bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Patient safety incidents in radiology: frequency and distribution of incident types
Authors: Kasalak Ömer , Yakar Derya , Dierckx Rudi AJO , Kwee Thomas C
Published: June 2020

Background

Patient safety incidents may be a valuable source of information to learn from and to prevent future errors.

Purpose

To determine the distribution of patient safety incident types in radiology according to the International Classification for Patient Safety (ICPS), and to comprehensively review those incidents that were either harmful or serious in terms of risk of patient harm and reoccurrence.

Material and Methods

The most recent five-year database (2014–2019) of a radiology incident reporting system was evaluated.

Results

A total of 480 patient safety incidents were included. Top three ICPS incident types were clinical administration (119/480, 24.8%), resources/organizational management (112/480, 23.3%), and clinical process/procedure (91/480, 19.0%). Harm severities were none in 457 (95.2%) cases, mild in 14 (2.9%), moderate in 4 (0.8%), severe in 3 (0.6%), and unknown in one case. Subsequent Prevention Recovery Information System for Monitoring and Analysis (PRISMA) reviews were performed in 4 (0.8%) cases. The three patient safety incidents that caused severe harm (of which one underwent PRISMA review) involved resources/organizational management (n = 1), clinical process/procedure (n = 1), and medication/IV fluids (n = 1). Three other cases (with no harm in two cases and moderate harm in one case) that underwent PRISMA review involved resources/organizational management (n = 2) and medical device/equipment/property (n = 1).

Conclusion

Radiology-related patient safety incidents predominantly occur in three ICPS domains (clinical administration, resources/organizational management, and clinical process/procedure). Harmful/serious incidents are relatively rare. The standardly and transparently reported findings from this study may be used for healthcare quality improvement, benchmarking purposes, and as a primer for future studies.
Efficacy of herbal medicine (cinnamon/fennel/ginger) for primary dysmenorrhea: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Xu Yincong , Yang Qinglin , Wang Xiaoping
Published: June 2020

Objective

To assess the efficacy of herbal medicine (cinnamon/fennel/ginger) for treating primary dysmenorrhea.

Methods

Relevant studies were searched in multiple databases. The weighted mean difference (WMD) was used as the effect indicator for measurement data, and each effect size was given estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

Nine studies with 647 patients were selected. Compared with the results in the control group, pain intensity was significantly relieved in the trial group when assessed by the intervention (cinnamon vs. placebo: WMD = 1.815, 95% CI = 1.330–2.301; fennel vs. placebo: WMD = 0.528, 95% CI = 0.119–6.829; ginger vs. placebo: WMD = 2.902, 95% CI = 2.039–3.765), observation period (one cycle: WMD = 2.061, 95% CI = 0.815–3.307; one cycles: WMD = 1.831, 95% CI = 0.973–2.690), and study quality (high quality: WMD = 2.224, 95% CI = 1.488–2.960). Pain duration was significantly shorter in the trial group (cinnamon vs. placebo: WMD = 16.200, 95% CI = 15.271–17.129). No publication bias was observed for either outcome.

Conclusions

For primary dysmenorrhea, cinnamon/fennel/ginger effectively reduced pain intensity, and cinnamon shortened the duration of pain. Further studies are needed to confirm our results.
Tort Tales, Gold Diggers, and the Crusade against Heart Balm
Authors: Donovan Brian
Published: June 2020

Beginning in the early 1930s, US citizens made a concerted effort to ban lawsuits for breach of promise, seduction, criminal conversation, and alienation of affection. By 1940, ten states had outlawed so-called heart balm torts. Yet there is no empirical evidence that rates of heart balm lawsuits were increasing. This article analyzes 1930s media representations to show how the movement against heart balm grew from “tort tales” about allegedly outrageous lawsuits. Heart balm narratives drew from stylized representations of “gold diggers” found in popular culture, and they reflected divisions around gender and social class exacerbated by the Great Depression.
Development and applications of shear deformation theories for laminated composite plates: An overview
Authors: Maji Ashes , Mahato Prashanta Kr
Published: June 2020

This review, overviews the development and applications of shear deformation (SD) laminated composite plate theories. The present overview mainly focuses on theoretical models based on SD theories of laminated composite plates. This comprehensive review has been categorized with an equivalent single-layer laminate and layerwise laminate theories. An equivalent single-layer laminate theory includes classical laminated plate theory, first-order shear deformation laminated theory, second-order shear deformation laminated theory, third-order shear deformation laminated theory, parabolic shear deformation laminated theory, trigonometric shear deformation laminated theory, hyperbolic shear deformation laminated theory, and higher order shear deformation laminated theory. The layerwise laminate theories include discrete-layer theories and zig-zag theories. In addition, the 3D elasticity solutions theory, the mixed (hybrid) plate theories, unified theories, advanced shear deformation theories, and the recently developed smart composite are also reviewed.
Experimental and numerical study of air-water flow characteristics in a horizontal duct
Authors: Mansour Mohamed H , Zahran Ali A , Rabie Lotfy H , Shabaka Ibrahim M
Published: June 2020

The horizontal bubbly two-phase flow is preferably used in various industrial applications because it provides high interfacial areas which enhance the heat and mass transfer. In the present research, the phase distribution of controlled air-water flow in a horizontal acrylic round pipe with 60 mm inside diameter (D) has been investigated experimentally and modeled numerically. The modeled differential pressure and the mixture velocity profile at a distance of 33D from the mixing section (fully developed region) are computed numerically and compared with those obtained experimentally from the two-phase flow system established and maintained at the National Institute of Standards (NIS-Egypt). Furthermore, the numerical and the experimental data have been compared with previous correlations and models. Reasonable quantitative agreement between all data is found. An electronic device based on Arduino Uno board was designed and used with careful data manipulation for measuring the slug bubble velocity. The results point out that the air volume fraction has a maximum value at the upper pipe wall as the gas bubbles tend to migrate to the upper wall. A new correlation was obtained for bubble migration length to the upper pipe wall which is very important in chemical industrial processes and other engineering application.
Wind tunnel and flight tests of glider flow separation control by microsecond dielectric barrier discharge
Authors: Song Guo-Zheng , Liang Hua , Biao Wei , Zhi Su , Like Xie , Jia Yuhao , Xing Zheng
Published: June 2020

As a new kind of active flow control technology, plasma flow control has a bright future, for its simple structure, fast response, and wide frequency band. The wind tunnel and flight tests were conducted with microsecond dielectric barrier discharge on a glider. For the tests, the microsecond pulse power supply and remote control system were designed and built. In the wind tunnel test, the flow separation on the glider wing surface can be controlled effectively, and static pressure at the leading edge pressure is decreases by 177%. The flow control effects under different pulse frequencies are compared, and the optimal pulse frequency for actuation is found to be 100 Hz. A significant hysteresis effect was observed with microsecond dielectric barrier discharge at small angle of attack (α ≤ 18°), which means the flow control effect can last more than 300 s after turning off the plasma actuation. In the flight test, the maximum roll angle decreases by 7.0°, and the maximum aileron deflection angle decreases by 9.4° with plasma actuation at both sides of the wing, which means the glider becomes more stable with microsecond dielectric barrier discharge. With unilateral actuation, the rolling moment generated by the plasma actuation is larger than that produced by the ailerons with the angle of attack within 12.94° ≤ α ≤ 29.77°, which shows strong rolling control ability of microsecond dielectric barrier discharge. The wind tunnel and flight tests results verified the flow control effect of microsecond dielectric barrier discharge, and paved the way for the plasma flow control technology to practical applications.
Book review: Sola Adesola and Feargal Brennan (Eds), Energy in Africa Policy, Management and Sustainability
Authors: Anand Rashmi Rani
Published: June 2020

Sola Adesola and Feargal Brennan (Eds), Energy in Africa Policy, Management and Sustainability, Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, Switzerland, 2018, pp. 247, Hardcover €114.39, Softcover €114.39, eBook €93.08, ISBN-978-3-319-91300-1; ISBN-978-3-319-91301-8; ISBN-978-3-030-08217-8.
A thermodynamic basis for implicit rate-type constitutive relations describing the inelastic response of solids undergoing finite deformation
Authors: Cichra David , Průša Vít
Published: June 2020

Implicit rate-type constitutive relations utilising discontinuous functions provide a novel approach to the purely phenomenological description of the inelastic response of solids undergoing finite deformation. However, this type of constitutive relation has so far been considered only in the purely mechanical setting, and the complete thermodynamic basis is largely missing. We address this issue, and we develop a thermodynamic basis for such constitutive relations. In particular, we focus on the thermodynamic basis for the classical elastic–perfectly plastic response, but the framework is flexible enough to describe other types of inelastic response as well.
Using Random Forest Model Combined With Gabor Feature to Predict Protein-Protein Interaction From Protein Sequence
Authors: Zhan Xin-Ke , You Zhu-Hong , Li Li-Ping , Li Yang , Wang Zheng , Pan Jie
Published: June 2020

Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) play a crucial role in the life cycles of living cells. Thus, it is important to understand the underlying mechanisms of PPIs. Although many high-throughput technologies have generated large amounts of PPI data in different organisms, the experiments for detecting PPIs are still costly and time-consuming. Therefore, novel computational methods are urgently needed for predicting PPIs. For this reason, developing a new computational method for predicting PPIs is drawing more and more attention. In this study, we proposed a novel computational method based on texture feature of protein sequence for predicting PPIs. Especially, the Gabor feature is used to extract texture feature and protein evolutionary information from Position-Specific Scoring Matrix, which is generated by Position-Specific Iterated Basic Local Alignment Search Tool. Then, random forest–based classifiers are used to infer the protein interactions. When performed on PPI data sets of yeast, human, and Helicobacter pylori, we obtained good results with average accuracies of 92.10%, 97.03%, and 86.45%, respectively. To better evaluate the proposed method, we compared Gabor feature, Discrete Cosine Transform, and Local Phase Quantization. Our results show that the proposed method is both feasible and stable and the Gabor feature descriptor is reliable in extracting protein sequence information. Furthermore, additional experiments have been conducted to predict PPIs of other 4 species data sets. The promising results indicate that our proposed method is both powerful and robust.
Simulations of rocket launch noise suppression with water injection from impingement pad
Authors: Salehian Saman , Mankbadi Reda R
Published: June 2020

The focus of this work is on understanding the effect of water injection from the launch pad on the noise generated during rocket’s lift-off. To simplify the problem, we consider a supersonic jet impinging on a flat plate with water injection from the impingement plate. The Volume of Fluid model is adopted in this work to simulate the two-phase flow. A Hybrid Large Eddy Simulation – Unsteady Reynolds Averaged Simulation approach is employed to model turbulence, wherein Unsteady Reynolds Averaged Simulation is used near the walls, and Large Eddy Simulation is used elsewhere in the computational domain. The numerical issues associated with simulating the noise of two-phase supersonic flow are addressed. The pressure fluctuations on the impingement plate obtained from numerical simulations agree well with the experimental data. Furthermore, the predicted effect of water injection on the far-field broadband noise is consistent with that of the experiment. The possible mechanisms for noise reduction by water injection are discussed.
The Language Warriors: Transcending ideologies on bilingualism in education
Authors: Alonso Lara , Le Khanh
Published: June 2020

This article explores how middle school youth view bilingualism and act on these views to transform their school and their communities. Following a post-structuralist perspective on language and society, a lens from raciolinguistic ideologies, and a creative justice approach, we developed a Participatory Action Research project in which seventh and eighth grade students became co-researchers as we explored how to make bilingualism more welcome in their school. In this paper, we reveal how bilingualism became a way to unite students and to fight deficit views of language minoritized communities. We show the students’ potential to engage in critical thinking about bilingualism and to become agents in their schools and communities. Our findings informed the school on how to acknowledge and leverage the students’ language practices and lived experiences based on a framework of armed and bilingual love.
Seizing the Alzheimer’s Brain: A Role for Sirtuin 3 in Hyperexcitability
Authors: Aroor Alisha , Brewster Amy L.
Published: June 2020

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Mass-transfer processes in the adsorption of crystal violet by activated carbon derived from pomegranate peels: Kinetics and thermodynamic studies
Authors: Abbas Moussa , Harrache Zahia , Trari Mohamed
Published: June 2020

This study investigates the potential use of activated carbon, prepared from pomegranate peels, as an adsorbent activated using H3PO4 and its ability to remove crystal violet from an aqueous solution. The adsorbent was characterized by the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller method (specific surface area: 51.0674 m2 g−1) and point of zero charge (pHPZC = 5.2). However, some examined factors were found to have significant impacts on the adsorption capacity of activated carbon derived from pomegranate peels such as the initial dye concentration (5–15 mg L−1), solution pH (2–14), adsorbent dose (1–8 g L−1), agitation speed (100–700 r/min), and temperature (298–338 K). The best adsorption capacity was found at pH 11 with an adsorbent dose of 1 g L−1, an agitation speed at 400 r/min, and a contact time of 45 min. The adsorption mechanism of crystal violet onto activated carbon derived from pomegranate peels was studied using the pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, Elovich, and Webber–Morris diffusion models. The adsorption kinetics were found to rather follow a pseudo-second order kinetic model with a determination coefficient ( R2) of 0.999. The equilibrium adsorption data for crystal violet adsorbed onto activated carbon derived from pomegranate peels were analyzed by the Langmuir, Freundlich, Elovich, and Temkin models. The results indicate that the Langmuir model provides the best correlation with qmax capacities of 23.26 and 76.92 mg g−1 at 27°C and 32°C, respectively. The adsorption isotherms at different temperatures have been used for the determination of thermodynamic parameters like the free energy, enthalpy, and entropy to predict the nature of adsorption process. The negative values Δ G0 (−5.221 to −1.571 kJ mol−1) and Δ H0 (−86.141 kJ mol−1) indicate that the overall adsorption is spontaneous and exothermic with a physisorption process. The adsorbent derived from pomegranate peels was found to be very effective and suitable for the removal of reactive dyes from aqueous solutions, due to its availability, low-cost preparation, and good adsorption capacity.
Three-dimensional printing resin on different textile substrates using stereolithography: A proof of concept
Authors: Grothe Timo , Brockhagen Bennet , Storck Jan Lukas
Published: June 2020

The combination of textiles and three-dimensional printing offers a wide range of research and application areas, but only publications in combination with fused deposition modeling processes can be found so far. In this article the possibility of printing resin directly on textiles in the stereolithography process is presented. A broad spectrum of textiles and surfaces is examined to clearly present the feasibility. It was found that printing directly on most textiles can be performed without major difficulties, while problems were only observed on smooth surfaces and coatings on textiles.
Prognostic and Clinicopathological Significance of C-Reactive Protein to Albumin Ratio in Patients With Pancreatic Cancer: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Xie Qinfen , Wang Lidong , Zheng Shusen
Published: June 2020

Background:

This meta-analysis explored the correlation between the C-reactive protein to albumin ratio (CAR) and survival outcomes and clinicopathological characteristics in patients with pancreatic cancer.

Methods:

PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases were comprehensively searched through October 17, 2019. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to evaluate the association between CAR and overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and disease-free survival (DFS) in pancreatic cancer.

Results:

The meta-analysis included 11 studies comprising 2271 patients. The pooled results showed that a high CAR was predictive of worse OS (HR = 1.84, 95% CI = 1.65-2.06, P < .001), PFS (HR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.27-1.85, P < .001), and DFS (HR = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.30-2.41, P < .001). An elevated CAR was also associated with male sex (OR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.10-1.74, P = .006).

Conclusion:

Elevated pretreatment CAR effectively predicts inferior survival outcomes in patients with pancreatic cancer and may be a powerful prognostic indicator for these patients.
Advanced rotor temperature estimation of permanent magnet synchronous machines for electric vehicles
Authors: Du Changhong , Peng Zhiyuan , Ren Yong , Zhou Anjian , Ma Yongquan , Chen Jian , Deng Tao
Published: June 2020

The actual power capacity of permanent magnet synchronous machine for electric vehicles is usually limited by rotor temperature, and rotor overheating is one of the major reasons for permanent magnet synchronous machine failure. Therefore, an approach of rotor temperature estimation is proposed to improve motor peak power utilization and protect permanent magnet synchronous machine from serious demagnetization due to thermal damage. A real-time iterative algorithm is provided based on the equivalent thermal model for rotor temperature. First, the heat generating principle of each part as well as the power flow transferring of the motor system is analyzed. Second, rotor temperature model is built based on the conservation of energy loss from the stator and real-time superposition of temperature variation rate for the rotor. Finally, the motor performance test bench is built to validate the proposed algorithm and numerical models are also constructed to simplify estimation parameters for rotor temperature model. The algorithm accuracy is improved and verified by optimizing control parameters with given environment temperature and power load. The experimental result shows that the maximum error between actual test value and estimation value is within ±10°C, and it meets the requirement of algorithm accuracy and also benefits on system performance and manufacture cost efficiently.
Drift-free tracking via the construction of an effective dictionary
Authors: Zhao Li , Huang Pengcheng , Liu Fei , Huang Hui , Chen Huiling
Published: June 2020

Template dictionary construction is an important issue in sparse representation (SP)-based tracking algorithms. In this article, a drift-free visual tracking algorithm is proposed via the construction of an effective template dictionary. The constructed dictionary is composed of three categories of atoms (templates): nonpolluted atoms, variational atoms, and noise atoms. Moreover, the linear combinations of nonpolluted atoms are also added to the dictionary for the diversity of atoms. All the atoms are selectively updated to capture appearance changes and alleviate the model drifting problem. A bidirectional tracking process is used and each process is optimized by two-step SP, which greatly reduces the computational burden. Compared with other related works, the constructed dictionary and tracking algorithm are both robust and efficient.
The effect of a structured patient education intervention on the quality of life for coronary artery bypass grafting patients: A prospective randomised controlled study
Authors: Özdemir Buket , Önler Ebru
Published: June 2020

This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of structured patient education on the quality of life for coronary artery bypass grafting patients. The research included 80 patients (40 control, 40 experimental) who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery at the cardiovascular surgery ward of a university hospital in Western Turkey and met the criteria to be included in the sample. The following documents were used to collect data: Patient Information Form, Knowledge Level Form and SF36 Quality of Life Scale. It was determined that the structured planned patient education for coronary artery bypass grafting patients effectively improved the patients’ knowledge level and quality of life.
Acute exacerbation of unclassifiable idiopathic interstitial pneumonia: comparison with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Enomoto Noriyuki , Naoi Hyogo , Aono Yuya , Katsumata Mineo , Horiike Yasuoki , Yasui Hideki , Karayama Masato , Hozumi Hironao , Suzuki Yuzo , Furuhashi Kazuki , Fujisawa Tomoyuki , Inui Naoki , Nakamura Yutaro , Suda Takafumi
Published: June 2020

Background:

Acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (AE-IPF) is well known as a life-threatening condition during its clinical course. However, the clinical features and prognosis in AE of unclassifiable idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (AE-UCIIP) remain to be elucidated. The aim of this study was to clarify the clinical features and prognosis of AE-UCIIP compared with those of AE-IPF.

Methods:

In 187 patients with UCIIP or IPF, 64 patients with AE-UCIIP or AE-IPF, who were diagnosed and treated at our hospital, were retrospectively evaluated.

Results:

A total of 24 patients with AE-UCIIP were significantly older ( p = 0.011), included more women ( p < 0.001) and never-smokers ( p < 0.001), and showed fewer lung lesions on high-resolution computed tomography ( p = 0.006) than 40 patients with AE-IPF. Incidence of AE-UCIIP was 10.29%/year and was significantly higher than in AE-IPF (Gray’s test, p = 0.008). Prognosis of AE-UCIIP was as poor as that of AE-IPF (log-rank, p = 0.681). Percent-predicted forced vital capacity (%FVC) [hazard ratio (HR) 0.934, p = 0.045], and GAP stage within 12 months before AE (HR 3.530, p = 0.023), and partial pressure arterial oxygen/fraction of inspired oxygen (PaO2/FiO2) ratio at AE (HR 0.998, p = 0.016) were significant prognostic factors. Finally, commencement of long-duration (⩾12 h) direct hemoperfusion with a polymyxin B-immobilised fibre column (PMX-DHP) within 2 days after admission significantly improved survival (log-rank, p = 0.038) and was a significant prognostic factor (HR 0.175, p = 0.0039) in AE-UCIIP. Long-duration PMX-DHP showed favourable treatment effects even in the combined group of patients with AE-UCIIP or AE-IPF (log-rank p = 0.002; HR 0.328, p = 0.006).

Conclusions:

Patients with AE-UCIIP were older and included more women and never-smokers than those with AE-IPF. Prognosis of AE-UCIIP was as poor as that of AE-IPF. The reviews of this paper are available via the supplemental material section.
The popularity of outcome measures used in shoulder arthroplasty literature
Authors: Hijji Fady Y , Cheslik Thomas G , Schneider Andrew D , Schach Blake M , Venkatarayappa Indresh
Published: June 2020

Introduction

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are frequently utilized within orthopaedics to determine the extent of patient disease and the efficacy of surgical treatments. Shoulder arthroplasty is a common treatment option for a range of pathologies; however, substantial variety exists regarding the instruments used within the published literature, limiting their quality and generalizability. The purpose of the present systematic review is to evaluate the overall number and frequency of outcome measures used in all clinical studies evaluating outcomes following shoulder arthroplasty.

Methods

This systematic review was performed following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Relevant studies that assessed patient reported outcomes following total shoulder arthroplasty, reverse shoulder arthroplasty, and shoulder hemiarthroplasty were obtained from PubMed, MEDLINE, and EMBASE databases. For each manuscript, the journal, authors, region of origin, level of evidence, and subject/pathology were recorded. The frequency of each reported outcome measure and category. Associations between study characteristics and measure categories were tested using Poisson regression with robust error variance.

Results

A total of 682 articles were included in the analysis, reporting 42 different PROs. The most popular tools were the Constant-Murley score (49.7%), the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Evaluation Form (37.7%), and the Visual Analog Scale (34.3%). A generic outcome tool was used in 287 studies (42.1%), while 645 (94.6%) utilized a shoulder-specific measure and 49 (7.2%) used a disease-specific measure. The use of generic (p<0.001) and disease specific (p<0.001) measures were associated with higher level of evidence.

Conclusion

Studies assessing patient outcomes following shoulder arthroplasty employ a large range of PRO measuring tools, many of which are non-validated. Furthermore, only a small percentage of studies utilize a combination of tools from different categories despite current recommendations. Consensus on validated and clinically-meaningful tools from multiple categories is necessary to increase the generalizability and applicability of published studies in shoulder arthroplasty literature.

Level of Evidence

1
Mentors Expressing What They Value Through Their Writings: Emphasizing the Person in Mathematics
Authors: Seah (佘伟忠) Wee Tiong , Zhang (张侨平) Qiaoping , Bishop Alan J.
Published: June 2020

Purpose:

This article identifies an issue in mathematics education, that is, the perceived lack of emphasis in recent times of the roles that the “person” plays in the development of mathematics. The purpose is to examine how values/valuing might contribute to addressing the issue.

Design/Approach/Methods:

“Data” were collected from several purposeful conversations among the three authors. The conversations were audio-recorded and machine-transcribed. The transcript was then subjected to content analysis to identify themes.

Findings:

The data analysis yielded two novel approaches to raising learners’ awareness of the humanness of mathematics. One would be to reframe the values that are operationalized when mathematics is taught and learnt, as processes of valuing which teachers and students engage in, respectively. The second approach would be to acknowledge that writers of mathematics/mathematicians are not simply presenting knowledge but are also acting as mentors conveying and transmitting messages about the discipline.

Originality/Value:

The involvement of the “person” in the development of mathematics is not new knowledge, though it can be made more visible in mathematics education. This article identifies two approaches—valuing and mentoring—which are novel in that they are already part of the pedagogical process and thus, accessible.
Book review: Pradeep K. Chhibber and Rahul Verma, Ideology and Identity: The Changing Party Systems of India
Authors: Sridharan E.
Published: June 2020

Pradeep K. Chhibber and Rahul Verma, Ideology and Identity: The Changing Party Systems of India. Oxford University Press. 2018. 320 pages. ₹1195.
Perioperative and Postoperative Factors Influence Quadriceps Atrophy and Strength After ACL Reconstruction: A Systematic Review
Authors: Baron Jacqueline E. , Parker Emily A. , Duchman Kyle R. , Westermann Robert W.
Published: June 2020

Background:

Quadriceps dysfunction after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is common and may affect return to sport due to resulting muscle atrophy and muscle weakness.

Purpose:

To systematically review the available literature regarding the impact of perioperative and postoperative interventions on quadriceps atrophy and loss of strength after ACL reconstruction.

Study Design:

Systematic review; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

A systematic review was performed in accordance with the 2009 PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines using PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Central, and Embase. The quality of evidence was evaluated using the Modified Coleman Methodology Score to determine consensus scores. Eligible level 1 or level 2 studies included interventions of perioperative nerve block, intraoperative tourniquet use, postoperative nutritional supplementation, and postoperative blood flow restriction training. Additionally, the included studies quantified postoperative quadriceps measurements such as thigh circumference, quadriceps cross-sectional area (CSA), isokinetic quadriceps strength, and/or quadriceps electromyographic (EMG) testing.

Results:

In total, 15 studies met stated inclusion and exclusion criteria with the following intervention types: perioperative nerve block (n = 4), intraoperative tourniquet use (n = 5), postoperative nutritional supplementation (n = 3), and postoperative blood flow restriction (n = 3). Intraoperative tourniquet use resulted in decreased thigh circumference and detrimental EMG changes in quadriceps function in 3 of the 5 included studies. Perioperative femoral nerve blocks were associated with transient decreases in postoperative quadriceps strength, persisting up to 6 weeks after surgery, in 2 of the 4 studies. Postoperative blood flow restriction training augmented quadriceps size and function after ACL reconstruction in 2 of 3 studies. Postoperative nutritional supplementation was associated with increased quadriceps volume and strength in 1 of the 3 studies examined.

Conclusion:

The peri- and postoperative factors reviewed here may influence quadriceps atrophy and strength after ACL reconstruction. Our results tentatively indicated that blood flow restriction training may be beneficial to the quadriceps after ACL reconstruction and that intraoperative tourniquet use and nerve block administration may be detrimental; however, the strongest finding was that all of these interventions would benefit from further level 1 and 2 evidence studies, including multicenter, randomized controlled trials with extended follow-up, to definitively determine their impact on return to activity.
Who makes the world? Academics and (un)cancelling the future
Authors: Holthaus Leonie , Stockmann Nils
Published: June 2020

In this essay, we consider the role of academics as change-makers. There is a long line of reflection about academics’ sociopolitical role(s) in international relations (IR). Yet, our attempt differs from available considerations in two regards. First, we emphasize that academics are not a homogenous group. While some keep their distance from policymakers, others frequently provide policy advice. Hence, positions and possibilities of influence differ. Second, our argument is not oriented towards the past but the future. That is, we develop our reflections on academics as change-makers by outlining the vision of a ‘FutureLab’, an innovative, future forum that brings together different world-makers who are united in their attempt to improve ‘the world'. Our vision accounts for current, perhaps alarming trends in academia, such as debates about the (in)ability to confront post-truth politics. Still, it is a (critically) optimistic one and can be read as an invitation for experimentation. Finally, we sympathize with voices demanding the democratization of academia and find that further cross-disciplinary dialogues within academia and dialogues between different academics, civil society activists and policymakers may help in finding creditable solutions to problems such as climate change and populism.
Challenges Experienced by Physiotherapists in Rehabilitation of Individuals With Poststroke Hemineglect: A Review Study
Authors: Makkar Mridul , Arumugam Narkeesh , Midha Divya
Published: June 2020

Background: Hemineglect is the inability to sense stimuli given on the paretic side. It is most frequently seen in individuals with left hemiplegia resulting from temporoparietal lobe damage. On the basis of duration poststroke, hemineglect can be acute (<3 months) or chronic (>6 months). The patients experience many challenges in rehabilitation of motor function, cognitive function, and in gaining functional independence.

Aim: To identify the challenges faced by physiotherapists in rehabilitation of individuals with poststroke hemineglect.

Methodology:

Data Identification: An English language literature search using Google Scholar, Scopus, PubMed, and Pedro was done.

Study Selection: Articles were identified and those which fulfilled the specific requirements were selected.

Data Extraction: In accordance with the inclusion criteria, 9 studies done between 1997 and 2017 were reviewed.

Results: In this study, we reviewed a number of studies on the treatment of hemineglect which show a variety of treatment options. The various interventions include robotic mirror therapy, repeated parietal theta-burst stimulation, low-frequency transcranial magnetic stimulation, trunk rotation and scanning training, forced use therapy, prism glass adaptation, movement detection bracelets, each of which have different effects.

Conclusion: There are a limited number of studies on the different treatment methods that are currently available. Further research is needed on these treatment methods to prove their efficacy and find a suitable method to overcome the challenges that the patients with hemineglect face at present.
The usability of Burger body model on determination of oriented strand boards’ creep behavior
Authors: Yildirim Nadir , Shaler Stephen , West William , Gajic Ema , Edgar Russel
Published: June 2020

In this work, the usability of the Burger body model (BBM) for determining the behavior of oriented strand boards (OSBs) under long-term loads was evaluated. The actual bending strain data and predicted strain data as a function of different stress levels and load durations under constant environmental conditions (25 ± 2°C and 50% relative humidity) were compared. Two test groups, short-term bending tests and long-term creep-rupture bending tests, were performed according to relevant ASTM standards. Specimens were randomly assigned to three groups and loaded at 47% (132.2 kg), 51% (137.4 kg), or 55% (154.9 kg) of the mean static short-term flexural strength. Specimen creep was monitored for 10,000 h using an automated measurement system. The four-parameter BBM parameters were obtained for all specimens at 2000-h time intervals, providing five different estimates. Measured strain values were compared with strain predictions from the BBM and with the goal of evaluating length of experiment on prediction accuracy. Each stress level provided statistical differences based on the error between the actual strain and predicted strain values. Group 3 provided minimum error compared to group 1 and group 2. The 10,000 and 8000 h loading provided the most accurate predictions compared to 6000, 4000, and 2000 h of data. Overall, the longer the actual data is collected the more accurate predictions were obtained. As a result, the BBM was found useful tool for predicting the creep behavior of OSBs under different loads and load durations. It was also shown that the increased duration of practical loading minimizes the error between the prediction. Therefore, the BBM is suggested for use predicting the creep behavior of OSBs over 8000 h load durations.
Outcome of primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma using R-CHOP: impact of a PET-adapted approach
Authors: Hayden Anna R. , Tonseth Petter , Lee Derrick G. , Villa Diego , Gerrie Alina S. , Scott David W. , Freeman Ciara L. , Slack Graham W. , Farinha Pedro , Skinnider Brian , Yenson Paul R. , Benard Francois , Lo Andrea , Pickles Tom , Wilson Donald , Connors Joseph M. , Sehn Laurie H. , Savage Kerry J.
Published: June 2020

Cure rates for primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL) have improved with the integration of rituximab. However, the type of primary therapy and role of radiotherapy (RT) remains ill-defined. Herein, we evaluated the outcome of PMBCL primarily treated with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) and the impact of an end-of-treatment (EOT) 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET) scan to guide consolidative RT. Patients ≥18 years of age with PMBCL treated with curative intent rituximab-chemotherapy were identified. Prior to 2005, patients were recommended to receive R-CHOP + RT (RT era). Beginning in 2005, EOT PET was used to guide RT and only those with a PET-positive scan received RT (PET era). In total, 159 patients were identified, 94% were treated with R-CHOP and 44% received RT (78% in RT era, 28% in PET era). The 5-year time to progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS) for the entire cohort were 80% and 89%, respectively, similar across treatment eras. Overall, 10% had refractory disease. In total, 113 patients had an EOT PET scan: 63% negative and 37% positive with a 5-year TTP of 90% vs 71% and 5-year OS of 97% vs 88%, respectively. For those with Deauville (D)-scored PET scans (n = 103), the 5-year TTP for PET-negative cases by Deauville criteria (D1-D3, DX) was 91%, with inferior outcomes for D5 vs D4 (5-year TTP 33% vs 87%, P = .0002). Outcomes for PMBCL treated with RCHOP are favorable and use of a PET-adapted approach reduces RT in the majority of patients. A small proportion have refractory disease and may benefit from an alternate treatment.
Sirolimus with CSP and MMF as GVHD prophylaxis for allogeneic transplantation with HLA antigen–mismatched donors
Authors: Kornblit Brian , Storer Barry E. , Andersen Niels S. , Maris Michael B. , Chauncey Thomas R. , Petersdorf Effie W. , Woolfrey Ann E. , Flowers Mary E. D. , Storb Rainer , Maloney David G. , Sandmaier Brenda M.
Published: June 2020

This trial aimed to evaluate the efficacy of sirolimus in addition to cyclosporine (CSP) and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) for graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis after nonmyeloablative conditioning for HLA class I or II mismatched hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Eligible patients had hematologic malignancies treatable by allogeneic HCT. Conditioning consisted of fludarabine (90 mg/m2) and 2 to 3 Gy total body irradiation. GVHD prophylaxis comprised cyclosporine, mycophenolate mofetil, and sirolimus. The primary objective was to determine whether the cumulative incidence of grade 2 to 4 acute GVHD could be reduced to <70% in HLA class I or II mismatched HCT. The study was closed on December 20, 2018. Seventy-seven participants were recruited between April 14, 2011, and December 12, 2018, of whom 76 completed the study intervention. Median follow-up was 47 months (range, 4-94 months). The cumulative incidence of grade 2 to 4 acute GVHD at day 100 was 36% (95% confidence interval [CI], 25-46), meeting the primary end point. The cumulative incidence of nonrelapse morality, relapse/progression, and overall survival was 18% (95% CI, 9-27), 30% (interquartile range, 19-40), and 62% (95% CI, 50-73) after 4 years. In conclusion, the addition of sirolimus to cyclosporine and mycophenolate mofetil resulted in a lower incidence of acute GVHD, thus translating into superior overall survival compared with historical results. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT01251575.
A derived sauropodiform dinosaur and other sauropodomorph material from the Late Triassic of Canton Schaffhausen, Switzerland
Authors: Rauhut Oliver W. M. , Holwerda Femke M. , Furrer Heinz
Published: June 2020

Although sauropodomorph dinosaurs have been known for a long time from the Late Triassic of central Europe, sauropodomorph diversity and faunal composition has remained controversial until today. Here we review sauropodomorph material from the Canton Schaffhausen, Switzerland. The material comes from three different but geographically close localities and represents at least three different taxa. Apart from the common genus Plateosaurus, the material includes remains of two different large, robustly built sauropodomorphs. One of these is described as a new taxon, Schleitheimia schutzi n. gen. et sp., on the basis of an unusual ilium and associated axial and appendicular material. Schleitheimia represents a derived basal sauropodiform and possibly the immediate outgroup to Sauropoda, and thus is the most derived sauropodomorph known from the Late Triassic of Europe. These results thus highlight the diversity of sauropodomorphs in the Late Triassic of central Europe and further indicate widespread sauropodomorph survival across the Triassic-Jurassic boundary.

ZooBank LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:BDB8A5D5-B41E-49ED-B2B0-075E1310A1B1.
A new indicator for nowcasting employment subject to social security contributions in Germany
Authors: Hutter Christian
Published: June 2020

Contrary to the number of unemployed or vacancies, the number of employees subject to social security contributions (SSC) for Germany is published after a time lag of 2 months. Furthermore, there is a waiting period of 6 months until the values are not revised any more. This paper uses monthly data on the number of people subject to compulsory health insurance (CHI) as auxiliary variable to better nowcast SSC. Statistical evaluation tests using real-time data show that CHI significantly improves nowcast accuracy compared to purely autoregressive benchmark models. The mean squared prediction error for nowcasts of SSC can be reduced by approximately 20%. In addition, CHI outperforms alternative candidate variables such as unemployment, vacancies and industrial production.
Comparative efficacy of Neuraxial and general anesthesia for hip fracture surgery: a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials
Authors: Zheng Xinxun , Tan Yuming , Gao Yuan , Liu Zhiheng
Published: June 2020

Background

The choice of anesthesia technique remains debatable in patients undergoing surgical repair of hip fracture. This meta-analysis was performed to compare the effect of neuraxial (epidural/spinal) versus general anesthesia on perioperative outcomes in patients undergoing hip fracture surgery.

Methods

Medline, Cochrane Library, Science-Direct, and EMBASE databases were searched to identify eligible studies focused on the comparison between neuraxial and general anesthesia in hip fracture patients between January 2000 and May 2019. Perioperative outcomes were extracted for systemic analysis. Sensitivity analyses were conducted using a Bonferroni correction and the leave-one-out method. The evidence quality for each outcome was evaluated by the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system.

Results

Nine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) including 1084 patients fulfilled our selection criteria. The outcomes for the meta-analysis showed that there were no significant differences in the 30-day mortality (OR = 1.34, 95% CI 0.56, 3.21; P = 0.51), length of stay (MD = − 0.65, 95% CI -0.32, 0.02; P = 0.06), and the prevalence of delirium (OR = 1.05, 95% CI 0.27, 4.00; P = 0.95), acute myocardial infarction (OR = 0.88, 95% CI 0.17, 4.65; P = 0.88), deep venous thrombosis (OR = 0.48, 95% CI 0.09, 2.72; P = 0.41), and pneumonia (OR = 1.04, 95% CI 0.23, 4.61; P = 0.96) for neuraxial anesthesia compared to general anesthesia, and there was a significant difference in blood loss between the two groups (MD = − 137.8, 95% CI -241.49, − 34.12; p = 0.009). However, after applying the Bonferroni correction for multiple testing, all the adjusted p-values were above the significant threshold of 0.05. The evidence quality for each outcome evaluated by the GRADE system was low.

Conclusions

In summary, our present study demonstrated that there might be a difference in blood loss between patients receiving neuraxial and general anaesthesia, however, this analysis was not robust to adjustment for multiple testing and therefore at high risk for a type I error. Due to small sample size and enormous inconsistency in the choice of outcome measures, more high-quality studies with large sample size are needed to clarify this issue.
Ossification of the cervical anterior longitudinal ligament is an underdiagnosed cause of difficult airway: a case report and review of the literature
Authors: Xu Min , Liu Yue , Yang Jing , Liu Hao , Ding Chen
Published: June 2020

Background

Ossification of the anterior longitudinal ligament (OALL) of the cervical spine is a common, but rarely symptomatic, condition mostly observed in the geriatric population. Although the condition usually requires no intervention, it could lead to a difficult airway and compromise the patient’s safety.

Case presentation

Here, we describe the case of a 50-year-old man with cervical myelopathy and OALL that resulted in difficult endotracheal intubation after induction of anesthesia. Radiography and magnetic resonance imaging findings showed OALL, with prominent osteophytes involving four cervical vertebrae, a bulge in the posterior pharyngeal wall, and a narrow pharyngeal space. Airtraq® laryngoscope-assisted intubation was accomplished with rapid induction under sevoflurane-inhaled anesthesia.

Conclusion

Anesthesiologists should understand that OALL of the cervical spine could cause a difficult airway. However, it is difficult to recognize asymptomatic OALL on the basis of routine airway evaluation guidelines. For susceptible populations, a thorough evaluation of the airway, based on imaging studies and a history of compression symptoms, should be considered whenever possible. In case of unanticipated difficult intubation, anesthesiologists should refer to guidelines for unanticipated difficult airway management and identify OALL of the cervical spine as the cause.