bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Facilitating success for people with mental health issues in a college through cognitive remediation therapy and social and emotional learning
Authors: Bajwa Jaswant Kaur , Bajwa Bobby , Gula Taras
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the components, structure and theoretical underpinnings of a cognitive remediation intervention that was delivered within a supported education program for mental health survivors.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 21 participants enrolled in the course Strengthening Memory, Concentration and Learning (PREP 1033 at George Brown College (GBC)) with the diagnosis of depression, anxiety, PTSD, ED and substance use disorder were included in the research. After a baseline assessment, participants completed 14 week cognitive remediation training (CRT) protocol that included six essential components that were integrated and implemented within the course structure of the supported education program at GBC. This was followed by a post-training assessment.

Findings

Analysis of the participants’ performance on CRT protocol using computerized games showed little significant progress. However, the research found a positive change in the self-esteem of the participants that was statistically significant and the findings also aligned with the social and emotional learning framework.

Research limitations/implications

One of the limitations in the research was the use of computer-assisted cognitive remediation in the form of the HappyNeuron software. The value and relevance of computer assisted needs are to be further examined. It seems that the implementation of the course that explicitly address cognitive challenges creates a supportive environment can be helpful.

Practical implications

Despite the mixed results and the few limitations associated with the CRT intervention reported in the research, the study offers reminders of the complexity of cognitive remediation and all the factors involved that need to be taken into consideration.

Social implications

This research created explicit space for addressing some of the implicit assumptions about the cognitive abilities when in post-secondary education.

Originality/value

This work is based on author’s previous work on cognitive remediation research within the supported education setting.
Nonlinear thermo-solutal convective flow of Casson fluid over an oscillating plate due to non-coaxial rotation with quadratic density fluctuation
Authors: Mahanthesh B. , Brizlyn T. , Shehzad SabirAli , B.J. Gireesha
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The nonlinear density thermal/solutal fluctuations in the buoyancy force term cannot be ignored when the temperature/concentration difference between the surface and fluid is large. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the nonlinear density fluctuations across a flowing fluid with heat mass transfer effects on a non-axial rotating plate. Therefore, the impact of nonlinear convection in the flow of Casson fluid over an oscillating plate has been analytically investigated.

Design/methodology/approach

The governing equations are modeled with the help of conservation equations of velocity, energy and concentration under the transient-state situation. The dimensional governing equations are non-dimensionalized by utilizing non-dimensional variables. Later, the subsequent non-dimensional problem has been solved analytically using Laplace transform method.

Findings

The effects of thermal Grashof number, solute Grashof number, nonlinear convection parameters, Casson fluid parameter, unsteady parameter, Prandtl number as well as Schmidt number on hydrodynamic, thermal and solute characteristics have been quantified. The numeric data for skin friction coefficient, Nusselt number and Sherwood number are presented. It is established the nonlinear convection aspect has a significant influence on heat and mass transport characteristics.

Originality/value

The effect of nonlinear convection in the dynamics of Casson fluid past an oscillating plate which is rotating non-axially is investigated for the first time.
Political instability and corporate social responsibility: the case of Egypt
Authors: El-Bassiouny Dina , Letmathe Peter
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the impact of political uncertainty and instability caused by the 2011 Egyptian revolution on the corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices of Egyptian firms. The study provides empirical evidence to support the link between political instability, financial performance, stock market uncertainty and CSR in the post-revolution context of Egypt.

Design/methodology/approach

Data on CSR practices in Egypt were collected through a survey of Egyptian firms and content analysis of annual reports from publicly traded firms. The final survey sample consisted of 99 listed Egyptian companies. Structural equation modeling was performed to examine the relationship between the variables of this study.

Findings

The results of the study show that political instability is perceived to have a significant positive effect on the CSR practices of Egyptian firms. The results also reveal that the financial performance of firms is perceived not to be affected by the political instability after the 2011 Revolution as opposed to stock market uncertainty, which is perceived to be significantly affected. However, financial performance and stock market uncertainty have a significant positive influence on the CSR practices of Egyptian firms.

Originality/value

This paper capitalizes institutional theory to capture the complex interactions between organizations and their external institutional environments. Previous studies tackling CSR in unstable political environments in the African context focused on countries with prolonged periods of violent conflict and on more localized forms of conflicts. Yet, little is known about CSR during the occurrence of different types of political instabilities in other African countries.
Mid Staffordshire: a Case Study of Failed Governance and Leadership?
Authors: Smith Judith , Chambers Naomi
Published: June 2019

The public inquiry chaired by Robert Francis QC into failings of care at the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust made 290 recommendations about matters including: standards of patient care in the National Health Service (NHS); organisational culture and leadership; the use of data and information; the need for greater openness; and compassionate and committed nursing. In this paper, we argue that Mid Staffordshire represented a profound failure of governance and leadership. We use findings from a national research study to analyse the response made by the boards and leadership of NHS hospitals to the inquiry recommendations, setting out the repertoire of board roles and behaviours required for the governance of safe and effective care.
NHS Inquiries and Investigations; an Exemplar in Peculiarity and Assumption
Authors: Ryan Sara
Published: June 2019

There is little research focussing on how bereaved families experience NHS inquiries and investigations. Despite this gap, there is a consistent assumption that these processes provide families with catharsis. Drawing on my personal experiences of NHS investigations over a five‐year period after the death of our son, Connor Sparrowhawk, I suggest the assumption of catharsis is misplaced and works to erase the considerable emotional ‘accountability’ labour that families undertake during these processes. I further question whether inquiries or investigations are an effective way of holding stakeholders to account. I conclude with two points: first, qualitative research is needed to better understand bereaved family experiences of inquiries and investigations and second, the ‘lessons learned’ objective underpinning inquiries should be replaced with ‘leading to demonstrable change’, which is what families typically want.
Dietetics in the digital age: The impact of an electronic medical record on a tertiary hospital dietetic department
Authors: McCamley Jordan , Vivanti Angela , Edirippulige Sisira
Published: June 2019

Aim

The present study aimed to assess the impact of a hospital‐wide electronic medical record (EMR) on the way dietitians collect routine data for their assessments and its impact on their clinical documentation and service provision.

Methods

Data were collected retrospectively from the following sources: interdepartmental chart audit, the EMR itself (nutrition diagnosis), National Health Roundtable database (admissions requiring nutrition events) and the hospital‐wide Pressure Injury Prevention Audits (height, weight and malnutrition screening).

Results

There were improvements in medical record accessibility (76.4% pre vs 100% post, P < 0.001), awareness of medical alerts (82.5% unaware pre vs 34.5% unaware post) and legibility of documentation (53.8% pre vs 99.2% post, P < 0.001). Improvements in accessing medical charts under 1 minute also occurred (65.8% pre vs 99.2% post, P < 0.001). The percentage of nutrition diagnoses resolved during admission increased from 20.0% in February 2016 to 34.0% in August 2017. A 72.0% increase in admissions requiring nutrition interventions was found with 4075 admissions pre‐ and 7035 post‐EMR implementation. Time spent per nutrition event reduced by 22.0% (118 minutes pre and 92 minutes post). Hospital audit data revealed mean height and weight collected increased from 79.3 ± 3.8% (n = 8 audits totalling 3041/3834 patients) to 86.0 ± 2.6% (n = 5 audits totalling, 2544/2958 patients) post‐EMR with malnutrition screening completion increasing from 57.5% to 74.0%.

Conclusions

Findings indicate that EMR implementation has the potential to benefit the dietetic profession due to the potential to enhance the capacity and efficiency of dietetic departments.
Investigation of empathy amongst dietetic interns at selected primary and tertiary health‐care facilities
Authors: Yang Wai Y. , Low Yi E. , Ng Wan J. , Ong Shu H. , Jamil Jamilah A.
Published: June 2019

Aim

Empathy is an essential aspect in the delivery of quality nutrition care and promoting better outcomes in patients. With an increased emphasis of patient‐centred care in dietetic practice, empathy should underpin the construct of the curriculum in dietetic education. The present study investigated the empathy level of dietetic interns through self‐reporting measures and patients' perception.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study was conducted on a total of 57 dietetic interns and 99 patients from primary and tertiary health care settings. The dietetic interns completed the Toronto Empathy Questionnaire (TEQ) while the Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) measure was self‐administered by patients. Socio‐demographic information of participants was collected.

Results

The dietetic interns' mean (standard deviation [SD]) TEQ scores were 46.90 ± 5.28 and 47.78 ± 5.34 in primary and tertiary care, respectively. CARE measure scores rated by patients in the primary care were 38.61 ± 8.38 and for tertiary setting, the scores were slightly higher (39.47 ± 7.65). The settings, gender, ethnicity and period of internship did not affect dietetic interns' empathy level. In primary care, CARE scores were significantly different between patients' age grouping (P = 0.007).

Conclusions

Findings from the present study showed that patients' age significantly affected their perception of dietetic interns' empathy in primary health care. These preliminary findings could facilitate an understanding of the level of empathy amongst interns for consideration in the future design of dietetic training.
Chimeric 6‐methylsalicylic acid synthase with domains of acyl carrier protein and methyltransferase from Pseudallescheria boydii shows novel biosynthetic activity
Authors: Liao Ji‐Long , Pang Ka‐Lai , Sun Guang‐Huan , Pai Tun‐Wen , Hsu Pang‐Hung , Lin Jyuan‐Siou , Sun Kuang‐Hui , Hsieh Chii‐Cheng , Tang Shye‐Jye
Published: June 2019

Polyketides are important secondary metabolites, many of which exhibit potent pharmacological applications. Biosynthesis of polyketides is carried out by a single polyketide synthase (PKS) or multiple PKSs in successive elongations of enzyme‐bound intermediates related to fatty acid biosynthesis. The polyketide gene PKS306 from Pseudallescheria boydii NTOU2362 containing domains of ketosynthase (KS), acyltransferase (AT), dehydratase (DH), acyl carrier protein (ACP) and methyltransferase (MT) was cloned in an attempt to produce novel chemical compounds, and this PKS harbouring green fluorescent protein (GFP) was expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Although fluorescence of GFP and fusion protein analysed by anti‐GFP antibody were observed, no novel compound was detected. 6‐methylsalicylic acid synthase (6MSAS) was then used as a template and engineered with PKS306 by combinatorial fusion. The chimeric PKS containing domains of KS, AT, DH and ketoreductase (KR) from 6MSAS with ACP and MT from PKS306 demonstrated biosynthesis of a novel compound. The compound was identified with a deduced chemical formula of C7H10O3, and the chemical structure was named as 2‐hydroxy‐2‐(propan‐2‐yl) cyclobutane‐1,3‐dione. The novel compound synthesized by the chimeric PKS in this study demonstrates the feasibility of combinatorial fusion of PKS genes to produce novel polyketides.
Spillover Effects of Fraud Allegations and Investor Sentiment
Authors: Darrough Masako , Huang Rong , Zhao Sha
Published: June 2019

We examine whether a stock price spillover effect spreads through the method of listing or country of origin and whether this spillover effect changes when investor sentiment shifts. Using a sample of fraud allegations against Chinese companies that became public through Chinese reverse mergers (CRMs), we investigate whether firms that experienced negative spillover effects on their stock prices are those from the same country and/or with the same method of listing as the firms accused of fraud. We first show that the negative spillover effect channeled through the firm's country of origin becomes stronger when investor sentiment about Chinese companies becomes pessimistic, as evinced by significant declines in the stock prices of non‐fraudulent Chinese companies, including both CRMs and Chinese IPOs. Second, we show that the negative spillover effects on CRMs are stronger than those on Chinese IPOs and non‐Chinese reverse mergers, suggesting that both country and listing method are applicable to CRMs. Our findings indicate that (i) investor sentiment plays an important role in the spillover process involving fraud allegations and (ii) while the two channels could coexist, negative spillover effects that spread through the country of origin play a more prominent role than those that spread through the method of listing.
Diagnosis and management of Non‐IgE gastrointestinal allergies in breastfed infants—An EAACI Position Paper
Authors: Meyer Rosan , Chebar Lozinsky Adriana , Fleischer David M. , Vieira Mario C. , Du Toit George , Vandenplas Yvan , Dupont Christophe , Knibb Rebecca , Uysal Piınar , Cavkaytar Ozlem , Nowak‐Wegrzyn Anna , Shah Neil , Venter Carina
Published: June 2019

It is well‐established that food proteins, such as egg, soya, cow's milk and wheat, are detectable in breastmilk for many hours or days after ingestion. Exposure to these proteins is important to the process of developing tolerance but can also sometimes elicit IgE‐mediated and non–IgE‐mediated allergic symptoms in breastfed infants. Non–IgE‐mediated allergy, outside of food protein‐induced allergic proctocolitis and eosinophilic oesophagitis, is not well understood, leading to variations in the diagnosis and management thereof. A primary objective of the European Academy for Allergy and Clinical Immunology is to support breastfeeding in all infants, including those with food allergies. A Task Force was established, to explore the clinical spectrum of non–IgE‐mediated allergies, and part of its objectives was to establish diagnosis and management of non–IgE‐mediated allergies in breastfed infants. Eight questions were formulated using the Patient, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome (PICO) system and Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network (SIGN) criteria for data inclusion, and consensus was achieved on practice points through the Delphi method. This publication aims to provide a comprehensive overview on this topic with practice points for healthcare professionals.
High burden of premature ventricular contractions in structurally normal hearts: To worry or not in pediatric patients?
Authors: Sharma Nandita , Cortez Daniel , Imundo Jason R.
Published: June 2019

Background

There is paucity of data regarding the significance of high percentage of premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) in healthy children and their impact on left ventricular (LV) function and the risk of ventricular arrhythmias. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of LV systolic dysfunction in children with frequent PVCs and determine whether PVC characteristics were predictive of LV dysfunction.

Methods

We performed a single‐center retrospective review to examine the prevalence of PVC‐induced cardiomyopathy and natural history of PVC burden in children with frequent PVCs. Children aged 6 months–21 years with PVCs noted on 24‐hr Holter monitoring studies were enrolled. The four categories included those with a PVC burden of >10%, 10%–20%, and those with more than 20% PVC burden.

Results

A total of 134 children were included, 65 with more than 10% PVCs and 31 with more than 20% PVCs. Median age of the patients was 10.5 years (IQR 6.1–14.8 years), with 79 males (54.5%). Median PVC burden was 8.7% (IQR 4.2%–16.9%) with median follow‐up of 2.8 years (IQR 1.2–4.6 years). During 2.8 years (1.3–4.3 years) of follow‐up, the PVC burden decreased by 67% of baseline PVC burden in those who did not undergo any intervention. There were no deaths.

Conclusion

PVCs in children with structurally normal hearts are associated with a relatively benign course, with trend toward spontaneous resolution.
Writing Truth to Power: Jonas Khemiri’s Work in Stockholm and New York
Authors: Wulff Helena
Published: June 2019

This article explores the work of Swedish writer Jonas Hassen Khemiri, of partly Tunisian origin, in terms of cultural translation and comparison between Stockholm and New York. I discuss three texts by Khemiri in different writing genres: first, an open letter to Sweden’s Minister of Justice, which went viral in 2013 and was also published in the New York Times, about racial profiling in Stockholm; second, the play I Call My Brothers, written in response to a failed terrorist attack in Stockholm in 2010 and staged in New York; third, the award‐winning novel Everything I Don’t Remember (2016b) selected as a 2016 Times Literary Supplement Book of the Year by Joyce Carol Oates. Why would Khemiri’s open letter, play, and novel that address new issues of power, stereotypes, and physical appearance in Sweden matter in the United States, with its deep‐rooted diversity? The conclusion is that the international success of these pieces has nothing to do with Sweden or an interest in Swedish contemporary life but can be understood as local variations on the global themes of terrorist crimes and racial profiling.
Drawing the Adult Child: U.S. Graphic Memoir and the Anthropologies of Kinship and Personhood
Authors: Magee Siobhan
Published: June 2019

This article argues the usefulness of the culturally pervasive and impactful genre of graphic memoir for addressing gaps in the anthropologies of kinship and personhood. It identifies a key figure in some sections of U.S. society: the “adult child.” Adult childness emerges from the graphic memoirs discussed here as when a person finds themselves particularly conscious of having (or having had) parents. To the perennially debated question of what connects kin in a U.S. context the article proposes: the past. Key facets of U.S. personhood and kinship are founded on the tenet that what happens in the lives of one’s parents and one’s childhood go a long way to explaining who an adult is.
Ethnography, Naturalism, and Paul Corey
Authors: Durrenberger Paul
Published: June 2019

Naturalism is a style of writing that seems suited to the American condition. It is detailed, descriptive, and realistic. In short, it resembles ethnography. I discuss Iowa author Paul Corey, his engagement with this movement and its relationship with ethnography.
Management and monitoring of opioid use in pregnancy
Authors: Rausgaard Nete Lundager Klokker , Ibsen Inge Olga , Jørgensen Jan Stener , Lamont Ronald Francis , Ravn Pernille
Published: June 2019

Opioid use during pregnancy has serious consequences for mother and baby. The true extent of the problem is unknown and there is a need for better screening. Existing guidelines with respect to the management of pregnant women with opioid use are based on limited evidence. To improve recommendations for optimal identification, management, and treatment, publications on opioids in pregnancy were reviewed. Published literature from 2007 to 2017 was searched in PubMed, Cochrane and Embase databases. The review employed 60 publications from 210 studies identified, that were of varying quality and included randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, meta‐analyses, and Cochrane reviews. The prevalence of opioid use in pregnancy is underestimated. Screening by urine testing and self‐reporting is acceptable to identify fetal exposure. To minimize risk, opioid agonist pharmacotherapy should replace the continued use of opioids or detoxification. Current guidelines recommend methadone and buprenorphine equally. However, recent studies indicate that buprenorphine has advantages over methadone. Accordingly, we suggest buprenorphine as first‐line therapy. Future studies should elaborate on better objective screening methods to prevent the consequences of fetomaternal opioid exposure.
Partnerships for interdisciplinary collaborative global well‐being
Authors: Halbreich Uriel , Schulze Thomas , Botbol Michel , Javed Afzal , Kallivayalil Roy Abraham , Ghuloum Suhaila , Baron David , Moreira Almeida Alexander , Musalek Michael , Fung Wai Lun Alan , Sharma Avdesh , Tasman Allan , Christodoulou Nikos , Kasper Siegfried , Ivbijaro Gabriel
Published: June 2019

Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well‐being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. The multifaceted intertwined nature of optimal health, mental health, and well‐being requires operational, sustainable interdisciplinary partnerships in order to improve personal and global well‐being and happiness. The initial step must be the assessment of the nature and magnitude of local problems in the global context. The WHO annual reports may be an adequate departure point as they can demonstrate the global nature of stressful situations and their association with physical and mental stress‐related disorders. Therein, mental health professionals should spearhead change and progress. Attitudes need to be pro‐active and partnerships are essential.

Pertinent data should be evaluated by local experts who will determine the needs and how best to face them and achieve solutions. Hopefully, common regional denominators will lead to the formation of Regional Interdisciplinary Collaborative Alliances (RICAs) who will share needed resources and focus particularly on vulnerable populations. The RICAs would be supported by experts and technological facilities located in developed economy centers. The long‐term goal is to turn the concept of pursuit of happiness into a well‐perceived reality.
Archaeometrical study of Khmer stoneware from the Angkorian period: Results from the Cerangkor Project
Authors: Thirion‐Merle V. , Thierrin‐Michael G. , Desbat A.
Published: June 2019

In the area around Angkor, Cambodia, several ceramics kilns dating from the ninth to 15th centuries ce have been discovered since 1995. The technical, typological and compositional characterization of their production has been one of the main goals of the Cerangkor Project. Samples of green‐glazed ‘Kulen‐type' stoneware and non‐glazed stoneware produced in five kiln sites in the Angkor region were analysed chemically by wavelength‐dispersive X‐ray fluorescence spectrometry (WDS‐XRF) and also petrographically. The data indicate that some workshops used similar raw materials for the same types of ceramics, suggesting the exploitation of the same geological formations in the whole region. Several references groups were established for each type of stoneware offering an important database for future provenance studies of sherds from consumption sites.
Effects of different protein sources completely replacing fish meal in low‐protein diet on growth performance, intestinal digestive physiology, and nitrogen digestion and metabolism in nursery pigs
Authors: Li Rui , Hou Gaifeng , Song Zehe , Wu Cong , Zhao Jianfei , Sun Xingdong , Xiang Xuxiang , Fan Zhiyong , Hou De‐xing , He Xi
Published: June 2019

The study compared the effects of selected proteins replacing fish meal in low‐protein diets on piglets’ growth performance, intestinal digestive physiology, and nitrogen digestion and metabolism. Five reduced CP, amino acid (AA)‐supplemented diets containing 4% of either S50, HP300, concentrated degossypolized cottonseed protein (CDCP), P50, or fish meal were assigned to six pens with 11 pigs for a 28‐day study period. Compared with fish meal, dietary proteins did not affect growth performance, apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrients, serum hormone levels and biochemical parameters, apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of CP and most AA, colonic short‐chain fatty acid (SCFA) contents, duodenal and ileal morphology, digestive enzyme activity, and pH in small intestine of piglets. However, HP300, CDCP, and P50 decreased (p < 0.05) fecal N excretion per weight gain. AID of Ile in S50 and HP300 and Glu in P50 were improved (p < 0.05), and AID of Gly in other proteins was reduced (p < 0.05). S50 and P50 lowered (p < 0.05) the contents of colonic isobutyric and isovaleric. S50 and HP300 reduced (p < 0.05) jejunal villus height. CDCP increased (p < 0.05) the pepsin activity in stomach. S50, HP300, and CDCP decreased (p < 0.05) pH in the proximal colon. Overall, the selected proteins could completely replace fish meal in low‐protein diet without impairing piglets’ growth via maintaining intestinal digestive physiology, and nitrogen digestion and metabolism.
Social enterprise and sustainable development in Bangladesh and Korea: Opportunities and challenges
Authors: Cho Sangmi , Sultana Razia , Kwon Soil
Published: June 2019

The aim of this paper was to understand the similarities and differences between social enterprise (SE) systems in Korea and Bangladesh in terms of the emergence, background, development, and current status of the SE's policies and support systems in these two countries. This study employs a conceptual qualitative analysis, and the data used in this study were obtained from multiple reliable literature reviews. The data were analyzed based on a text‐by‐text comparison of social enterprises in the two countries, and the results were revealed through written explanation. In Korea, the SE system emerged as social employment creation plan after the currency crisis in 1997. Later, in 2007, this movement turned into the “Social Enterprise Promotion Act.” Conversely, in Bangladesh, the SE system emerged as a result of NGOs’ activities to “alleviate poverty” and “facilitate job creation” after the War of Independence in 1971 in an informal socioeconomic conditions. There is no explicit legal form of SEs in Bangladesh. This study also suggests the nature and scope of SEs and the barriers to sustainability of SEs in both countries. The study also emphasized the foundations to develop relevant policies as well as clear regulations for the future sustainability of the SEs of these two countries.
i‐GONAD: A method for generating genome‐edited animals without ex vivo handling of embryos
Authors: Ohtsuka Masato , Sato Masahiro
Published: June 2019

The recent development of genome editing technologies has enabled the creation of genome‐edited animals, with alterations at the desired target locus. The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) system is widely used for this purpose because it is simpler and more efficient than other genome editing technologies. The conventional methods for creation of genome‐edited animals involve ex vivo handling of embryos (zygotes) for microinjection or in vitro electroporation. However, this process is laborious and time‐consuming, and relatively large numbers of animals are used. Furthermore, these methods require specialized skills for handling embryos. In 2015, we reported a novel method for the creation of genome‐edited animals without ex vivo handling of embryos. The technology known as Genome‐editing via Oviductal Nucleic Acids Delivery (GONAD) involved intraoviductal instillation of genome editing components into a pregnant female and subsequent in vivo electroporation of an entire oviduct. The genome editing components present in the oviductal lumen are transferred to preimplantation embryos in situ for introducing insertion or deletion (indel) mutations at the desired loci. This technology was further improved by optimizing several parameters to develop improved GONAD (i‐GONAD) for the efficient generation of mutant or knock‐in animals. In this review, we discuss the historical background, potential applications, advantages, and future challenges of GONAD/i‐GONAD technology.
Shortened G1 phase of cell cycle and decreased histone H3K27 methylation are associated with AKT‐induced enhancement of primordial germ cell reprogramming
Authors: Takehara Asuka , Matsui Yasuhisa
Published: June 2019

Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are reprogrammed into pluripotent embryonic germ cells (EGCs) under specific culture conditions, but the detailed mechanisms of PGC reprogramming have not yet been fully clarified. Previous studies have demonstrated that AKT, an important intracellular signaling molecule, promotes reprogramming of PGCs into EGCs. Because AKT likely inhibits p53 functions to enhance PGC reprogramming, and p53 negatively regulates cell cycle progression, we analyzed cell cycle changes in PGCs following AKT activation and found that the ratio of PGCs in the G1/G0 phase was decreased while that of PGCs in the G2/M phase was increased after AKT activation. We also showed that the expression of the CDK inhibitor p27kip1, which prevents the G1‐S transition and is transcriptionally repressed by p53, was significantly downregulated by AKT activation. The results suggested that the characteristic cell cycle changes of PGCs by AKT activation are, at least in part, due to decreased expression of p27kip1. We also investigated changes in histone H3K27 tri‐methylation (H3K27me3) by AKT activation in PGCs, because we previously found that decreased H3K27me3 was involved in PGC reprogramming via upregulation of cyclin D1. We observed that AKT activation in PGCs resulted in H3K27 hypomethylation. In addition, DZNeP, an inhibitor of the H3K27 trimethyl transferase Ezh2, stimulated EGC formation. These results together suggested that AKT activation promotes G1‐S transition and downregulates H3K27me3 to enhance PGC reprogramming.
Glycaemic stability of a cyclist with Type 1 diabetes: 4011 km in 20 days on a ketogenic diet
Authors: Nolan J. , Rush A. , Kaye J.
Published: June 2019

Background

Maintaining glycaemic control during exercise presents a significant challenge for people living with Type 1 diabetes. Significant glycaemic variability has been observed in athletes with Type 1 diabetes in competitive contexts. While very‐low‐carbohydrate ketogenic diets have been shown to minimize glycaemic excursions, no published data have examined if this translates to exercise.

Case report

We report the case of a 37‐year‐old man with Type 1 diabetes who successfully undertook a 4011 km cycle across Australia over 20 consecutive days whilst consuming a very‐low‐carbohydrate ketogenic diet. Continuous glucose monitoring data capture was 98.4% for the ride duration and showed remarkable glycaemic stability, with a standard deviation of 2.1 mmol/l (average interstitial glucose 6.1 mmol/l) and 80.4% of time spent within a range of 3.9–10 mmol/l. Interstitial glucose was <3 mmol/l for 2.1% of this time, with only a single episode of symptomatic hypoglycaemia prompting brief interruption of exercise for carbohydrate administration.

Conclusion

This case demonstrates the viability of a very‐low‐carbohydrate ketogenic diet in an individual with Type 1 diabetes undertaking exercise. While the effect of a very‐low‐carbohydrate ketogenic diet is yet to be examined more broadly in athletes with Type 1 diabetes, the glycaemic stability observed suggests that fat adaptation may attenuate glycaemic swings and reduce reliance on carbohydrate consumption during exercise for maintaining euglycaemia.
Structural insights into Entamoeba histolytica arginase and structure‐based identification of novel non‐amino acid based inhibitors as potential antiamoebic molecules
Authors: Malik Anjali , Dalal Vikram , Ankri Serge , Tomar Shailly
Published: June 2019

Arginase, the binuclear metalloenzyme, is a potential target for therapeutic intervention in protozoan infections. Entamoeba histolytica infection causes amebiasis which is the second most common cause of protozoan‐related human deaths after malaria. Here, we report the crystal structure of E. histolytica arginase (EhArg) in complex with two known inhibitors Nω‐hydroxy‐l‐arginine (l‐NOHA) and l‐norvaline, and its product l‐ornithine at 1.7, 2.0, and 2.4 Å, respectively. Structural and comparative analysis of EhArg–inhibitor complexes with human arginase revealed that despite only 33% sequence identity, the structural determinants of inhibitor recognition and binding are highly conserved in arginases with variation in oligomerization motifs. Knowledge regarding the spatial organization of residues making molecular contacts with inhibitory compounds enabled in the identification of four novel non‐amino acid inhibitors, namely irinotecan, argatroban, cortisone acetate, and sorafenib. In vitro testing of the in silico‐identified inhibitors using purified enzyme proved that irinotecan, argatroban, cortisone acetate, and sorafenib inhibit EhArg with IC50 value (mm) of 1.99, 2.40, 0.91, and 2.75, respectively, as compared to the known inhibitors l‐NOHA and l‐norvaline with IC50 value (mm) of 1.57 and 17.9, respectively. The identification of structure‐based non‐amino acid inhibitory molecules against arginase will be constructive in design and discovery of novel chemical modulators for treating amebiasis by directed therapeutics.
Nitrogen‐dependent bacterial community shifts in root, rhizome and rhizosphere of nutrient‐efficient Miscanthus x giganteus from long‐term field trials
Authors: Liu Yuan , Ludewig Uwe
Published: June 2019

The perennial energy crop Miscanthus × giganteus is recognized for its extraordinary nitrogen‐use efficiency. While the remobilization of nitrogen (N) to the rhizome after the growth phase contributes to this efficiency, the plant‐associated microbiome might also contribute, as N‐fixing bacterial species had been isolated from this grass. Here, we studied established Miscanthus × giganteus plots in southern Germany that either received 80 kg N ha−1 a−1 or that were not N‐fertilized for 14 years. The bacterial communities of the bulk soil, rhizosphere, roots and rhizomes were analysed. Major differences were encountered between plant‐associated fractions. Nitrogen had little effect on soil communities. The roots and rhizomes showed less microbial diversity than soil fractions. In these compartments, Actinobacteria and N‐fixing symbiosis‐associated Proteobacteria depended on N. Intriguingly, N2‐fixing‐related bacterial families were enriched in the rhizomes in long‐term zero N plots, while denitrifier‐related families were depleted. These findings point to the rhizome as a potentially interesting plant organ for N fixation and demonstrate long‐term differences in the organ‐specific bacterial communities associated with different N supply, which are mainly shaped by the plant.
Older adults are prioritized in terms of waiting time under the emergency triage system in Guangzhou, China
Authors: Pan Wen , Zhang Kouxing , Li Haitao , Wu Miaolue , Weng Jianping
Published: June 2019

Aim

To assess whether elderly patients are prioritized under the emergency triage system in Guangzhou, China.

Methods

This was a cross‐sectional survey of clinical data from adult visitors to the emergency department of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‐sen University between 1 August 2015 and 31 December 2017. The primary end‐point was receiving the first medical service within the target waiting time, which varied according to the triage level of the patient. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine whether age was an independent predictor of a shorter waiting time.

Results

Data from 262 282 emergency patients were analyzed. The mean age of patients was 35.97 years, and 7.5% were aged ≥65 years. In total, 88.3% of patients received medical service within the target waiting time, and 87.4% of elderly patients received medical service within the target waiting time. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that advanced age was independently associated with receiving medical service within the target waiting time (adjusted odds ratio 1.258, 95% confidence interval 1.198–1.321; P < 0.001). The triage level, type of emergency subdivision, availability of outpatient services and time of day were also associated with receiving medical service within the target waiting time.

Conclusion

Under the emergency triage system of the hospital, older adults are more likely to receive medical service within the target waiting time than younger patients. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 786–791.
PIETY AND BROTHERLY UNION: JUNG‐STILLING AND THE MENNONITES
Authors: Jany Berit
Published: June 2019

During his time at the Kaiserslautern Kameral‐Hohe‐Schule (1777–87), Johann Heinrich Jung‐Stilling came into personal contact with Swiss‐Mennonites. His acquaintance with members of the faith group, together with his own religious belief, of a distinctly Pietistic nature, significantly shaped the positive attitude toward Anabaptism reflected in his fictional texts. This article presents an investigation of Jung‐Stilling's experience of spiritual kinship with Mennonites and his reading of Mennonite research which informed his narrative works, particularly Das Heimweh (1794). Despite prevailing anti‐Mennonite/Anabaptist sentiments in the eighteenth century, Jung‐Stilling praises the faith group's Christian foundations and way of living in his literary texts. The following analysis offers insight into the author's concept of ethical community and brotherly union as well as an explanation for the popularity of his utopian novel among nineteenth‐century Mennonite migrants to Central Asia.
GOETHE'S ʻMÄRCHENʼ: AN EXPLORATION OF (IM)MATERIALITY
Authors: Caisley Jennifer
Published: June 2019

Goethe's ʻMärchenʼ, which concludes his Unterhaltungen deutscher Ausgewanderten, has long been interpreted by critics as revolving around light. This article argues that this focus on light has rather led to neglect of the role played by the (gem)stones which interact with this light to represent a core component of the plot. It reads the interplay between geological entities and light as mirroring the interplay between materiality and immateriality to offer a fresh interpretation of key points in the tale. Drawing on Goetheʼs scientific work in the fields of colour theory and geology, this article situates the ʻMärchenʼ within his wider oeuvre and fleshes out parallels (and points of difference) in the representation of (im)materiality across Goetheʼs writings. Focusing on questions of wholeness and fragmentation, the article closes with a call for a greater sense of fluidity in the approach to Goetheʼs literary and scientific writings, choosing to see them as placed on a continuum rather than as belonging to distinctly separate genres.
DER WOHLTEMPERIERTE ERZÄHLER: DIE GEWALT AMBIVALENTER ERZÄHLUNG IN HEINRICH VON KLEISTS ‘DIE HEILIGE CÄCILIE ODER DIE GEWALT DER MUSIK’
Authors: Schirrmacher Beate
Published: June 2019

The article approaches the violent potential of music in Kleist's short story ‘Die Heilige Cäcilie oder Die Gewalt der Musik’ by exploring intermedial references to music. How is music connected not only to power but also to violence? Which characteristics of music (and of the language used to describe it) are highlighted in this process? In the story, music appears less as sonority and more as bodily experience and therefore the experience of music and of violence become ambiguous and difficult to tell apart. As a result, all the dichotomies in which music and violence are usually firmly integrated, such as body and spirit, order and chaos, pleasure and pain, male and female, start to break down. The narrator equalises these perceived dissonances by adding further inconsistencies, in a similar way to tempered tuning that slightly compromises the intervals of just intonation. The ambiguous relation of music, violence, and power cannot be resolved; the ambivalent tension it creates demonstrates performatively the manipulative power of language.
YOKO TAWADA AND READING THE STRANGE(R): ‘VON DER MUTTERSPRACHE ZUR SPRACHMUTTER’ AND ‘DAS FREMDE AUS DER DOSE’
Authors: Anderson Susan
Published: June 2019

Yoko Tawada, who writes in both German and Japanese, often uses images of reading to help her explore what she designates as exophony, that is, a condition of living, speaking, and writing outside one's mother tongue. The more closely Tawada's characters read German, however, the less they are able to feel at home in it. Her narratives often portray ‘Japanese’ narrators in German settings who struggle to make sense of a system of visual symbols that conjure up sound images, which in turn are interpreted for meaning. The narrators are accustomed to a system consisting of visual images already imbued with meaning. Tawada's attention to language underlies her exploration of foreignness. She recasts alienation as a stimulant to new ways of thinking about gender, otherness, and belonging. This article shows how two narratives, ‘Von der Muttersprache zur Sprachmutter’ and ‘Das Fremde aus der Dose’, link illiteracy and marginality with the alphabet and gender. It addresses how Tawada's texts contribute to discussions about the mother tongue and systems of writing. It then analyses the texts noted above as key examples of Tawada's ‘foreignising’ manner of reading that pierces cultural conventions and animates language. This manner of reading also isolates its practitioners.
Evil in the Fine‐Tuned World
Authors: Azadegan Ebrahim
Published: June 2019

If the world has been fine‐tuned for human life, why does that life encompass such calamity and suffering? It seems that in so far as we are impressed by the fine‐tuning intuition that the world has been designed for human life, the problem of natural evil gains in urgency. I propose that observing the world from the anthropic point of view is the source of theists’ challenge which arises from this tension. Dealing with this challenge I suggest perhaps the world is fine‐tuned for God’s telos, which may be His manifestation of love through sentient beings’ pains and emotions.
Beyond African orality: Digital preservation of Mandinka ʿAjamī archives of Casamance
Authors: Ngom Fallou , Castro Eleni
Published: June 2019

This article focuses on the digital preservation of African sources written in Mandinka ʿAjamī, i.e., the enriched form of the Arabic script used to write the Mandinka language for centuries. ʿAjamī writing has been utilized to document intellectual traditions, histories, belief systems, and cultures of non‐Arab Muslims around the world. ʿAjamī texts have played critical roles in the spread of Islam in Africa and continue to be used for both religious and nonreligious writings. However, African ʿAjamī texts such as those of the Mandinka people of Casamance in southern Senegal are not well known beyond local communities. ʿAjamī texts in Mandinka and other Mande languages are among the least documented. Only a few Mande ʿAjamī texts are available to scholars. Thanks to the British Library's Endangered Archives Programme (EAP), Africa's rich written heritage in ʿAjamī and other scripts previously unavailable to academics is being preserved and made universally accessible.
A transactional model of infant still‐face response and maternal behavior during the first year
Authors: Northrup Jessie B. , Ridley Julia , Foley Katie , Moses‐Kolko Eydie L. , Keenan Kate , Hipwell Alison E.
Published: June 2019

The present study takes a transactional approach to extend understanding of temporal relations between parenting behaviors and infant response to the face‐to‐face still‐face, a widely used method assessing infants’ affective and behavioral response to a violation of social expectations. A low‐income, urban sample of 180 mothers and infants participated when infants were 4 and 6 months old. Directional relations between infants’ still‐face response (i.e., change in affect and gaze from interaction to still face) and three parenting dimensions were examined using cross‐lagged structural equation models. Infant still‐face response predicted later parenting behavior, while the reverse association was not significant. Specifically, infants with a greater reduction in positive affect from interaction to still face had parents with more positive parenting and less negative parenting behaviors 2 months later, controlling for prior parenting and concurrent infant behavior. Furthermore, infants who increased gaze to mother from interaction to still face had mothers who used more mental state talk 2 months later. Findings underscore the importance of examining transactional relations between infant and parent behaviors, and in particular highlight the influence of infants on parents. Acknowledging these infant‐effects is critical to the development and implementation of interventions targeting parent‐infant interactions.
Predictors of parenting self‐agency among mothers receiving substance abuse or mental health treatment
Authors: Matsuda Yui , Kim Young‐Ju , Salani Deborah A. , McCabe Brian E. , Mitrani Victoria Behar
Published: June 2019

Mothers' mental health or substance use disorders impact the behaviours of their children both short‐term and long‐term. There is increased concern for mothers with mental health or substance use disorders to effectively handle parenting challenges. Children of these mothers are at risk for emotional and behavioural adjustment problems as well as poor academic performances. Parenting self‐agency refers to parents' perceptions of their confidence and ability to overcome barriers and manage issues in parenting. Examining the factors that predict parenting self‐agency aids in understanding how nurses can assist mothers and families. The purpose of this study was to explore predictors of parenting self‐agency among mothers who are impacted by mental health or substance use disorders. A secondary analysis was conducted using the baseline assessment data of a randomized trial that examined the efficacy of a nurse‐led family‐strengthening home‐health intervention. The data were obtained from 172 mothers who were receiving outpatient treatment for substance use or other mental health disorders and had children under 18. A multivariate linear regression analysis was conducted to find predictors of parenting self‐agency among participating mothers. The authors found that increased children's externalizing problems and intensity of hassle predicted lower parenting self‐agency, and family cohesion predicted higher parenting self‐agency. The authors conclude that treatments need to address family as a whole to increase mothers' parenting self‐agency, thus assisting these mothers in raising their children in the best possible environment.