bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Beliefs About Behavioral Determinants of Obesity in Appalachia, 2011-2014
Authors: Rice Elise L. , Patel Minal , Serrano Katrina J. , Thai Chan L. , Blake Kelly D. , Vanderpool Robin C.
Published: May 2018

The populations of many Appalachian communities have high rates of unhealthy body weight. This study aimed to identify differences in beliefs about obesity between Appalachians and non-Appalachians. Our analyses explored health beliefs and behaviors among US adults aged ≥18 (n = 14 451) who responded to the Health Information National Trends Survey (2011-2014), of whom 1015 (8%) resided within the 420 counties recognized as Appalachian by the Appalachian Regional Commission. Using weighted regression analyses and controlling for sociodemographic characteristics and general health, we determined that self-reported body mass index was higher among Appalachians than among non-Appalachians ( B = 0.75, P = .03, 95% confidence interval, 0.08-1.47) and that Appalachians were less likely than non-Appalachians to believe that lifestyle factors were related to obesity ( B = –0.37, P = .03, 95% confidence interval, –0.04 to –0.71). Results suggest that Appalachians may regard behavioral prevention differently from non-Appalachians, perhaps with less confidence in the effectiveness of certain behaviors to reduce obesity risk. Future research may determine whether such beliefs could complicate efforts to encourage healthy lifestyles throughout the region.
Unified wave equation and numerical simulation of mechanical wave propagation in alloy solidification
Authors: Wang Rujia , Wu Shiping , Chen Wei
Published: May 2018

A unified wave equation of mechanical wave propagation during solidification of an alloy was established and the numerical solution of the wave equation was obtained. A three-element model (KSLS) used to describe the stress–strain constitutive relation of the alloy in the mushy zone was established by the analysis of rheological characteristics of molten melt during solidification. Based on the KSLS model, we could describe the constitutive relation of the liquid alloy, a Maxwell medium, and of the solidified alloy, an elastic medium, by the various Lame coefficients. The wave propagation during solidification was identified by a unified wave equation coming from a unified integral constitutive equation, to adapt to a variety of viscoelastic media. The wave equations could be solved succinctly by introducing a "memory factor" and the staggered grid finite difference method. The analytical results demonstrated that the unified wave equation could be perfectly applied to the numerical simulation of wave propagation during solidification. The propagation of the P-wave in a one-dimensional alloy was simulated during solidification, obtaining the propagation law of the mechanical wave: the wave with variable wavelength and amplitude propagated with attenuation during solidification; otherwise, as the source excitation force was fixed, the fluctuations caused by the mechanical wave could be more serious when the vibration was applied in the melt directly, which is more conducive to grain refinement.
Stalking on Campus: A Gendered Perspective on Target Congruence and Opportunity
Authors: Elvey Kathryn , Reyns Bradford W. , McNeeley Susan
Published: May 2018

This study examines target congruence and lifestyle-routine activity behaviors as explanations of stalking victimization among college students, while also considering gender as a moderator in these relationships. Analysis of a nationwide sample of more than 75,000 students from 129 universities across the United States suggests that indicators of target antagonism, target gratifiability, and target vulnerability significantly predict stalking victimization. Indicators of lifestyle-routine activities—in particular, proximity to motivated offenders, exposure to motivated offenders, and target attractiveness—are also significantly related to stalking victimization. In addition, the importance of specific risk factors vary by gender. The results highlight the importance of target congruence as an expansion of lifestyle-routine activities theory, which can help to direct policies and prevention measures in a meaningful and systematic way.
Successful Reintegration and Mental Health: An Examination of Gender Differences Among Reentering Offenders
Authors: Bakken Nicholas W. , Visher Christy A.
Published: May 2018

Men and women exiting the correctional system represent a population at high risk for mental health problems, and the body of research on the mental health needs of former prisoners is growing. These mental health problems pose challenges for individuals at every stage of the criminal justice process, from arrest to incarceration to reentry and reintegration. This article examines the mental health status and gender differences among a sample of 352 men and women leaving confinement and the role that mental health problems played in shaping their reentry outcomes using data collected between 2002 and 2005. In the year after leaving prison, men and women with mental health problems reported worse health indicators and less satisfactory social factors, such as employment, housing, and family support. The article concludes with a discussion of recommendations for improved policy and practice for assisting former prisoners with mental health problems during reintegration.
State observer for linear system with unknown input disturbance and sampled and delayed output with measurement noise
Authors: Mohammed Abdeldafia M , Wang Haoping , Tian Yang
Published: May 2018

This paper addresses the sampled and unknown time-varying delayed output problem of the continuous-time linear system with unknown input disturbance and measurement noise. Based on the piecewise continuous hybrid system and extended functional observer, a robust hybrid extended observer is proposed to estimate the non-delayed continuous state from the sampled and delayed measurements when the time delay is unknown time-varying. The advantages of the designed observer are the quite simple structure, robustness to dealing with measurement noise, and ability to estimate the system state with accuracy under the influence of unknown input disturbance. Furthermore, the proposed observer is able to estimate the non-delayed continuous state and unknown input disturbance, in particular for the issue of fault estimation and perturbation disturbance simultaneously. The stability of the robust hybrid extended observer is illustrated and analyzed. Moreover, to show the effectiveness of the proposed observer, a comparison with the delayed Luenberger observer is performed via a numerical example. Finally, the simulation results are demonstrated.
On the adaptive control of spherical actuators
Authors: Nguyen Kim-Doang
Published: May 2018

This paper addresses the control problem of multi-degree-of-freedom actuators with uncertain torque models and unmodelled system parameters, such as the rotor’s moments of inertia. The control scheme relies on (i) the parameterization of the system nonlinearity in terms of two regression functions and the unknown parameters, and (ii) a control structure with filtered input torque and projection-based adaptation laws. The input–output mapping analysis rigorously shows that the proposed controller maintains the bounded deviation of the control system from a stable, non-adaptive reference system. The size of the deviation is inversely proportional to the filter bandwidth. Simulations using a standard model of spherical motors illustrate the tracking performance of the controlled rotor’s orientations.
The evaluation of two methods for active vibration damping using RUS Hexapod platform
Authors: Nashawati Nael , Albitar Chadi , Dib Alaa
Published: May 2018

This paper presents a study on active vibration Isolation using RUS (revolute joint, universal joint, spherical joint) structure of Stewart platform, as it is less expensive and easier to build than PSS (prismatic joint, spherical joint, spherical joint) structure, which is used a lot in this field. Two control methods are proposed; the fuzzy logic method and the adaptive feed forward control method with multiple error least mean square. Results are evaluated using the SimMechanics toolbox under Matlab 2014 with white noise signals to simulate vibrations. In addition, practical measured accelerations are applied and results are evaluated. Both strategies use a proportional–integral–derivative (PID) controller in parallel to control displacements of the Hexapod as vibrations at low frequencies generate high variations in displacements. The results prove that using a Hexapod with RUS structure can degrade vibrations and guarantee a good behavior for many applications, which is the main aim of this research.
Hydrothermal liquefaction of microalgae after different pre-treatments
Authors: Vlaskin Mikhail S , Grigorenko Anatoly V , Chernova Nadezhda I , Kiseleva Sophia V.
Published: May 2018

Hydrothermal liquefaction of different microalgae samples ( Arthrospira platensis cultivated by our research group) – fresh (directly after harvesting), dried and frozen – have been performed. In hydrothermal liquefaction process, the samples were heated up to 300°C for 30 min and kept at a constant temperature for 60 min. Then dichloromethane was added to the samples to extract the oil fraction. The products obtained after aqueous and dichloromethane solutions evaporation are referred to as water soluble organics and bio-oil correspondingly. The experiments on hydrothermal liquefaction of microalgae pre-treated in different ways were conducted for three independent harvest samples. The average values of bio-oil yield in the experiments with fresh, dried and frozen microalgae were equal to 44.07%, 39.97% and 39.65%, respectively. The average yields of water soluble organics were equal to 19.34%, 29.00% and 21.43% respectively. In all the experiments, the highest yield of bio-oil was reached for fresh microalgae. From this point of view, direct hydrothermal liquefaction processing of fresh microalgae seems to be more preferable that further enhances the advantage of hydrothermal liquefaction in comparison with other biomass-to-biofuel conversion methods.
A Comparison of Peer Network and Peer Video Modeling to Increase Positive Verbal Social Interactions in Young Children With Disabilities
Authors: Oh-Young Conrad , Filler John , Kucskar Maryssa , Buchter Jennifer , O’Hara Kathleen , Gelfer Jeff
Published: May 2018

The ability to engage in positive social interactions is an important goal for young children with developmental disabilities (DDs). Peer-mediated intervention (PMI), one category of interventions often employed with those who show social skill deficits, involves use of typical peers who live model appropriate behaviors. A second frequent category uses videos of actors who model appropriate behaviors, video modeling (VM). There were two purposes of this study. The first was to compare the relative effectiveness of peer networking (PN), a type of PMI, and peer video modeling (PVM), a type of VM, to determine which was better at increasing the number of positive verbal social interactions performed by young children with DDs. The second was to determine whether the positive effects of the best treatment generalized to the playground. Mixed findings revealed that PN was more effective than PVM for a child with autism and for a child with language delays with evidence of generalization and that both were equally effective for a third child. Neither was effective for the fourth and fifth participants.
Measuring Functional Impairment in Children and Adolescents: Psychometric Properties of the Columbia Impairment Scale (CIS)
Authors: Attell Brandon K. , Cappelli Christopher , Manteuffel Brigitte , Li Hongli
Published: May 2018

The role of measuring functional impairment holds an important place in research, clinical practice, and service provision for children and adolescents. Responding to the growing need to measure serious emotional disturbances at the local, state, and national level, the Columbia Impairment Scale (CIS) was developed in the early 1990s and has remained one of the several popular scales for assessing functional impairment. However, despite the growing popularity of the instrument in research and practice, only a few studies to date have specifically examined the psychometric properties of the CIS. In this article, we describe the results of the first item response theory analysis of the CIS utilizing nationally representative data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey ( N = 69,966). The results of our analysis lend support to the essential unidimensionality of the CIS and demonstrate that the scale is most reliable for those who exhibit high levels of functional impairment. Given the psychometric properties of the scale identified by our analysis, we contend that the CIS is a viable measure in the ongoing efforts to establish a national epidemiologic surveillance system to track the prevalence and impact of serious emotional disturbances in children and adolescents.
Audit of Intrapartum Care Based on the National Guideline for Midwifery and Birth Services
Authors: Minooee Sonia , Simbar Masoumeh , Sheikhan Zohreh , Alavi Majd Hamid
Published: May 2018

Providing high-quality maternity care is a worldwide health concern that necessitates regular assessment of intrapartum practice. In an observational study, we aimed to audit intrapartum care based on the National Guideline for Midwifery and Birth Services. Using quota sampling, a total of 200 pregnant women, admitted for normal vaginal delivery, were recruited from four educational hospitals in Tehran, Iran. An observational checklist was developed based on the national guideline to assess the quality of provided care. Content and face validity of the tool were checked and confirmed. Reliability of the observational checklist and questionnaire was confirmed using concurrent observation (intrarater reliability; r = .93) and test–retest ( r = .9) methods, respectively. We found that the compatibility of intrapartum care and the national guideline in different domains were as follows: history taking 88.3%, vital sign measurement 64.6%, performing Leopold’s maneuver 38.5%, initial assessment 83.4%, labor care 22.5%, using pain relief methods 63.5%, labor progress assessment 71.5%, process of delivery 89.5%, and postpartum management 89.5%. The findings indicate that additional attention and monitoring are required to align current intrapartum care practices with the national guidelines.
Nurse Spiritual Care: Prevalence and Correlates
Authors: Mamier Iris , Taylor Elizabeth Johnston , Winslow Betty Wehtje
Published: May 2018

Many nurses embrace spiritual care as integral to holistic care. Evidence documenting the frequency of spiritual care provided in acute care settings, however, is sparse and weak. For this cross-sectional, correlational study, data were collected from N = 554 tertiary care nurses using the Nurse Spiritual Care Therapeutics Scale (NSCTS) measuring their self-reported spiritual care with patients/family members over the last 72 to 80 hours at work. While the most frequently endorsed practices centered on presence, listening, and spiritual assessment, the overall NSCTS score remained modest ( M = 37; SD = 12; possible range = 17-85). Several associations were found; 32.4% of the variance in frequency of spiritual care provision was explained by nurse perception that spiritual issues come up often in the work setting, high nurse spirituality score, not working in pediatrics, and having received education about spiritual care. Findings allow for benchmarking of nursing practices that have often been invisible.
Art at the Music Festival: Blueprints and the Chronotope
Authors: Kill Rebekka
Published: May 2018

The events, festivals, and happenings of the late 1960s, especially those in the West coast areas of the United States, were predominantly music focused. During this period, and alongside these events, new types and modes of visual art, fashion, and graphic design emerged that were subsequently shared worldwide and are very familiar to us now. It can be argued that events such as the Monterey Pop Festival and Woodstock were progenitive and created the hippy style. If we look at the photographs, films, and posters from these events, there is little evidence of these new modes of practice. Very much like more recent events, the promotional material and documentation focus on the formally programed acts on the main stages as opposed to these other elements of the festival which is often where additional critical and intellectual innovation can be found. This essay will explore the nature of these festival events as sites that catalyze and subsequently promulgate new intellectual, critical, and creative forms.
Book review: Pius Malekandathil, Joy L. K. Pachau and Tanika Sarkar (eds), Christianity in Indian History: Issues of Culture, Power and Knowledge
Authors: Frykenberg Robert Eric
Published: May 2018

Pius Malekandathil, Joy L. K. Pachau and Tanika Sarkar (eds), Christianity in Indian History: Issues of Culture, Power and Knowledge, Primus Books, New Delhi, 2016, xiv + 283 pp., ₹1,750.
Book review: Sara Keller and Michael Pearson (eds), Port Towns of Gujarat
Authors: Sheikh Samira
Published: May 2018

Sara Keller and Michael Pearson (eds), Port Towns of Gujarat, Primus Books in association with Darshak Itihas Nidhi, Vadodara, 2015, xxvii+332 pp., ₹1,350.
Book review: Rajeev Kinra, Writing Self, Writing Empire: Chandar Bhan Brahman and the Cultural World of the Indo-Persian State Secretary
Authors: Anooshahr Ali
Published: May 2018

Rajeev Kinra, Writing Self, Writing Empire: Chandar Bhan Brahman and the Cultural World of the Indo-Persian State Secretary, Primus Books, New Delhi, 2016, 369 pp., ₹1,250.
Book review: Sumanta Banerjee, Memoirs of Roads: Calcutta from Colonial Urbanization to Global Modernization
Authors: Sengupta Kaustubh Mani
Published: May 2018

Sumanta Banerjee, Memoirs of Roads: Calcutta from Colonial Urbanization to Global Modernization, Oxford University Press and Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla, New Delhi, 2016, x + 175 pp., ₹695.
Book review: Harald Fischer-Tiné and Jana Tschurenev (eds), A History of Alcohol and Drugs in Modern South Asia: Intoxicating Affairs
Authors: Nandi Sugata
Published: May 2018

Harald Fischer-Tiné and Jana Tschurenev (eds), A History of Alcohol and Drugs in Modern South Asia: Intoxicating Affairs, Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group, London and New York, 2014, xiv + 232 pp., ₹3,195.
New, optimized, dual-lumen cannula for veno-venous ECMO
Authors: von Segesser Ludwig K. , Berdajs Denis , Abdel-Sayed Saad , Ferrari Enrico , Halbe Maximilian , Wilhelm Markus , Maisano Francesco
Published: May 2018

Objective:

The present study was designed to assess in vivo a new, optimized, virtually wall-less, dual-lumen, bi-caval cannula for veno-venous ECMO in comparison to a commercially available cannula.

Methods:

Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was carried out in a bovine study (n=5, bodyweight 75±5kg). Following systemic heparinization, ECMO was established in a trans-jugular fashion through a calibrated 23F orifice, using a new, optimized, virtually wall-less, dual-lumen, bi-caval 24F cannula (Smartcanula LLC, Lausanne, Switzerland) versus a commercially available 23F bi-caval, dual-lumen control cannula (Avalon Elite®, Maquet, Rastatt, Germany) in a veno-venous ECMO setup. Veno-venous ECMO was initiated at 500 revolutions per minute (RPM) and increased by incremental steps of 500 RPM up to 2500 RPM. Catheter outlet pressure, catheter inlet pressure, oxygen saturation and pump flow were recorded at each stage.

Results:

Mean flow accounted for 0.37±0.04 L/min for wall-less versus 0.29± 0.07 L/min for control at 500 RPM, 0.97±0.12 versus 0.67±0.06 at 1000 RPM, 1.60±0.14 versus 1.16±0.08 at 1500 RPM, 2.31±0.13 versus 1.52±0.13 for 2000 RPM and 3.02±0.5 versus 2.11±0.18 (p<0.004). The mean venous suction required was 19±8 mmHg for wall-less versus 20±3 mmHg for control at 500 RPM, 7±3 versus 9±4 for 1000 RPM, -11±10 versus -12±8 at 1500 RPM, -39±15 versus -49±10 for 2000 RPM and -60±28 versus -94±7 for 2500 RPM. The mean venous injection pressure accounted for 29±7 mmHg for wall-less versus 27±5 mmHg for control at 500 RPM, 50±6 versus 61±7 at 1000 RPM, 89±10 versus 99±17 for 1500 RPM, 142±14 versus 161±9 at 2000 RPM and 211±41 versus 252 ±3 for 2500 RPM.

Conclusion:

Compared to the commercially available control cannula, the new, optimized, virtually wall-less, dual-lumen, bi-caval 24F cannula allows for significantly higher blood flows, requires less suction and results in lower injection pressures in vivo.
In vitro and in vivo assessment of oxygenator blood volume for the prediction of clot formation in an ECMO circuit (theory and validation)
Authors: Krivitski Nikolai , Galyanov Gregory , Cooper Deborah , Said Mariam M. , Rivera Oswaldo , Mikesell Gerald T. , Rais-Bahrami Khodayar
Published: May 2018

Introduction:

Clotting is one of the major causes of mortality and morbidity during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). A large meta-analysis study suggests that 29% of patients require the oxygenator to be replaced during ECMO. As clots usually form in the oxygenator, the oxygenator blood volume (OXBV) decreases over time. The currently used pressure gradient as a predicator of clot formation is unreliable.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to develop and validate ultrasound dilution technology in a quantitative assessment of clotting, using measurements of OXBV.

Methods:

OXBV was measured using the ELSA monitor (Transonic Systems Inc., Ithaca, NY, USA) from the transit time of a saline bolus passing through the oxygenator as recorded by a sensor placed after the oxygenator. The accuracy and reproducibility (coefficient of variation [CV]) of OXBV measurement and its independence from ECMO flow was assessed in vitro in lambs and from a clinical data archive.

Results:

The in vitro accuracy compared with volumetric measurements of OXBV of 22-134 ml at flows of 300-700 ml/min was −0.8±6.6%. For an OXBV of 355 ml at flows of 1020-7000 ml/min, accuracy was −0.4±1.6%. In 88 animal OXBV measurements, the CV was 1.49±1.12%. For an OXBV of 153 (range 42-387 ml), clinical measurements at flow ranged from 210-5960 ml/min, with a CV of 3.20±2.44 %.

Conclusion:

Dilution technology has the ability to accurately and reproducibly assess the clotting process in the oxygenator. Larger studies are needed to establish guidelines for the prediction of imminent clotting and may help to avoid unnecessary circuit changes.
Intracranial hemorrhage in adults on ECMO
Authors: Cavayas Yiorgos Alexandros , del Sorbo Lorenzo , Fan Eddy
Published: May 2018

Rationale:

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) use has exploded over the last decade. However, it remains invasive and associated with significant complications, including tamponade, infection, thrombosis, gas embolism and bleeding. The most dreaded complication is intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). In this article, we review the literature on the incidence, diagnosis, risk factors, pathophysiology, prognosis, prevention and management of ICH in adults on ECMO.

Main findings:

We found a high incidence of ICH in the literature with a poor prognosis. Important risk factors included pre-ECMO cardiac arrest, sepsis, influenza, renal failure, renal replacement therapy, hemolysis and thrombocytopenia. The optimal anticoagulation strategy is still uncertain. As platelet dysfunction and depletion appear to play an important role in the pathogenesis of ICH in patients on ECMO, a liberal platelet transfusion strategy may be advised. Prompt computed tomography (CT) diagnosis is of great importance as interventions to limit hematoma expansion and secondary neurological injury are most effective if instituted early. Transporting patients to the radiology department can be performed safely while on ECMO. A strategy combining screening CT on admission with a heparin-free period of extracorporeal support was demonstrated to be safe in VV-ECMO patients and resulted in a better prognosis compared to similar cohorts in the literature.

Conclusion:

Despite major technological improvements and all the experience gained in adults, ECMO remains associated with a high incidence of ICH. There are still wide gaps in our understanding of the disease. Optimal management strategies that minimize the risk of ICH and improve prognosis need to be further studied.
Addressing the challenges of ECMO simulation
Authors: Alinier Guillaume , Hassan Ibrahim Fawzy , Alsalemi Abdullah , Al Disi Mohammed , Ait Hssain Ali , Labib Ahmed , Alhomsi Yahya , Bensaali Fayçal , Amira Abbes , Ibrahim Abdulsalam Saif
Published: May 2018

Introduction/Aim:

The patient’s condition and high-risk nature of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy force clinical services to ensure clinicians are properly trained and always ready to deal effectively with critical situations. Simulation-based education (SBE), from the simplest approaches to the most immersive modalities, helps promote optimum individual and team performance. The risks of SBE are negative learning, inauthenticity in learning and over-reliance on the participants’ suspension of disbelief. This is especially relevant to ECMO SBE as circuit/patient interactions are difficult to fully simulate without confusing circuit alterations.

Methods:

Our efforts concentrate on making ECMO simulation easier and more realistic in order to reduce the current gap there is between SBE and real ECMO patient care. Issues to be overcome include controlling the circuit pressures, system failures, patient issues, blood colour and cost factors. Key to our developments are the hospital-university collaboration and research funding.

Results:

A prototype ECMO simulator has been developed that allows for realistic ECMO SBE. The system emulates the ECMO machine interface with remotely controllable pressure parameters, haemorrhaging, line chattering, air bubble noise and simulated blood colour change.

Conclusion:

The prototype simulator allows the simulation of common ECMO emergencies through innovative solutions that enhance the fidelity of ECMO SBE and reduce the requirement for suspension of disbelief from participants. Future developments will encompass the patient cannulation aspect.
Preventing violent radicalization of youth through dialogic evidence-based policies
Authors: Aiello Emilia , Puigvert Lídia , Schubert Tinka
Published: May 2018

Radicalization of youth leading to violent extremism in the form of terrorism is an urgent problem considering the rise of young people joining extremist groups of different ideologies. Previous research on the impact of counter-terrorism polices has highlighted negative outcomes such as stigmatizing minority groups. Drawing on qualitative research conducted under the PROTON project (2016–2019) by CREA-UB on the social and ethical impact of counter-terrorism policies in six EU countries, the present article presents and discusses the ways in which actions characterized by creating spaces for dialogue at the grassroots level are contributing to prevent youth violent radicalization. The results highlight four core elements underlying these spaces for dialogue: providing guidance to be safe in the exploration of extremist messages and violent radicalization; the rejection of violence; that dialogue is egalitarian; and that relationships are built on trust so that adolescents and young adults feel confident to raise their doubts. If taken into account, these elements can serve to elaborate dialogic evidence-based policies. The policies which include a dialogue between the scientific evidence and the people affected by them once implemented, achieve positive social impact.
Nicotine metabolite ratio and smoking outcomes using nicotine replacement therapy and varenicline among smokers with and without psychiatric illness
Authors: Clyde Matthew , Pipe Andrew , Els Charl , Reid Robert , Fu Angel , Clark Alexa , Tulloch Heather
Published: May 2018

Introduction:

It has been suggested that the effectiveness of nicotine replacement smoking cessation pharmacotherapy may be enhanced by assessing rates of nicotine metabolism using the nicotine metabolite ratio – which reflects differences in the activity of the CYP2A6 hepatic enzyme – and titrating doses appropriately. To date, supporting evidence is equivocal, with little information regarding the assessment and effectiveness of the nicotine metabolite ratio among smokers with psychiatric conditions.

Methods:

The nicotine metabolite ratio of 499 smokers from the FLEX trial was determined using urine samples obtained at baseline. They were randomized to receive either: standard transdermal nicotine (nicotine replacement therapy); extended nicotine replacement therapy + adjunct nicotine agent; or varenicline. Primary cessation outcomes were seven-day point prevalence at 5, 10, 22, and 52 weeks post-target quit date, comparing across treatment and psychiatric status. Our principal analysis employed logistic regression (outcome: abstinence), using slow metabolizers as the reference category.

Results:

No differences were observed by nicotine metabolite ratio classification (slow, moderate, fast) with respect to any demographic or smoking-related variables. Nicotine metabolite ratio class did not predict smoking cessation in either the overall sample, or by treatment condition at any time-point (week 52 moderate metabolizers: odds ratio 1.34, 95% confidence interval (0.68–2.63), p=0.394; fast metabolizers: odds ratio 1.04 (0.56–1.91), p=0. 906).

Conclusion:

Our results did not find any associations between nicotine metabolite ratio and cessation outcomes among smokers using nicotine replacement therapy or varenicline with and without lifetime psychiatric conditions.
Towards quantitative [18F]FDG-PET/MRI of the brain: Automated MR-driven calculation of an image-derived input function for the non-invasive determination of cerebral glucose metabolic rates
Authors: Sundar Lalith KS , Muzik Otto , Rischka Lucas , Hahn Andreas , Rausch Ivo , Lanzenberger Rupert , Hienert Marius , Klebermass Eva-Maria , Füchsel Frank-Günther , Hacker Marcus , Pilz Magdalena , Pataraia Ekaterina , Traub-Weidinger Tatjana , Beyer Thomas
Published: May 2018

Absolute quantification of PET brain imaging requires the measurement of an arterial input function (AIF), typically obtained invasively via an arterial cannulation. We present an approach to automatically calculate an image-derived input function (IDIF) and cerebral metabolic rates of glucose (CMRGlc) from the [18F]FDG PET data using an integrated PET/MRI system. Ten healthy controls underwent test–retest dynamic [18F]FDG-PET/MRI examinations. The imaging protocol consisted of a 60-min PET list-mode acquisition together with a time-of-flight MR angiography scan for segmenting the carotid arteries and intermittent MR navigators to monitor subject movement. AIFs were collected as the reference standard. Attenuation correction was performed using a separate low-dose CT scan. Assessment of the percentage difference between area-under-the-curve of IDIF and AIF yielded values within ±5%. Similar test–retest variability was seen between AIFs (9 ± 8) % and the IDIFs (9 ± 7) %. Absolute percentage difference between CMRGlc values obtained from AIF and IDIF across all examinations and selected brain regions was 3.2% (interquartile range: (2.4–4.3) %, maximum < 10%). High test–retest intravariability was observed between CMRGlc values obtained from AIF (14%) and IDIF (17%). The proposed approach provides an IDIF, which can be effectively used in lieu of AIF.
Exhuming memory: Miguel Hernández and the legacy of fascism in Spain
Authors: Rolston Bill , Alvarez Berastegi Amaia
Published: May 2018

Each March in Orihuela in the province of Valencia, Spain, there is a festival of mural painting in honour of local poet Miguel Hernández. For long the poet, who died in a fascist jail in 1942, had been publicly unacknowledged, but now his life, his work and his political involvement as a Republican political activist are openly displayed. How Hernández is remembered provides a powerful example of the struggles between memory and forgetting in post-Franco Spain. Faced with the contradiction of a Pact of Forgetting in 1977 and a Historical Memory Law in 2007, memory in Spain has to be carefully exhumed from under layers of fascist policies and culture.
Agriculture Biogeography
Authors: Katinas Liliana , Crisci Jorge V
Published: May 2018

The challenge of increasing food production to keep pace with demand, while retaining the essential ecological integrity of production systems, requires coordinated action among science disciplines. Thus, 21st-century Agriculture should incorporate disciplines related to natural resources, environmental science, and life sciences. Biogeography, as one of those disciplines, provides a unique contribution because it can generate research ideas and methods that can be used to ameliorate this challenge, with the concept of relative space providing the conceptual and analytical framework within which data can be integrated, related, and structured into a whole. A new branch of Biogeography, Agriculture Biogeography, is proposed here and defined as the application of the principles, theories, and analyses of Biogeography to agricultural systems, including all human activities related to breeding or cultivation, mostly to provide goods and services. It not only encompasses the problem that land use seems scarcely to be compatible with biodiversity conservation, but also a substantial body of theory and analysis involving subjects not strictly related to conservation. Our aim is to define the field and scope of Agriculture Biogeography, set the foundations of a conceptual framework of the discipline, and present some subjects related to Agriculture Biogeography. We present, in summary form, a concept map which summarizes the relationship between agriculture systems and Biogeography, and delineates the current engagement between Agriculture and Biogeography through the discussion of some perspectives from Biogeography and from the agriculture research.
Using Naturalistic Driving Study Data to Evaluate the Effects of Intersection Balance on Driver Behavior at Partial Cloverleaf Interchange Terminals
Authors: Wang Jin , Zhou Huaguo
Published: May 2018

Past studies showed that poor intersection balances at partial cloverleaf (parclo) interchange terminals significantly impact traffic safety and sight distance of drivers making left turns to entrance ramps. Some state traffic agencies have recommended a “balance” guideline that the length between the left-turn stop line on crossroads to the middle of the intersection should not be greater than 60% of the entire length of the intersection. However, a scarcity of research exists on how the balance of an intersection affects driver behavior, which has been identified as a critical contributing factor to intersection-related crashes. This study utilizes the Naturalistic Driving Study (NDS) data to evaluate the effects of intersection balance on driver behavior at parclo interchange terminals for proof-of-concept. A small but representative data sample was collected from the second Strategic Highway Research Program’s (SHRP 2) NDS dataset. It demonstrates statistical characteristics and overall trends of driver speed, acceleration/deceleration rates, and risk perception with the changing of intersection balances. Conclusions provide guidance on optimal intersection balance design that may help drivers make smoother and safer transitions from crossroads to entrance ramps at parclo interchange terminals.
Mechanistic-Empirical Simulations and Life-Cycle Cost Analysis to Determine the Cost and Performance Effectiveness of Asphalt Mixtures Containing Recycled Materials
Authors: Coleri Erdem , Zhang Yuqi , Wruck Blaine M.
Published: May 2018

Use of reclaimed asphalt pavements (RAP) and recycled asphalt shingles (RAS) in asphalt paving, although considered as sustainable, is a practice that agencies are reluctant to employ because of the unpredictability of asphalt mixes containing recycled materials. The asphalt binder in RAP/RAS is aged and stiffened, which reduces ductility of the pavement. Consequentially, a pavement can exhibit unsatisfactory fatigue performance and have the potential for early cracking failure. Although methods exist to counteract the brittle behavior of pavements containing RAP/RAS (namely binder-grade bumping, binder-grade dumping and high binder content), they are not accounted for in mechanistic-empirical (ME) pavement design. Additionally, the cost benefits of using RAP/RAS in pavements are not easily calculated. For these reasons, characterization of fatigue performance for asphalt pavements containing RAP/RAS in ME design software needs to be accomplished and a life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA) framework for pavements containing RAP/RAS needs to be developed so that agencies can make informed decisions about RAP/RAS use in asphalt mixtures. In this study, laboratory test results for asphalt mixtures with different combinations of RAP/RAS contents, binder contents, and binder types were used to calculate ME pavement model coefficients to perform forward calculations to determine pavement performance. Using predicted performance from ME models, LCCAs were conducted to determine the cost benefits of using binder-grade bumping/dumping and high binder content in Oregon asphalt mixtures. These strategies are expected to increase RAP/RAS use in asphalt mixtures, reduce life-cycle costs, improve the cracking performance and encourage widespread use of RAP/RAS asphalt mixtures.
Influence of Advanced Placement of the In-Street Sign Gateway on Distance of Yielding from the Crosswalk
Authors: Hochmuth Jonathan , Van Houten Ron
Published: May 2018

A multiple-threat accident occurs when a pedestrian attempts to traverse a crosswalk on a multilane road, and the vehicle nearest to the pedestrian yields close to the crosswalk, obscuring the pedestrian’s view of the next lane, and the motorist’s view in the adjacent lane of the pedestrian. This set of circumstances may lead to pedestrians being struck at higher speeds by a vehicle in the adjacent oncoming lane, often resulting in serious injury or a fatality. The present study compared advanced placement of a gateway in-street sign configuration with a gateway deployed at the crosswalk, on two multilane roads. Data were collected using a reversal design, capturing alternating series of data points in each condition, and counterbalancing the order of those conditions. The advanced placement of the sign produced comparable levels of yielding to the crosswalk placement, but produced a large increase in the proportion of yielding 50 ft or further from the crosswalk. On multilane roads, increasing the distance at which vehicles yield from the crosswalk mitigates the sight distance issues that produce multiple-threat accidents, thereby reducing the likelihood of pedestrian fatalities or serious injuries. Advanced placement of the gateway configuration may also take the signs out of the turning radii of larger vehicles at a driveway or intersection, which may improve the longevity of the in-street signs.
Investigation of Time and Speed Perception using a Driving Simulator
Authors: Keklikoglou Andronikos , Fitzpatrick Cole D. , Knodler Michael A.
Published: May 2018

Thirty-four drivers participated in a driving simulator experiment which investigated time and speed perception as it related to cognitive workload resulting from secondary tasks. Each participant drove the virtual drive twice, once with either an audio or a map task and again with no distractions as a control. Participants knew from a practice drive that they would be asked to estimate their speed and time duration of driving, thus this study used the prospective paradigm. Based on previous literature it was expected that there would be an underestimation of time and an overestimation of speed. The reverse occurred, participants overestimated time and underestimate their speed. This suggests that drivers may have found the drive unstimulating, despite the secondary tasks, and that the rural environmental may have impacted speed perception. In addition, a large group of participants, nine out of 34, crashed the virtual vehicle at a horizontal curve that was not problematic in previous simulator studies. When investigating these crashes further, it was found that drivers who crashed in the second drive had significantly worse time perception in the first drive as compared to drivers who did not crash in the second drive. This finding suggests that current time perception may be a predictor of future speed selection.
Season-Ending Shoulder Injuries in the National Collegiate Athletic Association: Data From the NCAA Injury Surveillance Program, 2009-2010 Through 2013-2014
Authors: Goodman Avi D. , DeFroda Steven F. , Gil Joseph A. , Kleiner Justin E. , Li Neill Y. , Owens Brett D.
Published: May 2018

Background:

Examination of the incidence of shoulder season-ending injury (SEI) in the collegiate athlete population is limited.

Purpose:

To determine the incidence of shoulder SEI in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and to investigate the risk factors for a shoulder injury ending an athlete’s season.

Study Design:

Descriptive epidemiology study.

Methods:

All shoulder injuries from the NCAA Injury Surveillance Program database for the years 2009-2010 to 2013-2014 were extracted, and SEI status was noted. The incidences of SEI and non-SEI were calculated for athlete, activity, and injury characteristics and compared via univariable analysis and risk ratios to determine risk factors for an injury being season ending.

Results:

Shoulder injuries were season ending in 4.3% of cases. The overall incidence of shoulder SEI was 0.31 per 10,000 athlete exposures (AEs), as opposed to 7.25 per 10,000 AEs for all shoulder injuries. Shoulder instability constituted 49.1% of SEI, with an incidence of 0.15 per 10,000 AEs, while fractures had the highest rate of being season ending (41.9%). Men’s wrestling had the highest incidence of shoulder SEI (1.65 per 10,000 AEs), while men’s soccer had the highest proportion of shoulder injuries that ended a season (14.6%). Overall, men had a 6.3-fold higher incidence of SEI than women and a 2.4-fold increased likelihood that an injury would be season ending.

Conclusion:

Injury to the shoulder of an NCAA athlete, while somewhat infrequent, can have significant implications on time lost from play. Incidence of these injuries varies widely by sport and injury, with a number of associated risk factors. Athletes sustaining potentially season-ending shoulder injuries, with their coaches and medical providers, may benefit from these data to best manage expectations and outcomes.
Effects of Bone Incorporation After Arthroscopic Stabilization Surgery for Bony Bankart Lesion Based on Preoperative Glenoid Defect Size
Authors: Park In , Lee Jae-Hoo , Hyun Hwan-Sub , Oh Min-Joon , Shin Sang-Jin
Published: May 2018

Background:

Recurrent shoulder instability occurs more frequently after soft tissue surgery when the glenoid defect is greater than 20%. However, for lesions less than 20%, no scientific guidance is available regarding what size of bone fragments may affect shoulder functional restoration after bone incorporation.

Purpose/Hypothesis:

The purpose was to analyze how preoperative glenoid defect size and bone fragment incorporation alter postoperative clinical outcomes, we compared the functional outcomes of shoulders with and without bony Bankart lesion. It was hypothesized that differences in postoperative clinical outcomes between patients with and without bony fragments would be found only in patients with a larger glenoid defect.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

A total of 223 patients who underwent arthroscopic stabilization surgery for recurrent anterior shoulder instability were divided into two groups based on the presence of anterior glenoid bone fragments. In each group, postoperative shoulder functional outcomes, sports activity level, and recurrence rates were evaluated according to preoperative glenoid defect size (small, <10%; medium, 10%-15% and 15%-20%; large, >20%).

Results:

In patients with small or medium defects, no significant differences were found in postoperative clinical outcomes and sports activity levels between the two groups. However, in patients with a large defect, the patients with bone fragments (mean ± SD American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons [ASES] score, 92.3 ± 2.7; Rowe score, 90.9 ± 5.4) showed significantly superior clinical outcomes compared with patients who did not have fragments (ASES score, 87.3 ± 6.2, P = .02; Rowe score, 84.8 ± 7.3, P = .04). Among patients without bone fragments, recurrence increased significantly with increasing preoperative glenoid defect size (recurrence rates: 0% in small defects, 7.4% in medium defects, 22.2% in large defects), whereas patients with bone fragments showed no tendency for increasing or decreasing recurrence rates (0% in small defects, 7.9% in medium defects, 5.9% in large defects).

Conclusion:

In the treatment of bony Bankart lesion, the effect of bone fragment incorporation was different according to preoperative glenoid defect size. In patients with preoperative glenoid defects less than 20% of the glenoid width, bone fragment incorporation after arthroscopic bony Bankart repair did not alter clinical outcomes, sports activity levels, or recurrence rates, whereas in patients with defects greater than 20% of the glenoid width, bone fragment incorporation improved clinical outcomes and recurrence rates.
A 2-Year Prospective Cohort Study of Overuse Running Injuries: The Runners and Injury Longitudinal Study (TRAILS)
Authors: Messier Stephen P. , Martin David F. , Mihalko Shannon L. , Ip Edward , DeVita Paul , Cannon D. Wayne , Love Monica , Beringer Danielle , Saldana Santiago , Fellin Rebecca E. , Seay Joseph F.
Published: May 2018

Background:

The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, noting flaws in previous running injury research, called for more rigorous prospective designs and comprehensive analyses to define the origin of running injuries.

Purpose:

To determine the risk factors that differentiate recreational runners who remain uninjured from those diagnosed with an overuse running injury during a 2-year observational period.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

Methods:

Inclusion criteria were running a minimum of 5 miles per week and being injury free for at least the past 6 months. Data were collected at baseline on training, medical and injury histories, demographics, anthropometrics, strength, gait biomechanics, and psychosocial variables. Injuries occurring over the 2-year observation period were diagnosed by an orthopaedic surgeon on the basis of predetermined definitions.

Results:

Of the 300 runners who entered the study, 199 (66%) sustained at least 1 injury, including 73% of women and 62% of men. Of the injured runners, 111 (56%) sustained injuries more than once. In bivariate analyses, significant ( P ≤ .05) factors at baseline that predicted injury were as follows: Short Form Health Survey–12 mental component score (lower mental health–related quality of life), Positive and Negative Affect Scale negative affect score (more negative emotions), sex (higher percentage of women were injured), and knee stiffness (greater stiffness was associated with injury); subsequently, knee stiffness was the lone significant predictor of injury (odds ratio = 1.18) in a multivariable analysis. Flexibility, quadriceps angle, arch height, rearfoot motion, strength, footwear, and previous injury were not significant risk factors for injury.

Conclusion:

The results of this study indicate the following: (1) among recreational runners, women sustain injuries at a higher rate than men; (2) greater knee stiffness, more common in runners with higher body weights (≥80 kg), significantly increases the odds of sustaining an overuse running injury; and (3) contrary to several long-held beliefs, flexibility, arch height, quadriceps angle, rearfoot motion, lower extremity strength, weekly mileage, footwear, and previous injury are not significant etiologic factors across all overuse running injuries.