bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ЕКСПЕРИМЕНТАЛЬНЕ ОБҐРУНТУВАННЯ СКЛАДУ НАЗАЛЬНОГО ГЕЛЮ ПІД УМОВНОЮ НАЗВОЮ «ФІТОРИН-ПЛЮС»
Authors: Karpenko I. A. , Yarnykh T. G. , Rukhmakova O. A.
Published: April 2018

Мета роботи. Експериментальне обґрунтування складу назального гелю під умовною назвою «Фіторин-плюс».Матеріали і методи. З метою визначення раціональної концентрації екстракту кореня солодки та ефірних олій евкаліпту прутоподібного і сосни сибірської у складі гелю  були проведені мікробіологічні дослідження на базі кафедри мікробіології, вірусології та імунології Національного фармацевтичного університету в лабораторії мікробіологічних та імунологічних досліджень методом дифузії в агар з використанням еталонних штамів мікроорганізмів: Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Candida albicans ATCC 885/653. Дослідження з вивчення противірусної активності здійснювали на базі Державної установи «Інститут мікробіології та імунології ім. І. І. Мечникова АМН України».Результати й обговорення. На підставі проведених досліджень були обґрунтовані раціональні концентрації діючих речовин у складі назального гелю «Фіторин-плюс»: екстракту  кореня солодки – 3 %, ефірної олії евкаліпту прутоподібного – 2 %, ефірної олії сосни сибірської – 1 %. Отримані дані були підтверджені при подальшому експериментальному вивченні антимікробних і противірусних властивостей готової лікарської форми.Висновки. Експериментально обґрунтовано вибір діючих речовин назального гелю під умовною назвою «Фіторин-плюс» для лікування ринітів. На підставі даних проведених мікробіологічних досліджень обґрунтовано концентрацію екстракту кореня солодки й ефірних олій у складі лікарського препарату. Вперше встановлено противірусну дію екстракту кореня солодки відносно аденовірусу. Показано, що розроблений назальний гель є перспективним для подальшого використання в терапії ринітів.
НОВИЙ ПІДХІД ДО ІДЕНТИФІКАЦІЇ ОКСИБУПРОКАЇНУ В ЛІКАРСЬКИХ ЗАСОБАХ
Authors: Levin M. G. , Britsun V. N. , Tarasenko N. L. , Savina N. A. , Оstanina N. V.
Published: April 2018

Мета роботи. Розробка покращеного безсірковуглецевого методу визначення оксибупрокаїну в лікарських засобах.Матеріали і методи. Ідентифікація активного фармацевтичного інгредієнта оксибупрокаїну в лікарських засобах методом ІЧ-спектроскопії в таблетках KBr після екстракції його летким органічним розчинником.Результати й обговорення. Замість сірковуглецю для екстракції основи оксибупрокаїну  використано менш пожежонебезпечний і менш токсичний н-гексан. Після випаровування розчинника реєструвались в одна­кових умовах ІЧ-спектри стандартного зразка та досліджуваної речовини (випробовуваного зразка). Порівняння  ІЧ-спектрів показує їх збіг на 95 %, що підтверджує правомірність заміни сірковуглецю на н-гек­сан.Висновок. Розроблений  підхід  має переваги щодо відомої методики з огляду на відсутність пожежонебезпечного та отруйного сірковуглецю.Ключові слова: оксибупрокаїн; сірковуглець; н-гексан; ІЧ-спектроскопія; ідентифікація.
АНАЛІЗ ПРИЗНАЧЕНЬ СХЕМ АНТИРЕТРОВІРУСНОЇ ТЕРАПІЇ ВІЛ-ІНФІКОВАНИМ ОСОБАМ В УКРАЇНІ
Authors: Fedyak I. O.
Published: April 2018

Мета роботи. Провести аналіз призначень схем антиретровірусної терапії (АРТ) у реальній практиці людей, які живуть з ВІЛ (ЛЖВ), у 12-ти областях України та порівняти отримані результати з даними національного Звіту про надання АРТ ВІЛ-інфікованим особам.Матеріали і методи. Використано 1 200 карт диспансерного нагляду за ВІЛ-інфікованою особою Ф030-5/о, отриманих із 12-ти обласних СНІД-центрів Вінницької, Дніпропетровської, Запорізької, Івано-Франківської, Львівської, Миколаївської, Одеської, Рівненської, Тернопільської, Харківської, Херсонської областей та м. Києва у липні–листопаді 2016 р. (зі збереженням таємниці особистих даних ЛЖВ); дані Звіту про надання АРТ ВІЛ-інфікованим Центру громадського здоров’я МОЗ України; методи: частотний аналіз, АВС-аналіз призначень.Результати й обговорення. П’ять схем АРТ є основними у призначеннях ЛЖВ в Україні – 1л: TDF+FTC(ЗТС)+EFV (39,0 % за Звітом / 36,4 % у вибірці), 1д: AZT+3TC+LPV/r (15,0 % / 17,5 %), 1а: AZT+3TC+EFV (14,2 % / 13,0 %), 1о: TDF/FTC+LPV/r (8,9 % / 9,0 %), 1п: ABC+3TC+LPV/r (6,2 % / 6,5 %), оскільки їх сумарно приймали 83,26 % / 82,42 % ЛЖВ.Висновки. За результатом власних досліджень, 1 200 ЛЖВ 1 777 раз призначали схеми АРТ. З усіх хворих – 66,17 % залишалися на первинній схемі АРТ першого ряду, а її заміни відбувалися від одного (23,5 %) до п’яти (0,17 %) раз. Схема АРТ, рекомендована ВООЗ, була лідером призначень (36,44 %): TDF+FTC+EFV найчастіше призначали у Запорізькій (57 %), Івано-Франківській (49 %), Рівненській (40 %), Одеській (24 %), Львівській (23 %) областях. На другому місці – схема 1д: AZT+ЗTC+LPV/r (17,5 %), яка була лідером у Херсонській (31 %) та розділила лідерство зі схемою 1л у Миколаївській (24 %) областях.
АНАЛІЗ СЕГМЕНТА ФІТОПРЕПАРАТІВ ДЛЯ ЛІКУВАННЯ ХВОРОБ ШЛУНКОВО-КИШКОВОГО ТРАКТУ НА ФАРМАЦЕВТИЧНОМУ РИНКУ УКРАЇНИ
Authors: Shulga L. I. , Bezkrovna K. S. , Beztsenna T. S.
Published: April 2018

Мета роботи. Дослідити сегмент лікарських засобів рослинного походження на вітчизняному фармацевтичному ринку, які застосовуються для лікування окремих захворювань шлунково-кишкового тракту для встановлення доцільності розробки нового фітопрепарату.Матеріали і методи. У роботі використано перелік лікарських засобів за офіційними джерелами інформації, який опрацьовували методами узагальнення, систематизації, графічним, порівняльного та структурного аналізу.Результати й обговорення. Проведено аналіз фармацевтичного ринку України щодо асортименту зареєстрованих лікарських засобів рослинного походження для лікування хвороб шлунково-кишкового тракту. Здійснено структуризацію відібраного переліку лікарських засобів за АТС-класифікацією і встановлено належність їх більшості до фармакотерапевтичної групи А16АХ – «Різні препарати». За виробничою ознакою – більшість лікарських засобів вітчизняного виробництва (86,49 %). Встановлено незначне превалювання однокомпонентних фітопрепаратів. Визначено, що за агрегатним станом найбільш широко представлені лікарські засоби у вигляді твердих лікарських форм (67,57 %), вагома частка яких – фасована лікарська рослинна сировина.Висновки. Досліджено сегмент лікарських засобів рослинного походження на фармацевтичному ринку України, які призначені для лікування хвороб шлунково-кишкового тракту. Відповідно до результатів аналізу переліку фітопрепаратів за АТС-класифікацією, виробничою ознакою, кількістю діючих речовин та лікарською формою побудовано макроконтур вивченого сегмента. Незважаючи на присутність на фармацевтичному ринку пропозицій лікарських засобів рослинного походження для лікування різних захворювань шлунково-кишкового тракту, спостерігається обмеженість асортименту препаратів на основі виділених із лікарської рослинної сировини рослинних субстанцій, що є підставою для пошуку перспективної лікарської рослинної сировини для створення нових рослинних субстанцій та подальшої розробки ліків на їх основі.
ДО 80-РІЧЧЯ ВИДАТНОГО ВЧЕНОГО, ПЕДАГОГА ТА ГРОМАДСЬКОГО ДІЯЧА ІВАНА АНТОНОВИЧА МАЗУРА
Authors: Chemistry Department of Pharmaceutical
Published: April 2018

У статті висвітлюються основні наукові здобутки професора  Запорізького медичного університету професора Івана Мазура, відзначено його вагому роль у розвитку фармації України в цілому і фармацевтичної освіти, зокрема.
Pulmonary Capillary Wedge Pressure Patterns During Exercise Predict Exercise Capacity and Incident Heart Failure
Authors: Eisman Aaron S. , Shah Ravi V. , Dhakal Bishnu P. , Pappagianopoulos Paul P. , Wooster Luke , Bailey Cole , Cunningham Thomas F. , Hardin, Kathryn M. , Baggish Aaron L. , Ho Jennifer E. , Malhotra Rajeev , Lewis Gregory D.
Published: April 2018

Background:

Single measurements of left ventricular filling pressure at rest lack sensitivity for identifying heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) in patients with dyspnea on exertion. We hypothesized that exercise hemodynamic measurements (ie, changes in pulmonary capillary wedge pressure [PCWP] indexed to cardiac output [CO]) may more sensitively differentiate HFpEF and non-HFpEF disease states, reflect aerobic capacity, and forecast heart failure outcomes in individuals with normal PCWP at rest.

Methods and Results:

We studied 175 patients referred for cardiopulmonary exercise testing with hemodynamic monitoring: controls (n=33), HFpEF with resting PCWP≥15 mm Hg (n=32), and patients with dyspnea on exertion with normal resting PCWP and left ventricular ejection fraction (DOE-nlrW; n=110). Across 1835 paired PCWP-CO measurements throughout exercise, we used regression techniques to define normative bounds of “PCWP/CO slope” in controls and tested the association of PCWP/CO slope with exercise capacity and composite cardiac outcomes (defined as cardiac death, incident resting PCWP elevation, or heart failure hospitalization) in the DOE-nlrW group. Relative to controls (PCWP/CO slope, 1.2±0.4 mm Hg/L/min), patients with HFpEF had a PCWP/CO slope of 3.4±1.9 mm Hg/L/min. We used a threshold (2 SD above the mean in controls) of 2 mm Hg/L/min to define abnormal. PCWP/CO slope >2 in DOE-nlrW patients was common (n=45/110) and was associated with reduced peak V
o
2
(
P
<0.001) and adverse cardiac outcomes after adjustment for age, sex, and body mass index (hazard ratio, 3.47;
P
=0.03) at a median 5.3-year follow-up.

Conclusions:

Elevated PCWP/CO slope during exercise (>2 mm Hg/L/min) is common in DOE-nlrW and predicts exercise capacity and heart failure outcomes. These findings suggest that current definitions of HFpEF based on single measures during rest are insufficient and that assessment of exercise PCWP/CO slope may refine early HFpEF diagnosis.
Causes of the Uncertainty in Projections of Tropical Terrestrial Rainfall Change: East Africa
Authors: Rowell David P. , Chadwick Robin
Published: April 2018

Understanding the causes of regional climate projection uncertainty is a critical component toward establishing reliability of these projections. Here, four complementary experimental and decomposition techniques are synthesized to begin to understand which mechanisms differ most between models. These tools include a variety of multimodel ensembles, a decomposition of rainfall into tropics-wide or region-specific processes, and a separation of within-domain versus remote contributions to regional model projection uncertainty. Three East African regions are identified and characterized by spatially coherent intermodel projection behavior, which interestingly differs from previously identified regions of coherent interannual behavior. For the “Short Rains” regions, uncertainty in projected seasonal mean rainfall change is primarily due to uncertainties in the regional response to both the uniform and pattern components of SST warming (but not uncertainties in the global mean warming itself) and a small direct CO2 impact. These primarily derive from uncertain regional dynamics over both African and remote regions, rather than globally coherent (thermo)dynamics. For the “Long Rains” region, results are similar, except that uncertain atmospheric responses to a fixed SST pattern change are a little less important, and some key regional uncertainties are primarily located beyond Africa. The latter reflects the behavior of two outlying models that experience exceptional warming in the southern subtropical oceans, from which large lower-tropospheric moisture anomalies are advected by the mean flow to contribute to exceptional increases in the Long Rains totals. Further research could lead to a useful assessment of the reliability of these exceptional projections.
Simultaneous Measurements of CO and CO2 Employing Wavelength Modulation Spectroscopy Using a Signal Averaging Technique at 1.578 μm
Authors: Li Chuanliang , Shao Ligang , Jiang Lijun , Qiu Xuanbing , Wei Jilin , Ma Weiguang
Published: April 2018

A resolved line pair was selected for simultaneous measurement of carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2) in the near-infrared (NIR) region. The spectral lines of CO and CO2 at 1.578 µm were measured by wavelength modulation spectroscopy (WMS)-2 f and the absorption was enhanced with a multipass absorption cell. The white noise was further reduced by averaging technology. The detection sensitivity (1σ) for the system is estimated at 2.63 × 10−7 cm−1 for direct absorption spectroscopy. The ultimate detection limits of CO2 and CO mixed with pure N2 at 75 Torr are 29 parts per million (ppm) and 47 ppm, respectively. It is demonstrated that the signal is highly linear with the concentration in the range of 100–800 ppm. Based on an Allan variation analysis, the minimum detectable limit of CO2 and CO is 7.5 and 14 ppm, respectively. The response time of the system is about 30 s and a relationship of temperature dependence was obtained. As an example, an in situ measurement of exhaust of alkane combustion emission is presented.
Characteristics and Correlates of Lifetime Suicidal Thoughts and Attempts Among Young Black Men Who Have Sex With Men (MSM) and Transgender Women
Authors: Wilton Leo , Chiasson Mary Ann , Nandi Vijay , Lelutiu-Weinberger Corina , Frye Victoria , Hirshfield Sabina , Hoover Donald R. , Downing Martin J. , Lucy Debbie , Usher DaShawn , Koblin Beryl
Published: April 2018

This study examined characteristics and correlates of lifetime suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts among HIV-negative young Black men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (transwomen) between 16 and 29 years of age ( N = 161). In our sample, 36.6% of young Black MSM and transwomen reported a history of lifetime suicidal thoughts, while 16.1% reported prior suicide attempts. Using multivariable analysis, a history of intimate partner violence, greater psychological distress, and higher perceived sexuality discrimination were significantly associated with lifetime suicidal thoughts. Childhood sexual abuse history, greater psychological distress, lower score for outness, and higher perceived sexuality discrimination were significantly related to suicide attempts among young Black MSM and transwomen. Efforts to identify and understand factors associated with lifetime suicidal thoughts and attempts are urgently needed to inform the development and implementation of culturally relevant mental health prevention strategies for young Black MSM and transwomen.
An evolutionary framework exploring the role of periodisations in the modern development of a Baltic state: The case of HRM in the Latvian public sector
Authors: Cook Caryn , Murphy Lyndon , Thomas Brychan
Published: April 2018

This article explores the role of ‘periodisations’ in the development of HRM in the Latvian public sector and consists of a series of ‘elite interviews’ with leading ‘actors’ identifying further ‘periodisations’ which are ‘mapped’ in an evolutionary framework. Immediately following independence in 1990 was a ‘void’ period and a time of turmoil. The ‘transition’ period followed from the mid-1990s, characterised by up-skilling and an emerging awareness of HRM. The ‘emergence’ period began circa 2008, with more consideration of the role of HRM and the importance of the acquisition of skills related to HRM, previously transactional in nature. The ‘emergence’ period is highly significant for the modern development of HRM in the Latvian public sector. The elite interview methodological approach does however have some limitations for generalisability, and future quantitative validation may be required. This knowledge informs and enhances understanding of post-Soviet behavioural factors and residual cultural effects offering a framework for future research.
RN Job Satisfaction and Retention After an Interprofessional Team Intervention
Authors: Baik Dawon , Zierler Brenda
Published: April 2018

Despite continuing interest in interprofessional teamwork to improve nurse outcomes and quality of care, there is little research that focuses on nurse job satisfaction and retention after an interprofessional team intervention. This study explored registered nurse (RN) job satisfaction and retention after a purposeful interprofessional team training and structured interprofessional bedside rounds were implemented. As part of a larger study, in this comparative cross-sectional study, pre- and post-intervention data on RN job satisfaction and turnover rate were collected and analyzed. It was found that RNs had significantly higher job satisfaction after the interprofessional team intervention. The 6-month period turnover rate in the post-intervention period was slightly lower than the 6-month period turnover rate in pre-intervention period; however, the rate was too low to provide statistical evidence. Ongoing coaching and supportive work environments to improve RN outcomes should be considered to enhance quality of care and patient safety in healthcare.
Spontaneous BOLD waves – A novel hemodynamic activity in Sprague-Dawley rat brain detected by functional magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Shatillo Artem , Lipponen Arto , Salo Raimo A , Tanila Heikki , Verkhratsky Alexei , Giniatullin Rashid , Gröhn Olli H
Published: April 2018

We report spontaneous hemodynamic activity termed “Spontaneous BOLD Waves” (SBWs) detected by BOLD fMRI in Sprague-Dawley rats under medetomidine anesthesia. These SBWs, which lasted several minutes, were observed in cortex, thalamus and hippocampus. The SBWs’ correlates were undetectable in electrophysiological recordings, suggesting an exclusive gliovascular phenomenon dissociated from neuronal activity. SBWs were insensitive to the NMDA receptors antagonist MK-801 but were inhibited by the α1-adrenoceptor blocker prazosin. Since medetomidine is a potent agonist of α2 adrenoceptors, we suggested that imbalance in α1/α2 receptor-mediated signalling pathways alter the vascular reactivity leading to SBWs. The frequency of SBWs increased with intensity of mechanical lung ventilation despite the stable pH levels. In summary, we present a novel type of propagating vascular brain activity without easily detectable underlying neuronal activity, which can be utilized to study the mechanisms of vascular reactivity in functional and pharmacological MRI and has practical implications for designing fMRI experiments in anesthetized animals.
Analysis of orthopedic surgery of patients with metastatic bone tumors and pathological fractures
Authors: Sevimli Resit , Korkmaz Mehmet Fatih
Published: April 2018

Objective

This study was performed to determine the most common causes, locations, and treatments of metastasizing primary tumors through evaluation of patients with metastatic bone tumors who were admitted to our clinic.

Methods

In total, 96 patients with metastatic bone tumors who were admitted to our clinic from 2000 to 2016 were included in the study.

Results

The breast (30 patients, 31.3%) and lung (18 patients, 18.8%) were the most commonly metastasized primary organs. The femur was the most commonly metastasized bone.

Conclusions

Bone tumors in patients of advanced age are, unless otherwise proven, considered to be metastatic, and the development of specific diagnostic and treatment algorithms is needed. Clinicians should attempt to improve the general condition of patients with tumors exhibiting bone metastasis to increase the patients’ quality of life by providing early mobilization. Thus, appropriate patient selection and proper internal fixation are essential.
Modeling and analysis of multilayer piezoelectric-elastic spherical transducers
Authors: Wang Jianjun , Qin Lei , Wei Peijun , Tang Lihua
Published: April 2018

An exact analytical model of multilayer piezoelectric-elastic spherical transducers is established in this article, and their dynamic characteristics are studied. Based on the linear theory of piezoelasticity, the dynamic analytical solution is derived in terms of Bessel functions, Lommel functions, Gamma functions, and Generalized Hypergeometric functions, and the electric impedance is obtained to determine the resonance frequencies. By proper selection of the layer number and geometric dimensions, the proposed model can approximately degrade into some special cases in the previous works, including single-layer piezoelectric spherical transducer, two-layer piezoelectric-elastic spherical transducer, and three-layer sandwiched piezoelectric-elastic-piezoelectric spherical transducer. Comparisons between the results of the proposed model and the ones of these special cases are also given and good agreements are found. Furthermore, parametric studies are conducted to discuss the effects of the key parameters on the dynamic characteristics of these special cases and a multilayer case, such as the first resonance and anti-resonance frequencies as well as the corresponding electromechanical coupling factor. This work contributes to an overall understanding of the dynamic characteristics of miniature piezoelectric hollow sphere transducers (BBs) and stacked piezoelectric spherical transducers. The developed model can be used to guide the design of the multilayer piezoelectric-elastic spherical transducers for promising applications in underwater acoustic detection, ultrasonic imaging, hydrophones, and nondestructive testing.
Experiential Purchase Quality
Authors: Pelletier Mark J. , Collier Joel E.
Published: April 2018

Experiential purchases, such as movies, theme parks, and vacations, represent a unique, and exceedingly popular, type of marketing behavior. Despite the increasing popularity of purchased experiences, the question of what makes one experiential purchase superior to another remains elusive. Using a multimethod, grounded theory approach, the authors perform two qualitative studies that reveal high-quality experiential purchases are composed of five dimensions: uniqueness, fun, escapism, servicescape quality, and social congruence. Next, an empirical model of experiential purchase quality (EPQ) and its outcome variables is tested in two different settings. The results find support for the EPQ conceptualization and uncover that a high-quality experiential purchase can positively influence braggart word of mouth, nostalgia, and self-connectedness to the experience while also lowering price consciousness perceptions to repeat the experience. A comparison of short and long experiences found that customers put a heavier weighting on concepts such as escapism and social congruence in shorter experiences where longer experiences had a heavier emphasis on the servicescape and perceptions of fun. From a managerial perspective, our results highlight that a one-size-fits all approach in experiential management is problematic. Managers need to understand that customers have different evaluative criteria depending on the length of an experiential purchase.
Role of Aldosterone Receptor Antagonists in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction
Authors: Marrs Joel C , Anderson Sarah L , Gabriel Christian
Published: April 2018

Aldosterone receptor antagonists have recently been added to the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association/Heart Failure Society of America 2017 guideline update for serving a role in the reduction in morbidity in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and an ejection fraction greater than 45%. This recent addition to the heart failure with preserved ejection fraction recommendations is supported by the findings of the Treatment of Preserved Cardiac Function Heart Failure with an Aldosterone Antagonist study. All trials with spironolactone or eplerenone in the treatment of patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction are reviewed for both cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and symptom improvement. Limited positive data exist on the role aldosterone receptor antagonists has on mortality and symptom improvement in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Ongoing trials with angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitor and sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction are reviewed. This review provides the current clinical and scientific data pertaining to the safety and efficacy of aldosterone receptor antagonists in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.
Vehicle sideslip angle estimation for a four-wheel-independent-drive electric vehicle based on a hybrid estimator and a moving polynomial Kalman smoother
Authors: Wang Zhenpo , Wu Jianyang , Zhang Lei , Wang Yachao
Published: April 2018

This paper presents a vehicle sideslip angle estimation scheme against noises and outliers in sensor measurements for a four-wheel-independent-drive electric vehicle. The proposed scheme combines a robust unscented Kalman filter estimator based on the 3-DOF vehicle dynamics model and an extended Kalman filter estimator based on the kinematic model to form a hybrid estimator through a weighting factor. The weighting factor can be dynamically adjusted in real time to optimize the overall estimation performance under different driving conditions. The main contributions of this study to the related literature lie in two aspects. Firstly, a robust unscented Kalman filter estimator was incorporated to improve the robustness of dynamics-based estimation to sensor measurement outliers. Secondly, a novel moving polynomial Kalman smoother was included to filter out the noises in sensor measurements. Co-simulations of Matlab/Simulink and Carsim software were conducted under typical vehicle maneuvers and show that the proposed vehicle sideslip angle estimation scheme can obtain satisfied estimation results, with the moving polynomial Kalman smoother exhibiting better phase characteristics and filtering performance relative to commonly-used finite impulse response filters, and the robust unscented Kalman filter estimator being robust to sensor measurement outliers.
‘Words that work?’ Practices of constructive journalism in a local Caribbean context
Authors: Rotmeijer Sanne
Published: April 2018

This article addresses practices of constructive journalism in the local, postcolonial context of St. Maarten, an autonomous Dutch Caribbean island. Building on extensive fieldwork at print and online news media outlets on the island and 14 in-depth interviews with reporters, editors, and news bloggers, this article shows that constructive journalism practices are widespread in St. Maarten. These are based on ideals of contributing to economic development, engagement and belonging, and social stability. The fieldwork, however, also revealed skepticism toward constructive journalism practices because of local political, economic, and socio-cultural constraints. This skepticism parallels broader critiques on active and involved forms of journalism, throwing up questions about the meaning and feasibility of a ‘constructive’ role of journalists in young, postcolonial democracies. This article argues that local constraints on St. Maarten journalism undermine the normative underpinnings of constructive journalism and calls for more disruptive journalism to serve the local community.
Textured Cuts: The Demolition Cinema of Pedro Costa and José Luis Guerín
Authors: White-Nockleby Anna
Published: April 2018

This article reexamines the aesthetics of the cut through cinema that challenges the possibility of totality. Looking back at films of demolitions in two Iberian cities, the author considers how cuts – both architectural and cinematic – reveal fissures created by urban renewal projects that preceded global crisis. En construcción ( Work in Progress, 2001) by the Catalan filmmaker José Luis Guerín follows the reconstruction of Barcelona’s neighborhood ‘El Raval’, while Portuguese director Pedro Costa’s No Quarto da Vanda ( In Vanda’s Room, 2000) films residents in a slum area of Lisbon as their houses are slowly demolished. By attending to neighborhoods that were ‘cut out of’ the urban landscape, these films contest the representation of unified cityscapes, exposing the fractures underlying economic development. The films also provide new ways to understand the ambivalent aesthetics of the cut, which both violently wounds the surface and exposes what lies behind. I will argue that ultimately thresholds produced by the cut speak to the ethical ambiguities of filmmaking, in which the camera inevitably alters whatever it views, thus exposing the textured incompleteness of the image.
Observance, Notes towards Decipherability
Authors: Smith Marquard
Published: April 2018

Provoked by the terrorist-related murders in England that marked the spring and summer of 2017, I have felt compelled to write this article on the idea of observance (observe, care, follow, obey). I engage with this idea in the context of our contemporary Memory Industry – that confluence of memorialization, remembrance and commemoration culture; Memory Studies and Trauma Studies; tangible and intangible heritage; digital memory and media archaeology; and its series of facing-backwards-to-go-forwards impulses (the archival impulse, the genealogical impulse and the archaeological impulse). Through the Contemporary’s prism, I deploy observance as a rejoinder to the seeming irreconcilability between, on the one hand, the incomprehensibility of the Shoah and, on the other hand, the prevalence of its rendering in figurative and abstract memorials, literature, art and film; and by way of dark tourism, Shoah selfies and genealogy websites. I propose that, because of its assorted senses, as a grievable moment observance may be a way of negotiating (without necessarily wanting or needing to reconcile) such irreconcilability. I argue that this is possible because of how observance (observing a minute’s silence, for instance) as a (secular, vernacular) performative action somehow opens up a space of the imagination that might lead, for good and ill, to a decipherability all the more necessary in our interminable state of exception that is the Contemporary.
Laser Fenestration of Aortic Stent-Grafts Followed by Noncompliant vs Cutting Balloon Dilation: A Scanning Electron Microscopy Study
Authors: Lin Jing , Parikh Niraj , Udgiri Naval , Wang Shaoxia , Miller Daniel F. , Li Chaojing , Panneton Jean , Nutley Mark , Zhang Ze , Huang Yunfan , Lu Jun , Zhang Jingyi , Wang Lu , Guidoin Robert
Published: April 2018

Purpose: To examine the effects of in situ laser fenestration and subsequent balloon dilation (noncompliant vs cutting) on the graft fabric of 4 aortic stent-graft models. Method: In an in vitro setup, the Zenith TX2, Talent, Endurant, and Anaconda aortic stent-grafts (all made of polyester graft material) were subjected to laser fenestration with a 2.3-mm-diameter probe at low and high energy in a physiologic saline solution followed by balloon dilation of the hole. For the first series of tests, 6-mm-diameter noncompliant balloons were used and replaced for the second series by 6-mm-diameter cutting balloons. Each procedure was performed 5 times (5 fenestrations per balloon type). The fenestrations were examined visually and with light and scanning electron microscopy. Results: Each fenestration demonstrated various degrees of fraying and/or tearing regardless of the device. The monofilament twill weave of the Talent endograft tore in the warp direction up to 7.09±0.46 mm at high energy compared with 2.41±0.26 mm for the Endurant multifilament device. The fenestrations of the 3 endografts with multifilament weave (Zenith, Anaconda, and Endurant) showed more fraying; fenestration areas in the multifilament Endurant were >10 mm2 at low and high energy. The fenestrations were free of melted fibers, but minor blackening of the filaments was observed in all devices. Overall, the cutting balloons resulted in worse tearing and damage. Of note, the edges of the dilated laser-formed fenestrations of the Talent and the Endurant grafts demonstrated evidence of additional shredded yarns. Conclusion: In situ fenestration does not cause any melting of the polyester; however, the observed structural damage to the fabric construction must be carefully considered. Cutting balloons caused various levels of tearing compared to the noncompliant balloons and cannot be recommended for use in this application. Rather, noncompliant balloons should be employed, but only with endografts constructed from multifilament yarns. The use of in situ fenestration must be restricted to urgent and emergent cases until long-term durability can be determined.
Prototyping and evaluation of interactive and customized interface and control algorithms for robotic assistive devices using Kinect and infrared sensor
Authors: McFassel Grace , Hsieh Sheng-Jen , Peng Bo
Published: April 2018

Robotic assistive devices are popular in research and medical fields for their potential to automate tasks or to improve the quality of life of disabled users. They may be used for physical therapy, as exoskeletons, teleoperation devices, or to assist users in tasks in their home. Common methods for controlling these devices use both broad and difficult-to-maintain gesturing or peripherals such as mouse pointers or joysticks which are not designed for the task required of them. In addition, these devices are often not adaptive to the user and can only be minimally customized. This article proposes a fusion of infrared camera data for stress detection with Kinect body tracking to develop a customizable control method for a robotic limb. Devices such as the Microsoft Kinect have seen use in physical therapy applications but only some use in teleoperation. In addition, studies have shown potential in using infrared imaging to detect human stress. The objectives of this study are to design and build an interactive interface and adaptive control system and to evaluate its performance. Stress detection using infrared was tested using a Compix 222 and neural networks to categorize emotional states. Kinect v2 accuracy and reliability was tested by comparing joint positions to detected angles and perceived output angles. Our work suggests that infrared imaging and the Kinect v2 show potential to make a real-time adaptive system in which a control program can adapt its output when it detects stress from its user.
Profiles of the Administrative Internship: The Mentor/Intern Partnership in Facilitating Leadership Experiences
Authors: Thessin Rebecca A. , Clayton Jennifer K. , Jamison Kimberly
Published: April 2018

This study sought to understand how aspiring administrators and supervising mentors contribute to the intern’s opportunity to lead authentic administrative tasks during the administrative internship. Using case study methodology, we gathered data from six intern/mentor pairs through in-depth interviews, observations, journals, and logs. Several themes contributed to the development of the intern/mentor relationship in three phases: (a) establishing the partnership, (b) cultivating the mentoring relationship, and (c) learning through the leadership experience. Our results informed the development of the Educational Leadership Mentoring Framework, a new conceptual framework that has the potential to enhance the quality of administrative internship experiences.
Inferior vena cava filters (IVCFs): a review of uses and application to international guidelines at a single Australian center; implications of venous thromboembolism associated with malignancy
Authors: Craven Philip , Daly Ciara , Oates Randall , Sikotra Nisha , Clay Tim , Gabbay Eli
Published: April 2018

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a potentially lethal event. Anticoagulation is the cornerstone of treatment. Inferior vena cava filters (IVCFs) may be used in circumstances when anticoagulation is contraindicated or as an adjunct to anticoagulation. IVCF use is not without controversy due to concerns over their safety profile, differences in guidelines from international societies, and a limited randomized control trial evidence. We retrospectively undertook a review of IVCF use over a three‐year period (2014–2016) at our center, which has a large oncology service but no trauma unit. There were 44 patients with successful IVCF insertion and one patient with an unsuccessful attempt. Indications for insertion included: a contraindication to anticoagulation (n = 28); recurrent VTE on anticoagulation (n = 10); and extensive VTE (n = 7). There were 13 retrieval attempts, of which ten were successful. There were five documented IVCF complications (tilting: n = 2, IVC thrombus: n = 3) with one episode of IVCF failure and two episodes of deep vein thrombosis during the follow‐up period. Of the patients, 71% had an active malignancy (of whom 71% had metastatic disease). Seventeen patients died due to progressive malignancy during the study period. There were no life‐threatening VTEs or IVCF‐associated mortalities. Adherence with published international guidelines was variable. Patients with malignancy were less likely to undergo IVCF retrieval and had a reduced rate of retrieval success. None of the international guidelines comment on the use of IVCFs in patients with malignancy despite being commonly used. IVCF use may be an underappreciated tool in this group.
Creation of a restrictive atrial communication in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH): effective palliation of syncope and end‐stage heart failure
Authors: Bauer Anna , Khalil Markus , Schmidt Dorle , Bauer Jürgen , Esmaeili Anoosh , Apitz Christian , Voelkel Norbert F. , Schranz Dietmar
Published: April 2018

Atrial septostomy (AS) is recommended for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)‐associated right ventricular (RV) failure, recurrent syncope, or pulmonary hypertensive crisis (PHC). We aimed to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of AS to manage PAH from infancy to adulthood. From June 2009 to December 2016, transcatheter atrial communications were created in 11 PAH patients (4 girls/women; median age = 4.3 years; range = 33 days–26 years; median body weight = 14 kg; range = 3–71 kg; NYHA‐/Ross class IV; n = 11). PAH was classified as idiopathic (n = 6) or secondary (n = 5). History of syncope was dominant (n = 6); two with patent foramen ovale (PFO) admitted with recurrent PHC, three patients required resuscitation before AS. Three patients had PAH‐associated low cardiac output. The average pulmonary arterial pressures (PAP systolic/diastolic) were 101/50 (±34/23); the corresponding systemic arterial pressures (SAP) were 99/54 (±23/11); and the mean ratio of PAPd / SAPd was 0.97 (±0.4). Percutaneous trans‐septal puncture was uneventfully performed in nine patients; a PFO was dilated in two patients. There was no procedure‐related mortality. The median balloon size was 10 mm (range = 6–14 mm); the mean catheter time was 174.6 ± 48 min; fluoroscopy time was 19.8 (±11) min. Syncope and PHC were successfully treated in all patients. The mean arterial oxygen saturation decreased from 97 ± 2 to 89 ± 11.7. One patient died awaiting lung transplantation, one continues to be listed; two patients received a reverse Potts‐shunt, one patient died during follow‐up; seven patients are stable with PAH‐specific treatment. Percutaneous AS is an effective method palliating PAH‐associated syncope, PHCs or right (bi‐) ventricular heart failure.
Anomalous Systemic Artery to the Left Lower Lobe: Literature Review and a New Surgical Technique
Authors: Miller Jacob R. , Lancaster Timothy S. , Abarbanell Aaron M. , Manning Peter B. , Eghtesady Pirooz
Published: April 2018

Anomalous systemic arterial supply to the basal segments of the left lower lobe without coexisting pulmonary artery connection is a rare anomaly. Most feel treatment is necessary; however, the ideal strategy is unclear. Treatments described include embolization, pulmonary resection, or anastomosis to the native pulmonary artery. We recently encountered an infant with this anomaly and present a literature review summarizing all recent reports. Additionally, we describe a novel surgical technique to create a tension-free anastomosis utilizing segmental aortic translocation that we employed in our patient due to a large distance between the anomalous vessel and native left pulmonary artery.
Successful Late Recruitment of the Occluded Left Main Coronary Artery After Initial Arterial Switch Operation
Authors: Michalak Krzysztof W. , Moll Maciej , Moszura Tomasz , Moll Jacek Jan
Published: April 2018

We describe a surgical technique for late recruitment of the proximally occluded left main coronary artery (LMCA) after initial arterial switch operation, which had been complicated by severe left ventricular dysfunction. This technique allowed for LMCA recanalization, using the patent conal artery branching off the LMCA close to the ostium. It is particularly useful in small children, where surgical options for coronary arteries are limited and associated with a high risk of restenosis. It was successfully used in a two-month-old boy with successful revascularization confirmed by angiography.
Corticosteroids and Other Anti-Inflammatory Strategies in Pediatric Heart Surgery: A National Survey of Practice
Authors: Fudulu Daniel P. , Schadenberg Alvin , Gibbison Ben , Jenkins Ian , Lightman Stafford , Angelini Gianni D. , Stoica Serban
Published: April 2018

Background:

The role of steroids to mitigate the deleterious effects of pediatric cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) remains a matter of debate; therefore, we aimed to assess preferences in administering corticosteroids (CSs) and the use of other anti-inflammatory strategies in pediatric cardiac surgery.

Methods:

A 19-question survey was distributed to consultants in pediatric cardiac anesthesia from 12 centers across the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Results:

Of the 37 respondents (37/60, 62%), 24 (65%) use CSs, while 13 (35%) do not use steroids at all. We found variability within 5 (41%) of the 12 centers. Seven consultants (7/24, 29%) administer CSs in every case, while 17 administer CSs in selected cases only (17/24, 71%). There was variability in the dose of steroid administration. Almost all consultants (23/24, 96%) administer a single dose at induction, and one administers a two-dose regimen (1/24, 4%). There was variability in CS indications. Most consultants (24/37, 66%) use modified ultrafiltration at the conclusion of CPB. Fifteen consultants (15/32, 47%) report the use of aprotinin, while only 3 use heparin-coated circuits (3/24, 9%).

Conclusions:

We found wide variability in practice in the administration of CSs for pediatric cardiac surgery, both within and between units. While most anesthetists administer CSs in at least some cases, there is no consensus on the type of steroid, the dose, and at which patient groups this should be directed. Modified ultrafiltration is still used by most of the centers. Almost half of consultants use aprotinin, while heparin-coated circuits are infrequently used.
Pierre Robin Sequence: Cost-Analysis and Qualitative Assessment of 89 Patients at the Hospital for Sick Children
Authors: Lee Matthew , Ho Emily S. , Forrest Christopher R.
Published: April 2018

Introduction:

Children with Pierre Robin sequence (PRS) have a complex clinical presentation and requires many health-care providers. Thus, multiple clinical pathways have been proposed on how to manage this population, with some opting for conservative measures while others opting for a surgical approach. However, no consensus has been reached on the most appropriate protocol.

Objective:

To present the treatment protocol for PRS at the Hospital for Sick Children. This will be evaluated through a qualitative examination of the approach from the patient’s perspective, and a micro-costing analysis of the financial aspects of providing care.

Methods:

A retrospective cohort study was conducted to evaluate infants who were admitted with PRS and failure to thrive from January 2004 to December 2015. This was followed by a micro-costing analysis to evaluate the cost of the management protocol. Finally, a qualitative evaluation of the parent’s perspective was done.

Results:

Eighty-nine patients were admitted with failure to thrive during the study period. Fourteen patients underwent surgical management. Fourteen patients required readmission for airway or feeding issues secondary to PRS. The average cost per patient was Can$105 996. With regard to the qualitative evaluation, key themes that were generated included stress upon hospital admission, variable methods of understanding PRS, good level of communication with the team, excellent hospital process, and challenging transition home.

Conclusion:

These results will aid in the continual evolution of a protocol and provide important information on PRS to both families and centers that manage these children.
Objective Prediction of Hearing Aid Benefit Across Listener Groups Using Machine Learning: Speech Recognition Performance With Binaural Noise-Reduction Algorithms
Authors: Schädler Marc R. , Warzybok Anna , Kollmeier Birger
Published: April 2018

The simulation framework for auditory discrimination experiments (FADE) was adopted and validated to predict the individual speech-in-noise recognition performance of listeners with normal and impaired hearing with and without a given hearing-aid algorithm. FADE uses a simple automatic speech recognizer (ASR) to estimate the lowest achievable speech reception thresholds (SRTs) from simulated speech recognition experiments in an objective way, independent from any empirical reference data. Empirical data from the literature were used to evaluate the model in terms of predicted SRTs and benefits in SRT with the German matrix sentence recognition test when using eight single- and multichannel binaural noise-reduction algorithms. To allow individual predictions of SRTs in binaural conditions, the model was extended with a simple better ear approach and individualized by taking audiograms into account. In a realistic binaural cafeteria condition, FADE explained about 90% of the variance of the empirical SRTs for a group of normal-hearing listeners and predicted the corresponding benefits with a root-mean-square prediction error of 0.6 dB. This highlights the potential of the approach for the objective assessment of benefits in SRT without prior knowledge about the empirical data. The predictions for the group of listeners with impaired hearing explained 75% of the empirical variance, while the individual predictions explained less than 25%. Possibly, additional individual factors should be considered for more accurate predictions with impaired hearing. A competing talker condition clearly showed one limitation of current ASR technology, as the empirical performance with SRTs lower than −20 dB could not be predicted.
Reimagining ‘justice’ in environmental justice: Radical ecologies, decolonial thought, and the Black Radical Tradition
Authors: Pulido Laura , De Lara Juan
Published: April 2018

In this article, we rethink the spatial and racial politics of the environmental justice movement in the United States by linking it to abolitionist theories that have emerged from the Black Radical Tradition, to critical theories of urban ecology, and to decolonial epistemologies rooted in the geopolitics of Las Americas. More specifically, we argue that environmental justice organizing among multi-racial groups is an extension of the Black Radical Tradition's epistemic legacy and historical commitment to racial justice. The article is divided into two parts. First, we review how this remapping of environmental justice through the lens of the Black Radical Tradition and decolonial border thinking reshapes our understanding of anti-racist organizing. Part of our remapping includes an examination of African American and Latinx social movement organizing to reveal how such geographies of interracial solidarity can reframe abolitionist politics to take nature and space seriously. In the second part of the article, we present a series of maps that illustrate the geography, temporality, and inter-racial solidarity between Chicanx social movement organizations and the Black Radical Tradition. Our mapping includes identifying sites of interracial convergence that have explicitly and implicitly deployed abolitionist imaginaries to combat the production of racialized capitalist space. We use environmental justice to argue for a model of abolitionist social movement organizing that invites interracial convergence by imagining urban political ecologies that are free of the death-dealing spaces necessary for racial capitalism to thrive.