bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Surgical Outcomes between Canaloplasty and Schlemm’s Canal Scaffold at 24 Months’ Follow-Up
Authors: Gandolfi Stefano A. , Ungaro Nicola , Ghirardini Stella , Tardini Maria Grazia , Mora Paolo
Published: February 2016

The results of canaloplasty (CP) and Hydrus Microstent (HM) implantation were retrospectively compared at 24 months’ follow-up in a cohort of subjects referred to our Institution for uncontrolled IOP in primary or secondary (e.g., pseudoexfoliative and pigmentary) open-angle glaucoma. The outcome was labelled as “complete” success, “qualified” success, or “failure” if, two years after surgery, the eyes operated on needed “no” hypotensive medications, “some” hypotensive medications, or further glaucoma surgery to attain the target IOP, respectively. Both CP and HM implant allowed significant IOP reductions, with comparable rate of clinical success and safety profile. A slightly (albeit not significant) better trend for a “complete” clinical success was observed in the CP group.
Inflammatory Neuropathy of the Lumbosacral Plexus following Periacetabular Osteotomy
Authors: Ghijselings Stijn , Bruyninckx Frans , Delport Hendrik , Corten Kristoff
Published: February 2016

Introduction. During periacetabular osteotomy (PAO), the sciatic, femoral, and obturator nerves are at risk. Most frequently nerve lesions can be attributed to a mechanical cause; however, in the absence of a clear mechanical cause surgeons are faced with a diagnostic problem and in many cases no diagnosis will be established. We report a case of inflammatory neuropathy of the lumbosacral plexus following a PAO.Case Presentation.A 31-year-old female developed weakness of ankle and knee flexion and extension 6 months after a PAO. Electrophysiological studies revealed damage to the obturator, femoral, and sciatic nerve consistent with an inflammatory lumbosacral plexopathy. MRI of the lumbosacral plexus was normal. The patient was treated with multimodal pain therapy and prolonged physiotherapy; nevertheless, symptoms worsened over time. At 2-year follow-up, there were no signs of recovery.Discussion.Inflammatory neuropathy of the lumbosacral plexus is a potential cause of pain and weakness after ipsilateral orthopaedic procedures. It should be distinguished from more frequently encountered mechanical causes of postsurgical neuropathy based on clinical suspicion, electrophysiological studies, MRI, and nerve biopsy. It is important that the orthopaedic community is aware of this complication since there is some evidence that early recognition and initiation of immunosuppressive therapy can lead to improved clinical outcome.
Staphylococcus aureusEndocarditis with Multivalvular Involvement Secondary to an Atrial Septal Defect
Authors: Daruwalla Vistasp Jimmy , Sagi Jahnavi , Tahir Hassan , Penumetsa Srikanth
Published: February 2016

Infective endocarditis is usually diagnosed using modified Duke’s criteria. Our patient had a subacute presentation and a low suspicion for endocarditis during admission, unfortunately leading to her death. Despite advances in diagnostic and therapeutic measures including antibiotic therapy and surgical techniques, morbidity and mortality with staphylococcal infective endocarditis remain high. Hence, we stress the significance of having a low threshold for TEE in patients with multisystem involvement due toStaphylococcus aureusthat have evidence of persistent infection despite antibiotic treatment, even if the suspicion for endocarditis is low based on Duke’s criteria. TEE substantially improves the sensitivity of diagnosis but may not be readily available in many medical centers. Presence of an ASD has been noted to have increased the risk of left sided endocarditis even with conditions that predispose to right sided endocarditis, particularly in patients with hemodialysis and diabetes as morbid risk factors.
Is Optical Coherence Tomography a Useful Tool to Objectively Detect Actual Posterior Vitreous Adhesion Status?
Authors: Bertelmann Thomas , Goos Christina , Sekundo Walter , Schulze Stephan , Mennel Stefan
Published: February 2016

Purpose. To objectively detect true posterior vitreous cortex (PVC) adhesion status using a commercially available swept-source OCT device (DRI OCT-1, Atlantis©). Material and Methods. Case report, review of the literature, and methodical discussion of concepts to improve OCT-guided PVC imaging. Results. Standard OCT imaging misdiagnosed PVC adhesion status as totally detached in this case report when using a horizontal 6 mm scan only. Contrariwise imaging the same eye with a 12 mm horizontal scan, partial posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) and the presence of a bursa premacularis were clearly discernible. Besides a broader scan, specific scan patterns, highest resolution, and contrast sensitivity, an anterior-to-posterior adjusted scan through the entire vitreous as well as the detection of characteristic undulating aftermovements might enhance the capability of OCT imaging to detect true PVC adhesion status. Conclusions. Further developments are needed to address these issues and to establish OCT recordings as the standard and objective method of choice in PVC adhesion status imaging.
Hiding in Fresh Fruits and Vegetables: Opportunistic Pathogens May Cross Geographical Barriers
Authors: Al-Kharousi Zahra S. , Guizani Nejib , Al-Sadi Abdullah M. , Al-Bulushi Ismail M. , Shaharoona Baby
Published: February 2016

Different microbial groups of the microbiome of fresh produce can have diverse effects on human health. This study was aimed at identifying some microbial communities of fresh produce by analyzing 105 samples of imported fresh fruits and vegetables originated from different countries in the world including local samples (Oman) for aerobic plate count and the counts of Enterobacteriaceae,Enterococcus, andStaphylococcus aureus. The isolated bacteria were identified by molecular (PCR) and biochemical methods (VITEK 2). Enterobacteriaceae occurred in 60% of fruits and 91% of vegetables.Enterococcuswas isolated from 20% of fruits and 42% of vegetables.E. coliandS. aureuswere isolated from 22% and 7% of vegetables, respectively. Ninety-seven bacteria comprising 21 species were similarly identified by VITEK 2 and PCR to species level.E. coli,Klebsiella pneumoniae,Enterococcus casseliflavus, andEnterobacter cloacaewere the most abundant species; many are known as opportunistic pathogens which may raise concern to improve the microbial quality of fresh produce. Phylogenetic trees showed no relationship between clustering of the isolates based on the 16S rRNA gene and the original countries of fresh produce. Intercountry passage of opportunistic pathogens in fresh produce cannot be ruled out, which requires better management.
Prostate Radiotherapy in the Era of Advanced Imaging and Precision Medicine
Authors: Dulaney Caleb R. , Osula Daniel O. , Yang Eddy S. , Rais-Bahrami Soroush
Published: February 2016

Tremendous technological advancements in prostate radiotherapy have decreased treatment toxicity and improved clinical outcomes for men with prostate cancer. While these advances have allowed for significant treatment volume reduction and whole-organ dose escalation, further improvement in prostate radiotherapy has been limited by classic techniques for diagnosis and risk stratification. Developments in prostate imaging, image-guided targeted biopsy, next-generation gene expression profiling, and targeted molecular therapies now provide information to stratify patients and select treatments based on tumor biology. Image-guided targeted biopsy improves detection of clinically significant cases of prostate cancer and provides important information about the biological behavior of intraprostatic lesions which can further guide treatment decisions. We review the evolution of prostate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and MRI-ultrasound fusion-guided prostate biopsy. Recent advancements in radiation therapy including dose escalation, moderate and extreme hypofractionation, partial prostate radiation therapy, and finally dose escalation by simultaneous integrated boost are discussed. We also review next-generation sequencing and discuss developments in targeted molecular therapies. Last, we review ongoing clinical trials and future treatment paradigms that integrate targeted biopsy, molecular profiling and therapy, and prostate radiotherapy.
The Role of99mTc-Annexin V Apoptosis Scintigraphy in Visualizing Early Stage Glucocorticoid-Induced Femoral Head Osteonecrosis in the Rabbit
Authors: Wang Xiaolong , Liu Yu , Wang Xuemei , Liu Rui , Li Jianbo , Zhang Guoliang , Li Qiang , Wang Lei , Bai Zhigang , Zhao Jianmin
Published: February 2016

Objective. To validate the ability of99mTc-Annexin V to visualize early stage of glucocorticoid-induced femoral head necrosis by comparing with99mTc-MDP bone scanning.Methods. Femoral head necrosis was induced in adult New Zealand white rabbits by intramuscular injection of methylprednisolone.99mTc-Annexin scintigraphy and99mTc-MDP scans were performed before and 5, 6, and 8 weeks after methylprednisolone administration. Rabbits were sacrificed at various time points and conducted for TUNEL and H&E staining.Results. All methylprednisolone treated animals developed femoral head necrosis; at 8 weeks postinjection, destruction of bone structure was evident in H&E staining, and apoptosis was confirmed by the TUNEL assay. This was matched by99mTc-Annexin V images, which showed a significant increase in signal over baseline. Serial99mTc-Annexin V scans revealed that increased99mTc-Annexin V uptake could be observed in 5 weeks. In contrast, there was no effect on99mTc-MDP signal until 8 weeks. The TUNEL assay revealed that bone cell apoptosis occurred at 5 weeks.Conclusion.99mTc-Annexin V is superior to99mTc-MDP for the early detection of glucocorticoid-induced femoral head necrosis in the rabbit and may be a better strategy for the early detection of glucocorticoid-induced femoral head necrosis in patients.
Research on the Influence of Sensor Network Communication in the Electromagnetic Environment of Smart Grid
Authors: Zhang Yiying , Zhang Suxiang , Ding Yuemin
Published: February 2016

Smart grid adopts wildly various sensors for lots of applications to sense work environment, monitor production process and realize the automation control, and so forth. However, due to the wireless and open communication, the electromagnetic phenomena in the communication and the electric network of the sensor network usually produce the mutual interference. Meanwhile, electrical equipment and sensors are usually in high pressure electromagnetic environment. Therefore, it is very necessary and important to ensure the reliability and stability in smart grid applications. And the sensing and communication device must be after equal parameter simulation environment under strict evaluation and verification can be put to use in actual production operation system. In this paper, we analyze the application of wireless sensor network in smart grid and propose the test method of the interaction between WSN and smart grid.
A Case of Ataxia with Isolated Vitamin E Deficiency Initially Diagnosed as Friedreich’s Ataxia
Authors: Bonello Michael , Ray Partha
Published: February 2016

Ataxia with isolated vitamin E deficiency (AVED) is a rare autosomal recessive condition that is caused by a mutation in the alpha tocopherol transfer protein gene. It is almost indistinguishable clinically from Friedreich’s ataxia but with appropriate treatment its devastating neurological features can be prevented. Patients can present with a progressive cerebellar ataxia, pyramidal spasticity, and evidence of a neuropathy with absent deep tendon reflexes. It is important to screen for this condition on initial evaluation of a young patient presenting with progressive ataxia and it should be considered in patients with a long standing ataxia without any diagnosis in view of the potential therapeutics and genetic counselling. In this case report we present a patient who was initially diagnosed with Friedreich’s ataxia but was later found to have AVED.
Age‐Dependent Demethylation of Sod2 Promoter in the Mouse Femoral Artery
Authors: Nguyen Albert , Leblond François , Mamarbachi Maya , Geoffroy Steve , Thorin Eric
Published: February 2016

We studied the age‐dependent regulation of the expression of the antioxidant enzyme manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD encoded by Sod2) through promoter methylation. C57Bl/6 mice were either (i) sedentary (SED), (ii) treated with the antioxidant catechin (CAT), or (iii) voluntarily exercised (EX) from weaning (1‐month old; mo) to 9 mo. Then, all mice aged sedentarily and were untreated until 12 mo. Sod2 promoter methylation was similar in all groups in 9 mo but decreased (p < 0.05) in 12 mo SED mice only, which was associated with an increased (p < 0.05) transcriptional activity in vitro. At all ages, femoral artery endothelial function was maintained; this was due to an increased (p < 0.05) contribution of eNOS‐derived NO in 12 mo SED mice only. CAT and EX prevented these changes in age‐related endothelial function. Thus, a ROS‐dependent epigenetic positive regulation of Sod2 gene expression likely represents a defense mechanism prolonging eNOS function in aging mouse femoral arteries.
Mass Spectrometry–Based Metabolomics Identifies Longitudinal Urinary Metabolite Profiles Predictive of Radiation-Induced Cancer
Authors: Cook John A. , Chandramouli Gadisetti V.R. , Anver Miriam R. , Sowers Anastasia L. , Thetford Angela , Krausz Kristopher W. , Gonzalez Frank J. , Mitchell James B. , Patterson Andrew D.
Published: February 2016

Nonlethal exposure to ionizing radiation (IR) is a public concern due to its known carcinogenic effects. Although latency periods for IR-induced neoplasms are relatively long, the ability to detect cancer as early as possible is highly advantageous for effective therapeutic intervention. Therefore, we hypothesized that metabolites in the urine from mice exposed to total body radiation (TBI) would predict for the presence of cancer before a palpable mass was detected. In this study, we exposed mice to 0 or 5.4 Gy TBI, collected urine samples periodically over 1 year, and assayed urine metabolites by using mass spectrometry. Longitudinal data analysis within the first year post-TBI revealed that cancers, including hematopoietic, solid, and benign neoplasms, could be distinguished by unique urinary signatures as early as 3 months post-TBI. Furthermore, a distinction among different types of malignancies could be clearly delineated as early as 3 months post-TBI for hematopoietic neoplasms, 6 months for solid neoplasms, and by 1 year for benign neoplasms. Moreover, the feature profile for radiation-exposed mice 6 months post-TBI was found to be similar to nonirradiated control mice at 18 months, suggesting that TBI accelerates aging. These results demonstrate that urine feature profiles following TBI can identify cancers in mice prior to macroscopic detection, with important implications for the early diagnosis and treatment. Cancer Res; 76(6); 1569–77. ©2016 AACR.
Pifithrin-μ Attenuates Acute Sickness Response to Lipopolysaccharide in C57BL/6J Mice
Authors: Zhang Rongping , Wang Jili , Hu Yanling , Lu Xu , Jiang Bo , Zhang Wei , Huang Chao
Published: February 2016

Sickness behavior is a coordinated set of behavioral changes that happen as a response to acute infectious pathogens. Its well-known benefit is to reorganize the organism's priorities to cope with infection, but the uncontrolled development of sickness behavior may trigger negative feelings or chronic depressive events. This study aims at investigating the potential effect of pifithrin-μ, an inhibitor of heat shock protein 70 substrate binding activity, on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced sickness response. C57BL/6J mice were submitted to the forced swimming test (FST), tail suspension test (TST), open field test (OFT) and light-dark box test. Food intake and body weight were also evaluated. The serum corticosterone level was measured using an ELISA kit. Treatment of mice with LPS (0.33 mg/kg, i.p.) markedly increased the floating and immobility time in the FST and TST, respectively, and depressed locomotor activity in the OFT. LPS administration prolonged the latency to first transition and reduced the total number of transitions in the light-dark box test. In addition, LPS induced anorexia and increased serum corticosterone levels. Pretreatment with pifithrin-μ (1 or 5 mg/kg) attenuated behavioral changes induced by LPS in the FST, TST, OFT and light-dark box test. Pifithrin-μ also prevented the formation of anorexia as well as the increase in serum corticosterone levels in LPS-treated mice. Our previous studies showed that pifithrin-μ prevents the production of pro-inflammatory factors in both microglia and macrophages. These findings presented here extend the role of pifithrin-μ beyond an anti-inflammatory molecule to a modulator of sickness behavior.
What, Then, is ‘Global’ about Global Governance?
Authors: Aksu Esref
Published: February 2016

This article explores whether the notion of globality is as integral to the various conceptualisations of “global governance” in the pertinent literature as one would justifiably assume. The conceptual analysis here concentrates on well-established clusters of meaning attached to global governance. The main observation is that the nature of globality remains conceptually underdeveloped in the self-conscious global governance literature. The main suggestion against this backdrop is that conceptual clarity is both necessary and possible. Closer reflection on the use of “global” as a linguistic qualifier might prove a useful starting point when seeking such clarity.
Promoting Successful and Sustainable Foreign Direct Investment through Political Risk Mitigation Strategies
Authors: Vanhonnaeker Lukas
Published: February 2016

Political risk is a critical component of international trade and it is often the source of concern for businesses willing to invest abroad in light of the limited ability of legal instruments to protect them against it. That is why further political risk minimization has traditionally been done through investor-oriented strategies that maximize the interests of the investor. These interests sometimes clash with the interests of the State: the State seeks to promote sustainable development interests while the private investor is pursuing its own interests. These are the situations where it is necessary to avoid conflict by aligning the interests of the foreign actor with the local polity, which can be done through mutually beneficial (i.e. both for states and for private trade actors) political risk mitigation strategies. In this regard, this paper demonstrates how such strategies can incentivize international trade actors to undertake commercial operations in a sustainable manner.
Chinese Discourse on Human Rights in Global Governance
Authors: Sun Pinghua
Published: February 2016

China’s discourse on human rights has a very rich and colorful content and the construction thereof has its own particular characteristics. Approaches to examine it should be adopted to understand thoroughly both the past and the present and both Chinese and Western methods of integration of theory into practice. Many important human rights factors are embodied in traditional Chinese culture and Confucianism became an important basis of the international consensus on morality. The Chinese representative, Peng-chun Chang made historical contributions to the construction of the international human rights protection system. These represent the core texts in constructing China’s human rights discourse, which will play an important role in China’s struggle for authority in the international discourse on human rights and dominance in global governance.
A taxonomic revision of the genus Digitaria (Panicoideae: Poaceae) in mainland Southeast Asia
Authors: Boonsuk Boonchuang , Chantaranothai Pranom , Hodkinson Trevor R.
Published: February 2016

A taxonomic revision of the genus Digitaria (Poaceae) is presented for mainland Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Peninsular Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam). A total of 27 species (29 taxa) is enumerated. Two cultivated species, D. eriantha and D. milanjiana, are excluded from this account. A key to sections and species is provided and subgenus Leptoloma is reduced to sectional rank. Taxon descriptions include distribution and ecological data, conservation status, and notes on each species. Digitaria effusa and D. hentyi are reduced to synonyms of D. abyssinica, and D. siamensis is a synonym of D. sparsifructus. The lectotype is designated for D. stricta var. glabrescens.
Exclusion Factors in Latin American Higher Education
Authors: Castro Diego , Rodríguez-Gómez David , Gairín Joaquín
Published: February 2016

Access to higher education has increased substantially in Latin America, but inequalities in access to and completion of higher education still remain. In this regard, identifying vulnerable groups and exclusion factors is a priority in Latin America’s university systems. The aim of this article is to understand in depth governing board perceptions of exclusion factors in higher education institutions in Latin America. The study has identified five key factors that help better understand exclusion from higher education in Latin America: (a) personal characteristics, (b) family situation, (c) institutional features, (d) public policies, and (e) phases of university students’ development.
US nuclear weapons and non-proliferation
Authors: Kroenig Matthew
Published: February 2016

According to a widespread conventional wisdom, there is a link between US nuclear weapons and nuclear proliferation and, therefore, in order to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons to other states, the US government must first make changes to its own nuclear arsenal. This article challenges the notion that US nuclear posture has a significant bearing on the proliferation and non-proliferation behavior of other states. Contrary to the received wisdom in policy circles, this article maintains that state decisions on nuclear non-proliferation issues are driven by a range of other security, economic, and political factors and, once these considerations are taken into account, there is little if any remaining variance to be explained by US nuclear posture. Using a dataset on US nuclear arsenal size from 1945 to 2011, this article examines the relationship between the size of the US nuclear arsenal and a variety of nuclear non-proliferation outcomes. It finds that there is no evidence of a relationship between the size of the US arsenal and: the exploration, pursuit, or acquisition of nuclear weapons by other states; the provision of sensitive nuclear assistance to non-nuclear weapon states; and voting on non-proliferation issues in the United Nations Security Council. The results are robust to alternate conceptualizations and measurements of US nuclear weapons and in various subsamples of data. This article breaks new ground on an empirical research agenda on how the nuclear policies and postures of the major nuclear powers affect the spread of nuclear weapons and has important implications for nuclear security policy.
Focus in Corrective Exchanges: Effects of Pitch Accent and Syntactic Form
Authors: Clifton Charles , Frazier Lyn
Published: February 2016

A dialog consisting of an utterance by one speaker and another speaker’s correction of its content seems intuitively to be made more acceptable when the new information is pitch accented or otherwise focused, and when the utterance and correction have the same syntactic form. Three acceptability judgment studies, one written and two auditory, investigated the interaction of focus (manipulated by sentence position and, in Experiments 2 and 3, pitch accent) and syntactic parallelism. Experiment 1 indicated that syntactic parallelism interacted with position of the new (contrastive) term: nonparallel forms were relatively acceptable when the new term appeared in object position, a position that commonly contains new information (a ‘default focus’ position). Experiments 2 and 3 indicated that presence of a pitch accent and placement in a default focus position had additive effects on acceptability. Surprisingly, spoken dialogs in which the new term appeared in object position were acceptable even when given information carried the most prominent pitch accent. The present studies, and earlier work, suggest that corrected information can be focused either by prosody or position even in spoken English–a language often thought to express focus through pitch accent, not syntactic position.
Size Matters
Authors: Biggs Michael
Published: February 2016

Since the 1970s, catalogs of protest events have been at the heart of research on social movements. To measure how protest changes over time or varies across space, sociologists usually count the frequency of events, as either the dependent variable or a key independent variable. An alternative is to count the number of participants in protest. This article investigates demonstrations, strikes, and riots. Their size distributions manifest enormous variation. Most events are small, but a few large events contribute the majority of protesters. When events are aggregated by year or by city, the correlation between total participation and event frequency is low or modest. The choice of how to quantify protest is therefore vital; findings from one measure are unlikely to apply to another. The fact that the bulk of participation comes from large events has positive implications for the compilation of event catalogs. Rather than worrying about the underreporting of small events, concentrate on recording large ones accurately.
Robust ℋ∞ filtering for vehicle sideslip angle estimation with sampled-data measurements
Authors: Zhang Changzhu , Chen Qijun , Qiu Jianbin
Published: February 2016

In this paper, the problem of vehicle sideslip angle estimation is studied based on a single-track model, and an approach to robust ℋ∞ filter design with sampled-data measurements is proposed. Considering the changes of the vehicle mass, the moment of inertia about the yaw axis and the nonlinear relationships between the road surface and tyres, the vehicle lateral dynamics are characterized by a system with parameter uncertainties, which belong to a given convex polytope. By utilizing an input delay approach, the filtering error system is transformed into a continuous-time system with time delay in the state. By introducing a Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional and a free weighting matrix technique, LMI-based conditions have been formulated for the stability analysis of the filtering error system and the existence of admissible filters, which ensure the filtering error system is asymptotically stable with a prescribed ℋ∞ disturbance attenuation level. Finally, some simulation results are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Understanding aggression through attachment and social emotional competence in Korean middle school students
Authors: You Sukkyung , Kim Ann Y.
Published: February 2016

In recent years, increase in adolescent crime in the Republic of Korea has put adolescent aggression in the spotlight. This study examines whether the quality of attachment to parents and peers influences aggressive behaviors and whether social emotional competencies serve as significant mediators for middle school students. These relationships were investigated between gender groups. A full mediational model better explained the male sample while a partial mediational model better explained the female sample. Specifically, parent and peer attachment was found to have indirect effects on aggression via behavioral self-control among boys, whereas for girls, parent attachment was found to have both direct and indirect effects on aggression via empathy and behavioral self-control. The findings of the study underscore the importance of parent and peer attachment during adolescent years. Significant implications for teachers and school psychologists as well as aggression-prevention program developers are discussed.
Validation of an Interaction Model of Health Behavior Among Adults With Hypertension
Authors: Hickman Ronald L. , Clochesy John M. , Alaamri Marym
Published: February 2016

The purpose of this study was to test the Interaction Model of Client Health Behavior among adults with hypertension. The predictive associations among health literacy, quality of the provider interaction, perceived communication skills, and behavioral activation on blood pressure control were examined. Participants were 109 adults with hypertension recruited from community settings. A path analysis using maximum likelihood estimation was conducted in Analysis of Moment Structures for Windows (AMOS). The model fit to these data was excellent (χ2 = 1.1, p = .76, Tucker–Lewis index [TLI] = 1.1, comparative fit index [CFI] = 1.0, root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = .00, standardized root mean residual [SRMR] = .03). As hypothesized, health literacy, quality of the provider interaction, and perceived communication skills directly affected behavioral action. The quality of the provider interaction, perceived communication skills, and behavioral activation had direct effects on systolic blood pressure control. The study results support health literacy screening and communication skill building, and improving the quality of provider interactions to enhance blood pressure control among adults with hypertension.
The effectiveness of pre-operative exercise physiotherapy rehabilitation on the outcomes of treatment following anterior cruciate ligament injury: a systematic review
Authors: Alshewaier Shady , Yeowell Gillian , Fatoye Francis
Published: February 2016

Objective:

To evaluate the effectiveness of pre-operative exercise physiotherapy rehabilitation on the outcomes of treatment following anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Methods:

The following databases were searched: PubMed, Ovid, The Cochrane Library and Web of Science. Studies published between the inception of the databases and December 2015 were sought using appropriate keywords in various combinations. This search was supplemented with a manual search of the references of selected studies. Studies were assessed for methodological quality using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale.

Results:

A total of 500 studies were identified, of which eight studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the present review. The average Physiotherapy Evidence Database score for the studies included was 5.8, which reflects an overall moderate methodological quality. The eight studies investigated a total of 451 subjects of which 71% ( n=319) were males. The age of the participants in the eight studies ranged from 15 to 57 years. The duration of the intervention in the studies ranged from 3 to 24 weeks. This review found that pre-operative physiotherapy rehabilitation is effective for improving the outcomes of treatment following anterior cruciate ligament injury, including increasing knee-related function and improving muscle strength. However, whilst there was a significant improvement in quality of life from baseline following intervention, no significant difference in quality of life was found between the control and intervention groups.

Conclusions:

There is evidence to suggest that pre-operative physiotherapy rehabilitation is beneficial to patients with anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Plate fixation versus intramedullary fixation for midshaft clavicle fractures: Meta-analysis of complications and functional outcomes
Authors: Xiao Hao , Gao Hengbo , Zheng Tuokang , Zhao Jianhui , Tian Yingping
Published: February 2016

Objective

This analysis critically compares publications discussing complications and functional outcomes of plate fixation (PF) versus intramedullary fixation (IF) for midshaft clavicle fractures.

Methods

Relevant studies published between January 1990 and October 2014, without language restrictions, were identified in database searches of PubMed®, Medline®, Embase and the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). Studies that compared postoperative complications and functional outcomes between PF and IF for midshaft clavicle fractures, and provided sufficient data for analysis, were included in this meta-analysis.

Results

After strict evaluation, 12 studies were included in this meta-analysis. Studies encompassed 462 participants in the PF group and 440 in the IF group. Study participants were followed up for ≥1 year. Outcomes were superior with IF compared with PF in terms of shoulder constant score at 6-month follow-up, fewer symptomatic hardware complications, lower rate of refracture after hardware removal and less hypertrophic scarring. In other aspects, such as functional recovery at 12-months and 24-months, Disability of Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire results at 12-month follow-up, shoulder motion range, rates of superficial infection, temporary brachial plexus lesion, nonunion, malunion, delayed union, implant failure and need for major revision, both techniques were similar.

Conclusions

Findings of this meta-analysis suggest that, in many respects, IF was superior to PF for the management of midshaft clavicle fractures. This finding could aid surgeons in making decisions on the optimum internal fixation pattern for midshaft clavicular fractures.
Psychological factors associated with failure of detoxification treatment in chronic headache associated with medication overuse
Authors: Bottiroli S , Viana M , Sances G , Ghiotto N , Guaschino E , Galli F , Vegni E , Pazzi S , Nappi G , Tassorelli C
Published: February 2016

Aim

The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychological factors associated with a negative outcome following detoxification in a 2-month follow-up in medication-overuse headache.

Methods

All consecutive patients entering the detoxification program were analysed in a prospective, non-randomised fashion. Psychiatric conditions and personality characteristics were assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Disorders (SCID-I) and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)-2. χ2 tests, one-way analyses of variance, and odds ratios (ORs) were used.

Results

A total of 248 patients completed the follow-up: 156 stopped overuse and their headaches reverted to an episodic pattern (Group A); 23 kept overusing without any benefit on headache frequency (Group B); and 51 stopped overuse without any benefit on headache frequency (Group C). The prognostic factors for the outcome of Group B were higher scores on the correction (OR 1.128; p = 0.036), depression (OR 1.071; p = 0.05), hysteria (OR 1.106; p = 0.023), and overcontrolled hostility (OR 1.182; p = 0.04) MMPI-2 scales, whereas those for Group C were psychiatric comorbidities (OR 1.502; p = 0.021) and higher scores on the hysteria scale (OR 1.125; p = 0.004).

Conclusions

The outcome of detoxification is influenced by psychological factors that should be considered when considering treatment strategies.
Anaerobic co-digestion of sewage sludge and food waste
Authors: Prabhu Meghanath S , Mutnuri Srikanth
Published: February 2016

Anaerobic co-digestion of organic matter improves digester operating characteristics and its performance. In the present work, food waste was collected from the institute cafeteria. Two types of sludge (before centrifuge and after centrifuge) were collected from the fluidised bed reactor of the institute treating sewage wastewater. Food waste and sludge were studied for their physico–chemical characteristics, such as pH, chemical oxygen demand, total solids, volatile solids, ammoniacal nitrogen, and total nitrogen. A biomethane potential assay was carried out to find out the optimum mixing ratio of food waste and sludge for anaerobic co-digestion. Results indicated that food waste mixed with sludge in the ratio of 1:2 produced the maximum biogas of 823 ml gVS−1 (21 days) with an average methane content of 60%. Batch studies were conducted in 5 L lab-glass reactors at a mesophilic temperature. The effect of different substrate loading rates on biogas production was investigated. The mixing ratio of food waste and sludge was 1:2. A loading rate of 1 gVS L d−1 gave the maximum biogas production of 742 ml g−1 VS L d−1 with a methane content of 50%, followed by 2 gVS L d−1 with biogas of 539 ml g−1 VS L d−1. Microbial diversity of the reactor during fed batch studies was investigated by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism. A pilot-scale co-digestion of food waste and sludge (before centrifuge) indicated the process stability of anaerobic digestion.
Healthcare leadership and the ethics of managing expectations of caregivers and patients
Authors: Browne Alister
Published: February 2016

Healthcare providers and patients are often disappointed by the level of care public hospitals can deliver. The remedy is to lower expectations. Providers should be brought to see their obligations as only to give the best care resources allow. The public should be clearly told what care hospitals can and cannot provide and involved in decision-making. Healthcare leaders can play innovative roles in both these remedies.
Influence of Obesity Diagnosis With Organ Dysfunction, Mortality, and Resource Use Among Children Hospitalized With Infection in the United States
Authors: Maley Nidhi , Gebremariam Achamyeleh , Odetola Folafoluwa , Singer Kanakadurga
Published: February 2016

Background:

Sepsis induces inflammation in response to infection and is a major cause of mortality and hospitalization in children. Obesity induces chronic inflammation leading to many clinical manifestations. Our understanding of the impact of obesity on diseases, such as infection and sepsis, is limited. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of obesity with organ dysfunction, mortality, duration, and charges during among US children hospitalized with infection.

Methods:

Retrospective study of hospitalizations in children with infection aged 0 to 20 years, using the 2009 Kids’ Inpatient Database.

Results:

Of 3.4 million hospitalizations, 357 701 were for infection, 5685 of which were reported as obese children. Obese patients had higher rates of organ dysfunction (7.35% vs 5.5%, P < .01), longer hospital stays (4.1 vs 3.5 days, P < .001), and accrued higher charges (US$29 019 vs US$21 200, P < .001). In multivariable analysis, mortality did not differ by obesity status (odds ratio: 0.56, 95% confidence interval: 0.23-1.34), however severity of illness modified the association between obesity status and the other outcomes.

Conclusions:

While there was no difference in in-hospital mortality by obesity diagnosis, variation in organ dysfunction, hospital stay, and hospital charges according to obesity status was mediated by illness severity. Findings from this study have significant implications for targeted approaches to mitigate the burden of obesity on infection and sepsis.
The effect of nitrile-functionalized nano-aluminum oxide on the thermomechanical properties and toughness of phthalonitrile resin
Authors: Shan Shuyan , Chen Xinggang , Xi Zhenjie , Yu Xiaoyan , Qu Xiongwei , Zhang Qingxin
Published: February 2016

Resorcinol-based phthalonitrile (R-CN)/nano-aluminum oxide (Al2O3) nanocomposites were prepared via a two-step approach. Firstly, Al2O3 was functionalized with nitrile groups on the surface of Al2O3 nanoparticles, which was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The effect of nano-Al2O3 particles on thermomechanical and flexural properties has been evaluated for different weight ratios ranging between 0% and 5%. Compared with pure nano-Al2O3, nitrile-functionalized Al2O3 (CN-Al2O3) particles showed a more significant enhancement effect on the properties of R-CN resin. The storage modulus of nanocomposite with 5 wt% CN-Al2O3 reaches 2679 MPa at 25°C, which is much higher than that of the pure R-CN resin. For 3 wt% CN-Al2O3-reinforced R-CN composites, it showed an increase of 54.84% in flexural strength and 21.48% in flexural modulus. SEM was employed to explore the fracture surface of composites. Micrographs of fracture surface analysis confirmed that the toughness of R-CN resin can be improved significantly by incorporating CN-Al2O3 nanoparticles.
Virtual reconstruction and performance assessment of an eroded centrifugal pump impeller
Authors: Kang Can , Zhang Guifeng , Li Bing , Feng Yanhua , Zhang Zhigang
Published: February 2016

Emphasis is placed on the performance of a two-stage pump equipped with an eroded impeller. Non-contact reverse engineering technique is utilized to acquire the point data constituting the three-dimensional geometrical model of the eroded impeller. With computational fluid dynamics, both the operation performance of the pump and flow patterns adjacent to the eroded blade surface are obtained. For comparison, the corresponding undamaged impeller is investigated as well. Preferable fidelity of the approach of constructing geometrical model of the damaged impeller is substantiated. The mechanism underlying performance degradation of the pump with the eroded impeller is evidenced. Local flow patterns near the eroded area are featured by explicit irregularity. Furthermore, between the defective and the undamaged pumps, disparity in positions where cavitation occurs is negligible.
Method for validating the train motion equations used for passenger rail vehicle simulation
Authors: Douglas Heather , Weston Paul , Kirkwood David , Hillmansen Stuart , Roberts Clive
Published: February 2016

Train simulation software is conventionally validated by checking simulation results against equivalent data collected from real train runs. It is typically expected that these results will be within 5–10% accuracy of the recorded data. However, such a large margin could allow errors in the programming to be overlooked, resulting in an inaccurate model. This paper presents a method for error checking and validating the kinematics of train simulators based on comparison with calculated results, which are found by solving the fundamental equations governing train motion. A typical train run comprises of a combination of two or more of the four stages: accelerating, cruising, coasting and braking. Each stage is considered as a separate scenario for which the equations must be solved, in order to find the running time, distance travelled and energy consumption of the vehicle. This validation method is applied to two train movement simulators currently used for research. Certain specific scenarios for which analytical solutions are available are run in each simulator. The differences from the analytical solution in each test case are quantified, allowing the simulators to be compared to each other and the exact solution.
How Leaders’ Diversity Beliefs Alter the Impact of Faultlines on Team Functioning
Authors: Schölmerich Franziska , Schermuly Carsten C. , Deller Jürgen
Published: February 2016

Teams with strong faultlines often do not achieve their full potential because their functioning is impaired. We argue that strong diversity beliefs held by team leaders mitigate the negative impact of socio-demographic and experience-based faultlines on team functioning. In a heterogeneous multisource field sample of 217 employees nested in 44 teams and their leaders, we tested our assumptions. Results of a path-analytic model showed that socio-demographic faultlines were negatively related to perceived cohesion and positively related to perceived loafing. The impact of socio-demographic faultlines on team functioning was less detrimental when leaders held strong diversity beliefs. Against our expectations, we found no support for an impact of experience-based faultlines on perceived cohesion or a moderating role of leaders’ diversity beliefs in this context. Potential explanations for these results and implications for organizations and team leaders are discussed.
Exploring Health Care Providers’ Views About Initiating End-of-Life Care Communication
Authors: Nedjat-Haiem Frances R. , Carrion Iraida V. , Gonzalez Krystana , Ell Kathleen , Thompson Beti , Mishra Shiraz I.
Published: February 2016

Numerous factors impede effective and timely end-of-life (EOL) care communication. These factors include delays in communication until patients are seriously ill and/or close to death. Gaps in patient–provider communication negatively affect advance care planning and limit referrals to palliative and hospice care. Confusion about the roles of various health care providers also limits communication, especially when providers do not coordinate care with other health care providers in various disciplines. Although providers receive education regarding EOL communication and care coordination, little is known about the roles of all health care providers, including nonphysician support staff working with physicians to discuss the possibility of dying and help patients prepare for death. This study explores the perspectives of physicians, nurses, social workers, and chaplains on engaging seriously ill patients and families in EOL care communication. Qualitative data were from 79 (medical and nonmedical) providers practicing at 2 medical centers in Central Los Angeles. Three themes that describe providers’ perceptions of their roles and responsibility in talking with seriously ill patients emerged: (1) providers’ roles for engaging in EOL discussions, (2) responsibility of physicians for initiating and leading discussions, and (3) need for team co-management patient care. Providers highlighted the importance of beginning discussions early by having physicians lead them, specifically due to their medical training and need to clarify medical information regarding patients’ prognosis. Although physicians are a vital part of leading EOL communication, and are at the center of communication of medical information, an interdisciplinary approach that involves nurses, social workers, and chaplains could significantly improve patient care.
The Price of Democracy? Political Representation Structure and Per Capita Expenditure in Victorian Local Government
Authors: Drew Joseph , Dollery Brian
Published: February 2016

Local government systems across the world face acute and ongoing fiscal challenges. In Australia, the regulatory response has focused squarely on council consolidation. This has, unfortunately, meant that comparatively little attention has been paid to alternate, less disruptive methods for enhancing municipal sustainability. One such possibility lies in modifying the structure of local political representation. We conduct a number of estimations on a four-year panel of Victorian municipal data to test whether the “law of 1/ n” has empirical support at the local government level. Our results clearly show that the number of geographically defined fragments, or wards, within a given municipality is a statistically significant determinant of local government expenditure. A number of public policy recommendations follow from the empirical evidence that might be broadly applicable to other municipal systems.