bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A new genus and species of high intertidal barnacle (Cirripedia, Tetraclitidae) from Baja California Sur, México
Authors: GOMEZ-DAGLIO LIZA , VAN SYOC ROBERT
Published: March 2019

A new genus and species, Lissaclita melaniae (Tetraclitidae), is described from the Gulf of California, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Lissaclita has a secondarily divided single row of parietal tubes without septa, lack of tubes in the radii, diametric shell growth, and a membranous basis. This combination of characters does not agree with any currently described subfamily within the Tetraclitidae. Lacking a detailed phylogenetic analysis of the entire family, we place the new genus in the Tetraclitidae without assigning it to a subfamily.
Anatomical investigation of the slender catshark Schroederichthys tenuis Springer, 1966, with notes on intrageneric relationships (Chondrichthyes: Carcharhiniformes: Scyliorhinidae)
Authors: GOMES ULISSES L. , PETERS GERHARD O. , DE CARVALHO MARCELO R. , GADIG OTTO B.F.
Published: March 2019

The slender catshark Schroedericthys tenuis Springer, 1966, originally described from two immature males, is redescribed on the basis of 12 specimens of both sexes, juveniles and adults (as well as the holotype and paratype). The supplementary specimens were collected off the northern coast of Brazil between Amapá and Pará states. Aspects of its external morphology, color pattern, dermal denticles, dentition, vertebral counts, and the cephalic, clasper and pectoral fin skeleton are described in detail and fully illustrated. These features are compared with those of congeneric species. Our observations support preliminary results of work in progress that S. maculatus Springer, 1966, S. tenuis and S. saurisqualus Soto, 2003 form a monophyletic group, mostly on the basis of neurocranial morphology, and that S. bivius (Smith, 1838) and S. chilensis (Guichenot, 1848) should be removed from Schroederichthys.
Nomenclatural changes and notes in the tribe Erythroneurini (Homoptera: Cicadellidae: Typhlocybinae)
Authors: DMITRIEV DMITRY A. , DIETRICH CHRISTOPHER H.
Published: March 2019

New replacement names are proposed for 5 genera, 1 subgenus, and 1 species of the tribe Erythroneurini. One homonymous genus name is replaced by its junior synonym. The following changes are proposed: genera Neolokia nom. nov. for Lokia Thapa (not Ris), Makia nom. nov. for Makilingana Mahmood (not Miller), Hepneriana Dworakowska for Mandera Ahmed (not Fauvel), Theroniana nom. nov. for Sandia Theron (not Clench & Ehrlich), Damaniana nom. nov. for Damania Thapa (not Smith), Thapaia nom. nov. for Masaakia Thapa (not Takeuchi), subgenus Ratburella (Buraria) nom. nov. for Ratburella (Burara) Dworakowska (not Swinhoe), species Erythroneura (Eratoneura) hepneri nom. nov. for E. (E.) spatulata Ross (not Beamer).
Biology of Monocystis clubae sp. nov. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida) from an Indian earthworm Lampito mauritii (Annelida: Oligochaeta) of India
Authors: BANDYOPADHYAY PROBIR K. , MITRA AMLAN K. , MALLIK PARTHA
Published: March 2019

Surveys of the endoparasitic acephaline gregarines in West Bengal revealed a new species of the genus Monocystis Stein, 1848, that resides in the seminal vesicle of the earthworm Lampito mauritii. Monocystis clubae sp. nov. is characterized by a club-shaped gamont having a taillike structure at the posterior end and measures 104.0–179.0 (160.0±24.5) µm x 62.5–71.0 (64.0±6.5) µm. Shape of the gametocysts are rounded to ovoid and measures 88.0–107.0 (104.0±1.3) µm x 86.0–102.0 µm (96.0±1.9) µm in diameter. Oocysts are navicular in shape and measures 9.6–11.0 (10.4± 0.3) µm x 7.3–8.0 (7.6±0.2) µm.
Moenkhausia pankilopteryx, new species from rio Tocantins drainage, Brazil (Ostariophysi: Characiformes, Characidae)
Authors: BERTACO VINICIUS A. , LUCINDA PAULO H.F.
Published: March 2019

A new characid species, Moenkhausia pankilopteryx, is described from the rio Tocantins drainage. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by the combination of 37–41 pored scales in the lateral line; a deep body, 43.3–51.0 % SL; the presence of bony hooks on all fins of mature males; a caudal-peduncle spot; two humeral spots, the first of which is black, larger and vertically elongate, with the second dark and very diffuse (not visible in some specimens); two or three tricuspid or pentacuspid maxillary teeth; and anal-fin rays: ii–iv, 24–27.
A Moist Conceptual Model for the Boundary Layer Structure and Radiatively Driven Shallow Circulations in the Trades
Authors: Naumann Ann Kristin , Stevens Bjorn , Hohenegger Cathy
Published: March 2019

A conceptual model is developed to analyze how radiative cooling and the effect of moisture and shallow convection modify the boundary layer (BL) structure and the strength of mesoscale shallow circulations. The moist BL allows for a convective mass flux to modify the BL mass balance, which enhances inversion entrainment compared to a dry case and acts as a moisture valve to the BL. The convective mass flux is found to be insensitive to the applied radiative cooling and in the absence of heterogeneities cloud-free conditions exist only for unusual large-scale forcings. The model is able to explain the moderate range of BL heights and humidities observed in the trades. In a two-column setup, differential radiative BL cooling causes a pressure difference, which drives a BL flow from the cold and moist column to the warm and dry column and couples them dynamically. The small inversion buoyancy jump of the moist BL yields a stronger BL flow of 4 m s−1 instead of 1 m s−1 in the dry case. For typical conditions of the subsidence-dominated tropical oceans, a radiatively driven shallow circulation is stronger than one driven by sea surface temperature (SST) gradients. While the strength of the SST-driven circulation decreases with decreasing SST difference, the radiatively driven circulation is insensitive to the radiative BL cooling difference. In both cases, convection is suppressed in the descending branch of the shallow circulation and enhanced in the ascending branch, resembling patterns of organized shallow convection.
Turbulent Collapse and Recovery in the Stable Boundary Layer Using an Idealized Model of Pressure-Driven Flow with a Surface Energy Budget
Authors: Holdsworth Amber M. , Monahan Adam H.
Published: March 2019

The evolution of the stable boundary layer is simulated using an idealized single-column model of pressure-driven flow coupled to a surface energy budget. Several commonly used parameterizations of turbulence are examined. The agreement between the simulated wind and temperature profiles and tower observations from the Cabauw tower is generally good given the simplicity of the model. The collapse and recovery of turbulence is explored in the presence of a large-scale pressure gradient, but excluding transient submesoscale atmospheric forcings such as internal waves and density-driven currents. The sensitivity tests presented here clarify the role of both rotation and the surface energy budget in the collapse and recovery of turbulence for the pressure-driven dry stable boundary layer (SBL). Conditions of stability are affected strongly by the geostrophic winds, the cloud cover, and the thermal conductivity of the surface. Inertial oscillations and the subsurface temperature have a weaker influence. Particularly noteworthy is the relationship between SBL regime and the relative importance of the terms in the surface energy budget.
Lyapunov Exponents and Temperature Transitions in a Warming Australia
Authors: Gilmore Stephen
Published: March 2019

Multiple potential tipping points in the Earth system that involve alternative states have been identified that are susceptible to anthropogenic forcing. Past events—from millions of years ago to within the last century—have manifest as abrupt changes in climatic indicators such as the temperature record. Recent unprecedented heat waves in Australia, their associated devastation, and the considerations above provide motivation to ask whether the Australian daily maximum temperature record has been subject to such abrupt changes. Using a new diagnostic tool—the Lyapunov plot—here it is shown that multiple temperature transitions have occurred with respect to the maximum daily temperature record in widely separated locations in Australia over the last 150 years. All maximum Lyapunov exponents are positive in sign, indicating that the transitions are chaos-to-chaos transitions, and that the different climate modes identified are likely to be manifestations of distinct chaotic attractors. Many of these events occur simultaneously with transitions or extremes in the major natural cycles affecting Australia’s climate, but this observation is not universal. It is known that chaos-to-chaos transitions can result in changes in the value(s) of the state variable(s) that can range from subtle to severe. Although the identified transitions are not catastrophic, this observation does not rule out the possibility of severe, unprecedented, and discontinuous increases in average daily maximum temperatures occurring in Australia at any time within the next few decades.
Effective Implementation of Culturally Appropriate Tools in Addressing Overweight and Obesity in an Urban Underserved Early Childhood Population in Pediatric Primary Care
Authors: Herbst Rachel Becker , Khalsa Amrik Singh , Schlottmann Haley , Kerrey Mary Kathleen , Glass Katherine , Burkhardt Mary Carol
Published: March 2019

Overweight and obese children are at an increased risk of remaining obese. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends addressing healthy habits at well-child checks, but this poses challenges, especially in low-income populations. A clinical innovation project was designed to adapt recommendations in a busy urban clinic and consisted of motivational interviewing, culturally tailored tools, and standardizing documentation. A quasi-experimental design examined innovation outcomes. Of 137 overweight and obese children aged 24 to 66 months, providers’ documentation of weight during well-child check visits improved post-innovation ( P < .01), as did development of healthy habits goals ( P < .001). Families were more likely to return for visits post-innovation ( P = .01). A logistic regression analysis showed that adding body mass index to the problem list and establishing a specific follow-up timeframe most predicted follow-up visits to assess progress ( P < .001). Comprehensive innovations consisting of motivational interviewing, implementation of culturally tailored tools, and standardized documentation can enhance engagement in an urban clinic setting.
Injury and Illness Depicted in Running-Related Films
Authors: Olympia Robert P. , Nelson Abigail , Patterson Kelly , Groff Andrew , Brady Jodi
Published: March 2019

The perception that children and adolescents have of injury and illness may be influenced by their depiction in sport-related films. The objective of this study was to determine the depiction of injury and illness in a select number of running-related films. A sample of 31 running-related films were analyzed, with a total of 77 injuries/illnesses depicted. The most common injuries/illnesses depicted were categorized as exertional heat exhaustion/stroke (26%), lower leg muscle cramps/not heat related (12%), ankle sprain (9%), knee ligamentous/meniscus injury (6%), exercise-associated collapse/not heat related (6%), and blister of the toe/foot (6%). Overall, 48/67 (64%) of the injuries/illnesses were considered severe emergencies (injury/illness requiring prompt intervention and immediate discontinuation of sport participation). The disposition of 46% of severe emergencies was the immediate continuation of training/competition. Pediatric health care providers, coaching staff, and parents should stress the importance of injury/illness recognition/disclosure and realistic expectations for rehabilitation to pediatric runners.
Do Intensified Police Controls Change Perceptions of Apprehension Probability: A Field Experiment
Authors: Terpstra Bo L. , van Velthoven Ben C. J. , van Wijck Peter W.
Published: March 2019

The perceived sanction risk is an essential element in the theory of deterrence to link criminal policy and criminal behavior. Previous research has not made clear how or even if individuals update their perceived sanction risk in response to changes in actual criminal policy. This study presents the first field experiment on the updating of the perceived probability of apprehension. On one location the police intensified moped traffic controls during a period of 6 months, while the control intensity on a comparable location remained unchanged. Difference-in-difference estimates reveal that the increased police activity caused an upward revision of the perceived probability of apprehension of offenses such as operating a mobile phone while driving or driving under the influence of alcohol.
Reconciling Emotion and Rational Choice: Negativistic Auto Theft, Consequence Irrelevance, and the Seduction of Destruction
Authors: Jacobs Bruce A. , Cherbonneau Michael
Published: March 2019

Objectives:

We explore negativism in the context of auto theft and examine its broader phenomenological significance for Rational Choice Theory.

Methods:

Data were drawn from qualitative, in-depth interviews with 35 active auto thieves operating out of a large Midwestern U.S. city.

Results:

Negativistic offending is malicious, spiteful, and/or destructive conduct whose purpose is typically more hedonic (i.e., short-term gratification) than instrumental (i.e., resource-generating) or normative (i.e., moralistic). It is made possible by the notion of ownership without responsibility: Offenders controlled a vehicle that was not theirs, promoting consequence irrelevance which in turn unleashed reckless conduct.

Conclusions:

Consequence irrelevance clarifies negativism’s logic and permits linkage between affect-based and rational choice decision-making models.
The ‘fluid governance’ of urban public spaces. Insights from informal planning practices in Rome
Authors: Certomà Chiara , Chelleri Lorenzo , Notteboom Bruno
Published: March 2019

This paper investigates the emergence of informal planning practices and their relationship with the new geometries of power and responsibility that characterise what is here defined and described as ‘fluid governance’; and that leads to co-creative forms of public space governance. In particular, the research explores the key role played by some politically progressive forms of urban gardening in pivoting actions that transform green spaces through informal planning into areas for food production and collaborative management. This challenges traditional governance networks and re-defines the functioning of public spaces. The case of Parco delle Energie in Rome (Italy) serves as an example of a process of space re-appropriation, planning and finally co-management performed by a dense network of very diverse actors, who established a collaborative framework with the administration in order to re-shape decision-making dynamics. A comparative analysis of international cases confirms that urban gardening is challenging the dominance of a traditional planning perspective worldwide, both spatially as on the level of governance, and is turning citizens’ dissensus into a productive force in the re-imagination and stewardship of public urban space. The conclusion suggests the self-design and co-managing capacities of urban gardeners and citizens could lead to adequate synergies between actors, enabling new urban governance models in line with the global ambition to build more sustainable and inclusive cities.
Collaborative Value in Public and Nonprofit Strategic Alliances: Evidence From Transition Coaching
Authors: Coupet Jason , Albrecht Kate , Williams Teshanee , Farruggia Sue
Published: March 2019

The value created by public–nonprofit (PNP) alliances often emphasizes public sector service delegation to nonprofits, but public and nonprofit organizations often seek to create shared social value with alliances, particularly in sectors where there is coproduction. To better understand shared social value, we apply the Collaborative Value Creation (CVC) framework to investigate value creation in the Transition Coaching sector—nonprofit organizations that provide support to high school students as they transition to college. We interview public and nonprofit executives and staff and find that nonprofits seek resources to help navigate complex bureaucratic public structures related to private client information and centralizing bureaucratic information. We also find shared public and nonprofit value in improving client navigation, knowledge sharing within public bureaucratic structures, and capacity building. Future scholarship should develop the potential for reduced bureaucratic frictions as a point of shared value in PNP alliances.
Characteristics of geothermal reservoirs in the Wumishan Formation and groundwater of the Middle-Upper Proterozoic and the geothermal status in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region: Implications for geothermal resources exploration
Authors: Zhang Liang , Ji Hancheng , Chen Liang , Liu Jinxia , Li Haiquan
Published: March 2019

Exploration of the geothermal resources in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region has been kept for tens of years, and the recent success of geothermal exploration in the Xiongxian County provides a new model for the utilization of geothermal resources in this area. This research integrates the formation of temperature obtained from hydrocarbon drilling, experiments of reservoirs’ micro-characteristics and physical property, and employs the previous works on the regional geological settings to investigate the geothermal reservoirs and geothermal status. The microphotography indicates that the reservoir space is dominated by supergene karst in the Wumishan Formation which is mainly controlled by the topography when the interval emerged. The groundwater in the Pre-Paleogene has the similar composition of the hydrogen and oxygen isotope with the atmospheric precipitation, and the salinity of the groundwater has an increasing trend from the Taihang Mountain and the Yanshan Mountain to the depocenters, which indicates the groundwater originates from the atmospheric precipitation of the Taihang Mountain and the Yanshan Mountain and transports to the depocenters. The thermal conductivity of the lower carbonate rocks is much higher than the upper clastic intervals. This difference makes the upper clastic intervals of the Paleogene and the Neogene good seals for geothermal reservoirs and leads to the regional anomaly of the terrestrial heat flow: the intrabasin highs have a thicker thickness of the Pre-Paleogene carbonate deposition with high thermal conductivity, which results in high efficient thermal transmission and high terrestrial heat flow. Consequently, this research suggests that the intrabasin highs and slopes are the favourable areas for geothermal exploration with reservoirs of good quality, high terrestrial heat flow and efficient groundwater supply, and several areas were selected to be the potential targets for the Wumishan Formation and the Pre-Paleogene.
Concepts and characteristics of a U-shaped docking well geothermal heat extraction system
Authors: Li Li , Liu Xiantao , Xiao Dong , Huang Kun , Li Shuxuan
Published: March 2019

Environmental pollution in China is getting worse. The effective use of geothermal energy can solve the problem of greenhouse gas emissions. This paper introduces a new type of medium-deep geothermal energy utilization system named U-shaped docking well geothermal heat extraction system and analyzes its characteristics. The results show that the system can meet the needs of daily heating, and the heat transfer effect of this system is greater than the concentric casing heat exchange systems. This study provides a new idea for the use of medium-deep geothermal energy.
Leadership lessons through the lens of historical military leaders: A pedagogical approach to teaching leadership theories and concepts in a Masters of Public Administration course
Authors: Swain Randall D
Published: March 2019

The purpose of this essay is to illustrate the value of applying the lessons of successful historical battlefield commanders to teach leadership concepts and theories. This article uses the experience of Napoleon Bonaparte’s Grande Armee at the Battle of Austerlitz to illustrate these concepts. Utilizing Napoleon’s success in this battle as a framework, this essay employs a causal model of leadership to analyze and expound on leadership concepts that can benefit graduate students in Masters of Public Administration (MPA) programs. The leadership causal model emphasizes both descriptive and prescriptive aspects of leadership theory. The implications of this essay are that it provides a theoretical framework in public and non-profit sectors and therefore is an appropriate pedagogical strategy for teaching these concepts in undergraduate and graduate public administration courses. Moreover, the framework allows students to identify the best leadership and management practices in public and non-profit organizations.
From Weimar to Ankara: Carl Schmitt, sovereignty and democracy
Authors: Kutay Acar
Published: March 2019

In this article, I draw on Carl Schmitt’s political and constitutional thought in order to reflect on the political struggle over the foundational norms and values of a constitutional settlement in modern Turkey. This analysis, which focuses on the relationship between democracy and sovereign decision in Schmitt’s thought, extends the implications of his writings beyond the Weimar Republic. I argue that the political movement of the Justice and Development Party ( AKP) successfully identified itself with two distinct (yet partly overlapping) narratives in order to establish a truer democracy than the old regime, which was guarded by the military and the bureaucracy. The first narrative concerns the subordination of the will of the people to the guardianship model of the old regime. The second narrative involves negating the political decision of the Kemalist elites on the grounds of identity, in particular, the dissonance between the Kemalist ruling class and the Muslim majority of the society. The party under the leadership of Erdogan used the first narrative to dismantle the old establishment, without replacing it with a liberal–democratic constitution, and the second one to justify its claim to be the founding agent of a new regime. The new regime, which brought a peculiar presidency with strong executive powers, retained the old regime’s approach to national homogeneity. Nonetheless, the new regime detaches the name of Atatürk from the Kemalist ideology and secularism from nationalism, thereby inventing an image of Atatürk and nationalism purified from the modernist/secularist orientations of the founding political decision.
Histories of Couple Formation and Migration: The Case of Foreigners in Lombardy, Italy
Authors: Gabrielli Giuseppe , Terzera Laura , Paterno Anna , Strozza Salvatore
Published: March 2019

Migrant families have become relevant in Italy during the past decade and Lombardy is one of the Italian regions with the largest foreign presence. The aim of the article is to contribute to the international debate on the relationship between couple formation and migration event. Using data from the 2010 ORIM ( Osservatorio Regionale sull’Immigrazione e la Multietnicità) sample survey and event history techniques, we look at the main determinants of the transition to couple formation. The results show both the presence of significant time-related interrelations between the two events and the importance of the gender role in migration. Migrant men have a low propensity of couple formation in the period around the migration event. Their length of stay at destination is positively related to such propensity. Women have the highest likelihood of transition to couple formation in proximity to the migration event. However, interesting differences in the timing of union formation persist by origin backgrounds.
Impact of Physical Function on 1-Year Kidney Transplant Outcomes
Authors: Yoo Jongwon , Park Chang Gi , Ryan Catherine
Published: March 2019

End-stage renal disease patients who have impaired physical function are denied for transplantation by clinicians concerned about graft/survival outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of physical function on graft/survival outcomes at 1-year post-kidney transplantation. Data were analyzed from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients regarding kidney transplantation patients ( N = 218,657) between January 1, 2000 and September 2, 2014. The hazard ratio of 1-year graft failure for deceased donor transplantation recipients needing total assistance was 1.60 (95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.303, 1.965], p < .01). Patients needing none or some assistance did not demonstrate a significant difference in 1-year graft failure in either deceased or living donor transplantation. The hazard ratio of 1-year death for those needing total assistance was 2.52 (95% CI = [2.087, 3.045], p < .001) in deceased donor kidney transplantation.
Should we include monitors to improve assessment of awareness and pain in unconscious palliatively sedated patients? A case report
Authors: Six Stefaan , Laureys Steven , Poelaert Jan , Bilsen Johan , Theuns Peter , Musch Liza , Deschepper Reginald
Published: March 2019

Background:

Awareness and pain during palliative sedation is typically assessed by observational scales, but the use of such scales has been put into question.

Case presentation:

A woman in her mid-80s was admitted to a palliative care unit, presenting with chronic lymphatic leukemia, depression, and a cerebrovascular accident, with right-sided hemiplegia and aphasia. The patient was unable to eat and was suffering from nausea and vomiting. Before admission, the patient had expressed her desire to discontinue treatment on several occasions.

Case management:

The decision was made to initiate palliative sedation. The patient consented to take part in a study to assess level of comfort and pain using two monitoring devices (NeuroSense monitor and Analgesia Nociception Index monitor).

Case outcome:

The patient died 90 h after initiation of palliative sedation. Titration of the medication was challenging and sedation was not deep enough during the first 2 days. Thirteen assessments made with the Ramsay Sedation Scale showed that the patient was considered to be in a deep sleep, while in fact the NeuroSense monitor indicated otherwise.

Conclusion:

This case demonstrates the feasibility and potential advantages of using monitoring devices to objectify assessments of pain and discomfort in palliatively sedated patients.
Branch atheromatous disease has a stronger association with late-onset epileptic seizures than lacunar infarction in Japanese patients
Authors: Obata Kaoru , Kinoshita Masako , Sato Kazuaki , Chin Masaki , Yamagata Sen , Ikeda Akio , Shindo Katsuro
Published: March 2019

Objective

To evaluate the relationship between late-onset epileptic seizures and non-cortical infarction (namely, lacunar infarction and branch atheromatous disease [BAD]) in Japanese patients.

Methods

We reviewed the medical records and brain magnetic resonance imaging findings of all patients with ischemic stroke admitted to the Departments of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Stroke Unit at Kurashiki Central Hospital from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2012. Patients with lacunar infarction and BAD were enrolled; those with cortical and brain stem ischemic lesions were excluded. We analyzed the clinical features of patients who developed late-onset epileptic seizures after cerebral infarction.

Results

Eighty-five patients with lacunar infarction and 99 patients with BAD were enrolled. Four patients with BAD subsequently developed epileptic seizures (2.2% of total patients, 4.0% of patients with BAD), whereas no patients with lacunar infarction developed epileptic seizures. All patients with epileptic seizures had infarction involving the basal ganglia or thalamus. Three of them had multiple cerebral microbleeds, and two had dementia.

Conclusions

Patients with BAD, but not with lacunar infarction, might have a higher risk of developing epileptic seizures than the general population. Non-cortical infarctions with involvement of the basal ganglia or thalamus may increase the risk of subsequent late-onset epileptic seizures.
Leucocyte-Rich Platelet-Rich Plasma Treatment of Gluteus Medius and Minimus Tendinopathy: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial With 2-Year Follow-up
Authors: Fitzpatrick Jane , Bulsara Max K. , O’Donnell John , Zheng Ming Hao
Published: March 2019

Background:

A previously published trial showed that patients with chronic gluteal tendinopathy achieved greater clinical improvement at 12 weeks when treated with a single platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection than those treated with a single corticosteroid injection (CSI).

Purpose:

This follow-up study was conducted to determine whether there would be a sustained long-term difference in the modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS) at 2 years for a leucocyte-rich PRP (LR-PRP) injection in the treatment of chronic gluteal tendinopathy.

Study Design:

Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1.

Methods:

This trial included 80 patients randomized 1:1 to receive LR-PRP or CSI intratendinously under ultrasound guidance. Patients had a mean age of 60 years, a 9:1 ratio of women to men, a mean body mass index of 27, and a mean length of symptoms >15 months. No patients had full-thickness tears of the gluteal tendons. An open-labeled extension allowed patients to receive crossover treatment after 3 months. The main outcome measure was the mHHS.

Results:

The mean mHHS improved significantly at 12 weeks in the PRP group (74.05; SD, 13.92) as compared with the CSI group (67.13; SD, 16.04) ( P = .048). At 24 weeks, the LR-PRP group (77.60; SD, 11.88) improved further than the CSI group (65.72; SD, 15.28; P = .0003). Twenty-seven patients were deemed to have failed the CSI treatment at 16 to 24 weeks, with an exit score of 59.22 (SD, 11.54), and then had treatment with LR-PRP. The crossover group improved with the LR-PRP: from 59.22 (SD, 11.22) at baseline to 75.55 (SD, 16.05) at 12 weeks, 77.69 (SD, 15.30) at 24 weeks, and 77.53 (SD, 14.54) at 104 weeks. The LR-PRP group retained 38 of 39 patients to 52 weeks and continued to improve. Their baseline scores of 53.77 (SD, 12.08) improved to 82.59 (SD, 9.71) at 104 weeks ( P < .0001).

Conclusion:

Among patients with chronic gluteal tendinopathy and a length of symptoms >15 months, a single intratendinous LR-PRP injection performed under ultrasound guidance results in greater improvement in pain and function than a single CSI. The improvement after LR-PRP injection is sustained at 2 years, whereas the improvement from a CSI is maximal at 6 weeks and not maintained beyond 24 weeks.

Registration:

ACTRN12613000677707 (Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials identifier).
Multiscale composites based on a nanoclay-enhanced matrix and E-glass chopped strand mat
Authors: Feiz Ali , Khosravi Hamed
Published: March 2019

The present work aimed at studying the effect of amino-silanized Na+-montmorillonite nanoclay in various matrix weight ratios (1–7 wt% at a step of 2 wt%) on the mechanical and dry sliding wear behaviors of E-glass chopped strand mat/epoxy composites. The successful grafting of organosilane compound onto the Mt surface was confirmed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, simultaneous thermal analysis, and X-ray diffraction. Out of the fabricated multiscale composites, the best mechanical strengths were obtained in the specimen with 5 wt% amino-silanized Na+-montmorillonite loading, which demonstrated 18%, 38%, and 53% improvement in the tensile, flexural, and compressive strengths, respectively, compared to the neat chopped strand mat/epoxy composite. The results of pin-on-disk wear test exhibited approximately 81% and 58% decrease in the wear rate and coefficient of friction due to the incorporation of 5 wt% amino-silanized Na+-montmorillonite into the chopped strand mat/epoxy composite. Enhanced mechanical properties and wear behavior of multiscale composite filled with the amino-silanized Na+-montmorillonite nanoparticles were observed compared with those of the unmodified montmorillonite/chopped strand mat/epoxy composite. Based on the microscopic examination of fractured and worn surfaces, the possible mechanisms were identified and evaluated.
Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients With and Without Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Pulmonary Sepsis
Authors: Sathananthan Matheni , Sathananthan Airani , Jeganathan Niranjan
Published: March 2019

Purpose:

To date, studies have provided conflicting results regarding the impact of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) on sepsis-related outcomes. Our objective is to understand the impact of type 2 DM in bacterial pneumonia and sepsis-related intensive care unit (ICU) outcomes.

Methods:

Retrospective study using Multiparameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care III database. We included 1698 unique patients admitted with sepsis secondary to bacterial pneumonia to the ICU within the time period of 2001 to 2012.

Results:

The type 2 DM group had an increased incidence of acute kidney injury (67.9% vs 58.1%, P < .01) and need for dialysis compared to the non-DM group. There was no difference in mortality, microbiology, other organ failure, or hospital length of stay between the type 2 DM and non-DM group. Lower admission blood glucose was associated with increased mortality in patients with type 2 DM (49% at ≤120 mg/dL, 35.1% at 121-180 mg/dL, and 32.1% at >180 mg/dL) but not in non-DM patients. Conversely, higher mean glucose during the hospital stay was associated with increased mortality in non-DM patients (24.7% at ≤120 mg/dL, 45.1% at 121-180 mg/dL, and 73.0% at >180 mg/dL) but not in patients with type 2 DM.

Conclusions:

Our findings demonstrated that type 2 DM does not increase the overall mortality. Our findings of increased mortality in both type 2 DM patients with lower admission glucose, and non-DM patients with higher mean glucose during the hospital stay needs to be further evaluated. Future studies in regards to this could lead to personalized glucose treatment goals for patients.
Fault severity identification of roller bearings using flow graph and non-naive Bayesian inference
Authors: Yu Jun , Xu Yonggang , Yu Guangbin , Liu Lifei
Published: March 2019

In order to address the problem that redundant condition attribute nodes and poor reasoning ability of flow graph may lead to high computational burden and low diagnosis accuracy, a fault severity identification method of roller bearings using flow graph and non-naive Bayesian inference is put forward in this paper. First, a normalized flow graph constructed according to fault features of roller bearings extracted from training samples is used to represent and describe the causal relationship among attributes. Then, the significance degree of condition attribute node with respect to the decision attribute node set is defined to quantitatively measure the impact of the node on the decision-making abilities of the flow graph. A node reduction algorithm based on significance degree of condition attribute node is developed to delete redundant or irrelevant condition attribute nodes, which can improve clustering distribution and reduce computational complexity. Finally, non-naive Bayesian inference is utilized to extend the flow graph to make it applicable in the tasks of reasoning, and an non-naive Bayesian inference algorithm based on flow graph is presented to identify roller-bearing conditions in test samples. The effectiveness of the proposed method is validated through a fault severity identification experiment of roller bearings. Fault severity identification results show that the proposed method can intuitively and accurately recognize fault severities of roller bearings.
Null Effects of Game Violence, Game Difficulty, and 2D:4D Digit Ratio on Aggressive Behavior
Authors: Hilgard Joseph , Engelhardt Christopher R. , Rouder Jeffrey N. , Segert Ines L. , Bartholow Bruce D.
Published: March 2019

Researchers have suggested that acute exposure to violent video games is a cause of aggressive behavior. We tested this hypothesis by using violent and nonviolent games that were closely matched, collecting a large sample, and using a single outcome. We randomly assigned 275 male undergraduates to play a first-person-shooter game modified to be either violent or less violent and hard or easy. After completing the game-play session, participants were provoked by a confederate and given an opportunity to behave aggressively. Neither game violence nor game difficulty predicted aggressive behavior. Incidentally, we found that 2D:4D digit ratio, thought to index prenatal testosterone exposure, did not predict aggressive behavior. Results do not support acute violent-game exposure and low 2D:4D ratio as causes of aggressive behavior.
Forms of vitality revisited: The construction of an affective bodily self
Authors: Marraffa Massimo , Meini Cristina
Published: March 2019

This article outlines a socio-constructivist view of the ontogeny of an early form of psychological self-consciousness: an affective bodily self-consciousness. In so doing, it aims at contributing to a larger anti-Cartesian agenda, which rejects the claim of the primary nature of the knowledge of one’s own mental states. This will be pursued by seeking a synthesis of what may at first appear as a motley assortment of materials: the social biofeedback theory of parental affect-mirroring proposed by György Gergely and John S. Watson, Daniel Stern’s notion of forms of vitality, and Antonio Damasio’s concept of background feelings.
Characterization of CDNF-Secreting ARPE-19 Cell Clones for Encapsulated Cell Therapy
Authors: Galli Emilia , Lindholm Päivi , Kontturi Leena-Stiina , Saarma Mart , Urtti Arto , Yliperttula Marjo
Published: March 2019

Cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor (CDNF) shows beneficial effects in rodent models of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. The brain is a challenging target for protein therapy due to its exclusive blood–brain barrier. Hence, the therapeutic protein should be delivered directly to the brain parenchyma. Implantation of encapsulated mammalian cells that constantly secrete CDNF is a potential approach for targeted and long-term protein delivery to the brain. In this study, we generated several CDNF-secreting cell clones derived from human retinal pigment epithelial cell line ARPE-19, and studied CDNF secretion from the clones maintained as monolayers and in polymeric microcapsules. The secretion of wild type (wt) CDNF transgene was low and the majority of the produced protein remained intracellular, locating mainly to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The secretion of wtCDNF decreased to even lower levels when the clones were in a non-dividing state, as in the microcapsules. Both codon optimization and deletion of the putative ER-retrieval signal (four last amino acids: KTEL) improved CDNF secretion. More importantly, the secretion of KTEL-deleted CDNF remained constant in the non-dividing clones. Thus, cells expressing KTEL-deleted CDNF, in contrast to wtCDNF, can be considered for cell encapsulation applications if the KTEL-deleted CDNF is proven to be biologically active in vivo.
The Saving–Investment Cointegration Across East Asian Countries: Evidence from the ARDL Bound Approach
Authors: Kaur Harwinder , Sarin Vishal
Published: March 2019

The article analysed the relationship between saving and investment for the East Asian countries, namely, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Macao and Mongolia, during the period of 1982 to 2015. The autoregressive distributive lag (ARDL) bound testing approach was applied to determine long-run coefficients, and short-run dynamics are captured from an error correction model (ECM). The Phillips–Perron (PP) tests and augmented Dickey–Fuller (ADF) tests indicate that order of integration of both the series for selected countries is either 1(1), 1(0) or mutually cointegrated. The critical value of bound test indicates mixed evidence of cointegration for selected countries. The ARDL was applied to confirm the long-run and short-run relationship for those countries where cointegration exists. The results support the Feldstein–Horioka hypothesis that high cointegration between saving and investment postulates low capital mobility internationally.
Identifying the Critical Success Factors of Telecom Switching Barriers Using the AHP
Authors: Jacob Reuban , Subramoniam Suresh
Published: March 2019

Switching barriers help telecom service providers create intangible restriction before telecom subscribers preventing them from switching to other service providers. This study aims at ranking the switching barriers to identify critical success factors of telecom service providers to retain customers and attain a competitive advantage in the market. The analytical hierarchy process (AHP) is used as a tool to rank the identified switching barriers. The literature review helped in identifying eight crucial switching barriers which were ranked using the AHP method. A pair-wise comparison is made to obtain opinions from 32 experts and consultants in the field of telecom service provider industry to conduct AHP analysis. The AHP is analysed by pair-wise comparisons generated from expert opinions. The research findings helped in understanding the different priorities and corresponding weights of switching barriers which were eventually ranked based on the weights. This study enables the telecom service providers to adopt suitable strategies based on the ranking. This will help telecom service providers retain customers and thereby gain a competitive advantage.
Inter-district Analysis of Credit Convergence: Outlooks from Neoclassical Growth and Panel Unit Root Models for West Bengal, India
Authors: Das Ramesh Chandra , Ghosh Bankim Chandra , Basu Indrani
Published: March 2019

Maintaining equitable distribution of income is one of the priority agendas to any policy maker in a country or at the global level. It is not an exception to India as well as to its states and regions. The existing literature shows that Indian states are diverging in incomes particularly after the major reform programmes initiated in 1991–1992. Many factors contribute to the income divergence of the country. The present study throws light a bit deeper towards the grass root level and examines whether the districts of West Bengal are converging in terms of allocation of commercial bank credits for the period 1980–2014. Applying the neoclassical growth and panel unit root test methodology, the study reveals that the districts are not catching up to a common steady state level of per capita credit but they are conditionally converging to the credit of Calcutta, the top district, and to the average credit per capita of the district. The sigma convergence result shows that the districts are significantly diverging if Calcutta is restored in the group.
Daraz.pk: Online Marketplace’s Value Chain
Authors: Jajja M. Shakeel S. , Jat Mohsin N.
Published: March 2019

This case study provides an understanding of the channels through which orders at an online retail platform are fulfilled. Daraz.pk, the pioneering and leading e-commerce platform in Pakistan, started in 2012 as an online fashion retailer and evolved into a general marketplace for brands selling items ranging from electronics to home appliances to fashion. The case study is built around the decision regarding how to engage international brands in the wake of increasing local completion and the potential entry of some established international players. Highlighting the decision’s implications on logistics (and vice versa), this case study exposes various important trade-offs between in-house inventory and vendor-managed inventory. Through the example of a sales-day event conducted by Daraz, this case study also brings to light various strains that logistics could potentially face because of demand hikes and the steps that could help in managing a situation like this.
Job quality in European employment policy: one step forward, two steps back?
Authors: Piasna Agnieszka , Burchell Brendan , Sehnbruch Kirsten
Published: March 2019

This article analyses the development and use of the concept ‘job quality’ in European Union (EU) employment policy. Using a set of complementary public policy theories, it examines how both political and conceptual factors contributed to the failure to achieve any significant progress in articulating job quality in the EU’s policy objectives and guidelines. Conceptual clarity in defining what job quality is (and what it is not), from whose perspective it should be considered, and which direction of change indicates improvement, are vital prerequisites for an effective integration of job quality into the EU’s employment strategy and into the elaboration of any successful social indicator. A constant political struggle between different stakeholders at EU level, and a need to reconcile the often-contradictory views of the social partners, has precluded the completion of this first step. Instead, attempts to include job quality into the policy formulation process were made without simultaneously adapting the overall narrative, which continued to give prominence to flexibility and deregulation. The outcome has been a rather cursory and inconsistent effort to implement policies and actions aimed at boosting job quality.
Short-term contracts and their effect on wages in Indian regular wage employment
Authors: Menon Rahul
Published: March 2019

The increase in regular wage employment in the Indian economy between 2004–2005 and 2011–2012 was accompanied by a significant deterioration in job security; more workers found themselves on short-term and insecure contracts – a continuing trend. Insecurity of tenure results in a significant wage penalty for short-term workers, compared with those with longer term contracts. This article estimates the negative effect of short-term contracts on the wages of Indian regular wage workers all along the income distribution – unlike earlier studies – using the method of unconditional quantile regressions on data from the 68th round and the 61st round of the National Sample Survey Organisation on Employment covering the period 2004–2005 and 2011–2012. It finds that the wage penalty due to short-term contracts is higher for high-wage workers than for low-wage workers, with the maximum impact felt by median wage workers, and has increased for higher paid workers from 2004–2005 to 2011–2012. The spread of informal employment arrangements within India’s formal labour markets has resulted in an increasingly unequal distribution of workers’ access to the benefits of growth, reflecting a shift in power in favour of capital. These findings, specific to a developing economy like India, stand in contrast with studies in European countries, where high-wage workers do not face as much of a penalty for short-term contract work as low-wage workers.

JEL Codes: J31, J41