bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trajectory optimization on manifolds with applications to quadrotor systems
Authors: Watterson Michael , Liu Sikang , Sun Ke , Smith Trey , Kumar Vijay
Published: January 2020

Manifolds are used in almost all robotics applications even if they are not modeled explicitly. We propose a differential geometric approach for optimizing trajectories on a Riemannian manifold with obstacles. The optimization problem depends on a metric and collision function specific to a manifold. We then propose our safe corridor on manifolds (SCM) method of computationally optimizing trajectories for robotics applications via a constrained optimization problem. Our method does not need equality constraints, which eliminates the need to project back to a feasible manifold during optimization. We then demonstrate how this algorithm works on an example problem on [Formula: see text] and a perception-aware planning example for visual–inertially guided robots navigating in three dimensions. Formulating field of view constraints naturally results in modeling with the manifold [Formula: see text], which cannot be modeled as a Lie group. We also demonstrate the example of planning trajectories on [Formula: see text] for a formation of quadrotors within an obstacle filled environment.
Re-grounding the city with Polanyi: From urban entrepreneurialism to entrepreneurial municipalism
Authors: Thompson Matthew , Nowak Vicky , Southern Alan , Davies Jackie , Furmedge Peter
Published: January 2020

Conventional approaches to local economic development are failing to address deepening polarisation both within and between city regions across advanced capitalist economies. At the same time, austerity urbanism, particularly in the UK, presents challenges for urban authorities facing reduced budgets to meet increased demands on public services. Municipalities are beginning to experiment with creative responses to these crises, such as taking more interventionist and entrepreneurial roles in developing local economies, generating alternative sources of revenue or financialising existing assets. Rooted in a Polanyian perspective and building on the concepts of the entrepreneurial state and grounded city, we identify an embryonic alternative approach – what we call ‘entrepreneurial municipalism’ – as a policy pathway towards resolving enduring socioeconomic problems where neoliberal urban-entrepreneurial strategies have failed. We situate entrepreneurial municipalism as one strand in an assemblage of new municipalist interventions, between radical urban social movements and more neoliberal strategies such as financialised municipal entrepreneurialism. Drawing on original research on the Liverpool City Region, we explore how local authorities are working with social enterprises to harness place-based assets in ways which de-commodify land, labour and capital and re-embed markets back into society. Finally, we draw upon Polanyi as our guide to disentangle differences in approach amongst divergent forms of municipalist statecraft and to critically evaluate entrepreneurial municipalism as a possible trajectory towards the grounded city.
Female Team Physician Representation in Professional and Collegiate Athletics
Authors: O’Reilly Olivia C. , Day Molly A. , Cates William T. , Baron Jaqueline E. , Glass Natalie A. , Westermann Robert W.
Published: January 2020

Background:

Although a sex-based balance in US graduate medical education has been well-documented, a discrepancy remains in orthopaedic surgery. In orthopaedic sports medicine, the representation of women as team physicians has not previously been characterized.

Purpose:

To quantify the sex-related composition of team physicians of select National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I collegiate and professional teams. Additionally, the authors assess the sex-related composition of orthopaedic surgeon team physicians specifically and compare these proportions to the sex-related composition of orthopaedic surgeon membership of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM).

Study Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Methods:

Publicly available sex-related data were collected for team physicians in select NCAA Division I collegiate conferences and professional sports organizations. Subspecialty characteristics and sex distribution were described by use of percentages. Chi-square tests were used to assess whether sex distributions of team physicians in collegiate and professional sports were (1) representative between the populations of female and male physicians compared with the general public and (2) representative of the sex-based composition of orthopaedic surgeons nationally.

Results:

Women represented 12.7% (112/879) of all team physicians and 6.8% (30/443) of all orthopaedic surgeons ( P < .0001). More than half (53.9%; 413/767) of male and 26.8% (30/112) of female team physicians were orthopaedic surgeons. In collegiate athletics, women comprised 18.1% of all team physicians and 7.7% of orthopaedic surgeon team physicians. In professional sports, women comprised 6.7% of all team physicians and 6.3% of orthopaedic surgeon team physicians, with the greatest proportion in the Women’s National Basketball Association (31.3%).

Conclusion:

Women comprise a minority of team physicians in select NCAA Division I collegiate and professional sports organizations. When compared with the composition of AOSSM orthopaedic surgeon membership, expected female orthopaedic surgeon representation varies between conferences and leagues with little statistical significance. Although efforts have been made to increase sex-based diversity in orthopaedic surgery, results of this study suggest that barriers affecting female orthopaedic surgeons as team physicians should be identified and addressed.
Thinking in dark times: Assessing the transdisciplinary legacies of Zygmunt Bauman
Authors: Pollock Griselda , Davis Mark
Published: January 2020

In 2018, the Bauman Institute and the Centre for Cultural Analysis, Theory & History (CentreCATH), both based at the University of Leeds (UK), initiated a transdisciplinary programme to assess the legacies of Zygmunt Bauman (1925–2017), whose prolific writings we felt to be profoundly relevant to the multiple challenges of the 21st century. In this special issue of Thesis Eleven, we are marking just over three years since the death of Zygmunt Bauman by bringing together some of the contributions to that programme in order to revisit, elaborate, and crucially to extend his intellectual archive. Taking Bauman’s revision of contemporary social realities as a point of departure, each of the participants in this special issue re-examine – critically but also generously – the many questions Bauman asked, tried to answer, and imbued on the way with new and sometimes shocking insights. This paper surveys those contributions by way of introducing the special issue.
Liquid uncertainty, chaos and complexity: The gig economy and the open source movement
Authors: Bryant Antony
Published: January 2020

The gig economy has become a hot topic. The term itself derives from the world of entertainment, particularly live music, where performers striving for recognition hope to get a few ‘gigs’ – i.e. short-term and sporadic opportunities for paid employment, with the understanding that such engagements are limited and without any future obligation on either party – employer or employee. This seemingly gives both parties significant autonomy, albeit not in equal measure. Indeed, the terms ‘employer’ and ‘employee’, with respective connotations of extended and enduring responsibility, and mutual (if unequal) obligation, are hotly disputed. Are they self-employed contractors or employees of the company? In what follows, I show how key aspects of Zygmunt Bauman’s work prepare us for an understanding and appreciation of the gig economy, and other more extensive ramifications; particularly those exemplified in the success of the Open Source model, and its potential – or not – to provide the basis for new institutional forms appropriate and acceptable for our current context.
Do Feelings and Knowledge About Aging Predict Ageism?
Authors: Cooney Cassandra , Minahan Jillian , Siedlecki Karen L.
Published: January 2020

Experiencing ageism has been shown to negatively impact older adults. This study investigated predictors of ageism to examine which are most important in accounting for ageist attitudes. Participants ( N = 419) between the ages of 18 and 86 completed an online survey assessing ageism and several predictors of ageism. Higher levels of anxiety about aging, lower levels of knowledge of aging, and less frequent and lower quality of contact with older adults uniquely predicted ageism beyond the influence of demographic and well-being factors. Anxiety about aging fully mediated the relationship between death anxiety and ageism, and the relationship between attitudes toward own aging and ageism. Moderation analyses showed that knowledge of aging buffered the impact of anxiety about aging on ageism such that low knowledge of aging and high anxiety about aging were particularly impactful in predicting ageism in younger adults, as compared with older adults.
Caregivers of Older Persons in Jamaica: Characteristics, Burden, and Associated Factors
Authors: James Kenneth , Thompson Camelia , Holder-Nevins Desmalee , Willie-Tyndale Douladel , McKoy-Davis Julian , Eldemire-Shearer Denise
Published: January 2020

Objective:

The objective of this study was to determine and characterize caregiver burden among caregivers of community-dwelling older persons in Jamaica.

Method:

A nationally representative cross-sectional study was done among persons providing noninstitutional care for a single person (≥60 years). The Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) and a structured questionnaire were administered to 180 caregivers from four geographic health regions.

Results:

The ZBI scores ranged from 0 to 56 (median = 15). Independently associated factors were relationship to care recipient and age. Children/grandchildren had higher caregiver burden scores than formally employed caregivers (odds ratio = 2.9: 95% confidence interval: [1.02, 8.34]). Compared with caregivers 35 to 44 years, those aged 45 to 65 were almost 5 times more likely to report higher caregiver burden scores.

Conclusion:

Caregiver burden as identified by the ZBI was low. Age (45–65 years) and being the child/grandchild of the care recipient were independently associated with greater caregiver burden. Interventions to address caregiver burden must embrace strategies that recognize that these factors.
Thermogravimetric studies on co-pyrolysis of raw/torrefied biomass and coal blends
Authors: Panwar NL , Gajera Bhautik , Jain Sudhir , Salvi BL
Published: January 2020

The pyrolysis and co-pyrolysis behaviours of cotton stalk (CS), torrefied cotton stalk (TCS) and mined coal, as single fuels, and their blends, have been examined through thermogravimetric analysis. Biomass has been torrefied at 250°C for 45 min to enhance physicochemical properties, and then mixed with mined coal for co-pyrolysis. Thermal degradation of CS and TCS is characterized by a reaction. However, this is not the case for mined coal, which shows a single-stage reaction. The thermal degradation of all blends was done in three stages: dehydration; biomass and small mined coal; and lignin or mined coal. A similar trend emerged for mass loss of individual fuels, which depended mainly on their ratios in the blend. The kinetics of pyrolysis and co-pyrolysis of all fuels were calculated at 20°Cmin−1 heating rate using the Coats−Redfern model-fitting method.
Production of inter-connective porous dental implants by computer-aided design and metal three-dimensional printing
Authors: Chen Jianyu , Xiao Zhang , Yangpeng Sun , Deng Feilong , Zhiguang Zhang
Published: January 2020

Even though dental implants are considered reliable for replacing missing teeth, their use in medically compromised alveolar bone or under excessive occlusal force remains problematic. Here, we developed and manufactured novel inter-connective porous dental implants by selective laser melting technology. Finite element analysis was used to evaluate the stress distribution, micro-motion, and fatigue damage of implants under static and dynamic loading conditions. Osseointegration of the implant surface, ingrowth of bone tissue into pores, and binding strength at the implant–bone interface were evaluated in vivo. Selective laser melting 3D printing technology was efficient for printing the pre-designed irregular implants with an inter-connective porous structure. Dental implants with porous designs can theoretically withstand long-term physiological function and had increased implant–bone contact areas and binding strength; thus, this approach holds immense potential for improving the clinical performance of implants.
Pre-Pregnancy Intimate Partner Violence and Short Interbirth Interval: The Role of Insurance Status
Authors: Rozario Sylvia S. , Gondwe Tamala , Masho Saba W.
Published: January 2020

Short interbirth interval (IBI) has serious adverse health consequences, yet has an estimated prevalence of 35% in the United States. Similarly, intimate partner violence (IPV) around time of pregnancy, experienced by approximately 5% of women, is associated with increased risk of poor pregnancy outcomes. IPV might compromise women’s decision-making, contributing to unintended pregnancy and short IBI. This study examines the relationship between pre-pregnancy IPV and short IBI, and whether insurance status moderates this relationship among multiparous women who responded to the 2009–2011 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System survey ( N = 13,675). Pre-pregnancy IPV (yes; no), insurance status (Private insurance; Medicaid/public insurance; no insurance), and short IBI (yes; no) were examined. Insurance status was identified as an effect modifier ( p = .03), and maternal age, maternal and paternal education, marital status, and drinking alcohol were identified as potential confounders. Multiple logistic regression analysis stratified by insurance status provided adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI). Overall, 4.6% of women reported IPV before pregnancy, and 48% had a short IBI. When stratified by insurance status, the odds of short IBI was about 3 times higher among women with no insurance and women on Medicaid/public insurance who reported IPV compared to women who did not report IPV (aOR = 3.36, 95% CI = [1.02, 8.02], and aOR = 2.50, 95% CI = [1.04, 5.92], respectively). There was no observed significant difference in the likelihood of short IBI by experience of IPV among privately insured women. Findings from this study strengthen the evidence that women who experience IPV before pregnancy are significantly more likely to have short IBI compared to women who do not experience pre-pregnancy IPV. Furthermore, the odds of short IBI is highest among women experiencing pre-pregnancy IPV who are uninsured or on Medicaid/public insurance.
The investigation into vibration effect on microstructure and mechanical characteristics of friction stir spot vibration welded aluminum: Simulation and experiment
Authors: Bagheri Behrouz , Abbasi Mahmoud , Hamzeloo Reza
Published: January 2020

In this study, an innovative technique is employed to modify the microstructure and increase the mechanical characteristics of the Al5083 joint made by friction stir spot welding (FSSW). In this technique entitled FSSVW (friction stir spot vibration welding), the workpiece is vibrated during FSSW. Noted processes were modeled and finite element simulation results were also analyzed. The results showed that workpiece vibration during FSSW led to grain refinement, larger weld region, and improvement of the mechanical properties, namely tensile shear strength and hardness, of the joint. Stir zone grain size decreased by about 25% and tensile shear strength value increased by about 20% by applying workpiece vibration during FSSW. The results also indicated that the tensile shear strength and hardness enhanced, as vibration frequency increased. It was concluded that the presence of vibration increased the material deformation in the stir zone and led to enhanced deformation of the material. This intensified the dynamic recrystallization and resulted in grain refinement. It was also found that tensile residual stresses developed in the stir zone of FSS and FSSV welded specimens and tensile residual stress values for FSSV welded specimens were higher than those for FSS welded specimens for about 10%. It was concluded that the effect of grain size on hardness is higher than the effect of residual stress. Higher ductility is predicted for FSSV welded specimen with higher vibration frequency and also for specimen welded with less dwell time; finite element simulation was also applied to analyze the effects of workpiece vibration during FSSW on strain distribution as well as hardness and residual stress distribution within the joint during FSSW and FSSVW processes. Finite element simulation results had good compatibility with experimental results. It was concluded that the strain values and flow velocity relating to the FSSVW process are higher than those relating to the FSSW process.
Idiopathic membranous nephropathy preceding membranous lupus nephritis: a case report
Authors: Gökalp C , Aygun G , Dogan A F , Usta U , Kurultak I , Ustundag S
Published: January 2020

Membranous nephropathy is one of the most common causes of nephrotic syndrome in the adult population. According to the underlying etiology, membranous nephropathy is classified as either primary or secondary. Systemic lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease that can affect the kidneys in 50% of patients in the course of the disease. Renal disease may be the first manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus and the development of systemic findings may be delayed for about 1–5 years following the diagnosis of lupus nephritis. We present a 59-year-old male patient who had a diagnosis of idiopathic membranous nephropathy since 2007 and developed membranous lupus nephritis during the 12-year follow-up without any extrarenal systemic lupus erythematosus findings.
Back to the Future? Temporality and Society in Indian Constitutional Law: A Closer Look at Section 377 and Sabarimala Decisions and the Genealogy of Legal Reasoning
Authors: Dequen Jean-Philippe
Published: January 2020

‘On the 26th of January 1950, we are going to enter into a life of contradictions. In politics we will have equality and in social and economic life we will have inequality’. B. R. Ambedkar’s famous last speech to the Constituent Assembly on 25 November 1949 still resonates within contemporary Indian constitutional law, and even more so his following interrogation: ‘how long shall we continue to live this life of contradictions?’ Prima facie societal, the contradiction is however also a temporal one, Indian constitutional law being founded on both the British traditional idea of ‘continuum’ and the American inspired revolutionary principles of ‘pursuance’ of a novel legal and social order. Two recent Indian Supreme Court decisions pertaining to the de-criminalisation of same sex relations ( Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India) and for the right of menstruating women to enter the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala ( Indian Young Lawyers Association v. Union of India) offer through their differing and sometimes dissenting opinions a glimpse at those temporal contradictions. Through an analysis of both decisions and in particular that of Chandrachud J. and Malhotra J.’s judgements, this article seeks to highlight two radically differing conceptions of temporality applied to constitutional issues, which can themselves be linked back to the transposition of the legal positivist discourse in India within the colonial era: on the one hand, an attempt to continue Common law’s empirical-based tradition and on the other hand, an (apparently) a-historical perception of Law drawn from neo-Roman civilian legal discourse and later normative positivism. If both branches of legal reasoning aim at protecting minorities’ rights, the value they inscribe to History within the realm of Law cannot be further apart.
The Online First-Year Experience: Defining and Illustrating a New Reality
Authors: Korstange Ryan , Hall Jeff , Holcomb Jamie , Jackson Jasmeial
Published: January 2020

All incoming students have a first experience with their institution. This article reviews literature on adult education, online learning, and first-year student success to articulate the scope of experiences and programs that ought to be included in institutional efforts aimed at helping adult students be successful in their first year of online education. In addition, three approaches to support these online students in their first year of college are illustrated. Key areas surveyed are online orientation programs, online first-year experience courses, and the co-curricular engagement of online learners. Examination of these cases demonstrates that supporting online first-year students is quite important, particularly given the proliferation of online students and their lag in standard measures of success.
Broadband energy harvesting from time-delayed nonlinear oscillations of magnetic levitation
Authors: Firoozy Peyman , Ebrahimi-Nejad Salman
Published: January 2020

This article investigates quasiperiodic energy harvesting in a nonlinear vibration-based harvester, consisting of delayed nonlinear vibrations from magnetic levitation subjected to harmonic base acceleration, in which time-delay is introduced. For energy harvesting, a coil made up of seven layers of 36 gauges wound around the outer casing is utilized. The first- and second-order perturbation approximations are used to obtain the frequency responses of the power and vibration amplitudes in the vicinity of primary resonance. Numerical results are presented to verify the correctness of the analytical solutions. The results show that there is a good agreement between the second approximation and the numerical method; thus, we used the second-order perturbation to present the results. The impact of several parameters on the power and vibration amplitudes in the absence and presence of delay is studied. It was observed that using the nonlinear vibrations due to magnetic levitation in the absence and presence of the delay enables energy harvesting over broadband frequencies distant from primary resonance, which benefits preventing the instability and hysteresis regions near resonance. Dynamic behaviors of the motion are shown in the form of time histories and phase portraits. The results indicate periodic and quasiperiodic motions for the different values of the delay parameters. Also, the effects of the separation distance between magnets [Formula: see text], without and with time-delay, on the vibration and power amplitudes were examined. It was observed that the [Formula: see text], for both points chosen from stable periodic solution and unstable periodic solution, has a significant influence on the system behavior. Thus, choosing proper values for these parameters enables the device to extract more power in lower and broadband excitation frequencies. Besides, we illustrate that for specific values of [Formula: see text] and delay time parameters, the maximum system power output is not necessarily accompanied by maximum vibration amplitude.
Beneath the Lemon Tree: An Interrupted Family Story
Authors: Lahman Maria K. E.
Published: January 2020

Through an autoethnographic account centered around family recipes, the author, a Mennonite, reflects on her interrupted family story.
An Association Between Perceived Social Support and Posttraumatic Stress Symptom Severity Among Women With Lifetime Sexual Victimization: The Serial Mediating Role of Resilience and Coping
Authors: Hirai Michiyo , Charak Ruby , Seligman Laura D. , Hovey Joseph D. , Ruiz John M. , Smith Timothy W.
Published: January 2020

This study examined the association between perceived social support and severity of posttraumatic stress symptoms, serially mediated by resilience and coping among women exposed to different patterns of sexual victimization experiences: childhood sexual abuse (CSA) only, adult sexual assault (ASA) only, and sexual revictimization (SR). A total of 255 sexually victimized women recruited from four U.S. universities completed self-report measures online; 112 participants reported provisionally diagnosable levels of symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The proposed model was largely supported in the CSA only group and the SR group. Different patterns of mediational effects were found across the three groups. Clinical and theoretical implications are discussed.
Implementing Positive Behavior Support Within Preschool Settings: Group Functional Assessment and CW-FIT
Authors: Mahon Dearbhaile , Gunning Ciara , Holloway Jennifer , Lydon Helena
Published: January 2020

Preschool is an important educational setting for child development, and problem behavior is a prevalent barrier within this setting. Preschool teachers have expressed the need for evidence-based classroom management interventions to address problem behavior. Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT) is an intervention that incorporates social skills training, group contingencies, and reinforcement to address problem behavior within classrooms. This intervention has been found to be socially valid by teachers and children, and effective in increasing children’s engagement, decreasing problems/problem behavior in elementary, kindergarten, and first- and second-grade classrooms. The aim of the current study was to evaluate a modified CW-FIT as an effective strategy to address problem behavior within two community preschools in Ireland across three preschool classes with 32 children. A multiple-baseline design across groups was employed to evaluate the outcomes, with measures of generalization and maintenance (for one group) also taken. Visual analysis of data revealed an increase in the children’s on-task behavior and social skills as well as a decrease in children’s problem behavior within these settings. Generalization (across all three groups) and maintenance (across one group) of these findings for on-task behavior and problem behavior were also observed. Social validity measures showed that teachers rated the intervention as socially acceptable.
Effects of hemodialysis access type on right heart geometry in adolescents
Authors: Çakıcı Evrim Kargın , Çakıcı Mehmet , Gümüş Fatih , Tan Kürklü Türkan Seda , Yazılıtaş Fatma , Örün Utku Arman , Bülbül Mehmet
Published: January 2020

Introduction:

This study aimed to investigate the complication frequency and the changes in right heart geometry with different access types in the pediatric population.

Methods:

We included 32 consecutive patients aged between 10 and 19 and who underwent hemodialysis sessions via permanent hemodialysis catheter (nHC = 18) or arterio-venous fistula (nAVF = 14) between January 2013 and March 2018. We recorded and compared the complication frequency and the changes in echocardiography findings with different access types.

Findings:

Demographic data were similar in both groups. Number of new access creation (nHC = 15 vs nAVF = 1) and all complications (nHC = 19 vs nAVF = 6) were significantly higher in hemodialysis catheter group and the statistical analysis showed the superiority of arterio-venous fistula group in comparison of event-free survival (event-free patients; nAVF = 8 (57%), nHC = 3 (16%); p = 0.02). Control echocardiography showed impressive delta-change in right atrium diameter (p = 0.04), right ventricular end-diastolic volume (p = 0.004), right ventricular end-systolic volume (p < 0.001), and right ventricular free wall thickness (p = 0.009) in arterio-venous fistula group, but no significant difference between two groups in terms of delta-change of right ventricular ejection fraction (p = 0.35), fractional area change (p = 0.21), and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (p = 0.13) parameters.

Conclusion:

Arterio-venous fistula has lower risk of complications, but overloading stress on right heart chambers triggers remodeling process and geometrical changes, which can be early pieces of evidence of delayed right heart dysfunction in pediatric hemodialysis patients.
Military Sexual Trauma and Risky Behaviors: A Systematic Review
Authors: Forkus Shannon R. , Weiss Nicole H. , Goncharenko Svetlana , Mammay Joseph , Church Michael , Contractor Ateka A.
Published: January 2020

Introduction:

Military sexual trauma (MST) is a serious and pervasive problem among military men and women. Recent findings have linked MST with various negative outcomes including risky, self-destructive, and health-compromising behaviors.

Objective:

The current review summarizes the existing literature on the association between MST and risky behaviors among military men and women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Method:

We systematically searched five electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, PSYCINFO, PILOTS, and CINAHL Plus) using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.

Results:

Of the initial 2,021 articles, 47 met the inclusion criteria. Reviewed studies revealed three patterns of findings: (1) largely studied and consistent (i.e., suicidal behaviors, disordered eating), (2) mixed and in need of future research (i.e., alcohol and drug use, smoking), and (3) underexamined (i.e., sexual behaviors, illegal/aggressive behaviors) or completely neglected (e.g., problematic technology use, gambling).

Discussion:

The current systematic review advances literature by providing strong support for an association between MST and a wide range of risky behaviors. Moreover, it highlights important areas for future research.
The Solute Carrier Family 2 Genes Are Potential Prognostic Biomarkers in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Lai Binbin , Lai Yanli , Zhang Yanli , Zhou Miao , Sheng Lixia , OuYang Guifang
Published: January 2020

Aims:

The solute carrier family 2 (SLC2) genes are comprised of 14 members which are essential for the maintenance of glucose uptake and survival of tumour cells. This study was performed to investigate the associations of SLC2 family gene expression with mortality in acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Methods:

Clinical features and SLC2 family gene expression data were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus database. The associations between SLC2 family gene expression and clinicopathologic features were analyzed using linear regression model. Kaplan-Meier survival, univariate, multivariate survival analyses and validation analysis were performed to analyze the associations between SLC2 family gene expression and patients’ overall survival.

Results:

Patient mortality was positively associated with age and cytogenetic risk in AML patients. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis suggested that patients with high SLC2A5 and SLC2A10 expression showed poorer survival than those with low SLC2A5 and SLC2A10 expression. In contrast, patients with high SLC2A13 expression exhibited better prognosis than those with low SLC2A13 expression ( P < 0.05 for all cases, log rank test). Multivariate survival analysis and validation analysis confirmed that high expression of SLC2A5 and SLC2A10 and low expression of SLC2A13 were associated with increased mortality ( P = 0.00, Odd ratio [OR]:4.05, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.73-10.22; P = 0.00, OR: 3.66, 95% CI: 1.54-9.25; and P = 0.01, OR: 0.26, 95% CI: 0.09-0.68, respectively).

Conclusion:

SLC family gene expression, such as SLC2A5, SLC2A10 and SLC2A13, was significantly associated with prognosis of AML patients, their expression levels might become useful prognostic biomarkers in AML.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as a Transdiagnostic Approach to Treatment of Behavioral Health Concerns: A Concurrent Multiple Baseline Design Across Participants
Authors: Spencer Samuel D. , Masuda Akihiko
Published: January 2020

The current study examined the effects of an individual acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) protocol in three young adults with topographically different, but functionally similar, behavioral health concerns. Using a concurrent multiple baseline design across participants ( N = 3), clinically relevant target behaviors were collected daily as primary outcome measures. In addition, weekly self-report assessment of potential process variables and an assessment package at pretreatment, midpoint, posttreatment, and 3-month follow-up were used to evaluate process and outcomes of treatment. Results provided tentative support for ACT’s efficacy, with effects being most pronounced in Participants 2 and 3 with slight improvements in clinically relevant target behaviors. This study adds to the literature concerning process-based approaches to treatment by highlighting how ACT can be tailored to the needs of individuals with diverse behavioral health concerns.
An ACL reconstruction robotic positioning system based on anatomical characteristics
Authors: Guo Na , Wang Tianmiao , Wei Min , Hu Lei , Liu Hongsheng , Wang Yuhan , Yang Biao , Yu Guoxin
Published: January 2020

To improve the positioning accuracy of tunnels for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, we proposed an ACL reconstruction robotic positioning system based on anatomical characteristics. The system includes a preoperative path planning system, an intraoperative path planning system, and a navigation and positioning system. Brahmet line, anterior, and posterior cortical lines are used for registration of preoperative computed tomography (CT) images and intraoperative X-ray images. A new calibrator of C-arm is applied to establish the mapping between medical images and surgical space. Tunnels for ACL reconstruction can be built anatomically by the robot. The accuracy of the path planning system is 1.73 mm in the four dry bones experiments and 2.17 mm in the two cadaver experiments. The accuracy meets the accuracy requirement of ACL construction surgery.
Suicide in Foster Care: A High-Priority Safety Concern
Authors: Brown Lily A.
Published: January 2020

Suicide rates among youths in foster care are among the highest in the United States. Despite this fact, many foster-care agencies do not perform universal suicide-risk assessments as part of routine care. This commentary includes an argument for the importance of implementing universal suicide-risk assessments for youths in foster care. Important contextual information that prevents behavioral-health clinicians from implementing universal suicide screenings of youths in foster care is discussed. Several possible strategies for implementing universal suicide-risk assessments are offered; the pros and cons of each strategy are discussed. The perspectives of multiple stakeholders should be included in the consideration of universal suicide screening for youths in foster care, including behavioral-health providers, primary-care doctors, supervisors, directors of agencies, foster parents, and case managers. Although each of these stakeholders can improve suicide prevention, youths in foster care may not have regular access to each stakeholder. Case managers may be the optimal stakeholders for implementing universal suicide screening because of their frequent access to youths in foster care; therefore, case managers should receive training in suicide-risk assessment and prevention strategies.
Multilayered criminal policy: The Finnish experience regarding the development of Europeanized criminal justice
Authors: Lahti Raimo
Published: January 2020

The article examines the development towards a multilayered criminal policy in Europe on the basis of the Finnish experience. Three basic trends are noticeable from that point of view: Scandinavization of Finnish criminal and sanction policy; the influence of human and basic rights on the Finnish legal culture and criminal procedural law; and the effects of constitutional, human rights and EU law obligations on the Finnish criminal law reform. In addition, the challenges arising from Europeanization and internationalization of criminal law and criminal justice are analysed. In the concluding remarks, Finnish and Scandinavian criticism is expressed in relation to the unification of European criminal law, in favour of ‘united in diversity’.
Treatment of multiple sclerosis in special populations: The case of refugees
Authors: Zeineddine Maya M , Yamout Bassem I
Published: January 2020

Multiple sclerosis was long considered a relatively rare entity in the Middle East, but research over the past 10 years and the publication of the Middle East North Africa Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis guidelines for multiple sclerosis have allowed diagnosis and treatment to occur more efficiently. Most of the first and second-line disease-modifying therapies approved by the Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicine Agency are available in the Middle East. However, the availability of disease-modifying therapies is quite variable, with some countries having access to all multiple sclerosis disease-modifying therapies, while in others there is only one therapeutic option. Economic limitations remain a challenge for the management of multiple sclerosis, especially in countries of war. Moreover, the burden of multiple sclerosis treatment in Syrian and Palestinian refugees is likely high due to the non-availability of funds to cover the high cost of disease-modifying therapies.
Factors affecting MS patients’ health-related quality of life and measurement challenges in Lebanon and the MENA region
Authors: Farran Natali , Safieddine Batoul R , Bayram Mariam , Abi Hanna Tracy , Massouh Joelle , AlKhawaja Mona , Tamim Hani , Darwish Hala
Published: January 2020

Background

In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, few studies explored the quality of life of multiple sclerosis patients and the factors affecting it.

Objective

The objective of this study was to explore studies on multiple sclerosis quality of life in the MENA area through a comprehensive literature review. To validate the Multiple sclerosis international Quality of Life (MusiQoL) and Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) in Arabic, and investigate the impact of sociodemographic and clinical variables of Lebanese multiple sclerosis patients on quality of life.

Methods

As part of an ongoing observational prospective research study, data from 663 stable multiple sclerosis patients were analysed.

Results

In Lebanese multiple sclerosis patients, the Arabic MusiQoL and MFIS seem to be accurate and valid tools with high reliability coefficients and confirmatory factor analytic indices. Variables such as age and disease type predicted multiple sclerosis quality of life, yet were significantly affected by psychosocial fatigue. The influence of sociodemographic and clinical variables on quality of life dimensions varied. Being a woman with multiple sclerosis, receiving medications and experiencing physical fatigue worsens the psychological wellbeing quality of life dimension.

Conclusion

Several sociodemographic and clinical variables predicted the health-related quality of life dimensions of multiple sclerosis patients in MENA. Further in-depth investigation to guide more targeted clinical management is recommended. We encourage using validated multidimensional tools to measure quality of life in MENA such as the Arabic MusiQoL.
Empirical Evidence of a Long-Run Relationship Between Agriculture and Manufacturing Industry Output in Nigeria
Authors: Osuagwu Eze Simpson
Published: January 2020

This study investigates a long-run relationship between agriculture and manufacturing industry output in Nigeria using annual time series data from 1982 to 2017. The study employs Granger causality test, vector error correction model, and co-integration techniques to estimate the interdependence between agricultural productivity and manufacturing industry output. Empirical evidence from Granger causality test reveals a bidirectional relationship between agricultural productivity and manufacturing industry output. Although a positive and significant relationship exists in the short- and long-run estimates, a long-run divergence from the vector error correction model indicates that changes in agricultural productivity are not restored to equilibrium, given that macroeconomic factors distort the linkage. Policy implications suggest that macroeconomic stability is a necessary condition for agriculture and manufacturing industry output to foster economic growth.
Hospital and Shift Work Influences on Nurses’ Dietary Behaviors: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Horton Dias Cynthia , Dawson Robin M.
Published: January 2020

Background: Nurses working in hospitals face unique influences on their workplace dietary behaviors, but little is known about what nurses experience as dietary influencers in the hospital setting. Understanding these influences is paramount in developing effective programs that target healthy workplace eating. This study aimed to explore hospital shift nurses’ experiences and perceptions of influences on making healthy nutritional choices while at work. Methods: This qualitative, descriptive study was guided by the Theoretical Domains Framework and analyzed using thematic analysis. Twenty-one Registered Nurses working 10- to 12-hour shifts in hospitals in South Carolina, USA, in 2018 were interviewed individually or in focus groups about their workplace dietary behaviors and influences. Findings: Framework constructs most relevant to hospital shift nurses included (a) environmental context and resources; (b) social/professional role and identity; (c) memory, attention, and decision processes; (d) social influences; (e) emotion; and (f) behavioral regulation. In addition, four major themes emerged: (a) Nursing roles and responsibilities restrict freedom of movement and minimize individual control over dietary practices; (b) The hospital food environment is oppressively unhealthy; (c) Free food is currency and influences consumption; and (d) Shift work is a major barrier to healthy eating. Conclusions/Applications to Practice: To achieve healthy eating practices in the workplace, hospital shift nurses need supportive systems, policies, and interventions that target and reduce the barriers inherent in hospital-based nursing shift work. To improve hospital shift nurses’ workplace dietary behaviors, these findings should inform hospital food policies, workplace wellness programs, administrative practices, and staff education.
Early globalization of neurology—The First International Congress of Neurology 1931 in Bern, Switzerland
Authors: Kesselring Jürg
Published: January 2020

The First International Neurological Congress took place in 1931 in Berne, Switzerland, convening among >800 participants were many of the best-known neurologists and neuroscientist of that time. It had a great impact on the acknowledgement and acceptance of neurology as a specialized field in medicine and led to the formation of University Chairs and Neurological Societies in various countries.
The epidemiology of headaches among patients with epilepsy: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Duko Bereket , Ayalew Mohammed , Toma Alemayehu
Published: January 2020

Background

Headache is the symptom of pain in the face, head or neck that causes disability in most people with medical and neurological disorders. It frequently co-occurs with most chronic diseases such as epilepsy and significantly impacts the quality of life. However, epidemiologic data from different studies showed different rates of prevalence. Therefore, we conducted this review to summarize the available epidemiologic evidence on the topic and formulate recommendations for future research and clinical practice.

Methods

We followed the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. We systematically searched the literature using popular databases such as PubMed, EMBASE, Psych-INFO, and SCOPUS. We further scanned the reference lists of the eligible studies to supplement our electronic search. The Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software version 3.0 (CMA 3.0) was used to conduct a meta-analysis. Subgroup and sensitivity analysis were performed and Cochran’s Q- and the I2- test were used to assess the source of heterogeneity. The funnel plot and Egger’s regression tests were used to assess potential publication bias.

Results

A total of 17 studies conducted both in developed and developing countries including 5564 study participants were combined in this meta-analysis. The pooled estimated prevalence of headache among patients with epilepsy was 48.4%. The pooled estimated prevalence of Inter-Ictal headache (IIH) (42.2%) and Postictal headache (PIH) (43.1%) were higher when compared to tension-type headache (TTH) (26.2%), migraine with aura (26.0%) and migraine without aura (10.4%). The pooled prevalence of headache was 50.6% and 49.5% for developed and developing countries respectively. The pooled prevalence of headache among patients with epilepsy was considerably higher among females (63.0%) when compared to males (33.3%). Moreover, the pooled estimated prevalence of headache among patients with epilepsy was ranging from 46.0% to 52.2% in a leave-one-out sensitivity analysis.

Conclusion

The pooled estimated prevalence of headache among patients with epilepsy was considerably high (48.4%). Screening and appropriate management of headaches among patients with epilepsy are warranted.
Ozurdex (dexamethasone intravitreal implant) for the treatment of intermediate, posterior, and panuveitis: a systematic review of the current evidence
Authors: Saincher Saanwalshah Samir , Gottlieb Chloe
Published: January 2020

Background

This study aims to determine if the intravitreal dexamethasone implant (DEX implant, Ozurdex; Allergan, Inc., Irvine, California) is effective for treating intermediate, posterior, and panuveitis as a monotherapy or adjunctive treatment to systemic immunomodulatory therapies.

Methods

A systematic review using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PubMed database searches was conducted with the Oxford Centre for Evidence-based Medicine Levels of Evidence criteria to select publications. Available background information and patient data from each study was tabulated. Outcomes studied were central retinal thickness (CRT), best corrected visual acuity, intraocular inflammation (anterior chamber cells, vitreous haze), number of patients with prior and concomitant immunomodulatory treatments, intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation (≥ 25 mmHg), and other adverse effects associated with the implant.

Results

One hundred ninety-five (61.51%) patients had previous immunomodulatory treatment while 232 (64.8%) were treated with concomitant immunomodulatory therapy with the DEX implant. CRT decreased by an average of 198.65 μm (42.74%). Visual acuity improved to an average of 0.451 (logMAR) or 20/57 (Snellen) which is a 43.11% improvement from baseline. One hundred seventy-three (59%) of eyes were quiescent at the end of the trials, of which 40 (13.7%) previously inflamed eyes became quiescent. Elevated IOP occurred in 91 (20.6%). The most common adverse events were cataract/posterior subcapsular opacities in 47 (11.03%) patients and conjunctival hemorrhage in 24 (5.44%) patients.

Conclusions

The DEX implant is an effective medication for the treatment of posterior segment uveitis, uveitic macular edema, and results in improved visual acuity. Development of elevated IOP and cataract should be closely monitored as they are tangible risks associated with the DEX implant. This study was not able to determine whether the DEX implant was more effective as a monotherapy or as an adjunctive therapy to systemic immunomodulatory treatment.