bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Introduction to the Rasch Poisson Counts Model: An R Tutorial
Authors: Baghaei Purya , Doebler Philipp
Published: September 2018

The Rasch Poisson Counts Model is the oldest Rasch model developed by the Danish mathematician Georg Rasch in 1952. Nevertheless, the model has had limited applications in psychoeducational assessment. With the rise of neurocognitive and psychomotor testing, there is more room for new applications of the model where other item response theory models cannot be applied. In this paper, we give a general introduction to the Rasch Poisson Counts Model and then using data of an attention test walk the reader through how to use the “lme4” package in R to estimate the model and interpret the outputs.
Toward reproducible disease models using the Systems Biology Markup Language
Authors: Watanabe Leandro , Barhak Jacob , Myers Chris
Published: September 2018

Disease modelers have been modeling progression of diseases for several decades using such tools as Markov models or microsimulation. However, they need to address a serious challenge; many models they create are not reproducible. Moreover, there is no proper practice that ensures reproducible models, since modelers rely on loose guidelines that change periodically, rather than well-defined machine-readable standards. The Systems Biology Markup Language (SBML) is one such standard that allows exchange of models between different software tools. Recently, the SBML Arrays package has been developed, which extends the standard to allow handling simulation of populations. This paper demonstrates through several abstract examples how microsimulation disease models can be encoded using the SBML Arrays package, enabling reproducible disease modeling.
Between authoritarian governance and urban citizenship: Tree-felling protests in Hanoi
Authors: Gillespie John , Nguyen Quang Hung
Published: September 2018

Little is known about how claims for urban citizenship in transitional states influence urban governance. Advancing the literature, this article draws on empirical research about a tree-felling dispute in Hanoi. It argues that social media are transforming how citizens project power over city officials. Interviews showed how a combination of street protests and criticism on social media disrupted state expectations about how citizens should behave. This opened political space that enabled citizens to voice their concerns. Although officials reacted emotionally to moral coercion, they refused to engage with deliberative claims for urban citizenship and the right to participate in governance. The article concludes that social media provide a space where urban citizenship can evolve, disseminate and eventually influence the state.
Reconceptualizing Participation Grading as Skill Building
Authors: Gillis Alanna
Published: September 2018

Two common ways that instructors assess participation in sociology courses are recalling participation by memory or counting times spoken during class in real time. However, these common assessments rely on faulty assumptions that do not support their usage. This article reconceptualizes participation grading as an opportunity to motivate skill building across a variety of dimensions. The evidence from two classes of 45 and 47 students demonstrates that this conceptualization can be effectively implemented in undergraduate courses. Students set participation goals; all students met at least one goal, and more than two-thirds met all three goals. Qualitative themes from their reflections include students learned that participation is about skills not personality, it gets easier once started, participation dimensions are interconnected, and these skills can be applied in other classes. Benefits can be achieved when instructors implement a multifaceted skill-based participation system to assess participation.
Reconsidering the Link Between Depression and Crime: A Longitudinal Assessment
Authors: Ozkan Turgut , Rocque Michael , Posick Chad
Published: September 2018

A long line of research has uncovered a link between depression and delinquency. However, much of this research has been unable to disentangle the temporal ordering of the depression and crime relationship. In addition, few studies have examined potential mediating relationships between depression and crime, including, for example, theoretical variables such as individual self-control. To address these gaps, we examined depression symptoms as a risk factor for both violent and income-related offenses in a longitudinal framework controlling for several potential confounders using the Pathways to Desistance study that includes information on a unique sample of serious adolescent offenders ( N = 1,354). Our findings reveal that depression is inconsistently related to crime in cross-sectional models, but is a risk factor for both aggressive and income-related offenses in a longitudinal framework and that depression has an independent effect on delinquency that is not mediated by self-control.
Citation Indexes: Uses and Misuses
Authors: Huang Philip C. C.
Published: September 2018

The Web of Science citation indexes were originally intended to serve as research aids, to provide easy-to-use bibliographic aids for authors, help authors identify colleagues who have cited their work, and assist librarians in making selections among journals. But they were soon carried by the tidal waves of scientism and data-ism, first in business management and governance, and then also in scholarly research, to near-monopolistic control of the business of journals evaluation in the United States (though increasingly challenged in some areas by the more recent but similar Scopus citation indexes). With that dominance, earlier tentative generalizations based on limited research gradually became more and more rigidified “laws” that have been strictly enforced: that quality can be scientifically measured by the number of articles that cite the article or a particular journal, and, by extension, that the importance and contribution of a scholar’s article, like that of a journal, can be determined by its “impact factor” measured by counting the number of articles citing it. Those “laws” came to be applied first to the natural sciences, extended to the social sciences, and finally also to major spheres of the arts and humanities. Today, they have come to dominate the entire continuum of disciplines and fields ranging from the most universalist of the natural sciences, in which truths may be established by reproducible experiments, to the more particularist social sciences, and still more particularist arts and humanities, in which theories, even facts, are far more contested and tentative. As we move across the spectrum from the more universalist end of natural sciences toward the more particularist end of the social sciences and arts and humanities, such methods have tended to violate ever more the fundamental nature and realities of scholarly research. However, once entrenched, the citation indexes business has shown the same tendencies as any monopolistic entity toward resisting change and transparency. Where those tendencies have been adopted by a centralized government for bureaucratized control, as in China, the misuses and abuses of citation indexes have been further magnified. This article ends by calling for developing more substantive, genuinely peer-review-based methods of evaluation; for relying more on alternative nonprofit bibliographic and data services; and for greater inclusivity, especially with regard to scholarship in languages other than English.
Palliative esophagectomy in unexpected metastatic disease: sense or nonsense?
Authors: Depypere Lieven P , Moons Johnny , Lerut Toni E , Coosemans Willy , Van Veer Hans , Nafteux Philippe R
Published: September 2018

Background

Despite integrated positron emission tomography and computed tomography screening before and after neoadjuvant treatment in patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer, unexpected metastatic disease is still found in some patients during surgery. Should then esophagectomy be aborted or is there a place for palliative resection?

Methods

Between 2002 and 2015, 681 patients with potentially resectable esophageal cancer were sheduled for neoadjuvant therapy and subsequent esophagectomy. In 552 patients, a potentially curative esophagectomy was performed. In 12 patients, unexpected disease was discovered during surgery but esophagectomy was performed with synchronous resection of metastases; 10 of them had oligometastatic disease (≤4 single-organ metastases). Esophagectomy was not performed in 117 patients (because of disease progression in 50); 14 were also single-organ oligometastatic. Data of 10 single-organ oligometastatic patients who underwent esophageal resection (group 1) were compared those of 10 non-resected but treated counterparts (group 2) and with 228 patients who underwent potentially curative esophagectomy with persistent pathological lymph nodes (group 3).

Results

Five oligometastatic esophagectomy patients had lung metastases: 1 peritoneal, 2 adrenal, 1 pleural, and 1 pancreatic. Two oligometastatic non-resected patients had lung, 5 liver, and 3 brain metastases. Median overall survival was 21.4, 12.1, and 20.2 months in the respective groups (group 1 vs. group 2  p = 0.042; group 2 vs. group 3  p = 0.002; group 1 vs. group 3  p = 0.88).

Conclusions

Survival is longer in patients undergoing palliative esophagectomy with unexpected single-organ oligometastatic disease and comparable to survival in patients with persistent pathological lymph nodes. Palliative resection in these patients seems to be justified.
Predictors of surgical outcome in isolated prosthetic mitral valve endocarditis
Authors: Nagy Mohamad , Alkady Hesham , Abo Senna Waleed , Abdelhay Soliman
Published: September 2018

Background

Most previous studies dealing with predictors of surgical outcome in prosthetic valve endocarditis included patients with aortic and/or mitral valve prostheses. Here, we concentrate on isolated prosthetic mitral endocarditis due to heterogeneity of epidemiological data, anatomical factors, and surgical techniques between mitral, prosthetic mitral, and aortic endocarditis between prosthetic mitral and prosthetic aortic endocarditis.

Methods

Data of 40 patients reoperated upon due to isolated prosthetic mitral endocarditis between July 2015 and March 2017 were retrospectively collected and analyzed.

Results

Independent predictors of major postoperative complications on multivariate analysis were: no blood cultures before referral (odds ratio 6.36, 95% confidence interval: 1.44–28.15), inadequate response to medical treatment (odds ratio 11.38, 95% confidence interval: 1.29–100.25), and serum creatinine ≥2.0 mg·dL−1 (odds ratio 4.56, 95% confidence interval: 1.07–19.36). Independent predictors of hospital mortality were: congestive heart failure (odds ratio 30.91, 95% confidence interval: 2.02 to 473.87), embolization (odds ratio 18.24, 95% confidence interval:1.94–171.91), peri-annular extension of infection (odds ratio 12.68, 95% confidence interval: 1.30–123.43), serum creatinine on admission > 2 mg·dL−1 (odds ratio 9.67, 95% confidence interval: 1.97–47.48), and early prosthetic valve endocarditis (odds ratio 7.80, 95% confidence interval: 1.35–45.00). EuroSCORE II > 5.93% was associated with the highest predictive value for hospital mortality (area under the curve 0.813).

Conclusion

Certain factors can predict morbidity and mortality in surgery for isolated mitral prosthetic valve endocarditis. EuroSCORE II has a good ability to predict hospital mortality in surgery for mitral prosthetic valve endocarditis.
Clinical relevance of reporting fatty liver on ultrasound in asymptomatic patients during routine health checkups
Authors: Mahale Ajit Ramakant , Prabhu Sonali Dattatray , Nachiappan Muthiah , Fernandes Merwyn , Ullal Sonali
Published: September 2018

Objective

Ultrasonography is an efficient technique for detecting fatty liver. Its sensitivity and specificity in detecting moderate to severe fatty liver are comparable to those of histology. Fatty liver is associated with abnormal lipid and lipoprotein metabolism and insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular/renal disease, type 2 diabetes, and other conditions. This study was performed to compare the serum lipid profiles and serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT), glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in patients diagnosed with fatty liver on ultrasonography versus controls without fatty liver and evaluate the clinical relevance of an ultrasound diagnosis of fatty liver in routine health checkups.

Methods

This hospital-based cross-sectional study included 390 patients who underwent health checkups; 226 were diagnosed with fatty liver (cases) and 164 were not (controls). The lipid profile, serum GOT and GPT levels, and HbA1c level were compared between the cases and controls.

Results

The cases had considerably higher levels of lipids, liver enzymes (serum GOT and GPT), and HbA1c than controls.

Conclusion

Ultrasonography is a noninvasive simple tool for early detection of fatty liver in asymptomatic patients and can help clinicians achieve early detection of metabolic syndrome.
Necrogeomorphology and the life expectancy of desert bedrock landforms
Authors: Dorn Ronald I
Published: September 2018

This paper presents the first estimates for the life expectancy of the very surface of bedrock desert landforms, such as bornhardts, cliff faces, fault scarp, inselbergs, ridge crests, and slickrock. The correlative dating method of varnish microlaminations yields minimum ages for the timing of the last spalling event caused by the physical weathering process of dirt cracking. Minimum percentage of a bedrock surface spalled per thousand years is a metric that can be estimated using multiple varnish lamination ages. Understanding rates of surface spalling provides a quantitative measure of Gilbert’s (1877: 105) weathering-limited ‘rate of disintegration’, because this metric directly links to the rock disintegration process of dirt cracking. Rates of percent surface spalled then translate into estimates of how long it takes for the very surface of a desert bedrock landform to die. For a variety of example landforms in the southwestern USA, the maximum time required to completely resurface a desert bedrock landform by spalling from dirt cracking ranges from 89 to 600 ka.
Understanding Human Perception of Bus Fullness: An Empirical Study of Crowdsourced Fullness Ratings and Automatic Passenger Count Data
Authors: Pi Xidong , Qian Zhen (Sean) , Steinfeld Aaron , Huang Yun
Published: September 2018

Bus fullness, namely bus crowding level, is one of the most critical metrics used to quantify public transportation service quality and consumer satisfaction. Often it is simply represented by the head count within a bus vehicle that is measured using the prevailing automatic passenger counter (APC)., Little is known, however, about how the precise passenger count reflects the human perception of bus fullness. This study examines the linkage between APC data and crowdsourced fullness ratings data from riders in Pittsburgh, U.S.A., to understand how riders’ perception of bus fullness is related to spatial, temporal, and demographic factors in addition to the passenger counts. We found that human perception of bus fullness, matched with passenger counts, can vary substantially by time of day, bus vehicle seat capacity, and passengers’ income. Last but not least, we proposed a statistical model that estimates riders’ perception of bus fullness based on APC data and bus route characteristics. This model can be used by transit agencies who possess APC data to assess service quality better, and ultimately to enhance the design and operation of transit systems.
Developing Simple Binder Indices for Cracking Resistance of Asphalt Binders at Intermediate and Low Temperatures
Authors: Moraes Raquel , Bahia Hussain
Published: September 2018

Oxidative aging causes hardening of asphalt binders and, consequently, contributes to deterioration of asphalt pavements. Non-load related cracking of asphalt pavements (i.e., transverse and block cracks) is related to original properties and hardening of the asphalt binder. In recent years, researchers have proposed new indices derived from Superpave Performance Graded (PG) testing to identify changes in asphalt cracking susceptibility with aging. These indices include the parameter G′/(η′/G′) and the difference between continuous low temperature binder grade measured via Superpave creep stiffness and m-value (ΔTc). This study aims to develop interrelationships between tests allowing choice selection for the determination of simpler parameters that could be used for specification tests of asphalt binders. Two simpler asphalt binder indices for cracking resistance are investigated by means of Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR), Bending Beam Rheometer (BBR) and Single Edge Notched Bending (SENB) tests results. At intermediate temperatures, the slope of the |G*|-frequency curve obtained from a simple frequency sweep test is proposed as an alternative approach to directly calculate the durability parameter G′/(η′/G′). At low temperatures, results indicated a direct correlation between failure energy at fracture obtained from SENB and ΔTc. To confim the validity of these indices and the changes at molecular level, Gel Permeation Chromatograph (GPC) results are presented to indicate that asphalts with higher content of large molecular size (LMS) molecules are likely to crack. Limits for specifcations for the slope of |G*|-frequency curve and ΔTc can be derived based on testing a wide range of binders and field experience.
Evaluation of Route Changes Utilizing High-Resolution GPS Bus Transit Data
Authors: Glick Travis B. , Figliozzi Miguel A.
Published: September 2018

This study applies high-resolution archived transit data to study the effect of roadway changes using data collected before and after the completion of a project affecting transit. Methodologies are presented to compare percentile and time-of-day performance measures before and after the project. In addition, differences in travel time and travel-time variability are examined over the altered route. The case study examines one heavily used route in Portland that was recently diverted onto a newly built transit-only bridge to examine the claims that travel times would decrease and reliability would increase. The results of this study indicate that travel times increased for the majority of trips but travel-time variability during the peak period was sharply reduced.
Traffic Calming and Environmental Justice: New York City’s Neighborhood Slow Zones
Authors: Hagen Jonas Xaver
Published: September 2018

This paper examines New York City’s Neighborhood Slow Zones (NSZ) program in terms of environmental justice. The paper uses both quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative analyses show that the areas where the zones are implemented are well represented in regarding environmental justice (low-income and minority) populations, and that risk exposure to traffic injury and traffic casualty counts are similar in NSZ and non-NSZ areas. The qualitative analysis shows that the program was structured in a way that included the participation of environmental justice communities and led to the siting of zones in such neighborhoods. These findings suggest that the NSZ program can address environmental justice’s goals of distributing environmental risk more equitably and including low-income and minority communities in planning processes.
Review on effect machining parameters on performance of natural fibre–reinforced composites (NFRCs)
Authors: Rajmohan T , Vinayagamoorthy R , Mohan K
Published: September 2018

In the modern years, natural fibre composites have been converted into significant materials in many industries such as automotive, aerospace and and so on. Several types of natural fibre composites, particularly plant-based fibre composites, have been developed and tested. However, their mixed nature, engineer’s requirement of experience, an understanding of machinability databases, limit setting and trouble in manufacturing are barriers to extensive use of composites. The final shape of the natural fibre–reinforced composites (NFRCs) are obtained by conventional and unconventional machining. Machining of these composites generates confront due to the heterogeneous and anisotropic nature. Different methodologies and tools are intended to overcome the machining defects. In this article, a wide range of literature review on machining of NFRCs is examined with focus on conventional and unconventional machining operation. This article also discusses the influences of machining parameters and optimum conditions for machining of NFRCs.
Implicit Theories of Interest: Finding Your Passion or Developing It?
Authors: O’Keefe Paul A. , Dweck Carol S. , Walton Gregory M.
Published: September 2018

People are often told to find their passion, as though passions and interests are preformed and must simply be discovered. This idea, however, has hidden motivational implications. Five studies examined implicit theories of interest—the idea that personal interests are relatively fixed (fixed theory) or developed (growth theory). Whether assessed or experimentally induced, a fixed theory was more likely to dampen interest in areas outside people’s existing interests (Studies 1–3). Individuals endorsing a fixed theory were also more likely to anticipate boundless motivation when passions were found, not anticipating possible difficulties (Study 4). Moreover, when it became difficult to engage in a new interest, interest flagged significantly more for people induced to hold a fixed rather than a growth theory of interest (Study 5). Urging people to find their passion may lead them to put all their eggs in one basket but then to drop that basket when it becomes difficult to carry.
“It’s Not a Tumor”: A Framework for Capitalizing on Individual Diversity to Boost Target Detection
Authors: Corbett Jennifer E. , Munneke Jaap
Published: September 2018

Even experts routinely miss infrequent targets, such as weapons in baggage scans or tumors in mammograms, because the visual system is not equipped to notice the unusual. To date, limited progress has been made toward improving human factors that mediate such critical diagnostic tasks. Here, we present a novel framework for pairing individuals’ estimates to increase target detection. Using a wisdom-of-crowds approach that capitalizes on the visual system’s ability to efficiently combine information, we demonstrated how averaging two noninteracting individuals’ continuous estimates of whether a briefly presented image contained a prespecified target can significantly boost detection across a range of tasks. Furthermore, we showed how pairing individuals’ estimates to maximize decorrelated patterns of performance in one task can optimize performance on a separate task. These results make significant advances toward combating severe deficits in target detection using straightforward applications for maximizing performance within limited pools of observers.
Development and validation of Nurses’ Moral Courage Scale
Authors: Numminen Olivia , Katajisto Jouko , Leino-Kilpi Helena
Published: September 2018

Background:

Moral courage is required at all levels of nursing. However, there is a need for development of instruments to measure nurses’ moral courage.

Objectives:

The objective of this study is to develop a scale to measure nurses’ self-assessed moral courage, to evaluate the scale’s psychometric properties, and to briefly describe the current level of nurses’ self-assessed moral courage and associated socio-demographic factors.

Research design:

In this methodological study, non-experimental, cross-sectional exploratory design was applied. The data were collected using Nurses’ Moral Courage Scale and analysed statistically.

Participants and research context:

The data were collected from a convenience sample of 482 nurses from four different clinical fields in a major university hospital in Finland for the final testing of the scale. The pilot comprised a convenience sample of 129 nurses.

Ethical considerations:

The study followed good scientific inquiry guidelines. Ethical approval was obtained from the university ethics committee and permission to conduct the study from the participating hospital.

Findings:

Psychometric evaluation showed that the 4-sub-scale, 21-item Nurses’ Moral Courage Scale demonstrates good reliability and validity at its current state of development showing a good level of internal consistency for a new scale, the internal consistency values ranging from 0.73 to 0.82 for sub-scales and 0.93 for the total scale, thus well exceeding the recommended Cronbach’s alpha value of >0.7. Principal component analysis and confirmatory factor analysis supported the theoretical construct of Nurses’ Moral Courage Scale. Face validity and expert panel assessments markedly contributed to the relevance of items in establishing content validity.

Discussion and conclusion:

Nurses’ Moral Courage Scale provides a new generic instrument intended for measuring nurses’ self-assessed moral courage. Recognizing the importance of moral courage as a part of nurses’ moral competence and its assessment offers possibilities to develop interventions and educational programs for enhancement of moral courage. Research should focus on further validation measures of Nurses’ Moral Courage Scale in international contexts.
On a Theorem due to Alan D. Taylor about Aggregation of Preferences
Authors: Lahiri Somdeb
Published: September 2018

In this paper, we show that there does not exist any triple acyclic preference aggregation rule that satisfies Majority property, weak Pareto criterion and a version of a property due to Alan Taylor. We also show that there are non-dictatorial preference aggregation rules and in particular non-dictatorial social welfare functions which satisfy the weak Pareto criterion and Taylor’s Independence of Irrelevant Alternatives. Further, we are able to obtain analogous results for preference aggregation functionals by suitably adjusting the desired properties to fit into a framework which uses individual utility functions rather than individual preference orderings. Our final result is a modest generalisation of Sen’s version of Arrow’s impossibility theorem which is shown to hold under our mild domain restriction.

JEL: D71
Supramalleolar Osteotomy Combined With an Intra-articular Osteotomy for the Reconstruction of Malunited Medial Impacted Ankle Fractures
Authors: Guo Changjun , Liu Zongbao , Xu Yangbo , Li Xingchen , Zhu Yuan , Xu Xiangyang
Published: September 2018

Background:

Malunion of a medial impacted ankle fracture may cause varus ankle deformity. This retrospective study examined the use of supramalleolar osteotomy combined with an intra-articular osteotomy in patients with malunited medial impacted ankle fractures.

Methods:

Twenty-four patients with malunited medial impacted ankle fracture were treated between January 2011 and December 2014. Using Weber’s classification, 10 had type A fractures and 14 had type B, and with the AO classification, 20 had 44A2 and 4 had 44B3. All of these patients had varus ankle deformity. Supramalleolar osteotomy combined with an intra-articular osteotomy was performed. The visual analog scale (VAS) for pain during daily activities, the Olerud and Molander Scale and the modified Takakura classification stage were used to determine the clinical outcomes and a radiographic analysis was performed.

Results:

The radiographic parameters, including the tibial ankle surface (TAS) angle and talar tilt angle (TTA), showed significant differences between the preoperative and follow-up assessments. The mean tibial lateral surface (TLS) did not show a significant change. The average Olerud and Molander Scale score improved significantly from 56.4 ± 6.21 preoperatively to 77.0 ± 6.11 at the latest follow-up ( P < .01). The mean VAS decreased significantly from 6.7 ± 0.8 preoperatively to 3.1 ± 0.6 at the latest follow-up ( P < .01). No significant difference in the modified Takakura classification stage was observed between the preoperative assessment and the last follow-up.

Conclusions:

The use of a supramalleolar osteotomy combined with an intra-articular osteotomy was an effective option for the treatment of malunited medial impacted ankle fractures associated with varus ankle deformity.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, retrospective case series.
Living dolls? The role of clothing and fashion in ‘sexualisation’
Authors: Edwards Tim
Published: September 2018

This article considers the role that clothing and fashion have played, or continue to play, in ‘sexualisation’. It is pointed out that fashion, as in clothing, has often played a very small part in much wider discussions about ‘sexualisation’ much of which fails to problematise the meaning of the clothing concerned. The article thus considers what might constitute ‘sexualised’ clothing or fashion – whether this is simply baring of flesh, too ‘adult’, or somehow ‘pornographic’ in its derivations or connotations. In addition, fashion and dress have a long history of forming heated concern for feminists who have often found themselves caught between seeing it as oppressive and male defined or expressive and somehow empowering. What is often at stake here is the very significance of fashion or dress itself when seen as a wider communicator of status or just personality. Drawing on established feminist and fashion theory, this article unpacks this connection. In addition, the ‘function’ of fashion as display has an equally long history of often unacknowledged gender difference that precedes later feminist resistance yet still informs it. The article also considers the extent to which understandings of fashion may inform or disrupt more contemporary feminist politics on dress, and recent attempts to reclaim ‘sexualised’ clothing and dressing as empowering for young women are questioned. In sum, it is argued that an analysis of fashion and dress per se is needed to develop a more informed understanding of the processes of ‘sexualisation’ and resistance to them.
Risk Factors for Complications following Introduction of Radical Surgery for Colon Cancer: A Consecutive Patient Series
Authors: Furnes B. , Storli K. E. , Forsmo H. M. , Karliczek A. , Eide G. E. , Pfeffer F.
Published: September 2018

Background:

Rectal cancer surgery is standardized, resulting in improved survival. Colon cancer has fallen behind and therefore more radical surgical techniques have been introduced. One technique is complete mesocolic excision. The aim of this article was to study the complications after the introduction of standardized complete mesocolic excision in a single center.

Methods:

Complete mesocolic excision was introduced in 2007, and data were collected from 286 patients prior to surgery (2007–2010). The surgeon decided on open or laparoscopic surgery. Follow-up information was recorded until 31 December 2015. Complications were classified according to a modified Clavien–Dindo classification.

Results:

Complications occurred in 47%, severe complications (grade III and IV) in 15%. In-hospital mortality was 3.5%. A total of 142 patients (49.7%) were operated by open surgery. Logistic regression revealed anemia (p = 0.001), open surgery (p < 0.001), and long operating time (p < 0.001) as significant factors for complications in general. Multinomial logistic regression revealed that severe complications occurred more often in males (odds ratio: 2.56; 95% confidence interval: 0.98–6.68), patients with anemia (odds ratio: 3.49; 95% confidence interval: 1.27–9.60), elevated body mass index (odds ratio: 1.14; 95% confidence interval: 1.02–1.28), and in open surgery (odds ratio: 9.95; 95% confidence interval: 2.58–38.35). Age was not associated with severe complications. Survival was not significantly influenced by complications. Overall survival (5 years) was 90% among patients with complications and 92% among those without complications.

Conclusion:

Severe complications following the introduction of complete mesocolic excision are patient dependent and related to open surgery. Patients selected for laparoscopy had less number of complications; therefore, introducing complete mesocolic excision by laparoscopy is justified. Identification of these factors can improve selection of appropriate surgical approach and postoperative patient safety.
Buffering against academic loneliness: The benefits of social media-based peer support during postgraduate study
Authors: McLaughlin Christopher James , Sillence Elizabeth
Published: September 2018

Although the support provided by social relationships may be essential to a successful student transition, the transition to postgraduate study has had little consideration from a social support perspective. The study described in this article investigated the role played by social support in postgraduate taught students’ adjustment to university, and how social media contributes to this support. Thematic analysis indicated that participants benefitted most from specialised support from peers dealing with similar academic challenges. Facebook groups showed potential as a platform for building supportive peer networks. However, the heightened visibility of communications on this platform led some participants towards Facebook Messenger as a medium for peer contact. The study suggested that, in order to meet postgraduates’ needs, institutions could ensure postgraduate students have sufficient opportunity for collaboration within their cohorts. In addition, while social media may aid this process, students’ individual communication preferences may inevitably influence their engagement with particular platforms.
Coban Method for Removing a Constricting Ring
Authors: Tan Virak
Published: September 2018

Background: Various techniques have been described for removal of a tight constricting ring from a finger. A novel procedure is described in this article. Methods: The method is a modification of the string wrap or winding technique. A 1-inch Coban wrap, lubricant, and pickups are all that is required. Results: The author has used this method to remove constricting rings from swollen and arthritic fingers in 5 patients. The technique has been successful in all cases, and no complications occurred. Conclusions: The Coban method is a quick, easy, and inexpensive technique for ring removal from a finger. The technique should be taught to and known by every clinician who treats hand problems.
Effects of depression and exercise on health-related quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease
Authors: Koutsouras George W , Levine Kimberly , Duroseau Nathalie , Ciraco Christina , Chan Vivian , Pergament Kathleen , Chan Thomas , Mancini Jayme D , Leder Adena N , Krishnamachari Bhuma
Published: September 2018

Objectives

There is limited literature describing the effect exercise may have on depression and an individual’s health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Parkinson’s Disease (PD). We aim to quantify this effect.

Methods

A cross-sectional questionnaire was administered to 60 PD subjects. The Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire-39 (PDQ-39) summary index and the Geriatric Depression Scale-30 were used to quantify HRQoL and depression, respectively. Data were obtained on exercise habits. ANOVA and multivariate linear regression analysis were used to calculate mean differences in HRQoL.

Results

Depression was consistently related to HRQoL ( p < 0.05). Of those who exercised as an adult before PD diagnosis, 49.02% ( n = 25) reported depression as compared to 88.89% ( n = 8) of those who did not report adult exercise ( p = 0.03). Those who exercised frequently as an adult prior to PD diagnosis had a better PDQ-39 Cognitive Index ( p = 0.03). Those who were not depressed and were currently exercising had a significantly higher HRQoL than those who were depressed and did not exercise ( p < 0.01).

Discussion

Exercising and depression may interact to affect HRQoL. Thus, coordination of mental health evaluation and exercise regimens in persons with PD may improve HRQoL.
Underdiagnosis of psychiatric disorders in people with intellectual disabilities: Differences between psychiatric disorders and challenging behaviour
Authors: Peña-Salazar Carlos , Arrufat Francesc , Santos Josep Manel , Fontanet Abel , González-Castro Gretel , Más Silvia , Roura-Poch Pere , Valdés-Stauber Juan
Published: September 2018

Background and purpose:

The purpose of this study was to assess the level of mental disorders and challenging behaviour in individuals with intellectual disability (ID) supported by specialized services, but without a prior psychiatric diagnosis, and to compare the levels of different disorders depending on the severity of ID.

Methods:

This is a cross-sectional study ( N = 142) of population with ID. Inclusion criteria were the following: adult patients with ID and with no previous psychiatric diagnosis prior to this survey. The Wechsler Adults Intelligence Scale-II, the Psychiatric Assessment Schedule for Adults with Developmental Disability checklist and clinical interview, the Diagnostic Assessment for the Severely Handicapped scale and the Inventory for Client and Agency Planning were the assessment tools.

Results:

A previously undiagnosed mental disorder was found in 29.6% of the sample. The most prevalent mental disorders were major depressive and anxiety disorders. An association between psychiatric comorbidity and challenging behaviour was found only for mild/moderate ID, especially for affective disorders.

Conclusions:

The presence of a psychiatric as well as a medical comorbidity is associated with severe ID, unlike challenging behaviour. Clinical limitations of the study have been discussed.
How does simulation of an observed external body state influence categorisation of an easily graspable object?
Authors: Brouillet Denis , Michalland Arthur-Henri , Guerineau Ronan , Draushika Mooruth , Thebault Guillaume
Published: September 2018

Several works have provided evidence of a resonant motor effect while observing a hand interacting with painful stimuli. The aim of this work is to show that participants are sensitive to the observation of an injured hand when they have to categorise an easily graspable object with their own hand. In Experiment 1, participants indicated whether or not photographs of objects (graspable or non-graspable, left or right oriented) could be grasped with their dominant hand, by tapping a key on a keyboard. Target objects were preceded by primes consisting of photographs of hands (injured vs healthy) in a grasping posture (power grasp). Experiment 2 consisted of two phases: In the first phase, participants had to categorise square or circle shapes. After their response (Group 1: tapping a key vs Group 2: constricting a hand grip), photograph of two types of hand (injured vs healthy) was displayed on the computer screen. In the second phase, participants had to indicate whether objects could be easily grasped with their dominant hand. Target objects were preceded by primes (square and circle) as shown in the first phase. Results show that response times were slower when the graspable target objects were right oriented and preceded by the photograph or a geometric shape associated with an injured hand. This response delay was accentuated in the handgrip condition. These results highlight that the view of an injured hand activates motor programme and pain mechanisms associated with participants relative to the consequences of the simulated grasping action.
Anticoagulant therapy in patients with liver cirrhosis and portal vein thrombosis: insights for the clinician
Authors: Basili Stefania , Pastori Daniele , Raparelli Valeria , Violi Francesco
Published: September 2018

Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is a frequent complication in the natural history of patients with liver cirrhosis (LC). The prevalence of PVT in LC is highly variable, ranging from 0.6% to 25% according to different reports. The impact of PVT on the natural history of LC is unclear, but it seems to negatively affect the prognosis of patients undergoing liver transplantation (LT) by increasing post-LT mortality and delaying waiting time. The antithrombotic treatment of PVT is still challenging as PVT may often remain asymptomatic and incidentally diagnosed, and a spontaneous partial/total regression of PVT is observed in an important proportion of patients, even in the absence of anticoagulation. Recent evidence suggested that the anticoagulant treatment for PVT may favorably affect both ischemic and bleeding outcomes in LC patients. Anticoagulant therapies so far available include unfractioned heparin, low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs) and fondaparinux for acute treatment, and LMWHs and vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) for long-term treatment. No robust data currently support the use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in patients with LC and PVT, as the safety and efficacy of DOACs in this setting is still unclear. This review summarizes current evidence for the evaluation and management of patients with LC and PVT.
A Look at How Tabletop Technology Influences Table Turn and Service Labor Usage in Table-Service Restaurants
Authors: Susskind Alex M. , Curry Benjamin
Published: September 2018

Using a table-service casual dining restaurant chain, we used direct observations to examine how guests’ use of tabletop technology affected their dining time and front of house labor usage. Results from our study showed that dining time was significantly reduced for guests who used the tabletop devices to either order, or order and pay for their meals by 17% and 31%, respectively. We also found that server contact time and table service time required by the servers to manage their guests’ experiences was significantly decreased for the tables that used the tabletop devices compared with the tables that did not use the devices. Practical and managerial implications are discussed.
The Long-Waves and the Evolution of Futures Practice and Theory
Authors: Kurki Sofi
Published: September 2018

Futures studies explore potential consequences of present day actions, and help in formulating desirable visions of the future, to guide action in the present. Although these aims have remained roughly the same, the practices and implicit theories supporting them have varied through time. This article looks at the evolution of futures through the framework of the long-wave theory, discussing the results of thematic interviews of futures professionals in three geographic areas: Finland, South Korea, and California. The long-wave theory sees societies changing in forty to sixty year cycles driven by technological development, around which social practices evolve. There have been five socio-technical waves since 1780s. Each wave brought about a set of policies and social models, and a shared mind-set. In the fourth wave, futures was mostly practiced with the spirit of the postwar economic expansion, techno-optimism, and linear worldview, with futures methods that reflected trust in scientific authority, and aimed at forecasting the most probable outcomes for the future. The fifth wave was defined by uncertainty, which was managed by using strategy tools like scenarios that prepared for various different short- and mid-term outcomes. For the sixth wave, futures practitioners are divided between the expertled quasi-predictive model that dominates especially in the technology forecasting work, and the systemic perspective, which questions the centrally organized process-view to futures. New methods, often developed outside the field, have in many ways inspired and shaped the intellectual space in which the evolution of both practices and theory may occur in the future.
School Counselors: Closing Achievement GAPS and Writing Results Reports
Authors: Hartline Julie , Cobia Debra C.
Published: September 2018

Charged with closing the achievement gap for marginalized students, school counselors need to be able to identify gaps, develop interventions, evaluate effectiveness, and share results. This study examined100 summary results reports submitted by school counselors after having received four days of training on the ASCA National Model. Findings indicate that school counselors were able to identify gaps and develop interventions but needed additional training to evaluate outcomes and report findings.
Tourism at Protected Areas: Sustainability or Policy Crunch?
Authors: Nayak Diptimayee , Upadhyay Vrajaindra , Puri Bharati
Published: September 2018

Although tourism and protected areas seem to be mutually exclusive, protected areas popularly attract tourism all over the world. As such, tourism integration is perceived as a good strategy for a better management of protected areas. But this policy of integrating tourism in protected areas requires an understanding of the distributional aspects of its benefits regarding who are the ultimate beneficiaries and how this mechanism or process is supposed to work. As far as the policy is concerned, it mainly cares for the numbers in terms of tourists’ visits, revenue generation and conservation of species. If policymakers can take care of both the allocative and the distributive parts of tourism by providing direct benefits to the people living in the protected areas, then a sustainable management of ecotourism in protected areas may be possible. This article takes a case of Bhitarkanika National Park, Kendrapara, Odisha, and tries to study the tourism aspects associated with this park from the perspectives of different stakeholders, addressing the policy issues of sustainability and management. Three important aspects of sustainability of tourism at protected areas are suggested through this study—provision of start-up capital, facilitating training to local people who are linked with tourism at the site or are interested in hosting up tourism and strengthening institutional set up for better management, networking and monitoring of tourism and conservation at the site.
The “one airway, one disease” concept in light of Th2 inflammation
Authors: Giovannini-Chami Lisa , Paquet Agnès , Sanfiorenzo Céline , Pons Nicolas , Cazareth Julie , Magnone Virginie , Lebrigand Kévin , Chevalier Benoit , Vallauri Ambre , Julia Valérie , Marquette Charles-Hugo , Marcet Brice , Leroy Sylvie , Barbry Pascal
Published: September 2018

In line with the pathophysiological continuum described between nose and bronchus in allergic respiratory diseases, we assessed whether nasal epithelium could mirror the Type 2 T-helper cell (Th2) status of bronchial epithelium.

Nasal and bronchial cells were collected by brushing from healthy controls (C, n=13), patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma (AR, n=12), and patients with isolated allergic rhinitis (R, n=14). Cellular composition was assessed by flow cytometry, gene expression was analysed by RNA sequencing and Th2, Type 17 T-helper cell (Th17) and interferon (IFN) signatures were derived from the literature.

Infiltration by polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) in the nose excluded 30% of the initial cohort. All bronchial samples from the AR group were Th2-high. The gene expression profile of nasal samples from the AR group correctly predicted the paired bronchial sample Th2 status in 71% of cases. Nevertheless, nasal cells did not appear to be a reliable surrogate for the Th2 response, in particular due to a more robust influence of the IFN response in 14 out of 26 nasal samples. The Th2 scores in the nose and bronchi correlated with mast cell count (both p<0.001) and number of sensitisations (p=0.006 and 0.002), while the Th17 scores correlated with PMN count (p=0.006 and 0.003).

The large variability in nasal cell composition and type of inflammation restricts its use as a surrogate for assessing bronchial Th2 inflammation in AR patients.