bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Energy and Area Effective Hardware Design of Lifting Approach Discrete Wavelet Transform
Authors: Hasan Khamees Khalaf , Salih Ibrahim Khalil , Hussen Abdumuttalib. A.
Published: April 2019

This paper presents low power Discrete Wavelet Transform DWT architecture, comprising of forward and inverse multilevel transform for 5/3 lifting scheme LS based wavelet transform filter. This LS filter consists of integer adder units and binary shifter rather than multiplier and divider units as in the convolution based filters; hence it is more adaptable to energy efficient hardware performance. The proposed architecture is described using the VHDL based methodology. This VHDL code has been simulated and synthesized to achieve the gate level building design which can be organized to be effectively developed in hardware environment. The Quartus II 9.1 software synthesis tools were employed to implement 2D-DWT VHDL codes in Altera Development board DE2, with Cyclone II FPGA device. The proposed LS wavelet architectures can be attained by focusing on the physical FPGA devices to considerably decrease the needed hardware expenditure and power consumption of the design. The utilized logic and register elements of the architecture are 127 slices (only 1%) usage from 33216 and the architecture consumes only 0.033 W. Simulations were performed using different sizes of gray scale images that authenticate the proposed design and attain a speed performance appropriate for numerous real-time applications.
Performance evaluation of embedded ethernet and Controller Area Network (CAN) in real time control communication system
Authors: Leong Ching Chia , Ishak Mohamad Khairi
Published: April 2019

Real-time communication is important in control network. In real-time communication, message need to be delivered from source to destination within specification. Embedded Ethernet and Controller Area Network (CAN) protocol can be used in control network to achieve hard real-time communication. For embedded Ethernet protocol, Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection (CSMA/CD) is the media access control (MAC) used to control data transmission between nodes in network. Back-off algorithm in CSMA/CD is used to handle packet collisions and retransmission. For CAN protocol, it is communication protocol developed mainly for automotive application. It has priority arbitration to handle collisions and retransmission. In this project, embedded Ethernet network models and CAN network models are developed and simulated in MATLAB Simulink software. Several back-off algorithms, which are Binary Exponential Backoff (BEB), Linear Back-off Algorithm, Exponential-Linear back-off Algorithm and Logarithm Back-off Algorithm are proposed and implemented into Embedded Ethernet network model to evaluate the performance. Both embedded Ethernet and CAN network models are extended to 3 nodes, 10 nodes, and 15 nodes to evaluate performance at different network condition. The performance criteria evaluated and discussed are average delay and jitter of packets. The results show that in network with high number of nodes, Linear Back-off Algorithm and Exponential-Linear back-off Algorithm shows improvement in packets delay and jitter. For CAN network, the packet jitter is relatively low.
Cultura e política: a criação do Ministério da Cultura na redemocratização do Brasil
Authors: Ferron Fabio Maleronka , Arruda Maria Arminda do Nascimento
Published: April 2019

Este artigo analisa a criação do Ministério da Cultura, em 1985, por meio da identificação dos principais atores envolvidos, seus interesses e estratégias, bem como examina as posições dos partidos políticos que se pronunciaram a respeito da necessidade de uma pasta para a cultura separada da educação. Pela análise de fontes jornalísticas e entrevistas, relaciona aquele processo com as características particulares do contexto político da época e apresenta as discussões e debates que acompanharam o desenrolar do processo que definiu a criação de uma pasta autônoma para a cultura. Por fim, conclui que, embora o processo de montagem do Ministério da Cultura no governo Sarney tenha sido influenciado pelas vicissitudes políticas do momento e conduzido de modo pouco eficiente, ele foi expressão da remobilização da sociedade civil brasileira em torno de questões de política pública no processo de transição pós-autoritária na primeira metade dos anos de 1980.
Detecting modular brain states in rest and task
Authors: Kabbara Aya , Khalil Mohamad , O’Neill Georges , Dujardin Kathy , El Traboulsi Youssof , Wendling Fabrice , Hassan Mahmoud
Published: April 2019

The human brain is a dynamic networked system that continually reconfigures its functional connectivity patterns over time. Thus, developing approaches able to adequately detect fast brain dynamics is critical. Of particular interest are the methods that analyze the modular structure of brain networks, that is, the presence of clusters of regions that are densely interconnected. In this paper, we propose a novel framework to identify fast modular states that dynamically fluctuate over time during rest and task. We started by demonstrating the feasibility and relevance of this framework using simulated data. Compared with other methods, our algorithm was able to identify the simulated networks with high temporal and spatial accuracies. We further applied the proposed framework on MEG data recorded during a finger movement task, identifying modular states linking somatosensory and primary motor regions. The algorithm was also performed on dense-EEG data recorded during a picture naming task, revealing the subsecond transition between several modular states that relate to visual processing, semantic processing, and language. Next, we tested our method on a dataset of resting-state dense-EEG signals recorded from 124 patients with Parkinson’s disease. Results disclosed brain modular states that differentiate cognitively intact patients, patients with moderate cognitive deficits, and patients with severe cognitive deficits. Our new approach complements classical methods, offering a new way to track the brain modular states, in healthy subjects and patients, on an adequate task-specific timescale.
A new species of Palaeopoecilostola Meunier, 1899 (Diptera: Limoniidae) from the Eocene Baltic amber
Authors: KANIA IWONA , KRZEMIŃSKI WIESŁAW
Published: April 2019

A new species of the genus Palaeopoecilostola Meunier, 1899 (Diptera: Limoniidae) from the Baltic amber (Upper Eocene) is described. The cladistic analysis of the species included in this genus is provided. The distributional pattern of the Palaeopoecilostola species is discussed. Palaeopoecilostola as numerous and remarkable representative of Limoniidae, can be treated as the marker genus of the Baltic amber in broad sense (including Bitterfeld and Ukrainian ambers). Anepsiomyia atterraneus Nazarov, 1994 is resurrected from synonymy with Palaepoecilostola speciosa Meunier, 1906. Ryta berestiana Nazarov, 1994 appears a junior synonym of Palaepoecilostola speciosa Meunier, 1906.
Revision of Neotropical aphrophorine spittlebugs, part 1: Ptyelini (Hemiptera, Cercopoidea)
Authors: HAMILTON K. G. ANDREW
Published: April 2019

Cephisus Stål, formerly with only 3 recognized species, is now known from at least 10 species ranging from southwestern USA to Argentina. Eight are keyed and described, including C. siccifolia (Walker), the economic species in South America, C. variolosus (Walker), the common species in Central America, C. brevipennis sp. nov. and C. laticeps sp. nov. from Mexico, plus C. magnificus sp. nov. from Brazil; two other biological species were identified in the C. variolosus species complex from the results of genetic “barcoding.” These are differentiated from Plinthacrus phaleratus, P. mexicanus and P. irroratus (all described by Spinola in 1850) that are new synonyms of  Novaphrophara tasmaniae Lallemand, 1940 (as N. phalerata comb. nov.), a species collected recently only in Madagascar. These two genera along with 6 others are placed in the redefined tribe Ptyelini (= Takagiinae syn. nov.) as sister-genus to the palaearctic genus Cnemidanomia Kusnezov (=Takagia Matsumura), suggesting a pre-Oligocene dispersal from the old world to the new. A preliminary key is provided to the families and tribes of Cercopoidea represented in the new world.
Kunanyia stephaniae gen. nov. & sp. nov. (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Ennominae): an unusual and rare diurnal moth from the mountains of Tasmania
Authors: BYRNE CATHERINE J. , WEI NASEN
Published: April 2019

We describe the adult, egg, and all larval stages of a new geometrid moth, Kunanyia stephaniae gen. nov. and sp. nov. Although the genus can be placed in the tribe Nacophorini on key morphological features, it possesses a unique suite of characters that distinguish it from other described nacophorines. Larvae reared from eggs obtained from field-collected females, survived to maturity feeding on the dead leaves of Eucalyptus coccifera and other Eucalyptus spp, an unusual foodplant for Geometridae. To date, adults have only been collected in montane habitats on Mt Wellington near Hobart and Mt Bishop and Clerk, Maria Island, Tasmania.
Full description of Cordulagomphus primaerensis from Santana Formation (Lower Cretaceous of Brazil) (Odonata: Aeshnoptera: Proterogomphidae)
Authors: PETRULEVIČIUS JULIAN F. , MARTINS-NETO RAFAEL G. , AZAR DANY , MAKHOUL EDOUARD , NEL ANDRÉ
Published: April 2019

Thanks to the discovery of a new specimen, we discuss and confirm the differences proposed by Petrulevičius and Martins-Neto, 2007 (in Bechly, 2007) between Cordulagomphus (Procordulagomphus) primaerensis Petrulevičius and Martins-Neto, 2007 and its close relative Cordulagomphus (Procordulagomphus) michaeli Bechly, 2007.
Description of a new species of the "Haenydra" lineage (Coleoptera: Hydraenidae) from the Republic of Macedonia
Authors: STANKOVIĆ VLATKA MIČETIĆ , JÄCH MANFRED A.
Published: April 2019

A new species of Hydraena Kugelann, H. kucinici (Coleoptera: Hydraenidae), is described from the Republic of Macedonia. Taxonomic and faunistic notes on two closely related species, H. bosnica Apfelbeck and H. leonhardi Breit, are provided.
Systematic revision of the genera Geckobiella Hirst, 1917 and Hirstiella Berlese, 1920 (Acari: Prostigmata: Pterygosomatidae) with description of a new genus for American species parasites on geckos formerly placed in Hirstiella
Authors: PAREDES-LEÓN RICARDO , KLOMPEN HANS , PÉREZ TILA M.
Published: April 2019

A cladistic analysis based on 274 morphological characters was performed including the 13 previously recognized speciesof the scale mite genus Hirstiella, 2 new species, 5 species in closely related genera, and 3 more distant out-group species.An analysis based on 148 informative characters resulted in one most parsimonious tree (L = 400, CI = 0.57 and RI =0.79). According to this, the genus Hirstiella in its current concept is a polyphyletic taxon whose member species belongto three different clades. The first lineage (Bremer support and jackknife values 2 and 78%) includes the type species H.trombidiiformis and seven additional species of Hirstiella that are parasites on iguanian lizards. The genus Geckobiella isincluded in this lineage, and the latter taxon name has priority over Hirstiella; therefore, the genus Hirstiella is considereda synonym of Geckobiella and no longer valid. For the second lineage (Bremer support and jackknife values of 2 and 73%)we propose the name Bertrandiella gen. nov.; it includes H. tenuipes, H. otophila, H. jimenezi and Bertrandiella chame-laensis sp. nov. The third lineage, and sister taxon of Bertrandiella, is a clade comprising Pimeliaphilus and the speciesH. sharifi and H. insignis. The latter taxa are transferred back to Pimeliaphilus (Bremer support and jackknife values >4and 100%). Updated diagnoses are provided for the genera Geckobiella sensu nov. (including a new species Geckobielladonnae sp. nov.) and Bertrandiella gen. nov., and for all their species, as well as for the genera Pimeliaphilus sensu nov.and Tequisistlana, based on the results of the phylogenetic analyses. The analyses support the hypothesis that lizards arethe ancestral hosts for Pterygosomatidae; associations with arthropods (in Pimeliaphilus) appear to be secondary, the result of host switching from lizards.
Redescription of Sillago (Parasillago) indica McKay, Dutt & Sujatha, 1985 (Perciformes: Sillaginidae), with a reassignment to the subgenus Sillago
Authors: KAGA TATSUYA , HO HSUAN-CHING
Published: April 2019

The Indian sillago, Sillago indica McKay, Dutt & Sujatha, 1985, is redescribed on the basis of three paratypes and two newly collected specimens.  The presence of two posterior extensions of the swimbladder instead of one suggests that it belongs to the subgenus Sillago.  Comments on its subgeneric status and comparisons with members of Sillago (Sillago) are provided.  Two specimens collected from Vietnam represent the first record of the species from the South China Sea, western Pacific Ocean.
Relations of the Low-Level Extratropical Cyclones in the Southeast Pacific and South Atlantic to the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation
Authors: Kayano Mary Toshie , Rosa Marcelo Barbio , Rao Vadlamudi Brahamananda , Andreoli Rita Valéria , Ferreira de Souza Rodrigo Augusto
Published: April 2019

The relations of the low-level extratropical cyclones in the southeastern Pacific and South Atlantic with the sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies associated with the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation (AMO) during the summer and winter of the 1979–93 cold AMO (CAMO) and 2003–17 warm AMO (WAMO) are analyzed. During both seasons and in both AMO phases, the cyclone trajectories defined by cyclone local counts exceeding 10 events per grid box occur approximately in the areas with the AMO-related positive SST anomalies. The cyclone densities in most latitudes during both seasons are higher in the CAMO than in the WAMO. Thus, the cyclone density in the study domain presents a reduction trend during the 1979–2017 period. The large-scale northward SST anomalous gradients between the bands north and south of 40°S increase the long-wave baroclinicity in the midlatitudes in the WAMO, and the southward SST anomalous gradients decrease it in the CAMO. Consequently, the short-wave baroclinicity is higher in the WAMO than in the CAMO in the southeastern Pacific midlatitudes. Thus, the cyclones are more energetic in the WAMO than in the CAMO. In the South Atlantic region off the Argentinean coast, both the barotropic and baroclinic conversion terms are positive, indicating an increase of the kinetic energy of the short waves. The low-level cyclones in the southeastern Pacific and South Atlantic are modulated by the AMO. As far as we know, the relation of the SH low-level extratropical cyclones to the AMO documented here was not studied before.
CORRIGENDUM
Authors: Squitieri Brian J. , Gallus William A.
Published: April 2019

An error was discovered in the code used to calculate neighborhood equitable threat scores (nETSs) in Squitieri and Gallus. Replicating results with the error corrected revealed that most of the conclusions from Squitieri and Gallus remained the same, but with one significant new finding and one notable change in results. In the original manuscript, very few correlations between MCS QPF skill and LLJ forecast accuracy could be denoted among weakly forced cases, with none of them being statistically significant. Applying the aforementioned correction, it was found that QPF skill during the mature stage of MCSs significantly correlated with moisture forecast accuracy within developing LLJs for weakly forced events. It was also found that correlations between MCS QPF skill and LLJ potential temperature forecast accuracy occurred earlier in the evening.
Nonhemostatic Activities of Factor Xa: Are There Pleiotropic Effects of Anti-FXa Direct Oral Anticoagulants?
Authors: Papadaki Styliani , Tselepis Alexandros D.
Published: April 2019

Factor Xa (FXa) is the key serine protease of the coagulation cascade as it is the point of convergence of the intrinsic and extrinsic pathways, leading to the formation of thrombin. Factor Xa is an established target of anticoagulation therapy, due to its central role in coagulation. Over the past years, several direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) targeting FXa have been developed. Rivaroxaban, apixaban, and edoxaban are used in clinical practice for prevention and treatment of thrombotic diseases. Increasing evidence suggests that FXa exerts nonhemostatic cellular effects that are mediated mainly through protease-activated receptors-1 and -2 and are involved in pathophysiological conditions, such as atherosclerosis, inflammation, and fibrosis. Direct inhibition of FXa by DOACs could be beneficial in these conditions. This is a narrative review that focuses on the cellular effects of FXa in various cell types and conditions, as well as on the possible pleiotropic effects of FXa-targeting DOACs.
Controlling illicit drug users in China: From incarceration to community?
Authors: Yuan Xiaoyu
Published: April 2019

Managing a population of illicit drug users remains essentially a ‘law and order’ issue for neoliberal societies. There has been a wider disciplinary movement in the control of this population from incarceration to risk management. This paper specifically examines the community rehabilitation program in an urban city in China, in light of the claimed policy change. Using in-depth interviews with illicit drug users, it reveals how state control has been extended over this group. A comparative analysis with drug treatment in the West raises some dissonances through crime control lens. Limitations of this study as well as suggestions for future research are discussed.
Do occupational justice concepts inform occupational therapists’ practice? A scoping review
Authors: Malfitano Ana Paula Serrata , de Souza Rosangela Gomes da Mota , Townsend Elizabeth A. , Lopes Roseli Esquerdo
Published: April 2019

Background.

Occupational justice and related concepts can inform practices directed at injustice and the lack of rights in daily life. Brazilian ideas about social occupational therapy seem to be similar to these concepts about inequality.

Purpose.

This study aimed to answer the questions, “Do occupational justice concepts inform occupational therapists’ professional actions?” and “How are occupational justice concepts connected to Brazilian ideas about social occupational therapy?”

Method.

A secondary analysis was undertaken of a scoping review using occupational justice and related concepts as keywords. Descriptive and categorical analyses were used to classify the extract data.

Findings.

We selected 42 articles that specify occupational therapy practices, classified as individual approaches ( n = 13), individual-integrated-with-social approaches ( n = 22), and social approaches ( n = 7). It was found that occupational justice concepts have informed individual approaches and that the second and third approaches can be connected with social occupational therapy.

Implications.

Dialogue for sharing knowledge, concepts, and practices of occupational therapy worldwide can be inspired by this review.
Hybrid GMR/IR probe to reduce the effects of lift-off
Authors: Faraj Moneer A , Samsuri Fahmi , AbdAlla Ahmed N , Rifai Damhuji , Ali Kharudin , Al-Douri Y
Published: April 2019

Eddy current testing technique is being utilized in engineering, such as in nuclear steam pipe, aircraft and gas/oil pipeline, due to its sensitivity to small cracks and subsurface defects, immediate results, environmental friendliness, and use in examining complex sizes and shapes of substances. However, the lift-off noise due to irregular inspected materials surface, varying coating thicknesses, or movement of transducers extremely limits the implementation of eddy current testing in a non-disastrous testing which impacts the measure of defect depth on the conductive material. In this paper, a study on hybrid giant magneto-resistance/infrared probe is proposed to minimize the influence of lift-off for detecting the depth defect. The giant magneto-resistance reads the magnetic field which reflects any defect inside the pipeline, and infrared sensors read the movement of each giant magneto-resistance inside the pipeline. The error compensation technique depends on Mamdani fuzzy which examines the interaction that exists between the peak value of giant magneto-resistance and the infrared sensor signal. The eddy current testing inspection system includes details of the giant magneto-resistance–eddy current probe design and instrumentation of the error compensation technique. The measurement method is based on alternating current supply with 30 kHz frequency to ensure that the crack signals are clearly displayed. The proposed method is verified experimentally, and the result shows that the impact of lift-off noise is highly reduced in the eddy current testing technique and enhances the sensor accuracy. The depth defect error caused by 1 mm lift-off is reduced to 7.20%.
Service Robots Rising: How Humanoid Robots Influence Service Experiences and Elicit Compensatory Consumer Responses
Authors: Mende Martin , Scott Maura L. , van Doorn Jenny , Grewal Dhruv , Shanks Ilana
Published: April 2019

Interactions between consumers and humanoid service robots (HSRs; i.e., robots with a human-like morphology such as a face, arms, and legs) will soon be part of routine marketplace experiences. It is unclear, however, whether these humanoid robots (compared with human employees) will trigger positive or negative consequences for consumers and companies. Seven experimental studies reveal that consumers display compensatory responses when they interact with an HSR rather than a human employee (e.g., they favor purchasing status goods, seek social affiliation, and order and eat more food). The authors investigate the underlying process driving these effects, and they find that HSRs elicit greater consumer discomfort (i.e., eeriness and a threat to human identity), which in turn results in the enhancement of compensatory consumption. Moreover, this research identifies boundary conditions of the effects such that the compensatory responses that HSRs elicit are (1) mitigated when consumer-perceived social belongingness is high, (2) attenuated when food is perceived as more healthful, and (3) buffered when the robot is machinized (rather than anthropomorphized).
‘Without water, there is no life’: Negotiating everyday risks and gendered insecurities in Karachi’s informal settlements
Authors: Anwar Nausheen H , Sawas Amiera , Mustafa Daanish
Published: April 2019

This article provides new insights into the politics of water provisioning in Karachi’s informal settlements, where water shortages and contaminations have pushed ordinary citizens to live on the knife edge of water scarcity. We turn our attention to the everyday practices that involve gendered insecurities of water in Karachi, which has been Pakistan’s security laboratory for decades. We explore four shifting security logics that strongly contribute to the crisis of water provisioning at the neighbourhood level and highlight an emergent landscape of ‘securitised water’. Gender maps the antagonisms between these security logics, so we discuss the impacts on ordinary women and men as they experience chronic water shortages. In Karachi, a patriarchal stereotype of the militant or terrorist-controlled water supply is wielded with the aim of upholding statist national security concerns that undermine women’s and men’s daily security in water provisioning whereby everyday issues of risk and insecurity appear politically inconsequential. We contend that risk has a very gendered nature and it is women that experience it both in the home and outside.
Global exponential stabilization for chaotic brushless DC motor with simpler controllers
Authors: Liu Di , Zhou Guopeng , Liao Xiaoxin
Published: April 2019

In this paper, computer assisted proofs in dynamics (CAPD) group and conventional dynamic analysis methods are applied to find the parameters that make the brushless DC motor (BLDCM) system chaotic. For the purpose to make the BLDCM system exponentially stable, four simple controllers with just one state variable are proposed, which means that it only needs one sensor instead of two or more in practice. Numerical simulations show that the motor with the new controllers can converge efficiently. Finally, the topological horseshoe theory is introduced to verify the existence of chaos in BLDCM system.
Agger Nasi Cells Versus Lacrimal Cells and Uncinate Bullae in Cone-Beam Computed Tomography
Authors: Rusu Mugurel C. , Sava Cristina J. , Ilie Adrian C. , Săndulescu Mihai , Dincă Dănuţ
Published: April 2019

The maxillary bone’s frontal process, lacrimal bone, and ethmoidal labyrinth’s uncinate process can each harbor pneumatizations, referred to as agger nasi cells (ANCs), lacrimal cells (LCs), and uncinate bullae (UBs), respectively. Different studies have failed to differentiate ANCs from LCs. We aimed at studying these 3 anatomic sites to establish the anatomical patterns that could be encountered. We performed a retrospective study on cone-beam computed tomography scans of 36 patients (72 sides); the anatomic identification was supported by bidimensional multiplanar reconstructions (MPRs) in all 3 planes and 3-dimensional volume renderings. We established 6 patterns of pneumatization as follows: (1) type I: single LCs (47%), (2) type II: distinctive adjacent LCs and ANCs (8%), (3) type III: LCs expanded as UBs (6%), (4) type IV: ANCs adjacent to LCs expanded with UBs (1%), (5) type V: ANCs expanded as LCs (27%), and (6) type VI: ANCs expanded as LCs and further expanded as UBs (11%). In a type I pattern case, we found a cell-in-cell aspect on sagittal MPRs, which was further demonstrated as being an anterolateral recess of the middle nasal meatus projected in front of an LC. Such an “agger nasi recess” of the middle meatus was not previously described. For an accurate anatomical diagnosis, computed tomography studies should use complementary MPRs in all anatomical planes, as well as 3-dimensional models, to avoid confusing ANCs with LCs and better document the drainage pathways.
Sialendoscopy With Intraductal Steroid Irrigation in Patients With Sialadenitis Without Sialoliths
Authors: Lele Saudamini J. , Hamiter Mickie , Fourrier Torrey Louise , Nathan Cherie-Ann
Published: April 2019

Sialendoscopy has emerged as a safe, effective and minimally invasive technique for management of obstructive and inflammatory salivary gland disease. The aim of our study was to analyze outcomes of sialendoscopy and steroid irrigation in patients with sialadenitis without sialoliths. We performed a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent interventional sialendoscopy with steroid irrigation from 2013 to 2016, for the treatment of sialadenitis without sialolithiasis. Twenty-two patients underwent interventional sialendoscopy with ductal dilation and steroid irrigation for the treatment of sialadenitis without any evidence of sialolithiasis. Conservative measures had failed in all. Eleven patients had symptoms arising from the parotid gland, 4 patients had symptoms arising from the submandibular gland, while 6 patients had symptoms in both parotid and submandibular glands. One patient complained of only xerostomia without glandular symptoms. The mean age of the study group which included 1 male and 21 females was 44.6 years (range: 3-86 years). Four patients had autoimmune disease, while 7 patients had a history of radioactive iodine therapy. No identifiable cause for sialadenitis was found in the remaining 11 patients. The mean follow-up period was 378.9 days (range: 16-1143 days). All patients underwent sialendoscopy with ductal dilation and steroid irrigation. Twelve patients showed a complete response and 9 patients had a partial response, while 1 patient reported no response. Only 3 patients required repeat sialendoscopy. The combination of sialendoscopy with ductal dilation and steroid irrigation is a safe and effective treatment option for patients with sialadenitis without sialoliths refractory to conservative measures. Prospective studies with a larger case series are needed to establish its role as a definitive treatment option.
Cost Benefit and Utility Decision Analysis of Turbinoplasty with Adenotonsillectomy for Pediatric Sleep‐Disordered Breathing
Authors: Baik Grace , Brietzke Scott E.
Published: April 2019

Objectives

Use decision analysis techniques to assess the potential utility gains/losses and costs of adding bilateral inferior turbinoplasty to tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy (T/A) for the treatment of obstructive sleep‐disordered breathing (oSDB) in children. Use sensitivity analysis to explore the key variables in the scenario.

Study Design

Cost‐utility decision analysis model.

Setting

Hypothetical cohort.

Subjects and Methods

Computer software (TreeAge Software, Williamstown, Massachusetts) was used to construct a decision analysis model. The model included the possibility of postoperative complications and persistent oSDB after surgery. Baseline clinical and quality‐adjusted life year (QALY) parameters were estimated using published data. Cost data were estimated from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid 2018 databases (www.cms.gov). Sensitivity analyses were completed to assess for key model parameters.

Results

The utility analysis of the baseline model favored the addition of turbinoplasty (0.8890 vs 0.8875 overall utility) assuming turbinate hypertrophy was present. Sensitivity analysis indicated the treatment success increase (%) provided by concurrent turbinoplasty was the key parameter in the model. A treatment success increase of 3% of turbinoplasty was the threshold where concurrent turbinoplasty was favored over T/A alone. The incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio (ICER) of $27,333/QALY for the baseline model was favorable to the willingness‐to‐pay threshold of $50,000 to $100,000/QALY for industrialized nations.

Conclusions

The addition of turbinoplasty for children with turbinate hypertrophy to T/A for the treatment of pediatric oSDB is beneficial from both a utility and cost‐benefit analysis standpoint even if the benefits of turbinoplasty are relatively modest.
Systematic Review of Validated Quality of Life and Swallow Outcomes after Transoral Robotic Surgery
Authors: Castellano Alexa , Sharma Arun
Published: April 2019

Objective

To systematically review the available evidence on the effects of transoral robotic surgery (TORS) on the posttreatment quality of life (QOL) and swallow function of patients with head and neck cancer.

Data Sources

PubMed and Ovid electronic databases were searched from inception to July 6, 2016. Specific database functions were applied to maximize the search.

Review Methods

Articles in the database were reviewed for inclusion by 2 independent reviewers according to predetermined eligibility criteria. The references of relevant articles were then hand‐searched to identify additional manuscripts. For included articles, the study characteristics and relevant data were extracted.

Results

Of 103 articles screened, 20 reporting validated measures of QOL and/or swallow outcomes for 659 patients were eligible for inclusion. Fourteen were observational studies or case series and did not compare the TORS group with another intervention. Two were prospective nonrandomized clinical trials that compared outcomes between TORS and primary chemoradiation. Four were cohort studies comparing TORS with other treatment approaches and modalities, including open surgical approaches and transoral laser microsurgery. Overall, most patients who underwent TORS ± adjuvant therapy reported a return to baseline QOL and swallow function by 6 to 12 months posttreatment. Several studies demonstrated superior QOL and swallowing outcomes when compared with primary chemoradiation or open approaches.

Conclusions

Available evidence suggests that patients who undergo TORS for head and neck cancer have good QOL and swallowing outcomes after treatment, but outcomes are dependent on baseline function, T stage, and adjuvant treatment status.
Dissociable effects of cannabis with and without cannabidiol on the human brain’s resting-state functional connectivity
Authors: Wall Matthew B , Pope Rebecca , Freeman Tom P , Kowalczyk Oliwia S , Demetriou Lysia , Mokrysz Claire , Hindocha Chandni , Lawn Will , Bloomfield Michael AP , Freeman Abigail M , Feilding Amanda , Nutt David , Curran H Valerie
Published: April 2019

Background:

Two major constituents of cannabis are Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). THC is the main psychoactive component; CBD may buffer the user against the harmful effects of THC.

Aims:

We examined the effects of two strains of cannabis and placebo on the human brain’s resting-state networks using fMRI.

Methods:

Seventeen healthy volunteers (experienced with cannabis, but not regular users) underwent three drug treatments and scanning sessions. Treatments were cannabis containing THC (Cann−CBD; 8 mg THC), cannabis containing THC with CBD (Cann+CBD; 8 mg THC + 10 mg CBD), and matched placebo cannabis. Seed-based resting-state functional connectivity analyses were performed on three brain networks: the default mode (DMN; defined by positive connectivity with the posterior cingulate cortex: PCC+), executive control (ECN; defined by negative connectivity with the posterior cingulate cortex: PCC−) and salience (SAL; defined by positive connectivity with the anterior insula: AI+) network.

Results:

Reductions in functional connectivity (relative to placebo) were seen in the DMN (PCC+) and SAL (AI+) networks for both strains of cannabis, with spatially dissociable effects. Across the entire salience network (AI+), Cann−CBD reduced connectivity relative to Cann+CBD. The PCC in the DMN was specifically disrupted by Cann−CBD, and this effect correlated with subjective drug effects, including feeling ‘stoned’ and ‘high’.

Conclusions:

THC disrupts the DMN, and the PCC is a key brain region involved in the subjective experience of THC intoxication. CBD restores disruption of the salience network by THC, which may explain its potential to treat disorders of salience such as psychosis and addiction.
The Crisis and Change in Turkish Foreign Policy After July 15
Authors: Aras Bulent
Published: April 2019

This article analyzes attempts to redirect foreign policy against multiple crises in Turkey that inhibit change. The gap between the country’s capabilities and resources and its regional and international commitments has overshadowed former success stories in Turkish Foreign Policy (TFP) by casting an all-encompassing sense of siege, retreat, and isolation. The new narrative and guided political mobilization by government after July 15 in Turkey saw the redirection of foreign policy as a necessary response to the emerging situation, not an offshoot of failure in the previous era. A combination of efforts toward program change and problem/goal change characterized the leader-driven redirection in TFP. This article argues that despite the new narrative and authoritative control of the implementation of foreign policy, presumed redirection or recalibration is unlikely to happen in TFP in the post-July 15 era. There is not a solid plan for change and reform in foreign policy or in the state apparatus at large but rather only a rhetorical emphasis on such actions.
Full-Scale Performance Evaluations of Innovative and Manufactured Sediment Barrier Practices
Authors: Whitman J. Blake , Zech Wesley C. , Donald Wesley N.
Published: April 2019

Sediment barriers (SB) are devices typically installed along the perimeters of construction sites to intercept, capture, and contain pollutant discharge. Effective SBs minimize sediment transportation off-site by temporarily impounding stormwater and facilitating sediment capture upstream of the installation. Full-scale experiments were conducted on common, innovative, and manufactured SB practices used within the construction industry to better understand their performance. These practices consisted of two manufactured silt fence systems, three sediment retention barrier practices, and three manufactured sediment barrier products. Installation details for each practice were analyzed and amendments made to provide the most effective installations. Test observations indicated that a major failure mode of innovative and manufactured SB practices was flow bypass due to undermining. Performance-based comparisons of sediment retention rates, maximum impoundment depths, effluent flow rates, and treatment efficiencies were determined for each practice. Longevity tests were also conducted to evaluate characteristic changes over iterative storm events. Overall performance evaluations indicate practices that achieve impoundment depths greater than 1 ft (0.3 m) have consistent sediment capture rates of at least 90%. More importantly, impoundment depths greater than 1.5 ft (0.46 m) do not facilitate improved sediment capture rates. These observations suggest that optimized sediment capture is achieved when a SB practice has an effective upstream impoundment depth between 1 and 1.5 ft (0.3 and 0.46 m). Additionally, impoundment depths within this optimal zone reduce impoundment surface turbidity up to 60% when compared with turbidity levels along the bottom of the impoundment.
Analyzing Transit User Behavior with 51 Weeks of Smart Card Data
Authors: Deschaintres Elodie , Morency Catherine , Trépanier Martin
Published: April 2019

A better understanding of mobility behaviors is relevant to many applications in public transportation, from more accurate travel demand models to improved supply adjustment, customized services and integrated pricing. In line with this context, this study mined 51 weeks of smart card (SC) data from Montréal, Canada to analyze interpersonal and intrapersonal variability in the weekly use of public transit. Passengers who used only one type of product (AP − annual pass, MP − monthly pass, or TB − ticket book) over 12 months were selected, amounting to some 200,000 cards. Data was first preprocessed and summarized into card-week vectors to generate a typology of weeks. The most popular weekly patterns were identified for each type of product and further studied at the individual level. Sequences of week clusters were constructed to represent the weekly travel behavior of each user over 51 weeks. They were then segmented by type of product according to an original distance, therefore highlighting the heterogeneity between passengers. Two indicators were also proposed to quantify intrapersonal regularity as the repetition of weekly clusters throughout the weeks. The results revealed MP owners have a more regular and diversified use of public transit. AP users are mainly commuters whereas TB users tend to be more occasional transit users. However, some atypical groups were found for each type of product, for instance users with 4-day work weeks and loyal TB users.
Equity Analysis of Proactively- vs. Reactively-Identified Traffic Safety Issues
Authors: Ferenchak Nicholas N. , Marshall Wesley E.
Published: April 2019

Traffic safety issues often impede bicyclist and pedestrian trips, preventing potential users from realizing the benefits of active transport. Traditional active transportation safety analyses, however, take a reactive approach to traffic safety, only accounting for people currently walking or bicycling by analyzing crashes, injuries, and fatalities. This begs the question: which populations are most affected by traffic safety issues neglected by traditional crash analyses? To answer this, we developed a tool to proactively measure perceived traffic safety issues. We focused on child pedestrian and bicycle trips to and from schools in Denver, Colorado by measuring the number of children that would encounter roads perceived as unsafe. We converted these perceptions into barriers in a geographic information system network analysis to estimate trip suppression and used that as a proactive indicator of traffic safety. We finally examined—reactively and proactively—the socio-demographics of those affected via linear regression models and bivariate choropleth mapping. Results of both analyses suggest that negative impacts are borne disproportionately by low-income, low-education, Hispanic, and black neighborhoods. Proactive analyses results identified perceived safety issues in north and northeast Denver neighborhoods neglected by reactive analyses results. Findings suggest the inequitable distribution of traffic safety issues identified in past crash-based literature is graver than conventional reactive analysis would lead one to believe. By incorporating the proactive tool into traditional traffic safety analyses, we hope to better define the places and people that could most benefit from traffic safety improvements, thereby more effectively facilitating the benefits of walking and biking.
Current Workload Recommendations in Baseball Pitchers: A Systematic Review
Authors: Bakshi Neil K. , Inclan Paul M. , Kirsch Jacob M. , Bedi Asheesh , Agresta Cristine , Freehill Michael T.
Published: April 2019

Background:

Several recommendations have been made regarding pitch counts and workload for baseball players of different levels, including Little League, high school, collegiate, and professional baseball. However, little consensus is found in the literature regarding the scientific basis for many of these recommendations.

Purpose:

The primary purpose of this study was to summarize the evidence regarding immediate and long-term musculoskeletal responses to increasing pitching workload in baseball pitchers of all levels. A secondary purpose of this review was to evaluate the extent to which workload influences injury and/or performance in baseball pitchers.

Study Design:

Systematic review.

Methods:

We performed a systematic search in accordance with PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines for studies addressing physiologic and/or pathologic musculoskeletal changes in response to a quantifiable pitching workload. We included studies examining the effects of pitching workload on performance, injury rate, and musculoskeletal changes in Little League, high school, collegiate, and professional baseball players.

Results:

We identified 28 studies that met our inclusion and exclusion criteria: 16 studies regarding Little League and high school pitchers and 12 studies regarding collegiate and professional pitchers. The current evidence presented suggests that increased pitching workload may be associated with an increased risk of pain, injury, and arm fatigue in Little League and high school pitchers. However, little consensus was found in the literature regarding the association between pitching workload and physiologic or pathologic changes in collegiate and professional pitchers.

Conclusion:

Evidence, although limited, suggests the use of pitch counts to decrease injury rates and pain in Little League and high school baseball pitchers. However, further research must be performed to determine the appropriate number of pitches (or throws) for players of different ages. This systematic review reported conflicting evidence regarding the use of pitch counts in college and professional baseball. Future high-quality research is required to determine the role, if any, of pitch counts for collegiate and professional pitchers.
The Road to Mental Readiness for First Responders: A Meta-Analysis of Program Outcomes
Authors: Szeto Andrew , Dobson Keith S. , Knaak Stephanie
Published: April 2019

Objectives:

First-responder mental health, especially in Canada, has been a topic of increasing interest given the high incidence of poor mental health, mental illness, and suicide among this cohort. Although research generally suggests that resiliency and stigma reduction programs can directly and indirectly affect mental health, little research has examined this type of training in first responders. The current paper examines the efficacy of the Road to Mental Readiness for First Responders program (R2MR), a resiliency and anti-stigma program.

Methods:

The program was tested using a pre-post design with a 3-month follow-up in 5 first-responder groups across 16 sites.

Results:

A meta-analytic approach was used to estimate the overall effects of the program on resiliency and stigma reduction. Our results indicate that R2MR was effective at increasing participants’ perceptions of resiliency and decreasing stigmatizing attitudes at the pre-post review, which was mostly maintained at the 3-month follow-up.

Conclusions:

Both quantitative and qualitative data suggest that the program helped to shift workplace culture and increase support for others.
From Fantasy to Reality: The Role of Fantasy Sports in Sports Betting and Online Gambling
Authors: Houghton David M. , Nowlin Edward L. , Walker Doug
Published: April 2019

Pay-to-play (P2P) fantasy sports participation is growing rapidly. The combination of its resemblance to gambling and its exemption from regulation creates a significant public policy concern. For a sports fan with no interest in gambling, P2P fantasy sports may appear to be a safe and legal alternative. This research investigates that assumption by examining the relationship between sports fanship, fantasy sports, and gambling. First, two-part models are assessed to determine the likelihood of participation in P2P fantasy sports, sports betting, and online gambling and, conditionally, the amount spent on each of the three by those who participate. Second, a moderated-mediation model investigates the direct and indirect effects of fanship on P2P fantasy sports, sports betting, and online gambling. Results indicate that playing P2P fantasy sports leads to higher levels of sports betting and online gambling. Fans high in materialism engage directly in sports betting, but fans low in materialism engage through fantasy sports. Finally, the authors propose recommendations for public policy changes and private intervention.
A study on the effect of carbon nanotube surface modification on mechanical and thermal properties of CNT/HDPE nanocomposite
Authors: Salehi S , Maghmoomi F , Sahebian S , Zebarjad SM , Lazzeri A
Published: April 2019

In this article, the effect of carbon nanotube’s (CNT) surface modification on mechanical, thermal, and morphological properties of nanocomposite with different content of CNTs was studied. CNT/high-density polyethylene (HDPE) nanocomposites were prepared by a mini twin-screw extruder. To modify the dispersion of MWCNTs in HDPE, the surface of CNTs was functionalized by HNO3 and stearic acid (SA). The tensile tests results show that addition of 5% of acid-treated CNT in HDPE cause to increase in Young’s modulus and yield strength up to 4% and 6%, respectively; as compared to unmodified CNT/HDPE nanocomposite. The presence of the SA on CNTs can lead to slight decrease of the CNT-SA/HDPE strength properties; when compared to pure CNT/PE nanocomposite. However, there is a fracture toughness enhancement in CNT-SA/HDPE up to 10% compare to unmodified CNT/PE nanocomposite. Furthermore, the calculation of the stress whitening zone of all samples verifies the fracture toughness data of CNT/HDPE nanocomposites. Scanning electron microscopic images showed that the best dispersion of CNTs in the HDPE matrix was seen in CNT-SA/HDPE nanocomposite.