bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Health-related quality of life in glioma patients in China
Authors: Cheng Jin-xiang , Liu Bo-lin , Zhang Xiang , Lin Wei , Zhang Yong-qiang , Liu Wei-ping , Zhang Jian-ning , Lin Hong , Wang Rui , Yin Hong 
Published: June 2010

AbstractBackgroundHealth-related quality of life (HRQOL) has been increasingly emphasized in cancer patients. There are no reports comparing baseline HRQOL of different subgroups of glioma patients prior to surgery.MethodsHRQOL assessments by the standard Chinese version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Core Questionnaire 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30, version 3.0), the Mini-Mental State Examination and Karnofsky Performance Status were obtained from glioma patients prior to surgery.ResultsNinety-two pathologically confirmed glioma patients were recruited. There were 84.8% patients with emotional impairment, 75% with social and cognitive impairment, 70.7% with physical impairment, and 50% with role impairment. Eighty-two percent of patients reported fatigue symptoms, 72.8% reported pain, 50% reported appetite loss, 39.1% reported insomnia, and 36.9% reported nausea/vomiting, whereas other symptoms (dyspnea, diarrhea, constipation) in the QLQ-C30 were reported by fewer than 30% of patients. Fatigue and pain symptoms and all "functioning" scales were strongly correlated with global health status/quality of life (QoL). Fatigue was strongly related to all functioning scales, pain, appetite loss, and global health status/QoL. No difference in baseline HRQOL prior to surgery was reported between females and males, among different lesion locations, or between normal- and abnormal-cognition subgroups of glioma patients. Age, KPS, WHO grade, and tumor recurrence significantly affected HRQOL in glioma patients.ConclusionsThese data provided the baseline HRQOL in glioma patients prior to surgery in China. Most pre-surgery glioma patients indicated emotional, social, cognitive, physical, and role impairment. Fatigue, pain, appetite loss, insomnia, and nausea/vomiting were common in these patients. The fatigue and pain symptoms and all types of functioning strongly affected global health status/QoL. Old age, worse performance status, WHO grade IV and tumor recurrence had deleterious effects on HRQOL.
What 'outliers' tell us about missed opportunities for tuberculosis control: a cross-sectional study of patients in Mumbai, India
Authors: Pradhan Anagha , Kielmann Karina , Gupte Himanshu , Bamne Arun , Porter John DH , Rangan Sheela 
Published: June 2010

Abstract

Background
India's Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) is deemed highly successful in terms of detection and cure rates. However, some patients experience delays in accessing diagnosis and treatment. Patients falling between the 96th and 100th percentiles for these access indicators are often ignored as atypical 'outliers' when assessing programme performance. They may, however, provide clues to understanding why some patients never reach the programme. This paper examines the underlying vulnerabilities of patients with extreme values for delays in accessing the RNTCP in Mumbai city, India.

Methods
We conducted a cross-sectional study with 266 new sputum positive patients registered with the RNTCP in Mumbai. Patients were classified as 'outliers' if patient, provider and system delays were beyond the 95th percentile for the respective variable. Case profiles of 'outliers' for patient, provider and system delays were examined and compared with the rest of the sample to identify key factors responsible for delays.

Results
Forty-two patients were 'outliers' on one or more of the delay variables. All 'outliers' had a significantly lower per capita income than the remaining sample. The lack of economic resources was compounded by social, structural and environmental vulnerabilities. Longer patient delays were related to patients' perception of symptoms as non-serious. Provider delays were incurred as a result of private providers' failure to respond to tuberculosis in a timely manner. Diagnostic and treatment delays were minimal, however, analysis of the 'outliers' revealed the importance of social support in enabling access to the programme.

Conclusion
A proxy for those who fail to reach the programme, these case profiles highlight unique vulnerabilities that need innovative approaches by the RNTCP. The focus on 'outliers' provides a less resource- and time-intensive alternative to community-based studies for understanding the barriers to reaching public health programmes.
The Development of Transport and Commercial Vehicles in Bristol
Authors: Hallpike A. W. 
Published: June 2010

Considering the fact that at the present time there are no tramcars operating in Bristol, it may seem a little odd to find a modern transport undertaking still using the somewhat quaint-sounding title, “Bristol Tramways and Carriage Co., Ltd.” The reason, together with the history of the company from its earliest days up to the present, is dealt with in the paper, which is illustrated with lantern slides, made from pictures of historical interest kept in the company's archives. The story begins from 1870 and tells of the early difficulties confronting the planners; the scenes in the city when the first horse-drawn tramcars ran along the flag-decorated streets in 1875; the acquisition and operation of a fleet of cabs painted blue with red wheels, the drivers wearing top hats with braided bands and full-liveried top coats; the electrification of the tramway system and the supersession of the horses; and then on to the motor era which, as far as Bristol was concerned, commenced in 1906. The various models of motor coaches and omnibuses designed and produced, including the four-tonner of 1913, the Redrup axial wobble-plate engine of 1935, the present-day models such as the underfloor engine single-decker and the low double-decker, and heavy goods vehicles are mentioned. Details of the company's overall development during its eighty-three years' history are given in the narrative, and something is told of the work done during two world wars.
Trailers and Semi-Trailers
Authors: Marenbon Arthur 
Published: June 2010

The author deals briefly with the main functional uses of trailers and semi-trailers and with some of the factors which govern their construction and design. Typical British, European, and Transatlantic models are described and contrasted. Particular attention is paid to steering characteristics and the development of tracking models. Formulae for calculating the normal “cut-in” have been evolved. Consideration is given to semi-trailer fifth wheel design and mounting position, trailer turntable and drawbar couplings, and factors which influence “snaking”. Various springing and wheel arrangements are described as well as low and easy loading models. Some aspects of the design of trailers for carrying very heavy loads are considered, and details are given of some notable heavy duty vehicles. Further sections of the paper deal with passenger carriers, specialized forms of trailers for road and rail co-ordination, and the multiplicity of uses to which trailers are put in present-day transport.
The Mathematical Theory of the Snaking of Two-wheeled Trailers, with Practical Rules and Devices for Preventing Snaking
Authors: Williams D. 
Published: June 2010

It is well known that a prime essential in bringing about unstable motion in any elastic system is the presence of at least two degrees of freedom. A trailer and its towing vehicle constitute a mechanical system with a number of degrees of freedom, and a main feature of the present problem is the necessity for deciding which are essential factors in the unstable motion and which are trivial or merely incidental. The idea of including all the possible degrees of freedom in the dynamical equations, thereby obtaining a general solution in which the part played by the several parameters can be seen, is quite impracticable. In Part I of the paper the results obtained from the mathematical analysis of the problem are given and discussed. There is a general agreement with practical experience. Part II contains the detailed analysis on which the conclusions in Part I are based. It is emphasized that the main purpose of the analysis is not to enable calculations to be made of the precise critical speed at which snaking begins for any particular combination of tractor and trailer, but to discover what factors make for stability and for instability, and how to design for immunity from snaking at all speeds.
Life Assessment Tests for Commercial Vehicles
Authors: Alden John 
Published: June 2010

The paper describes methods used during the testing of prototype commercial vehicles, including lorries, goods vans, and passenger-carrying coaches, to determine that the durability of the component parts is in every way satisfactory. The paper describes also the reasons why these methods came to be applied, and the nature of the results obtained. Considerable detail is given of the method developed to accelerate the life testing of commercial vehicles by continuously driving them over specially designed bumpy or rough road surfaces, here called a rough track. Testing of this nature, of which the author has had ten years' experience, is of particular interest in view of the growing use by manufacturers, of both commercial vehicles and passenger cars, of such test tracks as the Belgian pavé at the Motor Industry Research Association Proving Ground at Nuneaton. The importance of this type of testing ha the development of sufficient durability to meet typical export requirements, especially when operating on corrugated roads, is emphasized. Methods of duration testing on normal British roads are also given and rig testing is discussed together with details of one typical test rig—a wheel fatigue test machine. The meaning and interpretation of testing in terms of the required durability and acceptability in service is also explained. The MS. of this paper was received at the Institution on 9th January 1952. For the Minutes of the meeting in London, on 13th January 1953, at which this paper was presented, see p. 90.
The Manufacture and Properties of Automobile Suspension Springs
Authors: Dadswell C. J. , Russell J. E. , Fielding R. 
Published: June 2010

In this paper is given a description of the manufacture of laminated, coil and torsion bar springs, together with some notes on the various defects which may arise and the precautions taken to prevent them occurring. The mechanical properties of springs are discussed, and tentative design data are presented. Consideration is given to shot peening and scragging, and an analysis is presented of the internal stresses caused by these processes. The MS. of this paper was received at the Institution on 23rd May 1953. For the Minutes of the meeting in Sheffield, at which this paper was presented, see p. 118.
Tyre Characteristics as Applicable to Vehicle Stability Problems
Authors: Joy T. J. P. , Hartley D. C. 
Published: June 2010

The authors define the characteristics of a pneumatic tyre which affect the handling, or stability, of a car, and briefly describe a machine which was developed to measure these characteristics. The results are given of various experiments showing the effect of several factors on the characteristics; the applicability of these results to the behaviour of a tyre on the road is also discussed. Briefly defining oversteer and understeer, the authors outline a proposed method for directly determining the handling performance of a car while it is still in the drawing board stage. It is pointed out that this will only apply to steady conditions and some of the factors affecting transient behaviour are discussed. In particular, the importance of the self-aligning torque is stressed. The problem of breakaway is mentioned and doubts are cast on the applicability of the machine results to high-speed cornering, or racing; the technique of drifting a car round a corner is discussed. The MS. of this paper was received at the Institution on 17th November 1953, and in its revised form on 11th January 1954. For the report of the meeting in London, at which this paper was presented, see p. 134.
A Survey of Fifty Years of Transmission Development
Authors: Stott T. C. F. 
Published: June 2010

Since the inception of the automobile, steady development has resulted in the evolution of the transmission unit from the manually operated open sliding gear train to the modern compact fully automatic transmission. In this address the author has endeavoured to trace the various stages through which this development has passed. Throughout the period the general tendency has been towards a more compact unit and all have contributed, to some degree, in reducing to the minimum the skill required in gear changing. Space has not permitted of a detailed examination of all the mechanisms that have been produced and only a brief review of the general trend has been possible. In addition to the better known developments, descriptions have also been included of some of the more unorthodox designs that were in production for many years. In Great Britain the syncromesh gear box is firmly established for both cars and trucks but in the United States of America this type of transmission is now almost obsolete and the automatic transmission is practically in universal use. The two main types of automatic transmission—viz. the automatically-changed four-speed fixed ratio unit used in conjunction with a fluid coupling and the infinitely variable ratio hydraulic torque converter—are dealt with in some detail as an appreciation of the present state of the art in the U.S.A. is indicative of the direction that future development in Great Britain will almost inevitably take.
Design and Application of Thermostats to the Cooling System of the Internal-Combustion Engine
Authors: Blazey S. H. 
Published: June 2010

The history of the thermostat is shown and the way in which effective engine-coolant temperature control has been obtained through the years. The main reasons for the use of thermostats are as follows: (1) Lower engine wear. (2) Improved thermal efficiency. (3) Requirements of the modern car heater. The basic design requirements for the ideal engine thermostat are then enumerated. The paper discusses how near the modern thermostat comes to these requirements. The poppet type and butterfly type valve are used for thermostats, the advantages and disadvantages of each type being discussed. The main problem is dirt, which becomes trapped in the valve seating, and increases the warm-up time of the cooling system. The design features of the bellows type and wax type thermostat, and the fillings used in the bellows type are discussed. The damping of vibration periods by hydraulic and friction methods are shown. The wax type thermostat has gained popularity because of its insensitivity to pressure when the coolant system is pressurized. The heat transfer of the wax pellet is slower than the vapour in the bellows type, and the reasons for this are given. Thermostat installations are discussed and illustrated.
Hydraulic Torque Converters in Tractors
Authors: Vasey G. H. 
Published: June 2010

Using a sequence of graphs the characteristic features are developed of the performance of a tractor fitted with a hydraulic torque converter. In particular an attempt is made to relate the performance through the hydraulic unit to the performance of the internal-combustion engine that provides the input torque and speed. The essential feature of coupling the input impeller to the engine is the consequence that the engine runs virtually at constant output, that is, constant torque, speed, and fuel consumption; and it does so virtually irrespective of changes in load on the output runner. The characteristic features of the runner or output member are an approximately linear and therefore ‘stepless’ torque/speed performance, and a highly variable efficiency and power output, approximately parabolic with output speed. The output from this inherent stepless torque conversion is compared with the stepped conversions of the conventional gear transmissions. At maximum power throughput the efficiency of the hydraulic unit is about 85 per cent, compared with about 90 per cent plus, for the orthodox gear transmission. The performances of both types of tractor on formal tests of the Nebraska† type are also compared. Methods of automatic control of the combined engine/converter, for example, to give a constant output speed, are suggested.
Torsional Vibration
Authors: Braund D. F. 
Published: June 2010

The construction of an internal-combustion engine is such as to make it susceptible to resonant torsional oscillation of the crankshaft. When an engine is operated near a critical speed, that is, a speed at which the pulsations produced by each cylinder excite the natural frequency of the crankshaft, excessive torsional amplitudes are developed which may seriously damage the engine. Unless measures are taken to introduce damping into the system the engine cannot be run continuously in critical speed zones. Restriction of running speeds is generally inconvenient and vibration dampers have to be applied to limit torsional vibration amplitudes and stresses to safe values.
Principles of Soil-Vehicle Mechanics
Authors: Reece A. R. 
Published: June 2010

The object of soil-vehicle mechanics is defined and existing theories briefly described. Experiments have shown that these theories work quite well for frictionless clay soils and for lightly loaded vehicles in firm soils where sinkage is small. For other soft soils performance cannot be predicted and the theory does not agree with experimental evidence.It is proposed that an improved and unified theory can be based on equations developed using the methods of soil mechanics, making appropriate allowance for the effect of compressibility. A resulting new pressure sinkage equation is shown to give better agreement with experiment.The complexities of the soil stress pattern imposed by vehicles are described and it is shown that these cannot be neglected. The effect of superimposing horizontal and vertical loads is to cause slip sinkage and experimental measurements show this to be important in sand but not in clay. An analysis is made which explains why this is so and gives insight into the physical nature of the phenomenon.The aims of current research are described and illustrated with results from recent measurements of wheel performance.
First Paper: Unaided Starting of Diesel Engines
Authors: Biddulph T. W. , Lyn W-T. 
Published: June 2010

The unaided starting behaviour of seven diesel engines of different sizes and designs has been studied in some detail. It has been established that the cranking time required to achieve an ignition (the first fire) depends on (a) the compression temperature available for a given ambient temperature and cranking speed, (6) the increase in compression temperature per cycle when the engine is cranked and fuelled and ( c) the temperature required for ignition which can be obtained from ignition delay data. The time taken from first fire to starter-off depends on a number of factors, and these are discussed and the differences in this respect between the direct injection (D.I.) and the indirect injection (I.D.I.) engines pointed out. Based on the above facts, the starting behaviours of the seven engines are shown to be predictable from the respective three sets of data described above and obtained experimentally. In order to permit prediction at the engine design stage, the effects of engine geometry on heat and mass loss and hence on the compression temperature are examined in detail. The generalized data on heat and mass loss, the increase in compression temperature per cycle and the ignition delay are then presented, from which the unaided starting behaviour of any engine can be predicted. While the accuracy obtainable is only within 5 degC in ambient temperature, such a prediction is considered to be useful when it is realized that the range of unaided starting temperature of practical engines is as much as 50 degC. Finally, the relationships between engine size, startability and compression ratio are discussed, based on the theory developed.
Design Parameters of a Machine Suitable for Testing Automotive Friction Materials
Authors: Hatch D. , Goddard E. J. 
Published: June 2010

The current high standards of road safety and the responsibilities of vehicle manufacturers to ensure a good quality product have brought about the need for manufacturers of component parts to take new steps to test their products at the production stage for consistency of performance. This paper refers to earlier types of friction testing machines and describes the design, construction and operation of a machine for testing friction materials both as a functional quality control instrument, and to categorize materials into performance groups. The machine has been operated on the basis of intermittent cyclic application, and covers a range of rubbing speeds and pressures which should suffice for the majority of automotive conditions. By ensuring that the ratio of surface area of specimen to thermal capacity of heat sink is of the same order of magnitude as experienced in practical conditions, the test machine simulates not only energy dissipation rates, but also rate of rise of temperature. It is considered by the authors that this factor is of first importance in achieving good correlation with service performance and takes precedence over other design features of the machine including the selection of sample area and shape. A number of these machines have now been in operation for several years and a great deal of experience gained in their use. The results obtained are in broad agreement with those obtained on vehicles in service and the machines are now used in intensive quality control. Many European countries and America have issued acceptance specifications which have no common basis, and this paper is presented in the hope that a discussion of its design features will lead to the evolution of a widely acceptable uniform specification.
Third Paper: The Tandem Vibrating Roller: Its Design and Development in the Field of Dynamic Compaction
Authors: Cowley H. R. 
Published: June 2010

Some designs of the self-propelled tandem vibrating roller are reviewed. Consideration is given to design aspects of the vibrating roll with particular reference to bearings, lubrication and fatigue. Means for varying amplitude are also illustrated. The ground/roll system subjected to vibration is reviewed and the effects of resonance and frequency shown. Information is provided on operational costs for a range of machines. Some aspects of ergonomics are examined for modern machines. Consideration is given to future trends in construction and some conclusions drawn.
Design, Development and Application of Vehicle Gas Turbine Engines
Authors: Phillips P. A. , Spear Peter 
Published: June 2010

After briefly summarizing worldwide automotive gas turbine activity, the paper analyses the power plant requirements of a wide range of vehicle applications in order to formulate the design criteria for acceptable vehicle gas turbines. Ample data are available on the thermodynamic merits of various gas turbine cycles; however, the low cost of its piston engine competitor tends to eliminate all but the simplest cycles from vehicle gas turbine considerations. In order to improve the part load fuel economy, some complexity is inevitable, but this is limited to the addition of a glass ceramic regenerator in the 150 b.h.p. engine which is described in some detail. The alternative further complications necessary to achieve satisfactory vehicle response at various power/weight ratios are examined. Further improvement in engine performance will come by increasing the maximum cycle temperature. This can be achieved at lower cost by the extension of the use of ceramics. The paper is intended to stimulate the design application of the gas turbine engine.