bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Involvement that makes an impact on healthcare: Perceptions of the Swedish public
Authors: Fredriksson Mio , Eriksson Max , Tritter Jonathan Q.
Published: November 2017

Aim: ‘Participation and influence in society’ is the first of 11 objective domains in Swedish public health policy. The aim of this article is to investigate the views of the Swedish general population on the impact of a range of health participation activities, and whether these views were associated with sociodemographic characteristics. Methods: The study utilizes a national representative survey of the Swedish population, aged 15 years and over ( n = 1500). Results: Apart from voting in regional elections – which most of the respondents believed to be an influential way to make improvements in healthcare (74%) – respondents believed more in individual patient activities than activities associated with adopting a citizen role and acting collectively. A majority of respondents believed in the impact of replying to patient surveys (67%), making a complaint (61%), talking directly to staff (58%) or changing their healthcare provider (54%). Fewer believed in the impact of joining a patient organization (46%), taking part in a citizen council (35%) or joining a political party (34%). Beliefs in impact increased with educational attainment and decreased with age. Conclusions: The results suggest people have more confidence in the impact of participating as individual patients rather than collectively and as citizens. To ensure that activities enable ‘participation and influence in society’, complementary opportunities for collective involvement that also take into account under-represented voices such as those with a low level of education need to be developed.
mHealth technologies for osteoarthritis self-management and treatment: A systematic review
Authors: Choi Wonchan , Zheng Hua , Franklin Patricia , Tulu Bengisu
Published: November 2017

Osteoarthritis is a common chronic disease that can be better treated with the help of self-management interventions. Mobile health (mHealth) technologies are becoming a popular means to deliver such interventions. We reviewed the current state of research and development of mHealth technologies for osteoarthritis self-management to determine gaps future research could address. We conducted a systematic review of English articles and a survey of apps available in the marketplace as of 2016. Among 117 unique articles identified, 25 articles that met our inclusion criteria were reviewed in-depth. The app search identified 23 relevant apps for osteoarthritis self-management. Through the synthesis of three research themes (osteoarthritis assessment tools, osteoarthritis measurement tools, and osteoarthritis motion monitoring tools) that emerged from the current knowledge base, we provide a design framework to guide the development of more comprehensive osteoarthritis mHealth apps that facilitate self-management, decision support, and shared decision-making.
Five advantages of skill
Authors: Patchett Merle , Mann Joanna
Published: November 2017

In this Special Issue we explore and extend conceptions, characterisations, and applications of skill within and beyond geography. Framed by the question: “where is skill located?”, the papers assembled do not just explore where skilled practice ‘takes place’, its sites and situations, but also prompt a deeper ontological and epistemological rethinking of skill. And it is this rethinking of skill that is at stake in our editorial. In what follows, we map out this rethinking and introduce the five advantages of skill that the papers develop. Firstly, skill is practical in that it is concerned with the actual doing or use of something with accomplishment. Secondly, skill is processual in that the skilled practitioner works emergently and responsively rather than rubrically and successionally. Thirdly, skill is technical in that it involves not just techniques of the body but encompasses what Bernard Stiegler calls the ‘originary technicity’ of the body. Fourthly, skill is ecological in that it is not of the individual body, but of the entire field of relations that make practice possible. And finally, skill is political in that there is a continuous flow between the micro – (that which is emergent) and macro – (that which exists more concretely and can be represented) politics of practice.
The Literary Structure of the Books of Samuel: Setting the Stage for a Coherent Reading
Authors: Avioz Michael
Published: November 2017

The attempt to identify the structure of the books of Samuel is one of the most vexing topics in past and present research. The problem is common to both synchronic and diachronic methods. Diachronic methods usually divide the books into smaller blocks assuming different levels of redaction. Synchronic methods assume that the books of Samuel is a work of art, unified in its content, messages and characterization. Common to these methods is the great diversity of opinions with regard to its structure. This article provides both a survey and a critique of modern commentaries on Samuel, as well as specific studies dealing with the structure of Samuel. It surveys the matter from the beginning of the twentieth century to the present.
From representational to parametric and algorithmic interactions: A panorama of Digital Architectural Design teaching in Latin America
Authors: de Vasconselos Tássia Borges , Sperling David
Published: November 2017

This study focuses on the context of graphic representation technologies and digital design on Architectural teaching in Latin America. From categories proposed by Oxman and Kotnik and through a mapping study framed by a systematic review in CumInCAD database, it is presented a panorama of the state-of-art of the digital design on Architectural teaching in the region, between 2006 and 2015. The results suggest a context of coexistence of representational interaction and parametric interaction, as well as a transition from one to another and the emergence of the first experiments in algorithmic interaction. As this mapping shows an ongoing movement toward Digital Architectural Design in Latin America in the last decade, and points out its dynamics in space in time, it could contribute to strengthen a crowdthinking network on this issue in the region and with other continents.
Serum cystatin C is associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes: A retrospective study
Authors: Chung Yu Kyung , Lee Young Ju , Kim Kye Whon , Cho Ryu Kyoung , Chung Seung Min , Moon Jun Sung , Yoon Ji Sung , Won Kyu Chang , Lee Hyoung Woo
Published: November 2017

Background:

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the serum cystatin C level and cardiovascular disease risk in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods:

We studied 523 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and calculated estimated 10-year risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (%). Subclinical atherosclerosis was defined as brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity ⩾1700 ms, indicating the presence of arterial stiffness.

Results:

Cystatin C level was significantly higher in the subclinical atherosclerosis group (brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity ⩾ 1700 ms) than in the non-subclinical atherosclerosis group (brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity < 1700 ms) (7.54 ± 3.15 mg/L vs 10.04 ± 5.12 mg/L, p < 0.001). Subclinical atherosclerosis was mainly determined by age, duration of diabetes and cystatin C level, but not by serum creatinine, 10-year risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease score and estimated glomerular filtration rate in the multiple linear regression analysis. In addition, an increase in cystatin C level was independently associated with the risk of subclinical atherosclerosis after adjusting for age, sex, duration of diabetes, smoking, hypertension, 10-year risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk score, serum creatinine level, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and haemoglobin A1c (odds ratio = 1.200, 95% confidence interval: 1.04–1.38, p = 0.011).

Conclusion:

Serum cystatin C level was significantly associated with subclinical atherosclerosis. This result suggests that an increase in cystatin C level could be a valuable surrogate marker for the risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Local Radiotherapy Affects Drug Pharmacokinetics—Exploration of a Neglected but Significant Uncertainty of Cancer Therapy
Authors: Chen Yu-Jen , Tsai Tung-Hu , Wang Li-Ying , Hsieh Chen-Hsi
Published: November 2017

Purpose:

Concurrent chemoradiation therapy is the mainstay of treatment for many types of malignancies. However, concurrent chemoradiation therapy is associated with a greater number of systemic adverse effects than radiotherapy or chemotherapy alone.

Pharmacokinetics is the study of a drug and/or its metabolite kinetics in the body, including absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination. The incidences of adverse effects are markedly higher in patients who receive concurrent chemoradiation therapy than in those who receive either radiotherapy or chemotherapy alone. This phenomenon implies that irradiation affects the pharmacokinetics of cytotoxic agents, namely the radiotherapy–pharmacokinetic phenomenon. Experimental animal studies have shown that local irradiation affects the systemic pharmacokinetics of 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin at both low dose (simulating generous dose distributed to normal tissues) and daily practice dose (mimicking therapeutic dose to target volumes). These effects are significant in the circulation of blood and lymphatic system as well as in the hepatobiliary excretion. Furthermore, recent studies have demonstrated that matrix metalloproteinase-8 plays an important role in the radiotherapy–pharmacokinetic phenomenon.

Conclusion:

In the present review, we provide a general overview of the radiotherapy–pharmacokinetic phenomenon and discuss the possible mechanisms governing the phenomenon.
The TWIST Algorithm Predicts Time to Walking Independently After Stroke
Authors: Smith Marie-Claire , Barber P. Alan , Stinear Cathy M.
Published: November 2017

Background and Objective. The likelihood of regaining independent walking after stroke is of concern to patients and their families and influences hospital discharge planning. The objective of this study was to explore factors that could be combined in an algorithm for predicting whether and when a patient will walk independently after stroke. Methods. Adults with new lower limb weakness were recruited within 3 days of having a stroke. Clinical assessment, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and magnetic resonance imaging were completed 1 to 2 weeks poststroke. Classification and regression tree (CART) analysis was used to identify factors that predicted whether a patient achieved independent walking by 6 or 12 weeks, or remained dependent at 12 weeks. Results. We recruited 41 patients (24 women; median age 72 years, range 43-96 years). The CART analysis results were used to create the Time to Walking Independently after STroke (TWIST) algorithm, which made accurate predictions for 95% of patients. Patients with a trunk control test score >40 at 1 week walked independently within 6 weeks. Patients with a trunk control test score <40 only achieved independent walking by 12 weeks if they also had hip extension strength of Medical Research Council grade 3 or more. Neurophysiological and neuroimaging measures did not predict independent walking after stroke. Conclusions. In this exploratory study, the TWIST algorithm accurately predicted whether and when an individual patient walked independently after stroke using simple bedside measures 1 week poststroke. Further work is required to develop and validate this algorithm in a larger study.
Battle damage assessment of surface warship formation based on improved gray relational analysis
Authors: Xie Zhuojie , Wang Yuhui , Wu Qingxian
Published: November 2017

The paper analyzes the pros and cons of classical gray relational analysis on solving multi-target and multi-attribute problems, and presents an improved gray relational model to assess the battle damage of surface warship formations. First, with an entropy method and analytic hierarchy process, the subjective and objective weights of the index attributes are determined, respectively, and then they are combined with the product method to obtain the combined weight. Second, to make full use of the information carried by the index attributes, a polygon area formed by the adjacent points of the reference sequence curve and alternative sequence curve is used as gray relational coefficient. Third, by combining with the combined weight and the gray relational coefficients, an improved gray relational degree is thus determined. Finally, the numerical results illustrate that the battle damage assessment is generally consistent with the assessment results of experts, and the achieved result will provide important information to make a correct decision for carrying out a next strike.
“Satan is Black” – Frantz Fanon’s Juridico-Theology of Racialisation and Damnation
Authors: Koram Kojo
Published: November 2017

Recent critical legal scholarship has shown the significance of colonialism for emergence of modern international law.1 Paralleling, sometimes interweaving, with this post-colonial/decolonial reading has been a “religious turn” in which scholars highlight the persistence of the theological-political within the ostensible secularity of law.2 Frantz Fanon has much to offer both lines of scholarship. This article revisits the work of Fanon so as to illuminate the significance of his understanding of colonized/racialized identities as “damned” for contemporary juridical scholarship. Fanon’s Les Damnés de la Terre, when read alongside the canonical literary account of the “fall,” John Milton’s Paradise Lost, offers an account of the juridico-theological process constructing an ideal of “humanity” through turning particular subjects into deific surrogates and others into the “damned.” This article develops understandings of postcolonial/decolonial international law, international law and political/juridical theology as well as critiquing the “humanitarianism” of contemporary international legal discourse. Moreover, it helps to establish the necessity of reading Fanon as a thinker of cross-disciplinary significance.
Communication-based behaviour support for adults with intellectual disabilities receiving dental care: A focus group study exploring dentists’ decision-making and communication
Authors: Phadraig Caoimhin Mac Giolla , Griffiths Colin , McCallion Philip , McCarron Mary , Nunn June
Published: November 2017

A better understanding of how communication-based behaviour supports are applied with adults with intellectual disabilities may reduce reliance on restrictive practices such as holding, sedation and anaesthesia in dentistry. In this study, we explore how communication is used by dentists who provide treatment for adults with intellectual disabilities. A descriptive qualitative study, adopting synchronous online focus groups, was undertaken with six expert dentists in Ireland. Members were contacted again in pairs or individually for further data collection, analysed using thematic content analysis. Two relevant categories emerged from the data, relating to the selection and application of communication-based behaviour support for adults with intellectual disabilities. Decision-making processes were explored. Building on these categories, a co-regulating process of communication emerged as the means by which dentists iteratively apply and adapt communicative strategies. This exploration revealed rationalist and intuitive decision-making. Implications for education, practice and research are identified.
Sharing the classroom: A professional development opportunity for teachers and social workers
Authors: Robertson Anne S , McBride Amanda Moore , Chung Saras , Williams Allison
Published: November 2017

This article examines the impact of a service-learning program based on positive youth development and social and emotional learning principles in two high-poverty urban middle schools. A longitudinal mixed-methods design was implemented, and qualitative data analysis yielded unexpected results associated with the professional development of teachers and social workers involved in the program. The data suggests that participation in weekly program sessions for students contributed to positively shifting adults’ perceptions of students, and expanding the repertoire of classroom management strategies, which, in turn, overflowed into other areas of the school culture. This case analysis proposes a theoretical shift to interdisciplinary professional development that incorporates social and emotional learning strategies implemented in the classroom and through service learning as part of a comprehensive program.
Supporters and opponents of Donald Trump respond differently to racial cues: An experimental analysis
Authors: Luttig Matthew D. , Federico Christopher M. , Lavine Howard
Published: November 2017

A number of recent studies suggest that individuals who exhibit high levels of racial animosity strongly support Donald Trump, while racial liberals strongly oppose him. This paper provides a new experimental analysis of the extent to which supporters and opponents of Trump respond differently to race-related stimuli. Specifically, we examine whether attitudes toward Trump moderate the political impact of racial cues in the environment. We find that white Trump supporters randomly exposed to a black (versus a white) man in the context of soliciting their support for a housing-assistance policy were more opposed to the policy, angrier about the policy, and more likely to blame beneficiaries for their situation. The opposite pattern prevailed among whites with unfavorable opinions of Trump. Our results help provide new insight into how Trump supporters and opponents differ in their responses to the salience of race in American politics.
Unilateral changes in walking surface compliance evoke dorsiflexion in paretic leg of impaired walkers
Authors: Skidmore Jeffrey , Artemiadis Panagiotis
Published: November 2017

Introduction

Gait impairments due to stroke impact millions of individuals throughout the world. Despite the growing interest in automating gait therapy with robotic devices, there is no clear evidence that robot-assisted gait therapy is superior to traditional treadmill-based therapy.

Methods

This work investigates the effect of perturbations to the compliance of the walking surface on the paretic leg of impaired walkers. Using a novel robotic device, the variable stiffness treadmill, we apply perturbations to the compliance of the walking surface underneath the non-paretic leg of two hemi-paretic walkers and analyze the kinematic and neuromuscular response of the contralateral (paretic) leg with motion capture and surface electromyography systems.

Results

We present results of evoked muscle activity (predominately tibialis anterior) and increased dorsiflexion in the paretic leg during the swing phase of gait at stiffness values of 60 kN/m and less for all subjects.

Conclusions

This work provides evidence for the first time of reducing the drop-foot effect in the impaired leg of hemiparetic walkers in response to unilateral perturbations to the compliance of the treadmill platform, thus providing direction for targeted robot-assisted gait rehabilitation.
Do Magnetic Resonance Imaging Characteristics of Full-Thickness Rotator Cuff Tears Correlate With Sleep Disturbance?
Authors: Reyes Bryan A. , Hull Brandon R. , Kurth Alexander B. , Kukowski Nathan R. , Mulligan Edward P. , Khazzam Michael S.
Published: November 2017

Background:

Many patients with rotator cuff tears suffer from nocturnal shoulder pain, resulting in sleep disturbance.

Purpose:

To determine whether rotator cuff tear size correlated with sleep disturbance in patients with full-thickness rotator cuff tears.

Study Design:

Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Patients with a diagnosis of unilateral full-thickness rotator cuff tears (diagnosed via magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]) completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), a visual analog scale (VAS) quantifying their shoulder pain, and the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) questionnaire. Shoulder MRI scans were analyzed for anterior-posterior tear size (mm), tendon retraction (mm), Goutallier grade (0-4), number of tendons involved (1-4), muscle atrophy (none, mild, moderate, or severe), and humeral head rise (present or absent). Bivariate correlations were calculated between the MRI characteristics and baseline survey results.

Results:

A total of 209 patients with unilateral full-thickness rotator cuff tears were included in this study: 112 (54%) female and 97 (46%) male (mean age, 64.1 years). On average, shoulder pain had been present for 24 months. The mean PSQI score was 9.8, and the mean VAS score was 5.0. No significant correlations were found between any of the rotator cuff tear characteristics and sleep quality. Only tendon retraction had a significant correlation with pain.

Conclusion:

Although rotator cuff tears are frequently associated with nocturnal pain and sleep disruption, this study demonstrated that morphological characteristics of full-thickness rotator cuff tears, such as size and tendon retraction, do not correlate with sleep disturbance and have little to no correlation with pain levels.
Account-Giving in the Eyes of the Manager: Successful Management of Failing Events in Multinational Organizations (MNOs)
Authors: Ishii Kumi
Published: November 2017

Employees in multinational organizations (MNOs) face differences in accounts provided by other members, yet an inappropriate account could damage the account-giver’s career. This study examines account-giving in the eyes of the manager in an MNO context. A thematic analysis was conducted on the expected account-giving from 23 Japanese and 20 American managers in the United States. The results show that American managers typically view the out-of-control account as appropriate, whereas Japanese managers expect an apology in an untoward situation. In addition, this study gives insights to the apology account expected by Japanese managers. They expect an explicit apology for the lack of immediate communication rather than for the failing project. More interestingly, many Japanese managers expect an implicit form of apologies through self-reflection. Other findings including cultural amalgamation in MNOs and practical implications for MNO members are discussed along with the implications for the existing account taxonomy.
Heritage Place Building Theory, Heritage Impact Assessment and the Role of the Sacred Dimension
Authors: Kimball Michael J.
Published: November 2017

Heritage properties increasingly face a number of core challenges to their management and conservation. Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA), especially that which focuses on UNESCO’s notion of outstanding universal value, effectively identifies threats posed by some of these challenges. However, heritage is not only a potential or actual recipient of negative impacts. Through heritage enterprises—private, non-profit or public entities whose missions include heritage education, management and/or conservation—heritage also impacts its place, that is, the set of relations that includes location, activities, values, objects and contextual communities. Heritage Place Building Theory (HPBT), a participatory approach that comprises four place building orientations and five analytical dimensions, facilitates the development of a reciprocal (bi-directional) HIA protocol, which is better suited to addressing and transforming core challenges to heritage management and conservation. In this article, HPBT and its relevance to a reciprocal HIA are presented and explained. Furthermore, a new, sixth HPBT dimension—the sacred—is defined and explored through a preliminary assessment of two heritage enterprise examples.
Editorial: Gateway to monocyte entry into the brain: CXCR7, the new orchestra conductor
Authors: Douglas Steven D , Spitsin Sergei
Published: November 2017

Discussion on the potential role for CXCR7 as a major signaling pathway for CD14+CD16+ monocyte transmigration across the blood brain barrier, and its therapeutic application for NeuroAIDS.
Foundation News
Authors: Ford Linda
Published: November 2017

Regular news of drought and famine around the world puts the spotlight on the growing stress of global water resources. Water management is a complicated issue. Climate change impacts its availability. Water that is readily available may be contaminated and unsafe for human consumption without significant remediation. Competition among municipal, industrial, and agricultural uses of water creates tension in areas where water is scarce. Responsible management of available resources is instrumental in assuring its long-term availability for humankind.
Introduction to this special section: Reservoir characterization
Authors: Spikes Kyle , Gouveia Wences , Nasser Mosab
Published: November 2017

Reservoir characterization using all available data is a popular topic that involves people and expertise from many different disciplines. Even though reservoir characterization has been used for many years, practitioners, developers, and researchers continually envision and employ different approaches and methods to understand the subsurface complexity and to quantify the associated risk. The components used to characterize the subsurface and forecast reservoir performance include, but are not limited to, rock physics, seismic inversion, geologic and geostatistical modeling, and a renewed emphasis on artificial intelligence tools. In addition, many efforts integrate multiple data types with different scales and resolutions, including geophysical, geologic, and engineering data.
Discriminating lithology and pore fill in hydrocarbon prediction from seismic elastic inversion using absorption attributes
Authors: Hermana Maman , Ghosh Deva P. , Sum Chow Weng
Published: November 2017

Separation of lithology from pore fill remains a daunting task, even if using elastic inversion. This is one of the unsolved problems for hydrocarbon prediction in Malaysian basins because of complexities coupled with lithologic trends and fluid responses, which produce an ambiguity due to equivalences. We address this problem and propose a unique transformation in which decoupling can be achieved. From the output of a constrained elastic inversion, a relationship of VP/VS and new attributes SQp and SQs related to attenuation by linking through rock physics can be derived. They are good proxies for gamma rays (SQp) and resistivity logs (SQs) and can clearly identify the zone of interest with hydrocarbon potential. These attributes can also be used for petrophysical-properties prediction with high accuracy. This breakthrough would have a considerable effect on hydrocarbon prediction and lithology discrimination. Other than being a hydrocarbon and lithology indicator, SQp and SQs can also potentially be used as input for prediction of petrophysical properties such as porosity, net-to-gross, water saturation, and resistivity transform from elastic properties.
Elastic parameter estimation for the identification of sweet spots, Vaca Muerta Formation, Neuquén Basin, Argentina
Authors: Convers Carlos , Hanitzsch Christian , Curia David , Davis Thomas , Tura Ali
Published: November 2017

Early identification of zones with possible good production (“sweet spots”) in shale plays is important to optimize the return on capital investment. Analyzing elastic rock properties helps in the identification of sweet spots in the Vaca Muerta Formation. The vertical and lateral heterogeneity of total organic carbon (TOC) and carbonate content are two critical factors that partly control the geomechanical response of the rock. Unconventional reservoirs have low permeability, making it necessary to define brittle zones to stimulate the rock and induce fractures to produce. This leads to the definition of mineralogy ranges that help discriminate brittle and ductile rock based on rock properties. This study is based on a 3D seismic survey and several vertical pilot wells with full log suites. Horizon interpretations and logs are used to build a low-frequency model that together with prestack seismic data is input for seismic inversion. Inversion results predict Poisson's ratio (v) directly, and TOC, carbonate content, density (ρ), and Young's modulus (E) are obtained through a neural network approach. The product (Eρ) is an alternative parameter to describe brittle rock when ρ cannot be obtained reliably. As elastic parameters, E and v are related to the geomechanical response of the rock, aiding in the discrimination of brittle and ductile rock. An inverse relationship between TOC and E is observed and quantified, but the relationship is very poor with v. Likewise, a direct relationship between carbonate content and E is identified but not with v. E plays the largest role in the identification of brittle rock within the Vaca Muerta Formation. Rock-physics relationships to describe sweet spots (zones with hydrocarbon presence and brittle rock) differ between shale plays around the world. The detailed 3D model from seismic inversion and clustering makes it possible to determine the best zones for placement of schematic horizontal wells.
Glucose-Dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide (GIP) Inhibits Bone Resorption Independently of Insulin and Glycemia
Authors: Christensen Mikkel B , Lund Asger , Calanna Salvatore , Jørgensen Niklas R , Holst Jens J , Vilsbøll Tina , Knop Filip K
Published: November 2017

Context

The gut hormone glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) causes postprandial insulin release and inhibits bone resorption assessed by carboxy-terminal collagen crosslinks (CTX).

Objective

To study if GIP affects bone homeostasis biomarkers independently of insulin release and glycemic level.

Design

Randomized, double-blinded, crossover study with 5 study days.

Patients

Ten male C-peptide-negative patients with type 1 diabetes.

Interventions

On 3 matched days with “low glycemia” (plasma glucose in the interval 3 to 7 mmol/L for 120 minutes), we administered intravenous (IV) GIP (4 pmol × kg−1 × min−1), glucagon-like peptide 1 (1 pmol × kg−1 × min−1), or placebo (saline), and on 2 matched days with “high glycemia” (plasma glucose 12 mmol/L for 90 minutes), we administered either GIP or saline.

Main Outcome Measures

CTX, procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide (P1NP), and parathyroid hormone (PTH).

Results

During low glycemia: GIP progressively suppressed CTX from baseline by up to 59 ± 18% compared with 24 ± 10% during saline infusion (P < 0.0001). Absolute values of P1NP and PTH did not differ between days. During high glycemia: GIP suppressed CTX from baseline by up to 59 ± 19% compared with 7 ± 9% during saline infusion (P < 0.0001). P1NP did not differ between days. GIP suppressed PTH after 60 minutes compared with saline (P < 0.01), but this difference disappeared after 90 minutes.

Conclusions

Short-term GIP infusions robustly reduce bone resorption independently of endogenous insulin secretion and during both elevated and low plasma glucose, but have no effect on P1NP or PTH after 90 minutes.
Phase 1 Study of High-Specific-Activity I-131 MIBG for Metastatic and/or Recurrent Pheochromocytoma or Paraganglioma
Authors: Noto Richard B , Pryma Daniel A , Jensen Jessica , Lin Tess , Stambler Nancy , Strack Thomas , Wong Vivien , Goldsmith Stanley J
Published: November 2017

Context

No therapies are approved for the treatment of metastatic and/or recurrent pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma (PPGL) in the United States.

Objective

To determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of high-specific-activity I-131 meta-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) for the treatment of metastatic and/or recurrent PPGL.

Design

Phase 1, dose-escalating study to determine the MTD via a standard 3 + 3 design, escalating by 37 MBq/kg starting at 222 MBq/kg.

Setting

Three centers.

Patients

Twenty-one patients were eligible, received study drug, and were evaluable for MTD, response, and toxicity.

Intervention

Open-label use of high-specific-activity I-131 MIBG therapy.

Main Outcome Measures

Dose-limiting toxicities, adverse events, radiation absorbed dose estimates, radiographic tumor response, biochemical response, and survival.

Results

The MTD was determined to be 296 MBq/kg on the basis of two observed dose-limiting toxicities at the next dose level. The highest mean radiation absorbed dose estimates were in the thyroid and lower large intestinal wall (each 1.2 mGy/MBq). Response was evaluated by total administered activity: four patients (19%), all of whom received >18.5 GBq of study drug, had radiographic tumor responses of partial response by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors. Best biochemical responses (complete or partial response) for serum chromogranin A and total metanephrines were observed in 80% and 64% of patients, respectively. Overall survival was 85.7% at 1 year and 61.9% at 2 years after treatment. The majority (84%) of adverse events were considered mild or moderate in severity.

Conclusions

These findings support further development of high-specific-activity I-131 MIBG for the treatment of metastatic and/or recurrent PPGL at an MTD of 296 MBq/kg.
Experimentation at Scale
Authors: Muralidharan Karthik , Niehaus Paul
Published: November 2017

This paper makes the case for greater use of randomized experiments “at scale.” We review various critiques of experimental program evaluation in developing countries, and discuss how experimenting at scale along three specific dimensions—the size of the sampling frame, the number of units treated, and the size of the unit of randomization— can help alleviate the concerns raised. We find that program-evaluation randomized controlled trials published over the last 15 years have typically been “small” in these senses, but also identify a number of examples—including from our own work— demonstrating that experimentation at much larger scales is both feasible and valuable.
Population Control Policies and Fertility Convergence
Authors: de Silva Tiloka , Tenreyro Silvana
Published: November 2017

Rapid population growth in developing countries in the middle of the 20th century led to fears of a population explosion and motivated the inception of what effectively became a global population-control program. The initiative, propelled in its beginnings by intellectual elites in the United States, Sweden, and some developing countries, mobilized resources to enact policies aimed at reducing fertility by widening contraception provision and changing family-size norms. In the following five decades, fertility rates fell dramatically, with a majority of countries converging to a fertility rate just above two children per woman, despite large cross-country differences in economic variables such as GDP per capita, education levels, urbanization, and female labor force participation. The fast decline in fertility rates in developing economies stands in sharp contrast with the gradual decline experienced earlier by more mature economies. In this paper, we argue that population-control policies likely played a central role in the global decline in fertility rates in recent decades and can explain some patterns of that fertility decline that are not well accounted for by other socioeconomic factors.
Delivering Public Health Insurance Through Private Plan Choice in the United States
Authors: Gruber Jonathan
Published: November 2017

The United States has seen a sea change in the way that publicly financed health insurance coverage is provided to low-income, elderly, and disabled enrollees. When programs such as Medicare and Medicaid were introduced in the 1960s, the government directly reimbursed medical providers for the care that they provided, through a classic “single payer system.” Since the mid-1980s, however, there has been an evolution towards a model where the government subsidizes enrollees who choose among privately provided insurance options. In the United States, privatized delivery of public health insurance appears to be here to stay, with debates now focused on how much to expand its reach. Yet such privatized delivery raises a variety of thorny issues. Will choice among private insurance options lead to adverse selection and market failures in privatized insurance markets? Can individuals choose appropriately over a wide range of expensive and confusing plan options? Will a privatized approach deliver the promised increases in delivery efficiency claimed by advocates? What policy mechanisms have been used, or might be used, to address these issues? A growing literature in health economics has begun to make headway on these questions. In this essay, I discuss that literature and the lessons for both economics more generally and health care policymakers more specifically.
Drosophila Sister-of-Sex-lethal is a repressor of translation
Authors: Moschall Rebecca , Strauss Daniela , García-Beyaert Marina , Gebauer Fátima , Medenbach Jan
Published: November 2017

The RNA-binding protein Sex-lethal (Sxl) is an important post-transcriptional regulator of sex determination and dosage compensation in female Drosophila. To prevent the assembly of the MSL dosage compensation complex in female flies, Sxl acts as a repressor of male-specific lethal-2 (msl-2) mRNA translation. It uses two distinct and mutually reinforcing blocks to translation that operate on the 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions (UTRs) of msl-2 mRNA, respectively. While 5′ UTR-mediated translational control involves an upstream open reading frame, 3′ UTR-mediated regulation strictly requires the co-repressor protein Upstream of N-ras (Unr), which is recruited to the transcript by Sxl. We have identified the protein Sister-of-Sex-lethal (Ssx) as a novel repressor of translation with Sxl-like activity. Both proteins have a comparable RNA-binding specificity and can associate with uracil-rich RNA regulatory elements present in msl-2 mRNA. Moreover, both repress translation when bound to the 5′ UTR of msl-2. However, Ssx is inactive in 3′ UTR-mediated regulation, as it cannot engage the co-repressor protein Unr. The difference in activity maps to the first RNA-recognition motif (RRM) of Ssx. Conversion of three amino acids within this domain into their Sxl counterpart results in a gain of function and repression via the 3′ UTR, allowing detailed insights into the evolutionary origin of the two proteins and into the molecular requirements of an important translation regulatory pathway.
Chloride in intensive care units: a key electrolyte
Authors: Bandak Ghassan , Kashani Kianoush B.
Published: November 2017

Over the past few years, chloride has joined the league of essential electrolytes for critically ill patients. Dyschloremia can occur secondary to various etiologic factors before and during patient admission in the intensive care unit. Some cases are disease-related; others, treatment-related. Chloride abnormalities were shown in animal models to have adverse effects on arterial blood pressure, renal blood flow, and inflammatory markers, which have led to several clinical investigations. Hyperchloremia was studied in several settings and correlated to different outcomes, including death and acute kidney injury. Baseline hypochloremia, to a much lesser extent, has been studied and associated with similar outcomes. The chloride content of resuscitation fluids was also a subject of clinical research. In this review, we describe the effect of dyschloremia on outcomes in critically ill patients. We review the major studies assessing the chloride content of resuscitation fluids in the critically ill patient.
Continuous outcome logistic regression for analyzing body mass index distributions
Authors: Lohse Tina , Rohrmann Sabine , Faeh David , Hothorn Torsten
Published: November 2017

Body mass indices (BMIs) are applied to monitor weight status and associated health risks in populations.  Binary or multinomial logistic regression models are commonly applied in this context, but are only applicable to BMI values categorized within a small set of defined ad hoc BMI categories.  This approach precludes comparisons with studies and models based on different categories.  In addition, ad hoc categorization of BMI values prevents the estimation and analysis of the underlying continuous BMI distribution and leads to information loss.  As an alternative to multinomial regression following ad hoc categorization, we propose a continuous outcome logistic regression model for the estimation of a continuous BMI distribution.  Parameters of interest, such as odds ratios for specific categories, can be extracted from this model post hoc in a general way.  A continuous BMI logistic regression that describes BMI distributions avoids the necessity of ad hoc and post hoc category choice and simplifies between-study comparisons and pooling of studies for joint analyses.  The method was evaluated empirically using data from the Swiss Health Survey.
Optimization of Battery Charging and Purchasing at Electric Vehicle Battery Swap Stations
Authors: Schneider Frank , Thonemann Ulrich W. , Klabjan Diego
Published: November 2017

An operator of a network of battery swap stations for electric vehicles must make a long-term investment decision on the number of batteries and charging bays in the system and periodic short-term decisions on when and how many batteries to recharge. Both decisions must be made concurrently, because there exists a trade-off between the long-term investment in batteries and charging bays, and short-term expenses for operating the system. Costs for electric energy as well as demand rates for batteries are stochastic: We consider an infinite time horizon for operation of the system. We derive an optimization problem, which cannot be solved optimally in a reasonable time for real world instances. By optimally solving various small problem instances, we show the mechanics of the model and the influence of its parameters on the optimal cost. We then develop a near-optimal solution heuristic based on Monte Carlo sampling following the ideas of approximate dynamic programming for the infinite horizon dynamic program. We show that operating battery swap stations in a network where lateral transshipments are allowed can substantially decrease expected operating costs.

The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/trsc.2017.0781
Effective change management within an Australian community palliative care service
Authors: Dredge Angie , Oates Lyle , Gregory Heidi , King Scott
Published: November 2017

This article attempts to examine and explore the change management process that was undertaken by the community palliative care service at Calvary Health Care Bethlehem, Australia, to challenge the historical practice of prescribing ‘emergency subcutaneous medications’ for all patients admitted to the service. It discusses how, using a team approach, change management was effectively facilitated to ultimately enhance service provision and consumer satisfaction.

Literature (both national and international) was examined to identify the use of emergency medications in the community palliative care setting. The historical practice of all community palliative care patients being prescribed this medication within the Victoria region of Australia was tested, and concerns and misconceptions of staff and referrers were challenged in regards to this practice.

Through working parties, descriptive surveys and staff evaluations, the use of the term ‘emergency medication’ was changed to ‘anticipatory medication’ with clear criteria for usage. Change was undertaken slowly and with continued collaboration of staff to ensure effectiveness. Staff survey results identified that the majority were satisfied with the change, and they considered there to be no impact on the quality of care that their patients were receiving. The natural progression of the project, which resulted in positive quantitative and qualitative results, was the facilitation of an education package for carers to educate them on giving subcutaneous medications to the patient.

By undertaking change that was slow and methodical with clear communication to all, the community palliative care service was able to embed the changes into everyday practice, and the use of anticipatory medications within the Calvary Health Care Bethlehem community palliative care service is now understood, acknowledged, and adhered to by all staff.
Supporting students undertaking the Specialist Practitioner Qualification in District Nursing
Authors: Ginger Tracey , Ritchie Georgina
Published: November 2017

The ever-evolving role of the Specialist Practitioner Qualified District Nurse (SPQDN) presents an increasing number of challenges for Practice Teachers and mentors in preparing SPQDN students for the elevated level clinical and transformational leadership necessary to ensure high-quality patient care. The daily challenges of clinical practice within the community nursing setting in addition to undertaking educational interventions in the clinical arena demand that a structured approach to supervision and mentorship is crucial. Employing learning plans to assess individual students learning needs, prepare plans for educational developments and interventions and evaluate a student's progress can be a helpful tool in aiding the learning journey for both the SPQDN student and Practice Teacher or mentor. This article examines how and why a structured learning plan may be used in supporting learning and competency in achieving the necessary level of practice to meet the requirements of the SPQDN.
Cuba's New Cooperatives
Authors: DuRand Cliff
Published: November 2017

Historians have long documented the ways that capitalism drew its early accumulation from the dispossession of commonly owned resources—a process that continues to this day. Building a socialist society and economy can be thought of as a reversal of this process—a reclaiming of commons. The resources that contribute to human development do so best when shared and governed democratically. This includes not only the forests and fields of the pre-capitalist past, but also education and health care systems, parks and streets, waterways, and the shared culture, knowledge, and productive resources of a society.Click here to purchase a PDF version of this article at the Monthly Review website.
Peningkatan Akurasi Klasifikasi Tingkat Penguasaan Materi Bahan Ajar Menggunakan Jaringan Syaraf Tiruan Dan Algoritma Genetika
Authors: Somantri Oman , Wiyono Slamet
Published: November 2017

Decision support systems can be applied to perform a lecturer's performance assessment. This research aims to develop a hybrid model using the artificial neural network (ANN) and genetic algorithm (GA) that can be implemented and used as a model of decision support data analysis that produce better accuracy, specifically to assess the lecturer's comprehension of their teaching materials. The use of GA in determining the ANN parameter has increased the accuracy from 85.36% to 85.73%. The training cycle is also reduced to 624 from 1000. The use of this JST-GA model can be applied to provide a better lecture's performance assessment system.Sistem pendukung keputusan dapat diterapkan untuk melakukan penilaian kinerja seorang dosen. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengembangkan model hibrid menggunakan jaringan syaraf tiruan (JST) dan algoritma genetika (GA) yang dapat diimplementasikan dan digunakan sebagai model analisis data pendukung keputusan yang menghasilkan akurasi lebih baik, khususnya untuk menilai penguasaan dosen terhadap materi ajar. Penggunaan GA dalam menentukan nilai parameter JST mampu meningkatkan akurasi pengukuran dari 85.36% menjadi 85.73%. Siklus pelatihannya juga berkurang menjadi 624 dari 1000. Penggunaan model JST-GA ini dapat dilakukan ke sistem penilaian kinerja dosen dengan tingkat akurasi yang lebih baik.