bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
recent studies of urban effects on precipitation in the United States
Authors: Changnon Stanley A.
Published: May 2018

A review of recent research in the United States concerning urban effects on precipitation has revealed that relatively few studies have been performed. The lack of densely spaced precipitation stations with good historical records, inadequate instruments for airborne measurements of the mechanisms that affect precipitation systems, and the difficulties associated with separating orographic, maritime, and gage-exposure effects are the primary reasons for so little research.

However, certain climatological studies of four variously sized cities in the midwest and two large cities in the east have shown apparent urban-produced increases ranging from 5 to 16% in annual precipitation and rain days, with 7 to 20% increases in summer thunderstorm days. Substantially greater increases in precipitation, thunderstorms, and hailfalls, 31 to 246%, have been shown in a recent study of an area downwind from a major steel mill complex. The available results show little evidence of urban effects on the occurrence of excessive rainfall rates or on the amount of snowfall, although little study of these conditions has been performed.

The recent development of airborne nuclei measuring instruments has led to selected measurements of condensation and freezing nuclei over several urban areas. These furnish evidence that urban-induced nuclei concentrations are high and probably sufficient to produce the observed changes in precipitation, whereas other American studies have indirectly shown the importance of the urban thermal effects. The study of inadvertent precipitation increases from urban areas has particular significance for planned weather modification since the amounts of the inadvertent increases approximate those confirmed for planned experiments. The results of the urban studies may indicate the effectiveness of ground-based seeding, the possibility of successful increases in all seasons, the likelihood of thunderstorm and hailstorm increases with rainfall increases, and the need for dense raingage networks to adequately determine the area and amount of increase.
Improvements in Nonconvective Aviation Turbulence Prediction for the World Area Forecast System
Authors: Kim Jung-Hoon , Sharman Robert , Strahan Matt , Scheck Joshua W. , Bartholomew Claire , Cheung Jacob C. H. , Buchanan Piers , Gait Nigel
Published: May 2018

For the next generation of the World Area Forecast System (WAFS), the global Graphical Turbulence Guidance (G-GTG) has been developed using global numerical weather prediction (NWP) model outputs as an input to compute a set of turbulence diagnostics, identifying strong spatial gradients of meteorological variables associated with clear-air turbulence (CAT) and mountain-wave turbulence (MWT). The G-GTG provides an atmospheric turbulence intensity metric of energy dissipation rate (EDR) to the 1/3 power (m2/3 s–1), which is the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standard for aircraft reporting. Deterministic CAT and MWT EDR forecasts are derived from ensembles of calibrated multiple CAT and MWT diagnostics, respectively, with the final forecast provided by the gridpoint-by-gridpoint maximum of the CAT and MWT ensemble means. In addition, a probabilistic EDR forecast is produced by the percentage agreement of the individual CAT and MWT diagnostics that exceed a certain EDR threshold for turbulence (i.e., multidiagnostic ensemble). Objective evaluations of the G-GTG against global in situ EDR measurement data show that both deterministic and probabilistic G-GTG significantly improve the current WAFS CAT product, mainly because the G-GTG takes into account turbulence from various sources related to CAT and MWT. The probabilistic G-GTG forecast is more reliable at predicting light-or-greater (EDR > 0.15)- than moderate-or-greater (EDR > 0.22)-level turbulence, although it suffers from overforecasting. This will be improved in the future when we use this methodology with NWP ensembles and more observation data will be available for calibration. We expect that the new G-GTG forecasts will be beneficial to aviation users globally.
Capturing Size and Intensity Changes of Hurricanes Irma and Maria (2017) from Polar-Orbiting Satellite Microwave Radiometers
Authors: Tian Xiaoxu , Zou Xiaolei
Published: May 2018

A recently refined hurricane warm-core retrieval algorithm was applied to data from multiple polar-orbiting satellites that carry the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) and the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A) to examine the diurnal variability of the warm cores of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. These hurricanes occurred during the 2017 hyperactive Atlantic hurricane season. Compared with data gathered by dropsondes within 100–1700 km of Hurricanes Irma and Harvey, the means and standard deviations of the differences between ATMS-derived and dropsonde-measured temperature profiles were less than 0.7 and 1 K, respectively, in the vertical layer between ~180 and 750 hPa. The temporal evolutions of the ATMS-derived and AMSU-A-derived maximum warm-core temperature anomalies followed more closely that of the minimum mean sea level pressure and slightly less closely that of the maximum sustained wind. The radii of the ATMS-derived warm cores at 4 and 6 K compared favorably with the 34- and 50-kt-wind radii, respectively, of Hurricane Irma (1 kt = 0.51 m s−1). The vertical extent of the warm core toward lower levels increased with increasing intensity when Hurricane Irma experienced a strong intensification because of an enhanced latent heat release associated with diabatic processes. The tropical cyclone (TC) inner cores at upper-tropospheric levels (~250 hPa) were characterized by a single-peaked diurnal cycle with a maximum around midnight. This warm-core cycle may be an important element of TC dynamics and may have relevance to TC structural and intensity changes.
Effects of missing fasteners on the mechanical behavior of double-lap, multi-row composite bolted joints
Authors: Zhuang Fujian , Chen Puhui
Published: May 2018

This paper presents a numerical investigation into the effects of missing fasteners on the mechanical characteristics of double-lap, multi-row composite bolted joints. A highly efficient explicit finite element model, which was validated effective and accurate by experiments, was developed and employed to conduct the virtual tests. Single-column and multi-column joints with various positions of missing fastener were considered. It is shown that the removal of fasteners can reduce the joint stiffness significantly, especially in joints with fewer columns or missing fasteners in the outside rows. The removal of fasteners can also cause considerable reductions in both the initial significant failure loads and ultimate loads of multi-column joints, while in single-column joints only the initial significant failure loads are influenced. Considering the load distribution, it is suggested that bolts in the same column as or in the adjacent column to the missing fastener experience a notable growth in load. Meanwhile, if a bolt bears more loads in the pristine joint, the larger changes in stiffness, ultimate strength, and load distribution may be obtained when it is lost.
Prediction of hygrothermal behavior of polyester/glass fiber composite in dissymmetric absorption
Authors: Ounaies Mohamed , Harchay Manel , Dammak Fakhreddine , Daly Hachmi Ben
Published: May 2018

This article studies the hygrothermal behavior of E-glass fiber-reinforced polyester composites containing filler additives. Three different cases of a material exposed to water are investigated at two various temperatures: 45℃ and 65℃. First, both lateral sides are exposed to water at the same temperature (symmetric absorption). Second, one side is exposed to water at a certain temperature and the other side is exposed to ambient air (dissymmetric absorption I). Third, both lateral sides are exposed to water at varied temperatures (dissymmetric absorption II). The kinetics of water absorption follows the Fick’s second law. The water concentration is higher on the surface of the material and it decreases continuously toward the core of the model. The increase in the temperature and the higher level of additives raise the absorbed moisture and the diffusion coefficient. The software “Abaqus” is used to simulate the water diffusion through the material. The comparison between the experimental and numerical results shows that the model can predict the hygrothermal behavior of the polyester/glass fiber in symmetric and dissymmetric absorption.
Preparation and properties of shape-stabilized phase change material cellulose benzoate-g-polyoxyethylene (2) hexadecyl ether with potential for thermal energy storage
Authors: Han Na , Zhang Wenxin , Wang Xiufang , Zhang Xingxiang , Li Wei , Yu Wanyong
Published: May 2018

It is a worldwide challenge to efficiently use renewable resources to solve the current energy shortage. The existing cellulose-based material is incapable of proper power storage. In this study, a series of cellulose benzoate-g-polyoxyethylene (2) hexadecyl ether (CB-g-E2C16) solid–solid phase change materials were synthesized with cellulose as the skeleton and polyoxyethylene (2) hexadecyl ether (E2C16) as a functional side chain. The skeleton cellulose and benzoyl chloride restrict the free movement of the molecular chains of E2C16 above the phase transition temperature, leading to a solid–solid phase change. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy were performed to investigate the chemical structures. The thermal energy-storage properties, thermal reliability and thermal stability of the CB-g-E2C16 were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetry (TG) methods. The analysis results indicated that the E2C16 chains were successfully grafted onto the cellulose benzoate (CB) backbone and the copolymers exhibited typical solid–solid phase transition behavior. The enthalpy and degree of substitution of graft copolymers CB-g-E2C16 could be adjusted by changing the feeding ratio of the raw materials, reaction temperature and post-processing methods of CB. TG analysis results showed that the CB-g-E2C16 copolymers possessed good thermostability and they keep their stability up to 278℃. Compared with pure cellulose, CB-g-E2C16 copolymers could be dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide and most of them could be dissolved in N, N-dimethylformamide.
E‐GOVERNANCE AND E‐PARTICIPATION VIA ONLINE CITIZEN BUDGETS AND ELECTRONIC LOBBYING: Promises and Challenges
Authors: Baxter Davin J.
Published: May 2018

Proponents of e‐government, e‐governance, and e‐participation are particularly excited about the inclusive and empowering nature of some of their recent platforms. Critics nevertheless remain skeptical about how empowering these technologies really are and to what extent they fruitfully contribute to direct democratic processes. This essay reviews online initiatives in two areas (citizen budgets and facilitating citizen lobbying practices) intended to enhance e‐participation and e‐government strategies in the United States and beyond. I suggest that although clear progress has been made in the innovation of e‐governance and information and communication technologies with websites like LobbyForMe and online citizen's budget initiatives, a long road lies ahead before any notable milestone can be acknowledged in respect to full‐blown e‐democracy.
Robust adaptive finite-time tracking control of uncertain mechanical systems with input saturation and deadzone
Authors: Wang Baofang , Li Sheng , Chen Qingwei
Published: May 2018

This paper addresses the problem of robust adaptive finite-time tracking control for a class of mechanical systems in the presence of model uncertainties, unknown external disturbances, and input nonlinearities containing saturation and deadzone. Without imposing any conditions on the model uncertainties, radial basis function neural networks are used to approximate unknown nonlinear continuous functions, and an adaptive tracking control scheme is proposed by exploiting the recursive design method. It is shown that the input saturation and deadzone model can be expressed as a simple linear system with a time-varying gain and bounded disturbance. An adaptive compensation term for the upper bound of the lumped disturbance is introduced. The semi-global finite-time uniform ultimate boundedness of the corresponding closed-loop tracking error system is proved with the help of the finite-time Lyapunov stability theory. Finally, an example is given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
The subjective well-being of academically gifted students in the Chinese cultural context
Authors: Chen Xinjie , Fan Xitao , Cheung Hoi Yan , Wu Joseph
Published: May 2018

This study examined the subjective well-being, as reflected as their satisfaction with life, of academically gifted secondary school students in China, under the framework of the broaden-and-build theory. A total number of 351 academically gifted secondary students participated in the study. Multiple scales were used to measure these academically gifted students’ satisfaction with life and other relevant constructs. The results indicated that girls had significantly higher satisfaction with life than boys. Consistent with the broaden-and-build theory, the study showed that positive emotions and some variables from the broadened mindset and four building resources aspects of the theory were significantly interrelated for these academically gifted students. Based on the hierarchical regression results, positive affect, agency hope, parents’ trust, general health, and social functioning were found to be contributing factors to the subjective well-being, while negative affect, peers alienation, depression, anxiety, were found to be negatively related to their life satisfaction.
Challenges Facing Evidence-Based Prevention: Incorporating an Abductive Theory of Method
Authors: Mason W. Alex , Cogua-Lopez Jasney , Fleming Charles B. , Scheier Lawrence M.
Published: May 2018

Current systems used to determine whether prevention programs are “evidence-based” rely on the logic of deductive reasoning. This reliance has fostered implementation of strategies with explicitly stated evaluation criteria used to gauge program validity and suitability for dissemination. Frequently, investigators resort to the randomized controlled trial (RCT) combined with null hypothesis significance testing (NHST) as a means to rule out competing hypotheses and determine whether an intervention works. The RCT design has achieved success across numerous disciplines but is not without limitations. We outline several issues that question allegiance to the RCT, NHST, and the hypothetico-deductive method of scientific inquiry. We also discuss three challenges to the status of program evaluation including reproducibility, generalizability, and credibility of findings. As an alternative, we posit that extending current program evaluation criteria with principles drawn from an abductive theory of method (ATOM) can strengthen our ability to address these challenges and advance studies of drug prevention. Abductive reasoning involves working from observed phenomena to the generation of alternative explanations for the phenomena and comparing the alternatives to select the best possible explanation. We conclude that an ATOM can help increase the influence and impact of evidence-based prevention for population benefit.
Thrombus removal prior to recanalization in vein graft occlusion intervention
Authors: Fung Raymond Chi-Yan , Jim Man-Hong
Published: May 2018

A saphenous vein graft chronic total occlusion intervention is uncommonly performed, partly due to the high risk of distal embolization. We described a strategy in which after successful wiring of a saphenous vein graft chronic total occlusion, balloon dilatation was performed to create a blind sac within the lesion, followed by aspiration thrombectomy to remove all the dislodged debris. Thereafter, balloon dilatation and stenting were safely performed in the distal occluded segment, to achieve complete recanalization.
Desorption characteristics and kinetic parameters determination of molecular sieve by thermogravimetric analysis/differential thermogravimetric analysis technique
Authors: Guo Yalou , Zhang Hui , Liu Yingshu
Published: May 2018

The kinetics of the thermal desorption of CO2adsorbed on zeolite 13X were obtained using a differential thermogravimetric analyser under two different carrier gas conditions. The varying heating rates were set as 8, 12, 16, and 20 K min−1, respectively. The desorption activation energy of the physisorption sites for this experiment evaluated by an integral method without prediction of the reaction order ranged from 12.15 to 14.12 kJ mol−1(CO2as the carrier gas) and 43.32 to 50.42 kJ mol−1(Ar as the carrier gas), respectively. The desorption activation energy of the chemisorption sites ranged from 57.95 to 58.53 kJ mol−1(CO2as the carrier gas) and 74.02 to 79.92 kJ mol−1(Ar as the carrier gas), respectively.
The engagement of young people in their own advance care planning process: A systematic narrative synthesis
Authors: Hughes Ben , O’Brien Mary R , Flynn Anita , Knighting Katherine
Published: May 2018

Background:

An increasing number of young people are living with life-limiting conditions. Current research about advance care planning for young people indicates differing experiences for those involved. Understanding how far young people are engaged in their own advance care plan is important to shape future practice and facilitate young people’s wishes.

Aim:

To identify and assess the current evidence to determine the barriers and facilitators to the engagement of young people in their own advance care planning process.

Design:

A systematic narrative synthesis according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Study quality was assessed using a quality assessment framework previously used in similar research.

Data sources:

CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE, PubMed and PsycINFO were searched for articles published between 1 January 1990 and 31 October 2017. Grey literature was searched using Google Scholar and Open Grey.

Results:

Most studies related to the engagement of young people were conducted in hospitals or other institutions. Research reported not only the aim to include young people in their own advance care planning but also potential barriers to engagement. Barriers include poor communication, conflict within relationships of those in the planning process and patchy education and training for healthcare professionals. Some existing studies are characterised by a lack of rigorous, high-quality research, limiting their impact.

Conclusion:

Irrespective of setting, engagement of young people would benefit their advance care planning. More detailed, high-quality research is needed to understand the extent of the barriers to young people’s engagement in their own advance care plan and how to facilitate their involvement.
Palliative medicine: Advance care planning virtual issue
Authors: Russell Sarah
Published: May 2018

Since the latter part of the twentith century, international research, education and practice of advance care planning has experienced a diversity of developments and defintions. Whilst this variety may seem bewildering, a continued commitment to accurate, focussed research enables better care through better understanding and better evidence.
Human Rights as a New Standard of Civilization in Weapons Control?
Authors: Mathur Ritu
Published: May 2018

This article is an attempt to explore the intersecting dynamic of human rights and weapons control from a postcolonial perspective. It seeks to bring to the fore the contested terrain of human rights discourses within which grand proclamations of “Human Rights” as a “new standard of civilization” are being championed. At the same time in the field of security studies, an effort to rejuvenate “disarmament as humanitarian action” is mobilizing scholars and activists. It is in this context that this article seeks to problematize deployment of specifically human rights–based discourses to address the problem of weapons. In this effort, it encourages scholars and activists to take note of the imperial legacy of human rights–based and civilization-based discourses. It then expresses concern with how these civilizational discourses of differences between the West and the Rest are exploited to encourage a licentious use of human rights language to acquire and maintain weapons by state and nonstate actors. This article then proceeds to express concern with a shift from anthropocentric to anthropomorphic discourses on weapons that threatens to constitute and reinforce a stratified human civilization. These reflections are undertaken to encourage scholars to think more deeply about the pernicious nature of a human rights–based discourse in the context of weapons control. It is an invitation for postcolonial scholarship to think more deeply about the intersecting discourses of human rights and weapons control and its implications for the Global South.
“If you wanna make the world a better place”: Factors influencing the effect of songs with prosocial lyrics
Authors: Ruth Nicolas
Published: May 2018

Although there has been an increase in research considering the positive effects of music with prosocial lyrics on people’s behavior, little is known about the process by which this happens or about the factors that influence the effect of listening to songs with prosocial content. This study focused on the interaction between attention level and familiarity, two factors that, to some degree, determine the effect of this kind of music. Based on the general learning model, the reciprocal feedback model of music perception, and the elaboration likelihood model, an online experiment ( n = 220) was conducted to test how people listening attentively to familiar or unfamiliar music with prosocial lyrics are affected, in comparison with those listening inattentively. The results yielded a significant interaction effect between attention and familiarity on prosocial behavior, indicating that only familiar songs with prosocial lyrics affect inattentive listeners, whereas attentive listeners are affected similarly by familiar and unfamiliar songs. Effects on emotions and an indirect effect of familiarity on prosocial behavior via activated pre-knowledge and positive emotions were also found. The results are discussed regarding their role in understanding the music reception process and their meaning for listeners’ prosocial behavior.
A corpus analysis of timbre semantics in orchestration treatises
Authors: Wallmark Zachary
Published: May 2018

What does the common descriptive lexicon for instrumental sound tell us about how we conceptualize musical timbre? Perceptual studies have revealed a number of verbal attributes that reliably map onto timbral qualities, but the conventions of timbre description in spoken and written discourse remain poorly understood. Books on orchestration provide a valuable source of natural language about instrumental timbre. This article uses methods from corpus linguistics to explore the semantic features of timbre through a quantitative analysis of 11 orchestration treatises and manuals. Findings reveal a relatively constrained vocabulary for timbre: about 50 adjectives account for half of all descriptions in the corpus. The timbre lexicon can be categorized according to affect, matter, metaphor, mimesis, action, acoustics, and onomatopoeia, and further reduced to three latent conceptual dimensions, which are labeled and discussed. Descriptive patterns vary systematically by instrument and instrument family, suggesting certain regularities and consistencies to timbre description in the orchestral tradition. This study helps test the long-held assumption that conventions of timbre description are vague and unsystematic, and offers a cognitive linguistic account of the timbre-language connection.
Re-orienting geographies of urban diversity and coexistence: Analyzing inclusion and difference in public space
Authors: Ye Junjia
Published: May 2018

Much has been said about diversity and coexistence in public spaces, but there remains a silence on the very nature of incorporation within the spatial negotiations and transformations these involve. This paper examines the spatial and political implications of inclusion by identifying two key strands of geographical imaginations on urban diversity: co-presence and togetherness and the incorporation of difference and diversity in everyday shared spaces. I aim to retain critical analytical purchase on what living with difference in shared spaces – specifically through ‘inclusion’ – means. Focusing on Asian urban contexts, I illustrate how measures of inclusion can carry out the political work of what form belonging takes and, consequently, who does and does not belong in diversifying cities. Conceptually, this demonstrates how, in the Asian context, the politics of urban diversification are intertwined with the politics of labour to the extent that diversity in everyday shared spaces is shaped by the structuring of migrant labour incorporation.
“Dirty” Workplace Politics and Well-Being
Authors: Webster Jennica R. , Adams Gary A. , Maranto Cheryl L. , Beehr Terry A.
Published: May 2018

We build and empirically test an integrative model of gender, workplace politics, and stress by integrating social role theory and prescriptive gender stereotypes with the transactional theory of stress. To examine the effect of gender on the relation between exposure to non-sanctioned political influence tactics (NPITs; e.g., self-serving and socially undesirable behaviors such as manipulation and intimidation) and stress outcomes, we employed a daily diary design with 64 employed adults over the course of 12 working days. In support of our hypotheses, exposure to NPITs––that is, “dirty politics”––elicited a threat appraisal that, in turn, related to the activation of negative emotions. Moreover, unlike men, women who reported higher levels of NPITs experienced heightened levels of threat appraisal and ultimately negative emotions. We demonstrate that pairing social role theory with the transactional theory of stress is a useful approach for researchers interested in better understanding gender differences in the occupational stress process. Anyone interested in reducing stress in the workplace is encouraged not only to reduce the occurrence of NPITs, but also to consider ways to reduce the threat associated with them, especially for women.
Jamila Ḥarabun and Her Two Husbands
Authors: Rozen Minna
Published: May 2018

This article engages with Jewish marriage in the urban centers of the sixteenth-century Ottoman Empire: the purpose of marriage, the choice of a proper spouse, the place of emotion in choosing a mate at first marriage, age at first marriage, the limits of patriarchal authority, power struggles between rabbinic leaders, and use made by Jewish litigants of the empire’s power in order to achieve their goals. Several rulings made by Salonikan rabbinic authorities of the time provide a “thick description” of the affair, enabling us to comprehend the behavior of all involved parties in terms of the sociological, political, religious, financial, and gendered context in which they lived.
Are Results of Arthroscopic Labral Repair Durable in Dysplasia at Midterm Follow-up? A 2-Center Matched Cohort Analysis
Authors: Hevesi Mario , Hartigan David E. , Wu Isabella T. , Levy Bruce A. , Domb Benjamin G. , Krych Aaron J.
Published: May 2018

Background:

Studies assessing dysplasia’s effect on hip arthroscopy are often limited to the short term and unable to account for demographic factors that may vary between dysplastic and nondysplastic populations.

Purpose:

To determine the midterm failure rate and patient-reported outcomes of arthroscopic labral repair in the setting of dysplasia and make subsequent failure and outcome comparisons with a rigorously matched nondysplastic control group.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Primary arthroscopic labral repair cases at 2 centers from 2008 to 2011 were reviewed. Patients with lateral center edge angle (LCEA) <25° were matched to nondysplastic controls by age, sex, laterality, body mass index (BMI), Tönnis grade, and capsular repair per a 1:2 matching algorithm. Groups were compared with a visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS), and Hip Outcome Score–Sports Specific Subscale (HOS-SSS) to determine predictors of outcome and failure.

Results:

Forty-eight patients with dysplasia (mean LCEA, 21.6°; range, 13.0°-24.9°; n = 25 with capsular repair) were matched to 96 controls (mean LCEA, 32.1°; range, 25°-52°; n = 50 with capsular repair) and followed for a mean of 5.7 years (range, 5.0-7.7 years). Patients achieved mean VAS improvements of 3.3 points, mHHS of 19.5, and HOS-SSS of 29.0 points ( P < .01) with no significant differences between the dysplasia and control populations ( P > .05). Five-year failure-free survival was 83.3% for patients with dysplasia and 78.1% for controls ( P = .53). No survival or outcomes difference was observed between patients with dysplasia who did or did not have capsular repair ( P ≥ .45) or when comparing LCEA <20° and LCEA 20° to 25° ( P ≥ .60). BMI ≤30 was associated with increased revision surgery risk ( P < .01). Age >35 years ( P < .05) and Tönnis grade 0 radiographs ( P < .01) predicted failure to reach minimal clinically important differences.

Conclusion:

With careful selection and modern techniques, patients with dysplasia can benefit significantly and durably from arthroscopic labral repair. The dysplastic cohort had outcomes and failure rates similar to those of rigorously matched controls at midterm follow-up. Subanalyses comparing LCEA <20° and LCEA 20° to 25° are presented for completeness; however, this study was not designed to detect differences in dysplastic subpopulations. BMI ≤30 was associated with increased revision risk. Age >35 years and Tönnis grade 0 radiographs predicted failure to achieve minimal clinically important differences.
Large Critical Shoulder Angle Has Higher Risk of Tendon Retear After Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair
Authors: Li Hong , Chen Yuzhou , Chen Jiwu , Hua Yinghui , Chen Shiyi
Published: May 2018

Background:

The critical shoulder angle (CSA) is the angle created between the superior and inferior bone margins of the glenoid and the most lateral border of the acromion. A few studies recently investigated the relation between CSA and functional outcomes after rotator cuff repair. However, there is a lack of research investigating the effect of CSA on postoperative tendon integrity after rotator cuff repair.

Purpose:

To assess the effects of the CSA on postoperative tendon integrity after rotator cuff repair.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

All patients who underwent rotator cuff repair for full-thickness supraspinatus tears by 1 senior surgeon between January 2010 and January 2014 were included in this study. All patients had standardized anteroposterior shoulder radiographs the day before surgery. CSA and acromial index (AI) were measured. AI was derived by measuring the distance from the glenoid plane to the lateral border of the acromion and dividing it by the distance from the glenoid plane to the lateral aspect of the humeral head. Functional scores—including American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons shoulder evaluation form, modified University of California at Los Angeles score, Constant-Murley score, and visual analog scale for pain—were used to evaluate shoulder function at a minimum follow-up of 2 years. Meanwhile, magnetic resonance imaging examinations were performed to evaluate rotator cuff integrity according to the Sugaya method and the signal/noise quotient (SNQ) of the rotator cuff tendon.

Results:

A total of 90 patients were included in this study: 42 patients with a single-row repair and 48 with a double-row repair. There was a significant positive correlation between CSA or AI and tendon SNQ. On the basis of CSA, the patients were divided into 2 groups: large CSA (>38°) and control (CSA ≤38°). At final follow-up, the large CSA group and the control CSA group demonstrated no significant differences in American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons, University of California at Los Angeles, Constant, and visual analog scale scores. Postoperative magnetic resonance imaging revealed that the large CSA group had 9 cases of retear, with a significantly higher retear rate than the control group (15% vs 0%, P = .03). Furthermore, the tendon SNQ of the large CSA group was significantly greater than that of the control group.

Conclusion:

CSA did not appear to influence postoperative functional outcomes, while those in the large CSA group had poor tendon integrity after rotator cuff repair. These findings indicate that a large CSA is associated with an increased risk of rotator cuff tendon retear after repair.
Analysis of Rothman Index Data to Predict Postdischarge Adverse Events in a Medical Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Gotur Deepa Bangalore , Masud Faisal , Paranilam Jaya , Zimmerman Janice L.
Published: May 2018

Objective:

Currently, there are no objective metrics included in the intensive care unit (ICU) discharge decision making process. In this study, we evaluate Rothman Index(RI) data for a possible metric as part of a quality improvement project. Our objectives were to determine whether RI could predict adverse events occurring within 72 hours of ICU discharge decision, the optimal clinical cutoff value for this metric, and to determine whether there is a relation between the RI warning alert 24 hours prior to discharge and adverse events postdischarge.

Design:

Retrospective observational study.

Setting:

Single center tertiary hospital.

Patients:

Adult medical ICU patients discharged from the ICU between January 20, 2015 and March 14, 2015.

Interventions:

None.

Measurements and Main Results:

A total of 194 patients were studied with mean age of 62.74 (18.37) years. Data collection included RI at the time of decision-making for ICU discharge and the presence of any warning signals in the previous 24 hours. A 72-hour follow-up chart review recorded any adverse events, including readmission to a higher level of care, discontinuation of discharge due to clinical status change, emergency department visit if discharged home, rapid response activation, or cardiopulmonary arrest postdischarge. Adverse events after ICU discharge were observed in 31 (16%) patients with 9 events being ICU readmission (4.6%). Based on an age-adjusted multivariate model, a higher RI was associated with lower odds of an adverse event (odds ratio [OR] = 0.969, P = .006, confidence interval [CI]: 0.9487-0.9911). An RI value ≥ 50 was associated with 72% lower odds of an adverse event (OR = 0.2887, 95% CI = 0.1278-0.6517 and P = .003) compared to RI < 50. This RI cutoff value was associated with the largest decrease in odds of events. As expected, patients with a very high-risk warning alert had a higher proportion of adverse events compared to patients who did not. (31.75% vs 12.65%, P = < .02).

Conclusions:

Patients who have an RI < 50 or a very high-risk warning alert have a higher risk of adverse events postdischarge from the ICU. Rothman Index may be a useful metric for ICU discharge decision-making.
High-Density Lipoprotein, Mean Platelet Volume, and Uric Acid as Biomarkers for Outcomes in Patients With Sepsis: An Observational Study
Authors: Montero-Chacón Luis Bolívar , Padilla-Cuadra Juan Ignacio , Chiou Sy Han , Torrealba-Acosta Gabriel
Published: May 2018

Background:

We conducted an observational study evaluating the association between uric acid, mean platelet volume (MPV), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) with complications and outcomes of patients with sepsis in a critical care setting.

Methods:

We followed patients with a diagnosis of severe sepsis and septic shock for a maximum of 28 days. Main outcomes assessed included length of stay (LOS), the need for renal replacement therapy (RRT), assisted mechanical ventilation (AMV), and vasopressor support as well as in-unit mortality.

Results:

The overall average age of the 37 patients enrolled was 48.1 (19.8) years; among them, 37.8% were male. Abdominal related (43.2%) and pulmonary (29.7%) were the main sites of infection. The overall Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation 2 (APACHE-2) median score was 19 (9-24). Acute kidney injury (AKI) was observed in 46.9% of the sample. In all, 54.1% required vasopressor support, 54.1% AMV, and 35.1% RRT. Patients with bacteremia were significantly more likely to require vasopressor support and those with urinary tract infections were significantly younger. We found increasing ΔMPV levels, higher APACHE-2 scores, lower HDL values, and a reduced age to be associated with a longer LOS. Higher scores on the APACHE-2 scale and lower levels of HDL significantly associated with higher odds for developing AKI. The need for vasopressor support was significantly associated with higher values of 72-hour MPV and with higher levels of baseline uric acid and lower values of initial HCO3. Initial and 72-hour levels of MPV and higher scores in the APACHE-2 were all significantly correlated with the need for AMV. An increased probability of dying during follow-up was significantly correlated with increasing age.

Conclusion:

We were able to establish significant associations between our candidate biomarkers and relevant outcomes for patients with sepsis. Our results support the use of these low-cost biomarkers in the assessment of prognosis of patients with sepsis.
In vivo and in vitro analyses of the effects of a novel high-nitrogen low-nickel coronary stent on reducing in-stent restenosis
Authors: Wang Jinpeng , Song Chunli , Xiao Yanlong , Liu Bin
Published: May 2018

Currently, percutaneous coronary intervention is an important treatment for coronary heart disease. However, the in-stent restenosis rate is still approximately 10–30% after stenting. Nickel ions from the stent are considered to be associated with in-stent restenosis. Therefore, in the present study, we quantitatively evaluated in-stent restenosis after implanting the novel high-nitrogen low-nickel coronary stent (HNS) and studied the mechanism underlying the reduction in in-stent restenosis by using ELISA and Western blot. The in vivo results showed that the HNS could significantly reduce neointima formation and inflammation as compared to SUS316L stents (316L) at 180 days after implantation in porcine coronary arteries and that vascular endothelial growth factor-A expression in porcine coronary arteries after HNS implantation also decreased. The in vitro results showed that, in the case of the HNS, human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) proliferation was lower and lesser IL-6 release was noted from HUVECs at one and three days after culture than in the 316L group. Furthermore, p-STAT3 expression in HUVECs on the HNS surface was downregulated after culture for seven days. Thus, we conclude that the HNS could be a promising alternative coronary stent for percutaneous coronary intervention.
Exploring Healthy Eating and Exercise Behaviors Among Low-Income Breastfeeding Mothers
Authors: MacMillan Uribe Alexandra L. , Olson Beth H.
Published: May 2018

Background:

Postpartum weight retention is often a significant contributor to overweight and obesity. Lactation is typically not sufficient for mothers to return to pre-pregnancy weight. Modifiable health behaviors (e.g., healthy eating and exercise) are important for postpartum weight loss; however, engagement among mothers, especially those who are resource-limited, is low. A deeper understanding of low-income breastfeeding mothers’ healthy-eating and exercise experience, a population that may have unique motivators for health-behavior change, may facilitate creation of effective intervention strategies for these women.

Research Aim:

To describe the healthy-eating and exercise experiences of low-income postpartum women who choose to breastfeed.

Methods:

Focus group discussions were conducted with low-income mothers ( N = 21) who breastfed and had a child who was 3 years old or younger. Transcript analysis employed integrated grounded analysis using both a priori codes informed by the theory of planned behavior and grounded codes.

Results:

Three major themes were identified from five focus groups: (a) Mothers were unable to focus on their own diet and exercise due to preoccupation with infant needs and more perceived barriers than facilitators; (b) mothers became motivated to eat healthfully if it benefited the infant; and (c) mothers did not seek out information on maternal nutrition or exercise but used the Internet for infant-health information and health professionals for breastfeeding information.

Conclusion:

Low-income breastfeeding mothers may be more receptive to nutrition education or interventions that focus on the mother-infant dyad rather than solely on maternal health.
Breastfeeding Intention Compared With Breastfeeding Postpartum Among Women Receiving Medication-Assisted Treatment
Authors: Yonke Nicole , Maston Rebekah , Weitzen Sherry , Leeman Lawrence
Published: May 2018

Background:

Women taking methadone or buprenorphine are encouraged to breastfeed if stable without polysubstance use.

Research Aim:

We aimed to determine the difference between stated intention to breastfeed prenatally in women taking methadone or buprenorphine compared with breastfeeding at discharge and 2 months postpartum. Secondary outcomes were determining whether breastfeeding was more common in women taking buprenorphine, in women without hepatitis C infection, and in women without a history of heroin use, and whether breastfeeding reduced the need for pharmacological treatment of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome.

Methods:

This was a retrospective cohort study of 228 women enrolled in a perinatal substance abuse treatment program. Electronic medical records were reviewed to abstract data on mother-infant dyads. Chi-square tests were used to analyze our outcomes.

Results:

Women taking buprenorphine had a higher prevalence of breastfeeding compared with women taking methadone (83% [ n = 100] vs. 71% [ n = 76]; χ2 = 4.35, p = .03), despite no difference in their prenatal intention to breastfeed (87% vs. 81%; χ2 = 1.28, p = .25). Only 31% ( n = 38) of women taking buprenorphine and 19.6% ( n = 21) of women taking methadone exclusively breastfed at discharge (χ2 = 5.43, p = .06). Exclusively breastfed infants required less pharmacological treatment for neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome compared with formula-fed infants (15.8% [ n = 21] vs. 47.4% [ n = 38]; χ2 = 19.72, p < .05).

Conclusion:

Despite most women reporting a high prenatal intention to breastfeed, exclusive breastfeeding at hospital discharge postpartum was low. Breastfeeding was associated with a decreased likelihood of pharmacological treatment for neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome.
Experimental investigation on impact performance of glass–polypropylene hybrid composites: Effect of water aging
Authors: Abd El-baky MA
Published: May 2018

The effect of water aging on the impact performance of glass (G)–polypropylene (P)-reinforced epoxy composites was investigated. Specimens were fabricated using the hand layup process with constant overall fiber volume fraction. Specimens were immersed in distilled water and seawater at room temperature, until reaching their water content saturation point. The dry and water-immersed specimens were subjected to edge-wise and flat-wise impact tests. Fractured surfaces were examined using scanning electron microscopy, SEM. The results showed that the impact performance of G-reinforced epoxy composite has been enhanced through hybridizing it with P-fiber but water uptake has been increased. Water uptake reduces the impact strength of all tested specimens. Composites exposed to seawater absorb less water than those exposed to distilled water. The water absorption percentage and impact performance can be effectively controlled by changing the hybrid configuration, plies stacking sequence and P/G fiber ratio.
Optimization and experimental verification of the vibro-impact capsule system in fluid pipeline
Authors: Yan Yao , Liu Yang , Jiang Haibo , Peng Zhike , Crawford Alasdair , Williamson James , Thomson Jamie , Kerins Gearoid , Yusupov Azat , Islam Sheikh
Published: May 2018

This paper studies the prototype development of the vibro-impact capsule system aiming for autonomous mobile sensing for pipeline inspection. Self-propelled progression of the system is obtained by employing a vibro-impact oscillator encapsuled in the capsule without the requirement of any external mechanisms, such as wheels, arms, or legs. A dummy capsule prototype is designed, and the best geometric parameters, capsule and cap arc lengths, for minimizing fluid resistance forces are obtained through two-dimensional and three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics analyses, which are confirmed by wind tunnel tests. In order to verify the concept of self-propulsion, both original and optimized capsule prototypes are tested in a fluid pipe. Experimental results are compared with computational fluid dynamics simulations to confirm the efficacy of the vibro-impact self-propelled driving.
A portable culture chamber for studying the effects of hydrostatic pressure on cellular monolayers
Authors: Kiyoumarsioskouei Amir , Saidi Mohammad S , Mosadegh Bobak , Firoozabadi Bahar
Published: May 2018

Hydrostatic pressure is one of the most fundamental and common mechanical stimuli in the body, playing a critical role in the homeostasis of all organ systems. Kidney function is affected by high blood pressure, namely hypertension, by the increased pressure acting on the glomerular capillary walls. This general effect of hypertension is diagnosed as a chronic disease, but underlying mechanistic causes are still not well understood. This paper reports a portable and adaptive device for studying the effects of hydrostatic pressure on a monolayer of cells. The fabricated device fits within a conventional incubation system and microscope. The effects of various pressures and durations were evaluated on a confluent layer of human endothelial cells. We found that a fluid pressure (i.e. hydrostatic pressure) can alter the morphology of the cells and that returning to an ambient pressure can reverse the changes in morphology. Thus, this study provides a proof-of-principle demonstration that this tool can be utilized for exploring the effects of hydrostatic pressure on mammalian cells.