bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Early Use of Corticosteroid May Prolong SARS-CoV-2 Shedding in Non-Intensive Care Unit Patients with COVID-19 Pneumonia: A Multicenter, Single-Blind, Randomized Control Trial
Authors: Tang Xiao , Feng Ying-Mei , Ni Ji-Xiang , Zhang Jia-Ying , Liu Li-Min , Hu Ke , Wu Xiu-Zhi , Zhang Ji-Xian , Chen Jun-Wen , Zhang Jian-Chu , Su Jian , Li Yu-Lei , Zhao Yang , Xie Jiao , Ding Zhou , He Xin-Liang , Wang Wen , Jin Rong-Hua , Shi Huan-Zhong , Sun Bing
Published: January 2021

Background: There is still no clinical evidence available to support or to oppose corticosteroid treatment for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of corticosteroid given to the hospitalized patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. Methods: This was a prospective, multicenter, single-blind, randomized control trial. Adult patients with COVID-19 pneumonia who were admitted to the general ward were randomly assigned to either receive methylprednisolone or not for 7 days. The primary end point was the incidence of clinical deterioration 14 days after randomization. Results: We terminated this trial early because the number of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia in all the centers decreased in late March. Finally, a total of 86 COVID-19 patients underwent randomization. There was no difference of the incidence of clinical deterioration between the methylprednisolone group and control group (4.8 vs. 4.8%, p = 1.000). The duration of throat viral RNA detectability in the methylprednisolone group was 11 days (interquartile range, 6–16 days), which was significantly longer than that in the control group (8 days [2–12 days], p = 0.030). There were no significant differences between the 2 groups in other secondary outcomes. Mass cytometry discovered CD3+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, and NK cells in the methylprednisolone group which were significantly lower than those in the control group after randomization (p < 0.05). Conclusions: From this prematurely closed trial, we found that the short-term early use of corticosteroid could suppress the immune cells, which may prolong severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 shedding in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04273321.
Preimplantation Histological Score Associates with 6-Month GFR in Recipients of Perfused, Older Kidney Grafts: Results from a Pilot Study
Authors: Carrara Camillo , Cravedi Paolo , Perna Annalisa , Peraro Francesco , Villa Alessandro , Carrara Fabiola , Cortinovis Monica , Gotti Eliana , Plati Anna Rita , Amaduzzi Annalisa , Rota Giovanni , Lacanna Francesco , Rossini Giuseppe , Abelli Massimo , Remuzzi Giuseppe , Ruggenenti Piero
Published: January 2021

Background: Biopsy-guided selection of older kidneys safely expands the organ pool, and pretransplant perfusion improves the preservation of these fragile organs. Herein, we studied morphofunctional variables associated with graft outcomes in perfused, histologically evaluated older kidneys. Methods: This single-center prospective cohort pilot study evaluated the relationships between preimplantation histologic scores and renal perfusion parameters during hypothermic, pulsatile, machine perfusion (MP) and assessed whether these morphofunctional parameters associated with GFR (iohexol plasma clearance) at 6 months after transplantation in 20 consecutive consenting recipients of a biopsy-guided single or dual kidney transplant from >60-year-old deceased donors. Results: The donor and recipient age was 70.4 ± 6.5 and 63.6 ± 7.9 years (p = 0.005), respectively. The kidney donor profile index (KDPI) was 93.3 ± 8.4% (>80% in 19 cases), histologic score 4.4 ± 1.4, and median (IQR) cold ischemia time 19.8 (17.8–22.8 h; >24 h in 5 cases). The 6-month GFR was 41.2 (34.9–55.7) mL/min. Vascular resistances positively correlated with global histologic score (p = 0.018) at MP start and then decreased from 0.88 ± 0.43 to 0.36 ± 0.13 mm Hg/mL/min (p < 0.001) in parallel with a three-fold renal flow increase from 24.0 ± 14.7 to 74.7 ± 31.8 mL/min (p < 0.001). Consistently, vascular resistance reductions positively correlated with global histologic score (p = 0.009, r = −0.429). Unlike KDPI or vascular resistances, histologic score was independently associated with 6-month GFR (beta standardized coefficient: −0.894, p = 0.005). Conclusions: MP safely improves graft perfusion, particularly in kidneys with severe histologic changes that would not be considered for transplantation because of high KDPI. The preimplantation histologic score associates with the functional recovery of older kidneys even in the context of a standardized program of pulsatile perfusion.
Prevention of Contrast-Induced Nephropathy by Inferior Vena Cava Ultrasonography-Guided Hydration in Chronic Heart Failure Patients
Authors: Yan Yuanming , Ye Mingfang , Dong Xianfeng , Chen Qin , Hong Huashan , Chen Lianglong , Luo Yukun
Published: January 2021

Introduction: Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is a common complication resulting from the administration of contrast media. This study was designed to determine whether inferior vena cava (IVC) ultrasonography (IVCU)-guided hydration can reduce the risk of CIN in chronic heart failure patients undergoing coronary angiography or coronary angiography with percutaneous coronary intervention compared with standard hydration. Methods: This prospective clinical trial enrolled 207 chronic heart failure patients from February 2016 to November 2017, who were randomly assigned to either the IVCU-guided hydration group (n = 104) or the routine hydration group (n = 103). In the IVCU-guided group, the hydration infusion rate was set according to the IVC diameter determined by IVCU, while the control group received intravenous infusion of 0.9% saline at 0.5 mL/(kg·h). Serum Cr was measured before and 48–72 h after the procedure. All patients were followed up for 18 months. The incidence of nephropathy and major adverse cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events (MACCEs) was also compared between the 2 groups. Results: Statistically significant difference between the 2 groups regarding the occurrence of CIN was observed (12.5 vs. 29.1%, p = 0.004). The hydration volume of the IVCU-guided group was significantly higher than that of the routine group (p < 0.001). In addition, patients receiving IVCU-guided hydration had significantly lower risk of developing MACCEs than patients in the control group during the 18-month follow-up (14.4 vs. 27.2%, p = 0.027). Conclusion: Our findings support that IVCU-guided hydration is superior to standard hydration in prevention of CIN and may substantially reduce longtime composite major adverse events.
An Examination of the Role of Socioeconomic Status in the Relationship between Depression and Prostate Cancer Survivorship in a Population-Based Sample of Men from Atlantic Canada
Authors: Ilie Gabriela , Rutledge Robert , Sweeney Ellen
Published: January 2021

Objective: Prostate and skin cancer are among the most prevalent forms of cancer among men and have favorable survival rates compared to other, more aggressive forms of cancers. Recent studies have shown that the odds of depression among men with a lifetime history of prostate cancer are higher compared to men without a lifetime history of prostate cancer. Here we extend previous findings and examine the role of socioeconomic status in the relationship between depression and cancer survivorship status in a population-based sample of men from Atlantic Canada. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on a subsample of 6,585 male participants aged 49–69 years from the 2009–2015 survey cycle of the Atlantic PATH study. The primary outcome was screening positive for mild, moderate or severe depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). The main predictor variable was cancer survivorship status (the presence of a lifetime history of prostate cancer, skin cancer, forms of cancer other than prostate or skin cancer, or absence of a lifetime cancer diagnosis). Covariates included age, education, marital status, household income, province, ethnicity, comorbidity, and survivorship time. Results: An estimated 14.7% of men in this sample screened positive for mild, moderate or severe depression. Men with a history of prostate cancer were 2.60 (95% CI: 1.02, 6.65) times more likely to screen positive for depression than men with a history of any other form of cancer. The odds ratios were 10.23 (95% CI: 2.82, 37.49) or 4.00 (95% CI: 1.20, 13.34) times higher for survivors of prostate or skin cancer who reported a low household income to screen positive for depression compared to men with a history of any other form of cancer and high household income. Conclusions: These results extend current evidence of the association between prostate cancer survivorship and depression compared with men who never had a history of cancer diagnosis by indicating that this association still stands when the survivors of prostate cancer are compared to survivors of any other form of cancer, and further indicates that this association is moderated by household income. The findings highlight the importance of delivering mental health screening and support to prostate cancer survivors during the cancer journey, especially those with low household incomes.
Novel Mutation in AIFM1 Gene Associated with X-Linked Deafness in a Moroccan Family
Authors: Elrharchi Soukaina , Riahi Zied , Salime Sara , Charoute Hicham , Elkhattabi Lamiae , Boulouiz Redouane , Kabine Mostafa , Bonnet Crystel , Petit Christine , Barakat Abdelhamid
Published: January 2021

Introduction: Auditory neuropathy is a hearing disorder where outer hair cell function within the cochlea is normal, but inner hair cell and/or the auditory nerve function is disrupted. It is a heterogeneous disorder, which can have either congenital or acquired causes. Methods: We found a disease-segregating mutation in the X-linked AIFM1 gene through whole-exome sequencing, encoding the apoptosis-inducing factor mitochondrion-associated 1. Results: The impact of the c.1045A>G; p.(Ser349Gly) mutation on the AIFM1 protein was predicted using different bioinformatics tools. The pedigree analysis in the examined family was consistent with X-linked dominant inheritance. Discussion/Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first study that identifies a mutation in the AIFM1 gene in Moroccan patients suffering from X-linked auditory neuropathy.
Interleukin-8 Levels in the Stratum Corneum as a Biomarker for Monitoring Therapeutic Effect in Atopic Dermatitis Patients
Authors: Murata Susumu , Kaneko Sakae , Morita Eishin
Published: January 2021

Introduction: The stratum corneum contains several growth factors and cytokines that are synthesized in keratinocytes. We previously reported that the amount of interleukin-8 in the stratum corneum (scIL-8) is related to the severity of local skin inflammation in atopic dermatitis (AD). However, it is unknown whether scIL-8 levels reflect pharmacologic responses to a therapeutic intervention in AD patients. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate whether the improvement of dermatitis in AD is correlated with scIL-8 levels before and after topical corticosteroid treatment. Methods: Stratum corneum samples were collected from 22 AD patients using the noninvasive tape-stripping method before treatment, 2 weeks after topical treatment, and 4–6 weeks after treatment. Results: scIL-8 levels on the forearm reduced significantly from 790 ± 348 pg/mg before treatment to 163 ± 68 pg/mg 2 weeks after treatment and 100 ± 37 pg/mg 4–6 weeks after corticosteroid treatment. scIL-8 levels on the abdomen also reduced significantly from 902 ± 391 to 142 ± 38 pg/mg at the end of study. The reduction in scIL-8 levels was associated with the improvement in local skin severity in AD. We also found that scIL-8 levels, along with blood biomarker levels (serum thymus and activation-regulated chemokine, lactate dehydrogenase, and %eosinophil), decreased significantly after the treatment. Conclusion: The scIL-8 concentration decreases with improvements in skin symptoms in AD patients after topical corticosteroid treatment; thus, it may be a suitable biomarker for monitoring therapeutic effects in AD patients.
Deterioration and Mortality Risk of COPD Patients Not Fitting into Standard GOLD Categories: Results of the COSYCONET Cohort
Authors: Mayerhofer Barbara , Jörres Rudolf A. , Lutter Johanna I. , Waschki Benjamin , Kauffmann-Guerrero Diego , Alter Peter , Trudzinski Franziska Christina , Herth Felix J.F. , Holle Rolf , Behr Jürgen , Bals Robert , Welte Tobias , Watz Henrik , Vogelmeier Claus F. , Kahnert Kathrin
Published: January 2021

Background: Patients with COPD-specific symptoms and history but FEV1/FVC ratio ≥0.7 are a heterogeneous group (former GOLD grade 0) with uncertainties regarding natural history. Objective: We investigated which lung function measures and cutoff values are predictive for deterioration according to GOLD grades and all-cause mortality. Methods: We used visit 1–4 data of the COSYCONET cohort. Logistic and Cox regression analyses were used to identify relevant parameters. GOLD 0 patients were categorized according to whether they maintained grade 0 over the following 2 visits or deteriorated persistently into grades 1 or 2. Their clinical characteristics were compared with those of GOLD 1 and 2 patients. Results: Among 2,741 patients, 374 GOLD 0, 206 grade 1, and 962 grade 2 patients were identified. GOLD 0 patients were characterized by high symptom burden, comparable to grade 2, and a restrictive lung function pattern; those with FEV1/FVC above 0.75 were unlikely to deteriorate over time into grades 1 and 2, in contrast to those with values between 0.70 and 0.75. Regarding mortality risk in GOLD 0, FEV1%predicted and age were the relevant determinants, whereby a cutoff value of 65% was superior to that of 80% as proposed previously. Conclusions: Regarding patients of the former GOLD grade 0, we identified simple criteria for FEV1/FVC and FEV1% predicted that were relevant for the outcome in terms of deterioration over time and mortality. These criteria might help to identify patients with the typical risk profile of COPD among those not fulfilling spirometric COPD criteria.
SARS-CoV-2-Associated T-Cell Responses in the Presence of Humoral Immunodeficiency
Authors: Gupta Sudhir , Su Houfen , Narsai Tejal , Agrawal Sudhanshu
Published: January 2021

We report perhaps the most comprehensive study of subsets of CD4+ and CD8+ and subsets of B cells in a mild symptomatic SARS-CoV-2+ immunocompetent patient and a common variable immunodeficiency disease (CVID) patient who had normal absolute lymphocyte counts and remained negative for SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies. Naïve (TN), central memory (TCM), effector memory (TEM), and terminally differentiated effector memory (TEMRA) subsets of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, subsets of T follicular helper cells (cTFH, TFH1, TFH2, TFH17, TFH1/TFH17, and TFR), CD4 Treg, CD8 Treg, mature B cells, transitional B cells, marginal zone B cells, germinal center (GC) B cells, CD21low B cells, antibody-secreting cells (plasmablasts), and Breg cells were examined in patients and age-matched controls with appropriate monoclonal antibodies and isotype controls using multicolor flow cytometry. Different patterns of abnormalities (often contrasting) were observed in the subsets of CD4+ T, CD8+ T, B-cell subsets, and regulatory lymphocytes among the immunocompetent patient and CVID patient as compared to corresponding healthy controls. Furthermore, when data were analyzed between the 2 patients, the immunocompetent patient demonstrated greater changes in various subsets as compared to the CVID patient. These data demonstrate different immunological responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection in an immunocompetent patient and the CVID patient. A marked decrease in GC B cells and plasmablasts may be responsible for failure to make SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The lack of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies with mild clinical disease suggests an important role of T-cell response in defense against SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Relationship of LVEF and Myocardial Scar to Long-Term Mortality Risk and Mode of Death in Patients With Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Klem Igor , Klein Michael , Khan Mohammad , Yang Eric Y. , Nabi Faisal , Ivanov Alexander , Bhatti Lubna , Hayes Brenda , Graviss Edward A. , Nguyen Duc T. , Judd Robert M. , Kim Raymond J. , Heitner John F. , Shah Dipan J.
Published: January 2021

Background:

Nonischemic cardiomyopathy is a leading cause of reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and is associated with high mortality risk from progressive heart failure and arrhythmias. Myocardial scar on cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging is increasingly recognized as a risk marker for adverse outcomes; however, left ventricular dysfunction remains the basis for determining a patient’s eligibility for primary prophylaxis with implantable cardioverter-defibrillator. We investigated the relationship of LVEF and scar with long-term mortality and mode of death in a large cohort of patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy.

Methods:

This study is a prospective, longitudinal outcomes registry of 1020 consecutive patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy who underwent clinical cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging for the assessment of LVEF and scar at 3 centers.

Results:

During a median follow-up of 5.2 (interquartile range, 3.8, 6.6) years, 277 (27%) patients died. On survival analysis, LVEF ≤35% and scar were strongly associated with all-cause (log-rank test
P
=0.002 and
P
<0.001, respectively) and cardiac death (
P
=0.001 and
P
<0.001, respectively). Whereas scar was strongly related to sudden cardiac death (SCD;
P
=0.001), there was no significant association between LVEF ≤35% and SCD risk (
P
=0.57). On multivariable analysis including established clinical factors, LVEF and scar are independent risk markers of all-cause and cardiac death. The addition of LVEF provided incremental prognostic value but insignificant discrimination improvement by C-statistic for all-cause and cardiac death, but no incremental prognostic value for SCD. Conversely, scar extent demonstrated significant incremental prognostic value and discrimination improvement for all 3 end points. On net reclassification analysis, the addition of LVEF resulted in no significant improvement for all-cause death (11.0%; 95% CI, −6.2% to 25.9%), cardiac death (9.8%; 95% CI, −5.7% to 29.3%), or SCD (7.5%; 95% CI, −41.2% to 42.9%). Conversely, the addition of scar extent resulted in significant reclassification improvement of 25.5% (95% CI, 11.7% to 41.0%) for all-cause death, 27.0% (95% CI, 11.6% to 45.2%) for cardiac death, and 40.6% (95% CI, 10.5% to 71.8%) for SCD.

Conclusions:

Myocardial scar and LVEF are both risk markers for all-cause and cardiac death in patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy. However, whereas myocardial scar has strong and incremental prognostic value for SCD risk stratification, LVEF has no incremental prognostic value over clinical measures. Scar assessment should be incorporated into patient selection criteria for primary prevention implantable cardioverter-defibrillator placement.
What Symmetry Can Do That Parallelism Can’t: Line Perception and Poetic Effects in the Song of Deborah (Judges 5:2–31)
Authors: Grosser Emmylou J.
Published: January 2021

The concept of parallelism has framed discussions of biblical poetry for more than two centuries, but there is still no consensus on what exactly parallelism is. This study contends that consensus does not exist because the side-by-side correspondence approach of parallelism is not suited to the part-whole free-rhythm nature of biblical poetic lines. Instead, perceptual symmetry better accounts for certain aspects of poetic lines that have been understood as parallelism. Unlike parallelism, symmetry is able to account for how lines emerge in aural, free-rhythm biblical poetry, as well as how the emergence of lines is intertwined with poetic effects, as demonstrated in the Song of Deborah (Judg 5:2–31). The cognitive poetics framework of this paper shifts scholarly focus from line patterns to the perception of these stimulus patterns, taking seriously the features of the text as well as the mental processing of the active listener.
Appellate Jurisdiction of International Court of Justice: Old Wine in New Bottle
Authors: Alexander Atul , Mishra Anushna
Published: January 2021

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the principal judicial organ under the United Nations (UN) competent to decide cases submitted by the States. The Jurisdiction of the ICJ is derived from Article 36 of the ICJ statute; further, the ICJ is competent to render advisory opinions when requested by the organs and specialised agencies of the UN. Before proceeding to the merits of the case, the ICJ has to satisfy that it has jurisdiction to decide upon the case. Moreover, the decisions of the ICJ are binding without appeal, except in cases involving revision. This article briefly analyses the Appeal Relating to the Jurisdiction of the International Civil Aviation Organisation Council (ICAO Council) under Article 84 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates v. Qatar).
The Concept of Heresy and the Debates on Descartes’s Philosophy
Authors: Goudriaan Aza
Published: January 2021

This article explores connotations of ‘heresy’ in theological traditions before and during Descartes’s life. Lutheran and Reformed Protestants, themselves considered heretics by the Church of Rome, adopted the patristic heresiology while designating sixteenth-century antitrinitarian and Anabaptist teachings as heresies. Francisco Suárez and Gisbertus Voetius knew the late medieval conceptuality (e.g., Council of Konstanz, 1418). Voetius possibly thought of Descartes when describing certain philosophical views as “smacking of heresy.” This was not, however, an outright charge of heresy. In fact, Descartes’s readiness to be corrected contradicted the traditional heretical quality of “stubbornness.” Plempius’s expression “Cartesian heresy” seems to have been rare. For anti-Cartesians, the rich vocabulary of error made the complex term ‘heresy’ easily avoidable.
Informal Pew-Renting and Pew-Openers in English Anglican Churches
Authors: Bennett J.C.
Published: January 2021

As opposed to formal pew-renting, which characterised less affluent Anglican churches in England, wealthier churches often used informal pew-renting. In this form, congregants were expected to “tip” pew-openers—themselves generally from the working class—a sixpence, shilling or half-a-crown, to obtain favourable seating for a single service. But the “tips” were actually bribes, and according to popular descriptions, pew-openers frequently relegated those financially unable to “tip” to much less desirable seating. Over the centuries the English clergy has endured many insulting and coarse epithets, such as calling a chicken’s backside “the parson’s nose” and referring to urination as “shaking hands with the vicar.” But no role has historically engendered so much constant suspicion and hatred as has the pew-opener. This article investigates the role of the pew-opener and the surrounding controversy, and the churches’ response to pew-openers’ behavior.
A new species of Volvariella and the first record of Volvariella pulla (Agaricales: incertae sedis) from Thailand
Authors: NIEGO ALLEN GRACE T. , SYSOUPHANTHONG PHONGEUN , THONGKLANG NARITSADA , HYDE KEVIN D. , PHONEMANY MONTHIEN , PHOOKAMSAK RUNGTIWA , RASPÉ OLIVIER
Published: January 2021

A new species and a first record of Volvariella are reported from Thailand based on morphological and phylogenetic evidence. The most important features that distinguish Volvariella rostricystidiata sp. nov. are the broadly clavate to obovoid cheilocystidia with a rostrate apex and the scattered, slender and usually fusiform pleurocystidia, which lack a rostrum. Volvariella pulla, recently described from Vietnam, is reported here from northern Thailand based on morphology and sequence data. Combined ITS and nrLSU gene regions were analyzed to confirm the placement and infer the phylogenetic affinities of the two studied species.
Alternanthera ebracteolata (Amaranthaceae), a new species from Kerala (SW-India)

Authors: ARYA SINDHU , ANILKUMAR VENUGOPALAN NAIR SARADHAMMA
Published: January 2021

A new species of Alternanthera from the northern region of Kerala (India)―Alternanthera ebracteolata―is described and illustrated. Morphological description as well as original photographs and drawings are provided. A. ebracteolata is morphologically similar to A. tenella from which differs by the peduncled inflorescence, number of flowers per glomerule, shape and colour of the bracts, absence of bracteoles, shape and color of appendages on androecial tube, and shape of seeds.
Performance of commercially-available cholesterol self-tests
Authors: Kurstjens Steef , Gemen Eugenie , Walk Selina , Njo Tjin , Krabbe Johannes , Gijzen Karlijn , Elisen Marc GLM , Kusters Ron
Published: January 2021

Background

Hypercholesterolemia (plasma cholesterol concentration ≥5.2 mmol/L) is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and stroke. Many different cholesterol self-tests are readily available at general stores, pharmacies and web shops. However, there is limited information on their analytical and diagnostic performance.

Methods

We included 62 adult patients who required a lipid panel measurement (cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), triglycerides and LDLcalc) for routine care. The performance of five different cholesterol self-tests, three quantitative meters ( Roche Accutrend Plus, Mission 3-in-1 and Qucare) and two semi-quantitative strip tests ( Veroval and Mylan MyTest), was assessed according to the manufacturers’ protocol.

Results

The average plasma cholesterol concentration was 5.2 ± 1.2 mmol/L. The mean absolute relative difference (MARD) of the five cholesterol self-tests ranged from 6 ± 5% ( Accutrend Plus) to 20 ± 12% ( Mylan Mytest). The Accutrend Plus cholesterol meter showed the best diagnostic performance with a 92% sensitivity and 89% specificity. The Qucare and Mission 3-in-1 are able to measure HDL concentrations and can thus provide a cholesterol:HDL ratio. The Passing-Bablok regression analyses for the ratio showed poor performance in both self-tests ( Mission 3-in-1: y = 1.62x–1.20; Qucare: y = 0.61x + 1.75). The Accutrend Plus is unable to measure the plasma high-density lipoprotein concentration. Conclusions/interpretation: The Accutrend Plus cholesterol meter (Roche) had excellent diagnostic and analytic performance. However, several of the commercially-available self-tests had considerably poor accuracy and diagnostic performance and therefore do not meet the required qualifications, potentially leading to erroneous results. Better regulation, standardization and harmonization of cholesterol self-tests is warranted.
Situating Institutional Responses to Latina Intimate Partner Violence Victims: An Argument for a LatCrit Lens
Authors: Garza Alondra D.
Published: January 2021

Existing critical theoretical frameworks have been useful for understanding institutional responses to intimate partner violence (IPV) among victims of Color. The present theoretical paper extends upon these earlier approaches by using a LatCrit theory and praxis lens to situate institutional responses to Latina IPV victims specifically. Through a LatCrit lens, this essay addresses three interrelated themes that address challenges for Latina IPV victims, including: racialized indeterminacy, hegemonic representation, and the criminal legal system as a racialized organization. Theoretical implications, future research, and recommendations are discussed.
The Healthy Environment Project: Promoting sustainable change in early childhood education settings
Authors: Farewell Charlotte V , Maiurro Emily , Powers Jamie , Puma Jini
Published: January 2021

Objective:

The Healthy Environment Project (HEP) was designed to improve familiarity with attitudes, confidence and knowledge related to health-promoting best practices, as well as the implementation of health-promoting policy, system and environment best practice change in diverse early childhood education settings.

Design:

Pre–post study design to assess the outcomes of the HEP intervention.

Setting:

Early childhood education providers representing 14 centres ( n = 117) and 30 homes ( n = 30) in Colorado, USA.

Method:

The Policy, System and Environment Change Process, which is an evidence-based strategic planning process based on intervention mapping, was facilitated in a professional development training format in 44 early childhood education settings.

Results:

Pre–post survey data ( n = 125) suggest that early childhood education providers’ familiarity with, knowledge of, and confidence related to the implementation of health-promoting policy, system and environment change significantly increased after the professional development training ( p < .05). No significant differences in these individual-level constructs were found between centre-based and home-based providers. The HEP also resulted in significant changes in environmental-level constructs; 154 total health-promoting changes (averaging 3.5 changes/setting) were implemented in 44 early childhood education settings.

Conclusion:

Facilitation of a strategic planning process in a professional development training format resulted in improvements in individual- and environmental-level constructs related to healthy eating and physical activity behaviours and provides a novel way to foster sustainable health-promoting environments in early childhood education centres and homes.
Pathways to severe mental illness care: A retrospective study of patients seeking psychiatric care at Department of Psychiatry, AIIMS, Delhi
Authors: Kudi Surat Ram , Khakha Deepika C , Ajesh Kumar T K , Sinha Deb Koushik
Published: January 2021

Background and aim:

Globally, very few patients with mental illness go to health care facilities to receive psychiatry treatment. This study aims to identify pathways used by patients with severe mental disorders who seek mental health care services in the psychiatry unit of AIIMS, New Delhi.

Materials and methods:

It is a retrospective cross-sectional study with convenience sampling technique was used, and data were collected from 123 caregivers of patients with severe mental illnesses using standardized tools like MINI, BPRS, YMRS and WHO Encounter pathway.

Results:

The findings revealed that 41.5% of the patients made their first contact with the faith healers, 27.6% with AYUSH medical practitioners, 14.6% with psychiatrists and 12.2% with allopathic medical practitioners. About 26% of the patients reported hallucinations as the first symptom for seeking help. In the majority of cases (96.7%), the patient’s relatives made the decision for the patient to seek treatment the first time to manage the symptoms. The psychotic symptoms (65.1%) helped the patient’s relatives to take the decision for first seek. The mean delay for seeking treatment from psychiatrists was 13.31 ± 10.6 (months).

Conclusion:

This study showed that a higher proportion of patients received treatment from the faith healer at the first seek, whereas only a few patients approached psychiatrist directly. Hence, there is an immense need to create awareness regarding mental illness and treatment options available.
MiR-302b Suppresses Tumor Metastasis by Targeting Frizzled 6 in OSCC
Authors: Sun S. , Wang J. , Liu J. , Yin F. , Xin C. , Zeng X. , Li J. , Chen Q.
Published: January 2021

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) accounts for approximately 90% of malignant epithelial tumors of the oral and maxillofacial region. OSCC has high rate of metastasis and poor prognosis. Tobacco and/or alcohol consumption and human papillomavirus infection are relatively exact susceptibility factors for OSCC, but the specific process of oral mucosal carcinogenesis and progression is very complicated. microRNA-302b (miR-302b) could regulate various characteristics of many tumor cells, such as proliferation and apoptosis, but its role and mechanism in OSCC have not been reported. This research aims to study the effect of miR-302b on the invasion and migration ability of OSCC and the mechanism by which it functions as well as to identify new prognostic indicators and therapeutic targets for OSCC patients. Functional studies showed that the miR-302b level was negatively correlated with the invasion and migration ability of OSCC. The studies also showed that the overexpression of miR-302b could attenuate the invasion and migration ability of OSCC cells and reduce lymphangiogenesis and the lung metastasis rate of OSCC cells in a mouse model. Mechanistic studies were performed by quantitative polymerase chain reactions, luciferase assays, and RNA pull-down experiments. The results verified that frizzled class receptor 6 (FZD6) is a target gene of miR-302b in OSCC that could promote cell invasion and migration. Clinical studies demonstrate that the protein expression level of FZD6 was higher in OSCC and metastatic lymph nodes than in normal oral mucosa epithelium. Taken together, these data showed that miR-302b could inhibit the invasion and migration ability of OSCC cells by targeting and downregulating FZD6, thereby inhibiting OSCC metastasis. As a new target gene of miR-302b, FZD6 has the potential to become a prognostic and therapeutic target for OSCC patients.
Antiresorptive-Type and Discontinuation-Timing Affect ONJ Burden
Authors: Hadaya D. , Soundia A. , Gkouveris I. , Bezouglaia O. , Dry S.M. , Pirih F.Q. , Aghaloo T.L. , Tetradis S.
Published: January 2021

Osteonecrosis of the jaws (ONJ), a severe side effect of antiresorptive medications, is characterized by exposed, nonhealing bone in the oral cavity. Treatment options for ONJ range from management of symptomology to surgical resection of the affected area. Antiresorptive discontinuation, often termed a “drug holiday,” has been used for managing ONJ patients. Antiresorptives can be discontinued prior to oral surgical procedures, such as tooth extraction, to prevent ONJ development or in patients with established ONJ to accelerate healing. Here, our objective was to test these clinical scenarios using the potent bisphosphonate, zoledronic acid (ZA), and the denosumab surrogate for rodents, OPG-Fc, in a rat model of ONJ. Animals were pretreated with antiresorptives or saline, after which we induced ONJ using periapical disease and tooth extraction. In our first experimental design, antiresorptives were discontinued 1 wk prior to tooth extraction, and animals were evaluated 4 wk later for clinical, radiographic, and histologic features of ONJ. In the second experiment, ONJ was established and antiresorptives were discontinued for 4 wk. Discontinuation of OPG-Fc, but not ZA, prior to tooth extraction ameliorated subsequent ONJ development. In contrast, discontinuation of either ZA or OPG-Fc in rats with established ONJ did not lead to ONJ resolution. In conclusion, our findings suggest that antiresorptive discontinuation is dependent on both the type of antiresorptive and the timing of discontinuation.
Impaired Perception and Neural Processing of Rules in Developmental Dyslexia
Authors: Virtala Paula , Partanen Eino , Kujala Teija
Published: January 2021

Rules and regularities of language are typically processed in an implicit and effortless way in the human brain. Individuals with developmental dyslexia have problems in implicit learning of regularities in sequential stimuli, but the neural basis of this deficit has not been studied. This study investigated extraction and utilization of a complex auditory rule at neural and perceptual levels in 18 adults with dyslexia and 20 typical readers. Mismatch negativity (MMN) and P3a responses to rule violations in speech stimuli, reflecting change detection and attention switch, respectively, were recorded with electroencephalogram. Both groups reported no or little explicit awareness of the rule, suggesting implicit processing. People with dyslexia showed deficient extraction of the rule evidenced by diminished MMNs estimated to originate particularly from the left perisylvian region. The group difference persisted in the attentive condition after the participants were told about the rule, and behavioral detection of the rule violations was poor in people with dyslexia, possibly suggesting difficulties also in utilizing explicit information of the rule. Based on these results, the speech processing difficulties in dyslexia extend beyond phoneme discrimination and basic auditory feature extraction. Challenges in implicit extraction and effortless adoption of complex auditory rules may be central to language learning difficulties in dyslexia.
How Marketing Perks Influence Word of Mouth
Authors: Lisjak Monika , Bonezzi Andrea , Rucker Derek D.
Published: January 2021

This research illustrates how marketing perks can be leveraged to spur WOM. Specifically, this research introduces a previously overlooked yet practically relevant dimension on which perks differ: “contractuality,” defined as the extent to which consumers perceive a perk to be conditional on specific behaviors and contingencies dictated by a company. Importantly, consumers can perceive the exact same perk as more versus less contractual depending on the way it is conferred, structured, or framed. This research demonstrates that low-contractuality perks can be more effective than high-contractuality perks at fostering WOM in the absence of explicit incentives to do so. In particular, low-contractuality perks are more likely than high-contractuality perks to convey a relational signal that motivates consumers to help the company by sharing WOM. Seven experiments, two of which were conducted in the field, support this hypothesis and illustrate conditions under which the effect attenuates or reverses. On the whole, this work offers insights into how managers might design interventions that foster WOM, and it reveals potential trade-offs of commonly used high-contractuality perks.
Is Nestlé a Lady? The Feminine Brand Name Advantage
Authors: Pogacar Ruth , Angle Justin , Lowrey Tina M. , Shrum L. J. , Kardes Frank R.
Published: January 2021

A brand name’s linguistic characteristics convey brand qualities independent of the name’s denotative meaning. For instance, name length, sounds, and stress can signal masculine or feminine associations. This research examines the effects of such gender associations on three important brand outcomes: attitudes, choice, and performance. Across six studies, using both observational analyses of real brands and experimental manipulations of invented brands, the authors show that linguistically feminine names increase perceived warmth, which improves brand outcomes. Feminine brand names enhance attitudes and choice share—both hypothetically and consequentially—and are associated with better brand performance. The authors establish boundary conditions, showing that the feminine brand name advantage is attenuated when the typical user is male and when products are utilitarian.
Do Marketers Matter for Entrepreneurs? Evidence from a Field Experiment in Uganda
Authors: Anderson Stephen J. , Chintagunta Pradeep , Germann Frank , Vilcassim Naufel
Published: January 2021

Promoting growth by differentiating products is a core tenet of marketing. However, establishing and quantifying marketing’s causal impact on firm growth, while critical, can be difficult. This article examines the effects of a business support intervention in which international professionals from different functional backgrounds (e.g., marketing, consulting) volunteered time to help Ugandan entrepreneurs improve growth. Findings from a multiyear field experiment show that entrepreneurs who were randomly matched with volunteer marketers significantly increased firm growth: on average, monthly sales grew by 51.7%, monthly profits improved by 35.8%, total assets increased by 31.0%, and number of paid employees rose by 23.8%. A linguistic analysis of interactions between volunteers and entrepreneurs indicates that the marketers spent more time on product-related topics than other volunteers. Further mechanism analyses indicate that the marketers helped the entrepreneurs focus on premium products to differentiate in the marketplace. In line with the study’s process evidence, firms with greater market knowledge or resource availability benefited significantly more than their peers when matched with volunteer marketers. As small-scale businesses form the commercial backbone of most emerging markets, their performance and development are critically important. Marketers’ positive impact on these businesses highlights the need for the field’s increased presence in emerging markets.
The Role of Gender in Pay-What-You-Want Contexts
Authors: Santana Shelle , Morwitz Vicki G.
Published: January 2021

This research highlights how gender shapes consumer payments in pay-what-you-want contexts. Four studies involving hypothetical and real payments show that men typically pay less than women in pay-what-you-want settings, due to gender differences in agentic versus communal orientation. Men approach the payment decision with an agentic orientation, and women approach it with a communal orientation. These orientations then shape payment motives and ultimately affect payment behavior. Because agentic men are more self-focused, their payment decisions are motivated by economic factors, resulting in lower payments. Conversely, communal women are more other-focused, and their payment decisions are motivated by both social and economic factors, resulting in higher payments. The findings additionally highlight how sellers can use marketing communications to increase the salience of social payment motives and demonstrate that by doing so, marketers can increase how much men pay without altering how much women pay in pay-what-you-want settings.
An Innovative United States–Mexico Community Outreach Initiative for Hispanic and Latino People in the United States: A Collaborative Public Health Network
Authors: Flynn Michael A. , Rodriguez Lainz Alfonso , Lara Juanita , Rosales Cecilia , Feldstein Federico , Dominguez Ken , Wolkin Amy , Sierra Medal Ivan Roberto , Tonda Josana , Romero-Steiner Sandra , Dicent-Taillepierre Julio , Rangel Gómez Maria Gudelia
Published: January 2021

Collaborative partnerships are a useful approach to improve health conditions of disadvantaged populations. The Ventanillas de Salud (VDS) (“Health Windows”) and Mobile Health Units (MHUs) are a collaborative initiative of the Mexican government and US public health organizations that use mechanisms such as health fairs and mobile clinics to provide health information, screenings, preventive measures (eg, vaccines), and health services to Mexican people, other Hispanic people, and underserved populations (eg, American Indian/Alaska Native people, geographically isolated people, uninsured people) across the United States. From 2013 through 2019, the VDS served 10.5 million people (an average of 1.5 million people per year) at Mexican consulates in the United States, and MHUs served 115 461 people from 2016 through 2019. We describe 3 community outreach projects and their impact on improving the health of Hispanic people in the United States. The first project is an ongoing collaboration between VDS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to address occupational health inequities among Hispanic people. The second project was a collaboration between VDS and CDC to provide Hispanic people with information about Zika virus infection and health education. The third project is a collaboration between MHUs and the University of Arizona to provide basic health services to Hispanic communities in Pima and Maricopa counties, Arizona. The VDS/MHU model uses a collaborative approach that should be further assessed to better understand its impact on both the US-born and non–US-born Hispanic population and the public at large in locations where it is implemented.
Time to Achieve: Implementing Blended Learning Routines in an Indian Elementary Classroom
Authors: Kundu Arnab , Bej Tripti , Nath Dey Kedar
Published: January 2021

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of blended learning on students’ academic achievement, to study teachers’ perception of working in the unconventional blended atmosphere, and finally to infer on its potential in underprivileged elementary classrooms. Since this study was conducted in an unconventional set up with researchers acted as agents of change, design-based research methods were used with 50 children from a fifth standard class in an Indian elementary school. These methods included gathering and analyzing data in two cycles—preblended implantation stage and postblended stage. A mixed-method approach was followed for data collection. Quantitative data were collected through an achievement test and qualitative data were gathered from interviews with the teachers. Findings revealed that there were significant differences in achievement level between the two cycles, in favor of the postblended implantation stage, and this difference was found gender-neutral. Interviews with three teachers were also conducted to collect information about their experiences of introducing and implementing blended learning in their classrooms. The study concludes that blended learning ambiance increases students’ academic achievement levels in elementary classrooms when teachers were supported with necessary policies and proficiencies. Overall, the time spent in blended learning had a positive effect on children’s achievement irrespective of gender and these effects emerged during 10 weeks even in a school with poor technological infrastructure and underprepared yet willing teachers.
Janowitz and Huntington—Better Together: A Response
Authors: Coletta Damon , Crosbie Thomas
Published: January 2021

Suzanne Nielsen and Hugh Liebert recently published “The Continuing Relevance of Morris Janowitz’s The Professional Soldier for the Education of Officers” in which they argued that officer education is too enamored with Samuel Huntington’s aging theory of civil–military relations from Soldier and the State. Huntington’s ideal of objective control grants senior military advisors autonomy within their professional sphere, and it best ensures that unvarnished military expertise survives politically charged national security decision making processes intact, regardless of which party controls the White House. While these features explain Huntington’s traditional popularity with the military, Nielsen and Liebert warn that Huntington’s separation between military and civilian matters in theory engenders wishful thinking in practice, so much so that officers neglect, to the detriment of national policy, Morris Janowitz, Huntington’s cofounder of the modern study of civil–military relations. However, the civil–military community should reconsider banishing Huntington in order to appreciate Janowitz.
The Contemporary Resonances of Classical Pragmatism for Studying Organization and Organizing
Authors: Simpson Barbara , den Hond Frank
Published: January 2021

The legacy of classical American Pragmatism – Peirce, James, Dewey, Addams, Mead, Follett and others – in organization theory is significant, albeit that much of its influence has come through implicit and indirect routes. In light of recent calls for an empirical stance as an alternative to the prevailing metaphysical stance in organizational research, we reread Pragmatism as a process philosophy that can profoundly inform process views of organization and organizing. Our particular reading highlights Pragmatism’s emphasis on process and emergence, its theory of knowing as fallible and experimental, its denouncing of dualisms, its future-oriented meliorism, its sensitivity to ethics and democracy, and its positioning of experience as both the start and end of inquiry, arguing that these features lay invaluable groundwork for the study of organization and organizing. We advocate a reappraisal of this legacy, mobilizing seven articles from the back catalogue of this journal in a virtual special issue that demonstrates how classical American Pragmatism can reinvigorate the field while also opening up new questions and new ways of questioning.