bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Procuring Health: Experiences of Mexican Immigrant Women in Rural Midwestern Communities
Authors: Greder Kimberly , Reina Angelica S.
Published: December 2018

Thematic analysis was used to analyze interview data from 15 first-generation Mexican immigrant women who resided in two rural Midwestern communities. Ten themes were identified and aligned with four thematic areas of interest ( meaning of being healthy, strategies to promote health, challenges to health, and supports for health). This study provides insights into the complexities and realities faced by Mexican immigrant women, as they strove to obtain optimal health in rural America, and contributes to the growing literature focused on health disparities among ethnic and racial minorities. Implications for research, professional practice, and public policy are discussed. Ethnographic and longitudinal studies that include the perspectives of populations that are difficult to reach such as first-generation Latino immigrant families are needed to further explore the nuances of achieving health in growing, diverse areas of rural America.
Negotiation Lessons From Former Wiseguy, Michael Franzese
Authors: Meyer Christopher J. , McCormick Blaine , Osler Mark
Published: December 2018

Thirteen years after his release from a federal penitentiary and after successfully walking away from a life in the Mafia, former crime boss Michael Franzese sat down with interviewers to discuss negotiation. The interviewers focused on the application of current academic thought to the unique negotiations in a Mafia-run business setting. The interviewers found a very competitive environment in the Mafia businesses, as was to be expected. However, an unexpected finding was that one of the most successful negotiators in this competitive environment was not competitive, but collaborative. In fact, the anecdotes related here will demonstrate that Mr. Franzese was a very successful negotiator in part, because he was a collaborative negotiator.
Preventing Gender-Based Violence Among Adolescents and Young Adults: Lessons From 25 Years of Program Development and Evaluation
Authors: Crooks Claire V. , Jaffe Peter , Dunlop Caely , Kerry Amanda , Exner-Cortens Deinera
Published: December 2018

Effective prevention of intimate partner violence (IPV) among adolescents and young adults is a key strategy for reducing rates of gender-based violence (GBV). Numerous initiatives have been developed and evaluated over the past 25 years. There is emerging evidence about effective strategies for universal prevention of dating violence in high school settings and effective bystander interventions on university and college campuses. In addition, there have been some effective practices identified for specific groups of youth who are vulnerable to victimization (either based on past experiences of exposure to domestic violence or previous dating victimization). At the same time, though our evidence about school and college-based interventions has grown, there are significant gaps in our knowledge of effective prevention among marginalized groups. For example, there is a lack of evidence-based strategies for preventing IPV among Indigenous youth; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning+ [LGBTQ+] youth; and young women with disabilities, even though these groups are at elevated risk for experiencing violence. Our review of the current state of evidence for effective GBV prevention among adolescents and young adults suggests significant gaps. Our analysis of these gaps highlights the need to think more broadly about what constitutes evidence. We identify some strategies and a call to action for moving the field forward and provide examples from our work with vulnerable youth in a variety of settings.
Retrospective analysis of pleural effusion in cats
Authors: König Alla , Hartmann Katrin , Mueller Ralf S , Wess Gerhard , Schulz Bianka S
Published: December 2018

Objectives

Pleural effusion is a common presenting cause for feline patients in small animal practice. The objectives of this study were to identify possible correlations between the aetiology of effusion and clinical and laboratory findings.

Methods

In this retrospective study of 306 cats diagnosed with pleural effusion of established aetiology, cats were divided into six major groups: cardiac disease (CD), feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), neoplasia, pyothorax, chylothorax and miscellaneous. Clinical, laboratory and radiographic parameters were compared between groups.

Results

CD was the most common aetiology (35.3%), followed by neoplasia (30.7%), pyothorax (8.8%), FIP (8.5%), chylothorax (4.6%) and miscellaneous diseases (3.7%). In 26 (8.5%) cats, more than one underlying disease was diagnosed as a possible aetiology for pleural effusion. Cats with FIP were significantly younger than those with CD ( P <0.001) and neoplasia ( P <0.001). Cats with CD were presented with a significantly lower body temperature compared with cats with FIP ( P = 0.022). Cats with CD had significantly higher serum alanine aminotransferase activity compared with all other cats (FIP and pyothorax, P <0.001; neoplasia and chylothorax, P = 0.02) and serum alkaline phosphatase activity compared with the pyothorax ( P <0.001) and FIP groups ( P = 0.04), and significantly lower protein concentrations (FIP, pyothorax and neoplasia, P <0.001; chylothorax, P = 0.04) and nucleated cell counts in the effusion than all other groups (pyothorax and neoplasia, P <0.001; chylothorax, P = 0.02; FIP, P = 0.04). The glucose level in the effusion of cats with pyothorax was significantly lower than glucose levels in patients with CD, neoplasia and chylothorax ( P <0.001). Of 249 cats with a follow-up of at least 10 days, 55.8% died or were euthanased during that time.

Conclusions and relevance

CD and neoplasia were the most common causes for feline pleural effusion. Age, liver enzymes, as well as cell count, protein and glucose levels in the effusion can aid in the investigation of underlying aetiologies.
The sharing of indigenous knowledge through academic means by implementing self-reflection and story
Authors: Windchief Sweeney , Ryan Kenneth E
Published: December 2018

Indigenous research scholars navigate a complex landscape that is impacted by their relationships, as well as the roles and responsibilities that come with both their Indigenous and professional positionality. This article contemplates the passing of Indigenous knowledge through academic means by implementing self-reflection and story. Concluding that Indigenous research is for Indigenous community, this article explores questions such as What are the “Rules” to using Indigenous methodologies in research? How can we use Indigenous methodologies in research that reflect the nuance of our community identity? How can we reciprocate in the sharing of Indigenous knowledge? and finally, How can we share Indigenous knowledge in a way that maintains cultural protocol? The practical implications of this work include support for Indigenous methodologies and consider the tri-cultural context of the He Manawa Whenua Indigenous research community. Future work connected with the findings includes complicating the perceptions of research from both academic and Indigenous community perspectives.
Ka oopikihtamashook’: becoming family
Authors: Raven Krystl
Published: December 2018

Ka oopikihtamashook’ (adoption) describes the way Métis people incorporated related and non-related individuals into their families and community. This practice went beyond genetics and identified value in virtue in order to build relationships and grow the Métis Nation. Underscoring this process was the concept of wahkootowin, a unique Indigenous approach to creating and maintaining relationships. The adoption of orphaned relatives, for instance, allowed adopted parents to pass on Métis culture and beliefs. In addition, 19th century archival records and oral histories indicate that adoption often incorporated children outside the family bloodline. The famous Métis buffalo hunt chiefs, Jean-Baptiste Wilkie and Cuthbert Grant, were both adopted by their Métis communities. Similarly, Gabriel Dumont and his wife Madeleine adopted several children, and the Métis interpreter for Treaty 6 Peter Erasmus adopted a young Peigan boy. This article explores these adoptions more fully and contextualizes them within Ka oopikihtamashook’ and wahkootowin practices.
Physician Parents Attending Work Despite Own Sick Children: A Qualitative Study on Caregiver Presenteeism Among Norwegian Hospital Physicians
Authors: Løvseth Lise Tevik , Giaever Fay
Published: December 2018

Background:

Studies have shown that physicians manifest a clear duty to work, even in the face of personal risk, and despite their own symptoms of ill health; this is termed presenteeism. We lack knowledge on their willingness to attend work when their children are sick or in times of concern for their unborn; this is termed caregiver presenteeism. To gain a comprehensive knowledge on the occurrence of presenteeism among physicians, it is important to include caregiver presenteeism.

Objective:

The aim of this study is to explore the perception and experience with caregiver presenteeism among hospital physicians who are parents or pregnant and to explore its foundations and its consequences.

Methods:

Secondary thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews of hospital physicians (N = 18).

Results:

Positive and negative dimensions associated with (1) situations with severe pregnancy symptoms or responsibility for sick children; (2) the perceived impact on their work commitments, personal health, and adequate care for own children; (3) accompanying moderators in the organisational structure and professional culture; and (4) proposed approaches to resolve caregiver and work responsibilities simultaneously contributing to caregiver presenteeism.

Conclusions:

The study underlines the impact of factors in organisational structure, professional culture, and the personal sphere affecting caregiver presenteeism. It appears that targeting factors contributing to attendance pressure in physicians, including those who are pregnant, is particularly important. This includes changing attitudes towards caregiver responsibilities among physician colleagues, department leaders, and physicians themselves, as well as simple cost-efficient organisational interventions in staffing, routines of absence, and work adjustment.
Surface-Growing Communities of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Exhibit Distinct Alkyl Quinolone Signatures
Authors: Morales-Soto Nydia , Cao Tianyuan , Baig Nameera F , Kramer Kristen M , Bohn Paul W , Shrout Joshua D
Published: December 2018

A cascade of events leads to the development of microbial biofilm communities that are thought to be responsible for over 80% of infections in humans. However, not all surface-growing bacteria reside in a stationary biofilm state. Here, we have employed confocal Raman microscopy to analyze and compare variations in the alkyl quinolone (AQ) family of molecules during the transition between surface-attached motile-swarming and stationary biofilm communities. The AQs have been established previously as important to Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms, interspecies competition, and virulence. The AQ Pseudomonas quinolone signal (PQS) is also a known quorum-sensing signal. We detail spatial identification of AQ, PQS, and 2-alkyl-4-hydroxyquinoline N-oxide (AQNO) metabolites in both swarm and biofilm communities. We find that AQNO metabolites are abundant signatures in active swarming communities.
Distinction of Condylomata Acuminata From Vulvar Vestibular Papules or Pearly Penile Papules Using Ki-67 Immunostaining
Authors: Gardner Kerry M. , Crawford Richard I.
Published: December 2018

Background:

Ki-67 is an immunohistochemical stain used as a nuclear proliferation marker. It is nonspecific, and is expressed in all active phases of the cell cycle. Vulvar vestibular papules in women and pearly penile papules in men are benign fibrous papules on the genitals, are noninfectious, and do not require treatment. However, these lesions can be clinically confused with condylomata acuminata induced by human papillomavirus (HPV), which have medical and social implications.

Objective:

Because HPV infection is known to induce expression of proliferation markers, we propose that Ki-67 be used to differentiate condylomata acuminata from vulvar vestibular papules or pearly penile papules on pathologic examination.

Methods:

We reviewed a total of 26 lesions from 18 patients of previously pathologically diagnosed lesions, including condylomata acuminata (11 lesions), vulvar vestibular papules (10 lesions), and pearly penile papules (5 lesions). All slides were stained with Ki-67, reviewed, and categorized as positive or negative for Ki-67 staining by 1 investigator who was unaware of the original diagnosis.

Results:

Eleven out of 11 cases of condylomata acuminata were identified as positive for Ki-67 staining. Ten out of 10 cases of vulvar vestibular papules were negative for Ki-67. Five out of 5 cases of pearly penile papules were negative for Ki-67.

Conclusion:

Ki-67 is a reliable marker to pathologically distinguish benign vulvar vestibular papules in women, or pearly penile papules in men, from HPV-induced condylomata acuminata.
Difference and punishment: Ethno-political exclusion, colonial institutional legacies, and incarceration
Authors: Davis Andrew P , Gibson-Light Michael
Published: December 2018

One dominant theoretical explanation for higher incarceration rates across the world focuses on how a nation’s level of diversity or minority presence broadly writ unleashes racial resentment that can lead to incarceration. This article contends that population heterogeneity alone offers an incomplete picture of how ethnic-based tension can affect incarceration rates. Rather, we argue that majority ethnic groups around the world use prison systems in order to govern and manage minority populations, especially those systematically excluded from power. In addition, we argue that these political structures have their roots in a nation’s colonial legacy, a legacy that shapes a nation’s contemporary incarceration rates. Results from our quantitative analysis reveal that controlling for competing explanations, there are positive associations between ethnic political exclusion and the length and form of a nation’s colonial experience and rates of incarceration.
Modeling investigation of thermal insulation approaches for low heat rejection Diesel engines using a conjugate heat transfer model
Authors: Poubeau Adèle , Vauvy Arthur , Duffour Florence , Zaccardi Jean-Marc , Paola Gaetano de , Abramczuk Marek
Published: December 2018

Heat losses through combustion chamber walls are a well-known limiting factor for the overall efficiency of internal combustion engines. Thermal insulation of the walls has the potential to decrease substantially these heat losses. However, evaluating numerically the effect of coating and of its location in the combustion chamber and then design an optimized combustion system require the use of high-fidelity engine models. The objective of this article is to present the whole workflow implying the use of three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics techniques with conjugate heat transfer (CHT) models to investigate the potential benefits of a coating on a passenger car Diesel engine. First, the baseline combustion system is modeled, using CHT models to solve in a coupled simulation the heat transfers between the fluid in the intake and exhaust lines and in the combustion chamber, on one hand, and the solid piston, head and valves, on the other hand. Based on this setup, a second simulation is performed, modeling a thermo-swing insulation on all combustion chamber walls by a contact resistance, neglecting its thermal inertia to keep a manageable computational cost. Results show a decrease of 3.3% in fuel consumption with an increase in volumetric efficiency. However, decoupled one-dimensional/three-dimensional simulations highlight the inaccuracy of these results and the necessity to model the coating thermal inertia, as they show an overestimation of the heat insulation rate and, consequently, of the gain in fuel consumption (−2.1% instead of −1.6%), for a coating on the piston with no thermal inertia.
‘The Most Fascinating and Well-Designed Artifacts of Our Time’: Collecting and Exhibiting Contemporary Guns in the Art Museum
Authors: Fisher Michelle Millar
Published: December 2018

Guns are usually designed with great attention to their aesthetic, ergonomic, and functional component parts. Yet, their contemporary manifestations are considered so culturally and symbolically fraught – especially in the United States – that guns produced in the last century have rarely been presented as industrial objects worthy of sustained and close reflection within the context of a major design exhibition or art museum collection. This article considers the few recent exceptions, the legacy that curators and design historians have inherited and recently mobilized around guns in the design canon, and the future of public conversations in the art museum around contemporary intersections of design and violence.
Asco, Chris Burden, and the Politics of the Misfire
Authors: Gleisser Faye
Published: December 2018

This article draws out the ‘politics of the misfire’ as a process constituted in part by discursive articulations of the ‘misuse’ of guns, and in part by mediated visual narratives of criminality cultivated in American visual culture. Specifically, the author examines how the decades-long historiography of artist Chris Burden’s iconic artwork, Shoot (1971), relies upon and perpetuates spatially racialized and gendered notions of innocence and safety. She argues that the conceptual art collective Asco’s theorizing of misfires in response to their vulnerability as Chicanos in America provides a vital framework for recognizing how the neutralized archetype of white masculinity, simultaneously innocent and lawless, animates and sustains the legacy of Shoot. Through consideration of geographies of cumulative vulnerability, access to resources, and systemic racism this article links processes of art historical canonization to discriminatory practices that structurally oppress people of color in the United States.
Hold your Gun Arm Steady to Keep the Color of the Flower: The Propeller Group and Le Brothers
Authors: Hatton Brynn
Published: December 2018

This article analyzes artistic interpretations of the AK-47 and M16 by two contemporary collectives based in Vietnam, The Propeller Group and Le Brothers (active 2006-present and 2008-present). The American-made M16 and the Soviet-made AK-47 rifles were both mass-produced in the 1950s and popularized during the Cold War, and served as shorthand visual cultural cues signaling political affiliation with either bloc. By returning to these loaded icons of violence and political solidarity, and employing tactics of Third Cinema films and manifestoes of the late 1960s in which gun imagery and metaphors are pervasive, both artist collectives decouple the iconic rifles from their historical entrenchments and open up new spaces for reimagining political kinship in the era of transnationalism by way of globalized capitalism.
An Unusual Ulcer
Authors: Bilancini Salvino , D’amati Giulia , Cerbelli Bruna , Lucchi Massimo
Published: December 2018

This clinical case describes a 78-year-old female patient who underwent total thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy due to thyroid cancer; surgery was followed by radioiodine therapy. The patient was treated with 20 µg of teriparatide once a day for 7 years and consistently showed above normal blood calcium levels. In addition, following the operation, the patient began taking 50 000 units of vitamin D orally every month and 1 g of calcium per os a day. A painful eschar had appeared on the front of her left leg 3 months before; it had developed into a deep, painful ulcer. The patient did not present arterial or venous diseases. Arterial hypertension was effectively managed with 5 mg of ramipril per day, renal function was normal, and the patient was not suffering from diabetes. A computed tomography scan gave evidence of extensive dermo-hypodermitis calcification in the ulcer area. A biopsy was performed and the histological examination revealed calciphylaxis. The patient was treated by suspending teriparatide, which actually had been suspended months before, and replacing it with bisphosphonate; suspension of calcium and vitamin D and the oral administration of 250 units of sulodexide every 12 hours. Local therapy was adapted according to the advancement of the ulcer’s stages. This case represents one of non-uremic calciphylaxis determined by an overly lengthy administration of a parathyroid hormone that caused drug-induced hyperthyroidism over a long period of time. A revision of the worldwide literature on the topic was carried out and an etiopathogenetic hypothesis concerning the clinical case is put forward.
Means of Optimizing Physical Activity in the Preschool Environment
Authors: Coe Dawn Podulka
Published: December 2018

During early childhood, the preschool years serve as a formative time for the development of movement skills and healthy, active behaviors. Currently, one fifth of children in this population are overweight or obese and only half of the children participate in sufficient activity to meet recommendations. Physical activity guidelines for preschool children include both structured and unstructured activities of various intensities, limitations on sedentary behaviors, fundamental motor skill competence, and the inclusion of caregivers to facilitate activity. The majority of US children are enrolled in preschool programs, so this environment has the potential to significantly influence young children’s activity levels. Factors that have been associated with physical activity levels within the preschool setting include the influence of caregivers, the preschool environment, outdoor play, and motor skill development and competence. This review evaluated 16 publications in order to examine whether these factors had a significant impact on physical activity in the preschool setting. The findings from this review suggest the use of a multicomponent model, including the factors evaluated, may be the optimal strategy to increase activity levels in preschool children. Policy related to these factors should be created and implemented in order to facilitate optimal physical activity environments for preschool children.
Effects of simultaneous steroid injection after percutaneous trigger finger release: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Jegal Midum , Woo Sung Jong , Il Lee Hyun , Shim Jae Woo , Park Min Jong
Published: December 2018

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that an improved outcome can be achieved by employing simultaneous steroid injection after percutaneous A1 pulley release. One hundred and twelve digits were randomized to either percutaneous A1 pulley release alone or release of the A1 pulley with a steroid injection. The visual analogue scale score for pain, modified patient global impression of improvement and modified Quinnell grade were assessed at 3 weeks and 3 months after surgery. At 3 weeks, subjective improvement in the group with simultaneous steroid injection was significantly superior. At 3 months, pain score in the patients without a steroid injection was significantly better. No significant differences were found in the modified Quinnell grade. We conclude from this study that the simultaneous steroid injection at the time of surgical release decreases pain and improves subjective outcomes during the early postoperative period after percutaneous trigger finger release.

Level of evidence: I
Immunotherapy and pancreatic cancer: unique challenges and potential opportunities
Authors: Young Kate , Hughes Daniel J. , Cunningham David , Starling Naureen
Published: December 2018

Despite decades of research, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) continues to have the worst 5-year survival of any malignancy. With 338,000 new cases diagnosed and over 300,000 deaths per year globally there is an urgent unmet need to improve the therapeutic options available.

Novel immunotherapies have shown promising results across multiple solid tumours, in a number of cases surpassing chemotherapy as a first-line therapeutic option. However, to date, trials of single-agent immunotherapies in PDAC have been disappointing and PDAC has been labelled as a nonimmunogenic cancer. This lack of response may in part be attributed to PDAC’s unique tumour microenvironment (TME), consisting of a dense fibrotic stroma and a scarcity of tumour infiltrating lymphocytes. However, as our understanding of the PDAC TME evolves, it is becoming apparent that the problem is not simply the immune system failing to recognize the cancer. There is a highly complex interplay between stromal signals, the immune system and tumour cells, at times possibly restraining tumour growth and at others supporting growth and metastasis.

Understanding this complexity will enable the development of rational combinations with immunotherapy, priming the TME to offer immunotherapy the best chance of success. This review seeks to describe the unique challenges of the PDAC TME, the potential opportunities it may afford and the trials in progress capitalizing on recent insights in this area.
Toward community-based wheelchair evaluation with machine learning methods
Authors: Chen Pin-Wei B , Morgan Kerri
Published: December 2018

Introduction

Upper extremity pain among manual wheelchair users induces functional decline and reduces quality of life. Research has identified chronic overuse due to wheelchair propulsion as one of the factors associated with upper limb injuries. Lack of a feasible tool to track wheelchair propulsion in the community precludes testing validity of wheelchair propulsion performed in the laboratory. Recent studies have shown that wheelchair propulsion can be tracked through machine learning methods and wearable accelerometers. Better results were found in subject-specific machine learning method. To further develop this technique, we conducted a pilot study examining the feasibility of measuring wheelchair propulsion patterns.

Methods

Two participants, an experienced manual wheelchair user and an able-bodied individual, wore two accelerometers on their arms. The manual wheelchair user performed wheelchair propulsion patterns on a wheelchair roller system and overground. The able-bodied participant performed common daily activities such as cooking, cleaning, and eating.

Results

The support vector machine built from the wrist and arm acceleration of wheelchair propulsion pattern recorded on the wheelchair roller system predicted the wheelchair propulsion patterns performed overground with 99.7% accuracy. The support vector machine built from additional rotation data recorded overground predicted wheelchair propulsion patterns (F1 = 0.968).

Conclusions

These results further demonstrate the possibility of tracking wheelchair propulsion in the community.
From the dark end of the street to the bright side of the road: Automated redistricting of areas using physical barriers as dividers of social space
Authors: Lund Rolf Lyneborg
Published: December 2018

This study examines the properties of administrative areas compared to a new method of automated redistricting when measuring social differentiation and segregation. Using physical barriers, such as roads, railways, streams, areas of uninhabited nature, and the like as dividers of social space, this study explores alternative ways of thinking social belonging and social cohesion that are beyond standard measures of geography and utilize areas of smaller size and population count. The geographical data are linked to Danish register data of the total Danish population in 2015, N = 4,986,125 on key variables of income, months of completed education, and ethnicity. The overall findings in this study suggest that rethinking geography when localizing social enclaves and segregated communities yields better results than using the more illogical administrative areas. The visual inspection, entropy levels of homogeneity, and intraclass correlation suggest that smaller areas that are divided by physical objects serve as a better reservoir of social cohesion and therefore better measurement of social inequality.
Exploring Individual Differences in the Relationship Between Cultural Identity Processes and Well-Being
Authors: Meca Alan , Cobb Cory L. , Schwartz Seth J. , Szabó Ágnes , Moise Rhoda , Zamboanga Byron L. , Lee Tae K. , Klimstra Theo A. , Soares Mary H. , Ritchie Rachel , Stephens Dionne P.
Published: December 2018

Although studies have explored how cultural identity impacts young people’s daily lives, these studies have exclusively focused on daily variability in cultural identity salience, overlooking daily variability in the underlying developmental processes. In the present study, we used a 12-day daily assessment conducted with 873 Hispanic college students to address these gaps by examining daily variability in ethnic and U.S. belonging, exploring between-person variability in the daily associations of ethnic and U.S. belonging with well-being, and identifying whether centrality predicts between-person variability in daily levels of these processes and their relation to well-being. Results indicated significant changes in ethnic and U.S belonging on a daily basis. Despite the positive average within-person associations between ethnic belonging and well-being, results indicated significant variability. Finally, centrality also significantly predicted between-person variability in the daily levels of these cultural processes and the within-person associations. Implications for future research are discussed.
Progression of the Psychological ACL-RSI Score and Return to Sport After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Prospective 2-Year Follow-up Study From the French Prospective Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Cohort Study (FAST)
Authors: Sadeqi Mansour , Klouche Shahnaz , Bohu Yoann , Herman Serge , Lefevre Nicolas , Gerometta Antoine
Published: December 2018

Background:

Successful return to sport after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction requires optimal physical and psychological recovery. The main validated tool to quantify a patient’s psychological readiness to return to sport after this surgery is the Anterior Cruciate Ligament–Return to Sport after Injury (ACL-RSI) scale.

Purpose:

The primary aim was to analyze the progression of the ACL-RSI score from preoperatively to 2-year follow-up. A secondary goal was to identify the factors associated with returning to the same preinjury sport.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

Methods:

This prospective study included athletes older than 16 years in all sports and levels of play who underwent primary and revision isolated ACL reconstruction from 2012 to 2015 and responded to all study questionnaires at 2-year follow-up. The primary outcome was the ACL-RSI score obtained preoperatively and at 4-month, 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year follow-up. The secondary outcomes were return to sport (running and the same preinjury sport) and various functional scores. The optimal threshold value of the ACL-RSI score for returning to the same preinjury sport was determined with the receiver operating characteristic curve. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify other factors associated with returning to the same sport at 2-year follow-up.

Results:

A total of 681 patients were analyzed (467 men, 214 women; mean age, 30.2 ± 9.5 years); 298 (43.8%) patients were professional or competitive athletes. The ACL-RSI score improved significantly over time: 41.3 ± 25.4 preoperatively, 55.1 ± 21.3 at 4 months, 58.3 ± 22.3 at 6 months, 64.7 ± 24.2 at 1 year, and 65.2 ± 25.3 at 2 years ( P < .00001). At 2-year follow-up, 74.9% of patients had returned to running and 58.4% to their same preinjury sport. The ACL-RSI score was significantly higher in patients who had returned to sport and in those who returned to the same level of play or higher ( P < .00001). The optimal ACL-RSI score threshold to return to the same sport at 2-year follow-up was ≥65. Multivariate analysis showed that the predictive factors of returning to the same preinjury sport at 2-year follow-up were primary reconstruction, professional or competitive level of play, an ACL-RSI score ≥60 at 6-month follow-up, and the absence of postoperative complications.

Conclusion:

The psychological ACL-RSI score improved regularly after ACL reconstruction and was strongly and significantly associated with return to sport.

Registration:

NCT02511158 ( ClinicalTrials.gov identifier)
Biomechanical Comparison of Olecranon Sled Versus Intramedullary Screw Tension Banding for Olecranon Osteotomies
Authors: Kia Cameron , Dukas Alex G. , Marshall Silas T. , Voss Andreas , Obopilwe Elifho , Browner Bruce D. , Mazzocca Augustus D.
Published: December 2018

Background:

Olecranon osteotomies are frequently performed to gain access to the distal humeral articular surface. Repair of the osteotomy or fixation of a simple 2-part olecranon fracture with traditional tension band construct is often plagued by complication. Proximal migration and irritation attributed to hardware are common complications of the standard construct of an intramedullary screw with tension band and are causes for reoperation.

Purpose:

To compare the biomechanical performance, time of implant, and prominence of an intramedullary screw and tension band construct with that of a newer low-profile continuous loop tension band (Olecranon Sled) construct in an olecranon osteotomy model.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Chevron osteotomies were created in 6 matched pairs of fresh-frozen human elbows (mean age, 66 ± 16 years). Each matched pair was then randomly divided into 1 of 2 groups: fixation with a screw and tension band construct or the Olecranon Sled. Bone mineral density, implant prominence, and time for implantation were recorded. Following olecranon fixation, each specimen underwent cyclic loading of 0 to 10 N for 100 cycles (to simulate unresisted active range of motion) and then 0 to 500 N for 500 cycles (to simulate pushing up from a chair) to measure for any displacement at the osteotomy site. The constructs were then loaded to failure and compared.

Results:

No differences were found in bone mineral density between the 2 groups ( P = .290). When measured from the tip of the olecranon, the continuous loop tension band had a medial prominence of only 3.57 ± 0.4 mm, as opposed to the intramedullary screw fixation of 7.288 ± 0.762 mm ( P = .027). Total time of implantation, including osteotomy preparation, was a mean 155 seconds shorter with the Olecranon Sled versus the traditional tension band ( P < .05). Because of the fracture of 1 specimen during cyclic loading, it and its matched counterpart were excluded, and only 5 matched pairs were analyzed for displacement and load to failure. There were no significant differences between groups in load to failure or displacement during cyclic loading ( P > .05).

Conclusion:

The Olecranon Sled device was found to have no difference in biomechanical strength from that of the standard intramedullary screw with tension band construct. The Olecranon Sled was also found to be significantly less prominent while being faster to implant than the intramedullary screw.

Clinical Relevance:

Evaluating an alternative option to the standard tension band construct is important for patients with olecranon fractures or osteotomies, as standard techniques have been fraught with hardware issues and need for revision surgery.
Testing the Limits of the Stimulus Reconstruction Approach: Auditory Attention Decoding in a Four-Speaker Free Field Environment
Authors: Schäfer Patrick J. , Corona-Strauss Farah I. , Hannemann Ronny , Hillyard Steven A. , Strauss Daniel J.
Published: December 2018

Auditory attention can be defined as the cognitive process that enables us to selectively focus on relevant aspects of the acoustic environment while other aspects are ignored. The remarkable ability of the auditory system to focus on one out of several speakers in a multispeaker environment has become known as the cocktail party effect. Although the neural processes underlying selective auditory attention (SAA) are not well understood, it has recently been shown that the cortical representation of a listener’s attended sound stream can be recorded noninvasively from the scalp and that stimulus reconstruction from single trial electroencephalographic (EEG) data enables the decoding of the orientation of auditory attention. The present study extends this approach by evaluating its efficacy in a naturalistic and challenging four-speaker acoustic free field environment, in which the four speakers were spatially separated and presented different but equally salient spoken messages to the listeners. Ten participants were instructed to focus SAA on a spoken prose message in one of the four loudspeakers while ignoring the remaining three streams of prose. Concurrent EEG activity recorded via 128 scalp channels was used for a stimulus reconstruction analysis. The results showed that this approach can be used to decode the orientation of SAA even in a complex and realistic acoustic setting. To confirm that the successful decoding was driven by correspondences between the recorded EEG activity and the attended speech envelopes, the analysis method was validated against randomly constructed sets of surrogate data and by correlations with behavioral data.
Determining progression of scleroderma-related interstitial lung disease
Authors: Volkmann Elizabeth R , Tashkin Donald P , Sim Myung , Kim Grace Hyun , Goldin Jonathan , Clements Philip J
Published: December 2018

Interstitial lung disease occurs in the majority of patients with systemic sclerosis. Although interstitial lung disease is the number one cause of death in systemic sclerosis, interstitial lung disease progression rates vary considerably among patients with systemic sclerosis. Some patients with systemic sclerosis–associated interstitial lung disease have sub-clinical disease and may not derive benefit from immunosuppression, while others have a more aggressive interstitial lung disease phenotype. Reliable predictors of interstitial lung disease progression are lacking. The present review describes our current approach to monitoring systemic sclerosis–associated interstitial lung disease progression in clinical practice. To illustrate the marked heterogeneity that exists in interstitial lung disease progression rates in systemic sclerosis, this review presents the individual disease course of five unique patients with systemic sclerosis–associated interstitial lung disease who participated in the Scleroderma Lung Study II. These cases illustrate that treatment response rates vary in systemic sclerosis–associated interstitial lung disease and more research is needed to determine how to predict treatment response in systemic sclerosis–associated interstitial lung disease and to develop personalized treatment approaches for patients with this devastating disease.
Study of the microstructure and mechanical properties of halloysite–kaolinite/BaCO3ceramic composites
Authors: Bouzidi Nedjima , Bouzidi Athmane , Nunes Raphael Oliveira , Merabet Djoudi
Published: December 2018

The present study examined the microstructure and mechanical properties of ceramic composites based on a kaolin from Djebel Debbagh, northeast Algeria, composed mainly of kaolinite and halloysite with the addition of various amounts of BaCO3. The composites were prepared by high-energy ball milling and sintered at 1100°C and 1200°C for 3 h. The samples sintered at 1200°C without BaCO3were composed mainly of mullite, which disappeared with increasing BaCO3content. X-ray diffraction investigation showed the presence of hexacelsian (BaAl2SiO6and BaAl2Si2O8), which disappeared at BaCO3contents >50 wt.% in favour of barium aluminium and barium silicate phases. At 40 wt.% BaCO3content, the porosity of the composites decreased from 0.7% to 0.1% and the microhardness increased from 7 to 8 GPa, respectively, at 1100°C and 1200°C due to the amorphous phase.
The Gümüşköy (Kütahya, Turkey) kaolin deposit and its ceramic properties
Authors: Yanık Gürsel , Ceylantekin Rasim , Taşçı Eda
Published: December 2018

The Gümüşköy kaolin clay deposit, located ~40 km northwest of Kütahya, Turkey, has promising reserves for ceramic production. In order to evaluate the potential use of this region, five representative clay samples were collected and characterized with X-ray diffraction, polarized light optical microscopy, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, differential thermal analysis and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. According to the Chemical Index of Alteration and Plagioclase Index of Alteration, the kaolin samples were formed by strong chemical alteration of the Tavşanlı volcanites. The clays contain kaolinite, illite, pyrophyllite, montmorillonite and minor halloysite, as well as quartz, plagioclase (andesine), biotite, sanidine, rutile and goethite. The clay samples were used for thermal and physical tests. The plasticity, particle-size distributions firing properties (water absorption, apparent porosity, linear shrinkage, dry bending strength, fired bending strength) and colour parameters of the fired samples were determined. The kaolinitic clay samples from Gümüşköy are suitable for making wall tiles, floor tiles and kiln wares after shaping by dry pressing and extrusion.
Surface-modified halloysite nanotubes as fillers applied in reinforcing the performance of polytetrafluoroethylene
Authors: Cheng Zhi-Lin , Chang Xing-Yu , Liu Zan , Qin Dun-Zhong
Published: December 2018

In order to improve the dispersibility of halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) in polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), the modification of HNT surfaces was studied with three types of modifiers (polymethyl methacrylate [PMMA], sodium dodecyl sulfate [SDS] and carboxylic acid). The modified HNTs were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and contact angle measurements. The HNTs were used to reinforce the mechanical properties of PTFE. The mechanical results indicated that the tensile strength of the modified HNT-filled PTFE nanocomposites (F-HNT/PTFE) improved to an acceptable degree and Young's modulus increased significantly. The tribological results showed that the wear rate of F-HNT/PTFE decreased by 21–82 and 9–40 times compared to pure PTFE and the pristine F-HNT/PTFE, respectively.
Effects of clay-mineral type and content on the hydraulic conductivity of bentonite–sand mixtures made of Kunigel bentonite from Japan
Authors: Kohno Masanori , Nara Yoshitaka , Kato Masaji , Nishimura Tsuyoshi
Published: December 2018

Clay-mineral type and content, bulk mineralogical composition and alteration of bentonite are very important factors for the ultra-long-term stabilization of barriers and backfills in radioactive waste disposal. This study investigates the effects of clay-mineral type and content on the swelling characteristics and permeability of bentonite–sand mixtures with clay minerals using one-dimensional swelling-pressure and constant-pressure permeability tests. The hydraulic conductivity of bentonite–sand–clay mineral mixtures increased with increasing content of non-swelling alteration products of montmorillonite. Furthermore, hydraulic conductivity was comparable to that determined with the Kozeny–Carman equation for a specific surface area, suggesting that hydraulic conductivity may be estimated based on the abundance of expected alteration products of montmorillonite. This study provides a basis for evaluation of the hydraulic conductivity of bentonite–sand mixtures with known quantities of expected alteration products of montmorillonite.
Inhibition of complement C1s improves severe hemolytic anemia in cold agglutinin disease: a first-in-human trial
Authors: Jäger Ulrich , D’Sa Shirley , Schörgenhofer Christian , Bartko Johann , Derhaschnig Ulla , Sillaber Christian , Jilma-Stohlawetz Petra , Fillitz Michael , Schenk Thomas , Patou Gary , Panicker Sandip , Parry Graham C. , Gilbert James C. , Jilma Bernd
Published: December 2018

Cold agglutinin disease is a difficult-to-treat autoimmune hemolytic anemia in which immunoglobulin M antibodies bind to erythrocytes and fix complement, resulting in predominantly extravascular hemolysis. This trial tested the hypothesis that the anti-C1s antibody sutimlimab would ameliorate hemolytic anemia. Ten patients with cold agglutinin disease participated in the phase 1b component of a first-in-human trial. Patients received a test dose of 10-mg/kg sutimlimab followed by a full dose of 60 mg/kg 1 to 4 days later and 3 additional weekly doses of 60 mg/kg. All infusions were well tolerated without premedication. No drug-related serious adverse events were observed. Seven of 10 patients with cold agglutinin disease responded with a hemoglobin increase >2 g/dL. Sutimlimab rapidly increased hemoglobin levels by a median of 1.6 g/dL within the first week, and by a median of 3.9 g/dL (interquartile range, 1.3-4.5 g/dL; 95% confidence interval, 2.1-4.5) within 6 weeks (P = .005). Sutimlimab rapidly abrogated extravascular hemolysis, normalizing bilirubin levels within 24 hours in most patients and normalizing haptoglobin levels in 4 patients within 1 week. Hemolytic anemia recurred when drug levels were cleared from the circulation 3 to 4 weeks after the last dose of sutimlimab. Reexposure to sutimlimab in a named patient program recapitulated the control of hemolytic anemia. All 6 previously transfused patients became transfusion-free during treatment. Sutimlimab was safe, well tolerated, and rapidly stopped C1s complement–mediated hemolysis in patients with cold agglutinin disease, significantly increasing hemoglobin levels and precluding the need for transfusions. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02502903.
Worldwide practices on flexible endoscope reprocessing
Authors: Kenters N. , Tartari E. , Hopman J. , El-Sokkary Rehab H. , Nagao M. , Marimuthu K. , Vos M. C. ,   ISAC working group, Huijskens E. G. W. , Voss Andreas
Published: December 2018

Background

Endoscopy related infections represent an important threat for healthcare systems worldwide. Recent outbreaks of infections with multidrug resistant micro-organisms have highlighted the problems of contaminated endoscopes. Endoscopes at highest risk for contamination have intricate mechanisms, multiple internal channels and narrow lumens that are especially problematic to clean. In light of raised awareness about the necessity for meticulous reprocessing of all types of endoscopes, a call for international collaboration is needed. An overview is presented on current practices for endoscope reprocessing in facilities worldwide.

Method

An electronic survey was developed and disseminated by the International Society for Antimicrobials and Chemotherapy. The survey consisted of 50 questions aimed at assessing the reprocessing of flexible endoscopes internationally. It covered three core elements: stakeholder involvement, assessment of perceived risks, and reprocessing process.

Results

The survey received a total of 165 completed responses from 39 countries. It is evident that most facilities, 82% (n = 136), have a standard operating procedure. There is, however a lot of variation within the flexible endoscope reprocessing practices observed. The need for regular training and education of reprocessing practitioners were identified by 50% (n = 83) of the respondents as main concerns that need to be addressed in order to increase patient safety in endoscope reprocessing procedures.

Conclusion

This international survey on current flexible endoscope reprocessing identified a large variation for reprocessing practices among different health care facilities/countries. A standardised education and training programme with a competency assessment is essential to prevent reprocessing lapses and improve patient safety.