bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Performance Evaluation of UDP, DCCP, SCTP and TFRC for Different Traffic Flow in Wired Networks
Authors: Wheeb Ali Hussein
Published: October 2017

The demand for internet applications has increased rapidly.  Providing quality of service (QoS) requirements for varied internet application is a challenging task. One important factor that is significantly affected on the QoS service is the transport layer. The transport layer provides end-to-end data transmission across a network. Currently, the most common transport protocols used by internet application are TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) and UDP (User Datagram Protocol). Also, there are recent transport protocols such as DCCP (data congestion control protocol), SCTP (stream congestion transmission protocol), and TFRC (TCP-friendly rate control), which are in the standardization process of Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). In this paper, we evaluate the performance of  UDP, DCCP, SCTP and TFRC protocols for different traffic flows: data transmission, video traffic, and VOIP in wired networks. The performance criteria used for this evaluation include throughput, end to end delay, and packet loss rate. Well-known network simulator NS-2 used to implement the UDP, DCCP, SCTP, and TFRC protocols performance comparison. Based on the simulation results, the performance throughput of  SCTP and TFRC is better than UDP. Moreover, DCCP performance is superior SCTP and TFRC in term of end-to-end delay.
Optimal Round Robin CPU Scheduling Algorithm Using Manhattan Distance
Authors: Srilatha N. , Sravani M. , Divya Y.
Published: October 2017

In Round Robin Scheduling the time quantum is fixed and then processes are scheduled such that no process get CPU time more than one time quantum in one go. The performance of Round robin CPU scheduling algorithm is entirely dependent on the time quantum selected. If time quantum is too large, the response time of the processes is too much which may not be tolerated in interactive environment. If time quantum is too small, it causes unnecessarily frequent context switch leading to more overheads resulting in less throughput. In this paper a method using Manhattan distance has been proposed that decides a quantum value. The computation of the time quantum value is done by the distance or difference between the highest burst time and lowest burst time. The experimental analysis also shows that this algorithm performs better than RR algorithm and by reducing number of context switches, reducing average waiting time and also the average turna round time.
Fog Computing: Issues, Challenges and Future Directions
Authors: P Prakash , K. G. Darshaun , P Yaazhlene. , Venkata Ganesh Medidhi , B Vasudha
Published: October 2017

In Cloud Computing, all the processing of the data collected by the node is done in the central server. This involves a lot of time as data has to be transferred from the node to central server before the processing of data can be done in the server. Also it is not practical to stream terabytes of data from the node to the cloud and back. To overcome these disadvantages, an extension of cloud computing, known as fog computing, is introduced. In this, the processing of data is done completely in the node if the data does not require higher computing power and is done partially if the data requires high computing power, after which the data is transferred to the central server for the remaining computations. This greatly reduces the time involved in the process and is more efficient as the central server is not overloaded. Fog is quite useful in geographically dispersed areas where connectivity can be irregular. The ideal use case requires intelligence near the edge where ultra-low latency is critical, and is promised by fog computing. The concepts of cloud computing and fog computing will be explored and their features will be contrasted to understand which is more efficient and better suited for real-time application.
Tomada de decisão financeira sob condições de incerteza: estudo com alunos de graduação de contabilidade e administração de empresas
Authors: Medeiros Jislene Trindade , Barbosa Alexandro , Silva José Dionisio Gomes da , Costa Francisco Hedson da
Published: October 2017

Este estudo tem como objetivo verificar a presença do efeito incerteza nas decisões financeiras tomadas por alunos dos cursos de ciências contábeis e administração, analisando a influência do gênero no nível de aversão à incerteza. Foi aplicado questionário com base no estudo de Gneezy, List e Wu (2006) para 115 alunos dos cursos de contabilidade e administração de empresas em uma universidade pública do Nordeste do país. As evidências indicam a presença do efeito incerteza no comportamento da decisão dos estudantes da amostra. Contudo, não foram encontradas evidências de que o gênero exerce influência significativa no nível de aversão à incerteza. O estudo aponta que podem haver outros efeitos em geral não tratados nos testes que envolvem estudantes.
The practical relevance of public sector research: the potential contributions of the interventionist approach
Authors: Bracci Enrico
Published: October 2017

A relevância prática da pesquisa em contabilidade é uma das questões mais presentes atualmente no debate na área. O engajamento dos acadêmicos e o impacto da pesquisa em contabilidade são mais que necessários nos dias atuais. A pesquisa intervencionista (IVR, sigla para Interventionist Research) é considerada uma metodologia que em potencial permitiria pesquisadores contribuírem com o avanço tanto das práticas quando da teoria. O objetivo deste artigo é apresentar uma análise das características da IVR, oferecendo um guia em esta metodologia pode ser útil para construir a ponte entre acadêmicos e praticantes no contexto da pesquisa no setor público.
Phenotyping dauer juvenile oxidative stress tolerance, longevity and persistence within wild type and inbred lines of the entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora
Authors: Sumaya Nanette Hope , Aryal Sitaram , Vandenbossche Bart , Barg Mike , Doerfler Verena , Strauch Olaf , Molina Carlos , Ehlers Ralf-Udo
Published: October 2017

The commercial use of the entomopathogenic nematodeHeterorhabditis bacteriophoraas a biocontrol agent against noxious insects is limited due to its relatively short shelf-life. Longevity of dauer juveniles (DJ) during storage and in transit to end users is considerably restricted by environmental stresses. As a derivative stress triggered by environmental factors, oxidative stress causes a strong internal metabolic imbalance leading to lifespan reduction. In this study, the relation between DJ oxidative stress tolerance and longevity inH. bacteriophorawas investigated at 25 and 7°C. A strong and significant correlation between DJ oxidative stress tolerance and longevity during storage in Ringer’s solution ( at 7°C; at 25°C) was recorded. Phenotyping of these traits was performed for 40H. bacteriophorawild type strain and inbred line collections. At 25°C, the mean time survived in Ringer’s by 50% of the DJ (MTS50) ranged from 21 to 57 days, whereas under oxidative stress, survival was from 3 to 22 days. At 7°C, a maximum MTS50of 94 days was assessed when DJ were stored in Ringer’s, while the maximum MTS50was only 25 days with oxidative stress induction. The heritability of DJ tolerance to oxidative stress, determined by using homozygous inbred lines, is high (), an indication of a high probability for successful selective breeding. In a subset of preselectedH. bacteriophorainbred lines, DJ oxidative stress tolerance correlated with the DJ survival (persistence) after application to sand (). The study provides fundamental data required for a genetic breeding programme to produce hybrids with improved stress tolerance and prolonged shelf-life and soil persistence.
Multiple-Component Measurement Instruments in Heterogeneous Populations: Is There a Single Coefficient Alpha?
Authors: Raykov Tenko , Marcoulides George A. , Harrison Michael , Menold Natalja
Published: October 2017

This note confronts the common use of a single coefficient alpha as an index informing about reliability of a multicomponent measurement instrument in a heterogeneous population. Two or more alpha coefficients could instead be meaningfully associated with a given instrument in finite mixture settings, and this may be increasingly more likely the case in empirical educational and psychological research. It is argued that in such situations explicit examination of class-invariance in the alpha coefficient must precede any statements about its possible value in the studied population. The approach permits also the evaluation of between-class alpha differences as well as point and interval estimation of the within-class alpha coefficients. The method can similarly be used in situations with (a) known class membership when distinct (sub)populations are investigated while their number is known beforehand and membership in them is observed for studied persons, as well as (b) in settings where only the number of latent classes is known for a population under investigation. The outlined procedure is illustrated with numerical data.
Put a (Limbal) Ring on It: Women Perceive Men’s Limbal Rings as a Health Cue in Short-Term Mating Domains
Authors: Brown Mitch , Sacco Donald F.
Published: October 2017

Limbal rings are dark annuli encircling the iris that fluctuate in visibility based on health and age. Research also indicates their presence augments facial attractiveness. Given individuals’ prioritization of health cues in short-term mates, those with limbal rings may be implicated as ideal short-term mates. Three studies tested whether limbal rings serve as veridical health cues, specifically the extent to which this cue enhances a person’s value as a short-term mating partner. In Study 1, targets with limbal rings were rated as healthier, an effect that was stronger for female participants and male targets. In Study 2, temporally activated short-term mating motives led women to report a heightened preference for targets with limbal rings. In Study 3, women rated targets with limbal rings as more desirable short-term mates. Results provide evidence for limbal rings as veridical cues to health, particularly in relevant mating domains.
Skinworlds: Borders, haptics, topologies
Authors: Billé Franck
Published: October 2017

Over the last decade, anthropologists have drawn attention to the disconnect between a political imagination that conceptualizes nation-states’ borders as unambiguous and linear, and the realities of borderlanders’ experience where cultural and social space is frequently folded and overlapping. Through their very focus on hybridity and crossborder linkages, however, border ethnographies have unwittingly given even more weight to linear demarcations—all the while insisting that they are abstract and ideological. In mining the border-as-skin somatic metaphor, this article foregrounds nonvisual bodily senses such as tactility in its analysis and suggests that the inclusion of proximate senses in ethnographies of border encounters offers significant analytical advantages. It moves away from the visuality that dominates political cartography, thus allowing for a more sensuous and synesthetic ethnographic work. Additionally, in heeding the recent research on topologies published by geographers and social theorists, the paper hopes to contribute to the emerging mathematical turn.
In Vivo Tibial Cartilage Strains in Regions of Cartilage-to-Cartilage Contact and Cartilage-to-Meniscus Contact in Response to Walking
Authors: Liu Betty , Lad Nimit K. , Collins Amber T. , Ganapathy Pramodh K. , Utturkar Gangadhar M. , McNulty Amy L. , Spritzer Charles E. , Moorman Claude T. , Sutter E. Grant , Garrett William E. , DeFrate Louis E.
Published: October 2017

Background:

There are currently limited human in vivo data characterizing the role of the meniscus in load distribution within the tibiofemoral joint.

Purpose/Hypothesis:

The purpose was to compare the strains experienced in regions of articular cartilage covered by the meniscus to regions of cartilage not covered by the meniscus. It was hypothesized that in response to walking, tibial cartilage covered by the meniscus would experience lower strains than uncovered tibial cartilage.

Study Design:

Descriptive laboratory study.

Methods:

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the knees of 8 healthy volunteers was performed before and after walking on a treadmill. Using MRI-generated 3-dimensional models of the tibia, cartilage, and menisci, cartilage thickness was measured in 4 different regions based on meniscal coverage and compartment: covered medial, uncovered medial, covered lateral, and uncovered lateral. Strain was defined as the normalized change in cartilage thickness before and after activity.

Results:

Within each compartment, covered cartilage before activity was significantly thinner than uncovered cartilage before activity ( P < .001). After 20 minutes of walking, all 4 regions experienced significant cartilage thickness decreases ( P < .01). The covered medial region experienced significantly less strain than the uncovered medial region ( P = .04). No difference in strain was detected between the covered and uncovered regions in the lateral compartment ( P = .40).

Conclusion:

In response to walking, cartilage that is covered by the meniscus experiences lower strains than uncovered cartilage in the medial compartment. These findings provide important baseline information on the relationship between in vivo tibial compressive strain responses and meniscal coverage, which is critical to understanding normal meniscal function.
Synthesis of catechol-functionalized polymer–based crosslinked thermoresponsive hydrogels for tissue-adhesive material
Authors: Kang Eun Bi , Adha Islamy Mazrad Zihnil , In Insik , Park Sung Young
Published: October 2017

Injectable and temperature-sensitive hydrogels were synthesized for use as a tissue-adhesive material between dopamine end-capped Pluronic and CCDP-q-PDB (2-chloro-3′,4′-dihydroxyacetophenone-quaternized poly((dimethyl aminoethyl methacrylate)-co-(t-butylmethacrylate))). The mixture of dopamine end-capped Pluronic and CCDP-q-PDB exists in a viscous solution state at room temperature, but becomes a gel via in situ crosslinking at body temperature. The hydrogel structure was shown to be more stable than Pluronic F127 copolymers in aqueous solution. At a 14:8 wt% ratio of dopamine end-capped Pluronic to CCDP-q-PDB, the sol quickly transformed into a gel at body temperature and under physiological conditions (<10 s), showing excellent gel stability. To evaluate the tissue-adhesive properties, the temperature-sensitive crosslinked dopamine end-capped Pluronic CCDP-q-PDB hydrogels, which can be applied for drug delivery, tissue engineering, and for use as tissue adhesives, were tested using a universal testing machine.
Prevalence and Overtesting of True Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia in a 591-Bed Tertiary Care, Teaching Hospital
Authors: Farley Stephen , Cummings Caitlyn , Heuser William , Wang Shan , Calixte Rose , Hanna Adel , Axelrad Alexander
Published: October 2017

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia type II (HIT) is a rare but potentially fatal antibody-mediated reaction to all forms of heparin (unfractionated heparin, low-molecular weight heparin, heparin flushes, and heparin-coated catheters), which can lead to HIT with thrombosis. Two tests commonly used to screen for HIT include the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and serotonin release assay (SRA). This is a retrospective chart review study conducted from January 1, 2013, through December 31, 2014, to estimate the rate of true HIT in critical care patients at Winthrop-University Hospital, located in Mineola, New York. Patients are classified as positive for HIT if both ELISA and SRA immunoassays are positive. We reviewed 507 heparin immunoassays, excluding 64 who had an inappropriate ELISA test sent due to no administration of heparin, enoxaparin, or heparin lock flush at this or previous hospital stays at Winthrop. Of the 443 heparin immunoassays, ELISA results were positive for 66 patients (15.1%), and only 11 (2.5%) patients had true cases of HIT with a 95% confidence interval of 1.3% to 4.4%. The 4T score for those with true HIT (median: 5.0) was statistically higher compared to those without true HIT (median: 2.0; P < .001). Despite guidelines in place, overtesting for HIT is still a prevalent issue.
Lesinurad, a Selective URAT-1 Inhibitor With a Novel Mechanism in Combination With a Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitor, for Hyperuricemia Associated With Gout
Authors: Huneycutt Emily , Board Chase , Clements Jennifer N.
Published: October 2017

Objective:

To review the pharmacokinetics, clinical efficacy, safety, and role of lesinurad for the management of hyperuricemia associated with gout.

Data Selection:

A MEDLINE search (2000 to April 2017) was conducted using the terms hyperuricemia, gout, URAT-1, URAT-1 transporter, and lesinurad. Published articles and scientific posters relevant to the efficacy and safety of lesinurad were reviewed and summarized.

Data Synthesis:

Lesinurad was evaluated in 3 randomized, phase 3 clinical trials (CRYSTAL, CLEAR 1 and 2). The primary endpoint for CRYSTAL trial was the percentage of patients achieving serum uric acid (SUA) concentration ≤ 5 mg/dL. The CLEAR 1 and 2 trials had a primary endpoint of percentage of patients achieving SUA concentration ≤ 6 mg/dL. Lesinurad at either 200 or 400 mg/d was superior to xanthine oxidase inhibitor (XOI) monotherapy in reducing the SUA concentration to 5 or 6 mg/dL, when added to either allopurinol or febuxostat.

Conclusion:

Data from phase 3 clinical studies suggest the addition of lesinurad to allopurinol or febuxostat is superior to XOI monotherapy alone in reducing SUA concentrations while increasing the risk of renal-related adverse events. Lesinurad, 200 mg orally per day, would be a safe recommendation, in combination with an XOI, among patients with adequate renal function (i.e., above 45 mL/min) who need additional therapy for inadequately controlled hyperuricemia associated with gout.
Feline Dental Implants: Long-Term Follow-up of Two Cases
Authors: Mele Rocco E. , Caiafa Anthony , Kurtzman Gregori M.
Published: October 2017

Dental implants have become an option for replacement of lost canine teeth in cats. Although cats appear to manage well after a canine extraction, complications such as lip entrapment can occur after maxillary canine tooth extraction. Even cats with a complicated crown fracture of the maxillary canine tooth that have had root canal therapy can develop lip entrapment. This can lead to painful lip ulcers and potential need for further dental treatment. Canine tooth replacement with a dental implant and prosthodontic crown is, in the authors’ experience, a predictable option that can be offered to clients who would like to replace a lost canine tooth. This report will discuss 2 long-term cases of maxillary canines replaced by dental implants/crowns.
EE/UU: Exquisite expression/unsettling utterance
Authors: Galvan R
Published: October 2017

Through the act of making art and writing about it, the essay documents and expands on how Latinx is given meaning. The work draws upon personal experience and visual art research to consider observational strategies for sharing and shaping the perception of Latinx.
Synthesis and characterization of a carborane-containing monofunctional imide monomer as a modifier for imide oligomer
Authors: Wu Yuane , Yang Jiping , Chen Gong
Published: October 2017

A novel carborane-containing imide monomer (CB-PEPA) was synthesized and used as a modifier for phenylethynyl-terminated imide oligomer (PI-mPDA) to study the effect on the performance of the oligomers and thermosetting polyimide materials. The curing behavior of the blends of CB-PEPA and PI-mPDA was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). It showed that CB-PEPA had a melting point at 183°C. Nonisothermal DSC showed that imide monomer had higher activation energy than that of bifunctional imide oligomer. Rheometer study showed that the monomer CB-PEPA could be used as a reactive diluent for PI-mPDA to reduce the minimum melt viscosity and broaden the process window of imide system. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the char yield of resin increased with the addition of CB-PEPA. The resin derived from a 25 wt% CB-PEPA loading in PI-mPDA exhibited a high char yield of 81.0% at 800°C in nitrogen. Due to the steric hindrance and rigid group of carborane, the Tg of composites also increased with the addition of CB-PEPA. Composites derived from a 10 wt% CB-PEPA loading in PI-mPDA exhibited the relatively higher flexural strength and interlaminar shear strength.
Using Biographical Prompts to Build Community in an Online Graduate Course: An Adult Learning Perspective
Authors: Lohr Kathy D. , Haley Karen J.
Published: October 2017

Adult learners are taking advantage of the availability and convenience of online education. Mature learners in online higher education classrooms bring a wealth of experience filtered through cultural, generational, and socioeconomical differences. The purpose of this research was to explore community building in an online graduate course by tapping learners’ prior experience using an autobiographical memory exercise. The authors found that building social presence through course design contributed to increased communication and learning and encouraged an active and engaged online learning community. Recommendations for improving online learning communities provide educators with ideas for practice.
Analytical solution and energy harvesting from nonlinear vibration of an asymmetric bimorph piezoelectric plate and optimizing the plate parameters by genetic algorithm
Authors: Shorakaei Hamed , Shooshtari Alireza
Published: October 2017

In this article, harvesting of electrical power from nonlinear vibration of an asymmetric bimorph piezoelectric plate is presented based on the classical plate theory with von Kármán strain–displacement nonlinear relations in the presence of temperature change effect. Two piezoelectric layers with different thicknesses cover top and bottom layers of a substructure. The structure has been excited under harmonic transverse forces in case of primary resonance. Two coupled ordinary differential equations for displacement and voltage have been derived and solved via multiple time scales method. The voltage equation has been defined by electric displacement and Gauss’s law. Analytic relations for voltage and harvested electrical power have been derived. The analytic relation for power is based on different parameters of the plate such as thicknesses of the layers, dimensions of plate, load resistance, frequency of harmonic excitation, and mechanical properties of structure. The parameters are optimized using genetic algorithm method with consideration of power relation as cost function. To harvest the maximum energy from the plate, the thicknesses of two piezoelectric layers, load resistance, and detuning parameter have been optimized. To illustrate the effectiveness of the optimization, results are depicted in three different simulations.
The Effect of Monthly Medication on Mortality After a Coronary Event
Authors: Montero-Balosa María C. , Fernández-Urrusuno Rocío , Vilches-Arenas Angel
Published: October 2017

Aim:

The aim of this study was to analyze how the consumption of medication over time affects the survival rate in patients with a coronary event and whether there is a gender difference.

Methods:

The study included 804 patients admitted to 4 hospitals with a coronary event during 2007. Monitoring after coronary event was carried out during 2007 and every 6 months in the subsequent 2 years (2008 and 2009) throughout the review of the clinical history of the patient. The main outcome was the analysis of mortality after the coronary event. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were plotted to calculate the time to death, comparing women versus men for 4 medication groups: aspirin, statins, β-blockers, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers (ACEIs/ARBs). A Cox regression model was used for the final mortality analysis.

Results:

During the follow-up time, 172 deaths were assessed. Each month of treatment with aspirin, statins, β-blockers, or ACEI/ARB was associated with a decrease in mortality between 13.0% and 0.5% (univariate analysis). The Kaplan-Meier method revealed a significant reduction in mortality after the coronary event for each month of treatment with aspirin (men), statins (men), and β-blockers (both men and women). No significant effect in survival was observed in either gender with ACEI/ARB treatment. The final multivariable model (Cox regression) showed that the taking of aspirin, statins, β-blockers, or ACEI/ARB is able to reduce mortality rates up to 7.0% (aspirin) throughout each month of treatment after a coronary event without any influence of gender.

Conclusion:

Aspirin, statins, β-blockers, and ACEI/ARB revealed a protective character with each month of treatment throughout the follow-up period, in terms of risk reduction of death. Aspirin and statins showed the maximum benefit, followed by ACEI/ARB and β-blockers.
Information-Sharing and Community-Building: Exploring the Use of Twitter in Science Public Relations
Authors: Su Leona Yi-Fan , Scheufele Dietram A. , Bell Larry , Brossard Dominique , Xenos Michael A.
Published: October 2017

Social media have given rise to new opportunities for science organizations to communicate with the public. Building on theories of science communication and public relations, this study examined scientific institutions’ use of Twitter for one-way and two-way communication in connection with science festivals over the period 2012 to 2015, using NanoDays as a case study. It identified three communicative functions of tweets by organizations—information, participation, and community—with most tweets being informational and containing hyperlinks. Nevertheless, longitudinal analyses indicated that organizations have increasingly incorporated community-building practices such as hashtags. Findings help clarify how social media engender science communication paradigms.
So, Why Poetry?
Authors: Richardson Laurel
Published: October 2017

Ideological bias put blinders on my eyes and cotton in my ears preventing me from taking an authentic ethnographic stance toward working-class women during the 2016 American presidential elections. The poem, Deplorables, recognizes that bias and tries to right it through concrete examples. In so doing, the poem is about any powerless woman who has been treated deplorably. And that’s why poetry.
The Moses Effect: The Spatial Hierarchy and Joint Accomplishment of a Blind Person Navigating
Authors: Due Brian , Bierring Lange Simon
Published: October 2017

Using ethnomethodology and conversation-analytical methodologies, this article shows how a blind person accomplishes going from A to B. Based on an analysis of a blind person’s walk from a zebra crossing to a train platform, the article offers empirical evidence of how pedestrians and the blind avoid collision in orderly and accountable ways. The article shows how the burden of the interactional work involved in avoidance seems consistently to rest on pedestrians rather than the blind. As the blind person walks, sighted pedestrians move aside. To describe this, we use the metaphor of Moses, who separated the waters. The article discusses the collaborative achievement, moral orders, and joint accomplishment of a blind person navigating in urban environments. It thereby contributes to the growing body of research within Ethnomethodology and Conversation Analysis studies focused on the spatial turn and public encounters by invoking a notion of hierarchy among pedestrians.
The occurrence of Enterococcus faecium and faecalis Is significantly associated With anastomotic leakage After pancreaticoduodenectomy
Authors: Belmouhand M. , Krohn P. S. , Svendsen L. B. , Henriksen A. , Hansen C. P. , Achiam M. P.
Published: October 2017

Background and Aims:

Enterococcus has emerged as a virulent species; Enterococcus faecium especially has arisen as a source of nosocomial infections. Furthermore, specific Enterococcus faecalis species are significantly associated with anastomotic leakage in rodent studies. The objective of this study was to investigate whether the occurrence of Enterococci ( E. faecium and E. faecalis) obtained from drain samples was associated with leakage in humans undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Materials and Methods:

All patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy had a peritoneal drain sample sent for culturing between postoperative days 3 and 10. Postoperative pancreatic fistulas were defined and classified according to the International Study Group of Pancreatic Fistula. Bile leakage was radiologically verified. Postoperative complications were classified according to the Dindo–Clavien classification.

Results:

A total of 70 patients were eligible and enrolled in this study. Anastomosis leakage was observed in 19 patients; 1 leakage corresponding to the hepaticojejunostomy and 18 pancreatic fistulas were identified. In total, 10 patients (53%) with leakage had Enterococci-positive drain samples versus 12 patients (24%) without leakage [odds ratio (OR) = 5.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.4-19.4, p = 0.02]. Preoperative biliary drainage with either endoscopic stenting or a percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography catheter was associated with the occurrence of Enterococci in drain samples (OR = 5.67, 95% CI = 1.8-12.9, p = 0.003), but preoperative biliary drainage was not associated with leakage (OR = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.1-1.7, p = 0.23).

Conclusion:

Enterococci in drain sample cultures in patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy occurs significantly more among patients with anastomotic leakage compared to patients without leakage.
Can we predict a delirium after cardiac surgery? A validation study of a delirium risk checklist
Authors: ten Broeke Miarca , Koster Sandra , Konings Thomas , Hensens Ab G , van der Palen Job
Published: October 2017

Background:

Delirium is a common temporary mental disorder that often occurs in patients who undergo cardiac surgery. It is important to prevent the negative side effects of delirium by identifying high-risk patients before surgery. Koster and colleagues designed a risk model to identify patients with an increased risk of postoperative delirium after cardiac surgery.

Aim:

The aim of this study was to validate the risk model for delirium and further improve the risk model.

Methods:

A delirium risk checklist containing predictors associated with postoperative delirium was used during the preoperative outpatient screening in 329 patients. The delirium observation screening scale was used preoperatively and postoperatively to assess delirium.

Results:

Compared with the model of Koster and colleagues age greater than 70 years and a history of delirium were confirmed as statistically significant predictors of postoperative delirium, while cognitive impairment and alcohol abuse were almost significant factors. The European system for cardiac operative risk evaluation (EuroSCORE), comorbidity and type of surgery could not predict a postoperative delirium again. The area under the curve of this model was 0.79 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.73–0.86; P<0.001). Based on the data of this study the model was improved with the following independent predictors of postoperative delirium: age, more than one comorbidity, history of delirium and a lower standardised mini mental state examination score as with an area under the curve of 0.79 (95% CI 0.73–0.85; P<0.001).

Conclusion:

The risk model could not be fully validated. It is difficult to validate a risk model over time; there are different circumstances such as the increased focus on the prevention of delirium.
The education entrepreneur – experiencing European funding policy
Authors: Niemeyer Beatrix
Published: October 2017

Within the process of harmonizing and strengthening Europe as a competitive knowledge economy education is presented as a basic pillar of economic growth in a multitude of European policy papers. But how do individuals respond to incentives coming from European education politics? (How) are they appropriating given targets and how do they engage in making sense of them – or not? This paper addresses the difference between the programme and the experience of European education politics. Based on a selected case study of experiences with European Social Fund project work, the model of an ‘education entrepreneur’, situated in the context of the German education system, will serve to reconstruct what happens with the European policy programme when it meets concrete lived experiences and will provide an insight into the gap between programme and practice of European education politics.
Preliminary Findings on the Computer-Administered Multiple-Choice Online Causal Comprehension Assessment, a Diagnostic Reading Comprehension Test
Authors: Davison Mark L. , Biancarosa Gina , Carlson Sarah E. , Seipel Ben , Liu Bowen
Published: October 2017

The computer-administered Multiple-Choice Online Causal Comprehension Assessment (MOCCA) for Grades 3 to 5 has an innovative, 40-item multiple-choice structure in which each distractor corresponds to a comprehension process upon which poor comprehenders have been shown to rely. This structure requires revised thinking about measurement issues (e.g., reliability and interpretation of incorrect responses for diagnostic purposes). Using data from a pilot study, the article presents descriptive statistics on correct responses, incorrect responses, and comprehension rate. It also presents reliability data for correct responses and incorrect responses as well as construct validity data on correct responses. Implications for diagnosis and remediation of poor inferential comprehension are discussed.
Classification Accuracy of Curriculum-Based Measures for Beginning Writers in First Grade
Authors: Jung Pyung-Gang , McMaster Kristen L.
Published: October 2017

We examined the classification accuracy of Curriculum-Based Measurement in writing (CBM-W) Picture Word prompts scored for words written (WW), words spelled correctly (WSC), and correct word sequences (CWS). First graders ( n = 133) were administered CBM-W prompts and the Test of Written Language–Third Edition (TOWL-3; Hammill & Larsen, 1996). Prompts scored for WSC showed acceptable levels of sensitivity (.947) and specificity (.587) with the TOWL-3 Contextual Language. Positive predictive values were low (approximately .20 to .30), and negative predictive values were high (mostly above .95). Overall classification accuracy, represented by the area under curve (AUC), ranged from .727 to .831. Further research regarding ways to improve classification accuracy of CBM-W and preliminary implications for practice are discussed.
The Benefits and the Costs of Using Auditory Warning Messages in Dynamic Decision-Making Settings
Authors: Chamberland Cindy , Hodgetts Helen M. , Vallières Benoît R. , Vachon François , Tremblay Sébastien
Published: October 2017

The failure to notice critical changes in both visual and auditory scenes may have important consequences for performance in complex dynamic environments, especially those related to security, such as aviation, surveillance during major events, and command and control of emergency response. Previous work has shown that a significant number of situation changes remain undetected by operators in such environments. In the current study, we examined the impact of using auditory warning messages to support the detection of critical situation changes and to a broader extent the decision making required by the environment. Twenty-two participants performed a radar operator task involving multiple subtasks while detecting critical task-related events that were cued by a specific type of audio message. Results showed that about 22% of the critical changes remained undetected by participants, a percentage similar to that found in previous work using visual cues to support change detection. However, we found that audio messages tended to bias threat evaluation toward perceiving objects as more threatening than they were in reality. Such findings revealed both benefits and costs associated with using audio messages to support change detection in complex dynamic environments.
The perspective of healthcare providers and patients on health literacy: a systematic review of the quantitative and qualitative studies
Authors: Rajah Retha , Ahmad Hassali Mohamed Azmi , Jou Lim Ching , Murugiah Muthu Kumar
Published: October 2017

Aim:

Health literacy (HL) is a multifaceted concept, thus understanding the perspective of healthcare providers, patients, and the system is vital. This systematic review examines and synthesises the available studies on HL-related knowledge, attitude, practice, and perceived barriers.

Methods:

CINAHL and Medline (via EBSCOhost), Google Scholar, PubMed, ProQuest, Sage Journals, and Science Direct were searched. Both quantitative and/or qualitative studies in the English language were included. Intervention studies and studies focusing on HL assessment tools and prevalence of low HL were excluded. The risk of biasness reduced with the involvement of two reviewers independently assessing study eligibility and quality.

Results:

A total of 30 studies were included, which consist of 19 quantitative, 9 qualitative, and 2 mixed-method studies. Out of 17 studies, 13 reported deficiency of HL-related knowledge among healthcare providers and 1 among patients. Three studies showed a positive attitude of healthcare providers towards learning about HL. Another three studies demonstrated patients feel shame exposing their literacy and undergoing HL assessment. Common HL communication techniques reported practiced by healthcare providers were the use of everyday language, teach-back method, and providing patients with reading materials and aids, while time constraint was the most reported HL perceived barriers by both healthcare providers and patients.

Conclusion:

Significant gaps exists in HL knowledge among healthcare providers and patients that needs immediate intervention. Such as, greater effort placed in creating a health system that provides an opportunity for healthcare providers to learn about HL and patients to access health information with taking consideration of their perceived barriers.
State intervention and agrarian change in China after 2006
Authors: Gong Weigang , Yang Siyue
Published: October 2017

States play a central role in systematic studies of agrarian changes in East Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia. However, due to China’s belated agrarian change, agrarian studies on China have only begun recently, and the role of the state is still relatively undiscussed. First, we review the history of state intervention on agricultural development. Then we focus on fiscal policies of the state’s intervention that have been implemented since the taxes and fees reforms, which involved a large number of state agricultural projects. Such state intervention is aimed at promoting food security and agricultural modernization and, in practice, is typically accompanied by land transfer promoted by local government. The local governments’ intervention has directly resulted in the emergence of capitalized family farms and the flow of industrial/commercial capital to the countryside, both of which constitute main aspects of China’s agrarian transition. Based on a case study of a county in Hunan Province, focusing on examples of the food security project and the agricultural vertical integration project, combining with the process of land transfer promoted by local government, we analyse the role of the state in the emergence of capitalized family farms and capital flow to the countryside, as well as connections between state interventions and capital accumulation. Then, we present the general development of capitalized family farms as well as the flow of agro-capital to the countryside based on provincial data, and interpret how agrarian transition evolves at a different pace among regions against the backdrop of state intervention. We emphasize the internal mechanism between state intervention and agrarian transformation based on the operation of specific agricultural projects and the local governments’ promotion of land transfer.
Characterization of carbonate microfacies and reservoir pore types based on Formation MicroImager logging: A case study from the Ordovician in the Tahe Oilfield, Tarim Basin, China
Authors: Meng Miaomiao , Fan Tailiang , Duncan Ian J. , Yin Shuai , Gao Zhiqian , Jiang Lei , Yu Chao , Jiang Longyan
Published: October 2017

Improving the characterization of deep carbonate reservoirs requires developing a clear understanding of nature and distribution of their constituent microfacies and associated pore types. These aspects have been little studied in the middle-lower Ordovician of the Tahe Oilfield in the Tarim Basin in large part due to the limited available cores and relatively poor seismic data. Formation MicroImage (FMI) logging provides a bridge to connect the core data and seismic data to facilitate study of the distribution of microfacies and pore types. Based on analysis of the FMI logs from eight wells (each calibrated by comparing with core samples, thin sections, and conventional well logs), five FMI-based microfacies have been established: (1) intershoal sea microfacies (ISMF), (2) low-energy shoal microfacies (LSMF), (3) high-energy shoal microfacies (HSMF), (4) lagoon microfacies (LMF), and (5) tidal flat microfacies (TFMF). Using the FMI-based identification of microfacies, it has been proposed that the Yingshan Formation was deposited in restricted-platform (characterized by LSMF, HSMF, LMF, and TFMF) and open-platform (characterized by ISMF, LSMF, and HSMF) environments. Three pore types, with the potential for reservoir quality porosity, have been identified in FMI logs: pores (laminated and isolated pores), vugs, and fractures (dipping shear and conjugate fractures). Statistical analyses found that, in comparison with other microfacies, HSMF is more favorable for the development of the above three reservoir pore types, vugs being the most abundant. This study shows the effectiveness of FMI images in the identification of carbonate microfacies and reservoir pore types, and in the building of high-resolution 3D geologic models that identify high-quality reservoir zones.
Remission and recovery from first-episode psychosis in adults: systematic review and meta-analysis of long-term outcome studies
Authors: Lally John , Ajnakina Olesya , Stubbs Brendon , Cullinane Michael , Murphy Kieran C. , Gaughran Fiona , Murray Robin M.
Published: October 2017

Background

Remission and recovery rates for people with first-episode psychosis (FEP) remain uncertain.

Aims

To assess pooled prevalence rates of remission and recovery in FEP and to investigate potential moderators.

Method

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess pooled prevalence rates of remission and recovery in FEP in longitudinal studies with more than 1 year of follow-up data, and conducted meta-regression analyses to investigate potential moderators.

Results

Seventy-nine studies were included representing 19072 patients with FEP. The pooled rate of remission among 12301 individuals with FEP was 58% (60 studies, mean follow-up 5.5 years). Higher remission rates were moderated by studies from more recent years. The pooled prevalence of recovery among 9642 individuals with FEP was 38% (35 studies, mean follow-up 7.2 years). Recovery rates were higher in North America than in other regions.

Conclusions

Remission and recovery rates in FEP may be more favourable than previously thought. We observed stability of recovery rates after the first 2 years, suggesting that a progressive deteriorating course of illness is not typical. Although remission rates have improved over time recovery rates have not, raising questions about the effectiveness of services in achieving improved recovery.
Randomized, Open-Label Phase II Study Evaluating the Efficacy and Safety of Talimogene Laherparepvec in Combination With Ipilimumab Versus Ipilimumab Alone in Patients With Advanced, Unresectable Melanoma
Authors: Chesney Jason , Puzanov Igor , Collichio Frances , Singh Parminder , Milhem Mohammed M. , Glaspy John , Hamid Omid , Ross Merrick , Friedlander Philip , Garbe Claus , Logan Theodore F. , Hauschild Axel , Lebbé Celeste , Chen Lisa , Kim Jenny J. , Gansert Jennifer , Andtbacka Robert H.I. , Kaufman Howard L.
Published: October 2017

Purpose

We evaluated the combination of talimogene laherparepvec plus ipilimumab versus ipilimumab alone in patients with advanced melanoma in a phase II study. To our knowledge, this was the first randomized trial to evaluate addition of an oncolytic virus to a checkpoint inhibitor.

Methods

Patients with unresectable stages IIIB to IV melanoma, with no more than one prior therapy if BRAF wild-type, no more than two prior therapies if BRAF mutant, measurable/injectable disease, and without symptomatic autoimmunity or clinically significant immunosuppression were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive talimogene laherparepvec plus ipilimumab or ipilimumab alone. Talimogene laherparepvec treatment began in week 1 (first dose, ≤ 4 mL × 106 plaque-forming units/mL; after 3 weeks, ≤ 4 mL × 108 plaque-forming units/mL every 2 weeks). Ipilimumab (3 mg/kg every 3 weeks; up to four doses) began week 1 in the ipilimumab alone arm and week 6 in the combination arm. The primary end point was objective response rate evaluated by investigators per immune-related response criteria.

Results

One hundred ninety-eight patients were randomly assigned to talimogene laherparepvec plus ipilimumab (n = 98), or ipilimumab alone (n = 100). Thirty-eight patients (39%) in the combination arm and 18 patients (18%) in the ipilimumab arm had an objective response (odds ratio, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.5 to 5.5; P = .002). Responses were not limited to injected lesions; visceral lesion decreases were observed in 52% of patients in the combination arm and 23% of patients in the ipilimumab arm. Frequently occurring adverse events (AEs) included fatigue (combination, 59%; ipilimumab alone, 42%), chills (combination, 53%; ipilimumab alone, 3%), and diarrhea (combination, 42%; ipilimumab alone, 35%). Incidence of grade ≥ 3 AEs was 45% and 35%, respectively. Three patients in the combination arm had fatal AEs; none were treatment related.

Conclusion

The study met its primary end point; the objective response rate was significantly higher with talimogene laherparepvec plus ipilimumab versus ipilimumab alone. These data indicate that the combination has greater antitumor activity without additional safety concerns versus ipilimumab.