bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bending–torsional-coupled vibrations and buckling characteristics of single and double composite Timoshenko beams
Authors: Sari Ma’en S , Al-Kouz Wael G , Al-Waked Rafat
Published: March 2019

The stability and free vibration analyses of single and double composite Timoshenko beams have been investigated. The closed-section beams are subjected to constant axially compressive or tensile forces. The double beams are assumed to be connected by a layer of elastic translational and rotational springs. The coupled governing partial differential equations of motion are discretized, and the resulted eigenvalue problem is solved numerically by applying the Chebyshev spectral collocation method. The effects of the elastic layer parameters, the axial forces, the slenderness ratio, the bending–torsional coupling, and the boundary conditions on the critical buckling loads, mode shapes, and natural transverse frequencies have been studied. A parametric study was performed, and the obtained results revealed different features, which hopefully can be useful for single- and double-beam-like engineering structures.
Response analysis of tunnel lining structure under impact and fire loading
Authors: Zhang Qian , Wang Wen-yu , Bai Song-song , Tan Ying-hua
Published: March 2019

Accidents and fires in tunnels hinder traffic and threaten the safety of personal and material resources, moreover, impact and temperature effects often cause damage to structures, affect structural performance, and shorten the service life of structures. In this article, the response behavior of the tunnel lining under the action of vehicle impact and fire load is simulated and analyzed. As the failure criterion of the lining dome settlement and the sidewall convergence displacement, the system compares the two interaction effect of the load, namely, the influence of the fire load on the impact resistance of the lining and the influence of the impact load on its fire resistance. The results show that the fire load reduces the impact resistance of the lining. Compared with the initial static load, the impact of temperature on the impact resistance is more significant; the impact load has an adverse effect on the fire resistance of the lining, when the tunnel lining is subject to explosion first. After the impact load working on the fire, the fire resistance of the lining will be significantly reduced with the increase of the static load ratio and the dynamic load ratio. The research can provide the reference for the design of fire protection and explosion protection parameters of tunnel support structures.
A study on the collision force of reinforced concrete piers under cumulative ship collision
Authors: Zhou Xiwu , Gao Yushen , Huang Fei , Zhang Guoxue
Published: March 2019

In this research study, the characteristics of ship–bridge collision force formulas, in Chinese standards as well as international standards, were analyzed. By considering the damage situations of bridge piers under the cumulative ship collision conditions, a method of combining theoretical deduction with numerical analysis was adopted in this study. The goals of this study were to analyze and examine the sizes of the ship–bridge collision forces, along with the damage situations of piers, in order to propose a collision force calculation formula which took cumulative pier damages into consideration. Also, experimental verifications and an applicability analysis of the proposed formula were performed.
Limiting speeds of high-speed ball bearings considering prevention of skidding and overheating conditions
Authors: Cui Li , Zhang Hongsheng
Published: March 2019

Based on quasi-dynamic and moving heat source methods, this article presents a new model to investigate skidding and overheating in ball bearings considering dynamic-thermal coupling effect. Using this model and finite element method, the critical minimum loads for prevention of skidding and the critical maximum loads for prevention of overheating are obtained by the developed software. The limiting speeds of high-speed ball bearings are defined considering prevention of skidding and overheating conditions. Results show that a smaller initial contact angle, oil lubrication, and hybrid ceramic bearing can enlarge the limiting speeds of angular contact ball bearings. Experiments prove the reliability of the method in this article.
Urinary exosomal shuttle RNA: Promising cancer diagnosis biomarkers of lower urinary tract
Authors: De Palma Giuseppe , Di Lorenzo Vito Francesco , Krol Silke , Paradiso Angelo Virgilio
Published: March 2019

Background:

Prostate and bladder cancers continue to be the first and fourth most common cancers in men worldwide; thus there is an urgent need for more accurate biomarkers that can detect these types of cancer in a non-invasive way. Liquid biopsy is a new non-invasive tool for diagnosis and with a virtually unlimited supply urine is even more attractive resource since urinary exosomes have been discovered to contain RNAs that are hallmarks of cancer. It is challenging to assay those secreting lower amounts of molecules.

Methods:

This review, based on articles identified through a PubMed/MEDLINE search, comprehensively summarizes state of the art approaches used in the discovery and validation of exosomal RNA biomarkers purified from the urine for lower urinary tract cancer.

Results:

The combination of PCA3 and ERG has shown a relatively good improvement in diagnostic performance; examples of other potential biomarkers and the methods utilized in their discovery are also discussed in this review.

Conclusions:

Of these last markers, to date there are still few data to implement these for routine diagnosis.
Leadership in a post-truth era: A new narrative disorder?
Authors: Foroughi Hamid , Gabriel Yiannis , Fotaki Marianna
Published: March 2019

This essay, and the special issue it introduces, seeks to explore leadership in a post-truth age, focusing in particular on the types of narratives and counter-narratives that characterize it and at times dominate it. We first examine the factors that are often held responsible for the rise of post-truth in politics, including the rise of relativist and postmodernist ideas, dishonest leaders and bullshit artists, the digital revolution and social media, the 2008 economic crisis and collapse of public trust. We develop the idea that different historical periods are characterized by specific narrative ecologies, which, by analogy to natural ecologies, can be viewed as spaces where different types of narrative and counter-narrative emerge, interact, compete, adapt, develop and die. We single out some of the dominant narrative types that characterize post-truth narrative ecologies and highlight the ability of language to ‘do things with words’ that support both the production of ‘fake news’ and a type of narcissistic leadership that thrive in these narrative ecologies. We then examine more widely leadership in post-truth politics focusing on the resurgence of populist and demagogical types along with the narratives that have made these types highly effective in our times. These include nostalgic narratives idealizing a fictional past and conspiracy theories aimed at arousing fears about a dangerous future.
Retaining event files in working memory requires extra object-based attention than the constituent elements
Authors: Lu Xiqian , Ma Xiaochi , Zhao Yangfan , Gao Zaifeng , Shen Mowei
Published: March 2019

Retaining events containing action-related information in working memory (WM) is vital to daily activities such as action planning and social interaction. During processing of such events, action-related information is bound with other visual elements (e.g., colours) as event files. In this study, we explored whether retaining event files in WM consumes more attention than retaining the constituent elements. Considering that object-based attention underlies the rehearsal of static feature bindings in WM, we hypothesised that object-based attention played a key role in retaining event files in WM. As biological motion (BM) is one of the most frequently observed events in daily life, we employed BM-related event files as the tested stimuli. In separate blocks, we required participants to memorise BM, colours (or locations), or the binding between these elements (i.e., event files). Critically, we added an object-feature report task, which consumed object-based attention, during the WM maintenance phase. We predicted that the added secondary task would lead to larger impairment for BM event files than for the constituent elements. In line with this prediction, Experiments 1 and 2 consistently revealed a selective impairment to BM event files, which could not be attributed to an unbalanced number of elements between memory conditions (Experiment 3), or to the visual processing of a secondary task (Experiment 4). Taken together, these results suggest that object-based attention plays a pivotal role in maintaining event files in WM.
Reward and emotion influence attentional bias in rapid serial visual presentation
Authors: Gutiérrez-Cobo María J , Luque David , Most Steven B , Fernández-Berrocal Pablo , Le Pelley Mike E
Published: March 2019

Facial emotion constitutes an important source of information, and rapid processing of this information may bring adaptive advantages. Previous evidence suggests that emotional faces are sometimes prioritised for cognitive processing. Three experiments used an emotion-induced blindness task to examine whether this prioritisation occurs in a purely stimulus-driven fashion or whether it emerges only when the faces are task-relevant. Angry or neutral faces appeared as distractors in a rapid serial visual presentation sequence, shortly before a target that participants were required to identify. Either the emotion (Experiment 1) or gender (Experiments 2 and 3) of the distractor face indicated whether a correct/incorrect response to the target would produce reward/punishment, or not. The three experiments found that reward-related faces impaired subsequent target identification, replicating previous results. Target identification accuracy was also impaired following angry faces, compared with neutral faces, demonstrating an emotion-induced attentional bias. Importantly, this impairment was observed even when face emotion was entirely irrelevant to the participants’ ongoing task (in Experiments 2 and 3), suggesting that rapid processing of the facial emotion might arise (at least in part) from the operation of relatively automatic cognitive–perceptual processes.
‘Oh we can’t actually do anything about that’: The problematic nature of jurisdiction for online fraud victims
Authors: Cross Cassandra
Published: March 2019

One of the most pressing challenges with policing online fraud relates to jurisdiction. Policing is traditionally based on territoriality, but the internet has changed this. Offenders in one country can target a victim in a second country, who is requested to send money to a third or fourth country.

This article examines online fraud victims’ reporting to police. Specifically, it demonstrates the misconceptions that exist regarding jurisdiction, namely the relationship between the Australian Federal Police and state/territory police. A clear disconnect emerges between understandings and expectations of who can investigate what relating to online fraud. The Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network’s establishment in 2014 is a positive step but this has not fixed the issue entirely.

Overall, the article argues that the jurisdictional challenges experienced by police are not understood by victims, and improvement is needed regarding awareness of victims and police alike, to reduce unnecessary, additional trauma to victims.
Could gaps and diverse topography compensate for habitat deficiency by the forest-dwelling bird Hazel Grouse (Tetrastes bonasia)?
Authors: Matysek Marcin , Kajtoch Łukasz , Gwiazda Robert , Binkiewicz Bogusław , Szewczyk Grzegorz
Published: March 2019

The Hazel Grouse ( Tetrastes bonasia) is considered an indicator of the naturalness and heterogeneity of the forest environment. This species occurs in various woods and forages on a variety of plants. The aim of this study was to verify the hypothesis that, in Norway spruce-dominated forest stands, the Hazel Grouse compensates for habitat poverty using non-forest areas and harsh topography, which deliver food resources and shelter for the birds. We compared 14 environmental and topographic variables in forest patches occupied and unoccupied by the Hazel Grouse in the Tatra Mountains (South Poland). Multivariate modelling showed that crucial factors for Hazel Grouse occurrence in spruce-dominated high-mountain forests were southern or western exposures, the presence of streams or glades and a multilayer forest structure with lower plant species richness in the undergrowth layer. Moreover, this species avoided clearcuts and depended either on wild sites (with a high share of deadwood and treefall gaps in mature stands at higher altitudes) or juvenile stands. The results of our study confirmed that gaps in forests and diverse topography could compensate the Hazel Grouse for habitat deficiency. These findings may be important for effective protection of this species in high-mountain spruce-only dominated forests.
Modelling climate influences on population dynamics and diurnal time budget of the Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna) wintering in Ramsar wetlands of Algeria
Authors: Bezzalla Adel , Houhamdi Moussa , Cherif Maazi Mohamed , Chenchouni Haroun
Published: March 2019

Several North African wetlands are classified as wetlands of international importance (Ramsar sites and Important Bird Area) because thousands of Shelducks ( Tadorna tadorna) winter in these habitats. However, Shelduck’s patterns of habitat use in these protected wetlands during the wintering season are still hindered by lack of information in arid and semi-arid regions regarding population dynamics and the effects of climate variables. This ornithological survey aims to study population dynamics and temporal patterns of diurnal activities of the Shelduck at two Ramsar and Important Bird Area sites (Chott Tinsilt and Sebkhet Ezzemoul) with respect to the effect of climatic parameters of the habitat in order to deepen our understanding of wintering strategies and habitat use. Populations were weekly censused from 06:00 to 19:00 during the entire wintering season (September 2015–May 2016). Diurnal behavioural activities were monitored at the same rate, and then the variation of time budget was tested using generalized linear model to determine the effects of climate variables and conspecific density dependence. The Shelduck was observed at both sites from the end of November and remained there until the total desiccation of both lakes in early May. Trends of Shelduck’s population dynamics differed between the two sites. Generalized linear models revealed the significant effects of temperature, wind speed and number of snowy days on population dynamics. Feeding was the main diurnal activity of the Shelduck at both sites with 80.2% of time budget at Chott Tinsilt (mainly feeding at lake shores) and 82% at Sebkhet Ezzemoul (mainly feeding in water). The generalized linear models showed that the variation of time budget allocated to different diurnal activities was not density-dependent, but rather it was negatively affected by the increase of air temperature. Significant effects of the interaction between population size and some climatic variables were found and discussed. During the whole wintering season, Chott Tinsilt and Sebkhet Ezzemoul play an important ecological role since they offer a wide-ranging diurnal forging habitat and a shelter for thousands of this waterfowl.
“Project Battle” or “Policy War”?: Protest, Advocacy, and the Outcomes of Environmental Contention in China
Authors: Tang Phoebe Mengxiao
Published: March 2019

Over the past decade, several environmental protests against hazardous projects have been mounted across China. Though extensive scholarship has been devoted to the outcomes of environmental contention, a significant distinction between local government's one-off decision change regarding the specific project and long-term, locked-in policy change towards better governance has largely been overlooked. Meanwhile, environmental contention in authoritarian China has largely been studied in terms of disparate episodes, making systematic observation and effective comparison difficult. Using crisp-set qualitative comparative analysis (csQCA), this article investigates the effect of social contention on shaping environmental governance, analysing 20 influential cases of environmental protests in China from 2007 to 2014. It demonstrates that environmental contention efforts often yield different fruits in their “project battles” than in their “policy wars.” Moreover, this study argues that environmental protests necessitate ample effort of public policy from a variety of social agents with multifaceted mechanisms and strategies, highlighting the significance of the protest–advocacy linkage in extracting better governance from local states in authoritarian settings.
Sex-Disaggregated Employment and Public Spending in China
Authors: Knight Tabitha
Published: March 2019

This paper econometrically analyses the relationship between public spending and women's and men's urban employment in China for the period 1999–2009. Theoretically, spending on healthcare and education could increase employment growth and women's relative employment via the expansion of paid care work (increasing labour demand) and reductions in unpaid labour (increasing labour supply). To empirically test this, female, male, and relative employment growth are estimated as functions of public spending while both demand-side and supply-side factors are controlled for. Economic growth is also included in a simultaneous equation estimation. While healthcare results are mixed, education spending is positively associated with economic growth, employment growth for both women and men, and women's relative urban employment. Using economic significance calculations, I describe how well-directed public policies can promote both economic growth and long- and short-run benefits in employment equality between the sexes.
Chinese Football in the Era of Xi Jinping: What do Supporters Think?
Authors: Gündoğan Ilker , Sonntag Albrecht
Published: March 2019

Football has become a field of high priority for development by the central government of the People's Republic of China. After Xi Jinping took office as General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party in 2012, a football development strategy was launched, including four “comprehensive” reforms. The purpose of this study is to examine the perceptions of these reforms by Chinese football supporters – a fundamental stakeholder group – through an online survey. Particular emphasis was laid on how nationalistic attitudes underpin supporters' expectations, especially with regard to the concept of the “Chinese Dream.” In addition, issues of football governance were also addressed.
Political Participation by Political Bloggers in Hong Kong: A Case Study of the 2014 Umbrella Movement
Authors: Tam Waikeung
Published: March 2019

Political blogs have played an increasingly more important role in Hong Kong politics. However, research on this topic remains scarce. This analysis examines how political bloggers in Hong Kong used their blogs to participate in politics through a detailed content analysis of 960 political blog articles published on two major news websites – House News Bloggers and Speak Out HK – during the 2014 Umbrella Movement. This study found that “soapbox” stood out as the most popular function hereof, as political bloggers on both ends of the political spectrum actively used their blogs to influence the legitimacy of the Umbrella Movement in the public discourse. A substantial number of blog articles from House News Bloggers also included the functions of “transmission belt,” “informing readers,” and “mobilising political action.” Finally, only a small proportion of the articles from House News Bloggers and Speak Out HK included the function of “conversation starter.”
A Clinical Training Program for Hybrid Closed Loop Therapy in a Pediatric Diabetes Clinic
Authors: Berget Cari , Thomas Sarah E. , Messer Laurel H. , Thivener Katelin , Slover Robert H. , Wadwa R. Paul , Alonso G. Todd
Published: March 2019

Background:

Hybrid closed loop (HCL) therapy is now available in clinical practice for treatment of type 1 diabetes; however, there is limited research on how to educate patients on this new therapy. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to optimize a HCL education program for pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Methods:

Our multidisciplinary team developed a novel HCL clinical training program for current insulin pump users, using a quality improvement process called the Plan-Do-Study-Act model. Seventy-two patients participated in the HCL training program, which included (1) an in-person group class to reinforce conventional insulin pump and CGM use on the new system, (2) a live video conference class to teach HCL use, and (3) three follow-up phone calls in the first 4 weeks after HCL training to assess system use, make insulin adjustments, and provide targeted reeducation. Diabetes educators collected data during follow-up calls, and patients completed a training satisfaction survey.

Results:

The quality improvement process resulted in a training program that emphasized education on HCL exits, CGM use, and optimizing insulin to carbohydrate ratio settings. Patients successfully sustained time in HCL in the initial weeks of use and rated the trainings and follow-up calls highly.

Conclusions:

Ongoing educational support is vital in the early weeks of HCL use. This quality improvement project is the first to examine strategies for implementation of HCL therapy into a large pediatric diabetes center, and may inform best practices for implementation of new diabetes technologies into other diabetes clinics.
Using Social Media to Broaden Understanding of the Barriers and Facilitators to Exercise in Adults With Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Oser Tamara K. , Minnehan Kaitlin A. , Wong Glenna , Parascando Jessica , McGinley Erin , Radico Julie , Oser Sean M.
Published: March 2019

Background:

Many people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) do not achieve levels of exercise recommended by the American Diabetes Association, often due to unique barriers, including fear of hypoglycemia. This study aimed to broaden the understanding of barriers and facilitators to exercise among adults with T1D by exploring social media—specifically T1D-themed blogs—in addition to more traditional interviews and journals.

Methods:

Data sources included exercise-focused T1D blog posts (n = 67) and associated comments (n = 717), as well as interviews of and journals kept by adults with T1D (n = 10). Data were analyzed using a qualitative inductive thematic approach. Shared and unique themes were identified among the three data sources. Content mapping illustrates these relationships and interplay.

Results:

Three metathemes were identified: (1) exercise with T1D requires significant planning, (2) hypoglycemia often interrupts or causes alteration to exercise, and (3) “ordinary” activities can cause greater insulin sensitivity and hypoglycemia, much like planned exercise, but are often unrecognized as exercise. Unique themes found only in the blogs, only in interviews, or only in journals are also reported.

Conclusions:

Social media such as blogs can be a valuable addition to qualitative research, especially when combined with other sources of data. This study suggests a need for providing adults with T1D with more instruction on preventing hypoglycemia during exercise, as well as links to organized or online activities that can provide support and education. Health care providers may wish to consider strategies to help adults with T1D recognize glycemic impact from daily activities not typically recognized as exercise.
A Comparison of Talar Surface Area Occupied by 2- Versus 3-Screw Fixation for Ankle Arthrodesis
Authors: So Eric , Brandão Roberto A. , Bull Patrick E.
Published: March 2019

Background. Ankle arthrodesis is a procedure utilized in the treatment of end-stage ankle arthritis. Internal fixation with screws is traditionally relied on to achieve union. Although the use of screw fixation alone has produced satisfactory outcomes, nonunion rates can range from 9% to as high as 35%. Adding an additional screw to the traditional 2-screw fixation construct may improve the likelihood of union by adding strength and stiffness; however, this addition may counteract the theoretical fusion enhancement benefit by reducing the joint surface area (SA) available for fusion. Methods. A cadaver study was performed to compare the amount of SA lost from a standard 2-screw (group 1) versus the 3-screw ankle fusion construct (group 2). A total of 10 fresh cadaveric below-knee specimens were used. Cannulated 7.0-mm partially threaded screws were placed across the ankle joint. Each talus was examined to precisely determine joint SA loss following each procedure. Results. The mean total talus SA in group 1 was 1833.71 mm2 compared with 2125.76 mm2 in group 2. The mean SA lost by the 2-screw construct was 5.91%, versus 9.51% in the 3-screw construct group. The talus SA loss percentage difference between groups reached statistical significance (P = .0220). Conclusion. The addition of a third 7.0-mm screw to a 2-screw ankle fusion construct raised the percentage of joint surface lost from 5.91% to 9.5%. Clinical Relevance. Surgeons may consider using extra-articular plates with 1 or 2 intra-articular screws instead of the traditional 3-screw construct if there is an elevated concern for nonunion.

Levels of Evidence: Level IV: Cadaveric case series
Potential Impact of Fish Smoking on Mangrove Resources in Southwest Cameroon
Authors: Dongmo Keumo Jiazet Joel Hans
Published: March 2019

The main objective of this study is to contribute to the sustainable management of mangrove forests in Cameroon through assessing the impact of fish smoking activities on mangrove resources. Mangrove wood is harvested by local communities for many purposes, but most notably as fuel for fish smoking. Population growth has greatly increased the pressure on these resources in recent years. Our study focused on fish smoking activities in Ndian and Fako, in the southwest region of Cameroon. Through structured and semistructured questionnaires, 243 fish smokers were interviewed in 9 local markets. Our study found that all the fish smokers were women from Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, and Benin. Ninety-three percent of our respondents purchase the wood they use, which is mainly red mangrove ( Rhizophora racemosa). The quantity of wood consumed is governed not only by the amount of fish requiring smoking but also by the type of oven used. Per fish smoking session, a traditional oven takes 53 hr to smoke 528 kg of fish and consume 1,205 kg of wood at a cost of 50€. A modern cinderblock oven, on the other hand, requires only 5 hr to smoke 160 kg of fish and consumes 122 kg of wood at a cost of 10€. Cinderblock ovens are preferable both ecologically and economically and could be one of multiple solutions for the sustainable management of mangrove wood resources. However, interventions are necessary in order for fish smokers to become aware of the benefits of these improved cinderblock ovens.
Autologous Chondrocyte Transplantation in Femoroacetabular Impingement Syndrome: Growth and Redifferentiation Potential of Chondrocytes Harvested from the Femur in Cam-Type Deformities
Authors: Wilken Frauke , Slotta-Huspenina Julia , Laux Florian , Blanke Fabian , Schauwecker Johannes , Vogt Stephan , Gollwitzer Hans
Published: March 2019

Objective

Cam-type femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome is one of the most frequent reasons for cartilage damage in the hip. Autologous chondrocyte transplantation has proven high success rates in the treatment of focal chondral defects; however, harvesting of chondrocytes in the hip has been reported but not specifically from the region of femoral cam lesions. Therefore, the goal of this study was to analyze the growth and redifferentiation potential of cartilage samples harvested from the cam deformities in patients with FAI.

Design

Cartilage samples were gained from 15 patients with cam-type FAI undergoing arthroscopic femoral cam resection. Healthy (hyaline cartilage of the hip and knee joint, n = 12) and arthritic control groups (degenerative changes in cartilage of the hip joint, n = 8) were also analyzed. Chondrocytes were initially cultured under monolayer, and subsequently under pellet conditions. A comparative representation of the groups was performed by Mankin score classification, immunohistochemistry (IHC) (Col1, Col2, aggrecan), and quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) (Col1, Col2, Col10, Sox9, RunX2).

Results

Mankin score of FAI-samples (4.1±3.1, Range 0-10) showed a wide variation but was significant lower ( P = 0.0244) when compared with the arthritic control (7.5 ± 2.7, range 4-12). IHC showed an increased deposition of Col2 ( P = 0.0002) and aggrecan ( P = 0.0261) after pellet culture compared with deposition after monolayer culture in all groups. In qRT-PCR, FAI samples showed after pellet culture increased Col2 ( P = 0.0050) and Col10 expression ( P = 0.0006) and also Mankin score correlated increasing gene-expression of Col10 ( r = 0.8108, P = 0.0341) and RunX2 ( r = 0.8829, P = 0.123).

Conclusions

Cartilage samples of patients with cam-type FAI showed sufficient but heterogeneous composition relating to histological quality and chondrogenic potential. However, harvesting of chondrocytes from the cam lesion might be a valid option especially if a cartilage lesion is noted in a diagnostic arthroscopy and individual preexisting stage of cartilage degeneration and appropriate pellet-culturing conditions are considered.
Sex-specific clinical outcomes of impaired glucose status: A long follow-up from the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study
Authors: Parizadeh Donna , Rahimian Neda , Akbarpour Samaneh , Azizi Fereidoun , Hadaegh Farzad
Published: March 2019

Aims

To investigate the sex-specific associations of prediabetes with major clinical outcomes including incident type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke and all-cause mortality.

Methods

Among 8498 Iranian adults from the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study, aged ≥30 years and without diagnosed type 2 diabetes, gender-interactions were assessed for each outcome, followed by sex-separated multivariate-adjusted Cox proportional hazard models to calculate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of different prediabetes categories, including impaired fasting glucose (IFG), defined by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and World Health Organization (WHO), as fasting plasma glucose of 5.6–6.9 mmol/L and 6.1–6.9 mmol/L, respectively, and impaired glucose tolerance, defined as 2-h post challenge plasma glucose of 7.8–11 mmol/L.

Results

Sex-specific associations existed for men between IFG-ADA and chronic kidney disease (hazard ratio: 1.28, 95% CI 0.99–1.65; pinteraction = 0.008) and between IFG-WHO and stroke (hazard ratio: 2.15, 95% CI 1.08–4.27; pinteraction = 0.21); and for women between IFG-ADA and hypertension (hazard ratio: 1.24, 95% CI 1.04–1.48; pinteraction = 0.06) and between impaired glucose tolerance and coronary heart disease (hazard ratio: 1.57, 95% CI 1.14–2.16; pinteraction = 0.05). Among both genders, all prediabetes definitions were associated with type 2 diabetes but none with mortality.

Conclusions

The hazards of prediabetes definitions may differ between genders depending on the outcome of interest. IFG-WHO among men and impaired glucose tolerance among women are particularly important because of their association with incident stroke and coronary heart disease, respectively. Considering these sex differences could improve personalized management of prediabetes.
Predicting value of neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio and CURB-65 score for early clinical stability of adult community-acquired pneumonia
Authors: Ju Xuegui , Tao Shaoqiang , Zhou Hui , Zeng Qianglin
Published: March 2019

Early clinical stability has been proven to be vital for the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). This research retrospectively analyzed the predictive implication of neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and confusion, urea >7 mmol/L, respiratory rate ⩾30 breaths/min, low blood pressure, and age ⩾65 years (CURB-65) score to predict early clinical stability of the adult CAP. Clinical data, CURB-65 scores, pneumonia severity index (PSI) scores, NLR on admission (within 24 h) of 230 patients between January 2012 and June 2015 were obtained from the Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University. Instable patients had significantly higher CURB-65, PSI, white blood cell (WBC), neutrophil, and NLR than the stable patients ( P < 0.05); NLR was positively correlated with CURB-65 (r = 0.270, P < 0.001) and PSI (r = 0.316, P < 0.001). NLR and CURB-65 were screened as risk factors through the discriminant analysis. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.662 (95% confidence interval (CI): (0.569, 0.756), P = 0.002) for NLR, 0.670 (95% CI (0.569, 0.772) P = 0.001) for CURB-65. The enhanced predictive power was observed for combining NLR-CURB-65 with the AUC of 0.704 (95% CI (0.606, 0.802), P < 0.001). The risk of early clinical instability rose significantly in patients with NLR (odds ratio (OR) = 3.440, 95% CI (1.741, 6.798) with the cut-off value of NLR = 6.161) and higher CURB-65 (OR = 3.797, 95% CI (1.801, 8.005), with the CURB-65 cut-off value of 1.5). Both NLR and CURB-65 are qualitatively accurate for predicting early clinical stability of CAP, an accuracy-enhanced predicting power was observed in the NLR-CURB-65 combined test, further large-sample studies are required to validate the conclusion.
Comparison of Multilevel Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion Performed in an Inpatient Versus Outpatient Setting
Authors: Vaishnav Avani , Hill Patrick , McAnany Steven , Patel Dil V. , Haws Brittany E. , Khechen Benjamin , Singh Kern , Gang Catherine Himo , Qureshi Sheeraz
Published: March 2019

Study Design:

Retrospective cohort study.

Objective:

To evaluate differences in patient factors, procedural factors, early outcomes and safety in mutlilevel anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) in the inpatient versus outpatient setting.

Methods:

Patient demographics, operative factors, and outcomes of multilevel ACDF performed in an inpatient and outpatient setting were compared using Fisher’s exact test for categorical and Student’s t test for continuous variables.

Results:

Fifty-seven patients had surgery on an outpatient and 46 on an inpatient basis. Inpatients were older (56.7 vs 52.2 years, P = .012) and had a higher ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists) class ( P = .002). Sixty percent of 2-level cases were outpatient surgeries, compared with 35% of 3-level cases ( P = .042). Outpatients had shorter operative times (71.26 vs 83.59 minutes, P < .0001) and shorter lengths of stay (8.51 vs 35.76 hours, P < .0001), lower blood loss (33.04 vs 45.87 mL, P = .003), and fewer in-hospital complications (5.3% vs 37.0%, P < .0001). Outpatients had better early outcomes in terms of 6-week Neck Disability Index (NDI) (27.97 vs 37.59, P = .014), visual analogue scale (VAS) neck (2.92 vs 4.02, P = .044), and Short Form–12 Physical Health Score (SF-12 PHS) (35.66 vs 30.79, P = .008). However, these differences did not persist at 6 months.

Conclusions:

The results of our study suggest that multilevel ACDF can be performed safely in the outpatient setting without an increased risk of complications compared with the inpatient setting in an appropriately selected patient. Specifically, patients’ age, ASA class, and number of levels being fused should be taken into consideration. At our institution, ASA class 3, body mass index >40 kg/m2, age >80 years, intubation time >2.5 hours, or not having a responsible adult with the patient warrant inpatient admission. Importantly, the setting of the surgery does not affect patient-reported outcomes.
Safety and efficacy of ilioinguinal and iliohypogastric nerve blocks for treatment of pelvic pain
Authors: Cooke Carly M , Flaxman Teresa E , Chen Innie , Singh Sukhbir
Published: March 2019

Objective:

To assess the safety and efficacy of ilioinguinal/iliohypogastric nerve blocks for patients with lower abdominal wall pain in a gynaecology setting.

Methods:

A retrospective chart review of 131 patients who received ilioinguinal/iliohypogastric nerve blocks at a tertiary referral centre for pelvic pain between 1 January 2012 and 13 July 2017 was performed. Patient demographics, history, examination findings and block data were extracted. Chi-square and Mann–Whitney U tests explored differences in patient characteristics between patients with and without effective response to their initial ilioinguinal/iliohypogastric nerve block.

Results:

A total of 465 ilioinguinal/iliohypogastric nerve blocks were performed among patients. The effect of the initial block was available for 99 out of 131 patients. Of these patients, 70% (n = 69) reported a great improvement in pain, 9% (n = 9) some improvement in pain, 18% (n = 18) no response and 3% (n = 3) worsening of pain. A significantly greater number of patients who were not responsive to their first block reported unilateral pain (p = 0.040) and had a history of vulvodynia (p = 0.038) when compared to patients who were responsive to their first block. Seven patients (5%) reported minor adverse events related to blocks.

Conclusion:

Ilioinguinal/iliohypogastric nerve blocks provide pain relief for those with pelvic pain localized to the lower abdominal wall, with a low rate of minor adverse events.
Arthroscopic treatment of symptomatic lateral synovial plica of the knee
Authors: Kosaka Masahiro , Nakase Junsuke , Kitaoka Katsuhiko , Tsuchiya Hiroyuki
Published: March 2019

Introduction:

Synovial plicae are often observed when performing arthroscopic surgery, but their pathological nature and the necessity for treatment are still controversial. There are few reports regarding lateral synovial plicae because it is considered extremely rare. The purpose of this study was to report the clinical outcomes of athletes with symptomatic lateral synovial plicae who underwent arthroscopic surgery.

Methods:

Ten patients with lateral synovial plica underwent arthroscopic surgery. Of the 10 patients, 5 were male and 5 were female, and their average age was 19.1 years. The chief symptoms were anterolateral knee pain, limited range of motion due to pain, and catching. All patients failed nonoperative management.

Results:

The average period between the onset of lateral synovial plica syndrome and the knee surgery was 5.6 months. The average follow-up period after surgery was 8.4 months. The arthroscopic findings revealed that a plica-like structure existed in the lateral patellofemoral joint. After surgery, pain and limited range of joint motion were improved in all cases and catching and locking disappeared. No complications were observed; however, the pain relapsed after surgery in one patient who had slow onset. In this patient, another resection of the synovial plica provided symptomatic improvement.

Conclusions:

Arthroscopic resection of symptomatic lateral synovial plicae was performed with good results. Lateral synovial plica syndrome is a rare condition. However, when treating athletes with anterolateral knee pain, lateral synovial plicae should be considered.
Tightening medial collateral ligament during total knee arthroplasty for patients with fixed valgus deformity: A novel technique
Authors: Cheng Xingwang , Wang Zhibing , Zhang Yuan , Wang Min , Zhang Xia
Published: March 2019

Background:

This study aimed to explore a new surgical technique for gap balance by tightening the medial collateral ligament (MCL) in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in patients with fixed valgus deformity.

Materials and Methods:

A prospective analysis was performed on 15 patients (16 knees) with a fixed valgus deformity that was corrected by tightening the MCL during TKA. A single surgeon performed all the 16 TKAs using nonconstrained posterior substituting implant, with two knees treated with long-stem tibial prosthesis. Clinical scores, knee stability, and radiographic evaluations were recorded preoperatively and postoperatively.

Results:

Complete weight-bearing could be carried out under the protection of the brace postoperatively. At the third month after surgery, X-rays showed the brace was not worn. The mean follow-up was 26.6 months (range 12–42 months). The average preoperative mechanical axis was 15.4 ± 2.3° (range 11–25°), and postoperatively it was 0.6 ± 0.1° (range 0–2°). No complication relative to the technique occurred.

Conclusion:

This new surgical technique has demonstrated excellent early clinical results and can be a good supplement for fixed valgus knee arthroplasty. Level of Evidence: III.
Evaluation of Shoulder Strength and Kinematics as Risk Factors for Shoulder Injury in United States Special Forces Personnel
Authors: Johnson Caleb D. , Nijst Branco K.J.F. , Eagle Shawn R. , Kessels Marijn W.M. , Lovalekar Mita T. , Krajewski Kellen T. , Flanagan Shawn D. , Nindl Bradley C. , Connaboy Christopher
Published: March 2019

Background:

Musculoskeletal injuries at the shoulder are highly prevalent and place a large burden on United States Special Forces personnel. Literature is lacking regarding the risk factors for these types of injuries.

Purpose/Hypothesis:

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of shoulder strength and kinematic characteristics, which have shown retrospective associations with shoulder conditions/injuries, with prospectively collected shoulder injuries. We hypothesized that lower strength and abnormal kinematics would be predictive of future shoulder injury.

Study Design:

Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

A total of 140 male Special Forces operators underwent a musculoskeletal evaluation of the shoulder that included a scapular kinematic assessment during a humeral elevation task and isokinetic strength testing of the scapular protractors/retractors, external/internal rotators, and elevators of the shoulder. From strength assessments, ipsilateral strength ratios and bilateral strength asymmetries were also calculated. Musculoskeletal injuries of the shoulder were collected prospectively by use of medical chart reviews at 365 days following the evaluation. Separate generalized estimating equations (GEEs) and simple logistic regressions were used to analyze the association between baseline predictors and development of shoulder injury.

Results:

Results of the GEEs showed no significant prediction of shoulder injury by shoulder strength (odds ratio [OR], 1.00-1.03), ipsilateral strength ratios (OR, 0.43-2.12), or scapular kinematics (OR, 0.99-1.01). Logistic regression indicated that none of the bilateral asymmetries were significantly predictive of shoulder injury (OR, 1.00-1.04).

Conclusion:

The results indicate that shoulder strength and kinematic characteristics are not risk factors for shoulder injury in the Special Forces population. These findings are in opposition to the general findings of previous research using a retrospective analysis.
Bureaucracy, case geography and the governance of the inebriate in Scotland (1898–1918)
Authors: Beckingham David
Published: March 2019

This article considers the late-Victorian and Edwardian legislative treatment of problem drunkenness in Scotland under the 1898 Inebriates Act. It examines the uneven enactment of the law, by geography and gender, and exposes how mundane questions of bureaucracy, of finance and jurisdiction, intersected with the institutional management of people convicted under it. I present an analytical framework of case geography to examine the ways in which bureaucratic and not simply medical interventions came together to shape people’s unfolding futures. Their removal to – and oftentimes between – institutions produced and did not simply resolve bureaucratic challenges. In conclusion I call for a greater awareness of the ways in which such mobile lives shaped policy: they tested the geographical imagination of government and with it the viability of this inebriate system.
A study on character forms and sentence samples of ‘yu (御)’ in oracle bone inscriptions
Authors: Eun-hee Kim , Hyeok Kim
Published: March 2019

This study aims to classify the character forms of yu (御) found in jiagubuci (甲骨卜辞) and, based on character form classification, to examine sentence examples (文例) and usages of yu (御) in oracle bone inscriptions. Of the diverse character forms of yu (御) extracted from Yinxu Jiagu Keci Leizuan (殷墟甲骨刻辞类纂), the basic form is ‘午+卩’, a combined form of the phonetic sign ‘ wu (午)’ and semantic sign ‘ jie (卩)’. With findings from original structural semantics for the oracle bone yu (御) and the usage of Buci (卜辞), we argue that the original meaning of yu (御) is a ‘religious ritual performed to prevent and eliminate disasters’ or yuji (御祭). By categorizing graphical components, jiaguwen (甲骨文) yu (御) can be classified into the following elements: A (‘午+卩’), B (‘午+女’), C (‘午+卩+示’), D (‘彳+午+卩’), E (‘彳+午+卩+止’), F (‘午+行’), G (‘午+卩+攵’), H (‘午+卩+行’), I (‘丮+攵’), and J (‘丮+攵+鱼’). A variety of character types for yu (御) in oracle bone inscriptions appear in diverse forms in accordance with leizu (类组) and are used in different ways with different character types according to buci (卜辞). Around 98% of the character types in selected character forms in oracle bone inscriptions fall into Type A (‘午+卩’), used to convey three meanings: ‘religious ritual,’ ‘to defend,’ and ‘to take care of some kind of task’. Of the Type A examples, over 95% mean ‘religious ritual’. In contrast, Type B and Type C (‘午+卩+示’) have a single meaning of ‘religious ritual’. From Type D through Type H, yu (御) has an added meaning of ‘a sign of movement (动作符号)’, whereas Type I and Type J characters mean ‘to defend (抵御)’, according to buci (卜辞).