bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of aerostatic spindle radial vibration error based on microscale nonlinear dynamic characteristics
Authors: Chen Dongju , Li Na , Pan Ri , Han Jihong
Published: May 2019

This paper presents a method of predicting the radial rotary error of an aerostatic spindle based on the microscale-effect to investigate the influence of gas film fluctuation on the rotation accuracy of the aerostatic spindle. First, the gas bearing of the spindle is simplified as a spring-damping system with two degrees of freedom perpendicular to each other. Additionally, the aerostatic spindle bearing-rotor system is established by considering the forced vibration and deflection vibration of the rotor. Subsequently, the microscale-effect is introduced into the dynamic model of the gas film flow, and the dynamic Reynolds equation of the gas film is established in the microscale. Moreover, the nonlinear dynamic stiffness and dynamic damping coefficient are obtained by the perturbation method. The nonlinear dynamic parameters in the microscale are introduced into the dynamic model of the bearing-rotor system and all the vibration errors are obtained. By comparison with the conventional case, it is found that the spindle gyration error increased and that the response delay occurred when the microscale-effect is considered. Moreover, the influence of the supply pressure and speed on the vibration of the spindle is also analyzed. An experiment measuring the spindle rotation error is carried out. The experimental results reveal that the prediction method of the nonlinear spindle rotation error in the microscale is more accurate, and that the errors are 5.8% and 9.6%.
Learning to Write Through an Awareness of Breath
Authors: Yoo Joanne
Published: May 2019

Exploring writing as breath provides an escape academia’s dry scientific prose and an entry into writing’s life inspiring potential. Both breathing and writing can be regarded as life-giving and engaging acts. Breathing flows as ceaseless and continuous acts of inhaling and exhaling, stirring up life in the way a writer’s personal voice animates words. Breath, like air, is light and spacious, evasive, and carries multitudinous possibilities. By dwelling deeply within words, through breath, we can subsequently disrupt the familiar and engage in poetic and “breath-like” forms of writing, which brings us closer to its weightless and enduring dimension.
Data Engagement: A Critical Materialist Framework for Making Data in Qualitative Research
Authors: Ellingson Laura L. , Sotirin Patty
Published: May 2019

The language of “data collection” is perpetuated by disciplinary practices, as well as a pedagogical motivation to make data collection practices teachable to new generations of qualitative researchers. Interpretive and critical qualitative researchers generally bracket meta-theoretical discussion of what we do when we “collect” data, side-stepping epistemological complexities when reporting results. At the same time, we remain keenly aware that researchers bring data into being—we make it. We want to explore rather than skirt the epistemological and ontological issues involved in doing (and teaching) data collection. Yet, we differ from those postqualitative scholars who would abandon the concept of data. As a generative alternative, we promote data engagement. Drawing on intersectional feminist and other critical, materialist theorizing, we articulate a methodological practice that incorporates making, assembling, and becoming data, along with ethical commitments to pragmatism, compassion, and joy.
“When someone becomes old then every part of the body too becomes old”: Experiences of living with dementia in Kintampo, rural Ghana
Authors: Agyeman Naana , Guerchet Maëlenn , Nyame Solomon , Tawiah Charlotte , Owusu-Agyei Seth , Prince Martin J. , Mayston Rosie
Published: May 2019

Studies have suggested that in African countries, symptoms of cognitive decline are commonly seen as part of “normal ageing” or attributed to supernatural causes. The impact of folk beliefs about causality upon help-seeking is unclear. Likewise, there is a lack of evidence relating to how families cope with living with an older resident with dementia. Our study's aim was to explore the sociocultural beliefs, understandings, perceptions and behaviours relating to living with dementia in Kintampo, Ghana. We conducted in-depth interviews with a total of 28 people, using a series of case studies among 10 older people living with dementia and their families. Results revealed that symptoms of cognitive impairment were generally linked to inexorable bodily decline understood to be characteristic of “normal” ageing. Stigma was therefore perceived to be non-existent. Whilst managing the costs of care was often a challenge, care-giving was largely accepted as a filial duty, commonly shared among female residents of large compound households. Families experimented with biomedical and traditional medicine for chronic conditions they perceived to be treatable. Our findings suggest that whilst families offer a holistic approach to the needs of older people living with chronic conditions including dementia, health and social policies offer inadequate scaffolding to support this work. In the future, it will be important to develop policy frameworks that acknowledge the continued social and economic potential of older people and strengthen the existing approach of families, optimising the management of non-communicable diseases within primary care.
Axial impact behaviors of stub concrete-filled square steel tubes
Authors: Zhang YT , Shan B , Xiao Y
Published: May 2019

Existing research on the widely used concrete-filled steel tubes is mainly focused on static or cyclic loading, and the studies on effects of high strain rate are relatively rare. In this article, seven stub concrete-filled steel tubular columns with square section were tested under both static and impact loads, using a large-capacity drop-weight testing machine. The research parameters were variable height of the drop-weight and different load types. The experimental results show that the failure modes of the concrete-filled steel tube columns from the impact tests are similar with those under static load, characterized by the local buckling of the steel tube. The time history curves of impact force and steel strain were investigated. The results indicate that with increasing impact energy, the concrete-filled steel tube stub columns had a stronger impact-resistant behavior. The dynamic analysis software LS-DYNA was employed to simulate the impact behaviors of the concrete-filled steel tube specimens, and the finite element results were reasonable compared with the test results. The parameter analysis on the impact behavior of concrete-filled steel tube columns was performed using the finite element model as well. A simple method was proposed to calculate the impact strength of square concrete-filled steel tube columns and compared favorably with experimental results.
Growth and innovation of SMEs in local enterprise partnerships regions: A configurational analysis using fsQCA
Authors: Beynon Malcolm J , Jones Paul , Pickernell David , Huang Shuangfa
Published: May 2019

Local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) were introduced by the UK government in 2010 to promote local economic development. There is, however, a minimal pre-LEP baseline analysis concerning aspirations of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in LEP geographies. Employing Federation of Small Businesses 2010 data gathered before LEP policy activities began. This study examines growth and innovation intention of SMEs in LEP-defined areas. The analysis demonstrates how key internal SME strategic focus areas of staffing levels, training investment, research and development and online presence support their growth and innovation intentions. Results from fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis demonstrate that SMEs’ growth and innovation intentions and strategic areas that drive these intentions differ substantially between LEP-defined regions. This study contributes to knowledge providing baseline data outlining objectives and strategic foci of SMEs in different LEP areas, allowing LEPs to effectively evaluate programmes aligned with the requirements of their SMEs, potentially informing future policymaking.
Association of central arterial stiffness with the presence and severity of diabetic retinopathy in Asians with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Zhang Xiao , Lim Su Chi , Tavintharan Subramaniam , Yeoh Lee Ying , Sum Chee Fang , Ang Keven , Yeo Darren , Low Serena , Kumari Neelam
Published: May 2019

Objective:

Arterial stiffness has been associated with diabetic retinopathy; however, the information is limited in Asians. We aim to examine the association of central arterial stiffness with the presence and severity of diabetic retinopathy in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in Singapore.

Methods:

Arterial stiffness was estimated by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity and augmentation index using applanation tonometry method. Digital colour fundus photographs from 1,203 patients were assessed for diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy severity was categorized into non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy and proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Logistic regression model was used to evaluate the associations of diabetic retinopathy with pulse wave velocity and augmentation index.

Results:

Diabetic retinopathy was diagnosed in 391 (32.5%) patients, including 271 non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy and 108 proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy have higher pulse wave velocity (11.2 ± 3.3 vs 9.5 ± 2.6 m/s, p < 0.001) and augmentation index (28.4 ± 9.4 vs 26.1 ± 10.6%, p < 0.001) than non-diabetic retinopathy. After multivariable adjustment, pulse wave velocity [odds ratio = 1.11 (95% confidence interval = 1.05–1.17), p < 0.001] and augmentation index [odds ratio = 1.03 (95% confidence interval = 1.01–1.04), p = 0.009] was associated with diabetic retinopathy. In severity analyses, pulse wave velocity was associated with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy [odds ratio = 1.10 (95% confidence interval = 1.03–1.17), p = 0.002] and proliferative diabetic retinopathy [odds ratio = 1.15 (95% confidence interval = 1.06–1.25), p = 0.001] ( p-trend < 0.001). Augmentation index showed significant associations with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy [odds ratio = 1.02 (95% confidence interval = 1.01–1.04), p = 0.008], but not with proliferative diabetic retinopathy [odds ratio = 1.01 (95% confidence interval = 0.98–1.04), p = 0.36] ( p-trend = 0.03).

Conclusion:

Central arterial stiffness was associated with the presence and severity of diabetic retinopathy in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients, suggesting its etiologic implication in diabetic retinopathy.
An Exploration of the Link Between Bullying Perpetration and Substance Use: A Review of the Literature
Authors: Arcadepani Felipe B. , Eskenazi Deborah Y. G. , Fidalgo Thiago M. , Hong Jun Sung
Published: May 2019

Bullying and substance use are serious public health concerns. The aim of this article is to review empirical studies that examined the association between bullying perpetration and substance use among adolescence in various countries. Research studies that found a correlation between bullying perpetration and substance use in children and adolescents were reviewed. From the search, 7,844 abstracts were identified and 7,795 were excluded. Fifty-four remaining articles were reviewed, and 23 were excluded after full text review. A total of 31 articles, which all met the inclusion criteria, were considered in the review. Findings from the review suggest that children who engaged in bullying are more likely to be involved in alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug use. Substance use prevention efforts require an examination of peer dynamics and peer relationships. In addition, bullying and substance use prevention require family dynamics and how they may increase the risk of bullying and drugs abuse.
“Everyone Working a Little More Closely Together”: The Transnationalization of Creative Production in TV Production Conglomerates
Authors: van Keulen Jolien , Bauwens Joke , Krijnen Tonny
Published: May 2019

To survive contemporary developments in the TV industry and as a result of international mergers and acquisitions, production companies often form transnational media corporations. In this article, we examine TV production groups as global-local networks that pursue competitive advantages of transnational integration. Combining a critical industry studies approach with management perspectives, and building on different data sources, this article aims to open up the black box of management beliefs, discourses, and material practices within TV production networks. Our analysis shows how the industry’s hunt for profitable, reproducible practices and intellectual property (IP) rights translates into transnational creative pipelines, knowledge flows, and interdependencies. Transnational management practices include surveillance of local production, the installation of information flows, shared practices and procedures, and socialization processes. This article argues that corporate structures, strategies, and management practices coordinate TV production across borders, shape industrial practices, and foster a transnational production culture.
Production Trends, Collaboration, and Main Topics of the Integrative and Complementary Oncology Research Area: A Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Moral-Munoz Jose A. , Carballo-Costa Lidia , Herrera-Viedma Enrique , Cobo Manuel J.
Published: May 2019

Background: The prevalence of cancer has increased over time worldwide. Nevertheless, the number of deaths has been reduced during the past 2 decades. Thus, one-third of the cancer patients are users of complementary and alternative therapies, looking for other types of interventions. The main aim of the present study is to understand the current status of the research in integrative and complementary oncology. Three different aspects were analyzed: production trends, country collaboration, and leading research topics. Methods: The dataset was obtained from the documents indexed under the Integrative and Complementary Medicine category of the Web of Science database from 1976 to 2017. VOSviewer and SciMAT software were employed to perform the bibliometric analysis. Results: The Journal of Ethnopharmacology, China Medical University and the People’s Republic of China are the leading producers in the field. Regarding the collaboration, the United States and China present a close connection. The scientific community is focused on the following topics: apoptosis, breast cancer, oxidative stress, chemotherapy, and nuclear factor-Kappa-B (NF-Kappa-B). Conclusions: The present article shows potentially important information that allows understanding of the past, present, and future of research in integrative and complementary oncology. It is a useful evidence-based framework on which to base future research actions and academic directions.
Acupuncture for Hot Flashes in Cancer Patients: Clinical Characteristics and Traditional Chinese Medicine Diagnosis as Predictors of Treatment Response
Authors: Liu Wenli , Qdaisat Aiham , Lopez Gabriel , Narayanan Santhosshi , Underwood Susan , Spano Michael , Reddy Akhila , Guo Ying , Zhou Shouhao , Yeung Sai-Ching , Bruera Eduardo , Garcia M. Kay , Cohen Lorenzo
Published: May 2019

Background: Acupuncture is a recognized integrative modality for managing hot flashes. However, data regarding predictors for response to acupuncture in cancer patients experiencing hot flashes are limited. We explored associations between patient characteristics, including traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) diagnosis, and treatment response among cancer patients who received acupuncture for management of hot flashes. Methods: We reviewed acupuncture records of cancer outpatients with the primary reason for referral listed as hot flashes who were treated from March 2016 to April 2018. Treatment response was assessed using the hot flashes score within a modified Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (0-10 scale) administered immediately before and after each acupuncture treatment. Correlations between TCM diagnosis, individual patient characteristics, and treatment response were analyzed. Results: The final analysis included 558 acupuncture records (151 patients). The majority of patients were female (90%), and 66% had breast cancer. The median treatment response was a 25% reduction in the hot flashes score. The most frequent TCM diagnosis was qi stagnation (80%) followed by blood stagnation (57%). Older age ( P = .018), patient self-reported anxiety level ( P = .056), and presence of damp accumulation in TCM diagnosis ( P = .047) were correlated with greater hot flashes score reduction. Conclusions: TCM diagnosis and other patient characteristics were predictors of treatment response to acupuncture for hot flashes in cancer patients. Future research is needed to further explore predictors that could help tailor acupuncture treatments for these patients.
Developing a mouse model of acute encephalopathy using low-dose lipopolysaccharide injection and hyperthermia treatment
Authors: Kurata Hirofumi , Saito Kengo , Kawashima Fumiaki , Ikenari Takuya , Oguri Masayoshi , Saito Yoshiaki , Maegaki Yoshihiro , Mori Tetsuji
Published: May 2019

Acute encephalopathy (AE) is mainly reported in East Asia and, in most cases, results from pediatric viral infections, leading to fever, seizure, and loss of consciousness. Cerebral edema is the most important pathological symptom of AE. At present, AE is classified into four categories based on clinical and pathophysiological features, and cytokine storm-induced AE is the severest among them. The pathogenesis of AE is currently unclear; this can be attributed to the lack of a simple and convenient animal model for research. Here, we hypothesized that the induction of systemic inflammation using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection followed by hyperthermia (HT) treatment can be used to develop an animal model of cytokine storm-induced AE. Postnatal eight-day-old mouse pups were intraperitoneally injected with low-dose LPS (50 or 100 µg/kg) followed by HT treatment (41.5°C, 30 min). Histological analysis of their brains was subsequently performed. Fluorescein isothiocyanate assay combined with immunohistochemistry was used to elucidate blood–brain barrier (BBB) disruption. LPS (100 µg/kg) injection followed by HT treatment increased BBB permeability in the cerebral cortex and induced microglial activation. Astrocytic clasmatodendrosis was also evident. The brains of some pups exhibited small ischemic lesions, particularly in the cerebral cortex. Our results indicate that a low-dose LPS injection followed by HT treatment can produce symptoms of cytokine storm-induced AE, which is observed in diseases, such as acute necrotizing encephalopathy and hemorrhagic shock and encephalopathy syndrome. Thus, this mouse model can help to elucidate the pathogenetic mechanisms underlying AE.

Impact statement

Acute encephalopathy (AE), mainly reported in East Asia, is classified into four categories based on clinical and neuropathological findings. Among them, AE caused by cytokine storm is known as the severest clinical entity that causes cerebral edema with poor prognosis. Because suitable and convenient model animal of AE had not been developed, the treatment of patients with AE is not established. In the present study, we established a simple and convenient protocol to mimic AE due to cytokine storm. Our model animal should be useful to elucidate the pathogenesis of AE.
Catalyzing Research to Optimize Cancer Survivors’ Participation in Work and Life Roles
Authors: Newman Robin M. , Alfano Catherine M. , Radomski Mary Vining , Pergolotti Mackenzi , Wolf Timothy J. , Sleight Alix G. , Bryant Ashley Leak , Voelbel Gerald T. , de Moor Janet S. , Nitkin Ralph , Daniels Elvan , Braveman Brent , Walker Rachel K. , Williams Grant R. , Winters-Stone Kerri M. , Cheville Andrea L. , Campbell Scott E. , Lawlor Mary C. , King Allison A. , Ness Kirsten K. , Srivastava Piyush , Lyons Kathleen Doyle
Published: May 2019

Participation refers to a state of health in which a person is able to fully engage in roles and life situations. Adults living with and beyond cancer often report persistent participation restrictions that affect their productivity and quality of life. The American Occupational Therapy Foundation convened a group of scientists from seven different disciplines in a Planning Grant Collective (PGC) to stimulate research to identify scalable ways to preserve and optimize participation among cancer survivors. Participants identified challenges, prioritized solutions, and generated novel research questions that move beyond symptom and impairment mitigation as outcomes to identify interventions that improve participation in roles and life situations. This article summarizes the PGC discussion and recommendations regarding three challenges: (a) the dynamic and multi-faceted nature of participation, (b) a need to integrate the concept of participation within the culture of oncology, and (c) identification of priority areas in which new lines of research regarding participation would be most impactful.
Enabling real-time applications in Wi-Fi networks
Authors: Bankov Dmitry , Khorov Evgeny , Lyakhov Andrey , Sandal Mark
Published: May 2019

Being of high importance, real-time applications, such as online gaming, real-time video streaming, virtual reality, and remote-control drone and robots, introduce many challenges to the developers of wireless networks. Such applications pose strict requirements on the delay and packet loss ratio, and it is hardly possible to satisfy them in Wi-Fi networks that use random channel access. The article presents a novel approach to enable real-time communications by exploiting an additional radio. This approach was recently proposed by us in the IEEE 802.11 Working Group and attracted much attention. To evaluate its gain and to study how real-time traffic coexists with the usual one, a mathematical model is designed. The numerical results show that the proposed approach allows decreasing the losses and delays for the real-time traffic by orders of magnitude, while the throughput for the usual traffic is reduced insignificantly in comparison to existing networks.
Renal Cell Carcinoma With Extensive Tumor Thrombus Into the Inferior Vena Cava and Right Atrium in a 70-Year-Old Man
Authors: Oltean Monica-Alexandra , Matuz Roxana , Sitar-Taut Adela , Mihailov Anca , Rednic Nicolae , Tantau Alina , Toganel Razvan , Minciuna Ioan-Alexandru , Orasan Olga , Muresan Flaviu , Cozma Angela
Published: May 2019

The case of a male patient is reported, who presented with renal carcinoma and tumor thrombus in the inferior vena cava (IVC) extending from the right atrium (RA) to the bifurcation of IVC, common and external right iliac vein thrombosis, common and deep right femoral vein thrombosis, right popliteal vein thrombosis, with pulmonary and hepatic metastasis, treated with sorafenib. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC), the most common form of kidney cancer, occurs in 90% of cases and is nearly twice as common in men as in women. The diagnosis of RCC is accompanied by intravascular tumor thrombus in 10% of cases, and further extension of the tumor reaching RA is detected in approximately 1% of all patients. Therapy for advanced renal cell cancer has evolved considerably in the past decade, with new agents greeted like “buried treasure.” Before 2005, the widely used systemic agents were cytokine interferon alfa and interleukin-2, which yielded modest efficacy and substantial toxicity. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) increase progression-free survival and/or overall survival as both first-line and second-line treatments for metastatic RCC. Sorafenib is an oral multikinase inhibitor with activity against Raf-1 serine/threonine kinase, B-Raf, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2), platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR), FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT-3), and c-KIT.
Interactive Effect of Probiotics Supplementation and Weight Loss Diet on Metabolic Syndrome Features in Patients With Coronary Artery Diseases: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Moludi Jalal , Alizadeh Mohammad , Behrooz Maryam , Maleki Vahid , Seyed Mohammadzad Mir Hossein , Golmohammadi Ali
Published: May 2019

Background. Nutrition and probiotics supplementation are considered as nondrug strategies for the control of coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim of the present study was to investigate the interactive effects of probiotic supplementation and weight loss program on anthropometric and metabolic syndrome (MetS) indices in patients with CAD. Methods. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was performed in 44 overweight CAD patients. All the patients received weight loss program (5% to 10% of initial body weight) throughout the study course. The subjects were randomly assigned into intervention or placebo groups (n = 22, each) and received a probiotic or maltodextrin capsule/day, respectively, for 12 consecutive weeks. Anthropometric and MetS indices were assessed. Results. There was a significant decrease in total cholesterol (−30.7 ± 49.83 vs −5.9 ± 65 mmol/L, P = .043) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (−25.64 ± 51.7 vs −5.44 ± 70.1 mg/dL, P = .049) in the probiotic group compared to the placebo group. Other MetS feature indices and blood pressure did not differ significantly within or between groups. Conclusion. Probiotics supplementation improved total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol but had no effect on other lipid profile parameters and anthropometric indices. The weight loss diet plus probiotics supplementations resulted in more favorable decrease of cardiovascular risk factors compared to a weight loss program alone.
The association between platelet/lymphocyte ratio, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, and carotid artery stenosis and stroke following carotid endarterectomy
Authors: Deşer Serkan Burç , Yucel Semih Murat , Demirag Mustafa Kemal , Guclu Muzaffer Murat , Kolbakir Fersat , Keceligil Hasan Tahsin
Published: May 2019

Objectives

Platelet/lymphocyte ratio is considered to be a recent biomarker which is not only related with inflammation but also associated with the atherosclerotic process. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between carotid artery stenosis, platelet/lymphocyte ratio, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, and mean platelet volume in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy.

Methods

A total of 160 patients (127 males, 33 females; mean age 69.98 ± 9.76 years; range 48–92 years), who were undergoing carotid endarterectomy due to severe carotid artery stenosis, were evaluated and compared with 201 patients (140 males, 61 females, mean age 66.30 ± 9.24 years, range 41–90 years) without severe carotid artery stenosis. The patients were divided into four groups with respect to the carotid artery stenosis as: Group I (<50% stenosis), Group II (50–70% stenosis), Group III (70–90% stenosis), and Group IV (90–99% stenosis).

Results

Platelet/lymphocyte ratio, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and mean platelet volume were found higher in Group IV (patients with severe carotid artery stenosis) (p < 0.01) and were positively correlated with the degree of stenosis (p < 0.01). Platelet/lymphocyte ratio is an independent predictor for post operative stroke (p = 0.047) at multivariate analysis. A threshold level of 145.304 of platelet/lymphocyte ratio combined with a sensitivity 83.3% and specificity 73.8% (95% CI, 0.802–0.921, area under the curve = 0.862 ± 0.03; p = 0.002) for the identification of post operative stroke.

Conclusions

This retrospective study suggests that platelet/lymphocyte ratio in the blood which was taken preoperatively could be considered as an additional, easy, and inexpensive method to predict a possible higher incidence of postoperative stroke after carotid endarterectomy.
The serum level of CC chemokine ligand 18 correlates with the prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Huang Hui , Li Jing , Hu Wen-jia , Chen Chen , Luo Hai-qing , Tang Xu-dong , Zhou Ke-yuan , Zhong Wang-tao , Li Xiang-yong
Published: May 2019

Background:

CC chemokine ligand 18 (CCL18) is a chemotactic cytokine involved in the pathogenesis and progression of various cancers. Our previous research showed that the expression of CCL18 is obviously higher in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) than in the adjacent normal tissues, suggesting its role in NSCLC.

Methods:

We further examined the serum level of CCL18 in 80 NSCLC patients with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and simultaneously analyzed the survival curve of these patients by the Kaplan–Meier method, and then utilized a log-rank test to evaluate the correlation of CCL18 expression with the malignant progression of NSCLC.

Results:

Our results showed that the median serum concentration of CCL18 was significantly elevated to 436.11 ng/mL in NSCLC patients compared to 41.97 ng/ml in healthy people ( P<0.01), which was also positively related to the expression of lung cancer biomarkers carcinoma–embryonic antigen and cytokeratin fragment antigen 21-1. Moreover, correlation analysis showed that an increased level of serum CCL18 was associated with a worse survival time in NSCLC patients.

Conclusion:

Our findings suggest that the serum CCL18 level of NSCLC patients was negatively correlated with the prognosis, thus suggesting that CCL18 may serve as a potential circulating biomarker for NSCLC diagnosis.
Adjuvant therapy for pancreatic body or tail adenocarcinoma: a study of the National Cancer Database
Authors: Seaton Max , Hanna Andrew , Boutros Cherif , Hanna Nader
Published: May 2019

Background:

The optimal multimodality therapy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma in the body or tail of the pancreas (PDAC-BT) is unclear. The purpose of this study was to compare overall 5-year survival between patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy, adjuvant chemoradiation, and surgery alone.

Methods:

Patients from the National Cancer Database (1998–2012) with resected stage I or II PDAC-BT were included. Overall survival between the three treatment groups was compared using Cox proportional-hazards regression, propensity-score matching, and the Kaplan–Meier method.

Results:

Of the 700 patients included in the analysis, 189 (27%) were treated with chemotherapy, 226 (32%) were treated with chemoradiation, and 285 (41%) were treated with surgery alone. Chemoradiation was associated with higher survival than surgery alone [adjusted hazard ratio (HRadj): 0.67; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.54, 0.84; p = 0.001], but there was no difference between chemotherapy and chemoradiation (HRadj: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.65, 1.05; p = 0.115). In propensity-score matched cohorts, median survival was 24.1 months (95% CI: 20.4, 28.4) with chemotherapy and 25.4 months (95% CI: 22.1, 31.7) with chemoradiation (log-rank p = 0.122). Among patients with positive resection margins, chemoradiation was associated with higher survival compared with chemotherapy (HRadj: 0.54; 95% CI: 0.32, 0.92; p = 0.022). In this subgroup of the propensity-score matched cohorts, median survival was 9.5 months (95% CI: 8.4, 16.0) with chemotherapy and 18.3 months (95% CI: 11.6, 26.3) with chemoradiation (log-rank p = 0.011).

Conclusion:

In patients with resected pancreatic body or tail adenocarcinoma, adjuvant chemoradiation was associated with higher survival compared with surgery alone. Among patients with positive resection margins, adjuvant chemoradiation was associated with higher survival compared with adjuvant chemotherapy.
Analysis of Histopathological Endotyping for Chronic Rhinosinusitis Phenotypes Based on Comorbid Asthma and Allergic Rhinitis
Authors: Radabaugh Jeffrey P. , Han Joseph K. , Moebus Rachel G. , Somers Evan , Lam Kent
Published: May 2019

Background

An emerging trend in clinical research has centered on improving the characteristics of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) according to phenotypes and endotypes. The objective of this study is to utilize histopathological markers to better characterize CRS phenotypes that are defined by the presence or absence of comorbid bronchial asthma (BA) and allergic rhinitis (AR).

Methods

A prospective case-controlled study of CRS patients was conducted. For the CRS cohort, mucosal biopsies were obtained during endoscopic sinus surgery, while samples of ethmoid mucosa were collected in control patients undergoing endoscopic skull base surgery. Histopathological analysis of tissue samples determined the relative frequency of inflammatory cell types, including eosinophils, lymphocytes, neutrophils, mast cells, and plasma cells. The presence and absence of comorbid BA and AR were used to further divide CRS, allowing for further subgroup analysis.

Results

Of 82 recruited patients, there were 67 CRS patients and 15 controls. Significantly increased eosinophil ratios were found in CRS patients with AR, BA, or both, when compared with controls ( P < .001). Conversely, CRS patients with neither comorbid diagnosis failed to demonstrate statistically significant elevations in eosinophil ratios ( P > .05). Lymphocyte ratios showed a significantly inverse correlation with trends demonstrated by eosinophil ratios in all patient subgroups ( P < .001). Neutrophil, mast cell, and plasma cell ratios did not show significant differences across the evaluated subgroups.

Conclusions

The clinical diagnosis of comorbid BA and AR may aid in better characterizing CRS endotypes without invasive testing and better direct management of the disease.
Therapeutic inertia in type 2 diabetes: prevalence, causes, consequences and methods to overcome inertia
Authors: Khunti Sachin , Khunti Kamlesh , Seidu Samuel
Published: May 2019

Early glycaemic control leads to better outcomes, including a reduction in long-term macrovascular and microvascular complications. Despite good-quality evidence, glycaemic control has been shown to be inadequate globally. Therapeutic inertia has been shown present in all stages of treatment intensification, from the first oral antihyperglycaemic drug (OAD), all the way to the initiation of insulin. The causes and possible solutions to the problem of therapeutic inertia are complex but can be understood better when viewed from the perspective of the providers [healthcare professionals (HCPs)], patients and healthcare systems. In this review, we will discuss the possible aetiologies, consequences and solutions of therapeutic inertia, drawing upon evidence from published literature on the subject of type 2 diabetes.
Liberal and Conservative Representations of the Good Society: A (Social) Structural Topic Modeling Approach
Authors: Sterling Joanna , Jost John T. , Hardin Curtis D.
Published: May 2019

What, in the 21st century, is our vision of the “good society,” and what are the obstacles to its realization? What is the ideal mix of equality and tradition, individual initiative and social welfare, economic prosperity and environmental responsibility, national unity and respect for diversity? Research suggests that liberals and conservatives differ considerably in the prioritization of these values, but nearly all of this research makes use of closed-ended responses to questionnaire items. To examine ideological similarities and dissimilarities in value expression and social representation when it comes to relatively open-ended communication in online social media networks, we used quantitative text-analytic methods to analyze more than 3.8 million messages sent by over 1 million Twitter users about what constitutes a good (vs. bad) society. Results revealed a fairly high degree of ideological divergence: Liberals were more likely to raise themes of social justice, global inequality, women’s rights, racism, criminal justice, health care, poverty, progress, social change, personal growth, and environmental sustainability, whereas conservatives were more likely to mention religion, social order, business, capitalism, national symbols, immigration, and terrorism, as well as individual authorities and news organizations. There were also some areas of convergence: Liberals, moderates, and conservatives were equally likely to prioritize economic prosperity, family, community, and the pursuit of health, happiness, and freedom.
Epidemiology and Impact of Prior Musculoskeletal Injury and Orthopaedic Surgery on Draft Rank, Availability, and Short-term Performance in Major League Baseball: A Summary Analysis and Matched Cohort of 1890 Predraft Players
Authors: Ramkumar Prem N. , Navarro Sergio M. , Luu Bryan C. , Haeberle Heather S. , Karnuta Jaret M. , Stearns Kim L. , Soloff Lonnie , Frangiamore Salvatore J. , Schickendantz Mark S.
Published: May 2019

Background:

Despite the many reports of injury rates in Major League Baseball (MLB), little is known about the epidemiology or impact of prior musculoskeletal injuries and surgical procedures among players entering the MLB draft.

Purpose:

To determine the (1) epidemiology of all musculoskeletal injuries and surgical procedures among players entering the MLB draft, (2) impact of injury or surgery on draft rank, (3) impact of injury or surgery on availability within the first 2 years of play in the MLB, and (4) impact of injury or surgery on performance.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

We retrospectively reviewed 1890 medical records that were completed by MLB team physicians as preparticipation physical assessment prior to the draft from 2014 to 2018. Players were divided into 3 groups: noninjured, nonoperative, and operative. Draft status, overall draft rank, missed games, batting average, and earned run average for the first 2 seasons of MLB play were obtained for all available players. Players across all 3 groups were compared with linear, logistic, and beta regression models, controlling for age, position, injury status, and draft rank. Unadjusted differences among groups were assessed with 1-way analysis of variance.

Results:

Overall, 750 position players and 1140 pitchers were included, of whom 22.8% had no reported injury history; 48.8% reported injury treated nonoperatively; and 28.5% were treated operatively. The most common predraft injuries were elbow tendinitis (n = 312), ulnar collateral ligament injury (n = 212), and shoulder labral tear (n = 76). The most common predraft treatments were physical therapy (n = 922), ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction (n = 115), and fracture fixation (n = 69). Of the 1890 players, 719 were drafted and played for at least 2 years. No difference was found among noninjured, nonoperative, and operative groups in terms of draft rank, games missed, or performance. Players with a nonoperative injury had a decreased odds ratio of being drafted (0.738; P = .017).

Conclusion:

More than half of the players entering the MLB reported a history of musculoskeletal injury requiring treatment, and the most commonly affected joints were the shoulder and elbow. Musculoskeletal history did not affect draft rank, short-term availability, or performance for MLB prospects.
Barriers to Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease Guideline Recommendations
Authors: Cabana Michael D. , Kanter Julie , Marsh Anne M. , Treadwell Marsha J. , Rowland Michael , Stemmler Peggy , Bardach Naomi S.
Published: May 2019

National guidelines recommend that providers counsel all patients with sickle cell anemia about hydroxyurea (HU) therapy and screen children with sickle cell anemia annually for the risk of stroke with transcranial Doppler (TCD). We surveyed a national convenience sample of sickle cell disease clinicians to assess factors associated with low adherence. Adherence was 46% for TCD screening. Low adherence was associated with a lack of outcome expectancy (eg, a belief that there would be poor patient follow-up to TCD testing; P < .05). Adherence was 72% for HU counseling. Practice barriers (eg, lack of support staff or time) and a lack of agreement with HU recommendations were associated with low adherence ( P < .05). This study demonstrates that different types of strategies are needed to improve TCD screening (to address follow-up and access to testing) versus HU counseling (to address physician agreement and practice barriers).
The limits of legislative change: Moving beyond inclusion/exclusion to create ‘a life worth living’
Authors: Browne Kath , Banerjea Niharika , McGlynn Nick , Bakshi Leela , Beethi Sumita , Biswas Ranjita
Published: May 2019

While the spatializations of social exclusion have long been critically assessed, legislative responses to these exclusions have also been found to be limited. Addressing the exclusions of Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans* and Queer people, social inclusions in the form of equalities legislations have been used as a marker of ‘progress’ and development, creating neo-colonial geographic comparisons between the legal and policy regimes of different contexts. Taking a decolonial optic, this paper shows that even in one of the most progressive legislative contexts – England – equalities legislation is differentially implemented, and indeed resisted by some local government organizations creating what we term as an implementation gap. This paper uses liveability as an understanding of the importance of recognition that does not proscribe restrictions, while also seeking ‘a life that is a life’. It works across India and the UK to create transnational thinking that seeks commonalities without negating difference, showing that liveability enables both an articulation of Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans* and Queer people’s ongoing unease in England, and a counter-narrative to reductive readings of legislative oppression in India. In both countries, liveability refuses to negate the possibilities of legislation, but neither does it become beholden to them. Liveability, it is argued, has the potential to discursively unlink a naturalized linkage between sexual sub/ab/jects and a progress/backward binary. The paper concludes that liveable lives are fluid, contingent and can be precarious even with recognition. A decolonial optic refuses to place precarity in the ‘Backward Global South’ and recognition in the ‘progressive Global North’. Instead commonalities between Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans* and Queer lives query these assumptions and associated hierarchical politics of ‘saving’ ‘backward’ nations. This has the potential to deepen demands for social justice, in ways that do not abandon legislative reforms, but go beyond them to seek lives that are ‘worth living’, including through transnational interconnections and solidarities.
Workplace segregation of rural migrants in urban China: A case study of Shenzhen using cellphone big data
Authors: Zhou Xingang , Chen Zifeng , Yeh Anthony GO , Yue Yang
Published: May 2019

Studies of socio-spatial segregation in recent decades have shifted the focus from residential areas to people’s workplaces and other activity places. This study attempts to elucidate workplace segregation using cellular network data and to examine urban China with a special focus on the segregation of rural migrants, using residents living in the migrant enclaves of urban villages as a proxy. Furthermore, this study identifies factors that affect the variations of workplace segregation. The study shows that rural migrants who work in manufacturing industries and live in suburban areas suffer from higher workplace segregation from other social groups compared with those who work in service jobs and reside in the central-city areas, indicating that migrant enclaves in central-city areas play a significant role in housing rural migrants. It provides them with considerable access to service jobs and, thus, alleviates workplace segregation. Our results show that the use of big data can effectively capture the dynamics of population composition in activity places and provide a useful perspective for a deeper understanding of socio-spatial segregation.
Immunogenicity and safety of 4 vs. 3 standard doses of HBV vaccination in HIV-infected adults with isolated anti-HBc antibody
Authors: Laksananun Nattinee , Praparattanapan Jutarat , Kotarathititum Wilai , Supparatpinyo Khuanchai , Chaiwarith Romanee
Published: May 2019

Background

Presence of isolated anti-HBc antibody is common in HIV-infected patients in endemic areas and could be caused by prior HBV infection with loss of anti-HBs antibody. The role of vaccination in these patients remains controversial and is based largely on limited and low quality data. We, therefore, conducted this study to determine immunogenicity and safety of 4 vs. 3 standard doses of HBV vaccination in HIV-infected adults with isolated anti-HBc antibody.

Methods

An open-label, randomized controlled trial was conducted among HIV-infected patients visiting HIV clinic of the Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand between July and September 2017. Inclusion criteria included ≥ 18 years of age, currently on a stable antiretroviral regimen, CD4+ cell count ≥ 200 cells/mm3, plasma HIV-1 RNA < 20 copies/mL, and isolated anti-HBc antibody. The participants were randomized to receive either 3 standard doses (20 µg at month 0, 1, 6) or 4 standard-doses (20 µg at month 0, 1, 2, 6) of IM HBV vaccination, and were evaluated for anamnestic response at week 4 and vaccine response at week 28.

Results

Of the 97 patients screened, 54 (32 male, mean age of 46 years) were enrolled and 27 were allocated to each of the vaccination groups. Anamnestic response occurred in 25.9% vs. 33.3% in 3-dose group vs. 4-dose group, respectively (p = 0.551). The vaccine response rates at week 28 were 85.2% in 3-dose group vs. 88.9% in 4-dose group (p = 1.000); geometric mean titer of anti-HBs antibody at week 28 was 63.8 and 209.8 mIU/mL in 3-dose group and 4-dose group, respectively (p = 0.030). No adverse events were reported.

Conclusions

An anamnestic response occurred in one-third of Thai HIV-infected patients with isolated anti-HBc antibody who received one dose of HBV vaccination; however, the majority were still unprotected. The use of either 3 or 4 standard-doses of vaccination was highly effective and should be recommended in all HIV-infected individuals with isolated anti-HBc antibody.

Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov; NCT03212911. Registered 11 July 2019, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03212911
Consolidating rock-physics classics: A practical take on granular effective medium models
Authors: Allo Fabien
Published: May 2019

Granular effective medium (GEM) models rely on the physics of a random packing of spheres. Although the relative simplicity of these models contrasts with the complex texture of most grain-based sedimentary rocks, their analytical form makes them easier to apply than numerical models designed to simulate more complex rock structures. Also, unlike empirical models, they do not rely on data acquired under specific physical conditions and can therefore be used to extrapolate beyond available observations. In addition to these practical considerations, the appeal of GEM models lies in their parameterization, which is suited for a quantitative description of the rock texture. As a result, they have significantly helped promote the use of rock physics in the context of seismic exploration for hydrocarbon resources by providing geoscientists with tools to infer rock composition and microstructure from sonic velocities. Over the years, several classic GEM models have emerged to address modeling needs for different rock types such as unconsolidated, cemented, and clay-rich sandstones. We describe how these rock-physics models, pivotal links between geology and seismic data, can be combined into extended models through the introduction of a few additional parameters (matrix stiffness index, cement cohesion coefficient, contact-cement fraction, and laminated clays fraction), each associated with a compositional or textural property of the rock. A variety of real data sets are used to illustrate how these parameters expand the realm of seismic rock-physics diagnostics by increasing the versatility of the extended models and facilitating the simulation of plausible geologic variations away from the wells.