bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hypoperfusion Symptoms Poorly Predict Hemodynamic Compromise and Stroke Risk in Vertebrobasilar Disease
Authors: Amin-Hanjani Sepideh , Stapleton Christopher J. , Du Xinjian , Rose-Finnell Linda , Pandey Dilip K. , Elkind Mitchell S.V. , Zipfel Gregory J. , Liebeskind David S. , Silver Frank L. , Kasner Scott E. , Caplan Louis R. , Derdeyn Colin P. , Gorelick Philip B. , Charbel Fady T. ,   on behalf of the VERiTAS Study Group
Published: January 2019

Background and Purpose—

Cerebral hypoperfusion symptoms (defined as symptoms related to change in position, effort or exertion, or recent change in antihypertensive medication) have been used in stroke studies as a surrogate for detecting hemodynamic compromise. However, the validity of these symptoms in identifying flow compromise in patients has not been well established. We examined whether hypoperfusion symptoms correlated with quantitative measurements of flow compromise in the prospective, observational VERiTAS study (Vertebrobasilar Flow Evaluation and Risk of Transient Ischemic Attack and Stroke).

Methods—

VERiTAS enrolled patients with recent vertebrobasilar transient ischemic attack or stroke and ≥50% atherosclerotic stenosis or occlusion in vertebral or basilar arteries. Hemodynamic status using vertebrobasilar large vessel flow was measured using quantitative magnetic resonance angiography, and patients were designated as low, borderline, or normal flow based on distal territory regional flow, incorporating collateral capacity. The presence of qualifying event hypoperfusion symptoms was assessed relative to the quantitatively determined flow status (normal versus borderline/low) and also examined as a predictor of subsequent stroke risk.

Results—

Of the 72 enrolled subjects, 66 had data on hypoperfusion symptoms available. On initial quantitative magnetic resonance angiography designation, 43 subjects were designated as normal flow versus 23 subjects designated as low flow (n=16) or borderline flow (n=7). Of these, 5 (11.6%) normal flow and 3 (13.0%) low/borderline flow subjects reported at least one qualifying event hypoperfusion symptom (
P
=0.99, Fisher exact test). Hypoperfusion symptoms had a positive predictive value of 37.5% and negative predictive value of 65.5% for low/borderline flow status. Compared with flow status, which strongly predicted subsequent stroke risk, hypoperfusion symptoms were not associated with stroke outcome (
P
=0.87, log-rank test).

Conclusions—

These results suggest that hypoperfusion symptoms alone correlate poorly with actual hemodynamic compromise as assessed by quantitative magnetic resonance angiography and subsequent stroke risk in vertebrobasilar disease, and are not a reliable surrogate for flow measurement.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00590980.
Telemedicine for Follow-Up of Rare Neurological Disease
Authors: Walsh Jessica , Markus Hugh S.
Published: January 2019

Background and Purpose—

Providing ongoing care for rare neurological conditions is challenging. Telemedicine can reduce patient travel. We set up and evaluated a telemedicine service for patients with a genetic form of stroke and dementia cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy.

Methods—

One hundred fourteen patients with mutation-positive cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (64 telemedicine and 50 face-to-face) were recruited. Patient and clinician satisfaction questionnaires rated the service to create a mean satisfaction score for both face-to-face and telemedicine follow-up appointments.

Results—

There was no difference in mean (SD) patient or clinician satisfaction scores between telemedicine and face-to-face appointments (patient: 4.57 [0.56] and 4.69 [0.42];
P
=0.99; clinician: 4.55 [0.49] and 4.60 [0.43];
P
=0.44).

Conclusions—

Telemedicine follow-up was suited to patients with stroke and dementia and offered satisfaction levels similar to that for face-to-face consultations.
Deep Learning Natural Language Processing Successfully Predicts the Cerebrovascular Cause of Transient Ischemic Attack-Like Presentations
Authors: Bacchi Stephen , Oakden-Rayner Luke , Zerner Toby , Kleinig Timothy , Patel Sandy , Jannes Jim
Published: January 2019

Background and Purpose—

Triaging of referrals to transient ischemic attack (TIA) clinics is aided by risk stratification. Deep learning-based natural language processing, a type of machine learning, may be able to assist with the prediction of cerebrovascular cause of TIA-like presentations from free-text information.

Methods—

Consecutive TIA clinic notes were retrieved from existing databases. Texts associated with cerebrovascular and noncerebrovascular diagnoses were preprocessed before classification experiments, using a variety of classifier models, based on only the free-text description of the history of presenting complaint. The primary outcome was area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operator curve. The model with the greatest AUC was then used in classification experiments in which it was provided with additional clinical information.

Results—

Of the classifier models trialed on the history of presenting complaint, the convolutional neural network achieved the greatest predictive capability (AUC±SD; 81.9±2.0). The effects of additional clinical information on AUC were variable. The greatest AUC was achieved when the convolutional neural network was provided with the history of presenting complaint and magnetic resonance imaging report (88.3±3.6).

Conclusions—

Deep learning-based natural language processing, in particular convolutional neural networks, based on medical free-text, may prove effective in prediction of the cause of TIA-like presentations. Future research investigating the role of the application of deep learning-based natural language processing to the automated triaging of clinic referrals in TIA, and potentially other specialty areas, is indicated.
A third new species of snake of the genus Omoadiphas (Reptilia, Squamata, Colubridae, Dipsadinae) from Honduras
Authors: MCCRANIE JAMES R. , DÍAZ GUSTAVO A. CRUZ
Published: January 2019

A new species of Omoadiphas is described from the Sierra de Agalta, Olancho, Honduras. Three species are now known in the genus. The new species differs from O. aurula in number of subcaudal, supralabial, infralabial, and postocular scales, in color and pattern, and in having the posterior nasal scale in contact with the prefrontal scale. It differs from O. texiguatensis (known only from a subadult female) in having fewer subcaudals and the dark brown dorsolateral stripe involving all of scale rows two and three on each side of the body.
New records of Diopatra marocensis (Annelida: Onuphidae) from northern Spain
Authors: ARIAS ANDRÉS , ANADÓN NURIA , PAXTON HANNELORE
Published: January 2019

Several recent publications have demonstrated that Diopatra neapolitana Delle Chiaje, 1841 is not the only European representative of the onuphid polychaete genus Diopatra Audouin and Milne-Edwards, 1833 as had been previously accepted: Diopatra marocensis Paxton et al., 1995, only known from its type locality, the Moroccan Atlantic coast, was reported by Rodrigues et al. (2009) as coexisting with D. neapolitana in a number of sites on the Portuguese coast; Berke et al. (2010) reported an undescribed species as D. sp. A from France; and Pires et al. (2010) described D. micrura Pires et al., 2010, bringing the number of European Diopatra species to four.
Two new species of Acentrella Bengtsson, 1912 (Ephemeroptera, Baetidae) from Kazakhstan with notes on the Palaearctic fauna
Authors: SROKA PAVEL , ARNEKLEIV JO VEGAR
Published: January 2019

A detailed morphological description of the larval stage of Acentrella glareosa sp. nov. and Acentrella charadra sp. nov. from the genus Acentrella Bengtsson, 1912 is given. Their differential diagnoses are provided with regard to other Palaearctic representatives of the genus. A. glareosa sp. nov. can be distinguished from the related species by the unique shape of maxillary palp, the arrangement of the bristles on it’s legs (the presence of bilateral ciliation and the second ventral row of tibial bristles) and vestigial paracercus. A. charadra sp. nov. is characterized mainly by the presence of apparent subapical bristles on the tarsal claws, the shape of it’s leg bristles (bilateraly ciliate on femora and tibiae, a row of tarsal bristles missing), the unique shape of the labial palp and vestigial paracercus. The generic concept of Acentrella and its historical development is summarized. Possible relationships of Acentrella to the Baetidae genera Liebebiella Waltz & McCafferty, 1987, Platybaetis Müller-Liebenau, 1982, Jubabaetis Müller-Liebenau, 1982 and Gratia Thomas, 1992 from the Oriental Region are discussed. A species list and synonymies of all 13 Palaearctic representatives of the genus Acentrella is presented, including the respective type localities and metamorphic stages described so far.
Sogana from the Greater Sunda (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Tropiduchidae)
Authors: CONSTANT JEROME
Published: January 2019

A new species of Sogana Matsumura, 1914, S. floreni n. sp., is described from Borneo, Sabah (Malaysia). The species is compared with S. robustocarina Liang & Wang, 2008 and S. stimulata Melichar, 1914, and an addendum to the key to the species of Sogana by Liang & Wang (2008) is given to place the new species. Male genitalia and habitus are illustrated, biological data are provided. A distribution map is given for the 3 species of Sogana known from the Greater Sunda.
An updated and annotated checklist of the Tylenchulidae (Nematoda: Criconematoidea) of Iran
Authors: GHADERI REZA , KAREGAR AKBAR , MIRAEIZ ESMAEIL , HESAR ABBAS MOKARAM
Published: January 2019

The list of plant parasitic nematodes of the family Tylenchulidae, collected from Iran, is updated. Forty-one species belonging to five genera and three subfamilies are included in the list. Data for seven species of Paratylenchus are added, of which two species—P. perminimus and P. salubris—are new records for the Iranian nematofauna. The list of species, further information on their morphometrics, references to full or partial descriptions, associated plants, geographical distribution and some taxonomic remarks are provided. More detailed studies on some doubtful populations are added. Information on the taxonomic position of species in different classification schemes, as well as the preferences of some species for certain climatic conditions or ecological niches is provided.
Two new day-flying species of Agrotis Ochsenheimer (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) from the alpine summit of the Maunakea Volcano
Authors: MEDEIROS MATTHEW J , KIRKPATRICK JESSICA , ELLIOTT CHRISTINE H , PRESTES ANDERSONN , EIBEN JESSE , RUBINOFF DANIEL
Published: January 2019

Two new endemic Hawaiian species of Agrotis Ochsenheimer (Noctuidae) are described: A. helela and A. kuamauna. Both species are day-flying and occur at high-elevations. Observations of adult and larval morphology and biology are included, as well as illustrations of adult moths and genitalia for both sexes.
Coastal Trapped Wave Propagation along the Southwest African Shelf as Revealed by Moored Observations
Authors: Junker Tim , Mohrholz Volker , Schmidt Martin , Siegfried Lydia , van der Plas Anja
Published: January 2019

Coastal trapped waves (CTWs) that propagate poleward along the southwest African shelf potentially leak energy from lower latitudes into the Benguela Upwelling System (BUS). Thus, in addition to local winds, these waves provide an important remote forcing mechanism for the upwelling region. The present study aims at elucidating the nature of CTWs in the northern BUS. To this end, we make use of multisite velocity observations from the Namibian shelf (18°, 20°, 23°S) and examine the alongshore velocity signal for signatures of CTWs by means of wavelet methods. We found that a substantial amount of energy is concentrated within a submonthly to subseasonal frequency band (10–50 days). Based on the coherence and phase spectra of the alongshelf currents, we provide evidence for a predominantly southward phase propagation and establish typical time and length scales of CTWs in the region. It turns out that their properties differ significantly within a few hundred kilometers along the coast. A comparison of the results with theoretical dispersion curves shows that this difference may be explained by variations in the bottom topography. Finally, we investigate the coupling of the alongshore currents with the coastal and equatorial wind stress and highlight regions of potential wave generation.
Discrimination Between Explosive Materials and Isomers Using a Human Color Vision-Inspired Sensing Method
Authors: Major Kevin J. , Hutchens Thomas C. , Wilson Christopher R. , Poutous Menelaos K. , Aggarwal Ishwar D. , Sanghera Jasbinder S. , Ewing Kenneth J.
Published: January 2019

This paper describes the application of a human color vision approach to infrared (IR) chemical sensing for the discrimination between multiple explosive materials deposited on aluminum substrates. This methodology classifies chemicals using the unique response of the chemical vibrational absorption bands to three broadband overlapping IR optical filters. For this effort, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy is first used to computationally examine the ability of the human color vision sensing approach to discriminate between three similar explosive materials, 1,3,5,-Trinitro-1,3,5-triazinane (RDX), 2,2-Bis[(nitrooxy)methyl]propane-1,3,-diyldinitrate (PETN), and 1,3,5,7-Tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocane (HMX). A description of a laboratory breadboard optical sensor designed for this approach is then provided, along with the discrimination results collected for these samples using this sensor. The results of these studies demonstrate that the human color vision approach is capable of high-confidence discrimination of the examined explosive materials.
The Treadport: Natural Gait on a Treadmill
Authors: Chesebrough Sam , Hejrati Babak , Hollerbach John
Published: January 2019

Objective:

To evaluate the differences between walking on an advanced robotic locomotion interface called the Treadport and walking overground with healthy subjects.

Background:

Previous studies have compared treadmill-based and overground walking in terms of gait parameters. The Treadport’s unique features including self-selected speed capability, large belt, kinesthetic force feedback, and virtual reality environment distinguish it from other locomotion interfaces and could provide a natural walking experience for the users.

Method:

Young, healthy subjects ( N = 17) walked 10 meters 10 times each for both overground and the Treadport environments. Comparison between walking conditions used spatiotemporal and kinematic parameters. In addition, electromyographic data was collected for five of the 17 subjects to compare muscle activity between the two conditions.

Results:

Gait on the Treadport was found to have no significant differences ( p > .05) with overground walking in terms of hip and knee joint angles, cadence and stride length and stride speed, and muscle activation of the four muscle groups measured. Differences ( p < .05) were observed in ankle dorsiflexion which was reduced by 2.47 ± 0.01 degrees on the Treadport.

Conclusion:

Walking overground and on the Treadport is highly correlated and not significantly different in 13 of 14 parameters.

Application:

This study suggests that the Treadport creates an environment for natural walking experience, where natural gait of users is almost preserved, with great potential to be useful for other applications, such as gait rehabilitation of individuals with walking impairments.
From religious to secular place-making: How does the secular matter for religious place construction in the local?
Authors: Berg Anna Lea
Published: January 2019

The literature on religious place-making has largely prioritized an emic perspective of religious actors often reducing the secular aspect of such place-making to a mere ‘emptying out’ of religion from public space. Based on ethnographic observations and in-depth interviews with political and religious representatives in Montreuil, one of the flagship towns of the ‘red belt’ of municipalities around Paris, this article looks at secular aspects of religious place construction. The discussion focusses on two practices of secular place-making: defining of religion ‘worthy’ of place and shifting the boundary between public and private space. Comparing the municipality’s interactions with Muslim groups on the one hand, and evangelical churches on the other, I show that politics and sensibilities of the secular towards the religious vary for different religious groups over time. Locality can thus be understood as dynamic mode of secularism, enabling a constant placing and re-placing of religion.
French and German teenagers in multicultural cities: Religious indifference as a paradox of secular societies
Authors: Michon Bruno
Published: January 2019

This article discusses important issues concerning the place of non-engagement and indifference in the studies done on secularism, and answers the following questions: how is it possible to be indifferent to religion in multicultural cities? Can non-engagement in religious conflicts be a solution to the life in such contexts? This article is based on a study carried out with 200 French and German teenagers that is grounded on a mixed method, i.e. research cross group interviews and quantitative questionnaire. The data analysis was realized within the frame of sociological phenomenology. The author distinguished three types of indifference: cognitive indifference, existential indifference and protective indifference. Those three types of indifference form a paradox in the secularization process because they are spreading out in multicultural societies among which religious plurality and its inherent conflicts are omnipresent.
Art as a pathway to impact: Understanding the affective experience of public engagement with film
Authors: Langdridge Darren , Gabb Jacqui , Lawson Jamie
Published: January 2019

The need for social as well as academic impact in social science research is now well established. Art is increasingly being explored as a means of generating social impact, most commonly as a way to engage publics with research findings, but to date with little exploration of the process of engagement itself. In this study, we set out to explore the power of art to engage the public. We do this by examining the ‘affective’ experience of engagement through a qualitative investigation using one-to-one interviews and a modified visual matrix exercise. In this article we report on the findings from our analysis of the affective experience of watching a film series, and through this discuss the use of film to communicate research findings and value of a novel qualitative psychosocial methodology for exploring the process of public engagement.
How good are we at detecting deception? A review of current techniques and theories
Authors: Nortje Alicia , Tredoux Colin
Published: January 2019

The task of discerning truth from untruth has long interested psychologists; however, methods for doing so accurately remain elusive. In this article, we provide an overview and evaluation of methods of detecting deception used in the laboratory and the field. We identify and discuss three broad approaches to detecting deception: measurement of non-verbal behaviour, verbal interview methods, and statement evaluation by humans and computers. Part of the problem in devising good methods for detecting deception is the absence of a sound understanding of deception in human lives. We thus consider three theories of deception – leakage, reality monitoring, and truth-default – and conclude that although promising, they do not yet provide an adequate foundation. We review 10 extant methods of detecting deception in the second part of the article, focusing at greatest length on the most widely used method in South Africa, the polygraph test of deception. Our conclusion is that non-verbal methods that work by inducing anxiety in interviewees are fundamentally flawed, and that we ought to move away from such methods. Alternate methods of detecting deception, including statement analysis, are considered, but ultimately our view is that there are currently no methods sufficiently accurate for practitioners to rely on. We suspect that a precondition for developing such measures is a coherent and validated theory.
Aerosol generation rates for showerheads
Authors: Zhou Yang , Mui Kwok Wai , Wong Ling Tim , Tsui Pak Hei , Chan Wing Ki
Published: January 2019

Aerosolization of water from discharging water appliances provides a transmission medium for Legionnaires’ disease. The quantity of aerosolized droplets influences the infection of Legionnaires’ disease. This study investigates the aerosol generation rates of four sample showerheads experimentally in a mechanically ventilated test chamber, assisted by computational fluid dynamics simulations. The results show that aerosol mass generation rate decreases with the showerhead resistance factor but increases with the water supply pressure, nozzle area ratio, flow rate, spray jet velocity, momentum and force. There is no significant correlation between aerosol mass generation rate and water spray uniformity ( p > 0.05, t-test). Furthermore, the aerosol mass generation rates and aerosol particle generation rates determined for the sample showerheads are in the ranges of 1.42 × 10−5 to 5.52 × 10−5 g s−1 and 0.35 × 106 to 1.35 × 106 particles s−1, respectively.

Practical application: The proposed expression of aerosol generation rate can be the referenced guidance for future showerhead design to limit the aerosol generation rate.
The developmental origins and future implications of dispositional optimism in the transition to adulthood
Authors: Renaud Jesse , Barker Erin T , Hendricks Charlene , Putnick Diane L. , Bornstein Marc H.
Published: January 2019

Despite the robust link between dispositional optimism and well-being across the lifespan, the developmental origins of dispositional optimism are unknown. Understanding the pathways that lead to greater optimism during the transition from adolescence into young adulthood may be important given that this stage of the life course involves the navigation of multiple simultaneous psychosocial demands. Maternal attachment security may contribute to greater optimism by promoting perceptions of internal control. Participants were 218 European American children (98 females; 120 males), who completed self-report measures across four waves. A path analysis tested the associations between maternal attachment security (ages 10 and 14), locus of control (age 14), dispositional optimism (ages 18 and 23), and psychological well-being (age 23). Tests of indirect effects showed that greater perceptions of internal control at age 14 mediated the association between age 10 maternal attachment security and age 18 dispositional optimism. Age 18 dispositional optimism mediated associations between age 14 internal control and age 23 psychological well-being. Maternal attachment security may promote dispositional optimism through a greater internal locus of control in adolescence. Given that optimism promotes well-being throughout the lifespan, identifying the pathways through which optimism develops may contribute to understanding how to promote well-being.
Requiem for a shared interdependent past: Brexit and the deterioration in UK-Irish relations
Authors: O’Brennan John
Published: January 2019

The vote by the electorate of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union in 2016 was one in which the impact of Brexit on the island of Ireland and on UK-Irish relations hardly figured. Within months, however, the ‘Irish border problem’ was centre stage. The deterioration in UK-Irish relations in the 2 years following the referendum was profound and marked the first stage in the potential unravelling of the deep interdependence which had come to characterise relations between Dublin and London by virtue of their shared membership of the European Union since 1973. A significant ‘reverse asymmetry of power’ emerged from the United Kingdom’s relative isolation in the Brexit negotiations and Ireland’s privileged position as an European Union insider. In an increasingly turbulent international arena, the retreat from integration set in train by Brexit also threatened the Good Friday Agreement and the institutions and processes put in place to manage North–South and East–West relations after 1998.
Addressing Household Income Distribution in Air Travel Demand Models: Case Study of the Baltimore–Washington Region
Authors: Gosling Geoffrey D. , Ballard David
Published: January 2019

The paper describes the development of an air passenger demand model for the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan region that was undertaken as part of a recently concluded ACRP project that explored the use of disaggregated socioeconomic data in air passenger demand studies. The model incorporated a variable reflecting the change in household income distribution, together with more traditional aggregate causal variables: population, employment, average household income, and airfares as measured by the average U.S. airline yield, as well as several year-specific dummy variables. The model was estimated on annual data for the period 1990 to 2010 and obtained statistically significant estimated coefficients for all variables, including both the average household income and the household income distribution variable. Including household income distribution in the model resulted in a significant change to the estimated coefficient for average household income, giving a much higher estimated elasticity of demand with respect to average household income compared with a model that does not consider changes in household income distribution. This has important implications for the use of such demand models for forecasting, as household income distribution and average household income may change in the future in quite different ways, which would affect the future levels of air passenger travel projected by the models.
Vitamins E and C prevent apoptosis of testicular and ovarian tissues following mancozeb exposure in the first-generation mouse pups
Authors: Mahdi Heydari , Tahereh Haghpanah , Esmaiel Saddein , Massood Ezzatabadipour
Published: January 2019

The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of apoptosis in the first-generation pups’ testicular and ovarian tissue changes following mancozeb (MNZ) administration during intrauterine and lactating periods and also the preventive effect of the co-administration of vitamins E and C on these changes. Naval Medical Research Institute (NMRI) pregnant mice were randomly divided into six groups: control, vehicle, MNZ, vitamin E plus MNZ, vitamin C plus MNZ and vitamins E and C plus MNZ. Administered doses of MNZ and vitamins E and C were 500, 200 and 100 mg/kg of body weight, respectively. These agents were administered to the animals by oral gavage every 2 days. Vitamin treatment was carried out 30 min prior to MNZ administration. Treatment was started on the second day of gestation and continued until weaning. Separated testes and ovaries of animals were prepared for apoptosis detection by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase end-labeling (TUNEL) staining. The percentage of TUNEL-positive cells was reported using the 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole method. As compared to the control and vehicle groups, MNZ induced a significant increase ( p < 0.001) in the number of TUNEL-positive cells. The administration of both vitamins E and C alone and together significantly ( p < 0.001) prevented the apoptotic impacts of MNZ. The preventive effect of the co-administration of these vitamins on the ovary was greater compared to the single administration of vitamins E ( p < 0.001) or C ( p < 0.001). Meanwhile, the results revealed the stronger preventive effect of vitamin C as compared to E on testicular tissue ( p < 0.05). The apoptotic impact of MNZ exposure during intrauterine and lactating periods on first-generation testicular and ovarian tissues was significant. The co-administration of vitamins E and C could prevent MNZ-induced testicular and ovarian changes.
Design and evaluation of a novel biodegradable inferior vena cava filter
Authors: Yang Caihong , Ma Fengcang , Gao Chenguang , Kang Yahong , Zhang Guoyi , Liu Ping , Jiang Hongyan , Chang Zhaohua
Published: January 2019

Inferior vena cava filter has been increasingly applied in clinical practice to prevent pulmonary embolism. Nowadays, various complications after implanting conventional filters seriously hinder clinical applications. Therefore, in this paper, a novel biodegradable inferior vena cava filter was designed based on biodegradable materials, which is an hourglass-like filter anchored inside a stent structure fixed by connecting fibers. Firstly, mechanical tests in crimp were performed to study the expansion properties of the filter, showing that the biodegradable inferior vena cava filter could achieve self-expansion easily. Furthermore, the biodegradable inferior vena cava filters and fibers were incubated in phosphate buffer media (pH = 7.4 ± 0.2) at 37°C for six months. Scanning electron microscope micrograph showed that the stents exhibited no significant dimensional and structural changes and had enough radial force to support the vessel. During the degradation period, the results of scanning electron microscope, gel permeation chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry and tensile strength analysis confirmed that the degradation rate of the hourglass-like filter was faster than the connecting fibers, achieving progressive degradation and thus avoiding the polymer fragments from blocking vessel. Cytotoxicity and hemolysis assay demonstrated good biocompatibility of the filter. For 5 mm × 10 mm sized thrombus, in vitro simulated thrombus capture test showed that the mean trapping efficiency of the filter was 90%, which was comparable to traditional inferior vena cava filter. In conclusion, all results exhibited that the as-designed biodegradable inferior vena cava filter has a potential in clinical application for patients who are at temporary high risk of venous thromboembolism.
Anxieties of Seeing: The Sensational World of Cinema, Digital Media and Politics
Authors: Mokkil Navaneetha
Published: January 2019

This article analyses the super-hit Malayalam film Drishyam (Sight) in relation to the modalities of protest in the Chumbanasamaram (Kiss of Love [KoL] campaign) in 2014 in Kerala in which the kiss was deployed as a form of public protest. It brings together a popular thriller and a political protest that made waves in the entire nation in order to explore how shifting media technologies choreograph performative modes of doing politics. Drishyam stages the convergence of different media forms and legitimises the conventions of older forms such as cinema that hinges on the spectacle of women’s bodies and sexual acts on screen. At the same time, digital technology and the modes of circulation and reception it facilitates function as a node of heightened anxiety. Although Drishyam precedes the KoL campaign, this film can be seen as a response to precisely the (hyper) visibility of bodies and sexuality in the public domain through the workings of new media technologies. The film is driven by an overwhelming concern about the public performance of intimacy—contiguous with the secret filming and the threat of circulation of the naked woman’s body that is the cause of crisis in the film. Thus, I argue that the energies that drive Drishyam and finds a resonance with a national audience, in fact, anticipates KoL-type display of sexuality which is at once unauthorised and out of place but also mediated by unruly technologies.
Inpatient management of gamma-hydroxybutyrate withdrawal
Authors: Cappetta Merissa , Murnion Bridin P
Published: January 2019

Objectives:

To describe the baseline characteristics, treatment and retention in patients electively admitted for gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) withdrawal management.

Methods:

All patients admitted between July 2010 to June 2016 who used GHB two or more times per week with a minimum duration of 3 months were identified and data extracted by file review.

Results:

Twelve cases satisfied the inclusion criteria, of whom 50% were female; 75% were using GHB daily, with an average daily amount of 16 ml. Average duration of use was 60 months. All subjects were using amphetamine type stimulants and nicotine. Psychiatric comorbidity and unintentional overdose were common; 50% completed treatment. Medications used included diazepam and neuroleptic. Two patients completed withdrawal with no medications. No subject using greater than 90 ml GHB in the preceding week completed treatment. Pattern of GHB use did not predict medication requirements during withdrawal management.

Conclusions:

There were low numbers attending for elective treatment for GHB use. Heavier GHB use predicted poor treatment retention. Polysubstance use and psychiatric co-morbidities need consideration in treatment planning.
Pregnant Women in Turkey Experience Severe Fear of Childbirth: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Deliktas Ayse , Kukulu Kamile
Published: January 2019

Background: Culture is an important factor to determine fear of childbirth which is shaped by social learning processes. The purpose of this study is to determine the level of fear of childbirth among Turkish healthy pregnant women. Method: The researchers reviewed the eight databases considering inclusion criteria and 14 studies were included. The data analysis was conducted using meta-analysis. Results: Pregnant women experienced severe levels of fear, 67.26 ± 4.08, 95% confidence interval [59.26, 75.26], and 21 out of every 100 women experienced clinical level of fear. Between study variance was significant for parity (Qb = 6.40, p = .04) and region (Qb = 19.14, p = .00) moderators. Conclusions: The high level of FOC, particularly in the Eastern region, suggests that some of the cultural factors in the Eastern region in Turkey negatively affect the birth expectations. In a country like Turkey with a multicultural population, the health care professional should provide culturally sensitive care.
The probabilism debate that never was?
Authors: Brennan-Marquez Kiel
Published: January 2019

This paper responds to Ronald Allen and Michael Pardo's essay, “Relative Plausibility and its Critics.” In short, Profs. Allen and Pardo succeed on one front but fail on another. They succeed in demonstrating that “probabilism” is not a conceptually or phenomenologically convincing model of how human fact-finders in the real world carry out their task. They fail, however, in demonstrating that probabilism is inadequate as an idealized model of human fact-finding – and to that extent, their analysis falls short of establishing the abstract primacy of “explanationism,” even if it clarifies the latter's content and (limited) utility.
Acquired Brain Injury in the Context of Family Violence: A Systematic Scoping Review of Incidence, Prevalence, and Contributing Factors
Authors: Ayton Darshini , Pritchard Elizabeth , Tsindos Tess
Published: January 2019

Brain injury is often a precursor to, or result of, family violence. Yet there is little research identifying the connection of these two phenomena. The health cost (personal or societal) of brain injury within the family violence context is difficult to ascertain. Family violence can lead to lifelong psychological or physical scars and even death. A systematic review was conducted over three databases using Medical Subject Heading terms to investigate incidence, prevalence, and contributing factors of brain injury within a family violence context. Inclusion criteria were primary studies, any person who experienced traumatic brain injury in a familial context. Seven hundred and seven studies of varied designs were initially identified with 43 meeting inclusion criteria. Data were extracted and a deductive narrative synthesis was performed. The accuracy and generalizability of incidence and prevalence statistics was hindered by underreporting of family violence and the specificity of some of the population groups (e.g., female inmates). The factors contributing to brain injury within the family violence context had multifactorial causation and varied greatly across the populations studied. Five social determinants of health were identified: biological, behavioral, structural, social, and environmental. These factors included age and gender of parent/baby, crying as an antecedent of family violence, previous exposure to abuse as a child, hostile living environments, previous trauma, financial pressures, employment status, housing availability, and exposure to natural disasters. Future investigation into the nexus between brain injury and family violence is required; however, this is complicated due to global inconsistency of definitions, assessment tools, and research methods used.
Interobserver reliability of the classification of capitellar osteochondritis dissecans using magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Bexkens Rens , Simeone F. Joseph , Eygendaal Denise , Bekerom Michel PJ van den , Oh Luke S ,   on behalf of Shoulder and Elbow Platform
Published: January 2019

Aim

(1) To determine the interobserver reliability of magnetic resonance classifications and lesion instability criteria for capitellar osteochondritis dissecans lesions and (2) to assess differences in reliability between subgroups.

Methods

Magnetic resonance images of 20 patients with capitellar osteochondritis dissecans were reviewed by 33 observers, 18 orthopaedic surgeons and 15 musculoskeletal radiologists. Observers were asked to classify the osteochondritis dissecans according to classifications developed by Hepple, Dipaola/Nelson, Itsubo, as well as to apply the lesion instability criteria of DeSmet/Kijowski and Satake. Interobserver agreement was calculated using the multirater kappa (k) coefficient.

Results

Interobserver agreement ranged from slight to fair: Hepple (k = 0.23); Dipaola/Nelson (k = 0.19); Itsubo (k = 0.18); DeSmet/Kijowksi (k = 0.16); Satake (k = 0.12). When classifications/instability criteria were dichotomized into either a stable or unstable osteochondritis dissecans, there was more agreement for Hepple (k = 0.52; p = .002), Dipaola/Nelson (k = 0.38; p = .015), DeSmet/Kijowski (k = 0.42; p = .001) and Satake (k = 0.41; p < .001). Overall, agreement was not associated with the number of years in practice or the number of osteochondritis dissecans cases encountered per year (p > .05).

Conclusion

One should be cautious when assigning grades using magnetic resonance classifications for capitellar osteochondritis dissecans. When making treatment decisions, one should rather use relatively simple distinctions (e.g. stable versus unstable osteochondritis dissecans; lateral wall intact versus not intact), as these are more reliable.
Prediction of Hypoglycemia During Aerobic Exercise in Adults With Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Reddy Ravi , Resalat Navid , Wilson Leah M. , Castle Jessica R. , El Youssef Joseph , Jacobs Peter G.
Published: January 2019

Background:

Fear of exercise related hypoglycemia is a major reason why people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) do not exercise. There is no validated prediction algorithm that can predict hypoglycemia at the start of aerobic exercise.

Methods:

We have developed and evaluated two separate algorithms to predict hypoglycemia at the start of exercise. Model 1 is a decision tree and model 2 is a random forest model. Both models were trained using a meta-data set based on 154 observations of in-clinic aerobic exercise in 43 adults with T1D from 3 different studies that included participants using sensor augmented pump therapy, automated insulin delivery therapy, and automated insulin and glucagon therapy. Both models were validated using an entirely new validation data set with 90 exercise observations collected from 12 new adults with T1D.

Results:

Model 1 identified two critical features predictive of hypoglycemia during exercise: heart rate and glucose at the start of exercise. If heart rate was greater than 121 bpm during the first 5 min of exercise and glucose at the start of exercise was less than 182 mg/dL, it predicted hypoglycemia with 79.55% accuracy. Model 2 achieved a higher accuracy of 86.7% using additional features and higher complexity.

Conclusions:

Models presented here can assist people with T1D to avoid exercise related hypoglycemia. The simple model 1 heuristic can be easily remembered (the 180/120 rule) and model 2 is more complex requiring computational resources, making it suitable for automated artificial pancreas or decision support systems.
It takes a village: Reflections on a randomized controlled trial to teach mindfulness skills to teens in foster and kinship care
Authors: Jee Sandra , Swanson Dena Phillips , Sugarman Laurence I. , Couderc Jean-Philippe
Published: January 2019

In this article, we reflect on a pilot project implementing a mindfulness-based stress reduction program among traumatized youth in foster and kinship care. We adapted a mindfulness intervention to teach self-regulation skills in a supportive, interactive, social group setting environment. Our hypothesis was that teaching mindfulness skills would enhance youth competency in stress management by giving them tools for self-regulation. In response to youth request for social groups, we adapted a mindfulness intervention aimed at stress reduction to include supervised social activities. Our program was marked by two adverse events: raising considerations regarding safety and supervision when in group settings with youth who previously experienced adverse childhood experiences and are prone to extreme reactivity and escalating behaviors. We share our experiences and recommendations for future research and practice, including recruitment considerations, opinions of group versus individual therapy, intensity of supervision of high-risk youth, training and support for graduate student volunteers working with youth in the child welfare system, and expectations for foster and adoptive family support of these youth. Our collective goal is to promote the health and wellness of these young people, equipping them with self-efficacy skills for future success, which may include mindfulness training. We realize that there is no one best approach to reaching this goal, and we need to consider safety and practicality when designing programs for youth in foster and kinship care.
Bad weed: synthetic cannabinoid–associated coagulopathy
Authors: Arepally Gowthami M. , Ortel Thomas L.
Published: January 2019

Recent multistate outbreaks of coagulopathy caused by brodifacoum-tainted synthetic cannabinoids or “fake weed” highlight the public health impact of long-acting anticoagulant rodenticides (LAARs). Patients presenting with this syndrome have had recent exposure to synthetic cannabinoids, evidence of isolated vitamin K antagonism with or without bleeding, and detectable levels of brodifacoum and other LAARs in circulation. This article will provide information on synthetic cannabinoids, LAARs, and coagulopathic manifestations arising from use of adulterated synthetic cannabinoids and their management.
An Australian local diagnostic reference level for paediatric whole-body 18F-FDG PET/CT
Authors: Alkhybari Essam Mohammed , McEntee Mark F. , Willowson Kathy P. , Brennan Patrick C. , Kitsos Theo , Kench Peter L.
Published: January 2019

Objective:

The aim of this study is to report a local diagnostic reference level (DRL) for paediatric whole-body (WB) fludeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) CT examinations.

Methods:

The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) national DRL (NDRL) age category (0–4 years and 5–14 years), the International Commission on Radiological Protection age category (ICRP age) (<1, >1–5, >5–10, and >10–15 years), and European guideline weight category ( EG weight) (<5, 5–<15, 15–<30, 30–<50, and 50–<80 kg) were used to determine a local DRL for WB 18F FDG PET/CT studies. Two-structured questionnaires were designed to collect dose data, patient demographics, equipment details, and acquisition protocols for WB 18F-FDG PET/CT procedures. The local DRL was based on the median 18F-FDG administered activity (MBq), dose–length product (DLP), and the CT dose index volume (CTDIvol), values. The effective dose (E) was also calculated and reported.

Results:

The local DRLs for 18F-FDG administered activity, CTDIvol and DLP values based on ARPANSA age and ICRP age were increased from lower to higher age categories. For the EG weight category, the local DRL for 18F-FDG administered activity, CTDIvol and DLP values were increased from the low EG weight category to the high EG weight category. The mean administered activity in our study based on ICRP age category >1–5, >5–10, and >10–15 years is 79.97, 119.40, and 176.04 MBq, which is lower than the mean administered activity reported in the North American Consensus guideline published in 2010 (99, 166, and 286 MBq) and European Association of Nuclear Medicine and Dosage Card (version 1.5.2008) (120, 189, and 302 MBq). However, the mean administered activity in our study based on ICRP age category <1 year was 55 MBq compared to the EANM Dosage card (version 1.5.2008) (70 MBq) and the NACG 2010 (51 MBq). Our study shows that the finding for ICRP age category <1 year was similar to the NACG 2010 value.

Conclusion:

The determined local DRL values for the radiation doses associated with WB 18F FDG PET/CT examinations are differed considerably between the ARPANSA and ICRP age category and EG weight category. Although, the determined 18F-FDG value for ICRP < 1 year is in good agreement with available publish data, it is preferable to optimise the 18F-FDG administered activity while preserving the diagnostic image quality.

Advances in knowledge:

The local DRL value determined from WB 18F-FDG PET/CT examinations may help to establish the ARPANSA NDRL for WB FDG 18F-PET/CT examinations.