bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A randomized clinical trial comparing butorphanol and buprenorphine within a multimodal analgesic protocol in cats undergoing orchiectomy
Authors: Moser Kira LM , Hasiuk Michelle MM , Armstrong Tatum , Gunn Marta , Pang Daniel SJ
Published: November 2019

Objectives

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of butorphanol and buprenorphine, as part of a multimodal analgesic protocol, on recovery and analgesia in cats undergoing orchiectomy.

Methods

In a prospective, randomized, blind clinical trial, 47 adult male cats were randomly assigned to receive either butorphanol (0.3 mg/kg, n = 24) or buprenorphine (0.02 mg/kg, n = 23) in combination with dexmedetomidine (25 μg/kg) and alfaxalone (2 mg/kg) as a single intramuscular injection for the induction of general anesthesia. Isoflurane carried in oxygen was supplemented as needed during orchiectomy. All cats received lidocaine (2 mg/kg intratesticular), meloxicam (0.3 mg/kg SC) and atipamezole (125 μg/kg IM) postoperatively. Pain and sedation scales were applied at baseline, and 2, 4 and 6 h postoperatively. Time to achieve sternal recumbency and to begin eating were also recorded.

Results

Pain scale scores were low and showed no difference between the treatment groups at all time points ( P ⩾0.99, all time points). Four cats exceeded the analgesia intervention threshold for rescue analgesia (butorphanol, n = 3; buprenorphine, n = 1). There was no difference in sedation scores between groups at any time point ( P >0.99, all time points). Significantly more cats in the buprenorphine group (n = 12) required isoflurane than in the butorphanol group (n = 2) ( P = 0.0013; relative risk 6.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.8–23.5). There was no significant difference in time to achieve sternal recumbency ( P = 0.96, 95% CI –20 to 20) between groups or in return to eating ( P = 0.48, 95% CI –92.0 to 113.5), with most cats eating within 1 h of surgery (butorphanol, 79%; buprenorphine, 83%).

Conclusions and relevance

There were no significant differences in analgesia or recovery between butorphanol and buprenorphine treatment groups as part of a multimodal injectable anesthetic protocol. Butorphanol is associated with superior depth of anesthesia, facilitating injectable anesthesia.
Implementation of Indigenous environmental heritage rights: an experience with Laitu Khyeng Indigenous community, Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh
Authors: Datta Ranjan
Published: November 2019

It is undeniable that the global environmental crisis disproportionally affects individuals and communities, particularly Indigenous communities are among those most deeply affected. The history of Chittagong Hill Tracts Bangladesh colonialism is a history of the dispossession of Indigenous peoples of the lands that they and their ancestors have inhabited and cared for and of the imposition on them of destructive “development” policies. This paper addresses the ongoing environmental heritage conflict between the Laitu Khyeng Indigenous community’s traditional environmental management practices and state development projects in Chittagong Hill Tract. Drawing from a relational research methodology, this study shows how the nation-state controls Indigenous land, water, and management practices through multinational agencies. This paper asks, “In CHT, why must Indigenous cultural heritage be connected to the past, present, and future to invoke state legal protection?” and “How can we move toward a more rights-based approach to heritage management?”
Assessment of Microbiological Content of Private and Public Recreational Water Facilities and Their Antimicrobial Susceptibility Pattern in Al-Ahsa
Authors: AlTuraifi Fatimah Hejji , AlMomatin Ali A , Badger-Emeka Lorina , Emeka Promise Madu , Islam Mohammed Monirul
Published: November 2019

Background:

Water recreational facilities like swimming pools attract people of all ages. However, these facilities are very suitable for the transmission of various microbial diseases and have been shown to pose public health concerns.

Aims:

This study assesses the presence of different Gram-negative bacteria pathogens and their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern in both private and public pools in Al-Ahsa.

Methods:

11 private and 3 public recreational water facilities were sampled for the study. Collected water samples were inoculated into nutrient broth and incubated aerobically for 24 hours. The overnight growth was plated out on blood and MacConkey agars. Pure cultures of the bacteria samples were used for identification and antimicrobial susceptibility test using the Vitek 2 compactautomated system (BioMerieux, Marcy L’Etoile, France). Minimum inhibitory concentration was also provided by the Vitek 2 compact automated system.

Results:

13 different Gram-negative bacteria species isolates were encountered in both pool types sampled. More of potential pathogens were isolated from the private than the public pools, of which Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa constituted 50% and 43%, respectively, of all the isolates. Findings also revealed a varied minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) indicating that the isolates were of different strains. Antibiotic susceptibility pattern also showed variability among the isolates.

Conclusions:

This study has revealed a potential health risk associated with the use of water recreational facilities. The presence of K pneumoniae and P aeruginosa suggests a public health concern and should be looked into.
A hydrodynamic lubrication model and comparative analysis for coupled microgroove journal-thrust bearings lubricated with water
Authors: Xiang Guo , Han Yanfeng , Chen Renxiang , Wang Jiaxu , Ni Xiaokang , Xiao Ke
Published: November 2019

The novelty of this study is to develop a hydrodynamic lubrication numerical model for coupled microgroove journal-thrust bearings (or coupled bearings) under water-lubricated condition. In the present model, the continuity of the hydrodynamic pressure and the fluid field (or coupled hydrodynamic effect) at common boundary is considered to reveal the mutual effect between the hydrodynamic behavior of the journal bearing and the thrust bearing. The lubrication performances of the coupled microgroove bearing with three bottom shapes, i.e., isosceles triangle, right triangle, and left triangle, are studied comparatively. Additionally, the effects of the microgroove depth on the lubrication performances of the coupled bearing are discussed. The present study reveals that the coupled hydrodynamic effect generated by the coupled bearing can improve the lubrication performance for both the journal and the thrust bearing. The microgroove with left triangle bottom shape yields the optimal lubrication performance as compared to the other two. There is an optimal groove depth that generates the maximum load capacity and the minimum friction coefficient for both the journal and the thrust bearing.
Validity of Veterans Health Administration structured data to determine accurate smoking status
Authors: Golden Sara E , Hooker Elizabeth R , Shull Sarah , Howard Matthew , Crothers Kristina , Thompson Reid F , Slatore Christopher G
Published: November 2019

We compared smoking status from Veterans Health Administration (VHA) structured data with text in electronic health record (EHR) to assess validity. We manually abstracted the smoking status of 5,610 VHA patients. Only those with a smoking status found in both EHR text data and VHA structured data were included (n=5,289). We calculated agreement and kappa statistics to compare structured data vs. manually abstracted EHR text smoking status. We found a kappa statistic of 0.70 and total agreement of 81.1% between EHR text data and structured data for Current, Former, and Never smoking categories. Comparing EHR text data and structured data between Never and Ever smokers revealed a kappa statistic of 0.62 and total agreement of 89.1%. For comparison between Current and Never/Former smokers, the kappa statistic was 0.80 and total agreement was 90.2%. We found substantial and significant agreement between smoking status in EHR text data and structured data that may aid in future research.
Levinas and ethics: The death of Pope John Paul II
Authors: Alvi Anjum
Published: November 2019

The essay aims to identify the ethical dimension of the relation of the self with the Other/Beyond as an indispensable aspect of human existence that underlies and forms a premise for any cultural phenomenon, and thus constitutes an unavoidable perspective in anthropology. By juxtaposing modern and non-modern perspectives on value, self, and freedom, this essay reclaims the ethical dimension for the cultural dominant of modernity from which, through the imposition of the self, it has been lost from sight. The argument for the ethical dimension is centrally embedded in the thought of Emmanuel Levinas and anchored in different philosophical and theological concepts. It is exemplified by the event of Pope John Paul II's death, which is taken as a synecdoche for his life and work that allows us to redefine the interrelated topics of religion and ritual as statements of ethics.
Subaltern perspectives in post-human theory
Authors: Martin Keir
Published: November 2019

Much recent anthropological theory demonstrates a concern to defend indigenous ontologies against allegedly singular and oppressive colonial or modernist settlements. These Western settlements are said to rely upon conceptual separations such as that between nature and culture or between nature and beliefs. Such conceptual separations are held to be at the heart of the malign effects that Western modernity is perceived as creating as they are relentlessly imposed upon non-Western indigenous peoples. De la Cadena, for example, argues that a distinction between (scientific) truth and (cultural) belief has been at the heart of modernist projects to disallow or marginalise the everyday and ritual relations with non-human ‘earth beings’ (such as living sacred mountains) that she describes as being central to Latin American ‘indigenous’ ways of being. The moves to protect the tubuan, a ritual figure and non-human actor held to be of great importance by many of Tolai people in Papua New Guinea’s East New Britain Province, could easily be read through this framing, in which a modern Western ontology imposes a separation between a ‘natural’ order and ‘cultural beliefs’, which are relegated to a secondary order of importance. Although this framing looks very much like the perspective sometimes adopted by certain Tolai, it is far from the only perspective that can be advanced. In particular, this framing tends to most often be strongly rejected by those who are severely critical of the emerging postcolonial indigenous elite in Papua New Guinea. In simply advancing a framing that celebrates non-human agency as a rejection of colonial ontological imperialism, anthropology risks not only deliberately flattening out the ethnographic richness of the shifting perspectives of the people we work with but, in particular, silencing subaltern perspectives in a world of rapidly increasing socio-economic inequality.
A multicentre audit to assess the effectiveness of the British Orthodontic Society ‘Hold that Smile’ retainer videos
Authors: Valiji Bharmal Rozana , Parker Kate , Caldwell Susi , Chia Matt , Gillgrass Toby , Jones George , Hodge Trevor , Mattick Rye , Murray Alison , Seehra Jadbinder , Stephens Sara , Cunningham Susan
Published: November 2019

Introduction:

Retention is a crucial part of orthodontic treatment; however, patients often do not wear their retainers as advised. The British Orthodontic Society developed the ‘Hold that Smile’ campaign in 2017, to improve patient knowledge about retention. Information is provided in two formats: a cartoon and a conventional film.

Objective:

To assess whether patients find the ‘Hold that Smile’ videos useful and whether they improved patients’ intended retainer wear. The gold standard was that 90% of patients should intend to wear their retainers in the long term after watching the videos.

Design:

National multicentre audit.

Setting:

Nine units in the UK.

Methods:

Patients aged ⩾ 10 years, in fixed appliances or retention, watched the retainer videos and then completed a questionnaire that was designed specifically for this audit. Each unit collected data for approximately 30 patients.

Results:

Data were collected for 278 patients in total. The average age was 17.9 years; 64.4% of patients were female and 35.6% were male. Most patients (86.3%) watched both videos and, of these, 44.1% preferred the film, 31.3% preferred the cartoon and 24.6% had no preference. The majority of patients (81.3%) felt that the film provided them with new information, compared with a lower percentage (48.5%) for the cartoon. More patients said they would recommend the film (76.3%) compared with the cartoon (63.3%). Before watching the videos, 77.0% of patients felt they knew about long-term retainer wear and 74.3% of those intended to wear their retainers in the long term. After watching the videos, 96.4% of all patients thought they would now wear their retainers long term.

Conclusion:

After watching the videos, there was a notable increase in the number of patients planning to wear their retainers long term and the gold standard was met. Therefore, these videos may be beneficial in improving understanding and compliance with retention.
Conducting in-depth interviews with and without voice recorders: a comparative analysis
Authors: Rutakumwa Rwamahe , Mugisha Joseph Okello , Bernays Sarah , Kabunga Elizabeth , Tumwekwase Grace , Mbonye Martin , Seeley Janet
Published: November 2019

The use of audio recordings has become a taken-for-granted approach to generating transcripts of in-depth interviewing and group discussions. In this paper we begin by describing circumstances where the use of a recorder is not, or may not be, possible, before sharing our comparative analysis of audio-recorded transcriptions and interview scripts made from notes taken during the interview (by experienced, well-trained interviewers). Our comparison shows that the data quality between audio-recorded transcripts and interview scripts written directly after the interview were comparable in the detail captured. The structures of the transcript and script were usually different because in the interview scripts, topics and ideas were grouped, rather than being in the more scattered order of the conversation in the transcripts. We suggest that in some circumstances not recording is the best approach, not ‘second best’.
Underground imaginations, environmental crisis and subterranean cultural geographies
Authors: Hawkins Harriet
Published: November 2019

It is claimed that our current environmental crisis is one of the imaginations: we are in desperate need of new means to understand relations between humans and their environment. The underground was once central to the evolution of Western environmental imaginations. Yet, this has waned throughout the 20th century as eyes and minds turned up and out. After outlining some of the history of the underground as a site from which to evolve environmental imaginations, the article will explore how the underground might propagate environmental imaginations fit for pressing contemporary environmental concerns. It will do so using examples of three caves evolved through an ongoing arts practice-based research collaboration with artist Flora Parrott. Exploring these three caves, I will explore how the underground offers a powerful site for doing the imaginative work that our current environmental crisis requires, focusing in particular on the challenges of engaging lively earths and deep times (pasts and futures) that have become commonplace in the Anthropocene. To close, the article begins to reflect on the possibilities of collaborative creative geographies as a means to rethink the idea of the imagination within geography, as not just something that might be studied but that these creative practices might enable the creation of much-needed new imaginations.
Confronting Uncertainty: The Contours of an Inferential Community
Authors: Eldridge Scott A. , Bødker Henrik
Published: November 2019

This monograph addresses the question of how journalistic knowledge work, and in particular inferential reasoning, as a process of uncertainty reduction is manifested in news texts. We argue this takes place both in and in-between news media within a community of practice. The main premise is that journalistic texts reveal communal processes of knowledge creation and it is within these texts that we see the contours of what we term an “inferential community.” The backdrop to this, is that the digital (news) landscape, political developments, and global issues produce an environment rife with uncertainty. We focus on three contemporary cases around the current U.S. presidency. We are, however, not arguing that the processes we study are altogether new; journalists have always, alone or together, grappled with uncertainty. Rather, we present here a conceptualization based on the premise that current circumstances offer a window into the more fundamental processes of journalistic knowledge work based on inference.
Upregulation of Circular RNA Itchy E3 Ubiquitin Protein Ligase Inhibits Cell Proliferation and Promotes Cell Apoptosis Through Targeting MiR-197 in Prostate Cancer
Authors: Yuan Yuan , Chen Xiaogang , Huang Enying
Published: November 2019

Objective:

This study aimed to investigate the effect of circular RNA itchy E3 ubiquitin protein ligase on cell proliferation and apoptosis and to explore its target micro-RNAs in prostate cancer cells.

Methods:

Circular RNA itchy E3 ubiquitin protein ligase expression in human prostate cancer cells and normal prostate epithelial cells was determined by real time-quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay. Circular RNA itchy E3 ubiquitin protein ligase overexpression plasmids (circular RNA itchy E3 ubiquitin protein ligase(+) group and control overexpression plasmids group were transfected with PC-3 cells. Rescue experiment was performed by transfection of circular RNA itchy E3 ubiquitin protein ligase overexpression and micro-197 overexpression plasmids (circular RNA itchy E3 ubiquitin protein ligase overexpression plasmids/micro RNA (+) group) into PC-3 cells. Cell Counting Kit-8 and annexin V/propidium iodide assays were conducted to evaluate cell proliferation and apoptosis, respectively. Western blot was performed to determine the expressions of apoptotic-related markers.

Results:

Circular RNA itchy E3 ubiquitin protein ligase expression was decreased in DU 145, 22RV1, VCaP, and PC-3 cells compared to RWPE cells. In PC-3 cells, cell proliferation rate was reduced in circular RNA itchy E3 ubiquitin protein ligase overexpression plasmids group compared to control overexpression plasmids group at 48 hours and 72 hours. Cell apoptosis rate was elevated in circular RNA itchy E3 ubiquitin protein ligase overexpression plasmids group compared to control overexpression plasmids group at 48 hours, and Western blot showed the similar results. Micro RNA-197 but not micro RNA-31 or micro RNA-432 was the target micro-RNA of circular RNA itchy E3 ubiquitin protein ligase. In rescue experiments, cell proliferation rate was elevated, but apoptosis rate was reduced in circular RNA itchy E3 ubiquitin protein ligase overexpression plasmids/micro RNA (+) group compared to circular RNA itchy E3 ubiquitin protein ligase overexpression plasmids group, indicating that circular RNA itchy E3 ubiquitin protein ligase upregulation inhibited cell proliferation but promoted apoptosis through downregulating micro RNA-197.

Conclusion:

Circular RNA itchy E3 ubiquitin protein ligase upregulation suppresses cell proliferation but promotes apoptosis through targeting micro RNA-197 in prostate cancer. Our study may provide a new insight for the treatment of prostate cancer.
Exposure in an Increasingly Bilingual World: Native Language Exposure Therapy With a Non-Language Matched Therapist
Authors: Szoke Daniel , Cummings Caroline , Benuto Lorraine T.
Published: November 2019

Language is an essential part of psychotherapy and experts in cultural competence encourage the consideration of language as an element in cultural adaptation to therapy. Providing clients with services in their native language is associated with lower dropout and better outcomes. Therapies such as prolonged exposure therapy (PET) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) require clients to recount trauma memories to activate and correct overreactive fear networks in the brain. Research shows that the most genuine and detailed recall of these autobiographical memories occurs when people recollect in the same language in which the memory was encoded. Clients are less likely to drop out, tend to see better outcomes, and most closely follow the treatment protocol for PET when speaking in their native language. In an increasingly bilingual world, therapists may share a common language with a client but may be unable to speak the client’s native language. A novel solution for PET involves starting therapy in the therapist/client dyad’s shared language and then eventually conducting imaginal exposures in the client’s native language. The following case provides a successful example for how and why such therapy can be conducted.
The real-time elderly fall posture identifying scheme with wearable sensors
Authors: Xu Tao , Sun Wei , Lu Shaowei , Ma Ke-ming , Wang Xiaoqiang
Published: November 2019

The accidental fall is the major risk for elderly especially under unsupervised states. It is necessary to real-time monitor fall postures for elderly. This paper proposes the fall posture identifying scheme with wearable sensors including MPU6050 and flexible graphene/rubber. MPU6050 is located at the waist to monitor the attitude of the body with triaxial accelerometer and gyroscope. The graphene/rubber sensors are located at the knees to monitor the moving actions of the legs. A real-time fall postures identifying algorithm is proposed by the integration of triaxial accelerometer, tilt angles, and the bending angles from the graphene/rubber sensors. A volunteer is engaged to emulate elderly physical behaviors in performing four activities of daily living and six fall postures. Four basic fall down postures can be identified with MPU6050. Integrated with graphene/rubber sensors, two more fall postures are correctly identified by the proposed scheme. Test results show that the accuracy for activities of daily living detection is 93.5% and that for fall posture identifying is 90%. After the fall postures are identified, the proposed system transmits the fall posture to the smart phone carried by the elderly via Bluetooth. Finally, the posture and location are transmitted to the specified mobile phone by short message.
Meat, Masculinity, and Health for the “Typical Aussie Bloke”: A Social Constructivist Analysis of Class, Gender, and Consumption
Authors: Carroll Julie-Anne , Capel Eleanor M. , Gallegos Danielle
Published: November 2019

Food choice is complex and influenced by a range of social, environmental, structural, and individual factors. Poor diet is one of the major contributors to the burden of disease, in particular for men who habitually have lower intakes of fruits and vegetables and higher intakes of meat. Food choice has been linked to the expression of masculine identities. This research used a Bourdieusian framework to explore the influential drivers of young Australian men’s eating habits based on occupational groupings. Twenty men aged 19–30 years participated in in-depth semistructured interviews. Analysis used a grounded theory, social constructivist approach and identified five themes: performative masculinities and meat; meat cuts across social class; the influence of masculine autonomy on dietary choice; women protecting Australian men’s health; and the role of environmental and structural barriers. These results indicated that habitus remains a useful conceptual framework to explain the results, and cultural capital is reinforced as a phenomenon. Occupation and gender appear to no longer be primary drivers of food choice in this group of men. Rather there is a shift toward an understanding of multiple masculinities and the development of microcultures with interactions between structure and agency. Meat still features in the food world of Australian men, but there are shifts to deprioritize its importance. There needs to be a more nuanced understanding of the importance of autonomy and control as well as the role of women in relation to men’s dietary intakes and how this can be harnessed for positive dietary change.
An Analysis of the Structure, Validity, and Reliability of the Collegian Attitudes Toward Inclusive Campus Recreation (CAICR) Scale
Authors: McKay Cathy , Park Jung Yeon , Haegele Justin
Published: November 2019

The purpose of this study was to test the construct validity and internal consistency of the Collegian Attitudes toward Inclusive Campus Recreation (CAICR) Scale, a collegiate adaptation of the Children’s Attitudes toward Integrated Physical Education–Revised Scale. The CAICR seeks to measure attitudes toward inclusive lifetime fitness, sport, and recreation at the collegiate level. Participants were 192 college students. The factor structure of the scale was investigated using a confirmatory factor analysis with the weighted least square estimator. The CAICR Scale demonstrated acceptable internal consistency levels for the complete scale (11 items), inclusion subscale (6 items), and sport modification subscale (5 items). Results suggest that the 2-factor model (indicating inclusion and sport modification) showed suitable model fit, and the model outperformed a single-factor solution. Current findings suggest that the CAICR has the ability to contribute to sociocultural attitude research at the collegiate level in a valid and reliable manner.
The preparation and research of reduced graphene oxide/glass composite fiber
Authors: Li Shun , Chen Zhaofeng , Rao Zhiyuan , Wang Fei , Wu Cao , Ye Xinli
Published: November 2019

In this article, reduced graphene oxide/glass composite fiber was prepared from mixing graphene oxide and glass powder by ultrasonic dispersion, planetary grinding, high-temperature sintering, and melting wire drawing. The effects of reduced graphene oxide content on the mechanical and electrical properties of the fiber were investigated. Thermal gravimetric analyzer, differential scanning calorimeter, x-ray diffraction, and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy analysis revealed that the graphene oxide was reduced to reduced graphene oxide in the sintering process and the performances of the composite fiber were improved. The tensile strength of reduced graphene oxide/glass composite fiber was 20% higher than the pristine glass fibers by the addition of 0.5 wt% of reduced graphene oxide. Reduced graphene oxide content was positively correlated with composites conductivity, and according to the percolation theory, the percolation threshold of reduced graphene oxide/glass composite fiber was about 0.5 wt%, and the conductivity of the composite fibers was increased by four orders of magnitude compared to the pristine glass fibers when the content of reduced graphene oxide was 0.5 wt%.
Modeling inflatable fabric with undevelopable surfaces by motion folding method
Authors: Zhao Xiao-Shun , Jia He , Sun Zhihong , Yu Li
Published: November 2019

At present, most space inflatable structures are composed of flexible inflatable fabrics with complex undevelopable surfaces. It is difficult to establish a multi-dimensional folding model for this type of structure. To solve this key technical problem, the motion folding method is proposed in this study. First, a finite element model with an original three-dimensional surface was flattened with a fluid structure interaction algorithm. Second, the flattened surface was folded based on the prescribed motion of the node groups, and the final folding model was obtained. The fold modeling process of this methodology was consistent with the actual folding processes. Because the mapping relationship between the original finite element model and the final folding model was unchanged, the initial stress was used to modify the model errors during folding process of motion folding method. The folding model of an inflatable aerodynamic decelerator, which could not be established using existing folding methods, was established by using motion folding method. The folding model of the inflatable aerodynamic decelerator showed that the motion folding method could achieve multi-dimensional folding and a high spatial compression rate. The stability and regularity of the inflatable aerodynamic decelerator numerical inflation process and the consistency of the inflated and design shapes indicated the reliability, applicability, and feasibility of the motion folding method. The study results could provide a reference for modeling complex inflatable fabrics and promote the numerical study of inflatable fabrics.
Simultaneous revascularization of the occluded internal carotid artery using the Solitaire as a workhorse wire during acute ischemic stroke intervention
Authors: Paul Alexandra R , Entezami Pouya , Nourollahzadeh Emad , Dalfino John , Boulos Alan S
Published: November 2019

Introduction

Tandem lesions involving a large vessel occlusion intracranially with concomitant cervical carotid critical stenosis or occlusion are a common presentation of acute ischemic stroke. These lesions are both challenging and time-consuming but can be extremely beneficial for patients when successful. We present a technique utilizing the pusher wire of the stent retriever used for intracranial thrombectomy as the workhorse wire for carotid intervention using a monorail system to perform cervical carotid angioplasty.

Methods

We reviewed four successive patients who presented with a tandem occlusion and underwent thrombectomy and simultaneous carotid artery intervention using this technique.

Results

All four patients had radiographically successful intracranial thrombectomy and cervical carotid revascularization. Time from groin puncture to intracranial stent retriever deployment was 63 min on average. Then, using the pusher wire as a monorail workhorse, time from stent retriever deployment to carotid angioplasty was on average 6 min.

Discussion

This technique allows for cervical carotid revascularization to begin during the recommended 5-min wait time after stent retriever deployment, allowing for rapid near-simultaneous revascularization across both lesions. This technique has been reported briefly in the past for management of a cervical dissection. There is continued debate regarding the management of tandem occlusions, as to which lesion should be managed first.

Conclusion

As the management paradigms of tandem occlusions continue to evolve, this technique may improve outcomes by expediting endovascular intervention. Using the stent retriever wire provides a method of expediting the management of the proximal lesion after addressing the more distal intracranial occlusion first.
Direct aspiration for thrombectomy in ischemic stroke: Impact of dwell time
Authors: Chivot Cyril , Renier Julie , Deramond Hervé , Bouzerar Roger , Yzet Thierry
Published: November 2019

Objective

To evaluate the impact of dwell time on the efficacy of the direct aspiration thrombectomy in ischemic stroke.

Methods

The study is a review of our prospective cerebral thrombectomy database of subjects admitted from January to December 2017. We performed direct aspiration with 2 min dwell time as recommended by the manufacturer (group 1) and 5 min dwell time (group 2) between January–June and July–December, respectively. The primary outcome was successful reperfusion after the first pass defined as modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction scores 2 b/3.

Results

Eighty-five patients had a cerebral thrombectomy by direct aspiration, 45 in group 1 and 40 in group 2. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups but a trend toward a better modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction first pass 2 b/3 rate in group 2 (70% versus 48.8%, p = 0.06). Although not statistically significant (p = 0.07), the ratio of rescue therapy with stent retriever was higher in group 1 (40%) than in group 2 (22.5%). After all passes, modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction 2 b-3 was obtained in 82.2% (37/45) of cases in group 1 and in 90% (36/40) of cases in group 2. Among 76 patients (89.5%) with modified Rankin Scale assessment at three months, no significant difference (p = 0.3) was found in the proportion of functionally independent individuals between groups 1 and 2 (51.8% versus 55.6%, respectively).

Conclusion

Although statistical significance was not reached, our retrospective analysis exhibited a strong trend toward modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction first pass improvement when dwell time was increased from 2 to 5 min.
Two-dimensional gyrotactic microorganisms flow of hydromagnetic power law nanofluid past an elongated sheet
Authors: Ferdows M , Reddy M Gnaneswara , Sun Shuyu , Alzahrani Faris
Published: November 2019

This article, describes two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic steady incompressible viscous power law nanofluid comprising gyrotactic microorganisms adjacent to a vertical stretching sheet. The governing non-linear partial differential equations are lessened to a set of non-linear ordinary differential equation using similitude transformation. The non-dimensional boundary value problem is then solved under spectral relaxation method. The influences of different parameters such as buoyancy convection parameters [Formula: see text], magnetic field parameter M, power law parameter [Formula: see text], Prandtl number [Formula: see text], modified Prandtl number [Formula: see text], thermophoresis parameter [Formula: see text], Peclet number [Formula: see text], Lewis number [Formula: see text], Brownian motion parameter [Formula: see text], bioconvection Lewis number [Formula: see text], and bioconvection constant [Formula: see text] on flow convective characteristics phenomena are explored via plots and tables. The skin friction factor, rate of heat transfer, rate of mass transfer, and the density number of the motile microorganisms near the surface are also computed. Our results are compared with the existing results to support our model. Residual error analysis is determined for showing the convergence rate against iteration. Our result showed that the momentum thickness reduces as the value of [Formula: see text] induces and thermal boundary thickness increases as the value of [Formula: see text] induces. We also revealed that the density of the motile microorganisms [Formula: see text] is a reducing function of [Formula: see text] and concentration boundary layer induces with the increase of [Formula: see text], whereas its thickness close to the surface decreases with increasing of [Formula: see text]. Also, the stream line patterns are exhibited to the impact of physical sundry variables.
Multiobjective model-free learning for robot pathfinding with environmental disturbances
Authors: Wei Changyun , Ni Fusheng
Published: November 2019

This article addresses the robot pathfinding problem with environmental disturbances, where a solution to this problem must consider potential risks inherent in an uncertain and stochastic environment. For example, the movements of an underwater robot can be seriously disturbed by ocean currents, and thus any applied control actions to the robot cannot exactly lead to the desired locations. Reinforcement learning is a formal methodology that has been extensively studied in many sequential decision-making domains with uncertainty, but most reinforcement learning algorithms consider only a single objective encoded by a scalar reward. However, the robot pathfinding problem with environmental disturbances naturally promotes multiple conflicting objectives. Specifically, in this work, the robot has to minimise its moving distance so as to save energy, and, moreover, it has to keep away from unsafe regions as far as possible. To this end, we first propose a multiobjective model-free learning framework, and then proceed to investigate an appropriate action selection strategy by improving a baseline with respect to two dimensions. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed learning framework and evaluate the performance of three action selection strategies, we also carry out an empirical study in a simulated environment.
Positive social feedback alters emotional ratings and reward valuation of neutral faces
Authors: Young Katherine S , Hasratian Anni M , Parsons Christine E , Zinbarg Richard E , Nusslock Robin , Bookheimer Susan Y , Craske Michelle G
Published: November 2019

Evaluation of facial and vocal emotional cues is vital in social interactions but can be highly influenced by characteristics of the observer, such as sex, age, and symptoms of affective disorders. Our evaluations of others’ emotional expressions are likely to change as we get to know them and anticipate how they are likely to behave. However, the role of associative learning in the evaluation of social cues remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated whether emotional ratings (valence and arousal) and reward valuation (“liking” and “wanting” measures) of neutral facial expressions can be altered through associative learning. We also examined whether emotional ratings and reward valuation varied with symptoms of anxiety and depression, disorders known to impair socio-affective functioning. Participants ( N = 324) were young adults, ranging in scores across dimensions of depression and anxiety symptoms: “general distress” (common to depression and anxiety), “anhedonia-apprehension” (more specific to depression), and “fears” (more specific to anxiety). They rated neutral faces and completed a probabilistic learning task that paired images of neutral faces with positive or negative social feedback. Results demonstrated that pairing neutral faces with positive social feedback increased ratings of arousal, valence, and reward valuation (both “liking” and “wanting”). Pairing neutral faces with negative feedback reduced valence ratings and reduced “wanting,” but did not impact arousal ratings or “liking.” Symptoms of general distress were associated with negative bias in valence ratings, symptoms of anhedonia-apprehension were associated with reduced “wanting,” and symptoms of fears were associated with altered accuracy over trials. Notably, the association between general distress and negative bias was reduced following the associative learning task. This suggests that disrupted evaluation of social cues can be improved through brief training.
Management of latex hypersensitivity in the perioperative setting
Authors: Agarwal Nikhil , McDonnell Stephen , Khan Wasim
Published: November 2019

Despite the introduction and use of latex-free gloves, natural rubber latex hypersensitivity is still an issue in hospital medicine both for patients and healthcare professionals. Clear understanding of the groups at risk as well as perioperative assessment and management is key to reducing complications and improving safety. In this literature review, we cover the perioperative management of patients with latex hypersensitivity, as well as the implications for healthcare professionals. We also review the cost analyses of latex hypersensitivity in the healthcare system and the evidence available.
The association of preoperative haemoglobin A1c with 30-day postoperative surgical site infection following non-cardiac surgery
Authors: Gabriel Rodney A , Hylton Diana J , Burton Brittany N , H Schmidt Ulrich , Waterman Ruth S
Published: November 2019

Diabetes has been shown to be associated with postoperative infections; however, the association of haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) with postoperative surgical site infections (SSI) is unclear. All HbA1c data from patients receiving general, vascular, or orthopaedic surgeries between 1 January 2014 and 1 December 2016 were identified from hospital records. The primary outcome was 30-day SSI. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to determine if HbA1c was associated with infection. The cohorts assessed were: (1) HbA1c < 6.5% (reference group); (2) greater than or equal to 6.5% and less than 8.0%; (3) greater than or equal to 8.0% and less than 10.0%; and (4) greater than or equal to 10.0%. There were 3064 patients included in the final analysis. The overall rate of 30-day SSI was 2.42%. After adjusting for confounders, when compared to the reference group, HbA1c ≥ 8.0% and less than 10.0% (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.2–4.7, p =  0.015) and HbA1c ≥ 10.0% (OR 3.0, 95% CI 1.2–7.3, p =  0.016) had increased odds ratio for 30-day SSI. A HbA1c of 8.0% or higher significantly increased the odds ratio of developing postoperative SSI ( p <  0.05). This may aid in the development of guidelines for optimising diabetic patients.
Triple therapy for COPD: a crude analysis from a systematic review of the evidence
Authors: Lopez-Campos Jose Luis , Carrasco-Hernandez Laura , Quintana-Gallego Esther , Calero-Acuña Carmen , Márquez-Martín Eduardo , Ortega-Ruiz Francisco , Soriano Joan B.
Published: November 2019

We systematically reviewed the current knowledge on fixed-dose triple therapies for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), with a specific focus on its efficacy versus single bronchodilation, double fixed dose combinations, and open triple therapies. Articles were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, and Scopus up to 3 August 2018. We selected articles with randomized controlled or crossover design conducted in patients with COPD and published as full-length articles or scientific letters, evaluating triple therapy combinations in a single or different inhaler, and with efficacy data versus monocomponents, double combinations, or open triple therapies. Our systematic search reported 108 articles, of which 24 trials were finally selected for the analysis. A total of 7 studies with fixed dose triple therapy combinations, and 17 studies with open triple therapies combinations. Triple therapy showed improvements in lung function [trough forced expiratory volume (FEV1) ranging from not significant (NS) to 147 ml], health status using the St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire [(SGRQ) from NS to 8.8 points], and exacerbations [risk ratio (RR) from NS to 0.59 for all exacerbations] versus single or double therapies with a variability in the response, depending the specific combination, and the comparison group. The proportion of adverse effects was similar between study groups, the exception being the increase in pneumonia for some inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) containing groups.

The reviews of this paper are available via the supplementary material section.
Knowledge, attitudes and eating habits red and processed meat among gym users: a cross-sectional survey
Authors: Bert F , Scaioli G , Tolomeo M , Lo Moro G , Gualano MR , Siliquini R
Published: November 2019

Aims:

In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified red meat (RM) and processed meat (PM) intakes as ‘probably carcinogenic’ and ‘carcinogenic’ to humans, respectively. The aim of the study was to evaluate eating behaviours and knowledge on the potential risks of RM-PM consumption among gym users.

Methods:

In 2018, a cross-sectional survey was conducted in 20 gyms in Turin using a 48-item questionnaire assessing sociodemographic, sports, dietary information and knowledge about RM-PM (sample size = 298). Multivariable logistic and linear regressions were performed. The significance level was p ⩽ 0.05.

Results:

Around 75% of the sample consumed RM and PM at least once a week, with an average of 240.55 ± 435.99 g and 106.50 ± 157.88 g consumed weekly, respectively. Only 7.69% exceeded 700 g of raw RM weekly. Females, those with higher education, those who practise sport outside gyms and those who declared to practise sport to stay healthy, declared to consume less RM. Those who practise sport at a competitive level, those who are on a diet for athletic needs, those with higher body mass index (BMI) and those who consume more eggs and alcohol had a higher RM intake. The association with PM consumption was negative for females and positive for those living without a partner. The likelihood of answering incorrectly to one of the knowledge outcomes was lower for those who had a healthcare-related background and declared to practise sport to stay healthy, while it was higher for participants who stated to have a sport-related background, to be on a diet to lose weight, to read rarely/never the RM-PM nutrition labels and to consume <400 g of fruit and vegetables daily.

Conclusions:

Given the relatively low knowledge of the potential risks of RM-PM consumption, it would be advisable to implement campaigns specifically focused on male athletes and people with lower socioeconomic status, in order to raise awareness about this topic.
A Meroterpenoid Isolated From the Fungus Aspergillus sp.
Authors: Hu Yingying , Yang Meng , Zhao Jun , Liao Zhixin , Qi Jun , Wang Xinzhu , Jiang Wei , Xia Xuekui
Published: November 2019

A meroterpenoid, chevalone B, was obtained from the Cucumaria japonica-derived fungus Aspergillus sp. H30, which was collected from the South China Sea. The structure was determined by the analysis of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic and X-ray data. This is the first report of the crystallographic data and absolute stereochemistry of chevalone B, which was shown to have weak antibacterial activity.
Fixed-Term work: Recent developments in the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union
Authors: der Mei Anne Pieter van
Published: November 2019

This contribution provides an analytical overview of recent case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union on the framework agreement on fixed-term work (FTW agreement). The cases discussed virtually all concerned fixed-term work in the public sector and, in essence, raise the delicate question of whether the non-discrimination rule and the rules on fighting abuse of successive fixed-term employment relationships, demand from Member States to sacrifice classic notions of public service employment. The case law reveals that the Court leaves the Member States considerable discretion in hiring fixed-term workers instead of permanent workers or civil servants.
Taking EU labour law beyond the employment contract: The role played by the European Court of Justice
Authors: Menegatti Emanuele
Published: November 2019

The ongoing transformation of work has been increasing the number of working relationships not falling within the domain of labour law. Non-standard and contingent working arrangements, most recently those prompted by the so-called gig economy, struggle to meet customary employment tests, since the employee/self-employed dichotomy has long been eclipsed. As this article will argue, the Court of Justice of the European Union, in shaping the scope of EU labour law, has been looking beyond the traditional categories. Starting from the area of the free movement of workers, the Court has built a common European concept of worker, broader than that of ‘employee’ endorsed by national jurisdictions, applying it to an increasing body of EU social legislation. Because of the primacy of EU law, the Court’s approach is bound to influence national laws.