bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A review of the endemic Hawaiian Drosophilidae and their host plants
Authors: MAGNACCA KARL N. , FOOTE DAVID , O’GRADY PATRICK M.
Published: May 2019

The Hawaiian Drosophilidae is one of the best examples of rapid speciation in nature. Nearly 1,000 species of endemic drosophilids have evolved in situ in Hawaii since a single colonist arrived over 25 million years ago. A number of mechanisms, including ecological adaptation, sexual selection, and geographic isolation, have been proposed to explain the evolution of this hyperdiverse group of species. Here, we examine the known ecological associations of 326 species of endemic Hawaiian Drosophilidae in light of the phylogenetic relationships of these species. Our analysis suggests that the long-accepted belief of strict ecological specialization in this group does not hold for all taxa. While many species have a primary host plant family, females will also oviposit on non-preferred host plant taxa. Host shifting is fairly common in some groups, especially the grimshawi and modified mouthparts species groups of Drosophila, and the Scaptomyza subgenus Elmomyza. Associations with types of substrates (bark, leaves, flowers) are more evolutionarily conserved than associations with host plant families. These data not only give us insight into the role ecology has played in the evolution of this large group, but can help in making decisions about the management of rare and endangered host plants and the insects that rely upon them for survival.
Seven new species of Canthochilum Chapin from Hispaniola (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae)
Authors: PHILIPS T. KEITH , IVIE MICHAEL A.
Published: May 2019

Seven new species, Canthochilum brodzinskyorum NEW SPECIES, Canthochilum magnum NEW SPECIES, Canthochilum matthewsi NEW SPECIES, Canthochilum mimicum NEW SPECIES, Canthochilum nebulonemi NEW SPECIES, Canthochilum platycnemis NEW SPECIES, and Canthochilum xericum NEW SPECIES, are described from Hispaniola. New distribution records are given for C. cibony Matthews and C. darlingtoni Matthews in the Dominican Republic.
A remarkable new Coenosiini genus (Diptera, Muscidae) from Colombian Páramos
Authors: FOGAÇA JOÃO M. , COURI MÁRCIA S. , PÉREZ SANDRA , DE CARVALHO CLAUDIO J. B.
Published: May 2019

The new genus, Sumapazomyia gen. nov., is proposed for a new species, S. inusitata sp. nov., from the National Natural Park Sumapaz, Bogota, Colombia. The unique morphology of the head and mouthparts, in combination with characters from the male and female terminalia, demonstrate that this new species represents a new and remarkable genus within the muscid tribe Coenosiini.
Geostationary Satellite over East Africa Observed from Kitt Peak, Arizona
Authors: Livingston William
Published: May 2019

Geo-stats are geostationary communication satellites in nearly circular orbits, in the equatorial plane of the Earth, and with an orbital period of one sidereal day. If these three conditions are met, an artificial satellite will be stationary above the Earth. They are usually invisible to the unaided eye (limit of magnitude 6), since the geo-stat’s average brightness is magnitude 12. At night, stars will trail through a fixed camera time exposure of this scene. We have learned how to photograph them using a fixed simple camera from Kitt Peak Mountain in Arizona. We give examples from 30 years of annual observations with identifications from the European Space Agency. One example is over East Africa—yes, seen from Arizona.
Antarctic Verification of the Australian Numerical Weather Prediction Model
Authors: Schroeter Benjamin J. E. , Reid Phil , Bindoff Nathaniel L. , Michael Kelvin
Published: May 2019

The Australian Community Climate and Earth-System Simulator-Global (ACCESS-G) features an atmosphere-only numerical weather prediction (NWP) suite used operationally by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology to forecast weather conditions for the Antarctic. The current operational version of the forecast model, the Australian Parallel Suite v2 (APS2), has been used operationally since early 2016. To date, the performance of the model has been largely unverified for the Antarctic and anecdotal reports suggest challenges for model performance in the region. This study investigates the performance of ACCESS-G south of 50°S over 2017 and finds that model performance degrades toward the poles and in proportion to forecast horizon against a range of performance metrics. The model exhibits persistent negative surface and mean sea level pressure biases around the Adelie Land coast, which is linked to the underrepresentation of model winds to the west, and driven by positive screen temperature biases that inhibit modeled katabatic outflow. These results suggest that an improved representation of boundary layer parameterization could be implemented to improve model performance in the region.
The Impacts of Using Mixed Physics in the Community Leveraged Unified Ensemble
Authors: Gallus William A. , Wolff Jamie , Gotway John Halley , Harrold Michelle , Blank Lindsay , Beck Jeff
Published: May 2019

A well-known problem in high-resolution ensembles has been a lack of sufficient spread among members. Modelers often have used mixed physics to increase spread, but this can introduce problems including computational expense, clustering of members, and members that are not all equally skillful. Thus, a detailed examination of the impacts of using mixed physics is important. The present study uses two years of Community Leveraged Unified Ensemble (CLUE) output to isolate the impact of mixed physics in 36-h forecasts made using a convection-permitting ensemble with 3-km horizontal grid spacing. One 10-member subset of the CLUE used only perturbed initial conditions (ICs) and lateral boundary conditions (LBCs) while another 10-member ensemble used the same mixed ICs and LBCs but also introduced mixed physics. The cases examined occurred during NOAA’s Hazardous Weather Testbed Spring Forecast Experiments in 2016 and 2017. Traditional gridpoint metrics applied to each member and the ensemble as a whole, along with object-based verification statistics for all members, were computed for composite reflectivity and 1- and 3-h accumulated precipitation using the Model Evaluation Tools (MET) software package. It is found that the mixed physics increases variability substantially among the ensemble members, more so for reflectivity than precipitation, such that the envelope of members is more likely to encompass the observations. However, the increased variability is mostly due to the introduction of both substantial high biases in members using one microphysical scheme, and low biases in other schemes. Overall ensemble skill is not substantially different from the ensemble using a single physics package.
Motivations, Propensities, and Their Interplays on Online Bullying Perpetration: A Partial Test of Situational Action Theory
Authors: Song Hyojong , Lee Seong-Sik
Published: May 2019

Using data gathered from 757 college students in South Korea, the current study examines applicability of situational action theory (SAT) to online bullying perpetration (OBP). Specifically, the current study focuses on testing interplays between motivations in the criminogenic online setting (temptation and provocation) and individual propensities (morality and self-control) as well as interplay between two individual propensities on OBP. Results show that morality significantly buffers the effects of provocation on OBP as expected, while morality unexpectedly enhances effects of temptation on OBP. Moreover, the current study found no significant interaction between two propensities, morality and self-control. Thus, future studies should focus on examining how roles of morality vary depending on different types of offenses and contexts.
Methodological Approaches and Recommendations for Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Applications in HF/E Research
Authors: Zhu Yibo , Rodriguez-Paras Carolina , Rhee Joohyun , Mehta Ranjana K.
Published: May 2019

Objective

The objective of this study was to systematically document current methods and protocols employed when using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) techniques in human factors and ergonomics (HF/E) research and generate recommendations for conducting and reporting fNIRS findings in HF/E applications.

Method

A total of 1,687 articles were identified through Ovid-MEDLINE, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases, of which 37 articles were included in the review based on review inclusion/exclusion criteria.

Results

A majority of the HF/E fNIRS investigations were found in transportation, both ground and aviation, and in assessing cognitive (e.g., workload, working memory) over physical constructs. There were large variations pertaining to data cleaning, processing, and analysis approaches across the studies that warrant standardization of methodological approaches. The review identified major challenges in transparency and reporting of important fNIRS data collection and analyses specifications that diminishes study replicability, introduces potential biases, and increases likelihood of inaccurate results. As such, results reported in existing fNIRS studies need to be cautiously approached.

Conclusion

To improve the quality of fNIRS investigations and/or to facilitate its adoption and integration in different HF/E applications, such as occupational ergonomics and rehabilitation, recommendations for fNIRS data collection, processing, analysis, and reporting are provided.
Occultation of Planets by the Moon in European Narrative Medieval Sources
Authors: Martínez Usó María José , Marco Castillo Francisco J.
Published: May 2019

Existing research dealing with astronomical observations from medieval Europe have extensively covered topics such as solar and lunar eclipses and sightings of comets and meteors, but no compilation of occultations of planets by the Moon has been carried out and, till now, the data have remained scattered in different publications. The main reasons for this are the small number of observations that has reached us, their limited use for calculation of parameters associated with the rotation of the Earth, and the fact that between the fifth and fifteenth centuries, the period that we consider, almost none of these observations were made scientifically, since they usually appear in narrative texts, be they chronicles or annals. Our purpose is to make a compilation of these phenomena, trying to shed light on some of the most controversial observations after examining them in their historical context. We will examine European sources, but, occasionally, we will also consider reports from other parts of the world to make comparisons, when necessary.
What Is the Heritability of Periodontitis? A Systematic Review
Authors: Nibali L. , Bayliss-Chapman J. , Almofareh S.A. , Zhou Y. , Divaris K. , Vieira A.R.
Published: May 2019

The aim of this study was to systematically appraise the existing literature on the yet-unclear heritability of gingivitis and periodontitis. This review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. A search was conducted through the electronic databases Medline, Embase, LILACS, Cochrane Library, Open Grey, Google Scholar, and Research Gate, as complemented by a hand search, for human studies reporting measures of heritability of gingivitis and periodontitis. A total of 9,037 papers were initially identified from combined databases and 10,810 on Google Scholar. After full-text reading, 28 articles met the inclusion criteria and were carried forward to data abstraction. The reviewed data included information from >50,000 human subjects. Meta-analyses were performed by grouping studies based on design and outcome. Heritability ( H2) of periodontitis was estimated at 0.38 (95% CI, 0.34 to 0.43; I2 = 12.9%) in twin studies, 0.15 (95% CI, 0.06 to 0.24; I2 = 0%) in other family studies, and 0.29 (95% CI, 0.21 to 0.38; I2 = 61.2%) when twin and other family studies were combined. Genome-wide association studies detected a lower heritability estimate of 0.07 (95% CI, −0.02 to 0.15) for combined definitions of periodontitis, increasing with disease severity and when the interaction with smoking was included. Furthermore, heritability tended to be lower among older age groups. Heritability for the self-reported gingivitis trait was estimated at 0.29 (95% CI, 0.22 to 0.36; I2 = 37.6%), while it was not statistically significant for clinically measured gingivitis. This systematic review brings forward summary evidence to confirm that up to a third of the periodontitis variance in the population is due to genetic factors. This seems consistent across the different studied populations and increases with disease severity. In summary, up to a third of the variance of periodontitis in the population is due to genetic factors, with higher heritability for more severe disease.
Where Do You Stand? Discussions That Promote Democratic Citizenship and Engage Multiple Intelligences
Authors: Arnold Bryan P.
Published: May 2019

Teachers often desire meaningful classroom discussions, but frequently shy away from introducing controversial topics. An instructional activity “Where Do You Stand?” was developed and used regularly with the goal of engaging students in discussion around politicized and divisive issues. Over 3 years of use in a secondary social studies classroom, benefits of fostering democratic citizenship and engaging a range of multiple intelligences were observed. Beyond social studies, there are viable adaptations for use across content areas, in multiple forms, and recommendations to maximize the observed benefits. “Where Do You Stand?” offers teachers an opportunity to invite learners into critically important conversations.
Monolingual and Bilingual Word Recognition and Word Learning in Background Noise
Authors: Morini Giovanna , Newman Rochelle S.
Published: May 2019

The question of whether bilingualism leads to advantages or disadvantages in linguistic abilities has been debated for many years. It is unclear whether growing up with one versus two languages is related to variations in the ability to process speech in the presence of background noise. We present findings from a word recognition and a word learning task with monolingual and bilingual adults. Bilinguals appear to be less accurate than monolinguals at identifying familiar words in the presence of white noise. However, the bilingual “disadvantage” identified during word recognition is not present when listeners were asked to acquire novel word-object relations that were trained either in noise or in quiet. This work suggests that linguistic experience and the demands associated with the type of task both play a role in the ability for listeners to process speech in noise.
Pediatric Stroke Caregiver Well-Being: A Holistic Wellness Perspective
Authors: Kissinger Daniel B. , Grover Kenda S. , Turner Ronna C.
Published: May 2019

Evidence-based models are critical for understanding caregiver well-being and treatment interventions from a holistic perspective. This study introduces the Indivisible Self: An Evidence-Based Model of Wellness (IS-WEL) as a means for examining the holistic wellness of pediatric stroke caregivers. In this exploratory study, 161 participants completed a demographic survey and the Five-Factor Wellness Inventory (FF-WEL). Results indicate significant wellness score differences between the current sample of pediatric stroke caregivers and the FF-WEL norming sample on the higher order Total Wellness factor, the second-order wellness factors of Creative Self and Social Self, and the third-order wellness factors of thinking, emotions, control, positive humor, and love. These results support the veracity of the IS-WEL as an additional empirically sound holistic approach for understanding and addressing the well-being of stroke caregivers. The authors discuss practical clinical and research implications for utilizing the IS-WEL with pediatric stroke caregivers.
Definition, Context, Quality: Current Issues in Research Examining High-Quality Inclusive Education
Authors: Love Hailey R. , Horn Eva
Published: May 2019

The most recent efforts to promote inclusive education have acknowledged the various contexts in which it takes place, moving away from a placement-focused conceptualization of inclusion. Acknowledging that inclusive education may take place within multiple types of early childhood education programs necessitates the consideration of context as a potential factor influencing its high-quality implementation. Moreover, assessing and supporting quality within inclusive classrooms requires a consideration of both global quality and inclusion quality; yet, these two facets of inclusive education quality have rarely been considered together. In accordance with recent advancements in the conceptualization and promotion of inclusive education, we discuss three ongoing challenges in inclusive education research: operationalizing inclusive education independent of physical placement, ensuring the adequate consideration of context, and appropriately measuring quality. We also provide recommendations for future research aiming to continue advancing the field’s knowledge of high-quality inclusive education.
Conceptualizing the Collaborative Toolbox: A Dimensional Approach to Collaboration
Authors: Prentice Christopher R. , Imperial Mark T. , Brudney Jeffrey L.
Published: May 2019

This study explores the circumstances under which certain collaborative tools are adopted, and whether some tools are typically used in combination with others. We share the view of other scholars that collaboration practice is ahead of scholarship. Accordingly, we ground our analysis and conclusions on the observations provided by a sample of public managers who participate actively in collaborations. Findings from interviews with managers about the use of collaborative tools in their jurisdictions demonstrate that certain tools are used together, and that collaborations can be understood along three dimensions—structure of the collaboration, shared governance arrangements, and commitment of both parties to the collaboration. For researchers, this finding provides a foundation to comprehend, compare, and analyze collaborations across myriad policy domains. For practitioners, this result illustrates that collaborative tools are not interchangeable and are typically employed in three coherent groupings. For researchers and practitioners, the findings dispute common assumptions that greater collaboration (i.e., employing more tools) is productive and suggest that the emphasis might be more usefully placed on selecting and using the appropriate and parsimonious combination of tools to generate public value.
Musical and cognitive abilities in older adults with mild cognitive impairment
Authors: Petrovsky Darina V , Johnson Julene K , Tkacs Nancy , Mechanic-Hamilton Dawn , Hamilton Roy H , Cacchione Pamela Z
Published: May 2019

The objective of this cross-sectional study was to determine the extent and nature of self-reported musical abilities in persons with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). We recruited 60 older adults with a diagnosis of MCI from the Alzheimer’s disease Core Center. We evaluated self-reported musical abilities using the Goldsmiths General Musical Sophistication Index. We examined correlations between musical abilities and neuropsychological measures of verbal learning and memory, processing speed, executive function, verbal fluency, naming, and visuoconstructive abilities, while controlling for key demographic and participant characteristics. Older adults with MCI reported varying degrees of musical abilities. Nearly half of participants reported that they did not engage in regular, daily practice of a musical instrument. When adjusting for key demographic and participant characteristics, we found modest associations between four musical ability subfactors (active engagement, perceptual abilities, musical training, and emotional engagement with music) with three cognitive abilities: verbal fluency, executive function, and verbal naming. Except for the emotional engagement with music subfactor, none of the remaining musical ability subfactors correlated with any demographic or participant characteristics. While our study findings provided support for the relationship between musical and cognitive abilities in older adults with MCI, this relationship warrants further investigation.
Distributed wind resource assessment: Comparing measured annual energy production with predictions from computational fluid dynamics
Authors: Martindale Devon L , Acker Thomas L
Published: May 2019

The US Department of Energy’s Distributed Wind Resource Assessment Workshop identified predicting the annual energy production of a kilowatt-sized wind turbine as a key challenge. This article presents the methods and results for predicting the annual energy production of two 2.1 kW Skystream 3.7 wind turbines using computational fluid dynamics, in this case Meteodyn WT. When compared with actual production data, annual energy production values were uniformly underpredicted, with errors ranging from 1% to in excess of 30%, depending on the solver settings and boundary conditions. The most accurate of the simulations with errors consistently less than 10% were achieved when using recommended solver settings of neutral atmospheric stability, and roughness values derived from the US National Land Cover Database. The software was used to create an annual energy production map for the modeling domain, which could be a valuable tool in estimating the energy output and economic value of a proposed wind turbine.
Comparison of the EasyWarm® self-heating blanket with the Cocoon forced-air warming blanket in preventing intraoperative hypothermia
Authors: Thapa Hosim Prasai , Kerton Amanda J , Peyton Philip J
Published: May 2019

The importance of preventing hypothermia in the perioperative period cannot be overemphasised. The use of active warming devices is advocated and practised widely. The forced-air warming (FAW) blanket is currently a popular modality. The BARRIER® EasyWarm® (Mölnlycke Healthcare, Belrose, Australia) self-heating blanket, which does not require a power unit, has been proposed as an easy-to-use alternative to the FAW blanket. We conducted a single-centre, randomized controlled trial to compare the efficacy of the EasyWarm® self-heating blanket to the Cocoon blanket (Care Essentials, North Geelong, Australia), a conventional FAW blanket, in preventing intraoperative hypothermia. Forty patients undergoing elective surgery under general anaesthesia lasting >1 h were randomized in a 1:1 ratio. Prewarming was not allowed; 39 patients were analysed (19 EasyWarm® group and 20 Cocoon blanket group). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups with regard to the mean (±standard deviation) final nasopharyngeal temperature (35.89 ± 0.82 °C versus 35.74 ± 0.77 °C; P = 0.72 in the Cocoon and EasyWarm® blanket groups, respectively). Similarly, the difference between average temperatures at 1, 2 and 3 h was not statistically significant. We found the EasyWarm® blanket to be as effective as the Cocoon FAW blanket in preventing intraoperative hypothermia. Due to its ease of use, the EasyWarm® blanket may have an additional benefit in preoperative warming of patients.
Efficacy of galcanezumab in patients with chronic migraine and a history of preventive treatment failure
Authors: Ruff Dustin D , Ford Janet H , Tockhorn-Heidenreich Antje , Sexson Matthew , Govindan Sriram , Pearlman Eric M , Wang Shuu-Jiun , Khan Arif , Aurora Sheena K
Published: May 2019

Background

Efficacy of galcanezumab in chronic migraine has been demonstrated in a pivotal Phase 3 study. Here, we assess efficacy in patients who have failed ≥2 and ≥1 prior migraine preventives for efficacy and/or safety reasons, and in those who never failed.

Study design/methods

REGAIN (NCT02614261) was a Phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in patients with chronic migraine. Patients were randomized 2:1:1 to receive placebo, galcanezumab 120 mg/240 mg once monthly during a double-blind treatment period lasting three months. Subgroup analyses were conducted among patients who failed ≥2 and ≥1 prior preventives and who never failed previously. Outcomes assessed were change from baseline in number of monthly migraine headache days, proportion of patients with ≥50% and ≥75% response (reduction in monthly migraine headache days), change in number of monthly migraine headache days with acute medication use and change in patient functioning per Migraine-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire Role Function Restrictive (MSQ RF-R) domain score.

Results

Treatment with galcanezumab versus placebo resulted in significant improvements ( p < 0.01) in overall reduction (Months 1–3) from baseline in the number of monthly migraine headache days in patients with prior failures (LS mean change [SE]: ≥2 prior failures: galcanezumab 120 mg: −5.35 (0.71); galcanezumab 240 mg: −2.77 (0.66); placebo: −1.01 (0.54); ≥1 prior failures: galcanezumab 120 mg: −5.53 (0.60), galcanezumab 240 mg: −3.53 (0.59); placebo: −2.02 (0.49). Similarly, significant results were seen with galcanezumab versus placebo for ≥50% and ≥75% response rates, reductions in acute medication use and improvements in MSQ RF-R domain score. In the subgroup with no prior preventive failures, results were statistically significant for the 240 mg galcanezumab group versus placebo on all outcome measures, and for the 120 mg group on the reduction in migraine headache days with acute medication use. There was also a higher placebo response observed in the patients with no prior preventive failures.

Conclusion

Galcanezumab is consistently efficacious versus placebo in reducing monthly migraine headache days and several other key outcomes in patients with chronic migraine who have failed ≥2 or ≥1 preventives previously. In the subgroup with no prior failures, greater numerical differences were seen with galcanezumab, but statistical separation from placebo varied by dose and outcome.

Clinicaltrials.gov identifier number

NCT02614261.
Comparing migraine with and without aura to healthy controls using RNA sequencing
Authors: Kogelman Lisette JA , Falkenberg Katrine , Halldorsson Gisli H , Poulsen Lau U , Worm Jacob , Ingason Andres , Stefansson Hreinn , Stefansson Kari , Hansen Thomas F , Olesen Jes
Published: May 2019

Background

Migraine mechanisms are *These authors contributed equally to this work. only partly known. Some studies have previously described genes differentially expressed between blood from migraineurs and controls. The objective of this study was to describe gene expression in subtypes of migraine outside of attack and in healthy controls.

Methods

We extensively phenotyped 17 migraine without aura and nine migraine with aura female patients, and 20 age-matched female controls. Cubital venous blood was RNA sequenced. Genes differentially expressed between migraineurs (migraine without aura and migraine with aura) and controls, and between migraine without aura and migraine with aura were identified using a case-control design. A co-expression network was constructed to investigate the difference between migraineurs and healthy controls at the network level.

Results

We found two differentially expressed genes: NMNAT2 and RETN. Both were differentially expressed between migraine with aura and controls, but they could not be replicated in an independent cohort. Co-expression network analysis resulted in one cluster of highly interconnected genes that was nominally significantly associated with migraine; however, no pathways or gene ontology terms were detected.

Conclusions

We showed no clear distinct difference in gene expression profiles of peripheral blood of migraineurs and controls and were not able to replicate findings from previous studies. A larger sample size may be needed to detect minor differences.
Comparing Route Choice Models for Managed Lane Networks with Multiple Entrances and Exits
Authors: Pandey Venktesh , Boyles Stephen D.
Published: May 2019

Developing an appropriate route choice model for managed lanes with multiple entrances and exits is critical for the success of managed lane planning and operations. This research focuses on route choice models for managed lane networks with stochastic and time-varying tolls and travel times. In the model, a traveler receives real-time information about the tolls and travel times upon arrival at each diverge node and makes a dynamic lane choice decision that minimizes the total expected cost. The online route choice model is formulated as a Markov decision process and solved using a backward recursion algorithm. The model is compared against four other routing models: a binary logit model, a model based on decision routes, a model that chooses paths a priori, and a model with routes chosen randomly. The study also models irrational driver behavior with parameters like driver’s inclination toward making optimal lane choices and preference for certain lanes. Findings show that the expected costs from the routes chosen using the decision route model from the literature are close to the optimal cost with an average percentage error of 0.93%. The binary logit model is shown to have a high average error of 50% in the expected cost when a driver is assumed to behave rationally, but the same model shows optimal prediction for certain irrational driver behaviors. The proposed routing model forms a basis for future work in the area of managed lane pricing and planning.
Treatment of acute limb ischemia in an Impella CP patient
Authors: Flottmann Christian , Braun Martin , Köster Marco , Rudolph Volker
Published: May 2019

The use of the Impella left ventricular assist device is feasible in severe cardiogenic shock. Ischemic complications due to the arterial cannulation may occur. The following case shows how the use of a perfusion adapter for antegrade leg perfusion treats ischemia of the lower extremities.
Business school teams up with clinical innovators: An opportunity for health system transformation
Authors: Fung-Kee-Fung Michael , Michalowski Wojtek
Published: May 2019

Healthcare represents one of the largest sectors in the economy with the health spending on average accounting for about 9% of GDP in OECD countries. Canada was projected in 2018 to spend about 11% of its GDP on healthcare with an expected health expenditure growth of 4.2%. Addressing this issue asks for a redesign of health delivery system and associated cultural shift allowing for incorporation of industry and business best practices. To make this redesign happen, system transformation requires seeking out new institutional mechanisms, partnerships, and forums where industry leaders in business and healthcare can develop a top-down approach with a shared vision, shared best practices, and support coming from a bottom-up approach through pilots and scaling-up initiatives. In this article, we describe one successful partnership initiative—Telfer Health Transformation Exchange at the Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa.
FARS2 Causing Complex Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia With Dysphonia: Expanding the Disease Spectrum
Authors: Forman Eva B. , Gorman Kathleen M. , Ennis Sean , King Mary D.
Published: May 2019

Herein we present two siblings with hereditary spastic paraplegia caused by novel compound heterozygous variant and deletion in FARS2 and expansion of the disease spectrum to include dysphonia.
An evaluation of the wound healing potential of tetrahydrocurcumin-loaded MPEG-PLA nanoparticles
Authors: He Peng , Yan Hong , Zhao Junning , Gou Maling , Li Xiaolu
Published: May 2019

Wound healing refers to the healing process of skin and other tissues appear to be broken or defective after one body suffers external force. Accelerating wound healing through the use of natural products isolated from plants and microbes is a hot research topic. Tetrahydrocurcumin is one of the major in vivo colorless hydrogenated metabolites of curcumin with superior wound healing and anti-inflammatory properties. The poor bioavailability of these curcuminoids limits their clinical applications. Preparation of curcuminoids-loaded nanoparticles is one appropriate method of addressing this issue. In this study, tetrahydrocurcumin nanoparticles were firstly used for wound healing. In vitro experiments revealed that tetrahydrocurcumin-loaded MPEG-PLA nanoparticles (THC-NPs) could stimulate the closure of defect by enhancing directional migration of human fibroblasts in tetrahydrocurcumin dose-dependent manner. In addition, we also evaluated the effect of sodium alginate/chitosan dressings featuring THC-NPs on wound healing. We found that the nanometer dressings (sodium alginate/chitosan dressings featuring THC-NPs) could accelerate wound healing by improving collagen deposition, increasing vascular density in a rat model of wound repair. These results demonstrated that THC-NPs could promote cutaneous healing by increasing the synthesis of collagen I and III, revascularization and improving the migration of fibroblasts. Thus, THC-NPs have the potential for enhancing wound healing progress.
Review of Melatonin Supplementation for Sleep Disorders in Pediatric Special Populations
Authors: Abramova Rachel , Campbell Peter , Baron Jessica , Patel Khilna , Parmar Sapna
Published: May 2019

Objective

To determine which pediatric populations, if any, benefit from exogenous melatonin supplementation.

Methods

PubMed was utilized for the purposes of this systematic review. The studies selected evaluated melatonin use in pediatric special populations and included randomized controlled trials, crossover studies, and meta-analyses. Each study’s objectives, measures of outcomes, and dosing strategies of melatonin were reviewed along with the results and author’s conclusions.

Results

Our analysis of the available data offers mixed results and recommendations with regard to the decision of whether to add supplementation of melatonin.

Conclusion

With further regulation of melatonin supplements, it may be plausible to hold larger, multicenter trials and come to a firm recommendation in the future. At this time, we believe that the benefit of exogenous melatonin supplementation outweighs the risks of adverse events and therefore would recommend its use in aiding patients in improving their sleep. Exogenous supplementation with melatonin should be used at the physician’s and patient’s discretion.
Predisposed to Volunteer? Personality Traits and Different Forms of Volunteering
Authors: Ackermann Kathrin
Published: May 2019

In this article, we evaluate the psychological basis of different forms of volunteering. To date, our knowledge about the relationship between personality and volunteering as an important facet of the social fabric is limited. Applying the Five-Factor Model of Personality (Big Five), we scrutinize this relationship in a comprehensive manner. We consider formal and informal volunteering as well as online volunteering as a new form of social participation. Empirically, we analyze a representative population sample of Switzerland using logistic regression models. We find that extraversion is the most consistent driver of volunteering. The effects of the remaining traits differ across the forms of volunteering. Additional analyses indicate that situational factors may moderate these relationships.
Design of a hybrid proportional electromagnetic dynamic vibration absorber for control of idling engine vibration
Authors: Fu Tao , Rakheja Subhash , Shangguan Wen-Bin
Published: May 2019

A hybrid proportional electromagnetic dynamic vibration absorber consisting of an electromagnetic actuator and an elastic element is proposed for control of engine vibration during idling. The design of the proportional electromagnetic actuator is realized considering the geometric parameters of the core to achieve nearly constant magnetic force over a broad range of its dynamic displacement but proportional to square of the current. The dynamic characteristics of the electromagnetic dynamic vibration absorber are analyzed analytically and experimentally. The effects of various geometric parameters of the actuator such as the slopes and width/height, and the air gaps on the resulting magnetic force characteristics are evaluated using a finite element model and verified experimentally. A methodology is proposed to achieve magnetic force proportional to current and consistent with the disturbance frequency. The hybrid proportional electromagnetic dynamic vibration absorber is subsequently applied to a single-degree-of-freedom primary system with an acceleration feedback control algorithm for attenuation of primary system vibration in a frequency band around the typical idling vibration frequencies. The effectiveness of the hybrid proportional electromagnetic dynamic vibration absorber is evaluated through simulations and laboratory experiments under harmonic excitations in the 20–30 Hz frequency range. Both the simulation and measurements show that the hybrid proportional electromagnetic dynamic vibration absorber can yield effective attenuation of periodic idling vibration in the frequency range considered.
Lymphocyte and its CD4+ and CD8+ subgroup changes after paraquat poisoning
Authors: Gao Y , Guo S , Wang Y , Yu S , Wang M , Lu X , Li Y
Published: May 2019

Objective:

Paraquat (PQ) poisoning is a significant cause of mortality and morbidity in developing countries. Poor prognostic outcomes have been attributed to the herbicide’s toxicity and the lack of effective treatments. Our study aims to investigate the changes in lymphocyte count in both patients who survived and died from PQ poisoning and explore the prognostic value.

Method:

This is a retrospective case serials observational study. Adult patients admitted with acute PQ poisoning. The notes of 1000 patients who presented with acute PQ poisoning were reviewed. One hundred thirty patients having the T lymphocyte met the inclusion criteria and were grouped into those that survived the poisoning (95) and non-survivors (35).

Results:

On admission, non-survivors had a higher ingestion volume of PQ and urine PQ concentration as well as higher severity indices (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation 2, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment, and Poisoning Severity Score). Patients in the survival group had a higher dosage of immunosuppressant and a longer hospital stay. Leukocytes, especially neutrophils, were higher among non-survivors; however, the converse was found with lymphocytes. T lymphocyte (CD3) count was consistently higher among survivors as well as the subgroups CD4+ and CD8+. No differences in the ratio of CD4/CD8 were found between the groups.

Conclusion:

Our study has shown that changes in lymphocyte count as its subgroups could indicate a host’s immune status and lymphocytes play an important role as a surrogate marker of host immunity, which could be a useful prognostic tool in the assessment of this disease.
New chitin derivatives and their Schottky diodes: Synthesis and characterization
Authors: Aksoy Önder , Uzun İlhan , Topal Giray , Çelik Ömer , Ocak Yusuf Selim , Batibay Derya
Published: May 2019

First, chitin was reacted with 4,5-dichlorophthalic acid and diphenic acid, and thus two new chitin derivatives (C45DA and CDA) were synthesized. Then, C45DA and CDA were characterized by various spectroscopies and techniques (FTIR, 13C CP-MAS solid-state NMR, XRPD, SEM, and TGA/DTA). Besides, some electrical properties of C45DA were measured. After the characterization process, the Schottky diodes of C45DA and CDA were made. It was determined that these diodes showed photodiode characteristics at the same time. Later on, both electrical properties ( ϕb, n, and Rs) and photoelectrical properties ( I Illumination/ I Dark, I SC, and V OC) of these diodes were determined.
Intravascular Papillary Endothelial Hyperplasia With a Phlebolith of the Tongue: A Potential Pitfall
Authors: AbdullGaffar Badr , Alawadhi Farzad
Published: May 2019

Intravascular papillary endothelial hyperplasia (IPEH) or so-called Masson hemangioma is a benign nonneoplastic thrombus-associated organizing proliferation. De novo or secondary IPEHs are not uncommon oral lesions. An associated oral phlebolith is uncommon. Oral IPEHs and phleboliths can be diagnostically challenging. Certain histomorphologic features are helpful clues. Immunohistochemistry is a useful confirmatory tool. We present a case of an IPEH with phlebolith in a 37-year-old healthy lady who presented with a nodular lesion of the tongue. Histology showed a calcific nodule associated with an endothelial-lined vascular lesion with histomorphologic and immunohistochemical features of IPEH. The presence of a solitary extruded phlebolith could be challenging for pathologists and could be confused with other oral calculi, particularly sialoliths. The presence of papillary fronds, endothelial-lined minute vascular channels, fibrin thrombi, and hemosiderin pigment on the surface of the calculus points to a calcified thrombus. The lamellated concentric onion ring layers corresponding to Zahn lines around a central calcific nidus is another hint. Phleboliths should be considered by pathologists in their differential diagnosis of oral calculi. Distinction from sialolith is clinically important because the etiology and management are different.
Perception of hematologists and oncologists about the biosimilars: A prospective Tunisian study based on a survey
Authors: Hadoussa Selma , Bouhlel Mehdi , Soussi Mohamed A , Drira Chema , Hadoussa Myriam , Khrouf Myriam R
Published: May 2019

Introduction

Biosimilar drugs have significantly shaken the global pharmaceutical market through a better access to the health care services. The aim of this study is to establish a state of play in Tunisia based on the knowledge and perceptions of doctors on biosimilars in order to identify the problems related to these drugs and to propose solutions for improvement.

Materials and methods

In our study, we conducted a prospective, descriptive survey using a questionnaire, destinated to oncologists and hematologists with different grades, from both public and private sectors and from several regions. The questions focused on physicians' general knowledge of biosimilars and their comparison with reference on safety, quality, efficacy, and indication. Finally, we explored the proportion of physicians who are favorable to the policy encouraging biosimilar use.

Results

One hundred and seven doctors among 150 answered the questionnaire; 57% were oncologists and 43% were hematologists. About one over five physicians defines biosimilar as a chemical drug. About 29% do not differentiate between a biosimilar and a generic one. A percentage of 68 believe that a biosimilar can have all the indications of its reference following complementary clinical studies. On the other side, 68.2% support the policy encouraging these drugs. Last, only 3.7% of the practitioners believe that they are well informed about biosimilars.

Discussion

Our results are comparable to other surveys described in the literature. However, this is the first study that targets oncologists and hematologists specifically.

Conclusion

Our study showed a lack of information from oncologists and hematologists about biosimilars in Tunisia. Thus, health authorities should carry out training programs on biosimilars and introduce clear and effective legislation in order to allow better access to health care services.
“Yokoyama procedure” efficacy on non-highly myopic patients with acquired esotropia and hypotropia
Authors: Serafino Massimiliano , Scaramuzzi Matteo , Villani Edoardo , Nucci Paolo
Published: May 2019

Objective:

To assess the efficacy of “Yokoyama Procedure,” on non-highly myopic patients with acquired esotropia and hypotropia.

Methods:

The study involved 10 eyes of 5 patients with eso-hypotropia. Inclusion criteria were acquired esotropic-hypotropic strabismus with lateral rectus inferior displacement and superior rectus nasal displacement confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging, refractive errors between ±6 D, and axial length < 27 mm. Range of full duction movements and maximum angles of abduction-sursumduction was measured in each eye before and after surgery. All patients underwent T1- and T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. The surgery was aimed at creating a junction between the muscle bellies of the superior and lateral rectus muscles. This junction was made approximately 14 mm behind the insertions using a non-absorbable mersilene 5/0 suture (Yokoyama procedure).

Results:

Mean patient age was 64.8 ± 4.8 years. The mean globe axial length was 25.4 ± 0.76 mm and a mean corresponding spherical equivalent refraction of −3.7 ± 1.7 D was observed. Eight eyes on 10 had mild limitation in abduction, while the remaining 2 had no limitation. Three out of 10 eyes showed a moderate limited sursumduction, 5 eyes were categorized as mild, and the remaining 2 had no limitation. No evident post-operative limitation was present in any eye, in both abduction and sursumduction (p < 0.01). Pre-operative esotropia and hypotropia were, respectively, 32 ± 11 prismatic diopters and 25 ± 5 prismatic diopters, and they were significantly reduced after surgery as 9 ± 1.7 prismatic diopters and 6 ±1 prismatic diopters (p = 0.043), respectively.

Conclusion:

Yokoyama procedure is an effective, fast, reversible procedure to face eso-hypotropic acquired strabismus, even in patients with a clear magnetic resonance imaging displacement of superior and lateral rectus muscles, and absence of globe dislocation and of elevated myopia.
Does Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation Improve Recovery Following Acute Ankle Sprain? A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial
Authors: Wainwright Thomas W , Burgess Louise C , Middleton Robert G
Published: May 2019

Aim:

Following soft tissue ankle injury, patients are often referred for out-patient physiotherapy and present symptoms including pain, reduced range of movement and function, and oedema. In this study, we assess the use of a neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) device as an adjunctive therapy to reduce oedema in patients recovering from grade I and II ankle sprains.

Methods:

This was a single-centre, pilot randomised controlled study, recruiting patients referred to physiotherapy following an ankle sprain. Participants presenting with oedema were randomised to one of two treatment groups: (1) the current standard of care and (2) the current standard of care plus NMES use. Participants were identified in an emergency department and referred to a physiotherapy department for treatment 1 to 5 days following the injury and returned to clinic 7 days later.

Results:

Twenty-two participants completed the study and had full data sets for analysis (11 in each group). Mean volumetric displacement was reduced in the intervention group in comparison to the standard care group ( P = .011); however, there were no between-group differences in figure of eight measurements, function or pain scores. The device was well tolerated, with no device-related adverse events recorded.

Conclusions:

In this pilot, randomised controlled trial, NMES was well tolerated by patients following ankle sprain and demonstrated statistically significant improvements in oedema reduction as measured by fluid displacement. No other changes were observed. Further work will need to confirm the clinical significance and effect on longer term recovery post-ankle sprain.
A two-wave study on the health and relationship consequences of experienced stigma among individuals with concealable chronic health conditions
Authors: Shrout M Rosie , Weigel Daniel J
Published: May 2019

Applying and extending the concealable stigmatized identity outcomes model, this two-wave study examined the psychological, behavioral, physical, and relational health consequences of experienced stigma among a sample of 124 individuals with concealable chronic health conditions. Path analyses revealed that chronic health condition–related experienced stigma was associated with greater chronic health condition–related stress, which in turn was linked to more physical health problems and, ultimately, poorer relational health 4 months later. These findings demonstrate that chronic health condition–related experienced stigma not only creates psychological, behavioral, and physical health consequences but also contributes to poor relational health over time among individuals with chronic health conditions.