bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effective Method Using a Stool in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) on Dialysis Chair
Authors: Ifuku Takeshi , Hitosugi Takashi , Kawakubo Yoshfumi , Tanaka Tomoyuki , Doi Kazuto , Yokoyama Takeshi
Published: July 2020

Background. Heart failure is the leading cause of death in dialysis patients. Cardiac arrest due to hypotension may also occur during dialysis therapy. If cardiac arrest is elicited, manual chest compressions (MCCs) should be started as soon as possible. However, all types of dialysis chairs are not stable for MCC, because there is no steady support between the backboard of the dialysis chair and the floor. These conditions may alter the effectiveness of MCC. Methods. We investigated whether a round chair is effective in supporting the dialysis chair for MCC. Four adult males performed MCC on a mannequin placed on three dialysis chairs. MCC was performed in sets of 2 (each set was 100 times per minute) per person, with and without a round chair. A total of 4,800 compressions were performed by four executors. Results. When the chair was not used as a stabilizer, the mean values of the fluctuation range were 20.8 ± 8.1 mm, 18.7 ± 5.5 mm, and 12.8 ± 1.8 mm, respectively. When the chair was used, the mean values of the fluctuation range were 6.1 ± 1.1 mm, 7.5 ± 2.1 mm, and 1.0 ± 0 mm, decreasing by 70%, 59%, and 92%. Conclusion. MCC performed with the stool under the backrest as a stabilizer was effective in supporting the dialysis chair.
The Impact of Spatial Structure on Economic Efficiency of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Megalopolis in China
Authors: Huang Xingling , Li Guoping , Liu Jianguo
Published: July 2020

This study constructs a theoretical model and empirical framework concerning how spatial structure affects economic efficiency using data on the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) megaregion between 2008 and 2017. The study finds the following: ① the development of the internal spatial structure of the BTH urban agglomeration is unequal. The populations of most cities in the urban agglomeration are still in a dispersed state. Although urban populations have tended to agglomerate around multiple subcenter units in the cities, the trend towards population agglomeration around city centers is not found to be significant. ② The total factor productivity (TFP) of the BTH urban agglomeration was not high in most years between 2008 and 2017, showing a fluctuating downward trend overall. The TFP of the urban agglomeration showed differential regional patterns. The decline of TFP growth in the BTH urban agglomeration is mainly due to declining technological progress, technological efficiency, and scale efficiency. Resource input remains the major driving force behind the development of the BTH megaregion. ③ Concerning how the spatial structure of the urban agglomeration affected economic efficiency, the study finds that primacy, urban Gini index, urban population size, human capital, informatization level, industrial structure, and science and technology levels have positive effects on economic efficiency, whereas dispersion, governmental role, economic openness, and land input have negative effects. This study has several policy implications. Achieving coordinated and integrated development of the BTH urban agglomeration will require constructing a scientific and regional spatial system, improving the development levels of regional central cities, divesting Beijing of noncapital functions, and reshaping the industrial layout of the BTH megaregion in an orderly manner, while continuously improving the internal hierarchical structure of urban agglomeration and strengthening intercity economic connections.
An Introduction to Complex Systems Science and Its Applications
Authors: Siegenfeld Alexander F. , Bar-Yam Yaneer
Published: July 2020

The standard assumptions that underlie many conceptual and quantitative frameworks do not hold for many complex physical, biological, and social systems. Complex systems science clarifies when and why such assumptions fail and provides alternative frameworks for understanding the properties of complex systems. This review introduces some of the basic principles of complex systems science, including complexity profiles, the tradeoff between efficiency and adaptability, the necessity of matching the complexity of systems to that of their environments, multiscale analysis, and evolutionary processes. Our focus is on the general properties of systems as opposed to the modeling of specific dynamics; rather than provide a comprehensive review, we pedagogically describe a conceptual and analytic approach for understanding and interacting with the complex systems of our world. This paper assumes only a high school mathematical and scientific background so that it may be accessible to academics in all fields, decision-makers in industry, government, and philanthropy, and anyone who is interested in systems and society.
The Influence of Floorball on Hematological Parameters: Consequences in Health Assessment and Antidoping Testing
Authors: Wedin Johan O. , Henriksson Anders E.
Published: July 2020

Assessment of hematological parameters is common in sports medicine. Although physical exercise is an important preanalytical variable, data about acute hematological changes after high-intensity intermittent exercise are scarce. This study aimed to examine floorball as a potential preanalytical variable for hematological parameters used in health assessment and antidoping testing. Twenty-three professional male floorball players participated in a floorball game. Hematological parameters including hemoglobin, erythrocyte count and erythrocyte indices, reticulocytes, white blood cells (WBC), platelets, reticulocytes, and OFF-hr score were assessed at baseline, immediately postgame, and at 2 h postgame. Median hemoglobin concentration decreased significantly from 146 g/L pregame to 141 g/L immediately postgame (p<0.001). WBC count increased from 7.2 × 109/L pregame to 10.1 × 109/L 2 h postgame (p<0.001). The median OFF-hr score decreased from 99.5 to 94.2 immediately postgame and remained significantly lower than baseline at 2 h postgame (94.4, p=0.030). Looking at individual results, the highest OFF-hr score increased from 120 at baseline to 124 at 2 h postgame. Our findings suggest that participation in a floorball game affects several hematological parameters and consequently can affect health assessment and antidoping testing.
“Does the Response to Morning Medication Predict the ADL-Level of the Day in Parkinson’s Disease?”
Authors: Hørmann Thomsen Trine , Kjær Troels Wesenberg , Bastrup Jørgensen Lene , Haahr Anita , Winge Kristian
Published: July 2020

Background. Individuals with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) have bradykinesia during mobility tasks in the morning before intake of dopaminergic treatment and have difficulties managing Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). Early morning off (EMO) refers to off-states in the morning where the severity of bradykinesia is increased and causes a decrease in mobility related to wearing off of effects of medication. Measurements from devices capable of continuously recording motor symptoms may provide insight into the patient’s response to medication and possible impact on ADLs. Objectives. To test whether poor or slow response to medication in the morning predicts the overall ADL-level and to assess the association between change in bradykinesia score (BKS) and the risk of having disabilities within three selected ADL-items. Methods. In this cross-sectional study, the sample consists of 34 patients with light to moderate PD. Data collection encompasses measurements from the Parkinson KinetiGraph, and the ADL-limitations are assessed by the Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) Part II. Results. The association between UPDRS- II and BKS from the algorithm was −0.082 (p<0.01), 95% CL:−0.113; −0.042). The individuals experienced disabilities in performing “Speech” (p=0.004) and “Doing hobbies” (p=0.038) when being slow or poor responders to dopaminergic therapy. The PD patients’ L-dopa equivalent dose seems to be a strong predictor of the ADL-level in the morning. Conclusion. Slow response to the medication dosages in the morning is correlated with disabilities in the overall ADL-level in PD. The combination of PD-drugs and precise, timely dosages must be considered in the improvement of the ADL-level in PD patients.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea with Paradoxical Vocal Cord Movement in Children during Sleep Endoscopy: Case Series
Authors: Newby Maxwell , Callaham Sarah , Carr Michele
Published: July 2020

Objective. To describe a series of pediatric cases of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) with paradoxical vocal cord movement noted on drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE). Materials and Methods. Case series and chart review of children who had undergone DISE for OSA that showed PVCM. Results. Three cases where paradoxical vocal cord motion (PVCM) was noted during DISE are described. Two had an enlarged adenoid, and one had no other site of obstruction. Two were treated with adenoidectomy and antireflux medications. One received proton pump inhibitors alone. In all 3 cases, OSA symptoms resolved. Conclusion. This case series of documented obstructive sleep apnea related to paradoxical vocal cord movement suggests that this entity occurs during sleep with airway obstruction. Further clarification of etiology of PVCM during OSA and its management is needed.
Network Pharmacology‐Based Strategy to Investigate the Pharmacological Mechanisms of Ginkgo biloba Extract for Aging
Authors: Liu Yanfei , Liu Yue , Zhang Wantong , Sun Mingyue , Weng Weiliang , Gao Rui
Published: July 2020

Aging is a main risk factor for a number of debilitating diseases and contributes to an increase in mortality. Previous studies have shown that Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb) can prevent and treat aging‐related diseases, but its pharmacological effects need to be further clarified. This study aimed to propose a network pharmacology‐based method to identify the therapeutic pathways of EGb for aging. The active components of EGb and targets of sample chemicals were obtained from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP) database. Information on aging‐related genes was obtained from the Human Ageing Genomic Resources database and JenAge Ageing Factor Database. Subsequently, a network containing the interactions between the putative targets of EGb and known therapeutic targets of aging was established, which was used to investigate the pharmacological mechanisms of EGb for aging. A total of 24 active components, 154 targets of active components of EGb, and 308 targets of aging were obtained. Network construction and pathway enrichment were conducted after data integration. The study found that flavonoids (quercetin, luteolin, and kaempferol) and beta‐sitosterol may be the main active components of EGb. The top eight candidate targets, namely, PTGS2, PPARG, DPP4, GSK3B, CCNA2, AR, MAPK14, and ESR1, were selected as the main therapeutic targets of EGb. Pathway enrichment results in various pathways were associated with inhibition of oxidative stress, inhibition of inflammation, amelioration of insulin resistance, and regulation of cellular biological processes. Molecular docking results showed that PPARG had better binding capacity with beta‐sitosterol, and PTGS2 had better binding capacity with kaempferol and quercetin. The main components of EGb may act on multiple targets, such as PTGS2, PPARG, DPP4, and GSK3B, to regulate multiple pathways, and play an antiaging role by inhibiting oxidative stress, inhibiting inflammation, and ameliorating insulin resistance.
Research on Innovation Performance in Heterogeneous Region: Evidence from Yangtze Economic Belt in China
Authors: Zou Lin , Zhu Yi-wen
Published: July 2020

Innovation has become the main impetus for regional development. Effective utilization of innovation resources is crucial in promoting sustainable innovation. From the theoretical aspect, there still exists uncertainty of how to effectively evaluate innovation performance. From the empirical aspect, we still doubt whether regions of higher economic level or high innovation quantity really show positive regional innovation performance, especially in heterogeneous regions. This paper uses DEA-Malmquist index to measure regional innovation performance of the Yangtze River Economic Belt in China. Regions of similar performance levels are grouped by ward clustering, analysis regional innovation performance characteristics, and problem-solving paths of regions in different development stages. The empirical research proves that overall performance of Yangtze River Economic Belt is not high. The economic core area has realized increase of innovation volume through large amount of material input and resource consumption, instead of realizing full utilization of innovative resources; how to improve the utilization rate of existing technical resources has been neglected. Different regions with similar innovation performance show different characteristics and innovation problems, including resource mismatch, input redundancy, or insufficient output. There are also some differences in the way the region’s specific innovation performance is improved.
Progression of Diabetic Retinopathy and Declining Renal Function in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Cho AJin , Park Hayne Cho , Lee Young-Ki , Shin Young Joo , Bae So Hyun , Kim Hakyoung
Published: July 2020

Background. At a university hospital in Korea, we conducted a retrospective study to determine the association of the progression of diabetic retinopathy (DR) with declining renal function in type 2 diabetes. Methods. We included a total of 1527 patients with type 2 diabetes who followed up in our diabetes clinic and underwent fundus photographic examinations from August 2006 to February 2014. DR was assessed by retinal ophthalmologists using comprehensive ophthalmologic examinations. Results. The baseline prevalence of nonproliferative DR (NPDR) and proliferative DR (PDR) was 26.5% and 14.7%, respectively. Among 1303 patients with no DR and NPDR, 134 (10.3%) patients progressed to NPDR or PDR. The progression group had longer duration of diabetes, higher fasting plasma glucose, higher HbA1c, and a higher rate of ≥20% decline in eGFR during the follow-up period. After multivariate analysis, ≥20% decline in eGFR (odds ratio 2.553, 95% CI 1.219-5.348, p=0.013) was an independent risk factor for progression of DR in patients with NPDR. Conclusion. Declining renal function was independently associated with DR progression in patients with NPDR, suggesting that investigation of DR status should be recommended for patients with declining renal function.
Treatment of an Intractable Forefoot Ulcer Using Realignment Osteotomy in a Patient with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Imai Makoto , Kondo Naoki , Kumazaki Rei , Endo Naoto
Published: July 2020

Forefoot deformities are common among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Herein, we describe a case of intractable ulceration on the dorsomedial aspect of the right 5th digit, secondary to forefoot deformity, in a 76-year-old woman with a 35-year history of RA. The ulcer was due to a persistent subcutaneous infection. Although the infection was controllable with antibiotics, there was concern of relapse because of the abnormal pressure on the skin due to an overlap of the 4th and 5th digits. We proceeded with surgical correction of the forefoot alignment, including shortening oblique osteotomy of metatarsals 2 through 5, rather than amputation of the 5th digit. Following surgery, targeted antibiotic treatment was provided. The postoperative course was unremarkable, and the patient recovered weight-bearing function without recurrence of pain or ulceration. Forefoot realignment is a feasible option that should be considered for treating intractable foot pain and ulceration secondary to long-lasting RA.
Prevalence and Antibiotic Resistance Patterns of Ocular Bacterial Strains Isolated from Pediatric Patients in University Hospital of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli,” Naples, Italy
Authors: Petrillo Francesco , Folliero Veronica , Santella Biagio , Franci Gianluigi , Foglia Francesco , Trotta Maria C. , Della Rocca Maria T. , Avitabile Teresio , Gagliano Caterina , Galdiero Marilena
Published: July 2020

Eye infections caused by bacteria are a serious public health problem among pediatric patients. These diseases, if not properly treated, can cause blindness and impaired vision. The study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial resistance profiles of the main pathogens involved in eye infections. This study involved pediatric patients enrolled at the “Luigi Vanvitelli” University Hospital of Campania in Naples, Italy, between 2017 and 2019. Of a total of 228 pediatric patients, 73 (32%) tested positive for bacterial infection. In terms of strain distribution, 85% were Gram-positive bacteria, while 15% were Gram-negative bacteria. The most frequently isolated strains were coagulase-negative Staphylococci (60.4%), followed by Staphylococcus aureus (16.4%). The isolated bacteria showed a significant percentage of resistance to multiple antibiotics. Therefore, the identification of the causal bacteria and antimicrobial sensitivity tests are mandatory to select the effective drug for the treatment of eye infections and prevent the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Bullous Lupus: An Atypical Case of Refractory Disease in a Patient with Sulfa Allergy
Authors: Salgado Guerrero Maria , Mena Miranda Oscar , Arevalo Ana B. , Barjaktarovic Nevena , Mendez Barbara
Published: July 2020

Bullous systemic lupus erythematosus (BSLE) is a rare cutaneous autoimmune disorder characterized by rapid, widespread vesiculobullous lesions in patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). BSLE can present as the initial manifestation of SLE and may be a marker of severe disease. In this case report, we present a case of a 22-year-old African American woman with BSLE and impaired renal function with subsequent nephrotic range proteinuria concerning for lupus nephritis and autoimmune hemolytic anemia, refractory to systemic corticosteroids, immunoglobulin, and mycophenolate mofetil, requiring dapsone after careful desensitization due to prior history of angioedema with sulfa drugs. This case highlights the importance of the prompt recognition of BSLE as the initial manifestations of SLE and illustrates the association of BSLE with severe disease and the benefit of concomitant use of dapsone with corticosteroids and other immunosuppressant drugs, even in patients with a history of sulfa allergy.
Bit Error Rate Analysis for FH/MFSK System with Follower Jamming
Authors: Fan Xinfeng , Tan Zhiliang , Song Peijiao
Published: July 2020

At present, methods of bit error rate (BER) analysis for frequency-hopping (FH) system can only solve the problem of barrage jamming, but these are no comprehensive means to follower jamming (FJ). This paper proposes a method of BER analysis with FJ based on frequency hopping M-ary frequency-shift keying (FH/MFSK) system. Through the analysis of the mechanism of FH/MFSK system, assuming the wireless channel is an AWGN channel, the BER formulas for different jamming types are derived, respectively, from the point of one-dimensional probability density function of the output signal of the envelope detector, while judgment principle of envelope detecting method is used. Results show that the BER of multiple FH/MFSK system with FJ is relatively lower. In the worst case of FJ, the BER of FH/4FSK system and FH/8FSK system is reduced by 2 dB and 3 dB, respectively, compared with that of FH/2FSK system. The method of BER analysis proposed provides an effective means to research the BER with FJ in depth.
Relationships between Hydropower Generation and Rainfall-Gauged and Ungauged Catchments from Sri Lanka
Authors: Perera Anushka , Rathnayake Upaka
Published: July 2020

The relationship between the rainfall and minihydropower generation in a catchment is highly nonlinear. Therefore, the prediction of minihydropower generation is complex. However, the prediction is important in optimizing the control of electricity generation under various environmental conditions. Ongoing climate variabilities have completely changed the minihydropower generation to some parts of the world, and it is significant. Therefore, this paper presents results from two soft-computing studies in searching the relationships between rainfall and the generated hydropower. The first study was carried out for a gauged catchment; however, the second was carried for an ungauged catchment. Results revealed that there is an acceptable correlation in between the rainfall and hydropower generation for the gauged catchment and a marginal contribution to the ungauged catchment.
Puerarin Exerts the Hepatoprotection from Chronic Alcohol-Induced Liver Injury via Inhibiting the Cyclooxygenase-2 and the 5-Lipoxygenase Pathway in Rats
Authors: Tian Lugao , Fan Fachao , Zheng Shihua , Tong Qiaoyun
Published: July 2020

Background: Puerarin (PR) as one of the main ingredients of the root of the traditional herb Kudzu has been suggested to improve chronic alcohol-induced liver injury. We explore the specific mechanisms of PR on hepatocellular changes after administration of alcohol. Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with 55% alcohol for 12 weeks to induce a chronic alcoholic liver damage model. Then the rats in each group were administered by oral gavage with zileuton, celecoxib, and PR for 2 weeks, respectively. Results: In the PR group, the weight loss was markedly improved and the abnormal serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase were significantly lowered after PR treatment when compared to the alcoholic liver injured model group. Pathological examination indicated that alcohol-induced hepatocellular injury was improved by the PR treatment. The 5-lipoxygenase (5-Lox) and cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) at the protein level and the mRNA level were obviously downregulated accompanied with the PR treatment. Meanwhile, the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR-γ) at the protein and mRNA level was notably elevated and the tumor necrosis factor α at the protein and mRNA level was markedly decreased following the PR treatment. Conclusion: The possible cytoprotective mechanisms of PR may be involved inhibition of the Cox-2 pathway and the 5-Lox pathway to suppress inflammatory response and regulate the protective factor PPAR-γ expression.
Assessment of Hydration Status in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients: Validity, Prognostic Value, Strengths, and Limitations of Available Techniques
Authors: Alexandrou Maria-Eleni , Balafa Olga , Sarafidis Pantelis
Published: July 2020

Background: The majority of patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD) suffer from volume overload and this overhydration is associated with increased mortality. Thus, optimal assessment of volume status in PD is an issue of paramount importance. Patient symptoms and physical signs are often unreliable indexes of true hydration status. Summary: Over the past decades, a quest for a valid, reproducible, and easily applicable technique to assess hydration status is taking place. Among existing techniques, inferior vena cava diameter measurements with echocardiography and natriuretic peptides such as brain natriuretic peptide and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide were not extensively examined in PD populations; while having certain advantages, their interpretation are complicated by the underlying cardiac status and are not widely available. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) techniques are the most studied tool assessing volume overload in PD. Volume overload assessed with BIA has been associated with technique failure and increased mortality in observational studies, but the results of randomized trials on the value of BIA-based strategies to improve volume-related outcomes are contradictory. Lung ultrasound (US) is a recent technique with the ability to identify volume excess in the critical lung area. Preliminary evidence in PD showed that B-lines from lung US correlate with echocardiographic parameters but not with BIA measurements. This review presents the methods currently used to assess fluid status in PD patients and discusses existing data on their validity, applicability, limitations, and associations with intermediate and hard outcomes in this population. Key Message: No method has proved its value as an intervening tool affecting cardiovascular events, technique, and overall survival in PD patients. As BIA and lung US estimate fluid overload in different compartments of the body, they can be complementary tools for volume status assessment.
Cost-Effectiveness of Drug Treatment for Chinese Patients With Stage I Hypertension According to the 2017 Hypertension Clinical Practice Guidelines
Authors: Zhou Yan-Feng , Liu Na , Wang Pei , Jeong Yang Jae , Song Xing-Yue , Pan Xiong-Fei , Zhang Xiaomin , He Meian , Li Honglan , Gao Yu-Tang , Xiang Yong-Bing , Wu Tangchun , Yu Danxia , Pan An
Published: July 2020

Systolic/diastolic blood pressure of 130 to 139/80 to 89 mm Hg has been defined as stage I hypertension by the 2017 Hypertension Clinical Practice Guidelines. Drug treatment is recommended for stage I hypertensive patients aged ≥65 years without cardiovascular disease in the 2017 Hypertension Clinical Practice Guidelines but not in the 2018 Chinese guidelines. However, the cost-effectiveness of drug treatment among this subgroup of Chinese patients is unclear. This study developed a microsimulation model to compare costs and effectiveness of drug treatment and nondrug treatment for the subgroup of stage I hypertensive patients over a lifetime horizon from a government affordability perspective. Event rates of mortality and cardiovascular complications were estimated from 3 cohorts in the Chinese population. Costs and health utilities were obtained from the national statistics report and published literature. The model predicted that drug treatment generated quality-adjusted life-years of 13.52 and associated with expected costs of $6825 in comparison with 13.81 and $7328 produced by nondrug treatment over a lifetime horizon among stage I hypertensive patients aged ≥65 years without cardiovascular disease. At a willingness-to-pay threshold of $8836/quality-adjusted life-year (the GDP per capita in 2017), drug treatment only had a 1.8% probability of being cost-effective compared with nondrug treatment after 10 000 probabilistic simulations. Sensitivity analysis of treatment costs, benefits expected from treatment, health utilities, and discount rates did not change the results. Our results suggested that drug treatment was not cost-effective compared with nondrug treatment for stage I hypertensive patients aged ≥65 years without cardiovascular disease in China.
Fibrinogen-Like Protein 2-Associated Transcriptional and Histopathological Features of Immunological Preeclampsia
Authors: Robineau-Charette Pascale , Grynspan David , Benton Samantha J. , Gaudet Jeremiah , Cox Brian J. , Vanderhyden Barbara C. , Bainbridge Shannon A.
Published: July 2020

Preeclampsia is a multifactorial hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, with variable presentation in both maternal and fetal factors, such that no treatment or marker is currently universal to all cases. Here, we demonstrate that the prothrombinase and immunomodulatory secreted factor FGL-2 (fibrinogen-like protein 2) is differentially expressed across previously characterized gene expression clusters containing clinically relevant disease subtypes.
FGL2
is low in a cluster consistent with the traditional paradigm of the pathology of preeclampsia (canonical preeclampsia) and high in a cluster exhibiting evidence of immune activation (immunological preeclampsia). We show that it is part of an immunoregulatory gene module integral to the transcriptional profile and placental pathology specific to immunological preeclampsia. We determine that
FGL2
associates positively with chronic inflammation lesions of the placenta while associating negatively with maternal vascular malperfusion lesions. The transcriptional profiles of maternal vascular malperfusion lesions show downregulation of
FGL2
and upregulation of previously investigated preeclampsia biomarkers, such as FLT1 (Fms Related Receptor Tyrosine Kinase 1) and ENG (endoglin). Conversely, the profiles of chronic inflammation lesions show an interesting downregulation of these genes, but an upregulation of
FGL2
and of
FGL2
-correlated immunoregulatory genes, suggesting it is upregulated downstream of major inflammatory mediators such as TNF (tumor necrosis factor)-α and IFN (interferon)-γ, hallmarks of the immunological preeclampsia subtype. This work, overall, demonstrates that FGL-2 expression levels in the term placenta reflect the unique pathophysiology that leads to immunological preeclampsia, leading to its potential as a subtype-specific biomarker.
Ziziphus ridleyana, a new name for Ziziphus macrophylla Ridl. (Rhamnaceae)

Authors: RASINGAM LADAN , KARTHIGEYAN K.
Published: July 2020

The genus Ziziphus Miller (1754: 1547) is one of the economically important genera in the family Rhamnaceae distributed in the tropical and subtropical regions (Mabberley 2008). About 135 species are reported from the world, and most of the species are confined to Asia and America. A few of them extend to the Pacific Islands and Australia (Bhandari & Bhansali 2000; Ara et al. 2008). The genus is characterized by its 3 or 5-nerved leaves, often with stipular spines and drupaceous fruits with a solitary pyrene (Ara et al. 2008). Ziziphus macrophylla Ridley (1931: 494) was described by H.N. Ridley based on the collections by Haviland from Lundo area of Sarawak region, Borneo. He named the species as Z. macrophylla based its long leaves. Unfortunately, it is a later homonym of Ziziphus macrophylla Schimper (1874: 224), a fossil species described based on the leaf from Köflach, Styria, Austria. According to the article 53.1 (Turland et al. 2018), Z. macrophylla Ridley is illegitimate, and hence a new name is proposed here.
Observations of Upper-Tropospheric Temperature Inversions in the Indian Monsoon and Their Links to Convectively Forced Quasi-Stationary Kelvin Waves
Authors: Newton Richard , Randel William
Published: July 2020

High-vertical-resolution temperature measurements from GPS radio occultation data show frequent upper-tropospheric inversions over the equatorial Indian Ocean during the summer monsoon season. Each year, around 30% of profiles in this region have temperature inversions near 15 km during the monsoon season, peaking during July–September. This work describes the space–time behavior of these inversions, and their links to transient deep convection. The Indian Ocean inversions occur episodically several times each summer, with a time scale of 1–2 weeks, and are quasi stationary or slowly eastward moving. Strong inversions are characterized by cold anomalies in the upper-troposphere (12–15 km), warm anomalies in the tropopause layer (16–18 km), and strong zonal wind anomalies that are coherent with temperature anomalies. Temperature and wind anomalies are centered over the equator and show a characteristic eastward phase tilt with height with a vertical wavelength near 5 km, consistent with a Kelvin wave structure. Composites of outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) show that strong inversions are linked to enhanced deep convection over the equatorial Indian Ocean, preceding the inversions by ~2–6 days. These characteristics suggest that the inversions are linked to convectively forced Kelvin waves, which are Doppler shifted by the easterly monsoonal winds such that they remain quasi stationary in the equatorial Indian Ocean. These large-scale waves influence circulation on the equatorial side of the Indian monsoon anticyclone; they may provide a positive feedback to the underlying convection, and are possibly linked with regions of shear-induced turbulence.
An Internal Atmospheric Process Determining Summertime Arctic Sea Ice Melting in the Next Three Decades: Lessons Learned from Five Large Ensembles and Multiple CMIP5 Climate Simulations
Authors: Topál Dániel , Ding Qinghua , Mitchell Jonathan , Baxter Ian , Herein Mátyás , Haszpra Tímea , Luo Rui , Li Qingquan
Published: July 2020

Arctic sea ice melting processes in summer due to internal atmospheric variability have recently received considerable attention. A regional barotropic atmospheric process over Greenland and the Arctic Ocean in summer (June–August), featuring either a year-to-year change or a low-frequency trend toward geopotential height rise, has been identified as an essential contributor to September sea ice loss, in both observations and the CESM1 Large Ensemble (CESM-LE) of simulations. This local melting is further found to be sensitive to remote sea surface temperature (SST) variability in the east-central tropical Pacific Ocean. Here, we utilize five available large “initial condition” Earth system model ensembles and 31 CMIP5 models’ preindustrial control simulations to show that the same atmospheric process, resembling the observed one and the one found in the CESM-LE, also dominates internal sea ice variability in summer on interannual to interdecadal time scales in preindustrial, historical, and future scenarios, regardless of the modeling environment. However, all models exhibit limitations in replicating the magnitude of the observed local atmosphere–sea ice coupling and its sensitivity to remote tropical SST variability in the past four decades. These biases call for caution in the interpretation of existing models’ simulations and fresh thinking about models’ credibility in simulating interactions of sea ice variability with the Arctic and global climate systems. Further efforts toward identifying the causes of these model limitations may provide implications for alleviating the biases and improving interannual- and decadal-time-scale sea ice prediction and future sea ice projection.
A National Analysis of Traumatic Thoracic Aortic Repair: Does Insurance Status Matter?
Authors: Elkbuli Adel , Dowd Brianna , Narvel Raed Ismail , Smith Zachary , McKenney Mark , Boneva Dessy
Published: July 2020

Background

Traumatic thoracic aortic injuries (TAIs) carry a substantial mortality. Our study aim was to evaluate the impact of insurance status on outcomes in severely injured trauma patients after either thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) or open repair using the National Trauma Data Bank Research Data Set (NTDB-RDS).

Methods

The NTDB-RDS was reviewed for outcomes in severely injured patients and TAI repair method (TEVAR vs open). Patients were divided into insured (Medicaid, Medicare, private insurance) and uninsured (self-pay) status groups. Patients were further divided by injury severity score (ISS) of 15-24 and ≥25 to adjust for injury burden. Demographic characteristics and outcome measures were compared. Chi-square, t-test, and analysis of variance were used with significance defined as P < .05.

Results

Within the NTDB-RDS, a review of nearly 1 million patients led to 241 that underwent repair for TAI and had insurance status and repair type documented. 88.8% (214/241) of patients were insured, while 11.2% (27/241) of patients were uninsured. There were no significant differences in repair type based on insurance status. For open repair with an ISS ≥25, mortality was significantly higher in the uninsured group compared with insured (55.5% vs 21.9%, P = .001).

Conclusion

For open repair in patients with TAI and high injury burden, uninsured status was associated with a significant increase in mortality rate compared with insured patients. Future studies should investigate the effect of insurance type on TAI outcomes and causes of higher mortality in uninsured patients.
No Evidence of Within-Domain Moral Licensing in the Environmental Domain
Authors: Urban Jan , Braun Kohlová Markéta , Bahník Štěpán
Published: July 2020

Several studies have suggested that people might be less likely to engage in proenvironmental behavior subsequent to their prior engagement in proenvironmental behavior. We have conducted a preregistered replication of one such recent study of within-domain licensing in the area of environmental protection. Our replication was extended with an analysis of self-perception as a potential mediator of licensing and environmental attitude as its moderator. The results of our web-based experiment ( N = 1,765) show that recollection of past proenvironmental behavior does not diminish subsequent support of a proenvironmental energy policy or proenvironmental intention, and that environmental attitude does not moderate licensing. We only found some evidence of an indirect effect of recollection on subsequent policy support and proenvironmental intention, mediated by self-perception; the pattern of mediation is, however, inconsistent with the licensing theory. We have not replicated the licensing effect observed in the original study.
Social capital and mental health problems among Syrian refugee adolescents: The mediating roles of perceived social support and post-traumatic symptoms
Authors: Duren Rahşan , Yalçın Özgen
Published: July 2020

Background:

Social capital is one of the prominent components of refugee mental health. However, its role on mental health is poorly understood.

Aims:

The aim of the present study was to investigate the nature of the association between social capital and mental health problems in refugee adolescents.

Method:

A cross-sectional study with three hundred twenty-one 12- to 18-year-old Syrian refugee adolescents was conducted in Turkey. We administered the Arabic versions of the following instruments in school settings: The Social Trust, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), The Children’s Impact of Event Scale (CRIES-8) and The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).

Results:

The mediation analyses with Hayes’ PROCESS Macro revealed that perceived social support and the intensity of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms fully mediated the relationship between social capital and mental health problems.

Conclusion:

The results suggested social trust’s two distinct functions which impair the likelihood of mental health problems: (a) social trust might help to facilitate perceived social support from family and friends and (b) social trust might impair the intensity of traumatic experiences.
Activation of Literal Word Meanings in Idioms: Evidence from Eye-tracking and ERP Experiments
Authors: Kessler Ruth , Weber Andrea , Friedrich Claudia K.
Published: July 2020

How the language processing system handles formulaic language such as idioms is a matter of debate. We investigated the activation of constituent meanings by means of predictive processing in an eye-tracking experiment and in two ERP experiments (auditory and visual). In the eye-tracking experiment, German-speaking participants listened to idioms in which the final word was excised ( Hannes let the cat out of the . . .). Well before the offset of these idiom fragments, participants fixated on the correct idiom completion ( bag) more often than on unrelated distractors ( stomach). Moreover, there was an early fixation bias towards semantic associates ( basket) of the correct completion, which ended shortly after the offset of the fragment. In the ERP experiments, sentences (spoken or written) either contained complete idioms, or the final word of the idiom was replaced with a semantic associate or with an unrelated word. Across both modalities, ERPs reflected facilitated processing of correct completions across several regions of interest (ROIs) and time windows. Facilitation of semantic associates was only reliably evident in early components for auditory idiom processing. The ERP findings for spoken idioms compliment the eye-tracking data by pointing to early decompositional processing of idioms. It seems that in spoken idiom processing, holistic representations do not solely determine lexical processing.
Locating the interstitial island: Integration of Zhoushan Archipelago into the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration
Authors: Zhang Huan , Grydehøj Adam
Published: July 2020

Amidst the debate concerning how to interpret the emergence of new forms of urbanism in today’s world, little attention has been given to urban interstices – the inter-urban boundary areas and interface zones that facilitate exchange between and within vast urban systems. The present paper considers how place is made and developed at these interstices, which frequently provide essential urban functions but are also frequently regarded as rural. We explore this topic through the case of Zhoushan Archipelago (Zhejiang Province, China), an interface zone both between cities within the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration and between the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration and other megaregions. Like many islands, Zhoushan Archipelago has long been conceptualised as peripheral to the urban yet has simultaneously performed vital urban functions. The paper uses this case to shed light on what interstitiality (in-betweenness) means in today’s urbanism, both for the people living ‘in-between’ and for the wider urban system.
Public Service Motivation and Employee Change-Supportive Intention: Utilizing the Theory of Planned Behavior
Authors: Hassan Hemin Ali , Zhang Xiaodong , Ahmad Ahmad Bayiz , Liu Bangcheng
Published: July 2020

Implementing change is considered as a difficult task for public organizations. Some individual dispositional factors have been suggested to influence recipient responses to change in public organizations. Past research has shown a link between public service motivation (PSM) and employee positive responses to organizational change. However, the psychological processes underlining this relationship are not specified. Building on the PSM theory and the theory of planned behavior (TPB), this study examines the role of psychological variables (attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control) in mediating the relationship between PSM and change-supportive intention. A sample of 143 employees is collected from a public university in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq that was going through a change initiative. The results revealed that PSM predicts change-supportive intention, and the relationship between PSM and change-supportive intention is mediated by change-related attitude and subjective norm. The implications of the findings for theory and practice are discussed.
Hybrid fuzzy direct/indirect adaptive controller for uncertain nonlinear systems
Authors: Bibi Youssouf , Bouhali Omar , Bouktir Tarek
Published: July 2020

This paper describes a new approach to adaptive control of uncertain nonlinear systems. A fuzzy logic controller is used to combine both direct and indirect methods. Based on the fuzzy neural networks, the plant unknown nonlinear functions are estimated, and then combined to form the indirect control law. In parallel, another fuzzy neural network approximates the direct adaptive control. According to the modelling error and its derivatives, the fuzzy logic controller modulates between direct and indirect adaptive controllers. The global stability of the overall system is shown by constructing a Lyapunov function. The simulation results show that within this scheme, the control objectives can be achieved with a fast convergence and optimal control for different dynamic regimes.
Sensing Race as a Ghost Variable in Science, Technology, and Medicine
Authors: Karkazis Katrina , Jordan-Young Rebecca
Published: July 2020

Ghost variables are variables in program languages that do not correspond to physical entities. This special issue, based on a panel on “Race as a Ghost Variable” at the 2017 Meeting of the Society for Social Studies of Science, traces ideas of “race” in particular niches of science, technology, and medicine where it is submerged and disavowed, yet wields power. Each paper is a case study exploring ghosts that emerge through the resonance among things as heterogeneous as hair patterns, hormone levels, food tastes, drug use, clinic locations, proximity to disaster, job classifications, and social belonging and suspicion, all of which vibrate with meanings accumulated over long racial histories. Together, the papers further elaborate methods and analytic models for identifying the operations of race—the relations and processes that make it, the effects that it has. A chief appeal of the metaphor of the ghost is that it brings the importance of history to the fore. Ghosts are simultaneously history and the present, not just an accretion of earlier experiences, but the palimpsest left when one tries to erase them. Sometimes faint and hard to discern, sometimes rambunctious and disruptive, ghosts refuse our attempts to simply move on.
Microvariation in multilingual situations: The importance of property-by-property acquisition: Pros and cons
Authors: Flynn Suzanne
Published: July 2020

This provocative article raises many important issues that need to be addressed and in so doing will advance the fields of second language (L2) and third language (L3) acquisition in several important ways. Fundamental questions concerning multilingual development persist especially with respect to the role of Universal Grammar in this language learning process. This response article has a dual role: It first outlines those areas of agreement with the proposals made in this article and, second, it discusses those areas of the proposed model that need to be confronted in order to have the model evaluated as a fully viable one.
Confronting Empires: Manhae's Understanding of Buddhism
Authors: Woosung Huh
Published: July 2020

This paper outlines some key ideas of the twentieth-century Buddhist monk Han Yong-un, or Manhae. It focuses in particular on Manhae's social engagement under the Japanese occupation. It underlines the role played by Manhae's doctrine in reviving a national sentiment and culture in Korea. It elaborates on his doctrine of the Loved one, or nim, sketches the mutual influences of Buddhism and Confucianism in his thought, and builds on his critique of imperialism, militarism, and Korean “self-ruination.”
Intimate Partner Violence and Risk for Mortality and Incident Dementia in Older Women
Authors: Cations Monica , Keage Hannah A. D. , Laver Kate E. , Byles Julie , Loxton Deborah
Published: July 2020

The aim of this study was to assess the long-term risk for mortality and incident dementia associated with exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) at any time over the life course. Data were taken from the Australian Longitudinal Study of Women’s Health, a population-based cohort study initiated in 1996. Analysis is based on 12,085 community-dwelling women aged 70 to 75 years at baseline from all states and territories. Self-reported exposure to violence was separated into historical (any time before baseline), current (past 12 months), or both. Date of death was obtained from the National Death Index, and dementia status was self-reported or obtained from administrative data. We modeled mortality risk using Cox regression, and risk for incident dementia using Fine-Gray proportional hazards modeling with death as a competing risk. Follow up continued to December 2017. At baseline, 728 women (6.0%) reported historical IPV, 121 (1.0%) reported current violence, and 38 reported both (0.3%). Historical IPV increased 20-year mortality risk after controlling for demographic, socioeconomic, and lifestyle variables (hazard ratio 1.10, 95% confidence interval = [1.00, 1.20]). There was no relationship between current violence and mortality (hazard ratio 1.04, 95% confidence interval = [0.85, 1.29]). There was also no association between IPV and risk for incident dementia (hazard ratio 1.02, 95% confidence interval = [0.89, 1.17]). Older women who self-report exposure to IPV over the lifespan die significantly earlier than women who do not. Further research that considers the mediating role of psychological trauma is needed to examine the relationship between IPV and dementia.