bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Mediating Role of Customer Satisfaction in the Relationship Between Atmospherics on Customer Behaviour: Stimulus Organism Response Model Approach in the Spa Industry of Thailand
Authors: Jermsittiparsert Kittisak , Sriyakul Thanaporn , Kunathikornkit Kulkanith
Published: December 2019

The main purpose of the current study is to examine customer satisfaction, atmospheric and customer behaviour using SOR model. In addition to that, the study has examined the mediating role of customer satisfaction in the relationship between Atmospherics on Customer Behaviour. In recent
Past, the main focus for the organizations was to identify the factors that can help in enhancing the loyalty of the customers. Additionally, their focus is also on delivering superior services by which they can keep the customers loyal. The study is of the view that the organizationsmake
these efforts with desires to keep these customers retain, which will help them in increasing the profits and revenues. However, the current study has filled this gap. However, this study is among the pioneering studies on this issue Employing the survey-based methodology; the SEM-PLS technique
is used to test the hypothesized relationships. So, the current study has used SEM-PLS as a statistical tool to answer the research questions raised in this study and research objectives envisaged in the current study. The data is collected from the SPA customers in Thailand. The findings
of the study have provided support to the theoretical foundation and the proposed hypothesis of the current study. The current study will be helpful for policymakers and practitioners in understanding the issues work customer satisfaction, atmospheric and customer behaviour using SOR model.
In author knowledge, this is among very few pioneering studies on this issue.
The ARM Radar Network: At the Leading Edge of Cloud and Precipitation Observations
Authors: Kollias P. , Bharadwaj N. , Clothiaux E. E. , Lamer K. , Oue M. , Hardin J. , Isom B. , Lindenmaier I. , Matthews A. , Luke E. P. , Giangrande S. E. , Johnson K. , Collis S. , Comstock J. , Mather J. H.
Published: December 2019

Improving our ability to predict future weather and climate conditions is strongly linked to achieving significant advancements in our understanding of cloud and precipitation processes. Observations are critical to making these advancements because they both improve our understanding of these processes and provide constraints on numerical models. Historically, instruments for observing cloud properties have limited cloud–aerosol investigations to a small subset of cloud-process interactions. To address these challenges, the last decade has seen the U.S. DOE ARM facility significantly upgrade and expand its surveillance radar capabilities toward providing holistic and multiscale observations of clouds and precipitation. These upgrades include radars that operate at four frequency bands covering a wide range of scattering regimes, improving upon the information contained in earlier ARM observations. The traditional ARM emphasis on the vertical column is maintained, providing more comprehensive, calibrated, and multiparametric measurements of clouds and precipitation. In addition, the ARM radar network now features multiple scanning dual-polarization Doppler radars to exploit polarimetric and multi-Doppler capabilities that provide a wealth of information on storm microphysics and dynamics under a wide range of conditions. Although the diversity in wavelengths and detection capabilities are unprecedented, there is still considerable work ahead before the full potential of these radar advancements is realized. This includes synergy with other observations, improved forward and inverse modeling methods, and well-designed data–model integration methods. The overarching goal is to provide a comprehensive characterization of a complete volume of the cloudy atmosphere and to act as a natural laboratory for the study of cloud processes.
Evacuation Departure Timing during Hurricane Matthew
Authors: Pham Erika O. , Emrich Christopher T. , Li Zhenlong , Mitchem Jamie , Cutter Susan L.
Published: December 2019

This study investigates evacuation behaviors associated with Hurricane Matthew in October of 2016. It assesses factors influencing evacuation decisions and evacuation departure times for Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina from an online survey of respondents. Approximately 62% of the Florida sample, 77% of the Georgia sample, and 67% of the South Carolina sample evacuated. Logistic regression analysis of the departures in the overall time period identified variability in evacuation timing, primarily dependent on prior experience, receipt of an evacuation order, and talking with others about the evacuation order. However, using four logistic regressions to analyze differences in departure times by day shows that the only significant variable across the three main days of evacuation was our proxy variable for evacuation-order times. Depending on the day, other variables of interest include number of household vehicles, previous hurricane experience, and receipt of an evacuation order. Descriptive results show that many variables are considered in the decision to evacuate, but results from subsequent analyses, and respondents’ comments about their experiences, highlight that evacuation orders are the primary triggering variable for when residents left.
Research NGOs About Minors at Risk of Exclusion From the Educational Field
Authors: Lacárcel Alfonso Conde , Sola Martinez Tomas , Lopez Núñez Juan Antonio
Published: December 2019

The following article presents part of the final results of an investigation carried out in the city of Granada, Spain, referring to the knowledge of the dynamics of work in the field of nonformal education with groups at risk of social exclusion and the promotion of communities and groups. More specifically, children at risk of exclusion participate in educational and training activities of local nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), with ages between 6 and 17 years. Its objectives have been to “recognize and describe the main methodological strategies in the teaching of social values and community development,” and evaluate the effectiveness of this type of educational organizations. We have used a mixed research design such as questionnaires, interviews, and indirect observation of professionals, volunteers, and users of small and very small NGOs and nonprofit organizations. Key findings include the use of alternative methodologies focused on comprehensive development and community partners; and greater efficiency for its users.
“We’re Not Meat Shamers. We’re Plant Pushers.”: How Owners of Local Vegan Soul Food Restaurants Promote Healthy Eating in the African American Community
Authors: Crimarco Anthony , Turner-McGrievy Gabrielle M. , Botchway Marian , Macauda Mark , Adams Swann Arp , Blake Christine E. , Younginer Nicholas
Published: December 2019

Obesity remains a prevalent public health epidemic, and African American (AA) adults are disproportionately affected by obesity more than any other ethnic group, particularly in the Southern region of the United States. Addressing poor dietary habits is important for improving obesity rates among AAs, but there has been limited research that has focused on specifically developing culturally tailored interventions. With a recent number of soul food restaurants serving exclusively vegan meals opening up across the country to appeal to AAs and others interested in eating healthier soul foods, there is a unique opportunity to explore how these restaurants might impact AA dietary habits. The purpose of this study was to assess how owners of vegan soul food restaurants located in states within the Black Belt region view their roles as promoters of health in their community and to identify strategies that they use to make plant-based diets (PBDs) more culturally appealing in the AA community. In-depth interviews were conducted with owners ( N = 12) of vegan soul food restaurants from seven states. Five themes emerged from the interviews related to (a) the restaurants providing access to vegan meals, (b) restaurant owners educating their customers about vegan diets and healthy eating, (c) using fresh ingredients to make vegan soul foods taste good, (d) addressing limited cooking skills among AAs, and (e) discussing nonhealth reasons to become vegan. The findings indicate there may be future opportunities for health educators to partner with these restaurant owners to improve healthy eating among AAs.
Arresting Developments: The Post-Brexit Future of European Arrest Warrants
Authors: MacPartholán Cathál
Published: December 2019

This article focuses on European Arrest Warrants (EAWs) and solutions for effective assistance in judicial cases and evidence-sharing between the EU27 and the UK. The article sets out the context of how the theme of EU Member States’ mutual legal assistance specifically gave rise to the development of EAWs, which permit EU members to request the arrest and detention of suspects in other EU countries, without extradition negotiations between them. This article critically evaluates the potential post-Brexit future and advances alternative suggestions for the way ahead.
Treatment of polyamide 66 fabric for increased ultraviolet protection
Authors: Rietzler Barbara , Caven Barnaby , Bechtold Thomas , Pham Tung
Published: December 2019

We reported previously that treatment of polyamide 66 with a mixture of CaCl2/EtOH/water results in a significant increase of surface roughness. A higher surface roughness is correlated with greater light scattering propensity, and therefore we investigated if polyamide 66 fabrics treated with the mixture exhibit lower ultraviolet (UV) transmission. The work was performed on a commercially available plain-woven polyamide 66 fabric, and the UV protection factor (UPF) increased from a value of 25 (of the fabric as received) to >100 (after a 1-min treatment with the mixture). There was no significant change in cover factor of the fabric. As the solvent mixture is environmentally benign and the desired effects are obtained with short treatment times, we believe this process may be a more sustainable alternative to the use of UV absorbers that is the state-of-the-art technology at the present time. In this paper, we have described the treatment and its effects on substrate topography and mechanical properties.
Factors Associated With How Long People Would Like to Live
Authors: Awang Halimah , Nik Osman Nik Ainoon , Mansor Norma , Ab Rashid Nur Fakhrina , Lih Yoong Tan
Published: December 2019

This article examined the factors of how long people would like to live involving 462 respondents aged 40 years and older in Malaysia. Data collected through an online self-administered survey indicated that 75% of the respondents would like to live at least 80 years and on average most people would like to live 81 years. Rural respondents, those who agreed that they have a loving family, those who agreed that they want to continue working for as long as they can, respondents who believed that they will not need long-term care at 65 years and older, and those who may consider living in an assisted living facility were more likely to want to live at least 80 years compared with respondents who did not agree. Efforts should be targeted at promoting healthy lifestyle and providing more employment opportunities for older persons.
Unifying bilateral teleoperation and tele-impedance for enhanced user experience
Authors: Laghi Marco , Ajoudani Arash , Catalano Manuel G. , Bicchi Antonio
Published: December 2019

Usability is one of the most important aspects of teleoperation. Ideally, the operator’s experience should be one of complete command over the remote environment, but also be as close as possible to what they would have if physically present at the remote end, i.e., transparency in terms of both action and perception. These two aspects may coincide in favorable conditions, where classic approaches such as the four-channel architecture ensures transparency of the control framework. In the presence of substantial delays between the user and the slave, however, the stability–performance trade-off inherent to bilateral teleoperation deteriorates not only transparency, but also command. An alternative, unilateral approach is given by tele-impedance, which controls the slave–environment interaction by measuring and remotely replicating the user’s limb endpoint position and impedance. Not including force feedback to the operator, tele-impedance is absolutely robust to delays, whereas it completely lacks transparency. This article introduces a novel control framework that integrates a new, fully transparent, two-channel bilateral architecture with the tele-impedance paradigm. The result is a unified solution that mitigates problems of classical approaches, and provides the user with additional tools to modulate the slave robot’s physical interaction behavior, resulting in a better operator experience in spite of time inconsistencies. The validity and effectiveness of the proposed solution is demonstrated in terms of performance in the interaction tasks, of user fatigue and overall experience.
Measurement of corneal thickness using Pentacam HR versus Nidek CEM-530 specular microscopy
Authors: De Bernardo Maddalena , Cornetta Palmiro , Marotta Giuseppe , Salerno Giulio , De Pascale Ilaria , Rosa Nicola
Published: December 2019

Objective

To compare corneal thickness (CT) measurements using the CEM-530 (Nidal, Gamagori, Japan) and Pentacam HR (Oculus, Wetzlar, Germany).

Methods

The CT of 209 healthy subjects (209 right eyes) aged 24 to 89 years (71.35 ± 10.72 years) was measured at the corneal apex (CA), pupil center (PC), and thinnest point (TP) with the Pentacam HR and at the corneal center with the CEM-530 in random order at the same time of day.

Results

A good correlation but statistically significant difference was found between the CEM-530 and Pentacam HR measurements at the CA (6.10 ± 8.12 µm, R2 = 0.8947), PC (7.46 ± 8.57 µm, R2 = 0.8826), and TP (12.44 ± 10.04 µm, R2 = 0.8392). Comparison of the two devices produced the following regression formulas: y = 0.8859x + 57.644 for the CA, y = 0.8852x +56.657 for the PC, and y = 0.8557x + 68.148 for the TP, where x is the CT obtained with the CEM-530 and y is that obtained with the Pentacam HR.

Conclusions

These findings indicate that the CEM-530 produces a thicker corneal measurement than the Pentacam HR. The herein-proposed correcting factors are needed to reliably compare these devices.
Multisubstance-Using Probationers and the Odds of Arrest While in the Community
Authors: Medina Justin C. , Zettler Haley R.
Published: December 2019

Failed drug tests commonly lead to technical violations and revocation hearings for probationers. The current study extends these observations by examining whether multisubstance-using probationers also have increased odds of arrest in the community. This is important as multisubstance-using probationers may present unique public safety challenges to community corrections agencies and require intensive treatment resources and additional monitoring. Using data from a county-level probation cohort ( N = 2,257) from 2009 to 2010, a series of logistic regression analyses estimated the effects of multisubstance use on the odds of being arrested for a new offense while in the community. The findings revealed that multisubstance use and the frequency of multisubstance use increased the odds of arrest while on probation when compared with single-substance users. We discuss how agencies may best supervise multisubstance-using probationers and suggest directions for further examination.
Following the blueprint II: A new Biblical Hebrew syntactic outline derived from Harald Weinrich
Authors: Condrea Vasile A
Published: December 2019

Following my critique of Niccacci’s methodological stances, I establish a new interpretation of Biblical Hebrew word order derived from Harald Weinrich’s Tempus. Its word order mirrors the opposition between comment and narrative registers. I describe the reasons for attributing a narrative function to the wayyiqtol and wqatal (verb-first) sentences while reserving the comment function to xqatal, xyiqtol, and xparticiple (verb-second) sentences. The occasional occurrence of a comment sentence in indirect speech is, in most cases, the syntactic mark of the narrator’s addresses to the reader.
Mechanical characterisation of an organic phantom candidate for breast tissue
Authors: Teixeira Ana M , Martins Pedro
Published: December 2019

The aim of this study is to analyse the mechanical properties of agarose, which can be used as a mechanical phantom for breast tissues. In general, tissue mimicking materials may be used to achieve a better understanding of the structure and properties of tissues and organs; this work shares these objectives. The phantom can be used as a tissue surrogate with realistic mechanical behaviour for biomechanical applications. To validate agarose as a suitable mechanical phantom for breast tissues, indentation tests were performed in homogeneous, rectangular agarose blocks. Blocks with different agarose concentrations were moulded and tested. An estimation of the material stiffness was then compared with experimental data on different breast tissues’ types found in literature. The phantom stiffness increased consistently with agarose concentration and stress. The results show that agarose-based mechanical phantoms of stiffer tissues require higher agarose concentrations (0.5% and 0.6%). In contrast, normal tissues can be mimicked with 0.3% and 0.4% of agarose. In addition, it was observed that preconditioning affects the mechanical properties of the gel, as it had already been shown in literature for breast tissues.
Pyrvinium pamoate inhibits proliferation and invasion of human endometriotic stromal cells
Authors: Karamian A , Nazarian H , Ziai SA , Zarnani A-H , Salehpour S , Paktinat S , Novin MG
Published: December 2019

Endometriosis is characterized by the presence of functional endometrial tissue in other pelvic organs. This gynecologic problem occurs in 35–50% of women with pain and infertility. Endometriotic cells share some characteristics such as proliferation, migration, and invasion with tumor cells. Pyrvinium pamoate, an anthelmintic drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration, could inhibit the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and its anticancer effects were examined by several researchers. In this study, 12 ectopic and eutopic endometrial biopsies from females with ovarian endometrioma and 12 endometrial biopsies from nonendometriotic females were obtained. Ectopic (EESCs), eutopic (EuESCs), and control (CESCs) endometrial stromal cells were isolated. Then, the effect of pyrvinium pamoate on the proliferation and invasiveness of in vitro cultured cells was evaluated. The proliferation of CESCs, EuESCs, and EESCs was significantly decreased after treatment with pyrvinium pamoate. In addition, treatment with pyrvinium pamoate significantly inhibited the invasiveness of CESCs, EuESCs, and EESCs compared to nontreated groups. The results of the present research showed that pyrvinium pamoate inhibits the proliferation and invasion of human endometriotic stromal cells in vitro, further investigations on the therapeutic potential of this compound in endometriosis are required.
Autoethnography of an Anthropology Fieldworker in Two Housing Complexes in the City of Kolkata in India: A Semiotic Study on Anthropology of Space
Authors: Guha Sankha Priya
Published: December 2019

The following paper is an outcome of a research project conducted on “Anthropology of Space” in two housing complexes in the city of Kolkata in India. I am to present my write up in two different contexts: the first one of which will include my fieldwork experience in an autoethnographic form in the studied complexes. One of the two is my own residential housing complex, while the other is new one for me. Majority of the residents of these complexes are the educated middle-class Bengali people, popularly and colloquially called Maddhyabitta. The second one will complement my fieldwork experience with theoretical discourse on “Anthropology of Space,” the domain of the study. The collected information is thereafter analyzed using “semiotic cluster” and “semiotic chain” techniques. Finally, I will try to narrate the way, my fieldwork experience has led to the construction of an autoethnography in the studied complexes.
A Critical Analysis of the Jihadi Discourse through Online Magazines with Special Reference to ‘Wyeth’ Magazine
Authors: Neelamalar M. , Vivakaran Mangala Vadivu
Published: December 2019

‘Jihadism’ (also known as the jihadi movement) is a popular term that signifies the Islamic terror movement which thrives on extremist ideologies and violence. In addition to the conventional practices, the online medium is currently being employed for disseminating these extremist ideologies across the globe. Radicalisation and recruitment of geographically dispersed individuals as ‘jihadists’ for supporting Islamic terror activities tend to be the primary intent for using the digital platforms as the medium of communication in this context. One such initiative by the Lashkar-e-Taiba of Jammu and Kashmir was the release of the ‘Wyeth: The Resistance in Flow’, an e-magazine which was launched on April 2018. The first issue which was posted with an open access option was primarily designed to influence the Indian youth population through the radical interpretations of Islam. Hence, it is crucial to analyse and understand the jihadi discourse of the Wyeth magazine in order to curb and counter-attack such initiatives at its initial phase. For this purpose, the present study aims to examine the content of the Wyeth magazine and analyse the basic traits of the jihadi propaganda and its potential to aid in the self-radicalisation process.
Book review: Olusegun Adeniyi, From Frying Pan to Fire: How African Migrants Risk Everything in their Futile Search for a Better Life in Europe
Authors: Magbadelo John Olushola
Published: December 2019

Olusegun Adeniyi, From Frying Pan to Fire: How African Migrants Risk Everything in their Futile Search for a Better Life in Europe. Ibadan, Nigeria: Bookcraft, 2019, pp. xi + 184, USD 30.00, ISBN 9789785602272.
Between security and festivity: The case of fan zones
Authors: Lee Ludvigsen Jan Andre
Published: December 2019

This article investigates the multiple operational and socio-cultural roles of ‘fan zones’ at contemporary sport mega-events (SMEs) from stakeholder perspectives. Fan zones, with their giant screens, are locations for public viewing events for fans without stadium tickets. They are also popular pre- and post-match destinations for football (soccer) fans with stadium tickets. Since the mid-2000s they have become central to the hosting of mega-events. Based on qualitative pre-event documentary data and stakeholder interviews in the context of Euro 2020, this paper argues that fan zones generate both solutions and new distinct challenges related to crowd control and security, while providing spectators with social experiences and an ‘event within the event’. With its empirical findings, the article bridges an important gap in literature as limited research investigates how mega-event stakeholders perceive or experience fan zones. However, the findings also have broader implications and are particularly significant in a time wherein fan zones’ organizational and security requirements have increased in accordance with their popularity and the emergence of wider security threats.
Renal interstitial cell tumor in a dog: clinicopathologic, imaging, and histologic features
Authors: Cho Seung-Hee , Seung Byung-Joon , Kim Soo-Hyeon , Lim Ha-Young , Lee Gyu-Seok , Chae Mi-Suk , Sur Jung-Hyang
Published: December 2019

Renal interstitial cell tumors are benign tumors of renomedullary origin; however, malignant features have not been reported in dogs, to our knowledge. A 17-y-old spayed female Maltese dog was presented to a local animal hospital with a mass in the right abdomen. Clinicopathologic findings prior to surgery revealed renal insufficiency and anemia. Imaging revealed that the right kidney was enlarged by an amorphous mass with opaque areas, indicative of mineralization. Upon histologic examination, the mass was comprised of malignant mesenchymal cells that produced mucinous matrix. The tumor cells were positive for vimentin and COX-2, but negative for pancytokeratin; the matrix stained positively with alcian blue. Therefore, the mass was diagnosed as a renal interstitial cell tumor, with malignant features. COX-2 may be useful in the diagnosis of canine renal interstitial cell tumors, similar to its diagnostic role in humans.
Intravesicular Cidofovir in the Treatment of BK Virus–Associated Hemorrhagic Cystitis Following Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Authors: Tooker Graham M. , Stafford Kristen A. , Nishioka Jennifer , Badros Ashraf Z. , Riedel David J.
Published: December 2019

Background: BK virus hemorrhagic cystitis (BKV-HC) is a common complication following hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT); optimal management remains uncertain. Supportive care (bladder irrigation and blood transfusions) and intravenous and intravesicular cidofovir have all been used with varying success. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the safety and effectiveness of intravesicular cidofovir for BKV-HC following HSCT. Methods: A retrospective analysis of all HSCT patients with BKV-HC prescribed intravesicular cidofovir from 2012 to 2017. Results: 33 patients were treated for BKV-HC. The median age was 50 years (range 23-73), and 18 (55%) were male. The median HC symptom severity was 2, with a median BK urine viral load pretreatment of 100,000,000 IU/mL. Patients received a median of 2 intravesicular treatments (range 1-7) at a dosage of 5 mg/kg per instillation. In all, 19 (59%) patients demonstrated complete clinical resolution of symptoms; 9 (28%) had a partial response; and 4 (13%) had no change in symptoms. Patients with a high pretreatment BK viral load (>100 million) and high HC grade (2-4) had a lower frequency of complete remission. The main side effect of intravesicular instillation was severe bladder spasms in 4 patients (12%). Conclusion and Relevance: This is the largest study of intravesicular cidofovir treatment of BKV HC reported to date; 88% of patients with BVK-HC achieved clinical improvement of symptoms with minimal side effects. Clinical trials of intravesicular cidofovir could provide further evidence for this treatment for BKV-HC.
A Pilot Study of a Culturally Tailored Lifestyle Intervention for Chinese American Cancer Survivors
Authors: Deng Furjen , Chen Danhong , Swartz Maria C. , Sun Helen
Published: December 2019

Although Asian Americans generally have the lowest cancer incidence rates and mortality rates, cancer is the leading cause of death among Asian Americans. The goal of this pilot study was to engage Chinese American cancer survivors (CACS) in systematic changes toward desired health behaviors through a healthy lifestyle intervention delivered by a community-based organization. The Reach out to ENhanceE Wellness (RENEW) program workbook was translated into Mandarin Chinese with additional physical activity (PA) and dietary information that are culturally appropriate (RENEW-C). Fifty-five Chinese cancer survivors were recruited from the greater Houston area to participate in this 50-week program and 50 of them completed both the baseline and postintervention surveys in 2013 and 2014, respectively. Paired sample t tests were used to assess changes in 5 groups of outcomes: (1) patient knowledge (measured by Health Education Impact Questionnaire [heiQ]), (2) dietary intake (Automated Self-Administered 24-Hour [ASA24] Dietary Assessment Tool), (3) PA (Community Healthy Activities Model Program for Seniors [CHAMPS]), (4) body mass index, and (5) quality of life (36-item Short-Form Survey [SF-36]). Compared with the baseline, participants reported significantly higher consumption of vegetables and higher frequency of PAs at the postintervention survey. They also showed improved mental health and lower limitation in doing their work or other activities due to physical health or emotional problems. Despite the small sample size, this pilot study demonstrated the effectiveness of using a community-based participatory approach in a healthy lifestyle intervention tailored for CACS.
Flexoelectric effect induced in an anisotropic bar with cubic symmetry under torsion
Authors: El Dhaba AR , Gabr ME
Published: December 2019

In this article, we study the flexoelectricity induced in a prismatic anisotropic bar due to torsion. The simplified strain gradient elasticity theory is considered in this study. The bar is uniform, that is, any cross-section of the bar has a rectangular shape with cubic internal structure symmetry. The traction and higher traction forces effect on the deflection and spontaneous polarization of the bar with different boundary conditions are also discussed. The induced wedge forces are also considered during this study. The magnesium oxide (MgO) physical quantities values are chosen to present a numerical example as one of the practical applications of the problem. The results are discussed and introduced graphically. The most interesting finding in this study is the wedge force directions. When the displacements inside the cross-section of the bar are uniformly distributed, the resultant wedge forces have the same inclination with the cross-section boundary. Meanwhile, if the displacement is not uniformly distributed, the wedge force inclinations with the cross-section boundary are not equal.
Endovascular Treatment of Tracheoinnominate Artery Fistula: A Case Report
Authors: Palchik Eugene , Bakken Andrew M. , Saad Nael , Saad Wael A. E. , Davies Mark G.
Published: December 2019

Tracheoinnominate fistula is a rare but lethal condition that requires emergent surgical intervention to prevent ensuing exsanguinating hemorrhage. In clinical situations where the risk of open surgery is prohibitively high, endovascular repair may provide a life-saving alternative to control hemorrhage and serve as a temporizing or definitive solution based on a given clinical scenario. The authors report successful endovascular repair of the bleeding tracheoinnominate fistula with a stent in a liver transplant patient with high comorbidities and review the current literature.
Double-Lumen Balloons, Are They Only Useful in Neurointerventions? Preliminary Outcomes of Double-Lumen Balloon-Assisted Embolization of Visceral Artery Aneurysms
Authors: Onal Yilmaz , Samanci Cesur , Cicek Esin Derin
Published: December 2019

Objectives:

This study aimed to assess the feasibility and results of double-lumen balloon-assisted embolization of visceral artery aneurysms (VAAs).

Methods:

Nine patients (mean age, 55.3 ± 10.8 years) diagnosed with VAA (superior mesenteric, n = 5; splenic, n = 2; renal, n = 2) and undergoing double-lumen balloon-assisted embolization were included in this study. Magnetic resonance angiogram (MRA) was used in the 6-month follow-up to assess the aneurysms and patency of the parent arteries.

Results:

All patients were successfully treated with no reports of morbidity or mortality. Residual filling of the aneurysm neck was detected in 2 patients at the end of the procedure, but those parts were found to be stable in the sixth-month MRA. In 1 patient with renal aneurysm, a stent had to be deployed using a double-lumen balloon catheter because of the prolapse of the coil into the main artery. In another patient with a very large-necked superior mesenteric artery aneurysm, additional coils could be used at the same time thanks to the double-lumen balloon as the coils were not stabilized enough during embolization with the microcatheter coils. Liquid embolic agent was also used in this patient from the same lumen because of the large diameter of the aneurysm.

Conclusions:

Double-lumen balloons, which are mostly used in neurointerventional procedures, can be efficiently used as in the treatment of VAAs due to their ability to deploy stent and perform coil-liquid embolization through 1 lumen.
Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Patterns Among Pregnant Women in New Mexico
Authors: Chalise Upasana , McDonald Jill A. , Amatya Anup , Morales Martha
Published: December 2019

Introduction:

Seasonal influenza vaccination is recommended for pregnant women, but half of the pregnant women in the United States remain unvaccinated. Vaccine coverage in U.S.–Mexico border states has not been examined in depth even though risk factors for low vaccine coverage exist in these states, especially in the counties bordering Mexico.

Method:

Using 2012-2014 New Mexico (NM) Pregnancy Risk Assessment and Monitoring System data, this study examined the weighted annual seasonal influenza vaccination rates and the relationship of various factors to vaccination among NM residents with a live birth during those years.

Results:

Among respondents, 53.8% were Hispanic, 15.7% were Native American, and 30.5% were non-Hispanic White. The vaccination rate in NM increased from 49.0% in 2012 to 64.8% in 2014. The adjusted odds of vaccination were higher among women whose health care provider recommended/offered vaccination during the year prior to delivery compared to women whose provider did not (AOR = 11.92, 95% confidence interval [CI: 9.86, 14.42]) and among those living in the U.S.–Mexico nonborder counties compared to those living in the border counties (AOR = 1.23, 95% CI [1.18, 1.25]).

Conclusion:

Efforts to increase the vaccination rate among pregnant women in border states should concentrate on health care providers and the highest risk women, such as those resident in the border region.
“How Can a Student with Severe Disabilities Be in a Fifth-Grade Class When He Can’t Do Fifth-Grade Level Work?” Misapplying the Least Restrictive Environment
Authors: Giangreco Michael F.
Published: December 2019

This article briefly responds to the following question: Why aren’t more students with severe disabilities being placed in general education classrooms? I offer five reasons why more students with severe disabilities are not included, because: (a) ableism persists, (b) schools continue to misapply the least restrictive environment provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in placement determinations, (c) too many team members have difficulty conceptualizing curricular inclusion, (d) some professionals pit placement against instruction as an “either/or” proposition, and (e) typical approaches to systems change leave behind students with severe disabilities. The article calls on the field to continue and speed the change process so that more students can benefit sooner from inclusive schooling.
Registered Nurses’ experiences with, and feelings and attitudes towards, the International Resident Assessment Instrument for Long-Term Care Facilities in New Zealand in 2017
Authors: Vuorinen Minna
Published: December 2019

Background

The International Resident Assessment Instrument for Long-Term Care Facilities (interRAI-LTCF) is a Web-based assessment tool designed to comprehensively assess older adults (≥65 years) living in aged residential care. In 2015 New Zealand was the first country where it was made mandatory nationwide.

Aims

The purpose of this study was to explore Registered Nurses’ (RNs’) experiences, feelings and attitudes towards interRAI-LTCF.

Methods

Twelve interviews were conducted 18 months after interRAI-LTCF became mandatory. The interview questions were based on a United Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology model. Findings were analysed thematically.

Results

The findings reveal that RNs of all ages embrace technology, and have mostly positive attitudes towards interRAI-LTCF. Limited value, however, is seen in dementia and end-of-life care. RNs reported good experiences with trainers and venues, but inconsistency between training courses. Negative feelings towards interRAI-LTCF were caused by insufficient time to complete assessments. RNs also feel apprehensive about the Assessment & Intelligence Systems, Inc. competency tests.

Conclusions

Overall RNs supported the use of interRAI-LTCF as a comprehensive assessment tool. Duplication in data entry, insufficient training, and the annual tests caused most stress and negative feelings. Recommendations were made to rectify issues.
The Holy of Holies: Pentecostal Spirituality and the Breaking of Bread
Authors: Black Jonathan
Published: December 2019

The Lord’s Supper is not widely considered a distinguishing mark of Pentecostal spirituality, and yet the Breaking of Bread has been at the very centre of British Pentecostal worship and devotion from the very beginnings of the movement. This article examines key features of Pentecostal eucharistic spirituality through a consideration of Pentecostal writing on the sacrament as well as the songs and practices of Pentecostal eucharistic worship. It is argued that a Pentecostal spirituality of the Supper rooted in meeting with the crucified and risen Christ in the Holy of Holies of the Lord’s Table encompasses the whole of the Christian life, by flowing out from the Breaking of Bread in contemplation, embodied response, cross-shaped speech, empowered mission, and holiness of life, and then drawing others back in to the Table to encounter the presence of Jesus in thanksgiving and joy.
National trends in the diagnosis and repair of SLAP lesions in the United States
Authors: Dougherty Mark C , Kulenkamp J Erik , Boyajian Haroutioun , Koh Jason L , Lee Michael J , Shi Lewis L
Published: December 2019

Background:

Since superior labrum anterior-to-posterior (SLAP) tear was introduced as an International Classification of Diseases-Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification diagnosis in 1994, awareness, diagnosis, and surgical treatment of this disorder has increased. Here, we aim to clarify trends in the frequency of SLAP tear diagnosis and arthroscopic SLAP repair surgery in the United States.

Methods:

Using private insurance claims from 2003 to 2013 in MarketScan (approximately 55 million Americans), we identified patients with SLAP tear diagnosis or arthroscopic SLAP repair surgery. Population-based rates of SLAP diagnosis and related shoulder procedures were calculated.

Results:

A total of 329,643 patients in the MarketScan database received a SLAP tear diagnosis. In all, 62.8% underwent some form of shoulder surgery after diagnosis. SLAP diagnosis increased from 28.0 per 100,000 in 2003 to 142.4 per 100,000 in 2013 ( p < 0.0001); the rate of shoulder surgery in these patients increased from 20.1 per 100,000 in 2003 to 74.1 per 100,000 in 2013 ( p < 0.0001). However, the percentage of patients with SLAP tears who got shoulder surgery decreased ( p < 0.0001). In 2003, almost no patient got biceps tenodesis for SLAP tears; by 2013, 18.1% of surgeries for SLAP tear were biceps tenodesis. Isolated arthroscopic SLAP repairs peaked in 2009 at 28.4 per 100,000 and stabilized thereafter.

Conclusion:

We confirmed prior reports that SLAP diagnosis increased from 2003 to 2013, although the percentage of these patients who underwent surgery decreased over this period. Arthroscopic SLAP repair doubled but then plateaued after 2009. Biceps tenodesis now accounts for a substantial portion of surgeries for SLAP tear. This may reflect an improved understanding of superior labrum anatomy and biomechanics.
Analysis of Non-Game Injuries in Major League Baseball
Authors: Esquivel Amanda , Freehill Michael T. , Curriero Frank C. , Rand Kevin L. , Conte Stan , Tedeschi Thomas , Lemos Stephen E.
Published: December 2019

Background:

Numerous studies have investigated injuries and treatments in the baseball athlete. The majority of these studies have focused on the throwing shoulder and elbow. However, more recent literature is reporting injuries to other regions in this cohort, including the knee, head, hip, and hamstring.

Purpose/Hypothesis:

The purpose of the current study was to determine the number and type of injuries in Major League Baseball (MLB) and Minor League Baseball (MiLB) players that do not occur during the actual game but are related to baseball participation. Our hypothesis was that there would be a substantial number of injuries that occurred in professional baseball players during non-game situations.

Study Design:

Descriptive epidemiological study.

Methods:

Deidentified, anonymous data were collected from the 2011 through 2016 seasons from the MLB Health and Injury Tracking System (HITS) medical record database. All injuries that were identified as a primary diagnosis and resulted in at least 1 day out of play from both MLB and MiLB were examined. Injuries were categorized as occurring during the game (“game” injuries) or not during the game. A “non-game” injury was defined as occurring at any time other than during the scheduled game from the first to last pitch.

Results:

There were 51,548 total injuries in MLB and MiLB players from 2011 to 2016, almost 40% of which were attributed to non–game-related injuries (n = 19,201; 37.2%). The remainder occurred during a game (n = 32,347; 62.8%). A significantly greater percentage of non-game injuries were season ending (10.8%) compared with the percentage of game-related season-ending injuries (8.4%) ( P < .0001). Pitchers had significantly more non–game-related injuries than game-related injuries ( P < .0001).

Conclusion:

A large number of injuries occur in professional baseball outside of actual games. MiLB players, specifically pitchers, are particularly at risk for these types of injuries. It is feasible that the overall injury rate in professional baseball players could be reduced by analyzing these injuries in more detail to develop prevention strategies.
Design of Split Hexagonal Patch Array Shaped Nano-metaabsorber with Ultra-wideband Absorption for Visible and UV Spectrum Application
Authors: Hoque Ahasanul , Islam Mohammad Tariqul , Almutairi Ali F. , Faruque Mohammad Rashed Iqbal
Published: December 2019

Solar energy is one of the ambient sources where energy can be scavenged easily without pollution. Intent scavenging by the solar cell to recollect energy requires a state-of-the-art technique to expedite energy absorption to electron flow for producing more electricity. Structures of the solar cell have been researched to improve absorption efficiency, though most of them can only efficiently absorb with narrow-angle tolerance and polarization sensitivity. So, there is a strong demand for broadband absorption with minimal polarization sensitivity absorber, which is required for effective solar energy harvesting. In this paper, we proposed a new Split Hexagonal Patch Array (SHPA) shape metamaterial absorber with Double-negative (DNG) characteristics, which will provide a wide absorption band with low polarization sensitivity for solar spectrum energy harvesting. The proposed new SHPA shape consists of six nano-arms with a single vertical split which with arrowhead symmetry. This arm will steer electromagnetic (EM) resonance to acquire absolute negative permittivity and permeability, ensuring DNG property. This DNG metamaterial features analyzed based on the photoconversion quantum method for maximum photon absorption. The symmetric characteristics of the proposed structure enable the absorber to show polarization insensitivity and wide incident angle absorption capabilities. Simulated SHPA shows a visible and ultraviolet (UV) spectrum electromagnetic wave absorption capacity of more than 95%. The quantum method gives an advantage in the conversion efficiency of the absorber, and the numerical analysis of the proposed SHPA structure provides absorbance quality for THz regime energy harvesting through solar cell or photonic application.
Efficient computation of stochastic cell-size transient dynamics
Authors: Nieto-Acuna Cesar Augusto , Vargas-Garcia Cesar Augusto , Singh Abhyudai , Pedraza Juan Manuel
Published: December 2019

Background

How small, fast-growing bacteria ensure tight cell-size distributions remains elusive. High-throughput measurement techniques have propelled efforts to build modeling tools that help to shed light on the relationships between cell size, growth and cycle progression. Most proposed models describe cell division as a discrete map between size at birth and size at division with stochastic fluctuations assumed. However, such models underestimate the role of cell size transient dynamics by excluding them.

Results

We propose an efficient approach for estimation of cell size transient dynamics. Our technique approximates the transient size distribution and statistical moment dynamics of exponential growing cells following an adder strategy with arbitrary precision.

Conclusions

We approximate, up to arbitrary precision, the distribution of division times and size across time for the adder strategy in rod-shaped bacteria cells. Our approach is able to compute statistical moments like mean size and its variance from such distributions efficiently, showing close match with numerical simulations. Additionally, we observed that these distributions have periodic properties. Our approach further might shed light on the mechanisms behind gene product homeostasis.
Old drug repositioning and new drug discovery through similarity learning from drug-target joint feature spaces
Authors: Zheng Yi , Peng Hui , Zhang Xiaocai , Zhao Zhixun , Gao Xiaoying , Li Jinyan
Published: December 2019

Background

Detection of new drug-target interactions by computational algorithms is of crucial value to both old drug repositioning and new drug discovery. Existing machine-learning methods rely only on experimentally validated drug-target interactions (i.e., positive samples) for the predictions. Their performance is severely impeded by the lack of reliable negative samples.

Results

We propose a method to construct highly-reliable negative samples for drug target prediction by a pairwise drug-target similarity measurement and OCSVM with a high-recall constraint. On one hand, we measure the pairwise similarity between every two drug-target interactions by combining the chemical similarity between their drugs and the Gene Ontology-based similarity between their targets. Then we calculate the accumulative similarity with all known drug-target interactions for each unobserved drug-target interaction. On the other hand, we obtain the signed distance from OCSVM learned from the known interactions with high recall (≥0.95) for each unobserved drug-target interaction. After normalizing all accumulative similarities and signed distances to the range [0,1], we compute the score for each unobserved drug-target interaction via averaging its accumulative similarity and signed distance. Unobserved interactions with lower scores are preferentially served as reliable negative samples for the classification algorithms. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated on the interaction data between 1094 drugs and 1556 target proteins. Extensive comparison experiments using four classical classifiers and one domain predictive method demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed method. A better decision boundary has been learned from the constructed reliable negative samples.

Conclusions

Proper construction of highly-reliable negative samples can help the classification models learn a clear decision boundary which contributes to the performance improvement.