bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Angiotensin‐Converting Enzyme Inhibitors or Angiotensin Receptor Blockers Use and COVID‐19 Infection Among 824 650 Patients With Hypertension From a US Integrated Healthcare System
Authors: An Jaejin , Wei Rong , Zhou Hui , Luong Tiffany Q. , Gould Michael K. , Mefford Matthew T. , Harrison Teresa N. , Creekmur Beth , Lee Ming‐Sum , Sim John J. , Brettler Jeffrey W. , Martin John P. , Ong‐Su Angeline L. , Reynolds Kristi
Published: December 2020

Background

Previous reports suggest that the use of angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) may upregulate angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 receptors and increase severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infectivity. We evaluated the association between ACEI or ARB use and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) infection among patients with hypertension.

Methods and Results

We identified patients with hypertension as of March 1, 2020 (index date) from Kaiser Permanente Southern California. Patients who received ACEIs, ARBs, calcium channel blockers, beta blockers, thiazide diuretics (TD), or no therapy were identified using outpatient pharmacy data covering the index date. Outcome of interest was a positive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction test for COVID‐19 between March 1 and May 6, 2020. Patient sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were identified within 1 year preindex date. Among 824 650 patients with hypertension, 16 898 (2.0%) were tested for COVID‐19. Of those tested, 1794 (10.6%) had a positive result. Overall, exposure to ACEIs or ARBs was not statistically significantly associated with COVID‐19 infection after propensity score adjustment (odds ratio [OR], 1.06; 95% CI, 0.90–1.25) for ACEIs versus calcium channel blockers/beta blockers/TD; OR, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.91–1.31 for ARBs versus calcium channel blockers/beta blockers/TD). The associations between ACEI use and COVID‐19 infection varied in different age groups (
P
‐interaction=0.03). ACEI use was associated with lower odds of COVID‐19 among those aged ≥85 years (OR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.12–0.77). Use of no antihypertensive medication was significantly associated with increased odds of COVID‐19 infection compared with calcium channel blockers/beta blockers/TD (OR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.11–1.56).

Conclusions

Neither ACEI nor ARB use was associated with increased likelihood of COVID‐19 infection. Decreased odds of COVID‐19 infection among adults ≥85 years using ACEIs warrants further investigation.
Description of a new Caliphaea species from Yunnan, China (Odonata: Calopterygidae)
Authors: ZHANG HAO-MIAO , HÄMÄLÄINEN MATTI
Published: December 2020

A new calopterygid species Caliphaea hermannkunzi sp. nov. (holotype ♂ China, Yunnan Province, Lufeng County, Chuxiong City, Gaofeng village, 10 June 2019) is described and illustrated for both sexes and compared with its named congeners, from which it differs in the colour pattern of synthorax and the structure of the male anal appendages.
A new catfish species of Microcambeva Costa & Bockmann 1994 (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) from a coastal basin in Rio de Janeiro State, southeastern Brazil
Authors: DE MEDEIROS LUCAS SILVA , MOREIRA CRISTIANO RANGEL , DE PINNA MÁRIO , LIMA SERGIO MAIA QUEIROZ
Published: December 2020

Microcambeva bendego, a small psammophilous catfish species, is described from the rio Guapi-Macacu basin at Guanabara Bay in Rio de Janeiro State, an Atlantic Forest remnant. This coastal drainage has been explored by several naturalists and fish researchers since the 19th century. It is a drainage with remarkably high endemism and species richness, and some recently-described and threatened species. The new species is distinguished from all congeners by two distinctive characters: long finger-like projections in the branchial isthmus and a large opercular patch of odontodes with 19 odontodes. Due to the paucity of specimens (n=3) osteological features of the new species were accessed by CT-Scan images of the holotype. Microcambeva bendego shares putative synapomorphies with two congeners, M. ribeirae and M. filamentosa, such as the fusion of supraorbital pore s6, the absence of ossification in the anterior autopalatine cartilage, the presence of an elongated and wide posterior process of the autopalatine, and a concavity on the dorsal process of the opercle. Those characters suggest that M. bendego is more closely related to those two species from the rio Ribeira de Iguape basin than to other congeners. The biogeography and conservation status of M. bendego are also discussed.
CYGNSS Ocean Surface Wind Validation in the Tropics
Authors: Asharaf Shakeel , Waliser Duane E. , Posselt Derek J. , Ruf Christopher S. , Zhang Chidong , Putra Agie W.
Published: December 2020

Surface wind plays a crucial role in many local/regional weather and climate processes, especially through the exchanges of energy, mass, and momentum across Earth’s surface. However, there is a lack of consistent observations with continuous coverage over the global tropical ocean. To fill this gap, the NASA Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) mission was launched in December 2016, consisting of a constellation of eight small spacecrafts that remotely sense near-surface wind speed over the tropical and subtropical oceans with relatively high sampling rates both temporally and spatially. This current study uses data obtained from the Tropical Moored Buoy Arrays to quantitatively characterize and validate the CYGNSS derived winds over the tropical Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans. The validation results show that the uncertainty in CYGNSS wind speed, as compared with these tropical buoy data, is less than 2 m s−1 root-mean-square difference, meeting the NASA science mission level-1 uncertainty requirement for wind speeds below 20 m s−1. The quality of the CYGNSS wind is further assessed under different precipitation conditions, and in convective cold-pool events, identified using buoy rain and temperature data. Results show that CYGNSS winds compare fairly well with buoy observations in the presence of rain, though at low wind speeds the presence of rain appears to cause a slight positive wind speed bias in the CYGNSS data. The comparison indicates the potential utility of the CYGNSS surface wind product, which in turn may help to unravel the complexities of air–sea interaction in regions that are relatively undersampled by other observing platforms.
Do Obese Breast Cancer Patients Have More Complications and a Longer Length of Stay After Mastectomy Than Nonobese Patients?
Authors: Wang Melinda , Huang Julian , Chagpar Anees B.
Published: December 2020

Background

While obesity is thought to increase complication rates in general surgery procedures, its effect in mastectomy patients remains to be fully elucidated. We sought to determine if obesity is associated with a higher complication rate and length of stay after mastectomy, independent of clinicopathologic and treatment factors.

Methods

Medical records of breast cancer patients undergoing mastectomy at our institution between January 2010 and December 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were separated into obese (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 30) and nonobese (BMI < 30) categories and compared using nonparametric statistical analyses.

Results

Of 927 patients, 291 (31.2%) were obese. Obese patients had more complications (26.5% vs. 20.0%, P = 0.033) and a greater number of complications per patient ( P = 0.025) than nonobese patients. They were more likely to have infections (10.7% vs. 5.7%, P = .009), flap thrombosis/necrosis (5.5% vs. 2.4%, P = .018), and skin breakdown/wound complications (8.6% vs. 4.6%, P = .022). Additionally, obese patients had longer hospital length of stay (LOS; LOS > 2 days: 77.7% vs. 65.2%, P < .001). Controlling for potential confounders, obesity remained associated with a higher rate of thrombosis/necrosis of flap (odds ratio [OR] = 2.26; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-5.08; P = .047) and LOS ≥ 2 days (OR = 1.82; 95% CI 1.23-2.69; P = .003).

Conclusion

Obese breast cancer patients undergoing mastectomy have more thrombosis/necrosis of flap and a longer hospital LOS than nonobese patients, regardless of other comorbidities and clinicopathologic/treatment factors.
Actuator fault-based integrated control for vehicle chassis system
Authors: Sun Jinwei , Cong Jingyu , Zhao Weihua , Zhang Yonghui
Published: December 2020

An integrated fault tolerant controller is proposed for vehicle chassis system. Based on the coupled characteristics of vertical and lateral system, the fault tolerant controller mainly concentrates on the cooperative control of controllable suspension and lateral system with external disturbances and actuator faults. A nine-DOF coupled model is developed for fault reconstruction and accurate control. Firstly, a fault reconstruction mechanism based on sliding mode is introduced; when the sliding mode achieves, actuator fault signals can be observed exactly through selecting appropriate gain matrix and equivalent output injection term. Secondly, an active suspension controller, a roll moment controller and a stability controller is developed respectively; the integrated control strategy is applied to the system under different driving conditions: when the car is traveling straightly, the main purpose of the integrated strategy is to improve the vertical performance; the lateral controller including roll moment control and stability control will be triggered when there is a steering angle input. Simulations experiments verify the performance enhancement and stability of the proposed controller under three different driving conditions.
“Under your inspired leadership”: Dwight Eisenhower, Canadians, and the Canada–United States consensus, 1945–1961
Authors: McKercher Asa , Stevenson Michael D.
Published: December 2020

Drawing on newspaper and archival sources, this article examines post-war Canadian attitudes towards Dwight D. Eisenhower, particularly during his time in office as the United States President from 1953 to 1961. Eisenhower emerged from the Second World War as a trusted figure for many Canadians due to his inspiring leadership of the Allied cause. Once in the White House, however, his reputation began to suffer, and public opinion in Canada increasingly questioned core elements of the traditional Canada–United States relationship and America's ability to lead the Western alliance during a period of heightening Cold War tensions.
Properties and characterization of novel 3D jute reinforced natural fibre aluminium laminates
Authors: Hussain M , Imad A , Saouab A , Kanit T , Nawab Y , Herbelot C , Kashif M
Published: December 2020

Fibre metal laminates (FML) are being used in automotive, aerospace and naval applications due to their light weight and superior performance. The FMLs are made by sandwiching composite with metal. The environmental concerns due to non-biodegradability of such structures, lead to the development of FML containing natural fibre composites. Natural fibres composite, despite having good damping properties have overall poor mechanical properties. However, this aspect can be improved by weaving the fibres in 3 D pattern. In literature, FML made using 3 D woven jute composites is never reported. Furthermore, no literature is found on adhesion of natural fibre composite-metal bonding. In this paper, development of novel 3 D Jute Reinforced natural fibre Aluminium Laminates (JuRALs) is reported. Furthermore, the effect of 3 D weaving pattern and metal-composite bonding on mechanical properties and failure mechanism of the developed samples is also discussed in detail. The four-layered 3 D woven Jute fabric reinforcement was made using four interlocking patterns. The composites and JuRALs were fabricated using epoxy resin by vacuum infusion technique. The surface of aluminium was treated using phosphoric acid anodizing. Tensile, flexural and T-peel tests were performed according to ASTM testing method using Z100 All-round, Zwick Roell. The results showed that out of four types of used reinforcements, the through-thickness composites had better tensile properties while layer-to-layer composite had better flexural properties. The tensile and flexural properties of JuRALs made with through-thickness interlock reinforcement were better as compared to layer-to-layer interlock reinforcement. The T-peel results depicted that the constituent materials influenced the metal-composite adhesion properties, rather the type of 3 D structure.
Framing work and welfare: Insights from the growing relevance of company welfare in Italy
Authors: Gasparri Stefano
Published: December 2020

This article applies the concept of frames of reference to contemporary work and welfare dynamics by focusing on the growing relevance of company welfare in Italy after the 2008 crisis. The analysis considers how this occurred along three phases: in the first, a path-breaking case, Luxottica, demonstrates the potential of company welfare; then, Renzi’s government promotes company welfare through tax breaks; finally, trade unions try to affect the diffusion of company welfare, displaying contrasting ideologies as well as pragmatic joint solutions in the process. Overall, two contiguous sub-frames – consultative unitarism and collaborative pluralism – offer the mainstream justification to the events and the policy debate around them, a debate in which the industrial relations scholarship played a key role. However, a critical interpretation is present too, suggesting that the relevance of company welfare is driven by the mobilisation of a political and economic elite and results in few cases of positive employment relations alongside broad social and economic imbalances.
Ethnic variability in mortality from ischaemic heart disease/cardiomegaly in Malaysia
Authors: Ly Chng Kay , Nadesan Kasinathan , Samberkar Snehlata P , Byard Roger W , Samberkar Prashant Naresh
Published: December 2020

The prevalence of ischaemic heart disease with associated cardiomegaly and other chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus has increased in Malaysia in recent years. As the contribution to mortality from ischaemic heart disease/cardiomegaly in different ethnic populations is unclear, a three year (January 2013–December 2015) retrospective study of autopsy cases was undertaken at the Department of Forensic Pathology, University Malaya Medical Centre. There were 80 cases with lethal ischaemic heart diseases/cardiomegaly. The age range was 30–69 years (mean 50.19 years) with a male to female ratio of 39:01. The most vulnerable age was 50–59 years accounting for 38.75% of cases. Malays accounted for 15% of cases, Indians for 32.5% and Chinese for 36.25%. Although in 35 cases (43.75%) there was a history suggestive of ischaemic heart disease, the remaining 45 cases (56.25%) were apparently healthy until the terminal collapse. It appears that Indian males in the 50–59 year age range are most at risk for lethal cardiac events in this population, most often with no preceding symptoms or signs. The study demonstrates the value of studying subpopulations for disease risk rather than relying on accrued general population data.
Alcohol and Flourishing for Australian Women in Midlife: A Qualitative Study of Negotiating (Un)Happiness
Authors: Foley Kristen M , Warin Megan , Meyer Samantha B , Miller Emma R , Ward Paul R
Published: December 2020

This article responds to calls for empirically grounded and critically analytical research on the sociology of happiness. We explore how 35 Australian women in midlife (45–64 years) navigate alcohol use in the context of gendered lifecourses. In response to emerging themes around happiness in and through alcohol consumption during inductive analysis, data were re-analysed using neo-Aristotlean notions of flourishing. This illuminated alcohol consumption for women in midlife vis-á-vis moment-in-time pleasure, lifecourse happiness and management of gendered constraints. Drawing on Ahmed’s concepts of ‘affective economies’ and ‘happiness and unhappiness archives’ we contemporise Aristotle’s notion of flourishing and argue that changing structures of feeling for women in midlife give rise to differing emotions that attach to alcohol use. Understanding the affective reasons for alcohol consumption among this population provides new avenues to think about how alcohol consumption is purposed by women to make and make do with (un)happiness during midlife.
Experimental and numerical study of helical auxetic yarns
Authors: Gao Yajie , Chen Xiaogang , Studd Rachel
Published: December 2020

Auxetic materials, including textiles, exhibit a negative Poisson’s ratio (NPR), which is of interest for many applications. This research aims to optimize the structural parameters of helical auxetic yarns (HAYs) and to evaluate the auxetic performance of these yarns. The research reports on the improvement of auxetic yarn quality and the yarn auxeticity through studying the effect of helical angles, diameter ratio and tensile moduli of the two plies, as well as the binder filament feeding. The maximum NPR of the optimized auxetic yarns was experimentally achieved as low as –9.6, with the helical angle of around 14.0° on average using the optimal machine setting. The optimized yarn parameters enabled the making of high-quality auxetic yarns with a wider range of machine settings than before. In parallel, theoretical and numerical studies were carried out for the engineering design of auxetic yarns, which enabled comparisons among the experimental results, calculated results and results from finite element analysis. The comparison showed that a lower initial helical angle, higher tensile modulus of the wrap ply and lower tensile modulus of the core ply led to a higher auxetic effect. A new finding is reported in that a concave relationship between the diameter ratio and the NPR was discovered. The results of this study could assist researchers in producing HAYs, and this type of HAY could be used for many potential applications, such as filtration and impact protection.
Longitudinal Implications of Social Integration for Age and Gender Differences in Late-Life Physical Functioning
Authors: Toyama Masahiro , Fuller Heather R. , Owino Jonix
Published: December 2020

Social integration has documented benefits for late-life health; yet, little is known about its impacts on trajectories of physical functioning. This study examines age and gender differences in the longitudinal associations between social integration and activities of daily living (ADLs) using a hierarchical linear model with three waves of survey data collected over 4 years from the Social Integration and Aging Study ( N = 400; baseline mean age = 80.3). Findings indicated some interaction effects of age, gender, and/or social integration on ADL trajectories. Among those of more advanced age, women showed greater increases in ADL limitations than men, and individuals with lower social integration experienced greater increases in ADL limitations than those with higher social integration. Neither of these patterns were found among younger older adults. This study highlights the benefits of longitudinal research on social integration and the need to explore practical interventions for promoting social integration particularly among the oldest older adults.
Sculptorades, Cloodles, and Cameos, Oh My! A Cranium Game for General Psychology
Authors: Goldey Katherine L. , Espinosa Angel
Published: December 2020

Background:

Many instructors use trivia-style review games to encourage self-testing, increase student engagement, and promote collaboration. However, most published examples of review games include trivia questions only, rather than activities that incorporate kinesthetic learning.

Objective:

We evaluate a review activity modeled after the game Cranium, which includes charades, pictionary, sculpting, and trivia questions.

Method:

In Pilot Study 1, general psychology students ( n = 25) completed a self-report evaluation of Cranium, and we compared performance on exam items practiced during Cranium versus control items. In Pilot Study 2, students ( n = 23) were assigned to review for a mock exam via Cranium, a trivia-only version of Cranium, or a practice question review.

Results:

Students rated Cranium as enjoyable and useful, though not more so than comparison activities, and Cranium elicited similar exam performance to comparison activities.

Conclusion:

Cranium is similar, not superior, to trivia-only and practice question review activities in terms of student perceptions and exam performance.

Teaching Implications:

Cranium provides an additional tool for instructors to engage students in team-based review activities in general psychology. Games that incorporate self-testing are likely useful for student engagement and learning, and the specific choice of activity may depend on instructor and student preference.
Bringing Social Justice into the Statistics Classroom
Authors: Garlington Tamera , Ryan Valerie M. , Nolty Catherine , Ilagan Hannah , Kunicki Zachary J.
Published: December 2020

Social justice is an American Psychological Association (APA) ethical principal which is often taught in content courses (e.g. social psychology, developmental psychology, introductory psychology) but rarely covered in psychological statistics courses. This is problematic, as psychology students may assume that bias is not an issue when implementing statistical tests and interpreting their results if social justice topics are not incorporated into statistics classrooms. The current study evaluated student’s attitudes toward a social justice lecture in a statistics classroom ( N = 100 students). Results show students had more favorable attitudes toward social justice and agreed it was important to cover in statistics classrooms. Future research should extend this work by seeking to replicate these findings and evaluating additional pedagogical tools to incorporate social justice into the statistics classroom.
The Use of a Digital Pedagogical Tool to Support Writing Instruction in the Social Sciences
Authors: Ober Teresa M.
Published: December 2020

This study describes the pedagogical use of an online digital tool designed to support students’ writing of research reports. The tool, Manuscript Builder, provides a structure and a set of prompts to support students’ writing. Participants included students enrolled in an undergraduate psychology course ( N = 22) who were randomly assigned to one of three conditions (Manuscript Builder, word document outline, and no-treatment control) across three different times throughout one semester. Results suggest the use of Manuscript Builder was associated with higher quality written reports compared with not using an outline and using a word document outline, most notably at Time 3. Further research may improve the use of supplemental resources such as Manuscript Builder for written instruction, particularly in the planning and revising stages.
The effect of measurement errors on the performance of the homogenously weighted moving average X¯ monitoring scheme
Authors: Thanwane Maonatlala , Malela-Majika Jean-Claude , Castagliola Philippe , Shongwe Sandile Charles
Published: December 2020

Monitoring schemes are typically designed under the assumption of perfect measurements. However, in real-life applications, data tend to be subjected to measurement errors, that is, a difference between the real quantities and the measured ones mostly exist even with highly sophisticated advanced measuring instruments. Thus, in this paper, the negative effect of measurement errors on the performance of the homogenously weighted moving average (HWMA) scheme is studied using the linear covariate error model for constant and linearly increasing variance. Monte Carlo simulations are used to evaluate the performance of the proposed HWMA scheme in terms of the run-length characteristics. It is observed that as the smoothing parameter increases, measurement errors have a higher negative effect on the performance of the HWMA [Formula: see text] scheme. More importantly, it is shown that the negative effect of measurement errors is reduced by using multiple measurements and/or by increasing the slope coefficient of the covariate error model. Moreover, the performance of the HWMA [Formula: see text] scheme is compared with the corresponding exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) and cumulative sum (CUSUM) [Formula: see text] schemes. An illustrative example is provided to help in implementing this monitoring scheme in a real-life situation.
Cluster consensus of multi-agent systems with general linear and nonlinear dynamics via intermittent adaptive pinning control
Authors: Zhang Yunlong , Wen Guoguang , Rahmani Ahmed , Peng Zhaoxia , Hu Wei
Published: December 2020

This paper investigates the cluster consensus of multi-agent systems (MASs) with general linear and nonlinear dynamics via intermittent adaptive pinning control, where each cluster has a virtual leader whose state can be sensed by only a small part of followers on some disconnected time intervals because of communication constraints. The communication topology is considered to be weakly connected, that is, it is not necessary to be in-degree balanced, strongly connected or contain a directed spanning tree. To realise the cluster consensus, a class of intermittent adaptive pinning control protocols is proposed according to difference that the agents receive information source. The pinning gains are designed to be intermittent adaptive and with an exponential convergence rate, which will effectively reduce communication costs, avoid the pinning gains being larger than those needed in practice. Meanwhile, it guarantees that the pinning gains quickly converge to steady value. Correspondingly, some sufficient consensus criteria are derived to guarantee that the agents in the same cluster asymptotically can reach consensus while the agents in different clusters can reach different consensus. Rigorous proofs are given by the aid of Lyapunov stability theory and matrix theory. Finally, a numerical simulation example is presented to validate the main results.
Endoscopic Surgery of Congenital Cholesteatoma in the Anterior Epitympanic Recess: A Case Report of a Rare Location
Authors: Kim Hong Chan , Yang Hyung Chae , Cho Hyong-Ho
Published: December 2020

Congenital cholesteatoma is a whitish mass in the middle ear medial to an intact tympanic membrane. It is often without symptoms and therefore incidentally diagnosed. Pediatric congenital cholesteatoma generally starts as a small pearl-like mass in the middle ear cavity that eventually expands to involve the ossicles, epitympanum, and mastoid. The location, size, histopathological type, and extent of the mass must be evaluated to select the appropriate surgical method. Although microscopic ear surgery has traditionally been performed to remove congenital cholesteatoma, a recently introduced alternative is endoscopic surgery, which allows a minimally invasive approach and has better visualization. Here, we report the first known case of a patient with congenital cholesteatoma in the anterior epitympanic recess and discuss the utility of an endoscopic approach in the removal of a congenital cholesteatoma in the hidden area within the middle ear.
Occlusion of the Lateral Semicircular Canal Through the External Ear Canal: A Case Report
Authors: Wang Enhao , Liu Bo , Wang Yi , Yao Wei , Sun Yu
Published: December 2020

This case report introduces a novel surgical procedure to occlude the lateral semicircular canal through the external auditory canal. The patient was a 64-year-old male with Ménière’s disease who had suffered from left ear vertigo accompanied by tinnitus for more than 4 years. He also suffered from paroxysmal vertigo, fluctuating hearing loss, tinnitus symptoms, and ear distension and tightness. The patient had been treated with dexamethasone injected into the tympanic cavity for 1 year, but his condition often recurred and could not be controlled. We developed a novel procedure using an endoscope to occlude the lateral semicircular canal through the external auditory canal to provide a surgical option for the treatment of Ménière's disease.
Improving Accuracy and Usage by Correctly Selecting: The Effects of Model Selection in Cognitive Diagnosis Computerized Adaptive Testing
Authors: Sorrel Miguel A. , Abad Francisco José , Nájera Pablo
Published: December 2020

Decisions on how to calibrate an item bank might have major implications in the subsequent performance of the adaptive algorithms. One of these decisions is model selection, which can become problematic in the context of cognitive diagnosis computerized adaptive testing, given the wide range of models available. This article aims to determine whether model selection indices can be used to improve the performance of adaptive tests. Three factors were considered in a simulation study, that is, calibration sample size, Q-matrix complexity, and item bank length. Results based on the true item parameters, and general and single reduced model estimates were compared to those of the combination of appropriate models. The results indicate that fitting a single reduced model or a general model will not generally provide optimal results. Results based on the combination of models selected by the fit index were always closer to those obtained with the true item parameters. The implications for practical settings include an improvement in terms of classification accuracy and, consequently, testing time, and a more balanced use of the item bank. An R package was developed, named cdcatR, to facilitate adaptive applications in this context.
Saphenous veins in coronary artery bypass grafting need external support
Authors: Samano Ninos , Souza Domingos , Dashwood Michael R
Published: December 2020

The saphenous vein is the most commonly used conduit for coronary artery bypass grafting. Arterial grafts are harvested with the outer pedicle intact whereas saphenous veins are harvested with the pedicle removed in the conventional graft harvesting technique. This conventional procedure causes considerable vascular damage. One strategy to improve vein graft patency has been to provide external support. Ongoing studies show that fitting a metal external support improves conventionally harvested saphenous vein graft patency. On the other hand, the no-touch technique of harvesting the saphenous vein provides an improved graft with long-term patency comparable to that of the internal mammary artery. This improvement is suggested to be due to preservation of vessel structures. Interestingly, many of the mechanisms proposed to be associated with the beneficial actions of an artificial external support on saphenous vein graft patency are similar to those underlying the beneficial effect of no-touch saphenous vein grafts where the intact outer layer acts as a natural support. Additional actions of external supports have been advocated, including promotion of angiogenesis, increased production of vascular-protective factors, and protection of endothelial cells. Using no-touch harvesting, normal vascular architecture is maintained, tissue and cell damage is minimized, and factors beneficial for graft patency are preserved. In this review, the significance of external support of saphenous vein grafts in coronary artery bypass grafting is discussed.
A Mixed-Methods Approach to Evaluate the Needs, Support, and Services for Common Mental Disorders: A Protocol Examining Two Community Extension Clinics
Authors: Mehta Varun S. , Ram Daya
Published: December 2020

Background:

The social, economic, and physical environments are widely recognized as important determinants of health and affect the outcome of service delivery. The differences in the patient outcomes can be inferred upon by looking into the process and content of service delivery.

Methods:

This study is a mixed-methods, prospective cohort study to be conducted at two community extension clinics run by the Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi, Jharkhand. Service users diagnosed with a common mental disorder (CMDs) will be recruited during the study period of three years. The main objective is to ascertain the unmet needs of patients with CMDs. The secondary goals involve measuring the clinical outcome through the lens of process-oriented recovery, service satisfaction, and accessibility, and analyzing the barriers to access healthcare services along with the impact on the carers. Focus group discussions with participants will help understand the reasons behind their unmet needs and factors essential in service delivery.

Discussion:

Healthcare, as well as social care, aims to deliver services according to need. In a country with 15 million people with CMDs, evaluation of needs could create a platform for the rational distribution of services.
The Danish ‘ghetto initiatives’ and the changing nature of social citizenship, 2004–2018
Authors: Seemann Anika
Published: December 2020

This article critically examines the Danish ‘ghetto initiatives’ of 2004, 2010, 2013 and 2018, with a particular focus on their implications for ‘social citizenship’. Its approach is twofold: firstly, it explores how each of the four major ghetto initiatives constructed ghettos and their residents as a problem for the welfare state, and what policy measures were proposed to address the problems identified. Secondly, it examines the legislative changes that resulted from each of the ghetto initiatives and assesses their implications for social citizenship. In doing so, it relates its findings to the different developmental stages of social citizenship in Danish welfare state history. The article argues that the ghetto initiatives have led to an unprecedented spatialization and ethnicization of social citizenship which mark a radical departure from the guiding principles of post-1945 Danish welfare thought and practice.
The Attachment Dynamic: Dyadic Patterns of Anxiety and Avoidance in Relationship Functioning
Authors: Rodriguez Lindsey M. , Coy Anthony , Hadden Benjamin W.
Published: December 2020

Whereas attachment dimensions (i.e., anxiety and avoidance) are generally associated with lower levels of relationship evaluations (e.g., satisfaction, commitment), research has not yet fully incorporated how partner attachment is related to these evaluations, nor how dyadic patterns (actor × partner attachment interactions) are associated with evaluations. Across two dyadic studies ( N = 185, 123 dyads), we examine how actor, partner, and actor × partner interactions of attachment anxiety and avoidance are associated with reports of trust, satisfaction, and commitment. Results generally revealed that actor effects of attachment anxiety on lower relationship evaluations were weaker when partners were more anxious and stronger when partners were more avoidant. Moreover, actor effects of attachment avoidance on lower trust and satisfaction were stronger when partners were more anxious. Finally, own avoidance was more strongly negatively related to commitment in the presence of a more avoidant partner. These results suggest that the combination of attachment within relationships is important to consider for both close relationships researchers and clinicians.
How does residential mobility influence generalized trust?
Authors: Yuan Bo , Yang Chuanliang , Sun Xiangchao , Yin Jun , Li Weiqiang
Published: December 2020

Residential mobility has received considerable research attention in recent years because of its influences on many aspects of our cognitive behaviors. However, little research has been conducted to explore how residential mobility affects generalized trust. The current study was conducted to fill this gap. From individual and societal level, Studies 1a, 1b and 1c employing survey questionnaires consistently documented a negative relationship between personal history of residential moves and generalized trust (trust in strangers), but there was no association between mobility and particularistic trust (trust in known others). Study 2 found that mobility priming significantly reduced perceived trustworthiness to strangers (Study 2a) and that less money was invested to strangers when participants were primed with mobility than when primed with stability in a trust game (Study 2b). Study 3 observed that individuals who planned to move dormitories in the near future, by comparison with those not planning to move, invested less money to strangers in a trust game. In addition, the current study also found that the association between mobility and generalized trust was mediated by perceived uncertainty evoked by mobility (in Study 2b & Study 3). Theoretical implications for the mechanisms underlying the mobility effect on generalized trust are discussed.
Frequency and characteristics of the JAK2 V617F mutation in 23 cerebral venous sinus thrombosis patients with thrombocytosis
Authors: Ma Qiang
Published: December 2020

Objective

To analyse the frequency and characteristics of the Janus kinase 2 ( JAK2) V617F mutation in patients with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) with thrombocytosis.

Methods

The study enrolled CVST patients with thrombocytosis that had undergone JAK2 V617F mutation detection to determine the frequency of the JAK2 V617F mutation in this cohort. Correlations between patient demographics, whole blood cell counts, targeted sequencing results and JAK2 V617F mutation status were determined.

Results

A total of 23 patients were enrolled in the study: 11 (47.8%) with the JAK2 V617F mutation and 12 (52.2%) without the JAK2 V617F mutation. The mean platelet count was significantly higher in patients with the JAK2 V617F mutation than in patients without the mutation (478.1 ± 107.4 × 109/l versus 374.4 ± 54.1 × 109/l, respectively). There were no significant differences in age, sex, white blood cell count or haemoglobin level between the two groups. Other than single nucleotide polymorphisms, no hot-spot mutations associated with myeloid tumours other than the JAK2 V617F mutation were detected in four CVST patients that underwent targeted sequencing.

Conclusion

The JAK2 V617F mutation was frequently detected in CVST patients with thrombocytosis and it was associated with higher platelet counts.
Operationalizing Critical Race Theory in the Marketplace
Authors: Poole Sonja Martin , Grier Sonya A. , Thomas Kevin D. , Sobande Francesca , Ekpo Akon E. , Torres Lez Trujillo , Addington Lynn A. , Weekes-Laidlow Melinda , Henderson Geraldine Rosa
Published: December 2020

Race is integral to the functioning and ideological underpinnings of marketplace actions yet remains undertheorized in marketing. To understand and transform the insidious ways in which race operates, the authors examine its impact in marketplaces and how these effects are shaped by intersecting forms of systemic oppression. They introduce critical race theory (CRT) to the marketing community as a useful framework for understanding consumers, consumption, and contemporary marketplaces. They outline critical theory traditions as utilized in marketing and specify the particular role of CRT as a lens through which scholars can understand marketplace dynamics. The authors delineate key CRT tenets and how they may shape the way scholars conduct research, teach, and influence practice in the marketing discipline. To clearly highlight CRT’s overall potential as a robust analytical tool in marketplace studies, the authors elaborate on the application of artificial intelligence to consumption markets. This analysis demonstrates how CRT can support an enhanced understanding of the role of race in markets and lead to a more equitable version of the marketplace than what currently exists. Beyond mere procedural modifications, applying CRT to marketplace studies mandates a paradigm shift in how marketplace equity is understood and practiced.
The Role of Patient Satisfaction in Hospitals’ Medicare Reimbursements
Authors: Liu Lu , Gauri Dinesh K. , Jindal Rupinder P.
Published: December 2020

Medicare uses a pay-for-performance program to reimburse hospitals. One of the key input measures in the performance formula is patient satisfaction with their hospital care. Physicians and hospitals, however, have raised concerns regarding questions related to patient satisfaction with pain management during hospitalization. They report feeling pressured to prescribe opioids to alleviate pain and boost satisfaction survey scores for higher reimbursements. This overprescription of opioids has been cited as a cause of current opioid crisis in the United States. Due to these concerns, Medicare stopped using pain management questions as inputs in its payment formula. The authors collected multiyear data from six diverse data sources, employed propensity score matching to obtain comparable groups, and estimated difference-in-difference models to show that, in fact, pain management was the only measure to improve in response to the pay-for-performance system. No other input measure showed significant improvement. Thus, removing pain management from the formula may weaken the effectiveness of the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program at improving patient satisfaction, which is one of the key goals of the program. The authors suggest two divergent paths for Medicare to make the program more effective.
In vitro cytotoxicity of co-exposure to superparamagnetic iron oxide and solid lipid nanoparticles
Authors: Alabi Okunola A , Silva Adny H , Rode Michele P , Pizzol Carine dal , de Campos Angela Machado , Filippin-Monteiro Fabíola B , Bakare Adekunle A , Creczynski-Pasa Tânia B
Published: December 2020

Increased production and use of different types of nanoparticles (NPs) in the last decades has led to increased environmental release of these NPs with potential detrimental effects on both the environment and public health. Information is scarce in the literature on the cytotoxic effect of co-exposure to many NPs as this concern is relatively recent. Thus, in this study, we hypothesized scenarios of cell’s co-exposure to two kinds of NPs, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) and superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs), to assess the potential cytotoxicity of exposure to NPs combination. Cytotoxicity of SPIONs, SLNs, and their 1:1 mixture (MIX) in six tumor and six non-tumor cell lines was investigated. The mechanisms underlining the induced cytotoxicity were studied through cell cycle analysis, detection of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and alterations in mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨM). Double staining with acridine orange and ethidium bromide was also used to confirm cell morphology alterations. The results showed that SPIONs induced low cytotoxicity compared to SLNs. However, the mixture of SPIONs and SLNs showed synergistic, antagonistic, and additive effects based on distinct tests such as viability assay, ROS generation, ΔΨM, and DNA damage, depending on the cell line. Apoptosis triggered by ROS and disturbances in ΔΨM are the most probable related mechanisms of action. As was postulated, there is possible cytotoxic interaction between the two kinds of NPs.
Setting the standard for healthy eating: Continuous quality improvement for health promotion at Nova Scotia Health
Authors: Kennedy Laura J. , Taylor Nathan G. A. , Nicholson Taylor , Jago Emily , MacDonald Brenda L. , Mah Catherine L.
Published: December 2020

Healthcare organizations engage in continuous quality improvement to improve performance and value-for-performance, but the pathway to change is often rooted in challenging the way things are “normally” done. In an effort to propel system-wide change to support healthy eating, Nova Scotia Health developed and implemented a healthy eating policy as a benchmark to create a food environment supportive of health. This article describes the healthy eating policy and its role as a benchmark in the quality improvement process. The policy, rooted in health promotion, sets a standard for healthy eating and applies to stakeholders both inside and outside of health. We explain how the policy offers nutrition but also cultural benchmarks around healthy eating, bringing practitioners throughout Nova Scotia Health together and sustaining collaborative efforts to improve upon the status quo.
Bioartificial injectable cartilage implants from demineralized bone matrix/PVA and related studies in rabbit animal model
Authors: Dadgar Neda , Ghiaseddin Ali , Irani Shiva , Tafti Seyed Hossein Ahmadi , Soufi-Zomorrod Mina , Soleimani Masoud
Published: December 2020

Functional cartilage tissue engineering needs a substantial, easy to handle scaffold with proper mechanical strength to repair defected area in articular cartilage. In this study, we report the development and characterization of demineralized bone matrix (DBM) in with a poly vinyl alcohol (PVA) to have a proper homogenous injectable scaffold. Injectabiliy of the biodegradable scaffolds, degradation rate, swelling ratio compression and tensile mechanical properties, and viability and proliferation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) followed by differentiation of them In-vitro and In-vivo seeded within the scaffold were studied. It demonstrated that the PVA 20% could increase significantly (p < 0.05) the biodegradability of DBM after 720 hours.DBM with 20% of PVA scaffold has significantly higher (p < 0.05) compression and tensile mechanical strength and viscosity. SEM images showed a multilayer of cells on DBM scaffold incorporated with PVA 20%.BM-MSCs on scaffolds, DBM+PVA 20% had a significant growth rate (p < 0.0001) compare to 2D and low concentration of PVA after 21 days of culture. Viability of cells was significantly higher (p < 0.05) on DBM+PVA scaffold compare to DBM. DBM+PVA 20% enhanced cell viability (P < 0.05) compare to DBM scaffold. The PVA presence enhanced chondrogenesis differentiation at the cellular and molecular levels, as evidenced by increased COL II (P < 0.05) and SOX2 upregulation of Chondrogensis-specific genes (p < 0.001). Hyline-like cartilage covered the defect which was confirmed by microscopy and histology assessments. Having considered percentages of PVA with a constant amount of DBM, injectability, compressive mechanical properties, homogeneity of the scaffold, and providing sufficient surface area (12.25 cm2/ml) for cell attachment; 0.35 g/ml of DBM in 20% PVA (w/v) has applicable properties within the ranges of studies which can be proposed for the injectable engineered articular cartilage.
Implementation of dimensional management methodology and optimisation algorithms for pre-drilled hinge line interfaces of critical aero assemblies – A case study
Authors: Bacharoudis Konstantinos C , Bainbridge David , Turner Alison , Popov Atanas A , Ratchev Svetan M
Published: December 2020

A dimensional management procedure is developed and implemented in this work to deal with the identification of the optimum hole diameter that needs to be pre-drilled in order to successfully join two subassemblies in a common hinge line interface when most of the degrees of freedom of each subassembly have already been constrained. Therefore, an appropriate measure is suggested that considers the assembly process and permits the application of optimisation algorithms for the identification of the optimum hole diameter. The complexity of the mechanical subassemblies requires advanced 3D tolerance analysis techniques to be implemented and the matrix method was adopted. The methodology was demonstrated for an industrial, aerospace engineering problem, that is, the assembly of the joined wing configuration of the RACER compound rotorcraft of AIRBUS Helicopter and the necessary tooling needed to build the assembly. The results indicated that hinge line interfaces can be pre-opened at a sufficiently large size and thus, accelerate the assembly process whilst the suggested methodology can be used as a decision-making tool at the design stage of this type of mechanical assembly.