bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical Outcomes and Sustainability of Using
CYP2C19
Genotype–Guided Antiplatelet Therapy After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Lee Craig R. , Sriramoju Vindhya B. , Cervantes Alexandra , Howell Lucius A. , Varunok Nicholas , Madan Shivanshu , Hamrick Kasey , Polasek Melissa J. , Lee John Andrew , Clarke Megan , Cicci Jonathan D. , Weck Karen E. , Stouffer George A.
Published: October 2018

Background:

CYP2C19
loss-of-function (LOF) alleles impair clopidogrel effectiveness after percutaneous coronary intervention. The feasibility, sustainability, and clinical impact of using
CYP2C19
genotype–guided dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) selection in practice remains unclear.

Methods:

A single-center observational study was conducted in 1193 patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention and received DAPT after implementation of an algorithm that recommends
CYP2C19
testing in high-risk patients and alternative DAPT (prasugrel or ticagrelor) in LOF allele carriers. The frequency of genotype testing and alternative DAPT selection were the primary implementation end points. Risk of major adverse cardiovascular or cerebrovascular and clinically significant bleeding events over 12 months were compared across genotype and DAPT groups by proportional hazards regression.

RESULTS:

CYP2C19
genotype was obtained in 868 (72.8%) patients. Alternative DAPT was prescribed in 186 (70.7%) LOF allele carriers.
CYP2C19
testing (
P
<0.001) and alternative DAPT use in LOF allele carriers (
P
=0.001) varied over time. Risk for major adverse cardiovascular or cerebrovascular was significantly higher in LOF carriers prescribed clopidogrel versus alternative DAPT (adjusted hazard ratio, 4.65; 95% confidence interval, 2.22–10.0;
P
<0.001), whereas no significant difference was observed in those without a LOF allele (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.37; 95% confidence interval, 0.72–2.85;
P
=0.347). Bleeding event rates were similar across groups (log-rank
P
=0.816).

Conclusions:

Implementing
CYP2C19
genotype–guided DAPT is feasible and sustainable in a real-world setting but challenging to maintain at a consistently high level of fidelity. The higher risk of major adverse cardiovascular or cerebrovascular associated with clopidogrel use in
CYP2C19
LOF allele carriers suggests that use of genotype-guided DAPT in practice may improve clinical outcomes.
Renegotiating the Columbia River Treaty: Transboundary Governance and Indigenous Rights
Authors: Cohen Alice , Norman Emma S.
Published: October 2018

This article builds on regional environmental governance (REG) scholarship to explore alternatives to conventional transboundary agreements. Specifically, we use two narratives to tell the story of one river variously known as Wimahl, Nich’i-Wàna, or Swah’netk’qhu, and, more recently, the Columbia River. We suggest that the state-led narrative of the signing and implementation of the 1964 Columbia River Treaty has obscured Indigenous narratives of the river—a trend replicated in most scholarship on transboundary environmental agreements more broadly. In exploring these narratives, we: situate the silencing of Indigeneity in the 1964 Columbia River Treaty; highlight the reproduction and amplification of that silence in the relevant literature in the context of strengthened Indigenous rights; and explore what a multilateral—as opposed to binational—approach to environmental agreements might offer practitioners and scholars of REG.
Constructing Rights of Nature Norms in the US, Ecuador, and New Zealand
Authors: Kauffman Craig M. , Martin Pamela L.
Published: October 2018

Governments around the world are adopting laws granting Nature rights. Despite expressing common meta-norms transmitted through transnational networks, rights of Nature (RoN) laws differ in how they answer key normative questions, including how to define rights-bearing Nature, what rights to recognize, and who, if anyone, should be responsible for protecting Nature. To explain this puzzle, we compare RoN laws in three of the first countries to adopt such laws: Ecuador, the US, and New Zealand. We present a framework for analyzing RoN laws along two conceptual axes (scope and strength), highlighting how they answer normative questions differently. The article then shows how these differences resulted from the unique conditions and processes of contestation out of which each law emerged. The article contributes to the literature on norm construction by showing how RoN meta-norms circulating globally are infused with differing content as they are put into practice in different contexts, setting the stage for international norm contestation.
The presence of the family Anostostomatidae (Orthoptera: Ensifera) in Argentina
Authors: ZUBARÁN GASTÓN E. , BRAUN HOLGER H.
Published: October 2018

The family Anostostomatidae comprises about 250 known species of robust insects, similar to crickets, which are widely distributed predominantly in the southern hemisphere. They are divided into eight subfamilies, of which five occur in the Neotropics (Cadena-Castañeda & Cortés-Torres 2013). While there are six species described from central and southern Chile (three in each of the genera Cratomelus and Leiomelus), the only published record of the Anostostomatidae for Argentina refers to two old specimens of Apotetamenus clipeatus in the collection of the Muséum National d’Historie Naturelle in Paris (Griffini 1912, Karny 1935, Cadena-Castañeda & Cortés-Torres 2013).
Cave-dwelling crabs of the genus Karstarma from lava tubes of the volcano ‘Piton de la Fournaise’, in Réunion Island, with description of a new species and redescription of Karstarma jacksoni (Balss, 1934) from Christmas Island (Decapoda, Brachyura, Sesarmidae)
Authors: POUPIN JOSEPH , CRESTEY NICOLE , GUELTE JEAN-PAUL LE
Published: October 2018

Sesarmid crabs of the genus Karstarma Davie & Ng, 2007 are reported for the first time in the Western Indian Ocean: they were discovered in the lava tubes of the volcano ‘Piton de la Fournaise’, Réunion Island. A new species, morphologically similar to Karstarma jacksoni (Balss, 1934) from Christmas Island, Eastern Indian Ocean, is recognized and described. A redescription of K. jacksoni is also provided. A second species is recognized, but being represented in the collection by a single juvenile, it cannot be identified to species level until more collections are made in the lava tubes. [Zoobank: http://zoobank.org/NomenclaturalActs/C70A95B2-D667-491D-BD35-5DF32E3FFB08]
Automated Satellite-Based Landslide Identification Product for Nepal
Authors: Fayne Jessica V. , Ahamed Aakash , Roberts-Pierel Justin , Rumsey Amanda C. , Kirschbaum Dalia
Published: October 2018

Landslide event inventories are a vital resource for landslide susceptibility and forecasting applications. However, landslide inventories can vary in accuracy, availability, and timeliness as a result of varying detection methods, reporting, and data availability. This study presents an approach to use publicly available satellite data and open-source software to automate a landslide detection process called the Sudden Landslide Identification Product (SLIP). SLIP utilizes optical data from the Landsat-8 Operational Land Imager sensor, elevation data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission, and precipitation data from the Global Precipitation Measurement mission to create a reproducible and spatially customizable landslide identification product. The SLIP software applies change-detection algorithms to identify areas of new bare-earth exposures that may be landslide events. The study also presents a precipitation monitoring tool that runs alongside SLIP called the Detecting Real-Time Increased Precipitation (DRIP) model that helps to identify the timing of potential landslide events detected by SLIP. Using SLIP and DRIP together, landslide detection is improved by reducing problems related to accuracy, availability, and timeliness that are prevalent in the state of the art for landslide detection. A case study and validation exercise in Nepal were performed for images acquired between 2014 and 2015. Preliminary validation results suggest 56% model accuracy, with errors of commission often resulting from newly cleared agricultural areas. These results suggest that SLIP is an important first attempt in an automated framework that can be used for medium-resolution regional landslide detection, although it requires refinement before being fully realized as an operational tool.
Using Neural Networks to Correct Historical Climate Observations
Authors: Leahy Thomas P. , Llopis Francesc Pons , Palmer Matthew D. , Robinson Niall H.
Published: October 2018

Biases in expendable bathythermograph (XBT) instruments have emerged as a leading uncertainty in reconstructions of historical ocean heat content change and therefore climate change. Corrections for these biases depend on the type of XBT used; however, this is unspecified for 52% of the historical XBT profiles in the World Ocean Database. Here, we use profiles of known XBT type to train a neural network that can classify probe type based on three covariates: profile date, maximum recorded depth, and country of origin. Whereas previous studies have shown an average classification skill of 77%, falling below 50% for some periods, our new algorithm maintains an average skill of 90%, with a minimum of 70%. Our study illustrates the potential for successfully applying machine learning approaches in a wide variety of instrument classification problems in order to promote more homogeneous climate data records.
Scheduling Content on Social Media: Theory, Evidence, and Application
Authors: Kanuri Vamsi K. , Chen Yixing , Sridhar Shrihari (Hari)
Published: October 2018

Content platforms (e.g., newspapers, magazines) post several stories daily on their dedicated social media pages and promote some of them using targeted content advertising (TCA). Posting stories enables content platforms to grow their social media audiences and generate digital advertising revenue from the impressions channeled through social media posts’ link clicks. However, optimal scheduling of social media posts and TCA is formidable, requiring content platforms to determine what to post; when to post; and whether, when, and how much to spend on TCA to maximize profits. Social media managers lament this complexity, and academic literature offers little guidance. Consequently, the authors draw from literature on circadian rhythms in information processing capabilities to build a novel theoretical framework on social media content scheduling and explain how scheduling attributes (i.e., time of day, content type, and TCA) affect the link clicks metric. They test their hypotheses using a model estimated on 366 days of Facebook post data from a top 50 U.S. newspaper. Subsequently, they build an algorithm that allows social media managers to optimally plan social media content schedules and maximize gross profits. Applying the algorithm to a holdout sample, the authors demonstrate a potential increase in gross profits by at least 8%.
Does traffic congestion influence the location of new business establishments? An analysis of the San Francisco Bay Area
Authors: Osman Taner , Thomas Trevor , Mondschein Andrew , Taylor Brian D
Published: October 2018

Chronic traffic congestion is widely assumed to negatively affect regional economic performance, but this assumption has been only lightly tested. We examine the traffic congestion–economic performance link using data for the San Francisco Bay Area and find that the effect of traffic on the regional economy may be both less significant and more nuanced than is widely assumed. Our analysis examines how traffic congestion affects the location of new business establishments in six industries: advertising, biotechnology, computer systems design, information technology manufacturing, securities, and, as a control, groceries & supermarkets. New business establishments are a key driver of economic performance because they account for the majority of job creation in the USA. We find little evidence that traffic levels affect the location of new establishments in the Bay Area, and when we do observe an effect it is a positive one; that is, after controlling for a wide array of factors known to influence firm location, new firms are often more likely to start up in already congested areas. This does not mean that traffic congestion attracts new firms, but instead that the access advantages new firms accrue from clustering near same-industry firms strongly outweigh the added impedance of traffic congestion in these built-up areas of agglomeration.
Study on geological controls and enrichment models of coalbed methane in the Wuwei Basin in eastern North Qilian, northwestern China
Authors: Shen Wenchao , Shao Longyi , Tian Wenguang , Chen Gang , Chen Fei , Hou Haihai , Li Zhen , Sun Bin , Lu Jing
Published: October 2018

The Wuwei Basin is located in the Gansu Corridor, which has abundant coalbed methane resources of 2.75 × 1011 m3. However, a low degree of coalbed methane exploration exists, and only a few wells have been drilled in local regions due to insufficient understanding of coalbed methane enrichment and its main controlling factors. This study analyzed the controlling factors of coalbed methane enrichment, including coal reservoir characteristics, hydrogeological conditions, and the original sedimentary environment of the coal-bearing strata. The results showed that the main coal seams were developed in the Taiyuan Formation, and were mostly concentrated in the Yingpan Sag in the south and the Ermahu Sag in the north of the study area. The macrolithotype of the coals in this basin was mainly semi-bright coal with a medium to high rank. Coal macerals were mainly vitrinite, ranging between 65.1% and 91.6% (averaged 81.70%), followed by liptinite, ranging between 1.9% and 29.5% (averaged 8.82%), and inertinite, ranging between 0.2% and 16.5% (averaged 3.66%). Mineral contents varied from 2.5% to 15.1% (averaged 6.16%). The macrolithotype and microlithotype of the Taiyuan Formation coals were favorable for coalbed methane formation. Through comparative analysis of moisture content, ash yield, gas content, and coal-forming sedimentary environments, it was found that the coal formed in the lagoon environment had a higher gas content and lower ash yield than that of the coal formed in the tidal flat environment. The high contents of total dissolved solids in aquifers around coal seams (1.75–16.70 g/L) reflected the closed hydrodynamic environment and were favorable for the preservation of coalbed methane in the Yingpan Sag. Considering various controlling factors (i.e., structure, sedimentation and hydrogeology), three coalbed methane enrichment models were proposed. The model of coalbed methane enrichment in the synclinorium was the most favorable for the enrichment of coalbed methane in the Yingpan Sag.
Projecting ‘New Turkey’ deflecting the coup: squares, screens, and publics at Turkey’s ‘democracy watches’
Authors: Carney Josh
Published: October 2018

In the wake of the failed coup on 15 July 2016, Turkey’s ruling AKP called citizens to public squares to take part in ‘democracy watches’ – hybrid events that lasted for 23 days and were both celebration of the people’s victory over the coup and guard duty to prevent further coup attempts. From beginning to end the watches were structured around and choreographed to the needs of the media screen with the twin aims of reflecting the ‘sovereign nation’ back to itself, thereby textually constituting a particular public to comprise the ‘New’, post-coup Turkey. This article, based on participant observation and collected media discourse, examines the relationship between squares, screens, and publics at the watches. It first compares the watches to the 2013 Gezi Park protests, detailing how central Gezi’s legacy was to the watches. It next turns to screens, adapting Kevin DeLuca and Jennifer Peeples’ notion of the ‘public screen’ for the realities of Turkey in 2016. Finally, drawing on Michael Warner’s framework for publics, it offers the notion of a screened public: a co-production between government and some citizens that is directed by authority, via and for the use of screens, toward a political goal.
Attachment to God and Death Anxiety in Later Life: Does Race Matter?
Authors: Jung Jong Hyun
Published: October 2018

Research suggests that religion plays a critical role in individuals’ attitudes toward death in later life. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether a previously unexamined aspect of religion—secure attachment to God—is associated with death anxiety among U.S. older adults and whether this association varies across race. Using longitudinal data from a representative sample of adults aged 65 and older ( N = 936), the analyses reveal that secure attachment to God is associated with a decrease in death anxiety over time. Furthermore, the negative association between secure attachment to God and change in death anxiety is greater for older Blacks than their White counterparts. These results indicate that religion serves a protective function against death anxiety in later life. Moreover, religion provides greater psychological benefits for older Blacks than older Whites, reinforcing a long-standing claim that religion is particularly valuable for individuals from marginalized backgrounds.
Geographic and Racial Disparities in Infant Hearing Loss
Authors: Lantos Paul M. , Maradiaga‐Panayotti Gabriela , Barber Xavier , Raynor Eileen , Tucci Debara , Hoffman Kate , Permar Sallie R. , Jackson Pearce , Hughes Brenna L. , Kind Amy , Swamy Geeta K.
Published: October 2018

Objective

Approximately 1 to 2 of every 1000 American newborns has hearing loss identified by newborn screening. This study was designed to determine if infant hearing loss is more common in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities.

Study Design

In this retrospective study, we analyzed electronic medical record data using geostatistical models.

Setting

Infants were residents of Durham County, North Carolina, born in 2 hospitals of the Duke University Health System. This county includes the city of Durham and surrounding suburban and rural communities.

Subjects and Methods

Subjects were hearing‐screened newborns, born between 2005 and 2016, whose residential address was in Durham County, North Carolina. This was a retrospective study using medical record data. We used Bayesian regression models with smoothing of coordinate date to identify both spatial and nonspatial predictors of infant hearing loss.

Results

We identified 19,348 infants from Durham County, of whom 675 had failed initial hearing screening and 191 had hearing loss confirmed on follow‐up. Hearing loss was significantly associated with minority race (odds ratio [OR], 2.45; 95% confidence interval, 1.97‐3.06), as well as lower gestational age and maternal sexually transmitted infections. We identified significant geographic heterogeneity, with a higher probability of hearing loss in poorer urban neighborhoods (local OR range, 0.59‐1.39). Neighborhood disadvantage was a significant predictor of hearing loss, as was high local seroprevalence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) among pregnant women.

Conclusions

Urban, low‐income neighborhoods have a high prevalence of infant hearing loss compared with more affluent surrounding communities, particularly among minorities. This distribution may be attributable to congenital CMV infection.
Survival Outcomes for Induction vs Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Maxillary Sinus
Authors: Kuo Phoebe , Torabi Sina J. , Kraus Dennis , Judson Benjamin L.
Published: October 2018

Objective

In advanced maxillary sinus cancers treated with surgery and radiotherapy, poor local control rates and the potential for organ preservation have prompted interest in the use of systemic therapy. Our objective was to present outcomes for induction compared to adjuvant chemotherapy in the maxillary sinus.

Study Design

Secondary database analysis.

Setting

National Cancer Database (NCDB).

Subjects and Methods

In total, 218 cases of squamous cell maxillary sinus cancer treated with surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy between 2004 and 2012 were identified from the NCDB and stratified into induction chemotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy cohorts. Univariate Kaplan‐Meier analyses were compared by log‐rank test, and multivariate Cox regression was performed to evaluate overall survival when adjusting for other prognostic factors. Propensity score matching was also used for further comparison.

Results

Twenty‐three patients received induction chemotherapy (10.6%) and 195 adjuvant chemotherapy (89.4%). The log‐rank test comparing induction to adjuvant chemotherapy was not significant (P =. 076). In multivariate Cox regression when adjusting for age, sex, race, comorbidity, grade, insurance, and T/N stage, there was a significant mortality hazard ratio of 2.305 for adjuvant relative to induction chemotherapy (confidence interval, 1.076‐4.937; P =. 032).

Conclusion

Induction chemotherapy was associated with improved overall survival in comparison to adjuvant chemotherapy in a relatively small cohort of patients (in whom treatment choice cannot be characterized), suggesting that this question warrants further investigation in a controlled clinical trial before any recommendations are made.
The Effect of Sphenopalatine Block on the Postoperative Pain of Endoscopic Sinus Surgery: A Meta‐analysis
Authors: Kim Do Hyun , Kang Haram , Hwang Se Hwan
Published: October 2018

Objectives

The use of sphenopalatine ganglion block (SPGB) with a local anesthetic to decrease postoperative pain after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) is controversial. We investigated the role of a perioperative SPB to minimize postoperative pain related to ESS in patients with chronic sinusitis through a systematic review of the relevant literature.

Data Sources

PubMed, SCOPUS, Google Scholar, Embase, and the Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials.

Review Methods

We screened the relevant literature published before June 2018. Eight articles that compared perioperative SPGB (treatment group) with a placebo or no treatment (control group) were included for this analysis of the outcomes, which included perioperative morbidities in ESS. For quantitative variables, the standardized mean difference was applied to standardize and summate the results of the studies, and the odds ratio was used in outcome of incidence analysis.

Results

Intraoperative bleeding (P <. 0001), postoperative pain (P =. 0001), nausea and vomiting (P =. 0117), and recovery from sedation (P <. 0001) in the treatment group were significantly reduced compared with the control group. No significant adverse effects were reported in the enrolled studies. In subgroup analyses according to the SPGB approach (transoral or transnasal), the transnasal approach showed higher positive effects on intraoperative bleeding and postoperative pain compared to the transoral approach.

Conclusion

In our study, SPGB combined with a local anesthetic for ESS effectively reduced intra‐and postoperative morbidities. This procedure showed no significant adverse effects. Given the ease and effectiveness of this procedure, the transnasal approach should be highly recommended as a routine procedure compared to the transoral approach.
Preparation, characterization, and performance of 4A zeolite based on opal waste rock for removal of ammonium ion
Authors: Wu Zongshan , Xie Jingjing , Liu Haibo , Chen Tianhu , Cheng Peng , Wang Can , Kong Dianchao
Published: October 2018

In this study, 4A zeolite was prepared from opal waste rock by hydrothermal method and applied in ammonium ion adsorption. To optimize synthesis conditions, the effect of crystallization time (1–8 h), crystallization temperature (65–115°C), Na2O/SiO2 (0.6–2.0), H2O/Na2O (20–70), and SiO2/Al2O3 (1.0–3.5) was investigated. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope imaging, cation exchange capacity, static water adsorption, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and N2 adsorption–desorption isotherm were used for assessing properties of 4A zeolite. Adsorption experiments were performed by 1.0 g l−1 4A zeolite with NH4+ solution (5–300 mg l−1) for 4 h at room temperature. The experiment results revealed with a crystallization time of 3 h, a crystallization temperature of 85°C, Na2O/SiO2=1.0, H2O/Na2O = 40, and SiO2/Al2O3=2.0, the 4A zeolite synthesized had excellent performance with cation exchange capacity of 2.93 mmol (g dry zeolite)−1 and static water adsorption of 22.3%. The adsorption process was described by Freundlich model (R2>0.99) and the maximum adsorption capacity could reach to 53.11 mg g−1. The experimental results provided a novel approach for the utilization of opal waste rock, which is produced during the mining of opal-rich palygorskite, and for the synthesis of 4A zeolite and the removal of ammonium ion.
The Dutch aid and trade policy: Policy discourses versus development practices in the Kenyan water and sanitation sector
Authors: Savelli Elisa , Schwartz Klaas , Ahlers Rhodante
Published: October 2018

Recent aid and trade policies reveal a ‘paradigm shift’ in which traditional donors have moved away from a focus on poverty alleviation and returned to an approach firmly aimed at economic growth. In prioritising economic growth in their development agenda, donors encourage the private sector as an active partner in development. Dutch development aid is exemplary in following this international trend. By examining development projects financed by Dutch development aid in the Kenyan water supply and sanitation sector, this article analyses to what extent these projects achieve the policy objectives of increasing private sector involvement and investment in development projects. This analysis reveals that both private sector involvement and investment do not materialise in practice. Instead the policy impacts the landscape of non-profit development organisations by pushing them to adopt and incorporate behaviour and practices usually associated with the private sector or to pursue projects targeting the private sector. Rather than leading to increased private sector involvement, the policy thus stimulates a hybridisation of development organisations in which the boundaries between non-profit organisations and private sector companies become increasingly blurred. This process of hybridisation is supported by the Dutch Government as it needs these hybrid organisations to claim success of its aid and trade policy. What results is a rather paradoxical situation where hybrid non-profit organisations are needed to claim success for a policy fostering private sector involvement.
Perceived parental psychological control has indirect effects on aggression via need satisfaction and motivation for revenge
Authors: Choe So Young , Read Stephen J.
Published: October 2018

We examined the relationship of perceived parental psychological control (PPC) to aggression and whether this relationship could be accounted for by indirect effects through need satisfaction and motivation for revenge. In our mediation models with need satisfaction, perceived PPC consistently shows indirect effects on aggression via the relatedness component of need satisfaction in all models, but not via the autonomy and competence components. Further, in a mediation model with vengeance only, psychologically controlled children reported greater motivation for revenge, which then predicted more aggression. In path models with the three needs and vengeance added in the later step, indirect effects through first thwarted need satisfaction and vengeance are significant, and the indirect effect via relatedness is most consistently significant. The results suggest that perceived PPC thwarts need satisfaction and motivates people to yearn for revenge, which facilitates aggression. Our findings can shed light on the mechanisms through which PPC facilitates aggression.
Silenced genocide voices in Zimbabwe’s archives: Drawing lessons from Rwanda’s post-genocide archives and documentation initiatives
Authors: Khumalo Njabulo Bruce
Published: October 2018

Archives are a very important part of any given community, yet they may be silent on some critical histories. Perpetrators of genocides have usually resorted to denying or even trivialising such atrocities. They go on to silence genocide voices and these silences translate to the absence of records and archives on such topics. Like Rwanda, post-independence Zimbabwe fell victim to a genocide which was executed by the ZANU PF government in Matabeleland and Midlands Provinces. The post-genocide experience has seen the ZANU PF government silencing genocide voices by criminalising or even denying the killing of people. The silencing of voices and the muteness of the national archival institution on the Gukurahundi genocide in Zimbabwe stands as a cause for concern. This study sought to assess the state of silencing of voices on the Gukurahundi genocide and also draw lessons from the documentation of the Rwandan genocide. This conceptual study also reviewed relevant literature. A manual document search and an online search were conducted.
Incorporating Economic Assessment into Capacity Allocation and Infrastructure Charging Policies for Vertically-Separated Railways
Authors: Prodan Aleksandr , Teixeira Paulo F.
Published: October 2018

Capacity allocation mechanisms and infrastructure access charges in vertically separated railways generally consider only the points of view of the train operator and infrastructure manager. External and other societal costs are not considered in setting these policies and in evaluating their impact on each player. This work proposes a methodological framework for evaluating impacts of capacity allocation and infrastructure pricing policies on society by applying a set of project evaluation guidelines that is normally used for new infrastructure projects to a set of capacity allocation and pricing policies. These guidelines use a cost–benefit analysis to evaluate the project and then understand the impact on each industry player and on society. A case study of the ScanMed corridor is used, looking at a congested section over the Oresund Bridge. The case study evaluates proposed capacity allocation mechanisms that prioritize either passenger or freight traffic. The results of this evaluation show the total impact of a particular policy on each player, including society. External costs are also considered in this evaluation. This approach can be used by decision makers to make more informed decisions when setting infrastructure charging and capacity allocation policy.
Use of Real-Time Dust Monitoring and Surface Condition to Evaluate Success of Unpaved Road Treatments
Authors: Kunz Bethany K. , Green Nicholas S. , Albers Janice L. , Wildhaber Mark L. , Little Edward E.
Published: October 2018

Fugitive dust from unpaved roads creates human health hazards, degrades road surfaces, and increases the cost of road maintenance. As a result, many different chemical treatments are applied to unpaved roads in an attempt to control dust and stabilize the wearing course. However, investigations of the effectiveness of these treatments have often been poorly planned or executed. The objective of this study was to use a combination of real-time dust monitoring and objective road condition evaluations to assess the success of two chemical treatments for a period of 19 months post-application, to provide quantitative information in support of road management decisions. Dust production from road sections treated with calcium chloride-based durablend-C™ or the synthetic fluid EnviroKleen® was monitored on five dates using a vehicle-mounted particulate matter meter. Both products reduced dust by up to 99% relative to an untreated control section during the monitoring period, and quantitative data from the meter were consistent with qualitative observations of dust conditions. Linear models of dust production indicated that road treatment and humidity explained 69% of the variation in dust over time. Road sections treated with either product developed less rutting and fewer potholes than the untreated control. Overall, the combination of real-time dust monitoring and surface condition evaluation was an effective approach for generating quantitative data on endpoints of interest to road managers.
Polyethylene-based single polymer laminates: Synergistic effects of nanosilica and metal hydroxides
Authors: Dorigato Andrea , Fredi Giulia , Fambri Luca , Lopez-Cuesta José-Marie , Pegoretti Alessandro
Published: October 2018

This work aims to investigate the fire performance of novel polyethylene-based single polymer composites. Fumed silica nanoparticles and magnesium hydroxide microfiller were added at an optimized concentration to a linear low-density polyethylene matrix, which was then reinforced with ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers. Through the optimization of the production process, it was possible to limit the porosity inside the single polymer composites, thus retaining the pristine mechanical properties of the fibers. The addition of SiO2 and magnesium hydroxide determined an increase in the elastic modulus in both the longitudinal and transversal direction, but it concurrently led to a reduction in ductility, especially in the transversal direction. The fillers were proved to bring interesting improvements of the thermal degradation resistance and of the flame behaviour. Thermogravimetric analysis tests highlighted an increase in the onset degradation temperature and in the temperature associated to the maximum degradation rate. Moreover, both the oxidation onset temperature and limiting oxygen index were considerably improved. Cone calorimetry tests evidenced that filled single polymer composites were characterized by lower peak heat release rate and total heat released with respect to neat single polymer composites.
Teacher Evaluation Reform: A Convergence of Federal and Local Forces
Authors: Bleiberg Joshua , Harbatkin Erica
Published: October 2018

This article employs event history analysis to explore the factors that were associated with the rapid uptake of teacher evaluation reform. We investigate three hypotheses for this rapid adoption: (a) downward diffusion from the federal government through Race to the Top (RTTT), (b) upward diffusion from large school district policies, and (c) the influence of intermediary organizations. Although RTTT clearly played a role in state adoption, our analysis suggests that having a large district implement teacher evaluation reform is the most consistent predictor of state adoption. Intermediary organizations appeared to play a role in the process as well.
High subsequent and recurrent sexually transmitted infection prevalence among newly diagnosed HIV-positive Thai men who have sex with men and transgender women in the Test and Treat cohort
Authors: Hiransuthikul Akarin , Pattanachaiwit Supanit , Teeratakulpisarn Nipat , Chamnan Parinya , Pathipvanich Panita , Thongpaen Suchart , Pengnonyang Supabhorn , Trachunthong Deondara , Nonenoy Siriporn , Lertpiriyasuwat Cheewanan , Phanuphak Praphan , Phanuphak Nittaya
Published: October 2018

We determined subsequent and recurrent sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) in the Test and Treat cohort. Thai MSM and TGW adults with previously unknown HIV status were enrolled and tested for HIV. Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), and syphilis were tested at baseline, month 12, and month 24 to identify subsequent STIs (any STIs diagnosed after baseline) and recurrent STIs (any subsequent STIs diagnosed among those with positive baseline STIs). Among 448 participants, 17.8% were HIV-positive, the prevalence of subsequent STIs and recurrent STIs was 42% (HIV-positive versus HIV-negative: 66.3% versus 36.7%, p < 0.001) and 62.3% (81% versus 52.5%, p < 0.001), respectively. Common subsequent STIs by anatomical site were rectal CT infection (21.7%), rectal NG infection (13.8%), pharyngeal NG infection (13.1%), and syphilis (11.9%). HIV-positive status was associated with both subsequent STIs (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 2.38; 95%CI 1.64–3.45, p < 0.001) and recurrent STIs (aHR 1.83; 95%CI 1.16–2.87, p = 0.01). The results show that newly diagnosed HIV-positive MSM and TGW were at increased risk of STIs despite being in the healthcare system. STI educational counseling is necessary to improve STI outcomes among MSM and TGW in both HIV prevention and treatment programs.
Reports on categorization and classification of human rights violations in Chile (1974–1978)
Authors: Ruiz Marcela , Bernasconi Oriana
Published: October 2018

This study analyzes socio-discursive categories used to define and classify the political violence exerted in Chilean human rights reports (1974–1978) to understand the emergence of the repertoire of repression and the construction of victimhood as a social recognition and communicative process in Latin America during the 1970s. These reports are addressed as a professional discursive genre produced by non-governmental organizations whose purpose is to denounce the violation of human rights in the context of political controversies as well as in the Chilean totalitarian context. The discursive genre is characterized by objectivity, the credibility of the information, the event-based approach, the use of statistics to establish the type and magnitude of the violation of human rights. The corpus analyzed consists of 44 reports belonging to human rights archives. The statistical section and comments were coded according to narrative categories (participants, action, cause, time and space). The results show the predominance of the legal perspective to classify the violation of human rights, the emergence of the category of enforced disappearance, the relationship with the socio-political context and the categories elaborated to identify patterns of violation of human rights.
Identifying treatment responders using counterfactual modeling and potential outcomes
Authors: Porcher Raphaël , Jacot Justine , Wunder Jay S , Biau David J
Published: October 2018

Individualizing treatment according to patients' characteristics is central for personalized or precision medicine. There has been considerable recent research in developing statistical methods to determine optimal personalized treatment strategies by modeling the outcome of patients according to relevant covariates under each of the alternative treatments, and then relying on so-called predicted individual treatment effects. In this paper, we use potential outcomes and principal stratification frameworks and develop a multinomial model for left and right-censored data to estimate the probability that a patient is a responder given a set of baseline covariates. The model can apply to RCT or observational study data. This method is based on the monotonicity assumption, which implies that no patients would respond to the control treatment but not to the experimental one. We conduct a simulation study to evaluate the properties of the proposed estimation method. Results showed that the predictions of the probability of being a responder were well calibrated even if we observed variability and a small bias when many parameters were estimated. We finally applied the method to a cohort study on the selection of patients for additional radiotherapy after resection of a soft-tissue sarcoma.
Surfacing “Southern” Perspectives on Student Engagement With Internationalization: Doctoral Theses as Alternative Forms of Knowledge
Authors: Montgomery Catherine
Published: October 2018

This article explores how knowledge represented in doctoral theses exploring internationalization may be constructed as a source of “Southern” knowledge on international education. The article aims to surface some of the ways in which the knowledge generated by doctoral students could illustrate new perspectives on internationalization, particularly, in terms of knowledge building for the students’ own country contexts. The research conducted a search of all U.K. doctoral theses in the EThOS repository of the British Library, focusing on theses where students had engaged with internationalization. The search generated a data set of theses written in the decade 2008 to 2018, which were then thematically analyzed. In addition to questioning whether thesis knowledge constitutes powerful or empowering knowledge for the student and the Southern cultures they come from, the research indicates that the doctoral theses both reproduced Western knowledge and generated some new perspectives on methodological and thematic constructions of internationalization. The article highlights hierarchies of knowledge and questions whether postcolonial encounters through the PhD can generate knowledge that builds Southern perspectives on internationalization.
“It’s Hard Work”: A Feminist Political Economy Approach to Reconceptualizing “Work” in the Cancer Context
Authors: Pritlove Cheryl , Safai Parissa , Angus Jan E. , Armstrong Pat , Jones Jennifer M. , Parsons Janet
Published: October 2018

Within mainstream cancer literature, policy documents, and clinical practice, “work” is typically characterized as being synonymous with paid employment, and the problem of work is situated within the “return to work” discourse. The work that patients perform in managing their health, care, and everyday life at times of illness, however, is largely overlooked and unsupported. Drawing on feminist political economy theory, we report on a qualitative study of 12 women living with cancer. Major findings show that the work of patienthood cut across multiple fields of practice and included both paid and unpaid labor. The most prevalent types of work included illness work, body work, identity work, everyday work, paid employment and/or the work of maintaining income, and coordination work. The findings of this study disrupt popular conceptualizations of work and illuminate the nuanced and often invisible work that cancer patients may encounter, and the health consequences and inequities therein.
Imago Relationship Therapy Alignment With Marriage and Family Common Factors
Authors: Luquet Wade , Muro Lamar
Published: October 2018

Marriage and family common factors are used to understand the curative elements in marriage and family therapy (MFT) models of treatment. Sprenkle, Davis, and Blow identified four common factors of well-established MFT treatment models. This article deconstructs Imago relationship therapy (IRT), a widely used model of couples therapy, for the purpose of determining whether IRT utilizes the four curative common factors of MFT in its theory and practice. The analysis indicates that IRT does utilize the four broad common factors of MFT shared by other well-established models of MFT in addition to its narrow model factors that make it unique.
“If He’s Abusing You . . . the Baby Is Going to Be Affected”: HIV-Positive Pregnant Women’s Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence
Authors: Marais Adele , Kuo Caroline C. , Julies Robin , Stein Dan J. , Joska John A. , Zlotnick Caron
Published: October 2018

Pregnancy represents a time of increased risk for intimate partner violence (IPV), and an HIV diagnosis further increases the vulnerability of this at-risk group. This study explores experiences of recent IPV using qualitative interviews with N = 12 HIV-positive pregnant women recruited from a clinical setting in South Africa, a location with a high global prevalence of IPV and HIV. Partner dynamics around IPV resulted in HIV shame and stigma and adversely affected engagement in HIV care and HIV treatment behaviors. The results highlight the challenges women face in navigating disclosure of both IPV and HIV, accessing necessary support, and engaging in both HIV-related and pregnancy-related care in the context of an abusive relationship.
Measurement, normalisation and mapping of urban-scale wind environment in Xi’an, China
Authors: Zhang Yunwei , He Shan , Gu Zhaolin , Wei Na , Wah Yu Chuck , Li Xuxiang , Zhang Renjian , Sun Xian , Zhou Dian
Published: October 2018

Studies on urban climatic mapping and local climate zones are urgently needed due to rapid urbanisation in China, to identify and predict serious air pollution problems and occurrence of urban heat islands, for sustainable urban planning. The study of wind environment, especially measurements of wind data on the urban scale, is important to the climate mapping and investigation of air pollution and heat island events. In this paper, we introduce a measurement method for the urban-scale wind environment, which combines measurements conducted at the stationary reference station with those at portable/mobile stations. Data collected from portable/mobile stations were normalised with respect to wind data measured at the stationary reference station. Three criteria for the selection of the stationary reference station were compared according to the land-use and distance to the portable/mobile stations. The background meteorological station was selected as the stationary reference station for data normalisation and was found to be the most appropriate. The normalisation method for wind data was used to analyse the measured wind data at portable/mobile stations. Clear differences were observed between measured and normalised average wind speeds. The normalised wind was used in the urban wind environment mapping. The objective of the mapping is to assess the ventilation potential of the urban canopy layer, to help the urban climate mapping and to inform future sustainable urban planning.
Investigation of burning photovoltaic panels on a double-skin facade with ejecting flame from an adjacent room fire
Authors: Miao Lei , Chow Cheuk-Lun
Published: October 2018

Integrating photovoltaic (PV) panels with building envelope or roof to give building- integrated photovoltaic system is now widely used for conservation of energy. PV panels are also installed on double-skin facade (DSF). The window ejecting flame caused by adjacent compartment fire to the cavity may lead to fire in the PV system. To understand the effect of burning PV panels on fire hazard, experimental investigation of burning PV panels in a DSF rig was reported in this paper. To simulate the PV-DSF compartment system, a model rig with a combustion chamber connected to an 8 m tall vertical shaft was built. A 3.5 MW gasoline pool fire of diameter 1.16 m was placed inside the chamber. Four PV panels were installed on the shaft model wall opposite to the chamber model with a vertical facade (back-layer) facing the cavity. Gas temperatures inside the facade cavity in cases with PV panels on the DSF were much higher than in cases without PV panels. The present study shows that burning PV panels inside the DSF cavity could aggravate the fire hazard scenario and should be considered seriously in building design and fire safety management.
Understanding the unsteady pressure field inside combustion chambers of compression-ignited engines using a computational fluid dynamics approach
Authors: Torregrosa Antonio J , Broatch Alberto , Margot Xandra , Gomez-Soriano Josep
Published: October 2018

In this article, a numerical methodology for assessing combustion noise in compression ignition engines is described with the specific purpose of analysing the unsteady pressure field inside the combustion chamber. The numerical results show consistent agreement with experimental measurements in both the time and frequency domains. Nonetheless, an exhaustive analysis of the calculation convergence is needed to guarantee an independent solution. These results contribute to the understanding of in-cylinder unsteady processes, especially of those related to combustion chamber resonances, and their effects on the radiated noise levels. The method was applied to different combustion system configurations by modifying the spray angle of the injector, evidencing that controlling the ignition location through this design parameter, it is possible to decrease the combustion noise by minimizing the resonance contribution. Important efficiency losses were, however, observed due to the injector/bowl matching worsening which compromises the performance and emissions levels.