bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sudden Arrhythmic Death at the Higher End of the Heart Failure Spectrum
Authors: Dimos Apostolos , Xanthopoulos Andrew , Papamichalis Michail , Bourazana Angeliki , Tavoularis Dimitrios , Skoularigis John , Triposkiadis Filippos
Published: December 2019

The risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) is high in heart failure (HF) patients. Sudden arrhythmic death (SAD) is a frequent cause of exit in HF patients at the lower end of the HF spectrum, and implantable cardioverter–defibrillators have been recommended to prevent these life-threatening rhythm disturbances in select patients. However, less is known regarding the cause of SCD in patients at the upper end of the HF spectrum, despite the fact that the majority of out-of-hospital SCD victims have unknown or near-normal/normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). In this review, we report the epidemiology, summarize the mechanisms, discuss the diagnostic challenges, and propose a stepwise approach for the prevention of SAD in HF with near-normal/normal LVEF.
Juvenile Nasopharyngeal Angiofibroma Outcomes and Cost: Analysis of the Kids’ Inpatient Database
Authors: Yu Justin , Choi Jonathan S. , Giannoni Carla , Patel Akash J. , Gallagher K. Kelly
Published: December 2019

Objective:

To report trends in Juvenile Nasopharyngeal Angiofibroma (JNA) hospitalizations and identify key factors affecting treatment outcomes and cost of care in JNA patients.

Methods:

The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Kids’ Inpatient Database was queried for all cases of JNA between the years of 1997 and 2016. Key factors extracted were patient demographics, geographic region, hospital size, teaching status, elective admissions, and number of diagnoses and procedures performed during the hospitalization. These elements were correlated to length of stay (LOS) and cost-per-day (CPD) using a multiple linear regression (MLR). Regional variation in JNA diagnosis and changes in LOS and CPD trends over time were also analyzed.

Results:

A total of 614 JNA patients were hospitalized in this time period, with a majority of patients identifying as male (98%) and Caucasian/White (55%). The average LOS has decreased by 0.14 day per year since 1997 ( P = .0034) whereas the CPD has steadily increased by $2 380 per year ( P < .001). MLR analysis revealed that while holding all other factors constant, patients who stayed at teaching hospitals had an increased LOS of 1.7 days ( P = .026), but paid $11 961 less per day ( P = .05). Regional variation in CPD was found in the Northeast region, where hospitalizations were more expensive by $9 801 per day compared to the South ( P = .017).

Conclusion:

These results indicate hospital characteristics, such as teaching status and geographic region, may predict differences in JNA outcomes and cost. Healthcare providers should be cognizant of these variations to ensure optimal patient outcomes and expenditures.
Environmental Jurisprudence in India (Is People’s Attitude Under Its Purview?)
Authors: Verma Ravindra Kumar
Published: December 2019

It is environmental laws that regulate the environmental protection bodies and make them effective. With this view in mind, the article intends to examine the environmental jurisprudence in India in terms of evolution, pattern of delivery of environmental justice and place of people’s attitude in the process. It was found that the superior judicial bodies including National Green Tribunal have set certain norms to deal with environmental cases against the polluters (mainly government bodies and private firms), but not for day-to-day activities of the people which pollute the environment sizeably. Besides, the article, on the basis of empirical studies, finds that despite having been aware of the menace of the environmental degradation and its gravity, people are less intended to be sensitive towards the problem owing to three-pronged reasons: First, they perceive environmental protection as the sole responsibility of state; second, sizeable of them have no spare time out of their livelihood engagements; and third, lack of leadership or community action at local level for the cause. The article prima facie finds that environmental jurisprudence in India has inadequately addressed the issue of people’s say and environmentally hostile people’s attitude towards environmental protection in the process.
What Determines Perceptions of Bias toward the International Criminal Court? Evidence from Kenya
Authors: Dancy Geoff , Dutton Yvonne Marie , Alleblas Tessa , Aloyo Eamon
Published: December 2019

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has struggled with the perception that it is biased against Africans, especially in relation to its investigation in Kenya. But which Kenyans are most likely to believe the ICC is biased? Building on pluralistic models of public opinion and psychological studies, we aim to contribute to emerging research on attitudes toward international courts. We expect that group attachments will drive attitudes toward international institutions. Yet, we also theorize that exposure to violence makes individuals more likely to support international justice and reject narratives that would have the effect of insulating those who have committed crimes from being held accountable. Using new survey data from 507 Kenyans in the fall of 2015, we find support for our hypotheses.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Retailer-Themed Super Saver Events
Authors: Guyt Jonne Y. , Gijsbrechts Els
Published: December 2019

In response to pressure to defend their stand sales against discounters, grocery retailers started engaging in retailer-themed super saver events: promotional events (1) specific to the retailer, in which they (2) mass advertise (3) unusually deep, immediate deals (4) across a broad range of categories (5) under a common savings theme and deal format. Given these characteristics, such events are expected to generate higher awareness and interest than typical day-to-day promotions, thereby enhancing visits and purchases during the event but also reducing them before and after. The authors evaluate these effects by analyzing 44 retailer-themed super saver events operated by the largest Dutch grocery retailers over four years. They find a substantial increase in visits and total purchases during the event, especially among nonprimary customers and hard-discount shoppers. The larger part of this lift stems from the use of an overarching event theme. Consumers buy less in anticipation of the event and visit the store more often afterward, but for smaller baskets—typically leading to a null effect in terms of profit. Finally, our results suggest that rather than the deal depth or advertising budget, the number of items and media resonance of the theme are key drivers of event success.
Numerical investigation on the solid particle erosion in elbow with water–hydrate–solid flow
Authors: Zhang Liang , Zhou JiaWei , Zhang Bo , Gong Wei
Published: December 2019

Erosion in pipeline caused by solid particles, which may lead to premature failure of the pipe system, is regarded as one of the most important concerns in the field of oil and gas. Therefore, the Euler–Lagrange, erosion model, and discrete phase model are applied for the purpose of simulating the erosion of water–hydrate–solid flow in submarine hydrate transportation pipeline. In this article, the flow and erosion characteristics are well verified on the basis of experiments. Moreover, analysis is conducted to have a good understanding of the effects of hydrate volume, mean curvature radius/pipe diameter ( R/ D) rate, flow velocity, and particle diameter on elbow erosion. It is finally obtained that the hydrate volume directly affects the Reynolds number through viscosity and the trend of the Reynolds number is consistent with the trend of erosion rate. Taking into account different R/ D rates, the same Stokes number reflects different dynamic transforms of the maximum erosion zone. However, the outmost wall (zone D) will be the final erosion zone when the value of the Stokes number increases to a certain degree. In addition, the erosion rate increases sharply along with the increase of flow velocity and particle diameter. The effect of flow velocity on the erosion zone can be ignored in comparison with the particle diameter. Moreover, it is observed that flow velocity is deemed as the most sensitive factor on erosion rate among these factors employed in the orthogonal experiment.
Acute exogenous lipoid pneumonia presenting as spontaneous air leak following accidental baby oil aspiration
Authors: Williams Vijai , Ezhumalai Gopalakrishnan , Thakur Ajay , Bansal Arun , Jayashree Muralidharan
Published: December 2019

Exogenous lipoid pneumonia (ELP) is an uncommon cause of respiratory distress. The practice of oil massage and oil instillation into the nostrils is common in the Indian subcontinent. Accidental aspiration of baby oil may lead to significant chemical pneumonitis. This presentation may vary from subtle to severe respiratory distress requiring intensive care management. Spontaneous air leaks are rare in acute ELP. We successfully managed a six-month-old girl presenting with mineral oil-induced ELP and air leaks. However, these children require long-term follow-up, as a small proportion may evolve into chronic lung disease.
Finite-time boundedness and stabilization of switched nonlinear systems using auxiliary matrices and average dwell time method
Authors: Gholami Hadi , Shafiei Mohammad Hossein
Published: December 2019

This paper focuses on the finite-time boundedness of switched nonlinear systems based on the Finsler’s lemma, auxiliary matrices, and average dwell time method. The analysis is provided for a switched system with Lipschitz nonlinearities and in the presence of external disturbances. Moreover, a switching controller is designed based on linear matrix inequalities (LMIs), to make the closed-loop system finite-time bounded. Presented theorems in this paper are more general and have less conservatism than the existing methods due to using the auxiliary matrices that make the Lyapunov matrix separate from the system matrix in the resulting LMIs. Moreover, in all theorems, the average dwell time of the switching system has been evaluated. Three examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method and to show that it is less conservative compared with existing methods.
Fit Indices for Measurement Invariance Tests in the Thurstonian IRT Model
Authors: Lee HyeSun , Smith Weldon Z.
Published: December 2019

This study examined whether cutoffs in fit indices suggested for traditional formats with maximum likelihood estimators can be utilized to assess model fit and to test measurement invariance when a multiple group confirmatory factor analysis was employed for the Thurstonian item response theory (IRT) model. Regarding the performance of the evaluation criteria, detection of measurement non-invariance and Type I error rates were examined. The impact of measurement non-invariance on estimated scores in the Thurstonian IRT model was also examined through accuracy and efficiency in score estimation. The fit indices used for the evaluation of model fit performed well. Among six cutoffs for changes in model fit indices, only ΔCFI > .01 and ΔNCI > .02 detected metric non-invariance when the medium magnitude of non-invariance occurred and none of the cutoffs performed well to detect scalar non-invariance. Based on the generated sampling distributions of fit index differences, this study suggested ΔCFI > .001 and ΔNCI > .004 for scalar non-invariance and ΔCFI > .007 for metric non-invariance. Considering Type I error rate control and detection rates of measurement non-invariance, ΔCFI was recommended for measurement non-invariance tests for forced-choice format data. Challenges in measurement non-invariance tests in the Thurstonian IRT model were discussed along with the direction for future research to enhance the utility of forced-choice formats in test development for cross-cultural and international settings.
Attachment orientations and sleep patterns: The moderating role of exchanges with spouse
Authors: Gur-Yaish Nurit , Cohen Dina , Shochat Tamar
Published: December 2019

The objective of the study was to investigate habitual nightly sleep patterns in the context of daily accounts of relationships with bed partners utilizing the attachment theory framework. Negative exchanges with a spouse are stressful and presumably activate the attachment system. This will differently affect individuals with high and low levels of attachment avoidance and anxiety orientations, affecting their sleep patterns. Seventy-seven teachers in committed romantic relationships (mean age = 42.53 years, 89.3% married) participated. They first completed the Experience in Close Relationships–Revised instrument, indicating their attachment avoidance and anxiety orientations, and then participated in a 4-day diary study, reporting daily levels of negative exchanges with a spouse. They also wore an actigraph (activity monitor) during the nighttime to assess their sleep patterns. Mixed-model analyses revealed that respondents high in attachment avoidance had later bedtimes and shorter sleep duration following days high in negative behavioral exchanges with their spouses. In addition, respondents high in attachment avoidance had longer sleep latency and more waking episodes during the night, regardless of levels of negative exchanges. Individuals high in attachment anxiety had more waking episodes during the night after negative emotional exchanges with a spouse; the opposite pattern emerged for individuals low in attachment anxiety. Findings demonstrate the relevance of attachment orientations and the moderating effects of negative exchanges with a spouse on sleep patterns.
Effects of the introduction of objective criteria for referral and discharge in physical therapy for ischemic stroke in China: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Xia Nan , Reinhardt Jan D , Liu Shouguo , Fu Juanjuan , Ren Caili , Wang Hongxing , Li Jianan
Published: December 2019

Objective:

To examine the effectiveness of a set of rules for referral and therapy input in a three-tiered physiotherapy program on activities of daily living (ADL), motor function, and quality of life of stroke survivors.

Design:

Randomized controlled study.

Setting:

Rehabilitation departments of 11 teaching hospitals.

Subjects:

A total of 285 participants with stroke.

Outcome measures:

Primary outcome was ADL independence measured with the Modified Barthel Index (MBI) at weeks 3, 6, 9, 13, and 17. Secondary outcomes were motor function and quality of life measured with Fugel-Meyer Assessment (FMA) and Stroke-Specific Quality-of-Life (SSQOL) scale.

Intervention:

Two complementary sets of rules governing rehabilitation delivery were introduced: a set of criteria that determined when someone ought to move from tier 1 onto tier 2, and from tier 2 onto tier 3, and a second set of rules that determined the amount and type of physiotherapy input given in each tier. Control group participants received conventional rehabilitation without any specified guidelines.

Results:

With a difference of 3.97 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.59–6.36), MBI increased stronger in the study group than in controls between baseline and week 3 ( P = 0.001). This difference could be sustained until study end-point. No significant differences were found for FMA. Differences in increase of SSQOL were higher in the intervention than control at week 9 ( P < 0.05).

Conclusion:

Introduction of a set of rules for referral and therapy input at different stages of rehabilitation partially improved patients’ ADL and quality of life, but did not improve motor function.
The development and testing of the Predictor of Appropriate Discharge Destination among patients undergoing elective total knee or hip joint arthroplasty
Authors: Workman Charlie A , Davies Claire C , Lengerich Alex , Ogle Karen C , Stark Laura J
Published: December 2019

Objective:

The aim of this study was to develop and test a tool, the Predictor of Appropriate Discharge Destination (PADD), used postoperative day zero by healthcare professionals to identify whether patients undergoing elective total knee arthroplasty or total hip arthroplasty should go directly home or to extended rehabilitation. A secondary objective was to examine the difference in readmissions pre and post use of the PADD.

Design:

A two-phase methodological study.

Setting:

This study was conducted in a 393-bed magnet re-designated community hospital.

Subjects:

Adults undergoing a primary total knee or hip arthroplasty.

Methods:

In Phase 1, retrospective data ( n = 461) was analyzed to compare recommendations for discharge destination between the PADD and physical therapists. In Phase 2 ( n = 521), the predictive validity of the PADD was assessed prospectively.

Results:

In Phase 1, the PADD cut-off score of ⩽7 demonstrated good sensitivity (0.83) and specificity (0.68) in relation to the physical therapist’s discharge destination recommendation. In Phase 2, sensitivity (0.75) and specificity (0.83) calculations were similar. Analysis of 30-day readmissions between the physical therapist’s recommendation and the PADD score revealed 89.7% agreement. Readmission percentages among patients discharged to home and to rehabilitation facilities were 2.37% ( n = 16) and 3.41% ( n = 10), respectively.

Conclusion:

The PADD has good predictive validity in relation to appropriate discharge destination for patients undergoing a total knee or hip arthroplasty.
Adolescent Mothers’ Experiences With Community Health Assistants in Rural Zambia
Authors: Henning Margaret J. , Zulu Joseph M. , Michelo Charles , Simmons Zuilkowski Stephanie , Hubner Candace
Published: December 2019

Adolescent health demands specific attention because adolescents have the lowest levels of health-care coverage of any age-group globally. The main objective as addressed in this article was to explore the lived experience of adolescent mothers and the services provided to them by community health assistants (CHAs) in rural Zambia. Because the number of adolescent mothers in rural Zambia is so high, it is even more critical to describe the lived experiences of health care among these young women with particular emphasis on primary health care as delivered by CHAs in rural Zambia. We used a mixed-methods design to address our research questions. Data were collected from nine focus groups, which were conducted with young mothers from four provinces and 10 districts ( n = 60). To support our effort to better understand the delivery of maternal and child health care in rural Zambia, key informant interviews were conducted with adolescent mothers ( n = 12). We also conducted surveys ( n = 44) and one-on-one interviews ( n = 22) with CHAs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest study focused on the intersection of adolescents, maternal child health, and CHA delivery of care in Zambia. The results of our study suggest opportunities for change to operational practices within the rural health-care setting and the need to develop structured and age-appropriate services that focus on adolescents. This work addresses the gap in research for adolescents in health care in rural Zambia and brings attention to the unique health-care needs of adolescent mothers within the rural health-care setting.
Factors Associated With Colonoscopy Compliance Based on Health Belief Model in a Community-Based Colorectal Cancer Screening Program Shanghai, China
Authors: He Lihua , Gao Shuna , Tao Sha , Li Weiyi , Du Juan , Ji Yunfang , Wang Yejing
Published: December 2019

Screening can help early detection of colorectal cancer (CRC) in the general population. However, colonoscopy compliance in screening program is low in China. The study aimed to identify factors associated with colonoscopy compliance based on Health Belief Model (HBM). An investigation was conducted in Huangpu District, Shanghai in 2015. High-risk individuals of CRC received an in-person interview with physicians to fill out a questionnaire. The questionnaires assessing predictors of colonoscopy compliance were collected, and status of colonoscopy participation was determined. Univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted. Among 2,568 high-risk population (20.68%), 531 subjects underwent colonoscopy. Participants with both risk assessment and fecal immunochemical test positive were most likely to undergo colonoscopy. Based on HBM, colonoscopy compliance was positively associated with higher perceived severity (odds ratio [ OR] = 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.00, 1.10]). Higher perceived barriers ( OR = 0.97, 95% CI = [0.94, 0.99]), without prior colonoscopy ( OR = 0.35, 95% CI = [0.26, 0.47]), not knowing anyone who underwent colonoscopy before ( OR = 0.74, 95% CI = [0.58, 0.96]), without health-care provider recommendation on colonoscopy ( OR = 0.58, 95% CI = [0.44, 0.77]), and without psychosocial support from someone for colonoscopy ( OR = 0.27, 95% CI = [0.21, 0.35]) were shown to be associated with colonoscopy noncompliance. The colonoscopy compliance was low in this CRC screening program in Shanghai, China. The influencing factors were positive results in primary screening, perceived severity, perceived barriers, personal or others’ experiences in colonoscopy, health-care provider recommendation, and psychosocial supports. Effective education campaign and facilitated communication between health-care providers and high-risk population were suggested in the future interventions.
Use of Neem oil and Hypericum perforatum for treatment of calcinosis-related skin ulcers in systemic sclerosis
Authors: Giuggioli Dilia , Lumetti Federica , Spinella Amelia , Cocchiara Emanuele , Sighinolfi Gianluca , Citriniti Giorgia , Colaci Michele , Salvarani Carlo , Ferri Clodoveo
Published: December 2019

Objective

This study evaluated Neem oil and Hypericum perforatum (Holoil®) for treatment of scleroderma skin ulcers related to calcinosis (SU-calc). Procedure: We retrospectively analyzed 21 consecutive systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients with a total of 33 SU-calcs treated daily with Holoil® cream compared with a control group of 20 patients with 26 SU-calcs. Holoil® was directly applied to skin lesions, while the control group received only standard medication.

Results

Application of Holoil® either resulted in crushing and complete resolution of calcium deposits or facilitated sharp excision of calcinosis during wound care sessions in 27/33 cases (81.8%). Complete healing of SU-calc occurred in 15/33 (45%) of cases within a time period of 40.1 ± 16.3 (mean ± SD) days, while 18/33 (55%) of lesions improved in terms of size, erythema, fibrin and calcium deposits. Patients reported a reduction of pain (mean numeric rating scale 7.3 ± 1.9 at baseline versus 2.9 ± 1.4 at follow-up) The control group had longer healing times and a higher percentage of infections.

Conclusions

The efficacy of local treatment with neem oil and Hypericum perforatum suggest that Holoil® could be a promising tool in the management of SSc SU-calc.
A patient with severe rhabdomyolysis and high levels of creatinine kinase had renal functions fully recovered after haemodialysis: a case report
Authors: Tsai Shang-Feng , Tsai Jun-Li , Chen Cheng-Hsu
Published: December 2019

Rhabdomyolysis is diagnosed based on the levels of blood biomarkers such as creatine kinase (CK), but the use of CK levels to predict long-term renal function remains controversial. This current report presents a case with a very high CK level with the presentation of acute kidney injury (AKI) who regained full renal function. A 29-year-old man, in a manic mood and presenting with dyspnoea, was admitted to hospital following an episode of ketamine use along with a history of drug abuse. The laboratory analyses identified rhabdomyolysis (CK, 35 266 U/l) and AKI (serum creatinine, 3.96 mg/dl). Despite treatment with intravenous normal saline (4000 ml/day), his CK level reached at least 300 000 U/l. He underwent 13 sessions of haemodialysis and his renal function fully recovered. The final measurements were serum creatinine 1.0 mg/dl and CK 212 U/l. These findings support the view that the predictive power of CK level on AKI is limited, especially regarding long-term renal function. Close follow-up examinations of renal function after haemodialysis are mandatory for patients with rhabdomyolysis.
TopClosure® tension-relief system for immediate primary abdominal defect repair in an adult patient with bladder exstrophy
Authors: Zhu Zhanyong , Tong Yilan , Wu Tianpeng , Zhao Yueqiang , Yu Mosheng , Topaz Moris
Published: December 2019

Bladder exstrophy during adulthood is a rare deformity. A major surgical challenge encountered in bladder exstrophy cases is the repair of an anterior abdominal wall defect. The TopClosure® tension-relief system (TRS) is a simple and practical skin stretching and wound closure-secure system that can be useful in treating patients with bladder exstrophy. A 61-year-old man presented with a congenital bladder valgus and epispadias. The dorsal side of the penis was split. The patient underwent valgus cystectomy, bilateral ureteral skin stoma creation, and primary closure of the large defect of the anterior abdominal wall using the TopClosure® TRS. At the 1-year follow-up after surgery, the patient had recovered well, and there were no indications of major complications. Utilization of the TopClosure® TRS to repair the large abdominal defect is an innovative method for abdominal reconstruction. The TopClosure® TRS reduces operative time and the duration of hospital stay and improves wound aesthetics.
Effect of the anterior uterocervical angle in unexplained infertility: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Col Madendag Ilknur , Eraslan Sahin Mefkure , Madendag Yusuf , Sahin Erdem , Demir Mustafa Bertan , Ozdemir Fatma , Acmaz Gokhan , Muderris Iptisam Ipek
Published: December 2019

Objective

The present study aimed to evaluate an anatomical region, the anterior uterocervical angle (UCA), to determine whether it plays a role in unexplained infertility.

Methods

In this prospective, cross-sectional study, unexplained infertile and healthy fertile (controls) women were compared. The longitudinal and transverse axes of the uterine cervix and uterine corpus were measured by transvaginal ultrasonography. The UCA was determined as the angle between two lines. One line was drawn between the internal and the external os, and the other was drawn through the internal cervical os and was parallel to the lower side of the front part of the uterine wall in the internal os. Demographic characteristics and uterocervical ultrasonographic measurements were compared between the two groups.

Results

Eighty participants, aged from 20 to 35 years, were enrolled (unexplained infertile [n = 30] and healthy fertile women [n = 50)]. The mean lengths of the uterine corpus longitudinal axis, uterine corpus transverse axis, and uterine cervix longitudinal axis were similar between the groups. The mean UCA was significantly higher in healthy fertile women (131.9 ± 22.9 degrees) than in women with unexplained infertility (114.2 ± 17.3 degrees).

Conclusion

The present study shows that a narrow anterior UCA is associated with unexplained infertility.
Ileocecal junction perforation by colonic T-cell lymphoma in a patient with primary Sjögren’s syndrome
Authors: Liu Xiao-Chuan , Jia Zhi-Wei , Weng Yan , Yang Lian-Jun , Wang Jing , Peng Hao
Published: December 2019

Primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) is associated with an increased risk of lymphoma, especially non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The rarest pathological subtype is T-cell lymphoma. We herein report a case of a 52-year-old man with a 17-year history of pSS who was admitted to our hospital with chronic epigastric pain and a positive fecal occult blood test. Colonoscopy revealed multiple colonic ulcers, and histological and immunological studies demonstrated the T-cell origin of this lymphoma. However, the patient rejected all treatments. He developed recurrent intestinal obstruction and infection for 3 years until an intestinal perforation occurred. The right half of the colon was resected and colostomy was performed. However, the patient died of an intestinal fistula and intraperitoneal infection 40 days postoperatively. This case highlights the rarity of the correlation between T-cell lymphoma and pSS.
No Relationship Between Strength and Power Scores and Anterior Cruciate Ligament Return to Sport After Injury Scale 9 Months After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
Authors: O’Connor Richard F. , King Enda , Richter Chris , Webster Kate E. , Falvey Éanna Cian
Published: December 2019

Background:

Psychological factors including self-reported readiness to return to sport (RTS) after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) measured with the Anterior Cruciate Ligament Return to Sport After Injury (ACL-RSI) scale have been shown to correlate with RTS. Physical deficits have been shown to exist in the later stages after ACLR rehabilitation. No previous studies have investigated the relationship between self-reported readiness to RTS and objective physical measures of power and strength.

Purpose:

To investigate the relationship between ACL-RSI scores and measures of strength and power scores after ACLR.

Study Design:

Case control study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

This study recruited 452 male athletes who had undergone primary ACLR. Each athlete completed the ACL-RSI questionnaire, isokinetic strength testing, and jump testing approximately 9 months after surgery.

Results:

ACL-RSI scores showed a trivial or weak correlation with strength and power measures at 9 months after surgery ( r = 0.06-0.16). Similar results were found for the relationship between ACL-RSI scores and limb symmetry index for strength and power measures ( r = 0.04-0.15). Comparing the strength and power measures of athletes with higher (≥90) ACL-RSI scores (n = 93) versus athletes with lower (≤75) ACL-RSI scores (n = 92) showed no significant differences except for isokinetic hamstring strength, but with a trivial effect size ( P = .040; effect size = 0.15).

Conclusion:

Self-reported readiness to RTS as measured by the ACL-RSI had little or no relationship with athletes’ strength and power measures, and there was no meaningful difference in strength and power between athletes with higher and lower ACL-RSI scores at 9 months after ACLR. The findings suggest that psychological recovery and physical recovery after ACLR are different constructs, and strategies to measure and address each construct separately may be necessary to ensure successful RTS after ACLR.
Shoe Cushioning Influences the Running Injury Risk According to Body Mass: A Randomized Controlled Trial Involving 848 Recreational Runners
Authors: Malisoux Laurent , Delattre Nicolas , Urhausen Axel , Theisen Daniel
Published: December 2019

Background:

Shoe cushioning is expected to protect runners against repetitive loading of the musculoskeletal system and therefore running-related injuries. Also, it is a common belief that heavier runners should use footwear with increased shock absorption properties to prevent injuries.

Purpose:

The aim of this study was to determine if shoe cushioning influences the injury risk in recreational runners and whether the association depends on the runner’s body mass.

Study Design:

Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1.

Methods:

Healthy runners (n = 848) randomly received 1 of 2 shoe prototypes that only differed in their cushioning properties. Global stiffness was 61.3 ± 2.7 and 94.9 ± 5.9 N/mm in the soft and hard versions, respectively. Participants were classified as light or heavy according to their body mass using the median as a cut-off (78.2 and 62.8 kg in male and female runners, respectively). They were followed over 6 months regarding running activity and injury (any physical complaint reducing/interrupting running activity for at least 7 days). Data were analyzed through time-to-event models with the subhazard rate ratio (SHR) and their 95% confidence interval (CI) as measures of association. A stratified analysis was conducted to investigate the effect of shoe cushioning on the injury risk in lighter and heavier runners.

Results:

The runners who had received the hard shoes had a higher injury risk (SHR, 1.52 [95% CI, 1.07-2.16]), while body mass was not associated with the injury risk (SHR, 1.00 [95% CI, 0.99-1.01]). However, after stratification according to body mass, results showed that lighter runners had a higher injury risk in hard shoes (SHR, 1.80 [95% CI, 1.09-2.98]) while heavier runners did not (SHR, 1.23 [95% CI, 0.75-2.03]).

Conclusion:

The injury risk was higher in participants running in the hard shoes compared with those using the soft shoes. However, the relative protective effect of greater shoe cushioning was found only in lighter runners.

Registration:

NCT03115437 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier)
Denial Without Determination: The Impact of Systemic Market Access Denial on Consumer Power and Market Engagement
Authors: Leary R. Bret , Ridinger Garret
Published: December 2019

Despite growing evidence showing that people are denied access to market resources for reasons other than individual or market constraints, little research has explored the effect of such denial on the individual consumer. Building from learned helplessness, attribution theory of motivation, and consumer power theory, the current research addresses this issue by showing the impact of repeated access denial on perceptions of power and market engagement. Across five repeated-choice experiments utilizing a financial loan context, the authors show that market access and consumer power exist in a feedback loop, with lack of access leading to lower perceptions of power and, consequently, reduced market engagement or detrimental choice in the market. The authors present a norm-based intervention to encourage market engagement among those who have experienced denial by working through beliefs of market success, but demonstrate the detrimental effect of this intervention on those who have experienced repeated access prior to denial. In response, the authors present an education intervention to encourage smarter choices once consumers have entered the market. They conclude with implications for market access policy.
Preparation of paclitaxel-folic acid functionalized gelatin grafted mesoporous hollow carbon nanospheres for enhancing antitumor effects toward liver cancer (SMMC-7721) cell lines
Authors: Gao Yu , Liu Tao , Liu Xuan , Wu Chao
Published: December 2019

Folic acid functionalized gelatin-coated mesoporous hollow carbon nanospheres (FGMCN) were synthesized and applied to enhance the antitumor curative effect of paclitaxel (PTX) for human liver cancer cell lines (SMMC-7721). PTX was loaded in FGMCN by the adsorption method and the PTX-loaded samples (PTX-FGMCN) had a drug content of 29.8 ± 1.06%. The PTX-FGMCN with a sustained release effect was characterized by X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimeter in order to analyze the PTX state in FGMCN. In vitro cell experiments showed that FMHSN improves the uptake of PTX and promotes apoptosis due to the nano-targeting effect of FMHSN. An in vivo tumor bearing experiment in mice indicated that the PTX-FGMCN significantly inhibited the growth of tumors. All of these results suggested that the PTX-FGMCN may be an effective anti-hepatoma drug in the future.
Democracy and Redistribution: The Role of Regime Revisited
Authors: Beloshitzkaya Vera
Published: December 2019

This study challenges a well-supported institutionalist theory in comparative politics that links democracy with higher levels of redistribution as well as studies that link authoritarianism with welfare state liberalization. Using pooled cross-sectional data for ten post-communist countries spanning twenty-five years and a dynamic model specification, the study shows that, contrary to what the institutionalist theory predicts, post-communist democratic governments redistribute about 0.6 percent less of their GDP on social protection in the short term and 1.3 percent less in the long term than post-communist autocrats do. However, consistent with the cultural legacies hypothesis, there are no differences when it comes to redistribution of life chances through health care and education. I attribute the finding that post-communist autocracies redistribute more via social spending and are reluctant to liberalize their welfare states to their need to maintain popular legitimacy in a region where citizens are accustomed to high levels of redistribution and popular protests often lead to regime turnover. I argue that post-communist democracies have other available mechanisms to maintain their legitimacy, namely, free and fair elections, while post-communist autocratic governments have to rely on redistribution to do so. The findings have implications for our understanding of authoritarian resilience in the region.
Perceived Motivators, Barriers and Intervention Strategies Related to Weight Loss After Childbirth Among WIC Participants in Southern California
Authors: Koleilat Maria , Kim Loan P. , Cortes Brittany , Kodjebacheva Gergana Damianova
Published: December 2019

Purpose:

To explore perceived motivators and barriers to weight loss after childbirth and ideas for postpartum weight loss interventions among participants of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).

Approach:

Four (2 with English-speaking and 2 with Spanish-speaking participants) focus groups were conducted.

Setting:

A WIC clinic in Southern California.

Participants:

Of 22 participants, the majority were Hispanic/Latina. The mean age of the mothers’ infants was 6.18 months.

Measures:

A structured focus group guide was used.

Analysis:

Audio-recordings were transcribed verbatim. The Spanish transcriptions were reviewed for discrepancies by a bilingual coinvestigator and translated into English for analysis. Transcriptions of the focus group audio-recordings were organized in ATLAS.ti version 8.0. and analyzed using content analysis.

Results:

Participants had a mean age of 30.5 and a mean prepregnancy body mass index of 32.4. Motivators for weight loss after childbirth included modeling healthy behavior for children and a fear of developing chronic illness. Barriers to weight loss included lack of knowledge, self-efficacy, time, child care and support, postpartum depression, the 40-day rule, and having a c-section. Intervention ideas included providing accountability and peer support for weight loss, providing nutrition/exercise weight loss strategies, and integrating mobile phone technologies into weight loss programs.

Conclusions:

Weight loss strategies for postpartum WIC participants should provide knowledge, support, accountability, and preferably integrate technology.
The Role of Pharmacists in Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy and the Measles Outbreak
Authors: Lisenby Katelin M. , Patel Kruti N. , Uichanco Michelle T.
Published: December 2019

Vaccine hesitancy has been identified as a top threat to global health by the World Health Organization. The current measles outbreak in the United States places even greater emphasis on the relevance of this topic. Vaccination is one of the most cost-effective methods to avoid preventable disease and associated complications. Safety concerns and lack of education commonly contribute to vaccination refusals. By providing patients evidence-based facts and education, pharmacists have the opportunity to address common misconceptions influencing the antivaccination movement and prevent future outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases.
Temperature rise of journal bearing of the high-speed circular arc gear pump
Authors: Zhou Yang , Ci Yuan
Published: December 2019

A “circular arc–involute–circular arc” circular arc gear pump was developed based on a gear meshing principle and coordinate transformation as well as an accurate calculation model of the radial force. The dependence of the radial force on the meshing angle was investigated. The temperature rise of journal bearings in the pump was evaluated for bearings with and without herringbone grooves. Furthermore, the influence of the rotational speed and outlet pressure on this rise was assessed. The results revealed using herringbone groove on the inner wall of bearing was effective in reducing the temperature increase. Therefore, the use of grooves represents a suitable method of reducing the temperature rise in the journal bearings of a high-speed gear pump.
miR-126 suppresses neuronal apoptosis in rats after cardiopulmonary resuscitation via regulating p38MAPK
Authors: Pan H , Yu M , Chen M , Wang X , Zhang H , Du S , Yu S
Published: December 2019

In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of microRNA-126 (miR-126) on neuronal apoptosis in cardiopulmonary resuscitation rats and to explore the related molecular mechanism. The expression of miR-126 in brain tissues of rats after cardiopulmonary resuscitation was measured by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The basic parameters of cardiopulmonary resuscitation were recorded by miR-126 mimic injection in rats after cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Hematoxylin–eosin staining was used to observe the pathological changes of hippocampus. Immunohistochemistry was used to observe the expression of p38 and caspase-3 protein. Furthermore, the expression of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK), Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) in rat hippocampus was detected by RT-qPCR and Western blot. In order to confirm whether miR-126 takes part in the p38MAPK pathway in the hippocampus of rats after cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the p38MAPK pathway inhibitor (SB203580) and activator (anisomycin) were added. The results showed overexpression of miR-126 could significantly increase the neurological function score and improve the pathological morphology of hippocampus in rats after cardiopulmonary resuscitation. miR-126 overexpression also could reduce the neuronal apoptosis, p38, and caspase-3 expression in the hippocampus. Moreover, the p38MAPK and JNK expression was downregulated and ERK1/2 expression was upregulated after miR-126 mimic injection ( p < 0.05). The results of inhibition of p38MAPK pathway were consistent with those of overexpression of miR-126 ( p > 0.05). This study indicated miR-126 could significantly reduce neuronal apoptosis of hippocampus in rats after cardiopulmonary resuscitation, which might be involved in the regulation of p38MAPK pathway.
Sickling-suppressive effects of chrysin may be associated with sequestration of deoxy-haemoglobin, 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate mutase, alteration of redox homeostasis and functional chemistry of sickle erythrocytes
Authors: Muhammad A , Waziri AD , Forcados GE , Sanusi B , Sani H , Malami I , Abubakar IB , Muhammad A , Muhammad RA , Mohammed HA
Published: December 2019

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a medical condition caused by mutation in a single nucleotide in the β-globin gene. It is a health problem for people in sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and India. Orthodox drugs developed so far for SCD focus largely on symptomatic respite of pain and crisis mitigation. We investigated the antisickling effects of chrysin via modulation of deoxy-haemoglobin, 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate mutase, redox homeostasis and alteration of functional chemistry in human sickle erythrocytes. In silico and in vitro methods were adopted for the studies. Chrysin was docked against deoxy-haemoglobin and 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate mutase, with binding energies (−24.064 and −18.171 kcal/mol) and inhibition constant ( K i) of 0.990 µM and 0.993 µM at their active sites through strong hydrophobic and hydrogen bond interactions. Sickling was induced with 2% metabisulphite at 3 h. Chrysin was able to prevent sickling maximally at 2.5 µg/mL and reversed the same at 12.5 µg/mL, by 66.5% and 69.6%, respectively. Treatment with chrysin significantly ( p < 0.05) re-established the integrity of erythrocytes membrane as evident from the observed percentage of haemolysis relative to induced erythrocytes. Chrysin also significantly ( p < 0.05) prevented and reversed lipid peroxidation. Similarly, glutathione and catalase levels were observed to significantly ( p < 0.05) increase with concomitant significant ( p < 0.05) decrease in superoxide dismutase activity relative to untreated. From Fourier-transform infrared results, treatment with chrysin was able to favourably alter the functional chemistry, judging from the shifts and functional groups observed. Sickling-suppressive effects of chrysin may therefore be associated with sequestration of deoxy-haemoglobin, 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate mutase, alteration of redox homeostasis and functional chemistry of sickle erythrocytes.
The cytotoxic concentration of rosmarinic acid increases MG132-induced cytotoxicity, proteasome inhibition, autophagy, cellular stresses, and apoptosis in HepG2 cells
Authors: Ozgun GS , Ozgun E
Published: December 2019

Rosmarinic acid (RA) is a natural polyphenolic compound derived from many common herbal plants. Although it is known that RA has many important biological activities, its effect on proteasome inhibitor-induced changes in cancer treatment or its effects on any experimental proteasome inhibition model is unknown. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of RA on MG132-induced cytotoxicity, proteasome inhibition, autophagy, cellular stresses, and apoptosis in HepG2 cells. HepG2 cells were treated with 10, 100, and 1000 µM RA in the presence of MG132 for 24 h; 10 and 100 µM RA did not affect but 1000 µM RA decreased cell viability in HepG2 cells. MG132 caused a significant decrease in cell viability and phosphorylation of mammalian target of rapamycin and a significant increase in levels of polyubiquitinated protein, microtubule-associated proteins 1A/1B light chain 3B-II (LC3B-II), heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), binding immunoglobulin protein (BiP), activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4), protein carbonyl, and cleaved poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1); 10 and 100 µM RA did not significantly change these effects of MG132 in HepG2 cells; 1000 µM RA caused a significant decrease in cell viability and a significant increase in polyubiquitinated protein, LC3B-II, HSP70, BiP, ATF4, protein carbonyl, and cleaved PARP1 levels in MG132-treated cells. Our study showed that only 1000 µM RA increased MG132-induced cytotoxicity, proteasome inhibition, autophagy, cellular stresses, and apoptosis in HepG2 cells. According to our results, cytotoxic concentration of RA can potentiate the effects of MG132 in hepatocellular carcinoma treatment.
Injustice Disrupted: Experiences of Just Spaces by Victim-Survivors of Sexual Violence
Authors: Antonsdóttir Hildur Fjóla
Published: December 2019

Given the limitations of the criminal justice system to address cases of sexual violence, feminist scholars are increasingly exploring alternative approaches to justice. Here I ask: What is the role of space in the way victim-survivors of sexual violence can experience justice outside the criminal justice system? Can an understanding of space help us develop justice responses to sexual violence? Interviews were conducted with 35 victim-survivors of sexual violence in Iceland. In cases where offenders remained or re-entered their life space in some way, many participants described feelings of profound fear and anxiety. Participants used a variety of different socio-spatial strategies to ensure that they would not find themselves in the same space as the offenders. Based on the context as well as the networks and mechanisms available to them, these included surrendering, avoiding, negotiating, fighting for, protecting and (re)claiming spaces. Drawing on the concept of the continuum of sexual violence, I suggest that participants’ experiences can be conceptualized on a continuum of injustice. To the degree that participants were able to create what I call just spaces, they gained a sense of belonging, empowerment and freedom, which I suggest can be understood as disrupting this continuum of injustice.