bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Histogram analysis of apparent diffusion coefficient maps for the differentiation between lymphoma and metastatic lymph nodes of squamous cell carcinoma in head and neck region
Authors: Wang Yan-Jun , Xu Xiao-Quan , Hu Hao , Su Guo-Yi , Shen Jie , Shi Hai-Bin , Wu Fei-Yun
Published: September 2017

Background

To clarify the nature of cervical malignant lymphadenopathy is highly important for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of head and neck tumors.

Purpose

To investigate the role of first-order apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) histogram analysis for differentiating lymphoma from metastatic lymph nodes of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in the head and neck region.

Material and Methods

Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) data of 67 patients (lymphoma, n = 20; SCC, n = 47) with malignant lymphadenopathy were retrospectively analyzed. The SCC group was divided into nasopharyngeal SCC and non-nasopharyngeal SCC groups. The ADC histogram features (ADC10, ADC25, ADCmean, ADCmedian, ADC75, ADC90, skewness, and kurtosis) were derived and then compared by independent-samples t-test and one-way analysis of variance test, respectively. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were employed to investigate diagnostic performance of the significant parameters.

Results

Lymphoma showed significantly lower ADCmean, ADCmedian, ADC75, and ADC90 than SCC (all P < 0.05). Setting ADC90 = 0.719 × 10–3 mm2/s as the threshold value, optimal diagnostic performance was achieved (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.719, sensitivity = 95.7%, specificity = 50.0%). Subgroup analyses showed no significant difference between lymphoma and NPC (all P > 0.05). Lymphoma showed significantly lower ADC25, ADCmean, ADCmedian, ADC75, and ADC90 than non-nasopharyngeal SCC (all P < 0.05). Optimal diagnostic performance (AUC = 0.847, sensitivity = 86.7%, specificity = 80.0%) could be achieved when setting ADC90 = 0.943 × 10–3 mm2/s as the threshold value.

Conclusion

Given its limitations, our study has shown that first-order ADC histogram analysis is capable of differentiating lymphoma from metastatic lymph nodes of SCC, especially those of non-nasopharyngeal SCC.
Douglas Goldring: ‘An Englishman’ and 1916
Authors: Woodward Guy
Published: September 2017

In October 1914, the English writer and publisher Douglas Goldring was invalided out of the British Army. By 1916, he had become a conscientious objector and moved to Ireland, where he lived for the next two years, witnessing the aftermath of the Easter Rising. Illuminating connections between the pacifist movement in Britain and Irish Republicanism, his writings of this period – including two Irish travelogues and a propagandist semi-autobiographical bildungsroman, The Fortune (1917) – disclose transnational and transcultural networks of resistance and dissidence, and show how the Rising and its aftermath helped to radicalise pacifist writers in London.
Spirits of enterprise: The disappearing child in Thatcherism and Theory
Authors: Dean Dominic
Published: September 2017

Thatcherism offered a promise of future prosperity based on unleashing the young male's ambition; simultaneously, its ‘Victorian values’ sought to retrieve a moral past. Literary depictions of Thatcherism make the child central to a resulting contradiction between imagined moral past and materialistic future. The disappearance of the child recurs in Peter Ackroyd's Hawksmoor (1985), Ian McEwan's The Child in Time (1987), and Alan Hollinghurst's The Line of Beauty (2004). These novels satirise how Thatcherism managed the contradictions in its vision of the future by attempting to regulate the child's ambitions. They even use the abducted, killed, or simply disappeared child to audaciously parody both the results of Thatcherite policy and contemporaneous practices of literary and psychoanalytic Theory, as each struggles to represent the child's interests in the future. Here Thatcherite materialism leads, unintentionally and ironically, to unacceptable material ambitions in the child.
Surface modifications of wood materials using atmospheric pressure corona-based weakly ionized plasma
Authors: Islam Rokibul , Xie Shuzheng , Lekobou William , Englund Karl , Pedrow Patrick
Published: September 2017

Enhanced atmospheric pressure corona-based weakly ionized plasma was investigated to modify surface properties of wood materials. The plasma was generated using a point-to-point bare electrode geometry without dielectric barriers. The gas-phase admixture used in this work was argon and acetylene. Wood fibers were processed in the post-discharge region outside of the harsh corona environment. Return corona emanating into the high-voltage gap from the grounded screen was utilized to effectively activate acetylene molecules near the substrate. Scanning electron microscopy was used to study the surface morphology of the treated and untreated substrates. The treated wood material was observed to contain on their surface nano- and micro-nodules of plasma-polymerized acetylene. Capillary rise measurements confirmed changes in the surface wettability of the substrates. The water capillary rise rate and diffusion coefficient were reduced by about 37% and 57%, respectively, for a 15-min treatment of ponderosa pine wood flour.
Linking Emotional Intelligence to Knowledge Sharing Behaviour: Organizational Justice and Work Engagement as Mediators
Authors: Tamta Vandana , Rao M. K.
Published: September 2017

The present study aims to investigate the direct and indirect effects of emotional intelligence (EI) on knowledge sharing (KS) behaviour of employees via two mediating variables, namely organizational justice (OJ) and work engagement (WE). The authors collected data from 294 employees working in select public sector banks in India via survey and web-based modes. The two-stage approach which includes confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to validate the direct and indirect impacts of EI on KS behaviour. Results indicated that there exists a positive impact of EI on KS behaviour. This article provides important implications for organizations by showing that EI plays a pivotal role in stimulating KS behaviour of employees in Indian public sector banks. This study also corroborates the partial mediating role of OJ and WE between EI and KS behaviour. This research contributes to the academic literature of EI and KS in specific and extends the organizational research studies in general.
Mega-regional trade agreements and non-participating developing countries: Differential impacts, challenges and policy options
Authors: Palit Amitendu
Published: September 2017

Mega-regional trade agreements imply several challenges for developing countries. Some are due to the impacts of economic growth within areas of new discriminatory preferential access, while others are produced by the long-term implications of mega-regional trade agreements on global trade governance. These challenges are likely to increase as more mega-regional trade agreements with large economic size, regulatory ambition and geo-strategic significance are negotiated and signed. The implications of these challenges are significant for developing countries outside the mega-regional trade agreements, particularly the least-developed countries. This paper examines some of the major challenges from mega-regional trade agreements for non-participating developing countries, with attention to the drivers of these agreements, their economic impacts, the difficulties encountered by the World Trade Organization following emergence of mega-regional trade agreements, and possible strategic responses to these trade agreements. Underlining the differential impacts of mega-regional trade agreements on non-participating developing countries, the paper concludes that larger economies like China and India are likely to be less affected due to their economic size and strategic influence, compared with the least developed countries.
Investigation of power transmission across laminated composite doubly curved shell in the presence of external flow considering shear deformation shallow shell theory
Authors: Talebitooti R , Zarastvand MR , Gohari HD
Published: September 2017

This study applies shear deformation shallow shell theory to inspect the acoustic behavior of laminated composite infinitely long doubly curved shallow shells subject to a radiating oblique plane sound wave. Herewith, a procedure is developed to investigate sound transmission loss through this shell, clarified as a ratio of incident power to transmitted power in the existence of mean flow. In a further step, displacements are developed as a linear combination of the thickness coordinate to designate an analytical solution based on shear deformation shallow shell theory. Consequently, an exact solution for sound transmission loss is brought forward by combining acoustic wave equations as a result of wave propagation through this shell with doubly curved shell equations of motion. Afterwards, the accuracy of the present formulation (shear deformation shallow shell theory) is determined by comparing the achieved results with those available in the literature and some assumptions associated with the geometric specifications of the plate are investigated. Finally, because of the remarkable achievement of the current formulation results in reduction of noise transmission into such structures, some effective parameters on sound transmission loss are used in numerical results, to solve this problem.
The Origins of New Voices USA: A Lesson in Teaching Advocacy to Improve Teaching and Learning
Authors: Listopad Steven Francis , Crawford Elizabeth Crisp
Published: September 2017

For more than 30 years, student journalists’ freedom of expression has been in flux. Freedom of expression is central to journalism education. Without this freedom, teaching students the courage and truth telling central to the profession becomes impossible. To reinstate compromised freedoms, North Dakota student journalists created The John Wall New Voices Act in an undergraduate class based on the teaching of civic and citizen journalism. The New Voices Act (NVA) has exemplified expression legislation across the nation. The purpose of this essay is to document the origins of the NVA and provide a guide for journalism educators when students choose an advocacy-oriented project.
Coal Mining and Local Environment: A Study in Talcher Coalfield of India
Authors: Mishra Niharranjan , Das Nabanita
Published: September 2017

Despite government’s repeated assertions for the sustainable mining extraction and development of rural and tribal communities living near the vicinity of mining areas, these have not been converted into implementable solutions. The natural resources from rural and tribal areas are being exploited to meet the ever-increasing requirements and aspirations of the affluent groups. With the above background, this article, taking both experimental and control villages into account, tried to explore the impact of coal mining on local environment. Although dealing with local environment, it has mostly focused on sociological impact of mining in air, water, and noise pollution. The data collected show that the suspended particulate matter concentration is alarmingly high in few sampling locations, whereas respirable suspended particulate matter concentration which once used to be within acceptable limits is now gradually approaching its standard acceptable value of 300 µg/m3. Along with uncovered coal transportation, lack of water spraying system and movement of heavy vehicles have brought an addition to air pollution to the locality. The extraction of mining has influenced the water table. The data collected from State Pollution Control Board, Bhubaneswar, show that suspended sediments and chemical oxygen demand in most of the mining areas and biological oxygen demand in few cases have crossed the specific standard. Along with this, household survey was conducted by covering 6 villages and 600 households. The study was undertaken by following experimental design where 450 households were taken from experimental, ie, mining villages, and 150 households have been selected from nonmining areas. Of the 450 households, around 96.44% villagers responded that Mahanadi Coalfields Limited is not taking any mitigation measures to apprehend the pollution caused by mining operations.
Knowing About Device Algorithms to Understand the Rhythm and Role of Managed Ventricular Pacing
Authors: Kossaify Antoine , Hamdar Hiba
Published: September 2017

A 66-year-old patient with a DR pacemaker for intermittent atrioventricular block presented with an electrocardiogram (ECG) showing some P waves non followed by QRS complexes, raising suspicion of device dysfunction. The device was equipped with a special algorithm (Managed Ventricular Pacing; Medtronic), and the observed ECG tracing was a normal consequence of the function of such algorithms. Being aware of the function of specific algorithms is essential to adequately analyze rhythms.
Safety and efficacy of cladribine tablets in patients with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis: Results from the randomized extension trial of the CLARITY study
Authors: Giovannoni Gavin , Soelberg Sorensen Per , Cook Stuart , Rammohan Kottil , Rieckmann Peter , Comi Giancarlo , Dangond Fernando , Adeniji Abidemi K , Vermersch Patrick
Published: September 2017

Background:

In the 2-year CLARITY study, cladribine tablets significantly improved clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) outcomes (vs placebo) in patients with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (MS).

Objective:

To assess the safety and efficacy of cladribine treatment in a 2-year Extension study.

Methods:

In this 2-year Extension study, placebo recipients from CLARITY received cladribine 3.5 mg/kg; cladribine recipients were re-randomized 2:1 to cladribine 3.5 mg/kg or placebo, with blind maintained.

Results:

A total of 806 patients were assigned to treatment. Adverse event rates were generally similar between groups, but lymphopenia Grade ⩾ 3 rates were higher with cladribine than placebo (Grade 4 lymphopenia occurred infrequently). In patients receiving cladribine 3.5 mg/kg in CLARITY and experiencing lymphopenia Grade ⩾ 3 in the Extension, >90% of those treated with cladribine 3.5 mg/kg and all treated with placebo in the Extension, recovered to Grade 0–1 by study end. Cladribine treatment in CLARITY produced efficacy improvements that were maintained in patients treated with placebo in the Extension; in patients treated with cladribine 3.5 mg/kg in CLARITY, approximately 75% remained relapse-free when given placebo during the Extension.

Conclusion:

Cladribine tablets treatment for 2 years followed by 2 years’ placebo treatment produced durable clinical benefits similar to 4 years of cladribine treatment with a low risk of severe lymphopenia or clinical worsening. No clinical improvement in efficacy was apparent following further treatment with cladribine tablets after the initial 2-year treatment period in this trial setting.
Ethnic group institutions and electoral clientelism
Authors: Kramon Eric
Published: September 2017

Individual electoral clientelism involves the allocation of handouts to voters around elections. Why is this strategy common in some contexts but not in others? This article demonstrates that ethnic group institutional structure helps to explain this variation. Where ethnic groups are organized hierarchically and have centralized leadership, politicians leverage this infrastructure to mobilize voters wholesale. Where they are not, politicians forge linkages directly with voters, resulting in more electoral clientelism. I provide evidence from a set of African countries, where there is variation in the social structure of ethnic and religious groups. I show that electoral clientelism is more widespread in countries where ethnic groups have a decentralized organization. An individual-level analysis of electoral clientelism in 15 African countries further shows that members of decentralized groups are most likely to receive electoral handouts. The findings contribute to the comparative literature on clientelism and highlight how the organizational structure of intermediaries can shape strategies of clientelism.
Major health service transformation and the public voice: conflict, challenge or complicity?
Authors: Martin Graham P , Carter Pam , Dent Mike
Published: September 2017

Objectives

Calls for major reconfigurations of health services have been accompanied by recommendations that wide ranging stakeholders be involved. In particular, patients and the wider public are seen as critical contributors as both funders and beneficiaries of public health care. But public involvement is fraught with challenges, and little research has focused on involvement in the health service transformation initiatives. This paper examines the design and function of public involvement in reconfiguration of health services within the English NHS.

Methods

Qualitative data including interviews, observation and documents were collected in two health service ‘transformation’ programmes; interviews include involved public and professional participants. Data were analysed using parallel deductive and inductive approaches.

Results

Public involvement in the programmes was extensive but its terms of reference, and the individuals involved, were restricted by policy pressures and programme objectives. The degree to which participants descriptively or substantively represented the wider public was limited; participants sought to ‘speak for’ this public but their views on what was ‘acceptable’ and likely to influence decision-making led them to constrain their contributions.

Conclusions

Public involvement in two major service reconfiguration programmes in England was seen as important and functional, and could not be characterized as tokenistic. Yet involvement in these programmes fell short of normative ideals, and could inadvertently reduce, rather than enlarge, public influence on health service reconfiguration decisions.
The Faces Emotional Coping Scale as a self-reporting instrument for coping with needle-related procedures: An initial validation study with children treated for type 1 diabetes
Authors: Nilsson Stefan , Hanberger Lena , Olinder Anna Lindholm , Forsner Maria
Published: September 2017

The aim of this study was to determine the concurrent and content validity, sensitivity and inter-rater reliability of the Faces Emotional Coping Scale (FECS) to evaluate the children’s anticipation of the level of emotional coping in conjunction with a venepuncture. A total of 153 children with type 1 diabetes and 86 of their parents participated in the study. The age of the children, 76 of whom were boys, ranged from 7 to 18 years. The child and his or her parent reported the child’s coping ability, and the child reported the pain intensity and unpleasantness of a venepuncture. The child also wrote a short narrative about his or her experience of the needle procedure. The FECS correlated negatively with the Coloured Analogue Scale and the Facial Affective Scale and positively with the FECS by proxy. The narratives of 90 children correlated negatively with the FECS. Younger children reported significantly lower scores than older children did regarding their ability to cope with a venepuncture. The children’s scores on the FECS showed good agreement with the parents’ scores. In this study, the FECS was deemed valid for measuring children’s ability to cope with their emotions when undergoing needle-related procedures like venepuncture.
Becoming ethical: Mediated pedagogies of global consumer-citizenship
Authors: Zimmerman Heidi
Published: September 2017

This essay examines the BBC docu-reality series Blood, Sweat & T-shirts ( BS&T) as a case study for understanding the early 21st-century’s proliferation of ethical consumer media – media which circulate internationally, attempt to bring commercial and/or popular appeal together with pro-social goals. I argue that the show operates as a transnational technology of ethical global consumer-citizenship in a highly ambivalent manner: it works to cultivate a form of caring for others that is amenable to a liberalized global economy and the maintenance of existing racialized and gendered global hierarchies, but at the same time, it lays bare the deep contradictions that structure this project.
The Effect of Differential Incentives on Attrition Bias
Authors: Felderer Barbara , Müller Gerrit , Kreuter Frauke , Winter Joachim
Published: September 2017

Respondent incentives are widely used to increase response rates, but their effect on nonresponse bias has not been researched as much. To contribute to the research, we analyze an incentive experiment embedded within the third wave of the German household panel survey “Panel Labor Market and Social Security” conducted by the German Institute for Employment Research. Our question is whether attrition bias differs in two incentive plans. In particular, we want to study whether an unconditional €10 cash incentive yields less attrition bias in self-reported labor income and other sociodemographics than a conditional lottery ticket incentive. We find that unconditional cash incentives are more effective than conditional lottery tickets in reducing attrition bias in income and several sociodemographic variables.
Differentiating Between Apathy and Depression in Patients With Parkinson Disease Dementia
Authors: Camargo Carlos Henrique Ferreria , Serpa Rafael Arthur , Jobbins Vinícius Aguiar , Berbetz Frederico Antonio , Sabatini Jivago Szpoganicz
Published: September 2017

In Parkinson disease (PD), apathy and depression often overlap, making it difficult to differentiate between them. This study sought to analyze apathy and depression in patients with PD dementia (PDD). Forty patients were diagnosed with PDD using the Movement Disorder Society criteria. A statistically significant correlation was identified between worsening dementia and an improvement in depression ( r = .3695; r2 = .1365, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.0985 to 05.894, P = .0044) and between worsening dementia and worsening apathy ( r = −.2578, r2 = .0664, 95% CI: −0.5025 to .0251, P = .036). Depression had a greater correlation with advanced motor symptoms ( r = .4988, r2 = .2438, 95% CI: 0.2218-0.7013, P = .0005]. In conclusion, depression was associated with less advanced PDD and more intense motor features, while apathy was associated with more advanced cognitive impairment.
Alleviating Mechanical Allodynia and Modulating Cellular Immunity Contribute to Electroacupuncture’s Dual Effect on Bone Cancer Pain
Authors: Liang Yi , Du Jun-Ying , Fang Jun-Fan , Fang Ruo-Yi , Zhou Jie , Shao Xiao-Mei , Jiang Yong-Liang , Chen Yi-Tian , Fang Jian-Qiao
Published: September 2017

Hypothesis: Electroacupuncture (EA) has been used as an alternative analgesic therapy for hundreds of years, yet its analgesic potency and therapeutic advantage against bone cancer pain (BCP) in comparison with morphine remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of EA on mechanical allodynia and cellular immunity of BCP rats, and to further explore the potential mechanism. Methods: The BCP model was established by implanting Walker 256 mammary gland carcinoma cells into the left tibia of adult female Sprague-Dawley rats. EA (dilatational wave, 2/100 Hz, 0.5 mA–1mA–1.5 mA for 10 minutes each intensity) was applied bilaterally to Zusanli (ST 36) and Kunlun (BL 60) for 30 minutes. Both EA stimulation and morphine (10 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) was given once every other day. Naloxone (0.3 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) was injected at 30 minutes prior to EA. Mechanical allodynia were demonstrated by paw withdrawal thresholds (PWTs) which measured by dynamic plantar aesthesiometer. T cell proliferation, percentage of CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes in spleen as well as expression of interleukin-2 (IL-2) in plasma were detected by WST-8, flow cytometry, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique, respectively. Results: An intratibial inoculation of Walker 256 mammary gland carcinoma cells significantly decreased PWTs to mechanical stimuli. EA stimulation alleviated mechanical allodynia in BCP rats, and the analgesic potency of EA was weaker than that of morphine. In contrast to morphine, EA stimulation of BCP rats increased splenic concanavalin A (Con A)-induced T cell proliferation and plasma IL-2 content, as well as increased the percentages of splenic CD3+CD4+ and CD3+CD8+ T cell subsets. Moreover, both the analgesic effect and the partial immunomodulation of EA were suppressed by an intraperitoneal injection of naloxone. Conclusion: EA could significantly alleviate BCP-induced mechanical allodynia. Although the analgesic effect of EA was weaker than that of morphine, EA had an immunomodulation effect on cellular immunity. Both analgesic and immunomodulatory effect of EA might share the same mechanism via the opioid-mediated pathway, which needs further investigation.
Herbal Medicine for Xerostomia in Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Park Bongki , Noh Hyeonseok , Choi Dong-Jun
Published: September 2017

Background: Xerostomia (dry mouth) causes many clinical problems, including oral infections, speech difficulties, and impaired chewing and swallowing of food. Many cancer patients have complained of xerostomia induced by cancer therapy. Objective: The aim of this systematic review is to assess the efficacy of herbal medicine for the treatment of xerostomia in cancer patients. Materials and Methods: Randomized controlled trials investigating the use of herbal medicines to treat xerostomia in cancer patients were included. We searched the following 12 databases without restrictions on time or language. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. Results: Twenty-five randomized controlled trials involving 1586 patients met the inclusion criteria. A total of 24 formulas were examined in the included trials. Most of the included trials were insufficiently reported in the methodology section. Five formulas were shown to significantly improve the salivary flow rate compared to comparators. Regarding the grade of xerostomia, all formulas with the exception of a Dark Plum gargle solution with normal saline were significantly effective in reducing the severity of dry mouth. Adverse events were reported in 4 trials, and adverse effects of herbal medicine were reported in 3 trials. Conclusions: We found herbal medicines had potential benefits for improving salivary function and reducing the severity of dry mouth in cancer patients. However, methodological limitations and a relatively small sample size reduced the strength of the evidence. More high-quality trials reporting sufficient methodological data are warranted to enforce the strength of evidence regarding the effectiveness of herbal medicines.
School Closure and Loss: Guiding a District Through the Change Process
Authors: McDonald Teena
Published: September 2017

This case study is designed for aspiring principal and superintendent leadership candidates who are studying transitions, change theory in organizations, or board/superintendent relations. It examines the arduous process of closing a school and making huge cuts in a small district because of declining enrollment and expenditures that far outweighed revenue. In this case study, the superintendent and leadership team play the complex roles of communicators, grief counselors, organizers, and change agents.
Social Media and the First Amendment: Educators’ Trap Game
Authors: Hayes Sonya D. , Burkett Jerry R.
Published: September 2017

Monica Williams, a beloved counselor of an urban middle school, is shocked to learn that she is being terminated for a comment she made on Facebook. This case was developed for use in an educational leadership course for students to evaluate an educator’s right to freedom of speech in relation to social media. Instructors can use the case to encourage dialogue around legal issues and ethical considerations of an individual’s rights versus community standards. The discussion questions are designed to guide students in analyzing the scenario through legal policies, ethical considerations, and human resource issues.
Enriched environment improves behavioral performance and attenuates inflammatory response induced by TNF-α in healthy adult mice
Authors: Zhang Shehong , Xie Hongyu , Wang Yuyang , Li Dake , Du Liang , Wu Yi , Yang Guo-Yuan
Published: September 2017

Several studies have demonstrated the neuroprotective effect of enriched environment (EE) and its positive effect on cognitive performance in pathological conditions, such as neurodegenerative diseases, epilepsy, and traumatic brain injury. However, the immunomodulatory effect of EE in normal rodents is not well characterized. To assess the immunomodulatory effect of EE, we randomly assigned normal mice to EE housing or standard environmental (SE) housing for 3 weeks. Behavioral alterations were evaluated by open field, fear conditioning, and Morris water maze tests. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to assess the expression of behavioral-related proteins, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) was also performed. We also measured the levels of RIP1 and RIP3 proteins using western blotting. EE significantly improved the cognitive performance which was associated with the increased expressions of BDNF, ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba1), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP); EE did not influence any morphological changes in the brain tissue in adult mice; however, increased resistance to inflammation induced by TNF-α was observed. These findings indicate that EE can positively influence cognitive and behavioral performance in healthy adult mice by exerting environ-immuno effect on neural function.
Teachers’ Self-Perceptions in England and Germany: Methodological Nationalism and Negative Points of Reference in Comparative Research
Authors: von Bargen Imke
Published: September 2017

The field of comparative education traditionally compares nations and cultures to gain a deeper understanding of educational phenomena. The nation-state often functions as the only unit of comparison, which increases methodological nationalism. It is dangerous to draw simplistic conclusions because they focus on national particularities alone and make use of negative points of reference. Therefore, analytical frameworks that concentrate on other criteria are needed. The article analyses how methodological frameworks influence the outcome and perception of educational phenomena and considers what challenges arise while conducting research. It is illustrated by studies on governance.
Moving Forward: Challenges and Directions for Psychopathological Network Theory and Methodology
Authors: Fried Eiko I. , Cramer Angélique O. J.
Published: September 2017

Since the introduction of mental disorders as networks of causally interacting symptoms, this novel framework has received considerable attention. The past years have resulted in over 40 scientific publications and numerous conference symposia and workshops. Now is an excellent moment to take stock of the network approach: What are its most fundamental challenges, and what are potential ways forward in addressing them? After a brief conceptual introduction, we first discuss challenges to network theory: (1) What is the validity of the network approach beyond some commonly investigated disorders such as major depression? (2) How do we best define psychopathological networks and their constituent elements? And (3) how can we gain a better understanding of the causal nature and real-life underpinnings of associations among symptoms? Next, after a short technical introduction to network modeling, we discuss challenges to network methodology: (4) heterogeneity of samples studied with network analytic models, and (5) a lurking replicability crisis in this strongly data-driven and exploratory field. Addressing these challenges may propel the network approach from its adolescence into adulthood and promises advances in understanding psychopathology both at the nomothetic and idiographic level.
The effectiveness of splinting and surgery on sleep disturbance in carpal tunnel syndrome
Authors: Rubin Guy , Orbach Hagay , Rinott Micha , Rozen Nimrod
Published: September 2017

This controlled prospective study assessed the effectiveness of night splinting compared with non-splinting and surgery for severity of insomnia in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. Sleep characteristics were observed for several days without a brace, with a brace and after surgery. The sleep measurements included the use of an actigraph worn on the wrist during night, a ‘sleep log’ that conveyed subjective impressions as to how the patient had slept and a short insomnia instrument, the Insomnia Severity Index. The Insomnia Severity Index scores showed that a night splint significantly improved insomnia symptoms compared with no splinting, and surgery significantly improved insomnia symptoms compared with splinting. The sleep log scores showed that the sleep quality and the number of awakenings when a splint was not worn were significantly different from the scores with the splint and the scores after surgery but showed no differences between splint and surgery. The actigraph did not show any significant differences between the treatment methods.

Level of evidence: III
Smartphone photography utilized to measure wrist range of motion
Authors: Wagner Eric R. , Conti Mica Megan , Shin Alexander Y.
Published: September 2017

The purpose was to determine if smartphone photography is a reliable tool in measuring wrist movement. Smartphones were used to take digital photos of both wrists in 32 normal participants (64 wrists) at extremes of wrist motion. The smartphone measurements were compared with clinical goniometry measurements. There was a very high correlation between the clinical goniometry and smartphone measurements, as the concordance coefficients were high for radial deviation, ulnar deviation, wrist extension and wrist flexion. The Pearson coefficients also demonstrated the high precision of the smartphone measurements. The Bland–Altman plots demonstrated 29–31 of 32 smartphone measurements were within the 95% confidence interval of the clinical measurements for all positions of the wrists. There was high reliability between the photography taken by the volunteer and researcher, as well as high inter-observer reliability. Smartphone digital photography is a reliable and accurate tool for measuring wrist range of motion.

Level of evidence: II
Clinical assessment of hand oedema: A systematic review
Authors: Miller Leanne K , Jerosch-Herold Christina , Shepstone Lee
Published: September 2017

Introduction

Assessment of oedema after trauma or surgery is important to determine whether treatment is effective and to detect change over time. Volumetry is referred to as the ‘gold standard’ method of measuring volume. However, this has practical limitations and other methods are available. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the psychometric properties of alternative methods used to assess hand oedema.

Methods

A search of electronic bibliographic databases was undertaken for any studies published in English reporting the psychometric evaluation of a method for measuring hand oedema, in an adult population with hand swelling from surgery, trauma or stroke. The Consensus‐based Standards for the Selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) checklist was used to evaluate the methodological quality.

Results

Six studies met the inclusion criteria. Three methods were identified assessing hand oedema: perometry, visual inspection and the figure-of-eight tape measure, all were compared to volumetry. Four different psychometric properties were assessed. Studies scored fair or poor on COSMIN criteria. There is low-quality evidence supporting the use of the figure-of-eight tape measure to assess hand volume. The perometer systematically overestimated volume and visual estimation had poor sensitivity and specificity.

Discussion

The figure-of-eight tape measure is the best alternative to volumetry for hand oedema. Benefits include reduced cost and time while having comparable reliability to the ‘gold standard’. Further research is needed to compare methods in patients with greater variability of conditions and with isolated digit oedema. Visual estimation of hand oedema is not recommended.
Cervical superficial myofibroblastoma: Case report and review of the literature
Authors: Abdelaziz Mohamed , Eziba Noura , Sharma Suash , Kleven Daniel , Al-Hendy Ayman
Published: September 2017

Superficial myofibroblastoma of the lower female genital tract is a rare benign, recently recognized neoplasm that mostly affects the vulvovaginal area. Our report discusses a case of cervical superficial myofibroblastoma of the lower female genital tract in a 45-year-old patient who is presented with menometrorrhagia. On examination, she had multiple uterine fibroids and a circumscribed submucosal mass lesion involving the anterior lip of cervix. At hysterectomy, histopathological examination of the cervical mass revealed a relatively hypocellular tumor consisted of bland spindled and stellate cells. An immunohistochemistry evaluation revealed reactivity for CD34, desmin, and smooth muscle actin. This neoplasm should be included in the differential diagnosis of cervical mass lesions. This tumor also needs to be differentiated from other mesenchymal lesions of lower female genital tract.
Endovascular management of symptomatic cerebral aneurysm thromboembolism due to pre-aneurysmal arterial stenosis
Authors: Karsonovich Torin , Gordhan Ajeet
Published: September 2017

Background:

Pre-aneurysmal internal carotid steno-occlusive disease resulting in cerebral intra-aneurysmal thrombosis and subsequent embolic infarction has not been previously described.

Conclusion:

Antithrombotic treatment for dissolution of the thrombus and pre-aneurysmal stent angioplasty followed by Pipeline embolization flow diverter placement through the aneurysm is a safe and feasible management option.
Intracardiac fistula: an unusual complication of catheter-related blood stream infection
Authors: Koratala Abhilash , Aboud Hussain , Gibson Robert , Hamilton Karen K
Published: September 2017

Lesson

In end stage renal disease patients on dialysis, the use of catheter as a vascular access is associated with a significant risk of sepsis compared to an arterio-venous fistula. Our case emphasizes the importance of having high index of suspicion for unusual complications in patients presenting with possible catheter-related blood stream infection and early use of complementary tools such as trans-oesophageal echocardiography whenever applicable.
The same deep water as you? The impact of alternative governance arrangements of water service delivery on efficiency
Authors: Rodrigues Miguel , Tavares António F
Published: September 2017

This work contributes to the literature on water governance by attempting to provide an answer to the question of what are the differences in efficiency of alternative governance arrangements of water utilities. We test hypotheses derived from property rights, principal–agent, and transaction costs theories using a comprehensive database of 260 water utility systems provided by the Portuguese Regulatory Authority of Water and Waste Services. Using endogenous switching regression models estimated through maximum likelihood, the study is designed in two steps. First, we investigate differences in efficiency between in-house options and externalization and find that in-house solutions as a set (direct provision and municipal companies) are more efficient than externalization options (mixed companies and concessions). Second, we test differences in efficiency within both in-house and externalization solutions, and fail to find statistically significant differences in efficiency between in-house bureaucracies and municipal companies and between mixed companies and concessions.
Aging gracefully? Why old autocrats hold competitive elections
Authors: Tanaka Seiki
Published: September 2017

This article examines the conditions under which dictators hold competitive elections, and looks specifically at the role played by a dictator’s age. Drawing on previous studies arguing that uncertainty increases the likelihood of competitive elections, I argue that as a dictator ages, uncertainty over the future increases within the regime, because government insiders’ expected payoffs for supporting the incumbent decline as s/he ages. As a result, I argue that older dictators are more likely to hold competitive elections in order to reduce uncertainty. The article also tests an implication of the argument: if uncertainty over the future drives elections, then it should be mitigated in regimes with a clear successor. Using a large-N, cross-national dataset on autocrats and competitive elections between 1960 and 2012, this article examines the argument and finds that as dictators age, they are more likely to hold competitive elections, all else equal. The analysis also finds that the effect of autocrats’ age on competitive elections is mitigated in one-party regimes where there exists an established succession rule, while the effect is more apparent in personalist regimes without such a system.
You are what you post in “circle of friends” of WeChat: Self-presentation and identity production from a personality perspective
Authors: Lin Chenglong , Fang Wei , Jin Jianbin
Published: September 2017

Social media services have become increasingly important in Chinese people’s daily lives, and among them, WeChat is one of the most popular applications. There have been studies examining individuals’ practices of self-presentation and identity production in various online platforms, and they have found the impact of anonymity on users’ presentation and construction of self. However, little is known about whether users present their actual self or construct new identities different from those in their offline life. To fill this gap, this study explores the association between expression of personality traits on circle of friends and their actual personality traits in offline life. Participants were 93 college students from China. Their personality traits were measured through Neuroticism Extraversion Openness Five-Factor Inventory, and their posts on circle of friends platform were extracted and split into words by Chinese Lexical Analysis System. The results showed consistency in the dimension of openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, and agreeableness, except for neuroticism, suggesting that the contents posted on circle of friends platform can reflect the user’s real personality traits. As an instrumental tool developed in this study, the semantic cues were further discussed regarding its usefulness in evaluating subjects’ personality traits.
Guidelines for the Management of Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy and Acute Spinal Cord Injury: Development Process and Methodology
Authors: Tetreault Lindsay A. , Skelly Andrea C. , Dettori Joseph R. , Wilson Jefferson R. , Martin Allan R. , Fehlings Michael G.
Published: September 2017

The Institute of Medicine defines clinical practice guidelines as “statements that include recommendations intended to optimize patient care that are informed by a systematic review of evidence and an assessment of the benefits and harms of alternative care options.” Guidelines help clinicians implement best evidence into practice and encourage informed shared decision making with patients. Guidelines are intended to enhance the quality of patient care by discouraging ineffective and potentially harmful interventions and standardizing practice. Standards for the development and appraisal of guidelines, such as those proposed by the Institute of Medicine and other organizations, help assure guideline quality and credibility. Primary standards include establishing transparency, managing conflicts of interest, forming a multidisciplinary guideline development group, conducting methodologically sound systematic reviews, developing evidence-based recommendations, balancing risks and harms, and rating the strength of recommendations based on the confidence in the evidence. Furthermore, the guideline document must be appraised internally and externally and updated when new evidence arises. The Grading of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation process helps appraise the existing body of evidence as well as provide an interactive framework for weighing the benefits and harms of treatment options and translating evidence to recommendations. This article summarizes the methodology used to develop clinical practice guidelines for the management of degenerative cervical myelopathy and acute spinal cord injury.
Timing of Decompression in Patients With Acute Spinal Cord Injury: A Systematic Review
Authors: Wilson Jefferson R. , Tetreault Lindsay A. , Kwon Brian K. , Arnold Paul M. , Mroz Thomas E. , Shaffrey Christopher , Harrop James S. , Chapman Jens R. , Casha Steve , Skelly Andrea C. , Holmer Haley K. , Brodt Erika D. , Fehlings Michael G.
Published: September 2017

Study Design:

Systematic review.

Objective:

To conduct a systematic review and synthesis of the literature to assess the comparative effectiveness, safety, and cost-effectiveness of early (≤24 hours) versus late decompression (>24 hours) in adults with acute spinal cord injury (SCI).

Methods:

A systematic search was conducted of Medline, EMBASE, the Cochrane Collaboration Library, and Google Scholar to identify studies published through November 6, 2014. Studies published in any language, in humans, and with an abstract were considered for inclusion. Included studies were critically appraised and the overall strength of evidence was determined using methods proposed by the Grading of Recommendation Assessment, Development and Evaluation working group.

Results:

The search yielded 449 potentially relevant citations. Sixteen additional primary studies were identified through other sources. Six studies met inclusion criteria. All but 2 studies were considered to have moderately high risk of bias. Across studies and injury levels, the impact of early surgical decompression (≤24 hours) on clinically important improvement in neurological status was variable. Isolated studies reported statistically significant and clinically important improvements at 6 months (cervical injury, low strength of evidence) and following discharge from inpatient rehabilitation (all levels, very low strength of evidence) but not at other time points; another study observed a statistically significant 6 point improvement in ASIA Impairment Scale (AIS) among patients with AIS B, C, or D, but not for those with AIS A (very low strength of evidence). In one study of acute central cord syndrome without instability, a clinically and statistically meaningful improvement in total motor scores was reported at 6 and 12 months in patients treated early (versus late). There were, however, no significant differences in AIS improvement between early and late surgical groups at 6- or 12-months (very low strength of evidence). One of 3 studies found a shorter length of hospital stay associated with early surgical decompression. Of 3 studies reporting on safety, no significant differences in rates of complications (including mortality, neurologic deterioration, pneumonia or pressure ulcers) were noted between early and late decompression groups.

Conclusions:

Results surrounding the efficacy of early versus late decompressive surgery, as well as the quality of evidence available, were variable depending on the level of SCI, timing of follow-up, and specific outcome considered. Existing evidence supports improved neurological recovery among cervical SCI patients undergoing early surgery; however, evidence regarding remaining SCI populations and clinical outcomes was inconsistent.