bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Ramipril on the Aldosterone/Renin Ratio and the Aldosterone/Angiotensin II Ratio in Patients With Primary Aldosteronism
Authors: Guo Zeng , Poglitsch Marko , Cowley Diane , Domenig Oliver , McWhinney Brett C. , Ungerer Jacobus P.J. , Wolley Martin , Stowasser Michael
Published: June 2020

The aldosterone/renin ratio (ARR) is currently considered the most reliable approach for case detection of primary aldosteronism (PA). ACE (Angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors are known to raise renin and lower aldosterone levels, thereby causing false-negative ARR results. Because ACE inhibitors lower angiotensin II levels, we hypothesized that the aldosterone/equilibrium angiotensin II (eqAngII) ratio (AA2R) would remain elevated in PA. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis involving 60 patients with PA and 40 patients without PA revealed that the AA2R was not inferior to the ARR in screening for PA. When using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to measure plasma aldosterone concentration, the predicted optimal AA2R cutoff for PA screening was 8.3 (pmol/L)/(pmol/L). We then compared the diagnostic performance of the AA2R with the ARR among 25 patients with PA administered ramipril (5 mg/day) for 2 weeks. Compared with basally, plasma levels of equilibrium angiotensin I (eqAngI) and direct renin concentration increased significantly (
P
<0.01 or
P
<0.05) after ramipril treatment, whereas eqAngII and ACE activity (eqAngII/eqAngI) decreased significantly (
P
<0.01). The changes of plasma renin activity and plasma aldosterone concentration in the current study were not significant. On day 14, 4 patients displayed false-negative results using ARR_direct renin concentration (plasma aldosterone concentration/direct renin concentration), 3 of whom also showed false-negative ARR_plasma renin activity (plasma aldosterone concentration/plasma renin activity). On day 15, 2 patients still demonstrated false-negative ARR_plasma renin activity, one of whom also showed a false-negative ARR_direct renin concentration. No false-negative AA2R results were observed on either day 14 or 15. In conclusion, compared with ARR which can be affected by ACE inhibitors causing false-negative screening results, the AA2R seems to be superior in detecting PA among subjects receiving ACE inhibitors.
O‐GlcNAcylation Mediates Glucose‐Induced Alterations in Endothelial Cell Phenotype in Human Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Masaki Nobuyuki , Feng Bihua , Bretón‐Romero Rosa , Inagaki Elica , Weisbrod Robert M. , Fetterman Jessica L. , Hamburg Naomi M.
Published: June 2020

Background

Posttranslational protein modification with O‐linked
N
‐acetylglucosamine (O‐Glc
NA
c) is linked to high glucose levels in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2
DM
) and may alter cellular function. We sought to elucidate the involvement of O‐Glc
NA
c modification in endothelial dysfunction in patients with T2
DM
.

Methods and Results

Freshly isolated endothelial cells obtained by J‐wire biopsy from a forearm vein of patients with T2
DM
(n=18) was compared with controls (n=10). Endothelial O‐Glc
NA
c levels were 1.8‐ford higher in T2
DM
patients than in nondiabetic controls (
P
=0.003). Higher endothelial O‐Glc
NA
c levels correlated with serum fasting blood glucose level (
r
=0.433,
P
=0.024) and hemoglobin A
1c
(
r
=0.418,
P
=0.042). In endothelial cells from patients with T2
DM
, normal glucose conditions (24 hours at 5 mmol/L) lowered O‐Glc
NA
c levels and restored insulin‐mediated activation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase, whereas high glucose conditions (30 mmol/L) maintained both O‐Glc
NA
c levels and impaired insulin action. Treatment of endothelial cells with Thiamet G, an O‐Glc
NA
case inhibitor, increased O‐Glc
NA
c levels and blunted the improvement of insulin‐mediated endothelial nitric oxide synthase phosphorylation by glucose normalization.

Conclusions

Taken together, our findings indicate a role for O‐Glc
NA
c modification in the dynamic, glucose‐induced impairment of endothelial nitric oxide synthase activation in endothelial cells from patients with T2
DM
. O‐Glc
NA
c protein modification may be a treatment target for vascular dysfunction in T2
DM
.
Risk and Vulnerability on the Campanian Plain: The Vesuvius Eruption of A.D. 472
Authors: Grey Cam
Published: June 2020

The projects of social history, disaster studies, and archaeology deliberately tend to eschew consideration of events, focusing instead on processes and structures that unfold gradually over time. The eruption of the Somma-Vesuvius volcano in Campania, Italy, in 472 presents tangible markers of a specific moment, although the absence of local textual evidence and the strong hints of rapid re-exploitation of the rich and fertile soils of the region suggest that the scale of the disaster that it precipitated was limited. A perspective on the eruption informed by the concepts of risk and vulnerability demonstrates that the population of the Campanian Plain had different experiences of the eruption according to factors such as their location, the nature and robustness of their social and economic resources, and their mechanisms for accessing and exploiting power relationships.
You Can Lead a Horse to Water, But You Can’t Make It Drink
Authors: Levy Gabriel
Published: June 2020

As I understand it, the central aim of the field of CSR is to reconcile (in the sense of “consilience”) methods and theories from the natural sciences with research on religion, which though defined in various ways, is usually understood as a universal human phenomenon. This does not necessarily mean religion is innate, but like all universal human phenomena, there will be an evolutionary story to tell about how it, or its constituent elements, came about. The stories are usually about the phenomena of religion writ-large, variously defined, rarely reaching the granularity to make claims about specific historical and cultural circumstances where religion is most relevant to agents. I challenge all scholars of religion to make their metaphysics explicit.
A new species of Stemonitis pseudoflavogenita from Russia, and the first record of Stemonitis capillitionodosa in Eurasia

Authors: VLASENKO ANASTASIA V. , NOVOZHILOV YURI K. , PRIKHODKO ILYA S. , BOTYAKOV VLADIMIR N. , VLASENKO VYACHESLAV A.
Published: June 2020

This paper reports a new Stemonitidaceae species, Stemonitis pseudoflavogenita, found in Krasnodar Territory and Novosibirsk Region of Russia. We provide morphological and molecular characterization of S. pseudoflavogenita and data on its distribution and habitat. Compared to other representatives of the genus Stemonitis, S. pseudoflavogenita and three other species of this genus (S. capillitionodosa, S. flavogenita, and S. sichuanensis) have thickening and widening of the column apex, which makes them a separate morphological group. However, the above three known species have warted and spinulose spore ornamentations, S. pseudoflavogenita shows complex ornamentation consisting of large warts and a few small warts irregularly scattered among the large ones and small indentations on the spore surface. Stemonitis capillitionodosa is a rare myxomycete. We found and retrieved the specimens of Stemonitis capillitionodosa from the Laplandskiy Biosphere Reserve (Murmansk Region, Russia), the first record of this species in Eurasia. We present a scanning electron microscopic study of both S. pseudoflavogenita and S. capillitionodosa. New sequences for SSU rDNA of S. pseudoflavogenita and S. capillitionodosa were obtained.
Molecular and morphological characters of Helicotylenchus Steiner, 1945 species from Iran with a note on the identity of H. pseudorobustus (Steiner, 1914) Golden, 1956
Authors: DIVSALAR NAFISEH , SHOKOOHI EBRAHIM , MARAIS MARIETTE , MASHELA PHATU W.
Published: June 2020

Helicotylenchus species were recovered from natural areas of three provinces (Mazandaran, Kerman and Guilan) in Iran, with morphological and molecular characteristics suggesting that they were Helicotylenchus minzi and Helicotylenchus pseudorobustus. A phylogenetic analysis of the two Helicotylenchus species using 28S rDNA placed H. pseudrobustus and H. minzi in a clade with 1.00 posterior probability. Results suggest that the Helicotylenchus population identified using molecular characteristics as H. pseudorobustus is a paraphyletic group, with hierarchical clustering analysis indicating a close relationship between the Iranian and the Chinese populations of H. pseudorobustus. In conclusion, further molecular studies within the genus Helicotylenchus are needed, especially for morphologically similar populations that have been recognized as separate species.
Three new synonyms within the flower chafer genus Goliathopsis Janson, 1881 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae) from China
Authors: XU HAO , QIU JIAN-YUE
Published: June 2020

All available type materials of the Indochinese genus Goliathopsis Janson, 1881 are determined, and lectotype designations are made for G. capreolus Gestro 1888, G. despectus (Westwood, 1873), G. esquiroli Pouillaude, 1913, and G. velutinus Pouillaude, 1913. The examination of type series revealed three synonyms: Goliathopsis camptotropus Yang, 1988 new synonym and G. polystricus Yang, 1988 new synonym are synonymized with G. esquiroli, and G. maolanus Yang, 1988 new synonym is regarded as a junior synonym of G. lameyi Fairmaire, 1893. Besides, G. cervus Janson, 1881 is proved to be a valid species. Diagnoses, key, and color illustrations are provided for all species. All known distribution records are mapped, and the location of “Tsékou” and “Oui-Sy” are presented and discussed.
Three new species of the genus Ocychinus (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) from China
Authors: ZHAO XIN , TANG LIANG
Published: June 2020

Three new species of the genus Ocychinus Smetana, 2003 from China are described: O. motuoensis sp. n. and O. smetanai sp. n. both from Xizang and O. huanghaoi sp. n. from Sichuan. Diagnostic characters for new species are illustrated. Habitus photos of 16 Ocychinus species are given and a key to species of Ocychinus is provided.
The Shallow-water Crinoid Fauna of Lakshadweep Atolls, North-western Indian Ocean
Authors: MOHAMMEDNOWSHAD B. , IDREESBABU K.K. , PARAMESWARAN USHA V. , MESSING CHARLES G. , SURESHKUMAR S.
Published: June 2020

A biodiversity survey carried out from 2016 to 2018 by the Department of Science and Technology in the Lakshadweep Atolls, India, recorded six species of shallow-water feather stars new to the archipelago (Comanthus wahlbergii, Comaster schlegelii, Himerometra robustipinna, Dichrometra palmata, Stephanometra indica, and Phanogenia typica). Himerometra sol A.H. Clark, 1912, previously known only from the Maldive Islands, is synonymized under Himerometra robustipinna (Carpenter, 1881). This study brings the total number of shallow-water crinoids recorded from Lakshadweep to ten species. Of the four species collected previously from the archipelago, only Comatella nigra was found in this survey. Of those not collected, Comatella stelligera and Oligometra serripinna are widespread in the Indo-western Pacific region, whereas Heterometra compta is known only from Lakshadweep, and its validity remains uncertain. The known shallow-water crinoid fauna of the archipelago is substantially less diverse than that of the adjacent and environmentally similar Maldive Islands, emphasizing the need for additional research in this island group, in particular, to determine whether the differences are actual or not, and whether they are based on natural conditions versus anthropogenic impacts.
1. Truth and Narrative
Authors: Dyson Janet
Published: June 2020

Firstly, in ‘Truth and Narrative: How and Why Stories Matter’ (Ch1) Janet Dyson examines the potency of literature and poetry in capturing and conveying truth(s). She draws on a long-term interest in the ‘truthfulness’ of fiction developed during a career as a teacher trainer with a specialism in reflective practice. Janet encourages her trainees to write descriptive factual accounts of their experiences and later reflect on them but also to write and think with stories and poems to gain new perspectives and broader and deeper understanding(s). This chapter sets out the theoretical and practical framework for her approach (including her commitment to the narrative inquiry tradition set out by Clandinin and Connelly) and its benefits as a pedagogic practice, illustrating claims with evidence from published literature and story-work with trainees.
3. Narratives of Fundamentalism, Negative Capability and the Democratic Imperative
Authors: Bainbridge Alan , West Linden
Published: June 2020

In the next chapter, ‘Narratives of Fundamentalism, Negative Capability and the Democratic Imperative’ (Ch3), Linden West and Alan Bainbridge together explore politics, religion, economics and ideology through a case study of fundamentalism (and, indirectly exclusion and poverty) in a post-industrial city in the north of England, ironically the home of the Workers’ Educational Association, which was founded in 1908. The chapter offers a wide-ranging discussion of its subjects through a psychological lens, drawing on John Keats’ notion of negative capability to theorize fundamentalism as a determination to ‘grab’ at new belief systems, or remain securely within established ones, rather than risk more nuanced understandings or change as these can appear threatening.
5. Opposing Cultures
Authors: Høyen Marianne , Rasmusen Mumiah
Published: June 2020

In chapter five, ‘Opposing Cultures: Science and Humanities Teaching in Danish Schools’, Marianne Høyen and Mumiah Rasmussen examine the cultural divide between the expectations and practices of humanities (culture) and science (nature) teachers in Denmark, whose different learning is mandated within the state curriculum, possibly permitting a derogatory discourse around cultural subjects. They collect and analyse the life stories of newly qualified teachers, seeking to understand what informs their choice to work within these distinctive traditions and the extent to which this is due to family, schooling or external influences. Are their decisions culturally embedded or determined by opportunity at a later career stage?
10. Irish Students Turning First-Year Transition Obstacles into Successful Progression
Authors: Sheridan Vera
Published: June 2020

Vera Sheridan’s account (Ch10), of ‘Irish Students Turning First-Year Transition Obstacles into Successful Progression’, sits within the framework of academic retention and progression but focuses on students who overcome failure after being asked to write a reflective account of their situation for their repeat assessment. The professional input here (visible through the choice of strategy) is understated, but evidenced by the subsequent biographical interviews that capture the student’s problems and the process of overcoming them. Despite its modest claims, this chapter actually presents an empathetic approach that scaffolds a transition from would-be to successful studen
11. Care Leavers in Italy
Authors: Formenti Laura , Galimberti Andrea , Ferrari Mirella
Published: June 2020

Care Leavers in Italy: From ‘Vulnerable’ Children to ‘Autonomous’ Adults?’ (Ch11) makes appropriate use of its multiple authorship as Laura Formenti, Andrea Galimberti and Mirella Ferrari use different discursive frames to convey the problems associated with leaving care. Laura’s tale is event-focused, looking at supportive relationships in different phases of her participant’s life; Andrea’s is relational, reflecting the interactive style of the interview; Mirella’s fictionalized, creating meaning differently; so each researcher draws upon their individual strengths. In many respects this is a performative piece even though the medium is a written one, so little attempt is made to compare the merits of each approach. It is for you, the reader, to engage with the texts and decide how each approach works and what is useful to you and your research. Thus, the chapter avoids prescription and maintains its polyvocal stance, reaching out for interactive engagement
14. Inclusion and Exclusion in Colombian Education, Captured through Life Stories
Authors: González González Miguel Alberto
Published: June 2020

Following a period of political upheaval in Colombia, a country from which the Eurocentric listener seldom hears authentic ‘voices’, Miguel González González examines the dilemmas that beset diversity/homogeneity and inclusionary/exclusionary policies and practices. In this chapter, ‘Inclusion and Exclusion in Colombian Education, Captured Through Life Stories’ (Ch14), he uses interviews with academics to reveal the barriers to change within education, showing, too, how new and positively intended policies often impose standard approaches that unintentionally reduce diversity, building even greater obstacles for staff and students to work around.
15. Navigating Grades and Learning in the Swedish Upper Secondary School Where Neoliberal Values Prevail
Authors: Wallin Patric
Published: June 2020

Next, in ‘Navigating Grades and Learning in the Swedish Upper Secondary School Where Neoliberal Values Prevail’ (Ch15), Patric Wallin examines students’ cultural behaviour and their everyday routines during practical exercises in chemistry laboratories. He seeks to better understand how they interact and communicate and their attitudes to asking teachers for help when they need it. Swedish students believe that to do so might affect their final grades and consequently their chances to progress to university, because their teachers, who also assess them, could deem them needy. Consequently, they deny themselves the support from which they might benefit, a paradox that teachers and students need ways to address. There is a further paradox in that they turn instead to their peers, contradicting the view that neoliberal societies normatively foster individualism.
23. From Defender to Offender
Authors: Cooper Linda
Published: June 2020

For the women in Linda Cooper’s chapter, ‘From Defender to Offender: British Female Ex-Military Re-joining Civilian Society’ (Ch23), the educational element was a practical one; learning to fight alongside their male compatriots and to live a communal life, held together by camaraderie and tension. The two women interviewed as part of a larger support project come from different generations, but both found adjustment to civilian life very difficult on leaving the Armed Forces and sank into (minor) criminal activities linked to mental health problems, and one case a level of alcohol dependence. Their experiences demonstrate how a radical change of lifestyle can leave people bewildered and with inadequate coping strategies, issues the larger project will seek to address. As women in, and leaving, the British military they represent a group that is traditionally marginalized and still a minority.
A Consensus Approach for Estimating Tropical Cyclone Intensity from Meteorological Satellites: SATCON
Authors: Velden Christopher S. , Herndon Derrick
Published: June 2020

A consensus-based algorithm for estimating the current intensity of global tropical cyclones (TCs) from meteorological satellites is described. The method objectively combines intensity estimates from infrared and microwave-based techniques to produce a consensus TC intensity estimate, which is more skillful than the individual members. The method, called Satellite Consensus (SATCON), can be run in near–real time and employs information sharing between member algorithms and a weighting strategy that relies on the situational precision of each member. An evaluation of the consensus algorithm’s performance in comparison with its individual members and other available operational estimates of TC intensity is presented. It is shown that SATCON can provide valuable objective intensity estimates for poststorm assessments, especially in the absence of other data such as provided by reconnaissance aircraft. It can also serve as a near-real-time estimator of TC intensity for forecasters, with the ability to quickly reconcile differences in objective intensity methods and thus decrease the uncertainty and amount of time spent on the intensity analysis. Near-real-time SATCON estimates are being provided to global operational TC forecast centers.
Cardiothoracic Patients with Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis: Pneumonia Rates Following Injection Laryngoplasty
Authors: Barnes Jason H. , Orbelo Diana M. , Armstrong Michael F. , Bayan Semirra L. , Lohse Christine M. , Ekbom Dale C.
Published: June 2020

Objective:

Recurrent laryngeal nerve injury is a potential complication of cardiothoracic surgery and cause of unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP). Injection laryngoplasty (IL) is an intervention offered to patients with UVFP to alleviate symptoms including dysphagia, dysphonia and weak cough. There is no definitive evidence that IL prevents pneumonia. In this study, we compare rates of pneumonia in patients with UVFP secondary to cardiothoracic surgery who did or did not undergo IL.

Methods:

A retrospective chart review identified patients diagnosed with UVFP by an otolaryngologist using flexible laryngoscopy following cardiothoracic surgery from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2017. Each subject was grouped by IL status and assessed for subsequent pneumonia within 6 months of their diagnosis of UVFP. The association of IL with pneumonia was evaluated using Cox proportional hazards regression.

Results:

Of 92 patients who met inclusion criteria, 35 (38%) underwent IL and 57 (62%) did not. Twenty patients developed pneumonia, four who had undergone IL and 16 who had not; 12 patients developed aspiration pneumonia including two having undergone IL and 10 who had not. Those who had IL were less likely to develop total pneumonia compared to those who had not (HR = 0.33, P = .045). The protective effect of IL was not as clearly sustained when measuring for aspiration pneumonia, specifically (HR = 0.34; P = .10).

Discussion:

Injection laryngoplasty may reduce the risk of pneumonia in patients with UVFP secondary to cardiothoracic surgery; however, further research is needed to quantify the potential protective nature of IL in this patient population.

Level of evidence:

3 (A retrospective cohort study).
Characterizing Hard Core Cartels Under Article 101 TFEU
Authors: Dunne Niamh
Published: June 2020

The prohibition of cartels embodies arguably the sole universal norm of global competition law. Yet a precise understanding of what constitutes a cartel remains elusive, a problem that is exacerbated in the context of Article 101 Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union by the Commission’s administrative enforcement procedures and the expansive approach to the “by object” category of restraints. This article aims to provide a more precise characterization of the hard core cartel concept as reflected in EU competition case law and practice and to explore why such conduct continues to constitute the “supreme evil” of contemporary antitrust enforcement.
CSR Communication, Corporate Reputation, and the Role of the News Media as an Agenda-Setter in the Digital Age
Authors: Vogler Daniel , Eisenegger Mark
Published: June 2020

By using social media, corporations can communicate about their corporate social responsibility (CSR) to the public without having to pass through the gatekeeping function of the news media. However, to what extent can corporations influence the public’s evaluation of their CSR activities with social media activities and if the legacy news media still act as the primary agenda setters when it comes to corporate reputation have not yet been thoroughly analyzed in a digitized media environment. This study addressed this research gap by looking at the effect of CSR communication through Facebook and news media coverage of CSR on corporate reputation in Switzerland. The results of this longitudinal study show that the salience and tone of news media coverage of CSR were positively related to corporate reputation, even though the news media coverage about CSR was predominantly negative. Thus, reputation was still strengthened even in the face of negative publicity. No effect of CSR communication through Facebook on corporate reputation was found. The results suggest that legacy news media still were influential in determining how the public evaluates corporations in the digital age.
Anticipating workshop fatigue to navigate power relations in international transdisciplinary partnerships: A climate change case study
Authors: Perez Teresa Sandra
Published: June 2020

Workshop fatigue is a colloquialism to describe apathy towards facilitated discussions that, in interventions designed to build partnerships, tends to be viewed as somewhat inevitable. To challenge this assumption, this article theorises fatigue as a subtle form of resistance. Evidence is based on qualitative research as part of a climate change collaboration, with a focus on a methodology called ‘transformative scenario planning’. The author combines Goffman, Scott and Pratt to analyse interactions between facilitators, researchers and stakeholders in meetings and workshops. Historical representations of scientific endeavours are contrasted with performances of participation in Namibia, India and Botswana. The article concludes that anticipating workshop fatigue could be an accessible way to surface power relations in inherently unequal international partnerships, and bring a sociological sensibility to transdisciplinary climate change research.
Do Teacher Status, Gender, and Years of Teaching Experience Impact Job Satisfaction and Work Engagement?
Authors: Topchyan Ruzanna , Woehler Carol
Published: June 2020

This study explored whether teacher status (full-time vs. substitute) and its interaction with teacher gender and length of work experience had an effect on the linear combination of teacher job satisfaction and work engagement. The study was conducted with 238 full-time and substitute teachers. The findings suggested that full-time teachers’ social engagement, social engagement with students, and job satisfaction were significantly higher than those of substitute teachers, and that female teachers were more engaged with students than their male counterparts and substitute teachers. Length of teaching experience did not have any significant effect on job satisfaction or work engagement. Implications for educational leadership are discussed.
International Students’ Cross-Cultural Adjustment: Social Selection or Social Influence?
Authors: Sadewo Giovanni R. P. , Kashima Emiko S. , Gallagher Colin , Kashima Yoshihisa , Koskinen Johan
Published: June 2020

International education provides students with an opportunity to develop new social networks while they fit in to the new culture. In a three-wave longitudinal study, we investigated how social networks and psychological adjustment coevolve within a group of international students enrolled in a coursework degree at the tertiary level. Using the Stochastic Actor-Oriented Model (SAOM), we identified the occurrences of social selection based on the levels of psychological and sociocultural adjustment. More specifically, students tended to deselect classmates who were dissimilar in their level of psychological adjustment and to befriend those who differed in their levels of sociocultural adjustment. In contrast, little evidence was found to suggest that features of social networks influenced students’ adjustment. Potential applications of this new method to future acculturation research are suggested.
Sick and Shut In: Incarceration During a Public Health Crisis
Authors: Alexander Apryl A. , Allo Hailey , Klukoff Hannah
Published: June 2020

COVID-19, the latest infectious coronavirus disease, was discovered in December of 2019 in Wuhan, China, and has rapidly reached pandemic levels. The World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have released recommendations to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, including hand washing, covering coughs, and social/physical distancing, but what happens to those who are incarcerated? Over 1.4 million adults in the United States are currently incarcerated in state and federal prisons and over 80,000 individuals are incarcerated in local jails. Correctional settings are often deprived, overcrowded, and unsanitary environments, which do not lend themselves to the prevention, treatment, or recovery from illness. Incarcerated individuals are at a much higher risk to become infected due to a variety of factors, such as generally higher rates of chronic conditions than the community and overall lack of screening for certain illnesses. The present article discusses how smart decarceration tactics, such as compassionate release, offer options to compensate for overcrowding in correctional facilities and reducing the spread of COVID-19.
The Effects of Algebraic Equation Solving Intervention for Students With Mathematics Learning Difficulties
Authors: Namkung Jessica M. , Bricko Nicole
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of algebraic equation solving intervention for sixth graders with mathematics learning difficulties (MD). A total of 48 students with MD were randomly assigned to either the algebraic equation solving intervention, Mystery Math ( n = 24) or control condition ( n = 24). The multicomponent intervention was based on the principles of explicit instruction and focused on improving conceptual and procedural knowledge of algebraic equation solving using concrete manipulatives. Students in the intervention group received instruction in pairs, 30 min per session, 3 sessions per week for 5 weeks (i.e., 15 sessions). The results indicated that the main effect of intervention was significant for 2 proximal measures of mathematics vocabulary, and conceptual and procedural understanding of algebraic equation solving with large effect sizes. However, the main effect of intervention was not significant for distal measures of comprehensive pre-algebra skills and whole-number computations. The findings demonstrate that grade-level standards can be successfully taught to students with MD. Implications for practice are discussed.
Compliance without coercion: Effects of reporting on international labor rights
Authors: Koliev Faradj , Sommerer Thomas , Tallberg Jonas
Published: June 2020

While a dominant position in research on compliance holds that enforcement is necessary for states to abide by their international commitments, many international organizations (IOs) do not have recourse to such coercive means. This article offers the first systematic analysis of one prominent alternative to material coercion: compliance reporting by IOs. It develops an argument for why reporting by IOs should lead states to correct non-compliant behavior, and when those effects should be particularly strong. It tests this argument in the context of the International Labour Organization (ILO), which offers a unique setting for evaluating the impact of reporting in the absence of coercion. The principal findings are threefold. First, reporting has significant and durable effects on state respect for labor rights. Second, reporting affects compliance both immediately and when repeated over longer periods of time. Third, reporting has stronger effects on improvements in labor rights when target states are democratic and resourceful, and have a stronger presence of labor NGOs. By contrast, it does not matter to reporting’s effect whether states are highly economically dependent on the outside world or whether reporting is coupled with active shaming of non-compliant states. Taken together, our results suggest that existing research has not fully appreciated the potential of monitoring systems based on reporting to generate compliance with international rules. While hard enforcement may still be important, especially in areas where incentives to renege are strong, the findings of this article suggest that it is not the exclusive path to compliance.
Shared Reading Extratextual Talk With Children With Autism Who Have Spontaneous Speech
Authors: Fleury Veronica P. , Ford Andrea L. B.
Published: June 2020

Shared reading is a developmentally appropriate practice that supports children’s emergent literacy and language development. Participation in shared reading, however, may be compromised for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) due to social-communication difficulties inherent to the disorder. The primary aim of this study was to explore the extent to which children with ASD who have spontaneous verbal language engage in shared reading with caregivers. A total of 37 caregivers and their children ( n = 17 ASD; n = 20 with typical development [TD]) read nine books representing three different genres (i.e., familiar, non-fiction, fiction). Analyses revealed no differences between the groups in the quantity of adult questions asked, frequency of child-initiated comments or questions, and overall levels of child responsiveness to adults. Children with ASD showed greater responsiveness to adult questions during familiar books compared with either non-fiction or fiction genres, in contrast to TD children wherein responsiveness did not differ across book genres. The authors conclude with a discussion of the implications of these findings for designing shared reading interventions for children with ASD who have spontaneous verbal language.
Assessing technological change in agri-food systems of the Global South: A review of adoption-impact studies in wheat
Authors: Krishna Vijesh V , Yigezu Yigezu A , Karimov Aziz A , Erenstein Olaf
Published: June 2020

Agricultural research-and-development (R&D) systems generate and disseminate new technologies, aiming to enhance crop and livestock production sustainably. Adoption-impact studies analyze farmer acceptance of these innovations and their impacts to identify what was taken up, how it works in farmers’ fields, and the implications thereof. In this paper, we focus on adoption-impact studies in wheat agri-food systems in the Global South and review 47 empirical studies published during 2008–2017. The review focuses on the assessment of technological changes rather than the nature of these changes per se. We document the breadth and adequacy of empirical approaches and methodologies, as well as the diversity and coverage of thematic areas for adoption-impact analyses. The coverage and scope do not fully capture the complex and dynamic technological changes taking place in wheat systems. The reviewed studies typically conceive the adoption process as a dichotomous choice representing the replacement of old inferior practices with new superior ones. Most reviewed impact studies address only the short-term changes associated with innovation adoption on yield and profitability, often assuming that improvements in the living standards of farm households follow de facto. Labor productivity and the ecological and social impacts of technological innovations were largely ignored. We propose several directions to enhance both data availability and analytical rigor, and to reorient future research toward the less-explored but socially, economically, and ecologically relevant topics.
Social Network Analysis of Patient Movement Across Health Care Entities in Orange County, Florida
Authors: Rankin Danielle A. , Matthews Sarah D.
Published: June 2020

Objective

Multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) are continually emerging and threatening health care systems. Little attention has been paid to the effect of patient transfers on MDRO dissemination among health care entities in health care systems. In this study, the Florida Department of Health in Orange County (DOH-Orange) developed a baseline social network analysis of patient movement across health care entities in Orange County, Florida, and regionally, within 6 surrounding counties in Central Florida.

Materials and Methods

DOH-Orange constructed 2 directed network sociograms—graphic visualizations that show the direction of relationships (ie, county and regional)—by using 2016 health insurance data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which include metrics that could be useful for local public health interventions, such as MDRO outbreaks.

Results

We found that both our county and regional networks were sparse and centralized. The county-level network showed that acute-care hospitals had the highest influence on controlling the flow of patients between health care entities that would otherwise not be connected. The regional-level network showed that post–acute-care hospitals and other facilities (behavioral hospitals and mental health/substance abuse facilities) served as the primary controls for flow of patients between health care entities. The most prominent health care entities in both networks were the same 2 acute-care hospitals.

Practice Implications

Social network analysis can help local public health officials respond to MDRO outbreak investigations by determining which health care facilities are the main contributors of dissemination of MDROs or are at high risk of receiving patients with MDROs. This information can help epidemiologists prioritize prevention efforts and develop county- or regional-specific interventions to control and halt MDRO transmission across a health care network.
Pressure drop characteristics of reverse circulation pneumatic cuttings removal during coal seam drilling
Authors: Han Xiaoming , Song Songnan , Li Jialiang
Published: June 2020

To solve the problems that the borehole depth is shallow and the drilling efficiency is low during the gas drainage drilling in soft coal seam with current cuttings removal method, a new technology of reverse circulation pneumatic cuttings removal is proposed. The working principle of reverse circulation pneumatic cuttings removal is analyzed, and the kinetic equation of cuttings in the inner hole of the drill pipe is established. Through experiments, the pressure drop in the drill pipe is measured to reveal the effects of air velocity, cuttings mass flow rate, and cuttings particle size on the pressure drop in inner hole of the drill pipe. When the cuttings mass flow rate is constant, the pressure drop increases with the increase in air velocity. When the air velocity is constant, the pressure drop increases with the increase in cuttings mass flow rate. At low air velocity, the pressure drop of cuttings is primary. As the air velocity increases, the pressure drop ratio of cuttings decreases. Under the same conditions, the order of pressure drop with different particle size cuttings is coarse cuttings > medium cuttings > fine cuttings. Empirical equation of pressure drop coefficient of cuttings is established, which is in good agreement with the actual data.
Understanding Determinants for STEM Major Choice Among Students Beginning Community College
Authors: Evans Colleen A. , Chen Rong , Hudes Ryan P.
Published: June 2020

Objective:

This study explored how high school and postsecondary academic parameters may relate to the choice of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) major for students beginning their postsecondary education at community colleges. Our study incorporated these two clusters of factors into a statistical model to examine STEM major choice in community colleges. In particular, our study was one of the first to examine the direction and magnitude of the relationship between earned college credits in science laboratories and advanced mathematics and STEM college major selection.

Method:

We analyzed national data from the Education Longitudinal Study (2002) for students who were in 10th grade in 2002, entered community college as their first postsecondary institution, and declared a college major by 2006. A comprehensive integrated model was analyzed through binary logistic regression with the outcome variable of choice of STEM major or not.

Results:

We found math self-efficacy in high school, postsecondary introductory science laboratory courses, and postsecondary advanced mathematics courses were each positively associated with the choice of STEM major among community college students. Gender continues to be influential, with women less likely to pursue STEM than men.

Contributions:

Our study highlights the opportunities the science laboratory holds for engaging beginning community college students interested in STEM fields. The linchpin role of mathematics and science for students aspiring to study STEM is underscored by the findings of this study.
A Mechanism of Coded Communication: Xinwen Lianbo and CCP Politics
Authors: Tsai Wen-Hsuan , Liao Xingmiu
Published: June 2020

Studies of the official media of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) have long focused on interpretations of political propaganda. In this article, we propose another model—the “secret code communication” model. We find that the main audience for some of the official media consists not of members of the public but rather cadres. The China Central Television (CCTV) program Xinwen Lianbo is a typical example. The program operates according to a very obscure political code. By watching and decoding Xinwen Lianbo, cadres can see that Xi Jinping is firmly in power. They can also gain insight into the policy directions favored by the CCP. Xinwen Lianbo thus acts as a mechanism for communication within the party using a code that can only be deciphered by insiders.
Finite-time H∞ output tracking control for time-delay systems with actuators failure
Authors: Gan Yi , Wu Baowei , Zhu Bingbing , Wang Limei
Published: June 2020

The problem of finite-time [Formula: see text] output tracking control for time-delay systems with actuators failure is investigated. Firstly, a switching rule and the switching regions are presented. Then, the finite-time bounded and tracking performance analysis are proposed by using Lyapunov function and average dwell time technique. Moreover, based on the switching method, a solution for controller is derived such that the resulting closed-loop system is finite-time stable. Finally, a numerical example is given to illustrate the effectiveness of the results.
H∞ fuzzy proportional integral state feedback controller of photovoltaic systems under asymmetric actuator constraints
Authors: Houda K , Saifia D , Chadli M , Labiod S
Published: June 2020

This paper presents a new strategy for a robust maximum power point (MPP) tracking fuzzy controller for photovoltaic (PV) systems subject to actuator asymmetric saturation. A DC-DC boost converter is used to connect a PV panel with an output load. The output voltage of the DC-DC boost converter can be adjusted by duty ratio that is limited between 0 and 1. The aim of our control design is to track the MPP under atmospheric condition changes and the presence of the asymmetric saturation of the duty ratio. To minimize tracking error and disturbance effect, the dynamic behaviour of a PV system and its reference model are described by using Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy models. Then, a constrained control based on a fuzzy PI state feedback controller is proposed. The H∞ control approach is used in control design and stability conditions of the closed-loop system are formulated and solved in terms of linear matrix inequalities. Finally, simulation results are given to show the tracking performance of the control design.
Microendoscopic Surgery of Middle Ear and Petrous Bone: Benefits Analysis
Authors: Poletti Arturo Mario , Solimeno Lorenzo Salvatore , Cugini Giovanni , Miceli Stefano , Colombo Giovanni
Published: June 2020

Objectives:

Endoscopy has become routinely used in middle ear surgery. The aim of this study is to analyze where this tool may complement the traditional microscopic approach. This is a retrospective study done in single tertiary hospital.

Methods:

We reviewed 342 middle ear/petrous bone surgical procedures performed between 2005 and 2015. Only cases in which both microscopic and endoscope-assisted techniques were used have been included. Sixty-six patients received this double-technique surgery: 51 (77.2%) had middle ear/mastoid and petrous bone cholesteatomas (46 middle ear and mastoid and 5 acquired/congenital petrous bone cholesteatomas), 5 (7.5%) had glomus tympanicum tumors (GTT), 4 (6%) had an ossicular chain dislocation, 3 (4.5%) had purulent chronic otitis media, 2 (3%) had tympanosclerosis, and 1 (1.5%) had an ossicular chain malformation.

Results:

The endoscope was helpful to remove disease remnants not accessible by microscope in 41 (62%) of the cases; 37 (90%) were cholesteatomas, 3 (7%) were GTT, and only 1 (3%) was an open tympanosclerosis. In the remaining 25 (37.8%) cases, the endoscope was useful only to visualize the cavity since the microscope had already been successful in removing the entire lesion.

Conclusions:

The endoscopy can add valuable information and support to the usual microscope approach alone. The consensus of a single best technique does not yet exist, but the physician should choose the best modality or combination of modalities in order to cure the patient and prevent any possible complications or recurrence of the pathology.
A Multivariate Probit Model for Learning Trajectories: A Fine-Grained Evaluation of an Educational Intervention
Authors: Chen Yinghan , Culpepper Steven Andrew
Published: June 2020

Advances in educational technology provide teachers and schools with a wealth of information about student performance. A critical direction for educational research is to harvest the available longitudinal data to provide teachers with real-time diagnoses about students’ skill mastery. Cognitive diagnosis models (CDMs) offer educational researchers, policy makers, and practitioners a psychometric framework for designing instructionally relevant assessments and diagnoses about students’ skill profiles. In this article, the authors contribute to the literature on the development of longitudinal CDMs, by proposing a multivariate latent growth curve model to describe student learning trajectories over time. The model offers several advantages. First, the learning trajectory space is high-dimensional and previously developed models may not be applicable to educational studies that have a modest sample size. In contrast, the method offers a lower dimensional approximation and is more applicable for typical educational studies. Second, practitioners and researchers are interested in identifying factors that cause or relate to student skill acquisition. The framework can easily incorporate covariates to assess theoretical questions about factors that promote learning. The authors demonstrate the utility of their approach with an application to a pre- or post-test educational intervention study and show how the longitudinal CDM framework can provide fine-grained assessment of experimental effects.
Depositor Characteristics and the Performance of Islamic Banks
Authors: AlAbbad Amal , Anantharaman Divya , Govindaraj Suresh
Published: June 2020

We investigate the reasons for the growing demand for Islamic banking internationally, and examine the relative economic performance of Islamic banks compared with conventional banks in managing their capital buffers and liquidity. Using data for the period 2000–2012 for 104 Islamic and 619 conventional listed and non-listed banks spread across 22 countries with both these types of banks, and using standard statistical methodology for archival data analysis, we find that religious, political, and socio-legal factors, rather than economics alone, play key roles for Islamic banks in attracting depositors. Governed by Islamic ( Shariah) laws, these banks cannot lend money and charge interest. Depositors are not debt holders as in conventional banks, but investment partners that share in the risk, or profit-loss sharing (PLS), with the bank. As Islamic banks have no debt holders, and depositors self-select to bank with Islamic banks, economic theory suggests a reduced need for excessive (less productive) liquidity buffers. However, we find that Islamic banks maintain significantly higher liquidity buffers than their conventional counterparts. A main contribution of our study is to highlight the fact that standard economic measures alone may be inadequate to assess the performance of Islamic banks.