bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Early experience of a regional trauma center in Gangwon province: First step toward organizing a regional trauma system
Authors: Kim Kwangmin , Shim Hongjin , Jung Pil Young , Kim Seongyup , Bang Hui-Jae , Kwon Hye Youn , Choi Young Un , Bae Keum Seok , Jang Ji Young
Published: March 2019

Background:

The Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare decided to establish a trauma medical service system to reduce preventable deaths. OO hospital in Gangwon Province was selected as a regional trauma center and was inaugurated in 2015.

Objectives:

This study examines the impact of this center, comparing mortality and other variables before and after inaugurating the center.

Methods:

Severely injured patients (injury severity score > 15) presenting to OO hospital between January 2014 and December 2016 were enrolled and categorized into two groups: before trauma center (n = 365) and after trauma center (n = 904). Patient characteristics, variables, and patient outcomes (including mortality rate) before and after the establishment of trauma centers were compared accordingly for both groups. Risk factors for in-hospital mortality were also identified.

Results:

Probability of survival using trauma and injury severity score (%) method was significantly lower in the after trauma center group (81.3 ± 26.1) than in the before trauma center group (84.7 ± 21.0) (p = 0.014). In-hospital mortality rates were similar in both groups (before vs after trauma center group: 13.2% vs 14.2%; p = 0.638). The Z and W statistics revealed higher scores in the after trauma center group than in the before trauma center group (Z statistic, 4.69 vs 1.37; W statistic, 4.52 vs 2.10); 2.42 more patients (per 100 patients) survived after trauma center establishment.

Conclusion:

Although the mortality rates of trauma patients remained unchanged after the trauma center establishment, the Z and W statistics revealed improvements in the quality of care.
Exploration of Challenge Courses’ Long-Term Effects on Members of College Student Organizations
Authors: Hatch Katharine D. , McCarthy Christopher J.
Published: March 2019

This study examined the long-term effects of participation in a half-day, low-element challenge course on the group functioning of members of college student organizations. Seventy-six participants completed measures of group cohesion, group effectiveness, and individual effectiveness within the group at four points in time: (a) one week prior to the course (baseline), (b) immediately prior to the course (pretest), (c) immediately following the course (posttest), (d) and two months after the course (follow-up). Results showed no change in group functioning from baseline to pretest, significant increases in group functioning from pretest to posttest, and a return to pretest levels of group functioning at follow-up. Implications of these results and ideas for extending the longevity of challenge course gains are discussed.
Landfullness in Adventure-Based Programming: Promoting Reconnection to the Land
Authors: Baker Molly
Published: March 2019

Nearly a half-century ago, Aldo Leopold acknowledged the threat of “landlessness” in our society as measured by the loss of our collective awareness of, and admiration for, the land (Leopold, 1966). At present, this disconnect has evolved to the point where participants in adventure-based programs may find themselves traveling through “Any Woods, USA,” perceiving the landscape as an interchangeable backdrop rather than developing a personal connection to it. Experiential educators can take a tangible step toward solving this dilemma by promoting “landfull” experiences that actively engage students with place. The Landfull Framework consists of four areas of “landfullness:” (a) Being Deeply Aware, (b) Interpreting Land History, (c) Sensing Place in the Present, and (d) Connecting to Home. The essence of landfullness is for participants to discover a personal approach of relating to the land that is integral to everyday life.
Families Facing the Opioid Crisis: Content and Frame Analysis of YouTube Videos
Authors: Johnson Kaprea F. , Worth Allison , Brookover Dana
Published: March 2019

Opioid abuse has become a national crisis due to overprescribing, misuse, and misinformation. Data were collected from N = 125 YouTube videos, with n = 33 videos fitting the inclusion criteria for the analysis, which sought to understand the lived experiences of parents and families impacted by the opioid crisis. YouTube was utilized to research the opioid crisis due to the availability of up-to-date content and the large, diverse user base. Researchers used frame analysis and thematic content analysis, yielding two frames: (1) severe and urgent and (2) systemic, and four themes: (1) benefits and barriers to receiving counseling and supportive services, (2) multigenerational impact, (3) the importance of prevention and intervention, and (4) disbelief. Implications for counselors working with families affected by the opioid crisis and policy are discussed.
Memory for familiar locations: The impact of age, education and cognitive efficiency on two neuropsychological allocentric tasks
Authors: Lopez Antonella , Caffò Alessandro O. , Bosco Andrea
Published: March 2019

This research aims to reconsider and support the use of spatial tasks based on familiar geographical information in the neuropsychological assessment of topographical (dis)orientation. Performance on two spatial tasks based on familiar information —l andmark positioning on a map and map of Italy — were compared in two studies assessing allocentric orientation among young and healthy elderly with different levels of education (Study 1) and elderly with and without probable cognitive impairment (Study 2). Results from Study 1 showed that the map of Italy task was affected by education, while the landmark positioning on a map was not. Results of Study 2 showed that both tasks were sensitive to different levels of cognitive functioning in a sample of community-dwelling seniors. Overall, spatial tasks based on mental representation of the hometown environment may be an important supplement in the assessment of allocentric topographical disorientation, discriminating typical from atypical aging.
Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties of the Resilience Scale for Adolescents (READ)
Authors: Askeland Kristin Gärtner , Hysing Mari , Sivertsen Børge , Breivik Kyrre
Published: March 2019

Psychometric evaluations of the Resilience Scale for Adolescents (READ) have yielded inconsistent support for the original five-factor solution, with different modifications being proposed. The aim of the present article was to investigate the psychometric properties and factor structure of the READ using both confirmatory and exploratory methods, and to evaluate how the scale fits within the theoretical framework of resilience. Data stem from the population-based youth@hordaland-study of 9,596 adolescents from 16 to 19 years of age. Using confirmatory factor analysis, the original five-factor model yielded relatively poor fit. A better model fit was identified for a different five-factor structure using exploratory methods including two new personal factors measuring (a) Goal Orientation and (b) Self-Confidence. This division was supported by low secondary loadings and moderate correlations between the factors, and gender differences in the mean scores. Although the READ is a multidimensional measure that includes individual, family, and social factors related to the resilience process, some important aspects of resilience have not been included.
A Revised Mental Energy Hypothesis of the g Factor in Light of Recent Neuroscience
Authors: Debatin Tobias
Published: March 2019

The article proposes a revised mental energy hypothesis for the emergence of the g factor. Charles E. Spearman interpreted the g factor as a kind of domain-general mental energy. Nowadays, it is known that the energy currency of organisms is the chemical energy transporter adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is produced by complex metabolic processes (mainly by glucose oxidation), and most of it in the human brain is used for neural signaling. There are substantial individual differences in the metabolic properties of the brain, which lead to different levels of energy production. It is thereby proposed to place more emphasis on individual differences of metabolic functions in intelligence research. Neuroscientific findings suggest that increased brain metabolism and, therefore, higher energy-production levels facilitate better performance on different cognitive tasks. These findings are not in conflict with the refined neural efficiency hypothesis. In addition, building on Dennis Garlick’s proposal that neural plasticity is the core process underlying the development of the g factor, it is illustrated why ATP is crucial for neural plasticity. Taken together, the direct effects of level of energy production on cognitive performance and the relations with neural plasticity suggest an important role in the emergence of the g factor.
Health Care Providers’ Perspectives on Family Compliance and Behavior Change in a Childhood Obesity Program
Authors: Silver Michelle Pannor , Cronin Shawna M.
Published: March 2019

Background. Evidence suggests that children and adolescents growing up in low-income families and those with underrepresented ethnocultural backgrounds tend to have high prevalence rates of obesity and more difficulty adhering to childhood obesity interventions. However, less is known about how intergenerational, family-based approaches to lifestyle interventions for childhood obesity support sustained behavior change. Aims. The aim of this study was to explore the perspectives of health care providers regarding family adherence and behavior change in a childhood obesity program that served ethnoculturally diverse and low-income families. Method. Semistructured in-person interviews were conducted with 18 providers at one of three hospitals participating in a Canadian family-based childhood obesity program. Data were thematically analyzed using a constant comparative approach. Results. The following key themes emerged as challenges from the provider’s perspective for family adherence and behavior modification in the childhood obesity program: divergent views about obesity, complicated lives and logistical priorities, parental role modeling, and intergenerational tensions. Discussion and Conclusion. This examination of providers’ perspectives on family adherence and behavior modification relevant to the management of childhood obesity highlight the importance of tailoring childhood obesity programs to the complex and diverse needs of families from diverse backgrounds. Recommendations include methods of service delivery that address logistical challenges and are better suited to extended families, particularly grandparents.
Obesity is not associated with hip failure in patients with articular surface replacement of the hip
Authors: Ray Gabrielle S , Laaksonen Inari , Galea Vincent P , Madanat Rami , Muratoglu Orhun , Malchau Henrik
Published: March 2019

Background:

Our main aim was to investigate whether obese patients were at increased risk of elevated metal ion levels and/or adverse local tissue reaction (ALTR) after being treated with articular surface replacement (ASR) hip arthroplasty.

Methods:

This study included 360 patients who underwent metal-on-metal (MoM) hip resurfacing (HRA) or total hip arthroplasty (THA). 95 patients (26%) were underweight/normal weight (BMI < 25 kg/m2), 139 (39%) were overweight (BMI 25–30 kg/m2), and 126 (36%) were obese (BMI ⩾ 30 kg/m2). Blood metal ion levels and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) were obtained, and a sub-cohort of 85 patients had MARS MRI performed. Logistic regression analyses were used to assess the associations between obesity and metal ions, as well as ALTR.

Results:

BMI was not associated with either elevated metal ion levels or ALTR. In HRA patients, female gender (OR 3.0; p = 0.019) and pain (OR 2.3; p = 0.046) were associated with elevated Co levels. Female patients had increased risk of elevated Cr levels (OR 3.0; p = 0.02). In THA patients, female gender (OR 2.2; p = 0.004) and VAS satisfaction (OR 2.1; p = 0.01) were associated with elevated Co levels. Female gender (OR 3.6; p = 0.001) and time from surgery (OR 1.4; p = 0.005) were associated with Cr levels. In the sub-cohort, ALTR was associated with Co levels (OR 16.1; p = 0.002) in HRA patients.

Conclusion:

Patients with BMI ⩾ 30 kg/m2 present no increased risk for elevated metal ion levels or development of ALTR.
Fantasy spaces and emotional derailment: Reflections on failure in academic activism
Authors: Callahan Jamie L. , Elliott Carole
Published: March 2019

Against a backdrop of contentious political landscapes of Brexit and the Trump victory, we reflect on our own experience of an attempt to engage in an activist event for academics that failed. We contend that our experiences of failure in this event, revealed by fantasy spaces and emotional derailment, serve as lessons for reinvigorating possibilities for academic activism. To provide background, we describe an event designed to form a policy as a collective response to the populism of Donald Trump. We then reflect on our role as critical scholars in this event that failed to meet our objective and taught us other important lessons. Our analysis leads us to address three orthodoxies: diatribes decrying the awfulness of Trump and his administration cronies create fantasy spaces that might ‘feel’ good, but are actually counterproductive; academia itself is a site for activism that has far-reaching implications; and hiding failure is a form of collaboration with performativity. Our provocation is, in part, to resist the ‘heroic’ and grandiose success story narrative—both in academia and activism. We do this by foregrounding vulnerability through sharing our own story of failure and reflecting on some of the devices that derailed our attempt at academic activism.
Experimental investigations of tribological performances of novel friction pair with different conical configurations
Authors: Wu Xiangyu , Wang Yanzhong
Published: March 2019

Friction plate with conical configuration is a novel application in automatic transmission. In order to investigate the tribological performances of novel friction pair with different conical configurations, a series of tests are conducted by using a variable-speed friction test rig. The lubrication regime is evaluated by the friction coefficient curves under different loads. Test results of the friction coefficient under different rotating speeds are analyzed. The difference in the frictional behavior is analyzed for different conical friction pairs. The effects of the cone height and cone angle are evaluated under the same dimensions. Results show that changes in the conical configuration indeed influence the frictional behaviors of the friction specimens. Rational determination of the conical configuration is helpful to obtain good tribological performance.
Factors influencing adherence to therapeutic recommendations made after diagnostic reassessment of medically unexplained symptoms in children and adolescents
Authors: Bonduelle Sam LB , Vanderfaeillie Johan , Denijs Katrien , Lampo Annik , Imeraj Lindita
Published: March 2019

Background:

Medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) are common among children and adolescents and may be highly impairing. Even after long diagnostic and/or therapeutic trajectories, many of these children and their parents feel dissatisfied with the advice and therapies they were given.

Objectives:

After a 2-week hospitalisation for somatic and psychiatric reassessment, children and their families were given recommendations for further treatment. This study evaluates which of these recommendations were carried out (primary outcome measure) and which factors influenced the (non-)adherence to therapeutic advice.

Methods:

Parents of 27 children aged 7–17 with impairing MUS took part in a structured telephone survey to assess adherence to and perceived effectiveness of therapeutic recommendations (cross-sectional study). Influencing factors were analysed retrospectively.

Results:

Psychotherapy was recommended to all 27 patients and their families; 19 of them (70.4%) carried out this advice. When physiotherapy was recommended, adherence proved lower (6/22 children; 27.3%). No influencing factors were found to have a statistically significant correlation with adherence. Effect sizes may be indicative of clinically relevant influential factors, but should be considered cautiously.

Conclusion:

Results suggest that more efforts need to be made to ensure adherence to therapeutic recommendations. Known risk factors for non-adherence to treatments for chronic somatic disorders may not apply for children with somatoform disorders.
Young men’s body dissatisfaction: A qualitative analysis of anonymous online accounts
Authors: Whitaker Candice , Gough Brendan , Fawkner Helen , Deighton-Smith Nova
Published: March 2019

Associated with numerous adverse health outcomes, body dissatisfaction in young men requires close examination. This study explores online accounts relating to male body image, including young men’s personal disclosures within one online newspaper article, and posts responding to this topic. Discursively informed thematic analysis indicated that non-disclosure was considered a problematic social expectation by the young men featured in the article. Also, reader posts variously constructed body dissatisfaction as a symptom of adolescence, a lack of self-care and an incapacity to capitalise on compensatory qualities. Our analysis suggests young men may welcome safe opportunities to critically discuss prevailing body image ideals.
Putting patients into the centre: Patient empowerment in everyday health practices
Authors: Schneider-Kamp Anna , Askegaard Søren
Published: March 2019

Patient empowerment is a key topic in public health, medical sociology and in public debates on the modernisation of healthcare. This article joins the on-going discussion on public and patient involvement by offering a patient-centred perspective on patient empowerment outside the usual institutionalised context of chronic disease management. We present results from a qualitative study on individuals’ practices of dealing with acute non-life-threatening medical conditions conducted from 2012 to 2017 in Denmark. Based on 34 home visits including in-depth interviews and participant observations with a sample of 28 informants, we uncover a spectrum of four patient tactics governing these practices: delegating, informing, consuming and resisting. The findings suggest disruptive changes to the role of the patient–physician relationship as well as the existence of practices indicative of patient empowerment outside the context of patient empowerment initiatives. Some patients are found to take over responsibility for their health, employing tactics where the role of general practitioners is severely demoted. These empirical contributions lead to the two theoretical contributions of the article: an extension of an existing model of patient empowerment and a conceptual reconsideration of patient empowerment, advocating viewing it as emerging from a bricolage of tactical interactions with social environments rather than as the consequence of an external strategic process.
The necessity of education and hepatitis B vaccination for young people: A study of high risk behaviour for blood borne viruses in the United Kingdom
Authors: Sira J , Brown M , Ambegaokar S , Modin L , Kelly DA
Published: March 2019

Blood borne virus (BBV) infection in adults involved in high risk behaviour is well recognized. There are limited reported data on young people involved in high risk behaviour. A descriptive questionnaire was used to ascertain risk behaviour at the Young People’s Substance Misuse Service (Birmingham). Data collection included risk behaviour and serological tests for hepatitis B, C and HIV. Sixty-five of one-hundred three (63%) young people participated; 37/65 male; age range 13.9–18.9 (median 17.4 years). Risk behaviour included 6 intravenous drug, 58 cannabis, and 61 had sexual partners, of whom 52 (85%) engaged in unprotected sex. Sixty-five participants were negative for BBV infection: 9 were HBV immune. HB vaccination was not available at the centre (for <18 year), and all refused referral to their general practitioner for vaccination due to fear of disclosure. The main risk for BBV acquisition was unprotected sex with multiple sexual partners and illicit drug use. Most were unaware of the risks related to high risk behaviour. Effective education programmes of relevant risk factors with HBV vaccination should be implemented during preadolescence. We recommend an integrated service via specialized centres, to work together to improve awareness and increase efforts to vaccinate adolescents at risk for HBV infection.
Book review: Anand, N. 2017: Hydraulic City: Water and the Infrastructures of Citizenship in Mumbai
Authors: Shah Sameer H.
Published: March 2019

Anand, N. 2017: Hydraulic City: Water and the Infrastructures of Citizenship in Mumbai. Durham and London: Duke University Press. 312 pp. US$99.95 (Cloth), US$26.95 (Paper). ISBN: 978-0-8223-6254-8 (Cloth), 978-0-8223-6269-2 (Paper).
Improving the orthodontic consent process: Amending hospital policy and implementing change
Authors: Prado Naomi , Waring David
Published: March 2019

Patient consent is a principal issue in healthcare. The well-publicised case between Montgomery versus Lanarkshire has highlighted the importance of consent to include a discussion of all relevant treatment risks. Within orthodontics, there are published guidelines from the profession’s governing body as to the common risks associated with treatment. Within hospitals and practices, the consent process is usually determined by set policies, which may be devised by non-clinical teams. Clinicians are well positioned to critique these processes and their input into such policies may be beneficial. A two-cycle, multi-centre audit was completed to assess the consistency of consent forms in two orthodontic departments. The results from the first cycle initiated the implementation of changes to hospital policy, in order to produce a new procedure-specific consent form for orthodontic treatment. Results from the second cycle of the audit, together with clinician feedback, showed that the new forms allowed for a more streamlined approach to the consent process and ensures patients are fully informed of all aspects of their personal treatment.
Role of polymorphisms of MSX1 and PAX9 genes in palatal impaction of maxillary canines
Authors: Devi M S Anjana , Padmanabhan Sridevi
Published: March 2019

Objective:

Maxillary canines are the second-most commonly impacted teeth. About two-thirds of the impacted maxillary canines are palatally impacted. Studies in the past have shown that 40% of cases with palatal impaction of maxillary canines presented with agenesis of third molars. Sporadic agenesis of third molars have been associated with polymorphisms in the MSX1 and PAX9 genes. The present study aims at evaluating the association between polymorphisms of PAX9, MSX1 and palatally impacted canines in a random population sample.

Design and setting:

Fifty individuals with palatally impacted maxillary canines and 50 gender and age-matched controls were included in this study.

Methods:

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs12532 of MSX1 and rs2073247 of PAX9, were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism. The significance of the differences among the groups was assessed by odds ratio and Chi-squared test with a 95% confidence interval

Results:

Single nucleotide polymorphisms rs12532 [MSX1] and rs 2073247 [PAX9] showed a statistically significant association with palatal impaction of maxillary canines. In addition, the combined presence of the AG/CT genotypes of these genes in an individual caused a significant increase in the risk for palatal impaction.

Conclusion:

These results suggest that the rs12532 and rs2073247 polymorphisms of genes MSX1 and PAX9 are positively associated with palatal impaction of maxillary canines. Future studies investigating various other SNPs of these genes in a larger sample of different populations could provide clinching details.
Orthodontic referral management systems: Do they make a difference?
Authors: Carty Orla , Toor Henna , Morris Timothy A , Harrison Jayne E
Published: March 2019

Aims:

To assess the performance of the referral management system (RMS) compared to a previous paper-based referral system and to determine whether referrals reflected the patients’ malocclusion and met current guidelines.

Design:

Three-cycle audit.

Setting:

Orthodontic Department, Liverpool University Dental Hospital, UK.

Participants:

Consecutive new orthodontic patient referrals.

Methods:

Data were collected prospectively from orthodontic referral letters and new patient clinic proformas (2016–2017). Cycle 1 assessed the original paper-based referral form, Cycle 2 assessed the first RMS online form and Cycle 3 assessed a modified RMS form.

Results:

Cycles 1, 2 and 3 audited 83, 84 and 81 referrals, respectively. Agreement between the reason for referral and the new patient clinic findings was moderate for Cycles 1 and 3 (Kappa = 0.47 and 0.60, respectively) and fair for Cycle 2 (Kappa = 0.40). In Cycles 1, 2 and 3, the proportion of new patients appropriate for hospital orthodontic care reduced from 52% to 51% and 40%, respectively. None of the three cycles reached the 90% target for compliance with current referral guidelines.

Conclusions:

Cycle 3’s RMS form gave a truer reflection of the patients’ malocclusion but reduced the proportion of appropriate referrals. Further audit is required in this area to investigate the cost-effectiveness and clinical benefits of the RMS.
Migration background – Statistical classification and the problem of implicitly ethnicising categorisation in educational contexts
Authors: Horvath Kenneth
Published: March 2019

Recent studies on ethnic boundary making have shown how deeply systems of statistical classification are intertwined with wider social and political relations. Empirical studies of this interplay have overwhelmingly focused on contexts of explicit ethnicising. This article, in contrast, discusses how ethnicised categories emerge and function in fields of professional practice in which categorisation practices, by themselves, are not necessarily ethnicising. The focus is on the field of education. Analysing categorisation processes in such fields of professional practice is crucial for understanding the social and political embedding of statistical classifications of migration and ethnicity: they are both part of the social foundation of statistical measurements and crucial contexts in which statistical classifications develop their broader societal effects. The article uses the German category of ‘migration background’ as an example to corroborate this argument. Drawing on findings from various empirical studies, it argues that the emergence of ‘migration background’ in educational contexts mirrors a more general shift from class-centred educational problematisations of the post-Second World War era to individualising and culturalising discourses of the 1990s and 2000s. Mirroring its historical development, current educational usages confound three dimensions of meaning (migration, ethnicity and social class), with important consequences for the problematisation of educational phenomena. The usage of this confounded category is deeply anchored in the structures of educational practice. At the same time, ‘migration background’ is full of tensions and increasingly incapable of classifying the ‘intended’ parts of student populations. Hence, the question about the future of ‘migration background’ as educational category and the problem of possible successors arise.
Direct Transcervical Access vs the Transfemoral Approach for Carotid Artery Stenting: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Texakalidis Pavlos , Giannopoulos Stefanos , Kokkinidis Damianos G. , Charisis Nektarios , Kakkar Amit , Jabbour Pascal , Rangel-Castilla Leonardo , Armstrong Ehrin J. , Reavey-Cantwell John
Published: March 2019

Purpose: To examine the safety profile of transcervical access (TCA) in comparison with the transfemoral approach (TFA) in carotid artery stenting. Materials and Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed according to current guidelines. Eleven eligible studies including 11,592 patients (10,736 in the TFA group and 856 in the TCA group) were identified through a search of the PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane databases up to October 2018. A random effects model meta-analysis was conducted, and the I2 statistic was used to assess heterogeneity. Publication bias was assessed using funnel plots and quantified using the Egger method. Results: The TFA group had a statistically significantly higher risk of periprocedural (30-day) stroke compared with the TCA group (OR 1.98, 95% CI 1.08 to 3.63, p=0.027; I2=0%). Also, patients in the TFA group had a significantly higher risk of developing new ischemic lesions (OR 2.97, 95% CI 1.48 to 5.96, p=0.002; I2=0%) on diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI). No differences in terms of transient ischemic attack (OR 1.50, 95% CI 0.73 to 3.10, p=0.268; I2=5.9%), myocardial infarction (OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.30 to 1.35; p=0.242; I2=0%), local hematoma (OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.12 to 2.25, p=0.389; I2=0%), or mortality (OR 1.35, 95% CI 0.62 to 2.92, p=0.449; I2=0%) were identified between the groups. Conclusion: TCA is associated with a significantly lower risk for periprocedural stroke and DW-MRI ischemic lesions compared with TFA. Other periprocedural outcomes were similar between the groups.
Females Are Not Proportionally Smaller Males: Relationships Between Radius Anthropometrics and Their Sex Differences
Authors: Thom Mitchell L. , Willmore Katherine , Surugiu Alexandra , Lalone Emily , Burkhart Timothy A.
Published: March 2019

Background: Distal radius fracture reduction by internal fixation is most commonly achieved using volar locking plates (VLPs). Many standard VLP designs make little point contact with radius anatomy, and most postsurgical complications following fixation are attributed to poor implant fit. Sex differences may require consideration in implant design, as females more commonly require VLP removal. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to determine whether the relationships between measures of radius shape are proportional between the sexes. Methods: Three-dimensional radius bone geometries were created from 40 male and 34 female (mean age = 72.04 years) forearm computed tomographic scans in Mimics (Materialise NV, Leuven, Belgium). Eleven measures of radius shape were collected from each scan. Principal components analysis was performed on these measures to determine which shape variables account for the greatest differences in radius shape among individuals and between the sexes. Results: Principal component scores representing isometric radius size separated the sexes. Six anthropometric measures significantly correlated with isometric radius size for all specimens, whereas 3 and 1 measures significantly correlated with isometric radius size in males and females, respectively. Conclusions: Anthropometrics of male and female radii vary by different proportions. Using anthropometrics from both sexes to create a single implant system may not result in optimal patient fit for either sex.
A Review of Wood Dust Longitudinal Health Studies: Implications for an Occupational Limit Value
Authors: Holm Stewart E. , Festa John L.
Published: March 2019

Numerous studies reporting on the health effects of wood dust have been published over many decades. For the clear majority of these studies, their use for setting a science-based occupational exposure level is problematic due generally to insufficient exposure measurement data, inadequate participant follow-up, and lack of control for confounding variables. However, there exists a robust data set from a large longitudinal lung function study that provides a scientifically sound basis for establishing an occupational limit of 5 mg/m3 inhalable wood dust. The choice of this data set and its application for this purpose are presented in this review.
Clinical relevance of circulating molecules in cancer: focus on gastrointestinal stromal tumors
Authors: Ravegnini Gloria , Sammarini Giulia , Serrano César , Nannini Margherita , Pantaleo Maria A. , Hrelia Patrizia , Angelini Sabrina
Published: March 2019

In recent years, growing research interest has focused on the so-called liquid biopsy. A simple blood test offers access to a plethora of information, which might be extremely helpful in understanding or characterizing specific diseases. Blood contains different molecules, of which circulating free DNA (cfDNA), circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and extracellular vesicles (EVs) are the most relevant. Conceivably, these molecules have the potential for tumor diagnosis, monitoring tumor evolution, and evaluating treatment response and pharmacological resistance. This review aims to present a state-of-the-art of recent advances in circulating DNA and circulating RNA in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). To date, progress in liquid biopsy has been scarce in GISTs due to several issues correlated with the nature of the pathology. Namely, heterogeneity in primary and secondary mutations in key driver genes has greatly slowed the development and application in GISTs, unlike in other tumor types in which liquid biopsy has already been translated into clinical practice. However, meaningful novel data have shown in recent years a significant clinical potential of ctDNA, CTCs, EVs and circulating RNA in GISTs.
Nasal Symptoms Reduction and Decreased Neutrophilia in Japanese Cedar Pollinosis With Prophylactic Treatment With a Combination of Montelukast, Fexofenadine, and Fluticasone Nasal Spray
Authors: Otsuka Hirokuni , Otsuka Kuninori , Matsune Shoji , Okubo Kimihiro
Published: March 2019

Background and Objective

We reported neutrophil-associated tissue damage in cedar pollinosis subjects with refractory nasal symptoms prior to pollinosis season. Because the leukotriene receptor antagonist, montelukast, can inhibit neutrophil recruitment and activation, we investigated its effects on symptom relief and nasal neutrophilia in pollinosis subjects in the preseason.

Methods

In the pollinosis preseason, symptomatic (PreSyP, n = 149) and asymptomatic subjects (PreAsP, n = 145) were prophylactically treated, and in season symptomatic subjects (InSyP, n = 134) were treated. Individuals were assigned to 1 of 2 treatment protocols: administration of cetirizine and fluticasone nasal spray (Cet-Flu) or montelukast, fexofenadine, and fluticasone nasal spray (Mo-Fex-Flu). Differences in symptom relief and inflammatory cell infiltration in nasal swabs were investigated.

Results

In pollen season, 59% of PreSyP subjects given Cet-Flu and 88% of those treated with Mo-Fex-Flu had none or mild symptoms ( P < .00001). In PreAsP subjects in season, 71% of Cet-Flu and 98% of Mo-Fex-Flu recipients had none to mild symptoms ( P < .0000001). The proportions of subjects in the PreSyP group with nasal swabs with neutrophils 1+ to 3+ before and after treatment by Mo-Fex-Flu were 59% and 18%, respectively ( P < .0001), and in PreAsyP, subjects with neutrophils 2+ to 3+ were 17% and 5%, respectively ( P = .034). In PreSyP, a significant reduction in the percentage of subjects with mast cells >1+ was seen following both Cet-Flu ( P = .027) and Mo-Fex-Flu ( P = .0014) treatments.

Conclusion

In PreSyP and PreAsP subjects, treatments with Mo-Fex-Flu were more effective than Cet-Flu to reduce nasal symptom scores. These effects were associated with reduction in the number of neutrophils and mast cells in nasal swabs.
Decolonizing mobile media: Mobile Internet appropriation in a Guaraní community
Authors: Wagner Sarah , Fernández-Ardèvol Mireia
Published: March 2019

The Internet has been a valuable resource for many indigenous groups as a vehicle for self-representation. In this paper, we describe how the installation of a Wi-Fi signal in a Guaraní community in Greater Buenos Aires—as part of the community leader’s decolonizing media projects—generated issues within the community. While much indigenous media research concerns the politics of cultural representation, we consider the politics of everyday, intracommunity mobile communication practices. Firstly, our findings show how the choice of communication medium can become a political issue. An upsurge in mobile-mediated communication within the community contributed to the decline of face-to-face deliberations, which were the mainstay of communal sharing arrangements and which held a central position in understandings of Guaraní culture. Secondly, our findings show how discrepancies between users’ communication preferences and the readily available mobile media services can generate a use barrier by deterring users from obtaining the skills needed to effectively appropriate or transform mobile media services. Familiarity with a few mainstream social media apps not only reinforced imaginaries of the Internet as a nonindigenous space but also generated set ideas of what the Internet supports in terms of communicative form—social networking—and content type—mainstream media. In the end, the community leader’s decolonizing projects, aimed at using social media for community media dissemination, were not only rejected by community members but also undermined by the dynamics of mobile media practices in the community. We argue that limited mobile technology skills combined with commercially oriented mobile media services can hinder creative and adaptable mobile media practices, and in turn, undermine decolonizing mobile appropriations.
Inflammatory Proteins Predict Change in Depressive Symptoms in Male and Female Adolescents
Authors: Moriarity Daniel P. , Mac Giollabhui Naoise , Ellman Lauren M. , Klugman Joshua , Coe Christopher L. , Abramson Lyn Y. , Alloy Lauren B.
Published: March 2019

Inflammation has been implicated in depressive symptoms, but few studies use longitudinal designs with adolescents. Furthermore, the extant literature has yielded inconsistent results. Blood was collected from a community sample of 201 adolescents (109 female, age range = 12.3–20.0 years) and analyzed for inflammatory proteins. Up to five follow-up assessments of depressive symptoms were conducted. Multilevel modeling indicated that high C-reactive protein (CRP) but no other proinflammatory markers predicted depressive symptom increases. Three-way interactions between different inflammatory biomarkers, sex, and months to follow-up predicted change in depressive symptoms. Higher interleukin-6 predicted increased depressive symptoms at 13 to 31 months after baseline assessment of depression and inflammation for females. Higher tumor necrosis factor-α predicted increased depressive symptoms at < 1 month after baseline for males and 13 to 31 months after baseline for females. Higher interleukin-8 in males predicted lower depressive symptoms at 31 months after baseline. Exploratory post hoc analyses were used to examine these predictive associations for specific subsets of depressive symptoms. These findings are the first to support the predictive association of elevated CRP for depressive symptoms in a community adolescent sample and serve as preliminary evidence that the relationship between cytokines and later depressive symptoms differs by sex, time to follow-up, and the specific biomarker.
The Effects of Worry in Daily Life: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study Supporting the Tenets of the Contrast Avoidance Model
Authors: Newman Michelle G. , Jacobson Nicholas C. , Zainal Nur Hani , Shin Ki Eun , Szkodny Lauren E. , Sliwinski Martin J.
Published: March 2019

The contrast avoidance model (CAM) suggests that worry increases and sustains negative emotion to prevent a negative emotional contrast (sharp upward shift in negative emotion) and increase the probability of a positive contrast (shift toward positive emotion). In Study 1, we experimentally validated momentary assessment items ( N = 25). In Study 2, participants with generalized anxiety disorder ( N = 31) and controls ( N = 37) were prompted once per hour regarding their worry, thought valence, and arousal 10 times a day for 8 days. Higher worry duration, negative thought valence, and uncontrollable train of thoughts predicted feeling more keyed up concurrently and sustained anxious activation 1 hr later. More worry, feeling keyed up, and uncontrollable train of thoughts predicted lower likelihood of a negative emotional contrast in thought valence and higher likelihood of a positive emotional contrast in thought valence 1 hr later. Findings support the prospective ecological validity of CAM. Our findings suggest that naturalistic worry reduces the likelihood of a sharp increase in negative affect and does so by increasing and sustaining anxious activation.
Return-to-Sport Testing After Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction in Adolescent Athletes
Authors: Saper Michael G. , Fantozzi Peter , Bompadre Viviana , Racicot Mimi , Schmale Gregory A.
Published: March 2019

Background:

Return to sport (RTS) after patellar stabilization surgery involves the return of strength and dynamic knee stability, which can be assessed using isometric strength and functional performance testing.

Purpose:

To investigate the results of isometric strength and functional RTS testing between the surgical and uninvolved limbs in adolescent patients who underwent medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction for patellar instability.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

A retrospective review of adolescent patients who underwent MPFL reconstruction identified 28 patients (20 female, 8 male) who also underwent isometric and functional RTS testing. Data were compared with the uninvolved limb. The recovery of muscle strength was defined by a limb symmetry index (LSI) ≥90%. Differences in peak torque were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Correlations were examined between dependent and independent variables using the Spearman correlation.

Results:

The mean age of the patients was 14.9 years (range, 12-16 years). Reconstruction was performed with a hamstring autograft in 17 (60.7%) patients. Concomitant tibial tubercle osteotomy was performed in 10 (35.7%) patients. Testing was performed at a mean 7.4 months (range, 5.5-11.9 months) postoperatively. The mean LSIs for quadriceps and hamstring strength were 85.3% and 95.1%, respectively. For knee extension, there was a statistically significant difference between isometric peak torque measured in the surgical and uninvolved limbs ( P = .001). Only 32.0% of patients passed all 4 hop tests. Also, 63.0% of patients achieved an anterior reach asymmetry of <4 cm on the Lower Quarter Y-Balance Test (YBT-LQ). There were no statistically significant differences in isometric strength testing, hop tests, or the YBT-LQ based on graft type or concomitant procedures. There was no correlation between isometric strength and performance on the YBT-LQ or hop tests.

Conclusion:

Adolescent athletes undergoing MPFL reconstruction may need prolonged rehabilitation programs beyond 8 months to allow the adequate recovery of muscle strength for safe RTS. There is a significant deficit in isometric quadriceps strength in the surgical limb after surgery. Further investigation is needed to determine safe RTS criteria after MPFL reconstruction in the pediatric and adolescent population.
Pain or Gain? How Business Communication Students Perceive the Outlining Process
Authors: Baker Matthew J.
Published: March 2019

This study investigates how students perceive the outlining process. Students in two business communication sections completed a survey regarding outlining perceptions and reasons for outlining or not. Using qualitative content analysis and qualitative coding, the researcher and an independent coder analyzed 34 students’ responses regarding outlining process, use, and reasons for outlining or not. Results indicate that students perceive outlining as more useful if their outlining process includes both organization and content exploration and less useful if it excludes organization or content exploration. Notable reasons for not outlining include concern for outlining time and difficulty generating content for the outline.
The Eating Experience: Adaptive and Maladaptive Strategies of Older Adults with Tooth Loss
Authors: Zelig R. , Jones V.M. , Touger-Decker R. , Hoskin E.R. , Singer S.R. , Byham-Gray L. , Radler D.R. , Rothpletz-Puglia P.
Published: March 2019

Objective:

To explore the eating experience and eating-related quality of life (ERQOL) of community-dwelling older adults with tooth loss.

Method:

Nineteen older adults from the clinics of a northeast US dental school who met inclusion criteria ( >65 y old, <20 teeth, and no dentures) composed the sample. For this mixed methods study, demographic characteristics, number and location of teeth, Mini Nutritional Assessment–Short Form score, and anthropometrics data were collected; semistructured interviews were conducted to collect in-depth information about the eating experience and ERQOL. Thematic analysis was completed with NVivo 12 software (QSR International).

Results:

Participants’ mean age was 71.3 y (SD = 5.2); 52.6% ( n = 10) were women; 63.2% ( n = 12) were Black or African American. The mean Mini Nutritional Assessment–Short Form score of 12.1 was reflective of normal nutrition status; 31.6% ( n = 6) of patients were at risk for malnutrition or were malnourished. Fifteen percent ( n = 3) were fully edentulous; 84.2% ( n = 16) had 1 to 19 teeth (mean = 10.8, SD = 6.5). The 2 overarching themes identified were adaptive and maladaptive behavioral responses to tooth loss. Adaptive strategies included modification in food preparation and cooking methods, food texture selection, meal timing, and approaches to chewing. Maladaptive behaviors included food avoidance and limiting eating and smiling in front of others. Psychosocial factors, including finances, limited food choices and ERQOL, whereas the support of family and friends enhanced ERQOL according to participants.

Conclusion:

Older adults with tooth loss exhibit both adaptive and maladaptive behaviors that affect their eating experience, dietary intake, and ERQOL. While many expressed positive adaptive coping strategies, they also described maladaptive behaviors, including avoidance of healthy foods and limiting eating during social interactions, which may affect their nutritional status and overall health and well-being. Further research is needed to explore how duration and severity of tooth loss influence these behaviors and risk of malnutrition. Interprofessional approaches are needed to support positive adaptation and coping with tooth loss.

Knowledge Transfer Statement:

The results of this study can be used by health professionals treating patients with tooth loss in an effort to improve their eating experience and eating-related quality of life. The findings provide data to support further studies and the need for evidence-based guidelines and educational materials to meet the unique needs of older adults with tooth loss.