bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diagnostic Performance of High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin T Strategies and Clinical Variables in a Multisite US Cohort
Authors: Allen Brandon R. , Christenson Robert H. , Cohen Scott A. , Nowak Richard , Wilkerson R. Gentry , Mumma Bryn , Madsen Troy , McCord James , Huis in’t Veld Maite , Massoomi Michael , Stopyra Jason P. , Montero Cindy , Weaver Michael T. , Yang Kai , Mahler Simon A.
Published: January 2021

Background:

European data support the use of low high-sensitivity troponin (hs-cTn) measurements or a 0/1-hour (0/1-h) algorithm for myocardial infarction to exclude major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) among patients in the emergency department with possible acute coronary syndrome. However, modest US data exist to validate these strategies. This study evaluated the diagnostic performance of an initial hs-cTnT measure below the limit of quantification (LOQ: 6 ng/L), a 0/1-h algorithm, and their combination with history, ECG, age, risk factors, and initial troponin (HEART) scores for excluding MACE in a multisite US cohort.

Methods:

A prospective cohort study was conducted at 8 US sites, enrolling adult patients in the emergency department with symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndrome and without ST-elevation on ECG. Baseline and 1-hour blood samples were collected, and hs-cTnT (Roche; Basel, Switzerland) was measured. Treating providers blinded to hs-cTnT results prospectively calculated HEART scores. MACE (cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and coronary revascularization) at 30 days was adjudicated. The proportion of patients with initial hs-cTnT measures below the LOQ and risk according to a 0/1-h algorithm was determined. The negative predictive value (NPV) was calculated for both strategies when used alone or with a HEART score.

Results:

Among 1462 participants with initial hs-cTnT measures, 46.4% (678 of 1462) were women and 37.1% (542 of 1462) were Black with an age of 57.6±12.9 (mean±SD) years. MACEs at 30 days occurred in 14.4% (210 of 1462) of participants. Initial hs-cTnT measures below the LOQ occurred in 32.8% (479 of 1462), yielding an NPV of 98.3% (95% CI, 96.7–99.3) for 30-day MACEs. A low-risk HEART score with an initial hs-cTnT below the LOQ occurred in 20.1% (294 of 1462), yielding an NPV of 99.0% (95% CI, 97.0–99.8) for 30-day MACEs. A 0/1-h algorithm was complete in 1430 patients, ruling out 57.8% (826 of 1430) with an NPV of 97.2% (95% CI, 95.9–98.2) for 30-day MACEs. Adding a low HEART score to the 0/1-h algorithm ruled out 30.8% (441 of 1430) with an NPV of 98.4% (95% CI, 96.8–99.4) for 30-day MACEs.

Conclusions:

In a prospective multisite US cohort, an initial hs-cTnT below the LOQ combined with a low-risk HEART score has a 99% NPV for 30-day MACEs. The 0/1-h hs-cTnT algorithm did not achieve an NPV >99% for 30-day MACEs when used alone or with a HEART score.

Registration:

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT02984436.
Maximizing Drift Is Not Optimal for Solving OneMax
Authors: Buskulic Nathan , Doerr Carola
Published: January 2021

It seems very intuitive that for the maximization of the OneMax problem Om(x):=∑i=1nxi the best that an elitist unary unbiased search algorithm can do is to store a best so far solution, and to modify it with the operator that yields the best possible expected progress in function value. This assumption has been implicitly used in several empirical works. In Doerr et al. (2020), it was formally proven that this approach is indeed almost optimal. In this work, we prove that drift maximization is not optimal. More precisely, we show that for most fitness levels between n/2 and 2n/3 the optimal mutation strengths are larger than the drift-maximizing ones. This implies that the optimal RLS is more risk-affine than the variant maximizing the stepwise expected progress. We show similar results for the mutation rates of the classic (1+1) Evolutionary Algorithm (EA) and its resampling variant, the (1+1) EA>0. As a result of independent interest we show that the optimal mutation strengths, unlike the drift-maximizing ones, can be even.
Rule Perseveration during Task-Switching in Brain Tumor: A Severe Form of Task-Setting Impairment
Authors: Arbula Sandra , Della Puppa Alessandro , De Pellegrin Serena , Denaro Luca , D'Avella Domenico , Semenza Carlo , Corbetta Maurizio , Vallesi Antonino
Published: January 2021

It has been proposed that at least two distinct processes are engaged during task-switching: reconfiguration of the currently relevant task-set and interference resolution arising from the competing task-set. Whereas in healthy individuals the two are difficult to disentangle, their disruption is thought to cause different impairments in brain-damaged patients. Yet, the observed deficits are inconsistent across studies and do not allow drawing conclusions regarding their independence. Forty-one brain tumor patients were tested on a task-switching paradigm. We compared their performance between switch and repeat trials (switch cost) to assess rule reconfiguration, and between trials requiring the same response (congruent) and a different response for the two tasks (incongruent) to assess interference control. In line with previous studies, we found the greatest proportion of errors on incongruent trials, suggesting an interference control impairment. However, a closer look at the distribution of errors between two task rules revealed a rule perseveration impairment: Patients with high error rate on incongruent trials often applied only one task rule throughout the task and less frequently switched to the alternative one. Multivariate lesion-symptom mapping analysis unveiled the relationship between lesions localized in left orbitofrontal and posterior subcortical regions and perseveration scores, measured as absolute difference in accuracy between two task rules. This finding points to a more severe task-setting impairment, not reflected as a mere switching deficit, but instead as a difficulty in creating multiple stable task representations, in line with recent accounts of OFC functions suggesting its critical role in representing task states.
Jameson on Allegory: Notes from the Periphery
Authors: Cevasco Maria Elisa
Published: January 2021

This piece makes a comment on the usefulness of allegory as a mode of reading, by way of an examination of the representation of nationalism in Jameson and in Antonio Candido.
Introduction to the Italian translation of Fredric Jameson’s Marxism and Form
Authors: Fortini Franco , Alberto Toscano
Published: January 2021

This text is essayist, critic and poet Franco Fortini’s introduction to the Italian translation of Fredric Jameson’s Marxism and Form. Fortini frames his assessment of Jameson in terms of a contrast with the Italian reception of the dialectical criticism assayed in Marxism and Form.
Philosophy, Religion, and Heterodoxy in the Philosophy of Henry More, Ralph Cudworth, and Anne Conway
Authors: Hutton Sarah
Published: January 2021

Philosophers who hold the compatibility of reason and faith, are vulnerable to the charge of opening the way to atheism and heterodoxy. This danger was particularly acute when, in the wake of Cartesianism, the philosophy of Spinoza and Hobbes necessitated a resetting of the relationship of philosophy with religion. My paper discusses three English philosophers who illustrate the difficulties for the philosophical defence for religion: Henry More, Ralph Cudworth, and Anne Conway, for all of whom philosophical and religious truth were deeply intertwined. But each of them also subscribed to heterodox religious beliefs. This raises questions of whether there is a direct the relationship between their philosophy and religious heterodoxy—whether they exemplify the charge that philosophy undermines religion, or indeed whether their defence of religion was a cover for heterodoxy.
Analyticity and modulation
Authors: Pistoia-Reda Salvatore , Sauerland Uli
Published: January 2021

Acceptable analyticities, i.e. contradictions or tautologies, constitute problematic evidence for the idea that language includes a deductive system. In recent discussion, two accounts have been presented in the literature to explain the available evidence. According to one of the accounts, grammatical analyticities are accessible to the system but a pragmatic strengthening repair mechanism can apply and prevent the structures from being actually interpreted as contradictions or tautologies. The proposed data, however, leaves it open whether other versions of the meaning modulation operation are required. Novel evidence we present argues that a loosening version of the repair mechanism must be available. Our observation concerns acceptable lexical contradictions that cannot be rescued if only a strengthening version of the pragmatic strategy is available.
Taxonomic review of the expanded Plocama (Rubiaceae, Putorieae) from flora of Iran, with a new species and a new combination

Authors: BORDBAR FIROUZEH , MIRTADZADINI MANSOUR
Published: January 2021

Plocama ehrendorferi is described as a new species from southeast of Iran that can be easily distinguished from the related species P. bruguieri and P. kandaharensis by its compact leaves on the stem and shorter internodes, the bright green color of the plant, shorter and narrower leaf segments and the length of corolla. This study provides new information on the taxonomic state and geographical distribution of Plocama species from the flora of Iran. It is concluded that P. macrantha has been reported wrongly from Iran such that the reports of P. kandaharensis and P. olivieri cannot be confirmed.
A novel addition to the Pezizellaceae (Rhytismatales, Ascomycota)

Authors: KARUNARATHNA ANURUDDHA , DZIAŁAK PAWEŁ , JAYAWARDENA RUVISHIKA S. , KARUNARATHNA SAMANTHA CHANDRANATH , KUO CHANG-HSIN , SUWANNARACH NAKARIN , TIBPROMMA SAOWALUCK , LUMYONG SAISAMORN
Published: January 2021

In previous studies Apiculospora was introduced in Leotiomycetes genera incertae sedis. With our phylogenetic analyses based on large subunit rDNA (LSU) and internal transcribed spacer (ITS1, 5.8S, ITS2), we transfer Apiculospora to Pezizellaceae (Rhytismatales). We introduce Apiculospora penniseti from Pennisetum purpureum. Apiculospora penniseti differs from the closely related A. spartii by the presence of clear apiculi at both apices of the smooth-walled ascospores. Apiculospora penniseti is phylogenetically distinct from A. spartii with moderate support and high BYPP support (69 RAxML/0.97 BYPP). Herein, we discuss the taxonomy and phylogeny of A. penniseti.
A new genus and species of mud snake from Myanmar (Reptilia, Squamata, Homalopsidae)
Authors: KÖHLER GUNTHER , KHAING KHIN PA PA , THAN NI LAR , BARANSKI DAMIAN , SCHELL TILMAN , GREVE CAROLA , JANKE AXEL , PAULS STEFFEN U.
Published: January 2021

Based on two male and two female individuals, we describe a new genus and species of mud snake, Myanophis thanlyinensis gen. nov., sp. nov., from the vicinity of the campus of East Yangon University, Yangon, Thanlyin, Myanmar. This species differs from every other homalopsid species by the following combination of characters: (1) dorsal scales smooth, row formula 21–21–19 or 21–21–17; (2) tail short, ratio tail length/SVL 0.185–0.204 in males, 0.160–0.167 in females; (3) nasal scales separated; (4) 125–126 ventral scales in males, 120–122 in females; (5) 38–39 subcaudal scales in males, 32–34 in females; and (6) hemipenis bilobed. Its matrilineal genealogy (based on analyses of 16S and cytochrome b sequences), associates Myanophis thanlyinensis gen. nov., sp. nov. most closely with species of the genera Myrrophis and Gyiophis. The new taxon differs from the species of Myrrophis and Gyiophis by having a bilobed hemipenis (vs. unilobed). Myanophis thanlyinensis gen. nov., sp. nov. differs further from the species of Myrrophis by having 125–126 ventral scales in males and 120–122 in females (vs. 137–162 and 137–164, respectively), and 38–39 subcaudal scales in males and 32–34 in females (vs. 39–55 and 37–52, respectively). Myanophis thanlyinensis gen. nov., sp. nov. differs further from the species of Gyiophis by lacking dark blotches along flank (vs. present), and by having 21 dorsal scales rows at midbody (vs. 25). We provide an identification key to the homalopsid species known to occur in Myanmar. As a novelty to the classic holotype description and characterization, the individual has been genome sequenced by Illumina short-read technology and its genome has been assembled into a draft nuclear genome and a complete, annotated mitochondrial genome. This innovative approach comprehensively and permanently characterizes the genomic variation of the holotype.
Revision of the diagnostic characters of two morphologically similar snook species, Centropomus viridis and C. nigrescens (Carangiformes: Centropomidae)
Authors: MARTÍNEZ-BROWN JUAN MANUEL , NAVARRO-FLORES JAIME , GARCÍA-RODRÍGUEZ FRANCISCO JAVIER , IBARRA-CASTRO LEONARDO , VARGAS-PERALTA CARMEN ELVIRA , RÍO-PORTILLA MIGUEL ÁNGEL DEL , MARTÍNEZ-MORENO RODRIGO
Published: January 2021

Historically, the taxonomic identification of the two snook species, Centropomus viridis and C. nigrescens, has been challenging due to their morphological similarity and the inconsistency of the characters used for diagnosis. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of the morphologic, meristic, and morphometric characters currently being used to identify C. viridis and C. nigrescens, based on molecular data. The results showed that the gas-bladder shape (i.e., C. viridis with diverticula and C. nigrescens without diverticula) was the only morphological character univocally related to genetic identification. Likewise, geometric morphometrics separated two groups; each corresponds to only one of two genetically (and gas bladder shape) identified species. Of all the meristic characters examined, only the second dorsal fin ray count (nine for C. viridis and ten for C. nigrescens) was related to the gas bladder shape and genetic identity; therefore, it is the only external character with a diagnostic utility to separate each species.
A new species of Naultinus from the Te Paki area, northern New Zealand
Authors: HITCHMOUGH RODNEY A. , NIELSEN STUART V. , LYSAGHT JUDITH A. , BAUER AARON M.
Published: January 2021

We describe a new species of the New Zealand diplodactylid gecko genus Naultinus. Molecular phylogenetics and distinctive morphological features support taxonomic separation of the populations on the northern half of Aupori Peninsula in the far north of the North Island as a new species, Naultinus flavirictus sp. nov. The specific epithet refers to the diagnostic yellow colour at the corners of the mouth. We discuss the conservation status of and threats to this novel taxon and to Te Paki, Northland—the unique area of New Zealand where it is found. We further discuss the distribution and possible function of bright mouth colour within Naultinus.
Two new species and new records of Neotropical Culicoides Latreille (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)
Authors: SPINELLI GUSTAVO R. , RONDEROS MARIA M. , DÍAZ FLORENTINA
Published: January 2021

The following two new species of biting midges of Culicoides Latreille are described and photographed: Culicoides carbonelli Spinelli & Martínez from Uruguay, and C. dellapei Spinelli, Ronderos & Díaz from Argentina. Culicoides crucifer Clastrier, 1968 and C. hoffmani Fox, 1946 are diagnosed and newly recorded from Argentina, and the studied specimens are photographed.
Price Effects of Common Ownership in the Seed Sector
Authors: Torshizi Mohammad , Clapp Jennifer
Published: January 2021

We investigate the effects of common ownership on firms’ incentives to compete. Using a theoretical model, we illustrate how common ownership changes the nature of competition among firms in the same sector. Our empirical analysis examines these dynamics in the U.S. seed industry and shows that the rise of common ownership concentration is a significant contributor to increase in soy, corn, and cotton seed prices over the 1997–2017 period. These findings contribute to the current literature regarding the anticompetitive effects of common ownership and confirm the result of studies performed in other sectors, such as airlines.
How Social Inequalities Shape Markets: Lessons From the Configuration of PET Recycling Practices in Brazil
Authors: Candido Silvio Eduardo Alvarez , Sacomano Neto Mário , Côrtes Mauro Rocha
Published: January 2021

The article addresses how societal inequalities shape market arrangements. While business scholars developed important work about the interplay of organizations and societal economic inequalities, less has been said about the embeddedness of markets in unequal social structures. We argue that this issue may be addressed by cross-fertilizing the sociological approach of Bourdieu and the Strategic Action Fields perspective. To demonstrate our view, we assessed the extreme case of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recycling markets in Brazil, conducting a qualitative study based on the precepts of abductive analysis and using data from different secondary sources, interviews, and participant observation. We verified the existence of correspondences between the power of strategic action fields and the positions the individuals controlling them occupy in what Bourdieu calls the social space and show how these differences enable inter field connections that tend to reproduce social hierarchies.
The interplay of female empowerment and subjective beliefs about women in 51 countries
Authors: Roberts Anthony , Kwon Ronald
Published: January 2021

The durability of gender inequality in contemporary societies raises questions about the development and diffusion of inegalitarian beliefs about the roles of men and women in politics and economics. Recent comparative research suggests the empowerment of women in politics is important for promoting egalitarian beliefs about women in authoritative political roles. This study extends on this perspective by examining how female empowerment in politics and economics interplays with beliefs about the relative competency of women in these institutions. We argue the empowerment of women in politics and economics is important for reducing inegalitarian beliefs about women in these institutions, but the prevalence of these beliefs hinders female empowerment in these institutions. We test these arguments using data on 86,324 respondents in 51 countries from the fifth and sixth waves of the World Value Survey. Estimates from hierarchal linear models show individuals possess more egalitarian beliefs about women in countries with greater female empowerment in politics and economics and this effect is amplified among male respondents. In addition, estimates from seemingly unrelated regression models show the prevalence of inegalitarian gender beliefs among both men and women is associated with lower levels of female empowerment. However, the prevalence of these beliefs among male respondents exerts the greatest effect on female empowerment in politics and economics. Overall, this study shows gender beliefs and the empowerment of women in politics and economics act as mutually constitutive forces of gender inequality and ideologies in contemporary society.
The construction of the “quaternity” mode of professional connotation construction in higher vocational colleges
Authors: Tang Dongsheng , Yang Qiongyu , Kang Lingyan
Published: January 2021

In order to adapt to the development of society and cultivate suitable talents, the department of Finance and economics of Chongqing City Management College has put forward the idea of “controlling the scale, strengthening the connotation and expanding the denotation”, and actively carried out educational reform and innovation; strengthen the construction of professional connotation. Through the formation of teams, investigation, implementation of research, It has formed the “Quaternity” mode of professional connotation construction with “curriculum construction as the core, school-enterprise cooperation as the platform, themed activities as the carrier and team building as the guarantee”. Through practice, It has greatly improved the social service ability and social influence of the major, the comprehensive quality and employment rate for the students, and the overall quality of the teaching staff. It is fully proved that this mode is an effective professional connotation construction mode.
Computational modeling of carbon nanofibers reinforced composites: A comparative study
Authors: Bian Pei-Liang , Qing Hai
Published: January 2021

The carbon nanotubes/nanofibers reinforced composites (CNRC) show great mechanical properties. There are several methods to simulate the mechanical properties of composites. Among the modeling techniques, embedded region (ER) shows the possibility for direct multi-scale simulation. A comparative study among beam element embedded model, solid element embedded model, as well as common solid element model is carried out. Programs developed in Matlab are utilized to generate geometric configurations, and finite element models are obtained from MSC.Patran with a script written in the Patran command language (PCL). Besides, a set of parametric studies are performed to investigate the influence of the aspect ratios of nanofibers and load cases on the mechanical properties of CNRC. The result shows that the ER technique is reliable to represent composites though neglecting the localized stress concentration, and beam element embedded models are trustworthy only for nanofibers with a large aspect ratio.
γδT Cells Are Essential for Orthodontic Tooth Movement
Authors: Wald S. , Leibowitz A. , Aizenbud Y. , Saba Y. , Zubeidat K. , Barel O. , Koren N. , Heyman O. , Wilharm A. , Sandrock I. , Fleissig O. , Tal Y. , Prinz I. , Aizenbud D. , Chaushu S. , Hovav A.H.
Published: January 2021

Sustained mechanical forces applied to tissue are known to shape local immunity. In the oral mucosa, mechanical stress, either naturally induced by masticatory forces or externally via mechanical loading during orthodontic tooth movement (OTM), is translated, in part, by T cells to alveolar bone resorption. Nevertheless, despite being considered critical for OTM, depletion of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells is reported to have no impact on tooth movement, thus questioning the function of αβT cells in OTM-associated bone resorption. To further address the role of T cells in OTM, we first characterized the leukocytes residing in the periodontal ligament (PDL), the tissue of interest during OTM, and compared it to the neighboring gingiva. Unlike the gingiva, monocytes and neutrophils represent the major leukocytes of the PDL. These myeloid cells were also the main leukocytes in the PDL of germ-free mice, although at lower levels than SPF mice. T lymphocytes were more enriched in the gingiva than the PDL, yet in both tissues, the relative fraction of the γδT cells was higher than the αβ T cells. We thus sought to examine the role of γδT cells in OTM. γδT cells residing in the PDL were mainly Vγ6+ and produced interleukin (IL)–17A but not interferon-γ. Using Tcrd-GDL mice allowing conditional ablation of γδT cells in vivo, we demonstrate that OTM was greatly diminished in the absence of γδT cells. Further analysis revealed that ablation of γδT cells decreased early IL-17A expression, monocyte and neutrophil recruitment, and the expression of the osteoclastogenic molecule receptor activator of nuclear factor–κβ ligand. This, eventually, resulted in reduced numbers of osteoclasts in the pressure site during OTM. Collectively, our data suggest that γδT cells are essential in OTM for translating orthodontic mechanical forces to bone resorption, required for relocating the tooth in the alveolar bone.
Harnessing Dental Stem Cell Immunoregulation Using Cell-Laden Biomaterials
Authors: Pouraghaei Sevari S. , Ansari S. , Chen C. , Moshaverinia A.
Published: January 2021

Successful tissue engineering therapies rely on the appropriate selection of the cell source, biomaterial, and regulatory factors. To be applied in a wide range of clinical applications, the ideal cell source needs to be easily accessible and abundant. Human orofacial tissues and teeth harbor several populations of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with self-renewal and multilineage differentiation capabilities. The ease of access, relative abundance, and minimally invasive isolation procedures needed to harvest most types of the dental-derived MSCs render them a promising cell source for tissue engineering applications. A growing body of evidence has reported the profound immunoregulatory potential of dental-derived MSCs as compared with their bone marrow counterparts. Biomaterials can act as a physical barrier protecting the MSCs from the invasion of the immune system by hindering penetration of proinflammatory cells/cytokines, leading to higher viability of the encapsulated MSCs and improved tissue regeneration. Besides their protective capabilities, biomaterials can actively contribute to the immunoregulatory potential of the MSCs through their physical and chemical properties, including porosity and elasticity. However, despite recent advancement, the therapeutic capability of biomaterials to regulate the MSC–host immune system crosstalk and the mechanism underlying this immunoregulation has been poorly understood. It has been reported that biomaterials can regulate the viability and determine the fate of the encapsulated MSCs through modulation of the NF-kB pathway and the caspase-3 and caspase-8 proapoptotic cascades. Additionally, the physiomechanical properties of the encapsulating biomaterial have been shown to modulate clustering of TNF-α receptors on the encapsulated MSCs while regulating the production of anti-inflammatory factors such as indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) through activation of the P38 MAPK pathway. In the current review, we sought to provide a thorough overview of the immunomodulatory functions of dental-derived MSCs and the role of biomaterials in their interplay with the host immune system.
Changes in Mental Health and Treatment, 1997–2017
Authors: Johnson Amy L.
Published: January 2021

Mental health outcomes have shown dramatic changes over the past half-century, yet these trends are still underexplored. I utilize an age-period-cohort analysis of the National Health Interview Survey from 1997 to 2017 (N = 627,058) to disentangle trends in mental health outcomes in the United States over time. Specifically, I leverage the contrast between reported psychological distress and rates of mental health treatment to isolate which has changed, how, and for whom. There is little evidence that psychological distress is worsening over time. Yet, treatment seeking has increased over the past 20 years. The increase in treatment seeking is best modeled as a period effect, providing initial evidence that the historical context has influenced responses to mental health over time for Americans of all ages and birth cohorts. I conclude with potential mechanisms and implications for future mental health research.
Educator Perspectives on Data-Based Decision Making in Germany and the United States
Authors: Blumenthal Stefan , Blumenthal Yvonne , Lembke Erica S. , Powell Sarah R. , Schultze-Petzold Patricia , Thomas Elizabeth R.
Published: January 2021

The purpose of this explorative study was to examine the use and understanding of key components of data-based decision making by educators in two countries—Germany and the United States. Educators responded to a survey that asked about data use and characteristics related to data-based decision making (DBDM). Results suggest educators in both countries are focused on using data to monitor progress, although less so in Germany. Educators in both countries noted similar understanding of important features (e.g., psychometric properties) of data. Educators in the United States reported they used data for decision making at the classroom level almost twice as often as their counterparts in Germany, while German educators focused on decision making at the student level. These findings will influence future research, including joint studies that could use the best practices of both countries, and professional learning opportunities for educators in Germany and the United States.
Testing Theories of Goal Progress in Online Learning
Authors: Lu Joy , Bradlow Eric T. , Hutchinson J. Wesley
Published: January 2021

Online educational platforms increasingly allow learners to consume content at their own pace with on-demand formats, in contrast to the synchronous content of traditional education. Thus, it is important to understand and model learner engagement within these environments. Using data from four business courses hosted on Coursera, the authors model learner behavior as a two-stage decision process, with the first stage determining across-day continuation (vs. quitting) and the second stage determining within-day choices among lectures, quizzes, and breaks. By modeling the heterogeneity across learners pursuing lecture and quiz completion goals, the authors capture different patterns of consumption that correspond to extant theories of goal progress within an empirical field setting. They find that most individuals exhibit a learning style whereby lecture utility changes as an inverted U-shaped function of current progress. This model may also be used as an early detection system to anticipate changes in engagement, and it enables the authors to relate learning styles to final performance outcomes and enrollment in additional courses. Finally, the authors examine how quiz-taking varies across learners in different courses and between those who have paid versus not paid for the option to earn a course certificate.
Ritualistic Consumption Decreases Loneliness by Increasing Meaning
Authors: Wang Xuehua , Sun Yixia , Kramer Thomas
Published: January 2021

Despite the prevalence of both chronic and transient loneliness and the detrimental consequences associated with them, as a negatively valenced response to social exclusion, loneliness has received surprisingly little attention in the marketing literature. Drawing on research showing that lonely people often lack meaning in their life, the authors propose that ritualistic behavior that involves consumer products may reduce loneliness by increasing meaning in life. Specifically, a series of studies finds that engaging in even minimal, unfamiliar rituals reduces loneliness among lonely consumers. The results support the important role of meaningfulness. The authors find that the effect of rituals on loneliness is mediated by meaning in life via perceived product meaningfulness. They also find that ritualistic behavior no longer affects loneliness when the experience of meaningfulness can be derived incidentally.
The Role of Self-Interest in Deliberation: A Theory of Deliberative Capital
Authors: Afsahi Afsoun
Published: January 2021

How do successful deliberations unfold? What happens when they unravel? In this article, I propose that we think of the dynamics of participant engagement within deliberation as series of self-interested and reciprocal investments in and divestments from deliberative capital. This article has three parts. First, I draw on the literatures on deliberative democracy and social capital to outline a theory of deliberative capital. I highlight the important role self-interest plays in the process of those initial investments – instances of engagement in positive deliberative behaviours. Second, drawing from my experience as a facilitator, I give an account of the particular indicators of investments and divestments that we might expect to see in a given deliberative engagement. Third, I briefly outline two innovative facilitation techniques that can be utilized at the beginning or during a deliberative process that trigger self-interest, which incentivizes investments and discourages divestments.
Computer-Assisted Pronunciation Training (CAPT): Current Issues and Future Directions
Authors: Rogerson-Revell Pamela M
Published: January 2021

This viewpoint essay considers the current status of computer-assisted pronunciation training (CAPT) before examining some of the current issues and future directions in the field. The underlying premise is the pedagogic potential of CAPT systems and resources for teaching and learning, and the need for greater synergy between technological design and functionality on the one hand, and pedagogic purpose on the other. Some of the key issues examined include providing accurate and individualised automated feedback for pronunciation, for both learning and assessment, and evaluating the effectiveness of CAPT tools and systems. When considering future directions, the discussion focuses on what aspects of pedagogy are likely to be at the forefront of developments, including ubiquitous learning; intelligent tutoring and authentic interaction; and goal-oriented, task-based learning.
Viewing the impact of Covid-19 through the eyes of retired clergy
Authors: Francis Leslie J. , Village Andrew
Published: January 2021

Although largely invisible in the ministry statistics published by the Church of England, ministry-active retired clergy continue to make an effective contribution to liturgical and pastoral provision. The present study compares the responses of 231 ministry-active retired clergy with the responses of 748 full-time stipendiary clergy to the Coronavirus, Church & You Survey, to test the contrasting theses that retired clergy may be seen either as a helpful repository of wisdom or as unhelpfully out of date. The data suggest that retired clergy espoused the trajectory to the digital age with as much enthusiasm as stipendiary clergy. At the same time, however, retired clergy clung more keenly than stipendiary clergy to an Anglican model of ministry that valued both local place and sacred space.
Early Career African American Teachers and the Impact of Administrative Support
Authors: Hopper Eugenia B. , Robinson Derrick , Fitchett Paul
Published: January 2021

This study examined the mobility trends of African American public-school teachers. Guided by the integration of critical race theory and organization theory, this study used longitudinal data from the National Center for Education Statistics to explore how race and organizational climate predict African American teacher mobility. Using a quantitative descriptive study with logistic regression to determine which characteristics impact African American early career teachers’ decision to stay in the profession, findings suggest alarming trends in African American teacher mobility and opportunities for school leadership to have a greater role in retaining African American early career teachers.
Differential hydrocarbon enrichment in deep Paleogene tight sandstones of the Dongpu Depression in Eastern China
Authors: Zhang Yuanyuan , Ren Zhanli , Jiang Youlu , Liu Jingdong
Published: January 2021

To clarify the characteristics and enrichment rules of Paleogene tight sandstone reservoirs inside the rifted-basin of Eastern China, the third member of Shahejie Formation (abbreviated as Es3) in Wendong area of Dongpu Depression is selected as the research object. It not only clarified the geochemical characteristics of oil and natural gas in the Es3 of Wendong area through testing and analysis of crude oil biomarkers, natural gas components and carbon isotopes, etc.; but also compared and explained the types and geneses of oil and gas reservoirs in slope zone and sub-sag zone by matching relationship between the porosity evolution of tight reservoirs and the charging process of hydrocarbons. Significant differences have been found between the properties and the enrichment rules of hydrocarbon reservoirs in different structural areas in Wendong area. The study shows that the Paleogene hydrocarbon resources are quasi-continuous distribution in Wendong area. The late kerogen pyrolysis gas, light crude oil, medium crude oil, oil-cracked gas and the early kerogen pyrolysis gas are distributed in a semicircle successively, from the center of sub-sag zone to the uplift belt, that is the result of two discontinuous hydrocarbon charging. Among them, the slope zone is dominated by early conventional filling of oil-gas mixture (at the late deposition period of Dongying Formation, about 31–27 Ma ago), while the reservoirs are gradually densified in the late stage without large-scale hydrocarbon charging (since the deposition stage of Minghuazhen Formation, about 6–0 Ma). In contrast, the sub-sag zone is lack of oil reservoirs, but a lot of late kerogen pyrolysis gas reservoirs are enriched, and the reservoir densification and hydrocarbon filling occur in both early and late stages.
A fistulating oropharyngeal lesion
Authors: Heyes Richard , Tomblinson Courtney M , Lott David G
Published: January 2021

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a unifying term for a spectrum of lymphoid expansion entities brought about by immunosuppression. It can present throughout the head and neck, and tonsillar involvement is not limited to children. We report the case of a 67-year-old woman who developed odynophagia associated with putrid halitosis 4 months after she had undergone renal transplantation. Direct visualization of the oropharynx revealed multiple sites of severe ulceration and erythema, with erosion of both the anterior and posterior right tonsillar pillars and a necrotic ulceration fistulating deeply. Biopsy analysis led to a diagnosis of PTLD. The patient underwent rituximab monotherapy and responded well. However, after the cessation of therapy, she experienced a recurrence that necessitated chemotherapy, which resulted in a lasting remission. At follow-up 5 years later, she remained PTLD-free with stable stage 4 chronic kidney disease.
The Creation of an Experimental Data Set Containing Coronal Section Images of a Human Head
Authors: Chen Xiang-Dong , Ma Qiong-Jie , Wang Jun , Zhou Yong-Sheng , Geng Man-Ying , Gao Chun-Sheng , Gao Pan , Li Yan
Published: January 2021

Objectives:

The aim of the research is to create an experimental data set of coronal section images of a human head.

Methods:

The head of a 49-year-old male cadaver was scanned by computed tomography (CT), then perfused with a green filling material via the bilateral common carotid artery, before being frozen and embedded. The head was sectioned along the coronal plane by a computer-controlled 5520 engraving and milling machine, capable of either 0.03-mm or 0.06-mm interspacing. All images were captured with a Canon 5D-Mk III digital camera.

Results:

A total of 3854 section images were obtained, each with a resolution of 5760 × 3840 pixels. The number of section images at 0.03- and 0.06-mm interspacing were 1437 and 2417, respectively. All the images were stored in JPG and RAW formats. The image size of each RAW format was about 24.5 MB, whereas for JPG format, the equivalent size was about 5.9 MB. All the RAW and JPG images together occupied 117.35 GB of disk space.

Conclusions:

The interspacing of this data set section was thinner than those of any comparable studies, and the image resolution was higher, too. This data set was also the first to take coronal sections of the human head. The data set contains image information from the smallest structures within the human head and can satisfy the needs of future developments and applications, such as the virtual operation training systems for otolaryngology, ophthalmology, stomatology, and neurosurgery, and help develop medical teaching software and maps.
Ecosystem Legitimacy Emergence: A Collective Action View
Authors: Thomas Llewellyn D. W. , Ritala Paavo
Published: January 2021

Ecosystems—communities of interdependent yet hierarchically independent heterogeneous participants who collectively generate an ecosystem value proposition—often emerge through collective action, where ecosystem participants interact with each other and the external environment. When such organizational forms are emerging, they require legitimacy to overcome the “liability of newness.” Adopting a collective action lens and taking a legitimacy-as-process approach, we propose a process model of ecosystem collective action, where an orchestrator, complementors, users, and external actors together drive ecosystem legitimacy. We identify three key legitimation processes—discursive legitimation, performative legitimation, and ecosystem identity construction—and demonstrate how these three processes together facilitate the emergence of ecosystem legitimacy and reduce the liability of newness of emerging ecosystems.
Watered Down: Market Growth, Authenticity, and Evaluation in Craft Beer
Authors: Pozner Jo-Ellen , DeSoucey Michaela , Verhaal J. Cameron , Sikavica Katarina
Published: January 2021

Research in organizational theory suggests that category-spanning organizations typically suffer penalties in evaluations, as consumers downgrade producers they see as violating authenticity norms. We challenge this view by linking two heretofore separate insights: first, that categorical boundaries erode as categories become taken for granted and, second, that consumers in a given category tend to become more heterogeneous as their numbers increase. We argue that newer consumers employ diverse evaluative schemata and rely less on established conceptions of authenticity than do veterans, leading to more generous evaluations as the ranks of consumers grow. Using the canonical case of craft beer, we test the effect of audience growth on consumer evaluations, particularly when producers violate categorical authenticity norms. Our analysis of an original dataset of more than 1.2 million unique ratings of craft beers from a popular online forum finds both that overall beer ratings increase and that penalties to authenticity norm violations attenuate as the number of new reviewers participating in the evaluative process rises. These results refine our understanding of shifting demands for categorical purity, conceptions of authenticity, and consumer evaluations as functions of market growth.
Negotiating versatility and specialisation: On music teachers’ identification with subject positions in Norwegian municipal schools of music and performing arts
Authors: Jordhus-Lier Anne
Published: January 2021

The Norwegian municipal school of music and performing arts has diverse tasks it must manage; the school not only intends to offer its students opportunities to specialise, but it also aims to facilitate social inclusion and be a school ‘for everyone’. Handling these two seemingly opposing tasks requires a great deal from its staff. This article explores how music teachers negotiate versatility and specialisation through identifying with professional subject positions. Based on 16 teacher interviews and document analyses, the study finds six analytically subject positions for teachers to identify with. Most of the teachers identify with several subject positions, either at the same time or interchangeably, based on the situation. Together, these subject positions shape their professional identities. This has implications for the institution’s management of its competencies. While being a school ‘for everyone’ is a widely shared commitment, this does not necessarily require versatility from each of its teachers, as long as the school can become a versatile institution through assembling teachers with different specialised competences. This in turn would entail the future music teacher education to be broad-based with possibilities of specialisation, which could lay the groundwork for teachers’ flexibility and their ability to further develop their competence after graduation.
Improvement of thermal conductivity of rigid polyurethane foams with aluminum nitride filler
Authors: Akkoyun Serife , Akkoyun Meral
Published: January 2021

The aim of this work is the fabrication of electrically insulating composite rigid polyurethane foams with improved thermal conductivity. Therefore, this study is focused on the effect of aluminum nitride (AlN) on the thermal and electrical conductivities of rigid polyurethane foams. For this purpose, aluminum nitride/rigid polyurethane composite foams were prepared using a three-step procedure. The electrical and thermal conductivities of the foams were characterized. The thermal transitions, mechanical properties and morphology of the foams were also examined. The results reveal that AlN induces an increase of the thermal conductivity of rigid polyurethane foam of 24% which seems to be a relatively noticeable increase in polymeric foams. The low electrical conductivity of the foams is preserved.
Representation of climate change consequences in British newspapers
Authors: Ruiu Maria Laura
Published: January 2021

This article explores British newspaper descriptions of the impact of climate change across three time periods. It shows a reduction in representing the consequences of climate change as ‘out of human control’. It also shows a decrease in adopting alarming and uncertain descriptions within the centre-left group, whereas mocking the effects of climate change is a peculiarity of right-leaning narratives. The complexity of climate narratives produces a variety of representations of the consequences of climate change, which in turn might increase ‘uncertainty’ in public understanding of climate change.
The monetary valuation of informal care to cancer decedents at end-of-life: Evidence from a national census survey
Authors: Urwin Sean , Van den Berg Bernard , Lau Yiu-Shing , Rowland Christine , Hanratty Barbara , Grande Gunn
Published: January 2021

Background:

Carers’ end-of-life caregiving greatly benefits society but little is known about the monetary value of this care.

Aim:

Within an end-of-life cancer setting: (1) to assess the feasibility and content validity of a post-bereavement measure of hours of care; and (2) to obtain a monetary value of this informal care and identify variation in this value among sub-groups.

Design and setting:

A census based cross-sectional survey of all cancer deaths from a 2-week period in England collected detailed data on caregiving activity (10 caregiving tasks and the time spent on each). We descriptively analyse the information carers provided in ‘other’ tasks to inform content validity. We assigned a monetary value of caregiving via the proxy good method and examined variation in the value via regression analysis.

Results:

The majority of carers (89.9%) were able to complete the detailed questions about hours and tasks. Only 153 carers reported engaging in ‘other’ tasks. The monetary value of caregiving at end-of-life was £948.86 per week with social and emotional support and symptom management tasks representing the largest proportion of this monetary valuation. Time of recall did not substantially relate to variation in the monetary value, whereas there was a stronger association for the relationship between the carer and recipient, carer gender and recipient daily living restrictions.

Conclusion:

The monetary valuation we produce for carers’ work is substantial, for example the weekly UK Carers’ Allowance only amounts to 7% of our estimated value of £948.86 per week. Our research provides further information on subgroup variation, and a valid carer time instrument and method to inform economic evaluation and policy.