bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Two Common MTHFR Gene Polymorphisms (C677T and A1298C) and Fetal Congenital Heart Disease Risk: An Updated Meta-Analysis with Trial Sequential Analysis
Authors: Zhang Rui , Huo Caihong , Wang Xingning , Dang Bo , Mu Yaning , Wang Yuying
Published: March 2018

Background/Aims: Published studies indicated that the MTHFR gene polymorphisms C677T and A1298C are associated with congenital heart disease (CHD) risk in children, but obtained inconsistent results. Our study aims to reach a more accurate association between these two polymorphisms and CHD risk. Methods: Eligible studies were obtained by screening the PubMed, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wan Fang and VIP databases based on designed searching strategy. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. Moreover, a trial sequential analysis was introduced to confirm the positive results and an RNA secondary structure analysis was also applied to discover the potential molecular mechanism. Results: Based on thirty-two published articles, involving 6988 congenital heart disease subjects and 7579 healthy controls, the pooled results from the C677T polymorphism in the fetal population showed increased risks in allelic model (OR=1.32, 95%CI=1.14-1.53), recessive model (OR=1.69, 95%CI=1.25-2.30), dominant model (OR=1.35, 95%CI=1.11-1.64), heterozygote model (OR=1.20, 95%CI=1.01-1.41) and homozygote model (OR=1.75, 95%CI=1.31-2.33). An increased risk was only detected in the A1298C polymorphism in the overall fetal popalation in a recessive model (OR=1.42, 95%CI=1.10-1.84). In the subgroup stratified by region, sample size, genotyping method and source of controls, the increased risks were widely observed in both the C677T and A1298C polymorphisms with CHD risk. Furthermore, trial sequential analysis confirmed our positive results, and the RNA secondary structure analysis detected the changes in the RNA secondary structure caused by the mutant 677T allele and 1298C allele. Conclusion: In summary, we found that the MTHFR C677T polymorphism is associated with a significant increased risk in congenital heart disease in the fetal population. Moreover, an increased risk in the CC genotype of MTHFR A1298C polymorphism was observed, but the protective role of the 1298C allele needs further study.
Presenting Symptoms and Delay in Diagnosis of Gastrointestinal and Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumours
Authors: Basuroy Ron , Bouvier Cathy , Ramage John K. , Sissons Maia , Kent Alexandra , Srirajaskanthan Raj
Published: March 2018

The gastrointestinal tract and pancreas are common primary sites for neuroendocrine tumours (NETs). Patients often report a long duration of non-specific symptoms in the year prior to diagnosis. The aims of this study were, firstly, to establish pre-diagnosis patterns of symptoms, and secondly, to determine the time from onset of symptoms to NET diagnosis and understand the interaction with primary and secondary healthcare providers. A survey was designed on a web-based survey platform with the focus on patient symptoms prior to diagnosis and a screen for functional diarrhoea (Rome III criteria [C4]). A total of 303 responses were received. The median duration from the time of first symptoms to diagnosis was 36 months for small bowel NETs and 24 months for pancreatic NETs. Common first symptoms were pain (36%), flushing (24%), and diarrhoea (24%); 29% of small bowel NET respondents were given an initial diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome. Dyspepsia was the second most common initial incorrect diagnosis. Respondents saw their GP 5 times over a median 18-month period for their symptoms; 31% of patients were diagnosed following unplanned emergency admission. In conclusion, this survey demonstrates a median time to diagnosis of 36 months for patients with small bowel NETs. Incorrect initial diagnosis appears to be very common, with a high number of attendances in primary and secondary care prior to a correct diagnosis being made. An earlier diagnosis may improve patients’ quality of life and possible survival.
Longitudinal Assessment of the Doppler-Estimated Maximum Gradient in Patients With Congenital Valvar Aortic Stenosis Pre- and Post-Balloon Valvuloplasty
Authors: Kuebler Joseph D. , Shivapour Jill , Yaroglu Kazanci Selcen , Gauvreau Kimberlee , Colan Steven D. , McElhinney Doff B. , Brown David W.
Published: March 2018

Background—

Aortic stenosis has been reported to manifest a slow rate of progression in mild disease, with a greater likelihood of progression in patients with moderate-severe disease. The natural history of the Doppler-estimated maximum gradient (DEMG) in patients after balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAVP) has not previously been studied on a large scale.

Methods and Results—

A retrospective review was performed of 360 patients from 1984 to 2012 with aortic stenosis, providing a total of 2059 echocardiograms both before and after BAVP. Patients were excluded if they had an intervention within the first 30 days of life. The relationships between the aortic stenosis DEMG and several predictors (age at initial study, body surface area, valve morphology, and initial DEMG) were explored using linear mixed effect models. Patients with a unicommissural aortic valve had a significantly higher rate of progression compared with those with a bicommissural aortic valve (0.81 and 0.45 mm Hg/year;
P
<0.001). The median rate of progression in the post-BAVP group was significantly lower than the median pre-BAVP rate of progression (n=34; pre-BAVP 3.97 [1.69–8.7] mm Hg/year; post-BAVP 0.40 [−1.80 to 3.88] mm Hg/year;
P
<0.008). When adjusted for body surface area, there was no significant increase in the DEMG (−0.03 mm Hg/m
2
per year;
P
<0.001).

Conclusions—

There is a statistically significant increase in the DEMG over time in patients with aortic stenosis. After balloon dilation, the DEMG rate of change is reduced compared with that pre-dilation. Given the effect of body surface area on DEMG progression, more frequent observation should be made during periods of rapid somatic growth.
Comparison of Cardiac Computed Tomography With Transesophageal Echocardiography for Identifying Vegetation and Intracardiac Complications in Patients With Infective Endocarditis in the Era of 3-Dimensional Images
Authors: Kim In-Cheol , Chang Suyon , Hong Geu-Ru , Lee Seung Hyun , Lee Sak , Ha Jong-Won , Chang Byung-Chul , Kim Young Jin , Shim Chi Young
Published: March 2018

Background—

Recent evolution of cardiac computed tomography (CT) provides useful information about valvular and perivalvular structures. We compared the diagnostic performance of CT and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) with applications of 3-dimensional reconstruction in detecting vegetation and intracardiac complications in patients with infective endocarditis (IE).

Methods and Results—

Seventy-five patients (53 men; age, 58±15 years) with definite IE who underwent TEE and CT with 3-dimensional reconstruction within 3 days were analyzed. The diagnostic performances of the 2 modalities for vegetation and IE-related intracardiac complications (valve perforation, valve aneurysm, perivalvular abscess, pseudoaneurysm, fistula, and prosthetic valve dehiscence) were compared. The detection rate of vegetation in TEE and CT was 97.3% and 72.0%, respectively. The maximum sizes of vegetation identified by TEE and CT were well correlated (
r
=0.593;
P
<0.001), especially in patients with large vegetation (≥10 mm), suggestive of a high risk of systemic embolism (
r
=0.608;
P
<0.001). However, small vegetation (<10 mm) was underdiagnosed by CT (52.8%) compared with TEE (94.4%), and the sizes of the 2 modalities were poorly correlated (
r
=0.187;
P
=0.445). Both modalities showed fair diagnostic performance for detecting IE-related intracardiac complications with excellent agreement. TEE was more useful for diagnosing valve perforation and intracardiac fistula, whereas CT was better for diagnosing perivalvular abscess.

Conclusions—

Cardiac CT shows a comparable diagnostic performance with TEE for large vegetation and several IE-related complications. TEE is better for detecting small vegetation, valve perforation, and intracardiac fistula, whereas CT is more useful for detecting perivalvular abscess and coronary artery disease.
Evaluation of Coronary Artery Stenosis by Quantitative Flow Ratio During Invasive Coronary Angiography
Authors: Westra Jelmer , Tu Shengxian , Winther Simon , Nissen Louise , Vestergaard Mai-Britt , Andersen Birgitte Krogsgaard , Holck Emil Nielsen , Fox Maule Camilla , Johansen Jane Kirk , Andreasen Lene Nyhus , Simonsen Jo Krogsgaard , Zhang Yimin , Kristensen Steen Dalby , Maeng Michael , Kaltoft Anne , Terkelsen Christian Juhl , Krusell Lars Romer , Jakobsen Lars , Reiber Johan H.C. , Lassen Jens Flensted , Bøttcher Morten , Bøtker Hans Erik , Christiansen Evald Høj , Holm Niels Ramsing
Published: March 2018

Background—

Quantitative flow ratio (QFR) is a novel diagnostic modality for functional testing of coronary artery stenosis without the use of pressure wires and induction of hyperemia. QFR is based on computation of standard invasive coronary angiographic imaging. The purpose of WIFI II (Wire-Free Functional Imaging II) was to evaluate the feasibility and diagnostic performance of QFR in unselected consecutive patients.

Methods and Results—

WIFI II was a predefined substudy to the Dan-NICAD study (Danish Study of Non-Invasive Diagnostic Testing in Coronary Artery Disease), referring 362 consecutive patients with suspected coronary artery disease on coronary computed tomographic angiography for diagnostic invasive coronary angiography. Fractional flow reserve (FFR) was measured in all segments with 30% to 90% diameter stenosis. Blinded observers calculated QFR (Medis Medical Imaging bv, The Netherlands) for comparison with FFR. FFR was measured in 292 lesions from 191 patients. Ten (5%) and 9 patients (5%) were excluded because of FFR and angiographic core laboratory criteria, respectively. QFR was successfully computed in 240 out of 255 lesions (94%) with a mean diameter stenosis of 50±12%. Mean difference between FFR and QFR was 0.01±0.08. QFR correctly classified 83% of the lesions using FFR with cutoff at 0.80 as reference standard. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.86 (95% confidence interval, 0.81–0.91) with a sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, and positive predictive value of 77%, 86%, 75%, and 87%, respectively. A QFR–FFR hybrid approach based on the present results enables wire-free and adenosine-free procedures in 68% of cases.

Conclusions—

Functional lesion evaluation by QFR assessment showed good agreement and diagnostic accuracy compared with FFR. Studies comparing clinical outcome after QFR- and FFR-based diagnostic strategies are required.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT02264717.
Computed Tomography Aortic Valve Calcium Scoring in Patients With Aortic Stenosis
Authors: Pawade Tania , Clavel Marie-Annick , Tribouilloy Christophe , Dreyfus Julien , Mathieu Tiffany , Tastet Lionel , Renard Cedric , Gun Mesut , Jenkins William Steven Arthur , Macron Laurent , Sechrist Jacob W. , Lacomis Joan M. , Nguyen Virginia , Galian Gay Laura , Cuéllar Calabria Hug , Ntalas Ioannis , Cartlidge Timothy Robert Graham , Prendergast Bernard , Rajani Ronak , Evangelista Arturo , Cavalcante João L. , Newby David E. , Pibarot Philippe , Messika Zeitoun David , Dweck Marc R.
Published: March 2018

Background—

Computed tomography aortic valve calcium scoring (CT-AVC) holds promise for the assessment of patients with aortic stenosis (AS). We sought to establish the clinical utility of CT-AVC in an international multicenter cohort of patients.

Methods and Results—

Patients with AS who underwent ECG-gated CT-AVC within 3 months of echocardiography were entered into an international, multicenter, observational registry. Optimal CT-AVC thresholds for diagnosing severe AS were determined in patients with concordant echocardiographic assessments, before being used to arbitrate disease severity in those with discordant measurements. In patients with long-term follow-up, we assessed whether CT-AVC thresholds predicted aortic valve replacement and death. In 918 patients from 8 centers (age, 77±10 years; 60% men; peak velocity, 3.88±0.90 m/s), 708 (77%) patients had concordant echocardiographic assessments, in whom CT-AVC provided excellent discrimination for severe AS (C statistic: women 0.92, men 0.89). Our optimal sex-specific CT-AVC thresholds (women 1377 Agatston unit and men 2062 Agatston unit) were nearly identical to those previously reported (women 1274 Agatston unit and men 2065 Agatston unit). Clinical outcomes were available in 215 patients (follow-up 1029 [126–2251] days). Sex-specific CT-AVC thresholds independently predicted aortic valve replacement and death (hazard ratio, 3.90 [95% confidence interval, 2.19–6.78];
P
<0.001) after adjustment for age, sex, peak velocity, and aortic valve area. Among 210 (23%) patients with discordant echocardiographic assessments, there was considerable heterogeneity in CT-AVC scores, which again were an independent predictor of clinical outcomes (hazard ratio, 3.67 [95% confidence interval, 1.39–9.73];
P
=0.010).

Conclusions—

Sex-specific CT-AVC thresholds accurately identify severe AS and provide powerful prognostic information. These findings support their integration into routine clinical practice.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifiers: NCT01358513, NCT02132026, NCT00338676, NCT00647088, NCT01679431.
Venous Thromboembolism Quality Measures Fail to Accurately Measure Quality
Authors: Lau Brandyn D. , Streiff Michael B. , Pronovost Peter J. , Haut Elliott R.
Published: March 2018

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is 1 of the most common causes of preventable harm for patients in hospitals. Consequently, the Joint Commission, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the United Kingdom Care Quality Commission, the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission, and the American College of Surgeons have prioritized measuring and reporting VTE outcomes with the goal of reducing the incidence of and preventable harm from VTE. We developed a rubric for defect-free VTE prevention, graded each organizational VTE quality measure, and found that none of the current VTE-related quality measures adequately characterizes VTE prevention efforts or outcomes in hospitalized patients. Effective VTE prevention is multifactorial: clinicians must assess patients’ risk for VTE and prescribe therapy appropriate for each patient’s risk profile, patients must accept the prescribed therapy, and nurses must administer the therapy as prescribed. First, an ideal, defect-free VTE prevention process measure requires: (1) documentation of a standardized VTE risk assessment; (2) prescription of optimal, risk-appropriate VTE prophylaxis; and (3) administration of all risk-appropriate VTE prophylaxis as prescribed. Second, an ideal VTE outcome measure should define potentially preventable VTE as VTE that developed in patients who experienced any VTE prevention process failures.
Associations of Initial Injury Severity and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Diagnoses With Long-Term Hypertension Risk After Combat Injury
Authors: Howard Jeffrey T. , Sosnov Jonathan A. , Janak Jud C. , Gundlapalli Adi V. , Pettey Warren B. , Walker Lauren E. , Stewart Ian J.
Published: March 2018

The associations between injury severity, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and development of chronic diseases, such as hypertension, among military service members are not understood. We sought to (1) estimate the prevalence and incidence of PTSD within a severely injured military cohort, (2) assess the association between the presence and chronicity of PTSD and hypertension, and (3) determine whether or not initial injury severity score and PTSD are independent risk factors for hypertension. Administrative and clinical databases were used to conduct a retrospective cohort study of 3846 US military casualties injured in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts between February 1, 2002, and February 1, 2011. Development of PTSD and hypertension after combat injury were determined using the
International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision
codes. Multivariable competing risk regression models were used to assess associations between injury severity score, PTSD, and hypertension, while controlling for covariates. Overall prevalence of PTSD was 42.4%, and prevalence of hypertension was 14.3%. Unadjusted risk of hypertension increased significantly with chronicity of PTSD (1–15 diagnoses: hazard ratio, 1.77; 95% confidence interval, 1.46–2.14;
P
<0.001; >15 diagnoses: hazard ratio, 2.29; 95% confidence interval, 1.85–2.84;
P
<0.001) compared with patients never diagnosed with PTSD. The association between injury severity score (hazard ratio, 1.06 per 5-U increment; 95% confidence interval, 1.03–1.10;
P
<0.001) and hypertension was significant, with little change in effect in the multivariable model (hazard ratio, 1.05 per 5-U increment; 95% confidence interval, 1.01–1.09;
P
=0.03). In a cohort of service members injured in combat, we found that chronicity of PTSD diagnoses and injury severity were independent risk factors for hypertension.
Relationship of Sodium Intake and Blood Pressure Varies With Energy Intake
Authors: Murtaugh Maureen A. , Beasley Jeannette M. , Appel Lawrence J. , Guenther Patricia M. , McFadden Molly , Greene Tom , Tooze Janet A.
Published: March 2018

Dietary Na recommendations are expressed as absolute amounts (mg/d) rather than as Na density (mg/kcal). Our objective was to determine whether the strength of the relationship of Na intake with blood pressure (BP) varied with energy intake. The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension)–Sodium trial was a randomized feeding trial comparing 2 diets (DASH and control) and 3 levels of Na density. Participants with pre- or stage 1 hypertension consumed diets for 30 days in random order; energy intake was controlled to maintain body weight. This secondary analysis of 379 non-Hispanic black and white participants used mixed-effects models to assess the association of Na and energy intakes with BP. The relationships between absolute Na and both systolic and diastolic BP varied with energy intake. BP rose more steeply with increasing Na at lower energy intake than at higher energy intake (
P
interaction<0.001). On the control diet with 2300 mg Na, both systolic and diastolic BP were higher (3.0 mm Hg; 95% confidence interval, 0.2–5.8; and 2.7 mm Hg; 95% confidence interval, 1.0–4.5, respectively) among those with lower energy intake (higher Na density) than among those with higher energy intake (lower Na density). The association of Na with systolic BP was stronger at lower levels of energy intake in both blacks and whites (
P
<0.001). The association of Na and diastolic BP varied with energy intake only among blacks (
P
=0.001). Sodium density should be considered as a metric for expressing dietary Na recommendations.
Development and Validation of a Path Length Calculation for Carotid–Femoral Pulse Wave Velocity Measurement
Authors: Weir-McCall Jonathan R. , Brown Liam , Summersgill Jennifer , Talarczyk Piotr , Bonnici-Mallia Michael , Chin Sook C. , Khan Faisel , Struthers Allan D. , Sullivan Frank , Colhoun Helen M. , Shore Angela C. , Aizawa Kunihiko , Groop Leif , Nilsson Jan , Cockcroft John R. , McEniery Carmel M. , Wilkinson Ian B. , Ben-Shlomo Yoav , Houston J. Graeme
Published: March 2018

Current distance measurement techniques for pulse wave velocity (PWV) calculation are susceptible to intercenter variability. The aim of this study was to derive and validate a formula for this distance measurement. Based on carotid femoral distance in 1183 whole-body magnetic resonance angiograms, a formula was derived for calculating distance. This was compared with distance measurements in 128 whole-body magnetic resonance angiograms from a second study. The effects of recalculation of PWV using the new formula on association with risk factors, disease discrimination, and prediction of major adverse cardiovascular events were examined within 1242 participants from the multicenter SUMMIT study (Surrogate Markers of Micro- and Macrovascular Hard End-Points for Innovative Diabetes Tools) and 825 participants from the Caerphilly Prospective Study. The distance formula yielded a mean error of 7.8 mm (limits of agreement =−41.1 to 56.7 mm;
P
<0.001) compared with the second whole-body magnetic resonance angiogram group. Compared with an external distance measurement, the distance formula did not change associations between PWV and age, blood pressure, or creatinine (
P
<0.01) but did remove significant associations between PWV and body mass index (BMI). After accounting for differences in age, sex, and mean arterial pressure, intercenter differences in PWV persisted using the external distance measurement (
F
=4.6;
P
=0.004), whereas there was a loss of between center difference using the distance formula (
F
=1.4;
P
=0.24). PWV odds ratios for cardiovascular mortality remained the same using both the external distance measurement (1.14; 95% confidence interval, 1.06–1.24;
P
=0.001) and the distance formula (1.17; 95% confidence interval, 1.08–1.28;
P
<0.001). A population-derived automatic distance calculation for PWV obtained from routinely collected clinical information is accurate and removes intercenter measurement variability without impacting the diagnostic utility of carotid–femoral PWV.
Assessing Civic Participation Around the World: How Evaluations of Journalists’ Performance Leads to News Use and Civic Participation Across 22 Countries
Authors: Gil de Zúñiga Homero , Diehl Trevor , Ardèvol-Abreu Alberto
Published: March 2018

Very little is known about public perceptions of journalists outside Europe and the United States. Even less is known about the role of these attitudes in sustaining civic life around the world. Using individual and country-level survey data, this study explores public attitudes of press performance and their relationship with news consumption and civic participation in 22 countries. The study argues that the nature of civic and local participatory behaviors is often intertwined with notions about what is “good journalism.” Results suggest that public evaluations of press performance influence news use. News consumption is also tightly related to civic participation, even in markedly divergent cultural contexts. Citizens’ assessment of journalism practice is also a positive moderator of these relationships. This study builds on international comparative work related to the effects of press freedom and journalism practice on stimulating public life.
Amphetamine availability predicts amphetamine-related mental health admissions: A time series analysis
Authors: Sara Grant , Baxter Clifford , Menendez Patricia , Lappin Julia
Published: March 2018

Objective:

Amphetamine use and availability have increased in Australia and there are concerns that this has led to more frequent hospital admissions with amphetamine-related psychosis. This study examines whether amphetamine-related admissions to mental health units are more common at times of greater amphetamine availability.

Methods:

We conducted an ecological study using aggregate crime and health service data for NSW, Australia, from January 2000 to March 2015. Amphetamine-related criminal incidents (arrests or cautions for possession or use) were used as an indirect measure of amphetamine availability. Semiparametric time series analysis was used to compare monthly arrest rates to monthly hospitalisation rates for (1) amphetamine abuse or dependence, (2) amphetamine-related psychosis and (3) any psychosis.

Results:

Amphetamine-related admissions to NSW mental health units have increased four- to fivefold since 2009 and comprised approximately 10% of all admissions to these units in early 2015. There was a significant association between arrests and amphetamine-related admissions. After adjustment for seasonal variation, this effect demonstrated a time lag of 1–2 months. There was no relationship between amphetamine arrests and overall admissions for psychosis.

Conclusion:

Greater amphetamine availability significantly predicts admissions for amphetamine use disorders and amphetamine-related psychosis. Better treatment strategies are needed to break the nexus between drug availability and drug-related harm.
Knowing the Heart of the Stranger: Empathy, Remembrance, and Narrative in Jewish Reception of Exodus 22:21, Deuteronomy 10:19, and Parallels
Authors: Tzoref Shani
Published: March 2018

With its exhortation “You shall also love the stranger ( gēr), for you were strangers ( gērîm) in the land of Egypt” (Deut 10:19), the book of Deuteronomy helps cultivate a healthy and appreciative sense of past hardship, current prosperity, progress, and relative privilege. In contemporary culture, where the term “privilege” has become an unfortunate source of contention, Deuteronomy might point a way for recognition of one’s relative privilege in regard to an Other as a basis for gratitude and responsibility. This essay argues that we have gained “privilege” after having been immigrants and strangers in a strange land. Privilege could become an empowering and challenging exercise of counting one’s blessings and considering how these could be used for the benefit of others, including strangers in our land.
A Gospel on the Move: Practice, Proclamation, and Place in Luke-Acts
Authors: Barreto Eric D.
Published: March 2018

This essay takes up Luke’s invitation to follow the roads Jesus walked and the roads his followers traveled by exploring the literary and theological functions of movement, travel, hospitality, and place in Luke-Acts. These texts can help shape an imagination and communal identity that sees other communities as partners in faithful discernment, not as foreign threats or strange folks one must merely tolerate. In this way, “a gospel on the move” shapes an imagination of welcome, wonder, and embrace when it comes to migrants, immigrants, and other “people on the move.”
Reducing Indigenous Oral Health Inequalities: A Review from 5 Nations
Authors: Tiwari T. , Jamieson L. , Broughton J. , Lawrence H.P. , Batliner T.S. , Arantes R. , Albino J.
Published: March 2018

Indigenous populations around the world experience a disproportionate burden in terms of oral diseases and conditions. These inequalities are likely due to a complex web of social determinants that includes poverty, historical consequences of colonialism, social exclusion, government policies of assimilation, cultural annihilation, and racism in all its forms (societal, institutional). Despite documented oral health disparities, prevention interventions have been scarce in Indigenous communities. This review describes oral health interventions and their outcomes conducted for Indigenous populations of the United States, Canada, Brazil, Australia, and New Zealand. The review includes research published since 2006 that are available in English in electronic databases, including MEDLINE. A total of 13 studies were included from the United States, Canada, Brazil, and Australia. The studies reviewed provide a wide range of initiatives, including interventions for prevention and treatment of dental disease, as well as interventions that improve oral health knowledge, behaviors, and other psychosocial factors. Overall, 6 studies resulted in improved oral health in the study participants, including improvements in periodontal health, caries reduction, and oral health literacy. Preferred intervention methodologies included community-based research approaches, culturally tailored strategies, and use of community workers to deliver the initiative. Although these studies were conducted with discrete Indigenous populations, investigators reported similar challenges in research implementation. Recommendations for future work in reducing oral health disparities include addressing social determinants of health in various Indigenous populations, training future generations of dental providers in cultural competency, and making Indigenous communities true partners in research.
Extreme States and Extreme Conditions: On Homelessness and the Ontico-ontological Difference
Authors: Kamens Sarah R.
Published: March 2018

This article briefly examines the intersections between extreme psychological states and extreme structural conditions of the world. Drawing on the work of Martin Heidegger and Louis Sass, I argue that heightened focus on ontological–existential matters during extreme states often comprises (rather than eschews) a meaningful and humanistic response to extreme worldly conditions. At the center of this article are the stories of two persons who offered generosity and hospitality toward the everyday community of other humans while experiencing both extreme psychological states and extreme structural conditions.
The auto-colectivo: A cultural history of the shared taxi in Buenos Aires (1928–33)
Authors: Zunino Singh Dhan
Published: March 2018

By the late 1920s, Buenos Aires already had a large tramway network, buses, an underground line, and railways. However, on 24 September 1928 a new form of public transport burst onto the scene: the auto-colectivo. Organised in small companies without municipal authorisation, taxi drivers began using their cars for public transport. Analysing technological transformations in the transportation sector from a cultural–historical perspective, this paper focuses on both the controversies sparked by the auto-colectivo, and the resignification of attributes of modern transport (speed, comfort, safety) prompted by this new form of public transportation. This service, which spontaneously emerged ‘from below’ as a result of the taxi drivers’ self-organisation, ‘socialised’ the use of the automobile and brought on a new (but short-lived) mobility experience. It is argued that the latter was an experience of passengering that played an important role in the success of this mode of transport, in the context of the rising of car culture and a bad reputation of trams and buses.
The Effect of Orthography on the Lexical Encoding of Palatalized Consonants in L2 Russian
Authors: Simonchyk Ala , Darcy Isabelle
Published: March 2018

The current study investigated the potential facilitative or inhibiting effects of orthography on the lexical encoding of palatalized consonants in L2 Russian. We hypothesized that learners with stable knowledge of orthographic and metalinguistic representations of palatalized consonants would display more accurate lexical encoding of the plain/palatalized contrast. The participants of the study were 40 American learners of Russian. Ten Russian native speakers served as a control group. The materials of the study comprised 20 real words, familiar to the participants, with target coronal consonants alternating in word-final and intervocalic positions. The participants performed three tasks: written picture naming, metalinguistic, and auditory word–picture matching. Results showed that learners were not entirely familiar with the grapheme–phoneme correspondences in L2 Russian. Even though they spelled almost all of these familiar Russian words accurately, they were able to identify the plain/palatalized status of the target consonants in these words with about 80% accuracy on a metalinguistic task. The effect of orthography on the lexical encoding was found to be dependent on the syllable position of the target consonants. In intervocalic position, learners erroneously relied on vowels following the target consonants rather than the consonants themselves to encode words with plain/palatalized consonants. In word-final position, although learners possessed the orthographic and metalinguistic knowledge of the difference in the palatalization status of the target consonants—and hence had established some aspects of the lexical representations for the words—those representations appeared to lack in phonological granularity and detail, perhaps due to the lack of perceptual salience.
Effective heuristics for beam angle optimization in radiation therapy
Authors: Yarmand Hamed , Craft David
Published: March 2018

In radiation therapy, the main challenge is to deliver the dose to the tumor while sparing healthy tissues around the tumor. One important decision to make is the beam configuration. The corresponding mathematical problem, known as beam angle optimization (BAO), is a large-scale problem. We propose three novel heuristic approaches to reduce the computation time and find high-quality treatment plans for BAO. The first heuristic is based on the fact that the beams that are geometrically close to each other (i.e., ‘adjacent’ beams) have similar impacts, and hence are less likely to be used in the optimal configuration simultaneously. Therefore, in this heuristic, referred to as ‘neighbor cuts’, their use is limited. The second heuristic is to eliminate the beams with small contribution to dose delivery in the ideal plan when all candidate beams can be used. Finally, the number of beams is reduced in the third heuristic while ensuring the quality of the plan remains within a pre-specified range. These heuristics can be applied to any formulation for BAO for various external radiation therapy techniques. We evaluate these heuristics by applying them to a mixed integer programming (MIP) formulation of BAO for a phantom liver case and a clinical liver case.
Refinding Leadership in Refounding Public Administration
Authors: Fairholm Matthew R.
Published: March 2018

The refounding movement emerged the same time as Leadership Studies. As leadership practices were conflated with management practices, much of what might be useful in the refounding in the literature on leadership was either (a) simply missed or (b) modestly addressed by these scholars. Any reasserting of the refounding should consider the lessons of leadership and especially of the leadership studies thread dealing with values leadership theory. This article encourages theory building and a model as it traces the development of leadership studies, leadership research during the refounding project, and the increase of leadership research in the field.
Differences and Similarities in Forgiveness Seeking Across Childhood and Adolescence
Authors: Riek Blake M. , DeWit Christin C.
Published: March 2018

The current study examines age-related differences and similarities in forgiveness seeking. Students in third, seventh, and 12th grade imagined themselves committing various transgressions and the characteristics of these transgression (e.g., severity of consequences, type of offense) were manipulated. Across the age groups, forgiveness seeking was predicted by guilt, whereas withdrawal was predicted by shame. For all age groups, forgiveness seeking was more likely to occur when the offense was an active one rather than a failure to act. However, age differences were found in how offense severity affected forgiveness seeking. Older students were more likely to seek forgiveness when the offense was high rather than low in severity, but younger students did not show this difference. Age differences were also found in the motivations for seeking forgiveness. Finally, teacher ratings of students’ overall prosocial behavior were positively correlated with forgiveness seeking.
Conceptualizing E-Government from Local Government Perspectives
Authors: Manoharan Aroon P. , Ingrams Alex
Published: March 2018

Over the past two decades, governments have used information and communication technologies (ICTs) to integrate their internal functions and improve their delivery of services. Scholars and practitioners have conceptualized these various ICT trends and referred to them collectively as e-government. As the number of citizens using the Internet and mobile technologies increases, the public sector is constantly innovating to keep pace with the changing technologies and citizens’ expectations. This essay reviews the academic literature on e-government among local governments and explores the issues related to its adoption and implementation. Adopting an e-government stages perspective with attention to institutional capacity, the essay examines the factors and determinants of local e-government success. The essay concludes with directions for future research on e-government and innovation in local governments.
Bibliometrics of sentiment analysis literature
Authors: Keramatfar Abdalsamad , Amirkhani Hossein
Published: March 2018

This article provides a bibliometric study of the sentiment analysis literature based on Web of Science (WoS) until the end of 2016 to evaluate current research trends, quantitatively and qualitatively. We concentrate on the analysis of scientific documents, distribution of subject categories, languages of documents and languages that have been more investigated in sentiment analysis, most prolific and impactful authors and institutions, venues of publications and their geographic distribution, most cited and hot documents, trends of keywords and future works. Our investigations demonstrate that the most frequent subject categories in this field are computer science, engineering, telecommunications, linguistics, operations research and management science, information science and library science, business and economics, automation and control systems, robotics and social sciences. In addition, the most active venue of publication in this field is Lecture Notes in Computer Science ( LNCS). The United States, China and Singapore have the most prolific or impactful institutions. A keyword analysis demonstrates that sentiment analysis is a more accepted term than opinion mining. Twitter is the most used social network for sentiment analysis and Support Vector Machine ( SVM) is the most used classification method. We also present the most cited and hot documents in this field and authors’ suggestions for future works.
Evaluating mobile music services in China: An exploration in user experience
Authors: Hu Xiao
Published: March 2018

Most digital music repositories and services have mobile applications (apps) that facilitate convenient access for users via smartphones. Although China has one of the largest music listener populations in the world, there is little research evaluating Chinese online or mobile music services. To bridge this gap, this study evaluated mobile apps of three of the most popular Chinese music services from the user’s perspective, using usability testing and semi-structured interviews with a sample of active users in China. Nielsen’s 10 user experience heuristics and four criteria in recommender evaluation were examined. Results identified criteria that create a positive user experience, and those that need further improvement. This study contributes to the literature in user-centred evaluation in music information retrieval (MIR) and music digital libraries (MDL), and provides practical insights for music application design, use and evaluation.
The paradigms of religious and philosophical plurality
Authors: Lippiello Tiziana
Published: March 2018

The beginning of the twentieth century marked the confutation and negation of traditional Chinese values by intellectuals, who thought that Confucianism, and in general traditional Chinese culture, had hindered scientific, economic, and social progress. Nonetheless, we are now witnessing a revival of the tradition, from a political and cultural perspective, aiming to address and provide resolutions to the contradictions and issues of contemporary societies. Which are the most valuable traditions in China today, and what is their impact on Chinese society? This paper will provide some of the theories promoted by Chinese scholars and their interpretation of the role of philosophy and religion today.
A randomized controlled trial to compare two methods of constraint-induced movement therapy to improve functional ability in the affected upper limb in pre-school children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy: CATCH TRIAL
Authors: Christmas Pauline M , Sackley Catherine , Feltham Max G , Cummins Carole
Published: March 2018

Objective:

To determine the feasibility and short-term efficacy of caregiver-directed constraint-induced movement therapy to improve upper limb function in young children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.

Design:

Randomized controlled trial with masked assessment.

Setting:

Community paediatric therapy services.

Subjects:

Pre-school children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.

Interventions:

Caregiver-directed constraint-induced movement therapy administered using either 24-hour short-arm restraint device (prolonged) or intermittent holding restraint during therapy (manual).

Main measures:

Primary measures include Assisting Hand Assessment (AHA) at 10 weeks. Secondary measures include adverse events, Quality of Upper Extremity Skills Test and Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory. Feasibility measures include recruitment, retention, data completeness and adherence.

Results:

About 62/81 (72%) of eligible patients in 16 centres were randomized (prolonged restraint n = 30; manual restraint n = 32) with 97% retention at 10 weeks. The mean change at 10 weeks on the AHA logit-based 0–100 unit was 9.0 (95% confidence interval (CI): 5.7, 12.4; P < 0.001) for prolonged restraint and 5.3 (95% CI: 1.3, 9.4; P = 0.01) for manual restraint with a mean group difference of 3.7 (95% CI: −1.5, 8.8; P = 0.156) (AHA smallest detectable difference = 5 units). No serious related adverse events were reported. There were no differences in secondary outcomes. More daily therapy was delivered with prolonged restraint (60 vs 30 minutes; P < 0.001). AHA data were complete at baseline and 10 weeks.

Conclusion:

Caregiver-directed constraint-induced movement therapy is feasible and associated with improvement in upper limb function at 10 weeks. More therapy was delivered with prolonged than with manual restraint, warranting further testing of this intervention in a longer term trial.
A probe in the connection between inflammation, cognition and suicide
Authors: Cáceda Ricardo , Griffin W Sue T , Delgado Pedro L
Published: March 2018

Background:

Increased inflammation is linked to suicide risk. However, it is unclear whether increased inflammation drives suicidal crises or is a trait associated with lifetime suicidal behavior. Limited data exist on the sources of increased inflammation observed in suicidal patients and on its downstream effects.

Aims:

To examine factors associated with inflammation and with suicidal ideation severity in acutely suicidal depressed patients.

Methods:

Fifty-two adult depressed patients of both sexes hospitalized for severe suicidal ideation were characterized for suicidality, depression, anxiety, medical comorbidity, psychological and physical pain, impulsivity, verbal fluency, C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin (IL) 6. Two generalized linear models were performed with either CRP or suicidal ideation severity as dependent variables.

Results:

CRP levels were positively associated with age, body mass index (BMI), IL6, current physical pain and number of lifetime suicide attempts. Suicidal ideation severity was not significantly correlated with either CRP or IL6. Suicidal ideation severity was positively associated with female sex, presence of an anxiety disorder, current physical pain, number of lifetime suicide attempts and with delay discounting for medium and large losses.

Conclusions:

Increased inflammation is not associated with acute suicidal risk, but seems to represent a trait associated with lifetime suicidal behavior.
Neuronal glucose metabolism is impaired while astrocytic TCA cycling is unaffected at symptomatic stages in the hSOD1G93A mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Tefera Tesfaye W , Borges Karin
Published: March 2018

Although alterations in energy metabolism are known in ALS, the specific mechanisms leading to energy deficit are not understood. We measured metabolite levels derived from injected [1-13C]glucose and [1,2-13C]acetate (i.p.) in cerebral cortex and spinal cord extracts of wild type and hSOD1G93A mice at onset and mid disease stages using high-pressure liquid chromatography, 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Levels of spinal and cortical CNS total lactate, [3-13C]lactate, total alanine and [3-13C]alanine, but not cortical glucose and [1-13C]glucose, were reduced mostly at mid stage indicating impaired glycolysis. The [1-13C]glucose-derived [4-13C]glutamate, [4-13C]glutamine and [2-13C]GABA amounts were diminished at mid stage in cortex and both time points in spinal cord, suggesting decreased [3-13C]pyruvate entry into the TCA cycle. Lack of changes in [1,2-13C]acetate-derived [4,5-13C]glutamate, [4,5-13C]glutamine and [1,2-13C]GABA levels indicate unchanged astrocytic 13C-acetate metabolism. Reduced levels of leucine, isoleucine and valine in CNS suggest compensatory breakdown to refill TCA cycle intermediate levels. Unlabelled, [2-13C] and [4-13C]GABA concentrations were decreased in spinal cord indicating that impaired glucose metabolism contributes to hyperexcitability and supporting the use of treatments which increase GABA amounts. In conclusion, CNS glucose metabolism is compromised, while astrocytic TCA cycling appears to be normal in the hSOD1G93A mouse model at symptomatic disease stages.
Structure, Function, and Applications of the Georgetown–Einstein (GE) Breast Cancer Simulation Model
Authors: Schechter Clyde B. , Near Aimee M. , Jayasekera Jinani , Chandler Young , Mandelblatt Jeanne S.
Published: March 2018

Background. The Georgetown University-Albert Einstein College of Medicine breast cancer simulation model (Model GE) has evolved over time in structure and function to reflect advances in knowledge about breast cancer, improvements in early detection and treatment technology, and progress in computing resources. This article describes the model and provides examples of model applications. Methods. The model is a discrete events microsimulation of single-life histories of women from multiple birth cohorts. Events are simulated in the absence of screening and treatment, and interventions are then applied to assess their impact on population breast cancer trends. The model accommodates differences in natural history associated with estrogen receptor (ER) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) biomarkers, as well as conventional breast cancer risk factors. The approach for simulating breast cancer natural history is phenomenological, relying on dates, stage, and age of clinical and screen detection for a tumor molecular subtype without explicitly modeling tumor growth. The inputs to the model are regularly updated to reflect current practice. Numerous technical modifications, including the use of object-oriented programming (C++), and more efficient algorithms, along with hardware advances, have increased program efficiency permitting simulations of large samples. Results. The model results consistently match key temporal trends in US breast cancer incidence and mortality. Conclusion. The model has been used in collaboration with other CISNET models to assess cancer control policies and will be applied to evaluate clinical trial design, recurrence risk, and polygenic risk-based screening.