bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neither hard nor soft but racist? The Good Friday Agreement and the Irish border after Brexit
Authors: Holder Daniel
Published: August 2017

This is an edited version of a talk given by a human rights activist from Belfast on 26 June 2017 at a seminar, held at IRR, to discuss the implications of ‘Brexit’ on the Good Friday Agreement and the UK-Ireland Common Travel Area. The talk took place on the day of publication of the ‘confidence and supply’ agreement between the Democratic Unionist Party and the minority Conservative government. It discussed the prospects for the Good Friday Agreement in terms of the new alliance; whether populist anti-migrant racism will become institutionalised via discretionary border checks and entry decisions; how the ethos and actions of the UK Border Force fit with the peace settlement’s promise of non-discriminatory, human rights-compliant and accountable policing, and whether Brexit spells the end of the Common Travel Area and the further isolation of migrant communities.
Normalising jurisdictional heterotopias through place branding: The cases of Christiania and Metelkova
Authors: Ntounis Nikos , Kanellopoulou Evgenia
Published: August 2017

This paper explores the political dimensions of place branding as a path to normalisation for areas where a paradoxical relationship with the law exists, places that we coin “jurisdictional heterotopias” borrowing from Foucauldian literature. We posit that place branding plays a fundamental role in facilitating scale jumping in the otherwise vertically aligned legal space, a hierarchy designed to exclude spatial multiplicity from its premise. By examining the role of place branding in such areas, we endeavour to understand and appreciate the selective application of the law, the perpetuation of unregulated and illegal activity, as well as the place – specificity of legal practice. Ultimately, we argue that strong place branding associations permit the engulfment of this type of heterotopias in the “mainstream” leading to their normalisation; such a normalisation results not only in the acceptance of their uniqueness by the institutional elements, but also in the potential nullification of the liberties their communities advocate.
Natural Bioactive Food Components for Improving Enteral Tube Feeding Tolerance in Adult Patient Populations
Authors: Kuchnia Adam J. , Conlon Beth , Greenberg Norman
Published: August 2017

Tube feeding (TF) is the most common form of nutrition support. In recent years, TF administration has increased among patient populations within and outside hospital settings, in part due to greater insurance coverage, reduced use of parenteral nutrition, and improved formularies suitable for sole source nutrition. With increasing life expectancy and improved access to TFs, the number of adults dependent on enteral nutrition is expected to grow. However, enteral TF intolerance (ETFI) is the most common complication of TFs, typically presenting with at least 1 adverse gastrointestinal event, including nausea, diarrhea, and constipation. ETFI often leads to reductions in TF volume with associated energy and protein deficits. Potentially ensuing malnutrition is a major public health concern due its effects on increased risk of morbidity and mortality, infections, prolonged hospital length of stay, and higher healthcare costs. As such, there is a need for intervention strategies to prevent and reduce ETFI. Incorporating whole foods with bioactive properties is a promising strategy. Emerging research has elucidated bioactive properties of whole foods with specific benefits for the prevention and management of adverse gastrointestinal events commonly associated with TFs. However, lack of evidence‐based recommendations and technological challenges have limited the use of such foods in commercial TF formulas. This review addresses research gaps by discussing 5 whole foods (rhubarb, banana, curcumin, peppermint oil, and ginger) with bioactive attributes identified through literature searches and clinical experience as having substantial scientific rationale to consider their application for ETFI in adult populations.
Comparison of Clevidipine and Nicardipine for Acute Blood Pressure Reduction in Patients With Stroke
Authors: Allison Teresa A. , Bowman Stephanie , Gulbis Brian , Hartman Heather , Schepcoff Sara , Lee Kiwon
Published: August 2017

Objective:

The aim of this study was to determine whether clevidipine (CLEV) achieved faster blood pressure control compared to nicardipine (NIC) in patients presenting with either an acute ischemic stroke (AIS) or a spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH).

Methods:

This was a retrospective, observational, cohort study conducted in patients with AIS or ICH admitted to the emergency department of a Comprehensive Stroke Center from November 2011 to June 2013 who received CLEV or NIC continuous infusion for acute blood pressure management.

Results:

The study included 210 patients: 70 in the CLEV group and 140 in the NIC group. There was no difference in mean time (standard deviation [SD]) from initiation of the infusion to goal systolic blood pressure (SBP), CLEV: 50 (83) minutes versus NIC: 74 (103) minutes, P = .101. Comparison of the 2 agents within diagnosis showed no difference. Hypotension developed in 5 (7.1%) CLEV patients versus 14 (10%) NIC patients ( P = .003). There was no difference in the percentage change at 2 hours; CLEV: −20% (16%) versus NIC: −16% (16%), P = .058. Mean (SD) time to alteplase administration from admission was 56 (22) minutes in the CLEV group versus 59 (25) minutes in the NIC group ( P = .684).

Conclusions:

There was no difference in the mean time from initiation of the infusion to the SBP goal between agents or in the secondary outcomes. Due to the lack of differences observed, each agent should be considered based on the patient care needs of the institution.
Sepsis at a Safety Net Hospital: Risk Factors Associated With 30-Day Readmission
Authors: Weinreich Mark A. , Styrvoky Kim , Chang Shelley , Girod Carlos E. , Ruggiero Rosechelle
Published: August 2017

Background:

Sepsis is a leading cause of hospitalization, and subsequent readmissions are frequent and costly. There is an expanding body of literature describing risk factors for readmissions in patients with sepsis. However, there are little data studying medically underserved patients who typically receive their care at a safety net hospital.

Methods:

In a retrospective cohort study, we evaluated 1355 sepsis survivors at risk of hospital readmission in fiscal year 2013 at a safety net hospital. We described patient characteristics during their initial and readmission hospitalizations and analyzed risk factors associated with 30-day readmission.

Results:

The 30-day readmission rate among sepsis survivors was 22.6%. Comorbid conditions associated with readmissions included end-stage renal disease (odds ratio [OR], 1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17-1.36), malignancy (OR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.08-1.21), and cirrhosis (OR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.02-1.20). Bacteremia during the initial hospitalization (OR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.01-1.15) and being discharged with a vascular catheter (OR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.01-1.20) were associated with readmission. Less severe sepsis during the initial hospitalization was associated with a reduced risk of 30-day readmission (OR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.87-0.94).

Conclusions:

At a safety net hospital, patients who survived their initial sepsis hospitalization had a 30-day readmission rate to our institution of 22.6% that is comparable to rates described in prior studies. Readmission was commonly due to infection. Factors associated with readmission included multiple comorbid medical conditions, bacteremia, and being discharged with a vascular catheter. Further studies in this population are needed to determine potential modifiability of these risk factors in an attempt to reduce sepsis readmissions.
The Association Between Pregnancy Intention and Breastfeeding
Authors: Keddem Shimrit , Frasso Rosemary , Dichter Melissa , Hanlon Alexandra
Published: August 2017

Background:

Although breastfeeding is associated with proven benefits to both mother and child, there are many factors that influence a mother’s decision to breastfeed. Pregnancy intentionality at the time of conception is associated with postpartum maternal behavior including breastfeeding.

Research aim:

We sought to understand how maternal and paternal pregnancy intentions were associated with breastfeeding initiation and duration in a nationally representative sample.

Methods:

We used a cross-sectional, retrospective study of the CDC National Survey of Family Growth data to examine the link between pregnancy intentionality and breastfeeding initiation and duration among women ages 15 to 44 years.

Results:

We found that whereas the mother’s intention to have a child was a factor in how long she breastfed, the paternal intention to have a child predicted whether the mother breastfed at all. Additionally, Hispanic mothers were most likely to breastfeed and breastfed the longest of any other group. Age and education were also positive predictors of ever breastfeeding.

Conclusion:

Understanding the father’s and mother’s attitudes toward the pregnancy and influence on breastfeeding intention is important for intervention planning.
Working for Change in India’s Civil Society
Authors: Humble Darryl , Mani Hiresh
Published: August 2017

This article discusses the working life of a NGO worker in Kerala, South India, who researches, advocates and campaigns for the rights of India’s most vulnerable communities. It draws on the personal narrative of an individual to explore the ways in which his life chances and experience of working in a professionalising civil society context have allowed him to construct his own notions of activism and work. This article engages with his life history to understand why he has made the decisions about how he and his staff work to tackle issues of injustice, inequality and exploitation. It analyses notions of activism, work and life history in a context shaped by class, gender and caste divisions.
The Exclusive Nature of Inclusive Productive Employment in the Rural Areas of Northern Ethiopia
Authors: Rammelt Crelis F , Leung Maggi , Gebru Kebede Manjur
Published: August 2017

Inclusiveness, with its emphasis on productive employment, has become central in development policy. From this perspective, unwaged-work is condemned for not being sufficiently productive; that is, for failing to lift incomes above a poverty threshold. However, insights from the sociology of work reveal a range of unwaged activities that are potentially highly productive in their contribution to self-reliance. The article explores whether these activities are undermined by the promotion of inclusiveness. The case study takes place in Tigray, Ethiopia. Through semi-structured interviews, the activities of different households were classified according to a typology of work based on the work of Gorz, Illich, Wheelock, Taylor, Williams and others. Results show the heterogeneous character of work and shed light on the meaning of productivity. The article ends with a discussion on the risk that inclusiveness may be achieved by replacing activities ‘that count’ with activities ‘that can be counted’.
Erythema multiforme triggered by Treponema pallidum infection in an HIV-infected patient
Authors: Zanella Luiz GFAB D’Elia , Sampaio Érika F , Lellis Rute F
Published: August 2017

We are currently facing a worldwide epidemic of syphilis. Clinical manifestations that are rarely seen have been encountered, leading the dermatologist to confront unusual clinical conditions in daily practice. Erythema multiforme triggered by syphilis is very rare and is also seldom reported in the literature. We report a case of secondary syphilis in an HIV-positive patient, whose clinical, pathologic and serologic features were consistent with the diagnosis of erythema multiforme triggered by syphilis.
Herpesviral infection in a Guiana dolphin (Sotalia guianensis) from the northern coast of Brazil
Authors: Seade Gisele C. C. , Cerqueira Valíria D. , Sierra Eva , Chaves Jaese F. , Moura Márcio A. O. , Montão Daniele P. , Riet-Correa Gabriela , Oliveira Carlos A. , Siciliano Salvatore , Emin-Lima Renata , Costa Alexandra Fernandes , Fernández Antonio , Bezerra Júnior Pedro S.
Published: August 2017

We describe herein herpesvirus-associated genital lesions in a Guiana dolphin ( Sotalia guianensis) from the northern Brazilian coast. Papillary lesions on the vulva, with epithelial hyperplasia, swollen keratinocytes, and intranuclear inclusions, were positive for a herpesvirus ( Gammaherpesvirinae subfamily).
Applying Behavior Change Theories and Qualitative Methods in Substance Misuse Implementation Research: Conceptualizing the Adoption of Breaking Free Online in Real-World Clinical Practice
Authors: Dugdale Stephanie , Elison Sarah , Davies Glyn , Ward Jonathan
Published: August 2017

There is insufficient research examining the implementation of complex novel interventions within health care. This may be due to a lack of qualitative research providing subjective insights into these implementation processes. The authors investigate the advantages of applying behavior change theories to conceptualize qualitative data describing the processes of implementation of complex interventions. Breaking Free Online (BFO), a digital treatment intervention for substance misuse, is described as an example of a complex intervention. The authors review previous qualitative research which explored initial diffusion, or spread, of the BFO program, and its subsequent normalization as part of standard treatment for substance misuse within the health and social care charity, “Change, Grow, Live” (CGL). The use of behavior change models to structure qualitative interview findings enabled identification of facilitators and barriers to the use of BFO within CGL. These findings have implications for the development of implementation research in novel health care interventions.
Association Between Patient Factors and Outcome of Synthetic Cartilage Implant Hemiarthroplasty vs First Metatarsophalangeal Joint Arthrodesis in Advanced Hallux Rigidus
Authors: Goldberg Andy , Singh Dishan , Glazebrook Mark , Blundell Chris M. , De Vries Gwyneth , Le Ian L. D. , Nielsen Dominic , Pedersen M. Elizabeth , Sakellariou Anthony , Solan Matthew , Younger Alastair S. E. , Daniels Timothy R. , Baumhauer Judith F. ,   on behalf of the Cartiva MOTION Study Group
Published: August 2017

Background:

We evaluated data from a clinical trial of first metatarsophalangeal joint (MTPJ1) implant hemiarthroplasty and arthrodesis to determine the association between patient factors and clinical outcomes.

Methods:

Patients ≥18 years with hallux rigidus grade 2, 3, or 4 were treated with synthetic cartilage implant MTPJ1 hemiarthroplasty or arthrodesis. Pain visual analog scale (VAS), Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) sports and activities of daily living (ADL) scores, and Short Form-36 Physical Function (SF-36 PF) subscore were obtained preoperatively, and at 2, 6, 12, 24, 52, and 104 weeks postoperatively. Final outcome data, great toe active dorsiflexion motion, secondary procedures, radiographs, and safety parameters were evaluated for 129 implant hemiarthroplasties and 47 arthrodeses. The composite primary endpoint criteria for clinical success included VAS pain reduction ≥30%, maintenance/improvement in function, no radiographic complications, and no secondary surgical intervention at 24 months. Predictor variables included hallux rigidus grade; gender; age; body mass index (BMI); symptom duration; prior MTPJ1 surgery; preoperative hallux valgus angle, range of motion (ROM), and pain. Two-sided Fisher exact test was used ( P < .05).

Results:

Patient demographics and baseline outcome measures were similar. Success rates between implant MTPJ1 hemiarthroplasty and arthrodesis were similar ( P > .05) when stratified by hallux rigidus grade, gender, age, BMI, symptom duration, prior MTPJ1 surgery status, and preoperative VAS pain, hallux valgus, and ROM.

Conclusion:

Synthetic cartilage implant hemiarthroplasty was appropriate for patients with grade 2, 3, or 4 hallux rigidus. Its results in those with associated mild hallux valgus (≤20 degrees) or substantial preoperative stiffness were equivalent to MTPJ1 fusion, irrespective of gender, age, BMI, hallux rigidus grade, preoperative pain or symptom duration.

Level of Evidence:

Level II, randomized clinical trial.
Mixture Item Response Models for Inattentive Responding Behavior
Authors: Jin Kuan-Yu , Chen Hui-Fang , Wang Wen-Chung
Published: August 2017

Inattentive responses can threaten measurement quality, yet they are common in rating- or Likert-scale data. In this study, we proposed a new mixture item response theory model to distinguish inattentive responses from normal responses so that test validity can be ascertained. Simulation studies demonstrated that the parameters of the new model were recovered fairly well using the Bayesian methods implemented in the freeware WinBUGS, and fitting the new model to data that lacked inattentive responses did not result in severely biased parameter estimates. In contrast, ignoring inattentive responses by fitting standard item response theory models to data containing inattentive responses yielded seriously biased parameter estimates and a failure to distinguish inattentive participants from normal participants; the person-fit statistic lz was also unsatisfactory in identifying inattentive responses. Two empirical examples demonstrate the applications of the new model.
Positive impact of cladribine on quality of life in people with relapsing multiple sclerosis
Authors: Afolabi Dayo , Albor Christo , Zalewski Lukasz , Altmann Dan R , Baker David , Schmierer Klaus
Published: August 2017

Background:

A number of elements of the pivotal ‘cladribine tablets treating multiple sclerosis orally’ (CLARITY) trial have remained unpublished.

Objective:

To report the impact of cladribine on health-related quality of life (QoL) in people with relapsing multiple sclerosis (pwRMS).

Methods:

QoL data from the phase III trial of two different doses (3.5 and 5.25 mg/kg) of oral cladribine in pwRMS were acquired from the European Medicines Agency through Freedom of Information. Spearman’s rank correlation was used to analyse the relationship between baseline QoL scores and baseline Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores. Responses of the Euro Quality of Life 5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) and Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life-54 (MSQOL-54) questionnaires were compared between treatment and control groups using univariate analyses of covariance.

Results:

In total, n = 5148 EQ-5D responses and n = 894 MSQOL-54 physical, mental health and dimension scores were extracted. Baseline EQ-5D indices correlated with EDSS scores. After 2 years, pwRMS taking 3.5 ( p = .001) and 5.25 mg/kg ( p = .022) reported significantly improved EQ-5D index scores compared with placebo. Positive, yet non-significant, differences were detected in MSQOL-54 scores between cladribine and placebo.

Conclusion:

Analysis of the CLARITY dataset suggests that, over and above its established clinical efficacy, cladribine leads to improved QoL over 96 weeks. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00213135.
Amount trumps timing in bilingual vocabulary acquisition: Effects of input in simultaneous and sequential school-age bilinguals
Authors: Thordardottir Elin
Published: August 2017

Objectives:

This study examined the extent to which the language performance of school-age bilingual children is impacted by the amount of language exposure they have received in each language versus the timing of this exposure in terms of the age of first exposure (AoE).

Methods:

Receptive and expressive vocabulary and word morphology measures were administered in both languages to school-age simultaneous and sequential learners of French (other language English), and to their monolingual counterparts.

Data and analysis:

The study included 64 children in first grade and 68 children in third grade in French schools in Montreal. Within each grade level, simultaneous bilinguals, sequential bilinguals, and monolinguals were equivalent in age, nonverbal cognition and socio-economic status (maternal education). Detailed information on previous language exposure was gathered by parent report.

Conclusions:

Simultaneous bilinguals performed somewhat better than sequential bilinguals; however both groups overall performed significantly more poorly than monolinguals. Differences in performance between simultaneous and sequential bilinguals were mediated by differences in amount, not timing, of exposure. Sequential learners in grade 1 required lower amounts of input to reach high French scores than did their simultaneous counterparts; sequential and simultaneous learners in grade 3 did not differ in this respect. This finding suggests that the recency of bilingual exposure is a significant determiner of the rate of second language learning. The amount of exposure to each language since birth predicted performance in each language of the bilingual children.

Originality:

Bilingual children with different AoEs were compared while also controlling for differences in amount of exposure.

Significant implications:

The results call into question the traditional separation between simultaneous and sequential bilinguals and shows that an early start of bilingualism does not in and of itself predict better performance or performance within the monolingual range. Better performance was more strongly related to amount than timing of exposure.
Support for Anonymous as vicarious dissent: Testing the social banditry framework
Authors: Travaglino Giovanni A.
Published: August 2017

This research uses the social banditry framework to propose that voiceless individuals in an unjust context may express their grievances vicariously. Specifically, it holds that individuals who perceive the system as unjust but lack political efficacy, express their anger against the system as support for actors whose behavior disrupts the system’s functioning. These actors are situated outside conventional societal and political structures of power and institutions. To test the social banditry framework, two studies investigate attitudes toward Anonymous, a group of hackers who challenge the status quo using online tactics such as trolling. Study 1 ( N = 304) demonstrates that appraising the system as more unjust and perceiving lower political efficacy are positively linked to anger against the system, which in turn predicts more positive attitudes toward Anonymous. In contrast, stronger injustice-fueled anger and stronger political efficacy predict intentions to engage in direct forms of political action, such as protesting or voting. Study 2 ( N = 410) replicates these findings, and theorizes and tests the role of individualistic and collectivistic values in predicting vicarious and direct expressions of dissent. Study 2 demonstrates that endorsement of horizontal individualism predicts positive attitudes towards Anonymous, whereas horizontal collectivism predicts engagement in direct political action. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Protecting outsiders? Corporatism and the dualisation of unemployment protection in Germany and Austria
Authors: Betthäuser Bastian
Published: August 2017

Recent research has found that much of the social protection retrenchment since the early 1990s has been targeted at workers with low or unstable incomes, resulting in a ‘dualisation’ of social protection. However, little is known about the causes for cross-national variation in the way that different welfare states have reformed unemployment protection for these ‘labour market outsiders’. This article sheds light on the potential causes for this variation by considering the cases of Germany and Austria, two countries that have diverged markedly in their reforms of unemployment protection for non-standard workers. Based on a ‘most-similar-systems’ design and an analysis of the reform trajectories of the two countries, the power of unions to influence the policy process through corporatist institutions and through their ties to political parties is identified as an important factor in this divergence—one that has received surprisingly little attention in the dualisation literature thus far.
Self-reported school demands and psychosomatic problems among adolescents – changes in the association between 1988 and 2011?
Authors: Nygren Karina , Hagquist Curt
Published: August 2017

Aims: The aim of the present study was to examine changes over time in the relationship between self-reported school demands and psychosomatic problems, also considering the impact of student influence and teacher support. Methods: Data from a cross-sectional study (Young in Värmland) including eight data collections (1988–2011) among Swedish students aged 15–16 were used ( n = 20,115). Analyses with multinomial logistic regression and descriptive statistics were applied. Results: Between 1988 and 2011, the proportions of students with a higher degree of psychosomatic problems increased, as did the proportion of students experiencing school demands that were too high. Finer-level analyses based on stratification of student groups did not show any associations at the aggregated level between increases of school demands and psychosomatic problems. Similarly, individual level analyses showed that the strength of the association between school demands and psychosomatic problems was not affected by year of investigation. Conclusions: Changes in school demands over time could not explain the increasing trend in psychosomatic problems among adolescents. Since the relationship between school demands and psychosomatic problems is strong across time, there is, however, a continued need for school-based interventions. More studies are required to gain further understanding of adolescent mental health from a trend perspective.
A 12-week pilot study of acceptance of a computer-based chronic disease self-monitoring system among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and/or hypertension
Authors: Yan Mian , Or Calvin
Published: August 2017

This study tested a structural model examining the effects of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, health consciousness, and application-specific self-efficacy on the acceptance (i.e. behavioral intention and actual usage) of a computer-based chronic disease self-monitoring system among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and/or hypertension. The model was tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling, with 119 observations that were obtained by pooling data across three time points over a 12-week period. The results indicate that all of the seven constructs examined had a significant total effect on behavioral intention and explained 74 percent of the variance. Also, application-specific self-efficacy and behavioral intention had a significant total effect on actual usage and explained 17 percent of the variance. This study demonstrates that technology acceptance is determined by patient characteristics, technology attributes, and social influences. Applying the findings may increase the likelihood of acceptance.
A study on the effect of cooling on microstructure and mechanical properties of friction stir-welded AA5086 aluminum butt and lap joints
Authors: Sedaghati Adel , Bouzary Hamed
Published: August 2017

In this paper, the effect of water cooling on mechanical properties and microstructure of AA5086 aluminum joints during friction stir welding is investigated. For doing so, the mechanical and microstructural behavior of samples welded both in air and in water was analyzed. Tests were performed involving both butt and lap welds and the results were compared. The effect of rotational speed at constant feed rate of 50 mm/min and changing rotational speed ranging from 250 to 1250 r/min was investigated. The results showed a significant change in the tensile behavior of the butt-welded specimens due to water cooling. In addition, welding was performed at constant spindle speed of 800 r/min and various traverse speeds (25 mm/min to 80 mm/min) to determine the effect of feed rate. The strength increases at first, but then decreases dramatically along with the feed rate which is due to the occurrence of a groove defect. Results showed some generally positive impacts of water cooling which are discussed in terms of tensile results, hardness distributions and microstructure analysis.
The paradox of methods
Authors: Kagan Shelly
Published: August 2017

Many proposed moral principles are such that it would be difficult or impossible to always correctly identify which act is required by that principle in a given situation. To deal with this problem, theorists typically offer various methods of determining what to do in the face of epistemic limitations, and we are then told that the right thing to do – given these limitations – is to perform the act identified by the given method. But since the method and the underlying principle can diverge, it would seem that in such cases we are being given contradictory advice: some particular act will be both right (since it is so identified by the favored method) and not right (since it does not conform to the underlying principle). Various attempts to resolve this apparent paradox are surveyed, but none are completely satisfactory.
Reversal of Spinal Cord Ischemia Following Endovascular Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm Repair With Hyperbaric Oxygen and Therapeutic Hypothermia
Authors: Urquieta Emmanuel , Varon Joseph , Lin Peter H.
Published: August 2017

Background:

Neurological adverse events with spinal cord ischemia (SCI) remain one of the most feared complications in patients undergoing thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). These patients can develop irreversible paraplegia with lifelong consequences with physical and psychological agony.

Case Presentation:

We herein present a patient who developed SCI with bilateral lower leg paraplegia on the third postoperative day following TEVAR. Spinal catheter was inserted for spinal fluid drainage. A hyperbaric oxygen therapy was initiated for 90 minutes for 2 days, which was followed by therapeutic hypothermia for 24 hours with a target temperature of 33°C. The patient exhibited significant neurological recovery following these treatments, and he ultimately regained full neurological function without spinal deficit.

Discussion:

This represents the first reported case of full neurological recovery of a patient who developed complete SCI following TEVAR procedure. The neurological recovery was due in part to immediate therapeutic hypothermia and hyperbaric oxygen therapy which reversed the spinal ischemia.
The Role of the BDNF Val66Met Polymorphism in Recovery of Aphasia After Stroke
Authors: de Boer Riemke G. A. , Spielmann Kerstin , Heijenbrok-Kal Majanka H. , van der Vliet Rick , Ribbers Gerard M. , van de Sandt-Koenderman W. Mieke E.
Published: August 2017

Background. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is assumed to play a role in mediating neuroplasticity after stroke. Carriers of the function-limiting Val66Met (rs6265) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) may have a downregulation in BDNF secretion, which may lead to a poorer prognosis after stroke compared to noncarriers in motor learning and motor function recovery. The present study investigates whether this polymorphism may also affect the recovery of poststroke aphasia (ie, language impairment). Objective. To study the influence of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism on the recovery of poststroke aphasia. Methods. We included 53 patients with poststroke aphasia, all participating in an inpatient rehabilitation program with speech and language therapy. All patients were genotyped for the Val66Met SNP and subdivided into carriers (at least one Met allele) and noncarriers (no Met allele). Primary outcome measures included the improvement over rehabilitation time on the Amsterdam-Nijmegen Everyday Language Test (ANELT) and the Boston Naming Test (BNT). Results. The outcome measures showed a large variability in the improvement scores on both the ANELT and BNT. There was no significant difference between noncarriers and carriers in the primary outcome measures. Conclusion. This study investigated the effect of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism on clinical recovery of poststroke aphasia. In contrast to earlier studies describing a reducing effect of this polymorphism on motor function recovery after stroke, the present study does not support a reduction in language recovery for carriers compared to noncarriers with poststroke aphasia.
Calling for a Shared Understanding of Sampling Terminology in Qualitative Research
Authors: Gentles Stephen J. , Vilches Silvia L.
Published: August 2017

In this article we present the critical analysis of a recent methods overview, authored by McCrae and Purssell, as a means to highlight and address several important ambiguities and misunderstandings associated with terminology commonly used to describe sampling in qualitative research. We share several definitive understandings of sampling-related issues, which have been informed by a rigorous analysis of the methods literature from another earlier methods overview focused more broadly on sampling in qualitative research. Specifically, we address ambiguities and inconsistencies related to what can be sampled in qualitative research (the sampling unit), the concept of theoretical sampling, the term purposeful sampling, the appropriateness of initial sampling in grounded theory, and the need to distinguish between the functions of reporting one’s sampling methods and describing the final participant sample. Finally, we argue that a continued lack of clarity in the language we use to describe what we do erodes the real and perceived quality of qualitative research. We point to the important role of methods overviews both for focusing attention on underdeveloped research methods topics and as a source of solutions to methodological problems.
Where to now? AVERT answered an important question, but raised many more
Authors: Bayley Mark T , Bowen Audrey , English Coralie , Teasell Robert , Eng Janice J
Published: August 2017

A Very Early Rehabilitation Trial (AVERT) was a Phase 3 randomized trial with over 2100 subjects post stroke that had unexpected results with better outcomes for usual care than those receiving very early mobilization. This review of published stroke clinical practice guidelines highlights that recommendations for mobilization have changed after publication of AVERT but also that developers have struggled to provide recommendations for appropriate dose, duration and intensity of mobilization in the acute post stroke period with available analyses from AVERT and other literature. This review highlights the priority research questions about early rehabilitation post stroke that need to be addressed through future large scale randomized controlled trials.
Pembrolizumab in the treatment of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer: a review of current evidence
Authors: Rihawi Karim , Gelsomino Francesco , Sperandi Francesca , Melotti Barbara , Fiorentino Michelangelo , Casolari Laura , Ardizzoni Andrea
Published: August 2017

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPIs) are considered one of the most important breakthroughs in cancer treatment of the past decade; notably, different studies of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors have reported impressive clinical activity and durable responses in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). These findings have led to the changing of the current therapeutic algorithm of advanced NSCLC, adding a new standard first-line treatment option for patients with PD-L1-positive tumors. Pembrolizumab, a highly selective anti-PD-1 humanized monoclonal antibody, was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) in October 2016 for previously untreated metastatic NSCLC patients whose tumors have high PD-L1 expression, tumor proportion score (TPS) ⩾ 50%, as well as for metastatic NSCLC patients whose tumors express PD-L1 with TPS ⩾ 1% progressing on or after platinum-based chemotherapy. However, many issues remain outstanding, mainly regarding the identification of an optimal biomarker which can help selecting patients more likely to respond to ICPIs. In this review, we discuss the clinical results obtained so far with the anti-PD-1 pembrolizumab in advanced NSCLC, commenting on the role of PD-L1 as a predictive factor and providing an update of the future perspectives.
Cinco Minutos Solamente: Using Interviewer’s Social Capital to Increase Latino Community Survey Response Rates
Authors: Granberry Phillip J. , Torres Maria Idalí , Brenner Philip S. , Smollin Leandra , Saavedra Jose , Person Sharina , Allison Jeroan , Rosal Milagros
Published: August 2017

Declining social capital is one explanation for lower response to household surveys. By intentionally developing an awareness of social capital among its interviewers, the Por Ahí Dicen research study encouraged the use of interviewer social capital as a mechanism to achieve a response rate of 65.2 percent for baseline and post-intervention household studies of Puerto Rican mothers ( n = 413). These surveys were conducted in a “hard-to-count” urban environment designated by the U.S. Census Bureau. The interviewer trainings highlighted three domains of social capital: reciprocity and generalized trust, group or social cohesion, and cultural affirmation. By stressing the importance of social capital as an engagement tool, interviewers more easily made research participation salient and successfully leveraged Puerto Rican mothers’ participation in the community study.
Concepts of “Applied and Public Sociology”: Arguments for a Bigger Theoretical Picture around the Idea of a “University Third Mission”
Authors: Cooper David
Published: August 2017

The argument focuses on current concepts of “applied” and “public” sociology proposed especially by the Association for Applied and Clinical Sociology (AACS) and by Michael Burawoy within the American Sociological Association (ASA) in 2004, respectively. A broader concept of “engaged scholarship” is proposed by the author which spans many academic disciplines and fields, that is, can encompass a “bigger picture,” unlike applied or public sociology with their limited sociological focus. The idea of engaged scholarship is linked also to a core set of interrelated “bigger” concepts: (1) use-inspired basic research, (2) university third mission (of socio-economic-cultural development), (3) post-1970s third capitalist industrial revolution (with university role in a knowledge economy as fundamental), and (4) quadruple helix of university-industry-government-civil society (U-I-G-CS) research relations of engagement. The latter four core concepts are examined in some detail to support a bigger-picture framework. Also highlighted are some ambiguities or inconsistencies embedded in the current use of applied and public sociology terminology, especially with reference to how and with whom university engagement is advocated. In the section “Conclusion,” the idea of a social justice-centered mode of engaged scholarship is explored, providing an explicitly value-laden component that is only implicit within current concepts of applied and public sociology.
‘Achbita and Bougnaoui
Authors: Vickers Lucy
Published: August 2017

This paper argues that while the CJEU cases of Achbita and Bougnaoui create some consistency with the case law of the ECHR on freedom of religion or belief in employment, they nonetheless represent a missed opportunity to develop the EU law on religious discrimination in a way that serves both the equality aims of the underpinning Directive, and the cause of European integration more generally. The paper explores the contextual background to the cases, and examines the theoretical debates surrounding religion claims at work. It argues that, by following an approach largely based on human rights thinking from the ECtHR, the CJEU has taken the wrong direction in its first cases, and that it should instead have framed the protection in terms of its own firm commitment to equality. In addition, the paper argues that the CJEU missed the chance to set the case law within the policy of European integration that is served by the EU equality agenda more generally.
Dynamic chronic rectal obstruction causing a severe colonic dilatation in a cat
Authors: García-Pertierra Sofia , Gonzàlez-Gasch Esteban , Catalá Puyol Carmen , Closa Boixeda Jose María
Published: August 2017

Case summary

A 5-year-old male neutered domestic shorthair cat was presented to our referral centre with a 13 month history of chronic tenesmus due to malunion of the right caudal iliac body. Constipation and pelvic canal stenosis were initially addressed by the referring veterinarian with a right femoral head and neck excision and a right acetabulectomy without observable clinical improvement. At admission, abdominal radiographs revealed severe colonic distension and a narrowed pelvic canal caused by the right proximal femur. Rectal examination and colonography revealed a dynamic compression of the rectum, which worsened with femoral abduction and improved with femoral adduction. A right hindlimb amputation was performed to relieve the obstruction. The cat defaecated 2 days postoperatively and was discharged uneventfully. Neither faecal tenesmus nor dyschaezia were observed over the following 10 months.

Relevance and novel information

The dynamic nature of the rectal obstruction most likely prevented the development of an irreversible colonic dilatation leading to a megacolon. This is the first report describing a chronic dynamic rectal compression, which was successfully managed with a right hindlimb amputation without the need for subtotal colectomy.
Uterine torsion in a full-term pregnant cat
Authors: Kuroda Kohei , Osaki Tomohiro , Harada Kazuki , Yamashita Masamichi , Murahata Yusuke , Azuma Kazuo , Tsuka Takeshi , Ito Norihiko , Imagawa Tomohiro , Okamoto Yoshiharu
Published: August 2017

Case summary

A 5-year-old intact female Maine Coon cat presented with a 2 day history of lethargy, anorexia and anaemia. The cat had bred 60 days previously and jumped from a height 3 days earlier, which was followed by a worsening of its condition. Ultrasonography revealed that two fetuses had died and one remained alive. Urgent surgical intervention was deemed necessary, and the cat underwent a blood transfusion and laparotomy. The right uterine horn was dark red in appearance and had rotated 360° in the clockwise direction at its base. Subsequently, an ovariohysterectomy and caesarean section were performed, and the fetus in the left uterine horn initially survived. Although the cat appeared to recover from anaemia and physical injury, the kitten died on postoperative day 1.

Relevance and novel information

In cases involving only one twisted uterine horn, the fetuses located in the contralateral horn could potentially survive; however, many such fetuses do not survive, and only a few reports have described fetal survival in a pregnant cat with uterine torsion. In the present case, early surgical intervention and blood transfusion allowed us to save the cat. Our findings demonstrate the life-saving abilities of initial support treatment and early surgical intervention for both the pregnant cat and fetuses in cases of acute abdomen caused by uterine torsion.
Mental Defeat and Cumulative Trauma Experiences Predict Trauma-Related Psychopathology: Evidence From a Postconflict Population in Northern Uganda
Authors: Wilker Sarah , Kleim Birgit , Geiling Angelika , Pfeiffer Anett , Elbert Thomas , Kolassa Iris-Tatjana
Published: August 2017

The peritraumatic cognitive process of mental defeat, the complete loss of inner resistance, has been identified as a key predictor of PTSD. Yet, most evidence on cognitive risk factors stems from industrialized countries where survivors typically report few traumata. Research from postconflict settings indicates that individual differences decrease with accumulating traumatic experiences, as almost everybody develops PTSD at extreme levels of trauma load. Would this leave less room for the impact of cognitive processes? In a sample of 227 Ugandan rebel war survivors, we investigated whether mental defeat influences trauma-related psychopathology in regression models accounting for cumulative trauma exposure. We found strong main effects of mental defeat on lifetime PTSD risk, current PTSD severity and dissociative symptoms, but no mental defeat × trauma load interaction effects. Our results indicate that peritraumatic mental defeat is central to understand individual differences in psychological reactions after single traumatic events as well as multiple traumatization.
Incidence of Second Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tears and Identification of Associated Risk Factors From 2001 to 2010 Using a Geographic Database
Authors: Schilaty Nathan D. , Nagelli Christopher , Bates Nathaniel A. , Sanders Thomas L. , Krych Aaron J. , Stuart Michael J. , Hewett Timothy E.
Published: August 2017

Background:

The reported rate of second anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries (20%-30%), including graft failure and contralateral ACL tears, after ACL reconstruction (ACLR) or nonoperative therapy indicates that multiple factors may predispose patients to subsequent ACL injuries.

Purpose:

To determine the incidence of second ACL injuries in a population-based cohort over a 10-year observation period (2001-2010) and to identify factors that contribute to the risk of second injuries.

Study Design:

Descriptive epidemiological study.

Methods:

International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision (ICD-9) codes relevant to the diagnosis of an ACL tear and the procedure code for ACLR were utilized to search the Rochester Epidemiology Project, a multidisciplinary county database, between the years of 2001 and 2010. The complete medical records for all cases were reviewed to confirm diagnosis and treatment details. A total of 914 unique patients with 1019 acute, isolated ACL tears were identified. These patients were stratified by primary and secondary tears, sex, age, activity level, side of injury, sex × side of injury, and graft type of reconstruction.

Results:

Second ACL tears were recorded in 141 (13.8%) of the 914 patients diagnosed with an ACL tear in Olmsted County, Minnesota, USA, from 2001 to 2010; 50.4% of these occurred in the contralateral knee. A noncontact mechanism was responsible for 76.4% of all ACL injuries. A second ACL injury was influenced by factors of sex × age group, treatment type × age group, and treatment type × activity level. Nonparametric analysis of graft disruption × graft type demonstrated that a higher prevalence of second ACL tears occurred with allografts compared with hamstring autografts ( P = .0054) and patellar tendon autografts ( P = .0001).

Conclusion:

The incidence of second ACL tears in this population-based cohort was 13.8%, and half occurred to the ACL of the contralateral knee. Statistically, second ACL injuries differed by sex, occurring in female patients younger than 25 years and male patients aged 26 to 45 years. Allografts continued to be associated with a greater risk of second ACL injuries compared with hamstring and patellar tendon autografts. Nonoperative treatment carried more risk of contralateral tears than ACLR.