bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evidence-based dialogue: the relationship between religion and poverty through the lens of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Sedmak Clemens
Published: January 2019

Rather than speculating about the relationship between poverty and religion or making use of anecdotal knowledge, it seems to be a more transparent way to make use of empirical evidence and the empirically obtained insights into the relationship between religion and poverty. Of particular interest is the role of religious institutions and religious beliefs in poverty reduction efforts. One systematic way to explore empirical findings is the use of a specific database, namely the database of the Abdul Jameel Poverty Action Lab—this is the premier institution for empirical and policy-oriented poverty research, committed to the “gold standard” of recent poverty research, Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs). The database of the Jameel PAL rendered 14 studies (with a total of 18 research papers). Some of them were not sufficiently relevant for the topic; as such, in this study 11 of these studies are considered and the key findings of them are reconstructed insofar as they relate to the link between religion and poverty. This will be my first step. In a second step this paper offers some comments based on these studies and look at the relationship between religion and poverty more broadly; finally, some conclusions for poverty alleviation are presented.
Microflow-mediated optical assembly of nanoparticles with femtogram protein via shrinkage of light-induced bubbles
Authors: Ueda Mayu , Nishimura Yushi , Tamura Mamoru , Ito Syoji , Tokonami Shiho , Iida Takuya
Published: January 2019

Bottom-up processing of nanobiomaterials enables the creation of a variety of macroscopic structures in natural systems. Here, we use optical means to produce macroscopic-assembled structures of nanoparticles (NPs) from protein molecules by using light-induced bubble (LIB) generation under asymmetric pressure-driven flow in a microchannel. The broadband optical response of assembled NPs facilitates the application of photon pressure and photothermal convection when irradiated by using an infrared laser. The presence of a large amount of protein allows the generation of a vast number of stable LIBs from optically assembled metallic NP-fixed beads (MNFBs). In the case of more diluted albumin solutions, the shrinking of a single LIB can cause the aggregation of MNFBs via fg-level albumin (3.4 fg in the observation region), like a microscale bubblegum. The size of the resulting aggregate can be controlled by changing the concentration of protein. These findings can be used to devise production methods not only for broadband optical nanocomposites but also for label-free methods to detect an extremely small amount of protein.
A controllable superconducting electromechanical oscillator with a suspended membrane
Authors: Li Yong-Chao , Tang Jiang-shan , Jiang Jun-Liang , Pan Jia-Zheng , Dai Xin , Wei Xing-Yu , Lu Ya-Peng , Lu Sheng , Tu Xue-Cou , Wang Hua-bing , Xia Ke-yu , Sun Guo-Zhu , Wu Pei-Heng
Published: January 2019

We fabricate a microscale electromechanical system, in which a suspended superconducting membrane, treated as a mechanical oscillator, capacitively couples to a superconducting microwave resonator. As the microwave driving power increases, nonmonotonic dependence of the resonance frequency of the mechanical oscillator on the driving power has been observed. We also demonstrate the optical switching of the resonance frequency of the mechanical oscillator. Theoretical models for qualitative understanding of our experimental observations are presented. Our experiment may pave the way for the application of a mechanical oscillator with its resonance frequency controlled by the electromagnetic and/or optical fields, such as a microwave-optical interface and a controllable element in a superqubit-mechanical oscillator hybrid system.
Generating microwaves with antiferromagnetic skyrmions
Authors: Jaycen Amelia
Published: January 2019

Antiferromagnetic skyrmions improve frequency range in skyrmion-based spin torque nano-oscillators.
Grain boundary engineering for improving stress corrosion cracking of 304 stainless steel
Authors: Liu Tingguang , Bai Qin , Ru Xiangkun , Xia Shuang , Zhong Xiangyu , Lu Yonghao , Shoji Tetsuo
Published: January 2019

Grain boundary engineering (GBE) via low strain tension and annealing was used to enhance the resistance to stress corrosion cracking of a 304 stainless steel. Electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) analysis exhibited that the GBE steel had a higher fraction of low-∑ coincidence site lattice (CSL) boundaries, larger grain-clusters, longer twin boundary chains, and fewer paths of connected non-twin boundaries with a more zigzag shape. Slow strain rate tests in high-temperature water showed that the GBE steel performed better plasticity, higher tensile strength, and similar yield strength compared to conventional steel. The low fraction of random boundaries in GBE steel resulted in a lower frequency of intergranular crack initiation, and the zigzag paths of non-twin boundaries made the intergranular crack propagation more difficult.
In vitro decidualisation of human endometrial stromal cells is enhanced by seminal fluid extracellular vesicles
Authors: Rodriguez‐Caro Helena , Dragovic Rebecca , Shen Mengni , Dombi Eszter , Mounce Ginny , Field Kate , Meadows Jamie , Turner Karen , Lunn Daniel , Child Tim , Southcombe Jennifer Helen , Granne Ingrid
Published: January 2019

Extracellular vesicles are highly abundant in seminal fluids and have a known role enhancing sperm function. Clinical pregnancy rates after IVF treatment are improved after female exposure to seminal fluid. Seminal fluid extracellular vesicles (SF‐EVs) are candidate enhancers, however, whether SF‐EVs interact with cells from the endometrium and modulate the implantation processes is unknown. Here, we investigated whether SF‐EVs interact with endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) and enhance decidualisation, a requisite for implantation. SF‐EVs, isolated from human seminal fluid (n = 11) by ultracentrifugation, were characterised by nanoparticle tracking analysis and Western blotting, and purified using size exclusion chromatography. Non‐decidualised and decidualised primary ESCs (n = 5) were then treated with SF‐EVs. Binding of bio‐maleimide‐labelled SF‐EVs was detected by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy. Prolactin and IGFBP‐1 protein levels in culture media were also analysed after single and multiple SF‐EV exposure. SF‐EVs size ranged from 50 to 300 nm, and they expressed exosomal markers (ALIX, SYNTENIN‐1, CD9 and CD81). SF‐EVs bound to non‐decidualised and decidualised ESCs at similar levels. ESCs prolactin secretion was increased after single (p = 0.0044) and multiple (p = 0.0021) SF‐EV exposure. No differences were found in IGFBP‐1 protein levels. In conclusion, SF‐EVs enhance in vitro ESC decidualisation and increase secretion of prolactin, an essential hormone in implantation. This elucidates a novel role of SF‐EVs on endometrial receptivity. Abbreviations: ECACC: European Collection of Authenticated Cell Cultures; ESCs: endometrial stromal cells; EVs: extracellular vesicles; FCS: foetal calf serum; HRP: horse‐radish peroxidase; IFNγ: interferon‐gamma; IGF: insulin‐like growth factor; IGFBP‐1: insulin‐like growth factor binding protein 1; IVF: in vitro fertilisation; MVB: multivesicular bodies; NTA: nanoparticle tracking analysis; PRLR−/−: homozygous prolactin receptor knockout; RT: room temperature; SF‐EVs: seminal fluid extracellular vesicles; STR: short tandem repeat; TGFβ: transforming growth factor β; uNK: uterine natural killer
Impact of the 2018 ASCO/CAP HER2 Guideline Focused Update
Authors: Gordian-Arroyo Adlin M , Zynger Debra L , Tozbikian Gary H
Published: January 2019

Objectives

The 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology/College of American Pathologists (ASCO/CAP) human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) guideline focused update revises the HER2 scoring criteria. We evaluated the impact on HER2 rates in breast carcinoma diagnosed at our center.

Methods

In a retrospective series of breast core biopsies with invasive carcinoma diagnosed between 2014 and 2017 (n = 1,350), HER2 status was classified according to 2013 and 2018 ASCO/CAP guidelines and changes in HER2 status identified.

Results

The 2018 guidelines reclassified the HER2 status of 6% of patients. Most changed from HER2 equivocal status (equivocal by immunohistochemistry and fluorescence in situ hybridization under the 2013 guidelines) to HER2-negative status (2018 guidelines). The HER2-positive rate decreased by 0.4%.

Conclusions

The 2018 guidelines decrease the rate of HER2 equivocal and positive breast cancer and reduce repeat HER2 testing on excision specimens. Approximately 0.4% of patients will become newly ineligible for anti-HER2 therapy.
A unified approach for sparse dynamical system inference from temporal measurements
Authors: Pantazis Yannis , Tsamardinos Ioannis
Published: January 2019

Motivation

Temporal variations in biological systems and more generally in natural sciences are typically modeled as a set of ordinary, partial or stochastic differential or difference equations. Algorithms for learning the structure and the parameters of a dynamical system are distinguished based on whether time is discrete or continuous, observations are time-series or time-course and whether the system is deterministic or stochastic, however, there is no approach able to handle the various types of dynamical systems simultaneously.

Results

In this paper, we present a unified approach to infer both the structure and the parameters of non-linear dynamical systems of any type under the restriction of being linear with respect to the unknown parameters. Our approach, which is named Unified Sparse Dynamics Learning (USDL), constitutes of two steps. First, an atemporal system of equations is derived through the application of the weak formulation. Then, assuming a sparse representation for the dynamical system, we show that the inference problem can be expressed as a sparse signal recovery problem, allowing the application of an extensive body of algorithms and theoretical results. Results on simulated data demonstrate the efficacy and superiority of the USDL algorithm under multiple interventions and/or stochasticity. Additionally, USDL’s accuracy significantly correlates with theoretical metrics such as the exact recovery coefficient. On real single-cell data, the proposed approach is able to induce high-confidence subgraphs of the signaling pathway.

Availability and implementation

Source code is available at Bioinformatics online. USDL algorithm has been also integrated in SCENERY (http://scenery.csd.uoc.gr/); an online tool for single-cell mass cytometry analytics.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Genome-wide identification of circulating-miRNA expression quantitative trait loci reveals the role of several miRNAs in the regulation of cardiometabolic phenotypes
Authors: Nikpay Majid , Beehler Kaitlyn , Valsesia Armand , Hager Jorg , Harper Mary-Ellen , Dent Robert , McPherson Ruth
Published: January 2019

Aims

To identify genetic variants that have a regulatory impact on circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) and to connect genetic risk to blood traits/biomarkers through the circulating miRNAs.

Methods and results

Leveraging miRNA-Seq data and the 1000 Genomes imputed genotypes, we carried out genome-wide association analysis for SNPs that regulate the expression of circulating miRNAs in a sample of 710 unrelated subjects of European ancestry. Wherever possible, we used data from the Framingham and the Geuvadis studies to replicate our findings. We found at least one genome-wide significant (P < 5e−8) miRNA-eQTL (mirQTL) for 143 circulating miRNAs. Overall each mirQTL explained a small portion (<1%) of variation in miRNA levels; however, we identified a few mirQTLs that explained 4% to 20% of variation in miRNA levels in plasma. Unlike trans-mirQTLs (P = 0.7), cis-mirQTLs tend to be also associated with their counterpart mature miRNAs (P < 0.0001), this suggests trans-mirQTLs exert their effect through processes that affect the stability of mature miRNAs; whereas, cis-mirQTLs mainly regulate the expression of primary-miRNAs. Next, we used the identified mirQTLs to investigate the links between circulating miRNAs with blood traits/biomarkers through Mendelian randomization analysis. We found miR-1908-5p plays an important role in regulating low-density lipoprotein (LDL), total cholesterol (TC), fasting glucose, HbA1c, and several lipid-metabolites in blood, whereas, miR-10b-5p mediates the trans-regulatory effect of the ABO locus on several blood proteins, coronary artery disease, and TC. Moreover, we demonstrated that a higher plasma level of miR-199a is causally associated with lower levels of LDL and TC. Finally, we found miR-143-3p and miR-145-5p are functionally related and mediate the effect of ZFPM2 on a number of its protein targets in blood including VEGFA, SERPINE1, and PDGFs.

Conclusions

This study identifies SNPs that have a regulatory impact on circulating miRNAs, and underlines the role of several circulating miRNAs in mediating the effect of a number of GWAS loci on cardiometabolic phenotypes.
Vedolizumab Trough Levels and Histological Healing During Maintenance Therapy in Ulcerative Colitis
Authors: Pouillon Lieven , Rousseau Hélène , Busby-Venner Hélène , De Carvalho Bittencourt Marcelo , Choukour Myriam , Gauchotte Guillaume , Zallot Camille , Danese Silvio , Baumann Cédric , Peyrin-Biroulet Laurent
Published: January 2019

Background and Aims

Histological healing may be the ultimate therapeutic goal in ulcerative colitis [UC]. We investigated, for the first time, the association between vedolizumab trough levels and histological healing in UC.

Methods

This is a single-centre retrospective cohort study including all consecutive UC patients on vedolizumab maintenance therapy who had a histological evaluation blindly to clinical data and underwent therapeutic drug monitoring, between June 2014 and March 2018. Per-event analysis was performed. Histological healing was defined as a Nancy histological index ≤1.

Results

Thirty-five histological samples were analysed. Median [interquartile range] vedolizumab trough levels were higher in the group with histological healing (31.5 [25–49.1] μg/mL) compared with the group without histological healing (15 [9–26.6] μg/mL, p = 0.02). The higher vedolizumab trough level quartiles tended to be associated with greater rates of histological healing [p = 0.10]. A cut-off vedolizumab trough level of 25 μg/mL predicted histological healing with an accuracy of 74% and an area under the receiver operating curve of 0.62 [95% confidence interval 0.58–0.92, p = 0.004]. Bivariate analysis identified a vedolizumab trough level ≥25 µg/mL [p = 0.006], a partial Mayo score ≤1 [p = 0.008], C-reactive protein level <5 mg/L [p = 0.005] and a Mayo endoscopic subscore ≤1 [p = 0.0004] as factors associated with histological healing.

Conclusions

Histological healing was associated with higher vedolizumab trough levels during maintenance therapy in UC. A vedolizumab trough level threshold of 25 μg/mL proved most optimal to predict histological healing according to the Nancy histological index. Confirmation of these data in larger, independent cohorts is needed.
Testing collinearity of vector time series
Authors: McElroy Tucker S , Jach Agnieszka
Published: January 2019

We investigate the collinearity of vector time series in the frequency domain, by examining the rank of the spectral density matrix at a given frequency of interest. Rank reduction corresponds to collinearity at the given frequency. When the time series is nonstationary and has been differenced to stationarity, collinearity corresponds to co-integration at a particular frequency. We examine rank through the Schur complements of the spectral density matrix, testing for rank reduction via assessing the positivity of these Schur complements, which are obtained from a nonparametric estimator of the spectral density. New asymptotic results for the test statistics are derived under the fixed bandwidth ratio paradigm; they diverge under the alternative, but under the null hypothesis of collinearity the test statistics converge to a non-standard limiting distribution. Subsampling is used to obtain the limiting null quantiles. A simulation study and an empirical illustration for 6-variate time series data are provided.
Risk stratification by assessment of coronary artery disease using coronary computed tomography angiography in diabetes and non-diabetes patients: a study from the Western Denmark Cardiac Computed Tomography Registry
Authors: Olesen Kevin K W , Riis Anders H , Nielsen Lene H , Steffensen Flemming H , Nørgaard Bjarne L , Jensen Jesper M , Poulsen Per L , Thim Troels , Bøtker Hans Erik , Sørensen Henrik T , Maeng Michael
Published: January 2019

Aims

We examined whether severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) measured by coronary computed tomography angiography can be used to predict rates of myocardial infarction (MI) and death in patients with and without diabetes.

Methods and results

A cohort study of consecutive patients (n = 48 731) registered in the Western Denmark Cardiac Computed Tomography Registry from 2008 to 2016. Patients were stratified by diabetes status and CAD severity (no, non-obstructive, or obstructive). Endpoints were MI and death. Event rates per 1000 person-years, unadjusted and adjusted incidence rate ratios were computed. Median follow-up was 3.6 years. Among non-diabetes patients, MI event rates per 1000 person-years were 1.4 for no CAD, 4.1 for non-obstructive CAD, and 9.1 for obstructive CAD. Among diabetes patients, the corresponding rates were 2.1 for no CAD, 4.8 for non-obstructive CAD, and 12.6 for obstructive CAD. Non-diabetes and diabetes patients without CAD had similar low rates of MI [adjusted incidence rate ratio 1.40, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.71–2.78]. Among diabetes patients, the adjusted risk of MI increased with severity of CAD (no CAD: reference; non-obstructive CAD: adjusted incidence rate ratio 1.71, 95% CI: 0.79–3.68; obstructive CAD: adjusted incidence rate ratio 4.42, 95% CI: 2.14–9.17). Diabetes patients had higher death rates than non-diabetes patients, irrespective of CAD severity.

Conclusion

In patients without CAD, diabetes patients have a low risk of MI similar to non-diabetes patients. Further, MI rates increase with CAD severity in both diabetes and non-diabetes patients; with diabetes patients with obstructive CAD having the highest risk of MI.
Differential association between the progression of coronary artery calcium score and coronary plaque volume progression according to statins: the Progression of AtheRosclerotic PlAque DetermIned by Computed TomoGraphic Angiography Imaging (PARADIGM) study
Authors: Lee Sang-Eun , Sung Ji Min , Andreini Daniele , Budoff Matthew J , Cademartiri Filippo , Chinnaiyan Kavitha , Choi Jung Hyun , Chun Eun Ju , Conte Edoardo , Gottlieb Ilan , Hadamitzky Martin , Kim Yong Jin , Kumar Amit , Lee Byoung Kwon , Leipsic Jonathon A , Maffei Erica , Marques Hugo , Pontone Gianluca , Raff Gilbert , Shin Sanghoon , Stone Peter H , Samady Habib , Virmani Renu , Narula Jagat , Berman Daniel S , Shaw Leslee J , Bax Jeroen J , Lin Fay Y , Min James K , Chang Hyuk-Jae
Published: January 2019

Aims

Coronary artery calcium score (CACS) is a strong predictor of major adverse cardiac events (MACE). Conversely, statins, which markedly reduce MACE risk, increase CACS. We explored whether CACS progression represents compositional plaque volume (PV) progression differently according to statin use.

Methods and results

From a prospective multinational registry of consecutive patients (n = 2252) who underwent serial coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) at a ≥ 2-year interval, 654 patients (61 ± 10 years, 56% men, inter-scan interval 3.9 ± 1.5 years) with information regarding the use of statins and having a serial CACS were included. Patients were divided into non-statin (n = 246) and statin-taking (n = 408) groups. Coronary PVs (total, calcified, and non-calcified; sum of fibrous, fibro-fatty, and lipid-rich) were quantitatively analysed, and CACS was measured from both CCTAs. Multivariate linear regression models were constructed for both statin-taking and non-statin group to assess the association between compositional PV change and change in CACS. In multivariate linear regression analysis, in the non-statin group, CACS increase was positively associated with both non-calcified (β = 0.369, P = 0.004) and calcified PV increase (β = 1.579, P < 0.001). However, in the statin-taking group, CACS increase was positively associated with calcified PV change (β = 0.756, P < 0.001) but was negatively associated with non-calcified PV change (β = −0.194, P = 0.026).

Conclusion

In the non-statin group, CACS progression indicates the progression of both non-calcified and calcified PV progression. However, under the effect of statins, CACS progression indicates only calcified PV progression, but not non-calcified PV progression. Thus, the result of serial CACS should be differently interpreted according to the use of statins.
Intraoperative flow profiles of arterial and venous bypass grafts to the left coronary territory
Authors: Amin Sanaz , Madsen Per Lav , Werner Raphael S , Krasopoulos George , Taggart David P
Published: January 2019

OBJECTIVES

The different mechanical and vasodilatory properties of arteries and veins may influence their flow profiles when used for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). This may be of significance when assessing the cut-off values for adequate flow. However, conduit-related flow differences are less examined.

METHODS

In a study of 268 patients, transit time flowmetry parameters of 336 arterial and 170 venous conduits all grafted to the left coronary territory were compared. With transit time flowmetry, the mean graft flow (MGF), pulsatility index, percentage of diastolic filling and percentage of backwards flow were measured. Conduit-related differences were further compared according to on- or off-pump CABG (ONCABG versus OPCABG) surgery.

RESULTS

Overall MGF and pulsatility index were comparable between arterial and venous grafts, but in arterial grafts, MGF was higher during ONCABG than during OPCABG (49.1 ± 35.3 ml/min vs 38.8 ± 26.6 ml/min; P = 0.003). Percentage of diastolic filling was higher in arterial grafts than in venous grafts (overall 71.0 ± 7.9% vs 63.7 ± 11.1%; ONCABG 69.9 ± 7.1% vs 63.9 ± 10.4%; OPCABG 71.9 ± 8.3% vs 63.4 ± 12.2%; all P < 0.001). Furthermore, percentage of backwards flow was higher in arterial grafts than in venous grafts in the overall (2.3 ± 3.2% vs 1.7 ± 3.2%, P = 0.002) and in the ONCABG (2.3 ± 3.2% vs 1.3 ± 2.5%, P < 0.001) cohorts. In venous grafts, percentage of backwards flow was lower during ONCABG versus OPCABG (1.3 ± 2.5% vs 2.6 ± 3.9%, P = 0.016).

CONCLUSIONS

No statistically significant difference was observed for MGF and pulsatility index between arterial and venous conduits. However, arterial grafts have significantly higher diastolic filling and backwards flow than venous grafts. Furthermore, arterial grafts have a significantly higher MGF in ONCABG versus OPCABG.
Feeling Young and in Control: Daily Control Beliefs Are Associated With Younger Subjective Ages
Authors: Bellingtier Jennifer A , Neupert Shevaun D
Published: January 2019

Objectives

Daily variations in control beliefs are associated with developmental outcomes. We predicted that on days when older adults feel more in control than their personal average, they would also report feeling younger, and explored the relationship in younger adults.

Method

A total of 116 older and 107 younger adults completed a 9-day daily diary study. On Day 1 participants reported on demographic variables. On Days 2–9, participants reported their daily subjective age, daily control beliefs, daily stressors, and daily physical health symptoms. All measures were completed online via Qualtrics. Results were analyzed using multilevel models.

Results

Controlling for age, gender, education, daily stressors, daily physical health, and average control, there was a significant main effect of daily control beliefs on daily subjective age. Older adults felt significantly younger on days with a greater sense of control than usual, but this effect was absent in younger adults. For younger adults, average exposure to daily stressors and daily fluctuations in physical health were better predictors of daily subjective age.

Discussion

These findings suggest that higher daily control is associated with younger subjective ages in older adults, whereas other factors may play a more central role in the daily variations of younger adults’ subjective ages.
Image conditions and addition theorems for prolate and oblate spheroidal-coordinate separation-of-variables acoustic multiple scattering models with perfectly-reflecting flat surfaces
Authors: Shin Ho-Chul
Published: January 2019

Three-dimensional time-harmonic acoustic multiple scattering problems are considered for a finite number of prolate and oblate spheroidal objects adjacent to flat surfaces. Wave propagation by spheroids is modelled by the method of separation of variables equipped with the addition theorems in the spheroidal coordinates. The effect of flat surfaces is accounted for by using the method of images; hence, the flat surfaces are of (semi-)infinite extent and perfectly reflecting: either rigid or pressure release. Wedge-shaped acoustic domains are constructed including half-space and right-angled corners with the wedge angle of $\pi /n$ rad with positive integer $n$. First, Euler angles are implemented to rotate image spheroids to realize the mirror reflection. Then, the ‘image conditions’ are developed to reduce the number of unknowns by expressing the unknown expansion coefficients of image-scattered fields in terms of real counterparts. Use of image conditions to 2D wedges, therefore, leads to the $4n^2$-fold reduction in the size of a matrix for direct solvers and $2n$-times faster computation than the approach without using them; for 3D wedges, the savings are $16n^2$-fold and $4n$-times, respectively. Multiple scattering models (MSMs) are also formulated for fluid, rigid and pressure-release spheroids under either plane- or spherical-wave incidence; novel addition theorems are also derived for spheroidal wavefunctions by using two rotations of spherical wavefunctions and a $z$-axis translation in-between, which is shown numerically more efficient than other addition theorems based on an arbitrary-direction translation and a single rotation. Finally, MSMs using image conditions are numerically validated by the boundary element method for a configuration populated with both prolate and oblate spheroids.
Fundamental Groups of Small Covers Revisited
Authors: Wu Lisu , Yu Li
Published: January 2019

We study the topology of small covers from their fundamental groups. We find a way to obtain explicit presentations of the fundamental group of a small cover. Then we use these presentations to study the relations between the fundamental groups of a small cover and its facial submanifolds. In particular, we can determine when a facial submanifold of a small cover is $\pi _1$-injective in terms of some purely combinatorial data on the underlying simple polytope. In addition, we find that any three-dimensional small cover has an embedded non-simply connected $\pi _1$-injective surface. Using this result and some results of Schoen and Yau [25], we characterize all the three-dimensional small covers that admit Riemannian metrics with nonnegative scalar curvature.
RETRACTED: Comparing Long-Term Outcomes Following Radical and Partial Nephrectomy for cT1 Renal Cell Carcinoma in Young and Healthy Individuals
Authors: Tan Wei Shen , Berg Sebastian , Cole Alexander P , Krimphove Marieke , Marchese Maya , Lipsitz Stuart R , Nabi Junaid , Sammon Jesse D , Choueiri Toni K , Kibel Adam S , Sun Maxine , Chang Steven , Trinh Quoc-Dien
Published: January 2019

Background

Despite randomized data demonstrating better overall survival favoring radical nephrectomy, partial nephrectomy continues to be the treatment of choice for low-stage renal cell carcinoma.

Methods

We utilized the National Cancer Database to identify patients younger than 50 years diagnosed with low-stage renal cell carcinoma (cT1) treated with radical nephrectomy or partial nephrectomy (2004–2007). Inverse probability of treatment weighting adjustment was performed for all preoperative factors to account for confounding factors. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were used to compare overall survival of patients in the two treatment arms. Sensitivity analysis was performed to explore the interaction of type of surgery and clinical stage on overall survival.

Results

Among the 3009 patients (median age = 44 years [interquartile range (IQR) = 40–47 years]), 2454 patients (81.6%) were treated with radical nephrectomy and 555 patients (18.4%) with partial nephrectomy. The median follow-up was 108.6 months (IQR = 80.2–124.3 months) during which 297 patients (12.1%) in the radical nephrectomy arm and 58 patients (10.5%) in the partial nephrectomy arm died. Following inverse probability of treatment weighting adjustment, there was no difference in overall survival between patients treated with partial nephrectomy and radical nephrectomy (hazard ratio = 0.83, 95% confidence interval = 0.63 to 1.10, P = .196). There were no statistically significant interactions between type of surgery and clinical stage on treatment outcome.

Conclusions

There was no difference in long-term overall survival between radical and partial nephrectomy in young and healthy patients. This patient cohort may have sufficient renal reserve over their lifetime, and preserving nephrons by partial nephrectomy may be unnecessary.
Pediatric Neuroschistosomiasis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Wen Sophie C H , Anderson Rebecca , Ryan Monique M , Kumbla Surekha , Wray Alison , Steer Andrew
Published: January 2019

Neuroschistosomiasis is a rare but severe manifestation of Schistosoma infection. Diagnosis is challenging and surgical biopsy is often required to confirm diagnosis and exclude malignancy. We present a pediatric case of presumed pseudotumoral cerebral schistosomiasis secondary to Schistosoma mansoni with an excellent therapeutic response to empirical praziquantel and corticosteroid treatment.
The Psychiatric Evaluation
Authors: North Carol S. , Yutzy Sean H.
Published: January 2019

The psychiatric evaluation is a review of the basic principles of approaching a patient with a suspected psychiatric disorder. Specific advice is advanced regarding the interview style, questioning (open-ended versus closed), focus of interview (history of illness), and demeanor (e.g., friendly, sympathetic, respectful). The details of mental status examination are then reviewed with examples provided of positive findings in each of five categories: appearance and behavior, affect and mood, form and content of thought, memory and intellectual functioning, and insight and judgment. These examples are designed to flesh out the student’s understanding of mental illness. A decision tree is provided to facilitate efficient clinical focus on the major issues. Recommendations are provided for effectively presenting a case in a formal setting.
History of Exercise Testing
Authors: Thomas Gregory S. , Kligfield Paul , Ellestad Myrvin H.
Published: January 2019

The History of Exercise Testing chapter reviews the development of the exercise test from Einthoven to the contributions of Bruce and Ellestad. Feil and Siegel recognized that myocardial ischemia and thus coronary artery disease (CAD) could be diagnosed by ST depression during exercise. Master and Oppenheimer developed the first standardized exercise test, a 1.5-minute step test to evaluate cardiac capacity and cardiovascular disease. Goldhammer and Scherf recommended the use of exercise testing for the diagnosis of chest pain or angina. Wilson’s development of the six chest leads increased the opportunity to detect ischemia with 12 lead electrocardiography. Bruce developed the multi-stage treadmill test now termed the Bruce protocol. An outcome study of Ellestad demonstrated that 1 mm of ST depression predicted cardiac events and death. Following one hundred years of development, the exercise test remains the foundation of stress testing.
When to Use Exercise Testing—Indications, Guidelines and Appropriate Use Criteria
Authors: Thomas Gregory S. , Wann L. Samuel
Published: January 2019

The chapter When to Use Exercise Testing—Indications, Guidelines, and Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) reviews and interprets the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association guidelines and AUC. Exercise testing remains the cornerstone of the evaluation of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients whose electrocardiogram is interpretable for ischemia and who are expected to be able to achieve ≥85% maximum predicted heart rate with exercise. If either is not the case, or if greater test sensitivity is clinically necessary, pharmacologic testing with myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) or stress echocardiography is indicated. The Duke Activity Status Index (DASI) score can be used as a tool to determine to predict if a patient can perform the recommended ≥5 metabolic equivalents (METs) on an exercise test. The HEART score can be effectively used to determine low risk patients presenting to the emergency room with chest pain can be safely discharged for outpatient evaluation.
Noninvasive Blood Pressure Monitoring and Electrocardiography
Authors: Langhan Melissa , Wolf Seth
Published: January 2019

There is a lack of data about the benefits of cardiovascular monitoring with continuous 3-lead electrocardiography (ECG) and intermittent noninvasive cuff blood pressure (BP) during procedural sedation and analgesia (PSA) in the pediatric population. However, these two safe modalities are important for patients during higher levels of PSA because of the risk of rare life-threatening conditions and to help identify possible medication side effects and drug interactions of common sedative medications. These monitoring modalities can also aid in determining the adequacy of sedation. It is generally accepted that a baseline determination of heart rate and BP should be obtained prior to any sedative administration. With deeper levels of sedation and throughout recovery, continuous 3-lead ECG and intermittent BP monitoring are recommended, in addition to other modalities such as pulse oximetry and capnography, to monitor the safety of the patient.
Preoperative Chest Pain in a Patient with Colon Obstruction
Authors: Abramowicz A. Elisabeth , Salik Irim
Published: January 2019

It is essential to follow a stepwise approach for perioperative cardiac assessment in high-risk patients undergoing noncardiac surgery. Preoperative cardiovascular disease stratification affects both anesthetic perioperative management as well as surgical decision-making. The highest risk of postoperative cardiac complications is associated with emergency surgery, vascular surgery, thoracic and upper abdominal surgery, and intraoperative hemodynamic instability. A multidisciplinary approach between the patient, primary care physician, anesthesiologist, consultant, and surgeon is necessary to reduce perioperative morbidity and mortality. This chapter presents a review of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines as such can be useful in optimizing a patient’s clinical outcome.
Intraoperative Hyperkalemia
Authors: Theard M. Angele , Bastien Alexandra
Published: January 2019

Patients with hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease are at risk for chronic kidney disease and therefore require close monitoring of potassium (K+) levels in order to avoid some of the more concerning consequences of hyperkalemia. Medical therapy in these patients, which often includes angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, renin inhibitors, and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, while helpful in managing some of the aforementioned comorbidities and ameliorating chronic kidney disease in these patients, places them at increased risk for unwanted K+ elevations. Symptoms of hyperkalemia maybe nonspecific (fatigue, weakness, and gastrointestinal upset), requiring attention therefore to preoperative laboratory analysis to avert the potentially lethal intraoperative consequences of hyperkalemia like asystole and ventricular fibrillation. Emergency surgery in these patients after trauma complicated by crush injury is particularly challenging requiring that the anesthesiologist be well-versed in recognizing the signs of and managing intraoperative hyperkalemia.
Stress, Resilience, and Wellbeing
Authors: Voss Megan Elizabeth , Kreitzer Mary Jo
Published: January 2019

This chapter gives an historical overview of stress and burnout. Additionally, it focuses on the impact of stress on personal health and wellbeing and highlights interventions that can both mitigate the effects of stress and increase resilience. Interventions to reduce stress are discussed, including their applicability to patients as well as caregivers. Given the dramatic rise in stress and burnout within the health professions, this chapter explores more deeply factors that contribute to stress and burnout, as well as personal and organizational strategies to combat stress. Integrative nurses can apply the strategies discussed in this chapter as both a means to self-care and care of patients. Nurses play an essential role in improving the landscape of healthcare through resilient leadership.
Integrative Health and Integrative Nursing in a Healthcare System
Authors: Knutson Lori
Published: January 2019

This chapter focuses on the development of integrative health services and programs within a large integrated health network and the design and implementation of an integrative nurse training program with the goal of advancing nursing care through integrative approaches. Opportunities for integration within current strategic organization initiatives are offered as a method for the adoption of system-wide integrative health services. Integrative nursing roles and responsibilities from executive leadership to direct care provider level are described. The Integrative Nurse Health Coach role is specifically outlined as it applies to the health system environment. A financial structure for sustainability is outlined as a guide for application within a health system.
Integrative Nursing in Israel
Authors: Sher Osnat
Published: January 2019

This chapter provides an overview of the evolution of integrative nursing in Israel, including its challenges and vision about its future. It includes an historical background on nursing and healthcare in Israel, leading to the formation of integrative nursing that emerged in 2012. The major challenges of this domain today are the formal recognition of this discipline and its assimilation into the formal educational program of nurses. In addition, this chapter provides a vision for how integrative nursing will enable a wide range of treatment options, expand the opportunities to cure, and improve quality of life of both patients and caregivers.
Some Implications for Policy
Authors: Dohrenwend Bruce P.
Published: January 2019

This chapter underlines research findings from previous chapters that provide useful background for developing future policies for post-Vietnam wars. A major policy recommendation is prioritizing procedures for reducing harm by the U.S. military to civilians and prisoners when fighting wars amongst the people. Research findings point to the importance of keeping the most vulnerable soldiers out of severe combat and other highly stressful assignments. This chapter supports policies designed to provide returning veterans with programs that increase the relative importance of their post-war activities compared to their war-time experiences. Other recommendations advocate equalizing the assignment to combat units of individuals from majority and minority racial-ethnic groups and providing help to the family members of veterans with chronic PTSD. For the benefit of individuals serving in our military, it urges policy makers to commit our military forces to fight only in just wars that merit popular support.
Critique of Practical and Clinical Medical Reasoning
Authors: Montgomery Erwin B.
Published: January 2019

A distinction is made between “scientific” medicine and practical medicine. The former relates to medical decisions couched in scientific methods such as the hypothetico-deductive approach, and it is often used pejoratively, as excessive reliance on such science and scientists, particularly if the scientists are not also clinicians. Practical medicine suggests alternatives, intuition. To be sure, successful medical reasoning has long predated the development of modern science that supports the notion of scientific medicine. Furthermore, some physicians just seem better without necessarily having greater scientific knowledge. Ethics is fundamental to medical decisions. The distinction between scientific and practical may not be very sharp, and trying to separate and advance one over the other likely is counterproductive. Modern allopathic physicians pushed the distinctions, as seen in their code of ethics and the changes subsequent to the Flexner Report. Critical analysis of intuition suggests that it is “scientific” and that science is “intuitive.”
The English Legal System
Authors: Sachdeva Vikram , Butler-Cole Victoria , Lee Annabel
Published: January 2019

The practical application of the law can be broadly divided into civil and criminal law. Criminal law is imposed and enforced by the state in contrast to civil law, which aims to enforce civil legal rights and obligations between individuals. There are two primary sources of law in our domestic legal system—namely, statutes and common law. The court structure in England and Wales is labyrinthine in complexity, but has some basic features which are simple. Criminal cases are normally heard in the Magistrates’ Court or Crown Court while civil cases generally start in the County Court (for low-value cases) or the High Court (for high-value cases). Within this general structure, there are a number of specialist courts, which medical practitioners may encounter from time to time. Sanctions for criminal cases include imprisonment, a fine, or community service, but civil cases are usually awarded damages, i.e. financial compensation.
Narrative practice, neurotrauma, and rehabilitation
Authors: Frommelt Peter , Medved Maria I. , Brockmeier Jens
Published: January 2019

This chapter conceives of rehabilitation after neurotrauma (which includes stroke and traumatic brain injury) as a unique area of narrative meaning-making. It outlines the nature and need of narrative competence in this field and examines some of the particularities of narrative formation and negotiation of meaning in the context of rehabilitative interactions after brain trauma. As a reaction to the shortcomings of the traditional biomedical approach, it advances a holistic, person-centred, and narrative-based approach to neurorehabilitation. Person-centred care is not only concerned with biological disorders and pathological symptoms but also with individuals and their (auto-)biographical, social, and cultural life worlds. In understanding the goal of neurorehabilitation as enabling persons with a neurotrauma to regain full agency, autonomy, and subjectivity, the chapter suggests the narrative approach as a powerful way to reach this goal.
Using patient narratives as source material for creative writing
Authors: McDonald Paula
Published: January 2019

Patient and carer involvement in medical education has been shown to lead to improved outcomes. There is a vast amount of online narrative material describing the lived experience of patients that could be systematically used in medical education. This chapter describes a creative writing module which encourages students to research and create a fictional character with a chronic disorder and then write about them in the new narrative genre of clinical realism. This genre is defined as ‘fictional writing where health problems are systematically represented, not as a metaphor, not as a plot point, and not as the central topic of the writing, but as a part of a character’s personal identity and day-to-day experience.’ The students reported that by writing repeatedly about the same character, they felt more empathic towards them, even if they initially felt little affinity with the character. This chapter discusses the practicalities and benefits of running the course.
Drawing on narrative accounts of dementia in education and care
Authors: Lamerichs Joyce , Alma Manna
Published: January 2019

This chapter shows how a selection of narrative videotaped accounts of people with dementia and their informal carers are used to develop course material on dementia care for students in Dutch secondary Vocational Education and Training (VET). It provides illustrative segments of two pilot lessons on dementia care to show how the narrative clips stimulate students’ empathic response, invite reflection on their own practices as professional carers, and demonstrate the strength of metaphoric language available in the clips as a cue for follow-up discussions. Although further research is needed, working with narrative video clips in which people with dementia and their informal carers recount what it means to live with dementia seems a promising educational tool. It proved particularly well-suited to provide opportunities to learn from people who experience mild/moderate dementia, and what it means to live with this condition.
Structural dream analysis
Authors: Roesler Christian
Published: January 2019

Patient dreams in psychotherapy can be seen as narratives pointing to underlying conflicts as well as to potential solutions for overcoming mental health problems. Conceptualizations of the dream and its potential in the psychoanalytic tradition meanwhile are well supported by empirical dream research. Nevertheless, there is a strong need for more research connecting the meaning conveyed by the dream with the psychopathology of the patient and with process in psychotherapy. Structural Dream Analysis (SDA) as a method to investigate the meaning conveyed in dream series from analytical psychotherapies is introduced. It combines earlier methods of narrative analysis with psychoanalytic ways of interpreting symbols into a coherent and manualised interpretive method; the application of the method is demonstrated with a case example.
Coma and Low Arousal States
Authors: Khandker Namir , Shutter Lori A.
Published: January 2019

This chapter examines the pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of common causes of coma and low arousal states as well as common mimics. It begins with a review of relevant anatomy and physiology pertinent to normal arousal, highlighting important structural and neurochemical processes that can become deranged in various disorders of arousal. It discusses common etiologies of coma organized into structural and toxic/metabolic causes followed by a review of important physical exam, laboratory, imaging, coma scales, and other useful diagnostic testing. Finally, a suggested algorithmic approach is presented to guide timely diagnosis and treatment incorporating important principles highlighted throughout the chapter.