bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Shear Stress and VE-Cadherin
Authors: Caolo Vincenza , Peacock Hanna M. , Kasaai Bahar , Swennen Geertje , Gordon Emma , Claesson-Welsh Lena , Post Mark J. , Verhamme Peter , Jones Elizabeth A.V.
Published: June 2018

Objective—

Vascular fusion represents an important mechanism of vessel enlargement during development; however, its significance in postnatal vessel enlargement is still unknown. During fusion, 2 adjoining vessels merge to share 1 larger lumen. The aim of this research was to identify the molecular mechanism responsible for vascular fusion.

Approach and Results—

We previously showed that both low shear stress and DAPT (
N
-[
N
-(3,5-difluorophenacetyl)-L-alanyl]-
S
-phenylglycine t-butyl ester) treatment in the embryo result in a hyperfused vascular plexus and that increasing shear stress levels could prevent DAPT-induced fusion. We, therefore, investigated vascular endothelial-cadherin (VEC) phosphorylation because this is a common downstream target of low shear stress and DAPT treatment. VEC phosphorylation increases after DAPT treatment and decreased shear stress. The increased phosphorylation occurred independent of the cleavage of the Notch intracellular domain. Increasing shear stress rescues hyperfusion by DAPT treatment by causing the association of the phosphatase vascular endothelial-protein tyrosine phosphatase with VEC, counteracting VEC phosphorylation. Finally, Src (proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase Src) inhibition prevents VEC phosphorylation in endothelial cells and can rescue hyperfusion induced by low shear stress and DAPT treatment. Moesin, a VEC target that was previously reported to mediate endothelial cell rearrangement during lumenization, relocalizes to cell membranes in vascular beds undergoing hyperfusion.

Conclusions—

This study provides the first evidence that VEC phosphorylation, induced by DAPT treatment and low shear stress, is involved in the process of fusion during vascular remodeling.
Resuscitation Education Science: Educational Strategies to Improve Outcomes From Cardiac Arrest: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association
Authors: Cheng Adam , Nadkarni Vinay M. , Mancini Mary Beth , Hunt Elizabeth A. , Sinz Elizabeth H. , Merchant Raina M. , Donoghue Aaron , Duff Jonathan P. , Eppich Walter , Auerbach Marc , Bigham Blair L. , Blewer Audrey L. , Chan Paul S. , Bhanji Farhan ,   On behalf of the American Heart Association Education Science Investigators; and on behalf of the American Heart Association Education Science and Programs Committee, Council on Cardiopulmonary, Critical Care, Perioperative and Resuscitation; Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing; and Council on Quality of Care and Outcomes Research
Published: June 2018

The formula for survival in resuscitation describes educational efficiency and local implementation as key determinants in survival after cardiac arrest. Current educational offerings in the form of standardized online and face-to-face courses are falling short, with providers demonstrating a decay of skills over time. This translates to suboptimal clinical care and poor survival outcomes from cardiac arrest. In many institutions, guidelines taught in courses are not thoughtfully implemented in the clinical environment. A current synthesis of the evidence supporting best educational and knowledge translation strategies in resuscitation is lacking. In this American Heart Association scientific statement, we provide a review of the literature describing key elements of educational efficiency and local implementation, including mastery learning and deliberate practice, spaced practice, contextual learning, feedback and debriefing, assessment, innovative educational strategies, faculty development, and knowledge translation and implementation. For each topic, we provide suggestions for improving provider performance that may ultimately optimize patient outcomes from cardiac arrest.
Mobility Norms in Free Trade Agreements
Authors: Jurje Flavia , Lavenex Sandra
Published: June 2018

Notwithstanding their traditional attachment to sovereignty, Southeast and East Asian countries have embraced a dynamic agenda of labour mobility liberalisation through trade agreements. This article assesses the free movement agenda within ASEAN from a multi-level perspective, comparing it to ASEAN countries’ corresponding commitments within the World Trade Organisation’s General Agreement on Trade in Services and Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) concluded as a group or individually with non-ASEAN countries. Contrary to other trade aspects it turns out that intra-regional commitments within ASEAN do not significantly exceed multilateral ones, and score below the level of liberalisation achieved in ASEAN+ and bilateral FTAs. This article interprets this discrepancy as a consequence of strong economic and labour market differences among ASEAN members as well as the lower sensitivity of allegedly technocratic FTAs for considerations of national sovereignty. The article concludes with the limits of this trade policy approach for migration governance and migrants’ rights.
Challenging State Sovereignty in the Age of Migration
Authors: Piper Nicola , Rother Stefan , Rüland Jürgen
Published: June 2018

This two-part Special Issue has examined the migration–sovereignty nexus in the context of intra-regional migration in Asia, with specific focus on Southeast Asia (‘Special Issue’). The sub-region represents the perfect laboratory for teasing out the complexities involved in (actual and rhetorical) attempts made by states to control and regulate migration in what has become a space characterised by increasing diversity of (collective and individual) actors operating at various levels. The diversity, complexity and breadth of migratory movements discussed in this Special Issue thus constitute one of the policy fields where the sovereignty norm clashes with the need to manage interdependence. The seven empirical studies in this Special Issue have examined current political, economic, social and legal dimensions of migration in Southeast Asia from an interdisciplinary perspective, linking the discussion of the migration–sovereignty nexus to ‘regional migration regimes’, ‘the transnational–national intersection’ and ‘grass-roots responses’. The common message that emerges from the papers in this issue—that state sovereignty in the area of migration is being challenged from multiple levels—leads us to argue for a future research agenda which would align the study of sovereignty more closely with governance studies as well as studies on norm diffusion. Such an agenda would contribute new insights into emerging forms of sovereignty beyond the confines of the state.
Pursuing Transformation: Healing, Deliverance, and Discourses of Development among Catholics in Uganda
Authors: Fitchett Climenhaga Alison
Published: June 2018

This article considers how Catholics in Uganda engage with and respond to charismatic healing ministries, arguing that controversies over faith healing and deliverance ministries afford a privileged glimpse into how different actors understand how the church is called to effect specific forms of transformation in individuals and the societies they inhabit. Approaches to healing are multiple and contested, with local Catholics disagreeing about which methods of dealing with affliction are acceptable. While some understand biomedical treatment and healing prayer as competing alternatives – interpreting healing prayer as a threat to development initiatives and mature Christian discipleship – others understand them as complementary avenues of addressing affliction. Close analysis of how rural Catholics approach healing highlights the diversity of practice within the Catholic tradition, and the potential for different approaches to religious transformation to cause friction within parish communities.
Recognition, Transformation and Collective Restitution
Authors: Zhang Manny
Published: June 2018

In recent times, the question of whether transitional justice can and should ameliorate structural inequalities has been taken up with increased interest by scholars and policy makers. This has led to more ‘transformative’ understandings of transitional justice, which seek to inter alia broaden its conception of justice to include both restorative and redistributive agendas. The Colombian restitution program explicitly adopts a transformative concept of reparations and thus provides an opportunity to consider how a broader conception of justice could be translated into practice through transitional justice mechanisms. While recognising that both restorative and distributive justice can contribute to the reparative needs of victims, this article argues that a transformative approach does not adequately consider the genuine tensions between these dimensions. In addition to this theoretical obstacle, the difficulties of implementation suggest that it creates unrealistic expectations of what reparations can accomplish in practice.
The Imamate in Early Ismaili Doctrine
Authors: Madelung Wilferd
Published: June 2018

This paper analyses the theorisation of the Imamate in Ismaili thought before and during the Fatimid period, drawing on Ismaili and Druze sources. It outlines early Ismaili interpretations of the doctrine of historical cycles of seven imams and the culmination of these cycles in the Mahdi/Qāʾim, and it traces the evolution of this doctrine under the Fatimids as well as among the eastern Ismailis, with attention to issues such as the genealogies of the first Fatimids, adherence to the law, and the role of the Mahdi or Qāʾim.
Madangella altirostris, a new genus and species of palaemonid shrimps (Crustacea: Decapoda: Palaemonidae) from Papua New Guinea
Authors: FROLOVÁ PAVLÍNA , ĎURIŠ ZDENĚK
Published: June 2018

A single ovigerous female specimen of marine shrimp of the family Palaemonidae collected from Madang Province, N.E. Papua New Guinea, was recognized as a representative of a new genus and species. Due to the presence of a sternal thoracic process, 3 pairs of posterior telson cuspidate setae, and the simple ambulatory dactyli, as well as the lack of branchiae on the two posterior maxillipeds, the new species clearly belongs to the assemblage of primarily free-living palaemonid taxa surrounding the speciose genera Cuapetes and Palaemonella. As the specimen possesses a short leaf-like rostrum, slender second pereiopods with small chelae similar to and not noticeably longer than the first pereiopods and very slender simple ambulatory dactyli, the specimen is without parallel within this assemblage and clearly represents a new genus. Its position within the Cuapetes/Palaemonella lineage of genera is also confirmed by a molecular comparison. The specimen is described and illustrated as a new genus and species.
Clinical Predictors of Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome
Authors: Lai Chi-Chih , Lin Pei-Wen , Lin Hsin-Ching , Friedman Michael , Chang Hsueh-Wen , Salapatas Anna M. , Lin Meng-Chih , Wang Pa-Chun
Published: June 2018

Objective:

To develop an adequate model using reliable clinical and physical factors to predict pediatric obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAS).

Methods:

Complete anthropometric measurements including BMI z score, tonsil size grading, and updated Friedman tongue position (uFTP) were evaluated. Subjective assessments of clinical symptoms/signs, including snoring visual analog scale (VAS), nasal obstruction, and mouth breathing, were recorded.

Results:

Eighty-eight children (57 boys and 31 girls, mean age = 9.0 years) were confirmed to have OSAS by comprehensive polysomnography (PSG). When the aforementioned variables were analyzed individually, the results indicated that snoring VAS, nasal obstruction, mouth breathing, and BMI z score were reliable predictors of apnea/hypopnea index (AHI/h) values (correlation coefficient r = 0.386, P < .001; r = 0.416, P < .001; r = 0.255, P = .02; and r = 0.243, P = .02, respectively). When all significant factors were included in the stepwise multiple linear regression analysis, the final predictive model is: Pediatric AHI = 0.108 + 0.103 snoring VAS + 0.894 nasal obstruction + 0.207 BMI z score ( F = 4.06, P = .01).

Conclusion:

The proposed noninvasive, simple, inexpensive, and easy to perform screening tool could be used to predict pediatric OSAS. An abnormal calculated AHI may prompt clinical physicians to conduct further PSG diagnostics and treatment.
Using Clinical Indicators to Reduce Perianesthesia Recovery Time Following Outpatient Tonsillectomy
Authors: Zalzal Habib G. , Makary Chadi A. , Evans Raquel , Giardina Stacy , Underwood Tracy , Rowlands Aletha , Ramadan Hassan H.
Published: June 2018

Objective:

To determine whether we could reduce the time that patients undergoing tonsillectomy are observed postoperatively without decreasing the quality of care, which would eliminate the unnecessary use of resources to monitor those patients.

Study Design:

Prospective cohort.

Methods:

Patients undergoing tonsillectomy were recruited for the study prior to their operation. Each patient was then monitored in perianesthesia recovery until clinical indicators for discharge readiness were met (baseline respiratory function, afebrile, ambulation per age, adequate consciousness, absence of nausea/vomiting, adequate pain control, no active bleeding, fluid toleration). Patients were then contacted by phone approximately 24 to 72 hours after discharge to determine if they experienced any postoperative complications. Data analyzed included general demographics and surgical case information such as surgical duration, medications, and timeframes during recovery.

Results:

Data from 93 patients (age range, 3-34 years) were analyzed. Clinical indicators were met in a mean time of 253.36 (SD ± 79.0) minutes, an average of 93.2 (SD ± 63.4) minutes sooner than average total post-anesthesia recovery time (346.63 minutes). Eight patients experienced minor complications overall (3 in perianesthesia recovery, 5 at home).

Conclusion:

This study demonstrates that using clinical indicators as discharge criteria is both safe and efficient, with a low rate of postoperative complications.
Priorities in the Neurotology Fellowship Match: A Survey Study of Program Directors and Fellows
Authors: Judge Paul D. , Alvi Sameer A. , Tawfik Kareem O.
Published: June 2018

Objectives:

To ascertain motivations and priorities for neurotology fellowship applicants and program directors during the match process.

Methods:

Anonymous online survey distributed to 20 fellowship program directors and 40 current and incoming neurotology fellows. A 5-point Likert scale was used to assess the priorities of fellowship applicants and program directors in the match process.

Results:

Twenty-four of 40 (60%) current or incoming fellows and 14 of 20 (65%) program directors responded to the survey. Fellows rated surgical exposure and volume as their highest priorities. In addition to neurotology case load, fellows highly valued exposure to otologic surgery. Salary, call, and work/life balance were among the lowest rated factors among fellows. Program directors attached the highest priority to the applicant interview performance, followed by strength of letters of recommendation and quality of prior research. Ethnicity, sex, and likelihood of an applicant ranking a program highly were the lowest rated factors among program directors.

Conclusion:

Among neurotology fellows, operative case load and breadth of surgical exposure are highly valued components of accredited fellowship training. Among neurotology fellowship program directors, candidates’ performance during the fellowship interview appears to be highly valued, more so than the strength of applicants’ letters of recommendation or prior research credentials.
Intragenerational Cultural Evolution and Ethnocentrism
Authors: Hales David , Edmonds Bruce
Published: June 2018

Ethnocentrism denotes a positive orientation toward those sharing the same ethnicity and a negative one toward others. Previous models demonstrated how ethnocentrism might evolve intergenerationally (vertically) when ethnicity and behavior are inherited. We model short-term intragenerational (horizontal) cultural adaptation where agents have a fixed ethnicity but have the ability to form and join fluid cultural groups and to change how they define their in-group based on both ethnic and cultural markers. We find that fluid cultural markers become the dominant way that agents identify their in-group supporting positive interaction between ethnicities. However, in some circumstances, discrimination evolves in terms of a combination of cultural and ethnic markers producing bouts of ethnocentrism. This suggests the hypothesis that in human societies, even in the absence of direct selection on ethnic marker–based discrimination, selection on the use of fluid cultural markers can lead to marked changes in ethnocentrism within a generation.
Material Affinities: ‘Doing’ Family through the Practices of Passing On
Authors: Holmes Helen
Published: June 2018

This article explores how mundane objects are passed on through kinship networks and how these practices become part of the ‘doing’ of family and kinship. Using Mason’s concept of affinities, I illuminate four strands of material affinities, each of which illustrates how passed on objects can reproduce, imagine and memorialise kin connections both biological and social, and in and through time. Crucially, I argue that it is everyday objects in use which reveal how materiality and kinship are woven together. By starting from the object rather than the subject material affinities are brought to life, illustrating how materials are inscribed with kinship both physically and imaginatively, but in turn inscribe kinship practices, operating as central characters in family narratives. The article stems from research exploring everyday contemporary thrift and involved one-to-one interviews and a Mass Observation Directive on the subject of ‘Being thrifty’.
Investigating the rose oil and toluene absorption of populus fiber
Authors: Gurarslan Alper , Narinç Muhammed Erkam
Published: June 2018

The genus populus provides creamy white, lustrous, lightweight fibers that grow on seeds. Since populus fibers obtained from populus nigra italica are too short (0.25–0.42 cm) to be spun into yarns, populus fibers were spray coated with dimethylacetamide/Spandex solution in order to form non-woven structures. In this study, the oil absorption capacity of non-woven populus fiber pads was investigated and compared to non-woven long cotton fiber and non-woven short cotton fiber pads. The hollow structure and the oleophilic properties of populus fibers make them promising and sustainable oil absorbent candidates. The average short-term rose oil absorption capacity of non-woven populus fiber pads is 32.96798 g/g, while the long-term rose oil absorption capacity of non-woven populus fiber pads is 34.52854 g/g. Furthermore, the toluene absorption capacity of non-woven populus fiber pads is on average 23.16986 g/g for the short-term test and 24.01588 g/g for the long-term test. Moreover, non-woven populus fiber pads preserve 81.75% of rose oil even after remaining in water for 45 minutes.
From sustainable urbanism to climate urbanism
Authors: Long Joshua , Rice Jennifer L
Published: June 2018

As the negative impacts of climate change become increasingly apparent, many city leaders and policymakers have begun to regard climate action as both a fiscal challenge and strategic economic opportunity. However, addressing the increasingly evident threats of climate change in the neoliberal, post-financial-crisis city raises several questions about its equitable implementation. This paper suggests that the prioritisation of a specific mode of climate resilient urban development represents a departure from the previous decades’ movement toward sustainable urbanism. We refer to this new development paradigm as ‘climate urbanism’, a policy orientation that (1) promotes cities as the most viable and appropriate sites of climate action and (2) prioritises efforts to protect the physical and digital infrastructures of urban economies from the hazards associated with climate change. We argue that the potential social justice impacts of climate urbanism have not been fully interrogated. Certainly, cities are appropriate sites for addressing climate change, but in the current neoliberal context, the transition from policy rhetoric to climate action presents a potentially problematic landscape of inequality and injustice. With that in mind, this paper offers a critical lens to evaluate the merits of climate urbanism and to interrogate its potential outcomes.
Deciding on the Starting Number of Classes of a Latent Class Tree
Authors: van den Bergh Mattis , van Kollenburg Geert H. , Vermunt Jeroen K.
Published: June 2018

In recent studies, latent class tree (LCT) modeling has been proposed as a convenient alternative to standard latent class (LC) analysis. Instead of using an estimation method in which all classes are formed simultaneously given the specified number of classes, in LCT analysis a hierarchical structure of mutually linked classes is obtained by sequentially splitting classes into two subclasses. The resulting tree structure gives a clear insight into how the classes are formed and how solutions with different numbers of classes are substantively linked to one another. A limitation of the current LCT modeling approach is that it allows only for binary splits, which in certain situations may be too restrictive. Especially at the root node of the tree, where an initial set of classes is created based on the most dominant associations present in the data, it may make sense to use a model with more than two classes. In this article, we propose a modification of the LCT approach that allows for a nonbinary split at the root node, and we provide methods to determine the appropriate number of classes in this first split, based either on theoretical grounds or on a relative improvement of fit measure. This novel approach also can be seen as a hybrid of a standard LC model and a binary LCT model, in which an initial, oversimplified but interpretable model is refined using an LCT approach. Furthermore, we show how to apply an LCT model when a nonstandard LC model is required. These new approaches are illustrated using two empirical applications: one on social capital and the other on (post)materialism.
Wilful Managerial Ignorance, Symbolic Work and Decoupling: A Socio-Phenomenological Study of ‘Managing Creativity’
Authors: Schaefer Stephan M.
Published: June 2018

Ignorance has only received scant attention in organization and management studies. This paper focuses on ignorance in an organizational context by presenting and analysing the lived experience of three managers who attempted to manage creativity. The analysis of the empirical material with the help of a detailed agency framework illustrates how the managers’ clearly articulated visions contradicted their practices and how they also stuck to their visions even when they were confronted with or had the possibility to collect information that would challenge those visions. I suggest, based on these observations, that the managers deliberately and actively avoided using or collecting relevant information that could potentially lead to transformative practices, which engendered what I call ‘wilful managerial ignorance’. I further suggest that ‘symbolic work’, which refers to the active and continuous separation of verbal activity (symbol) and concrete practices (objective referent), is a determining factor in wilful managerial ignorance. Since wilful managerial ignorance and symbolic work prevent the productive and transformative integration of different institutional contexts it is possible to link it to the concept of ‘decoupling’. As a result, I propose that wilful managerial ignorance and symbolic work are micro-determinants which facilitate the decoupling of organizationally relevant institutional contexts.
Petro-masculinity: Fossil Fuels and Authoritarian Desire
Authors: Daggett Cara
Published: June 2018

As the planet warms, new authoritarian movements in the West are embracing a toxic combination of climate denial, racism and misogyny. Rather than consider these resentments separately, this article interrogates their relationship through the concept of petro-masculinity, which appreciates the historic role of fossil fuel systems in buttressing white patriarchal rule. Petro-masculinity is helpful to understanding how the anxieties aroused by the Anthropocene can augment desires for authoritarianism. The concept of petro-masculinity suggests that fossil fuels mean more than profit; fossil fuels also contribute to making identities, which poses risks for post-carbon energy politics. Moreover, through a psycho-political reading of authoritarianism, I show how fossil fuel use can function as a violent compensatory practice in reaction to gender and climate trouble.
Airbnb and the rent gap: Gentrification through the sharing economy
Authors: Wachsmuth David , Weisler Alexander
Published: June 2018

Airbnb and other short-term rental services are a topic of increasing concern for urban researchers, policymakers, and activists, because of the fear that short-term rentals are facilitating gentrification. This article presents a framework for analyzing the relationship between short-term rentals and gentrification, an exploratory case study of New York City, and an agenda for future research. We argue that Airbnb has introduced a new potential revenue flow into housing markets which is systematic but geographically uneven, creating a new form of rent gap in culturally desirable and internationally recognizable neighborhoods. This rent gap can emerge quickly—in advance of any declining property income—and requires minimal new capital to be exploited by a range of different housing actors, from developers to landlords, tenants, and homeowners. Performing spatial analysis on three years of Airbnb activity in New York City, we measure new capital flows into the short-term rental market, identify neighborhoods whose housing markets have already been significantly impacted by short term, identify neighborhoods which are increasingly under threat of Airbnb-induced gentrification, and estimate the amount of rental housing lost to Airbnb. Finally, we conclude by offering a research agenda on gentrification and the sharing economy.
Comparison of computational fluid dynamics and mass-conserving approaches for annual energy production (AEP) evaluation: Part I: analysis of a standard wake model and wind speed/power curve implementations
Authors: Silva Adaiana F Gomes da , Zaparoli Edson Luiz , Andrade Cláudia R
Published: June 2018

A variety of microscale numerical approaches are available nowadays for high-resolution local flow characterization, differing on accuracy according to the application and on computational effort. In this study, a mass-conserving and a computational fluid dynamics wind flow model were compared using openWind and WindSim tools. The flow over an idealized terrain, perfectly flat with uniform surface roughness, was simulated with equivalent setup in both models to evaluate the implementation of turbine power curve and of a wake model, avoiding terrain effects. In this flat terrain, both approaches provided the same (uniform) speed-up field. Wind turbines were distributed over the domain in different arrays and spacing layouts. The power curve implementation, analyzed through gross annual energy production estimates, showed similar results in these tools. For net annual energy production, a maximum difference of 2.6% was found, showing small sensitivity regarding the same wake model implementation. The models herein employed may be considered equivalent for terrain-independent cases.
Exploring the Impact of Different Cut-off Times on Isochrone Measurements of Accessibility
Authors: Xi Yang (Luna) , Miller Eric J. , Saxe Shoshanna
Published: June 2018

Isochrone analysis and assessments of cumulative opportunities are a common way to quantify accessibility. However, different time cut-offs have been used by different researchers, with little investigation into what is the ‘best’ cut-off time. Outstanding questions remain concerning the most effective or predictive cut-off time and the potential implications of choosing one time limit over another. The primary objective of this paper is to explore how different cut-off times affect the calculation of isochrone-based accessibility measurements and their potential to predict travel-mode choice. Fifty dissemination areas (DAs) within the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) are selected to test the impact of different isochrone cut-off times in 5-minute intervals for public transit, automobile, and walking accessibility. The relative predictive power of 30- and 45-minute isochrones in modeling mode choice is also examined. This paper finds that different cut-off times do impact the interpretability of accessibility measurements in the isochrone approach, but a defined cut-off time for general use cannot be determined based on the analysis.
Therapeutic Effects of the Addition of Platelet-Rich Plasma to Bioimplants and Early Rehabilitation Exercise on Articular Cartilage Repair
Authors: Chang Nai-Jen , Erdenekhuyag Yanjmaa , Chou Pei-Hsi , Chu Chih-Jou , Lin Chih-Chan , Shie Ming-You
Published: June 2018

Background:

Treating articular cartilage lesions is clinically challenging. However, whether the addition of autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to bioimplants along with early rehabilitation exercise provides therapeutic effects and regenerates the osteochondral defect remains uninvestigated.

Hypothesis:

The addition of PRP to a polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) scaffold along with continuous passive motion (CPM) in osteochondral defects may offer beneficial in situ microenvironment changes to facilitate hyaline cartilage and subchondral bone tissue repair.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

In 26 rabbits, 52 critical osteochondral defects were created in bilateral femoral trochlear grooves. The rabbits were allocated to 1 of the following 3 groups: PRP gel (PG group), PRP + PLGA scaffold (PP group), and PRP + PLGA scaffold + CPM (PPC group). At 4 and 12 weeks after surgery, the specimens were assessed by a macroscopic examination, a histological evaluation with immunohistochemical staining, and micro–computed tomography.

Results:

The PPC group exhibited the most favorable therapeutic outcomes in terms of hyaline cartilage regeneration. At week 4, the PPC group exhibited significantly higher levels of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and collagen (COL) II and modest increases in COL I, matrix metalloproteinase–3 (MMP-3), and inflammatory cells with tumor necrosis factor–alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). At week 12, the PPC group had significantly higher tissue repair scores, corresponding to a sound articular cartilage surface and chondrocyte and collagen arrangement. This group demonstrated restored hyaline cartilage and mineralized bone volume per tissue volume, which had an integrating structure in the repair site. However, the PG and PP groups exhibited mainly fibrous tissue and fibrocartilage, corresponding to higher expressions of COL I, TNF-α, IL-6, and MMP-3.

Conclusion:

PRP with a PLGA graft along with early CPM exercise is promising for the repair of osteochondral defects in rabbit knee joints.

Clinical Relevance:

This study demonstrates the efficacy of a triad therapy involving the addition of PRP to bioimplants along with early CPM intervention for hyaline cartilage and subchondral regeneration. However, PRP alone (with or without PLGA implants) is limited to osteochondral defect repair without significant regeneration.
Does Introducing Public Funding for Allied Health Psychotherapy Lead to Reductions in Private Insurance Claims? Lessons for Canada from the Australian Experience
Authors: Diminic Sandra , Bartram Mary
Published: June 2018

Objective:

Provincial and territorial governments are considering how best to improve access to psychotherapy from the current patchwork of programmes. To achieve the best value for money, new funding needs to reach a wider population rather than simply replacing services funded through insurance benefits. We considered lessons for Canada from the relative uptake of private insurance and public funding for allied health psychotherapy in Australia.

Method:

We analysed published administrative claims data from 2003–2004 to 2014–2015 on Australian privately insured psychologist services, publicly insured psychotherapy under the ‘Better Access’ initiative, and public grant funding for psychotherapy through the ‘Access to Allied Psychological Services’ programme. Utilisation was compared to the prevalence of mental disorders and treatment rates in the 2007 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing.

Results:

The introduction of public funding for psychotherapy led to a 52.1% reduction in private insurance claims. Costs per session were more than double under private insurance and likely contributed to individuals with private coverage choosing to instead access public programmes. However, despite substantial community unmet need, we estimate just 0.4% of the population made private insurance claims in the 2006–2007 period. By contrast, from its introduction, growth in the utilisation of Better Access quickly dwarfed other programmes and led to significantly increased community access to treatment.

Conclusions:

Although insurance in Canada is sponsored by employers, psychology claims also appear surprisingly low, and unmet need similarly high. Careful consideration will be needed in designing publicly funded psychotherapy programmes to prepare for the high demand while minimizing reductions in private insurance claims.
A novel method for the removal of epoxy coating from waste printed circuit board
Authors: Senophiyah-Mary J , Loganath R , Meenambal T
Published: June 2018

The printed circuit board, which is the heart of all electronic devices, is a rich source of metal, which could act as a future resource. Bioleaching, a biological treatment, would be an appropriate method for the environmentally sound management of e-waste. Various strippers are used to remove the epoxy coating and it is harmful to remove the epoxy coating with those solvents and salts in the open because of the presence of brominated flame retardants on the surface of the printed circuit board, which leads to serious health issues. An alternate process is required to remove the epoxy coating thereby enhancing the bioleaching process. Sonication is the process of applying sound energy to agitate particles in a solvent bath. The combined process of sonication and solvent stripping in a closed environment could decrease the time for stripping the epoxy coating. An attempt has been made to optimise the stripping agent for the removal of epoxy coating and from the experiment it was found that bath sonication could easily remove the epoxy coating from the waste printed circuit board with no emission of toxic gases. An optimum time of 5 min was enough for the stripping process prior to the soak time of 8 h at 5 N NaOH solution, while a longer time and high concentration of chemicals would be required to remove the epoxy coating with usual methods.
Intimate Partner Violence and Breastfeeding Outcomes in a Sample of Low-Income Women
Authors: Miller-Graff Laura E. , Ahmed Azza H. , Paulson Julia L.
Published: June 2018

Background:

Intimate partner violence has been related to breastfeeding difficulties. Few studies, however, have also accounted for other biopsychosocial risk factors associated with women’s breastfeeding.

Research aim:

This study aimed to examine how prenatal intimate partner violence affects women’s breastfeeding initiation, early cessation, and exclusivity at 6 weeks postpartum, controlling for perinatal health problems, prenatal depression, childhood adverse experiences, and prenatal breastfeeding education.

Methods:

A longitudinal, prospective one-group study was conducted. Data were collected via interview and survey from a sample of low-income pregnant women ( N = 101) during pregnancy and at 6 weeks postpartum. The Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System was used to assess breastfeeding behaviors, prenatal breastfeeding education, and perinatal health problems. Intimate partner violence was assessed using the Conflict Tactics Scales–Revised; adverse childhood experiences and depression were assessed using the Adverse Childhood Experiences and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, respectively.

Results:

Women’s breastfeeding initiation was predicted by prenatal breastfeeding education (adjusted odds ratio [ OR] = 3.21, p < .05). Early breastfeeding cessation was predicted by prenatal exposure to intimate partner violence (adjusted OR = 0.22, p < .05), preterm labor (adjusted OR = 0.33, p < .05), and prenatal breastfeeding education (adjusted OR = 1.80, p < .05).

Conclusion:

These findings highlight the importance of addressing biopsychosocial risk factors, particularly adversity and perinatal health, in efforts to promote women’s breastfeeding success. Future research should evaluate mechanisms that may explain the link between intimate partner violence and breastfeeding cessation.
Sensitivity investigations of the automated lane-change manoeuvre – selected issues
Authors: Gidlewski Mirosław , Jemioł Leszek , Żardecki Dariusz
Published: June 2018

This article presents fragments of authors’ research works regarding the automation of the process of lane-change manoeuvre by a car. The mathematical model of the conceptual automatic control system was elaborated on the basis of the simplified ‘bicycle model’ of a car’s lateral dynamics. From a theoretical point of view, the controller’s algorithm seems to be very efficient but of course it requires testing with a car in many operating conditions. Such investigations could be carried out using a very detailed model of the vehicle’s motion treated as a virtual object of control. The purpose of extensive simulation investigations was to check the controller’s operation and evaluate its sensitivity to changes in the vehicle and road parameters. This article presents unpublished results of studies on the sensitivity of errors in measured signals. In simulation-based sensitivity investigations, special sensitivity indexes support this analysis. The analysis provides more reliable conclusions about the performance of the controller and shows the required accuracy of the measured signals. The article presents information on the models, the method used and the sample research results. The presented method of automatic control and its testing method can be an attractive proposition for designers and researchers of active steering systems that enhance the active safety of vehicles.
Is lung ultrasonography a useful method to diagnose children with community-acquired pneumonia in emergency settings?
Authors: Çağlar Aykut , Ulusoy Emel , Er Anıl , Akgül Fatma , Çitlenbik Hale , Yılmaz Durgül , Duman Murat
Published: June 2018

Background:

Lung ultrasonography is a new method for diagnosing community-acquired pneumonia. Lung ultrasonography has some advantages over chest X-ray, such as lack of ionizing radiation risk, bedside performance, and cost-effectiveness.

Objectives:

In this study, we aimed to determine the feasibility of lung ultrasonography in emergency settings in children with community-acquired pneumonia.

Methods:

The study included patients younger than 18 years of age with suspicion of community-acquired pneumonia. On the first evaluation, patients with positive clinical and/or chest X-ray findings were defined to have community-acquired pneumonia, and this was accepted as the gold standard. The chest X-rays were evaluated by the chief of the pediatric emergency department, who was blinded to the patients and the lung ultrasonography results. Lung ultrasonography was performed by another pediatric emergency physician who was also blinded to the chest X-ray results and clinical findings such as fever, respiratory distress, rales, and wheezing.

Results:

Of the 91 patients enrolled, 71 (78.0%) were diagnosed with community-acquired pneumonia based on clinical and chest X-ray findings. The median (interquartile range) duration of the lung ultrasonography procedure was 4.0 (3.5–6.0) min. Shred sign, air bronchogram, and hepatization were significantly more frequent in the patients with community-acquired pneumonia ( p < 0.01, p < 0.01, and p = 0.01, respectively). Sensitivity and specificity of lung ultrasonography were 78.5% (67.1–87.4) and 95.2% (76.1–99.8), respectively.

Conclusion:

Lung ultrasonography is a useful diagnostic method for children with suspicion of community-acquired pneumonia.
A short report on the acquisition of point-of-care ultrasound skills and knowledge by the ambulance personnel in Hong Kong
Authors: Hon Suet , Fan Min , Leung Ling-Pong , Mok Ka-Leung , Kwok Kin-Man
Published: June 2018

Background:

Point-of-care ultrasound plays an important role in patient management in the prehospital setting. Prehospital ultrasound training for the paramedics has been developed in the West for many years. However, the present training curriculum for the local ambulance personnel does not include point-of-care ultrasound. This study is the first of its kind in Hong Kong on the feasibility of teaching ambulance personnel how to perform focused assessment with sonography in trauma by a 1-day course.

Objective:

It aimed to assess whether the ultrasound-naïve ambulance personnel could acquire the skills and knowledge of point-of-care ultrasound following a tailor-made training programme.

Methods:

This was a prospective observational study. The training programme was a 1-day course consisted of didactic lectures and hands-on practice. Each participant was assessed by a written test and a skills test. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the ambulance personnel and their results of the written and skills test. Significance testing was by Mann–Whitney U test and Spearman correlation test where appropriate.

Results:

Seventeen members of Ambulance Service Institute (Hong Kong Branch) participated in the programme. All of them currently are the ambulance personnel and they joined the programme via the captioned institute. Enrollment was voluntary. The median score in the written test was 20 out of 25. The median time to complete the four views of the focused assessment with sonography in trauma scan was 3.4 min. There was no significant relationship between test performance and educational background and work experience of the ambulance personnel.

Conclusion:

Training the local ambulance personnel point-of-care ultrasound is feasible. Their acquisition of skills and knowledge of point-of-care ultrasound after a 1-day course was satisfactory.
Examining Interventions Designed to Support Shared Decision Making and Subsequent Patient Outcomes in Palliative Care: A Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: Baik Dawon , Cho Hwayoung , Masterson Creber Ruth M.
Published: June 2018

Background:

Shared decision making (SDM) is a key attribute of patient-centered care, which empowers palliative care patients to be able to make optimal medical decisions about end-of-life treatments based on their own values and preferences.

Aim:

The aim of this systematic literature review is to detail and compare interventions supporting SDM over the last 10 years (January 2008 to December 2017) and to analyze patient/caregiver outcomes at the end of life.

Methods:

This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched with key search terms: SDM, decision aid, decision support, palliative care, and hospice care. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool was used to assess the quality of the included studies.

Results:

The initial search yielded 2705 articles, and 12 studies were included in the final review. The quality of the studies was modest and technology-enabled delivery modes (e.g., video, DVD, web-based tool) were most commonly used. Patient/caregiver knowledge of end-of-life care was the most common primary outcome across studies. The strength of the association between the SDM interventions and patient/caregiver outcomes varied.

Conclusion:

The findings from the studies that examined the effects of the SDM intervention on patient outcomes were inconsistent, highlighting the need for further SDM intervention studies among diverse patient populations using consistent measures. Given the availability of health technologies, future studies should focus on developing individual-tailored, technology-enabled interventions to support patient-centered medical decision making.
Experimental validation of a robust model-based balancing approach
Authors: Carvalho Vinícius N , Dourado Arinan De P , Rende Bruno RF , Cavalini Aldemir Ap , Steffen Valder
Published: June 2018

Balancing procedures are periodically applied to rotating machines to reduce vibration amplitudes, thus keeping the system operating within acceptable safety limits. Various methods have been developed to balance rotating machines, such as the so-called signal-based balancing techniques. This paper presents the experimental validation of a balancing approach dedicated to rotating machines. This approach is based on a representative mathematical model of the system and it first performs the model updating of the machine. The unbalance condition is obtained through the solution of an inverse problem by taking into account the uncertain parameters of the rotor that can affect the balancing result. This robust balancing methodology is performed by considering a mono-objective optimization method in which the uncertain parameters are represented by random variables. In the present contribution, only the unbalance distribution along the rotor is considered as uncertain information. For this aim, uncertainty was modeled as a Gaussian field and was represented by Monte Carlo simulations. The corresponding experimental investigation considers a rotor system composed of a horizontal steel shaft, three discs, and two self-alignment ball bearings. The obtained results demonstrate that the proposed approach is an effective alternative for the balancing of rotating machines.
Characterizing the Placebo Response in Adults With ADHD
Authors: Ben-Sheetrit Joseph , Peskin Miriam , Newcorn Jeffrey H. , Daniely Yaron , Shbiro Liat , Rotem Ann , Weizman Abraham , Manor Iris
Published: June 2018

Objective: Several ADHD pharmacological trials reported high placebo response (PR) rates. This study aims to characterize the PR in adult ADHD. Method: A retrospective cohort analysis of the placebo arm (140 adults with ADHD, 18-55 yrs, M:F 46.4%-53.6%) of a 6-week randomized, multicenter, double-blind metadoxine study, using Conners’ Adult ADHD Rating Scale (CAARS) and the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS), was conducted. Results: Pre–post changes in placebo-treated adults were significant for both the CAARS and ASRS, F(2.9, 404.5) = 61.2, p < .00001, F(2.8, 383.0) = 43.1, p < .00001, respectively. Less than half of the participants had a PR which began early in treatment and persisted; almost 50% had a variable, inconsistent PR. Conclusion: In the current sample, PR in adult ADHD was prominent on both symptom scales and the investigator–rater instrument. Therefore, using investigator ratings as a primary endpoint does not necessarily attenuate PR. Of note, about half of the PR is variable, suggesting unreliable determination of efficacy.