bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Induced expression of Toll-like receptor 9 in peritubular capillary endothelium correlates with the progression of tubulointerstitial lesions in autoimmune disease-prone mice
Authors: Masum M A , Ichii O , ELewa Y H A , Kon Y
Published: February 2019

Background

Toll-like receptor (Tlr) 9 is capable of recognizing exogenous and/or endogenous nucleic acids and plays a crucial role in innate and adaptive immunity. Recently, we showed that Tlr9 is overexpressed in podocytes, a component of the blood–urine barrier (BUB), in glomeruli of autoimmune glomerulonephritis (AGN) model mice. This study investigated the activation of peritubular capillary (PTC) endothelial cells (ECs), a component of the BUB in the tubulointerstitium, through overexpressing Tlr9, and the subsequent development of tubulointerstitial lesions (TILs) in AGN model mice.

Methods

Lupus-prone BXSB/MpJ-Yaa (Yaa) and BXSB/MpJ (BXSB) mice were used as an AGN model and control, respectively. In addition to histopathological and ultrastructural techniques, protein and mRNA levels were also evaluated. The relationship between Tlr9 and TIL indices was analyzed by statistical correlation analysis.

Results

Yaa mice developed TILs and showed strong Tlr9 mRNA expression in PTC ECs at 24 weeks (wks) of age. However, BXSB mice showed no TIL but faint expression of Tlr9 mRNA at 8 and 24 wks of age. Tlr9 protein localization on PTC was almost absent in BXSB mice at both ages but intense expression was found in Yaa mice only at 24 wks of age. Relative mRNA expression of Tlr9 and its putative downstream cytokines, including interleukin 1 beta ( Il1b), Il6, interferon gamma ( Ifng), and tumor necrosis factor alpha ( Tnf) was markedly increased in isolated tubulointerstitium from Yaa mice at 24 wks of age. Furthermore, electron microscopy examination revealed PTC injury and TIL in Yaa mice at 24 wks. The expression level of Tlr9 in the tubulointerstitium was correlated with inflammatory cells in TILs, injured PTC, Ilb and Tnf expression, and damaged tubules ( P < 0.05 and 0.01).

Conclusion

Induced expression of Tlr9 in ECs correlates with PTC injury and the development of TILs in lupus-prone AGN model mice.
Selective Universalism: The Paradoxical Strategy to Achieve Universal Health Coverage in India
Authors: Mukherjee Kanchan
Published: February 2019

Universal health coverage (UHC), goal three of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), has been on the agenda for some time now. However, India has not been able to achieve the less ambitious targets of Health for All (HFA) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In this context, this article identifies inefficiency as one key factor affecting progress towards UHC. One of the key contributors to inefficiency is lack of evidence-informed decisions in India. Using evidence from economic evaluation and global burden of disease study, seven cost-effective targets have been identified for prioritization in the Indian context. It is proposed that a selective approach targeting these seven targets would be a more efficient way of addressing the challenge of UHC in India.
Effect of temperature and time on the thanatomicrobiome of the cecum, ileum, kidney, and lung of domestic rabbits
Authors: Lawrence Kelsey E. , Lam Khiem C. , Morgun Andrey , Shulzhenko Natalia , Löhr Christiane V.
Published: February 2019

Knowledge of changes in the composition of microbial communities (microbiota) in tissues after death, over time, is critical to correctly interpret results of microbiologic testing from postmortem examinations. Limited information is available about postmortem changes of the microbiota and the associated microbial genes (microbiome) of internal organs in any species. We examined the effect of time and ambient temperature on the postmortem microbiome (thanatomicrobiome) of tissues typically sampled for microbiologic testing during autopsies. Twenty rabbits were euthanized and their bodies stored at 4°C or 20°C for 6 or 48 h. Ileum, cecum, kidney, and lung tissue were sampled. Bacterial DNA abundance was determined by RT-qPCR. Microbiome diversity was determined by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. By relative abundance of the microbiome composition, intestinal tissues were clearly separated from lungs and kidneys, which were similar to each other, over all times and temperatures. Only cecal thanatomicrobiomes had consistently high concentrations and consistent composition in all conditions. In lungs and kidneys, but not intestine, proteobacteria were highly abundant at specific times and temperatures. Thanatomicrobiome variation was not explained by minor subclinical lesions identified upon microscopic examination of tissues. Bacterial communities typically found in the intestine were not identified at extra-intestinal sites in the first 48 h at 4°C and only in small amounts at 20°C. However, changes in tissue-specific microbiomes during the postmortem interval should be considered when interpreting results of microbiologic testing.
Innovations in Teaching Adult Education: Living History Museums and Transformative Learning in the University Classroom
Authors: Walter Pierre
Published: February 2019

The difficult times in which we live require innovative, creative, and hopeful pedagogies of adult education. This article describes a nontraditional experiential, “empathy-invoking” approach to the teaching of a graduate course on the theory and research of adult learning. The approach begins with the building of a safe learning community, a familiar “knowledge curriculum,” and a structured syllabus with academic readings, small group discussions, student “theory-to-practice” facilitation of learning activities, and an academic mid-term paper. Both the teacher and students design and lead learning activities which elaborate, “unpack,” and critique readings, and develop students’ capacity for experiential, emotional, spiritual, arts-based, and bodily learning as well as group process, all the while reinforcing trust, deeper relationships, cooperation, and better knowledge of each others’ lives, personalities, capabilities, and identities. The class culminates in creative presentations where learners transform the classroom into “living history museums” representing the sites of adult learning they have investigated in field research. Visitors to living history museums engage in a rich array of informal adult learning; they gain new knowledge, participate in hands-on learning and role playing, and at times even experience transformative learning. In this class, the museum and its learning opportunities come into the classroom, and are created by learners themselves.
A hybrid actuator with hollowed multi-drum magnetorheological brake and direct-current micromotor for hysteresis compensation
Authors: Qin Huanhuan , Song Aiguo , Mo Yiting
Published: February 2019

Based on magnetorheological fluid, magnetorheological brake can exhibit promising characteristics in haptics such as intrinsic passiveness and high torque density. The main difficulty in applying magnetorheological brake lies in the magnetic hysteresis. To deal with the magnetic hysteresis, a magnetorheological brake was combined with a micromotor to construct a hybrid actuator in this article. A novel hollowed multi-drum architecture was adopted for the brake so that the micromotor could be placed inside the brake to obtain a compact structure. The brake produced the maximum torque of 1263.39 mN m with 40 mm diameter and 28 mm length. Through the closed-loop control, no obvious hysteresis loop was observed in the hybrid actuator current–torque figure. The maximum difference between the forward and backward torque was reduced from 7.2% to 1.94% of the total torque range. The dynamic range was increased from 41.17 to 45.42 dB. Furthermore, the experimental results proved that the hybrid actuator could track the reference signals more accurately than the brake.
Experimental characterization and viscoelastic modeling for thermo-mechanical creep of 1-3 piezocomposites
Authors: Pramanik Ratnadeep , Arockiarajan Arunachalakasi
Published: February 2019

1-3 piezocomposites are often subjected to mechanical pre-stress under elevated temperatures in naval and offshore applications, actuators, and so on, where the presence of the ductile epoxy matrix causes considerable creep in the system. This deteriorates the system efficiency and its overall performance. To address this issue, experiments are performed to capture the electromechanical response for thermo-mechanical creep of 1-3 piezocomposites for different fiber volume fractions under various thermal loads, wherein mechanical depolarization is observed. The piezo-coupling coefficient is observed to degrade. Higher thermal loads resulted in an increase in creep strain coupled with a decrease in creep polarization. A Kelvin–Voigt fractal derivative viscoelastic model is used to capture the creep strain. The creep strain is decomposed into ferroelastic and anelastic parts. The evolution of creep polarization is obtained using the ferroelastic component of the creep strain. The model predictions are found to be in agreement with the experimental observations.
Development and design of a new self-centering energy-dissipative brace for steel structures
Authors: Kari Amir , Ghassemieh Mehdi , Badarloo Baitollah
Published: February 2019

Buckling-restrained braces are able to provide significant energy dissipation along with large ductile capacity through their excellent hysteretic behavior. However, due to their lack of recentering capability, buckling-restrained braced frames experience large residual drifts following a strong earthquake, leading to enormous repair costs. To overcome this shortcoming, super-elastic shape memory alloy braces with excellent recentering capacity have been introduced as a viable alternative to steel braces. Nevertheless, their energy dissipation capacity is usually low for seismic applications. This article proposes a robust self-centering energy-dissipative brace to be used in structural frames. The brace is capable of providing adequate energy dissipation capacity in the structure while simultaneously bringing the structure to its original configuration after the earthquake.
Pharmacokinetics and Safety of the Integrase Inhibitors Elvitegravir and Dolutegravir in Pregnant Women With HIV
Authors: Nguyen Binh , Foisy Michelle M. , Hughes Christine A.
Published: February 2019

Objective: To synthesize data on the pharmacokinetics and safety of dolutegravir and elvitegravir in pregnant women living with HIV. Data Sources: A PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Google Scholar literature search (January 2010 to December 2018) was performed using the search terms dolutegravir, elvitegravir, women, pregnant*, and HIV. Additional reports were identified from conference abstracts and review of reference lists. Study Selection and Data Extraction: English-language studies reporting pharmacokinetic and/or safety data in pregnant women receiving dolutegravir or elvitegravir/cobicistat were included. Data Synthesis: A total of 17 studies were selected. Studies demonstrated a modest decrease in dolutegravir concentrations in pregnancy. Preliminary data suggest an increased risk of neural tube defects when dolutegravir is used at the time of conception. Available pharmacokinetic data in pregnant women showed significantly reduced plasma concentrations of elvitegravir/cobicistat which may increase the risk of virological failure. Current guidelines recommend that dolutegravir should not be initiated in women who have the potential to become pregnant or women in their first trimester of pregnancy and elvitegravir/cobicistat should be avoided during pregnancy. Relevance to Patient Care and Clinical Practice: This review highlights pharmacokinetic and safety data for dolutegravir and elvitegravir/cobicistat in pregnant women. Clinicians need to be aware of these data to convey the risks and benefits of using these agents in women of child-bearing potential. Conclusions: Changes in guideline recommendations reflect emerging data regarding the use of dolutegravir and elvitegravir/cobicistat in pregnancy. Until further information is available, raltegravir or other first-line agents are recommended for women with HIV planning to become pregnant.
Journalism, Public, Policy: An Institutional View of the Press’s Legal Discourse at the End of the 19th Century
Authors: File Patrick C.
Published: February 2019

This study analyzes discourse about journalists’ privilege and libel law from 1894 to 1897 to explain how the press articulated the public policy rationale for legal protection at a pivotal moment in journalism history. To illuminate the relationship between emerging professional values and ideas about law, it applies the analytical lens of institutionalism. The study argues that the public policy rationale that appeared in the legal discourse surrounding these key legal issues was both a function of principled professional identity–building and a means of “institutional maintenance” intended to protect the press’s social status.
Excusing and Justifying Rape Cognitions in Judgments of Sexually Coercive Dating Scenarios
Authors: Harper Craig A. , Franco Vanda , Wills Madison
Published: February 2019

According to recent analyses, Bumby’s RAPE scale of rape-supportive cognitions about women and sexual assault comprises two factors. Excusing rape serves to reduce abusers’ culpability for their offending, and ascribing blame to victims, while justifying rape is associated with a sense of sexual entitlement. The distinct effects of these factors on rape judgments have not yet been investigated. We examined whether these belief clusters differentially explained judgments of perpetrator innocence after priming cues related to each of them. We used a cross-sectional design ( N = 217) to test our hypotheses. As predicted, we found that excusing rape cognitions contributed to exaggerated innocence judgments when the victim paid the bill on a first date (potentially indicative of romantic or sexual interest). However, contrary to expectations, there was no evidence that participants justified rape when the perpetrator paid the bill. Implications for conceptualizing the functions of rape-supportive cognitions are discussed.
Lipoxygenase Protein Expression and Its Effect on Oxidative Stress Caused by Benzidine in Normal Human Urothelial Cell Lines
Authors: Huang Yun , Huang Shaoling , Wu Yue , Peng Minlan , Zhang Xinge , Wang Jing , Hu Jianan
Published: February 2019

Metabolic activation of indirect-acting carcinogens in the target organ is an effective mechanism of carcinogenesis. Lipoxygenase (LOX) can co-oxidize the bladder carcinogen benzidine (BZ). However, it is not entirely clear whether BZ is activated and which enzyme is involved in its activation in bladder epithelial cells. Our results showed that BZ induced 5-LOX protein expression but had no significant influence on the expression of 15-LOX-2, CYP1B1, and CYP2E1 in SV-40 immortalized human uroepithelial SV-HUC-1 cells. BZ induced oxidative stress in SV-HUC-1 cells by increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde levels significantly in the 100 and 200 μmol/L-BZ-treated groups and decreased the level of the antioxidant reduced glutathione significantly at 200 μmol/L BZ. Concurrently, the activity of catalase was increased, while the activity of superoxide dismutase was increased at 50 μmol/L BZ but gradually decreased with increasing concentrations of BZ ( P < 0.05). However, the oxidative stress and damage in SV-HUC-1 cells caused by BZ were effectively inhibited by the 5-LOX-specific inhibitor AA861 at 10 μmol/L. Thus, 5-LOX is probably the major LOX isozyme to co-oxidize exogenous chemicals in SV-HUC-1 cells. AA861 has a protective effect on the oxidative stress and damage induced by BZ in SV-HUC-1 cells. We conclude that BZ can be activated by 5-LOX to produce ROS and oxidative stress, which may be associated with bladder cancer caused by BZ.
Learning from Young People Engaged in Climate Activism: The Potential of Collectivizing Despair and Hope
Authors: Nairn Karen
Published: February 2019

Hope takes on particular significance at this historical moment, which is defined by the prospect of a climate-altered future. Young people (aged 18–29) from climate action groups in New Zealand were interviewed about how they perceived the future. Deploying a unique combination of conceptual tools and in-depth analysis of a small set of interviews, I explore young New Zealanders’ complex relationships with despair and hope. Paulo Freire claimed his despair as a young man ‘educated’ what emerged as hope. I extend Freire’s concept in two ways by considering: (a) how hope might also ‘educate’ despair and (b) how hope and despair might operate at a collective level, drawing on Rosemary Randall’s psychotherapeutic analysis of societal responses to climate change. Participants identified collective processes as generating hope. Collectivizing hope and despair is important so that young people do not feel climate change is only their burden to solve.
Giving Back to the World, the Nation and the Family: Cosmopolitan Meaning-making and Notions of Solidarity Among Young Elite Students
Authors: Piwoni Eunike
Published: February 2019

This article addresses debates on the relationship between elite cosmopolitanism and localism through the study of young elite cosmopolitans’ rationales in the context of talking about their future lives. Drawing on interviews with 24 students at an elite university, the article delineates three types of cosmopolitan meaning-making. Students embracing the first type talked about their cosmopolitanism in terms of individually chosen actions. They said they did not feel obliged to their nation but to their family; most of them had sought a career abroad. Students embracing the idea of ‘rooted cosmopolitanism’ (second type) stated that they wanted to make their home country a better place, not least because of their family’s mediating influence. They said they wanted to return home, as did those students who combined a sense of solidarity with humans around the globe with a longing for familiarity (third type). Implications for cosmopolitanism and youth studies are discussed.
Effect of disease-modifying therapies on subcortical gray matter atrophy in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Sotirchos Elias S , Gonzalez-Caldito Natalia , Dewey Blake E , Fitzgerald Kathryn C , Glaister Jeffrey , Filippatou Angeliki , Ogbuokiri Esther , Feldman Sydney , Kwakyi Ohemaa , Risher Hunter , Crainiceanu Ciprian , Pham Dzung L , Van Zijl Peter C , Mowry Ellen M , Reich Daniel S , Prince Jerry L , Calabresi Peter A , Saidha Shiv
Published: February 2019

Background:

The effects of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) on region-specific brain atrophy in multiple sclerosis (MS) are unclear.

Objective:

To determine the effects of higher versus lower efficacy DMTs on rates of brain substructure atrophy in MS.

Methods:

A non-randomized, observational cohort of people with MS followed with annual brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was evaluated retrospectively. Whole brain, subcortical gray matter (GM), cortical GM, and cerebral white matter (WM) volume fractions were obtained. DMTs were categorized as higher (DMT-H: natalizumab and rituximab) or lower (DMT-L: interferon-beta and glatiramer acetate) efficacy. Follow-up epochs were analyzed if participants had been on a DMT for ⩾6 months prior to baseline and had at least one follow-up MRI while on DMTs in the same category.

Results:

A total of 86 DMT epochs (DMT-H: n = 32; DMT-L: n = 54) from 78 participants fulfilled the study inclusion criteria. Mean follow-up was 2.4 years. Annualized rates of thalamic (−0.15% vs −0.81%; p = 0.001) and putaminal (−0.27% vs −0.73%; p = 0.001) atrophy were slower during DMT-H compared to DMT-L epochs. These results remained significant in multivariate analyses including demographics, clinical characteristics, and T2 lesion volume.

Conclusion:

DMT-H treatment may be associated with slower rates of subcortical GM atrophy, especially of the thalamus and putamen. Thalamic and putaminal volumes are promising imaging biomarkers in MS.
The efficacy of the modified Story Memory Technique in progressive MS
Authors: Chiaravalloti Nancy D , Moore Nancy B , DeLuca John
Published: February 2019

Background:

Impairments in new learning and memory are common in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS), negatively impacting everyday life, including occupational and social functioning.

Objective:

This study examined the efficacy of the modified Story Memory Technique (mSMT) in a progressive multiple sclerosis (PMS) sample through a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial (RCT).

Methods:

Thirty (30) individuals with PMS, naïve to the mSMT, were randomized to the treatment or placebo control group. The Treatment Group completed mSMT training twice per week for 5 weeks while the Placebo Group met with the therapist at the same frequency, engaging in non-training-oriented tasks to control for professional contact and disease alterations.

Results:

The treatment group showed significant improvements in learning compared with the placebo control group, evident on both objective evaluation of new learning and self-report of functioning in daily life. Increased awareness of cognitive deficits was also noted post-treatment.

Conclusion:

These data provide Class I evidence supporting the efficacy of the mSMT in PMS. A behavioral intervention, targeted to specifically strengthen new learning, can significantly improve memory performance in PMS, and this improvement in memory performance is maintained 3 months later.
Combining internal and external evaluations within a multilevel evaluation framework: Computational text analysis of lessons from the Asian Development Bank
Authors: Goyal Nihit , Howlett Michael
Published: February 2019

Although the literature on evaluation has theorized about the distinction between internal and external evaluation, hardly any research has compared them empirically. This article examines whether the lessons of internal evaluations differed from those of external evaluations in the case of international development aid. It analyzes internal evaluations of the Asian Development Bank for nearly 1000 sovereign interventions across 38 countries in the Asia-Pacific during 1996–2016, using computational text analysis or text mining techniques. The results show that internal evaluations focused more on micro- and meso-level characteristics, while external evaluations laid more emphasis on meso- and macro-level constructs, such as dimensions of policy and the institutional environment in the recipient country, or its level and rate of economic growth. The article concludes that internal and external evaluations can be combined to create a multilevel evaluation framework that integrates micro-, meso-, and macro-level lessons to facilitate better learning.
Why are acute ischemic stroke patients not receiving thrombolysis in a telestroke network?
Authors: Nalleballe Krishna , Sharma Rohan , Kovvuru Sukanthi , Brown Aliza , Sheng Sen , Gundapaneni Sukumar , Ranabothu Saritha , Veerapaneni Poornachand , Joiner Renee , Kapoor Nidhi , Culp William , Onteddu Sanjeeva
Published: February 2019

Objective

The purpose of this study was to determine reasons for not giving intravenous tissue plasminogen activator to eligible patients with acute ischemic stroke in a telestroke network.

Methods

We performed a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of patients who were seen as a telestroke consultation during 2015 and 2016 with the Arkansas Stroke Assistance through Virtual Emergency Support programme for possible acute ischemic stroke.

Results

Total consultations seen were 809 in 2015 and 744 in 2016, out of which 238 patients in 2015 and 247 patients in 2016 received intravenous tissue plasminogen activator. In 2015 and 2016, out of the remaining 571 and 497 patients, 294 and 200 patients respectively were thought to be cases of acute stroke based on clinical evaluation. The most common reasons for not being treated in 2015 and 2016, respectively, were; (a) minimal deficits in 42.17% and 49.5% cases, (b) falling out of the 4.5-hour time window in 22.44% and 22% cases, (c) patient/next of kin refusal in 18.02% and 16.5% cases. Less common reasons included limited functional status, abnormal labs (thrombocytopenia, elevated international normalised ratio (INR)/prothrombin time (PT)/partial thromboplastin time (PTT), hypo or hyperglycemia etc), recent surgery and symptoms being too severe etc.

Conclusion

‘Minimal deficits’ and ‘out of time window’ continue to be the major causes for not receiving thrombolysis during acute ischemic stroke in both traditional and telestroke systems. Patient/next of kin refusal was high in our telestroke system when compared to traditional practices. Considering the increasing utility of telestroke this needs to be further looked into, along with the ways to address it.
Thirty-day readmission after endovascular or surgical revascularization for chronic mesenteric ischemia: Insights from the Nationwide Readmissions Database
Authors: Lima Fabio V , Kolte Dhaval , Louis David W , Kennedy Kevin F , Abbott J Dawn , Soukas Peter A , Hyder Omar N , Mamdani Shafiq T , Aronow Herbert D
Published: February 2019

There are limited contemporary data on readmission after revascularization for chronic mesenteric ischemia (CMI). This study aimed to determine the rates, reasons, predictors, and costs of 30-day readmission after endovascular or surgical revascularization for CMI. Patients with CMI discharged after endovascular or surgical revascularization during 2013 to 2014 were identified from the Nationwide Readmissions Database. The rates, reasons, length of stay, and costs of 30-day all-cause, non-elective, readmission were determined using weighted national estimates. Independent predictors of 30-day readmission were determined using hierarchical logistic regression. Among 4671 patients with CMI who underwent mesenteric revascularization, 19.5% were readmitted within 30 days after discharge at a median time of 10 days. More than 25% of readmissions were for cardiovascular or cerebrovascular conditions, most of which were for peripheral or visceral atherosclerosis and congestive heart failure. Independent predictors of 30-day readmission included non-elective index admission, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and discharge to home healthcare or to a skilled nursing facility. Revascularization modality did not independently predict readmission. In a nationwide, retrospective analysis of patients with CMI undergoing revascularization, approximately one in five were readmitted within 30 days. Predictors were largely non-modifiable and included non-elective index admission, CKD, and discharge disposition.
Like in English and como, como que, and like in Spanish in the speech of Southern Arizona bilinguals
Authors: Kern Joseph
Published: February 2019

Aims and Objectives/Purpose/Research Questions:

This study analyzes the use of like in English and como, como que, and like in Spanish in the speech of bilinguals from Southern Arizona to assess the possible influence of like in English on its equivalents in Spanish in a language contact situation in which English is the majority language.

Design/Methodology/Approach:

Drawing on a discourse-pragmatic variationist approach, this study analyzes the use of like in English and its Spanish equivalents in recorded conversations between nine pairs of young Spanish-English bilingual friends from Southern Arizona.

Data and Analysis:

3389 tokens of like in English and its Spanish equivalents from 18 hours of recorded conversations (9 hours in each language) were analyzed quantitatively. The analysis assesses the relative frequencies of these variants and their syntactic positioning as clause-external discourse markers and clause-internal discourse particles. The independent variables of the analysis were the language of the conversation and the sex and language dominance of the participants.

Findings/Conclusions:

Contact with English did not appear to radically influence the use of como, como que, and like in Spanish in the speech of these bilinguals. In the speech of the same bilinguals, like in English was much more frequent and occurred in many more syntactic positions than its Spanish equivalents.

Originality:

This is the first study of discourse-pragmatic features in contact to analyze the use of discourse markers and discourse particles in both the donor and the recipient language in the speech of the same bilinguals.

Significance/Implications:

These results contribute to our knowledge of the limited interaction of linguistic repertoires in the speech of bilinguals at the discourse level even in language contact situations with a majority language. They also underline the ability of bilinguals to both understand and reproduce the subtleties of the use of these features in the two languages they speak.
Phonetic interactions in the bilingual production of Galician and Spanish /e/ and /o/
Authors: de la Fuente Iglesias Monica , Perez Castillejo Susana
Published: February 2019

Aims and objectives/purpose/research questions:

This study investigates the cross-linguistic phonetic interactions in the production of closed mid vowels of Galician-Spanish bilinguals in a semi-urban area in Galicia. The research questions were: (1) Do Galician-Spanish bilinguals produce /e/ and /o/ similarly in their two languages? (2) Does language dominance influence whether these sounds are produced more like Spanish or more like Galician? (3) Do age and gender influence the bilingual production of Galician and Spanish /e/ and /o/?

Design/methodology/approach:

Thirty Galician-Spanish bilinguals from the western coast of Galicia completed a sociolinguistic questionnaire and two reading tasks in both Galician and Spanish.

Data and analysis:

4,728 vowels were acoustically analyzed and submitted to several mixed effect statistical models.

Findings/conclusions:

Bilinguals in this study produce distinct phonetic categories for their four Galician mid vowels, and additionally have created new phonetic categories to accommodate their L2 (Spanish) vowels, resulting in a more crowded mid-vowel phonetic space.

Originality:

This is the first study to examine closed mid vowel realizations in both Spanish and Galician by bilinguals who maintain a Galician four mid-vowel contrast, and to investigate their complex L1-L2 phonetic interactions.

Significance/implications:

This study offers new data to examine how early bilinguals organize their phonetic system(s) through cross-linguistic assimilation and dissimilation.
Everyday practices and the (un)making of ‘Fortress Europe’: Introduction to the special issue
Authors: Engelbert Jiska , Awad Isabel , van Sterkenburg Jacco
Published: February 2019

The borders of Europe are erected and guarded through cultural practices as much as through border control and security technologies. Cultural Studies have been crucial in revealing how everyday, particularly media-oriented practices, make and unmake this ‘Fortress’. Yet, until now, the focus has been mostly on how migrants use or are represented through media discourses and technologies. This introduction essay argues that the signifier ‘Fortress Europe’—and its central premise of restraining mobility for some in order to enable freedom for others—also gains meaning in and through socio-cultural practices that we may not (as) immediately associate with the physical crossing of European borders. Particular practices that are discussed in this introduction and examined in the seven original articles of the special issue are: public opinion research, the public mobilization of emotions, negotiating identity in an ‘ancestral homeland’, the consumption of (sports) media, the production of a radio talk show and film archives, as well as the activist use of social media. Broadening scholarly attention to these kinds of sociocultural practices provides an important addition to understanding how power operates across social spheres and discursive orders. In addition, their identification also offers valuable opportunities to understand how and why some practices are particularly pertinent or effective in cementing or destabilizing Fortress Europe. This line of inquiry is visible throughout this special issue, despite the diversity of theoretical frameworks and empirical sites used in the contributing articles.
Parrhesia: Accounting for different contemporary relations between risk and politics
Authors: Anderson Anna
Published: February 2019

The relationship between risk, risk-taking and politics is a central theme in sociological studies of risk. This article outlines how Foucault’s study of parrhesia can provide valuable resources with which to account for different contemporary relations between risk and critique. The contention is that analyses of parrhesia open up a different line of empirical and theoretical investigation which goes beyond the risk society thesis and expands the governmentality perspective to a specific consideration of resistance. Employed as a conceptual tool kit, parrhesia allows us to raise the question: how does risk-taking make a certain kind of critical practice and subjectivity possible today? Parrhesia provides a unique perspective from which to investigate this question by understanding critique as the dangerous practice of freedom and risk as its core feature and key resource. The analysis is essentially theoretical but relies on empirical materials for illustration.
Model for predicting the vibrations of historical timber buildings due to traffic loads and its experimental validation
Authors: Zhang Yunshi , Zhang Nan
Published: February 2019

This study established the transfer laws of vibration waves in a linear system under simple harmonic loading. Then, a method based on multipoint delivery in the frequency domain was proposed to predict the vibrations of historical timber buildings induced by traffic loads, in which the transfer function between two delivery points of different single frequencies is obtained. Finally, the vibration responses of the Feiyun pavilion induced by traffic loads were predicted and compared with experimental field test results. The results indicate that the predicted vibration responses and experimental field tests at the measurement point in the Feiyun pavilion correspond well in the concerned frequency bands and that the proposed prediction method can be used to predict the structural vibration responses under the influence of complex traffic loads.
Generalized or Origin-Specific Out-Group Prejudice?: The Role of Temporary and Chronic Pathogen-Avoidance Motivation in Intergroup Relations
Authors: Ji Tingting , Tybur Joshua M. , van Vugt Mark
Published: February 2019

Researchers have proposed that intergroup prejudice is partially caused by behavioral immune system mechanisms. Across four studies (total N = 1,849), we used both experimental (pathogen priming) and individual differences (pathogen disgust sensitivity [PDS]) approaches to test whether the behavioral immune system influences prejudice toward immigrants indiscriminately (the generalized out-group prejudice hypothesis) or specifically toward immigrants from a pathogen-rich ecology (the origin-specific out-group prejudice hypothesis). Internal meta-analyses lend some support to both hypotheses. At the experimental level, pathogen primes had no effect on attitudes toward origin-unspecified immigrants or immigrants from a pathogen-rich ecology. At the individual differences level, PDS has a unique negative effect on comfort with immigrants from pathogen-rich ecologies but not on comfort with immigrants from unspecified ecologies. However, pathogen disgust sensitivity was negatively related to the decision to allow entry to both origin-unspecified immigrants and immigrants from a pathogen-rich ecology.
Characteristics of educational sciences research activity in European post-socialist countries in the period 1996 to 2013: Content analysis approach
Authors: Bouillet Dejana , Jokić Maja
Published: February 2019

In European post-socialistic countries or more commonly known as Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) countries, regardless of their differences and specifics, the common communist and post-communist legacies in the field of educational sciences are still recognisable. The aim of this article is to explore research activity in the educational sciences in 15 CEE countries: 11 EU member states and 4 from the former Yugoslav Republic in the period from 1996 to 2013. The purpose of this research is to recognise the specificity and dynamics of subject and content issues, and development of methodological approaches in the educational science research. The sample consists of abstracts of 2,395 papers by CEE authors published in 265 journals indexed in Scopus between 1996 and 2013. Content analysis was applied, where the abstracts were grouped into specifically created categories describing the content and methods of the paper and analysed on the basis of two criterion variables – CEE and non-CEE or international journals. The χ2 test showed that the field of educational sciences in 15 European post-socialist countries changed over time in terms of quantity, content and methods, becoming more expansive and diverse, which is recognisable in papers published both in international and in CEE journals.
Detectability of a self-illuminating lifeline for self-escape in smoke conditions of an underground mine
Authors: Martell MJ , Sammarco JJ , Macdonald B , Rubinstein E
Published: February 2019

Lifelines are used to aid self-escape of underground miners, but they are difficult to find in low-visibility conditions of smoke, therefore a self-illuminating lifeline could facilitate miners in locating the lifeline. The detection distance, colour recognition, and miss rate for 10 subjects were determined for red-, green- and blue-lighted diffuse fibre-optic cables, used to create a lighted lifeline, and a traditional rope lifeline in a smoked-filled environment. The testing was conducted with and without a cap lamp. The use of a cap lamp resulted in all cases being undetected in 98.3% of trials. With the cap lamp off, there was no significant difference in the detection distance for blue- and green-lighted fibres; however, the miss rate for the green-lighted fibre was slightly higher. The red-lighted fibre was not detected in 93.3% of trials. The green- and blue-lighted fibres enabled the best visual performance, but subjects had difficulty correctly identifying the colour of the fibre. The lighted fibre-optic cable appears to have merit for improving self-escape from underground mines, and may have other mining and non-mining applications that include improving self-escape visibility.
A freeform collimator lens design for the Natural Light Illumination System
Authors: Tseng W-C , Whang AJ-W , Chen Y-Y , Chen J-Z , Yang T-H , Huang T-C , Chen H-C
Published: February 2019

This paper presents the design of a collimator lens for use with the Lightbrick that uses total internal reflection as well as convex and concave surfaces. The Lightbrick is a light collector for the Natural Light Illumination System. The collimator lens is constructed using freeform surfaces which can be calculated through geometric-optics. Verified by optical simulation, using the collimator lens can achieve 90.3% luminous flux within ±2°, and optical efficiency improves by 48% in the collimator lens output. The collimator lens converges the light distribution of the Lightbrick and enhances the transmission efficiency of the Natural Light Illumination System.
The Roles of Sufi Teachings in Social Movements: An HRD Perspective
Authors: Budhwani Nadir N. , McLean Gary N.
Published: February 2019

The Problem

There is a growing need to explore the role of the centuries-old tradition of Sufism and its teachings which, through social movements, have contributed to, and continue to influence, human resource development (HRD) at various levels—individual, group, organization, community, nation, and international.

The Solution

To address this need, we present cases of social movements inspired by Sufi teachings in selected parts of the world. We discuss, using literature and personal experiences, links among Sufi teachings, social movements, and HRD, and provide a framework for understanding Sufi teachings within the context of the social movement phenomenon. We end with recommendations for practice and research.

The Stakeholders

We target broadening the horizons of HRD researchers, practitioners, civil society members, and social movement activists, encouraging them to address long-term changes and collective learning through the quest for unconditional love and liberation, which represent the core of Sufi teachings.
Effects of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Size on Mid- and Long-term Mortality After Endovascular Aneurysm Repair
Authors: Jeon-Slaughter Haekyung , Krishnamoorthi Harish , Timaran David , Wall Amanda , Ramanan Bala , Banerjee Subhash , Timaran Carlos H. , Modrall J. Gregory , Tsai Shirling
Published: February 2019

Purpose: To investigate the effect of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) size on mid- and long-term survival after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). Materials and Methods: Retrospective data were collected from 325 consecutive patients (mean age 69.7 ± 8.5 years; 323 men) who underwent EVAR for intact AAA at a single institution between January 2003 and December 2013. The primary endpoint was death at 3, 5, and 10 years after EVAR. Optimal cutoff points for AAA size and age were determined using receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves. Time to event analyses (Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazard models) were employed to determine any differences in all-cause mortality outcomes between AAA size groups. Cox models were adjusted for age and other comorbidities (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, coronary artery disease, smoking status, symptomatic status, and creatinine); the outcomes are reported as the hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: The cohort was dichotomized according to the ROC analysis, which defined an optimal cutoff point of 5.6 cm for AAA size and >70 years for age. The mean follow-up period post EVAR was 45.5±29.2 months. In total, 134 (41.2%) patients died during the 10-year follow-up. Thirty-day mortality was 1.1% (2/184) in the patients with AAA <5.6 cm and 2.1% (3/141) in patients with AAA ≥5.6 cm (p=0.45). All-cause mortality was not significantly affected by comorbidities. However, AAA size ≥5.6 cm was associated with increased 3-year mortality risk (HR 1.59, 95% CI 1.001 to 2.52, p<0.049) but not 5-year (HR 1.44, 95% CI 0.98 to 2.10, p=0.062) or 10-year mortality (HR 1.28, 95% CI 0.91 to 1.80, p=0.149). After adjusting for comorbidities, AAA size ≥5.6 cm was no longer significantly associated with morality at any time point. Using a larger size cutoff (AAA size ≥6.0 cm) resulted in improved statistical significance in the unadjusted model. In the adjusted Cox model, AAA size ≥6.0 cm was significantly associated with increased risk of mortality at 3 years (HR 1.67, 95% CI 1.01 to 2.77, p<0.047), but not at longer time points. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that midterm survival after EVAR is significantly and independently associated with AAA size even after correcting for comorbidities. However, in the long term, preoperative AAA size is not an independent predictor of mortality.
Endovascular Therapy for Erectile Dysfunction—Who Benefits Most? Insights From a Single-Center Experience
Authors: Diehm Nicolas , Marggi Stefanie , Ueki Yasushi , Schumacher Dagmar , Keo Hak Hong , Regli Christian , Do Dai Do , Moeltgen Tilmann , Grimsehl Philipp , Wyler Stephen , Schoenhofen Heinz , Räber Lorenz , Schumacher Martin
Published: February 2019

Purpose: To report the 1-year outcomes of a single-center, all-comers registry aimed to assess effectiveness and safety of endovascular revascularization for atherosclerotic erectile dysfunction (ED) in an unselected patient cohort. Materials and Methods: Between April 2016 and October 2017, 50 consecutive patients (mean age 59.6±10.3 years) underwent endovascular revascularization for ED owing to >50% stenosis in 82 erection-related arteries. Patients were treated by means of standard balloon angioplasty (16%), drug-coated balloon angioplasty (27%), or drug-eluting stent (55%) implantation. The primary feasibility outcome measure was the incidence of a minimum clinically relevant improvement of ≥4 in the 6-question International Index of Erectile Function Questionnaire (IIEF-6) score at 12 months. Clinical effectiveness was improvement in erectile function as quantified in the mean difference (MD) of the IIEF-15 score at 3 and 12 months as well as the mean changes in IIEF-15 questions 3 and 4. Results: Procedure success was achieved in 49 (98%) of 50 patients. At 12 months, 30 (65%) of 46 patients achieved a minimum clinically relevant improvement in the IIEF-6 score. The overall IIEF-15 score, as well as scores for questions 3 and 4, improved in 32 (65%) of 49 patients, 28 (57%) of 49 patients, and 29 (60%) of 48 patients, respectively. Change in the overall IIEF-15 score at 12 months was consistent among subgroups, except for elderly patients [MD −5.0 (95% CI −9.7 to −0.2), p=0.041] and those with hypertension [MD −11.0 (95% CI −20.5 to −1.5), p=0.025], who showed less improvement. Conclusion: Endovascular revascularization was safe and efficacious in the majority of ED patients through 1 year.
Phagocytosis of monosodium urate crystals by human synoviocytes induces inflammation
Authors: Zamudio-Cuevas Yessica , Fernández-Torres Javier , Martínez-Nava Gabriela Angélica , Martínez-Flores Karina , Ramírez Olvera Adriana , Medina-Luna Daniel , Hernández Pérez Alma Delia , Landa-Solís Carlos , López-Reyes Alberto
Published: February 2019

Synovial cells play a crucial part in gouty arthritis, with different features for the inflammation within the joint. However, there is no information about how the synoviocytes can mediate the activation of inflammation. We hypothesized that the process of monosodium urate (MSU) crystal uptake alters the inflammatory response of synoviocytes through regulation of unknown mechanisms. Synoviocytes were stimulated with MSU crystals, and the phagocytosis index (PhIx) was evaluated by counting of cells with MSU ingested using polarized light microscopy. Additionally, transmission electron microscopy and flow cytometry were performed. Secretion of cytokines was measured by a panel of immunoassays. Changes in gene expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 ( HIF1A), von Hippel-Lindau ( VHL), and vascular endothelial growth factor ( VEGF) were evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Protein levels were detected by ELISA. MSU crystals induced a time-dependent increase in PhIx and the formation of numerous secretory vesicles and cavities located in the cytoplasm. Culture supernatants of MSU-treated cells had high levels of the cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, and MCP-1, and the growth factors NGF and HGF. The decrease in HIF1A gene expression was 0.58-fold, and overexpression of VHL and VEGF genes was 1.98- and 4-fold, respectively, in MSU-treated synoviocytes compared to untreated cells. Additionally, VEGF levels were increased. The identification of phagocytosis of MSU crystals triggering an inflammatory cellular state in synoviocytes suggests a possible mechanism of synovial activation in the pathogenesis of crystal-induced arthritis.

Impact statement

Gout is distinguished by an inflammatory process that is mediated by phagocytosis of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals in synoviocytes by regulation of unknown mechanisms. Here we suggest that the synovial cells play a crucial role in gouty arthritis by activating inflammation by MSU uptake and increasing the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, MCP-1, and the growth factors NGF and HGF. We discuss some co-existing features in synoviocytes, including anomalous morphologies of the cells, and microvesicle formation, dysregulation in VEGF gene expression. We provide evidence that phagocytosis of MSU crystals triggers an inflammatory cellular state in synoviocytes in the pathogenesis of crystal-induced arthritis.