bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Restoring Attentional Resources With Nature: A Replication Study of Berto’s (2005) Paradigm Including Commentary From Dr. Rita Berto
Authors: Neilson Brittany N. , Craig Curtis M. , Curiel Raelyn Y. , Klein Martina I.
Published: March 2020

Objective

The aim of this study is to replicate Berto’s (2005) heavily cited work on attention restoration.

Background

Nature interventions have gained increased interest for improving performance of attentionally demanding tasks. Berto (2005) indicated that viewing digital nature images could improve performance on a subsequent response inhibition task, the sustained attention to response task (SART). However, experimental design and statistical concerns about her experiments as well as failure to support her findings across multiple unpublished studies in our laboratory provided rationale for this replication study.

Method

Twenty participants were each assigned to one of three digital image conditions: nature, urban, and control. Participants performed the SART before and after digital image exposure.

Results

SART performance metrics (total correct target responses, mean response time, and transformed d′) were analyzed using 2 (SART) × 3 (image interventions) mixed design ANOVAs. The results failed to replicate Berto (2005).

Conclusion

Possible reasons for not replicating Berto (2005) are discussed, including (1) sample differences, (2) different testing environments and procedures, (3) insufficient attentional depletion, and (4) individual differences.

Applications

Research needs to determine the effectiveness of such interventions, the specific attention tasks that might benefit, and the individual difference variables relevant for attention restoration.
From female computers to male comput♂rs: Or why there are so few women writing algorithms and developing software
Authors: Tassabehji Rana , Harding Nancy , Lee Hugh , Dominguez-Pery Carine
Published: March 2020

Software development is one of the few professions in Europe and the USA from which women are disappearing. Current explanations range from unproven assumptions that women cannot write algorithms to insights into the misogynistic culture of this profession. This article argues these explanations are inadequate, and illuminates how forms of masculinity constituted within software development put women in the ambivalent position of being either female or a coder, but not both. Using a poststructural theoretical position to analyse materials from a qualitative, interview-based study, we identified three constitutive ontologies of the person circulating within the profession. The Comput♂r is presumptively male and can merge with the machine, although a subset, Geeks, cannot demerge from it. The Human, presumptively female, can communicate with people but not the machine. The Ideal developer claims the best of both, that is, adept at writing algorithms and communicating with people. These ontologies are informed by a theory of the body circulating within software development whose norms are unattainable by women. Female bodies are envisaged as ‘flesh’, and male bodies as a futuristic merger of body and machine. This Janus-faced theory excludes female developers from practising their profession.
President Moon Jae-in at Midterm: What Affects Public Support for Moon Jae-in?
Authors: Hahm Sung Deuk , Heo Uk
Published: March 2020

Despite the unsuccessful outcomes of his policies on economic growth and North Korea, Moon Jae-in at midterm has received relatively high levels of job approval ratings compared to his immediate predecessors. What made it possible for him to maintain these ratings? To analyze this puzzle, we employed the three commonly noted leadership qualities—effective communication, political skill, and organizational capacity—suggested by presidential study scholars. We found that Moon Jae-in’s leadership qualities are not the compelling reason for his relatively high approval ratings. Instead, there are three alternative reasons for Moon Jae-in’s relatively high approval ratings: (a) better handling of the media; (b) collapse of the conservatives; and (c) multiple summit meetings with Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un. The latter two reasons are contextual factors, which are our theoretical contribution to the literature.
Influence of aggressive environmental aging on mechanical and thermo-mechanical properties of Ultra Violet (UV) Cured in Place Pipe liners
Authors: Nuruddin Md , DeCocker Kayli , Sendesi Seyedeh Mahboobeh Teimouri , Whelton Andrew J , Youngblood Jeffrey P , Howarter John A
Published: March 2020

Ultraviolet light cured-in-place pipe is a popular trenchless rehabilitation technology used to repair existing buried pipelines without soil excavation. A polymer composite liner is manufactured directly in the field. After curing is complete, the new liner is placed in service to convey flowing water. Long-term water exposure has the potential to degrade the fiber reinforced cured-in-place pipe liners. Like other composites, liner hygrothermal stability could be a major challenge, especially for undercured materials. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of aggressive environmental conditions such as water, salt solution, and simulated concrete pore solution at 50℃ on cured-in-place pipe liner mechanical and thermo-mechanical performance. Liners were exposed to aqueous solutions ranging from a typical exposure environment to a very aggressive alkaline environment. Cured-in-place pipe liner samples were collected from New York storm sewer installation sites. Specimens were assessed for the degree of curing as determined by differential scanning calorimetry and TGA. Samples were then immersed in aforementioned solutions for investigating the stability of the liners as a function of degree of cure. Both interlaminar shear strength and thermo-mechanical properties significantly differed based on the degree of cure. Cured-in-place pipe liner mechanical and thermo-mechanical properties were significantly impacted by water, salt, and pore solutions exposure. Long-term exposure to salt and alkaline environments may have a detrimental effect on the performance of cured-in-place pipe liners and desires additional scrutiny.
The Editor’s Note: A republic of dunces?
Authors: Heller Rafael
Published: March 2020

At a time when conspiracy theories and willful ignorance have flooded our politics and public life, it’s worth asking how our schools have wrestled with anti-intellectualism over the years. As Johann Neem and other contributors to this issue of Kappan explain, it has been a very long time since our policy makers and school system leaders shared a consensus on the merits of providing every child with a liberal education.
Look Back: Kappan authors on intellectual development
Authors: Preston Teresa
Published: March 2020

In this monthly column, Teresa Preston looks back at how Kappan authors have discussed the intellectual development of students. Authors generally agreed that it is important that schools teach students to use their minds, but they haven’t always agreed on how well schools are fulfilling that mission or what instruction that promotes intellectual development should look like. In the 1950s, Kappan authors responded to Arthur Bestor’s critiques of schools as “intellectual wastelands” by pointing out that it was more important for students to learn to think about curricular content and apply it in their lives than it was for them to master large amounts of content. Kappan authors also considered how schools should handle new information that called old ideas into question and how emotions relate to intellectual development.
Books, censorship, and anti-intellectualism in schools
Authors: Knox Emily J.M.
Published: March 2020

Books are often the targets of anti-intellectual censorship efforts in schools for two reasons. First, they are integral to the process and practice of reading, which is how people encounter new ideas. Second, the coercive nature of curriculum means that students must read books with controversial ideas. Emily Knox argues that the people who challenge books believe strongly in the power of books, and it is this belief that motivates their actions. To combat these efforts, educators must have in place robust policies and procedures for choosing and defending curriculum materials, directly name anti-intellectualism as a threat to education, and avoid treating any single book as presenting a complete and absolute version of the truth.
What reality TV taught me about everyday assessment
Authors: Furtak Erin Marie
Published: March 2020

Reality TV — or certain design-oriented TV shows — may be better known for their focus on competition, but what we actually see when we look more closely are models of collaboration and assessment that can illuminate important principles of classroom learning. Erin Furtak reflects on the ways that three of these shows — The Great British Baking Show, Top Chef, and Project Runway — embody principles of classroom assessment, such as setting clear learning goals, having authentic conversations about progress, collaboration, and multiple opportunities for success.
Linking librarians, inquiry learning, and information literacy?
Authors: Lance Keith Curry , Maniotes Leslie K.
Published: March 2020

In many schools, librarians play a key role in teaching information literacy and inquiry learning. From a survey of Colorado librarians, Keith Curry Lance and Leslie Maniotes learned that librarians who regularly facilitated student-led inquiry activities were also more likely to teach regularly a number of information literacy skills. Librarians who engage in inquiry learning said that support from school leaders and the autonomy to try new things were motivating factors in their inquiry efforts, but they wanted to be more intentional in their use of inquiry and to get more teachers on board. Lance and Maniotes turn to Norman, Oklahoma, for an example of how using a specific inquiry model, in this case Guided Inquiry Design, and providing training and support, can multiply the benefits of the inquiry approach.
Washington View: Preparing for the workplace of the future
Authors: Ferguson Maria
Published: March 2020

Technological advances and increased global competition have led pundits and policy makers to worry about how well schools are preparing students for the workplaces of the future. Maria Ferguson looks at three reports that paint an uncertain picture of workplace readiness. Schools aren’t necessarily educating students in ways that will help them succeed in the future. And workers are unable to access the kinds of learning opportunities they need and desire as their workplaces evolve.
Backtalk: Choosing integration
Authors: Grant-Thomas Andrew
Published: March 2020

A new report by Harvard University researchers Eric Torres and Richard Weissbourd digs into the reasons why most privileged White parents make choices that fuel school segregation. Most important, according to their survey data, are parents’ assumptions about school safety, quality, and prestige, as well as the fear that their own children will be ignored while teachers attend to students with greater needs. Torres and Weissbourd’s policy recommendations are not convincing, argues Andrew Grant Thomas. But there are hopeful signs that grassroots support for diverse schools does lead to greater integration.
Deliberative Civic Culture: Assessing the Prevalence of Deliberative Conversational Norms
Authors: Jennstål Julia , Uba Katrin , Öberg PerOla
Published: March 2020

Citizens’ adherence to deliberative civic values fulfils a vital function in deliberative democratic systems. We propose a way to measure the prevalence and variations of such values as a first step to better understanding how this works. Based on survey data, we demonstrate that, in Sweden, adherence to the values of reasoning and listening is stronger than adherence to the strategic rhetorical, non-deliberative values. This may have important implications for our understanding of how deliberation and democracy work in this particular context. There are also, however, important individual-level variations of adherence to deliberative civic values related to age, education, gender and Swedish background. Taken together, this opens up for a new research agenda where comparative analyses of deliberative civic values and how it relates to political behaviour are particularly encouraged.
Intersectionality, Contextual Specificity, and Everyday Discrimination: Assessing the Difficulty Associated With Identifying a Main Reason for Discrimination Among Racial/Ethnic Minority Respondents
Authors: Harnois Catherine E. , Bastos João L. , Shariff-Marco Salma
Published: March 2020

The Everyday Discrimination Scale is the most commonly used instrument to assess discrimination. The survey asks respondents about a range of negative interpersonal experiences and then asks them to provide a single main reason for all these experiences. Theories of intersectionality cast doubt on the idea that marginalized individuals generally perceive a single reason for the discrimination they encounter. We analyze data from 23 cognitive interviews with racial/ethnic minority adults to assess the degree of difficulty respondents have in assessing the main reason for their mistreatment, the sources of this difficulty, and potential consequences. Of the 21 respondents who reported experiencing some form of everyday discrimination, 43 percent encountered some difficulty in identifying a single main reason for their experiences; 42 percent of women who perceived some form of discrimination evidence significant frustration in identifying a main reason. Analyses show that, by requiring respondents to identify a single reason for their experiences of discrimination, the resulting data likely provide underestimates—and potentially biased estimates—of particular forms of discrimination.
The Great Flood in Genesis 6–9: An Ecological Reading of the J and P Traditions
Authors: Ibita Ma. Maricel S.
Published: March 2020

One of the not so obvious but deeply relevant factors in addressing climate change is religion and the interpretation of sacred texts, especially problematic ones. An example of problematic texts is the story of Noah and the great flood in Genesis 6–9. I will reread the Yahwist and Priestly versions of the story using a modified ecological triangle. This methodology looks at the dynamic relation between the divine and human, between the divine and non-human creatures, between humans and non-humans, and the inner dynamics of these three in the J and P narratives. The various insights gleaned from the investigation impact our rethinking of sacred texts in the age of the Anthropocene (the period during which human activity has been a dominant influence on climate and the environment), respecting boundaries in the context of the Capitalocene way of organizing the relations between humans and the rest of nature. The article provides additional spiritual resources in responding to the climate crisis, and grappling with disturbing images of God, humans, and non-humans in sacred texts in times of disasters.
Religious Tolerance Based on Ezra 5–6
Authors: Ndolu Nelci Nafalia , Tari Ezra
Published: March 2020

The purpose of this study is to seek the reading of Ezra 5–6 from the perspective of religious tolerance by paying attention to the characteristics of religious tolerance in the decision of Darius I concerning the Construction of the Temple. The authors use the Reader Response analysis method in describing the text of Ezra 5–6 by using Dianne Tilman’s theory of the characteristics of religious tolerance supported by historical research from researchers of Old Testament texts. The result of the study is that Darius I emerges as a tolerant and persistent leader, consistent in fighting for the religious rights of everyone as experienced by Israelitess in the Old Testament era.
The “Reconstructed Mark” and the Reconstruction of Q: A Valid Analogy?
Authors: Andrejevs Olegs
Published: March 2020

Described as a “thought experiment” by a number of scholars, Mark’s Gospel as reconstructed exclusively from its reception by Matthew and Luke has been repeatedly advanced as a challenge to the reconstruction of Q in recent decades. This essay analyzes the “Reconstructed Mark” argument, finding it to form a poorly calibrated analogy for the Q document. It will be shown that Matthew and Luke treat Q, which is a sayings collection, differently from the sayings of Jesus in Mark’s Gospel, which are already valued by them more highly than Mark’s narrative. Further arguments in support of the feasibility of Q’s reconstruction and the attainability of its text will also be provided.
Bored Techies Being Casually Racist: Race as Algorithm
Authors: Amrute Sareeta
Published: March 2020

Connecting corporate software work in the United States and Germany, this essay tracks the racialization of mostly male Indian software engineers through the casualization of their labor. In doing so, I show the connections between overt, anti-immigrant violence today and the ongoing use of race to sediment divisions of labor in the industry as a whole. To explain racialization in the tech industry, I develop the concept of race-as-algorithm as a device to unpack how race is made productive within digital economies and to show the flexibility of race as it works to create orders of classification that are sensitive to context. Using evidence collected through observation in tech offices and through interviews with programmers over five years, I track race as an essential but continually disavowed variable within the construction of global tech economies. Historical racializations of casual labor in plantation economies illuminates how casualness marks laborers whose rights can be muted and allows corporations to deny their culpability in promoting discrimination within and outside of the tech industry. These denials occur across a political field that divides “good” from “bad” migrants. Using the ethnographic symptoms that Indian tech workers identify in their environments, this essay reads these signs as an antidote to these continued denials.
Nutritional status, physical activity and associated nutrition knowledge of primary school learners
Authors: Muderedzwa Tavonga M , Matsungo Tonderayi M
Published: March 2020

Background:

Nutrition education has the potential to improve eating habits, physical activity and nutritional status of schoolchildren.

Aim:

This study aimed to determine the nutritional status, physical activity levels and the associated nutrition knowledge of primary school learners aged 9–14 years in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Methods:

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among learners ( n = 368) from eight primary schools. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic, nutrition knowledge and physical activity data. The weights and heights were measured using World Health Organization (WHO) standards. Pearson chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests were used to assess association between categorical variables. Binary logistic regression was used to explore the determinants of wasting and overweight. The level of significance was set at p < 0.05.

Results:

Overweight, wasting and stunting affected 25.8%, 6.3% and 3% of the learners, respectively. Only 52.7% of the learners achieved the WHO recommended 60 minutes of physical activity. The mean±standard deviation nutrition knowledge score of the learners was 70.3±10.9%. Stunted children were more likely to be wasted (odds ratio (OR) = 4.38; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07–17.8; p = 0.039). Inadequate dietary diversity score (OR = 0.44; 95% CI 0.22–0.87; p = 0.018) and using non-active forms of transportation (OR = 2.69; 95% CI 1.52–4.76; p = 0.001) were a significant predictor of overweight among the learners.

Conclusions:

Overweight was the leading form of malnutrition, coexisting with undernutrition, reflecting the presence of a ‘double burden of malnutrition’. Therefore, comprehensive and multi-sectoral interventions to improve healthy eating and physical activity are warranted.
Fabrication of poly (lactic acid) foams using supercritical nitrogen
Authors: Farhanmoghaddam Fatemeh , Javadi Azizeh
Published: March 2020

In this article, poly (lactic acid) (PLA) was foamed via batch foaming using supercritical nitrogen as a physical blowing agent by two methods, conventional foaming process (CFP) and low-temperature foaming process (LTFP). The fabrication processes, cell morphologies, thermal properties, crystallization behavior, and electrical resistance of resulted foams were studied to investigate the effect of foaming on these properties of PLA. It was found that the foams resulted from CFP method have micrometric cell sizes, while LTFP method led to nanometric cell structure and high cell density. Also scanning electron microscopy showed that the PLA foams have a heterogeneous cellular structure. The results showed that the foaming process increased the melting point and degree of crystallinity of PLA, which led to decrease in the electrical resistance of samples.
Hindsight bias in expert surveys: How democratic crises influence retrospective evaluations
Authors: Levick Laura , Olavarria-Gambi Mauricio
Published: March 2020

Expert surveys provide a standardized way to access and synthesize specialized knowledge, thereby, enabling the analysis of a diverse range of concepts and contexts that might otherwise be difficult to approach systematically. However, while studies of public opinion have long argued that cognitive biases represent potential problems when it comes to the general population, less attention has been paid to similar issues among expert respondents. This study examines one form of cognitive bias, hindsight bias. Hindsight bias refers to the tendency to retrospectively exaggerate one’s foresight of a particular event. We argue that hindsight bias is a potential problem when it comes to retrospective evaluation due to the difficulty involved in separating our assessments of the pre-crisis period from the knowledge that a crisis occurred. Using disaggregated data from the Varieties of Democracy Project, we look for evidence of hindsight bias in coders’ evaluations of the periods that preceded major crises of democracy. We find that coder disagreement is significantly higher in pre-crisis scenarios than in our control group. Concerningly, despite this disagreement, coders remain similarly confident in their assessments. This represents a potential problem for those who seek to use these data to study democratic breakdowns and transitions.
Psychological maladjustment mediates the relation between recollections of parental rejection in childhood and adults’ fear of intimacy in Italy
Authors: Senese Vincenzo Paolo , Miranda Maria C. , Lansford Jennifer E. , Bacchini Dario , Nasti Carla , Rohner Ronald P.
Published: March 2020

Grounded in interpersonal acceptance–rejection theory, this study examined the relation between recollections of parental rejection during childhood and fear of intimacy (FOI) in adulthood, as mediated by adults’ psychological maladjustment. In Study 1, the Fear of Intimacy Scale (FIS) was adapted for use in Italy. Its psychometric properties were investigated in a sample of 635 adults (51% women; 18–35 years). Confirmatory factor analysis, reliability analysis, and measurement invariance analysis showed that the Italian version of the FIS is a valid, reliable, and gender invariant scale. In Study 2, the relations among adults’ recollections of maternal and paternal rejection in childhood, current psychological maladjustment, and self-reported general FOI were investigated in a sample of 360 Italian adults (51% women; 18–35 years). Path analysis showed that the association between recollections of parental rejection during childhood and FOI in adulthood is fully mediated by psychological maladjustment, particularly emotional unresponsiveness, negative self-esteem, and dependency. This model was not moderated by gender. These results provide useful indications for the design of interventions aimed at reducing FOI.
Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma of the vulva in an adult: a case report and literature review
Authors: He Weihua , Jin Yue , Zhou Xinhui , Zhou Ke , Zhu Rong
Published: March 2020

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a common soft tissue tumor in children, but it is rare in adults. Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS) is a subtype of RMS and is extremely rare in adults, especially concerning the genital tract. We report a case of a 20-year-old woman who was admitted to and treated in our hospital for an RMS of the vulva. The patient presented with local recurrence and bone metastasis during chemotherapy after surgery and died within 1 year of diagnosis. Based on a literature review, the prognosis of ARMS in adults is poor. The treatment strategy for ARMS is not well established yet. The lungs and bone are two common sites of metastasis of ARMS.
Cervical dissection diagnoses increase following endovascular treatments
Authors: Pérez-Sánchez Soledad , Domínguez-Mayoral Ana , De Torres-Chacón Reyes , Gamero-García Miguel A , Barragán-Prieto Ana , Escudero-Martínez Irene , Ocete Rafael F , Herrero-Lara Juan , Algaba Pilar , Moniche Francisco , González Alejandro , Cueto Luis , Montaner Joan
Published: March 2020

Objectives

The detection of cervical arterial dissection (CAD) has been rising in recent years owing to advanced imaging techniques. The aim of this study was to explore whether wide implementation of endovascular treatment for ischemic stroke has an impact on the diagnosis of CAD.

Methods

We included all patients with CAD diagnosed at two university hospitals in Seville, Spain from January 2015 to December 2017. We collected clinical variables and information on imaging techniques used for the diagnosis. Implementation of 24 hour/365 day mechanical thrombectomy began in Seville on 15 August 2016. We compared diagnosis rates of CAD performed before and after this date.

Results

We identified 41 patients with CAD. We found 13 patients diagnosed before (1.1% of all ischemic strokes) and 28 (2.2%) after implementation of neurointerventional therapy. In 17 patients, diagnosis was made in the acute phase. Dissection was not suspected according to computed tomography angiography in 11 patients owing to small dissections (n = 2) or total occlusion (n = 9).

Conclusions

CAD diagnoses have been rising in recent years, essentially owing to continuous improvement in imaging techniques. Rapid access to arteriography for thrombectomy is increasing the diagnoses of CAD, even in patients with a low suspicion of dissection.
Anthropometric History: Revisiting What’s in it for Ireland
Authors: McLaughlin Eoin , Colvin Christopher L. , Blum Matthias
Published: March 2020

This research note updates Cormac Ó Gráda’s (1996) critical review of the literature on the connection between the stature of the Irish, on the one hand, and their health and living standards, on the other. We find most of the anthropometric data sets used in this literature pertain to Irish emigrants rather than those who stayed behind. We therefore argue prison registers are a more appropriate source of anthropometric information. But results derived from these registers need to be handled with caution as prisoners are a selected population. We uncover the various observable selection biases inherent in prison data and track how they change across the second half of the nineteenth century. We find changes in selection into crime across time are more likely to have been due to institutional rather than economic factors.
No central action of CGRP antagonising drugs in the GTN mouse model of migraine
Authors: Christensen Sarah L , Ernstsen Charlotte , Olesen Jes , Kristensen David M
Published: March 2020

Introduction

Clinically, calcitonin gene-related peptide antagonising drugs are recognized as effective in migraine treatment, but their site of action is debated. Only a small fraction of these compounds pass the blood-brain barrier and accesses the central nervous system. Regardless, it has been argued that the central nervous system is the site of action. Here, we test this hypothesis by bypassing the blood-brain barrier through intracerebroventricular injection of calcitonin gene-related peptide antagonising drugs.

Methods

We used the glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) mouse model, which is well validated by its response to specific migraine drugs. The calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor antagonist olcegepant and the calcitonin gene-related peptide monoclonal antibody ALD405 were administered either intraperitoneally or intracerebroventricularly. The outcome measure was cutaneous mechanical allodynia.

Results

Mice given olcegepant intraperitoneally + GTN on day 1 had a mean 50% withdrawal threshold of 1.2 g in contrast to mice receiving placebo + GTN, which had a threshold of 0.3 g ( p < 0.001). Similarly, in the ALD405 + GTN group, mice had thresholds of 1.2 g versus 0.2 g in the placebo + GTN group ( p < 0.001). However, both drugs were ineffective when delivered intracerebroventricularly, as control and active groups had identical mechanical sensitivity thresholds, 0.2 g versus 0.1 g and 0.1 g versus 0.1 g for olcegepant and ALD405, respectively ( p > 0.99 in both cases).

Discussion

The site of action of olcegepant and of the monoclonal antibody ALD405 is outside the blood-brain barrier in this mouse model of migraine. It is likely that these results can be generalised to all gepants and all antibodies and that the results are relevant for human migraine.
Comparison of healthcare resource utilization and costs among patients with migraine with potentially adequate and insufficient triptan response
Authors: Marcus Steven C , Shewale Anand R , Silberstein Stephen D , Lipton Richard B , Young William B , Viswanathan Hema N , Doshi Jalpa A
Published: March 2020

Background

Triptans are the most commonly prescribed acute treatments for migraine; however, not all triptan users experience adequate response. Information on real-world resource use and costs associated with triptan insufficient response are limited.

Methods

A retrospective claims analysis using US commercial health plan data between 2012 and 2015 assessed healthcare resource use and costs in adults with a migraine diagnosis newly initiating triptans. Patients who either did not refill triptans but used other non-triptan medications or refilled triptans but also filled non-triptan medications over a 24-month follow-up period were designated as potential triptan insufficient responders. Patients who continued filling only triptans (i.e. triptan-only continuers) were designated as potential adequate responders. All-cause and migraine-related resource use and total (medical and pharmacy) costs over months 1–12 and months 13–24 were compared between triptan-only continuers and potential triptan insufficient responders.

Results

Among 10,509 new triptan users, 4371 (41%) were triptan-only continuers, 3102 (30%) were potential triptan insufficient responders, and 3036 (29%) did not refill their index triptan or fill non-triptan medications over 24 months’ follow-up. Opioids were the most commonly used non-triptan treatment (68%) among potential triptan insufficient responders over 24 months of follow-up. Adjusted mean all-cause and migraine-related total costs were $5449 and $2905 higher, respectively, among potential triptan insufficient responders versus triptan-only continuers over the first 12 months.

Conclusions

In a US commercial health plan, almost one-third of new triptan users were potential triptan insufficient responders and the majority filled opioid prescriptions. Potential triptan insufficient responder patients had significantly higher all-cause and migraine-related healthcare utilization and costs than triptan-only continuers.
Biceps Tenodesis Versus Tenotomy in the Treatment of Lesions of the Long Head of the Biceps Tendon in Patients Undergoing Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgery: A Prospective Double-Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: MacDonald Peter , Verhulst Fleur , McRae Sheila , Old Jason , Stranges Greg , Dubberley Jamie , Mascarenhas Randy , Koenig James , Leiter Jeff , Nassar Mark , Lapner Peter
Published: March 2020

Background:

The biceps tendon is a known source of shoulder pain. Few high-level studies have attempted to determine whether biceps tenotomy or tenodesis is the optimal approach in the treatment of biceps pathology. Most available literature is of lesser scientific quality and shows varying results in the comparison of tenotomy and tenodesis.

Purpose:

To compare patient-reported and objective clinical results between tenotomy and tenodesis for the treatment of lesions of the long head of the biceps brachii.

Study Design:

Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1.

Methods:

Patients aged ≥18 years undergoing arthroscopic surgery with intraoperative confirmation of a lesion of the long head of the biceps tendon were randomized. The primary outcome measure was the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, while secondary outcomes included the Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index (WORC) score, elbow and shoulder strength, operative time, complications, and the incidence of revision surgery with each procedure. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed at postoperative 1 year to evaluate the integrity of the procedure in the tenodesis group.

Results:

A total of 114 participants with a mean age of 57.7 years (range, 34 years to 86 years) were randomized to undergo either biceps tenodesis or tenotomy. ASES and WORC scores improved significantly from pre- to postoperative time points, with a mean difference of 32.3% ( P < .001) and 37.3% ( P < .001), respectively, with no difference between groups in either outcome from presurgery to postoperative 24 months. The relative risk of cosmetic deformity in the tenotomy group relative to the tenodesis group at 24 months was 3.5 (95% CI, 1.26-9.70; P = .016), with 4 (10%) occurrences in the tenodesis group and 15 (33%) in the tenotomy group. Pain improved from 3 to 24 months postoperatively ( P < .001) with no difference between groups. Cramping was not different between groups, nor was any improvement in cramping seen over time. There were no differences between groups in elbow flexion strength or supination strength. Follow-up magnetic resonance imaging at postoperative 12 months showed that the tenodesis was intact for all patients.

Conclusion:

Tenotomy and tenodesis as treatment for lesions of the long head of biceps tendon both result in good subjective outcomes but there is a higher rate of Popeye deformity in the tenotomy group.

Registration:

NCT01747902 ( ClinicalTrials.gov identifier)
The Humanistic and Economic Burden of Pediatric Focal Seizures in the United States
Authors: Gibbs Sarah N. , Choi Jiyoon , Khilfeh Ibrahim , Ahmed K. Hamzah , Yermilov Irina , Segal Eric
Published: March 2020

Objective:

To better understand the humanistic and economic burden of focal seizures in children 2-12 years old.

Methods:

We conducted a targeted literature review by searching MEDLINE for English-language publications reporting on children 2-12 years old with focal seizures published in the United States since 2008.

Results:

Thirty-five publications were included. Incidence of focal seizures was 23.2 to 47.1 per 100,000 children per year; prevalence was 2.0 per 1,000 children, and ranged from 1.6 - 2.6 per 1,000 in patients of any age. Life expectancy was 47.3-61.8 years among children 3-12 years old. Patients took several antiepileptic drugs and experienced frequent seizures, sleep disorders, mood disorders, migraine, and seizure-related injuries (eg, bone fractures, sprains, open wounds). Children with focal seizures scored below average on cognitive assessments and up to 42%, 16%, and 19% had depression, anxiety, and attention-deficit disorder, respectively. Patients of any age had about 10 outpatient visits (2 epilepsy-related), 2 inpatient visits (less than 1 epilepsy-related), and 24 procedures (1 epilepsy-related) per year. Medication adherence was low: only half of pediatric patients maintained ≥90% adherence over 6 months. Annual total health care costs among patients of any age ranged from $18,369 - 38,549; first-year total health care costs for children were $19,883.

Conclusions:

Incidence and prevalence of focal seizures is high and the humanistic and economic burdens are significant. Future studies focused exclusively on children with focal seizures are needed to more precisely describe the burden. We also suggest further research and implementation of methods to improve medication adherence as an approach to lessen burden on these young patients.
Minimally invasive ‘pull technique’ for peritoneal dialysis catheter removal
Authors: Wang Jian , Li Xiao-Sheng , Zhang Feng-Xia , Wang Run-Xiu , Cao Feng , Tang Xian-Hu , Chen Xiao-Qing , Hong Bo
Published: March 2020

A simple, noninvasive method for removing peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheters, called the “pull technique,” has become popular in recent years. Physicians still worry, however, about the range of its application and possible complications such as infection of the retained cuff and breakage. We, therefore, applied this technique in patients and enriched its administration for removing PD catheters. Altogether, 24 PD catheter removals in 24 patients were reviewed during the period from July 2018 to October 2019 in our hospital. Using the pull technique, the PD catheter’s superficial cuff was dissected using an electronic knife, and the deep cuff was retained. All patients’ catheters were successfully removed with no breakage. No incision or retained cuff was infected during the follow-up period (1.1–15.6 months). The appropriate peak force of pull traction was approximately 12–13 pounds, not very different from the mean maximum tensile force of 21.48 pounds for silicone tube breakage. The use of intermittent (rather than sustained) traction may reduce the breakage risk of the silicone tube. This method is a safe, practical, minimally invasive method for removing PD catheters, and it is suitable for application on special patients with peritonitis or who are on an immunosuppressant.
Artificial Intelligence and Persuasion: A Construal-Level Account
Authors: Kim Tae Woo , Duhachek Adam
Published: March 2020

Although more individuals are relying on information provided by nonhuman agents, such as artificial intelligence and robots, little research has examined how persuasion attempts made by nonhuman agents might differ from persuasion attempts made by human agents. Drawing on construal-level theory, we posited that individuals would perceive artificial agents at a low level of construal because of the agents’ lack of autonomous goals and intentions, which directs individuals’ focus toward how these agents implement actions to serve humans rather than why they do so. Across multiple studies (total N = 1,668), we showed that these construal-based differences affect compliance with persuasive messages made by artificial agents. These messages are more appropriate and effective when the message represents low-level as opposed to high-level construal features. These effects were moderated by the extent to which an artificial agent could independently learn from its environment, given that learning defies people’s lay theories about artificial agents.
Optimized multiple testing procedures for nested sub-populations based on a continuous biomarker
Authors: Graf Alexandra Christine , Magirr Dominic , Dmitrienko Alex , Posch Martin
Published: March 2020

An important step in the development of targeted therapies is the identification and confirmation of sub-populations where the treatment has a positive treatment effect compared to a control. These sub-populations are often based on continuous biomarkers, measured at baseline. For example, patients can be classified into biomarker low and biomarker high subgroups, which are defined via a threshold on the continuous biomarker. However, if insufficient information on the biomarker is available, the a priori choice of the threshold can be challenging and it has been proposed to consider several thresholds and to apply appropriate multiple testing procedures to test for a treatment effect in the corresponding subgroups controlling the family-wise type 1 error rate. In this manuscript we propose a framework to select optimal thresholds and corresponding optimized multiple testing procedures that maximize the expected power to identify at least one subgroup with a positive treatment effect. Optimization is performed over a prior on a family of models, modelling the relation of the biomarker with the expected outcome under treatment and under control. We find that for the considered scenarios 3 to 4 thresholds give the optimal power. If there is a prior belief on a small subgroup where the treatment has a positive effect, additional optimization of the spacing of thresholds may result in a large benefit. The procedure is illustrated with a clinical trial example in depression.
Nurses' tension-based ethical decision making in rural acute care settings
Authors: Alzghoul Manal M , Jones-Bonofiglio Kristen
Published: March 2020

Background

Nurses in acute care are frequently involved in ethical decision making and experience a higher prevalence of ethical conflicts and dilemmas. Nurses in underresourced rural acute care settings also are likely to face unique ethical challenges. However, rarely have the particular contexts of these experiences in rural acute care settings been researched. A culture of silence and fear in small towns has made exploring these issues difficult.

Objectives

To explore registered nurses’ experiences of ethical issues and ethical decision making in rural acute care hospitals in northern Ontario, Canada.

Research design

Guided by an interpretive descriptive approach, data were collected by two nurse researchers using in-depth, individual, and semistructured telephone interviews. Data were managed with NVivo v.11 and analyzed using inductive, comparative, thematic analyses.

Participants and research context

The participants were eight registered nurses working in two acute care hospitals in northern Ontario.

Ethical considerations

Ethical protocols were followed in accordance with ethics approval from the researchers’ university and the hospitals.

Findings

Results identified four themes that culminated in the development of a quadruple helix ethical decision-making framework of power, trust, care, and fear.

Discussion and conclusion

The participants described complex ethical conflicts and dilemmas in acute care settings that were influenced by the context of working and living in small rural communities in northern Ontario. Nurses described navigating ethics in practice using a tension-based approach to ethical decision making, needing to carry these issues silently and often having no resolution to ethical challenges. These findings have important implications for nursing education, research, and practice. Nurses need safe spaces, formal ethics support, and improved access to resources. Additional ethics education and training specific to the unique contexts of rural settings are needed.
Treatment exceeds expectations with vemurafenib monotherapy in a patient with BRAFV600E-mutant metastatic melanoma
Authors: Yilmaz Mesut , Güven Meşe Şermin
Published: March 2020

Introduction

Patients with distant metastatic melanoma has a poor prognosis, with a reported median survival time of six to eight months. In modern era, survival has prolonged with the immunotherapy and targeted therapy options. Potent and selective BRAF inhibitors have been developed that specifically inhibit mutated BRAF over other RAF kinases. Vemurafenib was the first selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor developed to target the V600E allele of BRAF-mutant melanoma.

Case Report

In this report, we present a case of BRAFV600E-mutant metastatic melanoma, which is being treated with vemurafenib monotherapy with complete response for about seven years.

Management and Outcome

The patient is still being treated with vemurafenib and radiologic complete response is ongoing for about seven years.

Discussion

Patients treated with BRAF inhibitors monotherapy had promising response rates and improvement in the progression-free survival and overall survival, but melanoma cells became resistant very quickly, affecting the progression. In this case, we present a case that has permanent response to vemurafenib monotherapy.
Methodology optimization for the analysis of phenolic compounds in chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.)
Authors: Fuente-Maqueda Francisco , Rodríguez Ana , Majada Juan , Fernández Belén , Feito Isabel
Published: March 2020

Phenols are bioactive substances of great interest because of their involvement in plant physiology, their use in many industrial processes, and their impact on human health. This work aims to summarize the varied approaches to the phenolic analysis of chestnut (bark and wood of trunk and branches, leaves, catkins, burs, and fruit) and to collate the optimal conditions into an easy to follow and execute protocol. Phenolic compounds were extracted by solid–liquid extraction and separated by liquid–liquid extraction. Total phenols content was determined by Folin–Ciocalteu assay, condensed tannins by vanillin assay, and hydrolyzable tannins (gallotannins and ellagitannins) by high-performance liquid chromatography quantification of methyl gallate and ellagic acid following acid methanolysis. The lowest temperature for conservation (–80 ℃), lyophilization, and milling (liquid N2) were the most effective pretreatments for samples. For quantification of tannins, the use of water clearly reduced the sensitivity of the analysis of condensed tannins, whilst the more efficient degradation capacity of sulfuric acid improved the methanolysis of hydrolyzable tannins. These findings were validated using a range of chestnut tissues, and thus confirm the utility and effectiveness of this easy to implement, cost-effective, and efficient protocol.
Effect of moderate thermal treatments on the inactivation of a strain of Listeria monocytogenes and physicochemical properties of soursop pulp
Authors: Velasco-Hernández Almadalia , Saucedo-Veloz Crescenciano , Ramírez-Guzmán Martha Elva , Chávez-Franco Sergio Humberto , Valle-Guadarrama Salvador , Saucedo-Reyes Daniela
Published: March 2020

Soursop ( Annona muricata L.) is a commercially important tropical fruit, whether fresh or processed as a pasteurized or frozen pulp used to prepare juice, drinks, nectar, ice cream, popsicles, and desserts. Besides preserving quality, another preoccupation in the processing of fruit pulps is product safety. Several studies show the association between pulp processing and the development of various microorganisms; however, few have focused on the association between L. monocytogenes and the pulp of sour fruits. The objective was to evaluate the effect of moderate thermal treatments on the inactivation of L. monocytogenes and the physicochemical properties in soursop pulp in order to determine the best processing conditions that will allow to maintain quality as well as to achieve an adequate level of safety. Thermal inactivation kinetics were obtained for L. monocytogenes inoculated in soursop pulp at five levels of temperature (50, 52.5, 55, 57.5, and 60 ℃) and different exposure times (0–60 min). The survival curves did not suggest a log-linear relationship, and were, consequently, fitted to the modified Gompertz equation. The results indicated that the modified Gompertz equation provided an acceptable goodness of fit. Five-log10 cycles reductions of L. monocytogenes were achieved at 50 ℃/60 min, 52.5 ℃/16 min, 55 ℃/10 min, 57.5 ℃/5 min, and 60 ℃/1.25 min. These 5-log10 treatments applied to the soursop pulp indicated that the soursop pulp showed changes in the color parameters and a decrease in the content of total sugars, reducing sugars, ascorbic acid, total phenols, and pH.