bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The price of certainty: Benefits and costs of public–private partnerships for healthcare infrastructure and related services
Authors: Hellowell Mark
Published: April 2016

Although the use of public–private partnerships is endorsed by agencies at the national and supranational levels, there is little guidance for decision-makers on what good outcomes look like and the circumstances in which such outcomes are likely to occur. Enhanced understanding of these issues can improve the governance of large-scale contracting in the health sector. Drawing on a narrative review of the available theoretical and empirical research, this paper evaluates: (1) the benefits that public–private partnerships generate compared to alternative mechanisms of delivery; (2) their additional costs; and (3) the endogenous and exogenous factors that influence these outcomes. The evidence shows that public–private partnerships hold promise for decision-makers who prioritise cost- and time-certainty. However, public–private partnerships are also associated with additional costs – notably transaction and financing costs. The key decision that policymakers and managers need to make about their use of the public–private partnership model is, therefore, how much extra they are prepared to pay to achieve predictable cost, quality and service outcomes. How much they will have to pay is a function of a set of contextual variables which are readily amenable to policy action.
Design and multi-physics optimization of a novel magnetorheological damper with a variable resistance gap
Authors: Zheng Jiajia , Li Yancheng , Wang Jiong
Published: April 2016

This paper presents the design and multi-physics optimization of a novel multi-coil magnetorheological (MR) damper with a variable resistance gap (VRG-MMD). Enabling four electromagnetic coils (EMs) with individual exciting currents, a simplified magnetic equivalent circuit was presented and the magnetic flux generated by each voltage source passing through each active gap was calculated as vector operations. To design the optimal geometry of the VRG-MMD, the multi-physics optimization problem including electromagnetics and fluid dynamics has been formulated as a multi-objective function with weighting ratios among total damping force, dynamic range, and inductive time constant. Based on the selected design variables (DVs), six cases with different weighting ratios were optimized using Bound Optimization BY Quadratic Approximation (BOBYQA) technique. Finally, the vibration performance of the optimal VRG-MMD subjected to sinusoidal and triangle displacement excitations was compared to that of the typical multi-coil MR damper.
Nonlinear regression Huber-based divided difference filtering
Authors: Li Wei , Liu Meihong
Published: April 2016

This article derives a nonlinear regression Huber-based divided difference filtering algorithm using a nonlinear regression approach for dynamic state estimation problems with non-Gaussian noises and outliers. In this approach, the nonlinear measurement model is directly used without linear or statistically linear approximation and the Huber-based divided difference filtering problem is solved using a Gauss–Newton approach. This new proposed filter method is then applied to a benchmark problem of estimating the trajectory of an entry body from discrete-time range data measured by a radar tracking station. Simulation results demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed filter as compared to the previous filter algorithms in the presence of non-Gaussian uncertainties.
Potential of modeling and simulations of bioengineered devices: Endoprostheses, prostheses and orthoses
Authors: Ginestra Paola Serena , Ceretti Elisabetta , Fiorentino Antonio
Published: April 2016

Modeling and simulation of prosthetic devices are the new tools investigated for the production of total customized prostheses. Computational simulations are used to evaluate the geometrical and material designs of a device while assessing its mechanical behavior. Data acquisition through magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography or laser scanning is the first step that gives information about the human anatomical structures; a file format has to be elaborated through computer-aided design software. Computer-aided design tools can be used to develop a device that respects the design requirements as, for instance, the human anatomy. Moreover, through finite element analysis software and the knowledge of loads and conditions the prostheses are supposed to face in vivo, it is possible to simulate, analyze and predict the mechanical behavior of the prosthesis and its effects on the surrounding tissues. Moreover, the simulations are useful to eventually improve the design (as geometry, materials, features) before the actual production of the device. This article presents an extensive analysis on the use of finite element modeling for the design, testing and development of prosthesis and orthosis devices.
UK guideline for the use of HIV Post-Exposure Prophylaxis Following Sexual Exposure, 2015
Authors: Cresswell Fiona , Waters Laura , Briggs Eleanor , Fox Julie , Harbottle Justin , Hawkins David , Murchie Martin , Radcliffe Keith , Rafferty Paul , Rodger Alison , Fisher Martin
Published: April 2016

We present the updated British Association for Sexual Health and HIV guidelines for HIV post-exposure prophylaxis following sexual exposure (PEPSE). This document includes a review of the current data to support the use of PEPSE, considers how to calculate the risks of infection after a potential exposure, and provides recommendations on when PEPSE should and should not be considered. We also review which medications to use for PEPSE, provide a checklist for initial assessment, and make recommendations for monitoring individuals receiving PEPSE. Special scenarios, cost-effectiveness of PEPSE, and issues relating to service provision are also discussed. Throughout the document, the place of PEPSE within the broader context of other HIV prevention strategies is considered.
An evaluation of bias in propensity score-adjusted non-linear regression models
Authors: Wan Fei , Mitra Nandita
Published: April 2016

Propensity score methods are commonly used to adjust for observed confounding when estimating the conditional treatment effect in observational studies. One popular method, covariate adjustment of the propensity score in a regression model, has been empirically shown to be biased in non-linear models. However, no compelling underlying theoretical reason has been presented. We propose a new framework to investigate bias and consistency of propensity score-adjusted treatment effects in non-linear models that uses a simple geometric approach to forge a link between the consistency of the propensity score estimator and the collapsibility of non-linear models. Under this framework, we demonstrate that adjustment of the propensity score in an outcome model results in the decomposition of observed covariates into the propensity score and a remainder term. Omission of this remainder term from a non-collapsible regression model leads to biased estimates of the conditional odds ratio and conditional hazard ratio, but not for the conditional rate ratio. We further show, via simulation studies, that the bias in these propensity score-adjusted estimators increases with larger treatment effect size, larger covariate effects, and increasing dissimilarity between the coefficients of the covariates in the treatment model versus the outcome model.
Development of Participant-Informed Text Messages to Promote Physical Activity Among African American Women Attending College: A Qualitative Mixed-Methods Inquiry
Authors: Reese Jasmine M. , Joseph Rodney P. , Cherrington Andrea , Allison Jeroan , Kim Young-il , Spear Bonnie , Childs Gwendolyn , Simpson Tina , Durant Nefertiti H.
Published: April 2016

The purpose of this study was to develop a participant-informed technology-based physical activity (PA) promotion tool for young overweight and obese African American (AA) women. A mixed-method 3-phase study protocol design was used to develop text messages to promote PA in AA women attending the University of Alabama at Birmingham during the Spring of 2013. Nominal focus groups and a 2-week pilot were used to generate and test participant-developed messages. Participants ( n = 14) had a mean age of 19.79 years ( SD = 1.4) and mean body mass index of 35.9 ( SD = 5.926). Focus group data identified key themes associated with the use of text messages to promote PA including message frequency, length, tone, and time of day. Participants preferred text messages that were brief, specific, and time sensitive. Results showed that text messaging was a feasible and acceptable strategy to promote PA in overweight and obese AA women in a university setting.
Transnational Motherhood: Health of Hispanic Mothers in the United States Who Are Separated From Children
Authors: McCabe Brian E. , Mitchell Emma M. , Gonzalez-Guarda Rosa Maria , Peragallo Nilda , Mitrani Victoria B.
Published: April 2016

Immigration often results in the separation of families, and in particular transnational parenting, which is the separation of mothers from children. Transnational mothers may have greater risks for poor mental health and behavioral conditions such as substance abuse, violence, sexual risk, and depression. This study was a secondary analysis of self-reported data from 425 Hispanic mothers (328 with no separations, 60 separated from an adult child, and 37 separated from a minor child) enrolled in a randomized trial of a sexual health group intervention in South Florida (USA). Separations were related to mother’s age, years in the United States, family income, number of people living on income, acculturation to the United States, occupational/economic stress, immigration stress, and lifetime exposure to abuse. A follow-up analysis described the types of childhood or adulthood abuse experienced by mothers with separations. These findings provide new information for nurses about the experience of immigrant mothers.
Lessons in Lifelong Learning
Authors: Helterbran Valeri R.
Published: April 2016

Many older learners are choosing to return to school to meet varying learning needs; some are returning to satisfy a lifelong desire to earn a college degree. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the motivation and experiences of adults aged 65 years or older who earned a bachelor’s degree in retirement and their perceptions related to this educational experience. The findings of this study, although not generalizable, have recruitment and instructional implications for higher educators and suggest pathways to better support this special population of college students.
The Lecture as Experiential Education
Authors: Blenkinsop Sean , Nolan Carrie , Hunt Jasper , Stonehouse Paul , Telford John
Published: April 2016

This article uses an unconventional format to problematize a common dichotomy found in the theory and practice of experiential education. The article comprises the contributions of five authors and begins with one author’s description of a potential real-life scenario that provokes the question of whether an art history lecture might be understood as experiential education. Three of the remaining coauthors respond individually and independently to this question, and the final author joins with the first in the concluding comments section. The key consensus of the responding coauthors is that simplistically equating the Deweyan notion of primary experience with physical, tactile activity is a limited and limiting understanding of experience in education and that in fact, under the correct circumstances, a lecture can and even should be part of experiential education. Beyond this, the authors encourage educators to think carefully about the educational trajectory and contextual histories of the learners with whom they work. Finally, the two authors of the concluding comments suggest that the field, to do justice to the educational possibilities of all experiences, must begin to move beyond John Dewey while finding ways to overcome the deeply entrenched dualistic concept of experience that continues to affect our practices and theorizing.
Knockout of the Prostaglandin E2 Receptor Subtype 3 Promotes Eccentric Cardiac Hypertrophy and Fibrosis in Mice
Authors: Liu Shuang , Ji Yawei , Yao Jian , Zhao Xiaodan , Xu Hu , Guan Youfei , Breyer Richard M. , Sheng Hongzhuan , Zhu Jianhua
Published: April 2016

Background:

Prostaglandin E2 receptor subtype 3 (EP3), a Gi protein-coupled receptor activated by prostaglandin E2, plays a particular role in cardioprotection. This study aimed to investigate the impact of EP3 deletion on cardiac remodeling and further elucidate the related involvement of possible signaling pathways.

Methods and Results:

The animals used were EP3 receptor knockout (EP3KO) mice and wild-type (WT) litter mate controls at 16-18 weeks old. The high-resolution echocardiography and weight index indicated that eccentric cardiac hypertrophy might occur in EP3KO mice, which were having worse cardiac function than WT litter mates. Isolated adult myocytes from EP3KO hearts showed spontaneous lengthening. Cardiac fibrosis was observed in EP3KO mice through Masson trichrome staining. The elevated messenger RNA (mRNA) level in matrix genes and the reduced mRNA, protein, and activity levels of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) indicated an increased synthesis and suppressed degradation of matrix collagen in EP3KO mice. The phosphorylation level of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 protein was reduced in the cardiac tissue of EP3KO mice, accompanied by no significant change in the protein level of total ERK1/2, total p38, phospho-p38, glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β), phospho-GSK3β, and calcineurin (CaN) as well as CaN activity.

Conclusion:

EP3 knockout in cardiac tissues could induce eccentric cardiac hypertrophy and cardiac fibrosis at 16-18 weeks old. These effects of EP3 knockout might be regulated through inactivating MAPK/ERK pathway and affecting the MMP-2 expression. Overall, PGE2-EP3 is necessary to maintain the normal growth and development of the heart.
The Plane Crashed It
Authors: Lahman Maria K. E.
Published: April 2016

September 11 narratives from Mennonite children of New York City (NYC) are presented in the form of research poetry.
“I Look Across From Me and I See Me”
Authors: Wood Leila
Published: April 2016

Direct services, or advocacy, for intimate partner violence (IPV) have historically been offered by survivors, for survivors. Surprisingly little is known about the experience of advocates working in IPV-focused agencies who are survivors themselves. This qualitative study uses the grounded theory method to analyze interviews with 22 women working in IPV-focused agencies. The sample, more than 80% survivors, discussed how their work affected their experience through calling them to organizations, helping them to name the experience of violence, offering points of connection, and leading to an integration of professional and private experience. Implications for agencies and further research are discussed.
The Use of Forensic Evidence in Sexual Assault Investigations
Authors: Menaker Tasha A. , Campbell Bradley A. , Wells William
Published: April 2016

Despite the potential value of DNA evidence for criminal investigations and prosecution, we have a limited understanding of the way forensic evidence is used and its impact on case outcomes. This study uses qualitative data to describe the way investigators from the Houston Police Department use DNA evidence during investigations of sexual assaults. Results show DNA evidence has limited influence during investigations, and the value of DNA evidence is shaped by other evidentiary factors. The findings provide insight into the utility of DNA evidence, instances when DNA evidence is least and most useful, the importance of DNA evidence in comparison with other evidence, and the likely aggregate impact of DNA evidence across sexual assault cases.
Neighborhood Socioeconomic Characteristics and Utilization of ADHD Medication in Schoolchildren: A Population Multilevel Study in Stockholm County
Authors: Jablonska Beata , Kosidou Kyriaki , Ponce de Leon Antonio , Wettermark Björn , Magnusson Cecilia , Dal Henrik , Dalman Christina
Published: April 2016

Objective: To examine the effects of neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage and ethnic composition on the utilization of ADHD medication in schoolchildren after accounting for individual- and family-level characteristics. Method: A cohort of all schoolchildren living in Stockholm County was prospectively followed for new prescriptions of ADHD medication ( N = 276,955). Three-level logistic regression models were used with individual/family characteristics (e.g., immigrant background) at the first level and small area market statistics (SAMS) and municipality characteristics (i.e., socioeconomic disadvantage and ethnic composition) at the second and third level. Results: SAMS socioeconomic disadvantage was associated with increased utilization of ADHD medication. The utilization of ADHD medication was lower among immigrant children as compared with natives, and their odds of not utilizing medication increased as the degree of concentration of foreign-born increased. Conclusion: These results suggest that interventions at the neighborhood level may offer an additional route for the prevention of the disorder and/or alleviation of its consequences.
Evaluating the inclusivity of hospital wayfinding systems for people with diverse needs and abilities
Authors: Morag Ido , Heylighen Ann , Pintelon Liliane
Published: April 2016

Objectives

Wayfinding in hospitals is a complex problem since patients, who are likely to be under stress, may have to navigate their way to multiple locations in the course of a single visit. While good wayfinding design can reduce stress, poor wayfinding can not only increase individuals' anxiety but also generate additional costs for the hospital due to: lost time among staff members who need to direct patients rather than concentrate on their designated task; missed appointments or delayed meetings; and additional security staff to ensure that patients do not enter restricted areas. We investigated to what extent a questionnaire, developed by collecting data about the subjective experiences of wayfinders with diverse needs and abilities, could uncover wayfinding problems in hospitals.

Methods

The methodology we developed involved four steps: creating an initial questionnaire based on the literature; customizing the questionnaire to a hospital environment; validating and verifying the questionnaire; and evaluating the questionnaire’s added value at nine other hospitals.

Results

The questionnaire’s generality and added value were demonstrated since many types of wayfinding problems were uncovered at the nine hospitals that other methods had overlooked or regarded as relatively unimportant. The research emphasizes the centrality and uniqueness of the wayfinder rather than that of the institute in determining what people need.

Conclusion

Our findings can contribute to understanding wayfinding issues in hospitals and to sensitize designers to the needs and knowledge levels of wayfinders when designing hospitals.
Implementing climate change mitigation in health services: the importance of context
Authors: Desmond Sharon
Published: April 2016

Academic interest in strategies to reduce the impact of health services on climate change is quickening. Research has largely focused on local innovations with little consideration of the contextual and systemic elements that influence sustainable development across health systems. A realistic framework specifically to guide decision-making by health care providers is still needed. To address this deficit, the literature is explored in relation to health services and climate change mitigation strategies, and the contextual factors that influence efforts to mitigate climate effects in health service delivery environments are highlighted. A conceptual framework is proposed that offers a model for the pursuit of sustainable development practice in health services. A set of propositions is advanced to provide a systems approach to assist decision-making by decoding the challenges faced in implementing sustainable health services. This has important implications for health care providers, funders and legislators since the financial, policy and regulatory environment of health care, along with its leadership and models of care generally conflict with carbon literacy and climate change mitigation strategies.
Using Contribution Analysis to evaluate small & medium enterprise support policy
Authors: Buckley Anthony P.
Published: April 2016

This research illustrates a pragmatic approach to evaluating the small and medium sized enterprise policy support in small or intermediate N research situations. A public interest perspective is taken. The suggested approach is most appropriate in settings where, for a variety of reasons, a study is unable to meet the requirements of a true experimental design (e.g. random assignment, establishment of counterfactuals, control groups, random samples, etc.). This approach will deliver findings on the contribution of the multiple factors influencing a result and will show whether the implicit theory of change for the policy under evaluation makes the expected contribution to the observed result and in what way. The Contribution Analysis finds that the theory of change for the policy under analysis was not verified in the study period. The outputs and outcomes of the analysis broadly support this conclusion. Moreover, the study finds that the primary limiting factor on profitable small and medium sized enterprise growth was the ‘limited endowments of managerial resources’ (Penrose, 1959) to manage the value-adding growth process and the lack of ‘well thought out, well managed projects’ (Walsh, 1985) and not lack of access to equity finance as surmised by policymakers. Whilst Ireland is used as the case example in the study, there are significant lessons for policy evaluators in other late-developing states and in regions with policy autonomy in the enterprise domain.
Evaluation in management by objectives: A critical analysis of Sweden’s national environmental quality objectives system
Authors: Larsson Magnus , Hanberger Anders
Published: April 2016

This article investigates what can be achieved by one particular management by objectives system – i.e. the Swedish National Environmental Quality Objectives system and its evaluation function. A critical programme theory analysis is first developed to reconstruct the programme theory of the National Environmental Quality Objectives system. Next, the robustness of the programme theory is analysed in terms of internal consistency, theoretical support and empirical support. The results indicate that, while some assumptions underlying the National Environmental Quality Objectives system are valid, the National Environmental Quality Objectives’ programme theory has low validity in several respects. The evaluative knowledge the system produces is only partly relevant to or useable by local actors and industry. While the state of the environment is observed and measured in the monitoring and evaluation reports, the direct effects of environmental policy and work are not evaluated, which is a main weakness of the National Environmental Quality Objectives system. It is unlikely that the current evaluation function can effectively support achievement of the National Environmental Quality Objectives environmental objectives. The article suggests that evaluations in support of network governance are more likely to support National Environmental Quality Objectives achievement and sustainable development.
Evaluation units as knowledge brokers: Testing and calibrating an innovative framework
Authors: Olejniczak Karol , Raimondo Estelle , Kupiec Tomasz
Published: April 2016

Evaluation units, located within public institutions, are important actors responsible for the production and dissemination of evaluative knowledge in complex programming and institutional settings. The current evaluation literature does not adequately explain their role in fostering better evaluation use. The article offers an empirically tested framework for the analysis of the role of evaluation units as knowledge brokers. It is based on a systematic, interdisciplinary literature review and empirical research on evaluation units in Poland within the context of the European Union Cohesion Policy, with complementary evidence from the US federal government and international organizations. In the proposed framework, evaluation units are to perform six types of brokering activities: identifying knowledge users’ needs, acquiring credible knowledge, feeding it to users, building networks between producers and users, accumulating knowledge over time and promoting an evidence-based culture. This framework transforms evaluation units from mere buyers of expertise and producers of isolated reports into animators of reflexive social learning that steer streams of knowledge to decision makers.
Are social mechanisms usable and useful in evaluation research?
Authors: Melloni Erica , Pesce Flavia , Vasilescu Cristina
Published: April 2016

This article reflects on the potential contribution of a social mechanism approach to evaluation research, based on the empirical analysis of three evaluations of European policies. A methodological framework for carrying out evaluation based on this approach is put forward that help identify questions to be answered and steps in a working method to be followed. More specifically, the approach focuses on particular types of mechanism: those that stimulate enduring changes in actors’ behaviour. Hence the label ‘social mechanism’. The underlying hypothesis is that some institutional settings can orientate actors’ reasoning in a way conducive to the attainment of policy goals. Moreover, it is assumed that a closer exploration of the workings of mechanisms as part of an evaluation process is useful for both learning and policy design. The article provides examples of evaluations where the proposed approach has been applied.
Association between anger rumination and autism symptom severity, depression symptoms, aggression, and general dysregulation in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Patel Shivani , Day Taylor N , Jones Neil , Mazefsky Carla A
Published: April 2016

Rumination has a large direct effect on psychopathology but has received relatively little attention in autism spectrum disorder despite the propensity to perseverate in this population. This study provided initial evidence that adolescents with autism spectrum disorder self-report more anger-focused rumination than typically developing controls, though there was substantial within-group variability. Anger rumination was positively correlated with autism symptom severity with both groups combined. Future studies that include measures of perseveration on special interests are needed to understand whether anger rumination is a manifestation of a perseverative type of repetitive behavior or a distinct trait. Even when controlling for autism symptom severity, however, anger-focused rumination was associated with poorer functioning, including more depression symptoms and overall emotional and behavioral dysregulation. Therefore, further inquiry regarding anger rumination in autism spectrum disorder is clinically important, and the potential impact of rumination-focused interventions should be explored.
Cumulative risk effects in the bullying of children and young people with autism spectrum conditions
Authors: Hebron Judith , Oldfield Jeremy , Humphrey Neil
Published: April 2016

Students with autism are more likely to be bullied than their typically developing peers. However, several studies have shown that their likelihood of being bullied increases in the context of exposure to certain risk factors (e.g. behaviour difficulties and poor peer relationships). This study explores vulnerability to bullying from a cumulative risk perspective, where the number of risks rather than their nature is considered. A total of 722 teachers and 119 parents of young people with autism spectrum conditions participated in the study. Established risk factors were summed to form a cumulative risk score in teacher and parent models. There was evidence of a cumulative risk effect in both models, suggesting that as the number of risks increased, so did exposure to bullying. A quadratic effect was found in the teacher model, indicating that there was a disproportionate increase in the likelihood of being bullied in relation to the number of risk factors to which a young person was exposed. In light of these findings, it is proposed that more attention needs to be given to the number of risks to which children and young people with autism spectrum conditions are exposed when planning interventions and providing a suitable educational environment.
Negative politics: The conformity, struggles and radical possibilities of youth culture in outer East London
Authors: James Malcolm
Published: April 2016

Drawing on an ethnography study, this article addresses young people’s contemporary politics in outer East London. Through an exploration of online music videos and one girl’s story, it engages with, and questions, prevailing academic discourses on the decline of youth politics. Foregrounding a conjunctural methodology, it discusses how young people’s political performances do indeed conform to the neoliberal matrix. However, beyond this, it also explores their struggles against neoliberal marginalisation and the possibility of radical politics beyond these constraints. The overall argument of this article is to understand how young people’s politics are simultaneously conformist, agonist and possibly radical in contemporary outer East London.
The politics of hyperbole on Geordie Shore: Class, gender, youth and excess
Authors: Wood Helen
Published: April 2016

This article discusses MTV’s Geordie Shore against the backcloth of current social conditions for working-class youth. It suggests that the aesthetic, physical and discursive features of excess represent hyperbole, produced from within an affective situation of precariousness and routed through the labour relations of media visibility. Hyper-glamour, hyper-sex and hyper-emotion are responses to the ideologies of the future-projected, self-governing neoliberal subject and to the contemporary gendered contradictions of sexually proclivity and monogamous heteronormativity. By ‘flaunting’ the realities of self-work and making the labour of themselves more/most visible, the participants of Geordie Shore are claiming an animated type of ill/legitimate subjectivity.
The big data public and its problems: Big data and the structural transformation of the public sphere
Authors: Harper Tauel
Published: April 2016

The use of algorithms to mine big data for media preferences presents a transformation in the structure of the public sphere that is amplifying the tyranny of the majority. Whereas previous scholarship has lamented the fragmentation of the public sphere caused by the use of big data to inform audience analysis and media production, I argue here that fragmentation itself is not an implicitly bad thing for public debate, as fragmentation can encourage participation from the otherwise disempowered. Instead, I suggest that the use of big data to inform media production causes problems in the public sphere not because it fragments public debate, but because it somewhat paradoxically recentres public engagement around the complementary interests of the broad majority and profitability. The problem for public engagement is not that there are no overarching or all-encompassing media structures anymore but rather that these systems are informed by algorithms that promote a particularly populist ‘profitable and normal’ media experience.
Mapping an audience-centric World Wide Web: A departure from hyperlink analysis
Authors: Taneja Harsh
Published: April 2016

This article argues that maps of the Web’s structure based solely on technical infrastructure such as hyperlinks may bear little resemblance to maps based on Web usage, as cultural factors drive the latter to a larger extent. To test this thesis, the study constructs two network maps of 1000 globally most popular Web domains, one based on hyperlinks and the other using an “audience-centric” approach with ties based on shared audience traffic between these domains. Analyses of the two networks reveal that unlike the centralized structure of the hyperlink network with few dominant “core” Websites, the audience network is more decentralized and clustered to a larger extent along geo-linguistic lines.
Effect of humidity on the mechanical properties of adhesively bonded aluminium joints
Authors: Costa M , Viana G , da Silva LFM , Campilho RDSG
Published: April 2016

The presented work focuses on the effects of water degradation on the long-term behaviour of adhesive joints. The objective of this study is to measure the evolution of various mechanical properties such as tensile stress and fracture toughness as a function of humidity for two distinct adhesives, using bulk adhesive and double cantilever beam specimens in unaged and aged conditions in order to understand the influence of humidity on the adhesive properties. A mathematical equation that allows the prediction of each property degradation as a function of water is proposed and validated, which takes into account various parameters such as the diffusion coefficient, resulting in a general equation for mechanical property degradation prediction of potentially any adhesive. It was also found that the distinct adhesive properties such as strength, stiffness and fracture toughness all decreased due to water degradation with the exception of the strain that increased, concluding that water reduces the joint strength and lifespan of the studied adhesives, although in different ways.
Caring in the wake of the rising tide: Moral distress in residential nursing care of people living with dementia
Authors: Pijl-Zieber Em M , Awosoga Olu , Spenceley Shannon , Hagen Brad , Hall Barry , Lapins Janet
Published: April 2016

Objective

Moral distress is increasingly being recognized as a concern for health care professionals. The purpose of this study was to explore the nature and prevalence of moral distress among nursing staff who care for people living with dementia.

Methods

This study was focused on nursing staff caring for people with dementia in long-term care and assisted living sites. The Moral Distress in Dementia Care Survey instrument was distributed to 23 sites and nursing staff rated the frequency and severity of situations that were identified as potentially causing moral distress.

Results

Moral distress is prevalent in the nursing staff who provide dementia care. Nursing staff reported experiencing moral distress at least daily or weekly. Both frequency and severity of moral distress increased with proximity to (amount of time spent at) the bedside. Moral distress had negative psychological and physiological effects on nursing staff, and affected intention to quit.
Breaking out: New freedoms in urban (re)design work by adding immersive environments
Authors: Jutraž Anja , Moine Julie Le
Published: April 2016

Nowadays, urban planning and urban design are facing big changes in the use of different digital tools. Reaching out and engaging citizens and other stakeholders in urban design process are significant for good practice. Main problem discussed in this article is the lack of suitable tools/interfaces for instant collaboration between government, profession, and public. Article focuses on immersive environments, as full immersion could offer better notion of different proposals of urban design. As a case study, Immersive Terf is chosen; more exactly, article focuses on new approach and new development of tool Urban Redesign Terf. Deep immersive collaboration on design could free participant’s mind and increase level of freedom in design/planning process. Immersive environments have already been used in building information modeling (BIM) managment, but innovation part, presented here, are technological: significant changes in the software and walk-through big models, which is the base for urban design and urban planning process.
Development of educational-use computational fluid dynamics programming environment and workshop
Authors: Nakano Akito , Bohn John N , Wakita Akira
Published: April 2016

In the current computer-aided architectural design education, students do not necessarily need to be taught to use more digital tools, but need to be introduced to the possibilities of designing their own digital tools. Designing the original tools with the assistance of educational-use environment for computational fluid dynamics programming improves the capability of the students to estimate the flows around architectures based on the mathematical background and the actual program. The authors have developed Educational Library for Fluid as an educational-use environment for computational fluid dynamics programming and ran the workshop where the students majoring in computer-aided architectural design tried to design computational fluid dynamics tools with Educational Library for Fluid. In this article, the details of Educational Library for Fluid and the results of the workshop are being reported. In addition, the key points of computational fluid dynamics education that the authors learned through the experience of the workshop are shared.
Is It a Trust Issue? Factors That Influence Trust for Persons Living With HIV/AIDS
Authors: Krause Denise D. , May Warren L.
Published: April 2016

Trust in one’s health care provider, trust in the health care system in general, and even trust in one’s community affects engagement in HIV-related health care. This article examines the issue of trust among a random sample of HIV-infected individuals residing in Mississippi, an area hard-hit by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Five constructs based on survey responses from these individuals were developed: (1) trust in one’s provider to offer the best possible medical care, (2) trust in one’s provider to protect patient privacy, (3) willingness to disclose HIV status to one’s provider, (4) trust in the health care system, and (5) trust in one’s community. Findings suggest that interventions to improve trust in providers to deliver the highest quality of care should be targeted to young people, African Americans, and the more highly educated. Interventions to increase trust in providers to protect privacy should focus on creating and strengthening social support groups or networks that build relationships and foster trust. Interventions aimed to increase community trust also should be targeted to young people. This information is useful to researchers, policy makers, health care providers, and organizations interested in prioritizing interventions and strategies that have the greatest potential to reduce health disparities in HIV diagnosis and treatment in the Deep South.
A Critical Review of the Characteristics of Theater-Based HIV Prevention Interventions for Adolescents in School Settings
Authors: Taboada Arianna , Taggart Tamara , Holloway Ian , Houpt Amanda , Gordon Robert , Gere David , Milburn Norweeta , Lightfoot Alexandra F.
Published: April 2016

Theater-based interventions are a viable prevention strategy for changing sexual health knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to HIV prevention. However, few studies have explored interventions in English-speaking, high-income countries such as the United States, Canada, or the United Kingdom. This article critically reviews the literature to identify key characteristics of theater-based HIV prevention strategies used for adolescents in school-settings in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Specifically, we identify the theatrical approach used in HIV prevention interventions, the behavioral theories that inform such interventions, and the study design and results of existing evaluation studies conducted in school settings. In the 10 articles reviewed, we found limited grounding in theory and the use of nonrigorous study design. To strengthen the evidence and practical application of theater-based HIV prevention interventions, we highlight three specific recommendations for practitioners and researchers: (1) define and operationalize the theater approach and techniques used, (2) ensure theater-based interventions are grounded in theory, and (3) conduct rigorous evaluation of theater-based interventions. These recommendations are key to strengthening future research on and implementation of theater-based interventions for HIV prevention.
Barriers and Facilitators to Sustaining School Health Teams in Coordinated School Health Programs
Authors: Cheung Karen , Lesesne Catherine A. , Rasberry Catherine N. , Kroupa Elizabeth , Fisher Deborah , Robin Leah , Pitt Barnes Seraphine
Published: April 2016

Coordinated school health (CSH) programs address multiple factors related to students’ overall health, thereby increasing their physical and mental readiness to learn. A formative evaluation of three school districts in 2010-2011 examined strategies for sustaining the school health teams (SHTs) that lead CSH efforts. Qualitative data from 39 interviews and 13 focus groups revealed facilitators and barriers for sustaining SHTs. Quantitative data from 68 questionnaires completed by SHT members and school principals examined factors associated with having more active SHTs and district and school characteristics SHT members believed to be important to their schools’ efforts to implement CSH. Facilitators of sustaining SHTs included administrative support, staff engagement in the SHT, and shared goals and responsibility. Barriers to sustaining SHTs included limited time and competing priorities, budget and funding constraints, and staff turnover. Findings provide valuable insight into challenges and potential solutions for improving the sustainability of SHTs to enable them to better support CSH efforts.
Handwriting Impairments in People With Parkinson’s Disease and Freezing of Gait
Authors: Heremans Elke , Nackaerts Evelien , Broeder Sanne , Vervoort Griet , Swinnen Stephan P. , Nieuwboer Alice
Published: April 2016

Background. Recent studies show that patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and freezing of gait (FOG) experience motor problems outside their gait freezing episodes. Because handwriting is also a sequential movement, it may be affected in PD patients with FOG relative to those without. Objective. The current study aimed to assess the quality of writing in PD patients with and without FOG in comparison to healthy controls (CTs) during various writing tasks. Methods. Handwriting was assessed by the writing of cursive loops on a touch-sensitive writing tablet and by means of the Systematic Screening of Handwriting Difficulties (SOS) test in 30 PD patients with and without freezing and 15 healthy age-matched CTs. The tablet tests were performed at 2 different sizes, either continuously or alternatingly, as indicated by visual target lines. Results. Patients with freezing showed decreased writing amplitudes and increased variability compared with CTs and patients without freezing on the writing tablet tests. Writing problems were present during both tests but were more pronounced during writing at alternating compared with writing at continuous size. Patients with freezing also had a higher total score on the SOS test than patients without freezing and CTs, reflecting more extensive handwriting problems, particularly with writing fluency. Conclusions. Writing is more severely affected in PD patients with FOG than in those without FOG. These results indicate that deficient movement sequencing and adaptation is a generic problem in patients with FOG.
Using a mock simulation event and Monte Carlo simulation to compare alternative network architectures for distributed training simulation
Authors: Petty Mikel D , Barbosa Salvador E , Hutt John Russell
Published: April 2016

A systems engineering effort produced three alternative network architectures for a system to support simulation-based training events. A mock simulation event was used to compare the effort required for each alternative to prepare for, conduct, and analyze an event. The mock event was a manual execution of a process for conducting simulation events consisting of a sequence of defined activities. As a mock event, no simulations were executed and the activities’ work was not performed. Instead, the labor required for each activity for each alternative was estimated by simulation subject matter experts using the Delphi method. The experts’ estimates drove a set of Monte Carlo trials. Probability distributions were parameterized with the estimates, from which values for the labor required for each activity for each alternative were stochastically generated. Those values were summed to estimate the mean total labor required for an event for each alternative. Confidence intervals for each alternative’s labor did not overlap, and hypothesis tests confirmed that the alternatives’ labor requirements were statistically different. The methodology, which combined a mock simulation event, Delphi estimation, Monte Carlo simulation, and statistical analysis, is likely to be useful in similar situations where simulation system architecture alternatives are compared before implementation.
Wake and Sleep EEG in Patients With Huntington Disease
Authors: Piano Carla , Mazzucchi Edoardo , Bentivoglio Anna Rita , Losurdo Anna , Calandra Buonaura Giovanna , Imperatori Claudio , Cortelli Pietro , Della Marca Giacomo
Published: April 2016

The aim of the study was to evaluate the EEG modifications in patients with Huntington disease (HD) compared with controls, by means of the exact LOw REsolution Tomography (eLORETA) software. We evaluated EEG changes during wake, non–rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Moreover, we reviewed the literature concerning EEG modifications in HD. Twenty-three consecutive adult patients affected by HD were enrolled, 14 women and 9 men, mean age was 57.0 ± 12.4 years. Control subjects were healthy volunteers (mean age 58.2 ± 14.6 years). EEG and polygraphic recordings were performed during wake (before sleep) and during sleep. Sources of EEG activities were determined using the eLORETA software. In wake EEG, significant differences between patients and controls were detected in the delta frequency band (threshold T = ±4.606; P < .01) in the Brodmann areas (BAs) 3, 4, and 6 bilaterally. In NREM sleep, HD patients showed increased alpha power (T = ±4.516; P < .01) in BAs 4 and 6 bilaterally; decreased theta power (T = ±4.516; P < .01) in the BAs 23, 29, and 30; and decreased beta power (T = ±4.516; P < .01) in the left BA 30. During REM, HD patients presented decreased theta and alpha power (threshold T = ±4.640; P < .01) in the BAs 23, 29, 30, and 31 bilaterally. In conclusion, EEG data suggest a motor cortex dysfunction during wake and sleep in HD patients, which correlates with the clinical and polysomnographic evidence of increased motor activity during wake and NREM, and nearly absent motor abnormalities in REM.
Locality preserving projection twin support vector machine and its application in classification
Authors: Chen Sugen , Wu Xiaojun , Xu Juan
Published: April 2016

Twin support vector machine (TWSVM) and projection twin support vector machine (PTSVM), are two extensions of traditional support vector machine (SVM). However, TWSVM and PTSVM did not consider the local geometrical structure information of training samples. Therefore, a locality preserving projection twin support vector machine (LPPTSVM) is presented by introducing the basic idea of the locality preserving projection (LPP) into PTSVM. This method not only inherits the ability of TWSVM and PTSVM for dealing with the XOR problem, but also fully considers the local geometrical structure between samples and shows the local underlying discriminatory information. For linear LPPTSVM method, regularization technique is used to overcome the singularity problem, and then the nonlinear LPPTSVM method is constructed by the empirical kernel mapping. Experimental results conducted on the artificial datasets and UCI datasets illustrate the effectiveness of the LPPTSVM method.