bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Analysis of Clinical Outcome and Tractography following Bilateral Anterior Capsulotomy for Depression
Authors: Avecillas-Chasin Josue M. , Hurwitz Trevor A. , Bogod Nicholas M. , Honey Christopher R.
Published: December 2019

Introduction: Bilateral anterior capsulotomy (BAC) is an effective surgical procedure for patients with treatment-resistant major depression (TRMD). In this work, we analyze the connectivity of the BAC lesions to identify connectivity “fingerprints” associated with clinical outcomes in patients with TRMD. Methods: We performed a retrospective study of ten patients following BAC surgery. These patients were divided into “responders” and “non-responders” based on the relative change in the Beck depression inventory (BDI) score after surgery. We generated the dorsolateral prefrontal associative (DLPFC) pathways and the ventromedial prefrontal limbic (vmPFC) pathways going through the anterior limb of the internal capsule and analyzed if the overlap of the BAC lesions with these pathways was associated with either outcome. Finally, we used the BAC lesions of our patients to generate group-averaged connectivity “fingerprints” associated with either outcome. Results: Six patients were responders (≥50% improvement in BDI), four patients were non-responders (<50% improvement). No significant impairments were found in most neuropsychological tests after surgery. The overlap analysis showed that in the responder group, there was less involvement of the DLPFC pathways than the vmPFC pathways (p = 0.001). Conversely, in the non-responder group, there was no significant difference between the involvement of both pathways (p = 0.157). The responder and non-responder connectivity fingerprint showed significant connections with the vmPFC limbic areas. However, the non-responder connectivity fingerprint also showed stronger connectivity to associative areas including the DLPFC and lateral orbitofrontal cortices. Conclusions: The optimum outcome following BAC surgery in this cohort was associated with interruption of vmPFC pathways and the relative preservation of DLPFC pathways.
Impact of Endothelial Shear Stress on the Bilateral Progression of Unilateral Moyamoya Disease
Authors: Lee Woo-Jin , Jeong Seul-Ki , Han Kap-Soo , Lee Sang Hyuk , Ryu Young Jin , Sohn Chul-Ho , Jung Keun-Hwa
Published: December 2019

Background and Purpose—

In unilateral moyamoya disease, altered endothelial shear stress on the intact-side terminal internal carotid artery might trigger the progression to bilateral disease. We analyzed the endothelial shear stress parameters of the normally appearing terminal internal carotid artery in unilateral moyamoya disease and its association with the progression to bilateral disease.

Methods—

This retrospective cohort study included patients diagnosed with unilateral moyamoya disease by cerebral angiography and followed-up with regular magnetic resonance imaging/magnetic resonance angiography evaluations for >1 year. Endothelial shear stress parameters acquired were mean and maximum signal intensity gradients (SIG) and SIG SD at the vessel boundary in time-of-flight sequences in initial brain magnetic resonance imaging/magnetic resonance angiography. Contralateral disease progression defined as the detection of newly developed vessel steno-occlusion with an magnetic resonance angiography steno-occlusive stage of ≥2, in the previously intact side of the brain on follow-up magnetic resonance imaging/magnetic resonance angiography evaluation.

Results—

Among 146 patients (66 males [45.2%] and 80 females [54.8%]; 76 pediatric [52.1%]), contralateral disease progression was detected in 43 patients (29.5%) after a mean follow-up of 4.3±2.4 years. Multivariate analysis showed that SIG SD was significantly associated with this progression (odds ratio, 13.001 [95% CI, 1.764−95.794],
P
=0.012). In receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, SIG SD predicted the contralateral progression with area under the curve values of 0.803 (95% CI, 0.726−0.880,
P
<0.001). The regression model was reproduced in the external cohort of 31 patients.

Conclusions—

Increased spatial variability of the endothelial shear stress around the normally appearing terminal internal carotid artery, as measured by SIG SD in time-of-flight sequences, may predict the contralateral progression of unilateral moyamoya disease.
Clinically feasible brain morphometric similarity network construction approaches with restricted magnetic resonance imaging acquisitions
Authors: King Daniel J. , Wood Amanda G.
Published: December 2019

Morphometric similarity networks (MSNs) estimate organization of the cortex as a biologically meaningful set of similarities between anatomical features at the macro- and microstructural level, derived from multiple structural MRI (sMRI) sequences. These networks are clinically relevant, predicting 40% variance in IQ. However, the sequences required (T1w, T2w, DWI) to produce these networks are longer acquisitions, less feasible in some populations. Thus, estimating MSNs using features from T1w sMRI is attractive to clinical and developmental neuroscience. We studied whether reduced-feature approaches approximate the original MSN model as a potential tool to investigate brain structure. In a large, homogenous dataset of healthy young adults (from the Human Connectome Project, HCP), we extended previous investigations of reduced-feature MSNs by comparing not only T1w-derived networks, but also additional MSNs generated with fewer MR sequences, to their full acquisition counterparts. We produce MSNs that are highly similar at the edge level to those generated with multimodal imaging; however, the nodal topology of the networks differed. These networks had limited predictive validity of generalized cognitive ability. Overall, when multimodal imaging is not available or appropriate, T1w-restricted MSN construction is feasible, provides an appropriate estimate of the MSN, and could be a useful approach to examine outcomes in future studies.
Al-Ṣafadī, His Critics, and the Drag of Philological Time
Authors: Talib Adam
Published: December 2019

Philology was more than a scholarly tool in the system of classical Arabo-Islamic writing; it was a cognitive model. This cognitive model was embodied by scholars and repeatedly performed by them in oral and written expression. It can be understood as a habitus. This article takes seriously pre-modern critiques of a revisionist darling al-Ṣafadī’s masterful commentary al-Ghayth al-musajjam fī sharḥ «Lāmiyyat al-ʿAjam» to consider the cognitive logic of this philological habitus and the ways in which modern scholarly agendas manipulate the chronological plane of Arabic literary history.
A Midlatitude Climatology and Interannual Variability of 200- and 500-hPa Cut-Off Lows
Authors: Muñoz Cristian , Schultz David , Vaughan Geraint
Published: December 2019

A climatology of midlatitude 200- and 500-hPa cut-off low systems in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres is constructed from the NCEP–NCAR reanalysis by detecting and tracking, under one consistent method, all of the systems that persisted for more than 36 h for the 58 years of 1960–2017. This method identifies a cut-off low as a cold-core geopotential height minimum that is isolated from the main westerlies and with a strong temperature gradient on its eastern flank. The obtained spatial and seasonal distributions show preferred regions of occurrence and that within these regions there is a level-dependent seasonality of cut-off lows. Whereas 200-hPa systems are more frequent in summer and autumn, 500-hPa systems are more evenly distributed throughout the seasons. Within each region and at each level, the annual number of cut-off lows has been increasing over time, trends that are consistent with documented signals of climate change such as a weakening and poleward shift of the subtropical jets and an increase in blocking frequency. These trends explain as much as 64% of the variance in the annual number of cut-off lows. The contribution of the annular modes and El Niño–Southern Oscillation to the interannual variability of the number of cut-off lows per season in each hemisphere is also investigated. Only the Northern Hemisphere annular mode has a statistically significant negative correlation throughout all seasons that explains 18%–45% of the variance in the yearly number of Northern Hemisphere 500-hPa cut-off lows.
Global Estimates of Land Surface Water Fluxes from SMOS and SMAP Satellite Soil Moisture Data
Authors: Sadeghi Morteza , Ebtehaj Ardeshir , Crow Wade T. , Gao Lun , Purdy Adam J. , Fisher Joshua B. , Jones Scott B. , Babaeian Ebrahim , Tuller Markus
Published: December 2019

In-depth knowledge about the global patterns and dynamics of land surface net water flux (NWF) is essential for quantification of depletion and recharge of groundwater resources. Net water flux cannot be directly measured, and its estimates as a residual of individual surface flux components often suffer from mass conservation errors due to accumulated systematic biases of individual fluxes. Here, for the first time, we provide direct estimates of global NWF based on near-surface satellite soil moisture retrievals from the Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity (SMOS) and Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellites. We apply a recently developed analytical model derived via inversion of the linearized Richards’ equation. The model is parsimonious, yet yields unbiased estimates of long-term cumulative NWF that is generally well correlated with the terrestrial water storage anomaly from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite. In addition, in conjunction with precipitation and evapotranspiration retrievals, the resultant NWF estimates provide a new means for retrieving global infiltration and runoff from satellite observations. However, the efficacy of the proposed approach over densely vegetated regions is questionable, due to the uncertainty of the satellite soil moisture retrievals and the lack of explicit parameterization of transpiration by deeply rooted plants in the proposed model. Future research is needed to advance this modeling paradigm to explicitly account for plant transpiration.
Another Note on Rossby Wave Energy Flux
Authors: Durland Theodore S. , Farrar J. Thomas
Published: December 2019

Longuet-Higgins in 1964 first pointed out that the Rossby wave energy flux as defined by the pressure work is not the same as that defined by the group velocity. The two definitions provide answers that differ by a nondivergent vector. Longuet-Higgins suggested that the problem arose from ambiguity in the definition of energy flux, which only impacts the energy equation through its divergence. Numerous authors have addressed this issue from various perspectives, and we offer one more approach that we feel is more succinct than previous ones, both mathematically and conceptually. We follow the work described by Cai and Huang in 2013 in concluding that there is no need to invoke the ambiguity offered by Longuet-Higgins. By working directly from the shallow-water equations (as opposed to the more involved quasigeostrophic treatment of Cai and Huang), we provide a concise derivation of the nondivergent pressure work and demonstrate that the two energy flux definitions are equivalent when only the divergent part of the pressure work is considered. The difference vector comes from the nondivergent part of the geostrophic pressure work, and the familiar westward component of the Rossby wave group velocity comes from the divergent part of the geostrophic pressure work. In a broadband wave field, the expression for energy flux in terms of a single group velocity is no longer meaningful, but the expression for energy flux in terms of the divergent pressure work is still valid.
Occupational Therapists as Street-Level Bureaucrats: Leveraging the Political Nature of Everyday Practice
Authors: Aldrich Rebecca M. , Rudman Debbie Laliberte
Published: December 2019

Background.

As front-line service providers who often work in systems regulated by governmental bodies, occupational therapists can be conceptualized as “street-level bureaucrats” ( Lipsky, 1980/2010 ) who effect and are affected by policy.

Purpose.

Drawing on understandings from a study of long-term unemployment, this article proposes that occupational therapists, as street-level bureaucrats, respond to inter-related policies and systems in ways that can perpetuate, resist, or transform opportunities for doing and being.

Key Issues.

By highlighting practitioners’ everyday negotiation of governmental, organizational, and professional power relations, the notion of street-level bureaucracy illuminates the political nature of practice as well as the possibilities and boundaries that policy can place on ideal forms and outcomes of practice.

Implications.

Framing occupational therapists as street-level bureaucrats reinforces practitioners’ situatedness as political actors. Mobilizing this framing can enhance awareness of occupational therapists’ exercise of discretion, which can be investigated as a basis for occupation-focused and emancipatory forms of practice.
“That Sure is Racist”: Classroom Race Talk as Resistance
Authors: Sosa Teresa
Published: December 2019

This work analyzed three grade 9 English Language Arts classroom discussions and contributions by Black youth as resistance acts. Using a framework of resistance based on an indigenous understanding of progress provided insight into how student resistance emerged in language as metaphor and stories. Thematic analysis of the three classroom discussions indicate student resistance is captured in the naming of what is often left silent or often silenced. Through transgressing evasion and silence, students’ counter stories and experiences shared in the classroom named social realities inscribed in their day-to-day experiences, as well as how schools are complicit in silencing the lives and history of Black and indigenous people. This work demonstrates the importance of situating resistance as counter narratives that work to reconfigure interpretations of personal and social identities situated more completely within embodied experiences.
Operationalizing the Intersection of Racial and Socioeconomic Diversity in Predicting School-Level Academic Achievement
Authors: Wisman R. Aaron
Published: December 2019

Since Meredith v. Jefferson County Board of Education et al., school districts seeking to voluntarily integrate schools have designed a host of metrics to structure within-school diversity using characteristics of students’ neighborhoods rather than the race of individual students. This study utilizes a correlational–multiple regression design to investigate the efficacy of one such measure of socioeconomic/racial diversity, the diversity index (DI) of Jefferson County Public Schools, in predicting the aggregate academic achievement of students within a school. Moreover, this study seeks to compare the relative efficacy of the DI with other common measures of socioeconomic and racial diversity analogous to component factors of the DI. Metrics such as the DI provide an opportunity for researchers to better understand the intersections of poverty and race as well as their relationship with academic achievement. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.
Does child abuse have an impact on self-esteem, depression, anxiety and stress conditions of individuals?
Authors: Berber Çelik Çiğdem , Odacı Hatice
Published: December 2019

Background:

The present study addressed the effects of child abuse in early adulthood.

Aims:

The purpose of the study was to determine the direct and indirect effects of child abuse on self-esteem, depression, anxiety and stress levels.

Method:

The participants of the study were 636 students (477 females and 159 males) studying at three different state universities in Turkey. Data were collected through ‘Childhood Trauma Questionnaire’, ‘Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS)’, ‘Two-Dimensional Self-Esteem Scale (Self-Liking/Self-Competence)’ and ‘Demographic Information Form’. The obtained data were analyzed with Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient and path analysis techniques via SPSS 23 and AMOS 22.

Results:

Considering the relationship between the variables, child abuse was found to be negatively correlated with self-esteem, while it was positively correlated with depression, anxiety and stress. As a result of the path analysis, it was observed that child abuse affected self-esteem directly in the negative way. Throughout the analysis, self-esteem was found to have a direct and negative effect on depression, anxiety and stress, respectively. Child abuse was also found to have an indirect effect on depression, anxiety and stress.

Conclusion:

Self-esteem had full mediation effect between child abuse, and depression, anxiety and stress.
Injection Opioid and Injection Methamphetamine Use in the Rural United States: A Systematic Review and Network Analysis
Authors: Novack Luke Michael , Carrasco Kimberly Gocchi , Tyler Kimberly A. , Dombrowski Kirk , Habecker Patrick
Published: December 2019

The abuse of opioid and methamphetamine is a public health crisis in the United States, particularly in rural areas where injection drug use is common. This systematic review of rural injection drug use synthesized the research on injection of opioids and methamphetamine use and assessed the similarity of their research findings to the field of rural injection drug use in the United States. A citation network analysis was used to support the assessment of research similarity and provided a visualization of the field. This citation network analysis exposed a gap in the literature revealing that the state of research may not be fully applicable to the field in its entirety in the United States. In summary, this review provides a representative overview of the state of research in the field of injection drug use. Future research should conduct studies on rural drug use in areas of the country not represented in this review.
Book review: Diane Coffey and Dean Spears, Where India Goes: Abandoned Toilets, Stunted Development and the Costs of Caste
Authors: Dubey Barkha
Published: December 2019

Diane Coffey and Dean Spears, Where India Goes: Abandoned Toilets, Stunted Development and the Costs of Caste. New Delhi: HarperCollins Publishers India, 2017, 288 pp., ₹250, ISBN 9789352645657.
Internationalisation of Higher Education in China: A Critical Analysis
Authors: Frezghi Tesfaldet Ghilay , Tsegay Samson Maekele
Published: December 2019

Internationalisation is becoming the main catalyst for the development of higher education in China. Through document analysis, this study explores the concept of internationalisation by examining the role of the Chinese government and student mobility. The study argues that internationalisation of higher education in China is directed by the government with financial and diplomatic leverages. The government exerts significant influence on higher education institutions (HEIs) through legislation, funding, planning and evaluation. Furthermore, the study notes that internationalisation of higher education is providing China with economic and cultural capital. However, there still is a lot of work to be done to advance the internationalisation process of Chinese HEIs. The HEIs need to further strengthen and expand their international programmes. They should also provide adequate social and academic services to international students, and promote Chinese–international student interaction.
Hypothermic neuroprotection against acute ischemic stroke: The 2019 update
Authors: Wu Longfei , Wu Di , Yang Tuo , Xu Jin , Chen Jian , Wang Luling , Xu Shuaili , Zhao Wenbo , Wu Chuanjie , Ji Xunming
Published: December 2019

Acute ischemic stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Therapeutic hypothermia has long been considered as one of the most robust neuroprotective strategies. Although the neuroprotective effects of hypothermia have only been confirmed in patients with global cerebral ischemia after cardiac arrest and in neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, establishing standardized protocols and strictly controlling the key parameters may extend its application in other brain injuries, such as acute ischemic stroke. In this review, we discuss the potential neuroprotective effects of hypothermia, its drawbacks evidenced in previous studies, and its potential clinical application for acute ischemic stroke especially in the era of reperfusion. Based on the different conditions between bench and bedside settings, we demonstrate the importance of vascular recanalization for neuroprotection of hypothermia by analyzing numerous literatures regarding hypothermia in focal cerebral ischemia. Then, we make a thorough analysis of key parameters of hypothermia and introduce novel hypothermic therapies. We advocate in favor of the process of clinical translation of intra-arterial selective cooling infusion in the era of reperfusion and provide insights into the prospects of hypothermia in acute ischemic stroke.
Influence of corrosion on fatigue behaviour of old crane runway steel
Authors: Seitl Stanislav , Miarka Petr , Pokorný Pavel , Klusák Jan
Published: December 2019

Experimental measurements of fatigue properties of old steel used for a crane runway were performed to capture the influence of corrosion on fatigue life of the material. Basquin’s law was used to quantify the fatigue properties of old steel with different cross sections and with different surface of specimens (polished and corroded). The finite element model was prepared to assess and quantify the various stress distribution in specimens with circular and rectangular cross sections. Fracture surfaces of the three kinds of specimens (circular polished, rectangular polished and rectangular corroded) were studied and they showed the surface crack initiation. The following fatigue cracks developed from the surface and expanded into specimen with radiation pattern. Observed crack initiation areas confirmed the ones expected according to stress concentrations.
A simple and rapid in situ method for measuring landfill gas emissions and methane oxidation rates in landfill covers
Authors: Zhan Liang-tong , Wu Tao , Feng Song , Lan Ji-wu , Chen Yun-min
Published: December 2019

A newly developed static chamber method with a laser methane detector and a biogas analyser was proposed to measure the landfill gas emissions and methane (CH4) oxidation rates in landfill covers. The method relied on a laser methane detector for measuring CH4 concentration, avoiding gas samplings during test and hence the potential interference of gas compositions inside the chamber. All the measurements could be obtained on site. The method was applied to determine the landfill gas emissions and CH4 oxidation rates in a full-scale loess gravel capillary barrier cover constructed in landfill. Both laboratory calibration and in-situ tests demonstrated that fast (i.e. <20 min) and accurate measurements could be obtained by the proposed method. The method is capable of capturing the significant spatial and temporal variations of the landfill gas emissions and CH4 oxidation rates in landfill site.
Time, Time, Time: Perceptions of the Causes of Mathematics Anxiety in Highly Maths Anxious Female Adult Learners
Authors: Jameson Molly M.
Published: December 2019

Adult learners and female students report higher levels of mathematics anxiety than their peers, suggesting that female adult learners may be particularly vulnerable. This study used Bandura’s triarchic reciprocal causality model as a foundation and interviewed five highly mathematics anxious female adult learners to understand their perceptions of the causes of their mathematics anxiety. Thematic interpretation revealed five themes from the interviews; time since last educational experience emerged as the strongest theme, with other personal and environmental factors also emerging. The findings support a social cognitive perspective of mathematics anxiety. Suggestions for pedagogical techniques with adult learners are included.
False Negative Carrier Screening in Spinal Muscular Atrophy
Authors: Butcher Sophie , Smith Melanie , Woodcock Ian R. , Delatycki Martin , Ryan Monique M. , Forbes Robin
Published: December 2019

We describe a case of spinal muscular atrophy diagnosed in an infant despite previous parental carrier testing suggesting low risk of the disease. This case report explains how this situation arose and illustrates that clinicians need to perform diagnostic testing in children where clinical suspicion for spinal muscular atrophy is high, regardless of the result of previous parental carrier testing, because of the risk of false negative results.
A new decision method for service supplier selection based on Choquet integral and generalized evidence theory
Authors: Yin Zhen , Gao Qi
Published: December 2019

Service supplier selection is the most important problem in the process of service outsourcing. Aiming at the fuzziness of supplier evaluation index and subjectivity of decision-making process, a decision method for service supplier selection based on Choquet integral and generalized evidence theory is proposed. First, the fuzziness and uncertainty of information in decision-making process are solved by using interval rough number. The importance degree acquisition method of attribute index is corrected, and the relative weight and absolute weight of attribute index are obtained. Second, considering the interaction between attribute indexes, n-additive Choquet integral model is used to evaluate the service suppliers. According to the characteristics of service suppliers, the decision index system is proposed that is made up of different target variables, and the selection evaluation model of service supplier is established. Then, in order to eliminate the differences and conflicts of the expert evaluation opinions, the generalized evidence theory group decision-making method is introduced, and the expert evaluation opinions are fused so as to obtain the final result. Finally, a case study is provided to verify the validity and feasibility of the proposed method.
Elevating Instruction: Enhancing Literacy Practices for Advanced Readers in Primary Grades
Authors: Kreamer H. Michelle , Orme Sarah , Hobson Victoria , Moran Melinda , Mahoney Kerrigan , Moon Tonya R. , Brighton Catherine
Published: December 2019

The tool, Elevating Instruction: A Planning Tool, was designed to aid teachers in improving literacy instruction to best meet the academic needs of all students, including advanced readers in the primary classroom. It is crucial for teachers to elevate reading practices for advanced readers during the time when young learners are developing skills to be lifelong readers. Teachers can do this by promoting authentic choice, encouraging student agency and ownership, supporting meaningful peer interactions, and collecting and using formative data. To this end, the authors address these four instructional components within the scope of a literacy block in an elementary classroom using an easy-to-access and easy-to-implement planning tool, which teachers can use to enhance instruction for all students. The use of this tool is depicted by a classroom teacher working with a gifted resource teacher (GRT), demonstrating how the tool can be used to support teachers as they work to improve and elevate literacy instruction.
Including culture in programs to reduce stigma toward people with mental disorders in low- and middle-income countries
Authors: Mascayano Franco , Toso-Salman Josefina , Ho Yu Chak Sunny , Dev Saloni , Tapia Thamara , Thornicroft Graham , Cabassa Leopoldo J , Khenti Akwatu , Sapag Jaime , Bobbili Sireesha J , Alvarado Rubén , Yang Lawrence Hsin , Susser Ezra
Published: December 2019

Stigma is one of the main barriers for the full implementation of mental health services in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Recently, many initiatives to reduce stigma have been launched in these settings. Nevertheless, the extent to which these interventions are effective and culturally sensitive remains largely unknown. The present review addresses these two issues by conducting a comprehensive evaluation of interventions to reduce stigma toward mental illness that have been implemented in LMICs. We conducted a scoping review of scientific papers in the following databases: PubMed, Google Scholar, EBSCO, OVID, Embase, and SciELO. Keywords in English, Spanish, and Portuguese were included. Articles published from January 1990 to December 2017 were incorporated into this article. Overall, the studies were of low-to-medium methodological quality—most only included evaluations after intervention or short follow-up periods (1–3 months). The majority of programs focused on improving knowledge and attitudes through the education of healthcare professionals, community members, or consumers. Only 20% (5/25) of the interventions considered cultural values, meanings, and practices. This gap is discussed in the light of evidence from cultural studies conducted in both low and high income countries. Considering the methodological shortcomings and the absence of cultural adaptation, future efforts should consider better research designs, with longer follow-up periods, and more suitable strategies to incorporate relevant cultural features of each community.
Urban multiculture and xenophonophobia in London and Berlin
Authors: Lisiak Agata , Back Les , Jackson Emma
Published: December 2019

In this article, we argue that in the context of the rise of nationalism and increasing inequalities across European metropolises, developing an attentiveness to the sounds of the city can be utilized to unpack individual and collective claims to entitlement and belonging. Focussing on London and Berlin, we argue that thinking through two aspects of sonic registers – languages and non-verbal sounds – together can enrich understandings of cities where questions of living with difference have become politicized and fiercely charged. We draw on and further develop the concept of xenoglossophobia – the fear of foreign languages – to become inclusive of non-verbal sounds as well. Using the concept of xenophonophobia – the fear of all foreign sounds, including, but not limited to, foreign languages – we begin the process of naming racism beyond words in an attempt to find new ways to explore how the struggle for belonging is unfolding within the city. A consideration of the meanings given to sounds can offer a way to understand how boundaries between ‘us’ and ‘them’ are being drawn in European capital cities like Berlin and London.
Assessment of the quality of cause-of-death data in Greenland, 2006–2015
Authors: Iburg Kim Moesgaard , Mikkelsen Lene , Richards Nicola
Published: December 2019

Background: While the system of registration of mortality and cause of death (COD) in Greenland was established several decades ago, reporting procedures follow a complicated administrative process. Timely and reliable reporting on mortality and COD is of high importance for the usability of the collected data for research, health planning and decision making. Methods: COD data collected by the Chief Medical Office in Greenland from 2006 to 2015 (4490 registered deaths) were analysed with the software Analysis of National Causes of Death for Action (ANACONDA) v4.0. Unusable or insufficiently specified ICD codes are identified. The Vital Statistics Performance Index for Quality (VSPI(Q)) is estimated for the overall quality conclusions of the register’s usability. Results: Sixty-eight per cent of the input data for Greenland was coded with a usable underlying COD, 24% with an unusable cause and 8% of deaths with an insufficiently specified cause. Almost 700 deaths were coded to an unusable code of ‘very high impact’. The most prevalent unusable underlying causes were other ill-defined and unspecified causes, including no death certificate available, followed by senility, heart failure, sepsis and shock and cardiac arrest. The VSPI(Q) score was 66%, representing medium quality. Conclusions: In the 10 years’ worth of data analysed, the true underlying COD in many cases was unknown. Several likely explanations for this include lack of systematic COD training for physicians, logistic and capacity challenges in Greenland that potentially could reduce the quality of the collected data and its usability in providing essential information about the true pattern of mortality in Greenland.
“Nothing much had happened”: Settler colonialism in Hannah Arendt
Authors: Temin David Myer
Published: December 2019

Hannah Arendt’s account of imperialism has become an unlikely source of inspiration for scholars invested in anti-colonial and postcolonial critique. However, the role of settler colonialism in her thought has come under far less scrutiny. This essay reconstructs Arendt’s account of settler-colonization. It argues that Arendt’s republican analysis of imperialism hinges on her notion of the boomerang effect, which is absent in settler-colonial contexts. Arendt recognized some of the distinctive features of settler expansionism but reproduced many of the ideologies that sustain practices of settler-colonial conquest. This interpretation sheds light on the promises and limits of contemporary retrievals of Arendt’s analysis and critique of imperialism by foregrounding the specificity of settler colonialism as an axis of ongoing colonial violence.
Enhancing In Vivo Exposure in the Treatment of Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia Using Location-Based Technologies: A Case Study
Authors: Miralles Ignacio , Granell Carlos , García-Palacios Azucena , Castilla Diana , González-Pérez Alberto , Casteleyn Sven , Bretón-López Juana
Published: December 2019

Panic disorder (PD) is quite prevalent and often appears along with agoraphobia (PD/A). The treatment of choice is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Transdiagnostic intervention, an emotion-focused, cognitive behavioral intervention that has led to the Unified Protocol (UP), emphasizes the common underlying mechanisms that contribute to the development and maintenance of emotional disorders such as PD/A. A core feature of this treatment approach is in vivo exposure (IVE) to feared situations, which aims to prevent avoidance behaviors and encourages the patient to confront feared situations gradually. It is a difficult component for patients, especially when implementing the exposure on their own. Different feedback formats can be used to increase adequate IVE and reduce overt or subtle avoidance. The use of smartphones is a very useful option to initiate and sustain exposure behavior. The purpose of this study is to describe the use of location-based technologies (LBTs) during the IVE component of the UP treatment of a 47-year-old patient with PD/A. The acceptability and usability of the system were assessed. The Symptoms platform was employed during the exposure module, using LBT with a smartphone app. The patient reported positive expectations, high satisfaction scores, and an overall satisfactory experience. Enhancing key therapeutic components during treatment through the development of media-based tools is a very promising future research aim, and the possibility of using advanced smartphone features should be explored.
Roles of Lesioned and Nonlesioned Hemispheres in Reaching Performance Poststroke
Authors: Harrington Rachael M. , Chan Evan , Rounds Amanda K. , Wutzke Clinton J. , Dromerick Alexander W. , Turkeltaub Peter E. , Harris-Love Michelle L.
Published: December 2019

Background. Severe poststroke arm impairment is associated with greater activation of the nonlesioned hemisphere during movement of the affected arm. The circumstances under which this activation may be adaptive or maladaptive remain unclear. Objective. To identify the functional relevance of key lesioned and nonlesioned hemisphere motor areas to reaching performance in patients with mild versus severe arm impairment. Methods. A total of 20 participants with chronic stroke performed a reaching response time task with their affected arm. During the reaction time period, a transient magnetic stimulus was applied over the primary (M1) or dorsal premotor cortex (PMd) of either hemisphere, and the effect of the perturbation on movement time (MT) was calculated. Results. For perturbation of the nonlesioned hemisphere, there was a significant interaction effect of Site of perturbation (PMd vs M1) by Group (mild vs severe; P < .001). Perturbation of PMd had a greater effect on MT in the severe versus the mild group. This effect was not observed with perturbation of M1. For perturbation of the lesioned hemisphere, there was a main effect of site of perturbation ( P < .05), with perturbation of M1 having a greater effect on MT than PMd. Conclusions. These results demonstrate that, in the context of reaching movements, the role of the nonlesioned hemisphere depends on both impairment severity and the specific site that is targeted. A deeper understanding of these individual-, task-, and site-specific factors is essential for advancing the potential usefulness of neuromodulation to enhance poststroke motor recovery.
Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation and Motor Rehabilitation in Spinal Cord Injury: A Systematic Review
Authors: Megía García Alvaro , Serrano-Muñoz Diego , Taylor Julian , Avendaño-Coy Juan , Gómez-Soriano Julio
Published: December 2019

Background. Epidural spinal electrical stimulation at the lumbar spinal level evokes rhythmic muscle activation of lower-limb antagonists, attributed to the central pattern generator. However, the efficacy of noninvasive spinal stimulation for the activation of lower-limb muscles is not yet clear. This review aimed to analyze the feasibility and efficacy of noninvasive transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) on motor function in individuals with spinal cord injury. Methods. A search for tSCS studies was made of the following databases: PubMed; Cochrane Registry; and Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro). In addition, an inverse manual search of the references cited by the identified articles was carried out. The keywords transcutaneous, non-invasive, electrical stimulation, spinal cord stimulation [Mesh term], and spinal cord injury were used. Results. A total of 352 articles were initially screened, of which 13 studies met the inclusion criteria for systematic review. The total participant sample comprised 55 persons with spinal cord injury. All studies with tSCS provided evidence of induced muscle activation in the lower and upper limbs, and applied stimulation at the level of the T11-T12 and C4-C7 interspinous space, respectively. All studies reported an increase in motor response measured by recording surface electromyography, voluntary movement, muscle strength, or function. Conclusions. Although this review highlights tSCS as a feasible therapeutic neuromodulatory strategy to enhance voluntary movement, muscle strength, and function in patients with chronic spinal cord injury, the clinical impact and efficacy of electrode location and current intensity need to be characterized in statistically powered and controlled clinical trials.
The Neuroprotective Effect of Amitriptyline on Radiation-Induced Impairment of Hippocampal Neurogenesis
Authors: Guo Yu Rong , Liu Zi Wei , Peng Shuang , Duan Meng Yun , Feng Jing Wei , Wang Wei Feng , Xu Yan Hua , Tang Xi , Zhang Xiang Zhi , Ren Bo Xu , Tang Feng Ru
Published: December 2019

The radioprotective effect of amitriptyline, an inhibitor of acid sphingomyelinase (ASMase), on radiation-induced impairment of hippocampal neurogenesis, loss of interneuron, and animal weight changes was investigated in BALB/c mice by immunostaining of biomarkers for cell division (Ki67), immature neurons (doublecortin or DCX), and interneurons (parvalbumin or PV) in the dentate gyrus (DG) of hippocampus. The results indicated that preirradiation (with 10 mg/kg, 2 times per day, for 7 consecutive days) or postirradiation (with 10 mg/kg, 2 times per day, for 14 consecutive days) treatment (pretreatment or posttreatment) with intraperitoneal injection of amitriptyline prevented the loss of newly generated neurons, proliferating cells, and interneurons in the subgranular zone of the DG. At the molecular level, pretreatment or posttreatment inhibited the expression of sphingomyelin phosphodiesterase 1 ( SMPD1) gene which codes for ASMase. The pretreatment for 7 days also prevented radiation-induced weight loss from 2 to 3 weeks, but not within 1 week after irradiation. On the other hand, the posttreatment with amitriptyline for 14 days could improve animal weight gain from 4 to 6 weeks after irradiation. The present study suggests that amitriptyline may be a promising candidate radio-neuroprotective drug to improve radiation-induced impairment of hippocampal neurogenesis and relevant neurological and neuropsychological disorders.
Utility of platelet function testing in stent-assisted coiling of cerebral aneurysms
Authors: Wirtz Mirja M , Schirmer Clemens M , Goren Oded , Bohan Christian O , Dalal Shamsher , Weiner Gregory , Foreman Paul M , Griessenauer Christoph J
Published: December 2019

Background

Thromboembolic complications are the primary risks of stent-coiling of cerebral aneurysms. The utility of platelet function testing in stent-assisted aneurysm coiling remains controversial. This study aimed to assess a pharmacy-mediated antiplatelet management protocol for stent-assisted coiling.

Methods

Stent-coiled aneurysms at an academic institution in the United States between 2015 and 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. All patients were managed using a pharmacy-mediated antiplatelet protocol, which required repeated platelet function testing and subsequent dose adjustments. Medication dosage, number of adjustments, aspirin reaction units (ARU) and P2Y12 reaction units (PRU), as well as complication rates, angiographic and functional outcome were analyzed.

Results

A total of 56 aneurysms (median size 5 mm, range 2.6–14.0 mm) in 54 patients (median age 58.5 years) were treated with stent-assisted coil embolization. Most aneurysms were located at the basilar tip (28.6%). Median pre-procedure ARU and PRU were 442.5 (range 363–594) and 123.5 (range 1–252), respectively. Approximately two-thirds of all procedures required at least one aspirin dose adjustment and 88.5% of procedures required at least one clopidogrel dose adjustment. There were two (3.6%) thromboembolic complications. One of the thromboembolic complications occurred in a patient where the pharmacy-mediated protocol was violated. There were no hemorrhagic complications. Last imaging follow-up demonstrated complete aneurysm occlusion in 83.9%.

Conclusion

In patients where the pharmacy-mediated antiplatelet protocol was followed, the thromboembolic complication rate was 1.8%. This complication rate compares favorably to those reported in large contemporary series. Nevertheless, the pharmacy-mediated protocol places a significant burden on both the patient and healthcare system.
Using a Delphi survey to gain an international consensus on the challenges of conducting trials with adults with intellectual disabilities
Authors: Mulhall Peter , Taggart Laurence , Coates Vivien , McAloon Toni
Published: December 2019

Background/aims

People with intellectual disability experience higher rates of multi-morbidity and health inequalities, they are frequently prescribed medications and more likely to have an avoidable or premature death. There is a recognised lack of randomised controlled trials, and subsequently a lack of evidence base, for many of the interventions and treatments provided to people with intellectual disabilities. Very few disability-specific trials are conducted, and people with intellectual, and other cognitive, disabilities are routinely excluded from mainstream trials. There is an urgent need to facilitate more disability-specific trials or to encourage mainstream trialists to include people with disabilities in their studies. Obtaining a thorough understanding of the challenges inherent in these trials, and sharing this knowledge within the research community, may contribute significantly towards addressing this need. The aim of this study was to explore the practical and methodological challenges to conducting trials with adults with intellectual disabilities and to reach a consensus regarding which are the most important challenges for researchers for inclusion in a resource toolkit.

Methods

A three-round modified Delphi survey was conducted with a panel of international trials researchers within the intellectual disability field. Items were assessed in terms of the consensus level and stability of responses.

Results

A total of 64 challenges and barriers were agreed upon, across all aspects of the trial pathway, from planning through to reporting. Some challenges and barriers had been noted in the literature previously, but many previously uncited barriers (both systemic and attitudinal) were identified.

Conclusion

This is the first international survey exploring the experiences of researchers conducting randomised controlled trials with adults with intellectual disabilities. Many of the barriers and challenges reported can be overcome with creativity and some additional resources. Other challenges, including attitudes towards conducting trials with disabled populations, maybe harder to overcome. These findings have implications for conducting trials with other populations with cognitive or communication difficulties. Implications for disability researchers, funding bodies and ethical review panels are discussed.
Diagnostic and prognostic value of right ventricular eccentricity index in pulmonary artery hypertension
Authors: Wang Lili , Chen Xiaoling , Wan Ke , Gong Chao , Li Weihao , Xu Yuanwei , Wang Jie , He Juan , Wen Bi , Han Yuchi , Zeng Rui , Chen Yucheng
Published: December 2019

The right ventricle experiences dynamic changes under pressure overload in pulmonary artery hypertension. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic value of right ventricular eccentricity index (RVEI) in pulmonary artery hypertension. A total of 100 pulmonary artery hypertension patients (mean age, 36.85 (SD, 13.60) years; males, 30.0%) confirmed by right heart catheterization and 147 healthy volunteers (mean age 45.58 (SD, 17.58) years; males, 42.50%) were enrolled in this prospective study. All participants underwent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination, and balanced steady‐state free precession (bSSFP) cine sequences were acquired. RVEI was measured on short‐axis cine images at the mid‐ventricular level of the right ventricle in end systole. The study found that RVEI was significantly lower in pulmonary artery hypertension patients than in healthy volunteers (1.84 (SD, 0.40) vs. 2.46 (SD, 0.40); p < 0.001). In pulmonary artery hypertension patients, RVEI was correlated with log(NT‐proBNP) (r = −0.388; p < 0.001), right ventricular end‐diastolic volume index (r = −0.452; p < 0.001), right ventricular end‐systolic volume index (r = −0.518; p < 0.001), and right ventricular ejection fraction (r = 0.552; p < 0.001). RVEI could discriminate pulmonary artery hypertension patients from healthy volunteers with 91.8% sensitivity and 68.0% specificity. Over median follow‐up of 14.8 months (interquartile range: 6.7–26.9 months), RVEI was demonstrated to be an independent predictor for adverse outcome (HR = 0.076; 95% CI, 0.013‐0.458; p = 0.005). In conclusion, MRI‐derived RVEI appears to be a useful diagnostic and prognostic value in pulmonary artery hypertension, and it provides incremental value to risk stratification strategy.