bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In Methanolic Solvent Synthesis of New MnII, CoII, NiII and CuII Schiff Base of Aromatic β Amino Acids: Spectroscopic, Thermal, Molecular Docking and Antimicrobial Studies
Authors: Al-Wasidi Asma S. , Al-Jafshar Nawal M. , Al-Anazi Amal M. , Refat Moamen S. , El-Metwaly Nashwa M. , Ibrahim H.K. , El-Fattah Wessam Abd , Naglah Ahmed M. , Al-Omar Mohamed A. , Kalmouch Atef
Published: August 2020

In this article, four new Schiff base complexes of Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes have been synthesized with two different compositions as [M(L)2Cl2] · nH2O and [M(L)2(H2O)2]Cl2 ·
nH2O [where L1 = benzoin-o-amino benzoic acid (aromatic β amino acid) and L2 = benzoin bromo-o-amino benzoic acid (aromatic β amino acid); M = MnII, CoII, NiII and CuII; n = 1, 2 and
4]. These Schiff base complexes were discussed by many tool of analyses like elemental analysis, magnetic susceptibility, molar conductance, mass spectra, infrared spectra "IR," proton nuclear magnetic resonance "1H-NMR," electronic spectral and thermogravimetric analysis (TG/DTG).
These complexes have an electrolytic nature within range of 78–174 Ω1 cm–1 mol –1 based on conductance measurements. Magnetic moment and electronic spectral results deduced that the geometry of Mn2+, Co2+ and Ni2+
and Cu2+ complexes has an octahedral configuration. The number of coordinated and uncoordinated water molecules for the synthesized complexes were calculated based on the thermal analysis technique. The kinetic thermodynamic data were estimated by using commonly integral equations
of Horowitz-Metzger (HM) and Coats-Redfern (CR). In vitro the antimicrobial activity of both free L1 and L2 ligands in comparable with their metal complexes were evaluated. This study was strengthen by molecular docking against three protein receptors, which attributing to selected
organisms already used in vitro study.
Decadal Variability in the North Pacific and North Atlantic under Global Warming: The Weakening Response and Its Mechanism
Authors: Wu Sheng , Liu Zheng-Yu
Published: August 2020

We investigate the response of decadal variability in the North Pacific and North Atlantic under global warming and its mechanism in this study. To do so, we use four models (BCC-CSM1–1, CCSM4, IPSL-CM5A-LR, and MPI-ESM-LR) that participated in phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5), focusing on three global warming scenarios (RCP2.6, RCP4.5, and RCP8.5). Our analysis shows that the intensified global warming leads to a decrease in amplitude of both the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO) and Atlantic multidecadal variability (AMV), resulting in reduced decadal variability of sea surface temperature (SST) in both the North Pacific and North Atlantic. In comparison, interannual variability is less impacted by global warming and has a tendency to increase, which leads to a shift of spectral power from decadal toward interannual variability. We then show the weakening decadal variability is caused partly by the weakened forcing of atmospheric heat flux variability, and partly by the increased SST damping rate. In addition, an enhanced upper-ocean stratification under global warming also contributes to the acceleration of Rossby waves, and a shift of decadal variability spectral power toward a shorter period.
A Technical Overview of the New York State Mesonet Standard Network
Authors: Brotzge Jerald A. , Wang J. , Thorncroft C. D. , Joseph E. , Bain N. , Bassill N. , Farruggio N. , Freedman J. M. , Hemker K. , Johnston D. , Kane E. , McKim S. , Miller S. D. , Minder J. R. , Naple P. , Perez S. , Schwab James J. , Schwab M. J. , Sicker J.
Published: August 2020

The New York State Mesonet (NYSM) is a network of 126 standard environmental monitoring stations deployed statewide with an average spacing of 27 km. The primary goal of the NYSM is to provide high-quality weather data at high spatial and temporal scales to improve atmospheric monitoring and prediction, especially for extreme weather events. As compared with other statewide networks, the NYSM faced considerable deployment obstacles with New York’s complex terrain, forests, and very rural and urban areas; its wide range of weather extremes; and its harsh winter conditions. To overcome these challenges, the NYSM adopted a number of innovations unique among statewide monitoring systems, including 1) strict adherence to international siting standards and metadata documentation; 2) a hardened system design to facilitate continued operations during extreme, high-impact weather; 3) a station design optimized to monitor winter weather conditions; and 4) a camera installed at every site to aid situational awareness. The network was completed in spring of 2018 and provides data and products to a variety of sectors including weather monitoring and forecasting, emergency management, agriculture, transportation, utilities, and education. This paper focuses on the standard network of the NYSM and reviews the network siting, site configuration, sensors, site communications and power, network operations and maintenance, data quality control, and dissemination. A few example analyses are shown that highlight the benefits of the NYSM.
Hepatitis C and Racial Disparity in Liver Transplant Waitlist Additions
Authors: Wang Chloe Q. , Buggs Jacentha , Rogers Ebonie , Boyd Ashley , Kumar Ambuj , Kemmer Nyingi
Published: August 2020

Background

In 2014, direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) became available for hepatitis C virus (HCV) with successful results. Since their implementation, the rate of HCV waitlist (WL) for liver transplantation (LT) has decreased, but significant ethnic disparities exist. We hypothesized that the rate of decline for HCV WL for LT is different across the various racial groups.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study using Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network data reports of adult LT candidates from 2014 to 2018.

Results

Overall, there was a decline in HCV WL rates for all ethnic groups (Caucasians, African Americans [AA], and Hispanics). However, the WL rates were significantly higher in AA compared with Caucasians each year, and this trend was continuous across the 5-year period. There were no differences in WL rates between Caucasians and Hispanics.

Discussion

The results show that health care disparities related to HCV disproportionately affect AA. The factors associated with this disparity need to be explored further to develop mechanisms to address these differences. By understanding the HCV treatment disparities across racial groups, modifications to HCV treatment nationwide can be adopted. Additional emphasis should be placed on AA to help reduce their WL rate, as well as redistributing resources to promote health care equity.
Otolaryngology Match 2020-21: Survey of Prospective Applicants in the Setting of COVID-19
Authors: Izreig Said , Torabi Sina J. , Kasle David A. , Rahmati Rahmatullah W. , Manes R. Peter
Published: August 2020

Objectives:

To capture the perspectives of candidates applying for otolaryngology residency positions in the 2020-21 cycle, in the context of disruption caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Subjects and methods:

Candidates planning to apply to the otolaryngology 2020-21 match were invited to complete a cross-sectional online survey. Distribution was via otomatch.com and word of mouth. Descriptive statistics were performed.

Results:

Of 85 eligible responses (estimated 18.9% of all applicants), many have had at least one board examination (71.8%) disrupted. A majority (85.9%) believe evaluation of candidates will change due to the pandemic, and 54.1% report they were now less confident in matching. Female applicants (37.6% of respondents) were found to have significantly higher odds of decreased confidence in matching (OR 2.781 [95% CI 1.045-7.4044]; P = .041). Many report a move to virtual interviews would increase the number of applications submitted (45.9%) and the number of interviews attended (77.6%). Some applicants (36.5%) did not believe residency programs would gather sufficient information about their candidacy to make an informed decision, and most (62.4%) did not believe that they would gather sufficient information to inform their own rank list.

Conclusions:

We find that candidates believe their candidacy will be assessed differently in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, are largely less confident in successfully matching, and are planning to apply and interview more broadly. These data are relevant to otolaryngology residency leadership to inform clear dialogue and a smooth transition into an unprecedented application cycle.
The Revolution in Antitrust: An Assessment
Authors: Carlton Dennis W. , Heyer Ken
Published: August 2020

In this essay, we evaluate the impact of the revolution that has occurred in antitrust and in particular the growing role played by economic analysis. Section II describes exactly what we think that revolution was. There were actually two revolutions. The first was the use by economists and other academics of existing economic insights together with the development of new economic insights to improve the understanding of the consequences of certain forms of market structure and firm behaviors. It also included the application of advanced empirical techniques to large data sets. The second was a revolution in legal jurisprudence, as both the federal competition agencies and the courts increasingly accepted and relied on the insights and evidence emanating from this economic research. Section III explains the impact of the revolution on economists, consulting firms, and research in the field of industrial organization. One question it addresses is why, if economics is being so widely employed and is so useful, one finds skilled economists so often in disagreement. Section IV asks whether the revolution has been successful or whether, as some critics claim, it has gone too far. Our view is that it has generally been beneficial though, as with most any policy, it can be improved. Section V discusses some of the hot issues in antitrust today and, in particular, what some of its critics say about the state of the revolution. The final section concludes with the hope that those wishing to turn back the clock to the antitrust and regulatory policies of fifty years ago more closely study that experience, otherwise they risk having its demonstrated deficiencies be repeated by throwing out the revolution’s baby with the bathwater.
CO-OP for Children with DCD: Goals Addressed and Strategies Used
Authors: Schwartz Sara P. , Northrup Sarah R. K. , Izadi-Najafabadi Sara , Zwicker Jill G.
Published: August 2020

Introduction.

Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that impacts motor coordination and interferes with participation in everyday activities. Cognitive Orientation to Occupational Performance (CO-OP) is a client-centered treatment approach that focuses on skill acquisition through cognitive strategy use.

Objectives.

To determine which types of goals a sample of children with DCD choose most frequently and which domain-specific strategies were most commonly used to address these goals.

Methods.

Retrospective chart review of 50 children (8–12 years) with DCD who completed CO-OP intervention was conducted to identify goal types and strategy use.

Results.

Leisure was the most common goal type. Supplementing task knowledge, body position, and task modification were the most frequently used strategies.

Conclusions.

Results confirm the types of goals that are commonly selected by children with DCD and highlight commonly used strategies used to meet these goals. Findings will help guide occupational therapists in selecting appropriate strategies to meet children’s goals.
The Role of Neighborhood Context in the Relationship between Parenting Effectiveness and Self-control
Authors: Stults Brian J. , Swagar Nic
Published: August 2020

A large body of work has examined the factors contributing to low self-control among adolescents, with a predominant focus on individual and family characteristics. More recently, a small body of research has examined whether neighborhood characteristics influence self-control, with many finding null effects. We extend this research by considering whether neighborhood characteristics have a moderating influence rather than a direct effect. We examine several neighborhood characteristics, including collective efficacy, delinquency rate, and moral cynicism, as well as distinctive components of parenting effectiveness, including warmth, lack of hostility, and supervision. We find that neighborhoods do influence levels of self-control among juveniles, but primarily by helping or hindering the efforts of effective parents to instill self-control in their children.
The Normative Route to a Sustainable Future: Examining Children’s Environmental Values, Identity and Personal Norms to Conserve Energy
Authors: Zeiske Nadja , Venhoeven Leonie , Steg Linda , van der Werff Ellen
Published: August 2020

Environmental problems could be reduced if individuals act pro-environmentally. Typically, studies have examined factors explaining pro-environmental behavior among adults, but not among children. As children are the future generations that must meet the targets set by the 2015 Paris climate agreement, it is important to understand which factors influence their engagement in pro-environmental behaviors, such as their energy saving behavior. In two correlational studies among primary and secondary school children ( nstudy1 = 69, nstudy2 = 958), we tested if normative considerations proposed by the Value-Identity-Personal Norm (VIP) model can explain children’s self-reported energy-saving behaviors. Our results revealed that in line with research among adults, children’s biospheric values were related to their energy-saving self-identity, in turn associated with their personal norms to save energy. Furthermore, we found partial support for the proposed relationship between the variables of the VIP model and a range of self-reported energy-saving behaviors.
Antimicrobial Stewardship by Transitions of Care Pharmacists at Hospital Discharge
Authors: Leja Noah , Collins Curtis D. , Duker Janice
Published: August 2020

Objectives: This study assessed the impact transitions of care (TOC) pharmacists have on optimizing antimicrobial use for patients at high risk for mortality at hospital discharge. In addition, this study aimed to summarize and categorize the types of interventions made. Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive study that included adult patients 18 years of age or older who were at high risk for readmission and mortality. Participants were selected if they had a hospital discharge date between January 2017 and June 2018, but were excluded if they were discharged to a facility where medications were managed by healthcare employees or if they were hospice eligible. TOC pharmacists identified eligible participants and reviewed their discharge medication lists to optimize pharmacological therapy, contacting the discharging prescriber if therapy changes were identified. The therapy recommendations made by TOC pharmacists were documented in an internal database for further analysis. Results: A total of 1100 patients were analyzed by TOC pharmacists during the studied timeframe and a total of 2066 interventions were made. With respect to study objectives, 298 (14.4%) of the interventions made by TOC pharmacists involved antimicrobial recommendations, affecting 255 (23.2%) patients. Recommendations involving dosing (89, 29.9%), treatment duration (74, 24.8%), and drug interactions (41, 13.8%) were the most frequent types of interventions made. Sixty-six (25.9%) patients received multiple interventions and 240 (80.5%) recommendations were accepted by the provider. Conclusion: An opportunity exists to optimize antimicrobial therapy surrounding the time of hospital discharge.
Psychological responses and lifestyle changes among pregnant women with respect to the early stages of COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Zhang Yingfei , Ma Zheng Feei
Published: August 2020

Objectives:

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a profound impact on health and well-being of populations. However, there are limited studies that have investigated the psychological aspects of vulnerable groups including pregnant women amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, we aimed to assess the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic among Chinese pregnant women from February 2020 until March 2020.

Methods:

Our study was conducted using a modified validated online questionnaire comprising of sociodemographic, the Impact of Event Scale (IES), attitude and mental health-related questions towards COVID-19.

Results:

A total of 560 women were included. The overall mean age and IES of women was 25.8 ± 2.7 years and 31.4 ± 13.7. Moreover, 67.1% of them had IES ⩾26. Psychological impact seemed to be more severe in women in second trimester of pregnancy (the highest IES) ( p = .016). There was a significant association between trimesters of pregnancy and some indicators of negative health impacts (including increased stress from work, increased stress from home, feeling apprehensive and helpless during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic) (all p < .05).

Conclusions:

Our results reported moderate-to-severe stressful impact among Chinese pregnant women. We recommend that appropriate measures should be taken to address the maternal mental health issues.
Preliminary lessons learned from facilitating group work for justice-involved women in rural communities: A case study in an Alabama correctional facility in the era of COVID-19
Authors: Beech Haley H , Sutton Amber , Potok Carol
Published: August 2020

This essay offers a glimpse into implementing and facilitating a 6-week psychoeducational health group inside a women’s correctional facility. Using a case study example, this essay discusses conceptualization, interagency collaboration, and lessons learned in the field. Within group work, social workers have a unique opportunity to create safer spaces, recognize trauma histories, and address issues disproportionately affecting justice-involved women. Many lessons learned can be applied across settings, domestically and abroad. With preparation and facilitation, groups can be transformational spaces where women can find camaraderie with one another even in the midst of a pandemic.
Let’s not return to business as usual: Integrating environmental and social wellbeing through hybrid business models post COVID-19
Authors: Ramsay Sylvia
Published: August 2020

Social workers were among many researchers urging systemic change before the COVID 19 pandemic, because the dominant socio-economic system governing society was causing environmental injustice and an ecological crisis. This is a brief introduction to hybrid businesses that provide a model to strengthen social and environmental wellbeing. It is based on data collected from the author’s PhD research project, which aims to provide guidance for environmental social work practitioners.
Practising ethically during COVID-19: Social work challenges and responses
Authors: Banks Sarah , Cai Tian , de Jonge Ed , Shears Jane , Shum Michelle , Sobočan Ana M. , Strom Kim , Truell Rory , Úriz María Jesús , Weinberg Merlinda
Published: August 2020

This article draws on findings of an international study of social workers’ ethical challenges during COVID-19, based on 607 responses to a qualitative survey. Ethical challenges included the following: maintaining trust, privacy, dignity and service user autonomy in remote relationships; allocating limited resources; balancing rights and needs of different parties; deciding whether to break or bend policies in the interests of service users; and handling emotions and ensuring care of self and colleagues. The article considers regional contrasts, the ‘ethical logistics’ of complex decision-making, the impact of societal inequities, and lessons for social workers and professional practice around the globe.
Coping with grief, loss, and well-being during a pandemic: A collaborative autoethnography of international educators during COVID-19
Authors: Gates Trevor G , Beazley Harriot , Davis Cindy
Published: August 2020

In this collaborative autoethnography, international educators based in Australia reflect upon their experiences of coping with grief and restrictions during COVID-19. The authors explore how their sense of belonging and home has been affected through stay-at-home directives and how they have developed community among other international social work/development educators.
Race, Entitlement, and Belonging: A Discursive Analysis of the Political Economy of Land in Zimbabwe
Authors: Makuwerere Dube Langton
Published: August 2020

The access, control, and ownership of land and the means of production is an enduring frontier of conflict in post colonial settler states. Whilst racially tinged, colonialism created “structures of feeling” that sanctioned epistemic violence and created an economy of entitlement and belonging that sustained imperial designs. Zimbabwe’s independence meant the redistribution and proprietorship of land became a central leitmotif of cadastral politics. The article explores the interplay of the contested tropes of race, entitlement, and indigeneity as they informed the highly polarized land redistribution discourse. The discussion takes stock of the dominant narratives of post-colonial state predations, patronage, populism, and megalomania in contradistinction to the various ways in which whiteness and its prejudices and stereotypes nurtured some hubris of entitlement and belonging that retrogressively not only perpetuated colonial settler values and identities but also entrenched racial distance and indifference. The polarized contestations on land redistribution discourse coalesce around concepts such as restitution, indigeneity, nativity, patriotism, race, and class. Therefore while critiquing state excesses that have masked the honorable intentions of land redistribution, the article underscores the complex ways in which white Zimbabweans contributed to the enduring crisis by obdurately fixating their energies on colonial settler entitlements, values, and identities.
Love and Horror in Grief: An Autopsychography on the Loss of a Beloved Animal Companion
Authors: Morris Bethany
Published: August 2020

Using an autopsychographic approach as advocated by Yuan and Hickman, this article demonstrates the ways in which love and horror are implicated in one another during the experience of grief at the loss of a companion animal. The relationship between the human and the companion animal is explored through Lacan’s understanding of love premised on lack and an ethical relationship to the lack in the other. When that other dies, horror may be an intrusive emotion premised on a feeling of the uncanny with the familiar becoming unfamiliar. These experiences are then rearticulated in the context of the human–animal relationship through psychoanalytic and existential themes, arguing that the loss of such a relationship needs to be appreciated in theorizations about grief and meaning within the humanistic tradition.
An Investigation of Cyberloafing in Relation to Coping Styles and Psychological Symptoms in an Educational Setting
Authors: Demirtepe-Saygılı Dilek , Metin-Orta Irem
Published: August 2020

Cyberloafing, the intentional use of the Internet for personal purposes during class hours, has received the scholars' attention due to the increased access to digital devices in educational settings. Considering the possible negative consequences of misuse of the Internet on health and well-being, the current study aims to investigate the underlying mechanisms of this relationship by examining in detail the role of coping strategies. The sample consisted of 272 undergraduate students. The participants were asked to fill out items measuring cyberloafing behaviors, coping strategies (emotion-focused and problem-focused), and psychological symptoms (depression, anxiety, anger, and somatization). The results revealed that cyberloafing is positively related to psychological symptoms. Furthermore, it is observed that cyberloafing moderates the relationship between emotion-focused coping and psychological symptoms such that at high levels of cyberloafing, emotion-focused coping is associated with higher levels of psychological symptoms. These findings contribute to the existing literature on students’ psychological well-being in terms of highlighting its relation with coping strategies and problematic Internet use.
An Integrated Analysis of Tourism Seasonality in Prices and Quantities, with an Application to the Spanish Hotel Industry
Authors: Lozano Javier , Rey-Maquieira Javier , Sastre Francesc
Published: August 2020

Most research on tourism seasonality has focused on tourism flows and, to a much lesser extent, on tourism prices. However, up to now no research has been devoted to understanding the relationship between tourism seasonality in quantities and prices. We try to fill this gap with an application to the Spanish hotels during 2008–2017. Provincial data on the seasonality of night stays and prices of Spanish hotels is presented, compared, and correlated. This data analysis inspires a supply-demand framework to jointly explain both kinds of seasonality. We show the usefulness of this framework to first explain the role of hotels’ cost and price flexibility in determining the seasonality of night stays and second to encompass in a single framework most of the determinants of the changes of tourism seasonality in quantities and prices, including some determinants seldom considered in the literature.
To Share or Not to Share? How Emotional Judgments Drive Online Political Expression in High-Risk Contexts
Authors: Dal Aysenur , Nisbet Erik C.
Published: August 2020

Previous scholarship on networked authoritarianism has examined an array of repressive legal and political strategies employed by regimes to constrain online political expression. How the tension between citizens’ desires to engage in online political expression and the possible dire consequences of doing so is resolved, however, is understudied. We address this lacuna by drawing upon concepts from risk and decision-making research and examining how the emotional and cognitive components of risk and decision-making shape citizens’ online political expression. Employing a three-wave panel survey of Turkish internet users collected over 8 months, our fixed-effects regression analyses show that anticipatory emotions drive expressive behavior, but that risk assessment does not. Furthermore, the influence of negative emotions on online expression is moderated by individuals’ degree of regime opposition. We discuss the importance of understanding the psychological mechanisms by which networked authoritarian contexts influences citizens’ decisions to engage in contentious online speech.
Does Targeting Always Mean Retrenchment? Housing Assistance “Exceptionalism” in the Canadian Welfare State
Authors: Bendaoud Maroine
Published: August 2020

According to many scholars, policy targeting is the product of conservative and/or neoliberal politics. Targeting is perceived as a reduction of social welfare or a form of exclusion, usually resulting in no “winners” but only “losers.” Based on the study of housing assistance in Canadian provinces, this article argues that alternative views are possible. I emphasize the historic low coverage of housing assistance, that I term the housing “exceptionalism,” which refers to the small number of households who benefit from government support. The “exceptionalism” sets the stage to understanding why the vulnerable citizen winners have gained over the moderate-income losers.
Death by a Thousand 10-Minute Tasks: Workarounds and Noncompliance in University Research Administration
Authors: Bozeman Barry , Youtie Jan , Jung Jiwon
Published: August 2020

The article examines administrative workarounds in the context of university research administration. The empirical results from 116 semi-structured interviews with academic researchers with active National Science Foundation awards are framed by a “Rules Response” model positing relationships among rules compliance requests, administrative burden, red tape, and response choices, including compliance, appeal, rule bending, rule breaking, and workaround behaviors. Propositions are presented and reviewed in light of empirical results. The article concludes with implications of empirical results for improving the Rules Response model and a more general discussion of research needed to improve the understanding of both rules compliance and workarounds.
The social contagion of student engagement in school
Authors: Mendoza Norman B , King Ronnel B
Published: August 2020

Student engagement is a strong predictor of academic achievement and overall school success. Much of the research on engagement has focused on the role of personal psychological antecedents and social factors related to one’s teachers. Relatively fewer studies have focused on the influence of one’s classmates. Drawing on prior work on social contagion, this study aimed to examine whether classmates’ engagement influences one’s engagement. Questionnaires were administered to 848 secondary school students nested within 30 classes. Two waves of data were collected seven months apart. Multilevel modelling showed that a student’s Time 2 engagement was positively predicted by his/her classmates’ engagement at Time 1, providing evidence for the social contagion of engagement. These findings held even after controlling for autoregressor effects and other relevant covariates such as demographic factors and achievement goals. Our results suggest that students’ engagement in school is contagious and could be transmitted among classmates.
Cerebral Venous Stenting for Pulsatile Tinnitus After Unsuccessful Jugular Ligation: Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Comay Yoav , Zvenigorodsky Vladislav , Borodetsky Vladimir , Star Michael , Ben-Zion Joshua , Shelef Ilan , Horev Anat
Published: August 2020

Pulsatile tinnitus constitutes up to 10% of all tinnitus cases. Cerebral venous stenosis is a known etiology of pulsatile tinnitus. Treatment of pulsatile tinnitus secondary to venous stenosis with venous stenting has been reported in the literature but is not performed routinely. We would like to report a case of chronic pulsatile tinnitus treated with venous stent in a patient who previously underwent jugular vein ligation.
Morphological and Mechanistic Aspects of Thiourea-Induced Acute Lung Injury and Tolerance in the Rat
Authors: Pellegrini Giovanni , Williams Dominic Paul , Amadio Daniele , Park Brian Kevin , Kipar Anja
Published: August 2020

Thiourea-based molecules cause pulmonary edema when administered to rats at relatively low doses. However, rats survive normally lethal doses after prior exposure to a lower, nonlethal dose; this phenomenon is known as tolerance. The present study investigated the morphological and functional aspects of acute lung injury (ALI) induced by methylphenylthiourea (MPTU) in the Wistar rat and the pulmonary response involved in prevention of the injury. We identified pulmonary endothelial cells as the main target of acute MPTU injury; they exhibited ultrastructural alterations that can result in increased vascular permeability. In tolerant rats, the lungs showed only transient endothelial changes, at 24-hour post dosing, and mild type II pneumocyte hyperplasia on day 7 post dosing. They exhibited glutathione levels similar to the controls and increased expression of flavin-containing monooxygenase 1 (FMO1), the enzyme responsible for bioactivation of small thioureas in the laboratory rat. Incubation of rat pulmonary microsomal preparations with MPTU inhibited FMO activity, indicating that tolerance is related to irreversible inhibition of FMOs. The rat model of thiourea-induced pulmonary toxicity and tolerance represents an interesting approach to investigate certain aspects of the pathogenesis of ALI and therapeutic approaches to lung diseases, such as acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Nonclinical Safety Assessment of an Inhaled Formulation of Serelaxin: A Recombinant Human Protein in Rats and Cynomolgus Monkeys (Macaca fascicularis)
Authors: Flandre Thierry D. , Hey Adam S. , Spence Fiona J.
Published: August 2020

Serelaxin is a recombinant human relaxin-2 intended for cardiovascular indications. Inhalation was chosen as alternative route to intravenous to allow daily administration for chronic applications and home treatment. A total of 4 short-term studies were conducted in rats and cynomolgus monkeys with inhaled formulation of serelaxin at dose up to 10 mg/kg/d. All rats and cynomolgus macaques receiving serelaxin were exposed to the test item. One rat and approximately 50% of macaques developed immunogenicity, which did not appear to affect exposure. No adverse effect on respiratory function or systemic changes was noted. Both species developed similar microscopic lesions characterized by eosinophilic cell infiltration around bronchi; however, in the rat, this was more pronounced and extended to a perivascular location. In addition, in the rat, serelaxin showed eosinophilic crystalline material associated with macrophages in the alveoli and bronchioles. In macaques, serelaxin induced minimal macrophage infiltrates in alveoli and perivascular/peribronchiolar mononuclear cell infiltrations. The minimal airway eosinophilic/mononuclear inflammatory cell infiltrations were considered to be nonadverse in macaques due to the minimal severity and the lack of any other alterations in the lung parenchyma. In the rat, the presence of eosinophilic crystalline material and macrophage response, characterized as precipitated test article, was considered adverse.
Selected Aspects of Ocular Toxicity Studies With a Focus on High-Quality Pathology Reports: A Pathology/Toxicology Consultant’s Perspective
Authors: Short Brian
Published: August 2020

Ocular toxicity studies are the bedrock of nonclinical ocular drug and drug–device development, and there has been an evolution in experience, technologies, and challenges to address that ensures safe clinical trials and marketing authorization. The expectations of a well-designed ocular toxicity study and the generation of a coherent, integrative ocular toxicology report and subreports are high, and this article provides a pathology/toxicology consultant’s perspective on achieving that goal. The first objective is to cover selected aspects of study designs for ocular toxicity studies including considerations for contract research organization selection, minipig species selection, unilateral versus bilateral dosing, and in-life parameters based on fit-for-purpose study objectives. The main objective is a focus on a high-quality ocular pathology report that includes ocular histology procedures to meet regulatory expectations and a report narrative and tables that correlate microscopic findings with key ophthalmic findings and presents a clear interpretation of test article-, vehicle-, and procedure-related ocular and extraocular findings with identification of adversity and a pathology peer review. The last objective covers considerations for a high-quality ophthalmology report, which in concert with a high-quality pathology report, will pave the way for a best quality toxicology report for an ocular toxicity study.
A Qualitative Study Exploring the Lived Experience of Unemployment Among People with Severe Mental Illness
Authors: Samuel Reema , S. Abirame , Jacob K. S.
Published: August 2020

Background:

Severe mental illnesses lead to deterioration in the life skills of the patient, resulting in socio-occupational dysfunction and low rates of employment. The purpose of this study was to explore attitudes, knowledge, and barriers to employment as experienced by patients and their caregivers in India.

Method:

Patients with schizophrenia or bipolar affective disorder, aged between 18 and 60 and undergoing inpatient treatment and their caregivers, were approached for written informed consent and recruited for focus group discussions. A total of eight focus groups were conducted until saturation of themes was seen to have been achieved. The data were transcribed, coded, synthesized, and organized into major findings and implications for practice.

Results:

Role expectations based on gender were seen to influence the decision to work. The possible recurrence of illness due to excess stress and unsupportive working environments was cited as the most common problem that could arise related to employment. Stigma and faulty attributions related to the illness were the most cited barriers to employment. Most participants felt that psychosocial rehabilitation and family and community support were essential for facilitating work. Most participants did not consider mental illness as a disability and were unaware of government schemes for the mentally ill.

Conclusion:

Considering gender-based role expectations, avenues for self/family employment and improving the awareness of benefits for mental illness both among consumers and health care professionals are essential to enhance economic productivity in people with severe mental illness.
Thought Disorder on Object Sorting Test Is Associated with Executive Dysfunction in Schizophrenia
Authors: Sahithya BR , Rai Shweta , Behere Rishikesh V.
Published: August 2020

Background:

Thought disorder is considered to be central to the core disturbances in schizophrenia and was described by Goldstein as aberrant “concept formation.” Executive dysfunction is another core deficit in schizophrenia. With a greater emphasis on psychopathology in nosological systems, the classical thought disorder receives less prominence. The present study aimed to understand the association between classical thought disorder (aberrant concept formation and concrete abstraction) and executive dysfunction.

Methods:

Thirty patients with schizophrenia and thirty healthy subjects, matched on age, gender, education, and socioeconomic status, were screened using MINI 5.0, following which they were assessed on object sorting test (OST) and selected tests for executive functions (EFs).

Results:

Individuals with schizophrenia were found to have significantly decreased performance on all domains of EFs and OST. Total peculiar scores on OST were significantly associated with mental speed, focused attention, and divided attention. Total impoverished scores on OST was significantly associated with focused attention, sustained attention, planning, set shifting, perseveration, and concept formation.

Conclusion:

Several correlations, among performance on OST and neuropsychological tests, suggest that patterns of responses on OST can point to underlying executive dysfunction. Both thought disorder and executive dysfunction mirror similar constructs. This similarity represents a conceptual bridge between the classical and contemporary descriptions of the core deficits in schizophrenia.
Party think tanks as adaptation to the challenge of party linkage: Lessons from Australia
Authors: Miragliotta Narelle
Published: August 2020

While parties in established democracies have shown increasing reluctance to forge exclusive ties to organisational mediators, they have not discarded these connections. This article considers one under-explored party organisational mediator, party think tanks. In an in-depth Australian study, this article examines the significance of party think tanks as mechanisms for party linkage. It proposes that such vehicles harness some of the strengths intrinsic to affiliated external organisations and party sub-groups in ways which are more responsive to the challenge of linkage confronting modern parties. The Australia case suggests that party think tanks are used to assist parties to connect to old and new interest constituencies in flexible ways while limiting parties’ exposure to electoral and political risk. The adoption of party think tanks speaks to the ongoing value parties place on organisational mediators, but on terms that they can better control.
Time to achieving a designated criterion score level: A survival analysis study of test taker performance on the TOEFL iBT® test
Authors: Monfils Lora F. , Manna Venessa F.
Published: August 2020

This study used survival analysis to examine the patterns and factors associated with time to achieving designated score criteria on a test of English as a foreign language. This was modeled using an extension of the Cox regression model, with two criterion score levels defined as achieving a TOEFL iBT® total test scale score at or above the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) Level B2 and at Level C1, respectively. Factors included in the model were test taker background characteristics including age, gender, native language type, exposure to English, and reason for testing. Additionally, to account for those who tested more than once within the study period, and thus had multiple records, an indicator for order of testing occasion was included in the model.

Results indicate that approximately 82% of the test takers in our study sample tested one time in the study period (2014–2016), and the number of repeaters decreased rapidly across occasions. For those who did not achieve the designated criterion scores at first testing, the likelihood of achievement increases with repeated testing, with a somewhat greater effect for the less stringent B2 criterion. Results also indicate that the association of gender with performance differed across levels.
Ascending aortic aneurysm repair in the setting of Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy
Authors: Matteucci Matteo , Ferrarese Sandro , Corazzari Claudio , Telli Gaia , Mantovani Vittorio , Lorusso Roberto , Beghi Cesare
Published: August 2020

Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy (TC) is characterized by acute but transient ventricular dysfunction without obstructive coronary artery disease, generally precipitated by emotional and physical triggers. We describe this syndrome in a 76-year-old woman who was admitted with thoracic pain secondary to TC as shown by echocardiographic assessment, with a concurrent diagnosis of giant ascending aortic aneurism. Surgical intervention was delayed to allow ventricular recovery and then to perform ascending aorta replacement. An individualized perioperative approach was applied to avoid a possible TC recurrence with an uneventful postoperative course.
Neurologic recovery after ten minutes of absent cerebral blood flow at normothermia
Authors: Pennel Timothy , Beyersdorf Friedhelm , Gates Elliot , Zilla Peter
Published: August 2020

Prolonged normothermic cardiac arrest is associated with a high incidence of neurological morbidity and mortality. Whole body temperature-controlled perfusion has been applied to limit reperfusion injury and minimize ischemia. We describe the full recovery of a patient after the application of rapid hypothermia following an intraoperative aortic rupture with ten minutes of absent cerebral blood flow.
Macromarketing Pedagogy: Empowering Students to Achieve a Sustainable World
Authors: Shapiro Stanley , Beninger Stefanie , Domegan Christine , Reppel Alexander , Stanton Julie , Watson Forrest
Published: August 2020

The United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are challenging the world to work towards a more sustainable future. Its 17 goals are ambitious, requiring concerted and system-based efforts driven by critical and socially aware thinking. However, marketing education is largely falling short of teaching students to think that way. Given macromarketing’s unique perspective on the interactions among markets, marketing, and society, macromarketers are poised to contribute to marketing pedagogy and to commit students to realizing the SDGs. This article first looks back at the previous 40 years of macromarketing pedagogy, before offering contemporary approaches to teaching macromarketing through four illustrative case studies found in an online repository called Pedagogy Place. It then looks forward, setting an aspiring vision for macro-oriented classrooms in the coming years.
Sorafenib in the treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and microvascular infiltration: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Gu Wang , Tong Zhong
Published: August 2020

Objective

Microvascular invasion is shown to be an independent risk factor for liver cancer recurrence. Timely treatment may reduce the recurrence rate and prolong total survival time. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of sorafenib in treating patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and microvascular invasion

Methods

A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, web of science and Cochrane Library databases for articles published up to December 2019. Two researchers independently reviewed and cross-checked independent reports with sufficient information. A meta-analysis was conducted to assess the impact of sorafenib on mortality in patients with HCC and microvascular involvement.

Results

Four studies were included in the qualitative and quantitative analyses, comprising 955 cancer events and 505 cancer deaths. Meta-analyses showed that sorafenib treatment was associated with an improved survival rate versus no sorafenib treatment in patients with HCC and microvascular invasion (relative risk 1.369, 95% confidence interval 1.193, 1.570).

Conclusions

Sorafenib treatment may improve survival in patients with HCC and microvascular invasion. However, due to the potential for residual confounding, the results should be interpreted with caution.
Romanian clinical guideline for diagnosis and treatment of COPD
Authors: Ulmeanu Ruxandra , Fildan Ariadna Petronela , Rajnoveanu Ruxandra Mioara , Fira-Mladinescu Ovidiu , Toma Claudia , Nemes Roxana Maria , Tudorache Emanuela , Oancea Cristian , Mihaltan Florin
Published: August 2020

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disease with increasing prevalence and burden for health systems worldwide. Every country collects its own epidemiological data regarding COPD prevalence, morbidity and mortality while taking steps to educate the population and medical community to improve early detection and treatment. The rising COPD prevalence creates a need for comprehensive guidelines. In 2012 and 2017–2018, the Romanian Society of Pneumology (SRP) organised national inquiries for COPD, while lung physicians in Romania began receiving education regarding the correct algorithms for COPD diagnosis and therapy. During 2019, a Romanian clinical guideline for diagnosis and treatment of COPD was published, and a condensed version of key points from this guideline are presented herein. COPD is diagnosed based on the presence of three major components: relevant exposure history, respiratory symptoms, and airway limitation that is not fully reversible. Clinical evaluation of patients diagnosed with COPD should include the level of symptoms, exacerbation rate, the presence of comorbidities and determination of phenotypes. The present abridged guideline is designed to be accessible and practical for assessing and managing patients with COPD. The application of up-to-date COPD guidelines may enhance the optimism of physicians and patients in managing this disease.