bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Associations between trauma during adolescence and sense of purpose in middle-to-late adulthood
Authors: Pfund Gabrielle N. , Edmonds Grant W. , Hill Patrick L.
Published: January 2020

Early adverse experiences can hold lasting influence on later life outcomes, particularly during formative developmental periods such as adolescence. The current study evaluates the impact of different kinds of adolescent trauma on later sense of purpose in adulthood, using data from the Hawaii Longitudinal Study of Personality and Health. Participants ( n = 545) retrospectively reported three kinds of trauma during adolescence: (1) non-betrayal trauma, such as a natural disaster; (2) low betrayal trauma, such as being abused by a stranger; and (3) high betrayal trauma, such as being abused by a relative. At a later assessment, participants ( Mage = 60.15, SD = 1.96) reported their sense of purpose. Trauma scores were uncorrelated with sense of purpose for the overall sample. However, the associations differed when comparing two of the largest cultural groups in the sample, Japanese Americans and Native Hawaiians. For participants who identified as Japanese American, trauma scores held a negative association with later sense of purpose across multiple measures. Results are discussed with respect to how early life experiences differentially impact purpose development across individuals.
Exploring the Benefits of Transformations in Health Utility Mapping
Authors: Mitsakakis Nicholas , Bremner Karen E. , Tomlinson George , Krahn Murray
Published: January 2020

Background. Quality-of-life research and cost-effectiveness analyses frequently require data on health utility, a global measure of health-related quality of life. When utilities are unavailable, researchers have “mapped” descriptive instruments to utility instruments, using samples of responses to both instruments. Health utilities have an idiosyncratic distribution, with upper bound and probability mass at 1, left skewness, and kurtosis. Estimation of mean utility values conditional on covariates is of interest, particularly in health utility mapping applications. Traditional linear regression may be unsuitable because fundamental assumptions are violated. Complex statistical methods come with deficiencies that may outweigh their benefits. Aim. To investigate the benefits of transforming the health utility response variable before fitting a linear regression model. Methods. We compared log, logit, arcsin, and Box-Cox transformations with an untransformed model, using several measures of model accuracy. We made our evaluation by designing and conducting a simulation study and reanalyzing data from 2 published studies, which “mapped” a psychometric descriptive instrument to a utility instrument. Results. In the simulation study, log transformation with smearing estimator had in most cases the lowest bias but one of the highest variances, especially for estimating low utility values under small sample size. The untransformed model was outperformed by the transformed models. Findings were inconclusive for the analysis of real data, where arcsin gave the lowest error for one of the data sets, while the untransformed model had the best performance for the other. Conclusions. We identified the benefits of transformations and offered suggestions for future modeling of health utilities. However, the benefits were moderate and no single transformation appeared to be universally optimal, suggesting that selection requires examination on a case-by-case basis.
Experience-Based Perception of Vulnerability Factors to Child Sexual Abuse by Health Care Professionals in Nigeria: A Qualitative Approach
Authors: Ogunjimi Adetola I. , Oliveira Wanderlei Abadio de , Ventura Carla Aparecida Arena , Silva Jorge Luiz da , Silva Marta Angélica Iossi
Published: January 2020

Child sexual abuse (CSA) remains a major public health concern worldwide. In Africa, particularly, Nigeria, CSA is a silent, but lethal public health menace with prevalence reaching as high as 56% for different child sexual violence. Understanding the vulnerability factors of CSA promotes the creation of strategies toward prevention of CSA. Due to social stigmatization of victims and their families in Nigeria, it is difficult for researchers and policymakers to have access to firsthand information about predisposing factors to CSA, which negatively impacts efforts toward prevention of CSA. Health care professionals are sources of experience-based, anonymous information about various public health issues. This study aims to understand qualitatively health care professionals’ perception of vulnerability factors of CSA. The study presents a thematic content analysis of a semi-structured interview of 14 health care professionals working with sexually abused children in Nigeria, on their perception of vulnerability factors of CSA, while aligning the factors with known models of violence. Participants in the study reported several interrelated vulnerability factors involving the individual, sexual abuse perpetrator, family, environment, socioeconomic situations, and the lack or nonimplementation of policies against CSA. The study concludes that identifying these factors can assist health care professionals, parents, and family to better respond to child sexual violence cases and policymakers to create new strategies of preventing CSA, thereby improving the health and safety of children in Nigeria.
Apostates as a Hidden Population of Abuse Victims
Authors: Parekh Hari , Egan Vincent
Published: January 2020

The term “apostate” describes the term used by the religious to describe individuals raised within religious families who once identified as religious, but who have ceased to believe in the existence of God, gods or follow their religious belief, and now identify as non-religious. Given the strong feelings families can have about the rejection of their shared faith, and the difficulty that police forces may have in identifying and understanding the complexities of violence toward the apostate, this study sought to examine the possibility that apostates represent a hidden population of abuse victims within religious households. We recruited 228 persons (102 males, 119 females) from an online survey with the support of “Faith to Faithless”—a service within Humanists UK, which supports people that leave their religious faith. Individuals were screened using a modified version of the Conflict Tactics Scale to quantify their experience of assault and negotiation. It was found that persons who identified as apostates experienced more assault (i.e., harmful violence) than non-religious persons. Within this sample, Muslim apostates were significantly more likely to be victimized than Christian apostates. Disclosure of being abused for identifying as an apostate within a religious household to law enforcement was extremely uncommon, thereby preventing detection or prosecution of abusive acts committed by family members and limiting public awareness of this issue. These results are discussed in the context of the broader culture of honor-based ( izzat) violence, which occurs across the Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East, and North Africa, and is also seen in some Protestant Christian subcultures, and common to all Abrahamic religions, rather than Islam alone. This study highlights that within a multicultural society, there remain hidden populations of abuse victims who are vulnerable due to religious, cultural, and traditional constraints made by abusive family members.
Childhood Maltreatment: Experiences and Perceptions Among Chinese Young People
Authors: Ni Yanyan , Hesketh Therese
Published: January 2020

The study aimed to investigate young Chinese people’s childhood and adolescence exposure to maltreatment from all types of perpetrators, and to explore their perceptions of such experiences. A cross-sectional study was carried out among 1,255 young people at three universities located in Zhejiang Province, Eastern China. A questionnaire drawing on validated tools was developed to measure childhood and adolescence exposure to physical and emotional maltreatment. Physical and emotional maltreatment by any perpetrator before the age of 18 years was reported by 83.3% and 85.9% of the students, respectively; extreme forms were not rare. Overall, 68.8% of the students reported physical maltreatment by parents, 56.1% by teachers, 29.8% by peers, 11.7% by siblings, and 9.1% by grandparents; 58.5% reported emotional maltreatment by parents, 43.3% by teachers, 53.3% by peers, 12.0% by siblings, and 10.0% by grandparents. Physical or emotional maltreatment by any perpetrator was common in all sociodemographic groups, irrespective of urban/rural residence and economic status. Risk factors for maltreatment differ with type of maltreatment and perpetrator. Personal experience of emotional maltreatment was generally perceived as more harmful and less acceptable than physical, especially in females. In conclusion, high levels of maltreatment of children and adolescents in China indicate the need for (a) parent education about appropriate discipline measures when raising children, (b) teacher education and enforcement of existing laws banning institutional corporal punishment, (c) the adoption of a comprehensive anti-bullying strategy, and (d) the development of a formal child protection system to protect and support the most vulnerable families.
Acute Hepatocellular Injury Associated With Azithromycin
Authors: Ellison Carolyn A. , Blackwell Sarah B.
Published: January 2020

Purpose:

A report of acute azithromycin-induced hepatocellular injury is described.

An 83-year-old male was admitted with possible community-acquired pneumonia and received azithromycin and ceftriaxone. After 2 doses of azithromycin, the patient’s aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase were greater than 3 times the upper limit of normal and continued to rise with subsequent doses. A diagnostic abdominal ultrasound revealed hepatomegaly. Total bilirubin remained within normal limits during the course. Rosuvastatin and fenofibrate were held on admission and were not resumed in the setting of elevated liver enzymes. Rivaroxaban was held in the setting of worsening renal function. Hepatitis serologies were negative. Liver enzymes, international normalized ratio (INR), and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) continued to climb until hospital day 5 when azithromycin was discontinued in response. Liver enzymes, INR, aPTT, and lactate dehydrogenase all decreased from hospital days 6 through 8.

Conclusion:

A potentially serious liver injury occurred with the initiation of azithromycin and began to resolve quickly after its discontinuation. While cholestatic injury with azithromycin is well described, this is only the third reported case of direct hepatocellular injury.
The Air-Driven Dental Unit: Form and Function at a Mechanical Level
Authors: Pegg Jane E. , Lothamer Chad , Rawlinson Jennifer E.
Published: January 2020

The goal of this article is to provide an overview at a mechanical level of how the dental machine functions. A description of the low-speed handpiece and its air-driven micromotor as well as the high-speed handpiece and turbine will be provided. The compressor, rheostat, air–water syringe, suction, fiber-optic light, and handpiece couplings will also be discussed. It is important to understand the function of equipment to allow for troubleshooting problems and understanding maintenance requirements to keep equipment functioning optimally.
A dangerous method? Psychedelic therapy at Modum Bad, Norway, 1961–76
Authors: Johnstad Petter Grahl
Published: January 2020

After many years of disregard, the use of psychedelic drugs in psychiatric treatment has re-emerged in recent years. The prospect that psychedelics may again be integrated into mainstream psychiatry has aroused interest in long-forgotten research and experience from the previous phase of psychedelic therapy, which lasted from the late 1940s to the 1970s. This article will discuss one large-scale psychedelic therapy programme at Modum Bad Nervesanatorium, a psychiatric clinic which treated 379 inpatients with psychedelic drugs during the years 1961–76. The psychiatrists there initially regarded the psychedelic treatment as efficacious and without serious negative reactions, but reports of long-term harm have since surfaced. This article discusses how insights from Modum Bad might benefit the new generation of psychedelic treatment efforts.
Medicaid Waiver Adoption for Youth With Complex Behavioral Health Care Needs: An Analysis of State Decision-Making
Authors: Graaf Genevieve , Snowden Lonnie
Published: January 2020

Many states have enacted Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Medicaid waivers, which waive or expand Medicaid means tests to increase access to community-based public mental health services for youth with Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED). This study sought to understand key factors in State Mental Health Authorities and Medicaid Agency decision-making in adopting Medicaid waivers for youth with SED. Using purposive sampling to collect data through semi-structured interviews with officials from 37 state mental health systems, interviews focused on fiscal, historical, and political reasons for states’ adoption or rejection of Medicaid waivers to serve youth with SED. Results suggest that decisions around waiver adoption relate to the size and flexibility of state budgets, the sufficiency of existing public HCBS funding and services, political prioritization of children and families, states’ desire to move away from a reliance on residential care, and ideology related to the role of the state in providing for the welfare of children and families. Advocacy efforts promoting state waiver adoption can address apprehensions about budget constraints and providing financial assistance to non-poor families by emphasizing potential cost savings from residential diversion and ethical imperatives to keep children in their homes and communities.
Assessing the Psychometric Proprieties of the Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale–Short Form (ATSPPH-SF) Among Latino Adults
Authors: Torres Lucas , Magnus Brooke , Najar Natasha
Published: January 2020

The Latino population continues to underutilize mental health services at an alarming rate. The Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale–Short Form (ATSPPH-SF) is one of the most commonly used instruments to assess help-seeking attitudes. The current study sought to evaluate the factor structure and test for the presence of differential item functioning on the ATSPPH-SF with a sample of Latino adult individuals across nativity status (U.S.- vs. foreign-born), language format (English vs. Spanish), and gender. The analyses revealed two relatively independent factors named Openness to Seeking Treatment and Value and Need in Seeking Treatment. Measurement equivalence and practical implications are discussed in the context of use with Latino individuals.
Spurious roots of delay differential equations using Galerkin approximations
Authors: Kandala Shanti S , Samukham Surya , Uchida Thomas K , Vyasarayani C. P.
Published: January 2020

The dynamics of time-delay systems are governed by delay differential equations, which are infinite dimensional and can pose computational challenges. Several methods have been proposed for studying the stability characteristics of delay differential equations. One such method employs Galerkin approximations to convert delay differential equations into partial differential equations with boundary conditions; the partial differential equations are then converted into systems of ordinary differential equations, whereupon standard ordinary differential equation methods can be applied. The Galerkin approximation method can be applied to a second-order delay differential equation in two ways: either by converting into a second-order partial differential equation and then into a system of second-order ordinary differential equations (the “second-order Galerkin” method) or by first expressing as two first-order delay differential equations and converting into a system of first-order partial differential equations and then into a first-order ordinary differential equation system (the “first-order Galerkin” method). In this paper, we demonstrate that these subtly different formulation procedures lead to different roots of the characteristic polynomial. In particular, the second-order Galerkin method produces spurious roots near the origin, which must then be identified through substitution into the characteristic polynomial of the original delay differential equation. However, spurious roots do not arise if the first-order Galerkin method is used, which can reduce computation time and simplify stability analyses. We describe these two formulation strategies and present numerical examples to highlight their important differences.
Use of active synthesis in vibration reduction using an example of a four-storey building
Authors: Dymarek Andrzej , Dzitkowski Tomasz , Herbuś Krzysztof , Ociepka Piotr , Sękala Agnieszka
Published: January 2020

The article presents a method of active vibration reduction of vibrating mechanical systems. This method is based on the properties of positive rational functions, which in the case of discrete dynamical systems correspond to the characteristic function describing such systems. The method formalized uses methods for decomposing positive rational functions. The advantage of this approach is taking into account the analytical form of a characteristic function of the system being tested and the vibration-reducing force, as well as the conditions that the system should meet in the event of an active vibration-reducing force. In addition, in the proposed method, the desired dynamic properties of the system and the vibration-reducing force can be defined in such a way that the determined parameters of the active force affect all forms of the natural vibrations of the examined system. Based on the formalized methodology, the force reducing the vibrations of a four-storey frame to the desired displacement amplitude was determined. The impact of the place of application of the specific active force on the reduction of vibration of the tested object was also taken into account. The vibrations of the tested structure’s model were caused by kinematic excitation with a harmonic course and an amplitude corresponding to an earthquake of a magnitude of 5 on the Richter scale. To verify the determined force reducing the vibrations of the object and to create a visualisation of the analysed phenomenon, a dynamic analysis of the building structure was carried out using PLM Siemens NX 12 software.
Writing Beyond “the Four Corners”: Adolescent Girls Writing By, In, From, and For Bodies in School
Authors: Woodard Rebecca , Vaughan Andrea , Coppola Rick
Published: January 2020

There is growing interest in foregrounding bodies in literacy research and pedagogy. Drawing across multiple conceptualizations of bodies as tools, mediums, and social texts, this qualitative case study examines the multifaceted nature of embodiment in two adolescent girls’ school writing. Situated in a research-practice partnership that included researchers, the teacher, adolescent youth, and their parents, this analysis explores the ways writing acted with/on bodies throughout a poetry-writing unit in an urban middle school English language arts classroom. Data collected over 11 weeks included student and teacher interviews, observations and field notes, and artifacts. Through inductive coding processes, coupled with member-check interviews with participants and their parents, four themes were identified: (a) embodied knowing as inspiration for writing, (b) bodies as a mode of multimodal representation, (c) writing as a way to counternarrate against/with other bodies, and (d) bodies responding to writing.
What Does It Mean to Say Coaching Is Relational?
Authors: Robertson Dana A. , Padesky Lauren Breckenridge , Ford-Connors Evelyn , Paratore Jeanne R.
Published: January 2020

This metasynthesis presents the collective findings based on a small corpus of studies ( n = 28) that examined literacy coaching in elementary and secondary settings from a relational perspective. We frame our analysis using Lysaker’s notions of relational teaching and theorize that, like classroom teaching, powerful literacy coaching is grounded in dialogic, co-constructive interactions in which the coach and teacher jointly develop new knowledge and skills. Our analysis indicates that the realization of co-construction may be influenced by differential patterns related to positioning and dispositions toward coaching: (a) knowledge flow, (b) distributed expertise, and (c) vulnerability. To explicate these patterns, we present evidence of opportunities that enhanced co-construction and obstacles that reduced co-construction. We conclude by discussing how coaches and teachers can develop reciprocity in coach–teacher relationships and move toward more relational coaching approaches. Finally, we provide directions for future research.
On Two Foundational Principles of the Berlin School of Gestalt Psychology
Authors: Greenwood John D.
Published: January 2020

In this article, I consider what I have long taken to be the two foundational principles of the Berlin School of Gestalt psychology, namely, that perceptual configurations are “distinguishable from” or “other than” the elements from which they are configured and that the identity of such “elements” is determined by their relation to other elements within perceptual configurations. Yet, while it seems clear that Max Wertheimer (1880–1943), Kurt Koffka (1886–1941), and Wolfgang Köhler (1887–1967) were all committed to the first principle, it is less clear that they were committed (or were all committed) to the second principle. This is perhaps not surprising because commitment to the second principle would seem to undermine the first principle. I note that Wilhelm Wundt (1832–1920) appears to have been one of few psychologists clearly committed to the second principle, which is perhaps why, despite appearances to the contrary, he does not seem to have been committed to the first principle. Finally, I discuss some questions raised by this analysis and relate it to recent developments in theoretical psychology and a perennial question in social psychology.
Indigenous Australians with autism: A scoping review
Authors: Bailey Benjamin , Arciuli Joanne
Published: January 2020

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with autism spectrum disorder, used interchangeably with the term autism, are among the most marginalised people in Australian society. This review maps out existing and emerging themes in the research involving Indigenous Australians with autism based on a search of the peer-reviewed and grey literature. Our search identified 1457 potentially relevant publications. Of these, 19 publications met our inclusion criteria and focused on autism spectrum disorder diagnosis and prevalence, as well as carer and service provider perspectives on autism, and autism support services for Indigenous Australians. We were able to access 17 publications: 12 journal articles, 3 conference presentations, 1 resource booklet and 1 dissertation. Findings suggest similar prevalence rates for autism among Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, although some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with autism may not receive a diagnosis or may be misdiagnosed. Research on the perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander carers and Indigenous and non-Indigenous service providers is discussed in relation to Indigenous perspectives on autism, as well as barriers and strategies to improve access to diagnosis and support services. Although not the focus of our review, we briefly mention studies of Indigenous people with autism in countries other than Australia.

Lay Abstract

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with developmental disabilities such as autism are among the most marginalised people in Australian society. We reviewed research involving Indigenous Australians with autism based on a search of the peer-reviewed and grey literature. Our search identified 1457 potentially relevant publications. Of these, 19 publications were in line with our main areas of inquiry: autism spectrum disorder diagnosis and prevalence, carer and service provider perspectives on autism, and autism support services. These included 12 journal publications, 3 conference presentations, 1 resource booklet and 1 thesis dissertation. Findings suggest similar prevalence rates for autism among Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, although some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with autism may not receive a diagnosis or may be misdiagnosed. We also discuss research on the perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander carers and Indigenous and non-Indigenous service providers, as well as barriers and strategies for improving access to diagnosis and support services.
The politics and poetics of migrant narratives
Authors: Leurs Koen , Agirreazkuenaga Irati , Smets Kevin , Mevsimler Melis
Published: January 2020

Serving as the introduction to the special issue on ‘Migrant narratives’, this article proposes a multi-perspectival and multi-stakeholder analysis of how migration is narrated in the media in the last decade. This research agenda is developed by focussing on groups of actors that are commonly studied in isolation from each other: (1) migrants, (2) media professionals such as journalists and spokespersons from humanitarian organizations, (3) governments and corporations and (4) artists and activists. We take a relational approach to recognize how media power is articulated alongside a spectrum of more top-down and more bottom-up perspectives, through specific formats, genres and styles within and against larger frameworks of governmentality. Taken together, the poetics and politics of migrant narratives demand attention respectively for how stakeholders variously aesthetically present and politically represent migration. The opportunities, challenges, problems and commitments observed among the four groups of actors also provide the means to rethink our practice and responsibilities as media and migration scholars contributing to decentring media technologies and re-humanizing migrants.
Seismic damage features of high-speed railway simply supported bridge–track system under near-fault earthquake
Authors: Guo Wei , Gao Xia , Hu Ping , Hu Yao , Zhai Zhipeng , Bu Dan , Jiang Lizhong
Published: January 2020

Seismic loads pose a potential threat to the high-speed railway bridges in China, which have been rapidly developing in recent years, especially for those subjected to the near-fault earthquakes. The previous researches on high-speed railway bridges usually concern the far-field earthquake, and the damage of high-speed railway bridge–track system subjected to the near-fault earthquake has not been well studied. In this article, a seven-span high-speed railway simply supported bridge–track system is selected to explore the seismic damage features under the excitation of near-fault earthquake which possesses characteristics of obvious velocity pulse and high-frequency vibration. First, a detailed finite element model of the selected bridge–track system is established and calibrated by the experimental data and design code. Then the low-frequency pulse-type portion and the high-frequency background portion are separated from the selected eight original near-fault records, and a series of nonlinear dynamic analysis is conducted. The results show that the background portion leads to more serious damage of the bridge–track system than the pulse-type portion. Due to the high stiffness of high-speed railway bridge–track system, the background portion with high-frequency vibration characteristic produces the main part of seismic response of system. As for the damage part of system, the weakest component of the bridge–track system is the sliding layer, followed by the shear alveolar.
There’s ‘consent’ and then there’s consent: Mobilising Māori and Indigenous research ethics to problematise the western biomedical model
Authors: West-McGruer Kiri
Published: January 2020

Challenging western research conventions has a strong documented history in Indigenous critical theory and Kaupapa Māori research discourse. This article will draw from the existing research in these fields and expand on some of the core critiques of the biomedical model in Māori research environments. Of interest are the tensions produced by an over-reliance on individual informed consent as the panacea of ethical research, particularly when the research concerns communities who prioritise collective autonomy. These tensions are further exacerbated in research environments where knowledge is commodified and issues of knowledge ownership are present. Continuing a critique of the informed consenting procedure, this article considers its role in emulating a capitalist exchange of goods and perpetuating a knowledge economy premised on the exploitation of Indigenous people, resources and knowledge. Finally, this article will consider emerging ethical concerns regarding secondary data use in an era of big data.
The role of discourses in enacting neoliberal urbanism: Understanding the relationship between ideology and discourse in planning
Authors: Zanotto Juliana M
Published: January 2020

Claims that neoliberalism has been shaping planning practice and the production of space abound in planning literature. In this article, neoliberalism is treated not only as a set of policies but also as an ideology that organizes a particular way of seeing and orients action accordingly. The article explores how a particular socially shared belief system (ideology) that is taken as common sense (naturalized) provides the basis for particular ways of talking (discourses) about planning and urban development that legitimize and justify certain actions while making alternative possibilities unthinkable. In this sense, the article focuses on ideology in action and provides an empirically grounded discussion that renders ideology visible. Thus, ideology emerges from the empirical case as an explanatory mechanism to make sense of the dominant discourse that legitimizes the proliferation of suburban gated communities in the Metropolitan Region of Curitiba, in Brazil. The deconstruction of the discourse reveals content and structural properties that combine environmental concerns and neoliberal principles to turn potentially controversial practices into desirable outcomes. The ideological nature of the discourse is revealed when alternative ways of seeing and acting challenge its commonsensical and taken for granted claims. While simplifying complex relationships and rendering important elements invisible, the discourse appeals to a wide range of actors who hold different individual and professional values. Ultimately, this article offers insights into the mechanisms through which ideologies are manifested, reproduced, and materialized in planning practice.
Identification of an Autophagy-Related Signature Predicting Overall Survival for Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma
Authors: Hu Gang , Feng Hong-fang , Zhan Hui
Published: January 2020

Background:

Papillary thyroid carcinoma usually shows an excellent prognosis. However, its recurrence or persistence rate is high. In this study, we used bioinformatics to identify autophagy-related genes (ARGs) and establish a novel scoring system for papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Methods:

We collected ARGs sequencing data of patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Differentially expressed ARGs were identified by the “Limma” package in R language. After univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis, an ARG signature was developed. The established prognostic signature was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier curve and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic.

Results:

A sum of 26 differentially expressed ARGs were identified. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed that several significantly oncological signatures were enriched, such as autophagy, p53 signaling pathway, apoptosis, human cytomegalovirus infection, and platinum drug resistance. After univariate and multivariate analysis, 3 ARGs ( ITPR1, CCL2, and CDKN2A) were selected to develop autophagy-related signature. Patients with high risk had significantly shorter overall survival than those with low risk. The areas under the curve indicated that the signature showed good accuracy of prediction.

Conclusions:

We established a novel scoring system based on 3 ARGs, which provides a promising tool for the development of personalized therapy.
Misfitting the Research Process: Shaping Qualitative Research “in the Field” to Fit People Living With Dementia
Authors: Webb Joseph , Williams Val , Gall Marina , Dowling Sandra
Published: January 2020

It is increasingly recognized that people living with dementia should be included in qualitative research that foregrounds their voices, but traditional research approaches can leave less room for flexibility than is necessary. This article builds on others who have examined the challenges and rewards of the qualitative research process with people living with dementia. With reference to a specific project on communication and dementia, the research design adaptations needed at each step to turn a “misfit” into a “fit” are examined. Misfitting, as a concept related to social practice theories, is used to argue the need for a coproduced and flexible approach to research design and data collection. Recommendations include being willing to adapt research methods, data collection locations, and aims of the project to fit participants’ competencies, preferences, and realities; spending sufficient time getting to get to know staff and potential participants to build relationships; working round care practices and routines to minimize disruption; and using observational/visual methods can help include people living with dementia at each stage. People with dementia require researchers in the field to be creative in their methods, reflexive in their approach, and person-centered in their goals. Those adaptations can fundamentally change the ways in which the social practice of research is shaped.
The corporate nationality: A question of culture and community?
Authors: Godelier Eric
Published: January 2020

Many scholars in management and business history are using nationality as a core criterion to classify corporations and to explain their behaviour, values, and strategy. In this perspective, being born in a specific country defined by its frontiers and institutions explicates the values and behaviour of its inhabitants—and companies within this context are described as more ‘German’, ‘Italian’, or ‘French’. However, it does not help to analyse in depth the complex and various differences between what is observable in day-to-day business life and what is in underneath. A better understanding of corporation nationality imposes to use the concept of culture. It implies to underline the fact that ‘nation’ is often delimitated by frontiers and most of the time is the result of political choices. If nationality explains some element of corporate culture, it cannot explain all cultural dimensions. One reason is that culture does not stop at national frontiers. This article has several aims: (1) it discusses the use of nationality as a means to describe and analyse the organizational behaviour of companies and their communities; (2) it interrogates ‘nationality’ as a powerful factor which enables to aggregate different communities within large corporations; and (3) it analyzes how ‘nationality’ is influencing managerial practices. Most of the time, ‘nationality’ is mobilized to describe the global strategy or practices of big corporations. The author argues that nationality is a crucial factor for corporate culture in many ways—not as a ‘given’ fact but as a larger part of the institutional design of a company (and its development).
What constitutes expertise in research ethics and integrity?
Authors: Braun Robert , Ravn Tine , Frankus Elisabeth
Published: January 2020

In this paper we reflect on the looming question of what constitutes expertise in ethics. Based on an empirical program that involved qualitative and quantitative as well as participatory research elements we show that expertise in research ethics and integrity is based on experience in the assessment processes. We then connect traditional concepts of expertise as “improved performance” with deliberate practice activities and, based on our research findings, show that ethical assessment experience is a form of deliberate practice. This in our view has further ramifications in the design and recruitment processes of ethical assessment units performing research ethics and integrity assessment.
Structural revision and pharmacological activity of hemslecin C
Authors: Yu Kun , Yang Xinmei , Li Ying , Cui Xue , Liu Bo , Yao Qingqiang
Published: January 2020

Hemslecin C, a compound with a novel skeleton, is synthesized by refluxing hemslecin A with KOH in alcohol. Hemslecin C was structurally characterized by specific optical rotation measurement, high-resolution mass spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic analysis. In addition, the molecular structure of hemslecin C was unambiguously determined by X-ray single-crystal determination. We found that its structure was different from that reported in the literature. The acetyl group of hemslecin A is transferred to the carbonyl α carbon of the side chain and is attacked by the 22-hydroxyl group to give a hemi-acetal that is dehydrated to give hemslecin C. The anticancer activity of this new skeleton is determined by sulforhodamine B assay method, and demonstrates excellent activity, thus providing a new framework for the development of anticancer drugs.
Hierarchies of wounding: Media framings of ‘combat’ and ‘non-combat’ injury
Authors: Caddick Nick , Cooper Linda , Godier-McBard Lauren , Fossey Matt
Published: January 2020

In this article, we examine the representational practices of British newspapers in relation to forms of military injury. Using critical discourse analysis, we studied the reporting of injuries sustained by military personnel during the height of the UK’s war in Afghanistan in 2009 – and a comparison period five years later – and concluded that representations of injured personnel differed substantially between articles reporting on ‘combat’ and ‘non-combat’ injuries. We argue that the different reporting frames work to construct a moral separation of injuries into ‘heroic’ (combat) and ‘non-heroic’ (non-combat) forms. The consequences of this hierarchization of injury, we suggest, include the reification of ‘combat’ as an idealized form of masculine violence, the privileging of some soldiers and veterans over others as exemplars of national heroism, and elision of the day-to-day realities of military injury from public consciousness. Findings are discussed in relation to broader consequences for understanding heroism and the military.
Antibacterial Activity of Conifer Green Needle Complex Against Corynebacteria
Authors: Soultanov Vagif S. , Kraeva Lyudmila A.
Published: January 2020

Traditionally, preservatives have been used in cosmetic products to minimize bacterial contamination. Some opportunistic Corynebacterium spp. have become resistant to these preservatives and other alternatives are required. A potential candidate is Conifer Green Needle Complex (CGNC), a pharmaceutical-grade complex substance from the green verdure of Pinus sylvestris and Picea abies with antibacterial, antimycotic, and antitrichomonal activity. The susceptibility of Corynebacterium xerosis and Corynebacterium flavescens to CGNC (3.5, 7, 15, 30, 60, 125, 250, and 500 mg/mL) was evaluated using broth dilution and agar methods. The antibacterial effect of CGNC was also evaluated after exposure for 30 minutes and 1, 3, and 24 hours at concentrations of 0, 3.5, 7, 30, 125, and 500 mg/mL. Corynebacteria xerosis was inhibited when exposed to low levels of CGNC (1560 mg/mL), whereas an antibacterial effect on C. flavescens was observed at slightly higher levels (60 and 125 mg/mL). CGNC also inhibited the growth of C. xerosis and C. flavescens at various incubation time points. The most prominent effect was observed after 24 hours where all growth was inhibited at all concentrations. However, CGNC inhibited or decreased the growth of Corynebacterium spp. even at lower exposure times. The results obtained in this study demonstrated that CGNC is an effective bactericidal agent against C. xerosis and C. flavescens isolated from clinical samples and may have potential as an alternative to preservatives currently used in cosmetic products.
Accuracy of washout rate analysis for thallium-201 single-photon emission computed tomography myocardial perfusion imaging using cadmium zinc telluride detectors: A phantom study
Authors: Ishihara Masaru , Onoguchi Masahisa , Shibutani Takayuki
Published: January 2020

Objective

The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of washout rate (WOR) analysis for thallium-201 chloride (201Tl) single-photon emission computed tomography myocardial perfusion imaging data acquired using cadmium zinc telluride detectors and a myocardial phantom.

Methods

A myocardial phantom was injected with 10.5 MBq 201Tl, and 10-min acquisitions were performed at 0, 24, 46, and 62 h to accommodate natural radioactive decay over time. Global myocardial WOR (global-WOR) and regional WOR (regional-WOR, left anterior descending artery [LAD], right coronary artery [RCA], and left circumflex artery [LCX]) were analyzed between 0 and 24 h (infarction model), 0 and 46 h (ischemia model), and 0 and 62 h (normal model), respectively. We compared the calculated radioactive decay-rate as a reference standard and phantom imaging WOR (phantom-WOR).

Results

Decay-rate versus phantom-WOR were 20.4% vs. 20.8% (global-WOR), 21.3% (LAD), 21.2% (RCA), and 19.7% (LCX) for the infarction model; 35.4% vs. 35.6% (global-WOR), 35.5% (LAD), 36.2% (RCA), and 35.2% (LCX) for the ischemia model; and 44.5% vs. 45.1% (global-WOR), 45.4% (LAD), 44.7% (RCA), and 43.5% (LCX) for the normal model.

Conclusion

WOR analysis for 201Tl single-photon emission computed tomography myocardial perfusion imaging using cadmium zinc telluride detectors is a reliable analysis method.
Search Engine Optimization and Business Communication Instruction: Interviews With Experts
Authors: Sheffield Jenna Pack
Published: January 2020

Search engine optimization (SEO), or the set of practices involved in attaining a high ranking in search engine results, is a web writing skill that requires more attention in business communication pedagogy, because SEO helps businesses attract customers. This article presents the results of interviews with seven SEO experts on SEO best practices and describes how to integrate SEO into business communication courses.
Globalisation of South Asian Medicines: Knowledge, Power, Structure and Sustainability
Authors: Sujatha V.
Published: January 2020

The discourses on globalisation focus their attention on the flow of capital and technology from the global North. Historical, anthropological and sociological studies, however, point to crucial flows of medical knowledge, health practices, medicinal plants, other genetic resources and the first-hand knowledge of their applications into the global North from other regions rich in biodiversity. These flows do not just continue to happen but have been significant in shaping the postmodern condition. This collection is an attempt to draw attention to the less visible flows by presenting the epistemic, political, social and ecological dimensions of the globalisation of South Asian medicines and the ramifications of this process abroad and at home. The introduction outlines a framework to understand the convergences and divergences in the medical systems and health practices in the South Asian region. Although contemporary trajectories of traditional medicines in South Asian nations are many and varied, they face similar issues and share common anxieties. The challenge will be in evolving effective solutions at many levels and there are several possibilities for mutual learning among the South Asian nations.
The Global Quest for Green Gold: Implications of Bioprospecting and Patenting for Indigenous Bioresources and Knowledge
Authors: Das Kaushiki
Published: January 2020

The article focuses on the commoditisation and appropriation of indigenous bioresources and knowledge under bioprospecting, as facilitated by the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). TRIPS has not only broadened the scope for patenting, including patenting of life forms, but also threatened to appropriate and not acknowledge contributions of indigenous communities. There is an asymmetrical economic and legal relationship between communities in the global South and corporates in the global North mediated by a host of institutions, including the states, with their own agendas. The promise of the patenting system is spurring the race for collecting bioresources and knowledge through bioprospecting agreements. As databases of plants used by indigenous communities are established, biological parks are created to sequester regions rich in genetic resources and profits are disproportionately distributed, bioprospecting agreements appear to have heralded a new kind of expropriation. The article critically analyses the ramifications of bioprospecting and subsequent patenting on indigenous community ownership rights over bioresources and knowledge. It also examines indigenous resistance; how communities have asserted their rights to culture as a property against corporate interventions.
Problem behavior in young children referred with language difficulties: Relations to language and intentional communication
Authors: Jansen Rianne , Maljaars Jarymke , Verhappen Anouk , Zink Inge , Steyaert Jean , Noens Ilse
Published: January 2020

Background and aims

This exploratory study aims to examine the relative contribution of language and intentional communication to internalizing and externalizing problem behavior.

Methods

Twenty-nine Dutch-speaking children (age range 24–46 months) referred with language difficulties participated in this study. For the majority of children, these early language difficulties appeared to be part of a broader neurodevelopmental disorder, mainly autism spectrum disorder. Parent ratings on the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist 1½–5 were predicted from children’s language level and intentional communicative abilities, the latter being assessed by both parent report and direct observation. In all series of hierarchical regression analyses, chronological age and nonverbal mental age were included as covariates.

Results

Parents commonly reported withdrawal, emotionally reactive behavior, attention problems, and aggressive behavior. Parent-rated intentional communication was the most important predictor of internalizing problem behavior and played an important role in the prediction of aggressive behavior as well. However, chronological age and/or nonverbal mental age also predicted parent-rated levels of externalizing problem behavior, especially attention problems.

Conclusions

The relation between language difficulties and problem behavior may be influenced by maturation and children’s ability to communicate intentionally. Implications: Language proficiency should, therefore, be independently assessed from children’s intentional communicative abilities which, in turn, may differ across contexts.