bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An incidental dense bone island: A review of potential medical and orthodontic implications of dense bone islands and case report
Authors: Sinnott Paula Mairead , Hodges Samantha
Published: May 2020

Dense bone islands (DBIs) are usually asymptomatic and do not require any treatment. This case report presents a DBI of an unusual presentation, which was an incidental finding on a radiograph of a 15-year-old orthodontic patient. The DBI lesion was 24 mm in size, occupying at least 50% of the alveolar process between the upper right canine and lateral incisor, extending up the lateral aspect of the anterior margin of the right nasal fossa. Generally, DBIs are 2–3 mm in size and more commonly found in the mandible in the molar and premolar region. This article further discusses the impact of DBIs on orthodontic treatment such as difficulty with achieving space closure and adequate root tip or torque. We also examine the potential medical implications of DBIs. This is clinically important, especially if multiple DBIs, or osteomas which have a similar radiographic appearance to DBIs, are found in a patient as they may be associated with adenomatous intestinal polyps, which, if not treated, have a 100% chance of becoming malignant transformation
Feeling at home in school: Migrant youths’ narratives on school belonging in Flemish secondary education
Authors: Van Caudenberg Rut , Clycq Noel , Timmerman Christiane
Published: May 2020

In Flanders, students with a migration background are highly overrepresented in the lower-status vocational and technical tracks, experience more grade retention and school and track mobility and have a higher risk of leaving school early than their native peers. The authors aim to shed light on the complexity of school belonging and its significance in these young people’s pursuit of a diploma. The analysis focuses on the lived experiences of three young individuals and reconstructs their trajectories from their point of view to illuminate their perceptions on school belonging while they (tried to) navigate their way through secondary education. Their narratives reveal how a sense of school belonging is crucial yet difficult to find. Experiences of exclusion and struggles to claim specific educational spaces as places where they ‘belong’ often result in feelings of being an outsider rather than a valued member of the school community. The journeys through secondary education are mostly recounted as trying to find a ‘ good school’ where they could ‘ fit in’.
Long Noncoding RNA WT1-AS Inhibit Cell Malignancy via miR-494-3p in Glioma
Authors: Qiu Guangting , Tong Wenjie , Jiang Chenghao , Xie Qingsong , Zou Jingfang , Luo Cong , Zhao Jianwei , Zhang Lu , Zhao Jiang
Published: May 2020

Primary brain tumors are a rare occurrence in comparison to other malignancies, the most predominant form being glioma. Commonly, exposure to ionizing radiations and inheritance of associated conditions such a neurofibromatosis and tuberous sclerosis are the most common causes of development of glioma. However, understanding of the molecular mechanisms that drive glioma development is limited. We explore the role of aberration of microRNA namely miR-494-3p through long noncoding RNA WT1-AS in the development of gliomas. In this study, we found that, levels of WT1-AS were significantly reduced in glioma tissues and cell lines. The miR-494-3p levels were negatively correlated with WT1-AS levels. The cellular proliferation and invasiveness decreased in WT1-AS transfected cell lines. Further the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of chemotherapeutic agent temozolomide was significantly reduced in the presence of WT1-AS. The cotransfection of WT1-AS and miR-494-3p reduced activation of phospho-AKT (p-AKT). Expression of miR-494-3p is modulated by binding to long noncoding RNA WT1-AS. Deregulation of WT1-AS leads to aberrant expression of miR-494-3p leading to hyperactivation of AKT. This malformation may result in altering protective immune responses in malignancies. Targeting of WT1-AS, miR-494-3p, and AKT may be novel therapeutic options in treatment of glioma.
Workers’ Housing and Houses: Interwar Planning from Dessau to Detroit
Authors: McCulloch Michael
Published: May 2020

Facing post–World War I housing shortages and the prospect of social unrest, policymakers on both sides of the Atlantic supported the construction of modern workers’ dwellings. Their efforts produced an extraordinary volume of new units, transforming the working-class experience. Yet, architectural and planning historians have overlooked the comparative potential in this body of work, which includes landmarks of modernism and wood-framed bungalows. This article contributes a transatlantic comparison. It explores European and US policies and projects, shedding light on the particularity of the American case, epitomized by Detroit, where in the absence of planned developments workers sought houses as independent consumers.
Congruence and Discrepancy of Interictal and Ictal EEG With MRI Lesions in Pediatric Epilepsies
Authors: Rémi Jan , Shen Sophie , Tacke Moritz , Probst Philipp , Gerstl Lucia , Peraud Aurelia , Kunz Mathias , Vollmar Christian , Noachtar Soheyl , Borggraefe Ingo
Published: May 2020

Purpose. To evaluate the congruence or discrepancy of the localization of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) lesions with interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) or epileptic seizure patterns (ESPs) in surface EEG in lesional pediatric epilepsy patients. Methods. We retrospectively analyzed presurgical MRI and video-EEG monitoring findings of patients up to age 18 years. Localization of MRI lesions were compared with ictal and interictal noninvasive EEG findings of patients with frontal, temporal, parietal, or occipital lesions. Results. A total of 71 patients were included. Localization of ESPs showed better congruence with MRI in patients with frontal lesions (n = 21, 77.5%) than in patients with temporal lesions (n = 24; 40.7%) ( P = .009). No significant IED distribution differences between MRI localizations could be found. Conclusions. MRI lesions and EEG findings are rarely fully congruent. Congruence of MRI lesions and ESPs was highest in children with frontal lesions. This is in contrast to adults, in whom temporal lesions showed the highest congruency with the EEG localization of ESP. Lesional pediatric patients should be acknowledged as surgical candidates despite incongruent findings of interictal and ictal surface EEG.
Secondary school principals as change agents in Kuwait: Principals’ perspectives
Authors: Alsharija Mohammed , Watters James J
Published: May 2020

Kuwait is seeking to diversify its sources of income by modernizing the education system and providing its young people with the knowledge and skills needed for life in the 21st century. To this end, it is constantly trying to improve the whole educational system by introducing developmental projects and policies. Central to this process is the role played by school principals. However, contextual issues and challenges have limited the success of these initiatives. The present study investigates how secondary school principals describe their role as change agents and what supports they need as change agents. Therefore, the study has investigated in some depth the views and concerns of a group of secondary school principals about this role and the challenges associated with the implementation of change. The findings reveal four major demands from the participants, namely, (1) enhance planning practices (2) build trust with the educators, (3) autonomy/decentralization and (4) restructuring schools. The study suggests that the current change strategy adopted should be revised to include appropriate procedures and supports. The recommendations proposed here could provide support to principals, considered here as implementers, and could contribute to the guidance of neighbouring countries, which are also undergoing major educational changes. It is hoped that other developing countries may benefit from by learning about the change strategy investigated in this research.
CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling induced itch and pain sensation in a murine model of allergic contact dermatitis
Authors: Su Wenliang , Yu Jiawen , Liu Qing , Ma Lulu , Huang Yuguang
Published: May 2020

Allergic contact dermatitis is a skin inflammatory disease manifested with itch and pain symptom around the inflamed area. Chemokines such as CXCL12 are involved in the pathophysiology of allergic contact dermatitis, but little has been known about the effect of CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling for nociceptive sensation accompanying allergic contact dermatitis. Our study showed that CXCL12 and CXCR4 were upregulated in trigeminal ganglion with the progression of allergic contact dermatitis through western blotting and immunofluorescence. CXCL12 and CXCR4 were mainly upregulated in small-diameter neurons, which were co-localized with nociceptive markers in trigeminal ganglion. CXCR4 and CXCL12 were also expressed in trigeminal ganglion neurons retrograded from the skin lesion. Intradermal injection of CXCL12 enhanced the itch- and pain-like behavior which could be relieved by AMD3100, a CXCR4 antagonist, without changes of mast cells. Our findings suggested that blockade of CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling pathway might be beneficial to relieve itch and pain sensation accompanying allergic contact dermatitis.
Consistency measures individuate dissociating semantic modulations in priming paradigms: A new look on semantics in the processing of (complex) words
Authors: Amenta Simona , Crepaldi Davide , Marelli Marco
Published: May 2020

In human language the mapping between form and meaning is arbitrary, as there is no direct connection between words and the objects that they represent. However, within a given language, it is possible to recognise systematic associations that support productivity and comprehension. In this work, we focus on the consistency between orthographic forms and meaning, and we investigate how the cognitive system may exploit it to process words. We take morphology as our case study, since it arguably represents one of the most notable examples of systematicity in form–meaning mapping. In a series of three experiments, we investigate the impact of form–meaning mapping in word processing by testing new consistency metrics as predictors of priming magnitude in primed lexical decision. In Experiment 1, we re-analyse data from five masked morphological priming studies and show that orthography–semantics–consistency explains independent variance in priming magnitude, suggesting that word semantics is accessed already at early stages of word processing and that crucially semantic access is constrained by word orthography. In Experiments 2 and 3, we investigate whether this pattern is replicated when looking at semantic priming. In Experiment 2, we show that orthography–semantics–consistency is not a viable predictor of priming magnitude with longer stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA). However, in Experiment 3, we develop a new semantic consistency measure based on the semantic density of target neighbourhoods. This measure is shown to significantly predict independent variance in semantic priming effect. Overall, our results indicate that consistency measures provide crucial information for the understanding of word processing. Specifically, the dissociation between measures and priming paradigms shows that different priming conditions are associated with the activation of different semantic cohorts.
Dissociating central and auditory attention: Is there a shared bottleneck for response selection and auditory search?
Authors: Kattner Florian , Reimer Christina B
Published: May 2020

Central and auditory attention are limited in capacity. In dual-tasks, central attention is required to select the appropriate response, but because central attention is limited in capacity, response selection can only be carried out for one task at a time. In auditory search tasks, search time to detect the target sound increases with the number of distractor sounds added to the auditory scene (set sizes), indicating that auditory attention is limited in capacity. Here, we investigated whether central and auditory attention relied on common or distinct capacity limitations using a dual-task paradigm. In two experiments, participants completed a visual choice discrimination task (task 1) together with an auditory search task (task 2), and the two tasks were separated by an experimentally modulated stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA). Analysing auditory search time as a function of SOA and set sizes (locus-of-slack method) revealed that the auditory search process in task 2 was performed after response selection in a visual two-choice discrimination task 1 (Experiment 1), but concurrently with response selection in a visual four-choice discrimination task 1 (Experiment 2). Hence, although response selection in the visual four-choice discrimination task demanded more central attention as compared with response selection in the two-choice discrimination task, the auditory search process was performed in parallel. Distribution analyses of inter-response time further indicated that parallel processing of response selection and auditory search was not influenced by response grouping. Taken together, the two experiments provided evidence that central and auditory attention relied on distinct capacity limitations.
An easy fix for reasoning errors: Attention capturers improve reasoning performance
Authors: Mata André
Published: May 2020

Research on problem-solving, judgement, and decision making documents systematic reasoning errors. Such errors are often attributed to reasoning shortcomings, an inability to think properly. However, recent research suggests another cause for those errors: insufficient attention to the critical premises in a problem, resulting in miscomprehension, such that, even if a person is capable of reasoning properly, she will fail to solve the problem correctly if she is operating on wrong premises. The first study in this article provided further evidence for this comprehension account of reasoning errors: Performance on reasoning problems was found to relate to verbal comprehension on a separate task. This suggests that reasoning errors are in part due to lack of comprehension. The upside of this account is that it should be possible to improve reasoning performance by drawing attention to the critical premises. Three additional studies provided consistent evidence for this hypothesis, showing that the same participants who at first proved unable to solve certain problems correctly were able to overcome this inability and performed better when simple attention-capturing devices drew their attention to the critical premises.
Levels of TB-IGRA may help to differentiate between intestinal tuberculosis and Crohn’s disease in patients with positive results
Authors: Zhao Yujie , Xu Meilin , Chen Liang , Liu Zhanju , Sun Xiaomin
Published: May 2020

Aim:

The aim of this study was to investigate the significance of positive tuberculosis interferon gamma release assay (TB-IGRA) in the differential diagnosis of intestinal tuberculosis (ITB) and Crohn’s disease (CD) patients, and to find a suitable threshold to help distinguishing CD from tuberculosis (TB), so as to provide better recommendations for clinical treatment.

Methods:

A retrospective study was performed including 484 patients who underwent TB-IGRA testing for suspected CD or ITB treated in the Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital of Tongji University between January 2015 and May 2018. According to the diagnostic criteria, 307 patients, including 272 CD and 35 ITB patients, were recruited for the final analysis. We comprehensively and systematically collected their clinical manifestations, and analyzed the influence of TB-IGRA values referring to diagnosis criteria, and the possible causes of false positives. The receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve and the cut-off value were applied to distinguish between ITB and CD patients.

Results:

Of the 56 patients with suspected CD enrolled, 23 were finally diagnosed with CD and 33 with ITB. In patients with TB-IGRA ⩾ 100 pg/ml, 4 cases were CD and 29 cases were ITB, while 19 cases were CD and 4 cases were ITB in patients with TB-IGRA < 100 pg/ml ( p < 0.05). TB-IGRA ⩾ 100 pg/ml indicated a high possibility of TB infection, with a sensitivity of 88% and a specificity of 74%. Three out of the four CD patients with TB-IGRA ⩾ 100 pg/ml had a history of tuberculosis, while only 1 of the 19 CD patients with TB-IGRA < 100 pg/ml had a history of tuberculosis ( p < 0.05). The average duration of ITB was 7 months, and that of CD was 46.8 months, thus a significant difference ( p < 0.05) was observed. Perianal lesions such as anal fistula or abscess were found in all CD patients. Among ITB patients, 8 out of 15 patients with TB-IGRA ⩾ 400 pg/ml experienced weight loss, while only 1 out of 18 patients with TB-IGRA < 400 pg/ml underwent weight loss ( p < 0.05).

Conclusion:

Patients with CD have longer duration of disease, and perianal lesions are more common in CD. ITB patients with TB-IGRA ⩾ 400 pg/ml experience weight loss more readily, which indicates that TB-IGRA value may be correlated positively with the severity of ITB. In patients with CD and ITB, TB-IGRA = 100 pg/ml may be a cut-off value of TB-IGRA. For patients with TB-IGRA ⩾ 100 pg/ml, it is recommended to use diagnostic anti-TB treatment first. Comprehensive analysis and judgment are required for patients with TB-IGRA from 14 pg/ml to 99 pg/ml. TB-IGRA false positivity may occur in patients with a history of TB infection.
Minimum Clinically Important Difference in Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment: What Change Matters in Ankle Fractures
Authors: McCreary Dylan L. , Cunningham Brian P.
Published: May 2020

Accurate interpretation of the clinical significance of patient-reported outcome (PRO) research requires determination of the threshold where a difference in PRO score represents a clinical benefit to patients, termed the minimum clinically important difference (MCID). The Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment (SMFA) is one of the most commonly utilized PRO tools in orthopaedics. However, to date, no MCID has been determined. The purpose of this study was to define the MCID for the SMFA. A prospectively collected ankle fracture outcomes registry was reviewed between 2014 and 2016. Inclusion criteria were isolated ankle fracture, treatment with open reduction and internal fixation, and 6-week follow-up with completed SMFA. Two commonly utilized methods to determine the MCID, the anchor and distribution methods, were performed in this study. Overall, 105 patients met inclusion/exclusion criteria. Utilizing both the overall health anchor and the mental and emotional health anchor, the MCID was 7.3 (n = 17 and n = 19, respectively). The distribution method MCID was 7.0 (n = 105). Our study found the MCID values for the SMFA to converge around a value of 7 for the 3 analyses. This indicates that a threshold of 7 should be applied to studies utilizing the SMFA to determine the clinical significance of the results.
Effect of treatment technique on radiation exposure in mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischaemic stroke: A matched-pair analysis
Authors: Weyland Charlotte S , Neuberger Ulf , Seker Fatih , Nagel Simon , Arthur Ringleb Peter , Möhlenbruch Markus A , Bendszus Martin , Pfaff Johannes AR
Published: May 2020

Objective

This study aimed to compare radiation exposure (RE) in patients receiving mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for large-vessel occlusions in the anterior circulation using direct thrombo-aspiration (DT) versus stent-retriever thrombectomy under continuous distal aspiration (STA).

Methods

This was a retrospective single-centre analysis of an Institutional Review Board−approved stroke database of a comprehensive stroke centre focusing on RE per dose area product, procedure time (PT) and fluoroscopy time (FT) in patients receiving MT. Patients who received MT with DT were matched with patients treated using STA according to occlusion location, mode of anaesthesia, manoeuvre count and sex.

Results

Apart from patient age (DT: M = 74 years (standard deviation ( SD)=13 years); STA: M = 79 years ( SD = 11 years); p = 0.023), there was no difference in baseline patient characteristics ( n = 68 per group). PT (DT: median = 26 minutes (interquartile range (IQR) = 21–38 minutes); STA: median = 49 minutes (IQR 37–77 minutes); p < 0.0001) and FT (DT: median = 12 minutes (IQR 7–18 minutes); STA: median = 26 minutes (IQR 14–43 minutes); p < 0.0001) were shorter in patients who received MT using DT. RE (DT: median = 62.6 Gy·cm2 (IQR 41.7–89.4 Gy·cm2); STA: median = 89.8 Gy·cm2 (IQR 53.7–131.7 Gy·cm2); p = 0.034) was significantly lower in patients who received MT using DT. This represents a relative increase of RE, FT and PT by 43.6%, 116.6% and 88.5%, respectively, in patients who received MT using STA.

Conclusion

MT using DT is associated with shorter FT and PT and lower RE compared to matched patients treated with STA.
Safety and efficacy of extended release ketamine tablets in patients with treatment-resistant depression and anxiety: open label pilot study
Authors: Glue Paul , Medlicott Natalie J. , Neehoff Shona , Surman Peter , Lam Fred , Hung Noelyn , Hung Cheung-tak
Published: May 2020

Background:

Ketamine’s defining side effects are dissociation and increased blood pressure/heart rate. An oral formulation with delayed absorption could minimize these effects. We recently reported safety and tolerability data for an extended release ketamine tablet in healthy volunteers.

Methods:

To assess safety, tolerability, efficacy, and pharmacokinetics of an extended release oral ketamine tablet in patients with treatment-resistant depression/anxiety. This was a multiple dose open-label flexible dose uncontrolled study in seven patients with treatment-resistant depression/anxiety, who had all previously demonstrated mood improvement to subcutaneous ketamine. Assessments included ratings of anxiety, depression and dissociation, safety and tolerability, and blood samples for ketamine pharmacokinetics and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) concentrations.

Results:

Improvements in anxiety and depression ratings occurred gradually over 96 h; all patients had >50% improvements in mood ratings. Ketamine was safe and well tolerated, with no changes in vital signs, and a single brief report of dissociation. Ketamine may induce its own metabolism, as the ratio of norketamine to ketamine increased out to 96 h. Serum BDNF concentrations did not change during the study.

Conclusion:

Ketamine’s safety/tolerability may be improved with an extended release oral formulation. Onset of mood improvement is slightly delayed compared with parenteral dosing. These data support the further development of extended release ketamine tablets for treatment of resistant depression and anxiety disorders.
#sponsored: Consumer insights on social media influencer marketing
Authors: Coco Savannah Lee , Eckert Stine
Published: May 2020

Through in-depth interviews with 15 women in the United States, this pilot study contributes to filling the gap in scholarship on consumer perceptions of sponsored content posted by social media influencers (SMI). We found women may follow social media influencers because of prior topic interests, perceived relatability, and authenticity. Social exchange and relationship management theories do not sufficiently account for purchasing decisions despite negative views of consumers. We argue for a new theory called Influencer-Follower Relationship Management Theory.
Prognostic importance of culprit lesion location in cardiogenic shock due to myocardial infarction
Authors: Josiassen Jakob , Helgestad Ole K L , Møller Jacob E , Holmvang Lene , Jensen Lisette O , Udesen Nanna L J , Ravn Hanne B , Hassager Christian
Published: May 2020

Background

As existing results are diverging, and the patient population has changed significantly, this study sought to investigate the prognostic importance of the culprit lesion location in patients with cardiogenic shock due to myocardial infarction (AMICS), in a contemporary and unselected patient population.

Methods

From the recruitment area of two tertiary heart centres in Denmark, covering 3.9 million citizens corresponding to two-thirds of the Danish population, all AMICS patients in the period of 2010–2017 were individually identified and validated through patient records.

Results

A total of 1716 patients with AMICS were identified. Immediate revascularization was performed in 1482 patients (86%). Among these, a culprit lesion in the left main coronary artery (LM) was associated with the highest 30-day mortality rate (66%), plogrank<0.0001, which persisted after multivariable adjustment for variables known to be associated with mortality in AMICS, including age, gender, heart rate, lactate, diabetes, stroke and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, p=0.002. A culprit lesion in the remaining coronary arteries had comparable and lower 30-day mortality (43–48%), plogrank=0.39. Patients with multivessel disease had comparable prognoses irrespective of whether a culprit-only or multivessel percutaneous coronary intervention strategy was used (plogrank=0.80), and whether partial or complete revascularization was achieved (plogrank=0.24).

Conclusions

Among AMICS patients undergoing revascularization, a LM culprit lesion was associated with the highest short-term mortality, whereas patients with a culprit lesion in the remaining coronary arteries had comparable and lower mortality rates. Multivessel disease patients had similar prognoses irrespective of percutaneous coronary intervention approach and whether partial or complete revascularization was achieved.
Community Pharmacy-Based eGFR Screening for Early Detection of CKD in High Risk Patients
Authors: Papastergiou John , Donnelly Michelle , Li Wilson , Sindelar Robert D. , van den Bemt Bart
Published: May 2020

Background:

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a condition presenting with long-term slow progression of structural and/or functional damage to the kidneys. Early detection is key to preventing complications and improving outcomes. Point-of-care estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) screening technology allows for detection of abnormal kidney function in the community pharmacy setting.

Objective:

To evaluate the effectiveness of a community pharmacist-directed point-of-care screening program and to identify the prevalence of CKD in high-risk patients.

Design:

Quantitative observational.

Setting:

Four community pharmacies in British Columbia over a 6-month period.

Patients:

In all, 642 participants with at least one CKD risk factor were identified and screened. Mean age was 60 years and females accounted for 55% of the study population.

Measurements:

Serum creatinine was measured from peripheral blood using the HeathTab® screening system (Piccolo® Renal Function Panel with the Piccolo® blood chemistry analyzer). eGFR was calculated according to the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) formula.

Methods:

Patients provided a sample of peripheral blood via a self-administered finger-prick and analytical data to assess kidney function was reported including blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine, and electrolytes by the HealthTab® screening system. Once results were available, the pharmacist conducted a comprehensive medication review with the patient and recommended certain follow-up actions if appropriate.

Results:

CKD risk factor included diabetes (30%), hypertension (45%), cardiovascular disease (12%), family history of kidney disease (13%), age over 55 years (68%), and an Aboriginal, Asian, South Asian, or African ethnic background (82%). A total of 11.5% of patients had eGFR values lower than 60 mL/min (abnormal renal function) and 34% had an eGFR between 60 and 89 mL/min (minimally reduced renal function). Overall pharmacists’ actions included blood pressure check (98%), education on CKD and risk factors (89%), medication review (72%), and physician follow-up (38%). Limitations included lack of follow-up beyond the 3-month study period prevented medical confirmation of CKD and limited the ability to quantify the impact of pharmacist interventions on the clinical outcomes of patients with low eGFR.

Conclusion:

These results illustrate the prevalence of abnormal renal function among undiagnosed, high-risk patients in the community. Pharmacists, as the most accessible healthcare practitioners, are ideally positioned to utilize novel point-of care technologies to improve access to CKD screening, facilitate follow-up, and increase awareness around the importance of early detection.
Persuasion Through Bitter Humor: Multimodal Discourse Analysis of Rhetoric in Internet Memes of Two Far-Right Groups in Finland
Authors: Hakoköngäs Eemeli , Halmesvaara Otto , Sakki Inari
Published: May 2020

This study focuses on the role of Internet memes in the communication of two far-right groups in Finland. The material consists of 426 memes posted by Finland First and the Soldiers of Odin between the years 2015 and 2017 on Facebook. Multimodal discourse analysis was applied to understand the contents, forms, and rhetorical functions communicated via the Internet memes. The analysis shows that the contents of the memes revolve around six themes: history, humor, mythology, symbols, news and mottos. By using Internet memes, the groups aim to construe a heroic imagined past, to lend legitimacy to the nationalist cause, to arouse moral anger and hate toward refugees, and to encourage the movements’ followers to fight. We argue that, for the extreme groups, Internet memes are tools to crystallize their arguments in an easily shareable and concise form, which makes the memes useful tools in persuasion and mobilization, as well as attracting new audiences.
Bidirectional Associations Between Inflammatory Biomarkers and Depressive Symptoms in Adolescents: Potential Causal Relationships
Authors: Moriarity Daniel P. , Kautz Marin M. , Mac Giollabhui Naoise , Klugman Joshua , Coe Christopher L. , Ellman Lauren M. , Abramson Lyn Y. , Alloy Lauren B.
Published: May 2020

There are inconsistent findings in the literature about the directionality and magnitude of the association between inflammation and depressive symptoms. This analysis separates predictors into between-persons and within-person components to gain greater clarity about this relationship. Blood samples were collected and depressive symptoms assessed in 140 adolescents (54% female, 59% Black; mean age = 16.1 years) with at least three blood draws and a total of 394 follow-up observations. Multilevel modeling indicated that the within-persons effect of tumor necrosis factor α predicted change in total depressive symptoms, which suggests a potential causal relationship. There were no significant within-persons effects of total depressive symptoms on change in biomarkers. Exploratory analyses examined associations between inflammatory biomarkers and subsets of depressive symptoms. These findings inform modeling decisions that may explain inconsistencies in the extant literature as well as suggest potential causal relationships between certain proteins with significant within-persons effects on depressive symptoms and vice-versa.
Preseason Neck Mobility Is Associated With Throwing-Related Shoulder and Elbow Injuries, Pain, and Disability in College Baseball Pitchers
Authors: Devaney Laurie Lee , Denegar Craig R. , Thigpen Charles A. , Lepley Adam S. , Edgar Cory , DiStefano Lindsay J.
Published: May 2020

Background:

Shoulder and elbow injuries in baseball pitchers, which can lead to significant pain and disability, have been on the rise at all levels of play for 3 decades. Despite anatomic and neurophysiological relationships, neck mobility has not been explored as a contributor to shoulder and elbow injuries in baseball pitchers.

Hypothesis:

Impaired neck mobility will increase the risk of shoulder and elbow injuries in college baseball pitchers.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

Methods:

Posture, neck mobility, and shoulder passive range of motion were measured in healthy college baseball pitchers during the 2018 preseason. Time loss (days lost because of shoulder or elbow injuries) and patient-reported disability via Functional Arm Scale for Throwers (FAST) scores were used to dichotomize pitchers into injured and uninjured groups. Receiver operating characteristic curves were generated, and accuracy values and risk ratios (RRs) were calculated to assess the diagnostic utility of the physical measures. Time-to-injury analysis was conducted to assess the timing of injuries.

Results:

A total of 49 pitchers (mean age, 19.92 ± 1.48 years; mean height, 187.04 ± 6.02 cm; mean weight, 89.14 ± 12.08 kg) completed the study. There were 10 pitchers (20.4%) who sustained a time-loss injury >7 days because of a shoulder or elbow injury. A Cervical Flexion-Rotation Test (CFRT) finding on the dominant side of ≤39° resulted in over 9 times the increased risk of time-loss injuries (RR, 9.38 [95% CI, 1.28-68.49]). Time-to-injury analysis demonstrated differences between the 2 groups (χ2 = 7.667; P = .01). Pitchers with a >39.25° finding on the CFRT played a mean 109.4 of 112 days (95% CI, 105-114) before the injury, while pitchers with ≤39.25° only played 83.6 of 112 days (95% CI, 68-99). A CFRT finding of ≤38° (RR, 3.91 [95% CI, 1.23-12.39]), cervical flexion range of motion of ≤64° (RR, 10.56 [95% CI, 1.50-74.34]), and weight of >86.9 kg (RR, 10.42 [95% CI, 1.14-213.70]) were also associated with an increased risk of patient-reported pain and disability on the FAST pitcher module.

Conclusion:

College baseball pitchers with less neck mobility during the preseason had an increased risk of time loss and shoulder and elbow disability during the season. The predictive value of these measures as part of a risk screening profile should be further explored.
Is the formalization of NPD collaboration productive or counterproductive? Contingent effects of trust between partners
Authors: Pemartín María , Rodríguez-Escudero Ana I
Published: May 2020

New product development (NPD) collaborations with external partners involve high coordination costs and run substantial risks. Formalization seems to be an effective mechanism to mitigate said costs and risks, although the issue of whether formalization actually proves productive or counterproductive remains an open question. This study empirically analyses the direct impact of formalization and the interaction effect between formalization and trust between partners in order to gauge their influence on NPD collaboration performance. Findings indicate that formalization directly boosts the quality and novelty of the new product developed in collaboration, but that it does not affect adherence to schedule. In addition, trust reinforces the productive effect of formalization on new product quality and novelty, and makes the impact of formalization on adherence to schedule positive. However, without trust, we find a null impact of formalization on new product quality and a counterproductive impact on adherence to schedule. These results suggest that formalization and trust may complement each other, reinforcing each other’s positive effect on new product quality and novelty and presenting a positive synergistic effect, while helping to overcome the counterproductive effect of formalization on adherence to schedule.

JEL CLASSIFICATION: O32
Transnational Operations, International Reactions, and Legitimacy: The Case of Turkey and Saudi Arabia
Authors: Nyadera Israel Nyaburi , Islam Md. Nazmul
Published: May 2020

Maintaining global peace and security remains an essential concern for many actors in the international system. To achieve this goal, both states and international organizations commend that action needs to be taken against perceived threats to national and international security. However, how to respond to these threats continues to divide the world. The declining role of the UN in peace enforcement, emergence of non-state actors, new forms of threats, and increasing unilateral actions by states have raised questions over the legitimacy of who, when, and how these actions can be taken. This article seeks to examine how international actors respond to transnational counterterrorism events. It adopts a comparative case study to discuss how regional and international actors reacted to Saudi Arabia’s Operation Decisive Storm in Yemen (2015) and Turkey’s Operation Peace Spring in Northern Syria (2019). It draws important similarities in the justification of both countries’ actions and the varying responses and attitudes these countries have received for their actions. The study identifies the lack of international consensus on transnational counterterrorism as a catalyst in the crisis being witnessed in crisis resolution. Factors such as timing, universality of the threat, prevailing circumstances, actors involved, and mode of operation shape international response on transnational actions.
How can the urban landscape affect urban vitality at the street block level? A case study of 15 metropolises in China
Authors: Zhang Anqi , Li Weifeng , Wu Jiayu , Lin Jian , Chu Jianqun , Xia Chang
Published: May 2020

Urban vitality, as a metric, measures the attractiveness and competitiveness of a city and is a driver of development. As the physical and social space of human activities, the urban landscape has close connections with urban vitality according to classical theories. However, limited quantitative criteria for the urban landscape and gaps between macro urban planning and micro design create difficulties when constructing a vibrant city. In this study, we quantitatively examined the relationship between the urban landscape and urban vitality at the street block level using geospatial open data to discover where, how, and to what extent we could improve urban vitality, taking 15 Chinese metropolises as a case study. Results indicate that, among the three aspects of the urban landscape considered, the city plan pattern has the highest effect on stimulating vitality, followed by the land use and the patterns of building form. Specifically, the three-dimensional form of buildings has a greater effect than a two-dimensional form. In addition, convenient transportation, a compact block form, diverse buildings, mixed land use, and high buildings are the main characteristics of vibrant blocks. The results also show that the effects of the urban landscape have spatial variations and obvious diurnal discrepancies. Furthermore, over 20 and 33% of the blocks in these cities are identified as low-vitality blocks during the day and night, respectively, and are then categorized into six different types. The identification of the common characteristics of these low-vitality blocks can be taken as references for designing a vibrant urbanity.
Targeting CD38 is lethal to Breg-like chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells and Tregs, but restores CD8+ T-cell responses
Authors: Manna Alak , Kellett Timothy , Aulakh Sonikpreet , Lewis-Tuffin Laura J. , Dutta Navnita , Knutson Keith , Chini Eduardo , Pinilla-Ibarz Javier , Lamanna Nicole , Manochakian Rami , Malavasi Fabio , Sher Taimur , Chanan-Khan Asher A. , Ailawadhi Sikander , Paulus Aneel
Published: May 2020

Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) are characterized by monoclonal expansion of CD5+CD23+CD27+CD19+κ/λ+ B lymphocytes and are clinically noted to have profound immune suppression. In these patients, it has been recently shown that a subset of B cells possesses regulatory functions and secretes high levels of interleukin 10 (IL-10). Our investigation identified that CLL cells with a CD19+CD24+CD38hi immunophenotype (B regulatory cell [Breg]–like CLL cells) produce high amounts of IL-10 and transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) and are capable of transforming naive T helper cells into CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ T regulatory cells (Tregs) in an IL-10/TGF-β-dependent manner. A strong correlation between the percentage of CD38+ CLL cells and Tregs was observed. CD38hi Tregs comprised more than 50% of Tregs in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in patients with CLL. Anti-CD38 targeting agents resulted in lethality of both Breg-like CLL and Treg cells via apoptosis. Ex vivo, use of anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapy was associated with a reduction in IL-10 and CLL patient-derived Tregs, but an increase in interferon-γ and proliferation of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells with an activated phenotype, which showed an improved ability to lyse patient-autologous CLL cells. Finally, effects of anti-CD38 mAb therapy were validated in a CLL–patient-derived xenograft model in vivo, which showed decreased percentage of Bregs, Tregs, and PD1+CD38hiCD8+ T cells, but increased Th17 and CD8+ T cells (vs vehicle). Altogether, our results demonstrate that targeting CD38 in CLL can modulate the tumor microenvironment; skewing T-cell populations from an immunosuppressive to immune-reactive milieu, thus promoting immune reconstitution for enhanced anti-CLL response.
Color measurements according to three sections of wood
Authors: Hirata Seiji , Hayashi Saori , Ohta Masamitsu
Published: May 2020

The purpose of this study was to measure each color of three sections of wood with instruments, and to examine whether there were differences between each color of three sections. The total number of tree species measured was 60, with the same number of conifers and broadleaf trees. A test piece, which was a cube with one side of 34 mm, was prepared for each tree species. End grain, edge grain, bark side and pith side of each test piece were flattened by a hand planer. Then, lightness L* and hue/saturation (a*, b*) in the L*a*b* color space were measured with a spectrophotometer. The results showed that the end grain had a lower L* compared to the other planes. The end grain was reddish and yellowish because it had a large a* and small b*. When chroma C* and hue angle h in the L*C*h color space were calculated from a* and b*, the end grain had a small dullness with less vividness because C* was smaller than the other planes. L*, a*, b*, C* and h on the other planes excluding the end grain were almost equal for each plane. Furthermore, it was found that the plane whose lightness L* had the strongest correlation with the density of the test piece was the end grain. Therefore, the correlation diagrams between the density, average of annual ring width, and L*of the end grain of each test piece were shown.
Defining the oral microbiome by whole-genome sequencing and resistome analysis: the complexity of the healthy picture
Authors: Caselli Elisabetta , Fabbri Chiara , D’Accolti Maria , Soffritti Irene , Bassi Cristian , Mazzacane Sante , Franchi Maurizio
Published: May 2020

Background

The microbiome of the oral cavity is the second-largest and diverse microbiota after the gut, harboring over 700 species of bacteria and including also fungi, viruses, and protozoa. With its diverse niches, the oral cavity is a very complex environment, where different microbes preferentially colonize different habitats. Recent data indicate that the oral microbiome has essential functions in maintaining oral and systemic health, and the emergence of 16S rRNA gene next-generation sequencing (NGS) has greatly contributed to revealing the complexity of its bacterial component. However, a detailed site-specific map of oral microorganisms (including also eukaryotes and viruses) and their relative abundance is still missing. Here, we aimed to obtain a comprehensive view of the healthy oral microbiome (HOM), including its drug-resistance features.

Results

The oral microbiome of twenty healthy subjects was analyzed by whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and real-time quantitative PCR microarray. Sampled oral micro-habitat included tongue dorsum, hard palate, buccal mucosa, keratinized gingiva, supragingival and subgingival plaque, and saliva with or without rinsing. Each sampled oral niche evidenced a different microbial community, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Alpha-diversity evidenced significant differences among the different sampled sites (p < 0.0001) but not among the enrolled subjects (p = 0.876), strengthening the notion of a recognizable HOM. Of note, oral rinse microbiome was more representative of the whole site-specific microbiomes, compared with that of saliva. Interestingly, HOM resistome included highly prevalent genes conferring resistance to macrolide, lincosamides, streptogramin, and tetracycline.

Conclusions

The data obtained in 20 subjects by WGS and microarray analysis provide for the first time a comprehensive view of HOM and its resistome, contributing to a deeper understanding of the composition of oral microbiome in the healthy subject, and providing an important reference for future studies, allowing to identify microbial signatures related to functional and metabolic alterations associated with diseases, potentially useful for targeted therapies and precision medicine.
Elucidating the roles of three β-glucuronosyltransferases (GLCATs) acting on arabinogalactan-proteins using a CRISPR-Cas9 multiplexing approach in Arabidopsis
Authors: Zhang Yuan , Held Michael A. , Showalter Allan M.
Published: May 2020

Background

Arabinogalactan-proteins (AGPs) are one of the most complex protein families in the plant kingdom and are present in the cell walls of all land plants. AGPs are implicated in diverse biological processes such as plant growth, development, reproduction, and stress responses. AGPs are extensively glycosylated by the addition of type II arabinogalactan (AG) polysaccharides to hydroxyproline residues in their protein cores. Glucuronic acid (GlcA) is the only negatively charged sugar added to AGPs and the functions of GlcA residues on AGPs remain to be elucidated.

Results

Three members of the CAZy GT14 family (GLCAT14A-At5g39990, GLCAT14B-At5g15050, and GLCAT14C-At2g37585), which are responsible for transferring glucuronic acid (GlcA) to AGPs, were functionally characterized using a CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing approach in Arabidopsis. RNA seq and qRT-PCR data showed all three GLCAT genes were broadly expressed in different plant tissues, with GLCAT14A and GLCAT14B showing particularly high expression in the micropylar endosperm. Biochemical analysis of the AGPs from knock-out mutants of various glcat single, double, and triple mutants revealed that double and triple mutants generally had small increases of Ara and Gal and concomitant reductions of GlcA, particularly in the glcat14a glcat14b and glcat14a glcat14b glcat14c mutants. Moreover, AGPs isolated from all the glcat mutants displayed significant reductions in calcium binding compared to WT. Further phenotypic analyses found that the glcat14a glcat14b and glcat14a glcat14b glcat14c mutants exhibited significant delays in seed germination, reductions in root hair length, reductions in trichome branching, and accumulation of defective pollen grains. Additionally, both glcat14b glcat14c and glcat14a glcat14b glcat14c displayed significantly shorter siliques and reduced seed set. Finally, all higher-order mutants exhibited significant reductions in adherent seed coat mucilage.

Conclusions

This research provides genetic evidence that GLCAT14A-C function in the transfer of GlcA to AGPs, which in turn play a role in a variety of biochemical and physiological phenotypes including calcium binding by AGPs, seed germination, root hair growth, trichome branching, pollen development, silique development, seed set, and adherent seed coat mucilage accumulation.