bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A domain categorisation of vocabularies based on a deep learning classifier
Authors: Nogales Alberto , Sicilia Miguel-Angel , García-Tejedor Álvaro J
Published: May 2021

The publication of large amounts of open data is an increasing trend. This is a consequence of initiatives like Linked Open Data (LOD) that aims at publishing and linking data sets published in the World Wide Web. Linked Data publishers should follow a set of principles for their task. This information is described in a 2011 document that includes the consideration of reusing vocabularies as key. The Linked Open Vocabularies (LOV) project attempts to collect the vocabularies and ontologies commonly used in LOD. These ontologies have been classified by domain following the criteria of LOV members, thus having the disadvantage of introducing personal biases. This article presents an automatic classifier of ontologies based on the main categories appearing in Wikipedia. For that purpose, word-embedding models are used in combination with deep learning techniques. Results show that with a hybrid model of regular Deep Neural Networks (DNNs), Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), classification could be made with an accuracy of 93.57%. A further evaluation of the domain matchings between LOV and the classifier brings possible matchings in 79.8% of the cases.
Using a bimanual lever-driven wheelchair for arm movement practice early after stroke: A pilot, randomized, controlled, single-blind trial
Authors: Smith Brendan W , Lobo-Prat Joan , Zondervan Daniel K , Lew Christopher , Chan Vicky , Chou Cathy , Toledo Spencer , Reinkensmeyer David J , Shaw Susan , Cramer Steven C
Published: May 2021

Objective:

Many patients with subacute stroke rely on the nonparetic arm and leg to propel manual wheelchairs. We designed a bimanual, lever-driven wheelchair (LARA) to promote overground mobility and hemiparetic arm exercise. This study measured the feasibility of using LARA to increase arm movement, achieve mobility, and improve arm motor recovery (clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02830893).

Design:

Randomized, assessor-blind, controlled trial.

Setting:

Two inpatient rehabilitation facilities.

Subjects:

Nineteen patients with subacute stroke (1 week to 2 months post-stroke) received 30 minutes extra arm movement practice daily, while admitted to inpatient rehabilitation ( n = 10) or before enrollment in outpatient therapy ( n = 9).

Interventions:

Patients were randomized to train with the LARA wheelchair ( n = 11) or conventional exercises with a rehabilitation therapist ( n = 8).

Main measures:

Number of arm movements per training session; overground speed; Upper Extremity Fugl-Meyer score at three-month follow-up.

Results:

Participants who trained with LARA completed 254 (median) arm movements with the paretic arm each session. For three participants, LARA enabled wheelchair mobility at practical indoor speeds (0.15–0.30 m/s). Fugl-Meyer score increased 19 ± 13 points for patients who trained with LARA compared to 14 ± 7 points with conventional exercises ( P = 0.32). Secondary measures including shoulder pain and increased tone did not differ between groups. Mixed model analysis found significant interaction between LARA training and treatment duration ( P = 0.037), informing power analysis for future investigation.

Conclusions:

Practising arm movement with a lever-driven wheelchair is a feasible method for increasing arm movement early after stroke. It enabled wheelchair mobility for a subset of patients and shows potential for improving arm motor recovery.
The pragmatic holism of social–ecological systems theory: Explaining adaptive capacity in a changing climate
Authors: Adams Sophie
Published: May 2021

Now ubiquitous in research on adaptation to the impacts of anthropogenic climate change is the aim of cultivating adaptive capacity. With its promise to expand the scope of transformative human response within the adaptive dynamics of the social–ecological system, this approach is built upon the integration of the social and ecological, reflecting the ‘pragmatic holism’ at the heart of the concept of the ecological system. This vision is undercut, however, by an ambivalence about the agency of humans to effect adaptive change. I argue that this threatens to recoup the environmental determinism that characterised mid-20th-century theories of adaptation in geography and cognate disciplines – albeit in a new form defined by an understanding of agency as distributed and emergent that is associated with developments in cybernetics and complexity science. This article charts how the currently dominant discourse centred on adaptive capacity has come about and explores what it might mean for the politics of climate change adaptation, as the scope of human action is circumscribed by the adaptive dynamics of the social–ecological system.
Pregnant Women Are Iodine Deficient While School-Aged Children Demonstrate Adequate Iodine Status in Sarawak, Malaysia
Authors: Kuay Lim Kuang , Chin Tan Beng , Ying Chan Ying , Hussain Husniza , Mahmud Nur Azna , Kassim Mohd Shaiful Azlan , Harith Abdul Aziz , Man Cheong Siew , Salleh Ruhaya , Aris Tahir
Published: May 2021

Background:

A mandatory universal salt iodization (USI) has been implemented in Sarawak, Malaysia since 2008.

Objectives:

The aim of this study is to assess the current iodine status among school-aged children (SAC) and pregnant women (PW) after 10 years of USI implementation in Sarawak.

Methods:

This cross-sectional survey among school-aged children and pregnant women was conducted between July and October 2018 in Sarawak. The multistage proportionate to population size sampling technique was used to select 30 schools and 30 maternal and child health care clinics. A total of 1200 children aged 8 to 10 years and 750 first-trimester pregnant women were randomly selected to participate in the study. Iodine excretion level in urine was determined according to the World Health Organization classification.

Results:

A total of 988 children and 677 PW participated in the study with a response rate of 82.3% and 90.2%, respectively. The overall median urinary iodine concentration (UIC) level among the children was 126.0 μg/L (interquartile range [IQR], 71.0-200.9 μg/L) and classified as adequate iodine status. The median UIC among PW was 123.9 μg/L (IQR, 56.5-192.1μg/L) indicating inadequate iodine status.

Conclusion:

The present findings indicate that despite adequate iodine status in children, the majority of PW still showed inadequate iodine status. Thus, comprehensive monitoring of the iodine deficiency disorder problem among PW is warranted.
Effect of pH of coating solution on the adhesion strength and corrosion resistance of hydroxyapatite and octacalcium phosphate coated WE43 alloy
Authors: Ngo Tuyet Thi Anh , Hiromoto Sachiko , Do Linh Chi , Pham Hanh Hong , Hanh Le
Published: May 2021

Hydroxyapatite (HAp) and octacalcium phosphate (OCP) layers were formed on Mg- 4mass% Y- 3mass% rare earth (WE43) alloy by a chemical solution deposition method at various pH values of pH 5.5, 6.2, 7.5, and 8.6. Adhesion strength of HAp and OCP layers was evaluated before and after immersing in a medium for 14 days by a pull-off test. The corrosion resistance of these coatings was measured by polarization tests performed in a simulated body fluid (SBF). XRD analysis demonstrated that HAp coating layers were formed at pH 7.5 and 8.6, while OCP coating layers were formed at pH 5.5 and 6.2. Adhesion test results showed that the as-coated pH7.5-HAp layer had the highest adhesion strength of 8.6 MPa, which was attributed to the very dense structure of the coating layer. The as-coated pH8.6-HAp layer showed the adhesion strength of 6.5 MPa. The adhesion strength of the as-coated pH5.5- and pH6.2-OCP layers was 3.9 and 7.1 MPa, respectively, that was governed by the thick and fragile property of the layers. After immersing in the medium for 14 days, the adhesion strength of pH7.5- and pH8.6-specimens decreased to 5.8 and 5.6 MPa, respectively. The pitting corrosion and formation of Mg(OH)2 under the HAp layers were responsible for the decrease of adhesion strength. The polarization tests in SBF at 37 °C showed that the corrosion current density decreased with the HAp and OCP coatings, indicating the improvement of the corrosion resistance of WE43 alloy. The HAp coatings improved the corrosion resistance more efficiently than the OCP coatings.
Real-Life Conundrums in the Struggle for Institutional Transformation
Authors: Mcquillan Julia , Hernandez Nestor
Published: May 2021

Intersecting systems of inequality (i.e., gender and race/ethnicity) are remarkably resistant to change. Many universities, however, seek National Science Foundation Institutional Transformation awards to change processes, procedures, and cultures to make science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) departments more inclusive. In this article we describe a case study with observations for eight years of before (2000–2007), five during (2008–2013), and seven after (2014–2020) intensive efforts to increase women through reducing barriers and increasing access to women. Finally, we reflect on flawed assumptions built into the proposal, the slow and uneven change in the proportion of women over time, the strengths and weaknesses of numeric assessments, and the value of a longer view for seeing how seeds planted with promising practices initiated during the award may end with the funding but can reemerge and bear fruit when faculty who engage in equity work are in positions of authority later in their careers.
Separation of powers with ideological parties
Authors: Forteza Alvaro , Pereyra Juan S.
Published: May 2021

Separation of powers with checks and balances (SP) is usually regarded as a key institution complementing elections in the control of elected officials. However, some analysts and many politicians also warn that excessive checks on the executive in the presence of polarization may lead to political inaction. We analyze the interaction between elections and SP, and study under what circumstances they complement each other. We first introduce a political agency model with ideological parties where citizens and politicians care about rents (a valence issue) and policy (a positional issue). Then, we analyze the impact of SP on the effectiveness of elections to discipline and select politicians. We demonstrate that SP unambiguously raises a majority of voters’ welfare in highly polarized non-competitive political environments, because it strengthens both discipline and selection without causing political gridlock. SP also raises voters’ welfare if elections are very effective at disciplining first period incumbents. Nevertheless, SP may reduce voters’ welfare if most rents go undetected and reform is not a first-order issue.
A novel anisotropic assessment method for nanometric surface roughness of ultra-precision diamond milling
Authors: Guo Pan , Xiong Zhiwen , Zhang Shaojian
Published: May 2021

Ultra-precision diamond milling (UPDM) is one of ultra-precision machining approaches, providing nanometric surface roughness (NSR). The NSR exhibits rich anisotropic features, which is very sensitive to noise. However, there is lack of effective assessment of the anisotropic NSR. Therefore, the study proposed surface difference and surface curvatures as extra parameters to estimate the anisotropic NSR of UPDM. Moreover, noise effects were reduced by probability distribution with the 95–99 rule. Significantly, the proposed method effectively represents the anisotropic assessment of the NSR of UPDM.
Numerical optimization and experimental validation of a five-link mechanism, potato planter
Authors: Sun Wei , Zhang Hua , Simionescu PA
Published: May 2021

Covering with plastic film in fall and planting through the film in spring is an effective drought-resistance, potato-cultivation method. To achieve proper under-plastic-film, hill-drop potato seeding, the geometry of an existing five-link planter mechanism that is driven synchronously by two cranks rotating in the same direction has been refined through bivariate plots and numerical optimization. For this purpose, novel quantitative measures of the geometry of the crunode portion of the dibber-tip path have been introduced. The prototype planter mechanism described in detail elsewhere has then been configured according to the three optimum kinematic solutions obtained, and field tests have been carried out. All three configurations satisfied the imposed agronomic requirements of potato planting through the plastic film, with one setup performing better than the other two, and then a previously reported solution obtained through manually conducted optimization.
A novel convolutional neural network method for subject-independent driver drowsiness detection based on single-channel data and EEG alpha spindles
Authors: Houshmand Sara , Kazemi Reza , Salmanzadeh Hamed
Published: May 2021

A significant number of fatal accidents are caused by drowsy drivers worldwide. Driver drowsiness detection based on electroencephalography (EEG) signals has high accuracy and is known as a reference method for evaluating drowsiness. Among brain waves, EEG alpha spindle activity is a silent feature of decreasing alertness levels. In this paper, based on the detection of EEG alpha spindles, a novel driver drowsiness detection method is presented. The EEG spindles were detected using Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT) analysis and the Morlet function. To do so, the signal is divided into 30-s epochs, and the observer rating of drowsiness determines the drowsiness level in each epoch. Tests were conducted on 17 healthy males in a driving simulator with a monotonous driving scenario. The Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) is used for classifying EEG signals and automatically learns features of the early drowsy state. The subject-independent classification results for single-channel P4 show 94% accuracy.
The expanding circles of information behavior and human–computer interaction
Authors: Gorichanaz Tim , Venkatagiri Sukrit
Published: May 2021

This article examines the historical expansion and convergence of the fields of information behavior and human–computer interaction, primarily in terms of the philosophy underlying each field. Information behavior grew out of research in library service provision in the early 1900s, and human–computer interaction grew out of computer science and human factors engineering in the 1960s. While these two fields have had different origins, purposes, and discourses, in recent decades, they have begun to converge. In this article, we map this convergence and consider implications for the future of the information field. We conceptualize their scholarly paradigms as expanding circles, and we show that the circles of information behavior and human–computer interaction are expanding in terms of ontology, epistemology, and axiology—and moreover, they are beginning to overlap substantially. While the two fields continue to be largely separate in terms of scholarly discourses, we suggest that much could be gained by explicitly acknowledging their shared components. Some suggestions for this are discussed, and these are connected to the ongoing iSchool Movement.
Economic Growth in Emerging Market Countries
Authors: Wu Shuyu , Pan Qingzhong
Published: May 2021

Emerging markets are important for global economic growth. In the post-crisis era, they played a vital role in global economic recovery. However, frequent financial turmoil in emerging markets over the years exposed flaws with the economic structures and financial markets of these countries. This articledescribes the overall economic conditions and structures of emerging markets and analyzes the driving forces of economic growth. It is established that emerging markets, especially of Asian countries, contributed significantly to the global economic growth over the last few decades. The main drivers of economic growth vary among the emerging markets. While some countries rely on energy resources, others have their economic growth driven by cheap labor and high savings. Meanwhile, emerging markets with rapid and stable economic growth over a long period of time have some characteristics in common. For example, they all carefully manage the opening-up processes. The articlealso investigates the major problems that emerging economies encounter in economic development. For example, the overreliance on the global market makes some countries vulnerable to external shocks; the fragile domestic financial market leads to frequent financial crises; the improper economic structure makes some countries excessively dependent on foreign markets; and some countries are stuck in economic stagnation.
Experimental investigation of the mechanical behavior of a poly(acrylamide-co-sodium acrylate) hydrogel
Authors: Ehrke Beatrice , Erfkamp Jan , Wallmersperger Thomas
Published: May 2021

Stimuli-responsive hydrogels consist of a porous 3D framework that is saturated with solvent. Immersed in a solution bath, these gels can exhibit an enormous volume change due to absorption or release of solution. Depending on the type of gel, this effect can be generated for example by variation of the ion concentration in the surrounding solution bath or by an applied electrical field. The mechanical behavior of these polymers is influenced not only by the solid-state skeleton, but also by the interacting fluid. Thus, a visco-elastic behavior can be observed on the macroscopic scale. Based on the specific properties of the polymer gel and the interaction of the different phases, the determination of the mechanical properties of this material turns out to be non-trivial. In the present work, the mechanical behavior of a poly(acrylamide-co-sodium acrylate) hydrogel in the fully swollen state is investigated by a newly developed tensile test and for longtime investigations by a creep test. For this purpose, two newly developed different experimental setups based on digital image correlation are used.
Electro-thermo-mechanical behavior of carbon nanopaper shape memory polymer composites
Authors: Ozdemir Veli Bugra , Kwok Kawai
Published: May 2021

An electro-active composite based on carbon nanopaper (CNP) shape memory polymer (SMP) composite is proposed for actuating deployment of composite deployable structures. Carbon nanopaper shape memory composites are stimuli-responsive materials that can change between programmed shapes and the original shape by a voltage input. The proposed composite is a sandwich structure where the CNP layer acts as a flexible electrical heater when a voltage difference is applied. The shape change behavior of CNP-SMP composite presents a coupled electrical-thermal-structural problem. This paper presents a combined experimental, numerical, and analytical study of the time-dependent shape programming, stowage, and actuation of the CNP-SMP composite. The governing equations for the multiphysics behavior are derived. Characterization of the electrical and mechanical properties of the materials are carried out and employed in a nonlinear, fully coupled electrical-thermal-structural finite element model. Shape programming, stowage and actuation characteristics of the composite are investigated experimentally under axial loading. An analytical model is derived for the thermo-mechanical behavior of the composite which directly expresses the recovery over time through the creep compliance function. Close correlation is obtained between experimental measurements and numerical simulations. The proposed model can accurately predict the load and shape characteristics throughout programming, stowage, and actuation.
Vulvar Cutaneous Myxoma in a Patient With Carney Complex: Avoiding Pitfalls of Myxoid Lesions of the Vulva
Authors: Wong Jahg , Roy Simon F. , Gu Lifeng , Samouelian Vanessa , Berthelet France , Rahimi Kurosh
Published: May 2021

We present the case of a 31-year-old woman who underwent surgical excision for a polypoid, vulvar lesion. Histopathological analysis showed a diffuse myxoid stroma admixed with scant collagen fibrils. Thin-walled and branching blood vessels were prominent, with a mild perivascular lymphocytic infiltrate. Cytologically bland spindle cells with inconspicuous nucleoli were immersed in a loose myxoid stroma. This combination of histopathological features along with multinodularity in the subcutaneous fat raised concern for deep angiomyxoma, a locally destructive neoplasm. Among our differential of myxoid lesions of the vulva, we ultimately favored the diagnosis of vulvar cutaneous myxoma. Upon further investigation, we learned that our patient was indeed known for the Carney complex. We highlight that vulvar cutaneous myxomas arising in the context of the Carney complex pose a significant diagnostic challenge for pathologists and should not be overdiagnosed as aggressive lesions such as deep angiomyxoma or other malignant stromal neoplasms.
Conventional vs Accelerated Rehabilitation Protocol Following Reattachment of Achilles Tendon for Insertional Achilles Tendinopathy
Authors: Arunakul Marut , Pholsawatchai Waroot , Arunakul Preeyaphan , Pitakveerakul Akaradech
Published: May 2021

Background:

No studies have compared early vs conventional postoperative weightbearing following suture bridge Achilles tendon reattachment. We, therefore, evaluated postoperative functional outcomes in these patients.

Methods:

We collected data on 49 patients who underwent surgical treatment of insertional Achilles tendinopathy using a central Achilles tendon-splitting approach and reattachment with suture bridge technique by a single surgeon. Functional outcomes were measured by a visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM), and Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. The differences in outcomes were analyzed using multiple linear regression.

Results:

Eighteen and 31 patients underwent the conventional and accelerated protocols, respectively; their corresponding mean ages were similar, 53 and 57 years, as were all other baseline characteristics. The mean scores (conventional vs accelerated group) for VAS for pain, FAAM, and SF-36 in the conventional group at 3 months postoperatively were 4 ± 1 vs 3 ± 1 points, 53 ± 8 vs 68 ± 3 points, and 57 ± 15 vs 67 ± 10 points ( P < .05 for each comparison). There were no statistically significant differences between the groups at 6 and 12 months postoperatively. All patients could perform the single heel raise test at 6 months, and none experienced complications.

Conclusion:

In this small study, short-term functional outcomes were better in the accelerated group. More data are needed before the accelerated program can be recommended.

Level of Evidence:

Level II, prospective comparative study.
Evaluation of the Safety and Efficacy of a Novel Thrombin Containing Combination Hemostatic Powder Using a Historical Control
Authors: Bruckner Brian A. , Spotnitz William D. , Suarez Erik , Loebe Matthias , Ngo Uy , Gillen Daniel L. , Manson Roberto J.
Published: May 2021

This clinical study compares 2 hemostatic agents, a novel combination powder (CP) (HEMOBLAST™ Bellows) and an established polysaccharide starch powder (PP) (Arista™ AH) to assess the usefulness of CP. Retrospective comparative analysis of CP (July 2018 to July 2019, 68 patients) to PP (January 2011 to January 2013, 94 patients) in cardiothoracic patients was performed using linear regression models adjusting for age, sex, and procedure type for the endpoints: blood loss; protamine to skin closure time (hemostasis time); chest tube output and blood products required 48 hours postoperatively; ICU stay; postoperative comorbidities; and 30 day mortality. 162 patients (108 M: 54 F) underwent 162 cardiothoracic surgical procedures including: transplantation (n = 44), placement of ventricular assist device (n = 87), and others (n = 31). Use of CP compared to PP (Estimated Mean Difference [95% CI], P-value) produced significant reductions: blood loss (mL) (−886.51 [−1457.76, −312.26], P = 0.003); protamine to skin closure time (min) (−16.81 [−28.03, −5.59], P = 0.004); chest tube output (48 hrs, mL) (−445.76 [−669.38, −222.14], P < 0.001); packed red blood cell transfusions (units) (−0.98 [−1.56, −0.4], P = 0.001); and postoperative comorbidities (−0.31 [−0.55, −0.07], P = 0.012). There were no differences in the ICU stay (4.07 [−2.01, 10.15], P = 0.188) or 30-day mortality (0.57 [0.20, 1.63], P = 0.291). The use of CP in complex cardiothoracic operations resulted in improved hemostasis and significant clinical benefits in blood loss, transfusion requirements, morbidity, and time in operating room.
IL-6 and Other Biomarkers associated with Poor Prognosis in a Cohort of Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19 in Madrid
Authors: Donoso-Navarro Encarnación , Arribas Gómez Ignacio , Bernabeu-Andreu Francisco A
Published: May 2021

Objectives:

There are several published works on the prognostic value of biomarkers in relation to the severity or fatal outcome of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In Spain, the second European country in incidence of the disease at the time of data collection, there are few studies that include both laboratory parameters and clinical parameters. Our aim is to study the relationship of a wide series of biomarkers with admission to intensive care and death in a hospital in the Autonomous Community of Madrid (Spain), with special attention to IL-6 due to its role in the systemic inflammatory response associated with a worse prognosis of the disease.

Methods:

Data were collected from 546 hospitalized patients with COVID-19. All of them had IL-6 results, in addition to other biochemical and haematological parameters. The difference of the medians for the selected parameters between the groups (ICU vs non-ICU, dead vs survivors) was studied using a Mann-Whitney analysis. The independent variables that predicted death were studied using a Cox proportional hazard regression model.

Results:

Higher age and blood concentrations of ALT, creatinine, CK, cTnI, LDH, NT-proBNP, CRP, IL-6, leucocyte count and D-dimer together with lower blood concentrations of albumin and lymphocyte count were associated with mortality in univariate analysis. Age, LDH, IL-6 and lymphocyte count remained associated with death in multivariate analysis.

Conclusions:

Age, LDH, IL-6 and lymphocyte count, as independent predictors of death, could be used to establish more aggressive therapies in COVID-19 patients.
Social TV and the WWE: Exploring the fan-to-brand relationship in a highly engaged, live-viewing, interactive online space
Authors: McCreery Stephen , Britt Brian C , Hayes Jameson
Published: May 2021

Social television (TV) engagement has become more commonplace as viewers seek alternative ways of engaging with TV shows and other viewers. This is especially true with televised professional wrestling; 119,506 tweets were analyzed using social network analysis during the four World Wrestling Entertainment telecasts. Results show that brand-affiliated users primarily interact among one another and not the fans themselves, despite fans reaching out to the brand, resulting in significant social stratification and low interactivity within the community. The findings suggest that when fans think they are able to join and contribute to the brand’s ongoing conversation, those fans might still be highly motivated to communicate with the brand, even if the brand does not reciprocate.
Fatigue damage detection from imbalanced inspection data of Lamb wave
Authors: He Jingjing , Fang Ziwei , Liu Jie , Gao Fei , Lin Jing
Published: May 2021

The core of structural health monitoring is to provide a real-time monitoring, inspection, and damage detection of structures. As one of the most promising technology to structural health monitoring, the Lamb wave method has attracted interest because it is sensitive to small-scale damage with a long detection range. However, in many real-world structural health monitoring applications, the nature of the problem implies structures work under normal condition in most of its operating phases; therefore, classes of data collected are not equally represented. The predictive capability of damage detection algorithms may significantly be impaired by class imbalance. This article presents a damage detection method using imbalanced inspection data which is collected through Lamb wave detection. Aiming at maximizing detection accuracy, an improved synthetic minority over-sampling technique using three-point triangle (triangle synthetic minority over-sampling technique) is proposed to conduct the over-sampling procedure and increase the number of minority samples. The iterative-partitioning filter is employed to remove the noisy examples which may be introduced by triangle synthetic minority over-sampling technique. Three conventional classification methods, namely, support vector machine, decision tree, and k-nearest neighbor, are used to perform the damage detection. A fatigue crack detection test using Lamb wave is performed to demonstrate the overall procedure of the proposed method. Three damage sensitive features, namely, normalized amplitude, correlation coefficient, and normalized energy, are extracted from signals as datasets. A cross-validation is performed to verify the performance of the proposed method for crack size identification.
Would You Sell Your Vote?
Authors: Gans-Morse Jordan , Nichter Simeon
Published: May 2021

Prominent scholars in recent years have expressed alarm about political polarization, weakened civil liberties, and growing support for authoritarianism in the United States. But discussions of democratic backsliding pay short shrift to the value citizens place on one of the most fundamental democratic institutions: the act of voting. Drawing on nationally representative survey data, we show that despite traditional portrayals of the U.S. as the embodiment of a democratic “civic culture,” a substantial share of Americans express readiness to sell their votes for cash: 12% of respondents would do so for just $25, as would nearly 20% for $100. Citizens who place low importance on living in a democracy are significantly more willing to sell their votes. We argue that heightened attention to US voters’ attitudes toward clientelism would provide an additional barometer of democratic skepticism, help to integrate the study of American and comparative politics, and stimulate novel research agendas about the historic decline of vote buying in the United States.
Back to Basics: A Role for Astrocyte Alkalization in Epileptogenesis
Authors: Wagnon Jacy L.
Published: May 2021

[Box: see text]
Trends of incidence and prognosis of primary adenocarcinoma of the bladder
Authors: Lu Haowen , Zhu Weidong , Mao Weipu , Zu Feng , Wang Yali , Li Wenchao , Xu Bin , Zhang Lihua , Chen Ming
Published: May 2021

Background:

Primary adenocarcinoma of the bladder (ACB) is a rare malignant tumor of the bladder with limited understanding of its incidence and prognosis.

Methods:

Patients diagnosed with ACB between 2004 and 2015 were obtained from the SEER database. The incidence changes of ACB patients between 1975 and 2016 were detected by Joinpoint software. Nomograms were constructed based on the results of multivariate Cox regression analysis to predict overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) in patients with ACB, and the constructed nomograms were validated.

Results:

The incidence of ACB was trending down from 1991 to 2016. A total of 1039 patients were included in the study and randomly assigned to the training cohort (727) and validation cohort (312). In the training cohort, multivariate Cox regression showed that age, marital status, primary site, histology type, grade, AJCC stage, T stage, SEER stage, surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy were independent prognostic factors for OS, whereas these were age, marital status, primary site, histology type, grade, AJCC stage, T/N stage, SEER stage, surgery, and radiotherapy for CSS. Based on the above Cox regression results, we constructed prognostic nomograms for OS and CSS in ACB patients. The C-index of the nomogram OS was 0.773 and the C-index of CSS was 0.785, which was significantly better than the C-index of the TNM staging prediction model. The area under the curve (AUC) and net benefit of the prediction model were higher than those of the TNM staging system. In addition, the calibration curves were very close to the ideal curve, suggesting appreciable reliability of the nomograms.

Conclusion:

The incidence of ACB patients showed a decreasing trend in the past 25 years. We constructed a clinically useful prognostic nomogram for calculating OS and CSS of ACB patients, which can provide a personalized risk assessment for ACB patient survival.
Oleanolic Acid Improved Inflammatory Response and Apoptosis of PC12 Cells Induced by OGD/R Through Downregulating miR-142-5P
Authors: Gu Song
Published: May 2021

Background

Oleanolic acid (OA) has notable anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects, but the role of OA in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI) has not been reported so far.

Methods

Oxygen and glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) model was induced in PC12 cells. MTT assay was used to detect the cell viability of PC12 cells, while ELISA assay detected the expression of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6. The expression of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) was detected by the appropriate kits, and cell apoptosis by Tunel technique. Western blot assay detected the expression of apoptosis-related proteins. The cell transfection technique overexpressed miR-142‐5p. After overexpressing miR-142‐5p by cell transfection technique, the expression of miR-142‐5p was detected by RT-qPCR.

Results

Besides the ability to promote cell acitivity, OA ameliorated OGD/R-induced inflammatory response and apoptosis in PC12 cells. Moreover, the capability of OA to alleviate OGD/R-induced inflammation and apoptosis in PC12 cells was observed to be related to the down-regulation of miR-142‐5p.

Conclusion

OA improved inflammatory response and apoptosis of PC12 cells induced by OGD/R through downregulating miR-142‐5P
Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity Against Food-Borne Pathogens of Calocedrus formosana Heartwood Essential Oil
Authors: Hsu Kuang-Ping , Tu San-Hsien , Su Yu-Chang , Ho Chen-Lung
Published: May 2021

This study investigated the chemical composition, and antimicrobial activity against food-borne pathogens of the essential oil isolated from the heartwood of Calocedrus formosana from Taiwan. The oil, isolated by hydrodistillation in a Clevenger-type apparatus, was characterized using GC–FID and GC–MS. The major constituents were τ-muurolol (16.1%), α-cadinol (11.1%), α-terpineol (10.6%), thymol (8.5%), and β-thujaplicin (4.5%). The oil demonstrated strong activity against food-borne bacterial and fungal pathogens, and, to determine the source compounds responsible for this activity , the main components were individually evaluated. The most active source compounds were determined to be τ-muurolol, α-cadinol, thymol, and β-thujaplicin.
Pandemic transition: Techno-politics and social reproduction struggles
Authors: Pirone Maurilio
Published: May 2021

What are the impacts this pandemic is leaving on politics? In this essay, I will argue that Covid-19 – beyond the rhetoric of exceptionalism or denialism – is unveiling some ‘structural’ features of Western capitalist-societies – on one side, the pervasiveness of digital technologies shaping more and more the public sphere; on the other side, social reproduction as contested terrain between divergent forces. The erosion of spaces for decision-making in liberal democracies seems to be questioned by the emergence of practices of mutualism and claims for common goods.
Under pressure: pressure-dependent pontine compression by a dolichoectasia basilar artery, a case report
Authors: Martinez-Nunez Alfonso E , Fynke Julie E , Miller Daniel J
Published: May 2021

Basilar artery dolichoectasia can lead to ischemic stroke through thrombosis of small perforating vessels of the brainstem. Here we report the case of a patient with transient paramedian pontine syndrome in the setting of a hypertensive crisis, finding a dolichoectasia basilar artery compressing on the ventral surface of the pons. The outcome was near-complete resolution of deficits after blood pressure control. We propose increased basilar artery pulse pressure as a novel mechanism of transient compression of the brainstem by a dolichoectasia artery.
Renal cell carcinoma in native nephrectomy specimens of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) patients with end-stage renal disease: Findings from an Australian transplant center
Authors: Mansbridge Margaret , Lawson Malcolm , Preston John , Griffin Anthony , Wood Simon , Rhee Handoo
Published: May 2021

Objectives:

The aim of this study was to present a contemporary review of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in native nephrectomy (NN) specimens of patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD).

Materials (patients) and methods:

A retrospective review of all ADPKD patients who underwent NN from 1 October 2010 to 31 July 2019 was performed. Data was collected on demographics, length of time on renal replacement therapy, indications for surgery, perioperative details, and histology.

Results:

In total, 32 NNs were performed in our study period with 12.5% ( n=4) histologically diagnosed with RCC, consisting of 75% ( n=3) Type 1 papillary RCC (p RCC) and 25% ( n=1) clear cell RCC. Average age of ADPKD patients with ESRD diagnosed with RCC was 67±5.9 years. Average time on dialysis for RCC and non-RCC patients was 35.75±46.28 and 22.04±24.33 months, respectively. We did not find a significant correlation between the diagnosis of RCC and time on dialysis.

Conclusion:

Our contemporary series shows a significant proportion of ADPKD patients with ESRD undergoing NN have RCC. Compared to previously published datasets, our patients are older, and selective to those with very large kidneys and lesions suspicious for RCC. While there may be a role in imaging native kidneys with ADPKD to rule out suspicious lesions, it must be balanced against the cost, radiation exposure, and potential harm from an increased rate of nephrectomy that may ensue for suspicious lesions found on screening.

Level of evidence:

Not applicable for this multicentre audit.
The Intersection of Dissemination Research and Acupuncture: Applications for Chronic Low Back Pain
Authors: Roseen Eric J , Purtle Jonathan , Zhang Weijun , Miller David W , Schwartz Andrea Wershof , Ramanadhan Shoba , Sherman Karen J
Published: May 2021

Background

Dissemination research is the study of distributing information and intervention materials to a specific clinical practice or public health audience. Acupuncture, a healthcare practice involving the stimulation of certain body points, often with thin needles, is considered an evidence-based treatment for low back pain (LBP), but is underutilized in the United States. Body: We will use the example of acupuncture for LBP to identify opportunities to leverage dissemination research to increase utilization of acupuncture. Deficits in the awareness or knowledge of acupuncture may limit its adoption by patients and other stakeholders. Thus, we summarize methods to gather data on stakeholder awareness and knowledge of acupuncture for LBP, i.e., audience research. Engaging multiple stakeholder audiences (e.g., health system leaders, primary care providers, patients), is needed to generate knowledge on promising dissemination strategies for each audience. Audience segmentation is important for identifying population subgroups for whom adoption of acupuncture may require a more intensive or tailored dissemination strategy. To illustrate potential audience ‘segments’, our research discussion focused on developing dissemination strategies by age (i.e., older adults – those age 65 years or older, and younger adults – those under age 65 ). This decision was prompted by Medicare’s recent policy covering acupuncture for chronic LBP. We leverage current knowledge of barriers and facilitators of acupuncture use to discuss how further tailoring of dissemination strategies might optimize adoption of acupuncture in both groups of adults. Experimental study designs could then be used to compare the effectiveness of such strategies to increase awareness, knowledge, or adoption of acupuncture. Conclusions: Conducting dissemination research may improve awareness and knowledge of acupuncture, and ultimately the adoption of acupuncture in biomedical settings. We anticipate that the concepts highlighted in this manuscript will also be helpful for those disseminating information about other complementary and integrative health approaches.
Effect of Chronological Age on Pulse Rate Discrimination in Adult Cochlear-Implant Users
Authors: Johnson Kelly C. , Xie Zilong , Shader Maureen J. , Mayo Paul G. , Goupell Matthew J.
Published: May 2021

Cochlear-implant (CI) users rely heavily on temporal envelope cues to understand speech. Temporal processing abilities may decline with advancing age in adult CI users. This study investigated the effect of age on the ability to discriminate changes in pulse rate. Twenty CI users aged 23 to 80 years participated in a rate discrimination task. They attempted to discriminate a 35% rate increase from baseline rates of 100, 200, 300, 400, or 500 pulses per second. The stimuli were electrical pulse trains delivered to a single electrode via direct stimulation to an apical (Electrode 20), a middle (Electrode 12), or a basal location (Electrode 4). Electrically evoked compound action potential amplitude growth functions were recorded at each of those electrodes as an estimate of peripheral neural survival. Results showed that temporal pulse rate discrimination performance declined with advancing age at higher stimulation rates (e.g., 500 pulses per second) when compared with lower rates. The age-related changes in temporal pulse rate discrimination at higher stimulation rates persisted after statistical analysis to account for the estimated peripheral contributions from electrically evoked compound action potential amplitude growth functions. These results indicate the potential contributions of central factors to the limitations in temporal pulse rate discrimination ability associated with aging in CI users.
Advanced Practice Nursing and the Expansion of the Role of Nurses in Primary Health Care in the Americas
Authors: Lopes-Júnior Luís Carlos
Published: May 2021

Nurses have an educational background particularly suited to the growing challenges of the 21st century, characterized by an accelerated demographic transition, accompanied by a scenario of triple disease burden: 1) the unsurpassed agenda for infectious diseases; 2) the increase in deaths attributable to external causes; and 3) the predominance of chronic noncommunicable diseases. Advanced Practice Nurses (APN) already have regulations well-established in many countries such as Australia, Belgium, Canada, the USA, Finland, France, Ireland, Japan, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the Czech Republic, among others. This paper aimed to point out and to reflect on Advanced Practice Nursing and the expansion of the role of nurses in Primary Health Care (PHC) in the Americas. In the same year the Nursing Now Campaign was launched, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and World Health Organization (WHO) prepared the document Expanding the Role of Nurses in PHC which calls on governments and nurses from countries in the Americas to implement APN training for PHC and Nurses from Central and South America who already have specialization programs, residency, academic master's and doctoral degrees. Expansion is intended to provide greater coverage and assistance to users of the health system, take advantage of nurses' intellectual capacity, and retain good professionals in the profession. This is a crucial moment for nursing worldwide. However, it is imperative to ensure the voice and impact of nursing continues to reverberate long after the end of 2021. In this paper, a debate on the strengths and challenges for the expansion of the APN role in PHC in the Americas is discribed.
Safety and Outcome of Intravenous Recombinant Tissue Plasminogen Activator (rt-PA) in the Nursing Home Residents Following an Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Nagarajan Elanagan , Digala Lakshmi P. , Yelam Anudeep , Bollu Pradeep C. , Nattanmai Premkumar C.
Published: May 2021

Background and Purpose:

Intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (IV rt-PA) is an effective treatment of acute ischemic stroke. The safety and efficacy of IV rt-PA were extensively studied in adults, including both octogenarians and nonagenarians.This study provides safety outcome of exclusive nursing home (NH) residents (dependent on activities of daily living [ADLs]) , who received IV rt-PA. Not much literature or studies are available exclusively on the NH residents.

Aim:

To assess the safety and outcome of IV rt-PA in patients from NHs who were admitted to our university-based tertiary care hospital, using data from a prospective stroke registry.

Methods:

Our study is a retrospective review of patients living in nursing facilities, admitted to our neuroscience intensive care unit after receiving IV rt-PA, from January 2010 to June 2018. We reviewed the clinical symptoms, comorbid conditions, medications, diagnostic evaluation, complications, and functional outcomes. The functional outcome was assessed based on the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at the time of discharge, and 1- and 3-month follow-up.

Results:

Twenty-eight NH residents (20 [71.4%] were female with a mean age of 80.96 +/− 12.43 years) were identified who had received IV rt-PA for symptoms of acute ischemic stroke. The median mRS on admission was 3, and all of them were dependent on ADL. Twenty-seven (96.5%) patients were treated within the window (≤3 h) for IV rt-PA. There were no IV rt-PA-related violations from both our hospital and outside hospital treatment protocols. The initial computed tomographic (CT) scan of 8 (28.5%) patients revealed evidence of infarction. CT angiogram of head and neck revealed an acute intracranial blood vessel occlusion in 13 (46.4%) patients, and asymptomatic stenosis of intracranial and extracranial blood vessels in 4 (14.2%) patients. Mechanical thrombectomy was attempted in 6 (21.4%) patients and among them, the procedure was unsuccessful in 2 (7.1%) patients due to severe stenosis. One (1/21; 16.6%) patient received an intra-arterial rt-PA, and 5 (5/6;83.3%) patients developed symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage within 24 h following the procedure. Families of 9/28 (32.1%) patients decided to withdraw care. The median mRS on 30 and 90 days follow-up was 4 (interquartile range: 3-6).

Conclusion:

In this population, mechanical thrombectomy has a high risk for hemorrhagic conversion. IV rt-PA treatment in the NH residents may not improve the outcome of ischemic stroke.