bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Language at the End of the World
Authors: Atkinson Douglas
Published: August 2020

While Ecocriticism in general has received significant attention in Beckett Studies, there is a notable and unfortunate absence of attention to more recent work in this field. This is particularly noticeable in the lack of research directed toward the more philosophically inclined branches of Ecocriticism, namely Eco-Phenomenology, Eco-Hermeneutics, and Eco-Deconstruction. This paper is an attempt at addressing this problem and is intended as an introductory work to what is seen as the most promising of these, namely, Eco-Deconstruction. This paper explores the early development of Eco-Deconstruction and summarizes the work of several of its leading figures with the intention of demonstrating the relevance of this field for further research in Beckett Studies.
Crippling Crutches
Authors: Thoelen Thomas
Published: August 2020

While the bicycle in Samuel Beckett’s Molloy has received considerable critical attention, the crutches have largely eluded attention. The present essay examines, accordingly, in what ways the crutches are not simply a means for Molloy to compensate for his stiff leg(s) but might be said to constitute his very ‘end’ in the double sense of the word: his death as a human being and his function or purpose as a technical being, as a body of linguistic conventions working to create the illusion of a human being.
Discovery of a new species of Trieces (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Metopiinae) questioning the traditional delimitation between Trieces and Chorinaeus
Authors: MAZÓN MARINA , BORDERA SANTIAGO
Published: August 2020

In this paper a new species of the Metopiinae genus Trieces Townes from Spain, Trieces confusus sp. nov., is described and illustrated. This species has diagnostic characters of both Trieces and the genus Chorinaeus, and we provide a brief discussion of the implications for the current delimitation of these genera.
A new species of Hemiphyllodactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Tuyen Quang Province, Vietnam
Authors: DO QUYEN HANH , PHAM CUONG THE , PHAN TIEN QUANG , LE MINH DUC , ZIEGLER THOMAS , NGUYEN TRUONG QUANG
Published: August 2020

A new species of the gekkonid genus Hemiphyllodactylus is described from limestone karst forest of Tuyen Quang Province, northern Vietnam based on morphological differences and molecular divergence. Hemiphyllodactylus nahangensis sp. nov. is distinguished from the remaining congeners by having the unique combination of the following characters: a bisexual taxon; SVL of adults 41.4–43.6 mm; dorsal scale rows 18–23; ventral scale rows 9–13; chin scales bordering mental and first infralabial distinctly enlarged; 22–24 pore-bearing femoral and precloacal scales, in a continuous row, absent in females; digital lamella formula 3-4-5-4 (forefoot) and 4-5-5-5 (hindfoot); cloacal spur single, present in both sexes; dark lateral head stripe indistinct; postsacral mark cream and bearing anteriorly projecting arms. In phylogenetic analyses, the new species is placed in a clade that includes H. dushanensis, H. hongkongensis, H. huishuiensis, H. ngocsonensis and H. zugi. In terms of pairwise genetic distance, the new species is at least 5.9%–6.6% divergent from other congeners based on a fragment of the mitochondrial gene ND2.
A new species of Sarcophaga Meigen subgenus Hoa Rohdendorf (Diptera: Sarcophagidae)
Authors: WANG CHAO , XUE WAN-QI , ZHANG DONG , PAPE THOMAS
Published: August 2020

Sarcophaga (Hoa) membranijuxta sp. nov. is described from the Chinese provinces Guangxi and Hainan and documented with illustrations, photographs and scanning electron microscopy images. The habitus and male terminalia of Sarcophaga (Hoa) basiseta Baranov, 1931 are documented with photographs for the first time, and the circumscription and distribution of the subgenus Hoa Rohdendorf, 1937 are updated.
Meteorological Downscaling with WRF Model, Version 4.0, and Comparative Evaluation of Planetary Boundary Layer Schemes over a Complex Coastal Airshed
Authors: Onwukwe Chibuike , Jackson Peter L.
Published: August 2020

Evaluation of downscaled meteorological information is crucial to identifying model behaviors that may propagate to end applications such as the simulation of local air quality. This study conducted and assessed yearlong simulations of hourly meteorological conditions over the Terrace–Kitimat Valley of northwestern British Columbia, Canada, at 1-km horizontal gridding for six PBL schemes in the Weather and Forecasting (WRF) Model, version 4.0. In terms of key surface meteorological variables that affect air quality, simulations over land demonstrated better skill for specific humidity and wind direction than for air temperature and wind speed. Spatial differences in modeled atmospheric properties and vertical profiles, especially for moisture content, were used to diagnose the relative capacity of each PBL scheme to represent pollutant dispersion and dilution. Stable conditions at night increased suppression of boundary layer mixing by the nonlocal Yonsei University (YSU) scheme when compared with suppression by the local eddy-diffusion component of the Asymmetric Convective Model, version 2 (ACM2), scheme, resulting in decreased wind speed and ambient temperature but moister air with the YSU scheme. The weakening of mixing by the Mellor–Yamada–Nakanishi–Niino (MYNN3) scheme with inland distance suggested that higher-order, nonlocal transport is sensitive to increasing topographic steepness toward the northern part of the valley. Disparities in mixing strengths among PBL schemes were greater in the summer when conditions were generally less stable with moist, warm air blowing inland than in winter when the valley channels cold, stable air from the interior. Increased convection in daytime led to greater entrainment of air from aloft and a thicker PBL with the YSU scheme than with the ACM2 scheme in summer while increasing countergradient transport in the MYNN3 scheme that reduces dilution.
Profile of recipients of holistic health counselling in a psychiatric OPD in South India
Authors: Gandhi Sailaxmi , Mohanty Krutideepa , Sahu Maya , Naik Shalini S , Pahuja Erika , Gunasekaran Durai Murukan , Prasad M. Krishna
Published: August 2020

Background of the study:

Persons with mental illness (PwMI) are prone to weight gain as a side effect of antipsychotics. Health counselling on diet, physical activity, medication adherence, expressed emotions and technology use, by health professionals, can help in managing these side-effects.

Aim:

The aim of this study was to identify the pre-counselling profile of the subjects such as body mass index (BMI), diet, physical activity, medication adherence, expressed emotions and technology use among PwMI; to attend the Holistic Health Clinic as part of follow-up services in the psychiatry Outpatient Department (OPD) as well as to find correlation and association between the study variables.

Methods:

The study involved a cross-sectional descriptive design based on convenience sampling. The sample consists of 56 patients who are receiving antipsychotics under symptom control (self-reported) and were overweight. Data were collected with a patient assessment proforma and analysed using SPSS-22.

Results:

The patients referred to the holistic health counselling (HHC) had abnormal weight and BMI. The mean and SD of weight was 74.48 ± 14.07 and BMI 29.51 ± 5.15. All the participants received counselling on diet, 87.5% on physical activity, 62.5% on sleep hygiene, 55.4% on medication adherence, 8.9% on family emotional climate and only 5.4% on healthy use of technology. Weight has shown significant relation with gender (male = 80.84 ± 17.71, female = 71.09 ± 10.52, t = −2.52, p = .015) and near to significant relationship (χ2 = 7.685, p = .053) with educational status.

Conclusion:

Patients receiving second-generation antipsychotics (SGA) have lesser extra pyramidal side-effects; however, they are more prone to gain weight. Proper screening and counselling during the follow-up visit in the outpatient setting can help in identification, prevention and management of the obesity-related metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease (CVD), and motivate them to adopt healthy behaviours.
Viral Load Dynamics in Sputum and Nasopharyngeal Swab in Patients with COVID-19
Authors: Liu R. , Yi S. , Zhang J. , Lv Z. , Zhu C. , Zhang Y.
Published: August 2020

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused a global pandemic associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Nasopharyngeal swabs and sputum samples are generally collected for serial viral load screening of respiratory contagions, but temporal profiles of these samples are not completely clear in patients with COVID-19. We performed an observational cohort study at Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, which involved 31 patients with confirmed COVID-19 with or without underlying diseases. We obtained samples from each patient, and serial viral load was measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. We found that the viral load in the sputum was inclined to be higher than samples obtained from the nasopharyngeal swab at disease presentation. Moreover, the viral load in the sputum decreased more slowly over time than in the nasopharyngeal group as the disease progressed. Interestingly, even when samples in the nasopharyngeal swab turned negative, it was commonly observed that patients with underlying diseases, especially hypertension and diabetes, remained positive for COVID-19 and required a longer period for the sputum samples to turn negative. These combined findings emphasize the importance of tracking sputum samples even in patients with negative tests from nasopharyngeal swabs, especially for those with underlying conditions. In conclusion, this work reinforces the importance of sputum samples for SARS-CoV-2 detection to minimize transmission of COVID-19 within the community.
‘It Gets Really Boring if You Stay at Home’: Women, Work and Temporalities in Urban India
Authors: Islam Asiya
Published: August 2020

This article explores narratives of boredom among young lower middle class women employed in the bourgeoning services sector in India, across cafes, call centres, malls and offices. These young women cite boredom from ‘sitting at home’ as a reason to seek employment. Adopting Bourdieu’s understanding of temporal relations as informed by ‘subjective expectations’ and ‘objective chances’, I place young women’s temporal narratives in the context of post-1990 socio-economic change in India. I show that there is a shift in young lower middle class women’s expectations, particularly on the basis of acquisition of higher education. By rendering the space of home – characterised by compulsion to participate in housework, pressure to get married and restrictions on mobility and friendships – as temporally insignificant, young women resist gender norms. Their narratives contribute to gendering scholarship on temporal disruptions in the context of socio-economic change, which is currently overdetermined by young men’s experiences.
Introduction to the special section on developmental approaches to prevention science
Authors: Rioux Charlie , Little Todd D.
Published: August 2020

We provide an overview of the topics covered in the special section of the International Journal of Behavioral Development devoted to the topic “Developmental approaches to prevention science.” The use of carefully chosen, rigorous research methods is paramount to obtain accurate, reliable results to inform policy and practice. This special issue contributes to the development of cutting-edge methods and provides guidance to prevention researchers looking to implement the best methods.
Ambiguous specificity: The production of foreign policy bullshit in electoral contexts
Authors: Meibauer Gustav
Published: August 2020

This article conceptualises the production of foreign policy bullshit in electoral contexts as a result of contending incentives towards ambiguity and specificity. Candidates must speak to widely divergent, even contradictory, policy ideas to maximise voter share in primaries and elections. At the same time, overly broad rhetoric or evasion risks signalling incompetence and unsuitability for office. Candidates are thus incentivized to hide the compromise character of their suggestions behind hyper-specific rhetoric. Following literature from philosophy and linguistics, this is a form of deception best captured by ‘bullshit’, that is, when the candidate simply does not care too much whether what they are saying matches with objective reality but does care that this inattention to truth is not known to the audience. This dynamic is illustrated in a case study on the 2015/2016 elections. Specifically, bipartisan support for a US-enforced no-fly zone in Syria cannot be explained by the tool’s likely utility and effectiveness. Instead, the tool’s value for many candidates lay in its effective communication of contradictory policy ideas. The tool allowed presidential hopefuls to appear resolute yet responsible, purposive yet pragmatic, idealist, and realist, while also signalling specificity and thus foreign policy expertise.
Osteomalacia With Hyperostosis in Captive Lesser Hedgehog Tenrecs (Echinops telfairi)
Authors: LaDouceur Elise E. B. , Murphy Brian G. , Garner Michael M. , Cartoceti Andrew N.
Published: August 2020

Four captive, lesser hedgehog tenrecs ( Echinops telfairi) were euthanized for soft bones that prevented normal mastication and/or ambulation. Antemortem radiographs (available in 2 cases) revealed osteopenia. Antemortem bloodwork (available in 2 cases) revealed hypophosphatemia. Dietary history (available in 2 cases) indicated the animals were eating only insects. Histologically, all examined bones had wide osteoid seams that caused expansion of the cortices. Osteoid deposition was exuberant and it partially filled marrow cavities (hyperostosis). Nondecalcified sections of bone (available in 2 cases) revealed that osteoid was poorly mineralized, consistent with osteomalacia. Insects are poor dietary sources of vitamin D, and dietary vitamin D deficiency is considered the most likely cause for metabolic bone disease in these animals.
Angelo Soliman: desecrated bodies and the spectre of Enlightenment racism
Authors: Wigger Iris , Hadley Spencer
Published: August 2020

The case of Angelo Soliman − a black man raised in the royal courts of eighteenth-century Vienna who appeared during his lifetime to have attained significant social status and acceptance into bourgeois society, only to have his body stuffed and exhibited after death in a natural history museum − is discussed in the context of Enlightenment race theories at the core of a then-new ‘scientific racism’. This article explores his representation in its wider discursive and historical context, and critically reflects on predominant narratives and typologies associated with him. The piece then reflects on contemporary attempts to retell his story – via museum exhibitions, literature and film – some of which started to critically reflect on age-old European stereotypes of blackness used in earlier representations of Soliman. The piece promotes a discussion of Soliman’s life from a more critical, historically reflexive, de-colonialising and anti-racist position that questions white normativity and the scientific racism of the European Enlightenment and colonialism, the foundations of modern racism.
Validation and revision of the questionnaire to explore human factors and their technical potential for lower limb prosthetics
Authors: Herbst Jonathan , Polanski-Schräder Lucas MT , Vogt Joachim , Schürmann Tim , Beckerle Philipp
Published: August 2020

Background:

A variety of instruments exist to measure human factors for lower limb amputation and prosthesis research. Yet, there is no valid or reliable tool available that focuses on technical potentials.

Objective:

This study aimed to validate and revise the Questionnaire to Explore Human Factors and their Technical Potential.

Study Design:

Cross-sectional study

Methods:

A total of 150 persons with lower limb amputation from Germany participated in the study. Statistical properties, including Cronbach’s alpha, item difficulty, item-total correlation, and distribution of missing values were calculated. Thresholds for acceptable psychometric properties were defined, unsuitable items were removed, and problematic items were reviewed regarding formulation.

Results:

The Cronbach’s alpha for subscales within the Questionnaire to Explore Human Factors and their Technical Potential were between 0.72 and 0.89. A total of 56 items showed acceptability, and 14 items had problematic item property values. Four of those items were reformulated, five were excluded, six were left in the scale, and an additional one was added to the scale.

Conclusion:

Evaluation of the Questionnaire to Explore Human Factors and their Technical Potential indicates it exhibits good internal consistency and acceptable psychometric properties. The scale was revised and is recommended to explore aspects of technical prosthesis development.

Clinical relevance:

Our results show that the revised Questionnaire to Explore Human Factors and their Technical Potential may serve as a reliable and valid means, when designing prostheses, both during development and clinical evaluations and fittings, to assess the technical potential of lower limb prostheses directly according to the needs of users with lower-limb amputations.
Wind resource prospecting: Predicting winds aloft using surface winds and the position of the sun
Authors: Arbez Marc
Published: August 2020

The sun’s position in the sky appears to strongly influence the vertical wind gradient within the atmospheric boundary layer. This study uses a quantitative research design that combines the position of the sun along with surface wind speeds to estimate the wind gradient. The model applies to uncluttered simple terrain and requires only 10 m wind speed data to extrapolate wind speeds and wind turbine energy production to heights of 60 m or more. The average daytime and nighttime model wind speed errors are 1.7% and 2.4%, respectively. The average daytime and nighttime model turbine energy production errors are 3.8% and 6.1%, respectively. The model offers a practical and low-cost alternative to tall tower systems to assess wind resources, especially for remote sites.
Financial literacy and financial strategies: The mediating role of financial concerns
Authors: Xue Rui , Gepp Adrian , O’Neill Terry J , Stern Steven , Vanstone Bruce J
Published: August 2020

This article analyses how the financial literacy of elderly people affects their decisions on the adoption of various financial strategies. Multiple mediator models with bootstrap techniques are used to identify the mediating mechanisms of financial concerns that transmit the effects of financial literacy onto specific financial strategies. We find (1) financial concerns mediate the majority of financial literacy-strategy nexuses; specifically, financially illiterate people are more likely to have financial concerns and are more likely to cut back on spending, seek job opportunities, increase debts and downsize or sell their residence as a result; (2) financially literate people are more likely to seek professional financial advice, purchase a life annuity, contribute more to superannuation and invest more conservatively, regardless of their concerns. Our findings suggest professional advisors and robo-advisor developers take into account financial concerns when recommending advice.

JEL Classification: D14, J14, J26, I31, G11
Mechanical and thermal properties and crystallization behavior of PA66 composites reinforced with MWCNTs-coated milled glass fiber
Authors: Xu Xiangmin , Tong Beibei , Zhang Xiaoyan , Zhang Yudong , Li Binjie
Published: August 2020

Constructing a hierarchical structure of nanomaterials on the surface of reinforcing fibers is the best strategy to obtain other desired functions while improving the mechanical properties of polymers. In this article, acid-treated multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were introduced to the surface of milled glass fiber (MGF) under the combined action of tetraethyl orthosilicate and 3-aminopropyltriethyloxysilane to prepare a hierarchical fiber (MWCNTs-GF). The surface morphology and microstructure of this hierarchical fiber were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope, and a composite coating with MWCNTs as the main component was observed on each fiber surface. Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopy revealed the presence of the specific interactions between MWCNTs and MGF. Polyamide 66 (PA66) composites with different content of MWCNTs-GF were fabricated by melt blending. The resulting composites exhibited improved mechanical properties relative to pure PA66, in which the tensile strength and notched impact strength of the composite filled with 3 wt% MWCNTs-GF increased by 23.3% and 69.0%, respectively. Subsequently, by analyzing fracture morphology and interfacial adhesion of the composites, the strengthening and toughening mechanisms of MWCNTs-GF were elaborated in detail. In addition, the results of thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry showed that MWCNTs-GF possessed strong heterogeneous nucleation ability, and its addition could refine the grain size of PA66 and significantly increase the crystallization temperature and thermal stability of the corresponding composites. Compared to PA66 composites reinforced with neat MGF, it was found that the unique surface structure of MWCNTs-GF was likely responsible for improved thermal properties of this hierarchical fiber-reinforced PA66 composites.
Electroacupuncture ameliorates mechanical hypersensitivity by down-regulating spinal Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activation of transcription 3 and interleukin 6 in rats with spared nerve injury
Authors: Wang Ying , Xia Yang-yang , Xue Meng , Jiang Qian , Huang Zhihua , Huang Cheng
Published: August 2020

Background:

Evidence shows that the Janus kinase 2 (JAK2)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling pathway participates in the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain. Our previous study revealed that electroacupuncture (EA) attenuated neuropathic pain via activation of alpha-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) in the spinal cord. However, whether 2 Hz EA alleviates neuropathic pain by regulating the downstream molecules JAK2/STAT3 has not been fully clarified.

Methods:

Paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) was used as a marker of mechanical allodynia in rats with spared nerve injury (SNI). After applying 2 Hz EA on day 3, 7, 14 and 21 post-surgery, spinal expression of JAK2, STAT3 and pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-6 was examined using quantitative reverse transcription and real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot analysis. Intrathecal injection of the α7nAChR antagonist alpha-bungarotoxin (α-Bgtx) was used to further explore the mechanism underlying the effects of 2 Hz EA on expression of JAK2/STAT3 in SNI rats.

Results:

It was found that levels of spinal STAT3 and IL-6 mRNA, as well as levels of phosphorylated (p)-JAK2, p-STAT3 and IL-6 protein, were markedly increased in SNI rats. 2 Hz EA attenuated the SNI-induced up-regulation of p-JAK2, p-STAT3 and IL-6 expression in the spinal cord. Furthermore, intrathecal injection of α-Bgtx (1.0 μg/kg) not only inhibited the effect of 2 Hz EA on mechanical hypersensitivity but also ameliorated the down-regulation of p-JAK2, p-STAT3 and IL-6 expression induced by 2 Hz EA.

Conclusion:

This study revealed that 2 Hz EA attenuated SNI-induced mechanical hypersensitivity and the concomitant up-regulation of spinal JAK2, STAT3 and IL-6 in SNI rats, suggesting that suppression of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway might be the mechanism underlying the therapeutic effect of 2 Hz EA on neuropathic pain.
Mixed methods on Instagram research: Methodological challenges in data analysis and visualization
Authors: Cornelio Gemma San , Roig Antoni
Published: August 2020

In this article, we will present our insights on key methodological challenges emerged from the Selfiestories project, focused on selfies as personal narratives on Instagram. In this research, we approached the selfie practice in the context of user’s personal narratives (Georgakopoulou, 2016, From narrating the self to posting self(ies): A small stories approach to selfies. Open Linguistics 2(1): 300–317.) embedded in the everyday. We opted for a mixed methodology (Creswell and Creswell, 2017) resonating on the notion of remix (Markham, 2013, Remix cultures, remix methods: Reframing qualitative inquiry for social media contexts. In: Denzin N and Giardina M (eds) Global Dimensions of Qualitative Inquiry. pp. 63–81.), thus combining fieldwork and ethnographic techniques with quantitative data obtained through an Instagram data extractor. This approach proved to be challenging in the process of establishing a dialogue between data sets of different nature. At this stage, we considered visualization as a valuable technique for analysis and communication, particularly in those case studies where fieldwork and data extraction from Instagram were conducted simultaneously. Decisions made regarding visualization processes posed different challenges regarding the intermingling of qualitative and quantitative data and the layout of our results. After a contextualization of our research and methodology, we will analyze the challenges and limitations of visualizations in our research. Taking into account the time-based dimension of personal narratives in Instagram, emphasized in some of our case studies, such as events, we will document our own process in looking for the best possible ways to present a more balanced account of our synchronous qualitative and quantitative data. We will do so against the temporal background of the experience of the first day of the Primavera Sound 2016, where we conducted fieldwork while extracting data from Instagram. After carrying out different tests with alternative visualization tools and formats, we chose to work with timeline tools, particularly those who offered a narrative layout against the backdrop of experience time. In a research where time and synchrony play a pivotal role, we suggest that adding a temporal dimension in visualization could be a way of connecting both perspectives, thus allowing to present different sources and types of data together, while also expanding the role that storytelling can play in visualizing data.
Cultural identity and its impact on today’s multicultural organizations
Authors: Karjalainen Helena
Published: August 2020

Within the context of the internationalization of organizations and, in particular, growing numbers of staff members from different cultures, the number of studies on the management of cultural differences has increased considerably. However, as several authors have observed, studies on cultural differences and the concept of cultural identity remain limited, in large part due to the influential studies of Hofstede, which led to increased interest in national cultures. The objective of this study is to demonstrate the importance of cultural identity, which is a broader concept than national identity and only partly determined by it. Cultural identity is based on the distinctiveness or specificity of a given community, encompassing certain characteristics common to its people. A distorted view can significantly hinder understanding and communication with citizens of a specific nation. Today, as many authors observe, there is renewed interest in the complex, multidimensional process of identity construction in cross-national, cross-cultural work settings.

The aim of the present study is therefore to review the processes involved in the formation of cultural identity and its importance for understanding individuals’ distinctive, culture-specific traits and to show how individuals with plural identities influence and transform contemporary organizations. Finally, a research program focused on recontextualizing cultural identity in contemporary organizations is proposed.
Structural condition monitoring and identification of laser cladding metallic panels based on an acoustic emission signal feature optimization algorithm
Authors: Li Yang , Xu Feiyun
Published: August 2020

Laser cladding technology has become a central issue in industrial research and application recently. Due to the complexity of the processing and the difficulty of quantitative analysis, it is particularly important to effectively and reliably detect the forming quality of the cladding layer. Therefore, the laser cladding processing condition of metallic panels is monitored and identified based on acoustic emission technology in this article. Consequently, laser cladding acoustic emission signal of 316L stainless steel plate is first collected, and a multi-domain acoustic emission signal feature extraction method based on time–frequency domain and waveform parameters is constructed by integrating time–frequency, empirical, and inter-relationship diagraph analysis. Moreover, a feature optimization approach based on t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding algorithm is proposed, which combines with correlation analysis to realize the de-redundancy and optimization of acoustic emission signal features. In addition, on the basis of optimizing the characteristics of acoustic emission signal, laser cladding acoustic emission signals under three technological parameters are collected. Second, a laser cladding condition identification method, which is a least square support vector machine algorithm based on niche particle swarm optimization, is proposed. The optimal parameter combination of niche particle swarm optimization algorithm is mainly selected to improve the accuracy of identification and classification. The results demonstrate the proposed t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding feature optimization method can effectively extract the sensitive information related to the processing condition in the feature space, and the optimization of least square support vector machine parameters through niche particle swarm optimization can significantly improve the identification rate of classification. Specifically, the feasibility of the proposed t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding–niche particle swarm optimization–least square support vector machine model to analyze laser cladding acoustic emission signal characteristics is verified, and the effectiveness of acoustic emission–based structural condition monitoring and identification of laser cladding plate-like structures is also demonstrated.
Role of platelet-derived growth factor in type II diabetes mellitus and its complications
Authors: Shen Sihong , Wang Fuyan , Fernandez Alejandra , Hu Weining
Published: August 2020

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a type of metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycaemia with multiple serious complications, such as diabetic neuropathies, diabetic nephropathy, diabetic retinopathy, and diabetic foot. Platelet-derived growth factors are growth factors that regulate cell growth and division, playing a critical role in diabetes and its harmful complications. This review focused on the cellular mechanism of platelet-derived growth factors and their receptors on diabetes development. Furthermore, we raise some proper therapeutic molecular targets for the treatment of diabetes and its complications.
Outcomes of Sarcoma Resections Requiring Vascular Surgical Assistance: A Single-Center Experience
Authors: Nooromid Michael J. , Thomas Michael A. , Yoon Dustin Y. , Eskandari Mark K. , Peabody Terrance D. , Rodriguez Heron E.
Published: August 2020

Objective: To describe the types of intervention and determine patency and survival after arterial and venous reconstruction after surgical excision of sarcomas. Methods: Between November 2001 and July 2015, 42 patients with sarcomas and vascular involvement underwent surgical oncologic resection followed by arterial or venous reconstruction or preservation of the native vascular bundle. Univariate, multivariate, and Kaplan-Meier survival analyses were performed on abstracted data, which included demographics, risk factors, oncologic and vascular treatment modalities, postoperative complications, graft patency, and survival outcomes. Results: A total of 42 sarcomas required vascular assistance for oncologic removal. The majority of sarcomas were malignant fibrous histiocytoma (23.8%), and the most common anatomic location was the retroperitoneum (48%). A total of 12 revascularizations procedures were performed, including 5 arterial, 3 venous, and 2 concomitant arterial and venous. In 32 cases, a vascular surgeon was needed for vessel ligation, repair, or mobilization. The overall 2- and 5-year survival was 77.7% and 26.2%, respectively, with no significant survival difference between patients who underwent revascularization compared to those without revascularization. There was a 100% patency rate in all cases at last follow-up, regardless of the type of vascular reconstruction (median 18 months, range 1-29 months). On multivariate analysis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD; P = .002) and positive surgical margins ( P = .003) were associated with decreased survival. Most cases were performed in the last 5 years of the study (n = 27, 64.3%). Conclusions: Vascular reconstruction is feasible after surgical oncologic resection of sarcomas with good mid-term patency and limb preservation. Factors independently associated with mortality included COPD and positive surgical margins.
Recovering the Relational Starting Point of Compassion Training: A Foundation for Sustainable and Inclusive Care
Authors: Condon Paul , Makransky John
Published: August 2020

The cultivation of compassion through meditation training is of increasing interest to scientists, health-care providers, educators, and policymakers as an approach to help address challenging personal and social issues. Yet people encounter critical inner psychological barriers to compassion that limit the effectiveness of compassion training—including the lack of a secure base, aversion to suffering, feeling alone in suffering, and reductive impressions of others. These barriers emerge, in part, from a lack of relational support and are exacerbated by modernist conceptions that present meditation as an autonomous, self-help practice. This article proposes a solution centered on relationality that is derived from the integration of diverse areas of psychology with contemplative traditions. Theories and findings from social, developmental, and health psychology can inform meditation programs and help recover important relational elements of compassion training from traditional cultures that address common barriers to compassion and thus promote more sustainable and inclusive care. In so doing, this article illustrates the value of psychological theories for translating important contextual elements from contemplative traditions into diverse modern settings.
Subjectivity and reflexivity: The contributions of countertransference to interpretative research
Authors: Borraz Stéphane , Zeitoun Valérie , Dion Delphine
Published: August 2020

Starting from Georges Devereux’s research into ethnopsychiatry, we are studying the role of psychoanalytical countertransference in qualitative methodologies. Countertransference refers to the effects that fieldwork can have on a researcher and in particular on the emotional reactions aroused by encounters in the field. While the researcher normally tries to neutralise or suppress their emotions when seeking objectivity, we show in this edition of New perspectives that the choice of a reflexive approach which takes countertransference into account will help enhance our understanding of the phenomena being studied. We propose a number of recommendations for countertransference to be taken into account in interpretative research in marketing.
Early Signs Indicate That COVID-19 Is Exacerbating Gender Inequality in the Labor Force
Authors: Landivar Liana Christin , Ruppanner Leah , Scarborough William J. , Collins Caitlyn
Published: August 2020

In this data visualization, the authors examine how the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis in the United States has affected labor force participation, unemployment, and work hours across gender and parental status. Using data from the Current Population Survey, the authors compare estimates between February and April 2020 to examine the period of time before the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States to the height of the first wave, when stay-at-home orders were issued across the country. The findings illustrate that women, particularly mothers, have employment disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Mothers are more likely than fathers to exit the labor force and become unemployed. Among heterosexual married couples of which both partners work in telecommuting-capable occupations, mothers have scaled back their work hours to a far greater extent than fathers. These patterns suggest that the COVID-19 crisis is already worsening existing gender inequality, with long-term implications for women’s employment.
Physiological and transcriptomic responses of water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) to prolonged heat stress
Authors: Guo Rongfang , Wang Xingru , Han Xiaoyun , Chen Xiaodong , Wang-Pruski Gefu
Published: August 2020

Background

Water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) is an important heat-resistant leafy vegetable that can survive under long-time heat stress condition. However, the physiological characteristics and molecular changes in its response to heat stress are poorly understood.

Results

In this study the selected water spinach cultivars with different thermo resistance and their physiological response to heat stress were examined. Under prolonged heat stress, plant growth was inhibited in all tested cultivars. This inhibition was accompanied by the reduction of photosynthetic performance. The reactive oxygen species system in terms of superoxide and hydrogen peroxide contents, as well as antioxidant polyphenols, were evaluated. The results showed that prolonged heat stress caused reduced antioxidant capacity, but the role of antioxidant capacity in a prolonged thermotolerance was not predominant. Transcriptomic analysis of the water spinach subjected to heat stress revealed that 4145 transcripts were specifically expressed with 2420 up-regulated and 1725 down-regulated in heat-sensitive and heat-tolerant cultivars treated with 42 °C for 15 days. Enrichment analysis of these differentially expressed genes showed that the main metabolic differences between heat-sensitive and heat-tolerant cultivars were the carbohydrate metabolism and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. The results of carbohydrate profiles and RT-qPCR also suggested that heat stress altered carbohydrate metabolism and associated changes in transcriptional level of genes involved in sugar transport and metabolic transition.

Conclusions

The prolonged heat stress resulted in a reduced antioxidant capacity while the role of antioxidant capacity in a prolonged thermotolerance of water spinach was not predominant. Transcriptome analysis and the measurement of carbohydrates as well as the gene expression evaluation indicated that the response of the metabolic pathway such as carbohydrate and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis to heat stress may be a key player in thermo resistance.
Scanning electron microscopic observation of the in vitro cultured protozoan, Perkinsus olseni, isolated from the Manila clam, Ruditapes philippinarum
Authors: Gajamange Dinesh , Kim Seung-Hyeon , Choi Kwang-Sik , Azevedo Carlos , Park Kyung-Il
Published: August 2020

Background

Perkinsosis is a major disease affecting the commercially important marine mollusk Ruditapes philippinarum (Manila clam) in Asian waters. In this study, we investigated the morphological characteristics of Perkinsus olseni, the causative agent of perkinsosis, cultured under laboratory conditions at different stages of its life cycle using a scanning electron microscope (SEM).

Results

The prezoosporangia formed after induction with Ray’s fluid thioglycollate medium (RFTM) developed into zoosporangia. During this process, a discharge tube formed a porous sponge-like structure that detached before the zoospores were released; thus, this organelle operated as a bung. Liberated zoospores gradually transformed into immature trophozoites, during which detachment of the anterior flagella occurred, but the loss of the posterior flagella was not clearly observed in the present study. Mature trophozoites underwent schizogony by cleaving the cell forming some merozoites in schizonts, which were released by the rupturing of the cellular membrane of the schizont within a few days.

Conclusions

Our morphological and ultrastructural studies contribute new information on the life cycle and propagation of P. olseni.
Factors affecting adolescents’ participation in randomized controlled trials evaluating the effectiveness of healthcare interventions: the case of the STEPSTONES project
Authors: Saarijärvi Markus , Wallin Lars , Moons Philip , Gyllensten Hanna , Bratt Ewa-Lena
Published: August 2020

Background

Recruitment of adolescents to intervention studies is a known challenge. For randomized controlled trials (RCT) to be generalizable, reach must be assessed, which means ascertaining how many of the intended population actually participated in the trial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reach and representativeness of an RCT evaluating the effectiveness of a complex intervention for adolescents with chronic conditions.

Methods

A mixed methods sequential explanatory design was employed. Firstly, quantitative cross-sectional data from the RCT, patient registries and medical records were collected and analysed regarding baseline differences between participants and non-participants in the trial. Secondly, qualitative data on their reasons for participating or not were collected and analysed with content analysis to explain the quantitative findings.

Results

Participants showed larger differences in effect sizes and a significantly more complex chronic condition than non-participants. No other statistically significant differences were reported, and effect sizes were negligible. Reasons for declining or accepting participation were categorized into three main categories: altruistic reasons, personal reasons and external reasons and factors.

Conclusions

Integration of quantitative and qualitative findings showed that participation in the RCT was affected by disease complexity, the perceived need to give back to healthcare and research and the adolescents’ willingness to engage in their illness. To empower adolescents with chronic conditions and motivate them to participate in research, future intervention studies should consider developing tailored recruitment strategies and communications with sub-groups that are harder to reach.
Dynamic changes in clinical and CT characteristics of COVID-19 cases with different exposure histories: a retrospective study
Authors: Li Ruili , Liu Guangxue , Huang Xiaojie , Jia Cuiyu , Xia Zhenying , Song Wenyan , Li Xueqin , Wang Xing , Li Hongjun
Published: August 2020

Background

To assess the dynamic changes in clinical and CT characteristics of COVID-19 patients with different epidemiology histories.

Methods

Fifty-three discharged COVID-19 patients were enrolled at Beijing YouAn Hospital, Capital Medical University, between January 21 and March 10, 2020. Spearman correlation analysis was performed between CT scores and laboratory indicators. Patients were divided into the Wuhan group (lived in or with travel to Wuhan, numbering 30 cases) and non-Wuhan group (close contacts or unknown exposure, totaling 23 cases). The CT and laboratory findings were compared between and within groups during the clinical process.

Results

Fever (88.7%), cough (64.2%), fatigue (34%), and abnormal laboratory indicators, including lymphopenia, reduced albumin, albumin/globulin (A/G), and elevated C-reactive protein (CRP), were mainly observed. Subpleural ground-glass opacities (86.8%) were usually detected at admission. The CT scores were highly correlated with lymphocytes, CRP, albumin, and A/G at initial and follow-ups (all p < 0.05). Four days after admission, most patients (66.7% Wuhan, 47.8% non-Wuhan) showed progression, and the CT scores of Wuhan significantly increased (p = 0.015). Eight days after admission, the vast majority of patients (69.2% Wuhan, 100% non-Wuhan, p = 0.006) presented improvement, and the CT scores of non-Wuhan were significantly lower than Wuhan (p = 0.006). Pneumonia was completely absorbed in most patients 2–4 weeks after discharge.

Conclusions

CT plays a crucial role in the early diagnosis and monitoring of changes in COVID-19. Lymphocytes, CRP, albumin, and A/G are expected to predict disease severity and prognosis. Viral pathogenicity in non-endemic areas may be weaker than core-infected areas. In most patients, lung lesions can disappear around 4 weeks after discharge.
Serial MRI studies over 12 months using manual and atlas-based region of interest in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Alruwaili Ashwag R. , Pannek Kerstin , Henderson Robert D. , Gray Marcus , Kurniawan Nyoman D. , McCombe Pamela A.
Published: August 2020

Background

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by loss of upper and lower motor neurons. There is a need for an imaging biomarker to track disease progression. Previously, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has shown loss of grey and white matter in the brain of patients with ALS compared to controls. We performed serial diffusion tractography imaging (DTI) study of patients with ALS looking for changes over time.

Methods

On all subjects (n = 15), we performed three MRI studies at 6 month intervals. DTI changes were assessed with tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) and region of interest (ROI) studies. Cortic-spinal tract (CST) was selected for our ROI at the upper level; the posterior limb of internal capsule (PLIC), and a lower level in the pons.

Results

There was no significant change in DTI measures over 12 months of observation. Better correlation of manual and atlas-based ROI methods was found in the posterior limb of the internal capsule than the pons.

Conclusion

While previous DTI studies showed significant differences between ALS subjects and controls, within individual subjects there is little evidence of progression over 12 months. This suggests that DTI is not a suitable biomarker to assess disease progression in ALS.
Dual molecular diagnosis of tricho-rhino-phalangeal syndrome type I and Okur-Chung neurodevelopmental syndrome in one Chinese patient: a case report
Authors: Xu Shanshan , Lian Qun , Wu Jinzhun , Li Lingli , Song Jia
Published: August 2020

Background

Okur-Chung neurodevelopmental syndrome (OCNDS) and tricho-rhino-phalangeal syndrome type I (TRPSI) are rare Mendelian diseases. OCNDS is caused by CSNK2A1 gene variants and TRPSI is caused by the TRPS1gene. However, to have two Mendelian diseases in one patient is even rarer.

Case presentation

A 6-year-10-month-old boy characterized by special facial features, short stature and mental retardation was referred to our pediatric endocrinology department. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was done to detect the molecular basis of his disease. This patient was confirmed to carry two variants in the CSNK2A1 gene and one in the TRPS1 gene. The variant in the CSNK2A1 gene was vertically transmitted from his father, and the variant in TRPS1 gene from his mother. These two variants are classified as pathogenic and the causes of the presentation in this child. This patient’s father and mother have subsequently been diagnosed as having OCNDS and TRPSI respectively.

Conclusion

This is the first reported case of a dual molecular diagnosis of tricho-rhino-phalangeal syndrome type I and Okur-Chung neurodevelopmental syndrome in the same patient. This patient is the first published example of vertical transmission of this recurrent CSN2A1 variant from parent to child. A novel variant in the TRPS1 gene that is pathogenic was also identified. In conclusion, identification of the variants in this patient expands the phenotypes and molecular basis of dual Mendelian diseases.