bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nitrite reduction in beef burger using papaya (Carica papaya L.) epicarp
Authors: Velasco-Arango Viviana Andrea , Hleap-Zapata José Igor , Ordóñez-Santos Luis Eduardo
Published: September 2020

Current pressure on the need to reduce nitrite content in meat products without affecting sensory properties such as color requires research for the development of healthy foods and the improvement of the quality of life of human beings. Fruit by-products are an important source of bioactive compounds, which can be used as natural additives in food processing. The objective of this study was to evaluate papaya epicarp flour as a natural ingredient in nitrite reduction of beef burger. Papaya epicarp samples after lyophilized were ground. A composite central design and a response surface methodology were used in order to analyze the process variables (nitrite and papaya epicarp flour concentrations) on the color of the beef burger. Response variables were carotenoid fractions and CIEL*a*b*. The optimal color-maximizing nitrite/flour ratio in beef burger was found corresponding to 150 mg/kg nitrite/40 mg/kg flour, where the maximum values for β-cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin, and lycopene were 0.451, 0.447, and 0.251 mg/100 g of sample, respectively, together with the lower value of L* (64.38). This study showed the agro-industrial potential of papaya epicarp flour to reduce nitrite concentrations in this food, in addition, the valuation of this by-product could bring economic and environmental benefits.
Can Increased Recovery Rates from Coronavirus be explained by Prevalence of ADHD? An Analysis at the US Statewide Level
Authors: Arbel Yuval , Fialkoff Chaim , Kerner Amichai , Kerner Miryam
Published: September 2020

Previous research demonstrates that ADHD is considered a risk factor for COVID-19. The current study attempts to investigate the relationships between infection, mortality and recovery rates from coronavirus and the prevalence of ADHD at the US statewide level. Based on information from 2011 regarding the prevalence of ADHD across the US by state, findings suggest that, while there are no correlations between ADHD and population size, infection and mortality rates from coronavirus, recovery rates (recovery-population ratio) rise with the prevalence of ADHD. Consequently, a possible explanation is that in coping with the disease, ADHD might provide an evolutionary advantage. An example of this phenomenon can be found in the gene that causes sickle-cell disease, which, as a non-dominant gene, helps cope with infection from malaria. If corroborated, research findings may support the conclusion that coronavirus limitations in special educational frameworks for ADHD would not be required or could be relaxed.

JEL Codes: H75, I12
Guided waves propagation in sandwich cylindrical structures with functionally graded graphene-epoxy core and piezoelectric surface layers
Authors: Li Chunlei , Han Qiang
Published: September 2020

As an ideal reinforcing nanofiller, graphene platelets (GPLs) can significantly improve physical properties of nanocomposites, which have attracted considerable attention for design and development of advanced lightweight nanocomposite structures in engineering. In this paper, a sandwich cylindrical structure is considered for dispersion properties of wave propagation by axisymmetric isogeometric analysis (IGA). The sandwich structure is composed of a functionally graded (FG) nanocomposite core and piezoelectric surface layers. Graphene platelets are dispersed in the interlayer by three typical distribution patterns through the thickness. In virtue of the symmetry and the advantages of isogeometric analysis, the sandwich cylindrical structure can be described by one-dimensional representation along the radial direction. Based on Hamilton’s principle, parameterized governing equation for wave propagation is obtained with the non-uniform rational B-splines (NURBS), which leads to an second-order eigenvalue problem. The modified wave finite element (WFE) method and the Chebyshev spectral element (SE) method are utilized to verify the reliability and accuracy of this approach. Then, the effects of several significant parameters of GPLs and geometric sizes of the sandwich structure on wave propagation characteristics are discussed in details. The results of this study are beneficial to deeply understanding and control of wave propagation in advanced piezoelectric composites for the applications in structural health monitoring and nondestructive evaluation.
Topical insulin for refractory persistent corneal epithelial defects
Authors: Diaz-Valle David , Burgos-Blasco Barbara , Gegundez-Fernandez Jose A , Garcia-Caride Sara , Puebla-Garcia Virginia , Peña-Urbina Pilar , Benitez-del-Castillo Jose M
Published: September 2020

Purpose:

To evaluate insulin eye drops for persistent epithelial defects (PEDs) that are refractory to usual treatment in clinical practice and to analyze how it may improve epithelization.

Methods:

A prospective non-randomized hospital-based study was performed. Patients with PEDs that were refractory to conventional treatment were treated with insulin eye drops four times a day. Patients’ demographics, PED etiology, concomitant treatments, and comorbidities were reviewed. The rate of PED closure and epithelial healing time were considered the primary outcome measures.

Results:

21 patients were treated with insulin drops (12 females and 9 males; mean age 72.2 years). Mean PED area before treatment was 17.6 ± 16.5 mm2 (median 13.2; range 3.9–70.6). PED comorbidities included seven eyes with infectious keratitis (33%), five eyes with calcium keratopathy (24%), ocular surgery on three eyes (14%), three eyes with lagophthalmos (14%), two eyes with bullous keratopathy (10%), and one patient with herpetic eye disease (5%). The eyes of 17 patients (81%) with refractory PEDs had reepithelized and four patients (19%) had still presented an epithelial defect by the end of the study follow-up period, although it had decreased in size. In patients where PED closure was achieved, mean time until reepithelization was 34.8 ± 29.9 days (median 23; range 7–114). In the remaining patients, a mean area reduction of 91.5% was achieved for the PEDs.

Conclusion:

Topical insulin can promote and accelerate corneal reepithelization of refractory PEDs. It also offers many other advantages, including excellent tolerance, availability, and cost-effectiveness.
Validating vascular access data in the Swedish Renal Registry SRR
Authors: Welander Gunilla , Sigvant Birgitta
Published: September 2020

Background:

All Swedish dialysis units register data on vascular access in the Swedish Renal Registry (SRR). This study assessed external and internal validity of vascular access data in the SRR and its use as a tool in clinical practice.

Methods:

For external validation, all procedures for placed fistulas, open and endovascular reinterventions registered in the SRR in 2011 to 2017 were cross-matched with data from the Swedish National Patient Registry. A two-stage sampling selected 12/60 dialysis units for internal validation. Data on current vascular access for 10 randomly selected patients at each unit were compared with medical record data. SRR data on placed fistulas from 2017 were cross-checked with data from local surgical units. Registrations of central venous catheters (CVCs) as temporary or permanent were used as a proxy for clinical utilization of the registry and analyzed separately.

Results:

External validity increased from 74% to 83% during the observation period. In all, 1037 datapoints were used in internal validation, with a 95% match between SRR registrations and medical records. Registrations of CVCs, fistulas, and interventions were reliable, with few missing data or mismatches. Vascular access type initiating hemodialysis was missing or incorrect in either the SRR or medical records for 14/120 patients. Registrations of placed fistulas in 2017 matched in all but four (pre-dialysis stage) of 135 cases. Some 35% of the CVCs validated ( n = 49) at 7/12 units were not categorized as temporary or permanent.

Conclusion:

The SRR provides a reliable resource on current vascular access care.
Kynurenine Pathway in Chronic Kidney Disease: What’s Old, What’s New, and What’s Next?
Authors: Mor Adrian , Kalaska Bartlomiej , Pawlak Dariusz
Published: September 2020

Impaired kidney function and increased inflammatory process occurring in the course of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) contribute to the development of complex amino-acid alterations. The essential amino-acid tryptophan (TRP) undergoes extensive metabolism along several pathways, resulting in the production of many biologically active compounds. The results of many studies have shown that its metabolism via the kynurenine pathway is potently increased in the course of CKD. Metabolites of this pathway exhibit differential, sometimes opposite, roles in several biological processes. Their accumulation in the course of CKD may induce oxidative cell damage which stimulates inflammatory processes. They can also modulate the activity of numerous cellular signaling pathways through activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor, leading to the disruption of homeostasis of various organs. As a result, they can contribute to the development of the systemic disorders accompanying the course of chronic renal failure. This review gathers and systematizes reports concerning the knowledge connecting the kynurenine pathway metabolites to systemic disorders accompanying the development of CKD.
Contours of Community: The Independent Community Press in Southeast Queensland, 2006
Authors: van Vuuren Kitty
Published: September 2020

Often dismissed as irrelevant and not worth the paper they are written on, community newspapers have received little scholarly attention. Yet results from a survey of independent community newspapers in Southeast Queensland challenge the assumption that this sector is in decline, and reveal a popular and vibrant industry that has an important function in the formation and maintenance of communities.
Danish and Australian Television: The Impact of Format Adaptation
Authors: Jensen Pia Majbrit
Published: September 2020

Format adaptation plays an increasingly important part in international television. Formats such as Dancing with the Stars and Idol are screened in many territories. The article presents an in-depth case study of how this relatively new and highly internationalised production and business model influences local television markets and leads to changes according to local competitive, financial, cultural and political conditions. It explores the impact of format adaptation on Danish and Australian prime-time schedules between 1995 and 2004/05, and its effect on local content and genres among the main broadcasters. Various media systemic explanations for these trends, differences and similarities are investigated.
Junk Food or Junk TV: How Will the UK Ban on JUNK Food Advertising Affect Children's Programs?
Authors: Potter Anna
Published: September 2020

The implementation of a partial junk food television advertising ban in the United Kingdom is adding to the woes of commercial broadcasters already under pressure in a fiercely competitive multi-channel environment. The UK free-to-air channel ITV1 recently announced the closure of its children's programs production unit and children's television production in the United Kingdom has been described as being ‘in meltdown’. The United Kingdom represents a crucial market for Australian producers of children's programs, who have traditionally sourced up to 80 per cent of their production budgets from UK partners. Australian cultural policy is adding to the challenges facing these producers, through the demands inherent in the ‘C’ classification. If Australia is to remain committed to the provision of dedicated children's programs, alternative sources of funding will have to be found.
Spectrumscape: The Space of Wirelessness
Authors: Joyce Zita
Published: September 2020

The radio signals transmitted by wireless technologies create a form of space that is pervasive but intangible to human senses. The multiplicity of radio waves is most commonly represented through the trope of ‘radio spectrum’, but this paper argues that this construct is too limited to communicate the extensive presence of radio waves in the environment, their relationship with human subjectivity, and the technical, economic, political and cultural dimensions of wireless transmission and reception. The space of wirelessness is conceptualised in this paper as a ‘spectrumscape’, a dynamic presence in the environment that is also a dimension of global flows, imbued with relationships of power and financial interests.
Wireless Networks and the Problems of over-Connectedness
Authors: Mackenzie Adrian
Published: September 2020

The idea of connectivity underpins much recent investment and innovation in wireless networks. This paper suggests wireless networks such as Wi-Fi actually put the ideal of network connectivity in question in some ways. The paper constructs a set of contrasts based on different wireless networks in Asia, Africa, Europe and North America. It argues that many different ideals of network connectivity intersect in wireless internet networks. Rather than being the examplar of connectivity, the practices, spaces, cultures and politics of wireless networks display forms of over-connectedness irreducible to the ideal of connectivity. They entail deep entanglements between the political economy of information, visions of technoeconomic progress and market competition, feelings of proximity, connectivity and mobility, and sensibilities of change.
Freedom to Work: The Impact of Wireless on Labour Politics
Authors: Gregg Melissa
Published: September 2020

As the use of wireless communication technologies begins to settle into particular patterns, this essay considers the impact of such devices on workplace culture — particularly that of the professional middle class engaged in information work. While the study of workplace culture is usually the domain of sociology, management theory or organisational behaviour, media and cultural studies methods such as semiotic and discourse analysis, media consumption and theories of everyday life have a useful role to play in understanding how technology is marketed and subsequently used in and outside work contexts. As a starting point for this kind of approach, the paper combines an account of recent wireless advertising in Australia with research that is developing in ‘production-side cultural studies’ (Liu, 2004; Du Gay, 1997). In recognising the significance of new media technologies in contemporary labour practice and politics, it aims to move discussions beyond the notion of ‘work–life balance’ as a research endpoint to allow more variegated notions of freedom and flexibility for the workplaces of the present and near future.

We feel free only because we lack the language to describe our unfreedom.

— Slavoj Zizek, Welcome to the Desert of the Real
The Case of the E-Tuktuk
Authors: Tacchi Jo , Grubb Ben
Published: September 2020

The e-tuktuk is a mobile information and communication centre located within a three-wheeled auto rickshaw. It operates out of the Kothmale Community Multimedia Centre in Central Province, Sri Lanka. In this paper, we examine this innovative use of new technology through drawing an analogy between the technology of irrigation and the technologies of information and communication. We argue that it is the particular context of Sri Lanka, and the culturally significant notion of reaching out to villages, that makes the e-tuktuk meaningful in this place at this time. We describe how a particularly Sri Lankan form of community media began in Sri Lanka in the early 1980s, and how it has since developed. The e-tuktuk is presented as a recent and interesting example of participatory community media that uses radio and mobile technologies to reach out to villages. It is, in this context, a highly meaningful set of social, cultural, political and symbolic behaviours that have clear modern and ancient precedents.
Spectrumscape: The Space of Wirelessness
Authors: Joyce Zita
Published: September 2020

The radio signals transmitted by wireless technologies create a form of space that is pervasive but intangible to human senses. The multiplicity of radio waves is most commonly represented through the trope of ‘radio spectrum’, but this paper argues thai this construct is too limited to communicate the extensive presence of radio waves in the environment, their relationship with human subjectivity, and the technical, economic, political and cultural dimensions of wireless transmission and reception. The space of wirelessness is conceptualised in this paper as a ‘spectrumscape’, a dynamic presence in the environment that is also a dimension of global flows, imbued with relationships of power and financial interests.
Wireless Networks and the Problems of Over-Connectedness
Authors: Mackenzie Adrian
Published: September 2020

The idea of connectivity underpins much recent investment and innovation in wireless networks. This paper suggests wireless networks such as Wi-Fi actually put the ideal of network connectivity in question in some ways. The paper constructs a set of contrasts based on different wireless networks in Asia, Africa, Europe and North America. It argues that many different ideals of network connectivity intersect in wireless internet networks. Rather than being the examplar of connectivity, the practices, spaces, cultures and politics of wireless networks display forms of over-connectedness irreducible to the ideal of connectivity. They entail deep entanglements between the political economy of information, visions of technoeconomic progress and market competition, feelings of proximity, connectivity and mobility, and sensibilities of change.
Ubiquitous Computing and the Digital Enclosure Movement
Authors: Andrejevic Mark
Published: September 2020

Popular portrayals of ubiquitous computing tend to downplay the surveillance implications of emerging forms of mobile, networked interactivity. This essay seeks to supplement such accounts with a critical analysis of the emergence of digital enclosures that limit access to interactive networks and services to those who ‘freely’ submit to increasingly comprehensive forms of monitoring. If land enclosure helped produce the spatial conditions for the exploitation of wage labor, digital enclosures enable the exploitation of information generated by users as they go about their daily lives. Describing interactive networks, in both virtual and physical spaces, as forms of spatial enclosure helps to supplement privacy-based critiques of surveillance with questions about the ownership and control of data collected within the enclosure.
A model for the pandemic and beyond: Telemedicine for all outpatient gastroenterology referrals reduces unnecessary clinic visits
Authors: Tang Zhouwen , Dubois Susan , Soon Cristina , Agrawal Deepak
Published: September 2020

The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has forced providers to dramatically scale down in-person clinic visits to enforce social distancing and triage care to the neediest patients. We describe our five-month experience with a hybrid gastroenterology electronic consultation programme starting in 2019 in which we perform electronic consultations for every referral regardless of indication as well as directly initiate telephone-based telehealth visits with patients without the need for in-person clinic. Over five consecutive months, 1243 hybrid electronic consultations were performed with 356 (29%) resulting in a clinic appointment. The remaining 887 (71%) electronic consultations were resolved without need for a clinic visit. Five hundred and fourteen (41%) electronic consultations resulted in a directly scheduled procedure without clinic appointment. Eighty-five per cent of electronic consultations were performed on the same day of referral and 98% of electronic consultations were completed in under 20 min. A hybrid electronic consultation model which pre-emptively reviews all outpatient referrals streamlines access to specialty care. Such a model may be implemented rapidly during the current coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic as well as serve as a platform for long-term improvement in efficiency of care.
Development and preliminary validation of a depressive symptomatology detection scale among children and adolescents on the autism spectrum
Authors: Bellalou Lucie , Downes Naomi , Cappe Emilie
Published: September 2020

High rates of depressive disorders are reported among young people on the autism spectrum. This condition is generally assessed using measures validated for typically developing young people. Tools adapted to children on the autism spectrum are not tailored to detect Major Depressive Disorder, nor have they been used among samples with an intellectual disability. To fill this gap, this article builds a novel Scale for evaluating depressive symptoms among youth on the autism spectrum ( Echelle d’évaluation de la symptomatology dépressive spécifique à l’autisme) and evaluates its performance using a sample of 153 young people on the autism spectrum in France. The Echelle d’évaluation de la symptomatology dépressive spécifique à l’autisme was completed by parents of children and adolescents (aged 3–17 years) via an interview with a psychologist. The Echelle d’évaluation de la symptomatology dépressive spécifique à l’autisme has very good internal consistency, as well as good content validity. The scale is composed of two factors: (1) behavioral changes and (2) emotional and cognitive changes. Future studies should replicate this validation study with a larger sample size and investigate interrater reliability. Overall, results suggest preliminary support for using the Echelle d’évaluation de la symptomatology dépressive spécifique à l’autisme among youth on the autism spectrum.

Lay abstract

Many individuals on the autism spectrum experience depressive symptoms. These symptoms contribute to poor quality of life and may have a more negative impact than core autistic features. However, identifying depressive symptoms among individuals on the spectrum is a real challenge. In this study, we investigate the psychometric qualities of a French scale for evaluating depressive symptoms among youth on the autism spectrum. Participants were 153 autistic children and adolescents aged between 3 and 17 years. The majority of the sample was male (73.86%). One of their parents completed the scale for evaluating depressive symptoms among youth on the autism spectrum during an interview with a psychologist. Overall, the findings indicate the scale may be reliably used with children and adolescents on the autism spectrum. Experts deemed the items as being representative of depressive symptoms. The scale is composed of two factors: behavioral changes on one hand and cognitive and emotional changes on the other. The results are encouraging and show the scale is a promising instrument for assessing Major Depressive Disorder symptomatology among youth on the spectrum. Future studies should focus on testing this scale among adults and developing an auto-evaluative section.
Change and stability: Within-person life satisfaction over a 20-year period using data from the HUNT survey
Authors: Lysberg Frode , Bjerregaard Bertelsen Tomas , Lysberg Cathrine , Høie Magnhild , Espnes Geir Arild , Innstrand Siw Tone
Published: September 2020

Background: The aim of the present study was to investigate within-person life satisfaction (LS) dynamics for two age groups, 20–29 and 30–39 years, from 1984 to 1986 and to follow them over a 20-year period. Methods: Data from 1984 to 2008 were extracted from the large, prospective, longitudinal North-Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT), Norway. This paper includes data from more than 14,500 persons. Data were analysed using logistic regression, and LS dynamics were modelled using gender, time and self-rated health. Results: The analyses revealed that about 20% of people in these age groups had a stable level in LS, also known as set point. Long-term LS change, defined as ⩾2 SDs, was reported for 9% and 6% of people in the youngest and oldest age groups, respectively. A large proportion of more than 70% of people had fluctuations in their LS over a 20-year period. A significant decrease in within-person LS was seen for the age groups from 1984–86 to 1995–97 where a significant increase appeared from 1995–97 to 2006–08. For the initial 20–29 age group, the odds of having a higher score increased by 34%, and for the initial 30–39 age group, the within-person LS increase was 81%. Self-rated health was the most crucial variable influencing within-person LS. Conclusions: These findings suggest that a significant proportion of the responders had a long-term within-person LS change over the 20-year period.
Minor aortic injury may be at risk of progression from uncontrolled shear stress: An in-vitro model demonstrates aortic lesion expansion
Authors: Rabin Joseph , Siddiqui Ahmed , Gipple Jenna , Taylor Bradley , Scalea Thomas M , Haslach Henry W
Published: September 2020

Background

Non-operative management is considered appropriate treatment for minor aortic injury, while blood pressure and anti-impulse therapy are routinely utilized to prevent higher grade aortic injury progression. However, a universal medical regimen for low grade intimal injuries has not been adopted and risks of low-grade injury progression not well described. The purpose of this study is to determine the fracture response of minimally damaged aortic tissue to the various applied forces. Our hypothesis is that internal circumferential shear within the aortic wall is a primary fracture mode. This knowledge may help guide clinical management to minimize risk of injury progression, including instituting standard medical regimens with anti-impulse therapy and β-blockade for such minor injuries.

Methods

Human ascending aortic tissue was obtained after aneurysm repair or heart transplant, stored at 4°C and tested within 48 hours. Minor injury was modeled with a small radial notch on the luminal aspect of aortic rings, circumferentially expanded under video acquisition and analyzed to determine lesion propagation.

Results

15 rings were obtained from 8 aneurysmal and 4 healthy aortas. All specimens demonstrated circumferential crack propagation. Propagation was longer (8.02 ± 5.92 mm vs 2.70 ± 1.23 mm) and initiation of crack propagation earlier in aneurysmal tissue (1.54 ± 0.17 versus 1.90 ± 0.17 times initial diameter).

Conclusions

Dilation of minimally injured aortic rings is associated with lesion expansion and injury progression in all specimens including healthy and aneurysmal tissue. This propagation illustrates the mechanical response to increased levels of internal shear, compromising structural integrity and increasing risk of aortic rupture in all injured aortas. Shear forces are routinely generated through normal circumferential aortic expansion with each pulsation, the magnitude of these forces determined by pulse and blood pressure. This suggests minor aortic injuries are not trivial and strategies to reduce shear stress be implemented in all such patients without contraindications to β- blockers.
The challenges of studying 4chan and the Alt-Right: ‘Come on in the water’s fine’
Authors: Colley Thomas , Moore Martin
Published: September 2020

In 2019, the authors led a workshop at King’s College London examining how to study 4chan and assess their association with the Alt-Right. Unbeknownst to the authors, a participant was a 4chan user and started a mid-workshop thread on its notorious /pol/ (politically incorrect) board. It gained significant attention. Reviewing it later, the authors realised that this parallel thread illustrates perfectly the challenges researching 4chan – and similar – communities. We conducted discourse analysis on this unique dataset, providing an alternative perspective to predominant anthropological and informatic approaches. Our analysis enhances understanding of ‘free-extremist’ communities such as 4chan in several ways. It assesses how the /pol/ community responds to observation and provides new insights into roles influencers might have in radicalising others. It illustrates the value of discourse analysis in evaluating users’ associations with the Alt-Right. Finally, it proposes ways researchers can overcome the challenges faced when analysing such communities.
Random vibration analysis and modal energy characteristics of fiber-reinforced composite beams
Authors: Bachoo Richard , Bridge Jacqueline
Published: September 2020

In aerospace and automotive industries, structural designs are required to meet specific weight limits whilst maintaining strength and stiffness. The material of choice for such applications is fiber-reinforced composites because of their high strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratios. Composite materials used in these applications are often subjected to random dynamic loads and if the excitation sources are large enough, excessive vibration can lead to unwanted noise levels and fatigue failure. A commonly used design tool for modeling the vibration transmission and power flow in structures excited by random forces is statistical energy analysis. In order to incorporate fiber-reinforced composites within a statistical energy analysis methodology, a detailed understanding of how the modal energy levels vary when excited by a broadband random excitation source is needed. In this paper, analytical expressions are derived for the modal energy levels of a fiber-reinforced composite beam coupled in bending and torsion subjected to spatial white noise or the so-called rain-on-the-roof loading. It is shown that the modal energy levels of the fiber-reinforced composite beam are markedly nonuniform across the modal spectrum. This finding is in contrast with the well-known classical result that an isotropic beam subjected to the same type of excitation is characterized by a uniform modal energy spectrum, a result sometimes referred to as the equipartition of energy. The equipartition of energy forms the basis of statistical energy analysis and the results of this work indicate that fiber-reinforced composite beams cannot be reliably included into a conventional statistical energy analysis methodology. It is also shown that the mechanism responsible for the nonuniform modal energy distribution is related to the physical process by which power is transmitted across the boundaries. Simulations are also carried out to illustrate that the distribution characteristics of the modal energy are identical for a range of classical boundary conditions.
Sometimes a Long and Winding Road: An Exploration of Kalamazoo Promise Stop Out and Reenrollment
Authors: Collier Daniel A. , McMullen Isabel
Published: September 2020

This exploratory, descriptive study examined trends associated with Kalamazoo Promise (KPromise) student stop out, reenrollment, and persistence to a credential upon reenrollment. For the 2006–2017 cohorts, 78% were retained from first to second year. Inferential models suggested that first-year stop out was mainly correlated to students’ high school free-and-reduced lunch eligibility (FRL) and high-school GPA. Forty-five percent of stopped out students reenrolled, and reenrollment was primarily correlated with time. The median time to return was 3 non-summer semesters, with Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino(a) students predicted to reenroll in fewer semesters than White students. For the 2006–2012 cohorts, 30% of all stopped out students who reenrolled have earned a degree to date. Upon reenrollment, nearly half of all postsecondary certifications were earned by FRL students. Discussion links our findings to wider trends, highlights actions to bolster outcomes, and illustrates how this study could be a benchmark comparison for other tuition-free policies.
Is the NBA Summer League Predictive of Performance for NBA Rookies?
Authors: Evans Brent A. , Pitts Joshua D. , Clark Chris
Published: September 2020

Using data from 2006 to 2019, we show that performance in the NBA Summer League can be used to predict regular season performance for NBA rookies. This result is indicated by general performance (win shares) and also by individual performance measures; for example, players who score more points than anticipated in the Summer League are also more proficient scorers as NBA rookies. Our findings suggest that NBA executives and coaches should use performance in the Summer League to inform personnel decisions. This study is the first of its nature and will hopefully encourage others to investigate the NBA Summer League.
Idiopathic middle meningeal artery and middle meningeal vein fistula presenting as temporal intraparenchymal hemorrhage
Authors: Sato Daisuke , Saito Hiroshi , Suzuki Takeya , Ota Takahiro
Published: September 2020

Middle meningeal artery (MMA) and middle meningeal vein (MMV) fistula is a rare lesion. Hemorrhagic propensity for this pathology has not been widely recognized. We encountered a case of idiopathic MMA-MMV fistula presenting as intracerebral hemorrhage. MMA and MMV showed a single fistula and the enlarged MMV coiled around the MMA, resembling a varix. We treated the case using endovascular techniques. This case highlights the anatomy along the course of the MMV and is unique, since no backward leptomeningeal drainage was observed. A bone defect in the meningeal groove on computed tomography and a “green caviar appearance” on angiography may be characteristic of this rare pathology.
Clinical validation of 2D perfusion angiography using Syngo iFlow software during peripheral arterial interventions
Authors: Verschuur Anouk S , Groot Jebbink Erik , Lo-A-Njoe Pascal E , van Weel Vincent
Published: September 2020

Objective

Endovascular surgery is an important treatment modality in peripheral arterial disease. Digital subtraction angiography is the standard post revascularisation diagnostic tool to locate lesions and to evaluate the effect of an intervention. However, interpretation of digital subtraction angiography images is subjective and it is difficult to determine whether revascularisation has been sufficient for clinical improvement. A new technique is 2D perfusion angiography, which creates a 2D colour map and time density curve from the digital subtraction angiography scan for an objective evaluation of the results. However, its clinical relevance is unknown. The aim is to evaluate the association between 2D perfusion angiography parameters and clinical outcome after peripheral arterial interventions.

Methods

In this retrospective study, post revascularisation angiographic data and clinical data were reviewed of patients who underwent treatment of femoral-popliteal or femoral-tibial arteries. The outcome was assessed at three time points using three classification systems for peripheral arterial disease: Fontaine classification, American Medical Association whole person impairment classification (AMA) and average wound, ischemia, foot infection score. Post revascularisation angiographic data consisted of time density curves of the foot and lower leg which were extracted from the Syngo iFlow system (Siemens Healthineers). For each time density curve, five descriptive parameters were calculated: time of arrival, time to peak, mean transit time, wash-in rate and area under the curve. The association between the time density curve parameters and peripheral arterial disease classification systems was assessed using a regression analysis.

Results

Between July 2016 and December 2018, 103 patients underwent peripheral endovascular interventions in the hybrid operating room; 39 patients were suitable for analysis, of which 28 patients underwent digital subtraction angiography of the lower leg, 3 patients underwent digital subtraction angiography of the foot and 8 patients underwent digital subtraction angiography of both regions. Limited significant relations were found for time of arrival with Fontainde classification (B = 0.806, p = 0.043) and area under the curve with AMA classification (B = −0.027, p = 0.047).

Conclusion

In this retrospective study, time density curve parameters (time of arrival and area under the curve), measured in the lower leg, showed a limited significant association with two classification systems for peripheral arterial disease. Future prospective studies to determine the clinical relevance of this 2D perfusion angiography method should focus on standardisation of angiography protocols and comparison of pre- and post-intervention parameters.
Effectiveness of continuous unsupervised exercise therapy after above-knee femoropopliteal bypass
Authors: Kobayashi Taira , Hamamoto Masaki , Okazaki Takanobu , Honma Tomoaki , Iba Kazutoshi , Takakuwa Tsubasa , Harada Takumi , Takahashi Shinya
Published: September 2020

Objective

Exercise therapy has acceptable outcomes for patients with intermittent claudication, although few reports exist regarding the results of continuous exercise therapy after surgical reconstruction for intermittent claudication. This study aimed to analyze the long-term outcomes of unsupervised exercise therapy for patients after above-knee femoropopliteal bypass.

Material and methods

We retrospectively analyzed 69 patients (69 limbs, 69 grafts) who underwent above-knee femoropopliteal bypass from April 2009 to March 2018 in our hospital. At six months after above-knee femoropopliteal bypass, we evaluated the maintenance of unsupervised exercise therapy. Patients who continued unsupervised exercise therapy or discontinued unsupervised exercise therapy were assessed via 1:1 propensity matching. Long-term outcomes such as patency, survival, and major adverse cardiovascular events were compared between the groups after matching. We also analyzed the maintaining rate of unsupervised exercise therapy in a study cohort.

Results

Twenty-nine (42%) patients continued unsupervised exercise therapy until six months after above-knee femoropopliteal bypass. The discontinued unsupervised exercise therapy had higher proportions of female sex ( p =  0.015) and cerebrovascular disease ( p =  0.025) than did the continued unsupervised exercise therapy. The mean follow-up period was 65 ± 36 months. After propensity matching, the rates of the following factors were significantly higher in the continued unsupervised exercise therapy than in the discontinued unsupervised exercise therapy: primary patency (97% vs. 61%, p =  0.0041), secondary patency (100% vs. 69%, p =  0.0021), and freedom from major adverse cardiovascular events (61% vs. 24%, p =  0.0071) at five years. Both groups had a similar survival rate. The maintaining rate of unsupervised exercise therapy in the study cohort was 44% at six months, 41% at one year, 36% at three years, 25% at five years, and 25% at seven years.

Conclusion

The findings of this study suggested superior long-term outcomes, including graft patency and freedom from major adverse cardiovascular events, with unsupervised exercise therapy after open bypass than with the usual therapy. Unsupervised exercise therapy may be recommended for the patients after open bypass.
High resolution ultrasound in subclinical diabetic neuropathy: A potential screening tool
Authors: Tandon Anupama , Khullar Tamanna , Maheshwari Siddharth , Bhatt Shuchi , Narang Shiva
Published: September 2020

Introduction

Detection of subclinical neuropathy can aid in triage, timely intervention and dedicated care to reduce disease progression and morbidity. High resolution sonography has emerged as a promising technique for evaluation of peripheral nerves. The aim of the present study was to assess the utility of high resolution sonography in screening diabetic patients for subclinical neuropathy.

Methods

A total of 70 adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and 30 controls were enrolled; those with clinical features of neuropathy constituted the diabetic polyneuropathy group and those without symptoms/normal nerve conduction the non-diabetic polyneuropathy group. After institutional ethical committee approval and informed consent, high resolution sonography was performed by two musculoskeletal radiologists. Nerves studied were median (elbow and wrist), ulnar (cubital tunnel and Guyon’s canal), common peroneal (fibular head) and posterior tibial nerve (medial malleolus).The size (cross sectional area), shape, echogenicity and morphology of nerve were assessed and compared between the groups.

Results

The mean cross sectional area of all nerves was significantly higher both in diabetic polyneuropathy and non-diabetic polyneuropathy group compared to controls (p value < .001). Common peroneal nerve cross sectional area of 4.5 mm2 had the highest sensitivity (93%) and specificity (86%) for detecting nerve changes in the non-diabetic polyneuropathy group. The nerves were more rounded, hypoechoic and had an altered morphology in both study groups.

Conclusion

Presence of sonographic nerve changes in asymptomatic diabetics depicted that morphological alterations in nerves precede clinical symptoms. High resolution sonography detected nerve changes with a good accuracy, and thus, can be a potential screening tool for detection of subclinical diabetic polyneuropathy.
Chemical Composition of Essential Oil From Tetradenia riparia and Its Attractant Activity for Mediterranean Fruit Fly, Ceratitis capitata
Authors: Blythe Eugene K. , Tabanca Nurhayat , Demirci Betul , Kendra Paul E.
Published: September 2020

The Mediterranean fruit fly or medfly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae), is one of the most economically important invasive pests worldwide, with over 300 known hosts. Essential oils have great promise for application in integrated pest management, where they function as natural repellents, attractants, and toxicants with a reduced impact on the environment. In this study, we evaluated essential oil from aerial parts of the African ginger bush, Tetradenia riparia (Hochst.) Codd (Lamiaceae), as a potential new attractant for male C. capitata. Tetradenia riparia essential oil (TREO) was analyzed by gas chromatography (GC)-flame ionization detection and GC-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The primary compounds identified were fenchone (15%), δ-cadinene (11%), 14-hydroxy-β-caryophyllene (8%), and tau-cadinol (7%). In short-range laboratory bioassays with sterile male medflies, TREO exhibited attractancy comparable to that observed with a positive control, essential oil from tea tree ( Melaleuca alternifolia (Maiden and Betche) Cheel.). This study provides the first report of C. capitata behavioral response to TREO. Further research is needed, particularly with the 2 enantiomers of fenchone, to determine the chemical constituents responsible for the attraction of C. capitata.
Longitudinal brain magnetic resonance imaging of children with perinatal Chikungunya encephalitis
Authors: Corrêa Diogo Goulart , Di Maio Ferreira Fátima Cristiane Pinho de Almeida , Hygino da Cruz Jr Luiz Celso , Brasil Patrícia , Rueda Lopes Fernanda Cristina
Published: September 2020

Chikungunya virus can be transmitted perinatally leading to serious neurological sequelae. We report the longitudinal evolution of the brain magnetic resonance imaging aspects of three cases of mother-to-child Chikungunya virus transmission. The first magnetic resonance imaging scan presented brain cavitations, with or without corpus callosum diffusion restriction. Follow-up scans showed reduction in the volume of cavitations, with resolution of the restricted diffusion. However, one patient presented with a normal brain magnetic resonance image, despite the delay in neurocognitive development.
White-matter hyperintensities in patients with carotid artery stenosis: An exploratory connectometry study
Authors: Porcu Michele , Sanfilippo Roberto , Montisci Roberto , Balestrieri Antonella , Suri Jasjit S , Wintermark Max , Saba Luca
Published: September 2020

Background

White-matter lesions (WMLs) are frequently found in magnetic resonance imaging (MRi), and the WML load tends to be higher in patients affected by cervical internal carotid artery (cICA) stenosis.

Purpose

This study aimed to investigate whether and how WMLs influence cerebral networking in patients with asymptomatic cICA stenosis eligible for carotid endarterectomy (CEA) by exploiting the connectometry technique.

Methods

The study was designed as a cross-sectional exploratory investigation, and 28 patients with cICA stenosis eligible for CEA were enrolled. All patients received an MRI scan, including a T1-weighted, a FLAIR and a diffusion-weighted (DW) sequence. The T1 and FLAIR sequences were analysed for quantification of WML burden (WMLB) and total number of WMLs (TNWMLs). The DW data were reconstructed in the MNI space using q-space diffeomorphic reconstruction, and were grouped to create a connectometry database. The connectometry analysis evaluated the influence of both the WMLB and TNWMLs to local connectivity in a multiple regression model that included age, WMLB and TNWMLs, adopting three different T-score thresholds (1, 2 and 3). A p-value corrected for false discovery rate of <0.05 was adopted as a threshold to identify statistically significant results.

Results

The connectometry analysis identified several white-matter bundles negatively correlated with WMLB; no statistically significant correlation was found for TNWMLs.

Conclusion

Results of our study suggest that WMLs influence brain connectivity measured by the connectometry technique in patients with cICA stenosis eligible for CEA. Further studies are warranted to understand the role of WMLs better as a marker of disease in patients with cICA stenosis.
With whom do young Europeans’ discuss their political identities?
Authors: Ross Alistair
Published: September 2020

This article explores how young Europeans (12–19) describe how they discuss political issues with their friends, their parents, and teachers in their schools, and the ways in which these appears to impact on their political understanding and identities. Based on 324 group discussions with 2000 young people, in 104 locations in 29 different European states, the findings suggest that many young people see parents as the people with whom they most often talk about politics. They describe a range of situations – from intense discussion and support from parents to antagonistic arguments about their parents’ political views. Discussion with teachers was relatively less common, and more often dependant on individual personalities than as part of a pedagogic programme. Instances of citing citizenship education as locations for political discussions were rare. The article discusses the methodology that gathered this data, and suggests that this might contribute to an effective pedagogy to discuss political identities with young people.
Long segment right ureteric stricture following ureterorenoscopy for upper ureteric stone: A disastrous complication of endourology
Authors: Paudyal Prajwal , Parmar Kalpesh , Ranjan Kumar Rajiv , Kumar Santosh
Published: September 2020

Background:

Nephrolithiasis is a common ailment in developing countries such as India. Ureteroscopic management has superseded shockwave lithotripsy as the common treatment for upper urinary tract stones. The process of miniaturizing the instrument along with improved quality of video processor has amplified its potential application, maintaining the procedure safe and effective. However, with its extensive use, complications have risen in parallel, and one should be aware of its adverse effects. Ureteric stricture though rare is a serious problem and risks the loss of renal function.

Case presentation:

A 37-year-old male presented with right flank pain. On evaluation, he was diagnosed with right upper ureteric stone and left renal stone. The patient suffered ureteric perforation while the right ureterorenoscopy was being performed, and an open repair was done. On postoperative follow-up, he developed long segment ureteric stricture. Boari flap ureteroneocystostomy was done.

Conclusion:

Iatrogenic ureteric injury following ureterorenoscopy is common, minor and managed conservatively. Important tips to prevent major injury are: placement of the safety guide wire across the length of the ureter, small-calibre scopes during access if a tight gripping sensation is present and the use of lubricant along the length of the ureteroscope.