bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The use of patient-specific equipoise to support shared decision-making for clinical care and enrollment into clinical trials
Authors: Selker Harry P. , Daudelin Denise H. , Ruthazer Robin , Kwong Manlik , Lorenzana Rebecca C. , Hannon Daniel J. , Wong John B. , Kent David M. , Terrin Norma , Moreno-Koehler Alejandro D. , McAlindon Timothy E.
Published: June 2019

Background:

To enhance enrollment into randomized clinical trials (RCTs), we proposed electronic health record-based clinical decision support for patient–clinician shared decision-making about care and RCT enrollment, based on “mathematical equipoise.”

Objectives:

As an example, we created the Knee Osteoarthritis Mathematical Equipoise Tool (KOMET) to determine the presence of patient-specific equipoise between treatments for the choice between total knee replacement (TKR) and nonsurgical treatment of advanced knee osteoarthritis.

Methods:

With input from patients and clinicians about important pain and physical function treatment outcomes, we created a database from non-RCT sources of knee osteoarthritis outcomes. We then developed multivariable linear regression models that predict 1-year individual-patient knee pain and physical function outcomes for TKR and for nonsurgical treatment. These predictions allowed detecting mathematical equipoise between these two options for patients eligible for TKR. Decision support software was developed to graphically illustrate, for a given patient, the degree of overlap of pain and functional outcomes between the treatments and was pilot tested for usability, responsiveness, and as support for shared decision-making.

Results:

The KOMET predictive regression model for knee pain had four patient-specific variables, and an r2 value of 0.32, and the model for physical functioning included six patient-specific variables, and an r2 of 0.34. These models were incorporated into prototype KOMET decision support software and pilot tested in clinics, and were generally well received.

Conclusions:

Use of predictive models and mathematical equipoise may help discern patient-specific equipoise to support shared decision-making for selecting between alternative treatments and considering enrollment into an RCT.
Disasters in Germany and France: An Analysis of the Emergency Events Database From a Pediatric Perspective
Authors: Ries Markus , Zielonka Matthias , Ries Noah , Breil Thomas , Garbade Sven , Mechler Konstantin
Published: June 2019

Objective:

The objective of this study was to conduct comprehensive analyses of disaster patterns for Germany and France from a pediatric perspective.

Methods:

An analysis of the Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT), epidemiological database with standard methods of descriptive and comparative statistics respecting the strengthening the reporting of observational studies in epidemiology (STROBE) criteria, was performed.

Results:

Between 2006 and 2016, there were 41 and 42 disasters in Germany and France claiming 259 and 4973 lives, respectively. Ages of afflicted individuals were not specified in EM-DAT. In Germany, most events were storms (37%), extreme temperatures (17%), floods (17%), and transport accidents (17%). In France, most events were storms (45%), extreme temperatures (17%), floods (19%), and transport accidents (14%). In Germany, most lives (96) were lost in transport accidents. In France, most casualties were due to the heat waves of 2006 and 2015 (1388 and 3275). Reported event types in Germany and France were similar, but heat waves struck France more significantly than Germany.

Conclusions:

Pediatric data are not explicitly captured in EM-DAT, but reported disaster patterns suggest that exposures to heat and cold, storms, trauma, chemicals, water, and infectious agents are possible mechanisms of injury. Age-stratified disaster data are needed to enable a timely, transparent, coordinated, and sustained data-driven approach to pediatric disaster resilience.
Achievement and the Value of Knowledge
Authors: Kim Brian
Published: June 2019

How does being a knower and possessing knowledge contribute to living well? Some have assumed that the eudaimonic value of knowledge is exhausted by its role as either a means or a final end. On this basis, it has been concluded that knowledge is not always valuable since its value will depend upon the ends that one has. I propose to expand our exploration by considering how knowledge might be valuable in virtue of being constitutive of certain eudaimonic goods. Using achievement as an example of an eudaimonic good, I argue, by way of considering its relations to credit and luck, that knowledge is necessary for achievement.
Performance of surgical site infection risk prediction models in colorectal surgery: external validity assessment from three European national surveillance networks
Authors: Grant Rebecca , Aupee Martine , Buchs Nicolas C. , Cooper Kristine , Eisenring Marie-Christine , Lamagni Theresa , Ris Frédéric , Tanguy Juliette , Troillet Nicolas , Harbarth Stephan , Abbas Mohamed
Published: June 2019

Objective:

To assess the validity of multivariable models for predicting risk of surgical site infection (SSI) after colorectal surgery based on routinely collected data in national surveillance networks.

Design:

Retrospective analysis performed on 3 validation cohorts.

Patients:

Colorectal surgery patients in Switzerland, France, and England, 2007–2017.

Methods:

We determined calibration and discrimination (ie, area under the curve, AUC) of the COLA (contamination class, obesity, laparoscopy, American Society of Anesthesiologists [ASA]) multivariable risk model and the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) multivariable risk model in each cohort. A new score was constructed based on multivariable analysis of the Swiss cohort following colorectal surgery, then based on colon and rectal surgery separately.

Results:

We included 40,813 patients who had undergone elective or emergency colorectal surgery to validate the COLA score, 45,216 patients to validate the NHSN colon and rectal surgery risk models, and 46,320 patients in the construction of a new predictive model. The COLA score’s predictive ability was poor, with AUC values of 0.64 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.63–0.65), 0.62 (95% CI, 0.58–0.67), 0.60 (95% CI, 0.58–0.61) in the Swiss, French, and English cohorts, respectively. The NHSN colon-specific model (AUC, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.61–0.62) and the rectal surgery–specific model (AUC, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.53–0.61) showed limited predictive ability. The new predictive score showed poor predictive accuracy for colorectal surgery overall (AUC, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.64–0.66), for colon surgery (AUC, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.65–0.66), and for rectal surgery (AUC, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.60–0.66).

Conclusion:

Models based on routinely collected data in SSI surveillance networks poorly predict individual risk of SSI following colorectal surgery. Further models that include other more predictive variables could be developed and validated.
Influence of pitch rate on freely translating perching airfoils
Authors: Jardin T. , Doué N.
Published: June 2019

We numerically investigated the unsteady dynamics of a two-dimensional airfoil undergoing a continuous, prescribed pitch-up motion and freely translating as a response to aerodynamic forces and the gravity field. The pitch-up motion was applied about an axis located $1/6$ chord away from the leading edge and was parameterized using the shape change number, with a Reynolds number set to 2000. It was shown that the minimum kinetic energy reached by the airfoil depends stochastically and asymptotically on shape change numbers for values below and above 1, respectively. Very low kinetic energy levels (close to zero) can be reached in both stochastic and asymptotic regions but high shape change numbers are accompanied by significant gain in altitude which may be undesirable from a practical perspective. Rather, shape change numbers in the range [0.1–0.3] allow us to reach relatively low levels of kinetic energy for close perching locations. We showed that highly nonlinear fluid–structure interactions induced by massive flow separations and strong vortices are conducive to low kinetic energy, but responsible for the stochastic dependence of kinetic energy to shape change number, which can make perching manoeuvres hardly controllable for flying vehicles.
Exhibition: Tony Albert, 'Visible', Queensland Art Gallery, 2 June to 7 October 2018
Authors: Beetson Bianca
Published: June 2019

Exhibition: Tony Albert, Visible, Queensland Art Gallery, 2 June to 7 October 2018
Joanne Holliman (ed.), 'Helen Haenke at Rockton: A Creative Life', Brisbane: University of Queensland Press, 2017, 200 pp., ISBN 9 7807 0225 4246, A$$40
Authors: Ferres Kay
Published: June 2019

Joanne Holliman (ed.), Helen Haenke at Rockton: A Creative Life, Brisbane: University of Queensland Press, 2017, 200 pp., ISBN 9 7807 0225 4246, A$$40
Clare Wright, 'You Daughters of Freedom: The Australians Who Won the Vote and Inspired the World', Melbourne: Text Publishing, 2018, 553 pp., ISBN 9 7819 2560 3934, A$49.99
Authors: Stell Marion
Published: June 2019

Clare Wright, You Daughters of Freedom: The Australians Who Won the Vote and Inspired the World, Melbourne: Text Publishing, 2018, 553 pp., ISBN 9 7819 2560 3934, A$49.99
Diversifying the early history of the prefabricated colonial house in Moreton Bay
Authors: Keys Cathy
Published: June 2019

The history of prefabrication in settler Australia is incomplete. The use of prefabricated and transportable buildings in existing Australian architectural histories focuses on colonial importation from Britain, Asia, America and New Zealand. This article, however, argues for a more diverse and local history of prefabrication — one that considers Indigenous people’s use of prefabrication and draws on archaeological research of abandoned military ventures, revealing an Australian-made, colonial prefabricated building industry that existed for over 40 years, from the 1800s to the 1840s. A more inclusive architectural history of prefabrication is considered in relation to a case study of the first European house erected in Moreton Bay at the British penal outpost of Red Cliffe Point (1824–25), a settlement established partly to contribute to British territory-marking on Australia’s distant coastlines. While existing histories prioritise transportability and ease of assembly as features of prefabricated buildings, this research has found that ease of disassembly, relocation and recycling of building components is a key feature of prefabrication in early abandoned British military garrisons.
Redcoats in the 1840s Moreton Bay and New Zealand frontier wars
Authors: Pratt Rod , Hopkins-Weise Jeff
Published: June 2019

This article examines the significant place of the 99th (Lanarkshire) Regiment of Foot as part of the shared history of Australia and New Zealand through the 1840s and 1850s, including its role in frontier conflict with Aboriginal peoples in Queensland and M?ori peoples in New Zealand. This preliminary comparison explores the role and experiences of detachments of the British Army’s 99th Regiment on three different colonial frontiers during the 1840s transitional period: the end of convict transportation and the opening of free settlement in Moreton Bay in 1842–48; the short-lived North Australia colony (later Gladstone) in 1847; and New Zealand’s North Island in 1845–47.
The Pallium Privilege of Pope Nicholas II for Archbishop Ealdred of York
Authors: TINTI FRANCESCA
Published: June 2019

The article presents and discusses the text of a little-known pallium grant of Pope Nicholas II for Archbishop Ealdred of York. Through comparison with other contemporaneous products of the papal chancery and the contents of other sources narrating the events reported in Nicholas's text, the study concludes that the papal privilege is substantially authentic. An edition, superseding a previous, late nineteenth-century one, which was based on just one of the two York manuscripts that preserve the papal privilege, is provided in the Appendix, together with a modern English translation.
Predictors of disease progression after endoscopic sinus surgery in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis
Authors: Tsuzuki K , Hashimoto K , Okazaki K , Nishikawa H , Sakagami M
Published: June 2019

Objective

This study aimed to determine the predictors of disease progression after functional endoscopic sinus surgery in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis.

Method

A total of 281 adult chronic rhinosinusitis patients who underwent primary bilateral functional endoscopic sinus surgery between 2007 and 2017 and had at least 12 months of follow-up endoscopic evaluation were examined. Patients were divided into eosinophilic (n= 205) and non-eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis groups (n= 76). In order to determine adverse factors, post-operative endoscopic appearance scores were analysed in relation to the pre- and intra-operative findings using multiple regression analyses.

Results

The post-operative course of eosinophilic cases deteriorated over time, like the early period for non-eosinophilic cases. Frontal sinus polyps recurred early in eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis. Multivariate analyses indicated young adulthood, asthma, high computed tomography score and frontal sinus polyps as significant adverse predictors.

Conclusion

Early, appropriate estimation of sinonasal conditions appears to be crucial for successful surgical management of chronic rhinosinusitis.
Variations in the reproductive investment of a venerid bivalve, Callista chione
Authors: Purroy Ariadna , Bukša Filip , Puljas Sanja , Peharda Melita
Published: June 2019

Understanding variations in the reproductive cycle of commercial and ecologically important bivalve species is essential to address fisheries management and climate oscillation issues. Spatial and temporal trends in the reproductive cycle of Callista chione were analysed using standard histological procedures and gonadosomatic index (GSI) for two consecutive years at two coastal sites in the Adriatic Sea. Reproductive output and fecundity were analysed quantitatively to gain better insight into the seasonal energy balance with respect to gametogenesis. A seawater temperature difference of ~4°C between the two sites likely influenced the onset and duration of spawning. At Cetina (milder temperatures), spawning was prolonged and occurred between spring and July, whereas at Pag there was only one main spawning peak in July. Both histology and GSI showed similar trends, indicating GSI to be a reliable method for analysing the main characteristics of the reproductive cycle. Conversely, the use of the body mass index (BMI) as an indicator of gonad development should be addressed carefully. Intraspecific variation in energy allocation between populations suggested life strategies modified to different habitat conditions. A higher reproductive investment and output in the Pag population directed gonadal resorption to ensure the generation of a new cycle, whereas the higher fecundity at the Cetina site indicated the production of gonads from newly available food. These results suggest successful physiological acclimatization to recent increasing temperatures.
Daoism, humanity, and the Way of Heaven
Authors: KIDD IAN JAMES
Published: June 2019

This article argues for a cross-culturally pluralistic conception of spiritual exemplarity. Three main modes of exemplarity are identified, distinguished by their underlying aspirations, which I label ‘allegiance’, ‘enlightened insight’, and ‘emulation’. After challenging some attempts to privilege the modes of exemplarity characteristic of theistic religions, I argue that perhaps the fullest example of the aspiration to emulation is the form of Daoism presented in The Book of Zhuāngzǐ. I conclude that what one finds across different cultures and traditions is a plurality of modes of spiritual exemplarity that should be acknowledge and explored, rather than given more reductive analyses that narrow our sense of the variety of ways of living a spiritual life.
The dualistic nature of a Red Lustrous Wheelmade bowl from Boğazköy with a depiction of a victorious armed warrior
Authors: Kozal Ekin
Published: June 2019

A bowl with an incised heroic combat scene was found at the Hittite capital of Boğazköy and dates to the end of the 15th/beginning of the 14th century BC. This article reconsiders this previously published bowl, its production history and the message it conveys. The warrior is usually identified as Mycenaean, and in previous studies the bowl has been considered only for its incised decoration without evaluation of the bowl itself, its context and associated finds. This article argues that the bowl had a physical journey from Rough Cilicia to Hattusa and a non-physical journey from being a simple everyday object to a unique artwork through the secondary carving of an image, which reflects dualistic aspects.
The sanctuary of Zeus Sarnendenos and the cult of Zeus in northeastern Phrygia
Authors: Güney Hale
Published: June 2019

This article presents the discovery of two fragmentary inscriptions which demonstrate the existence of an unknown naos of Zeus Sarnendenos in the northern part of the Choria Considiana, an extensive imperial estate in northeastern Phrygia. It also presents a votive offering to Zeus Sarnendenos and five new votive inscriptions to Zeus Akreinenos found in the village of Kozlu near İkizafer (ancient Akreina?), which was apparently part of another estate, belonging to the Roman senatorial family of the Plancii, situated to the east of the Choria Considiana. These inscriptions were found during the course of an epigraphic survey carried out in 2015 in Mihalıççık, a region located 90km to the northeast of Eskişehir in modern Turkey. The article consists of three main parts. It begins with an introduction to the historical and geographical backgrounds of the survey area; this is followed by a catalogue of inscriptions and, finally, an analysis of the sanctuary of Zeus Sarnendenos and the new votive offerings to Zeus Akreinenos, with reference to other evidence for the cult of Zeus in Phrygia and neighbouring regions. The inscriptions discovered in this area provide new information about the location and dispersal of the cult of Zeus in northeastern Phrygia.
Delayed Patient Access to Innovative Medical Technologies in South Korea: A Lead-Time Analysis of Reimbursement Coverage Determinations
Authors: Lee Sang-Soo , Myung Jae-Eun , Strachan Liesl
Published: June 2019

Background and Objectives

Timely access to innovative medical technologies driven by accelerated patient access pathways can substantially improve the health outcomes of patients who often have few therapeutic alternatives. We analyzed lead-times for the medical procedure reimbursement coverage process undertaken in South Korea from 2014 to 2017, which is considered one of the most important factors contributing to delays in patient access to new medical technologies.

Methods

This analysis was performed using the open datasets source of “Medical Procedure Expert Evaluation Committee (MPEEC)” meeting results and medical procedure coverage application information published on the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service Web site.

Results

From 2014 to 2017, 90 percent of all new coverage determinations took on average >250 days with almost 20 percent taking more than 2 years (>750 days), The average lead-time from the medical procedure coverage application to MPEEC meeting in 2015 was 435.0 ± 214.7 days (n= 26), which was significantly shorter than the average lead-time in 2014 (624.9 ± 290.3 days,n= 16) (p< .05). The average lead-time from application to official enforcement in 2015 was significantly shorter than that of 2014 (540.8 ± 217.4; n = 16 versus 734.1 ± 299.7 days;n= 26, respectively) (p< .05).

Conclusions

While this analysis showed a general trend of a reduction in the time taken to receive a positive coverage determination for a new medical technology, the average lead-time remains well over the government mandated 100 days. To continue this trend and further enhance the patient access pathway for medical procedure coverage determinations, some measures can be applied. In particular, the extended “One-Stop Service” program encompassing coverage determinations is one such recommendation that could be considered.
THE ROLE OF INPUT VARIABILITY AND LEARNER AGE IN SECOND LANGUAGE VOCABULARY LEARNING
Authors: Sinkeviciute Ruta , Brown Helen , Brekelmans Gwen , Wonnacott Elizabeth
Published: June 2019

Input variability is key in many aspects of linguistic learning, yet variability increases input complexity, which may cause difficulty in some learning contexts. The current work investigates this trade-off by comparing speaker variability effects on L2 vocabulary learning in different age groups. Existing literature suggests that speaker variability benefits L2 vocabulary learning in adults, but this may not be the case for younger learners. In this study native English-speaking adults, 7- to 8-year-olds, and 10- to 11-year-olds learned six novel Lithuanian words from a single speaker, and six from eight speakers. In line with previous research, adults showed better production of the multispeaker items at test. No such benefit was found for either group of children, either in production or comprehension. Children also had greater difficulties in processing multiple-speaker cues during training. We conclude that age-related capacity limitations may constrain the ability to utilize speaker variability when learning words in a new language.
An Uncommon Approach to the Global Commons: Interpreting China's Divergent Positions on Maritime and Outer Space Governance
Authors: Freeman Carla P.
Published: June 2019

This study assesses China's approach to the global commons, those areas of the globe over which no state exercises sovereignty and that are accessible to all. Examining Chinese behaviour, official statements and expert positions towards the extant high seas and outer space regimes, this research concludes that China approaches the principle of international access to the two domains situationally, reflecting its assessment of how these regimes affect its national interests. The finding cautions against blanket characterizations of China's strategic orientation towards the global commons.
Originalism and the Academy in Exile
Authors: Baumgardner Paul
Published: June 2019

Although constitutional originalism has attracted a remarkable degree of public and professional attention over the past several decades, little research has been conducted on the intellectual roots of modern originalism. This Article finds that American law schools housed few originalist theorists through much of the 1970s and early 1980s. However, after Edwin Meese III became U.S. Attorney General in 1985, the Department of Justice constructed a vibrant academy in exile, with government lawyers leading the way in the early development, theorization, and exercise of originalism. In addition to becoming the official mode of constitutional interpretation for Meese and the DOJ, originalism started to gain followers on the federal bench and within conservative social movements during the second half of the 1980s. As constitutional originalism grew in influence and professional use, academic interlocutors began engaging with and reimagining originalism more intently.
Effective Altruism and Systemic Change
Authors: Broi Antonin
Published: June 2019

One of the main objections against effective altruism (EA) is the so-called institutional critique, according to which the EA movement neglects interventions that affect large-scale institutions. Alexander Dietz has recently put forward an interesting version of this critique, based on a theoretical problem affecting act-utilitarianism, which he deems as potentially conclusive against effective altruism. In this article I argue that his critique is not as promising as it seems. I then go on to propose another version of the institutional critique. In contrast to Dietz's version, it targets not the core principles of effective altruism but rather some important methodological assumptions made in EA research, namely diminishing marginal returns and low-hanging fruits. One key conclusion is that it may be time for critics of effective altruism to shift their attention from the theoretical core principles of effective altruism towards the methodological tools actually employed in practice by the EA movement.
Small parks, big designs: reconstructed Tokyo's new green spaces, 1923–1931
Authors: Borland Janet
Published: June 2019

This article explores the genesis of small parks in Tokyo following the 1923 Great Kantō Earthquake. It sheds new light on an example of innovative urban design and post-disaster reconstruction, and highlights the growing place that children occupied in the minds of bureaucrats and urban planners. The small parks were designed for children first and foremost. Originally conceived as a means to increase space for school children to play and exercise, all 52 parks were strategically located beside primary schools. As the state's goals of social management expanded, however, officials increasingly recognized the potential to use small parks as sites of rest and guided recreation, as well as emergency refuge. A history of Tokyo's small parks thus offers a window in to the growing understanding about the relationship between the built environment, health and society in inter-war Japan.
Vascular endothelial growth factor polymorphism rs2010963 status does not affect patent ductus arteriosus incidence or cyclooxygenase inhibitor treatment success in preterm infants
Authors: Sallmon Hannes , Aydin Tünay , Hort Stefanie , Kubinski Anja , Bode Christina , Klippstein Tamara , Endesfelder Stefanie , Bührer Christoph , Koehne Petra
Published: June 2019

Background:

Vascular endothelial growth factor is critically involved in ductus arteriosus closure. Polymorphisms in the vascular endothelial growth factor gene have been associated with several diseases in neonates and adults.

Aim:

Herein, we investigated if vascular endothelial growth factor polymorphism rs2010963 status is associated with patent ductus arteriosus incidence and/or pharmacological treatment success.

Methods:

We assessed rs2010963 status in 814 preterm infants (<1500 g birth weight) by means of restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. DNA samples were obtained from dry-spot cards used for the German national newborn screening program. Clinical data were obtained by retrospective chart review.

Results:

We could not find any statistically significant difference in the incidence of patent ductus arteriosus depending on vascular endothelial growth factor rs2010963 polymorphism status. Furthermore, no statistically significant associations between vascular endothelial growth factor polymorphism rs2010963 status and cyclooxygenase inhibitor treatment success were observed.

Conclusion:

Our results indicate that there is no association between vascular endothelial growth factor polymorphism rs2010963 status and the occurrence of patent ductus arteriosus or the response to cyclooxygenase inhibitor treatment in a large cohort of preterm infants. Additional studies are needed to determine the role of genetic factors on patent ductus arteriosus incidence and treatment response.
Long-term results after palliative intra-cardiac repair for tetralogy of Fallot and diminutive pulmonary arteries
Authors: Kawahira Yoichi , Nishigaki Kyoichi , Kagisaki Koji , Watanabe Takuji , Tanimoto Kazuki
Published: June 2019

Background:

In patients with tetralogy of Fallot with the diminutive pulmonary arteries, we sometimes have to give up the complete intra-cardiac repair due to insufficient growth of the pulmonary arteries. We have carried out palliative intra-cardiac repair using a fenestrated patch.

Methods:

Of all 202 patients with tetralogy of Fallot in our centre since 1996, five patients (2.5%) with the diminutive pulmonary arteries underwent palliative intra-cardiac repair using a fenestrated patch. Mean operative age was 1.8 years. Previous operation was Blalock–Taussig shunt in 4. At operation, the ventricular septal defect was closed using a fenestrated patch and the right ventricular outflow tract was enlarged. Follow-up period was 9.8 ± 2.6 years.

Results:

There were no operative and late deaths. Fenestration closed spontaneously on its own in four patients 2.7 ± 2.1 years after the intra-cardiac repair with a stable haemodynamics; however, the last patient with the smallest pulmonary artery index had supra-systemic pressure of the right ventricle post-operatively. The fenestration was emergently enlarged. Systemic arterial oxygen saturation was significantly and dramatically increased from 83.5 to 94% after the palliative intra-cardiac repair, and to 98% at the long term. A ratio of systolic pressure of the right ventricle to the left was significantly decreased to 0.76 ± 0.12 at the long term. Now all five patients were Ross classification class I.

Conclusion:

Although frequent catheter and surgical interventions were needed after the palliative intra-cardiac repair, this repair might be a choice improving quality of life with good results in patients with tetralogy of Fallot associated with the diminutive pulmonary arteries.
Substance misuse in later life: challenges for primary care: a review of policy and evidence
Authors: Rao Rahul , Crome Ilana , Crome Peter , Iliffe Steve
Published: June 2019

Background

Substance misuse in older people represents a growing clinical and public health problem within primary care.

Aim

The aim of article is to explore policy and research evidence for informing best practice in the assessment, treatment effectiveness, treatment implementation and approaches to recovery for older people with substance misuse in primary care.

Methods

Relevant search terms were used to examine the databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and PsychINFO up to January 2016.

Results

An age-sensitive approach is required to overcome barriers to assessment. Training is essential for developing relevant knowledge, skills and attitudes. Clinical audit be used to develop care pathways, particularly for older people with dual diagnosis. There is also a need to develop closer links between primary care and the secondary care specialties, as well as added value in working with carers and voluntary agencies.

Discussion

Further research is needed to inform more effective approaches to treatment. Adequate funding for workforce development and quality improvement in service development are also essential to improve health outcomes and quality of life in older people with substance misuse.
Populism and Backlashes against International Courts
Authors: Voeten Erik
Published: June 2019

International courts, like domestic courts, protect liberal limits on majoritarianism. This sometimes puts these courts in a position to protect the property rights of the “corrupt elites” that are targeted by populists or the civil liberties of those who are targeted in domestic populist identity politics. Moreover, populism offers an ideology to attack the authority of a court rather than just its individual rulings. An empirical examination illustrates the plausibility of this argument. A large number of backlashes against international courts arise from judgments that reinforce local populist mobilization narratives. Populist backlashes against international courts are not just about sovereignty but often follow efforts to curb domestic courts, usually for similar reasons. Yet populist backlashes do not always succeed, either because populist leaders do not follow up on their exit threats or because populism is too thin an ideology for creating successful multilateral reform coalitions.
Partisan Polarization on Black Suffrage, 1785–1868
Authors: Bateman David A.
Published: June 2019

I offer a new perspective on the history of American democratization, tracing the evolution of conflict over black suffrage from the disenfranchisements of the early Republic to efforts to secure equal voting rights in the pre-Civil War era. I draw on case studies and new data on state politics to substantially expand our descriptive understanding of the ideological connotations of African American political rights. In contrast to existing literature, this study identifies a transformation in how positions on black suffrage polarized along party lines. It also offers a new interpretation for this racial realignment, presenting evidence that legislators responded less to the electoral consequences of black voting than to efforts of party leaders and social movements to frame its denial as necessary for national unity, a pragmatic accommodation to racist public opinion, or as complicity in slavery and a violation of republicanism. Integrating earlier periods of disenfranchisement and antislavery activism recasts standard party-driven accounts of Reconstruction-era enfranchisements as the culmination of a long process of biracial social movement organizing, enriching our understanding of how both electoral and programmatic concerns contribute to suffrage reforms and of the process by which conflict over citizenship has at times become a central cleavage in American politics.
Automated policing: the case of body-worn video
Authors: Bowling Ben , Iyer Shruti
Published: June 2019

This paper examines the impact of body-worn video (BWV) on the police craft skills of close observation, note-taking, investigative analysis, report-writing and preparation of evidence for the courts. It explains how the technology functions and explores its surveillant, investigative, probative and regulatory applications. The evidence shows that policing tasks are being transformed by BWV cameras and analytics such as facial recognition. The paper argues that BWV exemplifies the automation of policing – the replacement of police labour with mechanical devices – and explores the implications of this for transparency, accountability, fairness and police discretion.
Electoral incentives for cross-ethnic voting: evidence from a natural experiment
Authors: Stojanović Nenad , Strijbis Oliver
Published: June 2019

Prospects for democracy in multi-ethnic societies are generally more promising if elections are not mere ethnic censuses, in which people vote predominantly for co-ethnic parties and candidates. But what institutions facilitate or hinder ethnic voting? Unlike past studies, this article explores ethnic voting by conducting a natural experiment (rather than surveys or laboratory experiments). It examines the case of Fribourg, a bilingual (French/German) Swiss canton where elections at different levels of government, within the same electoral district, are held under both majoritarian and proportional systems. Coupled with the high territorial homogeneity of the linguistic groups, this unique setting allows us to conduct a robust empirical analysis of voter behaviour. We find that cross-ethnic voting is significantly more frequent in multi-member majoritarian elections than in list-PR elections or in two-member majoritarian elections. Our results yield qualified support to the centripetalist approach to electoral design in multi-ethnic societies, that favours majoritarian systems, rather than to the consociational school that advocates proportional representation.
Behavioral modeling and digital pre-distortion techniques for RF PAs in a 3 × 3 MIMO system
Authors: Alizadeh Mahmoud , Händel Peter , Rönnow Daniel
Published: June 2019

Modern telecommunications are moving towards (massive) multi-input multi-output (MIMO) systems in 5th generation (5G) technology, increasing the dimensionality of the systems dramatically. In this paper, the impairments of radio frequency (RF) power amplifiers (PAs) in a 3 × 3 MIMO system are compensated in both the time and the frequency domains. A three-dimensional (3D) time-domain memory polynomial-type model is proposed as an extension of conventional 2D models. Furthermore, a 3D frequency-domain technique is formulated based on the proposed time-domain model to reduce the dimensionality of the model, while preserving the performance in terms of model errors. In the 3D frequency-domain technique, the bandwidth of the system is split into several narrow sub-bands, and the parameters of the model are estimated for each sub-band. This approach requires less computational complexity, and also the procedure of the parameters estimation for each sub-band can be implemented independently. The device-under-test consists of three RF PAs including input and output cross-talk channels. The proposed techniques are evaluated in both behavioral modeling and digital pre-distortion (DPD) perspectives. The experimental results show that the proposed DPD technique can compensate the errors of non-linearity and memory effects in the both time and frequency domains.
The Signatures of Social Structure: Petitioning for the Abolition of the Slave Trade in Manchester
Authors: Makovi Kinga
Published: June 2019

This article considers the problem of popular, collectively organized political action in the context of the abolition movement of the slave trade (1788–1807). Various primary sources, a petition, a trade directory, church records, and a self-built historic GIS are used to locate petitioners for abolition in the social fabric of Manchester. Through matching and computational experiments the article highlights which social structural forces led individuals to support the abolition movement by signing a petition. Specifically, gathering places that were historically involved in the movement, as well as those that housed traveling merchants from communities with successful abolitionist petitions from preceding campaigns shaped abolitionist petitioning—and the impact of these institutions remained important over and above family ties, active religious congregations, and the occupational groups. The article gives a new understanding of the role that early industrialization played in the abolition movement, building it from the bottom up, forging cohesion within and across communities through local institutions, rather than creating new boundaries and divides through processes of class formation.
Water Vapor in the Asian Summer Monsoon Anticyclone: Comparison of Balloon‐Borne Measurements and ECMWF Data
Authors: Brunamonti S. , Füzér L. , Jorge T. , Poltera Y. , Oelsner P. , Meier S. , Dirksen R. , Naja M. , Fadnavis S. , Karmacharya J. , Wienhold F. G. , Luo B. P. , Wernli H. , Peter T.
Published: June 2019

Water vapor (H2O) is the strongest greenhouse gas in our atmosphere. Hence, accurate measurements and a correct representation in global models of H2O in the upper troposphere/lower stratosphere (UTLS) are important for understanding and projecting climate. Here we compare balloon‐borne measurements of UTLS H2O, performed by cryogenic frostpoint hygrometers (CFH) and meteorological radiosondes (Vaisala RS41) during two intensive field campaigns in the Asian summer monsoon anticyclone region, with humidity data from three products of the European Centre for Medium‐range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF): operational analysis and forecast (termed OPERA), ERA‐Interim reanalysis, and the newly released ERA5 reanalysis. Taking CFH as a reference, we show that OPERA and ERA5 provide a more accurate representation of UTLS H2O than ERA‐Interim. In particular, OPERA and ERA5 similarly overestimate H2O mixing ratios by on average 0.7–0.8 ppmv (14–15%) and 0.7–0.9 ppmv (15–17%) at pressures 60–100 hPa, respectively, and both provide a good representation of the observed vertical distribution (including fine structures) and natural variability of UTLS H2O. In contrast, ERA‐Interim underestimates UTLS H2O by 0.6–1.7 ppmv (14–30%), and it fails to capture relevant features of the vertical distribution of UTLS H2O. At pressures (p) lower than 60 hPa, all three ECMWF products are in good agreement with CFH. Humidity measurements by RS41 show an average dry bias of 0.1–0.5 ppmv (3–9%) compared to CFH for 60–100 hPa, and a moist bias increasing with altitude for p < 60 hPa, exceeding 100% for p < 40 hPa.
Global Health Implications of Nutrient Changes in Rice Under High Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide
Authors: Smith M. R. , Myers S. S.
Published: June 2019

A growing literature has documented that rising concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere threaten to reduce the iron, zinc, and protein content of staple food crops including rice, wheat, barley, legumes, maize, and potatoes, potentially creating or worsening global nutritional deficiencies for over a billion people worldwide. A recent study extended these previous nutrient analyses to include B vitamins and showed that, in rice alone, the average loss of major B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, and folate) was shown to be 17–30% when grown under higher CO2. Here, we employ the EAR cut‐point method, using estimates of national‐level nutrient supplies and requirements, to estimate how B vitamin dietary adequacy may be affected by the CO2‐induced loss of nutrients from rice only. Furthermore, we use the global burden of disease comparative risk assessment framework to quantify one small portion of the health burden related to rising deficiency: a higher likelihood of neural tube defects for folate‐deficient mothers. We find that, as a result of this effect alone, risk of folate deficiency could rise by 1.5 percentage points (95% confidence interval: 0.6–2.6), corresponding to 132 million (57–239 million) people. Risk of thiamin deficiency could rise by 0.7 points (0.3–1.1) or 67 million people (30–110 million), and riboflavin deficiency by 0.4 points (0.2–0.6) or 40 million people (22–59 million). Because elevated CO2 concentrations are likely to reduce B vitamins in other crops beyond rice, our findings likely represent an underestimate of the impact of anthropogenic CO2 emissions on sufficiency of B vitamin intake.
Radiative Heating of an Ice‐Free Arctic Ocean
Authors: Pistone Kristina , Eisenman Ian , Ramanathan Veerabhadran
Published: June 2019

During recent decades, there has been dramatic Arctic sea ice retreat. This has reduced the top‐of‐atmosphere albedo, adding more solar energy to the climate system. There is substantial uncertainty regarding how much ice retreat and associated solar heating will occur in the future. This is relevant to future climate projections, including the timescale for reaching global warming stabilization targets. Here we use satellite observations to estimate the amount of solar energy that would be added in the worst‐case scenario of a complete disappearance of Arctic sea ice throughout the sunlit part of the year. Assuming constant cloudiness, we calculate a global radiative heating of 0.71 W/m2 relative to the 1979 baseline state. This is equivalent to the effect of one trillion tons of CO2 emissions. These results suggest that the additional heating due to complete Arctic sea ice loss would hasten global warming by an estimated 25 years.
Extracting Robust Predictors From a Factor Field: An Empirically Optimal Screening Method
Authors: Fan Lei
Published: June 2019

Extracting predictors from a predictand‐predictor correlation map is a common problem for climate prediction, but its skill is affected by sampling errors and the subjective selection of predictors; hence, it is difficult to ensure that the selected predictors are optimal. Additionally, cross validation tends to overestimate the actual prediction skill because of artificial skill. In view of these problems, the author proposes an empirically optimal screening (EOS) method to extract predictors from a correlation map. Based on hindcast cross validation, EOS empirically and objectively identifies an optimal correlation threshold for data screening. To mitigate artificial skill, cross validation completely separates the training and testing samples, not only for parameter fitting but also prior predictor selection. By using EOS, researchers avoid subjectively determining predictors directly from correlation maps, and EOS further refines potential predictors before the verification of physical mechanisms.
Interannual Sea Level Variability Along the Southeastern Seaboard of the United States in Relation to the Gyre‐Scale Heat Divergence in the North Atlantic
Authors: Volkov Denis L. , Lee Sang‐Ki , Domingues Ricardo , Zhang Hong , Goes Marlos
Published: June 2019

The low‐amplitude, large‐scale, interannual, and longer‐term sea level changes are linked to the variations of ocean heat and freshwater content and strongly controlled by ocean dynamics. Near the coast, especially in low‐lying and flood‐vulnerable regions, these changes can provide background conditions favorable for the occurrence of extreme sea levels that represent a threat for coastal communities and ecosystems. In this study, we identify a tripole mode of the ocean gyre‐scale sea surface height variability in the North Atlantic and show that this mode is responsible for most of the interannual‐to‐decadal sea surface height changes along the southeast coast of the United States, including the Gulf of Mexico. We also show that these changes are largely driven by the large‐scale heat divergence related to the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation and linked to the low‐frequency North Atlantic Oscillation.
Insights Into Permafrost and Seasonal Active‐Layer Dynamics From Ambient Seismic Noise Monitoring
Authors: James S. R. , Knox H. A. , Abbott R. E. , Panning M. P. , Screaton E. J.
Published: June 2019

Widespread permafrost thaw in response to changing climate conditions has the potential to dramatically impact ecosystems, infrastructure, and the global carbon budget. Ambient seismic noise techniques allow passive subsurface monitoring that could provide new insights into permafrost vulnerability and active‐layer processes. Using nearly 2 years of continuous seismic data recorded near Fairbanks, Alaska, we measured relative velocity variations that showed a clear seasonal cycle reflecting active‐layer freeze and thaw. Relative to January 2014, velocities increased up to 3% through late spring, decreased to −8% by late August, and then gradually returned to the initial values by the following winter. Velocities responded rapidly (over ~2 to 7 days) to discrete hydrologic events and temperature forcing and indicated that spring snowmelt and infiltration events from summer rainfall were particularly influential in propagating thaw across the site. Velocity increases during the fall zero‐curtain captured the refreezing process and incremental ice formation. Looking across multiple frequency bands (3–30 Hz), negative relative velocities began at higher frequencies earlier in the summer and then shifted lower when active‐layer thaw deepened, suggesting a potential relationship between frequency and thaw depth; however, this response was dependent on interstation distance. Bayesian tomography returned 2‐D time‐lapse images identifying zones of greatest velocity reduction concentrated in the western side of the array, providing insight into the spatial variability of thaw progression, soil moisture, and drainage. This study demonstrates the potential of passive seismic monitoring as a new tool for studying site‐scale active‐layer and permafrost thaw processes at high temporal and spatial resolution.