bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adoption of abandoned children in South Africa: why black citizens are difficult to recruit as prospective adopters
Authors: Gerrand Priscilla
Published: September 2018

In South Africa, hundreds of black, abandoned children enter the legal child care system on an annual basis and become eligible for adoption. Although these children have a right to be raised in their country of origin, they are often made available for intercountry adoption owing to a lack of prospective domestic adopters. Statistically, middle-class black South Africans present as a significant source of domestic adopters, but the number of black South Africans legally adopting abandoned children is small. A qualitative enquiry, using grounded theory, was conducted to establish what factors dissuade involuntarily childless black South Africans from legally adopting abandoned children. Personal interviews were conducted with 39 purposively selected black participants to gather data. The conclusion drawn is that five main factors dissuade black South Africans from adopting abandoned children: (1) meanings of kinship; (2) racial connotations associated with legal adoption; (3) conflicting Christian beliefs; (4) parenthood, gender and identity; and (5) empowered single women prioritising climbing the socio-economic ladder. Recommendations focus on social marketing strategies, policy and practice innovations and research to promote domestic adoption in the African context.
A review of interventions to support the educational attainments of children and adolescents in foster care
Authors: Männistö Inka I , Pirttimaa Raija A
Published: September 2018

This rapid review seeks to harvest and draw out common findings from intervention studies aimed at supporting the educational and socio-emotional attainments of school-age children and adolescents in foster care. Using carefully executed inclusion and exclusion criteria, data were collected systematically from six electronic databases. The 19 articles included were appraised critically for quality and analysed using qualitative content analysis. The survey of studies revealed an initial need to improve the quality and quantity of research designed to evaluate interventions of this kind. Nevertheless, an analysis of the findings produced sufficient robust evidence to inform policy and practice with regard to 10 aspects of children’s educational and socio-emotional development. The implementation of collaboration models involving all significant parties was especially effective in enhancing adults’ knowledge of and participation in children’s lives, thereby achieving a consistent circle of support. The children also benefited from individualised school-based support, across both academic and socio-emotional dimensions.
Direct and Indirect Effects of Nebraska Motor Vehicle Drivers’ Characteristics on Inattentive Driving at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings
Authors: Zhao Shanshan , Khattak Aemal J.
Published: September 2018

This research investigated the direct and indirect effects of the characteristics of motor vehicle drivers in Nebraska, including their socioeconomic characteristics, safe driving knowledge, and attitudes to inattentive driving at highway–rail grade crossings (HRGCs). A random statewide mail survey of drivers aged 19 years or older provided the data analyzed in this research. The use of a structural equation model (SEM) enabled identification of direct and indirect effects among the variables. Conclusions were that drivers’ attitudes toward safety issues at HRGCs had both direct and indirect effects on drivers’ inattentive behavior. Drivers’ intent to violate or obey driving regulations indirectly influenced driver inattention. Their overall knowledge of safely negotiating HRGCs did not directly affect inattentive driving, but it indirectly affected inattentive driving through interference with drivers’ intent to violate or obey regulations. Drivers’ perceptions of delay, safety, clarity, and reliability indirectly affected their inattentive behavior. Variables associated with fewer instances of inattentive driving included: positive attitudes toward safety issues at HRGCs; lower intent to violate (or greater intent to obey) driving rules at HRGCs; less frequent use of HRGCs; higher perceptions of the safety, reliability, and so forth of local HRGCs; older drivers (≥60); better knowledge of safely negotiating HRGCs; lower educational levels; male drivers; lower income households (US$100 k per year), and younger drivers had direct effects on drivers’ safe driving knowledge and could lead to higher overall knowledge levels of safely negotiating HRGCs.
Accident-Cause-Specific Risk Analysis of Rail Transport of Hazardous Materials
Authors: Liu Xiang , Turla Tejashree , Zhang Zhipeng
Published: September 2018

Rail plays a key role in the transportation of hazardous materials (hazmat). Improving railroad hazmat transportation safety is a high priority for both industry and government. Many severe railroad hazmat release incidents occur because of train accidents. The Federal Railroad Administration identifies over 300 accident causes, including infrastructure defects, rolling stock failures, human factors, and other causes. Understanding how hazmat transportation risk varies with accident cause is a key step in identifying, developing, evaluating, and prioritizing cost-justified accident prevention strategies, thereby mitigating hazmat transportation risk. The objective of this paper is to develop an integrated, generalized risk analysis methodology that can estimate accident-cause-specific hazmat transportation risk, accounting for various train and track characteristics, such as train length, speed, point of derailment, the number and placement of tank cars in a train, tank car safety design, and population density along rail lines. Using the two major causes of accidents on freight railroads—broken rails and track geometry defects—as an example, this paper demonstrates a step-by-step analytical procedure and decision support tool to assess how accident frequency, severity, and hazmat transportation risk vary by accident cause. The research method can be adapted for risk analysis at corridor- or network-level accounting for other accident causes.
The Scope for Pavement Porters: Addressing the Challenges of Last-Mile Parcel Delivery in London
Authors: Allen Julian , Bektas Tolga , Cherrett Tom , Bates Oliver , Friday Adrian , McLeod Fraser , Piecyk Maja , Piotrowska Marzena , Nguyen ThuBa , Wise Sarah
Published: September 2018

The UK parcel sector generated almost £9 billion in revenue in 2015, with growth expected to increase by 15.6% to 2019 and is characterized by many independent players competing in an “everyone-delivers-everywhere” culture leading to much replication of vehicle activity. With road space in urban centers being increasingly reallocated to pavement widening, and bus and cycle lanes, there is growing interest in alternative solutions to the last-mile delivery problem. We make three contributions in this paper: firstly, through empirical analysis using carrier operational datasets, we quantify the characteristics of last-mile parcel operations and demonstrate the reliance placed on walking by vehicle drivers with their vans being parked at the curbside for on average 60% of the total vehicle round time; secondly, we introduce the concept of “portering” where vans rendezvous with porters who operate within specific geographical “patches” to service consignees on foot, potentially saving 86% in driving distance on some rounds and 69% in time; finally, we highlight the wider practical issues and optimization challenges associated with operating driving and portering rounds in inner urban areas.
The Phosphorylation of CREB at Serine 133 Is a Key Event for Circadian Clock Timing and Entrainment in the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus
Authors: Wheaton Kelin L. , Hansen Katelin F. , Aten Sydney , Sullivan Kyle A. , Yoon Hyojung , Hoyt Kari R. , Obrietan Karl
Published: September 2018

Within the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)—the locus of the master circadian clock— transcriptional regulation via the CREB/CRE pathway is implicated in the functioning of the molecular clock timing process, and is a key conduit through which photic input entrains the oscillator. One event driving CRE-mediated transcription is the phosphorylation of CREB at serine 133 (Ser133). Indeed, numerous reporter gene assays have shown that an alanine point mutation in Ser133 reduces CREB-mediated transcription. Here, we sought to examine the contribution of Ser133 phosphorylation to the functional role of CREB in SCN clock physiology in vivo. To this end, we used a CREB knock-in mouse strain, in which Ser133 was mutated to alanine (S/A CREB). Under a standard 12 h light-dark cycle, S/A CREB mice exhibited a marked alteration in clock-regulated wheel running activity. Relative to WT mice, S/A CREB mice had highly fragmented bouts of locomotor activity during the night phase, elevated daytime activity, and a delayed phase angle of entrainment. Further, under free-running conditions, S/A CREB mice had a significantly longer tau than WT mice and reduced activity amplitude. In S/A CREB mice, light-evoked clock entrainment, using both Aschoff type 1 and 6 h “jet lag” paradigms, was markedly reduced relative to WT mice. S/A CREB mice exhibited attenuated transcriptional drive, as assessed by examining both clock-gated and light-evoked gene expression. Finally, SCN slice culture imaging detected a marked disruption in cellular clock phase synchrony following a phase-resetting stimulus in S/A CREB mice. Together, these data indicate that signaling through CREB phosphorylation at Ser133 is critical for the functional fidelity of both SCN timing and entrainment.
Estimating the Returns to Professional Certifications and Licenses in the U.S. Manufacturing Sector
Authors: Renski Henry
Published: September 2018

This study uses recently released Current Population Survey microdata to estimate the earnings premium associated with professional certification and licenses. The author finds that full-time manufacturing workers with a certification or license earn close to $200 more in median weekly earnings compared to those without. However, this does not account for differences in pay that are associated with worker endowments, such as education and gender. A Blinder–Oaxaca decomposition is used to distinguish the portion of the earnings gap that is attributable to the credential from the portion associated with endowments. Endowments explain 62% of the total earnings gap, meaning that the actual returns to a certification or license are closer to $70 per week. The author also finds that workers with no high school or college education receive a relatively larger increase in weekly earnings, compared to those with more advanced degrees.
From the Border to the Core: A Thickening Military-Police Assemblage
Authors: Correa Jennifer G. , Thomas James M.
Published: September 2018

Militarization on the US–Mexico border has intensified in America’s post-9/11 War on Terror, while America’s War on Drugs has escalated militarization in America’s urban core. This infusion of military weapons and tactics along the border and within America’s urban core produces devastating effects on communities of color. Yet, to date, few critical race scholars attend to the Wars on Terror and on Drugs as two sides of the same coin. This article serves as a bridge between US–Mexico border studies and critical race studies vis-à-vis a theorization of a thickening military-police assemblage birthed by the War on Drugs, and intensified by the War on Terror. To delineate this assemblage, we respond to two key questions: how and to what degree has the US–Mexico border served as a staging ground for US (para)military and surveillance strategies at home and abroad? and how do discourses on America’s urban core compare and contrast with those on its southern border? We draw upon the cases of Esequiel Hernández, Jr. and Michael Brown, two teenagers whose lives were taken by this assemblage, to frame these questions. Our analysis reveals material, symbolic, and affective links between America’s militarization on the southwest border and within its urban core.
Global value added chains and the recruitment activities of European professional football teams
Authors: Velema Thijs A , Wen Han-Yu , Zhou Yu-Kai
Published: September 2018

This paper examines where European professional teams recruit new players in order to shed light on the functioning of global value added chains in world football. Most studies either point to the increasing internationalization of football’s labor force to argue that European clubs recruit from peripheral but culturally or historically related countries or turn to the experiences of players with domestic transfers to suggest that most teams recruit within their country. This study directly examines the recruitment activities of teams active in the highest two leagues of Europe’s top seven countries between the 2003/2004 season and the 2011/2012 season. Results indicate that even though Europe’s football labor force looks internationalized at first sight, many international players hold dual nationality and might be more aptly characterized as domestic players who are members of the large immigrant communities who came to Europe after the de-colonization of former colonies or as part of the stream of labor migrants in the 1960s and 1970s. Moreover, for most teams, domestic mobility forms the backbone of their recruitment activities, but some teams, especially in Portugal, buy football talent from teams in the global South and sell their best players to larger European teams. These results urge researchers to reconsider teams as more myopic and geographically bounded actors in global value added chains, incorporate domestic mobility into global value added chains, reconsider what counts as the core and the (semi-)periphery connected through the chains, and be wary of approaches taking countries or even leagues as the basic unit of analysis in global value added chains.
Another important time target in ST-elevation myocardial infarction management—door-in door-out time: Do we meet door-in door-out time targets?
Authors: Doğan Ismahan , Çorbacıoğlu Şeref Kerem , Emektar Emine , Aytar Halit , Çevik Yunsur
Published: September 2018

Background:

In non-PCI capable hospitals, another important time to be noticed in patients who have been referred for PCI-capable centers; is the time of doo-in door-out (DIDO), defined as the duration of time from patient discharge from the transferrring hospital. In our country, there is no clear information about the duration of DIDO time and transfer time. Consequently, very little is known about how frequently these targets can be met nationally.

Objectives:

This study aimed to measure door-in door-out time for ST-elevation myocardial infarction diagnosed patients who admitted to emergency department of a hospital capable of non-percutaneous coronary intervention and to measure whether door-in door-out time meets the guidelines.

Methods:

This single-center, prospective study was conducted in emergency department (non-percutaneous coronary intervention capable) between 1 August 2015 and 1 August 2016 with patients who presented to the emergency department and were diagnosed with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. All the times including door-in time, door to electrocardiogram time, door to emergency medical services activation time, door to defined percutaneous coronary intervention hospital, and finally door-in door-out time were measured and recorded.

Results:

During the study period, 135 of patients met the inclusion criteria and diagnosed with ST-elevation myocardial infarction and referred to another hospital for percutaneous coronary intervention. When the median values (interquartile range of 25%–75%) of the time periods are examined, it is found door-in door-out time was 55 (43–74) min. It was found that the number of patients meeting the recommended duration of door-in door-out (30 min or less) was 12 (8.9%). Of the remaining 123 patients (91.1%), door-in door-out times were found to be over 30 min.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, our study showed that compliance with door-in door-out time is very poor and is far behind to met the criteria which is recommended by current guidelines.
Aligning for Transformational Cross-Border Partnership: A Case of Sino-U.S. University Partnership
Authors: Dai Yuanyuan
Published: September 2018

By using the concept of “alignment,” this case study explores how a Sino-U.S. university partnership creates university transformation through the multitude of interconnections both within and between the two universities. The study investigates how the contextualized alignments of both universities co-shape and are impacted by the partnership, and how university transformation is initiated and expanded during such interaction. Qualitative data were collected from documentation and semistructured interviews with 22 partnership participants from two universities. Findings show that the U.S. university’s loose and diffused internal alignment is beneficial to individual-level learning and change, however, loose diffuse internal alignment hampers the university’s ability to align strong silos to expand such learning and impact change on an institutional level. The Chinese university, however, features a tight, unidirectional and almost exclusive alignment to the central government which ensures efficient planning, implementation and resource allocation originating from top-down initiatives during the partnership. However, this close alignment to the central government also leads to either restricted human agency or intentional misalignment with prevailing institutional norms in bottom-up initiatives. The former impedes the generation of individual learning and change, while the latter hampers expansion at the university level. The study develops a typology to examine and explain the process during which university transformations transpire and expand amid alignments in the partnering process. Implications for developing a theory to explain the process and practice of cross-border university partnerships as relationship-oriented and extending beyond the dominant managerial framework are discussed.
Traditional Chinese Views on Education as Perceived by International Students in China: International Student Attitudes and Understandings
Authors: Wang Junju , Lin Jia
Published: September 2018

For decades, the Confucian heritage culture (CHC) learner phenomenon has aroused the interest of researchers in different areas. However, few studies have focused on the attitudes of international students who study in the Chinese context. This article, therefore, explores how international students perceive traditional Chinese views on education, which are mostly embedded in Confucianism. Using questionnaires and semistructured interviews, the study investigated student attitudes and their recognition of specific educational viewpoints and factors, which act to produce such perceptions. Results show that international students studying in China had positive responses to most traditional Chinese views on education and that the traditional concepts of learning were respected and understood. However, it was the role of teachers within CHC that was the least favorably received. In addition, student attitudes and understandings were in response to individual, contextual, and cultural factors, and positively correlated with their home country, major, and level of education. This article concludes that positive attitudes and perceptions of traditional Chinese views on education by international students occur when the core values of educational philosophies from different cultures are shared also by CHC and that there is a strong influence from the source culture on views of the target culture. By implication, a good knowledge of Chinese learning culture and mutual communication are significant factors for both teachers and students.
Rebuttal Rejoinder: Present IPA For What It Is—Interpretative Psychological Analysis
Authors: van Manen Max
Published: September 2018

I appreciate this opportunity to join Jonathan Smith in his rebuttal to my discussion of the meaning and method of his interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Different forms of inquiry make unique contributions to our understanding of professional practices of psychology, education, pedagogy, nursing, medicine, and other health sciences. So, it should be worthwhile to understand the nature of these potential contributions and their methods. But what if some methods are misnamed, misconstrued, or misdirected? Does it matter? Perhaps or perhaps only academically. I am happy to engage in this rejoinder with Jonathan Smith—certainly there is merit in dialogue and discussions surrounding our understandings of phenomenology as a method for human science research. In addition, I feel collegial amity for Jonathan and his interest in phenomenology and willingness to engage in conversation. In this rejoinder, I will express my views of IPA and Jonathan’s rebuttal in some brief detail and with considered care.
Dance as therapy: embodiment, kinesthetic empathy and the case of contact improvisation
Authors: Barrero González Luisa F
Published: September 2018

Dance as a form of expression of the embodied consciousness has been a part of phenomenological considerations for some decades now, thanks to key works such as those by Sheets-Johnstone. However, the possible applications of dance and the phenomenological consideration of the consciousness of the dancing subject in treatments that are thought to refer to bodily ruptures, such as the ones we find when considering alimentary disorders, is yet an area rather unexplored. This is precisely the general topic and the first approach that I propose in this article from the consideration of notions such as embodiment, habit, and body image, notions that are imminently phenomenological taken from the works of Merleau-Ponty, and from the consideration of contact improvisation as a way to overcome the ruptures that become evident in the tactile bodily feeling of the subject with alimentary disorders.
Multicystic Mesothelioma of the Omentum Presenting as an Incidental Finding
Authors: Alhatem Albert , Marcus Jenna , Heller Debra S.
Published: September 2018

Multicystic mesotheliomas of peritoneal origin (also termed benign multicystic mesotheliomas) are uncommon and are exceptionally rare in the omentum. Lack of familiarity of this entity could lead to overinterpretation as a malignancy or present a challenge at frozen section. We describe a case of multicystic mesothelioma arising in the omentum found incidentally at laparotomy for endometriosis. Frozen section evaluation presented a challenge. Grossly, the mass in the omentum was multicystic and mucoid, raising the concern for a mucinous neoplasm. The cysts, however, were lined by flattened cells without atypia. At permanent section evaluation, calretinin positivity confirmed the mesothelial origin. Awareness of this entity is important, as it may be interpreted as a malignancy, particularly intraoperatively.
Development and Examination of the Reactive Attachment Disorder and Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder Assessment Interview
Authors: Lehmann Stine , Monette Sebastien , Egger Helen , Breivik Kyrre , Young David , Davidson Claire , Minnis Helen
Published: September 2018

The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual ( DSM) categorizes reactive attachment disorder (RAD) and disinhibited social engagement disorder (DSED) as two separate disorders, and their criteria are revised. For DSED, the core symptoms focus on abnormal social disinhibition, and symptoms regarding lack of selective attachment have been removed. The core symptoms of RAD are the absence of attachment behaviors and emotional dysregulation. In this study, an international team of researchers modified the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Assessment for RAD to update it from DSM-IV to DSM-5 criteria for RAD and DSED. We renamed the interview the reactive attachment disorder and disinhibited social engagement disorder assessment (RADA). Foster parents of 320 young people aged 11 to 17 years completed the RADA online. Confirmatory factor analysis of RADA items identified good fit for a three-factor model, with one factor comprising DSED items (indiscriminate behaviors with strangers) and two factors comprising RAD items (RAD1: failure to seek/accept comfort, and RAD2: withdrawal/hypervigilance). The three factors showed differential associations with clinical symptoms of emotional and social impairment. Time in foster care was not associated with scores on RAD1, RAD2, or DSED. Higher age was associated with lower scores on DSED, and higher scores on RAD1.
Assessing Dynamic Violence Risk in a High-Risk Treated Sample of Violent Offenders
Authors: Coupland Richard B. A. , Olver Mark E.
Published: September 2018

The present study featured an investigation of the predictive properties of risk and change scores of two violence risk assessment and treatment planning tools—the Violence Risk Scale (VRS) and the Historical, Clinical, Risk–20, Version 2 (HCR-20)—in sample of 178 treated adult male violent offenders who attended a high-intensity violence reduction program. The cases were rated on the VRS and HCR-20 using archival information sources and followed up nearly 10 years postrelease. Associations of HCR-20 and VRS risk and change scores with postprogram institutional and community recidivism were examined. VRS and HCR-20 scores converged in conceptually meaningful ways, supporting the construct validity of the tools for violence risk. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses demonstrated moderate- to high-predictive accuracy of VRS and HCR-20 scores for violent and general community recidivism, but weaker accuracy for postprogram institutional recidivism. Cox regression survival analyses demonstrated that positive pretreatment and posttreatment changes, as assessed via the HCR-20 and VRS, were each significantly associated with reductions in violent and general community recidivism, as well as serious institutional misconducts, after controlling for baseline pretreatment score. Implications for use of the HCR-20 and VRS for dynamic violence risk assessment and management are discussed.
Significant hyperopic shift in a patient with extreme myopia following severe hypotonia caused by glaucoma filtering surgery
Authors: Costa João C , Alió Jorge
Published: September 2018

Introduction:

To report the case of a high hyperopic refractive shift associated with significant shortening of the ocular axial length following glaucoma filtering surgery.

Methods:

Case report. Patient’s records were consulted retrospectively.

Results:

A 57-year-old woman, highly myopic, with a history of bilateral intraocular refractive surgery in 1998 (phakic lens ZB5M) and bilensectomy in 2011 (phakic intraocular lens extraction plus cataract surgery with pseudophakic intraocular lens implantation), presented with consistently high intraocular pressure. Despite the treatment with different topical antiglaucomatous medications and good compliance, her intraocular pressure values remained consistently above 20 mmHg. In 2016, the patient was submitted for glaucoma filtering surgery and the mini shunt Ex-Press was implanted in both the eyes (3 months between surgeries). On the first postoperative day, the eyes were hypotonic (intraocular pressure of 5 mmHg) and bilateral macular edema was observed. Three days later, the intraocular pressure in both the eyes reached values higher than 6 mmHg (between 6 and 14 mmHg). Five months after the surgery the macular edema resolved and a significant shortening of the axial length and an important hyperopic refractive shift was observed. When comparing the preoperative and postoperative (18 months) measurements, the variation of the axial length was 2.49 mm in the right eye and 2.19 mm in the left eye; the patient refraction (spherical equivalent) shifted 2.50 diopters in the right eye and 1.75 diopters in the left eye.

Conclusion:

To the best of our knowledge, we report herein the first documented case of an axial length change of this magnitude after glaucoma filtering surgery.
Selective attention in the news feed: An eye-tracking study on the perception and selection of political news posts on Facebook
Authors: Sülflow Michael , Schäfer Svenja , Winter Stephan
Published: September 2018

Social networking sites such as Facebook are becoming increasingly important as a source for news. However, few studies have investigated what drives attention to content within the news feed and what influences the selection of news posts. We hypothesized that attitude consistency, the credibility of a source, and comments of other users raise interest in a news post in the news feed and influence the selection decision. A 2 × 2 × 2 laboratory experiment ( N = 103) using eye-tracking measurement showed that attitude consistency did not influence attention distribution in the news feed, but users preferred to select news posts with content reinforcing their attitudes. Participants spent more time with news posts from sources with high credibility and selected them more frequently. Comments were not relevant for selection but were for attention within the news feed: If the news post and the comment did not share the same opinion, readers spent more time reading the content.
Millar v Taylor as a precedent for statutory interpretation
Authors: Magyar John J
Published: September 2018

Millar v Taylor is an iconic case for statutory interpretation. It has long been regarded as the case in which the rule prohibiting reliance on legislative history was first put forward by Mr. Justice Willes in 1769. However, a close reading of the judgment reveals an uncomfortable fit between the rule that the case purports to stand for and the judicial reasoning within it. Meanwhile, the case was cited frequently throughout the 19th century, but never in support of the exclusionary rule. During that time period, the judiciary was aware of the fact that Mr. Justice Willes’ famous statement was contradicted by reasoning in the case. It was in the 20th century that scholars began citing Millar v Taylor in support of the exclusionary rule—a time when the quantity of published cases and secondary literature had increased significantly, and cases like Millar v Taylor were being cited without necessarily being read. This stands as a cautionary tale: one ought to quote with care, particularly when citing older cases.
Auxiliary machinery influence on vessel in slow steaming condition
Authors: Kowalak Przemysław
Published: September 2018

This article describes the basics of power plant construction comprising waste heat recovery system and shaft generator-motor on a large container vessel. Two experiments enclosing fuel consumption and electric load monitoring during vessel acceleration and slowing down in a range of slow steaming speed were presented. Using collected data, approximating functions for relation fuel consumption, main engine speed in vicinity of shaft generator-motor minimum permissible speed, were described. Based on the experimental data, a simulation for hypothetical 4000 NM voyage was carried out. Ship’s total fuel consumption per voyage, for different engine speeds—below and above shaft generator-motor minimum cut-in speed—was elaborated. It was found that during slow steaming, fuel consumed by auxiliary boiler has much higher impact on the total fuel cost per voyage than fuel consumed by diesel generators when shaft generator-motor minimum permissible speed is not reached. Existence of a non-economical speed range just below shaft generator-motor minimum permissible speed was exposed. Evaluation of non-fuel cost of voyage was carried out. The amount of non-fuel cost was estimated to approximately 3.5% of overall variable cost of voyage. The influence of voyage speed on CO2 and NOX emission was elaborated. Ranges of most economical and most ecological (in terms of CO2 and NOX emission) speeds for simulated voyage were determined.
Integration after totalitarianism: Arendt and Habermas on the postwar imperatives of memory
Authors: Verovšek Peter J
Published: September 2018

Collective memories of totalitarianism and the industrialized slaughter of the Holocaust have exerted a profound influence on postwar European politics and philosophy. Two of the most prominent political theorists and public intellectuals to take up the legacy of total war are Hannah Arendt and Jürgen Habermas. However, their prescriptions seem to pull in opposite directions. While Arendt draws on remembrance to recover politics on a smaller scale by advocating for the empowerment of local councils, Habermas draws on the past to justify his search for postnational forms of political community that can overcome the bloody legacy of nationalism. My argument brings these two perspectives together by examining their mutual support for European integration as a way of preserving the lessons of totalitarianism. I argue that both Arendt and Habermas reject the technocratic tendencies of the European Union while maintaining hope that it can develop a truly postnational form of politics.
Radical cystectomy in frail octogenarians in thoracic continuous spinal anesthesia and analgesia: a pilot study
Authors: Castellani Daniele , Starnari Roberto , Faloia Lucia , Stronati Massimo , Venezia Alfredo , Gasparri Luca , Claudini Redi , Branchi Alessandro , Giampieri Marina , Dellabella Marco
Published: September 2018

Background:

Radical cystectomy (RC) is the gold standard therapy in nonmetastatic muscle-invasive bladder cancer and is usually performed under general anesthesia (GA). GA is high risk in most older patients due to comorbidities. Continuous spinal anesthesia (CSA) may be an alternative solution to reduce postoperative morbidity in elderly. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility, morbidity, and mortality of RC performed under CSA in octogenarian patients.

Methods:

We retrospectively reviewed data of five frail patients aged ⩾80 who underwent RC in CSA. CSA was achieved starting with 2.5 mg hyperbaric bupivacaine plus 25 µg fentanyl. Postoperative analgesia was achieved through the intrathecal catheter, using continuous delivery of levo-bupivacaine 60 mg plus fentanyl 75 µg in 72 hours.

Results:

Surgery was completed in all cases in CSA. No patients required postoperative intensive care unit admission. Complications were Clavien I for four in three patients, Clavien II for seven in five patients, and Clavien IIIb for one patient. Postoperative consumption of painkillers was negligible. Oral feeding resumed within 3 days in all cases. The mean postoperative stay was 9.6 days. All patients were alive at 3 months of follow up.

Conclusions:

Management of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) in older patients is becoming an important issue due to the continuous aging of the population. Age should not preclude RC, but careful management is mandatory because perioperative morbidity and mortality are increased in the elderly. Our preliminary results show that CSA and analgesia is a feasible option as an additional way to reduce morbidity and mortality in frail octogenarians who require RC.
Management of adverse events during cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 (CDK4/6) inhibitor-based treatment in breast cancer
Authors: Thill Marc , Schmidt Marcus
Published: September 2018

Cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4/6 inhibitors have shown great results in numerous clinical trials and have improved the clinical outcome for patients with hormone-receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative advanced breast cancer significantly. To date, three CDK4/6 inhibitors are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA): palbociclib, ribociclib and abemaciclib; the first two compounds are aproved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) as well. In combination with endocrine therapy, all of them led to significantly improved progression-free survival compared with endocrine therapy alone. The aim of this article is to give an overview of the efficacy data and to describe the CDK4/6 inhibitor-based treatment-associated adverse events, including hematological and nonhematological adverse events. In addition, it describes the corrrect approach to patient monitoring and adverse event mangement and summarizes the current recommendations for dose reductions and dose interruptions regarding the key adverse events, such as neutropenia, diarrhea, QTc prolongation and hepatobiliary toxicity. Accurate patient monitoring and management of the side effects is crucial, as several clinical trials in early breast cancer are in progress and may lead to an additional approval in the neo-/adjuvant setting.
A Microarray Study of Articular Cartilage in Relation to Obesity and Severity of Knee Osteoarthritis
Authors: Rai Muhammad Farooq , Sandell Linda J. , Barrack Toby N. , Cai Lei , Tycksen Eric D. , Tang Simon Y. , Silva Matthew J. , Barrack Robert L.
Published: September 2018

Objective

To query the transcript-level changes in the medial and lateral tibial plateau cartilage in tandem with obesity in patients with end-stage osteoarthritis (OA).

Design

Cartilage was obtained from 23 patients (20 obese [body mass index > 30 kg/m2], 3 overweight [body mass index < 30 kg/m2]) at the time of total knee replacement. Cartilage integrity was assessed using Outerbridge scale, while radiographic changes were scored on preoperative X-rays using Kellgren-Lawrence (K-L) classification. RNA was probed for differentially expressed transcripts between medial and lateral compartments using Affymetrix Gene 2.0 ST Array and validated via real-time polymerase chain reaction. Gene ontology and pathway analyses were also queried.

Results

Scoring of cartilage integrity by the Outerbridge scale indicated that the medial and lateral compartments were similar, while scoring by the K-L classification indicated that the medial compartment was more severely damaged than the lateral compartment. We observed a distinct transcript profile with >50% of transcripts unique between medial and lateral compartments. MMP13 and COL2A1 were more highly expressed in medial versus lateral compartment. Polymerase chain reaction confirmed expression of 4 differentially expressed transcripts. Numerous transcripts, biological processes, and pathways were significantly different between overweight and obese patients with a differential response of obesity on medial and lateral compartments.

Conclusions

Our findings support molecular differences between medial and lateral compartments reflective of the greater severity of OA in the medial compartment. The K-L system better reflected the molecular results than did the Outerbridge. Moreover, the molecular effect of obesity was different between the medial and lateral compartments of the same knee plausibly reflecting the molecular effects of differential biomechanical loading.
Bipolar Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation of the Patella and Trochlea
Authors: Mirzayan Raffy , Charles Michael D. , Batech Michael , Suh Brian D. , DeWitt David
Published: September 2018

Objective

To evaluate clinical, functional, and radiographic outcomes of patients who underwent bipolar osteochondral allograft transplantation (OCAT) of the patellofemoral joint (PFJ).

Design

Prospectively collected data on 18 knees who underwent fresh osteochondral allograft transplantation of the patella and trochlea by a single surgeon were reviewed. Inclusion criteria were: high-grade chondral lesions of PFJ (5 knees), or recurrent patella dislocations with trochlear dysplasia and chondral injury to the patella and/or trochlea (13 knees). Functional scores were obtained preoperatively and at follow-up appointments included Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC), Oxford, Cincinnati, Tenger-Lysholm, visual analogue scale (VAS)–pain, and Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE). Grafts were also evaluated using Osteochondral Allograft MRI Scoring System (OCAMRISS).

Results

Three patients were lost to follow-up, leaving 4 knees in group 1, and 11 knees in group 2. Average age was 28.9 years (range 16-52 years). The average follow-up was 33.2 months (range 12-64 months). There was significant improvement of KOOS (from 38.7 to 83.1), IKDC (from 28.2 to 76.6), Tegner-Lysholm (from 38.3 to 88.3), Oxford (from 22.7 to 42.9), Cincinnati (from 35.1 to 83.6), VAS (from 71 to 17.9.), and SANE (from 43.3 to 83) ( P < 0.0001). The OCAMRISS score for patella was 2.23 and for trochlea 4.69. There were no revisions or conversions to arthroplasty

Conclusion

Bipolar OCAT of the patella and trochlea provide significant improvement in functional outcomes, relief from pain, activity level, and prevent recurrent instability.
Knowledge, attitude, perception and practice regarding antimicrobial use in upper respiratory tract infections in Qatar: a systematic review
Authors: Shaikhan F , Rawaf S , Majeed A , Hassounah S
Published: September 2018

Summary

Objective

To explore the knowledge, attitude, perception and practice towards antimicrobial use in upper respiratory tract infections in patients visiting healthcare settings in Qatar.

Design

Systematic review was performed using a predetermined protocol and in accordance with standardized reporting guidelines. MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, Global Health and PsycINFO were searched for relevant published studies using relevant MESH terms and keywords.

Setting

All healthcare settings in Qatar including both inpatient and ambulatory care.

Participants

All published articles exploring the antimicrobial use in upper respiratory tract infections at any health setting in Qatar were considered for inclusion in the study. No age, gender or population were excluded.

Main Outcome Measure(s)

The outcome of interest was antimicrobial use in upper respiratory tract infections in Qatar. We included all related studies to explore the knowledge, attitude, perception and practice for patients visiting all health care settings.

Results

Three articles were included, one in a primary care setting, one in a secondary care setting and one in the private sector. Overprescribing was noted in all settings. Our findings demonstrate low expectations to receive antibiotics, among the Qatari population, in primary care (28.1%). In fact, the majority of patients would be satisfied with reassurance rather than receiving antimicrobials. Many patients were satisfied with explanation from physicians and counselling. Private sector registered high prevalence of antimicrobial misuse for respiratory tract infections in which 85% deemed inappropriate. This finding was also noted at a medical intensive care unit which showed high antimicrobial use (76%) and respiratory tract infections accounted for 57% of prescriptions.

Conclusion

Studies are needed to determine factors and population-based rates of antimicrobial use in all healthcare settings. There is also a need for interventional programs for both physicians and public on appropriate use of antimicrobials to combat global antimicrobial resistance.
Barriers and facilitators to adhering to an anti-inflammatory diet for individuals with spinal cord injuries
Authors: Bailey K Alysse , Lenz Katie , Allison David J , Ditor David S
Published: September 2018

The purpose of this study was to explore the barriers and facilitators of an anti-inflammatory diet in people with spinal cord injury. Six participants (age range of 23–68 years, three women and three men) who had previously completed an anti-inflammatory diet study were interviewed. Facilitators identified were family support, autonomy over meal choice, peer support, health benefits gained, and implementation of adherence strategies. The main barriers discussed were lack of motivation after study period ended, social events, diet expenses, and lack of knowledge about the diet. Several health benefits including reductions in pain, edema, and improvements in cognition and mobility were reported.
Regional Chances, Regional Constraints?: Transition to Adulthood and Intergenerational Ties in Regional Context
Authors: Bertogg Ariane
Published: September 2018

Emerging adulthood entails a profound change in child–parent relationships. This development is influenced by the societal context, both on the national and the regional level. Previous studies have confirmed the role of political, economic, and cultural characteristics in explaining differences between countries in young adults’ life-course developments and intergenerational ties. Systematic regionally comparative research on the role of these factors, on the other hand, is still lacking. The aim of this article is to investigate how regional characteristics influence young adults’ intergenerational ties. Drawing on the example of Switzerland, the multilevel analyses use data from the Transitions from Education to Employment study. The findings indicate that different welfare regimes, labor markets, and cultures not only have an indirect effect by shaping opportunities and frames of orientation for life-course developments but also directly influence the intergenerational ties of young adults.
FDI in Retail: A Theoretical Analysis
Authors: Basu Debasmita , Sarkar Abhirup
Published: September 2018

In this article, we build a theoretical model of retail and wholesale trade to analyse the effects of the entry of multinationals in wholesale and retail markets on the size of the domestic retail sector and prices. We show that the domestic retailing sector will expand, the retail price will fall and the wholesale price will go up, if and only if the retailing cost of the MNCs is greater than the retailing cost of the domestic retailers.

JEL Classifications: F13, F61, F63
A new collection of clay mineral ‘Crystallinity’ Index Standards and revised guidelines for the calibration of Kübler and Árkai indices
Authors: Warr Laurence N.
Published: September 2018

A new set of clay mineral ‘Crystallinity’ Index Standards (CIS) is available for improved calibration of the half-peak-width values of the X-ray diffraction 001 illite reflection (the Kübler index) and the 002 chlorite reflection (the Árkai index), two widely used indices for determining the state of prograde diagenesis and low-temperature metamorphism. Calibration using mudrock standards removes the numerical differences between laboratories caused by variations in sample preparation, machine settings and measurement methods, thus avoiding erroneous grade determinations. The number of standards available has been increased to nine. These can be used to obtain Kübler index values for each CIS sample and Árkai index values for upper anchizonal and epizonal samples. The diagenetic and lower anchizonal mudrocks are not suitable for Árkai index measurements due to the absence of chlorite or overlap by the 001 kaolinite reflection. Applying the new Kübler-equivalent upper and lower boundary limits of the anchizone placed at 0.32°2θ and 0.52°2θ, respectively (Warr & Ferreiro Mählmann, 2015), the nine standards from the Palaeozoic mudrocks of southwest England now comprise two diagenetic, two lower anchizonal, three upper anchizonal and two epizonal grade samples. These range from weakly cleaved mudstones to strongly foliated slates.