bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trends of colorectal cancer incidence and mortality rates from 2003 to 2014 in Italy
Authors: Zorzi Manuel , Dal Maso Luigino , Francisci Silvia , Buzzoni Carlotta , Rugge Massimo , Guzzinati Stefano , Mazzoleni G. , Coviello E. , Galasso R. , Sampietro G. , Magoni M. , Ardizzone A. , D‘Argenzio A. , Sutera Sardo A. , Giorno A. , La Greca G. , Ricci P. , Ferretti S. , Palma F. , Serraino D. , Iacovacci S. , Melcarne A. , Puppo A. , Sciacca S. , Russo A.G. , Caruso B. , Cavalieri d’Oro L. , D‘Orsi G. , Fusco M. , Usala M. , Vitale F. , Cusimano R. , Michiara M. , Boschetti L. , Chiaranda G. , Rosso S. , Tumino R. , Mangone L. , Falcini F. , Caiazzo A.L. , Cesaraccio R. , Tisano F. , Fanetti A.C. , Minerba S. , Caldarella A. , Candela G. , Piffer S. , Cania A. , Castelli M. , Pisani M. , Tagliabue G. , Bovo E. , Brustolin A.
Published: March 2019

Objective:

To evaluate the trends of colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality rates from 2003 to 2014 in Italy by age groups and regions.

Methods:

We used the data of 48 cancer registries from 17 Italian regions to estimate standardized incidence and mortality rates overall and by sex, age groups (<50, 50–69, 70+ years), and geographic area (northwest, northeast, center, south, and islands). Time trends were expressed as annual percent change in rates (APC) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).

Results:

Incidence rates decreased from 104.3 (2003) to 89.9 × 100,000 (2014) in men and from 64.3 to 58.4 × 100,000 in women. Among men, incidence decreased during 2007–2010 (APC −4.0, 95% CI −6.0 to −1.9) and 2010–2014 (APC −0.7, 95% CI −1.4 to 0.0), while in women it linearly decreased during the whole period (APC −1.1, 95% CI −1.4 to −0.8). Mortality rates showed a linear reduction both in men (APC −0.7, 95% CI −1.0 to −0.3) and women (APC −0.9, 95% CI −1.2 to −0.6) and decreased respectively from 41.1 to 39.2 × 100,000 and from 24.6 to 23.1 × 100,000. In the 50- to 69-year-old range (screening target age), incidence showed a prescreening increase, followed by a peak after screening started, and a decline thereafter. Incidence and mortality rates significantly decreased in all areas but in the south and islands, where incidence increased and mortality remained stable.

Conclusions:

A renewed commitment by all regional health systems to invest in primary (i.e., lifestyle) and secondary (i.e., screening programs) prevention is of utmost importance.
Lymphoplasmacytic Meningoencephalitis and Neuronal Necrosis Associated With Parvoviral Infection in Cats
Authors: Kokosinska Anna , Maboni Grazieli , Kelly Kathleen M. , Molesan Alex , Sanchez Susan , Saliki Jeremiah T. , Rissi Daniel R.
Published: March 2019

Neurologic manifestations other than cerebellar hypoplasia are rarely associated with feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) infection in cats. Here the authors describe lymphoplasmacytic meningoencephalitis and neuronal necrosis in 2 cats autopsied after exhibiting ataxia and nystagmus. Gross changes consisted of cerebellar herniation through the foramen magnum, with flattening of cerebrocortical gyri and narrowing of sulci. Histologically, lymphoplasmacytic meningoencephalitis, extensive neuronal necrosis, and neuroaxonal degeneration with digestion chambers were present in the telencephalon and brain stem in both cats. Frozen brain tissue of both cats was positive for parvoviral antigen via fluorescent antibody testing, and formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections of brain were immunoreactive for parvovirus antigen and positive for parvoviral DNA on in situ hybridization. Frozen brain tissue from 1 case was positive for parvovirus NS1 and VP2 genes using conventional polymerase chain reaction, and subsequent DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis revealed that the viral strain was a FPV. Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded brain tissue revealed high levels of parvovirus in both cases, supporting an acute and active viral infection. Although rare, FPV infection should be considered in cases of lymphoplasmacytic meningoencephalitis and neuronal necrosis in cats.
Scalable GEH: A Quality Measure for Comparing Observed and Modeled Single Values in a Travel Demand Model Validation
Authors: Friedrich Markus , Pestel Eric , Schiller Christian , Simon Robert
Published: March 2019

For proving the validity of a travel demand model, the deviations between observed values and modeled values must be quantified and evaluated by suitable quality measures. The comparison of observed and modeled values can refer to single values, sets of single values, and distributions of values. The paper focuses on comparing pairs of single values with specific reference to the quality measure GEH (named after Geoffrey E. Havers, who introduced it for traffic planning purposes in the 1970s), which is used in the British guidelines WebTAG. The paper describes desirable and problematic properties of the GEH and examines how it is related to normal distribution. With the objective of overcoming the limitations of the GEH an alternative quality measure was developed, which can be scaled to validate different value ranges representing hourly or daily traffic volumes, daily number of trips per person, or trip distances per trip purpose. The paper concludes with a proposal for validating single values.
Impact of preoperative extracorporeal life support on left ventricular assist device outcomes: A comparative study
Authors: Zhigalov Konstantin , Szczechowicz Marcin , Mashhour Ahmed , Mkalaluh Sabreen , Safonov Dmitrii , Enginoev Soslan , Easo Jerry , Ennker Juergen , Eichstaedt Harald C , Weymann Alexander
Published: March 2019

Background:

To investigate whether preoperative short-term extracorporeal life support therapy in patients undergoing continuous-flow left ventricular assist device implantation has an impact on the outcome regarding survival and adverse events.

Methods:

Between January 2011 and May 2018, 100 consecutive patients received HeartMate II, HeartWare, or HeartMate III for end-stage heart failure. Mean age was 64.2 ± 10.3 years. Three patient groups were identified: without preoperative extracorporeal life support (non-extracorporeal life support group, n = 80), with preoperative extracorporeal life support due to postcardiotomy shock after conventional cardiac surgery (postcardiotomy shock group, n = 9), and with preoperative extracorporeal life support without previous surgery (non-postcardiotomy shock group, n = 11). The primary endpoint was overall survival after device implantation. Secondary endpoints were adverse events during the follow-up period.

Results:

Survival was significantly different between the groups (p < 0.05): 30-day, 6-month, and 1-year survival rates were 85%, 68%, and 61% for non-extracorporeal life support group; 44%, 22%, and 22% for postcardiotomy shock group; and 45%, 27%, and 24% for non-postcardiotomy shock group, respectively. Furthermore, in both extracorporeal life support groups (postcardiotomy shock and non-postcardiotomy shock), there were a higher incidence (p < 0.05) of postoperative right heart failure (30% vs 66.7% vs 54.5%), acute renal failure requiring dialysis (20% vs 77.8% vs 54.5%), and respiratory failure (31.3% vs 88.9% vs 81.8%).

Conclusion:

Continuous-flow left ventricular assist device implantation with prior extracorporeal life support appears to have a worse outcome regarding survival, right heart failure, renal and respiratory dysfunction (p < 0.05). Future studies have to be done to evaluate the outcome after extracorporeal life support bridge pre-left ventricular assist device, especially as ultima ratio in postcardiotomy shock patients.
A Model of Mental Health Care Involving Trained Lay Health Workers for Treatment of Major Mental Disorders Among Youth in a Conflict-Ridden, Low-Middle Income Environment: Part I Adaptation and Implementation
Authors: Malla Ashok , Margoob Mushtaq , Iyer Srividya , Joober Ridha , Lal Shalini , Thara Rangawsamy , Mushtaq Huda , Mansouri Bilal Issaoui
Published: March 2019

Objectives:

In low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), major mental disorders often remain untreated because of barriers related to access and resources. In rural areas and in conflict-ridden regions, the problem can be exacerbated by increased rates of mental illness and by reduced access to care. This paper describes a project designed to provide mental health services for major mental disorders among youth using a low-cost model in a rural district of the troubled Kashmir valley.

Methods:

We describe the geographic and political context, the guiding principles and adaptation of the service model (through partnership with a voluntary organization and use of technology), and the implementation of the model using Theory of Change framework. The core of the intervention was to train a pool of lay health workers (LHWs) to provide mental health services to young (aged 14-30 years) people with major mental disorders in their own communities, supported by clinical professionals.

Results:

Despite political turmoil and major floods, 40 (male and female) LHWs were trained. The LHWs efficiently engaged in case identification, basic interventions, and data collection on outcomes. Several different stakeholders were engaged in activities relevant to the objectives of the project; however, the use of technologies was moderated by several challenges, including access to internet services and patient preference for personal contact.

Conclusions:

This service model is applicable in an environment where protracted political and armed conflict, low resources, and geographical isolation make exclusive reliance on scarce professional services impractical.
Mechanical responses of a composite sandwich structure with Nomex honeycomb core
Authors: Liu Yue , Liu Wei , Gao Weicheng , Zhang Limeng , Zhang Enjie
Published: March 2019

Weights of honeycomb sandwich composite structures are strictly controlled in scenarios such as in contexts of aerospace engineering. However, such structures extensively studied in past investigations were partly or completely made of aluminum or other metallic materials. Sufficient research has not been reported for honeycomb sandwich composites made of lightweight non-metallic materials. This paper presents an investigation into the mechanical responses of the Nomex honeycomb sandwich structure in a three-point bending test. The mathematical relationship between the shear stress distribution in the skin and that in the Nomex honeycomb core under the bending load was deduced. By applying the commercial software ABAQUS/Explicit, numerical simulations were performed with a highly detailed finite element model (micromechanical level) and equivalent elastic parameters. By comparing the experimental and numerical results, the validity of the theoretical derivation was verified. The effects of the thickness of the skin and the direction of the core on the mechanical responses of the honeycomb sandwich structure were studied. The results showed two different failure patterns of the honeycomb sandwich structure in the three-point bending test, which has rarely been reported previously. The improving effect of the increase in the skin thickness on the ultimate bearing capacity was more remarkable when the honeycomb core had a higher shear rigidity. For the same core direction, the honeycomb sandwich structure with the thicker skin had a better crashworthiness. The skin shear force distribution coefficient decreased exponentially with the ratio of core height-to-skin thickness.
A novel joining method by using carbon nanotube-based thermoplastic film for injection over-molding process
Authors: Matsumoto Koki , Ishikawa Takeshi , Tanaka Tatsuya
Published: March 2019

Hybrid thermoplastic composites are getting attention in light weight applications. The manufacturing process of hybrid composites is that discontinuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastics are injected onto the textile-reinforced thermoplastics through injection over-molding. The key topic of this process is to achieve a reliable interfacial bonding strength, which has a strong dependence on the molding conditions. As a novel approach, we adopted a carbon nanotube-based thermoplastic film to make nanoscale interconnections between different layers by inserting films between the layers. In this work, the following influences were investigated with respect to the interlaminar shear strength by short beam shear test: the (i) existence, (ii) dispersion state, (iii) concentration of carbon nanotubes, and (iv) injection over-molding conditions. Furthermore, the delaminated surface after short beam shear test was assessed via SEM observation. Consequently, polypropylene-injected hybrid composite with 1 wt% carbon nanotubes exhibited a 52% increase in interlaminar shear strength compared with the specimen without carbon nanotubes. Additionally, the combination of short carbon fibers, which were filled in injected polypropylene, and carbon nanotubes drastically enhanced the interlaminar shear strength. The optimization of carbon nanotube dispersion and molding condition provides strong improvement of interlaminar shear strength. However, excessive addition of carbon nanotube deteriorates the interlaminar shear strength.
The Development of US Regimes of Disappearance: The War on Terror, Mass Incarceration, and Immigrant Deportation
Authors: Zarrugh Amina
Published: March 2019

Following 9/11, hundreds of individuals in the USA were detained on suspicion of engaging in terrorism and subjected to a “hold until cleared” policy which permitted their indefinite detention while authorities vindicated them of terrorist connections. However, these experiences of detention are not unique to the post-9/11 era. Drawing on a critical analysis of prominent Supreme Court cases concerning the War on Terror, mass incarceration, and immigrant deportation, I argue that the US state has developed a series of institutions that operate to effectively “disappear” people from public and political life. While discussions of disappearance often focus on a specific type of state violence, several important features of state-enforced disappearance characterize all three of the cases considered here. First, disappearances focus on particular communities on the basis of sociological categories such as gender, age, race and ethnicity, and religion, among others. Second, disappearances foster a sense of uncertainty regarding why someone has been disappeared, and render it difficult to ascertain information about the individual. And lastly, disappearance has protracted and extended effects—psychological, social, economic—on the families and friends of the disappeared person. In the USA, capitalism plays a critical role in the development of institutions that disappear individuals.
Class is What Capitalism Makes of It: Challenging the Lure of ‘‘Realism’’ in Mainstream Class Analysis
Authors: Durou Guillaume
Published: March 2019

This article addresses polemically, perhaps, the most prominent class analyses today – the occupational and stratification approaches (OSAs) developed by various sociologists and economists. Strongly opposed to the “big class” of conventional Weberian and Marxian typologies, the stratification and occupational models have, unsurprisingly, claimed more realistic grounds. By contrast, key dimensions of social relations such as domination, exploitation and oppression are purposely overlooked. Moreover, the lack of theorization – even marginally regarded, does not take into consideration the qualitative explanatory strength for the analysis of social structure. Alternatively, the underlying optimistic market-oriented belief of the “realistic” class framework overestimates the role of institutions and economics. Thus, this “Smithian” background unveils a market fetishism as well as a functionalist and naturalized vision of class structure.
Ordoliberalism and Neoliberalization: Governing through Order or Disorder
Authors: Jessop Bob
Published: March 2019

Although both promote a free market and strong state, ordoliberalism is usefully contrasted with neoliberalization. Ordoliberals aim to achieve this goal by creating a juridico-political institutional fix that provides a stable framework for accumulation. Promoters of neoliberal regime shifts pursue it through strategies of destabilization that exploit resulting crises. Ordoliberalism governs through order, neoliberalization through disorder. Further, ordoliberalism corresponds more to an accumulation regime and mode of régulation-cum-governance based on a productivist concept of capital, reflecting the dominance of profit-producing capital in coordinated market economies. But it also has limited conditions of possibility and is relatively rare. In contrast, neoliberalization corresponds more to what Weber described as politically oriented capitalism, especially a finance-dominated accumulation regime, which is aligned with interest-bearing capital. It occurs in many more varieties of capitalism.
Dynamic simulation of the circulating fluidized bed loop performance under the various operating conditions
Authors: Kim Seongil , Choi Sangmin , Lappalainen Jari , Song Tae-Ho
Published: March 2019

In a circulating fluidized bed boiler, the large thermal mass and flow characteristics of the solids strongly affect the transient response of the circulating fluidized bed loop temperature, which determines the heat transfer rate to steam flow. Therefore, it is essential to interpret the dynamic response of the solid behavior in the circulating fluidized bed loop for the stable and efficient operation of the circulating fluidized bed boiler. In this study, the dynamic simulation of the solid behavior along with the flue gas flow in a circulating fluidized bed loop was performed by applying the core-annulus approach for the solid-gas flow inside the furnace and selected models for other physical phenomena of the fluidized bed. The circulating fluidized bed loop of a commercial boiler was selected as the target system. Especially, the model simulates the characteristics of the solid behavior, such as the local solid mass distribution, and the solid flow inside the furnace and the circulating solid according to the various operating conditions. These aspects are difficult to measure and quantify in a real power plant. In this paper, the simulated furnace temperature behavior as the representative performance parameter of the circulating fluidized bed loop was discussed along with the qualitative operation experiences reported in the literature. The operating conditions include the feed rate of fuel and air, the particle size, the solid inventory and the solid circulation rate. Furnace temperature behavior was reproduced through the simulation for each operating case in the literature and was analyzed with the solid behavior along with the combustion rate and heat transfer rate of the circulating fluidized bed loop. The simulation enables quantitative evaluation of the effect of the solid behavior on the temperatures of the furnace and return part in the various operating conditions.
Long-Term Outcomes of BMMSC Compared with BMMNC for Treatment of Critical Limb Ischemia and Foot Ulcer in Patients with Diabetes
Authors: Lu Debin , Jiang Youzhao , Deng Wuquan , Zhang Yan , Liang Ziwen , Wu Qinan , Jiang Xiaoyan , Zhang Ling , Gao Fang , Cao Ying , Chen Bing , Xue Yaoming
Published: March 2019

We first compared long-term clinical outcomes in treating critical limb ischemia (CLI) and foot ulcer in patients with diabetes between autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMMSC) and bone-marrow-derived mononuclear cell (BMMNC) transplants. Forty-one patients were enrolled and followed up for 3 years. They received an 18-day standard treatment before stem cell transplantation. Patients with bilateral CLI and foot ulcer were injected intramuscularly or basally with BMMSC, BMMNC, or normal saline (NS). Cox model analysis showed significant differences in the hazard ratio (HR) for amputation with treatment by BMMSC (HR 0.21 [95% CI (0.05, 0.95)], P = 0.043), infection of foot (HR 5.30 [95% CI (1.89, 14.92)], P = 0.002), and age ≥64 (HR 3.01 [95% CI (1.11, 8.15)], P = 0.030), but no significant differences by BMMNC at 9 months after transplantation. Regarding ulcer healing and recurrence rate, the BMMSC group demonstrated a significant difference from the NS group during the 3–6 months after transplantation or healing, but the BMMNC group did not. This trial suggests that, compared with BMMNC treatment, BMMSC treatment leads to a longer time of limb salvage and blood flow improvement, and, when compared with conventional therapy, it can promote limb blood flow and ulcerative healing, and reduce ulcer recurrence and amputation within 9 months.
Does Inward FDI Lead to Export Performance in India? An Empirical Investigation
Authors: Mohanty Saileja , Sethi Narayan
Published: March 2019

This article investigates whether or not inward foreign direct investment (FDI) leads to export performance in India over the time period 1980—2017. We use Augmented Dickey–Fuller and Phillip–Perron unit root test to check the stationarity, and it confirms that all the variables are stationary at first differences I(1). The auto regressive distributed lag (ARDL)-bound testing co-integration approach confirms that there is no valid long-run relationship between considered variables. Results indicate the insignificant negative impacts of FDI on real exports in long run but not in short run. Result of Granger causality test confirms that there is a unidirectional causal relationship existing between the variables where FDI has a Granger cause to export. Results of stability test suggest that there is no structural instability in the residuals of equation of real exports. FDI does not work uniformly in all sectors, and policymakers should understand the difference and identify their sector-wise policies relating with FDI. The law and order should also be maintained, which is the essential part to attract the foreign investors. At this stage, we can also set the direction of future research, that is, sector-wise study should be done on the relationship between FDI and exports.
Are we reading enough crime? Examining the content and depth of criminal law courses
Authors: Gibbon Helen , Steel Alex
Published: March 2019

What should be learnt in law school is currently a debated topic. One aspect of this debate is whether what is taught in the core subjects is necessary or taught to the right level. In this article, we examine one such core subject: criminal law. The aim is to provide baseline information on what students are expected to read in the subject as a proxy for what is taught and what is learnt. By examining the range of topics, and the amount of words set, we provide an indication of the expected breadth of learning and cognitive load on students. This is relevant both to traditional face-to-face teaching and online innovations.
Trajectories of Well-Being Among Latina Adolescents Who Attempt Suicide: A Longitudinal Qualitative Analysis
Authors: Gulbas Lauren E. , Guz Samantha , Hausmann-Stabile Carolina , Szlyk Hannah S. , Zayas Luis H.
Published: March 2019

Significant research questions persist regarding the short- and long-term outcomes of Latina adolescents who attempt suicide. To address these limitations, we utilize an ecodevelopmental framework to identify potential factors that shape differential outcomes following a suicide attempt. Through an exploratory, longitudinal, qualitative research design, we investigate two research questions: How do trajectories of well-being vary among Latina teens after a suicide attempt? What risk and protective factors might contribute to different trajectories? We conducted qualitative interviews with 17 Latina participants living in predominantly low-income households in New York City. Interviews took place within the 6 months following their suicide attempts, and again, 12 months later. Analysis revealed three distinct trajectories after a suicide attempt: resilience, tenuous growth, and chronic stress. Our findings elucidate potential factors that contribute to resilience following a suicide attempt and underscore the importance of prevention and intervention programs that foster adolescents’ connectivity across ecodevelopmental contexts.
Pharmacology Update: Low-Dose Naltrexone as a Possible Nonopioid Modality for Some Chronic, Nonmalignant Pain Syndromes
Authors: Trofimovitch Diana , Baumrucker Steven J.
Published: March 2019

Pain can have a devastating effect on the quality of life of patients in palliative medicine. Thus far, majority of research has been centered on opioid-based pain management, with a limited empirical evidence for the use of nonopioid medications in palliative care. However, opioid and nonopioid medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have their limitations in the clinical use due to risk of adverse effects, therefore, there is a need for more research to be directed to finding an alternative approach to pain management in comfort care setting. The purpose of this article is to discuss a potential new drug that would adequately alleviate pain and enhance quality of life without significant risks of adverse effects that would limit its use. Naltrexone is a reversible competitive antagonist at μ-opioid and κ-opioid receptors, which when used at standard doses of 50 to 150 mg was initially intended for use in opioid and alcohol use disorders. However, it was discovered that its use in low doses follows alternate pharmacodynamic pathways with various effects. When used in doses of 1 to 5 mg it acts as a glial modulator with a neuroprotective effect via inhibition of microglial activation. It binds to Toll-like receptor 4 and acts as an antagonist, therefore inhibiting the downstream cellular signaling pathways that ultimately lead to pro-inflammatory cytokines, therefore reducing inflammatory response. Its other mode of action involves transient opioid receptor blockade ensuing from low-dose use which upregulates opioid signaling resulting in increased levels of endogenous opioid production, known as opioid rebound effect. Low dose naltrexone has gained popularity as an off-label treatment of several autoimmune diseases including multiple sclerosis and inflammatory bowel disease, as well as chronic pain disorders including fibromyalgia, complex regional pain syndrome, and diabetic neuropathy. Low-dose naltrexone (LDN) may also have utility in improving mood disorders and the potential to enhance the quality of life. This article will therefore propose the potential off-label use of LDN in management of nonmalignant pain in the palliative medicine setting.
Steering away from multiple realization
Authors: Peeters Anco
Published: March 2019

Mario Villalobos and Pablo Razeto-Barry argue that enactivists should understand living beings not as autopoietic systems, but as autopoietic bodies. In doing so, they surrender the principle of multiple realizability of the spatial location of living beings. By way of counterexample, I argue that more motivation is required before this principle is surrendered.
Putting Autopoietic Bodies Under Pressure
Authors: Stapleton Mog
Published: March 2019

This commentary puts pressure on the “resistance to dissipation” criterion for Villalobos and Razeto-Barry’s conception of “autopoietic bodies.” It argues that resistance to dissipation can only be assessed against the backdrop of certain background conditions. If this is right then it is no longer so clear that systems not considered as autopoietic bodies but merely as autopoietic systems do not fulfill the requirements of being an autopoietic body.
Moxetumomab pasudotox: A first-in-class treatment for hairy cell leukemia
Authors: Fancher Karen M , Lally-Montgomery Zachary C
Published: March 2019

Hairy cell leukemia is a rare indolent B-cell lymphoid malignancy. Durable remission can be obtained with purine analogues, but relapse is inevitable, and effective treatment options may be limited. Moxetumomab pasudotox is a recombinant CD22-targeting immunotoxin that has recently been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of relapsed or refractory hairy cell leukemia. Approval was based on a pivotal phase III study in this unique patient population. Rationale for use, clinical trial data, and current treatment recommendations are detailed. Common adverse effects are reviewed, and management strategies for select adverse effects are suggested. Implications for contemporary practitioners are also provided, as use of this novel agent is likely to increase as follow-up studies are reported.
A massively parallel semi-Lagrangian solver for the six-dimensional Vlasov–Poisson equation
Authors: Kormann Katharina , Reuter Klaus , Rampp Markus
Published: March 2019

This article presents an optimized and scalable semi-Lagrangian solver for the Vlasov–Poisson system in six-dimensional phase space. Grid-based solvers of the Vlasov equation are known to give accurate results. At the same time, these solvers are challenged by the curse of dimensionality resulting in very high memory requirements, and moreover, requiring highly efficient parallelization schemes. In this article, we consider the 6-D Vlasov–Poisson problem discretized by a split-step semi-Lagrangian scheme, using successive 1-D interpolations on 1-D stripes of the 6-D domain. Two parallelization paradigms are compared, a remapping scheme and a domain decomposition approach applied to the full 6-D problem. From numerical experiments, the latter approach is found to be superior in the massively parallel case in various respects. We address the challenge of artificial time step restrictions due to the decomposition of the domain by introducing a blocked one-sided communication scheme for the purely electrostatic case and a rotating mesh for the case with a constant magnetic field. In addition, we propose a pipelining scheme that enables to hide the costs for the halo communication between neighbor processes efficiently behind useful computation. Parallel scalability on up to 65,536 processes is demonstrated for benchmark problems on a supercomputer.
Current state of dialysis treatment and vascular access management in Japan
Authors: Sato Takashi , Sakurai Hiroshi , Okubo Kentaro , Kusuta Risa , Onogi Takeshi , Tsuboi Masato
Published: March 2019

According to the data from the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy, the number of dialysis patients was about 330,000 at the end of 2016. The mean age of newly initiated patients was 69.4 years and that of maintenance was 68.2 years. And, diabetic nephropathy is the most common primary disease, with an incidence rate of 43.2%. These results mean that the systemic vascular condition is getting worse. In spite of these backgrounds, the patients of 97.3% were treated by hemodialysis; therefore, careful management of vascular access is essential to better maintain the condition of patients. The Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study shows that vascular access modalities are an important factor in determining prognoses of patients and that prognosis in Japan is one of the best worldwide. In Japan, the use of arteriovenous fistulae accounts for 95% of vascular access modalities. However, a statistic by Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy suggests that the use of arteriovenous graft has been increasing. In 2005, Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy Guidelines recommended percutaneous transluminal angioplasty be the first choice for the treatment of vascular access stenosis. Since then, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty has become an important procedure for long-term maintenance of the morphology and function of vascular access. In Japan, approximately 60% of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty are conducted by nephrologists and urologists; in addition, arteriovenous fistulae creation procedures are also performed by them. According to my private opinion, such conditions above show that even in the absence of standardized training on vascular access management, doctors on site perform their duties in an appropriate manner. However, the problems of how we evaluate the specificity in Japan and pass it down the generations still remain.
Diet-Related Metabolic Perturbations of Gut Microbial Shikimate Pathway-Tryptamine-tRNA Aminoacylation-Protein Synthesis in Human Health and Disease
Authors: Paley Elena L
Published: March 2019

Human gut bacterial Na(+)-transporting NADH:ubiquinone reductase (NQR) sequence is associated with Alzheimer disease (AD). Here, Alzheimer disease-associated sequence (ADAS) is further characterized in cultured spore-forming Clostridium sp. Tryptophan and NQR substrate ubiquinone have common precursor chorismate in microbial shikimate pathway. Tryptophan-derived tryptamine presents in human diet and gut microbiome. Tryptamine inhibits tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase (TrpRS) with consequent neurodegeneration in cell and animal models. Tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase inhibition causes protein biosynthesis impairment similar to that revealed in AD. Tryptamine-induced TrpRS gene-dose reduction is associated with TrpRS protein deficiency and cell death. In animals, tryptamine treatment results in toxicity, weight gain, and prediabetes-related hypoglycemia. Sequence analysis of gut microbiome database reveals 89% to 100% ADAS nucleotide identity in American Indian (Cheyenne and Arapaho [C&A]) Oklahomans, of which ~93% being overweight or obese and 50% self-reporting type 2 diabetes (T2D). Alzheimer disease-associated sequence occurs in 10.8% of C&A vs 1.3% of healthy American population. This observation is of considerable interest because T2D links to AD and obesity. Alzheimer disease-associated sequence prevails in gut microbiome of colorectal cancer, which linked to AD. Metabolomics revealed that tryptamine, chorismate precursor quinate, and chorismate product 4-hydroxybenzoate (ubiquinone precursor) are significantly higher, while tryptophan-containing dipeptides are lower due to tRNA aminoacylation deficiency in C&A compared with non-native Oklahoman who showed no ADAS. Thus, gut microbial tryptamine overproduction correlates with ADAS occurrence. Antibiotic and diet additives induce ADAS and tryptamine. Mitogenic/cytotoxic tryptamine cause microbial and human cell death, gut dysbiosis, and consequent disruption of host-microbe homeostasis. Present analysis of 1246 participants from 17 human gut metagenomics studies revealed ADAS in cell death diseases.
Algorithmic vulnerabilities and the datalogical: Early motherhood and tracking-as-care regimes
Authors: Thornham Helen
Published: March 2019

This article draws on work from a 6-month project with 12 young mothers in which we mapped and tracked ourselves and our infants. The project employed a range of methods including digital ethnographies, walk-along methods, hacking and playful experimentations. We explored, broke and tested a range of wearables and phone-based tracking apps, meeting regularly to discuss and compare our experiences and interrogate the sociotechnical systems of postnatal healthcare alongside the particular politics of certain apps and their connective affordances. In this article, I use the project as a springboard to explore what I call algorithmic vulnerabilities: the ways that the contemporary datalogical anthropocene is exposing and positioning subjects in ways that not only rarely match their own lived senses of identity but are also increasingly difficult to interrupt or disrupt. While this is not necessarily a new phenomenon (see Clough et al., 2015; Hayles, 2017), I argue that the particular algorithmic vulnerabilities within this context, which are forged in part through the ideological enmeshing of the long-running atomization of maternal and infant bodies within the healthcare systems (Crowe, 1987; Shaw, 2012; Wajcman, 1991) and the new and emergent tracking apps (Greenfield, 2016; Lupton, 2016; O’Riordan, 2017) create momentary stabilizations of sociotechnical systems in which maternal subjectivity and female embodiment become algorithmically vulnerable in affective and profound ways. These stabilizations become increasingly and problematically normative, partly because they feed and perpetuate a wider ‘taken-for granted’ sensibility of gendered neoliberalism (Gill, 2017: 609) which, as I argue, is coming to encapsulate the contemporary datalogical anthropocene. Secondly, the sociotechnical politics of the apps and the healthcare systems are revealed as co-dependent, raising a number of questions about long-term algorithmic vulnerabilities and normativities which predate the contemporary datalogical ‘turn’ and impact both practices and methods.
Data work: A condition for integrations in health care
Authors: Bjørnstad Camilla , Ellingsen Gunnar
Published: March 2019

Integration and interoperability between different information and communication technology (ICT) systems are crucial for efficient treatment and care in hospitals. In this article, we are particularly interested in the daily local work conducted by health-care personnel to maintain integrations. A principal aim of our article is, therefore, to contribute to a sociotechnical understanding of the “data work” that is embedded in the integration of health-care systems. Theoretically, we draw on the concepts of “information infrastructures” and “articulation work,” and we discuss how social status may influence the invisible articulation work. Furthermore, we show how historical decisions and existing systems both nationally and regionally have impacts on the daily work of local actors. Empirically, we have studied the formative stages of a large-scale electronic medication management system project in the Northern Norway Regional Health Authority.
Citizens, immigration and the EU as a shield
Authors: Conti Nicolò , Di Mauro Danilo , Memoli Vincenzo
Published: March 2019

In recent years, the number of immigrants reaching the EU has grown dramatically. The migration crisis and its political repercussions have been felt with different intensity across Europe. In this critical situation, EU-level coordination has proved problematic due to the nested interests of the member states. This article addresses the problem of public support for an integrated EU immigration policy. Using data from the EUENGAGE project, we explore citizens’ attitudes towards EU-level coordination of immigration, and we introduce a set of theoretical arguments that aim to explain their attitudes. We show that those subjects who are more frightened by immigrants and who demand stricter policy and greater protection from unwanted migration are keener to delegate policy competence to the EU in this field.
Prioritising patients in research and practice – why and how?
Authors: Tsichlaki Aliki , Fleming Padhraig S
Published: March 2019

There is an increasing emphasis on the incorporation of patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) and patient reported experience measures (PREMs) in healthcare. Development, implementation and adoption of these is fundamental in prioritising orthodontic research and practice.
Global nomads, cultural chameleons, strange ones or immigrants? An exploration of Third Culture Kid terminology with reference to the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Dillon Anna , Ali Tabassim
Published: March 2019

The term ‘Third Culture Kid’ (TCK) is commonly used to denote children living in a host culture other than their passport culture during their developmental years. However, its meaning in relation to other terminology referring to a similar concept is a source of interest for many stakeholders. This paper opens up opportunities for further exploring and critiquing the definition of TCK, and opening this up to case studies within the context of the United Arab Emirates and more widely. It is critical to clarify the terminology in light of unprecedented levels of international migration throughout the world. This paper reviews the meaning of culture in relation to TCKs, and explores the meaning of the TCK concept as well as a number of other terms used as alternatives to TCK. A contextualization of the literature follows in relation to the researchers’ own lived experiences in the United Arab Emirates. The term TCK can be seen as part of the general stock of theoretical concepts. This paper acknowledges that it cannot catch all nuances of migrant children in the global context.
A Team-based Approach to Open Coding: Considerations for Creating Intercoder Consensus
Authors: Cascio M. Ariel , Lee Eunlye , Vaudrin Nicole , Freedman Darcy A.
Published: March 2019

In this article, we discuss methodological opportunities related to using a team-based approach for iterative-inductive analysis of qualitative data involving detailed open coding of semistructured interviews and focus groups. Iterative-inductive methods generate rich thematic analyses useful in sociology, anthropology, public health, and many other applied fields. A team-based approach to analyzing qualitative data increases confidence in dependability and trustworthiness, facilitates analysis of large data sets, and supports collaborative and participatory research by including diverse stakeholders in the analytic process. However, it can be difficult to reach consensus when coding with multiple coders. We report on one approach for creating consensus when open coding within an iterative-inductive analytical strategy. The strategy described may be used in a variety of settings to foster efficient and credible analysis of larger qualitative data sets, particularly useful in applied research settings where rapid results are often required.
The Epidemiology of Amputation Inequality Extends Beyond Diabetes in England
Authors: Ahmad Naseer , Adderley Una , Ionac Mihai , Bowling Frank L.
Published: March 2019

The excess risk of amputation in the diabetic population is well documented. However, approximately half of all amputations in England are in people that do not have diabetes - the remainder being mainly peripheral arterial disease. Whilst the prevalence of foot ulcers in the population without diabetes is significantly lower than their diabetic counterparts, the actual number of people with ulcers, and, therefore, the burden on services, is, the same. In addition to this inequality, the prevalence of amputation is greater in men than women and in the North of England compared with the South. We suggest that whilst diabetes is an important inequality to continue addressing, it is not the only one.
New gradient methods for sensor selection problems
Authors: Zhang De , Li Mingqiang , Zhang Feng , Fan Maojun
Published: March 2019

In this article, we consider the sensor selection problem of choosing [Formula: see text] sensors from a set of [Formula: see text] possible sensor measurements. The sensor selection problem is a combinational optimization problem. Evaluating the performance for each possible combination is impractical unless [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are small. We relax the original selection problem to be a convex optimization problem and describe a projected gradient method with Barzilai–Borwein step size to solve the proposed relaxed problem. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm converges faster than some classical algorithms. The solution obtained by the proposed algorithm is closer to the truth.
Gastrointestinal Hormones Manipulation to Counteract Metabolic Syndrome Using Duodenal Targeted Embolization
Authors: Pop Raoul , Kong Seong-Ho , Langlois Allan , Marchegiani Francesco , Shlomovitz Eran , Legnèr András , Bietiger William , Pinget Michel , Beaujeux Rémy , Mutter Didier , Marescaux Jacques , Diana Michele
Published: March 2019

Purpose. Targeted embolization of gastrointestinal (GI) arteries can modify hormonal production. We aimed to evaluate the impact of the embolization of the gastroduodenal artery (GDA) on the activity of foregut mucosa. Methods. The GDA’s duodenal branch was embolized in 12 Yucatan pigs using 100-300 µm (group A; n = 4) or 300-500 µm (group B; n = 4) microspheres, followed by coiling of the branch. In 4 animals (sham), only saline was injected. The levels of GI hormones (ghrelin, glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide [GIP], glucagon-like peptide-1 [GLP-1], insulin, peptide YY [PYY], leptin) and the gene expression of sodium-glucose–linked transporter-1 (SGLT-1) and glucose transporter-2 (GLUT-2) were assessed before (T0), 1 hour (T1), 1 month (T2), 3 months (T3), and 6 months (T4) after embolization. Results. In group A, a segmental duodenal stenosis occurred in all cases, which required balloon dilatation. There was a significant drop in the baseline glycemia in group A at T1 and T4 versus sham. Ghrelin was reduced in group A versus baseline and versus group B at T2 and T3 and versus sham at T1 and T3. Insulin was significantly lower in group A versus B at T1 and at T4 but not versus sham. SGLT-1 expression increased in B and sham at T4, while it remained stable in group A. GLUT-2 expression increased in sham at T4 but not in A or B. Conclusions. GDA embolization induced a decrease in ghrelin production and influenced expression of glucose carriers in the foregut mucosa.
African American Fathers’ Perceived Role for the Dietary Behaviors of Their Children: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Sherman Ledric D. , Smith Matthew Lee
Published: March 2019

The purpose of this study is to investigate African American (AA) fathers’ involvement in promoting healthful decisions related to obesity and the issues that are potentially influencing dietary patterns among their children and within their households. This exploratory study gathered data via semistructured focus groups ( n = 3), which were thematically analyzed utilizing a grounded theory approach. Participants included AA fathers ( n = 20) with a mean age of 37 years (±11.79), all of which had one or more children between the ages of 6 and 18 years. Three significant subthemes emerged from the focus group sessions, which included fathers’ perspectives about: (a) teaching by example; (b) eating healthy is expensive; and (c) cooking and eating at home. Understanding AA fathers’ perceived and desired role in their children’s health edification can inform initiatives that actively engage these men, and nurture their level of involvement, to promote positive health behaviors among their children. Such efforts are necessary for AA fathers to realize their potential to effectively serve as change agents and actively improve the health of their children, families, and communities.