bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biopolitics and Hegemony in Contemporary Russian Cultural Policy
Authors: Romashko Tatiana
Published: March 2018

Since 2011, Russian ‘licensing civil society’
1
has predominated through censorship and the restrictive regulation of arts and cultural societies. The current conservative project has turned artistic space into public space, indicating moral abuse and a threat to the spiritual health of the Russian nation. Consequently, the symbolic borders of human creativity and individual freedom in arts and cultural societies have been reduced to patriotism, nationalism and moral deductive functions of the state-approved program. This paper will explore Russian state cultural policy and argue that biopolitics is its mainstream strategy. It examines how the ensemble of sovereign and disciplinary power defines and instrumentalizes the concept of culture while also producing lines of inclusion and exclusion within the conservative political project. The major emphasis is placed on the question of political control over the body, spirit and national identity.
Reform of the Russian Healthcare System and the Foreign Dimension of Russian Health Policies
Authors: Stepanovich Anastasia
Published: March 2018

Since the end of the Soviet period, the Russian healthcare system has been undergoing a major reform process in order to respond to changing economic, demographic, and social realities. The healthcare reform reflects the state’s endeavors to gradually diminish its role as a major health service provider (and payer) by reducing public funding of the healthcare system despite its constitutional obligation to provide free healthcare to every Russian citizen in state budgetary institutions. Hovering between the guarantee of realization of the right to health in regulatory and financial terms and financial constraints, the Russian government has recently also been looking for opportunities to impose some ideological initiatives related to preventive medicine succinctly described as ‘biopolitics’. In this article, the interim results of the Russian healthcare reform are analyzed and the foreign dimension of the Russian healthcare policy is introduced.
Beyond Geopolitics: Russian Soft Power, Conservatism, and Biopolitics
Authors: Makarychev Andrey
Published: March 2018

This article offers a new approach to Russian foreign policy under Putin’s presidency as shifting from its ‘soft power’ model to what might be characterized through the prism of biopower. The author discusses the various meanings attached to the concept of attraction, and scrutinises the biopolitical turn in Russia as a domestic phenomenon and as a key element of Russia’s power projection abroad. It is argued that biopolitics as a power instrument can play different roles – it can be a tool to construct Russian national (and simultaneously imperial) identity and to distinguish Russia from the West, and channel for communication with conservative forces across the globe.
A new species of Acanthormius (Braconidae: Lysiterminae) reared as a gregarious parasitoid of psychid caterpillar (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) from India
Authors: GUPTA ANKITA , QUICKE DONALD L. J.
Published: March 2018

Acanthormius indicus Gupta & Quicke sp. nov. is described and illustrated. It is a gregarious larval parasitoid of an unidentified bagworm moth caterpillar (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) from southern India. The biology and host associations of members of subfamily Lysiterminae are also discussed.
Record of genus Xestophrys Redtenbacher, 1891 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Conocephalinae; Copiphorini) and description of one new species from India
Authors: FAROOQI MOHD KALEEMULLAH , USMANI MOHD KAMIL
Published: March 2018

The study deals with one new record of genus Xestophrys Redtenbacher, 1891 (Conocephalinae: Copiphorinae) and one new species from India, and provides species descriptions and illustrations of the male. All type specimens are deposited in the Zoology Museum, Aligarh Muslim University, India.
A new species of Stephonyx (Amphipoda, Amphilochida, Lysianassoidea)
from Brazil
Authors: SORRENTINO RAYANE , SOUZA-FILHO JESSER F. , SENNA ANDRÉ R.
Published: March 2018

A new species of Stephonyx Lowry and Stoddart, 1989 from northeastern Brazil is described, the second record of the genus from Brazil. The new Brazilian species is morphologically close to the type species of the genus. In this paper we compare the different descriptions of Stephonyx biscayensis (Chevreux, 1908) and recommend the necessity of a revision, since some described species may or may not be S. biscayensis.
After seventy-seven years Ptiloneuropsis Roesler (Psocodea: Psocomorpha: Ptiloneuridae) ceases to be a monotypic genus: a new species from Bahia, Brazil
Authors: DA SILVA NETO ALBERTO MOREIRA , ALDRETE ALFONSO N. GARCÍA , RAFAEL JOSÉ ALBERTINO
Published: March 2018

A new species of Ptiloneuropsis from the Brazilian state of Bahia is here described and illustrated, it is based on male and female specimens; it differs from P. immaculata Roesler in details of the hypandrium and phallosome; the female is the first known in the genus.
Description of a new species of Hemiberlesia Cockerell (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Diaspididae) from China, with a key to Hemiberlesia species known from China
Authors: LIU DI , FENG JINIAN
Published: March 2018

The diagnostic characters of the genus Hemiberlesia Cockerell (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Diaspididae) are reviewed. The adult female, adult male and all immature stages (except the male prepupa and pupa) of a new species, H. serrulata Liu & Feng sp. n., collected from Henan Province, China, are described and illustrated. A key is provided to identify the Hemiberlesia species known to occur in China.
6. Physical Theories of Consciousness
Authors: Gamez David
Published: March 2018

Chapter 6 discusses physical theories of consciousness, which link consciousness to patterns in materials (for example, neuron firing patterns). With physical theories the materials in which the patterns occur are critical - if the same patterns occur in different materials, they are not claimed to be linked to consciousness. Physical theories of consciousness are similar to scientific theories in physics, chemistry and biology.
10. Modification and Enhancement of Consciousness
Authors: Gamez David
Published: March 2018

When we have developed a reliable theory of consciousness, we will be able to use it to modify and enhance our consciousness. For example, we could change the shape of our conscious body or increase our level of consciousness. Chapter 10 explains how we can use a theory of consciousness to identify the physical state that is linked to a desired conscious state. If we could realize this physical state in our brains, we would experience the desired conscious state. It will be many years before this will become technologically possible.
Wind, Water, Earth, and Fire–A Return to an Aristotelian Environment*
Authors: Hicks Bruce B.
Published: March 2018

The meteorological situation of coastal regions is strongly influenced by the shoreline and by topographic relief. In this instance, we have learned how to take water and land influences into account when predicting changes in meteorology. But we have now stepped beyond the standard meteorological view of coasts affecting air through their complexity, to a new awareness that deposition from the air affects the coastal environment. It is along the coasts that the terrestrial, aquatic, and atmospheric media come into most intimate contact, and where any one of them can affect any other. The importance of the interaction is becoming even more apparent as the population of coastal areas continues to grow, and as demands for energy, food, and recreation are growing even faster. The interactions among the terrestrial, aquatic, and atmospheric media are central in considerations of what must be done to protect an increasingly stressed coastal environment from what could soon be irreversible damage. To generate the understanding necessary to underpin regulations and emissions control strategies, accurate models of pollutant behavior in all of the media must be constructed, and these must then be integrated to protect against the imposition of ineffective controls. The challenges for the atmospheric sciences are daunting. Not only must atmospheric deposition become a focus of attention, but mesoscale models must be constructed to provide the spatial information that existing coarse monitoring networks are incapable of providing alone.
The Interannual Dominant Covariation Mode of Boreal Summer Monsoon Rainfall during 1979–2014
Authors: Hao Yuqian , Liu Boqi , Zhu Congwen , Ma Shuangmei
Published: March 2018

The boreal summer monsoon (BSM), which includes the monsoons over India (IND), the western North Pacific (WNP), East Asia (EA), North America (NAM), and North Africa (NAF), shows prominent interannual variation (IAV) in summer precipitation and affects the areas with the largest populations in the world. In the present, the EOF analysis is used to extract the BSM dominant covariation mode during 1979–2014. This mode is featured by the out-of-phase rainfall IAV over the WNP compared with the other BSM members. The BSM covariation mode is closely associated with the upper- and lower-level coupled circulations, which are characterized by two anomalous zonal circulations over the tropical oceans coupled near the date line and an abnormal meridional cell over the WNP and EA regions, respectively. Furthermore, the strength of this mode depends on the phase relationship of rainfall IAV between the WNP and NAM monsoon regions, which is modulated by the seasonal evolution of ENSO events and the resultant SST anomalies (SSTAs) in the tropical Indian Ocean (TIO). The weaker mode is accompanied by the in-phase rainfall IAV between these two regions, along with the persisting ENSO events and stronger SSTAs in the TIO from winter to summer. In the years with fast-decaying ENSO events and the related weaker TIO SSTA, the out-of-phase rainfall IAV between the WNP and NAM region takes place to enhance this mode. A series of AGCM sensitivity experiments could reproduce the anomalies of atmospheric circulation related to the distinct seasonal evolution of ENSO events.
Orientation Analysis of Simulated Tornadic Debris
Authors: Umeyama Arturo , Cheong Boon Leng , Torres Sebastián , Bodine David
Published: March 2018

Polarimetric weather radars are capable of detecting tornadic debris signatures (TDSs), which result from debris being lofted to the level of the radar beam and can be modulated by centrifuging and debris fallout. TDSs have been used in promising applications, such as enhanced tornado detection, improved warning and assessment of a potential tornado threat, and estimating tornado damage potential and intensity. Regions with negative differential reflectivity have been found in TDS observations but a physical explanation is yet to be determined. Some hypotheses suggest a common alignment of debris or non-Rayleigh scattering to be the cause. However, because it is inherently difficult and extremely dangerous to verify this, a simulated environment can aid in this context to reveal information that would otherwise be impossible to retrieve in practice. Under the simulation environment, the true construct of the debris is known, wherefrom the bulk distributions of position and orientation data can be extracted for statistical analysis. The primary focus of this work is to investigate the cause of nonzero mean values of in TDSs with simulated data from SimRadar, which is a polarimetric radar time series simulator developed for tornadic debris studies. The 6-degrees-of-freedom (DOF) model shows that for both small and large platelike debris, the debris face tends to have some common degree of alignment normal to the wind direction, which may be a plausible cause for the occurrence of negative in real polarimetric radar observations. Potential explanations for other hypotheses regarding tornado and debris dynamics are also briefly discussed.
Extreme Daily Rainfall in Pakistan and North India: Scale Interactions, Mechanisms, and Precursors
Authors: Hunt Kieran M. R. , Turner Andrew G. , Shaffrey Len C.
Published: March 2018

While much of India is used to heavy precipitation and frequent low pressure systems during the summer monsoon, toward the northwest and into Pakistan, such events are uncommon. Here, as much as a third of the annual rainfall is delivered sporadically during the winter monsoon by western disturbances. Such events of sparse but heavy precipitation in this region of typically mountainous valleys in the north and desert in the south can be catastrophic, as in the case of the Pakistan floods of July 2010. In this study, extreme precipitation events (EPEs) in a box approximately covering this region (25°–38°N, 65°–78°E) are identified using the APHRODITE gauge-based precipitation product. The role of the large-scale circulation in causing EPEs is investigated: it is found that, during winter, it often coexists with an upper-tropospheric Rossby wave train that has prominent anomalous southerlies over the region of interest. These winter EPEs are also found to be strongly collocated with incident western disturbances whereas those occurring during the summer are found to have a less direct relationship. Conversely, summer EPEs are found to have a strong relationship with tropical lows. A detailed Lagrangian method is used to explore possible sources of moisture for such events and suggests that, in winter, the moisture is mostly drawn from the Arabian Sea, whereas during the summer, it comes from along the African coast and the Indian monsoon trough region.
Social Movements– Judicial Activism Nexus and Neoliberal Transformation in India: Revisiting Save Chilika Movement
Authors: Das Lalatendu Keshari
Published: March 2018

Both the supporters and distractors of ‘social movements–judicial activism nexus’ project litigation strategies as the greatest challenge to neoliberal transformation in India. This fieldwork-based study on shrimp cultivation in Chilika Lake shows otherwise. By historically situating the developments in Chilika, it shows that in case of unpopular economic policies during the neoliberal period, the judiciary and other state agencies follow a revolving-door strategy and continuously externalise the problematic of resource conflicts by creating a regime of blame-avoidance. This regime nullifies the unity of the communities fighting dispossession by reducing the social movements to immediate livelihood concerns of the masses.
Mediated conversation and political propaganda: A discourse analysis of news practices on Greek prime-time news
Authors: Patrona Marianna
Published: March 2018

This article examines the discourse practices of Greek journalism on mainstream commercial prime-time news. The article draws on data from Greek prime-time news and political current affair programmes over a 15-year period (from the early 2000s to date). By focusing on discourse and conversation analysis of journalistic talk in the studio, it will be shown that shifting discursive practices already in place long before the onset of the financial crisis that has afflicted Greece since 2010 have endowed Greek journalism with the discursive entitlements (or ‘frame space’) to challenge and hold politicians to account, in principle, allowing for more democratic journalistic gatekeeping. In reality, however, these same practices have created the conditions for an epistemological upgrading of opinion to the status of factual news reporting, in fact proposing ‘conversation as news’. These conversational practices have facilitated the Greek media’s role in shaping public opinion while allowing for the ideological manipulation of audiences.
West Nile Virus Infection in American Singer Canaries: An Experimental Model in a Highly Susceptible Avian Species
Authors: Hofmeister Erik K. , Lund Melissa , Shearn Bochsler Valerie
Published: March 2018

This study investigated the susceptibility of American singer canaries ( Serinus canaria) to West Nile virus (WNV) infection. Adult canaries were inoculated with 105, 102, and 101 plaque forming units (PFU) of WNV. All birds became infected and mortality occurred by 5 days postinoculation. The load of viral RNA as determined by RT-qPCR was dose dependent, and was higher at all doses than the level of viral RNA detected in American crows ( Corvus brachyrhynchos) challenged with 105 PFU of WNV. In a subset of birds, viremia was detected by virus isolation; canaries inoculated with 101 PFU of WNV developed viremia exceeding 1010 PFU/mL serum, a log higher than American crows inoculated with 105 PFU of virus. In canaries euthanized at 3 days postinoculation, WNV was isolated at >107 PFU of virus/100 mg of lung, liver, heart, spleen, and kidney tissues. Pallor of the liver and splenomegaly were the most common macroscopic observations and histologic lesions were most severe in liver, spleen, and kidney, particularly in canaries challenged with 102 and 101 PFU. Immunoreactivity to WNV was pronounced in the liver and spleen. IgG antibodies to WNV were detected in serum by enzyme immunoassay in 11 of 21 (52%) challenged canaries and, in 4 of 5 (20%) of these sera, neutralization antibodies were detected at a titer ≥ 1:20. American singer canaries provide a useful model as this bird species is highly susceptible to WNV infection.
Antigonadal and endocrine-disrupting activities of lambda cyhalothrin in female rats and its attenuation by taurine
Authors: Ghosh Rini , Banerjee Bhaswati , Das Tuhina , Jana Kuladip , Choudhury Sujata Maiti
Published: March 2018

Lambda cyhalothrin (LCT) is a type II pyrethroid with a wide range of agricultural, industrial, and household uses. Taurine is a nonprotein sulfur containing amino acid as well as a well-known antioxidant and has valuable clinical applications in the detoxification of xenobiotics. The present study evaluated the effect of LCT on the reproductive and endocrine systems of female rats and determined whether taurine might alter these effects. Sexually mature female rats were administered LCT at two different dosages (6.3 mg/kg BW and 11.33 mg/kg BW) once daily by oral gavage for 14 consecutive days with the pretreatment of taurine (50 mg kg−1 BW). LCT treatment resulted in diminished adrenal cholesterol, ovarian 3β- and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD) activity with increased ovarian cholesterol, adrenal 3β- and 17β-HSD activity. Furthermore, protein and mRNA expressions of ovarian 17β-HSD and steroidogenic acute regulatory protein were also decreased. Hormonal imbalance was evident by concurrent reduction in the gonadotropic hormone, estradiol, and progesterone levels in LCT-treated rats. These rats also demonstrated the histopathological evidence of degenerative changes in the ovaries. Pretreatment of taurine attenuated the LCT-induced changes.
Exposure and nephrotoxicity concern of bismuth with the occurrence of autophagy
Authors: Liu Yongming , Shen Chen , Zhang Xihui , Yu Huan , Wang Fujun , Wang Yangyun , Zhang Leshuai W
Published: March 2018

Metal nanoparticles or metal-based compounds have drawn attention in various fields ranging from industry to medicine because of their unique physicochemical properties. Bismuth (Bi) compounds and nanomaterials have been commonly used in alloys, electronic industry, batteries, and as flame retardants as well as for anti- Helicobacter pylori therapy, while the nanomaterial form has great potential for computed tomography imaging and thermotherapy, both of which will be introduced in this review. Although Bi was used for several decades, there is a lack of detailed information concerning their toxicity and mechanisms on human health. We described the toxicity of Bi on the kidney that seemed to be relatively known by researchers, while the mechanisms remain unclear. Recently, our group has found that Bi compounds, including bismuth nitrate (BN) and Bi nanomaterials, can induce autophagy in kidney cells. We also extended our findings by selecting five Bi compounds, and the results showed that BN, bismuth oxychloride, bismuth citrate, colloidal bismuth subcitrate, and Bi nanomaterials all induced slight cytotoxicity accompanied with autophagy. Although the role of autophagy in Bi-induced cytotoxicity and kidney injury is under investigation by us, autophagy may help with the exploration of the mechanisms of nephrotoxicity by Bi.
Toxicity of carbon nanotubes: A review
Authors: Francis Arul Prakash , Devasena Thiyagarajan
Published: March 2018

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are widely used in the aerospace, automotive, and electronics industries because of their stability, enhanced metallic, and electrical properties. CNTs are also being investigated for biomedical applications such as drug delivery systems and biosensors. However, the toxic potential of CNTs was reported in various cell lines and animal models. The toxicity depends on diverse properties of the CNTs, such as length, aspect ratio, surface area, degree of aggregation, purity, concentration, and dose. In addition, CNTs and/or associated contaminants were well known for oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, pulmonary inflammation, fibrosis, and granuloma in lungs. The increased production of CNTs likely enhanced the possibility of its exposure in people. Studies on the toxicity of CNTs are mainly focused on the pulmonary effects after intratracheal administration, and only a few studies are reported about the toxicity of CNTs via other routes of exposure. So, it is essential to consider the chronic toxicity of CNTs before using them for various biomedical applications. This review focuses on the potential toxicities of CNTs.
Robustness optimization of engine mounting system based on Six Sigma and torque roll axis decoupling method
Authors: Wu Jian , Liu Xiandong , Shan Yingchun , He Tian
Published: March 2018

Robustness optimization to enhance the reliability of an engine mounting system (EMS) is necessary in the decoupling design of the EMS, because the stochastic factors or uncertainties will have a significant influence on the decoupling state of the system and decrease the reliability of the system. This paper carries out the robustness optimization on the decoupling design based on torque roll axis decoupling theory. After building the dynamic model of the EMS, the constraints and objective functions of the optimization are improved by the principle of Six Sigma. A complete process of robustness is built and the examples for three different types of EMS are calculated and analyzed. The results show that the quality levels have been enhanced by the robustness optimization, which means the design of EMS is more reliable than deterministic design. Although the degree of the decoupling state lowers slightly, by taking all the performance of the system into consideration, the decrease of decoupling is acceptable and the robustness design is valuable in the real engineering.
Postmaterial Experience Economics
Authors: Booth Douglas E.
Published: March 2018

A materialist view of economics presumes that from material possession flows the best of life’s satisfactions. A postmaterialist view claims instead that the best of human satisfactions come not just from material possessions but from the experience of life’s social, cultural and natural wonders as well. This article sets out a theory of postmaterial experience economics and uses survey research findings from the World Values Survey to establish (a) whether or not postmaterial orientations to economic experience exist in global society and (b) whether Schwartz’s basic human values (material riches, hedonism, risk and adventures, success, creativity, doing good for society and the environment, following traditions, behaving properly and feeling secure) and Inglehart’s postmaterial values predict orientations to postmaterial experience. Expanded global participation in postmaterial experience matters economically because it can lead to increased unemployment from reduced demand for material goods if not offset by appropriate public policy.
Living architecture: workshop report from the European Conference on Artificial Life, Lyon, France, 4 September 2017
Authors: Hanczyc Martin M , Imhof Barbara , Adamatzky Andrew
Published: March 2018

Imagine evolving swarms of robots interacting and by doing so reshaping and cultivating our habitat. This habitat could be here on Earth, on a distant planet or moon, or within a self-contained spacecraft. What would these robots look like and made of what type of material? What kind of information, hardware or software? What are the architectural necessities? There are many open questions when trying to envision the future of architecture; but, in this particular workshop, the goal was not only to imagine the future but also to create it. With this particular goal in mind, the Living Architecture workshop at European Conference on Artificial Life (ECAL) 2017 brought together practitioners from the sciences and architecture to share ideas and technologies to examine possible paths forward. Living Architecture is a specific substantiation of the broader notion of Living Technology where living systems or artificial systems with life-like properties are developed towards technological applications. In Living Architecture, objects designed in the built environment would contain living systems as part of their functionality (such as bioreactors for energy) or artificial distributed systems with feedback loops (such as neural networks or artificial intelligence). In this way, Living Architecture represents a congruence in functionality and form between living systems, technology and architecture.
The Agenda-Setting Power of the Prime Minister Party in Coalition Governments
Authors: Green-Pedersen Christoffer , Mortensen Peter B. , So Florence
Published: March 2018

Despite coalition governments being the most widespread form of government, many aspects of coalition politics are still poorly understood. This is especially true for questions relating to the role of the prime minister party within the coalition. Being the prime minister party seems to imply considerable influence, but little evidence actually exists as to the factors shaping the influence of the prime minister. This paper offers a new approach to studying the factors conditioning the influence of the prime minister party in a coalition. The approach is focused on the extent of issue overlap between the party manifesto of the prime minister party and the first government speech after the election. This approach makes it possible to actually analyze the factors shaping the influence of the prime minister party. The results show that the PM party is constrained by the issue emphasis of its coalition partners but less so when it holds dissolution power and more, also when it has many coalition partners when controlling for the seat share of the PM party. The paper, thus, both offers a new approach to study the coalition compromise and new evidence on the factors shaping the influence coming from holding the PM position.
Role of Antiplatelet/Anticoagulant Medications and Blood-Clotting Tests in Prediction of Traumatic Foot Compartment Syndrome
Authors: Park Young Hwan , Choi Won Seok , Choi Gi Won , Kim Hak Jun
Published: March 2018

Background:

Although intracompartmental bleeding is one cause of traumatic compartment syndrome, no previous studies have defined the role of hemostatic stability in the development of traumatic compartment syndrome. Therefore, to investigate this issue, we identified the relationship between antiplatelet/anticoagulant medications and the development of traumatic foot compartment syndrome. In addition, as a possible predictor of compartment syndrome, we evaluated the utility of blood-clotting tests in the prediction of traumatic foot compartment syndrome.

Methods:

Retrospective review of patients diagnosed with isolated foot injury in our institution between 2008 and 2016 was used to identify patients who had traumatic foot compartment syndrome. Potential predictors, including medication history for antiplatelet/anticoagulant agents and blood-clotting test results, were analyzed using logistic regression analysis. The present study included 789 feet, and 29 (3.7%) had traumatic foot compartment syndrome.

Results:

The antiplatelet medication and the blood-clotting test results were not significantly associated with the development of traumatic foot compartment syndrome. Among other variables, damage caused by heavy objects as the injury mechanism was the only significant predictor in the development of traumatic foot compartment syndrome ( P < .05).

Conclusion:

Our results showed that antiplatelet medication and blood-clotting tests did not predict the development of traumatic foot compartment syndrome.

Level of Evidence:

Level III, retrospective comparative series.
Pseudo-aneurysm caused from banding failure
Authors: Mallios Alexandros , Boura Benoit , Costanzo Alessandro , Combes Myriam
Published: March 2018

Background:

To present a case of banding failure with vessel wall erosion and pseudo-aneurysm creation caused by the suture.

Case report:

A 75-year-old male patient was operated for a high-flow fistula (>2 L/min). This was overall the third time that the patient was operated for the same indication since he started dialysis 5 years ago. Standard banding technique with perioperative flow measurements was used, and three separate Prolene sutures tied over 5 and 4.5 mm probes to achieve flow reduction. The operation was successful and first few weeks were uneventful. However, 5–6 weeks postoperatively, the patient felt locally an acute pain that lasted only few seconds and a voluminous aneurysm occurred progressively within the next few weeks. He was observed 2 months after the first operation where a recurrent high-flow fistula was diagnosed and ultrasound examination revealed that the sutures used for banding were into the vessel lumen while a pseudo-aneurysm had occurred at the same level. The patient was re-operated for excision of the aneurysm and flow reduction with tapering of the anastomosis.

Conclusion:

Under certain conditions, the suture used for banding may erode through the vessel wall and get into the lumen. This will result in recurrence of a high-flow fistula. While this has been previously described, the phenomenon was otherwise uneventful. In contrary, in the case presented herein, a potentially threatening pseudo-aneurysm has occurred.
Two decades of research on the stability of steel shell structures at the University of Essen (1985–2005): Experiments, evaluations, and impact on design standards
Authors: Schmidt Herbert
Published: March 2018

In this article, the author looks back on the shell buckling research activities during his 20 years as Full Professor for Steel Structures at the University of Essen, Germany. The main research projects of that time are described very shortly. They included unstiffened circular cylindrical shells under external pressure or meridional compression or combined loading, made of structural or stainless steel at ambient or high temperatures, optionally with wall openings. Stiffened circular cylindrical shells under external pressure or meridional compression were also dealt with, as well as unstiffened conical shells, either as part of cone/cylinder assemblies or as individual truncated cones. Furthermore, the special case of very thin-walled open cylindrical tank shells was investigated under axisymmetric external pressure or wind-like pressure distribution or transverse shear. All projects combined realistic experiments on steel specimens with comparative or enhancing numerical investigations, and all of them were aimed at contributing directly to the improvement of practical shell stability design rules. Last but not least, it is reported on early efforts to develop guidelines for shell buckling design by global numerical analysis, and the author’s credo argued that physical experiments are still indispensable in practice-oriented structural research, particularly in a complex field like shell stability. The article has been written in honor of John Michael Rotter, Professor Emeritus of the University of Edinburgh, who will celebrate his 70th birthday in October 2018.
Intensity of activity involvement and psychosocial well-being among students
Authors: Knifsend Casey A
Published: March 2018

The transition to university, while a time of growth, can also be difficult for many students, with declines in psychosocial well-being common. Specific stressors can include both those related to academics and those related to life transitions during this time, like moving out or being away from one’s family. Understanding the factors that can bolster well-being, such as campus activity participation (e.g. in sports or social organizations), is likely to be especially important to student success. The study examined linear and curvilinear associations of campus activity intensity and psychosocial well-being. Results suggested the greatest benefits to belongingness, loneliness, and social anxiety at the highest levels of activity intensity, over 10 hours a week spent in activities. An interaction tested by ethnicity showed that effects of activity intensity on belongingness differed for underrepresented minority students versus non-underrepresented students. Findings suggest that students may benefit from getting involved as much as they can, and that universities may highlight the importance of engaging in activities outside of the classroom through messaging or in-class presentations about the utility of campus involvement.
Primary to comprehensive stroke center transfers: Appropriateness, not futility
Authors: Goyal Mayank , Menon Bijoy K , Wilson Alexis T , Almekhlafi Mohammed A , McTaggart Ryan , Jayaraman Mahesh , Demchuk Andrew M , Hill Michael D
Published: March 2018

Background and purpose

Ischemic stroke patients must be transferred to comprehensive stroke centers for endovascular treatment, but this transfer can be interpreted post hoc as “futile” if patients do not ultimately undergo the procedure or have a poor outcome. We posit that transfer decisions must instead be evaluated in terms of appropriateness at the time of decision-making.

Methods

We propose a classification schema for Appropriateness of Transfer for Endovascular Thrombectomy based on patient, logistic, and center characteristics.

Results

The classification outline characteristics of patients that are 1. Appropriate for transfer for endovascular treatment; 2. Inappropriate for transfer; and 3. Appropriate for transfer for higher level of care.

Conclusions

Appropriate transfer decisions for endovascular treatment are significant for patient outcomes. A more nuanced understanding of transfer decision-making and a classification for such transfers can help minimize inappropriate transfers in acute stroke.
Sports Coverage on BBC ALBA: Content, Value, and Position in the Scottish Broadcasting Landscape
Authors: Ramon Xavier , Haynes Richard
Published: March 2018

Through a mixed-method approach, we examine the sports programming offered by BBC ALBA between 2008 and 2016 and identify the value that the channel creates in Scotland through its diverse sports portfolio. In an increasingly cluttered and complex scenario where pay-TV giants Sky and BT hold a plethora of top-tier rights and BBC Scotland and STV cannot fit more sport into their schedules, BBC ALBA serves Gaelic-speaking and national audiences with a regular diet of quality sports programming. Beyond being instrumental to filling schedules, sports content has been a gateway for Gaelic, a key driver of BBC ALBA’s investment in the creative sector and a contributor to the development of grassroots sport in Scotland. However, the financial situation under which the channel operates makes it very difficult to sustain and improve its current position. This case study demonstrates that sport broadcasting offers genuine opportunities to maintain linguistic and cultural diversity in small nations, even in a context characterized by escalating competition, dwindling resources, and the proliferation of multiple viewing portals.
Small Cell Carcinoma of Prostate: A Case Report of a Patient With Concomitant Transitional Cell Cancer of the Bladder
Authors: Abusnina Waiel , Auyoung Eric Yiman , Megri Mohammed , Pacioles Toni
Published: March 2018

Small cell carcinomas (SCCs) are aggressive neoplasms commonly associated with a pulmonary origin. However, albeit rare, extrapulmonary SCC can occur in a variety of sites with an incidence in North America approximated to be 0.1% to 0.4%. Among these sites, approximately 10% of extrapulmonary SCC cases occur in the prostate and are associated with a poor mortality with a median survival of 10 months. Because of the rarity of the prostatic SCC, there is no formal treatment protocol. In this case report, we present a patient who was diagnosed with SCC in the prostate as primary origin. Adjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy was started, which he is tolerating so far. While the management of metastatic disease is well documented with the use of chemotherapy, specific data on nonmetastatic disease is lacking. As some studies suggest, a combined surgical and chemotherapeutic approach is helpful in localized disease. In our case, this approach has led to a good clinical outcome in a disease that does not usually allow such results.
Exploring the Living Heritage of Galle Fort: Residents’ Views on Heritage Values and Cultural Significance
Authors: Rajapakse Amanda
Published: March 2018

The Galle Fort of Sri Lanka was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1988 by UNESCO on the basis of criterion (iv) of the outstanding universal value (OUV), which places clear emphasis on the physical exceptionality of the site. Its living, intangible heritage is only given partial recognition in the definition of cultural and universal significance of the place. At present, the living heritage of Galle Fort is a forgotten and neglected entity. Emerging theories on heritage discourse recognize that the OUV of living heritage sites are in a state of evolution and transformation and is not a, fixed notion that remains unchanged in time and place. This aspect requires frequent exploration in order to determine necessary improvements to be made to conservation and management strategies. The article focuses on heritage values attached to Galle Fort by its living community. In-depth interviews with a cross section of the community disclosed that the residents of Galle Fort lay greater emphasis on the social value of the place. They have pronounced concerns on the risks posed to the social value by commercial and tourism gentrification taking place. The study raises awareness of the importance of the residents’ values in informing, guiding, managing and conserving the cultural significance and OUV of Galle Fort for posterity.
Safety, tolerability and efficacy of intra-articular Progenza in knee osteoarthritis: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled single ascending dose study
Authors: Kuah D. , Sivell S. , Longworth T. , James K. , Guermazi A. , Cicuttini F. , Wang Y. , Craig S. , Comin G. , Robinson D. , Wilson J.
Published: March 2018

Background

Cell therapies are being investigated as potential disease modifying treatment options for osteoarthritis (OA). Progenza (PRG) comprises in vitro expanded mesenchymal stem cells derived from human donor adipose tissue combined with cell culture supernatant. The primary objective of this first-in-human study was to evaluate the safety and tolerability of PRG.

Methods

We conducted a single centre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single ascending dose study. Twenty patients aged 40–65 years with symptomatic Kellgren–Lawrence grade 1–3 knee OA were treated in two cohorts and randomized 4:1 to PRG or placebo. Cohort 1: 3.9 million cells (PRG 3.9M, n = 8) or placebo (n = 2) and cohort 2: 6.7 million cells (PRG 6.7M, n = 8) or placebo (n = 2). Each patient received a single intra-articular injection and was followed-up for 12 months.

Results

The study population comprised 20 patients (placebo, n = 4; PRG 3.9M, n = 8; PRG 6.7M, n = 8). All patients reported at least one treatment-emergent adverse event (TEAE). The majority of events [143/169 (84.6%)] were mild with 34 (20.1%) being considered by the investigator to be treatment related. There were no serious AEs or withdrawals due to AEs during the study. There was a statistically significant within group improvement in VAS pain scores from baseline at all timepoints for the PRG combined group, with highly significant improvements seen at months 3, 6, 9 and 12 (p ≤ 0.005) while VAS pain scores in the placebo group showed marginal improvement. A statistically significant improvement was also seen in WOMAC pain subscale scores from baseline at all timepoints for the PRG combined group while a marginal improvement in the placebo group was not statistically significant. Between screening and month 12, there was no decrease in average lateral tibial cartilage volume in the PRG 3.9M group while the placebo group showed a statistically significant cartilage loss. This difference between the placebo and PRG 3.9M group was statistically significant (LSM difference 106.47 mm3, 95% CI 13.56 mm3, 199.37 mm3, p = 0.028).

Conclusion

When administered as a single intra-articular injection to patients with symptomatic knee OA, PRG was safe and well tolerated. Furthermore, measurable improvements in symptoms and knee structure outcomes warrant further studies on PRG’s potential for disease modification in OA.

Trial registration ANZCTR, ACTRN12615000439549. Date registered: 7th May 2015, https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=368355
Colonization of long-term care facility residents in three Italian Provinces by multidrug-resistant bacteria
Authors: Nucleo Elisabetta , Caltagirone Mariasofia , Marchetti Vittoria Mattioni , D’Angelo Roberto , Fogato Elena , Confalonieri Massimo , Reboli Camilla , March Albert , Sleghel Ferisa , Soelva Gertrud , Pagani Elisabetta , Aschbacher Richard , Migliavacca Roberta , Pagani Laura ,   AMCLI – GLISTer Group, Pagani Laura , Confalonieri Massimo , Aschbacher Richard , Farina Claudio , Fazii Paolo , Luzzaro Francesco , Montanera Pier Giorgio ,   ESCMID Study Group Elderly Infections – ESGIE, Migliavacca Roberta
Published: March 2018

Background

Rationale and aims of the study were to compare colonization frequencies with MDR bacteria isolated from LTCF residents in three different Northern Italian regions, to investigate risk factors for colonization and the genotypic characteristics of isolates. The screening included Enterobacteriaceae expressing extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESβLs) and high-level AmpC cephalosporinases, carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Acinetobacter baumannii, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE).

Methods

Urine samples and rectal, inguinal, oropharyngeal and nasal swabs were plated on selective agar; resistance genes were sought by PCR and sequencing. Demographic and clinical data were collected.

Results

Among the LTCF residents, 75.0% (78/104), 69.4% (84/121) and 66.1% (76/115) were colonized with at least one of the target organisms in LTCFs located in Milan, Piacenza and Bolzano, respectively. ESβL producers (60.5, 66.1 and 53.0%) were highly predominant, mainly belonging to Escherichia coli expressing CTX-M group-1 enzymes. Carbapenemase-producing enterobacteria were found in 7.6, 0.0 and 1.6% of residents; carbapemenase-producing P. aeruginosa and A. baumannii were also detected. Colonization by MRSA (24.0, 5.7 and 14.8%) and VRE (20.2, 0.8 and 0.8%) was highly variable. Several risk factors for colonization by ESβL-producing Enterobacteriaceae and MRSA were found and compared among LTCFs in the three Provinces. Colonization differences among the enrolled LTCFs can be partially explained by variation in risk factors, resident populations and staff/resident ratios, applied hygiene measures and especially the local antibiotic resistance epidemiology.

Conclusions

The widespread diffusion of MDR bacteria in LTCFs within three Italian Provinces confirms that LTCFs are an important reservoir of MDR organisms in Italy and suggests that future efforts should focus on MDR screening, improved implementation of infection control strategies and antibiotic stewardship programs targeting the complex aspects of LTCFs.
School achievement as a predictor of depression and self-harm in adolescence: linked education and health record study
Authors: Rahman Muhammad A , Todd Charlotte , John Ann , Tan Jacinta , Kerr Michael , Potter Robert , Kennedy Jonathan , Rice Frances , Brophy Sinead
Published: March 2018

Background

Mental disorders in children and adolescents have an impact on educational attainment.

Aims

To examine the temporal association between attainment in education and subsequent diagnosis of depression or self-harm in the teenage years.

Method

General practitioner, hospital and education records of young people in Wales between 1999 and 2014 were linked and analysed using Cox regression.

Results

Linked records were available for 652 903 young people and of these 33 498 (5.1%) developed depression and 15 946 (2.4%) self-harmed after the age of 12 but before the age of 20. Young people who developed depression over the study period were more likely to have achieved key stage 1 (age 7 years) but not key stage 2 (age 11) (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.79, 95% CI 0.74–0.84) milestones, indicating that they were declining in academic attainment during primary school. Conversely, those who self-harmed were achieving as well as those who did not self-harm in primary school, but showed a severe decline in their attainment during secondary school (HR = 0.72, 95% CI 0.68–0.78).

Conclusions

Long-term declining educational attainment in primary and secondary school was associated with development of depression in the teenage years. Self-harm was associated with declining educational attainment during secondary school only. Incorporating information on academic decline with other known risk factors for depression/self-harm (for example stressful life events, parental mental health problems) may improve risk profiling methods.

Declaration of interest

None.
Using Evidence to Inform State Health Policy Making: Lessons from Four States Comparing Obamacare and Infant Mortality
Authors: Jones David K. , Louis Christopher J.
Published: March 2018

How does the use of evidence by policy makers differ for issues that are highly politicized compared to those that are not? Does the answer depend on whether the venue for policy making is the legislative or the executive branch? We explore these dynamics through state-level case studies of two different types of issues: what type of health insurance exchange to establish as part of the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (Idaho and Mississippi), and how to reduce infant mortality (Florida and Georgia). We highlight four sets of issues critical to understanding the use of evidence: (1) characteristics of a policy, (2) characteristics of the policy makers, (3) characteristics of the producers and disseminators of evidence, and (4) different ways evidence can be used. Barriers for academics to contribute directly to policy making change for politicized issues, particularly in the legislative branch. Under these circumstances, intermediary groups such as ideological think tanks become a trusted source of information. Policy makers themselves are a key source of evidence on less politicized issues in the executive branch. Academics wanting to inform politicized policy making need to appreciate and be comfortable with the blurry line between instrumental and rhetorical uses of evidence.