bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Oral Factor Xa Inhibitors versus Warfarin for the Treatment of Venous Thromboembolism in Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Ahuja Tania , Sessa Kelly , Merchan Cristian , Papadopoulos John , Green David
Published: January 2021

Introduction. Warfarin remains the preferred oral anticoagulant for the treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). Although the direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have become preferred for treatment of VTE in the general population, patients with advanced CKD were excluded from the landmark trials. Postmarketing, safety data have demonstrated oral factor Xa inhibitors (OFXais) such as apixaban and rivaroxaban to be alternatives to warfarin for the prevention of stroke and systemic embolism in patients with atrial fibrillation. However, it remains unknown if these safety data can be extrapolated to the treatment of VTE and CKD. Methods. A retrospective cohort study from January 2013 to October 2019 was performed at NYU Langone Health. All adult patients with CKD stage 4 or greater, treated with anticoagulation for VTE, were screened. The primary outcome was tolerability of anticoagulant therapy at 3 months, defined as a composite of bleeding, thromboembolic events, and/or discontinuation rates. The secondary outcomes included bleeding, discontinuations, and recurrent thromboembolism. Results. There were 56 patients evaluated, of which 39 (70%) received warfarin and 17 (30%) received an OFXai (apixaban or rivaroxaban). Tolerability at 3 months was assessed in 48/56 patients (86%). A total of 34/48 (71%) patients tolerated anticoagulation at 3 months, 12 (80%) in the OFXai arm, and 22 (67%) in the warfarin arm (

p
=
0.498

). There were 10/48 (21%) patients that experienced any bleeding events within 3 months, 7 on warfarin, and 3 on apixaban. Recurrence of thromboembolism within 3 months occurred in 3 patients on warfarin, with no recurrence in the OFXai arm. Discussion. OFXais were better tolerated compared to warfarin for the treatment of VTE in CKD, with lower rates of bleeding, discontinuations, and recurrent thromboembolism in a small cohort. Future prospective studies are necessary to confirm these findings.
Finite‐Time Stability Analysis of Switched Genetic Regulatory Networks with Time‐Varying Delays via Wirtinger’s Integral Inequality
Authors: Saravanan Shanmugam , Syed Ali M. , Rajchakit Grienggrai , Hammachukiattikul Bussakorn , Priya Bandana , Thakur Ganesh Kumar
Published: January 2021

The problem of finite‐time stability of switched genetic regulatory networks (GRNs) with time‐varying delays via Wirtinger’s integral inequality is addressed in this study. A novel Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional is proposed to capture the dynamical characteristic of GRNs. Using Wirtinger’s integral inequality, reciprocally convex combination technique and the average dwell time method conditions in the form of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) are established for finite‐time stability of switched GRNs. The applicability of the developed finite‐time stability conditions is validated by numerical results.
Avaliação da satisfação das usuárias do dispositivo intrauterino T CU 380A acompanhadas no ambulatório de planejamento familiar em um hospital escola de Recife, Pernambuco
Authors: Campos Luciana Figueirôa de Siqueira , Carvalho Maria Laura Pottes , Lima Raquel Nogueira Cordeira Laurentino , Lima Diego Laurentino , Brito Rita de Cássia Coelho Moraes de , Leal Júnior Carlos Campos
Published: January 2021

Objetivos: avaliar a satisfação das usuárias do dispositivo intrauterino (DIU) T Cu 380A acompanhadas no ambulatório de planejamento familiar; caracterizar o seu perfil sociodemográfico e constatar a contribuição da palestra na escolha desse método. Métodos: estudo descritivo, quantitativo, de corte transversal, no período de setembro de 2016 a junho de 2017 com 97 usuárias do DIU T Cu 380A acompanhadas no ambulatório de Planejamento Familiar no Instituto de Medicina Integral Prof. Fernando Figueira (IMIP), sendo aplicados questionários previamente elaborados contendo variáveis sociodemográficas e questões a respeito da experiência com o método utilizado. Resultados: 93,8% das usuárias entrevistadas estão satisfeitas com o método; 47,4% entre 35 anos ou mais; 84,5% são casadas ou com companheiro; 59,7% com escolaridade entre oito e 11 anos de estudo; 55,7% com renda mensal de um salário mínimo; estado civil, trabalho remunerado, presença de algum incômodo, alterações do fluxo e da duração da menstruação e mudança na frequência de relação sexual semanal apresentaram associação significativa com a satisfação das usuárias (p<0,05); 67,0% consideraram importante a participação nas palestras para a escolha do método. Conclusões: o grau de satisfação das usuárias no uso do DIU T Cu 380A, reforça a importância do método contraceptivo. Palestras esclarecedoras, sobre o planejamento familiar nos serviços de atenção à mulher na fase reprodutiva devem ser sempre estimuladas.
Abscesso esplênico amebiano: um relato de caso
Authors: Silva Bruna Lemos , Nascimento Maria Paula de Paula , Arantes Ana Carolina , Silva Caio César Faciroli Contin , Silva Gabrielly Bertoldi , Kairala Rodolpho Cesar Oliveira Mellem , Lima Roberta Denise Alkmin Lopes de
Published: January 2021

Objetivo: Relatar um caso clínico de abscesso esplênico amebiano e discutir suas características clínicas, seu difícil diagnóstico, seu manejo clínico e cirúrgico. Apresentação do caso: Paciente masculino 39 anos foi admitido com queixa de dor abdominal em região de flanco esquerdo, náuseas e inapetência, negando febre, vômitos e alterações do hábito intestinal. Ao exame físico abdominal evidenciou um abdome tenso, reativo, com dor à palpação de flanco esquerdo, com sinal de descompressão brusca positiva e Giordano positivo à esquerda. Na admissão foi realizada tomografia computadorizada de abdome que evidenciou coleções hipodensas no baço e presença de líquido livre na cavidade abdominal, com hipótese de abscesso esplênico. Foram realizadas esplenectomia e pancreatectomia caudal e iniciado ceftriaxona e metronidazol. Após a cirurgia foi solicitada cultura da secreção com resultado positivo no dia 05/07/2019 para pesquisa direta de Entamoeba histolytica, definindo o diagnóstico de abscesso esplênico por ameba. Paciente recebeu alta no dia 06/07/2019 com receita de metronidazol para término do tratamento. Considerações finais: O abscesso esplênico amebiano é uma patologia raríssima com poucos dados na literatura, havendo uma dificuldade e demora no diagnóstico e no tratamento dessa patologia o que implica diretamente no prognostico do paciente. Portanto, é necessário que mais casos sobre a patologia sejam relatados para melhor entendimento sobre o diagnóstico e manejo do abscesso esplênico amebiano.
Melanoma oral metastático: tratamento com radioterapia e nivolumabe
Authors: Simões João Carlos , Rocco Mateus , Nakamura Beatriz Sayuri
Published: January 2021

INTRODUÇÃO: O Melanoma de Mucosa Oral (MMO) é uma neoplasia maligna rara, corresponde a cerca de 0,5% de todos os tumores orais. Este melanoma ocorre devido a proliferação atípica de melanócitos presentes no epitélio das mucosas do organismo. O tratamento é realizado por ressecção cirúrgica, quimioterapia e radioterapia como tratamento adjuvante. Nos casos com linfonodos metastáticos pode-se usar o tratamento adjuvante com imunoterapia. RELATO DE CASO: Paciente 83 anos, sexo masculino, teve como queixa principal tumoração de cor escura em gengiva, palato duro e seio maxilar direito, com linfonodos metastáticos cervicais e mediastinais e metástases pulmonares. Em 2015, iniciou tratamento com DTIC com resposta parcial e após um ano, iniciou a terapêutica com Imatinibe com resposta parcial e depois progressão da doença. Em 2016, iniciou tratamento com Nivolumabe e radioterapia local com IMRT. Apresentou remissão completa local e parcial sistêmica. Também apresentou como efeitos colaterais imunomediados insuficiência suprarrenal, hipotireoidismo, diabetes melitus e vitiligo em face e flanco esquerdo. Nosso relato tem como objetivo apresentar um caso de melanoma de mucosa oral na região da gengiva, palato e seio maxilar com metástases sistêmicas, tratado com Nivolumabe e radioterapia, e com isso comparar com outros relatos existentes na literatura e ressaltar as complicações da imunoterapia.
Dispersão urbana: degradação e produção da natureza em um contexto de globalização e financeirização
Authors: Silva Oséias Teixeira da
Published: January 2021

A intensificação do processo de globalização implica em um momento de ruptura no padrão de produção dos espaços urbanos, que resultam em formas de produção do tecido urbano de maneira crescentemente dispersa. Essa nova lógica de produção do espaço urbano está diretamente a estratégias de atuação do capital financeiro. Uma das consequências desse processo de dispersão é tanto uma acentuada degradação da natureza quanto a produção de uma segunda natureza. O presente trabalho visa discutir os paradoxos desse processo de dispersão que ao mesmo tempo se dá utilizando um discurso de reencontro com a natureza ao mesmo tempo que a devasta e a recria como dócil simulacro.
Real-Time Decoding of Attentional States Using Closed-Loop EEG Neurofeedback
Authors: Tuckute Greta , Hansen Sofie Therese , Kjaer Troels Wesenberg , Hansen Lars Kai
Published: January 2021

Sustained attention is a cognitive ability to maintain task focus over extended periods of time (Mackworth, 1948; Chun, Golomb, & Turk-Browne, 2011). In this study, scalp electroencephalography (EEG) signals were processed in real time using a 32 dry-electrode system during a sustained visual attention task. An attention training paradigm was implemented, as designed in DeBettencourt, Cohen, Lee, Norman, and Turk-Browne (2015) in which the composition of a sequence of blended images is updated based on the participant's decoded attentional level to a primed image category. It was hypothesized that a single neurofeedback training session would improve sustained attention abilities. Twenty-two participants were trained on a single neurofeedback session with behavioral pretraining and posttraining sessions within three consecutive days. Half of the participants functioned as controls in a double-blinded design and received sham neurofeedback.

During the neurofeedback session, attentional states to primed categories were decoded in real time and used to provide a continuous feedback signal customized to each participant in a closed-loop approach. We report a mean classifier decoding error rate of 34.3% (chance = 50%). Within the neurofeedback group, there was a greater level of task-relevant attentional information decoded in the participant's brain before making a correct behavioral response than before an incorrect response. This effect was not visible in the control group (interaction p=7.23e-4), which strongly indicates that we were able to achieve a meaningful measure of subjective attentional state in real time and control participants' behavior during the neurofeedback session. We do not provide conclusive evidence whether the single neurofeedback session per se provided lasting effects in sustained attention abilities.

We developed a portable EEG neurofeedback system capable of decoding attentional states and predicting behavioral choices in the attention task at hand. The neurofeedback code framework is Python based and open source, and it allows users to actively engage in the development of neurofeedback tools for scientific and translational use.
Low-Dimensional Manifolds Support Multiplexed Integrations in Recurrent Neural Networks
Authors: Fanthomme Arnaud , Monasson Rémi
Published: January 2021

We study the learning dynamics and the representations emerging in recurrent neural networks (RNNs) trained to integrate one or multiple temporal signals. Combining analytical and numerical investigations, we characterize the conditions under which an RNN with n neurons learns to integrate D(≪n) scalar signals of arbitrary duration. We show, for linear, ReLU, and sigmoidal neurons, that the internal state lives close to a D-dimensional manifold, whose shape is related to the activation function. Each neuron therefore carries, to various degrees, information about the value of all integrals. We discuss the deep analogy between our results and the concept of mixed selectivity forged by computational neuroscientists to interpret cortical recordings.
Flexible Frequency Switching in Adult Mouse Visual Cortex Is Mediated by Competition Between Parvalbumin and Somatostatin Expressing Interneurons
Authors: Domhof Justin W. M. , Tiesinga Paul H. E.
Published: January 2021

Neuronal networks in rodent primary visual cortex (V1) can generate oscillations in different frequency bands depending on the network state and the level of visual stimulation. High-frequency gamma rhythms, for example, dominate the network's spontaneous activity in adult mice but are attenuated upon visual stimulation, during which the network switches to the beta band instead. The spontaneous local field potential (LFP) of juvenile mouse V1, however, mainly contains beta rhythms and presenting a stimulus does not elicit drastic changes in network oscillations. We study, in a spiking neuron network model, the mechanism in adult mice allowing for flexible switches between multiple frequency bands and contrast this to the network structure in juvenile mice that lack this flexibility. The model comprises excitatory pyramidal cells (PCs) and two types of interneurons: the parvalbumin-expressing (PV) and the somatostatinexpressing (SOM) interneuron. In accordance with experimental findings, the pyramidal-PV and pyramidal-SOM cell subnetworks are associated with gamma and beta oscillations, respectively. In our model, they are both generated via a pyramidal-interneuron gamma (PING) mechanism, wherein the PCs drive the oscillations. Furthermore, we demonstrate that large but not small visual stimulation activates SOM cells, which shift the frequency of resting-state gamma oscillations produced by the pyramidal-PV cell subnetwork so that beta rhythms emerge. Finally, we show that this behavior is obtained for only a subset of PV and SOM interneuron projection strengths, indicating that their influence on the PCs should be balanced so that they can compete for oscillatory control of the PCs. In sum, we propose a mechanism by which visual beta rhythms can emerge from spontaneous gamma oscillations in a network model of the mouse V1; for this mechanism to reproduce V1 dynamics in adult mice, balance between the effective strengths of PV and SOM cells is required.
The striking endemism pattern of the species-richest snake genus Atractus (Dipsadidae: Serpentes) highlights the hidden diversity in the Andes
Authors: Pomar-Gómez Andrés D. , Cordeiro Paulo , Guedes Thaís B. , Passos Paulo
Published: January 2021

The distribution of the highly diversified and species-rich snake genus Atractus was assessed in search for endemism areas. The dataset of 6000 museum specimens was used to run an Endemicity Analyses in order to identify areas of biogeographic relevance for the genus Atractus. By using distinct methodological approaches and modifying the size and shape of grid cells we obtained a better adjustment to each species range, taking into account species distributed along the Andean and Atlantic Forest mountain ranges or certain vegetation constraints. Three scales of endemism were observed: micro endemic areas, represented by three different regions; intermediate sized endemic areas, represented by nine different regions; and macro-endemic areas, represented by four different provinces. Although most assessed regions corroborate well-defined biogeographic units according to the scientific literature, some, mainly located in the Colombian Andes, are not regularly considered in biogeographic syntheses carried out for vertebrates. Methodological approaches, along with a well curated database and taxonomic accuracy, may significantly influence the recovery of endemism areas, mainly considering mountain topography and local niche structure. The results present herein highlight the relevance of three Colombian Cordilleras, in order to completely understand Neotropical biota patterns of distribution. It is important to note that a well-resolved taxonomy represents both the framework and the first step toward a comprehensive biographical synthesis reducing Wallacean shortfalls in biodiversity.
More evidence of cryptic diversity in Anatololacerta species complex Arnold, Arribas and Carranza, 2007 (Squamata: Lacertidae) and re-evaluation of its current taxonomy
Authors: Karakasi Danae , Ilgaz Çetin , Kumlutaş Yusuf , Candan Kamil , Güçlü Özgür , Kankılıç Tolga , Beşer Nurettin , Sindaco Roberto , Lymberakis Petros , Poulakakis Nikos
Published: January 2021

Genetic diversity is not always congruent with phenotypic heterogeneity, resulting in cryptic species complexes which cause a great struggle for scientists trying to define ‘species’ and describe relationships among taxa. Anatololacerta is a lizard genus distributed in southern and western Anatolia and some neighboring Aegean islands. Three morphospecies were recognized in Anatololacerta but a recent molecular study revealed the presence of cryptic diversity within the genus which led to the raise of a subspecies to species level. Currently the genus includes the species A. anatolica, A. danfordi, A. budaki and A. pelasgiana. Using a comprehensive sampling concerning both the number of specimens (218 specimens) and the genetic markers (3 nuclear and 3 mitochondrial), we performed phylogenetic analyses including tree reconstruction, species delimitation and divergence times estimation. The results revealed the occurrence of one more cryptic lineage which should be regarded as a separate species for which the name A. ibrahimi stat. nov. has priority. The existence of five well differentiated species with parapatric distributions in Anatololacerta is strongly supported. There is also evidence of recent and rapid radiation of the genus which probably causes phylogenetic relationships between these species to remain largely unresolved. At last, we proceeded to some nomenclatorial changes: The current name A. budaki was synonymized with A. pelasgiana because specimens of the type-locality of A. budaki are assigned genetically to A. pelasgiana. The genetic lineage including specimens currently assigned to A. budaki was named A. finikensis stat. nov., raising the subspecies A. b. finikensis to species level.
Contrary to vertebrates, less aggressive and more consistent individuals are common in disturbed habitats in the colonial spider Metabus gravidus (Araneae: Araneidae)
Authors: Daniel Abby , Chaves-Campos Johel
Published: January 2021

Habitat disturbance may affect average behavioural types and consistency/plasticity of behaviour. Studies with solitary vertebrates suggest that human-modified habitats may favour bolder, more aggressive and more plastic individuals. We evaluated whether wild colonial spiders, Metabus gravidus, vary in the magnitude, consistency and plasticity of boldness and aggressiveness between an undisturbed forest and an adjacent urban area in Monteverde, Costa Rica. Repeatability of aggressiveness was high at the disturbed site but moderate at the undisturbed site; repeatability of boldness was low at both sites. Individual and population plasticity was similar between sites for both behaviours. Aggressiveness decreases with increasing colony size at the disturbed site; this trend was not observed at the undisturbed site. Boldness did not change with colony size. In contrast to solitary animals, our results indicate that less aggressive and more consistent colonies may have an advantage living in human-disturbed habitats.
Coercive Diplomacy and the Iranian Nuclear Crisis
Authors: Harris Benjamin
Published: January 2021

Coercive diplomacy was utilized by a coalition of the United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, China and Germany (collectively known as the P5+1) to negotiate an end to the Iranian nuclear crisis from 2002–2013. Eventually, this approach culminated in the Geneva interim agreement and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in November 2013 and October 2015, respectively. This article charts the course of the P5+1’s coercive diplomacy efforts against Iran and demonstrates that coercive diplomacy pressured Iran to a point where the cost of continued resistance was too high to continue enduring. It shows that a combination of factors succeeded after 11 years of a coercive diplomacy strategy. These findings will have implications for policymaking and academia, as it is a rare illustration of successful, coalitional coercive diplomacy.
Answers
Authors: Frodon Jean-Michel
Published: January 2021

The answers below touch on three different meanings of world cinema. First, world cinema is the acknowledgement of an existing cinema originated in the diversity of geographical and cultural contexts from all over the globe and expresses the rise of multiple local cinemas on a common international scene. Second, world cinema denotes to the films that proved to be recognizable as artistically valuable through these channels (festivals, critics, niche distributors) and conveys the idea that only certain types of films would be accepted on the international scene. And third, world cinema relates to a more specific type of films, that are not so many but gives a particular visibility to an immensely vast phenomenon with films that are either “without borders”, or mixing various origins and references. By keeping these in mind, the research on world cinema should be issue based, acknowledging de vast rainbow of various ways to make cinema, related with socio-economical and cultural contexts, political environment, inscription in various aspects of history of cinema aesthetics and other artistic and cultural means of expressions, local, regional and global. The films of world cinema are, or at least should be objects of research, objects of thinking, but also if not primarily objects of love.
The true identity of Sedum meehanii (Crassulaceae)

Authors: GALLO LORENZO
Published: January 2021

Sedum meehanii (Gray 1881: 105) was based on plants sent from a nursery in Philadelphia, said to have originated in Utah (United States) in 1874 (Clausen 1975: 68). In 1946 Clausen annotated the type collection to S. hispanicum Juslenius [sic!]. Cronquist et al. (1997) excluded S. meehanii from the Intermountain Flora, and followed Clausen in synonymizing it with S. hispanicum Linnaeus (1755: 12). Welsh (1982) and Welsh et al. (1987) tentatively placed S. meehanii as a synonym of S. lanceolatum Torr. (1827: 205), a species native species in Utah. Ohba (2009) interpreted the specimen as a naturalized adventive, not cultivated, and accepted S. hispanicum as a member of the Utah flora. ’t Hart & Bleij (2003) instead treated S. meehanii among “unresolved applications” of the genus Sedum.
Aspidistra yuelushanensis (Asparagaceae), a new species from Hunan, China
Authors: DENG CHUANG-FA , WU LEI , YU XUN-LIN , XU YONG-FU , LI JIA-XIANG
Published: January 2021

Aspidistra yuelushanensis, a new species of Asparagaceae is described and illustrated from typical hilly red soil region in Hunan Province, central southern China. This novelty is similar to A. chishuiensis by sharing purplish-red and campanulate perianth, but differs from the latter by its stamens inserted at the base (vs. inserted at the middle) of perianth tube, filaments spreading horizontally or slightly upward and enlarged (vs. sessile), perianth lobes slightly outcurved (vs. slightly incurved). It also resembles A. tenuifolia and A. pingfaensis, but differs from the latter two in its leave blade elliptic-lanceolate (vs. narrowly long to ribbon-shaped and linear, respectively), stigma 5 (vs. 7–8 and 8–9, respectively) mm in diameter. A key to the species of Aspidistra in Hunan province is provided.
A new and threatened species of Trichaptum (Basidiomycota, Hymenochaetales) from urban mangroves of Santa Catarina Island, Southern Brazil
Authors: KOSSMANN THIAGO , COSTA-REZENDE DIOGO HENRIQUE , GÓES-NETO ARISTÓTELES , DRECHSLER-SANTOS ELISANDRO RICARDO
Published: January 2021

Trichaptum comprises around 36 polypore species, with variable morphology and worldwide distribution. During polypore surveys in Santa Catarina Island (Southern Brazil), specimens of a remarkable species, with large, mostly resupinate basidiomata, large (6–11µm long) spores and two kinds of cystidia, were collected in mangrove forests and their vicinities. Morphological and phylogenetic analysis (rDNA ITS) revealed it as new, and is described herein as T. fissile sp. nov. Moreover, the species is proposed as Vulnerable according to the IUCN criteria. The taxonomic placement and delimitation of Trichaptum are also discussed.
Foster Care in a Life Course Perspective
Authors: Wulczyn Fred
Published: January 2021

To understand what placement outside of one’s home means to the young people involved, we must understand foster care from a life course perspective. I analyze young people’s experiences in foster care from this perspective, accounting for when foster care happens, how long it lasts, and what happens when foster care placements end. I show that the population of children coming into foster care is younger and less urban than it was 20 years ago. I also show reliable measures of exposure to foster care over the life course. Children who enter care early in life are the children who spend the largest proportion of their childhood in foster care—a fact that rarely weighs on the policymaking process. We know very little about state and local variation in foster care placement rates, not to mention the influence of social services, the courts, foster parents, and caseworkers over foster children, so I close by arguing investment in research should be a clear policy priority.
Uncertainty propagation on a nonlinear measurement model based on Taylor expansion
Authors: Gu Min-Hee , Cho Chihyun , Chu Hahng-Yun , Kang No-Weon , Lee Joo-Gwang
Published: January 2021

In this paper, the propagation of uncertainty on a nonlinear measurement model is presented using a higher-order Taylor series. As the derived formula is based on a Taylor series, it is necessary to compute the partial derivatives of the nonlinear measurement model and the correlation among the various products of the input variables. To simplify the approximation of this formula, most previous studies assumed that the input variables follow independent Gaussian distributions. However, in this study, we generate multivariate random variables based on copulas and obtain the covariances among the products of various input variables. By applying the derived formula to various cases regardless of the error distribution, we obtained the results that coincide with those of a Monte-Carlo simulation. To apply high-order Taylor expansion, the nonlinear measurement model should be continuous within the range of the input variables to allow for differentiation, and be an analytic function in order to be represented by a power series. This approach may replace some time-consuming Monte-Carlo simulations by choosing the appropriate order of the Taylor series, and can be used to check the linearity of the uncertainty.
NGO’s Authority: A Discussion in the Global Environmental Governance
Authors: Zou Xiaolong , Wang Chuan
Published: January 2021

As non-governmental organizations (NGOs) assume incrementally important roles in global environmental governance, literature regarding their functions also multiplies. Studies are available about their features, structural advantages or impacts. However, very few have sufficiently explained what makes them tick in the international system as non-state actors. In this article, we argue that NGOs’ important position in global governance lies in its authority. We build our analysis on sociological institutionalism and the principal–agent models, arguing that NGOs are independent and autonomous with both inherent authority and granted authority by sovereign states or inter-governmental organizations (IGOs). It is through this authority that NGOs could function independently and autonomously in global governance instead of being the affiliated or appendant actors of parties. To shed some new light on understanding NGOs in the international system from a theoretical perspective, we employ cases from environmental governance domain as evidence for illustration.
Controlling Beliefs and Global Perceptions: Religion in Chinese Foreign Policy
Authors: Brasnett Jonathan
Published: January 2021

Since the foundation of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has sought to control every aspect of religion in Chinese society. Recently, the CCP has increasingly leveraged religious institutions to disseminate a positive narrative of its religious policies in an effort to preserve or enhance its relations with countries that identify with those religions. This has enabled Beijing to avoid criticism and even increase international support despite widely reported violations of religious freedom in China. This article expands the concept of religious diplomacy to explain the PRC’s dynamic use of soft power, censorship and coercion in its international relations. Drawing on the examples of Buddhism, Christianity and Islam, this paper explores the CCP’s efforts to mobilize its religious institutions in order to (a) promote China’s unique religious culture, (b) strengthen domestic control through foreign relations and (c) preserve foreign relations by controlling international perceptions.
Engaging Exam-Oriented Students in Communicative Language Teaching by ‘Packaging’ Learning English Through Songs as Exam Practice
Authors: Yung Kevin Wai-Ho
Published: January 2021

Literature has long been used as a tool for language teaching and learning. In the New Academic Structure in Hong Kong, it has become an important element in the senior secondary English language curriculum to promote communicative language teaching (CLT) with a process-oriented approach. However, as in many other English as a second or foreign language (ESL/EFL) contexts where high-stakes testing prevails, Hong Kong students are highly exam-oriented and expect teachers to teach to the test. Because there is no direct assessment on literature in the English language curriculum, many teachers find it challenging to balance CLT through literature and exam preparation. To address this issue, this article describes an innovation of teaching ESL through songs by ‘packaging’ it as exam practice to engage exam-oriented students in CLT. A series of activities derived from the song Seasons in the Sun was implemented in the ESL classrooms in a secondary school in Hong Kong. Based on the author’s observations and reflections informed by teachers’ and students’ comments, the students were first motivated, at least instrumentally, by the relevance of the activities to the listening paper in the public exam when they saw the similarities between the classroom tasks and past exam questions. Once the students felt motivated, they were more easily engaged in a variety of CLT activities, which encouraged the use of English for authentic and meaningful communication. This article offers pedagogical implications for ESL/EFL teachers to implement CLT through literature in exam-oriented contexts.
Book review: Walter Fernandes, Joydeep Baruah and Augustin Millik, Ownership, Management and Alienation: Tribal Land in Northeast India
Authors: Mohanty Rabindra. K.
Published: January 2021

Walter Fernandes, Joydeep Baruah and Augustin Millik, Ownership, Management and Alienation: Tribal Land in Northeast India. North Eastern Social Research Centre & OKD Institute of Social Change and Development. North Eastern Social Research Centre, 2018, v + 168 pp., ₹300 (hardback). ISBN: 13: 978-8193878545.
A New Methodological Approach to Study Household Structure From Census and Survey Data
Authors: Bignami-Van Assche Simona , Boulet Virginie , Simard Charles-Olivier
Published: January 2021

How household-level data from censuses and surveys are analyzed to study household structure is an issue that has received little attention. The present study proposes a new methodological approach to address this gap. Specifically, we introduce the idea of the household configuration as a mathematical representation of observations from the household roster that uses the tools of sequence analysis to study relationships between household members. This “household configuration approach” is statistically efficient, captures the heterogeneity of family forms in a population, and is computationally simple. An application to Canadian census data for Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples shows that our approach can yield interesting insights into household structure, otherwise not readily obtained.
‘In the Midst of the Assembly I Will Praise You’: Hebrews 2.12 and Its Contribution to the Argument of the Epistle
Authors: Dyer Bryan R.
Published: January 2021

This article studies Ps. 21.23 LXX in Heb. 2.12 and zeroes in on the fascinating image that it presents: Jesus worshipping within the Christian community. This image is sometimes lost as it appears in the second half of a quotation in which the first part seems to make the more significant point (Jesus’ solidarity with his siblings). Yet this striking image of Jesus praising God makes an important theological and sociological contribution to the epistle’s argument. As this article will argue, this image contributes to a larger attempt by the author to solidify commitment to the community and ground the group’s identity in Jesus.
Psychological and Physical Health in Widowhood: Does Marital Quality Make a Difference?
Authors: Lee Hyo Jung , Han Sae Hwang , Boerner Kathrin
Published: January 2021

We investigate how preloss marital quality is associated with changes in psychological distress and physical health among older widow(er)s. Using prospective data with a 2-year follow-up from the Health and Retirement Study, we selected 546 respondents who transitioned into widowhood. Respondents were classified as supportive, ambivalent, aversive, or neutral groups. The supportive and ambivalent group experienced greater increase in depressive symptoms compared to the aversive group, in widowhood. The aversive group showed greater increase in chronic conditions compared to the supportive group. Findings indicated that spousal loss may result in more psychological distress for those with supportive and ambivalent marital relationship. Yet, those with mostly negative accounts of their marriage may experience worsened physical health, albeit no increase in psychological distress. Understanding different benefits and challenges facing older individuals after a positive or negative marriage may help direct support and interventions efforts toward older couples during marriage and in widowhood.
Towards Neuroecosociality: Mental Health in Adversity
Authors: Rose Nikolas , Birk Rasmus , Manning Nick
Published: January 2021

Social theory has much to gain from taking up the challenges of conceptualizing ‘mental health’. Such an approach to the stunting of human mental life in conditions of adversity requires us to open up the black box of ‘environment’, and to develop a vitalist biosocial science, informed by and in conversation with the life sciences and the neurosciences. In this paper we draw on both classical and contemporary social theory to begin this task. We explore human inhabitation – how humans inhabit their ‘ecological niches’ – and examine a number of conceptual developments that ‘deconstruct’ the binary distinction between organism and environment. We argue that we must understand the neurological, ecological and social pathways and mechanisms that shape human (mental) life if we are to address the central concerns of our discipline with inequity and injustice as these are inscribed into the bodies and souls of human beings.
Del Nido Cardioplegia in Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery: A safe, efficacious and economic alternative to St. Thomas solution; an experience from a developing nation
Authors: Moktan Lama Purna Bahadur , Khakural Prabhat , Sigdel Shailendra , Raj Bhatta Mahendra , Sah Teli Rabindra , Baral Ravi Kumar , Bhattarai Anil , Pradhan Bishwas , Koirala Bhagawan
Published: January 2021

Introduction:

del Nido cardioplegia is a newer solution getting popular worldwide, whereas in Nepal, St. Thomas cardioplegia solution is conventionally used. There is no national recommendation on cardioplegia solutions supported by evidences from Nepalese studies. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the efficacy of these solutions in Nepalese patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.

Methods:

Patients undergoing coronary revascularization, from May 2018 to December 2019, were randomized into St. Thomas and del Nido groups based on the cardioplegia administered, with 45 patients in each group. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative parameters and cost of cardioplegia preparation in the two groups were compared.

Results:

The cardiopulmonary bypass time (106.13 ± 24.65 minutes vs 107.62 ± 18.69 minutes, p = 0.02), aortic cross clamp time (66.22 ± 15.40 minutes vs 72.07 ± 12.23 minutes, p = 0.04), volume (1059.22 ± 100.30 ml vs 1526.67 ± 271.81 ml, p < 0.001) and number of cardioplegia doses (1.00 ± 0.00 vs 2.51 ± 0.66, p < 0.001) were significantly lower with del Nido cardioplegia. A lower CPK-MB at second post-operative (59.91 ± 31.62 vs 73.82 ± 37.25, p = 0.03) and a higher left ventricle ejection fraction at discharge (56.33 ± 8.94% vs 50.45 ± 8.55%, p < 0.001) was observed in del Nido group. There was one death in St. Thomas group. ICU and hospital stay were similar in both groups. St. Thomas solution was found to be costlier than del Nido solution (USD 5.40 ± 0.96 vs USD 3.50 ± 0.34, p < 0.001).

Conclusion:

The del Nido cardioplegia was found to be efficacious, safe and more economical alternative to St. Thomas solution.
Therapeutic Benefits of Adult Doll Play
Authors: Ignacio Angelie , Cupchik Gerald C.
Published: January 2021

This study explored the episodic memories and therapeutic benefits associated with adult doll play. Forty adult collectors described a significant interaction they had with their dolls and interpreted the meaning of the episode. They rated both their narratives and interpretations on 7-point scales. Then they completed four questionnaires reflecting on their motivations for joining the doll hobby, the aesthetic and therapeutic aspects of doll play, as well as play and fantasy and self-perception questionnaires developed in an earlier study. Principal components factor analyses were performed on all scales and questionnaires, and the factors were correlated. In addition, the narratives and interpretations were coded and thematically analyzed. Results show that attachment forms with imagined and situated characters during the customization and story making process. This bonding process was critical in creating meaning and rituals within the ball-jointed doll hobby. Implications for the clinical field and AI mediated devices were discussed.
Risk factors for thoracolumbar pain following percutaneous vertebroplasty for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures
Authors: Fan Xiaoguang , Li Sha , Zeng Xianshang , Yu Weiguang , Liu Xiangzhen
Published: January 2021

Objective

To explore possible risk factors for poor outcomes following percutaneous vertebroplasty (PV) for painful osteoporotic compression fractures of thoracolumbar vertebra.

Methods

This was a retrospective review of data from patients who underwent PV at our institution over a ten-year period to evaluate the association between possible risk factors and thoracolumbar pain (T11-L2). According to the difference between pre- and post-operative visual analogue scale (VAS) scores for pain, patients were separated into poor relief (PR; <4) and good relief (GR; ≥4) of pain.

Results

Of the 750 patients identified, 630 (PR group, n =310; GR group, n = 320) fulfilled the eligibility criteria. Multivariate binary logistic analysis showed that bone mineral density (BMD), >2 fractured vertebral bodies, maldistribution of bone cement, <5 ml bone cement injected into a single vertebral body and thoracolumbar fascia injury prior to surgery were independent risk factors associated with thoracolumbar pain following PV.

Conclusion

Although prospective controlled studies are required to confirm our results, this review suggests that the above factors should be taken into account when selecting patients for PV.
The anti-ageing secret of massively multiplayer online game: Managing its lifecycle
Authors: Au Cheuk Hang , Ho Kevin KW
Published: January 2021

It is estimated that from 2015 to 2025, the Global Multiplayer Online Game (MMOG) market will be growing at a compound annual growth rate of 10.2%. However, rapid market changes have shortened the lifespan of many MMOGs. This market phenomenon may demotivate prospective market players and thus decelerate the market growth. To address the lifespan issue, we conducted a netnographic case study on ‘TalesRunner’, which has successfully operated for longer than many other MMOGs. Based on the data from over 5.2 million messages from its official forum, as well as data from different secondary sources, we established a lifecycle model of MMOG in conjunction with the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework and offered theoretical implications for both MMOG and lifecycle theory.

JEL Classification: M15
Life-Extending Benefit of Chip Sealing for Pavement Preservation
Authors: Jalali Farhang , Vargas-Nordcbeck Adriana
Published: January 2021

Chip seals are effective pavement preservation treatments that are usually applied to address non-fatigue cracking, weathering, and raveling, to seal the surface, to delay oxidation, and, finally, to improve skid resistance. This study used field performance data of test sections from the Pavement Preservation Group Study being conducted by the National Center for Asphalt Technology and the Minnesota DOT’s Road Research Facility. Data from test sections located in a low-traffic-volume road with a hot, wet, no-freeze climate collected over a period of 7 years were used to evaluate the effect of several chip seal treatments. Treatments range from single layer to multilayer systems, and include different construction techniques such as rejuvenating scrub seal and fiber membrane. Also, a section was crack sealed before the application of a single layer chip seal to assess the benefits. A semi-parametric survival analysis was performed to determine the differences in median time to failure (MTTF) for different chip seal sections versus a controlled section—representing a “do-nothing” scenario. The results showed that the MTTF for a single layer chip seal ranges from 6.8 to 9.1 years depending on the pretreatment condition. Crack sealing before chip seal could extend the MTTF by an additional 1–3 years, depending on initial conditions. Double and triple layer chip seals extend the MTTF beyond 10 years. Finally, the scrub seal provided the highest benefits, with survival rates close to 100% after 10 years of performance.
What Makes Performance-Related Pay Effective in the Public Sector? Target, Pay Design, and Context
Authors: Park Jinsol
Published: January 2021

While performance-related pay (PRP) has been implemented in most OECD countries over the past four decades, its effectiveness is still up for debate. What is under-investigated in the previous literature is under what conditions the public sector can effectively implement an optimal design of a PRP system. This study investigates how the target of PRP, the design of performance pay, and organizational context affect the effectiveness of PRP. The findings indicate that PRP has a positive association with organizational performance but the aspects of performance it affects differ depending on to whom it is implemented and how PRP is designed. This study also finds that the positive effect of PRP for top executives is attenuated if organizational outcomes are not easily observable. This article suggests that public managers should pay careful attention to employee characteristics, pay design, and organizational contexts for the successful implementation of PRP in the public sector.
Diverging Standpoints in the Spiral of Change: A Survey on the Values of Social Justice among Students of Planning in China
Authors: Zhou Kai
Published: January 2021

Through a survey among planning students in China, this research revealed the emergence of divergent standpoints on the values of social justice, where the respondents partially disagreed with the generally acknowledged principles of justice or opted to compromise when experiencing real-world dilemmas. It was observed that these were caused by the dialectical nature of social justice, in particular, by the three conflicting drivers of the modernization of China: freedom, development, and equality. This paper suggests that the moral guidance used in teaching ethics in planning can be enriched by investigating individuals’ ethical choices shaped by the changing sociopolitical ethos of their times.
Poly(aspartic acid)-based pH-responsive targeting co-delivery nanoparticles
Authors: Li Qiang , Fu Dongsheng , Zhang Jie , Li Tianyang , Wang Huifang , Hou Wenjuan , Niu Baolong , Guo Ruijie , Liu Yiming
Published: January 2021

Encapsulation of therapeutic molecules into nanocarrier is an extensively explored strategy to treat cancer more effectively. In this study, pH-responsive targeting dual-agent delivery nanoparticles were prepared, into which hydrophilic doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) and hydrophobic curcumin (CUR) were entrapped. Tyrosine (Tyr) was grafted onto poly(aspartic acid) (PASP) to produce PASP-Tyr, the following reaction between hyaluronic acid (HA) and ethylenediamine (EDA) modified PASP-Tyr formed the nanocarrier HA-EDA-PASP-Tyr (HEPT), and the loading capacity was up to 50.9 ± 4.3% for CUR and 26.0 ± 1.9% for DOX. The spherical HEPT with the mean particle size of 142.9 ± 11.4 nm expanded and deformed into petaloid pattern with an increased size of about 2 µm when triggered by the acidic microenvironment. In vitro anticancer activity evaluation revealed that the co-loaded (DOX+CUR)@HEPT nanoparticles presented higher cytotoxicity against HCT-116 cells compared with that of the free combination of (DOX+CUR). Confocal laser scanning microscopy observation indicated that HEPT carrier promoted cellular uptake of drugs by means of active targeting capacity of HA ligand. With high loading capacity and tailored carrier structure, the nanoparticles formulations may offer a new strategy for cancer treatment.
Voice of the Victims: Accounts of Secondary Victimization With the Court System Among Homicide Co-victims
Authors: Reed Mark D. , Caraballo Krystlelynn
Published: January 2021

The treatment homicide co-victims receive from the criminal justice system often leaves them aggrieved and feeling alienated. A neglected but important area of investigation is the courtroom workgroup’s handling of murder cases. This exploratory study examines the nature and extent to which varying secondary victimization experiences are common among co-victims as the murder cases are processed through the court system. The sample consists of 27 co-victims connected to 24 separate cases where the murders occurred in a major metropolitan area in the southeastern United States. Drawing upon focus group data, Nvivo 10 was employed to identify themes that illustrate common secondary victimization experiences among co-victims along with positive and mixed reactions to court processes and personnel. The findings indicate that court requirements to provide notifications are infrequently met and attorney’s practice to supply information about case progress and counseling to family members regarding plea-bargaining and sentencing decisions are greatly restrictive. When information is offered, it is often perceived as highly technical and when assistance is provided, it is frequently limited or intermittent. Despite the prevalence of negative experiences, there also were reports of positive interactions with the district attorney and victim advocates. The study concludes by identifying ways in which the courtroom workgroup can uphold the rights afforded to co-victims while at the same time meeting the duties and responsibilities of the workgroup.