bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Specialist provision for language disorder: Staff and service user views of a preschool language unit
Authors: Harvey Hannah , Spencer Sarah
Published: June 2019

Language units are specialist educational settings that provide integrated speech and language therapy and curriculum delivery for children with severe language disorders within mainstream schools. This study presents an account of a preschool language unit (PLU) from the perspectives of children with language disorders currently in attendance, their parents, and teaching staff. Six child-led, multi-modal interviews, six parent questionnaires, and interviews with three members of staff were analysed using Framework Analysis (Ritchie et al., 2003). Results showed that staff and parents perceive that attending the PLU positively impacts the children, but raised concerns that accessing PLUs can be difficult due to number restrictions. Children valued play and friendships within the PLU, while parents valued the PLU’s role in supporting communication and socialization. This study offers a unique account of how a PLU supports children with language disorders from the perspectives of children, parents and staff.
Effect of taper modification on the performance of NREL VI wind turbine blade for low and mid wind speeds
Authors: Kaya Mustafa , Elfarra Munir
Published: June 2019

The taper distribution along the span of the NREL phase VI rotor blade is modified using a new approach. The taper distribution in this approach is expressed as a cubic spline defined by three chord lengths values in the spanwise direction: root, mid-span and tip. Then, the effect of the modified taper distribution on the thrust and the torque is studied. Various blade geometries are generated using different chord length values on the root, mid-span and tip locations while the planform area is kept fixed as the original blade, NREL VI. The flowfields are calculated using a commercial Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes solver. The k-epsilon turbulence model is used to calculate the eddy viscosity. The computations are carried out for three different wind speeds: 5, 7 and 9 m/s. Increasing torque and decreasing thrust cases are observed. It is noticed that torque increases when the tip chord length is about one-fifth of the root and mid-span chord lengths. The thrust is decreased, as the root chord is much longer than the mid-span and the tip chord.
Attitudes on Autonomous Vehicle Adoption using Interpretable Gradient Boosting Machine
Authors: Lee Dongwoo , Mulrow John , Haboucha Chana Joanne , Derrible Sybil , Shiftan Yoram
Published: June 2019

This article applies machine learning (ML) to develop a choice model on three choice alternatives related to autonomous vehicles (AV): regular vehicle (REG), private AV (PAV), and shared AV (SAV). The learned model is used to examine users’ preferences and behaviors on AV uptake by car commuters. Specifically, this study applies gradient boosting machine (GBM) to stated preference (SP) survey data (i.e., panel data). GBM notably possesses more interpretable features than other ML methods as well as high predictive performance for panel data. The prediction performance of GBM is evaluated by conducting a 5-fold cross-validation and shows around 80% accuracy. To interpret users’ behaviors, variable importance (VI) and partial dependence (PD) were measured. The results of VI indicate that trip cost, purchase cost, and subscription cost are the most influential variables in selecting an alternative. Moreover, the attitudinal variables Pro-AV Sentiment and Environmental Concern are also shown to be significant. The article also examines the sensitivity of choice by using the PD of the log-odds on selected important factors. The results inform both the modeling of transportation technology uptake and the configuration and interpretation of GBM that can be applied for policy analysis.
Palliative Use of Nitroglycerin to Improve Microvascular Circulation
Authors: McGahan Rose K. , Gafford Ellin F. , Whitson Bryan A. , Papadimos Thomas J. , Tripathi Ravi S.
Published: June 2019

Background:

In the setting of critical illness, life preservation may come at the expense of limb as increasing concentration of vasopressors causes peripheral ischemia. When goals of care specify comfort measures, clinicians are faced with the difficult task of mitigating already present distal malperfusion while abiding to wishes of patient and patients’ families. Physical changes post vasopressor use, such as mottling of appendages or cooling of skin, can limit meaningful physical interactions with grieving family members.

Case Presentation:

We describe a case series of successful utilization of intravenous nitroglycerin to improve postvasopressor digital ischemia for comfort care measures to assist patient’s families in the grieving process.

Conclusion:

Following decision for comfort care measures, management for patient care goes beyond the realm of pain control. Dignified dying is an active process that requires clinicians to navigate care for both patient and patients’ families. By reversing the digital ischemia associated with vasopressors, patients’ families have the opportunity to give meaningful touch in setting of which it may be needed most.
Examining Parental Factors as Moderators Between Maltreatment and Adolescent Delinquency
Authors: Corlis McKenna , Damashek Amy
Published: June 2019

There is a well-established relationship between child maltreatment and delinquency, indicating that maltreated youth are at a heightened risk for later delinquency. However, the literature is unclear as to why some maltreated youth proceed to engage in delinquent behaviors, whereas others do not. The present study examined whether parental or family factors moderated the relation between a history of maltreatment and engagement in delinquent behavior during adolescence. Parental and family moderators included parental monitoring, parental emotional distress (depression and everyday stressors), parent–child relationship quality, family community and religious disengagement, poverty, and negative life events. This study utilized data on 1,149 children from the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN), a collaborative effort across research sites that collected data regarding the risk factors and consequences of child maltreatment. For the purposes of this study, we utilized adolescent self-reports of delinquency, caregiver reports of parental and family variables, and administrative data on child maltreatment. Community and religious disengagement was the only variable that moderated the relation between maltreatment and delinquency. The effects of community and religious disengagement varied by maltreatment group such that greater community and religious disengagement was related to increased delinquent involvement for those in the no maltreatment, childhood-only maltreatment, and persistent maltreatment groups. Child maltreatment was not a significant predictor of delinquency over and above the effect of parenting and family variables that were measured during adolescence. Findings point to the importance of considering proximal parenting and family factors in understanding the maltreatment–delinquency relationship.
Conceptualising personhood, agency, and morality for African psychology
Authors: Adjei Stephen Baffour
Published: June 2019

One of the functions of psychological science is to develop concepts for thinking about people and their well-being. Since its establishment as a scientific discipline in the late 19th century, psychology has developed concepts that are essentially rooted in the specific spatio-temporal context of Western, Educated, Industrial, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) countries. There is a growing ontological and epistemological awareness that psychological science and practices from WEIRD cultural spaces cannot be exclusively representative of the African experience. I draw from interpersonal violence research to discuss the concepts of personhood, agency, and morality from an African perspective and highlight their theoretical and practical utility for psychological science. Based on African communalism, I argue that an understanding of personhood, agency, and morality as culturally contextualised and socially intentioned phenomena is foundational to the advancement of heterogeneous practices of knowledge production in diverse contexts.
De-centring the psychology curriculum: Diversity, social justice, and psychological knowledge
Authors: Kontopodis Michalis , Jackowska Marta
Published: June 2019

The psychology curriculum has close ties to the histories and cultural traditions of industrialised societies’ white middle-class populations, so it is unclear how it may reflect the interests and values of students from a variety of ethnic, racial, and socio-economic backgrounds in contemporary higher education settings. To address this question, we established an innovative research project of de-centring the psychology curriculum, so that BA students from diverse backgrounds could familiarise themselves with cultural-historical, postcolonial, feminist, and other critical psychological approaches as well as reflect on the histories, contexts, and epistemologies of classic developmental psychological theories and research. We conducted focus group discussions with the students to explore their views on the introduced contents and approaches. The findings of our research form the basis for critical reflection on the possibilities and challenges of de-centring the psychology curriculum in contemporary university settings.
Cultural change and population dynamics during the Bronze Age: Integrating archaeological and palaeoenvironmental evidence for Schleswig-Holstein, Northern Germany
Authors: Kneisel Jutta , Dörfler Walter , Dreibrodt Stefan , Schaefer-Di Maida Stefanie , Feeser Ingo
Published: June 2019

In archaeology, change in material culture is viewed as indicating social or cultural transformation and is the basis of our typo-chronological classification of phases and periods. The material culture from northern Germany reveals both quantitative and qualitative changes during the Bronze Age. At the same time, there is also evidence for ‘boom and bust’ cycles in population density/size, as indicated by changing human impact on the environment in several Bronze Age palaeoenvironmental records. These demographic fluctuations may relate to the observed changes in social phenomena in aspects of ideology, technology, food production and habitation. For example, innovations in food production, such as the adoption of new crops and agricultural techniques, could have led to population growth. While usually viewed by archaeologists as a ‘negative’ development, population stress or collapse may have favoured the emergence of new cultural phenomena. In order to test the cause-and-effect relationship between population dynamics and sociocultural change, we synthesise the archaeological evidence – qualitative and quantitative information from settlements, deposition finds (hoards), burials, material culture and architectural remains – for the Bronze Age in northern Germany, mainly Schleswig-Holstein, and compare it with the boom and bust pattern seen in the palaeoenvironmental record. The synchronicity of changes at ca. 1500 BC and ca. 1100 BC reflects the relationship between phases of major sociocultural transformation in the archaeological datasets and booms and busts in the palaeoenvironmental record of the region seen as a proxies for palaeo-demography. This sets the stage for a better understanding of the transformation of practices and relationships in the Bronze Age communities of the region.
Public perceptions of who counts as a scientist for controversial science
Authors: Suldovsky Brianne , Landrum Asheley , Stroud Natalie Jomini
Published: June 2019

In an era where expertise is increasingly critiqued, this study draws from the research on expertise and scientist stereotyping to explore who the public considers to be a scientist in the context of media coverage about climate change and genetically modified organisms. Using survey data from the United States, we find that political ideology and science knowledge affect who the US public believes is a scientist in these domains. Our results suggest important differences in the role of science media attention and science media selection in the publics “scientist” labeling. In addition, we replicate previous work and find that compared to other people who work in science, those with PhDs in Biology and Chemistry are most commonly seen as scientists.
The futures of anticipatory reason: Contingency and speculation in the sting operation
Authors: Hong Sun-ha , Szpunar Piotr M
Published: June 2019

This article examines invocations of the future in contemporary security discourse and practice. This future constitutes not a temporal zone of events to come, nor a horizon of concrete visions for tomorrow, but an indefinite source of contingency and speculation. Predictive, preemptive and otherwise anticipatory security practices strategically utilize the future to circulate the kinds of truths, beliefs, claims, that might otherwise be difficult to legitimize. The article synthesizes critical security studies with broader humanistic thought on the future, with a focus on the sting operations in recent US counter-terrorism practice. It argues that the future today functions as an ‘epistemic black market’, a zone of tolerated unorthodoxy where boundaries defining proper truth-claims become porous and flexible. Importantly, this epistemic flexibility is often leveraged towards a certain conservatism, where familiar relations of state control are reconfirmed and expanded upon. This conceptualization of the future has important implications for standards of truth and justice, as well as public imaginations of security practices, at a time of increasingly preemptive and anticipatory securitization.
The masculine logic of DDR and SSR in the Rwanda Defence Force
Authors: Duriesmith David , Holmes Georgina
Published: June 2019

Since the 1994 genocide and civil war, the Rwandan government has implemented an externally funded disarmament, demobilization and reintegration/security sector reform (DDR/SSR) programme culminating in the consolidation of armed groups into a new, professionalized Rwanda Defence Force. Feminists argue that DDR/SSR initiatives that exclude combatant women and girls or ignore gendered security needs fail to transform the political conditions that led to conflict. Less attention has been paid to how gendered relations of power play out through gender-sensitive DDR and SSR initiatives that seek to integrate women and transform hyper-masculine militarized masculinities. This article investigates how Rwanda’s DDR/SSR programme is governed by an oppressive masculine logic. Drawing on critical studies on men and masculinities and feminist work on peacebuilding, myths and the politics of belonging, it argues that Rwanda’s locally owned DDR/SSR programme places the military and militarization at the centre of the country’s nation-building programme. Through various ‘boundary-construction’ practices, the Rwandan government attempts to stabilize the post-1994 gender order and entrench the hegemony of a new militarized masculinity in Rwandan society. The case study draws on field research conducted in 2014 and 2015 and a discourse analysis of historical accounts, policy documents and training materials of the Rwanda Defence Force.
Examining the Relationship Between Personality Traits and Exposure to Workplace Bullying
Authors: Rai Arpana , Agarwal Upasna A.
Published: June 2019

Workplace bullying is a common and constantly occurring phenomenon in organizations. Various factors render a workplace conducive to the occurrence of bullying-like features of the work environment and personality traits of the employees. While work environment features are well-established antecedents of workplace bullying, much of the research on personality traits as antecedents of bullying remains inconclusive. Drawing on the victim precipitation theory and the Big Five personality taxonomy, the present study aims to examine the relationship between four personality traits (conscientiousness, agreeableness, extraversion and openness to experience) and exposure to workplace bullying. We have excluded neuroticism, as it is a well-established antecedent of workplace bullying, whereas literature suggests mixed findings on the relationships between the remaining four personality traits and workplace bullying. A total of 835 full-time Indian managers working across different Indian organizations served as the sample for our study. The results suggest that conscientiousness, agreeableness, extraversion and openness to experience negatively correlate with workplace bullying. Implications for theory and practice are also discussed in this article.
Child Sexual Abuse in Organizational Settings: A Research Framework to Advance Policy and Practice
Authors: Harris Andrew J. , Terry Karen J.
Published: June 2019

Recent decades have produced growing public attention to the problem of child sexual abuse (CSA) occurring within civic institutions, school settings, youth sports, religious institutions, and other youth-serving organizations. Often amid considerable media and public scrutiny, such institutions have been called upon to improve their responses to sexual abuse incidents, address underlying organizational conditions that may foster such incidents, and develop viable systems of early intervention and prevention. These system challenges, in turn, have produced growing demand for high-quality research that can refine our understanding of the correlates and dynamics of sexual abuse within institutional settings and can help identify the parameters of effective strategies and responses. This article introduces a special issue of Sexual Abuse featuring emerging scholarship focused on CSA within organizational settings and sets forth a framework for further advancing the base of knowledge in this vital area of policy and practice.
Cryopreservation of feline red blood cells in liquid nitrogen using glycerol and hydroxyethyl starch
Authors: Hon Marcelle , Thomovsky Elizabeth J , Brooks Aimee C , Johnson Paula A
Published: June 2019

Objectives

The objective of this study was to evaluate the techniques and short-term effects of cryopreservation of feline red blood cells (RBCs) in liquid nitrogen using glycerol or hydroxyethyl starch (HES) as a cryoprotectant.

Methods

Feline RBCs were manually mixed with either 20% glycerol or 12.5% HES and frozen for 24 h in liquid nitrogen. The samples were thawed and glycerolized samples were manually washed. Success of the freeze/thaw process was determined by recovery rate of RBCs and evaluation of morphological changes using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A unit of canine packed RBCs was also subjected to the same methodology to evaluate the cryopreservation handling technique.

Results

Feline RBCs preserved with 20% glycerol had a high recovery rate (94.23 ± 1.25%) immediately after thawing. However, the majority of the cells were lost during the washing process, with a final packed cell volume of <1%. A recovery rate was unable to be assessed for samples preserved with HES owing to the high viscosity of the mixture. SEM revealed significant morphological changes after glycerol was added to the feline RBCs. Although these morphological changes were partially reversed after thawing, the majority of the RBCs were lost during the washing process. Minimal morphological changes were noted in the HES sample. Similar results were noted with the canine RBCs.

Conclusions and relevance

The described manual technique for cryopreservation using glycerol was not able to successfully preserve feline or canine RBCs. In the present study, it was difficult to make conclusions about the efficacy of HES. Further studies evaluating HES as a cryoprotectant are warranted.
Vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms in ocular surface squamous cell neoplasms
Authors: Ismayilova Nergiz , Palamar Melis , Onay Huseyin , Ceylan Emine Ipek , Atik Tahir , Akalin Taner , Yagci Ayse
Published: June 2019

Purpose:

To investigate vitamin D receptor polymorphisms in ocular surface squamous cell neoplasm and to evaluate the relationship between the identified polymorphisms and susceptibility to ocular surface squamous cell neoplasm and the clinical course.

Materials and Methods:

A totala of 70 patients with ocular surface squamous cell neoplasm (study group) and 75 healthy age and gender-matched individuals (control group) were included in the study. Vitamin D receptor FokI and BsmI polymorphisms were examined. The relationships between histopathological diagnosis, recurrence rates, tumor stage, and identified polymorphisms were investigated.

Results:

Histopathologically, 43 of the cases were squamous cell carcinoma and 27 of the cases were conjunctival intraepithelial neoplasia. The frequency of FokI (FF, Ff, ff) and BsmI (BB, Bb, bb) polymorphism genotype of vitamin D receptor gene were similar in the groups. The frequency of polymorphism (heterozygous or homozygous) for BsmI (Bb and bb) was significantly higher (p = 0.046) in the study group, while no difference was found between the groups in terms of polymorphic carriers (heterozygous or homozygous) for FokI. There was no correlation between tumor stage, recurrence-polymorphism frequency, and patient age-polymorphism frequency.

Conclusion:

It is known that active vitamin D inhibits the growth of cancer cells by binding to vitamin D receptor with regulation of genes responsible for cell proliferation. The presence of BsmI polymorphism in vitamin D receptor, in particular bb genotype and b allele, appears to be associated with the susceptibility of ocular surface squamous cell neoplasm. BsmI gene polymorphisms of vitamin D receptor might play an effective role in the formation, progression, and in the course of ocular surface squamous cell neoplasm.
Hip resurfacing arthroplasty for end-stage arthritis caused by childhood hip disease
Authors: Su Edwin P , Morgenstern Rachelle , Khan Imraan , Gaillard Melissa D , Gross Thomas P
Published: June 2019

Introduction:

Patients with hip arthritis due to Legg-Calvé-Perthes (LCP) and slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) pose altered femoral anatomy, making hip resurfacing arthroplasty (HRA) technically complicated. We examined implant survival and clinical symptoms in patients with a history of LCP or SCPE who underwent HRA for end-stage osteoarthritis.

Methods:

Data was collected for patients who underwent HRA for osteoarthritis due to LCP ( n = 59) or SCFE ( n = 32). Harris Hip Scores (HHS), UCLA activity scores, and radiographs were evaluated pre and postoperatively. Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Tests and Kaplan-Meier Survivorship curves were used to analyse data.

Results:

Survivorship for freedom from revision or clinical failure was 93.55(95% CI, 78.47–98.18) at 5.79 years, up until the most recent follow-up of 11.23 years. There were 3 failures: 1 LCP due to instability at 2.4 years, 1 SCFE due to femoral neck fracture at 1 month, and another SCFE due to unexplained pain at 5.8 years. Five patients, 1 LCP and 4 SCFE, had retained hardware prior to surgery; 4 had their hardware removed during surgery. Postoperatively HHS and UCLA activity scores increased ( p < 0.0001, for both measures). Leg-length discrepancy improved preoperatively from 7.9 (0.0–32) mm to 0.65 (0.0–10) mm postoperatively ( p < 0.0001). Follow-up radiographs of all non-failure HRA patients revealed implants to be in good alignment with no indication of loosening.

Conclusion:

Although HRA in SCFE and LCP patients increases technical difficulties, findings demonstrate excellent implant survival, no intraoperative complications, and improvements in leg-length discrepancies and clinical functional outcomes.
Catastrophic femoral head trunnion dissociation: a case series with surface wear analysis
Authors: Wood Thomas J , Alzahrani Mohammad , Langohr Daniel , Teeter Matthew G , Howard James L , Schemitsch Emil H , Lanting Brent A
Published: June 2019

Introduction:

Modular designs enhance accuracy of limb length and offset during total hip arthroplasty. However, such interfaces can be the site of corrosion and implant failure. The purpose of this study was to review 5 cases of catastrophic femoral head trunnion dissociation to better understand clinical and implant related risk factors for this complication.

Methods:

We describe 5 cases of femoral head dissociation following significant trunnion wear. Patient and implant related factors are reviewed. Surface wear patterns were assessed using electron microscopy and wear patterns were described qualitatively.

Results:

Commonalties among 5 presented cases include male, age over 65 and increased BMI. All femoral heads were cobalt chromium with a head size of at least 36 mm or greater. 4 out of 5 had high offset. All stems were the same design. Surface wear analysis showed material removed initially on the inferomedial aspect of the trunnion where the femoral head contacted the stem.

Conclusions:

Femoral head dissociation secondary to failure of the trunnion is a rare complication. We show associations with older age, increased BMI and male patients with increased femoral head size and offset. Material is removed initially inferomedially and progresses to fracturing the superior aspect of the trunnion.
Predicting Gambling Situations: The Roles of Impulsivity, Substance Use, and Post-Traumatic Stress
Authors: Grubbs Joshua B , Chapman Heather
Published: June 2019

Gambling disorder and symptoms of post-traumatic stress are highly comorbid. Numerous studies suggest that the presence of one (either disordered gambling or post-traumatic stress) substantially increases the odds of later developing the other. However, little is known about the etiological links between these two domains or the nuances of the comorbidity. Past research has suggested that symptoms of post-traumatic stress might be related to unique motivations for and beliefs about gambling. The present work sought to examine whether or not symptoms of post-traumatic stress might also be related to specific situational vulnerabilities to gambling behaviors. Using a large cross-sectional sample of Internet-using adults in the United States who were primarily recreational gamblers (N = 743; 46% men, Mage = 36.0, SD = 11.1), as well as an inpatient sample of US Armed Forces veterans seeking treatment for gambling disorder (N = 332, 80% men, Mage = 53.5, SD = 11.5), the present work tested whether or not symptoms of post-traumatic stress were uniquely related to a variety of gambling situations. Results in both samples revealed that even when controlling for potentially confounding variables (eg, substance use and trait impulsivity), symptoms of post-traumatic stress were uniquely related to gambling in response to negative affect, gambling in response to social pressure, and gambling due to a need for excitement. These findings are consistent with recent work suggesting that individuals with post-traumatic stress symptoms are more likely to engage in gambling behaviors for unique reasons that differ from gamblers without such symptoms.
What Is Excitation/Inhibition and How Is It Regulated? A Case of the Elephant and the Wisemen
Authors: He Hai-yan , Cline Hollis T
Published: June 2019

The balance between excitation and inhibition in neuronal circuits has drawn more and more attention in recent years, due to its proposed multifaceted functions in the normal neural circuit as well as its potential roles in the etiology of many neurological disorders. Here, we discuss the importance of clearly defining excitation/inhibition by experimental measurements and the implications of some recent studies to our understanding of the regulation of excitation/inhibition at the neuronal level.
‘The world is a happier place’: Celebration in a whole-of-school physical activity initiative
Authors: Ní Chróinín Déirdre , McMullen Jaimie
Published: June 2019

Understanding factors that influence children’s participation in sport and physical activity is critical to designing more appealing youth opportunities and programmes. Whole-of-school initiatives offer one way to promote children’s physical activity, but little is understood about how celebration within these initiatives influences children’s physical activity behaviours. Through this study we aimed to answer the question: what are participants’ experiences of physical activity-related celebration within a whole-of-school physical activity initiative? Answering this question helped us to explore the relationship between celebration and school-based physical activity participation. This study was situated within Irish primary schools ( N = 14) who were working towards the award of an ‘Active School Flag’. Data for analysis included each school’s Active School Flag application ( N = 14), individual interviews with Active School Flag coordinator teachers ( N = 14) and focus groups ( N = 13) with children ( N = 62). An inductive approach to analysis using open, axial and selective coding was employed. Celebration was an important part of the Active School Flag process, and the messages children associated with celebration were influential in shaping their understanding of what was important in relation to their physical activity participation. Acknowledgement of the merits of competitive sport beyond the focus on winning led to more inclusive physical activity approaches. Messages indicating that effort and participation were valued alongside excellence and winning were an important source for children to consider when making judgements about physical activity participation. Findings indicate the merit of including physical activity-related celebration within whole-of-school physical activity initiatives.
Labour Pain, ‘Natal Politics’ and Reproductive Justice for Black Birth Givers
Authors: Fannin Maria
Published: June 2019

The reception of Elaine Scarry’s landmark text, The Body in Pain, focuses in part on exploring how pain might be understood as beneficial or therapeutic. Childbirth is often cited as the paradigmatic instance of this kind of beneficial pain. This essay examines conceptualizations of labour pain in biomedical, natural childbirth and reproductive justice movements that explore the limits of Scarry’s description of pain as ‘unshareable’. Political struggles over pain in childbirth centre on the legibility of pain in labour. Feminist and natural childbirth activists have developed an understanding of pain at birth as central to maternal subjectivity, where pain is a biopolitical force and its management a means of self-transformation. Alongside calls for reproductive justice, the essay considers how the visibility and expressivity of labour pain could contribute to what Imogen Tyler and Lisa Baraitser term a new ‘natal politics’ that addresses concerns for the disproportionate injury and death experienced by Black birth givers.
Complications related to tube thoracostomy in Southwest Finland hospital district between 2004 and 2014
Authors: Vilkki V. A. , Gunn J. M.
Published: June 2019

Background and Aims:

The purpose of this study was to describe the frequency and types of complications after tube thoracostomy among all patients treated with tube thoracostomy for both traumatic and non-traumatic indications.

Material and Methods:

Retrospective register-based study of patients treated with tube thoracostomy between the years 2004 and 2014 in a university hospital.

Results:

In total, 1808 patients who had undergone tube thoracostomy were identified, complete data on tube thoracostomy treatment was available for 1169 patients. A total of 233 (19.9%) patients had 289 complications, 284 (98.3%) were positional resulting in tube malfunction. In 84 (7.2%) patients, malposition of the tube resulted in need for non-urgent operative treatment. There were 103 in-hospital deaths, but none due to tube thoracostomy complications. Empyema as a treatment indication was more frequent in patients with complications (15.9% vs 6.8%, p < 0.001) as was diabetes (21.9% vs 13.2%, p = 0.001). The likelihood of complications was lower with CH16 tubes (odds ratio 0.22, p < 0.001) and higher in diabetics (odds ratio 1.86, p = 0.001).

Conclusion:

Tube thoracostomy is a common procedure and complications occur in 19.9% of patients. Serious complications caused by the chest tube placement, however, are extremely rare. Complications were most common in patients treated for empyema and diabetics. Small CH16 tubes were associated with a lower incidence of complications.
Adenomatoid odontogenic tumour: A rare threat to orthodontic treatment planning
Authors: Han Laura , Downing Alison , Farr David , Dasgupta Kaushik , Stewart Duncan
Published: June 2019

This case report aims to increase awareness of how an adenomatoid odontogenic tumour (AOT) can present in a similar fashion to a dentigerous cyst and the importance of accurate histopathological diagnosis. In this case, the AOT resulted in loss of the upper left permanent canine in a patient who already had a congenitally absent upper left second premolar, compromising the original orthodontic treatment plan.
The influence of superheated injection on liquid and gaseous flow field of an experimental single-hole gasoline direct injection injector
Authors: Bornschlegel Sebastian , Conrad Chris , Durst Alexander , Welss Richard , Wensing Michael , Olbinado Margie , Helfen Lukas , Baumbach Tilo
Published: June 2019

In modern gasoline direct injection engines, the fuel is (partially) superheated for a significant proportion of the time during operation. This means that the vapour pressure of the fuel, or at least of many of its components, is higher than the ambient pressure inside the engine during injection. If the excess fuel enthalpy cannot be removed by evaporation at the free surface of the spray, the liquid phase boiling creates new surfaces. This phenomenon is known as flash boiling. Flash-boiling atomization produces smaller droplets and can therefore be beneficial as an additional atomization mechanism. Furthermore, it can reduce the penetration depth of a spray, although it also decreases the stability of fuel sprays. This is manifested in undesired targeting changes, that is, spray contraction due to jet-to-jet interaction. In extreme cases, a complete spray collapse can occur, where a multi-hole or hollow-cone spray contracts towards the spray axis and forms a jet-like structure that increases penetration depth. To understand the relationship between flash-boiling atomization and targeting changes, flash boiling was investigated with a single-hole generic injector without jet-to-jet interaction. In addition to macroscopic spray parameters, this study also focused on the flow field of the spray itself measured using laser Doppler anemometry, as well as the spray-induced flow field of the surrounding gas phase measured using fluorescent particle image velocimetry. The results show a strong radial expansion of the jet directly after nozzle exit, caused by internal flash boiling. It is shown that this expansion is caused by a zone of expanding fuel vapour in the centre of the spray. As a result, the displacement of air after injector opening as well as at the front of the spray is significantly increased, causing a decrease in spray front velocity and penetration depth. The stationary air entrainment, however, is only moderately increased as is the total amount of captured air, since the fuel vapour displaces air in the spray.
Analysis of Factors Influencing Accuracy of Volume Flow Measurement in Dialysis Access Fistulas Based on Duplex Ultrasound Simulation
Authors: Zierler R. Eugene , Leotta Daniel F. , Sansom Kurt , Aliseda Alberto , Anderson Mark D. , Sheehan Florence H.
Published: June 2019

Objective:

We developed a duplex ultrasound simulator and used it to assess accuracy of volume flow measurements in dialysis access fistula (DAF) models.

Methods:

The simulator consists of a mannequin, computer, and mock transducer. Each case is built from a patient’s B-mode images that are used to create a 3-dimensional surface model of the DAF. Computational fluid dynamics is used to determine blood flow velocities based on model vessel geometry. The simulator displays real-time B-mode and color-flow images, and Doppler spectral waveforms are generated according to user-defined settings. Accuracy was assessed by scanning each case and measuring volume flow in the inflow artery and outflow vein for comparison with true volume flow values.

Results:

Four examiners made 96 volume flow measurements on four DAF models. Measured volume flow deviated from the true value by 35 ± 36%. Mean absolute deviation from true volume flow was lower for arteries than veins (22 ± 19%, N = 48 vs. 58 ± 33%, N = 48, p < 0.0001). This finding is attributed to eccentricity of outflow veins which resulted in underestimating true cross-sectional area. Regression analysis indicated that error in measuring cross-sectional area was a predictor of error in volume flow measurement (β = 0.948, p < 0.001). Volume flow error was reduced from 35 ± 36% to 9 ± 8% ( p < 0.000001) by calculating vessel area as an ellipse.

Conclusions:

Duplex volume flow measurements are based on a circular vessel shape. DAF inflow arteries are circular, but outflow veins can be elliptical. Simulation-based analysis showed that error in measuring volume flow is mainly due to assumption of a circular vessel.
Endovascular Management of External Iliac Blowout Syndrome Secondary to Recurrent Sigmoid Cancer
Authors: Abdelsalam Hassan , Elmokadem Ali H.
Published: June 2019

Blowout syndrome caused by vascular invasion is a dreadful complication of late stage malignancies that carry high morbidity and poor overall prognosis in a compromised population. Endovascular management can offer minimally invasive and life-saving alternative for such acute conditions. We describe the case of a 62-year-old man with massive fresh bleeding per rectum and shock resulting from rupture of the left external iliac artery secondary to nearby infiltrative recurrent sigmoid cancer. This complication is rare, presents dramatically, and is frequently fatal. The patient was successfully treated with a stent graft deployment in order to achieve hemostasis and reinstituting the arterial integrity.
Enriched degree of freedom locking in crack analysis using the extended finite element method
Authors: Kim Han-Soo , Kim Geon-Hyeong
Published: June 2019

In this article, the enriched degree of freedom locking that can occur in a crack analysis with the extended finite element method is described. The discontinuous displacement field formulated by the enriched degree of freedom in the extended finite element method does not activate due to the enriched degree of freedom locking. Using the phantom node method, the occurrence of locking when two adjacent elements are simultaneously cracked in a loading step was verified. Two adjacent cracks can be determined to have developed simultaneously when an analysis model reveals a relatively uniform stress distribution on two adjacent elements. Numerical examples of a simply tensioned bar and a reinforced concrete beam are presented to demonstrate the erroneous analysis result due to the enriched degree of freedom locking. As a simple method to circumvent the enriched degree of freedom locking, the tensile strength of the neighboring elements was slightly increased in the numerical examples, and the effectiveness of the method was demonstrated. The proposed method is simple and easy for practicing engineers, and it can be easily applied to the three-dimensional crack propagation analysis.
Neoliberalizing news discourse: A semio-discursive reading of news gamification
Authors: Magdi Fawzy Rania
Published: June 2019

Gamified news is a clear example of contemporary convergent practices which conflate the functionalities of formerly separate entities, video games and journalism. This practice marks a shift in the journalistic norms, positioning journalism and news users within the neoliberal paradigm. In this view, the study proposes a discursive approach to examine how gamified news discourse is colonized by the neoliberal values of marketization and commodification. The analysis takes a case study of Pirate Fishing: An Interactive Investigation, a gamified news launched by Al Jazeera. It is not just the narrative of Pirate that carries ideological bearings, rather the ludic design itself is found to be fit within the neoliberal mentality. Therefore, the ludic semiosis of Pirate Fishing is examined as well. As such, a dialectical relation between discourse, semiotics and neoliberal ideologies, in the context of gamification, is drawn in this article. Based on the analysis, seven interrelated neoliberal discourses are highlighted: ‘calculative rationality’, ‘self-entrepreneurship’, ‘minimalism’, ‘aesthetic preferences’, ‘individualism’, ‘sovereign consumer’ and ‘personal responsibility’.
Smokefree leadership among the Yolŋu peoples of East Arnhem Land, Northern Territory: a qualitative study
Authors: Tane Moana Pera , Hefler Marita , Thomas David P.
Published: June 2019

This qualitative study examined smokefree leadership among the Yolŋu people, Indigenous landowners of East Arnhem Land. Despite disproportionately high smoking prevalence, the study found that most people enacted smokefree leadership within families and communities. While there was broad concern about not impinging on the autonomy of others, Indigenous health workers regularly advised clients, family and community members to quit smoking. This followed a general belief that the issue of smoking was best raised by health workers, rather than traditional leaders. Protecting children from second-hand smoke and preventing smoking initiation was important to all participants irrespective of their smoking status. An enduring and highly valued cultural connection to ŋarali’ (tobacco) remains an essential part of the sacred practices of the funeral ceremony, an important and unique social utility. The study found consensus among participants that this would not change. Navigating traditional connections to ŋarali’ in a context where most people are still addicted to commercial tobacco is challenging and requires respectful and culturally compelling approaches. Tobacco control initiatives with the Yolŋu should therefore utilise existing smokefree leaders within the social context in which ŋarali’ is valued and used, an approach that may resonate with other Indigenous Australian nations and communities.
Performance assessment of rigid polyurethane foam core sandwich panels under blast loading
Authors: Andami Hosein , Toopchi-Nezhad Hamid
Published: June 2019

The performance of rigid polyurethane foams, as an energy absorbent core of sandwich panels covered with two exterior steel sheets, was investigated numerically through finite element methods. After verifying the finite element model, numerical studies were conducted to investigate the role of thickness and density of the foam layer in the response behavior of sandwich panels under blast loads. A set of cylindrical polyurethane foam specimens were manufactured at five different nominal densities, 90, 140, 175, 220, and 250 kg/m3, and their stress–strain curves were evaluated using uniaxial compression tests. The test data were then employed to define characteristics of the polyurethane foams in the finite element model. Based on the results of finite element analysis runs, the optimum density of the foam layer was determined by assessing two response parameters including the peak pressure transmitted to the back face of the foam layer and the maximum deflection of sandwich panel. These response parameters were found to be affected differently by variations in the density of the foam layer within the panel. An increase in the thickness of the foam layer, to a certain extent, was found to be beneficial to the mitigation capability of sandwich panel.
SMART goals setting and biometric changes in obese adults with multimorbidity: Secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Takahashi Paul Y , Quigg Stephanie M , Croghan Ivana T , Schroeder Darrell R , Ebbert Jon O
Published: June 2019

Objectives:

Clinicians recommend diet and exercise for overweight/obese patients. We conducted a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled clinical trial evaluating goal setting and pedometer use versus usual care on weight, waist circumference, and blood pressure of patients with multiple chronic conditions.

Methods:

In this trial, we recruited and randomized patients over 18 years with multiple chronic conditions. There were two groups with an immediate intervention group who received behavioral coaching and a pedometer versus a delayed control who received the intervention after 2 months. We evaluated body weight, waist circumference, and blood pressure as outcomes. We used analysis of covariance to evaluate differences between the intervention and the control groups.

Results:

Of 130 patients, mean age was 63.4 years (SD, 17.3). At 2 months, intervention participants lost 0.2 kg versus a 0.1-kg gain in the control participants ( P = .44). The immediate intervention group had significantly smaller waist circumference change at 2-month follow-up compared to control at −1.6 cm (95% confidence interval = −3.1 to −0.1), which was driven by an increase in waist circumference in the delayed control group. No difference in systolic blood pressure was observed.

Discussion:

We observed no difference in weight or blood pressure between the groups with obesity and multiple chronic conditions.
Clouded data: Privacy and the promise of encryption
Authors: Munn Luke , Hristova Tsvetelina , Magee Liam
Published: June 2019

Personal data is highly vulnerable to security exploits, spurring moves to lock it down through encryption, to cryptographically ‘cloud’ it. But personal data is also highly valuable to corporations and states, triggering moves to unlock its insights by relocating it in the cloud. We characterise this twinned condition as ‘clouded data’. Clouded data constructs a political and technological notion of privacy that operates through the intersection of corporate power, computational resources and the ability to obfuscate, gain insights from and valorise a dependency between public and private. First, we survey prominent clouded data approaches (blockchain, multiparty computation, differential privacy, and homomorphic encryption), suggesting their particular affordances produce distinctive versions of privacy. Next, we perform two notional code-based experiments using synthetic datasets. In the field of health, we submit a patient’s blood pressure to a notional cloud-based diagnostics service; in education, we construct a student survey that enables aggregate reporting without individual identification. We argue that these technical affordances legitimate new political claims to capture and commodify personal data. The final section broadens the discussion to consider the political force of clouded data and its reconstitution of traditional notions such as the public and the private.
Societal Majority, Facebook, and the Spiral of Silence in the 2016 US Presidential Election
Authors: Kushin Matthew J. , Yamamoto Masahiro , Dalisay Francis
Published: June 2019

The 2016 US presidential election was highly contentious, as both candidates, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, received strong polarizing support and opposition with controversial campaigns, name-calling, and violence at campaign rallies. This may have contributed to an opinion climate where citizens were reluctant to express support for a candidate. This study tests the spiral of silence theory in the context of this election. We examine the interplay among opinion congruency, fear of isolation, and willingness to express support for a candidate. Data from an online survey show that opinion congruency for Clinton in society at large, and for Trump on Facebook, had indirect associations with willingness to express support for a candidate face-to-face, on Facebook, and in anonymous online settings through fear of isolation.