bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Icare versus Goldmann in a randomised middle-aged population
Authors: Stoor Katri , Karvonen Elina , Ohtonen Pasi , Liinamaa M Johanna , Saarela Ville
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The aim of this study was to compare the measurements of intraocular pressure by two tonometers, the Icare rebound tonometer and the Goldmann applanation tonometer, in a randomised screening study. The influence of refraction and central corneal thickness on the measurements was also evaluated.

Methods

Intraocular pressure was measured with rebound tonometer and Goldmann applanation tonometer in 1266 participants; refraction and central corneal thickness were also determined. One randomised eye of each participant was selected for this report’s analysis. A Bland–Altman plot was used to compare the values obtained with the two devices.

Results

The correlation between rebound tonometer and Goldmann applanation tonometer was good: the intraclass correlation coefficient (r) between the two methods was 0.735 ( p < 0.001). The mean difference (rebound tonometer–Goldmann applanation tonometer) was 0.11 ± 2.3 mmHg. The difference was not statistically significant (95% confidence interval: 0.11 to 0.13, p = 0.09). With increasing central corneal thickness, not only did intraocular pressure values with both devices increase, but the difference between them also increased. Refraction (spherical equivalent) did not influence intraocular pressure or the rebound tonometer–Goldmann applanation tonometer difference. However, high astigmatism (≥2D) exerted an influence on intraocular pressure values taken with Goldmann applanation tonometer.

Conclusion

Measurements with rebound tonometer and Goldmann applanation tonometer are relatively uniform although rebound tonometer slightly overestimated intraocular pressure. Both rebound tonometer and Goldmann applanation tonometer and the difference between these devices were affected by central corneal thickness but not by refraction. Higher astigmatism affected Goldmann applanation tonometer more than rebound tonometer. It is concluded that rebound tonometer is a reliable method for measuring intraocular pressure in a population-based screening study.
A self-paced reading (SPR) study of the effects of processing instruction on the L2 processing of active and passive sentences
Authors: Lee James F. , Malovrh Paul A. , Doherty Stephen , Nichols Alecia
Published: June 2020

Recent research on the effects of processing instruction (PI) have incorporated online research methods in order to demonstrate that PI has effects on cognitive processing behaviors as well as on accuracy (e.g. Lee & Doherty, 2019a). The present study uses self-paced reading and a moving windows technique to examine the effects of PI on second language (L2) learners’ processing of Spanish active and passive sentences to explore the effects of PI on instructed second language acquisition. One group received PI but the Control group did not. Between group comparisons on passive sentences showed changes in performance for the PI group but not the Control group with the PI group gaining in accuracy and processing speed, specifically faster response times to select the correct picture and faster reading time on passive verb forms. Within group analyses showed changes in the PI group’s performance on all dependent variables at the immediate posttest and a subsequent decline in performance at the delayed posttest (8 weeks later). We discuss the implications of our results and treatment format for classroom and hybridized instruction.
The collective body: Legacies of monastic discipline in the post-Soviet prison
Authors: Azbel Lyuba , Morse Evan Winter , Rhodes Tim
Published: June 2020

The emergence of the prisoner subject is an element of local practices, including how health is governed. Yet, disciplinary practices have been overlooked in research on health in post-Soviet prisons. Drawing on qualitative interviews with 40 male prisoners in Kyrgyzstan, this article performs a genealogical analysis by applying models of subjectivity from Christian monasticism to understand how a healthy body emerges through the contingent governing relations of the post-Soviet prison. An apparatus of “collective self-governance” produces bodies that extend the self to the collective and blur the boundaries between physical and moral health. Here, unlike in the West, the idealization of an autonomous subject is inimical to agency and, by extension, health. Rather, a healthy body is produced through a healing process that rests on submission to the collective, with the threat of exile imminent. In such settings, health interventions aimed at the individual are unlikely to succeed without a consideration of collective healing practices.
Explaining and trusting expert evidence: What is a ‘sufficiently reliable scientific basis’?
Authors: Ward Tony
Published: June 2020

Through a series of judicial decisions and Practice Directions, the English courts have developed a rule that expert evidence must have ‘a sufficiently reliable scientific basis to be admitted’. There is a dearth of case-law as to what degree of reliability is ‘sufficient’. This article argues that the test should be interpreted as analogous to one developed in the law of hearsay: expert evidence (scientific or otherwise) must be ‘potentially safely reliable’ in the context of the evidence as a whole. The implications of this test will vary according to the relationship between the expert evidence and the other evidence in the case. The article identifies three main patterns into which this relationship falls. Whether the jury relies upon the evidence will depend upon what they regard as the best explanation of the evidence and how far they trust the expert. Whether their reliance is safe (as a basis for conviction) depends on whether they could rationally rule out explanations consistent with innocence, and whether the degree to which they take the expert’s evidence on trust is consistent with prosecution’s burden of proving the essential elements of its case, including the reliability of any scientific techniques on which it relies.
Partial fusion in long-term bilingualism: The case of vernacular Kildin Saami
Authors: Hakimov Nikolay , Rießler Michael
Published: June 2020

Objectives:

Distinguishing between language mixing and language fusion is a non-trivial task, particularly in situations of long-standing bilingualism. The main goal of this paper is thus to propose and test a methodology for discerning language fusion from conventionalized mixing. In addition, we examine the hypothesis that the fusion of unbound elements evolves from alternational mixing.

Design:

The paper addresses the goals through a distributional analysis of a vernacular variety of Kildin Saami, a seriously endangered East Saamic (Uralic) language spoken on the Kola Peninsula in Northwest Russia, as a partially fused lect due to contact with Russian.

Data and Analysis:

A one-hour recording of an informal group conversation with three native speakers, comprising some 10,000 word tokens, was transcribed and annotated for Russian-origin items. For comparison, other available speech samples, documenting the earlier stages of the language development, as well as the few existing grammatical descriptions and dictionaries were referred to.

Findings:

The paper develops and showcases three diagnostic criteria indicative of language fusion: (a) regularization of the donor language items’ usage patterns in the mixed variety; (b) functional reduction, or functional extension, of the donor language element, and/or of its inherited native equivalent; (c) the introduction of new constructions involving the donor language grammatical elements by way of loan translation. Finally, we report multiple parallels existing between the distribution of Russian-origin items in vernacular Kildin Saami and alternational mixing.

Originality:

This paper is the first to propose and systematically test diagnostic criteria indicative of language fusion in a situation of long-term bilingualism.

Significance:

The proposed criteria may reliably be employed as indicators of fusion in future studies of contact varieties with little, or undocumented, linguistic histories. Furthermore, in contrast to the mainstream assumption, this study also provides evidence for the claim that alternational mixing can be a starting point for the emergence of a fused lect.
Broke people, broken rules: Explaining welfare fraud investigators’ attributions
Authors: Headworth Spencer
Published: June 2020

There is a notable contrast between welfare clients’ and welfare fraud investigators’ accounts of rule breaking behaviors. Clients describe some actions (or inactions) that constitute rule violations as accidental, and tend to attribute others to situational factors: program rules’ complexity, the exigencies of day-to-day subsistence, and time and energy limitations. Fraud investigators, on the other hand, are comparatively likely to identify rule breaking as deliberate and cite clients’ dispositions to explain the behavior. In part, this disparity reflects the “fundamental attribution error,” the tendency to overestimate dispositional factors’ role in driving others’ behavior. However, evidence from interviews with welfare fraud workers from five US states reveals the impactful administrative and normative factors that encourage them to make and assert attributions of intentionality and dispositional motivation. First, administrative priorities foreground intentional violations: federal authorities financially incentivize deliberate fraud charges, and managers favor these cases, which permit client suspensions and disqualifications. Second, emphasizing internal motivations over situational pressures serves a valuable normative function, establishing punished clients’ blameworthiness and thus defending the legitimacy of both individual fraud workers and the units they compose. These findings demonstrate how policy structures and enforcement practices do not just respond to blameworthy or legally culpable behavior, but help construct narratives of blameworthiness and culpability.
How candidate characteristics affect favorability in European Parliament elections: Evidence from a conjoint experiment in Finland
Authors: Christensen Henrik S , Rosa Marco S La , Grönlund Kimmo
Published: June 2020

Previous literature has studied voter behavior in European Parliament elections. However, it remains unclear how candidate characteristics affect favorability of EP candidates since it cannot be taken for granted that these characteristics work as in national elections. We therefore use a conjoint analysis to examine how gender, left-right ideology, issue focus, political experience, representative focus, citizenship, and attitude towards European integration affected EP candidate favorability during the 2019 campaign in Finland. Results show that while traditional candidate characteristics matter, their impact is dwarfed by effects of traits particular to the EP elections. Hence, it is imperative to observe the particularities of EP elections to understand candidate choice.
Tackling the personal tutoring conundrum: A qualitative study on the impact of developmental support for tutors
Authors: Walker Ben W
Published: June 2020

The significance of personal tutoring continues to increase as a result of contextual developments and the outcomes of key research on student retention and success, and yet these developments simultaneously create significant challenges in delivery within the pastoral model of personal tutoring. In addition, it remains an under-developed and under-researched area. Personal tutors’ needs and concerns have been established, and assessment of an intervention to address them has been recommended. This study examines the impact of the intervention of tailored professional development materials for tutoring within a pastoral model created in response to these issues. It reveals the usefulness of this developmental support and the need for such guidance for this work. It is argued that there are implications in terms of approaches to tutoring within this pastoral model, developmental support provision and a need for consistency of standards in personal tutoring across the sector.
An alternative characterization of MAR in shared parameter models for incomplete longitudinal data and its utilization for sensitivity analysis
Authors: Papageorgiou Grigorios , Rizopoulos Dimitris
Published: June 2020

Dropout is a common complication in longitudinal studies, especially since the distinction between missing not at random (MNAR) and missing at random (MAR) dropout is intractable. Consequently, one starts with an analysis that is valid under MAR and then performs a sensitivity analysis by considering MNAR departures from it. To this end, specific classes of joint models, such as pattern-mixture models (PMMs) and selection models (SeMs), have been proposed. On the contrary, shared-parameter models (SPMs) have received less attention, possibly because they do not embody a characterization of MAR. A few approaches to achieve MAR in SPMs exist, but are difficult to implement in existing software. In this article, we focus on SPMs for incomplete longitudinal and time-to-dropout data and propose an alternative characterization of MAR by exploiting the conditional independence assumption, under which outcome and missingness are independent given a set of random effects. By doing so, the censoring distribution can be utilized to cover a wide range of assumptions for the missing data mechanism on the subject-specific level. This approach offers substantial advantages over its counterparts and can be easily implemented in existing software. More specifically, it offers flexibility over the assumption for the missing data generating mechanism that governs dropout by allowing subject-specific perturbations of the censoring distribution, whereas in PMMs and SeMs dropout is considered MNAR strictly.
Revealing the hidden performances of social work practice: The ethnographic process of gaining access, getting into place and impression management
Authors: Leigh Jadwiga , Disney Tom , Warwick Lisa , Ferguson Harry , Beddoe Liz , Cooner Tarsem S
Published: June 2020

Whilst the empirical process of research highlights substantive findings, understanding the methodological approach in which access is gained and sustained on field sites is also an integral part of the data. Gaining access in ethnographic studies, in particular, is a complex task which requires researchers to continually negotiate systems and processes in order that they may reflect on the socially embedded practices of their chosen fields. However, once the researchers are accepted, the ethnographer then has to be aware of the effect their presence has on the field and that access is a continual process of negotiation and contestation. Based on a longitudinal study, which conducted a 15-month ethnography in two social work organizations, this article will explore the dilemmas various members of a research team experienced when trying to blend into the different sites. And then, once having achieved their desired position, the challenges they encountered when they realized that their presence was affecting the performances of their participants. We conclude by discussing the importance of reflexivity, power and ethics. Ethnographic research may be a more natural way for researchers to collect data, but it is also a method which positions researchers in situations, where they can easily influence encounters and, in effect, become part of the findings as well.
Use of 3D Printing to Guide Creation of Fenestrations in Physician-Modified Stent-Grafts for Treatment of Thoracoabdominal Aortic Disease
Authors: Tong Yuan-Hao , Yu Tong , Zhou Min-Jie , Liu Chen , Zhou Min , Jiang Qing , Liu Chang-Jian , Li Xiao-Qiang , Liu Zhao
Published: June 2020

Purpose: To summarize the experience and outcomes of total endovascular repair of thoracoabdominal aortic disease using 3-dimensional (3D) printed models to guide on-site creation of fenestrations in aortic stent-grafts. Materials and Methods: From April 2018 to March 2019, 34 patients (mean age 58±14 years; 24 men) with thoracoabdominal aortic disease were treated in our department. Nineteen patients had thoracoabdominal aortic dissection and 15 had thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm. Preoperatively, a 3D printed model of the aorta was made according to computed tomography images. In the operating room, the main aortic stent-graft was completely released in the 3D printed model, and the position of each fenestration or branch was marked on the stent-graft. The fenestrations were then made using an electric pen. Wires were sewn to the edge of the fenestrations using nonabsorbable sutures. After customization, the aortic stent-graft was reloaded into the delivery sheath and deployed. Results: The printing process took ~5 hours (1 hour for image reconstruction, 3 hours for printing, and 1 hour for postprocessing). The physician-modified stent-grafts had a total of 107 fenestrations secured by 102 bridging stent-grafts, including 73 covered stents and 29 bare stents. The average procedure time was 5.6±1.2 hours, including a mean 1.3 hours for stent-graft customization. No renal insufficiency or paraplegia occurred. Two branch arteries were lost during the operation. One patient (3%) died 1 week after surgery from a retrograde dissection rupture. One patient developed a minor cerebral infarction postoperatively. The mean follow-up time was 8.5 months. There was 1 endoleak from a fenestration (coil embolized) and 4 distal ruptures of the aortic dissection (3 treated and 1 observed). Conclusion: Three-dimensional printing can be used to guide creation of fenestrated stent-grafts for the treatment of thoracoabdominal aortic diseases involving crucial branches. This technique appears to be more accurate than the traditional measurement method, with short-term follow-up demonstrating the safety and reliability of the method. However, further research and development are needed.
Outcomes of Endovascular Aneurysm Repair Using the Anaconda Stent-Graft
Authors: Tigkiropoulos Konstantinos , Stavridis Kyriakos , Lazaridis Ioannis , Bontinis Evangelos , Zournatzi Ioulia , Kolaki Nikoletta , Karamanos Dimitrios , Saratzis Nikolaos
Published: June 2020

Purpose: To report outcomes of elective endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) using the Anaconda stent-graft in a tertiary vascular center. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted of 271 patients (mean age 71.5 years; 260 men) who underwent elective EVAR for abdominal aortic aneurysm using the Anaconda stent-graft from January 2006 to January 2017. Median aneurysm diameter was 58 mm (range 50–90). All patients were anatomically suitable for EVAR according to the 2003 version of the instructions for use. Follow-up included computed tomography angiography at 1, 6, and 12 months and yearly thereafter for the first 4 years and then every 2 years. Primary outcomes included technical success and 30-day aneurysm-related mortality and complications; secondary outcomes were overall and aneurysm-related mortality and aneurysm-related morbidity in follow-up. Results: The Anaconda stent-graft was implanted successfully in all patients. Primary and secondary technical success rates were 99.6% and 100%, respectively. Three patients (1.1%) died within 30 days of causes unrelated to the aneurysm, while 15 patients (5.5%) suffered perioperative complications. Median follow-up was 72 months (range 14–141). The overall type I endoleak rate was 4.7% (11 proximal, 2 distal). Late aneurysm-related complications were observed in 48 patients (17.3%); aneurysm-related mortality was 1.4% (n=4). Non-aneurysm-related mortality was 21.0% (n=57). Freedom from reintervention was 95.2% at 1 year, 98% at 2 years, and 90% at 6 years. There was no significant difference in the overall limb graft occlusion rate between the second- and third-generation devices. Conclusion: Results in our cohort study demonstrate that the Anaconda stent-graft has satisfactory early and late results with low aneurysm-related mortality.
Incidental Saccular Popliteal Vein Aneurysm: Two Case Reports
Authors: Seki Sassaki Viviane
Published: June 2020

Venous aneurysms are rare lesions that have been described within the venous system and may be discovered at any age. The lower extremities are most frequently involved, with the popliteal vein being the most common location. Clinical presentations are often initially classified as subcutaneous masses or alternatively, as an incidental finding during imaging studies for pain or chronic venous disease of the lower limb. They may be asymptomatic and/or initially present as a pulmonary embolism (PE), thrombosis, or vessel rupture with bleeding. Although benign, venous aneurysms have the potential for complications depending on location, size, and type. Here, the author presents two cases of saccular popliteal vein aneurysm that did not receive surgical treatment. Case 1: A 66-year-old male presented with a venous aneurysm without any previously reported symptoms that suggested new onset of claudication. He had an episode of PE in the past. Upon outpatient follow-up for his arterial exam, duplex ultrasound was performed, and a popliteal vein outpouching was visualized. Results: The ultrasound demonstrated a patent arterial bypass graft, with an incidental finding of saccular popliteal vein aneurysm without evidence of thrombus. The patient received no further surgical treatment (considering his comorbidities) and began daily warfarin with close clinical monitoring. Case 2: A 49-year-old male presented with bilateral varicose veins (worse on the left side) with recurrent posterior calf pain. He was referred for a bilateral venous insufficiency ultrasound. The patient had no prior history of deep vein thrombosis or PE. Results: Deep and superficial venous insufficiency was identified bilaterally. In addition, a saccular vein aneurysm without thrombus measuring 3.3 × 2.7 × 2.1 cm was identified in the popliteal vein. The patient received surgical treatment for venous insufficiency and is doing well.
Do “Anatomic” Distal Ulna Plating Systems Fit the Distal Ulna Without Causing Soft Tissue Impingement?
Authors: Shaerf Daniel A. , Chae Woo Jin , Sharif-Razavian Reza , Vardakastani Vasiliki , Kedgley Angela E. , Horwitz Maxim D.
Published: June 2020

Background: Distal ulna fracture fixation plates commonly cause irritation, necessitating removal, due to the narrow area between the ulna articular cartilage and the extensor carpi ulnaris. This study defines the safe zone for plate application and determines whether wrist position affects risk of impingement. Methods: Four different distal ulna anatomic plates (Acumed, Medartis, Skeletal Dynamics, and Synthes) were applied to 12 cadaveric specimens. Safe zone size was measured in circumferential distance and angular arc. Impingement was examined in flexion and extension in neutral, pronation, and supination. Results: The distal ulna safe zone has dimensions of a 92° arc and perimeter circumference of 15 mm. Cumulative extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) impingement occurred in 0% of the 6 simulated wrist/forearm positions for the Acumed plate, 22% for the Synthes plate, 31% for the Skeletal Dynamics plate, and 68% for the Medartis plate. Impingement was most common in supination. Likelihood of ECU impingement significantly decreased in the following order; Medartis > Skeletal Dynamics > Synthes > Acumed. Conclusion: The ECU tendon’s mobility can cause impingement on ulnarly placed distal ulna plates. Intra-operative testing should be performed in supination. Take home points regarding each plate from the 4 different manufacturers: contouring of Medartis plates, when placed ulnarly, is mandatory. The Acumed plate impinged the least but is not designed for far-distal fractures. The Synthes plate is least bulky but not suitable for proximal fractures. The Skeletal Dynamics plate appeared the most versatile with a reduced incidence of impingement compared to other ulnarly based plates.
The influence of the static-pre-stress and mechanical damage variable in the thermal quality factor of two-temperature viscothermoelastic resonators
Authors: Youssef Hamdy M , Al-Hazmi Mohammed W
Published: June 2020

The mechanical damage variable, as well as the thermal and mechanical relaxation times, plays essential roles in the thermal quality factor of the resonators, where controls energy damping through the coupling of mechanical and thermal behavior. In this article, we developed a mathematical model in which a static-pre-stress and mechanical damage variable in the context of a two-temperature viscothermoelasticity of silicon resonator has been considered. The effects of static-pre-stress, thermal relaxation time, mechanical relaxation time, mechanical damage variable, isothermal frequency, and length-scale on the quality factor have been discussed in the context of a one-temperature and two-temperature models. The model predicts that significant improvement in terms of quality factors is possible by tuning the static-pre-stress, isothermal frequency, and length-scale of the resonator. Moreover, the thermal and mechanical relaxation times and the mechanical damage variable have impacts on the thermal quality factor.
The influence of speleotherapy combined with pulmonary rehabilitation on functional fitness in older adults – preliminary report
Authors: Mętel Sylwia , Kostrzon Magdalena , Adamiak Justyna , Gattner Halina , Kościelecka Dominika , Sosulska Angelika , Szczygieł Elżbieta , Golec Joanna
Published: June 2020

Objective:

Our aim was to determine the influence of pulmonary rehabilitation conducted in therapeutic salt mine chambers on the functional fitness of older adults.

Methods:

The study included 22 individuals of age >65 years with chronic respiratory conditions. The patients underwent the Fullerton test before and after a 3-week outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation in the “Wieliczka” Salt Mine Health Resort.

Results:

After the rehabilitation stay, the results showed statistically significant improvements within five of the six parameters evaluated. In the Arm Curl, the mean number of repetitions within 30 s increased from 14.55 ± 3.63 to 16.68 ± 3.83 and in the Chair Stand from 11.86 ± 2.55 to 14.41 ± 2.95. Beneficial changes were observed in the Back Scratch, but without statistical significance. In Sit and Reach results increased from -2.3 ± 11.11cm to 2.14 ± 9.19 cm. Time for performing the 8-Foot Up and Go decreased from 6.63 ± 1.27 s to 5.8 ± 0.86 s and in 2-Minute Step results increased from 88.27 ± 20.64 to 96.55 ± 16.38 repetitions.

Conclusion:

Functional fitness of examined older adults with pulmonary disorders has increased after a rehabilitation and treatment stay in underground salt mine chambers. The reviews of this paper are available via the supplemental material section.
Inertial properties of a living population for the development of biofidelic headforms
Authors: Connor Thomas A , Colgan Niall , Stewart Matt , Ní Annaidh Aisling , Gilchrist Michael D
Published: June 2020

The aim of this study is to create a new database of human head physical properties based on a living adult population that can be used to inform the development of future biofidelic headforms. Relationships between head circumference and mass, as well as head moments of inertia and mass, are sufficiently linear to provide simple yet accurate values for the mass and inertia properties of differently sized heads. Physical data regarding the dimensions, mass, moments of inertia and centre of gravity location for the heads of 56 living adults were obtained using a non-invasive method based on computed tomography-based finite element models. The computed tomography data showed good agreement with published cadaver data and significantly less variation. The data set presented in this article provides an important basis for more biofidelic future headform designs. The linear equations associated with this new primary data set relate head circumference to head mass and moments of inertia: Head Mass = 0.18 × Head Circumference – 6.08, where mass is in kg and circumference is in cm, while Ixx = 79.88 × Head Mass – 132.88, Iyy = 81.70 × Head Mass – 128.38 and Izz = 53.88 × Head Mass – 86.66, where I is the moment of inertia in kg/cm2 and mass is in kg. The X, Y and Z axes correspond to forward, lateral and vertical directions and the XZ plane corresponds to the mid-sagittal plane. These results represent the first published human head physical property data that are based on a living population, rather than cadaver data. These data are freely available to all and should serve to improve the biofidelity of standard headforms in terms of their mass and moments of inertia.
Comparing national point prevalence surveys of healthcare-associated infection and antimicrobial prescribing: a methodological approach to adjust for differences in case-mix
Authors: Gibbons Cheryl L , Cairns Shona , Milne Aynsley , Llano Melissa , Weir Jennifer , Robertson Chris , Reilly Jacqui S
Published: June 2020

Background:

National point prevalence surveys (PPS) of healthcare-associated infection (HAI) and antimicrobial prescribing in hospitals were conducted in 2011 and 2016 in Scotland. When comparing results of PPS, it is important to adjust for any differences in patient case-mix that may confound the comparison.

Aim:

To describe the methodology used to compare prevalence for the two surveys and illustrate the importance of taking case-mix (patient and hospital stay characteristics) into account.

Methods:

Multivariate models (clustered logistic regression) that adjusted for differences in patient case-mix were used to describe the difference in prevalence of six outcomes (HAI, antimicrobial prescribing and four devices: central vascular catheter, peripheral vascular catheter, urinary catheterisation and intubation) between the 2011 and 2016 PPS. Univariate models that did not adjust for these differences were also developed for comparison to show the importance of adjusting for confounders.

Results:

Without adjustment for case-mix, HAI and intubation prevalence estimates were not significantly different in 2016 compared with 2011 although with adjustment, the prevalence of both was significantly lower ( P=0.03 and P=0.02, respectively). These associations were only identified after adjustment for confounding by case-mix.

Conclusions:

While prevalence surveys do not provide intelligence on temporal trends as an incidence-based surveillance system would, if limitations and caveats are acknowledged, it is possible to compare two prevalence surveys to describe changing epidemiology. Adjusting for differences in case-mix is essential for robust comparisons. This methodology may be useful for other countries that are conducting large, repeated prevalence surveys.
Combination therapy with dendritic cell vaccine and programmed death ligand 1 immune checkpoint inhibitor for hepatocellular carcinoma in an orthotopic mouse model
Authors: Teng Chiao-Fang , Wang Ting , Wu Tzu-Hua , Lin Jia-Hui , Shih Fu-Ying , Shyu Woei-Cherng , Jeng Long-Bin
Published: June 2020

Background:

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is among the most common and lethal human cancers worldwide. Despite remarkable advances in treatment, high mortality in HCC patients remains a big challenge. To develop novel therapeutic strategies for HCC is thus urgently needed to improve patient survival. Dendritic cells (DC)-based vaccines can induce tumor-specific immunity and have emerged as a promising approach for treating HCC patients; however, its effectiveness needs to be improved. Recently, blockade of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) immune checkpoint pathway has been shown to enhance anti-tumor immune responses and exhibited great potential in HCC therapy.

Methods:

In this study, we generated DC vaccine by pulsing the C57BL/6J mouse bone marrow-derived DC with mouse hepatoma Hep-55.1C cell lysate. We developed a therapeutic strategy combining DC vaccine and PD-L1 inhibitor for HCC and evaluated its efficacy in an orthotopic HCC mouse model in which Hep-55.1C cells were directly injected into left liver lobe of C57BL/6J mouse.

Results:

Compared with a control group of mice, groups of mice treated with DC vaccine or PD-L1 inhibitor had significantly improved overall survival, reduced tumor volume, and increased tumor cell apoptosis. Remarkably, combination treatment with DC vaccine and PD-L1 inhibitor led to considerably longer overall survival, smaller tumor volume, and higher tumor cell apoptosis of mice than either treatment alone in a dose-dependent manner through inducing a stronger anti-tumor cytotoxic T cell response.

Conclusion:

Our data suggested that combination therapy with DC vaccine and PD-L1 inhibitor might have great promise as a novel treatment strategy for HCC.
Professional Judges’ Disbelief in Free Will Does Not Decrease Punishment
Authors: Genschow Oliver , Hawickhorst Heinz , Rigoni Davide , Aschermann Ellen , Brass Marcel
Published: June 2020

There is a debate in psychology and philosophy on the societal consequences of casting doubts about individuals’ belief in free will. Research suggests that experimentally reducing free will beliefs might affect how individuals evaluate others’ behavior. Past research has demonstrated that reduced free will beliefs decrease laypersons’ tendency toward retributive punishment. This finding has been used as an argument for the idea that promoting anti-free will viewpoints in the public media might have severe consequences for the legal system because it may move judges toward softer retributive punishments. However, actual implications for the legal system can only be drawn by investigating professional judges. In the present research, we investigated whether judges ( N = 87) are affected by reading anti-free will messages. The results demonstrate that although reading anti-free will texts reduces judges’ belief in free will, their recommended sentences are not influenced by their (manipulated) belief in free will.
The Breadth of Confrontations as a Prejudice Reduction Strategy
Authors: Chaney Kimberly E. , Sanchez Diana T. , Alt Nicholas P. , Shih Margaret J.
Published: June 2020

Past research on prejudice confrontations as a prejudice reduction tool has only examined bias that was implicated in the confrontation, such as the use of negative Black stereotypes after being confronted for using negative Black stereotypes. Examining the breadth of prejudice confrontations, we hypothesize that confronted individuals should subsequently use fewer negative and positive stereotypes about other racial minority groups, and fewer stereotypes about groups stigmatized along other identity dimensions (e.g., gender). In two studies, White participants confronted for the use of negative Black stereotypes used fewer negative Latino stereotypes (Study 1), positive Black, but not Asian, stereotypes and fewer gender role stereotypes (Study 2). Additionally, participants confronted for female gender role stereotypes subsequently used fewer negative Black and Latino stereotypes 24–72 hr later due to greater racial egalitarian motivation (Study 3). Thus, prejudice confrontations have a broad effect on reducing bias toward multiple stigmatized groups across identity dimensions.
Necessity of trauma referrals to the emergency department
Authors: Lee Chengjie , Yugendra Paul , Wee Choon Peng Jeremy , Pek Jen Heng
Published: June 2020

Background:

Patients with traumatic injuries presenting to the emergency department (ED) may be referred to another hospital for further management. Unnecessary referrals can inflate health-care costs and workload, as well as reduce provider and patient satisfaction.

Objectives:

In this study, we determined the proportion of unnecessary trauma referrals and described the characteristics of this patient population.

Methods:

A retrospective chart review was carried out between 1 January and 31 December 2016. Data regarding demographics, diagnosis and clinical course at the ED were collected in standardised forms. A referral was defined as unnecessary if the patient was discharged from the ED without a therapeutic procedure performed.

Results:

There were 121 trauma referrals. The mean age was 39.0±18.3 years old, and 94 (77.7%) patients were male. Seventy-eight (64.5%) of the referrals were from EDs in the same health-care cluster. Overall, 15 (12.3%) referrals were unnecessary, and of these, nine patients had sustained burns or were suffering from smoke inhalation. The length of stay of these unnecessary referrals was 197.0±96.2 minutes. Referring ED outside the health-care cluster was significantly associated with unnecessary referrals (odds ratio=4.42, 95% confidence interval 1.40–13.97, p=0.007).

Conclusion:

More than 1 in 10 trauma referrals were unnecessary. Further collaborative prospective studies with other EDs are needed to elucidate the underlying reasons for such unnecessary referrals so that targeted solutions can be implemented to reduce them in the future.
Slow-growing metastatic adenocarcinoma diagnosed via electro-navigational bronchoscopy
Authors: Mohd Nasir Ahmad Adib , Abdul Hamid Mohamed Faisal
Published: June 2020

Here, we describe the case of a 67-year-old man who had been under surveillance for solitary pulmonary nodule for two years and was diagnosed with malignancy via electro-navigational bronchoscopy (ENB). Surveillance computed tomography scan of the thorax showed annual growth increments of the pulmonary nodule. In view of his Brock score showing a 35% probability of malignancy, the patient was subjected to ENB, and metastatic adenocarcinoma from the gastrointestinal tract was diagnosed. ENB was done using a machine on loan from Veran Medical Technologies. The procedure was successful, with no immediate or long-term complications. The diagnosis following histopathological examination was adenocarcinoma, and he was subsequently referred to our oncology unit for further management.
Rent and crisis: Old housing problems require a new state of exception in Australia
Authors: Maalsen Sophia , Rogers Dallas , Ross Leo Patterson
Published: June 2020

The coronavirus pandemic is opening up a space for housing advocates and scholars to push for reforms to the private rental sector. Yet, we argue the Australian government has shown little commitment to addressing long-term, structural housing issues. Temporary reform will not lead to a new or more socially just housing system in the long-term—a new housing normal—without a significant and nation-wide tenant campaign. Like others, we are working together on campaigns such as this, but we are conscious that the government is likely to revert back to their old housing habits.
Platform philanthropy, ‘public value’, and the COVID-19 pandemic moment
Authors: Cinnamon Jonathan
Published: June 2020

This commentary examines the COVID-19 pandemic as a moment of strategic advancement for digital platforms. Focusing on the redeployment of Google Maps data for tracking adherence to mobility restrictions, I argue that demonstrating such ‘public value’ uses of Google’s vast geolocation and behavioral data forms part of a larger effort to strengthen their economic and political position in the face of two existential threats—declining advertising revenues and platform regulation.
The body and the law across borders during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Tedeschi Miriam
Published: June 2020

Drawing on non-representational theories in geography and beyond, this commentary provides an autoethnographic account of the material and spatial dimensions of the law as well as its effects and affects on bodies in-between two countries, Italy and Finland, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Charting COVID-19 futures: Mapping, anticipation, and navigation
Authors: Brice Jeremy
Published: June 2020

This commentary argues that visualisations of COVID-19 transmission and mortality map out possible futures. It outlines a navigational approach to such mappings which interrogates their role in guiding anticipatory actions that are shaping COVID-19’s emerging geographies.
Mediating role of social support between sleep quality, anxiety and depressive symptoms in Chinese women undergoing in vitro fertilization treatment
Authors: Cui Ying , Li Danian , Zhou Borong , Lin Yanshan , Zeng Yingchun
Published: June 2020

Introduction:

Infertility is a significant health problem, and the prevalence of infertility among women is increasing in developing countries. This study aims to explore whether social support plays a mediating role in the links between exogenous variables, sleep quality, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in Chinese women undergoing in vitro fertilization.

Methods:

This is a cross-sectional study comprising a sample of Chinese women undergoing in vitro fertilization treatment at a tertiary reproductive medicine center located in South China.

Results:

The final testing model showed good fit, with normed χ2 = 39.317, p = 0.055, comparative fit index = 0.948, Tucker–Lewis index = 0.902, incremental fit index = 0.951, normed fit index = 0.906, root mean square error of approximation = 0.046). The final path model supported the proposed model: partner relationship, a woman’s age, financial strain, duration of infertility, and cycles of in vitro fertilization were exogenous variables for depressive symptoms, while social support was a significant mediator between sleep quality, anxiety, and depressive symptoms.

Conclusion:

The empirical support from this study could facilitate the development of appropriate interventions to reduce depressive symptoms, and to promote the mental health of Chinese women undergoing in vitro fertilization treatment.
Canadian Society of Transplantation and Canadian Society of Nephrology Commentary on the 2017 KDIGO Clinical Practice Guideline on the Evaluation and Care of Living Kidney Donors
Authors: Lam Ngan N. , Dipchand Christine , Fortin Marie-Chantal , Foster Bethany J. , Ghanekar Anand , Houde Isabelle , Kiberd Bryce , Klarenbach Scott , Knoll Greg A. , Landsberg David , Luke Patrick P. , Mainra Rahul , Singh Sunita K. , Storsley Leroy , Gill Jagbir
Published: June 2020

Purpose of review:

To review an international guideline on the evaluation and care of living kidney donors and provide a commentary on the applicability of the recommendations to the Canadian donor population.

Sources of information:

We reviewed the 2017 Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Clinical Practice Guideline on the Evaluation and Care of Living Kidney Donors and compared this guideline to the Canadian 2014 Kidney Paired Donation (KPD) Protocol for Participating Donors.

Methods:

A working group was formed consisting of members from the Canadian Society of Transplantation and the Canadian Society of Nephrology. Members were selected to have representation from across Canada and in various subspecialties related to living kidney donation, including nephrology, surgery, transplantation, pediatrics, and ethics.

Key findings:

Many of the KDIGO Guideline recommendations align with the KPD Protocol recommendations. Canadian researchers have contributed to much of the evidence on donor evaluation and outcomes used to support the KDIGO Guideline recommendations.

Limitations:

Certain outcomes and risk assessment tools have yet to be validated in the Canadian donor population.

Implications:

Living kidney donors should be counseled on the risks of postdonation outcomes given recent evidence, understanding the limitations of the literature with respect to its generalizability to the Canadian donor population.
Framing international news in China: An analysis of trans-edited news in Chinese newspapers
Authors: Kuang Xianwen , Wang Hui
Published: June 2020

This research explores the variations between Chinese party and non-party newspapers in the framing of trans-edited international news. Existing studies on the framing of Chinese domestic news show that the variations depend on the sensitivity of news, which invokes government control. However, it is not clear how strictly the government would control international news and whether party and non-party news organizations would show similarities or variations in the framing of it. To address these issues, we conducted a comparative quantitative content analysis of 806 pieces of trans-edited international news from one party newspaper and one non-party newspaper. The findings show that the party and non-party newspapers show similarity on the use of three frames but small variations on the other four. This implies a strong control of the Chinese government on the reporting of international news. By comparison, the government control has stronger effects on the party newspaper than on its non-party counterpart.
The Old Supracondylar Fracture of Femur Treated by Gradual Deformity Correction Using the Ilizarov Technique Followed by the Second-Stage Internal Fixation in an Elderly Patient With Osteoporosis
Authors: Hou Nianzong , Zhang Haiyang , Bai Mingjian , Chen Hao , Song Weidong , Wang Liming
Published: June 2020

Background:

The supracondylar nonunion of femur in elderly individuals is rare and challenging to manage. Nothing in English literatures or guidelines is available regarding this particular fracture characterized by osteoporosis, soft-tissue contracture, shortening, and joint stiffness. We report a case of an elderly patient with a supracondylar nonunion of the femur, which was successfully treated using staged Ilizarov techniques and dual plating.

Case Presentation:

An 84-year-old female patient was admitted to our orthopedic department for her pain and soft-tissue swelling around the right knee with claudication and shortening deformity of the affected extremity. She denied any specific history of trauma and had sought traditional Chinese medical attention for 6 months before she presented to our hospital. Diagnosis of the right femoral supracondylar nonunion was made based on the X-ray and computed tomography. Ilizarov external fixator was carried out for successive and slow distraction and gradual correction of the shortening deformity, in consideration of the nonunion was still present. Subsequently, internal fixation with dual plating of the distal femur was performed. Excellent function and patient satisfaction were observed at 6 months of follow-up.

Conclusion:

The protocol of Ilizarov technique with subsequent internal fixation of dual plating seems to be an efficient solution to the supracondylar nonunion of femur in elderly patients with osteoporosis. The advantage of the protocol is that it allows knee joint motion, avoids neurovascular complications, and gentle correction of soft-tissue contractures.
Reorganizing the History of Present Illness to Improve Verbal Case Presenting and Clinical Diagnostic Reasoning Skills of Medical Students: The All-Inclusive History of Present Illness
Authors: Kilian Adam , Upton Laura A , Sheagren John N
Published: June 2020

The Institute of Medicine states that most diagnostic errors are caused by flaws in clinician diagnostic thinking. Accurately inferring the correct diagnosis from the patient history is the best way to improve diagnostic accuracy and efficiency. Such an improvement is contingent upon training early phase medical learners how to organize data from a patient history to arrive at the most likely diagnosis of the patient’s chief health concern (CC). We describe how organizing the traditional history of present illness into what our trainees have come to call the “ All-Inclusive History of Present Illness” ( AIHPI) by applying the Bayesian statistical concepts of chronologically sequencing, as suggested by Skeff, both relevant historical risks and known medical events generate a series of pre-event probabilities of the most likely disease causing a patient’s CC. Our trainees have enthusiastically recognized that the AIHPI organization process helps them improve both their ability to deliver well-organized, succinct verbal case presentations and the efficiency of generating and communicating what they think is the most likely disease causing a patient’s CC.