bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical Practice Recommendations for the Management of Obesity in the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Abusnana Salahedeen , Fargaly Mohammad , Alfardan Shaima Hasan , Al Hammadi Fatema Hasan , Bashier Alaaeldin , Kaddaha Ghaida , McGowan Barbara , Nawar Rita , Sadiya Amena
Published: October 2018

With rapid urbanisation and improved living conditions as a result of rising incomes in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, obesity has become a major and growing health problem for the region. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has a resident population of 9.3 million (in 2016), many of whom (85.5%) lived in urban areas and led sedentary lifestyles. Based on the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates for 2010, 25% of Emirati men and 40% of the women were obese. Obesity rates in this country has doubled from 16 to 34% compared to the year 2000, and severe obesity (BMI > 40 kg/m2) has risen dramatically from 2 to 11%. While a number of international guidelines for the management of obesity are already available in public domain, local guidelines for the UAE and the region, which are structured and individualized for the management of obesity, are sorely needed to help the family physician to provide affordable treatment for the patient at the point-of-care and to reduce the burden on the local healthcare system. A multi-disciplinary panel of international and regional experts who treat patients with overweight and obesity was convened with the aim of developing consensus recommendations for the UAE. The objective is to have a simple and easy-to-refer set of recommendations for busy clinicians as there were already many comprehensive international guidelines available. The panel reviewed and streamlined these recommendations in its entirety for relevance, coherence and usability in the local context. These recommendations for overweight and obesity management were circulated and endorsed by the local practising family medicine community, namely, the Emirates Medical Association and Family Medicine Society. We believe these recommendations would also be of interest to clinicians in other GCC countries. A summary and algorithm of these recommendations are provided.
Long-Term Molecular Remission Achieved by Antibody Anti-CD22 and Ponatinib in a Patient Affected by Ph’+ Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Relapsed after Second Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: A Case Report
Authors: Pirosa Maria Cristina , Leotta Salvatore , Cupri Alessandra , Stella Stefania , Martino Enrica Antonia , Scalise Luca , Sapienza Giuseppe , Calafiore Valeria , Mauro Elisa , Spadaro Andrea , Vigneri Paolo , Di Raimondo Francesco , Milone Giuseppe
Published: October 2018

Ph’+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph’+-ALL) is an oncohematologic disorder for which allogeneic bone marrow transplantation still offers the only chance of cure. However, relapse is the main reason for treatment failure, also after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). New drugs, such as third generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and monoclonal antibodies, have expanded the therapeutic landscape, especially in patients who relapsed before HSCT. Very few reports, up to now, have described the use of both classes of these new agents in combination with donor lymphocyte infusions (DLI) in the setting of patients who relapsed after HSCT. We report on a young patient affected by Ph’+-ALL, who relapsed after the second HSCT and who reached molecular remission and long-term disease control by treatment with the anti-CD22 monoclonal antibody inotuzumab ozogamicin, DLI, and the 3rd generation TKI ponatinib.
Primary Cardioprotection Reduces Mortality in Lymphoma Patients with Increased Risk of Anthracycline Cardiotoxicity, Treated by R-CHOP Regimen
Authors: Długosz-Danecka Monika , Gruszka Alicja M. , Szmit Sebastian , Olszanecka Agnieszka , Ogórka Tomasz , Sobociński Marcin , Jaroszyński Andrzej , Krawczyk Katarzyna , Skotnicki Aleksander B. , Jurczak Wojciech
Published: October 2018

Background: Advances in anti-lymphoma therapy prolong overall survival, making late adverse effects, like doxorubicin-related cardiotoxicity, an even more important clinical issue. The effectiveness of cardioprotective strategies with close monitoring, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and/or β-blockers as well as liposomal doxorubicin are still unconfirmed in clinical practice. Methods: This study evaluated the role of a primary cardioprotection strategy in preventing cardiovascular mortality and heart failure occurrence in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) patients with a high risk of anthracycline cardiotoxicity. Thirty-five NHL patients were subjected prospectively to ramipril and/or bisoprolol at NHL diagnosis, before implementing doxorubicin-containing regimens. Additionally, patients with a diagnosis of asymptomatic/mild heart failure received the liposomal form of doxorubicin. The clinical outcome and frequency of all serious cardiac events were compared with the results in a historical cohort of 62 high-risk cases treated without primary cardioprotection. Results: NHL patients with a primary cardioprotection strategy did not experience cardiovascular deaths in contrast to the retrospective control group where cardiovascular mortality was 14.5% at 3 years (p < 0.05). Primary cardioprotection also decreased the frequency of new cardiotoxicity-related clinical symptoms (2.8 vs. 24.1%; p < 0.05) and prevented the occurrence of cardiac systolic dysfunction (0 vs. 8.5%, respectively; p < 0.05). Although the study was not planned to detect any survival benefit, it demonstrated a trend towards increased response rates (complete response 82 vs. 67%; p not significant) and prolonged survival (projected 5-year overall survival 74 vs. 60%; p < 0.05) for patients treated with primary cardioprotection. Conclusions: A primary personalized cardioprotection strategy decreases the number of cardiac deaths and may potentially prolong overall survival in NHL patients with increased risk of anthracycline cardiotoxicity.
Superovulation Influences Methylation Reprogramming and Delays Onset of DNA Replication in Both Pronuclei of Mouse Zygotes
Authors: Diken Elif , Linke Matthias , Baumgart Jan , Eshkind Leonid , Strand Dennis , Strand Susanne , Zechner Ulrich
Published: October 2018

Although an essential component of assisted reproductive technologies, ovarian stimulation, or superovulation, may interfere with the epigenetic reprogramming machinery during early embryogenesis and gametogenesis. To investigate the possible impact of superovulation particularly on the methylation reprogramming process directly after fertilization, we performed immunofluorescence staining of pronuclear (PN) stage embryos with antibodies against 5mC and 5hmC. PN stage embryos obtained by superovulation displayed an increased incidence of abnormal methylation and hydroxymethylation patterns in both maternal and paternal pronuclear DNA. Subsequent single-cell RT-qPCR analyses of the Tet1, Tet2, and Tet3 genes revealed no significant expression differences between PN stage embryos from spontaneously and superovulated matings that could be causative for the abnormal methylation and hydroxymethylation patterns. To analyze the possible contribution of TET-independent replication-associated demethylation mechanisms, we then determined the 5mC and 5hmC levels of PN stage mouse embryos using immunofluorescence analyses after inhibition of DNA replication with aphidicolin. Inhibition of DNA replication had no effect on abnormal methylation and hydroxymethylation patterns that still persisted in the superovulated group. Interestingly, the onset of DNA replication, which was also analyzed in these experiments, was remarkably delayed in the superovulated group. Our findings imply an impact of superovulation on both replication-dependent and -independent or yet unknown demethylation mechanisms in PN stage mouse embryos. In addition, they reveal for the first time a negative effect of superovulation on the initiation of DNA replication in PN stage mouse embryos.
A Search for Disorders of Sex Development among Infertile Men
Authors: Yabiku Rafael S. , Guaragna Mara S. , de Sousa Lizandra M. , Fabbri-Scallet Helena , Mazzola Taís N. , Piveta Cristiane S.C. , de Souza Marcela L. , Guerra-Júnior Gil , de Mello Maricilda P. , Maciel-Guerra Andréa T.
Published: October 2018

A retrospective cross-sectional study was performed in a DSD clinic at a tertiary service (University Hospital) to estimate the frequency of disorders of sex development (DSD) among men who seek medical care because of infertility. The sample included 84 men >20 years of age referred from 2010-2017 due to oligozoospermia or nonobstructive azoospermia of unknown etiology. Twelve cases (14%) were diagnosed as DSD, including Klinefelter Syndrome, 46,XX testicular DSD, and mild androgen insensitivity syndrome. Y chromosome microdeletions were detected in 2 patients. Among the remaining 70 cases there were patients with chromosome abnormalities which are not included in the DSD classification as well as rare NR5A1 variants of uncertain significance and hypergonadotropic hypogonadism and microorchidism in 46,XY subjects. In conclusion, the frequency of DSD in this study was 14%, consisting mainly of sex chromosome abnormalities but also 46,XX and 46,XY DSD. However, this figure may increase as further investigations are conducted in idiopathic cases with signs of primary testicular failure, which may present partial gonadal dysgenesis.
Control of Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Liver Transplantation: Potentials for Increasing the Donor Pool
Authors: Kahn Judith , Schemmer Peter
Published: October 2018

Background: Organ shortage is a growing problem, with a rising number of organs being harvested from extended criteria donors, and this trend will further continue to increase as organ donors are getting older and have more comorbidities. Since this fact is immutable, efforts have been made to reduce the extent of ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) as well as of direct and indirect harvest-related graft injury which affects all organs in a more or less distinct way. Methods: In liver transplantation (LT), the activation of Kupffer cells during organ reperfusion, thus provoking microcirculatory disturbances, hypoxia, and endothelial cell injury, is one of the key mechanisms causing graft dysfunction. Multiple approaches have been taken in order to find efficient preconditioning methods by pharmacological pretreatment, controlled induction of ischemia, controlled denervation of donor organs, and reconditioning with machine perfusion to prevent IRI, whereas marginal organs (i.e. steatotic grafts) are especially vulnerable. Results: The above-mentioned approaches have been pursued in experimental and clinical settings. At this time point, however, there is not yet enough clinical evidence available to recommend any particular drug pretreatment or any other intervention for organ preconditioning prior to transplantation. Conclusion: The multifactorial pathophysiology in the setting of IRI in LT requires a multimodal therapeutic approach with the integration of pharmacological and technical means being applied to the donor, the organ per se, and the recipient. Currently, there is no consensus on standardized pretreatment of donor organs in order to improve the transplant outcome.
Are Production Networks Passé in East Asia? Not Yet
Authors: Obashi Ayako , Kimura Fukunari
Published: October 2018

Many people have a vague notion that the room for expanding international production networks is almost exhausted and that therefore international trade has slowed down since the recovery from the great trade collapse. This paper presents evidence against such a belief in the East Asian context by classifying finely disaggregated trade data based on the stages of the production process. The trade slowdown was attributed mainly to sluggishness of trade in primary goods and processed raw materials. In contrast, East Asian trade in manufactured parts and components and the assembled end-products within production networks continued to expand steadily.
Explaining Multidimensional Poverty: A Household-Level Analysis
Authors: Bautista Carlos C.
Published: October 2018

A multidimensional poverty index is constructed for the Philippines using the Alkire-Foster methodology and data from a 2011 annual poverty indicators survey. This is disaggregated into urban and rural population groups, as well as by dimension and administrative region. At the province level, the study finds a positive relation between poverty incidence and intensity, but the highest intensity levels are experienced in areas where incidence is not that high relative to other areas. Provinces with high incomes generally have low poverty indices and the relationship appears to be nonlinear. An examination of household poverty using mixed logit analysis shows that poverty risk rises with household size. A substantial reduction of the risk is observed for households with heads who were able to matriculate high school. The household head's health status has a negative impact on the household's risk of being poor. These are contrasted with the results using the income poverty definition. Policy implications are drawn from the calculations and the econometric results.
Description of Acrobeles aenigmaticus sp. n. (Rhabditida: Cephalobidae), an unusual species with a poorly developed vulva, from the Kalahari Desert (Ngamiland, Botswana)
Authors: Abolafia Joaquín , Shokoohi Ebrahim , Du Preez Gerhard , Fourie Hendrika
Published: October 2018

Acrobeles aenigmaticus sp. n. is described from the North-West District (Ngamiland) of Botswana, which forms part of the Kalahari Desert. This new species is characterised by its body length, ‘double’ cuticle bearing numerous interannular punctations, lateral fields with two longitudinal incisures, lips triangular bearing triangular tines with variation in their morphology, labial probolae bifurcated with prongs bearing triangular tines, pharyngeal corpus 2.8-3.8 times the isthmus length, spermatheca 0.8-1.8 times the body diam., post-vulval sac 1.3-2.2 times the body diam., vagina bent to the left side, vulva located left subventral and very reduced, female tail conoid-elongate, male tail conoid, spicules 24-29 μm and gubernaculum 13-17 μm in length. Molecular characterisation of 18S and 28S rRNA shows the relationship of this species with other species of Acrobeles that also present a ‘double’ cuticle, as well as with other cephalobids (e.g., Cervidellus alutus) with the same characteristic in terms of its cuticle.
Armenians, Diplomats, and Commercial Agents of Shah ʿAbbās: The European Journey of Khvāja Safar (c. 1609–14)
Authors: Cutillas Ferrer José
Published: October 2018

In the first quarter of the seventeenth century, Safavid–Spanish relations took a substantial leap forward when Shah ʿAbbāsI, together with a plan of alliance against the Ottomans, proposed a trade agreement that would reroute the silk market from Ottoman territory. This scheme and other factors highlighted the need to send to Iran, for the first time, a Spanish ambassador who was not linked to a religious order. Recent studies of the circumstances of this embassy have appeared; however, there has been little discussion of the people involved in the events, save for the Spanish ambassador Don García de Silva y Figueroa. This paper reconstructs and analyzes the journey of the Armenian Khvāja Safar through Europe and the problems he faced in his mission as a commercial agent and emissary for Shah ʿAbbās. It tries to explain why there was such an unexpected change in Shah ʿAbbās’ attitude towards Spain.
New Social Movements: The Case of Youth’s Political Project in Egypt
Authors: El-Sharnouby Dina
Published: October 2018

With the 2011 Revolution in Egypt, new forms of social mobilization and new possibilities for political interaction surfaced. The manifestation of these events suggested a different understanding of politics among particularly revolutionary youth. How do their values and practices affect political imaginaries? How are those imaginaries different from previous revolutionary struggles? This article highlights the political projects of the 2011 revolutionary youth versus previous revolutionary struggles by looking at youth activists and the case of the leftist Bread and Freedom party. Contrasting the Revolution of 1919 to 2011 in Egypt reveals a renewed call to social justice imagined to be practiced through the state and state institutions while minimizing ideology and a singular leadership in their mobilization strategies. Drawing on fieldwork done in 2014 and 2015, this paper suggests that the 2011 political project from youth’s perspective is about the importance of political practices of social justice over an ideology.
An Evolving ‘Fuzzy’ Islamic Public: The Case of Sheikh al-Amoud in Egypt
Authors: Hosni Dina
Published: October 2018

The paper deconstructs the dichotomization of Islamic educational institutions into those run under the state’s purview and those operating as ‘parallel’ Islamic institutions usually as part of Islamic group activism. It argues for the existence of ‘fuzzy’ Islamic educational institutions that have merged dīn (religion) and dunyā (life) – without delving into the modern dawla (state). Focusing on contemporary Egypt, the paper uses Sheikh al-Amoud as a case study of these ‘fuzzy’ Islamic educational entities that have emerged as Islamic publics following the 2011 Egyptian uprisings attracting a wide array of Muslim youth in Egypt. The paper expects Sheikh al-Amoud to survive partly due to its non-political orientations and to its indirect connection with al-Azhar. Due to the novelty of the topic, the paper mainly depends on fieldwork through interviews and observation.
Democratization in Unlikely Places: Comparative Lessons from the Latin American Experience
Authors: Roberts Kenneth M.
Published: October 2018

The Latin American experience at the end of the 20th century demonstrates that democratic regimes can be established and stabilized in “unlikely” places that would not appear to have the requisite “preconditions” for democracy as conventionally theorized. The region may thus provide insights into the prospects for democracy in other parts of the world, such as the MENA region, that also lack the traditional correlates of democracy. An understanding of democracy’s institutional roots in deep societal conflicts, rather than political consensus, civic cultures, or economic prosperity, is an essential starting point for such cross-regional perspectives.
Fundamentals of Ottoman-Safavid Peacetime Relations, 1639–1722
Authors: Güngörürler Selim
Published: October 2018

This article establishes the overarching principles of Iranian-Ottoman peacetime relations from the Treaty of Zuhab to the collapse of the Safavid rule. Based on previously untapped sources, it illustrates the hierarchical foundation of relations marked by the principle of seniority-juniority on every platform, explores the concepts of legal personality, actors, representation, and delegation in diplomacy, and delineates the various capacities of diplomatic missions. After discussing the conduct of diplomatic business and ceremonial protocol, the article addresses the phenomena of language and arts in official contacts. The later part thematizes foreign policy, status-quos, common frontier, balance of power, harmony, and strife, and thus shows how active and dynamic post-Zuhab relations between Istanbul and Isfahan were.
What is and what is not Taraxacum bithynicum (Compositae, Crepidinae)
Authors: GÜRDAL BAHAR , ŠTĚPÁNEK JAN , ZEISEK VOJTĚCH , KIRSCHNER JAN , ÖZHATAY NERİMAN
Published: October 2018

The taxonomy, micromorphology, karyology and evolutionary relationships of Taraxacum bithynicum were studied using the original material and new samples from the summit area of Mt. Uludağ, Bursa Province, Turkey. It is sexual with 2n=16, considerably isolated in outer phyllary and achene characters. The nrDNA ITS Neighbor Net analysis shows relationships of T. bithynicum with members of T. sect. Scariosa. Taraxacum bithynicum is considered as a taxon endemic to the summit area of Uludağ. The exploration of the latter area also revealed another, probably related but agamospermous and triploid (2n=24) species that is decribed here as T. pseudobithynicum, also confined to Uludağ. The endemism in the Mt. Uludağ flora is briefly characterized, and the two species studied are expected to be related to other similar plants restricted to mountain areas of SW and S Anatolia. The history of the original gathering of T. bithynicum (Aucher-Éloy, no. 3540) and various concepts of this name in the literature are briefly discussed.
Carnevali, G., Pérez-García, E.A., Leopardi-Verde, C.L., Tapia-Muñoz, J.L., Cetzal-IX, W.R., Ramírez-Morillo, I.M. & Romero-González, G.A. (2018) The Encyclia ambigua complex (Laeliinae, Orchidaceae), a synopsis and notes on Encyclia virens and Epidendrum alatum. Phytotaxa 372 (1): 001–021.
Authors: CARNEVALI GERMÁN , PÉREZ-GARCÍA EDUARDO A. , LEOPARDI-VERDE CARLOS LUIS , TAPIA-MUÑOZ JOSÉ LUIS , CETZAL-IX WILLIAM R. , RAMÍREZ-MORILLO IVÓN M. , ROMERO-GONZÁLEZ GUSTAVO A.
Published: October 2018

N/A
Wang, C.H., Liu, Z.E., Li, Y. & Wang, X.F. (2018) A new species Rubia urceolata (Rubiaceae: Rubieae) from Shennongjia National Park, central China. Phytotaxa 357 (3): 220–224.
Authors: WANG CHUN-HUI , LIU ZHI-E , LI YA , WANG XIAO-FAN
Published: October 2018

N/A
Catalogue of Indian Notodontidae Stephens, 1829 (Lepidoptera: Noctuoidea)
Authors: CHANDRA KAILASH , MAZUMDER ARNA , SANYAL ABESH KUMAR , ASH ANIRBAN , BANDYOPADHYAY UTTARAN , MALLICK KAUSHIK , RAHA ANGSHUMAN
Published: October 2018

The present communication consists of the first ever catalogue of Indian Notodontidae Stephens, 1829 comprising systematic accounts of 242 species (including nominotypical subspecies) and 10 subspecies under 116 genera of 10 subfamilies with four new records to India viz. Phalera (Phalera) birmicola Bryk, 1949, Spatalina desiccata stolida Schintlmeister, 2007, Hiradonta hannemanni Schintlmeister, 1989 and Kamalia tattakana (Matsumura, 1927). The account was prepared by compiling findings from both literature survey and field sampling carried out at various Protected Areas in the Indian Himalayas and Chhattisgarh state in the Deccan Peninsular region of India. Zoogeographic analysis of Indian Notodontidae reveals a majority of the assemblage showing Oriental (58.27%) and Palaearctic (40.49%) affinities with maximum species of Sundanian (80.00%), followed by Himalayan (77.65%) origins. In India, the majority of the species are distributed in the Himalayan (35.33%) and North-East (39.40%) biogeographic zones, reflecting maximum endemicity. Extensive surveys in the less explored southern part of the country are expected to enrich the inventory of Indian Notodontidae. The distribution map and detailed illustrations of the four new records are provided.
100 Years of Progress in Atmospheric Observing Systems
Authors: Stith Jeffrey L. , Baumgardner Darrel , Haggerty Julie , Hardesty R. Michael , Lee Wen-Chau , Lenschow Donald , Pilewskie Peter , Smith Paul L. , Steiner Matthias , Vömel Holger
Published: October 2018

Although atmospheric observing systems were already an important part of meteorology before the American Meteorological Society was established in 1919, the past 100 years have seen a steady increase in their numbers and types. Examples of how observing systems were developed and how they have enabled major scientific discoveries are presented. These examples include observing systems associated with the boundary layer, the upper air, clouds and precipitation, and solar and terrestrial radiation. Widely used specialized observing systems such as radar, lidar, and research aircraft are discussed, and examples of applications to weather forecasting and climate are given. Examples drawn from specific types of chemical measurements, such as ozone and carbon dioxide, are included. Sources of information on observing systems, including other chapters of this monograph, are also discussed. The past 100 years has been characterized by synergism between societal needs for weather observations and the needs of fundamental meteorological research into atmospheric processes. In the latter half of the period, observing system improvements have been driven by the increasing demands for higher-resolution data for numerical models, the need for long-term measurements, and for more global coverage. This has resulted in a growing demand for data access and for integrating data from an increasingly wide variety of observing system types and networks. These trends will likely continue.
Of Climate and Weather: Examining Canadian Farm and Livestock Organization Discourses from 2010 to 2015
Authors: Tourangeau Wesley , Sherren Kate , Kent Carlisle , MacDonald Bertrum H.
Published: October 2018

Producer organizations representing Canada’s farm and livestock sectors are powerful change agents and advocates for their industries, particularly during challenging times such as climate- or weather-related hardships. Such organizations have a complex role: engaging with policy-makers, as well as their memberships and the public, to pursue the interests of their specific communities. This paper includes an examination of how farm producer organizations communicate about climate and weather to these various audiences, and the specific needs and recommendations they advance. Of particular interest are commodities related to pasture-based grazing, which is underrepresented in the climate adaptation literature. A collection of 95 publicly available documents is analyzed, representing a snapshot of climate- and weather-related public and policy engagement of Canadian and Albertan farm and livestock producer organizations from 2010 to 2015. Qualitative coding by scale, commodity, and audience revealed three significant patterns within this exploratory study. First, while national “umbrella” organizations speak climate to government, Alberta-based livestock/forage organizations speak to their members with a focus on weather. Second, while the two national umbrella organizations examined are politically divergent, they appear to be united on the topic of climate change. Third, common ground was also found between climate and weather discourses around on-farm management, specifically rotational grazing. These three patterns reveal a disjointed dialogue within the Canadian farm and livestock sectors on topics of climate adaptation and mitigation, as well as opportunities for future cooperation, and the need for further research on farm organization beliefs and their capacity to create/manage climate knowledge.
Pediatric Sialorrhea: Submandibular Duct Rerouting and Intraparotid Botulinum Toxin A Injection With Literature Review
Authors: Calim Omer Faruk , Hassouna Hasan N. H. , Yildirim Yavuz Selim , Dogan Remzi , Ozturan Orhan
Published: October 2018

Objectives:

The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of bilateral submandibular duct relocation and bilateral sublingual gland excision in combination with botulinum toxin A injection into the parotid glands in children with sialorrhea. Previously in the literature, either surgery or botulinum toxin injection but not their combination has been reported.

Methods:

Preoperative and at least 6-month postoperative assessments using the Drooling Severity Scale and Drooling Frequency Scale (Thomas-Stonell and Greenberg classification) and the Teacher Drooling Scale and by interviewing parents and caregivers face to face or via telephone were performed. Also, decreases in the daily number of bib changes and hourly frequency of saliva wiping were recorded as success. Complications were recorded.

Results:

The Drooling Frequency and Severity Scale, the Teacher Drooling Scale, daily number of bib changes, and hourly frequency of saliva wiping decreased significantly in 21 patients (95.5%) and remained unchanged in 1 patient (4.5%). Postoperative bleeding was observed in 1 patient (4.5%).

Conclusions:

Drooling is a complex problem that benefits from a multidisciplinary approach. Many treatment methods exist, each with advantages and disadvantages. In this study botulinum toxin A injection was applied in conjunction with bilateral submandibular duct relocation and bilateral sublingual gland excision surgery, achieving a success rate of 95.5%. Moreover, minimal complications and no recurrence after at least 6-month follow-up were observed. The authors therefore recommend further use of this combination treatment. Larger and longer term studies may also help clarify its effectiveness.
Imputation Methods to Deal With Missing Responses in Computerized Adaptive Multistage Testing
Authors: Cetin-Berber Dee Duygu , Sari Halil Ibrahim , Huggins-Manley Anne Corinne
Published: October 2018

Routing examinees to modules based on their ability level is a very important aspect in computerized adaptive multistage testing. However, the presence of missing responses may complicate estimation of examinee ability, which may result in misrouting of individuals. Therefore, missing responses should be handled carefully. This study investigated multiple missing data methods in computerized adaptive multistage testing, including two imputation techniques, the use of full information maximum likelihood and the use of scoring missing data as incorrect. These methods were examined under the missing completely at random, missing at random, and missing not at random frameworks, as well as other testing conditions. Comparisons were made to baseline conditions where no missing data were present. The results showed that imputation and the full information maximum likelihood methods outperformed incorrect scoring methods in terms of average bias, average root mean square error, and correlation between estimated and true thetas.
Aptitude-by-Treatment Interactions in Research on Educational Interventions
Authors: Preacher Kristopher J. , Sterba Sonya K.
Published: October 2018

A common theme uniting articles in this special issue is a focus on aptitude-by-treatment interactions (ATIs). This timely and welcome focus allows the field to synthesize current substantive findings on ATIs in educational intervention research in both reading and math domains. In this methodological commentary, we begin by reviewing traditional approaches for detecting and reporting interactions in single-level and multilevel models. Next, we discuss some limitations of traditional approaches for theorizing about and modeling ATIs, and we suggest some solutions. These solutions include interpreting level-specific (unconflated) ATIs, understanding and ameliorating threats to adequate power for detecting ATIs, expanding focus beyond linear ATIs, and increasing the number of measurement occasions beyond two to allow use of a growth modeling framework for investigating ATIs. Incorporating some of these advances into future research can motivate new research questions about educational interventions and lead to new discoveries in the search for ATIs.
Trading on Up: An Examination of Factors Influencing the Degree of Upgrade: Evidence from Cash for Clunkers
Authors: Miller Chadwick J. , Wiles Michael A. , Park Sungho
Published: October 2018

Durable goods firms often create product lineups to provide a clear upgrading path as consumers make replacement decisions. Consumers can upgrade a little (i.e., spend a bit more than last time) or a lot (i.e., spend substantially more). However, the factors affecting the degree of such vertical “moving up” have received limited scholarly attention. In particular, little is known about how trade-in characteristics and the marginal costs–benefits of the new purchase influence the degree of upgrade. The authors use 320,000 Cash for Clunkers automobile transactions to provide the first examination of how mental accounting surpluses from trade-in ownership time and trade-in windfall, in addition to brand loyalty, affect the degree of upgrade. The authors find that trade-in ownership time and brand loyalty enhance the replacement’s degree of upgrade. However, trade-in windfall size has a negative effect, revealing the downside of this common promotional practice. Two experiments and additional dealer data indicate that this finding is robust to different economic conditions. Thus, these findings provide valuable new guidance for durable goods firms to facilitate the degree to which consumers upgrade.
Electrospun cellulose acetate nanofibers for airborne nanoparticle filtration
Authors: Ahne Joerg , Li Qinghai , Croiset Eric , Tan Zhongchao
Published: October 2018

Reported in this paper are the effects of tip-to-collector distance, voltage, deposition time and solution concentration on the fiber size distribution and filter quality factor of electrospun cellulose acetate (CA)-based nanofibers. Nanofibrous filter samples were produced by electrospinning in a laboratory setting. The CA solutions were prepared by diluting various concentrations of CA in a 2:1 (w:w) ratio of N,N-dimethylacetamide (concentration 10–20 wt.%). The electrospinning voltages ranged from 8–12 kV, with distances from 10–15 cm and deposition times of up to 30 minutes. The produced nanofibrous filter samples were then analyzed in terms of fiber size distribution and filter quality factor using nanosized sodium chloride particles ranging from 4–240 nm in diameter. The maximum filtration efficiency measured was 99.8% for filter samples obtained with an overall deposition time of 30 minutes. The maximum filter quality factor was 0.14 Pa−1 for a CA concentration of 20 wt.% and a tip-to-collector distance of 15 cm. The average fiber diameters of the fibers were between 175 and 890 nm, and CA concentrations below 15% led to the formation of beads.
Humility in Servant Leadership among Christian Student Leaders: A Longitudinal Pilot Study
Authors: Krumrei-Mancuso Elizabeth J.
Published: October 2018

The goal of the current research was to examine potential predictors and outcomes of servant leadership among beginning leaders with self-reported and other-reported data. Participants included 29 college student leaders within the Residence Life program of a Christian university who were assessed prior to beginning their leadership positions and six weeks into their leadership roles. Those who responded to the challenges of early leadership with greater interpersonal and intellectual humility displayed more servant leadership and associated characteristics over time. Specifically, variance in humility during the transition into leadership was predictive of more servant leadership, empathic concern, perspective-taking, and kindness toward subordinates six weeks later. These findings offer initial empirical evidence to support the vaster theoretical basis regarding the role of humility in servant leadership. In addition, variance in salience of religious belief during the transition into leadership predicted more interpersonal humility, servant leadership, and kindness to subordinates. This is particularly remarkable given the high levels of religiosity displayed within the sample from the start of the study. This indicates that leaders integrating religion into their lives to a greater extent predicts leader outcomes more so than do religious identification or initial levels of religiosity.
Acquisition of Finnish derivational morphology: School-age children and young adults
Authors: Vainio Seppo , Pajunen Anneli , Häikiö Tuomo
Published: October 2018

The current study examined how morpho-semantic processing of derivational morphology develops from later childhood through adolescence to adulthood in Finnish. Finnish is a synthetic language rich both in derivation and inflection. It has been suggested that children gradually acquire the ability to process morphologically complex word structures. However, this development could be delayed because of the complex derivational morphology in Finnish. To assess this, three age groups of Finnish native speakers participated in a priming study, in which they made a visual lexical decision for the target words. There were three types of primes: morphologically related words, pseudowords, and unrelated words. The reaction times results showed a significant difference between all the groups, which implies that the word processing is still developing in adolescence. The error rates unveiled a similar pattern to reaction times. The prime type affected the recognition: words with morphological primes were processed faster than words with pseudoword primes, which in turn were processed faster than words with unrelated primes. Moreover, males made significantly more errors than females with morphological and pseudoword prime conditions.
To Be Human: An Interview with Daniel Chernilo
Authors: Chernilo Daniel , Beer David
Published: October 2018

This interview explores the key themes and ideas in Daniel Chernilo’s recent book Debating Humanity: Towards a Philosophical Sociology (2017). It is a hugely ambitious book that tackles a range of questions around the notion of humanity and the category of the human. Drawing on a wide range of thinkers, the book pushes at a number of far-reaching issues, problems and questions concerning humanity. It’s a rich text that develops themes that are likely to be of interest across the social sciences and humanities, not least because it tackles some of the most difficult and crucial questions that face social theory today. The interview was conducted in October 2017.
Theological Education and Missional Formation in the South African Context
Authors: Pillay Jerry
Published: October 2018

This article looks at theological education and missional formation in the South African context. It examines the understanding of theology and mission and connects it with theological education. It then proceeds to explore some of the essential elements that should constitute theological education in the South African context. The aim is to show that theological education in South Africa is in need of transformation.
How Does Pubertal Development Impact Caregiver-Adolescent Communication About Sex in Rural, African American Families? An Examination of Mediation Effects
Authors: Ritchwood Tiarney D. , Metzger Isha W. , Powell Terrinieka W. , Corbie-Smith Giselle , Wynn Mysha , Lin Feng-Chang , Akers Aletha Y.
Published: October 2018

This study examined the relationship between pubertal development and type of caregiver-adolescent communication about sex (CACS) among 441 African American caregivers participating in an intervention trial in rural North Carolina. We assessed CACS about general sexual health topics and positive aspects of sexuality. Caregivers’ attitudes and self-efficacy for CACS, and open communication style were examined as potential mediators. Caregivers engaged in low levels of communication about sex regardless of type. Among caregivers of males, pubertal development was associated with greater communication about general sexual health, which was mediated by self-efficacy for CACS. Among caregivers of females, pubertal development was associated with less communication about general and positive sexual health topics; however, there were no mediating factors. These findings highlight the predictors of CACS among young men and women after pubertal onset. Age appropriate, practical guidance for initiating CACS may be critical for ensuring caregiver talk about sex.
Comparative Pathologists: Ultimate Control Freaks Seeking Validation!
Authors: La Perle Krista M. D.
Published: October 2018

Definable, reproducible, and meaningful are elemental features of grading/scoring systems, while thoroughness, accuracy, and consistency are quality indicators of pathology reports. The expertise of pathologists is significantly underutilized when it is limited to rendering diagnoses. The opportunity to provide guidance on animal model development, experimental design, optimal sample collection, and data interpretation not only contributes to job satisfaction but also, more importantly, promotes validation of the pathology data. Keys to validation include standard operating procedures, experimental controls, and standardized nomenclature applied throughout the experimental design and execution, tissue sampling, and slide preparation, as well as the creation or adaptation and application of semiquantitative grading/scoring systems. Diagnostic drift, thresholds, mental noise, and various diurnal fluctuations strongly influence the repeatability of grading/scoring systems used by the same or different pathologists. Quantitative image analyses are not plagued by the visual and cognitive traps that affect manual semiquantitative grading schemes but may still be affected by technical variables associated with necropsy, tissue sampling, and slide preparation. The validity of a grading scheme is ultimately assessed by its repeatability and biologic relevance, so it is important to correlate scores with comprehensive pathobiology data such as results of antemortem imaging, clinical pathology data, body and organ weights, and histopathologic evaluation of full tissue sets.
Abnormal Expression of miR-21 in Kidney Tissue of Dogs With X-Linked Hereditary Nephropathy: A Canine Model of Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Clark Sabrina D. , Song Wenping , Cianciolo Rachel , Lees George , Nabity Mary , Liu Shiguang
Published: October 2018

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a group of small noncoding RNAs that act as regulators of posttranslational gene/protein expression and are known to play a key role in physiological and pathological processes. The objective of our study was to compare expression of miR-21 in renal tissue from dogs affected with chronic kidney disease (CKD) caused by X-linked hereditary nephropathy (XLHN), a disease equivalent to human Alport syndrome, to that from unaffected dogs. Additionally, we sought to characterize changes in relative mRNA expression of various genes associated with miR-21 function. miRNA was isolated from kidney tissue collected from both affected dogs and unaffected, age-matched littermates at defined milestones of disease progression, including end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Additionally, autopsy samples from affected dogs at ESRD and corresponding unaffected dogs were evaluated. Samples were scored based on histological changes, and relative expression of miR-21 and kidney disease-related genes was determined using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. In affected dogs, significant upregulation of kidney miR-21 was first detected at the milestone corresponding with increased serum creatinine. Furthermore, miR-21 expression correlated significantly with urine protein: urine creatinine ratio, serum creatinine concentration, glomerular filtration rate, and histologic lesions (glomerular damage, tubular damage, chronic inflammation, and fibrosis). At end-stage disease, COL1A1, TGFB1 and its receptor, TGFB2, and Serpine1 were upregulated, while PPARA, PPARGC1A, ACADM, SOD1, and EGF were downregulated. In conclusion, miR-21 is abnormally upregulated in the kidneys of dogs with CKD caused by XLHN, which may play an important pathologic role in the progression of disease by dysregulating multiple pathways.
Workplace-Related Factors Associated With Employees’ Standing Time at Work: A Research Brief
Authors: Wilkerson Amanda H. , Usdan Stuart L. , Knowlden Adam P. , Leeper James L. , Birch David A. , Hibberd Elizabeth E.
Published: October 2018

Purpose:

The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between work-related, individual, and environmental factors and self-reported standing time during the workday.

Design:

Cross-sectional study design.

Setting:

Participants were recruited from a large, public university in the southeastern United States.

Measures:

Data were collected through an 87-item online survey using previously validated scales that assessed workplace standing time, demographic variables, work-related psychosocial factors, and workplace environment factors.

Analysis:

One-way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficients, and nonparametric tests were used to determine univariate relationships between standing time and independent work-related variables and demographic factors.

Results:

Mean standing time among the sample (n = 502) was 72.49 minutes (standard deviation = 73.48) daily. There was a significant relationship between standing time and barrier self-efficacy for standing at work, self-regulation strategies, social norms, local connectivity in the workplace, overall connectivity in the workplace, and proximity of coworkers. Standing time was significantly higher for men, employees with an advanced degree, employees with a standing desk, and faculty.

Conclusion:

Health promotion researchers and practitioners should consider factors at multiple levels of influence when designing studies to explore workplace sedentary behavior. The findings regarding variations in workplace behavior by employee subgroups should be taken into consideration when designing future studies in the workplace.
Crash optimization considering the head injury criterion
Authors: Yoon Jong-Min , Lee Youngmyung , Park Sang-Ok , Han Yong-Ha , Park Gyung-Jin
Published: October 2018

In the crashworthiness of the vehicle, the head injury criterion is the most significant factor in the injury rate. Crash optimization has been employed to enhance the head injury criterion value. Since the head injury criterion value is calculated from acceleration, a surrogate-model-based crash optimization method is generally used. However, when the number of design variables increases, the cost of analysis increases extremely. Conceptual design such as topology optimization is difficult to apply since it has many design variables. A crash optimization methodology that considers the head injury criterion value is proposed based on the equivalent static loads method. The proposed method calculates the head injury criterion value using the finite difference method, and the channel frequency classes filter during linear static-response structural optimization with the equivalent static loads. Two practical large-scale problems are solved to validate the proposed method. For the headform impact on the upper interior, size optimization is carried out to satisfy the constraint on the head injury criterion value while the mass is minimized. Topology optimization is performed in the case of the hood headform impact. The material distribution of the inner panel in the hood is determined to minimize the head injury criterion value.
Mechanical deterioration of wheels and rails under winter conditions – mechanisms and consequences
Authors: Deuce Roger , Ekberg Anders , Kabo Elena
Published: October 2018

This study focuses on identifying and understanding the core phenomena behind winter-related issues with regard to railways. State-of-the-art knowledge regarding the mechanical deterioration of wheels and rails is employed to obtain a first estimation of the influence of the different phenomena and to find out under which circumstances they are influential. The interaction between these different phenomena is discussed, as this additional level of complexity is necessary to develop a complete understanding.
Giono and Melville: A ‘voyage imaginaire’ through nineteenth-century England
Authors: Hewitt Nicholas
Published: October 2018

Giono’s novel of 1941, Pour saluer Melville, was initially conceived as a biographical essay to accompany the author’s translation of Moby Dick, which appeared the same year, but, in its final version, it is a complex work of fiction which evokes Giono’s own passionate affair with Blanche Meyer, his native Provence, the nature of artistic vocation and, political issues of injustice, imprisonment, democracy and freedom, embodied in France in the Revolution of 1848 and in England by Chartism. This article explores how Giono uses the techniques of the ‘voyage imaginaire’ to follow Melville on a fictitious journey through nineteenth-century England, with references to the Irish famine, and to reflect on his own pacifism and pursuit of justice in the climate of German occupation and Vichy France. Finally, the novel asserts its own autonomy by providing a Borgesian invention of alternative sources for the creation of Moby Dick.