bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gut microbiome and pediatric multiple sclerosis
Authors: Tremlett Helen , Waubant Emmanuelle
Published: January 2018

Half of our cells and only 1 in 100 of our genes are human; the rest comprise microbes, termed the human microbiota. Over 90% of these microbes live in the large intestine. Aside from aiding food digestion, these diverse microbes can also synthesize essential vitamins or amino acids, educate and modulate the immune system response, and influence susceptibility or resistance to infections. Their potential to influence neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS) is intriguing. The overarching goal of this Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) presentation was to provide a high-level insight into gut microbiota’s potential role in pediatric MS. Two specific questions were also addressed based on published work: (1) Does the gut microbiota differ between children with and without MS? and (2) Is the gut microbiota associated with future relapse risk?
The aliens inside us: HERV-W endogenous retroviruses and multiple sclerosis
Authors: Dolei Antonina
Published: January 2018

Two human endogenous retroviruses of the HERV-W family are proposed as multiple sclerosis (MS) co-factors: MS-associated retrovirus (MSRV) and ERVWE1, whose env proteins showed several potentially neuropathogenic features, in vitro and in animal models. Phase II clinical trials against HERV-Wenv are ongoing. HERV-W/MSRV was repeatedly found in MS patients, in striking parallel with MS stages, active/remission phases, and therapy outcome. The HERV-Wenv protein is highly expressed in active MS plaques. Early MSRV presence in spinal fluids predicted worst MS progression 10 years in advance. Effective anti-MS therapies strongly reduced MSRV/Syncytin-1/HERV-W expression. The Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) activates HERV-W/MSRV in vitro and in vivo, in patients with infectious mononucleosis and controls with high anti-EBNA1-IgG titers. Thus, the two main EBV/MS links (infectious mononucleosis and high anti-EBNA1-IgG titers) are paralleled by activation of HERV-W/MSRV. It is hypothesized that EBV may act as initial trigger of future MS, years later, by activating MSRV, which would act as direct neuropathogenic effector, before and during MS.
Investigation of probiotics in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Tankou Stephanie K , Regev Keren , Healy Brian C , Cox Laura M , Tjon Emily , Kivisakk Pia , Vanande Isabelle P , Cook Sandra , Gandhi Roopali , Glanz Bonnie , Stankiewicz James , Weiner Howard L
Published: January 2018

None of the disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) currently being used for the management of multiple sclerosis (MS) are 100% effective. In addition, side effects associated with the use of these DMTs have limited the practice of combination therapy. Hence, there is a need for safe immunomodulatory agents to fine-tune the management of MS. The gut microbiome plays an important role in autoimmunity, and several studies have reported alterations in the gut microbiome of MS patients. Studies in animal model of MS have identified members of the gut commensal microflora that exacerbate or ameliorate neuroinflammation. Probiotics represent an oral, non-toxic immunomodulatory agent that could be used in combination with current MS therapy. We designed a pilot study to investigate the effect of VSL3 on the gut microbiome and peripheral immune system function in healthy controls and MS patients. VSL3 administration was associated with increased abundance of many taxa with enriched taxa predominated by Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, and Bifidobacterium species. At the immune level, VSL3 administration induced an anti-inflammatory peripheral immune response characterized by decreased frequency of intermediate monocytes (CD14highCD16low), decreased mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of CD80 on classical monocytes as well as decreased human leukocyte antigen–antigen D related (HLA-DR) MFI on dendritic cells.
Sex chromosome contributions to sex differences in multiple sclerosis susceptibility and progression
Authors: Voskuhl Rhonda R , Sawalha Amr H , Itoh Yuichiro
Published: January 2018

Background:

Why are women more susceptible to multiple sclerosis, but men have worse disability progression? Sex differences in disease may be due to sex hormones, sex chromosomes, or both.

Objective:

Determine whether differences in sex chromosomes can contribute to sex differences in multiple sclerosis using experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Methods:

Sex chromosome transgenic mice, which permit the study of sex chromosomes not confounded by differences in sex hormones, were used to examine an effect of sex chromosomes on autoimmunity and neurodegeneration, focusing on X chromosome genes.

Results:

T-lymphocyte DNA methylation studies of the X chromosome gene Foxp3 suggested that maternal versus paternal imprinting of X chromosome genes may underlie sex differences in autoimmunity. Bone marrow chimeras with the same immune system but different sex chromosomes in the central nervous system suggested that differential expression of the X chromosome gene Toll-like receptor 7 in neurons may contribute to sex differences in neurodegeneration.

Conclusion:

Mapping the transcriptome and methylome in T lymphocytes and neurons in females versus males could reveal mechanisms underlying sex differences in autoimmunity and neurodegeneration.
Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis Forum 2017: Environmental factors, genetics, and epigenetics in MS susceptibility and clinical course
Authors: Segal Benjamin M , Cohen Jeffrey A , Antel Jack
Published: January 2018

The Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) Forum 2017 brought together a multidisciplinary team of basic and clinical researchers to discuss the impact of environmental, genetic, and epigenetic factors on multiple sclerosis (MS) susceptibility and clinical course. The series of articles in this special edition reflect the breadth and depth of the topics that were discussed.
Harnessing electronic medical records to advance research on multiple sclerosis
Authors: Damotte Vincent , Lizée Antoine , Tremblay Matthew , Agrawal Alisha , Khankhanian Pouya , Santaniello Adam , Gomez Refujia , Lincoln Robin , Tang Wendy , Chen Tiffany , Lee Nelson , Villoslada Pablo , Hollenbach Jill A , Bevan Carolyn D , Graves Jennifer , Bove Riley , Goodin Douglas S , Green Ari J , Baranzini Sergio E , Cree Bruce AC , Henry Roland G , Hauser Stephen L , Gelfand Jeffrey M , Gourraud Pierre-Antoine
Published: January 2018

Background:

Electronic medical records (EMR) data are increasingly used in research, but no studies have yet evaluated similarity between EMR and research-quality data and between characteristics of an EMR multiple sclerosis (MS) population and known natural MS history.

Objectives:

To (1) identify MS patients in an EMR system and extract clinical data, (2) compare EMR-extracted data with gold-standard research data, and (3) compare EMR MS population characteristics to expected MS natural history.

Methods:

Algorithms were implemented to identify MS patients from the University of California San Francisco EMR, de-identify the data and extract clinical variables. EMR-extracted data were compared to research cohort data in a subset of patients.

Results:

We identified 4142 MS patients via search of the EMR and extracted their clinical data with good accuracy. EMR and research values showed good concordance for Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), timed-25-foot walk, and subtype. We replicated several expected MS epidemiological features from MS natural history including higher EDSS for progressive versus relapsing–remitting patients and for male versus female patients and increased EDSS with age at examination and disease duration.

Conclusion:

Large real-world cohorts algorithmically extracted from the EMR can expand opportunities for MS clinical research.
The basic space of a revolutionary parliament: Scaling the Frankfurt Assembly of 1848/49
Authors: Herrmann Michael , Sieberer Ulrich
Published: January 2018

We examine whether there is a basic space in a parliament which grew out of a revolution and had no prior history of parliamentarism: the Frankfurt Assembly of 1848/49. We scale all 299 roll call votes to determine the dimensionality of voting as well as the positions of deputies and their party groups. We find two dimensions of disagreement and show that they can be interpreted in line with historical scholarship as conflict over who should govern (the people or the monarch) and conflict over state borders (inclusion or exclusion of Austria). We find that the party groups line up on the first dimension in ways consistent with historical scholarship on their political inclinations, but we also find wide variation in deputies’ positions within and across parties. Moreover, deputies’ positions turn out to be polarized on the territorial dimension but not on the government dimension. We conclude that ideological constraint was the primary structuring force in parliamentary voting. Our results underscore the pervasiveness of low dimensionality in parliamentary voting even in the absence of strong parties and agenda control.
A systematic review of technology-assisted interventions for co-morbid depression and substance use
Authors: Holmes Nicola A , van Agteren Joseph EM , Dorstyn Diana S
Published: January 2018

Introduction

Mental health interventions disseminated via, or accessed using, digital technologies are an innovative new treatment modality for managing co-morbid depression and substance use disorder. The present systematic review assessed the current state of this literature.

Methods

A search of the Cochrane Library, Embase, Pubmed, PsycInfo and Scopus databases identified six eligible studies ( Nparticipants = 862), utilising quasi-experimental or randomised controlled designs. Reporting quality was evaluated and Hedges’ g effect sizes (with 95% confidence intervals and p-values) were calculated to determine treatment effectiveness. Process outcomes (e.g. treatment satisfaction, attrition rates) were also examined.

Results

Quality ratings demonstrated high internal validity, although external validity was low. Effect size data revealed medium to large and short-term improvements in severity of depression and substance use symptoms in addition to global improvement in social, occupational and psychological functioning. Longer-term treatment effectiveness could not be established, due to the limited available data. Preliminary findings suggest that there was high client satisfaction, therapeutic alliance and client engagement.

Discussion

Mobile phone devices and the Internet can help to increase access to care for those with mental health co-morbidity. Large-scale and longitudinal research is, however, needed before digital mental healthcare becomes standard practice. This includes establishing critical therapeutic factors including optimum levels of assistance from clinicians.
Determinants of representational and behavioral hyperactivity in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome
Authors: Grisart Jacques , Scaillet Nathalie , Michaux Marie , Masquelier Etienne , Fantini Carole , Luminet Olivier
Published: January 2018

Fibromyalgia is associated with a premorbid hyperactivity. This study examines how contextual and personality factors contribute to premorbid hyperactivity. A total of 45 patients completed questionnaires. The results show that the number of children and the basic bodily needs neglect (and their interaction) explain nearly 50 percent of the variance of hyperactivity. The neglect toward bodily needs completely mediates the relation between self-oriented perfectionism and hyperactivity. This study suggests that hyperactivity itself would not have a pathological value, but that the neglect of basic bodily needs would represent a vulnerability factor in a hyperactive premorbid lifestyle in fibromyalgia patients.
Prosumer engagement through story-making in transmedia branding
Authors: du Plessis Charmaine
Published: January 2018

This article pertains to prosumer engagement, an important topic in academic research on media consumption and branding. Increasingly, there have been calls in the branding literature for a more audience-centred approach to making a deeper emotional connection with consumers in an age when interactive media have become imperative for communication. Prosumers, who both consume and produce media, have a different relationship with a brand to traditional consumers, as they are more actively involved in the brand’s story. The participatory nature of transmedia branding strengthens prosumer engagement through brand stories that enable an active contribution in an immersive story world.

This article considers the rise in the use of transmedia story-making within the contemporary branding environment by proposing a framework for prosumer engagement in transmedia branding. Specifically, it examines how a leading transmedia brand, LEGO, has sought to engage prosumers in an active community using elements of this framework through an integrative, immersive and spreadable story.
Time–frequency analysis and applications in time-varying/nonlinear structural systems: A state-of-the-art review
Authors: Wang Zuo-Cai , Ren Wei-Xin , Chen Genda
Published: January 2018

Nonlinear dynamic behaviors of civil engineering structures have been observed not only under extreme loads but also during normal operations. Characterization of the time-varying property or nonlinearity of the structures must account for temporal evolution of the frequency and amplitude contents of nonstationary vibration responses. Neither time analysis nor frequency analysis method alone can fully describe the nonstationary characteristics. In this article, an attempt is made to review the milestone developments of time–frequency analysis in the past few decades and summarize the fundamental principles and structural engineering applications of wavelet analysis and Hilbert transform analysis in system identification, damage detection, and nonlinear modeling. This article is concluded with a brief discussion on challenges and future research directions with the application of time–frequency analysis in structural engineering.
The influence of proximity to city parks and major roads on the development of arterial hypertension
Authors: Brazienė Agnė , Venclovienė Jonė , Tamošiūnas Abdonas , Dėdelė Audrius , Lukšienė Dalia , Radišauskas Ričardas
Published: January 2018

Aims: The aim of this study was to examine the relation between residential distance from major roads and city parks and the development of arterial hypertension. Methods: In this study, we used data of the population included in the MONICA survey (Lithuania). In total, 739 participants without arterial hypertension were selected for the present study. Poisson regression with robust variance estimation was used to evaluate the associations between distances from a major road and a city park expressed as categorical variables and the incidence of arterial hypertension, adjusting for individual risk factors. Results: For persons living at a distance of 151–300 m and > 300 m from city parks, relative risks were 1.49 (95% CI 1.03–2.15) and 1.51 (95% CI 1.10–2.07) respectively, as compared to a ≤ 150 m distance from city parks. For persons living further than 200 m away from a major road, the relative risk for the residential distance from city parks > 150 m was 2.36 ( p = 0.029) times higher, as compared to a ≤ 150 m distance from city parks. We found that an increased risk of arterial hypertension was associated with the distance from a city park > 350 m and the distance to a major road < 200 m (RR = 1.48, 95% CI 1.03–2.12) as compared to living ≤ 350 m to a city park and ≥ 200 m away from a major road. Conclusions: An increase in the incidence of arterial hypertension was associated with a shorter distance to a major road and a greater distance to a city park. The effect modification of a shorter distance to a major road on the association between a greater distance to city parks and the incidence of arterial hypertension was identified.
Alcohol-related child maltreatment
Authors: Tamutienė Ilona
Published: January 2018

Aim:

To increase understanding of alcohol-related child maltreatment on the basis of child protection cases in Lithuania. The study is based on a document content analysis of 203 case records of families at social risk. It identifies the prevalence of alcohol-related harm by analysing associations between types of drinkers and child maltreatment. It also maps the distribution of people who typically report this maltreatment. Both qualitative and quantitative analytical approaches are employed.

Results:

Child neglect was the most prevalent type of child maltreatment and was usually reported together with other types of child maltreatment. Child maltreatment was typically mentioned in the context of a caregiver’s heavy drinking. In 85.7% (174) of the cases, the family had at least one problem drinker. More than one problem drinker was detected in as many as a third of all cases. At least one form of child maltreatment was detected in families with a drinking mother in 60% of the cases (χ2 = 4.825, p < 0.05), with a drinking father in 36% of the cases ( p > 0.05), and in 15% of the cases ( p > 0.05) when there was a drinking partner in the family. The most common source of reporting by the authorities was the police (26.6%), and the most typical non-official source was the child’s relatives (16.3%).

Conclusions:

Alcohol-related child maltreatment needs special attention if issues of child safety in Lithuania are to be disclosed, evaluated, and responded to. Further research on this topic is needed.
Survey of Surgeons Regarding Prophylactic Antibiotic Use in Inguinal Hernia Repair
Authors: MacCormick A. P. , Akoh J. A.
Published: January 2018

Purpose:

The use of prophylactic antibiotics in the mesh repair of inguinal hernias remains controversial. The aim of this study was to determine the perception of surgeons about surgical site infection and how this affects their clinical practice.

Methods:

A SurveyMonkey of general surgeons and senior surgical trainees was conducted via the local trust network and the questionnaire was displayed on the website of the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland and Association of Surgeons in Training.

Results:

Eighty-one responses were received from surgeons who perform an average of 75 hernia repairs per year – the majority by open technique. Thirty-six (44.4%) used routine antibiotic prophylaxis, 40 (49.4%) selectively, and five (6.2%) not at all as the five surgeons who did not use antibiotics perceived their surgical site infection rate to be <1% and have never removed an infected mesh from a hernia wound. There was no clear difference between those who use prophylactic antibiotics routinely or selectively as the experience of mesh explantation is similar (56% versus 55% had 2–10 meshes removed respectively). Seventy-seven (95%) of surgeons felt a new specific set of guidelines was required.

Conclusion:

This study highlights the fact that in the absence of clear guidelines, most surgeons base their use of prophylactic antibiotics on their perceived risk or experience of surgical site infection. There is a strong need for a new set of guidelines to address the use of prophylactic antibiotics in groin hernia surgery.
Electronic cigarette burns: A case series
Authors: Gibson Cameron JS , Eshraghi Niknam , Kemalyan Nathan A , Mueller Charles
Published: January 2018

Background

There have been many reports of electronic cigarette burns and lithium ion battery explosions leading to property and/or bodily damage, but there is a paucity of data about these injuries in the medical literature. We present a series of patients treated for electronic cigarette burns and lithium ion explosions and review the literature.

Methods

Patients treated for electronic cigarette burns between January 2012 and December 2016 were identified. Patients were included if they suffered injuries from either an electronic cigarette device or from batteries used in the devices. Data were collected on the mode of injury, depth, size, and location of the burn, whether or not they had any surgeries and length to recovery.

Results

Fourteen patients were treated for electronic cigarette burns between 2012 and 2016. Burn size ranged from <1% to 6% total body surface area. Most patients suffered burns to their thighs because the battery or device exploded in their pocket. The majority suffered partial thickness burns while four patients had full thickness burns. Three patients required excision and autografting, all of which were full thickness burns. The average time to recovery was 24.5 days.

Conclusions

Electronic cigarettes pose a new and unique risk to consumers. Lithium ion battery explosions can cause severe injury and significant burns requiring surgery. The incidence of e-cigarette burns are expected to increase as the number of users grow.
Ghosts of the material world in early childhood education: Furniture matters
Authors: Bone Jane
Published: January 2018

This philosophically driven work is intended to trouble the position of the small chair in early childhood settings. It is theoretically driven by an aspect of sociological and cultural theory called hauntology, and by the theories of new feminist materialism. The work of Sara Ahmed influences the direction taken here. An assemblage of personal narratives, memories, works of fiction, history, conversations and media reports, along with the documentation of a performative act, is produced. The methodological approach is intra-active and diffractive. The article argues that the small chair is a contentious and ambiguous artefact, which is taken for granted in early childhood settings, but also problematic when considered from different perspectives – an apparatus that both supports and betrays the body/ies that are in contact with it. Chairs, as objects that furnish human lives, can also haunt those lives and give contradictory messages of power, comfort and suffering. Now and to come, the chair is a trace, a symbol, an instrument of torture and object of desire.
Measuring adolescents’ tourism satisfaction: The role of mood and perceived parental style
Authors: Shavanddasht Mercede , Schänzel Heike
Published: January 2018

Adolescents have become an attractive market for tourism because they represent a sizeable population segment with an increasing influence on family purchases. There is an urgent need to understand adolescents’ needs, motivations, and role in the tourism industry, particularly the factors that may affect their tourism satisfaction. This study highlights the importance of adolescents’ mood and the style in which they have been parented as under-researched factors affecting young people’s tourism satisfaction. The focus of the study is Ali Sadr cave, a well-known tourist destination for families in Iran. In 2016, questionnaires were distributed to 360 tourists ranging in age from 11 to 18 years. Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation analysis, and multiple regressions were run on the 354 useable responses. Results showed, firstly, that 60.2% of the respondents had high levels of satisfaction with mean scores above 3.5 for all items. Secondly, the dominant parenting style, as perceived by the adolescents, was authoritative. Finally, there was a significant and positive relationship between authoritative parenting style and positive mood in relation to adolescents’ basic needs satisfaction. Authoritarian parenting style and negative mood had a significant and negative relationship with the satisfaction of all three basic needs, namely autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Permissiveness had a positive relationship with only two of the needs – autonomy and relatedness.
Practice research enabler: Enabling research in a social work practice context
Authors: Miller Keith
Published: January 2018

Practitioners are curious people but have become increasingly estranged from investigation and the research process. A false divide has developed wherein knowledge gained from practice is considered by some as inferior to knowledge constructed by academics. The concept of phronesis, as practical wisdom, can provide a link to give a legitimacy to practice research. One difference between academic research and practice research is in the collaborative relationship between practitioner and researcher, a true engagement with equal partners. The academic can be seen as a practice research enabler who facilitates the knowledge which practitioners develop in a localized setting and situates it in a broader theoretical perspective. As a research enabler, a researcher brings academic expertise to supplement the practice expertise of the practitioner to develop new knowledge. In a series of examples, and using a critical discourse analysis approach, the author critically assesses his own practice to identify an unsuccessful, a partially successful and a successful example of being a practice research enabler.
Lighting Research and Technology: Past, present and future
Authors: Boyce PR , Carter DJ
Published: January 2018

The first issue of Lighting Research and Technology was published in 1969. This is the first issue of the 50th volume. This paper summarises the origins and development of the journal as well as describing how both the nature and sources of papers have changed over the years. The challenges facing the journal are described and the objectives for the future are specified.
Architectural lighting design: A research review over 50 years
Authors: Mansfield KP
Published: January 2018

Architectural developments over the past 50 years have been dramatic and have been paralleled by active research in lighting. This review traces architectural themes and the corresponding concerns of lighting researchers and explores how they have applied the results of scientific research into lighting design and application.
Does the iPad Night Shift mode reduce melatonin suppression?
Authors: Nagare R , Plitnick B , Figueiro MG
Published: January 2018

The increased use of self-luminous displays, especially in the evening prior to bedtime, has been associated with melatonin suppression, delayed sleep and sleep curtailment. The present study set out to investigate whether the Night Shift application provided by Apple Inc. for use on its portable electronic devices is effective for reducing acute melatonin suppression, a well-established marker of circadian phase. Participants experienced four experimental conditions: a dim light control, a high circadian stimulus true positive intervention and two Night Shift interventions delivering low and high correlated colour temperature light from the devices. Melatonin suppression did not significantly differ between the two Night Shift interventions, which indicates that changing the spectral composition of self-luminous displays without changing their brightness settings may be insufficient for preventing impacts on melatonin suppression.
Circadian-effective light and its impact on alertness in office workers
Authors: Figueiro MG , Kalsher M , Steverson BC , Heerwagen J , Kampschroer K , Rea MS
Published: January 2018

A field study was conducted at two U.S. federal government office sites and two U.S. embassies to demonstrate whether circadian-effective lighting (providing circadian stimulus (CS) values of CS ≥ 0.3) could be installed in office buildings, and to determine whether this lighting intervention would reduce sleepiness and increase alertness, vitality and energy in office workers while at work. Desktop and/or overhead luminaires provided circadian-effective lighting at participants’ eyes during a two-day intervention. A pendant-mounted Daysimeter device was used to measure participant-specific CS values during the baseline and the intervention days. Participants also completed questionnaires inquiring about sleep habits, stress and subjective feelings of vitality and energy. The Daysimeter data showed that participants were exposed to significantly higher amounts of circadian-effective light while at work during the two intervention days compared to the baseline day. Self-reported sleepiness scores were significantly reduced during the intervention days compared to the baseline day. As hypothesised, participants also reported feeling significantly more vital, energetic and alert on the intervention days compared to the baseline day. The present results from four independent office environments demonstrate that lighting systems delivering a CS ≥ 0.3 can reduce sleepiness and increase vitality and alertness in office workers.
Near-repeat burglary patterns in Malmö: Stability and change over time
Authors: Hoppe Laura , Gerell Manne
Published: January 2018

It is well established that previous crime events are valuable indicators for the prediction of future crime. Near-repeat burglaries are incidents that occur in close proximity in space and time to an initial burglary. The current study analyses near-repeat victimization patterns in Malmö, Sweden’s third-largest city. The data, provided by the local police, cover a six-year time frame from 2009 to 2014. The complete dataset, as well as each year’s individual dataset, was analysed using Ratcliffe’s Near Repeat Calculator version 1.3. Results reveal significant near-repeat victimization patterns. For the full dataset, an observed/expected ratio of 2.83 was identified for the first week after an initial incident and an area of 100 metres surrounding the original burglary. Separate analyses of each individual year reveal both similarities and differences between years. Some years manifest near-repeat patterns at longer spatial and temporal distances, indicating a need for further studies on the variability of near repeats. Preventive strategies that include both private and public actors need to be intensified and focused on the first two weeks after a burglary.
Investigating the Relationship Between University Students’ Psychological Flexibility and College Self-Efficacy
Authors: Jeffords Jaimie R. , Bayly Benjamin L. , Bumpus Matthew F. , Hill Laura G.
Published: January 2018

For many, college is a period of transition, marked with acute stress, threats to success, and decreases in self-efficacy. For certain groups of students, the risk of these poor outcomes is elevated. In this study, 348 students from a large residential university in the western United States were surveyed to understand the role of psychological flexibility and inflexibility on self-efficacy and the potential moderating impact of year in college and underrepresented racial minority (URM) status. Results indicated that students who are psychologically flexible reported greater college self-efficacy, whereas students who are psychologically inflexible reported lower college self-efficacy. The impact of psychological inflexibility on self-efficacy was moderated by URM status and year in school; psychological inflexibility had a stronger impact on URM students’ self-efficacy than nonminority students, and psychological inflexibility had a greater effect on college students starting college as opposed to students who had been enrolled for multiple years.
Up-and-Over Technique for Implantation of Iliac Branch Devices After Prior Aortic Endograft Repair
Authors: Dawson David L. , Sandri Giuliano de Almeida , Tenorio Emanuel , Oderich Gustavo S.
Published: January 2018

Purpose: To describe a modified up-and-over access technique for treatment of iliac artery aneurysms in patients with prior bifurcated stent-grafts for endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). Technique: This technique uses a coaxial 12-F flexible sheath that is docked with a through-and-through wire into a 7-F sheath advanced from the contralateral femoral approach. This maneuver allows both sheaths to be moved as a unit while maintaining position of the apex of the system as it loops over the flow divider, avoiding damage to or displacing the extant endograft. Once the 12-F sheath is positioned in the iliac limb of the aortic stent-graft and secured in place with the through-and-through wire, the repair is extended into the internal iliac artery using a bridging stent-graft or covered stent introduced via a coaxial sheath. Conclusion: The up-and-over technique with a flexible 12-F sheath mated with a 7-F sheath from the opposite side allows bilateral femoral access to be used for iliac branch device placement after prior aortic endograft procedures that create a higher, acutely angled bifurcation. Use of a through-and-through wire and a coaxial sheath for stent delivery creates a very stable platform for intervention.
Preliminary Outcomes of the LifeStream Balloon-Expandable Covered Stent in Fenestrated and Branched Thoracoabdominal Endovascular Repairs
Authors: Bertoglio Luca , Loschi Diletta , Cambiaghi Tommaso , Mascia Daniele , Kahlberg Andrea , Melissano Germano , Chiesa Roberto
Published: January 2018

Purpose: To evaluate the 1-year outcomes of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) repair using fenestrated and branched stent-grafts and a novel balloon-expandable covered stent. Methods: Between March 2015 and January 2017, 18 patients (median age 74.7 years; 14 men) received 43 LifeStream balloon-expandable covered stents in conjunction with Zenith fenestrated/branched stent-grafts to bridge 11 celiac trunks, 8 superior mesenteric arteries, and 24 renal arteries (total 32 fenestrations and 11 branches). Results: Stent delivery and deployment was successful in all cases. At 30 days, 5 patients presented with perifenestration endoleaks (type IIIc) secondary to inadequate sealing of the LifeStream covered stent in 7 (22%) of 32 fenestrations. No type IIIc endoleaks were reported in the branched cases. Four patients had a secondary endovascular reintervention with proximal relining by means of a bare balloon-expandable stent at the perifenestration transition area, with complete resolution of the endoleak at 1-year follow-up. One patient refused reintervention. The last 4 fenestrated stent-grafts of this series had prophylactic perifenestration bare stent relining with no evidence of type IIIc endoleaks at imaging. At a median follow-up of 14.1 months (interquartile range 11, 22), the 12-month LifeStream patency rate was 100%. Conclusion: This single-center preliminary experience with the LifeStream balloon-expandable covered stent in fenestrated/branched stent-grafts for TAAA repairs demonstrated good patency; however, an unexpectedly high rate of type IIIc endoleaks was observed. These endoleaks were resolved with reintervention or during the index procedure by proximal relining with a bare balloon-expandable stent, achieving adequate perifenestration sealing.
The Cowboy Code
Authors: Teman Eric D. , Saldaña Johnny
Published: January 2018

Issues of bullying, suicide, self-expression, self-acceptance, self-harm, among others, within the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, ally, and others (GLBTQQA+) culture are explored. We show the suffering, the silenced voices, and the pain endured by GLBTQQA+ college students in rural Wyoming. We act as story retellers by creatively and strategically editing interview transcripts to transform the narratives into a screenplay. The issues within are viewed through a social justice framework rooted in queer theory.
Myogenic regulatory factors: The orchestrators of myogenesis after 30 years of discovery
Authors: Asfour Hasan A , Allouh Mohammed Z , Said Raed S
Published: January 2018

Prenatal and postnatal myogenesis share many cellular and molecular aspects. Myogenic regulatory factors are basic Helix-Loop-Helix transcription factors that indispensably regulate both processes. These factors (Myf5, MyoD, Myogenin, and MRF4) function as an orchestrating cascade, with some overlapped actions. Prenatally, myogenic regulatory factors are restrictedly expressed in somite-derived myogenic progenitor cells and their derived myoblasts. Postnatally, myogenic regulatory factors are important in regulating the myogenesis process via satellite cells. Many positive and negative regulatory mechanisms exist either between myogenic regulatory factors themselves or between myogenic regulatory factors and other proteins. Upstream factors and signals are also involved in the control of myogenic regulatory factors expression within different prenatal and postnatal myogenic cells. Here, the authors have conducted a thorough and an up-to-date review of the myogenic regulatory factors since their discovery 30 years ago. This review discusses the myogenic regulatory factors structure, mechanism of action, and roles and regulations during prenatal and postnatal myogenesis.

Impact statement

Myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs) are key players in the process of myogenesis. Despite a considerable amount of literature regarding these factors, their exact mechanisms of actions are still incompletely understood with several overlapped functions. Herein, we revised what has hitherto been reported in the literature regarding MRF structures, molecular pathways that regulate their activities, and their roles during pre- and post-natal myogenesis. The work submitted in this review article is considered of great importance for researchers in the field of skeletal muscle formation and regeneration, as it provides a comprehensive summary of all the biological aspects of MRFs and advances a better understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating myogenesis. Indeed, attaining a better understanding of MRFs could be utilized in developing novel therapeutic protocols for multiple myopathies.
Distal Radius Fractures: Does Obesity Affect Fracture Pattern, Treatment, and Functional Outcomes?
Authors: Montague Michael D. , Lewis Jesse T. , Moushmoush Obadah , Ryu Jaiyoung
Published: January 2018

Background: Distal radius fractures (DRFs) are 16% of fractures treated by orthopedic surgeons. Obesity’s influence on DRF complexity has not been studied. This study was undertaken to determine if body mass index (BMI) affects DRF pattern, treatment, and functional outcomes. Methods: Part 1 was a retrospective review of patients who sustained a DRF after a fall from standing height with no prior reduction or treatment. Radiographs were classified as “simple” or “complex.” Part 2 consisted of contacting patients from Part 1 and obtaining a Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH) score. Retrospective review also identified patients who failed initial nonoperative treatment. Fracture pattern, failure of nonoperative treatment, and QuickDASH scores were compared with BMI at the time of injury. Results: For Part 1, 130 patients (132 wrists) were identified. Average age was 57 years, 77% were female, and average BMI was 28.2 kg/m2. Each point increase in BMI increased the chance of having a complex DRF (odds ratio = 1.07). Part 2 identified 50 patients who completed a QuickDASH at an average of 4.6 years after injury. Those with a BMI <25 kg/m2 (n = 15) had an average QuickDASH score of 37; patients with a BMI ≥25 kg/m2 (n = 35) had an average QuickDASH score of 18. Increasing BMI was suggestive of a lower QuickDASH score ( P = .08). No significant difference was found with respect to BMI and failure of nonoperative treatment. Conclusions: A higher BMI increases the odds of a complex DRF. Despite more complex fractures, overweight patients may experience less disability after sustaining a DRF.
Pediatric Ganglion Cysts: A Retrospective Review
Authors: Meyerson Joseph , Pan Yangshu L. , Spaeth Maya , Pearson Gregory
Published: January 2018

Background: Ganglion cysts are the most common type of soft tissue tumors of the hand. In the pediatric population, monitoring may be appropriate unless cysts are painful, interfering with range of motion or parental concerns exist. Reported recurrence rates after surgical removal of pediatric ganglion cysts vary widely in the literature. Notably, recurrence rates are higher for children than adults, ranging from as low as 6% to as high as 35%. Methods: A retrospective review was performed of a single pediatric hand surgeon’s patients undergoing excision of primary and recurrent ganglion cysts from 2010 to 2015. Variables measured included patient age at diagnosis of ganglion cyst, time to presentation, location of cyst, hand dominance, previous therapy, previous surgery, length of surgery, tourniquet time, length of follow-up, any associated complications, and recurrence of cyst. Results: Ninety-six patients were identified with an average age of diagnosis 10.2 years. Indications for surgery: 95.8% for pain or decreased range of motion, 4.2% for cosmetic or parental concern. About 75% of the cysts were dorsally located, with the remaining 24.2% being volar. A total of 5 (5.3%) recurrences were recorded. Tourniquet time was on average 9.8 minutes longer for cases that resulted in recurrence. Multivariate analysis of the data demonstrated a 25% increased risk of recurrence with patients who had a previous aspiration. Conclusions: This is a retrospective review of a single pediatric hand surgeon’s outcomes of pediatric wrist ganglion cysts. Our recurrence rate of 5.3% is low for a pediatric population indicating potential merit in this surgeon’s operative and postoperative techniques. We demonstrate significantly increased rates of recurrence when a cyst had been previously aspirated, possibly indicating scarring and disruption of planes resulting in difficult dissection, increased tourniquet times, and incomplete excision.
Kalman smoothing with soft inequality constraints for space robot teleoperation
Authors: Wu Guangxin , Xie ZongWu , Guo ChuangQiang , Liu Hong
Published: January 2018

Space robot teleoperation system with haptic device has two operation modes: offline teleoperation mode and online teleoperation mode. High acceleration and jerk produced by the teleoperation system may degrade the performance of trajectory tracking and cause large residual vibration. In this article, human hand is treated as a kind of sensor, and two smoothers based on the standard Kalman smoother have been proposed to limit the acceleration and jerk in joint space in a certain range. On the one hand, the offline smoother for offline teleoperation mode makes use of a smoothing algorithm proposed in the literature, which is based on the interior point techniques. On the other hand, the online smoother for online teleoperation mode is proposed and named as reduced-Q method, which is a fixed-lag smoother with adjustable measurement noise. Experimental results have shown that the methods can constrain the acceleration and jerk of the trajectories in joint space within the specified range approximately and can improve the tracking accuracy without causing too many deformations. Thus, the psychology burden of operator will be alleviated.
Backstepping control based on L1 adaptive theory for large transport aircraft heavy load airdrop
Authors: Zhang Pengchao
Published: January 2018

A study of the L1 adaptive controller is conducted based on the backstepping method for the model of large transport aircraft with drastic changes appearing in heavy load airdrop process. The system is divided into an attitude subsystem and a velocity subsystem. For the attitude subsystem, the backstepping control is used to design the virtual control of path angle and the pitch angle in external loop with the L1 adaptive controller designed in internal loop to estimate the uncertainties and disturbances in the subsystem and to compensate them. In the stability analysis, the uniform boundedness of all signals in the closed-loop system is proven. Simulation results show that the proposed control method preserves the quick dynamic torque response, high efficiency, and robustness in heavy load airdrop; to some extent it can alleviate the control switch lead or lag problem and ensure the safety of the transport aircraft to fulfill the complete airdrop mission.
Multiple instance learning tracking based on Fisher linear discriminant with incorporated priors
Authors: Zhou Zhiyu , Gao Xu , Xia Jingsong , Zhu Zefei , Yang Donghe , Quan Jiaxin
Published: January 2018

Traditional tracking-by-detection methods use online classifier to track object, and the classifier can be degenerated easily using self-learning process. The article presents a multiple instance learning (MIL) tracking method based on a semi-supervised learning model with Fisher linear discriminant (MILFLD). First, the overlap rate of sampled instances and tracking object served as the prior information. Using both labeled and unlabeled data, the tracking drift problem in the learning model could be alleviated. Second, the lost function of MILFLD is built using Fisher linear discriminant model incorporated with priors. Hence the optimal classifier can be selected out directly in instance level. Last but not least, the classifiers are chosen by gradient descent method, assuring the maximum descent of lost function. Therefore, the classifiers selected at previous frames are still discriminative to future frames, which can help to constrain the error propagation. Comparison experiments show that the center location errors of online AdaBoosting , online MIL tracking, weighted MIL tracking (WMIL), compressive tracking (CT), struck tracking, and MILFLD are 78, 66, 62,74, 59, and 25 pixels, respectively, which demonstrates the tracking accuracy of our method. The experiments of robot motion tracking in realistic scenario have been complemented for comparison as well. Despite the variations in illumination, deformation, or occlusions of the objects, the proposed method can track the target accurately and has high real-time performance.
A rule-based expert system applied to moisture durability of building envelopes
Authors: Boudreaux Philip , Pallin Simon , Accawi Gina , Desjarlais Andre , Jackson Roderick , Senecal David
Published: January 2018

The moisture durability of an envelope component such as a wall or roof is difficult to predict. Moisture durability depends on all the construction materials used, as well as the climate, orientation, air tightness, and indoor conditions. Modern building codes require more insulation and tighter construction but provide little guidance about how to ensure these energy-efficient assemblies remain moisture durable. Furthermore, as new products and materials are introduced, builders are increasingly uncertain about the long-term durability of their building envelope designs. Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the US Department of Energy’s Building America Program are applying a rule-based expert system methodology in a web tool to help designers determine whether a given wall design is likely to be moisture durable and provide expert guidance on moisture risk management specific to a wall design and climate. The expert system is populated with knowledge from both expert judgment and probabilistic hygrothermal simulation results.