bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Leveraging depth data in remote robot teleoperation interfaces for general object manipulation
Authors: Kent David , Saldanha Carl , Chernova Sonia
Published: November 2019

Robust remote teleoperation of high-degree-of-freedom manipulators is of critical importance across a wide range of robotics applications. Contemporary robot manipulation interfaces primarily utilize a free positioning pose specification approach to independently control each degree of freedom in free space. In this work, we present two novel interfaces, constrained positioning and point-and-click. Both novel approaches incorporate scene information from depth data into the grasp pose specification process, effectively reducing the number of 3D transformations the user must input. The novel interactions are designed for 2D image streams, rather than traditional 3D virtual scenes, further reducing mental transformations by eliminating the controllable camera viewpoint in favor of fixed physical camera viewpoints. We present interface implementations of our novel approaches, as well as free positioning, in both 2D and 3D visualization modes. In addition, we present results of a 90-participant user study evaluation comparing the effectiveness of each approach for a set of general object manipulation tasks, and the effects of implementing each approach in 2D image views versus 3D depth views. The results of our study show that point-and-click outperforms both free positioning and constrained positioning by significantly increasing the number of tasks completed and significantly reducing task failures and grasping errors, while significantly reducing the number of user interactions required to specify poses. In addition, we found that regardless of the interaction approach, the 2D visualization mode resulted in significantly better performance than the 3D visualization mode, with statistically significant reductions in task failures, grasping errors, task completion time, number of interactions, and user workload, all while reducing bandwidth requirements imposed by streaming depth data.
Cost-benefit analysis at the floodgates: Governing democratic futures through the reassembly of Iran’s waterways
Authors: Shafiee Katayoun
Published: November 2019

A burgeoning scholarship has taken seriously the use and management of the world’s fresh water as a site of critical investigation, highlighting the contribution of science and technology studies in making the infrastructural life of water visible. However, studies say little about the calculative terms of the decision-making process involved in infrastructural appraisal which are often taken for granted as something inevitable. This article examines the unexpected and remarkable role that cost-benefit analysis played in governing Iran’s democratic future through the assembling of a dam in the mid-20th century. Indeed, cost-benefit analysis traveled the world via flows of water. I investigate the ways in which the calculation of risk generated by the device of cost-benefit analysis of neoclassical economics became over several decades the most influential language for explaining and organizing the relationship between humans and nature in southwest Iran. The waters of the Dez River and other major rivers of the world shaped the building of large-scale infrastructural projects around dams, but they were simultaneously entangled with the production of economic information about the costs and benefits to local areas, making possible the development of new methods of governing democracies in terms of risk. US-based government aid agencies, institutions of global economic governance, private American investors, engineers, and agricultural scientists converged in a small corner of Iran to transform the region, its water, and its farmers into a laboratory of grass-roots democracy for a profit.
The Effect of Oral Contraceptive Hormones on Anterior Cruciate Ligament Strength
Authors: Konopka Jaclyn A. , Hsue Lauren , Chang Wenteh , Thio Timothy , Dragoo Jason L.
Published: November 2019

Background:

Women are 2 to 9 times more likely to experience an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury than men. Various hormones including relaxin, progesterone, and estrogen influence ACL strength. Oral contraceptives (OCs) alter these hormone levels; however, studies have yet to comprehensively compare different OCs’ effects on the ACL.

Hypothesis:

OCs with increased progestin-to-estrogen ratios will (1) increase ACL collagen expression, (2) decrease ACL matrix metalloproteinase expression, and (3) increase ACL strength.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Untreated female rats were compared with rats treated with 1 of 5 clinically used OCs: norethindrone (NE) only, NE plus ethinylestradiol (EE), etynodiol diacetate (ED) plus EE, norgestimate (NG) plus EE, and drospirenone (DS) plus EE. Doses were scaled from human doses to account for differences in bioavailability and body weight, and OCs were administered daily via oral gavage for 4 rat estrous cycles (20 days). A total of 36 rats were then sacrificed (6 rats/group). ACLs underwent biomechanical testing to assess ACL strength, stiffness, and maximum load before failure. ACL specimens were also isolated for quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis to assess collagen, matrix metalloproteinase, and relaxin receptor–1 expression.

Results:

While the primary structural property of interest (ACL maximum load before failure) was not significantly improved by OC treatment, the main material property of interest (ACL strength) in rats treated with NE only, DS + EE, ED + EE, and NE + EE was significantly increased compared with untreated controls ( P = .001, P = .004, P = .004, and P = .04, respectively). The order from strongest to weakest ACLs, which was also the same order as the highest to lowest progestin-to-estrogen ratios, was groups treated with NE only, DS + EE, ED + EE, NE + EE, and lastly NG + EE. Higher ratio formulations also increased the expression of type I collagen ( P = .02) and decreased the expression of matrix metalloproteinase–1 ( P = .04).

Conclusion:

OC formulations with higher progestin-to-estrogen ratios may be more protective for the ACL than formulations with lower ratios.

Clinical Relevance:

OC formulations with high progestin-to-estrogen ratios may benefit female athletes by reducing their ACL injury risk by decreasing the effects of relaxin on the ACL.
When Child Welfare Caseworkers Intervene, Do Women Surviving IPV Obtain Recommended Services?
Authors: Cheng Tyrone C. , Lo Celia C.
Published: November 2019

This study looked at 991 women surviving intimate partner violence (IPV), exploring several factors in their receipt of IPV services through the child welfare system. A secondary data analysis, the research used longitudinal data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being II, was conducted to evaluate the relationship between receiving IPV services and child welfare intervention and between such receipt and demographic characteristics. Women in the sample had been substantiated for maltreatment and had lifetime experience of IPV; 15% of these women had received IPV services. Generalized estimation equation results showed likelihood of receiving services increased when the case plan specified needed IPV services. Biological/adoptive mothers retaining custody of children were relatively unlikely to receive IPV services, as were lower income women. Receipt of services was relatively unlikely at the third-wave interview compared with the first-wave interview, but no difference in likelihood of receiving services was found between first- and second-wave interviews. In addition, likelihood of receiving services was not associated here with the number of recent IPV episodes, IPV maltreatment, mother’s perceived engagement with caseworker, and mother’s race/ethnicity, employment, and education. Some implications for practice are discussed.
Between a Promise and a Salary: Student-Migrant-Workers’ Experiences of Precarious Labour Markets
Authors: Maury Olivia
Published: November 2019

This article examines the experiences of non-EU/EEA student-migrants orienting in precarious labour markets in Finland. Drawing on data from in-depth interviews with working student-migrants holding a temporary legal status, the article examines the incidence of unpaid work within a variety of contractual settings and sectors. The findings suggest that exploitation with regard to the subjective capacity to produce is facilitated through the imposition of unpaid work hours on legally constrained migrants in precarious employment. The findings contribute to the sociological analysis of the increasingly fragmented figures of labour as well as to the study of unpaid work as a driver of precarisation.
Self-learning control for coordinated collision avoidance of automated vehicles
Authors: Wang Yan , Yin Guodong , Li Yanjun , Ullah Saif , Zhuang Weichao , Wang Jinxiang , Zhang Ning , Geng Keke
Published: November 2019

For the improvement of automotive active safety and the reduction of traffic collisions, significant efforts have been made on developing a vehicle coordinated collision avoidance system. However, the majority of the current solutions can only work in simple driving conditions, and cannot be dynamically optimized as the driving experience grows. In this study, a novel self-learning control framework for coordinated collision avoidance is proposed to address these gaps. First, a dynamic decision model is designed to provide initial braking and steering control inputs based on real-time traffic information. Then, a multilayer artificial neural networks controller is developed to optimize the braking and steering control inputs. Next, a proportional–integral–derivative feedback controller is used to track the optimized control inputs. The effectiveness of the proposed self-learning control method is evaluated using hardware-in-the-loop tests in different scenarios. Experimental results indicate that the proposed method can provide good collision avoidance control effect. Furthermore, vehicle stability during the coordinated collision avoidance control can be gradually improved by the self-learning method as the driving experience grows.
Factors Affecting the Choice of Medical Tourism Destination: A Case Study of Medical Tourists from the Arab Region in Turkey
Authors: Yıldız M. Said , Khan M. Mahmud
Published: November 2019

The main purpose of this study is to identify the aspects that are considered relatively more important by medical tourists from the Arab world as well as Turkish healthcare providers’ ability to perform these tasks and functions well. Additionally, patients from the Arab world were asked for their reasons for seeking care abroad and the factors affecting their choice of destination (Turkey). Each of the parameters’ importance–performance scores that were collected from medical tourists through a structured questionnaire were analysed by their positions on the importance–performance analysis (IPA) graph. The IPA demonstrated that eight out of 17 aspects of medical services were considered very important by patients and were delivered with high degree of performance by a facility. Seven of the parameters were in ‘low priority—Quadrant 3’, which means that providers performed relatively poorly in these areas and patients did not consider these as important as well. Only one of the parameters was in low importance–high performance area and one other was in high importance–low performance area. The attributes of medical tourism patients found by the analysis may help Turkish healthcare providers to identify the aspects that should be strengthened to improve customer satisfaction.
Foreign Direct Investment in Brazilian Hospitals: Mapping Institutional Environment and Scenarios for the Investors
Authors: Machado Marcelo Andre , Jardim Diana Indiara Ferreira
Published: November 2019

This article maps the probable scenarios for Brazilian hospital market, considering the institutional environment of the country from the law change, which allowed for the first time, from January 2016, foreign direct investment (FDI) in healthcare services. To present the likely scenarios of the next decade, in the opinion of healthcare actors in Brazil, a quantitative–qualitative field study was conducted. The first step was to carry out in-depth interviews with 13 experts from hospital groups, private health insurance companies, government, healthcare workers and foreign investors. Three scenarios for the next 10 years were built with 21 variables derived from the panel. The second step of the research was a survey with 134 healthcare stakeholders who indicated the probability of each variable. The results of the study indicated that the complexity of hospital market will be the biggest challenge for investors in Brazil. There are no signs of barriers that would prevent foreign investment in hospitals. However, there is a concern whether in the future there will be or not regulations, and which agency will be responsible. The likely entry modes for foreign investors will be joint ventures with Brazilian hospital groups and acquisitions of operations in the country.
Race and Blackness: A Thematic Review of Communication Challenges Confronting the Black Community Within the U.S. Health Care System
Authors: Adebayo Comfort Tosin , Walker Kimberly , Hawkins Maren , Olukotun Oluwatoyin , Shaw Leslie , Sahlstein Parcell Erin , Dressel Anne , Luft Heidi , Mkandawire-Valhmu Lucy
Published: November 2019

Effective communication is integral to the patient–provider relationship. Yet, as a result of structural factors that ignore the unique health care needs of different populations of patients who identify as Black—both African American and African immigrants—are confronted with communication challenges during health care seeking encounters. Using cultural safety as a framework, in this article, we thematically review communication challenges specifically experienced by patients of African descent in the U.S. health care system. In our review, we focus on complications that might arise from discrimination, mistrust, health literacy, and impacts of culture and language barriers on health literacy. In conclusion, we offer recommendations for improving the health care experiences and potential health outcomes for this population, through nursing care and health care delivery.
Private Policing and Public Health: A Neglected Relationship
Authors: Wood Jennifer D.
Published: November 2019

Policing, in its various forms and dimensions, has indelible and complex connections to public health. The conventional functions of policing—promoting social order, security, and crime prevention—are animated by many issues easily framed by a public health lens (e.g., forms of violence, mental illnesses, drug abuse, homelessness). Policing with a crime control focus can make public health worse by criminalizing vulnerable people and undermining access to health and harm reduction resources. Conversely, policing with a health focus can help link vulnerable people to treatment and recovery-oriented resources. Recognizing these connections, researchers have largely focused on the public health effects of policing by the public police, and practitioners have worked to transform the public police with population health in mind. This article suggests that although this focus on transforming the public police is necessary to the advancement of public health, it neglects to understand connections between private policing and public health. This conceptual article argues for the need to widen our focus beyond the public police when exploring policing’s relationship to public health. This expanded view, I suggest, is important to discovering the ways in which the health vulnerabilities of people and places may be compromised by different policing mentalities and practices. At the same time, it may provide clues about ways in which policing beyond the police might creatively and virtuously promote public health.
A self-amplifying dielectric-elastomer-amplified piezoelectric for motion-based energy harvesting
Authors: Mathew Anup Teejo , Khanh Vo Tran Vy , Bin Mohamed Aliffi Muhammad Danial , Liu Chong , Koh Soo Jin Adrian
Published: November 2019

The dielectric elastomer generator is a stretchable generator that converts low-frequency motions into electrical output, with excellent impedance matching capabilities. However, the dielectric elastomer requires an external high-voltage priming source to initialize its operation. We previously proposed a piezoelectric generator as the priming source, and demonstrated a net amplification of specific output energy of 1.8 times by the dielectric elastomer generator, as compared with that of the piezoelectric working in isolation. We termed our prototype the dielectric-elastomer-amplified piezoelectric (DEAmP). In this version, we introduce a self-priming circuit that will progressively charge up the dielectric elastomer generator to a much higher potential, thereby allowing the system to approach its optimized operating voltage. We term this the DEAmPx generator, with the letter “x” denoting progressive voltage/charge amplification by the self-priming circuit. The DEAmPx attained an output voltage of about 2000 V in 18 cycles and generates a dielectric elastomer generator–specific energy output of 3.1 mJ/g per cycle—19 times higher than that of the piezoelectric generator working in isolation. The system-specific energy output of DEAmPx is 0.49 mJ/g, with just a single layer of elastomer film. With this significantly larger output, we demonstrate the capability of a single-layer DEAmPx to power dielectric elastomer actuators.
Does Family Caregiver Burden Differ Between Elderly and Younger Caregivers in Supporting Dying Patients With Cancer? An Italian Study
Authors: Spatuzzi Roberta , Giulietti Maria Velia , Ricciuti Marcello , Merico Fabiana , Romito Francesca , Reggiardo Giorgio , Birgolotti Loredana , Fabbietti Paolo , Raucci Letizia , Rosati Gerardo , Bilancia Domenico , Vespa Anna
Published: November 2019

Context:

The aging of the world’s population increasingly calls on older people to care for their cancer relatives. This scenario confronts clinicians involved with end-of-life care with an imposing challenge: elderly family caregivers could have a different perception of the burdens associated with assistance compared to their younger counterparts. Palliativists need to know what limits and resources of these new age categories of caregivers could be for a global management of dying patients with cancer and their family.

Objectives:

To evaluate the caregiver burden in family caregivers supporting dying patients with cancer in order to compare the differences between 2 different caregivers age groups (younger vs elderly population).

Methods:

This is a cross-sectional study. A total of 174 family caregivers of hospice patients were interviewed through the Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI). The sample group was divided into 2 subgroups aged <65 (younger group) and ≥65 years old (elderly group).

Results:

Compared with younger caregivers, the elderly group reported significantly higher scores in the CBI–developmental subscale ( P = .009) confirmed by the generalized linear model (multivariate) evaluation that included possible predictors in the model. No further differences were found between the 2 age groups in the other CBI scores (time-dependent, physical, social, emotional, and overall score).

Conclusion:

Elderly caregivers are at high risk for experiencing developmental burden. This finding could prompt mental health professionals to pay greater attention to the value that assistance to the family member can have on their personal story and on that of the family or couple.
Variational principles and generalized Hill’s bounds in micromechanics of linear peridynamic random structure composites
Authors: Buryachenko Valeriy A
Published: November 2019

We consider a static problem for statistically homogeneous matrix linear peridynamic composite materials (CMs). The basic feature of the peridynamic model considered is a continuum description of a material behavior as the integrated non-local force interactions between infinitesimal particles. In contrast to these classical local and non-local theories, the peridynamic equation of motion introduced by Silling ( J Mech Phys Solids 2000; 48: 175–209) is free of any spatial derivatives of displacement. Estimation of effective moduli of peridynamic CMs is performed by generalization of some methods used in locally elastic micromechanics. Namely, the admissible displacement and force fields are defined. The theorem of work and energy, Betti’s reciprocal theorem, and the theorem of virtual work are proved. Principles of minimum of both potential energy and complimentary energy are generalized. The strain energy bounds are estimated for both the displacement and force homogeneous volumetric boundary conditions. The classical representations of effective elastic moduli through the mechanical influence functions for elastic CM are generalized to the case of peridynamics, and the energetic definition of effective elastic moduli is proposed. Generalized Hill’s bounds on the effective elastic moduli of peridynamic random structure composites are obtained. In contrast to the classical Hill’s bounds, in the new bounds, comparable scales of the inclusion size and horizon are taken into account that lead to dependance of the bounds on both the size and shape of the inclusions. The numerical examples are considered for the 1D case.
Impact of Travel Motivation on Tourist’s Attitude Toward Destination: Evidence of Mediating Effect of Destination Image
Authors: Pereira Vijay , Gupta Jeevan Jyoti , Hussain Shabir
Published: November 2019

This research aims at exploring the relationship between travel motivation and tourists’ attitude toward a destination. The study also aims at assessing the mediating role played by destination image between travel motivation and tourists’ attitude toward destination. Data for the study has been collected from tourists visiting Ladakh (Jammu and Kashmir state of India) during the month of July to September (N = 350). Utilizing two theoretical lenses, that of the theory of image and theory of planned behavior, findings of the study revealed positive relationship between tourists’ travel motivation and their attitude toward the destination, which is mediated by destination image. Furthermore, this study contributes by signifying that tourism marketers need to make every possible effort to enhance travel motivation of tourists, so as to build positive image and favorable attitude of tourists toward the destination.
Temporal fluctuations in context ethnic diversity over three decades predict implicit national inclusion of Asian Americans
Authors: Devos Thierry , Sadler Melody , Perry David , Yogeeswaran Kumar
Published: November 2019

The present research examined whether temporal fluctuations in context ethnic diversity account for current levels of implicit ethnic-American associations. Temporal fluctuations in ethnic diversity at the metropolitan level were assessed using data from four decennial U.S. censuses (1980–2010) and distinguishing three dimensions of context ethnic diversity (minority representation, variety, and integration). Project Implicit data (2011–2017) indexed the extent to which American identity was implicitly associated with European Americans over Asian Americans (i.e., American = White associations). Data were analyzed using multilevel modeling ( N = 152,011, nested within 226 metropolitan areas). Steeper increases in the proportion of Asian Americans were related to weaker implicit (but stronger explicit) American = White associations. Increases in ethnic integration accounted for stronger implicit American = White associations when integration fluctuations reflected accelerating rather than decelerating trends. These results suggest that current levels of implicit ethnic-national associations are linked to complex patterns of ethnic diversity fluctuations.
Insider-outsider as process: drawing as reflexive feminist methodology during fieldwork
Authors: Parikh Aparna
Published: November 2019

This article illustrates the potential of drawing as a creative method to document and analyse the shifting insider-outsider status of the researcher during fieldwork. I draw on my experiences conducting field-based research at night around outsourced call centres in Mumbai, India, where I examined how women made decisions regarding night-time urban mobility and household social reproduction. While conducting research, I analysed my fluctuating position as an insider or outsider, and how these shifts impacted research dynamics. Furthermore, I relied on boundary-making to alter my relative distance from research participants, thus shaping my positioning on the insider-outsider spectrum. I used hand drawing as a representational technique to document the site, as well as to analyse my positionality within it. This article places feminist methodological insights in conversation with geographic scholarship on drawing to make the following contributions. I show how drawing as a technique can enrich feminist claims about the complex relations between researcher and research participants, challenging a static and dichotomous framing of the researcher as insider or outsider. I also contend that feminist concerns about power dynamics can shape the use of drawing as a critical methodological tool.
Under the Eagles Wings: America, God Shed a Tear on Thee
Authors: Chunnu Winsome
Published: November 2019

Bob Marley says one good thing about music—when it hits you, you feel no pain. So hit me with music. On the transition of Aretha Franklin, and the vitriolic trolling of her funeral and Childish Gambino 2019 Grammy award winning song and record of the year for “ This is America,” this piece is using music as a conceptual frame for understanding the pain of Black people in the United States. Recently, musicians Beyoncé, Childish Gambino, Kendrick Lamar, Pink, and many others have used their music to contest inequality in America. I grew up in Jamaica on Motown, Country, and Reggae music. This is what Aretha and many other musicians have meant to me.
The effect of cotton fiber inclusion on the hard surface cleaning capacity of nonwoven substrates
Authors: Hron Rebecca J , Hinchliffe Doug J , Mattison Christopher P , Condon Brian D
Published: November 2019

Hard surface cleaning and disinfection is critically important in environments where microbial contamination can result in the spread of food-borne illnesses and infectious diseases. Successful disinfection of a hard surface can be impeded by the presence of a soil load in the form of protein, fat or other material. Fibrous materials used as applicators for surface disinfecting solutions require careful consideration to ensure the active ingredient remains efficacious. Of equal importance are the mechanical and surface properties of the applicator including tensile strength, cleaning efficiency, and absorbency. Therefore, the successful disinfection of a hard surface can be greatly enhanced by an applicator that also effectively removes organic contaminants, is strong enough to resist structural failure, and reduces water waste when a disinfecting solution is applied. The cleaning and physical properties of nonwoven applicators in the form of disposable wipes composed of cotton, rayon, polyester, and blends thereof were evaluated with several assays. Dynamic wiping assays, surface roughness, and tensile testing were conducted to compare the physical and surface properties of the wipes. The removal of organic contaminants was found to correlate with higher wipe surface roughness that increased with cellulosic fiber content. Tensile testing demonstrated the greige cotton, which has not been subjected to processing such as scouring or bleaching, had increased wet strength while rayon wipes lost significant strength when wet. Greige cotton wipes were also produced as a sustainable product with reduced absorbency that would minimize water usage and waste. The results indicated that inclusion of greige cotton fibers in wipes offers improvements over currently available wipes without sacrificing strength or cleaning efficiency.
Update of parameter matrices of the dynamic system using the least-squares approach
Authors: Lee Eun-Taik , Eun Hee-Chang
Published: November 2019

Model-based responses rarely coincide with the actual responses owing to modeling and measurement errors, deterioration of structural performance, and presence of damages in the structure. The parameter matrices should be updated for successful subsequent analysis and design efforts. This study derives the mathematical forms of variations in the parameter matrices between the actual system and the analytical model. A method using the least-squares principle constrained by the measured modal data is presented. The method is directly derived by minimizing the performance indices expressed by the norm of the variation in the parameter matrices between the actual system and the analytical model. The proposed update methods predict the updated parameter matrices depending on the prescribed weighting matrices and detect damages from the predicted parameter matrix variations. Examples compare the methods depending on the established weighting matrices, the number of measurement data sets of the first modal data only and the lowest two modal data. This study also investigates the effect of external noise contained in the measured data.
New visions for citizen formation: An analysis of citizenship education policy in Morocco
Authors: Idrissi Hajar , Engel Laura C , Benabderrazik Youssef
Published: November 2019

This article offers perspectives on the framing of citizenship education in recent education policy reform in Morocco. Against a background of shifting conceptions of citizenship and citizenship education occurring both globally and regionally in the Middle East and North Africa, the article focuses on Morocco’s Strategic Vision for Reform 2015–2030, offering an analysis of the main section of the policy targeting citizenship education, referred to in the document as chapter 3 (‘For a school that develops the individual and society’), lever 18 (‘Enact a society of citizenship, democracy and equality’). Drawing on policy analysis of these sections of the reform documentation, we examine the various recommendations that reference national Moroccan citizenship education, concluding that the discourse surrounding citizenship education tends to emphasize a disciplined conception of citizen formation, framing the student as apathetic and passive. Moreover, the article analyzes these recommendations within the social, cultural, economic, and political context of Morocco, offering insights on potential challenges in its implementation.
A condition-based maintenance model with past-dependent imperfect preventive repairs for continuously deteriorating systems
Authors: Huynh Khac Tuan , Grall Antoine
Published: November 2019

Most condition-based imperfect maintenance models developed over the last few decades are memoryless in the sense that maintenance efficiency is completely [Formula: see text]-independent of previous interventions. However, many maintenance activities exhibit their past dependency in engineering practice, and this significant property should not be ignored in maintenance modeling. In this spirit, our aim is to develop a condition-based maintenance model for continuously deteriorating systems subject to a special kind of past-dependent imperfect repairs. Such a repair can put the system back to a deterioration level better than the one at just before the current repair, but worse than the one reached at the last repair. Besides, inspection and replacement are memoryless actions available for the system. They result in different effects on the system deterioration and incur different costs. To achieve high economic performances in the long term, these actions are coordinated into a control-limit deterioration-based maintenance policy. Its long-run maintenance cost rate is analytically evaluated using the semi-regenerative process theory. Numerous sensitivity studies to maintenance costs and to system characteristics give a thorough understanding about the policy behavior. Furthermore, comparisons with more classical policies justify the importance of incorporating the past dependency in maintenance modeling.
Statistical inference for the Arrhenius-Weibull accelerated life testing model with imprecision based on the likelihood ratio test
Authors: Ahmadini Abdullah AH , Coolen Frank PA
Published: November 2019

In this article, we present a new imprecise statistical inference method for accelerated life testing data, where nonparametric predictive inferences at normal stress levels are integrated with a parametric Arrhenius-Weibull model. The method includes imprecision based on the likelihood ratio test which provides robustness with regard to the model assumptions. We use the likelihood ratio test to obtain an interval for the parameter of the Arrhenius link function providing imprecision into the method. The imprecision leads to observations at increased stress levels being transformed into interval-valued observations at the normal stress level, where the width of an interval is larger for observations from higher stress levels. If the model fits well, our method has relatively little imprecision. However, if the model fits poorly, it leads to more imprecision. Simulation studies are presented to investigate the performance of the proposed method.
Satisfaction with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease treatment: results from a multicenter, observational study
Authors: Contoli Marco , Rogliani Paola , Di Marco Fabiano , Braido Fulvio , Corsico Angelo G. , Amici Christian A. , Piro Roberto , Sarzani Riccardo , Lessi Patrizia , Scognamillo Carla , Scichilone Nicola , Santus Pierachille , Corsico Angelo Guido , Raccanelli Rita , Radovanovic Dejan , Gini Erica , Patella Vincenzo , Florio Giovanni , Garuti Silvia , Forini Giacomo , Benfante Alida , Fiorentino Giuseppe , Marotta Antonella , Alfano Fausta , Cavalli Francesco , Ruggiero Patrizia , Carone Mauro , Aliani Maria , Iannaccone Antonio , Izzo Alessandro , Polla Biago , Spannella Francesco , Micheletto Claudio , Vincenti Rigoletta , Maugeri Laura , Gulotta Carlo , Tazza Roberto , Di Re Luigi , Mimotti Paolo , Carbone Roberto , Riva Rodolfo , Fiori Giovanni , Viaggi Stefano , Ori Alessandra , Simoni Lucia , Amici Christian , Ferri Fabio , Roncari Barbara , Sala Saide , Trevisan Francesca , Lanci Nicole
Published: November 2019

Background:

Understanding the level of patients’ satisfaction with treatment and its determinants have the potential to impact therapeutic management and clinical outcome in chronic conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods:

A national, multicenter, longitudinal, observational study of COPD from 20 Italian pulmonary centers to explore patients’ satisfaction to treatment [assessed by the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire, 9 items (TSQM-9)] and association with clinical parameters [including dyspnea score, COPD Assessment Test (CAT) score, exacerbation rate], adherence to treatment [Morisky Medication-Taking Adherence Scale (MMAS-4)], illness perception [evaluated by Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (B-IPQ)] in a 1-year follow up.

Results:

A total of 401 COPD patients were enrolled [69.4% group B Global Initiative for COPD (GOLD), considering 366 patients with available GOLD 2017 classification at enrollment]. At enrollment, satisfaction with treatment was moderate, being TSQM-9 mean scores for effectiveness 64.2 [95% confidence interval (CI) 62.5–65.9], for convenience 75.8 (95% CI 74.2–77.3), and for global satisfaction 65.7 (95% CI 64.0–67.4). Global satisfaction was negatively associated with disease perception (β = −0.4709, p < 0.0001), and grade of dyspnea (β = −4.2564, p = 0.009). Satisfaction with treatment was lower in patients with poor compared with optimal adherence to treatment (β = −4.5608, p = 0.002). Changes in inhalation regimens during follow up did not modify the satisfaction with treatment.

Conclusions:

The results of this real-life study showed that the patients’ satisfaction with treatments is only moderate in COPD. A high grade of patients’ satisfaction is associated mainly with a low perception of the disease, high adherence to treatment and lower level of dyspnea.

Trial Registration:

Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT02689492 The reviews of this paper are available via the supplemental material section.
Rethinking Landscape Conservation: Linking Globalized Agriculture to Changes to Indigenous Community-Managed Landscapes
Authors: Lawrence Ted J. , Stedman Richard C. , Morreale Stephen J. , Taylor Sarah R.
Published: November 2019

Community-managed landscapes have valuable conservation potential. In particular, indigenous community management has slowed deforestation. However, globalized agriculture is an underlying driver of changes to indigenous community-managed landscapes. Our objective is to explain a hypothesized global-to-local causal pathway that stems from processes of globalized agriculture and changes to indigenous community-managed landscapes. The global-to-local pathway involves a nested hierarchy of political–economic processes, specifically land and natural resource privatization, commodification, and acquisition. At the local landscape level, we focus on changes to land tenure, livelihoods, land use, and land cover. Changes to land tenure involve a shift away from community and toward individual ownership and management. Concurrently, livelihoods shift away from subsistence and toward market-oriented activities. Subsequently, land use shifts away from small-scale extensive and toward large-scale intensive crop cultivation, away from diverse crop cultivation and toward monocropping, and away from crop toward livestock farming. Ultimately, land cover shifts away from diverse agro-forested and toward homogeneous deforested lands. We illustrate our approach using ejidos, a type of community-managed lands, in Yucatán, México as an exploratory example. We use descriptive statistics to initially assess the shift in ejido land tenure, from community to individually parcelized systems, and the shift in a principal subsistence livelihood and land use activity, from maize cultivation to cattle rearing. We highlight that individually parceled areas within ejidos are more deforested than community-managed areas. In all, we urge landscape conservation scientists to more fully consider not just local actions but also impacts stemming from globalized agriculture and to advance the breadth and depth of more extensive studies and analyses.
Partnering to Improve Career and Technical Education for Students With Disabilities: A Position Paper of the Division on Career Development and Transition
Authors: Harvey Michael W. , Rowe Dawn A. , Test David W. , Imperatore Catherine , Lombardi Allison , Conrad Michelle , Szymanski Amy , Barnett Kristy
Published: November 2019

This article describes the Division of Career Development and Transition’s (DCDT) position regarding Career Technical Education (CTE) and provides recommendations regarding more intense collaboration to improve access to and persistence in CTE for students with disabilities. Professional groups, such as the DCDT and the Association for Career and Technical Education, as well as policy makers, should strengthen collaboration in this area. This position paper: (a) explores CTE’s effectiveness as a secondary special education and transition service; (b) summarizes relevant federal legislation; and (c) presents key recommendations for policy, practice, personnel preparation and professional development, and research. Policy and practice recommendations emphasize access and equity, personnel preparation and professional development recommendations promote an understanding of related legislation and instructional practices, and research recommendations emphasize collaborative high-quality research.
Meniscal Repairs in the Adolescent Knee: Can the Number of Fixation Sites Improve Outcomes?
Authors: Schlechter John A. , Nguyen Shawn V. , Fletcher Katie L.
Published: November 2019

Background:

Meniscal pathology in children and adolescents is now a common occurrence because of their ever-increasing participation in youth sports.

Purpose:

To investigate the outcomes of arthroscopic meniscal repair in an adolescent cohort and analyze the variables that may affect outcomes, specifically the number of fixation sites utilized during repair.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

A retrospective review of all children and adolescents younger than 18 years who underwent arthroscopic meniscal repair at a single institution was performed. Patient characteristics, operative details (eg, tear pattern, tear location, method of repair, and number of fixation sites [determined based on the number of sutures used for repair]), and concomitant procedures were recorded.

Results:

A total of 175 primary meniscal repairs met inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Of this cohort, 115 were able to be contacted and were included in the final study cohort. The mean follow-up was 41 months. The mean age of the children was 14.9 years, and 91 (79%) had concomitant anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions with their meniscal repair. The mean Pediatric International Knee Documentation Committee functional outcome score was 91 (range, 43-100), and the mean Lysholm functional outcome score was 91 (range, 47-100). Of the 115 meniscal repairs, there were a total of 19 reoperations (17%); 15 (13%) were because of meniscal repair failures. The only variable that statistically increased the risk of meniscal repair failure was low number of fixation sites, with the failure group having a mean of 1.79 sutures and the nonfailure group having a mean of 2.97 sutures ( P = .03).

Conclusion:

Successful meniscal repairs and a lower failure rate may be achieved with a greater number of fixation sites with promising results at a minimum 2-year follow-up. Validated functional outcome scores were good, with a 13% failure rate. Larger cohort, longer term, multicenter multisurgeon data are still needed to further elucidate the number of fixation sites needed when performing a meniscal repair in the pediatric and adolescent knee.
Toughening effect of mullite whisker within low-density ceramic proppants
Authors: Hao Jianying , Mu Baolin , Gao Yunfeng , Bai Pinbo , Tian Yuming , Li Guomin
Published: November 2019

Main crystal phases of low-density ceramic proppants prepared by bauxite and feldspar are granular corundum and whisker-shaped mullite. Mullite whiskers are interlocked with one another and piled up inside the pores. High aspect ratio of mullite whiskers inside the pores can greatly enhance the fracture toughness. The dominant toughening mechanism for the proppants is attributed to crack bifurcation and deflection and pulling out and bridging effect of mullite whiskers.
Attention-based recurrent neural network for influenza epidemic prediction
Authors: Zhu Xianglei , Fu Bofeng , Yang Yaodong , Ma Yu , Hao Jianye , Chen Siqi , Liu Shuang , Li Tiegang , Liu Sen , Guo Weiming , Liao Zhenyu
Published: November 2019

Background

Influenza is an infectious respiratory disease that can cause serious public health hazard. Due to its huge threat to the society, precise real-time forecasting of influenza outbreaks is of great value to our public.

Results

In this paper, we propose a new deep neural network structure that forecasts a real-time influenza-like illness rate (ILI%) in Guangzhou, China. Long short-term memory (LSTM) neural networks is applied to precisely forecast accurateness due to the long-term attribute and diversity of influenza epidemic data. We devise a multi-channel LSTM neural network that can draw multiple information from different types of inputs. We also add attention mechanism to improve forecasting accuracy. By using this structure, we are able to deal with relationships between multiple inputs more appropriately. Our model fully consider the information in the data set, targetedly solving practical problems of the Guangzhou influenza epidemic forecasting.

Conclusion

We assess the performance of our model by comparing it with different neural network structures and other state-of-the-art methods. The experimental results indicate that our model has strong competitiveness and can provide effective real-time influenza epidemic forecasting.
ProbPFP: a multiple sequence alignment algorithm combining hidden Markov model optimized by particle swarm optimization with partition function
Authors: Zhan Qing , Wang Nan , Jin Shuilin , Tan Renjie , Jiang Qinghua , Wang Yadong
Published: November 2019

Background

During procedures for conducting multiple sequence alignment, that is so essential to use the substitution score of pairwise alignment. To compute adaptive scores for alignment, researchers usually use Hidden Markov Model or probabilistic consistency methods such as partition function. Recent studies show that optimizing the parameters for hidden Markov model, as well as integrating hidden Markov model with partition function can raise the accuracy of alignment. The combination of partition function and optimized HMM, which could further improve the alignment’s accuracy, however, was ignored by these researches.

Results

A novel algorithm for MSA called ProbPFP is presented in this paper. It intergrate optimized HMM by particle swarm with partition function. The algorithm of PSO was applied to optimize HMM’s parameters. After that, the posterior probability obtained by the HMM was combined with the one obtained by partition function, and thus to calculate an integrated substitution score for alignment. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of ProbPFP, we compared it with 13 outstanding or classic MSA methods. The results demonstrate that the alignments obtained by ProbPFP got the maximum mean TC scores and mean SP scores on these two benchmark datasets: SABmark and OXBench, and it got the second highest mean TC scores and mean SP scores on the benchmark dataset BAliBASE. ProbPFP is also compared with 4 other outstanding methods, by reconstructing the phylogenetic trees for six protein families extracted from the database TreeFam, based on the alignments obtained by these 5 methods. The result indicates that the reference trees are closer to the phylogenetic trees reconstructed from the alignments obtained by ProbPFP than the other methods.

Conclusions

We propose a new multiple sequence alignment method combining optimized HMM and partition function in this paper. The performance validates this method could make a great improvement of the alignment’s accuracy.
Risk of stroke-associated pneumonia during hospitalization: predictive ability of combined A2DS2 score and hyperglycemia
Authors: Li Yang , Zhang Yu , Ma Liansheng , Niu Xiaoyuan , Chang Junsen
Published: November 2019

Background

Stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP) is a common complication of cerebrovascular disease. The A2DS2 score has been used to predict the risk of SAP. However, hyperglycemia is not included in this scale. The purpose of the present study was to explore whether the A2DS2 scoring system and hyperglycemia could predict the risk of SAP more effectively than the conventional A2DS2 scale.

Methods

This retrospective study enrolled 2552 patients with acute ischemic stroke. The A2DS2 scores, fasting blood glucose level and blood glucose level on admission were collected. Regression analysis was used to identify the independent risk factors of SAP. ROC curve analysis was used to evaluate the specificity and sensitivity of the combined A2DS2 score and fasting hyperglycemia for predicting SAP.

Results

Fasting hyperglycemia was an independent risk factor for SAP (OR = 2.95; 95% confidence interval: 2.11–4.12; P < 0.001). The area under curve of the combined A2DS2 score and fasting hyperglycemia was significantly higher than that of the A2DS2 score alone (0.814 vs. 0.793; P = 0.020).

Conclusion

Fasting hyperglycemia is an independent risk factor for predicting SAP. Compared with the A2DS2 score, the modified A2DS2 score (combined A2DS2 score and fasting hyperglycemia) is more effective in predicting the risk of SAP.