bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An unusual traumatic delivery malpractice: a case report
Authors: Memarian Azadeh , Moosavinezhad Baboli Seyed Hossein , Asl Nahid Dadashzadeh
Published: November 2018

Head trauma may occur during delivery and can lead to a number of conditions. When an infant is injured during birth, the cause of injury is generally due to mechanical forces, such as compression, excessive or abnormal traction during delivery, and the use of forceps. A 39-year-old woman who was a primagravida (first pregnancy) with a gestational age of 26 weeks premature pregnancy was referred to a hospital in Tehran due to premature rupture of membranes (PROM) and fever. She arrived 2 h after rupture (noting that the rupture lasted for one week and then the baby was delivered). Antibiotics were given early on. After weak labour pain, vaginal examination revealed that the cervix was fully dilated and one of the feet of the foetus had come out of the cervix and was seen in the vagina. The foetus had died. The delivery staff used traction with force. Due to the age of the foetus, the head was relatively big and could not be delivered; the neck was thin and broken and the head separated from the body. The mother underwent a caesarean section to deliver the head of the foetus a week after PROM. The father of the dead newborn foetus sued the hospital and the staff responsible for the delivery. When medical professionals damage the trust between patients and their families and babies are injured children, they should be held accountable.
Short-Term Psychological and Physiological Effects of Varying the Volume of High-Intensity Interval Training in Healthy Men
Authors: da Silva Machado Daniel G , Costa Eduardo C. , Ray Hannah , Beale Louisa , Chatzisarantis Nikos L. D. , de Farias-Junior Luiz F , Hardcastle Sarah J.
Published: November 2018

We assessed the short-term effects of varying the volume of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on psychological and physiological responses of 23 healthy adult males ( M = 21 years; M peak oxygen uptake [VO2peak] = 47.2 ml·kg−1·min−1). Participants were randomly assigned to low- and very-low-volume HIIT groups and engaged in nine supervised exercise sessions over three weeks. The low-volume HIIT group performed 8-12 60-second work bouts on a cycle ergometer at the peak power output achieved during the incremental test, interspersed by 75 seconds of low-intensity active recovery. The very-low-volume HIIT performed 4-6 work bouts with the same intensity, duration, and rest intervals. During training, participants’ ratings of perceived exertion (Borg Category Ratio-10 scale) and their affective responses (Feeling Scale −5/+5) during the last 15 seconds of each work bout were recorded. Physiological data were VO2peak, endurance, and anaerobic performance before and after the intervention. Throughout training, participants in the very-low-volume group (relative to the low-volume group) reported lower ratings of perceived exertion in Week 1 ( M = 4.1 vs. M = 6.3; p < .01) and Week 3 ( M = 4.0 vs. M = 6.2; p < .01), and higher affective response in these same two weeks (Week 1: M = 1.9 vs. M = 0.3; p = .04; Week 3: M = 2.1 vs. M = 0.9; p = .06). Regarding physical fitness, Wingate peak power increased significantly after training in the very-low-volume HIIT group ( M = 1,049 W vs. M = 1,222 W; p < .05), but not in the low-volume HIIT group ( M = 1,050 W vs. M = 1,076 W). No significant change was found after training in physiological variables of peak power output, VO2peak, and endurance performance. In summary, in this short-term training period, the very-low-volume HIIT enhanced anaerobic capacity and was perceived as less strenuous and more pleasurable than low-volume HIIT.
A benchmark and real-time estimator for the passenger arrival rate to elevator system
Authors: Hammoudeh Ahmad , Al-Sharif Lutfi , Al-Shabi Mohammad
Published: November 2018

Arrival rate is the number of passengers arriving for elevator service in a certain period of time. Arrival rate is fundamental in expressing the heaviness of the traffic. Hence, it is vital for determining the required number of elevators and the specifications of each elevator such as the speed, capacity, and sector sizes. The passenger arrival process is a random process that is full of noise, and a processing step is required to extract the arrival rate from recorded arrival times of passengers. This work develops a real-time estimator and a benchmark for estimating the arrival rate. There are three contributions in this work; the first is suggesting a benchmark for estimating arrival rate; singular spectrum analysis extracts the arrival rate from noisy data. Hence, singular spectrum analysis is suggested as a benchmark for evaluating the performance of other algorithms. Even though singular spectrum analysis is powerful in extracting the arrival rate, it is not convenient for updating the arrival rate in real time. The second contribution is developing a real-time estimator for the passenger arrival rate that updates its parameters dynamically; dynamic exponentially weighted moving average was developed to provide instantaneous arrival rate updates. The third contribution is introducing exponentially weighted moving average as a linear model for passenger arrival, which opens the door to a large number of model-based algorithms in control theory; Kalman filtering was developed in this work on the top of the EWMA linear model. The results of applying Kalman filtering and DEWMA to real-life data show them as efficient methods for estimating passenger arrival rate to the elevators in real time.

Practical application: The methods presented in this paper would allow an elevator controller designer to detect the intensity of the passenger arrival rate. By doing this, it is possible for the elevator controller to switch between different group control algorithms. For example, it could decide to switch from conventional group control to sectoring control and vice versa.
The Ups and Downs of Down Syndrome: A Qualitative Study of Positive and Negative Parenting Experiences
Authors: Farkas Laura , Cless Jessica D. , Cless Adam W. , Nelson Goff Briana S. , Bodine Ellen , Edelman Ashley
Published: November 2018

The current study sought to expand current literature by providing a comparison of the positive and negative experiences reported by parents of children with a Down syndrome (DS) diagnosis. A total of 435 participants from a national study were included in the current qualitative analysis based on responses to online survey data from two research questions asking parents to describe their most positive and most negative experiences in parenting their child with DS. Positive experiences themes included the following: impact on parents and other people, child’s achievements, social acceptance/connection, and everyday/everything/many. Negative experiences themes included medical experiences, lack of social acceptance/connection, the DS diagnosis, and the impact on parents and other people. Implications for professionals and future research are presented.
Esophagectomy in a patient with double aortic arch and right descending aorta
Authors: Clement Elizabeth A , Laing Bryce , Turner Simon R
Published: November 2018

We herein report the case of a 57-year-old man with esophageal cancer who was found to have a double aortic arch and right-sided descending aorta. Traditional approaches such as the Ivor Lewis and McKeown were excluded because the descending aorta would obscure the surgical field, and a neck anastomosis with the conduit through the ring could result in compression. We therefore opted for a left thoracoabdominal incision, allowing excellent exposure while reserving the possibility of placing the conduit substernally.
Inflammatory responses mediate brain–heart interaction after ischemic stroke in adult mice
Authors: Yan Tao , Chen Zhili , Chopp Michael , Venkat Poornima , Zacharek Alex , Li Wei , Shen Yi , Wu Ruixia , Li Linlin , Landschoot-Ward Julie , Lu Mei , Hank Kuan-Han , Zhang Jianning , Chen Jieli
Published: November 2018

Stroke induces cardiac dysfunction which increases post stroke mortality and morbidity particularly in aging population. Here, we investigated the effects of inflammatory responses as underlying mediators of cardiac dysfunction after stroke in adult mice. Adult (eight-to-nine months) male C57BL/6 mice were subjected to photothrombotic stroke. To test whether immunoresponse to stroke leads to cardiac dysfunction, splenectomy was performed with stroke. Immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, PCR, ELISA and echocardiography were performed. We found marginal cardiac dysfunction at acute phase and significant cardiac dysfunction at chronic phase of stroke as indicated by significant decrease of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and shortening fraction (LVSF). Stroke significantly increases macrophage infiltration into the heart and increases IL-1β, IL-6, MCP-1, TGF-β and macrophage-associated inflammatory cytokine levels in the heart as well as induces cardiac-fibrosis and hypertrophy. Splenectomy with stroke significantly reduces macrophage infiltration into heart, decreases inflammatory factor expression in the heart, decreases cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis, as well as significantly improves cardiac function compared to non-splenectomized adult stroke mice. Therefore, cerebral ischemic stroke in adult mice induces chronic cardiac dysfunction and secondary immune response may contribute to post stroke cardiac dysfunction.
Value of rapid on-site evaluation for ultrasound-guided thyroid fine needle aspiration
Authors: Jiang Danni , Zang Yichen , Jiang Dandan , Zhang Xiaojuan , Zhao Cheng
Published: November 2018

Objective

Application of rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) for thyroid fine needle aspiration (FNA) is controversial. Therefore, ROSE has not been universally applied. This study aimed to evaluate the value of ROSE for ultrasound-guided thyroid FNA.

Methods

A total of 997 patients with 1103 suspicious thyroid nodules had ultrasound-guided FNA performed from January 2016 to February 2018. There were 513 nodules with ROSE and 590 nodules without ROSE. The cytological nondiagnostic rate, needle passes, and procedural times of thyroid FNA with or without ROSE were compared. The nondiagnostic rates of subsets of suspicious thyroid nodules were further compared.

Results

There was no significant effect of ROSE on the nondiagnostic rate of FNA. However, FNA with ROSE significantly reduced the numbers of sub-centimeter, mixed solid-cystic, macrocalcified, and hypervascular nodules. There was a significantly smaller number of needle passes and less procedural times with ROSE than without ROSE. There was no significant difference in the complication rate of FNA with and without ROSE.

Conclusion

ROSE for thyroid FNA reduces the number of needle passes and procedural times. ROSE has a higher clinical application value in subsets of thyroid nodules, which tend to be difficult to diagnose with FNA.
Periportal hepatic involvement of non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a rare case report with magnetic resonance imaging findings
Authors: Beyazal Mehmet
Published: November 2018

Lymphoma with hepatic involvement can present with three morphological patterns: diffuse infiltrative, nodular, and mixed infiltrative–nodular. However, lymphoma with periportal infiltrative hepatic involvement is rare. There have been a few reports of cases with this type of hepatic involvement including ultrasound or computed tomography (CT) findings. In this case report, we present CT, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and diffusion-weighted MRI findings together with the histopathological results for a patient with periportal hepatic lymphoma presenting with obstructive jaundice.
Impact of a Massage Therapy Intervention for Pediatric Palliative Care Patients and Their Family Caregivers
Authors: Weekly Taelyr , Riley Beverly , Wichman Christopher , Tibbits Melissa , Weaver Meaghann
Published: November 2018

Context:

All inpatient children receiving pediatric palliative care consults at a free-standing children’s hospital.

Objectives:

To explore the impact of massage therapy on pediatric palliative care patients’ symptom burden and medication use pattern, to describe the impact of massage therapy on family caregiver distress, and to report on bedside nursing staff perception of massage therapy for children and their families.

Methods:

A 1-time point, single-center exploratory study offering 10-minute bedside massage to children receiving palliative care and 10-minute massage to their family caregivers.

Results:

A total of 135 massages were provided to children and their caregivers. Difference in child Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability scale (FLACC) score was detectable ( P < .0001) with the median (interquartile range [IQR]) before FLACC score being 2 (1-3) and after FLACC score being 0 (0-1). Difference in “as-needed” pain medication usage in the 24 hours before and after the massage was detectable ( P = .0477). Median difference in family caregiver distress with massage was −3.0 (IQR = 2.0, P < .0001). Bedside nurses (100%) reported massage to be a meaningful way to care for their families and patients.

Conclusion:

Massage therapy is a potentially meaningful intervention for pediatric palliative care patients with noted impact on symptom burden, benefit to family caregivers, and acceptance by nursing staff.
Quality of Life of Family Caregivers of Patients With Cancer in Korçe, Albania
Authors: Judkins Jonathon , Laska Irena , Paice Judith , Kumthekar Priya
Published: November 2018

Purpose:

The primary objective of this study was to quantify cancer family caregiver (FCG) quality of life (QOL) in a Southern Albanian population and to determine whether differences exist between 4 domains of QOL (physical, psychological, social, and spiritual). This study also sought to compare QOL in our cohort to QOL in historical studies that used the same survey instrument, and to examine correlations between demographic characteristics and QOL to identify any high-risk groups.

Methods:

A sample of 40 FCGs was recruited at the Mary Potter Palliative Care Clinic in Korçe, Albania. Each participant completed the City of Hope Quality of Life (Family Version), a validated 37-question instrument that measures caregiver well-being in 4 domains: physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being.

Results:

There were no significant differences between the composite scores of the 4 QOL domains in our study. However, there were differences when comparing self-reported QOL between domains (“Rate your overall physical/psychological/social/spiritual well-being”). The QOL measured in our study was significantly lower than in 3 studies from the United States that used the same questionnaire. There were no significant correlations between demographic groups and QOL.

Conclusions:

This study examines the impact that the paucity of palliative services has on the QOL of Albanian cancer FCGs. Although there were no domains of QOL or demographic groups identified in our study that were faring significantly worse than others, the poor overall QOL provides further evidence to support the continued development of palliative services for both patients and family members in Albania.
Advanced Care Planning for Persons With Dementia in Primary Care: Attitudes and Barriers Among Health-Care Professionals
Authors: Lee Linda , Hillier Loretta M. , Locklin Jason , Lee Jennifer , Slonim Karen
Published: November 2018

Background:

Advance care planning (ACP) provides clarity on goals and preferences for future health-care decisions, the timeliness of which is critical for persons with dementia.

Aim:

This study assessed Primary Care Collaborative Memory Clinic (PCCMC) health-care practitioners’ desire for more education on ACP, capacity for and attitudes toward ACP, and current ACP practices in their regular family practice and in their PCCMC.

Methods:

Primary Care Collaborative Memory Clinic health-care professionals completed a questionnaire in which they rated their interest in learning various ACP-related topics (5-point scale: not at all to very much so), attitudes toward ACP, and the importance of and perceived degree of responsibility for ACP (5-point scale: not at all to extremely). Respondents estimated ACP completion in regular family practice and PCCMC.

Results:

Two hundred and sixty one surveys were completed. Mean knowledge ratings were moderate (M = 3.0) and mean ratings of interest in ACP topics were all high (median ≥ 4). Despite the perception that ACP is very important (M = 4.9) and the responsibility of PCCMCs (M = 3.7), the majority of respondents estimated that 40% or fewer patients have had ACP. Ratings of willingness to conduct ACP (M = 3.7) and comfort level (M = 3.4) were moderate but significantly exceeded ratings of ability (M = 2.9), comfort (M = 3.5), and confidence (M = 2.8).

Conclusion:

There was a striking disconnect between perceptions of the importance of completing ACP for persons with dementia and actual ACP completion rates. Primary Care Collaborative Memory Clinics may be in an ideal position to support ACP discussions; however, there is a need to improve health-care professionals’ knowledge and attitudes toward ACP.
Anti–HER2 single domain antibody-conjugated dendrimers for targeted delivery of truncated-Bid transgene to breast cancer cells
Authors: Jafari Iri Sofla Farnoush , Rahbarizadeh Fatemeh , Ahmadvand Davoud , Nomani Alireza , Vernet Erik
Published: November 2018

To combine the targeted gene delivery and cell-specific transcriptional targeting, a delivery system was designed based on Generation 5 polyamidoamine dendrimer (PAMAM), poly(ethylene glycol), and anti-HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) variable domains of camelid heavy chain antibodies (single domain antibody, VHHs). Anti-HER2 VHHs were covalently attached to the distal ends of poly(ethylene glycols) in PAMAM-poly(ethylene glycol) structure. The prepared immunotargeted nanobiopolymer was then used to condense gene construct, encoding a transcriptionally targeted truncated-Bid killer gene under the control of the breast cancer–specific MUC1 (transmembrane glycoprotein mucin 1) promoter. Transfection and transcription efficiencies of the engineered dendriplexes were quantified by truncated-Bid gene expression measurements, using real-time polymerase chain reaction. The engineered dendriplexes exhibited desirable physicochemical characteristics evaluated by dynamic light scattering and agarose gel retardation assay. Flow cytometry results showed a significantly higher uptake of VHH-modified dendriplexes than untargeted particles in HER2-positive cell lines. In vitro gene expression studies using PAMAM-poly(ethylene glycol)-VHH in complex with a luciferase expressing plasmid resulted in 1.6- and 4.8-fold higher transfection efficiencies than intact PAMAM dendrimers in BT-474 and SK-BR-3 (both as HER2-positive cell lines), respectively. Transfection by PAMAM-poly(ethylene glycol)-VHH/pMUC1-truncated-Bid also increased the level of truncated-Bid gene expression at 2.2- and 3.6-folds in BT-474 and SK-BR-3 cell lines, respectively, compared to the untargeted PAMAM treatment. A remarkable cell death was also observed in case of HER2-positive cells transfected by the targeted dendriplexes, indicating not only an effective targeted delivery but also a better transcriptional targeting efficiency of truncated-Bid killer gene, when expressed under the control of MUC1 promoter.
Intimate Partner Violence and Controlling Behaviors Experienced by Emergency Department Patients: Differences by Sexual Orientation and Gender Identification
Authors: Harland Karisa K. , Peek-Asa Corinne , Saftlas Audrey F.
Published: November 2018

The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) in an emergency department (ED) by sexual orientation and gender identification. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of adult patients ( n = 1,136) presenting to a Level I Trauma Center ED from November 2015 to November 2016. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of reporting any IPV or IPV subtypes (physical or sexual IPV or battering) by sexual orientation and gender identification, controlling for confounders. Overall, 11.6% (132 / 1,136) of those surveyed were IPV positive. The prevalence of IPV was significantly higher in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) patients than in heterosexuals (18.3% vs. 10.8%, p = .0151); prevalence was highest among bisexuals (21.6%) and gay men (18.5%). IPV prevalence did not differ significantly in females versus males (13.5% vs. 9.2%, p = .0872). After controlling for age, the odds of reporting any IPV was highest among females (aOR = 1.67; 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.10, 2.53]); no significant differences were found by sexual orientation. Gay patients (aOR = 5.50; 95% CI = [1.60, 18.94]) and females (aOR = 2.70; 95% CI = [1.46, 9.99]) had significantly higher odds of reporting physical or sexual IPV than heterosexuals and males, respectively. The study is among the first to report IPV prevalence by sexual orientation in an ED patient population. The reported IPV was higher among LGBTQ patients than heterosexual patients although this relationship diminished when controlling for covariates. These data begin to define the scope of IPV among LGBTQ ED patients and may be used to inform brief interventions to reduce the IPV-related morbidity experienced by ED patients.
High-precision trajectory tracking design and simulation for six degree of freedom robot based on improved active disturbance rejection control
Authors: Chen Fengjun , Liao Jinqi , Xiong Jun , Yin Shaohui , Huang Shuai , Tang Qingchun
Published: November 2018

High-precision trajectory tracking control is an important factor in the performance of industrial robots. In this study, a high-precision trajectory tracking strategy was proposed for controlling a degree of freedom serial robot on the basis of improved active disturbance rejection control. An independent control strategy of a single joint was adopted, and the corresponding decoupling control law was designed. An attitude trajectory-planning algorithm based on the circular-blending quaternion curve was improved. The position and attitude trajectories were transformed into the joint trajectory by using a kinematics equation and inverse velocity Jacobian matrix. The above-mentioned transformation link was used as a preprocessing link of the active disturbance rejection control, which is used for replacing the tracking differentiator of a typical active disturbance rejection control to eliminate the effect of the tracking delay. An experimental simulation was conducted by combining MATLAB and ADAMS. Simulation results show that the proposed control strategy can perform the tracking control of a task-space trajectory. The tracking precision of position and attitude trajectories were 0.01 mm and 0.01 s, respectively.
Numerical investigation of aerodynamic and acoustic characteristics of bionic airfoils inspired by bird wing
Authors: Wang Menghao , Liu Xiaomin
Published: November 2018

Airfoil is the basic element of fluid machinery and aircraft, and the noise generated from that is an important research aspect. Aiming to reduce the aerodynamic noise around the airfoil, this study proposes an airfoil inspired by the long-eared owl wing and another airfoil coupled with the bionic airfoil profile, leading edge waves, and trailing edge serrations. Numerical simulations dependent on the large eddy simulation method coupled with the wall-adapting local eddy-viscosity model and the Ffowcs Williams and Hawkings equation are conducted to compare the aerodynamic and acoustic characteristics of two types of bionic airfoils at low Reynolds number condition. The simulations reveal the dipole characteristic of acoustic source and sound pressure level distribution at various frequencies. Two types of bionic airfoils show lower noise compared with the conventional NACA 0012 airfoil with a similar relative thickness of 12%. Compared with the bionic airfoil, the average value of sound pressure level at the monitoring points around the bionic coupling airfoil is decreased by 9.94 dB, meanwhile the lift-to-drag ratio also keep higher. The bionic coupling airfoil exerts a suppression of sound pressure fluctuation on the airfoil surfaces, which result from that the range and size of separation vortices are reduced and the distance between vortices and airfoil surface are increased. The tube-shaped vortices in the wake of airfoil are effectively restrained and split into small scale vortices, which are important to cause less aerodynamic noise around the bionic coupling airfoil. Consequently, a novel bionic coupling airfoil is developed with the excellent aerodynamic and acoustic performance.
Comparing the 1997 update of the 1982 American College of Rheumatology (ACR-97) and the 2012 Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC-12) criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) classification: which enables earlier classification of SLE in an urban Asian population?
Authors: Low E S H , Krishnaswamy G , Thumboo J
Published: November 2018

Objective

We compared the 1997 update of the 1982 American College of Rheumatology (ACR-97) and the 2012 Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC-12) criteria, for earlier classification of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in a multiethnic urban Asian SLE population.

Methods

Patients from a retrospective, nested case-control study of the influence of lupus nephritis on mortality in SLE were studied. For each patient, dates of first manifestations of each criteria (both ACR-97 and SLICC-12) were recorded, and the date of disease classification using ACR-97 or SLICC-12 criteria was compared to determine which criteria resulted in earlier classification.

Results

Among 182 SLE patients (74.2% Chinese, 18.1% Malay, 4.4% Indian and 3.3% Other ethnicities), 10 (5.5%) did not fulfill the ACR-97 criteria and 2 (1.1%) did not fulfill the SLICC-12 criteria. Using the SLICC-12 criteria, 18% of subjects showed earlier classification, whereas 7% of subjects showed earlier classification using the ACR-97 criteria. The SLICC hematologic criteria of “Leukopenia or lymphopenia” contributed most significantly to earlier diagnosis by SLICC-12. “Leukopenia or lymphopenia'' was present in 59% (19/32) of patients where SLICC-12 criteria allowed for earlier classification than ACR-97, compared with 15.4% (2/13) of patients where ACR-97 allowed earlier classification than SLICC-12 ( p = 0.02). The immunologic criterion that is considered a strength of the SLICC-12 criteria did not appear to contribute significantly to earlier diagnosis in this study.

Conclusion

SLICC-12 criteria allow for earlier classification of SLE in a multiethnic cohort of Asian patients, supporting the validity of the SLICC-12 criteria and its use in clinical care and research.
Neoliberalism, crisis and authoritarian–ethnicist reaction: The ascendancy of the Orbán regime
Authors: Fabry Adam
Published: November 2018

This paper analyses the seemingly contradictory fusion between authoritarianism and neoliberalism in Hungary under the Orbán regime. Since coming into power in 2010 on a popular backlash against austerity, the hard-right Fidesz–KDNP government, led by Viktor Orbán, has carried out a root-and-branch transformation of Hungarian society. While officially proposing a break with neoliberalism at home and abroad, the paper argues that the Orbán regime has rather deepened it, producing a specific variety of ‘authoritarian neoliberalism’, which skilfully combines some of the central tenets of neoliberalism (maintenance of a balanced budget, introduction of a flat tax system and the pursuit of regressive social policies) with ‘ethnicist–populist’ measures that seek to co-opt, coerce or manufacture consensus among subaltern groups in society against alleged ‘enemies’ of the Hungarian nation. While Orbán’s ‘illiberal’ politics have been strongly criticized by neoliberal institutions, such as the IMF and the EU, they have taken little concrete action against the Hungarian government. We argue that the reason for this is pragmatic: the Orbán regime has not only been a model for neoliberal austerity in Europe since the 2008 crisis, but also its authoritarian and xenophobic policies are not that different from other EU states.
Do older workers really reduce firm productivity?
Authors: Lee Bokwon , Park Joowoong , Yang Jae-Suk
Published: November 2018

In this article, we examine the effect of workforce ageing on company productivity, using an analysis based on Korean firms. We found that an increase in the ratio of workers aged over 50 years to total workers had a negative effect on value added per worker, which was consistent with the findings of most previous studies based on European data. However, the results of the analysis, including various classifications such as size, industry and several financial conditions, revealed that an increase in the ratio of older workers had positive effects on value added per worker in large manufacturing firms under risky or growing conditions. As the productivity of older workers may vary, future research may determine under what conditions – size, industry, region and financial conditions – older workers contribute positively to productivity. Firms with financial troubles or those planning to downsize should be cautious about laying off older workers as an approach to improving organisational performance because these workers contribute positively to productivity under certain conditions.
New Materialism, Ethnography, and Socially Engaged Practice: Space-Time Folds and the Agency of Matter
Authors: Hickey-Moody Anna Catherine
Published: November 2018

This article is an investigation of the agency of matter and an exposition of the new materialist methods I have been developing as part of a muti-sited trans-national ethnography that features socially engaged arts practices alongside more traditional ethnographic and qualitative techniques. I think through the agency of matter and consider the temporality of matter as part of its agency, understanding these agents as constitutive features of the research assemblage. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork from the United Kingdom, I examine how matter’s space-time can impact processes of making the social. I develop theoretical resources for moving the field forward.
Feline upper respiratory tract infection and disease in Australia
Authors: Nguyen Dalton , Barrs Vanessa R , Kelman Mark , Ward Michael P
Published: November 2018

Objectives

The aim of this study was to conduct a comprehensive assessment of feline infectious upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) and disease (URTD) in Australian cats.

Methods

Laboratory data demonstrating URTI from feline URTD multiplex PCR panel (feline herpesvirus 1 [FHV-1], feline calicivirus [FCV], Bordetella bronchiseptica, Chlamydophila felis, Mycoplasma felis and H1N1 influenza) submissions in Australia (2013–2015) were obtained. For comparison, reports of feline URTD during the same time period were sourced from a voluntary companion animal disease surveillance system.

Results

A total of 3126 samples were submitted for testing; 1533 (49%) were positive. Of these, the most commonly detected agents were M felis (21.5%) and FCV (16.0%) alone, followed by FCV and M felis (13.4%) together as a respiratory infection complex, then FHV-1 (7.0%) alone. During the study period, there were 262 reports of 320 clinical feline URTD cases. Most cases (69%) were reported from New South Wales, <1 year of age (41%) and equally distributed between the sexes. Infection was more common in entire cats (69%) and most cases (55%) involved domestic shorthair cats. Of the 90 reports that had a known vaccination status, 63 had a vaccination history, 40 of which were recently vaccinated. Most (72%) feline URTD cases recovered from clinical disease. Both feline URTI and URTD were more common during winter months.

Conclusions and relevance

Feline URTI and URTD cause substantial impact in Australia, being most commonly associated with M felis and FCV infection. This information can be used by veterinarians to educate clients about prevention and management of this important infectious disease of cats.
Posterior “Open Book” approach for type 1 internal hemipelvectomy
Authors: Stranix John T , Vranis Neil M , Lam Gretl , Rapp Timothy , Saadeh Pierre B
Published: November 2018

Introduction:

Internal limb-sparing hemipelvectomy is currently the preferred surgical option for resection of pelvic tumours. Obtaining an acceptable functional outcome through the standard ilioinguinal or iliofemoral incisions, only compounds the already challenging dissection, resection and reconstruction of these extensive en-bloc extirpative oncologic operations.

Surgical technique:

We describe a novel surgical approach to the lateral pelvis that minimises injury to the gluteal muscles, spares the gluteal vessels and provides a broad yet shallow operative field conducive to microsurgery with sizeable vasculature in close proximity to facilitate any microsurgical reconstruction. Access to the ilium and sacrum for Enneking Type 1 and Type 4 resections respectively is obtained by reflecting a skin and soft tissue flap anteriorly while the gluteal muscles are reflected posteriorly and inferiorly. This technique minimises the amount of tissue reflected in any particular direction, therefore, providing a broad and shallow operative field which benefits the orthopaedic oncologic surgeon and the plastic reconstructive surgeon.

Conclusion:

The “posterior open-book” approach offers a promising alternative to the standard ilioinguinal or iliofemoral incisions for internal limb-sparing Type 1 hemipelvectomies while also optimising the exposure for subsequent reconstructive procedures.
Scurvy is Back
Authors: Callus Claire Ann , Vella Samantha , Ferry Peter
Published: November 2018

Background and objective:

Scurvy, caused by vitamin C deficiency, first described by Hippocrates, is known to many as ‘The Pirates’ Disease’. Although a disease rarely acknowledged in modern medicine, we present 2 cases of elderly gentlemen found to have scurvy, who improved significantly on treatment.

Methods:

This study presents a case report of 2 patients undergoing rehabilitation at Karin Grech Hospital in Malta, noted to have signs and symptoms of vitamin C deficiency. Vitamin C levels were found to be low and thus supplementation was administered.

Results:

After a few weeks, a significant improvement was noted in level of frailty, mood, bleeding tendency, and gum health.

Conclusions:

The modern doctor must keep this ancient disease in mind, as it presents insidiously with debilitating repercussions, particularly in older people who are at a higher risk. It is easily treatable once detected.
Comparison of Management Guidelines for Moderate-to-Severe Plaque Psoriasis: A Review of Phototherapy, Systemic Therapies, and Biologic Agents
Authors: Ighani Arvin , Partridge Arun C.R. , Shear Neil H. , Lynde Charles , Gulliver Wayne P. , Sibbald Cathryn , Fleming Patrick
Published: November 2018

Introduction:

Many international guidelines for management of psoriasis exist and most have variations in grading evidence quality, strength of recommendations, and dosing. The objective of our review is to compare international guidelines published in the United Kingdom, Canada, Europe, and the United States for the management of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

Methods:

We conducted a literature review on systemic therapies and phototherapy for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in adult patients. The British, Canadian, European, and American guidelines served as the key comparators in our review. To identify relevant supporting clinical trials not referenced in the guidelines, we conducted literature searches in PubMed and EMBASE. Two authors independently extracted data on indications, dosing, efficacy, evidence grade, and strength of clinical recommendation for each therapy.

Results:

Monoclonal antibodies directed toward tumour necrosis factor and interleukin (IL)-12/23 received the strongest recommendations for treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, supported by robust, high-quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Newer agents such as IL-17 and IL-23 inhibitors are not referenced in most guidelines. There are fewer RCTs for conventional therapies and few head-to-head comparisons with biologics, making it difficult to draw direct comparisons. Among older agents, methotrexate is most strongly recommended for long-term maintenance and cyclosporine is recommended for short-term control of flares.

Conclusion:

Physicians should individualize psoriasis-management strategies based on medication tolerance, efficacy, safety, patient comorbidities, availability of the medication, and patient preference.
Both loved and despised: Uncovering a process of collective contestation in leadership identification
Authors: Novicevic Milorad M. , Marshall David R. , Humphreys John , Seifried Chad
Published: November 2018

Our critical examination of James Meredith’s leadership during the racial integration of higher education in the early 1960s reveals an important, missing companion to social endorsement in the leadership construction process: social contestation. Through the lens of moral conviction theory and using a combined ANTi-History/Microhistorical method, we analyzed over 250 letters written to James Meredith by opponents undergoing a process of social identification leading to collective hate and opposition of Meredith’s defiance to racial norms. Their shared moral conviction that what Meredith was doing was ‘evil’ worked in conjunction with the collective social endorsement of supporters to cement Meredith as a polemic leader of the racial integration movement and affect his leadership style. Therefore, leadership construction processes triggered by actors in defiance are underscored by both shared social endorsement and contestation.
Mating Effort Predicts Human Menstrual Cycle Frequency
Authors: Gassen Jeffrey , Bradshaw Hannah K. , Hill Sarah E.
Published: November 2018

The human menstrual cycle is characterized by substantial variability both within and between women. Here, we sought to account for such variability by examining whether human menstrual cycle frequency varies as a function of the projected fitness payoffs associated with investment in mating effort. We used structural equation modeling to test the prediction that women whose environmental conditions or life histories favor heavier investment in mating effort would have shorter, more regular cycles. Results supported our hypothesis, revealing that women who project more mating success and have faster life history strategies exhibit greater mating effort and shorter, more regular menstrual cycles. An alternative model that specified cycle frequency as a predictor of mating effort was a poor fit for the data, lending support for the hypothesized directionality of the path between these variables. Together, these results provide some of the first empirical evidence that the length and regularity of the human menstrual cycle may be calibrated to investment in mating effort.
Sex and Physiological Cycles Affect the Automatic Perception of Attractive Opposite-Sex Faces: A Visual Mismatch Negativity Study
Authors: Zhang Shu , Wang Hailing , Guo Qingke
Published: November 2018

Facial attractiveness plays important roles in social interaction. Electrophysiological and neuroimaging studies found several brain areas to be differentially responsive to attractive relative to unattractive faces. However, little is known about the time course of the information processing, especially under the unattended condition. Based on a “cross-modal delayed response” paradigm, the present study aimed to explore the automatic mechanism of facial attractiveness processing of females with different physiological cycles and males, respectively, through recording the event-related potentials in response to (un)attractive opposite-sex faces by two experiments. The attractiveness-related visual mismatch negativity (attractiveness vMMN) in posterior scalp distribution was recorded in both the experiments, which indicated that attractive faces could be processed automatically. And high-attractive opposite-sex faces can elicit larger vMMN in males than females in menstrual period in Study 1, but similar as females in ovulatory period in Study 2. Furthermore, by comparison, the latency of attractiveness vMMN in females with the ovulatory period was the longest. These results indicated as follows: (1) Males were more sensitive to attractive female faces, (2) females in ovulatory period were also attracted by the attractive male faces, (3) the long vMMN latency in females during ovulatory period suggested a special reproductive motivation to avoid being tainted by genes, which takes priority over the breeding motivation.
Cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment of ships: A case study of Panamax bulk carrier
Authors: Tuan Dong Duc , Wei Cai
Published: November 2018

Seaborne transport plays an important role in global transportation, and ships’ emissions are worth considering. By applying life cycle assessment method, the environmental impacts of ships could be evaluated. Life cycle assessment is an effective tool as this method provides a holistic perspective of a product or a service in its life cycle. In an attempt to clarify emissions released from the cradle-to-gate life cycle of ships, especially from processes in shipbuilding which were not considered adequately from some previous studies, this study conducts life cycle assessment method to assess the environmental impacts of a Panamax bulk carrier from raw material extraction to shipbuilding phase. In order to clarify life cycle emissions, some helpful mathematical formulas are also established. Ten environmental categories of CML 2001 life cycle impact assessment methodology that are relevant to the marine context are chosen for evaluating the environmental impacts. To obtain emission inventory and impact assessment results, a life cycle assessment software— GaBi—has been used. The results show that material extraction and production phase accounts for more than 85% carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide, and methane, while shipbuilding phase is responsible for 99.91% volatile organic compounds, 36.08% non-methane organic compounds, and 26.76% particulate matter emissions. In relation to environmental indicators, material consumption is much more significant than other processes and accounts for more than 86% of values of 10 environmental categories. This study is useful as it provides necessary information for life cycle assessment in the shipping industry in the future.
Dual criterion-based dynamic evaluation approach for dike safety
Authors: Su Huaizhi , Ou Bin , Fang Zheng , Gao Jianxin , Wen Zhiping
Published: November 2018

Seepage failure and slope instability in dike engineering are the most common dangerous cases which can easily lead to the break accident. The two dangerous cases have remarkable features such as complex causes, many influencing factors and strong uncertainty. The advantages in the safety factor method and the reliability analysis method are integrated. A dual criterion, which combines the certain index (safety factor) with the uncertain index (reliability), is proposed to evaluate the seepage and stability safety of dike engineering. The dynamic determination approach for the safety status of dike engineering and the corresponding dangerous water level threshold is developed. A representative section of one actual dike engineering is taken as an example. The seepage and stability safety of dike section is analyzed. The more comprehensive and objective evaluation results on service safety status and development trend are obtained. The determined threshold of dangerous water level, which can ensure the service safety of dike engineering, is very helpful to guide the scientific management of dike engineering.
Time-selective data fusion for in-network processing in ad hoc wireless sensor networks
Authors: Kaugerand Jaanus , Ehala Johannes , Mõtus Leo , Preden Jürgo-Sören
Published: November 2018

This article introduces a time-selective strategy for enhancing temporal consistency of input data for multi-sensor data fusion for in-network data processing in ad hoc wireless sensor networks. Detecting and handling complex time-variable (real-time) situations require methodical consideration of temporal aspects, especially in ad hoc wireless sensor network with distributed asynchronous and autonomous nodes. For example, assigning processing intervals of network nodes, defining validity and simultaneity requirements for data items, determining the size of memory required for buffering the data streams produced by ad hoc nodes and other relevant aspects. The data streams produced periodically and sometimes intermittently by sensor nodes arrive to the fusion nodes with variable delays, which results in sporadic temporal order of inputs. Using data from individual nodes in the order of arrival (i.e. freshest data first) does not, in all cases, yield the optimal results in terms of data temporal consistency and fusion accuracy. We propose time-selective data fusion strategy, which combines temporal alignment, temporal constraints and a method for computing delay of sensor readings, to allow fusion node to select the temporally compatible data from received streams. A real-world experiment (moving vehicles in urban environment) for validation of the strategy demonstrates significant improvement of the accuracy of fusion results.
Use of a radial artery ‘slender’ sheath for facilitating transfemoral arterial access for neuroendovascular embolization in a very young infant
Authors: Miao Timothy L , Figueroa Enriqueta Lucar , Bajunaid Khalid , Mayich Michael , de Ribaupierre Sandrine , Pandey Sachin K
Published: November 2018

Pediatric neuroendovascular procedures are increasingly performed as several studies have shown the safety of these interventions. In the literature, an upper limit of 4 French catheter size is conventionally used for femoral access in neuroangiography of very young infants. However, this constraint in luminal size may not allow for more complex procedures. We present the previously unreported use of a radial 5 French slender catheter with ultrathin walls for femoral access for aneurysm embolization in a 3-month-old boy presenting with left M2 aneurysm rupture.
A novel track initialization algorithm based on random sample consensus in dense clutter
Authors: Yang Feng , Tang Weikang , Liang Yan
Published: November 2018

Track initialization in dense clutter environments is an important topic and still a challenging task. Most traditional track initialization techniques firstly consider all possible associated measurement combinations and select the optimal one as an initialized track. Therefore, dense clutter brings great challenges to traditional algorithms. Random sample consensus algorithm, which is different from traditional algorithms, starts from minimum measurements. It samples randomly minimum measurements to establish hypotheses and verifies them through remaining measurements. However, the randomness of sampling influences algorithm performance, especially in dense clutter. A novel track initialization based on random sample consensus, named density-based random sample consensus algorithm, is proposed. It utilizes the fact that sequential measurements originating from the same target are contiguous while clutter is separated in space–time domain. The algorithm defines the density property of measurements to decrease the randomness in sampling procedure and increase the efficiency of track initialization. The experimental results show that the density-based random sample consensus is more superior to random sample consensus, the Hough transform algorithm, and logic-based algorithm.