bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PAPI software-defined events for in-depth performance analysis
Authors: Jagode Heike , Danalis Anthony , Anzt Hartwig , Dongarra Jack
Published: May 2019

The methodology and standardization layer provided by the Performance Application Programming Interface (PAPI) has played a vital role in application profiling for almost two decades. It has enabled sophisticated performance analysis tool designers and performance-conscious scientists to gain insights into their applications by simply instrumenting their code using a handful of PAPI functions that “just work” across different hardware components. In the past, PAPI development had focused primarily on hardware-specific performance metrics. However, the rapidly increasing complexity of software infrastructure poses new measurement and analysis challenges for the developers of large-scale applications. In particular, acquiring information regarding the behavior of libraries and runtimes—used by scientific applications—requires low-level binary instrumentation, or APIs specific to each library and runtime. No uniform API for monitoring events that originate from inside the software stack has emerged. In this article, we present our efforts to extend PAPI’s role so that it becomes the de facto standard for exposing performance-critical events, which we refer to as software-defined events (SDEs), from different software layers. Upgrading PAPI with SDEs enables monitoring of both types of performance events—hardware- and software-related events—in a uniform way, through the same consistent PAPI. The goal of this article is threefold. First, we motivate the need for SDEs and describe our design decisions regarding the functionality we offer through PAPI’s new SDE interface. Second, we illustrate how SDEs can be utilized by different software packages, specifically, by showcasing their use in the numerical linear algebra library MAGMA-Sparse, the tensor algebra library TAMM that is part of the NWChem suite, and the compiler-based performance analysis tool Byfl. Third, we provide a performance analysis of the overhead that results from monitoring SDEs and discuss the trade-offs between overhead and functionality.
Effect of the variability in implantation depth of intracorneal ring segments using the femtosecond laser technology in corneal ectasia
Authors: Peris-Martínez Cristina , Dualde-Beltrán Cristina , Fernández-López Ester , Roig-Revert Maria José , Hernández-Díaz Mikhail , Piñero David P
Published: May 2019

Purpose:

To analyze the impact of the depth of implantation of intracorneal ring segments on morphological, biomechanical, and clinical outcomes in ectatic corneas.

Methods:

This prospective longitudinal study enrolled 40 eyes of 29 patients (age 20–51 years) with corneal ectasia that underwent intracorneal ring segments implantation (KeraRing, Mediphacos). Changes in visual acuity, refraction, corneal tomography, and corneal biomechanics (Ocular Response Analyzer, Reichert) were evaluated during a 6 month follow-up. Likewise, changes in ring segment implantation depth measured by optical coherence tomography (Visante OCT, Carl Zeiss Meditec) were also evaluated.

Results:

Mean relative depth of implantation was 71.6 ± 5.8%, 71.5 ± 6.5%, and 71.9 ± 6.3% at 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery, respectively (p = 0.827). The difference between the real relative depth of implantation and the theoretical attempted value of 70% was not statistically significant (p = 0.072). Differences in spherical equivalent during the follow-up changed significantly depending on the level of relative depth of implantation (p = 0.036), with an increase of 0.114 D per each 1% increase in relative depth of implantation. Likewise, a decrease of –0.194 D in the steepest keratometric reading was found per each decrease of 1% in relative depth of implantation (p = 0.026). Changes in corneal thickness (p = 0.092) and biomechanics (p = 0.080) were not related to relative depth of implantation.

Conclusion:

The effect on visual acuity and refraction of intracorneal ring segments when implanted in corneal ectasia is less clinically relevant when the implantation is done at a very deep plane. The variability of the depth of intracorneal ring segments implantation when using femtosecond laser technology is minimal and with no clinically significant effect on clinical outcomes.
Are Gaming-Enabled Graphic Processing Unit Cards Convenient for Molecular Dynamics Simulation?
Authors: Biagini Tommaso , Petrizzelli Francesco , Truglio Mauro , Cespa Roberto , Barbieri Alessandro , Capocefalo Daniele , Castellana Stefano , Tevy Maria Florencia , Carella Massimo , Mazza Tommaso
Published: May 2019

In several fields of research, molecular dynamics simulation techniques are exploited to evaluate the temporal motion of particles constituting water, ions, small molecules, macromolecules, or more complex systems over time. These techniques are considered difficult to setup, computationally demanding and require high specialization and scientific skills. Moreover, they need specialized computing infrastructures to run faster and make the simulation of big systems feasible. Here, we have simulated 3 systems of increasing sizes on scientific- and gaming-enabled graphic processing unit (GPU) cards with Amber, GROMACS, and NAMD and measured their performance accounting also for the market prices of the GPU cards where they were run on.
Inverse Associations of Schistosoma mansoni Infection and Metabolic Syndromes in Humans: A Cross-Sectional Study in Northeast Ethiopia
Authors: Wolde Mistire , Berhe Nega , Medhin Girmay , Chala Feyissa , van Die Irma , Tsegaye Aster
Published: May 2019

Background:

Recent animal and retrospective human studies have demonstrated that Schistosoma mansoni infection may have potential to protect against development of metabolic syndromes. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess metabolic panel among S. mansoni egg positives and egg negatives in stool examinations. This study was a cross-sectional study, conducted involving 120 participants from S. mansoni endemic town (Kemise) and 61 from non-endemic town (Kombolcha), Northeast Ethiopia. Stool samples were collected and examined for S. mansoni and other helminths using Kato-Katz method. Furthermore, blood samples were collected and used for determination of blood sugar, lipid profile tests, insulin, and C-reactive protein. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 20. Chi-square test, independent mean t-test, and logistic regression models were employed on data. P values less than .05 were considered as statistically significant.

Results:

S. mansoni infected participants (n = 41; all from Kemise) had significantly lower levels of fasting blood sugar, low prevalence of dyslipidemia (at least one or more abnormal lipid profile tests; total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C], high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C], and triglycerides) as compared with controls (n = 79 in Kemise and 61 in Kombolcha). Moreover, logistic regression model indicated that with the adjusted odds ratios, there was significant inverse association between S. mansoni infection and impaired fasting glucose (adjusted odds ratio −0.181, 95% confidence interval: 0.042-0.774).

Conclusions:

Low fasting blood sugar and reduced prevalence of dyslipidemia in S. mansoni egg positive participants might suggest inverse association of S. mansoni infection and development of metabolic syndromes. Furthermore, large-scale studies are recommended to assess the role of S. mansoni egg and/or worm antigens in modulating the host metabolic profile and reducing the risk of metabolic syndromes, including diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases.
Respiratory Fungal Diseases in Adult Patients With Cystic Fibrosis
Authors: Delfino Emanuele , Del Puente Filippo , Briano Federica , Sepulcri Chiara , Giacobbe Daniele Roberto
Published: May 2019

Clinical manifestations of respiratory fungal diseases in adult cystic fibrosis (CF) patients are very heterogeneous, ranging from asymptomatic colonization to chronic infections, allergic disorders, or invasive diseases in immunosuppressed CF patients after lung transplantation. In this narrative review, mainly addressed to clinicians without expertise in CF who may nonetheless encounter adult CF patients presenting with acute and chronic respiratory syndromes, we briefly summarize the most representative clinical aspects of respiratory fungal diseases in adult CF patients.
A Suburban Dreamscape Outshining Urbanism: The Case of Housing Advertisements
Authors: Skrede Joar , Andersen Bengt
Published: May 2019

Cities and suburbs are often constructed as different socio-spatial entities to afford different ways of life. Although that dichotomy has been challenged, it has maintained its popularity in academic discourse. As with many European cities, the municipality of Oslo—the capital of Norway—is experiencing population growth. To provide sufficient accommodation for its inhabitants, the municipality has adopted a compact-city strategy to prevent urban sprawl. However, in 2018, a major private housing developer launched an advertising campaign that promoted the benefits of living in the suburbs rather than in dense urban environments. Using concepts that were adopted from “social semiotics,” this article demonstrates how specific uses of semiotic resources can create a suburban dreamscape that can potentially attract urbanites to suburbia.
A commentary on the special issue Performance and Citizenship: Challenging populist political performances through citizenship as performance?
Authors: Cabañes Jason Vincent A.
Published: May 2019

This piece teases out the links between this special issue’s key themes regarding performance and citizenship and the distinct realities of transitional democracies. To contribute to generating insights into other countries currently in the grip of populist political regimes, it looks at the case of the Philippines. In this context, it matters to think about the diversity of productions that can enable performances of citizenship. This is because contemporary media and communication research in the country has understandably but narrowly prioritised the toxicity of online political discourse brought about by the rise of populist political performances and political trolling. It also matters in the Philippines to think about the role of those involved in productions about performances of citizenship. This is because of the problems posed by how ‘authenticity’ has been hijacked by populism and has been weaponised against those who seek to critique the current political dispensation.
Performance-based seismic design of steel frames using constraint control method
Authors: Mansouri Seyed Fazlolah , Maheri Mahmoud R
Published: May 2019

In this article, the optimum performance-based seismic design of steel frames is performed using the novel constraint control method. This method is based on a simple concept generally used by the engineers in structural design. In this method, the most conservative member sections are initially selected and by gradually reducing the size of the sections through controlling the problem constraints, the solution tends to an optimum design. The capacity curve of the structure is evaluated through static nonlinear analysis and used for the seismic assessment, and the structural weight is optimized by controlling relative displacement constraints at performance levels of operational, immediate occupancy, life safety and collapse prevention. The performance and efficiency of the proposed algorithm in solving for optimum performance-based seismic design are assessed through solving three benchmark problems. The results show that using constraint control method drastically reduces the number of structural analyses required to reach a solution, compared to the more commonly used metaheuristic optimization methods, while producing comparable optimum solutions. For this reason, the constraint control method is found to be particularly suitable as an optimizer for solving solution-extensive problems, such as performance-based optimum design of structures.
On Schutz’s conception of science as one of multiple realities
Authors: Hammersley Martyn
Published: May 2019

This article examines Alfred Schutz’s concept of ‘multiple realities’, and in particular, his portrayal of science as one of these realities. It is noted that, while this concept has been widely cited, it has often been interpreted in ways that are at odds with key features of Schutz’s original formulation. A careful assessment is made of the main article he wrote dealing with this topic, focusing on the respects in which the ‘multiple realities’ he discusses are held to differ. Particular attention is given to the relationship between science and what Schutz calls ‘the paramount reality’, that of ‘daily life’. It is suggested that there are some serious problems with the distinctions he makes and that these relate to an ambiguity in his position: that he starts from within phenomenological psychology, drawing on the work of Husserl and James, but moves in a more naturalistic and sociological direction in his account of ‘the world of daily life’. This raises some fundamental questions about the nature of phenomenology and its relationship to social science.
You Are College Material—You Belong: An Underrepresented Minority Student Retention Intervention Without Deception
Authors: Patterson Silver Wolf David A. , Taylor Franklyn , Maguin Eugene , Asher BlackDeer Autumn
Published: May 2019

Declines in college persistence can lead to an array of negative individual-level consequences that can have implications for society in general. Dropout rates are higher among underrepresented minority college students (e.g., African American, Hispanic, and Native American/Alaska Native students) than among their nonminority peers. It has been postulated that these dropout rates are tied to social belonging; minorities drop out because they question whether they belong on a college campus. An earlier social-belonging intervention showed significant improvements in retention among minority students. The new randomized, controlled trial reported here tests, You Are College Material–You Belong, a brief social-belonging intervention. The sample for this study consisted of 207 students who self-enrolled in a section of the required freshmen preparation course at a community college; this location had the highest minority enrollment in the system. Of the 207 students, 102 were assigned to a control group and 105 to an experimental group. The results indicate that the fall-to-spring reenrollment rate was 17.4 percentage points higher among students in the experimental cohort than among counterparts in the control cohort. Studies in several disciplines have demonstrated that a sense of belonging is associated with a range of beneficial wellness and educational outcomes among all student racial groups. The results of this study suggest that social-belonging interventions can contribute to the improvement of academic retention outcomes for minority students.
Understanding the Complexity of Diabetes and Urinary Incontinence in Older Adults Receiving Home Care Services: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study
Authors: Northwood Melissa , Ploeg Jenny , Markle-Reid Maureen , Sherifali Diana
Published: May 2019

Urinary incontinence (UI) is a very prevalent problem for older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) receiving home care services. However, the complexities of living with UI and T2DM and providing nursing care for older adults in the home care context have received very little research attention. This article describes a protocol for a convergent, mixed methods research design study to address this knowledge and practice gap. The objectives of the proposed study are to (a) determine the prevalence and correlates of UI in older adults living with T2DM receiving home care services, (b) explore the experiences of older adults living with T2DM and UI receiving home care services, (c) explore the experiences of home care nurses caring for this population, and (d) converge the multiple data sources to provide a deeper understanding of the problem and implications for provision of home care services to this population. The research methods are informed by a model of clinical complexity. The quantitative strand will involve descriptive and inferential analysis of standardized home care assessment data (interRAI) to determine the prevalence and correlates of UI in older adults with T2DM receiving home care services. Interpretive description methods will be used in the qualitative strand, and interviews will be conducted with older adults and home care nurses. The findings will be converged to inform a better understanding of the complexity of living with these chronic conditions for older adults receiving home care services and generate implications for complex intervention development. This protocol highlights methodological insights in utilizing mixed methods research to inform intervention design.
A new local path planning approach based on improved dual covariant Hamiltonian optimization for motion planning method
Authors: You Bo , Li Zhi , Ding Liang , Gao Haibo , Xu Jiazhong
Published: May 2019

We propose a new local path planning approach based on optimization methods with probabilistic completeness in this article. This approach adds a linear constraint to the original covariant Hamiltonian optimization for motion planning problem with a new cost function. By deducing the dual form, the path planning problem is described as a box-constrained quadratic programming problem. The nonmonotone gradient projection algorithm is introduced to solve the dual problem, which makes the algorithm adaptable to non-convex cost functions. In order to prevent early convergence at local minima that can occur when applying optimization methods, this article introduces Hamiltonian Monte Carlo to the modification, which constantly forces the initial path to jump out of the local extremum, thus improving the robustness and success rate of the path planning approach. Compared with other methods through simulations, this approach is proven to provide balanced planning efficiency and path quality. The feasibility in a real environment is experimentally validated by applying the approach to a wheeled mobile robot.
Modeling total lifecycle ownership cost of battery electric vehicle based on urban traffic data in China
Authors: Liu Xiang , Wang Ning , Dong Decun , Fang Tong
Published: May 2019

ROEWE E50, JAC iev4, ZOYTE 5008EV, and BYD E6 battery electric vehicles are being demonstrated in 25 cities of different scale represented by Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Hefei. This article presented four battery electric vehicles total lifecycle ownership cost model based on urban driving cycles and traffic data of that three cities. Five scenarios were given about basic, local government subsidy, battery price decreasing, gasoline price increasing, and battery price decreasing with gasoline price increasing and an analysis was made of battery electric vehicles’ market competitiveness during 15 years nominal lifecycle. The results show that the high purchase cost is the biggest obstacle factor for battery electric vehicle commercialization. Within battery price decreasing scenario and gasoline price increasing scenario, battery electric vehicles under ¥150,000 have competitiveness. When battery price decreases with the increase in gasoline price both under optimistic scenarios, battery electric vehicles under ¥200,000 will be more competitive than Conventional Vehicles. The sensitive factors to battery electric vehicles total ownership cost in proper sequence are battery cycle life, local government subsidy, power consumption, average daily mileage, battery price, and charging price. This article suggests that battery electric vehicles with different battery capacities such as 30, 25, and 20 kWh are suitable for use in metropolitan, large- and medium-sized, and medium- and small-sized cities, represented by Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Hefei.
Pediatric brachial artery injury due to supracondylar humerus fractures: A case series
Authors: Grant Courtney , Theiss Mark , Mukherjee Dipankar
Published: May 2019

Objectives

Two to 20% of pediatric supracondylar humerus fractures present with abnormal vascular examinations ranging from ischemic hands to perfused pulseless hands. Management of perfused pulseless hands with observation or surgical exploration remains debatable. We report management and outcomes of five cases at our institution.

Methods

Charts of patients <18 years old with supracondylar humerus fractures undergoing brachial artery exploration from 2009 to 2016 were reviewed.

Results

Five patients presented with supracondylar humerus fracture after falls. Closed reduction and percutaneous pinning resulted in five pink hands, one with a palpable pulse and one with return of radial Doppler signal. Two were admitted for observation and one underwent immediate brachial artery exploration. The four cases initially managed non-operatively underwent exploration. Intraoperative findings included three brachial artery entrapments, one arterial compression due to hematoma, and one complete arterial transection requiring thrombectomy and venous interposition graft. At follow-up, all patients had palpable radial pulses.

Conclusions

Perfused pulseless hands after supracondylar humerus fracture reduction require close monitoring. Cases without return of radial Doppler signals should undergo immediate brachial exploration. We recommend duplex ultrasound for the diagnosis of brachial artery injury as an early guide to surgical exploration to prevent treatment delay and arm or hand ischemia.
The return from Africa: Illegitimacy, concealment, and the non-memory of Portugal’s imperial collapse
Authors: Peralta Elsa
Published: May 2019

Decolonization resulted in more than half a million Portuguese settlers giving up their life in Africa. Most of them headed to Portugal, where they were called retornados (returnees). As living reminders of an illegitimate history, they do not fit into the dominant post-imperial historical narratives in Portugal and have until recently been invisible within the public arena. This article explores the memorial vacuum left by the collapse of the Portuguese empire and the return, while also addressing the present-day resurgence of retornados’ memories in Portuguese society. For these purposes, the article is based on the concept of non-memory, a concept which relates to gaps in the social memory that arise from the concealment of certain problematic historical events regarded as illegitimate or shameful for the myths and ideologies of national consciousness. Although it focuses on the Portuguese case, this article is placed in the wider context of the memorial place of the end of the empire in postcolonial Europe.
User Satisfaction and Insulin Pump Handling With a Prefilled Insulin Cartridge in Adults and Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Gupta Jitendra , Fuchs Gitte Schøning , Jenkins Michael , van Geel Brenda , Jensen Morten Lind , Sparre Thomas
Published: May 2019

Background:

This comparative handling study investigated user satisfaction and insulin pump handling with a prefilled insulin cartridge versus a self-filled insulin reservoir in insulin pump users with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Methods:

Adult (n = 105) and adolescent (n = 25) participants performed insulin pump preparations using a prefilled insulin cartridge and self-filled insulin reservoir. User satisfaction, insulin pump preparation time, and residual air in infusion set tubing were assessed for each insulin filling method. Post hoc analysis evaluated training time.

Results:

User satisfaction scores were statistically significantly different in favor of the prefilled insulin cartridge versus the self-filled insulin reservoir (mean [SD]: overall, 4.0 [0.5] vs 3.3 [0.9]; burden on the user, 1.8 [0.6] vs 2.9 [1.0]; user inconvenience, 2.0 [0.7] vs 2.8 [1.1]; device effectiveness, 3.9 [0.7] vs 3.6 [0.9]; all P < .001). Insulin pump preparation time and residual air measurements were significantly different and numerically lower for the prefilled insulin cartridge versus the self-filled insulin reservoir (mean [SD]: preparation time, 124.4 [30.3] vs 237.8 [64.2] seconds, P < .001; residual air, 2.3 [26.3] vs 10.0 [63.3] mm, P = .007). Training time was shorter with the prefilled insulin cartridge versus the self-filled insulin reservoir (mean [min; max]: 193.1 [36; 453] vs 535.8 [124; 992] seconds).

Conclusions:

Adult and adolescent insulin pump users were more satisfied with the prefilled insulin cartridge versus the self-filled insulin reservoir when preparing an insulin pump. The prefilled insulin cartridge was associated with reduced insulin pump preparation time and reduced training time versus the self-filled insulin reservoir.
Analysis: Investigating the quality of POCT devices for HbA1c, what are our next steps?
Authors: Lenters-Westra Erna , English Emma
Published: May 2019

There are a growing number of publications evaluating the performance of HbA1c point-of-care testing (POCT) devices when compared to routine laboratory instruments, but is this what we need from future studies? Here we describe the current understanding of the performance of POCT for HbA1c, which areas need further studies, and the key requirements for future publications based on performance evaluations of these devices. These include studies in clinical settings, performance measured against internationally standardized reference methods, and the need to evaluate new to the market devices that do not currently have a detailed performance history. In addition we highlight the need for external quality assessment schemes that are designed to support POCT in a wide range of clinical settings.
Avocado Juice Prevents the Formation of Trypsin Amyloid-Like Fibrils in Aqueous Ethanol
Authors: Kasi Phanindra Babu , Kotormán Márta
Published: May 2019

In this work fruit and vegetable juices were analyzed for their ability to prevent the aggregation of trypsin using turbidity measurement. Fruit and vegetable juices are capable of inhibiting the aggregation of PMS-trypsin in aqueous ethanol. Among the juices examined, avocado was found to be the most effective. Choline bitartrate was investigated for its ability to inhibit the fibrillation of PMS-trypsin. We have found that avocado juice and choline bitartrate have an inhibitory effect on the formation of trypsin amyloid-like fibrils using Congo red-binding assay.
Chemodiversity of Volatile Oil Contents of Various Parts of 10 Iranian Prangos ferulacea Accessions, With Analysis of Antiradical Potential
Authors: Bagherifar Soleyman , Sourestani Mohammad Mahmoodi , Zolfaghari Maryam , Mottaghipisheh Javad , Zomborszki Zoltán Péter , Csupor Dezső
Published: May 2019

The present study aimed at assessing the influence of ecological factors on volatile oil content and antiradical potential of Prangos ferulacea. The essential oil (EO) content and composition of different plant parts were also compared. Among 22 identified compounds by gas chromatography (GC) flame ionization detector and GC-mass spectrometry, monoterpene hydrocarbons as the major constituents contributed to 27.6% to 83.4% of the oil deriving from plants growing on the northern steeps of “Gandomkar” region at 2600 m (G.N-2600) and “Male-Amiri” at 2300 m height (MA.N-2300), respectively. Immature seed and leaf samples of “Male-Amiri” with 3.0% ± 0.16% and 0.79% ± 0.03% of EO content represented the samples with the highest and lowest EO yields, respectively. Whereas the EO of the leaves mostly contained δ-3-carene and α-bisabolol, other parts were rich in α- and β-pinene. Extracts of accessions “G.N-2600” (EC50 = 13.11 ± 0.69 μg/mL) and “M.S-2500” (10.55 ± 0.41 mmol TE/g) exhibited the most potent antiradical activities in the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) assays, respectively. Because of the extensive use of this species in traditional foods and the remarkable bioactivities of α- and β-pinene and δ-3-carene, the EO of the plant can be considered as a valuable raw material in phytopharmaceutical and food industries.
Analysis of Absorbable Hemostatic Packing Compared to Physiologic Hemostasis in Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery With or Without Septoplasty
Authors: Comer Brett T. , Alfonso Kristan P. , Doyle Edward J. , Gallogly James A. , Simpson Matthew C. , Antisdel Jastin L.
Published: May 2019

Background

There currently are no randomized studies examining if absorbable hemostatic packing (AHP) results in better objective and subjective outcomes than physiologic healing in sinus surgery with or without septoplasty.

Objective

The objective of this study is to examine outcomes after functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) with or without septoplasty with the use of AHP versus physiologic hemostasis and healing.

Methods

A prospective randomized control trial was performed at 2 tertiary academic institutions. Fifty-nine patients undergoing bilateral FESS with or without septoplasty were enrolled and randomized to receive AHP in 1 middle meatus and no packing contralaterally. Subjective outcomes (pain, bleeding, obstruction, discharge) on self-reported visual analog scale questionnaires were tabulated on postoperative days 0, 1, 7, and 14 by the patient. Endoscopic outcomes (synechiae formation, edema, infection, granulation, debridement, crusting) were measured at 1 week, 2 weeks, and 6 weeks postoperatively by their surgeon.

Results

No significant differences were identified in subjective or endoscopic outcomes with AHP use. Concurrent septoplasty patients with AHP experienced no sustainable difference in subjective or endoscopic outcomes compared to septoplasty control. No sustainable differences were found among the types of AHP or the 2 surgeons.

Conclusion

This first reported prospective randomized study of patients with nonstrict selection criteria found AHP made no significant difference on subjective and objective postoperative outcomes as compared to physiologic hemostasis. Previous AHP-specific studies have shown differences in carefully selected patient groups. Generalizing study-proved benefits of specific AHP to all AHP is shown to be not appropriate.
Does exercise prescription based on estimated heart rate training zones exceed the ventilatory anaerobic threshold in patients with coronary heart disease undergoing usual-care cardiovascular rehabilitation? A United Kingdom perspective
Authors: Pymer Sean , Nichols Simon , Prosser Jonathon , Birkett Stefan , Carroll Sean , Ingle Lee
Published: May 2019

Background

In the United Kingdom (UK), exercise intensity is prescribed from a fixed percentage range (% heart rate reserve (%HRR)) in cardiac rehabilitation programmes. We aimed to determine the accuracy of this approach by comparing it with an objective, threshold-based approach incorporating the accurate determination of ventilatory anaerobic threshold (VAT). We also aimed to investigate the role of baseline cardiorespiratory fitness status and exercise testing mode dependency (cycle vs. treadmill ergometer) on these relationships.

Design and methods

A maximal cardiopulmonary exercise test was conducted on a cycle ergometer or a treadmill before and following usual-care circuit training from two separate cardiac rehabilitation programmes from a single region in the UK. The heart rate corresponding to VAT was compared with current heart rate-based exercise prescription guidelines.

Results

We included 112 referred patients (61 years (59–63); body mass index 29 kg·m–2 (29–30); 88% male). There was a significant but relatively weak correlation ( r = 0.32; p = 0.001) between measured and predicted %HRR, and values were significantly different from each other ( p = 0.005). Within this cohort, we found that 55% of patients had their VAT identified outside of the 40–70% predicted HRR exercise training zone. In the majority of participants (45%), the VAT occurred at an exercise intensity <40% HRR. Moreover, 57% of patients with low levels of cardiorespiratory fitness achieved VAT at <40% HRR, whereas 30% of patients with higher fitness achieved their VAT at >70% HRR. VAT was significantly higher on the treadmill than the cycle ergometer ( p < 0.001).

Conclusion

In the UK, current guidelines for prescribing exercise intensity are based on a fixed percentage range. Our findings indicate that this approach may be inaccurate in a large proportion of patients undertaking cardiac rehabilitation.
Somatic health and its association with negative psychosocial factors in a sample of Moroccan adolescents
Authors: Zouini Btissame , Sfendla Anis , Senhaji Meftaha , Råstam Maria , Kerekes Nóra
Published: May 2019

Background:

Adolescence is a distinct developmental phase characterized by multiple physical and psychological changes and by an increased vulnerability to somatic and mental health problems. These risk and vulnerability factors are part of a complex biopsychosocial matrix, encompassing multiple factors, such as inherited biological determinants and psychological, societal, and cultural influences, which affect an adolescent’s overall wellbeing. In Morocco, similar to other developing countries, adolescents (young people aged from 15 to 19 years) constitute a substantial proportion of the population (almost 9%). However, studies about adolescents’ health in developing countries are scarce. In this study, we describe adolescents’ somatic health in a sample of high school students from the city of Tetouan, Morocco, and investigate how negative psychosocial factors, such as parental alcohol use problems and/or the experience of abuse, may influence them.

Methods:

The study sample included 655 adolescents (315 boys and 340 girls, M = 16.64 years, range = 15–18 years) from conviniently selected classes of four high schools in the city of Tetouan in Morocco. The students responded to a survey that assessed the prevalence of somatic complaints/disorders. They also indicated whether they had ever experienced physical and/or psychological abuse and whether they had parents with alcohol use problems.

Results:

More than half of the adolescents suffered from headaches and one-third had substantial problems with diarrhea or constipation. Both problems were more common in female students. The third most frequent somatic problem, affecting one in four in both genders, was allergy. Almost one-third of Moroccan adolescents (significantly more boys than girls; p  = 0.004) reported no somatic complaints. In adolescents who reported parental alcohol use problems and/or experience of physical and/or psychological abuse, the prevalence of several somatic complaints (epilepsy, migraine, headache, diarrhea/constipation, gluten intolerance, allergy, and skin or thyroid disease) increased highly significantly compared to the adolescents who reported no such psychosocial environmental factors.

Conclusion:

The results suggest that only 3 in 10 urban-living Moroccan adolescents are free of somatic complaints, while the majority suffer from some somatic problems, most often headaches and diarrhea/constipation. The association of certain negative psychosocial factors with adolescents’ somatic health suggests the need of a holistic approach to the treatment of affected adolescents.
Friend Not Foe? Reconsidering Race, the Police, and Community Relations
Authors: McManus Hannah D. , Graham Amanda , Cullen Francis T. , Burton Velmer S. , Jonson Cheryl Lero
Published: May 2019

Given the complicated historical and contemporary relationship between law enforcement and African Americans, academic and popular commentary have focused intently on the existence of conflict between the police and the Black citizenry in the United States. The current project, however, seeks to broaden understanding in this area by exploring the extent to which African Americans know the police in positive, informal ways. Based on a 2017 national-level survey of 1,000 African Americans, this project explores the extent of survey participants’ association with police officers as well as potential predictors of those relationships. Specifically, binary logistic regression is used to analyze the relationship between the survey respondents’ social bonds, demographic characteristics, and their relationships with police officers. The analyses reveal that respondents’ ties to the police were common, with nearly one in four having a police officer as a family member and a majority having some relationship with officers. Those with stakes in conformity were more likely to have bonds to officers, although racial homophily likely also accounts for knowing police officers. Importantly, this project demonstrates the complexity of African Americans’ relationships with the police and identifies further lines of inquiry that might profitably be explored.
Extracurricular Involvement, Homesickness, and Depressive Symptoms Among Underrepresented College Students
Authors: Wittrup Audrey , Hurd Noelle
Published: May 2019

The current study investigated the potential of extracurricular involvement during the first year of college to attenuate depressive symptoms via decreases in homesickness among underrepresented (i.e., first generation, underrepresented ethnic/racial minority, and low income) students attending an elite, predominantly White institution (PWI). Participants were 340 students ( M age = 18.11, SD = .37). Extracurricular involvement, homesickness, depressive symptoms, and demographic information were self-reported during the fall and spring semesters. Results indicated that extracurricular involvement was negatively associated with depressive symptoms in the fall of underrepresented students' first year of college. In the spring semester, the association between homesickness and depressive symptoms was mediated by decreases in homesickness. Findings suggest extracurricular participation may facilitate psychologically healthy adjustment to PWIs among underrepresented students.
Growth-Friendly Implants With Rib Clawing Hooks as Proximal Anchors in Early-Onset Scoliosis
Authors: Azmi Ahmad Alaaeldin , Aker Loai , Hanbali Yahia , Arafat Yousef
Published: May 2019

Study Design:

Retrospective study.

Objectives:

This study retrospectively evaluates the outcome of the surgical treatment of early-onset scoliosis with proximal clawing rib fixation in hybrid growing-rod constructs. The study examines spinal deformity correction with spinal growth maintenance, and the complications associated with this technique.

Method:

A hybrid rib construct surgery with serial lengthening was utilized for the treatment of 71 patients. Mean age at surgery was 66.6 months and mean time for follow-up was 43.9 months.

Results:

The coronal Cobb angle in patients fell from 63.1° preoperatively to 51.6° at the last follow-up, with a correction of 16.8%. The sagittal Cobb angle fell from 66.7° preoperatively to 38° at the last follow-up, with a correction of 42.6%. Coronal balance fell from 22.8° preoperatively to 22.3°, and sagittal balance fell from 35.4 mm preoperatively to 24.39 mm. T1-S1 spine height increased from 248.7 mm preoperatively to 282.4 mm, with a mean change of 1.13 cm per year. No neurological complications were detected.

Conclusion:

Surgical management for early-onset scoliosis using proximal clawing rib fixation technique is a good choice in terms of safety, ease of placing the proximal anchors, ability to use more than one form of instrumentation, and a lower complication rate.
An Efficacy Study of a Digital Core Curriculum for Grade 5 Mathematics
Authors: Shechtman Nicole , Roschelle Jeremy , Feng Mingyu , Singleton Corinne
Published: May 2019

The Math Curriculum Impact Study was a large-scale randomized controlled trial (RCT) to test the efficacy of a digital core curriculum for Grade 5 mathematics. Reasoning Mind’s Grade 5 Common Core Curriculum was a comprehensive, adaptive, blended learning approach that schools in the treatment group implemented for an entire school year. Schools in the control group implemented their business-as-usual mathematics curriculum. The study was completed in 46 schools throughout West Virginia, resulting in achievement data from 1,919 students. It also included exploratory investigations of teacher practice and student engagement. The main experimental finding was a null result; achievement was similar in both experimental groups. The exploratory investigations help clarify interpretation of this result. As educational leaders throughout the United States adopt digital mathematics curricula and adaptive, blended approaches, our findings provide a relevant caution. However, our findings are not generalizable to all digital offerings, and there is a continuing need for refined theory, study of implementation, and rigorous experimentation to advise schools.
‘Hindi–Hindu’ discourse in late colonial Punjab
Authors: Tuteja K.L.
Published: May 2019

One of the major spheres in which the communal divide in India especially in the north has manifested itself is that of language, around the controversy over Hindi and Urdu. It raged in colonial Punjab as well, despite the fact that neither language was spoken over the larger part of it. In a sense, therefore, it was imported from the then North-Western Provinces (now UP), where the original dialect had given rise to a common language (Khari Boli, Hindustani) with two scripts, around which Hindi and Urdu came to be created as literary languages. Though Urdu remained in colonial times the main print and school language in pre-1947 Punjab, the language controversy continued to play a communally divisive role. In Punjab, the Arya Samaj was the main torchbearer for Hindi, with even nationalists like Lala Lajpat Rai in its camp.
Comparison of Subscapularis Management and Repair Techniques
Authors: Dunn Robin , Joyce Christopher D , Bravman Jonathan T
Published: May 2019

Management of the subscapularis tendon is a crucial step during the approach for total shoulder arthroplasty. The method of mobilizing the tendon and the technique used to repair it determine the initial integrity of the subscapularis and impact its capacity to heal. Currently, there exist 3 well-described and well-studied approaches to managing and repairing the subscapularis: subscapularis tenotomy, subscapularis peel, and lesser tuberosity osteotomy. More recently, a subscapularis-sparing approach has been proposed as an option. There is debate in the literature regarding which technique provides optimal strength and stability for subscapularis repair following shoulder arthroplasty. In this symposium, we provide an overview of each of the techniques and review the biomechanical studies comparing them.
Decolonizing degrowth in the post-development convergence: Questions, experiences, and proposals from two Indigenous territories
Authors: Nirmal Padini , Rocheleau Dianne
Published: May 2019

A growing coalition of degrowth scholar-activist(s) seeks to transform degrowth into an interdisciplinary and international field bridging a rising network of social and environmental justice movements. We offer constructive decolonial and feminist critiques to foster their productive alliances with multiple feminisms, Indigenous, post-development and pluriversal thought and design ( Escobar, 2018 ), and people on the ground. Our suggested pathway of decolonial transition includes re-situating degrowth relative to the global south and to Indigenous and other resistance movements. We see this decolonial degrowth as a profoundly material strategy of recovery, renewal, and resistance (resurgence) through practices of re-rooting and re-commoning. To illustrate what we mean by resurgence we draw from two examples where people are engaged in ongoing struggles to protect their territories from the impacts of rampant growth—Zapatista and allied Indigenous groups in Mexico, and three Adivasi communities in the Attappady region of southern India. They are building economies and ecologies of resurgence and simultaneous resistance to growth by deterritorialization. We argue that a decolonized degrowth must be what the growth paradigm is not, and imagine what does not yet exist: our separate and collective socio-ecological futures of sufficiency and celebration in the multiple worlds of the pluriverse. Together, the two cases demonstrate pathways to autonomy, sufficiency, and resurgence of territories and worlds, through persistence, innovation, and mobilization of traditional and new knowledges. We offer these as teachers for the transition to decolonial degrowth.
Why there and then, not here and now? Ecological offsetting in California and England, and the sharpening contradictions of neoliberal natures
Authors: Lockhart Andy , Rea Chris
Published: May 2019

Failure has become an increasingly important theme of debate in the literature on neoliberal natures. In this article we take up this topic with respect to ecological offsetting, often regarded as an exemplar of market-oriented conservation. Comparing the case of species banking which emerged in California in the 1990s with frustrated efforts to implement a biodiversity offsetting programme in England beginning in 2010, we develop a novel analytical framework for explaining why this kind of environmental market-making may or may not be successful in different contexts. Drawing on work in geography on the neoliberalisation of nature and insights from economic sociology, we characterise ecological offsetting as ‘command-and-commodify’ regulation: a peculiar form of hybrid ecological regulation which depends on an institutional mix of ‘authoritative’ and ‘economic’ power to function. In California, these kinds of environmental markets initially emerged at a moment of compromise, contingent on an embrace of ‘market’ solutions to environmental problems on the one hand, and a somewhat paradoxical expansion of authoritative power to ecologically regulate land development, on the other. In England, by contrast, deep fiscal austerity and deregulatory zeal, combined with resistance from nearly every quarter, initially undermined the possibility of balancing economic and authoritative power, which we argue is necessary for the construction of viable ecological offsetting. Reflecting on themes in the wider literature, we conclude by questioning whether the English experience is indicative of sharpening tensions between economy and ecology in the late neoliberal era.
An archaeometric approach to the majolica pottery from alcazar of Nájera archaeological site
Authors: Calparsoro Estefania , Sanchez-Garmendia Uxue , Arana Gorka , Maguregui Maite , Iñañez Javier G.
Published: May 2019

The city of Nájera, located in the north of the Iberian Peninsula, hosts an alcazar of Arab origin, which became the residence of the king of Pamplona-Nájera and later of the duke and duchess of Nájera. From this last period (1500–1600) date the ceramics that were unearthed during the recent excavations of the Alcázar of Nájera. These findings constitute the largest post-Medieval assemblage of ceramic pieces unearthed in the city. They include a large set of plain tin–lead glazed pieces of tableware, as well as some mono or polychrome decorated sherds. In this work, an archaeometric characterization was carried out on a subsample of these ceramics (n = 94) by means of a multi-analytical strategy. The pastes were analyzed chemically and mineralogically by ICP-MS and XRD, respectively. Further evaluations on a subsample of ceramic glazes was carried out by SEM–EDS and Raman microscopy. The preliminary results enabled establishing a main large compositional group (NAJ-A) and a smaller one (NAJ-B) which could tentatively be linked to a local production origin. Moreover, exogenous provenances such as Muel and Talavera were identified after the comparison with data from other Spanish contemporary majolica pottery productions.