bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Choice as a duty? The abolition of primary school catchment areas in North Rhine-Westphalia/Germany and its impact on parent choice strategies
Authors: Ramos Lobato Isabel , Groos Thomas
Published: February 2019

In 2008, primary school catchment areas were abolished in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW)/Germany. Written several years later, this article’s main aim is to provide insights into the impact of the policy reform on parent choice practices and subsequently on educational segregation. Based on a mixed-methods approach, it seeks to understand how being raised in and accustomed to a catchment area system affects parents’ understanding of the policy reform and impacts their choice strategies. We demonstrate that the (socially selective) choice of a school outside the former catchment area increased significantly after 2008, leading to a higher level of school segregation, though affecting schools to very different extents. The study clearly reveals that the differences in choice strategies are shaped by the dissimilar conclusions parents from different educational backgrounds draw from the policy reform. While less-educated parents attribute less significance to this early stage of schooling, many well-educated ones interpret the introduction of free choice as an instigation to choose – a perception triggered and intensified by the policy reform. For them, choice is no longer only perceived as an opportunity; through its formalisation it rather seems to become a duty. Thus, by one-sidedly favouring well-educated parents’ interests and benefiting their abilities to play the game, the reform seems to perpetuate existing inequalities in choice rather than to alleviate them.
Advanced perspectives on financialised urban infrastructures
Authors: Whiteside Heather
Published: February 2019

This Special Issue attempts to clarify how urban infrastructure is being funded, financed and governed. In this commentary, I seek to engage the topic of the Special Issue as a whole – infrastructure financialisation and its governance – albeit through examples provided by individual article contributions. It is a collection emphasising the tangled interaction between public and private, urging a view of financialisation beyond the binary states vs. markets, and highlighting the multiple actors with multiple agendas at play. The articles provide richly detailed accounts of how the local state remains active, participatory and deeply – if not daily – involved in infrastructure financialisation, even/especially when finance is at its most influential. Not without its limitations, three occlusions in this Special Issue present opportunities for future research, namely the need to: i) extend critical analyses of financialisation; ii) enhance related research on social infrastructure, operational phase processes and treatment of the global South; and iii) advance academic analysis of alternatives to infrastructure financialisation.
American caudillo: Princely performative populism and democracy in the Americas
Authors: von Vacano Diego
Published: February 2019

Populism is on the rise throughout the world and it poses a challenge to democratic theory. Conventional political thought has not dealt seriously with this challenge throughout most of its history. The article takes the challenge seriously, underscoring the rise of Donald Trump as an example of populism. I argue that dominant paradigms in the study of the history of political thought and in normative, Rawlsian approaches do not elucidate populism. I argue that we need to look beyond the mainstream and to comparative political thought in particular. The Latin American political theory tradition, which has been in conversation with European ideas since the dawn of the modern age, provides a model of ‘princely performative populism’ that is more useful. Drawing on a Machiavellian conception of the prince’s aesthetic relationship to the people and the centrality of populist experiences in Latin America (e.g. Juan Domingo Perón, Getúlio Vargas, and Lázaro Cárdenas), my model provides a novel definition of populism emphasizing the leitmotifs of racialism, gender/machismo, caudillismo and the ‘civilized versus barbarian’ trope.
Introduction: Thinking with Algorithms: Cognition and Computation in the Work of N. Katherine Hayles
Authors: Amoore Louise
Published: February 2019

In our contemporary moment, when machine learning algorithms are reshaping many aspects of society, the work of N. Katherine Hayles stands as a powerful corpus for understanding what is at stake in a new regime of computation. A renowned literary theorist whose work bridges the humanities and sciences among her many works, Hayles has detailed ways to think about embodiment in an age of virtuality ( How We Became Posthuman, 1999), how code as performative practice is located ( My Mother Was a Computer, 2005), and the reciprocal relations among human bodies and technics ( How We Think, 2012). This special issue follows the 2017 publication of her book Unthought: The Power of the Cognitive Nonconscious, in which Hayles traces the nonconscious cognition of biological life-forms and computational media. The articles in the special issue respond in different ways to Hayles’ oeuvre, mapping the specific contours of computational regimes and developing some of the ‘inflection points’ she advocates in the deep engagement with technical systems.
Perceptions about marital conflict: Individual, dyadic, and family level effects
Authors: Ehrlich Katherine B. , vanDellen Michelle R. , Felton Julia W. , Lejuez C. W. , Cassidy Jude
Published: February 2019

Husbands and wives often provide different reports about the qualities of their relationship—a pattern of reporting that is often discounted as measurement error. In the present study, we tested three research questions related to perceptions of marital conflict in a sample of 123 married couples. First, we tested whether individual and partner attachment and depressive symptoms were associated with reports of conflict. Then, we examined whether these characteristics also explain absolute and directional discrepancies in reports of marital conflict. Finally, we examined how discrepancies in reports of marital conflict might be related to discrepancies in other dyadic reports within the family. Analyses revealed that individuals’ attachment avoidance and anxiety, but not depressive symptoms, were linked to their own perceptions of marital conflict. Further, partners’ attachment anxiety was positively associated with one’s own perceptions of marital conflict. Additional analyses revealed that wives’ attachment avoidance was positively associated with absolute discrepancies about conflict. Wives’ attachment avoidance predicted directional discrepancies, such that they reported relatively more conflict than their husbands reported as their attachment avoidance increased. Husbands’ attachment anxiety was marginally associated with overreporting conflict relative to their wives’ reports. Finally, discrepancies in spouses’ reports of marital conflict were associated with mother–adolescent and father–adolescent discrepancies in reports of parent–adolescent conflict. Results highlight the importance of measuring both partners’ perceptions of the relationship in order to capture meaningful variation in multi-informant reports.
Reading Beyond the Book: Educating Paraprofessionals to Implement Dialogic Reading for Preschool Children With Language Impairments
Authors: Towson Jacqueline A. , Green Katherine B. , Abarca Diana L.
Published: February 2019

We examined how educating paraprofessionals in preschool classrooms on dialogic reading (DR) affected their storybook reading and effects on children’s single word vocabulary. Through a single-case multiple-probe across participants design including four paraprofessionals and eight preschool children, we identified a functional relation between educating paraprofessionals in DR and implementation of the CROWD prompts; yet, no functional relation was observed for the implementation of the evaluate, expand, and repeat strategies. Data collected on children’s expressive near-transfer vocabulary showed all but one child made minimal gains from baseline to intervention, whereas receptive data remained stable for six participants. Results suggested that paraprofessionals implemented the strategies of DR with variable fidelity following a singular training and in-text supports. Additional supports may be necessary for all aspects of the intervention and generalization to be implemented with fidelity and for improvement to carryover to both receptive and expressive vocabulary skills for children.
The Timing of Corticosteroid Injections After Arthroscopic Shoulder Procedures Affects Postoperative Infection Risk
Authors: Kew Michelle E. , Cancienne Jourdan M. , Christensen James E. , Werner Brian C.
Published: February 2019

Background:

Corticosteroid injections are sometimes used in the postoperative period after shoulder arthroscopy; however, a well-defined safety profile has not been established.

Purpose:

To examine the association between the timing of postoperative corticosteroid injections and rates of infection after shoulder arthroscopy.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Private payer and Medicare national insurance databases were queried for patients who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, debridement, or subacromial decompression. Patients who underwent corticosteroid injections within 1, 2, 3, or 4 months postoperatively were identified and compared with a matched control group that underwent the same procedures without a postoperative steroid injection. International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, and Current Procedural Terminology codes were used to identify rates of postoperative infection within 90 days after injection for the study groups and controls. Multivariate binomial logistic regression analysis was used to compare groups, and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs were calculated, with P < .05 considered significant.

Results:

A total of 3946 patients were identified, including 264 patients who received an injection within 1 month after surgery, 471 within 2 months, 1037 within 3 months, 1874 within 4 months, and 2640 matched controls. When compared with controls, patients who underwent a corticosteroid injection within 1 month postoperatively had a significantly higher rate of infection (private payer: OR, 2.63; P = .014; Medicare: OR, 11.2; P < .0001). There were no differences in infection rates at all other time points ( P = .264-.835).

Conclusion:

This study adds to the evidence suggesting caution when administering injections in the immediate postoperative period after shoulder arthroscopy. Although causality cannot be determined on the basis of this database review, the authors found a significant association between intra-articular corticosteroid injections administered 1 month postoperatively and an increased rate of postoperative infection in Medicare and private payer patient cohorts as compared with a control group.
Missed Officer–Probationer Contacts and Its Influence on Rearrest
Authors: Zettler Haley R. , Medina Justin C.
Published: February 2019

Probation supervision is marked by the dual roles of surveillance and casework. A key feature of supervision that aligns with the goals of community safety through surveillance is the use of officer–probationer contacts. The current study explores the relationship between missed probation contacts and rearrest while on supervision in a surveillance-driven context. Logistic regression analyses modeled the effects of missed contacts on rearrests using probation data from a large supervision agency ( n = 3,809). Analyses included the overall percentage of missed contacts and missed contacts above/below the median and mean percentage of missed contacts to subsequent rearrests while on supervision. Overall, the percentage of missed contacts increased the likelihood of rearrest while on probation. Furthermore, the percentage of missed probation contacts that significantly predicted rearrest was lower than expected (4.17%). The results suggest that missing contacts while on probation has a negative impact on probation success. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Numerical and experimental study of dynamics of two pendulums under a magnetic field
Authors: Polczyński Krystian , Wijata Adam , Awrejcewicz Jan , Wasilewski Grzegorz
Published: February 2019

In this article, a two-degree-of-freedom system consisting of two pendulums with magnets embedded in a variable magnetic field is investigated experimentally and numerically. Pivots of the pendulums are coupled by an elastic element. The magnetic interaction originates from permanent magnets, mounted at free ends of the pendulums and current-powered air coils underneath. A novel model for the magnetic force is proposed and verified experimentally. Nonlinear dynamics of the system is examined by means of time series, bifurcation diagrams, phase portraits, and Poincaré sections. Regions of chaotic and regular motion are predicted numerically and justified experimentally. Multiperiodic motion and coexisting solutions are detected, and pictures in basins of their attraction are reported, among other.
Qualitative research: An overview of emerging approaches for data collection
Authors: Carr Elizabeth May , Zhang Gary Dezhi , Ming Jane (Hung) Yeong , Siddiqui Zarrin Seema
Published: February 2019

Objective:

The aim of this study was to introduce new approaches to conduct qualitative research that may provide valuable insight into issues related to education, training and patient care in psychiatry.

Conclusions:

A variety of data-collection tools is available for researchers and practitioners in psychiatry. These can be used independently or in conjunction with other quantitative and qualitative methods.
On Cultural Politics in Special Education: Is Much of It Justifiable?
Authors: Kauffman James M. , Anastasiou Dimitris
Published: February 2019

This article examines the nature of cultural politics in special education, specifically conceptual and methodological issues, as well as political implications related to minority disproportionate representation in disability identification rates. The implication of cultural politics is a focus on the hypothesis that minority disproportionate representation of minorities in special education is definitely a result of racial discrimination, accompanied by criticism of recently contested research suggesting their underrepresentation after controlling for confounds. Cultural politics has practical consequences, such as recently proposed policy changes that extract scarce sources from the education of students already identified as having disabilities. Special education is urged to focus on effective instruction and on three things in addressing disproportionality: (a) close adherence to facts and the best corroborating evidence; (b) explanations and theories that are testable, confirmable, and refutable on the basis of reliable data; and (c) clear and rational arguments that can be followed by policy makers. Carefully designed research to further explore this issue should recognize that (a) disproportionality is, by definition, a quantitative phenomenon and (b) replication and refinement of recent studies are needed.
“I Don’t Claim to Be the World’s Foremost Expert, But . . . ”: How Individuals “Know” Family Members Are Not Experiencing Health Issues as Severely as They Claim
Authors: Thompson Charee M. , Parsloe Sarah
Published: February 2019

To understand how individuals come to “know” that their family members are not experiencing their health issues as severely as they claim, we interviewed 32 individuals (nine men and 23 women, M age = 35.28 years, SD = 9.91 years) about a family member who they believe falsifies or exaggerates his or her health condition(s). Our analyses illuminate two interlinked processes of knowledge construction: (a) developing evidentiary standards and (b) gathering evidence. In engaging these processes, participants sought two types of consistency: correspondence with external “facts” (e.g., medical information, cultural [mis]conceptions), and internal coherence (i.e., complaints were highly self-contradictory and unpredictable or were overly predictable). When initial inconsistencies made participants doubt their family member, participants gathered additional evidence, including experiential, behavioral, and interactional evidence, to test and revise their initial suspicions. We discuss the implications of this research for theory and for families coping with illness.
Circulating Endothelial Cells, Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells, and Circulating Microparticles in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Zahran Asmaa M. , Mohamed Ismail L. , El Asheer Osama M. , Tamer Deiaaeldin M. , Abo-ELela Mohamed G. M. , Abdel-Rahim Mona H. , El-Badawy Omnia H. B. , Elsayh Khalid I.
Published: February 2019

Background and Aim:

Hyperglycemia in type 1 diabetes (T1D) is accompanied by endothelial cell dysfunction which is known to contribute to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disorders. The aim of the current study was to explore the profile of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), circulating endothelial cells (CECs), endothelial and platelet derived micropaticles (EMPs, PMPs) and total microparticles (TMPs), in T1D children in relation to each other and to the metabolic disorders accompanying T1D.

Patients and Methods:

Thirty T1D patients and 20 age and sex matched healthy volunteers were assessed for HbA1c level and lipid profile. Quantification of CECs, EPCs, TMPs, EMPs and PMPs was done by flow cytometry.

Results:

The mean levels of EMPs, PMPs, TMPs and CECs were significantly higher in diabetic children compared to controls. Meanwhile, the levels of EPCs were significantly lower in diabetic children compared to controls. Both PMPs and CECs showed the highest significant differences between patients and controls and their levels were directly related to HbA1c, total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides. A moderate correlation was observed between the frequency of PMPs and CECs. EPCs revealed negative correlations with both LDL and triglycerides. TMPs were only related to LDL, while EMPs were only related to HbA1c.

Conclusion:

Although there is disturbance in the levels of EMPs, PMPs, TMPs, CECs and EPCs in type 1 diabetic children compared to the controls, only the levels of PMPs and CECs were closely affected by the poor glycemic control and dyslipidemia occurring in T1D; thus may contribute to a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Treatment exceeds expectations in a patient with non-small cell lung adenocarcinoma with an EGFR exon 20 mutation
Authors: McAuliffe Agnes , Bindal Poorva , Haley Meredith , Vredenburgh James
Published: February 2019

Non-small cell lung adenocarcinoma is the most common type of lung cancer but is often difficult to treat. New treatment options have emerged with the class of tyrosine kinase inhibitors, but it has been found that certain genetic mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) receptor are not as sensitive to this treatment as others. We present a case of a 78-year-old man who was diagnosed with stage IV non-small cell lung adenocarcinoma with an EGFR exon 20 mutations treated with pemetrexed, nivolumab, and then docetaxel. He has lived over four years after his initial diagnosis. This case illustrates the importance of genetic testing of patients to evaluate for specific gene mutations. It highlights the fact that these patients with exon 20 mutations are not sensitive to tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment and often respond better to chemotherapeutic agents.
Can EEG Predict Response to Atomoxetine in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder at 1 Week?
Authors: Singh Gurmukh , Arun Priti , Das Subhash , Kaur Damanjeet
Published: February 2019

Objective: The objective of the study is to predict the early changes in electroencephalography (EEG) at 1 week and its correlation to clinical response at 6 weeks after treatment with atomoxetine in children with ADHD. Method: In 50 children (6-14 years) with ADHD ( Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders [5th ed.; DSM-5]), Vanderbilt ADHD Parent Rating Scale (VADPRS) and Vanderbilt ADHD Teachers Rating Scale (VADTRS) were applied at baseline, 1, 4, and 6 weeks. EEG was recorded using International 10–20 System of electrode placement at baseline and at 1 week after atomoxetine treatment. EEG changes at 1 week after atomoxetine therapy was correlated to clinical response at 6 weeks. Results: Patients were classified as responders or nonresponders based on the VADPRS/VADTRS findings. After 1 week of treatment, responders’ theta cordance values were decreased, whereas nonresponders’ values didn’t decrease significantly. Conclusion: Patients with decreased theta cordance values, especially in the left temporoparietal region, at 1 week were likely to respond to atomoxetine while those without any such change were likely to be nonresponders.
Neurodegeneration, Heterochromatin, and Double-Stranded RNA
Authors: Saldi Tassa K , Gonzales Patrick K , LaRocca Thomas J , Link Christopher D
Published: February 2019

Changes in chromatin and epigenetic modifications have been associated with aging and aging-associated neurodegenerative diseases, although the causal relationship between these changes and disease-related pathology has been unclear. Recent studies have now made direct connections between neurodegeneration-associated proteins and derepression of repetitive element transcription due to changes in heterochromatin. We suggest that this derepression leads to an increased accumulation of intracellular double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), with an attendant induction of innate immune responses that contribute to the neuroinflammation found in essentially all age-associated neurodegenerative diseases.
Post Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Failure—Don’t Always Blame the Blues!!
Authors: Pradhan Akshyaya , Gupta Vikas , Bhandari Monika , Vishwakarma Pravesh , Sethi Rishi
Published: February 2019

Long term outcomes following coronary artery bypass grafting are governed by patency of vascular grafts. In this regard, the use of arterial grafts, (preferably the left internal mammary artery) has demonstrated improved survival relative to their venous counterparts. These benefits are a consequence of greater patency of LIMA at 10 years vis-a-vis venous grafts. Uncommonly, there is a possibility of occlusion of LIMA early in the post operative period due to procedural reasons but late occlusion of LIMA is rare. We report an unusual case of late occlusion of LIMA after seven years of CABG.
Locus of control and involvement in videogaming
Authors: Lloyd Joanne , Frost Sally , Kuliesius Ignas , Jones Claire
Published: February 2019

An external locus of control (feeling low personal control over one’s life) has been linked with excessive/addictive behaviours, including problematic videogaming. The current study sought to determine whether this is driven by the opportunity for greater control over one’s environment within a videogame. Participants ( n = 252, 59% males) completed a traditional locus of control scale, alongside a modified version assessing in-game feelings of control. Multiple linear regression analyses indicated that feeling less under the control of powerful others in-game than in the real world was a significant predictor of gaming frequency (standardised β = .31, p < .0005), while feeling comparatively more internal control in-game than in real life significantly predicted problematic gaming (standardised β = .17, p = .02). This demonstrates that locus of control in-game can diverge from that experienced in the real world, and the degree of divergence could be a risk factor for frequent and/or problematic gaming in some individuals.
Placental Neuropeptide Y (NPY) and NPY receptors expressions and serum NPY levels in preeclampsia
Authors: Klinjampa Roongrit , Sitticharoon Chantacha , Souvannavong-Vilivong Xaynaly , Sripong Chanakarn , Keadkraichaiwat Issarawan , Churintaraphan Malika , Chatree Saimai , Lertbunnaphong Tripop
Published: February 2019

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) has been reported as a vasoconstrictive substance that might be associated with preeclampsia. NPY mediates different effects via its specific NPY receptors. NPY action via Y1 receptor (Y1R) and/or Y5 receptor (Y5R) induces vascular smooth muscle cells proliferation while it is implicated in angiogenesis via Y2 receptor (Y2R) and/or Y5R. The objectives of this study were to (1) compare placental NPY, Y1 receptor ( Y1R), Y2 receptor ( Y2R), and Y5 receptor ( Y5R) expressions between normal (NP) and preeclamptic (PE) pregnancies to determine whether gene expression of different NPY receptors are altered in the PE condition; (2) compare maternal serum NPY levels between NP and PE subjects; and (3) determine correlations between placental gene expressions as well as serum NPY levels with maternal and neonatal clinical parameters. There were 22 subjects each in the NP (gestational age 37–42 weeks) and PE (gestational age ≥34 weeks) groups. Clinical parameters and serum NPY levels were measured before delivery. NPY expression and serum NPY levels were comparable between NP and PE subjects. Y1R, Y2R, and Y5R expressions were significantly lower in PE than NP subjects. In all and NP subjects, placental Y2R showed the highest expression, tended to be higher than Y5R, and was significantly higher than Y1R. In PE subjects, placental Y2R was comparable to Y5R and both Y2R and Y5R were significantly higher than Y1R. The NPY receptor expression ratio between the PE/NP groups showed that it was lowest for Y2R (0.27) compared to Y1R (0.42) and Y5R (0.40) suggestive of decreased Y2R expression in PE subjects. In summary, a decrease in placental Y2R mRNA might be associated with abnormalities of placental angiogenesis which probably contributes to the pathophysiology of preeclampsia. The roles of NPY receptors mediating placental vascularization need to be further investigated.

Impact statement

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) has been reported as a vasoconstrictive substance which might be associated with preeclampsia. The novel findings of this study were that Y1R, Y2R, and Y5R expressions were significantly lower in the PE than the NP group. Moreover, the NPY receptor expression ratio between the PE/NP groups was lowest for Y2R (0.27) compared to Y1R (0.42) and Y5R (0.40) suggestive of a reduction of this receptor in the preeclampsia group. Our results suggested that decreased Y2R mRNA in the PE group might be associated with abnormalities of placental angiogenesis which probably contributes to the pathophysiology of preeclampsia.
Surgical Repair of Acute TFCC Injury
Authors: Dunn John C. , Polmear Michael M. , Nesti Leon J.
Published: February 2019

Triangular fibrocartilage complex tears are a common source of ulnar-sided wrist pain and distal radioulnar joint instability. Symptoms recalcitrant to conservative management or injuries in high-demand athletes may indicate surgical management. Both open and arthroscopic techniques offer improvements in objective measures, patient-centered outcome scores, and return to work, but may be complicated by nerve irritation, persistent wrist instability, and pain. Recently developed knotless arthroscopic techniques are not well studied but may limit morbidity.
Coronal shear fractures of the distal humerus: Current concepts and surgical techniques
Authors: Watson Jay J , Bellringer Simon , Phadnis Joideep
Published: February 2019

Coronal shear fractures of the distal humerus are a unique subset of distal humeral fractures which entail partial or complete articular fractures of the distal humerus without involvement of the columns. The very distal nature of these fragments, their small size and propensity for comminution render them challenging to treat surgically. The purpose of this article is to describe the classification, outcomes and surgical techniques currently used for the treatment of these fractures using the available literature and authors' clinical experience.
Knee Joint Distraction Compared with High Tibial Osteotomy and Total Knee Arthroplasty: Two-Year Clinical, Radiographic, and Biochemical Marker Outcomes of Two Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Jansen Mylène P. , Besselink Nick J. , van Heerwaarden Ronald J. , Custers Roel J. H. , Emans Pieter J. , Spruijt Sander , Mastbergen Simon C. , Lafeber Floris P. J. G.
Published: February 2019

Objective

Both, knee joint distraction (KJD) and high tibial osteotomy (HTO) are joint-preserving surgeries that postpone total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in younger osteoarthritis (OA) patients. Here we evaluate the 2-year follow-up of KJD versus TKA and KJD versus HTO in 2 noninferiority studies.

Design

Knee OA patients indicated for TKA were randomized to KJD ( n = 20; KJDTKA) or TKA ( n = 40). Medial compartmental knee OA patients considered for HTO were randomized to KJD ( n = 23; KJDHTO) or HTO ( n = 46). Patient-reported outcome measures were assessed over 2 years of follow-up. The radiographic joint space width (JSW) was measured yearly. In the KJD groups, serum-PIIANP and urinary-CTXII levels were measured as collagen type-II synthesis and breakdown markers. It was hypothesized that there was no clinically important difference in the primary outcome, the total WOMAC, when comparing KJD with HTO and with TKA.

Results

Both trials were completed, with 114 patients (19 KJDTKA; 34 TKA; 20 KJDHTO; 41 HTO) available for 2-year analyses. At 2 years, the total WOMAC score (KJDTKA: +38.9 [95%CI 28.8-48.9] points; TKA: +42.1 [34.5-49.7]; KJDHTO: +26.8 [17.1-36.6]; HTO: +34.4 [28.0-40.7]; all: P < 0.05) and radiographic minimum JSW (KJDTKA: +0.9 [0.2-1.6] mm; KJDHTO: +0.9 [0.5-1.4]; HTO: +0.6 [0.3-0.9]; all: P < 0.05) were still increased for all groups. The net collagen type-II synthesis 2 years after KJD was increased ( P < 0.05). Half of KJD patients experienced pin tract infections, successfully treated with oral antibiotics.

Conclusions

Sustained improvement of clinical benefit and (hyaline) cartilage thickness increase after KJD is demonstrated. KJD was clinically noninferior to HTO and TKA in the primary outcome.
Ethical and legal issues of tracheostomy ventilation in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Ang Kexin , Lim Ming Yi , Srinivasan Sheila
Published: February 2019

Doctors owe a legal duty of care to patients, of which legal standard of care, especially on advice, evolves over time. With the modified Montgomery test, informed consent involves a process of best interests decision-making accompanied by disclosure of relevant information in a comprehensible fashion, to the patient. Ethical issues confronting treatment decision and advice are also manifold and have to be confronted. For example, in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), an incurable disease, death is usually due to respiratory failure. Tracheostomy ventilation (TV) may be the only alternative to death, yet patients on TV may be subject to the relentless progression of ALS resulting in a locked-in state. Through a case vignette of invasive ventilation for ALS, we examine the ethical and legal issues regarding choice of assisted ventilation in these patients, especially for TV, to ensure reasoned and defensible methodology in patient care. We also include a tracheostomy counselling info kit applicable for use prior to tracheostomy insertion.
Role of hypertext in teaching foreign languages
Authors: Bourina Helena V , Dunaeva Larisa A
Published: February 2019

The future of teaching foreign languages is associated with a screen culture, which will contribute to diversification and multiplication of educational sources. Therefore, along with a teacher, hypertext technology and information network claim the role of an authoritative source of knowledge about the world. The image of modern language is the image of hypertext space. The use of hypertext interactive technologies leads to a change in the patterns of knowledge understanding and assimilation, which are related to the visual interpretation of image, form, and color. Thus, the problem of cognition on the basis of hypertext technology lies in learning new forms of dialogue and communication, when instead of a text, a hypertext and a context are being read. The didactic principles and methods traditionally used in teaching foreign languages should be enhanced with new approaches. Thus, students will be able to link the information from the hypertext network with the information they already know and to acquire new knowledge in completely new situations. The hypertext is a complex dynamic and multidimensional textual network, where language usage can be observed, making it possible to effectively form students’ linguistic and communicative competence.
Adenosquamous carcinoma of the uterine cervix displaying tumor-associated tissue eosinophilia
Authors: Kurose Nozomu , Mizuguchi Seiya , Ohkanemasa Yoshiiku , Yamashita Manabu , Nakano Mariko , Guo Xin , Aikawa Akane , Nakada Satoko , Sasagawa Toshiyuki , Yamada Sohsuke
Published: February 2019

Background:

Tumor-associated tissue eosinophilia is defined as an inflammatory response with the marked infiltration of eosinophils within tumor tissues. Tumor-associated tissue eosinophilia has been reported in various organs; however, no studies have examined the detailed cytopathological findings of tumor-associated tissue eosinophilia.

Case Presentation:

A 49-year-old woman presented with lower abdominal and back pain that had started 1 month earlier. A cervical biopsy revealed a diagnosis of non-keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma. A mildly increased number of eosinophils was observed in both cervical cytology and a biopsy. On pelvic computed tomography, a tumor mass measuring up to 5.5 cm in the largest diameter was seen in the uterine cervix. After 1 month, endometrial cytology was performed, and non-keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma together with normal endometrial glands was obtained in a background of marked eosinophil numbers. Tumor cells in an irregular-shaped solid nest had variable-sized hyperchromatic nuclei and light-green-stained cytoplasm. The number of eosinophils was obviously increased. Considering the possibility of tumor-associated tissue eosinophilia, we evaluated a peripheral blood sample and confirmed an increased number of eosinophils. Radical hysterectomy was performed, and the final pathological diagnosis was adenosquamous carcinoma. Although the number of eosinophils decreased after surgery, it increased again at the time of recurrence 1 year later. Chemo-irradiation was performed, but the patient died 1 year and 8 months after the operation.

Conclusion:

Cytopathologists should consider the presence of tumor-associated tissue eosinophilia by focusing on not only tumor cells but also the markedly eosinophilic background. The eosinophil count might be a useful marker of the disease activity.
Implementation of criteria-based audit to reduce patient’s burdens and improve efficiency in hospital management
Authors: Gao Hongqi , Niu Heyong , Shi Jiyue
Published: February 2019

This article aimed at exploring the implementation of criteria-based audit (CBA) to reduce patient’s burdens and increase efficiency in hospital management. The social background and CBA definition were evaluated by screening using the new 3A grade hospital evaluation criteria. The confirmation of the hospital-department two-level CBA management performance appraisal was based on six core indicators (2A4P). The feasibility of CBA was evaluated by comparing the changes of 2A4P before the implementation of CBA management performance appraisal and 1 year after the implementation of CBA. The 2A4P data in 2017, 1 year after the implementation of CBA performance appraisal, showed a significant improvement ( P < 0.05 or P < 0.001) than before the CBA implementation in 2016. CBA supports the management to meet the objectives in the basic system, standardization, and service, which significantly optimizes the 2A4P data, therefore helping achieve the goal of reducing burdens and increasing efficiency. CBA is an effective management performance appraisal model to evaluate the basic system and the professional standard of modern hospitals under the current social background.
Studying Vector-Borne Disease Transmission in Public Health Education Using a Geospatial Curriculum Approach
Authors: Reed Rajika Emily , Bodzin Alec
Published: February 2019

Geospatial thinking and reasoning (GSTR) skills are currently not routinely integrated into public health curriculum for undergraduate students in colleges or universities. However, integrating GSTR skills into curriculum has been shown to increase spatial thinking skills, which leads to better cognitive thinking and problem solving skills. An Examining Vector-Borne Disease Transmission (EVBDT) curriculum unit was developed using the geospatial curriculum approach to investigate malaria, dengue fever, and zika disease spread in the environment, using patterns, data, and sociodemographic factors. The purpose of this design-based research study was to understand public health content learning and GSTR skill acquisition through use of the geospatial curriculum approach among students ( n = 95) enrolled in undergraduate public health content classes. Data sources included a classroom observation instrument; pretest and posttest measures for the Spatial Habits of the Mind survey; a pretest, Posttest 1, and delayed Posttest 2 EVBDT assessment that included public health content and GSTR skill items; and a postimplementation survey to understand students’ perceptions of geographic information systems use in the curriculum. Findings revealed significant mean differences showing growth in public health content learning and GSTR skills. The findings provide support that Web geographic information systems with appropriate curriculum design can engage students and affect both learning outcomes and GSTR skills in public health education.
Systematic Review of Evidence Pertaining to Factors That Modify Risk of Early Childhood Caries
Authors: Moynihan P. , Tanner L.M. , Holmes R.D. , Hillier-Brown F. , Mashayekhi A. , Kelly S.A.M. , Craig D.
Published: February 2019

Introduction:

A systematic review of evidence on the impact of modifiable risk factors on early childhood caries (ECC) was conducted to inform recommendations in a World Health Organization manual on ECC prevention.

Objectives:

To systematically review published evidence pertaining to the effect of modifiable risk factors on ECC.

Methods:

Twelve questions relating to infant feeding, diet, oral hygiene, and fluoride were addressed, as prioritized by a World Health Organization expert panel. Questions pertaining to the use of fluoride toothpaste were excluded due to its proven efficacy. The target population was children aged <72 mo. Data sources included Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and PubMed, and all human epidemiologic studies were included. The highest level of evidence was used for evidence synthesis and, where possible, meta-analysis. The review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses) statement, with evidence assessed via the GRADE method.

Results:

Of the 13,831 papers identified, 627 were screened in duplicate; of these, 139 were included. The highest-level evidence indicated that breastfeeding ≤24 mo does not increase ECC risk but suggested that longer-duration breastfeeding increases risk (low-quality evidence). Low-quality evidence indicated increased risk associated with consumption of sugars in bottles. Only 1 study had data on the impact of sugars in complementary foods, which increased risk. Moderate-quality evidence showed a benefit of oral health education for caregivers (odds ratio, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.19 to 0.80, P = 0.009). Meta-analysis of data on the impact on ECC from living in a fluoridated area showed a significant effect (mean difference, –1.25; 95% CI, –1.24 to −0.36; P = 0.006). Limited moderate- and low-quality data indicated a benefit of fluoride exposure from salt and milk, respectively.

Conclusion:

The best available evidence indicates that breastfeeding up to 2 y of age does not increase ECC risk. Providing access to fluoridated water and educating caregivers are justified approaches to ECC prevention. Limiting sugars in bottles and complementary foods should be part of this education.

Knowledge Transfer Statement:

This research is being used by the World Health Organization in developing a toolkit on the prevention and management of early childhood caries. The information will guide 1) governments in developing national oral health plans and 2) clinicians when providing preventive advice, including that regarding infant feeding practices. It will help ensure that advice is in line with current World Health Organization guidelines and the best available evidence.
Avoiding unrealistic behaviour in coupled reactive-transport simulations of cation exchange and mineral kinetics in clays
Authors: Benbow Steven , Wilson James , Metcalfe Richard , Lehikoinen Jarmo
Published: February 2019

Bentonite clay is often included as a buffer, backfill and/or sealing material in designs for deep geological repositories for radioactive wastes. It is expected that bentonite materials may undergo some mineralogical alteration as they interact with in situ groundwaters over long timescales on the order of thousands to millions of years. Long-term modelling of these materials is therefore important in order to demonstrate confidence that the engineered designs will continue to perform as required over their intended lifetimes (required assessment timescales can be up to 1 million years). The key geochemical processes that must be considered in such modelling are mineral dissolution and precipitation and cation exchange. These processes are expected to occur simultaneously and so modelling of their coupled effects and their rates (kinetics) is necessary. Illustrative reactive-transport models of the geochemical alteration of montmorillonite (the primary mineral in bentonite exhibiting cation exchange) are presented which demonstrate that one possible approach to fully coupling cation exchange and clay mineral dissolution kinetics, referred to here as the ‘all-component coupling’ approach, may lead to unrealistic behaviour due to feedback that may occur in the formulation. This feedback can be avoided if a ‘common-component’ conceptual model for the dissolution of exchanger end members is adopted, where only the saturation of the exchanger ‘structural unit’ is considered when evaluating the potential for dissolution of the mineral. Such considerations have been proposed historically in stability analyses for montmorillonite, but have not been explored widely in the modelling literature.
A randomised, placebo-controlled study of omipalisib (PI3K/mTOR) in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Lukey Pauline T. , Harrison Stephen A. , Yang Shuying , Man Yim , Holman Beverley F. , Rashidnasab Alaleh , Azzopardi Gabrielle , Grayer Michael , Simpson Juliet K. , Bareille Philippe , Paul Lyn , Woodcock Hannah V. , Toshner Richard , Saunders Peter , Molyneaux Philip L. , Thielemans Kris , Wilson Frederick J. , Mercer Paul F. , Chambers Rachel C. , Groves Ashley M. , Fahy William A. , Marshall Richard P. , Maher Toby M.
Published: February 2019

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases (PI3Ks) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) play a role in the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Omipalisib (GSK2126458) is a potent inhibitor of PI3K/mTOR.

A randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind, repeat dose escalation, experimental medicine study of omipalisib in subjects with IPF was conducted (NCT01725139) to test safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Omipalisib was dosed at 0.25 mg, 1 mg and 2 mg twice daily for 8 days in four cohorts of four subjects randomised 3:1 to receive omipalisib or placebo (two cohorts received 2 mg twice daily).

17 subjects with IPF were enrolled. The most common adverse event was diarrhoea, which was reported by four participants. Dose-related increases in insulin and glucose were observed. Pharmacokinetic analysis demonstrated that exposure in the blood predicts lung exposure. Exposure-dependent inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5 trisphosphate and pAKT confirmed target engagement in blood and lungs.18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose(FDG)-positron emission tomography/computed tomography scans revealed an exposure-dependent reduction in18F-FDG uptake in fibrotic areas of the lung, as measured by target-to-background, ratio thus confirming pharmacodynamic activity.

This experimental medicine study demonstrates acceptable tolerability of omipalisib in subjects with IPF at exposures for which target engagement was confirmed both systemically and in the lungs.
Changing prevalence of current asthma and inhaled corticosteroid treatment in the UK: population-based cohort 2006–2016
Authors: Bloom Chloe I. , Saglani Sejal , Feary Johanna , Jarvis Debbie , Quint Jennifer K.
Published: February 2019

Asthma is the most common respiratory disorder in the UK, yet we have incomplete knowledge on the prevalence of current disease, treatment and exacerbations.

We used UK electronic healthcare records, 2006–2016, to estimate the prevalence of current asthma by year, sex and age (<5, 5–11, 12–17, 18–24, 25–54 and ≥55 years), and the proportion prescribed inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and additional asthma therapy, treated for exacerbations and other asthma care markers.

Overall current asthma prevalence was 6.5% in 2016 (7.2% in 2006). Prevalence fell in those aged <45 years. The lowest prevalence and largest absolute decrease was in children aged <5 years. In 2016, 80% of current asthma patients were managed on ICS (65% in 2006); this increase occurred in all age groups, primarily due to an increase in low-dose ICS. During this time there was an increase in all age groups in the proportion prescribed additional asthma therapy, treated for an exacerbation within primary care and given an annual asthma review or management plan. Hospitalised exacerbations showed minimal change over time.

Asthma remains highly prevalent and a significant healthcare burden. In those with a diagnosis, there was an increase in ICS prescriptions and treatment of exacerbations across all age groups. This may reflect a trend towards more aggressive asthma management within primary care. An apparent decline in prevalence was observed in those aged <45 years, particularly in children aged <5 years.