bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Numerical simulation of gas-solid flow characteristic of particles in fibrous media using OpenFOAM
Authors: Shu Zhiyong , Qian Fuping , Zhu Jinjing , Lu Jinli
Published: July 2019

Euler-Lagrangian numerical simulation framework of gas-solid two-phase flow was used to simulate the gas-solid flow characteristic in fibrous media using OpenFOAM in this study. The simulation results were compared with the empirical model and CFD-DEM method. In addition, the deposition morphology of particles, pressure differential and filtration efficiency in unsteady stage and simulation cost were also analysed with OpenFOAM. The results show that OpenFOAM can simulate the process of gas-solid two-phase flow in the fibrous media, and the particles are agglomerated on the surface of fibrous media and form a dendritic structure similar to the experimental observation. The pressure differential in unsteady stage would increase with the mass per unit area. The filtration efficiency would increase with a corresponding increase in the amount of deposition, but the growth rate would decline gradually. Compared with CFD-DEM method, the simulation accuracy with OpenFOAM is slightly lower, especially in the case of large the Stokes number, but the simulation cost is low, too. Therefore, it is necessary to choose one of the two methods according to the actual situation.
Status, standards, technologies and existing problems of residential ventilation in China
Authors: Fan Dong-Ye , Wang Qing-Qin , Zhao Li , Liu Mao-Lin
Published: July 2019

Indoor air pollution level in dwellings varies in different areas. Specifically, the formaldehyde and total volatile organic compound pollution are serious in new residential buildings according to the investigation of indoor air pollution status of residential buildings in China. Appropriate ventilation, as an important means to reduce the concentration of indoor pollutants, is mainly affected by ventilation mode, ventilation performance, ventilation strategies, etc. This paper analyses the status, standards, technologies and products related to residential ventilation and concludes the existing drawbacks in residential ventilation applications in China. Understanding of residential ventilation, and its standards, design methods, technologies, products, also the economy and usability should be given a major consideration to research.
EpidVis: A visual web querying tool for animal epidemiology surveillance
Authors: Fadloun Samiha , Sallaberry Arnaud , Mercier Alizé , Arsevska Elena , Roche Mathieu , Poncelet Pascal
Published: July 2019

The use of electronic media for the detection and monitoring of animal disease outbreaks is crucial for disease surveillance and early warning systems. Animal health specialists regularly query web pages using various formulations to obtain up-to-date news on disease outbreaks. This task, however, is often manual and time-consuming. Visualization techniques can nevertheless facilitate their web searches, compared to traditional searches. This article presents EpidVis, a visual web query tool designed for experts in animal health, conducting epidemic intelligence activities from news sources on the Internet. It consists of several views that help the domain experts efficiently build and launch queries, as well as visualize the results. Moreover, it supports external information integration to help domain experts enrich their knowledge and adapt their queries. EpidVis was assessed considering usability (user study) and usefulness for experts (case study). The results show that our tool helps domain experts in their daily surveillance tasks, allowing them to extract in timely manner accurate information on disease outbreaks from the web.
Executive Prerogatives in the Legislative Process and Democratic Stability: Evidence from Non-Presidential Systems
Authors: Koß Michael
Published: July 2019

In their seminal Presidents and Assemblies, Shugart and Carey regard executive prerogatives over legislation as a potential threat to democratic stability. This article asks whether this claim is also valid beyond presidential systems. A long-term analysis of four cases (Britain, France, Sweden and Germany) over the 1866–2015 period leads to three preliminarily conclusions. First, executive prerogatives – the veto, privileges in the introduction of certain pieces of legislation and decree powers – can also be found in (emerging) parliamentary and semi-presidential systems. Second, even legislatures in non-presidential systems are able to balance the representativeness and efficiency of legislation. Third, there is evidence that the origins of this ability lie in the occurrence of and successful defences against vital threats to legislative democracy. Taken together, these findings suggest that executive prerogatives over legislation are not a problem (as envisaged by Shugart and Carey) but a potential solution with respect to democratic stability.
The oncolytic efficacy and safety of avian reovirus and its dynamic distribution in infected mice
Authors: Cai Ruimin , Meng Guangyuan , Li Yi , Wang Wenyang , Diao Youxiang , Zhao Shuping , Feng Qiang , Tang Yi
Published: July 2019

Primary liver cancer is a major public health challenge that ranks as the third most common cause of cancer worldwide despite therapeutic improvement. Reovirus has been emerging as a potential anti-cancer agent and is undergoing multiple clinical trials, and it is reported that reovirus can preferentially cause the cell death of a variety of cancers in a manner of apoptosis. As few studies have reported the efficacy of oncolytic activity and safety profile of avian reovirus, in our study, LDH assay, MTT assay, DAPI staining, and flow cytometry assay were performed to demonstrate the oncolytic effects of avian reovirus against the HepG2 cells, and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and animal experiments were conducted to investigate the dynamic distribution of avian reovirus in infected mice and then illustrate the safety and tissue tropism of avian reovirus. LDH assay, DAPI staining, and flow cytometry assay confirmed the efficacy of the oncotherapeutic effects of avian reovirus, and MTT assay has indicated that avian reovirus suppressed the proliferation of HepG2 cells and decreased their viability significantly. qRT-PCR revealed the dynamic distribution of avian reovirus in infected mice that avian reovirus might replicate better and have more powerful oncolytic activity in liver, kidney, and spleen tissues. Furthermore, histopathological examination clearly supported that avian reovirus appeared non-pathogenic to the normal host, so our study may provide the new insights and rationale for the new strategy of removing liver cancer.

Impact statement

We demonstrated the efficacy of oncolytic activity of avian reovirus (ARV) by LDH assay, MTT assay, DAPI staining, and flow cytometry assay, and also investigated the dynamic distribution of ARV in infected mice and then illustrated the safety and tissue tropism of ARV by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and animal experiments. Collectively, our study may provide the new insights and rationale for the new strategy of removing liver cancer.
Pathogenic mutations in genes encoding nuclear envelope proteins and defective nucleocytoplasmic connections
Authors: Östlund Cecilia , Chang Wakam , Gundersen Gregg G , Worman Howard J
Published: July 2019

Mutations in genes encoding nuclear lamins and associated nuclear envelope proteins have been linked to a broad range of inherited diseases affecting different tissues and organs. These diseases are often referred to as laminopathies. Scientists have yet to elucidate exactly how pathogenic mutations leading to alteration of a nuclear envelope protein cause disease. Our relatively recent research has shown that pathogenic mutations in genes encoding nuclear envelope proteins lead to defective nucleocytoplasmic connections that disrupt proper functioning of the linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton complex in the establishment of cell polarity. These defects may explain, at least in part, pathogenic mechanisms underlying laminopathies.

Impact statement

Mutations in genes encoding nuclear lamins and associated nuclear envelope proteins have been linked to several diseases affecting different tissues and organs. The pathogenic mechanisms underlying these diseases, often called laminopathies, remain poorly understood. Increased knowledge of the functions of different nuclear envelope proteins and the interactions between them is crucial to elucidate these disease mechanisms. Our research has shown that pathogenic mutations in genes encoding nuclear envelope proteins lead to defective nucleocytoplasmic connections that disrupt proper functioning of the linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton (LINC) complex in the establishment of cell polarity. These defects may contribute to the pathogenesis of laminopathies and provide novel targets for therapeutics.
Addressing Feeding Disorders Using High-Probability Sequencing for Children and Adolescents with Developmental Disabilities
Authors: King Seth , Johnson Hayley E. , Burch Taneal , Chitiyo Argnue
Published: July 2019

Feeding disorders exhibited by children with developmental disabilities, which include limiting food intake or refusing to consume solid foods, often result in poor health consequences. Interventions for feeding disorders vary in terms of their acceptability to children with disabilities and their families. One specific procedure, the high-probability sequence, is a nonrestrictive approach where requests with which a child has a history of compliance are presented prior to requests associated with noncompliance. This article reviewed research concerning the application of high-probability sequencing for feeding disorders among children and adolescents with developmental disabilities. Experimental studies published between 1970 and 2018 in English as either peer-reviewed articles or dissertations were eligible for descriptive review. Identified articles ( N = 15) evaluated high-probability sequencing using various single-case experimental designs. Participants ( N = 21) were generally preschool-aged children (mean age = 5.7 years) diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD; n = 9) or other developmental disabilities ( n = 12). Subsequent analysis of articles that met quality indicators of the What Works Clearinghouse ( n = 12) suggests that research does not support the effectiveness of the procedure for increasing food acceptance. Implications for practice and future studies involving high-probability sequencing follow a discussion of findings.
QBPP: Quality of services–based location privacy protection method for location-based services in cloud-enabled Internet of vehicles
Authors: Chen Ji-ming , Li Ting-ting , Wang Liang-jun
Published: July 2019

Location-based services has been widely applied in cloud-enabled Internet of vehicles. Within these services, location privacy issues have captured significant attention. Vehicles use the technology of anonymity to implement occultation, the location is not revealed. In this process, large-scale data transmissions can reduce the quality of services. In order to ensure location privacy and high-quality services, the cloud manager customizes virtual machines for vehicles to support location-based services according to the vehicles’ demands. To achieve better performance, this article presents a conditional anonymity method that does not use bilinear pairings to address the problem of privacy disclosure by using discrete logarithm problem and Diffie–Hellman problem. Moreover, asymmetric key algorithms are used in the Internet of vehicles environment to reduce the cost. To guarantee secure data transmission in Internet of vehicles, the batch validation technique is used to address data integrity. Our theoretical security analysis and experiments show that the proposed scheme is secure in compared attack models, such as impersonation attacks, replay attacks, the man-in-the-middle attacks, and so on. Our proposed scheme ensures the security requirements such as message authentication, location privacy protection, and traceability, while lowering transmission and computation cost.
Constrained total least squares localization using angle of arrival and time difference of arrival measurements in the presence of synchronization clock bias and sensor position errors
Authors: Liu Ruirui , Wang Ding , Yin Jiexin , Wu Ying
Published: July 2019

Based on measurements of angle of arrival and time difference of arrival, a method is proposed to improve the accuracy of localization with imperfect sensors. A derivation of the Cramér–Rao lower bound and the root mean square error is presented aimed at demonstrating the significance of taking synchronization errors into consideration. Subsequently, a set of pseudo-linear equations are constructed, based on which the constrained total least squares optimization model has been formulated for target localization and the Newton iteration is applied to obtain the source position and clock bias simultaneously. The theoretical performance of the constrained total least squares localization algorithm subject to sensor position errors and synchronization clock bias is derived, and a framework for the performance analysis is developed. In addition, the first-order error analysis illustrates that the proposed method can achieve the Cramér–Rao lower bound under moderate Gaussian noises by a mathematic derivation. Finally, simulation results are presented that verify the validity of the theoretical derivation and superiority of the new algorithm.
Uncut Roux-en-Y Reconstruction in a Laparoscopic Distal Gastrectomy: A Single-Center Study of 228 Consecutive Cases and Short-Term Outcomes
Authors: Yang Li , Xu Hao , Zhang Dian-Cai , Li Feng-Yuan , Wang Wei-Zhi , Li Zheng , Wang Lin-Jun , Xu Ze-Kuan
Published: July 2019

Aims. We have established a procedure for uncut Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy after laparoscopic distal gastrectomy. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and technical feasibility of the procedure for patients with distal gastric cancer according to the short-term outcomes. Methods. Two hundred and twenty-eight consecutive patients who underwent a laparoscopic distal gastrectomy with uncut Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy from September 2014 to August 2018 were reviewed retrospectively. All the laparoscopic operations were performed successfully without conversion to open surgery. Results. The mean operative duration was 178.28 ± 32.82 minutes, the mean anastomotic process duration was 28.22 ± 7.50 minutes, the average blood loss was 48.97 ± 29.16 mL, and the overall number of lymph nodes harvested was 37.16 ± 11.47. The mean time of out-of-bed ambulation, anal exsufflation, liquid-diet intake, and duration of hospital stay were 41.99 ± 18.37 hours, 69.57 ± 23.17 hours, 5.06 ± 1.09 days, and 8.77 ± 2.42 days, respectively. Fifteen patients suffered postoperative complications, and the overall incidence rate was 6.58% (15/228). Seventeen patients experienced afferent recanalization, the mean time of which was 11 months after the operation. Conclusion. The laparoscopic uncut Roux-en-Y reconstruction is safe and technically feasible, and it has inspiring short-term outcomes for patients undergoing distal gastrectomy.
Ethical Challenges in Participatory Research With Autistic Adults in Israel
Authors: Weksler-Derri Dan , Shwed Uri , Davidovitch Nadav
Published: July 2019

Contemporary calls for participatory research raise unique ethical questions. Our semi-participatory mixed-methodology study of the needs of autistic adults in Israel utilized an advisory committee of autistic persons. This article discusses three fundamental ethical issues that emerged in the study. First, employing formal diagnosis and legal guardian approval as inclusion criteria may result in the unjust exclusion of self-diagnosed autistics and those who are cognitively able to consent and participate. Second, adopting a participatory research approach does not in itself guarantee participatory justice; the representation of diverse groups from the community must be ensured. Finally, regarding autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as a medical diagnosis requires indisputable confidentiality which may conflict with the personal choice to waive anonymity and be recognized by name. Researchers and ethical committees should take these ethical challenges into account when conducting and reviewing studies with and about autistic adults.
Akt1 regulates pulmonary fibrosis via modulating IL-13 expression in macrophages
Authors: Nie Yunjuan , Hu Yudong , Yu Kaikai , Zhang Dan , Shi Yinze , Li Yaolin , Sun Lei , Qian Feng
Published: July 2019

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive interstitial pneumonia characterised by fibroblast accumulation, collagen deposition and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodelling. It was reported that Akt1 mediated idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis progression through regulating the apoptosis of alveolar macrophage, while its effect on macrophage-produced cytokines remains largely unknown. In the present study, we first examined the phosphorylation of Akt1 in lung sections from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients by immunohistochemistry before applying a bleomycin-induced idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis model using Akt1−/− mice and Akt1+/+ littermates. The results showed that Akt1 was remarkably up-regulated in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients, while in vivo studies revealed that Akt1-deficient mice had well-preserved alveolar structure and fewer collagens, secreted fewer matrix components, including alpha smooth-muscle actin and fibronectin and survived significantly longer than Akt1+/+ littermates. Additionally, the pro-fibrogenic cytokine IL-13 was down-regulated at least twofold in Akt1−/−mice compared to the Akt1+/+group on d 3 and 7 after bleomycin treatment. Furthermore, it was found that Akt1–/– macrophages displayed down-regulation of IL-13 compared to Akt1+/+ macrophages in which Akt1 was phosphorylated in response to IL-33 stimulation. These findings indicate that Akt1 modulates pulmonary fibrosis through inducing IL-13 production by macrophages, suggesting that targeting Akt1 may simultaneously block the fibrogenic processes of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Evaluating Health Futures in Aotearoa
Authors: Menzies Malcolm Bruce , Middleton Lesley
Published: July 2019

This article describes a high-level evaluation of a scenario exercise that took place in the New Zealand health sector in 1997 and derives some lessons for future evaluations. By extension, such an evaluation tests the efficacy of scenario development and futures thinking (foresight) in general. Context for the evaluation is provided by a brief reflection on scenarios as a technique, both generally and in the health field. Then a discussion of the process used in 1997 to develop five scenarios is followed by a description of the logic and methodology for the evaluation itself. Findings suggest that the process used to develop the 1997 scenarios was valuable in opening up decision-makers’ minds to possibilities without them needing to feel threatened or defensive, but it may not have been inclusive enough for the New Zealand context. Using criteria identified by Schoemaker the scenarios themselves were relevant, credible, and coherent, but not particularly archetypal or long term. Their impact on strategic decision-making was short-lived, but they were prescient in many respects and have been referred to within academia. Future considerations of health futures should be clearer as to purpose, get more explicit buy-in of key decision-makers and draw on a more diverse range of inputs. We also suggest that rather than being carried out during a discrete time period, scenario development should be a continuous and constantly updated process.
Expanding Futuring Foresight through Evaluative Thinking
Authors: Patton Michael Quinn
Published: July 2019

Both futurists and evaluators are interested in altering perceptions and actions in the present, the impact of which will be a changed future. Evaluators do so by looking at what has already occurred; futurists do so by forecasting what may occur, often imagining alternative scenarios. Assessing the likelihood of various future scenarios requires evaluative thinking and judgments. Thus, futurists and evaluators can learn from each other. This article presents the logic behind six different approaches to evaluation and the implications of those distinctions and logics for futurist inquiries and applications. The six evaluation approaches are summative evaluation, formative evaluation, developmental evaluation, systems change evaluation, principles-focused evaluation, and Blue Marble evaluation.
Drug change: ‘a hassle like no other’. An in-depth investigation using the Danish patient safety database and focus group interviews with Danish hospital personnel
Authors: Poulsen Joo Hanne , Rishøj Rikke Mie , Fischer Hanne , Kart Trine , Nørgaard Lotte Stig , Sevel Christian , Dieckmann Peter , Clemmensen Marianne Hald
Published: July 2019

Background:

Drug change (DC) is a common challenge in Danish hospitals. It affects the work of hospital personnel and has potentially serious patient safety consequences. Focus on medication safety is becoming increasingly important in the prevention of adverse events. The aim of this study is to identify and describe patient safety challenges related to DCs, and to explore potential facilitators to improve patient safety in the medication process in Danish hospital setting.

Method:

Two qualitative methods were combined. Data were obtained from the Danish Patient Safety Database (DPSD) containing incidents reports of adverse events related to DCs. Additionally, five semi-structured focus group interviews with hospital personnel (doctors, nurses, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians) from the five regions of Denmark were held.

Results:

The DPSD search identified 88 incidents related to DCs due to tender or drug shortage. The incidents were linked to prescribing errors, incorrect dose being dispensed/administered, and delayed/omitted treatment. Four themes from the interviews emerged: (1) challenges related to the drug itself; (2) situational challenges; (3) challenges related to the organization/IT systems/personnel; (4) facilitators/measures to ensure patient safety.

Conclusion:

DC is as a complex challenge, especially related to drug shortage. The results allow for a deeper understanding of the challenges and possible facilitators of DCs on the individual and organizational level. Pharmacy personnel were identified to play a key role in ensuring patient safety of DCs in hospitals. Indeed, this emphasizes that pharmacy personnel should be engaged in developing patient safety strategies and support hospital personnel around drug changes.
Consumer drones and communication on the fly
Authors: Hildebrand Julia M.
Published: July 2019

In this article, I discuss camera drones as mobile media that help access, collect, and shape physical, digital, and social spaces. As such, consumer drones afford “communication on the fly” in their medium-specific configuration of aerial navigation, visual production, and networked communication. Drawing on in-depth interviews with drone users and auto-ethnographic drone practices, I first highlight what physical-material conditions the flying camera mediates. An analysis of what digital-intangible formations the sensor medium collects and creates follows, before I turn to the sociospatial relations the buzzing mobile interface can establish and disrupt. I show how these conditions of communication on the fly shape user practices of place-sensing and place-making. Through the lenses of mobile communication research, media ecology, and mobilities studies, I ultimately illuminate how the ambiguous aerial system helps expand our thinking of and with notions of communication on the move.
Participant experiences in a paraprofessional-led weight management program for children and families
Authors: Saxe-Custack Amy , Kerver Jean M. , Mphwanthe Getrude , Weatherspoon Lorraine
Published: July 2019

Background:

Pediatric obesity is a serious and widespread medical condition that is increasing in the United States. Unfortunately, family-based programming to address the disorder fails to successfully reach and engage many children, particularly in low-income communities. To provide more affordable, accessible, and scalable programming options, researchers partnered with pediatricians and the Cooperative Extension Service (Extension) in a Midwestern state to develop a collaborative intervention. Partnering pediatricians referred children and families to a weight management program delivered by a trained Extension paraprofessional. The current study describes family experiences with the program.

Methods:

Researchers conducted a focus group or family interview with 13 program completers to elicit program perceptions, experiences with paraprofessionals, and motivators to continue. The focus group and family interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim for textual analysis. Using thematic analysis, researchers examined patterns across transcripts and formulated emerging themes.

Results:

Key themes that emerged included (1) nutrition guidance, (2) interaction, (3) child influence, and (4) family engagement. Families viewed paraprofessionals as compassionate and competent educators who were instrumental in helping families modify health-related behaviors.

Conclusions:

Results of the current study are important to efforts focused on addressing childhood obesity, particularly in underserved communities where access to healthcare services is limited.
Something I No Longer Believe: Is Internet Time Slowing Down?
Authors: Karpf David
Published: July 2019

Back in 2012, I wrote an article speculating on the implications of Moore’s Law and “Internet Time” for political communication researchers (Karpf, 2012). The premise was that the Internet continues to change at such a rapid pace that it creates fundamental ceteris paribus problems for digital politics research. I still believe that is a fair assessment of the Internet of the early 2000s. But I no longer believe it holds true for the Internet today. I have come to believe that the pace of digital innovation is slowing down and that the suite of user-facing technologies that make up the mass-oriented Internet has stabilized. This article elaborates on what has led me to rethink the status of Internet Time and discusses the implications of this temporal slowdown. It draws on archival research from a study of WIRED magazine over its 25-year history.
It Wasn’t Just the Trolls: Early Internet Culture, “Fun,” and the Fires of Exclusionary Laughter
Authors: Phillips Whitney
Published: July 2019

When considering the extremist turn of the Trump-era internet, it is critical to interrogate the influence of subcultural trolling on and around 4chan from 2008 to 2012. The troll space isn’t the only space worth interrogating, however. During this same period, there was a marked overlap between subcultural trolling and the nebulous, discursive category known colloquially as “internet culture.” Both were swiftly absorbed into broader popular culture. Both were characterized by overwhelming irony and detached, fetishized laughter. That participants in these early internet culture spaces (which included but were not limited to “classic” subcultural trolling) were overwhelmingly white, middle class, and felt comfortable enough in their subject positions to respond to the world with a blanket “lol” speaks to much deeper problems than the obvious problems. Pressingly, the things that were—and that for some people, still are—fun and funny and apparently harmless online need more careful unpacking. Fun and funny and apparently harmless things have a way of obscuring weapons that privileged people cannot see, because they do not have to see them. They also have a way of establishing precedent and a step-by-step media manipulation guide that is easily hijacked by those looking to do harm, whose actions often fly under the radar—because those actions look familiar, because they look like the things that used to be fun.
Forget Messiahs
Authors: Papacharissi Zizi
Published: July 2019

In this short essay, I talk about the political messiahs, how they are elevated to prominence via affective news, and something that I refer to as civic adulthood.
Privacy Management Among Social Media Natives: An Exploratory Study of Facebook and Snapchat
Authors: Hollenbaugh Erin E.
Published: July 2019

Guided by communication privacy management theory, this study tested network size, network diversity, privacy concerns, and privacy management practices in and between Facebook and Snapchat for social media natives. A cross-sectional survey of 273 college students (predominately Caucasian, female, 18- to 20 years old) showed that audiences were larger and more diverse in Facebook than Snapchat. Snapchat users with larger friend lists and lower privacy concerns reported more shared boundary ownership, whereas those with more diverse networks reportedly used more open friending practices to expand their connections. Higher privacy concerns were related to more restrictive privacy management practices in both mediums, and participants were overall more open on Snapchat than on Facebook. Theoretical and practical implications were presented in efforts to inform future research.
From Participatory Culture to Participatory Fatigue: The Problem With the Public
Authors: Porlezza Colin
Published: July 2019

The Web has changed newswork dramatically. After the turn of the Millennium, the Web 2.0 was welcomed as a unique medium of participation, interaction, and democratization. Due to the increased interactivity of many websites, and the growing prominence of social networking sites such as Facebook that invited the creation and publication of user contributions, many journalism scholars promulgated the potentials of the Web to trigger participation, a new interactivity and, eventually, more transparency, accountability, and responsiveness. In this article, I show how I was equally full of hope that the participatory potential of the Web would become widespread among news organizations. However, recent findings show that most established newsrooms still do not practice what they preach. Even more so, many newsrooms show a participation fatigue, closing user comment sections due to participation inequality or challenging phenomena such as trolls, incivility, or hate-speech. Hence, I do not believe that the majority of legacy news media will further implement accountability practices and strengthen their responsiveness toward their publics. But I still have hope, and this hope comes from entrepreneurial journalism.
What Journalism Is (Not)
Authors: Deuze Mark
Published: July 2019

What I no longer believe: that the news industry as it has traditionally been organized is necessary for journalism as an ideology to survive and for the work of journalists to remain relevant to people’s lives.
Depression Outcomes in Smokers and Nonsmokers: Comparison of Collaborative Care Management Versus Usual Care
Authors: Akambase Joseph A. , Miller Nathaniel E. , Garrison Gregory M. , Stadem Paul , Talley Heather , Angstman Kurt B.
Published: July 2019

Background: Depression is common in the primary care setting and tobacco use is more prevalent among individuals with depression. Recent research has linked smoking to poorer outcomes of depression treatment. We hypothesized that in adult primary care patients with the diagnosis of depression, current smoking would have a negative impact on clinical outcomes, regardless of treatment type (usual primary care [UC] vs collaborative care management [CCM]). Methods: A retrospective chart review study of 5155 adult primary care patients with depression in a primary care practice in southeast Minnesota was completed. Variables obtained included age, gender, marital status, race, smoking status, initial Patient Health Questionnaire–9 (PHQ-9), and 6-month PHQ-9. Clinical remission (CR) was defined as 6-month PHQ-9 <5. Persistent depressive symptoms (PDS) were defined as PHQ-9 ≥10 at 6 months. Treatment in both CCM and UC were compared. Results: Using intention to treat analysis, depressed smokers treated with CCM were 4.60 times as likely (95% CI 3.24-6.52, P < .001) to reach CR and were significantly less likely to have PDS at 6 months (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.19, 95% CI 0.14-0.25, P < .001) compared with smokers in UC. After a 6-month follow-up, depressed smokers treated with CCM were 1.75 times as likely (95% CI 1.18-2.59, P = .006) to reach CR and were significantly less likely to have PDS (AOR 0.45, 95% CI 0.31-0.64, P < .001) compared with smokers in UC. Conclusions: CCM significantly improved depression outcomes for smokers at 6 months compared with UC. However, in the UC group, smoking outcomes were not statistically different at 6 months for either remission or PDS. Also, nonsmokers in CCM had the best clinical outcomes at 6 months in both achieving clinical remission and reduction of PDS when compared with smokers in UC as the reference group.
Designing the Structural Model of TVET Lecturers’ Professionalism and Generic Skills Based on an Empirical Study in Malaysia
Authors: Abdullah Zuraidah , Hoque Kazi Enamul , Ramlan Nor Hayati , Shafee Salwati
Published: July 2019

This study seeks to identify the level of general competency of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) lecturers of construction technology civil engineering (CTCE) of vocational college using the standard model of competency requirement based on grade of lecturer and years of teaching experience. The data were analyzed using the SPSS Version 20.0 software, which involved descriptive statistical method, mean, and standard deviation. Data collection for the assessment phase involves construction technology lecturers from 45 vocational colleges in all the states in Peninsular Malaysia. The respondents of the study were 304 lecturers who taught CTCE courses in vocational colleges from 14 states, namely Johor, Sarawak, and Federal Territory (Kuala Lumpur and Labuan). Finding shows that the professional general competency level of TVET CTCE vocational college lecturers based on years of teaching experience is high with satisfactory interpretation. It also shows that the level of professional competency of TVET CTCE lecturer of vocational college based on grade of the post is high, whereas the level of entrepreneurship skill competency as a whole is at moderate level. There was a slight decrease in the proficiency level profile of the CTCE lecturer who had more than 15 years of experience compared with those with teaching experience of 15 years or less. There found positive relationships between the dimensions of professionalism and the generic skills. The findings of the study will help the Ministry of Education in particular public or private institutions of higher learning in preparing TVET lecturers to become specialized, highly skilled, competent, and efficient in civil engineering courses in the attempt to strengthen the teaching profession, especially in technical and vocational education, which is in line with the aspirations of the 21st-century education.
Examining Patterns of Air Quality Perception: A Cluster Analysis for Southern Chilean Cities
Authors: Boso Àlex , Álvarez Boris , Oltra Christian , Hofflinger Álvaro , Vallejos-Romero Arturo , Garrido Jaime
Published: July 2019

Various medium-sized cities in southern Chile are saturated by air pollution caused by woodsmoke. In this study, we developed a segmentation model to assess the public’s perceptions, understanding of health risks and emotional responses to poor air quality. To date, this is the first segmentation model dealing with public perception in cities contaminated by woodsmoke. A survey ( N = 489) was conducted in Temuco and Padre las Casas, Chile, which included questions regarding attitudes, sociodemographic factors, and health care behaviors, to obtain information for mitigation initiatives. Through a cluster analysis, three population segments were identified that related differently to environmental pollution, which were constructed based on seven psychosocial variables. Different sociodemographic profiles and self-reported behavioral patterns were found, which should guide policies aimed at improving air quality in cities contaminated by pollution from wood-burning stoves.
Proving Yourself: How Top Executives Relate Their Leadership Experience
Authors: O’Connor Ellen S. , Lucy Denise M.
Published: July 2019

We asked 30 top executives (CEOs, COOs, and Presidents) to describe their paths to and in office. Our purpose was to explore how executives practice leadership in the way they discuss their experience. We identified three structures that interviewees used: the full proof, a thesis statement backed by evidence; the narrative plot, a trajectory toward a goal; and the signature story, a defining leadership experience. We argue that structuration proves leadership; that is, full proofs and narrative plots communicate dependability and signature stories convey realism. We also constructed paradigmatic narratives or representative experiences of leadership, which suggest an experiential curriculum of leadership. Our findings show ways of working with experience in order to communicate leadership.
Association Between Public Transportation Use and Loneliness Among Urban Elderly People Who Stop Driving
Authors: Matsuda Naoka , Murata Shunsuke , Torizawa Kohtaroh , Isa Tsunenori , Ebina Aoi , Kondo Yuki , Tsuboi Yamato , Fukuta Akimasa , Okumura Maho , Shigemoto Chihiro , Ono Rei
Published: July 2019

Aim: To examine the association between public transportation use and loneliness in urban elderly who stop driving. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we assessed 31 community-dwelling older adults who had stopped driving. Public transportation use was assessed by using frequency and divided into two groups. The users group was participants who used public transportation more than once a week and the nonusers group was participants who used public transportation less than once a week. Loneliness was measured using the Japanese version of the UCLA Loneliness Scale version 3 (UCLA.LS.ver3), with a higher score indicating greater loneliness. The independent t test was used to compare the UCLA.LS.ver3 scores between users and nonusers group. A multiple linear regression model was used with the UCLA.LS.ver3 score as the objective variable and public transportation use as the explanatory variable. Results: The UCLA.LS.ver3 score was significantly higher in the nonusers group than in the users group (nonusers group: 12.7 ± 1.9; users group: 10.1 ± 2.9, p = .017). After adjustments, public transportation use was significantly associated with lower loneliness (β = −2.55, p = .029). Conclusion: Public transportation use might have important role to prevent loneliness in older adults who stop driving.
Assessing Quality for People Living With Dementia in Residential Long-Term Care: Trends and Challenges
Authors: McConnell Eleanor S. , Meyer Julienne
Published: July 2019

The global prevalence of dementia is growing rapidly, driving an increased use of residential long-term care (LTC) services. Performance indicators for residential LTC should support targeting of limited resources to promote person-centered care, health, and well-being for both patients and caregivers (formal and informal), yet many performance indicators remain focused on structure, process, or outcome measures that are only assumed to support personally relevant outcomes for those with dementia, without direct evidence of meaningfulness for these individuals. In this article, two complementary approaches to assessing quality in residential LTC serve as a lens for examining a series of tensions related to assessment in this setting. These include measurement-focused approaches using generic psychometrically valid instruments, often used to monitor quality of services, and meaning-focused approaches using individual subjective assessment of personally relevant outcomes, often used to monitor care planning. Examples from the European and U.S. literature suggest an opportunity to strengthen an emphasis on personally meaning-focused outcomes in quality assessment.
Bacteremia in Diarrheal Children With Severe Pneumonia
Authors: Saha Haimanti , Shahrin Lubaba , Sarmin Monira , Ahmed Tahmeed , Chisti Mohammod Jobayer
Published: July 2019

Objectives. Diarrhea and pneumonia are the leading causes of under-5 childhood mortality. However, there is limited information on bacterial etiology of severe pneumonia in children with diarrhea. We analyzed bacterial pathogens from the blood of children under the age of 5 years. Methods. In this retrospective cross-sectional study, we studied all children having severe pneumonia with or without diarrhea admitted to the icddr,b (International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh) who had their blood culture done during January 2014 to December 2014. Results. Among a total of 159 study children, 118 had diarrhea. There were 13 bacterial isolates, and predominant organisms were gram-negative bacteria (11/13, 85%). Children with diarrhea coexisting with severe pneumonia proportionately had higher bacteremia (12/141 [10.16%] vs 1/41 [2.43%]), but the difference was not statistically insignificant ( P = .186). Conclusion. We recognized that the coexistence of diarrhea and severe pneumonia had proportionately higher bacteremia, especially gram-negative bacteria compared with those without diarrhea. The results emphasize the trend of bacterial etiology of pneumonia in children with diarrhea and may warrant revised antibiotics guideline for their management.
Rare genetic variants in patients with cervical artery dissection
Authors: Traenka Christopher , Kloss Manja , Strom Tim , Lyrer Philippe , Brandt Tobias , Bonati Leo H , Grond-Ginsbach Caspar , Engelter Stefan
Published: July 2019

Introduction

The potential role of genetic alterations in cervical artery dissection (CeAD) pathogenesis is poorly understood. We aimed to identify pathogenic genetic variants associated with cervical artery dissection by using whole exome sequencing.

Patients and methods

CeAD-patients with either a family history of cervical artery dissection (f-CeAD) or recurrent cervical artery dissection (r-CeAD) from the CeAD-databases of two experienced stroke centres were analysed by whole exome sequencing. Variants with allele frequency <0.05 and classified as pathogenic by predicting algorithms (SIFT or Polyphen-2) or the ClinVar database were explored. First, we analysed a panel of 30 candidate genes associated with arterial dissection (any site) or aneurysm according to the OMIM (online Mendelian Inheritance of Men) database. Second, we performed a genome-wide search for pathogenic variants causing other vascular phenotypes possibly related to cervical artery dissection. Findings were classified as CeAD-causing (pathogenic variants in genes from the arterial dissection or aneurysm panel) or suggestive (pathogenic variants in genes associated with other vascular phenotypes and variants of unknown significance in genes from the arterial dissection or aneurysm panel). All other variants were classified as benign/uncertain.

Results

Among 43 CeAD-patients, 28 patients (17 pedigrees) had f-CeAD and 15 had r-CeAD. No CeAD-causing variants were identified in r-CeAD patients. Among f-CeAD-patients, 5/17 pedigrees carried CeAD-causing variants in COL3A1, COL4A1, COL4A3, COL4A4, COL5A1, COL5A2 and FBN1. Suggestive variants in ABCC6, COL3A1, COL5A2, MEF2A, and RNF213 were detected in three pedigrees with f-CeAD and six patients with r-CeAD. Discussion and conclusion: CeAD-causing variants were rare and exclusively found in f-CeAD-patients, suggesting differences between the genetic architectures of f-CeAD and r-CeAD. The identified variants indicate a high genetic heterogeneity of the study sample.
We need to talk: Provider conversations with peers and patients about a medical error
Authors: Dhawale Tejaswini , Zech Jennifer , Greene Sarah M , Roblin Douglas W , Brigham Karen Berg , Gallagher Thomas H , Mazor Kathleen M
Published: July 2019

Purpose

Although open communication with patients is the established best practice after a medical error, healthcare providers’ conversations with each other in these circumstances are less studied. We identified and compared what providers identified as the most important thing to say to their peer and to the patient after a medical error. Methods and materials: This study surveyed providers about the most important thing they would say to their peers and patient regarding a hypothetical scenario depicting a delayed diagnosis of cancer. Participants included primary care physicians, oncologists, and oncology nurses. Direct content analysis was used to identify major themes and the McNemar test was used to evaluate significant differences in the providers’ references to major themes (p > 0.05).

Results

A total of 303 providers produced valid responses. Four major themes emerged: (1) information sharing; (2) emotion handling; (3) preventing recurrences; and (4) responsibility. While the majority of provider responses included information sharing, fewer than one-third described the event as an error. Significantly, fewer providers addressed emotion with their peer than with the patient (10% vs. 54%, p ≤ 0.001). Providers were more likely to bring up prevention of recurrences with their peer than with the patient (43% vs. 19%, p ≤ 0.001). Approximately one-quarter of providers addressed responsibility with the peer and patient (25% vs. 26%, p = 0.707), although fewer than 10% acknowledged personal responsibility for the error in either context.

Conclusion

Providers approach conversations about medical errors with a peer differently than with patients and may benefit from additional communication training or support.
A Survey of Collegiate String Musicians’ Use of Drone Accompaniment to Improve Intonation
Authors: Zabanal John-Rine A.
Published: July 2019

The purpose of this study was to survey collegiate string musicians on their use of drone accompaniments to improve intonation. A questionnaire was developed and distributed to collegiate string musicians ( N = 152). Most participants reported that they used a drone accompaniment as a tool to improve their intonation and that they were introduced to it in high school. Participants indicated they used a drone accompaniment more regularly when practicing scales and arpeggios. Additionally, they believed that it was an effective technique for improving intonation, especially for scales and arpeggios. A positive-moderate relationship between reported use of a drone accompaniment in practice and its perceived effectiveness to improve intonation was found for fast passages, slow passages, and solo repertoire. A majority of participants reported that they used a tuning application on their mobile device and a dedicated metronome and tuner to produce a drone accompaniment.
The role of the registered nurse in supporting frailty in care homes
Authors: Craig Lynn
Published: July 2019

People in nursing and residential homes are more likely to suffer frailty. Registered nurses are a crucial component of the care delivery service and can offer support to patients who have complex care needs and comorbidities and are at risk of unplanned admissions to secondary care. This article explores frailty and the role of the nurse in assessing for frailty. Three aspects of patient care—nutrition status, polypharmacy and exercise and cognitive function—are discussed as areas where nurses can target their interventions in order to support those considered as frail, aiming to reduce the impact of frailty and negative health outcomes.