bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Radiographic Landmarks for Femoral Tunnel Positioning in Lateral Extra-articular Tenodesis Procedures
Authors: Jaecker Vera , Naendrup Jan-Hendrik , Pfeiffer Thomas R. , Bouillon Bertil , Shafizadeh Sven
Published: August 2019

Background:

Lateral extra-articular tenodesis (LET) is being increasingly performed as an additional procedure in both primary and revision anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in patients with excessive anterolateral rotatory instability. Consistent guidelines for femoral tunnel placement would aid in intraoperative reproducible graft placement and postoperative evaluation of LET procedures.

Purpose:

To determine radiographic landmarks of a recently described isometric femoral attachment area in LET procedures with reference to consistent radiographic reference lines.

Study Design:

Descriptive laboratory study.

Methods:

Ten fresh-frozen cadaveric knees were dissected. The footprints of the lateral femoral epicondyle (LFE) apex and the deep aspects of the iliotibial tract, with its Kaplan fiber attachments (KFAs) on the distal femur, were marked with a 2.5-mm steel ball. True lateral radiographic images were taken. Mean absolute LFE and KFA distances were measured from the posterior cortex line (anterior-posterior direction) and from the perpendicular line intersecting the contact of the posterior femoral condyle (proximal-distal direction), respectively. Furthermore, positions were measured relative to the femur width. Finally, radiographic descriptions of an isometric femoral attachment area were developed.

Results:

The mean LFE and KFA positions were found to be 4 ± 4 mm posterior and 4 ± 3 mm anterior to the posterior cortex line, and 6 ± 4 mm distal and 20 ± 5 mm proximal to the perpendicular line intersecting the posterior femoral condyle, respectively. The mean LFE and KFA locations, relative to the femur width, were found at –12% and 11% (anterior-posterior) and –17% and 59% (proximal-distal), respectively. Femoral tunnel placement on or posterior to the femoral cortex line and proximal to the posterior femoral condyle within a 10-mm distance ensures that the tunnel remains safely located in the isometric zone.

Conclusion:

Radiographic landmarks for an isometric femoral tunnel placement in LET procedures were described.

Clinical Relevance:

These findings may help to intraoperatively guide surgeons for an accurate, reproducible femoral tunnel placement and to reduce the potential risk of tunnel misplacement, as well as to aid in the postoperative evaluation of LET procedures in patients with residual complaints.
Factors Associated With a Return to Preinjury Level of Sport Performance After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Surgery
Authors: Webster Kate E. , McPherson April L. , Hewett Timothy E. , Feller Julian A.
Published: August 2019

Background:

Many studies have investigated factors that predict a return to sport participation after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, but it is unclear whether the same factors are associated with a return to preinjury level of sport performance.

Purpose:

To identify factors that contribute to an athlete’s return to preinjury level of performance after ACL reconstruction.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

Methods:

A cohort of 222 patients (132 male, 90 female) who had ACL reconstruction surgery and completed a 12-month postoperative assessment were followed out to a mean 3 years (range, 2-4 years) to determine whether they had returned to their self-reported preinjury levels of sport performance. Rates of return to preinjury performance were calculated. Measures that had been recorded at the 12-month postoperative review—demographic (age, sex), sport activity level (Marx Activity Rating Scale, return to competition sport), knee laxity, limb symmetry (single and triple crossover hop), subjective function/symptoms (International Knee Documentation Committee subjective), and psychological readiness (Anterior Cruciate Ligament Return to Sport After Injury scale)—were compared between patients who returned to their preinjury levels of performance and those who did not. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were also used to prospectively determine the association between these measures and return to preinjury level of sport performance.

Results:

A total of 135 (61%) patients reported that they had returned to their preinjury levels of performance, with return rates similar between males (59%) and females (63%) and between those who had returned to competition at 12 months (62%) and those who had not (60%). There was no significant age difference between patients who returned to their preinjury levels of sport performance and those who did not; however, higher psychological readiness ( P < .0001), greater limb symmetry ( P < .05), higher subjective knee scores ( P = .01), and a higher activity level ( P < .04) were all associated with a return to performance. In the multivariate model, psychological readiness was the only variable that remained a significant predictor (odds ratio = 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01-1.04; P < .0001).

Conclusion:

A majority of athletes who returned to sport after ACL reconstruction reported that their performance was comparable with preinjury. Having a greater psychological readiness to return during rehabilitation was the most significant predictor of a subsequent return to comparable performance.
Reality, Delays, and Challenges within Pain Prevalence and Treatment in Palliative Care Patients: A Survey of First-Time Patients at the National Cancer Institute in Mexico
Authors: Silvia Allende-Perez , Adriana Peña-Nieves , Laura Garcia-Gonzalez , Edith Monreal-Carrillo , Emma Verastegui-Aviles
Published: August 2019

Background:

Cancer is a major burden of disease and a public health problem, as it is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. It is estimated that 25% of cancer patients die without receiving proper pain management.

Objective:

To acknowledge the epidemiological profile of first-time patients at the palliative care service of a referral center, along with the pharmaceutical treatment and social and familiar implications of the treatment costs in first-time patients.

Methods:

A survey including 28 questions was conducted including 490 first-time patients at the National Cancer Institute in Mexico City.

Results:

Median age was 53 years; 63.3% (n = 310) were females; 72% were married or single (50.5% and 21.2%, respectively). The most frequent diagnoses were gastrointestinal tumors, followed by urological, and skin/soft tissue carcinomas (19.8%, 12.5%, and 12%, respectively). Pain prevalence was 50.4% among the cohort. From the subgroup of participants with pain, 26.7% presented an intensity ≥7.

Conclusions:

As most patients in our study presented pain, there is a need of strengthening public policy about opioid treatments.
Mechanism of affecting the axial rotor stability and performance with center offset degrees of axial skewed slots
Authors: Zhang HaoGuang , Wang Enhao , Liu WenHao , Chu Wuli
Published: August 2019

A subsonic axial rotor with axial skewed slot casing treatment (ASSCT) was investigated with experimental and numerical methods to explore the effects of the center offset degree (Cod) on the rotor stability and performance. Cod is defined as the ratio of the central difference between the rotor tip section and ASSCT to the rotor tip axial chord length. The Cod values are selected as 1.16, 0.608, 0, and −0.36, respectively. When the ASSCT is located upstream, the value of the Cod is positive. The experimental and unsteady calculated results show that the stall margin improvement (SMI) and peak efficiency loss (PEL) are reduced when the slots move to the rotor upstream or downstream. The slots with 0 Cod (ASSCT1) achieve 50% SMI with 8.67% PEL. The slots with 0.608 Cod (ASSCT2) gain 48.5% SMI with 2.12% PEL. The slots with 1.16 Cod (ASSCT3) and −0.36 Cod (ASSCT4) gain −3.41%, 20.1% SMI, respectively. Considering the compromise between the SMI and PEL for the rotor, ASSCT5 was designed by changing the slot number of ASSCT2 from 180 to 90. The unsteady calculated result shows that ASSCT5 can gain 22.28% SMI and 0.485% PEL. The detailed analysis of the flow field in the compressor tip passage indicates that there are adverse effects made by the slots on the flow field near the rotor blade tip leading edge for ASSCT3. Moreover, the ability of reducing the range of low-velocity zones for ASSCT4 is much lower than that for ASSCT1 or ASSCT2, and ASSCT1 generates bigger flow losses in the rotor tip passage than ASSCT2. The positive effects and flow losses made by the slots with 0.608 Cod both become smaller with the slot number decreasing from 180 to 90.
Paying Back People Who Harmed Us but Not People Who Helped Us: Direct Negative Reciprocity Precedes Direct Positive Reciprocity in Early Development
Authors: Chernyak Nadia , Leimgruber Kristin L. , Dunham Yarrow C. , Hu Jingshi , Blake Peter R.
Published: August 2019

The principle of direct reciprocity, or paying back specific individuals, is assumed to be a critical component of everyday social exchange and a key mechanism for the evolution of cooperation. Young children know the norm of reciprocity, but it is unclear whether they follow the norm for both positive and negative direct reciprocity or whether reciprocity is initially generalized. Across five experiments ( N = 330), we showed that children between 4 and 8 years of age engaged in negative direct reciprocity but generalized positive reciprocity, despite recalling benefactors. Children did not endorse the norm of positive direct reciprocity as applying to them until about 7 years of age (Study 4), but a short social-norm training enhanced this behavior in younger children (Study 5). Results suggest that negative direct reciprocity develops early, whereas positive reciprocity becomes targeted to other specific individuals only as children learn and adopt social norms.
Phenomenon-driven research and systematic research assembling: Methodological conceptualisations for psychology’s epistemic projects
Authors: Huniche Lotte , Sørensen Estrid
Published: August 2019

This article contributes to psychology’s epistemic project by proposing a methodology that foregrounds the relation between research methods and subject matter. Considering method-driven and subject-driven approaches as being opposite poles of a continuum, the science of psychology has historically tended toward emphasising one or the other. Method-driven approaches claim legitimacy through an emphasis on a unifying standardised method, while subject-driven approaches insist on human-centred conceptions of psychology’s subject matter. Both poles are accompanied by one-sided methods-to-matter relations which limit the ways in which phenomena can be known in surprising and unforeseen ways. Phenomenon-driven research conceptualises the engagement with methods and matter as mutually intra-acting. Systematic research assembling points to the practical crafting of research activities through ongoing engagement with how phenomena can be known through intra-action. In our time of particularly unsettled, changing, and complex phenomena, psychology’s epistemic projects need methodologies that aim at ways of knowing that can bring out the unexpected.
Psychology’s epistemic projects
Authors: Huniche Lotte , Sørensen Estrid
Published: August 2019

What are the epistemic projects of psychology? What insights does psychology seek to produce, and what kinds of knowledge are adequate for the psychological challenges of contemporary worlds? These are the fundamental questions we address in this special issue. Dating back more than a century, psychology emerged as a discipline in a specific context with specific challenges and tasks. Since then, societies, humans, and the world have changed, and the pace itself at which changes take place has accelerated considerably over the past couple of decades. It is time to pause and revise psychology’s epistemic projects. More than finding solutions to particular shortcomings, the discipline needs to reflect on how psychology comes to define particular phenomena as areas of scientific concern, what kinds of phenomena are relevant and for whom, and how the disciplinary shaping of psychological concerns has a bearing on what can and will be researched.
Effects of infliximab against carbon tetrachloride-induced intestinal injury via lipid peroxidation and apoptosis
Authors: Pergel A , Tümkaya L , Çolakoğlu MK , Demiral G , Kalcan S , Özdemir A , Mercantepe T , Yilmaz A
Published: August 2019

Carbon tetrachloride (CCL4) is often employed in the production of chlorofluorocarbons, petroleum refining, oil and rubber processing, and laboratory applications. Oral, subcutaneous, and inhalation exposure to CCL4 in animal studies have been shown to be capable of leading to various types of cancer (benign and malignant, liver, breast, and adrenal gland tumors). The present study also evaluated the protective role of infliximab (INF) against the deleterious effects of CCL4 on the intestinal system. Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned into three groups, control ( n = 8), CCL4 ( n = 8), and CCL4 + INF ( n = 8). The control group received 1 mL isotonic saline solution only via intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection. The CCL4 group received a single i.p. dose of 2 mL/kg CCL4. The CCL4 + INF group received a single i.p. dose of 7 mg/kg INF followed 24 h later by a single dose of 2 mL/kg CCL4. All rats were euthanized 2 days following drug administration. CCL4 group samples also exhibited diffuse loss of enterocytes, vascular congestion, neutrophil infiltration, an extension of the subepithelial space and significant epithelial lifting along the length of the villi with a few denuded villous tips. In addition, CCL4 treatment increased intestinal malondialdehyde (MDA) level and caspase-3 positivity. On the other hand, INF decreased MDA levels, caspase-3 positivity, and loss of villous. Our findings suggest that CCL4 appears to exert a highly deleterious effect on the intestinal mucosa. On the other hand, INF is effective in preventing this CCL4-induced intestinal injury by reducing oxidative stress and apoptosis.
‘It’s a family affair’: The discursive entanglement of social formations in public and private cord blood banking in Italy
Authors: Beltrame Lorenzo
Published: August 2019

The dominant narrative in bioethical and biomedical literature criticises private/family cord blood banking as selling a biomedical service that challenges the system of public banks that is based on voluntary donations and distributing umbilical cord blood for medical needs. While the public system is described as embedded in the social relations of reciprocity, solidarity and obligation to the collectivity, private/family banking is accused of being a for-profit commercial market that exploits the emotional vulnerabilities of parents with exaggerated and misleading claims about the clinical uses of umbilical cord blood. This article challenges this view by showing that both banking systems are embedded in social relations. It analyses the discourses produced by Italian public and private umbilical cord blood banks and by healthcare institutions to show how these discourses constitute different social formations and attach diverging meanings of umbilical cord blood banking and clinical use to the set of responsibilities, values and obligations characterising these formations.
Sensing, territory, population: Computation, embodied sensors, and hamlet control in the Vietnam War
Authors: Belcher Oliver
Published: August 2019

This article analyses a mid-20th century computerized pacification reporting system, the Hamlet Evaluation System (HES), used by the US military to measure hamlet-level security and development trends in the Vietnam War. The significance of the HES was its capacity to translate US Military Advisor observations of Vietnamese hamlet life into a machine-readable format used by US military systems analysts to disclose ‘patterns of life.’ I show how US Military Advisors operated as ‘embodied sensors’ within the HES, producing a distinctive location-based event ontology – a ‘view of below’ – accompanied by rudimentary digital maps in-formation from incoming hamlet-level observation streams. I argue that acts of translating the rich texture of hamlet and village life into an objectified information format constituted a unique form of ‘epistemic violence,’ rooted not so much in the narrative subjection of the ‘Other,’ but in the pure abstraction of life into a digitally stored data trace.
Performance Evaluation of Banks Sponsored Mutual Funds: An Analytical Study
Authors: Sharma Meena , Didwania Manish , Kumar D. Suresh
Published: August 2019

This research paper inspects the comparative performance evaluation of banks sponsored Indian mutual funds using traditional measure. The data comprises 166 open-ended equity, debt, liquid and equity linked saving schemes (tax savings) schemes during the period of April 2006–March 2017. The evidence shows that all sample schemes are well diversified. Public sector banks sponsored get first ranked because good return, all positive and diversified schemes and efficient performance of portfolio management as compared to Private sector and UTI banks sponsored mutual funds.
Factors Influencing Smartphone Adoption: A Study in the Indian Bottom of the Pyramid Context
Authors: Baishya Kuldeep , Samalia Harsh Vardhan
Published: August 2019

The usage of smartphones is increasing with each passing day. The growth of wireless subscription in India in the last 5 years is very high. However, the penetration rate of smartphones among low-income people is significantly low. Looking at the near saturation and high competition of markets at the higher side of the economic pyramid, companies are trying to explore the segment of low-income people termed ‘Bottom of the Pyramid’ (BOP). In order to explore the BOP market for smartphones, one needs to realize the factors influencing the adoption of smartphones at the BOP. Our study explores these factors with reference to the existing literature of technology adoption. A theoretical framework is proposed and tested with 266 valid data points. Structural equation modelling (SEM) is used to test the proposed framework. The empirical analysis revealed that ‘performance expectancy’, ‘effort expectancy’ and ‘perceived monetary value’ have a positive impact on the ‘behavioural intention’ of using smartphones at BOP. ‘Smartphone anxiety’ and ‘smartphone self-efficacy’ are found to have an impact on ‘effort expectancy’.
Host Country Nationals’ Attitudes, Social Support and Willingness to Work with Expatriates
Authors: Sokro Evans , Pillay Soma
Published: August 2019

This study investigates host country nationals’ (HCNs) attitudes towards expatriates and their implications for willingness to co-work and offer social support. Survey data from 211 HCNs indicate that attitudes of HCNs directly influence their willingness to provide social support to expatriate employees in host subsidiaries. The results of the study also reveal that HCNs’ attitudes are positively related to the willingness of host employees to co-work with expatriates. Implications of our findings for research and practice are presented.
Trade, Industrial Dissimilarity, FDI and Business Cycle Co-movements: EC3SLS Evidence from Eurozone Economies
Authors: Kunroo Mohd Hussain
Published: August 2019

This article uses simultaneous equations error component three-stage least squares (EC3SLS) panel data technique to find the direct and indirect impacts of trade, industrial dissimilarity and FDI on the business cycle synchronisation of Eurozone economies. The period of analysis is 1990–2009. These are the major findings: (a) trade, industrial dissimilarity and FDI have both direct and indirect effects on the business cycle synchronisation of sample economies; (b) EC3SLS estimates show that closer trade ties among these Eurozone countries have led to more synchronised business cycle co-movements, because common disturbances are more prevalent and intra-industry trade dominates; (c) the bilateral FDI flows have served as a source of destabilisation rather than a source of synchronisation; (d) industry-specific shocks have almost lost their importance both in terms of generating more trade and in terms of raising the output correlation of sample countries; (e) trade intensity and FDI flows are positively and significantly correlated, thereby suggesting that more FDI encourages more trade and vice-versa; (f) trade shows a negative relationship with industrial dissimilarity, which implies that bilateral trade in these countries promotes similar industrial structures; and finally, (g) these economies characterise intra-industry trade patterns, as expected in the case of these highly integrated Eurozone economies. Although the results show the presence of intra-industry trade types, these economies have diversified their production processes at the higher income levels.

JEL: E32, F02, F10, F11, F15, C33
The Western Balkans Policy of the EU Within the Framework of Domino Theory
Authors: Turan I.dris , Akçay Ekrem Yas¸ar
Published: August 2019

This study elaborates on the European Union’s (EU) Balkan policies evaluating the developments in the Western Balkans from the post-Cold War era until today. In addition, the study will tackle the EU policies and practices in the Western Balkans on the basis of the principles of the domino theory. In this context, the EU believes that destabilisation due to conflicts in former Yugoslavia after disintegration has also destabilised other countries in the region in domino effect. This situation means both the region and the EU will encounter security threat. In this regard, the study dwells upon EU policies in the region to provide financial aid in an attempt to ensure development and sustainability which will foster stability on the basis of the assumption that these countries in the region will be accepted to the EU as member countries after ensuring stability.
Comparison of indirect and modified agglutination tests for detection of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in domestic cats
Authors: Fernandes Susana , Brilhante-Simões Paula , Coutinho Teresa , Cardoso Luís , Dubey Jitender P. , Lopes Ana P.
Published: August 2019

Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite with worldwide distribution. The accurate detection of this zoonotic agent in cats and other hosts has public health importance. Blood samples from 89 domestic cats were tested for antibodies to T. gondii using 2 commercial agglutination test kits, an indirect (IHAT; Toxo-HAI FUMOUZE; Fumouze Diagnostics) and a modified (MAT; Toxoscreen DA; bioMérieux) agglutination test. Antibodies were found in 16 of 89 (18%) cats by the IHAT and in 23 of 89 (26%) cats by the MAT, with an overall agreement between the 2 serologic tests of 92% (κ = 0.77; i.e., substantial agreement beyond chance). Considering the MAT as the gold standard, the IHAT showed perfect relative specificity (100%) and lower relative sensitivity (70%). The suboptimal sensitivity of the IHAT limits its use in epidemiologic studies in cats.
Histoplasmosis and multicentric lymphoma in a Nubian goat
Authors: Schlemmer Samantha N. , Fratzke Alycia P. , Gibbons Philippa , Porter Brian F. , Mansell Joanne , Ploeg Richard J. , Rodrigues Hoffmann Aline , Older Caitlin E. , Clark Sabrina D.
Published: August 2019

Following treatment for pneumonia, a 1-y-old female Nubian goat was presented because of a persistent fever for 3 mo and peripheral lymphadenopathy for 1 mo. Cytology and histology of the superficial cervical and prefemoral lymph nodes demonstrated a moderate-to-marked “left-shifted” lymphoid population, suggestive of lymphoma, and extremely rare extracellular, 2–4 µm, oval, basophilic yeast, consistent with Histoplasma capsulatum. On immunohistochemistry, >95% of the lymphocytes demonstrated positive cytoplasmic and membranous immunoreactivity for CD3. Histoplasma spp. urine antigen and serum antibody testing were positive and negative, respectively. Panfungal PCR and sequencing of DNA extracted from scrolls of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue yielded matches to H. capsulatum with 99–100% identity. Given the poor prognosis and persistent pyrexia, the animal was euthanized. Postmortem examination confirmed concurrent multicentric, intermediate-size, T-cell, lymphoblastic lymphoma and histoplasmosis; lesions consistent with intestinal coccidiosis and suspected pulmonary Rhodococcus equi were also noted. Although dimorphic fungi have been described previously in goats, lesions of Histoplasma spp. had not been documented in this species, to our knowledge. Given the low disease burden, it is suspected that the lymphoma was primary, leading to an immunocompromised state and development of secondary, opportunistic infections.
Mindfulness Training Supports Quality of Life and Advance Care Planning in Adults With Metastatic Cancer and Their Caregivers: Results of a Pilot Study
Authors: Johns Shelley A. , Beck-Coon Kathleen , Stutz Patrick V. , Talib Tasneem L. , Chinh Kelly , Cottingham Ann H. , Schmidt Karen , Shields Cleveland , Stout Madison E. , Stump Timothy E. , Monahan Patrick O. , Torke Alexia M. , Helft Paul R.
Published: August 2019

Background:

Emotional distress often causes patients with cancer and their family caregivers (FCGs) to avoid end-of-life discussions and advance care planning (ACP), which may undermine quality of life (QoL). Most ACP interventions fail to address emotional barriers that impede timely ACP.

Aim:

We assessed feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of a mindfulness-based intervention to facilitate ACP for adults with advanced-stage cancer and their FCGs.

Design:

A single-arm pilot was conducted to assess the impact of a 6-week group mindfulness intervention on ACP behaviors (patients only), QoL, family communication, avoidant coping, distress, and other outcomes from baseline (T1) to post-intervention (T2) and 1 month later (T3).

Participants:

Eligible patients had advanced-stage solid malignancies, limited ACP engagement, and an FCG willing to participate. Thirteen dyads (N = 26 participants) enrolled at an academic cancer center in the United States.

Results:

Of eligible patients, 59.1% enrolled. Attendance (70.8% across 6 sessions) and retention (84.6% for patients; 92.3% for FCGs) through T3 were acceptable. Over 90% of completers reported high intervention satisfaction. From T1 to T3, patient engagement more than doubled in each of 3 ACP behaviors assessed. Patients reported large significant decreases in distress at T2 and T3. Family caregivers reported large significant improvements in QoL and family communication at T2 and T3. Both patients and FCGs reported notable reductions in sleep disturbance and avoidant coping at T3.

Conclusions:

The mindfulness intervention was feasible and acceptable and supported improvements in ACP and associated outcomes for patients and FCGs. A randomized trial of mindfulness training for ACP is warranted. The study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov with identifier NCT02367508 ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02367508 ).
Referral Characteristics of Palliative Care Service in Patients With Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer in a Tertiary Cancer Center
Authors: Gu Xiaoli , Chen Menglei , Liu Minghui , Zhang Zhe , Zhao Weiwei , Cheng Wenwu
Published: August 2019

Background:

The American Society of Clinical Oncology recently recommends patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) should be offered palliative care services earlier. We sought to investigate the timing of palliative care referral of Chinese patients with NSCLC in our center.

Method:

Retrospective medical data including demographic characteristics and referral information were collected for analysis. Overall survival (OS) was calculated as the time since cancer diagnosis till patient’s death. The time interval from palliative care (PC) referral to a patient’s death (PC-D) was calculated. The PC-D/OS ratio was calculated to illustrate the comparison of the duration of PC in the overall length of disease.

Results:

The mean age of 155 patients with advanced NSCLC was 62.83 years. Before referral to PC, 128 patients received anticancer treatment including surgeon (46.5%). Sixty-three (40.6%) patients died in palliative care unit. The median OS of 144 patients with end cutoff was 19 months (mean = 31.49, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 25.86-37.12). The median PC-D was 41 days (mean = 73.84, 95% CI = 60.37-87.40). The mean interval of PC-D/OS of 144 patients with definitely death time was 0.22 (SD: 0.27, 95% CI: 0.17-0.26). The median interval was 0.089. More than half of patients (n = 75, 51.8%) underwent PC less than 1% time (PC-D/OS < 0.1) of their whole disease course. Patients who were indigenous to Shanghai ( P = .013) and who had brain metastasis ( P = .072) had the potential longer PC-D/OS ratio. A high proportion of patients reported loss of appetite (92.8%) and fatigue (91.4%) at the initial of referral to PC.

Conclusion:

This retrospective study, in a population of patients with advanced NSCLC, gave detailed information about PC services in a tertiary cancer center.
Risk and Protective Factors for Psychological Distress in Families Following a Diagnosis of Cleft Lip and/or Palate
Authors: Stock Nicola Marie , Costa Bruna , White Paul , Rumsey Nichola
Published: August 2019

Objectives:

Despite the potential psychological impact of a diagnosis of cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) on parents, few large-scale studies currently exist. Utilizing data extracted from The Cleft Collective Birth Cohort Study, the current study aimed to examine the psychological impact of the diagnosis on parent and family functioning and to identify risk and/or protective factors contributing to parental adjustment in order to inform future psychological intervention.

Methods:

Parent-reported questionnaire data were extracted for 1163 parents (644 mothers and 519 fathers). Outcome measures included the PedsQL-Family Impact Module, the Perceived Stress Scale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and a condition-specific tool designed by the Psychology Clinical Excellence Network.

Results:

Overall, findings suggest that parents adjust well to the diagnosis. Factors found to be protective against psychological distress for both mothers and fathers included a positive life orientation, satisfaction with health care, and relationship satisfaction. Close friendships were also protective against depression in mothers. Risk factors for mothers included the presence of a prior mental health condition, and stressful life events during pregnancy. Risk factors for fathers included being older at the time of conception, and recently being absent from work.

Conclusions:

Findings suggest a need for appropriate psychological screening of both parents following a diagnosis of CL/P and emphasize the importance of coordinated multidisciplinary care for psychological health. Preventative models of intervention to strengthen familial relationships and build resilience require further investigation.
Patients With Cleft Lip and Palate Associated With Intraoral Fibrous Bands: A Report of 3 Cases and Review of Literature
Authors: Vamvanij Natthacha , Chen Zung-Chung , Lo Lun-Jou
Published: August 2019

In rare instances, cleft lip and palate occur in association with synechia, intraoral fibrous bands connecting the maxilla and mandible. The main concern in synechia is a restricted mouth opening that leads to airway and feeding problems. This study reports our experience in the treatment of 3 cases and includes a review of the literature. Three patients with intraoral fibrous bands received treatment and follow-ups in our center. Division of the bands and reconstruction of the lip and palate were successfully performed. All reported cases in the literature were collected for a summary of clinical presentations and as references for management. Early management of the synechia improves the mouth opening and facilitates the treatment of associated anomalies.
Faculty Confronting Gender-Based Violence on Campus: Opportunities and Challenges
Authors: Sharoni Simona , Klocke Brian
Published: August 2019

Faculty have played an important role in the ongoing efforts to confront gender-based violence on college campuses, as teachers, researchers, advocates, and policy advisors. Nevertheless, few institutions have welcomed faculty activism on this issue, especially when it took the form of vocal support for survivor-led efforts to transform campus policies and culture. This article examines the nature and scope of faculty involvement in confronting gender-based violence on college campuses across North America between 2014 and 2018. Our analysis of the range of roles and responsibilities faculty have assumed and the challenges and obstacles they have faced is informed by our own involvement with the U.S.-based group, Faculty Against Rape (FAR), which is dedicated to supporting faculty involvement in confronting gender-based violence on campus. Informed by the context of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements on one hand, and the changes in Federal and State protections for student survivors in the Trump–DeVos era on the other, the article concludes with a list of best practices for faculty involvement.
“It Is Time to Make Our Way Home”: How Contingent Labor Practices Impact Transformative Possibilities of Teaching About Violence Against Women
Authors: Cohan Deborah J.
Published: August 2019

This article explores the intersection of teaching about gender-based violence and contingent employment. Drawing upon Patricia Hill Collins’s (1986) theory of the outsider-within to illuminate how power differentials, access, and resources as insiders or outsiders shape knowledge production and ways of knowing, seeing, and being, the author applies this lens to the experience of contingent faculty. Relying on perspectives in feminist pedagogy, autoethnographic methods, and case studies of students studying trauma, this article exposes layers of personal and institutional brokenness. In delving into the connection of emotion and social structure, this article is intended for people interested in higher education’s role and responsibility in preventing and responding to gender-based violence, the emotional life of the classroom, feminist pedagogy on trauma, mental health crisis in higher education, and overreliance on contingent laborers in higher education.
Making Power Visible: “Slow Activism” to Address Staff Sexual Misconduct in Higher Education
Authors: Page Tiffany , Bull Anna , Chapman Emma
Published: August 2019

This article examines activism to address staff-to-student sexual misconduct in higher education in the United Kingdom from our perspective as founders and members of the research and lobby organization The 1752 Group. We argue that in order to tackle staff sexual misconduct in higher education, the problem has first to be made visible. We theorize this as “slow activism” and outline the activities that we and others have been engaged in toward this end: conducting research, using complaints processes within institutions, naming the experiences of staff sexual misconduct and/or institutions and perpetrators, and carrying out discipline-led and sector-level initiatives.
Managing code transformations for better performance portability
Authors: Teixeira Thiago SFX , Gropp William , Padua David
Published: August 2019

Code optimization is an intricate task that is getting more complex as computing systems evolve. Managing the program optimization process, including the implementation and evaluation of code variants, is tedious, inefficient, and errors are likely to be introduced in the process. Moreover, because each platform typically requires a different sequence of transformations to fully harness its computing power, the optimization process complexity grows as new platforms are adopted. To address these issues, systems and frameworks have been proposed to automate the code optimization process. They, however, have not been widely adopted and are primarily used by experts with deep knowledge about underlying architecture and compiler intricacies. This article describes the requirements that we believe necessary for making automatic performance tuning more broadly used, especially in complex, long-lived high-performance computing applications. Besides discussing limitations of current systems and strategies to overcome these, we describe the design of a system that is able to semi-automatically generate efficient platform-specific code. In the proposed system, the code optimization is programmer-guided, separately from application code, on an external file in what we call optimization programming. The language to program the optimization process is able to represent complex collections of transformations and, as a result, generate efficient platform-specific code. A database manages different optimized versions of code regions, providing a pragmatic approach to performance portability, and the framework itself has separate components, allowing the optimized code to be used on systems without installing all of the modules required for the code generation. We present experiments on two different platforms to illustrate the generation of efficient platform-specific code that performs comparable to hand-optimized, vendor-provided code.
SWIRL: High-performance many-core CPU code generation for deep neural networks
Authors: Venkat Anand , Rusira Tharindu , Barik Raj , Hall Mary , Truong Leonard
Published: August 2019

Deep neural networks (DNNs) have demonstrated effectiveness in many domains including object recognition, speech recognition, natural language processing, and health care. Typically, the computations involved in DNN training and inferencing are time consuming and require efficient implementations. Existing frameworks such as TensorFlow, Theano, Torch, Cognitive Tool Kit (CNTK), and Caffe enable Graphics Processing Unit (GPUs) as the status quo devices for DNN execution, leaving Central Processing Unit (CPUs) behind. Moreover, existing frameworks forgo or limit cross layer optimization opportunities that have the potential to improve performance by significantly reducing data movement through the memory hierarchy. In this article, we describe an alternative approach called SWIRL, a compiler that provides high-performance CPU implementations for DNNs. SWIRL is built on top of the existing domain-specific language (DSL) for DNNs called LATTE. SWIRL separates DNN specification and its schedule using predefined transformation recipes for tensors and layers commonly found in DNN layers. These recipes synergize with DSL constructs to generate high-quality fused, vectorized, and parallelized code for CPUs. On an Intel Xeon Platinum 8180M CPU, SWIRL achieves performance comparable with Tensorflow integrated with MKL-DNN; on average 1.00× of Tensorflow inference and 0.99× of Tensorflow training. It also outperforms the original LATTE compiler on average by 1.22× and 1.30× on inference and training, respectively.
Ocular changes in traumatic brain injury: A review
Authors: Mufti Osama , Mathew Sunu , Harris Alon , Siesky Brent , Burgett Kendall M , Verticchio Vercellin Alice Chandra
Published: August 2019

Traumatic brain injury is represented by a penetrating or non-penetrating head injury, which causes disruption in the normal functioning of the brain. Traumatic brain injury has been an ardently debated topic of discussion due to its prevalence in media centric persons such as military personnel and athletes. Current assessments for traumatic brain injury have looked at vestibulo-ocular and vascular parameters to aid in diagnosis. Innovations in non-invasive ophthalmic imaging have allowed for the visualization of specific tissue structure/function relationships in a variety of ophthalmic and neurodegenerative diseases. As the eye and brain share significant embryological and physiological pathways, ocular imaging modalities may provide a novel and impactful tool in advancing assessment of traumatic brain injury. Herein, we examined the available literature and data on visual fields, mean retinal nerve fiber layer thickness, retinal ganglion cell layer thickness, and cerebral blood flow following traumatic brain injury. This review of published individual and population-based studies was performed in order to explore the feasibility and importance of considering ocular imaging biomarkers following traumatic brain injury.
Degenerative changes of the hip following in situ fixation for slipped capital femoral epiphysis: a minimum 18-year follow-up study
Authors: Ghijselings Stijn , Touquet Jeroen , Himpe Nicolas , Simon Jean-Pierre , Corten Kristoff , Moens Pierre
Published: August 2019

Introduction:

In situ fixation (ISF) is currently still the ‘gold standard’ treatment for slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) and has shown acceptable results at mid-term follow-up. This study aims to evaluate functional, clinical and radiographic long-term outcomes after this procedure.

Methods:

We reviewed 64 SCFE patients (76 SCFE hips) treated with ISF between 1983 and 1998. 82.9% were stable hips and 17.1% unstable according to Loder’s definition. Initial radiographs demonstrated a mild slip in 50%, moderate in 41.3% and severe in 8.7% based on the Southwick angle. Long-term outcomes were assessed using the modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS), University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and Tegner activity scores, visual analogue scale (VAS) pain, VAS function, flexion-adduction-internal rotation (FADIR) test, extent of internal-rotation at 90° of hip flexion and Tönnis classification for hip osteoarthritis (OA).

Results:

10 (15.6%) SCFE hips were converted to a total hip replacement (THR) after a mean of 16 years. 38 (59.4%) patients underwent a clinical and radiographic examination after a mean follow-up of 23 (range 18–33) years. 12 (18.8%) patients were lost to follow-up. 74% of SCFE hips demonstrated degenerative change on radiography or were converted to THR (Tönnis 1: 33.3%, 2: 18.5%, 3 or THR: 22.2%). There were 3 cases of avascular necrosis (AVN) all in unstable hips. Mean mHHS was 86.8/100, UCLA activity score 7.5/10, Tegner activity score 3.8/10, VAS pain 1.7/10 and VAS function 1.5/10. 20% of SCFE hips were found to have a positive FADIR-test and a limited internal-rotation of 19.7° versus 36.1° ( p < 0.001) in contralateral normal hips.

Discussion:

This long-term follow-up study of ISF for SCFE shows that although complication rates in terms of AVN are low, a high number of patients become symptomatic and have a limited function. Degenerative changes are common with 22.2% of hips developing end-stage hip OA (Tönnis 3 or THR). It is important that patients and parents are informed about these risks.
Case-Mix Classification for Mental Health Care in Community Settings: A Scoping Review
Authors: Tran Nam , Poss Jeffrey W , Perlman Christopher , Hirdes John P
Published: August 2019

As mental health care transitions from facility-based care to community-based services, methods to classify patients in terms of their expected health care resource use are an essential tool to balance the health care needs and equitable allocation of health care resources. This study performed a scoping review to summarize the nature, extent, and range of research on case-mix classifications used to predict mental health care resource use in community settings. This study identified 17 eligible studies with 32 case-mix classification systems published since the 1980s. Most of these studies came from the USA Veterans Affairs and Medicare systems, and the most recent studies came from Australia. There were a wide variety of choices of input variables and measures of resource use. However, much of the variance in observed resource use was not accounted for by these case-mix systems. The research activity specific to case-mix classification for community mental health care was modest. More consideration should be given to the appropriateness of the input variables, resource use measure, and evaluation of predictive performance. Future research should take advantage of testing case-mix systems developed in other settings for community mental health care settings, if possible.
Teacher agency and teacher improvisation: A study of experienced teachers and student teachers in music classrooms
Authors: Espeland Åsmund , Kvile Synnøve , Holdhus Kari
Published: August 2019

In teaching situations, teachers constantly have to make spontaneous and more or less planned choices based on input from pupils, adapted to the specific school setting and within society’s social and cultural norms. Two phenomena underpinning such a view on teacher practices are teacher agency and teacher improvisation. The focus of this article is to explore and discuss the relationship between these two phenomena and, more specifically, the role of teacher agency in teachers’ capacity to improvise professionally in the classroom. The empirical background for this article is a qualitative study where we have observed and interviewed professional teachers and student teachers within the field of music in a Norwegian culture school and secondary school. The perspective of experience plays a central role in the study and gives us the opportunity to discuss what implications this research could have for teacher education.
Fiscal performance of minority governments: New empirical evidence for OECD countries
Authors: Potrafke Niklas
Published: August 2019

I use new data on central and general governments for 23 OECD countries over the period 1960–2015 (unbalanced panel) to examine fiscal performance under minority governments. The results do not suggest that minority governments had higher fiscal deficits and public expenditure than majority governments—corroborating many previous studies. An innovation of my study is to examine fiscal policies of minority governments that enjoy organized support of opposition parties. The results do not show that minority governments that enjoy organized support of opposition parties increased public expenditure to a larger extent than majority governments. If anything, fiscal deficits were somewhat higher under single-party minority governments with organized support of opposition parties than under majority governments especially. Minority and majority governments had quite similar fiscal performance in OECD countries.
A research on fatigue crack growth monitoring based on multi-sensor and data fusion
Authors: Qi Chang , Weixi Yang , Jun Liu , Heming Gao , Yao Meng
Published: August 2019

Fatigue crack propagation is one of the main problems in structural health monitoring. For the safety and operability of the metal structure, it is necessary to monitor the fatigue crack growth process of the structure in real time. In order to more accurately monitor the expansion of fatigue cracks, two kinds of sensors are used in this article: strain gauges and piezoelectric transducers. A model-based inverse finite element model algorithm is proposed to perform pattern recognition of fatigue crack length, and the fatigue crack monitoring experiment is carried out to verify the algorithm. The strain spectra of the specimen under cyclic load in the simulation and experimental crack propagation are obtained, respectively. The active lamb wave technique is also used to monitor the crack propagation. The relationship between the crack length and the lamb wave characteristic parameter is established. In order to improve the recognition accuracy of the crack propagation mode, the random forest and inverse finite element model algorithms are used to identify the crack length, and the Dempster–Shafer evidence theory is used as data fusion to integrate the conclusion of the two algorithms to make a more accountable and correct judge of the crack length. An experiment has been conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the method.