bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Developing a Task Switching Training Game for Children With a Rare Genetic Syndrome Linked to Intellectual Disability
Authors: Robb Nigel , Waller Annalu , Woodcock Kate A.
Published: March 2019

Background. The ability to rapidly switch between tasks is important in a variety of contexts. Training in task switching may be particularly valuable for children with intellectual disability (ID), specifically ID linked to genetic syndromes such as Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). We have developed a cognitive training game for children with PWS and performed a pilot evaluation of the programme to inform future game development. Here, we describe and critically reflect on the development and pilot evaluation process.

Methods. Several novel aspects of our approach are highlighted in this paper, including the involvement (in various roles) of children with a rare genetic syndrome (PWS) in the development and evaluation of the software (participatory design) and the development of a matched control, or placebo version of the game for use in the pilot evaluation.

Results. Children with PWS were capable of contributing to the design and development of a cognitive training game in various roles. In the subsequent pilot evaluation, playing the active version of the game was associated with greater improvement in task switching performance than playing the matched control (placebo) version of the game. However, attrition was an issue during both the design phase and the pilot evaluation.

Conclusions. The lessons learned from our work have relevance in a wide range of contexts, such as the development of future cognitive training games; the evaluation of serious games in general; and the involvement of end-users with cognitive disabilities and/or rare syndromes in the design and development of software.
Social enactivism about perception—reply to McGann
Authors: Arango Alejandro
Published: March 2019

In his comment, McGann argues that in my “From Sensorimotor Dependencies to Perceptual Practices: Making Enactivism Social,” I have overlooked a group of enactivist theories that can be grouped under the participatory sense-making label. In this reply, I explain that the omission is due to the fact that such theories are not accounts of perception. It is argued that, unlike participatory sense-making, the approach of the “From Sensorimotor Dependencies to Perceptual Practices” article does not focus on the perceptual aspects of things social, but on the social aspects that are constitutive of perception in general. I conclude by underscoring the central argument of the original article: that the adequate notion to make enactivism about perception social is that of “perceptual practices,” a social practices-based notion of perception.
Pastoral Theology in a “Barthian” Key
Authors: van Deusen Hunsinger Deborah
Published: March 2019

The article offers theological criteria for engaging in dialogue between theology and the sciences that secures the integrity of each discipline. It delineates the disparate sources of knowledge garnered by a theology of biblical revelation and a psychology based on empirical observation or phenomenological description. It argues that recent trauma studies can be of great service to the theological imagination and to the concrete practices of the church.
All This Is from God: Augsburger, Lederach, Barth, and Coutts on Forgiveness
Authors: Lin Bonnie E.
Published: March 2019

What is forgiveness and why should we forgive? What does it accomplish? Why does it falter? Are there wrong ways or wrong times to forgive? How can we forgive our brothers and sisters from the heart, as Jesus instructed (Matt. 18:35)? Can there be forgiveness without repentance or reconciliation? In this article, I consider several psychological, sociopolitical, and Barthian theological insights for the practice of forgiveness at the interpersonal and communal levels. Focusing on the work of pastoral counselor David W. Augsburger, international peacebuilder John Paul Lederach, and theologian Jon Coutts, I compare how each thinker envisions the grounds of, goals of, and threats to forgiveness, as well as where each locates the power to forgive. I then reflect on how these authors may elucidate the relationship of forgiveness with repentance and reconciliation.
Semper Virgo? A Biblical Review of a Debated Dogma
Authors: Prothro James B
Published: March 2019

The traditional and still widespread dogma that Mary remained a virgin both before and after Jesus’s birth is today widely believed explicitly to contradict the New Testament, which appears to speak unambiguously of Jesus having “brothers and sisters.” If held strongly, this view can incline some who hold the dogma to doubt Scripture, and can incline others who reject the dogma to think the Church Fathers willfully ignored Scripture. However, the view that Jesus’ siblings are Mary’s children is a face-value reading that rests on several assumptions that should be checked, and traditional positions are not without basis. This article reviews the question of Jesus’ “brothers and sisters” from an exegetical and historical perspective, demonstrating the warrant of the traditional claim, and concludes with reflections from patristic testimony to address theological objections often lodged against the dogma
Genomic and Immunologic Drivers of Very Early-Onset Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Conrad Maire A , Kelsen Judith R
Published: March 2019

Purpose of Review

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a multifactorial disease caused by dysregulated immune responses to commensal or pathogenic intestinal microbes, resulting in chronic intestinal inflammation. However, a subset of patients with IBD diagnosed <6 years of age, known as very early-onset (VEO)-IBD, can be phenotypically and genetically distinct from older onset IBD. We aim to review the clinical presentation of children with VEO-IBD and recent discoveries that point to the underlying genomic and immunologic drivers of disease, and the significant impact on our therapeutic decisions.

Recent Findings

VEO-IBD is increasing in incidence and is associated with more severe disease, aggressive progression, and poor response to most conventional therapies. This article will review some of the genetic findings in this population and the subsequent impact on therapy, with targeted approaches.

Children with VEO-IBD may present with a different phenotype and more severe disease than older children and adults. An integrated approach combining genetics, immunology, and traditional IBD evaluations can lead to the identification of causal defects that directly impact management. These strategies can also be employed in older onset refractory IBD.
The Current Landscape of Treatment in Non-Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer
Authors: El-Amm Joelle , Aragon-Ching Jeanny B
Published: March 2019

Non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (nmCRPC) is a heterogeneous disease with variable potential in developing into overt metastases. It is an area of increased unmet need in advanced prostate cancer and for which there had been no great treatments until recent US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of 2 novel anti-androgens apalutamide and enzalutamide, which were both approved given benefit in metastasis-free survival. Early data on the use of darolutamide, another novel anti-androgen, are also explored. This review discusses the pivotal trials that led to the approval of apalutamide and enzalutamide in the nmCRPC setting and discusses the key promises and challenges with the use of these agents.
Association between loneliness, physical activity, and participation in physical education among adolescents in Amazonas, Brazil
Authors: Pinto André de Araújo , Oppong Asante Kwaku , Puga Barbosa Rita Maria dos Santos , Nahas Markus Vinicius , Dias Duana Torquato , Pelegrini Andreia
Published: March 2019

Loneliness is an individual and social problem associated with an unhealthy lifestyle among adolescents. We examined the association between loneliness, physical activity, and participation in physical education lessons among school-going adolescents. Participants included 2517 adolescents aged 14–19 years selected from state public high schools in Amazonas, Brazil. Participants answered a questionnaire containing demographic information, physical activity, and participation in physical education lessons and loneliness. Our results showed that physically inactive adolescents and those who did not participate in physical education lessons were more likely to feel lonely. These findings underscore the need to target physically inactive adolescents and those non-engaged in physical education lessons when developing interventions to address loneliness.
The admissibility of evidence obtained through human rights violations in Zambia: Revisiting Liswaniso v The People (1976) Zambia Law Reports 277
Authors: Mujuzi Jamil Ddamulira
Published: March 2019

In the 1976 case of Liswaniso v The People, the Zambian Supreme Court held that illegally obtained evidence is admissible as long as it is relevant. Since then, unsuccessful attempts have been made to convince the Supreme Court and the High Court to reconsider this position, especially when the evidence in question has been obtained in violation of a right in the Bill of Rights. Recent decisions from the Supreme Court show that the court is unlikely to change its position on this issue. In this article, the author suggests ways in which the Supreme Court could relax, without necessarily overruling, its rule in the Liswaniso when dealing with evidence obtained through violating human rights.
Persistent connection and participation: New media use in post-peace movement Ambon, Indonesia
Authors: Rohman Abdul
Published: March 2019

The use of new media platforms has been evident in social movements at local, regional, and international levels. Many studies have shown that these platforms are tools to mobilize resources, facilitate coordination and information sharing, and access a wider audience. These studies, however, have been situated in the periods when the movements rise and peak, giving little attention to the use of such platforms in the post-movement phase. Based on interviews and participant observation of a peace movement in Ambon, Indonesia, this research found that the peace movement actors use Facebook, Twitter, Path, WhatsApp, SMS, and mobile phones for maintaining existing relationships, reanimating memories, keeping up with current movements, amplifying ongoing movements, and sharing new grievances. The platforms provide the actors with opportunities to sustain their existing networks. Hence, the movement persists and influences later movements. The findings offer the potential to better understand the continuity and change of technologically enabled social movements.
Risky satire: Examining how a traditional news outlet’s use of satire can affect audience perceptions and future engagement with the news source
Authors: Peifer Jason T , Myrick Jessica Gall
Published: March 2019

This study explores the question of how the use of satire, as embedded within the trappings of a traditional news outlet (i.e. a reputable newspaper like the Boston Globe), could influence perceptions of the respective news organization and facets of engagement with it. An online experiment ( N = 366) was conducted, offering comparisons both in terms of message features (i.e. a satirical versus conventional presentation of political information) and source attribution cues (i.e. satirical content attributed to a hard news source versus attribution to a satirical outlet). Results indicate that the use of satire may present some risks for a news outlet in terms of undermining reader trust, which can impact audience engagement. However, the results also suggest that the weight of legitimacy and credibility commonly associated with a traditional news outlet can translate into a perception of its satire having a stronger influence on individuals (compared to content from a purely satirical outlet), which can in turn influence the likelihood of sharing the satirical content. Tests of indirect effects highlight the mediating roles of source trust and perceived influence in processes of influence on facets of engagement (i.e. returning to the news source and sharing its content). On the whole, the model of relationships does not appear to be moderated by political party identification.
When does descriptive representation become substantive? Systematic luck, social power and the allocation of resources
Authors: Rosenthal Maoz
Published: March 2019

When does a disadvantaged group’s representation turn from descriptive to substantive? A disadvantaged group is systematically unlucky in the resources it receives from society. If that group uses its social power in a politically effective manner, consequently turning representation from descriptive to substantive, it can change public policies and the group’s luck. I verify this claim using an original dataset examining Arab Israelis in seven mixed Israeli cities between 1995 and 2013, containing more than 6000 observations of their statistical areas differentiated by their socio-economic cluster rank. I show that, in some policy areas, Arab representation and cooperation improve Arab Israelis’ well-being. This improvement increases in cities that receive substantial government support. Thus, the use of power by systematically unlucky groups helps them move into a position from which they can effectively change public policies.
Syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone associated with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor therapy in the perioperative period
Authors: Nakayama Takashin , Fujisaki Hiroto , Hirai Shintaro , Kawauchi Ruri , Ogawa Kyohei , Mitsui Ayaka , Hirano Keita , Isozumi Kazuo , Takahashi Takayuki , Komatsumoto Satoru
Published: March 2019

Introduction:

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are one of the most commonly used medications for hypertension. Rarely, ACE inhibitors have the potential to cause a syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH).

Case presentation:

A 70-year-old woman with > 10 years ACE inhibitor therapy with normonatremia suddenly developed severe SIADH when she took a liquid diet in the uneventful perioperative period, with hemodynamic stability and no surgical complications. She promptly recovered from SIADH subsequent to discontinuing the ACE inhibitor therapy and changing her diet. Therefore, it was assumed that excess antidiuretic hormone secretion due to an ACE inhibitor and free water load from the liquid diet contributed to hyponatremia in our patient.

Conclusion:

Patients treated with an ACE inhibitor can latently experience inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone, and rapidly develop severe hyponatremia together with additional factors affecting water or salt homeostasis regardless of the length of the administration duration. Clinicians should monitor serum sodium levels in such patients not only just after the initiation of ACE inhibitors but also upon the appearance of those factors.
Will students gain knowledge of the world by reading fiction?
Authors: Jones Todd
Published: March 2019

Teachers of literature often have students read works of fiction to learn important truths about the world. But, it is not clear how looking at a work of fiction can tell us about the actual world. This article examines whether and how this can be done.
A novel flex sensor-based flexible smart garment for monitoring body postures
Authors: Abro Zamir Ahmed , Yi-Fan Zhang , Nan-Liang Chen , Cheng-Yu Hong , Lakho Rafique Ahmed , Halepoto Habiba
Published: March 2019

Posture monitoring and investigation in wearable technology play a significant role in the analysis of body postures. This study aims to develop a new flexible smart garment realized by stitching flex sensors at different joint positions for sensing flexion angles in static and kinematic motions. Calibration tests were conducted by systematically flexing wrist, elbow, and knee joints, respectively. A male subject then wore the developed flexible smart garment to sense different body postures. The measured data from flex sensors inside the smart garment exhibited immediate response after each joint movement of the male subject. The minimum measurement sensitivities of flex sensors mounted at the knee, elbow, and wrist was 0.94°, 0.8°, and 0.56°, respectively. Measured flexion angle changes were within 80°, 95°, and 140° ranges from knee, elbow, and wrist. Both stand and walk tests at a velocity of 4 km/h indicate that the flexion angles of three joint positions include wrist, elbow, and knee joints can be effectively monitored using the flex sensor–based smart garment. Flex sensor can be employed to monitor body joint movement and future to identify different postures of body joints in practice. The flexible smart garments cannot be washed.
Knowledge Persists, Opinions Drift: Learning and Opinion Change in a Three-Wave Panel Experiment
Authors: Dowling Conor M. , Henderson Michael , Miller Michael G.
Published: March 2019

Considerable evidence exists that Americans possess not only low levels of political knowledge but also relatively uninformed—and sometimes misinformed—opinions on policy matters. Many recent studies focus on whether informational treatments have immediate effects on citizens’ factual beliefs and opinions about policy, but less is known about whether such treatments have enduring effects. Using a three-wave panel experiment, we assess the immediate and enduring effects of factual information provision on factual beliefs and opinion of the Affordable Care Act. We find a relatively persistent effect of information provision on accuracy of factual beliefs, but only an ephemeral shift in opinion, which typically drifts back to its pretreatment state within a few weeks. Our findings have implications for the understanding of citizen learning and opinion change, as well as ongoing scholarly debates about how long-lasting the effects of (experimental) interventions are.
A Meta-Analysis of the Outcomes of Split-Thickness Skin Graft on Diabetic Leg and Foot Ulcers
Authors: Yammine Kaissar , Assi Chahine
Published: March 2019

Diabetic lower limb ulcers are a serious complication to diabetes that could lead to amputation and death. Split-thickness skin graft (STSG) has been proposed by some authors to treat noninfected diabetic wounds, mainly those found in the leg and on the dorsum of the foot. No quantitative evidence synthesis over this technique has been reported in the literature. The study is a meta-analysis on the effectiveness of STSG in treating diabetic leg and foot ulcers. Electronic databases were searched from inception. No limitation was imposed on study design. Eleven studies comprising 757 patients with 759 foot/leg ulcers were included. After a mean period of 2 years, 85.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.766-0.925) of ulcers were healed over a mean time of 5.35 ± 2.25 weeks, with a recurrence rate of 4.2% (95% CI = 0.009-0.096), an infection rate of 4.4% (95% CI = 0.013-0.092), and a regrafting rate of 12.1% (95% CI = 0.053-0.212). Infection was the only reported donor site morbidity with a frequency of 1.74% (95% CI = 0.001-0.048). These weighted values are found to be noticeably superior to those reported in the literature following standard conventional care. The results of the review make STSG the ideal method to treat noninfected recurrent or recalcitrant ulcers of the leg and dorsal foot. Furthermore, the authors argue that STSG should be used more frequently in the management of such wounds. The findings should encourage future prospective investigations.
The Effect of Polyphenolic Composition BP-C3 on the Efficacy and Hematological Toxicity of Cyclophosphamide in the Chemotherapy of Mice Bearing Soft Tissue Sarcomas Induced by Benzo[a]pyrene
Authors: Panchenko Andrey V. , Fedoros Elena I. , Pigarev Sergey E. , Maydin Mikhail A. , Gubareva Ekaterina A. , Kireeva Galina S. , Tyndyk Margarita L. , Kuznetsova Anastasia I. , Nekhaeva Tatyana L. , Danilova Anna B. , Baldueva Irina A. , Anisimov Vladimir N.
Published: March 2019

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of lignin-derived polyphenolic composition BP-C3 on the efficacy and hematological toxicity of cyclophosphamide (CPA). Male and female Swiss-H derived mice bearing benzo[a]pyrene-induced soft tissue sarcomas were treated with CPA 300 mg/kg, BP-C3 75 mg/kg, or a combination. Tumor growth inhibition in male mice treated with CPA, BP-C3, or a combination of CPA and BP-C3 was significant and corresponded to 78%, 45%, and 82%, respectively, on day 21 after CPA administration on day 0. In female mice, tumor growth inhibition was 58%, −11%, and 35% when treated with CPA, BP-C3, or a combination of CPA and BP-C3, respectively. CPA administration resulted in significant hematological toxicity evidenced by a decreased white blood cell count on day 4 (2.43 ± 1.77 × 109/L in male mice and 1.19 ± 0.71 × 109/L in female mice) and anemia development on day 7 (6.55 ± 1.74 × 1012/L in male mice and 5.89 ± 2.24 × 1012/L in female mice). The red blood cell count measured on day 7 in animals treated with the combination of BP-C3 and CPA constituted 7.12 ± 1.17 × 1012/L and 7.36 ± 2.07 × 1012/L for male and female mice, respectively. The results of our study demonstrate the antitumor activity of BP-C3 in male mice bearing soft tissue sarcomas. Neither the antitumor activity nor the hematological toxicity of CPA were significantly influenced by BP-C3. A less pronounced effect of CPA on RBC count is demonstrated when this agent is given jointly with BP-C3.
Big Data and the American Dream
Authors: Vanneman Reeve
Published: March 2019

Reeve Vanneman interviews David Grusky.
From Apartheid to Entrepreneurship in South Africa
Authors: Marsh Kris
Published: March 2019

Kris Marsh interviews Judy Dlamini.
Disrupting the Racial Wealth Gap
Authors: Oliver Melvin L. , Shapiro Thomas M.
Published: March 2019

African-American families possess a dime for every dollar of White families’ wealth. Among policy ideas to remedy this stark racial wealth divide, baby bonds, basic income, reducing student loan debt, and federal job guarantees hold transformative potential.
Basic Income and the Pitfalls of Randomization
Authors: Calnitsky David
Published: March 2019

This essay evaluates the state of the debate around basic income, a controversial and much-discussed policy proposal. I explore its contested meaning and consider its potential impact. I provide a summary of the randomized guaranteed income experiments from the 1970s, emphasizing how experimental methods using scattered sets of isolated participants cannot capture the crucial social factors that help to explain changes in people’s patterns of work. In contrast, I examine a community experiment from the same period, where all residents of the town of Dauphin, Manitoba, were eligible for basic income payments. This “macro-experiment” sheds light on the community-level realities of basic income. I describe evidence showing that wages offered by Dauphin businesses increased. Additionally, labor market participation fell. By ignoring the social interactions that characterize real-world community contexts, randomized studies underestimate the decline in labor market participation and its impact on employers. These findings depend to a great extent on the details of the policy design, and as such I conclude that the oft-proposed right–left ideological alliance on basic income is unlikely to survive the move from basic income as a broad policy umbrella to basic income as a concrete policy option.
“Keeping Us in Our Place”: Low-Income Moms Barred From College Success
Authors: Dodson Lisa , Deprez Luisa S.
Published: March 2019

Mothers, trying to graduate their way out of poverty, describe controlling state policies and university cultures of exclusion that seem aligned in barring them from social mobility.
Wireless sensor networks and structural health monitoring: Experiences with slab track infrastructures
Authors: Cañete Eduardo , Chen Jaime , Díaz Manuel , Llopis Luis , Rubio Bartolomé
Published: March 2019

Slab track systems have the potential to become a more sustainable option for high-speed railway infrastructures than traditional ballasted tracks. Traditionally, the systems that monitor these infrastructures have been costly, but advances in the last few decades have made the use of wireless sensor networks within these infrastructures a feasible solution that can be used to evaluate their degradation for failure detection and prediction. Since the cost of these systems is steadily decreasing, it is now possible to use permanent wireless sensor networks as an integral part of the overall system to pave the way for smart infrastructures that can get real-time information about the structural health of the infrastructure at a relatively low cost. In order to show the suitability of this kind of system to monitor the structural health, three demonstrators, developed in the context of the FASTRACK project, related to the design and construction of a monitoring system for slab track systems that measures vibrations and displacements in the track, are presented. FASTRACK uses an innovative approach where data read by sensors are sent to passing trains, which are used as data mules to upload the information to a remote server. On arrival at the station, the data are stored in a database, which is queried by an application to extract relevant information by means of analysis algorithms to detect and predict failures. The first real scenario tests the limits of the system under stress situations. The second one tests the system in an actual, installed slab track to analyze the suitability of the communication architecture and to study a transition zone between slab tracks to a ballast track. The last scenario deals with the data mule performance tests.
Effect of negative-pressure wound therapy on the circulating number of peripheral endothelial progenitor cells in diabetic patients with mild to moderate degrees of ischaemic foot ulcer
Authors: Mu Shichang , Hua Qiaoqiao , Jia Yangyang , Chen Ming-Wei , Tang Yizhong , Deng Datong , He Yong , Zuo Chunlin , Dai Fang , Hu Honglin
Published: March 2019

Objective

To investigate the effect of negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) on the circulating number of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in diabetic patients with mild to moderate degrees of ischemic foot ulcer.

Methods

We selected 84 diabetic patients who had a foot ulcer with a duration of at least four weeks and who had an ankle-brachial index of 0.5–0.9. Patients were assigned to one two groups according to 2:1 randomization: NPWT group ( n = 56) and non-NPWT (patients who did not receive NPWT) group ( n = 28). The control group (NC group) was composed of 18 patients who had normal glucose tolerance and lower extremity ulcer without arteriovenous disease. NPWT was performed on the ulcer after debridement for one week for patients in both the NPWT group and the NC group, and the patients in the non-NPWT group received conventional treatment process. The circulating number of EPCs was measured before and after various treatments, and the factors influencing their changes were analysed.

Results

After NPWT, the circulating number of EPCs significantly increased in both the NPWT group and the NC group ((85.3 ± 18.1) vs. (34.1 ± 12.5)/106 cells; (119.9 ± 14.4) vs. (66.1 ± 10.6)/106 cells, both P < 0.05). In contrast, the circulating number of EPCs had no significant change in the non-NPWT group ((45.2 ± 19.4) vs. (34.7 ± 16.8)/106 cells, P > 0.05). In addition, the circulating levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the protein expressions of VEGF and stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α) in the granulation tissue significantly increased after NPWT in both the NPWT and the NC group, but there was no significant change in the non-NPWT group. Compared with the non-NPWT group, the changes in VEGF and SDF-1α levels in the sera and granulation tissue were all significantly higher in both the NPWT and NC groups ( P < 0.05, P < 0.01, respectively). There was no significant difference in changes in the circulating number of EPCs in the peripheral blood and levels of VEGF and SDF-1α in the sera and granulation tissue between the NPWT and NC groups. Correlation analysis showed that the change in the circulating number of EPCs was correlated with the changes of VEGF and SDF-1α levels in the sera and granulation of the NPWT and NC groups ( P < 0.05).

Conclusion

NPWT may increase the circulating number of EPCs in diabetic patients with mild to moderate ischaemic foot ulcer as in non-diabetic controls, which may be attributed to the upregulation of systemic and local VEGF and SDF-1α levels.
Multi-dimensional leaders’ roles and responsibilities: Dynamics, constraints and policy change in a UAE juvenile correctional educational center
Authors: Hourani Rida Blaik , Litz David , Smith Allison
Published: March 2019

This case study explores how educational leaders in a UAE juvenile correctional educational center perceive their multi-dimensional responsibilities and roles. The dynamics of leaders’ responsibilities and roles, as well as the constraints they face, are conceptualized within the paradigms of functionalism, conflict theory, and postmodernism. To track views from different perspectives, data regarding leader and faculty perceptions were gathered through individual and focus group semi-structured interviews. The findings have implications for educational improvements and policy change in relation to the UAE’s juvenile centers and other similar correctional contexts.
Broadening the Perspective on Emotional Contagion and Emotional Mimicry: The Correction Hypothesis
Authors: Wróbel Monika , Imbir Kamil K.
Published: March 2019

Emotional contagion has long been conceptualized as the automatic transfer of affective states between people, similar to the spread of diseases. New evidence, however, has challenged this view by demonstrating that emotions, contrary to diseases, spread selectively rather than blindly because their transfer is controlled by social factors. Here, we take a closer look at this top-down social control of emotional contagion. We review literature on the moderating role of social factors in emotional contagion and emotional mimicry, a process often considered a basic mechanism of emotional contagion. We argue that top-down social processes controlling emotional mimicry may be explained by the correction hypothesis formulated to account for contrast effects in priming research. We also analyze whether similar corrective processes may be involved in less automatic mechanisms of emotional contagion, such as social appraisal. Finally, we propose that the modulating effects of social factors on emotional contagion and its mechanisms, similar to priming effects, may be interpreted within the framework of dual-process theories.
The Argos project: The development of a computer‐aided detection system to improve detection of Barrett's neoplasia on white light endoscopy
Authors: de Groof Jeroen , van der Sommen Fons , van der Putten Joost , Struyvenberg Maarten R , Zinger Sveta , Curvers Wouter L , Pech Oliver , Meining Alexander , Neuhaus Horst , Bisschops Raf , Schoon Erik J , de With Peter H , Bergman Jacques J
Published: March 2019

Background

Computer‐aided detection (CAD) systems might assist endoscopists in the recognition of Barrett's neoplasia.

Aim

To develop a CAD system using endoscopic images of Barrett's neoplasia.

Methods

White light endoscopy (WLE) overview images of 40 neoplastic Barrett's lesions and 20 non‐dysplastic Barret's oesophagus (NDBO) patients were prospectively collected. Experts delineated all neoplastic images.

The overlap area of at least four delineations was labelled as the ‘sweet spot’. The area with at least one delineation was labelled as the ‘soft spot’. The CAD system was trained on colour and texture features. Positive features were taken from the sweet spot and negative features from NDBO images. Performance was evaluated using leave‐one‐out cross‐validation. Outcome parameters were diagnostic accuracy of the CAD system per image, and localization of the expert soft spot by CAD delineation (localization score) and its indication of preferred biopsy location (red‐flag indication score).

Results

Accuracy, sensitivity and specificity for detection were 92, 95 and 85%, respectively. The system localized and red‐flagged the soft spot in 100 and 90%, respectively.

Conclusion

This uniquely trained and validated CAD system detected and localized early Barrett's neoplasia on WLE images with high accuracy. This is an important step towards real‐time automated detection of Barrett's neoplasia.
Long-Term Results of Bay Window Technique for Coronary Translocation in the Arterial Switch Operation
Authors: Yashima Masafumi , Yamagishi Masaaki , Yaku Hitoshi
Published: March 2019

Background:

Accurate coronary translocation is very important for a successful arterial switch operation (ASO) for transposition of the great arteries (TGA) and to provide good long-term outcomes. We have previously reported the “bay window” technique as a useful option for coronary translocation with excellent midterm results. However, the long-term results of this technique and the morphological changes in the coronary channel have not yet been reported.

Patients and Methods:

Between September 2001 and December 2012, 33 patients with TGA underwent coronary translocation using the bay window technique concomitantly with ASO. The diagnoses were TGA with intact ventricular septum in 21, TGA with ventricular septal defect in 7, and Taussig-Bing anomaly in 5. The median age of the patients at operation was 12 days, and their median body weight was 2.93 kg. Coronary artery patterns were as follows: Shaher and Puddu’s type 1 in 23, single coronary artery in 4, intramural type in 1, and others in 5.

Results:

The median follow-up period was 4.5 years. There were no operative deaths, but there was one late death because of sepsis 13 months after ASO. Coronary artery evaluation with angiography, computed tomography, or myocardial scintigraphy was performed in 22 patients. There was no abnormal coronary morphology or perfusion. Coronary channel dilatation was not observed. Three patients underwent reoperation for pulmonary stenosis.

Conclusions:

The bay window technique provides excellent long-term results in ASO for TGA. Three-dimensional computed tomography revealed no aneurysmal changes in the bay window channel at nine-year follow-up examination.
A Novel Private–Public Hybrid Model for Treatment of Congenital Heart Disease in Mexico
Authors: Palacios-Macedo Alexis , Mery Carlos M. , Cabrera Antonio G. , Bastero Patricia , Tamariz-Cruz Orlando , Díliz-Nava Héctor , García-Benítez Luis , Pérez-Juárez Fabiola , Araujo-Martínez Aric , Mier-Martínez Moisés , March Almudena , Castañuela Violeta , Fraser Charles D.
Published: March 2019

Mortality after surgery for congenital heart disease (CHD) in Mexico is significantly higher than in high-income countries due to structural, medical, and financial factors. In Mexico, public hospitals have a large volume of patients but inadequate quality control systems, whereas private hospitals, although having higher quality control systems, have an insufficient number of patients to build programs of excellence. We describe the creation of a novel hybrid private–public program in Mexico that leverages the advantages of both sectors while establishing an integrated multidisciplinary unit that has allowed us to improve the quality of care for patients with CHD.
Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Connection Beyond the First Decade of Life
Authors: Talwar Sachin , Arora Yatin , Gupta Saurabh Kumar , Kothari Shyam Sunder , Ramakrishnan Sivasubramanian , Saxena Anita , Choudhary Shiv Kumar
Published: March 2019

Objective:

We report our experience with surgery for total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC) beyond first decade of life.

Methods:

Between January 1987 and July 2017, 98 patients ≥ten years underwent TAPVC repair. Their detailed case-records were analyzed.

Results:

Mean age was 19.05 (± 12.8; median 18) years. Anatomic subtypes were supracardiac (n = 62), cardiac (n = 20), and mixed (n = 16). An atrial septal defect (ASD) was present in all. Severe tricuspid valve regurgitation was present in four patients and severe rheumatic mitral regurgitation was present in one. On preoperative cardiac catheterization, mean pulmonary artery pressure was 67 ± 15.6 mm Hg (median 58; range 37-96). Mean pulmonary vascular resistance was 5.6 ± 3.9 Woods units·m2 (median 4.7, range 2.9-11.8). Twenty-five patients had moderate and eight had severe pulmonary arterial hypertension. Right ventricular dysfunction was present in eight patients. At repair, a small ASD was left open in 87 patients while in 11 patients, the ASD was closed using a unidirectional valved patch. Follow-up was available for 90 (92%) patients. There were no late deaths over a mean follow-up of 163 ± 103.98 months (median 163, range 1-362). Eighty-two patients were in NYHA class I and eight were in class II. Right ventricular function normalized in 82 patients while 80 patients had reduction in pulmonary artery pressure. Event-free survival was 94.2% at 5 years, 92.3% at 10 years, and 90% at 20 and 30 years.

Conclusions:

Outcomes of surgical repair for TAPVC beyond first decade of life are satisfactory. Close follow-up, however, is necessary for possible persistence of pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Use of Left Ventricular Assist Device After Arterial Switch Operation in Late Presenting D-Transposition of Great Arteries—A Technique for Retraining the Regressed Left Ventricle
Authors: Malankar Dhananjay P. , Patil Sachin , Mali Shivaji , Dhake Shyam , Soni Bharat , Kandavel Dinesh , Mhatre Amit , Bind Dilip , Garekar Swati
Published: March 2019

The preferred approach for patients with D-transposition of the great arteries with an intact ventricular septum (DTGA/IVS) is the arterial switch operation (ASO). In those patients presenting late, with regressed left ventricle (LV), successful LV preparation is of paramount importance to achieve this goal. We present a toddler with DTGA/IVS who underwent ASO followed by successful left ventricular retraining with postoperative left ventricular assist device support with CentriMag centrifugal pump.
Demystifying the Research Process: A Career Intervention With Latinas
Authors: Edirmanasinghe Natalie , Blaginin Karla
Published: March 2019

Youth participatory action research (YPAR) is a methodology in which youth and researchers collaborate to engage in research within a shared community. This article describes a career intervention conducted with Latina middle school students using YPAR in the school’s Latino community outreach program. Participating students were members of the Latina science club #CHICAS, which was founded by the school counselor. A Latina school parent and researcher collaborated to structure the YPAR exercise. This project allowed Latina students to undertake aspects of the research process within the framework of their communities’ interests, while educating the school counselor about the specific needs of the Latino community. The YPAR exercise also developed skills students could transfer to future career options, such as being able to listen to conversational Spanish while simultaneously translating and transcribing written responses in English. The program highlighted students’ ability to coordinate multiple perspectives as they were informing their school’s administrators while transparently communicating the needs of their ethnic communities. This article highlights YPAR as an effective, mutually beneficial tool for school counselors to engage their ethnically diverse student populations.
An Exploratory Study of Online Software to Support Accountability Practices
Authors: Sink Christopher A. , Adkins Clara , Cooney Myya , Garverick Tiffany
Published: March 2019

This article addresses school counselor evidence-based accountability practice by summarizing the findings of a hands-on evaluation of readily accessible, free online accountability software that can be used for data collection, management and analysis, and presentations. Using germane school data, four preservice counselors individually rated these tools and commented on their advantages and disadvantages for accountability work. We provide recommendations for data-based practice and improved training.
Area Covered for Shear Wave Velocity Calculation Affects the Shear Wave Velocity Values
Authors: Dashottar Amitabh , Montambault Erin , Betz Jeffrey R. , Evans Kevin D.
Published: March 2019

Although ultrasound elastography is established as a reliable and valid tool for assessment of skeletal muscles, guidelines around the technical specifications, data selection, and acquisition parameters still lack consensus. One such parameter is the use of the quantification box (Q-box) that calculates the shear wave velocity/modulus, within a selected region of interest (ROI). Currently, no data compare the effect of the elastographic area within the ROI to the mean shear wave velocity calculations, using a Q-box. In this study, the mean shear wave velocity calculated over a smaller (single Q-box) ROI is compared to the mean shear wave velocity calculated over maximum area of elastogram, within a ROI. Comparison of mean shear wave velocity revealed a significant difference ( t = 2.79, P = .007) between the means calculated over maximum area of elastogram for only nonuniform elastograms. The rater agreement for the classification scheme was assessed (κ = 0.85). To prevent possible overestimation of shear wave velocities, it may be necessary to place the Q-box over the maximum elastographic area.
The Founding, Evolution, and Impact of the American Council on Rural Special Education
Authors: Ault Melinda Jones , Ferguson Britt Tatman , Berry Ann B. , Hawkins-Lear Sarah , Magiera Kathleen
Published: March 2019

Interest in documenting the history and evolution of the American Council for Rural Special Education (ACRES), from the perspective of its original members, resulted in distribution of a survey and interviews. The data collected recount the original mission of ACRES and describe the organization’s impact over the past 37 years. Overarching themes that emerged from the data include the unique needs of rural special education, ACRES’s voice for rural environments, people with a passion for rural special education, and friendliness of the organization. The results identified future directions of the organization.
Effect of long-term corticosteroid treatment on microRNA and gene-expression profiles in COPD
Authors: Faiz Alen , Steiling Katrina , Roffel Mirjam P. , Postma Dirkje S. , Spira Avrum , Lenburg Marc E. , Borggrewe Malte , Eijgenraam Tim R. , Jonker Marnix R. , Koppelman Gerard H. , Pouwels Simon D. , Liu Gang , Alekseyev Yuriy O. , Lam Stephen , Hiemstra Pieter S. , Sterk Peter J. , Timens Wim , Brandsma Corry-Anke , Heijink Irene H. , van den Berge Maarten
Published: March 2019

The aim was to investigate whether microRNA (miRNA) expression is modulated by inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) treatment

We performed genome-wide miRNA analysis on bronchial biopsies of 69 moderate/severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients at baseline and after 6- and 30-month treatment with the ICS fluticasone propionate or placebo. The effect of ICS on miRNA expression was validated in differentiated primary bronchial epithelial cultures, and functional studies were conducted in BEAS-2B cells. MiRNAs affected by ICS and their predicted targets were compared to an independent miRNA dataset of bronchial brushings from COPD patients and healthy controls.

Treatment with ICS for both 6 and 30 months significantly altered the expression of four miRNAs, including miR-320d, which was increased during ICS treatment compared with placebo. The ICS-induced increase of miR-320d was confirmed in primary airway epithelial cells. MiR-320d negatively correlated targets were enriched for pro-inflammatory genes and were increased in the bronchial brushes of patients with lower lung function in the independent dataset. Overexpression of miR-320d in BEAS-2B cells dampened cigarette smoke extract-induced pro-inflammatory activityviainhibition of nuclear factor-κB.

Collectively, we identified miR-320d as a novel mediator of ICS, regulating the pro-inflammatory response of the airway epithelium.
Analysis of the MILES cohort reveals determinants of disease progression and treatment response in lymphangioleiomyomatosis
Authors: Gupta Nishant , Lee Hye-Seung , Young Lisa R. , Strange Charlie , Moss Joel , Singer Lianne G. , Nakata Koh , Barker Alan F. , Chapman Jeffrey T. , Brantly Mark L. , Stocks James M. , Brown Kevin K. , Lynch Joseph P. , Goldberg Hilary J. , Downey Gregory P. , Taveira-DaSilva Angelo M. , Krischer Jeffrey P. , Setchell Kenneth , Trapnell Bruce C. , Inoue Yoshikazu , McCormack Francis X.
Published: March 2019

Introduction

The Multicenter International Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) Efficacy of Sirolimus (MILES) trial revealed that sirolimus stabilised lung function in patients with moderately severe LAM. The purpose of this study was to further examine the MILES cohort for the effects of racial, demographic, clinical and physiological patient characteristics on disease progression and treatment response in LAM.

Methods

MILES subjects were stratified on the basis of menopausal status (pre-menopausal/post-menopausal), race (Asian/Caucasian), bronchodilator responsiveness (present/absent), initial forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1; 51–70%versus≤50% predicted) and tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) association (yes/no). A linear mixed effects model was used to compare slope differences, and nonparametric tests were used to compare medians and proportions between treatment groups in each stratum.

Results

In the MILES placebo group, pre-menopausal patients declined 5-fold faster than post-menopausal patients (mean±seFEV1slope −17±3versus−3±3 mL·month−1; p=0.003). Upon treatment with sirolimus, both the pre-menopausal (−17±3versus−1±2 mL·month−1; p<0.0001) and post-menopausal patients (−3±3versus6±3 mL·month−1; p=0.04) exhibited a beneficial response in mean±seFEV1slope compared with the placebo group. Race, LAM subtype, bronchodilator responsiveness or baseline FEV1did not impact the rate of disease progression in the placebo group or treatment response in the sirolimus group. Menopausal status and race had differential effects on the adverse event profile of sirolimus. Baseline serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-D >600 pg·mL−1identified subgroups of patients who were more likely to decline on placebo and respond to treatment with sirolimus.

Conclusions

In LAM patients, treatment with sirolimus is beneficial regardless of menopausal status, race, bronchodilator responsiveness, baseline FEV1or TSC association. Serum VEGF-D and menopausal status can help inform therapeutic decisions.