bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
An integrated framework for elevator traffic design under general traffic conditions using origin destination matrices, virtual interval, and the Monte Carlo simulation method
Authors: Al-Sharif Lutfi , Abu Alqumsan Ahmad M 
Published: July 2015

The conventional design methodology for elevator traffic analysis has been applied to the case of up-peak traffic (or incoming traffic conditions). The only user requirements are usually the expected arrival rate ( AR%) expressed as a percentage of the building population requesting service in the peak 5 min and the target interval. The interval as classically used will be referred to as the physical interval in this paper as it is only relevant for the case of a single entrance and incoming traffic conditions. This paper presents an integrated methodology for the design of elevator traffic systems for the general case of mixed traffic conditions. It presents a fully integrated framework that covers the steps from user requirements to the selection of the number of required elevators. The user requirements describing the traffic conditions can be specified by the user, expressed as the AR%, the mix of incoming traffic, outgoing traffic, and interfloor traffic. This paper derives equations that can be used to combine the mix of traffic, the floor arrival percentages, and the floor population percentages into an origin–destination matrix. The origin–destination matrix is then adjusted and normalized in order to account for rational passenger behavior (i.e., a passenger will not travel to the same floor that he or she is at). A method is presented for the random generation of passenger origin–destination pairs using the origin–destination matrix (which is necessary when using the Monte Carlo Simulation ( MCS) method to calculate the round trip time). A novel equation for evaluating the round trip time under the assumption of equal floor heights and top speed attained in one floor journey is derived and used. The equation is derived using a stepwise derivation and verification process. The verification is carried out against the MCS method for finding the value of the round trip time. The concept of a virtual interval (as opposed to the conventionally used physical interval usually used in elevator traffic system design) is introduced in order to allow the selection of the number of elevators to be carried out. The virtual interval is the average value of the time between the consecutive reversals of the elevators in the group. Practical application The methodology presented in this paper allows the elevator traffic system designer to convert the user requirements specification (in the form of an arrival rate and the percentage floor strengths) into an origin–destination matrix. The origin–destination matrix is a more suitable tool for calculating the expected value of the round trip time and consequently carrying out an elevator traffic design. Thus, this methodology represents a vital step in the design process.
Post-occupancy evaluation of sunshades and balconies’ effects on luminous comfort through a questionnaire survey
Authors: Xue Peng , Mak Cheuk Ming , Cheung Hiu Dan , Chao Jiangyue 
Published: July 2015

To protect and improve the built environment, the Hong Kong government recommends sunshades and balconies as two daylighting green features to be incorporated into new buildings. A questionnaire survey was conducted to investigate the effects of these green features on subjective luminous comfort in housing units. The results showed that some practical functions decided the preferences of residents for tilted or horizontal sunshades and balconies with glass walls and parapets. Both features had direct effects on reducing glare and overheating problems, but at the same time, they decreased daylight uniformity. Further, balconies provided poor privacy, which forced residents to use internal shading and artificial lighting more often. Based on the analysis, green features affected residents’ luminous comfort indirectly by unconsciously affecting their feelings and behavior. Practical application: These results may help the government to understand the status quo and establish appropriate guidelines and help researchers and architects improve green features that provide residents with better luminous environments. The data can be used for further studies that adopt the climate-based simulation to present the real luminous condition of the units whose residents were involved in this survey. The luminous comfort could then be quantified by some cumulative metrics, and those metrics can be treated as the standard for the energy-efficient building design.
Analysis on combinations of indoor thermal microclimate parameters in radiant cooled residential buildings and drawing of new thermal comfort charts
Authors: Sui Xuemin , Zhang Xu 
Published: July 2015

This paper proposed to discuss some issues about indoor microclimate parameters design in radiant cooled residential buildings. Based on the thermal comfort model, the relationships between low mean radiant temperature and other thermal microclimate parameters such as indoor air temperature, air velocity, and relative humidity were analyzed. The improved and reasonable combinations of four thermal microclimate parameters including radiant cooling surface temperature, air temperature, air velocity, and relative humidity were further derived. Furthermore, a number of new thermal comfort charts using radiant cooling surface temperature and air temperature as dominant parameters were drawn. The results show that the air temperature can be increased 1–3℃ within the recommended thermal comfort range when the mean radiant temperature is reduced 3℃. Under the design goal of thermal neutral, when the chilled ceiling surface temperature is in the range of 16–26℃, the air temperature should be set at 25.3–29.3℃; when the chilled floor surface temperature is in the range of 19–26℃, the air temperature should be set at 25.8–29.2℃. The design values of air velocity and relative humidity are not recommended to be changed, and still can follow the design standards for conventional all-air systems. Practical application : In this paper, some issues about indoor microclimate parameters design in radiant cooled buildings were discussed. A number of new thermal comfort charts using radiant cooling surface temperature and air temperature as dominant parameters were provided, and the design values of indoor air temperature, mean radiant temperature, air velocity, and relative humidity for radiant cooling system in residential buildings were also suggested. The research results can provide a more intuitive reference for the design of radiant cooling systems in residential buildings.
Comparative Effectiveness of the Different Treatment Modalities for Snoring
Authors: Terryn Stefanie , De Medts Joris , Delsupehe Kathelijne 
Published: July 2015

ObjectiveTo evaluate what effects treatments of sleep‐disordered breathing have on snoring and sleepiness: snoring surgery including osteotomies, mandibular advancement device (MAD), and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP).Study DesignSingle‐institution prospective comparative effectiveness trial.SettingUniversity‐affiliated secondary care teaching hospital.Subjects and MethodsWe prospectively studied 224 patients presenting with snoring at our department. All patients underwent detailed evaluation, including symptom questionnaires, clinical examination, polysomnography, and drug‐induced sleep endoscopy. Based on these results, a treatment was proposed after multidisciplinary consultation. Treatment was evaluated through 4 questionnaires before treatment and 6 weeks and 6 months after. Treatment success was defined as a global snoring visual analog scale score ≤3 at 6 months.ResultsA total of 195 patients complied with full workup and were proposed treatment. The mean age was 46 ± 11 years; the mean body mass index, 27 ± 4; and the median apnea‐hypopnea index, 10.0 (interquartile range, 4.7‐20.1). After discussion, 116 (59.5%) patients agreed to start treatment (46%, surgery; 26% MAD; 28% CPAP). All symptom scores, including Epworth Sleepiness Scale, decreased significantly for all treatments at 6 weeks and 6 months. Treatment was successful in 67% of the surgery patients, 67% of the MAD group, and 76% of the CPAP group. Only 6.7% reported an unchanged snoring score in the surgery group, compared with 13.6% in the MAD group and 9.6 % in the CPAP group.ConclusionMultidisciplinary agreed‐on treatment of snoring is effective across the proposed treatments.
Referral Patterns and Positive Airway Pressure Adherence upon Diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Authors: Russell Jonathon O. , Gales Jordan , Bae Charles , Kominsky Alan 
Published: July 2015

ObjectiveObstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a serious medical condition that adds to patient morbidity and mortality. Treatment with positive airway pressure (PAP) is the standard of care, but many patients refuse or do not tolerate PAP. Little is known about the subsequent management of these patients. We sought to understand what types of treatment, if any, adult patients with OSA receive who either fail or refuse PAP therapy within our institution.Study DesignRetrospective chart review.SettingAcademic hospital.SubjectsAll adult patients undergoing polysomnogram during the months of March and April 2010 (n = 1174) who were diagnosed with OSA.MethodsThe electronic medical record was reviewed to determine the subsequent management of patients with a diagnosis of OSA, including tolerance or failure of PAP and referral to specialists upon intolerance.ResultsOf 1174 patients, 616 met inclusion criteria. Ultimately, 260 (42%) had documented adherence to PAP. Of 241 untreated patients, 84 patients (35%) were referred for further attempts at management of diagnosed OSA. Nearly half of patients with diagnosed OSA did not have continued treatment or referral.ConclusionTo our knowledge, this is the first study to define the subsequent management of patients who have failed or refused PAP. Despite the known sequelae of OSA, clinicians are not treating a significant percentage of patients with diagnosed OSA. Those who fail to tolerate PAP therapy are unlikely to be referred for additional treatment. Therapies other than PAP may be warranted in this population.
Incidence and Risk Factors of Velopharyngeal Insufficiency Postadenotonsillectomy
Authors: Khami Maria , Tan Susan , Glicksman Jordan Thomas , Husein Murad 
Published: July 2015

ObjectivesTo evaluate the incidence and risk factors of velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) postadenoidectomy, posttonsillectomy, and postadenotonsillectomy.Study DesignRetrospective chart review.SettingAcademic tertiary care center (2007‐2014).Subjects and MethodsRetrospective review of patients who underwent adenoidectomies, tonsillectomies, or adenotonsillectomies by 1 pediatric otolaryngologist. Patient’s age, sex, type of surgery, indication for surgery, medical syndromes, tonsil grade, adenoid size, and pre‐ and postoperative nasal air emissions were obtained.ResultsThe VPI risk at 3 weeks postoperatively was 13.6% (95% CI: 9.0%, 18.2%) for adenotonsillectomies, 3.2% (95% CI: 1.2%, 7.6%) for adenoidectomies, and 2.2% (95% CI: 2.1%, 6.5%) for tonsillectomies. There was a significantly higher risk of VPI with combined procedures in comparison with adenoidectomies (P =. 02) or tonsillectomies alone (P =. 03). There was no significant difference in risk of VPI between adenoidectomies and tonsillectomies (P =. 78); between surgical indication groups (sleep‐disordered breathing vs other; P =. 15); or in terms of sex (P =. 80), age (P =. 11), tonsil grade (P =. 96), or adenoid size (P =. 15). There was no qualitative difference in postoperative nasal air emissions between patients with and without medical syndromes.ConclusionOur data are consistent with the literature that most VPI after adenotonsillectomy is temporary in nature and resolves by 5 months postoperatively. Combined procedures were shown to have a significantly higher risk of VPI. Our rates of VPI were much higher than that previously cited and may be indicative of subclinical cases of VPI, which were accounted for due to this study’s unique methodology.
Fate of allogenic bone graft for sternal support in pectus excavatum repair
Authors: Ashour Mahmoud , Rafay Mohommad , Saleh Waleed , Ahmed Mohamed , Robaidi Hassan , Alamassi Mohammad , Al Kattan Khaled 
Published: July 2015

Background Techniques for pectus excavatum repair are based on sternal support using various implants that have been reported to cause complications including migration and perforation of adjacent vital organs. Thus the search for an ideal sternal support is ongoing. This study aimed to assess the feasibility and fate of allogenic bone grafts as a durable sternal support for pectus excavatum repair. Methods Pectus excavatum deformities in 3 men were corrected by modified Ravitch repair using allogeneic bone grafts for sternal support. Postoperatively, the patients were followed up for 3 years. Chest computed tomography and bone scans were performed to identify radiological features relevant to the stability, viability, and fate of the bone grafts. Results The postoperative course was uneventful in all patients. Cosmetic correction was rated as very good with patient satisfaction. Bone scans showed progressively increasing activity in the graft, indicating an ongoing process of neovascularization. Chest computed tomography showed not only bone resorption, new bone formation, and remodeling but also incorporation of the graft into the sternum and corresponding ribs through newly generated, normally configured sternocostal segments. Conclusions As seen radiologically, this technique offers a model for sternal support that has the potential to incorporate into the host tissue through newly generated, normally configured sternocostal segments, without restriction of chest wall expansion, features that have not been previously reported.
Patients’ and caregivers’ perceptions of occupational therapy and adapting to discharge home from an inpatient palliative care setting
Authors: Marston Celia , Agar Meera , Brown Ted 
Published: July 2015

Introduction There is limited research into the role of occupational therapy in discharge planning in palliative care. This study aimed to explore patients’ and caregivers’ perceptions of occupational therapy in the context of discharge home from an inpatient palliative care setting. Method Semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients and caregivers following discharge home from inpatient palliative care. Participants were selected using purposive sampling and data was thematically analysed. Results Five caregivers and three patients were interviewed. Three main themes emerged: (1) shared roles in discharge planning; (2) perceived benefits of occupational therapy; and (3) adapting to discharge home. Patients and caregivers viewed occupational therapy as the practical help needed to achieve discharge. They had difficulty differentiating between professional roles and perceived the discharge process as a shared responsibility between themselves and the clinicians. Adapting to discharge home involved coping with the uncertain and unexpected, where limited understanding of professional roles meant participants did not know who to seek assistance from. Conclusion Occupational therapy was viewed as the practical help needed for discharge home from a palliative care setting. Clinicians need to take primary responsibility for understanding each other’s roles and providing information on who can assist after discharge.
Peripheral nerve field stimulation for trigeminal neuralgia, trigeminal neuropathic pain, and persistent idiopathic facial pain
Authors: Klein Johann , Sandi-Gahun Sahr , Schackert Gabriele , Juratli Tareq A 
Published: July 2015

Objective Peripheral nerve field stimulation (PNFS) is a promising modality for treatment of intractable facial pain. However, evidence is sparse. We are therefore presenting our experience with this technique in a small patient cohort. Methods Records of 10 patients (five men, five women) with intractable facial pain who underwent implantation of one or several subcutaneous electrodes for trigeminal nerve field stimulation were retrospectively analyzed. Patients’ data, including pain location, etiology, duration, previous treatments, long-term effects and complications, were evaluated. Results Four patients suffered from recurrent classical trigeminal neuralgia, one had classical trigeminal neuralgia and was medically unfit for microvascular decompression. Two patients suffered from trigeminal neuropathy attributed to multiple sclerosis, one from post-herpetic neuropathy, one from trigeminal neuropathy following radiation therapy and one from persistent idiopathic facial pain. Average patient age was 74.2 years (range 57–87), and average symptom duration was 10.6 years (range 2–17). Eight patients proceeded to implantation after successful trial. Average follow-up after implantation was 11.3 months (range 5–28). Using the visual analog scale, average pain intensity was 9.3 (range 7–10) preoperatively and 0.75 (range 0–3) postoperatively. Six patients reported absence of pain with stimulation; two had only slight constant pain without attacks. Conclusion PNFS may be an effective treatment for refractory facial pain and yields high patient satisfaction.
Constitution and in vivo test of micro-porous tubular scaffold for esophageal tissue engineering
Authors: Hou Lei , Jin Jiachang , Lv Jingjing , Chen Ling , Zhu Yabin , Liu Xingyu 
Published: July 2015

Current clinical techniques in treating long-gap esophageal defects often lead to complications and high morbidity. Aiming at long-gap synthetic esophageal substitute, we had synthesized a biodegradable copolymer, poly(L-lactide-co-caprolactone) (PLLC), with low glass transition temperature. In this work, we developed a tubular PLLC porous scaffold using a self-designed tubular mold and thermal induced phase separation (TIPS) method. In order to enhance the interaction between tissue and scaffold, fibrin, a natural fibrous protein derived from blood fibrinogen, was coated on the scaffold circumferential surface. The fibrin density was measured to be 1.23 ± 0.04 mg/cm2. Primary epithelial cell culture demonstrated the improved in vitro biocompatibility. In animal study with partial scaffold implantation, in situ mucosa regeneration was observed along the degradation of the scaffold. These indicate that fibrin incorporated PLLC scaffold can greatly improve epithelial regeneration in esophagus repair, therefore serve as a good candidate for long-term evaluation of post-implantation at excision site.
Using video in childbirth research
Authors: Harte J Davis , Homer Caroline SE , Sheehan Athena , Leap Nicky , Foureur Maralyn 
Published: July 2015

Background: Conducting video-research in birth settings raises challenges for ethics review boards to view birthing women and research-midwives as capable, autonomous decision-makers. Aim: This study aimed to gain an understanding of how the ethical approval process was experienced and to chronicle the perceived risks and benefits. Research design: The Birth Unit Design project was a 2012 Australian ethnographic study that used video recording to investigate the physical design features in the hospital birthing space that might influence both verbal and non-verbal communication and the experiences of childbearing women, midwives and supporters. Participants and research context: Six women, 11 midwives and 11 childbirth supporters were filmed during the women’s labours in hospital birth units and interviewed 6 weeks later. Ethical considerations: The study was approved by an Australian Health Research Ethics Committee after a protracted process of negotiation. Findings: The ethics committee was influenced by a traditional view of research as based on scientific experiments resulting in a poor understanding of video-ethnographic research, a paradigmatic view of the politics and practicalities of modern childbirth processes, a desire to protect institutions from litigation, and what we perceived as a paternalistic approach towards protecting participants, one that was at odds with our aim to facilitate situations in which women could make flexible, autonomous decisions about how they might engage with the research process. Discussion: The perceived need for protection was overly burdensome and against the wishes of the participants themselves; ultimately, this limited the capacity of the study to improve care for women and babies. Conclusion: Recommendations are offered for those involved in ethical approval processes for qualitative research in childbirth settings. The complexity of issues within childbirth settings, as in most modern healthcare settings, should be analysed using a variety of research approaches, beyond efficacy-style randomised controlled trials, to expand and improve practice-based results.
Moral distress in Turkish intensive care nurses
Authors: Karagozoglu Serife , Yildirim Gulay , Ozden Dilek , Çınar Ziynet 
Published: July 2015

Background: Moral distress is a common problem among professionals working in the field of healthcare. Moral distress is the distress experienced by a professional when he or she cannot fulfill the correct action due to several obstacles, although he or she is aware of what it is. The level of moral distress experienced by nurses working in intensive care units varies from one country/culture/institution to another. However, in Turkey, there is neither a measurement tool used to assess moral distress suffered by nurses nor a study conducted on the issue. Aim/objective: The study aims to (a) validate the Turkish version of the Moral Distress Scale–Revised to be used in intensive care units and to examine the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the scale, and (b) explore Turkish intensive care nurses’ moral distress level. Method: The sample of this methodological, descriptive, and cross-sectional design study comprises 200 nurses working in the intensive care units of internal medicine and surgical departments of four hospitals in three cities in Turkey. The data were collected with the Socio-Demographic Characteristics Form and The Turkish Version of Moral Distress Scale–Revised. Ethical considerations: The study proposal was approved by the ethics committee of the Faculty of Medicine, Cumhuriyet University. All participating nurses provided informed consent and were assured of data confidentiality. Results: In parallel with the original scale, Turkish version of Moral Distress Scale–Revised consists of 21 items, and shows a one-factor structure. It was determined that the moral distress total and item mean scores of the nurses participating in the study were 70.81 ± 48.23 and 3.36 ± 4.50, respectively. Conclusion: Turkish version of Moral Distress Scale–Revised can be used as a reliable and valid measurement tool for the evaluation of moral distress experienced by nurses working in intensive care units in Turkey. In line with our findings, it can be said that nurses suffered low level of moral distress. However, factors which caused the nurses in our study to experience higher levels of moral distress are inadequate communication within the team, working with professionals they considered as incompetent, and futile care.