bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Link Transmission Model-Based Linear Programming Formulation for Network Design
Authors: Chakraborty Shantanu , Rey David , Moylan Emily , Waller S. Travis
Published: June 2018

This article presents a linear programming formulation to solve the network design problem using the link transmission model (LTM) as the underlying traffic flow model. The original LTM was adapted by incorporating link-sending and receiving flows using linear inequalities. Furthermore, route choice was relaxed, and transfer flow variables were used to model vehicles’ routing decisions within the network. The objective function of the linear program aimed to minimize the total difference between the cumulative vehicle numbers (CVN) at the upstream and at the downstream boundaries of each link subject to flow-conservation and budget constraints. CVN were represented using transfer flows from connected links. The resulting formulation is a linear program that represents a dynamic system optimum traffic flow pattern, embedding the LTM’s network loading procedure. In contrast to the single-destination system optimum dynamic traffic assignment, based on the cell transmission model, the proposed formulation requires considerably fewer decision variables, thus potentially providing a more scalable approach. The proposed formulation was implemented on an example network to illustrate the behavior of the model, and was compared with the cell-based formulation. We show that the model describes free-flow and congested traffic flow states accurately in terms of shock-wave propagation, queuing of vehicles, and optimal total system travel time.
Moving toward a Shared Understanding of the U.S. Shrinking City
Authors: Ganning Joanna P. , Tighe J. Rosie
Published: June 2018

Scholarly work on “shrinking” cities grew following the 2010 census, resulting in a diverse body of popular and academic literature. However, this has not produced a widely accepted definition of the “shrinking city.” We analyze definitions used in a sample of papers on U.S. shrinking cities and propose an empirically justified definition that reflects the shrinking cities research agenda and is easily operationalized. We demonstrate that our resulting universe of eighty cities represents the places studied in the literature and provides a starting point for future research. We hope to draw scholars to a shared understanding of this pressing topic.
Do Smart Growth Urban Development Strategies Reduce Jobs-housing Distance in a High-density City? The Case of the Seoul Metropolitan Area
Authors: Kim Jae Ik , Hyun Jun Yong
Published: June 2018

This study examines the practicality of smart growth strategies for already compact cities, testing whether zones with high-density development, mixed land use, and transit-oriented development result in shorter travel distances between jobs and housing in the Seoul metropolitan area of Korea. The findings, derived from spatial econometric models, reveal that high-density development does not always reduce these distances. Furthermore, greater subway accessibility induces a longer commuting distance. However, jobs-housing balance, a mixed-use variable, reduces commuting distances. The findings imply that smart growth principles should be applied together, not separately, for better planning results.
Tools Matter: Mediated Writing Activity in Alternative Digital Environments
Authors: Ching Kory Lawson
Published: June 2018

This study examines the experiences and perceptions of writers who composed text using “distraction-free” writing tools that stand as alternatives to standard word processing programs. The purpose of this research was to develop a clearer understanding of how digital writing tools may shape the activities and practices of writers, as well as what writing with unfamiliar tools and technologies might reveal about writing processes. Analysis of study participants’ reflective narratives of their composing experience suggests the extent to which writing tools and technologies influence routine practices, assist writers as they try to direct their attention (and avoid distraction), motivate writing, and impact writers’ “text sense” as they compose. Moreover, findings indicate how different tools and technologies may be viewed as more or less useful for different writing tasks. This article ends with a call for writing researchers, writing teachers, and software developers to attend more critically to the ways writing technologies shape the practices of writers.
Seasonal Changes in Endocannabinoid Concentrations between Active and Hibernating Marmots (Marmota flaviventris)
Authors: Mulawa Emily A. , Kirkwood Jay S. , Wolfe Lisa M. , Wojda Samantha J. , Prenni Jessica E. , Florant Gregory L. , Donahue Seth W.
Published: June 2018

Hibernation is a naturally occurring model for studying diseases such as obesity and osteoporosis. Hibernators, marmots (Marmota flaviventris) among them, are able to nearly double their body mass by increasing fat stores prior to hibernation without the negative consequences of obesity. They are also physically inactive for extended periods of time without experiencing negative effects on the skeleton. The endocannabinoid system is involved in modulating neural signaling, circannual rhythms, behavior, appetite, thermogenesis, and bone and energy metabolism. These systems are also altered to maintain homeostasis during hibernation. This study aims to better understand the involvement of the endocannabinoid system in the regulation of physiological processes during hibernation by quantifying the seasonal variation of endocannabinoids and endocannabinoid-like ligands in both active and hibernating marmots. We hypothesized that there would be significant changes in endocannabinoid concentrations at the tissue level in marmots between active and hibernating states. Concentrations were measured in brain, serum, brown adipose tissue, white adipose tissue, bone marrow, cortical bone, and trabecular bone using microflow chromatography coupled with tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry. Significant changes were found, such as a 30-fold decrease in 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG) in cortical bone during hibernation. Many endocannabinoid and endocannabinoid-like ligands decreased in brown adipose tissue, white adipose tissue, and cortical bone, while several ligands increased in bone marrow. This result supports our hypothesis and suggests the possibility of a peripherally controlled shift in energy metabolism, reduction in bone metabolism, and suppression of the immune system during hibernation.
Validating an Algorithm to Identify Patients With Infantile Spasms Using Medical Claims
Authors: Wang Ling , Yarosz Shannon , Aghamoosa Hosain , Grinspan Zachary , Patel Anup D.
Published: June 2018

An infantile spasm is a brief seizure type that is characteristic of West syndrome. Many infants present with infantile spasms between 3-12 months of age. Early diagnosis and proper treatment of patients with infantile spasms can lead to improved clinical outcomes. However, proper identification of these patients using claims data with validation has not been performed. The authors developed and tested several algorithms using claims data. Claims data consisted of using International Classification of Disease (ICD), Current Procedural Terminology (CPT), and prescription codes. Access to the claims database was from an accountable care organization. The algorithm using the specific ICD code for infantile spasms only performed the best with high sensitivity and specificity. This algorithm can be used to perform additional research in claims data for patients with infantile spasms.
Incidence of Childhood Epilepsy in Estonia
Authors: Veri Kadi , Talvik Inga , Vaher Ulvi , Napa Aita , Ilves Pilvi , Uibo Oivi , Õiglane-Shlik Eve , Laugesaar Rael , Rein Reet , Kolk Anneli , Noormets Klari , Reimand Tiia , Õunap Katrin , Talvik Tiina
Published: June 2018

The aim of this prospective epidemiological study was to establish the incidence rate of childhood epilepsy in Estonia, to describe the clinical spectrum and to identify etiology of childhood epilepsy. The overall incidence rate was 86.3/100 000. The incidence rate was the highest (141.9/100 000) in the age group from 5 to 9 years. Specific electroclinical syndromes were identified in 22.8% of cases. Structural or metabolic etiology was identified in 20.0% of cases, presumed genetic origin was identified in 33.9% of cases, and in 46.1% of cases the cause of epilepsy remained unknown. The incidence rate of childhood epilepsy in Estonia (86.3/100 000) is similar to the other European countries. In comparison with the results of the first epidemiological study of childhood epilepsy in Estonia (incidence rate 45/100 000; Beilmann et al), the incidence rate in this study is almost 2 times higher, what can be explained with better case collection and improved diagnostic modalities in Estonia.
Mediating Effects of Frailty Indicators on the Risk of Sepsis After Cancer
Authors: Moore Justin Xavier , Akinyemiju Tomi , Bartolucci Alfred , Wang Henry E. , Waterbor John , Griffin Russell
Published: June 2018

Background:

Cancer survivors are at increased risk of sepsis, possibly attributed to weakened physiologic conditions. The aims of this study were to examine the mediation effect of indicators of frailty on the association between cancer survivorship and sepsis incidence and whether these differences varied by race.

Methods:

We performed a prospective analysis using data from the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke cohort from years 2003 to 2012. We categorized frailty as the presence of ≥2 frailty components (weakness, exhaustion, and low physical activity). We categorized participants as “cancer survivors” or “no cancer history” derived from self-reported responses of being diagnosed with any cancer. We examined the mediation effect of frailty on the association between cancer survivorship and sepsis incidence using Cox regression. We repeated analysis stratified by race.

Results:

Among 28 062 eligible participants, 2773 (9.88%) were cancer survivors and 25 289 (90.03%) were no cancer history participants. Among a total 1315 sepsis cases, cancer survivors were more likely to develop sepsis (12.66% vs 3.81%, P < .01) when compared to participants with no cancer history (hazard ratios: 2.62, 95% confidence interval: 2.31-2.98, P < .01). The mediation effects of frailty on the log-hazard scale were very small: weakness (0.57%), exhaustion (0.31%), low physical activity (0.20%), frailty (0.75%), and total number of frailty indicators (0.69%). Similar results were observed when stratified by race.

Conclusion:

Cancer survivors had more than a 2-fold increased risk of sepsis, and indicators of frailty contributed to less than 1% of this disparity.
Latina and Caribbean Immigrant Women’s Experiences With Intimate Partner Violence: A Story of Ambivalent Sexism
Authors: Alvarez Carmen , Lameiras-Fernandez Maria , Holliday Charvonne N. , Sabri Bushra , Campbell Jacquelyn
Published: June 2018

Despite extensive descriptive work on intimate partner violence (IPV) among Latina and Caribbean immigrant women (LCIW), culturally appropriate interventions for primary and secondary prevention of IPV for this population remain lacking. Developing culturally appropriate and effective prevention interventions for abused LCIW requires a more nuanced understanding regarding the dynamics of cultural values, immigration status, and manifestations of IPV. The purposes of this study were to examine LCIW’s experiences of domestic violence, using a gender stereotype framework, and to describe how ascribing to gender stereotypes perpetuates and normalizes experiences of abuse. Thirty semistructured individual interviews were conducted with LCIW (a) who were at least 18 years old and (b) who had experienced abuse from an intimate partner within the last 2 years. Overall, women described themselves as communal—being caretakers, submissive, and dependent on men. From their perspective, they described their male abusers as being controlling, angry, and violent. The risk for experiencing violence increased when women defied their prescriptive gender roles by seeking employment and by developing their social networks and activities. Substance abuse and alcohol misuse also compounded their partners’ abusive behaviors. Despite some women experiencing more abuse after migration to the United States, coming to the United States exposed them to other opportunities and ways of being a woman, which facilitated an awareness about their abuse and was a motivator for help-seeking and ending abuse. Our findings highlight the importance of addressing traditional gender stereotypes for secondary prevention of IPV.
The Effect of Combining Business Training, Microfinance, and Support Group Participation on Economic Status and Intimate Partner Violence in an Unplanned Settlement of Nairobi, Kenya
Authors: Sarnquist Clea C. , Ouma Linda , Lang’at Nickson , Lubanga Chrisanthus , Sinclair Jake , Baiocchi Michael T. , Cornfield David N.
Published: June 2018

Intimate partner violence (IPV) has myriad negative health and economic consequences for women and families. We hypothesized that empowering women through a combination of formal business training, microfinance, and IPV support groups would decrease IPV and improve women’s economic status. The study included adult female survivors of severe IPV. Women living in Korogocho received the intervention and women in Dandora served as a standard of care (SOC) group, but received the intervention at the end of the follow-up period. Women in the intervention groups ( n = 82, SOC group, n = 81) received 8 weeks of business training, assistance creating a business plan, a small initial loan (about US$60), and weekly business and social support meetings. The two primary outcome measures included change in: (a) average daily profit margin, and (b) incidence of severe IPV. Exploratory analysis also looked at incidence of violence against children and women’s self-efficacy. Average daily profit margin in the intervention group increased by 351 Kenyan Shillings (about US$3.5) daily (95% CI = [172, 485]). IPV directed against participating women decreased from a baseline of 2.1 to 0.26 incidents, a difference of 1.84 incidents (95% CI = [1.32, 2.36]). Violence against children in the household in the prior 3 months decreased from 1.1 to 0.55 incidents, a difference of 0.55 incidents (95% CI = [0.16, 1.03]). Finally, the intervention appears to have increased self-efficacy scores by 0.42 points (95% CIs 0.13, 0.71). In a low-resource urban environment, employing three complementary interventions resulted in higher daily profit margins and lower IPV in the intervention compared with the SOC group. These data support the notion that employing multiple interventions concomitantly might possess synergistic, beneficial effects, and hold promise to address profound poverty and interrupt the devastating cycle of IPV.
Anatomy of a Stalled Revolution: Processes of Reproduction and Change in Russian Women’s Gender Ideologies
Authors: Ashwin Sarah , Isupova Olga
Published: June 2018

Russia’s gender revolution notoriously produced women’s economic empowerment without domestic equality. Although the Soviet state vastly expanded women’s employment, this had little impact on a starkly unequal gender division of domestic labor. Such “stalling” is common, but in Russia its extent and persistence presents a puzzle, requiring us to investigate linkages between macro-level factors and micro-level interactions regarding the gender division of domestic labor. We do this by focusing on gender ideology, an important variable explaining the gender division of domestic labor that bridges the macro level of the gender order and the micro-interactional level. We use longitudinal qualitative data to examine continuity and change in young Russian women’s gender ideologies between 1999 and 2010. Based on an analysis of 115 in-depth interviews from 23 respondents, we identify traditional and egalitarian trajectories and the processes underlying them, showing how the male breadwinner schema and an ideology of women’s independence support traditionalism, while non-traditional breadwinning and interactional support from men facilitate egalitarianism. Our analysis enables us to explain the Soviet gender paradox and distinguish sources of change in the post-Soviet era. Our theoretical contribution is to situate gender ideology in a multilevel framework, the efficacy of which we demonstrate in our empirical analysis.
Soka education as a theory of leadership
Authors: Heffron John M
Published: June 2018

This research poses two interrelated questions. How important is it for the formation of democratic ideas about educational leadership that the group or individual promoting those ideas is operating within a democratic political environment or, to the contrary, in the absence of one? And second, in the case of the latter, what are the available resources – historical, educational, philosophical, and transnational – for a countervailing vision of educational leadership, one rooted in precisely those democratic forms that have failed to find a hospitable environment in the home country: in the case of this research, feudal Japan in the 1930s and 1940s when a heightened form of militant fascism ruled the country. The strength of an idea, especially one that emerges in an inhospitable environment, that draws its strength from a kind of stress of opposites, and that survives the political machinations against it, may in selective cases be sufficient enough to overcome the structural limits of context. One such idea, the article argues, is ‘Soka,’ a Japanese term that translates as value creation. A fundamental critique of this philosophy is that ‘education is unproductive,’ not in the narrow economic sense of the term, but in the production of ‘benefit, good, and beauty,’ the building blocks of ‘value creation,’ a dynamic process of meaning-making within any given reality. The article demonstrates how an historical case from Japan can have broad contemporary use and significance for educational leadership and its preparation.
Affective Ties That Bind: Investigating the Affordances of Social Networking Sites for Commemoration of Traumatic Events
Authors: Song Yunya , Xu Ran
Published: June 2018

Social networking sites (SNSs) facilitate self-expression and promote social connections. There has been growing scholarly attention to the affect-charged collectivities created online in the aftermath of disasters and mass traumas. This study was designed to examine how individuals affiliate in SNS-based commemoration of a mass trauma, taking advantage of a large Weibo (the Chinese equivalent of Twitter) data set which captures users’ responses over 4 years to the anniversary of the Nanjing massacre, a major traumatic event in Chinese history. Machine learning–based content analysis was combined with dyadic-level network analysis to examine the content Weibo users create and the conversational structures they formed. The results reveal that homophily, geographic proximity, and preferential attachment work in tandem with displays of emotion to influence the formation of online conversational ties. Expressions of negative emotions were found to facilitate or inhibit the homophily effect. Being exposed to the display of anger amplifies the homophily effect among the users, while sadness weakens it. The findings point to the importance of examining specific emotions rather than global (positive–negative) feelings in understanding the dynamics of SNS-based interaction.
Defence is the Best Offence: Horizontal Disintegration and Institutional Completion in the German Coordinated Market Economy
Authors: Hertwig Markus , Kirsch Johannes , Wirth Carsten
Published: June 2018

The article considers how (new) forms of horizontal disintegration, like onsite subcontracting, challenge and change the industrial relations institutions of the German coordinated market economy (CME). Focusing on firm-level co-determination practices, it analyses how works councils respond to strategies of onsite subcontracting and what effects their responses have for the employment system. Based on evidence from 12 case studies, it is argued that although onsite subcontracting might prompt institutional erosion, this does not pass uncontested. Rather, practices of network-oriented employee representation on the part of works councils might bring about an ‘institutional completion’, in this case, the institutionalisation of the network as an additional point of reference for employee representation. This may stabilise and even extend the scope of existing CME institutions through a process of ‘institutional upgrading’. In some areas of the economy, however, management and works council practices are more likely to exacerbate dualisation and social inequality.
Predicting the grinding force of titanium matrix composites using the genetic algorithm optimizing back-propagation neural network model
Authors: Zhou Huan , Ding Wen-Feng , Li Zheng , Su Hong-Hua
Published: June 2018

A back-propagation neural network BP model and a genetic algorithm optimizing back-propagation neural network (GA-BP) model are proposed to predict the grinding forces produced during the creep-feed deep grinding of titanium matrix composites. These models consider quantitative and non-quantitative grinding parameters (e.g. up-grinding mode and down-grinding mode) as inputs. Comparative results show that the GA-BP model has better prediction accuracy (e.g. up to 95%) than the conventional regression model and the BP model. Specific grinding energy was calculated against the grinding parameters and grinding modes based on the grinding forces predicted by the GA-BP model.
A brief recent history of the epidemiology of congenital syphilis in the United Kingdom
Authors: Simms Ian , Goh Beng T , French Patrick , Wallace Lesley A , Irvine Neil , Thomas Daniel Rh , Winter Andrew J , Lyall Hermione , Webb Sharon
Published: June 2018

Within a century, congenital syphilis has been reduced from a major cause of morbidity and mortality to a condition rarely seen in the UK. Here, newly-derived literature and information searches were used to create a contemporary overview of the epidemic, including its epidemiology. Although constrained by high-quality healthcare services and with an incidence below the World Health Organization elimination threshold, congenital syphilis still has the potential to cause major consequences for the health and life chances of affected infants. If the complex challenges presented by this preventable disease are to be resolved, intervention strategies need to be optimised, rigorously assessed and extended across Europe.
Race, alcohol and general paralysis: Emil Kraepelin’s comparative psychiatry and his trips to Java (1904) and North America (1925)
Authors: Engstrom Eric J , Crozier Ivan
Published: June 2018

This article examines Emil Kraepelin’s notion of comparative psychiatry and relates it to the clinical research he conducted at psychiatric hospitals in South-East Asia (1904) and the USA (1925). It argues that his research fits awkwardly within the common historiographic narratives of colonial psychiatry. It also disputes claims that his work can be interpreted meaningfully as the fons et origio of transcultural psychiatry. Instead, it argues that his comparative psychiatry was part of a larger neo-Lamarckian project of clinical epidemiology and was thus primarily a reflection of his own long-standing diagnostic practices and research agendas. However, the hospitals in Java and America exposed the institutional constraints and limitations of those practices and agendas.
Alternative butanol/gasoline and butanol/diesel fuel blends: An analysis of the interdependence between physical-chemical properties by a multivariate principal component analysis model
Authors: Brandão Luiz Filipe Paiva , Braga Jez Willian Batista , Suarez Paulo Anselmo Ziani
Published: June 2018

The use of butanol as an oxygenated component in blends with fossil fuels has recently been recognized by the industry as a promising and green alternative for automotive use, being subject of several recent studies. In this work, the interdependence between important physical-chemical properties of butanol/gasoline and butanol/diesel fuel blends was investigated using a multivariate principal component analysis model. The model dataset was based on laboratorial results of density, kinematic viscosity, distillation, vapor pressure, octane rating, anti-knock index, flash point and cetane number in a total of 48 blends, the variables of which were transformed to principal component analysis matrix representations, pre-processed and then analyzed. A good coherence was observed between the experimental results in laboratory and those derived from the principal component analysis models, evidencing important physical-chemical changes in blends’ properties due to the butanol addition. Principal component analysis scores and loadings plots could provide an intuitive and comprehensive data visualization. Butanol/gasoline fuel blends showed an overall increase in density, octane rating and higher distillation temperatures from the initial boiling point to T60 (temperature of the 60% distilled volume) and reduction of the distillation temperatures from T70 to the final boiling point. An absolute reduction in values of all properties was observed for butanol/diesel fuel blends, especially for initial distillation temperatures from initial boiling point to T35, T98, final boiling point and flash point, whereas the reductions for density, kinematic viscosity and cetane number were less intense. Total variances of up to 92.50% and 94.14% were explained by the proposed principal component analysis model, depending on the blends matrix and butanol isomer composition.
Design of a fractional-order adaptive integral sliding mode controller for the trajectory tracking control of robot manipulators
Authors: Dumlu Ahmet
Published: June 2018

In this study, trajectory tracking control of six–degrees of freedom robotic manipulator has been performed using the proposed fractional-order adaptive integral sliding mode control scheme. The proposed method is first composed by fractional-order and adaptive integral sliding mode control to achieve the finite-time convergence, chattering-free control inputs, better tracking performance and robustness for the robotic manipulator. Furthermore, an adaptive method has been utilized to evaluate and compensate the uncertain and unknown dynamics of the system without relying on the prior knowledge of the upper bounds. To illustrate the efficiency of the proposed fractional-order adaptive integral sliding mode control method, the real-time experimental studies have been performed for the six–degrees of freedom industrial robot manipulator. The experimental outcomes strongly verified that the proposed controller gives quite well trajectory tracking response and faster convergence compared with the classical integral sliding mode control under the external payload.
Effects of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor on MicroRNA Expression Profile in Human Endothelial Progenitor Cells
Authors: He Tongrong , Sun Ruohan , Li Ying , Katusic Zvonimir S.
Published: June 2018

The mechanisms underlying proangiogenic function of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) are not fully understood. The current study was designed to explore the microRNA (miRNA) profile in human early endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs, also referred to as CFU-Hill cells) treated with BDNF. Treatment of early EPCs with BDNF for 7 d significantly increased the colony formation of outgrowth endothelial cells. BDNF suppressed the expression of miR-4716-5p, miR-3928, miR-433, miR-1294, miR-1539, and miR-19b-1*. In contrast, BDNF significantly increased the levels of miR-432*, miR-4499, miR-3911, miR-1183, miR-4669, miR-636, miR-4717-3p, miR-4298, miR485-5p, and miR-181c. Since miR-433 has been reported to augment hematopoietic cells proliferation and differentiation, we examined the role of miR-433 in regenerative effects of BDNF. BDNF stimulated the protein expression of guanylate-binding protein 2 via the suppression of miR-433. However, the knockdown of miR-433 was not sufficient to significantly increase the number of outgrowth endothelial cell colonies, suggesting that modulation of miR-433 alone does not stimulate regenerative capacity of EPCs. In aggregate, our results also suggest that the effect of BDNF on regenerative function of EPCs may depend on complex changes in the expression of microRNAs.
Identification and In Vitro Expansion of Buccal Epithelial Cells
Authors: Ghaemi Soraya Rasi , Delalat Bahman , Harding Frances J. , Irani Yazad D. , Williams Keryn A. , Voelcker Nicolas H.
Published: June 2018

Ex vivo-expanded buccal mucosal epithelial (BME) cell transplantation has been used to reconstruct the ocular surface. Methods for enrichment and maintenance of BME progenitor cells in ex vivo cultures may improve the outcome of BME cell transplantation. However, the parameter of cell seeding density in this context has largely been neglected. This study investigates how varying cell seeding density influences BME cell proliferation and differentiation on tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS). The highest cell proliferation activity was seen when cells were seeded at 5×104 cells/cm2. Both below and above this density, the cell proliferation rate decreased sharply. Differential immunofluorescence analysis of surface markers associated with the BME progenitor cell population (p63, CK19, and ABCG2), the differentiated cell marker CK10 and connexin 50 (Cx50) revealed that the initial cell seeding density also significantly affected the progenitor cell marker expression profile. Hence, this study demonstrates that seeding density has a profound effect on the proliferation and differentiation of BME stem cells in vitro, and this is relevant to downstream cell therapy applications.
Impact of Ownership Type and Board Characteristics on the Pay–Performance Relationship: Evidence from India
Authors: Kohli Manika
Published: June 2018

The present research has been undertaken to study the role of ownership type and board mechanisms in moderating the executive pay-corporate performance linkage in the Indian context. A sample of 209 companies listed on the S&P BSE 500 Index has been studied over the period 2008–2009 to 2012–2013. Rigorous statistical analysis of the panel data highlights that some of the governance mechanisms are, in practice, instrumental in improving the relationship between pay and performance. Whereas efforts must, indeed, be channelled towards the better functioning of certain other internal control mechanisms. Specifically, of noteworthy consequence is the difference in the way the shareholders and the board of directors ameliorate the pay–performance relationship with respect to accounting vis-à-vis market-based corporate performance. Further, the weak monitoring role discharged by the institutional investors warrant immediate policy concern. The study brings forth important implications for practitioners and policy makers in designing corporate performance-based pay keeping in view the predominant influence exerted by the institutional environment of the emerging economy of India.
Comparison of Whistle-blower Protection Mechanism of Select Countries
Authors: Sharma J. P. , Kanojia Sunaina , Sachdeva Shikha
Published: June 2018

Whistle-blower protection mechanisms (WPMs) play a critically significant role in combating corruption through ethics, corporate governance and statutes. This article examines the essence of whistle-blower mechanism existing in the developed and developing countries in order to unearth the legislative structure of countries supporting the whistle blower mechanism and pursuit of ethical conduct for sound corporate governance. The article attempts to identify, evaluate and analyse the attributes of whistle-blower mechanism across nations and finds that despite off-symmetric attributes, the mechanisms are asymmetric specific to the countries’ corporate culture. It has also been found that most significant attribute of a sound whistle-blower mechanism is the level of protection provided to the whistle-blowers followed by coverage of sectors, anonymity and the regulator of whistle-blowing complaints in the country. The attributes vary widely across nations on the basis of coverage of sectors, anonymity withheld and the level of protection, with United States of America delivering the best protection to whistle-blowers trailed by Australian whistle-blower protection laws and then South Africa; India, China and Indonesia lag considerably behind in having a sound whistle-blower mechanism.
Globalisation and Economic Crises in the Korean Capitalism
Authors: Jeong Seongjin
Published: June 2018

This article explores the contradictory relation between globalisation and crisis in the Korean capitalism since the 1990s. After formulating the relation between globalisation and crisis from the perspective of Marxian theory of world market crisis, this article overviews the process of globalisation in Korea after the 1990s, focusing on foreign trade, capital export and global value chains. In addition, this article empirically examines the relation between globalisation and crises in the Korean capitalism by analysing the trend of Marxian ratios, including rate of profit. Based on the case study on the Korean capitalism, this article concludes that globalisation is not the cause of but the capitalist responses to the economic crises.
Mobile Health Technology Is Here—But Are Hospice Informal Caregivers Receptive?
Authors: Phongtankuel Veerawat , Shalev Ariel , Adelman Ronald D. , Dewald Richard , Dignam Ritchell , Baughn Rosemary , Prigerson Holly G. , Teresi Jeanne , Czaja Sara J. , Reid M. Carrington
Published: June 2018

Background:

Mobile health applications (mHealth apps) represent a rapidly emerging technology that is being used to improve health-care delivery. In home hospice, informal caregivers play an essential role in attending to the day-to-day needs of their terminally ill loved ones. Using mHealth apps by caregivers in this setting could potentially improve the support provided to both patients and caregivers at the end of life (EoL).

Objectives:

To explore informal caregivers’ receptivity and concerns in using mHealth apps along with app features, caregivers perceived to be most useful in home hospice care.

Design:

Eighty semistructured phone interviews were conducted with informal caregivers who received care from a nonprofit hospice organization. Study data were analyzed using content analysis, coding for themes of receptivity and interest.

Results:

Sixty-two (78%) participants were receptive to using an mHealth app in home hospice care. Informal caregivers were interested in features that addressed: (1) communication to improve patient care (n = 44, 70%), (2) access to patient care information (n = 30, 48%), (3) education (n = 24, 39%), and (4) updates from health-care personnel and scheduling services (n = 10, 16%).

Conclusions:

A substantial majority of informal caregivers voiced receptivity to using mHealth apps and expressed interest in features that enhance communication and provide information to improve patient care. Although more research is needed to examine how to incorporate this technology into existing home hospice care, our study suggests that informal caregivers are likely to use this technology they feel will help enhance home-based EoL care delivery.
The “Tango Argentino”: A Metaphor for Understanding Effectuation Processes
Authors: Pattinson Steven , Ciesielska Malgorzata , Preece David , Nicholson John D. , Alexandersson Anna
Published: June 2018

The authors use the analogy of the Argentine Tango to illuminate entrepreneurial effectuation as a process of becoming. Drawing on the metaphor of dance, the authors highlight seven areas for theory development that could further a performative theory of effectuation. These include the study of the micro-level movement and flow in the dance as “intimate steps,” and understanding the interplay between entrepreneur and ecosystem as “contextual rhythms.” They further propose that the study of changing leadership in the dance could illuminate how causal processes “become” effectual and suggest a concept of “attunement” to consider how inexperienced entrepreneurs learn contextual rhythms and, therefore, benefit for effectuation processes. Finally, they posit that the intimate steps leading to creativity in the dance relative to different levels of proximity and distance between the dancers should be understood alongside the movements and flows through which dancers maintain their individuality during such intimate movements and flows.
Factors Influencing Functional Outcomes of Subtalar Fusion for Posttraumatic Arthritis After Calcaneal Fracture
Authors: van der Vliet Quirine M.J. , Hietbrink Falco , Casari Fabio , Leenen Luke P.H. , Heng Marilyn
Published: June 2018

Background:

Subtalar arthrodesis is a common salvage operation for posttraumatic subtalar arthritis. This study aimed to identify factors associated with functional outcomes and quality of life after subtalar fusion for posttraumatic subtalar arthritis after calcaneal fracture.

Methods:

This is a retrospective study with follow-up by questionnaire in two level 1 trauma centers. Patients who underwent subtalar arthrodesis for posttraumatic arthritis after a calcaneal fracture between 2001 and 2016 were identified and contacted for completion of a survey consisting of the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM), Maryland Foot Score (MFS), Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement System Physical Function (PROMIS PF, Short Form 10a) questionnaire, EuroQol 5-dimensional (EQ-5D) questionnaire, and EuroQol visual analog scale (EQ-VAS). Exclusion criteria were initial subtalar arthrodesis at an outside facility, primary arthrodesis for fracture, initial arthrodesis earlier than 2001, amputation of the fused foot or leg, younger than 18 years at time of fusion, and inability to communicate in English. A total of 159 patients met our inclusion criteria. Eighty-four patients completed the questionnaires, resulting in a response rate of 59%.

Results:

Median FAAM score was 79 (interquartile range [IQR], 48-90), median MFS was 74 (IQR, 56-86), and median PROMIS PF was 45 (IQR, 38-51). Quality of life was significantly lower when compared to a reference population ( P = .001). Smoking was independently associated with worse outcomes. Complications after fusion (such as nonunion, implant failure, and infectious complications), high-energy trauma, and ipsilateral injury were also predictors for poorer outcomes.

Conclusion:

Acceptable functional outcomes and quality of life were observed after subtalar fusion. Smoking, complications after subtalar fusion, high-energy trauma, and presence of ipsilateral injuries were independently associated with worse functionality and quality of life.

Level of Evidence:

Prognostic level III, comparative series.
Treatment of Bone Marrow Edema of the Foot and Ankle With the Prostacyclin Analog Iloprost
Authors: Hörterer Hubert , Baumbach Sebastian Felix , Gregersen Johanne , Kriegelstein Stefanie , Gottschalk Oliver , Szeimies Ulrike , Walther Markus
Published: June 2018

Background:

Bone marrow edema (BME) of the foot and ankle is challenging to treat. One approach is intravenous Iloprost treatment, which is a vasoactive prostacyclin analog. The aim of this study was to evaluate the early and intermediate outcome of intravenous Iloprost therapy on BME of the foot and ankle and to analyze the influence of its etiology and Association Research Circulation Osseous (ARCO) stage on the outcome.

Methods:

This was a retrospective study with prospective follow-up. All patients treated by intravenous Iloprost for BME of the foot and ankle (ARCO I-III) at a single orthopedic reference center were included. Demographics, medical history, and MRIs were assessed prior to treatment (t0). MRIs were used to assess the BMEs’ etiology (idiopathic/ischemic/metabolic, mechanical/degenerative, traumatic) and severity (ARCO). Complications as well as changes in pain, treatment, and MRI were evaluated after 3 months (t1). The following patient-rated outcome measures (PROMs) were assessed prospectively (t2): 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12), Visual Analog Scale Foot and Ankle (VAS FA), and the Foot Function Index (FFI) (also at t0). The descriptive outcomes and the influence of the etiology and ARCO on the outcome parameters were evaluated. Out of 70 eligible patients, 42 patients (60%; 47 ± 15 years; 30% female) with a mean follow-up of 28 ± 19 months were included.

Results:

Twelve patients reported minor complications during Iloprost therapy. At t1, pain decreased significantly in 56%, and the amount of BME decreased in 83% of patients. Both parameters correlated moderately (r = −0.463, P = .015). The PROMs at t2 revealed moderate results. The overall FFI improved from 59 ± 21 to 30 ± 22 ( P < .001), the overall VAS FA was 68 ± 20, the SF-12 Physical Component Summary 42 ± 12 and Mental Component Summary 50 ± 9. Subgroup analysis revealed no significant influence of the etiology or ARCO stage on any outcome measure.

Conclusion:

Iloprost therapy for BME of the foot and ankle resulted in a 60% pain and 80% edema decrease after 3 months. After 2 years, patient-rated outcome measures showed residual impairment. Neither the etiology nor ARCO stage significantly influenced the outcome.

Level of Evidence:

Level III, comparative study.
Ankle Salvage Following Nonunion of Distal Tibia Fractures
Authors: Lovisetti Giovanni , Kirienko Alexander , Myerson Charles , Vulcano Ettore
Published: June 2018

Background:

Nonunions of the distal tibia in close proximity to the ankle joint can be a challenge to treat. The purpose of this study was to evaluate radiographic and clinical outcomes of patients who underwent ankle-sparing bone transport for periarticular distal tibial nonunions.

Methods:

Twenty-one patients underwent ankle-sparing bone transport between January 2006 and July 2016. The mean age of the patients was 48.6 years, and 71% (15/21) were male. Patients were followed for an average of 14.6 months (range, 10.6-17.7 months), with an average of 8.6 months in-frame. Thirteen of 21 patients had infected nonunions. Primary endpoints included time to union and American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) score.

Results:

All fractures achieved union. Mean time to union was 37.4 weeks. Mean AOFAS score was 86.3 points (range, 37-100). A score of 37 was observed in 1 patient with preexisting Charcot foot. Radiographic evaluation at 6 months revealed a mean lateral distal tibial angle of 89.2 degrees and a mean anterior distal tibial angle of 76 degrees. Leg length discrepancy was less than 1.2 cm in all patients. Superficial pin infection was observed in 7 patients, and operative wound infection at the level of bone resection was observed in 3 patients.

Conclusion:

The ankle-sparing bone transport technique was an effective alternative to bone graft and arthrodesis for the treatment of periarticular nonunions of the distal tibia and was safe for use in patients with infected nonunions in close proximity to the ankle joint.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, case series.
The Impact of Repeated Assessments by Patients and Professionals: A 4-Year Follow-Up of a Population With Schizophrenia
Authors: Olsson-Tall Maivor , Hjärthag Fredrik , Marklund Bertil , Kylén Sven , Carlström Eric , Helldin Lars
Published: June 2018

The needs of people with schizophrenia are great, and having extensive knowledge of this patient group is crucial for providing the right support. The aim of this study was to investigate, over 4 years, the importance of repeated assessments by patients with schizophrenia and by professionals. Data were collected from evidence-based assessment scales, interviews, and visual self-assessment scales. The data processing used descriptive statistics, correlation and regression analyses. The results showed that the relationships between several of the patients’ self-rating assessments were stronger at the 4-year follow-up than at baseline. In parallel, the concordance rate between patient assessments and case manager assessments increased. The conclusions drawn are that through repeated assessments the patients’ ability to assess their own situation improved over time and that case managers became better at understanding their patients’ situation. This, in turn, provides a safer basis for assessments and further treatment interventions, which may lead to more patients achieving remission, which can lead to less risk for hospitalization and too early death.
Report on the APNA National Psychiatric Mental Health Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Survey
Authors: Delaney Kathleen R. , Drew Barbara L. , Rushton Amy
Published: June 2018

BACKGROUND: Further exploration of the practice roles of psychiatric mental health (PMH) advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) is warranted. OBJECTIVE: In March of 2016, the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) conducted a national survey to gather data on the demographics, practice roles, and activities of certified PMH APRNs. DESIGN: The e-mail survey contained 46 questions consistent with minimum data set requirements of the Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers. RESULTS: The data indicate that PMH APRNs are a clinically active workforce; the majority deliver a wide variety of mental health services including diagnosis and management of both acute and chronic mental illness, prescribing, and providing psychotherapy. CONCLUSION: PMH APRNs are delivering care to clients dealing with a range of serious mental illnesses across the life span in a variety of roles. It will be critical to monitor the activities and outcomes of this expanding behavioral health care workforce.
Cultural Stressors and Depressive Symptoms in Latino/a Adolescents: An Integrative Review
Authors: McCord Allison L. , Draucker Claire Burke , Bigatti Silvia
Published: June 2018

BACKGROUND: Latino/a adolescents experience higher levels of depressive symptoms than Caucasian and African American adolescents. Many studies found that cultural stressors contribute to this disparity, but these findings have not been integrated into a cohesive picture of the specific cultural stressors that contribute to the development of depressive symptoms for Latino/a adolescents. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this integrative review is to identify cultural stressors that are associated with depressive symptoms in Latino/a adolescents. DESIGN: Procedures outlined by Ganong were used to conduct the review. The results of 33 articles that met inclusion criteria were synthesized. RESULTS: Discrimination, family culture conflict, acculturative and bicultural stress, intragroup rejection, immigration stress, and context of reception were identified as cultural stressors that are associated with depressive symptoms in Latino/a adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should employ strategies to help Latino/a youth cope with cultural stressors and advocate for policies that support the mental health of Latino/a youth.
One Small Step for Man: Change and Continuity in Perceptions and Enactments of Homosocial Intimacy among Young Australian Men
Authors: Ralph Brittany , Roberts Steven
Published: June 2018

While recent scholarship has documented a growth of same-sex, nonsexual kissing among young men in Western societies, this may reflect a weakening, rather than complete transformation, of hegemonic gender structures. Critically engaging with current theorizing of “inclusive masculinities,” this article reports the findings from a study of young Australian men’s views on what constitutes acceptable forms of homosocial intimacy and how they attach meaning to these behaviors. Using qualitative data from focus groups with twenty-two men from five different subcultural peer groups and eight follow-up individual interviews, we illustrate that exaggerated intimate behaviors are not considered authentic displays of affection, and therefore do not meaningfully challenge gendered power structures. Rather, they have been adopted into the repertoire of ways men can perform masculinity. However, this hybridity is neither a means of reconfiguring male power, nor evidence of entirely inclusive masculinities, but instead constitutes an initial step toward inclusivity.