bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
We need the open artefact: Design Science as a pathway to Open Science in Information Systems research
Authors: Doyle Cathal , Luczak-Roesch Markus , Mittal Abhinav
Published: March 2019

Design science research is facing some significant challenges such as how to make the knowledge and artefacts we create more accessible; exclusion from competitive funding schemes that require open practices; and a potential reproducibility crisis if scholars do not have access to everything needed to repeat past research. To help tackle these challenges we suggest that the community should strongly engage with open science, which has been growing in prominence in other fields in recent years. A review of current DSR literature suggests that re-searchers have not yet discussed how open science practices can be adopted with-in the field. Thus, we propose how the concepts of open science, namely open access, open data, open source, and open peer review, can be mapped to a DSR process model. Further, we identify an emerging concept, the open artefact, which provides an opportunity to make artefacts more accessible to practice and scholars. The aim of this paper is to stimulate a discussion amongst researchers about these open science practices in DSR, and whether it is a necessary step forward to keep the pace of the changing academic environment. ....................................................................................................................................................................This paper is a preprint of a paper accepted at DESRIST 2019 (https://desrist2019.org/).
Behavior of steel storage pallet racking connection - A review
Authors: Chen Chulin , Shi Lei , Shariati Mehdi , Toghroli Ali , Mohamad Edy Tonnizam , Bui Dieu Tien , Khorami Majid
Published: March 2019

Steel pallet racking industry has globally used from the industrial revolution and has deeply evolved from hot-rolled profile into cold-formed profile to raise the optimization in engineering field. Nowadays, some studies regarding cold-formed steel profile have been performed, but fewer studies in terms of cold-formed pallet racking specifically in connection due to the semi-rigid behavior by lug-hooked into the upright have been conducted. The objective of this study is to review the related literature on steel storage racking connection behavior.
PPKn PGMI KEL 2
Authors: siregar Yustika lanniari
Published: March 2019

Hidup rukun di lingkungan dan sekolah sangat perlu di terapkan oleh peserta didik
PENDEKATAN PEMBELAJARAN PPKn di KELAS RENDAH SD/MI
Authors: Amelia
Published: March 2019

PENDEKATAN SAINTIFIK MERUPAKAN SALAH SATU PENDEKTAN PEMBELAJARAN YANG DIBERLAKUKAN DI JENJANG PENDIDIKAN. DENGAN GURU SEBAGAI FASILITATOR DALAM PEMBELAJARAN.
Penerapan simbol-sombol pancasila pada mata pelajaran PPKn kelas satu di SD/MI
Authors: hasibuan Liajum
Published: March 2019

Penerapan simbol-sombol pancasila merupakan suatu kewajiban bagi warga negara Indonesia karena merupakan dasar negara indonesia yang dijadikan sebagai pedoman hidup warga negara Indonesia. Salah satu contohnya melalui kearifan lokal yang mengandung nilai-nilai kebaikan.
Artikel KKN PPM 2018
Authors: burhanuddin burhanuddin Nawir
Published: March 2019

KKN PPM ini metode yang dikembangkan adalah melalui pemberdayaan masyarakat, penyuluhan, pendidikan dan pelatihan, serta demo pembuatan aneka produk. Selain itu menggunakan pendekatan learning by doing melalui kelompok ekonomi kreatif yaitu belajar sambil bekerja/berusaha. Melalui program KKN-PPM ini akan mengembangkan usaha kreatif dengan sentuhan teknologi yang dapat menunjang kepariwisataan di Kecamatan Sindue Tobata. Kelompok ekonomi kratif akan mendapat sentuhan program KKN-PPM sehingga dapat berdaya, karena terjadi transper pengetahuan, keterampilan, dan teknologi khususnya TTG(Teknologi Tepat Guna).
Tak Melayang Dipuji, Tak Tumbang Dicaci: Kajian Biografi Oza Kioza
Authors: Setiawan Adib Rifqi
Published: March 2019

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendapat narasi biografi Oza Kioza penyanyi asal Indonesia. Data dikumpulkan menggunakan metode kualitatif dengan pendekatan naratif bentuk kajian biografi kemudian diperiksa keabsahan, keandalan, dan keobjektifannya menggunakan teknik triangulasi dan external audit untuk diuraikan dalam bentuk narasi yang padu. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Oza Kioza sudah sejak kecil diarahkan oleh ibunya untuk menjadi penyanyi yang pada dasarnya bukan di genre dangdut serta sudah mencoba beberapa genre musik, tapi jalan yang dialami selalu lebih mudah sebagai penyanyi dangdut. Melalui kajian ini terungkap bahwa Oza Kioza termasuk penyanyi yang memandang bahwa modal erotis termasuk aspek penting dalam mendukung karier sebagai penyanyi. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendapat narasi biografi Oza Kioza penyanyi asal Indonesia. Data dikumpulkan menggunakan metode kualitatif dengan pendekatan naratif bentuk kajian biografi kemudian diperiksa keabsahan, keandalan, dan keobjektifannya menggunakan teknik triangulasi dan external audit untuk diuraikan dalam bentuk narasi yang padu. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Oza Kioza sudah sejak kecil diarahkan oleh ibunya untuk menjadi penyanyi yang pada dasarnya bukan di genre dangdut serta sudah mencoba beberapa genre musik, tapi jalan yang dialami selalu lebih mudah sebagai penyanyi dangdut. Melalui kajian ini terungkap bahwa Oza Kioza termasuk penyanyi yang memandang bahwa modal erotis termasuk aspek penting dalam mendukung karier sebagai penyanyi.
Using Incentives to Reduce Bycatch and Discarding: Results Under the West Coast Catch Share Program
Authors: Pfeiffer Lisa
Published: March 2019

Catch share management was implemented in the bottom trawl sector of the West Coast Groundfish fishery in 2011 to address a range of issues including high bycatch and discard rates. The catch share programwas designed to remove the incentives to discard through full catch accounting, tradeable quotas, increased flexibility in fishing, and penalties for catch overages. We assess the effectiveness of the program in meeting its environmental objectives by comparing discard weights, proportions, and variability from 2004–2010 with 2011–2016. We analyzed these metrics for species managed using quota, including historically overfished stocks, as well as for non-quota species caught in the fishery. Discard amounts decreased over time for all species and declined to historic lows after the implementation of the program, remaining low through 2016 with much less inter-annual variability. Mean annual discards of two highly-targeted quota species, sablefishand Dover sole, showed the greatest decreases, falling by 97 and 86%, respectively. The discard proportion of overfished quota species fell by 50% on average. The unanticipated decline in discards of non-quotaspecies as well as the decreased variability in discard amounts for all species indicate that the incentives produced by catch share management provided additional ecosystem benefits.
World Citizens on the Periphery: Threat and Identification with Global Society
Authors: Gorman Brandon , Seguin Charles
Published: March 2019

Who identifies as a world citizen? Many scholars argue that transnational connections are the primary conduits for global cultural diffusion and, therefore, that affluent residents of the densely connected global core should be the most likely to identify with global society. However, empirical studies have shown that global identification is common on the global periphery. The authors build on theories suggesting that individuals may emphasize expansive identities when particularistic identities fail to provide a sense of security in the face of threat. They argue that members of peripheral and marginalized groups express greater global identification because of the threat inherent in their precarious social positions. The authors show that (1) global identification is more common among residents of weaker and more repressive states, (2) members of repressed minority groups are more likely to identify with global society than conationals with collective access to state power, and (3) many residents of one weak state—Lebanon—expressed greater enthusiasm for global connection immediately following a terrorist attack.
Global Norms vs. Global Actors: International Politics, Muslim Identity, and Support for Shariʿa
Authors: Gorman Brandon
Published: March 2019

Many scholars argue that local cultures are an impediment to the diffusion of “global” norms. Others point out that local populations domesticate global cultural elements by integrating them into preexisting cultures, generating hybridized systems. In the current study, I argue that local cultures are not necessarily impediments to cultural change and hybridization is only one aspect of cultural domestication. Instead, I find that individuals attribute global norms to local cultural objects as a means for disassociating putatively universal norms from the powerful actors that dominate international politics. I illustrate this process using the case of support for shariʿa (sometimes called Islamic law) in majority‐Muslim countries. Results of multimethod analyses show that with the exception of attitudes about gender roles and sexuality, Muslims who support implementing shariʿa do not systematically object to many so‐called global norms; in fact, they may express more enthusiasm about democracy, tolerance for people of other religions, optimism about scientific advances, and concern for environmental preservation than those who oppose implementing shariʿa. Likewise, many Muslims assert their full participation in global society on terms not dictated by Western actors by repackaging ostensibly universal norms as components of the unambiguously local shariʿa.
A Response to Vega, Holzman, Zhao, and Risman
Authors: Garrison Spencer
Published: March 2019

This manuscript is offered in response to the commentary published by Vega, Holzman, Zhao, and Risman (2019, SocArXiv) on my 2018 article, "On the Limits of 'Trans Enough': Authenticating Trans Identity Narratives."
EVALUASI EFEKTIVITAS TANAMAN DALAM MEREDUKSI POLUSI BERDASARKAN KARAKTER FISIK POHON PADA JALUR HIJAU JALAN PAJAJARAN BOGOR
Authors: AL-HAKIM ABDUL HAFIZH
Published: March 2019

Pajajaran street is one of the main street in Bogor city which has been famous with a high density of vehicle so it has a of high levels of air pollution potential because of the vehicle emissions. This study was conducted to analysis the effectiveness of plants to absorb pollutants in the road side trees based on an assessment of the physical characteristics of the trees to support the surrounding environment and provide recommendations for increase the ecological function of Pajajaran Bogor road side trees in reducing the air pollution. The method of this study used descriptive analysis, spatial analysis, and air quality analysis used the CITYgreen 5.4. The ecological function evaluation of Pajajaran Bogor road side trees in reducing the air pollution shows there are 958 trees which very appropriate to absorb the air pollution, 238 trees which appropriate to absorb the air pollution, 70 trees which less appropriate to absorb the air pollution, and there is no tree which not appropriate to absorb the air pollution. While the function of absorbing particles evaluation shows there is one tree which very appropriate in absorbing the particles, 1136 trees which appropriate in absorbing the particles, 101 trees which less appropriate in absorbing the particles, and 73 trees which not appropriate in absorbing the particles. The result of analysis used CITYgreen 5.4 shows Pajajaran Street Bogor can reduce pollutants in the amount of 2544 lbs (1,298 ton/year) with economic benefits value by $ 6.268 (Rp75.167.175,12). Pajajaran Street Bogor need to add as many as 485 trees in an area that does not have a tree planting so as to optimally reduce the amount of pollution as much as 1.66 ton/year, equivalent to the economic value of Rp 121 095 216.
ANALISIS HUBUNGAN KERAGAMAN POHON DENGAN JUMLAH JENIS BURUNG DI RUANG TERBUKA HIJAU TAMAN MONAS, JAKARTA
Authors: HANDAYANI AGNISAA DWI
Published: March 2019

This study investigated the inter-relationshep between diversity of tree and bird species existed in Nasional Monument (Monas). Monas which has 65,4 Ha of large is an area of green open space in the center of Jakarta. The purpose of the research are analysis of green open space ecological functions for birds in The Monas park and analysis of the relation between trees diversity and the kinds of birds on green open space at Monas Park. The study conducted on four sectors of Monas Park. Tree and bird observation sampling was measured within plot area having 50 m x 50 m size, while bird observation was done using direct watching point count method which was performed every morning (06.00 ~ 09.00) and evening (15.00 ~ 18.00) during March until April 2014. The tree biodiversity parameters used in this study are Shannon Biodiversity Index. In green open space of Monas Park was identified 35 tree species with index of species diversity 4,175 and 25 species of bird. The study concluded that 1) green open space at Monas Park which has a strategic location as corridor of birds 2) there is positive correlation between the tree species diversity and bird species diversity on green open space at Monas Park 3) and give 10 trees recommendation to optimize the use of tree ecological functions for birds.
Pencil Grip Patterns of Students and Skilled Workers
Authors: Ojigho Efe Jennifer , Odokuma Igho Emmanuel
Published: March 2019

Background: Pencil grip can be defined via detailed descriptions of the variables constituting the grip and it commences in the preschool years with writing instruments and  therefore relevant to graphologists, forensic medicine and anthropology. The purpose of this investigation was to describe the diversity of pencil grip patterns among  students and skilled workers in Delta State, Nigeria. The research also aimed at determining the effects of sociodemographic factors, handedness,and handwriting speed on pencil grip patters.

Methods: Stratified random sampling was employed in this cross sectional observational study. Five hundred and fourty three volunteers between the ages of 11-77 years were investigated. Students were observed while writing from their textbooks and skilled workers were observed writing from any available news paper. Photograph of the writing hand was captured with the digital canon camera.  The data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) 20. Kruska wallis test was used to establish relationship between pencil grip patterns and sociodemographic factors. Handwriting speed was determined by a speed score (letters per minute) and timed for 60 secounds for each participant. A self administered questionnaire was used to obtain data on sociodemographic factors.

Results: This investigation demonstrates that gender had a significant effect on pencil grip patterns among secondary students (p<0.05)(K.W=7.54. df=1. p=0.01). Further observation showed that age and profession had a significant effect on pencil grip patterns among skilled workers at p<0.05 (K.W= 43.09,134.69 ,df=3,3, p=0.00,0.00).

Conclusions: Findings from this investigation present the dynamic tripod grip as the most predominant grip pattern in the studied population.
Effect of Air Pollutants on Peak Expiratory Flow Rate of Public Bus Drivers in Bhaktapur, Nepal
Authors: Karki Prabin Kumar , Kharel Sushil , Khakurel Gita , Tiwari Nripendra
Published: March 2019

Background: Rapid increase in number of vehicles in Kathmandu valley over past decade and never ending road expansion projects has aggravated air pollution. People involved in transportation jobs for long duration like bus drivers, conductors are more vulnerable to ill effects of air pollutants. The purpose of the present study was to assess lung function of public bus drivers exposed to outdoor air pollution by means of PEFR.

Methods: Fifty healthy, non smoking bus drivers were selected randomly from bus parks of Bhaktapur district. Anthropological records were taken. PEFR value was obtained by Mini Wright’s peak flow meter. Their mean PEFR was compared with 50, age matched control group involved in other office works.

Results: The PEFR value was significantly lower among bus drivers than the control group (p<0.001). Mean PEFR decreased with increasing age and increased duration of bus driving.

Conclusions: Our study concluded that PEFR value among bus drivers who are exposed to air pollutants for long period of time was significantly reduced.
Self-Medication Practices in Surrounding Communities of Birat Medical College and Teaching Hospital of Eastern Nepal
Authors: Parajuli Surya Bahadur , Mishra Anjali , KC Heera , Bhattarai Prem , Karki Sharad , Pandit Rajan , Dahal Prasanna
Published: March 2019

Background: Self-medication is the use of drugs to treat self-diagnosed disorders/symptoms, or the intermittent/continued use of a prescribed drug for chronic/recurrent disease/symptoms (WHO). It is the cause for antibiotic resistance, inappropriate treatment, financial burden and many deaths. WHO listed self-medication as one of the priority research area at the local context. The objective of the study was to find the prevalence and pattern of self-medication in surrounding communities of Birat Medical College and Teaching Hospital.
Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted at the surrounding communities of Birat Medical College from 1st August 2018 to 15th December 2018. Multistage sampling was used to collect information from 348 household having family members aged 16 years and above. Ethical approval was taken from Institutional Review Committee of Birat Medical College. Pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire was used.
Results: The mean age of the participants was 40.5±15.9 years. Prevalence of self-medication was 44.04%. Majority took self-medication for headache 43.6% followed by common cold 39.1% etc. Majority used allopathic drugs 82.7% followed by traditional healers 9.8%. Common medication were antipyretics 18.8%, antibiotics 16.5%, proton pump inhibitor 7.5%, antihistamines 6.8% etc. The reason behind self-medication were low cost 30.1%, time saving 24.1%, illness too trivial/mild for consultation 18.8%, quick relief 18.1%, high doctor fee 15 %, lack of awareness 13.5 %,  familiar with treatment options 12.8%, long waiting line in hospital 12% etc. Out of them 8.3% noticed side effects of self-medication. Out of all 59.5% felt the need of awareness program on rational use of medicines. Age, sex, marital status, ethnicity, religion, education and occupation of participants, education and occupation of head of household, poverty status, family type, house residence type, type of house has no significant association with self-medication. Participants residing in alani/rent households were 1.93 times more likely to self-medicate than those residing in their own and participants having negative attitude were 1.90 times more likely to self-medicate than those who had positive attitude and both were statistically significant. 
Conclusions: The burden of self-medication was present and allopathic drugs including antibiotics were common. Adverse drug reactions were reported but participants were unaware about the place to report. Participants had negative attitude towards self-medication which is harmful for their health. As pharmacy was the common source of self-medication, the prescription based medicine dispensary should be advocated.
English Phrasal Verbs as Cognitive and Semantic Complexes and Fragment of Multilateral Knowledge of Matrix Format
Authors: Bober N. M.
Published: March 2019

The article suggests a novel approach to the study of the English phrasal verbs, which is currently at the frontier of the cognitive syntagmatics. Based on the works in this domain, this paper specifies the definition of phrasal verbs as cognitive-semantic complexes which represent / describe a certain fragment of multi-dimensional knowledge of the matrix format. Particular attention is paid to the critical analysis of the scholars’ views on the problem of the second component of these entities, which to this day are not univocal both in terms of discussing their functions performed in the structure of the phrasal verbs, and of their morphological nature and the associated terminology.It is assumed that the semantics of the phrasal verbs is created by the interaction of the conceptual structures of both the verb, and its second component, where the abstract meaning of the latter gives wide opportunities for evolving of new meanings. In this case, the function of both components of a compositionally complex linguistic unit or a cognitive-semantic complex, which is a phrasal verb, consists in the profiling of certain aspects of the situation described by this formation, contributes to the new properties, which otherwise cannot be individually described/labelled by none of its components: neither the verb nor the post-positive component.It has been proved that the English language possesses a characteristic cognitive-semantic construct “verb + postpositive component” that reflects a certain grammatical pattern of the combinatorial construction of phraseological entities bases on the mechanisms of conceptual integration, when the metaphorical selection of the verb initial mental space and the initial space of the postpositive component form a new blend - a new conceptual structure which absent in the initial mental spaces of each of the components.
Contrastive Parameterisation of the Interview as a Genre of British and Ukrainian Media Spaces
Authors: Borysov O. O.
Published: March 2019

This typological study presents a contrastive parameterisation of the dialogue in the form of the interview within modern British and Ukrainian media spaces. It has proved to be effective if conducted as a complex investigation facilitated by the achievements of Comparative, Structural, Cognitive and Communicative Linguistics. The parameterisation of the dialogue is seen as a polyparadigm methodological procedure of decomposition and taxonomy of the dialogue systems within the British and Ukrainian lingual cultures. A definite discourse practice is considered to form with the help of mode, genesis and genre filtering. In general, the first one results in oral or written practices, the second reveals itself in natural everyday and social (everyday and political) varieties, and the latter shapes primary and derivative genres of the dialogue. All these use the language and speech means of their own to embody themselves in the appropriate surface forms. In the framework of the created theoretical platform the interview is defined as an oral derivative genre of the socio-political dialogical interaction between the journalist and the respondent. This talk is both personal and institutional; it unfolds itself in a “question – answer” form and aims at generating facts, ideas and opinions stirring up public interest. The parameterisation of the interview has embraced its ontological, structural, lexical, syntactical, lingo-cognitive, non-verbal and communicative-pragmatic facets. It has become clear that within both British and Ukrainian media spaces the TV interview incorporates the same intrinsic features and composition. This results from the uniformity of the Action and Possession Frame networks that shape the conceptual bases of the interview – the INTERVIEW / ІНТЕРВ’Ю concepts – in the discourse spaces under analysis. The salient features of the British and Ukrainian interviews are the abundant use of terminology, preference for simple sentences as well as prevalent stylistic employment of homogeneous parts of the sentence and repetition. The ethnic varieties of the interaction are both of cooperative nature, but the Ukrainian one is more emotion saturated and apt to reveal its collaborative character than the British one.
Typological structure as a Model to Study Languages in Contrast
Authors: Halii L. H.
Published: March 2019

The article studies the typological system of languages belonging to Indo-European language family and the influence of native language interference on creative written productions of English language learners. It has been defined that the components of linguistic complexity in writing follow different developmental trajectories related to different levels of language proficiency, interference being observed not only throughout closely related languages. Based on this assumption linguistic complexity has been studied in the aspect of the native language transfer and the languages have been classified according to the typological similarity of language patterns but not according to language family relation. It has been proved that typologically similar languages belonging to the same language group or family cause the same mistakes in the process of ESL studying, specifically while producing complex speech structures. The last stage of the research involves the analysis of the native language influence on English creative written productions depending on the proficiency level of the producer. Finally, languages have been classified into clusters which have the same characteristics (morphological and syntactical) in their influence on ESL studying and a new model to study language interference in contrast has been proposed.
Análise fitoquímica e toxicológica de Pothomorphe umbellata
Authors: Arruda Ana Carolina de Souza Toesca , Baalbaki Dalia Kassem , Freitas Gabriella Ribeiro de , Zamarioli Lucas Santos , Martins Soraya Pinheiro , Oliveira Carlos Rocha
Published: March 2019

O trabalho demonstra os resultados obtidos de análises de toxicidade aguda e análises fitoquímicas da planta Pothomorphe umbellata, também conhecida como pariparoba, sendo este natural da mata Atlântica indo da Amazônia até a região do estado de São Paulo e Paraná, usada popularmente para fins terapêuticos pela população. Os testes foram respectivamente o DPPH, HPLC flavonoides e fenóis totais. Estudos apontam que a Pothomorphe umbellata possui atividade antioxidante e antienvelhecimento devido a presença da fenilpropanóide 4-nerolidilcatecol.

A toxicologia estuda o efeito de determinadas substâncias em organismos vivos. Portanto, realizou-se o teste agudo-letal em Artemia salina, que consiste na análise da exposição do bioindicador ao composto durante um intervalo de 24 horas.  Entretanto, diversos fatores ambientais como luz, umidade e concentração das substâncias influenciam na eficiência dos resultados.

Pothomorphe Umbellata é composta quimicamente por nerolidilcatechol, pigmentos, flavonóides, lactonas diterpênicas, saponinas, fitosteróis, polifenóis, taninos e óleos essenciais.

Os resultados sugerem boa margem de segurança em relação ao uso da planta analisada, em virtude da presença de alto nível de intoxicação provocada por esta, ou seja, o propósito deste artigo é contribuir para a análise do impacto da intoxicação por Pothomorphe Umbellata.

O estudo acima foi conduzido na Universidade Anhembi Morumbi, campus Mooca, durante o período de agosto de 2017 a setembro de 2018.
A pálinka fogyasztási és vásárlási szokásainak kvalitatív vizsgálata
Authors: Totth Gedeon , Mezőné Oravecz Titanilla , Zarándné Vámosi Kornélia
Published: March 2019

A pálinka iránti érdeklődés az ezredforduló óta jelentősen megnőtt. Bővült a kínálat és a pálinkaféleségek köre, magasabbra pozicionálódott a pálinka, változtak a fogyasztói szokások és elvárások. Tanulmányunkban a 2018 májusában lefolytatott kvalitatív interjúk eredményeit ismertetjük, illetve hasonlítjuk össze korábbi pálinkával kapcsolatos kvalitatív kutatások eredményeivel. Vizsgálatunk során alapvető célunk volt a pálinkával kapcsolatos fogyasztói percepciók és preferenciák változásainak feltárása, illetve a pálinka mint termék fogyasztói megítélésében bekövetkezett változások elemzése. Az elmúlt nyolc év változásait kívántuk feltárni, különös hangsúlyt fektetve a fogyasztók által ideálisnak gondolt pálinka jellemzőinek a megismerésére és leírására, valamint a hagyományosan kedvelt „házi pálinka” fogyasztói megítélésében bekövetkezett változásokra.
Racesina, a new generic name for a group of Asian lymnaeid snails (Gastropoda: Hygrophila: Lymnaeidae)
Authors: Vinarski M.V. , Bolotov I.N.
Published: March 2019

A new generic name Racesina gen. nov. is proposed to designate a group of Asian lymnaeid snails including Lymnaea luteola Lamarck, 1822 and species closest to it. Earlier these molluscs were classified within the (sub-)genus Cerasina Kobelt, 1881, however, it is shown by us that this name is a junior synonym of Radix Montfort, 1810. The genus Racesina embraces three species distributed in Central, Southeast and South Asia: R. luteola (type species), R. oxiana (O. Boettger, 1889), and R. siamensis (Sowerby, 1873).
Geographical trends in academic conferences: An analysis of authors’ affiliations
Authors: Mannocci Andrea , Osborne Francesco , Motta Enrico
Published: March 2019

In the last decade, the research literature has reached an enormous volume with an unprecedented current annual increase of 1.5 million new publications. As research gets ever more global and new countries and institutions, either from academia or corporate environments, start to contribute, it is important to monitor this complex phenomenon and understand its dynamics and equilibria.

We present a study on a conference proceedings dataset extracted from Springer Nature SciGraph that illustrates insightful geographical trends and highlights the unbalanced growth of competitive research institutions worldwide in the 1996–2016 period. The main contribution of this work is fourfold. In the first instance, we found that the distributions of institutions and publications among countries follow a power law, consistently with previous literature, i.e., very few countries keep producing most of the papers accepted by high-tier conferences. Secondly, we show how the turnover rate of country rankings is extremely low and steadily declines over time, suggesting an alarmingly static landscape in which new entries struggle to emerge. We also performed an analysis of the venue locations and their effect on the distribution of countries involved in the publications, underlining the central role of Europe and China as knowledge hubs. Finally, we evidence the presence of an increasing gap between the number of institutions initiating and overseeing research endeavours (i.e. first and last authors’ affiliations) and the total number of institutions participating in research.

The paper also discusses our experience in working with authors’ affiliations: an utterly simple matter at first glance, that is instead revealed to be a complex research and technical challenge.
Correlation of Lobar Cerebral Microbleeds with Amyloid, Perfusion, and Metabolism in Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Sheikh-Bahaei Nasim , Manavaki Roido , Sajjadi S. Ahmad , Priest Andrew N. , O’Brien John T. , Gillard Jonathan H.
Published: March 2019

Background:

Despite the well-documented relationship between lobar cerebral microbleeds (lCMB) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD), there is limited knowledge about the role of lCMB in AD pathology.

Objective:

To understand the nature of this relationship, we investigated the association between lCMB, amyloid load, perfusion, and metabolism.

Methods:

Participants with AD, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and healthy controls were recruited and scanned with 11C-Pittsburg-Compound B (PiB), Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET, and susceptibility-weighted MRI. Early PiB-PET frames were used to estimate perfusion. The association between lCMB and PET uptake in each anatomical lobe was measured using multiple regression models.

Results:

The presence of lCMB predicted increased total ( p < 0.001) and regional ( p = 0.0002) PiB uptake, as well as decreased cerebral perfusion ( p = 0.03). Cases with lCMB had hypometabolism in their temporal lobe ( p = 0.04).

Conclusion:

There are significant relationships between lCMBs and various markers of AD pathology. lCMB has a spatial association with Aβ load and a complex effect on perfusion and metabolism.
Multivariate Prediction of Hippocampal Atrophy in Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Liedes Hilkka , Lötjönen Jyrki , Kortelainen Juha M. , Novak Gerald , van Gils Mark , Gordon Mark Forrest ,   for the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative,   and the Australian Imaging Biomarkers and Lifestyle Flagship Study of Ageing
Published: March 2019

Background:

Hippocampal atrophy (HA) is one of the biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

Objective:

To identify the best biomarkers and develop models for prediction of HA over 24 months using baseline data.

Methods:

The study included healthy elderly controls, subjects with mild cognitive impairment, and subjects with AD, obtained from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI 1) and the Australian Imaging Biomarkers and Lifestyle Flagship Study of Ageing (AIBL) databases. Predictor variables included cognitive and neuropsychological tests, amyloid-β, tau, and p-tau from cerebrospinal fluid samples, apolipoprotein E, and features extracted from magnetic resonance images (MRI). Least-mean-squares regression with elastic net regularization and least absolute deviation regression models were tested using cross-validation in ADNI 1. The generalizability of the models including only MRI features was evaluated by training the models with ADNI 1 and testing them with AIBL. The models including the full set of variables were not evaluated with AIBL because not all needed variables were available in it.

Results:

The models including the full set of variables performed better than the models including only MRI features (root-mean-square error (RMSE) 1.76–1.82 versus 1.93–2.08). The MRI-only models performed well when applied to the independent validation cohort (RMSE 1.66–1.71). In the prediction of dichotomized HA (fast versus slow), the models achieved a reasonable prediction accuracy (0.79–0.87).

Conclusions:

These models can potentially help identifying subjects predicted to have a faster HA rate. This can help in selection of suitable patients into clinical trials testing disease-modifying drugs for AD.
Using Varying Diagnostic Criteria to Examine Mild Cognitive Impairment Prevalence and Predict Dementia Incidence in a Community-Based Sample
Authors: Robertson Kayela , Larson Eric B. , Crane Paul K. , Cholerton Brenna , Craft Suzanne , McCormick Wayne C. , McCurry Susan M. , Bowen James D. , Baker Laura D. , Trittschuh Emily H.
Published: March 2019

Lack of a unitary operational definition of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) has resulted in mixed prevalence rates and unclear predictive validity regarding conversion to dementia and likelihood of reversion. We examined 1,721 nondemented participants aged 65 and older from the Adult Changes in Thought (ACT) community-based cohort. Participants were followed longitudinally through biennial visits (average years assessed = 5.38). Categorization of MCI was based on: 1) deviation of neuropsychological test scores from a benchmark based on either standard or individualized expectations of a participant’s mean premorbid cognitive ability, and 2) cutoff for impairment (1.0 versus 1.5 standard deviations [sd] below benchmark). MCI prevalence ranged from 56–92%; using individualized benchmarks and less stringent cutoffs produced higher rates. During follow-up, 17% of the cohort developed dementia. Examination of sensitivity, specificity, and predictive validity revealed that the criterion of 1.5 sd from the standardized benchmark was optimal, but still had limited predictive validity. Participants meeting this criterion at their first visit were three times more likely to develop dementia and this increased to seven times if participants had this diagnosis at the second timepoint as well. Those who did not have an MCI diagnosis at their first visit, but did at their second, had a significant increase of risk (but to a lesser extent than those diagnosed at both visits), while those who had an MCI diagnosis at their first visit, but not their second, did not have a significantly increased risk. These results highlight how assessing MCI stability greatly improves prediction of risk.
Observational Study of Brain Atrophy and Cognitive Decline Comparing a Sample of Community-Dwelling People Taking Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors and Angiotensin Receptor Blockers Over Time
Authors: Moran Chris , Xie Kenneth , Poh Su , Chew Sarah , Beare Richard , Wang Wei , Callisaya Michele , Srikanth Velandai
Published: March 2019

Background:

Hypertension is an established risk factor for dementia. However, it is unclear whether there are differential effects of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEi) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) on brain health. In human observational studies, the evidence for superiority of either agent remains unclear.

Objective:

To compare brain atrophy and cognitive decline between people treated with ACEi or ARB.

Methods:

Participants aged 55–90 years without dementia had brain magnetic resonance imaging and neuropsychological assessments performed at 3 time points. The sample was enriched with people with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Multivariable mixed models were used to examine longitudinal associations of antihypertensive medication class with change in cognition and total brain volume.

Results:

Of 565 people with longitudinal data, there were 163 on ACEi (mean age 69.9 years, T2D:64% with) and 125 on ARB (mean age 69.6 years, T2D:62%) at baseline. The baseline characteristics of those taking either an ACEi or ARB were similar with regards to age, sex, blood pressure control, and vascular risk factors. The mean duration of follow up was 3.2 years. The baseline association of ACEi and ARB use with total brain volume was similar in both groups. However, those taking an ARB had a slower rate of brain atrophy than those taking an ACEi ( p = 0.031). Neither ACEi nor ARB use was associated with baseline cognitive function or cognitive decline.

Conclusions:

These results support the theory that ARB may be preferable to ACEi to reduce brain atrophy. The mechanisms underlying this differential association warrant further investigation.
Heterogeneity of Informant-Reported Functional Performance in Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Latent Profile Analysis of the Functional Activities Questionnaire
Authors: Mis Rachel , Devlin Kathryn , Drabick Deborah , Giovannetti Tania
Published: March 2019

Heterogeneity of subtle functional difficulties in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) remains poorly understood. We characterized patterns of informant reports of functional abilities among participants with MCI and the relation between functional ability pattern and cognitive abilities and subsequent decline. Data from 4,273 MCI participants from the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC) Uniform Data Set (UDS) were included in latent profile analyses (LPA) of informant responses on the Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ). Profiles from the best fitting model were compared on demographic, clinical, and cognitive variables. The best fitting model supported three profiles varying by level and type of difficulty: intact function ( n = 3,299), intermediate ( n = 769), and high ratings of difficulty ( n = 205). For the Intermediate profile, items related to finances, remembering dates, and travel were rated as most difficult. The High Ratings profile also had elevated ratings on the meal preparation item. Participants with either the Intermediate or High Ratings profile demonstrated a three-fold increase in conversion to dementia as compared to participants with the Intact profile. Demographically, the Intact profile was younger and consisted of a higher proportion of minorities. On cognitive tests, the Intact profile showed the best performance, and the Intermediate profile performed comparably to or better than the High Ratings profile. There is meaningful heterogeneity in informant ratings of function in MCI, though individuals with MCI whose informants report even intermediate-level functional difficulties are more likely to progress to dementia, suggesting that even subtle functional difficulties place individuals at higher risk for future decline.
Methylene Blue Inhibits Formation of Tau Fibrils but not of Granular Tau Oligomers: A Plausible Key to Understanding Failure of a Clinical Trial for Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Soeda Yoshiyuki , Saito Marino , Maeda Sumihiro , Ishida Kohki , Nakamura Akira , Kojima Shuichi , Takashima Akihiko
Published: March 2019

Alzheimer’s disease pathology is characterized by extracellular deposits of amyloid-β (Aβ) and intracellular inclusions of hyperphosphorylated tau. Although genetic studies of familial Alzheimer’s disease suggest a causal link between Aβ and disease symptoms, the failure of various Aβ-targeted strategies to slow or halt disease progression has led to consideration of the idea that inhibition of tau aggregation might be a more promising therapeutic approach. Methylene blue (MB), which inhibits tau aggregation and rescue memory deficits in a mouse model of tauopathy, however, lacked efficacy in a recent Phase III clinical trial. In order to gain insight into this failure, the present study was designed to examine the mechanism through which MB inhibits tau aggregation. We found that MB inhibits heparin-induced tau aggregation in vitro, as measured by thioflavin T fluorescence. Further, MB reduced the amount of tau in precipitants recovered after ultracentrifugation of the aggregation mixture. Atomic force microscopy revealed that MB reduces the number of tau fibrils but increases the number of granular tau oligomers. The latter result was confirmed by sucrose gradient centrifugation: MB treatment was associated with higher levels of granular tau oligomers (fraction 3) and lower levels of tau fibrils (fractions 5 and 6). We previously demonstrated that the formation of granular tau oligomers, rather than tau fibrils, is essential for neuronal death. Thus, the fact that MB actions are limited to inhibition of tau fibril formation provides a mechanistic explanation for the poor performance of MB in the recent Phase III clinical trial.
Metformin Therapy Aggravates Neurodegenerative Processes in ApoE–/– Mice
Authors: Kuhla Angela , Brichmann Elaine , Rühlmann Claire , Thiele Robin , Meuth Lou , Vollmar Brigitte
Published: March 2019

Epidemiological studies suggest that individuals with diabetes mellitus are at greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. A well-known insulin-sensitizing drug and the most widely prescribed oral medication for diabetes is metformin. There is evidence that metformin acts in a neuroprotective manner via the AMPK/mTOR pathway by inhibiting the tau phosphorylation. In addition, it is known that metformin upregulates Fgf21, which in turn activates the AMPK/mTOR pathway and mediates neuroprotection. Thus, metformin-induced Fgf21 release may be involved in AMPK/mTOR activation. However, some studies reported that metformin causes cognition impairment. Due to the controversial data on the neuroprotective properties of metformin, we treated Apolipoprotein E deficient ( ApoE– /–) mice, a mouse model of tauopathy, with metformin for 18 weeks. Metformin-treated mice revealed increased expression of lipogenic genes, i.e., lxr α and srebp1c. In line with this, metformin caused an increase in plasma triglyceride leading to enhanced gliosis as indicated by an increase of GFAP-positive cells. Although the systemic Fgf21 concentration was increased, metformin did not activate the FgfR1c/AMPK/mTOR pathway suggesting a Fgf21-resistant state. Further, metformin-treated mice showed increased tau phosphorylation and reduced numbers of NeuN-and PSD95-positive cells. Thus, metformin-associated lipogenesis as well as inflammation aggravated neurodegenerative processes in ApoE– /– mice. Consequently, this study supports previous observations showing that metformin causes impairment of cognition.
Dyadic Wind of Change: New Approaches to Improve Biopsychological Stress Regulation in Patients with Dementia and Their Spousal Caregivers
Authors: Wuttke-Linnemann Alexandra , Baake Ricarda , Fellgiebel Andreas
Published: March 2019

Patients with dementia (PWD) and their caregivers experience long-term stress, leading to accelerated disease progression and to stress-related morbidity. Previous research focused on intrapersonal biopsychological stress responses. Quite recently, dyadic interrelations between caregivers and PWD and their effects on stress and caregiver burden have received more attention, giving rise to dyadic intervention studies. However, while it is of importance to consider both the patient and the caregiver from a dyadic point of view, evaluation of these dyadic interventions considering underlying mechanisms is still lacking. We therefore extend the current literature on dyadic processes between PWD and caregivers by transferring the knowledge about underlying stress-modulating dyadic processes in healthy couples to the dementia patient-caregiver constellation. By targeting dyadic stress co-regulation between PWD and caregivers, we expect significant therapeutic effectiveness. The aims of this article are two-fold: 1) We aim to provide a rationale for incremental benefits of considering dyadic processes among caregivers and PWD by means of elucidating underlying mechanisms and 2) we aim to emphasize the need to evaluate these underlying mechanisms by means of objective physiological stress markers in both PWD and caregivers. Knowledge on these underlying mechanisms will ultimately help developing dyadic interventions tailored to the needs of both PWD and their caregivers.
The Digital Tree Drawing Test for Screening of Early Dementia: An Explorative Study Comparing Healthy Controls, Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Patients with Early Dementia of the Alzheimer Type
Authors: Robens Sibylle , Heymann Petra , Gienger Regine , Hett Andreas , Müller Stephan , Laske Christoph , Loy Roland , Ostermann Thomas , Elbing Ulrich
Published: March 2019

The digital tree drawing test (dTDT) is a newly developed screening tool for the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease. It is performed with a digitizing pen, recording each pen stroke with temporal and spatial precision. It was hypothesized that movement characteristics recorded during the painting process contribute to the identification of patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early dementia of the Alzheimer type (eDAT). The study population consisted of 187 participants (67 healthy controls, 64 MCI, and 56 eDAT patients) with a mean age of 68.6±10.6 years. Between-group comparisons of the dTDT-variables were conducted with analysis of variance. The diagnostic power of dTDT variables was analyzed with stepwise logistic regressions and areas under curve (AUC) of receiver operating control curves. Cognitively impaired persons used less colors and line widths and changed them less often than healthy subjects ( p-values ≤0.05). Compared to control, eDAT patients had larger not-painting periods, were slower, and their pictures had less contrast, image size, and complexity ( p-values ≤0.01). Logistic regression models of stepwise selected dTDT variables resulted in an AUC of 0.84 (95% confidence interval (CI) [0.79, 0.90], sensitivity = 0.78, specificity = 0.77) for discriminating healthy subjects from all cognitive impaired, an AUC of 0.77. (95% CI [0.69; 0.85], sensitivity = 0.56, specificity = 0.83) for discriminating healthy controls from MCI patients and an AUC of 0.90 (95% CI [0.84, 0.96], sensitivity = 0.86, specificity = 0.82) for discriminating controls from eDAT patients. The results suggest that digital recording of pen-stroke data during the drawing process can contribute to the screening of cognitive impaired patients.