bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Longitudinal evaluation of surrogates of regional cerebral blood flow computed from dynamic amyloid PET imaging
Authors: Bilgel Murat , Beason-Held Lori , An Yang , Zhou Yun , Wong Dean F , Resnick Susan M
Published: February 2019

Surrogates of neuronal activity, typically measured by regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) or glucose metabolism, can be estimated from dynamic amyloid PET imaging. Using data for 149 participants (345 visits) from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, we assessed whether the average of early amyloid frames (EA) and R1 computed from dynamic 11C-Pittsburgh compound B (PiB) PET can serve as surrogates of rCBF computed from 15O-H2O-PET. R1 had the highest longitudinal test–retest reliability. Interquartile range (IQR) of cross-sectional Pearson correlations with rCBF was 0.60–0.72 for EA and 0.63–0.72 for R1. Correlations between rates of change were lower (IQR 0.22–0.50 for EA, 0.25–0.55 for R1). Values in the Alzheimer’s metabolic signature meta-ROI were negatively associated with age and exhibited longitudinal declines for each PET measure. In age-adjusted analyses, meta-ROI rCBF and R1 were lower among amyloid+ individuals; EA and R1 were lower among males. Regional PiB-based measures, in particular R1, can be suitable surrogates of rCBF. Dynamic PiB-PET may obviate the need for a separate scan to measure neuronal activity, thereby reducing patient burden, radioactivity exposure, and cost.
Early functional outcomes following in-bore transrectal MR image-guided focal laser ablation for men with benign prostatic hyperplasia at one year
Authors: Sperling Dan S , Farbstein Avi , Farbstein Sam , Gentile John C
Published: February 2019

Background

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common benign enlargement of the prostate.

Purpose

To assess complications, recovery, and early functional outcomes following in-bore transrectal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided focal laser ablation (FLA) for men with BPH at one year.

Material and Methods

The efficacy and safety outcomes at one year were evaluated for MRI-guided FLA of BPH. The efficacy objective was a reduction in International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). The assessment of the safety objective was accomplished using the occurrence of Clavien-Dindo persistent grade 1 or grade 2 or higher operative complications.

Results

The IPSS was improved by 45% at one-year follow-up. Adverse events were typically mild to moderate with the most common being short duration dysuria, hematuria, and urgency.

Conclusion

MRI-guided FLA of BPH appears to offer rapid relief of symptoms while maintaining normal prostate and sexual function.
Comparative study of urethroplasties to reduce urethral strictures in patients with severe hypospadias
Authors: Huang Li-Qu , Wang Jun , Ge Zheng , Ma Geng , Lu Ru-Gang , Deng Yong-Ji , Huang Song-Ming , Guo Yun-Fei
Published: February 2019

Objective

Transverse island pedicle flap (TIPF) plus transected urethral plate-preserving urethroplasty is increasingly used for treatment of severe hypospadias. We aimed to reduce the occurrence of urethral strictures in patients undergoing such procedures.

Methods

Sixty-five patients with severe hypospadias were enrolled. Thirty-two patients underwent onlay-tube-onlay urethroplasty (Group A), and 33 patients underwent modified Duplay urethroplasty (Group B). Postoperative complications were recorded, including fistulas, urethral strictures, and diverticula.

Results

Three patients (9.4%) in Group A and 10 patients (30.3%) in group B had urethrocutaneous fistulas. Three patients (9.4%) in Group A and 0 patients (0%) in Group B had urethral strictures. No patient in the two groups had symptoms of diverticulum or penile chordee. The results of uroflowmetry were better in Group B than Group A, when comparing uroflow patterns.

Conclusions

TIPF plus transected urethral plate-preserving urethroplasty can lower the occurrence of stricture, which is a challenging complication. The occurrence of stricture was lower in patients who underwent modified Duplay urethroplasty, and neourethral function and quality were better in these patient. Thus, this modified procedure can be used for treatment of severe hypospadias.
A novel dynamic distraction external fixator for proximal interphalangeal joint fracture dislocation
Authors: Wang Hua-Zhu , Zhao Jian-Yong , Zhang Zhi-Sheng
Published: February 2019

Objective

To evaluate the efficacy of a novel dynamic distraction external fixator for proximal interphalangeal joint (PIPJ) fracture-dislocation.

Methods

From March 2005 to March 2014, 20 patients with PIPJ fracture-dislocation were treated with our technique. Function scores according to the Michigan Hand Outcome Questionnaire (MHQ) score, union time, grip strength, and range of motion (ROM) were recorded before and after treatment.

Results

All patients completed a mean follow-up of 22 months (range, 12–60 months). All patients achieved fracture union and joint reduction. The mean union time was 3 months (range, 2–6 months). The mean postoperative MHQ score was 88.00 ± 3.42 (range, 84.00–92.00). Postoperative grip strength of the affected sides was 92% of the contralateral sides. X-rays showed that the fracture line disappeared completely with a good joint contour. The range of extension in the PIPJ was −5° (range, −10°–0°). The range of flexion in the PIPJ was 89.40° ± 9.79° (range, 75°–100°). Postoperatively, four patients had slight narrowing of the joint space and two had an uneven articular surface. Pin breakage, loosening, and tract infection were not observed.

Conclusions

The novel dynamic distraction external fixator is a promising option for PIPJ fracture-dislocation.
The effect of guideline implementation on discharge analgesia prescribing (two years on)
Authors: Stewart Jonathon E , Tuffin Penelope H , Kay Judith , Mohamad Ahmad Hakeem T , Ritchie Kara L , Muthukuda Gihan , Popielewska Agnieszka , Schug Stephan A
Published: February 2019

The provision of appropriate discharge analgesia can be challenging and is often prescribed by some of the most junior members of the medical team. Opioid abuse has been considered a growing public health crisis and physician overprescribing is a major contributor. In 2015 an initial audit of discharge analgesia at the Royal Perth Hospital led to the development of discharge analgesia guidelines. Compliance with these guidelines was assessed by a follow-up audit in 2016, which showed improved practice. This audit assesses discharge analgesia prescribing practices two years following guideline implementation. Dispensing data were obtained for analgesic medication over a three-month period from April to July 2017 and 100 unique patients were chosen using computer generated randomisation. Patients’ medical records were assessed against the hospital’s Postoperative Inpatients Discharge Analgesia Guidelines. The data collected were then compared with equivalent data from the previous 2015 and 2016 audits. Overall 83.4% of the 170 discharge analgesia prescriptions written were compliant with guidelines. The highest overall compliance rates were achieved for paracetamol (100%, up from 95.9% in 2016), celecoxib (96%, down from 100% in 2016), and oxycodone immediate release (IR) (74%, down from 88.9% in 2016). The quantity of oxycodone IR given on discharge complied with quantity guidelines in only 56% of cases. Overall there has been a significant and sustained improvement in appropriateness of discharge analgesia prescribing since 2015, though the results from 2017 show less compliance than 2016 and that achieving compliance with quantity guidelines is an ongoing challenge. This demonstrates the challenge of obtaining high adherence to guidelines over a longer time period.
Proposing an Updated AM2 Mat Performance Criteria Model
Authors: Stache Jeremiah M. , Gonzalez Carlos R. , Rushing Timothy W. , Garcia Lyan I.
Published: February 2019

The AM2 mat system is historically one of the most deployed portable airfield mats in the military. The current AM2 airfield mat performance criteria for determining the number of coverages an AM2 mat can sustain before failure is an empirically correlated model and cannot accurately predict the number of coverages to failure beyond lower subgrade (California bearing ration) CBR or for modern aircraft with multiple tire configurations. This paper presents a stress-based model that predicts the number of coverages to failure using the maximum deviator stress as the performance index normalized by the subgrade CBR. The proposed model addresses different aircraft tire configurations on the AM2 mat over subgrade CBR values extending up to 100. Some improvements made to current criteria include (1) the addition of more test data at higher subgrade CBR values, (2) a fitted curve that more reasonably addresses early permanent deformation failures due to loads at low CBR, (3) a reasonable “cap” to the service life of an AM2 mat due to failure from mat breakage at high CBR, (4) a consolidation of previous “families of curves” for different equivalent single wheel loads and CBR values into one single regression curve, and (5) a performance index calculated using layered elastic analysis ( WinJULEA). This paper presents a comparison of the proposed model with the current performance criteria against the full-scale test data. Results show that the proposed model has a high correlation to the test data ( R2 = 0.952) and performs very well with respect to the current performance criteria.
Impact Evaluation of Wire Rope Installation on Two-Way Two-Lane Expressways
Authors: Xing Jian , Muramatsu Tadahisa , Goto Hidenori , Yamaguchi Daisuke
Published: February 2019

To effectively develop road networks under budgetary and time constraints, high-standard arterial expressways in Japan incorporate dual four-lane roads with provisional two-way two-lane (TWTL) sections in areas of low traffic demand. In the majority of TWTL sections, rubber poles are used to partially separate inbound and outbound lanes, but safety risks, including head-on collisions resulting from lane departures into an opposite-direction lane, are considered problematic. To urgently address this situation, wire ropes were installed along some road sections nationwide to verify their effectiveness in preventing head-on collisions. This paper presents a multifaceted evaluation study of the effectiveness of wire ropes on TWTL sections, including drivability, maintainability, and effectiveness in accident prevention.
Evaluation of the Impact Echo Method for Concrete Bridge Decks with Asphalt Overlays
Authors: Azari Hoda , Lin Shibin
Published: February 2019

Asphalt overlays have been commonly used to extend the service life of deteriorated concrete bridge decks. Nonlinear, viscoelastic asphalt has properties that differ considerably from the properties of the underlying portland cement concrete (PCC) deck. The impact echo (IE) method has been extensively used to nondestructively evaluate PCC structures. The method, however, performs differently on asphalt overlays, especially when a membrane is placed between the overlay and the deck. The general recommendation has been to perform IE tests on asphalt overlays in cold weather. The temperature range under which IE can be used, however, is still uncertain. This study was conducted to systematically examine IE performance on asphalt overlays. Three PCC specimens with three types of asphalt overlays―asphalt with a liquid membrane, asphalt with a sheet membrane, and asphalt without a membrane―were tested in a temperature chamber. The three PCC specimens had identical designs, materials, and artificial defects. The nondestructive evaluation (NDE) results from the tests indicate that: (1) 32°F and below is the appropriate temperature range for IE to detect defects in the underlying deck; and (2) membranes can significantly reduce the propagation of waves into the underlying deck.
Psychological Readiness to Return to Sport Is Associated With Second Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries
Authors: McPherson April L. , Feller Julian A. , Hewett Timothy E. , Webster Kate E.
Published: February 2019

Background:

Psychological responses after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and ACL reconstruction (ACLR) have been identified as predictors of return to sport but have not been investigated in relation to further injury.

Purpose/Hypothesis:

To determine whether psychological readiness to return to sport is associated with second ACL injury. It was hypothesized a priori that at both preoperative and 12-month postoperative time points, patients who sustained a second ACL injury would have lower psychological readiness than patients who did not have a second injury.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

Methods:

Patients who had a primary ACLR procedure between June 2014 and June 2016 completed the ACL–Return to Sport after Injury (ACL-RSI) (short version) scale before their ACLR and repeated the scale at 12 months after surgery to assess psychological readiness to return to sport. Patients were followed for a minimum of 2 years (range, 2-4 years) after surgery to determine further injury. The primary outcome was the relationship between ACL-RSI scores and the incidence of second ACL injury.

Results:

In 329 patients who returned to sport after ACLR, 52 (16%) sustained a second ACL injury. No difference in psychological readiness was observed at the preoperative time point, but patients who sustained a second injury trended toward lower psychological readiness at 12 months compared with noninjured patients (60.9 vs 67.2 points; P = .11). Younger (≤20 years) patients with injury had significantly lower psychological readiness to return to sport than young noninjured patients (60.8 vs 71.5 points; P = .02), but no difference was found in older patients (60.9 vs 64.6 points; P = .58). In younger patients, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed a cutoff score of 76.7 points with 90% sensitivity to identify younger patients who sustained a second ACL injury.

Conclusion:

Younger patients with lower psychological readiness are at higher risk for a second ACL injury after return to sport.
Patient’s Decisional Control Preferences of a Cohort of Patients With Advanced Cancer Receiving Palliative Care in India
Authors: Ghoshal Arunangshu , Damani Anuja , Muckaden M. A. , Yennurajalingam Sriram , Salins Naveen , Deodhar Jayita
Published: February 2019

Context:

Frequency of passive decisional control preferences (DCPs) has been variably reported but is generally higher among patients living in developing countries.

Objectives:

This prospective cross-sectional study aimed to determine the frequency of passive DCP among patients with advanced cancer in a tertiary cancer center in India and to identify its association with their sociodemographic and clinical characteristics.

Methods:

Patients with advanced cancer referred to palliative care (between March and August 2016) underwent assessment of DCP using validated tools including Control Preference Scale, Satisfaction with Decision Scale, and understanding of illness questionnaire. Information regarding patient characteristics including age, gender, education, marital status, employment, Karnofsky Performance Status Scale (KPS), cancer stage and type, and religion were also collected. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were performed.

Results:

Median age 48 years, Karnofsky 90, and 55.3% were men. Shared, active (patient prefers to make decision by his or her own), and passive DCP were 20.7%, 26.7%, and 52.7%, respectively (n = 150). A total of 51.3% were satisfied by the way the actual decisions were made. Passive DCP did not vary across regions. Multivariate analysis shows that the active DCP was significantly associated with better KPS (exp B 1.07 [1.01-1.15], P = .03).

Conclusions:

There are significant differences in DCP with KPS. Patients report a high level of satisfaction with their treatment decision-making process, though they have a poor understanding of their prognosis and goals of care and understand their treatment to be of curative intent. Individualized understanding of DCP and focus on illness understanding may be important for quality care and patient satisfaction outcomes.
Lysosomal Leukodystrophies Lysosomal Storage Diseases Associated With White Matter Abnormalities
Authors: Maegawa Gustavo H.B.
Published: February 2019

The leukodystrophies are a group of genetic metabolic diseases characterized by an abnormal development or progressive degeneration of the myelin sheath. The myelin is a complex sheath composed of several macromolecules covering axons as an insulator. Each of the leukodystrophies is caused by mutations in genes encoding enzymes that are involved in myelin production and maintenance. The lysosomal storage diseases are inborn disorders of compartmentalized cellular organelles with broad clinical manifestations secondary to the progressive accumulation of undegraded macromolecules within lysosomes and related organelles. The more than 60 different lysosomal storage diseases are rare diseases; however, collectively, the incidence of lysosomal storage diseases ranges just over 1 in 2500 live births. The majority of lysosomal storage diseases are associated with neurologic manifestations including developmental delay, seizures, acroparesthesia, motor weakness, and extrapyramidal signs. These inborn organelle disorders show wide clinical variability affecting individuals from all age groups. In addition, several of neurologic, also known as neuronopathic, lysosomal storage diseases are associated with some level of white matter disease, which often triggers the diagnostic investigation. Most lysosomal storage diseases are autosomal recessively inherited and few are X-linked, with females being at risk of presenting with mild, but clinically relevant neurologic manifestations. Biochemical assays are the basis of the diagnosis and are usually confirmed by molecular genetic testing. Novel therapies have emerged. However, most affected patients with lysosomal storage diseases have only supportive management to rely on. A better understanding of the mechanisms resulting in the leukodystrophy will certainly result in innovative and efficacious disease-modifying therapies.
Determinants of HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infection Testing and Acquisition Among Female Victims of Intimate Partner Violence
Authors: Gonzalez-Guarda Rosa M. , Williams Jessica R. , Williams Weston , Lorenzo Dalia , Carrington Cherelle
Published: February 2019

The purpose of this study was to identify determinants of HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing and acquisition among female victims of intimate partner violence (IPV). Data were abstracted from intake and HIV/STI testing forms from a family justice center, to identify the socioeconomic and abuse characteristics associated with requesting and obtaining an HIV/STI test ( n = 343) and acquisition of HIV/STIs ( n = 111). Multiple logistic regression using forward selection was used to identify predictors of HIV/STI testing and acquisition. Females experiencing greater risk of lethality were at higher odds of requesting an HIV/STI test; however, risk of lethality did not predict the receipt of an HIV/STI test. A history of sexual assault was associated with higher odds of acquiring HIV/STIs in the past year. Interventions are needed to facilitate HIV/STI testing among female victims of IPV, especially those with higher risk of lethality and a history of sexual assault.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of an Online Intervention to Educate College Students About Dating Violence and Bystander Responses
Authors: O’Brien Karen M. , Sauber Elizabeth W. , Kearney Monica S. , Venaglia Rachel B. , Lemay Edward P.
Published: February 2019

The purpose of this study was to conduct a randomized controlled trial to assess the efficacy of STOP Dating Violence, an online intervention developed to educate students about dating violence and appropriate bystander interventions on college campuses. College students ( N = 317) were randomly assigned to one of the three conditions: (a) the STOP Dating Violence intervention, (b) a website containing information about dating violence, or (c) a control condition. Participants completed pre- and posttest quantitative and qualitative measures to assess knowledge of warning signs and appropriate bystander behaviors, attitudes about intervening as a bystander, willingness to intervene, and self-efficacy regarding intervening. The results indicated that students who participated in the STOP Dating Violence intervention were the most knowledgeable about jealous warning signs of dating violence and appropriate bystander interventions, had the greatest intent to assist a victim of dating violence, and were the most confident in their ability to intervene in dating violence situations, when compared with participants in the website and control conditions. Those who participated in the intervention also demonstrated greater knowledge regarding appropriate bystander behaviors 1 month following the intervention. No differences were found in attitudes regarding helping someone in an abusive dating relationship or engagement in bystander behaviors at follow-up. Qualitative analyses provided further support for the efficacy of STOP Dating Violence in increasing knowledge of barriers to bystander intervention and appropriate bystander intervention strategies in dating violence situations. Overall, the STOP Dating Violence intervention has the potential to educate undergraduates about dating violence and bystander interventions on college campuses.
Differential Associations Between Anti-Tobacco Industry Attitudes and Intention to Quit Smoking Across Young Adult Peer Crowds
Authors: Nguyen Nhung , Lisha Nadra E. , Neilands Torsten B. , Jordan Jeffrey W. , Ling Pamela M.
Published: February 2019

Purpose:

To compare the relationship between anti-tobacco industry attitudes and intention and attempts to quit smoking across 6 young adult peer crowds.

Design:

A cross-sectional bar survey in 2015.

Setting:

Seven US cities (Albuquerque, Los Angeles, Nashville, Oklahoma City, San Diego, San Francisco, and Tucson).

Participants:

Two thousand eight hundred seventeen young adult bar patrons who were currently smoking.

Measures:

Intention to quit in the next 6 months and having made a quit attempt in the last 12 months were binary outcomes. Anti-industry attitudes were measured by 3 items indicating support for action against the tobacco industry. Peer crowd affiliation was measured using the I-Base Survey.

Analysis:

Adjusted multivariable logistic regression models examined the association between anti-industry attitudes and the outcomes for the total sample and for each peer crowd.

Results:

Overall, anti-industry attitudes were positively associated with both intention to quit (odds ratio [OR] = 1.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.24-1.52) and attempt to quit (OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.03-1.27). Intriguingly, the relationship between anti-industry attitudes and intention to quit differed by peer crowd affiliation, with significant associations for Homebody, Partier, Hipster, and Hip Hop, but not for Young Professional and Country.

Conclusions:

Developing health communication messages that resonate with unique peer crowd values can enhance the relevance of public health campaigns. Tobacco control practitioners should tailor anti-industry messages to promote intention to quit smoking among the highest risk young adults.
Ethical complexities in participatory childhood research: Rethinking the ‘least adult role’
Authors: Atkinson Catherine
Published: February 2019

This article draws on data from a comparative ethnography of two UK primary schools to explore the complexities inherent in Mandell’s ‘least adult role’. In the interest of gaining insight into children’s informal productions of sexuality and gender, this role was used to gain access to peer group cultures and diffuse the imbalance of power between researcher and researched. However, while found to be productive in a number of ways, ‘least adulthood’ was revealed as a positionality suffused with practical, ethical and emotional complexities, and characterised by a fundamental misconstruction of the workings of ‘power’. In line with recent critiques that have recognised both ‘power’ and ‘agency’ as largely under-theorised in childhood research, I conclude this article by offering a tentative alternative to least adulthood, which attempts to respond to some of the key methodological and ethical challenges in contemporary childhood ethnography.
Do name changes to “acaste” names by the Sinhalese indicate a diminishing significance of caste?
Authors: de Silva M.W. Amarasiri
Published: February 2019

In modern Sri Lankan society, caste has become less significant as a marker of social identity and exclusion than was the case in the past. While acknowledging this trend across South Asian societies, the literature does not adequately explain why this is happening. Increasing urbanization, the growing number of inter-caste marriages, the expanding middle class, and the bulging youth population have all been suggested as contributory factors. In rural Sri Lanka, family names are used as identifiers of family and kinship groups within each caste. The people belonging to the “low castes” identified with derogatory village and family names are socially marginalized and stigmatized. Social segregation, marked with family names and traditional caste occupations, makes it difficult for the low-caste people to move up in the class ladder, and socialize in the public sphere. Political and economic development programs helped to improve the living conditions and facilities in low-caste villages, but the lowness of such castes continued to linger in the social fabric. Socially oppressed low-caste youth in rural villages moved to cities and the urban outskirts, found non-caste employment, and changed their names to acaste names. By analyzing newspaper notifications and selected ethnographic material, this article shows how name changes among the Sinhalese have facilitated individualization and socialization by people who change their names to acaste names and seek freedom to choose their own employment, residence, marriage partners, and involvement in activities of wider society—a form of assimilation, in the context of growing urbanization and modernization.
Discrete-time sliding mode observer for the state estimation of a manoeuvring target
Authors: Harikumar K , Bera Titas , Bardhan Rajarshi , Sundaram Suresh
Published: February 2019

This article addresses the problem of estimating the position, velocity, and acceleration of a manoeuvring target from noisy position measurements. A discrete-time sliding mode observer is designed to handle unmeasured disturbance input and measurement noise. A first-order linear dynamics is considered for target acceleration. The acceleration input command and the pole of the first-order acceleration dynamics are considered to be unknown parameters with known upper bounds. A finite non-zero boundary layer is employed to reduce the chattering phenomenon typically associated with sliding mode observers. Analysis of estimation error dynamics is presented for the case where the discrete-time sliding mode observer is operating outside the boundary layer and also within the boundary layer. An algorithm is developed for obtaining the observer gain vector that guarantees the stability of the error dynamics. Numerical simulations and experimental results are presented to validate the stability and performance of the proposed observer.
Holocene water mass changes in the Labrador Current
Authors: Lochte Annalena Antonia , Repschläger Janne , Seidenkrantz Marit-Solveig , Kienast Markus , Blanz Thomas , Schneider Ralph R
Published: February 2019

The Labrador Current is part of the anticlockwise subpolar gyre and plays a major role in the formation of North Atlantic Deep Water. It is influenced by the West Greenland and Baffin currents supplying warmer Atlantic and cold polar waters, respectively. During the early Holocene, at the final stage of the last deglaciation, meltwater and iceberg discharge caused highly variable conditions in the Labrador Current. In order to assess its sensitivity to such freshening, this study provides a well-resolved Holocene paleoclimatic record from the Labrador Shelf. Based on benthic foraminiferal faunal and alkenone biomarker analyses, we differentiated four distinct climatic periods in the western Labrador Sea. From 8.9 to 8.6 ka BP, the Labrador Shelf was dominated by polar water outflow from Baffin Bay and covered by perennial sea ice. Between 8.6 and 7.4 ka BP, a strong subsurface inflow of warmer Atlantic water masses is ascribed to an intensification and redirection of the West Greenland Current. At 7.4 ka BP, the decreased influence of Atlantic water masses on the Labrador Shelf marks the establishment of winter convection leading to the formation of Labrador Sea Water in the central basin. Concurrently, an intensified polar water outflow through the Canadian Gateways strengthened the inner Labrador Current, and higher primary productivity suggests longer spring blooms because of a shorter sea-ice season during the Holocene Thermal Maximum. In the late Holocene after 3 ka BP, periodic fluctuations of primary productivity may tentatively be correlated with stronger and weaker northwesterly winds.
Pollen-inferred regional vegetation patterns and demographic change in Southern Anatolia through the Holocene
Authors: Woodbridge Jessie , Roberts C Neil , Palmisano Alessio , Bevan Andrew , Shennan Stephen , Fyfe Ralph , Eastwood Warren J , Izdebski Adam , Çakırlar Canan , Woldring Henk , Broothaerts Nils , Kaniewski David , Finné Martin , Labuhn Inga
Published: February 2019

Southern Anatolia is a highly significant area within the Mediterranean, particularly in terms of understanding how agriculture moved into Europe from neighbouring regions. This study uses pollen, palaeoclimate and archaeological evidence to investigate the relationships between demography and vegetation change, and to explore how the development of agriculture varied spatially. Data from 21 fossil pollen records have been transformed into forested, parkland and open vegetation types using cluster analysis. Patterns of change have been explored using non-metric multidimensional scaling (nMDS) and through analysis of indicator groups, such as an Anthropogenic Pollen Index, and Simpson’s Diversity. Settlement data, which indicate population densities, and summed radiocarbon dates for archaeological sites have been used as a proxy for demographic change. The pollen and archaeological records confirm that farming can be detected earlier in Anatolia in comparison with many other parts of the Mediterranean. Dynamics of change in grazing indicators and the OJCV ( Olea, Juglans, Castanea and Vitis) index for cultivated trees appear to match cycles of population expansion and decline. Vegetation and land use change is also influenced by other factors, such as climate change. Investigating the early impacts of anthropogenic activities (e.g. woodcutting, animal herding, the use of fire and agriculture) is key to understanding how societies have modified the environment since the mid–late Holocene, despite the capacity of ecological systems to absorb recurrent disturbances. The results of this study suggest that shifting human population dynamics played an important role in shaping land cover in central and southern Anatolia.
Long-term trends of land use and demography in Greece: A comparative study
Authors: Weiberg Erika , Bevan Andrew , Kouli Katerina , Katsianis Markos , Woodbridge Jessie , Bonnier Anton , Engel Max , Finné Martin , Fyfe Ralph , Maniatis Yannis , Palmisano Alessio , Panajiotidis Sampson , Roberts C Neil , Shennan Stephen
Published: February 2019

This paper offers a comparative study of land use and demographic development in northern and southern Greece from the Neolithic to the Byzantine period. Results from summed probability densities (SPD) of archaeological radiocarbon dates and settlement numbers derived from archaeological site surveys are combined with results from cluster-based analysis of published pollen core assemblages to offer an integrated view of human pressure on the Greek landscape through time. We demonstrate that SPDs offer a useful approach to outline differences between regions and a useful complement to archaeological site surveys, evaluated here especially for the onset of the Neolithic and for the Final Neolithic (FN)/Early Bronze Age (EBA) transition. Pollen analysis highlight differences in vegetation between the two sub-regions, but also several parallel changes. The comparison of land cover dynamics between two sub-regions of Greece further demonstrates the significance of the bioclimatic conditions of core locations and that apparent oppositions between regions may in fact be two sides of the same coin in terms of socio-ecological trajectories. We also assess the balance between anthropogenic and climate-related impacts on vegetation and suggest that climatic variability was as an important factor for vegetation regrowth. Finally, our evidence suggests that the impact of humans on land cover is amplified from the Late Bronze Age (LBA) onwards as more extensive herding and agricultural practices are introduced.
The associations of endothelial and podocyte injury in proliferative lupus nephritis: from observational analysis to in vitro study
Authors: Yuan M , Tan Y , Wang Y , Wang S X , Yu F , Zhao M H
Published: February 2019

Our study aims to evaluate the endothelial cell-podocyte crosstalk in proliferative lupus nephritis (LN). The semi-quantification scores of glomerular endothelial cell injury and the foot process width (FPW) were processed in 110 proliferative LN patients. Podocytes were stimulated with LN-derived IgG. Glomerular endothelial cells were treated with podocyte-conditioned medium (PCM), and then podocytes were incubated with endothelial cell–conditioned medium (ECM). The levels of vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) in PCM and endothelin-1 in ECM were analyzed, and the injury of podocyte and glomerular endothelial cells were further evaluated. The pathological score of glomerular endothelial cell injury was correlated with FPW in LN complicated with thrombotic microangiopathy. In vitro study showed the following: 1. Stimulation of podocytes by IgG from LN led to decline in the expression of nephrin with cytoskeleton rearrangement, and reduction of VEGF-A levels. 2. Exposure of glomerular endothelial cells to PCM incubated with LN-derived IgG (PCM-LN) induced more endothelin-1 secretion and disruption of intercellular tight junction. 3. Exposure of podocytes to ECM stimulated with PCM-LN could induce cytoskeleton redistribution with decrease of nephrin. In conclusion, the pathological glomerular endothelial cell lesions were associated with FPW and the VEGF-endothelin-1 system might play a critical role in the endothelial cell-podocyte crosstalk in LN.
Analyzing pre-post designs using the analysis of covariance models with and without the interaction term in a heterogeneous study population
Authors: Wan Fei
Published: February 2019

Pre-post parallel group randomized designs have been frequently used to compare the effectiveness of competing treatment strategies and the ordinary least squares (OLS)-based analysis of covariance model (ANCOVA) is a routine analytic approach. In many scenarios, the associations between the baseline and the post-randomization scores could differ between the treatment and control arms, which justifies the inclusion of the treatment by baseline score interaction in ANCOVA. This heterogeneity may also cause heteroscedastic errors in ANCOVA. In this study, we compared the performances of the ANCOVA models with and without the interaction term in estimating the marginal treatment effect in a heterogeneous two-arm pre-post design. We explored the relationship between the two nested ANCOVA models from the perspective of an omitted variable bias problem and further revealed the reasons why the usual ANCOVA may fail in heterogeneous scenario through the discussion of the three types of variances associated with the ANCOVA estimators of the marginal treatment effect: the target unconditional variance, the conditional variance allowing unequal error variances, and the OLS conditional variance derived under the assumption of constant error variance. We demonstrated analytically and with simulations that the proposed heteroscadastic-consistent variance estimators provide valid unconditional inference for ANCOVA, and the ANCOVA interaction model is more powerful than the ANCOVA main effect model when a design is unbalanced.
The public uptake of information about antibiotic resistance in the Netherlands
Authors: van Rijn Michiel , Haverkate Manon , Achterberg Peter , Timen Aura
Published: February 2019

In this study, we test to what extent an educational video on the intricacies of antibiotic resistance affects public attitudes towards antibiotic resistance and how such information is absorbed by the most likely targets of public health campaigns. We use a representative sample of 2037 individuals (from 2016) to test how people respond to a video educating them about antibiotic resistance. Our results show that receiving information does increase the general awareness of antibiotic resistance among our respondents. Yet, these effects are most profound for those who are the most likely targets of such information: the least knowledgeable group and those who have a more apathetic worldview. Our results are in line with suggestions made by the knowledge deficit model and show that the influence of cultural predispositions on the uptake of information about antibiotic resistance should not be ignored in future campaigns.
Financial Deepening
Authors: Chakraborty Shankha
Published: February 2019

This article proposes a tractable model of the evolution of financial structure. Firms invest out of internal assets and by borrowing from banks and the financial market. In the presence of moral hazard, whereby owner–managers may intentionally reduce profitability of investment to appropriate resources, banks can monitor firms and partially alleviate agency problems. Under the optimal financial contract, banks monitor and outside investors lend to firms only if they borrow from banks too. The model is broadly consistent with financial development facts. Capital accumulation is facilitated by an increasing reliance on both types of external finance. Initially firms rely more heavily on expensive bank finance. With further development, banks eliminate much of the agency problem and firms substitute in favour of cheaper market finance. The short- and long-run effects of financial sector reforms are considered.

JEL: E44, G20, O16
Marxian Economics: Notes from a Neo-classical Viewpoint
Authors: Mukherji Anjan
Published: February 2019

Marxian economics has the twin features of attracting some of the best minds and at the same time being rejected by policymakers world over, even by those who had adopted them to begin with. These features are discussed in this article. It is argued that the first feature is because of the existence of inequality and its worsening and associated poverty, and the difficulty in the continued extraction of surplus is a possible explanation for the second. It is further argued that the labour theory of value is not really essential to the theory of exploitation of workers by capitalists, and we try to establish that Marx was way ahead of his time in setting up the worker–employer relation in modern terms.

JEL: A20, B13, B14, B24, B51, D02, D86
Evaluation of a multi-drum magnetorheological brake via finite element analysis considering number of drums and fluid gap selection in optimization
Authors: Qin Huanhuan , Song Aiguo , Mo Yiting
Published: February 2019

Under the same excitation, the multi-drum magnetorheological brake has a nonuniform distribution of flux density over fluid gaps. Each fluid gap has its own flux density and shear area. Therefore, the number of drums and the fluid gap selection in optimization are two important parameters to be considered in a multi-drum brake design. When a fluid gap is selected in optimization, the brake is optimized to reach the maximum required flux density over this gap. This article focuses on evaluating the influence of these two parameters on the performance of the multi-drum brake. According to the number of drums and the fluid gap selection in optimization, the brakes were marked and optimized via finite element analysis. After all optimal designs were obtained, the performance in terms of torque, volume, mass, and power consumption as well as the torque–volume, torque–mass, and torque–power ratios were calculated and compared. Based on the evaluation results, suggestions on the number of drums and the fluid gap selection in optimization are given.
Oral Hygiene Care in Patients With Advanced Disease: An Essential Measure to Improve Oral Cavity Conditions and Symptom Management
Authors: Magnani Caterina , Mastroianni Chiara , Giannarelli Diana , Stefanelli Maria Consiglia , Di Cienzo Valeria , Valerioti Teresa , Casale Giuseppe
Published: February 2019

Background:

Oral problems are frequent in palliative care and can cause disabling symptoms such as orofacial pain, dysgeusia, and xerostomia. Even if oral care is an essential aspect of nursing, it is often not considered as a priority, especially when various complex patients’ needs have to be managed.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to describe oral conditions and evaluate the impact of standard oral care on symptom control and patient’s perceived comfort in a sample of terminally ill patients.

Method:

A prospective cohort study was carried out among 415 patients who were admitted to hospice. Patients were recruited before undergoing standard assisted procedure for oral hygiene care. Oral cavity condition, symptoms, and comfort were assessed at the recruitment (T0) and after 3 days (T2).

Results:

Seventy-five eligible patients were recruited. The Oral Assessment Guide score was significantly decreased after oral standard care ( P value <.0001). The average time spent by nursing staff for oral hygiene care was 5.3 minutes. Dysgeusia and xerostomia were significantly decreased after oral standard care ( P = .02 and P = .03). Patients reported a high level of comfort (86.6%) after the procedures for oral hygiene care.

Conclusion:

Patients admitted to hospice had frequent alterations in oral cavity with partial loss of its functions that can compromise their quality of life. Standard procedures for oral hygiene care are simple and fast to perform, and they may improve oral cavity conditions, symptoms control, and patients’ comfort.
Financial Markets and the Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy: Challenging the Dominant Logics
Authors: Louche Celine , Busch Timo , Crifo Patricia , Marcus Alfred
Published: February 2019

Financial markets play a major role in contributing to the transition to a low-carbon economy. Although many initiatives and developments are taking place, this is just the beginning. In this article, we argue for a theory of change—a theory rooted in logics that will help financial markets play a key role in the transition to a low-carbon economy. We argue that the current dominant logics in finance—short-termism, predictability of the future based on ex-post data, price efficiency, and risk-adjusted returns—impede the effective integration of climate considerations in financial markets. We suggest four alternative logics that can enable and foster a change toward the low-carbon economy: long-termism, systems interconnectedness, carbon price dynamics, and active ownership.
Understanding Social and Cultural Contexts of Alcohol Misuse in Mexican-Origin Hispanic Men
Authors: Valdez Luis A. , Garcia David O. , Ruiz John , Oren Eyal , Carvajal Scott
Published: February 2019

Evidence suggests that Hispanic and non-Hispanic White men (NHW) have comparable prevalence rates of alcohol use. However, Hispanic men consistently have higher prevalence rates of alcohol misuse compared with NHW men. Consequently, Hispanic men experience disproportionate levels of adverse health consequences of alcohol misuse when compared with NHW men. The aim of this study was to explore Hispanic male perspectives and opinions regarding alcohol use patterns that may lead to disparate rates of alcohol misuse in Hispanic males. Demographic data were collected with questionnaires. Twenty semistructured one-on-one interviews were completed in English and Spanish with Mexican-origin Hispanic men (age: 44.6 ± 11.3 years). A thematic analysis was conducted using a hybrid deductive–inductive strategy with an a priori codebook supplemented with iterative analysis of transcripts. Results suggest that alcohol misuse patterns in Hispanic males are influenced by an interaction between alcohol-related social norms and learned expressions of masculinity; a lack of knowledge of the alcohol-related health risks that further perpetuate the normalization of alcohol misuse; and expressions of masculinity and adaptive coping that lead to alcohol misuse as an escape from life stressors. Given the rapid expansion of the Hispanic population in the United States, and the disparate consequences of alcohol misuse in this population, it is imperative to consider the complex and often compounded impact of sociocultural norms and the social context on misuse-related behaviors. Viable prevention and treatment strategies should be addressed thought multicomponent, community-level strategies that more comprehensively address the complexities of alcohol misuse in this population.
The Impacts of Large-Scale License Plate Reader Deployment on Criminal Investigations
Authors: Koper Christopher S. , Lum Cynthia
Published: February 2019

The use of automated license plate readers (LPRs) has spread rapidly among American police in recent decades. However, research on LPRs has been very limited and focused primarily on small-scale use of LPRs in patrol. This study expands the evidence base on LPRs by evaluating investigative use of a large-scale fixed LPR network in one populous city. Survival analysis methods were used to assess changes in the likelihood and timing of investigative case closures in this city following installation of a fixed network of nearly 100 LPRs. The analysis focused on auto theft, theft of vehicle parts, and robbery investigations, which account for most uses of LPRs by investigators. Case clearances for auto theft and robbery improved after the installation of the LPR network, particularly in places where LPRs were concentrated. However, these changes were not statistically significant in multivariate analyses, and patterns in the data suggest that other factors may have also contributed to higher clearances during the intervention period, particularly for auto theft cases. Results suggest that large-scale LPR deployment may have the potential to improve investigative outcomes for some serious crimes—particularly with more consistent use and better placement for investigations—but further assessment is needed. More generally, additional research is needed to determine the best uses of LPRs, the optimal scales and methods of LPR deployment, and the full range of costs and benefits associated with LPR use.