bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Niektóre aspekty procesów narodotwórczych na Polesiu w dwudziestoleciu międzywojennym w świetle badań terenowych Józefa Obrębskiego
Authors: Ablamski Pavel
Published: December 2019

Some aspects of nation-forming processes in Polesie in the interwar period in the light of field studies of Józef ObrębskiThe article presents the problem of shaping national identity in the Polesie voivodeship of the Second Polish Republic in the light of ethnosociological research by Józef Obrębski. The researcher's theses were confronted with sources created by three entities that both registered and directly influenced the nationalization process of the Polesie population. They included state administration, national movements (Ukrainian and, to a lesser extent, Belarusian and Russian), and the communist movement. From the moment of arrival in Polesie, Obrębski's expedition clashed with the brutal principles of nationality policy implemented by the voivode Wacław Kostek-Biernacki. Due to the significant difficulties in field work, the theses regarding the problem under consideration are sometimes hidden between the lines, but they are devoid of shades of conformism. The quoted source material positively verifies Obrębski's field observations regarding the intensity and territorial scope of the process of nationalization of the Poleshuks and its features in particular areas of the Polesie voivodeship. Niektóre aspekty procesów narodotwórczych na Polesiu w dwudziestoleciu międzywojennym w świetle badań terenowych Józefa ObrębskiegoW artykule przedstawiono problem kształtowania się świadomości narodowej mieszkańców województwa poleskiego w dwudziestoleciu międzywojennym w świetle badań etnosocjologicznych Józefa Obrębskiego. Tezy badacza zostały skonfrontowane ze źródłami, wytworzonym przez trzy podmioty, które zarówno rejestrowały, jak i bezpośrednio wpływały na procesy nacjonalizacji ludności Polesia. Należały do nich: administracja państwowa, ruchy narodowe (ukraiński oraz w mniejszym stopniu – białoruski i rosyjski) oraz ruch komunistyczny. Od chwili przybycia na teren Polesia ekspedycja Obrębskiego zderzyła się z brutalnymi zasadami polityki narodowościowej, wdrażanymi w życie przez wojewodę Wacława Kostka-Biernackiego. Ze względu na istotne utrudnienia dla pracy w terenie, tezy dotyczące rozpatrywanego problemu niekiedy ukryte między wierszami, są jednak pozbawione odcieni koniunkturalności. Przytoczony materiał źródłowy pozytywnie weryfikuje terenowe obserwacje Obrębskiego odnośnie do intensywności i zasięgu terytorialnego procesu unarodowienia Poleszuków oraz jego cech na poszczególnych obszarach województwa poleskiego.
Kino pamięci narodowej jako proteza: Filmy o żołnierzach wyklętych
Authors: Durys Elżbieta
Published: December 2019

Cinema of national remembrance as a prosthesis: Polish films on cursed soldiersDespite the established position of historical cinema and the huge social expectations revealed by the reception of the long delayed release of Historia Roja (2016, dir. Jerzy Zalewski), Polish cinema, especially feature films, has only slightly contributed to the creation and preservation of the cursed soldiers phenomenon. In the article I focus on the contemporary films on cursed soldiers, both feature ones and documentaries, from the perspective of Alison Landsberg’s prosthetic memory. I will analyze the former using the Amanda Ann Klein’s concept of film cycles. I will describe the latter in the context of historical documentary filmmaking after 1989, referring to Mirosław Przylipiak’s findings. Kino pamięci narodowej jako proteza: Filmy o żołnierzach wyklętychMimo ugruntowanej pozycji kina historycznego i olbrzymich oczekiwań społecznych, które ujawniły reakcje na odwlekaną premierę Historii Roja (2016, reż. Jerzy Zalewski), polskie kino, zwłaszcza fabularne, w niewielkim stopniu przyczyniło się do współtworzenia fenomenu tzw. żołnierzy wyklętych. W artykule skupiam się na współczesnych filmach o żołnierzach wyklętych przez pryzmat koncepcji pamięci protetycznej Alison Landsberg, biorąc pod uwagę zarówno fabuły jak i dokumenty. Te pierwsze charakteryzuję, używając koncepcji cyklu filmowego Amandy Ann Klein. Te drugie opisuję, umieszczając je w nurcie dokumentalnych filmów historycznych po 1989 roku, przy czym odwołuję się do ustaleń Mirosława Przylipiaka.
The African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance: Trends, Challenges and Perspectives
Authors: Wiebusch Micha , Aniekwe Chika Charles , Oette Lutz , Vandeginste Stef
Published: December 2019

This introduction to the Special Focus argues that more thorough and nuanced understandings of the past accomplishments and failures of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG) are needed. The article contends that detailed accounts focusing on the practices of diverse actors and institutions within the ACDEG’s multi-level governance framework and their – sometimes – frictional relations are necessary to develop appropriate future policy governing continental encounters with democratic governance. The paper introduces the different articles of the Special Focus which all address the fundamental question of how the implementation and impact of the ACDEG influence the African democratic governance landscape. Based on their analysis of key norms, actors, and processes, the inquiries in this Special Focus set out distinct directions for further empirical research and theorising about the ACDEG.
Spectral Analysis and Deconvolution of the Amide I Band of Proteins Presenting with High-Frequency Noise and Baseline Shifts
Authors: Fellows Alexander P. , Casford Mike T.L. , Davies Paul B.
Published: December 2019

The challenge of deriving quantitative information from the infrared spectra of proteins arises from the large number of secondary structures and amino acid side-chain functional groups that all contribute to the spectral intensity, such as within the amide I band (1600–1700 cm–1). The band is invariably heavily convoluted from overlapping spectral features, thereby making interpretation difficult such that deconvolution is usually required. This work critically examines the methods available to deconvolute the spectra and assesses the commonly used methods and algorithms applied to vibrational spectra for smoothing and peak identification. We show that unless their spectra have very high signal-to-noise ratios, quantitative analysis to decipher protein constituents is not feasible. The advantages and disadvantages of spectral smoothing using adjacent averaging, the Savitzky–Golay filter and the fast Fourier transform filter are examined in detail. The use of derivative spectra to identify peaks is described with particular reference to the influence and reduction of interfering water bands in the amide I region. The reliability of band narrowing techniques such as second-derivative analysis or Fourier deconvolution that lead to the identification of the contributing protein peaks is investigated. Both methods are shown to be limited in their capacity to resolve features with very similar frequencies. Additionally, the presence of narrow bands arising from high-frequency noise whether from atmospheric water vapor, acoustic vibrations, or electrical interference results in both methods becoming increasingly unusable as narrow bands are preferentially enhanced at the expense of broad ones such as the amide I bands. An optimal strategy is critically developed to allow accurate determination and quantification of protein constituents and their conformations. Additionally, quantitative methods are proposed to account for baseline shifts, which would otherwise introduce significant errors in similarity indices.
Behaviour Completion Mechanisms, Anxiety and Agoraphobia
Authors: McConaghy Nathaniel , Silove Derrick , Hall Wayne
Published: December 2019

Little attention has been paid to the situations which provoke the initial attack of anxiety in agoraphobia. According to the behaviour completion hypothesis many normal subjects experience increased tension in such situations when there is a delay in the completion of a behaviour. One hundred and eight medical students completed a questionnaire designed to investigate this hypothesis. They reported experiencing increased tension or anxiety significantly more frequently in situations provoking agoraphobia when the situations contained a component of delay, as compared to such situations without this component, or to situations not commonly provoking agoraphobia. It is proposed that tension, anxiety and panic form a continuum of increasing levels of arousal, but are associated with different cognitions. It is further proposed that the arousal level of agoraphobics is sensitized, so that delay which provokes mild increases of arousal in the healthy, provokes high arousal in agoraphobics. This finding supports the hypothesis that delay in behaviour completion is a mechanism in the generation of tension and anxiety.
Victims of Crime as Victims of Disaster
Authors: Taylor A.J.W.
Published: December 2019

The gross disparity between the routine attention paid to criminals and that paid to their victims led to the proposition that victims of major crime be treated as victims of disaster. The fresh appraisal might provide the impetus for appropriate services for them as a matter of social policy.
Psychiatric Aspects of Renal Transplantation
Authors: Fricchione Gregory L.
Published: December 2019

Despite the growth of heart, liver and bone marrow transplantation, the kidney continues to be the organ most frequently transplanted. Over the years psychiatrists have been active in attempting to understand the adaptational tasks of organ donors and recipients and in evaluating and treating transplant patients. A body of knowledge with regard to renal transplantation has developed. What follows is an update of psychiatric aspects of renal transplantation.
Kleine-Levin Syndrome 15 Years Later
Authors: Chiu Helen F.K. , Li Siu Wah , Lee Sing
Published: December 2019

A Chinese man with Kleine-Levin syndrome showed evidence of hypothalamic disturbance and damage to the limbic system. He has been free from symptoms of hypersomnia and hyperphagia for 15 years, but now suffers from ejaculatory impotence which is discussed in the light of aetiological theories of this puzzling disorder.
Public assistance intensification of wind-integrated restructured endowment system using thyristor-controlled series compensator peerless location and gauging using the hybrid Genetic Algorithm-Gravitational Search Algorithm
Authors: Rajakumar J , Balaraman Sujatha
Published: December 2019

In a deregulated electricity market, it may at times become challenging to swift all the essential power which are obligatory to move along the transmission line due to congestion. This paper primly waltz up the finest allotment of thyristor-controlled series compensator in deregulated capacity setup with wind generator by considering the maximization of social welfare cost as objective function. In this work, hybrid market model has been considered and the hybrid algorithm is used as a tool, in which Gravitational Search Algorithm is used for attaining optimal location of thyristor-controlled series compensator as major issue, though Genetic Algorithm-based top-notch outflow of power minimizes operating cost after incorporating thyristor-controlled series compensator and Wind Generator as sub-optimization problem. The coherence of this prospective has been tested and analyzed on modified IEEE 14-bus system and modified IEEE 118-bus system at different loading conditions. The influences on the locational marginal pricing and system voltage have been also investigated in this work and the obtained results are compared with other globally accepted techniques reported in the literary texts.
PIN1 Attenuation Improves Midface Hypoplasia in a Mouse Model of Apert Syndrome
Authors: Kim B. , Shin H. , Kim W. , Kim H. , Cho Y. , Yoon H. , Baek J. , Woo K. , Lee Y. , Ryoo H.
Published: December 2019

Premature fusion of the cranial suture and midface hypoplasia are common features of syndromic craniosynostosis caused by mutations in the FGFR2 gene. The only treatment for this condition involves a series of risky surgical procedures designed to correct defects in the craniofacial bones, which must be performed until brain growth has been completed. Several pharmacologic interventions directed at FGFR2 downstream signaling have been tested as potential treatments for premature coronal suture fusion in a mouse model of Apert syndrome. However, there are no published studies that have targeted for the pharmacologic treatment of midface hypoplasia. We used Fgfr2S252W/+ knock-in mice as a model of Apert syndrome and morphometric analyses to identify causal hypoplastic sites in the midface region. Three-dimensional geometric and linear analyses of Fgfr2S252W/+ mice at postnatal day 0 demonstrated distinct morphologic variance. The premature fusion of anterior facial bones, such as the maxilla, nasal, and frontal bones, rather than the cranium or cranial base, is the main contributing factor toward the anterior-posterior skull length shortening. The cranial base of the mouse model had a noticeable downward slant around the intersphenoid synchondrosis, which is related to distortion of the airway. Within a skull, the facial shape variance was highly correlated with the cranial base angle change along Fgfr2 S252W mutation–induced craniofacial anomalies. The inhibition of an FGFR2 downstream signaling enzyme, PIN1, via genetic knockdown or use of a PIN1 inhibitor, juglone, attenuated the aforementioned deformities in a mouse model of Apert syndrome. Overall, these results indicate that FGFR2 signaling is a key contributor toward abnormal anterior-posterior dimensional growth in the midface region. Our study suggests a novel therapeutic option for the prevention of craniofacial malformations induced by mutations in the FGFR2 gene.
At Home or Abroad, Does Our Behavior Change? Examining How Everyday Behavior Influences Sustainable Travel Behavior and Tourist Clusters
Authors: Holmes Mark Robert , Dodds Rachel , Frochot Isabelle
Published: December 2019

Considering the evolution of climate change and recognizing that the tourism industry is among the key contributors to this evolution, this study aims to clarify how researchers and practitioners can understand better what the triggers to the adoption of a sustainable behavior are while on holidays. Various studies have been conducted on the sustainable tourist, pointing to numerous characteristics but as of yet, not achieving an agreement as to what the profile of this type of tourist is. Through a study on a sample of Canadian tourists, this article aims to identify whether a sustainable consumer type can be identified, how those consumers differ in their everyday sustainable behavior, and whether daily life behaviors continue when traveling. By investigating indicators such as altruism, frugality, and pro-ecological behavior, the study both identifies the underlying structure of sustainable behavior and brings a new insight into which elements permeate or not when traveling.
Remarks from the editor and introduction to the special section of keynote addresses from the 2019 IAPR Conference
Authors: Ladd Kevin L.
Published: December 2019

These editorial comments acknowledge those who have contributed to the success of the journal, especially through the transition period and our first year with SAGE. This work also serves as a brief introduction to the special section of manuscripts drawn from keynote speeches and invited addresses given at the 2019 International Association for the Psychology of Religion (IAPR) Conference in Gdańsk, Poland. Every other year, the IAPR hosts a conference. While these gatherings feature a variety of special invited keynote addresses, those remarks are often only available for the edification of attendees. For the first time, we are able to present here, in the journal, the texts of the speeches, suitably revised and expanded. Our goal is to provide a similar record of keynote addresses as they occur at future conferences so that the ideas can stimulate conversation and reflection beyond the moment of presentation.
No Place Like Home? Postdeployment Reintegration Challenges Facing South African Peacekeepers
Authors: Heinecken Lindy , Wilén Nina
Published: December 2019

This study focuses on soldiers returning from peacekeeping missions and the challenges they experience adapting to the home environment in the postdeployment phase. The article focuses on South African peacekeepers returning from missions in Darfur/Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Burundi. Interviews with 50 South African peacekeepers on the challenges they face in terms of their homecoming, family reintegration, and military support were conducted. Overall, the study found that both external military factors such as deployment length and nature of mission, and internal factors specific to the soldier affected reintegration. We highlight three major findings of our study: Firstly, our analysis show that peacekeepers across gender, rank, and race identify the absence from their children as a major challenge. Secondly, while relational turbulence characterized by ambivalence and concerns about infidelity was prevalent among all, there was a clear difference in the answers between the male and female peacekeepers. Thirdly, a large majority voiced the need for more support from the military institution for their families, before, during, and after deployment.
Leader-following H∞ consensus of discrete-time nonlinear multi-agent systems based upon output feedback control
Authors: Liang Shuang , Liu Zhongxin , Chen Zengqiang
Published: December 2019

In this paper, the leader-following [Formula: see text] consensus problem for discrete-time nonlinear multi-agent systems with delay and parameter uncertainty is investigated, with the objective of designing an output feedback protocol such that the multi-agent system achieves leader-following consensus and has a prescribed [Formula: see text] performance level. By model transforming, the leader-following consensus control problem is converted into robust [Formula: see text] control problem. Based on the Lyapunov function technology and the linear matrix inequality method, some new sufficient conditions are derived to guarantee the consensus of discrete-time nonlinear multi-agent systems. The feedback gain matrix and the optimal [Formula: see text] performance index are obtained in terms of linear matrix inequalities. Finally, numerical examples are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results.
Stapes Surgery for 121 Patients With Mixed Hearing Loss
Authors: Rapier Jacob J. , Theodoraki Georgia E. , Manjaly Joseph G. , Nash Robert , Lavy Jeremy A.
Published: December 2019

This study aims to determine the benefit of stapes surgery for otosclerosis in 121 patients with a mixed hearing loss and a preoperative bone conduction (BC) threshold >30 dB. Average postoperative air conduction (AC) improved from 61.5 dB to 34.3 dB. Average air–bone gap closed from 27.1 dB to 6.1 dB. Bone conduction improved from 34.3 dB to 28.2 dB, with 38% of patients achieving a postoperative AC of <30 dB. Glasgow Benefit Inventory scores showed significantly increased quality of life postoperatively in the 88 patients who responded to follow-up, with an average score of 56. There was a mean reduction in daily hearing aid use postsurgery of 5.48 hours, with 56% of patients who responded to follow-up questionnaire no longer needing to use one. When assessing suitability for stapes surgery, surgeons should consider that preoperative BC thresholds may be a poor indicator of the true cochlear reserve and therefore the potential for improvement in AC thresholds and quality of life.
Does Availability of Audit Partners Affect Audit Quality? Evidence From China
Authors: Lo Agnes W. Y. , Lin Kenny Z. , Wong Raymond M. K.
Published: December 2019

In this study, we examine whether Chinese Certified Public Accountant (CPA) firms with more partners available to perform audit engagements deliver higher quality services. Based on a sample of 2,990 company-year observations over the period of 2002 to 2015, we find that CPA firms with smaller staff–partner ratios are associated with a lower likelihood of restatements of their clients’ financial statements. Interestingly, we find that this association is less evident when engagement partners have excessive workloads, suggesting the need to balance workloads across partners within a firm. Overall, our results highlight the importance of considering partner availability and its impacts on audit quality, which echo regulators’ growing concern about the inadequate mix of audit experience, expertise, and supervision within CPA firms. Our study is timely and the results are informative to the recent policy debate. From a public policy perspective, our results suggest that CPA firms should be required to disclose information about the deployment of audit partners to help financial statement users make inferences about the quality of their work.
Assessments of Research Competencies for Clinical Investigators: A Systematic Review
Authors: Ianni Phillip A. , Samuels Elias M. , Eakin Brenda L. , Perorazio Thomas E. , Ellingrod Vicki L.
Published: December 2019

Although there is extensive research literature on clinical skill competencies and the use of competency-based frameworks for clinical research, the appropriate methods to assess these competencies are not as well understood. Our goal in this systematic literature review is to identify, compare, and critique assessments of clinical research competencies. Articles were included in this review if they examined clinical investigators or clinical investigators in training, focused on research-based skills, and included some form of assessment of research-based competencies. A total of 76 articles were identified as part of the initial search; 16 met the criteria for inclusion. Two types of assessments of clinical research competence were identified: subjective self-assessments ( n = 13) and objective tests ( n = 6). These assessments covered a wide range of competencies, but there were no competency domains common to all. Most assessments had limited validation. Training was consistently associated with self-assessed competence but had little relationship to objective measures of competence. In contrast, experience was consistently associated with objectively assessed competence but not with self-assessed competence. These findings have important implications for those interested in assessing medical education programs. We describe a recommended standard for validity for assessments used for the purposes of summative program assessment.
Classroom bullying norms and peer status: Effects on victim-oriented and bully-oriented defending
Authors: Garandeau Claire F. , Vermande Marjolijn M. , Reijntjes Albert H. A. , Aarts Emmeke
Published: December 2019

Defending a victimized peer is a socially risky behavior that may require high peer status and may depend on how popular or disliked bullies are in the classroom (i.e., within-classroom correlations between bullying and status). Past research has investigated defending as a unidimensional construct, though it can involve confronting the bully (bully-oriented defending) or supporting the victim (victim-oriented defending). This study used multilevel modeling to examine the effects of individual peer status, gender, and bullying as well as two indicators of classroom norms—the bullying-popularity norm and the bullying-rejection norm—on both types of defending. Our sample included 1,460 Dutch adolescents (50% girls; M age 11 years) from 59 classrooms in 50 schools. Likability and popularity were positively associated with both types of defending. Being female and lower in bullying was associated with victim-oriented defending, whereas being male and higher in bullying was associated with bully-oriented defending. In classrooms where bullies were more rejected, both types of defending were more prevalent, and the positive associations of likability and popularity with victim-oriented defending were stronger. The positive effect of the bullying-rejection norm on victim-oriented defending was stronger for girls. Moreover, the effect of popularity on bully-oriented defending was stronger in classrooms where bullies were less popular.
Advanced Practice Provider Perspectives on Organizational Strategies for Work Stress Reduction
Authors: Klein Colleen J. , Dalstrom Matthew , Lizer Shannon , Cooling Melinda , Pierce Lisa , Weinzimmer Laurence G.
Published: December 2019

Unresolved work stress contributes to burnout, compassion fatigue, disengagement, and other work-contextualized factors. The impact of occupational stressors extends to the organization in a negative fashion as well. In 2017, advanced practice providers (APPs) from four health systems, including nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists, and physician assistants, participated in a quantitative online cross-sectional survey; 754 participants responded to a free-text question related to work stress and work–family balance. Suggested organizational strategies were ordered into 29 codes, 10 subthemes, and four main themes: “reduce job stressors,” “improve leadership and operations,” “promote APP well-being,” and “maintain the status quo.” Findings are consistent with other research related to occupational stress with many of the reported strategies considered as evidence-based. Targeted interventions for reducing job stress will need to include improved autonomy for APPs, role delineation, support for work–family balance, and better communication as part of management practices.
Motivational interviewing to promote health outcomes and behaviour change in multiple sclerosis: a systematic review
Authors: Dorstyn Diana S. , Mathias Jane L. , Bombardier Charles H. , Osborn Amanda J.
Published: December 2019

Objective:

To examine the evidence for motivational interviewing when used to assist individuals with multiple sclerosis manage their healthcare.

Data sources:

The Cochrane, Embase, PsycINFO and PubMed databases were searched for studies published between 1983 and December 2019. The reference lists of included studies were additionally examined and Scopus citation searches conducted.

Review methods:

Study screening and data extraction were independently completed by two reviewers. Randomised controlled trials comparing motivational interviewing interventions for multiple sclerosis to usual care, wait-list or other active intervention controls were examined. Studies were assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Standardised mean differences (Hedges’ g), 95% confidence intervals and P values were calculated for all health and behavioural outcomes.

Results:

Ten randomised controlled trials, involving a pooled sample of 987 adults with relapsing–remitting or progressive multiple sclerosis and mild to moderate impairment, were identified. Most trials had a low or unclear risk of methodological bias. Motivational interviewing, when used in conjunction with other counselling or rehabilitation techniques, resulted in significant immediate medium-to-very large improvements in multiple physical, psychological, social and behavioural outcomes (range: g = .34–2.68). Maintenance effects were promising (range: g = .41–1.11), although less frequently assessed ( Nstudies = 5) and of limited duration (1–7 months). Individual and group-based interventions, delivered in-person or by telephone, were all effective.

Conclusions:

Motivational interviewing is a flexible counselling technique that may improve rehabilitation care for multiple sclerosis. However, evidence for persisting benefits to health outcomes and behaviour is currently limited.
Severity of white matter hyperintensities: Lesion patterns, cognition, and microstructural changes
Authors: Zeng Weiyi , Chen Yaojing , Zhu Zhibao , Gao Shudan , Xia Jianan , Chen Xiaochun , Jia Jianjun , Zhang Zhanjun
Published: December 2019

White matter hyperintensity (WMH) is a common finding in aging population and considered to be a contributor to cognitive decline. Our study aimed to characterize the spatial patterns of WMH in different severities and explore its impact on cognition and brain microstructure in non-demented elderly. Lesions were both qualitatively (Fazekas scale) and quantitatively assessed among 321 community-dwelled individuals with MRI scanning. Voxel- and atlas-based analyses of the whole-brain white matter microstructure were performed. The WMH of the same severities was found to occur uniformly with a specific pattern of lesions. The severity of WMH had a significant negative association with the performance of working and episodic memory, beginning to appear in Fazekas 3 and 4. The white matter tracts presented significant impairments in Fazekas 3, which showed brain-wide changes above Fazekas 4. Lower FA in the superior cerebellar peduncle and left posterior thalamic radiation was mainly associated with episodic memory, and the middle cerebellar peduncle was significantly associated with working memory. These results support that memory is the primary domain to be affected by WMH, and the effect may potentially be influenced by tract-specific WM abnormalities. Fazekas scale 3 might be the critical stage predicting a future decline in cognition.
The SmoCar Study: A Caribbean-Based Multicenter Study on the Prevalence and Disparities Linked to Smoking and Gingival Health
Authors: Santosh Arvind Babu R. , R. Collins James , Jones Thaon , Brache Michael , Toro Milagros , Tumanyan Sona , Walters Christine , White Sharon , Elias-Boneta Augusto
Published: December 2019

The aim of the SmoCar (Smoking in the Caribbean) study was to estimate the prevalence of smoking and the disparities in the smoking practices of three regions in the Caribbean: Jamaica, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. The secondary objective was to assess the prevalence and severity of gingivitis in relation to the smoking practices. The study population comprised 1,847 (weighted N = 1,830) individuals (18 years and older) who were volunteer participants from the capitals of Jamaica, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. A structured interview was used to assess the participants’ smoking behaviors. The gingival index was used to determine the extent of gingival inflammation. Polytomous regression was used to estimate the adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for smoking status (current, past, or never), according to risk factors (sex, age-group, education, marital status, tooth-brushing frequency, and city of residence). Logistic regression models were used to assess the associations between different smoking status variables and mild to moderate/severe gingivitis. The majority of the participants were never-smokers, with current smokers being found most commonly in Kingston (33.22%), followed by San Juan (12.76%) and Santo Domingo (8.8%). Both current (aOR = 2.22, 95% confidence interval [1.45, 3.40]) and past (aOR = 1.87, 95% confidence interval [1.19, 2.93]) smoking (vs. never smoking) was strongly associated with severe gingivitis. Smoking was the most prevalent in Jamaicans and the least prevalent in Dominicans. The study population of current smokers was found to have a fourfold increased risk of severe gingivitis and a twofold increased risk of moderate gingivitis.
Placing and scheduling many depth sensors for wide coverage and efficient mapping in versatile legged robots
Authors: Brandão Martim , Figueiredo Rui , Takagi Kazuki , Bernardino Alexandre , Hashimoto Kenji , Takanishi Atsuo
Published: December 2019

This article tackles the problem of designing 3D perception systems for robots with high visual requirements, such as versatile legged robots capable of different locomotion styles. In order to guarantee high visual coverage in varied conditions (e.g., biped walking, quadruped walking, ladder climbing), such robots need to be equipped with a large number of sensors, while at the same time managing the computational requirements that arise from such a system. We tackle this problem at both levels: sensor placement (how many sensors to install on the robot and where) and run-time acquisition scheduling under computational constraints (not all sensors can be acquired and processed at the same time). Our first contribution is a methodology for designing perception systems with a large number of depth sensors scattered throughout the links of a robot, using multi-objective optimization for optimal trade-offs between visual coverage and the number of sensors. We estimate the Pareto front of these objectives through evolutionary optimization, and implement a solution on a real legged robot. Our formulation includes constraints on task-specific coverage and design symmetry, which lead to reliable coverage and fast convergence of the optimization problem. Our second contribution is an algorithm for lowering the computational burden of mapping with such a high number of sensors, formulated as an information-maximization problem with several sampling techniques for speed. Our final system uses 20 depth sensors scattered throughout the robot, which can either be acquired simultaneously or optimally scheduled for low CPU usage while maximizing mapping quality. We show that, when compared with state-of-the-art robotic platforms, our system has higher coverage across a higher number of tasks, thus being suitable for challenging environments and versatile robots. We also demonstrate that our scheduling algorithm allows higher mapping performance to be obtained than with naïve and state-of-the-art methods by leveraging on measures of information gain and self-occlusion at low computational costs.
Serum S100A12 levels are correlated with clinical severity in patients with dermatomyositis-associated interstitial lung disease
Authors: Lou Yueyan , Zheng Yu , Fan Bijun , Zhang Liyan , Zhu Feng , Wang Xiaodong , Chen Zhiwei , Tan Xiaoming
Published: December 2019

Objective

S100A12 is an emerging inflammatory disease biomarker. Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a common, severe complication of dermatomyositis (DM). This study was performed to investigate the association between S100A12 and disease activity and prognosis in patients with DM-associated ILD (i.e., DM-ILD).

Methods

Serum S100A12 levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays in patients with stable DM-ILD, patients with acute exacerbation of DM-ILD (AE DM-ILD), and healthy controls (HCs). The relationships of serum S100A12 levels with C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), ferritin, high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scores, and pulmonary functions were evaluated by multiple unpaired t-tests and Pearson correlation.

Results

Serum S100A12 levels were higher in patients with stable DM-ILD and those with AE DM-ILD than in HCs. Serum S100A12 levels in patients with stable DM-ILD and those with AE DM-ILD were positively correlated with CRP, ESR, and ferritin. S100A12 levels were positively correlated with HRCT scores in patients with stable DM-ILD and those with AE DM-ILD, while they were negatively correlated with predicted percentages of forced vital capacity and predicted percentages of carbon monoxide diffusing capacity in those patients.

Conclusion

Our findings demonstrate the usefulness of serum S100A12 levels for assessing clinical severity and prognosis of DM-ILD.
Hidden transcripts of the gig economy: labour agency and the new art of resistance among African gig workers
Authors: Anwar Mohammad Amir , Graham Mark
Published: December 2019

In this article, we examine how remote gig workers in Africa exercise agency to earn and sustain their livelihoods in the gig economy. In addition to the rewards reaped by gig workers, they also face significant risks, such as precarious working conditions and algorithmic workplace monitoring, thus constraining workers’ autonomy and bargaining power. Gig workers, as a result, are expected to have fewer opportunities to exert their agency – particularly so for workers in Africa, where the high proportion of informal economy and a lack of employment opportunities in local labour markets already constrain workers’ ability to earn livelihoods. Instead, we demonstrate how remote workers in Africa manage various constraints on one of the world’s biggest gig economy platforms through their diverse everyday resilience, reworking and resistance practices (after Katz, 2004 ). Drawing from a rich labour geography tradition, which considers workers to ‘actively produce economic spaces and scales’, our main theoretical contribution is to offer a reformulation of Katz’s notions of ‘resistance’, ‘resilience’ and ‘reworking’ as everyday practices of gig workers best understood as ‘hidden transcripts’ of the gig economy ( Scott, 1990 ). The article draws on in-depth interviews (N=65) conducted with remote workers during the fieldwork in five selected African countries.
Labour geography III: Precarity, racial capitalisms and infrastructure
Authors: Strauss Kendra
Published: December 2019

This final report highlights the increasing attention to precarity, including academic precarity, within geography. After briefly discussing the implications for approaches to agency, I argue for attention to debates about racialized and racial capitalism from labour geographers. I suggest that theorizations of racial capitalism emerge from particular standpoints, and that geographers are well placed to explore racial capitalisms in a plural sense if we are willing to grapple with the standpoints from which we theorize in labour geography itself. I draw on the ‘infrastructural turn’ to illustrate how labour geographers can start to think with relational approaches to racial capitalism.
Influences of foam filler on axially crushing characteristics of fiber-reinforced tapered structures
Authors: Wang Xi , Ying Linwei , Li Yude , Chen Jubing
Published: December 2019

An effective solving method is presented to study influences of foam filler on axially crushing characteristics of fiber-reinforced tapered square metal tubes based on axial collapse models of foam-filled metal square tubes and finite element calculation of foam-filled tapered composite square tubes. By means of finite element calculation, an influenced factor [Formula: see text] is introduced in the solving process. Comparing results from experiment and finite element calculation, the feasibility of the present analytical method is validated. The effects of basic angle of composite tapered square tube, foam filler, fiber-reinforced orientation, thickness ratio between metal wall and fiber layer and loading speed on axially crushing characteristics of foam-filled fiber-reinforced composite tapered square tubes are studied.
Hemoadsorption treatment with CytoSorb® in patients with extracorporeal life support therapy: A case series
Authors: Träger Karl , Skrabal Christian , Fischer Guenther , Schroeder Janpeter , Marenski Larissa , Liebold Andreas , Reinelt Helmut , Datzmann Thomas
Published: December 2019

Introduction:

Extracorporeal life support is an increasingly used technique for respiratory and cardiocirculatory support. Besides primary organ dysfunction, an excessive systemic hyperinflammatory response can be the underlying cause for acute organ failure necessitating extracorporeal life support therapy, or it may be associated with the extracorporeal life support itself. Controlling this overwhelming inflammatory response using CytoSorb® hemoadsorption has been shown to be associated with improved hemodynamics and restored metabolic balance resulting in preserved organ functions.

Methods:

In this retrospective case series, we describe 23 patients undergoing extracorporeal life support therapy and CytoSorb hemoadsorption. Cytokine levels were monitored, hemodynamic and metabolic variables were recorded, and outcome measures such as duration of organ support, intensive care unit mortality, and hospital mortality were noted.

Results:

CytoSorb treatment was associated with a trend toward a reduction in plasma cytokine levels (first treatment median interleukin-6 pre 595 vs post 350 pg/mL (n.s.); second treatment median interleukin-6 317 vs 108 pg/mL, p < 0.05), a reduced vasoplegic response resulting in a reduction in vasopressor requirements (first treatment median norepinephrine pre 0.15 vs post 0.02 µg/kg/min (n.s.); second treatment median norepinephrine 0.1 vs 0.02 µg/kg/min, p < 0.05) as well as rebalancing of deranged metabolic parameters (first treatment median lactate pre-treatment 6 vs post-treatment median lactate 2 mmol/L, p < 0.05). The hemoperfusion treatment was well tolerated and safe, without the occurrence of any CytoSorb device-related adverse events.

Conclusion:

Hemoadsorption may offer a potentially promising therapeutic option for critically ill patients undergoing extracorporeal life support therapy, with cytokine reduction and a consecutively mitigated inflammatory response, decreased vasoplegia, and improved organ function as seen in our patients.
Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome: Presentation, Electrodiagnosis, and Muscle Biopsy
Authors: Gurnett Christina A. , Bodnar Judy A. , Neil Jeffrey , Connolly Anne M.
Published: December 2019

We report 10 children with congenital myasthenic syndromes diagnosed by clinical features, electrodiagnostic studies, and response to acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. Age at diagnosis (mean = 4.4 years; range 0.2–10 years) correlated with age fatigue was recognized. Symptoms at presentation included mild gross motor development delay (7/10), speech articulation difficulty (5/10), and respiratory and feeding difficulties resulting in poor growth in 7 of 10 children. None of the five children with possible presynaptic abnormalities had decremental compound muscle action potential responses to 2 Hz repetitive nerve stimulation. Instead, electrodiagnostic studies showed a more than 100% increment of compound muscle action potential amplitude during 50 Hz repetitive nerve stimulation in two children and sustained compound muscle action potential decrement to 2 Hz repetitive nerve stimulation after depletion (10 Hz stimulation for 10 min) in four children. Muscle biopsies ( n = 7) showed mild to severe variation in fiber size. Our experience suggests that many children with congenital myasthenic syndromes might be undiagnosed because of atypical presentation and because additional electrophysiologic studies are required.
Vinyl-functionalized polysiloxane as radical scavenger during the degradation of poly(vinyl chloride)
Authors: Zhou Xiaojian , Tawfik Magda E , El-Sabbagh Salwa H , Ghanem Sara N , Essawy Hisham A
Published: December 2019

Siloxane polymer containing vinyl groups was blended with poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) to convey plasticization and stability against decomposition, that is likely to happen during thermal processing or following exposure to the ultraviolet (UV) light. The immiscibility between silicone rubber and PVC was proved from images acquired using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which revealed worsening of the situation at higher loading (10 wt%) of silicone polymer. The thermal degradation profiles indicated that the inclusion of silicone polymer did not affect the thermal resistance significantly between 200°C and 350°C. However, it protected the matter from intensive decomposition at higher temperatures and increased the residual weight. Fourier transform infrared spectra were collected for the blends after exposure to UV radiation for 168 h, from which the absence of appreciable dehydrochlorination or change in the nature of the material was ensured. The hampering of dehydrochlorination is expected to have proceeded by instant attack of any appearing radicals on PVC backbone onto vinyl groups of the silicone polymer and buildup of a network structure.
“This Gig Is Not for Women”: Gender Stereotyping in Online Hiring
Authors: Galperin Hernan
Published: December 2019

This study examines gender segregation in the context of the so-called gig economy. In particular, it explores the role that stereotypes about male and female occupations play in sorting men and women into different jobs in an online freelance marketplace. The findings suggest that gender stereotypes are particularly salient in online hiring because employers typically contract for short-term, relatively low-value jobs based on limited information about job applicants. These conditions trigger the use of cognitive shortcuts about intrinsic gender characteristics linked to different skills and occupations. The results corroborate that female candidates are less likely to be hired for male-typed jobs (e.g., software development) but more likely to be hired for female-typed jobs (e.g., writing and translation) than equally qualified male candidates. Further, the study investigates three mechanisms predicted to attenuate the female penalty in male-typed jobs. The penalty is found to be self-reinforcing, as it perpetuates gender imbalances in worker activity across job categories that strengthen the sex typing of occupations.
Ecomodern Masculinity, Energy Security, and Green Consumerism: The Rise of Biofuels in the United States
Authors: Dockstader Sue , Bell Shannon Elizabeth
Published: December 2019

Through a case study of a major biofuel company in the United States, we seek to uncover how producers and consumers promote biofuels as a solution to climate change, despite considerable evidence demonstrating that biofuels are socially and environmentally destructive. Analysis of the company’s marketing materials and interviews with the owner and customers reveals that a primary way the company puts a green spin on biofuels is the deployment of “ecomodern masculinity.” This hybrid masculinity invokes a particular class-based environmentalism that positions biofuels as the ethical choice of good men concerned about the environment. This gendered ideology embraces a variant of Ecological Modernization that strategically adopts the appearance of environmental care while promoting the American values of energy security and green consumerism. We argue that this gendered repackaging of biofuels bolsters existing social inequalities, safeguards capital accumulation, and inhibits the systemic changes needed to address the climate crisis.
Use of the Delphi Method to Enhance Pharmacist Contraceptive Counseling Materials
Authors: Meredith Ashley H. , Wilkinson Tracey A. , Campi Jennifer A. , Meagher Carolyn G. , Ott Mary A.
Published: December 2019

Background:

Many states have pharmacist contraceptive prescribing laws with several others in the process of enacting similar legislation. Little continuity or standardization exists across these programs, including development of counseling materials. Although the risk of unplanned pregnancy is greatest among adolescents and young adults, developed materials are not always sensitive to youth.

Objective:

To use a modified Delphi method to develop standardized youth-friendly counseling tools that are sensitive to pharmacy workflow during pharmacist contraceptive prescribing.

Methods:

A multidisciplinary expert panel of women’s health pharmacists, community pharmacists, adolescent medicine pediatricians, obstetrician–gynecologists, and public health advocates was assembled and reviewed materials over 3 iterations. Comments were anonymized, summarized, and addressed with each iteration. A graphic designer assisted with visual representation of panel suggestions. Reviewer feedback was qualitatively analyzed for emergent themes.

Results:

The Delphi method produced 5 main themes of feedback integrated into the final materials including attention to work flow, visual appeal, digestible medical information, universal use of materials, and incorporating new evidence-based best practices. Final materials were scored at a Flesch-Kincaid grade of 5.1 for readability.

Conclusions:

The use of the Delphi method allowed for the efficient production of materials that are medically accurate, patient-centered, and reflect multiple disciplinary perspectives. Final materials were more robust and sensitive to the unique needs of youth.