bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Peat Addition on Sorption and Leaching of Triazole Fungicides in Oran Soils
Authors: Aït Hammi Kahina , Nieto-Latorre Elías , Ureña-Amate María D. , Socías-Viciana María M. , Miloudi Hafida , Debbagh-Boutarbouch Naoufal
Published: February 2019

In this paper, the authors treat the impact of peat amendment on sorption and leaching of fungicides penconazole and flusilazole in two Algerian topsoil samples (Misserghine and Es-Senia). The batch equilibration technique was applied for adsorption experiments, and leaching was tested through soil column simulated experiments under laboratory conditions. Adsorption data fitted well to the Freundlich and linear models, showing the higher adsorption capacity of the Es-Senia soil for both fungicides, the order of sorption being flusilazole > penconazole. Organic amendments increased the adsorption of both fungicides especially for the soil with the lower organic matter (OM) content, obtaining a good correlation of this parameter withKf,thus implying that OM is the principal soil parameter governing fungicides adsorption. Results of soil column experiments indicated that peat amendment decreased leaching of both pesticides in the soils studied. So, the use of organic addition might be an effective management practice for controlling potential pollution of penconazole and/or flusilazole to the environment.
CAPTEM in Metastatic Well-Differentiated Intermediate to High Grade Neuroendocrine Tumors: A Single Centre Experience
Authors: Sahu Arvind , Jefford Michael , Lai-Kwon Julia , Thai Alesha , Hicks Rodney J. , Michael Michael
Published: February 2019

Introduction. Capecitabine-temozolomide (CAPTEM) has significant activity in patients (pts) with metastatic low grade pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). However, there is limited data regarding its activity in pts with metastatic well-differentiated intermediate and high grade pancreatic and nonpancreatic NETs. The objective of this study was to assess the functional imaging response, survival, and tolerability of CAPTEM in this population.Methods. A retrospective audit of pts with metastatic well-differentiated intermediate (WHO grade 2) or high grade (WHO grade 3) NETs treated at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre between March 2013 and March 2017. Pts received capecitabine 750 mg/m2orally twice daily (bd) from days1 to 14 and temozolomide 100 mg/m2bd from days 10 to 14 every 28 days. Data regarding functional imaging response, progression-free and overall survival, and toxicities was collected.Results. Thirty-two pts received a median of 6 cycles (range: 2-16) of CAPTEM for grade 2 (n=21, 66%) or grade 3 (n=11, 34%), Ki67 <55% (n= 7, 21.9%) or Ki67 ≥55% (n= 4, 12.5 %) NET. Primary site included gastroenteropancreatic (n= 17, 53%), lung (n= 12, 37.5%), and unknown origin (n = 3, 9.4%). Twenty-two percent received CAPTEM as first-line therapy. After a median of 31 months of follow-up, the two-year overall survival (OS) was 42%, with a median OS of 24 months. There was a trend towards improved median progression-free survival (PFS) in pts with low grade 3 (Ki67<55%) versus high grade 3 (Ki67 ≥55%) NETs (15 vs 4 months, p= 0.11). Ten (31.3%) experienced grade 3/4 toxicity, with nausea (15.6%), thrombocytopaenia (12.5%), and fatigue (9.4%) the most common toxicities reported.Conclusion. CAPTEM has significant activity in patients with metastatic grades 2 and 3 NETs with manageable toxicity. The PFS benefit observed in the grade 3 subgroup with Ki67<55% warrants further evaluation in a larger randomized trial.
β-Arrestins Regulate Stem Cell-Like Phenotype and Response to Chemotherapy in Bladder Cancer
Authors: Kallifatidis Georgios , Smith Diandra K. , Morera Daley S. , Gao Jie , Hennig Martin J. , Hoy James J. , Pearce Richard F. , Dabke Isha R. , Li Jiemin , Merseburger Axel S. , Kuczyk Markus A. , Lokeshwar Vinata B. , Lokeshwar Bal L.
Published: February 2019

β-Arrestins are classic attenuators of G-protein–coupled receptor signaling. However, they have multiple roles in cellular physiology, including carcinogenesis. This work shows for the first time that β-arrestins have prognostic significance for predicting metastasis and response to chemotherapy in bladder cancer. β-Arrestin-1 (ARRB1) and β-arrestin-2 (ARRB2) mRNA levels were measured by quantitative RT-PCR in two clinical specimen cohorts (n = 63 and 43). The role of ARRBs in regulating a stem cell-like phenotype and response to chemotherapy treatments was investigated. The consequence of forced expression of ARRBs on tumor growth and response to Gemcitabine in vivo were investigated using bladder tumor xenografts in nude mice. ARRB1 levels were significantly elevated and ARRB2 levels downregulated in cancer tissues compared with normal tissues. In multivariate analysis only ARRB2 was an independent predictor of metastasis, disease-specific-mortality, and failure to Gemcitabine + Cisplatin (G+C) chemotherapy; ∼80% sensitivity and specificity to predict clinical outcome. ARRBs were found to regulate stem cell characteristics in bladder cancer cells. Depletion of ARRB2 resulted in increased cancer stem cell markers but ARRB2 overexpression reduced expression of stem cell markers (CD44, ALDH2, and BMI-1), and increased sensitivity toward Gemcitabine. Overexpression of ARRB2 resulted in reduced tumor growth and increased response to Gemcitabine in tumor xenografts. CRISPR-Cas9–mediated gene-knockout of ARRB1 resulted in the reversal of this aggressive phenotype. ARRBs regulate cancer stem cell-like properties in bladder cancer and are potential prognostic indicators for tumor progression and chemotherapy response.
Lactose Intolerance: Common Misunderstandings
Authors: Di Costanzo Margherita , Berni Canani Roberto
Published: February 2019

Lactose intolerance primarily refers to a syndrome having different symptoms upon the consumption of foods containing lactose. It is one of the most common form of food intolerance and occurs when lactase activity is reduced in the brush border of the small bowel mucosa. Individuals may be lactose intolerant to varying degrees, depending on the severity of these symptoms. When lactose is not digested, it can be fermented by gut microbiota leading to symptoms of lactose intolerance that include abdominal pain, bloating, flatulence, and diarrhea with a considerable intraindividual and interindividual variability in the severity of clinical manifestations. These gastrointestinal symptoms could be similar to cow’s milk allergy and could be wrongly labeled as symptoms of “milk allergy.” There are important differences between lactose intolerance and cow’s milk allergy; therefore, a better knowledge of these differences could limit misunderstandings in the diagnostic approach and in the management of these conditions.
A contribuição de Frederico Lange de Morretes para a malacologia brasileira
Authors: Gernet Marcos De Vasconcellos , Belz Carlos Eduardo , Birckolz Carlos João , Simone Luiz Ricardo Lopes de , Parellada Claudia Inês
Published: February 2019

Frederico Lange de Morretes nasceu em 5 de maio de 1892, no município de Morretes, litoral do Estado do Paraná, Brasil. Artista plástico renomado, foi também um importante malacólogo e sua produção científica na área o tornou um referencial para os pesquisadores brasileiros. O principal objetivo deste trabalho é a compilação comentada dos estudos malacológicos produzidos por Lange de Morretes. Ao todo, ele publicou 13 trabalhos científicos na área da malacologia, sendo oito deles relacionados à descrição de 25 novas espécies, dois novos gêneros e três subgêneros. Também escreveu três relatórios técnicos institucionais a respeito de atividades desenvolvidas no Museu Paulista e no Museu Paranaense.
Relato da ocorrência simultânea de escrofuloderma, eritema indurado de Bazin e tuberculide pápulo-necrótica em paciente imunocompetente
Authors: Camasmie Helena Reich , Lima Ricardo Barbosa , Aguiar Fernanda Costa de , Barbosa Luiza Peres , Araújo Luciana Ferreira de , Martins Carlos José
Published: February 2019

Modelo do estudo: relato de caso Importância do problema: A tuberculose é um grave problema de saúde no nosso país, no entanto poucos profissionais sabem identificar as formas extrapulmonares da doença, que são responsáveis por 23,3% dos óbitos por tuberculose no Brasil. Das formas extra-pulmonares, apenas 1-2% representam formas cutâneas. É importante que o médico generalista conheça as formas cutâneas de tuberculose, uma vez que pode ser a única manifestação da doença. O seu diagnóstico é um desafio, pois os exames tradicionais têm menor sensibilidade e especificidade para a apresentação cutânea em relação à forma pulmonar. No entanto, novos exames vêm sendo implantados como o GeneXpert. Comentários: Relatamos um caso raro de tuberculose cutânea em paciente imunocompetente, com a manifestação de três formas clínicas simultaneamente – escrofuloderma, tubercúlide papulonecrótica e eritema indurado de Bazin. A ocorrência de duas formas simultâneas é descrita na literatura mas a ocorrência de três formas simultâneas é inédita. Essa manifestação atípica foi de difícil diagnóstico clínico por simular outras doenças e os exames tradicionais como o RX de tórax, baciloscopia e cultura não evidenciaram o diagnóstico. A identificação do Mycobacterium tuberculosis só foi possível por meio da pesquisa de PCR com o GeneXpert, que mostrou positividade no escarro pulmonar e no exsudato do escrofuloderma, possibilitando iniciar o tratamento precocemente. Este novo exame de alta sensibilidade e especificidade no diagnóstico da tuberculose pulmonar mostrou-se de grande utilidade no diagnóstico deste caso atípico de tuberculose cutânea onde os exames tradicionais não definiram o diagnóstico.
Taxonomic studies on the genus Delphinium (Ranunculaceae) from China (XVII): Five new synonyms of D. afghanicum, a newly recorded species for China
Authors: LI HUI-MIN , YUAN QIONG , YANG QIN-ER
Published: February 2019

Delphinium aktoense, D. kaschgaricum, D. kunlunshanicum, D. wuqiaense and D. zhangii (Ranunculaceae) were all described from the region of eastern Pamir-western Kunlun Shan in western Xinjiang, China. Critical observations on both herbarium specimens (including type material) and living plants demonstrate that they are indistinguishable from each other and are all conspecific with D. afghanicum, a species previously known only from Afghanistan.
New names of fossil Rubus (Rosaceae). Addendum I
Authors: DOWELD ALEXANDER B.
Published: February 2019

The nomenclature of some fossil homonyms of Rubus is additionally resolved. Fossil Rubus mucronatus Palamarev, being an illegitimate later homonym of extant Rubus mucronatus Seringe, is re-named as Rubus eubaticus nom. nov. Rubus ellipticus Pavlyutkin (fossil) is replaced by a new name Rubus primoricus nom. nov., because of the earlier homonym, Rubus ellipticus Smith (extant).
Revision of Malagasy Odontepyris Kieffer (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae)
Authors: ALENCAR ISABEL D. C. C. , AZEVEDO CELSO O.
Published: February 2019

Four new species of Odontepyris from Madagascar are described and illustrated: O. acrius Alencar et Azevedo, sp. nov., O. cynpus Alencar et Azevedo, sp. nov., and O. escus Alencar et Azevedo, sp. nov. based on females and O. bedus Alencar et Azevedo, sp. nov. based on both males and females. Placoid sensillae in medial surface of flagellomere is firstly recorded to Bethylidae. A key to Malagasy species is provided.
The stigmaeid mites (Acari: Stigmaeidae) of Kelkit Valley (Turkey)
Authors: DÖNEL GÜLDEM , DOĞAN SALİH
Published: February 2019

The stigmaeid mites collected from Kelkit Valley in Turkey are investigated. Nine new species, Cheylostigmaeus urhani sp. nov., Eustigmaeus varius sp. nov., Ledermuelleriopsis indiscretus sp. nov., Stigmaeus additicius sp. nov., S. angustus sp. nov., S. ayyildizi sp. nov., S. furcatus sp. nov., S. kelkitensis sp. nov. and Prostigmaeus integrius sp. nov., are described and illustrated. The following four stigmaeid species are new records for the Turkish fauna: Cheylostigmaeus salinus Evans, Eustigmaeus lacuna (Summers), Stigmaeus glabrisetus Summers and S. solidus Kuznetsov. Some known stigmaeid mites are recorded from new localities. This is the first record of the genus Prostigmaeus Kuznetsov in Turkey. Keys to Kelkit Valley genera and species of Stigmaeidae are included.
A new leafhopper genus Discolopeus and nine new species (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Deltocephalinae) associated with shrubs, trees and poisonous plants in South Africa
Authors: STILLER MICHAEL
Published: February 2019

Nine new species in a new genus, Discolopeus gen. n. are described from south-western South Africa, with some species associated with plants that are medicinal or toxic or harmful to ungulates, such as Antizoma miersiana (Menispermaceae), Galenia africana (Aizoaceae), Hyaenanche globosa (Euphorbiaceae) and Zygophyllum foetidum (Zygophyllaceae). New species are as follows: Discolopeus arctus, D. colopeus, D. copeus, D. diacaenus, D. lissus, D. tetracaenus, D. thigmacaenus, D. triacaenus and D. viraktamathi. This new genus is allied to the Bonaspeiini, and distinguished by a paired aedeagal, preatrial process. Cladistic analyses of morphology with parsimony, Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood examined species relationships and showed the monophyly of Discolopeus. Historical biogeographic analyses examined hypotheses of dispersal and vicariance to explain distributions. Niche modelling showed narrow distribution in south-western parts of South Africa.
Characterization of Bacterial Communities in Bioaerosols over Northern Chinese Marginal Seas and the Northwestern Pacific Ocean in Spring
Authors: Ma Manman , Zhen Yu , Mi Tiezhu
Published: February 2019

Studies of the community structures of bacteria in marine aerosols of different particle sizes have not been reported. Aerosol samples were collected using a six-stage bioaerosol sampler over the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea, and northwestern Pacific Ocean in the spring of 2014. The diversity and composition of these samples were investigated by Illumina high-throughput sequencing, and 130 genera were detected in all of the samples; the most abundant bacterial genus was Bacteroides, followed by Prevotella and Megamonas. The Chao1 and Shannon diversity indices ranged from 193 to 1044 and from 5.44 to 8.33, respectively. The bacterial community structure in coarse particles (diameter larger than 2.1 μm) was more complex and diverse than that in fine particles (diameter less than 2.1 μm) in marine bioaerosols from over the Yellow Sea and northwestern Pacific Ocean, while the opposite trend was observed for samples collected over the Bohai Sea. Although we were sampling over marine regions, the sources of the bioaerosols were mostly continental. Temperature and wind speed significantly influenced the bacterial communities in marine aerosols of different particle sizes. There may be a bacterial background in the atmosphere in the form of several dominant taxa, and the bacterial communities are likely mixed constantly during transmission.
Interannual Variability and Seasonality of Precipitation in the Indus River Basin
Authors: Minallah Samar , Ivanov Valeriy Y.
Published: February 2019

The Indus River basin is highly vulnerable to water scarcity due to increasing population, unsustainable management practices, and climate change. Yet the regional hydroclimate and precipitation dynamics remain poorly understood. Using running trend and spectral analysis with multiple gauge-based, remote sensing, and reanalysis precipitation datasets, this study analyzes precipitation temporal variability, its subregional variations, and the main seasonal drivers, particularly the South Asian monsoon. The results uncover remarkable alternation of long-term positive and negative interdecadal precipitation trends in the basin over the past half century. These trends have led to substantial changes in water input over the region at the time scales comparable to climate assessment periods (30 years), and therefore this high intrinsic variability must be accounted for in climate change adaptation studies. This study also reconstructs onset and withdrawal dates of the South Asian monsoon that exhibit interdecadal variability, but their dominant modes differ from that of annual precipitation. The findings hypothesize that higher-frequency variability in El Niño–Southern Oscillation is likely to have a pronounced impact on monsoon onset and duration in the studied region.
Land Surface Parameter and State Perturbations in the Global Ensemble Forecast System
Authors: Gehne Maria , Hamill Thomas M. , Bates Gary T. , Pegion Philip , Kolczynski Walter
Published: February 2019

The National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Global Ensemble Forecast System (GEFS) is underdispersive near the surface, a common characteristic of ensemble prediction systems. Here, several methods for increasing the spread are tested, including perturbing soil initial conditions, soil tendencies, and surface parameters, with physically based perturbations. Perturbations are applied to the soil initial conditions based on empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) of differences between normalized soil moisture states from two land surface models (LSMs). Perturbations to roughness lengths for heat and momentum, soil hydraulic conductivity, stomatal resistance, vegetation fraction, and albedo are applied, with the amplitude and perturbation scales based on previous research. Soil moisture and temperature tendencies are also perturbed using a stochastic perturbation scheme. The results show that surface perturbations, through their impact on 2-m temperature spread, have a modest positive impact on the skill of short-range ensemble forecasts. However, adjusting the forecasts using an estimate of the systematic bias shows that bias correction has a greater impact on the forecast reliability than surface perturbations, indicating that systematic bias in the model needs to be addressed as well.
Rewriting Dostoevsky: J. M. Coetzee’s The Master of Petersburg and the perverted truths of biographical fiction
Authors: Herbillon Marie
Published: February 2019

In The Master of Petersburg, J. M. Coetzee gives pride of place to a tutelary figure of the Western novel, Fyodor Dostoevsky, opening up a dialogue with the latter’s life and work. If many aspects of Dostoevsky’s life are recognizable, Coetzee deliberately departs from biographical fact in important regards. He also engages with well-known Dostoevskian narratives, in particular The Possessed, a censored section of which is reworked in his own novel. This article examines how The Master of Petersburg can be read not only as a reflection on biological and literary filiation, but also as a critique of censorship and as a meditation on writing conceived as a liminal space that tends to erode the boundary line between the private and the public. Intimate though it may be, the act of writing is indeed likely to involve a betrayal of privacy — a necessary perversion of auto/biography seeking to achieve superior forms of truth through imaginative literature. This essay also argues that the conception of history Coetzee deploys may be influenced by his status as a postcolonial writer. Just as The Possessed was intended as an attack on those aiming for the radical destruction of old world orders and other historical legacies, so The Master of Petersburg can be approached as Coetzee’s own manifesto against nihilism and as a plea for a view of history as a transformative process — one that transcends binary oppositions in order to produce integrative discourses and epistemologies, instead of positing fathers against sons as foes in endless generational and colonial conflicts.
Technical efficiency in crop production across agro-ecological zones in Ethiopia: A meta-analysis of frontier studies
Authors: Geffersa Abebayehu G , Agbola Frank W , Mahmood Amir
Published: February 2019

This article investigates whether study-specific attributes account for systematic variations in reported technical efficiency (TE) scores in crop production. We conducted a meta-regression analysis using mean TE (MTE) estimates from primary frontier studies of Ethiopian crop sub-sector over the period 1991–2015. The estimated MTE of 66% indicates a capacity to increase efficiency in crop production. Results from a fractional outcome regression model revealed that reported efficiency estimates vary substantially across studies and agro-ecologies. We found that reported efficiency estimates are influenced by the frontier methodology used, the functional form assumed, assumptions about technology representation, the estimated dimension of the model, output aggregation and the publication outlet. We show that reported efficiency estimates are sensitive to variations in agro-ecologies. We argue for the need to consider differences in agro-ecologies when estimating TE because failure to account for this may bias efficiency estimates.
Apathy or Anger? How Crime Experience Affects Individual Vote Intention in Latin America and the Caribbean
Authors: Berens Sarah , Dallendörfer Mirko
Published: February 2019

Does the experience of crime lead to individual disenchantment from politics or can it even stir political activism? We study how crime victimization affects the intention to vote with survey data from Latin America and the Caribbean. Research on non-electoral political behavior reveals that crime victims become politically more engaged. In contrast, findings from psychological research suggest that victimization increases apathy due to loss of self-esteem and social cohesion. Building a cognitive foundation of political activism, we propose that it is the level of distress which increases—in the case of non-violent crime—or decreases—in the case of violent crime experience—the likelihood of voting. The results support the hypothesis on victims of non-violent crime. The probability of turnout does, however, not change for victims of criminal violence. We subsequently test for a possible anti-right-wing incumbent effect, to explain the mobilization of victims of non-violent crime, but only find evidence for an anti-center incumbent tendency.
Backpacker Identity: Scale Development and Validation
Authors: Chen Ganghua , Zhao Lijun , Huang Songshan (Sam)
Published: February 2019

Backpacker identity has attracted growing attention in backpacker tourism research. However, there still lacks a valid scale to measure backpacker identity. Guided by Social Identity Theory (SIT), this study aims to develop and validate a scale to measure backpacker identity in the Chinese context. The study used two Chinese backpacker samples in two stages (Study 1, n=190; Study 2, n=323) to establish the psychometric properties of a backpacker identity scale (BIS). Following the process of scale development, a three-dimension (i.e., self-categorization, group self-value, and group self-evaluation) backpacker identity measurement model was identified. The refined scale with 16 measurement items was finally identified with sufficient reliability and validity. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed.
Unique temperature patterns in 24-h continuous tympanic temperature in tuberculosis
Authors: Dakappa Pradeepa H , Rao Sathish B , B Ganaraja , Bhat Gopalkrishna K , Mahabala Chakrapani
Published: February 2019

Body temperature monitoring in most healthcare institutions is limited to checking the presence or absence of fever. Our present study evaluated the 24h continuous tympanic temperature pattern in patients with fever in order to detect typical patterns seen in tuberculosis (TB). This observational study was conducted on 81 undifferentiated fever patients whose recordings were stored using the TherCom device. Unique temperature patterns were analysed and compared. TB patients exhibited a unique temperature pattern, namely a slow temperature elevation followed by slow temperature fall seen in 78.5% (22/28) compared to 24.52% (13/53) of non-TB patients. Recognition of this pattern may therefore be useful as a valuable diagnostic aid in the early diagnosis of TB.
Finite-time stability and finite-time boundedness of fractional order switched systems
Authors: Liang Jinxia , Wu Baowei , Liu Lili , Wang Yue-E , Li Changtao
Published: February 2019

Finite-time stability and finite-time boundedness of fractional order switched systems with [Formula: see text] are investigated in this paper. First of all, by employing the average dwell time technique and Lyapunov functional method, some sufficient conditions for finite-time stability and finite-time boundedness of fractional order switched systems are proposed. Furthermore, the state feedback controllers are constructed, and sufficient conditions are given to ensure that the corresponding closed-loop systems are finite-time stable and finite-time bounded. These conditions can be easily obtained in terms of linear matrix inequalities. Finally, two numerical examples are given to show the effectiveness of the results.
Giant Cell Tumor of the Carotid Body: A Rare Tumor in a Novel Location
Authors: Chowdhary Payal , Makar Gabriel S. , Holdbrook Thomas , Spalla Thomas C.
Published: February 2019

Primary giant cell tumor of soft tissue (GCT-ST) is a rare entity that is considered the soft tissue equivalent of giant cell tumor of bone. It most commonly arises in soft tissues of the trunk and extremities, with occurrence in the head and neck being extremely rare. We report a case of GCT-ST of the carotid body, the first report of a tumor of this kind arising from this site in the neck. Giant cell tumor of soft tissue is generally considered a benign tumor with low malignant potential; thus, surgical excision is usually curative. However, due to the location and invasive nature of this patient’s tumor, complete excision was not possible. We discuss the implication of this for long-term management of this patient, as well as similarities and differences in clinical presentation, histology, and biological behavior between this case and previously reported cases of GCT-ST.
Malignant yet Benign: The Political Economy of a Skin Cancer Diagnosis in Colombia
Authors: Sanz Camilo
Published: February 2019

This paper is about the ontology of a cancer diagnosis at high-end hospitals in Colombia. Drawing on a seventeen-month ethnographic fieldwork study in this country, it pays attention to how dermatologists, pathologists, and oncologists looked at my partner’s skin during a routine medical checkup and enacted two seemingly contradictory diagnoses: a lethal melanoma and a benign dysplastic nevus—commonly known as mole. Because their differences under the microscope or through dermatology goggles may be subtle, physicians often disagree on what they see. When medical services are not unrelated to the economic possibilities of patients to pay for them, what emerges through a microscope might be different. With neoliberal medical reforms in Colombia as background, this paper focuses on the ontological indeterminacy of cancer and its relationship to high-end hospitals and a patient who could, albeit not without effort, pay for the treatment. Thus, I argue that how physicians saw was not unrelated to what they saw and therefore to their practices of medicine in neoliberal Colombia. How do medical practices and ways of seeing in Colombia enter into composition with the bodies they study? Could the same skin tissue simultaneously be cancerous and noncancerous?
Is Maternal Income in Childhood Associated With Adolescent Health and Behavioral Outcomes?
Authors: Shepherd-Banigan Megan , Basu Anirban , Bell Janice F. , Booth-LaForce Cathryn , Harris Jeffrey R.
Published: February 2019

Maternal income increases immediate investment in children for food, child care, and health care, but whether maternal income influences longer term health and behavioral outcomes is unknown. Using data from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, we examine the association between maternal income in early and later childhood on body mass index percentile, problem behaviors, and self-reported health status at age 15 among a sample of children ( N = 1,283) whose mothers were employed at at least one observation time point between birth and age 15 (1991-2005). When controlling for family income (minus maternal income) and maternal employment characteristics, higher maternal income during early childhood was significantly associated with fewer adolescent problem behaviors. Maternal income during early childhood may influence adolescent behavioral outcomes. These findings suggest that increased maternal income, a positive externality of maternal employment, may increase the net benefit of maternal employment for child behavior.
Experiential Palliative Care Immersion: Student Nurse’s Narratives Reflect Care Competencies
Authors: Glover Toni L. , Åkerlund Hanna , Horgas Ann L. , Bluck Susan
Published: February 2019

Many nurses report a lack of confidence providing care for patients facing a life-threatening illness. Palliative care leaders have devised primary palliative nursing care competencies (CARES [Competencies And Recommendations for Educating undergraduate nursing Students]) that all students should achieve. In this study, nursing students participated in an innovative palliative care immersion experience, the Comfort Shawl Project. We performed a reliable content analysis of their narrative reflections. The goal was to evaluate whether reflections on their interactions with patients/families were consistent with CARES competencies. Nine female students wrote reflections after gifting each of the 234 comfort shawls to patients. Four CARES-related categories were analyzed: Individual Values and Diversity, Compassionate Communication, Fostering Quality of Life, and Self-Insight and Emotion. Reflections were highly representative (41%) of recognizing Individual Values and Diversity, representing sensitivity for patients’ unique differences in values, an integral component of palliative care. The Comfort Shawl Project shows promise as an experiential immersion for introducing nursing students to CARES competencies.
Impending rupture of aortic aneurysm eroding skin and sternum: a rare condition
Authors: Porapakkham Pramote
Published: February 2019

A rare presentation of ascending aortic aneurysm eroding into the anterior chest wall and skin is described. Only a few reports of this lethal condition associated with luetic disease have been published previously. A 72-year-old man with a history of blunt chest injury subsequently developed a saccular aneurysm of the ascending aorta protruding out of the anterior chest wall. He was successfully treated with a surgical intervention.
Cycling difficulties of visually impaired people
Authors: Jelijs Bart , Heutink Joost , de Waard Dick , Brookhuis Karel A , Melis-Dankers Bart JM
Published: February 2019

This study aims to provide an overview of visually impaired cyclists’ difficulties with independent cycling in the Netherlands. Normally sighted cyclists ( n = 109) and visually impaired cyclists ( n = 197) and former cyclists ( n = 22) completed an online questionnaire on potential cycling difficulties related to visual function, bicycle control, and contextual factors. The former cyclists were asked to what extent these difficulties were crucial for them to stop cycling. Overall, the visually impaired cyclists reported having most difficulties with light–dark transitions, crossing intersections without traffic lights, and other traffic participants’ bad visibility. The former cyclists’ determinants to stop cycling were similar to the difficulties reported by those who still cycle. The nature and the origination of the visual function limitations may induce specific difficulties in cycling. However, the ability to cycle does not depend on the visual functions alone, but also on the ability to compensate sufficiently for the visual function limitations. In conclusion, using minimal vision requirements for cycling unnecessarily excludes many visually impaired people from independent cycling. Mobility trainers are recommended to give cycling training and advice based on a practical test of the client’s individual ability to compensate for the visual limitations.
Comparison between intra-articular Botulinum toxin type A, corticosteroid, and saline in knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Mendes Jamille Godoy , Natour Jamil , Nunes-Tamashiro José Carlos , Toffolo Sandra Regina , Rosenfeld André , Furtado Rita Nely Vilar
Published: February 2019

Objective:

To compare the effectiveness of intra-articular injection (IAI) with Botulinum toxin type A (BTA), triamcinolone hexacetonide (TH), and saline in primary knee osteoarthritis.

Design:

A randomized controlled trial, with blinded patients and assessor.

Setting:

Outpatient rheumatology service.

Subjects:

Patients with knee osteoarthritis grades II and III.

Interventions:

Patients received IAI with 100 IU BTA, 40 mg TH, or isotonic saline solution (SS) 0.9%.

Main measures:

Patients were assessed at baseline and at 4, 8, and 12 weeks with the following instruments: visual analog scale for pain during movement (VASm; primary outcome) and visual analog scale for pain at rest (VASr), Western Ontario & McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) questionnaire, 6-minute walk test, Timed Up and Go test, Short Form (SF)-36 questionnaire, range of motion of knee, and ultrasound (US) measurement of synovial hypertrophy.

Results:

In total, 105 patients were randomized, with 35 in each group; 96 were female (91.4%) and 9 were male (8.6%), with a mean age of 64.2 years (±6.9). At 12 weeks, the TH group showed better results only for VASm. At four weeks, the TH group showed better results than the BTA and SS groups for VASm (–68.9% (37.8) vs. –35.3% (40.3) vs. –35.9% (51.4)), WOMAC pain (–56.0% (30.7) vs. –30.8% (34.3) vs. –30.0% (39.9)), WOMAC stiffness (–53.4% (38.4) vs. –17.2% (59.3) vs. –17.3% (78.1)), WOMAC function (–48.2% (34.6) vs. 30.8% (33.6) vs. –13.6% (64.9)), WOMAC total score (–51.2% (31.0) vs. –30.9% (30.0) vs. –18.8% (54.8)), and US measurement of synovial hypertrophy (–11.6% (44.9) vs. –1.5% (47.9) vs. +28.6% (81.3)).

Conclusion:

IAI with TH had a higher effectiveness than that with TBA or SS in the short-term assessment (four weeks) for pain in movement, WOMAC, and US measurement of synovial hypertrophy.
Clinical experience of magnetic resonance imaging in patients with cardiac pacing devices: unrestricted patient population
Authors: Vuorinen Aino-Maija , Pakarinen Sami , Jaakkola Ilkka , Holmström Miia , Kivistö Sari , Kaasalainen Touko
Published: February 2019

Background

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with cardiac pacing devices has become available despite previously being considered absolutely contraindicated. However, most institutional safety protocols have included several limitations on patient selection, leaving MRI unavailable for many patients.

Purpose

To evaluate the first 1000 MRI examinations conducted on patients with cardiac pacing devices at Helsinki University Hospital for any potential safety hazards and also to evaluate the long-term functionality of the safety protocol in “real-life” clinical practice.

Material and Methods

A total of 1000 clinically indicated MRI scans were performed with a 1.5-T MRI scanner according to the safety protocol. The following information was collected from the electronic medical record (EMR): patients’ date of birth; sex; pacing device generator model; date of MRI scan; date of the latest pacing device generator implantation; and the body region scanned. The EMR of these patients was checked and especially searched for any pacing device related safety hazards or adverse outcomes during or after the MRI scan.

Results

Only one potentially dangerous adverse event was noted in our study group. In addition, patients with abandoned leads, temporary pacing devices, and newly implanted pacing device generators were scanned successfully and safely.

Conclusion

MRI scans can be performed safely in patients with cardiac pacing devices if the dedicated safety protocol is followed.
Lumbar bone erosion with anterior dural ectasia in ankylosing spondylitis: a case report
Authors: Huang Zhi-Xiang , Deng Wei-Ming , Guo Xin , Lin Chu-Lan , Li Tian-Wang
Published: February 2019

Bony erosion and dural ectasia rarely occur in the posterior part of the vertebral body in ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Because of the compression of nerve tissue that adheres to the inflamed dura mater, a range of neurologic symptoms may develop. Few studies have investigated therapies for this condition, and surgical intervention might alleviate the neurologic dysfunction. Here, we report an uncommon case of lumbar spinal cord herniation secondary to anterior dural ectasia in a patient with AS. The patient had a 31-year history of AS and presented with progressive numbness and weakness of his left leg that had lasted for nearly 1 month. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a dural defect in the posterior aspect of the L1 and L2 vertebral bodies, with displacement of the nerve tissue adjacent to the lytic lesion. The patient declined surgery and was prescribed oral meloxicam. The neurological symptoms of the left leg remained stable during 2 years of follow-up. The dural enhancement on MRI resolved, although the erosion-like lesion in the vertebral bodies persisted. This unusual case supports the central role of inflammation in anterior dural ectasia of patients with AS. Anti-inflammatory treatment may be an alternative therapy for patients who decline surgery.
The prevalence of resistant Gram-negative bacteraemia among hospitalized patients in Tucson, Arizona over a 12-month period; A retrospective single center study
Authors: Almulhim Abdulaziz Saleh , Alamer Ahmad
Published: February 2019

Introduction

The objectives of this retrospective review were to: (a) determine the prevalence of resistant Gram-negative bacteraemia among hospitalized patients; (b) evaluate antibiotic use; (c) determine the time taken for Gram staining to final species identification.

Methods

For this retrospective study, information was extracted from patients’ electronic medical records. Eligible patients had been admitted to a 300-bed tertiary care hospital in Tucson, Arizona from October 2015 to October 2016, were over 18 years of age and had a positive blood culture for Gram-negative bacteraemia.

Results

In total, 84 patients with Gram-negative bacteraemia were identified; urinary tract infection was the most common source of infection (71%). ESBL-producing microorganisms were isolated from five (6%) patients and no MDR pathogens were identified. The, median time to Gram stain was 20.5 hours and the median time to final identification was 54.5 hours. Delayed de-escalation of broad-spectrum antibiotics (i.e., >24 hours after final culture) occurred in 25% patients with a median length of hospital stay of 118 hours (range: 56–552 hours) compared with a median length of hospital stay of 89 hours (range: 5–334 hours) in the early de-escalation group.

Conclusion

The prevalence of bacteraemia due to resistant Gram-negative microorganisms is low (6%) in this institution. However, there may be room for improvement in the antimicrobial stewardship program with regard to rapid diagnostic testing.
Unravelling the concept of unconscious bias
Authors: Bourne Jenny
Published: February 2019

The author warns against accepting the concept of unconscious bias (measured by a supposedly scientific cognitive function test) as the explanation for racism and the terrain on which it should be combatted. Using the writings of Sivanandan, in which he distinguished between attitude, action and state or institutional racism, she traces the different ways over time in which racism has been camouflaged by the use of words such as xenophobia or disadvantage, and hails the landmark acceptance of institutional racism in 1999. Returning racism to individual attitude (if unconscious) means not distinguishing between the ways in which racism affects classes and communities differentially, not distinguishing between ‘the racism that kills’ and ‘the racism that discriminates’, and suggests, wrongly, in a non-materialist way, that bias creates rather than reflects structured and institutional racism.
Complications in the Management of Acute Achilles Tendon Rupture: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis of 2060 Patients
Authors: Wu Yahong , Mu Yuan , Yin Liangjun , Wang Zhuoqun , Liu Wenke , Wan Haimin
Published: February 2019

Background:

Acute Achilles tendon rupture (ATR) has increased in the past decade, and many new treatments and rehabilitation regimens have been introduced. But major complications in ATR management remain an unsolved problem.

Purpose:

To compare the risk of major complications of acute ATR after different combinations of treatments and rehabilitation regimens.

Study Design:

Systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Method:

The authors searched 4 databases (PubMed, Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library) from the date of inception until February 2018 for articles in English. The authors considered randomized controlled trials comparing interventions and rehabilitation protocols for acute ATR and restricted (1) interventions to nonoperative treatment, minimally invasive surgery, and open surgery and (2) rehabilitation protocols to accelerated rehabilitation and early immobilization. Major complications were assessed—namely, rerupture, deep infection, and deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Only patients with primary acute ATR were considered. Quality assessment was performed with the Cochrane “risk of bias” tool. A series of additional tests were conducted to ensure the validity of the results.

Results:

Twenty-nine randomized controlled trials with 2060 patients were included in this Bayesian network meta-analysis. The mean incidence of overall major complications from all managements was 9.13% (median, 6.67%). The mean incidence rates of rerupture, deep infection, and DVT from all managements were 5%, 1.50%, and 2.67%, respectively. According to relative risk, nonoperative treatment combined with early immobilization was significantly associated with a higher risk of major complications. According to the surface under the cumulative ranking curve, minimally invasive surgery with accelerated rehabilitation had the highest possibility (79.7%) of being the best management with regard to minimizing major complications.

Conclusion:

For treating acute ATR, management combining minimally invasive surgery with accelerated rehabilitation had the highest possibility of being superior in terms of major complication risks, according to the surface under the cumulative ranking curve. Management combining nonoperative treatment with early immobilization was statistically associated with a higher risk of complications as compared with the other methods of management.
Post-Crisis Capital Controls in Developing and Emerging Countries: Regaining Policy Space? A Historical Materialist Engagement
Authors: Alami Ilias
Published: February 2019

Recent political economy scholarship has interpreted the recent resurgence of capital controls across the Global South as attempts by some developing countries to preserve their policy space to pursue heterodox economic policies. This article critically engages with this literature and argues for the need to study capital controls in light of the social constitution and the class character of the capitalist state, money, and private capital flows. This argument is substantiated through a class analysis of the deployment of capital controls in Brazil from 1945 to 2014, which emphasizes the crucial role that capital controls have historically played in the reproduction of capitalist social relations and particular forms of class rule in Brazil.

JEL Classification: F30, F32, F38, F54
Deinstitutionalization of the State and Violence in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Contribution to the Critique of the Neoinstitutionalist Analysis of Development
Authors: Lopez-Castellano Fernando , Manzanera-Ruiz Roser , Lizárraga Carmen
Published: February 2019

In recent years, a euphoric shift has taken place, typified by the narrative of “Africa rising,” which attempts to promote the idea of an economically emerging continent. In the Afro-optimist discourse, the idea is implicit that the neoliberal narrative has triumphed. However, critical voices argue that the discourse ignores the political environment under which African growth has been produced. This article critically reflects on the explanations of the neoinstitutionalist approach to development, the historical process of state formation and colonization in Africa. Following the proposal of postcolonial theory, sovereignty, tax, and violence are analyzed. Finally, the contradictory policies of the neoliberal experiment are demonstrated, which are leading to the deinstitutionalization of the State and to violence.

JEL Classification: F54, F63, E02, N17
Social Support Exchange and Nurses’ Musculoskeletal Injuries in a Team Context: Anger as a Mediator
Authors: Chang Chu-Hsiang , Yang Liu-Qin , Lauricella Taylor K.
Published: February 2019

Work-based musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are prevalent among health-care workers, particularly the nursing staff. The authors focused on the perceived social support exchange imbalance or the combination of higher perceived obligation to provide support to and lower perceived available support from the coworkers and examined the association between support exchange imbalance and nurses’ MSDs via anger. Using a sample of 410 nurses from 29 units across two hospitals, the authors found that when individual nurses reported higher support exchange imbalance, they experienced more anger, which in turn was associated with more severe MSD symptoms in low back and upper limbs. The association between support exchange imbalance and anger was exacerbated when nurses perceived that a similar level of support was available within their unit.
Hope Is Around the Corner: Determining the Effect of Neighborhood Revitalization on Crime Through an Evaluation of Houston HOPE
Authors: Mitchell Meghan M. , Crandall Kadee L. , Jia Di
Published: February 2019

Vacant lots can attract debris, are often covered with overgrown vegetation, and at times, serve as hot spots for crime. Given the alignments associated with vacant lots, cities often try to revitalize or restore vacant lots to usable parcels. However, there is little research that examines the relationship between revitalization efforts for vacant lots and crime. This study seeks to determine how Houston HOPE—a revitalization project—affects crime trends within Houston, Texas. Data from the Houston Police Department are used to analyze the progress in the HOPE intervention on violent and property crime, and nuisance calls for service using autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) modeling. We find that, for some HOPE areas, violent and property crimes and nuisance calls for service decreased, whereas, in other HOPE areas, those crimes and calls increased. Our results provide mixed support for the HOPE intervention and the utility of neighborhood revitalization efforts to influence criminal behavior.
Highly conductive and stretchable film fabricated by efficient transfer of silver nanowires
Authors: Ding Xiaoheng , Cao Hailin , Sun Siyu , Li Mingyu , Liu Haitao
Published: February 2019

Wearable devices have become an important development direction for future consumer electronics, and films with conductivity, stretchability, and transparency are crucial for achieving wearability. In this article, silver nanowires (AgNWs) with a certain aspect ratio and Al2O3-polyethylene terephthalate films with specific size pit structures were prepared. Uniform coating of the AgNW layer and polydimethylsiloxane transfer were successfully realized. The surface resistance of the final obtained film was 14 Ω/sq with a light transmittance of 50.57%. During repeated deformations, the film conductivity was not significantly reduced, and excellent electrical conductivity was maintained. A relatively complicated flexible AgNW circuit was prepared by adding a patterned mask in the scrape-coating step. This is a low-cost method and can be used to form large films. The final product has excellent conductivity and some transparency and can provide new research directions for flexible electronic devices.