bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Music as Epistemic Construct: From Sonic Experience to Musical Sense-Making
Authors: Reybrouck Mark
Published: March 2020

Taking an epistemological stance towards music in a real-time listening situation entails a definition of music as a temporal and sounding art. This means that music cannot be described in abstract and detached terms as something “out there” in a virtual space but rather as something that impinges upon our senses in an actual “here and now.” Musical sense-making, therefore, should be considered a kind of ongoing knowledge construction with a dynamic tension between actual sensation and mental representation of sounding events. Four major dichotomies may be considered in this regard: the focal versus synoptic overview of the sounding music, the continuous/discrete processing of the sounds, the distinction between sensory experience versus cognitive economy, and the in-time/outside-of-time distinction. The author argues that a deliberate combination of these diverging approaches makes the musical experience a richer one.
The fern genus Oreogrammitis (Grammitidoideae: Polypodiaceae) re-defined

Authors: PARRIS BARBARA S. , SUNDUE MICHAEL A.
Published: March 2020

Thirty-six new combinations are provided in Oreogrammitis Copel. (Polypodiaceae: Polypodiopsida). The species have previously been included in Radiogrammitis Parris and Themelium (T.Moore) Parris. Lectotypes are chosen for Polypodium allocotum Alderw., P. ctenoideum Brause, P. flagelliforme Brause, P. loherianum Christ, P. subpinnatifidum Blume and P. yoderi var. denudatum Alderw.
The fishes from the Coto River basin, Pacific coast, Costa Rica
Authors: ANGULO ARTURO , GIL-LEÓN JORGE SAN , OVIEDO-SOTO ALEJANDRO , ABARCA-ODIO JUAN I. , UMAÑA-VILLALOBOS GERARDO
Published: March 2020

A checklist of the fishes of the Coto River basin, southern Pacific, Costa Rica, compiled from field and museum surveys is presented. A total of 61 species, representing 48 genera, 26 families and 11 orders are listed. Peripheral species were dominant (44.3%), whereas secondary and primary freshwater species represented 32.8% and 23.9% of the total diversity. The orders Cyprinodontiformes (12 spp.) and Perciformes (11) and the families Poeciliidae (8) and Cichlidae (7) were the most diverse. Two species (Lutjanus guttatus and Polydactylus approximans) were new records for Costa Rican freshwaters and ten additional species were found to have expanded geographical ranges. An identification key and a complete photographic album of all fish species recorded are presented. This investigation provides a framework for future studies on fishes from this area complementing previous efforts seeking to increase our knowledge about the freshwater ichthyofauna of the central and southern Pacific regions of Costa Rica.
Comparative anatomy of the gut of the South American species of Amitermes, with description of two new species and an identification key based on soldiers and workers
Authors: ROCHA MAURICIO M. , CANCELLO ELIANA M.
Published: March 2020

In this contribution we present updates on the taxonomy and morphology of the South American species of Amitermes. Two new species are described: Amitermes bandeirai, sp. n., from Brazil, and Amitermes lilloi, sp. n., from Argentina. Amitermes nordestinus is a junior synonym of Amitermes aporema. The imago of A. aporema is described for the first time. Detailed comparative gut anatomy of the eight species is presented for the first time. The geographic distribution of Amitermes in South America is expanded and the distribution patterns of some species are discussed.
The genus Semicerura (Collembola; Isotomidae) in Asia
Authors: POTAPOV MIKHAIL , XIE ZHIJING , KUPRIN ALEXANDER , SUN XIN
Published: March 2020

Two new species, Semicerura bryophila sp. nov. and S. draconis sp. nov., are described from the Far East of Russia and north-eastern part of China. S. goryshini Martynova, 1969 is redescribed based on the type material and fresh materials from China and South Korea. The holotype of S. bishopi Maynard, 1951 (eastern areas of the U.S.A.) was studied and commented on. Taxonomic remarks to s-chaetotaxy and the labium of the genus are given.
Heissiella donguri sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Tingidae) feeding on Quercus gilva (Fagaceae): First representative of the genus from Japan
Authors: SOUMA JUN , ISHIKAWA TADASHI
Published: March 2020

The lace bug genus Heissiella Péricart, 1984 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Tingidae) is recorded from Japan for the first time, and a new species, which has been recorded as ‘Tingis (Tropidocheila) sp.’ or ‘Tingis (Tropidocheila) shaowuana Drake & Maa, 1953’ (misidentification) by previous authors, is described under the name of H. donguri sp. nov. This new species was found on the leaves of Quercus gilva Blume (Fagaceae) in the laurilignosa ecosystem of Honshu and Kyushu, extending the known distribution range of the genus into the Palaearctic Region. The distribution range and the host plant relationship of the new species are discussed. A key to all described species of the genus and a photograph of a living individual for the new species are also presented.
The first Cacomorphocerus species (Coleoptera, Cantharidae) from Rovno amber: a second species of the genus with 11-segmented antennae
Authors: KAZANTSEV SERGEY V. , PERKOVSKY EVGENY E.
Published: March 2020

A new species of soldier beetles of the subfamily Cantharinae, Cacomorphocerus meridionalis sp. nov., is described from Upper Eocene Rovno amber. It is the second time that a Cacomorphocerus species with 11-segmented antennae has been discovered. The status of the tribe Cacomorphocerini is discussed.
Eusirus bonnieri sp. nov. (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Eusiridae), a new deep species from the southeastern Bay of Biscay (NE Atlantic Ocean)
Authors: OTHAITZ JUNKAL PEÑA , SORBE JEAN CLAUDE
Published: March 2020

A new bathyal eusirid, Eusirus bonnieri sp. nov., is described from the SE Bay of Biscay, mainly characterized by its strongly deflexed rostrum (not mentioned for any other known Eusirus species) and by a long spiniform process at the posterodistal corner of pereopods 5–7 merus. It was sampled with a suprabenthic sledge between 370 and 1099 m on southern margin of the Cap Ferret Canyon and within the Capbreton Canyon. It was relatively scarce on the open slope and its maximum abundance was registered within the upper part of the Capbreton canyon. Beside some ecological/biological data, an identification key is provided for all known species in this genus.
Redescription of Parotocinclus haroldoi Garavello, 1988 (Siluriformes: Loricariidae), Northeastern Brazil
Authors: RAMOS TELTON PEDRO ANSELMO , NETO LUCIANO DE FREITAS BARROS , FERREIRA KARINA CARVALHO FERNANDES , DE LUCENA BARBOSA JOSÉ ETHAM
Published: March 2020

Parotocinclus haroldoi is separated from most of its congeners by having an abdomen covered by relatively large plates (vs. naked abdomen or with small plates). This species occurs in Parnaíba River basin with two other congeners, P. cabessadecuia and P. cearensis. Parotocinclus haroldoi is distinguished from P. cabessadecuia for having developed adipose fin (vs. rudimentary or absent adipose fin) and P. cearensis, for having abdomen covered by entirely plates (vs. almost naked abdomen with small sparse plates). Parotocinclus haroldoi is known from the Parnaíba river basin in the state of Piauí, Maranhão-Piauí.
DNA barcodes of Plecoptera from China: The preliminary dataset and its performance in species delimitation
Authors: CHEN ZHI-TENG , JIANG CHAO , LI YUAN-SEN-YU
Published: March 2020

The DNA barcodes of Chinese Plecoptera project has a goal to promote species identification, life stage association, systematic, conservation, biodiversity, and population genetic studies for stoneflies of China. In this study, we sequenced and analyzed 19 DNA barcode sequences belonging to 19 stonefly species, increasing the Chinese barcoded stonefly species number to 53. Genetic distances were calculated and the gene trees constructed, suggesting the efficiency of delimiting Chinese stonefly species using DNA barcodes.
A Linear Inverse Model of Tropical and South Pacific Seasonal Predictability
Authors: Lou Jiale , O’Kane Terence J. , Holbrook Neil J.
Published: March 2020

A multivariate linear inverse model (LIM) is developed to demonstrate the mechanisms and seasonal predictability of the dominant modes of variability from the tropical and South Pacific Oceans. We construct a LIM whose covariance matrix is a combination of principal components derived from tropical and extratropical sea surface temperature, and South Pacific Ocean vertically averaged temperature anomalies. Eigen-decomposition of the linear deterministic system yields stationary and/or propagating eigenmodes, of which the least damped modes resemble El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the South Pacific decadal oscillation (SPDO). We show that although the oscillatory periods of ENSO and SPDO are distinct, they have very close damping time scales, indicating that the predictive skill of the surface ENSO and SPDO is comparable. The most damped noise modes occur in the midlatitude South Pacific Ocean, reflecting atmospheric eastward-propagating Rossby wave train variability. We argue that these ocean wave trains occur due to the high-frequency atmospheric variability of the Pacific–South American pattern imprinting onto the surface ocean. The ENSO spring predictability barrier is apparent in LIM predictions initialized in March–May (MAM) but displays a significant correlation skill of up to ~3 months. For the SPDO, the predictability barrier tends to appear in June–September (JAS), indicating remote but delayed influences from the tropics. We demonstrate that subsurface processes in the South Pacific Ocean are the main source of decadal variability and further that by characterizing the upper ocean temperature contribution in the LIM, the seasonal predictability of both ENSO and the SPDO variability is increased.
Improving Air Quality Predictions over the United States with an Analog Ensemble
Authors: Delle Monache Luca , Alessandrini Stefano , Djalalova Irina , Wilczak James , Knievel Jason C. , Kumar R.
Published: March 2020

Air quality forecasts produced by the National Air Quality Forecasting Capability (NAQFC) help air quality forecasters across the United States in making informed decisions to protect public health from acute air pollution episodes. However, errors in air quality forecasts limit their value in the decision-making process. This study aims to enhance the accuracy of NAQFC air quality forecasts and reliably quantify their uncertainties using a statistical–dynamical method called the analog ensemble (AnEn), which has previously been found to efficiently generate probabilistic forecasts for other applications. AnEn estimates of the probability of the true state of a predictand are based on a current deterministic numerical prediction and an archive of prior analogous predictions paired with prior observations. The method avoids the complexity and real-time computational expense of model-based ensembles and is proposed here for the first time for air quality forecasting. AnEn is applied with forecasts from the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model. Relative to CMAQ raw forecasts, deterministic forecasts of surface ozone (O3) and particulate matter of aerodynamic diameter smaller than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) based on AnEn’s mean have lower systemic and random errors and are overall better correlated with observations; for example, when computed across all sites and lead times, AnEn’s root-mean-square error is lower than CMAQ’s by roughly 35% and 30% for O3 and PM2.5, respectively, and AnEn improves the correlation by 50% for O3 and PM2.5. Probabilistic forecasts from AnEn are statistically consistent, reliable, and sharp, and they quantify the uncertainty of the underlying prediction.
How the Show Goes On: Using the Aesthetic Experience of Collective Performance to Adapt while Coordinating
Authors: Stephens John Paul
Published: March 2020

Coordinating in action groups consists of continuously adapting behaviors in response to fluctuating conditions, ideally with limited disruption to a group’s collective performance. Through an 18-month ethnography of how members of a community choir maintained beautiful, ongoing performance, I explored how they continuously adapted their coordinating, starting when they felt that their collective performance was fragmented or falling apart. The process model I developed shows that this aesthetic experience—the sense of fragmentation based on inputs from the bodily senses—leads to emotional triggering, meaning group members’ emotions prompt changes in their attention and behavior. They then distribute their attention in new ways, increasing their focus on both global qualities of their ongoing performance (in this context, the musical score and conductor) and local qualities (singers’ contributions). My findings suggest that by changing what aspects of a situation compose their immediate experience, action group members can adapt their coordinating behaviors by changing their heed: the behavior that demonstrates their attentiveness and awareness. The intertwining of attention and emotions helps explain how groups move between heedless and heedful interrelating over time, leading to an aesthetic experience of collective performance as being whole or coherent. My research shows that embodied forms of cognition (what we know from direct experience of an environment) complement accounts of how representational forms of knowledge (what we know from symbols, concepts, or ideas) facilitate real-time adaptation in groups. These insights have implications for a range of organizations engaged in complex action group work.
Effect of Gender, Age, and Profound Disease on Upper Airway Stimulation Outcomes
Authors: Patel Jena , Daniels Kelly , Bogdan Lauren , Huntley Colin , Boon Maurits
Published: March 2020

Objective:

To evaluate treatment outcomes of upper airway stimulation (UAS) in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients based on patient age, gender, and preoperative disease severity.

Methods:

Retrospective chart review of patients undergoing UAS from 2014 to 2018 at a tertiary care center. Data collected included demographic information, implantation records, and pre- and postoperative polysomnography (PSG) results. Profound OSA was defined as AHI >65 and age ≥65 was considered advanced age. The primary outcome measured was initial treatment response, defined as a post-operative AHI <20 with a >50% reduction from baseline.

Results:

145 patients underwent UAS at our institution including 98 males and 47 females with a mean age of 61.7 ± 11.5 years, mean BMI of 29.1 ± 3.9 kg/m2, and mean preoperative AHI of 34.1 ± 18.2 events/hour. After surgery, patients had a significantly lower mean AHI of 8.6 ± 15.0 events/hour (<0.001). Older patients had a lower initial treatment response rate (78%) when compared to their younger counterparts (94%) ( P = 0.005). Male gender and profound disease status did not significantly impact treatment response rates; young age was the only variable found to predict early treatment response on multivariate analysis ( P = 0.003).

Conclusion:

Although the overall OSA population showed significant postoperative AHI reduction with UAS, patients age ≥65 years were less likely to have an initial response to treatment, when compared to their younger counterparts. A larger proportion of elderly patients and patients with profound OSA had residual moderate disease (AHI > 15) after UAS.

Level of Evidence:

4
Adolescent Peer Victimization, Self-Concept, and Psychological Distress in Emerging Adulthood
Authors: Norrington Janette
Published: March 2020

Prior studies have demonstrated that peer victimization is a common problem affecting youth and has short-term mental health consequences. There is less known about the long-term consequences of peer victimization during the transition to adulthood, or the processes whereby bully victimization may lead to poor mental health. This study utilized prospective longitudinal data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics ( N = 1,413) to examine adolescent self-concept as a mediator in the relationship between adolescent peer victimization and psychological distress in emerging adulthood. Results indicated that adolescent self-concept partially mediates the relationship between adolescent peer victimization and emerging adult psychological distress. However, the relationship between peer victimization and psychological distress varies by bully victimization subtypes. Findings suggest the consequences of adolescent peer victimization can linger and impact mental health in emerging adulthood. Implications of these findings and suggestions for further research on peer victimization are also discussed.
Forecasting Tourism Demand with an Improved Mixed Data Sampling Model
Authors: Wen Long , Liu Chang , Song Haiyan , Liu Han
Published: March 2020

Search query data reflect users’ intentions, preferences and interests. The interest in using such data to forecast tourism demand has increased in recent years. The mixed data sampling (MIDAS) method is often used in such forecasting, but is not effective when moving average (MA) dynamics are involved. To investigate the relevance of the MA components in MIDAS models to tourism demand forecasting, an improved MIDAS model that integrates MIDAS and the seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average process is proposed. Its performance is tested by forecasting monthly tourist arrivals in Hong Kong from mainland China with daily composite indices constructed from a large number of search queries using the generalized dynamic factor model. The forecasting results suggest that this new model significantly outperforms the benchmark model. In addition, comparing the forecasts and nowcasts shows that the latter generally outperforms the former.
The Roles of Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Mental Health in Predicting Truancy Recidivism
Authors: Hong Judy H. , Hein Sascha , Slaughter Alexandra M. , Foley Geib Catherine , Gopalakrishnan Ajit , Grigorenko Elena L.
Published: March 2020

This study aims to (a) describe demographic and mental health (MH) differences between truant juvenile justice–involved youth (JJY) and nontruant JJY; (b) classify MH needs of truant JJY; and (c) investigate if the interactions between race, ethnicity, gender, and MH needs predict truancy recidivism. Participants were 10,603 truant JJY (55.4% male; non-Hispanic White, 46.8%; 16.2% with a history of pretrial detention). Of these participants, 2,167 with MH data were included in latent profile analyses and recidivism analyses. Hispanic youth and female youth were more likely to be truant. Non-Hispanic White JJY had a higher likelihood of a repeated truancy charge. Four MH classes emerged: elevated Alcohol/Drug Use (7.9%), elevated Angry–Irritable and Depressed–Anxious symptoms (19.5%), elevated Suicide Ideation (7.1%), and low MH needs (65.5%). Race, ethnicity, gender, and MH needs are informative as potential factors contributing to truancy. These factors should be examined in future studies that compare truant with nontruant non-JJY.
Observer-based event-triggered H∞ control for asynchronous switched delay systems
Authors: Yang Yang , Wu Baowei , Wang Yue-E , Liu Lili
Published: March 2020

In this paper, the [Formula: see text] performance of observer-based asynchronous linear switched delay systems with an event-triggered sampling scheme is considered. Firstly, owing to the system state cannot be measured completely in practice, a state feedback observer is used to reconstruct the system state. Next, we design an event-triggered sampling mechanism, under which the sample of the system only occur when the error exceeds a predetermined threshold, so it will reduce economic losses. Then, considering the asynchronous switching between the subsystems and the controllers, some sufficient conditions are proposed by using merging switching signal method and multiple Lyapunov function method to ensure the [Formula: see text] performance of the asynchronous closed-loop system. Finally, a numerical example is given to illustrate the validity of the results.
With or Without You – Starting Single-parent Families: A Qualitative Study on How Single Parents by Choice Reorganise Their Lives to Facilitate Single Parenthood from a Life Course Perspective
Authors: Van Gasse Dries , Mortelmans Dimitri
Published: March 2020

Single parenthood is often approached as a problematic situation. People become single parents through divorce, separation, or bereavement and have to cope with this situation. These transitions to single parenthood lead to unforeseen problems with respect to the organization of the household. Nevertheless, there are also single parents for whom single parenthood is a positive story. These people are single parents by choice. Today, it is no longer necessary to have a partner to start a family, as people are able to choose to become single parents through sperm donation or adoption. Hertz (2006) argues that single parents by choice might have remained single due to circumstances, but nevertheless had a strong desire to become a parent. This means that single parents by choice offer a different perspective on single parenthood, as they voluntarily choose to become parents on their own. Nevertheless, single parents by choice face the same issues as other single parents: to combine their work responsibilities and their parental roles. In this paper, we explore how single parents by choice became parents, and how this transition affected their other preparations for parenthood. The central research question in this study is therefore: “How does the way in which single parents by choice become a parent affect the reorganization of their lives in the facilitation of single parenthood?” We used qualitative in-depth interviews with 20 single parents by choice to explore how they organized their work-family life before and after giving birth.
Not all students are online: The case of business graduate students in Kazakhstan
Authors: Yap Joseph
Published: March 2020

Graduate students who are on the go prefer to have research help virtually for convenience. But, not in the case of Kazakhstan. Our two-year data would show that almost half of the transactions we recorded are face-to-face encounters. While business graduate students use e-mail and chat for research help, they mostly prefer physical interaction. They visit the library on-site for multiple reasons. This study will provide us insights that despite the provision of technological enhancements for online communication and virtual reference, graduate students show up in the library to ask in-person research assistance. This article will describe the types of transactions received from graduate business students.
Direct effects of knowledge management practices on organizational performance
Authors: Henao-García Edwin Alexander , Lozada Nelson , Arias-Pérez Jose
Published: March 2020

The relationship between knowledge management (KM) and firm performance is an interesting field for both scholars and practitioners. Despite the extant literature, more studies are required in order to clarify the abovementioned relationship. The purpose of this article is to examine the impact of KM practices on financial and nonfinancial performance. KM practices are knowledge creation practices, continuous learning practices (CLP), knowledge and feedback systems (KFS), and management of employees’ individual competencies. Methodologically the study uses partial least squares structural equation modeling. The results show that KFS affect firms’ financial performance and that CLP do not influence oneither financial or nonfinancial performance.
Effects of high-intensity interval training in a three-week cardiovascular rehabilitation: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Wehmeier Udo F , Schweitzer Alexander , Jansen Armin , Probst Herbert , Grüter Stephan , Hähnchen Silke , Hilberg Thomas
Published: March 2020

Objective:

The aim of this study was to assess the benefit of using high-intensity interval training for cardiovascular patients undergoing outpatient rehabilitation in a standard short-term (three-week) program in Germany.

Design:

This is a randomized controlled trial (RCT).

Setting:

This study was conducted at Cardiowell (Wuppertal, Germany), an outpatient rehabilitation center.

Intervention:

Patients underwent the typical three-week German outpatient rehabilitation program using either moderate continuous training (i.e. the standard training program) or high-intensity interval training.

Main measures:

A total of 50 patients of an outpatient rehabilitation center were randomized into two groups. The control group underwent the standard rehabilitation protocol that applied moderate continuous training, and the intervention group trained according to a high-intensity interval protocol. Patients trained on a bicycle ergometer. Peak power output, oxygen uptake parameters, heart frequencies, and blood pressure were compared at the beginning and at the end of the rehabilitation program.

Results:

After three weeks, the intervention group had improved to a significantly greater extent in maximal performance parameters than the control group: the peak power output (20.9 (±14.1) W; control 8.8 (±10.4) W), maximum oxygen uptake (0.33 (±0.33) L/min; control 0.05 (±0.29) L/min)), relative maximum oxygen uptake (3.4 (±4.2) mL/kg/min; control 0.9 (±3.1) mL/kg/min), and O2 pulse (1.8 (±2.2) mL/heart beat; control 0.35 (±1.7) mL/heart beat).

Conclusion:

The implementation of high-intensity interval training during a typical three-week German cardiac rehabilitation has the power to increase the outcome for the patients.
A novel aerodynamic controllable roof for improving performance of INVELOX wind delivery system
Authors: Golozar Ali , Shirazi Farzad A , Siahpour Shahin , Khakiani Fardad N , Gaemi Osguei Kambiz
Published: March 2020

INVELOX is a patented structure designed to capture the incident wind from every direction, guide the collected wind to the ground level, and increase its velocity. A novel mechanism called aerodynamic controllable roof structure is introduced to improve the wind stream performance of INVELOX. The advantages of aerodynamic controllable roof structure are twofold: improving efficiency and preventing wind escaping the system. Using aerodynamic controllable roof structure, a performance curve is obtained that can improve the system efficiency. Wind speed and orientation and structural deflection are the parameters that direct the roof orientation. Fuzzy control is utilized in a model structure to control the roof movements using two servo motors. Computational fluid dynamics simulations are done to validate the performance and capability of the aerodynamic controllable roof structure mechanism. Results show that the fuzzy control is successful in controlling the roof orientation and the results from the simulation indicate that the efficiency of the system can be increased up to 12%.
Delayed (14-30 Days) Percutaneous Repair of Achilles Tendon Ruptures Offers Equally Good Results As Compared With Acute Repair
Authors: Maffulli Nicola , D’Addona Alessio , Maffulli Gayle D. , Gougoulias Nikolaos , Oliva Francesco
Published: March 2020

Background:

Minimally invasive repair of acute Achilles tendon ruptures has been performed for several years, resulting in reduced morbidity as compared with open repair.

Hypothesis:

A minimally invasive technique can be used to manage Achilles tendon ruptures in patients presenting between 14 and 30 days from injury.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

We prospectively recruited 21 consecutive patients who presented between 14 and 30 days after the index injury, and we compared them with 21 patients who were matched according to sex, age (±2 years), and level of activity, who presented within 14 days of the index injury. All patients underwent the same minimally invasive procedure under local anesthesia: a core suture repair consisting of a modified Bunnell suture in the proximal stump and a modified Kessler suture in the distal stump.

Results:

At 12 months after minimally invasive repair, patients with delayed treatment had a median Achilles tendon rupture score of 91 (SD, 2.4; range, 87-96) as compared with 91 (SD, 2.2; range, 86-96) in patients treated acutely, who presented at a median 2.4 days (range 1-6 days) from the injury. There were no significant differences between groups in terms of mean (SD) Achilles tendon resting angle: delayed repair group, −3.9° (2.0); acute repair group, −3.7° (1.9) ( P = .69). No patient in either group developed a wound infection. One patient in the acute group experienced an iatrogenic sural nerve injury.

Conclusion:

Patients with Achilles tendon rupture treated by percutaneous repair 14 to 30 days after injury achieved similar results at 1 year as patient treated <14 after injury.
Mass Casualty Imaging—Policy, Planning, and Radiology Response to Mass Casualty Incidents
Authors: O’Neill Siobhán B. , Gibney Brian , O’Keeffe Michael E. , Barrett Sarah , Louis Luck
Published: March 2020

A mass casualty incident (MCI) is an event that generates more patients at one time than locally available resources can manage using routine procedures. By their nature, many of these incidents have no prior notice but result in large numbers of casualties with injuries that range in severity. They can happen anywhere and at any time and regional hospitals and health-care providers have to mount a response quickly and effectively to save as many lives as possible. Radiologists must go from passenger to pilot when it comes to MCI planning. When involved at the hospital-wide planning stage, they can offer valuable expertise on how radiology can improve triage accuracy and at what cost in terms of time and resources and thereby contribute a pragmatic understanding of radiology’s role and value during MCIs. By taking ownership of MCI planning in their own departments, radiologists can ensure that the radiology department can respond quickly and effectively to unforeseen emergencies. Well-designed radiology protocols will save lives in an MCI setting.
Mobile Phones Will Not Eliminate Digital and Social Divides: How Variation in Internet Activities Mediates the Relationship Between Type of Internet Access and Local Social Capital in Detroit
Authors: Reisdorf Bianca C. , Fernandez Laleah , Hampton Keith N. , Shin Inyoung , Dutton William H.
Published: March 2020

This study examines the relationship between mode of Internet access, variety of online activities, and the potential for the Internet to contribute to local social capital in distressed, urban communities. Based on a sample of 525 telephone surveys in Detroit, findings show that breadth of access predicts participation in a larger variety of online activities, which is associated with higher levels of local social capital. Neither public Internet access, home broadband, nor Internet access through a mobile phone data plan alone affords participation in a full range of social capital-enhancing activities. The findings highlight the potential problems of initiatives that assume equivalent social outcomes through nonequivalent modes of access, such as providing Internet access through mobile phones in place of home broadband. Efforts to enhance a city’s social infrastructure by providing Internet access are best served when individuals have multiple points of access available.
Transformations of cultural intimacy: An afterword
Authors: Herzfeld Michael
Published: March 2020

This Afterword provides an opportunity to consider the contribution of the assembled articles to our understanding of the expansion and exposure of culturally intimate information in the age of social media and uncivil populism. The new international style of bully politics creates special problems for anthropological ethics, in which anthropologists must increasingly accept responsibility for the social and political impact of their research without yielding to—and, indeed, while actively resisting—the neoliberal counter-ethics of blame (or “responsibilization”). Within that contentious geopolitical reality, discretion, new understandings of political strength, and cultural solidarity, and even displays of weakness and subservience may create opportunities for social solidarity. The world is in cultural flux, and the concomitant precariousness and deep provisionality of social experience mandate a flexible analytical style and a realization that collective intimacy is a fundamental resource, not only for the bureaucratic nation-state, but for all organizational structures, including our own academic discipline.
Effects of endocrine disruptor furan on reproductive physiology of Sprague Dawley rats: An F1 Extended One-Generation Reproductive Toxicity Study (EOGRTS)
Authors: Rehman H , Jahan S , Ullah I , Thörnqvist P-O , Jabbar M , Shoaib M , Aman F , John N
Published: March 2020

The present study investigated the reproductive toxicity of furan in an Extended One-Generation Reproductive Toxicity Study in rats. Sprague Dawley F0 weaning rats (30 per sex per group) were exposed to furan orally at 0, 1, 2.5, 5, and 10 mg kg−1 for 10 weeks (males) and 2 weeks (females) and then mated. Results of F0 indicated that in the furan-treated groups (5 mg kg−1 and 10 mg kg−1), body weight (bw) gain decreased during prebreed and gestational period while increased during lactation periods. F0 animals prebreeding exposure resulted in head tilt and foot splay at 10 mg kg−1. Number of live pups at birth were decreased ( p < 0.001) at 10 mg kg−1. At postnatal day (PND) 70, a significant ( p = 0.03) decrease in testosterone levels of male rats and estrogen levels of female rats ( p = 0.05) was observed in 10 mg kg−1 furan-treated group in F1 generation. Luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and progesterone levels were also reduced, but their reduction was not statistically significant in all groups. In higher dose furan group (10 mg kg−1), testicular and ovarian weights were reduced in F1 generation at PND 70, with decreased daily sperm production ( p = 0.01) and disturbed estrous cyclicity ( p < 0.01). Some histopathological changes were also observed in testis and ovaries in groups whose parents were previously exposed to 10 mg kg−1 bw of furan group. Based on the above results, it is suggested that exposure to food-based contaminant furan induced remarkable changes in the F0 (parental stage) and F1 (offspring, pubertal, and adult stage) generations of Sprague Dawley rats.
Livelihood Enhancement Through Community-owned Agro-service Centres: A Case Study of MAVIM
Authors: Bharti Nisha
Published: March 2020

Agriculture is the backbone of Indian economy with more than 50 per cent of population been dependent of agriculture for their livelihood. However, low profitability from agriculture, high input cost and seasonality of agriculture produce, fails to make it a sustainable source of livelihood for Indian farmers. The transaction cost theory believes that collective actions can help decrease cost and increase profitability in the sector. Mahila Arthik Vikas Mahamandal (MAVIM) took an initiative to open community managed agro service centers with the objective of providing quality input at a reasonable price.

A qualitative study in two districts i.e. Thane and Yavatmal was conducted. Both primary as well as secondary data was collected for this study. Direct contacts and discussions were held with staff of MAVIM district office, community-managed resource center (CMRCs), agro service centers as well as the beneficiaries.

The study found that the agro-service centers promoted by MAVIM are doing well and being a form of collective, have helped farmer’s in reducing the cost of operation and increasing their bargaining power in the market. The study concludes that with small changes in the design and structure of the intervention, the organization can help them in achieving their objectives.
Niraparib for the Treatment of Recurrent Epithelial Ovarian, Fallopian Tube, or Primary Peritoneal Cancer
Authors: Kerliu Lloreta , Myruski Samantha , Bhatti Afeefa , Soni Priyal , Petrosius Paulius , Pervanas Helen C. , Horton Evan R.
Published: March 2020

Objective:

To review the efficacy and safety of niraparib for the treatment of recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, and primary peritoneal cancer (OC, FTC, and PPC).

Data Sources:

A literature search via MEDLINE through PubMed from August 2013 to January 2020 was performed using the key terms niraparib, PARP inhibitors, ovarian cancer, fallopian tube cancer, and primary peritoneal cancer.

Study Selection and Data Extraction:

Completed and ongoing trials were identified through a review of the website trial registry https://www.clinicaltrials.gov .

Data Synthesis:

In a phase III, double-blind clinical trial, progression-free survival improved in patients treated with niraparib compared with placebo as maintenance treatment for patients with platinum-sensitive, recurrent OC: 21 versus 5.5 months in the germline breast cancer susceptibility gene ( gBRCA) cohort (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.27; 95% CI = 0.17 to 0.41; P < 0.001) and 9.3 versus 3.9 months in the overall nongermline breast cancer susceptibility gene (non- gBRCA) cohort (HR = 0.45; 95% CI = 0.34 to 0.61; P < 0.001). Adverse events included thrombocytopenia and anemia.

Relevance to Patient Care and Clinical Practice:

Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors have gained a place in the therapeutic management of OC, FTC, and PPC because of their ability to suppress growth of homologous recombination deficiency–positive tumors, including those with BRCA1/2 mutations. Niraparib inhibits the DNA repair mechanism vital to the survival of cancer cells, poly-ADP ribose polymerase.

Conclusions:

PARP inhibitors can be used as a single agent for maintenance therapy for platinum-sensitive recurrent disease in patients with partial or complete response following 2 or more rounds of platinum-based therapy.
Measurement Invariance by Age Group for the Aging Men’s Masculinity Ideologies Inventory
Authors: Thompson Edward H. , Webster Britney A. , Stanley Jennifer Tehan , Levant Ronald F.
Published: March 2020

To date, work on masculinity ideologies, or the culture-based standards and norms expected of boys and men, has focused almost exclusively on younger adulthood. Given the emphases in men’s lives during middle and late adulthood vis-à-vis young adulthood, it is important to determine what norms script aging men’s lives. The Aging Men’s Masculinity Ideologies Inventory (AMMII) is a measure designed to assess the masculinities relevant to aging men. The present study investigated whether individuals ( N = 1,352) of different age groups respond to a scale measuring the gender expectations for aging men in a similar way. Multigroup confirmatory factor analyses were performed to assess the measurement invariance of the AMMII across three age groups—young adults (ages 18–29 years), established adults (ages 30–59 years), and older adults (ages 60+ years). Support for configural, metric, and partial scalar invariance was found, allowing for the comparison of means between groups.
The Role of Old Photos in Reminiscence Therapy in Elderly Women With Depressive Symptoms: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study
Authors: Wu Dongmei , Chen Taolin , Huang Xiaoqi , Chen Lizhou , Yue Yuchuan , Yang Hao , Hu Xiuying , Gong Qiyong
Published: March 2020

Background:

Although evidence shows that reminiscence therapy relieves depression in the elderly, few studies have explored its mechanisms and it is unclear whether old public photos rather than personal photos are effective prompts.

Objectives:

The aims of this functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study with an event-related design were to explore whether old public photos can evoke autobiographical memories and compare brain-activation responses to photos between elderly women with depressive symptoms (DS) and normal controls (NC).

Methods:

Elderly women with DS ( n = 16) and NC ( n = 18) were recruited from urban communities in Southwest China. Participants responded with a key press to indicate which of 40 photos evoked autobiographical memories at first sight during 3.0 T scanning. Afterward, they rated photos on a 9-point Likert-type scale on the degrees of recall (DOR), arousal, and pleasure elicited and the degree to which photos felt old.

Results:

Mean DOR scores were 8.47 ± 0.77 and 1.37 ± 1.09 for high- and low-DOR photos, respectively. Response time was longer in DS compared to NC participants. Brain areas activated by exposure to high-DOR photos differed between groups, with reminiscence leading to decreased activation of the bilateral superior temporal gyrus, left inferior frontal gyrus, right parahippocampal gyrus, left cingulate gyrus, right insular lobe, and bilateral cerebellum anterior lobe in DS compared to NC participants.

Conclusion:

Old public photos can evoke autobiographical memory. DS are associated with brain dysfunction. Early intervention for DS is recommended in the elderly.
Obesogenic Toxicants in Breast Milk of Lactating Women: Investigation of a Risk Factor for Childhood Obesity
Authors: Gautam Bibha , Rogge Mary M. , Acharya Narayan , Keesari Rohali , Almekdash Mhd Hasan
Published: March 2020

Background:

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), dispersed in all environmental compartments, are associated with increased adipogenesis and body weight. These lipophilic toxicants bioaccumulate in the human body and get transferred from mothers to their offspring via the placental circulation and breast milk. The current study was designed to compare polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) concentrations between obese and normal-weight lactating women.

Methods:

A cross-sectional correlation design was used to compare POP concentrations in breast milk samples of 24 obese and 21 normal-weight adult lactating women at their 2- to 8-week postpartum clinic visit. Concentrations of 12 specific PCB congeners and HCB were analyzed using high-resolution gas chromatography coupled with mass spectroscopy.

Results:

Of 12 targeted PCB congeners, 6 were detected in the breast milk samples of obese women compared to 3 in normal-weight lactating women. PCB presence was not significantly different between the obese and normal-weight groups. HCB was not detected in any of the breast milk samples for either group.

Conclusions:

This exploratory study revealed no statistically significant difference in the presence of PCBs in breast milk of obese mothers compared to that of normal-weight women. Therefore, fear of increased risk of transmission of these toxicants may not be a good reason to avoid breastfeeding. Results point to the need for a large-scale multicenter study that examines the effect of PCBs on breastfeeding, considering possible geographic variations of the examined phenomenon.
Why do subchondral cysts occur at the medial aspect of the femoral head in hip dysplasia?
Authors: Chang Jae Suk , Song Joo Ho , Kim Ji Wan , Shin Hun-Kyu , Park Hee-Jin , Cho Yongun , Lee Ingyu , Park Jai Hyung
Published: March 2020

Introduction:

Osteoarthritis in dysplastic hips should develop from the lateral side of the acetabulum and the femoral head just below. However, the existence of subchondral cysts located more on the medial side contradicts the weight-loading theory. The aim of this study was to confirm the presence of medial cysts at the femoral head and to investigate the relationship between medial cysts and injuries of the ligamentum teres in hip dysplasia.

Methods:

A retrospective analysis was conducted on 257 cases of hip dysplasia. All patients had x-rays and 3-dimensional computed tomographies (3D CT) preoperatively and 123 patients had magnetic resonance arthrographies. A comparison was performed between cases with and without medial cysts according to the severity of damage to the ligamentum teres, the presence of bony spurs around the fovea capitis, and the Tönnis grade.

Results:

Medial subchondral cysts around the fovea capitis were found in 100 cases. Mild osteoarthritis (Tönnis grade 0 or 1) was present in 89% of cases in the medial cyst group. A significant difference between the groups was observed in the incidence of bony spurs around the fovea capitis ( p < 0.05) and injuries of the ligamentum teres ( p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

The formation of subchondral cysts at the medial femoral head in hip dysplasia may be related to damage in the ligamentum teres. Considering that subchondral cysts develop in early osteoarthritis, the progression of arthritis in hip dysplasia appears to correlate with damage to the ligamentum teres, as well as compressive pressure on the joint.
Acceptability of the FreeStyle Libre Flash Glucose Monitoring System: The Experience of Young Patients With Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Al Hayek Ayman A , Robert Asirvatham A , Al Dawish Mohamed A
Published: March 2020

Background:

In the current era of modern technology, the development of smart devices such as the flash glucose monitoring (FGM) systems helps patients with diabetes to effortlessly monitor their glucose levels more frequently. In this study, we determine the user acceptability of FGM among young patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was performed among 67 young patients with T1D in the age group of 13 to 19 years and who were managed on the FGM method for self-testing the glucose levels for a minimum of 6 months. The participants acceptability measures that were collected with a standard questionnaire and where they rated their experience with the system on a scale of 1 (strongly agree/painless) to 5 (strongly disagree/severe pain). In addition to the demographic and clinical parameters, a closed/structured questionnaire was administered, in order to record the prior and present skin issues, over a 6-month period.

Results:

From the patient statements regarding sensor application, 95.5% of the study population strongly agreed that the sensor application caused less pain than the routine finger-stick. Similarly, 85% of the users strongly agreed that using the sensor was comfortable, while 94% strongly agreed that they found the small size of the FGM made it easy to wear, 47.8% strongly agreed that wearing the sensor did not attract attention, 70.1% reported no discomfort under the skin, 80.6% stated that the sensor could be scanned without anyone noticing it, 89.6% felt that the sensor did not affect their daily activities, 91% strongly agreed that the sensor was very compatible with their lifestyle, 79.1% reported ease with taking a glucose reading with the scan, 89.6% reported that taking glucose readings with this system would not disrupt their daily activities, and 76.1% participants were excited to share with other individuals their experiences with this system. A comparison of the self-monitoring of blood glucose and freestyle techniques demonstrated that 83.6% participants strongly agreed that it was less painful to get glucose readings from the freestyle sensor, and that it was a more discreet (83.6%), more comfortable (85.1%), easier (95.5%), faster (82.1%), simpler (79.1%), more private (88.1%), and less stressful (77.6%) method, with minimal hassle (74.6%). It is notable here that 86.6% of the participants reported absolutely no pain when the freestyle sensor was applied; also, the majority of the participants (91%) reported no pain symptoms when scanning the sensor.

Conclusion:

The findings of this study clearly showed that the study population had a high level of acceptability of the FGM.