bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
First records of two alien land flatworms (Tricladida, Geoplanidae) from Northeastern Italy
Authors: DORIGO LUCA , LAGO TOMMASO DAL , MENCHETTI MATTIA , SLUYS RONALD
Published: February 2020

During a period of intense rainfall (May 2019), several specimens of land flatworms were collected from a private garden in Palazzolo dello Stella (Friuli Venezia Giulia, Udine, Italy: 45°47’40.5”N, 13°05’17.2”E). Planarians were found both in a cultivated part of the garden and in a part covered with gravel and with trees and shrubs (Pyracantha sp., Olea europaea, Pyrus communis). The animals were observed under branches, stones, tufa blocks, and pots close to a small artificial pond, but also in other parts of the garden, as well as inside buildings.
Linnaeocaninella nomen novum for the Middle Permian fossil Caninella Liang, 1990 (Brachiopoda: Productida: Richthofenidae), preoccupied by Caninella Gorsky, 1938 (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Bothrophyllidae)
Authors: HERNÁNDEZ JOSÉ AMET RIVAZ
Published: February 2020

Liang (1990) erected the monospecific genus Caninella for a Middle Permian fossil brachiopod species, Caninella zhinanensis, from the Lengwu Formation, Tonglu, Zhejiang, in China. This genus was included within the family Richthofenidae Waagen, 1885. Thus, Caninella zhinanensis, Liang, 1990, collected in strata of Middle Permian (Capitanian) age, was the type species by monotypy. Subsequently, Williams, Harper & Grant (2000) placed Caninella Liang, 1990 in the superfamily Permianelloidea, family Uncertain, subfamily Loczyellinae, but expressed doubt about the validity of Caninella since it was based on three poorly preserved specimens. Nevertheless, Shen et al. (2017) retain the placement in Richthofenidae on the basis of its somewhat bilobate outline and deep incisive sulcus in anterior or posterior views, but suggest that the genus is “highly likely a subjective synonym of either Richthofenia Kayser, 1881 or Permianella He & Zhu, 1979”.
Heart Image Digital Model Building and Feature Extraction Analysis Based on Deep Learning
Authors: Tang Bo
Published: February 2020

Heart image digital model building and feature extraction analysis based on deep learning is proposed in this research. In the cardiac MRI, the blood of high-speed movement often has artifacts, gray is uneven, causing the blood to the heart muscle contrast between the lower, inside
and outside of the left ventricle contour segmentation difficult. In general, in the course of the diastolic image quality is poor; only during the diastolic and heart image quality is the best. Because you left the room filled with blood, the heart is in a relatively static state. Therefore,
we use the digital system with deep learning to analyze the extracted images. Due to the threshold segmentation of the original heart image directly. The effect is very poor. The foreground and background cannot be discerned, but the threshold segmentation of the heart image is based on morphological
reconstruction. Get a rough area of the heart and based on this, we carry out foreground, background mark. Experiments using a disc structure to perform morphological erosion on the above areas to obtain foreground marks. The simulation results prove the effectiveness of the model. The segmentation
accuracy is higher than the other methodologies.
Relationship Between Interatrial Septal Thickness and Left Atrial Geometry Assessed by Echocardiography in Patients with Rheumatic Mitral Stenosis
Authors: Hu Guobing , Zhu Xiangming , Song Fang , Yang Ya
Published: February 2020

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between interatrial septal thickness (IAST) and left atrial geometry in patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis (RMD), as measured by transesophageal and transthoracic echocardiography. Methods: Transesophageal and transthoracic
echocardiograms were used to detect IAST and left atrial geometry respectively in 100 patients. Results: IAST and interatrial septal thickening fraction (IASTF) were significantly different in patients with different degrees of mitral stenosis. The left atrial volume change fraction
(LAVCF) and IASTF were positively correlated (r = 0.766, P < 0.001). Conclusion: There is important clinical significance for transesophageal and transthoracic echocardiography in evaluating the relationship between IAST and left atrial geometry, IAST and IASTF can
reflect the changes in left atrial geometry
Impacts of Irrigation on Summertime Temperatures in the Pacific Northwest
Authors: Lawston Patricia M. , Santanello Joseph A. , Hanson Brian , Arsensault Kristi
Published: February 2020

Irrigation has the potential to modify local weather and regional climate through a repartitioning of water among the surface, soil, and atmosphere with the potential to drastically change the terrestrial energy budget in agricultural areas. This study uses local observations, satellite remote sensing, and numerical modeling to 1) explore whether irrigation has historically impacted summer maximum temperatures in the Columbia Plateau, 2) characterize the current extent of irrigation impacts to soil moisture (SM) and land surface temperature (LST), and 3) better understand the downstream extent of irrigation’s influence on near-surface temperature, humidity, and boundary layer development. Analysis of historical daily maximum temperature (TMAX) observations showed that the three Global Historical Climate Network (GHCN) sites downwind of Columbia Basin Project (CBP) irrigation experienced statistically significant cooling of the mean summer TMAX by 0.8°–1.6°C in the post-CBP (1968–98) as compared to pre-CBP expansion (1908–38) period, opposite the background climate signal. Remote sensing observations of soil moisture and land surface temperatures in more recent years show wetter soil (~18%–25%) and cooler land surface temperatures over the irrigated areas. Simulations using NASA’s Land Information System (LIS) coupled to the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model support the historical analysis, confirming that under the most common summer wind flow regime, irrigation cooling can extend as far downwind as the locations of these stations. Taken together, these results suggest that irrigation expansion may have contributed to a reduction in summertime temperatures and heat extremes within and downwind of the CBP area. This supports a regional impact of irrigation across the study area.
Diurnal Cycles of Precipitation and Lightning in the Tropics Observed by TRMM3G68, GSMaP, LIS, and WWLLN
Authors: Minobe Shoshiro , Park Jun Hyock , Virts Katrina S.
Published: February 2020

Diurnal cycles of precipitation and lightning are investigated by analyzing rain rates of the TRMM3G68 dataset, consisting of Precipitation Radar and Microwave Imager data only; rain rates of Global Satellite Mapping of Precipitation (GSMaP), for which infrared (IR) data are also used; lightning flash rates observed by TRMM Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS); and lightning stroke rates of World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN) over the tropics. Diurnal amplitudes relative to averages are generally larger for lightning than for precipitation. Over ocean, relative amplitudes are stronger in the stratocumulus deck region in the southeast Pacific than those over typical ocean regions. The phase of GSMaP is substantially delayed to TRMM3G68 due to the phase-delay problem of IR-based estimation. The diurnal peaks tend to occur between 1400 and 1800 LST over the continent after spatial averaging with a phase leading order of TRMM3G68, LIS, and WWLLN, and between 0000 and 0700 LST over oceanic regions where diurnal cycles are prominent in all datasets. Off-equatorward phase propagations are found in the precipitation in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Over selected coastal regions, all data exhibit consistent oceanward phase propagation with the longest, medium, and shortest phase propagation distances for TRMM3G68 precipitation, WWLLN lightning, and LIS lightning, respectively, with a phase leading order of LIS, WWLLN, and TRMM3G68. The summertime diurnal cycle over the Gulf Stream also exhibits oceanward phase propagation, but with strong amplitude enhancement over the Gulf Stream. Diurnal cycle amplitude is also enhanced over the Kuroshio in the East China Sea in the baiu–mei-yu rainy season.
Bifurcation and Upwelling of the Equatorial Undercurrent West of the Galápagos Archipelago
Authors: Jakoboski Julie , Todd Robert E. , Owens W. Brechner , Karnauskas Kristopher B. , Rudnick Daniel L.
Published: February 2020

The Equatorial Undercurrent (EUC) encounters the Galápagos Archipelago on the equator as it flows eastward across the Pacific. The impact of the Galápagos Archipelago on the EUC in the eastern equatorial Pacific remains largely unknown. In this study, the path of the EUC as it reaches the Galápagos Archipelago is measured directly using high-resolution observations obtained by autonomous underwater gliders. Gliders were deployed along three lines that define a closed region with the Galápagos Archipelago as the eastern boundary and 93°W from 2°S to 2°N as the western boundary. Twelve transects were simultaneously occupied along the three lines during 52 days in April–May 2016. Analysis of individual glider transects and average sections along each line show that the EUC splits around the Galápagos Archipelago. Velocity normal to the transects is used to estimate net horizontal volume transport into the volume. Downward integration of the net horizontal transport profile provides an estimate of the time- and areal-averaged vertical velocity profile over the 52-day time period. Local maxima in vertical velocity occur at depths of 25 and 280 m with magnitudes of (1.7 ± 0.6) × 10−5 m s−1 and (8.0 ± 1.6) × 10−5 m s−1, respectively. Volume transport as a function of salinity indicates that water crossing 93°W south (north) of 0.4°S tends to flow around the south (north) side of the Galápagos Archipelago. Comparisons are made between previous observational and modeling studies with differences attributed to effects of the strong 2015/16 El Niño event, the annual cycle of local winds, and varying longitudes between studies of the equatorial Pacific.
Five Years after Ferguson: Reflecting on Police Reform and What’s Ahead
Authors: Robinson Laurie O.
Published: February 2020

Policing in the United States is not the same profession it was before Michael Brown’s death on a street in Ferguson, Missouri, five years ago. Police use of lethal force has become central to the debate triggered by Ferguson. In this article, I review steps taken to implement policing reforms at local, state, and federal levels; note obstacles to reform; and speculate about which proposals advanced by authors in this volume might be implemented by policy-makers at different levels of government. I conclude by suggesting four areas where attention is needed if reform measures are going to be successfully institutionalized, and I comment on current bipartisan attention in Washington to criminal justice that offers the potential for federal action.
Reconciling Police and Communities with Apologies, Acknowledgements, or Both: A Controlled Experiment
Authors: O’Brien Thomas C. , Meares Tracey L. , Tyler Tom R.
Published: February 2020

When police officers harm civilians, police leadership almost invariably makes a public statement about the incident, and these communications usually address issues of public mistrust in the police. In addressing public mistrust, political pressures may motivate police leadership to avoid acknowledging the role of police in creating that distrust. The study reported in this article examines the consequences of avoiding versus acknowledging responsibility for the role of police in creating mistrust, along with issuing an apology or not issuing an apology, in public statements. How do these various kinds of gestures shape public cooperation with police? This study reports on an experiment designed to answer that question, with our analysis focusing on the impact of these various kinds of statements on the people who are least likely to trust police. The evidence suggests that police leaders should combine acknowledgement of responsibility for the mistrust with an apology if they want to enlist the cooperation of people who are least likely to trust the police.
Men’s Reflections on Postsuicide Attempt Episode in Bangladesh
Authors: Khan Anisur Rahman , Ratele Kopano , Arendse Najuwa
Published: February 2020

This is the first ever research in Bangladesh that provides understanding about men’s postsuicide attempt reflections from a district called Jhenaidah which is assumed to be a high suicide-prone area in the country. Employing qualitative semistructured interviews with 17 men who have attempted suicide, aged 18 years and older, this research finds the survivors encountered several immediate reactions from others specifically targeting toward demeaning their masculinity. Nonetheless, they adopted several means to cope with the postsuicide episode that are thematically arranged as self-deprecation, rebuilding oneself, revenge vis-à-vis forgiveness, and impulses to escape vis-à-vis nonreactive. The postattempt episodes of the survivors are likely to be moved toward further risk factors. Therefore, it is important to take protective measures for the survivors. Specific to this district, developing a context-specific suicide prevention model, targeting the risk population could be a possible solution to the problems associated with the postattempt episodes.
Development of Decision Support System for Integrated Active Traffic Management Systems Considering Travel Time Reliability
Authors: Chung Whoibin , Abdel-Aty Mohamed , Park Ho-Chul , Cai Qing , Rahman Mdhasibur , Gong Yaobang , Ponnaluri Raj
Published: February 2020

A new decision support system (DSS) using travel time reliability was developed for integrated active traffic management (IATM) including freeways and arterials. The DSS consists of recommendation and evaluation of response plans. The DSS also includes three representative traffic management strategies: variable speed limits, queue warning, and ramp metering. The recommendation of response plans for recurring traffic congestion was generated from the logics of the three strategies. The evaluation of response plans was conducted by travel time reliability through the prediction of traffic conditions with response plans. The near-future prediction of traffic conditions with control strategies was conducted through METANET for freeways and arterials. The developed DSS was evaluated under three types of traffic congestion: extreme, heavy, and moderate. According to the evaluation results, the developed DSS recommended an IATM strategy with the highest synergistic relationships in real time and contributed to enhancing the effectiveness of the IATM strategies. It was confirmed that arterials should have the allowable residual capacity for the improvement of traffic flow of the entire corridor network. Furthermore, the DSS demonstrated a more balanced traffic condition between freeways and arterials.
University curricula and employability: The stakeholders’ views for a future agenda
Authors: Pereira Elisabeth T. , Vilas-Boas Madalena , Rebelo Cátia F.C.
Published: February 2020

This article explores which measures are perceived by European key stakeholders (students, employers and academics) as crucial for the development of curricula that provide graduates with working-life competences and key skills that may increase their employability. It also seeks to identify measures that may strengthen cooperation between companies and universities. This was achieved through the application of 1734 questionnaires to key stakeholders in five European countries which are part of the European project #Europehome. The most popular measure identified by all stakeholders was the internship. More specifically, internships are considered of great importance to increase graduates’ employability as well as being the best means of cooperation between universities and companies. In addition, the study identified a range of best practices and measures that may help lay the foundations and sustain the development of well-planned curricula.
Preparation and performance of cadmium sulfide/sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) nanocomposite materials
Authors: Guo Yiqiao , Zhang Yinan , Jian Wenping , Yang Yanhua , Zhang Yuhan , Tan Haoyuan , Jiang Dong
Published: February 2020

We report a kind of cadmium sulfide (CdS)/sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) composite via in situ for the first time. It is a new type of nanocomposite possessing outstanding fluorescence property and thermostability. The SPEEK has the sulfonic radical side group and the degree of the sulfonation is 0.88. With the SPEEK dissolving in the N, N-dimethylformamide, cadmium acetate dihydrate (cadmium (Cd) source) was added to make the precursor for the reaction and then the thiourea (sulfur (S) source) was injected. We also investigated the effects of reaction time, the ratio of Cd/S, and the ratio of Cd/–SO3H. The ultraviolet–visible and photoluminescence spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis were used to characterize the property of the nanocomposite. The high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) was used to characterize the morphological of the composite. As the reaction time increases, the photoluminescence intensity declined and the fluorescence peak redshifted. When the reaction time was 1 min, the ratio of Cd/S was 1:2 and the ratio of Cd/–SO3H was 1:5, and the fluorescence properties of the nanocomposites were the best.
Neurocognitive Psychometrics of Intelligence: How Measurement Advancements Unveiled the Role of Mental Speed in Intelligence Differences
Authors: Schubert Anna-Lena , Frischkorn Gidon T.
Published: February 2020

More intelligent individuals typically show faster reaction times. However, individual differences in reaction times do not represent individual differences in a single cognitive process but in multiple cognitive processes. Thus, it is unclear whether the association between mental speed and intelligence reflects advantages in a specific cognitive process or in general processing speed. In this article, we present a neurocognitive-psychometrics account of mental speed that decomposes the relationship between mental speed and intelligence. We summarize research employing mathematical models of cognition and chronometric analyses of neural processing to identify distinct stages of information processing strongly related to intelligence differences. Evidence from both approaches suggests that the speed of higher-order processing is greater in smarter individuals, which may reflect advantages in the structural and functional organization of brain networks. Adopting a similar neurocognitive-psychometrics approach for other cognitive processes associated with intelligence (e.g., working memory or executive control) may refine our understanding of the basic cognitive processes of intelligence.
Model of Brand Salience of Consumer Skincare Soap Products
Authors: Menon Balakrishnan
Published: February 2020

Brand salience is the eminence of a brand in the consumer memory and is linked to the brand choice and purchase by consumers. Brand salience is the brand’s propensity to get noticed and influenced by consumers in buying situations. This research is aimed at proposing a model of brand salience for fast-moving consumer goods products, which incorporates brand awareness, brand salience, and brand image leading to the purchase intention. Brand awareness was measured with the dimensions of brand knowledge, brand recall, and brand association. Results of the data analysis conducted using partial least square method with structured equation modelling found empirical evidence of a model of brand salience where there was a significant relationship between brand salience and purchase intention. It was found that predominant brand awareness and brand image substantiated to building brand salience. The evidence supported building a primary brand salience to build the depth and breadth of the brand’s associations in consumer memory. The practical implication of the study is that a marketer can build sufficient brand salience; it increases the probability of purchase intention, which in turn is the most important aspect for any company to increase product sales through enhanced customer equity, customer loyalty, and relationship marketing.
Are all automation-resistant skills rewarded? Linguistic skills in the US labour market
Authors: Ubalde Josep , Alarcón Amado
Published: February 2020

Skills that are difficult to automate are expected to increase in demand and reward according to skill-biased technological change advocates, who have identified high rewards for cognitive and social skills. However, such broad skill categories involve numerous essential competencies that can be differentially rewarded or go simply unrewarded. Using US data, this article analyses the demand for and payment of linguistic competency, a cross-cutting kind of skill that is basic for both cognitive and social work in the new economy and is one of the human capacities that is most difficult to automate. While human capital theory predicts an increase in wages as the demand for linguistic skills rises, from cultural/institutional perspectives, it can be theorised that communicative abilities and foreign-language knowledge are socially undervalued because of their association with feminised activities, ethnicity, and low-status service jobs. We analyse the demand and reward for linguistic skills through a two-step analysis of occupational and individual data derived from two sources: the Occupational Information Network and the Current Population Survey. Results show that while ‘hard’ verbal-reasoning skills are associated with high average salaries, as is predicted by neoclassical theory, the potentially undervalued linguistic skills – interactive and multilingual skills – are unrewarded and even penalised. This evidence requires further political attention, given its implications for large number of workers, especially in feminised, low-status service jobs.

JEL Codes: J01, J23, J24, J31, J38
Interlaboratory comparison of heavy metal testing in animal diagnostic specimens and feed using inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry
Authors: McGeehan Steven , Baszler Timothy , Gaskill Cynthia , Johnson Joseph , Smith Lori , Raisbeck Merl , Schrier Nick , Harris Heather , Talcott Patricia
Published: February 2020

We compared inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) test results for the analysis of heavy metals (As, Ba, Cd, Hg, Pb, and Se) in pet foods and routine veterinary diagnostic specimens using intralaboratory and interlaboratory comparisons. Four laboratories, 1 principal laboratory and 3 collaborating laboratories, conducted instrument comparison (limit of detection [LOD], limit of quantification [LOQ], and linear dynamic range [LDR] on 24 data sets), in-house method comparison (accuracy and precision on 120 data sets), and interlaboratory comparison (reproducibility on 528 data sets using Horwitz equation analysis). Matrices tested included 2 types of pet food jerky treats (chicken and sweet potato), bovine blood, and bovine liver and kidney. The instrument comparison study confirmed that ICP-MS provided the sensitivity necessary for the analysis of all heavy metals tested at concentrations below the level of concern for routine diagnostic testing. The “in-house” method comparison samples, spiked at low (0.04 µg/g), medium (0.4 µg/g), and high (8.0 µg/g; note: the high validation level spike for mercury was 2 µg/g) concentration levels, indicated that ICP-MS can meet U.S. FDA acceptance criteria for both accuracy (90–105% recovery) and precision (< 6% coefficient of variation). The interlaboratory comparison studies showed that ICP-MS is a reproducible method for the analysis of heavy metals (HorRat value of 0.5–2.0) except for mercury in one laboratory, which used a different sample preparation method (open block rather than microwave digestion). Overall, our study showed that ICP-MS is a reproducible method for the analysis of heavy metals in spite of minor differences in methodology.
Effectiveness of Parenting Program for Macau Shift Work Parents: Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Leung Cynthia , Chan Stanley , Ip H. L. , Szeto Heidi , Lee Miki , Chan Kama , Chan Marco
Published: February 2020

Purpose:

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Happy Parenting: Round-the-Clock Parenting (HPRCP) program for Macau parents on shift work, using randomized controlled trial design.

Methods:

The participants included 154 parents on shift work who were randomized into the intervention ( n = 78) and waitlist control ( n = 76) groups. Participants were requested to complete a set of questionnaires on their children’s behavior, their own parenting stress, parenting practices, and emotion-focused parenting style both before and after the completion of the program by the intervention group.

Results:

Analysis was by intention-to-treat. The results indicated significant reduction in child behavior problems, parenting stress, and dysfunctional parenting practices in the intervention group after intervention.

Conclusions:

The results provided promising evidence on the effectiveness of the HPRCP program for parents on shift work.
Global non-quadratic Lyapunov-based stabilization of T–S fuzzy systems: A descriptor approach
Authors: Vafamand Navid
Published: February 2020

This article studies the problem of global stability of the Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy systems based on a novel descriptor-based non-quadratic Lyapunov function. A modified non-quadratic Lyapunov function, which comprises an integral term of the membership functions, and a modified non-parallel distributed controller constructed by constant delayed premise variables are considered that assure the global stability of the closed-loop T–S fuzzy system. The special structure of the used non-quadratic Lyapunov function results in time-delayed terms of the membership functions, instead of appearing their time derivatives, which is the well-known issue of the common non-quadratic Lyapunov functions in the literature. Also, the memory fuzzy controller is chosen such that the artificial constant delay-dependent stability analysis conditions for a non-delayed closed-loop T–S fuzzy system are formulated in terms of linear matrix inequalities. To further reduce the conservatives, some slack matrices are introduced by deploying the descriptor representation and decoupling lemmas. Moreover, the design of the robust fuzzy controller is studied through the [Formula: see text] performance criteria. The main advantages of the proposed approach are its small conservatives and the global stability analysis, which distinguish it from the state-of-the-art methods. To show the merits of the proposed approach, comparison results are provided, and two numerical case studies, namely, flexible joint robot and two-link joint robot are considered.
Substance Use and Exposure to Adverse Childhood Experiences in Undergraduate and Graduate Nursing Students
Authors: Kameg Brayden N. , Lindsay Dawn , Lee Heeyoung , Mitchell Ann
Published: February 2020

BACKGROUND: Substance misuse remains a public health crisis and contributor to morbidity and mortality. The nursing workforce is not immune to the impacts of substance misuse as rates are thought to mirror those of the general population. Additionally, as substance misuse often begins in adolescence or early adulthood, prevalence of misuse among practicing nurses highlights the fact that students are also at risk. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine rates and patterns of substance use and adverse childhood experience (ACE) exposure among nursing students while also examining associations between substance use and ACE exposure. METHOD: This study utilizes a cross-sectional and descriptive design through the provision of email surveys to nursing students. Email surveys consisting of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, the Drug Abuse Screening Tool 10-item survey, the ACE Questionnaire, and a demographic inquiry were distributed via Qualtrics survey software. RESULTS: A total of 662 individuals participated in the survey, the majority of whom self-identified as female, were undergraduate students, and were between 18 and 21 years. Moderate- to high-risk alcohol use was identified in 20% of students, while moderate- to high-risk drug use was identified in 3.6% of students. More than half of students endorsed exposure to at least one ACE. Significant associations were found between the Drug Abuse Screening Tool 10-item survey and the ACE Questionnaire. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study have significant implications for nursing educators and must inform groundwork for the development of policies and interventions that are evidence based, nonpunitive, and trauma informed.
Consumers Complain More Fiercely Through Small-Screen Devices: The Role of Spatial Crowding Perception
Authors: Zhou Yuanyuan , Tian Bin , Mo Tingting , Fei Zhuoying
Published: February 2020

Previous research has mainly focused on the determinants of consumers’ complaint channel choices. Little attention has been paid to the behavioral consequences of different complaint channels, particularly different complaint devices. Drawing on spatial crowding perception theory, this study finds that in an online complaint context, consumers’ complaint intensity is shaped by complaint devices that differ in screen size. Crowding perception produced by visually restrictive tension mediates the relationship between the screen size of the complaint device and the complaint intensity. The results of secondary data confirm that consumers’ complaint intensity is higher while complaining through a small-screen device (as opposed to a large-screen one). Three scenario-based experiments are conducted to examine the role of perceived spatial crowding in producing a more intense complaint behavior when complaints are submitted through smaller screen devices (as opposed to larger screen devices). The fourth experiment reveals that crowding perception can be lessened by adjusting certain design elements of the interface, ultimately mitigating the intensity of the complaint submitted through a small-screen device. Our research identifies the specific causality and underlying mechanism of the influence of device type on consumers’ postconsumption behavior, thus contributing to clarify some ambiguities in the literature.
Towards a Professionalising of Communication for Development: A Strategy for Improving Aid Effectiveness
Authors: Agunga Robert
Published: February 2020

Communication for development is an emerging academy and professionalism whose presence in development practice is more likely to increase aid effectiveness and improve the success rate of development programmes. This article presents the academy and professionalism communication for development (C4D). In particular, it describes the author’s familiarity with C4D and his attempt to raise it into an academy as well as establish it in the field as a profession. He pulls together his experiences in Africa, his authorships and his most recent funding activities in Pakistan to demonstrate how C4D can be an effective role player in the development process.
Vaccine Hesitancy: The Growing Parent–Provider Divide
Authors: Kashyap Angshuman , Shrivastava Sangeeta , Krishnatray Pradeep
Published: February 2020

Vast majority of parents continue to immunize their children against deadly infectious diseases. However, of late, growing number of them in both developed and developing nations have refused vaccination forcing the World Health Organization to declare vaccine hesitancy as one of the top ten major threats to global health. This research reviews literature published in the last few years to understand and explain the phenomenon. It identifies 10 reasons for people’s reluctance for vaccination: parental concerns, perceived disease susceptibility, parent–provider relationship, government policies, role of school authorities, weak interpersonal communication (IPC) skills of health workers, religious beliefs, role of media, social media and information on vaccines, and lack of trust. The review categorizes parents who hesitate or refuse vaccination into four categories: obedients, ditherers, doubters and defiants. Finally, it summarizes recommendations and steps that researchers and policy makers have made to stem the growing concerns regarding vaccine hesitancy.
Biophilic, photobiological and energy-efficient design framework of adaptive building façades for Northern Canada
Authors: Parsaee Mojtaba , Demers Claude Mh , Hébert Marc , Lalonde Jean-François , Potvin André
Published: February 2020

This paper develops an integrated design framework of adaptive building façades (ABFs) to respond to photobiological and thermal needs of occupants, biophilic factors, energy requirements and climatic features in Northern Canada, i.e. near and above 50°N. The paper discusses the importance of biophilic and photobiological factors and ABFs to improve occupants’ health and human–nature relations and deal with the extreme climate in Northern Canada where non-adapted buildings that could negatively affect occupants’ well-being. The paper shows that existing ABFs must be further developed for northern applications in terms of (i) the physical structure and configuration of components, (ii) the design of solar shading/louver panels to address photobiological and biophilic requirements, (iii) the development of lighting adaptation scenarios to respond to biophilic and photobiological needs, local photoperiods and energy issues and (iv) the overall biophilic quality for accessibility to natural patterns. The ABFs’ framework was developed in three phases including: (1) process environmental data, (2) produce adaptation scenarios and (3) operate adaptation scenarios. The research discussed major issues of all phases that must be further studied, especially the development of hourly/daily/seasonally lighting adaptation scenarios. The paper develops a holistic parametric methodology to integrate and optimize major design variables of ABF’s components.
A strain rate dependent cohesive zone element for mode I modeling of the fracture behavior of adhesives
Authors: Borges CSP , Nunes PDP , Akhavan-Safar A , Marques EAS , Carbas RJC , Alfonso L , Silva LFM
Published: February 2020

Adhesives are widely used in the automotive industry as they can be used to manufacture lightweight multimaterial structures with improved strength-to-weight ratio, contributing to lower energy consumption and emissions. In this industry, it is also crucial to ensure passengers' safety and, thus, mechanical behavior of the complete automotive structure should be tested for impact conditions, including the adhesive joints within it. This work presents the development of a finite element, which models the mechanical behavior of adhesives and takes into account the strain rate dependent property variation, in mode I. The trends for the property variation were set based on an experimental study of two adhesives under three different loading conditions: quasi-static, intermediate speed, and impact. The strength was determined using bulk tensile tests and toughness using double cantilever beam, respectively. Both adhesives studied have shown an increase in ultimate stress and critical energy release rate with increasing strain rate. The property variation was then implemented on a finite element, which revealed a good agreement with the experimental results.
Metastasis suppressor 1 acts as a tumor suppressor by inhibiting epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in triple-negative breast cancer
Authors: Yu Jinling , Shen Weida , Gao Beimin , Xu Jinping , Gong Bo
Published: February 2020

Objective:

This study aimed to analyze the function of metastasis suppressor 1 ( MTSS1) in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC).

Methods:

MTSS1 expression in 30 TNBC and paracancerous tissues was measured by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. The prognostic value of MTSS1 was assessed by Kaplan–Meier analysis followed by the log-rank test. MCF7 cells were transfected with si- MTSS1, while MDA-MB-231 cells were transfected with pcDNA3.1- MTSS1. Cell proliferation assay and transwell assay were performed to investigate the effects of MTSS1 on the biological behavior of breast cancer cells. Immunofluorescence and western blot were used to detect the influence of MTSS1 on epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers.

Results:

MTSS1 expression was significantly lower in TNBC tissues compared with that in paracancerous tissues (0.012 vs. 0.370; P = 0.006). A lower MTSS1 expression level was also found in tumor tissues of patients with lymph node metastasis ( P = 0.002) or tumor node metastasis stage ( P = 0.010). Patients with low expression of MTSS1 (⩽ 0.009) had shorter disease-free survival (47.4 vs. 56.0 months; P = 0.012). The knockdown of MTSS1 in MCF7 cells inhibited cell proliferation, enhanced cell migration and invasion capacities, decreased the E-cadherin level, and increased the vimentin level, whereas overexpression of MTSS1 in MDA-MB-231 cells had the opposite effects ( P < 0.05).

Conclusions:

Our findings demonstrated that MTSS1 regulates proliferation, invasion, migration, and EMT in TNBC, and that decreased MTSS1 is associated with shorter disease-free survival.
The role of working memory capacity in analytic and multiply-constrained problem-solving in demanding situations
Authors: Ellis Derek M , Ball B Hunter , Kimpton Nicole , Brewer Gene A
Published: February 2020

Working memory processes are important for analytic problem-solving; however, their role in multiply-constrained problem-solving is currently debated. This study explored individual differences in working memory and successful completion of analytic and multiply-constrained problem-solving by having participants solve algebra and compound remote associate (CRAT) problems of varying difficulty under low and high memory demand conditions. Working memory was predictive of both algebra and multiply-constrained problem-solving. Specifically, participants with high working memory solved more problems than those with low working. Memory load did not differentially affect performance for low and high working memory participants. However, for multiply-constrained problem-solving the effect of item difficulty was more detrimental for high-span participants than low-span participants. Together, these findings suggest that working memory processes are important for both types of problem-solving and that participants with low working memory capacity may need to offload internal memory demands onto the environment to efficiently solve problems.
Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw
Authors: Patel Kishan , Walshaw Emma , Aranha Charolene
Published: February 2020

Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) is a rare, but well-documented, complication following the administration of anti-resorptive and anti-angiogenic drugs. MRONJ has a negative effect on quality of life, and can result in reduced social contact, pain and masticatory difficulties. Prescription of implicated medication is within the remit of GPs, and thus National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines have been published to inform prescribing. Careful consideration of the potential deleterious oral side-effects of these drugs is needed. NICE guidelines on the prescribing of bisphosphonates for osteoporosis acknowledge that osteonecrosis of the jaw was not included in the adverse events when the economic model was assessed. This article provides an overview of MRONJ, highlighting key areas for possible GP intervention when caring for patients at risk of developing MRONJ, and what to do if MRONJ is suspected.
Olfactory Ensheathing Cells Mediate Neuroplastic Mechanisms After Olfactory Training in Mouse Model
Authors: Kim Boo-Young , Park JuYeon , Kim EuiJin , Kim ByungGuk
Published: February 2020

Background

Several studies have reported beneficial effects of olfactory training (OT) on the olfactory nervous system. However, the mechanisms underlying the regeneration of the olfactory system induced by OT are still under investigation.

Objectives

To determine the key mechanisms involved in the olfactory system recovery and to assess the neuroplastic effects of OT.

Methods

Thirty healthy female C57BL/6 mice were randomly allocated to 4 groups: control, n = 6; anosmia (no treatment), n = 8; OT, n = 8; and steroid treatment; n = 8. Except for the control group, mice were administered 3-methylindole. Anosmia was assessed using a food-finding test (FFT). The olfactory neuroepithelium was for histological examinations, gene ontology with pathway analyses, RNA, and protein studies.

Results

FFT was significantly reduced at 3 weeks in the OT mice versus steroids (78.27 s vs 156.83 s, P < .008) and controls (78.27 s vs 13.14 s, P < .003), although final outcome in the FFT was similar in these groups. Expression of olfactory and neurogenesis marker was higher in the olfactory neuroepithelium of the OT group than in the anosmia group without treatment. The mechanisms underlying olfactory regeneration might be related to early olfactory receptor stimulation, followed by neurotrophic factor stimulation of neuronal plasticity.

Conclusion

OT can improve olfactory function and accelerate olfactory recovery. The mechanisms underlying olfactory regeneration might be related to an initial stimulation of olfactory receptors followed by neurogenesis. Olfactory ensheathing cells might play an important role in olfactory regeneration following OT, based on the observed changes in messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) and protein expression, as well as the findings of the gene analysis.
Pulmonary thromboembolism with computed tomography defined chronic thrombus is associated with higher mortality
Authors: Chang Hsien‐Yuan , Chang Wei‐Ting , Chen Po‐Wei , Lin Chih‐Chan , Hsu Chih‐Hsin
Published: February 2020

With the advancement of computed tomography pulmonary angiography, differentiating between acute and chronic thrombus in pulmonary embolism has become more feasible. However, whether pulmonary embolism with chronic thrombus contributes to a higher mortality than pulmonary embolism with acute thrombus remains undetermined. Additionally, the clinical features of patients with chronic thrombus are largely unknown. Herein, we aimed to investigate the incidence and outcomes of patients with pulmonary embolism and chronic thrombus. This retrospective study included patients with pulmonary embolism from 2008 to 2016 at National Cheng Kung University Hospital. After excluding patients with tumor emboli or other etiologies and a lack of computed tomography images, we identified 205 patients with acute thrombus and 58 patients with chronic thrombus. Patients with chronic thrombus initially presented mainly with dyspnea, and the etiology was not related to recent surgery. Patients with chronic thrombus had a significantly higher incidence of elevated right ventricular systolic pressure detected by echocardiography and a higher incidence of subsequent events due to residual pulmonary embolism. Despite no differences in clinically recurrent pulmonary embolism, patients with chronic thrombus presented with a higher risk of all‐cause and pulmonary embolism‐related mortality than patients with acute thrombus. Chronic thrombus (hazard ratio: 2.03, p = 0.03), simplified pulmonary embolism severity index, anticoagulant use, and body mass index were the independent factors for all‐cause mortality. Our findings suggest that using computed tomography pulmonary angiography for identifying patients with pulmonary embolism and chronic thrombus, which was associated with a higher risk of mortality, is pivotal for early intervention in addition to anticoagulant use.
Flow rate variance of a fully implantable pump for the delivery of intravenous treprostinil in pulmonary arterial hypertension
Authors: Richter Manuel J. , Harutyunova Satenik , Bollmann Tom , Classen Simon , Fuge Jan , Gall Henning , Gerhardt Felix , Ghofrani Hossein A. , Gunkel Hartmut , Grünig Ekkehard , Halank Michael , Heine Alexander , Klose Hans , Lange Tobias J. , Neurohr Claus , Nickolaus Kai , Opitz Christian F. , Rosenkranz Stephan , Seyfarth Hans‐Jürgen , Tello Khodr , Ewert Ralf , Olsson Karen M.
Published: February 2020

Implantable infusion pumps might improve the convenience and safety of intravenous treprostinil for pulmonary arterial hypertension. The LENUS Pro® pump (approved in Europe) has a fixed flow rate. Based on 126 pumps and 2853 refills, we retrospectively analyzed the actual flow rate from 09/2010 to 09/2018. A relevant flow rate variance is evident after three years; therefore, flow rate monitoring and dose adjustment are mandatory.
High prevalence of physical inactivity after heart valve surgery and its association with long-term mortality: A nationwide cohort study
Authors: Kim Sun-Hyung , Cha Seungwoo , Kang Seongmin , Han Kyungdo , Paik Nam-Jong , Kim Won-Seok
Published: February 2020

Aims

Physical activity (PA) and systematic efforts, such as cardiac rehabilitation, are recommended by several national guidelines for those who have received heart valve surgery. However, only a few studies have demonstrated real-world situations, such as changes in the PA level after heart valve surgery, and their effects on long-term outcomes. We designed this study to investigate the changes in PA after heart valve surgery and their associations with mortality using nationwide representative data.

Methods

This study was performed using the Korean National Health Insurance Service database. We included patients who received heart valve surgery from 2009 to 2015 and underwent regular health checkups before and after surgery. Subjects were grouped according to their PA level before and after the surgery. Information on all-cause mortality was obtained until 31 December 2016, with a maximum follow-up period of 5 years.

Results

Of the 6587 subjects, 3258 (49.5%) were physically inactive after surgery. Among patients who were physically active (n = 3070), 1196 (39.0%) became inactive after surgery. The postoperative ‘inactive’ group showed higher mortality than the ‘active’ group (hazard ratio (HR): 1.41, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08–1.83). The ‘inactive/inactive’ group showed the highest risk of mortality (HR: 1.69, 95% CI: 1.19–2.40) compared with the ‘active/active’ group.

Conclusions

Insufficient PA level after heart valve surgery is associated with higher risk of mortality. However, maintaining sufficient PA after heart valve surgery may be challenging for many patients. Therefore, systematic efforts, such as cardiac rehabilitation, should be considered in those who received heart valve surgery.