bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Post Second World War trans-Atlantic travel for business and pleasure: Cunard and its airline competitors
Authors: Gladden Graham P.
Published: December 2019

Over time the shipping lines grew to see the Atlantic as their own: a space they controlled in terms of the travellers’ experience. Following the end of the Second World War, UK-based Cunard (one of the largest passenger lines) sought to re-establish business very much as in the 1930s. The emergent airline industry used the language and imagery of the shipping lines to build their customer base whilst making much of the benefits of shorter crossing times for both business travellers and those on holiday. In contrast, shipping lines such as Cunard struggled to come to terms with the demise of a market based on one mode of transport. Whilst making moves to enter the airline business, the company believed that ships would retain significant market share of the trans-Atlantic market. Eventually the company declared that “people who need transport will use the air … ships are for leisure”.
Between Äh(m) and Euh(m): The Distribution and Realization of Filled Pauses in the Speech of German-French Simultaneous Bilinguals
Authors: Lo Justin J. H.
Published: December 2019

Filled pauses are well known for their speaker specificity, yet cross-linguistic research has also shown language-specific trends in their distribution and phonetic quality. To examine the extent to which speakers acquire filled pauses as language- or speaker-specific phenomena, this study investigates the use of filled pauses in the context of adult simultaneous bilinguals. Making use of both distributional and acoustic data, this study analyzed UH, consisting of only a vowel component, and UM, with a vowel followed by [m], in the speech of 15 female speakers who were simultaneously bilingual in French and German. Speakers were found to use UM more frequently in German than in French, but only German-dominant speakers had a preference for UM in German. Formant and durational analyses showed that while speakers maintained distinct vowel qualities in their filled pauses in different languages, filled pauses in their weaker language exhibited a shift towards those in their dominant language. These results suggest that, despite high levels of variability between speakers, there is a significant role for language in the acquisition of filled pauses in simultaneous bilingual speakers, which is further shaped by the linguistic environment they grow up in.
Application of piezoelectric actuator in series nano-positioning stage
Authors: Lu Qian , Chen Xifu
Published: December 2019

The existing nano-positioning stages are driven by the piezoelectric ceramics, which have features of high accuracy and resolution, but the traditional positioning stage could not meet the requirement of large working space because the displacement of the piezoelectric ceramics is only tens of microns. To solve the contradiction between high accuracy and large working space, a novel non-resonant piezoelectric linear actuator, which adopted the two parallel v-shaped stators as the double driving feet, was proposed, and both its working principle and structure were discussed in detail. The actuator was used to drive the positioning stage directly to obtain the performance of nano-positioning and large working stroke. The experiment results show that the resolution of the actuator is 0.015 μm, and its stable maximum motion speed is 17.4 mm/s, while the degree-of-freedom of step resolution of teach nano-positioning stage is 0.018 μm, 0.016 μm, and 0.3 μrad, respectively. Compared with the traditional positioning stage, the nano-positioning stage driven by the actuators directly also has excellent working stroke. The key performance of both high resolution and large working stroke of the nano-positioning stage was realized based on different motion modes of only one piezoelectric actuator.
Turning Theology: A Proposal
Authors: Copeland M. Shawn
Published: December 2019

Drawing out Stephen Bevans’s thesis that Christian theologizing has never been an exclusively European project, this article proposes that theologians working within the context of the United States turn their theological praxis to consideration of persons in all our splendid, impoverished, joyous, sobering, and diverse humanity. The article accords particular attention to cultural pluralism and interculturality along with transdisciplinary methods of theologizing. Given the violent public activity of white racist supremacist groups and individuals along with the barrage of racist verbal assaults and tweets by high-ranking officials, theology’s active and public defense of human persons has never been more necessary.
Sexual Abuse, a Royal Commission, and the Australian Church
Authors: Ormerod Neil
Published: December 2019

The sexual abuse crisis and subsequent Royal Commission investigation raised important ecclesiological and ecclesial issues for the Australian Catholic Church. This article provides background to the work of the Commission and explores four issues: the seal of the confessional; the notion of ontological change in ordination; the place of women in the church; and the authority of bishops. While no direct theological resolution of these is possible, these issues have been raised with pressing urgency.
Cultivating a “Cosmic Perspective” in Theology: Reading William R. Stoeger with Laudato Si’
Authors: Schutz Paul J.
Published: December 2019

The anthropocentric orientation and treatments of evolution and ecology found in Laudato Si’ undermine its potential for operationalizing its vision of “splendid universal communion.” Jesuit astronomer William Stoeger’s conceptions of experience and knowledge provide a resource for addressing these concerns and for fostering a perceptual turn to the cosmos in theology. Comparisons with Lonergan and Rahner illustrate the potential of Stoeger’s approach, and the Spiritual Exercises illustrate his vision. The article concludes by considering the theological horizons of his approach.
A Catholic Boost for Democracy: Politicizing Performed Solidarities
Authors: Alpers Christiane
Published: December 2019

This article examines the contribution of Catholic political theology to contemporary discussions about a lack of solidarity in liberal constitutional democracies particularly in Europe. John Milbank’s interpretation of this lack as indicating that secular liberalism has seen its day and should be replaced by a Catholic political order is presented as a viable alternative to attempts at strengthening the secular constitutional state at the pre-political level, as well as to Habermas’s deliberative democratic solution. Yet, reading Milbank against himself, the author argues that a Catholic political theology, precisely because it should follow Milbank’s suggestions, cannot seek to replace the present sociopolitical order. Instead, Catholic political theologians should discern where the truth breaks through in this order, where people can act in surprising solidarity with each other even if this conflicts with their political views.
State rescaling and large-scale urban development projects in China: The case of Lingang New Town, Shanghai
Authors: Li Jie , Chiu Rebecca Lai Har
Published: December 2019

Large-scale urban development projects have become the main vehicle by which targeted interventions for place- and scale-specific state initiatives unfold, triggering a series of processes that are associated with the rescaling of state space. This study aims to understand the place-specific conditions, pathways and strategies whereby states’ spatial and scalar restructuring takes place in urban development projects (UDPs) within China’s political economic contexts, and in turn how UDPs act as critical lenses for viewing the changing nature of state spatial strategy in China, through a case study of the Lingang New Town in Shanghai. The major findings are: UDPs in China function as tools not just for land value extraction but also for scale-making to cater to the state’s pursuits of place-specific competitiveness in the global economy; the restructuring of the state apparatus and regulatory frameworks is driven by place-specific tensions and crises triggered by earlier rounds of state rescaling; the state chose state-agents rather than market-agents to reinforce its power, and thus the state space expands through development of UDPs; through developing UDPs, China’s spatial strategies have explicitly and officially engaged with the discourse of globalisation while implicitly engaging with geographically variegated practices of neoliberalisation. At the theoretical level, this article facilitates an investigation of how China’s state spatial strategy, characterised by geographically and chronologically variegated engagement with neoliberalism, is actualised through UDPs. It also demonstrates how, despite being a socialist polity, pragmatic market measures and downscaling are taken as transient measures in times of need.
Environmental Domination
Authors: Krause Sharon R.
Published: December 2019

In their vulnerability to arbitrary, exploitative uses of human power, many of Earth’s nonhuman parts are subject to environmental domination. People too are subject to environmental domination in ways that include but also extend beyond the special environmental burdens borne by those who are poor and marginalized. Despite the substantial inequalities that exist among us as human beings, we are all captured and exploited by the eco-damaging collective practices that constitute modern life for everyone today. Understanding the complex, interacting dynamics of environmental domination can orient us to a more liberatory approach to our environmental problems and to one another, both human and nonhuman. To make good on this potential, however, we need to move beyond existing conceptions of domination. This essay reconstructs the concept of domination to illuminate the multiple ways that the human domination of nature interacts with the domination of people, and it identifies changes that could support more emancipatory forms of political order, a politics of non-domination for people and the Earth.
A novel nonsingular terminal sliding mode control combined with global sliding surface for uncertain nonlinear second-order systems
Authors: Liu Weiqi , Feng Zhengping , Bi Anyuan
Published: December 2019

This paper proposes a novel nonsingular terminal sliding mode control combined with global sliding surface for a class of uncertain nonlinear second-order systems. The suggested control approach is developed based on the Lyapunov theory. The sliding mode reaching the sliding surface in finite time can be guaranteed. Furthermore, chattering phenomenon caused by the switching control action can be eliminated theoretically, and desirable control performance is realized. The simulation and tank test results for heave control of a remotely operated vehicle are presented to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Design optimization and stability enhancement of modified inter-digital capacitive humidity transducer with cobalt ferrite nanoparticles as dielectric
Authors: Paul Jiss , Philip Jacob
Published: December 2019

A modified inter-digital capacitive (IDC) transducer for relative humidity (RH) measurement is fabricated by coating a thick film of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) on the structure. The effective capacitance of the sensor, measured at 1MHz, increases with RH at room temperature. The RH sensing characteristics of PVA coated IDC transducer are analysed in terms of its sensitivity, dynamic range, frequency response, repeatability and recovery time. It is found that the stability of such a PVA based RH transducer improves remarkably by diffusing nanoparticles of CoFe2O4 in the PVA layer. A standard deviation of ± 0.05 and ± 0.01 for a sensitive layer with pure PVA and PVA-CoFe2O4 combination respectively results in a measurement error of ± 0.005 and ± 0.003.
Dynamic text presentation on smart glasses: A pilot evaluation in age-related macular degeneration
Authors: Moshtael Howard , Tooth Cirta , Nuthmann Antje , Underwood Ian , Dhillon Baljean
Published: December 2019

We suggest a low-vision reading aid based on user-customized text presented on a head-mounted display (HMD), and make an initial comparison to optical aids in participants with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Biomimetic scrolling, a novel method of text presentation which mimics the natural movements of the eye while reading, was previously invented: while the user maintains a steady gaze, text is scrolled horizontally across the display in a series of pauses and steps that resemble the natural fixations and saccades of reading. This method, along with rapid serial visual presentation, continuous scrolling, and static text, was presented on smart glasses to 23 participants with macular disease. Reading speed and subjective preference of the smart glasses was compared to reading text printed on paper using the participants’ habitual optical reading aid. Reading using smart glasses, the mean (±standard error) maximum reading speed was 122 ± 15 words per minute (wpm), compared to 74 ± 9 wpm using each participants’ habitual optical magnifier. This is a statistically significant difference as confirmed by a paired-sample t-test, t(17) = –4.61, p < .001. In total, 70% of the participants preferred reading from the smart glasses compared to reading from paper, and 84% found doing so easier. Data from this small patient cohort with AMD have demonstrated enhanced reading performance using dynamic text presented on a spectacle type HMD-device. Loss of reading ability marks a major decline in quality of life and independent functioning. Dynamic text presentation, including biomimetic scrolling, on smart glasses could improve reading performance for the visually impaired.
Clozing the gap: How far do cloze items measure?
Authors: Trace Jonathan
Published: December 2019

Originally designed to measure reading and passage comprehension in L1 readers, cloze tests continue to be used for L2 assessment purposes. However, there remain disputes about whether or not cloze items can measure beyond local comprehension information, as well as whether or not they are purely a test of reading alone, or if performance can be generalized to broader claims about proficiency. The current study sets out to address both of these issues by drawing on a large pool of cloze items ( k = 449) taken from 15 cloze passages that were administered to 675 L1 and 2246 L2 examinees. In conjunction with test scores, a large-scale L1 experiment was conducted using Amazon’s Mechanical Turk to determine the level of minimum context required to answer each item. Using Rasch analysis, item function was compared across both groups, with results indicating that cloze items can draw on information at both the sentence and passage level. This seems to suggest further that cloze tests generally tend to measure reading in both L1 and L2 examinees. These findings have important implications for the continued use of cloze tests, particularly in classroom and high-stakes contexts where they are commonly found.
Predictors for acute and chronic renal failure and survival in patients supported with veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
Authors: Pabst Dirk , Sanchez-Cueva Patricio A , Soleimani Behzad , Brehm Christoph E
Published: December 2019

Background:

Renal failure is a common occurrence in patients with refractory cardiogenic shock including those supported with veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Prevalence and outcome of acute and chronic kidney failure in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation patients have not been well documented. In this study, we investigated the occurrence of acute and chronic kidney failure in veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation patients as well as predictors for survival.

Methods:

This is a single center retrospective clinical study. We included adult patients with refractory cardiogenic shock who were supported by veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation between 2008 and 2015. The primary endpoint of the study was acute kidney injury (KDIGO Stage 3) during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and chronic kidney failure requiring renal replacement therapy, 30 and 90 days after extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. The secondary endpoint was in-hospital survival and 90-day survival.

Results:

A total of 196 veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation patients were investigated. In total, 41.8% (82/196) patients had acute renal failure requiring continuous renal replacement therapy during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. The 30- and 90-day survival was 55.1% (108/196) and 48.5% (95/196), respectively; 21.3% (23/108) and 11.6% (11/95) patients needed renal replacement therapy after 30 and 90 days, respectively. Predictors for KDIGO Stage 3 renal failure during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation were lactate (p = 0.026) and the number of blood units transfused during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support (p = 0.000). A predictor for renal replacement therapy after 30 and 90 days was an elevated plasma-free hemoglobin level. The in-hospital survival was 54.6% (107/196). Serum lactate of less than 4.3 mmol/L, lower age, plasma-free hemoglobin of ⩽62 mg/dL, low number of blood units transfused during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and the use of an intra-aortic balloon pump were predictors for in-hospital and 90-day survival.
Short-term integrated rehabilitation for people with newly diagnosed thoracic cancer: a multi-centre randomized controlled feasibility trial
Authors: Bayly Joanne , Fettes Lucy , Douglas Eleanor , Teixiera Maria J , Peat Nicola , Tunnard India , Patel Vishit , Gao Wei , Wilcock Andrew , Higginson Irene J , Maddocks Matthew
Published: December 2019

Objectives:

The main objective of this study is to determine the feasibility of recruiting and retaining patients recently diagnosed with thoracic cancer to a trial of short-term integrated rehabilitation; evaluate uptake of theoretically informed components targeting physical function, symptom self-management and participation; estimate sample size requirements for an efficacy trial.

Design:

Parallel group randomized controlled feasibility trial.

Setting:

Three U.K. hospitals.

Participants:

Patients ⩽eight weeks of thoracic cancer diagnosis, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status 0–3, any cancer stage and treatment plan.

Interventions:

Participants randomly allocated (1:1) to short-term integrated rehabilitation and standard care or standard care alone over 30 days.

Main measures:

Primary: participant recruitment and retention, targeting ⩾30% of eligible patients enrolling and ⩾50% of participants reporting outcomes at 30 days. Secondary: intervention fidelity; missing data and performance of outcome measures for self-efficacy, symptoms, physical activity and health-related quality of life.

Results:

Of 159 eligible patients approached, 54 (34%) were recruited. A total of 44 (82%) and 39 (72%) participants reported outcomes at 30 and 60 days, respectively. Intervention fidelity was high. Rehabilitation was delivered across 3 (1–3) sessions over 32 (22–45) days (median (range)). Changes in clinical outcomes were modest but most apparent at 60 days for health-related quality of life: Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Lung Cancer score median (interquartile range) change 9.7 (−12.0 to 16.0) rehabilitation versus 2.3 (−15.0 to 14.5) standard care.

Conclusion:

A trial to examine efficacy of short-term integrated rehabilitation for people newly diagnosed with thoracic cancer is feasible. A sample of 336 participants could detect a meaningful effect on health-related quality of life as the primary outcome.
Correlates of fear of falling and falls efficacy in geriatric patients recovering from hip/pelvic fracture
Authors: Eckert Tobias , Kampe Karin , Kohler Michaela , Albrecht Diana , Büchele Gisela , Hauer Klaus , Schäufele Martina , Becker Clemens , Pfeiffer Klaus
Published: December 2019

Objective:

To gain a better understanding about the nature of fear of falling, this study analyzed associations between psychological and physical aspects related to fear of falling and falls efficacy in hip/pelvic fracture patients.

Design:

Baseline data of a randomized controlled trial.

Setting:

Geriatric inpatient rehabilitation hospital.

Subjects:

In all, 115 geriatric patients with hip/pelvic fracture (mean age: 82.5 years) reporting fear of falling within first week of inpatient rehabilitation.

Interventions:

None.

Main measures:

Falls efficacy (Short Falls Efficacy Scale–International; Perceived Ability to Manage Falls), fear of falling (one-item question), fall-related post-traumatic stress symptoms (six items based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; DSM-IV) criteria), physical performance (Short Physical Performance Battery) and psychological inflexibility (Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II) were assessed.

Results:

Path analyses demonstrated that low falls efficacy (Short Falls Efficacy Scale International) was significantly related to poor physical performance ( β* = –.277, P ⩽ .001), but not to psychological inflexibility and fall-related post-traumatic stress symptoms ( P ⩾ .05.). Fear of falling was directly associated with fall-related post-traumatic stress symptoms ( β*= .270, P = .007) and indirectly with psychological inflexibility ( β*= .110, P = .022). Low perceived ability to manage falls was significantly related to previous falls ( β* = –.348, P ⩽ .001), psychological inflexibility ( β* = –.216, P = .022) and female gender ( β* = –.239, P ⩽ .01).

Conclusion:

Falls efficacy and fear of falling constitute distinct constructs. Falls efficacy measured with the Short Falls Efficacy Scale International reflects the appraisal of poor physical performance. Fear of falling measured by the single-item question constitutes a fall-specific psychological construct associated with psychological inflexibility and fall-related post-traumatic stress symptoms.
Itinerant sages: The evidence of Sirach in its ancient Mediterranean context
Authors: Uusimäki Elisa
Published: December 2019

This article examines passages in Sirach which posit that travel fosters understanding (Sir. 34.9–13) and that the sage knows how to travel in foreign lands (Sir. 39.4). The references are discussed in the context of two ancient Mediterranean corpora, that is, biblical and Greek literature. Although the evidence in Sirach is insufficient for demonstrating the existence of a specific social practice, the text at least attests to an attitude of mental openness, imagining travel as a professional enterprise with positive outcomes. This article argues that the closest parallels to Sir. 34.9–13 and Sir. 39.4 are not to be found in the Hebrew Bible or Hellenistic Jewish literature but in (non-Jewish) Greek writings which refer to travels undertaken by the sages who roam around for the sake of learning. The shared travel motif helps to demonstrate that Sirach belongs to a wider Hellenistic Mediterranean context than just that of biblical literature.
Intimate Partner Violence Victimization, Social Support, and Resilience: Effects on the Anxiety Levels of Young Mothers
Authors: Choi Anna Wai-Man , Lo Barbara Chuen-Yee , Lo Ruby Tsz-Fung , To Peter Yee-Lap , Wong Janet Yuen-Ha
Published: December 2019

Young mothers face considerable challenges that can affect their mental health, with anxiety being one of the most common mental health problems observed in this population. Furthermore, pregnancy is one of the risk factors for intimate partner violence (IPV). There is thus an urgent need to explore the IPV risk faced by young mothers and its association with their mental health, anxiety in particular. The study aimed to investigate the correlation between IPV victimization and anxiety in young mothers, as well as the protective effects of social support and resilience. A total of 79 young Chinese mothers aged 16 to 25 were recruited from a special service project for young parents in Hong Kong. Just more than half (50.6%) were found to have experienced psychological aggression by their current partner, with 26.6% and 13.9%, respectively, having experienced physical assault and sexual abuse. Roughly a quarter (25.3%) perceived themselves to suffer from moderate or severe generalized anxiety disorder. Logistic regression further showed the young mothers who had experienced physical assault and/or sexual abuse by their current partners to be at least six times likelier to have moderate or severe anxiety disorder (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 4.51, p < .05) than those who had experienced no such violence. Young mothers with less perceived social support (aOR = 0.77, p < .01), a lower secondary level of education or below (aOR = 12.99, p < .05), and in receipt of social security assistance (aOR = 5.69, p < .05) were also likelier to have moderate or severe anxiety disorder. The results indicate the importance of social support during the critical period of young motherhood. Health care professionals need to remain alert to the impacts of IPV victimization and the risk of anxiety in young mothers with a low level of education and/or receiving financial support.
Determinants of Gender-Based Violence and Its Physiological Effects Among Women in 12 African Countries
Authors: Iyanda Ayodeji Emmanuel , Boakye Kwadwo Adu , Olowofeso Omowumi Helen , Lu Yongmei , Salcido Giles Jaclyn
Published: December 2019

Goals 3 and 5 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are to promote good health and well-being and to achieve gender equality, respectively. To successfully move toward these goals in the area of gender equality, there is the need to understand the underlying legislative or laws that protect women and girls from all forms of domestic violence (DV), including gender-based violence (GBV). The cardinal objective of this study, therefore, was to examine the risk factors of GBV and the physiological effects of GBV. To date, few studies have quantified the relationship between laws on DV and the incidence of DV/GBV. This article fills that gap by using Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) data of 12 African countries. We applied multivariate logistic regression to estimate the association of the absence of laws on DV, men dominant power, history of violence, alcohol consumption, women’s attitude toward men’s violence perpetration, and decision-making power with the scores of GBV and physiological effects of GBV. Group Kruskal–Wallis Rank test was used to determine the variation of the two outcomes among the 12 countries. Results show significant disparities in the score of GBV, H test (11) = 168,217, p < .001, and score of physiological effects, H test (11) = 122,127, p < .001, among the 12 countries. Specifically, Ghana, Namibia, Rwanda, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Sierra Leone, and Togo reported the highest physiological effect of GBV. Presence of DV laws, male dominance, alcohol consumption, history of abuse, and women empowerment predict GBV and the physiological effect of GBV. Thus, building strong legal frameworks against all forms of DV and empowering women may reduce the incidence of GBV and physiological effects of GBV for all African women.
Suffering in the Hands of a Loved One: The Endemic to Intimate Partner Violence and Consequences on Migrant Female Head-Load Carriers in Ghana
Authors: Adomako Emmanuel Brenyah , Darkwa Baffour Frank
Published: December 2019

The study contributed to filling a knowledge gap in the area of intimate partner violence (IPV). Previous studies conducted in Ghana have investigated the causes and types of IPV, leaving a gap on the consequences the violence had on the victims. Using a population of local economic migrants (hereafter, head-load carriers), a qualitative design with emphasis on phenomenology was employed to investigate the effects of IPV on 20 head-load carriers in two major cities in Ghana (Kumasi and Accra). The analysis performed on the data, using interpretive phenomenological analysis, revealed that IPV affected the head-load carriers’ health, employment, and human relationships. Each of the participants spoke of one or more health complications, which they attributed to IPV. Among the health-related effects reported by the head-load carriers were body pains, wounds, depression, suicide ideation, headache, and abdominal pains that resulted from the termination of an unwanted pregnancy. All the head-load carriers recounted the detrimental outcomes of IPV on their job and human relationships. After they had experienced IPV, some of the victims could not go to work due to fear of stigmatization and those who were able to could not work as they usually do due to severe pain. At their workplace, some of the IPV victims became aggressive toward customers and coworkers, whereas others remained isolated. These negatively impacted on their human relationship skills and earnings. Based on the findings, there is the need for policies that seek to address IPV to consider the effects on victims’ employment, earning, and behavior.
Childhood Emotional Abuse and Cyberbullying Perpetration: The Role of Dark Personality Traits
Authors: Kircaburun Kagan , Jonason Peter , Griffiths Mark D. , Aslanargun Engin , Emirtekin Emrah , Tosuntaş Şule B. , Billieux Joël
Published: December 2019

Dark personality traits (i.e., Machiavellianism, psychopathy, narcissism, spitefulness, and sadism) are associated with adverse childhood experiences and deviant online behaviors. However, their mediating role between childhood emotional abuse and cyberbullying has never previously been investigated. We examined direct and indirect associations of childhood emotional abuse and cyberbullying via dark personality traits among 772 participants. Men were better characterized by dark personality traits and were more likely to engage in cyberbullying than women, and there were no sex differences in childhood emotional abuse. Collectively, dark traits fully mediated the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and cyberbullying in men, with partial mediation in the total sample and women. More specifically, Machiavellianism and spitefulness were mediators in both samples, sadism was a mediator in men and the total sample, and psychopathy was a mediator in the total sample and women. The dark personality traits can account for the association between childhood emotional abuse and cyberbullying, especially among men.
Assessing the Role of Ethnic Enclaves and Neighborhood Conditions in Volunteering Among Latinos in Chicago
Authors: Gilster Megan E. , Meier Cristian L. , Booth Jaime M.
Published: December 2019

Neighborhoods may be important for formal volunteering because they vary in the extent to which they have institutions that support participation and problems that motivate participation. According to social heterogeneity and ethnic community theories, we should expect that living in ethnic enclaves, neighborhoods where residents are predominantly of the same ethnic group, would promote formal volunteering. Latino ethnic enclaves may also have more institutions and problems. However, no studies have examined neighborhood effects on formal volunteering among U.S.- and foreign-born Latinos. We investigated neighborhood-level predictors of formal volunteering among Latinos, and Mexican descent residents more specifically, using secondary data from Chicago, a Latino immigrant destination. We tested the effects of ethnic enclaves, neighborhood organizational resources, and neighborhood needs on formal volunteering. We found that Latinos in Chicago were less likely to participate in formal volunteering in ethnic enclaves when controlling for enclaves’ greater neighborhood needs, which positively influenced formal volunteering.
A practical implementation of robotic riveting cell for wedge parts of airframe
Authors: Gao Yongzhuo , Du Zhijiang , Li Mingyang , Gao Kui , Dong Wei
Published: December 2019

As there are increasing demands for efficiency and quality in airframe assembly, automation integration is required to replace manual operation. This paper presents a design of a robotic riveting cell for wedge part riveting, which is used on the trailing edge of airfoil. To complete the continuous riveting in a row of rivets at the trailing edge, a robotic riveting cell is designed to realize a set of process actions including rivet feeding/injection/cutting and press riveting. Based on the visual compensation of the hole position, a forceless feedback spiral track rivet injection compensation method is proposed. The stress feedback-based riveting process control method is introduced after rivet injection and cutting. The proposed approach is applied to the robotic riveting cell and the rivet injector works stably. No indentation has been detected using the force-controlled riveting method. The prototype can achieve the riveting task well on the wedge part. The proposed design and approach can be applied on both wedge parts and flat parts. This will give a new way to solve the automation integration problem in airframe assembly. A robotic riveting cell is designed to realize a set of process actions. A forceless feedback spiral track rivet injection compensation method is proposed. The stress feedback-based riveting process control method is employed after rivet injection and cutting.
Stiffness modeling, identification, and measuring of a rotating spindle
Authors: Wang Liping , Zhang Binbin , Wu Jun , Zhao Qinzhi , Wang Junjian
Published: December 2019

The stiffness of a spindle at high speeds has a significant effect on the quality of the cutting surface and the machining accuracy. However, the spindle stiffness is difficult to be detected directly when the spindle is rotating, and the measured stiffness values are usually coupled with other parts of the spindle–tool system (such as toolholder, spindle–toolholder joint, tool). This paper presents a comprehensive method to deal with the stiffness modeling, identification, and measuring of a rotating spindle. Based on the deflection equation and the principle of superposition, the stiffness model is derived, for a spindle–tool system including a spindle, a specially manufactured toolholder, and a spindle–toolholder joint. A three-step identification algorithm is proposed to decouple and identify the actual spindle stiffness value. First, when the spindle is static, the stiffness values of the shaft, toolholder, and joint are obtained by using the least-squares method. Second, when the spindle is rotating, the stiffness values of the rear bearings and front bearings are identified based on the spindle error analysis method. Third, the stiffness values of the spindle under different rotating conditions are calculated based on the identification results from the previous two steps. Furthermore, the stiffness model and identification algorithm are verified experimentally on an instrumented spindle. The static stiffness value of the same spindle is also measured and compared with the stiffness value under rotating conditions subsequently. This work is useful and can be utilized as a guide for spindle stiffness testing and spindle performance evaluation to spindle manufacturers.
Multiobjective optimization of friction stir weldments of AA2014-T651 by teaching–learning-based optimization
Authors: Venu Borigorla , Suvarna Raju L , Venkata Rao K
Published: December 2019

This study focuses on optimization of process parameters, which may result in improved mechanical properties of the friction stir weldments of AA2014-T651. Plain taper and threaded taper cylindrical tool pin profiles were used for the study. A set of experiments was conducted at different levels of tool rotational and weld speeds using two tool pin profiles. Mechanical properties such as tensile strength, yield strength, impact strength, percentage of elongation, and hardness were measured. Objective functions are developed for the five mechanical properties in terms of input parameters. The input parameters were optimized using teaching–learning-based optimization algorithm technique to improve mechanical properties. The teaching–learning-based optimization algorithm suggested three best combinations such as combination-I (940 r/min and 32 mm/min), combination-II (1100 r/min and 40 mm/min), and combination-III (1205 r/min and 45 mm/min). The optimization is also validated with experimental results.
Numerical prediction of aerodynamic noise from impeller blowers of straw threshing machines
Authors: ZhiPing Zhai , ZhuWei Li , Long Zhang , Zhongyi Yang , Yuezheng Lan
Published: December 2019

An impeller blower is one of the major aerodynamic noise sources in straw threshing machines. To reduce its aerodynamic noise, it is essential to understand the mechanism of gas-material-coupled unsteady flow causing aerodynamic noise. However, it is difficult to clarify the mechanism through measurement. Therefore, the following topics are studied in this article. First, a full-field transient numerical simulation of the gas and solid particulates’ unsteady flow inside the impeller blower was carried out using a dense discrete phase model and a large eddy simulation turbulence model. Second, based on the Ffowcs Williams–Hawkins equation, the aerodynamic noise of the impeller blower of the straw threshing machines was numerically calculated. Finally, the numerical results were verified by aerodynamic noise test. The results indicate that (1) sound pressure level at the inlet of the impeller blower is the highest, mainly at 100 Hz, which is the fundamental frequency of the rotating impeller, while the sound pressure level at the fourth harmonic frequency of 400 Hz is the main source of the outlet. The total sound pressure level at the inlet is greater than that at the outlet. It is concluded that the dipole source of the rotating impeller is the main noise source, which was generated by the interaction of blade with the air and material as the impeller rotated. Also, acoustic attenuation, acoustic resonance, and impact noise of material and machinery play important roles in aerodynamic noise distribution. (2) The test and simulation results show good agreement, so the numerical model of aerodynamic noise is reliable. This study will provide a reference for the structural and acoustic optimization design of impeller blowers and their integration into threshing machines.
Crack cocaine smoke on pregnant rats: Maternal evaluation and teratogenic effect
Authors: Souza-Silva EM , Alves RB , Simon KA , Hueza IM
Published: December 2019

This study aimed to evaluate maternal toxicity, teratogenic, and placental oxidative effects resulting from the exposure of rats to crack cocaine smoke during pregnancy. Pregnant rats were exposed either to the smoke of crack and ashes (Crack) or to the smoke of ashes alone, nonexposed or pair-fed with the Crack group. Crack group was exposed to the smoke resulting from the burning of 250 mg of crack for 10 min, twice a day, from 7 days prior to mating until cesarian on gestational day 20. Placental oxidative stress and classical parameters of maternal and fetal evaluation were studied, in addition to the morphometric analysis of the fetal metamers. Even in the absence of changes in body weight gain and feed intake, crack altered the reproductive performance of dams. Exposure to the drug promoted late closure of the fetal fontanel. Furthermore, the morphometric study of the brain mass (BM)/skull cap ratio revealed a decrease in the BM of the fetuses exposed to the drug. Exposure to crack has an oxidative potential in fetal development, since exposure to the drug promoted placental lipid peroxidation. Our study showed that daily exposure to crack, even in lower frequency than that performed by users, has a teratogenic potential.
Familial lupus in Tunisia: a series of 14 families
Authors: Chebbi D , Jallouli M , Snoussi M , Damak C , Frikha F , Ben Salah R , Loukil H , Marzouk S , Bahloul Z
Published: December 2019

The relatively high prevalence of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in familial cases supports genetic susceptibility to this disease. Although many advances have been made in the identification of new genes implicated in lupus pathogenesis, to date, there has been no large study of familial SLE. We report what we believe to be the first study of familial SLE in the North African population. The objectives of this study were to determine the main clinical and laboratory features of familial lupus and to compare them to sporadic lupus in a population of Tunisian patients. Fourteen families in which the diagnosis of lupus could be verified in at least two relatives were included in the study. All patients fulfilled four or more criteria defined by the American College of Rheumatology. Twenty-seven patients (23 females and 4 males) with familial SLE among a cohort of 253 SLE patients were found, resulting in a frequency of 10.67%. No significant differences were found between familial SLE cases and their controls in terms of sex ratio, mean age at onset and clinical and serological manifestations, which is consistent with the results of other series reported in the literature. Our results support the importance of carrying out more genetic studies within families of SLE in order to have a better understanding of the genetic and molecular mechanisms of the disease.
Indeterminate cell histiocytosis in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus and antiphospholipid antibody syndrome: an unusual association
Authors: Akdogan N , Demircan C , Bolek E C , Gokoz O , Karaduman A
Published: December 2019

Indeterminate cell histiocytosis (ICH) is an extremely rare clonal proliferative disorder of dendritic cells which presents with skin lesions in the majority of cases. Although extra-cutaneous manifestations are very rare, ICH may involve the mucosa, cornea, and conjunctiva as well as the visceral organs. Since the clinical appearance of cutaneous lesions of ICH is not distinctive, it is diagnosed with histopathological and immunohistochemical findings after clinical suspicion. Herein, we report a 27-year-old man with a two-year history of asymptomatic reddish papules and papulonecrotic lesions on his face, arms and buttocks. He was previously diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS), and he had been treated with hydroxychloroquine and low-dose aspirin. Diffuse dermal infiltration of a mixture of histiocytes and lymphocytes accompanied with multinuclear giant cells, the positive CD68 and Factor XIIIa and negative Langerin immunoreactions, along with the positive staining with CD1a and S100, led us to the diagnosis of ICH. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of ICH associated with SLE and APS.
Marketing Response Modelling: Impact of Digital Marketing for a Luxury Car Brand
Authors: Dash Mihir , Sharma Kshitiz
Published: December 2019

The luxury car segment is the most vibrant segment in the luxury goods market, experiencing high growth in recent years in the emerging economies of China, India, and Brazil. In India, the luxury car segment is dominated by three major players, that is, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW, together accounting for 85 per cent of the total Indian luxury car segment.

The study proposes a marketing response model for luxury car brands, involving a linear model with all possible interaction effects. The model is applied in the case of a luxury car brand which had recently adopted digital marketing in addition to its traditional advertising media mix. The response in the form of customer queries at its showroom (situated in Bangalore, India) was taken as the dependent variable. The independent variables were the advertising expenditure in different media, viz. newspapers and magazines, display events, and digital media.

The results of the model provide a measure of the effectiveness of each of the media, the interaction between them, as well as the impact of digital marketing.
Corporate Investigations: Beyond Notions of Public–Private Relations
Authors: Meerts Clarissa
Published: December 2019

Based on qualitative research primarily carried out in the Netherlands, this article describes corporate investigations within the private sector in terms of investigators’ operational autonomy, which, in only a minority of cases, involves contact or cooperation with governmental law enforcement agencies. It is argued that, given this de facto public–private separation, theoretical concepts within the literature that take the nation-state as the imagined historical origin and/or continuing partner of corporate security—concepts such as privatization, responsibilization, or multilateralization—fail to capture the autonomy of corporate investigations. Furthermore, such concepts are politically distracting and potentially dangerous for public policy, since they imply that corporate security is effectively surveilled and supervised by the state within a framework of public–private cooperation. Nothing could be further from the truth; indeed the limited liaisons that do occur are initiated by the private sector.
An Examination of Order Maintenance Policing by Business Improvement Districts
Authors: D’Souza Amanda
Published: December 2019

Despite their ability to improve public safety, research has often prioritized the central role of the police in order maintenance, frequently overlooking the activities of non-state organizations. The current study examines the role of one such security program, Business Improvement Districts (BIDs). Specifically, it explores how BIDs’ security teams, also known as Public Safety Officers, enforce order within their local districts. Data were collected from 76 semi-structured interviews and 171 hr of participant observations within four different BIDs in the two American cities. Findings illustrate how study participants demonstrated their use of reporting, surveillance, and other behavioral strategies to establish order and themselves as guardians within their districts. Scholars’ disproportionate focus on the work of the police downplays the importance of private organizations. This study is an exploration into a piece of this larger order maintenance network.
Private Police and Security Governance: Mapping Emerging Trends and Future Directions
Authors: Nalla Mahesh K. , Gurinskaya Anna
Published: December 2019

In this article, we outline a brief overview of the growth and trends in scholarly literature devoted to the study of private policing and the private security industry in crime and security governance over the past five decades. More specifically, we draw attention to the scholarship addressing private policing and the shifts in the discourse of the subject of security governance during this time both from theoretical and thematic foci. In doing so, we identify potential future directions in which this field of private policing studies is moving.
Electro-mechanical impedance model of a laminated rectangular plate with imperfect interfaces
Authors: Lv Tianbi , Yan Wei , Li Junhua
Published: December 2019

A laminated orthotropic rectangular plate surface-bonded or embedded with a piezoelectric actuator/sensor is investigated based on the state-space approach. A linear spring-like model is utilized to simulate the interfacial imperfections. Besides, to establish the global transfer relations between the elastic variables of the elastic layers and the piezoelectric films, a matrix reduction technique is employed. Then, an analytical expression of electro-mechanical impedance, which contains the information of the interfacial bonding, is derived based on the three-dimensional theory of elasticity (or piezoelasticity). Numerical results show that the signals extracted from the present electro-mechanical impedance model can detect the interfacial conditions of laminates, and hence, the present analysis provides an efficient and convenient approach to monitor the interfacial defects in the laminated structures.