bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
North Korea: Sanctions, Engagement and Strategic Reorientation
Authors: Noland Marcus
Published: April 2019

This paper examines the roles that sanctions, and inducements might play in resolving the North Korea problem. It finds that while the “maximum pressure” narrative is plausible, the evidence to substantiate it is thin. Likewise, the North Korean regime is aware of the potentially constraining (or even destabilizing) political implications of cross‐border economic integration and has acted to structure engagement in ways to blunt its transformative impact. Maximizing the transformative possibilities of engagement will require conscious planning by North Korea's partners. Multilateral guidelines and voluntary codes on corporate conduct could be used to anchor this process, but they will only be effective if there is greater political commitment to such norms than has been witnessed to date. Without such commitments, engagement risks enabling North Korea's doctrine of the parallel development of the economy and weapons of mass destruction.
Genome‐wide association study identified genes in the response to Salmonella pullorum infection in chickens
Authors: Xiao L. , He C. , Luo L. , Yang K. , Yang L. , Xu K. , Zheng Y. , Gu C. , Huang Q. , Meng H.
Published: April 2019

Pullorum is a bacterial disease that threatens the modern poultry industry. Over the years, research on this topic has focused mainly on its epidemiology, whereas the hosts’ genetic basis of infection is still vague. In order to identify chickens’ genes associated with pullorum, we sequenced 300 New Pudong chicken by double digest genotyping‐by‐sequencing. We obtained 1 527 953 SNPs for a genome‐wide association analysis, which identified 43 genome‐wide significant markers. Most of the significant SNPs were in the interval of 57.7–59.0 Mb on chromosome 5. The gene set enrichment analysis suggests a potential manner for bacterial infection and remaining inside the host. This work provides basic data for the purification, prevention and treatment of pullorum disease.
CRA Reputation and Bond Yield: Evidence from the Chinese Bond Market
Authors: Hu Xiaolu , Huang Haozhi , Shi Jing , Wang Hua
Published: April 2019

The paper examines the reputation effect of credit rating agencies (CRAs) in China. We find a negative association between CRAs’ reputation and public bonds’ offering yield spreads after controlling for endogeneity. Analyses of the correlation between CRA reputation and bond return volatility in the aftermarket and cross‐sectional variations of reputation effects alongside a host of information environment proxies for issuers, we identify the information channel through which CRA reputation plays its role. This is further supported when we utilize an exogenous event, the introduction of an independent CRA (the China Bond Rating Co. Ltd), to explore the potential changes of the reputation effect.
Editorial: population‐based testing for Helicobacter pylori in Western countries
Authors: Vakil Nimish
Published: April 2019

Linked Content

This article is linked to Høgh et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15193 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15239.
Assertiveness with Reservations: The Politics of Neoliberalism in Malaysia’s FTA Policy
Authors: Syarip Rakhmat
Published: April 2019

From 2003 to March 2018, Malaysia showed increasing enthusiasm toward forging free trade agreements (FTAs). This article analyzes the factors that determined its attitude, focusing on: (i) why it is currently active; (ii) why it selects specific partners; and (iii) why it combines moderate with comprehensive liberalization. It is found that the interplay between ideas, institutions, and interests are important to explain the causes. First, both state interventionism and neoliberal ideas influence these outcomes. Second, within the competitive authoritarian institutions, neoliberal supporters have benefited from executive‐heavy policymaking processes, while the anti‐FTA groups failed to forge a strong alliance. Third, interaction between two veto points – the neoliberal executive and the resistant faction within the ruling party – created compromise and convergence in FTA policy. Ultimately, Malaysia has an “assertive but reserved” attitude toward reconciling differences between old embeddedness and new international practices.
Treatment and outcome of Unicentric Castleman Disease: a retrospective analysis of 71 cases
Authors: Boutboul David , Fadlallah Jehane , Chawki Sylvain , Fieschi Claire , Malphettes Marion , Dossier Antoine , Gérard Laurence , Mordant Pierre , Meignin Véronique , Oksenhendler Eric , Galicier Lionel
Published: April 2019

We retrospectively analysed 71 cases of Unicentric Castleman disease, a rare, usually asymptomatic, benign lymphoproliferative disorder presenting as a unique nodal mass. Although surgery is considered as the gold standard therapy, only 38 patients (54%) underwent initial surgical resection and 95% were cured. An additional 9 patients had surgery after an attempt at medical reduction. Reduction therapy was used in 21 patients with a 55% response rate, but without evidence for an optimal regimen. Radiotherapy was limited to 8 patients because of associated toxicity. Watch and wait was considered in 13 asymptomatic patients and 11 of these remained stable for up to 17 years.
Cultures of conflict: Protests, violent repression, and community values
Authors: Akkuş Birol , Postmes Tom , Stroebe Katherine , Baray Gamze
Published: April 2019

What are the cultural origins of societal conflicts that revolve around democratization, women's rights, and modern libertarian values? We propose that deep‐seated differences in community‐based collective values (at the micro‐level) may be related to why people support anti‐government protestandwhy they support repression of such protests (at the macro‐level). The hypothesis was examined among residents of Turkey (N = 500). Cultural values, measured at the individual level and community level with the community collectivism scale, correlated with political orientation and emotions, as well as with subsequent support for anti‐governmental protest or its repression. The main conclusions are that both support for protest and support for repression are related to the cultural values people hold and their subsequent political orientations and emotions. Micro‐level cultural values in local communities may thus play a role in explaining macro‐level socio‐political divides.
PERIODIC, COMPLETE‐PARTICIPATION TRADE IN THE LAGOS‐ROCHETEAU MODEL
Authors: Liao Mouhua
Published: April 2019

This paper contributes to a recent policy discussion regarding the costs and benefits of setting up a centralized electronic trading platform to replace over‐the‐counter (OTC) markets. We modify the Lagos and Rocheteau (2009, henceforth LR) asset trading model by replacing their investor‐dealer random matching and bilateral trade with a centralized competitive market that opens periodically. This arrangement preserves the main tension and trade‐off in LR. We then analyse and quantify when to introduce a centralized market and how frequently it should open in order to make it as efficiently as the decentralized OTC market in LR.
Double Minority Status and Neighborhoods: Examining the Primacy of Race in Black Immigrants’ Racial and Socioeconomic Segregation
Authors: Tesfai Rebbeca
Published: April 2019

Sociologists have long viewed spatial assimilation as a measure of minorities’ socioeconomic progress. While assimilation increases as socioeconomic status (SES) improves, blacks remain more highly segregated than any other race/ethnic group. I use the locational attainment model to determine whether black immigrants—like their U.S.–born counterparts—are highly segregated. This paper broadens the segregation literature by determining: (1) black immigrant segregation patterns after controlling for individual–level characteristics, (2) the extent to which segregation varies by location, and (3) if racial segregation has the same socioeconomic consequences for U.S.– and foreign–born blacks. I find that black immigrants face high racial and socioeconomic segregation in mainly Caribbean settlement areas. However, black immigrants in all but two predominantly African settlement areas experience no segregation. Essentially, I find that there is a great deal of diversity in black immigrants’ segregation patterns stemming from differential treatment in the housing market based on African immigrants’ higher SES and/or African immigrants’ residential choices. Results in the two outlier African settlement areas (Minneapolis and Washington, D.C.) suggest that entry visa may play an important role in black segregation.
Histologic and histomorphometric evaluation of the bone regeneration following cortical bone repositioning in a rabbit mandible
Authors: Martinez‐de la Cruz Gerardo , Yamauchi Kensuke , Odajima Kenji , Kataoka Yoshihiro , Nogami Shinnosuke , Takahashi Tetsu
Published: April 2019

Background

Although bone graft (BG) is the gold standard for bone augmentation, its use is hampered by donor site morbidity and limited quantity.

Purpose

To evaluate the capabilities of bone formation by cortical bone repositioning (CBR) as the healing response following grafting of autogenous bone block without filling biomaterial at the gap between gap and recipient.

Materials and Methods

Twelve Japanese White rabbits were divided into three groups (postoperative 2, 5, and 8 weeks). A cortical block was freed from the mandibular body, half of the block was positioned and fixed overlapped the original bone surface beside the defect and the other half remained only elevated above the defect. Three areas were decided for the evaluation; BG, CBR, and defect (D) area. Areas were evaluated by micro‐CT, histology, and histomorphometric analysis.

Results

There is no statistical difference between BG and CBR by evaluating distance and area in histomorphometrical analysis (P < .05). D area showed statistical decrease compared with BG and CBR at week 2. Histologically, new bone was evident at week 2, mature bone was observed in all three areas at week 8, D area disappeared and fused completely with the elevated bone block.

Conclusion

CBR has potential for bone augmentation as BG induced from its own regenerative ability of healing process.
Using functional near‐infrared spectroscopy to assess social information processing in poor urban Bangladeshi infants and toddlers
Authors: Perdue Katherine L. , Jensen Sarah K.G. , Kumar Swapna , Richards John E. , Kakon Shahria Hafiz , Haque Rashidul , Petri William A. , Lloyd‐Fox Sarah , Elwell Clare , Nelson Charles A.
Published: April 2019

Children living in low‐resource settings are at risk for failing to reach their developmental potential. While the behavioral outcomes of growing up in such settings are well‐known, the neural mechanisms underpinning poor outcomes have not been well elucidated, particularly in the context of low‐ and middle‐income countries. In this study, we measure brain metabolic responses to social and nonsocial stimuli in a cohort of 6‐ and 36‐month‐old Bangladeshi children. Study participants in both cohorts lived in an urban slum and were exposed to a broad range of adversity early in life including extreme poverty, malnutrition, recurrent infections, and low maternal education. We observed brain regions that responded selectively to social stimuli in both ages indicating that these specialized brain responses are online from an early age. We additionally show that the magnitude of the socially selective response is related to maternal education, maternal stress, and the caregiving environment. Ultimately our results suggest that a variety of psychosocial hazards have a measurable relationship with the developing social brain.
The Hispanic Experience of the Child Welfare System
Authors: Davidson Ryan D. , Morrissey Meredith W. , Beck Connie J.
Published: April 2019

As the Hispanic population grows in the United States and the child welfare system, it is necessary to examine how experiences of Hispanic families differ from those of White/Caucasian families and to assess whether Hispanic families’ needs are properly addressed. This literature review will examine research on the outcomes and experiences of Hispanic families in the child welfare system and how case characteristics interact with the experiences of Hispanic families. This article will then explore theories for Hispanic families’ different experiences and conclude by recommending future directions and solutions for improving the experiences of Hispanic families in the child welfare system.
International Hague Network of Judges: Significance in Implementation of the 1980 and 1996 Hague Conventions on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction
Authors: Sheffield Judge Mary W. , Rowland Matthew D.
Published: April 2019

The 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (“the Convention”) provides for the prompt return to the country of habitual residence of children taken by a parent from one country to another. It was created to address the threshold problem in such cases, that is, which court should determine the rights of the parties involved. In a case under the Convention, the court's concern is which country is the country of habitual residence and practical aspects of the return to ensure the safety of the child and the taking parent. This article will discuss the formation of the International Hague Network of Judges (IHNJ), why it is crucial in the advancement of the Convention's goals, and, specifically, what it does to educate judges and facilitate communication between judges, and how the IHNJ can facilitate the return, including providing information on services, procedures, and protections offered in the countries of return.
A guide to hyaluronan and related enzymes in breast cancer: biological significance and diagnostic value
Authors: Velesiotis Christos , Vasileiou Stella , Vynios Demitrios H.
Published: April 2019

Hyaluronan (HA) is a unique nonsulfated glycosaminoglycan that contributes to breast cancer cells growth and functional properties, including cell migration, invasion, adhesion, as well as tumor‐associated angiogenesis in different stages of breast cancer progression and especially metastasis. Latest data show that the levels of HA and/or low molecular mass HA in blood serum and plasma of breast cancer patients may be a useful biomarker for breast cancer prognosis, differential diagnosis, and patients' treatment monitoring. Therefore, the qualitative and quantitative determination of HA in biological samples is an emerging area of research. This review gathers, categorizes, and sums up all the currently used methodologies to analyze HA and HA‐related enzymes. The advantages, disadvantages, limitations in use, and the information they provide, are critically considered and discussed. Moreover, emphasis is given to the significance of HA determination in breast cancer, as well as of its related enzymes, for diagnosis and prognosis of this type of cancer.
Intangible capital, volatility shock, and the value premium
Authors: Ahn Yongkil
Published: April 2019

This paper extends the canonical, neoclassical investment‐based asset‐pricing model through the incorporation of intangible capital and the formulation of a joint productivity distribution with economic uncertainty shocks at the firm level. The distinctive evolutionary dynamics of intangible capital as opposed to that of physical capital mitigate the negative impact of temporary uncertainty shock on production and serve well to explain the value premium with modest assumptions. The value premium is unconditionally positive, but the realized value spread plummets to negative after major transient second‐moment shocks, for example, the Loma Prieta Earthquake and the 9/11 terrorist attack.
Analytical validation of a standardised scoring protocol for Ki67 immunohistochemistry on breast cancer excision whole sections: an international multicentre collaboration
Authors: Leung Samuel C Y , Nielsen Torsten O , Zabaglo Lila A , Arun Indu , Badve Sunil S , Bane Anita L , Bartlett John M S , Borgquist Signe , Chang Martin C , Dodson Andrew , Ehinger Anna , Fineberg Susan , Focke Cornelia M , Gao Dongxia , Gown Allen M , Gutierrez Carolina , Hugh Judith C , Kos Zuzana , Lænkholm Anne‐Vibeke , Mastropasqua Mauro G. , Moriya Takuya , Nofech‐Mozes Sharon , Osborne C Kent , Penault‐Llorca Frédérique M , Piper Tammy , Sakatani Takashi , Salgado Roberto , Starczynski Jane , Sugie Tomoharu , van der Vegt Bert , Viale Giuseppe , Hayes Daniel F , McShane Lisa M , Dowsett Mitch ,   on behalf of the International Ki67 in Breast Cancer Working Group of the Breast International Group and North American Breast Cancer Group (BIG‐NABCG)
Published: April 2019

Aims

The nuclear proliferation marker Ki67 assayed by immunohistochemistry has multiple potential uses in breast cancer, but an unacceptable level of interlaboratory variability has hampered its clinical utility. The International Ki67 in Breast Cancer Working Group has undertaken a systematic programme to determine whether Ki67 measurement can be analytically validated and standardised among laboratories. This study addresses whether acceptable scoring reproducibility can be achieved on excision whole sections.

Methods and results

Adjacent sections from 30 primary ER+ breast cancers were centrally stained for Ki67 and sections were circulated among 23 pathologists in 12 countries. All pathologists scored Ki67 by two methods: (i) global: four fields of 100 tumour cells each were selected to reflect observed heterogeneity in nuclear staining; (ii) hot‐spot: the field with highest apparent Ki67 index was selected and up to 500 cells scored. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for the global method [confidence interval (CI) = 0.87; 95% CI = 0.799–0.93] marginally met the prespecified success criterion (lower 95% CI ≥ 0.8), while the ICC for the hot‐spot method (0.83; 95% CI = 0.74–0.90) did not. Visually, interobserver concordance in location of selected hot‐spots varies between cases. The median times for scoring were 9 and 6 min for global and hot‐spot methods, respectively.

Conclusions

The global scoring method demonstrates adequate reproducibility to warrant next steps towards evaluation for technical and clinical validity in appropriate cohorts of cases. The time taken for scoring by either method is practical using counting software we are making publicly available. Establishment of external quality assessment schemes is likely to improve the reproducibility between laboratories further.
Novel high‐temperature‐resistant Y2SiO5 aerogel with ultralow thermal conductivity
Authors: Gu Haotian , Hou Xianbo , Zhang Rubing , Fang Daining
Published: April 2019

A novel Y2SiO5 ternary aerogel was prepared from tetraethoxysilane and yttrium chloride hexahydrate via the sol‐gel method followed by high‐temperature calcination. The effects of different calcination temperatures on the microstructure, mechanical and thermal stability of the Y2SiO5 aerogels were investigated. The aerogels exhibited low densities of 0.33‐0.62 g/cm3, low thermal conductivities of 0.029‐0.05 W/(m·K), and a relatively high strength of 0.16‐56.47 MPa. Moreover, compared with the Al2O3–SiO2 aerogel, the Y2SiO5 aerogel has higher thermal stability and more excellent high‐temperature insulation, which has potential applications as a thermal protection material in hypersonic vehicles.
On the Analysis of Large Numbers ofp‐values
Authors: Cox David R. , Kartsonaki Christiana
Published: April 2019

Methods for the analysis of large numbers ofp‐values, observed levels of significance, are reviewed with some emphasis placed on the Rényi decomposition hinging on the relation with independent exponentially distributed random variables. Some extensions are described. An empirical example is used in illustration, and simulation results examining potential complications are outlined.
A prospective pilot study of thigh‐administered intermittent pneumatic compression in the management of hard‐to‐heal lower limb venous and mixed aetiology ulcers
Authors: Naik Gurudutt , Ivins Nicola M. , Harding Keith G.
Published: April 2019

This was a prospective observational pilot study of a unique intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) device designed to be applied in the thigh region of the affected limb in patients with lower limb ulceration of both venous and mixed (venous and arterial) aetiologies. This compression system consists of a circumferential three‐chamber thigh garment and an electronic pneumatic compression pump operating over a repeated 4‐minute cycle. Patients were recruited from outpatient wound clinics. Those recruited were treated with standard therapy in addition to IPC, which was applied for 2 hours per day, and followed up for a total of 8 weeks. The primary objective of the study was to examine the effects of IPC on wound healing over an 8‐week period. The other objectives were to assess patients’ experiences of pain and the acceptability of IPC device. Twenty‐one patients were recruited, and wounds progressed towards healing in 95.24% (20/21) of the patients. Pain scores decreased in 83.33% (15/18) of the patients. Most patients felt that the thigh‐applied IPC device was comfortable and easy to apply and remove. The thigh‐administered IPC device can be recommended for use in routine clinical practice, especially when other treatment options are limited.
Association of plasma leptin, pro‐inflammatory adipokines and cancer‐related fatigue in early‐stage breast cancer patients: A prospective cohort study
Authors: Toh Yi Long , Tan Chia Jie , Yeo Angie Hui Ling , Shwe Maung , Ho Han Kiat , Gan Yan Xiang , Foo Koon Mian , Chu Pat , Olson Karin , Chan Alexandre
Published: April 2019

Cancer‐related fatigue (CRF) is subjective and has wide inter‐individual variability. Given that leptin is commonly associated with fatigue syndrome, its use as a potential biomarker for CRF is being investigated. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the association between leptin and CRF in early‐stage breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. In a prospective cohort study, patients completed assessments at baseline (T1), during chemotherapy (T2) and after chemotherapy (T3). Levels of plasma leptin and adipokines were measured using a Luminex bead‐immunoassay and CRF was measured using the Multi‐Dimensional Fatigue Symptom Inventory‐Short Form (MFSI‐SF). Data were analysed longitudinally using a generalised estimating equation incorporating clinically relevant parameters and pro‐inflammatory adipokines. The analysis included 136 patients (mean age ± SD = 51.5 ± 8.8 years; 69.1% receiving anthracycline‐based chemotherapy). More patients experienced CRF at T3 (23.8%) than at T2 (13.8%) compared to baseline. An increase was observed in the median plasma leptin level at T2, followed by a decrease at T3 (T1: 4.07 ng/mL, T2: 4.95 ng/mL and T3: 3.96 ng/mL). In the multivariate model, the change in leptin levels over time was significantly associated with the total MFSI‐SF score (β = −0.15, P = 0.003) after adjusting for the tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) level, anxiety, depression, insomnia, age, menopausal status and type of chemotherapy. This is the first study to report leptin as a biomarker that predicts the onset of CRF over time. Future studies are required to validate the findings.
Bearing witness and being bounded: The experiences of nurses in adult critical care in relation to the survivorship needs of patients and families
Authors: Page Pamela , Simpson Alan , Reynolds Lisa
Published: April 2019

Aim

To discern and understand the responses of nurses to the survivorship needs of patients and family members in adult critical care units.

Background

The critical care environment is a demanding place of work which may limit nurses to immediacy of care, such as the proximity to death and the pressure of work.

Design

A constructivist grounded theory approach with constant comparative analysis.

Methods

As part of a wider study and following ethical approval, eleven critical care nurses working within a general adult critical care unit were interviewed with respect to their experiences in meeting the psychosocial needs of patients and family members. Through the process of constant comparative analysis, an overarching selective code was constructed. EQUATOR guidelines for qualitative research (COREQ) were applied.

Results

The data illuminated a path of developing expertise permitting integration of physical, psychological and family care with technology and humanity. Gaining such proficiency is demanding, and the data presented reveal the challenges that nurses experience along the way.

Conclusion

The study confirms that working within a critical care environment is an emotionally charged challenge and may incur an emotional cost. Nurses can find themselves bounded by the walls of the critical care unit and experience personal and professional conflicts in their role. Nurses bear witness to the early stages of the survivorship trajectory but are limited in their support of ongoing needs.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

Critical care nurses can experience personal and professional conflicts when caring for both patients and families. This can lead to moral distress and may contribute to compassion fatigue. Critical care nurses appear bounded to the delivery of physiological and technical care, in the moment, as demanded by the patient's acuity. Consequentially, this limits nurses' ability to support the onward survivorship trajectory. Increased pressure and demands on critical care beds have contributed further to occupational stress in this care setting.
Developing an undergraduate paediatric simulation workshop in a resource constrained setting: A practical ‘how to’ guide
Authors: Ooi Aaron , Hambidge James , Wallace Alexandra
Published: April 2019

Simulation has been increasingly used in the delivery of undergraduate paediatric medical education in recent years, particularly in the context of managing acutely unwell children. We describe our methodology in delivering a simulation workshop within a resource‐constrained setting, defined as a clinical environment limited by time, clinical duties and access to appropriate space and/or equipment. An outline for the workshop is provided, with examples of relevant resources, to facilitate the development of similar simulation teaching in other centres. Preliminary evaluation of student feedback is presented, exploring the learning points encountered and aspects of the workshop that students found useful.
The evolution of microendemism in a reef fish (Hypoplectrus maya)
Authors: Moran Benjamin M. , Hench Kosmas , Waples Robin S. , Höppner Marc P. , Baldwin Carole C. , McMillan William Owen , Puebla Oscar
Published: April 2019

Marine species tend to have extensive distributions, which are commonly attributed to the dispersal potential provided by planktonic larvae and the rarity of absolute barriers to dispersal in the ocean. Under this paradigm, the occurrence of marine microendemism without geographic isolation in species with planktonic larvae poses a dilemma. The recently described Maya hamlet (Hypoplectrus maya, Serranidae) is exactly such a case, being endemic to a 50‐km segment of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System (MBRS). We use whole‐genome analysis to infer the demographic history of the Maya hamlet and contrast it with the sympatric and pan‐Caribbean black (H. nigricans), barred (H. puella) and butter (H. unicolor) hamlets, as well as the allopatric but phenotypically similar blue hamlet (H. gemma). We show that H. maya is indeed a distinct evolutionary lineage, with genomic signatures of inbreeding and a unique demographic history of continuous decrease in effective population size since it diverged from congeners just ~3,000 generations ago. We suggest that this case of microendemism may be driven by the combination of a narrow ecological niche and restrictive oceanographic conditions in the southern MBRS, which is consistent with the occurrence of an unusually high number of marine microendemics in this region. The restricted distribution of the Maya hamlet, its decline in both census and effective population sizes, and the degradation of its habitat place it at risk of extinction. We conclude that the evolution of marine microendemism can be a fast and dynamic process, with extinction possibly occurring before speciation is complete.
Existence Is Evidence of Immortality
Authors: Huemer Michael
Published: April 2019

The universe plausibly has an infinite future and an infinite past. Given unlimited time, every qualitative state that has ever occurred will occur again, infinitely many times. There will thus exist in the future persons arbitrarily similar to you, in any desired respects. A person sufficiently similar to you in the right respects will qualify as literally another incarnation of you. Some theories about the nature of persons rule this out; however, these theories also imply, given an infinite past, that your present existence is a probability‐zero event. Hence, your present existence is evidence against such theories of persons.
Impact of skin biopsy on the management of acute graft‐versus‐host disease in a pediatric population
Authors: Haimes Hilary , Morley Keith W. , Song Hannah , Okhovat Jean‐Phillip , Schmidt Birgitta , Huang Jennifer T.
Published: April 2019

Background/Objectives

Acute graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD) of the skin is a common complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) but often represents a diagnostic challenge. The adult literature suggests that histopathology rarely dictates management decisions, but the clinical utility of skin biopsies in pediatric patients with suspected acute GVHD is unknown. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency with which skin biopsy leads to a definitive diagnosis of acute GVHD and changes the management of acute GVHD in the pediatric population.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis of histopathology results and the associated impact on clinical management based on chart review of pediatric patients who underwent skin biopsy for cutaneous eruptions suspicious for acute GVHD from 1995 to 2016.

Results

Among 27 pediatric HSCT patients, skin biopsy yielded definitive diagnoses (GVHD or otherwise) in only 15% (4/27) of cases. Overall, dermatology consultation was associated with clinical management changes in 78% (21/27) of cases. A change in management was definitively based on skin biopsy results in only 7.4% (2/27) of cases. The mean duration of time between dermatology consultation and return of biopsy results was 4.8 days (range 1‐17).

Conclusions

Our results suggest that skin biopsy of pediatric HSCT patients with findings concerning for acute skin GVHD rarely yields a definitive diagnosis or change in management.
Structural Indeterminacy
Authors: Torza Alessandro
Published: April 2019

The threat of ontological deflationism (the view that disagreement about what there is can be non‐substantive) is averted by appealing to realism about fundamental structure—or so tells us Ted Sider. In this paper, the notion of structural indeterminacy is introduced as a particular case of metaphysical indeterminacy; then it is argued that structural indeterminacy is not only compatible with a metaphysics of fundamental structure, but it can even safeguard it from a crucial objection; finally, it is shown that, if there are instances of structural indeterminacy, a hitherto unacknowledged variety of ontological deflationism will arise. Unless structure is shown to be determinate, ontological deflationism remains a live option. Furthermore, I will consider whether structural indeterminacy could be challenged by adopting a naturalistic epistemology of structure; the question is answered in the negative on the basis of a formal result concerning theory choice. Finally, I submit a new way of articulating the epistemology of structure, which hinges on the very possibility of structural indeterminacy.
Fuzziness in the Mind: Can Perception be Unconscious?
Authors: Taylor Henry
Published: April 2019

Recently, a new movement has arisen in the philosophy of perception: one that views perception as a natural kind. Strangely, this movement has neglected the extensive work in philosophy of science on natural kinds. The present paper remedies this. I start by isolating a widespread and influential assumption, which is that we can give necessary and sufficient conditions for perception. I show that this assumption is radically at odds with current philosophy of science work on natural kinds. I then develop an alternative, new view of perception. This new view takes as its starting point the dominant position on kinds in the life sciences: the homeostatic property cluster account. I show that, if you accept this view, then all of the putative cases of unconscious perception are more plausibly seen as cases where it is indeterminate whether the mental episode in question is an instance of perception.
The Political Consequences of Combat: Post‐Traumatic Stress and Political Alienation Among Vietnam Veterans
Authors: Usry Kaye
Published: April 2019

On average, veterans are more civically and politically engaged than civilians. Previous research on the effects of military service, however, did not account for differences in veterans’ combat experiences. Using survey data from a representative sample of Vietnam veterans, this study presents evidence that veterans who were exposed to severe combat trauma and veterans who exhibited attitudes and fears associated with post‐traumatic stress had significantly lower levels of political efficacy and trust. The negative consequences of combat exposure and post‐traumatic stress are not mitigated when veterans have quality social support or when they seek professional counseling. These findings inform political psychology and hold implications for claims regarding the empowering influence of service in the U.S. military, increased political engagement, in particular. Among Vietnam veterans, exposure to severe combat trauma and post‐traumatic stress were both associated with reduced political efficacy and trust.
Applying Policy Process Theories to Environmental Governance Research: Themes and New Directions
Authors: Ruseva Tatyana , Foster Megan , Arnold Gwen , Siddiki Saba , York Abigail , Pudney Riley , Chen Ziqiao
Published: April 2019

Policy scholars have effectively leveraged policy process models, theories, and frameworks to respond to a variety of important environmental questions. For example, how do environmental issues arrive on the agendas of policymakers? What factors contribute to environmental policy change? What are the designs and effects of institutions (e.g., policies or cultural norms) on environmental governance? In this review, we survey the field of policy process scholarship, focusing on environmental governance, with three objectives. The first objective is to catalog the policy process models, theories, and frameworks most often featured in studies of environmental governance. The second is to capture the methodological choices commonly employed in the application of these models, theories, and frameworks in environmental domains. The third is to identify how these approaches deal with issues central to environmental governance research, including time, space, and policy scale. We aim to identify trends and strategies for integrating key considerations of scale into empirical policy process scholarship.
Reconceptualizing the Policy Subsystem: Integration with Complexity Theory and Social Network Analysis
Authors: McGee Zachary A. , Jones Bryan D.
Published: April 2019

The concept of the policy subsystem is an essential building block for several of the basic frameworks of policy process studies. Over time issues have become more complex, crossing subsystem boundaries, and so subsystems have escalated in their complexity as well. It is increasingly insufficient to study just one policy subsystem and so scholars have turned to studying boundary‐spanning regimes or policy networks. In this essay, we review the major contributions to developing the concept of a policy subsystem and trace its evolution into broader conceptualizations like issue and policy networks. We argue that the future for theories of the policy process is in more explicit integration of complexity theory and more effective modeling of subsystems with the utilization of social network analysis. In closing, we discuss the enduring nature of the concept of policy subsystems and highlight studies that continue using it in innovative ways.
Reviewer Acknowledgements
Authors: Gibbs Nikki
Published: April 2019

Applied Economics and Finance (AEF) would like to acknowledge the following reviewers for their assistance with peer review of manuscripts for this issue. Many authors, regardless of whether AEF publishes their work, appreciate the helpful feedback provided by the reviewers. Their comments and suggestions were of great help to the authors in improving the quality of their papers. Each of the reviewers listed below returned at least one review for this issue. Reviewers for Volume 6, Number 3  Andrey Kudryavtsev, IsraelAyoub Taha Sidahmed, SudanErdal Gumus, TurkeyFarhat Iqbal, PakistanGeorge Theocharides, CyprusGetamesay Bekele Meshesha, EthiopiaIan McFarlane, UKIbrahim Baghdadi, LebanonIulia Lupu, RomaniaKaveh Dalvand, United StatesKembo Bwana, TanzaniaMagdalena Radulescu, RomaniaMagdalena Zioło, PolandMahmoud Mohammed Sabra, PalestineMamdouh Abdelmoula M. Abdelsalam,EgyptMarco Muscettola, ItalyMarta Borda, PolandMohammed Al-Mahish, Saudi ArabiaNicolas Afflatet, GermanyNuno Crespo, PortugalOltiana Muharremi Pelari, AlbaniaPatrycja Kowalczyk-Rolczynska, PolandPayal Chadha, KuwaitRajeev Rana, IndiaRamona Orastean, RomaniaRichard Nguyen, USARomeo Victor Ionescu, RomaniaSebastian Schich, FranceSteven V. Cates, USASzabolcs Blazsek, GuatemalaVictoria Cociug, MoldovaY. Saidi, AlgeriaZi-Yi Guo, USA Nikki GibbsEditorial AssistantOn behalf of,The Editorial Board of Applied Economics and FinanceRedfame Publishing9450 SW Gemini Dr. #99416Beaverton, OR 97008, USAURL: http://aef.redfame.com
The Use of Arabic (L1) in the EFL Classrooms: How Do Umm Al-Quwain Teachers and Students Perceive It?
Authors: Al-Ta’ani Mohammed Hamid
Published: April 2019

The role of students’ native language (L1) in the second language (L2) classrooms has been a debatable issue for a long time in the field of English Language teaching as a foreign language (EFL). The present study which took place in the United Arab Emirate (UAE), more specifically, at Umm Al-Quwain Educational Zone,(UAQ) aimed at investigating both students’ and teachers’ perceptions and attitudes towards the use of (L1) in the EFL classrooms. To achieve this, the researcher used both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Thus, it surveyed one hundred fifty (150) secondary students and fifty (50) teachers of English and observed three (3) EFL classes. The data were collected through two questionnaires and classroom observations. The classroom observations were intended to reflect the quantity of (L1) use in the (L2) classrooms. The data collected through the questionnaires were analyzed with the aid of frequency and percentage, those collected through the open-ended question of the questionnaires and the classroom observations were sorted and summarized.The findings obtained from classroom observations indicated that the respondents support the well-planned use of Arabic (L1) in certain situations in the EFL classrooms. The questionnaire results revealed that (72%) of the students and (54%) of the teachers felt that Arabic (L1) should be used in their EFL classrooms. The findings also showed that (71% ) of the students and (56%) of the teachers thought that cultural, religious, traditional and political concepts and ideas should be taught by referring to the students’ native language (L1).What is more, almost all the respondents objected to using the (L1) excessively and untimely in (EFL ) classes. The quantitative data on the percentage of (L1) in EFL classes showed that most of the respondents preferred only 10 % use of mother tongue (L1) in a 50- minute class. No teachers and students answered higher than 20% and 40% respectively. In view of these findings, teachers as well as text writers and curricula planners and designers should take the learners’ native language (L1) as a teaching / learning tool.
Enfermedad de Caffey en una familia y expansión del espectro de trastornos relacionados con el colágeno tipo 1
Authors: Guapi Victor Hugo , Leone Paola E
Published: April 2019

Introducción: También llamada hiperostosis cortical infantil, caracterizada por la presencia de un episodio en la infancia con neoformación subperióstica en las diáfisis de huesos largos, la mandíbula y las clavículas.; Casos clínicos:  se evaluó un recién nacido con hallazgos clínico-radiológicos que comprendieron deformidad angular anterior de antebrazo izquierdo y miembros inferiores. La radiografía simple al nacimiento certificó la hiperostosis cortical con curvatura anterior del radio izquierdo, asociado con importante engrosamiento cortical en la diáfisis de tibias. La radiografía de control a los tres y ocho meses de edad demostró disminución de la hiperostosis cortical; El segundo caso se trata de una paciente de siete años que ha presentado dos exacerbaciones de hiperostosis cortical. Al examen físico presentó, hiperextensibilidad de pabellones auriculares, hipermovilidad de articulaciones pequeñas y manchas de hemosiderina múltiples difusas localizadas en las piernas. El tercer caso correspondió a un lactante menor de un mes tres días de vida, con radiografía que evidenció la hiperostosis cortical de tibias; Conclusión: Concluimos que la familia con neoformación diafisiaria constituyen  casos de interés por tratarse de un diagnóstico infrecuente en la edad pediátrica y  cuya sospecha clínica puede generarse a partir de un buen examen clínico y estudio del caso índice, complementado con la interpretación de la genealogía asociado con el estudio molecular que lo corrobora.
Experiencia y curva de aprendizaje de apendicectomía y colecistectomía laparoscópica de los residentes de cirugía general en un hospital latinoamericano
Authors: Cortés Murgueitio Natalia , Cuevas Liliana , Díaz Castrillon Carlos Eduardo , Pinzón Fabio , Molina Germán Ricardo
Published: April 2019

Introducción: La cirugía laparoscópica ha revolucionado el manejo quirúrgico de los pacientes y ha generado una necesidad de capacitación en el área. El rendimiento en la vida real es lo que permite una determinación global de las competencias en un procedimiento y establece un método de formación. El objetivo de este estudio es describir la evolución en la experiencia quirúrgica de un grupo de residentes de cirugía general. Metodología: Estudio observacional analítico de cohorte retrospectiva en el Hospital Universitario San Ignacio. Incluyó 4191 procedimientos realizados, divididos en 1045 apendicectomías laparoscópicas (AL) y 3146 colecistectomías laparoscópicas (CL), realizadas por un total de 52 residentes entre enero de 2008 y diciembre de 2014. Resultados: Tanto en AL como en CL se observó un aumento en el número de procedimientos anuales. Al comparar los tiempos promedios de AL por año de residencia, se observó una tendencia a la disminución en la mediana a medida que el residente era mayor. Las complicaciones intraoperatorias fueron del 0,77 % para AL y del 1,9 % para CL. La complicación postoperatoria más frecuente fue infección del sitio operatorio con una mortalidad menor al 0,5 %. Conclusión: Los resultados evocan la necesidad de continuar con programas de residencia que proporcionen preparación adecuada en el abordaje laparoscópico, posiblemente con exposición cada vez más temprana a procedimientos mínimamente invasivos.
Optimal Arrangement Design of a Tube Bundle in Cross-Flow Using Computational Fluid Dynamics and Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Ge Ya , Xin Feng , Pan Yao , Liu Zhichun , Liu Wei
Published: April 2019

Recently, energy saving problem attracts increasing attention from researchers. This study aims to determine the optimal arrangement of a tube bundle to achieve the best overall performance. The multi-objective genetic algorithm (MOGA) is employed to determine the best configuration, where two objective functions, the average heat flux q and the pressure drop Δp, are selected to evaluate the performance and the consumption, respectively. Subsequently, a decision maker method, technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS), is applied to determine the best compromise solution from noninferior solutions (Pareto solutions). In the optimization procedure, all the two-dimensional (2D) symmetric models are solved by the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method. Results show that performances alter significantly as geometries of the tube bundle changes along the Pareto front. For the case 1 (using staggered arrangement as initial), the optimal q varies from 2708.27 W/m2 to 3641.25 W/m2 and the optimal Δp varies from 380.32 Pa to 1117.74 Pa, respectively. For the case 2 (using in-line arrangement as initial), the optimal q varies from 2047.56 W/m2 to 3217.22 W/m2 and the optimal Δp varies from 181.13 Pa to 674.21 Pa, respectively. Meanwhile, the comparison between the optimal solution with maximum q and the one selected by TOPSIS indicates that TOPSIS could reduce the pressure drop of the tube bundle without sacrificing too much heat transfer performance.
Experimental Study of Aerodynamics and Wingtip Vortex of a Rectangular Wing in Flat Ground Effect
Authors: Lu A. , Tremblay-Dionne V. , Lee T.
Published: April 2019

The ground effect on the aerodynamics and tip vortex flow of a rectangular wing is investigated experimentally at Re = 2.71 × 105. The results show that there is a large lift increase with reducing ground distance. By contrast, only a small drag increase is observed in ground effect except in close ground proximity for which a great drag increase appears. The tip vortex also moves further outboard and upward with reducing ground distance. Near the ground, there is the presence of a corotating ground vortex (produced by the rolling up of the boundary layer developed on the ground surface), leading to an increased vortex strength. In extreme ground proximity, a counterrotating secondary vortex (SV) (induced by the crossflow of the tip vortex), relative to the tip vortex, appears which causes a reduced vortex strength and a lowered lift-induced drag, as well as a vortex rebound. The impact of ground effect on the vortex flow properties is also discussed. The lift-induced drag, computed based on the crossflow measurements via the Maskell wake integral method, in ground effect is also compared against the inviscid-flow predictions and wind tunnel total drag force measurements.
Design of Translational and Rotational Bistable Actuators Based on Dielectric Elastomer
Authors: Wang Nianfeng , Cui Chaoyu , Chen Bicheng , Guo Hao , Zhang Xianmin
Published: April 2019

Dielectric elastomer (DE), as a group of electro-active polymers, has been widely used in soft robotics due to its inherent flexibility and large induced deformation. As sustained high voltage is needed to maintain the deformation of DE, it may result in electric breakdown for a long-period actuation. Inspired by the bistable mechanism which has two stable equilibrium positions and can stay at one of them without energy consumption, two bistable dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) including a translational actuator and a rotational actuator are proposed. Both the bistable actuators consist of a double conical DEA and a buckling beam and can switch between two stable positions with voltage. In this paper, the analytical models of the bulking beam and the conical DEA are presented first, and then the design method is demonstrated in terms of force equilibrium and moment equilibrium principle. The experiments of the translational bistable DEA and the rotational bistable DEA are conducted, which show that the design method of the bistable DEA is effective.