bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Water Precautions on Otorrhea Incidence after Pediatric Tympanostomy Tube: Randomized Controlled Trial Evidence
Authors: Subtil Joao , Jardim Ana , Araujo João , Moreira Carla , Eça Tiago , McMillan Merlin , Simoes Dias Sara , Vera Cruz Paulo , Voegels Richard , Paço Joao , Rosenfeld Richard
Published: April 2019

Objectives

Tympanostomy with ventilation tube insertion is the most common otologic surgery. Many surgeons recommend water precautions, although its utility is questioned. We aimed to investigate if water precautions reduce the rate of otorrhea after transtympanic tube insertion.

Study Design

Multicenter randomized controlled trial.

Subjects and Methods

A total of 244 children aged 2 to 10 years undergoing their first set of Shepard tubes for otitis media with effusion and concomitant adenoidectomy were randomized to 2 groups: 1 with ear protection during water exposure (ear plugs and headbands, n = 130) and 1 without (n = 114). Bathing or swimming with unprotected ears was considered the exposure event and incidence of otorrhea, the primary outcome. Outcomes were assessed during the 6‐month follow‐up period.

Results

In the water precaution group, 32% had at least 1 episode of otorrhea as compared with 22% in the unprotected group, which was not statistically significant (P =. 09). Only 37% of the episodes of otorrhea in the protected group and 36% in the unprotected group had a temporal relation to water exposure (no difference, P =. 81). Respectively, 56% and 52% of the episodes of otorrhea were in the context of upper respiratory tract infection. Global quality of life improved significantly, irrespective of whether water protection was prescribed.

Conclusion

The incidence of otorrhea was not different with or without prescription of ear protection during water exposure among children with tympanostomy tubes, which supports current guideline recommendations that routine water precautions are unnecessary in this population.
The role of implied volatility in liquidity provision
Authors: Cahill Daniel , Fong Kingsley , Wee Marvin , Yang Joey Wenling
Published: April 2019

This article examines the informational volatility – the permanent component of volatility that is driven by information – and its effect on stock liquidity provision. Using option-implied volatility as a proxy for informational volatility, our results show it has a significant negative influence on liquidity provision prior to earnings announcement even after controlling for trade-related market conditions. We find the effect of informational volatility only exists on the bid-side but not the ask-side of the order book. Further analysis suggests that the information contained in implied volatility concerns the future uncertainty of the underlying stock.

JEL Classification: G12, G14, G30
Clean Bus Technologies and the Cost-Effectiveness of Emissions Reductions in Latin America
Authors: Pérez-Prada Fiamma , Alves Bianca Bianchi , Sethi Kavita , Barrés Diego Puga , Qiu Yin
Published: April 2019

The transport sector in Latin America accounts for over one-third of CO2 emissions. Shifting passengers from private vehicles to high capacity public transit has been identified as critical to relieve congestion and decarbonize transport, and switching to cleaner bus technologies can provide additional benefits in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions while reducing noise and air pollution. The uptake of clean bus technologies in Latin America and the Caribbean is slower than in China, Europe, and the U.S.A. This paper focuses on deepening understanding of the financial barriers to adopting clean bus technologies by developing a cost-effectiveness analysis that (i) assesses the marginal cost of reducing an additional ton of CO2 when switching from diesel buses to clean bus options and (ii) identifies the main drivers that determine this cost. The methodology has been applied to Santiago, the capital city of Chile, and results show that, given the current context, compressed natural gas is not a cost-efficient option for this city, while both hybrid electric and electric buses are already a cost-efficient option to mitigate climate change.
Practical Method to Simulate Multiple Discrete-Continuous Generalized Extreme Value Model: Application to Examine Substitution Patterns of Household Transportation Expenditures
Authors: Ma Jie , Ye Xin , Pinjari Abdul Rawoof
Published: April 2019

The multiple discrete-continuous generalized extreme value (MDCGEV) model has been derived from multivariate extreme value (MEV)-based stochastic specifications to relax the independence assumption in the multiple discrete-continuous extreme value (MDCEV) model. It is analogous to the situation where a generalized extreme value (GEV) model relaxes the same assumption in a multinomial logit (MNL) model. However, unlike the case of single discrete choice model where substitution patterns can be understood based on elasticity expressions for a change in the value of an explanatory variable, the MDCEV and its variants do not offer closed-form elasticity expressions. The predictions must be compared explicitly under the base case and policy case scenarios. To perform a prediction exercise with MDCEV or its variants, random samples have to be drawn from the relevant stochastic distributions, which is actually not a straightforward task. In this paper, a practical method is proposed for drawing from an MEV distribution and the method is demonstrated to examine substitution patterns in an MDCGEV model for household transportation expenditures. The empirical results show that the cross-elasticities of explanatory variables in the MDCGEV model exhibit more variations than those in MDCEV and multiple discrete-continuous nested extreme value (MDCNEV) models.
The Quest for Creative Industries: A Multilevel National Study of the Impacts of Urban Form on the Geography of Creative Industries
Authors: Granpayehvaghei Tahereh , Bonakdar Ahmad , Zandiatashbar Ahoura , Hamidi Shima
Published: April 2019

Creative industries have gained increasing attention in light of the cultural economy as viable magnets for local and regional economic development. Policy makers thus would benefit from attracting creative industries as potential economic boosters. However, it is hard to target such catalyst industries without better knowledge of the urban form conditions that may influence the location preference of these industries; do creative industries favor compact, pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods with transit accessibility to employment? This paper, as one of the first national studies, answers this question using a multilevel modeling approach to control for the socioeconomic and built environment characteristics at both local and regional levels. Factor analysis is used to define a Creative Score, which captures the geography of creative industries using the number of creative firms, employment, the percentage of creative firms, and a creative employment location quotient. The compactness/sprawl index is used at both census tract and metropolitan levels as a proxy for urban form. Accounting for the socioeconomic factors, the findings suggest that, at the neighborhood level, the compactness index is significantly and positively associated with the Creative Score. Every 10% increase in compactness score results in a 0.3% increase in Creative Score at the census tract level. This is partly because compact neighborhoods provide creative industries with a stronger consumer base as a reliable source of development. Compact urban form also serves agglomeration economies by facilitating knowledge exchange, reducing travel time and costs, and giving greater accessibility to destinations by transit.
“A Rape Is a Rape, Regardless of What the Victim Was Doing at the Time”: Detective Views on How “Problematic” Victims Affect Sexual Assault Case Processing
Authors: O’Neal Eryn Nicole , Hayes Brittany E.
Published: April 2019

Research finds that “problematic” victim behaviors—for example, alcohol consumption—influence sexual assault case outcomes. Questions remain, however, regarding officer perceptions of what constitutes a problematic victim and how these victims complicate case processing. Indeed, most case processing research has relied on quantitative methods and inquiry into officer attitudes has primarily relied on the use of vignettes. Using data from in-depth interviews with 52 Los Angeles Police Department sex crimes detectives, we examine attitudes toward problematic victims. Overall, we aim to determine whether rape culture beliefs and efforts to operate in a “downstream orientation” influence detective views regarding victims who have been deemed problematic.
Separate Sunday School for Some Children with Special Needs: A Teaching Model
Authors: McLurkin Carol T.
Published: April 2019

A qualitative study was conducted to explore the lived experiences of parents of children with special needs who had a desire for their children to learn about Jesus in a separate Sunday school classroom but did not have a church home. Twenty-one separate Sunday school classes for children with special needs were taught and observed. The ten parents of children with disorders were asked questions to explore their perceptions of spiritual needs and concerns regarding their children.
Exploring health-care providers’ experiences in the care of clients on opioid agonist treatment in two western Canadian clinics
Authors: Maina Geoffrey , Tahir Hira , Docabo Angelica , Kahia Nyambura , Brunelle Caroline
Published: April 2019

Introduction

Prescribing methadone as part of opioid agonist therapy is a common treatment approach to manage opioid use disorder. Unfortunately, many clients prematurely discontinue opioid agonist therapy because of restrictions attached to the therapy.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to explore health-care provider experiences as they worked with clients on opioid agonist therapy in a western Canadian city.

Methods

In this descriptive, qualitative study, we interviewed 18 health-care providers working in an opioid agonist therapy setting. The focus of the interviews was on the organization of opioid agonist therapy care at their clinic, their personal experiences and challenges faced when providing care to their clients. Interviews were recorded electronically and transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis was completed using NVIVO software.

Results

The following three themes emerged from the data relate to the care organization and health care provider (HCP)-clients dynamics. These are: (1) fragmentation of care for a complex problem, (2) enforcing compliance to treatment, and (3) the importance of a therapeutic alliance to improve overall care.

Conclusion

The opioid agonist therapy model is biocentric and emphasizes abstinence which can create tension between providers and clients. Making the model of care more patient centred might help to improve client retention rates and successful treatment outcomes.
Targeted pharmacokinetics of polymeric micelles modified with glycyrrhetinic acid and hydrazone bond in H22 tumor-bearing mice
Authors: Zheng Yan , Shi Shudan , Liu Yaru , Zhao Yandan , Sun Yuqi
Published: April 2019

Liver cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors. Chemotherapy drugs have been widely used in the anti-hepatoma research. However, low targeting efficiency and serious adverse reaction are their main drawbacks. Liver tumor was proved to have a slightly acidic microenvironment (pH 4.5–5.5) and many glycyrrhetinic-acid-specific binding sites. Therefore, in the present study, the glycyrrhetinic acid- and hydrazone bond-modified micelles were designed. mPEG-HZ-PLA and GA-PEG-PLA copolymer were synthesized to prepare glycyrrhetinic-acid-modified pH-sensitive polymeric micelles (GA-PEG-HZ-PLA). The targeted pharmacokinetics was used to evaluate the effect in hepatoma 22 tumor-bearing mice after the micelles were administered intravenously. The contents of coumarin-6 in blood and tissues were determined through high-performance liquid chromatography using a fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD) with coumarin-30 as inner standard. The micelles have shown long-circulation effects and two-department models. In the targeting pharmacokinetics, the relative intake efficiency, targeted efficiency, relative targeting efficiency, and concentration ratio of GA-PEG-HZ-PLA in the tumor were 3.24, 4.04, 3.00, and 2.47, respectively. We have demonstrated that GA-PEG-HZ-PLA was more effectively accumulated in the liver and tumor. Thus, the prepared active-targeted and pH-sensitive micelles modified with glycyrrhetinic acid structure and hydrazone bond are promising tools for effective liver cancer therapy.
Retention Incentives: An Emerging Strategy in Today’s Tax-Exempt Organization
Authors: Dixon William E. , Flannery Thomas P.
Published: April 2019

Mergers and acquisitions have become a regular activity in health care. Ensuring executive continuity is a prime issue especially given the number of proposed transactions that do not reach completion. For those transactions that are successful, retention arrangements are implemented to promote leadership stability by mitigating both organizational and personal risk. We provide an analysis of these arrangements and market practice.
Fathers’ Involvement in Their Wives’/Partners’ Breastfeeding: A Descriptive Correlational Study
Authors: Leng Regina Ng Wan , Shorey Shefaly , Yin Sharon Lee Kit , Chan Cynthia Pang Pui , He Hong-Gu
Published: April 2019

Background:

Fathers’ involvement has been identified as a significant predictor in maternal breastfeeding outcomes. Its benefits have been well-documented, but limited studies have examined its influencing factors.

Research aim:

To investigate factors influencing fathers’ involvement in their partners’ breastfeeding.

Methods:

A descriptive correlational design was used. Data were collected from 151 fathers from four obstetrics wards of a public hospital in Singapore from October 2016 to December 2016. Self-administered questionnaires were used to examine factors such as fathers’ knowledge and involvement in breastfeeding, attitudes towards breastfeeding, and perceived improvements of knowledge and attitudes for fathers’ involvement in breastfeeding on the discharge day of their partners’ and 2 weeks post-birth. Data were analyzed using IBMSPSS24.0.

Results:

Fathers’ involvement in their partners’ breastfeeding yielded a moderate to high mean score. The multiple linear regression analysis showed that five independent factors significantly influenced fathers’ involvement in their partners’ breastfeeding: (1) perceived approval of family members and friends in fathers’ breastfeeding involvement; (2) knowledge regarding breastfeeding and their involvement; (3) perceived behavioral control for fathers’ breastfeeding involvement; (4)marital relationship; and (5) perceived improvements of knowledge and attitudes 2 weeks post-birth.

Conclusions:

The study provided evidence on the significant factors that influenced fathers’ involvement in their partners’ breastfeeding, which can be used to guide healthcare professionals when providing appropriate support to facilitate fathers’ involvement. Future studies should continue to evaluate fathers’ involvement in breastfeeding longitudinally so that relevant support can be rendered.
A Validation Study of the Chinese Version of the Mini-Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination for Screening Mild Cognitive Impairment and Mild Dementia
Authors: Yang Lili , Li Xiaojia , Yin Jia , Yu Nengwei , Liu Jie , Ye Fang
Published: April 2019

Background/Aims:

There are limited cognitive screening tests for the Chinese-speaking population. This study aimed to validate the Chinese version of the Mini-Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination (M-ACE) for detecting mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and mild dementia. Its diagnostic accuracy was compared with that of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). The study also evaluated the influential factors of M-ACE scores and its convergent validity against Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR) and MMSE.

Method:

One hundred sixty-nine participants were classified into 3 groups: mild dementia, MCI, and healthy control. Mini-Mental State Examination and M-ACE were administered by researchers who were blinded to the clinical grouping. Receiver operating characteristic curves were graphed to test the diagnostic accuracy.

Results:

Mini-Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination scores had good convergent validity against CDR and MMSE. Years of education ( r = 0.4, P < .001) yielded significant impacts on M-ACE scores. The optimal cutoff score of M-ACE to detect MCI was 25/26 (sensitivity = 0.88; specificity = 0.72) with an area under curve (AUC) significantly higher than MMSE (0.86 vs 0.72). The optimal cutoff score of M-ACE to screen mild dementia (21/22) yielded satisfactory sensitivity (0.96) and specificity (0.87) with a comparable AUC to MMSE (0.96 vs 0.94).

Conclusions:

Mini-Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination was a brief and reliable tool to detect MCI and mild dementia in the Chinese-speaking population significantly superior to MMSE when detecting MCI.
Graphene-reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane nanocomposites: A simulation and experimental study
Authors: Talapatra Animesh , Datta Debasis
Published: April 2019

Multiscale modelling and simulations, based on molecular dynamics (MD) and object-oriented finite element method (OOFEM), are two important simulation tools to predict property enhancement of polymer nanocomposites for designing armor-type components in requisite applications. In this study, MD simulation software (Materials Studio) is used to develop 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4% (by weight) single-layer graphene (SLGR)-reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) nanocomposites to find out their mechanical properties (mainly elastic moduli and Poisson’s ratio) using constant strain method. OOFEM simulation software (OOF2) is used for mechanical characterization of 0.5%, 3%, and 4% (by weight) SLGR-reinforced TPU nanocomposites from scanning electron microscopy–generated microstructures. Properties obtained from both the simulations are compared with experimental results to know the nanoreinforcement effect in atomic level as well as in microlevel in the nanocomposites. It is observed that the results based on OOF2 simulation are closer to the experimental results compared with the results obtained from MD simulation in this multiscale modelling and simulation study.
Diffuse Alveolar Hemorrhage Following Pirfenidone Initiation
Authors: Dull Stacey K. , Jagan Nikhil , Moore Douglas R. , DePew Zachary S. , Morrow Lee E. , Malesker Mark A.
Published: April 2019

Introduction

Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) is bleeding into the alveolar space of the lungs. Pirfenidone is an antifibrotic agent that is approved for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The most commonly reported side effects include gastrointestinal and skin-related events. We present 3 cases of hemoptysis and DAH among patients on pirfenidone therapy for IPF.

Case Summaries

An 88-year-old female, a 75-year-old male, and a 73-year-old male all with IPF on pirfenidone presented with hemoptysis and chest computed tomography (CT) findings of usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) with superimposed opacities. In 2 patients, DAH was confirmed with bronchoscopy. Corticosteroids were initiated and pirfenidone discontinued in all patients, and 2 patients improved while the third continued to deteriorate. Nintedanib was initiated in the remaining 2 patients at follow-up visit with no further issues.

Discussion

IPF is a chronic, progressive, fibrotic interstitial lung disease (ILD) which appears to be increasing in the United States and has a relatively short survival. Nintedanib and pirfenidone were the first Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved agents for the treatment of IPF in October 2014. We present 3 cases of DAH in patients with IPF receiving pirfenidone. Symptoms occurred within 2 months of pirfenidone initiation and resolved with discontinuation of pirfenidone and initiation of systemic corticosteroids in 2 patients; however, one case was complicated by concomitant discontinuation of aspirin. The mechanism by which DAH occurred in our patients remains unclear.

Conclusion

We report the first cases of possible pirfenidone-induced DAH. Further studies are warranted to explore this reaction, but prescribers should be cognizant of this potential issue when choosing to prescribe pirfenidone.
Investigations on the tooth root bending strength and the fatigue fracture characteristics of case-carburized and shot-peened gears of different sizes
Authors: Winkler KJ , Schurer S , Tobie T , Stahl K
Published: April 2019

This paper contains data of the research project FVA 293 III by Schurer et al. and investigates the tooth root bending strength and the fatigue fracture characteristics of case-carburized and shot-peened gears of different sizes. The investigated carburized and shot-peened gears are made out of high-purity steel batches of the materials 20MnCr5 and 18CrNiMo7-6. Three different gear sizes with the normal modules mn = 1.5, 5, and 10 mm are examined in pulsator test rigs. Additionally, gear running tests in the FZG back-to-back gear test rigs for the gear size mn = 1.5 are performed.
Semi-analytical range and endurance computation of battery-powered multi-copter unmanned aerial systems under steady wind conditions
Authors: Godbole Ameya , Subbarao Kamesh , Dogan Atilla , Huff Brian
Published: April 2019

The range and endurance of an unmanned aerial system operating nominally in an outdoor environment depends upon the available power and environmental factors like the magnitude and direction of the prevailing wind. This paper focuses on the development of semi-analytical approaches to computing the range and endurance of battery-powered multi-copter unmanned aerial system under varying wind conditions. The analytically derived range is verified against a comprehensive unmanned aerial system simulation which includes experimentally validated elements such as the propulsion system and electric power consumption modules. It is shown that the analytical approach yields the range maps in close agreement with the simulation results.
Differentiate to Regulate: Low Negative Emotion Differentiation Is Associated With Ineffective Use but Not Selection of Emotion-Regulation Strategies
Authors: Kalokerinos Elise K. , Erbas Yasemin , Ceulemans Eva , Kuppens Peter
Published: April 2019

Emotion differentiation, which involves experiencing and labeling emotions in a granular way, has been linked with well-being. It has been theorized that differentiating between emotions facilitates effective emotion regulation, but this link has yet to be comprehensively tested. In two experience-sampling studies, we examined how negative emotion differentiation was related to (a) the selection of emotion-regulation strategies and (b) the effectiveness of these strategies in downregulating negative emotion ( Ns = 200 and 101 participants and 34,660 and 6,282 measurements, respectively). Unexpectedly, we found few relationships between differentiation and the selection of putatively adaptive or maladaptive strategies. Instead, we found interactions between differentiation and strategies in predicting negative emotion. Among low differentiators, all strategies (Study 1) and four of six strategies (Study 2) were more strongly associated with increased negative emotion than they were among high differentiators. This suggests that low differentiation may hinder successful emotion regulation, which in turn supports the idea that effective regulation may underlie differentiation benefits.
Developmental Screening of Children of Migrant Construction Workers in Mumbai
Authors: Pispati Vrishali , Africawala Asmita Naik , Varghese Shiny
Published: April 2019

Development of each child is unique to themselves after birth. Socio-cultural factors, parenting behaviour and childhood nutrition are known to influence development during early childhood years. This study aimed to assess whether the development of children of migrant construction workers attending Mumbai Mobile Creches daycare centres was on track and to identify children with a risk of developmental delay. Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) psychosocial screening test was used to screen 792 children. The test measures abilities in five areas of development, namely gross motor, vision and fine motor, hearing language and concept development and social skills and personal skills. Results indicated that 91 per cent children attained developmental milestones in time. Younger children were found to be more prone to developmental delay. The findings of this study emphasize the need for regular developmental assessment of migrant children and the need for early intervention when any delay is identified.
Relative Performance Versus Market Share Delegation in a Vertically Related Market
Authors: Wang Leonard F. S.
Published: April 2019

This article, considering relative performance vs. market share delegation in a vertically related market, shows how the order of firms’ move and the type of delegation contract would affect the input-pricing decision of the upstream monopolist and examines which delegation contract is a dominant strategy for downstream firms. The major finding is that having considered input-price commitment and delegation decision together, input price–delegation–quantity competition order coupled with relative performance delegation is the dominant strategy for downstream rivals in a vertically related market.

JEL: D21, D43, L13, L21
Triage accuracy of online symptom checkers for Accident and Emergency Department patients
Authors: Yu Stephanie Wing Yin , Ma Andre , Tsang Vivian Hiu Man , Chung Lulu Suet Wing , Leung Siu-Chung , Leung Ling-Pong
Published: April 2019

Background:

Overutilisation of the Accident and Emergency Department is an increasingly serious healthcare challenge. Online symptom checkers could help alleviate this challenge by allowing patients to self-triage before visiting the Accident and Emergency Department.

Objectives:

This study aimed to assess the triage accuracy of online symptom checkers, which would help determine the potential roles of symptom checkers in an Accident and Emergency Department setting.

Methods:

A total of 100 random Accident and Emergency Department records were sampled from the Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong. The inclusion criteria were patients over the age of 18 attending the Queen Mary Hospital Accident and Emergency Department in 2016. Symptom checkers by Drugs.com and FamilyDoctor were selected as representative tools. One triage recommendation was generated by each symptom checker for each case record. Each symptom checker’s triage accuracy was then evaluated using a few outcome measures: overall sensitivity, sensitivity for emergency cases and specificity for non-emergency cases, when compared with the triage categories assigned by the triage nurses.

Results:

The results showed that Drugs.com had a higher overall triage accuracy than FamilyDoctor (74% and 50%, respectively), but both checkers are inadequately sensitive to emergency cases (70% and 45%, respectively) with low negative predictive values (43% and 24%, respectively).

Conclusion:

In their current states, symptom checkers are not yet suitable as alternatives to Accident and Emergency Department triage protocols due to their low overall sensitivities and negative predictive values. However, symptom checkers might serve as useful Accident and Emergency Department adjuncts in other ways, such as to provide more information prior to a patient’s arrival to streamline the triage and preparation process at the Accident and Emergency Department.
Polyvinylidene fluoride modal sensor design for elastically restrained beams resting on general non-uniform foundation
Authors: Chen Qi , Du Jingtao
Published: April 2019

In this article, a unified solution of polyvinylidene fluoride modal sensor design for elastically restrained beams resting on general non-uniform foundation is proposed using an improved Fourier series method. Modal sensor shape is determined from the charge output equation of polyvinylidene fluoride film and the superposition of the second-order derivative of beam mode shape. With the aim to make the spatial differentials of various order sufficiently continuous in the interval [0, L], Fourier series with auxiliary boundary-smoothed terms are employed to construct the displacement expression. Energy formulation is utilized for system dynamic description, with all the unknown expansion coefficients solved in conjunction with Rayleigh–Ritz procedure. The proposed model is validated through the comparison of modal parameters of simply supported beam resting on elastic foundation with those available in literature. Correctness and effectiveness of the designed polyvinylidene fluoride modal sensor are verified by calculating the modal sensitivity coefficients and the charge output frequency response under external excitation. Based on the model established, the perturbation of practical boundary restraining stiffness on sensing accuracy of such polyvinylidene fluoride sensor is studied, and the influences of boundary condition on polyvinylidene fluoride modal sensor design are investigated for the beam structure resting on general non-uniform foundation.
The Birth Prevalence of Cleft Lip and/or Cleft Palate After the 2011 Tōhoku Earthquake and Tsunami
Authors: Imai Yoshimichi , Sanada Takehiko , Tachi Masahiro
Published: April 2019

Objective:

This study examined whether the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami affected the birth prevalence of cleft lip and/or cleft palate (CL/P) in Miyagi Prefecture, where the earthquake and tsunami caused severe damage.

Design:

This was a retrospective cohort study.

Setting:

The study was conducted at university and children’s hospitals in Miyagi Prefecture.

Participants:

The annual and monthly numbers of infants born with CL/P were obtained from medical records. The affected period of birth was defined as 1 year from December 1, 2011, to November 30, 2012. The control period was 5 years from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2010. The annual and monthly numbers of births in Miyagi Prefecture were obtained using e-Stat, which is a portal for Japanese government statistics.

Main Outcome Measures:

Main outcome measures were birth prevalence of CL/P during the control and affected periods.

Results:

There were no significant differences between the control and affected periods in the prevalence (per 10 000 live births) of cleft lip with or without palate (13.8 vs 16.7; P = .342), isolated cleft palate (5.2 vs 3.2; P = .267), or overall CL/P (19.0 vs 19.9; P = .799).

Conclusions:

We did not observe that the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami affected the birth prevalence of CL/P in Miyagi Prefecture, even though it severely impacted human health in the area.
HPG-HMapper: A DNA hydroxymethylation analysis tool
Authors: González César , Pérez Mariano , Orduña Juan M , Chaves Javier , García Ana-Bárbara
Published: April 2019

DNA methylation (mC) and hydroxymethylation (hmC) can significantly affect the normal human development, as well as health and disease status. hmC studies require not only specific treatment of DNA, but also software tools for their analysis. However, there are no software tools capable of analyzing DNA hmC currently. In this article, we propose HPG-HMapper, a parallel software tool for analyzing the DNA hmC data obtained by ten-eleven translocation–assisted bisulfite sequencing. This tool takes as input data the output files of mC aligner tools, and it yields mC maps and the accounting of methylated and hydroxymethylated bases on each chromosome. The design of this tool includes the consideration of different approaches, one of them based on binary trees and the other one based on bit arrays. The performance evaluation results show that a hybrid implementation is the most efficient option, allowing fast read and update operations while keeping a small memory footprint.
Dual tree traversal on integrated GPUs for astrophysical N-body simulations
Authors: Fortin Pierre , Touche Maxime
Published: April 2019

In astrophysical N-body simulations, O( N) fast multipole methods (FMMs) with dual tree traversal (DTT) on multi-core CPUs are faster than O( N log N) CPU tree-codes but can still be outperformed by GPU ones. In this article, we aim at combining the best algorithm, namely FMM with DTT, with the most powerful hardware currently available, namely GPUs. In the astrophysical context requiring low accuracies and non-uniform particle distributions, we show that such combination can be achieved thanks to a hybrid CPU-GPU algorithm on integrated GPUs: while the DTT is performed on the CPU cores, the far- and near-field computations are all performed on the GPU cores. We show how to efficiently expose the interactions resulting from the DTT to the GPU cores, how to deploy both the far- and near-field computations on GPU, and how to overlap the parallel DTT on CPU with GPU computations. Based on the falcON code and using OpenCL on AMD Accelerated Processing Units and on Intel integrated GPUs, this first heterogeneous deployment of DTT for FMM outperforms standard multi-core CPUs and matches GPU and high-end CPU performance, being hence more cost- and power-efficient.
Venous thromboprophylaxis after total hip arthroplasty: aspirin, warfarin, enoxaparin, or factor Xa inhibitors?
Authors: Bala Abiram , Murasko Marlon J , Burk David R , Huddleston James I , Goodman Stuart B , Maloney William J , Amanatullah Derek F
Published: April 2019

Introduction:

Debate over the ideal agent for venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis after total hip arthroplasty (THA) has led to changes in prescribing trends of commonly used agents. We investigate variation in utilisation and the differences in VTE incidence and bleeding risk in primary THA after administration of aspirin, warfarin, enoxaparin, or factor Xa inhibitors.

Methods:

8829 patients were age/sex matched from a large database of primary THAs performed between 2007 and 2016. Utilisation was calculated using compound annual growth rate. Incidence of postoperative deep venous thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), bleeding-related complications, postoperative anaemia, and transfusion were identified at 2 weeks, 30 days, 6 weeks, and 90 days.

Results:

Aspirin use increased by 33%, enoxaparin by 7%, and factor Xa inhibitors by 31%. Warfarin use decreased by 1%. Factor Xa inhibitors (1.7%) and aspirin (1.7%) had the lowest incidence of DVT followed by enoxaparin (2.6%), and warfarin (3.7%) at 90 days. Factor Xa inhibitors (12%) and aspirin (12%) had the lowest incidence of blood transfusion followed by warfarin (15%) and enoxaparin (17%) at 90 days. There was no difference in incidence of blood transfusion or bleeding-related complications nor any detectable difference in symptomatic PE incidence.

Conclusions:

The utilisation of aspirin and factor Xa inhibitors increased over time. Aspirin and factor Xa inhibitors provided improved DVT prophylaxis with lower rates of postoperative anaemia compared to enoxaparin and warfarin.
Is prophylaxis for heterotopic ossification with radiation therapy after THR associated with early loosening or carcinogenesis?
Authors: Pakos Emilios E , Papadopoulos Dimitrios V , Gelalis Ioannis D , Tsantes Andreas G , Gkiatas Ioannis , Kosmas Dimitrios , Tsekeris Pericles G , Xenakis Theodoros A
Published: April 2019

Introduction:

Heterotopic ossification may develop after major hip surgeries, thus preventive strategies including radiation therapy and non steroid anti-inflammatory drugs are commonly employed. There are certain concerns regarding the effects of radiation therapy on implant loosening and carcinogenesis. Our study aims to evaluate whether radiation therapy results in implant loosening or radiation-induced tumours in the long term.

Patients and methods:

This was a prospective study including 97 high-risk patients for heterotopic ossification who underwent total hip arthroplasty. Patients were divided into 2 groups and received either a combination of radiation therapy and indomethacin (Group A), or indomethacin alone (Group B). Evaluated outcomes included implant loosening or development of radiation-induced tumours during the follow-up period.

Results:

The follow-up period of the study was 10 years. Group A consisted of 50 patients, while Group B consisted of 47 patients. 3 patients died during the follow-up. There were 2 cases of implant loosening, 1 from each of the 2 groups at 9 and 10 years after surgery respectively; thus, no statistically significant difference regarding implant loosening was found ( p < 0.05). During the follow-up period no cases of radiation-induced tumours were identified.

Conclusion:

Our results are consistent with those of other studies supporting the safety of radiation therapy as a preventive strategy for heterotopic ossification following major surgeries in high risk patients. Further studies with even longer follow-up may be required to definitely exclude the possibility of adverse outcomes linked with radiation therapy.
Pancreas-preserving duodenal resection, hepaticojejunostomy, and inferior vena cava repair for complex penetrating trauma
Authors: Balachandran Gayatri , Bharathy Kishore GS , Khuller Somyaa , Kumar Manoj , Sikora Sadiq S
Published: April 2019

Injury of the pancreaticoduodenal complex near the ampulla poses challenges for intra-operative decision making in an emergency setting. We present a rare case of penetrating abdominal trauma which resulted in injury to the second part of duodenum, intra-pancreatic common bile duct, and inferior vena cava. Inferior vena cava repair, pancreas sparing duodenal resection, Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy, and gastrojejunostomy were performed with good postoperative outcomes. Technical aspects of the procedure and nuances in decision making are discussed along with relevant literature.
Motion and e-motion: lust and the ‘frenzy of the visible’
Authors: Williams Linda
Published: April 2019

How and why did pornography become the lust-inducing genre we are familiar with today? Why did it narrow its once wide purpose of social critique to only producing sexual arousal and satisfaction? While many scholars have assumed that an encroaching realism of both media and subject matter have brought about this familiarity, this article follows the work of Jonathan Crary to suggest that one overlooked factor might be an important change that took place in the very regime of the visible over the course of the 19th century. During this period a distanced, centered and contemplative geometrical perspective gave way to a bewildering array of subjective, physiological bodily effects and sensations produced within the bodies of observers. In approaching this question from the perspective of the early 21st century and taking account of models of both rupture and continuity, it becomes possible to understand moving-image pornography as a genre whose primary emotion was lust.
Roundtable on Visuality, Race and Nationhood in Italy
Authors: Burdett Charles , Ferrini Alessandra , Giuliani Gaia , Griffini Marianna , Luijnenburg Linde , Mancosu Gianmarco
Published: April 2019

This Roundtable on Visuality, Race and Nationhood in Italy brings together scholars from the arts, humanities and social sciences to discuss historical constructions of Italian whiteness and national identity in relation to the current xenophobic discourse on race and migration, stressing their rootedness in as yet unchallenged modern notions of scientific racism. Building on postcolonial historian and anthropologist Ann Laura Stoler’s definition of the colonial archive as a ‘site of knowledge production’ and a ‘repository of codified beliefs’ in Along the Archival Grain: Epistemic Anxieties and Colonial Common Sense (2009: 97), the discussants conceive the archive as a multi-layered, collective repository of aspiration, dominance, desire, self-aggrandizement and fear through which the development of society’s self-image can be revealed but also – through a systematic and critical approach to the (visual) archive of coloniality – contested. Based on the analysis of visual cultures (photographs, news footage, advertisements, propaganda, fiction film, etc.) the Roundtable addresses and connects wide-ranging issues such as: the gaze from above and below in colonial-era ethnographic film; the depiction of migration in the Far Right’s rhetoric; representations of fears and fetishisms towards Others in Federico Fellini’s work; and the exploitation of the colonial past in the Italy–Libya Bilateral Agreements on migration. The Roundtable was organized in response to the surge in xenophobic violence sparked by the Italian Parliamentary elections of March 2018 and to mark the publication of Gaia Giuliani’s monograph Race, Nation, and Gender in Modern Italy: Intersectional Representations in Visual Culture (2018).
Sensor placement optimization on complex and large metallic and composite structures
Authors: Ismail Zainab , Mustapha Samir , Fakih Mohammad Ali , Tarhini Hussein
Published: April 2019

This study presents an effective solution for the optimization of piezoelectric (PZT) wafer placement in a network of convex and non-convex structures, toward the application in the field of structural health monitoring. The proposed objective function is to maximize the coverage of the monitored area, discretized by a set of control points, while minimizing the number of PZT wafers. In the optimum solution, each control point should be covered by a user-defined number of sensing paths, defined as the coverage level. The PZT locations were treated as continuous variables. Thus, during the optimization process, any location on the plate is considered as a potential position for a PZT wafer. The algorithm provides the flexibility of changing a wide range of parameters including the number of PZT wafers, the distance covered around the sensing path, the required coverage level, and the number of control points, in addition to identifying the most sensitive PZT wafer within the network. The tractability of the model proposed was improved by feeding the solver an initial solution. The model calculates the importance of each PZT wafer within the network, which allows for further reduction in the number of active PZT elements. The suggested model was solved using a genetic algorithm. Multiple sensor network configurations on composite and metallic structures were selected, including a large cargo door of an A330 airplane, and validated experimentally. The experimental validation was to evaluate the accuracy in damage localization within the optimized sensor networks. The results demonstrated the proficiency of the model developed in distributing the PZT wafers on non-convex structures and large metallic structures.
What does it take to motivate inmates to participate in prison education? An exploratory study in a Greek prison
Authors: Panitsides Eugenia A , Moussiou Ekaterini
Published: April 2019

Why do inmates participate in educational activities? Is it for the main reasons that individuals belonging to general population do, or do the reasons differ significantly? The present study sought to determine the motives that drive adult prisoners to take part in educational programmes offered in prison. The study took part in Korydallos prison, Greece, with a sample of 72 male prisoners. The results, in alignment with previous research, indicated that escapism from the prison environment and doing something useful that may also contribute to sentence reduction are among the primary factors that guide inmates’ participation in educational programmes. Yet, ‘learning for the sake of learning’ was also identified as a strong motivator (second factor). It also appeared that motivation is largely informed by personal and situational factors, based on identifying differences according to offenders’ educational and professional background. Our findings bear significant implications for the future design and implementation of prison education programmes. However, there are substantial limitations to the present study, calling for further investigation to avoid linear simplifications.
Investigation of thermoregulation properties of various ceramic-containing knitted fabric structures
Authors: Stygienė Laimutė , Varnaitė-Žuravliova Sandra , Abraitienė Aušra , Krauledas Sigitas , Baltušnikaitė-Guzaitienė Julija , Padleckienė Ingrida
Published: April 2019

To ensure the thermal comfort during high physical activity, clothes must have good thermoregulation properties. Textiles containing ceramic additives, which are able to absorb and emit back the thermal energy from the human body, can be used to improve the thermal properties of the fabric. The aim of the research was to investigate the thermal and moisture management properties of different, three-layer knitted fabrics containing fibers impregnated with infrared-emitting ceramic particles. The thermal efficiency of the manufactured knits was characterised by the dynamics of accumulated/released heat generated by infrared rays and expressed as achieved steady-state surface temperature while and after the heating. Thermal resistance and liquid moisture management properties were investigated during the research as well. The elemental analysis of different pure bio-ceramic additives in yarns, used for development of knitted fabrics, was determined by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy analysis. It was determined that heat accumulation is directly related to the calculated quantity of bio-ceramic additives in the knits. The obvious correlation between accumulated/released heat, thermal resistance, and the quantity of bio-ceramic additives in all investigated knitted structures was also investigated. Taking into account all the results obtained during the study of the thermoregulation properties, the optimal knitted structure, which could be comfortable for wearing next to the skin in cold weather, was selected.
Intravenous Immunoglobulin for Patients With Alzheimer’s Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Manolopoulos Apostolos , Andreadis Panagiotis , Malandris Konstantinos , Avgerinos Ioannis , Karagiannis Thomas , Kapogiannis Dimitrios , Tsolaki Magda , Tsapas Apostolos , Bekiari Eleni
Published: April 2019

Aim:

To assess the efficacy and safety of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) for patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

Materials and Methods:

We searched electronic databases and other sources for randomized controlled trials comparing IVIg with placebo or other treatment for adults with AD. Primary outcome was change from baseline in Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale–Cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog).

Results:

Five placebo-controlled trials were included in the meta-analysis. Compared to placebo, IVIg 0.2 and 0.4 g/kg once every two weeks did not change ADAS-Cog score (weighted mean difference: 0.37, 95% confidence interval: −1.46 to 2.20 and 0.77, −1.34 to 2.88, respectively). Furthermore, except for an increase in the incidence of rash, IVIg did not affect the incidence of other adverse events.

Conclusion:

IVIg, albeit safe, is inefficacious for treatment of patients with AD. Future trials targeting earlier stages of disease or applying different dosing regimens may be warranted to clarify its therapeutic potential.