bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Role of Clinical Pharmacy in Preventing Prescribing Errors in the Emergency Department of a Governmental Hospital in Jordan: A Pre-Post Study
Authors: Abdel-Qader Derar H. , Saadi Ismael Najlaa , Al Meslamani Ahmad Z. , Albassam Abdullah , El-Shara’ Asma’ A. , Lewis Penny J. , Hamadi Salim , Al Mazrouei Nadia
Published: July 2020

Background: Clinical pharmacists have a vital role in intercepting prescribing errors (PEs) but their impact within a Jordanian hospital emergency department (ED) has never been studied. Objective: To evaluate the impact of clinical pharmacy services on PEs and assess predictors of physicians’ acceptance of clinical pharmacists’ interventions. Setting: This study was conducted in the ED of the largest governmental hospital in Jordan. Method: This was a pre-post study conducted in October and November 2019 using a disguised observational method. There were 2 phases: control phase (P0) with no clinical interventions, and active phase (P1) where clinical pharmacists prospectively intervened upon errors. The clinical significance of errors was determined by a multidisciplinary committee. The SPSS software version 24 was used for data analysis. Main Outcome Measure: PEs incidence, type, severity, and predictors for physicians’ acceptance. Results: Of 18003 patients, 8732 were included in P0 and 9271 in P1. PEs incidence decreased from 24.6% to 5.4%. Contraindication, drug selection, and dosage form error types were significantly reduced from 32.6%, 9.1%, and 3.7% (P0) to 12.6%, 0.0%, and 0.0% (P1), respectively. Albeit not statistically significant, drug-drug interaction, drug frequency, and allergy error types were reduced from 4.9%, 3.1%, and 0.1% to 4.5%, 2.5%, and 0.0%, respectively. Significant and serious errors were significantly reduced from 68.7% and 3.0% (P0) to 8.9% and 1.8% (P1), respectively. During P1, most errors were minor (89.3%, 1574/1763), and lethal errors ceased. Predictors for physicians’ acceptance were: significant errors (OR 3.1; 95% CI 2.6-4.3; P = 0.03) and non-busy physicians (OR 2.1; 95% CI 1.6-2.7; P = 0.04). Conclusion: Clinical pharmacists significantly reduced PEs in the ED by 76%; most of interventions were significant. Policymakers are advised to implement active clinical pharmacy in the ED.
Non-suicidal self-injury in developing countries: A review
Authors: Mannekote Thippaiah Srinagesh , Shankarapura Nanjappa Muralidhara , Gude Jayasudha G. , Voyiaziakis Emanuel , Patwa Sohum , Birur Badari , Pandurangi Ananda
Published: July 2020

Background:

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) may be understood as a physical and behavioral expression of emotional distress. Over the past 70 years, it has been variably formulated as a type of emotional reaction to various stressors. NSSI has complex goals, sometimes implicit, but overall it serves as a transient psychological relief. Many believe that NSSI is a maladaptive behavior and is not related to suicide, with the primary differentiating factor between suicide and NSSI being the ‘intention’ to die. NSSI is an important mental health problem in current modern societies, and it is part of a trend in current psychiatric and mental health practice to medicalize maladaptive behaviors or psychological distress.

Aims:

To review the prevalence, associated factors, purpose, and psychological and social significance of NSSI in developing countries.

Method:

This article is a narrative review. However, of the total 1,094 articles, 13 articles were included to derive information on the prevalence and methods of NSSI in the developing country.

Results:

NSSI rates are very variable, ranging from 11.5% to as high as 33.8%, depending on the nature of the sample and study design, but data show an increasing trend globally, including in developing countries.

Conclusion:

The recent emerging data does not support the notion that it is common in developed Western countries, though the meaning, context and reason for NSSI might differ in developing and developed countries. NSSI is almost equally prevalent in both developing and developed countries.
Does Irrigation Mediate Inclusiveness in Education? A Study of Two Villages in Hyderabad and Karnataka
Authors: Scaria Suma
Published: July 2020

This study basically tries to understand how far sources of irrigation mediate development outcomes relating to education. This micro-level study based on a comparative study of both canal-irrigated and non-canal-irrigated villages in the Hyderabad–Karnataka region shows that public irrigation plays a major role in achieving inclusiveness in education, especially higher education. Unlike a non-canal-irrigated village, in a canal-irrigated village, along with ‘ dominant castes, a few Scheduled Castes (SCs) also have access to higher education. The access to ‘quality education’, in terms of private institutions and English medium schools, is also inclusive in canal-irrigated villages. On the other hand, access to education is limited to big landowners in a non-canal-irrigated village. However, a gender-wise analysis shows that the above inclusiveness in canal-irrigated villages regarding access to education has failed to reach women. Such outcomes in education are explained in terms of landownership pattern, private investment in irrigation and gendered access to education.
COVID-19: Beyond Biological Dynamics
Authors: Qadeer Imrana , Ghosh Sourindra Mohan
Published: July 2020

In the absence of specific drugs and vaccines, precautions at the personal level (hygiene, maintaining physical distancing and so on), people’s participation in population-level interventions (such as sharing scientific information, case-tracking and strategic area-specific lockdowns) and health service system preparedness are the three key available measures against the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the necessary ingredients for these three measures are missing— induced by poverty and structural inequality; a lack of people’s trust and a crippled public sector in health with a low resource base; shrinking, fragmented and weakened infrastructure that has lost on inter-institutional referral links and monitoring and surveillance systems. Not only has an ill-planned lockdown crippled an already struggling economy and depleted health systems and overshadowed containment efforts but the time has not been utilised to strengthen primary healthcare (PHC) services and secondary and tertiary public sector healthcare infrastructure. A phased relaxation of the lockdown with a comprehensive fiscal stimulus to jump-start the economy, coupled with the strengthening of health systems that put the needs of the poor at the forefront, is suggested.
Using Media for Coping: A Scoping Review
Authors: Wolfers Lara N. , Schneider Frank M.
Published: July 2020

Mobile phones, television, internet services, games, and social media offer diverse and numerous opportunities for coping with stress in everyday life. Different disciplines have contributed to answering how these media are used for coping. Consequently, fragmented and disconnected research perspectives have evolved. To improve integration, we conducted a scoping review. A total of 318 articles met the inclusion criteria. Three main perspectives on media use for coping were identified: (1) stress and coping, (2) mood management and emotion regulation, and (3) media addiction and problematic media use. Each perspective has contributed to different aspects of the use of media for coping. Six advancements are proposed, which attempt to integrate perspectives and to guide future research on coping using media.
The pharmacogenetics of opioid treatment for pain management
Authors: Singh Ashley , Zai Clement , Mohiuddin Ayeshah G , Kennedy James L
Published: July 2020

Background:

Opioids are widely used as an analgesic for the treatment of moderate to severe pain. However, there are interindividual variabilities in opioid response. Current evidence suggests that these variabilities can be attributed to single nucleotide polymorphisms in genes involved in opioid pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics. Knowledge of these genetic factors through pharamacogenetic (PGx) testing can help clinicians to more consistently prescribe opioids that can provide patients with maximal clinical benefit and minimal risk of adverse effects.

Aim:

The research outlined in this literature review identifies variants involved in opioid PGx, which may be an important tool to achieving the goal of personalized pain management.

Results:

Cytochrome P450 ( CYP) 2D6, CYP3A4, CYP3A5, catechol-o-methyltransferase ( COMT), adenosine triphosphate binding cassette transporter B1 ( ABCB1), opioid receptor mu 1 ( OPRM1), and opioid receptor delta 1 ( OPRD1) are all important genes involved in opioid drug response, side effect profile and risk of dependence; these are important genetic factors that should be included in potential opioid PGx tests for pain management.

Conclusions:

Employing a PGx-guided strategy for prescribing opioids can improve response rate, reduce side effects and increase adherence to treatment plans for pain; more research is needed to explore opioid-related PGx factors for the development and validation of an opioid genetic panel. Optimal prescriptions could also provide healthcare payers with beneficial savings, while reducing the risk of propagating the current opioid crisis.
Where to buy a house in the United States amid COVID-19?
Authors: Zhai Wei , Peng Zhong-Ren
Published: July 2020

Home prices and rent prices in the USA have been growing steadily over the past decade. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has decimated entire sectors of the American economy, which makes the homebuying decision more intricate. We mapped multiple metrics to indicate the best place to buy a house amid COVID-19. For many counties in the central area of the USA, the price-to-rent ratio highly recommends people to buy a house, but the home prices have declined since the outbreak of COVID-19. The price-to-rent ratio and increasing home price suggest that people should not buy a home in big coastal cities under the current circumstances.
The Reproduction of money material in Marx’s Capital II (by way of a critique of Sandemose’s ‘gold digging’)
Authors: Friedenthal Tomás
Published: July 2020

The question of the reproduction of money material is a crucial feature in the investigation of the cycle of the total social capital that Marx tackled in the context of simple reproduction analysis in Part Three of Capital II. However, his inquiry was left unfinished, so the problem remained ultimately unsolved. This unsettled character was first identified by Luxemburg and later by Grossman. Sandemose attempted to reconstruct the ‘missing fragment’ of Marx’s investigation, where the analysis of the reproduction of the constant capital of gold producers should have been accomplished, alleging that its absence contributed to keep out of sight a central problem addressed there by Marx: that is, ‘the problem of the excess money necessary for the passage from simple reproduction to accumulation’. Sandemose claims also to have accurately reconstructed the passage, attaining a definite solution to the problem that Marx left unanswered. This article shows that both allegations are completely unwarranted. First, it demonstrates that under simple reproduction assumptions there is actually no (net) hoard formation (‘excess money’), in spite of Sandemose’s claim. This also entails a critique of Marx’s conclusions. As a corollary, Sandemose’s thesis that the central problem Marx addressed there was that of the ‘excess money’ needed for accumulation proves to be untenable. Second, the article also demonstrates that Sandemose’s reconstruction of Marx’s ‘missing fragment’ is fundamentally flawed, offering at the same time a consistent alternative. By this means, the investigation initiated by Marx is finally completed. As a result, and beyond its outward polemic character, this article actually renders an ideal (i.e. in thought) simple reproduction of the real process of reproduction of the total social capital, where replacement of the money material is fully taken into account.
Selling debt: Interrogating the moral claims of the financial elites in Central Asia
Authors: Sanghera Balihar , Satybaldieva Elmira
Published: July 2020

This article critically examines how banks and microfinance companies morally construed and evaluated their lending practices and income in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Banks occupy a powerful position in a monetary economy, because they do not merely create money ‘out of thin air’, but can charge for it, that is, interest. In doing so, they obtain unearned income and extract wealth. The article examines how banks and microfinance companies used myths, ideals, discourses, norms and emotions to justify and de-politicise their unequal power, unearned income and damaging effects. The study draws on the moral economy perspective and the post-Keynesian theory of money to understand financial institutions’ moral justifications and rationalisations of their position and power. This article contributes to a wider literature on neoliberalism and morality in post-socialist economies.
Mechanistic Analyses and Modeling of Pavement Sections Utilizing Sustainable Aggregate Quarry By-Product Applications
Authors: Qamhia Issam I. A. , Tutumluer Erol , Ozer Hasan , Solanki Pranshoo
Published: July 2020

This paper presents a modeling study based on finite element (FE) analysis to mechanistically evaluate flexible pavements constructed with quarry by-products (QB). Twelve pavement test sections, a control section, and 11 others incorporating QB as unbound subgrade replacement and chemically stabilized base/subbase applications were evaluated for field performance using accelerated pavement testing (APT). First, falling weight deflectometer (FWD) deflection basin parameters were calculated and compared with critical pavement responses to evaluate the structural adequacies of the QB pavement sections. The moduli of the constructed pavement layers were then backcalculated from the FWD deflections using the GT-PAVE FE analysis program with nonlinear and cross-anisotropic layer characterizations. For stabilized QB applications, the layer properties calculated from this analysis for the base/subbase layers were used to calculate critical pavement responses. The sections were compared using a response benefit parameter, defined as the ratio of maximum resilient surface deflection in a conventional pavement, as the control section, to that obtained for each section having a certain QB application in consideration. According to the results obtained from the APT sections and the mechanistic FE analyses, the measured and calculated FWD deflection basins were successfully matched with individual sensor errors not exceeding 5% for all 12 test sections. The calculated response benefits indicated significant advantages for using cement-stabilized QB applications over fly ash-stabilized QB applications and conventional flexible pavement sections. Considering the pavement structural response benefits and good performance trends observed, major cost benefits can be realized by routine use of these sustainable QB applications.
Assessing the Existing Bursa Light Rail Transportation System
Authors: Rizelioğlu Mehmet , Arslan Turan
Published: July 2020

As car ownership soars, traffic congestion and its associated negative impacts have become real concerns in many cities around the world. Therefore, transportation systems that perform better in eliminating or reducing traffic congestion and related problems to tolerable levels have become imperative. Alternative transit systems should be assessed properly to accommodate the expected demand in the long term, at least, to some significant extent. However, this is generally neglected in developing countries and, among many possible alternatives, a popular transportation system is usually preferred within the available budget. As an example, Bursa Metropolitan Municipality, Turkey, has recently implemented a light rail transportation system (LRT) on its major east–west corridor as the main transit system. In this study, the existing LRT is assessed and its performance is compared with a hypothetical bus rapid transit (BRT) system, which is a strong contender and comparatively a lower-cost alternative. This is done to assess whether the LRT was the better choice in relation to the current demand. Therefore, in this study, the existing LRT system is first defined in the PTV VISSIM simulation environment. Then, the hypothetical BRT system is considered on the same route with the current demand. The capability and capacities of the existing LRT and the BRT system are assessed and compared in many aspects. The results are compared, and important findings are outlined.
Legal Developments for Students With Dyslexia
Authors: Zirkel Perry A.
Published: July 2020

This article provides a current, comprehensive, and concise overview of the law specific to students with dyslexia in K–12 schools. It consists of (a) an overview of the applicable legal framework, which includes the federal foundation in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, (b) a compact tabulation of the state dyslexia laws that fits within this overall framework, and (c) a summary of a representative sample of court decisions specific to the identification of and interventions for students with dyslexia. The discussion identifies the legal lessons of the applicable state laws and court decisions within the overall limitations of law and suggests illustrative areas for follow-up research.
Time, the Written Record, and Professional Practice: The Case of Contemporary Social Work
Authors: Lillis Theresa , Leedham Maria , Twiner Alison
Published: July 2020

Drawing on a three-year ethnographically oriented study exploring contemporary professional social work writing, this article focuses on a key concern: the amount of time taken up with writing, or “paperwork.” We explore the relationship between time and professional social work writing in three key ways: (a) as a discrete, measurable phenomenon—how much time is spent on writing? (b) as a textual dimension to social work writing—how do institutional documents drive particular entextualizations of time and how do social worker texts entextualize time? (c) as a particular timespace configuration of lived experience—how is time experienced by professional social workers? Findings indicate that a dominant institutional chronotope is governing social work textual practice underpinned by an ideology of writing that is at odds with social workers’ desired practice and professional goals. Methodologically, this article illustrates the value of combining a range of data and analytic tools, using textual and contextual data as well as qualitative and quantitative frames of analysis.
Parental Attitudes in Child Maltreatment
Authors: Camilo Cláudia , Garrido Margarida Vaz , Calheiros Maria Manuela
Published: July 2020

An information-processing approach to maladaptive parenting suggests that high-risk and maltreating parents are likely to hold inaccurate and biased preexisting cognitive schemata about child development and child rearing. Importantly, these schemas, which may include values, beliefs, expectations, and attitudes, are known to influence the way parents perceive and subsequently act toward their children. However, the few studies specifically addressing parental attitudes only considered global maltreatment, not distinguishing abuse from neglect. Moreover, few have considered dual-process models of cognition, relying mostly on the explicit level of parental attitudes that can be prone to various biases. Based on the Social Information Processing (SIP) model of child abuse and neglect, this study examines the association of parents preexisting cognitive schemata, namely explicit and implicit parental attitudes, and child abuse and neglect. A convenience sample of 201 mothers (half with at least one child referred to child protection services) completed a measure of explicit parental attitudes and a speed-accuracy task related to parenting. Abuse and neglect were measured with self-report and professionals-report instruments. Overall, the results support the hypothesis that maladaptive parenting is related with more biased preexisting cognitive schemas, namely attitudes related to parenting, but only for neglect and particularly when reported by professionals. Moreover, the results observed with both the explicit and implicit measures of attitudes were convergent, with mothers presenting more inadequate explicit attitudes also exhibiting an overall lower performance in the implicit attitudes task. This study is likely to contribute to the SIP framework of child abuse and neglect, particularly for the elucidation of the sociocognitive factors underlying maladaptive parenting, while also providing relevant cues for prevention and intervention programs.
The Latent Genetic Structure of Impulsivity and Its Relation to Internalizing Psychopathology
Authors: Gustavson Daniel E. , Friedman Naomi P. , Fontanillas Pierre , Elson Sarah L. ,   the 23andMe Research Team, Palmer Abraham A. , Sanchez-Roige Sandra
Published: July 2020

Factor analyses suggest that impulsivity traits that capture tendencies to act prematurely or take risks tap partially distinct constructs. We applied genomic structure equation modeling to evaluate the genetic factor structure of two well-established impulsivity questionnaires, using published statistics from genome-wide association studies of up to 22,861 participants. We also tested the hypotheses that delay discounting would be genetically separable from other impulsivity factors and that emotionally triggered facets of impulsivity (urgency) would be those most strongly genetically correlated with an internalizing latent factor. A five-factor model best fitted the impulsivity data. Delay discounting was genetically distinct from these five factors. As expected, the two urgency subscales were most strongly related to an internalizing-psychopathology latent factor. These findings provide empirical genetic evidence that impulsivity can be broken down into distinct categories of differential relevance for internalizing psychopathology. They also demonstrate how measured genetic markers can be used to inform theories of psychology and personality.
An accurate and efficient machine fault diagnosis approach using a recurring broad learning model
Authors: Guo Li , Li Runze , Jiang Bin
Published: July 2020

In most of previous machine fault diagnosis, the performance of traditional methods was over-dependent on high-quality feature extraction from original signals. Recently, deep learning–based fault recognition methods can successful automatically learn high-level hidden features from measured signals, but a deep neural network has too much hyperparameter tuning and a complicated architecture, so the training process is time-consuming. To address these issues, a novel machine fault diagnosis approach using a recurring broad learning model is reported in this article. This method uses a recurring broad learning model first proposed in this article, which learns high-level hidden features from sensor signals with different working status of a machine effectively and efficiently. Experimental results conducted on two public machine fault datasets verify the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed approach for machine fault diagnosis separately. Compared with many existing mainstream methods, the state-of-the-art framework presented reveals its superiority on both datasets. The accuracy achieves nearly 100% on both bearing dataset (Dataset 1) and gearbox-bearing dataset (Dataset 2). In addition, it can obviously realize faster training than most of the methods reported in this article.
Outbreak of botulism type A in dairy cows detected by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry
Authors: Frye Elisha A. , Egan Christina , Perry Michael J. , Crouch Esther E. , Burbank Kyle E. , Kelly Kathleen M.
Published: July 2020

Twenty-eight lactating dairy cattle in New York State were exposed to botulism toxin; 12 died and 16 recovered but never returned to full productivity. Pieces of a raccoon carcass were found in the total mixed ration on the first day of the outbreak. Clinical signs included anorexia, decreased milk production, decreased tongue tone, profound weakness, and recumbency. Clostridium botulinum type A (BoNT/A) was detected in rumen contents from 2 deceased cows via matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). In addition, C. botulinum type C was cultured from the liver of a third cow, and C. botulinum neurotoxin-producing type C gene ( bont/C) was detected via real-time PCR. On postmortem examination, 4 cows had findings suggestive of toxic myopathy, but the cause and significance of these lesions is unknown given that botulism is typically not associated with gross or histologic lesions. This outbreak of BoNT/A in cattle in North America was diagnosed via MALDI-TOF MS, a rapid and sensitive modality for detection of botulinum preformed neurotoxin.
Seroprevalence of Leptospira spp. in Colorado equids and association with clinical disease
Authors: Fagre Anna C. , Mayo Christie E. , Pabilonia Kristy L. , Landolt Gabriele A.
Published: July 2020

Detection of Leptospira interrogans is difficult as a result of intermittent leptospiruria and brief leptospiremia. Hence, diagnosis relies heavily on serologic testing, the reference method of which is the microscopic agglutination test (MAT). In horses, clinical leptospirosis has been associated with abortion, recurrent uveitis, and sporadic cases of hepatic and renal disease. Little information exists on the seroprevalence of antibodies to L. interrogans in equids in the United States; past nationwide studies suggest that the seroprevalence in some areas is as high as 77% (reciprocal titer ≥ 100). We tested sera from 124 apparently healthy horses previously submitted for equine infectious anemia (EIA) serology using MAT for 6 serovars—Bratislava, Canicola, Grippotyphosa, Hardjo, Icterohaemorrhagiae, and Pomona. When using a reciprocal MAT titer cutoff of ≥ 100, 102 of 124 (82%) of the samples were positive for at least one serovar. Seropositivity was significantly associated with increasing age. Query of specimens from clinical cases submitted to the Colorado State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory for MAT since 2010 indicated significantly greater seroprevalence ( p = 0.015) of pathogenic serovar Pomona in clinical cases compared to sera submitted from healthy equids for routine EIA testing. Information from our diagnostic laboratory submission forms also suggests a correlation between uveitis or other ophthalmic problems and serovar Pomona.
Alveolar echinococcosis in a dog in the eastern United States
Authors: Zajac Anne , Fairman Donald , McGee Evan , Wells Bridgette , Peregrine Andrew , Jenkins Emily , LeRoith Tanya , St John Bethany
Published: July 2020

An 8-y-old Labrador Retriever was presented to a small animal practice in northern Virginia with a history of recent lethargy. Physical examination findings were unremarkable. Ultrasound revealed several large hepatic masses and multiple smaller masses involving the pancreas. Cytologic findings on fine-needle aspirates of the hepatic masses included inflammation and necrosis with eosinophilic, membranous oval structures consistent with cestode infection. Histopathologic findings for biopsies of these masses included extensive necrosis, inflammation, and PAS-positive hyaline-like membranous material interpreted as metacestode cyst wall. A PCR product was generated from aspirate material using primers specific for Echinococcus multilocularis. Subsequent sequence data were 100% homologous to E. multilocularis NADH dehydrogenase subunit I gene sequences. The dog received daily oral albendazole (10 mg/kg) treatment, but its condition deteriorated, and the dog was euthanized. The dog, born in Mississippi, was brought as a puppy to Virginia with no other travel history. To our knowledge, alveolar echinococcosis has not been reported previously in a dog in the United States; E. multilocularis infection was apparently acquired in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States.
A computational study on the effect of bending number on superelastic behavior of NiTi for medical application
Authors: Nematzadeh Fardin
Published: July 2020

NiTi self-expanding stents can be exploited in medical applications such as thoracic aortic aneurysm owing to its effects on minimizing problems such as low twistability, unsuitable dynamic performance, and inadequate radial mechanical strength. The present simulation models NiTi superelasticity based on the thermodynamics of the Helmholtz free energy (Auricchio theory) and the thermodynamics of the Gibbs free energy (Lagoudas theory). The three-dimensional nonlinear finite element method is used to evaluate the influences of bend number on the superelastic manners of new geometries designed for Z-shaped thoracic aortic aneurysm NiTi stents by the use of a radial strain (crimping) test. NiTi stents with the lowest number of bends and highest segment length showed the best mechanical performance owing to their lower chronic outward force, higher radial resistive force, and whole superelastic behavior. This numerical study can provide a suitable way of assessing the biomechanical properties of thoracic aortic aneurysm stents given the effects of geometrical parameters.
Design of bypass rotary vane magnetorheological damper for prosthetic knee application
Authors: Saini Radhe Shyam Tak , Chandramohan Sujatha , Sujatha S , Kumar Hemantha
Published: July 2020

Semi-active systems using magnetorheological fluids have been realized in many novel devices such as linear dampers, rotary dampers, brakes, and so on. Rotary vane-type magnetorheological damper is one such device that uses magnetorheological fluid as a hydraulic medium and a controllable magnetorheological valve to generate variable resistance. This device, due to its limited angle motion, lends itself to a natural application for prosthetic knee joint. In this article, a bypass rotary vane-type magnetorheological damper suitable for prosthetic knee device is designed. In the proposed design, the rotary vane chamber and the bypass magnetorheological valve are connected using hydraulic cables and ports. The design of rotary cylinder is implemented based on the largest possible dimensions within the envelope of a healthy human knee, while the magnetorheological valve is designed optimally using a multi-objective genetic algorithm optimization. Off-state braking torque, induced on-state braking torque and mass of the valve are selected as three objectives. The torque and angular velocity requirements of the normal human knee are used as design limits. The optimal solution is chosen from the obtained Pareto fronts by prioritizing the objective of weight reduction of magnetorheological valve. The optimal solution is capable of producing a damping torque of 73 Nm at a design speed of 8.4 rpm and current supply of 1.9 A. Potential benefits offered by this design when compared with multi-plate magnetorheological brake are flow mode operation, large clearance gap, and fewer design components, thus reducing the manufacturing complexity.
Twin-driven actuator with multi-layered disc magnetorheological fluid clutches for haptics
Authors: Kikuchi Takehito , Abe Isao , Nagata Tomoya , Yamaguchi Akinori , Takano Tetsumasa
Published: July 2020

Magnetorheological fluids are composite materials made of ferromagnetic particles, medium oils, and several types of additives. We have developed actuation systems for the fine haptic control of master–slave robots. In this study, we proposed a new structure of a magnetorheological fluid–based actuator suitable for haptic devices. For the basic structure of the actuator, we proposed a twin-driven magnetorheological fluid actuator using two multi-layered disc-type magnetorheological fluid clutches for haptics. We conducted performance measures for the magnetorheological fluid clutches for haptics with three commercially available magnetorheological fluids (i.e. 122EG, 132DG, and 140CG from Lord Corp.). The experimental results show that 132DG is a better material for force control. Then, we proposed two types of twin-driven magnetorheological fluid actuators (i.e. link type and belt type) and compared their performance. The results show that the averages of the time constant are 19.1 and 16.1 ms for the link type and belt type, respectively. Furthermore, the averages of torque error are 0.033 and 0.068 N m for the link type and belt type, respectively. However, the belt-type twin-driven magnetorheological fluid actuator is better if a large range of motion is required, while the link-type twin-driven magnetorheological fluid actuator is better if accurate torque control is required.
Least-squares method for laminated beams with distributed braided piezoelectric composite actuators
Authors: Zhou Bo , Ma Xiao , Wang Shuai , Xue Shifeng
Published: July 2020

Piezoelectric ceramics are a very popular material in the field of actuator technology due to their unique piezoelectric properties. However, the brittle behavior of ceramics endangers the reliability of piezoelectric actuators. In this article, the three-dimensional braided piezoelectric composite is utilized to ameliorate the reliability and driving capability of piezoelectric actuators. The static analysis of laminated beam with the distributed braided piezoelectric composite actuator is presented to study its driving capability. Based on the piezoelectric constitutive equations and Euler–Bernoulli beam theory, the governing equation of the piezoelectric laminated beam is derived. The least-squares method for the piezoelectric laminated beam is established to solve the derived governing equation. The current approach is validated by comparison with published results and finite element results. In the numerical examples, the effects of the number and spacing of the three-dimensional braided piezoelectric composite patches, actuator central location, actuator length, actuator thickness ratio, cantilever beam thickness, applied voltage and fiber volume fraction on the driving capability of the distributed braided piezoelectric composite actuator are investigated. This study suggests the potential use of the distributed braided piezoelectric composite actuator in intelligent structures and provides useful guidance for the design and optimization of piezoelectric actuators.
Former NICU Families Describe Gaps in Family-Centered Care
Authors: Sigurdson Krista , Profit Jochen , Dhurjati Ravi , Morton Christine , Scala Melissa , Vernon Lelis , Randolph Ashley , Phan Jessica T. , Franck Linda S.
Published: July 2020

Care and outcomes of infants admitted to neonatal intensive care vary and differences in family-centered care may contribute. The objective of this study was to understand families’ experiences of neonatal care within a framework of family-centered care. We conducted focus groups and interviews with 18 family members whose infants were cared for in California neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) using a grounded theory approach and centering the accounts of families of color and/or of low socioeconomic status. Families identified the following challenges that indicated a gap in mutual trust and power sharing: conflict with or lack of knowledge about social work; staff judgment of, or unwillingness to address barriers to family presence at bedside; need for nurse continuity and meaningful relationship with nurses and inconsistent access to translation services. These unmet needs for partnership in care or support were particularly experienced by parents of color or of low socioeconomic status.
Multiple Motor Learning Processes in Humans: Defining Their Neurophysiological Bases
Authors: Spampinato Danny , Celnik Pablo
Published: July 2020

Learning new motor behaviors or adjusting previously learned actions to account for dynamic changes in our environment requires the operation of multiple distinct motor learning processes, which rely on different neuronal substrates. For instance, humans are capable of acquiring new motor patterns via the formation of internal model representations of the movement dynamics and through positive reinforcement. In this review, we will discuss how changes in human physiological markers, assessed with noninvasive brain stimulation techniques from distinct brain regions, can be utilized to provide insights toward the distinct learning processes underlying motor learning. We will summarize the findings from several behavioral and neurophysiological studies that have made efforts to understand how distinct processes contribute to and interact when learning new motor behaviors. In particular, we will extensively review two types of behavioral processes described in human sensorimotor learning: (1) a recalibration process of a previously learned movement and (2) acquiring an entirely new motor control policy, such as learning to play an instrument. The selected studies will demonstrate in-detail how distinct physiological mechanisms contributions change depending on the time course of learning and the type of behaviors being learned.
Memory Engrams in the Neocortex
Authors: Brodt Svenja , Gais Steffen
Published: July 2020

While in the past much of our knowledge about memory representations in the brain has relied on loss-of-function studies in which whole brain regions were temporarily inactivated or permanently lesioned, the recent development of new methods has ushered in a new era of downright “engram excitement.” Animal research is now able to specifically label, track, and manipulate engram cells in the brain. While early studies have mostly focused on single brain regions like the hippocampus, recently more and more evidence for brain-wide distributed engram networks is emerging. Memory research in humans has also picked up pace, fueled by promising magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based methods like diffusion-weighted MRI (DW-MRI) and brain decoding. In this review, we will outline recent advancements in engram research, with a focus on human data and neocortical representations. We will illustrate the available noninvasive methods for the detection of engrams in different neocortical regions like the medial prefrontal cortex and the posterior parietal cortex and discuss evidence for systems consolidation and parallel memory encoding. Finally, we will explore how reactivation and prior knowledge can lead to and enhance engram formation in the neocortex.
Reciprocal Upshot of Nitric Oxide, Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress, and Ubiquitin Proteasome System in Parkinson’s Disease Pathology
Authors: Tiwari Shubhangini , Singh Sarika
Published: July 2020

Parkinson’s disease (PD) pathology involves degeneration of nigrostriatal pathway, postulating symptoms associated with age, environment, and genetic anomalies, including nonlinear disease progression. Hallmark characteristics of PD include dopaminergic neuronal degeneration and death, which may also be exhibited by other neurological diseases, making the diagnosis of the disease intricate at early stage. Such obscure diagnosis of the disease, limited symptomatic improvements with available therapeutics, and their inability to modify the disease status instigate us to appraise the past research and formulate the colligating comprehensive insights. This review is accentuating on the role of nitric oxide, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and their association with the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) during PD pathology involving focus on ubiquitin ligases due to their regulatory functions. Meticulous understanding of these major disease-related pathological events and their functional alliance may render novel dimensions for better understanding of disease etiology, related mechanisms, as well as direction toward witnessing of new therapeutic targets for the management of Parkinson’s patients.
COVID-19: A Perspective from Clinical Neurology and Neuroscience
Authors: Pero Adriana , Ng Sabrina , Cai Dongming
Published: July 2020

Despite the increasing large population of COVID-19+ infected patients, knowledge of the disease remains limited. Understanding the effects and long-term implications of COVID-19 will be paramount to implementing the right public health measures and developing future preventive and effective treatments. In this article, we discuss currently available information with COVID-19-related neurological complications, possible routes of virus infection into the central nervous system, and hypothesis about virus-induced cytokine storm syndrome, long-term outcomes, as well as ongoing clinical studies of novel therapies and biomarkers for COVID-19. Understanding the effects of COVID-19 on neurological systems is crucial for properly diagnosing and caring for the disease. We need to be prepared that COVID-19 could cause long-lasting debilitations after the infection has cleared. Investigating long-term effects of the disease will yield insight for providing comprehensive care to the survivors. Understanding these risks will also lead to better treatments as well as inform policies to create a system capable of caring for those affected by COVID-19 long after the pandemic has subsided.
A Systematic Review of the Effects of Schoolwide Intervention Programs on Student and Teacher Perceptions of School Climate
Authors: Charlton Cade T. , Moulton Sara , Sabey Christian V. , West Richard
Published: July 2020

A safe, supportive school climate is critical for school effectiveness. Unfortunately, the research linking a positive school climate to critical student outcomes includes few systematic reviews of the school climate literature and no reviews focused on the effects of interventions to improve school climate. This review examined the methodological quality and findings from 18 experimental studies evaluating the effects of schoolwide interventions on teacher and student perceptions of school climate. Each study was rated in terms of quality of the methods and magnitude of effects on school climate. Results indicated that only three of the 25 articles were considered methodologically sound. Effect sizes estimating the differences in teacher perceptions of school climate ranged from −0.29 to 1.69, while those concerning differences in student perceptions ranged from 0.03 to 1.93. Studies examining the effects of schoolwide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS) and social and emotional learning (SEL) interventions were the most methodologically sound and associated with the highest effect sizes.
Repurposing the power injectable peripherally inserted central catheter as a tunnelled, non-cuffed, centrally inserted central venous catheter in oncological patients for short- to mid-term vascular access: A pilot study
Authors: Low Xi Zhen , Tay Kiang Hiong , Leong Sum , Lo Richard Hoau Gong , Zhuang Kun Da , Chua Jasmine Ming Er , Too Chow Wei
Published: July 2020

Objectives:

Usual short- to mid-term vascular accesses for oncologic patients include the peripherally inserted central catheter and non-tunnelled centrally inserted central catheters, inserted in the supraclavicular or infraclavicular area. Peripherally inserted central catheters can be restrictive in active patients; supraclavicular non-tunnelled centrally inserted central catheters are not ideal in terms of exit site location and cosmesis, while infraclavicular non-tunnelled centrally inserted central catheters may be associated with puncture-related complications. In this pilot study, we have evaluated the off-label use of peripherally inserted central catheters as a tunnelled supraclavicular centrally inserted central catheter.

Methods:

Ten patients were recruited for this prospective study. A non-cuffed, power injectable peripherally inserted central catheter was inserted via a short subcutaneous tunnel into the internal jugular vein using the peel-away sheath and introducer as a tunneller. Puncture wounds were closed with tissue glue. Patients were followed up for comfort scores, dwell time and complications.

Results:

The median dwell time was 94 days (mean of 113 days). One catheter was removed due to systemic fungemia, resulting in an acceptable complication rate of 0.97 per 1000 catheter days.Mean patient-reported comfort scores was 16 (out of 20). Pressurised injections for computer tomography imaging were performed in five patients without complications.

Conclusion:

Despite limited numbers, this method appears to be safe and well accepted with low complication rates. This modified vascular access is low profile, easily concealed, readily removable and compatible with pressure injector and uses a commonly found catheter in a modified fashion. Larger prospective trials will be needed to ascertain if it can be a standard of care for oncological patients.
Towards the Commercial Drone—From Projectized Weapons Back to the Hobbyist’s Shed
Authors: Weller Kevin
Published: July 2020

This review-essay of Adam Rothstein’s Drone (2015) analyzes drone technology, more explicitly, the emerging opportunities for commercial and private usage of drones, in two parts: While the first part is dedicated to a careful reading of Rothstein’s book and an exploration of his method of tracing emerging technologies as narratives in terms of their constitutional technologies—the stories of four technologies that preceded the drone and proved integral to its emergence—the second part of this review seeks to extend his method toward recent examples of commercial and private drone-usage, exploring how the adaption of drone technology in different realms of application (such as commodity delivery, entertainment through drone-races, or even political protest and terrorism) shapes the societal conception of drones and their perceived usage. Since drones represent a derivative of military technology, a short section on the ethics of drones that engages with some of the points raised by Rothstein will show how, despite the drone’s unglamorous past as a hunter from above, the adaption of drone technology in new contexts might over time change this one-sided conception of drones as mere tools of warfare and surveillance toward a balanced understanding of the risks and chances associated with this young technology.
(In)visibilizing Vulnerable Community Members: Processes of Urban Inclusion and Exclusion in Parkdale, Toronto
Authors: Ostanel Elena
Published: July 2020

The visibility and invisibility of vulnerable individuals or groups in public space have been extensively used as a conceptual tool to assess the “public” character of space. This article analyses the case study of the Parkdale neighborhood in Toronto demonstrating how public space is constructed in a path-dependent territorial process where different layers play a dynamic constitutive role: a material, a discursive, and a policy dimension. It argues that urban visibilization and invisibilization in public spaces extensively affect the dynamics of urban inclusion and exclusion, particularly when they are used in specific territorial stigmatization and destigmatization processes. The investigation enables to better understand the socio-spatial conditions comprising the “denial” and “recognition” of certain groups and individuals at the neighborhood level by understanding how local policies and community-based practices influence the complex dynamic of “seeing and being seen” in an urban environment.