bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhanced coercivity of NiFe1–xDyxCrO4 ferrites synthesised by glycine-nitrate combustion method
Authors: Sharma Narayan Dutt , Verma Mukesh Kumar , Choudhary Nisha , Sharma Suman , Singh Devinder
Published: February 2019

The present work was focused on the effect of small amounts of Dy doping on the structural and magnetic properties of Ni-Cr ferrite materials. All the ferrites possess cubic symmetry corresponding to the space group [Formula: see text] with small amounts of secondary phase DyFeO3. No regular trend in the lattice parameter a with Dy doping has been observed. Room temperature magnetisation results, obtained from Vibrating Sample Magnetometer measurements, showed a decrease in saturation magnetisation with Dy doping. Enhanced coercivity in undoped Ni-Cr ferrite is observed which was several orders of magnitude higher than that of the reported bulk material. Substitution of Dy in Ni-Cr ferrite further enhances coercivity thereby making the materials magnetically more hard.
Monitoring ADP/ATP ratio in yeast cells using the fluorescent-protein reporter PercevalHR
Authors: Nguyen Phuong Thi Mai , Ishiwata-Kimata Yuki , Kimata Yukio
Published: February 2019

PercevalHR (Perceval High Resolution) is an artificially designed fluorescent protein, which changes its excitation spectrum based on the ADP/ATP ratio of the environment. Here we demonstrated that PercevalHR can be used for monitoring energy status of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells, which are affected by diauxic shift and mitochondria inhibition, in a non-invasive and non-destructive manner.
Hyperbolic distance and membership of conformal maps in the Hardy space
Authors: Karafyllia Christina
Published: February 2019

Let

ψ
\psi

be a conformal map of the unit disk

D

\mathbb {D}

onto an unbounded domain, and, for

α
>
0

\alpha >0

, let

F
α

=

{

z
∈

D

:

|

ψ

(
z
)

|

=
α

}

{F_\alpha }=\left \{ {z \in \mathbb {D}:\left | {\psi \left ( z \right )} \right | = \alpha } \right \}

. If

H
p

(

D

)

{H^p}\left ( \mathbb {D} \right )

denotes the classical Hardy space and

d

D

(

0
,

F
α

)

d_\mathbb {D} {\left ( {0,{F_\alpha }} \right )}

denotes the hyperbolic distance between

0
0

and

F
α

F_\alpha

in

D

\mathbb {D}

, we prove that

ψ
\psi

belongs to

H
p

(

D

)

{H^p}\left ( \mathbb {D} \right )

if and only if
\[
<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" alttext="integral Subscript 0 Superscript plus normal infinity Baseline alpha Superscript p minus 1 Baseline e Superscript minus d Super Subscript double-struck upper D Superscript left-parenthesis 0 comma upper F Super Subscript alpha Superscript right-parenthesis Baseline d alpha greater-than plus normal infinity period">

∫
0

+
∞

α

p
−
1

e

−

d

D

(

0
,

F
α

)

d
α

>
+
∞
.

\int _0^{ + \infty } {{\alpha ^{p - 1}}{e^{ - {d_{\mathbb {D}}}\left ( {0,{F_\alpha }} \right )}}d\alpha } > + \infty .

\]
This result answers a question posed by P. Poggi-Corradini.
Hilbert–Kunz multiplicity of the powers of an ideal
Authors: Smirnov Ilya
Published: February 2019

We study Hilbert–Kunz multiplicity of the powers of an ideal and establish existence of the second coefficient at the full level of generality, thus extending a recent result of Trivedi. We describe the second coefficient as the limit of the Hilbert coefficients of Frobenius powers and show that it is additive in short exact sequences and satisfies a Northcott-type inequality.
Quasismooth hypersurfaces in toric varieties
Authors: Artebani Michela , Comparin Paola , Guilbot Robin
Published: February 2019

We provide a combinatorial characterization of monomial linear systems on toric varieties whose general member is quasismooth. This is given both in terms of the Newton polytope and in terms of the matrix of exponents of a monomial basis.
Convergence of spectral likelihood approximation based on q-Hermite polynomials for Bayesian inverse problems
Authors: Deng Zhiliang , Yang Xiaomei
Published: February 2019

In this paper, q-Gaussian distribution, q-analogy of Gaussian distribution, is introduced to characterize the prior information of unknown parameters for inverse problems. Based on q-Hermite polynomials, we propose a spectral likelihood approximation (SLA) algorithm of Bayesian inversion. Convergence results of the approximated posterior distribution in the sense of Kullback–Leibler divergence are obtained when the likelihood function is replaced with the SLA and the prior density function is truncated to its partial sum. In the end, two numerical examples are displayed, which verify our results.
On the bilinear Hilbert transform along two polynomials
Authors: Dong Dong
Published: February 2019

We prove that the bilinear Hilbert transform along two polynomials
<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" alttext="upper B Subscript upper P comma upper Q Baseline left-parenthesis f comma g right-parenthesis left-parenthesis x right-parenthesis equals integral Underscript double-struck upper R Endscripts f left-parenthesis x minus upper P left-parenthesis t right-parenthesis right-parenthesis g left-parenthesis x minus upper Q left-parenthesis t right-parenthesis right-parenthesis StartFraction d t Over t EndFraction">

B

P
,
Q

(
f
,
g
)
(
x
)
=

∫

R

f
(
x
−
P
(
t
)
)
g
(
x
−
Q
(
t
)
)

d
t

t

B_{P,Q}(f,g)(x)=\int _{\mathbb {R}}f(x-P(t))g(x-Q(t))\frac {dt}{t}

is bounded from

L
p

×

L
q

L^p \times L^q

to

L
r

L^r

for a large range of

(
p
,
q
,
r
)

(p,q,r)

, as long as the polynomials

P
P

and

Q
Q

have distinct leading and trailing degrees. The same boundedness property holds for the corresponding bilinear maximal function
\[
<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" alttext="script upper M Subscript upper P comma upper Q Baseline left-parenthesis f comma g right-parenthesis left-parenthesis x right-parenthesis equals sup Underscript epsilon greater-than 0 Endscripts StartFraction 1 Over 2 epsilon EndFraction integral Subscript negative epsilon Superscript epsilon Baseline StartAbsoluteValue f left-parenthesis x minus upper P left-parenthesis t right-parenthesis right-parenthesis g left-parenthesis x minus upper Q left-parenthesis t right-parenthesis right-parenthesis EndAbsoluteValue d t period">

M

P
,
Q

(
f
,
g
)
(
x
)
=

sup

ϵ
>
0

1

2
ϵ

∫

−
ϵ

ϵ

|

f
(
x
−
P
(
t
)
)
g
(
x
−
Q
(
t
)
)

|

d
t
.

\mathcal {M}_{P,Q}(f,g)(x)=\sup _{\epsilon >0}\frac {1}{2\epsilon }\int _{-\epsilon }^{\epsilon } |f(x-P(t))g(x-Q(t))|dt.

\]
Local asymptotics for orthonormal polynomials in the interior of the support via universality
Authors: Lubinsky D.
Published: February 2019

We establish local pointwise asymptotics for orthonormal polynomials inside the support of the measure using universality limits. For example, if a measure

μ
\mu

has compact support, is regular in the sense of Stahl, Totik, and Ullmann, and in some subinterval

I
I

,

μ
\mu

is absolutely continuous and

μ

′

\mu ^{\prime }

is positive and continuous, we prove that for

y

j
n

y_{jn}

in a compact subset of

I

o

I^{o}

with

p

n

′

(

y

j
n

)

=
0

p_{n}^{\prime }\left ( y_{jn}\right ) =0

, we have
<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" alttext="limit Underscript n right-arrow normal infinity Endscripts StartStartFraction p Subscript n Baseline left-parenthesis y Subscript j n Baseline plus StartFraction z Over n omega left-parenthesis y Subscript j n Baseline right-parenthesis EndFraction right-parenthesis OverOver p Subscript n Baseline left-parenthesis y Subscript j n Baseline right-parenthesis EndEndFraction equals cosine pi z">

lim

n
→
∞

p

n

(

y

j
n

+

z

n
ω

(

y

j
n

)

)

p

n

(

y

j
n

)

=
cos
⁡
π
z

\begin{equation*} \lim _{n\rightarrow \infty }\frac {p_{n}\left ( y_{jn}+\frac {z}{n\omega \left ( y_{jn}\right ) }\right ) }{p_{n}\left ( y_{jn}\right ) }=\cos \pi z \end{equation*}

uniformly in

y

j
n

y_{jn}

and for

z
z

in compact subsets of the plane. Here

ω
\omega

is the equilibrium density for the support of

μ
\mu

.
Gelfand-Kirillov dimension of the quantized algebra of regular functions on homogeneous spaces
Authors: Chakraborty Partha , Saurabh Bipul
Published: February 2019

In this article, we prove that the Gelfand-Kirillov dimension of the quantized algebra of regular functions on certain homogeneous spaces of types

A
A

,

C
C

, and

D
D

is equal to the dimension of the homogeneous space as a real differentiable manifold.
Quiz your maths: Do the uniformly continuous functions on the line form a ring?
Authors: Cabello Sánchez Félix , Cabello Sánchez Javier
Published: February 2019

The paper deals with the interplay between boundedness, order and ring structures in function lattices on the line and related metric spaces. It is shown that the lattice of all Lipschitz functions on a normed space

E
E

is isomorphic to its sublattice of bounded functions if and only if

E
E

has dimension one. The lattice of Lipschitz functions on

E
E

carries a “hidden”

f
f

-ring structure with a unit, and the same happens to the (larger) lattice of all uniformly continuous functions for a wide variety of metric spaces.

An example of a metric space whose lattice of uniformly continuous functions supports no unital

f
f

-ring structure is provided.
Ethics Education: How Giving Voice to Values Fills in the “Action Gap”
Authors: Arce Daniel G. , Gentile Mary C.
Published: February 2019

Giving Voice to Values (GVV) is a rehearsal and case-based approach to business ethics education that is designed to develop moral competence and that emphasizes self-assessment, peer coaching and prescriptive ethics. It is built on the premise that many businesspeople want to act on their values but lack the know-how and experience for doing so. The focus is on action rather than developing ethical awareness or analytical constructs for determining what is right and the epistemology behind knowing that it is right, while acknowledging that existing and well-established approaches to these questions are also important. The GVV rubric for acting on one’s values is based upon the following three questions: (1) What’s at stake? (2) What are the reasons and rationalizations you are trying to counter? and (3) What levers can be used to influence those who disagree? Taken together, the answers to these questions constitute a script for constructing a persuasive argument for effecting values-based change and an action plan for implementation. This approach is based on the idea, supported by research and experience, that pre-scripting and “rehearsal” can encourage action.

GVV is meant to be complementary to traditional approaches to business ethics that focus on the methodology of moral judgment. GVV cases are post-decision-making in that they begin with a presumed right answer and students are invited to engage in the “GVV Thought Experiment,” answering the questions: “What if you were going to act on this values-based position? How could you be effective?” This implies a shift in focus towards values-based action in ways that recognize the pressures of the business world. As a consequence of this shift, GVV addresses fundamental questions about what, to whom, and how business ethics is taught. The answers to these questions have led to widespread adoption of GVV in business schools, universities, corporations, and beyond.
Communication Privacy Management Theory
Authors: Petronio Sandra , Hernandez Rachael
Published: February 2019

Have you ever wondered why a complete stranger sitting next to you on a plane would tell you about a recent cancer diagnosis? Why your parents never disclosed that you were adopted, feeling shocked when you accidently find out as an adult? These and many other actions reflect decisions individuals make about managing their private information. Being aware of how individuals navigate decisions to disclose or protect their private information provides useful insights that aid in the development and sustainability of relationships with others. Given privacy plays an integral role in everyone’s life, knowing more about privacy management is critical. communication privacy management (CPM) theory was first introduced by Sandra Petronio in 2002. CPM is evidence-based and accordingly provides a dependable understanding of how decisions are made to disclose and protect private information. This theory uses plain language to understand privacy management in everyday life. CPM focuses on the relationship people have with each other in communicative contexts, such as face-to-face interactions, on social media, and in dyads or groups. CPM theory is based on a communicative-social behavioral perspective and not necessarily a legal point of view. CPM theory illustrates that privacy is not paradoxical but is sustainable through the process of a privacy management system used in everyday life. The theory of CPM has been employed in a number of contexts shedding light on antecedents, mechanisms, and outcomes of private information management. In addition, a number of researchers across multiple countries, such as the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Japan, Kenya, South Korea, and the United States, have used CPM theory in their research investigations. Learning more about the system of private information management allows for a better understanding of how people navigate managing their private information when others are involved. Literature illustrates patterns of privacy management and demonstrates the challenges as well as the positive outcomes of the way individuals regulate their private information.
Peacebuilding in Sierra Leone and Religious Mediation
Authors: Graybill Lyn S.
Published: February 2019

The civil war was a turning point in the life of the faith community in Sierra Leone, which previously had been politically complacent. With the establishment of the Inter-Religious Council (IRC), Christian and Muslim religious leaders joined together with a unified voice based on shared values to first, mediate the conflict and second, promote reconciliation through the establishment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).

The efficacy of faith-based initiatives is attributed to many factors: the vast numbers of religious adherents, a far-reaching infrastructure of churches and mosques, close partnerships with international organizations, untainted reputation of clerics, and sacred texts that promote peace. Reconciliation is a dominant theme in both Christianity and Islam, giving religious leaders a powerful tool in bringing warring sides who share these faith commitments to the peace table, and, also, postconflict in encouraging restorative mechanisms, such as truth commissions that aim at reconciliation among enemies, over more retributive ones, such as courts.

Like the earlier South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission (SATRC), which was headed by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Sierra Leone TRC was headed by a religious leader, Bishop Joseph Humper, then president of the Inter-Religious Council. Like the SATRC, it turned to religious notions of confession and redemption that resonated in a very religious society, where 60% of the population are Muslims and 30% are Christians. It was only partially successful, however, because of the existence of the Special Court for Sierra Leone operating contemporaneously, which was based on a punitive model of justice. Because of confusion about the two institutions’ different mandates, and fear of being prosecuted by the Court, even low-level perpetrators hesitated to testify at the TRC, limiting its ability to reconcile enemies. Unfortunately, the international community prioritizes justice over reconciliation, and is less supportive of restorative approaches that may resonate more deeply with religious people in postconflict societies.
Understanding China’s News Media in Historical Perspective
Authors: Chin Sei Jeong
Published: February 2019

The Chinese media has been discussed either as a challenge to the authoritarian regime or as an instrument to consolidate state power in the recent debates concerning the impact of the Internet and the expansion of social media on China’s authoritarian rule. Both views have adopted the framework that was developed out of the liberal model of media in the West. In the liberal model, the news media should go through full-flown commercialization to achieve autonomy and independence from the state. The independence of the news media from the state is the precondition for the news media’s role as watchdog of the state and check on the government. However, the liberal model does not fit the actual historical experiences of the news media in China. Throughout the 20th century, state control of the media expanded in the context of state-building, war, and revolution. The Chinese media did not go through full-flown commercialization to the extent that the media would achieve complete independence from the state. Rather, in the context of state expansion, the media and the state became interdependent rather than antagonistic. In the state-dominated environment, the media did not necessarily seek independence from the state. Nevertheless, even without independence, the media can still play a significant political role within the limits and boundaries set by the state. This has important implications for understanding the resilience of the contemporary Chinese government.
Social Welfare in India
Authors: Shukla Shrivridhi , Gupta Arpita
Published: February 2019

India’s rapid economic growth is accompanied by economic inequality, poverty, and a range of social issues, thus, raising important questions concerning the breadth and depth of social protection and promotion policies prevalent in the country. The social welfare system in India is different for the formal and informal sectors of the economy. It consists of two largely parallel systems. With respect to the formal economy or the organized sector, it operates directly through the government, state-owned enterprises, and/ or private corporations that provide reasonably strong social protection to their employees through mandatory legislations spanning aspects such as payment of gratuity, employees’ provident fund, and the employees’ state insurance fund. In contrast, the informal or the unorganized sector is covered through a fragmented system of welfare schemes and benefits provided by the central government and the respective state governments.

Along with tracing the historical evolution of India’s welfare system, this article outlines the constitutional place of welfare in the country. With respect to the informal sector of the economy, it provides an overview of some of the key promotion and protection-orientated welfare policies and schemes, including those that address poverty, unemployment, education, health and food insecurity. Further, it discusses the barriers experienced by people in accessing welfare benefits, such as corruption and bureaucratic hurdles, and challenges faced by the government in welfare provision, such as scale of operation and identification of the target population groups. Finally, it assesses the country’s welfare system in light of the Global Social Protection Floor Initiative of the ILO-UN.
A Culturally Informed Systematic Review of Mental Health Disparities Among Adult Indigenous Men and Women of the USA: What is known?
Authors: Ka’apu Kristi , Burnette Catherine E
Published: February 2019

Related to a broader context of historical oppression, Indigenous peoples of the USA are overburdened with the mental health challenges that social workers tend to treat, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, suicide and substance use disorders (SUD). The purpose of this systematic review is to use the Framework of Historical Oppression, Resilience and Transcendence (FHORT) to identify empirical research on risk and protective factors related to mental health and SUD amongst these populations. This systematic review includes peer-reviewed quantitative and qualitative research articles from 1980 to 2017 focusing on the mental health of US Indigenous adults. A total of thirty-eight peer-reviewed empirical articles met inclusion criteria. Results reveal adults within Indigenous populations are at a high risk for mental health outcomes, including PTSD, depression, suicide, SUD and comorbidity across these outcomes. Underlying risk factors across outcomes included historical oppression and loss, family problems and SUD. Protective factors tended to include family and social support and engagement with tribal cultural activities. Significant variability was identified based on gender and geographic regions. Given that protective factors tended to include cultural, familial and community tenets, holistic approaches are the most promising programmes for social workers to work towards.
The Call to Decolonise: Social Work’s Challenge for Working with Indigenous Peoples
Authors: Choate Peter W
Published: February 2019

Using Canada as an example, social work must not only address its historical and current role in the colonisation and assimilation efforts aimed at Indigenous people, but also deconstruct its practices. Social work theory, methodology and practice parameters have been built on Eurocentric definitions and understandings. Indigenous peoples do not identify with these constructs but find themselves assessed and case managed based upon them. This extends colonialism and runs counter to a core principle of the profession, that being social justice. Canada is presently calling social work to participate in a reconciliation effort, although that assumes that there was a mutually beneficial relationship to restore. Some argue against that but there is a strong consensus that social work should carry its share of the burden in colonialism and self-reflect while also reaching out to build a different type of relationship with Indigenous peoples. This article reports on three projects that consider Indigenous knowledge and application to social work. Child protection is seen as a major focal point of change, as Indigenous children are significantly over-represented in the children in care population. Looking at this area of practice will help to illustrate the long roots of the colonial practices but also how current practice remains problematic.
Identity-Based Signature Schemes for Multivariate Public Key Cryptosystems
Authors: Chen Jiahui , Ling Jie , Ning Jianting , Ding Jintai
Published: February 2019

In this paper, we proposed an idea to construct a general multivariate public key cryptographic (MPKC) scheme based on a user’s identity. In our construction, each user is distributed a unique identity by the key distribution center (KDC) and we use this key to generate user’s private keys. Thereafter, we use these private keys to produce the corresponding public key. This method can make key generating process easier so that the public key will reduce from dozens of Kilobyte to several bits. We then use our general scheme to construct practical identity-based signature schemes named ID-UOV and ID-Rainbow based on two well-known and promising MPKC signature schemes, respectively. Finally, we present the security analysis and give experiments for all of our proposed schemes and the baseline schemes. Comparison shows that our schemes are both efficient and practical.
Successful renal denervation decreases the platelet activation status in hypertensive patients
Authors: Zaldivia Maria T K , Hering Dagmara , Marusic Petra , Sata Yusuke , Lee Rebecca , Esler Murray D , Htun Nay M , Duval Jacqueline , Hammond Louise , Flierl Ulrike , Wang Xiaowei , Drummond Grant R , Walton Antony , Gardiner Elizabeth E , Andrews Robert K , Schlaich Markus P , Peter Karlheinz
Published: February 2019

Aims

To determine whether renal denervation (RDN) in hypertensive patients affects the platelet activation status.

Methods and results

We investigated the effect of RDN on the platelet activation status in 41 hypertensive patients undergoing RDN. Ambulatory blood pressure (BP), plasma sympathetic neurotransmitter Neuropeptide Y, and platelet activation markers were measured at baseline, at 3 months, and 6 months after RDN. RDN significantly decreased BP at 3 months (150.6 ± 11.3/80.9 ± 11.4 mmHg to 144.7 ± 12.0/77.1 ± 11.1 mmHg; P < 0.01) and at 6 months (144.3 ± 13.8/78.3 ± 11.1 mmHg; P < 0.01). Plasma levels of the sympathetic neurotransmitter Neuropeptide Y, an indicator of sympathetic nerve activity, were significantly decreased at 3 months (0.29 ± 0.11 ng/mL to 0.23 ± 0.11 ng/mL; P < 0.0001) and at 6 months (0.22 ± 0.12 ng/mL; P < 0.001) after RDN. This was associated with a reduction in platelet membrane P-selectin expression (3 months, P < 0.05; 6 months, P < 0.05), soluble P-selectin (6 months, P < 0.05), circulating numbers of platelet-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) (3 months, P < 0.001; 6 months, P < 0.01), and phosphatidylserine expressing EVs (3 months, P < 0.001; 6 months, P < 0.0001), indicative of a reduction in platelet activation status and procoagulant activity. Only patients who responded to RDN with a BP reduction showed inhibition of P-selectin expression at 3 months (P < 0.05) and 6 months (P < 0.05) as well as reduction of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa activation at 3 months (P < 0.05). Notably, 13 patients who took aspirin did not show significant reduction in platelet P-selectin expression following RDN.

Conclusion

Our results imply a connection between the sympathetic nervous system and the platelet activation status and provide a potential mechanistic explanation by which RDN can have favourable effects towards reducing cardiovascular complications.
Rapid Changes in Laboratory Parameters and Early Response to Adalimumab: A Pooled Analysis From Patients With Ulcerative Colitis in Two Clinical Trials
Authors: Hanauer Stephen , Sandborn William J , Colombel Jean-Frederic , Vermeire Severine , Petersson Joel , Kligys Kristina , Zhou Qian , Lazar Andreas , Reinisch Walter
Published: February 2019

Background and Aims

The efficacy and safety of adalimumab for induction and maintenance of clinical remission in patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis were demonstrated in the ULTRA 1 and 2 clinical trials. This post-hoc, pooled analysis evaluated early changes in laboratory parameters, Mayo subscores, mucosal healing, and health-related quality of life.

Methods

Mean changes in laboratory parameters including albumin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, total protein, haematocrit, haemoglobin, red blood cell and platelet counts, Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire, and Short Form 36 Health Survey were evaluated from baseline to Weeks 4 and 8. Mean changes in Mayo subscores of rectal bleeding and stool frequency were evaluated from baseline to Weeks 2, 4, 6, and 8. Mucosal healing was assessed with endoscopy at baseline and Week 8. Categorical variables were evaluated with the Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test; continuous variables were evaluated with analysis of covariance and considered significant if p <0.05.

Results

Treatment with adalimumab significantly improved laboratory and quality-of-life measures at Weeks 4 and 8 compared with placebo [p <0.05 and p <0.001]. Mean reductions from baseline in rectal bleeding and stool frequency were significantly larger in patients receiving adalimumab compared with placebo at Week 2 and sustained through Week 8 [p <0.01]. Normal mucosa at Week 8 was achieved by 13% of patients receiving adalimumab compared with 6% of those receiving placebo [p <0.001].

Conclusions

Adalimumab resulted in rapid improvements in laboratory markers and early reductions in rectal bleeding and stool frequency. Early improvement in quality-of-life scores correlated with the clinical and laboratory findings.
Effects of a randomized, culturally adapted, lifestyle intervention on mental health among Middle-Eastern immigrants
Authors: Siddiqui Faiza , Lindblad Ulf , Nilsson Peter M , Bennet Louise
Published: February 2019

Background

Middle-Eastern immigrants in Sweden are at increased risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D) and poor mental health. Physical activity not only prevents/delays onset of T2D but also shows favorable effects on mental health. However, the effects of a culturally adapted lifestyle intervention on mental health among Middle-Eastern immigrants have not been explored before. We aimed to study the effects of a randomized controlled, culturally adapted lifestyle intervention on anxiety and depression levels in diabetes-prone Iraqi immigrants.

Methods

Participants (n = 96) were randomized to intervention group, IG (n = 50) or control group, CG (n = 46). The IG received seven group sessions addressing lifestyle change and the CG received treatment as usual. Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS-S) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) assessed mental health at start, mid (2 months) and end of the study (4 months). Proportional odds ratio (OR) model was used to study the effect of the intervention.

Results

The odds of scoring lower on MADRS-S and HADS depression scale at visit 3 vs. baseline were higher in the IG compared to the CG (MADRS-S OR 5.9, 95% CI: 1.6–22.5; HADS OR 4.4, 95% CI: 0.9–20.3). The findings persisted after adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, time since migration, sedentary lifestyle and language spoken at home. Group differences were non-significant at visit 2 vs. baseline.

Conclusion

A culturally adapted lifestyle intervention addressing T2D prevention in Middle-Eastern immigrants has favorable effects on mental health. The effect was more pronounced at the 4 months than at 2 months follow-up, indicating beneficial effect of longer study duration.

Trial registration

www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT01420198.
The Impact of Spouse’s Illness on Depressive Symptoms: The Roles of Spousal Caregiving and Marital Satisfaction
Authors: Min Joohong , Yorgason Jeremy B , Fast Janet , Chudyk Anna
Published: February 2019

Objectives

To examine (a) the relationship between own depressive symptoms and spouses’ health condition changes among mid- and later-life couples and (b) the roles of marital relationship quality and spousal caregiving in this relationship.

Method

Fixed-effect analyses were conducted using data from 3,055 couples aged 45 and older from Waves 1 (2006) to 4 (2012) of the Korean Longitudinal Study on Ageing.

Results

Spousal stroke was linked with higher depression symptoms. Spouses’ onset of cancer was related to an increase in depressive symptoms for wives, but not for husbands. Spousal caregiving and marital satisfaction were significant moderators: Wives caring for spouses with cancer reported more depressive symptoms than those not providing care; husbands caring for spouses with lung disease reported more depressive symptoms than those not providing care. The associations between wives’ heart disease, husbands’ cancer diagnosis, and depressive symptoms were weaker for couples with higher marital satisfaction.

Discussion

The findings suggest variations across health condition types and gender. Relationship quality and caregiving are important contexts moderating the negative impact of spousal chronic illness on depression. Health care providers should be aware that spouses’ health statuses are connected and that type of illness may affect the care context.
Towards coherent GES assessments at sub-regional level: signs of fisheries expansion processes in the Bay of Biscay using an OSPAR food web indicator, the mean trophic level
Authors: Arroyo Nina-Larissa , Safi Georges , Vouriot Pauline , López-López Lucía , Niquil Nathalie , Le Loc’h Francois , Hattab Tarek , Preciado Izaskun
Published: February 2019

Using the Bay of Biscay (BoB) as a case study, we conducted a transnational assessment of the mean trophic level (MTL, Ospar FW4) indicator at sub-regional level, over the last three decades. Our results confirm the apparent recovery of BoB’s bentho-demersal system, as shown by trends in the MTL indicator based on survey data. However, they also point at a concomitant “fishing through” process where the apparent stability revealed by the MTL indicator based on landed catch data may be masking the expansion of demersal fisheries to deeper waters, and an over-exploitation of resources (particularly abundant pelagic species). Moreover, they show how the combined examination of independent surveys and fishery landings allows the identification of ecological trends in ecosystem studies. In addition, our results confirm that analysing MTL at various threshold levels helps discerning the causality of trends in this indicator, especially if analyses for pelagic and demersal species are run independently. Further studies, at smaller (i.e. local) spatial scales, need to be conducted to ascertain our results and suggest appropriate management strategies aimed at regulating fisheries expansions in the area.
Rediscovering the tidal tails of NGC 288 with Gaia DR2
Authors: Kaderali Shaziana , Hunt Jason A S , Webb Jeremy J , Price-Jones Natalie , Carlberg Raymond
Published: February 2019

NGC 288 is a Galactic globular cluster having observed extra-tidal structure, without confirmed tidal tails. Gaia DR2 provides photometric and astrometric data for many of the stars in NGC 288 and its extra-tidal structure. To compare with the Gaia data, we simulate a N-body model of a star cluster with the same orbit as NGC 288 in a Milky Way potential. The simulation shows that the cluster forms tidal tails that are compressed along the cluster’s orbit when it is at apocentre and are expected to be a diffuse bipolar structure. In this letter, we present a comparison between the simulation and observations from Gaia DR2. We find that both the simulation and the observations share comparable trends in the position on the sky and proper motions of the extra-tidal stars, supporting the presence of tidal tails around NGC 288.
Structural basis of ubiquitin recognition by the winged-helix domain of Cockayne syndrome group B protein
Authors: Takahashi Diane T , Sato Yusuke , Yamagata Atsushi , Goto-Ito Sakurako , Saijo Masafumi , Fukai Shuya
Published: February 2019

Cockayne syndrome group B (CSB, also known as ERCC6) protein is involved in many DNA repair processes and essential for transcription-coupled repair (TCR). The central region of CSB has the helicase motif, whereas the C-terminal region contains important regulatory elements for repair of UV- and oxidative stress-induced damages and double-strand breaks (DSBs). A previous study suggested that a small part (∼30 residues) within this region was responsible for binding to ubiquitin (Ub). Here, we show that the Ub-binding of CSB requires a larger part of CSB, which was previously identified as a winged-helix domain (WHD) and is involved in the recruitment of CSB to DSBs. We also present the crystal structure of CSB WHD in complex with Ub. CSB WHD folds as a single globular domain, defining a class of Ub-binding domains (UBDs) different from 23 UBD classes identified so far. The second α-helix and C-terminal extremity of CSB WHD interact with Ub. Together with structure-guided mutational analysis, we identified the residues critical for the binding to Ub. CSB mutants defective in the Ub binding reduced repair of UV-induced damage. This study supports the notion that DSB repair and TCR may be associated with the Ub-binding of CSB.
An Open-Label, 52-Week, Phase III Trial of Duloxetine in Japanese Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain
Authors: Konno Shin-ichi , Alev Levent , Oda Natsuko , Ochiai Toshimitsu , Enomoto Hiroyuki
Published: February 2019

Objective

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of duloxetine treatment for 52 weeks.

Design

Multicenter, open-label, phase III clinical study.

Setting

Forty-one medical institutions in Japan.

Subjects

Japanese patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP).

Methods

Duloxetine 60 mg once-daily was administered for 52 weeks. Safety was evaluated based on adverse events (AEs), vital signs, laboratory test values, electrocardiogram, Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale, and occurrence of falls. The efficacy outcome measures were the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI; average pain, worst pain, least pain, and pain right now), BPI Interference, Patient’s Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I), Clinical Global Impressions of Severity (CGI-S), Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire–24 (RDQ-24), 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), and European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions Questionnaire (EQ-5D).

Results

In total, 151 patients (83 who completed a 14-week placebo-controlled superiority trial and 68 newly registered patients) were enrolled. The incidence rates of AEs and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) were 86.1% and 50.3%, respectively. ADRs with an incidence of ≥5% were somnolence, constipation, nausea, and dry mouth. Treatment discontinuation for AEs occurred in 16 patients. A significant reduction in the BPI average pain score (mean ± SD) was observed at all assessment time points from week 2 (−1.02 ± 1.37) to week 50 (−2.26 ± 1.63), compared with baseline. BPI pain severity (worst pain, least pain, and pain right now), BPI Interference, PGI-I, CGI-S, RDQ-24, SF-36, and EQ-5D showed significant improvement.

Conclusion

Japanese patients with CLBP had significant pain reduction over 52 weeks without new safety concerns.
Where Have the Respondents Gone? Perhaps We Ate Them All
Authors: Leeper Thomas J
Published: February 2019

Rising rates of nonresponse are one of the most-debated issues in contemporary survey research. While early survey research regularly achieved response rates close to 100 percent, contemporary telephone interviewing methods in the United States regularly obtain response rates below 10 percent, due to a mix of noncontact and refusals. Existing research has examined a number of factors that explain variation in response rates, yet almost all such work considers survey response as an isolated, independent event. This note aims to stimulate debate by suggesting that a paradigm shift in theorizing nonresponse is needed. I diagnose the problem of nonresponse not only as an individual-level, survey-specific phenomenon, but as something larger and more collective: namely, as a common pool resource (CPR) problem. Because researchers acting independently might each seek to maximize their response rate and achieve intended sample sizes, the common pool resource of human respondents can be prone to overextraction. In addition to thinking about “benefit-cost” explanations for why respondents might respond to a specific survey, considering responses as a shared resource focuses attention on cross-level theory on how the survey field might collectively govern responses from human populations. Rather than testing CPR theory directly, I instead describe why thinking of nonresponse as a CPR problem may be useful, use the United States as a case study to demonstrate the possible scale of response extraction, and leverage findings from CPR studies to suggest directions for future research into nonresponse.
Immediate Reconstruction of Complex Spinal Wounds Is Associated with Increased Hardware Retention and Fewer Wound-related Complications: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Mericli Alexander F. , Largo Rene D. , Garvey Patrick B. , Rhines Laurence , Bird Justin , Liu Jun , Baumann Donald , Butler Charles E.
Published: February 2019

Background:

Patients undergoing surgeries involving extensive posterior spine instrumentation and fusion often have multiple risk factors for wound healing complications. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the available evidence on immediate (proactive/prophylactic) and delayed (reactive) spinal wound reconstruction. We hypothesized that immediate soft-tissue reconstruction of extensive spinal wounds would be associated with fewer postoperative surgicalsite complications than delayed reconstruction.

Methods:

In accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, a PubMed database search was performed to identify English-language, human-subject literature published between 2003 and 2018. Data were summarized, and the pooled prevalence of various wound complications was calculated, weighted by study size, using the generic inverse variance method. A subgroup analysis of all studies with a comparison group (Oxford Centre for Evidence-based Medicine level 3 or better) was performed, and Forest plots were created.

Results:

The database search yielded 16 articles including 828 patients; 428 (51.7%) received an immediate spinal wound reconstruction and 400 (48.3%) had a delayed reconstruction. Spinal neoplasm was the most common index diagnosis. Paraspinous muscle flap reconstruction was performed in the majority of cases. Pooled analysis of all studies revealed immediate reconstruction to be associated with decreased rates of overall wound complications (28.5% versus 18.8%), hardware loss (10.7% versus 1.8%), and wound infections (10.7% versus 7.6%) compared with delayed reconstruction.

Conclusions:

Immediate soft-tissue reconstruction of high-risk spinal wounds is associated with fewer wound healing complications and increased hardware retention.
Gender-Specific Risk Factor Profiles for Patellofemoral Pain
Authors: Boling Michelle C. , Nguyen Anh-Dung , Padua Darin A. , Cameron Kenneth L. , Beutler Anthony , Marshall Stephen W.
Published: February 2019

Objective:

To determine the association between selected biomechanical variables and risk of patellofemoral pain (PFP) in males and females.

Design:

Prospective cohort.

Setting:

US Service Academies.

Participants:

Four thousand five hundred forty-three cadets (1727 females and 2816 males).

Assessment of risk factors:

Three-dimensional biomechanics during a jump-landing task, lower-extremity strength, Q-angle, and navicular drop.

Main outcome measures:

Cadets were monitored for diagnosis of PFP during their enrollment in a service academy. Three-dimensional hip and knee kinematic data were determined at initial contact (IC) and at 50% of the stance phase of the jump-landing task. Logistic regression analyses were performed for each risk factor variable in males and females (P < 0.05).

Results:

Less than 10 degrees of hip abduction at IC [odds ratio (OR) = 1.86, P = 0.03] and greater than 10 degrees of knee internal rotation at 50% of the stance phase (OR = 1.71, P = 0.02) increased the risk of PFP in females. Greater than 20 degrees of knee flexion at IC (OR = 0.47, P < 0.01) and between 0 and 5 degrees of hip external rotation at 50% of the stance phase (OR = 0.52, P = 0.04) decreased the risk of PFP in males. No other variables were associated with risk of developing PFP (P > 0.05).

Conclusions:

The results suggest males and females have differing kinematic risk factor profiles for the development of PFP.

Clinical relevance:

To most effectively reduce the risk of developing PFP, the risk factor variables specific to males (decreased knee flexion and increased hip external rotation) and females (decreased hip abduction and increased knee internal rotation) should be addressed in injury prevention programs.
A Model-Based Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of an Exercise Program for Lung Cancer Survivors Following Curative-Intent Treatment
Authors: Ha Duc , Kerr Jacqueline , Ries Andrew L. , Fuster Mark M. , Lippman Scott M. , Murphy James D.
Published: February 2019

Rationale

The Institute of Medicine emphasizes care in the post-treatment phase of the cancer survivorship continuum. Physical exercise has been shown to be effective in improving physical function and quality of life in cancer survivors; however, its cost-effectiveness in lung cancer survivors is not well established.

Objective

We performed a model-based cost-effectiveness analysis of an exercise intervention in lung cancer survivors following curative-intent treatment.

Methods

We constructed a Markov model to simulate the impact of the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders (LIFE) exercise intervention compared to usual care for stage I-IIIA lung cancer survivors. Costs and utility benefit of exercise were extracted from the LIFE study. Baseline utilities, transition probabilities, and survival were modeled. We calculated and considered incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) <$100,000/quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) as cost-effective, and assessed model uncertainty using one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses.

Results

Our base-case model found that the LIFE exercise program would increase overall cost by $4,740 and effectiveness by 0.06 QALYs compared to usual care, and have an ICER of $79,504/QALY. The model was most sensitive to the cost of the exercise program, probability of increasing exercise, and utility benefit related to exercise. At a willingness-to-pay threshold of $100,000/QALY, the LIFE exercise program had a 71% probability of being cost-effective compared to 27% for usual care. When we included opportunity costs, the LIFE exercise program had an ICER of $179,774/QALY, exceeding the cost-effectiveness threshold.

Conclusions

A simulation of the LIFE exercise program in lung cancer survivors following curative-intent treatment demonstrates cost-effectiveness from an organization but not societal perspective. Strategies to effectively increase exercise remotely may be more cost-effective than in-facility strategies for these patients.
Detection of malaria in insectary-reared Anopheles gambiae using near-infrared spectroscopy
Authors: Maia Marta F. , Kapulu Melissa , Muthui Michelle , Wagah Martin G. , Ferguson Heather M. , Dowell Floyd E. , Baldini Francesco , Cartwright Lisa-Ranford
Published: February 2019

Large-scale surveillance of mosquito populations is crucial to assess the intensity of vector-borne disease transmission and the impact of control interventions. However, there is a lack of accurate, cost-effective and high-throughput tools for mass-screening of vectors. This study demonstrates proof-of-concept that near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is capable of rapidly identifying laboratory strains of human malaria infection in African mosquito vectors. By using partial least square regression models based on malaria-infected and uninfected Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes, we showed that NIRS can detect oocyst- and sporozoite-stage Plasmodium falciparum infections with 88% and 95% accuracy, respectively. Accurate, low-cost, reagent-free screening of mosquito populations enabled by NIRS could revolutionize surveillance and elimination strategies for the most important human malaria parasite in its primary African vector species. Further research is needed to evaluate how the method performs in the field following adjustments in the training datasets to include data from wild-caught infected and uninfected mosquitoes.