bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quality Appraisal of Guidelines on Cancer-Associated Thrombosis Using AGREE II Instrument and Analysis of Current Status of New Oral Anticoagulants
Authors: Zhang Jiuxing , Xu Juan , Zhang Wenlong , Jiang Meiting , Liu Juan , Xu Lei , Liu Gaofeng , Zhao Zhigang
Published: April 2019

Cancer-associated thrombosis (CAT) studies have increased in recent years and the quality of guidelines to guide the clinical practice of CAT prevention and treatment becomes crucial. The therapy status of new oral anticoagulants (NOACs) has been established in some thrombotic diseases, but the evidence for CAT remains unconvincing. The aim of this research is to evaluate the quality of CAT guidelines and discuss the role of NOAC in CAT. A search of articles was performed using PubMed/Medline, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, and other authoritative websites. Search terms included guideline or guidance, consensuses, cancer, and thrombosis. Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation II (AGREE II) tool was used to evaluate the qualities of the guidelines. A total of 19 guidelines were screened out and evaluated, of which 8 were recommended, 5 were recommended after revision, and 6 were not recommended. For prevention and treatment of CAT, low-molecular-weight heparin is the most recommended, followed by vitamin K antagonist, unfractionated heparin, fondaparinux, and aspirin. New oral anticoagulant is optional in some cases of CAT treatment. Based on AGREE II assessment tool, the quality of CAT guidelines is inconsistent. Attention should be drawn to the quality of CAT guidelines during clinical practice. The role of NOAC in the treatment of CAT is gradually established but requires more supporting evidence from future clinical trials.
Symptom Science: Advocating for Inclusion of Functional Genetic Polymorphisms
Authors: Knisely Mitchell R. , Maserati Megan , Heinsberg Lacey W. , Shah Lisa L. , Li Hongjin , Zhu Yehui , Ma Yumi , Graves Letitia Y. , Merriman John D. , Conley Yvette P.
Published: April 2019

Incorporating biologically based data into symptom science research can contribute substantially to understanding commonly experienced symptoms across chronic conditions. The purpose of this literature review was to identify functional polymorphisms associated with common symptoms (i.e., pain, sleep disturbance, fatigue, affective and cognitive symptoms) with the goal of identifying a parsimonious list of functional genetic polymorphisms with evidence to advocate for their inclusion in symptom science research. PubMed was searched to identify genes and functional polymorphisms associated with symptoms across chronic conditions, revealing eight functional genetic polymorphisms in seven different genes that showed evidence of association with at least three or more symptoms and/or symptom clusters: BDNF rs6265, COMT rs4680, FKBP5 rs3800373, IL-6 rs1800795, NFKB2 rs1056890, SLC6A4 5-HTTLPR+rs25531, and TNFA rs1799964 and rs1800629. Of these genes, three represent protein biomarkers previously identified as common data elements for symptom science research (BDNF, IL-6, and TNFA), and the polymorphisms in these genes identified through the search are known to impact secretion or level of transcription of these protein biomarkers. Inclusion of genotype data for polymorphisms offers great potential to further advance scientific knowledge of the biological basis of individual symptoms and symptom clusters across studies. Additionally, these polymorphisms have the potential to be used as targets to optimize precision health through the identification of individuals at risk for poor symptom experiences as well as the development of symptom management interventions.
The effects of Rituximab on Graves’orbitopathy: A retrospective study of 14 patients
Authors: Eid Laura , Coste-Verdier Valentine , Longueville Eric , Ribeiro Emmanuel , Nicolescu-Catargi Bogdan , Korobelnik Jean-François
Published: April 2019

Purpose:

Management of Graves’ ophthalmopathy remains challenging. Over the last decade, previous studies have shown promising results for Rituximab in the treatment of Graves’ ophthalmopathy. We present the response of 14 individuals with active moderate-to-severe Graves’ ophthalmopathy to Rituximab, representing one of the largest retrospective case series reported to date.

Methods:

Rituximab was administered intravenously, 1000 mg twice at a 2-week interval. The primary end point was a clinical activity score reduction (improvement by ⩾ 2 points or disease inactivation: clinical activity score < 3) at 24 weeks. Secondary end points included clinical activity score improved by ⩾ 2 points or inactivation of Graves’ ophthalmopathy at 12 weeks, improvement in each item of the clinical activity score, in proptosis, in severity disease by the total eye score and in diplopia according to the Gorman score.

Results:

A limited improvement in clinical activity score was observed (median improvement at 24 weeks by 1 point, p = 0.002, (5/14 patients, 35.7%). Disease inactivation occurred in 50% of patients (7/14 patients). At 12 weeks, clinical activity score improved by ⩾ 2 points in 2/14 patients (14.3%) and inactivation of Graves’ ophthalmopathy occurred in four patients (28.6%). Improvement in proptosis and total eye score was observed in 3/9 patients (33%) and in 4/14 patients (28.6%) at 24 weeks, respectively. Only one patient experienced moderate adverse event.

Conclusion:

Rituximab is a well-tolerated treatment with a good safety profile, but offered limited and partial improvement for active moderate-to-severe Graves’ ophthalmopathy with a long duration of disease.
Factors influencing myopic shift in children after intraocular lens implantation
Authors: Valeina Sandra , Heede Santa , Erts Renars , Sepetiene Svetlana , Skaistkalne Elina , Radecka Liga , Vanags Juris , Laganovska Guna
Published: April 2019

Introduction:

Intraocular lenses have always been a controversial topic in pediatric cataract surgery. In the early 1990s in the post-Soviet states of Eastern Europe, intraocular lenses promised an easier full-time correction and amblyopia treatment. Since 1991, ophthalmologists in Latvia have been implanting intraocular lenses in infants. Amount of the postoperative myopic shift and its influencing factors, analyzed in this article, are important indicators of congenital cataract treatment.

Materials and methods:

A retrospective chart review off 85 children (137 eyes) who underwent foldable posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation at the Clinical University Hospital in Riga, Latvia, from 1 January 2006 until 31 December 2016, was performed. Depending on the age at surgery, patients were divided into six groups: 1–6, 7–12, 13–24, 25–48, 49–84, and 85–216 months.

Results:

The largest and more variable myopic shift was found in a group of diffuse/total and nuclear cataract with surgery before the age of 6 months. There was a statistically significant correlation between the acquired best-corrected visual acuity and the amount of myopic shift (rs = 0.33; p < 0.001). Comparing the amount of myopic shift in two groups of different intraocular lens implantation target refraction tactics, we did not find statistically significant differences. Comparing the amount of myopic shift and implanted intraocular lens power, a negative, statistically significant correlation was found.

Conclusion:

The earlier the cataract extraction surgery and intraocular lens implantation is performed, the larger the myopic shift. The morphological type of cataract, best-corrected visual acuity, secondary glaucoma, and intraocular lens power influence the amount of myopic shift.
Rescaling Air Quality Management: An Assessment of Local Air Quality Authorities in the United States
Authors: Schumacher Kelsea A , Shandas Vivek
Published: April 2019

Institutional design for local air quality management is an underdeveloped area for research and practice. Although the United States has more than a century of organizational experience managing air quality at the Federal level, the recent years have seen a surge of interest in addressing municipal-scale solutions. Without information about the institutional designs, governance structures, and implications of localizing air quality management, practitioners may face challenges reducing population exposure to air pollutants. We offer a US national perspective on managing local air quality by assessing and surveying 117 local air quality authorities identified by the National Association of Clean Air Agencies. The results expose many commonalities and differences among local air quality management agencies across the United States. We find that the authority type and motivations for creating the local air quality agency drive much of the organization structure and capacity to fulfill mandates. The results further provide a means for evaluating the opportunities and challenges for creating local air quality agencies, while recognizing the factors that support effective institutional designs.
Predictors of High Program Exposure Among Adolescents Participating in a Smoking Prevention Intervention in Romania
Authors: Nădăşan Valentin , Ferencz Loránd , Ábrám Zoltán , Foley Kristie
Published: April 2019

Introduction:

Web-based smoking prevention programs can be delivered to large groups of adolescents under relatively private conditions at a convenient cost, but their effectiveness is highly dependent on the level of exposure to the educational content. The objective of the study was to identify the predictors of high program exposure among a group of adolescents participating in a web-based smoking prevention cluster randomized trial in Romania.

Methods:

The study sample included 675 adolescents from Târgu Mureş, Romania. The level of exposure to the ASPIRE web-based smoking prevention program was monitored using data automatically saved on the system server. High program exposure was defined as watching 75% to 100% of the educational content. Associations between adolescents’ sociodemographic, psychological, and behavioral variables collected online at the beginning of the intervention and high program exposure were tested using chi-square test and logistic regression.

Results:

In all, 68.3% of students were highly exposed to the program. There were 4 significant predictors of high program exposure in the multivariable logistic regression model: participant’s father’s lower level of education (odds ratio [OR]: 1.75; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.19-2.44), participant’s brother’s nonsmoking status (OR: 1.76; 95% CI: 1.13-2.72), never trying e-cigarettes (OR: 1.73; 95% CI: 1.22-2.45), and considering the health of others an important reason not to smoke (OR: 2.46; 95% CI: 1.54-3.93).

Conclusions:

The analysis identified sociodemographic, psychological, and behavioral factors that may be useful in project management of such intervention to improve program effectiveness.
Our Peers—Empowerment and Navigational Support (OP-ENS): Development of a Peer Health Navigator Intervention to Support Medicaid Beneficiaries With Physical Disabilities
Authors: Magasi Susan , Papadimitriou Christina , Panko Reis Judy , The Kimberly , Thomas Jennifer , VanPuymbrouck Laura , Wilson Tom
Published: April 2019

People with disabilities (PWD) are a health disparities population who experience well-documented physical, structural, attitudinal, and financial barriers to health care. The disability rights community is deeply engaged in advocacy to promote health care justice for all PWD. As the community continues to work toward systems change, there is a critical need for community-directed interventions that ensure individuals with disabilities are able to access the health care services they need and are entitled to. Peer health navigator (PHN) programs have been shown to help people from diverse underserved communities break down barriers to health care. The PHN model has not been systematically adapted to meet the needs of PWD. In this article, we describe the collaborative process of developing Our Peers—Empowerment and Navigational Supports (OP-ENS), an evidence-informed PHN intervention for Medicaid beneficiaries with physical disabilities in Chicago, IL, USA. Our Peers—Empowerment and Navigational Supports is a 12-month community-based PHN intervention that pairs Medicaid beneficiaries with physical disabilities (peers) with disability PHNs who use a structured recursive process of barrier identification and asset mapping, goal setting, and action planning to help peers meet their health care needs. Our Peers—Empowerment and Navigational Supports was developed by a collaborative team that included disability rights leaders, representatives from a Medicaid managed care organization, and academic disability health care justice researchers. We highlight both the conceptual and empirical evidence that informed OP-ENS as well as the lessons learned that can assist future developers.
‘It’s made me a lot more aware’: a new materialist analysis of health self-tracking
Authors: Lupton Deborah
Published: April 2019

With the advent of apps, other software and wearable devices designed to enable people to easily monitor and measure details about their bodies, much attention has been paid to the phenomenon of health self-tracking. In this article, findings from a study involving interviews with 40 Australian self-trackers are discussed and analysed from a feminist new materialist perspective, focusing on relational dimensions, affective forces and agential capacities. Analysis of their accounts identified several major agential capacities generated by self-tracking health and illness, including achieving knowledge, awareness and problem-solving; taking control; and feeling better. Affective forces were strongly evident in the ways the participants talked about their practices and rationales for health self-tracking, including the pleasure and satisfaction they experienced, as well as the demoralising or burdensome elements they described. Relational dimensions included interpersonal and biographical contexts as well as enactments of embodied and technological sensing and recording.
Negotiation patterns of a preservice physical education teacher and his students during sport education
Authors: McEntyre Kelsey , Curtner-Smith Matthew D , Wind Stefanie A
Published: April 2019

Previous research on negotiations between physical education teachers and students has been purely qualitative. The purpose of this study was to produce a quantified negotiation profile for one preservice teacher (George) while he taught three sport education (SE) seasons. The specific research questions we attempted to answer were as follows: (a) What forms did negotiations between the preservice teacher and his students take during the SE seasons? (b) To what extent did negotiations take place across the SE seasons? (c) How did negotiations differ between grade levels? The 47 lessons in George’s 6th, 7th and 8th grade SE season on handball were filmed and coded with the negotiation instrument, an event-recording systematic observation instrument designed to classify and categorize negotiations as they occur. A number of descriptive analyses were completed and Kruskal–Wallis tests were employed to determine whether there were differences between grades. Results revealed that negotiations initiated by George and his students were relatively infrequent and that there were few differences between the SE seasons. The types and foci of the negotiations initiated by George and his students were similar to those described in previous qualitative studies, as were the tactics used to initiate the negotiations. The patterns were of the negotiations in this study were also similar to those in previous qualitative research focused on SE. Suggestions for future research and the use of the negotiation instrument as a training tool are made.
Outcomes with cilostazol after endovascular therapy of peripheral artery disease
Authors: Megaly Michael , Abraham Bishoy , Saad Marwan , Mekaiel Andrew , Soukas Peter , Banerjee Subhash , Shishehbor Mehdi H
Published: April 2019

The role of cilostazol after endovascular therapy (EVT) of peripheral artery disease (PAD) remains unclear. We conducted a meta-analysis for all studies reporting the outcomes of cilostazol after EVT of PAD from January 2000 through November 2018 with the outcomes of interest including primary patency, major adverse limb events (MALE), target lesion revascularization (TLR), and major amputation. We included eight studies (three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and five observational studies) with a total of 3846 patients (4713 lesions). During a mean follow-up duration of 12.5 ± 5 months, the use of cilostazol was associated with higher primary patency (OR 2.28, 95% CI (1.77, 2.94), p < 0.001, I2 = 24%), lower risk of TLR (OR 0.37, 95% CI (0.26, 0.52), p < 0.001, I2 = 0%), and lower risk of major amputation (OR 0.15, 95% CI (0.04, 0.62), p = 0.008, I2 = 0%). The use of cilostazol in RCTs was associated with significantly higher odds of primary patency compared with observational studies (OR 3.37 vs 2.28, p-interaction = 0.03). After further subgroup analysis, cilostazol remained associated with higher primary patency regardless of the use of anticoagulants (warfarin) ( p-interaction = 0.49). We conclude that the use of cilostazol after EVT of femoropopliteal and iliac lesions is associated with improved primary patency and lower risk of major amputation and TLR. The favorable impact of cilostazol is independent of the use of warfarin. PROSPERO identifier: CRD42018092715.
Vibration control of a marine centrifugal pump using floating raft isolation system
Authors: Liu Houlin , Ma Qijiang , Li Yu , Wang Kai
Published: April 2019

In order to study the influence of floating raft isolation system (FRIS) on the vibration characteristics of marine pump, a marine centrifugal pump with/without FRIS under the same operation condition, which specific speed is 66.7, was experimentally measured. The maximum efficiency of the pump is 75.8%, which is under 1.2 Qd. Results show that the characteristic frequencies in the vibration spectrums of the pump with/without FRIS are APF (axial passing frequency), the BPF (blade passing frequency) and its high-order harmonic frequency. After installing FRIS, under 0.8 Qd, 1.0 Qd and 1.2 Qd, the vibration intensity of the pump at inlet flange is slighter than that at pump base and larger than that at pump bracket. The vibration intensity at outlet flange is slighter than that at the pump bracket and larger than that at pump body, and the vibration intensity at connecting plate is the lowest. The vibration velocity level of pump base decreases with the increase of flow rate, the maximum vibration intensity at M1–M4 is reduced by 88% than that without FRIS, and the maximum vibration velocity of the APF at M1–M4 is reduced by 83.3% than that without FRIS.
Influence of different filler weld wire chemistries on metallurgical and mechanical behavior of ultrahigh strength steel welded joints
Authors: Sharma Varun , Shahi AS , Kumar Subodh
Published: April 2019

Three different filler combinations comprising of ferritic, austenitic, and (ferritic + austenitic) were used to fabricate butt welded joints on 15 mm thick ultrahigh strength steel using hybrid arc welding processes. Owing to different weld metal compositions, a significant variation in metallurgical properties of these welds was observed, which consequently affected their mechanical properties in terms of tensile and impact toughness. Acicular ferrite with relatively soft zones formed in the ferritic weld metal imparted better impact toughness and ductility, whereas the joints welded using austenitic filler wire due to formation of hard martensitic structure showed high hardness across all their zones which resulted into higher tensile strength but poor ductility and impact toughness. SEM fractographs facilitated studying of shear lip formation and percentage shear area, and could be correlated with the ductility and impact toughness of the welded joints to a reasonable extent. Among all the welds, ferritic filler showed relatively less joint efficiency as well as ultimate tensile strength, but could be considered as a better choice over the austenitic as well their combination (ferritic + austenitic), as it performed better in terms of tensile ductility as well as impact toughness.
Displacement, replacement, and fragmentation in order making: Enacting sovereignty in a US-Mexican border state
Authors: Koyama Jill , Gonzalez-Doğan Shyla
Published: April 2019

The US government is regulating the flow of people into the country. It aims to ‘build the wall’ between the US and Mexico, repeal NAFTA, alter immigration rules, and dramatically reduce refugee resettlement. However, an estimated 1.8 million refugees and 11 million undocumented immigrants already live in the US. Drawing on data collected in a 42-month ethnography in southern Arizona, we examine the ‘divergence’ of sovereignty, in which multiple, often competing, discourses and actions jostle for legitimization and authority. Framing our analysis with risk theory and sovereignty thinking, we reveal how immigrants from Mexico, especially those who are perceived as undocumented, are pitted against refugees in a battle for cultural belonging, rights, and citizenship through government action and discourses and practices of local immigrant and refugee support agencies. We trace how these newcomers displace and replace each other as the ‘greatest risk’ to Arizona’s economy, social services, and security.
Civil disobedience, and what else? Making space for uncivil forms of resistance
Authors: Pineda Erin R
Published: April 2019

Theorists of political obligation have long devoted special attention to civil disobedience, establishing its pride of place as an object of philosophical analysis, and as one of a short list of exceptions to an otherwise binding obligation to obey the law. Yet all of this attention to civil disobedience has left the broader terrain of resistance to injustice relatively under-theorized. What other forms of action are justifiable – even required – in the face of systemic injustice? Candice Delmas' A Duty to Resist: When Disobedience Should Be Uncivil offers an original and powerful defense of the idea that we have a duty to resist, and that carrying out this duty may sometimes require going beyond civil disobedience – engaging in forms of action that are evasive, shocking, violent, or otherwise deemed “uncivil.” Building on a wealth of recent scholarship and a rich set of examples, Delmas grounds the duty to resist in the same principles that political philosophers routinely use to defend an obligation to obey the law: the natural duty of justice, the principle of fair play, Samaritan duties to rescue others from peril, and the associative duties of membership. In making room for uncivil forms of dissent, however, I contend that Delmas ironically hollows out the category of civil disobedience, wedding it too tightly to a principle of decorum, and isolating it from protest that exceeds the boundaries of the communicative. Nevertheless, A Duty to Resist is an excellent – and much needed – contribution to the literature on dissent and disobedience.
The effectiveness of light-emitting diode lighting for providing circadian stimulus in office spaces while minimizing energy use
Authors: Jarboe C , Snyder J , Figueiro MG
Published: April 2019

Architectural lighting has traditionally addressed visual performance and horizontal illuminance on the work plane, later focussing on energy efficiency, while only recently paying particular regard to human health outcomes. The present study evaluated the effectiveness of several light-emitting diode lighting strategies for delivering circadian stimulus to occupants of a typical office space while minimizing energy use. The study employed photometric simulations in a typical open-office space, delivering a criterion circadian stimulus of 0.3 to calculation points modelled at the simulated occupants’ eye level. Six luminaire types, two luminous intensity distributions, six spectral power distributions and two horizontal illuminances were evaluated, resulting in 144 unique lighting conditions. Additionally, the study calculated the discomfort glare for selected luminaires with the highest total lumen output, smallest aperture and direct-only luminous intensity distributions at the higher of the two horizontal illuminances (500 lx). The most impactful strategy involved supplementing common overhead lighting with a desktop luminaire delivering light directly to the simulated office occupants’ eyes, which provided greater circadian stimulus and used less energy than overhead luminaires that were capable of delivering the criterion circadian stimulus of 0.3.
Forum-theatre technique to foster creative and active problem solving: A resilience-building intervention among in-service teachers
Authors: Sappa Viviana , Barabasch Antje
Published: April 2019

This paper introduces the results of an evaluation of the Forum-theatre workshop method, which was designed within the framework of a resilience-building intervention. About 230 in-service vocational school teachers in Canton of Ticino participated in the study. A mixed-methods research design was applied to investigate potentialities of the Forum-theatre technique in generating a better understanding about interpersonal conflicts at school while fostering active coping strategies. Data were collected by means of participatory observation and a self-reported questionnaire. The findings indicate a perceived positive impact in terms of proactive participation, critical awareness and activated reflectivity. In addition, the interactive drama technique encouraged participants to activate a dialog between multiple perspectives, thus enlarging the perceived spectrum of possible actions during relational conflicts. The paper concludes with implications for creativity and resilience research.
Sustained intraocular vascular endothelial growth factor neutralisation does not affect retinal and choroidal vasculature in Ins2Akita diabetic mice
Authors: Lechner Judith , Hombrebueno Jose R , Pedrini Edoardo , Chen Mei , Xu Heping
Published: April 2019

The purpose of this study was to understand the influence of sustained intravitreal vascular endothelial growth factor neutralisation on the retinal and choroidal vasculature in diabetic eyes. Ins2Akita diabetic mice received five intravitreal injections of anti-mouse vascular endothelial growth factor antibody or goat immunoglobulin G (0.2 µg/µL/eye) over a 4-month period. Retinal and choroidal vascular changes were analysed by confocal microscopy of tissue flat-mounts. Retinal gene expression of vascular endothelial growth factor family members (vascular endothelial growth factors A, B, C and D), vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (sVEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2) and tight junctions (claudin 1, 2, 5; occludin and zonula occludens-1) were analysed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Vascular endothelial growth factor A and claudin 5 were significantly increased in diabetic retinae. Gene expression was unaffected by anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatment. The number of acellular vessels was increased in diabetic retinae and reduced following anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatment. Retinal and choroidal vascular density and area were unaffected by sustained vascular endothelial growth factor neutralisation. Our results suggest that five consecutive intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injections do not cause significant vascular changes in the retina and choroid in diabetic and non-diabetic mice.
Elevated levels of circulating microvesicles in coronary artery disease patients with type 2 diabetes and albuminuria: Effects of exercise training
Authors: Bratseth Vibeke , Chiva-Blanch Gemma , Byrkjeland Rune , Solheim Svein , Arnesen Harald , Seljeflot Ingebjørg
Published: April 2019

Objective:

Circulating microvesicles, released from activated/apoptotic cells, are involved in vascular complications and may be looked upon as biomarkers. Albuminuria is characteristic of disease progression in type 2 diabetes mellitus. We aimed to investigate quantitative and qualitative differences of circulating microvesicles in type 2 diabetes mellitus with and without albuminuria and whether 12-month exercise training influenced expression of circulating microvesicles.

Methods:

Coronary artery disease patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (n = 75), of which 25 had albuminuria, were included. Annexin V+ (AV+) circulating microvesicles were analysed by flow cytometry in citrated plasma. The exercise volume was 150 min per week.

Results:

In albuminuria patients, circulating microvesicles from endothelial-(CD146+/CD62E+/AV+) and endothelial-progenitor-(CD309+/CD34+/AV+) cells were significantly higher compared to those without ( p ⩽ 0.01, both). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of the endothelial circulating microvesicles shows an area under the curve of 0.704 (95% confidence interval: 0.57–0.84; p = 0.004). Albuminuria patients had more circulating microvesicles derived from activated leukocytes and monocytes and monocytes carrying tissue factor (CD11b+/AV+, CD11b+/CD14+/AV+, CD142+/CD14+/AV+, respectively, p ⩽ 0.05, all) and higher number of circulating microvesicles from activated platelets (CD62P+/AV+). Within exercising patients, circulating microvesicles from progenitor cells increased ( p = 0.023), however, not significantly different from controls.

Conclusion:

Coronary artery disease patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and albuminuria had elevated number of circulating microvesicles from activated blood and vascular cells, rendering them as potential predictors of disease severity. The circulating microvesicles were limitedly affected by long-term exercise training in our population.
(Mis)Representations of Prison: Gender- and Prison-Themed Video Games
Authors: Levan Kristine , Cesaroni Carla , Downing Steven
Published: April 2019

This theoretical inquiry explores how prison-themed video games embody gendered stereotypes about prison and how these portrayals more broadly represent gendered representations serving to create a double-masculinization effect through intersecting masculine gaming cultures and masculinized assumptions about prison. Here, we form conceptual linkages between literature on gaming and gender, prison and gender, and two prior studies on prison-themed video games. Although we draw on past research, the primary intent of this inquiry is to serve as a review of the extant literature as it relates to an emerging area of research (i.e., gender- and prison-themed video games). We consider why such portrayals are important to the current discourse regarding gender in games, and in what ways inclusion in this conversation could create more comprehensive and critical outcomes in the future direction of game development, as well as the possibility for games to engage the public regarding traditionally gendered institutions.
Special Education Placement: An Interdisciplinary Case Study
Authors: Giordano Keri , LoCascio Steven , Inoa Rafael
Published: April 2019

This case is designed to help school leaders develop skills needed to work with interdisciplinary groups while demonstrating the complex issues faced while considering the special education needs of students. The case further examines a child study team meeting from the lens of different participants, including the principal, teacher, school psychologist, parents, and consulting psychologist. Although initially designed as an interdisciplinary lesson, with students from various programs taking on the roles, the case can also be used exclusively with educational leaders, with leaders role-playing the parts. Roles can also be adjusted and/or eliminated as needed to accommodate other disciplines.
The Effect of Radiotherapy on the Concentration of Plasma Lipids in Elderly Prostate Cancer Patients
Authors: Wolny-Rokicka Edyta , Tukiendorf Andrzej , Wydmański Jerzy , Brzezniakiewicz-Janus Katarzyna , Zembroń-Łacny Agnieszka
Published: April 2019

Lipids play an important role in processes such as the formation of membrane cells or in steroidogenesis, where androgens which stimulate the proliferation of prostate cancer (PCa) cells are produced. Previous studies presented links between cholesterol (CHOL) and PCa and concluded that cholesterol homeostasis changes in PCa patients during treatment and with age. This study further examines the correlation between the lipid profile, the treatment used, and the subjects’ age. Ninety-one subjects (Group 1: >69 years; Group 2: ≤69) histopathologically diagnosed with PCa were tested. Total CHOL, triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) were assessed from blood taken before the entire course of radiotherapy (RT) and in 3-month intervals after the treatment was completed, for up to 4 years (range: palliative and radical). In all the subjects, the CHOL decreased over time after RT ( p = .0445) with a simultaneous increase of prostate specific antigen (PSA) concentration ( p = .0366). A faster decrease of HDL was observed with a higher concentration of PSA ( p = .0053) and Gleason score ( p = .0304). In all the subjects, the HDL decreased after RT ( p = .0159) but in the older palliative group the HDL decrease progressed more slowly ( p = .0141). It could be stated, that after radical therapy TG levels tended to be consistently higher among younger men relative to the elderly ( p = .0151). But it was observed that RT treatment could lead to a decrease in the lipid serum concentration.
Statistical classification for E-glass fiber fabric defects based on sparse coding
Authors: Jing Junfeng , Ren Ru , Li Pengfei , Li Minqi
Published: April 2019

In this research, a statistical classification algorithm based on sparse coding is presented to classify the defects on E-glass fiber fabrics adaptively. First, all images are preprocessed by being convolved with the MR8 filter banks to obtain the filter responses. For the filter response space of each type of image, we will learn a Class-specific dictionary, and all the Class-specific dictionaries are concatenated to form a complete dictionary. Then, the reconstructed contribution rate of each atom of the complete dictionary to the image filter response is counted to obtain two types of histogram features of each image. Finally, the improved sparse representation classification is used to classify test defect images based on the histogram features. The proposed adaptive classification method has achieved an average classification accuracy of 96.67% on the dataset collected onsite. The results validate the superiority of the proposed method to E-glass fiber fabrics.
Harnessing immunotherapy for liver recipients with hepatocellular carcinoma: a review from a transplant oncology perspective
Authors: Ho Cheng-Maw , Chen Hui-Ling , Hu Rey-Heng , Lee Po-Huang
Published: April 2019

Without stringent criteria, liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can lead to high cancer recurrence and poor prognosis in the current treatment context. Checkpoint inhibitors can lead to long survival by targeting coinhibitory pathways and promoting T-cell activity; thus, they have great potential for cancer immunotherapy. Therapeutic modulation of cosignaling pathways may shift paradigms from surgical prevention of recurrence to oncological intervention. Herein, we review the available evidence from a therapeutic perspective and focus on immune microenvironment perturbation by immunosuppressants and checkpoint inhibitors. Partial and reversible interleukin-2 signaling blockade is the mainstream strategy of immunosuppression for graft protection. Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) is abundantly expressed on human liver allograft-infiltrating T-cells, which proliferate considerably after programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) blockade. Clinically, checkpoint inhibitors are used in heart, liver, and kidney recipients with various cancers. Rejection can occur after checkpoint inhibitor administration through acute T-cell-mediated, antibody-mediated, or chronic allograft rejection mechanisms. Nevertheless, liver recipients may demonstrate favorable responses to treatment for HCC recurrence without rejection. Pharmacodynamically, substantial degrees of receptor occupancy can be achieved with lower doses, with favorable clinical outcomes. Manipulation of the immune microenvironment is a therapeutic niche that balances seemingly conflicting anticancer and graft protection needs. Additional translational and clinical studies emphasizing the comparative effectiveness of signaling networks within the immune microenvironment and conducting overall assessment of the immune microenvironment may aid in creating a therapeutic window and benefiting future liver recipients with HCC recurrence.
Strategic Allies and the Survival of Critical Media under Repressive Conditions: An Empirical Analysis of Local Mexican Press
Authors: Salazar Grisel
Published: April 2019

Why do some newspapers remain critical in contexts of antipress repression while others do not? It has been argued that aggressions against journalists generate a deterrence effect on the watchdog role of the press. However, evidence of the press remaining critical in hostile environments appears to defy this claim. In this paper, I explore the relationship between violent government repression and the critical function of the press. Using an original data set of local Mexican newspapers from 2011 to 2013, I examine the direct effects of violence on front-page headlines. I find that while repression does deter critical coverage, the ultimate effect is contingent upon the configuration of strategic press allies in the locality, reviewed here as nongovernmental organizations, opposition parties, and newspaper publishers.
Linking employer labels in recruitment advertising, governance mode and organizational attractiveness
Authors: Guillot-Soulez Chloé , Saint-Onge Sylvie , Soulez Sébastien
Published: April 2019

To attract talent, companies might use employer labels (e.g. ‘ Great Place to Work’ and ‘ecologically responsible’) in their recruitment advertisements. This study investigates whether the resulting attractiveness of organizations to job candidates might be (1) moderated by the organization’s governance mode (cooperative vs publicly traded) and (2) mediated by candidates’ perceptions of the organization’s prestige and person–organization fit. A survey of 320 respondents shows that, regardless of governance mode, communicating a ‘ Great Place to Work’ label improves organizational attractiveness to candidates, by increasing their perceptions of its prestige and person–organization fit. Furthermore, listed companies that communicate this label are more attractive than those that rely on an ‘ Ecological’ label.
Prognostic value of hematocrit levels among critically ill patients with acute kidney injury
Authors: Zhou Ying , Zheng Ming-Hua , Chen Chao-Sheng , Sun Dan-Qin , Chen Xin-Xin , Sun Mei , Wang Yan-Hui , Liu Yi , Pan Jing-Ye , Zheng Chen-Fei
Published: April 2019

The aim of this study was to investigate the value of hematocrit (HCT) level in predicting the outcomes of critically ill patients with acute kidney injury (AKI). A retrospective study of a total of 14,350 intensive care unit (ICU) patients, who were selected from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (Boston, MA, USA) and met the inclusion criteria, was carried out. And the patient data were extracted from the Multiparameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care Database III version 1.3 (MIMIC-III v1.3). In our study, HCT quintiles were used to categorize the subjects into groups. The clinical outcomes were 30- and 90-day mortality in the ICU. Cox proportional-hazards models were used to evaluate the association between the HCT and survival. A total of 2827 30-day deaths and 3828 90-day deaths occurred. In univariate analysis, low HCT was significantly associated with increased 30- and 90-day mortality among females, which, however, was not observed in multivariate analysis adjusted for age, ethnicity, dialysate, continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), use of insulin, use of ventilator, AKI stages, and report of obesity. In subgroup analysis, an inverse association between HCT levels and risk of mortality for 90-day outcome was observed for female patients by exclusion of dialysate use, receiving CRRT, and obesity reports. Therefore, these findings suggest that lower HCT was associated with an increased risk of mortality in critically ill patients with AKI, and the effect appears to be stronger among women than men. The prognostic value of HCT seems dependent on other factors, for example, dialysate use, CRRT, and obesity. Further multicenter study is in demand to confirm the validity of the results presented in this article.
Pregnant with possibility: The importance of visual data in (re)presenting queer women’s experiences of reproduction
Authors: Holland Sierra
Published: April 2019

In this article, I discuss a queer method for uniting visual sociology, digital sociology, and constructivist grounded theory to conduct innovative research into how lesbian couples experience the transition to first-time parenthood, based on my longitudinal doctoral research in sociology. I first attend to the complex and unexpected unfolding of the research design, which evolved with the needs of the population to move from adapted photovoice interviews to the use of textual–visual online pregnancy journal data in a process emblematic of queer methodology. I then consider the contributions that visual data can make to the study of reproduction, especially where marginalized populations are concerned, by using my data to demonstrate how visuals create what is possible, rework oppressive versions of time, and challenge controlling images imposed on reproducing bodies. I argue here not just for the significance of images but for the significance of taking seriously the products and processes that communities find meaningful, and for evolving our research methods and methodologies to centralize marginalized ways of existing, knowing, and archiving experiences of reproduction and family life.
Teacher’s Code Switching in EFL Undergraduate Classrooms in Libya: Functions and Perceptions
Authors: Adriosh Mohamed , Razı Özge
Published: April 2019

There has been an increasing interest in the topic of code switching (CS) for the past two decades. This ethnographic exploratory study uncovers the status quo of classroom CS in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms in Libyan universities. It aims to investigate how EFL teachers code-switch to facilitate teaching/learning process. Six EFL instructors and their students participated in this study from three universities in Libya. Fifteen hours of classroom observation were carried out and 24 students were interviewed. The results revealed that first language (L1), Arabic, was occasionally used by classroom participants for different pedagogical and social functions. Those functions are labeled as follows: Clarification, Repetition, Recapitulation, and Socialization. Both teachers and students hold positive attitudes toward the use of the teacher’s CS to tackle pedagogical and social issues.
Patterns of Marijuana Use and Health Impact: A Survey Among Older Coloradans
Authors: Lum Hillary D. , Arora Kanika , Croker J. Alton , Qualls Sara H. , Schuchman Melissa , Bobitt Julie , Milavetz Gary , Kaskie Brian
Published: April 2019

Access to recreational and medical marijuana is common in the United States, particularly in states with legalized use. Here, we describe patterns of recreational and medical marijuana use and self-reported health among older persons using a geographically sampled survey in Colorado. The in-person or online survey was offered to community-dwelling older persons aged above 60 years. We assessed past-year marijuana use including recreational, medical, or both; methods of use; marijuana source; reasons for use; sociodemographic and health factors; and self-reported health. Of 274 respondents (mean age = 72.5 years, 65% women), 45% reported past-year marijuana use. Of these, 54% reported using marijuana both medically and recreationally. Using more than one marijuana method or preparation was common. Reasons for use included arthritis, chronic back pain, anxiety, and depression. Past-year marijuana users reported improved overall health, quality of life, day-to-day functioning, and improvement in pain. Odds of past-year marijuana use decreased with each additional year of age. The odds were lower among women and those with higher self-reported health status; odds of use were higher with past-year opioid use. Older persons with access to recreational and medical marijuana described concurrent use of medical and recreational marijuana, use of multiple preparations, and overall positive health impacts.
Children’s Health Insurance Program Expansions: What Works for Families?
Authors: Adams E. Kathleen , Johnston Emily M. , Guy Gery , Joski Peter , Ketsche Patricia
Published: April 2019

We examine the impact of Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) eligibility expansions 1999 to 2012 on child and joint parent/child insurance coverage. We use changes in state CHIP income eligibility levels and data from the Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement to create child/parent dyads. We use logistic regression to estimate marginal effects of eligibility expansions on coverage in families with incomes below 300% federal poverty level (FPL) and, in turn, 150% to 300% FPL. The latter is the income range most expansions targeted. We find CHIP expansions increased public coverage among children in families 150% to 300% FPL by 2.5 percentage points (pp). We find increased joint parent/child coverage of 2.3 pp ( P = .055) but only in states where the public eligibility levels for parent and child are within 50 pp. In these states, the CHIP expansion increased the probability that both parent/child are publicly insured (2.5 pp) among insured dyads, but where the eligibility levels are further apart (51-150 pp; >150 pp), CHIP expansions increase the probability of mixed coverage—one public, one private—by 0.9 to 1.5 pp. Overall, families made decisions regarding coverage that put the child first but parents took advantage of joint parent/child coverage when eligibility levels were close. Joint public parent/child coverage can have positive care-seeking effects as well as reduced financial burdens for low-income families.
From Caries Progression and Restoration Failures to Periapical Lesions in the Era of Precision
Authors: Leonardi D.P. , Vieira A.R.
Published: April 2019

Knowledge Transfer Statement:

Dental research can be thought of as a continuum of clinical observations that are dissected in the laboratory with answers that can be brought back to the clinic to change patient management. We believe this is the case for the use of adhesive systems and outcomes of dental treatment. Clinical observations related to negative outcomes have been tested in the laboratory and solutions have been proposed, with more precise implementation of these solutions possible when genomic approaches are added. Here we elaborate on this process based on the observations that lead to an attempt to inactivate metalloproteinase activity by dentin crosslinking.