment, its description, and a user’s manual, as well as diplomatic manuscripts about the event. This article summarizes the history of Anglo-Ottoman musical interactions up until this historical trade and analyses these archival files within their historical and cultural contexts.
Modern Marriage and the Culture of Sexuality: Experts between the State and the Church in Poland, 1956–1970
Authors: Jarska Natalia
Published: July 2019

Through an analysis of archival documents and the published writings of experts, this paper explores the relationships between the emerging field of sexology, the state, and the Catholic Church in post-1956 Poland, as these relationships play an important role in the history of sexuality under state socialism. In the period in question, experts in sexuality, mainly medical doctors, focused on how to improve sexual relations within marriage. They developed a notion known as the ‘culture of sexuality’ based on progressive values such as equality, rationality, and psychological health. Experts drew a connection between an improvement in people’s marital sex lives and the health and welfare of both society and the nation. The Party-State supported these developments and also used them to their advantage in their political struggle with the Catholic Church. However, the experts’ proposal to restrict access to abortion (in 1961) was met with decisive resistance on the part of the Party-State.
Five-year outcomes of mechano-chemical ablation of primary great saphenous vein incompetence
Authors: Thierens Naomi DE , Holewijn Suzanne , Vissers Wynand HPM , Werson Debbie AB , de Vries Jean Paul PM , Reijnen Michel MPJ
Published: July 2019

Objective

The aim of the study is to report long-term results after mechano-chemical ablation for the treatment of great saphenous vein incompetence.

Methods

Mechano-chemical ablation was performed using the ClariVein device with polidocanol as the sclerosant. Clinical-Etiologic-Anatomic-Pathophysiologic (CEAP) classification, Venous-Clinical-Severity-Score (VCSS), anatomical-success, RAND-SF36 and the Aberdeen-Varicose-Vein-Questionnaire (AVVQ) were obtained by clinical examination, questionnaires and duplex ultrasonography through five years’ follow-up (Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01459263).

Results

Ninety-four patients (113 great saphenous veins) were included in the study. Five-year follow-up data were available for 75 limbs (66.4%). Freedom from anatomical failure was 78.7% (N = 45) with 64.6% (N = 42) having an improvement in the VCSS ≥1. A total of five reinterventions were performed through five years with a median time to reintervention of 38 months. The VCSS at five years was 2 (IQR 1; 4) and was still significantly improved compared to baseline (p < 0.001). A deterioration of the VCSS was observed in 21.5%.

Conclusion

Through five-year follow-up, there are a significant number of anatomical and clinical failures in this series, mainly driven by partial recanalizations.
Understanding Collaboration in Disaster Assistance Networks: Organizational Homophily or Resource Dependency?
Authors: Sapat Alka , Esnard Ann-Margaret , Kolpakov Aleksey
Published: July 2019

Greater collaboration among nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) after disasters is important in helping them deliver services, share information, and avoid resource duplication. Following a disaster, numerous NGOs, including a large number of faith-based NGOs, typically offer disaster assistance. But to what extent do these NGOs providing disaster assistance collaborate with each other? Does organizational homophily prevail? Or is the need to acquire resources an incentive for collaboration? Are collaborations characterized by relationships of dependency? To answer these questions, we analyze collaboration between international NGOs, local NGOs, faith-based organizations, and other organizations providing disaster assistance in Haiti in the 3-year period following the 2010 earthquake. Data on these organizations and their networks were analyzed using social network analysis methods. The major findings are that most organizations collaborate within sectoral boundaries and that homophily is one of the main drivers of collaboration, illuminating power relationships in disaster assistance networks.
Patients, Protocols, and Prosocial Behavior: Rule Breaking in Frontline Health Care
Authors: Borry Erin L. , Henderson Alexander C.
Published: July 2019

Rules are essential components of organizations, especially given their foundational role in inducing organizationally preferred behavior and reducing behavioral variability among its members. Despite the existence and prevalence of these centrally important tools, rule deviation occurs. This study proposes to understand the ways in which emergency medical service (EMS) professionals break rules for prosocial purposes—to help patients. In particular, this research seeks to understand how specific organizational and personal attributes influence rule-breaking tendencies. Results indicate that aspects of ethical climate are significantly related to prosocial rule-breaking (PSRB) tendencies, whereas empathy is not. In addition, this study finds that other characteristics, such as a conformist personality, risk taking, expertise, and experience on the job influence PSRB. These findings contribute to the literature on rule deviation and EMS practices and shed light on the complexity of decision making in frontline public services.
Breaking the housing–finance cycle: Macroeconomic policy reforms for more affordable homes
Authors: Ryan-Collins Josh
Published: July 2019

This paper argues that the housing affordability and wealth inequality crises facing advanced economies are driven by the emergence of a feedback cycle between finance and landed property. The cycle has been created by the increasing policy preference for private home ownership coupled with the liberalization of bank credit and accompanying financial innovation. Under such conditions, landed property becomes both the most attractive form of collateral for the banking system and the most desirable form of financial asset for households and investors. The housing–finance cycle emerged in Anglo-Saxon economies in the 1980s but has since spread to most advanced economies. Demand-side reforms, more than the supply-side reforms that dominate policy discussion, are required to break this cycle. Two reforms are discussed: (a) structural and institutional reforms to banking systems, including central banks; and (b) land policy reforms targeted at reducing the potential for rent extraction and speculative profits from property ownership.
Introducing the Lateral Femoral Condyle Index as a Risk Factor for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury
Authors: Hodel Sandro , Kabelitz Method , Tondelli Timo , Vlachopoulos Lazaros , Sutter Reto , Fucentese Sandro F.
Published: July 2019

Background:

The asymmetry of the medial and lateral knee compartments contributes significantly to femorotibial biomechanics and pivoting, and it is reported to be a relevant risk factor for an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.

Purpose:

(1) To assess the role of femoral condyle sphericity as a risk factor for an ACL rupture and rerupture. (2) To compare the new risk factor with existing bony morphological risk factors via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to assess the most predictive risk factor for an ACL rupture.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

A retrospective case-control study of 60 patients was conducted. Three age- and sex-matched cohorts (each n = 20) were analyzed: ACL reruptures, primary ACL ruptures, and a control group consisting of isolated meniscal tears or patients with anterior knee pain without signs of trochlear dysplasia. The lateral femoral condyle index (LFCI) as a novel MRI measurement was developed to quantify femoral sphericity. In addition, previously known MRI risk factors associated with ACL injury were analyzed (notch width index, medial tibial slope, lateral tibial slope, medial tibial depth, and lateral tibial height). Differences among groups were compared; cutoff values were defined; and diagnostic performance of the risk factors was assessed. The risk factors were subsequently analyzed with multiple logistic regression.

Results:

The LFCI was significantly smaller in knees with ACL reruptures (median, 0.67; range, 0.59-0.75) and primary ACL ruptures (0.67; range, 0.60-0.75) than in the control group (0.76; range, 0.6-0.81; P < .01). The LFCI yielded the highest area under the curve among the analyzed risk factors: 0.82 (95% CI, 0.7-0.9). A cutoff of 0.70 yielded a sensitivity of 78% and a specificity of 80% to predict an ACL rupture or rerupture (odds ratio, 13.79; 95% CI, 3.67-51.75). In combination with lateral tibial height (cutoff, 3.8 mm) and lateral tibial slope (cutoff, 2.9°), the diagnostic performance was improved. The area under the curve was 0.86 (95% CI, 0.75-0.94), with a sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 70% (odds ratio, 21.00; 95% CI, 5.10-85.80).

Conclusion:

A decreased LFCI is associated with an ACL injury. The LFCI, lateral tibial height, and lateral tibial slope are the most predictive risk factors for an ACL injury. These findings might aid clinicians in identifying patients at risk for an ACL injury and inform the patient after reconstruction for a higher risk of rerupture.
The Prosecution of Anti-Jewish Crimes in Bulgaria: Fashioning a Master Narrative of the Second World War (1944–1945)
Authors: Ragaru Nadège
Published: July 2019

Bulgaria was amongst the first states in Europe to hold trials with an exclusive focus on anti-Jewish persecutions during the Second World War. On 24 November 1944, a chamber solely dedicated to the prosecution of anti-Jewish crimes was established within the People’s Courts (1944–1945). This judicial action thus constitutes a unique experiment in the qualification of crimes, the use of material/testimonial evidence, the establishment of proof, and the devising of sentencing policy. Seen as a stage on which several contenders fought over the reading of the recent past and the present in the making, the Court also offers a lens on the complex interplay between the prosecution of war crimes and the crafting of revolutionary changes as well as on the relations between Jews and non-Jews at the end of the war.

Drawing on a diversity of archival records (accusation files and protocols of the hearings among others), the article will underline two paradoxes. First, the chamber established to prosecute anti-Jewish crimes ended up building a master narrative of “collective innocence” centered on the “rescue of the Bulgarian Jews,” which has remained dominant in Bulgarian public discourse to this day. Second, the communist Jews who had fought for the recognition of Jewish suffering ultimately took part in the euphemization of Jewish experiences of the war. In resorting to justice, they hoped to convince the local Jewry to stay in Bulgaria and build socialism there. For that purpose, they had to prove that the wartime policies were the deeds of a handful of “fascists.” Henceforth, they embraced the official discourse of interethnic solidarity in combat and sorrow, thus downplaying the specificity of the Jewish predicament.
Hydroelastic solitary wave during the head-on collision process in a stratified fluid
Authors: Bhatti MM , Lu DQ
Published: July 2019

In this study, head-on collision between hydroelastic solitary waves propagating in a two-layer fluid beneath a thin elastic plate is analytically investigated. The plate structure is modeled using the Euler–Bernoulli beam theory with the effect of compressive stress. We consider that the lower- and upper-layer fluids having different constant densities are incompressible, and the motion is irrotational. The asymptotic series solutions of the resulting highly nonlinear coupled differential equations are deduced with the combination of a method of strained coordinates and the Poincaré–Lighthill–Kuo method. The series solutions obtained are presented up to the third-order approximation. The inclusion of all the emerging parameters is discussed graphically and mathematically against interfacial waves, plate deflection, wave speed, phase shift, maximum run-up amplitude, and the velocity functions. The presence of the elastic plate reveals a decreasing impact on the wave profiles in the upper- and lower-layer fluid. However, the distortion profile shows converse behavior in the upper-layer fluid as compared with the lower-layer fluid. Interfacial wave speed also tends to diminish due to the elastic plate parameter and the density ratio as the wave amplitude is high.
Research on dynamic modeling and simulation verification of a new type of FT pin-cycloid transmission
Authors: Xuan Liang , Xie Chao , Guan Tianmin , Lei Lei , Jiang Heng
Published: July 2019

A new type of FT pin-cycloid transmission reducer is widely used in the industrial robot field due to the high transmission accuracy. In addition, the complex working conditions bring about vibration, which affects the transmission accuracy of the robot. Therefore, it is necessary to study the dynamic characteristics of FT reducer at the transmission joint. In this paper, based on the analysis of its transmission principle and structure, the dynamic model of FT transmission is established by necessary assumptions. The stiffness mathematical models of different meshing positions are obtained from the dynamic model, and the differential equations of the system are established by Lagrange method. In order to solve the natural frequency of the system, the stiffness of meshing positions of the system is solved, including input shaft torsional stiffness, involute gear meshing stiffness, bearing stiffness, cycloid gear and pin torsional stiffness. Considering the output of FT transmission, a “3+ i” model is proposed to obtain the mesh stiffness between the cycloid gear and output pins. Finally, the correctness of the model is proved by choosing parameters such as transmission ratio and force on parts and components by simulation. The research results will provide theoretical support for the optimal design of FT transmission.
Mixture cure models with time-varying and multilevel frailties for recurrent event data
Authors: Tawiah Richard , McLachlan Geoffrey J , Ng Shu Kay
Published: July 2019

Many medical studies yield data on recurrent clinical events from populations which consist of a proportion of cured patients in the presence of those who experience the event at several times (uncured). A frailty mixture cure model has recently been postulated for such data, with an assumption that the random subject effect (frailty) of each uncured patient is constant across successive gap times between recurrent events. We propose two new models in a more general setting, assuming a multivariate time-varying frailty with an AR(1) correlation structure for each uncured patient and addressing multilevel recurrent event data originated from multi-institutional (multi-centre) clinical trials, using extra random effect terms to adjust for institution effect and treatment-by-institution interaction. To solve the difficulties in parameter estimation due to these highly complex correlation structures, we develop an efficient estimation procedure via an EM-type algorithm based on residual maximum likelihood (REML) through the generalised linear mixed model (GLMM) methodology. Simulation studies are presented to assess the performances of the models. Data sets from a colorectal cancer study and rhDNase multi-institutional clinical trial were analyzed to exemplify the proposed models. The results demonstrate a large positive AR(1) correlation among frailties across successive gap times, indicating a constant frailty may not be realistic in some situations. Comparisons of findings with existing frailty models are discussed.
Achieving Industrial Upgrading Through Automation in Dongguan, China
Authors: Sharif Naubahar , Huang Yu
Published: July 2019

This study examines industrial upgrading in manufacturing firms in Dongguan, China in the context of the Dongguan government’s recent policy initiative to boost its manufacturing sector by encouraging industrial upgrading. To implement its so-called ‘Replacing Humans with Robots’ policy, which we see as an expression of the central government’s ‘Made in China 2025’ policy, the Dongguan government offers incentives to manufacturers’ region to automate their production lines with a range of assets including computer numerical control (CNC) machines and industrial robots. Applying Humphrey and Schmitz’s (Regional Studies 36[9]:1017–1027, 2002) taxonomy of industrial upgrading, our mixed-methods ethnographic and documentary research identified three types of upgrading at the factories we studied: process, product and functional upgrading. While our data draw on the perspectives of factory owners and managers, they bear important implications for workers. Future studies are needed to elaborate those implications.
An Empirical Study Applying Log Periodic Structures for Prediction of Realty Market Crashes in India
Authors: Sarda Varun , Karmarkar Yamini , Sarda Neha Lakhotia
Published: July 2019

The real estate market comprise of one of the most basic requirements of a human being that is shelter. A lot of money of the owners of the properties is invested in this market across the globe. The volatility in the real estate or realty market affects each and every human being. The crashes in the market lead to erosion of a large amount of value in terms of money, so if a technique is developed that can predict the upcoming crash, then this can help avoid losses of the investors. The present study tries to analyse downward movements in the Indian realty market by applying log-periodic structures. The period of the study is 1997–2011. The crashes were not predicted by using log-periodic structures as per the findings of the study. Thus the study concludes that it may not be appropriate to apply log-periodic structures to predict crashes of realty market in India.
Discursive Constructions of Income Inequality in Neo-liberal Singapore
Authors: Falnikar Ashwini , Lyn Tan Ee , Ganchoudhuri Somrita , Dutta Mohan Jyoti
Published: July 2019

This article examines the discursive constructions of income inequality in neo-liberal Singapore. While the city-state is touted as a model for smart governance captured in the ‘Singapore model’, the accounts of everyday lived experiences in Singapore depict the unsustainability of the model as a template of development, anchored in the deep inequalities interwoven with the model. This article draws on 34 in-depth interviews with high-, middle- and low-income groups in Singapore, stratified by race and citizenship status to reflect population demographics. The interviews document the ways in which inequalities are rendered meaningful amid the interplays of class, race and citizenship status. Based on grounded theory analysis of everyday accounts of inequality in Singapore, the article attends to the discourses of (a) individual responsibility and the disappearing state, (b) xenophobia and (c) paradoxical responses to government policies, simultaneously interrogating the state-espoused values of multiculturalism, meritocracy and pragmatism.
Health-Related Quality of Life Among Vietnamese Breast Cancer Women
Authors: Tran Thanh Huong , Trinh Ngoc Linh , Hoang Yen , Nguyen Thuy Linh , Vu Thu Thao
Published: July 2019

The aim of the study was to investigate health-related quality of life among Vietnamese breast cancer women who were treated at National Cancer Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam, in 2018. Information about physical functioning, Role Physical, Bodily Pain, General Health, vitality, Social Functioning, Role Emotional, and Mental Health of 200 patients with breast cancer was collected through face-to-face interview, using short form-36 questionnaire. We found that the older patients (older than 50 years) had higher score of Mental Health than patients at age 50 and lower ( P < .05). The patients who had better economic status had significantly higher score of Vitality ( P < .05). Patients who were married and living with their partners/husband had better quality of life in General Health ( P<0.05). The patients who had less than 6 months of treatment had better physical functioning score ( P < .05) than the patients who had treatment longer than 6 months. Patients with caring supports from family members had higher scores of Bodily Pain, Social Functioning, Role Emotional, and Mental Health. Patients who have stressed feelings had significantly lower scores of all domains, except for Physical Functioning. The participants who usually stay up late reported lower scores of all components except for Physical Functioning and Role Physical. In conclusion, it is needed to develop psychosocial services, enhance early screening, and diagnose for the women in Vietnam.
Active vibration control of a polyvinylidene fluoride laminated membrane plate mirror
Authors: Lu Yifan , Amabili Marco , Wang Jian , Yang Fei , Yue Honghao , Xu Ye , Tzou Hornsen
Published: July 2019

Lightweight optical mirrors usually play key roles in aerospace and optical structural systems applied to space telescopes, radars, solar collectors, communication antennas, etc. Due to their high flexibility and low damping properties, external excitations such as orbital maneuver may induce unexpected oscillations and thus reduce their working performance. Active vibration control is therefore essential for the lightweight optical mirror systems. In this spirit, a lightweight mirror structronic system with a linear quadratic optimal controller is presented. The mirror is modeled as a membrane plate with pretension and distributed polyvinylidene fluoride sensors and actuators. The sensing sensitivity of the piezoelectric (PVDF) sensors and the modal actuation factor of the PVDF actuators are derived. The state-space equations are established and the feedback control gains between sensing and control signals are obtained. Sensor and actuator of different shape, size, and position are employed to actively control the first four natural modes of the mirror. The influences of mode order, pretension, and the two weighting factors Q and R on the control performance are also investigated. Analytical results in this paper could guide the design and layout of the PZT sensor and actuator on lightweight membrane plate mirrors.
Patient–Provider Language Concordance and Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review, Evidence Map, and Research Agenda
Authors: Hsueh Loretta , Hirsh Adam T. , Maupomé Gerardo , Stewart Jesse C.
Published: July 2019

Although patient–provider language concordance has the potential to reduce health disparities for people with limited English proficiency, no previous work has synthesized this literature. Our systematic review sought to describe the characteristics of studies examining relationships between language concordance and health outcomes, summarize the nature of observed associations, and propose an evidence map and research agenda. A comprehensive search of published articles identified 38 quantitative studies for inclusion. Most studies were cross-sectional, conducted in primary care, concentrated in Western states, and focused on Spanish speakers and physician providers. Results were split between supporting a positive association versus no association of language concordance with patient behaviors, provider behaviors, interpersonal processes of care, and clinical outcomes. Several methodological limitations were identified. Based on these results, we developed an evidence map, identified knowledge gaps, and proposed a research agenda. There is a particular need for quasi-experimental longitudinal studies with well-characterized samples.
The Development and Validation of the Cognitions of Internet Sexual Offending (C-ISO) Scale
Authors: Paquette Sarah , Cortoni Franca
Published: July 2019

Tools designed to measure the cognitions of individuals who engage in sexual activities with children over the Internet are either based on knowledge about men who had committed contact sexual offenses or cognitive phenomena not specifically associated to offending behaviors. Thus, there is no validated tool specifically designed to assess the offense-supportive cognitions of men who use the Internet to sexually offend children. This study developed and validated the Cognitions of Internet Sexual Offending (C-ISO) scale. A sample of 241 men with online and contact sexual as well as with nonsexual offenses completed the C-ISO scale and its psychometric properties, and latent structure was analyzed using both Classical Test Theory (CTT) and Item Response Theory (IRT), resulting in a final version containing 31 items. The analyses indicate that the C-ISO has excellent psychometric properties and discriminates men with online sexual offenses from those with contact sexual and nonsexual offenses. Implications of the findings for clinical practice and future research are discussed.
A quasi-experimental evaluation of an intervention to increase palliative medicine referral in the emergency department
Authors: Tiernan Eoin , Ryan John , Casey Mary , Hale Aine , O’Reilly Valerie , Devenish Millie , Whyte Barbara , Hollingsworth Siobhan , Price Olga , Callanan Ian , Walsh Declan , Normand Charles , May Peter
Published: July 2019

Objective

To evaluate a new intervention intended to increase referral rates from the emergency department (ED) to the palliative medicine service (PMS) in acute hospitals.

Methods

We conducted a quasi-experimental evaluation in an urban teaching hospital in Dublin, Ireland. Data were collected over two eight-week periods in November/December 2013 and May/June 2015, with the PALliative Medicine in the Emergency Department (PAL.M.ED.™) intervention implemented in the intervening period. All adults who were admitted to the hospital via the ED during the two time periods and who received a palliative care consultation during their hospital stay were included in the study. Our primary analysis evaluated the impact of PAL.M.ED.™ on PMS referral in the ED. Our secondary analysis evaluated the impact of PMS referral in the ED on length of stay (LOS) and utilization, compared to PMS referral later in the admission. We controlled for observed confounding between groups using propensity scores.

Results

PAL.M.ED.™ was associated with an increase in PMS referral in the ED ( p < 0.005; odds ratio: 10.5 (95%CI: 3.8 to 28.7)). PMS referral in the ED was associated with shorter hospital LOS ( p < 0.005; −10.9 days (95%CI: −17.7 to −4.1)).

Conclusions

Low PMS referral rates in the ED, and the poor outcomes for patients and hospitals that arise from admissions of those with serious illness, may be mitigated by a proactive intervention to identify appropriate patients at admission.
Food tourism value: Investigating the factors that influence tourists to revisit
Authors: Rousta Alireza , Jamshidi Dariyoush
Published: July 2019

Food consumption is an important notion in the hospitality literature. Although its role in gaining visitors’ satisfactory travel experience and in affecting tourists’ experiences of a destination is acknowledged, the impact of travelers’ local food consumption value on tourist behavior remains an underdeveloped topic. This study investigated the effect of tourists’ local food consumption value on their future behaviors by focusing on their destination food image and their attitudes toward local food. The data were collected from 891 tourists in Shiraz, Iran, through a survey-based method using structured questionnaires. Partial least square structural equation modeling was used to test the model proposed. Results indicated that taste/quality value, health value, price value, emotional value, and prestige value left a positive effect on tourist’ attitude toward local food. While destination food image did not influence the intention to visit the destination for food tourism, it positively affected the intention to recommend local food. The observations revealed marketing strategies substantially explored in the study.
Can a telemonitoring system lead to decreased hospitalization in elderly patients?
Authors: Lyth Johan , Lind Leili , Persson Hans L , Wiréhn Ann-Britt
Published: July 2019

Introduction

Growing populations of elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or heart failure (HF) require more healthcare. A four-year telehealth intervention – the Health Diary system based on digital pen technology – was implemented. We hypothesized that study patients with advanced COPD or HF would have lower rates of hospitalization when using the Health Diary. The aim was to investigate the effects of the intervention on healthcare costs and the number of hospitalizations, as well as other care required in COPD and HF patients.

Methods

Patients were introduced to the telemonitoring system which was supervised by a specialized hospital-based home care (HBHC) unit. Staff associated with this unit were responsible for the healthcare provided. The study included patients with COPD or HF, aged ≥ 65 years who were frequently hospitalized due to exacerbations – at least two inpatient episodes within the last 12 months. Observed number of hospitalizations and total healthcare costs were compared with the expected values, which were calculated using the generalized estimating equations (GEE) method.

Results

A total of 36 COPD and 58 HF patients with advanced stages of disease were included. The number of hospitalizations was significantly reduced for both HF and COPD patients participating in telemonitoring. Accordingly, hospitalization costs were significantly reduced for both groups, but the total healthcare cost was not significantly different from the expected costs.

Conclusion

A telemonitoring system, the Health Diary, combined with a specialized HBHC unit significantly decreases the need for hospital care in elderly patients with advanced HF or COPD without increasing total healthcare costs.