bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Presence of Cyrtograpsus angulatus Dana, 1851 (Decapoda, Brachyura) on the Chilean northern Patagonian coast
Authors: de los Ríos Patricio , Figueroa Muñoz Guillermo , Kies Fatima
Published: February 2018

The marine fauna of decapod Crustacea, in all its diversity, can be negatively affected as a result of environmental changes, both on a local or a global scale. The present study aims to report the existence ofCyrtograpsus angulatusDana, 1851, on the northern Patagonian coast, while concurrently describing some other decapod species associated with the various habitats.C. angulatuswas originally described from the Chilean coast north of 36°43′S, and the present study revealed its presence down to 44°S. In the estuaries investigated,C. angulatusis the exclusive decapod species, whereas in coastal zones it can coexist with other species of marine decapods. Nevertheless, according to the null model of the co-occurrence of species, the species associations tested did not show any structured pattern. Some ecological and biogeographical patterns in relation to this species and its biocoenoses are discussed.
First Carboniferous thylacocephalan from Europe and its significance for the understanding of functional morphology of Concavicarididae Schram, 2014
Authors: Rak Štěpán , Broda Krzysztof , Kumpan Tomáš
Published: February 2018

Thylacocephala Pinna, Arduini, Pesarini & Teruzzi 1982 are among the most enigmatic arthropods. Their fossil record is very patchy both geographically and stratigraphically. In this paper we describe the first thylacocephalan known from the Carboniferous (Mississippian) of Europe,Concavicaris viktorynisp. nov. Until now Carboniferous representatives of Thylacocephala were know exclusively from the U.S.A. We discuss the stratigraphic and geological context of occurrence of this new species as well as form and function of the unique carapace micro- and macro-ornamentation. A shape and assumed function of the characteristic lirae on theC. viktorynisp. nov. carapace present an important supporting argument for the supposed free-swimming or pelagic mode of life in thylacocephalans. Palaeobiogeographical and evolutionary aspects of surprisingly rich but local occurrence of thylacocephalans in the Lower Carboniferous of the Moravian karst are discussed. Possible sympatric evolution from its predecessorConcavicaris incolais also pointed out.
The Concrete ‘Sound Object’ and the Emergence of Acoustical Film and Radiophonic Art in the Modernist Avant-Garde
Authors: Williams Christopher
Published: February 2018

Radiophonic art could not have emerged at the end of the 1920s without an intense period of experimentation across the creative fields of radio, new music, phonography, film, literature and theatre. The engagement with sound recording and broadcast technologies by artists radically expanded the scope of creative possibility within their respective practices, and more particularly, pointed to new forms of (inter-)artistic practice based in sound technologies including those of radio. This paper examines the convergence of industry, the development of technology, and creative practice that gave sound, previously understood as immaterial, a concrete objectification capable of responding to creative praxis, and so brought about the conditions that enabled a radiophonic art to materialize.
Enslaved People in an Ancient Syrian City
Authors: Turri Luigi
Published: February 2018

The cuneiform documents found at Tell Atchana, a site on the River Orontes not far from modern city of Antakya, are of pivotal importance for our knowledge of western Syrian society during the Middle and Late Bronze Age. These tablets from ancient Alalakh provide data relating to the city’s daily life and its social structure and administration. Compared to the large amount of information regarding free citizens, the material concerning slave laborers and menial workers—which is the topic of this article—is scanty and not always easy to interpret, for both the public and private sectors.
Connecting the Mediterranean and the Atlantic
Authors: Bonazza Giulia
Published: February 2018

This article aims to demonstrate that slavery persisted in Naples and Rome until the first half of the nineteenth century. My analysis shows that, while from a quantitative point of view slavery may be viewed as a “residual phenomenon,” the life narratives and practices of slavery encountered in these different urban contexts are not unlike those typical of the Italian peninsula in previous centuries: captivity, the role of privateering, the link between slavery and serfdom, and, finally, baptism as a vehicle to freedom were all important aspects of this complex phenomenon. The slavery cases examined for Naples also highlight the complex links between captivity and slavery in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic slave trade. Examples illustrate how the two circuits of slave trades were in reality intertwined.
Hourly Observed Internal Waves by Geostationary Ocean Color Imagery in the East/Japan Sea
Authors: Kim Hyuna , Son Young Baek , Jo Young-Heon
Published: February 2018

As internal waves (IWs) are generated via internal tidal energy near the bottom shelf break of the Korea Strait, continuous evolutions of IWs are extremely difficult to observe using satellite observations. However, the Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI) has enabled the detection of IWs in the East/Japan Sea (EJS) on an hourly basis to investigate their propagation behavior. For an extended IW analysis, a total of seven packets were identified using GOCI chlorophyll-a concentration (Chl-a) measurements around the Ulleung Basin and Dok Island in the EJS. The results demonstrate that the IW locations had lower Chl-a values than non-IW-affected regions on 10, 11, 13, and 14 August 2013. The lower Chl-a values are due to the significant wave heights of the IWs, which cause surface water masses to be dispersed. In addition, from the continuous trajectories of the waves in the hourly GOCI Chl-a imagery, quantitative physical parameters of the IWs, such as their pathway (northeasterly), phase speed (1.46–1.61 m s−1), amplitude (20.62–26.76 m), and period (12.29 h), could be obtained. Therefore, the advantage of using GOCI is the ability to detect and analyze the physical characteristics of IWs on an hourly time scale.
Pregiudizi, stereotipi e luoghi comuni: l’inatteso riflesso dell’Albania di Hergé e Scott Adams
Authors: Gaudio Alessandro
Published: February 2018

Sembrerebbe che tanto il fumetto e il suo codice quanto lo stereotipo insistano sul medesimo spazio; facendo riferimento ad esso e cercando di ricostruirne dimensioni e limiti, il saggio ricostruisce il modo in cui è possibile comprendere come funziona il meccanismo dell’immaginario che muove i fumetti di due grandi autori e, dunque, la struttura della loro figurazione. I due autori in questione sono Hergé, al secolo Georges Rémi, capostipite della scuola fumettistica franco-belga – considerato il Balzac della nona arte, probabilmente anche per la tipicità dei suoi personaggi, è l’ideatore, nel 1929, del più tipico di essi: Tintin –, e Scott Adams, disegnatore americano, creatore, nel 1989, delle diffusissime strisce di Dilbert. Entrambi gli autori ricorrono a un luogo con le peculiarità dell’Albania e ne fanno il punto di innesco del processo di immaginazione: l’effetto che ne scaturisce può essere inatteso e deflagrante.
Development and Validation of the Musical Ear Training Assessment (META)
Authors: Wolf Anna , Kopiez Reinhard
Published: February 2018

In the following study, we have developed an assessment instrument for the practice-dependent skill of analytical hearing following a strict test theoretical validation, resulting in the Musical Ear Training Assessment (META). By means of three pilot studies, a developmental study, and a validation study, we verified a one-dimensional test model using item response theory identifying the best 53 items to measure a person’s ear training and analytical hearing skill. For better application, two test versions with 10 and 25 items have been compiled (META-10 and META-25). Aside from psychometric test development, it was possible to investigate a variety of moderator variables assumed to influence ear training skill. The participants’ main instrument did not influence the META score, nor did whether participants had learned some method of solmization. However, the most played genre ( d = 0.20) and, unforeseen by us, the participants’ gender ( d = 0.23; males outperforming females) had significant impacts on the test score. This test instrument enables empirical research into the relevance of ear training for general musical skills, intervention studies on skill acquisition, and standardized assessment for advanced music students and musicians.
Shhh… I Need Quiet! Children’s Understanding of American, British, and Japanese-accented English Speakers
Authors: Bent Tessa , Holt Rachael Frush
Published: February 2018

Children’s ability to understand speakers with a wide range of dialects and accents is essential for efficient language development and communication in a global society. Here, the impact of regional dialect and foreign-accent variability on children’s speech understanding was evaluated in both quiet and noisy conditions. Five- to seven-year-old children ( n = 90) and adults ( n = 96) repeated sentences produced by three speakers with different accents—American English, British English, and Japanese-accented English—in quiet or noisy conditions. Adults had no difficulty understanding any speaker in quiet conditions. Their performance declined for the nonnative speaker with a moderate amount of noise; their performance only substantially declined for the British English speaker (i.e., below 93% correct) when their understanding of the American English speaker was also impeded. In contrast, although children showed accurate word recognition for the American and British English speakers in quiet conditions, they had difficulty understanding the nonnative speaker even under ideal listening conditions. With a moderate amount of noise, their perception of British English speech declined substantially and their ability to understand the nonnative speaker was particularly poor. These results suggest that although school-aged children can understand unfamiliar native dialects under ideal listening conditions, their ability to recognize words in these dialects may be highly susceptible to the influence of environmental degradation. Fully adult-like word identification for speakers with unfamiliar accents and dialects may exhibit a protracted developmental trajectory.
Polish Adaptation of the Death Attitude Profile—Revised
Authors: Brudek Paweł , Sękowski Marcin , Steuden Stanisława
Published: February 2018

The article presents the results of work on the Polish adaptation of the Death Attitude Profile—Revised by Wong, Reker, and Gesser (1994). The psychometric properties of the Polish version of the tool have been described. The results are consistent with the original version of the questionnaire and confirm that the Polish version of Death Attitude Profile—Revised fulfils the psychometric requirements for psychological tests and, as a result, can be applied in scientific research. The final version of the questionnaire consists of 32 items (including 31 diagnostic ones) that make up five dimensions of attitudes toward death: (a) Fear of Death, (b) Death Avoidance, (c) Neutral Acceptance, (d) Escape Acceptance, and (e) Approach Acceptance. The questionnaire was tested on 1,285 subjects aged 13 to 90 years ( M = 47.27, SD = 18.21). Reliability values (Cronbach’s α) for individual scales vary from α = .63 to α = .89. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the validity of the questionnaire.
Medically Timed Death as an Enactment of Good Death: An Ethnographic Study of Three European Intensive Care Units
Authors: Koksvik Gitte H.
Published: February 2018

The article is based on ethnographic observation and semistructured interviews with personnel in three European adult intensive care units. Intensive care is a domain of contemporary biomedicine centered on invasive and intense efforts to save lives in acute, critical conditions. It echoes our culture’s values of longevity. Nevertheless, mortality rates are elevated. Many deaths follow from nontreatment decisions. Medicalized dying in technological medical settings are often presented as unnatural, impersonal, and undesirable ways of dying. How does this affect the way in which death is experienced by intensive care professionals? What might the enactment of dying in intensive care reveal about our cultural values of good and bad dying?
Social Decision Making in Adolescents and Young Adults: Evidence From the Ultimatum Game and Cognitive Biases
Authors: Marchetti Antonella , Baglio Francesca , Castelli Ilaria , Griffanti Ludovica , Nemni Raffaello , Rossetto Federica , Valle Annalisa , Zanette Michela , Massaro Davide
Published: February 2018

During adolescence and early adulthood, individuals deal with important developmental changes, especially in the context of complex social interactions. Previous studies demonstrated that those changes have a significant impact on the social decision making process, in terms of a progressive increase of intentionality comprehension of others, of the sensitivity to fairness, and of the impermeability to decisional biases. However, neither adolescents nor adults reach the ideal level of maximization and of rationality of the homo economicus proposed by classical economics theory, thus remaining more close to the model of the “bounded rationality” proposed by cognitive psychology. In the present study, we analyzed two aspects of decision making in 110 participants from early adolescence to young adulthood: the sensitivity to fairness and the permeability to decisional biases (Outcome Bias and Hindsight Bias). To address these questions, we adopted a modified version of the Ultimatum Game task, where participants faced fair, unfair, and hyperfair offers from proposers described as generous, selfish, or neutral. We also administered two behavioral tasks testing the influence of the Outcome Bias and of the Hindsight Bias in the evaluation of the decision. Our behavioral results highlighted that the participants are still partially consequentialist, as the decisional process is influenced by a complex balance between the outcome and the psychological description of the proposer. As regards cognitive biases, the Outcome Bias and the Hindsight Bias are present in the whole sample, with no relevant age differences.
Examining Ethnicity: The Context of Mizos in Bengaluru
Authors: Kumar D. V.
Published: February 2018

The continued salience of ethnic consciousness even in an urban setting evokes keen interest among the scholars. Why is that despite being located in an apparently urban context, ethnic identity continues to be dominant is the question that has not been adequately theorised. This article seeks to engage with this question. The excessive dependence on the primordialist or instrumentalist approach to explain the salience of ethnicity has increasingly been questioned. Neither approach alone would enable us to have a proper grasp of the issue of ethnic identity. This article makes use of the oppositional approach which seeks to combine both these approaches and explain the salience of ethnic identity in a more satisfactory manner. The fieldwork has been conducted among the Mizos living in Bengaluru.
The Role of Stigma Toward Mental Illness in Probation Officers’ Perceptions of Risk and Case Management Decisions
Authors: Eno Louden Jennifer , Manchak Sarah M. , Ricks Elijah P. , Kennealy Patrick J.
Published: February 2018

Recommendations for supervising offenders with mental illness have evolved from a narrow focus on treating psychopathology to an integration of mental health treatment and correctional interventions. Probation officers likely have inflated perceptions of risk for offenders with mental illness, which may result in improper risk assessment and misinformed risk management practices. In a sample of 89 probation officers, we examined perceptions of risk for probationers with and without mental illness and explored whether stigmatizing attitudes toward mental illness affect perceptions of risk and risk management strategies. Officers did not overestimate risk for offenders with mental illness, and stigma toward mental illness bore little influence on risk ratings and case management decisions. However, officers did rate the offender with mental illness as higher risk than the nondisordered offender and chose more punitive responses to a violation he committed—despite being informed that the offenders were of the same risk classification.
Tracking control for strict-feedback nonlinear systems with time-varying full state constraints
Authors: Wang Chunxiao , Wu Yuqiang , Zhang Zhongcai
Published: February 2018

This paper focuses on the tracking control problem for strict-feedback nonlinear systems subject to asymmetric time-varying full state constraints. Time-varying asymmetric barrier Lyapunov functions are employed to ensure time-varying constraint satisfaction. By allowing the barriers to vary with the desired trajectory in time, the initial condition requirements are relaxed. High-order coupling terms caused by backstepping are cancelled through a novel variable substitution for the first time. Besides the normal case, where the full knowledge of the system is available, we also handle scenarios of parametric uncertainties. Asymptotic tracking is achieved without violation of any constraints, and all signals in the closed-loop system are ultimately bounded. State-constrained systems with input saturation and bounded disturbances are also considered; the tracking error converges to a bounded set around zero. The performance of the asymmetric-barrier-Lyapunov-function-based control is illustrated through a numerical example.
The Role of Prototype Matching in Science Pursuits: Perceptions of Scientists That Are Inaccurate and Diverge From Self-Perceptions Predict Reduced Interest in a Science Career
Authors: McPherson Erin , Park Bernadette , Ito Tiffany A.
Published: February 2018

Self-to-prototype matching is a strategy of mental comparisons between the self-concept and the typical or “representative” member of a group to make some judgment. Such a process might contribute to interest in pursuing a science career and, relatedly, women’s underrepresentation in physical science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (pSTEM) fields. Across four studies, we measured self–scientist discrepancies on communal, agentic, and scientific dimensions, and assessed participants’ interest in a science career. The most consistent predictor of science interest was the discrepancy between self and scientist on the scientific dimension (e.g., intelligent, meticulous). Study 4 established that students with larger self–scientist discrepancies also had less accurate perceptions of students pursuing science, and that inaccuracy was related to lower science interest. Thus, students with lower science interest do not just perceive scientists differently from themselves but also erroneously. Discrepancy and inaccuracy together explained a significant portion of the gender gap in pSTEM interest.
Changes in Transcranial Ultrasound Velocities in Children with Sickle Cell Disease Undergoing Adenotonsillectomy
Authors: Santarelli Griffin , DeShields Sarah C. , Ishman Stacey L. , Randall Michael , Cunningham Tina D. , Baldassari Cristina M.
Published: February 2018

Objectives

(1) To assess for changes in cerebral blood flow velocity in children with sickle cell disease and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) following adenotonsillectomy. (2) To determine if clinical factors such as OSA severity affect cerebral blood flow velocity values.

Study Design

Case series with chart review over 10 years.

Settings

Two tertiary children's hospitals.

Subjects and Methods

Children aged 2 to 18 years with a history of sickle cell disease and OSA, as defined by an apnea hypopnea index (AHI) >1 on polysomnography, were eligible for inclusion. Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography was used to assess cerebral blood flow velocity before and after adenotonsillectomy.

Results

Fifteen patients met inclusion criteria; 73% (n = 11) were female. The mean preoperative AHI was 8.9 (range, 1.2‐22.2). Six (40%) patients had severe OSA (AHI >10). Following adenotonsillectomy, there was a significant reduction in mean (95% CI) cerebral blood flow velocities of the left terminal internal cerebral artery, 91.2 (79.4‐103.1) to 75.7 (61.7‐89.8; P =. 018), and the right middle cerebral artery, 134.3 (119.2‐149.3) to 116.5 (106.5‐126.5; P =. 003). There was not a significant correlation between baseline AHI and change in cerebral blood flow velocities.

Conclusion

Adenotonsillectomy may result in a reduction in some cerebral blood flow velocities. Further research is needed to determine if changes in cerebral velocities as assessed by transcranial Doppler ultrasonography translate into a reduced risk of stroke for children with sickle cell disease and OSA.
Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis and Risk of Pneumonia: A Nationwide Population‐Based Cohort Study
Authors: Tsai Ming‐Shao , Yang Yao‐Hsu , Liu Chia‐Yen , Lin Meng‐Hung , Chang Geng‐He , Tsai Yao‐Te , Li Hsueh‐Yu , Tsai Ying‐Huang , Hsu Cheng‐Ming
Published: February 2018

Objective

To investigate pneumonia risk among patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP).

Study Design

Retrospective population‐based cohort study.

Setting

This study used data from the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan, a nationwide population‐based database.

Subjects and Methods

A total of 419 patients newly diagnosed with UVFP between January 1, 1997, and December 31, 2013, were identified from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2000, a nationally representative database of 1 million randomly selected patients. Moreover, 1676 patients without UVFP were matched to patients with UVFP at a 1:4 ratio based on age, sex, socioeconomic status, urbanization level, and site‐specific cancers. Patients were followed up until death or the end of the study period (December 31, 2013). The primary outcome was the occurrence of pneumonia.

Results

The cumulative incidence of pneumonia was significantly higher for patients with UVFP than those without UFVP (P <. 001). The adjusted Cox proportional hazard model showed that UVFP was significantly associated with a higher incidence of pneumonia (hazard ratio, 1.97; 95% CI, 1.35‐2.86; P <. 001). Subgroup analyses demonstrated that UVFP was an independent risk factor of pneumonia for 4 subgroups: young (18‐50 years), older (≥51 years), male, and cancer.

Conclusion

This is the first nationwide population‐based cohort study to investigate the association between UVFP and pneumonia. The findings indicate that UVFP is an independent risk factor of pneumonia. Given the study results, physicians should be aware of the potential for pneumonia occurrence following UVFP.
Asymmetric Hearing Loss Prompting MRI Referral in a Military Population: Redefining Audiometric Criteria
Authors: Tolisano Anthony M. , Burgos Ricardo M. , Lustik Michael B. , Mitchell Lex A. , Littlefield Philip D.
Published: February 2018

Objective

To reevaluate asymmetric sensorineural hearing loss (ASNHL) criteria used to justify magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the evaluation of retrocochlear tumors in a military population.

Study Design

Retrospective case‐control study.

Setting

Tertiary care military medical center.

Subjects and Methods

Patients with military service and a history of ASNHL prompting referral for MRI, with or without retrocochlear tumors, were compared between 2005 and 2016. Predictor variables included pure tone ASNHL, speech audiometry, and a history of noise exposure. Logistic regression models for hearing asymmetries were performed, and receiver operator curves were used to calculate sensitivity and specificity.

Results

Thirty‐eight retrocochlear tumors were identified. The MRI diagnosis rate for patients with ASHNL was 0.85%. Patients with tumors were slightly older (42 vs 37 years, P =. 021) and had less noise exposure (47% vs 85%, P <. 001). A sensitivity of 0.83 and a specificity of 0.58 were calculated for asymmetries ≥10 dB at 2000 Hz without adjusting for noise exposure. Instituting this imaging threshold would have reduced the number of MRI scans by half while missing 16% of tumors.

Conclusion

The tumor diagnosis rate among those undergoing MRI for ASNHL is low in the military population, likely because service‐related noise exposure commonly causes ASNHL. Optimal MRI referral criteria should conserve resources while balancing the risks of over‐ and underdiagnosis. For those with a history of military service, an asymmetry ≥10 dB at 2000 Hz among patients meeting current ANSHL referral criteria is most predictive of a retrocochlear tumor.
Areas for Quality Improvement for Airway Dilation in Children: NSQIP‐Pediatric 30‐Day Outcomes
Authors: Cheng Jeffrey , Liu Beiyu , Farjat Alfredo E.
Published: February 2018

Objective

To identify predictors of adverse events and highlight areas for quality improvement for children who underwent laryngeal or tracheal dilation, without prior tracheostomy placement.

Study Design

Cross‐sectional analysis using a US national database.

Setting

American College of Surgeons (ACS) National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP‐pediatric), years 2012 to 2015.

Subjects and Methods

Patients 18 years and younger were included. Patients without prior tracheostomy placement were identified using 2017 Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes: 31528, 31529, and 31630.

Results

We identified a total of 160 children who met inclusion criteria. Forty‐three (26.9%) patients experienced an adverse event. Mortality was observed postoperatively in 1 patient (0.6%) 1 day after the operation. Younger age, increased number of days from hospital admission to operation, and increased number of days from operation to discharge were noted to be associated with adverse events. Last, the risk of adverse events appears to be mitigated by concurrent other laryngeal procedures.

Conclusions

There is a high rate of adverse events reported with airway dilation in children. Unplanned reoperations and hospital readmissions are highlighted areas for quality improvement. Airway dilation in children appears to avoid tracheostomy and open laryngotracheoplasty in most cases for at least 30 days postoperatively. Further investigation may be helpful to understand if younger age and delayed operative intervention contribute to increased adverse events.
Evidence‐Based Medicine in Otolaryngology Part 7: Introduction to Shared Decision Making
Authors: Ikeda Allison K. , Hong Paul , Ishman Stacey L. , Joe Stephanie A. , Randolph Gregory W. , Shin Jennifer J.
Published: February 2018

Shared decision making (SDM) is a collaborative process in which patients, families, and clinicians develop a mutually agreed upon treatment plan when more than one reasonable treatment option exists. This cooperative engagement fosters improvements in patient satisfaction, disease management, and outcomes and also has the capacity to promote evidence‐based care. Thus, this seventh installment of our Evidence‐Based Medicine in Otolaryngology series focuses on SDM. We introduce SDM, including its potential to reduce decisional conflict and decisional regret, when it should be used, its potential benefits, barriers to implementation, and its role in the management of chronic disease and otolaryngological conditions.
Sequelae of Index Complications following Inpatient Head and Neck Surgery: Characterizing Secondary Complications
Authors: Goel Alexander N. , Badran Karam W. , Garrett Alexander M. , St. John Maie A. , Long Jennifer L.
Published: February 2018

Objective

To characterize patterns of secondary complications after inpatient head and neck surgery.

Study Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (2005‐2015).

Subjects and Methods

We identified 18,584 patients who underwent inpatient otolaryngologic surgery. Four index complications were studied: pneumonia, bleeding or transfusion event (BTE), deep/organ space surgical site infection (SSI), and myocardial infarction (MI). Each patient with an index complication was matched to a control patient based on propensity for the index event and event‐free days. Rates of 30‐day secondary complications and mortality were compared.

Results

Index pneumonia (n = 254) was associated with several complications, including reintubation (odds ratio [OR], 11.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 5.2‐26.4), sepsis (OR, 8.8; 95% CI, 4.5‐17.2), and death (OR, 5.3; 95% CI, 1.9‐14.9). Index MI (n = 50) was associated with increased odds of reintubation (OR, 17.2; 95% CI, 3.5‐84.1), ventilatory failure (OR, 5.8; 95% CI, 1.8‐19.1), and death (OR, 24.8; 95% CI, 2.9‐211.4). Index deep/organ space SSI (n = 271) was associated with dehiscence (OR, 7.2; 95% CI, 3.6‐14.2) and sepsis (OR, 38.3; 95% CI, 11.6‐126.4). Index BTE (n = 1009) increased the odds of cardiac arrest (OR, 3.9; 95% CI, 1.8‐8.5) and death (OR, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.6‐5.1).

Conclusions

Our study is the first to quantify the effect of index complications on the risk of specific secondary complications following inpatient head and neck surgery. These associations may be used to identify patients most at risk postoperatively and target specific interventions aimed to prevent or interrupt further complications.
Female psychopharmacology matters! Towards a sex-specific psychopharmacology
Authors: Bolea-Alamanac Blanca , Bailey Sarah J , Lovick Thelma A , Scheele Dirk , Valentino Rita
Published: February 2018

There is increasing recognition that women have a higher prevalence of certain psychiatric illnesses, and a differential treatment response and course of illness compared to men. Additionally, clinicians deal with a number of disorders like premenstrual syndrome, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and postpartum depression, which affect women specifically and for which treatment and biological pathways are still unclear. In this article we highlight recent research which suggests that different biological mechanisms may underlie sex differences in responsiveness to stress. Sex differences are evident at the receptor level; where the corticotropin-releasing factor receptor shows differential coupling to adaptor proteins in males and females. The neuropeptide oxytocin also shows sex-specific effects in a range of social behaviors. It may act as a biomarker in post-traumatic stress disorder where sex differences are evident. Studies in women using hormonal contraception show that some of these oxytocin-mediated effects are likely influenced by sex hormones. In female rats rapid changes in circulating progesterone levels are associated with exaggerated behavioral responses to mild stress and blunted responses to benzodiazepines that could be prevented by acute treatment with low-dose fluoxetine. Perceived barriers in research on women have hindered progress. The development of a sex-specific psychopharmacology as a basis for translating this type of research into clinical practice is vital to improve treatment outcomes for women.
Border Disease Virus Infection of Bovine Placentas
Authors: Fernández Miguel , Braun Ueli , Frei Sandra , Schweizer Matthias , Hilbe Monika
Published: February 2018

Subsequent to a previous study of border disease virus (BDV) horizontal transmission from a persistently BDV-infected calf to 6 seronegative pregnant heifers, the heifers were slaughtered 60 days after exposure to the infected calf, and their fetuses and placentas were examined. Immunohistochemical examination of fetal organs and placenta showed positive labeling of moderate intensity for pestivirus antigen in 3 of 6 heifers. BDV infection in these 3 animals was confirmed by the detection of BDV RNA in different organs using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. In the placenta, the positive cells were visualized mostly on the fetal side. In those 3 heifers that harbored an infected fetus, the placental tissue in the placentome region showed a moderate to severe mononuclear and fibrosing placentitis and, in severe cases, necrotic areas. The inflammatory population was composed predominantly of T and B cells, a substantial number of macrophages, and, to a lesser extent, plasma cells. This is a novel report of placentitis in persistently BDV-infected fetuses from pregnant heifers that became acutely infected by cohousing with a calf persistently infected with BDV, which extends previous reports on bovine viral diarrhea virus–infected and BDV-infected cattle and sheep, respectively.
Duck Eats Rabbit: Exactly Which Type of Relational Phrase Can Disambiguate the Perception of Identical Side by Side Ambiguous Figures?
Authors: Mathewson Kyle E.
Published: February 2018

Many individuals cannot at first see two ambiguous figures as different interpretations simultaneously, even with effort. Here in a large sample replication, we find that the phrase “duck eats rabbit” allows those who could not see a duck and rabbit side by side to do so. In a second experiment, we show that a relational phrase “next to” that does not disambiguate the spatial position interpretation does not similarly allow the duck to be seen next to the rabbit, supporting the proposal that top-down semantic-framing can influence perception of ambiguous figures.
Patellar Tendon Repair Augmentation With a Knotless Suture Anchor Internal Brace: A Biomechanical Cadaveric Study
Authors: Rothfeld Alex , Pawlak Amanda , Liebler Stephenie A.H. , Morris Michael , Paci James M.
Published: February 2018

Background:

Patellar tendon repair with braided polyethylene suture alone is subject to knot slippage and failure. Several techniques to augment the primary repair have been described.

Purpose/Hypothesis:

The purpose was to evaluate a novel patellar tendon repair technique augmented with a knotless suture anchor internal brace with suture tape (SAIB). The hypothesis was that this technique would be biomechanically superior to a nonaugmented repair and equivalent to a standard augmentation with an 18-gauge steel wire.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Midsubstance patellar tendon tears were created in 32 human cadaveric knees. Two comparison groups were created. Group 1 compared #2 supersuture repair without augmentation to #2 supersuture repair with SAIB augmentation. Group 2 compared #2 supersuture repair with an 18-gauge stainless steel cerclage wire augmentation to #2 supersuture repair with SAIB augmentation. The specimens were potted and biomechanically loaded on a materials testing machine. Yield load, maximum load, mode of failure, plastic displacement, elastic displacement, and total displacement were calculated for each sample. Standard statistical analysis was performed.

Results:

There was a statistically significant increase in the mean ± SD yield load and maximum load in the SAIB augmentation group compared with supersuture alone (mean yield load: 646 ± 202 N vs 229 ± 60 N; mean maximum load: 868 ± 162 N vs 365 ± 54 N; P < .001). Group 2 showed no statistically significant differences between the augmented repairs (mean yield load: 495 ± 213 N vs 566 ± 172 N; P = .476; mean maximum load: 737 ± 210 N vs 697 ± 130 N; P = .721).

Conclusion:

Patellar tendon repair augmented with SAIB is biomechanically superior to repair without augmentation and is equivalent to repair with augmentation with an 18-gauge stainless steel cerclage wire.

Clinical Relevance:

This novel patellar tendon repair augmentation is equivalent to standard 18-gauge wire augmentation at time zero. It does not require a second surgery for removal, and it is biomechanically superior to primary repair alone.
Same-Sex Contact and Lifetime Sexually Transmitted Disease Diagnoses Among Older Adults
Authors: Ritter Lacey J. , Ueno Koji
Published: February 2018

Objective: This study examines difference in sexually transmitted disease (STD) prevalence between sexual minority and heterosexual older adults using lifetime experience of same-sex contact (SSC) as a measure of sexual orientation. Method: Data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project ( N = 2,519) are analyzed using negative binomial regression and propensity matching models to test for differences in average STD counts by sexual orientation. Results: Older adults who report any SSC have higher lifetime counts of STDs. This difference persists even when controlling for sex, race, education, age, military status, and incarceration. Propensity matching models show that this difference persists when respondents are matched on several factors that may influence SSC prior to STD contraction. Discussion: The present results call for greater attention from policy makers and researchers because the sexual orientation differences in STDs may exacerbate disparities in overall health status and quality of life.
Three-dimensional relative reachable domain with initial state uncertainty in Gaussian distribution
Authors: Wen Changxuan , Gao Yang , Shi Hao
Published: February 2018

A probability threshold is a confidence level defining a bound outside which the occurrence of a random variable is considered as a rare event. Upon providing such a probability threshold on the initial state uncertainty, relative reachable domain is defined as the minimum positional volume enclosing all the possible relative trajectories resulting from the initial state uncertainty. In this study, the conventional coplanar relative reachable domain with initial state uncertainty in isotropic Gaussian distribution is extended to the three-dimensional case with uncertainty in arbitrary Gaussian distribution. Positional errors in Gaussian distribution are thought to be confined within an error ellipsoid depending on the given probability threshold. Such an error ellipsoid will evolve with time and consequently sweep out a volume, which is the relative reachable domain to be determined. This paper proposed an algorithm of solving the envelope surface of the relative reachable domain for close range relative motion based on the linearized dynamical model and the mathematical definition of an envelope. Moreover, the algorithm is modified to improve the accuracy for long range relative motion. Comparisons between the solved relative reachable domain and the result of 10,000 Monte Carlo runs, which can be regarded as the true result, for different scenarios on circular reference orbits demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed method.
Barriers to adopting solar photovoltaic systems in Hong Kong
Authors: Lo Kevin , Mah Daphne Ngar-Yin , Wang Guihua , Leung Michael KH , Lo Alex Y , Hills Peter
Published: February 2018

The adoption of solar photovoltaic systems is often constrained by various sociotechnical barriers. In this paper, we identify and differentiate barriers to photovoltaic among three groups of potential adopters in Hong Kong: individuals, businesses, and the public sector. A total of 55 interviews were conducted to collect the data for the study. The results indicate that the most important constraints were technical barriers such as space limitations and low energy output, followed by economic barriers such as high upfront costs and long payback periods. Furthermore, we found that individuals were the group most exposed to market, policy, and regulatory barriers and they had to contend with the highest number of barriers. Our analysis also illustrates that there was a close interrelationship between the barriers. For example, technical barriers, such as space limitations, could be overcome partially by addressing regulatory barriers. Based on the analysis, we formulate a number of policy recommendations. The results of this study could be useful to the government in its attempt to facilitate a sustainable energy transition in Hong Kong.
Assessment of oxidative stress of platelets among chronic heroin and hashish addicts
Authors: Bani-Ahmad MA , Mustafa AG , Ahmad AAB , Rahim AMA
Published: February 2018

Introduction:

Illicit drugs abuse is associated with several clinical life-threatening consequences that are primarily mediated by oxidative damage to multiple cellular components with a subsequent cellular dysfunction and death. Primarily, this study aimed to investigate oxidative stress to protein and lipid components of circulatory platelets among chronic heroin and hashish addicts.

Methods:

Platelet lysates were prepared from 20 chronic intravenously administrated heroin addicts and 20 chronic smoked hashish addicts. For comparative purposes, two control groups of 20 cigarette smokers and 20 nonsmokers were included in the study. Oxidative stress to platelet’s proteins and lipids was investigated using carbonyl group contents assay and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay, respectively.

Results:

In comparison to control groups, carbonyl group contents and TBARS concentration were significantly higher among heroin addicts but not among hashish addicts. Both of these markers were significantly correlated to the duration of addiction but not to the daily administrated dose. While in regard of the timing of the latest administrated dose (TLAD), only carbonyl group contents were significantly correlated to the TLAD.

Conclusions:

Considering the contribution of drug’s route of administration, drug’s pharmacokinetics, and kinetics of circulatory platelet, we concluded that chronic heroin addiction is associated with significant levels of oxidative stress to platelet’s proteins and lipids. Due to the high proteomic contents of platelets, protein’s oxidative stress is more prominent compared to lipids. Chronic hashish smoking is not associated with significant levels of oxidative stress in platelet’s proteins and lipids.
Incense Smoke and Increasing Carotid Intima Media Thickness: A Cross-Sectional Study of the Thai-Vietnamese Community
Authors: Kammoolkon Rattanee , Taneepanichskul Nutta , Pitaknoppakul Nattaporn , Lertmaharit Somrat , Lohsoonthorn Vitool
Published: February 2018

Incense burning, a source of household indoor air pollution, is possible to effect on cardiovascular system. Our study sought to examine the association of long-term exposure to household incense smoke with increased carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT). A cross-sectional study was conducted 132 adults aged ≥35 years. Participants were stratified into 3 groups by their long-term household incense use; nonexposed group, non–daily exposed group, and daily exposed group. A combined mean CIMT (mean difference = 0.04 mm; P < .01) and combined maximum CIMT (mean difference = 0.09 mm; P < .01) in the daily exposed group had greater than the nonexposed group. The mean CIMT and maximum CIMT of the left common carotid artery in the daily exposed group was significantly greater than the nonexposed group ( P < .01). These findings suggest that incense burning inside the house may be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality.
Factors Influencing People’s Personal Information Disclosure Behaviors in Online Health Communities: A Pilot Study
Authors: Zhou Junjie
Published: February 2018

To effectively facilitate health information sharing and personal information protection in online health communities (OHCs), it is important to examine the factors influencing people’s personal information disclosure behavior in OHCs. Five factors were supposed as the predictors of people’s personal information disclosure behavior in OHCs. A total of 376 participants in a Chinese online cancer community were analyzed. The empirical results indicate that more participants give more attention to risk factors than motivating factors when they disclose information in OHCs. In a not so severe condition, participants post their personal information to only obtain needed information. In severe disease situations, participants disclose personal information to obtain both needed information and emotional support, and emotional support is prioritized; in addition, they even risk financial loss to seek more useful information or emotional support. OHC managers should make policies to protect people’s personal information, and thus encourage them to share more health information in OHCs.
Development and validation of a probe hybridization reverse-transcription quantitative PCR for detection of mamastrovirus 2 in domestic cats
Authors: Williams Hannah G. , Cook Kirstin A. , Lawler Patricia E. , Archer Linda L. , Schaedel Karen , Isaza Natalie , Wellehan James F. X.
Published: February 2018

Astroviruses are viral pathogens that have been associated with enteric and neurologic disease in a variety of species. The domestic cat is a prominent host, with reports of astroviral infection being both highly prevalent and widely distributed in the feline population. Despite the potential for inducing significant disease, especially within shelter environments, there is currently only one reliable method of detection: standard reverse-transcription PCR using pan-astrovirus degenerate primers (consensus RT-PCR) with product sequencing. Unfortunately, this process is relatively slow and costly. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) represents an efficient, economical alternative, with the added benefit of viral load quantification. We developed a RT-qPCR assay using probe hybridization technique to detect conserved regions of mamastrovirus 2 extracted from fecal samples of domestic cats. Known positive and negative samples were tested, and results were compared with gold standard consensus RT-PCR and sequencing. A standard curve was employed to determine limits of detection. In order to assess analytic specificity, we tested several additional samples that had been collected from non-felid species and were known to contain non-target astroviruses. Discrepant results between consensus RT-PCR and RT-qPCR testing were further analyzed with a validation RT-PCR assay, using mamastrovirus 2–specific primers. Our probe hybridization RT-qPCR assay is reliable and effective for the detection of mamastrovirus 2. This assay will allow rapid, affordable detection and facilitate further research on astroviral infection within domestic cats.
Developing Dimensional, Pandiagnostic Inhibitory Control Constructs With Self-Report and Neuropsychological Data
Authors: Crane Natania A. , Vergés Alvaro , Kamali Masoud , Bhaumik Runa , Ryan Kelly A. , Marshall David F. , Saunders Erika F. H. , Kassel Michelle T. , Weldon Anne L. , McInnis Melvin G. , Langenecker Scott A.
Published: February 2018

Trait markers, or intermediate phenotypes linking different units of analysis (self-report, performance) from the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) matrix across populations is a necessary step in identifying at-risk individuals. In the current study, 150 healthy controls (HC) and 456 individuals with bipolar disorder (BD) Type I or II, NOS (not otherwise specified) or Schizoaffective BD completed self-report neuropsychological tests of inhibitory control (IC) and executive functioning. Bifactor analyses were used to examine the factor structure of these measures and to evaluate for invariance across groups. Bifactor analyses found modest convergence of items from neuropsychological tests and self-report measures of IC among HC and BD. The factor scores showed evidence of a general IC construct (i.e., subdomain) across measures. Importantly, invariance testing indicated that the same construct was measured equally well across groups. Groups differed on the general factor for three of the four scales. Convergence on a general IC factor and invariance across diagnosis supports the use of combined dimensional measures to identify clinical risk and highlights how prospective RDoC studies might integrate units of analysis.