bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“We Just Kind of Had to Figure It Out”: A Qualitative Exploration of the Information Needs of Mothers Who Express Human Milk
Authors: Dietrich Leurer Marie , McCabe Janet , Bigalky Jodie , Mackey April , Laczko Dana , Deobald Virginia
Published: November 2019

Background

Human milk expression, primarily by pump, is practiced by the majority of breastfeeding mothers in affluent countries. Existing literature is focused on determining prevalence and duration rates and the factors behind this trend. There is less research exploring mothers’ perspectives and experiences related to expression.

Research aim

To gather the experiential wisdom of mothers with a focus on their information needs and sources related to human milk expression.

Methods

Audiotaped interviews were conducted with 35 mothers of infants, aged birth to 24 months, who had expressed milk at least once in western Canada. This study was guided by interpretive description, an applied qualitative research approach.

Results

Registered nurses and international board-certified lactation consultants were the most common sources of information, with Internet, friends/family, and other mothers also important. Inconsistent expression advice was confusing for participants, and many reported health care providers did not address all their expression learning needs. Desired topic areas included practical advice on how to express, determining expression frequency/timing/duration, milk storage guidelines, the influence of expression on milk supply, product information, and general support/encouragement.

Conclusions

Assessment of expression learning needs should be part of routine lactation support at each encounter. Nonjudgmental, factual guidance will assist mothers in making evidence-informed decisions related to expression practices that are consistent with their unique breastfeeding goals. This should be supplemented by reputable online resources that provide timely and accurate information as well as efforts to connect mothers with peer support groups.
Leadership and higher education fundraising: Perspectives from Malaysia
Authors: Jarvis Adrian Paul , Mishra Pradip Kumar
Published: November 2019

Funds raised from philanthropic giving have become a key element in the long-term finances of higher education institutions around the world, presenting leaders, primarily principals, with a range of novel challenges that have not, hitherto, been key drivers of leadership. This article explores the problem by reporting on qualitative research that looked at how fundraising is carried out in the Malaysian higher education system, which has recently experienced profound changes to its financial landscape. Data were generated by semi-structured interviews with fundraisers from a range of higher education settings. It was found that for fundraising efforts to succeed, they must be spearheaded by an active principal who adopts the stance of transformational leader towards potential donors, forming a long-term relationship based on a shared vision. He or she is likely to be supported by a fundraising team that will be more transactional in approach and style.
Microelectrostatic simulation of insulated graphene–polymer nanocomposites using COMSOL Multiphysics
Authors: Uyor UO , Popoola API , Popoola OM , Aigbodion VS
Published: November 2019

Graphene–polymer nanocomposites have shown promising potential as high dielectric constant and electrostatic energy storage materials. However, such nanocomposites often faced challenges of high energy dissipation and low voltage endurance due to direct contact of graphene nanosheets and localized electric field concentration. Various efforts have been made to address these shortcomings such as the insulative coating of graphene nanosheets in a polymer matrix. In this study, we simulated (using COMSOL Multiphysics) the effects of such insulative coatings on localized voltage concentration around graphene nanosheet in a polymer matrix. The simulation was done by consideration of various insulative materials with different dielectric constant and coating thickness on graphene nanosheets. It was noted that insulative coating can reduce localized voltage concentration around a graphene nanosheet in a polymer matrix, thereby improve the breakdown strength. Further increase in the coating thickness with low dielectric constant coating materials can further enhance breakdown strength. However, high coating thickness resulted in lowering the microcapacitance of the microcapacitor in the polymer matrix. Therefore, for the optimal energy density of such nanocomposites, a compromise dielectric constant of a coating material and coating thickness on graphene nanosheet must be reached. This study showcased the influence of insulative coatings on graphene nanosheets. It will be a guide for further studies on the selection of coating materials for graphene nanosheets for high breakdown strength nanocomposites.
Palliative Care for Patients With Hematologic Malignancies in a Low-Middle Income Country: Prevalence of Symptoms and the Need for Improving Quality of Attention at the End of Life
Authors: Jaime-Pérez José Carlos , Turrubiates-Hernández Grecia Abigayl , Nava-Obregón Teresa , Coronado-Hernández Blanca , Gutiérrez-Aguirre Homero , Cantú-Rodríguez Olga Graciela , Herrera-Garza José Luis , Gómez-Almaguer David
Published: November 2019

Background:

Palliative care (PC) for patients with malignant hematological diseases is scarcely documented, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to document PC provided to patients with hematologic malignancies.

Methods:

Bidirectional study conducted from July 2016 to June 2019 at the hematology and palliative care departments at a reference center in Northeast Mexico for low-income open population uninsured patients. Clinical records and electronic files of patients with malignant hematological diseases of both sexes and all ages attending an academic hematology center were reviewed. Statistical analysis was performed with the SPSS version 22 program. Acute and chronic leukemias, multiple myeloma, Hodgkin lymphoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and others were included.

Results:

Five-hundred ten patients were studied, of which 148 (29%) died. Eighty-one (15.88%) patients including 31 (20.9%) who died received PC. Median age at palliative diagnosis was 42 (2-91) years. The most common symptom was pain (69.7%). The most frequent reason for palliative referral was treatment-refractory disease (39%). During the last week of life, 19 (95%) of 20 patients had blood sampling; 17 (85%) received antibiotics; 16 (80%) had a urinalysis performed; 16 (80%) received analgesia, including paracetamol (11, 35.5%) and buprenorphine (7, 22.6%); 10 (50%) received blood products; 9 (45%) were intubated; and central venous catheters were inserted in 5 (25%) patients.

Conclusions:

Palliative care was provided to a minority of patients with hematologic malignancies and considerable improvement is required in its timely use and extension.
New δ-shock waves in the p-system: a distributional product approach
Authors: Paiva Adelino
Published: November 2019

This article studies a Riemann problem for the so-called “[Formula: see text]-system”[Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], which rules one-dimensional isentropic thermoelastic media. Such study is made using a product of distributions that allows us to extend both the classical solution concept and a weak solution concept. By considering [Formula: see text] as an entire function that takes real values on the real axis, this product also extends for certain distributions [Formula: see text] the meaning of [Formula: see text]. Under certain conditions, this Riemann problem has solutions that are [Formula: see text]-shock waves. Furthermore, those [Formula: see text]-shock waves satisfy the so-called generalized Rankine–Hugoniot conditions.
Does Co-Occurring Anxiety Modulate ADHD-Related Cognitive and Neurophysiological Impairments?
Authors: Adamo Nicoletta , Michelini Giorgia , Cheung Celeste H. M. , Buitelaar Jan K. , Asherson Philip , Rijsdijk Fruhling , Kuntsi Jonna
Published: November 2019

Objective: This study investigates whether anxiety modulates cognitive-performance, electrophysiological and electrodermal processes that we previously found impaired in individuals with ADHD. Method: Self-reported anxiety symptoms, cognitive-electrophysiological measures of response inhibition, working memory, attention, conflict monitoring, error processing, and peripheral arousal during three cognitive tasks were obtained from 87 adolescents and young adults with ADHD and 169 controls. We tested the association of anxiety symptoms with each measure and whether controlling for anxiety symptoms attenuates the ADHD–control difference for each measure. Results: Individuals with ADHD showed significantly elevated anxiety symptoms compared with controls. Only commission errors on a Continuous Performance Test (measuring response inhibition) were significantly associated with anxiety symptoms and only among controls, with the ADHD–control difference in this measure remaining significant. Conclusion: Using a wide range of cognitive, electrophysiological, and electrodermal measures, our investigation suggests, overall, limited malleability of these impairments in individuals with ADHD irrespective of their levels of anxiety.
Evaluating the psychometric qualities of the edTPA in the context of pre-service music teachers
Authors: Musselwhite Dorothy J , Wesolowski Brian C
Published: November 2019

The Educative Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA) is a widely implemented performance assessment in the United States used to indicate the readiness of pre-service teachers to enter the classroom and the level of pre-service teacher preparation supported by individual colleges of education. The purpose of this study is to investigate the psychometric qualities (i.e., validity and reliability) of the edTPA specifically in the context of pre-service music education candidates. The study was guided by the following questions: ‘What is the overall psychometric quality (i.e., validity and reliability) of the edTPA rubric items in the context of pre-service music educators?’ (Research Question 1); ‘How do the rubric criteria fit the measurement model and how do they vary in difficulty?’ (Research Question 2); and (c) ‘Do the category response structures for each criterion empirically cooperate to provide meaningful measures?’ (Research Question 3). Results indicated overall adequate model-data fit but demonstrated measurement optimization concerns attributed to the category response structures. Implications for pre-service music education training are discussed.
Dear British criminology: Where has all the race and racism gone?
Authors: Phillips Coretta , Earle Rod , Parmar Alpa , Smith Daniel
Published: November 2019

In this article we use Emirbayer and Desmond’s institutional reflexivity framework to critically examine the production of racial knowledge in British criminology. Identifying weakness, neglect and marginalization in theorizing race and racism, we focus principally on the disciplinary unconscious element of their three-tier framework, identifying and interrogating aspects of criminology’s ‘obligatory problematics’, ‘habits of thought’ and ‘position-taking’ as well as its institutional structure and social relations that combine to render the discipline ‘institutionally white’. We also consider, briefly, aspects of criminology’s relationship to race, racism and whiteness in the USA. The final part of the article makes the case for British criminology to engage in telling and narrating racisms, urging it to understand the complexities of race in our subject matter, avoid its reduction to class and inequality, and to pay particular attention to reflexivity, history, sociology and language, turning to face race with postcolonial tools and resolve.
An experimental study on piezoelectric energy harvesting from wind and ambient structural vibrations for wireless structural health monitoring
Authors: Kaur Naveet , Mahesh Dasari , Singamsetty Sreenitya
Published: November 2019

Energy harvesting is an emerging technology holding promise of sustainability amid the alarming rate at which the human community is depleting the natural resources to cater its needs. There are several ways of harvesting energy in a renewable fashion such as through solar, wind, hydro-electric, geothermal, and artificial photosynthesis. This study focuses on energy harvesting from wind vibrations and ambient structural vibrations (such as from rail and road bridges) through piezo transducers using the direct piezoelectric effect. First, the potential of the piezoelectric energy harvesting from ambient wind vibrations has been investigated and presented here. Lead zirconate titanate patches have been attached at the fixed end of aluminum rectangular and trapezoidal cantilevers, which have been exposed to varying wind velocity in a lab-size wind tunnel. The effect of perforations and twisting (distortion) on the power generated by the patches under varying wind velocity has also been studied. It has been observed that the power is comparatively higher in rectangular-shaped cantilever than the trapezoidal one. Perforations and shape distortion showed promising result in terms of higher yield. The laboratory experiments have also been extended to the real-life field condition to measure the actual power generated by the lead zirconate titanate patches under the ambient wind vibrations. Next, energy harvesting from the ambient structural vibrations has been done both experimentally and numerically. Four different prototypes have been considered. The power has been measured across the lead zirconate titanate patches individually and in parallel combination. A maximum power output for Prototype 1 to Prototype 4 has been found to be 4.3428, 11.844, 25.97, and 43.12 µW, respectively. Numerical study has also been carried out in ANSYS 14.5 to perform the parametric study to examine the effect of addition of mass at the free end of cantilever. In a nutshell, this article provides a comprehensive study on the effect of various factors on the amount of energy generated by piezoelectric patches under wind and structural vibrations. The energy generated is sufficient for driving low-power-consuming electronics that can further be used for other applications like wireless structural health monitoring, and so on.
Blurred lines: Detaining asylum seekers in Britain and France
Authors: Bosworth Mary , Vannier Marion
Published: November 2019

In this article, we explore the use of immigration detention for asylum seekers in Britain and France who are awaiting removal to other European Union (EU) member states for processing under the terms of the Dublin Convention. As we will show, the emphasis on risk assessment as the grounds for detaining these people recasts humanitarian protections as security matters, effectively folding asylum seekers into a broader criminalisation of migration. A punitive response to those seeking refuge, this practice blurs the line between detention and asylum, and thereby hollows out key international human rights protections that have been central to the European project.
‘I knew that you were there, so I was talking to you’: the use of screen-recording videos in online language learning research
Authors: Ho Wing Yee Jenifer
Published: November 2019

As language learning has become increasingly globalised, mobile and online, instances of language learning of significant value cannot be obtained by using conventional means such as on-site observation or video recording in classrooms. In this article, I present a new approach to collecting data in the online language learning context with an aim to capture the multimodal and embodied nature of language learning. Screen-recording as a research tool is an under-explored area; this article discusses some methodological and practical issues that researchers would encounter when using this approach, and outlines the considerations researchers need to make when collecting data in such kind of contexts. The article argues that screen-recording is an innovative data collection tool in the research of language learning, and it should be included in the repertoire of mobile methods to study (im)mobilities of language learners, teachers and knowledge.
Speech-Language Pathologists’ Behavior Management Training and Reported Experiences With Challenging Behavior
Authors: Chow Jason C. , Wallace Erin Stehle
Published: November 2019

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the extent that school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs) received behavior management training and experience challenging behavior. We developed a web-based survey to address our research aims, and recruited participants via online community boards and social media. A sample of 233 school-based SLPs reported minimal focus on behavior management in their undergraduate and graduate programs, and that they often experience challenging behavior when delivering services. We conclude by inviting colleagues, both researchers and practitioners, to continue discussion around (a) the need for adequate behavior management training, (b) the potential promise of collaborative efforts between teachers, SLPs, and other related service providers, and (c) educators’ responsibilities to ensure that children and youth who receive special education services have access to the curriculum and demonstrate educational progress.
Moving the Needle in MMA: On the Marginal Revenue Product of UFC Fighters
Authors: Gift Paul
Published: November 2019

This article analyzes fighter marginal products (MP) and marginal revenue products (MRP) for the largest component of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) revenues: content. Most bouts are fought in the presence of fixed content revenues, and most fighters go their entire careers without supplying labor services for variable revenue pay-per-view (PPV) main cards. After demonstrating that winning does not sufficiently explain variation in PPV buys, I estimate fighter MP and MRP using U.S. consumer search activity from Google Trends as a proxy for fighter popularity. Results suggest that a sizable percentage of UFC fighters generated little to no MRP, while a small number of PPV main card fighters were responsible for 75% of aggregate MRP. Other PPV main card fighters who did not drive the majority of MRP appeared to generate more than some compensation estimates. An apparent decline over time in the UFC’s inframarginal consumer base is also discussed.
Study of mechanical properties of basalt fibers/epoxy composites containing silane-modified nanozirconia
Authors: Azizi Hosna , Eslami-Farsani Reza
Published: November 2019

Epoxy matrix composites owing to their outstanding properties such as high strength, low weight, high thermal stability and good stiffness are broadly utilized in various industries. Also, the basalt fibers as a green industrial material show various extraordinary properties such as high mechanical strength, desired stability, suitable chemical resistance, and high temperature resistance. In this study, the effect of silane-modified nanozirconia on the tensile and flexural properties of basalt fibers/epoxy composites is investigated. As a first step, the surface of nanozirconia was modified with a silane coupling agent namely 3-methoxysilyl propyl amine. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy has been used to demonstrate the chemical nature of the silanized ZrO2 nanoparticles prepared. 3-methoxy silyl propyl amine/nanozirconia with various loadings (0, 1, 3 and 5 wt.%) were added to the epoxy resin via mechanical and ultrasonication routes. The resultant mixtures were then utilized to fabricate ZrO2/satin texture basalt fibers/epoxy nanocomposites using hand-layup technique. This symptomatic behavior exposes the successful modiﬁed ZrO2 nanoparticles to enhance the interfacial bonding. Also, a scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to study the distribution level of silanized ZrO2 nanoparticles in the matrix as well as the fracture surfaces of the specimens. Experimental results from three-point bending and tensile tests showed that with the dispersion of 3 wt.% nanozirconia, flexural strength, flexural modulus, flexural failure strain, tensile strength, tensile modulus and tensile failure strain enhanced by 90, 74, 84, 76, 85 and 14%, respectively, compared with specimens without nanozirconia. The SEM observations of the fracture surfaces of the nanocomposites clearly indicated that the enhancement in the flexural and tensile properties was due to the improvement in the interfacial adhesion between the basalt fibers and modified ZrO2 nanoparticles-enhanced epoxy matrix.
A proposed protocol for the comparison of virtual to physical health assessments and treatment plans for patients presenting for initial vascular clinic visits
Authors: Mousa Albeir Y , Broce Mike , Duvall Nancy , AbuRahma Ali F
Published: November 2019

The current manuscript contains a protocol proposal for a prospective research trial comparing virtual vascular clinic visits to actual physical clinic visits. Patient dissatisfaction can increase because of the complexities associated with navigating modern health care systems. It is easy to speculate that some of this dissatisfaction is associated with travel, wait times and other issues that arise during routine clinic visits. The authors of recent studies have demonstrated that it is possible and feasible to conduct many routine visits remotely. It is our belief that virtual health assessments and treatment plans (VHAT) conducted remotely can be as effective, perhaps be more efficient and increase patient satisfaction when compared to regular physical health assessments and treatment plans (PHAT). Physicians want to provide optimal health care; however, in geographically isolated areas such as some locations in West Virginia that can be a challenge. It seems reasonable to believe that monitoring patients with telehealth technology, collecting on-going real time data and conducting VHAT can provide high-quality health care for patients. It can also help to classify health risk, increase patient and medical staff satisfaction, decrease staff time for visits, while at the same time increase the efficiency of the follow-up process. We plan to compare the physician assessments and future treatment plans made using VHAT to those made after PHAT. It is believed that VHAT will be in agreement with those made with PHAT.

Aims/objectives:

The primary objective of the current project is to compare assessment and future treatment plans for low-risk patients made via VHAT and PHAT visits. A secondary objective is to measure patient and physician satisfaction.

Methods

 Study hypotheses: 1. There will be good agreement (kappa coefficient ≥ 0.80) between VHAT and PHAT assessments and treatment plans. More specifically, VHAT and PHAT  assessments will be used to classify patients into low, moderate and high risk for intervention and there will be good agreement between the two methods. 2. Patient satisfaction will be greater for VHAT as compared to PHAT visits.
Design optimization of a lightweight rocker–bogie rover for ocean worlds applications
Authors: Nayar Hari , Kim Junggon , Chamberlain-Simon Brendan , Carpenter Kalind , Hans Michael , Boettcher Anna , Meirion-Griffith Gareth , Wilcox Brian , Bittner Brian
Published: November 2019

Relatively recent discoveries have shown that large quantities of water can be found on moons of some of the planets among the gas giants in our solar system. Robotic mobility systems can study the varied geology and origins of these bodies if they are able to navigate the complex terrains of ocean worlds. The topographical features of ocean worlds present a unique combination of challenges for mobility. These include cryogenic ice, penitentes, salt evaporites, chaotic regions, and regolith with uncertain shear and sinkage properties. Uncertainty in both terrain properties and geometry motivates design of a platform that is mobile within a large range of obstacle geometries and terrain properties. This article reports on a research effort to study the requirements and numerically optimize the kinematic parameters of the rover to satisfy these goals. The platforms selected in the process were further verified via simulation. A simulation and analysis of grousers generated suitable designs for interaction with similar ledges and rough terrain. From this analysis, a prototype was developed and tested to meet the wide range of topography and terramechanics conditions expected on these bodies.
Evolving optimal learning strategies for robust locomotion in the spring-loaded inverted pendulum model
Authors: Walker Kathryn , Hauser Helmut
Published: November 2019

Robust locomotion in a wide range of environments is still beyond the capabilities of robots. In this article, we explore how exploiting the soft morphology can be used to achieve stability in the commonly used spring-loaded inverted pendulum model. We evolve adaption rules that dictate how the attack angle and stiffness of the model should be changed to achieve stability for both offline and online learning over a range of starting conditions. The best evolved rules, for both the offline and online learning, are able to find stability from a significantly wider range of starting conditions when compared to an un-adapting model. This is achieved through the interplay between adapting both the control and the soft morphological parameters. We also show how when using the optimal online rule set, the spring-loaded inverted pendulum model is able to robustly withstand changes in ground level of up to 10 m downwards step size.
Animation in the Core of Dystopia: Ari Folman’s The Congress
Authors: Lorenzo Hernández María
Published: November 2019

Ari Folman’s The Congress (2013) borrows freely from Stanisław Lem’s dystopian view in his Sci-fi novel The Futurological Congress (1971) to propose the gradual dissolution of the human into an artificial form, which is animation. By moving the action of the novel from a hypothetical future to contemporary Hollywood, Ari Folman gives CGI animation the role of catalyst for changes not only in the production system, but for human thought and, therefore, for society. This way, the film ponders the changing role of performers at the time of their digitalization, as well as on the progressive dematerialization of the film industry, considering a dystopian future where simulation fatally displaces reality, which invites relating The Congress with Jean Baudrillard’s and Alan Cholodenko’s theses on how animating technologies have resulted in the culture of erasing. Moreover, this article highlights how Lem’s metaphor of the manipulation of information in the Soviet era is transformed in the second part of The Congress into a vision of cinema as a collective addiction, relating it to Alexander Dovzhenko’s and Edgar Morin’s speculative theories of total film – which come close to the potentialities of today’s Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality. In addition, although The Congress is a disturbing view of film industry and animating technologies, its vision of film is nostalgically retro as it vindicates an entire tradition of Golden Age animation that transformed the star system into cartoons, suggesting the fictionalization of their lives and establishing a postmodern continuum between animation and film.
The Gollum Problem: Empathy and Digital Characters in Cinema
Authors: Sheldon Zachary
Published: November 2019

In her article ‘The soul factor: Deception in intimations of life in computer-generated characters’ (2009), Kathryn S Egan argues that digital characters in cinema have no soul and are incapable of being empathized with. For evidence, Egan assesses the character of Gollum from Peter Jackson’s adaptations of The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001–2003, NZ, USA). This article finds, however, that there are many who have empathized with Gollum, in direct contradiction to Egan’s findings. The author argues that Egan produces academic scholarship rather than phenomenological research, and that there is an opening for empathizing with and relating to digital characters such as Gollum. He posits that further research is required in the area of mediated characters and relationships, and that more precise language is required around terms like ‘empathy’ to accurately communicate the nuance in relationships between real people and digital or artificial characters. In addition, he suggests a term, ‘directed empathy’, to evoke the kind of empathetic relationship that exists between digital characters and viewers.
The End of the Road for the YSI 2300 Analyzer: Where Do We Go Now?
Authors: Han Julia , Nichols James H. , Rice Mark , Klonoff David C.
Published: November 2019

Production of the YSI 2300 STAT PLUS Glucose and l-Lactate Analyzer (YSI Incorporated, Yellow Springs, OH, United States) has been discontinued. This benchtop instrument is the most widely used device for determining the accuracy of products that measure blood glucose and interstitial fluid glucose. An alternate comparator instrument must now be identified by the diabetes diagnostics industry. The available products should be reviewed by parties interested in accurate, fast, low-cost comparator benchtop, or portable (nonstrip) methods using small sample volumes with good ease-of-use and human factors. Stakeholders include glucose monitor manufacturers, test labs, clinical chemists, diabetes clinicians, professional organizations, and regulators. This article presents features of eleven possible alternative instruments to be considered as comparator methods for measuring the accuracy of glucose monitors.
Driving innovation using enterprise crowdsourcing
Authors: O’Leary Daniel E
Published: November 2019

Crowdsourcing is emerging as a critical source of information and knowledge in contemporary enterprises. In an era of global competition and where “CIO” is increasingly being used to refer to “Chief Innovation Officer,” facilitating enterprise innovation is becoming more and more important. This paper presents a case that is designed to illustrate the use of a crowdsourcing tool to gather data from an enterprise’s crowd to facilitate generating innovative ideas and help manage innovation knowledge. The case presents the basic system design and provides screens to illustrate its use. The case also examines how two firms have used the tool in the banking and consulting industries. Finally, the case examines some potential challenges associated with systems of this type.
Mortality risk comparing walking pace to handgrip strength and a healthy lifestyle: A UK Biobank study
Authors: Zaccardi Francesco , Franks Paul W , Dudbridge Frank , Davies Melanie J , Khunti Kamlesh , Yates Thomas
Published: November 2019

Aims

Brisk walking and a greater muscle strength have been associated with a longer life; whether these associations are influenced by other lifestyle behaviours, however, is less well known.

Methods

Information on usual walking pace (self-defined as slow, steady/average, or brisk), dynamometer-assessed handgrip strength, lifestyle behaviours (physical activity, TV viewing, diet, alcohol intake, sleep and smoking) and body mass index was collected at baseline in 450,888 UK Biobank study participants. We estimated 10-year standardised survival for individual and combined lifestyle behaviours and body mass index across levels of walking pace and handgrip strength.

Results

Over a median follow-up of 7.0 years, 3808 (1.6%) deaths in women and 6783 (3.2%) in men occurred. Brisk walkers had a survival advantage over slow walkers, irrespective of the degree of engagement in other lifestyle behaviours, except for smoking. Estimated 10-year survival was higher in brisk walkers who otherwise engaged in an unhealthy lifestyle compared to slow walkers who engaged in an otherwise healthy lifestyle: 97.1% (95% confidence interval: 96.9–97.3) vs 95.0% (94.6–95.4) in women; 94.8% (94.7–95.0) vs 93.7% (93.3–94.2) in men. Body mass index modified the association between walking pace and survival in men, with the largest survival benefits of brisk walking observed in underweight participants. Compared to walking pace, for handgrip strength there was more overlap in 10-year survival across lifestyle behaviours.

Conclusion

Except for smoking, brisk walkers with an otherwise unhealthy lifestyle have a lower mortality risk than slow walkers with an otherwise healthy lifestyle.
Effect of Chitosan on Mineral Content of Human Tooth After Bleaching: An SEM-EDX Study
Authors: Tosun Samet
Published: November 2019

Aim and Background:

35% carbamide peroxide can cause adverse effects on the structure and composition of teeth. However, the addition of calcium and fluoride in bleaching agents may reduce enamel demineralization. The aim of the study is to evaluate the chemical changes in a tooth submitted to 35% of carbamide peroxide containing chitosan and carbopol as a carrier system using scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive x-ray analysis (SEM-EDX).

Materials and Methods:

30 freshly extracted anterior teeth were given root canal treatment. The teeth were randomly divided into 3 groups. Group 1 was Opalescence PF (35% carbamide peroxide), group 2 was chitosan with 35% carbamide peroxide, and group 3 was a control group (no treatment). All canals were filled with 0.06 tapered gutta-percha and AH-plus sealer. Then, intracoronal bleaching was applied. SEM-EDX analysis was performed to determine whether bleaching procedures changed the mineral content of the tooth. While SEM-EDX analysis, the tooth was analyzed based on elemental content and elemental distribution from standardized points under 300× magnification. Statistical analysis was performed with one way analysis of variance.

Results:

There was no significant difference in C, O, Na, P, Mg, K, and S values and the Ca/P ratio obtained by SEM-EDX analysis among groups ( P > .05), whereas the Ca level was significantly lower in Opalescence PF group than the control group ( P < .05).

Conclusions:

The results of this study show that chitosan does not cause mineral loss and dissolution in the inorganic content of a tooth. Thus, chitosan can be used as an alternative carrier system in the bleaching agent.
Location, Location, Location: Liberatory Pedagogy in a University Classroom
Authors: Dalmage Heather M. , Martinez Samantha A.
Published: November 2019

In this article, we explore the practice, promise, and contradictions of introducing liberatory practice into a higher education classroom. Freire introduced liberatory education in response to the hierarchical transfer of knowledge, “banking” concept of education that has dominated educational institutions. The banking approach to education demands that students memorize and repeat top-down “official” knowledge in order to achieve success. Liberatory pedagogy holds great hope, but developing a space for liberatory dialogue within the university classroom remains messy and rife with contradictions. Professors interested in liberatory pedagogy must make explicit the contradictions and challenge the multiple ways schools shape students, politically and culturally. We reflect on three different points in the semester as moments of explicit focus on the contradictions of creating liberatory spaces and dialogue within higher education. Location matters in every moment: our social locations shape our experiences, and the location of the classroom within higher education and the shifting locations in the liberatory process include managing the contradictions and possibilities of human liberation. We offer educators wishing to develop liberatory practices some ways of reflecting on and shaping a liberatory space within higher education classrooms through the lens of a professor and student engaged in the process of liberatory dialogue.
The Jumping Up (J-Up) Test: Making the Diagnosis of Acute Appendicitis Easier in Children
Authors: Tzortzopoulou Adelais K. , Giamarelou Panagiota , Tsolia Mariza , Spyridis Nikolaos , Vakaki Marina , Passalides Alexander , Zavras Nikolaos
Published: November 2019

We evaluate a new clinical test, jumping up (J-up) test, to diagnose easier appendicitis in children. A total of 407 patients, aged 5 to16 years, with right lower quadrant abdominal pain were asked to jump rising both hands and trying to reach a toy hanging down from the ceiling of the examination room. Bieri pediatric Face Pain Scale was used for recording the pain response. J-up test has sensitivity of 87% and specificity of 70%. A positive J-up test combined with leukocytosis (white blood cells count >12 000/mm3), neutrophilia >75%, neutrophil/lymphocyte >2, and C-reactive protein >5 mg/dL, achieved a posttest probability of appendicitis of 85%. A negative J-up test combined with the aforementioned blood markers within normal range had a posttest probability for non-appendicitis of 92%. J-up test is a reliable clinical test, which could be used even by an inexperienced doctor. Combined with classical blood markers, it could successfully predict which child is in urgent need or not of surgery.
Experiential Learning: Moving From Data Collection to Health Promotion in One Term
Authors: Cunningham Amy , Riley Amy Henderson , Puskarz Katherine , Frasso Rosemary
Published: November 2019

Public health graduate students can benefit from exposure to both qualitative methods and health communication strategies early in their training. However, effective methods of integrating these constructs in an introductory course assignment have not been fully explored. This article describes a graduate public health assignment that engaged students in qualitative freelisting data collection and analysis to understand the health concerns of graduate students. Results of the freelisting exercise then informed the creation of infographics. Classroom sessions focused on instruction in freelisting data collection, data analysis, health communication principles, and infographic creation. A total of 73 MPH (Master of Public Health) students completed 355 freelisting interviews, examining the health priorities of graduate students. The most salient student priorities were sleep, exercise, eating, social/family time, balance, and mental health. Students worked in small groups to create infographics on one of the identified community priorities. Infographics were presented in class, posted in campus buildings, and shared through social media. The assignment offered students an experiential learning activity that integrated qualitative research and health communication strategies that provided a benefit to their community.
More precisely defining risk peri-HCT in pediatric ALL: pre- vs post-MRD measures, serial positivity, and risk modeling
Authors: Bader Peter , Salzmann-Manrique Emilia , Balduzzi Adriana , Dalle Jean-Hugues , Woolfrey Ann E. , Bar Merav , Verneris Michael R. , Borowitz Michael J. , Shah Nirali N. , Gossai Nathan , Shaw Peter J. , Chen Allen R. , Schultz Kirk R. , Kreyenberg Hermann , Di Maio Lucia , Cazzaniga Gianni , Eckert Cornelia , van der Velden Vincent H. J. , Sutton Rosemary , Lankester Arjan , Peters Christina , Klingebiel Thomas E. , Willasch Andre M. , Grupp Stephan A. , Pulsipher Michael A.
Published: November 2019

Key Points

Low or nondetectable MRD pre-HCT leads to similar outcomes, suggesting that MRD negativity is not an absolute prerequisite for HCT. MRD post-HCT is more important than pre-HCT, and monitoring with sensitive techniques can detect very high-risk patients early.
Overexpression of WT1 and PRAME predicts poor outcomes of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes with thrombocytopenia
Authors: Huang Qiu-Sha , Wang Jing-Zhi , Qin Ya-Zhen , Zeng Qiao-Zhu , Jiang Qian , Jiang Hao , Lu Jin , Liu Hui-Xin , Liu Yi , Wang Jing-Bo , Su Li , Zhang Hong-Yu , Li Zhen-Ling , Gao Su-Jun , Huang Bo , Liu Yu-Ying , Liu Yan-Rong , Xu Lan-Ping , Huang Xiao-Jun , Zhang Xiao-Hui
Published: November 2019

Key Points

Overexpression of WT1 and PRAME are common in MDS patients with thrombocytopenia. Both are independent poor prognostic factor for outcome. The evaluation of WT1/PRAME transcript analysis can better risk-stratify the patients, thus guiding individualized treatment.
Transcriptome responses to different herbivores reveal differences in defense strategies between populations of Eruca sativa
Authors: Ogran Ariel , Faigenboim Adi , Barazani Oz
Published: November 2019

Background

Intraspecific variations among induced responses might lead to understanding of adaptive variations in defense strategies against insects. We employed RNA-Seq transcriptome screening to elucidate the molecular basis for phenotypic differences between two populations ofEruca sativa(Brassicaceae), in defense against larvae of the generalist and specialist insects,Spodoptera littoralisandPieris brassicae, respectively. TheE. sativapopulations originated from desert and Mediterranean sites, where the plants grow in distinct habitats.

Results

Responses to elicitation of the plants’ defenses against wounding and insect herbivory resulted in more upregulated transcripts in plants of the Mediterranean population than in those of the desert. PCA analysis differentiated between the two populations and between the elicitation treatments. Comprehensive analysis indicated that defense responses involved induction of the salicylic acid and jasmonic acid pathways in plants of the desert and Mediterranean populations, respectively. In general, the defense response involved upregulation of the aliphatic glucosinolates pathway in plants of the Mediterranean population, whereas herbivory caused downregulation of this pathway in desert plants. Further quantitative RT-PCR analysis indicated that defense response in the desert plants involved higher expression of nitrile-specifier protein (NSP) than in the Mediterranean plants, suggesting that in the desert plants glucosinolates breakdown products are directed to simple-nitriles rather than to the more toxic isothiocyanates. In addition, the defense response in plants of the desert population involved upregulation of flavonoid synthesis and sclerophylly.

Conclusions

The results indicated that differing defense responses in plants of the two populations are governed by different signaling cascades. We suggest that adaptive ecotypic differentiation in defense strategies could result from generalist and specialist herbivore pressures in the Mediterranean and desert populations, respectively. Moreover, the defense responses in plants of the desert habitat, which include upregulation of mechanical defenses, also could be associated with their dual role in defense against both biotic and abiotic stresses.
Analysis of five deep-sequenced trio-genomes of the Peninsular Malaysia Orang Asli and North Borneo populations
Authors: Deng Lian , Lou Haiyi , Zhang Xiaoxi , Thiruvahindrapuram Bhooma , Lu Dongsheng , Marshall Christian R. , Liu Chang , Xie Bo , Xu Wanxing , Wong Lai-Ping , Yew Chee-Wei , Farhang Aghakhanian , Ong Rick Twee-Hee , Hoque Mohammad Zahirul , Thuhairah Abdul Rahman , Jong Bhak , Phipps Maude E. , Scherer Stephen W. , Teo Yik-Ying , Kumar Subbiah Vijay , Hoh Boon-Peng , Xu Shuhua
Published: November 2019

Background

Recent advances in genomic technologies have facilitated genome-wide investigation of human genetic variations. However, most efforts have focused on the major populations, yet trio genomes of indigenous populations from Southeast Asia have been under-investigated.

Results

We analyzed the whole-genome deep sequencing data (~ 30×) of five native trios from Peninsular Malaysia and North Borneo, and characterized the genomic variants, including single nucleotide variants (SNVs), small insertions and deletions (indels) and copy number variants (CNVs). We discovered approximately 6.9 million SNVs, 1.2 million indels, and 9000 CNVs in the 15 samples, of which 2.7% SNVs, 2.3% indels and 22% CNVs were novel, implying the insufficient coverage of population diversity in existing databases. We identified a higher proportion of novel variants in the Orang Asli (OA) samples, i.e., the indigenous people from Peninsular Malaysia, than that of the North Bornean (NB) samples, likely due to more complex demographic history and long-time isolation of the OA groups. We used the pedigree information to identify de novo variants and estimated the autosomal mutation rates to be 0.81 × 10− 8– 1.33 × 10− 8, 1.0 × 10− 9– 2.9 × 10− 9, and ~ 0.001 per site per generation for SNVs, indels, and CNVs, respectively. The trio-genomes also allowed for haplotype phasing with high accuracy, which serves as references to the future genomic studies of OA and NB populations. In addition, high-frequency inherited CNVs specific to OA or NB were identified. One example is a 50-kb duplication inDEFA1Bdetected only in the Negrito trios, implying plausible effects on host defense against the exposure of diverse microbial in tropical rainforest environment of these hunter-gatherers. The CNVs shared between OA and NB groups were much fewer than those specific to each group. Nevertheless, we identified a 142-kb duplication inAMY1Ain all the 15 samples, and this gene is associated with the high-starch diet. Moreover, novel insertions shared with archaic hominids were identified in our samples.

Conclusion

Our study presents a full catalogue of the genome variants of the native Malaysian populations, which is a complement of the genome diversity in Southeast Asians. It implies specific population history of the native inhabitants, and demonstrated the necessity of more genome sequencing efforts on the multi-ethnic native groups of Malaysia and Southeast Asia.
Comparative acetylome analysis reveals the potential roles of lysine acetylation for DON biosynthesis in Fusarium graminearum
Authors: Zhou Shanyue , Wu Chunlan
Published: November 2019

Background

Fusarium graminearum is a destructive fungal pathogen of wheat, barley and other small grain cereals. During plant infection, the pathogen produces trichothecene mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON), which is harmful to human and livestock. FgGCN5 encodes a GCN5 acetyltransferase. The gene deletion mutant Fggcn5 failed to produce DON. We assumed that lysine acetylation might play a key regulatory role in DON biosynthesis in the fungus.

Results

In this study, the acetylome comparison between Fggcn5 mutant and wild-type strain PH-1 was performed by using affinity enrichment and high resolution LC-MS/MS analysis. Totally, 1875 acetylated proteins were identified in Fggcn5 mutant and PH-1. Among them, 224 and 267 acetylated proteins were identified exclusively in Fggcn5 mutant and PH-1, respectively. Moreover, 95 differentially acetylated proteins were detected at a significantly different level in the gene deletion mutant:43 were up-regulated and 52 were down-regulated. GO enrichment and KEGG-pathways enrichment analyses revealed that acetylation plays a key role in metabolism process in F. graminearum.

Conclusions

Seeing that the gens playing critical roles in DON biosynthesis either in Fggcn5 mutant or PH-1. Therefore, we can draw the conclusion that the regulatory roles of lysine acetylation in DON biosynthesis in F. graminearum results from the positive and negative regulation of the related genes. The study would be a foundation to insight into the regulatory mechanism of lysine acetylation on DON biosynthesis.