bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Economics of abortion: a scoping review protocol
Authors: Coast Ernestina , Lattof Samantha R , van der Meulen Rodgers Yana , Moore Brittany
Published: July 2019

Introduction

Abortion is a common feature of people’s reproductive lives. However, the economic implications of abortion and policies affecting abortion provision are poorly understood. This scoping review aims to systematically review social science literature for studies that have investigated the impact of abortion care (ie, un/safe abortion, post-abortion care) or abortion policies on economic outcomes at the micro-levels (ie, abortion seekers and their households), meso-levels (ie, communities and health systems) and macro-levels (ie, societies and nation states). Informed by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) reporting guideline for protocols, this protocol details the scoping review’s methodological and analytical approaches.

Methods and analysis

This scoping review will utilise the PRISMA extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) tool. Studies reporting on qualitative and/or quantitative data from any world region will be considered. For inclusion, studies must examine one of the following economic outcomes at the micro-levels, meso-levels and/or macro-levels: costs, benefits, impacts and/or value of abortion care or abortion policies. Searches will be conducted in eight electronic databases. We will conduct the searches and application of inclusion/exclusion criteria according to the PRISMA-ScR flow approach. No assessments of items’ quality will be made, as the purpose of this scoping review is to synthesise and describe the coverage of the evidence. After extracting all data, we will inductively develop an economic framework around the economics of abortion. The analysis will synthesise the evidence base and identify knowledge gaps on the costs and benefits of abortion to stakeholders at various levels.

Ethics and dissemination

Formal ethical approval is not required, as primary data will not be collected in this study. The findings of this study will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and condensed summaries for key stakeholders and partners in the field.
Sex differences in the association of risk factors for heart failure incidence and mortality
Authors: Sillars Anne , Ho Frederick K , Pell Gill P , Gill Jason M R , Sattar Naveed , Gray Stuart , Celis-Morales Carlos
Published: July 2019

Background

There are known risk factors associated with the development of heart failure (HF), but it is not fully understood whether these differ by sex.

Objectives

To investigate sex differences in risk factors for HF incidence and mortality.

Methods

468 941 participants (55.9% women, age range 37–73 years) were included. Established CVD risk factors (hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, diabetes type 1 and 2, adiposity, smoking, physical activity and poor diet) and novel risk factors (grip strength, fitness, TV viewing and sleep duration) were the exposures of interest. HF incidence and mortality were the outcomes.

Results

Over a mean follow-up of 9.0 years, 1812 participants developed HF and 763 died due to HF. Women with type 1 diabetes (T1DM), type 2 diabetes (T2DM), hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, low levels of physical activity and fitness, low strength, high levels of TV viewing, sleep duration <7 hours/day, smokers; those who were underweight and who were obese, had high body surface area and those who drink >14 units of alcohol were at higher risk of HF incidence. However, in women T2DM, hypercholesterolaemia, >3 hours/day of TV and sleep <7 hours/day, low level of physical activity and high level of TV viewing were more strongly associated with HF incidence compared with men.

Conclusion

Several modifiable risk factors (in particular diabetes) appear more strongly associated with HF in women compared with men. The relevance of these findings to HF characteristics and future outcomes needs to be established.
An integrated approach for fractured basement characterization: the Lancaster Field, a case study in the UK
Authors: Bonter Daniel A. , Trice Robert
Published: July 2019

To date, naturally fractured crystalline basement reservoirs (‘basement’) in the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) have been underexplored and underexploited. Over the last 12 years, Hurricane Energy have explored and evaluated the potential of the basement play, West of Shetland. Data acquired by Hurricane Energy through drilling and drill stem testing of five wells on the Lancaster Field has provided sufficient insight into the reservoir properties of the basement reservoir that Hurricane is now progressing Lancaster towards the first UK basement full-field development. The development is designed to be phased with production from the first phase achieved in 2019. Fractured basement reservoirs require a specific approach when acquiring and interpreting formation and well test data. A multi-disciplined team ethic, carefully integrating these data while avoiding a siloed approach, has proved essential to understanding the behaviour of the connected fracture network. Hurricane incorporates drilling and mudlogging data, high-resolution gas chromatography, logging while drilling (LWD) and wireline logs, drill stem test (DST) and production logging tool (PLT) data to analyse and model the reservoir. It is the combination of these disparate datasets which is key to Hurricane's analysis and has led to the technical de-risking that has underpinned the final investment decisions leading to the first phase of the Lancaster development.

Thematic collection:
This article is part of the Naturally Fractured Reservoirs collection available at:
https://www.lyellcollection.org/cc/naturally-fractured-reservoirs
Cardiac baroreflex hysteresis is one of the determinants of the heart period variability asymmetry
Authors: De Maria Beatrice , Bari Vlasta , Cairo Beatrice , Vaini Emanuele , Martins de Abreu Raphael , Perseguini Natalia Maria , Milan-Mattos Juliana , Rehder-Santos Patricia , Minatel Vinícius , Catai Aparecida Maria , Dalla Vecchia Laura Adelaide , Porta Alberto
Published: July 2019

In heart period (HP) variability (HPV) recordings the percentage of negative HP variations tends to be greater than that of positive ones and this pattern is referred to as HPV asymmetry (HPVA). HPVA has been studied in several experimental conditions in healthy and pathological populations, but its origin is unclear. The baroreflex (BR) exhibits an asymmetric behavior as well given that it reacts more importantly to positive than negative arterial pressure (AP) variations. We tested the hypothesis that the BR asymmetry (BRA) is a HPVA determinant over spontaneous fluctuations of HP and systolic AP (SAP). We studied 100 healthy subjects (age from 21 to 70 yr, 54 men) comprising 20 subjects in each age decade. Electrocardiogram and noninvasive AP were recorded for 15 min at rest in supine position (REST) and during active standing (STAND). The HPVA was evaluated via Porta’s index and Guzik’s index, while the BRA was assessed as the difference, and normalized difference, between BR sensitivities computed over positive and negative SAP variations via the sequence method applied to HP and SAP variability. HPVA significantly increased during STAND and decreased progressively with age. BRA was not significantly detected both at REST and during STAND. However, we found a significant positive association between BRA and HPVA markers during STAND persisting even within the age groups. This study supports the use of HPVA indexes as descriptors of BRA and identified a challenge soliciting the BR response like STAND to maximize the association between HPVA and BRA markers.
A Rare Case of New-Onset Ulcerative Colitis following Initiation of Secukinumab
Authors: Achufusi Ted George , Harnee Prateek S. , Rawlins Sekou
Published: July 2019

Secukinumab is an IgG monoclonal antibody widely used for treatment of ankylosing spondylitis, psoriasis, and psoriatic arthritis. Recently, there has been increasing controversy regarding potential adverse effects of the drug especially in those with underlying inflammatory bowel disease. We present the case of a young male patient who developed severe new-onset ulcerative colitis following initiation of secukinumab for psoriasis, with excellent response and rapid resolution of symptoms with infliximab.
[Retracted] The HSABA for Emergency Location‐Routing Problem
Authors: Luan Siliang , Yang Qingfang , Zhou Huxing , Jiang Zhongtai , Wang Wei , Wang Zhuorui , Chu Ruijuan
Published: July 2019

This article presents a Location‐Routing Problem (LRP) model to assist decision makers in emergency logistics. The model attempts to consider the relationship between the location of warehouses and the delivery routes in order to maximize the rescue efficiency. The objective function of the minimization of time and cost is established in the single‐stage LRP model considering different scenarios. The hybrid self‐adaptive bat algorithm (HSABA) is an improved nature‐inspired algorithm for solving this LRP model, hard optimization problem. The HSABA with self‐adaptation mechanism and hybridization mechanism effectively improves the defect of the original BA, that is, trapping into the local optima easily. An example is provided to prove the effectiveness of our model. The studied example shows that the single‐stage LRP model can effectively select supply locations and plan rescue routes faced with different disasters and the HSABA outperforms the basic BA.
Disparities in Socioeconomic Context and Association With Blood Pressure Control and Cardiovascular Outcomes in ALLHAT
Authors: Shahu Andi , Herrin Jeph , Dhruva Sanket S. , Desai Nihar R. , Davis Barry R. , Krumholz Harlan M. , Spatz Erica S.
Published: July 2019

Background

Observational studies demonstrate that communities of low socioeconomic status have higher blood pressure and worse cardiovascular outcomes. Yet, whether the clinical outcomes resulting from antihypertensive therapy vary by socioeconomic context in a randomized clinical trial, in which participants are treated under a standard protocol, is unknown.

Methods and Results

We used data from ALLHAT (Antihypertensive and Lipid‐Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial) to study the effect of socioeconomic context, defined as the county‐level median household income, of study sites. We stratified sites into income quintiles and compared characteristics, blood pressure control, and cardiovascular outcomes among
ALLHAT
participants in the lowest‐ and highest‐income quintiles. Among 27 862 qualifying participants, 2169 (7.8%) received care in the lowest‐income sites (quintile 1) and 10 458 (37.6%) received care in the highest‐income sites (quintile 5). Participants in quintile 1 were more likely to be women, to be black, to be Hispanic, to have fewer years of education, to live in the South, and to have fewer cardiovascular risk factors. After adjusting for baseline demographic and clinical characteristics, quintile 1 participants were less likely to achieve blood pressure control (<140/90 mm Hg) (odds ratio, 0.48; 95%
CI
, 0.37–0.63) and had greater all‐cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 1.25; 95%
CI
, 1.10–1.41), heart failure hospitalizations/mortality (
HR
, 1.26; 95%
CI
, 1.03–1.55), and end‐stage renal disease (
HR
, 1.86; 95%
CI
, 1.26–2.73), but lower angina hospitalizations (
HR
, 0.70; 95%
CI
, 0.59–0.83) and coronary revascularizations (
HR
, 0.71; 95%
CI
, 0.57–0.89).

Conclusions

Despite standardized treatment protocols,
ALLHAT
participants in the lowest‐income sites experienced poorer blood pressure control and worse outcomes for some adverse cardiovascular events, emphasizing the importance of measuring and addressing socioeconomic context.

Clinical Trial Registration

URL
:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier:
NCT
00000542.
Making the Transition from Science Delivery to Knowledge Coproduction in Boundary Spanning: A Case Study of the Alaska Fire Science Consortium
Authors: Colavito Melanie M. , Trainor Sarah F. , Kettle Nathan P. , York Alison
Published: July 2019

Boundary organizations facilitate two-way, sustained interaction and communication between research and practitioner spheres, deliver existing science, and develop new, actionable scientific information to address emerging social–ecological questions applicable to decision-making. There is an increasing emphasis on the role of boundary organizations in facilitating knowledge coproduction, which is collaborative research with end users to develop actionable scientific information for decision-making. However, a deeper understanding of how boundary organizations and knowledge coproduction work in practice is needed. This paper examines the Alaska Fire Science Consortium (AFSC), a boundary organization focused on fire science and management in Alaska that is working to address climate impacts on wildfire. A case study approach was used to assess AFSC activities over time. AFSC’s boundary spanning involves a continuum of outputs and activities, but their overall trajectory has involved a deliberate transition from an emphasis on science delivery to knowledge coproduction. Key factors that facilitated this transition included a receptive and engaged audience, built-in evaluation and learning, subject matter expertise and complementarity, and embeddedness in the target audience communities. Recommendations for boundary organizations wishing to develop knowledge coproduction capacity include knowing your audience, employing trusted experts in boundary spanning, and engaging in frequent self-evaluation to inform change over time.
Measuring Tornado Warning Reception, Comprehension, and Response in the United States
Authors: Ripberger Joseph T. , Krocak Makenzie J. , Wehde Wesley W. , Allan Jinan N. , Silva Carol , Jenkins-Smith Hank
Published: July 2019

Social criteria are important to achieving the mission of the National Weather Service. Accordingly, researchers and administrators at the NWS increasingly recognize a need to supplement verification statistics with complementary data about society in performance management and evaluation. This will require significant development of new capacities to both conceptualize relevant criteria and measure them using consistent, transparent, replicable, and reliable measures that permit generalizable inference to populations of interest. In this study, we contribute to this development by suggesting three criteria that require measurement (forecast and warning reception, comprehension, and response) and demonstrating a methodology that allows us to measure these concepts in a single information domain—tornado warnings. The methodology we employ improves upon previous research in multiple ways. It provides a more generalizable approach to measurement using a temporally consistent set of survey questions that are applicable across the United States; it relies on a more robust set of psychometric tests to analytically demonstrate the reliability of the measures; and it is more transparent and replicable than previous research because the data and methods (source code) are publicly available. In addition to describing and assessing the reliability of the measures, we explore the sensitivity of the measures to geographic and demographic variation to identify significant differences that require attention in measurement. We close by discussing the implications of this study and the next steps toward development and use of social criteria in performance management and evaluation.
Methods of Detecting Insufficient Effort Responding: Comparisons and Practical Recommendations
Authors: Hong Maxwell , Steedle Jeffrey T. , Cheng Ying
Published: July 2019

Insufficient effort responding (IER) affects many forms of assessment in both educational and psychological contexts. Much research has examined different types of IER, IER’s impact on the psychometric properties of test scores, and preprocessing procedures used to detect IER. However, there is a gap in the literature in terms of practical advice for applied researchers and psychometricians when evaluating multiple sources of IER evidence, including the best strategy or combination of strategies when preprocessing data. In this study, we demonstrate how the use of different IER detection methods may affect psychometric properties such as predictive validity and reliability. Moreover, we evaluate how different data cleansing procedures can detect different types of IER. We provide evidence via simulation studies and applied analysis using the ACT’s Engage assessment as a motivating example. Based on the findings of the study, we provide recommendations and future research directions for those who suspect their data may contain responses reflecting careless, random, or biased responding.
Dilemmas of an Aging Society: Family and State Responsibilities for Intergenerational Care in Taiwan
Authors: Lin Ju-Ping , Yi Chin-Chun
Published: July 2019

In an aging society with a declining birthrate, there are more and more elderly to care for and fewer adult children to provide them care; these adult children, and the state, are forced to weigh the costs of eldercare against the cost of child care. In Taiwan, these dilemmas may be particularly acute, given the persistence of Confucian norms of filial piety and the extended family structures. In this study, we examine the attitudes of Taiwanese people toward the relative responsibilities of both adult children and the welfare state for eldercare and child care. Data were taken from the Taiwan Social Change Survey in 2011. Using latent class analysis to develop a typology of attitudes toward intergenerational care responsibilities, we found four types: (a) Family cares for elders and children, (b) family cares mainly for children, (c) cooperation between family and government, (d) government cares for the elderly. Findings show that an individual’s attitudes toward welfare state policies are significantly related to both self-interest and sociocultural norms as well as intergenerational family interactions. In Taiwan, filial norms and the quality of family interaction significantly influence attitudes toward the division of intergenerational care responsibilities.
The Askîy Project—Empowering Youth, Inspiring Research
Authors: Martin Wanda , Hanson Yvonne
Published: July 2019

Urban agriculture is one way to connect people with the food system and can empower urban youth who may feel disconnected from the land. The award winning askîy project is a multifaceted program supporting both Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth in a core neighborhood in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada.
Photodynamic therapy for treatment of usual-type vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia: a case report and literature review
Authors: Zhang Ruina , Wang Li
Published: July 2019

Vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN) is a pre-malignant condition of the vulvar skin that is found in 50% to 70% of patients with vulvar squamous cell cancer and is regarded as a precursor of vulvar tumors. Thus far, treatment remains lesion- and patient-specific. Here, we describe a VIN patient who presented with a 15-month history of large lesions in the bilateral labium, associated with human papillomavirus infection. The lesions were inappropriate for surgical excision and laser ablation because of their size; therefore, they were treated with photodynamic therapy and concurrent topical 5-aminolevulinic acid hydrochloride. The patient showed no recurrence throughout 2 years of post-treatment follow-up, and reported only slight pain during treatment. Moreover, no significant side effects or scarring were detected. Thus, we conclude that photodynamic therapy can be a useful alternative treatment for large VIN in the bilateral labium that cannot be excised or ablated.
Immunosuppressive therapies adversely affect blood biochemical parameters in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a meta-analysis
Authors: Wang Xiaobing , Wang Ge , Shang Jian , Pan Huaqin , Zhang Xin A , Zhou Feng
Published: July 2019

Objective

This study was performed to investigate whether a definite correlation exists between alteration of blood biochemical parameters and immunosuppressive therapies in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Methods

A comprehensive search of PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Library was conducted. Data on alterations in white blood cells, platelets, hemoglobin, serum creatinine, and liver enzymes in patients with IBD treated with immunomodulators were extracted.

Results

Data from 1141 patients were included. The relative risk (RR) of leukopenia was significantly higher in the immunosuppressive therapies group than in the placebo group (RR, 12.91; 95% confidence interval [CI], 5.28–31.57). A statistically significant risk of leukocytosis during immunosuppressive therapies was observed (RR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.05–2.23). Patients taking immunomodulators had increased risks of serum creatinine elevation (RR, 10.68; 95% CI, 2.07–55.12) and serum aminotransferase elevation (RR, 3.18; 95% CI, 1.24–8.17).

Conclusion

Immunosuppressive therapies might have an impact on variations in blood biochemical parameters in patients with IBD. Although the conclusion regarding leukopenia was reliable in this study, some confounding factors might reduce the reliability of the conclusions about leukocytosis, creatinine elevation, and aminotransferase elevation. Close monitoring is recommended during immunosuppressive therapies for IBD.
Perspective Illusions Based On Convergence Vectors
Authors: Hiris Eric
Published: July 2019

When pictures containing perspective cues are viewed simultaneously, the visual system combines the perspective cues using convergence vectors creating perspective illusions.
Effects of Multimodal Association on Ambiguous Perception in Binocular Rivalry
Authors: Kim Sungyong , Kim Jeounghoon
Published: July 2019

When two eyes view dissimilar images, an observer typically reports ambiguous perception called binocular rivalry where the subjective perception fluctuates between the two inputs. This perceptual instability is often comprised of exclusive dominance of each image and a transition state called piecemeal state where the two images are intermingled in patchwork manner. Herein, we investigated the effects of multimodal association of sensory congruent pair, arbitrary pair, and reverse pair on piecemeal state in order to see how each level of association affects the ambiguous perception during binocular rivalry. To induce the multisensory associations, we designed a matching task with audiovisual feedback where subjects were required to respond according to given pairing rules. We found that explicit audiovisual associations can substantially affect the piecemeal state during binocular rivalry and that this congruency effect that reduces the amount of visual ambiguity originates primarily from explicit audiovisual association training rather than common sensory features. Furthermore, when one information is associated with multiple information, recent and preexisting associations work collectively to influence the perceptual ambiguity during rivalry. Our findings show that learned multimodal association directly affects the temporal dynamics of ambiguous perception during binocular rivalry by modulating not only the exclusive dominance but also the piecemeal state in a systematic manner.
Examining Recidivism in a Prostitution Diversion Program
Authors: Koegler Erica , Preble Kathleen M. , Cimino Andrea N. , Stevens Jordan E. , Diehl Sue
Published: July 2019

Street-based sex work is criminalized throughout much of the U.S. Diversion programs have shown mixed results. This study examined the effect a quasi-experimental intervention (prostitution diversion program, n = 149) had on prostitution rearrest compared with a waitlist control group ( n = 77) among N = 226 individuals arrested for prostitution in Baltimore. In both groups, n = 64 (28.32%) were rearrested for prostitution over 30 months. Tests of differences compared groups with a significant difference in gender only. A Cox proportional hazard model examined differences in survival time (to recidivist prostitution arrest) between individuals in the control and intervention groups at 6, 12, 18, 24, and 30 months. Results indicate that participation in the intervention did not have a significant effect on decreasing prostitution arrests over time. History of prior prostitution arrest was a significant predictor (hazard ration [HR] = 1.12, p = .02) of rearrest.Lack of program success suggests that barriers to exiting prostitution are substantial, despite availability of supportive services, and that diversion programs may not be the best intervention strategy for all sex workers. Future research should identify motivators for exiting and how to reduce exiting barriers.
Car Drivers’ Willingness to Pay for Design Related Attributes of Parking Garages: Hierarchical Information Integration Approach
Authors: van der Waerden Peter , Agarad Soufyan
Published: July 2019

This paper focuses on car drivers’ willingness to pay for design related attributes of parking garages. Car drivers’ willingness is retrieved from a stated choice experiment including three basic attributes (capacity of parking, parking tariff, and walking distance between parking and final destination) and 25 design related attributes. The design related attributes are included in the choice experiment following the principles of Hierarchical Information Integration that grouped the 25 attributes into five constructs: attributes related to the parking area, pedestrian environment, accessibility, service, and safety. Per construct, respondents were invited to choose two times between two parking facilities. The experiment was included in an online questionnaire that was completed by 315 respondents who evaluated in total 3,150 choice tasks. The respondents’ choices are evaluated using a standard multinomial logit model. The results show that the following design related attributes significantly contribute to the total utility of parking garages: the width of parking spaces, the width of road lanes, the type of pedestrians’ routes, the width of staircases, the types of elevator points, the presence of parking guidance systems, the available payment options, the presence of toilets, the level of lighting, the presence of ramps, and the level of cleanliness and maintenance. The respondents are willing to pay most for the available payment options (range €2.91) and the level of cleanliness and maintenance (range €2.69).
Evaluating the Safety of Cosmetic Surgery Procedures Over 6 Hours: Lessons Learned After a 3-Year Retrospective Review and Cohort Comparison
Authors: West Jessica Mae , Rodriguez Filiberto
Published: July 2019

The safety of performing cosmetic surgery procedures longer than 6 hours continues to be debated. A single board-certified cosmetic surgeon’s 3-year experience with all abdominoplasty procedures was retrospectively analyzed. Combined hysterectomy and abdominoplasty procedures were excluded from this analysis. All procedures were performed in a certified ambulatory surgery center or hospital, and under general anesthesia with additional local and tumescence. Two cohorts were identified (long vs short) consisting of procedures lasting greater than or less than 6 hours. Two-sample equal variance, 2-tailed, t-test statistical analysis was performed to compare the groups and differences in complications. A total of 116 consecutive abdominoplasty procedures were performed between June 2012 and July 2015; of them, 62 cases were “long” (>6 hours) and 54 cases were “short” (<6 hours). Age was similar for both groups (40 ± 9 vs 39 ± 10, P = .44). The longer group had a slightly higher body mass index (BMI: 28 ± 4.8 vs 26.1 ± 4.1 kg/m2, P = .02). The average time for the long procedures was 7.6 ± 1.1 vs 4.0 ± 1.1 hours for the short cases ( P < .01). As expected, more procedures were performed in the longer cases (5.3 ± 1.4 vs 2.9 ± 1.1, P < .01). There were no deep vein thromboses (DVTs), pulmonary embolisms (PEs), or deaths. Incidence of major complications for all 116 cases was 8.6% (5 hematomas, 2 flap necrosis, 1 chronic seroma, 1 unplanned admission, and 1 retained laparotomy sponge). Overall, incidence of minor complications was 3.4% (2 localized infections, 1 partial thickness skin slough, and 1 acute seroma). There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of major (9.6% vs 7.4%, P = .67) or minor (5% vs 4%, P = .77) complications between the long (>6 hours) and short (<6 hours) procedure groups. The average BMI of patients who experienced major complications was significantly higher in both the long and short procedure groups (30 ± 2.4 kg/m2, P < .05). Our data do not support the theory that there is a correlation between length of surgery and the incidence of major or minor complications, specifically as it relates to cosmetic surgery patients. Instead, our data suggest that a BMI > 30 kg/m2 is a significant predictor for complications in cosmetic surgery, both in short and long cases. The incidence of wound dehiscence, seroma, hematoma, and DVT in this series is less than that previously reported in the plastic surgery literature and consistent with more recent abdominoplasty literature.
Dynamic modeling of the turning process of slip-cast fused silica ceramics using the discrete element method
Authors: Roostai Hossein , Movahhedy Mohammad Reza
Published: July 2019

Simulation of brittle regime machining of materials (such as ceramics) is often difficult because of the complex material removal mechanisms involved. In this study, the discrete element method is used to simulate the dynamic process for machining of slip-cast fused silica ceramics. Flat-joint contact model is exploited to model contacts between particles in synthetic discrete element method models. This contact model is suitable for modeling of brittle materials with high ratios (higher than 10) of unconfined compressive strength to tensile strength. The discrete element method has the ability to simulate initiation, propagation, and coalescence of cracks leading to chip formation in the brittle regime of cutting. Applying the discrete element method, the influences of operating conditions on the creation of surface/subsurface damages, chip formation, and cutting forces are studied. It is shown that the parameters of the material model determined from conventional calibration tests do not provide quantitatively accurate prediction of cutting forces. As such, model updating is carried out using the forces obtained in the cutting experiments, and the numerical results are verified against experimental cutting forces. The differences between experimental and numerical machining forces are in the range of 10%–30%. Finally, the results of discrete element method simulations reveal that the nature of micro-crack propagation is brittle in the machining process of ceramics.
Convergent catastrophes and the termination of the Arctic Norwegian Stone Age: A multi-proxy assessment of the demographic and adaptive responses of mid-Holocene collectors to biophysical forcing
Authors: Jørgensen Erlend Kirkeng , Riede Felix
Published: July 2019

Using multiple archeological and paleoenvironmental proxies, this paper makes the case for a climate-induced convergent catastrophe among the human population of terminal Stone Age Arctic Norway. We show that climatic changes correlate with the termination of the so-called Gressbakken phase (4200–3500 cal BP), and unpack the middle-range mechanisms linking the Gressbakken termination to contemporaneous changes in the biophysical environment. We show that what was a Holocene extreme, and likely volcanically-induced, climate deterioration around 3550 cal BP coincided with a population decline as reflected in the frequency of radiocarbon-dated archeological sites along with major changes in material culture and settlement pattern. Together, these proxies suggest a return to forms of social and economic organization based on lower population densities, higher residential mobility, and reduced locational investments. In establishing the middle-range ecological mechanics mediating these changes into archeologically observable patterns, the results indicate that the Gressbakken termination was the result of a particularly unstable climate period characterized by regional paludification, increased effective precipitation, forest decline, and likely impacts on reindeer populations and their migratory behavior, with drastic human implications. We argue for a convergent catastrophe-scenario in which a series of hardships between 4000 and 3500 cal BP exceeded the adaptive mitigation capabilities of the contemporaneous Arctic Norwegian population. Our study supports the notion that increased sedentism and locational investment actually increases vulnerability in the face of rapid biophysical change and contributes to the growing database of past human ecodynamics that speak to current socio-ecological concerns.
Gradually increasing forest fire activity during the Holocene in the northern Ural region (Komi Republic, Russia)
Authors: Barhoumi Chéïma , Peyron Odile , Joannin Sébastien , Subetto Dmitri , Kryshen Alexander , Drobyshev Igor , Girardin Martin P , Brossier Benoît , Paradis Laure , Pastor Thierry , Alleaume Samuel , Ali Adam A
Published: July 2019

In many boreal regions of Russia the past natural variability of forest fire activity remains largely undocumented, preventing accurate assessment of the impact of current climate warming on forest ecosystem dynamics. This study aims to reconstruct the Holocene fire history of the northern Ural mountain foothills, in the Komi Republic, based on analyses of charcoal particles from peatland deposits and coupled with dendrochronological investigations. The results show that there was a gradual increase in forest fire activity during the past 11,000 years. Between 11,000 and 5100 cal. yr BP, the mean fire return interval (FRI) oscillated between 600 and 200 years. During this period, regional data showed that cold temperature, humid climatic conditions, combined with steppe vegetation between 11,000–9000 cal. BP, and then the development of spruce-dominated forest between 9300 and 4600 cal. yr BP, were less conducive to fires. After 5100 cal. yr BP, a gradual increase in drought conditions through reduced precipitations, associated with the establishment of a Scots pine forest favored fire frequency, with a mean FRI under 200 years (range, 200–40 years). Nowadays (since CE 1500), human activity induces an unprecedented fire activity with a mean FRI below 100 years (range, 100–40 years).
Oxygen and carbon stable isotopes of Mytilus galloprovincialis Lamarck, 1819 shells as environmental and provenance proxies
Authors: Milano Stefania , Schöne Bernd R , Gutiérrez-Zugasti Igor
Published: July 2019

Mollusc shell stable isotopes are commonly used to reconstruct past environmental conditions. However, despite being abundant components of natural and anthropogenic fossil accumulations, the geochemical composition of mussel shells ( Mytilus spp.) has rarely received attention in palaeoenvironmental studies. This study tests the suitability of oxygen isotopes (δ18Os) of Mytilus galloprovincialis as palaeothermometer. For 1 year, mussels and water samples were collected twice a month from Berria Beach, in Northern Spain. The geochemical data of the shells indicate that water temperatures can be reconstructed with an average offset of 1.2 ± 0.7°C with respect to the measured values. Furthermore, no prolonged shell growth cessations are observed. These results validate M. galloprovincialis as reliable recorders of seasonal water temperature fluctuations, supporting their use in palaeoenvironmental studies. In addition, further shell and water collections were carried out in the upper and lower areas of a nearby estuary. The geochemical analyses of these shells were aimed to test whether oxygen and carbon stable isotopes (δ13Cs) may be used as novel proxies to identify the shell provenance at local scale. The results show that the δ18Os versus δ13Cs correlation direction varies along the coast–upper estuary geographical gradient, suggesting it to be a potential new proxy to distinguish between marine and estuarine mussel specimens.
Perceptions of Diversity Among Faculty Members in Indian Higher Education Institutions: A Qualitative Investigation
Authors: Alfonso Thaddeus , Ganesan Shankar
Published: July 2019

Diversity studies have mostly been done outside India and have largely focused on race, gender and ethnicity. The relevance of these studies to India remains less explored. Hence, faculties from various disciplines were interviewed across six states and a union territory. Diversity awareness was substantial regarding familiar social categories that have received socio-political attention so far like gender. However, faculty limited gender diversity to entry-level recruitment and they seldom mentioned the need for women at professorial and leadership levels. Awareness about diversity domains such as gender identity, sexual orientation and race was inadequate. While diversity was considered essential for student admissions, it was not so for faculty recruitment. Though the majority acknowledged disability and age as diversity domains, there was insufficient preparation for engagement with disabled people and members outside formal age-groups. There is a need for instilling global and country-specific diversity awareness in the faculty.
Characteristics of Hospitalized Patients Screening Positive for Delirium
Authors: Nguyen Trinh H. , Atayee Rabia S. , Derry Katrina L. , Hirst Jeremy , Biondo Anthony , Edmonds Kyle P.
Published: July 2019

Background:

Delirium in the hospitals leads to worse outcomes for patients. There were no previous studies that characterize patients with delirium from multiple hospital locations.

Objective:

To describe patient characteristics screening positive for delirium and identify any correlations with hospital location and medication use.

Design, Settings, Patients:

Retrospective chart review of 227 hospitalized patients from a large, academic, tertiary referral, 2-campus health system. Patients were ≥18 years old and had delirium for at least ≥24 hours. Validated delirium screening tools were utilized.

Measurements:

Patients’ demographics, inpatient stay information, delirium episodes characteristics, drugs, and palliative and psychiatry teams’ involvement.

Results:

Most patients were older with a mean age of 64.1 years. The most common primary diagnoses were infection, cardiac, and pulmonary. Average length of delirium was 7.2 days (standard deviation [SD] = 8.2), and average length of stay (LOS) was 18.7 days (median = 10.5, SD = 35.1, 95% confidence interval = 14.1-23). Thirty-day readmission rate was 24.8% (65/262 hospitalizations); 12.8% of patients died in the hospital (29/227). Around one-third of hospitalizations had involvement of palliative care, palliative psychiatry, or general psychiatry team. There was a decrease in the number of medications administered 24 hours after the first recording of delirium compared to the immediate preceding 48 hours. Those hospitalizations where delirium first occurred in the intensive care unit (ICU) did have a longer LOS (average = 22.9, SD = 45.7) than those where delirium first occurred outside the ICU (average = 14.8, SD = 20.5). Patients were likely to have received an opioid within 48 hours in 51% of hospitalizations and to have received benzodiazepines in 16% of hospitalizations.

Conclusion:

In our study, we found that delirium significantly impacted length of delirium episode, number of episodes of delirium, length of hospital admission, and mortality. The population most sensitive to the impacts of delirium were elderly patients.
The Incidence and Severity of Drug Interactions Before and After Antiretroviral Therapy Simplification in Treatment-Experienced Patients With HIV Infection
Authors: Hastain Nicholas V. , Santana Aleena , Schafer Jason J.
Published: July 2019

Background: Current guidelines advocate for antiretroviral therapy (ART) simplification in patients on complicated regimens. Simplifying ART improves patient adherence and quality of life, but changes in drug interactions (DIs) are uncertain. Objective: This study assessed changes in DIs following ART simplification in patients with HIV. Methods: This was an observational, retrospective cohort study of patients attending an urban HIV clinic. Patients were included if they had ART simplification (a decreased number of daily tablets) and ≥1 concomitant medication (CM). Total DI scores were generated for each patient pre–ART simplification and post–ART simplification using an online DI database. Each ART-CM pair labeled as “do not co-administer” was given a score of 2, “potential interaction” a score of 1, or “no interaction” a score of 0. Differences in total DI scores following simplification were analyzed with a Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test. Predictors of DI score reductions were examined with linear regression. Results: A total of 99 patients were included. Their median age was 54 years, and 79% were male. The median durations of HIV infection and ART were 16 and 10 years, respectively. Patients were receiving an average of 4.5 CMs. Median interaction scores presimplification and postsimplification were 3 (interquartile range [IQR], 1-6) and 1 (IQR, 0-2) respectively ( P < 0.001). Predictors of score reductions were the patient’s number of CMs, discontinuing a protease inhibitor, and switching to a dolutegravir-based regimen. Conclusion and Relevance: ART simplification decreased the incidence of DIs in this analysis of patients with advanced age who had ART experience and polypharmacy.
The Association Between the Number of Neuropsychological Measures and the Base Rate of Low Scores
Authors: Oltra-Cucarella Javier , Sánchez-SanSegundo Miriam , Rubio-Aparicio María , Arango-Lasprilla Juan Carlos , Ferrer-Cascales Rosario
Published: July 2019

Obtaining one or more low scores, or scores indicative of impairment, is common in neuropsychological batteries that include several measures even among cognitively normal individuals. However, the expected number of low scores in batteries with differing number of tests is unknown. Using 10 neuropsychological measures from the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center database, 1,023 permutations were calculated from a sample of 5,046 cognitively normal individuals. The number of low scores (i.e., z score ≤−1.5) varied for the same number of measures and among different number of measures and did not increase linearly as the number of measures increased. According to the number of low scores shown by fewer than 10% of the sample, cognitive impairment should be suspected for 1 or more, 2 or more, and 3 or more in batteries with up to 2 measures, 3 to 9 measures, and 10 measures, respectively. These results may increase the identification of mild cognitive impairment.
Economic Burden and Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Hong Minha , Park Bomi , Lee Sang Min , Bahn Geon Ho , Kim Moon Jung , Park Sangmo , Oh In-Hwan , Park Hyesook
Published: July 2019

Objective: We investigated the economic burden and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the Republic of Korea. Method: Using the National Health Insurance Service claims data for the population aged 19 years or younger, a prevalence-based approach was used to calculate the DALYs of ADHD. Direct medical costs, direct nonmedical costs, and indirect costs resulting from ADHD were estimated to calculate the economic burden of ADHD. Results: A total of 69,353 people in Korea were diagnosed with ADHD in 2012. The burden of ADHD as measured by the prevalence-based approach was 32,605 DALYs. The total economic burden of ADHD was US$47.55 million, which accounted for approximately 0.004% of Korean GDP (gross domestic product) in 2012. Conclusion: Our findings shed light on the considerable burden of ADHD, emphasizing the need for policies that can encourage ADHD treatment and enhance compliance.
Detection of Feigned ADHD Using the MOXO-d-CPT
Authors: Berger Corinne , Lev Astar , Braw Yoram , Elbaum Tomer , Wagner Michael , Rassovsky Yuri
Published: July 2019

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the MOXO-d-CPT utility in detecting feigned ADHD and establish cutoffs with adequate specificity and sensitivity. Method: The study had two phases. First, using a prospective design, healthy adults who simulated ADHD were compared with healthy controls and ADHD patients who performed the tasks to the best of their ability ( n = 47 per group). Participants performed the MOXO-d-CPT and an established performance validity test (PVT). Second, the MOXO-d-CPT classification accuracy, employed in Phase 1, was retrospectively compared with archival data of 47 ADHD patients and age-matched healthy controls. Results: Simulators performed significantly worse on all MOXO-d-CPT indices than healthy controls and ADHD patients. Three MOXO-d-CPT indices (attention, hyperactivity, impulsivity) and a scale combining these indices showed adequate discriminative capacity. Conclusion: The MOXO-d-CPT showed promise for the detection of feigned ADHD and, pending replication, can be employed for this aim in clinical practice and ADHD research.
Effects of Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Inhibitors on Lymph Node and Ileocecal Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue Architecture in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Duncan Virginia E , Chisholm Karen M , Pacheco M Cristina
Published: July 2019

Background

Antitumor necrosis alpha (TNFα) therapy is often used in the management of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and may have effects on lymphoid tissue architecture and function. The goal of our study was to characterize the effects of TNFα inhibitors on mesenteric lymph node and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue in patients with IBD.

Methods

We examined lymphoid tissue morphology in IBD patients treated with TNFα inhibitors compared to untreated controls. Intestinal resections from 19 patients (10 anti-TNFα treated and 9 controls) were reviewed. Immunohistochemistry for CD21, CD20, and CD3 was performed on ileocecal valve lymphoid tissue and mesenteric lymph nodes from the resection specimens to assess follicular architecture.

Results

Relative to control groups, TNFα-treated groups showed less preserved germinal center architecture, evidenced by lower overall semiquantitative scores for follicular architecture. Likewise, the percentage of secondary follicles to total follicles was decreased in patients treated with TNFα blockade.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that TNFα inhibitors may play a role in disruption of lymphoid germinal center architecture in patients with IBD. Awareness of this disrupted lymphoid morphology when examining histologic sections from patients with IBD treated with TNFα inhibitors may prevent unnecessary studies to exclude a lymphoproliferative disorder.
Bacopa monnieri, a Neuroprotective Lead in Alzheimer Disease: A Review on Its Properties, Mechanisms of Action, and Preclinical and Clinical Studies
Authors: Abdul Manap Aimi Syamima , Vijayabalan Shantini , Madhavan Priya , Chia Yoke Yin , Arya Aditya , Wong Eng Hwa , Rizwan Farzana , Bindal Umesh , Koshy Shajan
Published: July 2019

Alzheimer disease is a neurodegenerative disease that is signified by cognitive decline, memory loss, and erratic behavior. Till date, no cure for Alzheimer exists and the current Alzheimer medications have limited effectiveness. However, herbal medicines may slow down the disease’s progression, which may hopefully reduce the number of cases in the years to come. Numerous studies have been done on characterizing the neuroprotective properties from plants belonging to Scrophulariaceae family, particularly Bacopa monnieri and its polyphenolic compounds known as bacosides. This review presents the findings on bacosides in therapeutic plants and their impact on Alzheimer disease pathology. These reports present data on the clinical, cellular activities, phytochemistry, and biological applications that may be used in new drug treatment for Alzheimer disease.