bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
But, Who Is the Victim Here? Exploring Judgments Toward Hypothetical Bidirectional Domestic Violence Scenarios
Authors: Hine Benjamin , Noku Ledja , Bates Elizabeth A. , Jayes Kealey
Published: May 2020

Gendered models of abuse describe intimate partner violence (IPV) as unilaterally perpetrated by dominant, aggressive men toward vulnerable women. This unidirectional conceptualization has contributed to a “domestic violence stereotype” which, alongside broader attitudes regarding gender, influences attitudes toward “non-typical” victim and perpetrator groups (e.g., male victims, female perpetrators, those within same-sex relationships), and has significant outcomes for help-seeking decision-making, as well as responses from service providers and the criminal justice system. While prevalence data and research suggest bidirectional violence is in fact the most common pattern, there is still little known about how the stereotypes and attitudes described above manifest in scenarios where both parties occupy “victim” and “perpetrator” labels. The present pilot study therefore asked 178 undergraduate students to allocate “victim” and “perpetrator” labels, and make judgments of severity, resolution, and justice outcomes, toward hypothetical opposite-sex IPV scenarios varying on the proportion of abuse perpetrated by each party, and type of violence. Results showed that participants were infrequently labelled men as “victims,” and women as “perpetrators,” across scenarios. They were also less likely to recommend that the man should call the police. These exploratory results suggest that powerful stereotypes about IPV and gender may serve to influence perceptions of bidirectional violence and point to a need to study this issue in more detail to elucidate the most appropriate way to begin to address these issues.
Textocracy, or, the cybernetic logic of French theory
Authors: Geoghegan Bernard Dionysius
Published: May 2020

This article situates the emergence of cybernetic concepts in postwar French thought within a longer history of struggles surrounding the technocratic reform of French universities, including Marcel Mauss’s failed efforts to establish a large-scale centre for social-scientific research with support from the Rockefeller Foundation, the intellectual and administrative endeavours of Claude Lévi-Strauss during the 1940s and 1950s, and the rise of communications research in connection with the Centre d’Études des Communications de Masse (CECMAS). Although semioticians and poststructuralists used cybernetic discourse critically and ironically, I argue that their embrace of a ‘textocratic’ perspective – that is, a theory of power and epistemology as tied to technical inscription – sustained elements of the technocratic reasoning dating back to these 1920s efforts to reform French universities.
In situ fabrication of PAN nanofibrous composites for enhanced toughness
Authors: Zarehshi A , Gharehaghaji AA , Asgharian Jeddi AA
Published: May 2020

Recent developments in nanocomposites that are reinforced with polymeric fibers have heightened the need for a material in fast-moving parts of machines. The research to date has focused on tensile properties of nanocomposites reinforced with polymeric nanofibers, which were produced by the conventional methods. In this work, nanocomposites were fabricated by a novel approach that comprises epoxy resin, epoxy hardener, and PAN nanofibers in which the nanofibrous layer was placed in resin as spun during the electrospinning. Then, a nanocomposite with the same materials was made using the conventional method of layering. There were enhancements in elongation at break, fracture toughness, and stress at break of nanocomposites fabricated by in situ method in comparison with the nanocomposites fabricated using the conventional method of layering.
Combined in-person and tele-delivered mobile school clinic: A novel approach for improving access to healthcare during school hours
Authors: Nelson Rachel , Bhattacharya Syamal D , Hart Sharon
Published: May 2020

Aims

We report a novel pilot project that allows access to healthcare for children and staff at school via a mobile clinic or telemedicine portal connected to the mobile clinic. The objectives of this pilot project were (a) to perform physicals for children not attached to a primary care physician; (b) to provide medical consultations and treatment for acute illnesses of students and staff, and (c) to lower absenteeism rates among students and staff.

Methods

In 2013, Ronald McDonald House Charities, a non-profit organization, partnered with Children’s Hospital of Erlanger to provide a mobile clinic trademarked Ronald McDonald Care Mobile utilising a large, box-style truck equipped with examination rooms and a telemedicine portal. Initially, starting with three elementary schools in Bradley County, Tennessee, USA, the programme rapidly expanded to include schools in five other participating Tennessee counties. Only three schools in Bradley County have the option of in-person visits. All other schools access care via telemedicine portals. Funding is provided through multiple grants and community partners. If a student does have insurance, the insurance carrier is billed for the visit, but students without insurance are treated free of charge. Prior to the 2018–2019 school year, only limited data were collected.

Results

Our first goal was to perform physicals for children not attached to a primary care physician. During the 2018–2019 school year, 28 patients presented for a well-child check. However, 16 of these (57%) did not have a primary care physician. Of note, 19% of students presenting for any complaint did not have a primary care physician on file (172 students). All well-child checks were performed in-person on the Care Mobile. Our second goal was to provide medical consultations and treatment for acute illnesses. A total of 1446 persons were seen for sick visits. Of these, 424 were telemedicine visits (352 students and 72 staff), while 1022 were in-person visits. The five most common diagnoses that the nurse practitioner managed during the 2018–2019 school year included acute pharyngitis, acute upper respiratory infection, streptococcal pharyngitis, fever and acute maxillary sinusitis. Finally, our third goal was to lower absenteeism rates. There were 1446 sick person visits (1253 students and 193 staff). Twenty-two per cent of the students (276 persons) returned to class while 74% (142 persons) of staff returned to work.

Conclusion

The mobile/telemedicine health clinic is a novel innovation to increase access to acute care and reduce school absenteeism among both students and staff, potentially saving schools hundreds to thousands of dollars.
Simulation and experimental investigation of swirl-loop scavenging in two-stroke diesel engine with two poppet valves
Authors: Xu Zheng , Ji Fenzhu , Ding Shuiting , Zhao Yunhai , Wang Yan , Zhang Qi , Du Farong , Zhou Yu
Published: May 2020

Scavenging is becoming one of the determinants of two-stroke engine performance. Efficiency of U-type loop scavenging of two-stroke diesel engine with two poppet valves is generally unsatisfactory due to scavenging short-circuiting and large amount of residual burned gas in cylinder, and it is hard to generate the swirl that facilitates fuel spray mixing and combustion. In order to deal with the above issues, a swirl-loop scavenging configuration is proposed to involve swirl and depress short-circuiting. To investigate swirl-loop scavenging performance, this article simulates the scavenging process by numerical method, optimizes the tracer gas method to measure and evaluate the scavenging performance, as well as analyzes the influence factors. The results demonstrate that, compared with U-type loop scavenging, the trapping efficiency and scavenging efficiency of swirl-loop scavenging respectively increase by 8% and 10%. Change of engine speed has an impact on the delivery ratio and trapping efficiency but load does not. Both intake and exhaust valve timings affect scavenging performance and short-circuiting to a large extent. In addition, the accuracy of tracer gas method in measurement of scavenging performance parameters is improved, and the scavenging efficiency deviation between simulation and experiment is decreased from 6% to 2%.
Community life on demand in ground-floor shop spaces: A tactical place-making initiative in Hong Kong
Authors: Mui Sarah Sze-Wa , Cheung Johnson Chun-Sing , Cheung Alan Kwok-Lun
Published: May 2020

Pop-up design helps steer city regeneration and community revival. With this belief, Hong Kong-based social creativity studio One Bite Social launched the urban ‘matching’ platform ‘Project House’. Using a tactical place-making approach, it pairs up vacant shops with local social groups facing spatial needs. The win–win results bring local exposure to pop-up vacant shops while providing marginalised community groups with adequate space for new social practices. Can tactical place-making become a tool to create space for place-based community development? What works, and does not work, at Project House, and why? How can Project House be applied to different contexts? By adopting a realist impact evaluation framework, this paper explores the potential of Project House, a first-of-its-kind tactical place-making initiative combining social work and architecture to create a new setting for a community.
Sylvia’s story: Time, liminal space and the maternal commons
Authors: Leigh Jadwiga , Wilson Sylvia
Published: May 2020

In this article, we draw on concepts of time, liminal space and narrative therapy to explore the interactions that we, the authors, engaged in before, during and after our sessions together. New Beginnings is a project which works with parents who have children on care orders or whose children are subject to the child protection process. For a period of six months, women attend trauma-informed sessions where together, with the support of project facilitators and each other, they explore how past trauma has not only affected their identity but has also shaped their parenting practices. The main objective of the project is to provide space for the women to create their own maternal commons, a place where they can share stories and enact transformational beginnings. In this article, we draw on reflective notes from one case which connected the project lead and a mother she worked with to one another. Using the concepts of time and liminal space theory, we explore three themes that emerged: being ready, standing still and moving forwards. The contribution of this article is therefore three-fold; it argues that ‘time’ in the child protection process is compounded by bureaucracy and legal processes which do not take into consideration the trauma that has been experienced or how it then unfolds in present interactions between practitioner and parent; it extends the concept of liminality in social work by exploring the lived experience of a mother on the project and it demonstrates how narrative therapy can be used as a method to elucidate the rite of passage a person can take (or not) when attempting to traverse liminal spaces.
Medical Assistance in Dying: A Review of Canadian Regulatory Documents
Authors: Villeneuve Michael J.
Published: May 2020

After years of heated debate about the issue, medical assistance in dying (MAiD) was legalized in Canada in 2016. Canada became the first jurisdiction where MAiD may be delivered by nurse practitioners as well as physicians. Experience has revealed significant public demand for the service, and Canadians expect nurses to advocate for safe, high-quality, ethical practice in this new area of care. Pesut et al. offer a superb analysis of the related Canadian nursing regulatory documents and the challenges in creating a harmonized approach that arise in a federation where the Criminal Code is a federal entity and the regulation of health care providers and delivery of care fall under provincial and territorial legislation. Organizations like the Canadian Nurses Association contribute to the development of good legislation by working with partners to present evidence to help legislators consider impacts on public health, health care, and providers. Nursing regulators across Canada responded quickly to the unfolding policy landscape as the federal legislation evolved and will face that task again: In February 2020, the federal government tabled legislation to relax conditions related to MAiD requests that will force regulators and professional associations back to public advocacy and legislative tables. The success of the cautious approach exercised by nursing bodies throughout this journey should continue to reassure Canadians that their high trust in the profession is well placed.
Performance characteristics of selected/deselected under 11 players from a professional youth football academy
Authors: Platvoet Sebastiaan WJ , Opstoel Katrijn , Pion Johan , Elferink-Gemser Marije T , Visscher Chris
Published: May 2020

This study aimed to determine whether players selected for the under 11 team of a professional youth football academy outperform their deselected peers in physical, technical and gross motor coordination skills, or in psycho-social capacities. Of the young players active at different amateur clubs yearly 2% were scouted to participate at trainings and matches from an academy before the first objective baseline testing (season 1 n = 54 boys, season 2 n = 49, age: 9.25 ± 0.46). Most of the scouted players ( n = 103) were born in the first quarter of the year (47.6%) and started playing football at a young age (4.80 ± 0.84). Mann–Whitney U tests showed that the selected under 11 players ( n = 31) from the reduced pool outperformed their deselected peers ( n = 72) in the 30-m slalom sprint, dribble test and Loughborough soccer passing test, and on sport learning-, motor-, creative- and interpersonal capacity ( P < 0.05). A discriminant analysis resulted in a significant discriminant function (Wilks’ Λ = 0.673, df = 16 and P = 0.002) with 69.6% of players classified correctly. In sum, the current system, tends to scout 9-year old soccer players with multiple years of soccer experience, and well-developed motor skills, who are predominantly born in the first quarter of the year. Of those players, the ones with better physical and technical skills, who are believed to have most potential to become elite in the future are selected. However, 25 of the players with a high probability of being selected were deselected. Whether this system is appropriate serves a broader ethical discussion within contemporary society.
Construction of a water and game theory for intercultural communication
Authors: Tian Dexin
Published: May 2020

Through the theoretical lenses of cultural gaming and paradigmatic assumptions of Eastern and Western cultures, this article looks into the interrelationships between game intentions and communication strategies. Through a thematic analysis of the Chinese traditional cultural classics from the pre-Qin (221 BCE–206 BCE) to the Republic of China (1912–1949) from the Chinese Text Project, three featured themes of water including the best and the softest, carrying boats and capsizing boats, and the most violent and the strongest have emerged in correspondence to the positive zero sum, zero sum, and negative zero sum game intentions. Thus, a water and game theory for intercultural communication has been constructed. The theory is applicable to managing intercultural communication barriers, esp. systematic misunderstanding between individuals from China and the West, between Chinese enterprises and their counterparts in other countries, and between China and other countries on various intercultural communication occasions.
Stress propagation and debonding effects in impedance-graded multi-metallic systems under impact loading
Authors: Fernando PLN , Mohotti Damith , Remennikov Alex , Hazell PJ , Wang Hongxu , Amin Ali
Published: May 2020

This article investigates the performance of an impedance-graded multi-metallic system. Material combinations of steel–titanium, steel–aluminium and steel–titanium–aluminium are compared against a monolithic steel configuration. The experiments were carried out using a single-stage gas gun, where the target specimens consisted of these material configurations. The targets were subjected to the impact of an aluminium flyer at a velocity of 180 m/s, where elastic waves were expected to propagate through the target. The free surface velocity of the final material in the target was measured and these readings were used to quantify the stresses in the materials. These stress results were compared with the output from two-dimensional axisymmetric numerical models and theoretical equations. The findings of this study indicated that a target configuration with gradual impedance reduction could minimize the magnitudes of both compressive and tensile stresses in the materials, where the latter is critical towards preventing debonding in a multi-material system.
COVID-19 Impact Among Spine Surgeons in Latin America
Authors: Guiroy Alfredo , Gagliardi Martín , Coombes Nicolas , Landriel Federico , Zanardi Carlos , Willhuber Gastón Camino , Guyot Juan Pablo , Valacco Marcelo
Published: May 2020

Study Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak in spine surgeons in Latin America.

Methods:

A questionnaire was sent to Latin American spine surgeons from April 4 to 6, 2020. Surgeon characteristics were recorded. The impact of COVID-19 on economic well-being, work, and mental health were also determined. All variables were compared and analyzed.

Results:

Two hundred four surgeons answered the complete survey; most of them were male (96.6%), the average age was 47.7 years; 58.8% (n = 120) were orthopedic surgeons and 41.2% (n = 84) were neurosurgeons. The majority of the respondents were from Argentina (59.8%, n = 122), followed by Brazil (17.2%, n = 35), Chile (6.4%, n = 13), and Mexico (5.9%, n = 12). Most of the surgeons reported performing emergency procedures only during the pandemic (76.5%, n = 156). Half used telemedicine or online consultation modalities (54.4%, n = 111). The average concern about the financial situation due to the pandemic was 7.53 in a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the worst scenario). Twenty-two percent (n = 45) of the surgeons had a score over 10 in the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9; scores higher than 10 needs referral to confirm depression diagnosis). Young age and neurosurgery as a specialty were associated with higher PHQ-9 scores.

Conclusions:

COVID-19 has an impact in the daily working practice and financial situation of spine surgeons in Latin America. The long-term psychological impact should be taken into consideration to avoid a heavier burden for health care providers.
Two distinct prognostic groups in advanced-stage Hodgkin lymphoma revealed by the presence and site of bulky disease
Authors: Qi Shunan , Milgrom Sarah , Dabaja Bouthaina , Tsang Richard , Levis Mario , Ricardi Umberto , Lopez-Alonso Rebecca , Dann Eldad J. , Ng Andrea , Yahalom Joachim
Published: May 2020

Controversy exists regarding the definition and prognostic significance of bulk in advanced-stage (stage III/IV) Hodgkin lymphoma (ASHL), and bulk location (mediastinum vs other sites) further complicated the setting. This retrospective, multi-institutional study comprised 814 ASHL patients between 2000 and 2010 and aimed to evaluate the significance of bulk in ASHL. End points of interest included progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Covariates included maximum diameter and the site of bulky disease. SmoothHR and Kaplan-Meier analyses were used to assess for an association of PFS and OS with covariates. In the exploratory cohort (n = 683), maximum diameter had no association with PFS and a complex, U-shaped association with all-cause mortality on smoothHR analysis. Using 5 cm as a cutoff for bulk, Kaplan-Meier analyses confirmed the smoothHR results. The site of bulk was incorporated to divide patients into 2 groups. The mediastinal bulk (MB) type had more favorable characteristics than the nonbulky/non-MB (NB/NMB) type on age, histology, and bone marrow involvement (P < .001). The MB type was associated with better OS than the NB/NMB-type on univariable analysis (5-year OS, 92% vs 86%; HR, 0.53; 95% confidence interval, 0.34-0.84; P = .007). These findings persisted in the subgroup treated with chemotherapy alone and were confirmed in an independent validation cohort (n = 131). Our findings indicate that mediastinal bulk was associated with more favorable disease characteristics and improved OS in ASHL, and may be a surrogate of a more favorable biology.
Myelodysplastic syndrome unrelated to lentiviral vector in a patient treated with gene therapy for sickle cell disease
Authors: Hsieh Matthew M. , Bonner Melissa , Pierciey Francis John , Uchida Naoya , Rottman James , Demopoulos Laura , Schmidt Manfred , Kanter Julie , Walters Mark C. , Thompson Alexis A. , Asmal Mohammed , Tisdale John F.
Published: May 2020

Key Points

Ability to accurately attribute adverse events post–gene therapy is required to describe the benefit-risk of these novel treatments. A SCD patient developed myelodysplastic syndrome post-LentiGlobin treatment; we show how insertional oncogenesis was excluded as the cause.
Morbidity and mortality in carriers of the cystic fibrosis mutationCFTRPhe508del in the general population
Authors: Çolak Yunus , Nordestgaard Børge G. , Afzal Shoaib
Published: May 2020

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is caused by autosomal-recessive inheritance of a dysfunctional cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), up to 90% due to Phe508del mutation in theCFTRgene. We tested the hypothesis thatCFTRPhe508del carriers have increased morbidity and mortalityversusnon-carriers in the general population.

We genotyped 108 035 randomly selected white Danish individuals from the Copenhagen General Population Study (aged from 20–100 years) forCFTRPhe508del mutation (rs113993960). Risk of chronic bronchitis and airflow limitation was assessed cross-sectionally. Overall survival and risk of bronchiectasis, lung cancer, pneumonia, chronic rhinosinusitis, airway bleeding, spontaneous pneumothorax, respiratory failure, acute and chronic pancreatitis, liver cirrhosis, ileus, gastric and colorectal cancer, and male infertility were assessed prospectively during up to 15 years of follow-up (median: 9 years). A single individual was excluded due to homozygosity forCFTRPhe508del and known CF. No other individuals had diagnosed CF at baseline examination or during follow-up.

Among the resulting 108 034 individuals, 105 176 (97%) were non-carriers and 2858 (3%) were carriers (i.e.were heterozygous forCFTRPhe508del). Overall survival was similar between carriers and non-carriers. Compared to non-carriers and with multivariable adjustment, carriers had an odds ratio (OR) of 1.31 (95% CI 1.16–1.48) for chronic bronchitis, a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.88 (95% CI 1.03–3.45) for bronchiectasis and 1.52 (95% CI 1.12–2.08) for lung cancer. Carriers did not differ from non-carriers concerning lung function or any other morbidity outcomes as mentioned above.

In the general population, carriers ofCFTRPhe508del have a normal lifespan but an increased risk of chronic bronchitis (1.3-fold), bronchiectasis (1.9-fold) and lung cancer (1.5-fold).
A case report of one vasovagal syncope patient with third-degree atrioventricular block caused by SCN5A gene mutation and literature review
Authors: Gao Lu , Yu Xia , Li Hongxia , Yuan Yue
Published: May 2020

Background

Vasovagal syncope (VVS) is common in children and significantly affects their quality of life. To our knowledge, this the first case report of SCN5A gene mutation associated with VVS and third-degree atrioventricular block (atrioventricular block, AVB), which could help pediatricians aware that VVS is not always a benign condition and help to identify VVS children at the risk of sudden death.

Case presentation

A twelve-year-old male child was admitted to Beijing Children’s Hospital of Capital Medical University for chest tightness for 9 days and syncope in July 2018. The child was diagnosed as VVS with third-degree AVB after complete investagations. A heterozygous mutation in the exon coding region of the SCN5A gene, C. 5851G > T (coding region 5551 nucleotide changed from G to T), was detected in the peripheral blood of the child. Electrophysiological examination and modified vagal ganglion radiofrequency ablation were performed in the child. The ECG playback was normal on the second day after operation. Holter showed no abnormality and no chest tightness or syncope occurred after 3 months and 1 year follow-up.

Conclusions

Our case report firstly reported that SCN5A mutation contributed to the pathogenesis of VVS with third-degree AVB. Vagal ganglion modified ablation have obtained good therapeutic effect. Gene analysis was of great value to the accurate diagnosis and treatment of VVS children.
HE4 overexpression decreases pancreatic cancer Capan-1 cell sensitivity to paclitaxel via cell cycle regulation
Authors: Guo Fengbiao , Li Jinping , Qi Yaozhi , Hou Jianqing , Chen Haibin , Jiang Shi-Wen
Published: May 2020

Background

Paclitaxel is a first-line chemotherapy drug for pancreatic, ovarian, endometrial cancers and other malignancies. However, its efficacy is often compromised by decreased cell sensitivity or the development of resistance. Human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) is highly expressed in gynecologic and pancreatic cancer tissues, and its serum levels are used for patient triage and assistant diagnosis of gynecologic cancers. Previous studies have shown that HE4 overexpression could promote cancer cell proliferation and the growth of tumor xenografts, which suggests its potential involvement in cancer chemosensitivity.

Methods

Two pancreatic cancer cell lines, Capan-1 and Suit-2, were transiently transfected with an HE4 overexpression plasmid, and transfected cells were treated with paclitaxel. S-phase cells were labeled using BrdU, and cell positivity rates were determined by counting BrdU-positive cells. Following HE4 overexpression and/or drug treatment, a western blotting analysis was performed to determine the protein alterations of PCNA and p21, two important cell cycle regulators.

Results

HE4 overexpression not only promoted the proliferation of the Capan-1 pancreatic cells, but also significantly decreased cell sensitivity to paclitaxel. Results from western blotting showed that paclitaxel inhibited cell proliferation by decreasing the expression of PCNA and increasing the expression of p21. Data analysis indicated interactive actions between HE4 function and paclitaxel effects, both converging to cell cycle regulation.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that HE4 could be a potential therapeutic target for the sensitization of pancreatic cancer cells to paclitaxel treatment. HE4 expression levels may be used to predict the sensitivity of pancreatic cancer patients to paclitaxel.
Challenges and burden of the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic for child and adolescent mental health: a narrative review to highlight clinical and research needs in the acute phase and the long return to normality
Authors: Fegert Jörg M. , Vitiello Benedetto , Plener Paul L. , Clemens Vera
Published: May 2020

Background

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is profoundly affecting life around the globe. Isolation, contact restrictions and economic shutdown impose a complete change to the psychosocial environment in affected countries. These measures have the potential to threaten the mental health of children and adolescents significantly. Even though the current crisis can bring with it opportunities for personal growth and family cohesion, disadvantages may outweigh these benefits. Anxiety, lack of peer contact and reduced opportunities for stress regulation are main concerns. Another main threat is an increased risk for parental mental illness, domestic violence and child maltreatment. Especially for children and adolescents with special needs or disadvantages, such as disabilities, trauma experiences, already existing mental health problems, migrant background and low socioeconomic status, this may be a particularly challenging time. To maintain regular and emergency child and adolescent psychiatric treatment during the pandemic is a major challenge but is necessary for limiting long-term consequences for the mental health of children and adolescents. Urgent research questions comprise understanding the mental health effects of social distancing and economic pressure, identifying risk and resilience factors, and preventing long-term consequences, including—but not restricted to—child maltreatment. The efficacy of telepsychiatry is another highly relevant issue is to evaluate the efficacy of telehealth and perfect its applications to child and adolescent psychiatry.

Conclusion

There are numerous mental health threats associated with the current pandemic and subsequent restrictions. Child and adolescent psychiatrists must ensure continuity of care during all phases of the pandemic. COVID-19-associated mental health risks will disproportionately hit children and adolescents who are already disadvantaged and marginalized. Research is needed to assess the implications of policies enacted to contain the pandemic on mental health of children and adolescents, and to estimate the risk/benefit ratio of measures such as home schooling, in order to be better prepared for future developments.
Ultrasound measurement of optic nerve sheath diameter pre- and post-lumbar puncture
Authors: Schott Christopher K. , Hirzallah Mohammad I. , Heyman Rock , Lesky Daniel N. , Brant Emily B. , Callaway Clifton W.
Published: May 2020

Background

To test the hypothesis that optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) correlates with real-time changes in intracranial pressure, we performed ultrasound measurements of the ONSD in ambulatory patients undergoing elective lumbar puncture (LP). We conducted a prospective cohort study, including adult patients undergoing LP in a non-emergent setting. We measured ONSD perpendicular to the optic nerve at 3 mm behind the globe in both eyes in the traverse and sagittal planes, with the patient supine. The primary outcome was change in ONSD from pre-LP to post-LP. We calculated association of opening and closing LP pressures with changes in the pre- and post-LP ONSD measurements.

Results

The mean patient age was 49.0 years (SD = 37–61, range 19–67) with 21 females (72.4%) and 26 (89.7%) white American (not Hispanic or Latino). The average opening pressure and closing pressures were 20.4 cm and 13.5 cm with a difference of 6.9 cm, (95% CI 3.9–10.0 cm). Pressures between the participants with baseline ONSD measurement > 5 mm (average opening pressure = 21.3 cm) to those < 5 mm (20.2 cm) differed by 1.1 cm (95% CI − 5.7 to 8.0). Linear regression revealed no association between the sagittal, transverse, average, and change in ONSD measurements with the observed LP opening pressure, change in LP pressure, or volume of cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) drained.

Conclusions

In this study of ambulatory patients undergoing rapid decreases in ICP via elective LP, we detected no acute changes in ultrasonographic measurement of the ONSD.
Geometry of color perception. Part 1: structures and metrics of a homogeneous color space
Authors: Provenzi Edoardo
Published: May 2020

This is the first half of a two-part paper dealing with the geometry of color perception. Here we analyze in detail the seminal 1974 work by H.L. Resnikoff, who showed that there are only two possible geometric structures and Riemannian metrics on the perceived color space$\mathcal{P} $Pcompatible with the set of Schrödinger’s axioms completed with the hypothesis of homogeneity. We recast Resnikoff’s model into a more modern colorimetric setting, provide a much simpler proof of the main result of the original paper, and motivate the need of psychophysical experiments to confute or confirm the linearity of background transformations, which act transitively on$\mathcal{P} $P. Finally, we show that the Riemannian metrics singled out by Resnikoff through an axiom on invariance under background transformations are not compatible with the crispening effect, thus motivating the need of further research about perceptual color metrics.
Determinants of gross domestic savings in Uganda: an autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach to cointegration
Authors: Nagawa Vivian , Wasswa Francis , Bbaale Edward
Published: May 2020

In Uganda’s development aspiration “VISION 2040”, Uganda aspires to transform its society from a peasant to a modern and prosperous middle-income country by 2040, with per capita income of USD 9, 567. To attain the vision, savings as a percentage of GDP should be over 35%. Notwithstanding such a high commitment, GDS as a percentage of GDP has remained below the desired target, standing at 16.5% in 2017. This paper investigated the determinants of Gross Domestic Savings (GDS) in Uganda for the period 1980–2017. The theoretical framework is based on the life-cycle/permanent-income hypothesis. Augmented Dickey Fuller and Phillips–Perron tests were utilized to test for the stationarity of the time series variables in the model. To test for both the short-run and long-run relationships among GDS and the independent variables, the ARDL bounds testing approach was adopted. The observational results indicate that in the long run, Gross Domestic Product growth rate (GDPg), Foreign Domestic Investments (FDI) and Broad money (M2) have positive and statistically significant effects on GDS, while Current Account Balance (CAB) and Gross National Expenditure (GNE) have negative impacts on savings. Deposit Interest Rate (DIR) was observed to be a statistically unimportant determinant of GDS in Uganda. In the short run, CAB has a positive and statistically significant impact on GDS while GDPg and DIR have a negative and statistically significant impact on GDS. The paper recommends increasing net exports through implementation of the industrial and export strategy espoused in the national development plan 2. In addition, the government should ensure a predictable economic environment to act as an assurance to the foreign investors that their investments will yield profits.
Binary image description using frequent itemsets
Authors: Aznag Khalid , Datsi Toufik , El oirrak Ahmed , El bachari Essaid
Published: May 2020

In this paper, a novel method for binary image comparison is presented. We suppose that the image is a set of transactions and items. The proposed method applies along rows and columns of an image; this image is represented by all frequent itemset. Firstly, the rows of the image are considered as transactions and the columns of the image are considered as items. Secondly, we considered rows as items and columns as transactions. Besides, we also apply our technique to color image; firstly we segment the image and each segmented region is considered as a binary image. The proposed method is tested on the MPEG7 database and compared with the moment’s method to show its efficiency.
Turnitin peer feedback: controversial vs. non-controversial essays
Authors: Alharbi Mohammed Abdullah , Al-Hoorie Ali H.
Published: May 2020

Although an important goal of learner peer feedback is promoting critical thinking, little attention has been paid to the nature of the topic, particularly whether it is controversial. In this article, we report on a study where 52 English majors were asked to comment on essays written by their peers using the PeerMark module of Turnitin. Half of the essays were about controversial topics in the Saudi society (e.g., women driving and banning cigarettes), whereas the other half were less controversial (e.g., importance of sleep and respecting parents). Our results showed that the participants provided significantly more critical, global comments on controversial essays. At the same time, this increase in global comments did not come at the expense of local, language-related comments—in that the participants did not provide significantly fewer language comments on controversial essays. The participants also reported favorable attitudes toward this task due to the convenience and anonymity of online feedback, thus allowing them to express their opinions more freely on controversial topics. We therefore concluded that utilizing an online platform that permits double-blind peer review on controversial essays seems to have to the potential to stimulate critical thinking among language learners.
Endobronchial ultrasound guided Echo Tip Ultra HD 22G needle versus Echo Tip Pro Core HD 22G needle in diagnosis of mediastinal lesions
Authors: Hussein Sabah Ahmed , Shalaby Alaa Eldein Omar , Kamel Khaled Mahmoud , Hareedy Amal Ahmad , Abdelhameed Hoda Mohamed Mahmoud
Published: May 2020

Background

Convex probe endobronchial ultrasound is a minimally invasive technique used for performing real-time transbronchial needle aspiration of enlarged hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes and could be used for diagnosing proximal peribronchial lesions. Although computed tomography, magnetic resonant imaging, and positron emission tomography/computed tomography have relatively high sensitivity for mediastinal evaluation, pathology is the gold standard. This study compared between Echo Tip Ultra HD-EBUS 22G needle and Echo Tip ProCore HD-EBUS 22G needle in diagnosis of mediastinal lesions using convex probe endobronchial ultrasound.

Results

Twenty-four patients with mediastinal lesions were included. Convex probe endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration using both Echo Tip Ultra HD 22G and Echo Tip ProCore HD 22G needles was done to all patients with no peripheral lymph node enlargement. CP-EBUS TBNA had diagnostic accuracy 50%, sensitivity 47.6%, and specificity 100% in diagnosis of mediastinal lesions. The Echo Tip Ultra HD needle had diagnostic accuracy 40.9%, sensitivity 38%, and specificity 100% compared to the Echo Tip ProCore HD needle which had diagnostic accuracy 31.8%, sensitivity 82.5%, and specificity 100%. The difference between both needles was statistically insignificant. The Echo Tip Ultra 22G HD needle had more representative cellularity (82%) compared to the Echo Tip ProCore 22G HD needle (45%) with a significant difference between both needles (p value = 0.001).

Conclusion

Both needles can be used equally in sampling mediastinal lesions. This study supports that Echo Tip Ultra HD and Echo Tip ProCore HD needles can be used equally in sampling of mediastinal lesions and supports ultrasound screening of enlarged supraclavicular and cervical lymph nodes before performing EBUS-TBNA in patients with mediastinal lesions.
Results From the ASCO 2019 Survey of Oncology Practice Operations
Authors: Bourbeau Brian , Harter David , Towle Elaine
Published: May 2020

The Survey of Oncology Practice Operations is an annual survey conducted by ASCO since 2016. This is the first year in which results have been published publicly for use by practice leaders to compare the performance of their practice. The scope of the 125-question survey instrument includes medical oncology, radiation oncology, drug administration, laboratory, imaging, point-of-care dispensing pharmacy, clinical research, and practice/service-line administration. Benchmarks available include measures of staffing, productivity, revenue, and expenses, as well as a salary survey for 27 oncology-specific positions. We encourage readers of this article to develop capabilities to replicate these benchmarks within their practice and to participate in future years’ surveys.
Joseph Frank
Authors: Arac Jonathan
Published: May 2020

Joseph Frank (1918–2013) achieved fame as a literary scholar first with his three-part essay “Spatial Form in Modern Literature” (1945) and then with his five-volume critical biography Dostoevsky (1976–2002). This essay traces his career, emphasizing its divergence from the practices both of New Criticism at its start and of the theory movement in the 1970s and 1980s, and noting the crucial role played by Allen Tate and the Sewanee Review. Unfashionable independence, fidelity to personal fascination, and unremitting effort all play a role in scholarly accomplishment.
The Uncanny Return of Settler-Colonial Capitalism in Toni Morrison’s Home
Authors: Pease Donald E.
Published: May 2020

Toni Morrison’s 2012 novel Home is concerned primarily with the efforts undertaken by its protagonist, the black Korean War veteran Frank Money, to accommodate himself to civilian life. However, Home differs from other Korean War novels in that after Frank returns to the United States, he neither aligns his wartime experiences with the superpower rivalry nor conducts a critical meta-engagement with Cold War ideology. When Frank comes back to the United States in 1955 from a tour of duty as a combat infantryman in Chosin, Korea, he instead undergoes the unheimlich experience of becoming a fugitive within a carceral state. Morrison confronts readers with a comparably uncanny experience when she deletes from the narrative any trace of the Cold War ideology whose structures of feeling, epistemologies, and military architecture the Korean War was putatively fought to establish and that the so-called war on terror had eerily revived. When she disallowed Cold War ideology control over representations of Home’s characters, actions, and events, Morrison recast the Korean War as the Cold War’s uncanny Other that exposed readers to an ongoing settler-colonial war being waged within 1950s US domestic society.
Calendars of Exopraxis
Authors: de Tapia Aude Aylin
Published: May 2020

In the nineteenth-century Ottoman empire, Cappadocia, in the heart of Anatolia, was one of the last regions where Rum Orthodox Christians cohabited with Muslims in rural areas. Among the main aspects of everyday coexistence were the beliefs and ritual practices that, shared by Muslim and Christian individuals, blurred religious belonging as it is traditionally defined. Anthropologists and ethnologists have studied exopraxis broadly, while historians have neglected the topic until recently. In the case of anthropologists, studies have mostly focused on the spatiality of sharing that is characteristic of exopraxis. This article, based largely on testimonies collected in the Oral Tradition Archives of the Center for Asia Minor Studies in Athens, analyzes the temporality of exopraxis and inquires into the different but shared calendars that ordered the ritual life of Muslims and Orthodox Christians in Cappadocia. These testimonies, taken from Orthodox Christians who lived in Turkey prior to the exchange of populations between Turkey and Greece in 1923, help us to understand how the sharing of religious calendars resulted in feelings of belonging to a single collectivity.
Ανελεύθερη Δημοκρατία και Αντιδημοκρατικός Φιλελευθερισμός
Authors: Κατρούγκαλος Γιώργος
Published: May 2020

Η σύγχρονη αντίληψη περί δημοκρατίας συνθέτει ιστορικά δύο συστατικές συνιστώσες: αφενός τη δημοκρατική με στενή έννοια, που συνδέει την πλειοψηφική αρχή με τη λαϊκή κυριαρχία και αφετέρου τη φιλελεύθερη, που επιβάλλει το σεβασμό των θεμελιωδών δικαιωμάτων. Οι φιλελεύθερες δημοκρατίες χρειάζονται και τα δύο στοιχεία για να λειτουργήσουν σωστά. Ωστόσο, το μεγαλύτερο μέρος της σύγχρονης κριτικής εντοπίζεται στην ανάδυση των «ανελεύθερων δημοκρατιών», δηλαδή στην άνοδο αυταρχικών καθεστώτων σε πολιτείες όπου διεξάγονται μεν εκλογές, αλλά το κράτος δικαίου αποδυναμώνεται. Ωστόσο, η αποδυνάμωση των δημοκρατιών μας σαφώς σχετίζεται και με την κυριαρχία νεοφιλελεύθερων πολιτικών που υπονομεύουν το δημοκρατικό στοιχείο με την υπονόμευση του κοινωνικού συμβολαίου του κράτους πρόνοιας και την αφαίρεση σημαντικών πολιτικών και οικονομικών αρμοδιοτήτων από τη σφαίρα λήψης δημοκρατικών αποφάσεων . Θεωρώ ότι αυτός ο «αντιδημοκρατικός φιλελευθερισμός» λειτουργεί ως καταλύτης για ανεστραμμένου είδωλο του, αυτό της «ανελεύθερης δημοκρατίας» και υποστηρίζω ότι οι δύο αυτές παράλληλες παθολογίες πρέπει να αντιμετωπιστούν όχι διακριτά αλλά ως κοινή απειλή για τα δημοκρατικά μας καθεστώτα.
Case Report: A unique case of a retroperitoneal abscess during pregnancy complicated with an ileo-sigmoid-vesical fistula in a patient with active Crohn’s disease
Authors: Bendriss Ghizlane , Esmandar Zafer
Published: May 2020

The enterovesical fistula is an uncommon condition resulting from complications of inflammatory diseases such as Crohn’s disease. While erosion of an abscess can result in the formation of enterovesical fistula, early diagnosis of abscesses is crucial in order to avoid complications. This case is a retrospective analysis of the unusual combination of events that contributed to the misdiagnosis, further complications in a pregnant 28-year-old female diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. The patient presented a retroperitoneal abscess, which went undiagnosed and complicated with an ileo-sigmoid-vesical fistula during pregnancy. She complained of right sciatica, cruralgia, and a complete inability to lift her right leg as well as recurrent urinary infections, which were treated by multiple courses of antibiotics. The chronic situation led to the restricted growth of the fetus, which made the fetus not tolerate the labor. Emergency C-section was done due to fetal distress, but baby did well and did not need NICU. None of the gynecological examinations, ultrasound, X-ray, CT-scan, cystography, and colonoscopy performed before, during and after pregnancy were able to explain her symptoms. Fecaluria is the symptom that ultimately directed toward the presence of an eventual fistula five months after delivery. The MRI diagnosed the retroperitoneal abscess and an ileo-sigmoid-vesical fistula, which were treated by total parenteral nutrition followed by ileo-colo resection. An ileostomy was maintained for four months before anastomosis. Sciatic pain and psoasitis in a context of Crohn’s disease should alert physicians to the possible presence of a retroperitoneal abscess, which should be monitored by MRI. In addition, recurrent urinary infections during pregnancy in a context of Crohn’s disease can be sign of a formed enterovesical fistula. The multiple antibiotic courses, while allowing the continuity of the pregnancy, also contributed to further delay of diagnosis by decreasing inflammation.
Herpes simplex: treatment and vaccination
Authors: Winter George
Published: May 2020

This month, George Winter discusses the challenges that are still posed by herpex simplex, considering the methods of treatment and the ethical considerations surrounding the virus