bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How narratives influence colorectal cancer screening decision making and uptake: A realist review
Authors: Woudstra Anke Judith , Suurmond Jeanine
Published: April 2019

Background

Although narratives have been found to affect decisions about preventive behaviours, including participation in cancer screening, the underlying mechanisms of narratives remain unclear.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to summarize and synthesize existing literature on narrative interventions in the context of colorectal cancer screening. Our main research question was as follows: How, when and for whom do narratives work context of decision making about colorectal cancer screening participation?

Methods

We undertook a realist review to collect evidence on narratives in the context of colorectal cancer screening. A search of the literature was performed in Embase, MEDLINE/PubMed, Cinahl and PsycINFO. We included empirical evaluations (qualitative or quantitative) of narrative interventions. In total, 15 studies met the inclusion criteria. A content‐based taxonomy of patient narrative types in decision aids formed the basis for our initial programme theory.

Main result

We identified four mechanisms: (a) process narratives that address perceived barriers towards screening lead to improved affective forecasting, (b) experience narratives that demonstrate the screening procedure lead to increased self‐efficacy, (c) experience narratives that depict experiences from similar others lead to more engagement and (d) outcome narratives that focus on outcomes of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening decision decrease or increase fear of colorectal cancer. The evidence was limited on which narrative type may facilitate or bias informed decision making in colorectal cancer screening.

Discussion and conclusion

The findings indicate the importance of more detailed descriptions of narrative interventions in order to understand how mechanisms may facilitate or bias informed decision making in colorectal cancer screening.
Barriers to the Equal Treatment of (aspirant) Citizens: The Case of the Application of Nationality Law in Belgium
Authors: Sredanovic Djordje
Published: April 2019

Through the analysis of in‐depth interviews with 36 officers involved in nationality acquisition procedures and representatives of associations working to support candidates, I analyse the application of current Belgian nationality law. I show how significant variation, mainly between different territorial offices, exists in the application of the law and how such variation contradicts the fundamental democratic norm of the equality of (aspirant) citizens. This is despite legislation with a high level of codification of the requirements, as well as a procedure that involves magistrates and allows full judicial review, conditions that should leave very little space for discretion. I argue that such variation in the Belgian case arises mainly from the decentralized organization of the procedure and the lack of measures to assure shared interpretations of the law at the national level.
Identifying the risk of suicide among adolescents admitted to a children's hospital using the Ask Suicide‐Screening Questions
Authors: Inman Dianna D. , Matthews Joanne , Butcher Lisa , Swartz Colleen , Meadows Amy Lynn
Published: April 2019

Problem

Suicides are now the second leading cause of death among teenagers and young adults, 10–24. Many people who die by suicide visit a healthcare provider in the months before their death. Unfortunately, many healthcare clinicians do not routinely screen for mental health concerns such as suicide risk even though the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends screening adolescents for suicide risk.

Methods

The Ask Suicide‐Screening Questions (aSQ), a four‐question screening instrument, was administered by nurses to all patients, 12 years and older, admitted to the general pediatric wards of a tertiary Children's Hospital. Nursing feedback and comfort levels were assessed before and after the 6‐week pilot program.

Findings

During the 6 weeks, 152 eligible children were admitted to the general pediatric wards and 67 were screened using the ASQ; 3/67 had a nonacute “positive” screen and received a further psychiatric assessment.

Conclusions

This pilot quality improvement initiative showed that suicide screening is feasible and acceptable to patients and families in a general pediatric inpatient setting. However, nurses would benefit from further teaching and training around asking suicide screening questions.
Knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to salt consumption in Nepal: Findings from the community‐based management of non‐communicable diseases project in Nepal (COBIN)
Authors: Ghimire Kamal , Adhikari Tara Ballav , Rijal Anupa , Kallestrup Per , Henry Megan E. , Neupane Dinesh
Published: April 2019

High salt/sodium intake is associated with an increased risk of hypertension, which is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. This paper aims to examine the association between salt consumption and salt‐related knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) in Nepal. The cross‐sectional data used in this study were collected as part of the community‐based management of non‐communicable diseases project (COBIN) to understand the amount and KAP related to salt consumption in Nepal. Multivariate hierarchical logistic regression was performed to assess the association of salt‐related KAP and determinants of high salt consumption in Nepal. The mean per capita salt intake was 8.0 (±3.7) g/day, with 81.6% of the population reporting higher intake than the WHO recommendation of <5 g/day. People of upper castes [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.7; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.5‐0.9], people in large families (aOR = 0.6; 95% CI: 0.5‐0.7), respondents who were advised to lower salt intake (aOR = 0.6; 95% CI: 0.4‐0.9) and who checked salt/sodium labels in food (aOR = 0.6; 95% CI: 0.4‐0.9) were less likely to consume higher amounts of salt. Similarly, people who added extra salt to their food at the table (aOR = 1.4; 95 CI: 1.1‐1.9) and who reported consuming high amounts of salt (aOR = 1.5; 95% CI: 1.1‐2.3) were more likely to have high salt intake. High salt intake was documented in this population. This study suggests the need for culturally tailored community‐based behavior modification through health education and dietary counseling to effectively reduce salt consumption and thereby support a reduction in hypertension and cardiovascular diseases in Nepal.
Quantification of Self in Third‐Party‐Administered Wellness Programs: The Impact of Perceived Self‐Empowerment
Authors: Pettinico George , Milne George R. , Miller Elizabeth G.
Published: April 2019

Employers, insurers, and other third parties are increasingly offering wellness programs and have recently begun incorporating quantification of self (QOS) features to encourage enrollment. While past studies have examined the impact of QOS on consumer behavior in self‐directed contexts, none have done so in the context of third‐party administration. The present research explores QOS's impact in wellness programs directed by employers, insurers and doctors. A 2 x 4 between‐subjects experiment manipulating QOS and program administration type was used to test our hypotheses. Our results found a significant interaction effect between QOS and administration type, where the motivational benefits of a QOS‐based wellness program that are found in self‐directed contexts are negated when the program is run by certain third parties. This effect is mediated by the participant's perceptions of disempowerment in the program, caused by the involvement of the third party. Consumer policy implications are discussed.
Enterococcus faecium NCIMB 10415 supplementation improves the meat quality and antioxidant capacity of muscle of broilers
Authors: Yu Lihuai , Peng Zhong , Dong Li , Wang Hongrong , Shi Shourong
Published: April 2019

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium) on the meat quality and antioxidant capacity of muscle in broilers. A total of 600 Arbor Acre broiler chickens (1‐day‐old, male) were randomly divided into five treatments with six replicates (20 chickens per replicate) for each treatment. The five treatments were the control treatment (CON, basal diet), antibiotic treatment (ANT, basal diet supplemented with 0.1% chlortetracycline) and E. faecium‐supplemented treatments (LEF, MEF and HEF, basal diet supplemented with 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg of E. faecium respectively). The experiment lasted 42 days in two periods of 21 days. Results showed that there were no differences in breast meat quality among different treatments (p > 0.05). Compared with the CON and ANT treatments, the yellowness of thigh meat in E. faecium‐supplemented treatments was significantly increased (p < 0.05); the shear force of thigh meat in the LEF and MEF treatments was lower than that of the CON treatment (p < 0.05). In addition, the concentration of the inosine monophosphate (IMP) in the breast and thigh meat of the MEF treatment was significantly higher than that of the other treatments (p < 0.05). At 21 days, the total antioxidant capability (T‐AOC) level and glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐Px) activity of breast meat and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the thigh meat of the MEF treatment were greatly increased (p < 0.05). At 42 days of age, the catalase (CAT), GSH‐Px and T‐AOC activities in the breast meat of the MEF treatment were increased (p < 0.05) and the CAT activity of thigh meat in the LEF and MEF treatments was increased (p < 0.05). In conclusion, E. faecium supplementation increased the meat quality of the thigh muscle, increased the IMP content and the activities of CAT, SOD, T‐AOC, and GSH‐Px of muscle in broilers. Supplementation with 100 mg/kg E. faecium had the greatest effects.
Dose response of rumen‐protected conjugated linoleic acid supplementation to fattening bulls and heifers on growth, and carcass and meat quality
Authors: Schiavon Stefano , Cecchinato Alessio , Pegolo Sara , Dannenberger Dirk , Tagliapietra Franco , Bittante Giovanni
Published: April 2019

We investigated the influence of rumen‐protected conjugated linoleic acid (rpCLA) on growth performances, and carcass and meat quality traits in beef. Twenty‐four young bulls and 30 heifers obtained from double‐muscled beef sires and dairy cows were fed a low‐protein ration (110 g/kg DM of crude protein) supplemented with 0, 8 or 80 g/d of a commercial rpCLA product. The animals were monthly weighed and scored for body muscularity and fatness. Blood samples were collected after 140 days on feed. Animals were slaughtered when they reached average in vivo fatness scores of around 2.5 (heifers) and 2.0 (bulls) points respectively. At slaughter, carcasses, various organs and parts of the gastrointestinal tract were weighed; the 5th rib was dissected and its tissue and muscle chemical composition was determined. The rpCLA had little influence on growth performance but decreased the blood urea content by 28% (p < 0.01). The rpCLA × sex interactions for daily gain (p < 0.05), conformation scores (p < 0.01), and blood creatinine content (p < 0.05) suggest that males were more responsive to rpCLA than females when fed a low‐protein ration, probably because of the metabolic protein‐sparing effect of CLA. Only slight differences were observed in carcass weight and quality at slaughter. The results indicate that the response of beef cattle to rpCLA is dependent on sex or on their propensity for lean and fat accretion. It is also possible that counteracting feedback mechanisms compensate for the influence of rpCLA administration over the course of growth.
Effects of rumen‐protected folic acid and dietary protein level on growth performance, ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestibility and hepatic gene expression of dairy calves
Authors: La ShaoKai , Li Hao , Wang Cong , Liu Qiang , Guo Gang , Huo WenJie , Zhang YanLi , Pei CaiXia , Zhang ShuanLin
Published: April 2019

This study evaluated the effects of rumen‐protected folic acid (RPFA) supplementation and dietary protein level on growth performance, ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestibility and hepatic gene expression in calves. Forty Holstein male calves (161 ± 5.7 days of age and 192 ± 5.4 kg of body weight) were assigned to one of four groups in a randomized experimental design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Moderate crude protein (130.1 g CP/kg [MCP] or high crude protein (150.2 g CP/kg [HCP]) diets were fed without (RPFA−) or with 3.6 mg FA (RPFA+) as RPFA per kg dietary dry matter (DM). Calves were fed a total mixed ration with a corn silage to concentrate ratio of 50:50 on a DM basis. The CP×RPFA interaction was not significant for any of the studied variables. The unchanged DM intake, higher average daily gain and lower feed conversion ratio were observed for HCP or RPFA+. Ruminal pH was lower, and total volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentration was higher for HCP or RPFA+. Acetate proportion was higher, and propionate proportion was lower for HCP or RPFA+. As a result, the higher acetate to propionate ratio was observed. Ruminal ammonia N was higher for HCP, but was lower with RPFA supplementation. The higher digestibility of DM, OM, CP and NDF was observed. Blood glucose and insulin were unchanged, but albumin, total protein, GH and IGF‐1 were higher. Similarly, the higher hepatic expression of GH, IGF‐1, GHR, IGF‐1R, PI3K, mTOR and P70S6K was observed for HCP or RPFA+. The results indicated that increasing dietary CP content or supplementation with RPFA promoted growth performance of calves by improving nutrient utilization and up‐regulating hepatic expression of gene related to protein synthesis.
Raw diets for dogs and cats: a review, with particular reference to microbiological hazards
Authors: Davies R. H. , Lawes J. R. , Wales A. D.
Published: April 2019

There is a recent trend to feed pet dogs and cats in Britain and other developed countries on raw meat and animal by‐products using either commercial preparations or home recipes. This shift from heat‐treated processed food has been driven by perceived health benefits to pets and a suspicion of industrially produced pet food. The diets of wild‐living related species have been used as a rationale for raw feeding, but differences in biology and lifestyle impose limitations on such comparisons. Formal evidence does exist for claims by raw‐feeding proponents of an altered intestinal microbiome and (subjectively) improved stool quality. However, there is currently neither robust evidence nor identified plausible mechanisms for many of the wide range of other claimed benefits. There are documented risks associated with raw feeding, principally malnutrition (inexpert formulation and testing of diets) and infection affecting pets and/or household members. Surveys in Europe and North America have consistently found Salmonella species in a proportion of samples, typically of fresh‐frozen commercial diets. Another emerging issue concerns the risk of introducing antimicrobial‐resistant bacteria. Raw pet food commonly exceeds hygiene thresholds for counts of Enterobacteriaceae. These bacteria often encode resistance to critically important antibiotics such as extended‐spectrum cephalosporins, and raw‐fed pets create an elevated risk of shedding such resistant bacteria. Other infectious organisms that may be of concern include Listeria, shiga toxigenic
E

scherichia
coli
, parasites such as Toxoplasma gondii and exotic agents such as the zoonotic livestock pathogen Brucella suis, recently identified in European Union and UK raw pet meat imported from Argentina.
“The challenge of managing insecurities”: Parents’ experiences with the care for their child with congenital diaphragmatic hernia
Authors: Petit‐Steeghs Violet , Pittens Carina A. C. M. , Barnhoorn Magda J. M. , Broerse Jacqueline E. W.
Published: April 2019

Purpose

Last decennia remarkable advances have been made in decreasing the mortality rate of children with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), resulting in a relatively growing patient group with long‐term complications and complex care needs. These consequences have a huge impact on the quality of life of both children and their families. To provide practical recommendations for improving the quality of care for this patient group, the present study sought to obtain insights into the experiences and needs of parents with a child with CDH.

Design and Methods

A qualitative study was conducted on the experiences and needs of parents with a child with CDH living in the Netherlands. Data was obtained by means of a discourse analyses of 17 weblogs written by parents and three online focus groups with 8–12 parents per group (n = 29). The data was analysed thematically and structured by using the model of Lawoko (2007) on parental satisfaction with care.

Results

Although parents were generally satisfied with the delivered care, they frequently encountered challenges in managing insecurities throughout the care process. Besides the unpredictable disease progress, insecurities were exacerbated by: (a) limited specialized knowledge of long‐term consequences, (b) logistical problems, and (c) nontransparent communication. Providing security through, for instance, a clear care plan and by engaging parents in the decision‐making process helped them feel more in control.

Practice Implications

This study showed that parents’ main challenge was to manage insecurities. Creating securities by providing a care plan and involving parents in the decision‐making process helped parents to feel more in control. To improve quality of care for children with CDH, future measures should, therefore, focus on reducing insecurities by managing expectations, improving transparency and stimulating engagement.
Clinical utility of urine specific gravity, electrical conductivity, and color as on‐farm methods for evaluating urine concentration in dairy cattle
Authors: Megahed Ameer A. , Grünberg Walter , Constable Peter D.
Published: April 2019

Background

Urine concentration (UC) provides clinically useful information concerning hydration status and renal function of animals.

Objectives

To characterize the clinical performance of urine specific gravity measured by optical refractometry (USG‐R) or Multistix‐SG urine reagent dipstick (USG‐D), urine electrical conductivity using an OAKTON Con 6 conductivity handheld meter (UEC), urine color (UColor) using a custom‐designed 8‐point color chart, and urine creatinine concentration (UCreat) for assessing UC in dairy cattle.

Animals

20 periparturient Holstein‐Friesian cows.

Methods

Urine was obtained by perineal stimulation or urethral catheterization and urine osmolality (UOsm, reference method), USG‐R, USG‐D, UEC, UColor, and UCreat determined. Diagnostic test performance was evaluated using Spearman's rho and logistic regression to determine the area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) and optimal cut point for diagnosing hypohydration (UOsm ≥800 mOsm/kg). P < .05 was considered significant.

Results

The best performing test for diagnosing hypohydration was USG‐R (AUC = 0.90) at an optimal cut point ≥1.030. The second‐best performing test was UEC (AUC = 0.82) at a cut point of ≥23.7 mS/cm, followed by UCreat (AUC = 0.76) at a cut point of ≥95.3 mg/dL, and UColor (AUC = 0.74) at a cut point of ≥4 on an 8‐point scale. Urine specific gravity measured by dipstick performed poorly (AUC = 0.63).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

USG‐R and UEC provide practical and sufficiently accurate methods for measuring UC in dairy cattle. Urine color had moderate clinical utility as a no‐cost cow‐side method for assessing UC, whereas dipstick refractometry is not recommended for assessing UC.
Harnessing crowdsourcing for scholarly and GLAM purposes
Authors: Van Hyning Victoria
Published: April 2019

Full text search is vital to research of many kinds, but automatically creating transcriptions of most handwritten materials and ornate print is not yet technologically achievable. Even companies that have invested heavily in Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and search optimization, such as Alphabet (Google's parent company), have yet to make (or make widely available) technology for parsing handwritten or ornate text. Crowdsourcing conducted by scholars and cultural heritage practitioners offers an opportunity for us to engage with a diverse public who are interested in transcribing historical, literary, and other documents, in order to advance human knowledge. Crowdsourcing is a great vehicle for engaging students of all walks of life, with primary sources. Virtual volunteers all around the world are eager to learn and contribute to the vast project of making the world's textual records more widely accessible, not only for search, but for those, such as blind and partially sighted people, who use screen readers.
Expanding the definition of learning: from self to social to system
Authors: Larsen Douglas P
Published: April 2019

Larsen encourages educators and researchers to expand their definition of learning beyond cognitive processes to include practices that emerge from social interactions and system changes.
Comparative genomics reveal pathogenicity‐related loci inPseudomonas syringaepv.actinidiaebiovar 3
Authors: Zhao Zhibo , Chen Jiliang , Gao Xiaoning , Zhang Di , Zhang Jinlong , Wen Jing , Qin Huqiang , Guo Ming , Huang Lili
Published: April 2019

Bacterial canker of kiwifruit, is a severe global disease caused byPseudomonas syringaepv.actinidiae(Psa). Here, we found that Psa biovar 3 (Psa3) was the only biovar consisting of three widely distributed clades in the largest Chinese kiwifruit cultivated area. Comparative genomics between the three clades revealed 13 polymorphic genes, each of which had multiple intra‐clade variations. For instance, we confirmed that the polymorphiccopAgene, which encodes a periplasmic protein CopA that is translocated by the Twin‐arginine targeting (Tat) system, was involved in copper tolerance. We also found extensive variation in pathogenicity amongst strains within each genetically monomorphic clade. Accordingly, the pathogenic determinants of Psa3 were identified via a genomic comparison of phenotypically different strains within each clade. A case study of the high‐ and low‐virulence strains in the clade 2 of Psa3 revealed that anhfqvariant involved inin vitrogrowth and virulence, while a conserved locus 930 bp upstream of thehrpRgene in the Type III secretion system (T3SS) cluster was required for full pathogenicity on kiwifruit and elicitation of the hypersensitivity response on non‐hostNicotiana benthamiana. The ‘‐930’ locus is involved in transcriptional regulation ofhrpR/Sand modulates T3SS function via the hierarchical ‘HrpR/S‐HrpL‐T3SS/effector’ regulatory cascade in Psa. Our results provide insights into the molecular basis underlying the genetic diversification and evolution of pathogenicity in Psa3 since kiwifruit canker emerged in China in the 1980s.
A review of cutaneous hypersensitivity reactions in infants: From common to concerning
Authors: Arnold Kathryn A. , Gao Jingyun , Stein Sarah L.
Published: April 2019

Cutaneous hypersensitivity reactions in infants present in a variety of patterns. These skin eruptions can be dramatic, causing alarm in parents and medical personnel. Many of these syndromes have overlapping features, which adds to the confusion and uncertainty regarding diagnosis and management. This review discusses the spectrum of hypersensitivity responses with a focus on their presentation in infants. The clinical findings, pathophysiology, histopathology, management, and complications of these conditions will be reviewed.
A Solution to Kripke's Puzzle about Time and Thought
Authors: Xu Zhaoqing
Published: April 2019

In this paper, I propose and defend a solution to Kripke's puzzle about time and thought, which lives in harmony with the axiom schema of separation and does not invoke paraconsistency. I also compare my solution with Parikh's semantic interpretation, and answer to three potential objections.
Breathe out and learn: Expiration‐contingent stimulus presentation facilitates associative learning in trace eyeblink conditioning
Authors: Waselius Tomi , Wikgren Jan , Penttonen Markku , Nokia Miriam S.
Published: April 2019

Rhythmic variation in heart rate and respiratory pattern are coupled in a way that optimizes the level of oxygen in the blood stream of the lungs and the body as well as saves energy in pulmonary gas exchange. It has been suggested that the cardiac cycle and respiratory pattern are coupled to neural oscillations of the brain. Yet, studies on how this rhythmic coupling is related to behavior are scarce. There is some evidence that, for example, the phase of respiration affects memory retrieval and the electrophysiological oscillatory state of the limbic system. It is also known that the phase of the cardiac cycle and hippocampal electrophysiological oscillations alone affect learning. Here, we studied whether the timing of training trials to different phases of respiration affects learning trace eyeblink conditioning in healthy adult humans. Trials consisting of a neutral conditioned stimulus (200‐ms tone) and a slightly aversive unconditioned stimulus (100‐ms air puff toward the eye), presented with a 600‐ms trace interval, were timed to either inspiration or expiration. A control group was trained regardless of respiratory phase. We found that, at the end of training, the rate of conditioned responses was higher in the group trained at expiration than it was in the other two groups. That is, brain state seems to fluctuate as a function of respiratory rhythm, and this fluctuation is also behaviorally relevant, exerting its effect on, at the least, a simple form of associative learning.
High‐intensity interval training in chronic kidney disease: A randomized pilot study
Authors: Beetham Kassia S. , Howden Erin J. , Fassett Robert G. , Petersen Aaron , Trewin Adam J. , Isbel Nicole M. , Coombes Jeff S.
Published: April 2019

Introduction

High‐intensity interval training (HIIT) increases mitochondrial biogenesis and cardiorespiratory fitness in chronic disease populations, however has not been studied in people with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The aim of this study was to compare the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of HIIT with moderate‐intensity continuous training (MICT) in people with CKD.

Methods

Fourteen individuals with stage 3‐4 CKD were randomized to 3 supervised sessions/wk for 12 weeks, of HIIT (n = 9, 4 × 4 minute intervals, 80%‐95% peak heart rate [PHR]) or MICT (n = 5, 40 minutes, 65% PHR). Feasibility was assessed via session attendance and adherence to the exercise intensity. Safety was examined by adverse event reporting. Efficacy was determined from changes in cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2peak), exercise capacity (METs), and markers of mitochondrial biogenesis (PGC1α protein levels), muscle protein catabolism (MuRF1), and muscle protein synthesis (p‐P70S6k Thr389).

Results

Participants completed a similar number of sessions in each group (HIIT = 33.0[7.0] vs MICT = 33.5[3.3] sessions), and participants adhered to the target heart rates. There were no adverse events attributable to exercise training. There was a significant time effect for exercise capacity (HIIT = +0.8 ± 1.2; MICT = +1.3 ± 1.6 METs; P = 0.01) and muscle protein synthesis (HIIT = +0.6 ± 1.1; MICT = +1.4 ± 1.7 au; P = 0.04). However, there were no significant (P > 0.05) group × time effects for any outcomes.

Conclusion

This pilot study demonstrated that HIIT is a feasible and safe option for people with CKD, and there were similar benefits of HIIT and MICT on exercise capacity and skeletal muscle protein synthesis. These data support a larger trial to further evaluate the effectiveness of HIIT.
The omission of the “wet” pre‐transplant crossmatch in renal transplant centres in Scotland
Authors: Turner David , Battle Richard , Akbarzad‐Yousefi Arash , Little Ann‐Margaret
Published: April 2019

The methods used for assessment of immunological risk for a patient receiving a kidney from a deceased donor have undergone significant change in the last few years. Many centres now proceed to transplant without any additional laboratory‐based HLA testing for patients who are well defined as HLA antibody negative. Using rapid HLA antibody tests at the time of donor offer, such as Luminex, it is also possible to omit wet crossmatches in many sensitised patients. This virtual crossmatch (vXM) approach provides benefits in reducing cold ischaemia time (CIT), but also carries risks such as missing clinically relevant non‐HLA reactivity or allelic HLA antibody reactivity. A number of factors need to be in place in a laboratory to enable a vXM policy to be extended to both sensitised and non‐sensitised patients including access to complete donor HLA typing, ability to undertake Luminex‐based HLA antibody testing out of working hours, and access to senior H&I Scientist expertise to assess and interpret results. Other approaches, such as using peripheral blood lymphocytes for crossmatching, may also enable a reduction in CIT and transplant units need to assess the risks of extending vXM processes for their patients against potential benefits.
Information Technology and Local Product Variety: Substitution, Complementarity and Spillovers
Authors: De Vos Duco , Meijers Evert
Published: April 2019

This paper addresses the interaction between information technology (IT) and agglomeration. The literature distinguishes two types of interactions, namely a substitution effect and a complementarity effect. We conceptualise a third effect, namely a ‘spillover’ mechanism, by which IT allows places in close proximity of large cities to ‘borrow size’ and sustain greater product variety. We test these mechanisms using detailed data on restaurant cuisine variety in the Netherlands, and the IT dimension is measured through the use and penetration of online restaurant reviews. We find that IT complements cuisine variety in cities, and induces spillovers to smaller places near larger ones, allowing smaller places to sustain ‘rare’ cuisines that were traditionally only present in larger cities. As such, IT leads to the spread of agglomeration benefits such as local product variety over larger territories.
Urban visions and divisions in the global south: Comparing strategies for Mumbai and Cape Town
Authors: Marom Nathan
Published: April 2019

This article analyses the conceptual work of urban strategic visions in two global South cities, Mumbai and Cape Town, in the context of urban inequality and informality. Theoretically, it develops two related conceptual tools: (1) Principles of vision and division: following Pierre Bourdieu's ideas on the predominant symbolic classifications by which we observe and organise our social world, these are classificatory schemes and categories (e.g., racial, religious, ethnic, economic) through which urban strategies “see” the city; (2) Vectors of integration: these are the main development trajectories that strategies promote, encompassing the directionality and content of prioritised urban interventions, and their potential inclusionary or exclusionary effects. Empirically, the article compares two strategic visions: theConcept Planfor Mumbai Metropolitan Region and Cape Town'sCity Development Strategy–Spatial Development Framework. The comparison reveals that strategies in both cities omit explicit discussion of dominant yet contentious social divisions, replacing them instead with “plannable” spatial distinctions: between city, slums and new suburbs in Mumbai; between formal and informal modes of development in Cape Town. Although the strategies explicitly highlight goals of urban integration through specific tools (i.e., “integrated townships” in Mumbai, “multidirectional accessibility grid” in Cape Town), their directionality and content entail geographical distancing and dislocation from urban centrality for residents living in informality or slums. The comparison thus underlines the inequitable consequences of classificatory schemes of strategic visions, and the uneven effects of direction, distance, density, and design of their long‐term development trajectories. Overall, by applying these twinned concepts – visions of divisions, vectors of integration – in two distinct cases, the article offers a sociologically and spatially insightful critique of contemporary urban strategy‐making in the global South. It also contributes to the wider project of comparative urbanism, demonstrating new possibilities to compare “concepts with difference” across diverse geographical contexts and urban phenomena.
Linguistic insecurity and the linguistic ownership of English among Singaporean Chinese
Authors: Foo Amanda Limin , Tan Ying‐Ying
Published: April 2019

Linguistic insecurity and linguistic ownership rest on the same foundational ideas. However, despite the extensive study of both, the two concepts have never been discussed in conjunction. This paper refines both concepts and puts forth a set of conditions to test for the presence of linguistic insecurity and the exercise of linguistic ownership in 287 Singaporeans through an empirical survey examining their use of English, as well as their perceptions of other speakers in the Singapore English‐speaking community and Singapore English itself. The results reveal that Singaporeans are linguistically insecure but yet exercise full ownership of the English language. These somewhat paradoxical findings uncover an unusual relationship between linguistic insecurity and ownership. We argue in this paper that there exists a new type of linguistic ownership in Singapore, one that does not invoke notions of authority or legitimacy. It is this new notion of linguistic ownership that drives a new brand of linguistic insecurity documented in this paper.
Maternal corticosterone in the mouse alters oxidative stress markers, antioxidant function and mitochondrial content in placentas of female fetuses
Authors: Bartho Lucy A. , Holland Olivia J. , Moritz Karen M. , Perkins Anthony V. , Cuffe James S. M.
Published: April 2019

Key points

Maternal exposure to the stress hormone corticosterone is known to programme a range of sex specific disease outcomes in offspring.

Sex differences in placental adaptations are thought to mediate these processes.

Placental oxidative stress is implicated in a range of pregnancy disorders but the role of placental oxidative stress in sex specific disease outcomes following prenatal corticosterone exposure is unknown.

This study demonstrates that maternal corticosterone reduced placental hydrogen peroxide and 8‐hydroxy‐2′‐deoxyguanosine concentrations but increased protein carbonyl content and advanced glycation end product concentrations in placentas of female fetuses but not male fetuses.

These results highlight that placentas of female fetuses respond differently to maternal corticosterone exposure, with oxidative stress a major finding in placentas of female fetuses.

Maternal exposure to glucocorticoids during pregnancy increases offspring risk of developing a range of sex specific disease phenotypes. These sex specific disease outcomes are thought to be in part mediated by different placental adaptations in males and females. The placenta is a highly metabolic organ which is vulnerable to the effects of oxidative stress. In other tissues, males and females have been shown to respond differently to the pro‐oxidant effects of glucocorticoids. This study therefore used a well characterized animal model of maternal corticosterone exposure to investigate sex specific alterations in reactive oxygen species production, antioxidant concentrations and mitochondrial properties that might contribute to sex differences in placental outcomes. C57BL/6 mice were implanted with osmotic minipumps containing corticosterone (33 μg kg−1 h−1) at embryonic day (E) 12.5 and placentas collected at E14.5 for analysis. Corticosterone exposure reduced placental hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and 8‐hydroxy‐2′‐deoxyguanosine concentrations but increased protein carbonyl content and advanced glycation end product concentrations in placentas of female fetuses but not male fetuses. This dysregulation of different markers of oxidative stress may be due to increased placental activity of thioredoxin reductase in female but not male fetuses. Corticosterone reduced placental mitochondrial content but increased protein expression of the autophagosome cargo protein p62. This study demonstrates that placentas of female fetuses respond differently to maternal corticosterone exposure and highlights an important role of reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial adaptations and antioxidant responses in glucocorticoid induced programmed disease.
Espacio, cuerpo e intermedialidad: apuntes sobre “Vida de familia”/Vida de familia
Authors: De los Ríos Valeria
Published: April 2019

Este artículo analiza la adaptación del cuento “Vida de familia” de Alejandro Zambra, llevada al cine por Jiménez y Scherson en 2016. Más que analizar exhaustivamente todos aquellos elementos que se traspasan del texto a la imagen, me interesa observar ciertas transformaciones que ocurren a nivel narrativo, como la desaparición del narrador. También analizaré algunas de las principales adiciones de la versión cinematográfica, como son la dimensión espacial y la corporalidad, y algunas prácticas intermediales, tanto en el cuento como en la película.
Percepción háptica y narrativa sensorial en el “ciclo del río” de Gustavo Fontán
Authors: Depetris Chauvin Irene
Published: April 2019

Este artículo analiza los modos en que tres películas del argentino Gustavo Fontán parten de una tradición literaria fluvial, pero logran “pintar” un río al explorar las relaciones entre sujeto y paisaje a través de las dimensiones hápticas y sensoriales. Descentrándose de un sentido tradicional de narrativa documental y fílmica, La orilla que se abisma (2008), El rostro (2013) y El limonero real (2016) apuestan por la intensificación perceptiva y estética para encontrar una nueva idea de experiencia que permite redibujar la geografía afectiva del litoral argentino.
Infrared Microscopy Enhanced Ångström's Method for Thermal Diffusivity of Polymer Monofilaments and Films
Authors: Hahn Jaesik , Reid Tahira , Marconnet Amy
Published: April 2019

Ångström's method has been used to quantify thermal diffusivity of materials for over 150 years via measurement of thermal waves propagating through a long, thin sample. However, the traditional Ångström's method has some limitations. First, the traditional method is insensitive to potential variability in thermal diffusivity along the length of a sample because only two sensors are used. Second, conventional contact-based sensing techniques such as thermocouples limit the method to samples that are sufficiently large so as to be unaffected by heat loss through the sensors. Here, we develop and validate the infrared microscopy enhanced Ångström's method that overcomes these limitations and enables measurement of microscale samples. This work demonstrates the accuracy and applicability of the technique through measurement of several commercially available polymer monofilaments and films and comparison of the data to published values. This method is particularly robust to uncertainty in emissivity making it attractive for characterization of semitransparent samples.
Quartz crystal microbalance study of precursor diffusion during molecular layer deposition using cyclic azasilane, maleic anhydride, and water
Authors: Ju Ling , Vemuri Vamseedhara , Strandwitz Nicholas C.
Published: April 2019

The authors report the detailed growth characterization of a molecular layer deposition chemistry that utilizes a cyclic azasilane, maleic anhydride, and water in a sequential reaction sequence. They observe a three stage growth for this chemistry during which the growth rate per cycle (GPC) is initially small and increases to large steady state values. Using a quartz crystal microbalance, they observe significant diffusion of maleic anhydride and cyclic azasilane into the film that causes the large GPC. They also observe that longer purge times between precursor exposures result in a smaller GPC and an increased number of cycles required to reach steady state and large GPCs. At higher substrate temperatures, growth is suppressed due to precursor desorption. Furthermore, after long inert gas purging after film growth, significant film mass loss occurs accompanied by a loss of porosity indicated by the lack of film absorption of maleic anhydride and cyclic azasilane precursors after restarting growth. They conclude that growth using this specific chemistry is largely dominated by precursor absorption and diffusion within the film, resulting in CVD-like reactions, rather than sequential, self-limiting surface reactions.
Use of noise correlation matrices to interpret ocean ambient noise
Authors: Nichols Stephen M. , Bradley David L.
Published: April 2019

Oceanic ambient noise is a dynamic mixture of biologic, geophysical, and anthropogenic sound sources. A goal of research is to put some order in this cacophony of information, understand the received spectral content and determine the primary contributors to the ambient noise. This paper compares three methods to assist in that process (with emphasis on noise correlation techniques): noise correlation matrices, manual selection of noise spectra, and principal component analysis. Comparison followed a common process: selection of a replica set (best termed a characteristic subset of noise spectra), which are used to recreate the original noise field for comparison and consequent decision as to whether that replica set represented the noise measurements adequately. Conclusions of this study are (1) noise correlation matrices provide the best definition of the spectra that represent a particular source and offer potential in organizing and identifying specific noise source content. (2) Manual sorting of noise spectra, while able to identify specific events easily, is both labor intensive, given the quantity of data available; and suffers from incorrect interpretation of multiple competing sound sources, when present. (3) Principal component analysis provides the best reconstruction of measured noise, but has difficulty linking components to physical source mechanisms.
Aerodynamic impact of the ventricular folds in computational larynx models
Authors: Sadeghi Hossein , Döllinger Michael , Kaltenbacher Manfred , Kniesburges Stefan
Published: April 2019

Ventricular folds (VeFs) act as passive, non-moving structures during normal phonation. According to the literature, VeFs potentially aid the flow-driven oscillations of the vocal folds (VFs) that produce the primary sound of human phonation. In this study, large eddy simulations were performed to analyze this influence in a numerical model with imposed VF motion as measured experimentally from a synthetic silicone vocal fold model. Model configurations with and without VeFs were considered. Furthermore, configurations with rectangular and elliptical glottis shapes were simulated to investigate the effects of three-dimensional glottal jet evolutions. Results showed that VeFs increased flow rate and transglottal pressure difference by a decrease in the pressure level in the ventricles immediately downstream of the VFs. This led to an increase in the glottal flow resistance, increased energy transfer rate between the flow and VFs, and a simultaneous decrease in the laryngeal flow resistance, which shows a higher amount of kinetic energy in the glottal flow. This enhancement was more pronounced in the rectangular glottis and varied with the subglottal pressure and VeF gap size.
Passive structural monitoring based on data-driven matched field processing
Authors: Lubeigt E. , Rakotonarivo S. , Mensah S. , Chaix J.-F. , Baqué F. , Kuperman W. A.
Published: April 2019

A passive data-driven method to localize a defect in a structure using the ambient noise is derived. The approach requires only acoustic measurements in a spatially random noise field and no knowledge of the structure. Measurements are taken before and after the perturbation has occurred and Green's functions are retrieved by cross-correlating acoustic measurements. The difference between measured data reveals the perturbation. A frequency domain method based on matched field processing is then performed to localize the perturbation. The Bartlett, minimum variance and white noise gain constraint processors are implemented and their performances are illustrated on a numerical experiment.
Pulmonary–renal syndrome: diagnostic challenge
Authors: Correia Sandra Isabel , Eira Isabel , Santa Cruz Andre , Ângela Cristina
Published: April 2019

Vasculitis presents several diagnostic challenges. Herein, we present a clinical case of a 71- year old woman, observed in our emergency department due to asthenia, vomiting and persistent cough. The patient had a history of progressive renal failure and anaemia over the last years. On physical examinations, fine pulmonary crackles were detected and laboratory test showed haemoglobin 69 g/L, creatinine 4 mg/dL, potassium 6.3 mmol/L, positive antineutrophil cytoplasm antibody (ANCA), with proteins and dimorphic erythrocytes in the urinary sediment. CT analysis of the thorax revealed patchy ground glass haziness, likely due to diffuse alveolar haemorrhage. Pulmonary–renal syndrome was assumed, and induction therapy was initiated. She was discharged after 33 days of hospitalisation. On the following months, ANCA titres remained undetectable, but minor recovery of renal function was observed, requiring haemodialysis. Indeed, the use of aggressive induction therapy at early stage dramatically improve prognosis, maintenance of disease remission may be difficult, as relapse is frequent.
Prospective colonoscopic study to investigate risk of colorectal neoplasms in first-degree relatives of patients with non-advanced adenomas
Authors: Ng Siew C , Kyaw Moe Htet , Suen Bing Yee , Tse Yee Kit , Wong Martin C S , Hui Aric J , Tak Hui Yee , Lau James Y W , Sung Joseph J Y , Chan Francis K L
Published: April 2019

Objective

The risk associated with a family history of non-advanced adenoma (non-AA) is unknown. We determined the prevalence of colorectal neoplasms in subjects who have a first-degree relative (FDR) with non-AA compared with subjects who do not have an FDR with adenomas.

Design

In a blinded, cross-sectional study, consecutive subjects with newly diagnosed non-AA were identified from our colonoscopy database. 414 FDRs of subjects with non-AA (known as exposed FDRs; mean age 55.0±8.1 years) and 414 age and sex-matched FDRs of subjects with normal findings from colonoscopy (known as unexposed FDRs; mean age 55.2±7.8 years) underwent a colonoscopy from November 2015 to June 2018. One FDR per family was recruited. FDRs with a family history of colorectal cancer were excluded. The primary outcome was prevalence of advanced adenoma (AA). Secondary outcomes included prevalence of all adenomas and cancer.

Results

The prevalence of AA was 3.9% in exposed FDRs and 2.4% in unexposed FDRs (matched OR (mOR)=1.67; 95% CI 0.72 to 3.91; p=0.238 adjusted for proband sex and proband age). Exposed FDRs had a higher prevalence of any adenomas (29.2% vs 18.6%; mOR=1.87; 95% CI 1.32 to 2.66; p<0.001) and non-AA (25.4% vs 16.2%; mOR=1.91; 95% CI 1.32 to 2.76; p=0.001). A higher proportion of exposed FDRs than unexposed FDRs (4.3% vs 2.2%; adjusted mOR=2.44; 95% CI 1.01 to 5.86; p=0.047) had multiple adenomas. No cancer was detected in both groups.

Conclusion

A positive family history of non-AA does not significantly increase the risk of clinically important colorectal neoplasia. The data support current guidelines which do not advocate earlier screening in individuals with a family history of non-AA.

Trial registration number

NCT0252172.