bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
‘Polynesians’ in the Brazilian hinterland? Sociohistorical perspectives on skulls, genomics, identity, and nationhood
Authors: Santos Ricardo Ventura , Douglas Bronwen
Published: January 2020

In 1876, Brazilian physical anthropologists De Lacerda and Peixoto published findings of detailed anatomical and osteometric investigation of the new human skull collection of Rio de Janeiro’s Museu Nacional. They argued not only that the Indigenous ‘Botocudo’ in Brazil might be autochthonous to the New World, but also that they shared analogic proximity to other geographically very distant human groups – the New Caledonians and Australians – equally attributed limited cranial capacity and resultant inferior intellect. Described by Blumenbach and Morton, ‘Botocudo’ skulls were highly valued scientific specimens in 19th-century physical anthropology. A recent genomic study has again related ‘the Botocudo’ to Indigenous populations from the other side of the world by identifying ‘Polynesian ancestry’ in two of 14 Botocudo skulls held at the Museu Nacional. This article places the production of scientific knowledge in multidisciplinary, multiregional historical perspectives. We contextualize modern narratives in the biological sciences relating ‘Botocudo’ skulls and other cranial material from lowland South America to Polynesia, Melanesia, and Australia. With disturbing irony, such studies often unthinkingly reinscribe essentialized historic racial categories such as ‘the Botocudos’, ‘the Polynesians’, and ‘the Australo-Melanesians’. We conclude that the fertile alliance of intersecting sciences that is revolutionizing understandings of deep human pasts must be informed by sensitivity to the deep histories of terms, classification schemes, and the disciplines themselves.
Effect of track irregularities of high-speed railways on the thermal characteristics of the traction motor bearing
Authors: Wang Tingting , Wang Zhiwei , Song Dongli , Zhang Weihua , Li Jiayuan , Chen De
Published: January 2020

The operating temperature plays a key role in the service reliability of ball bearings used in the traction motor of high-speed trains. Studies on the heat generation and temperature distributions of the bearing under the vehicle vibration environment are critical for designing the high-speed train traction motor bearing and to monitor its operation. In this paper, an SKF friction torque model that considers the inlet shear heating reduction and kinematic replenishment/starvation reduction was used to calculate the power loss of the bearing operating in a high-speed train. A thermal analysis model of the bearing, which takes into account the vehicle vibration due to track irregularities, was developed to study the thermal characteristics of the bearing operating in a high-speed train. Experiments were conducted on a service high-speed train (i.e. CRH380B) to validate the proposed bearing thermal analysis model. The thermal characteristics of the bearing and the influence of key factors on the operating temperature of the bearing under vehicle vibration due to track irregularities were studied with the proposed bearing thermal analysis model. The results show that the thermal failure of the bearing subassemblies most likely occurs at the balls region owing to the highest temperature in that region, compared to the inner and outer raceway of the bearing. The method of applying grease with appropriate kinematic viscosity should be adopted to reduce the power loss of bearing while meeting the lubrication requirement. The vehicle vibration due to track irregularities significantly influences the thermal characteristics of high-speed train motor bearings, which cannot be ignored in the thermal analysis of bearings operating in a high-speed train.
Practical control implementation of tri-tiltRotor flying wing unmanned aerial vehicles based upon active disturbance rejection control
Authors: Wang Zian , Gong Zheng , Chen Yongliang , Sun Mingwei , Xu Jinfa
Published: January 2020

Tilt rotor unmanned aerial vehicles exhibit their effectiveness via a novel and convenient structure. However, the flight control system is a critical problem in need of a robust solution. Focusing on its flight features, which display strong nonlinear and varying dynamics, caused by complexity in the aerodynamic layout and tilting structure, a practical control scheme is proposed to meet such technical issues. This paper first develops the nonlinear model, consisting of the interference between rotors and the wing body, relying on wind tunnel technology. A simplified linear model that decomposes the longitudinal and lateral components is used in order to facilitate controller design. Then, a time-scale separation decoupling control scheme based upon active disturbance rejection control is proposed to cope with control challenges. Introducing the concept of virtual control input, an effective control allocation is obtained by choosing the appropriate bandwidth in the frequency domain. The extended state observer is applied to estimate and compensate for unknown total disturbances and model uncertainties. Finally, robustness verification, successful test-bench experiments, and practical flight tests that show the fast tracking and disturbance rejection of the active disturbance rejection control controller are discussed. The proposed practical coupling rejection control design demonstrates its capability to employ a single input single output method to control a tri-tiltRotor flying wing unmanned aerial vehicle relying on active disturbance rejection control.
Home-dwelling persons with dementia’s perception on care support: Qualitative study
Authors: Fæø Stein Erik , Bruvik Frøydis Kristine , Tranvåg Oscar , Husebo Bettina S
Published: January 2020

Background

Over the last years, there has been a growth in care solutions aiming to support home-dwelling persons with dementia. Assistive technology and voluntarism have emerged as supplements to traditional homecare and daycare centers. However, patient participation is often lacking in decision-making processes, undermining ethical principles and basic human rights.

Research objective

This study explores the perceptions of persons with dementia toward assistive technology, volunteer support, homecare services, and daycare centers.

Research design

A hermeneutical approach was chosen for this study, using a semi-structured interview guide to allow for interviews in the form of open conversations.

Participants and research context

Twelve home-dwelling persons with dementia participated in the study. The participants were recruited through municipal daycare centers.

Ethical considerations

Interviews were facilitated within a safe environment, carefully conducted to safeguard the participants’ integrity. The Regional Committee for Medical and Health Research Ethics, Western Norway (Project number 2016/1630) approved the study.

Findings

The participants shared a well of reflections on experience and attitudes toward the aspects explored. They described assistive technology as possibly beneficial, but pointed to several non-beneficial side effects. Likewise, they were hesitant toward volunteer support, depending on how this might fit their individual preferences. Homecare services were perceived as a necessary means of care, its benefits ascribed to a variety of aspects. Similarly, the participants’ assessments of daycare centers relied on specific aspects, with high individual variety.

Discussion and conclusion

The study indicates that the margins between whether these specific care interventions were perceived as supportive or infringing may be small and details may have great effect on the persons’ everyday life. This indicates that patient participation in decision-making processes for this group is—in addition to be a judicial and ethical requirement—crucial to ensure adequate care and support.
The relationship amongst nurses’ perceived organizational justice, work consciousness, and responsibility
Authors: Mohammadi Abolfazal , Hanifi Nasrin , Varjoshani Nasrin Jafari
Published: January 2020

Background:

Nurses’ perceived organizational justice is one of the factors influencing their social responsibility and conscientiousness. Social responsibility and conscience are major requirements for providing high-quality and standardized care.

Objective:

The aim of the present study is to investigate the relationship of perceived organizational justice with work consciousness and the social responsibility of the nurses.

Methods:

The present cross-sectional study was performed on 380 nurses who had at least 1 year of job experience and willingness to participate in the study. The study was conducted in Zanjan province, Iran, in 2018. The study subjects were selected via stratified random sampling. The data were collected using an organizational justice scale, corporate social responsibility scale, and consciousness scale. Questionnaires were completed through self-reporting. The data were analyzed using partial correlation coefficient and linear regression analysis.

Ethical considerations:

Research ethics approval (with the code of IR.ZUMS.REC.1397.47) was obtained from Zanjan University of Medical Sciences.

Results:

The results indicated that nurses felt injustice in all dimensions of organizational justice (2.66 ± .753). They feel the most sense of injustice in distributive justice (2.19 ± .798). In three dimensions, except the ethic dimension, the social responsibility was in a desirable range (2.79 ± .703). In two dimensions, work consciousness was in a desirable range. The results showed a significant and positive relationship between all dimensions of social responsibility and all dimensions of organizational justice (r = .072). However, no statistically significant relationship was observed between the dimensions of organizational justice and conscience (r = –.002).

Conclusion:

Based on the obtained results, social responsibility and the work consciousness of the nurses are affected by organizational justice. Therefore, nursing managers are suggested to change their management styles to reduce the sense of organizational injustice in nurses and have long-term productivity.
A mapping of JLASSS: The academic consolidation of the socio-cultural studies of sport in Latin America
Authors: Gomes Leonardo do Couto , Moraes Leticia Cristina Lima , Marchi Júnior Wanderley , Moraes e Silva Marcelo
Published: January 2020

The present study aims to map the research published in the Journal of the Latin American Socio-cultural Studies of Sport (JLASSS) in order to provide a panorama of the development of socio-cultural sports science research within the Asociación Latinoamericana de Estudios Socioculturales del Deporte (ALESDE—Latin-American Association of Socio-Cultural Studies of Sport). In order to accomplish this aim, we catalogued the journal papers from the first edition (2011) to the last (2018), which comprised a total of 91 papers written by 153 different researchers and published in 14 issues. The most recurrent themes were related to social, cultural, and historical aspects, corresponding to 48.35% of the publications. However, despite the predominance of these themes, the thematic plurality of the journal is expressive. Therefore, it is evident that JLASSS presents an interdisciplinary approach to the human and social sciences when scientifically addressing the sports phenomenon. As a conclusion, this paper indicates that the field related to the socio-cultural studies of sport in Latin America is under construction and that ALESDE and JLASSS intend to be the protagonists in the strengthening of this field.
Doing Masculinities: Exploring Gender and Age in Professionalizing Family Day Care in Taiwan
Authors: Chen Yin-Zu , Wang Jing-Yi
Published: January 2020

This study analyzes how male childminders in different life stages conduct their work and how they approach masculinities in this profession. We interviewed 16 males from three cities in Taiwan. Data analysis identified different masculinity construction mechanisms for men younger than 50 and those older than 60. These men understand childminding differently: While the younger ones embrace professionalization to create a childminding profession that is different from traditional female work, the older ones refuse to recognize child care as an occupation and strive to blur home/work boundaries to define child care services as a family duty or housework. The research suggests that hegemonic masculinity attributes are being introduced to this female-dominated profession, along with age-related sociocultural norms that provide the context for individuals to reconstruct alternative masculinities.
A Rare Case of an Aggressive Clear Cell Variant of Calcifying Epithelial Odontogenic Tumor in the Posterior Maxilla
Authors: de Arruda José Alcides Almeida , Arantes Diego Antônio Costa , Schuch Lauren Frenzel , Mosconi Carla , Abreu Lucas Guimarães , de Andrade Bruno Augusto Benevenuto , Romañach Mario José , Mesquita Ricardo Alves , Silva Tarcília Aparecida , Batista Aline Carvalho , Mendonça Elismauro Franscisco
Published: January 2020

A clear cell variant of calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor is a rare benign odontogenic neoplasm, accounting for 33 cases described in the literature. In this article, we report a challenging example of clear cell variant of calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor of the posterior maxilla in a 45-year-old female patient showing locally aggressive growth and recurrence. Microscopically, islands of polyhedral cells containing abundant cytoplasm, well-developed intercellular bridges blended with clear cells were observed. The nuclei were frequently pleomorphic and permeated by hyaline calcified material. Immunohistochemistry revealed positivity for pan-cytokeratin (AE1/AE3), cytokeratins (CK-14 and CK-19), Bcl-2, p53, and p63. The Ki-67 proliferative index was ~10%. As odontogenic tumors are rare, when a significant clear cell component is observed, the differential diagnosis with other lesions of the jaws with similar morphology, including other odontogenic tumors with prominent clear cell component, clear cell odontogenic carcinomas, and metastatic tumors, is difficult.
Talus Secundarius: Case Series
Authors: Rammelt Stefan , Manke Elisabeth , Prescher Andreas
Published: January 2020

Background:

Talus secundarius is a very rare accessory bone at the lateral border of the foot. It is attached via a synchondrosis or small synostosis to the lateral aspect of the talar body and has additional facets to the tip of the lateral malleolus and the superior aspect of the calcaneus.

Methods:

Over a period of 8 years, we have seen 5 patients with 6 cases of talus secundarius with an average age of 17 years at first presentation to the senior author. One ossicle was an incidental finding and completely asymptomatic. In the other 5 cases, the average duration of symptoms was 21 months at that time. In 3 cases, additional accessory bones were seen around the talus.

Results:

The average size of the ossicles was 18 × 12 × 8 mm. Complete removal resulted in considerable pain reduction without further functional restriction in 4 cases. Two cases (1 asymptomatic, 1 with mild intermittent symptoms) were treated nonoperatively. The average Foot Function Index improved from 22.6 to 4.8 in all patients and from 31.0 to 4.5 in the patients treated with excision for symptomatic talus secundarius ( P < .01).

Conclusion:

The knowledge of accessory bones at the foot is important, as missed diagnosis may lead to prolonged course of pain and unnecessary protection in the affected patients. Resection of symptomatic ossicles substantially reduces pain, but patients have to be counseled that some symptoms may prevail in a congenital deformity.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, prospective case series.
The axiomatic introduction of arbitrary strain tensors by Hans Richter – a commented translation of ‘Strain tensor, strain deviator and stress tensor for finite deformations’
Authors: Neff Patrizio , Graban Kai , Schweickert Eva , Martin Robert J.
Published: January 2020

We provide a faithful translation of Hans Richter’s important 1949 paper ‘Verzerrungstensor, Verzerrungsdeviator und Spannungstensor bei endlichen Formänderungen’ from its original German version into English, complemented by an introduction summarizing Richter’s achievements.
Intravascular ultrasound imaging for the optimization of dialysis access interventions
Authors: Patel Daniel
Published: January 2020

Intravascular ultrasound allows for detailed imaging of the dialysis access anatomy. Accurate visualization and precise measurements of the anatomy can be obtained using intravascular ultrasound, while limiting contrast usage and radiation exposure. Intravascular ultrasound allows for a true appreciation of stenosis morphology and can further guide endovascular management decisions, with a particular benefit in management of central venous lesions. Here, we describe a series of cases that together highlight the advantages of using intravascular ultrasound in the evaluation and management of dialysis access care.
“Managing the Wait”: Parents’ Experiences in Accessing Diagnostic and Treatment Services for Children and Adolescents Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Smith-Young Joanne , Chafe Roger , Audas Rick
Published: January 2020

Background:

Parents of children and adolescents diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) report delays in accessing timely diagnostic and treatment services for their children. Research has generally focused on parents’ experiences in caring for a child diagnosed with ASD. This study describes the process of how parents access ASD services for their children and adolescents.

Method:

This study used a qualitative research design that was informed by grounded theory methodology. We used constant comparative analysis to develop a process model and a core concept.

Results:

Seventeen parents of children and adolescents diagnosed with ASD were interviewed. Our process model included 3 main phases: Watchful waiting (noticing suspected behaviors, and searching for assessment and diagnosis); Informed waiting (receiving the diagnosis, facing challenges in accessing treatment services, and realizing the impact of an ASD diagnosis); and Contemplative waiting (pondering the future, reflecting on the past, and making recommendations). “Managing the Wait” was identified as the core category central to parents’ experience of this process. This process was found to be impacted by socioeconomic status, parents’ skills and capacity to advocate on their child’s behalf, and severity of their child’s ASD.

Conclusions:

Our findings illustrate the many barriers families face during their journey in accessing ASD services. Our results illustrate the need to address wait times for services, and provide education and support services for parents as a means of improving their self-advocacy skills, especially for parents of children and adolescents with severe disability.
Predictors of Smoking Cessation in a Lifestyle-Focused Text-Message Support Programme Delivered to People with Coronary Heart Disease: An Analysis From the Tobacco Exercise and Diet Messages (TEXTME) Randomised Clinical Trial
Authors: Klimis Harry , Marschner Simone , Von Huben Amy , Thiagalingam Aravinda , Chow Clara K
Published: January 2020

Background:

Studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of text message-based prevention programs on smoking cessation, including our recently published TEXTME randomised controlled trial. However, little is known about the predictors of smoking cessation in this context and if other clinically important factors interact with the program to lead to quitting. Hence, the objective of this study was to first assess the predictors of smoking cessation in TEXTME and then determine if the effect of texting on quitting was modified by interactions with important clinical variables. This will allow us to better understand how text messaging works and thus help optimise future text-message based prevention programs.

Methods

This sub-analysis used data collected as part of the TEXTME trial which recruited 710 participants (377 current smokers at baseline) between September 2011 and November 2013 from a large tertiary hospital in Sydney, Australia. Smokers at baseline were analysed at 6 months and grouped into those who quit and those who did not. Univariate analyses were performed to determine associations between the main outcome and clinically important baseline factors selected a priori. A multiple binominal logistic regression analysis was conducted to develop a predictive model for the dependent variable smoking cessation. A test of interaction between the intervention group and baseline variables selected a priori with the outcome smoking cessation was performed.

Results

Univariate analysis identified receiving text-messages, age, and mean number of cigarettes smoked each day as being associated with quitting smoking. After adjusting for age, receiving the text-messaging program (OR 2.34; 95%CI 1.43-3.86; p<0.01) and mean number of cigarettes smoked per day (OR 1.02; 95%CI 1.00-1.04; p=0.03) were independent predictors for smoking cessation. LDL-C showed a significant interaction effect with the intervention (High LDL*Intervention OR 3.77 (95%CI 2.05-6.94); Low LDL*Intervention OR 1.42 (95%CI 0.77-2.60); P=0.03).

Conclusions

Smoking quantity at baseline is independently associated with smoking cessation and higher LDL-C may interact with the intervention to result in quitting smoking. Those who have a higher baseline risk maybe more motivated towards beneficial lifestyle change including quitting smoking, and thus more likely to respond to mHealth smoking cessation programs. The effect of text-messages on smoking cessation was independent of age, gender, psychosocial parameters, education, and baseline control of risk factors in a secondary prevention cohort.
Augmenting autonomy: ‘New Collar’ labor and the future of tech work
Authors: Cox Christopher M
Published: January 2020

This essay maps IBM’s attempts to construct a typology of high-tech ‘New Collar’ work and leverage policymaking outcomes to underwrite IBM corporate ventures capable of materializing this work. Through a discursive analysis of IBM corporate texts, webpages, and the 2017 New Collar Jobs Act, I argue for New Collar work to be understood through the lens of autonomy, as IBM recasts notions of ‘autonomous’ technology onto humans by downplaying dystopic associations of technological autonomy and transferring notions of autonomy to human workers. In doing so, I account for IBM’s use of ‘augmentation’ to situate human intelligence as the cognitive force uplifted by work performed with artificial intelligence. By pairing human augmentation with posthumanist conceptions of ‘distributed cognition’, IBM centers human intelligence through a redistributed cognition that reverses posthumanism’s decentering of human supremacy. Following from this, I unpack ‘New Collar’ as a reinvention of ‘white’ and ‘blue’ collar dichotomies and New Collar work as the grounds for tech workers to reinvent themselves. In this way, by minimizing the necessity of 4-year college degrees as pathways to economic and professional mobility, IBM constructs ‘New Collar’ with embedded notions of enlarged self-determination for applied worker intellect, vocational training, and employability. Under the aegis of creating, training, and employing New Collar workers, IBM pursues policy outcomes to underwrite corporate ventures related to New Collar work and bolster its institutional autonomy amidst marketplaces of cognitive capitalism. By outlining how tax relief provisions of the New Collar Jobs Act correlate with neoliberal ideologies of legislators and IBM investments in public–private vocational models and cybersecurity platforms, I account for IBM’s elongated ‘economy of learning’ that enables the company to more thoroughly capture, underwrite, and commodify New Collar cognition from training to market outputs.
Conceptualizing the effects of imprisonment on families: Collateral consequences, secondary punishment, or symbiotic harms?
Authors: Condry Rachel , Minson Shona
Published: January 2020

This article explores how we might best understand the effects of imprisonment on families and why this is important to a full understanding of prison as a form of punishment. The effects on families have broadly been understood within previous literature in one of two ways: either as ‘collateral consequences’, or as a form of secondary punishment extended to the family member. We suggest that the first of these descriptions is at best insufficient and at worst subordinating and marginalizing, while the second is inaccurate when family members have not committed an offence. We offer instead the concept of ‘symbiotic harms’ which we define as negative effects that flow both ways through the interdependencies of intimate associations such as kin relationships. The characteristics of these harms can be more fully described by a term which encompasses their relational, mutual, non-linear, agentic, and heterogeneous properties.
Behaviour of reinforced concrete beam strengthened in shear with geosynthetic
Authors: Majumder Subhrasmita , Saha Showmen
Published: January 2020

The primary objective of this article is to focus on the experimental investigation of shear-deficient and geosynthetic-strengthened reinforced concrete beams. In this study, two varieties of geosynthetic, namely geogrid and geotextile, are used. The performances of shear-deficient reinforced concrete beams strengthened with geosynthetics under the single-point static monotonic loading are studied. It is observed that shear failure occurs in shear-deficient beam, but after strengthening the brittle shear failure changes to ductile flexure failure. A significant increment in flexural strength, ductility, energy absorption capacity and inelastic performance is observed in strengthened beams. The performance of geogrid is better in all respects when compared to the geotextile. The test results reveal that the use of geosynthetic not only increases the shear capacity but also remarkably improves the ductile behaviour of RC beams. In addition, conventional analytical methods are applied for the evaluation of the ultimate load, and the results are compared with the experimental findings, which show a good agreement between the analytical and experimental results.
The changing meaning of millets: Organic shops and distinctive consumption practices in Bengaluru, India
Authors: Erler Mirka , Keck Markus , Dittrich Christoph
Published: January 2020

The number of organic shops in Bengaluru has increased remarkably in the last few years, with millets being the main products drawing consumers. Yet, organic shops are only attracting middle-class consumers. We observed and interviewed 104 customers in five organic shops in Bengaluru to find out why this is the case. In this article, we follow practice theory to discuss the reported consumption patterns. We show that consumers, influenced by commercials and the advice of medical and nutritional professionals, legitimize their consumption of organic foods as an investment in their future health. We show that the customers of organic shops legitimize their consumption practice with affective engagements; thereby, performing symbolic boundaries that distinguish them from other social classes. This distinction manifests itself in the consumption of millets, which contributes to the change of the meaning of this food from a life-sustaining staple to a lifestyle superfood. In this article, we take a critical look at the role of organic retailers and how they reproduce class-based consumption practices in India.
Paclitaxel-Coated Balloon for the Treatment of Infrainguinal Disease: 12-Month Outcomes in the All-Comers Cohort of BIOLUX P-III Global Registry
Authors: Tepe Gunnar , Zeller Thomas , Moscovic Matej , Corpataux Jean-Marc , Christensen Johnny Kent , Keirse Koen , Nano Giovanni , Schroeder Henrik , Binkert Christoph A. , Brodmann Marianne
Published: January 2020

Purpose: To further investigate the safety and performance of the Passeo-18 Lux drug-coated balloon (DCB) for the treatment of atherosclerotic infrainguinal disease under real-world conditions. Materials and Methods: BIOLUX P-III is an international, prospective, observational registry ( ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT02276313) conducted at 41 centers in Europe, Asia, and Australia with follow-up visits at 6, 12, and 24 months. Of 700 patients (mean age 70.0±10.2 years; 439 men) with 863 lesions in the all-comers cohort, 330 (47.1%) patients had diabetes and 234 (37.7%) had chronic limb-threatening ischemia. The majority (79.3%) of lesions were in the femoropopliteal segment; of all lesions, 645 (74.9%) were calcified and 99 (11.5%) had in-stent restenosis (ISR). The mean lesion length was 84.7±73.3 mm. The primary clinical endpoint was major adverse events (MAEs) within 6 months, a composite of device- and procedure-related mortality through 30 days, major target limb amputation, and clinically-driven target lesion revascularization (TLR). The primary performance endpoint was clinically-driven TLR within 12 months. Results: At 6 and 12 months, freedom from MAEs was 94.0% and 89.5% in the all-comers cohort: 95.0% and 91.2% in the femoropopliteal group and 95.3% and 88.0% in the ISR subgroup, respectively. Freedom from clinically-driven TLR at 12 months was 93.1% in the all-comers cohort, 93.9% in the femoropopliteal lesions, and 89.4% for ISR lesions. All-cause mortality was 6.1% in the all-comers cohort: 5.9% in both the femoropopliteal and ISR subgroups. There were no device- or procedure-related deaths at up to 12 months. The Rutherford category improved in >80% of all subgroups at 12 months. Conclusion: In a real-world patient population, the safety and performance of the Passeo-18 Lux DCB for the treatment of atherosclerotic infrainguinal lesions are maintained, with good performance outcomes and low complication rates at 12 months.
How does a threatening stimulus affect the memory of the display?
Authors: Makovski Tal , Michael Shiran , Chajut Eran
Published: January 2020

Ample research has suggested that visual attention is biased towards threat and it was argued that this bias is an essential component of survival and implicated in anxiety. However, it is less clear how this bias is translated into memory, and specifically into the memory of items presented near a threatening stimulus. Here, we investigated this issue by testing how well people remember neutral and threatening images presented under various task demands. On each trial, observers saw two images before performing a dot-probe task (Experiment 1), a colour discrimination task (Experiment 2), a global or local attention task (Experiment 3), or no task at all (Experiment 4). A recognition memory test was performed at the end of each experiment to assess how the presence of a threatening image influences the memory of both images presented in the display. In all experiments, overall memory was enhanced as more threatening images were presented in the display. However, this enhancement did not occur at the expense of the processing of the surroundings. That is, with the exception of the dot-probe task, memory performance was not affected by an adjacent threatening image. Together, these findings challenge trade-off accounts, which predict that the processing of a threatening stimulus should take place at the expense of the processing of nearby items. Instead, these findings suggest that any effect of threat on the visual processing of the display is short-lived and more limited than previously thought.
Combined targeting EGFR and SRC as a potential novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of triple negative breast cancer
Authors: Canonici Alexandra , Browne Alacoque L. , Ibrahim Mohamed F. K. , Fanning Kevin P. , Roche Sandra , Conlon Neil T. , O’Neill Fiona , Meiller Justine , Cremona Mattia , Morgan Clare , Hennessy Bryan T. , Eustace Alex J. , Solca Flavio , O’Donovan Norma , Crown John
Published: January 2020

Background:

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer with limited therapeutic options. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has been shown to be over-expressed in TNBC and represents a rational treatment target.

Methods:

We examined single agent and combination effects for afatinib and dasatinib in TNBC. We then determined IC50 and combination index values using Calcusyn. Functional analysis of single and combination treatments was performed using reverse phase protein array and cell cycle analysis. Finally, we determined the anticancer effects of the combination in vivo.

Results:

A total of 14 TNBC cell lines responded to afatinib with IC50 values ranging from 0.008 to 5.0 µM. Three cell lines, belonging to the basal-like subtype of TNBC, were sensitive to afatinib. The addition of afatinib enhanced response to the five other targeted therapies in HCC1937 and HDQP1 cells. The combination of afatinib with dasatinib caused the greatest growth inhibition in both cell lines. The afatinib/dasatinib combination was synergistic and/or additive in 13/14 TNBC cell lines. Combined afatinib/dasatinib treatment induced G1 cell cycle arrest. Reverse phase protein array results showed the afatinib/dasatinib combination resulted in efficient inhibition of both pERK(T202/T204) and pAkt(S473) signalling in BT20 cells, which was associated with the greatest antiproliferative effects. High baseline levels of pSrc(Y416) and pMAPK(p38) correlated with sensitivity to afatinib, whereas low levels of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) correlated with synergistic growth inhibition by combined afatinib and dasatinib treatment. In vivo, the combination treatment inhibited tumour growth in a HCC1806 xenograft model.

Conclusions:

We demonstrate that afatinib combined with dasatinib has potential clinical activity in TNBC but warrants further preclinical investigation.
Halogenated Bianthrones From Penicillium roseopurpureum: a Fungal Endophyte of the Marine Alga Petalonia fascia
Authors: Morehouse Nicholas J. , Flewelling Andrew J. , Johnson John A. , Gray Christopher A.
Published: January 2020

An extract of the fungus Penicillium roseopurpureum (KP1-135C) isolated from the marine alga Petalonia fascia showed selective antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Ra. Bioassay-guided fractionation revealed that three halogenated bianthrones, neobulgarone D, neobulgarone E, and neobulgarone F, were responsible for the observed activity of the extract. The stereochemistry of the neobulgarones was unambiguously assigned based on polarimetric data and the analysis of 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance data obtained for the three bianthrones.
Risk Analysis of Nonunion After First Metatarsophalangeal Joint Arthrodesis
Authors: Weber Carla , Yao Daiwei , Schwarze Michael , Andersson Karolina , Andric Vlatka , Kinkelin Michaela , Claassen Leif , Stukenborg-Colsman Christina , Waizy Hazibullah
Published: January 2020

Objective: The standard therapy for a symptomatic hallux rigidus is still the arthrodesis of the first metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint. A nonunion of the arthrodesis is a possible postoperative complication. This study aimed to evaluate the incidence of nonunion associated with first MTP joint arthrodesis and identify risk factors influencing this. Methods: This retrospective study included 197 patients who were treated with an isolated first MTP joint arthrodesis. The severity of MTP-related osteoarthritis was assessed clinically and radiologically prior to surgery according to the Waizy classification. Patient characteristics and radiological parameters were evaluated postoperatively. Results: A full clinical and radiological data set was collected from 153 out of 197 patients. We identified 14 cases of nonunion and found that nonunion was associated with higher incidence of male gender (P = .29), comorbidity (P = .035), higher grade of osteoarthritis (P = .01), and increased postoperative great toe dorsiflexion (P = .022). Conclusions: Arthrodesis of the first MTP joint is a safe operative treatment, as demonstrated by a nonunion rate of 9.2%. Negative influencing factors were the presence of preexisting diseases, higher grades of osteoarthritis, and a relative increased dorsiflexion position of the great toe after surgery. These factors should be considered during pre-, intra-, and postoperative planning.

Levels of Evidence: Therapeutic, Level IV: Retrospective
Book review: Legal Research and Methodology: Perspective, Process and Practice. Edited by B. C. Nirmal, Rajnish Kumar Singh, and Arti Nirmal, Satyam Law International, New Delhi
Authors: Sharma Naveen Chandra
Published: January 2020

Legal Research and Methodology: Perspective, Process and Practice. Edited by B. C. Nirmal, Rajnish Kumar Singh, and Arti Nirmal, Satyam Law International, New Delhi, India, 2019. pp. xxv + 512, ₹1295. ISBN: 978-93-87839-36-6 (Hardbound).
Measuring Mechanisms of Student Voice: Development and Validation of Student Leadership Capacity Building Scales
Authors: Lyons Lindsay , Brasof Marc , Baron Carol
Published: January 2020

This study developed measurement scales on student leadership capacity building through a survey of 280 students from nine U.S. high schools. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses resulted in a personal, interpersonal, organizational, and overall scale for building student leadership capacity. The scales included eight mechanisms that schools can use to enhance student leadership: pedagogy, relationships, radical collegiality, governance structure, research, group makeup, consistency, and recognition. The scale items also reflected three leadership competencies: critical awareness, inclusivity, and positivity. Focus groups and interviews with students and teachers in these nine schools supported survey findings and suggested implications for practice.
The magnitude of prescribing medicines by brand names at Muhimbili National Hospital, Tanzania
Authors: Kisamo Ombeni , Kilonzi Manase , Mikomangwa Wigilya P , Bwire George M , Mlyuka Hamu J , Marealle Alphonce I , Mutagonda Ritah F
Published: January 2020

Background:

Tanzania National Treatment Guidelines and National Therapeutic Committee circular of 2012 requires prescribers to prescribe medicines using their generic names as recommended by the World Health Organization. The implementation of the aforementioned recommendations by prescribers is not well documented in our settings. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the compliance on the use of generic names by prescribers at Muhimbili National Hospital.

Methods:

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Muhimbili National Hospital from January to May 2019 in both inpatient and outpatient pharmacy units. Data were analyzed using SPSS, version 23. Chi-square test was used to analyze proportions between the different variables of the study. A p-value for significance was <0.05.

Results:

Of 1001 prescriptions analyzed, 71.6% contained medicines prescribed using brand names. The mean (±standard deviation (SD)) number of medicines per prescription was 2.98 (±1.5). The most frequently prescribed medicines by brand names were a combination of vitamin and mineral supplements (34.4%) followed by antibiotics (26.7%). Medical doctors (25.6%) and medical specialists (21.6%) prescribed ⩾2 medicines using brand names per prescription compared to interns (15.0%) and residents (6.9%) ( p < 0.001).

Conclusion:

Prescribing medicines using brand names was highly observed in this study. Supplements and antibiotics were among the products that were highly prescribed using their brand names. Qualitative studies to explore reasons for brand name prescribing practices are recommended.
Pathologic angiogenesis in the bone marrow of humanized sickle cell mice is reversed by blood transfusion
Authors: Park Shin-Young , Matte Alessandro , Jung Yookyung , Ryu Jina , Anand Wilson Babu , Han Eun-Young , Liu Min , Carbone Carmine , Melisi Davide , Nagasawa Takashi , Locascio Joseph J. , Lin Charles P. , Silberstein Leslie E. , De Franceschi Lucia
Published: January 2020

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a monogenic red blood cell (RBC) disorder with high morbidity and mortality. Here, we report, for the first time, the impact of SCD on the bone marrow (BM) vascular niche, which is critical for hematopoiesis. In SCD mice, we find a disorganized and structurally abnormal BM vascular network of increased numbers of highly tortuous arterioles occupying the majority of the BM cavity, as well as fragmented sinusoidal vessels filled with aggregates of erythroid and myeloid cells. By in vivo imaging, sickle and control RBCs have significantly slow intravascular flow speeds in sickle cell BM but not in control BM. In sickle cell BM, we find increased reactive oxygen species production in expanded erythroblast populations and elevated levels of HIF-1α. The SCD BM exudate exhibits increased levels of proangiogenic growth factors and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1. Transplantation of SCD mouse BM cells into wild-type mice recapitulates the SCD vascular phenotype. Our data provide a model of SCD BM, in which slow RBC flow and vaso-occlusions further diminish local oxygen availability in the physiologic hypoxic BM cavity. These events trigger a milieu that is conducive to aberrant vessel growth. The distorted neovascular network is completely reversed by a 6-week blood transfusion regimen targeting hemoglobin S to <30%, highlighting the plasticity of the vascular niche. A better insight into the BM microenvironments in SCD might provide opportunities to optimize approaches toward efficient and long-term hematopoietic engraftment in the context of curative therapies.
Long-term outcomes after autologous stem cell transplantation for multiple myeloma
Authors: Nishimura Katherine K. , Barlogie Bart , van Rhee Frits , Zangari Maurizio , Walker Brian A. , Rosenthal Adam , Schinke Carolina , Thanendrarajan Sharmilan , Davies Faith E. , Hoering Antje , Morgan Gareth J.
Published: January 2020

As multiple myeloma (MM) treatments evolve, frequent updates are required to monitor the long-term effect of changes in approach. Traditionally, MM is considered an incurable disease, with most patients eventually relapsing. However, improvements in treatments has raised the possibility that MM might be functionally curable. To examine improvements in long-term survival, we followed 4329 patients with newly diagnosed MM treated with autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences from 1989 through 2018. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were evaluated using Kaplan-Meier analysis, Cox proportional hazards models, relative survival analysis, and cure modeling among different time periods, risk groups, and demographic traits. Steady improvements in OS were found, with patients treated in 2014 or later having superior OS (hazard ratio, 0.35; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.27-0.45) and reduced excess risk for MM death (relative excess risk, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.22-0.41) compared with patients treated in 1997 or earlier. Patients treated during intervening time periods often had intermediate survival, but trends in OS, PFS, and landmarked analyses were inconsistent. Cure models support the potential for cure, ranging from 6.3% to 31.3%, depending on the year of treatment, with 10.0% to 18.6% of patients achieving their normal life expectancy across multiple periods. There was some evidence of reductions in early mortality within 3 years of diagnosis, longer complete response (CR) duration, and reductions in relapse after achieving CR. However, results differed depending on age, risk group, and cytogenetic characteristics.
Tantalum disulfide quantum dots: preparation, structure, and properties
Authors: Zhou Liangliang , Sun Chuli , Li Xueming , Tang Libin , Guo Wei , Luo Lin , Zhang Meng , Teng Kar Seng , Qian Fuli , Lu Chaoyu , Liang Jing , Yao Yugui , Lau Shu Ping
Published: January 2020

Tantalum disulfide (TaS2) two-dimensional film material has attracted wide attention due to its unique optical and electrical properties. In this work, we report the preparation of 1 T-TaS2 quantum dots (1 T-TaS2 QDs) by top-down method. Herein, we prepared the TaS2 QDs having a monodisperse grain size of around 3 nm by an effective ultrasonic liquid phase exfoliation method. Optical studies using UV-Vis, PL, and PLE techniques on the as-prepared TaS2 QDs exhibited ultraviolet absorption at 283 nm. Furthermore, we found that dimension reduction of TaS2 has led to a modification of the band gap, namely a transition from indirect to direct band gap, which is explained using first-principle calculations. By using quinine as reference, the fluorescence quantum yield is 45.6%. Therefore, our results suggest TaS2 QDs have unique and extraordinary optical properties. Moreover, the low-cost, facile method of producing high quality TaS2 QDs in this work is ideal for mass production to ensure commercial viability of devices based on this material.

Graphical abstract

TaS2 quantum dots having a monodisperse grain size of around 3 nm have been prepared by an ultrasonic liquid phase exfoliation method, it has been found that the dimension reduction of TaS2 has led to a transition from indirect to direct band gap that results in the unique and extraordinary optical properties (PL QY: 45.6%).
Virus expression detection reveals RNA-sequencing contamination in TCGA
Authors: Selitsky Sara R. , Marron David , Hollern Daniel , Mose Lisle E. , Hoadley Katherine A. , Jones Corbin , Parker Joel S. , Dittmer Dirk P. , Perou Charles M.
Published: January 2020

Background

Contamination of reagents and cross contamination across samples is a long-recognized issue in molecular biology laboratories. While often innocuous, contamination can lead to inaccurate results. Cantalupo et al., for example, found HeLa-derived human papillomavirus 18 (H-HPV18) in several of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) RNA-sequencing samples. This work motivated us to assess a greater number of samples and determine the origin of possible contaminations using viral sequences. To detect viruses with high specificity, we developed the publicly available workflow, VirDetect, that detects virus and laboratory vector sequences in RNA-seq samples. We applied VirDetect to 9143 RNA-seq samples sequenced at one TCGA sequencing center (28/33 cancer types) over 5 years.

Results

We confirmed that H-HPV18 was present in many samples and determined that viral transcripts from H-HPV18 significantly co-occurred with those from xenotropic mouse leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV). Using laboratory metadata and viral transcription, we determined that the likely contaminant was a pool of cell lines known as the “common reference”, which was sequenced alongside TCGA RNA-seq samples as a control to monitor quality across technology transitions (i.e. microarray to GAII to HiSeq), and to link RNA-seq to previous generation microarrays that standardly used the “common reference”. One of the cell lines in the pool was a laboratory isolate of MCF-7, which we discovered was infected with XMRV; another constituent of the pool was likely HeLa cells.

Conclusions

Altogether, this indicates a multi-step contamination process. First, MCF-7 was infected with an XMRV. Second, this infected cell line was added to a pool of cell lines, which contained HeLa. Finally, RNA from this pool of cell lines contaminated several TCGA tumor samples most-likely during library construction. Thus, these human tumors with H-HPV or XMRV reads were likely not infected with H-HPV 18 or XMRV.