bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experimental Study on Flexural Behavior of Prestressed Concrete Beams Reinforced by CFRP under Chloride Environment
Authors: Liu Yunyan , Fan Yingfang
Published: August 2019

In order to study the effects of initial damages, CFRP reinforcement, and chloride corrosion on the flexural behavior of prestressed concrete beams, ten prestressed concrete beams were designed and manufactured, which were preloaded with 0%, 40%, and 60% of the ultimate load to crack. Then, part of the beams were reinforced by CFRP and immersed in chloride condition for 120 days. After that, the four‐point bending tests were performed. Then, the sectional strain, deformation, flexural stiffness, flexural capacity, ductility, and the cracking characteristics were researched. The test results demonstrate that the sectional strain of PC beams still follows the plane cross section assumption after a pure bending deformation considering of the initial cracks, chloride corrosion, and CFRP reinforcement. The initial damage accelerates the chloride corrosion, resulting in the loss of initial stiffness, ductility, and cracking load, and the reduction in flexural capacity is less than 10%, and the failure modes of these beams are prone to change from concrete crushing to shear failure. In the cracking stage, the reinforcement of CFRP inhibits the bending deformation, leading to the reduction in stiffness degradation rates and the increase of cracking load, and the ultimate load increases by 12.8%∼18.7%. The reinforcement of CFRP constrains the development of cracks, increases the cracks numbers by 50%∼130%, decreases the cracking rates of beam bottoms by 52.5%, and reduces the average crack widths by 65.8% at 195 kN. It can be seen that the reinforcing effect of CFRP is more significant compared with the weakening effect of short‐term chloride corrosion and initial damage on the flexural behavior.
On the Baire Generic Validity of thet-Multifractal Formalism in Besov and Sobolev Spaces
Authors: Ben Abid Moez , Ben Slimane Mourad , Ben Omrane Ines , Halouani Borhen
Published: August 2019

Thet-multifractal formalism is a formula introduced by Jaffard and Mélot in order to deduce thet-spectrum of a functionffrom the knowledge of the(p,t)-oscillation exponent off. Thet-spectrum is the Hausdorff dimension of the set of points wherefhas a given value of pointwiseLtregularity. The(p,t)-oscillation exponent is measured by determining to which oscillation spacesOp,ts(defined in terms of wavelet coefficients)fbelongs. In this paper, we first prove embeddings between oscillation and Besov-Sobolev spaces. We deduce a general lower bound for the(p,t)-oscillation exponent. We then show that this lower bound is actually equality generically, in the sense of Baire’s categories, in a given Sobolev or Besov space. We finally investigate the Baire generic validity of thet-multifractal formalism.
A Validation Study on IDO Immune Biomarkers for Survival Prediction in Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer: Radiation Dose Fractionation Effect in Early-Stage Disease
Authors: Wang Weili , Huang Lei , Jin Jian-Yue , Pi Wenhu , Ellsworth Susannah G. , Jolly Shruti , Mellor Andrew L. , Machtay Mitchell , Kong Feng-Ming (Spring)
Published: August 2019

Purpose:

We recently reported that indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase (IDO) activity is significantly correlated with more distant metastasis and worse survival. The present study examined whether radiotherapy (RT) dose fractionation correlates with IDO-mediated immune activity in patients with early-stage NSCLC.

Methods: Patients with newly diagnosed stage I-II NSCLC treated with either conventionally fractionated 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) or stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) were analyzed. Levels of two key molecules associated with the IDO immune checkpoint, serum kynurenine and the kynurenine:tryptophan ratio (K:T ratio), were measured at pre-RT, during-RT, and 3-month post-RT. The relationship between disease control outcomes [overall survival (OS), progression free survival, and local/regional/distant failure rates] and absolute levels of these markers, as well as dynamic changes in their levels during RT, was studied.

Results:

Fifty-six patients (SBRT = 28, 3DCRT = 28) with early-stage NSCLC were studied. In all patients, higher kynurenine post-RT was significantly associated with worse OS ([HR, 1.25; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.01–1.55; P = 0.044). No statistically significant differences in absolute kynurenine levels or the K:T ratio were observed in patients treated with 3DCRT or SBRT at any of the three time points. However, the absolute kynurenine levels rose significantly more post-RT in the 3DCRT patients with a median increase 0.721 ng/mL, compared to that of SBRT patients (0.115 ng/mL); P = 0.022.

Conclusions:

This study validated that elevated IDO activity correlated with worse survival outcomes in patients with early-stage NSCLC treated with definitive RT. Hypofractionated SBRT may have less immunosuppressive effect than 3DCRT, as measured by IDO.
Phase I Study of Rapid Alternation of Sunitinib and Regorafenib for the Treatment of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Refractory Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors
Authors: Serrano César , Leal Alessandro , Kuang Yanan , Morgan Jeffrey A. , Barysauskas Constance M. , Phallen Jillian , Triplett Olivia , Mariño-Enríquez Adrián , Wagner Andrew J. , Demetri George D. , Velculescu Victor E. , Paweletz Cloud P. , Fletcher Jonathan A. , George Suzanne
Published: August 2019

Purpose:

Polyclonal emergence of KIT secondary mutations is a main mechanism of imatinib progression in gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). Approved KIT inhibitors sunitinib and regorafenib have complementary activity against KIT resistance mutations. Preclinical evidence suggests that rapid alternation of sunitinib and regorafenib broadens the spectrum of imatinib-resistant subclones targeted.

Patients and Methods:

Phase Ib study investigating continuous treatment with cycles of sunitinib (3 days) followed by regorafenib (4 days) in patients with tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-refractory GIST. A 3+3 dosing schema was utilized to determine the recommended phase II dose (RP2D). Plasma samples were analyzed for pharmacokinetics and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) studies using targeted error correction sequencing (TEC-seq) and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR).

Results:

Of the 14 patients enrolled, 2 experienced dose-limiting toxicities at dose level 2 (asymptomatic grade 3 hypophosphatemia). Sunitinib 37.5 mg/day and regorafenib 120 mg/day was the RP2D. Treatment was well-tolerated and no unexpected toxicities resulted from the combination. Stable disease was the best response in 4 patients, and median progression-free survival was 1.9 months. Combined assessment of ctDNA with TEC-seq and ddPCR detected plasma mutations in 11 of 12 patients (92%). ctDNA studies showed that KIT secondary mutations remain the main mechanism of resistance in TKI-refractory GIST, revealing effective suppression of KIT-mutant subpopulations in patients benefiting from the combination.

Conclusions:

Sunitinib and regorafenib combination is feasible and tolerable. Rapid alternation of TKIs with complementary activity might be effective when combining drugs with favorable pharmacokinetics, potentially allowing active doses while minimizing adverse events. Serial monitoring with ctDNA may guide treatment in patients with GIST.
Cardiac lymphoma in dogs –
Authors: Noronha Natália Pisciottano , Bakiewicz Wiktor Prata , Biondi Luiz Roberto , Chamas Patrícia Pereira Costa
Published: August 2019

Lymphoma is a very common lymphoid malignancy in dogs, but cardiac involvement is rare. Primary cardiac lymphoma is defined as lymphoma involving the heart, the pericardium, or both, and is classified as extranodal anatomical form. The present report describes the cases of three animals with cardiac lymphoma. All cases presented moderate to severe pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade. The cytological analysis of the effusion was consistent with the diagnosis of cardiac lymphoma. The anatomopathological evaluation of the tumor extracted from the heart of one of the animals, after euthanasia, was consistent with cardiac lymphoma. The other two animals were treated with Madison-Wisconsin chemotherapy protocol and survived between 6 to 8 months. This report emphasizes the importance of pericardial effusion cytology for the diagnosis, appropriate treatment approach and monitoring of cardiac tumors in dogs and cats.
Heart Transplantation Survival and the Use of Traumatically Brain‐Injured Donors: UNOS Registry Propensity‐Matched Analysis
Authors: Barac Yaron D. , Jawitz Oliver K. , Klapper Jacob , Schroder Jacob , Daneshmand Mani A. , Patel Chet , Hartwig Matt G. , Sweitzer Nancy K. , Milano Carmelo A.
Published: August 2019

Background

The transplantation of hearts from traumatically brain‐injured (TBI) donors has been associated with inferior long‐term survival in single‐center analyses. However, in a more recent analysis, death caused by cerebrovascular accident was associated with worse posttransplant survival in recipients. The purpose of this study was to explore the outcomes of heart transplantation in recipients receiving donor hearts from TBI and non‐TBI donors in a large national registry.

Methods and Results

We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of the UNOS (United Network of Organ Sharing) Registry Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network between 2006 and 2018 for adult candidates wait‐listed for isolated heart transplantation. Recipients were stratified into 2 groups, TBI and non‐TBI donors. Propensity score matching was performed. Kaplan‐Meier analysis was used to estimate survival posttransplant. A total of 24 894 candidates met inclusion criteria. TBI was the leading cause of death in the donor population. Recipients of TBI donor hearts (N=13 07) were younger (median age, 55 versus 57 years;
P
<0.001) and less likely women (21.6% versus 29.8%;
P
<0.001). At 10 years, the TBI group had better long‐term survival compared with the non‐TBI group (62.8% versus 59.9%;
P
<0.001). After propensity group matching, the 10‐year survival was similar between groups.

Conclusions

In the largest analysis of heart transplants and their survival, according to the type of donor injury (TBI versus non‐TBI), we found similar survival in heart transplant recipients. Future studies should address specific subpopulations (eg, hemorrhagic stroke) in the non‐TBI group to address concerns about reduced posttransplant survival.
A supervised machine learning approach to trace doctorate recipients’ employment trajectories
Authors: Heinisch Dominik P. , Koenig Johannes , Otto Anne
Published: August 2019

Only scarce information is available on doctorate recipients’ career outcomes ( BuWiN, 2013 ). With the current information base, graduate students cannot make an informed decision on whether to start a doctorate or not ( Benderly, 2018 ; Blank et al., 2017 ). However, administrative labor market data, which could provide the necessary information, are incomplete in this respect. In this paper, we describe the record linkage of two data sets to close this information gap: data on doctorate recipients collected in the catalog of the German National Library (DNB), and the German labor market biographies (IEB) from the German Institute of Employment Research. We use a machine learning-based methodology, which (a) improves the record linkage of data sets without unique identifiers, and (b) evaluates the quality of the record linkage. The machine learning algorithms are trained on a synthetic training and evaluation data set. In an exemplary analysis, we compare the evolution of the employment status of female and male doctorate recipients in Germany.
Deep mourning with the loss of Professor Youchong Hong—a pioneer palaeoentomologist of China

Authors: HUANG DIYING , ZHANG ZHIJUN
Published: August 2019

Professor Youchong Hong, a well-known palaeoentomologist of China passed away in Beijing on July 4, 2019, at the age of 89.
An annotated list of the Acanthocephala from Argentina
Authors: HERNÁNDEZ-ORTS JESÚS S. , KUCHTA ROMAN , SEMENAS LILIANA , CRESPO ENRIQUE A. , GONZÁLEZ RAÚL A. , AZNAR FRANCISCO J.
Published: August 2019

A detailed list of acanthocephalans from Argentina was generated based on 205 published records. The list includes 52 named and 35 undetermined species of Acanthocephala infecting 6 species of invertebrate (2 amphipods, 3 decapods and 1 insect) and 155 species of vertebrate (one cartilaginous fish, 95 bony fishes, 10 amphibians, 3 reptiles, 13 birds and 33 mammals) host species in the Argentinean territory. The present list contains information on the invertebrate and vertebrate host(s), site of infection, developmental stage and locality(ies) of the acanthocephalans listed and references. For some species of acanthocephalans, information about repositories of the type material, voucher specimens, and DNA sequences of individual taxa are also presented. Finally, a host-Acanthocephala list is also provided. The data compiled revealed considerable gaps in the knowledge of the diversity, taxonomy, distribution, and life cycles of the acanthocephalans from Argentina.
Extratropical–Tropical Interaction Model Intercomparison Project (Etin-Mip): Protocol and Initial Results
Authors: Kang Sarah M. , Hawcroft Matt , Xiang Baoqiang , Hwang Yen-Ting , Cazes Gabriel , Codron Francis , Crueger Traute , Deser Clara , Hodnebrog Øivind , Kim Hanjun , Kim Jiyeong , Kosaka Yu , Losada Teresa , Mechoso Carlos R. , Myhre Gunnar , Seland Øyvind , Stevens Bjorn , Watanabe Masahiro , Yu Sungduk
Published: August 2019

This article introduces the Extratropical–Tropical Interaction Model Intercomparison Project (ETIN-MIP), where a set of fully coupled model experiments are designed to examine the sources of longstanding tropical precipitation biases in climate models. In particular, we reduce insolation over three targeted latitudinal bands of persistent model biases: the southern extratropics, the southern tropics, and the northern extratropics. To address the effect of regional energy bias corrections on the mean distribution of tropical precipitation, such as the double intertropical convergence zone problem, we evaluate the quasi-equilibrium response of the climate system corresponding to a 50-yr period after the 100 years of prescribed energy perturbation. Initial results show that, despite a large intermodel spread in each perturbation experiment due to differences in ocean heat uptake response and climate feedbacks across models, the southern tropics is most efficient at driving a meridional shift of tropical precipitation. In contrast, the extratropical energy perturbations are effectively damped by anomalous heat uptake over the subpolar oceans, thereby inducing a smaller meridional shift of tropical precipitation compared with the tropical energy perturbations. The ETIN-MIP experiments allow us to investigate the global implications of regional energy bias corrections, providing a route to guide the practice of model development, with implications for understanding dynamical responses to anthropogenic climate change and geoengineering.
Tropical Pacific Ocean Dynamical Response to Short-Term Sulfate Aerosol Forcing
Authors: Verma Tarun , Saravanan R. , Chang P. , Mahajan S.
Published: August 2019

The large-scale and long-term climate impacts of anthropogenic sulfate aerosols consist of Northern Hemisphere cooling and a southward shift of the tropical rain belt. On interannual time scales, however, the response to aerosols is localized with a sizable imprint on local ocean–atmosphere interaction. A large concentration of anthropogenic sulfates over Asia may impact ENSO by modifying processes and interactions that generate this coupled ocean–atmosphere variability. Here, we use climate model experiments with different degrees of ocean–atmosphere coupling to study the tropical Pacific response to an abrupt increase in anthropogenic sulfates. These include an atmospheric general circulation model (GCM) coupled to either a full-ocean GCM or a slab-ocean model, or simply forced by climatology of sea surface temperature. Comparing the responses helps differentiate between the fast atmospheric and slow ocean-mediated responses, and highlights the role of ocean–atmosphere coupling in the latter. We demonstrate the link between the Walker circulation and the equatorial Pacific upper-ocean dynamics in response to increased sulfate aerosols. The local surface cooling due to sulfate aerosols emitted over the Asian continent drives atmospheric subsidence over the equatorial west Pacific. The associated anomalous circulation imparts westerly momentum to the underlying Pacific Ocean, leading to an El Niño–like upper-ocean response and a transient warming of the east equatorial Pacific Ocean. The oceanic adjustment eventually contributes to its decay, giving rise to a damped oscillation of the tropical Pacific Ocean in response to abrupt anthropogenic sulfate aerosol forcing.
Reflections on working in public-figure threat management
Authors: Wilson Simon , Farnham Frank , Taylor Alice , Taylor Richard
Published: August 2019

The Fixated Threat Assessment Centre (FTAC) manages the risk posed to public figures by fixated individuals by paying attention to their correspondence and approaches and liaising with the mental health and criminal justice agencies responsible for their management. This paper offers a narrative reflection on the clinical experience of this unusual work. The clinical population is significantly different from that seen in mainstream mental health services, with a preponderance of delusional disorders and paraphrenias. The interface with mental health and criminal justice systems around the UK and internationally also offers a unique perspective on the functioning and malfunctioning of these services, and we attempt to describe and make sense of these experiences.
Agricultural trade liberalization, regional trade agreements and agricultural technical efficiency in Africa
Authors: Sunge Regret , Ngepah Nicholas
Published: August 2019

Despite increased agricultural trade liberalization, high productive inefficiency in agriculture has kept Africa as a net importer of agriculture products. Empirical studies have focused on the trade liberalization–productivity growth nexus and overlooked the efficiency linkage. Also the role of regional trade agreements (RTAs) and institutions in reducing inefficiency in agriculture have been sidelined. We use a stochastic frontier approach and single-stage maximum likelihood estimation of a true fixed-effects panel data model for our analysis. Using maize and rice data, we provide evidence that through technology transfer, agricultural trade statistically improves technical efficiency. Moreover, results suggest that RTAs provide favourable technical efficiency effects, which varies across products and membership. Furthermore, we document that while regulatory quality reduces technical inefficiency, control of corruption increases it. Our findings call for increased role of RTAs in promoting agricultural trade liberalization. This should be complemented by further strengthening of institutions involved in the agriculture value chain.
Steeling in Later Life: Exploring Age-Specific Effects of Varying Levels of Stress on Psychological Resilience
Authors: Höltge Jan , Mc Gee Shauna L. , Maercker Andreas , Thoma Myriam V.
Published: August 2019

The steeling effect suggests that “optimal” stress positively affects well-being by enhancing resilience. However, there is lack of longitudinal investigations in diverse age groups. The aim was to explore steeling in later life and potential predictors. The sample consisted of N =  195 participants. A 1-year longitudinal survey study was conducted. Sociodemographics, experienced stress, resilience resources, and satisfaction with life were assessed. Latent profile analysis was used to identify profiles that differ in the change of resilience resources over time and to examine differences between the profiles across the other study variables. Three profiles emerged: decreased resources ( Decrease), stability of resources ( Maintenance), and increased resources ( Increase). “Decrease” was characterized by low, Maintenance by moderate, and Increase by high stress. Age influenced profile membership. While the results failed to support the classic steeling effect, with high stress associated with increased resilience resources, optimal stress was associated with the maintenance of resilience resources.
An optimal adaptive hybrid controller for a fourth-order under-actuated nonlinear inverted pendulum system
Authors: Mahmoodabadi Mohammad Javad , Khoobroo Haghbayan Hamed
Published: August 2019

In this paper, a combination of approximate feedback linearization and sliding mode control approaches is applied to stabilize a class of fourth-order nonlinear systems. In order to improve the performance of the proposed controller, design parameters of the sliding surface are adjusted using the adaptation laws, based on the gradient descent technique. Eventually, a new version of particle swarm optimization is implemented to optimize the control gains with respect to the integral of time-weighted absolute errors as the objective function, and a constraint on the maximum control effort value. The introduced idea is put into practice for the under-actuated inverted pendulum system, and the procedure is described with details step by step. The time responses of cart position, pendulum angle, and control effort of the proposed method is then compared with those of several recently published references so as to evaluate the effectiveness of this scenario.
Effects of dynamic mold temperature control on melt pressure, cellular structure, and mechanical properties of microcellular injection-molded parts: An experimental study
Authors: Dong Guiwei , Zhao Guoqun , Hou Junji , Wang Guilong , Mu Yue
Published: August 2019

In this work, the effects of dynamic mold temperature control (DMTC) on melt pressure, cellular structure, and mechanical properties of microcellular injection molding (MIM)-molded parts are investigated experimentally. It is found that with the increase of the mold temperature, the duration of foaming pressure in the cooling stage increases. Meanwhile, the average cell diameter and cell diameter dispersion increases as well as the cell density decreases in MIM molded parts. The turning point of mold temperature after which the foaming pressure in the cooling stage and the cellular structure in MIM molded parts generate a significant change is around the glass transition temperature of the used plastic material. Under DMTC conditions, with the increase of mold temperature, the tensile strength, flexural strength, and impact strength of MIM molded specimens of single gate without weld line change a little, while the tensile strength, flexural strength of MIM molded specimens of double gates with weld line increase obviously. When the mold temperature increases to 120°C and over, the tensile strength, flexural strength of MIM molded specimens of double gates with weld line reach an equivalent level of specimens of single gate without weld line.
MiR-421 inhibition protects H9c2 cells against hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis by targeting Sirt3
Authors: Liu Yu , Qian Xi-Ming , He Qi-Cai , Weng Jia-Kan
Published: August 2019

Background:

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. miRNA-421 (miR-421) plays a significant role in the initiation of apoptosis and myocardial infarction. However, the molecular regulation of miR-421 in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury requires further elucidation.

Methods:

An in vitro hypoxia/reoxygenation model was established, and the expression levels of miR-421 and Sirtuin-3 (Sirt3) in H9c2 cells were quantified using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Flow cytometry was employed to measure the effects of miR-421 on myocardial apoptosis induced by hypoxia/reoxygenation. The activity of lactate dehydrogenase and superoxide dismutase and levels of malondialdehyde were measured. The binding sites of miR-421 on Sirt3 were predicted using TargetScan software. A luciferase reporter assay was used to validate the direct targeting of Sirt3 with miR-421. Protein expression levels of Sirt3 and its downstream proteins were evaluated using Western blot analysis.

Results:

Exposure of H9c2 cells to hypoxia/reoxygenation led to increased apoptosis, levels of malondialdehyde and lactate dehydrogenase, and decreased levels of superoxide dismutase. miR-421 knockdown resulted in decreased apoptosis, levels of lactate dehydrogenase and malondialdehyde, and increased superoxide dismutase levels in H9c2 cells. Hypoxia/reoxygenation significantly decreased the relative expression levels of Sirt3. Down-regulation of Sirt3 resulted from overexpression of miR-421, which directly targeted Sirt3. Knockdown of miR-421 up-regulated Sirt3 expression, inhibited activation of the Jun N-terminal kinase/activator protein 1 pathway and caspase 9/3-dependent cell death.

Conclusion:

The miR-421-Sirt3-Jun N-terminal kinase/activator protein 1 axis is a novel molecular mechanism that accommodates hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis and provides a new direction for the study and treatment of hypoxia/reoxygenation.
Selection of systemic therapy in patients with locally advanced and recurrent/metastatic head and neck cancer: RAND-based expert opinion by an Italian multidisciplinary panel
Authors: Benasso Marco , Bonomo Pierluigi , Buglione Michela , Ghi Maria Grazia , Licitra Lisa , Magrini Stefano Maria , Merlano Marco Carlo , Presutti Livio , Ronzino Graziana , Ferrari Daris
Published: August 2019

Background:

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a heterogeneous disease often presenting at an already advanced stage. Cisplatin chemoradiotherapy is the standard treatment for locally advanced disease, although its efficacy varies according to different studies. Thus, treatment selection is a challenge, especially in older patients, who frequently have several comorbidities. Moreover, the majority of patients with recurrent and/or metastatic disease are unsuitable for local treatment, either surgery or radiation therapy. The only treatment option for them is systemic therapy, but prognosis remains poor, with a median overall survival of less than 12 months.

Methods:

A group of Italian key opinion leaders in the field of HNSCC gathered several times in 2018 in order to retrieve a set of statements to help clinicians in their daily decision-making process for the treatment of patients with different scenarios of HNSCC.

Results and Conclusion:

The panel agreed on 22 statements that were identified as “good clinical points” based on the available literature or after discussion of the most relevant aspect of the underlying diseases when no international consensus was available. The panel identified a number of possible scenarios (namely 71) in which these statements may be helpful to guide decision-making for the best treatment selection.
A Billion Distorted Thoughts: An Exploratory Study of Criminogenic Cognitions Among Men Who Sexually Exploit Children Over the Internet
Authors: Paquette Sarah , Longpré Nicholas , Cortoni Franca
Published: August 2019

There is evidence that endorsing a higher level of offense-supportive cognitions is associated with contact sexual offending. Such an association assumes the construct of cognitions as unidimensional, thus ignoring the possibility that specific subtypes of cognitions exist and that certain may be criminogenic. To investigate this possibility, this study aimed at examining the associations between criminal behaviors and cognitive themes found in the discourse of men who engage in sexual offenses against children over the Internet. Through the discourse of a sample of 60 men with online child sexual exploitation material and solicitation offenses, a previous study identified eight cognitive themes: Uncontrollability, Nature of harm, Child as sexual being, Child as partner, Dangerous world, Entitlement, Virtual is not real, and Internet is uncontrollable. These themes were not investigated for their criminogenic nature. Thus, in this study, bivariate analyses were used to determine whether these cognitive themes were linked to three indicators of criminal behaviors: the extent of criminal charges, the diversity of offending behaviors, and the nature of contact with victims. Results suggest that, taken as a whole, online sexual offense–supportive cognitions may not be criminogenic. Moreover, only cognitive themes related to antisocial orientation and atypical sexuality were found linked with criminal behaviors, although associations found remain limited. Findings and associated implications are further discussed for research and clinical purposes.
Sailing on an ocean of associations—response to Juan Tubert-Oklander
Authors: Scholz Regine
Published: August 2019

When I was invited to respond and perhaps to add something to Juan Tubert-Oklander’s rich lecture and Earl Hopper’s further elaborations, I felt honoured to speak to this audience and to share with you some of my thoughts.
Teacher Trainees’ Administration and Scoring Errors on the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement
Authors: Lockwood Adam B. , Sealander Karen , Gross Thomas J. , Lanterman Christopher
Published: August 2019

Achievement tests are used to make high-stakes (e.g., special education placement) decisions, and previous research on norm-referenced assessment suggests that errors are ubiquitous. In our study of 42 teacher trainees, utilizing five of the six core subtests of the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement, Third Edition (KTEA-3), we found that while most trainees make errors, they do not make a large number per person with the exception of a few error-prone trainees. In addition, Wilcoxon signed-rank tests indicated that reading comprehension was the most prone subtest to administration ( T = 120; p < .001) and clerical ( T = 45; p < .01) errors. However, subtests pairwise comparisons indicated nonsignificant differences between error rates across subtests. Based on these findings, we recommend that training programs focus extra attention on reading comprehension and remediating students who make a disproportionate number of errors. Implications for future research are also noted.
Corridors of Freedom: Analyzing Johannesburg’s Ambitious Inclusionary Transit-Oriented Development
Authors: Harrison Philip , Rubin Margot , Appelbaum Alexandra , Dittgen Romain
Published: August 2019

In 2013, the Mayor of Johannesburg announced the ambitious Corridors of Freedom (CoF) initiative to transform the city’s socio-spatial structure. The CoF were constructed to be an inclusionary form of transit-oriented development (TOD). Using a 1,200 respondent survey, over 75 interviews, documentary analysis, and attendance at public participation interventions, the paper questions the possibilities for, and constraints on, the practice of inclusionary TOD. Using six criteria—spatial transformation, mobility, affordable accommodation, jobs and livelihoods, social integration, and participation—we demonstrate the mixed outcomes of inclusionary TOD.
We Can’t Step Back: Women Specially…A Narrative Case Study on Resilience, Independence, and Leadership of a Bhutanese Refugee Woman
Authors: Denzongpa Kunga , Nichols Tracy
Published: August 2019

One of the fastest emerging global public health crises is the rapid increase in the population of forcibly displaced people, known as refugees. Refugee women, particularly, are at a greater disadvantage due to their social positioning related to gender norms, language barriers, and lack of resources. They are also more likely to experience structural and situational stressors. Despite myriad negative factors, studies show refugee women employ resilient strategies to overcome their stressors. This study uses a narrative analysis approach to understand how a Bhutanese refugee woman’s experiences throughout her journey of birth, double displacement, and resettlement were expressed through her resiliency and independence and culminated into a community leadership role once she was resettled in the United States. Data were collected using extensive observational field notes and multiple formal and informal interviews. The story was co-constructed with the participant through an iterative process of developing, verifying, and refining to increase accuracy. Implications for social work practice emphasize the need to identify and support women as leaders in the community, to connect refugee communities with organizational resources, and to preserve and promote the voices of women leaders and empower their position in their communities.
Aroha and Manaakitanga—That’s What It Is About: Indigenous Women, “Love,” and Interpersonal Violence
Authors: Wilson Denise , Mikahere-Hall Alayne , Jackson Debra , Cootes Karina , Sherwood Juanita
Published: August 2019

Māori women (Aotearoa New Zealand’s Indigenous women) experience a high burden of harm and homicide associated with intergenerational family violence, complicated by the ongoing effects of colonialism. Also, the historical, social, and cultural complexities, such as poverty and structural racism, challenge further Māori women seeking help. In this project, we sought to answer two questions: What are Māori women’s sociocultural constructions of “love” within relationships with violent partners? What roles do traditional cultural values play in their relationships? Using Kaupapa Māori (by Māori, for Māori) methodology, we conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with 27 Māori women and analyzed them using thematic analysis. We identified three core themes that explain how Māori women enter into, stay in, and leave a relationship with a violent partner: (a) it begins with a connection, (b) downplaying the signs, and (c) needing to leave. We found that Māori women’s compassion and caring for their partner was underpinned by their recognition that partners had the potential to be nonviolent and resembled Māori cultural concepts of aroha (compassion, empathy, and respect) and manaakitanga (hospitality, sharing, and caring for others). Through sharing their stories, these women revealed the strength of cultural imperatives that include the importance of whakapapa (genealogy) and whanaungatanga (connections) of which aroha and manaakitanga are integral parts. Our findings highlight the complexity and competing tensions underpinning Māori women’s decision-making when entering and exiting violent relationships. These cultural imperatives are essential for understanding how these influence the decision-making of Māori women, which can position them at odds with those who would tell them they must walk away and not look back.
Levels of intersecting temporalities in young men’s orientation to the future. A cross-national case comparison
Authors: Nilsen Ann
Published: August 2019

Inspired by G.H. Mead’s philosophy of time and his focus on the present as the site of interpretation of past experiences and thoughts about the future, this paper makes cross-national comparisons between four cases of young Norwegian and British men. The method is case-based biographical analysis. Levels of biographical time, family time and historical time intersect in young men’s orientation to the future in a present set in the current contexts of Norway and Britain. The overarching question addresses if and how timing at the biographical level, related to family time and resources, harmonise with features of opportunity structures in the national contexts. Two typologies are identified: those whose future orientations correspond with standards for ‘successful’ trajectories are named confident continuity while cautious contingency characterises the orientation of those whose biographical timing of transitions is not in synchrony with family time nor with standards in the current opportunity structure.
Barriers to fieldwork placements for international higher degree students: A systematic literature review
Authors: Lee Den-Ching A , Haines Terry P , Maneephong Supitcha , Zeng Qianyu
Published: August 2019

An emerging challenge in providing education to international higher degree students is delivering courses that have fieldwork placement components. This review synthesised findings for higher education courses where fieldwork placements were employed. The study investigated the issues that supervisors experienced, or anticipated they would experience, in providing placements to international students, and identified the key factors that might moderate their willingness to provide placements. The results from the 18 studies reviewed showed that the key themes were related to perceived burden in supervising international students during placement, and perceived discordance of language and cultural norms between international students and the workplace in the host country. This evaluation will assist educators to plan support programs for placement preparation and completion as it identified the key barriers perceived to be related to placement success.
Medication Use and Risk of Delirium in Mechanically Ventilated Patients
Authors: Jin Taixian , Jin Yinji , Lee Sun-Mi
Published: August 2019

One of the principal complications in patients in the intensive care unit, particularly in those receiving mechanical ventilation, is medication-induced delirium. The present study aimed to intensively analyze pharmaceutical factors affecting the development of delirium in mechanically ventilated patients using the electronic health records. The present study was designed as a retrospective case–control study. The delirium group included 500 mechanically ventilated patients. The non-delirium group included 2,000 patients who were hospitalized during the same period as the delirium group and received mechanical ventilation. A total of seven types of medications (narcotic analgesics, non-narcotic analgesics, psychopharmaceuticals, sleep aid medications, anticholinergics, steroids, and diuretics), conventionally used to manage mechanical ventilation, were found to be major risk factors associated with the occurrence of delirium. Since these medications are an integral part of managing mechanically ventilated patients, prudent protocol-based medication approaches are essential to decrease the risk of delirium.
Topical Insulin Modulates Inflammatory and Proliferative Phases of Burn-Wound Healing in Diabetes-Induced Rats
Authors: Azevedo Flávia Figueiredo , Moreira Gabriela Virgínia , Teixeira Caio Jordão , Pessoa Ana Flávia Marçal , Alves Michele Joana , Liberti Edson Aparecido , Carvalho Carla Roberta Oliveira , Araújo Eliana Pereira , Saad Mário José Abdala , Lima Maria Helena Melo
Published: August 2019

The healing time of burn wounds depends on surface area and depth of the burn and associated comorbidities. Diabetes mellitus (DM) causes delays in the healing process by extending the inflammatory phase. Treatment with topical insulin can improve the inflammatory phase, restore metabolic dysregulation, and modulate impaired cellular signaling in burn wounds. The objective of this study was to evaluate markers of the inflammatory and proliferative phases of second-degree burns after topical insulin treatment in diabetic rats. Type I DM was induced with streptozotocin in male Wistar rats. The animals’ backs were shaved and subjected to thermal burning. Rats were randomized into two groups: control diabetic (DC) and insulin diabetic (DI). At Days 7 and 14 postburn, rats were euthanized, and wound-tissue sections were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin, Weigert, and Verhöeff staining, immunohistochemistry-paraffin, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A significant increase in reepithelialization was seen on Days 7 and 14 in DI versus DC rats. On Day 7, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1, and F4/80 expression were increased in DI versus DC rats. On Day 14, MCP-1 expression was decreased and F4/80 increased in DI versus DC rats. On Days 7 and 14, Ki-67, transforming growth factor-β1, vascular endothelial growth factor expression, and formation of elastic fibers were increased in DI versus DC rats. Topical insulin modulates burn-wound healing in diabetic animals by balancing inflammation and promoting angiogenesis and formation of elastic fibers.
Meta-analysis of the concordance of Icare® PRO–based rebound and Goldmann applanation tonometry in glaucoma patients
Authors: Rödter Tara Helena , Knippschild Stephanie , Baulig Christine , Krummenauer Frank
Published: August 2019

Background:

The Icare® PRO rebound tonometer is being promoted as a patient-friendly device for glaucoma detection and monitoring, allowing rapid and accurate intraocular pressure measurement avoiding anaesthesia. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the concordance of Icare® PRO and Goldmann applanation tonometry in glaucoma patients.

Methods:

The German and English literature research was carried out using PubMed and Cochrane Library between January 2010 and March 2018. Method comparison trials in a paired sample study design were identified. Search criteria were ‘Icare PRO’, ‘Rebound’, ‘Goldmann’ and ‘Applanation’. Adult patients with glaucoma of any aetiology were included. The intraindividual intraocular pressure deviation between Icare® PRO and Goldmann applanation tonometry (mm Hg) served as primary endpoint, parameterized by the reported mean differences. For each study, an asymptotic 95% confidence interval was derived. The overall intraocular pressure meta-difference (Icare® PRO-Goldmann applanation tonometry) and 95% confidence interval were estimated using the random effect model.

Result:

Of 147 publications, 6 studies (672 eyes) were included after reviewing. Four studies showed an intraocular pressure underestimation by the Icare® PRO, two an overestimation. The meta-difference (Icare® PRO-Goldmann applanation tonometry = −0.14 mm Hg; 95% confidence interval: (−0.43 mm Hg; 0.15 mm Hg)) indicated a non-significant, clinically irrelevant mean deviation (p = 0.335). The devices showed good agreement, but there was a strong heterogeneity between the studies (I² = 77%): two studies presented a significant difference (Icare® PRO-Goldmann applanation tonometry), however, with deviations in opposite directions.

Conclusion:

Although the manufacturer advertises the Icare® PRO as a ‘tonometer with superior accuracy’, the present review could neither confirm nor deny considerable agreement between Goldmann applanation tonometry and Icare® PRO in glaucomatous patients.
Is Access to Care Associated With Stage at Presentation and Survival for Melanoma Patients?
Authors: Pitre Lacey D. , Linford Geordie , Pond Gregory R. , McWhirter Elaine , Seow Hsien
Published: August 2019

Background

Melanoma incidence increases with socioeconomic status but the effect of rurality and access to primary care or dermatology on patient outcomes is unclear.

Objectives

The objectives of this study were to determine whether access to care, rurality, or socioeconomic status are associated with melanoma stage at presentation and prognosis.

Methods

Linked administrative databases from Ontario, Canada, were retrospectively analyzed to identify a population-based cohort of patients diagnosed with melanoma between 2004 and 2012. Rurality was assessed using the rural index of Ontario (RIO) score, and the number of visits to dermatology and primary care was used to evaluate access to care.

Results

We identified 18 776 melanoma patients, of whom 9591 had completed pathological staging. Patients with higher RIO scores, living further from a cancer center or in a rural community, were less likely to see a dermatologist in the year prior to diagnosis ( P < .001 for all). Patients seen by a dermatologist within 365 days prior to diagnosis were less likely to present with stage III or IV disease (odds ratio 0.63, P < .001) and had improved overall survival (hazard ratio [HR] for death 0.77, P < .001). There was a nonlinear association between number of family physician visits and melanoma prognosis, with patients who had 3 to 5 visits per year having the best overall survival (HR 0.88, P = .003).

Conclusion

Our findings strengthen the known association between access to dermatology and melanoma outcomes by linking individual patients’ prediagnosis access to care to pathological stage at diagnosis and overall survival.
Viking tattoos of Instagram: Runes and contemporary identities
Authors: Bennett Lisa , Wilkins Kim
Published: August 2019

In this essay, we explore how and why rune tattoos – that is, tattoos created out of single runes or longer runic inscriptions – become implicated in modern reimaginings of Viking identity. What is critically interesting here is not whether Vikings actually wore rune tattoos. Rather, we are interested in analysing the cultural processes by which certain contemporary subjects come to adapt and inscribe Viking runes as living artwork on their own bodies and to display images of these personal markings on Instagram. That is, we are not arguing from the perspective of trying to find a simple equivalence between the medieval and the modern. Instead, we are trying to understand what kind of cultural work the medieval (in the form of Viking runes) performs in shaping 21st-century identities in a cultural moment when self-perception and social relations have become increasingly embedded in social media.
Festive traditions and tourism in Mallorca: Ludic transgressions and the disruption of otherness
Authors: Vives Riera Antoni , Obrador Pau
Published: August 2019

Invented traditions are worldmaking devices that mobilise places for tourism consumption. They are regularly used to project a tourist sense of otherness. However, they can also be sites of resistance and transgression in tourism. This article explores the transgressive potential of invented traditions as a locus of cultural change that challenges processes of othering in tourism. It reflects on the disruption of alterity with a case study of La Mucada, an invented rural tradition in Mallorca, which problematises the romantic categories through which the island is consumed by tourists. Invented traditions are reconsidered in relational terms as progressive spaces that can generate more partial, fluid or unfixed identifications. A performative understanding of transgression is proposed, emphasising the banal tourist ways in which epistemologies of difference are disrupted. Ludic transgressions also target other dichotomies, including stable notions of sexuality and gender.