bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of optimization effect of large-scale construction engineering based on building information model
Authors: Li Xiaoliang , Xia Wenjie , Li Zongcai
Published: July 2020

Due to the continuous introduction of new building technologies, research results, and technical specifications, the design and construction process of buildings has become extremely complex, paying more attention to the sustainable development of the building itself; it not only requires close communication between project participants, but also an in-depth analysis of building performance and structure is required during the design phase. Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology has been widely used in the development of the construction industry in recent years. It can effectively realize the integration of building information, so that all parties involved in the project can work together based on the same platform, which can more effectively improve work efficiency and save resource input, lower construction costs, and ultimately achieve the goal of sustainable development. On the basis of summarizing the previous research results, this paper uses BIM technology to analyze the optimization effect of large-scale construction engineering from the aspects of information model, resource allocation and technology optimization. The analysis results provide reference for subsequent in-depth research.
Long distance wireless fault diagnosis for photovoltaic modules based on back propagation neural network
Authors: Chen Ling , Han Wei , Li Hai-Tao , Xu Zi-Kun , Zhang Jing-Wei , Cao Xiang
Published: July 2020

Various faults of photovoltaic (PV) modules inevitably occur in the work process, since PV modules are installed in hostile situation. To obtain the types of failure, a novel fault diagnosis method based on back propagation (BP) neural network with Levenberg-Marquardt (L-M) algorithm for PV modules is proposed. Through the in-depth analysis the output of PV modules under normal and fault conditions, the input variables of the diagnosis model are acquired. The high-speed and real-time fault diagnosis model for PV modules is first designed based on TMS320VC5402 DSP and long-distance wireless fault diagnosis is realized by Zigbee technology. The simulation and experimental results show that the fault diagnosis method for PV modules based on BP network with L-M algorithm can effectively detect four types of fault for PV modules such as open circuit, short circuit, partial shading and abnormal degradation. The numerical results verify the effectiveness and correctness of the proposed method, which can provide a great educational benefit of PV operation technology.
Peace, Unity, and Purity and the Presbyterian Church’s Fifty-Year Journey on Human Sexuality
Authors: Wilkinson John
Published: July 2020

Recent ordination controversies have served as barometers for how denominations have addressed matters of human sexuality, and LGBTQ sexuality in particular. Using the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s fifty-year narrative as a case study, this article traces developments in thought and shifts in perspective, from language that calls “homosexual acts” sin to actions that move from apology to celebration. The essay follows decades of intense debate and conflict to reflect on the implications when a church changes its mind.
An Empirical Chronicling of How Agricultural Innovation Platforms Were Established in Hwedza, Zimbabwe
Authors: Mahiya Innocent T
Published: July 2020

This paper focuses on the establishment of agricultural innovation platforms (AIPs) in the communal areas of Hwedza in Zimbabwe. Through the efforts of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), there have been initiatives to improve agricultural productivity in Africa and Zimbabwe in particular. One such intervention has been the AIPs that seek to bring together all stakeholders who can meaningfully contribute to the improvement of agriculture. Using largely qualitative approaches, data was collected through interviews from small scale farmers as well as different actors who were involved in the AIPs. The respondents in the study also included NGO workers, academic researchers, government workers, traditional leaders, agricultural financiers, extension workers and state-owned institutions. Using Norman Long’s interface analysis as the central theoretical framework, key findings showed that communal areas were active communities that had their own socio-economic network systems which govern how smallholder farmers operate. It also emerged that IPs are a result of a combination of the social and the formal/institutionalised structures that interacted in Hwedza. The paper concludes that IPs were established in Hwedza through a series of interactive processes among actors and these were not always smooth and successful.
Effects of pressure drop rate and CO2 content on the foaming behavior of newly developed high-melt-strength polypropylene in continuous extrusion
Authors: Kim Eric , Kweon Mu Sung , Romero-Diez Sandra , Gupta Anvit , Yan Xuejia , Spofford Caitlin , Pehlert George , Lee Patrick C
Published: July 2020

We report systematic studies on the foamability of our novel high-melt-strength long-chain branched polypropylene under supercritical CO2. Continuous foaming experiments were conducted using a tandem extrusion system and a set of filamentary dies with similar pressure drops but different pressure drop rates. The foam expansion was controlled by varying the temperature at the die exit. Under identical CO2 loadings, the expansion ratio plotted as a function of die temperature exhibited similar shapes across multiple pressure drop rates. However, the shape of the curve varied across different amounts of CO2, under which the highest achievable expansion ratio occurred at a lower die temperature with increasing CO2 content. The cell density displayed strong dependence on both the pressure drop rate and the amount of dissolved CO2. The effect of the latter became more apparent at lower pressure drop rates. The average cell size decreased with increasing CO2 loading but generally showed weak dependence on pressure drop rate except at the highest value.
Syntactic foam under compressive stress: Comparison of modeling predictions and experimental measurements
Authors: Paget Baptiste , Zinet Matthieu , Cassagnau Philippe
Published: July 2020

Syntactic foams are composite materials consisting in the association of hollow particles, called “microspheres” and a polymer matrix. The use of soft shell microspheres confers to the foam interesting properties but in return increases significantly its compressibility. Therefore, understanding and predicting the relationship between pressure and volume change is a crucial issue for the development of this type of material. The present study focuses on a high void fraction syntactic foam made with soft shell polymer microspheres embedded in a polyurethane matrix. Compression tests are performed using a capillary rheometer and a PVT accessory for the hydrostatic compression, and a more conventional apparatus for the confined compression. The experimental results are compared with De Pascalis’s pressure/volume model predictions, using Fok and Allwright’s model to determine the critical buckling pressure of the microspheres. The model proves to be fairly accurate at low pressure and high pressure, despite a notable deviation in the mid-pressure range. The influence of key model parameters such as microsphere size distribution and microsphere and matrix elastic properties is investigated. It is shown that the reinforcement of the matrix seems to be the only efficient way to limit the compressibility of such a syntactic foam.
Disentangling the Effects of Position and Utterance-Level Declination on the Production of Complex Tones in Yoloxóchitl Mixtec
Authors: DiCanio Christian , Benn Joshua , Castillo García Rey
Published: July 2020

Phrase-final position is cross-linguistically the locus of both processes of phonetic reduction and processes of phonetic enhancement. In tone languages, phrasal position is a conditioning environment for processes of tone sandhi/allotony, though such patterns emerge from local processes of tonal enhancement or reduction. The current article examines the production of tone in Yoloxóchitl Mixtec, an endangered language of Mexico with nine lexical tones and fixed, stem-final stress, across phrasal and utterance positions via three experiments. In the first two experiments, the findings show that speakers lengthen syllables and expand the tonal F0 range in utterance-final position. The effect of this range expansion is high tone raising, low tone lowering, and falling contour lowering. Rising contour tones undergo substantial leveling when produced in a non-utterance-final context, similar to Taiwanese Mandarin. These findings suggest that postural changes in F0 range are controlled, intonational effects in tonal languages and not paralinguistic. In the third experiment, we examine utterance-level declination and raising within sentences consisting entirely of level tones. We show that utterance-level F0 changes are independent from local tonal hyperarticulation effects in phrase-final position. Together, the experiments largely support prosodically-conditioned phonetic undershoot as a control mechanism in tone production and demonstrate how tonal complexity may constrain universal tendencies in speech production.
Lethal aorto-oesophageal fistula 16 years after aortic prosthetic reconstruction: Delayed rupture as cause of death
Authors: Benedetti Beatrice , Felice Marica , Locco Francesco , Roberti Paola , Demontis Roberto
Published: July 2020

The development of aorto-oesophageal fistula (AOF) is a rare complication following thoracic aortic repair. Mortality is high, in most cases due to fatal haematemesis. The clinical onset is variable, occurring approximately one year after surgery. We report a case of a lethal AOF in a 58-year-old man. He underwent open vascular surgery 16 years prior to his death due to a rupture of the descending thoracic aorta. In the early 2000s, the open vascular approach was replaced by thoracic endovascular aortic repair. As a result of this approach, the number of surgical complications has reduced, with the exception of AOF.
1920 Problems of marriage and sexual morality: the Lambeth Conference
Authors: Scharlieb Mary
Published: July 2020

This article by Dame Mary Scharlieb (1845–1930) addresses issues on marriage and sexuality raised at the 1920 Lambeth Conference of Anglican Bishops. It is likely that she had a strong influence on the Bishop of London on medical issues, and, through him, on the resolutions on marriage and sexuality at this Conference. Her article, published in Theology in November 1920, is clearly a piece of its time and reflects a fascinating mixture of pro-women and conservative ethical views, tempered by her understanding of medical science as it was then: for example, she and the bishops at the Conference strongly opposed the use of contraception even within marriage (ten years later the Lambeth Conference dropped this opposition). Mary Scharlieb was a pioneer female gynaecologist. Raised as an Evangelical, she became an Anglo-Catholic after her marriage to a British lawyer who was employed in Madras. Her medical training, prompted by the lack of medical help for Indian women, began at the Madras Christian College but was completed at Mrs Garrett Anderson’s London School of Medicine for Women, leading to her appointment at the Royal Free Hospital in 1902. Her husband stayed working in India until his death, while she worked as a gynaecologist in London. She was created a Dame two years before her death. Editor.
1998 Belief, openness and religious commitment
Authors: Wiles Maurice
Published: July 2020

Canon Professor Maurice Wiles (1923–2005) wrote this article in retirement. At the outset of his career he was an Evangelical (as his review of Barth, also reproduced in this centenary issue, indicates), but by the 1970s he had moved to, and continued in, a distinctly more liberal direction. A gradual realization of the ‘complexity of the issues involved’ in theology (and, not least, within the Bible) spurred this move, as this article suggests. His aim finally is to search for ‘an intellectual and moral basis for sharing conscientiously and wholeheartedly in the rich spiritual tradition of Christian worship, belief and practice, without blinding oneself to its faults’. As a young man Wiles was recruited to work on code breaking at Bletchley Park during the war. In maturity he held the Regius Chair of Divinity at Oxford from 1970 until 1991. He also chaired the Church of England doctrine commission that produced the liberal report Christian Believing (1976) and contributed to the controversial book The Myth of God Incarnate the following year. Among his own books were The Making of Christian Doctrine (1967), The Remaking of Christian Doctrine (1974), Faith and the Mystery of God (1982) and, using his patristic skills, his late study of Arianism, Archetypal Heresy (1996). Editor.
Utilizing Crisis Intervention Teams in Prison to Improve Officer Knowledge, Stigmatizing Attitudes, and Perception of Response Options
Authors: Canada Kelli E. , Watson Amy C. , O’kelley Scott
Published: July 2020

People with mental illness (MI) are overrepresented in prisons, in part, because people with MI stay in prison longer. Correctional officers (COs) use discretion in force, violations, and segregation. Crisis intervention teams (CITs) are being used in corrections to reduce disparities in sanctioning and improve safety. This quasi-experimental, mixed-methods study includes 235 CIT COs who were surveyed before and after training on knowledge of MI, stigmatizing attitudes, and perception of response options. Non-CIT ( n = 599) officers completed the same survey. Randomly selected CIT COs completed interviews 6 to 9 months following training ( n = 17). CIT COs had significantly lower stigmatizing attitudes, more mental health knowledge, and better perceptions of options following CIT training compared with non-CIT COs. This preliminary work on CIT use in prison is promising; additional work is needed to determine whether these changes result in behavior change among COs and improvements in outcomes for people with MI.
Asymmetric indirect-driven self-sensing actuation and its application to piezoelectric systems
Authors: Hu Bin , Pang Chee Khiang , Wan Jie , Cao Shuyu , Tan Jern Khang , Li Hui , Wang Jianyi , Guo Guoxiao
Published: July 2020

Self-sensing actuators use a single piezoelectric element as actuators and sensors simultaneously. This paper proposes the asymmetric indirect-driven self-sensing actuation (AIDSSA) circuit to realize the concept of self-sensing in piezoelectric-actuated systems. Unlike traditional circuits relying on differential amplifiers, the AIDSSA circuit is constructed with only op-amps and uses negative feedback to reject the common-mode interferences from the control command. The new circuit requires simpler conditions of component matching and is able to sense the mechanical responses with a uniform gain and without a phase lag. The actuator is able to achieve full-stroke actuation while sensing is performed, because AIDSSA introduces no undesirable dynamics into the control loop. For the first time, the sensing and actuation transfer functions in self-sensing actuators have become fully decoupled at all frequencies. The investigation takes the form of an industrial application of hard disk drives, and demonstrates the usefulness the circuit in complex positioning systems. Experimental results show that the position error variance, a measure of disturbance rejection capability, has been improved by about 15% in the track-following mode relative to the same servo before modifications.
Explicit nonlinear predictive control algorithms for Laguerre filter and sparse least square support vector machine-based Wiener model
Authors: Raninga Divyesh , TK Radhakrishnan , Velswamy Kirubakaran
Published: July 2020

In this paper, three computationally proficient model predictive control (MPC) algorithms for least square support vector machine (LSSVM)-based Wiener model are described. A Wiener model with Laguerre filter as dynamic linear part and LSSVM approximator as nonlinear static part is considered. Even though having excellent approximation abilities, LSSVM suffers from lack of sparseness. A pruning algorithm for LSSVM model is proposed and its comparison is made with classical pruning algorithm. The proposed pruning algorithm is able to remove 99% of support vectors with no remarkable drop in modelling accuracy. Using pruned Wiener model, three computationally efficient MPC algorithms are described. In the first algorithm, linearization of Wiener model is performed at every sampling interval and therefore control vector is determined by carrying out a quadratic optimization task. In the second algorithm, control signal is determined by an explicit control law and parameters of this control law are computed by performing lower-upper (LU) factorization of a matrix and solving linear equations without any online optimization. In the third algorithm, the parameters of explicit control law are calculated directly by another LSSVM approximator, which is trained offline. The advantages and effectiveness of proposed methods are demonstrated on the benchmark pH neutralization reactor. The control performance and computational efficiency of proposed algorithms are compared with computationally complex nonlinear MPC, which repeats a nonlinear optimization task at every sampling interval. The impact of pruning on model accuracy, computational efficiency and control accuracy is also discussed.
Compensator-based approximate optimal control for affine nonlinear systems with input constraints and unmatched disturbances
Authors: Lu Ke , Liu Chunsheng , Sun Jingliang , Li Chunhua , Ma Chengcheng
Published: July 2020

This paper develops a novel approximate optimal control method for a class of constrained continuous-time nonlinear systems in the presence of disturbances via adaptive dynamic programming (ADP) technique. First, an auxiliary dynamic compensator is introduced to deal with the input constraints. Through augmenting the original system with the designed auxiliary compensator, the design of constrained optimal controller is circumvented by stabilizing the equivalent augmented system. Then, the cost function is appropriately redefined by introducing an additional function connected with disturbances for the augmented nominal system in order to compensate the effect of unmatched disturbances. Next, the solution of associated Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB) equation is solved online with weight adaptation law using neural networks (NNs). Furthermore, an additional robustifying term is utilized to compensate the effect of the approximation error of NNs, and thus the asymptotic stability of the closed-loop system is guaranteed. Finally, all signals of the closed-loop system are proved to be asymptotic convergence by using Lyapunov method. Simulation examples demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.
The viability of the Scandinavian work-life model and the impact of lean production: The case of Scania
Authors: Oudhuis Margareta , Tengblad Stefan
Published: July 2020

From the 1970s through the 1990s, Scandinavian work-life, especially in Sweden, was an international role model for work organization and industrial relations. Practices such as job enrichment, teamwork in semi-autonomous groups, multi-skilling, and long work cycles were commonplace. This article investigates if and how such practices, the Socio-Technical Systems model (STS), are still followed in Sweden after the arrival of lean production. The study was conducted at Scania, a Swedish heavy truck and bus manufacturer well-known for its innovative work organization and its previous use of a socio-technical work design. The study finds that as this production and management model has been substantially marginalized, a new model has emerged. The new model, inspired by the Toyota Production System and lean, is characterized by a line organization design, standardized work processes, daily control, all shorter cycle-times, permanent team leader positions, position ownership, and continuous improvement with rotation possibilities. This new model, Scania Production System (SPS), has enjoyed considerable success. Yet challenges remain with respect to employee commitment to work and their boredom with highly-paced, repetitive work, leading to an advocacy for more of a hybrid model between the SPS and the STS models. Although the study is performed in only one company it is an exemplar company in Sweden which has been highly influential also beyond the transportation industry. The article also expands the scientific knowledge of production systems by the help of a novel stakeholder model. The article’s contribution is its demonstration of current work organization practices and to what extent these represent continuity or new trajectories. Lean production has had a vigouous reception in Scania but there are problematic features that are distinct from a stakeholder model perspective.
Utility of Spirometry Values for Evaluating Tracheal Stenosis Patients Before and After Balloon Dilation
Authors: Alrabiah Abdulaziz , Almohanna Shahad , Aljasser Abdullah , Zakzouk Abdulmajeed , Habib Syed Shahid , Almohizea Mohammed , Bukhari Manal , Alammar Ahmed
Published: July 2020

Objectives:

Tracheal stenosis is defined as a narrowing of the airway distal to the lower edge of the cricoid cartilage. It is initially diagnosed based on clinical presentation and then confirmed using direct laryngobronchoscopy. Other adjunctive diagnostic methods, including spirometry, have been proposed. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between tracheal stenosis severity and pre- and post-balloon dilatation spirometry parameters in order to assess for significant changes in spirometry values and to evaluate for the effects of stenosis-associated factors on post-dilation spirometry values, including vertical length and grade of the stenosis, as well as the role of wound-modifying agents.

Methods:

This retrospective study included adults (>18 years of age) with isolated tracheal stenosis who underwent endoscopic balloon dilations at King Saud University Medical City from June 2015 to May 2019, with detailed documentation of operative findings and valid spirometry measurements pre- and post-balloon dilation. Basic demographic data and operative note details, including information about the percentage of tracheal stenosis, distance of tracheal stenosis from vocal cords, vertical length of stenotic segment, and use of wound-modifying agents (topical mitomycin C or triamcinolone injections), were extracted.

Results:

Fourteen patients with spirometry measurements obtained on 50 occasions (25 pre-balloon dilation and 25 post-balloon dilation) were included. Each 1-unit increase in the vertical length of the stenosis showed a statistically significant negative relationship (−1.47 L/s) with pre-balloon dilation peak expiratory flow (PEF; P = .034). Post-balloon dilation spirometric values showed statistically significant improvements for most variables.

Conclusions:

The vertical length of an isolated tracheal stenosis can be predicted before surgical interventions using PEF values and may be a significant indicator of anticipated post-balloon dilation surgical success. Our study suggested that spirometry is a very useful technique for evaluating patients with tracheal stenosis due to its noninvasiveness, cost-effectiveness, with a good clinical value.
Organized Hematoma of the Sphenoid Sinus With Acute Blindness: Insight Into Pathogenesis of Disease
Authors: Lin Giant C. , Wells Porrmann Jade , Paz Melody , Moshel Yaron A. , LeBenger Jeffrey , Benitez Ronald P.
Published: July 2020

Sinonasal organized hematomas (OHs) are rare lesions that primarily localize to the maxillary sinus. The rate of growth of these masses has not been described in the literature. We present a case of a 59-year-old gentleman with polyostotic fibrous dysplasia who presented with acute loss of vision in the left eye from an expanding OH of the sphenoid sinusitis. After expanded endonasal, transpterygoid approach and debulking, patient experienced significant vision improvement. Close follow-up imaging preoperatively allowed radiologic documentation of the rate of OH growth and this is presented in detail.
Listening as a citizenship practice post-Arab Spring: mediated civic listening as a struggle, duty and joy in Urban Morocco
Authors: Schmoll Katharina
Published: July 2020

Where options to speak out and to find recognition are limited, it is tempting to explore citizens’ engagement from an angle of self-expression. With the so-called Arab Spring, narratives about ‘Arabs speaking out’ gained prominence in Western publics, highlighting Arabs’ civic engagement, and also countering long-standing Western images of Arabs as passive and/or violent. In contrast, building on ethnographic research with Moroccan urban women affiliated with the Islamic-oriented Justice and Development Party, this article identifies and discusses listening as a critical media practice. Notably, this article suggests recognising listening as a valuable active citizenship practice next to practices of voice. As a critical part of emerging civic cultures in the Arab world, listening helps revealing understudied links between civic knowledge, listening, civic engagement and empowerment. In this endeavour, this article discusses the interviewees’ mediated listening practices for civic knowledge as a duty, struggle and joy pertaining to authoritarianism, class and gender issues, illustrating how reciprocal listening and knowledge redistribution are used as a civic engagement and empowerment strategy. The article aims to contribute to debates on Arab-mediated civic cultures as well as the concept of listening that has previously been discussed mainly in the context of Western democracies.
Prediction of Minor Salivary Gland Carcinoma: A Novel Nomogram and Risk Classification System for Overall Survival and Cancer‐Specific Survival
Authors: lan Ling‐feng , Gao Chen‐kai , Ma Chao‐wu
Published: July 2020

Objective

Minor salivary gland carcinoma (MiSGC) is rare, and the understanding of this disease is insufficient. This study aimed to identify independent risk factors and develop a nomogram for evaluating the overall survival (OS) and cancer‐specific survival (CSS) of patients with MiSGC.

Study Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

SEER database (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results).

Subjects and Methods

We collected data from patients diagnosed with MiSGC between 2004 and 2015 from the SEER database. According to patient registration, all patients were randomly allocated to training sets and validation sets (2:1). Then, Kaplan‐Meier product limit curves and Cox proportional hazard regressions were performed to estimate the prognostic effect of variables. Nomograms based on Cox proportional hazard regressions were established to estimate 3‐ and 5‐year OS and CSS. Finally, the nomogram was developed by the training set, and validation was performed with the concordance index, calibration curves, and decision curve analyses.

Results

In total, 1787 MiSGC cases were registered in SEER. The concordance index for internal validation of OS and CSS prediction was 0.842 and 0.816; that of external validation was 0.871 and 0.831. The calibration plots showed good consistency between nomogram prediction and actual survival. The decision curve analysis showed substantial net benefits of the new predictive model.

Conclusions

We constructed nomograms and a corresponding risk classification system predicting the OS and CSS of patients with MiSGC. These tools can generate simple‐to‐use clinical risk grouping and determine the relationship between adjuvant therapy and active surveillance.
Relationship Between Pepsin Expression and Dysplasia Grade in Patients With Vocal Cord Leukoplakia
Authors: Chen Ya‐Lian , Bao Yang‐Yang , Zhou Shui‐Hong , Yao Hong‐Tian , Chen Zhe
Published: July 2020

Objective

To measure pepsin expression in patients with vocal fold leukoplakia and elucidate its clinical significance.

Study Design

Retrospective analysis of pathologic archive specimens.

Setting

Affiliated university hospital.

Subjects and Methods

The study included 45 patients with vocal fold leukoplakia and 19 with vocal fold polyps who underwent surgical treatment between December 2013 and July 2016. Masses were detected on both vocal cords in 5 patients with vocal fold leukoplakia and in 1 patient with vocal fold polyps. Immunohistochemistry was used to assess pepsin expression. In addition, the relationship of pepsin expression level with clinical characteristics of vocal fold leukoplakia was assessed.

Results

The rate of pepsin expression was high in the polyp group (75%) and the leukoplakia group (68%); however, the difference between groups was not significant (P >. 05). Pepsin expression significantly increased according to grade of dysplasia (mild, 57.1%; moderate, 88.9%; severe, 100.0%; P =. 034). Similarly, the percentage of lesions that exhibited strongly positive pepsin expression increased with the grade of dysplasia (mild, 37.1%; moderate, 66.7%; severe, 100.0%; P =. 005). The leukoplakia recurrence rate was higher in patients with positive pepsin expression than in patients with negative pepsin expression but without a significant difference (P >. 05).

Conclusion

Our study suggests that pepsin was associated with the grade of dysplasia of vocal cord leukoplakia. Further investigation with appropriate control groups and controlling for other risk factors, such as smoking or alcohol consumption, is needed.
Surgical Management of Bilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta‐analysis
Authors: Thorpe Ryan Kendall , Kanotra Sohit Paul
Published: July 2020

Objectives

To examine and compare the outcomes of various types of glottic widening surgery (GWS) for initial management of bilateral vocal fold paralysis (BVFP) in children, the outcomes of different GWS procedures in children who underwent initial tracheostomy, and the rate of decannulation in children who underwent tracheostomy alone versus tracheostomy followed by GWS.

Data Sources

PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Embase were searched following the PRISMA guidelines (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐analyses) on September 9, 2019, with no date restriction.

Review Methods

Articles focusing on GWS or tracheostomy for initial management of BVFP were included. Articles describing patients who received no surgical intervention for BVFP were excluded.

Results

A total of 5989 articles were reviewed: 67 articles met inclusion criteria, and 240 patients were incorporated into the analysis. Patients who underwent primary GWS had an eventual tracheostomy rate of 6.0% (5/83). There were no statistically significant differences in the rate of tracheostomy, reoperation, or mortality among cricoid split, suture lateralization, and cordectomy/cordotomy. Patients who underwent primary tracheostomy failed to achieve decannulation in 36.9% (58/157) of cases. Decannulation was more likely in tracheostomized children who received GWS than those who did not (odds ratio, 6.336; P <. 0001).

Conclusions

Most children who undergo primary GWS for BVFP avoid tracheostomy or reoperation. These data demonstrated no differences in surgical outcomes among the most common types of GWS for BVFP. For children who receive a tracheostomy as their first intervention for BVFP, GWS is associated with a significantly improved rate of decannulation.
Addition of specific hip strengthening exercises to conventional rehabilitation therapy for low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: de Jesus Fabio Luciano Arcanjo , Fukuda Thiago Yukio , Souza Camila , Guimarães Janice , Aquino Leticia , Carvalho Gabriel , Powers Christopher , Gomes-Neto Mansueto
Published: July 2020

Objective:

To examine the effectiveness of hip strengthening exercises in reducing pain and disability in persons with low back pain.

Methods:

We searched for randomized controlled clinical trials on MEDLINE, the Physiotherapy Evidence Database, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, LILACS, Scielo and CINAHL from the earliest date available to June 2020. Studies that included hip strengthening exercises for persons with low back pain and included pain and/or disability as an outcome measure were evaluated by two independent reviewers. Mean difference (MD), and 95% confidence interval (CI) were estimated by random effect models.

Results:

Five studies met the eligibility criteria (309 patients). Four studies included hip strengthening in conjunction with other interventions, while one study evaluated hip strengthening as a standalone intervention. Hip strengthening exercises improved pain (MD −5.4 mm, 95% CI: −8.9 to −1.8 mm), and disability (MD −2.9; 95% CI: −5.6 to −0.1) in persons with low back pain compared to interventions in which hip strengthening was not utilized. The quality of evidence for the pain outcome, was assessed as being moderate. The quality of evidence for the outcome of self-reported disability, was assessed as being low.

Conclusion:

Addition of specific hip strengthening exercises to conventional rehabilitation therapy may be beneficial for improving pain and disability in persons with low back pain.
Ganglioside GM2: a potential biomarker for cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Talabnin Krajang , Talabnin Chutima , Kumagai Tadahiro , Sutatum Nuchanard , Khiaowichit Juthamas , Dechsukhum Chawaboon , Ishihara Mayumi , Azadi Parastoo , Sripa Banchob
Published: July 2020

Objective

To investigate the expression of glycosphingolipids in serum and tissue from patients with cholangiocarcinoma compared with healthy controls.

Methods

Nanospray ionization-linear ion trap mass spectrometry (NSI-MSn) was used to demonstrate the comparative structural glycomics of glycosphingolipids in serum from patients with cholangiocarcinoma (n=15), compared with healthy controls (n = 15). GM2 expression in cholangiocarcinoma tissues (n = 60) was evaluated by immunohistochemistry.

Results

Eleven glycosphingolipids were detected by NSI-MSn: CMH (ceramide monohexose), Lac-Cer (galactose (Gal)β1-4 glucose (Glc)β1-1'-ceramide), Gb3 (Galα1-4Galβ1-4Glcβ1-1'-ceramide), Gb4/Lc4 (N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc)β1-3Galα1-4Galβ1-4Glcβ1-1'-ceramide/Galβ1-4 N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc)β1-3Galβ1-4Glcβ1-1'-ceramide), GM3 (N-acetylneuraminic acid (NeuAc)2-3Galβ1-4Glcβ1-1'-ceramide), GM2 (GalNAcβ1-4[NeuAc2-3]Galβ1-4Glcβ1-1'-ceramide), GM1 (Galβ1-3GalNAcβ1-4[NeuAc2-3]Galβ1-4Glcβ1-1'-ceramide), hFA (hydroxylated fatty acid)-CMH, hFA-Lac-Cer, hFA-Gb3, and hFA-GM3. Lac-Cer was the most abundant structure among the lactosides and globosides (normal, 24.40% ± 0.11%; tumor, 24.61% ± 2.10%), while GM3 predominated among the gangliosides (normal, 29.14% ± 1.31%; tumor, 30.53% ± 4.04%). The two glycosphingolipids that significantly differed between healthy controls and patients with cholangiocarcinoma were Gb3 and GM2. High expression of GM2 was associated with vascular invasion in tissue from patients with cholangiocarcinoma.

Conclusions

Altered expression of glycosphingolipids in tissue and serum from patients with cholangiocarcinoma may contribute to tumor growth and progression. The ganglioside GM2, which significantly increased in the serum of patients with cholangiocarcinoma, represents a promising target as a biomarker for cholangiocarcinoma.
Pretargeted radioimmunoimaging with a biotinylated D-D3 construct and 99mTc-DTPA-biotin: strategies for early diagnosis of small cell lung cancer
Authors: Hong Zhihui , Deng Shengming , Shi Yizhen , Xie Yichi , You Jiaxi , Wang Wei , Huang Hong , Liu Zengli
Published: July 2020

Objective

Pro-gastrin releasing peptide (ProGRP) plays an oncogenic role in small cell lung cancer (SCLC). The anti-ProGRP(31-98) monoclonal antibody D-D3 can selectively accumulate in SCLC xenografts in nude mice. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a new pretargeting procedure for the early diagnosis of SCLC.

Methods

D-D3 was radiolabeled with technetium-99m (99mTc) using a three-step pretargeting method. Mice with SCLC xenografts were treated with different labeling regimens, and the biodistribution and radioimmunoimaging were explored. The percentage injected dose per gram (%ID/g) in various organs, tumor/non-tumor (T/NT) ratio, and tumor/background (T/B) ratio were also calculated.

Results

In vivo distribution experiments revealed that 99mTc-DTPA-biotin was metabolized in the liver and kidney, with rapid elimination in the blood. The T/B ratio was highest in mice treated with biotinylated antibody D-D3 + avidin + 99mTc-DTPA-biotin. Single-photon emission computerized tomography imaging further confirmed that the T/B ratio was highest in this group at all time points.

Conclusions

In contrast to directly labeled D-D3, pretargeting technology displayed specific enhancement and signal amplification in tumors, which could increase the target tumor uptake of 99mTc and provide a new approach for the early diagnosis of SCLC.
Necrotizing fasciitis complicated with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome after breast augmentation with fat from the waist and lower extremities: a case report
Authors: Zhang Mingjun , Chen Longjin , Chi Kai , Xu Liyan , Li Yonglin
Published: July 2020

Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a rapidly progressing soft tissue infection with a mortality rate as high as 30% to 50%. However, the incidence rate of NF after liposuction is extremely low. In the current case report, we describe a woman with NF who developed multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) after fat acquisition. The aim of this paper is to summarize the management of these patients. After debridement and drainage, correction of multiple organ failure, and plastic surgery, the patient’s organ and lower limb functions improved to a normal level. Early diagnosis, early operative treatment, and correction of systemic abnormalities are the keys to successful recovery of patients with NF complicated with MODS after liposuction.
Glass ceiling – An illusion or realism? Role of organizational identification and trust on the career satisfaction in Indian organizations
Authors: Srivastava Shalini , Madan Poornima , Dhawan Vartika Kapoor
Published: July 2020

The motivation of the present study is to investigate the association between perceived glass ceiling and career satisfaction among Indian managers. The study examined the impact of glass ceilings at the career satisfaction level of employees mediated by organization identification and organizational trust. The sample for the present study embraces 237 middle level managers representing organizations in Delhi/NCR. For data analysis, descriptive statistics, correlation and regression were used. Results illustrate that a significant and negative relationship is found between glass ceiling and career satisfaction which implies that if employees feel that glass ceiling exists in the organization, their career satisfaction will be less. The results validate that the impact of glass ceiling decreases after introducing the mediating effects of trust and organizational identification on career satisfaction. The subsistence of the glass ceiling in the organizations will indirectly be fortified due to inadequacies in networking, mentoring, flexible working hours and family friendly initiatives. Therefore, modifying the human resource policies and practices and altering the organizational culture and attitudes of executives shall help organizations preserve their extremely able women workforce.
Modified State Surface Approach to Study Unsaturated Soil Hysteresis Behavior
Authors: Riad Beshoy , Zhang Xiong
Published: July 2020

Unsaturated soils are often used as a construction material in transportation infrastructures. In this situation, unsaturated soils are subjected to cyclic mechanical loading from traffic loads or wetting-drying cycles in seasonal climatic conditions. While mechanical hysteresis is a common feature of soils in general, hydraulic hysteresis is associated with unsaturated soils. Although several constitutive models for unsaturated soils have been proposed, the mechanical and hydraulic hysteresis behavior of unsaturated soils has been little studied. A modified state surface approach (MSSA) was first proposed for investigating the mechanical behavior of unsaturated soils. It was then extended to study the coupled hydro-mechanical behavior of unsaturated soils with a special focus on the consistency between different soil phases. However, hydraulic and mechanical hysteresis were neglected in MSSA formulations. In this paper, based on evidence from experimental results, the MSSA is extended further to study the coupled hydro-mechanical hysteresis behavior of unsaturated soils. The extended MSSA can reproduce several forms of mechanical and hydraulic behavior observed in experimental results that cannot be represented by existing constitutive models. To demonstrate the capabilities of the extended MSSA, typical behaviors are simulated and compared, qualitatively, with the characteristic trends of the behavior of unsaturated soils. Experimental results from the literature are then used to evaluate the model to predict, quantitatively, the observed behaviors. The agreement between measured and predicted results is considered satisfactory and confirms the possibility of the proposed approach to reproduce the hysteresis behavior of unsaturated soils.
Childless Families in Languedoc in the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries
Authors: Laumonier Lucie Jenny
Published: July 2020

Childlessness was a widespread concern for late medieval couples. In the southern French diocese of Maguelone, an average of 43 percent of fourteenth- and fifteenth-century urban testators and of 25 percent of rural testators had no children alive although they were or had been married. This article investigates, first, patterns of childlessness in time and space based on the analysis of close to 1,100 wills. In a second time, the focus shifts toward the causes of childlessness, understood as resulting from both the death of children and issues of infertility. A series of factors, some environmental, other due to the nature of sources, explain why urban couples exhibit higher rates of childlessness than rural couples. The last section of this article explores the consequences of the absence of children on the transmission of estates and on support for the elderly.
Dyslipidemia With Perioperative Statin Usage Is Not Associated With Poorer 24-Month Functional Outcomes After Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Surgery
Authors: Zeng Gerald Joseph ShengXiang , Lee Merrill Jian Hui , Chen Jerry Yongqiang , Ang Benjamin Fu Hong , Hao Ying , Lie Denny Tjiauw Tjoen
Published: July 2020

Background:

Current literature suggests a higher rate of rotator cuff disease development in patients with dyslipidemia (DL). Moderate to high levels of DL are associated with higher rates of retear and revision surgery after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Statins protect against development of rotator cuff disease and mitigate the need for rotator cuff repair.

Purpose:

We aimed to investigate the influence of DL and statin use on postoperative functional outcomes.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Between 2010 and 2016, 266 patients underwent arthroscopic double-row rotator cuff repair for atraumatic full-thickness tears. Evaluation was conducted preoperatively and at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months postoperatively. Three functional outcome measures were used (Constant Shoulder Score [CSS], Oxford Shoulder Score [OXF], and University of California, Los Angeles, Shoulder Rating Scale [UCLASS]), as well as a visual analog scale (VAS) for pain. DL and non-DL were classified through screening of health and assessment of lipid levels within 6 months of surgery (triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, and high-density lipoprotein). Patients with DL were divided into statin users and nonusers. Types and dosages of statins were recorded, and intensity and equivalency charts were employed for standardization. Mann-Whitney U test and Pearson chi-square test were used for analysis. Generalized estimating equations and linear mixed models were used to examine the influence of DL and statin dosage, respectively on percentage change of postoperative outcome scores.

Results:

Increased age was associated with a higher incidence of DL ( P < .001), and 86% of the DL group was taking statins. The DL group also exhibited poorer scores preoperatively (CSS, P = .001; OXF, P = .032). No significant difference in scores was elicited between the DL and non-DL groups at 24 months. However, patients with DL experienced greater percentage improvement of CSS and OXF from preoperative baseline than did patients without DL ( P = .008 and P = .034, respectively) at 24 months. There was no significant difference in 24-month functional outcomes between statin users and nonusers. No statistically significant change of CSS; OXF; UCLASS; or VAS was noted with increasing statin doses at 24 months.

Conclusion:

Patients with DL with perioperative statin usage did not have poorer 24-month functional outcomes after arthroscopic rotator cuff surgery compared with those in patients without DL.
Linear Discriminant Analysis Successfully Predicts Knee Injury Outcome From Biomechanical Variables
Authors: Schilaty Nathan D. , Bates Nathaniel A. , Kruisselbrink Sydney , Krych Aaron J. , Hewett Timothy E.
Published: July 2020

Background:

The most commonly damaged structures of the knee are the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), medial collateral ligament (MCL), and menisci. Given that these injuries present as either isolated or concomitant, it follows that these events are driven by specific mechanics versus coincidence. This study was designed to investigate the multiplanar mechanisms and determine the important biomechanical and demographic factors that contribute to classification of the injury outcome.

Hypothesis:

Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) would accurately classify each injury type generated by the mechanical impact simulator based on biomechanical input variables (ie, ligament strain and knee kinetics).

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

In vivo kinetics and kinematics of 42 healthy, athletic participants were measured to determine stratification of injury risk (ie, low, medium, and high) in 3 degrees of knee forces/moments (knee abduction moment, anterior tibial shear, and internal tibial rotation). These stratified kinetic values were input into a cadaveric impact simulator to assess ligamentous strain and knee kinetics during a simulated landing task. Uniaxial and multiaxial load cells and implanted strain sensors were used to collect mechanical data for analysis. LDA was used to determine the ability to classify injury outcome by demographic and biomechanical input variables.

Results:

From LDA, a 5-factor model (Entropy R2 = 0.26) demonstrated an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for all 5 injury outcomes (ACL, MCL, ACL+MCL, ACL+MCL+meniscus, ACL+meniscus) of 0.74 or higher, with “good” prediction for 4 of 5 injury classifications. A 10-factor model (Entropy R2 = 0.66) improved the AUC to 0.86 or higher, with “excellent” prediction for 5 injury classifications. The 15-factor model (Entropy R2 = 0.85), produced 94.1% accuracy with the AUC 0.98 or higher for all 5 injury classifications.

Conclusion:

Use of LDA accurately predicted the outcome of knee injury from kinetic data from cadaveric simulations with the use of a mechanical impact simulator at 25° of knee flexion. Thus, with clinically relevant kinetics, it is possible to determine clinical risk of injury and also the likely presentation of singular or concomitant knee injury.

Clinical Relevance:

LDA demonstrates that injury outcomes are largely characterized by specific mechanics that can distinguish ACL, MCL, and medial meniscal injury. Furthermore, as the mechanics of injury are better understood, improved interventional prehabilitation can be designed to reduce these injuries.