bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Posthuman memory and the re(f)use economy
Authors: Ezra Elizabeth
Published: October 2014

Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s 2009 film Micmacs à tire-larigot, a scathing critique of the global arms industry, depicts a ragtag bunch of misfits who live beneath a refuse dump and give a new lease of life to discarded objects, endowing them with what might be called ‘reuse value’. Unlike exchange value, which obscures the past labour that produced the commodity, reuse value enfolds history into an object, reflecting the past use to which it was put, and making of it an exteriorized, prostheticised form of human memory. Reused objects signify two eras at once: that in which they were manufactured (thus the African ethnographer’s antique typewriter evokes the colonial past), and the era in which they are being reused (the not-so-postcolonial present). Coextensive with this animation of disused objects through their endowment with memory is the reification of human beings, who become reduced to an assemblage of inanimate objects as they are alternately blown up in dirty wars or collected by a wealthy arms manufacturer in the form of celebrity body parts. The double-edged nature of the re(f)use economy, which both privileges resistance and underlines the posthuman dissolution of the boundaries between people and objects, points up the pharmacological dimension (at once destructive and potentially positive) of globalisation.
French classical music and Brazil: Beyond Franco-German rivalry
Authors: Câmara de Castro Marcos
Published: October 2014

One of the consequences of any colonisation is the emergence in the colonies of a dominant consular class, one of whose characteristics is cultural snobbery. This snobbery is manifested mainly in cultural choices that ignore local music or include it in an ensemble of strategies to participate in an alleged metropolitan cultural universalism. In Brazil, Villa-Lobos, the Batutas orchestra or the dancer known as Duque, who all enchanted France during the belle époque and who still arouse interest all over the world, were only the tip of an iceberg of popular music. This paper aims to demonstrate how the music and writings of Debussy and Ravel can be helpful in establishing the construction of a true history of classical music in Brazil, beyond the historical Franco-German rivalry.
An optimization of the star-wheel profile in a single screw compressor
Authors: Huang Rui , Li Ting , Yu Xiao-ling , Liu Fei-long , Feng Quan-ke
Published: October 2014

Single screw compressors have been used in various industrial fields, but the star-wheel does not have a good durability as expected. Good hydrodynamic lubrication states can enhance the wear resistance of the star-wheel. However, the imbalance of the lubricant film forces which act on the front flank and the back flank of the star-wheel tooth have a great influence on the lubrication between the meshing pair. In order to improve the lubrication, an approach for optimization of the star-wheel profile is developed, and the optimization goal is proposed in this paper. Column envelope profile meshing pair in an oil-flooded single screw compressor is taken as an optimization example. After optimization, the lubrication states in clearance between the groove flanks and the teeth flanks are improved. The meshing pairs with optimal profile are applied in an oil single screw compressor, and the experiment data supports the optimization approach well.
From Uncertainty to Extremism
Authors: Hogg Michael A.
Published: October 2014

Societal change and personal life events sometimes make one feel uncertain about one’s self and identity. According to uncertainty-identity theory, this self-uncertainty can motivate people to identify with social groups, particularly groups that provide a distinctive and clearly defined identity and associated normative beliefs and behavioral prescriptions. This process can make more extreme groups and behaviors attractive as a source of identification-contingent uncertainty reduction. People may zealously identify with highly distinctive groups that have strong and directive leadership and ideological and ethnocentric belief systems that proscribe dissent and prescribe group-normative behavior. This analysis has been extended to help illuminate how extremism may emerge in the context of religion, politics, gangs, leadership, and adolescent risk taking. This article describes uncertainty-identity theory, overviews empirical support for its main tenets, and outlines some directions for future research.
Automaticity of Word Reading
Authors: Augustinova Maria , Ferrand Ludovic
Published: October 2014

Various lines of research have independently reported that different interventions reduce or even eliminate Stroop interference. Because such findings have been interpreted as evidence that word reading can be prevented and/or controlled, these lines of research challenge the widespread automatic view of word reading. This article provides methodological and empirical arguments explaining why such conclusions might not be warranted and summarizes direct empirical evidence showing that interventions used in past studies have not yet been found to prevent or impose any control over word reading in the Stroop task. The main conclusion of this article is that the processes involved in word reading might (still) be considered automatic.
Decomposing Forecasting
Authors: Rosenzweig Emily , Critcher Clayton R.
Published: October 2014

The act of forecasting one’s behavior or performance is both commonplace and consequential, but it is also difficult. Previous research has identified a host of systematic forecasting errors. We suggest that existing findings can be better synthesized, and future research can proceed in a less piecemeal fashion, through the introduction of a general model that describes how forecasts unfold. In our salience-assessment-weighting (SAW) model, we outline three steps that describe how people translate information at their disposal into an accurate forecast of a future outcome. Dimensions potentially relevant to the outcome become salient; one’s standing on that dimension must be accurately assessed; and one must appropriately weight the importance of that dimension to translate it into a forecast. We illustrate how this SAW model is helpful in unifying previous research findings, identifying how and when forecasts go astray, and suggesting questions for future research.
Regressive Judgment
Authors: Fiedler Klaus , Unkelbach Christian
Published: October 2014

In the context of research on human judgment, regression is commonly treated as an artifact or an unwanted consequence of ill-controlled research designs. We argue that this negative image is undeserved. Regression affords not only an enlightening statistical construct but also a theoretical construct that can inspire novel research. It offers alternative accounts for a variety of well-known judgment biases, and it has inspired novel predictions of previously unknown biases. While all judgments that are less than perfectly correlated with a conditional variable must be regressive, systematic biases arise when different judgment targets are subject to unequally strong regression effects. This occurs when the information given about different targets varies in statistical uncertainty or extremity, the two determinants of regression. We illustrate the explanatory power of the regression construct for judgment biases in three paradigms: frequency estimations, performance evaluations, and illusory correlations. Because regression is a universal property of the empirical world, explanations of biases in terms of cognitive or motivational biases are insufficient and incomplete if the impact of regression is not taken into account.
Spirocerca lupi granulomatous pneumonia in two free-ranging maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus) from central Brazil
Authors: Blume Guilherme R. , Reis Junior Janildo L. , Gardiner Chris H. , Hoberg Eric P. , Pilitt Patricia A. , Monteiro Rafael Veríssimo , de Sant’Ana Fabiano J. F.
Published: October 2014

The current report describes granulomatous pneumonia due to Spirocerca lupi in 2 free-ranging maned wolves ( Chrysocyon brachyurus). Both wolves had multiple, white, 1–1.5 cm in diameter, soft, encapsulated granulomas in the caudal lung lobes, which contained centrally placed parasites on cut sections. Microscopically, there was granulomatous inflammation with numerous intralesional sections of spirurid nematodes. Representative complete adult specimens of nematodes derived from these lesions were submitted for parasitological exam and identified as the spirurid S. lupi. To the authors’ knowledge, there have been no published reports of S. lupi in maned wolves.
Management of Breathlessness in Patients With Advanced Cancer
Authors: Lok Chan Wing
Published: October 2014

Breathlessness is defined as “a subjective experience of breathing discomfort that consists of qualitatively distinct sensations that vary in intensity.” It is a common and distressing symptom reported by patients with advanced malignancy. It occurs in up to 70% of patients with advanced cancer, and the symptom is aggravated with disease progression. This article reviews the etiology, assessment, and measurement of dyspnea in patients with advanced cancer. Because of its complex biopsychological etiology and manifestations, multidisciplinary approach with combination of both pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions provides the best treatment plan for patients with dyspnea.
Self-Medication Among School Students
Authors: ALBashtawy Mohammed , Batiha Abdul-Monim , Tawalbeh Loai , Tubaishat Ahmad , AlAzzam Manar
Published: October 2014

Self-medication, usually with over-the-counter (OTC) medication, is reported as a community health problem that affects many people worldwide. Most self-medication practice usually begins with the onset of adolescence. A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Mafraq Governorate, Jordan, using a simple random sampling method to select 6 public schools from a total of 34 schools. The total sample consisted of 422 school students from Grades 7 through 12. Measures of central tendency and χ2 were used to compare the difference between the categorical variables. The prevalence of self-medication among the participants was 87.0%. Nearly 75% of self-medication was used for pain relief. The prevalence of self-medication among school students is very high and increases with age. School nurses and other local health-care workers must coordinate with school principals to disseminate health education campaigns about safe use of medication to provide awareness and education to school students, parents, and families.
Adulthood Animal Abuse Among Men Arrested for Domestic Violence
Authors: Febres Jeniimarie , Brasfield Hope , Shorey Ryan C. , Elmquist Joanna , Ninnemann Andrew , Schonbrun Yael C. , Temple Jeff R. , Recupero Patricia R. , Stuart Gregory L.
Published: October 2014

Learning more about intimate partner violence (IPV), perpetrators could aid the development of more effective treatments. The prevalence of adulthood animal abuse (AAA) perpetration and its association with IPV perpetration, antisociality, and alcohol use in 307 men arrested for domestic violence were examined. Forty-one percent ( n = 125) of the men committed at least one act of animal abuse since the age of 18, in contrast to the 1.5% prevalence rate reported by men in the general population. Controlling for antisociality and alcohol use, AAA showed a trend toward a significant association with physical and severe psychological IPV perpetration.
Self-Monitoring by College Students With ADHD: The Impact on Academic Performance
Authors: Scheithauer Mindy C. , Kelley Mary L.
Published: October 2014

Objective: There is a lack of empirically supported treatments for college students with ADHD and academic deficits. The current study evaluated self-monitoring, an intervention that may improve academics in children with ADHD, with a college sample diagnosed with ADHD. Method: Fifty-three participants were recruited, 41 of which completed the study and are included in the analyses. Participants were randomly assigned to a group that received study skills instruction, goal setting, and self-monitoring instruction (SM+ group; n = 22) or a group that received only study skills and goal setting (SM− group; n = 19). Results: Participants in the SM+ group demonstrated significant improvement in their ADHD symptoms, academic behavior, grade point averages (GPAs), and goal attainment. These improvements were not significant for the SM− group. Conclusion: These findings suggest that self-monitoring might be used to improve academic performance in college students with ADHD.
Teaching Young Children With Social-Communication Delays to Label Actions Using Videos and Language Expansion Models
Authors: Shepley Collin , Lane Justin D. , Shepley Sally B.
Published: October 2014

Young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and related social-communication delays may display difficulties commenting on actions that occur in their natural environment. One method for increasing early conversation skills is direct instruction. Using video examples of actions may increase the salient features of instructional targets and, as such, may be an effective stimulus for presenting actions during instruction. The present study used a multiple-probe design across participants replicated across behaviors to evaluate the effectiveness of a 0- to 4-s progressive time-delay (PTD) procedure using video presentation of actions to teach three preschool-aged children with ASD and related social-communication delays to label actions. In addition, the teacher provided language expansion on all instructional targets, as well as assessed generalization to novel stimuli (videos and pictures or photographs). Results indicate that all participants acquired action labels. Two of the three participants generalized responses to novel videos and pictures while expanding their responses without direct instruction. Implications for teachers targeting action labels in early childhood settings are provided.
Modern communication technologies and the extension of the territory of struggle: Conceptualising Tunisia’s jasmine revolution
Authors: Rousselin Mathieu
Published: October 2014

This article seeks to conceptualise the role of modern communications technologies in revolutionary social movements starting from the jasmine revolution in Tunisia. After pointing to the limited explanatory potential of rationalist models of resource mobilisation and political opportunity structures in the case at hand, the article offers to investigate the extent to which the Internet provided new, immaterial territories over which discontent could prosper. Importing Deleuze and Guattari’s concept of ‘territorialisation’ in the study of contentious politics, the article proposes to apprehend social movements on the basis of the inclusiveness and thickness of their territorial foundations and hypothesises that immaterial territories of struggle gave rise to an extremely inclusive but fairly shallow social movement, which was only able to solve basic collective action problems. More complex forms of collective action were conducted in less inclusive communities with thicker territorial foundations.
Power/freedom on the dark web: A digital ethnography of the Dark Web Social Network
Authors: Gehl Robert W
Published: October 2014

This essay is an early ethnographic exploration of the Dark Web Social Network (DWSN), a social networking site only accessible to Web browsers equipped with The Onion Router. The central claim of this essay is that the DWSN is an experiment in power/freedom, an attempt to simultaneously trace, deploy, and overcome the historical conditions in which it finds itself: the generic constraints and affordances of social networking as they have been developed over the past decade by Facebook and Twitter, and the ideological constraints and affordances of public perceptions of the dark web, which hold that the dark web is useful for both taboo activities and freedom from state oppression. I trace the DWSN’s experiment with power/freedom through three practices: anonymous/social networking, the banning of child pornography, and the productive aspects of techno-elitism. I then use these practices to specify particular forms of power/freedom on the DWSN.
Responsible for the state: The case of obedient subjects
Authors: Abdel-Nour Farid
Published: October 2014

This article explains how we ordinary subjects of a state who are neither political leaders nor functionaries are responsible for outcomes that are properly attributed to that state and that took place during our adult lifetime. Its focus is on the connection we forge to those outcomes via our obedience alone. If our responsibility as subjects is justified, it would apply under all regime types including oppressive and authoritarian ones. The argument is that this responsibility can only be justified within a minimal account of agency and a bare-bones account of responsibility. Thus, while we incur a burden of responsibility for the state via our obedience alone, that burden does not suffice to either blame us or extract remedies from us for state injustices. For us obedient subjects, however, it is important that we be cognizant of this burden as it marks the most minimal agency we exercise in the state.
Forsaking
Authors: Tillett Wade
Published: October 2014

This article takes up the borders of writing and research as its topic. The experimental text questions how creation (learning) undermines previous conceptions of the self and world. As learning never ceases, the text explores how writing and reading (and their technological constructs) offer various in-progress subjectivities and landscapes. The losses, overlaps, and bricolage representations enhance the in-progress ambiguity endorsed by the text itself.
The Role of Knotless Barbed Suture in Gynecologic Surgery
Authors: Iavazzo Christos , Mamais Ioannis , Gkegkes Ioannis D.
Published: October 2014

Knotless barbed sutures are an innovative suturing material that can facilitate laparoendoscopic operations. The purpose of this study is to examine the available evidence on the application of barbed sutures on both laparoscopic and robotic operations in the field of gynecologic surgery. A systematic search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane databases. In total, 1991 patients were included in the study. The duration of closure with knotless suture ranged from 3.9 to 13 minutes, which was less than the use of conventional suture in every study. The duration of suturing was significantly less in the barbed suture group during hysterectomy, the mean difference between the observed groups was 2.41 minutes per operation (95% confidence interval, 1.23-3.59) whereas in myomectomy there was no statistically significant difference between compared groups. Concerning the estimated blood loss and the presence of major bleeding in hysterectomy, no statistical difference between the 2 groups was observed, while the estimated blood loss in myomectomy was found to be statistically significant ( P = .04). Regarding the dehiscence of vaginal cuff in hysterectomy, no statistically significant difference was observed (1031 patients, odds ratio = 1.63; 95% confidence interval = 0.37-7.25). The complete absence of knots, the even distribution of tissue strength along the wound, and the reduction of operation time are the main advantages of this type of sutures. Additional clinical trials of higher methodological quality are necessary to further clarify suturing advantages and postoperative outcomes of the barbed sutures.
Lifestyle Approaches and Glucose Intolerance
Authors: Stull April J.
Published: October 2014

Glucose intolerance is a global health concern that encompasses glucose metabolism abnormalities such as impaired fasting glucose (IFG), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and type 2 diabetes (T2D). There is an urgent need to focus on the prediabetes (ie, IGT and IFG) stage before the disease actually occurs. The progression from IGT to T2D can be prevented or delayed by modifying the lifestyles in high-risk individuals, and these health benefits are well documented in various ethnicities with prediabetes across the world. Specifically, consuming a healthy diet (high in polyunsaturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, fiber, and whole grains), losing weight, quitting smoking, consuming alcohol in moderation, and increasing physical activity can improve glucose tolerance and reduce the risk of T2D. Also, pharmacological agents and botanicals can be used to manage glucose intolerance if the implementation of lifestyle changes is challenging. Pharmacological treatments have been successful in managing glucose intolerance; however, they have adverse effects. Also, more research on botanicals is warranted before a definitive recommendation can be made for their use in managing glucose intolerance. To make progress on this worldwide problem, efforts are needed to improve the awareness of prediabetes, increase promotion of healthy behaviors, and improve the availability of evidence-based lifestyle intervention programs to the community.
The canon and comparative political thought
Authors: Hassanzadeh Navid
Published: October 2014

While explicitly exclusionary approaches toward the intellectual resources of non-Western regions of the world have been long studied and criticized, less attention has been shown toward the ways in which guiding themes and dominant points of reference culled from canonical authors continue to structure and limit thinking across cultural boundaries in less conspicuous ways. Accordingly, this article examines the importance of how the history of political theory, or the political theory canon, influences the emerging treatment of non-Western works in the field of comparative political thought. Focusing on two prominent narrators of the theory canon (Leo Strauss and Sheldon Wolin), I suggest the manner in which an uncritical embrace of their renderings of the history of political thought can pose problems for treatments of non-Western theoretical works. By way of illustration, I analyze the writings of particular commentators on medieval Islamic political thought who draw on Wolin and Strauss, respectively, and demonstrate how their indebtedness to these canon narrators creates obstacles for their different readings of one medieval Muslim author in particular: Taqī al-Dīn Ibn Taymiyyah.
Dilated Cardiomyopathy Being the Presenting Manifestation of Takayasu Arteritis and Treated With Renal Angioplasty
Authors: Patra Soumya , Sastry Usha Mandikal Kodanda Rama , Mahimaiha Jayranganath , Subramanian Anand P. , Shankarappa Ravindranath K. , Nanjappa Manjunath C.
Published: October 2014

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is an uncommon complication of Takayasu arteritis (TA) with a prevalence of about 6%. We report a case of 14-year-old girl who presented with dyspnea, bipedal edema, loss of weight, and easy fatigability for three months. She was being treated for DCM for the same duration. Clinical examination revealed absence of both upper limb pulses. Echocardiography revealed features of DCM with severe biventricular dysfunction (ejection fraction 30%). Computed tomography angiogram confirmed the diagnosis of TA and revealed the presence of bilateral renal artery stenosis. Bilateral renal angioplasty was done, and immunosuppressant therapy with oral prednisolone and weekly oral methotrexate was started.
Myocardial Bridging in a Child With Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Yildiz Okan , Altin Firat H. , Tosun Oyku , Iyigun Muzeyyen , Erek Ersin
Published: October 2014

Myocardial bridging (MB) is a rare coronary anomaly in children which is typically associated with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HCM) or left ventricular hypertrophy. Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy is the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young patients, and the association of myocardial ischemia with sudden death has been recognized in patients with HCM. In this report, we describe an 11-year-old boy presented with a history of exertional, nonspecific chest pain and palpitations. Cardiac catheterization revealed MB of the left anterior descending coronary artery with evidence of intramyocardial obstruction during systole. Surgical unroofing of the affected coronary artery segment resulted in complete recovery. Myocardial bridging should be included in the differential diagnosis of children presenting with signs of ischemia.
The Trunk With a Twist
Authors: Gupta Saurabh Kumar , Kothari Shyam S. , Gulati Gurpreet Singh , Nair Vinitha V. , Rajashekar Palleti , Airan Balram
Published: October 2014

Sinusal origin of pulmonary arteries in a patient with common arterial trunk is rare. We report echocardiographic diagnosis of this uncommon variant of common arterial trunk in an infant wherein pulmonary artery segment arose from anterior aspect of right truncal sinus very close to the right coronary artery.
Successful Treatment of Mediastinitis in a Young Child by Omental Translocation Following Extracardiac Fontan Graft Placement
Authors: Bernier Pierre-Luc , Gottlieb Danielle , Bacha Emile
Published: October 2014

Mediastinitis after a midline sternotomy can become a serious complication, especially after implantation of prosthetic vascular grafts. We present a case of a three-year-old boy with hypoplastic left heart syndrome who developed mediastinitis following his third-stage palliation (Fontan operation). Rather than following the “traditional” surgical therapy of graft explantation, debridement, and replacement, we chose to preserve the graft and protect it by omental translocation. The relative merits of this therapeutic approach, which is rarely utilized and underappreciated in children, are outlined and discussed.
Circumflex Retroesophageal Aorta Mimicking Aortic Interruption
Authors: Bader Vivian , Walayat Mohammed , Smith Benjamin , Davidson Mark , Morue Sanjay , Danton Mark H. D.
Published: October 2014

Critical obstruction of the aorta presenting in the neonate typically occurs with aortic interruption or coarctation, following ductus arteriosus closure. Circumflex retroesophageal aortic arch is a rare aortic arch anomaly in which a right aortic arch continues as a retroesophageal component and descends on the left of the spine. Obstruction within the arch can occur, usually identified incidentally in older children. We report a neonate with circumflex aorta with ventricular septal defect in which there was hypoplasia of the retroesophageal segment. The patient presented with cardiovascular collapse following duct closure mimicking aortic interruption. The case is presented, together with the surgical repair.
Adult Survivor With Repaired Complete Pentalogy of Cantrell
Authors: Mizelle Katherine M. , Holtzlander Melissa , Ajaz Fatima , McConnell Patrick I. , Splaingard Mark L.
Published: October 2014

Pentalogy of Cantrell is a very rare condition with very high mortality. We present an adult survivor with a classic pentad who underwent sequential surgical repairs as a neonate, child, and young adult. He required home mechanical ventilation for the first two years of life and subsequently needed noninvasive nocturnal ventilation as an adult.
Repair of Anomalous Aortic Origin of a Coronary Artery in 113 Patients
Authors: Poynter Jeffrey A. , Bondarenko Igor , Austin Erle H. , DeCampli William M. , Jacobs Jeffrey P. , Ziemer Gerhard , Kirshbom Paul M. , Tchervenkov Christo I. , Karamlou Tara , Blackstone Eugene H. , Walters Henry L. , Gaynor J. William , Mery Carlos M. , Pearl Jeffrey M. , Brothers Julie A. , Caldarone Christopher A. , Williams William G. , Jacobs Marshall L. , Mavroudis Constantine ,   The Congenital Heart Surgeons’ Society AAOCA Working Group, DeCampli William M. , Fiore Andrew C. , Huddleston Charles B. , Weinstein Samuel , Bondarenko Igor , Walters Henry L. , Moga Francis X. , Morales David L.S. , Blackstone Eugene H. , Jacobs Jeffrey P. , Kanter Kirk R. , Mavroudis Constantine , Poynter Jeffrey A. , Jacobs Marshall L. , Austin Erle H. , Tchervenkov Christo I. , Pearl Jeffrey M. , Gruber Peter J. , Mainwaring Richard D. , Mery Carlos M. , Brothers Julie A. , Gaynor J. William , Caldarone Christopher A. , McCrindle Brian W. , Wilder Travis J. , Williams William G. , Karamlou Tara , Ziemer Gerhard , St. Louis James D. , Ricci Marco , Kirshbom Paul M.
Published: October 2014

Background:

Anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery (AAOCA) encompasses a wide morphologic spectrum, which has impeded consensus regarding indications for the diverse repair strategies. We constructed a profile of current surgical techniques and explore their application to morphologic variants.

Methods:

Patients <30 years old (n = 113) with isolated AAOCA who underwent operations at 29 Congenital Heart Surgeons Society (CHSS) institutions from 1998 to 2012 were identified from the CHSS AAOCA Registry. Operative findings were related to surgical techniques at index repairs by cross-tabulation.

Results:

Anomalous origin of the left main or left anterior descending coronary artery was present in 33 (29%) patients and of the right coronary artery in 78 (69%) patients; 2 arteries originated directly above the commissure between the left and right sinuses. There were 101 (89%) interarterial and intramural (IA/IM) arteries, 10 (9%) were interarterial but not intramural (IA/NIM) and 2 (2%) were neither interarterial nor intramural. Intramural arteries were unroofed in 100 (88%) operations, usually with intimal tacking after incision (n = 47) or excision (n = 25) of the common wall. Coronary reimplantation (n = 11), pulmonary artery relocation (n = 7; 5 for IA/NIM), simple ostioplasty (without unroofing; n = 3), coronary artery bypass grafting (n = 2), and ostial window (n = 1) were less common. In 37 (33%) operations, a valvar commissure was taken down; 33 were resuspended.

Conclusion:

Current surgical repair of AAOCA is individualized to morphology, particularly the presence of intramural and/or interarterial segments. This report is foundational for future planned CHSS studies that will examine interventional and noninterventional outcomes and ultimately guide management of AAOCA.
Surgical Repair of True Left Ventricular Aneurysm in an Infant
Authors: Ozyilmaz Isa , Saygi Murat , Yildiz Okan , Erek Ersin , Guzeltas Alper
Published: October 2014

A 2.5-month-old female patient presented for closure of a ventricular septal defect (VSD). Transthoracic echocardiography showed a large muscular ventricular septal defect. After perventricular closure of the defect was performed with an Amplatzer muscular VSD occluder, peroperative transesophageal echocardiography revealed that the device had been implanted in the wrong area of the ventricular septum. The device was retrieved and a large mid-muscular defect with extension to the outlet septum was closed with a patch of Dacron which was secured with 5-0 sutures. A perforation in the ventricular septum due to attempted perventricular device delivery was seen, and it was repaired primarily. In the eighth month of follow-up, transthoracic echocardiography revealed an aneurysm in the posterior wall of the left ventricle. The patient’s electrocardiogram showed pathological Q waves and ST-segment elevation in leads DII, DIII, and aVF consistent with subacute inferior myocardial infarction. At subsequent surgery, this was found to be a true aneurysm, located in area of distribution of the obtuse marginal branch of the left circumflex coronary artery in the posterior wall of the left ventricle. The aneurysm was closed off using a Dacron patch, and the sac was resected. Development of a true aneurysm is a rare but important complication of attempted perventricular VSD closure.
Surgical Repair of Aortic Regurgitation With Left Ventricular Aneurysm Diagnosed Preoperatively as Aortico-Left Ventricular Tunnel
Authors: Terada Takafumi , Sakurai Hajime , Nonaka Toshimichi , Sakurai Takahisa , Sugiura Junya , Otsuka Ryohei
Published: October 2014

Aortico-left ventricular tunnel (ALVT) is a rare congenital anomaly presenting abnormal connection between the ascending aorta and the left ventricle. In most reported cases, the aortic end of the tunnel is above the right coronary sinus. Cases of ALVT related to the left aortic sinus are extremely rare. We herein report a case diagnosed preoperatively as ALVT arising from the left aortic sinus. The actual diagnosis observed at surgery was aortic valve insufficiency with a left ventricular outflow tract aneurysm. We successfully performed aortic valve repair and plication of the left ventricular aneurysm.
Pulmonary Valve Replacement With a Bovine Pericardial Valve
Authors: Neukamm Christian , Lindberg Harald L. , Try Kirsti , Døhlen Gaute , Norgård Gunnar
Published: October 2014

Objectives:

From a population of 90 patients after pulmonary valve replacement with a biological valve (Carpentier-Edwards Perimount valve), 56 of 80 available patients were examined five years after surgery.

Background:

Pulmonary valve replacement is needed in many patients with congenital heart disease. Homografts have limited availability and predictable degeneration, and mechanical valves require anticoagulation. No superiority of one kind of pulmonary valve replacement has been shown. Biological valves that are readily available are being used and evaluated in increasing numbers.

Methods:

In this cross-sectional study, five years following surgery, data were gathered from hospital charts, echocardiography, stress echocardiography, magnetic resonance imaging, and exercise testing.

Results:

In 90 patients, there were three new valve replacements, one early cardiac death, and four late noncardiac deaths. Echocardiographic assessment of the study group showed pulmonary Doppler velocities (m/s) before, after operation, and at five-year follow-up of 2.8 ± 1.1, 1.6 ± 0.4, and 2.3 ± 0.7, respectively. The assessed insufficiencies (0-3) at the same times were 2.3 ± 1.0, 0.3 ± 0.4, and 1.1 ± 0.8. Maximal oxygen uptake increased from 65.6% ± 10.1% to 77.1% ± 18.2% of predicted and QRS width increased by 7 ± 23ms. Valve degeneration could be associated with young age but not with diagnosis or valve size.

Conclusion:

In our study, the biological valve in the pulmonary position showed excellent mid-term results with few reoperations, low gradients, and mild to moderate insufficiency. Oversizing, in contrast to young age, was not a risk factor for valve degeneration. In younger patients, this allows later percutaneous replacement, reducing the need for further surgery. However, longer follow-up is needed.
Minimally Invasive Video-Assisted Surgical Closure of Atrial Septal Defects
Authors: Sabate Rotes Anna , Burkhart Harold M. , Suri Rakesh M. , Grogan Martha , Taggart Nathaniel W. , Li Zhuo , Schaff Hartzell V. , Dearani Joseph A.
Published: October 2014

Objective:

To compare the safety and effectiveness of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) versus conventional median sternotomy (open) in the repair of secundum atrial septal defect (ASD) or patent foramen ovale (PFO).

Design:

Among 415 consecutive patients undergoing open or VATS ASD/PFO closure between 1993 and October 2012, 153 patients were compared using 2:1 frequency matching (n = 102 open vs 51 VATS). Matching variables include age, gender, body surface area, past medical history of neurologic events, and need of patch closure. Median age was 43 years (3-71 years), and 67% were female.

Results:

There were no early deaths in either group. There were no conversions to open sternotomy. Although mean cross-clamp time (14.5 ± 7.6 vs 26.3 ± 13.2 minutes, P < .001) and bypass time (31.7 ± 13.8 vs 60.9 ± 20.9 minutes, P < .001) were longer in the VATS group, patients who underwent VATS had shorter postoperative ventilation time (7.5 ± 6.4 vs 4.4 ± 2.8 hours, P = .03) with 62.7% extubated in the operating room, along with shorter intensive care unit stay (26.7 ± 10.8 vs 19.1 ± 9.9 hours, P < .001) and hospital stay (5.2 ± 1.9 vs 3.5 ± 0.9 days, P < .001). At early follow-up (mean 1.5 years, maximum 4.2 years), there was no difference in need for reintervention. Of the 27 patients who underwent VATS ASD/PFO closure for a neurologic event, none had a recurrence.

Conclusion:

The use of VATS provides a safe, equally effective alternative to conventional sternotomy for ASD/PFO closure, using a less invasive approach.
Evaluation of a Second-Generation Microtransesophageal Echocardiography Transducer and Software
Authors: Frank Lowell H. , Chelliah Anjali , Sable Craig A.
Published: October 2014

Background:

Transesophageal echocardiographic imaging of small infants has been limited because of equipment size. A newer miniaturized transducer has allowed for the imaging of even the smallest patients but has been limited by intermittent poor image quality because of hardware durability. A second generation of the transducer was developed to address this problem. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance and durability of the second-generation transducer over multiple uses and to compare the image quality from the modified transducer and new software preset to the original transducer.

Methods:

Patients undergoing transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) based on clinical indications with the original or second-generation transducers were included in the study. All studies were reviewed for image quality and unacceptable image degradation, which was defined as imaging quality inadequate for clinical use. Study review was performed by two echocardiographers.

Results:

Using the original transducer, 37 studies were performed with a mean patient weight of 3.46 ± 0.89 kg (range 2.1-5.7). Using the second-generation transducer, 65 studies were performed with a mean patient weight of 4.87 ± 2.05 kg (range 2.2-13.8). Image quality was clinically inadequate in 8 of the 35 studies with the original transducer and in zero with the second generation ( P < .0001).

Conclusions:

The second-generation transducer allows for effective use of TEE even in the smallest infants and avoids the mechanical failures associated with the first-generation release.
The Surgical Prebrief as Part of a Five-Point Comprehensive Approach to Improving Pediatric Cardiac Surgical Team Communication
Authors: Hoganson David M. , Boston Umar S. , Manning Peter B. , Eghtesady Pirooz
Published: October 2014

Communication is essential to the safe conduct of any critical task including cardiac surgery. After inspiration by airline crew resource management training, a communication system for the care plans of pediatric cardiac patients was developed and refined over time that encompasses the entire heart center team. Five distinct communication points are used to ensure preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care, which is transitioned efficiently and maintained at the highest level.
Cardiac Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor
Authors: Eilers Amanda L. , Nazarullah Alia N. , Shipper Edward S. , Jagirdar Jaishree S. , Calhoon John H. , Husain S. Adil
Published: October 2014

Although inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMTs) can be found in virtually every major organ, cardiac origin is rare. After recently providing care to a child who presented with a significant myocardial infarction, interest in this rare tumor was piqued. We describe a comprehensive review of cardiac IMT, including information on nomenclature, epidemiology, clinical features, pathogenesis, gross/histological features, immunohistochemical profile, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. Fifty-seven cases were identified in the literature. Interestingly, our case represents the seventh case of coronary artery involvement reported. Moreover, it was found that an initial presentation of sudden death most commonly involves the coronary arteries.
Inflammatory Response to Hyperoxemic and Normoxemic Cardiopulmonary Bypass in Acyanotic Pediatric Patients
Authors: Kagawa Hiroshi , Morita Kiyozo , Uno Yoshimasa , Ko Yoshihiro , Matsumura Yoko , Kinouchi Katsushi , Hashimoto Kazuhiro
Published: October 2014

Background:

Hyperoxemic management during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is still common, and there is no consensus about physiologic oxygen tension strategy (normoxemic management) during pediatric CPB. In this study, we compared the postoperative conditions and measures of inflammatory response among patients with acyanotic congenital heart disease subjected to either hyperoxemic or normoxemic management strategy during CPB.

Methods:

We studied 22 patients with a ventricular septal defect and pulmonary artery hypertension. The patients were divided into two groups. Group I (n = 9) received normoxemic management (PaO2 = 100-150 mm Hg) and group II (n = 13) received hyperoxemic management (PaO2 = 200-300 mm Hg) during CPB. There was no difference between groups with regard to age, body weight, duration of CPB, and aorta clamping time or preoperative pulmonary hypertension (pulmonary pressure/systemic pressure [Pp/Ps]). In each group, the blood samples to measure the cytokine levels were collected before and after the CPB.

Results:

Although we observed no statistically significant differences in postoperative intubation time, alveolar–arterial oxygen difference, creatine kinase MB level, and pulmonary hypertension (Pp/Ps) between group I (10.7 ± 13.4 hours, 197 ± 132 mm Hg, 148 ± 58.6 IU/L, 42.8% ± 22.1%, respectively) and group II (27.8 ± 36.5 hours, 227 ± 150 mm Hg, 151 ± 72.6 IU/L, 50.4% ± 16.0%, respectively), levels of median interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor α were lower in group I (129.8 and 17.0 pg/mL, respectively) than that in group II (487.8 and 22.5 pg/mL, respectively).

Conclusion:

During the CPB in acyanotic pediatric patients, normoxemic management can minimize the systemic inflammatory response syndrome associated with CPB. We can apply this physiologic oxygen tension strategy to surgical advantage during heart surgeries in acyanotic pediatric patients.
Protecting Youth Against Exposure to Violence
Authors: Antunes Maria João Lobo , Ahlin Eileen M.
Published: October 2014

Youths’ exposure to violence (ETV) can have damaging effects especially in relation to the development of problem behaviors and psychological functioning. The devastating effects of exposure have also been found to vary by race and ethnicity. Though affirmative parenting can protect against ETV, researchers have yet to focus on the value of assessing different family management strategies and how these parenting practices may differ by race or ethnicity. Further, there is scant research on the nexus between protective family management strategies, peer relationships, and neighborhood characteristics, all of which influence ETV. In the current study, we account for these various contexts and youth covariates of ETV and examine how they work together in predicting ETV. Using data from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods, we employ hierarchical linear modeling to test the protective effects of various parenting strategies against ETV among African American, Hispanic, and White youth aged 9–19.
Daptomycin Experience in Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Resistant Gram-Positive Infections
Authors: Slim Jihad , Jimenez Humberto , Culshaw Darren , Patel Hina , Lamp Kenneth C.
Published: October 2014

Objectives:

This study was conducted to evaluate the clinical experience with daptomycin in the treatment of resistant gram-positive infections (GPIs) in patients with HIV infection.

Methods:

Using a retrospective, multicenter, and observational registry study, investigators assessed outcomes following daptomycin therapy in 78 patients (62 efficacy evaluable) infected with HIV and with resistant GPIs.

Results:

Overall, success rates by infection type were bacteremia 91% (20 of 22), endocarditis 91% (10 of 11), and bone/joint 100% (9 of 9). Success by pathogen was 93% (39 of 42), 93% (14 of 15), and 100% (5 of 5) for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-resistant enterococci, and methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci, respectively. Daptomycin appeared to be well tolerated, with 9% having an adverse event possibly related to daptomycin and 4% discontinuing daptomycin.

Conclusions:

In HIV-infected patients, daptomycin appears to be a useful agent for treating resistant GPIs.
HIV-Related Frailty Is Not Characterized by Sarcopenia
Authors: Rees Hilary Caitlyn , Meister Edward , Mohler Martha Jane , Klotz Stephen A.
Published: October 2014

Frailty is common in HIV-infected patients, but its causes are elusive. We assessed 122 clinic patients for frailty using the 5-measure Fried Frailty criteria. The prevalence of frailty was 19% (n = 23) and all frail patients reported exhaustion with a Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale score >16 indicating depression. The next most common criterion was low physical activity (expenditure of kcal/week). Markers of sarcopenia such as decreased grip strength and decreased gait speed, hallmarks of frailty in the elderly, were the least common of the 5 criteria. Frailty was reversible: 6 frail patients returned for reassessment and only 2 were frail. We conclude that frailty in the HIV-infected patients is potentially reversible and strongly associated with depression and low physical activity, whereas frailty in the elderly is associated with aging-related sarcopenia and is often irreversible.
A Survey Study of U.S. Collegiate and K–12 Steel Band Directors’ Attitudes Relating to Steel Band Curriculum and Pedagogy
Authors: Haskett Brandon L.
Published: October 2014

Steel bands were introduced into U.S. schools and universities during the 1950s and 1960s. There are now more than 600 U.S. school and university steel bands. The range of teaching methods and repertoire choices must be examined to more fully understand the variety of steel band traditions present in K–12 schools and universities. U.S. steel band directors responded to Likert-type, yes/no, and open-ended items about their curriculum and pedagogy as part of a March 2012 survey ( N = 216). Some of the main issues examined include methodology, the balance of genres programmed, the inclusion of contextual information, and directors’ steelpan performance backgrounds. Recommendations for the field, including suggestions for professional development opportunities for steel band directors, are included.
Exosomal miR-135b shed from hypoxic multiple myeloma cells enhances angiogenesis by targeting factor-inhibiting HIF-1
Authors: Umezu Tomohiro , Tadokoro Hiroko , Azuma Kenko , Yoshizawa Seiichiro , Ohyashiki Kazuma , Ohyashiki Junko H.
Published: October 2014

Key Points

We established hypoxia-resistant cells that can mimic in vivo conditions of hypoxic bone marrow. Exosomal miR-135b derived from these cell lines enhanced endothelial tube formation under hypoxia via the HIF-FIH signaling pathway.
Noncanonical PAR3 activation by factor Xa identifies a novel pathway for Tie2 activation and stabilization of vascular integrity
Authors: Stavenuiter Fabian , Mosnier Laurent O.
Published: October 2014

Key Points

Factor Xa activates PAR3 in the presence of EPCR by noncanonical cleavage at Arg41. Noncanonical PAR3 activation induces Tie2 activation, upregulation and redistribution of ZO-1, and stabilization of tight junctions.
Natural history of patients with congenital dysfibrinogenemia
Authors: Casini Alessandro , Blondon Marc , Lebreton Aurélien , Koegel Jérémie , Tintillier Véronique , de Maistre Emmanuel , Gautier Philippe , Biron Christine , Neerman-Arbez Marguerite , de Moerloose Philippe
Published: October 2014

Key Points

Major bleeding, thrombosis, and postpartum hemorrhage are frequent in propositi and relatives with congenital dysfibrinogenemia. Hotspot mutations were not predictive of either phenotype or outcome.
Optimal power mean bounds for Yang mean
Authors: Yang Zhen-Hang , Wu Li-Min , Chu Yu-Ming
Published: October 2014

In this paper, we prove that the double inequality

M
p

(
a
,
b
)
<
U
(
a
,
b
)
<

M
q

(
a
,
b
)

holds for all

a
,
b
>
0

with

a
≠
b

if and only if

p
≤
2
log
2
/
(
2
log
π
−
log
2
)
=
0.8684
⋯

and

q
≥
4
/
3

, where

U
(
a
,
b
)

and

M
r

(
a
,
b
)

are the Yang and r th power means of a and b, respectively.

MSC:26E60.