bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Oferta de serviços pela atenção básica e detecção da incidência de tuberculose no Brasil
Authors: Pelissari Daniele Maria , Bartholomay Patricia , Jacobs Marina Gasino , Arakaki-Sanchez Denise , Anjos Davllyn Santos Oliveira dos , Costa Mara Lucia dos Santos , Cavalcanti Pauline Cristine da Silva , Diaz-Quijano Fredi Alexander
Published: May 2018

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a associação entre os serviços de saúde ofertados por equipes de atenção básica e a detecção de casos novos de tuberculose no Brasil. MÉTODOS: Estudo ecológico, abrangendo todos os municípios brasileiros que registraram pelo menos um caso novo de tuberculose (diagnosticado entre 2012 a 2014 e notificado no Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação) e com pelo menos uma equipe de atenção básica avaliada pelo segundo ciclo do Programa Nacional de Melhoria do Acesso e da Qualidade da Atenção Básica (PMAQ-AB). As variáveis do PMAQ-AB foram classificadas como próximais ou distais, segundo a sua relação com o diagnóstico de tuberculose. Em seguida, foram testadas hierarquicamente em modelos múltiplos (ajustados por Unidade Federada), usando regressão binomial negativa. RESULTADOS: Um incremento de 10% na cobertura da atenção básica esteve associado à redução de 2,24% na taxa de detecção de tuberculose (IC95% -3,35– -1,11). No que se refere às variáveis proximais ao diagnóstico, no modelo múltiplo, a detecção da tuberculose esteve associada à proporção de equipes que: realizam vigilância de contatos (incremento na Razão de Taxas de Incidência [RTI] = 2,97%; IC95% 2,41–3,53); fazem busca ativa de casos de tuberculose (incremento na RTI = 2,17%; IC95% 1,48–2,87); e, ofertam cultura para micobactérias (incremento na RTI = 1,87%; IC95% 0,98–2,76). CONCLUSÕES: As variáveis relacionadas às ações de detecção estiveram positivamente associadas à detecção de casos novos de tuberculose, sugerindo uma contribuição significativa ao fortalecimento da sensibilidade do sistema de vigilância. Por outro lado, a cobertura da atenção básica esteve inversamente associada à taxa de detecção de tuberculose, o que poderia representar o efeito global da atenção básica sobre o controle da transmissão, provavelmente, através da identificação e tratamento precoce de casos.
Serum Corin Level Is Associated With Subsequent Decline in Renal Function in Patients With Suspected Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Yang Shang‐Feng , Chou Ruey‐Hsing , Li Szu‐Yuan , Huang Shao‐Sung , Huang Po‐Hsun
Published: May 2018

Background

Higher circulatory corin in patients with cardiac diseases is associated with improved cardiovascular outcomes, and chronic cardiac dysfunction is a well‐known cause of progressive renal dysfunction. This study aimed to determine the role of serum corin in predicting short‐term and long‐term renal outcomes after contrast exposure in patients with suspected coronary artery disease.

Methods and Results

Four hundred one patients who had received coronary angiography were enrolled. Serum corin levels were determined before administration of contrast media. Contrast‐induced nephropathy was defined as a rise in serum creatinine of 0.5 mg/dL or a 25% increase from baseline within 48 hours after the procedure. Progressive renal dysfunction was defined as >50% decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate after discharge. All patients were followed up for at least 1 year or until the occurrence of death after coronary angiography. Overall, contrast‐induced nephropathy occurred in 23 (5.7%) patients. During a median follow‐up of 529 days, 44 (11.0%) cases had subsequent decline in renal function. After adjustment for demographic characteristics, kidney function, traditional risk factors, and medications, lower corin level was found to be independently associated with higher risk for progressive renal dysfunction (hazard ratio, 0.23; 95% confidence interval, 0.12–0.44) but not for contrast‐induced nephropathy. This inverse correlation remained evident in patients with underlying chronic kidney disease, coronary artery disease, or heart failure.

Conclusions

Lower baseline serum corin was associated with higher risk of renal function decline in patients undergoing coronary angiography. Further studies are needed to verify these results.
Frailty as a Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Versus Noncardiovascular Mortality in Older Men: Results From the MrOS Sleep (Outcomes of Sleep Disorders in Older Men) Study
Authors: Adabag Selcuk , Vo Tien N. , Langsetmo Lisa , Schousboe John T. , Cawthon Peggy M. , Stone Katie L. , Shikany James M. , Taylor Brent C. , Ensrud Kristine E.
Published: May 2018

Background

Frailty is associated with greater mortality; however, whether frail patients primarily die of cardiovascular disease (
CVD
) or non‐
CVD
causes is unknown.

Methods and Results

We assessed the cause of death in relation to frailty status, measured at baseline, among 3135 community‐dwelling older men in the Mr
OS
Sleep (Outcomes of Sleep Disorders in Older Men) study. Absolute probability and risk of
CVD
mortality associated with frailty status were estimated with traditional methods that used censoring and newer methods that considered non‐
CVD
mortality as a competing risk. Of the 3135 men (mean age: 76.4±5.6 years), 475 (15.2%) were frail. During an average follow‐up of 9.2 years, 1275 (40.7%) men died, including 445 (34.9%) from
CVD
and 828 (64.9%) from non‐
CVD
causes (2 deaths unadjudicated). Both
CVD
and non‐
CVD
mortality risk increased with frailty. Cumulative absolute probability of
CVD
death at 10 years among frail men was 23.8% (20.2–27.6%) using the competing risk method versus 32.5% (27.3–37.8%) using the traditional Kaplan–Meier method (41.5% [95% confidence interval, 36.9–45.9%] and 48.6% [95% confidence interval, 43.6–53.4%], respectively, for non‐
CVD
mortality). The multivariable‐adjusted risk of
CVD
death among frail versus robust men was 1.38 (95% confidence interval, 0.99–1.92) using the competing risk method versus 1.84 (95% confidence interval, 1.35–2.51) using the traditional Cox proportional hazards method.

Conclusions

Among community‐dwelling older men, ≈35% of the deaths were due to
CVD
. Frail men were at increased risk of
CVD
death, but ignoring the competing risk of non‐
CVD
mortality overestimated their long‐term probability and relative risk of
CVD
death.
No Way Home for the Chagossians: Law and Power Politics
Authors: Alexandre Caecilia , Koutouki Konstantia
Published: May 2018

If home is where the heart is, then home for the Chagossian people is the Chagos archipelago. The story of the Chagos people is not very well known, but it is a story of injustice and of a legal and political battle to bring an end to this injustice. Evicted from their homes following a decision by the British and American Governments to construct an Anglo-American military base on one of the archipelago’s islands, Diego Garcia, the Chagossians have fought in political and legal arenas for the right to return home for nearly 50 years. The basis for their demand to return home is well-founded under national and international legal principles. However, despite political and legal gains made throughout the years, the right to return home, remains elusive.
Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) of Indigenous Peoples before Human Rights Courts and International Investment Tribunals: Two Sides of the Same Coin?
Authors: Giupponi Belen Olmos
Published: May 2018

This article highlights the advances and drawbacks in the recognition and implementation of the right to free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) of indigenous peoples in light of international litigation. Although a certain amount of progress has been achieved, this article demonstrates that a normative gap subsists between the international norms applicable and state practice. In exploring the topic, the article brings together diverse legal and theoretical components from several areas of law, some of which are not usually regarded as associated with FPIC. In particular, the article considers the interpretation of case law decided by international human rights bodies, regional human rights courts and investment tribunals, critically examining the constraints on their interpretation. The article concludes by analysing the various strategies followed to implement FPIC, and argues for an understanding of FPIC that reaches beyond the human rights arena.
Marists, Marian Devotion, and the Quest for Sovereignty in Bougainville
Authors: Hermkens Anna-Karina
Published: May 2018

Christianity and politics seem to be intrinsically linked. In Central Bougainville, which is part of the autonomous region of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea (PNG), the Catholic faith introduced by Marist missionaries has been instrumental in building a national Bougainville identity and sustaining the political struggle for sovereignty. Although the first missionaries were often cautious not to disrupt socio-political organisations, Marists have been advocating both local and Marist political interests and views in the continuously shifting religious, and socio-economical political context of colonial and “post”-colonial Bougainville. This article follows the early Catholic missionaries to Bougainville, elucidating dialectics, tensions and politics of conversion. Moreover, it shows how devotion to Mary became entangled with a particular representation of Bougainville land as Holy, and the engendering of an ethnic-religious nationalism in the context of a ten-year-long devastating conflict and struggle for sovereignty.
Magnolia mercedesiarum (subsect. Talauma, Magnoliaceae): a new Andean species from northern Ecuador, with insights into its potential distribution
Authors: VÁZQUEZ-GARCÍA J.-ANTONIO , NEILL DAVID A. , SHALISKO VIACHESLAV , ARROYO FRANK , MERINO-SANTI R. EFRÉN
Published: May 2018

Magnolia mercedesiarum, a new species from the eastern slopes of the Andes in northern Ecuador, is described and illustrated, and a key to Ecuadorian Magnolia (subsect. Talauma) is provided. This species differs from M. vargasiana in having broadly elliptic leaves that have an obtuse base vs. suborbicular and subcordate to cordate, glabrous stipular scars, more numerous lateral veins per side and fewer stamens. It also differs from M. llanganatensis in having leaf blades broadly elliptic vs. elliptic, longer petioles, less numerous lateral leaf veins per side, larger fruits and more numerous petals and carpels. Using MaxEnt species distribution models and IUCN threat criteria, M. mercedesiarum has a potential distribution area of less than 3307 km² and is assessed as Endangered (EN): B1 ab (i, ii, iii). The relevance of systematic vegetation sampling in the discovery of rare species is highlighted.
A new tribe of tarsonemid mites (Trombidiformes: Heterostigmatina) parasitic on tetrigid grasshoppers (Orthoptera)
Authors: SEEMAN OWEN D. , LINDQUIST EVERT E. , HUSBAND ROBERT W.
Published: May 2018

Podotarsonemini tribe nov. (Tarsonemidae: Acarapinae), with one nominate genus Podotarsonemus gen. nov., is proposed for seven new species of tarsonemid mites collected from the hindwings of pygmy grasshoppers of the family Tetrigidae (Orthoptera). The new tribe is placed within the tarsonemid subfamily Acarapinae on the basis of several morphological synapomorphies, as well as on parasitism of insects. In light of this new tribe, a revised description of the Acarapinae is provided, as are full tribal, generic and species descriptions for the Podotarsonemini, and a key to species. In view of Podapolipidae, the sister family of Tarsonemidae, consisting entirely of obligatory parasitic mites, the distinction between the two constituent sister families of Tarsonemoidea as well as the ancestral feeding habits of that superfamily are considered. These mites and their host grasshoppers were collected from Bolivia, Ecuador, Honduras, southern India, Japan, Papua New Guinea, South Africa and two localities in north-eastern Australia. This distribution suggests that the Podotarsonemini are an ancient lineage of Tarsonemidae that radiated on the Gondwanan Tetrigidae during the Jurassic.
Three new species of Corynoneura Winnertz from Oriental China
(Diptera: Chironomidae: Orthocladiinae)
Authors: FU YUE , LIU TIAN , FANG XIANGLIANG , WANG QIAN , WANG XINHUA
Published: May 2018

The males of three species of the genus Corynoneura Winnertz (1846) from Oriental China, Corynoneura cooperio sp. n. Fu & Fang, C. sesquipedalis sp. n. Fu & Fang, C. tumula sp. n. Fu & Fang are described, and morphological characters illustrated.
The correct subgeneric name of Trypanosoma rangeli Tejera, 1920 (Euglenozoa: Trypanosomatidae), a human-infective endoparasite of neotropical mammals
Authors: MOLINARI JESÚS , MORENO S. ANDREA
Published: May 2018

Trypanosoma rangeli Tejera, 1920 is peculiar in being transmitted to mammal hosts through the bite of triatomine bugs. For this reason, it has been placed in its own subgenus, Tejeraia Añez, 1982. This name is a junior homonym of Tejeraia Díaz-Ungría, 1963, used for the roundworm Tejeraia mediospiralis (Molin, 1860). The mandatory substitute name of Tejeraia Añez, 1982 is Aneza Özdikmen, 2009. T. (Aneza) rangeli Tejera, 1920 is often referred to as T. (Herpetosoma) rangeli Tejera, 1920. According to nomenclature rules, both name combinations are available. Which one to choose depends on evolutionary and taxonomic considerations. Phylogenetic knowledge indicates that T. (Aneza) rangeli should be used.
Wind Gust Characterization at Wind Turbine Relevant Heights in Moderately Complex Terrain
Authors: Hu W. , Letson F. , Barthelmie R. J. , Pryor S. C.
Published: May 2018

Improved understanding of wind gusts in complex terrain is critically important to wind engineering and specifically the wind energy industry. Observational data from 3D sonic anemometers deployed at 3 and 65 m at a site in moderately complex terrain within the northeastern United States are used to calculate 10 descriptors of wind gusts and to determine the parent distributions that best describe these parameters. It is shown that the parent distributions exhibit consistency across different descriptors of the gust climate. Specifically, the parameters that describe the gust intensity (gust amplitude, rise magnitude, and lapse magnitude; i.e., properties that have units of length per time) fit the two-parameter Weibull distribution, those that are unitless ratios (gust factor and peak factor) are described by log-logistic distributions, and all other properties (peak gust, rise and lapse times, gust asymmetric factor, and gust length scale) are lognormally distributed. It is also shown that gust factors scale with turbulence intensity, but gusts are distinguishable in power spectra of the longitudinal wind component (i.e., they have demonstrably different length scales than the average eddy length scale). Gust periods at the lower measurement height (3 m) are consistent with shear production, whereas at 65 m they are not. At this site, there is only a weak directional dependence of gust properties on site terrain and land cover variability along sectorial transects, but large gust length scales and gust factors are more likely to be observed in unstable atmospheric conditions.
Detection of Ozone and Nitric Oxide in Decomposition Products of Air-Insulated Switchgear Using Ultraviolet Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (UV-DOAS)
Authors: Li Yalong , Zhang Xiaoxing , Li Xin , Cui Zhaolun , Xiao Hai
Published: May 2018

Air-insulated switchgear cabinets play a role in the protection and control of the modern power grid, and partial discharge (PD) switchgear is a long-term process in the non-normal operation of one of the situations; thus, condition monitoring of the switchgear is important. The air-insulated switchgear during PD enables the decomposition of air components, namely, O3 and NO. A set of experimental platforms was designed on the basis of the principle of ultraviolet differential optical absorption spectroscopy (UV-DOAS) to detect O3 and NO concentrations in air-insulated switchgear. Differential absorption algorithm and wavelet transform were used to extract effective absorption spectra; a linear relationship between O3 and NO concentrations and absorption spectrum data were established. O3 detection linearity was up to 0.9992 and the detection limit was at 3.76 ppm. NO detection linearity was up to 0.9990 and the detection limit was at 0.64 ppm. Results indicate that detection platform is suitable for detecting trace O3 and NO gases produced by PD of the air-insulated switchgear.
Acculturation Experiences Among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Immigrants in Canada
Authors: Fuks Nate , Smith Nathan Grant , Peláez Sandra , De Stefano Jack , Brown Tyler L.
Published: May 2018

In the current study, we used a grounded theory methodology to understand the acculturation process of LGBT immigrants in Canada. Results revealed two parallel themes: Cultural Identity Development and Sexual and Gender Identity Development. Heterosexism and cissexism in the culture of origin was a central phenomenon in the development of the cultural, sexual, and gender aspects of LGBT immigrant identity. Moreover, LGBT immigrants’ culture of origin and Canadian culture influenced their sexual and gender identity development before and after immigration. Results suggest that many LGBT immigrants assume a Western orientation as a coping response to heterosexism and cissexism in their culture of origin, even before immigration occurs. The current study identified the perceived challenges and advantages that LGBT immigrants experience during the acculturation process as well as various acculturation outcomes. We discuss clinical implications and future research directions in light of the results.
Cultural discourses and practices of institutionalised diversity in the UK film sector: ‘Just get something black made’
Authors: Nwonka Clive James , Malik Sarita
Published: May 2018

‘Diversity’ is an evolving dimension of discursive debates within publicly funded parts of the UK media. This article considers how representations of racial diversity in cinema were articulated in a particular moment in recent history. It traces the relationship between the broader New Labour neoliberal agenda of the late 1990s and the UK Film Council’s (UKFC) New Cinema Fund, the key funding mechanism for supporting black British cinema at the time. The authors suggest that the New Cinema Fund’s ‘institutional diversity’ agenda represented a symbolic effort by both the UKFC and UK public service broadcasters to redevelop black British film vis-a-vis a plethora of cultural imperatives oriented around the notion of ‘social inclusion’. The nature of this intervention, it is argued, was strongly influenced by the 1999 Macpherson Report, which identified ‘institutional racism’ within the fabric of the UK’s organisations. The article examines how such an ‘institutional diversity’ agenda emerged within the production context of a BBC Film/UKFC production, Bullet Boy (2005), thus generating a rearticulated black British cinema that was deeply imbricated in the highly politicised contexts outlined.
Ecotours and politics of fun in Iran: From contested state–society relations to emancipatory nature–society relations
Authors: Fadaee Simin
Published: May 2018

This article shows how nature–society relations in Iran’s burgeoning ecotourism industry are influenced by power-laden state–society relations and the state’s regulation of public space. Based on original research, this article demonstrates that ecotours operate as a means through which young middle-class residents of Tehran practise fun beyond the socio-political restrictions they face in the city’s public sphere. Non-human nature represents a safe setting for these ecotourists to engage in restricted ‘unislamic’ practices of self-expression and socialization. In other words, the non-human nature functions as a zone of transgression. This article provides an example of how the nature–society interface can provide opportunities to defy conservative social norms in a restricted socio-political system and it shows that the influence of political systems on nature–society relations requires more explicit analysis. Moreover, it enhances our understanding of everyday politics in a society where social conducts in the public sphere are heavily controlled.
Emerging Adults Embarking on Their Careers: Job and Identity Explorations in the Transition to Work
Authors: Grosemans Ilke , Hannes Karin , Neyens Julie , Kyndt Eva
Published: May 2018

It has been argued that the transition from adolescence to adulthood has been prolonged in many industrialized countries with many young adults pursuing a higher education degree. Accordingly, Arnett introduced a new life phase “emerging adulthood” in which the transition from education to work is a central event. The current systematic literature study aims to provide insight into how young adults experience this life event. Our search strategy revealed 23,966 unique search results. After a thorough selection and quality appraisal of the studies, 29 studies focusing on job and identity explorations were selected. Results show that emerging adults expect to hold different jobs after graduating and indications were found that job mobility does take place in this period. However, it is important to distinguish conscious exploration from floundering. Findings also show that the development of a professional identity is challenging and entails searching for a balance between different aspects of life.
“A Problem Like This Is Not Owned by an Individual”
Authors: Selbekk Anne Schanche , Adams Peter J. , Sagvaag Hildegunn
Published: May 2018

The main aim of this article is to explore the dynamics of encounters between treatment institutions and families dealing with substance use. What kind of possibilities do such encounters offer, and what kind of processes do they facilitate? Based on interviews with 10 families recruited from three alcohol and other drug treatment centers in Norway, positioning theory is used as an analytical tool to address the dynamics and negotiation (1) between service providers and families when it comes to the possibilities for treatment and support and (2) between family members during the course of treatment. Three main storylines are analyzed in interviews with families about encounters with treatment: (1) the medical storyline, (2) storylines of autonomy, and (3) storylines of connection. These storylines positioned affected family members, respectively, as outsiders, as in need of help in their own right, and as part of an affected family. The medical storyline is revealed as being insufficient to deal with the problems associated with substance use—it needs to be extended by family-involving storylines facilitating processes of reintegration and repositioning within families.
Gendered Citizen Constructs in Beer Commercials as a Metatext of Alcohol Control Policies
Authors: Hellman Matilda , Katainen Anu , Seppänen Janne
Published: May 2018

This study examines gender constructs in advertising in European beer commercials ( N = 59). It employs a lens of “citizenship” for discerning techniques by which male and female realms are portrayed as nonrelated, competing, and of unequal worth. This lens provides an explanation for why the connotations are problematic from a public health perspective. The citizenship-related tensions that the commercials entailed concerned taking the lead versus being governed, being free versus being controlled, being seen as a threat versus being welcomed as a friend, and being worthy of solidarity versus being excluded from group bonding. The article argues that these tensions not only involve the ethical issue of encouraging the consumption of potentially harmful substances (alcohol) and reproducing repellent gender stereotypes. The controlling, moralizing, and dull female characters are construed as infringing on the knowledgeable, skillful, and free alcohol-consuming male citizens. Gender thus unfolds as a crucial dimension in the mediation of commercial views on the relationship between the consumer and the state in alcohol policy.
Texting Older Sisters to Step: The TOSS Study
Authors: Bowen Pamela G. , Clay Olivio J. , Lee Loretta T. , Browning Wesley , Schoenberger Yu-Mei , Martin Michelle Y.
Published: May 2018

The purpose of our two-phase study was to develop acceptable text messages to increase physical activity. Four focus groups (two for each phase) were conducted with older African American women who had access to texting-capable mobile phones and were in the contemplation stage for physical activity. The mean age of Phase 1 participants ( n = 12) was 71 and ranged from 65 to 86 years. Content analysis was used to identify fundamental themes that were later used to develop text messages. Six categories emerged from the data and 31 text messages were developed based on focus group input and national recommendations. The mean age of Phase 2 participants ( n = 9) was 67 and ranged from 65 to 75 years. Descriptive statistics revealed 100% of participants understood all messages. When messages were evaluated individually, a minimum of 78% felt each message motivated activity and 67% said lengths were perfect. Findings identified messages that were relevant and potentially motivational to stimulate physical activity among this population.
Difficulties novice LIS researchers face while formulating a research topic
Authors: Ameen Kanwal , Batool Syeda Hina , Naveed Muhammad Asif
Published: May 2018

This study explored the difficulties faced by novice LIS researchers while formulating a topic. Qualitative research design was used to conduct this inquiry. Three focus-groups were conducted with research students enrolled in postgraduate programs at three LIS schools in the public-sector universities of Pakistan. The results indicated that lack of conceptual clarity, poor time management, and lacks of research culture were the major difficulties faced by the participants. These participants relied mainly on previously produced theses, research articles and their supervisors’ help for conducting and producing their own work. The areas highlighted for improvement were primarily about the supervisors’ role and the enhancement of the students’ knowledge, training and practice during the course work. It is hoped that these results would not only be beneficial to the faculty involved in both supervision and teaching the research courses but also can play an instrumental role in streamlining topic formulation instructions in the curriculum. Despite being a case study of information professionals, the findings are most likely to be of wider interest for other subjects.
The haemodynamic causes of skin changes in limbs with primary varicose veins
Authors: Shiraishi Yasushi
Published: May 2018

Objectives

To investigate the haemodynamic causes of skin changes in limbs with primary varicose veins, which were assessed with air plethysmography.

Methods

Five hundred seventeen consecutive patients with axial reflux in the great saphenous vein (varicose vein group) and 248 normal subjects (normal group) were investigated. Varicose vein group patients were divided into two groups according to whether they did (C4–6) or did not (C2–3) have skin changes. Several parameters obtained using air plethysmography were compared among the normal group, C2–3 and C4–6 patients.

Results

Although there was no significant difference in the regurgitation index to quantify venous reflux in C2–3 and C4–6 patients, the maximum arterial inflow rate increased (normal group < C2–3 < C4–6), even in limbs with a small amount of venous reflux.

Conclusions

This study suggests that it is not essential to increase the venous reflux rate in skin change development; rather, it is based on various pathophysiological conditions that increase the arterial inflow rate.
Management of acute tandem occlusions: Stent-retriever thrombectomy with emergency stenting or angioplasty
Authors: Li Wei , Chen Zhonglun , Dai Zheng , Liu Rui , Yin Qin , Wang Huaiming , Hao Yonggang , Han Yunfei , Qiu Zhongming , Xiong Yunyun , Sun Wen , Zi Wenjie , Xu Gelin , Liu Xinfeng
Published: May 2018

Objective

To compare outcomes following intracranial stent retriever-based intracranial thrombectomy (SRT) with emergency extracranial internal carotid artery (EICA) stenting or angioplasty alone in patients presenting with acute stroke due to tandem occlusions of the ICA.

Methods

Consecutive patients with acute anterior tandem occlusion who received an endovascular intervention within 6h of symptom onset between January 2013 and June 2016 were included in this prospective study. Demographic, radiological, procedural and clinical outcome data were compared between the stenting and the angioplasty alone groups.

Results

Of the 37 patients eligible for the study, 18 had angioplasty alone and 19 underwent stent placement. Successful recanalization rate was statistically significantly higher in the stenting group than in angioplasty alone group (74% vs. 39%) and although not statistically significant, more patients in the stenting group than in the angioplasty alone group had favourable outcomes (63% vs. 50%). There was no significant difference between groups in rates of symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage (SICH), cerebral herniation or mortality.

Conclusion

This study in a small sample size suggests that among patients with acute anterior tandem occlusion, SRT with EICA stenting tended to achieve higher recanalization and improved clinical outcomes at three months compared with SRT and angioplasty alone with a similar rate of SICH and mortality.
Association of melatonin receptor 1 B gene (rs10830963 and rs9192552) polymorphısm with adolescent obesity and related comorbidities in Turkey
Authors: Çöl Nilgün , Nacak Muradiye , Araz Mustafa
Published: May 2018

Objective

To examine the role of rs10830963 and rs8192552 polymorphisms in melatonin receptor 1 B (MTNR1B) gene on the development of obesity and related comorbidities among adolescents in South-Eastern Turkey.

Methods

The present study included 200 unrelated adolescents (100 obese, 100 normal weight). The rs8192552 and rs10830963 polymorphisms in the MTNR1B gene were genotyped using a PCR SNaPshot assay.

Results

No statistically significant association was observed between MTNR1B gene rs8192552/rs10830963 polymorphisms and adolescent obesity. In adolescents with an rs8192552 E allele, homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (IR) level was lower and IR was less common. In morbidly obese adolescents with an rs8192552 E allele, total cholesterol level was lower. In obese adolescents with metabolic syndrome, plasma fasting glucose level was higher in rs10830963G allele carriers. In obese girls, body weight was lower in those with a rs10830963 C allele, whereas in obese boys, body weight and waist circumference were higher in those with a rs10830963 C allele.

Conclusions

The MTNR1B gene was not confirmed as an obesity susceptibility gene in adolescents. However, an association between the MTNR1B gene and IR/hypercholesterolemia/metabolic syndrome was observed in obese adolescents. A sex-specific effect on obesity was also identified.
Traffic Flow Modeling of Diverse Work Zone Activities
Authors: Bharadwaj Nipjyoti , Edara Praveen , Sun Carlos , Brown Henry , Chang Yohan
Published: May 2018

What effect does work activity type have on traffic conditions in a work zone? This question has still not been answered satisfactorily in practice. Without knowing the true effect a work activity has on traffic, practitioners are forced to make assumptions while scheduling work. This paper attempts to answer this question by studying the traffic flow characteristics, that is, traffic speed versus flow curves, capacity reduction factors, and free-flow speed reduction factors, for various activities related to construction and maintenance. The importance of the speed–flow curves and reduction factors for work zone planning is also stressed in the latest edition of the Transportation Research Board’s Highway Capacity Manual. This manual recommends capacity and speed reduction factors for work zones, yet does not include specific guidance for including the impact of work activities. Thre e traffic stream models, Gipps, Newell–Franklin, and Van Aerde, were calibrated using field data from St. Louis, Missouri. The Van Aerde model fitted the field data the best as compared to the other two models. Using the Van Aerde model-generated speed–flow curves, it was found that the capacity for bridge-related activities varied from 1,416 vehicles per hour per lane (vphpl) to 1,656 vphpl and for pavement-related activities from 1,120 vphpl to 1,728 vphpl. The capacity reduction factor for different work activities was found to be in the range 0.68 to 0.95, whereas the free-flow speed reduction factor was found to be in the range 0.78 to 1.0. The methodology proposed in this paper contributes toward the development of practitioner guidance and incorporation of work activity effects into traffic impact assessment tools.
International Roughness Index Prediction Model for Thin Hot Mix Asphalt Overlay Treatment of Flexible Pavements
Authors: Qian Jinsong , Jin Chen , Zhang Jiake , Ling Jianming , Sun Chao
Published: May 2018

Pavement performance prediction after maintenance and rehabilitation is important to pavement management. A two-parameter exponential international roughness index (IRI) regression model for thin hot mix asphalt overlay was developed based on information from the U.S. Long Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) database. The model influence parameters α and β, which represent the initial IRI as the thin overlay completion and shape factor of IRI deterioration curve, were statistically analyzed. The results suggested that the IRI deterioration trends in high-temperature and low-temperature regions are different. This is because β was mainly affected by the structural strength and equivalent single axle loads in the high and medium temperature region and mainly affected by the average annual precipitation in low temperature region. In-situ data from LTPP database was used to verify the IRI prediction model, and it was found that the predicted IRI and measured IRI exhibited similar trends.
Performance Assessment of Interlayers with Different Tack Coats by Considering Loading Types and Failure Modes
Authors: Amelian Soroosh , Kim Yong-Rak
Published: May 2018

A monotonic direct shear test (DST) is the most commonly used method to evaluate bond strength of interlayers; however, it does not consider the actual repetitive traffic loading that pavement undergoes during its service life. This study aims to examine the link between various parameters obtained from a monotonic DST and the results of a cyclic loading test that more realistically assesses the interlayer performance with tack coats. Furthermore, to investigate the possible effect of the interface failure mode (shear vs. tensile) on the performance assessment of the tack coat interlayers, a simple indirect tensile test was conducted to determine the tensile strength of the interlayers. Field core samples extracted from a test section constructed in Nebraska were used for various laboratory tests. The field test section included 14 subsections containing various types of tack coat materials with different application methods. Permanent shear deformation and interface stiffness were selected as the failure criteria to characterize the interface resistance associated with cyclic load repetition. Shear strength, shear stiffness, and interlayer bond energy were chosen as the failure criteria for the monotonic DST. Results show that the interlayer shear strength from the monotonic DST had an acceptable correlation with the cyclic test results, and interlayer bond energy is a good predictor of the shear resistance of the tack coats with a high correlation with the cyclic test. The simple indirect tensile test was capable of differentiating interlayer performance with different types of tack coating.
Field Performance of Chip Seals for Pavement Preservation
Authors: Vargas-Nordcbeck Adriana
Published: May 2018

Over time, new pavements deteriorate due to the effect of traffic loads and the environment. If appropriate treatments are applied during the early stages of deterioration, it is possible to extend the service life of the pavement without incurring in costly rehabilitation or reconstruction activities. Chip seals are preservation treatments that can help protect the pavement structure, reduce the rate of pavement deterioration, improve skid resistance, and address minor surface problems. As part of the National Center for Asphalt Technology Pavement Preservation Study, chip seal test sections were placed in a low traffic volume road (Lee County Road 159) in Auburn, Alabama. The location consists of a two-lane county road that provides dead end access to a quarry and an asphalt plant, resulting in a high percentage of heavy loads. At the time of treatment, the existing pavement was 14 years old and consisted of a 5.5 in. hot-mix asphalt layer over a 6.0 in. granular base. Treatments were applied in the summer of 2012 and have been in service for approximately 4.5 years. During this time, cracking, roughness, rutting, and macrotexture data were collected weekly to evaluate pavement performance. The results determined that the performance of the treated sections is highly dependent on the initial condition of the pavement, particularly the percentage of area cracked. Pavements that are treated while still in good condition tend to remain in that category for a longer time. Macrotexture may also be used to evaluate the functional performance of the chip seals.
Assessing Effects of Transit Signal Priority on Traffic Safety: Empirical Bayes Before–After Study using King County, Washington, Data
Authors: Song Yu , Noyce David
Published: May 2018

Transit signal priority (TSP) has become popular among cities in the United States as a transit preferential treatment that improves transit operational performance through adjusting signal timing when transit vehicles are approaching signalized intersections. The majority of attention has been given to the operational effects of TSP. A small number of prior studies have discussed such a system’s effects on traffic safety, with few studies investigating North American implementations. Prior assessment results were mixed, leaving the understanding of TSP’s safety effects unclear. The purpose of this study was to add to the existing research on this topic, and to get a better understanding of TSP’s safety effects. An empirical Bayes (EB) before–after analysis was carried out using TSP implementation data from King County, Washington. Eleven transit corridors having had TSP activated in 2010–2014 were assessed, and 75 street sections without TSP treatment were selected to form a reference group. The EB analysis results showed a 13% reduction in total crashes with the implementation of TSP, a 16% reduction in property-damage-only crashes, and a 5% reduction in fatal and injury crashes. These results are consistent with most existing TSP safety studies. The study implies that TSP brings road safety benefits to transit corridors in a U.S. metropolitan setting, and suggests that transportation and transit agencies add safety assessment into future TSP practices.
How Do Biological Characteristics of Primary Intracranial Tumors Affect Their Clinical Presentation in Children and Young Adults?
Authors: Chu Thomas P. C. , Shah Anjali , Walker David , Coleman Michel P.
Published: May 2018

We demonstrated the pattern in presentation of primary intracranial tumors in a population-based cohort of patients aged 0-24 years identified from the National Cancer Registry for England, using linked medical records from primary care and hospitals. We used generalized additive models to estimate temporal changes in presentation rates. Borderline and malignant tumors presented at a similar rate in primary care (6.4 and 6.6 consultations per 100 patients each month) and in hospital (3.4 and 3.6). Benign tumors presented earlier but less frequently (rate = 4.4 and rate ratio = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.60-0.93, in primary care; rate = 2.6 and rate ratio = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.77-0.89, in hospital). Many tumors began presenting shortly before their diagnosis, but less aggressive tumors were likely to present earlier in primary care. Earlier detection of less aggressive tumors in primary care may reduce the risk of complications and morbidity among survivors.
“Are You Willing to Die for This Work?” Public Targeted Online Harassment in Higher Education: SWS Presidential Address
Authors: Ferber Abby L.
Published: May 2018

This address examines a growing problem in academia: the public targeted online harassment of faculty. This harassment, organized and carried out by the alt-right and supported by other sectors of the right wing across the spectrum from mainstream to extreme, are intended to silence faculty and censor the curriculum. I examine a range of contextual factors that have facilitated this phenomenon, and discuss the experiences of seven other people, as well as myself, all with connections to higher education, that have experienced this unique form of attack. These conversations provide insight into the patterns evident in the form of the attack, individual and university responses, and informed the creation of lists of recommendations for those experiencing, preparing, and responding to attacks.
Chemotherapy Acute Infusion Reactions: A Qualitative Report of the Perspectives of Patients With Cancer
Authors: Bartlett David J. , Childs Daniel S. , Breitkopf Carmen Radecki , Grudem Megan E. , Mitchell Jessica L. , Looker Sherry A. , Ridgeway Jennifer L. , Lee Jennifer L. , Butterfield Joseph H. , Weroha S. John , Jatoi Aminah
Published: May 2018

Objective:

A growing number of cancer antineoplastic agents can cause life-threatening acute infusion reactions. Because previous studies have not studied these reactions from the perspective of patients, this study was undertaken with that objective in mind.

Methods:

Patients who had an acute infusion reaction were interviewed based on the Leventhal model. Once saturation of content was achieved, interviews were transcribed and analyzed with qualitative methodology.

Results:

Twenty-one patients were enrolled. Most were women (n = 15); the median age was 58 years, and paclitaxel was the most common inciting agent. Three themes emerged. First, these reactions are frightening; patients made remarks such as “I was just thinking oh my God, I am dying.” Second, prior education about these reactions seemed to mitigate this fear, “Basically everything the nurses told me potentially could happen, like happened. So, I was prepared.” Third, when health-care providers were prompt and attentive during the reaction, patients described less fear with future chemotherapy, “So no, I’m really not fearful about going in tomorrow because I know they’ll be there and they’ll be watching me.”

Conclusion:

These reactions evoke fear which can be mitigated with education prior to and with prompt responsiveness during the acute infusion reaction.
Proportion of Orofacial Clefts Attributable to Recognized Risk Factors
Authors: Raut Janhavi R. , Simeone Regina M. , Tinker Sarah C. , Canfield Mark A. , Day R. Sue , Agopian A. J.
Published: May 2018

Objective:

Estimate the population attributable fraction (PAF) for a set of recognized risk factors for orofacial clefts.

Design:

We used data from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study. For recognized risk factors for which data were available, we estimated crude population attributable fractions (cPAFs) to account for potential confounding, average-adjusted population attributable fractions (aaPAFs). We assessed 11 modifiable and 3 nonmodifiable parental/maternal risk factors. The aaPAF for individual risk factors and the total aaPAF for the set of risk factors were calculated using a method described by Eide and Geffler.

Setting:

Population-based case–control study in 10 US states.

Participants:

Two thousand seven hundred seventy-nine cases with isolated cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL±P), 1310 cases with isolated cleft palate (CP), and 11 692 controls with estimated dates of delivery between October 1, 1997, and December 31, 2011.

Main Outcome Measures:

Crude population attributable fraction and aaPAF.

Results:

The proportion of CL±P and CP cases attributable to the full set of examined risk factors was 50% and 43%, respectively. The modifiable factor with the largest aaPAF was smoking during the month before pregnancy or the first month of pregnancy (4.0% for CL±P and 3.4% for CP). Among nonmodifiable factors, the factor with the largest aaPAF for CL±P was male sex (27%) and for CP it was female sex (16%).

Conclusions:

Our results may inform research and prevention efforts. A large proportion of orofacial cleft risk is attributable to nonmodifiable factors; it is important to better understand the mechanisms involved for these factors.
Embodied appearance properties and subjectivity
Authors: Sebastián Miguel Ángel
Published: May 2018

The traditional approach in cognitive sciences holds that cognition is a matter of manipulating abstract symbols following certain rules. According to this view, the body is merely an input/output device, which allows the computational system—the brain—to acquire new input data by means of the senses and to act in the environment following its commands. In opposition to this classical view, defenders of embodied cognition (EC) stress the relevance of the body in which the cognitive agent is embedded in their explanation of cognitive processes. From a representationalist framework regarding our conscious experience, in this article, I will offer a novel argument in favor of EC and show that cognition constitutively—and no merely causally—depends upon body activity beyond that in the brain. In particular, I will argue that in order to solve the problem derived from the empirical evidence in favor of the possibility of shifted spectrum, representationalist should endorse the view that experiences concern its subject: the content of experience is de se. I show that this claim perfectly matches the phenomenological observation and helps explaining the subjective character of the experience. Furthermore, I argue that entertaining this kind of representation constitutively depends on bodily activity. Consequently, insofar as cognition depends on consciousness, it is embodied.
Outcomes in obese patients undergoing induction therapy for acute leukemia
Authors: Dombrowski Lauren , Mohassel Leila
Published: May 2018

Obesity continues to be a growing epidemic in the United States. Guidelines published by American Society of Clinical Oncology in 2012 recommend dosing chemotherapy using actual body weight. However, the guidelines do not provide guidance for patients with hematologic malignancies. The objective of this study was to evaluate outcomes in obese patients undergoing induction chemotherapy for acute leukemia versus nonobese patients using actual body weight dosing. This single center retrospective chart review from November 2012 to August 2016 evaluated newly diagnosed leukemia patients who received induction chemotherapy dosed on actual body weight. The primary outcome was rate of complete remission following induction chemotherapy between obese patients versus nonobese patients. Secondary outcomes included time to absolute neutrophil count and platelet recovery, incidence of febrile neutropenia, clinical or microbiological infections, early (0–15 days) and in-hospital mortality, and overall survival at six months. Obese patients had similar rates of complete remission versus nonobese patients with acute myeloid leukemia (60% vs. 61.9%; p = 0.86) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (87.5% vs. 92.8%; p = 0.31). Obese patients with acute myeloid leukemia were more likely to receive re-induction chemotherapy following 14-day bone marrow biopsy vs. nonobese patients (53.3% vs. 23.2%; p = 0.019). There were no significant differences in secondary outcomes in either group when comparing obese versus nonobese patients. Obese patients have similar rates of complete remission compared to nonobese patients following induction chemotherapy in acute leukemia. Continued research is needed to determine optimal dosing and long-term outcomes in this patient population.