bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Female farmers in Greece: Looking beyond the statistics and into cultural–social characteristics
Authors: Tsiaousi Alexandra , Partalidou Maria
Published: June 2020

Female farmers play an important role in rural economies, although they are not always statistically recorded. The aim of this article is to look beyond macro statistics and official figures provided for female farming at European Union level and try to provide a clearer picture of social and economic efficacy and transformation of the situation for women in agriculture at local level. In Greece, one-third of the agricultural holdings belong to female farmers according to the official statistics. However, the official national statistics which monitor women in agriculture give a macro description of the situation, prone to mistakes and obscure readings of the reality. For this purpose, a concerted effort is made to elaborate on the main characteristics of female farms and their transformations at local level through the past years reading beyond the official statistical data and delving into the field research. The above is accomplished by means of local key-informants and qualitative techniques in one of the most dynamic agricultural areas in Greece, and one that holds a percentage of female farms above the national figure. Research shows that the situation for female farmers has improved during the last decade, but they still face a constellation of problems along with social exclusion, especially in villages of the study area with particular cultural characteristics. All in all, it seems that local cultural standards and values affect the overall integration of women in agriculture despite all incentives and contemporary policies.
Assessing Components of Ghana’s Comprehensive Sexuality Education on the Timing of Sexual Debut Among In-School Youth
Authors: Tenkorang Eric Y. , Amo-Adjei Joshua , Kumi-Kyereme Akwasi
Published: June 2020

Although Ghana’s comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) program has been lauded, no study has examined its association with the sexual health outcomes of Ghanaian youth. Using data collected from 2,982 in-school youth (male = 1,820 and female = 1,162) aged 15 to 17 years in three administrative regions of the country, we applied discrete-time hazard models to examine associations between components of Ghana’s CSE on the timing of sexual debut among male and female youth. Results indicate significant relationships between components on HIV prevention and timing of sexual debut for male youth. Male youth who learned about HIV prevention delayed sexual debut; however, male youth who endorsed myths about HIV transmission started sex early. Females who learned about values and interpersonal skills delayed their sexual debut, but the influence of this variable was attenuated by respondents’ demographic characteristics. Female respondents residing in the Greater Accra and Northern regions delayed sex, compared with those in the Brong Ahafo region.
Global Economic Policy Uncertainty and Tourism of Fragile Five Countries: Evidence from Time and Frequency Approaches
Authors: Wu Tsung-Pao , Wu Hung-Che
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between global economic policy uncertainty (GEPU) and tourism activities in the Fragile Five (F5) countries, namely, Brazil, India, Indonesia, South Africa, and Turkey. By using wavelet transform context structures and the annual data during the period of 1997–2016. The finding shows that the relationship is generally positive but changes over time, displaying low- to high-frequency cycles. Moreover, the timing and frequency change when GEPU co-moves with tourism. It can be recommended that the government maintain the national security and peace protocols.
Melioidosis in Gujarat: a neglected tropical disease
Authors: Savaj Pratik , Shaw Tushar , Munim Frenil C , Mukhopadhyay Chiranjay
Published: June 2020

We report what we believe is the first case in Gujarat of melioidosis in a 67-year-old man. Awareness of this disease is limited, especially in areas supposed not to be endemic.
Book review: Ester Gallo. 2017. The Fall of Gods: Memory, Kinship, and Middle Classes in South India
Authors: Abraham Janaki
Published: June 2020

Ester Gallo. 2017. The Fall of Gods: Memory, Kinship, and Middle Classes in South India. New Delhi: Oxford University Press. xiii + 338 pp. Tables, figures, notes, bibliography, glossary, index. ₹1195 (hardback).
‘That was a good move’—Some remarks on the (ir)relevance of ‘narratives of secularism’ in everyday politics in Bangladesh
Authors: Schulz Mascha
Published: June 2020

This article explores the complex role of political ideologies in everyday politics and for urban middle-class Bangladeshis’ evaluation of political parties. Drawing on long-term ethnographic research and, more specifically, conversations and contentions around the removal of ‘Lady Justice’ from the front of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh in 2017, I show that although the Awami League continues to be considered a ‘secular party’, many people do not believe that the Awami League is implementing secular policy and criticise it for what they perceive as ‘hypocrisy’. I argue that this seemingly paradoxical situation can be explained by a political structure that is marked by high factionalism and party competition. Data from research among politicians and the left-leaning, so-called ‘culturally-minded’ milieu in Sylhet, shows that certain segments of the educated middle class acknowledge the pragmatic realities of politics and do not expect the Awami League to act ‘progressively’. Nonetheless, they continue to position the party’s ‘progressive’ and ‘secular’ ideological basis as a primary reason for supporting the party. The article thus contributes to a deeper understanding of contemporary popular and elite practices and perceptions of party politics, democracy, and what might be labelled the ‘party-state effect’.
Diode Laser for Laryngeal Cancer: “980 nm” and Beyond the Classic CO2
Authors: Karkos Petros D. , Koskinas Ioannis , Stavrakas Marios , Triaridis Stefanos , Constantinidis Jannis
Published: June 2020

Lasers have been used in otolaryngology for more than 40 years and are widely considered an established way of addressing laryngeal pathology, benign and malignant. Carbon dioxide (CO2) laser is considered a gold standard, but over the last 2 decades, a new technology has been developed and established in other medical specialties, not so much in Ear Nose and Throat (ENT), the diode laser. It consists of a flexible fiber that passes through a hollow guidance system and is capable of reaching certain angled spots easier than straight beam systems. Portability, lower cost, easier setup, and improved photocoagulation are just some of the many features rendering it an excellent choice for the surgeon and the patient. The few studies published worldwide for the usage and efficacy of this system show no major differences related to the oncologic outcome and survival rate of patients having an early glottic tumor between diode laser microsurgery and CO2 laser cordectomy. Nevertheless, the advantages offered by fiber-optic laser surgery render it a worthy and perhaps equal alternative for treating this kind of pathology.
Parent-Adolescent Sexual Communication in India: Responses of Middle Class Parents
Authors: Sandra Byers E. , O’Sullivan Lucia F. , Mitra Koumari , Sears Heather A.
Published: June 2020

Parents are an important source of sexual health information for adolescents, and quality parent–adolescent sexual communication has been linked to positive sexual health outcomes. We sought to enhance the limited information about parent–adolescent sexual communication in India. The participants were 78 mothers and 91 fathers of adolescents ages 12–19 years. Both mothers and fathers reported limited past sexual communication, on average having talked to their child in general terms only and only a few times, although communication was somewhat better when the sex of the parent and adolescent were congruent. Only half of the parents had strong intentions to engage in these conversations during the following year. Parents’ reports and multiple regression analyses identified parents’ attitudes, knowledge, comfort, and history of sexual communication with their own parents as key factors in limiting parent–adolescent sexual communication engagement and intentions. A number of strategies to enhance parent-adolescent sexual communication are discussed.
An introduction to Language Testing’s first Virtual Special Issue: Investigating consequences of language test use
Authors: Chapelle Carol A.
Published: June 2020

Virtual Special Issues are a new resource for Language Testing readers. The Virtual Special Issues will highlight important topics and trends in the field by curating previously published articles that have contributed to defining important and influential issues, methods, and findings on the topics and trends. This Virtual Special Issue presents selected articles from Language Testing on the topic of the consequences, also referred to as washback and impact, of language assessments and tests. The authors of the articles report their investigations of the social functions of tests in teaching and learning as well as in broader structures for attaining opportunities in society. In particular, the articles encompass the examples of social functions that Messick (1989) identified as potentially important in investigating the validity of test use. They also demonstrate a variety of research methods for the study of the consequences of language assessment use in a range of contexts. They vary in the extent to which they interpret results with respect to validity, but the more recent two articles engage explicitly with issues of consequences and validity. Regardless of the role assumed for consequences in validity arguments, these articles demonstrate the importance of investigating consequences in language testing and illustrate methods for doing so.
Long noncoding RNA SNHG12 promotes the proliferation, migration, and invasion of trophoblast cells by regulating the epithelial–mesenchymal transition and cell cycle
Authors: Zhou Fenmei , Sun Yanlan , Chi Zhenjing , Gao Qiong , Wang Hairong
Published: June 2020

Objective

The deficient placental blood perfusion caused by the attenuated infiltration of trophoblast cells is a key factor in the occurrence of preeclampsia (PE). Furthermore, the long noncoding (lnc)RNA SNHG12 (small nucleolar RNA host gene 12) can promote the proliferation and metastasis of multiple tumor cells. However, whether lncRNA SNHG12 affects proliferation and metastasis of trophoblast cells is unclear.

Methods

We examined the level of lncRNA SNHG12 in plasma and placenta of patients with PE and constructed trophoblast cells with overexpressed or knocked down SNHG12. CCK-8, wound healing, and Transwell assays were used to detect alterations in proliferation, migration, and invasion of trophoblast cells. Western blotting was used to detect proteins related to the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), and cell cycle assays clarified cell cycle distribution.

Results

LncRNA SNHG12 promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of trophoblast cells. The expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9, β-catenin, and vimentin were positively correlated with SNHG12, and expression of E-cadherin was negatively correlated with SNHG12. SNHG12 also promoted the transition of trophoblast cells from G0/G1 to S phase.

Conclusion

Overall, lncRNA SNHG12 promoted the migration and invasion of trophoblast cells by inducing the progression of EMT.
Pooled analysis of the efficacy and safety of adjunctive alpha-blocker therapy before ureteroscopy in the management of ureteral stones
Authors: Tan Hailin , Li Yanjiang , Zhang Xiaofei , Mao Xin
Published: June 2020

Objective

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of adjunctive alpha-blocker therapy before ureteroscopy in the management of ureteral stones.

Methods

The databases MEDLINE®, EMBASE and The Cochrane Controlled Trail Register of Controlled Trials were searched between January 1980 and June 2019 to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that referred to the use of alpha-blockers as adjunctive therapy before ureteroscopy for the treatment of ureteral stones. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used for dichotomous outcomes; and mean difference (MD) with 95% CIs were used to report continuous outcomes.

Results

The analysis included five RCTs with a total of 557 patients. Compared with placebo, patients that received adjunctive alpha-blockers had significantly higher successful access to the stone (OR 5.44; 95% CI 2.99, 9.88), a significantly higher stone-free rate at the end of week 4 (OR 3.75; 95% CI 2.20, 6.39), significantly less requirement for balloon dilatation (OR 0.26; 95% CI 0.15, 0.44) and a significantly lower risk of complications (OR 0.25; 95% CI 0.15, 0.42). There was no significant difference in the operation time between the two groups (MD –3.33; 95% CI –7.03, 0.37).

Conclusions

Adjunctive alpha-blocker therapy administered before ureteroscopy was effective in the management of ureteral stones with a lower risk of complications than placebo treatment.
Babao Dan inhibits the migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells by suppressing epithelial–mesenchymal transition through the TGF-β/Smad pathway
Authors: Liu Jianxin , Chen Yongan , Cao Zhiyun , Guan Bin , Peng Jun , Chen Youqin , Zhan Zhixue , Sferra Thomas Joseph , Sankararaman Senthilkumar , Lin Jiumao
Published: June 2020

Objective

To investigate the anti-metastatic effects of Babao Dan (BBD) on gastric cancer (GC) cells (AGS and MGC80-3) and explore the underlying molecular mechanisms by which it inhibits epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT).

Methods

AGS and MGC80-3 cells were treated with BBD. In addition, cells were treated with the EMT inducer transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1). Cell viability was determined using the MTT assay, and the live cell ratio was calculated via cell counting. Cell invasion and migration were evaluated using the Transwell assay. Western blotting was performed to measure the protein expression of EMT biomarkers and related genes.

Results

BBD inhibited the viability, migration, and invasion of AGS and MGC80-3 cells, but it did not reduce the live cell ratio. Furthermore, BBD inhibited the expression of N-cadherin, vimentin, zinc finger E-box binding homeobox (ZEB)1, ZEB2, Twist1, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)2, MMP9, TGF-β1, and p-Smad2/3, whereas E-cadherin expression was increased in AGS and MGC80-3 cells to different degrees. Using a GC cell model of EMT induced by TGF-β1, we proved that BBD inhibited p-Smad2/3 and N-cadherin expression, cell migration, and cell invasion.

Conclusion

BBD suppressed cell migration and invasion by inhibiting TGF-β–induced EMT and inactivating TGF-β/Smad signaling in GC cells.
Combining interferon-γ release assays with lymphocyte enumeration for diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection
Authors: Lv Dingfeng , Liu Yanqing , Guo Fei , Wu Aihua , Mo Yijun , Wang Shanshan , Chu Jinguo
Published: June 2020

Objective

To investigate the possibility of combining tuberculosis (TB)-interferon (IFN)-γ release assays (IGRAs) with lymphocyte enumeration for diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.

Methods

We performed a retrospective study of 166 TB patients [68 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis TB (PTB) and 98 patients with extra-pulmonary TB (EPTB)] diagnosed in our hospital between January 2016 and May 2018 along with 377 non-TB patients. The diagnostic performance of the TB-IGRA was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Youden’s index was used to determine the optimal cut-off threshold.

Results

IFN-γ release in patients with PTB and EPTB were dramatically higher compared with non-TB patients (203.58±18.00 pg/mL, 201.83±14.56 pg/mL and 32.12±4.36 pg/mL, respectively). IFN-γ release was positively correlated with lymphocyte counts and percentages in patients with PTB (r = 0.252 and r = 0.278, respectively) and EPTB (r = 0.229 and r = 0.298, respectively). No correlation was observed in non-TB patients. The area under the ROC curve for TB-IGRA was 0.884. When the optimal cut-off value for IFN-γ (14 pg/mL, Youden’s index 0.661) was applied, the sensitivity was 88.6% and the specificity was 77.5%.

Conclusions

Combining TB-IGRA with lymphocyte enumeration was effective for diagnosis of early-stage Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.
The anti-alcohol dependency drug disulfiram inhibits the viability and progression of gastric cancer cells by regulating the Wnt and NF-κB pathways
Authors: Zhang Jun , Pu Ke , Bai Suyang , Peng Yukui , Li Fan , Ji Rui , Guo Qinghong , Sun Weiming , Wang Yuping
Published: June 2020

Objective

Disulfiram is commonly used for alcohol abuse; however, recent studies have revealed its potential as an anti-cancer treatment. This study investigated the effects of disulfiram on gastric cancer and its underlying mechanisms of action.

Methods

The gastric cancer cell lines MKN-45 and SGC-7901 were used for all experiments. Cell proliferation was investigated using cell counting kit-8, cell migration and invasion were examined using Transwell assays, the proliferation and metastasis related proteins PCNA and MMP-2, respectively, were detected by ELISA. To explore the underlying molecular mechanisms, we also examined levels of proteins involved in the Wnt and NF-κB pathways by ELISA.

Results

Disulfiram significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer cells and decreased PCNA and MMP-2 levels. Additionally, disulfiram-treated MKN-45 and SGC-7901 cells showed reduced expression of Wnt, β-catenin, and NF-κB.

Conclusion

Disulfiram regulates the Wnt and NF-κB pathways, and thus could be a potential treatment for managing gastric cancer.
Influence of temperature and humidity on hand, foot, and mouth disease in Guangzhou, 2013–2017
Authors: Chen Chun , Jiang Qinqin , Song Zhuangzhi , Li Yilan , Wang Hui , Lu Ying , Wang Dahu , Li Meixia , Li Tiegang
Published: June 2020

Objective

To explore associations between temperature, humidity and hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) incidence in Guangzhou, China from 2013 to 2017.

Methods

A distributed lag non-linear model was applied to estimate the effects of daily temperature and humidity on HFMD incidence after adjusting for long-term trends, seasonal trends, and day of the week.

Results

In total, 353,431 confirmed HFMD cases were reported in Guangzhou over the study period. A bimodal seasonal pattern was observed. High temperatures had acute short-term effects on HFMD incidence that declined quickly over time. The effects of low humidity declined over lag periods, but increased when the humidity surpassed 60.5%. Temperature and humidity were both inversely associated with HFMD incidence during lag days 0 to 3 and with lag periods

Conclusions

Temperature and humidity play important roles in HFMD incidence. These data are important for developing public health strategies.
‘You actually see what occupational therapists do in real life’: Outcomes and critical features of first-year practice education placements
Authors: Honey Anne , Penman Merrolee
Published: June 2020

Introduction

First-year practice education placements have numerous benefits for occupational therapy students but are resource intensive. In considering alternatives, it is critical to consider students’ voices to ensure that planned experiences enable students to achieve the outcomes they value and need. This study examined undergraduate occupational therapy students’ views about important outcomes and characteristics of first-year placements.

Methods

Focus groups were conducted with 18 occupational therapy students and analysed using constant comparative analysis.

Findings

Two overarching outcomes were valued: confirmation of occupational therapy as a career choice and experience to draw on for future learning and practice. These outcomes were achievable through four proximal outcomes: understanding occupational therapy; understanding clients; finding out about myself and developing skills. The extent to which the valued outcomes were attained was determined by eight critical experiences: observing an occupational therapist in action; seeing real clients with real issues; seeing positive impact; seeing the bigger picture; accessing the occupational therapist’s reasoning; hands-on doing; getting feedback on skills and thinking analytically/reflectively.

Conclusion

In designing first-year placements, practice educators and academics need to ensure that students are provided with experiences that incorporate reality, participation and making connections to a bigger picture of occupational therapy service provision.
Picturing Katrina: The queer child and black death-birthing narratives
Authors: Welch Kimberly Chantal
Published: June 2020

Drawing on refugee studies, “Picturing Katrina: The Queer Child and Black Death-Birthing Narratives” explores the transient performance of antiblack and refugee policies and procedures and how this transmutation manifested around Hurricane Katrina. The article focuses on Beasts of the Southern Wild, which is an allegory of Hurricane Katrina, and its black death-birthing narrative— Beasts calls upon a black girl to produce an imagined future grounded in the reproduction of a structure hostile to black life. By positing her as harbinger of a more sustainable ecological future, Beasts’ black death-birthing narrative queers Hushpuppy, a 6-year old living in intense poverty. This article focuses on Beasts to explore the relationship among the watery deaths and depths of Hurricane Katrina, refugee policies, and transatlantic slavery. The article closes with a brief turn to a “real-life” black death-birthing narrative featured in People magazine in order to not only to suggest the breadth of media forms that utilize black death-birthing narratives centering on childhood and disaster, but also to begin to interrogate the material conditions that enable the proliferation of these narratives as well as the narratives’ material effects.
Dynamic response of Euler–Bernoulli beam resting on fractionally damped viscoelastic foundation subjected to a moving point load
Authors: Praharaj Rajendra K , Datta Nabanita
Published: June 2020

The dynamic behaviour of an Euler–Bernoulli beam resting on the fractionally damped viscoelastic foundation subjected to a moving point load is investigated. The fractional-order derivative-based Kelvin–Voigt model describes the rheological properties of the viscoelastic foundation. The Riemann–Liouville fractional derivative model is applied for a fractional derivative order. The modal superposition method and Triangular strip matrix approach are applied to solve the fractional differential equation of motion. The dependence of the modal convergence on the system parameters is studied. The influences of (a) the fractional order of derivative, (b) the speed of the moving point load and (c) the foundation parameters on the dynamic response of the system are studied and conclusions are drawn. The damping of the beam-foundation system increases with increasing the order of derivative, leading to a decrease in the dynamic amplification factor. The results are compared with those using the classical integer-order derivative-based foundation model. The classical foundation model over-predicts the damping and under-predicts the dynamic deflections and stresses. The results of the classical (integer-order) foundation model are verified with literature.
Community fire response in Nairobi’s informal settlements
Authors: Ngau Peter M , Boit Sharon J
Published: June 2020

While the risk of fires in informal settlements has received attention in the literature, as has the longer-term community response to the resulting destruction, there is limited knowledge of how communities in informal settlements respond during fire disasters. This paper examines the role of community actors in fire response, using a case study of a group of informal settlements collectively called Mukuru Fuata Nyayo in Nairobi, Kenya. In earlier years, residents simply stayed put and watched properties get destroyed, and then waited for landlords to rebuild the houses. There is an emerging change in community fire response in these settlements, from a hands-off to a more hands-on approach in fire response. The paper examines the factors contributing to the change and draws conclusions about the strategies needed to build resilience in community fire response in informal settlements.
Rethinking the crisis in historicity: Precarity and postmodernism in French science fiction and film after May ’68
Authors: Murray Brittany
Published: June 2020

This article re-examines the crisis in historicity, an aesthetic hallmark of postmodernism, in light of unemployment and economic precarity in France during the 1970s. Whereas influential critics like Jean Baudrillard, Jean-François Lyotard and Fredric Jameson famously diagnosed an inability to represent historical movement, I argue that the decade’s literature and film represent changes to the organisation of working time. The article first discusses how time in post-war France was mediated through practices like national economic planning, industrial chronométrage, and staggered shifts, a temporal structure dramatically disrupted in the 1970s. The article then examines the aesthetic response to such economic disruption, drawing on examples like Michel Jeury’s science fiction novel, the cinétracts of May 1968, and the protest film, Rhodia 4/8. The crisis in historicity, I suggest, should be understood not as general disorientation, but rather as a specific solution to the problem of representing precarious employment in France.
Regulatory power and region-making in the Arctic: China and the European Union
Authors: Kuus Merje
Published: June 2020

This commentary foregrounds the import of regulatory power in region-making practices in the Arctic. I note the increasing interest in Arctic governance from China in the context of its Belt and Road Initiative and from the European Union in the context of its overall political agenda. I discuss what regulatory power means, why it matters, and what greater attention to it would add to our understanding of Arctic regionalism. My goal is to highlight the standard-making practices that may remain invisible on the ground but govern economic and political life from a distance.
Prioritizing and Establishing Cause and Effect Relationships Among Financial Reporting Quality Metrics
Authors: Himanshu  , Singh Jatinder P. , Kumar Ashwani
Published: June 2020

Despite the widespread use of financial reporting quality (FRQ) metrics, the literature provides little evidence regarding the prominence and causal relationships among them. The article provides empirical evidence on prioritizing FRQ metrics and examining the causal relationships among them. Through extensive literature review and expert inputs, 12 FRQ metrics were finalized and analysed using the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method. India, a developing country, was selected for empirical study. Empirical results indicate that opinion in auditors’ report is the most prominent metric to examine FRQ, followed by value relevance in the context of fair value accounting. A formal scientific categorization of the metrics into cause and effect groups has also been attempted. The causal relationships among FRQ metrics and their relative prominence would help in interpreting empirical studies, which employ these metrics. The study suggests that the stakeholders can focus on prominent FRQ metrics to examine FRQ of the reporting entity before taking their decisions.
A spatially explicit agent-based model of central place foraging theory and its explanatory power for hunter-gatherers settlement patterns formation processes
Authors: Sikk Kaarel , Caruso Geoffrey
Published: June 2020

The behavioural ecological approach to anthropology states that the density and distribution of resources determines optimal patterns of resource use and also sets its constraints to grouping, mobility and settlement choice. Central place foraging (CPF) models have been used for analyzing foraging behaviours of hunter-gatherers and drawing a causal link from the volume of available resources in the environment to the mobility decisions of hunter-gatherers. In this study, we propose a spatially explicit agent-based CPF model. We explore its potential for explaining the formation of settlement patterns and test its robustness to the configuration of space. Building on a model assuming homogeneous energy distributions, we had to add several new parameters and an adaptation mechanism for foragers to predict the length of their stay, together with a heterogeneous environment configuration. The validation of the model shows that the spatially explicit CPF is generally robust to spatial configuration of energy resources. The total volume of energy has a significant effect on constraining sedentism as predicted by aspatial model and thus can be used on different environmental conditions. Still the spatial autocorrelation of resource distribution has a linear effect on optimal mobility decisions and needs to be considered in predictive models. The effect on settlement location choice is not substantial and is more determined by other characteristics of settlement location. This limits the CPF models in analyzing settlement pattern formation processes.
Some Thoughts Concerning Post-Qualitative Methodologies
Authors: Tesar Marek
Published: June 2020

Perhaps it is our responsibility to protect the post-qualitative methodologies rather than trying to rush them or use them without any substantial reading or thinking; and as such exposing them and categorizing, and analyzing them. Perhaps there is a need for a radical renewal of methodological responsibility, of not wanting to discover and turn every stone, whether for curiosity or for academic credit. To do so, it is our responsibility to divest ourselves of our egotistical anthropocentrism, of our deep methodological habits of seeing ourselves as those who rule the paradigms and methodologies, and focus on openness and responsibility as we chart our methodological futures.
How Fear Appeal Approaches in COVID-19 Health Communication May Be Harming the Global Community
Authors: Stolow Jeni A. , Moses Lina M. , Lederer Alyssa M. , Carter Rebecca
Published: June 2020

As health professionals develop health communication for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), we implore that these communication approaches do not include fear appeals. Fear appeals, also known as scare tactics, have been widely used to promote recommended preventive behaviors. We contend that unintended negative outcomes can result from fear appeals that intensify the already complex pandemic and efforts to contain it. We encourage public health professionals to reevaluate their desire to use fear appeals in COVID-19 health communication and recommend that evidence-based health communication be utilized to address the needs of a specific community, help people understand what they are being asked to do, explain step-by-step how to complete preventative behaviors, and consider external factors needed to support the uptake of behaviors. To aid health professionals in redirecting away from the use of fear appeals, we offer a phased approach to creating health communication messages during the COVID-19 crisis.
TransPRK treatment for residual refractive error and induced aberrations in eye undergone SMILE treatment
Authors: de Ortueta Diego , von Rüden Dennis , Verma Shwetabh , Arba-Mosquera Samuel
Published: June 2020

In this case report, we propose to correct refractive errors after SMILE a refractive lenticule surgery technique with transepithelial Photorefractive keratectomy (TransPRK).

The advantage of this technique is that the measured aberrations with topography o the Cornea are also treated on the Surface of the Cornea.
Role of multifocal electroretinogram in assessment of early retinal dysfunction in hypertensive patients
Authors: Farouk Ayat Allah , ElHadidy Reem , Attia Abd ElSalam Eman , Zedan Rasha , Azmy Radwa
Published: June 2020

Purpose:

To investigate localized retinal dysfunction in hypertensive patients using multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) and to assess its sensitivity as an early predictor for the development of retinopathy in hypertensive patients.

Methods:

Ninety-eight eyes were included in this case-control study. Twenty-eight eyes of healthy subjects served as a control group (group I). Seventy eyes belonged to patients with systemic hypertension assigned into two groups; group II including 39 eyes of hypertensive patients with normal fundus and group III including 31 eyes of patients with signs of hypertensive retinopathy. All participants were subjected to complete ophthalmic and electrophysiological examination using mfERG. N1 and P1 wave amplitudes and implicit times from the central hexagon and four concentric rings across the visual field were analyzed.

Results:

mfERG amplitudes were significantly reduced in hypertensive group with retinopathy than in controls. N1 amplitude was significantly reduced in the most eccentric ring in eyes of hypertensive patients with normal fundus.

Conclusion:

mfERG is a sensitive objective tool for assessment of retinal dysfunction in hypertensive patients. mfERG amplitude is a promising predictor for early development of retinopathy in systemic hypertension.
A comparison of the effect of intravitreal dexamethasone implant on macular and branch retinal vein occlusion. A real life experience
Authors: Sever Ozkan , Cakir Akin , Horozoglu Fatih
Published: June 2020

Purpose:

This study aimed to compare the effects of intravitreal dexamethasone (IVDx) implants on branch retinal vein occlusions (BRVOs) and macular vein occlusions (MVOs).

Methods:

Seventeen consecutive patients with MVO and 18 patients with BRVO, whose foveal thicknesses were greater than 300 µm, were recruited for this study. BRVO and MVO patients were diagnosed by means of fundus fluorescein angiography. Patients were treatment-naive. Initially, each patient in both the BRVO and MVO groups received an IVDx implant, and then a pro re nata IVDx regimen was initiated. Primary outcomes included VA gain, intraocular pressure (IOP) changes, macular ischemia, central macular thickness, retinal neovascularization, and number of IVDx injections. Follow-up time was 12 months.

Results:

The MVO group initially had significantly lower central macular thickness and a lower percentage of macular ischemia and systemic hypertension than those in the BRVO group ( p = 0.001, 0.045, and 0.010, respectively). There was a statistically significant VA gain in both groups ( p < 0.001), but the VA gain of the MVO group was greater than that of the BRVO group ( p < 0.001). The mean total number of IVDx injections administered throughout the study period was significantly lower in the MVO group than in the BRVO group (1.3 ± 0.4 vs 2.0 ± 0.0; p = 0.001).

Discussion:

MVO and BRVO have different disease characteristics, and IVDx implants were more effective on the visual gain in patients with MVO than that of patients with BRVO who had higher numbers of IVDx injections.
Skin Manifestations in Pediatric Patients Treated With a TNF-Alpha Inhibitor for Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Cossio María-Laura , Genois Annie , Jantchou Prévost , Hatami Afshin , Deslandres Colette , McCuaig Catherine
Published: June 2020

Background

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha inhibitors (anti-TNF) are effective in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) as well as psoriasis. Their increasing use has raised the identification of cutaneous side effects (CSEs). Evidence in children is limited.

Objectives

The objective of this study is to describe CSEs of anti-TNF treatment in a pediatric population with IBD.

Methods

This is a retrospective single-center study of children with IBD under anti-TNF treatment between 2013 and 2016. A total of 40 patients with CSEs related to anti-TNF were referred to our pediatric dermatology clinic. A control group was randomly selected from patients receiving anti-TNF for IBD, who were referred to the dermatology clinic for other conditions unrelated to anti-TNF.

Results

Of 343 patients with IBD, 40 (11.3%) presented CSEs potentially related to the treatment. No differences in sex, age, and underlying disease were found between those with and without CSEs. The most frequent CSEs were psoriasiform eruptions (41%) which were more exudative than usual, located especially in skin folds and on the scalp; skin infections (20%); and eczematous eruptions (10%). Only 5% of patients changed or discontinued the current anti-TNF because of CSEs.

Conclusion

This is one of the largest pediatric cohorts of IBD patients with CSEs. Psoriasiform eruptions were the most common CSEs, with predilection for skin folds and scalp, and frequent superimposed bacterial infection. Topical and/or systemic antibiotics were required in addition to topical corticosteroids in 25% of patients. The rate of discontinuation of anti-TNF therapy due to CSEs was low.
Metaphors of intersectionality: Reframing the debate with a new proposal
Authors: Rodó-Zárate Maria , Jorba Marta
Published: June 2020

Whereas intersectionality presents a fruitful framework for theoretical and empirical research, some of its fundamental features present great confusion. The term ‘intersectionality’ and its metaphor of the crossroads seem to reproduce what it aims to avoid: conceiving categories as separate. Despite the attempts for developing new metaphors that illustrate the mutual constitution relation among categories, gender, race or class keep being imagined as discrete units that intersect, mix or combine. Here we identify two main problems in metaphors: the lack of differentiation between positions and effects and the problem of reification. We then present a new metaphor that overcomes these two problems: a basket of apples. We argue that considering social positions as the diverse properties of different apples avoids reification by considering categories as properties and not as objects themselves, and at the same time it allows us to think about the effects dimension from a plural and contextual approach. With this shift, we propose a reframing of the discussion in debates on intersectionality theory on the relation among categories, their in/separability and fragmentation.
Aggressive multiple sclerosis (1): Towards a definition of the phenotype
Authors: Iacobaeus Ellen , Arrambide Georgina , Amato Maria Pia , Derfuss Tobias , Vukusic Sandra , Hemmer Bernhard , Tintore Mar , Brundin Lou ,   for the 2018 ECTRIMS Focused Workshop Group, Berger Joseph , Boyko Alexey , Brinar Vesna , Brownlee Wallace , Ciccarelli Olga , Coles Alasdair , Correale Jorge , Cutter Gary , Edan Gilles , Evangelou Nikolaos , Fernandez Oscar , Frederiksen Jette , Gold Ralf , Hacohen Yael , Hartung Hans-Peter , Hellwig Kerstin , Hillert Jan , Imitola Jaime , Kalincik Tomas , Kappos Ludwig , Khoury Samia , Kim Ho Jin , Havrdová Eva Kubala , Liblau Roland , Lycke Jan , Montalban Xavier , Muraro Paolo , Reingold Stephen , Schmierer Klaus , Sellebjerg Finn , Sørensen Per Soelberg , Solari Alessandra , Sormani Maria Pia , Thompson Alan , Trapp Bruce , Tremlett Helen , Trojano Maria , Tur Carmen , Uccelli Antonio , van Pesch Vincent , Waubant Emmanuelle
Published: June 2020

While the major phenotypes of multiple sclerosis (MS) and relapsing–remitting, primary and secondary progressive MS have been well characterized, a subgroup of patients with an active, aggressive disease course and rapid disability accumulation remains difficult to define and there is no consensus about their management and treatment. The current lack of an accepted definition and treatment guidelines for aggressive MS triggered a 2018 focused workshop of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) on aggressive MS. The aim of the workshop was to discuss approaches on how to describe and define the disease phenotype and its treatments. Unfortunately, it was not possible to come to consensus on a definition because of unavailable data correlating severe disease with imaging and molecular biomarkers. However, the workshop highlighted the need for future research needed to define this disease subtype while also focusing on its treatment and management. Here, we review previous attempts to define aggressive MS and present characteristics that might, with additional research, eventually help characterize it. A companion paper summarizes data regarding treatment and management.
Bilingualism in the family and child well-being: A scoping review
Authors: Müller Lisa-Maria , Howard Katie , Wilson Elspeth , Gibson Jenny , Katsos Napoleon
Published: June 2020

Aims and objectives:

The aim of this scoping review is to investigate the association between bilingualism in the family and child subjective well-being, by reviewing the literature to identify key themes to date and remaining questions for future research.

Methodology:

Scopus, Web of Knowledge, ERIC, Psych Articles and PsychInfo were searched systematically between September and October 2018, and after title, abstract and full-text screening, 17 of the initial 1433 articles were included in this review.

Data and analysis:

Each study was coded for the discipline from which it emerged, the language combination studied, the measures of well-being and language proficiency it used, the geographical location of the study and the number of participants. Data on the link between bilingualism and well-being was extracted from each study.

Findings and conclusion:

Two main themes were identified: ‘The effect of language proficiency on family relationships’ and ‘The acculturation of parents and children as mediated by language’. Across studies, there was significant heterogeneity in definition of concepts and a diverse range of measures employed. In addition, the studies identified suggest a positive link between minority language maintenance and child well-being, and a positive influence of bilingualism, rather than knowledge of only the home or the majority language. However, the directionality of these relationships will need to be investigated in future research.

Originality:

This is the first scoping review conducted systematically to explore the link between bilingualism in the family and child well-being internationally. It builds on previous work such as a narrative review which examined this association in the European context.
Linguistic variation in the discourse of corporate annual reports: A multi-dimensional analysis
Authors: Bu Han , Connor-Linton Jeffrey , Wang Lifei
Published: June 2020

Combining the frameworks of multi-dimensional (MD) analysis and rhetorical structure theory (RST), this study examines the linguistic co-occurrence patterns in the discourse of corporate annual reports (CARs) and interprets their underlying functional dimensions. Our corpus consists of texts of corporate 10K reports from firms listed on New York Stock Exchange (NYSE; N of texts = 642, totally 14,674,047 tokens). Five functional dimensions are quantitatively extracted and qualitatively interpreted: (1) expression of direct persuasion; (2) expression of impersonal stance; (3) subjective versus objective positioning; (4) integrative expression of stance versus fragmented expression; and (5) expression of reliability. All these dimensions contribute to the communicative function of persuasion. The analysis of the rhetorical structures of excerpts with high concentrations of co-occurring linguistic features on each dimension further indicates the communicative strategy of persuasion. The proposed MD model is then applied to analyze the effect of firm performance on the linguistic variation in CAR discourse. We found that firm performance can significantly affect the linguistic variation in CAR discourse. CAR discourse from firms with good performance is more reliable. The result reveals managements’ use of concealment strategy in impression management. This study has implications for MD analysis, business discourse analysis, language pedagogy and accounting research.
Beyond traveling and working: Place attachment of the Chinese local working tourists
Authors: Qi Hongxia , (Sam) Li Fangxuan , Ka Xiyan
Published: June 2020

Given the scarcity of research on working tourists, this exploratory study examines lv xing yi gong’ s (i.e. the local independent Chinese working tourists) place attachment to the destination based on Scannell and Gifford’s tripartite model of place attachment. Data were drawn from a netnographic study of 98 blogs following 23 in-depth interviews. Findings demonstrate Chinese local working tourists’ place attachment in three dimensions: person, process, and place. This study not only confirms the applicability of Scannell and Gifford’s model in the context of Chinese local working tourists, but also identifies some contextual differences. More importantly, this article also provides valuable insights into the under-theorized sense of place among working tourists and identifies practical implications for tourism destination authorities to better serve and manage Chinese working tourists.
The homicide drop in England and Wales 2004–2014
Authors: Miles Caroline , Buehler Emily
Published: June 2020

After decades of rising homicide rates in the late 20th century, much of the Western world witnessed a decline in homicide from the early-mid-1990s. In England and Wales, homicide rates defied this trend and continued to rise for a further decade, peaking in 2004 before declining year on year until 2014. The late onset of the decline in England and Wales presents a quandary for dominant explanations of the broader decline, and has yet to be theorised. This article presents a disaggregated analysis of the homicide drop in England and Wales, identifying subtypes of homicide that appear to have driven the decline. The findings indicate changes in lifestyle, routine activities and social/criminal justice policy as the main drivers of the homicide drop, and contribute to international theory on homicide trends.
Risk stratification for nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a real-world study based on locoregional extension patterns and Epstein-Barr virus DNA load
Authors: Zhang Lu-Lu , Huang Meng-Yao , Fei-Xu  , Wang Ke-Xin , Song Di , Wang Ting , Sun Li-Yue , Shao Jian-Yong
Published: June 2020

Aim:

The present study aimed to evaluate the combined value of locoregional extension patterns (LEPs) and circulating cell-free Epstein–Barr virus (cf EBV) DNA for risk stratification of locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC) to better guide therapeutic strategies.

Methods:

A total of 7227 cases of LA-NPC were reviewed retrospectively and classified into six groups according to their LEP (ascending, descending, or mixed type) and pre-treatment cf EBV-DNA load (⩾ versus <4000 copy/ml). Using a supervised statistical clustering approach, patients in the six groups were clustered into low, intermediate, and high-risk clusters. Progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and locoregional relapse-free survival (LRRFS) were calculated using the Kaplan–Meier method and differences were compared using the log-rank test.

Results:

Survival curves for the low, intermediate, and high-risk clusters were significantly different for all endpoints. The 5-year survival rate for the low, intermediate, and high-risk clusters, respectively, were: PFS (83.5%, 73.2%, 62.6%, p < 0.001), OS (91.0%, 82.7%, 73.2%, p < 0.001), DMFS (92.3%, 83.0%, 73.4%, p < 0.001), and LRRFS (91.0%, 88.0%, 83.3%, p < 0.001). The risk clusters acted as independent prognostic factors for all endpoints. Among the patients in the high-risk cluster, neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) significantly improved the patients 5-year PFS (66.4% versus 57.9%, p = 0.014), OS (77.6% versus 68.6%; p < 0.002), and DMFS (76.6% versus 70.6%; p = 0.028) compared with those treated with CCRT.

Conclusion:

Our results could facilitate the development of risk-stratification and risk-adapted therapeutic strategies for patients with LA-NPC.