bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vaspin Attenuates High Glucose-Induced Inflammation and Apoptosis in Human Retinal Pigment Epithelium Cell
Authors: Wang Chunfang , Xie Tianchun
Published: June 2020

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is identified as a serious microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus (DM). Vaspin (visceral adipose tissue-derived serine protease inhibitor) is known as a novel adipokine that associated with pathological process of DM. The present study aims to investigate
the underlying mechanism related to the role of vaspin in the pathogenesis if DR. In present study, vaspin treatment attenuated high glucose-induced cell injury and inflammation in ARPE-19 cells. In addition, vaspin suppressed oxidative stress status and cell apoptosis in ARPE-19 cells with
high glucose challenge. Furthermore, inactivation of Nod-like receptor P3 (NLRP3) inflammasome pathway may be associated with the anti-inflammation, antioxidant and anti-apoptosis activities of vaspin. Together our findings suggest that vaspin protected against inflammation and cell apoptosis
in the pathological process of DR. Hence, vaspin may represent as an effective agent for clinical therapy of DR.
Near-Surface Ocean Kinetic Energy Spectra and Small-Scale Intermittency from Ship-Based ADCP Data in the Bay of Bengal
Authors: Sukhatme Jai , Chaudhuri Dipanjan , MacKinnon Jennifer , Shivaprasad S. , Sengupta Debasis
Published: June 2020

Horizontal currents in the Bay of Bengal were measured on eight cruises covering a total of 8600 km using a 300-kHz acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP). The cruises are distributed over multiple seasons and regions of the Bay. Horizontal wavenumber spectra of these currents over depths of 12–54 m and wavelengths from 2 to 400 km were decomposed into rotational and divergent components assuming isotropy. An average of across- and along-track spectra over all cruises shows that the spectral slope of horizontal kinetic energy for wavelengths of 10–80-km scales with an exponent of −1.7 ± 0.05, which transitions to a steeper slope for wavelengths above 80 km. The rotational component is significantly larger than the divergent component at scales greater than 80 km, while the ratio of the two is nearly constant with a mean of 1.16 ± 0.4 between 10 and 80 km. The measurements show a fair amount of variability and spectral levels vary between cruises by about a factor of 5 over 10–100 km. Velocity differences over 10–80 km show probability density functions and structure functions with stretched exponential behavior and anomalous scaling. Comparisons with the Garrett–Munk internal wave spectrum indicate that inertia–gravity waves account for only a modest fraction of the kinetic energy between 10 and 80 km. These constraints suggest that the near-surface flow in the Bay is primarily balanced and follows a forward enstrophy transfer quasigeostrophic regime for wavelengths greater than approximately 80 km, with a larger role for unbalanced rotating stratified turbulence and internal waves at smaller scales.
Who moves from fixed-term to open-ended contracts? Youth employment transitions in a segmented labour market
Authors: Kiersztyn Anna
Published: June 2020

This article explores the career effects of fixed-term employment among Polish youth, taking into account specific legal and institutional arrangements affecting both the incidence of temporary jobs and the chances of moving into more stable employment contracts. The aim of the analysis is twofold. First, it seeks to assess whether temporary contracts serve as a stepping-stone to stable employment or a trap leading to fragmented careers consisting of recurrent short-term jobs. Second, it identifies the factors which increase the chances of successful labour market integration. Both issues are addressed through a quantitative analysis of retrospective career data for a cohort of respondents aged 21–30 from two waves of the Polish Panel Survey (POLPAN), 2008 and 2013. Results suggest that temporary employment is not restricted to entry-level jobs and acts as a trap rather than a stepping-stone. In addition, the opportunities for moving from fixed-term to open-ended contracts appear to have deteriorated over the years. However, gaining early on-the-job experience, especially in occupations involving highly complex tasks, may improve the chances of attaining job stability.
Laryngeal Electromyography-Guided Hyaluronic Acid Vocal Fold Injections for Glottic Insufficiency
Authors: Liu Alice Q. , Singer Joel , Lee Terry , Hu Amanda
Published: June 2020

Objectives:

To assess voice outcomes using the novel technique of in-office laryngeal electromyography-guided vocal fold injections (LEVFI) with hyaluronic acid to treat glottal insufficiency. Secondary objectives included determining the complication/completion rates and if any factors were associated with improved voice outcomes.

Methods:

Retrospective review of patients who received their first LEVFI from August 2017 to December 2018. Three- and six-month voice outcomes were assessed. Outcomes included voice handicap index-10 (VHI-10), maximum phonation time (MPT), perceptual analysis of voice (GRBAS), fundamental frequency, and stroboscopy.

Results:

Of the 121 eligible patients (55.4% male, age 63.7 years), 94 (77.7%) had complete 3-month data and 59 (48.8%) had complete 6-month data. VHI-10 was significantly improved from 25.7 ± 7.5 to 20.9 ± 10.9 at 3 months ( P < .001) and to 19.1 ± 11.5 at 6 months ( P < .001). MPT improved from 6.2 ± 5.4 seconds to 9.4 ± 7.1 seconds at 3 months ( P < .001) and to 11.3 ± 8.2 seconds at 6 months ( P < .001). GRBAS was improved in 74.8% of patients ([65.2, 82.8] 95% CI) at 3 months and 80.8% ([69.9, 89.1]) 95% CI) at 6 months. Stroboscopy showed a glottic gap improvement in 74.8% of patients ([65.8, 82.4] 95% CI) at 3 months and in 80.3% ([65.9, 88.5] 95% CI) at 6 months. Fundamental frequency was unchanged, as expected. Multivariate analysis reported that no factors were associated with better voice outcomes. Overall, 177/181 (97.8%) injections were completed. There were no complications.

Conclusion:

In-office LEVFI is an effective, novel technique to treat glottic insufficiency with improved voice outcomes, high completion rate, and no significant complications.
Factors Affecting Post-Anesthesia Care Unit Length of Stay in Pediatric Patients after an Adenotonsillectomy
Authors: Anandan Dhivyaa , Zhao Shilin , Whigham Amy S.
Published: June 2020

Objectives:

(1) To identify clinical factors and perioperative practices that correlate with longer length of stay (LOS) in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) after adenotonsillectomy (T&A) in pediatric populations. (2) To understand the relationship between family presence and PACU LOS for pediatric patients after T&A.

Methods:

Pediatric patients (ages 3-17) who underwent T&A between February 2016 and December 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Factors assessed for impact on PACU LOS included BMI, preoperative medications, intraoperative medications/narcotics, postoperative medications/narcotics, method of postoperative medication administration, and family presence in the PACU. Kruskal–Wallis and Spearman tests were used to assess correlations. Statistical significance was set a priori at P < .05.

Results:

Our cohort included 500 patients. Patients were in the PACU for an average of 135.4 minutes (±65.8). Subset analyses of the type of medications administered intra-operatively and in the PACU show that the intraoperative administration of sedatives is associated with increased LOS ( P = .014). Postoperative administration of any medications ( P < .001), and specifically, postoperative administration of narcotics ( P < .001), analgesics ( P = .043), antihistamines ( P < .001), and dopamine antagonists ( P = .011), are associated with increased LOS. Administration of PACU medications by IV was also correlated with shorter LOS compared to oral administration of PACU medications ( P = .016). A comparison of patients who received PACU medications to those who did not demonstrated that intraoperative administration of acetaminophen was associated with a reduced need for PACU medication administration ( P = .012). Shorter waiting times for family arrival in the PACU was also associated with shorter LOS ( P < .001).

Conclusion:

Our results suggest that postoperative medication administration and time until family arrival in the PACU are associated with significant differences in LOS. We also find that intraoperative administration of acetaminophen is correlated with reduced need for postoperative medication administration. Standardizing postoperative practices to minimize PACU LOS could result in a more efficient recovery for pediatric patients undergoing T&A.
Slopes of struggle: Coffee on Baba Budan hills
Authors: Shrivastava Sharmila
Published: June 2020

The history of Mysore coffee is inextricably linked to the mountainous inam lands of Baba Budan dargah situated atop eponymous hills. In the Malnad region of the Nagar Division in the seventeenth century grew probably the earliest coffee gardens of India. This paper examines the significance of the Baba Budan inam lands coffee in the development of the coffee economy of Mysore. The trajectory of coffee, a peasant and a plantation crop, was shaped by regulation and domination by the British administration and European planters and embedded resistance to this control. Native cultivators and the Baba Budan inamdars, as indigenous coffee growers, clashed with European planters over land and labour issues. Coffee was a profitable and popular cash crop, and natives dominated land and production in the colonial period. Competition, collusion and contestation laid the foundation of the two components of the coffee industry in Mysore—native and European.
Intrinsic Fluoride Tolerance Regulated by a Transcription Factor
Authors: Lu M. , Xiang Z. , Gong T. , Zhou X. , Zhang Z. , Tang B. , Zeng J. , Wang L. , Cui T. , Li Y.
Published: June 2020

Fluoride facilitates the remineralization of dental hard tissues and affects bacterial activities. Therefore, it is extensively used as an anti-caries agent in clinical practice and daily life. Although some studies focused on understanding Streptococcus mutans’ response to fluoride, the mechanism regulating intrinsic fluoride tolerance is not yet clear. Since the TetR family of transcription factors is associated with multidrug resistance, our aim was to evaluate whether they are related to fluoride tolerance in S. mutans. A mutant library including each S. mutans TetR gene was constructed and the transcription factor fluoride related transcriptional regulator (FrtR) was identified. The in-frame deletion of the S. mutans frtR gene resulted in decreased cell viability under fluoride in both the planktonic state and single-/dual-species biofilms. This in-frame frtR mutant was used for RNA-sequencing and the fluoride related permease gene ( frtP) was found as 1 of the downstream genes directly regulated by FrtR. The recombinant FrtR protein was purified, and conserved DNA binding motifs were determined using electrophoretic mobility shift and DNase I footprinting assays. Finally, a series of mutant and complement strains were constructed to perform the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assays, which indicated that frtP upregulation led to the increase of fluoride sensitivity. Collectively, our results indicate that FrtR is an important transcription factor regulating the frtP expression in S. mutans, thus affecting the intrinsic fluoride tolerance. Therefore, this study provides novel insights into a potential target to increase the S. mutans sensitivity to fluoride for a better prevention of dental caries.
A novel method to process surface electromyography signal for pedestrian lower limb motion pattern recognition
Authors: Gu Chenyang , Ren Chunhua , Zhou Meilin
Published: June 2020

Surface electromyography (sEMG) signals mainly contain power line interference (PLI), white Gaussian noise (WGN), and baseline wandering (BW) noise. These noises lead to the problems of poor feature extraction performance and low recognition rate. In this paper, we propose a novel sEMG signal processing method named filtering and self-enhancement algorithm with classical wavelet (FSECW) algorithm, which denoises interference noises of raw signals and improve the pedestrian motion pattern recognition rate. The proposed FSECW algorithm contains two core parts: in the first part, the original signal is reconstructed after four-layer wavelet decomposition. This part decreases the BW noise and enhances the active segment; in the other part, band-pass filtering and lifting wavelet transformation are used to reduce noises inside and outside the sEMG signal band. Then two signals from the above parts are multiplied. Thus, the enhanced filtered signal of the active segment is obtained. After feature extraction, the algorithm uses classical machine learning algorithm for motion pattern recognition. Experimental results show that the proposed FSECW algorithm does not need to set different thresholds for different data sets with the same motion pattern. Moreover, it has better adaptability to conversions of different motion patterns.
Voice Quality, Function, and Quality of Life for Laryngeal Cancer: A Prospective Longitudinal Study Up to 24 Months Following Radiotherapy
Authors: Tuomi Lisa , Karlsson Therese
Published: June 2020

Objective:

To study the potential changes of health-related quality of life (HRQL), voice quality, and communicative function up to 24 months following radiotherapy for patients with laryngeal cancer.

Methods:

A total of 28 patients with laryngeal cancer, treated by curatively intended radiotherapy were included in this prospective longitudinal descriptive study. Patients were followed pre-radiotherapy, 12 months, and 24 months post-radiotherapy. At each time point, voice recordings and patient-reported outcome instruments (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality-of-Life Questionnaire Core30, Head and Neck35, Swedish Self-Evaluation of Communication Experiences after Laryngeal Cancer) were completed. Perceptual analysis using the Grade-Roughness-Breathiness-Asthenia-Strain was performed using the voice recordings.

Results:

Voice quality remains inferior to the voices of healthy controls both before and up to 24 months post-radiotherapy, demonstrating no statistically significant changes during the study period. Self-perceived communicative function revealed a trend toward improvement. Health-related quality of life remains mostly at stable levels, however, with statistically significant deterioration regarding dry mouth and sticky saliva. Generally, patients reported inferior scores compared to a normal population.

Conclusion:

This study demonstrated no statistically significant changes over time in HRQL and perceptual voice quality at pre-radiotherapy compared to 24 months post-radiotherapy. However, the values remain inferior to the voices of healthy controls or a normal population.
Socioeconomic Disparities in Pediatric Single‐Sided Deafness
Authors: Lipschitz Noga , Kohlberg Gavriel D. , Scott Michael , Smith Matthew M. , Greinwald John H.
Published: June 2020

Objective

To explore socioeconomic disparities in pediatric single‐sided deafness (SSD) treatment.

Study Design

Retrospective chart review.

Setting

Tertiary referral academic center.

Methods

The charts of 190 pediatric patients with SSD were reviewed for demographic and clinical characteristics. Socioeconomic variables included race and insurance status. ZIP codes were used to obtain additional socioeconomic data from the American Community Survey, including mean and median income, percentage of families below the poverty level, and employment status. Socioeconomic status (SES) was classified by insurance status and income. Treatment outcomes were analyzed by socioeconomic variables.

Results

There were 105 males and 85 females with a mean follow‐up of 55.2 months and a mean age at diagnosis of 4.4 years. Sixty‐three percent of children received treatment at last follow‐up. Thirty‐five percent of children had public insurance and 65% had private insurance. Treatment rates were similar in the private and public insurance groups (60.6% vs 66.7%, P =. 42), but device type was different between groups (P =. 02). Consistent device use was associated with private insurance (47.5% vs 38.9%, P =. 003) and high SES (94.4% vs 80%, P =. 04) on univariate but not on multivariate analysis. Aided audiometry results were similar between SES groups. No association was found between sex, race, income level, poverty level, or employment status and treatment outcomes.

Conclusion

Insurance type and SES were not associated with SSD treatment outcomes in children, although device use may be higher in children with private insurance and higher SES. Further research should focus on strategies to reduce barriers to treatment and improve adherence.
Otolaryngology in the Time of Corona: Assessing Operative Impact and Risk During the COVID‐19 Crisis
Authors: Kuhar Hannah N. , Heilingoetter Ashley , Bergman Maxwell , Worobetz Noah , Chiang Tendy , Matrka Laura
Published: June 2020

Objective

Limited research exists on the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic pertaining to otolaryngology–head and neck surgery (OHNS). The present study seeks to understand the response of OHNS workflows in the context of policy changes and to contribute to developing preparatory guidelines for perioperative management in OHNS.

Study Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Pediatric and general adult academic medical centers and a Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC).

Subjects and Methods

OHNS cases from March 18 to April 8, 2020—the 3 weeks immediately following the Ohio state‐mandated suspension of all elective surgery on March 18, 2020—were compared with a 2019 control data set.

Results

During this time, OHNS at the general adult and pediatric medical centers and CCC experienced 87.8%, 77.1%, and 32% decreases in surgical procedures as compared with 2019, respectively. Aerosol‐generating procedures accounted for 86.8% of general adult cases, 92.4% of pediatric cases, and 62.0% of CCC cases. Preoperative COVID‐19 testing occurred in 7.1% of general adult, 9% of pediatric, and 6.9% of CCC cases. The majority of procedures were tiers 3a and 3b per the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Aerosol‐protective personal protective equipment (PPE) was worn in 28.6% of general adult, 90% of pediatric, and 15.5% of CCC cases.

Conclusion

For OHNS, the majority of essential surgical cases remained high‐risk aerosol‐generating procedures. Preoperative COVID‐19 testing and intraoperative PPE usage were initially inconsistent; systemwide guidelines were developed rapidly but lagged behind recommendations of the OHNS department and its academy. OHNS best practice standards are needed for preoperative COVID‐19 status screening and PPE usage as we begin national reopening.
Mapping lesbian and queer lines of desire: Constellations of queer urban space
Authors: Gieseking Jen Jack
Published: June 2020

The path to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) liberation has been narrated through a claim to long-term, propertied territory in the form of urban neighborhoods and bars. However, lesbians and queers fail to retain these spaces over generations, often due to their lesser political and economic power. What then is the lesbian–queer production of urban space in their own words? Drawing on interviews with and archival research about lesbians and queers who lived in New York City from 1983 to 2008, my participants queered the fixed, property-driven neighborhood models of LGBTQ space in producing what I call constellations. Like stars in the sky, contemporary urban lesbians and queers often create and rely on fragmented and fleeting experiences in lesbian–queer places, evoking patterns based on generational, racialized, and classed identities. They are connected by overlapping, embodied paths and stories that bind them over generations and across many identities, like drawing lines between the stars in the sky. This queer feminist contribution to critical urban theory adds to the models of queering and producing urban space–time.
The role of feedback and instruction on the cross-situational learning of vocabulary and morphosyntax: Mixed effects models reveal local and global effects on acquisition
Authors: Monaghan Padraic , Ruiz Simón , Rebuschat Patrick
Published: June 2020

First language acquisition is implicit, in that explicit information about the language structure to be learned is not provided to children. Instead, they must acquire both vocabulary and grammar incrementally, by generalizing across multiple situations that eventually enable links between words in utterances and referents in the environment to be established. However, this raises a problem of how vocabulary can be acquired without first knowing the role of the word within the syntax of a sentence. It also raises practical issues about the extent to which different instructional conditions – about grammar in advance of learning or feedback about correct decisions during learning – might influence second language acquisition of implicitly experienced information about the language. In an artificial language learning study, we studied participants learning language from inductive exposure, but under different instructional conditions. Language learners were exposed to complex utterances and complex scenes and had to determine the meaning and the grammar of the language from these co-occurrences with environmental scenes. We found that learning was boosted by explicit feedback, but not by explicit instruction about the grammar of the language, compared to an implicit learning condition. However, the effect of feedback was not general across all aspects of the language. Feedback improved vocabulary, but did not affect syntax learning. We further investigated the local, contextual effects on learning, and found that previous knowledge of vocabulary within an utterance improved learning but that this was driven only by certain grammatical categories in the language. The results have implications for theories of second language learning informed by our understanding of first language acquisition as well as practical implications for learning instruction and optimal, contingent adjustment of learners’ environment during their learning.
Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathway optimizes outcomes and costs for minimally invasive radical prostatectomy
Authors: Xu Ying , Liu Ao , Chen Lu , Huang Hai , Gao Yi , Zhang Chuanjie , Xu Yang , Huang Da , Xu Danfeng , Zhang Min
Published: June 2020

Objective

To evaluate the impact of an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathway on patients undergoing minimally invasive radical prostatectomy at a single institute.

Methods

In this retrospective study, 301 patients who underwent laparoscopic or robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy from May 2014 to September 2018 were consecutively recruited. Before April 2017, the patients were treated with conventional care; all patients were treated with the ERAS pathway thereafter. The primary outcome was the postoperative length of hospital stay (LOS). The secondary outcomes were hospitalization costs and postoperative complications.

Results

In total, 138 patients were treated with the ERAS pathway, and the remaining patients underwent conventional care. The postoperative LOS was significantly shorter in the ERAS group than in the conventional group (median, 6 vs. 8 days). The hospitalization costs were also significantly lower in the ERAS group ($4086 vs. $5530). Ten (6.1%) patients in the ERAS group and 17 (12.3%) patients in the conventional group developed postoperative complications. The multivariable analysis showed that ERAS care was a significant independent predictive factor for a shortened LOS and reduced hospitalization costs.

Conclusions

The ERAS pathway was associated with a shortened LOS and reduced hospitalization costs for patients undergoing minimally invasive radical prostatectomy.
Comparison of analgesic efficacy of continuous transversus abdominis plane block with continuous epidural analgesia in patients undergoing abdominal surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Liu Xiangbo , Ou Cehua , Peng Fei , Mu Guo
Published: June 2020

Background

A novel technique of continuous transversus abdominis plane block (TAPB) has been reported to be beneficial to patients undergoing abdominal surgery because it can significantly relieve postoperative pain. The aim of our study is to compare this novel technique with a traditional technique of continuous epidural analgesia (EA).

Methods

We conducted our meta-analysis in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared the efficacy of continuous TAPB and continuous EA to relieve postoperative pain were included. Patients were classified by nationality (Chinese, non-Chinese) for the subgroup analysis.

Results

Nine RCTs with 598 patients were included in our study. Pain levels measured by visual analog scale (VAS) scores at rest on postoperative day 1 were equivalent for continuous TAPB groups and continuous EA groups in non-Chinese and Chinese patients. The TAPB groups experienced a lower rate of hypotension, sensorimotor disorder, and nausea compared with the continuous EA group within 48 hours after surgery.

Conclusion

Continuous TAPB and continuous EA are equally effective in relieving postoperative pain at rest 24 hours after surgery, but EA was associated with more side effects such as hypotension, nausea, and sensorimotor disorder.
Post-mortem diagnosis of intravascular large B-cell lymphoma
Authors: Maiese Aniello , La Russa Raffaele , De Matteis Alessandra , Frati Paola , Fineschi Vittorio
Published: June 2020

Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVLBCL) is a rare (<1%), typically aggressive extranodal variant of mature non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphoma. IVLBCL is characterized by malignant lymphoid cells lodged within blood vessels, particularly capillary channels. Herein, we present a case of a 50-year-old man with a history of myeloradiculitis (∼1 year) and paraparesis requiring hospitalization. During the course of his hospital stay, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging, CT-positron emission tomography, and biopsy failed to establish a diagnosis. The patient died 2 months later from bilateral pneumonia. Postmortem examination was undertaken to determine the cause of death. Histologic sections of the patient’s brain, heart, lung, and liver showed aggregates of highly atypical cells bearing enlarged, pleomorphic, and hyperchromatic nuclei. Strong intravascular positivity for CD45 and CD20 markers indicated the cells were of B-cell origin, supporting a diagnosis of IVLBCL.
Frequency of hyperoxaemia during and after major surgery
Authors: Karalapillai Dharshi , Weinberg Laurence , Peyton Philip J , Ellard Louise , Hu Raymond , Pearce Brett , Tan Chong , Story David , O’Donnell Mark , Hamilton Patrick , Oughton Chad , Galtieri Jonathan , Wilson Anthony , Eastwood Glenn , Bellomo Rinaldo , Jones Daryl
Published: June 2020

The oxygen concentration (FiO2) and arterial oxygen tension (PaO2) delivered in patients undergoing major surgery is poorly understood. We aimed to assess current practice with regard to the delivered FiO2 and the resulting PaO2 in patients undergoing major surgery. We performed a retrospective cohort study in a tertiary hospital. Data were collected prospectively as part of a larger randomised controlled trial but were analysed retrospectively. Patients were included if receiving controlled mandatory ventilation and arterial line monitoring. Anaesthetists determined the FiO2 and the oxygenation saturation (SpO2) targets. An arterial blood gas (ABG) was obtained 15–20 minutes after induction of anaesthesia, immediately before the emergence phase of anaesthesia and 15 minutes after arrival in the post-anaesthesia care unit (PACU). We defined hyperoxaemia as a PaO2 of >150 mmHg and included a further threshold of PaO2 >200 mmHg. We studied 373 patients. The median (interquartile range (IQR)) lowest intraoperative FiO2 and SpO2 values were 0.45 (IQR 0.4–0.5) and 97% (IQR 96–98%), respectively, with a median PaO2 on the first and second ABG of 237 mmHg (IQR 171–291 mmHg) and 189 mmHg (IQR 145–239 mmHg), respectively. In the PACU, the median lowest oxygen flow rate was 6 L/min (IQR 3–6 L/min), and the PaO2 was 158 mmHg (IQR 120–192 mmHg). Hyperoxaemia occurred in 82%, 73% and 54% of participants on the first and second intraoperative and postoperative ABGs respectively. A PaO2 of >200 mmHg occurred in 64%, 41% and 21% of these blood gases, respectively. In an Australian tertiary hospital, a liberal approach to FiO2 and PaO2 was most common and resulted in a high incidence of perioperative hyperoxaemia.
Liquidity and speed of leverage adjustment
Authors: Ho Ly , Lu Yue , Bai Min
Published: June 2020

This article investigates the effect of liquidity on the speed of adjustment (SOA) of corporate leverage at the individual company level. Using panel analysis of data from 35 countries between 1996 and 2016, we find that high-liquidity firms have a significantly faster SOA than less liquid firms. This result survives a series of robustness checks and holds after addressing the endogeneity concern using exogenous shocks and additional control variables. We find that the positive effect of liquidity on the SOA exists only for over-levered firms, and this impact is moderated in countries with bankruptcy codes. We further find that the positive liquidity-SOA relationship is less (more) pronounced for firms in strong (weak) institutional environments. The results provide new insights into the role of liquidity in firms’ capital structure decisions and the determinants of capital structure dynamics.

JEL Classification: G12, G32
Impact of Cognitive Distractions on Drivers’ Hazardous Event Anticipation and Mitigation Behavior in Vehicle–Bicycle Conflict Situations
Authors: Ebadi Yalda , Pai Ganesh , Samuel Siby , Fisher Donald L.
Published: June 2020

Vehicle–bicycle collisions are increasing alarmingly. A recent study shows that cognitively distracted drivers who are glancing on the forward roadway are also less likely to glance toward areas for potential vehicle–bicyclist conflicts. But this study did not determine whether cognitively distracted drivers who did glance toward the appropriate area were as likely to process the information as drivers who were not cognitively distracted. Evidence that drivers who were cognitively distracted and glanced toward the bicyclist were not as likely to process the information could be inferred either from shorter fixations in the area where a bicyclist could appear or from smaller reductions in the speed of their vehicle to mitigate a potential conflict. This study intends to add to previous results by examining only glance and vehicle behaviors of participants who glance toward the latent hazardous events involving bicyclists. Specifically, the durations of the glances toward the latent hazardous events of participants who are and are not cognitively distracted are compared as well as their velocity while approaching the potential strike zones. Two groups of 20 participants (one distracted, one not distracted) each drove through seven scenarios on a fixed-based driving simulator while their eye movements were continuously tracked using an eye tracker. Analysis of the participants’ longest glance duration toward the latent hazardous events indicated that distracted drivers made shorter glances toward the latent hazardous events when compared with their non-distracted counterparts. However, there was no difference in vehicle velocity between distracted and non-distracted drivers near the potential strike zones.
Body Image and Eating Disturbances in Children: The Role of Self-Objectification
Authors: Jongenelis Michelle I. , Pettigrew Simone
Published: June 2020

Self-objectification has been implicated in the development of body image disturbances and disordered eating among adults and adolescents. Empirical research exploring these associations among children is limited. Given body image and eating disturbances have been observed in a significant proportion of children, elucidating the factors associated with these disturbances among members of this population segment is important to informing prevention and intervention efforts. Accordingly, we cross-sectionally examined the association between self-objectification and body image and eating disturbances in 219 Australian 6- to 11-year-olds (57% classified as female children; average age = 8.37 years, SD = 1.42). Significant associations were observed between measures of self-objectification and body surveillance; body surveillance and both body shame and weight/shape concern; and weight/shape concern and dietary restraint. Results suggest early interventions targeting poor body image may need to address self-objectification, although further research is needed to firmly establish self-objectification as a risk factor for poor body image in children. Practitioners could utilize resources specifically developed for children, which encourage positive body esteem, build body confidence, support healthy relationships with food and exercise, and promote activities encouraging individuals to be attuned to how their bodies feel rather than how they look.
Clinical Value of Ultrasonographic Assessment in Lateral Epicondylitis Versus Asymptomatic Healthy Controls
Authors: Krogh Thøger P. , Fredberg Ulrich , Ammitzbøll Christian , Ellingsen Torkell
Published: June 2020

Background:

Ultrasonography (US) is often used in the assessment of lateral epicondylitis (LE). The strength of evidence supporting its role is, however, not well-documented.

Purpose:

To describe and compare the US tendinopathic changes observed in patients with LE and the general population, including any correlation between patient characteristics and US outcomes.

Study Design:

Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Tendon thickness, color Doppler activity, and bone spur were assessed by US in 264 participants with healthy elbows and 60 patients with chronic LE. In addition to patient characteristics, Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation (PRTEE) score, pain, and disability were recorded.

Results:

Depending on the measurement technique used, mean LE tendon thickness increased by 0.53 mm (10.2%) or 0.70 mm (14.5%) as compared with the contralateral arm and 0.40 mm (7.9%) or 0.41 mm (8.5%) as compared with the general population. Mean color Doppler activity (scale, 0-4) was 3.47 in the LE arm versus 0.13 in the contralateral asymptomatic arm and 0.26 in the general population. Bone spur was observed in 78% of the LE arms as opposed to 45% in the contralateral arms and 50% in the general population. In the LE group and the general population, the prevalence of bone spur increases with age. No correlations were observed with pain, disability, PRTEE, and disease duration.

Conclusion:

Increased common extensor tendon thickness is part of the tendinopathic changes observed in LE. However, given the marked variation in natural tendon thickness and small increases in tendon thickness in patients with LE, this technique cannot be used as a stand-alone diagnostic tool but rather as a supplement to the overall assessment. The contralateral elbow (if asymptomatic) is a better tendon thickness comparator than a general population mean value. Color Doppler activity is an indicator of ongoing tendinopathy and supports the LE diagnosis, but it is not pathognomonic for the condition. Absence of Doppler activity in a patient with suspected LE should raise suspicion of other diagnoses. Identification of a bone spur is of very limited clinical value given the high prevalence in the general population. The important outcomes of pain, disability, PRTEE, and disease duration did not correlate with any of the investigated US techniques.
The Return to Visual Communication in Christian Education
Authors: Trozzo Wendolyn
Published: June 2020

Throughout the history of education, a pendulum has swung between emphasis on images/visual arts, and word/Word. This article considers this swing in the history of Christian education and correlations with changing technologies, integrated with Bloom’s taxonomy. In a modern world that is both fragmented and overloaded, educators approach visual means of communication through critical appropriation of technology and media. Recommendations are provided for ministry that is interactive, image-rich, and explores communal processes.
Perceptions of Child Maltreatment Among Professionals and the Public in Singapore
Authors: Lui Zhi Jing , Tan Jacky Chin Gee , Koh Chee Wan , Liu Denise , Elliott John M. , Fu Charlene S. L. , Teo Cuthbert Eng Swee
Published: June 2020

Child maltreatment is associated with significant negative long-term outcomes. Behaviors considered to be more serious and abusive are more likely identified as maltreatment and reported. Therefore, studying child maltreatment perceptions among professionals and the public who regularly work with children could inform practice. Existing studies examining professionals’ and the public’s perceptions of maltreatment have reported mixed findings, motivating a more comprehensive study of maltreatment perceptions. Our study compared perceived abusiveness and seriousness of behaviors (a) across professional groups (educators, counselors/social workers, nurses, doctors, and police officers), and (b) between professional groups and the public. We surveyed 1,022 professionals and 500 members of the public. Respondents completed an 18-item measure on their perceived abusiveness of potential maltreatment behaviors, and rated the seriousness of 21 vignettes depicting maltreatment behaviors. We found that educators surveyed in our study perceived all child maltreatment behaviors as more serious, and emotional maltreatment behaviors as more abusive, than other professional groups. Conversely, police officers in our sample perceived neglect/emotional maltreatment behaviors as less serious than other professionals. Police officers also perceived physical abuse and emotional maltreatment behaviors as less abusive than other professionals. In our sample, professionals perceived maltreatment behaviors as less serious than the public, while the public was more hesitant to label behaviors as constituting abuse than professionals. These findings highlight the need to address inconsistencies in maltreatment perceptions across professionals and the public, to ensure the provision of appropriate intervention in suspected maltreatment cases.
Trauma Exposure and Domestic Violence Offending Severity in a Probation Sample From Post-conflict Northern Ireland
Authors: Travers Áine , McDonagh Tracey , Cunningham Twylla , Dalsklev Madeleine , Armour Cherie , Hansen Maj
Published: June 2020

Domestic violence is more common in post-conflict settings such as Northern Ireland. However, the extent to which trauma and related mental health problems are associated with domestic violence perpetration in the region has not yet been quantitatively assessed. The present study examines relationships between multiple traumas, mental health problems, and five indicators of domestic violence perpetration severity (causing injury, use of a weapon, breach of nonmolestation order, sexual violence, and previous police involvement). The unique risk associated with distinct types of trauma (i.e., childhood maltreatment or conflict related) was also investigated. Perpetrators’ case file data ( n = 405) were analyzed using hierarchical logistic regression. The rates of recorded trauma exposure and mental health difficulties were 72.3% and 63.5%, respectively. The first logistic regression analyses showed that exposure to multiple traumas was associated with increased likelihood of perpetrating injurious and sexual violence, when controlling for the covariates (odds ratios [ORs] = 1.24–1.28). The second logistic regression analyses showed that childhood maltreatment was the only trauma type to confer unique risk, a relationship that was significant only for the outcome of perpetrating injurious violence (OR = 3.06). Substance misuse was also significantly associated with perpetration of injurious violence, use of weapons, and having past police involvement (ORs = 2.49–3.50). The accumulation of traumatic experiences and substance abuse appear to act as risk factors for some indicators of offending severity. Childhood maltreatment appears to confer particularly strong risk. The findings may support a focus on trauma and substance abuse as intervention targets in post-conflict settings.
The Role of Middle School Sports Involvement in Understanding High School Sexual Violence Perpetration
Authors: Basile Kathleen C. , Espelage Dorothy L. , Ingram Katherine M. , Simon Thomas R. , Berrier Faith L.
Published: June 2020

A number of studies have examined the association between male involvement in sports and sexual violence (SV) perpetration, especially among college-age males. Less is known about the association between sports involvement and SV perpetration for adolescent males and females. To address this gap, the current study examined sports involvement in middle school (no sports, no/low contact, and high contact) among 1,561 students, who were then followed into high school and asked about the frequency of SV perpetration. Results from logistic regression models indicated that, even after controlling for mother’s education, race/ethnicity, SV perpetration in middle school, and traditional beliefs about masculinity and substance use, middle school sports participation was significantly associated with risk of SV perpetration in high school. Compared with youth who reported no sports involvement in middle school, youth categorized as no/low contact sports involvement had greater odds of SV perpetration in high school. Sex differences emerged, revealing that no/low contact sports involvement was associated with SV perpetration for females and high contact sports involvement was associated with SV perpetration for males, compared with no sports involvement. These findings suggest potential opportunities to intervene in middle school to improve coaching practices, enhance respectful relationships, and modify athletes’ norms, attitudes, and behaviors to reduce risk for SV perpetration in high school.
From Sevastopol to Sukhumi – and back again: British naval liaison in action with the Red Navy in the Black Sea, 1941-1945
Authors: Folly Martin H
Published: June 2020

During World War II, Britain established a liaison officer with the Soviet Fleet in the Black Sea. Military cooperation between the western allies and the USSR is often regarded as minimal and unsuccessful, but this post demonstrated more positive cooperation. There were two crises when there were accusations of misbehaviour, and there were occasions when he was idle, but these were handled successfully in Whitehall. The post endured, and successive officers did a good job of operational liaison, as well as providing unique intelligence insights from a Soviet fighting front, right up until the end of the war in Europe.
Sequential exposure to bovine viral diarrhea virus and bovine coronavirus results in increased respiratory disease lesions: clinical, immunologic, pathologic, and immunohistochemical findings
Authors: Ridpath Julia F. , Fulton Robert W. , Bauermann Fernando V. , Falkenberg Shollie M. , Welch Jenny , Confer Anthony W.
Published: June 2020

Bovine coronaviruses (BoCVs) have been found in respiratory tissues in cattle and frequently associated with bovine respiratory disease (BRD); however, pathogenesis studies in calves are limited. To characterize the pathogenesis and pathogenicity of BoCV isolates, we used 5 different BoCV strains to inoculate colostrum-deprived calves, ~ 2–5 wk of age. Later, to determine if dual viral infection would potentiate pathogenicity of BoCV, calves were inoculated with BoCV alone, bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) alone, or a series of dual-infection (BVDV–BoCV) schemes. A negative control group was included in all studies. Clinical signs and body temperature were monitored during the study and samples collected for lymphocyte counts, virus isolation, and serology. During autopsy, gross lesions were recorded and fixed tissues collected for histopathology and immunohistochemistry; fresh tissues were collected for virus isolation. Results suggest increased pathogenicity for isolate BoCV OK 1776. Increased body temperature was found in all virus-inoculated groups. Lung lesions were present in calves in all dual-infection groups; however, lesions were most pronounced in calves inoculated with BVDV followed by BoCV inoculation 6 d later. Lung lesions were consistent with mild-to-moderate interstitial pneumonia, and immunohistochemistry confirmed the presence of BoCV antigen. Our studies demonstrated that BVDV–BoCV dual infection may play an important role in BRD pathogenesis, and timing between infections seems critical to the severity of lesions.
Exploring Fathers’ Engagement With Home Visiting: The Tennessee Dad Project
Authors: Stolz Heidi E. , LaGraff Melissa Rector , Mullican K. Nicole , Connor Lisa A. , Green Meagan J. , Clouthier Shelby
Published: June 2020

This study explores fathers’ engagement with home visiting in the “Tennessee Dad” project, a cluster randomized-controlled trial of an in-home parenting education program for fathers delivered alongside a primary home visiting curriculum. Results from three mixed models using data from 2,916 visits with treatment ( n = 113) and control ( n = 117) condition families indicated that visits to treatment condition families were more likely to have a father present than visits to control condition families, but there were no differences between conditions on participation minutes or level of interest. Nonresidential fathers did not differ from married and cohabiting fathers on presence at home visit, controlling for covariates. Implications are discussed, including the need for father-specific materials and father-inclusive funding.
Influence of electrode configuration on impact damage evaluation of self-sensing hierarchical composites
Authors: Uribe-Riestra Gabriela Carolina , Ocampo-Bello Jorge Andrés , Gamboa Fidel , Mendoza-Santoyo Fernando , Pérez-López Carlos , Franco-Urquiza Edgar A , Preud’homme Marc , Castillo-Atoche Alejandro , Avilés Francis
Published: June 2020

A technique based on the electrical resistance change of a network of carbon nanotubes within a polymer composite was implemented to assess damage caused by low-velocity impact in multiscale hierarchical composites. The influence of the electrode configuration in 100 mm x 100 mm x 1.7 mm plates is addressed. Three electrode configurations are evaluated, namely, a grid on the impacted surface, a grid on the opposite (non-impacted) surface, and through the thickness of the plate. Upon impact, matrix cracking, delamination, and fiber rupture cause disruption and redistribution of the electrical network of carbon nanotubes, whose electrical resistance changes can be correlated with such damage. It is found that the non-impacted surface exhibits a higher fractional change of electrical resistance and hence higher sensitivity to damage. The results obtained using the electrical technique showed a good correlation with damage detected by independent measurements by digital holographic interferometry and ultrasonic inspections.