bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rethinking Greenwashing: Corporate Discourse, Unethical Practice, and the Unmet Potential of Ethical Consumerism
Authors: Jones Ellis
Published: May 2019

Utilizing data drawn from online and print advertisements, this research compares the green advertising techniques of companies with well-documented strong and weak social and environmental track records. Notwithstanding more subtle, divergent narratives suggesting that more responsible companies direct the consumer gaze toward more political and systemic issues while their counterparts tend to emphasize relatively low-cost, scientific, and philanthropic efforts, the main findings indicate that all companies employ a very similar grand narrative focused on consumer empowerment regardless of their actual ethical track record. This suggests that most attempts, by consumers and scholars alike, to determine anything meaningful about actual corporate practices via an analysis of environmental advertising, may be largely futile. A dramaturgical framework is employed to argue that the findings are most suitably explained by reframing green advertising as a form of impression management for an audience of ethical consumers. Thus, greenwashing emerges only when such performances are contradicted by a company’s actual environmental track record. The author proposes a more relational definition of greenwashing to reorient the analytical focus on the processes behind, and connections between, the product, the company, and the industry, including their broader cultural context.
Man-made mineral fiber effects on the expression of anti-oncogenes P53 and P16 and oncogenes C-JUN and C-FOS in the lung tissue of Wistar rats
Authors: Cui Yan , Huang Liuwen , Huo Tingting , Dong Faqin , Wang Guojun , Zhang Qingbi
Published: May 2019

Man-made mineral fibers (MMMFs) are substitutes for asbestos. MMMFs are widely used as insulation, but their molecular mechanisms underlying the tumorigenic effects in vivo have been poorly studied. For this reason, this work aimed to explore the properties and carcinogenic molecular mechanisms of MMMFs. The three MMMFs, rock wool (RW), glass fibers (GFs), and ceramic fibers (CFs), were prepared into respirable dust. Particle size, morphology, and chemical composition were analyzed by laser particle analyzer, scanning electron microscope, and X-ray fluorescence spectrometer, respectively. The Wistar rats were administered multiple intratracheal instillations of three MMMFs once a month. Then, several parameters (e.g. body mass, lung mass, and lung histology) were measured at 1, 3, and 6 months. After that, levels of P53, P16, C-JUN, and C-FOS mRNA and protein were measured by quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. This work found that exposure to MMMFs could influence the growth of body mass and increase lung mass. General conditions showed white nodules and irregular atrophy. In addition, MMMFs could lead to inactivation of anti-oncogene P16 and activation of proto-oncogenes (C-JUN and C-FOS) in the mRNA and protein levels, in which GF and CF were more obvious compared with RW. The effect of MMMFs was different, which may be related to the physical and chemical characteristics of different MMMFs. In conclusion, MMMFs (GF and CF) could induce an unbalanced expression of cancer-related genes in the lung tissues of rats. The understanding of the determinants of toxicity and carcinogenicity provides a scientific basis for developing and introducing new safer MMMF products, and the present study provides some useful insights into the carcinogenic mechanism of MMMFs.
Partiality in Prosecution? Discretionary Prosecutorial Decision Making and Intimate Partner Violence
Authors: Cox Jennifer , Meaux Lauren T. , Stanziani Marissa , Coffey C. Adam , Daquin Jane
Published: May 2019

In the United States, prosecutors are typically allotted a large amount of discretion when litigating a criminal case. Although some level of discretion is necessary for various reasons (e.g., lack of resources), concerns have arisen in both scholarly and popular discourse that prosecutorial discretion remains generally unchecked. Furthermore, research suggests prosecutors may be influenced by extralegal factors when making decisions about how to proceed with criminal charges. In this study, prosecutors responded to a case of alleged intimate partner violence, in which the sex and sexual orientation of the defendant and victim were manipulated. Neither sex nor sexual orientation impacted prosecutor choice to proceed with charges, the severity of the charge selected, or the harshness of the plea bargain offered. However, prosecutors were more willing to proceed without the victim’s cooperation when the victim was female and perceived heterosexual males as more aggressive than heterosexual females. These data suggest prosecutorial decision making in cases of intimate partner violence may not be unduly influenced by defendant/victim sex and sexual orientation.
Gender Differences in the Violence Exposure Types That Predict PTSD and Depression in Adolescents
Authors: Schwartz Byron , Kaminer Debra , Hardy Anneli , Nöthling Jani , Seedat Soraya
Published: May 2019

Both specific forms of violence and polyvictimization have been associated with an increased risk for negative mental health outcomes in youth. Despite evidence of gender differences in trauma experience and impact, gender patterns in the comparative contribution of specific violence exposures versus polyvictimization to mental health outcomes have seldom been explored. The few existing studies have all been conducted in high-income countries, while there is a dearth of research from lower and middle-income countries. This study examined the contribution of witnessed and direct community violence, domestic violence, sexual abuse, and different levels of polyvictimization to the severity of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression in a clinic sample of children and adolescents ( n = 310) in South Africa. Although polyvictimization rates were high across both genders, polyvictimization posed differential risks for boys and girls. For girls, higher levels of polyvictimization, but not individual violence types, predicted both PTSD and depression severity. For boys, polyvictimization did not predict PTSD or depression severity. Higher levels of victimization in the community predicted PTSD severity among boys, while no forms of violence predicted depression. The findings confirm the value of examining gender patterns in the risk for posttraumatic sequelae posed by exposure to specific and cumulative forms of violence. Implications for interventions with youth in high-violence contexts such as South Africa are considered.
The Effects of Risky Places, Motivated Offenders, and Social Disorganization on Sexual Victimization: A Microgeographic- and Neighborhood-Level Examination
Authors: Konkel Rebecca Headley , Hafemeister Alexis J. , Daigle Leah E.
Published: May 2019

We test microgeographic (i.e., street segment) effects reflective of routine activities/lifestyle theories (e.g., the locations of sex offenders, gang members, drug houses, bars) and neighborhood-level (i.e., block group) effects consistent with social disorganization theory (e.g., socioeconomic disadvantage, residential mobility, racial heterogeneity) on the locations of sexual offenses within one rural and one suburban city. We employ multilevel modeling to examine neighborhood ( N = 41) and microgeographic ( N = 1,382) effects on sex offenses. Neighborhood context was associated with the locations of sex offenses in which disadvantage, concentrated poverty, racial heterogeneity, violent crime rates, and suburban (vs. rural) areas were positively associated with sex offense rates, whereas residential mobility had a negative effect on sex offense rates. Microgeographic context also explained variation in sex offense rates in which gang members, sex offenders, drug houses, and high population housing communities had positive effects on sexual assault rates, while controlling for spatially lagged effects. Finally, the effect of high-density housing communities was moderated by the level of disadvantage and racial heterogeneity. Neighborhood context and variables linked to exposure to crime operate differently in nonurban areas. Beyond considering community-based characteristics, contextual characteristics related to potential victims’ exposure to motivated offenders should focus on small spatial places.
PLA-PEKK-HAp-CS composite scaffold joining with friction stir spot welding
Authors: Singh Jaskaran , Singh Rupinder , Kumar Ranvijay , Rahman Md Mustafizur , Ramakrishna Seeram
Published: May 2019

This article reports joining feasibility of polylactic acid-polyether ketone ketone-hydroxyapatite-chitosan composite scaffold with consumable tool in friction stir spot welding (FSSW) as a novel process. Also, investigations have been made for mechanical, thermal, and morphological characteristics of the joints prepared. The results for joint strength are supported with axial/transverse force and interface temperature measurement for bone scaffolds. The FSSW process parameters, namely rotational speed, pin depth, and stirred time, have been varied to correlate the changes in force and temperature with mechanical and morphological properties. The results of the study highlighted that ultimate tensile strength (6.57 MPa) and flexural strength (139.2 MPa) were obtained best at 800 r/min rotational speed and 20 s stirring time with 2.5-mm pin depth.
Digital Segregation: Gender, Occupation, and Access to Politics
Authors: Friesen Amanda , Burge Ryan , Britzman Kylee
Published: May 2019

In the United States, women often show less interest in politics, and under some conditions, perform worse than men on political knowledge tests. In an age where education levels have reached parity, we suggest one of the explanations for gender differences in political engagement might be due to selection of occupation. Past research has shown women and men segregate into different occupations due to early gender socialization, differences in interest, and structural barriers. It is possible that due to these segregation effects, women in traditional female occupations (e.g., education, health care, service work) may have less access to personal Internet use and news sources during their work days. Using the 2014 General Social Survey, we create a new occupational typology based on access to the Internet to explore whether individuals in certain sectors differ in their political engagement and how these occupations are also divided by gender. Then, we apply the technology use measure to the 2016 American National Election Study and find that technology access on the job does not seem to be related to political knowledge, once we account for education, which offers some insight into the mechanisms by which individuals gain this knowledge. In addition, the interaction between total media consumption and tech use suggests that the gap in political knowledge between men and women is stubbornly persistent.
Variation in Hospital Use at the End of Life Among New South Wales Residents Who Died in Hospital or Soon After Discharge
Authors: Assareh Hassan , Stubbs Joanne M. , Trinh Lieu T. T. , Muruganantham Poorani , Jalaludin Bin , Achat Helen M.
Published: May 2019

Objective: Hospital use increases in the last 3 months of life. We aimed to examine its association with where people live and its variation across a large health jurisdiction. Methods: We studied a number of emergency department presentations and days spent in hospital, and in-hospital deaths among decedents who were hospitalized within 30 days of death across 153 areas in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, during 2010-2015. Results: Decedents’ demographics and health status were associated with hospital use. Primary care and aged care supply had no or minimal influence, as opposed to the varying effects of areal factors—socioeconomic status, remoteness, and distance to hospital last admitted. Overall, there was an approximate 20% difference in hospital use by decedents across areas. In all, 18% to 57% of areas had hospital use that differed from the average. Discussion: The observed disparity can inform targeted local efforts to strengthen the use of community care services and reduce the burden of end-of-life care on hospitals.
The influence of Max Weber on the concept of empathic understanding (Verstehen) in the psychopathology of Karl Jaspers
Authors: Aragona Massimiliano
Published: May 2019

This paper explores key concepts in the writings of Weber in the years preceding the publication of the first edition of Karl Jaspers’ Allgemeine Psychopathologie, focusing on the concept of understanding ( Verstehen). This is a key hermeneutic concept and is discussed within the larger context of the epistemological and methodological reflections of both authors. They similarly tried to import the understanding within the humanistic disciplines as a rigorous but anti-reductionist scientific method. However, while Weber tried to mix explanation and understanding according to a legal metaphor, Jaspers retained Dilthey’s sharper distinction between explanation in natural sciences and understanding in humanistic sciences. Finally, Jaspers’ understanding is relatively more empathic, while Weber’s understanding is more rationalistic.
Stereotactic Catheter Drainage Versus Conventional Craniotomy for Severe Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage in the Basal Ganglia
Authors: Shi Jia , Cai Zhonghai , Han Wei , Dong Bo , Mao Yumin , Cao Jiachao , Wang Suinuan , Guan Wei
Published: May 2019

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is one of the most devastating forms of cerebrovascular pathology. However, its treatment remains a matter of debate among neurosurgeons and neurologists. The study was to explore the efficacy of minimally invasive surgery (stereotactic catheter drainage, SCD) for patients with severe intracerebral hemorrhage (Glasgow Coma Scale, GCS) score ≤ 8 and hematoma volume ≥ 30 cm3) and to determine predisposing factors for good clinical outcome. A total of 75 patients with severe ICH were included in this retrospective study. Patients were assigned to the SCD group (n=38) or the conventional craniotomy group (n=37). Patients were followed up for 12 months postoperatively, and their clinical parameters were compared. During the operation, the SCD group exhibited a lower bleeding volume ( p<0.001) and shorter operating time ( p<0.001) than the conventional craniotomy group. For postoperative efficacy, the rates of pneumonia and tracheotomy were lower ( p=0.002 and p=0.027, respectively), and the duration of hospital and neurosurgery intensive care unit (NSICU) in days were significantly shorter in the SCD group ( p=0.046 and p=0.047, respectively). Furthermore, patients in the SCD group showed improved modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores at discharge ( p<0.018) and at 12-month follow up ( p<0.001). Predisposing factors for good clinical outcomes were hematoma volume (<50 cm3, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.043–1.956, p<0.046), initial GCS score (>6, 95% CI: 3.248–187.466, p<0.001), hypertension (none, 95% CI: 1.440–2.922, p<0.001), and treatment modality (SCD, 95% CI: 1.422–3.226, p<0.001). Taken together, SCD surgery is safe and effective in patients with severe ICH and has fewer complications and better clinical outcomes than conventional craniotomy.
Metaphors of Place-Conscious Leadership in the Multidistrict Superintendency: Negotiating Tensions of Place-Consciousness and District-Wide Goal Attainment
Authors: McHenry-Sorber Erin , Sutherland Daniella Hall
Published: May 2019

The purpose of this ethnographic case study is to provide a rich picture of the ways in which the multidistrict superintendent (MDS) engages in contextually responsive and place-conscious leadership across multiple community school districts. Secondarily, the research explores the meaning ascribed to these leadership practices in the form of participant-generated metaphors. We find the MDS employs the metaphors of weatherman, cow herder, and river guide to explain practice as he negotiates tensions of place-consciousness with his goal of a common vision for the multidistrict union.
Assessment of American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association-Approved Teams’ Websites for Patient-Oriented Content and Readability
Authors: Alfonso Allyson R. , DeMitchell-Rodriguez Evellyn M. , Ramly Elie P. , Noel Daphney Y. , Levy-Lambert Dina , Wang Maxime M. , Kantar Rami S. , Flores Roberto L.
Published: May 2019

Objective:

Informed decision-making relies on available information, including online resources. We evaluated the content and readability of websites published by American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association (ACPA)-approved cleft lip and/or palate (CLP) teams in the United States.

Design:

Team websites were reviewed, and teams with no accessible website or <30 sentences of content were excluded. Website content was scored by presence/absence of 20 variables derived from ACPA approval standards. Readability was evaluated with 8 scales. Readability was then compared to American Medical Association (AMA) recommendations. The relationship between website content and readability was assessed.

Main Outcome Measure(s):

Content and readability of team websites.

Results:

From 167 reviewed teams, 47 (28.1%) had nonfunctional links, 17 (10.2%) had no accessible website, and 39 (23.4%) had <30 sentences. The average content score for all 111 team websites included was 14.5 (2.6) of 20. The combined average reading level across all scales (10.7 [1.9]) exceeded the AMA-recommended sixth-grade reading level; this finding held true for each individual website. Children’s Hospital-affiliated teams (n = 86) had a significantly higher content score (14.8 vs 13.5; P = .03) and better readability as evidenced by lower reading grade level (10.5 vs 11.4; P = .04). On linear regression, a higher content score significantly predicted better readability (β = −0.226; P < .001).

Conclusions:

Websites published by ACPA-approved CLP teams vary in accessibility and content and exceed the recommended reading level. These findings could inform future efforts to improve patient-oriented resources.
The Promotion of Early School Nurses in Virginia: Learning From Our History (1900 to Present) to Build a New Future
Authors: Houlahan Bridget , Deveneau Lilianna
Published: May 2019

Despite tremendous challenges, in the early 20th century school nurses provided the first, and often only, medical care for thousands of schoolchildren and their families. However, multiple barriers impeded the developing role. Influences of historical events, financial support, lack of knowledge regarding benefits of the school nurse role, limited access to training, and issues of poor pay affected the Commonwealth of Virginia’s attempts to develop and provide school nursing throughout the diverse rural counties across the state. School nurses continue to face these challenges today. The purpose of this social historical research is to identify, describe, and analyze the origins and evolving role of the school nurse in the rural counties of Virginia, 1900–1925; investigate how this history influences school nursing today; and offer several suggestions rooted in findings for moving the profession forward as outlined by Cowell’s response to recommendations made by the Institute of Medicine.
“Fat-Rich” (Spindle Cell-Poor) Variant of Atypical Spindle Cell/Pleomorphic Lipomatous Tumor: Striking Mimic of “Classical” Atypical Lipomatous Tumor/Well-Differentiated Liposarcoma
Authors: Creytens David , Mentzel Thomas , Ferdinande Liesbeth , van Gorp Joost , Van Dorpe Jo , Flucke Uta
Published: May 2019

We report the case of a “fat-rich” (spindle cell-poor) variant of an atypical spindle cell/pleomorphic lipomatous tumor in a 63-year-old female patient presenting with a firm, painless soft tissue mass on the right hip. Atypical spindle cell/pleomorphic lipomatous tumor is a very recently described low-grade adipocytic neoplasm, which occurs predominantly in adults with a predilection for the limbs and limb girdles. In the present case, the diagnosis of an atypical spindle cell/pleomorphic lipomatous tumor was challenging because the tumor was almost exclusively composed of an atypical adipocytic component (resembling “classical” atypical lipomatous tumor/well-differentiated tumor) with only very focal presence of the diagnostic atypical morphologic features (atypical spindle-shaped cells, floret-like multinucleated cells, and “bizarre” pleomorphic [multinucleated] cells). The possibility of a “classical” atypical lipomatous tumor/well-differentiated liposarcoma was ruled out by immunohistochemistry (lack of MDM2 expression and loss of Rb expression) and molecular genetic testing (no amplification of MDM2 and presence of monoallelic deletion of RB1). Another interesting morphologic observation in this case was the striking perivascular location of the atypical spindle/pleomorphic cells in some areas (so-called “pericytic mimicry”). To our knowledge, pericytic mimicry has not been reported in the setting of an atypical spindle cell/pleomorphic lipomatous tumor.
Retroperitoneal Well-Differentiated Liposarcoma With Uterine-Type Leiomyomatous Differentiation: A First Case Report With Literature Analysis of Soft Tissue Sarcomas With Dual Lipomatous and Low-Grade Smooth Muscle Differentiation
Authors: Tran Tien Anh N. , de La Fuente Sebastian
Published: May 2019

The occurrence of smooth muscle differentiation in a liposarcoma is a very uncommon phenomenon, even in dedifferentiated liposarcomas. In dedifferentiated liposarcomas, the leiomyosarcomatous component frequently displays high-grade cytologic features, increased mitotic activity, and tumor necrosis. Even more unusual are rare reported cases of low-grade smooth muscle differentiation in atypical lipomatous tumors/well-differentiated liposarcomas (WDLS). The current case describes a 39-year-old female with a large retroperitoneal WDLS harboring a well-demarcated mass composed of benign-appearing smooth muscle fascicles completely lacking cytologic atypia and mitotic activity. In conjunction with the immunopositivity for estrogen and progesterone receptors, the morphology of this nodule was highly reminiscent of a uterine-type leiomyoma. Of note, the lipomatous component largely displayed a lipoma-like appearance with only rare foci of mildly atypical spindle cell proliferation among the adipocytes and few fibrous septae harboring atypical stromal cells. Immunohistochemical and fluorescence in situ hybridization studies revealed MDM2 gene amplification in both the lipomatous and leiomyoma-like areas, thus confirming the diagnosis of a WDLS with smooth muscle differentiation. A literature review on the subject of sarcomas with dual adipocytic and low-grade smooth muscle differentiation provided sufficient supporting evidence to categorize the tumor as a WDLS with “leiomyomatous” differentiation. Pathologists should be aware of the occurrence of uterine-type leiomyomatous differentiation in retroperitoneal WDLS to avoid potential diagnostic errors.
Understanding the Career Aspirations of Diverse Community College Students
Authors: Gregor Margo A. , Pino Heather V. Ganginis Del , Gonzalez Alejandra , Soto Samsara , Dunn Marianne G.
Published: May 2019

The purpose of the study was to examine the relative contributions of career predictors (self-efficacy, career barriers, and coping-efficacy for overcoming barriers) in predicting educational and achievement aspirations in a diverse sample of community college students. Data from 236 community college students were utilized. Results from hierarchical regressions suggested that career-decision self-efficacy, college self-efficacy, compromising career for partner, perceptions of barriers, and coping efficacy in overcoming barriers were unique predictors of achievement and educational aspirations. As hypothesized, coping efficacy accounted for variance above and beyond the contributions of self-efficacy and barriers in predicting aspirations. Implications of these findings for research and practice are discussed.
Clinical Outcomes of Osteochondral Lesions of the Tibial Plafond Following Arthroscopic Microfracture
Authors: Lee Wonyong , Tran Sterling , Cooper Minton T. , Park Joseph S. , Perumal Venkat
Published: May 2019

Background:

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes and the level of sports activity following arthroscopic microfracture for osteochondral lesions of the tibial plafond.

Methods:

A retrospective review was conducted for patients who underwent arthroscopic microfracture surgery for osteochondral lesions of the tibial plafond from January 2014 to June 2017. For functional evaluation, the visual analog scale (VAS) pain score, Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) score, and Short Form-12 (SF-12) general health questionnaire were used. We also investigated the level of sports activity before and after the surgery. Sixteen patients were included in this study, and the mean follow-up period was 29.8 months.

Results:

The mean VAS score improved from 8.3 (range, 6-10) preoperatively to 1.8 (range, 0-4) postoperatively. The mean FAAM score was improved from 57.6 (range, 6.0-88.9) for the activities of daily living subscale and 34.5 (range, 3.1-92.6) for the sports subscale to 84.3 (range, 46.4-100.0) and 65.2 (range, 23.3-55.1) for each subscale, respectively, at the final follow-up. There were also improvements in the SF-12 score, from 36.3 (range, 23.3-55.1) preoperatively to 46.0 (range, 18.9-56.6) postoperatively for the SF-12 PCS, and from 41.3 (range, 14.2-65.0) preoperatively to 52.6 (range, 32.8-60.8) postoperatively for the SF-12 MCS. All functional scores showed significant differences clinically and statistically at the final follow-up. The level of sports activity after the surgery was significantly lower than their level before the surgery ( P = .012).

Conclusion:

Arthroscopic microfracture provided satisfactory clinical outcomes for osteochondral lesions of the tibial plafond. Though all the patients in this study were able to return to sports activity after the surgery, the postoperative level of sports activity was significantly lower than their preoperative level.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, retrospective case series.
Associations Between Objective Television Exposure and Cancer Perceptions in a National Sample of Adults
Authors: Allen Caitlin G. , McBride Colleen M. , Haardörfer Regine , Roberts Megan C.
Published: May 2019

The expanding sources of media coverage of cancer may have a powerful impact on emotions, cancer knowledge, information seeking, and other health behaviors. We explored whether television advertisements were associated with cancer worry, perceived risk, and perceived ability to prevent cancer using cross-sectional data from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) linked to television advertisement data from Kantar Media. We conducted hierarchical linear modeling assessing 2-level models for each of the 3 outcomes of interest. The most common content included advertisements for cancer clinics (54.4%), public service announcements about cancer (22.0%), and advertisements about cancer organizations (9.1%). Most variance in cancer perceptions was due to individual-level characteristics and not exposure to television advertisements, which aligns with previous literature suggesting a small, but significant, association of television exposure with health beliefs. Higher levels of exposures to cancer-specific television advertisements were associated with higher levels of risk perceptions. Additionally, older adults’ levels of perceived worry and risk were more likely to be associated with television exposure than younger adults. Given the substantial investments being made in cancer advertisements on television, the differences in exposure are important to consider in future efforts to understand predictors of beliefs about cancer and in the development of interventions designed to target risk-reducing behaviors.
Effects of Extended-Release Niacin on Quartile Lp-PLA2 Levels and Clinical Outcomes in Statin-treated Patients with Established Cardiovascular Disease and Low Baseline Levels of HDL-Cholesterol: Post Hoc Analysis of the AIM HIGH Trial
Authors: Lyubarova Radmila , Albers John J. , Marcovina Santica M. , Yao Yao , McBride Ruth , Topliceanu Alexandru , Anderson Todd , Fleg Jerome L. , Desvigne-Nickens Patrice , Kashyap Moti L. , McGovern Mark E. , Boden William E.
Published: May 2019

Background:

Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (LpPLA2) is an inflammatory marker that has been associated with the presence of vulnerable plaque and increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) events.

Objective:

To assess the effect of extended-release niacin (ERN) on Lp-PLA2 activity and clinical outcomes.

Methods:

We performed a post hoc analysis in 3196 AIM-HIGH patients with established CV disease and low baseline levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) who were randomized to ERN versus placebo on a background of simvastatin therapy (with or without ezetimibe) to assess the association between baseline Lp-PLA2 activity and the rate of the composite primary end point (CV death, myocardial infarction, stroke, hospitalization for unstable angina, and symptom-driven revascularization).

Results:

Participants randomized to ERN, but not those randomized to placebo, experienced a significant 8.9% decrease in LpPLA2. In univariate analysis, the highest quartile of LpPLA2 activity (>208 nmol/min/mL, Q4) was associated with higher event rates compared to the lower quartiles in the placebo group (log rank P = .032), but not in the ERN treated participants (log rank P = .718). However, in multivariate analysis, adjusting for sex, diabetes, baseline LDL-C, HDL-C, and triglycerides, there was no significant difference in outcomes between the highest Lp-PLA2 activity quartile versus the lower quartiles in both the placebo and the ERN groups.

Conclusion:

Among participants with stable CV disease on optimal medical therapy, elevated Lp-PLA2 was associated with higher CV events; however, addition of ERN mitigates this effect. This association in the placebo group was attenuated after multivariable adjustment, which suggests that Lp-PLA2 does not improve risk assessment beyond traditional risk factors.
Examining Spatial Regimes of Child Maltreatment Allegations in a Social Vulnerability Framework
Authors: Barboza-Salerno Gia Elise
Published: May 2019

The present research examines child maltreatment allegations (CMAs) in San Diego County, California, exploring spatial patterns of Child Protective Services involvement and multiple, multidimensional measures of neighborhood social vulnerability. Results showed significant patterns of spatial clustering (i.e., hot and cold spots) of CMAs across the county (Moran’s I = .316, p < .001). A geographically weighted regression (GWR) was implemented to examine the relationship between CMAs and social vulnerability at the census-tract level, thereby overcoming the deficiencies of global models. Nonstationarity was detected across four indices of vulnerability (socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity, household composition, and health vulnerability) as well as proximity to on-premise alcohol outlets, percentage of residents in each census tract affected by food deserts, and population density, in some cases showing countervailing effects depending on spatial location. A hierarchical clustering was performed on the GWR coefficients to identify spatial regimes, or clusters, across the county. The results yielded six spatial regimes of social vulnerability differentially related to CMA rates. The present study demonstrates the novelty of GWR in combination with a hierarchical cluster analysis for exploring how local contextual processes influence child maltreatment reporting rates across the county.
Attenuation of waves in a viscoelastic peridynamic medium
Authors: Silling S. A.
Published: May 2019

The effect of spatial nonlocality on the decay of waves in a dissipative material is investigated. The propagation and decay of waves in a one-dimensional, viscoelastic peridynamic medium is analyzed. Both the elastic and damping terms in the material model are nonlocal. Waves produced by a source with constant amplitude applied at one end of a semi-infinite bar decay exponentially with distance from the source. The model predicts a cutoff frequency that is influenced by the nonlocal parameters. A method for computing the attenuation coefficient explicitly as a function of material properties and source frequency is presented. The theoretical results are compared with direct numerical simulations in the time domain. The relationship between the attenuation coefficient and the group velocity is derived. It is shown that in the limit of long waves (or small peridynamic horizon), Stokes’ law of sound attenuation is recovered.
Children of single-parent households are at a higher risk of obesity: A systematic review
Authors: Duriancik David M , Goff Courtney R
Published: May 2019

The goal of this systematic review was to evaluate whether children living in single-parent households have a higher risk of obesity. Of the 539 studies identified using keywords, a total of 10 original studies met the inclusion criteria for this review. The outcome measures included objective assessment of adiposity (weight or body mass index (BMI)), dietary consumption, physical activity, and/or obesogenic behaviors (bedroom television, elevated television viewing time, insufficient physical activity, and infrequent family meals). Overall, the studies found higher BMIs and obesogenic behaviors in children of single-parent households. Characteristics identified with this association is comprised of being most prevalent among girls and Black children. Possible explanations for this association include single-parent households having higher time demands due to the lack of shared household responsibilities. Subsequently, a reduction of homemade meals, shared family meals, and physical activity can occur. Also, lower incomes and higher instability related to living transitions may be other possible challenges experienced in single-parent households. Based on the limited number of studies found, further research of the obesity risk in children from single-parent families is recommended. The findings can help provide clinicians and public health programs with a better understanding of how to effectively target family-based interventions for this population.
Nonlinear buckling optimization technique to predict critical imperfection wavelength of combined liquid-filled steel conical tanks
Authors: MacKay Rainer J , El Ansary Ayman M
Published: May 2019

The shape of the imperfection induced by welding has an influence on the buckling resistance of thin shell structures, and many previous studies have come up with various models to estimate the critical imperfection shape. The aim of the current study is to assess the adequacy of three different approaches available in the literature, which consider that the imperfection wavelength matching the first buckling mode of a perfect tank to be the critical one. The first approach is based on buckling formulae calculated using a linear eigenvalue analysis performed on extensive experimental results of buckling of conical shells. The second approach assumes the critical wavelength, in view of the buckling mode profile detected from finite element analysis, as the distance between the inflection points of the elastic curve of the first buckling mode of a perfect tank. The third approach estimates the critical wavelength as double the distance between maximum and minimum points of the elastic curve. To determine the optimum wavelength that would lead to the minimum buckling capacity of the tank, the current study is conducted numerically by coupling a nonlinear finite element model, developed in house, and a direct search optimization technique. The results obtained from this numerical tool show good agreement with the first and the second approaches, which proves the adequacy of these two approaches in estimating the critical wavelength of the governing buckling mode, while the third approach yields a wavelength that overestimates the buckling capacity of the tank.
A Clinical Overview of Telomerase-Associated Aberrancies in Follicular Thyroid Tumors as Diagnostic and Prognostic Markers: Tert Alert!
Authors: Juhlin C. C.
Published: May 2019

Background and Aims:

Endocrine surgeons and pathologists alike are well aware of the diagnostic predicament that follicular thyroid tumors impose in the clinical setting, best exemplified by the current inability to preoperatively assess the malignant potential of each individual lesion. As the proper recognition of a follicular thyroid carcinoma lies in the histopathological identification of invasive behavior, preoperative cytology alone is not yet sufficient to identify malignant tumors eligible for a total thyroidectomy upfront. Numerous auxiliary markers have been proposed as discriminating markers between follicular thyroid carcinomas and follicular thyroid adenomas, although many have proven suboptimal in terms of sensitivity, specificity, or overall clinical practicality. Of late, recurrent promoter mutations in the telomerase reverse transcriptase gene have been intimately coupled to subsets of well-differentiated thyroid cancer specimen with aggressive clinical characteristics as well as less differentiated forms of thyroid cancer with exceedingly poor prognosis. The mutations are thought to enhance the telomerase reverse transcriptase gene expressional output and cause immortalization through telomerase-associated mechanisms.

Materials and Methods:

In this review, the current value of telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter mutations is detailed from a clinical angle—as well as the possible future application of additional telomerase reverse transcriptase gene aberrations as adjunct markers for the proper recognition of malignant potential.

Results:

Telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter mutations are found in subsets of follicular thyroid carcinomas and follicular tumors of uncertain malignant potential while exceedingly rare in recurrence-free follicular thyroid adenomas. Collectively, these aberrancies are suggested as possible diagnostic and prognostic discriminators of follicular thyroid tumors.

Conclusions:

Telomerase reverse transcriptase gene analyses greatly facilitate the clinical assessment of follicular thyroid tumors, and pinpoints cases at risk of future recurrences. High-volume, tertiary thyroid centers are therefore recommended to implement the mutational screening in clinical routine.
An Examination of the Westermarck Hypothesis and the Role of Disgust in Incest Avoidance Among Fathers
Authors: Pullman Lesleigh E. , Babchishin Kelly , Seto Michael C.
Published: May 2019

From an evolutionary perspective, incestuous behavior is puzzling. The goal of this study was to assess the tenability of the Westermarck hypothesis (1891, 1921)—that people who live in close physical proximity with one another during childhood will develop a sexual indifference or aversion toward one another—and the mediating role of disgust as an incest avoidance mechanism in father–daughter relationships. A sample of fathers with daughters ( N = 632) from Canada and the United States were recruited by Qualtrics—a survey platform and project management company—to complete an online survey. The results from this study did not support the viability of the Westermarck hypothesis as a mechanism that facilitates incest avoidance for fathers. Physical proximity was not associated with incest propensity or disgust toward incest. Less disgust toward incest, however, was found to be associated with more incest propensity. These results indicate that physical proximity may not be a reliable kinship cue used by fathers to inform incest avoidance, but that disgust toward incest may still be a proximate mechanism that facilitates incest avoidance among fathers using kinship cues other than physical proximity.
Impact of Esophageal Motion on Dosimetry and Toxicity With Thoracic Radiation Therapy
Authors: Gao Hao , Kelsey Chris R. , Boyle John , Xie Tianyi , Catalano Suzanne , Wang Xiaofei , Yin Fang-Fang
Published: May 2019

Purpose:

To investigate the impact of intra- and inter-fractional esophageal motion on dosimetry and observed toxicity in a phase I dose escalation study of accelerated radiotherapy with concurrent chemotherapy for locally advanced lung cancer.

Methods and Materials:

Patients underwent computed tomography imaging for radiotherapy treatment planning (CT1 and 4DCT1) and at 2 weeks (CT2 and 4DCT2) and 5 weeks (CT3 and 4DCT3) after initiating treatment. Each computed tomography scan consisted of 10-phase 4DCTs in addition to a static free-breathing or breath-hold computed tomography. The esophagus was independently contoured on all computed tomographies and 4DCTs. Both CT2 and CT3 were rigidly registered with CT1 and doses were recalculated using the original intensity-modulated radiation therapy plan based on CT1 to assess the impact of interfractional motion on esophageal dosimetry. Similarly, 4DCT1 data sets were rigidly registered with CT1 to assess the impact of intrafractional motion. The motion was characterized based on the statistical analysis of slice-by-slice center shifts (after registration) for the upper, middle, and lower esophageal regions, respectively. For the dosimetric analysis, the following quantities were calculated and assessed for correlation with toxicity grade: the percent volumes of esophagus that received at least 20 Gy (V20) and 60 Gy (V60), maximum esophageal dose, equivalent uniform dose, and normal tissue complication probability.

Results:

The interfractional center shifts were 4.4 ± 1.7 mm, 5.5 ± 2.0 mm and 4.9 ± 2.1 mm for the upper, middle, and lower esophageal regions, respectively, while the intrafractional center shifts were 0.6 ± 0.4 mm, 0.7 ± 0.7 mm, and 0.9 ± 0.7 mm, respectively. The mean V60 (and corresponding normal tissue complication probability) values estimated from the interfractional motion analysis were 7.8% (10%), 4.6% (7.5%), 7.5% (8.6%), and 31% (26%) for grade 0, grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3 toxicities, respectively.

Conclusions:

Interfractional esophageal motion is significantly larger than intrafractional motion. The mean values of V60 and corresponding normal tissue complication probability, incorporating interfractional esophageal motion, correlated positively with esophageal toxicity grade.
Compendium of Health and Wellness Coaching: 2019 Addendum
Authors: Sforzo Gary A. , Kaye Miranda P. , Harenberg Sebastian , Costello Kyle , Cobus-Kuo Laura , Rauff Erica , Edman Joel S. , Frates Elizabeth , Moore Margaret
Published: May 2019

The 2019 Addendum, in conjunction with the original health and wellness coaching (HWC) Compendium, organizes HWC literature with the aim of assisting researchers while providing a resource for practitioners. The 2019 Addendum to the HWC Compendium extends the initial work by adding HWC-related literature published in the past 2 years. The 2019 Addendum divides articles retrieved into 8 categories, including a new miscellaneous section complementing categories examining HWC effects on cancer, cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, obesity, and wellness. The 2019 Addendum again provides in-depth information about the nature, quality, and results from each article in a detailed spreadsheet provided as an electronic appendix. The 2019 Addendum contributes another 104 peer-reviewed coaching-related articles to the HWC Compendium. This most recent research again describes HWC as a favorable intervention with treatment potential in all categories, though only 3 new cancer articles were included in the 2019 Addendum. Trends in HWC (ie, e-coaching and group coaching) are identified, and there is also discussion of future research needs. In conclusion, the field of HWC continues to grow, as does the research describing this clinical practice; the 2019 Addendum to the Compendium of HWC organizes and assists understanding of this literature.
Effects of telerehabilitation in occupational therapy practice: A systematic review
Authors: Hung KN Goris , Fong Kenneth NK
Published: May 2019

Objective/background

This study aimed to review the current evidence on the application of telerehabilitation in occupational therapy practice and its clinical outcomes over the last 10 years.

Methods

A systematic review was performed on studies published in English in the decade 2008 to 2017, retrieved from seven electronic databases (MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Web of Science, SAGE, Science Direct and EMBASE). Only articles evaluating the use of telerehabilitation to provide occupational therapy services from a distance were included, with no restrictions on pathology, impairment, age, or the nature of occupational therapy intervention.

Results

Fifteen articles (three randomised controlled trials, eight quasi-experimental studies, one trial with single-group post-intervention and three case studies) were reviewed. Despite various study designs and outcome measures, most studies indicated positive therapeutic effects of using telerehabilitation in occupational therapy practice. There is insufficient evidence, however, to confirm that telerehabilitation is more effective than the face-to-face model. Little evidence was shown on the long-term effect and cost efficacy. Only two studies used smartphones in their applications.

Conclusion

Telerehabilitation offers an alternative service delivery model for occupational therapy, not only bridging distance but also offering user-friendly treatment for patients at home. Further research, particularly on the use of the most cutting-edge mobile technology, is needed to determine effectiveness in occupational therapy practice treating various diseases, conditions and impairments and the characteristics of patients, interventions and therapists that lead to the best fit with this alternative and emerging form of service delivery.
On the role of autobiographical knowledge in shaping belief in the future occurrence of imagined events
Authors: Ernst Alexandra , Scoboria Alan , D’Argembeau Arnaud
Published: May 2019

Recent studies suggest that different forms of episodic simulation—mental representations of past, future, or atemporal events—recruit many of the same underlying cognitive and neural processes. This leads to the question whether there are distinctive hallmark characteristics of episodic future thinking: the subjective sense that imagined events belong to and will occur in the personal future. In this study, we aimed at shedding light on the cognitive ingredients that contribute to this sense of future occurrence by asking participants to imagine personal and experimenter-provided future events associated with high or low degrees of belief in future occurrence and then to reflect on the bases for their beliefs. Results showed that contextualising autobiographical knowledge (i.e., articulating links between items of information associated with imagined future events, goals, and personal characteristics) is a critical aspect of belief in future occurrence, and autobiographical knowledge can be flexibly used to either support or suppress belief in future occurrence. These findings indicate that episodic future thought not only depends on simulation processes (i.e., the construction of detailed mental representations for future events) but also requires that imagined events are meaningfully integrated within an autobiographical context.