bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Roman Imperialism
Authors: Burton Paul J.
Published: April 2019

Rome engaged in military and diplomatic expansionistic state behavior, which we now describe as ‘imperialism,’ since well before the appearance of ancient sources describing this activity. Over the course of at least 800 years, the Romans established and maintained a Mediterranean-wide empire from Spain to Syria (and sometimes farther east) and from the North Sea to North Africa. How and why they did this is a source of perennial scholarly controversy. Earlier debates over whether Rome was an aggressive or defensive imperial state have progressed to theoretically informed discussions of the extent to which system-level or discursive pressures shaped the Roman Empire. Roman imperialism studies now encompass such ancillary subfields as Roman frontier studies and Romanization.
The State of the Art. The Way of the Future
Authors: Mori Jennifer
Published: April 2019

A survey of recent writings in early-modern, largely European, diplomatic history reveals important shifts in the direction of the cultural and sociological emphasis favored by the proponents of New Diplomatic History. In turn, the shifts have brought mainstream diplomatic historians closer to other subfields – gender and class history, in particular. The trend is likely to continue.
Brexit Diplomacy: the Strange Case of Security and Defense
Authors: Deighton Anne
Published: April 2019

The British decision to leave the European Union has created a number of challenges in the security and defense realms. The difficulties with implementing the decision are compounded by the unusual apparatus and haphazard manner by which the so-called Brexit negotiations have been handled on the uk side.
Brexit Diplomacy, Trump, and the uk’s “Special Relationship” with the United States
Authors: Larres Klaus
Published: April 2019

The much-praised “special relationship” between the US and the UK has had little, if any, relevance for President Donald Trump. After the Brexit referendum of June 2016 Prime Minister Theresa May and many of the “Brexiteers” in the Conservative Party hoped that a rejuvenation of relations with the U.S., perhaps by means of free trade treaty, would counter-balance any loss of political and economic influence due to the UK’s departure from the European Union. Some of Trump’s rhetoric seemed to indicate this. He repeatedly praised the country for its desire to get back “its sovereignty” and “control over its borders.” In reality Trump was so focused on the realization of his “America First” policy that it was unlikely that he would be inclined to grant any special favors or generous trade terms to the UK, “special relationship” or not.
Blattisocius (Acari, Blattisociidae) species from Brazil, with description of a new species, redescription of Blattisocius keegani and a key for the separation of the world species of the genus
Authors: BRITTO ERIKA P. J. , LOPES PAULA C. , DE MORAES GILBERTO J.
Published: April 2019

Fifteen species have been placed in Blattisocius Keegan of which only three were previously reported from Brazil. Thesemites are found in several different habitats and often mentioned as predators of pests of stored food. In this work,specimens of this genus collected from commercial dog food in Brazil were determined as a new species which is heredescribed as Blattisocius everti n. sp. and the closely related Blattisocius keegani Fox, here redescribed. Subsequently,other specimens of Blattisocius deposited in the mite collection of “Departamento de Entomologia e Acarologia of EscolaSuperior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz”, Universidade de São Paulo” were examined and identified. Finally, adichotomous key to separate the world species of Blattisocius was elaborated based on the examination of the specimens at hand and on the descriptions and redescriptions of other species.
Zoogeography of the echiuran fauna of the East Pacific Ocean (Phylum: Echiura)
Authors: BISESWAR RAMLALL
Published: April 2019

This report provides a checklist of the echiuran fauna of the East Pacific Ocean and analyses their distribution. All thespecies are mapped and keys for their identification are provided. Currently the echiuran fauna of the East Pacificcomprises three families, 9 genera and 17 species. The family Bonelliidae contains two genera and three species, theUrechidae has a single genus with two species, and the Echiuridae contains six genera and 12 species. This investigationshows that the East Pacific has a very low species diversity comprising only about 10% of the world fauna. Of the recordedspecies in the East Pacific, 12 are found in the North Pacific, four are circumtropical and only two species are found in theSouth Pacific. Ochetostoma baronii is the only species considered to be cosmopolitan and eleven species appear to be endemic to the Eastern Pacific.
Four new species of the superfamily Galumnoidea (Acari: Oribatida) from Ecuador
Authors: ERMILOV SERGEY G. , KALÚZ STANISLAV
Published: April 2019

Four new oribatid mite species of the superfamily Galumnoidea, Pergalumna paradecoratissima sp. nov., Pergalumnaparalongisetosa sp. nov., Pergalumna ecuadorensis sp. nov. and Galumnopsis lanceosensilla sp. nov., are described fromEcuador. The genus Galumnopsis is recorded for the first time for the Ecuador. Pergalumna paradecoratissima sp. nov.is very similar in having the combination of foveolate prodorsum, striate notogaster, setiform sensilli, interlamellar setaeshorter than lamellar and rostral setae, absence of anterior notogastral margin and three pairs of notogastral porose areas,to Pergalumna decoratissima Pérez-Íñigo & Baggio, 1986 from Brazil, however it differs from the latter by morphologyof rostrum, body size, surface of anal plates and length of epimeral setae. Pergalumna paralongisetosa sp. nov. is verysimilar in having the combination of setiform sensilli, long prodorsal setae, absence of anterior notogastral margin, threepairs of notogastral porose areas and long adanal setae ad 1 and ad 2 to Pergalumna longisetosa Balogh, 1960 from CentralAfrica, however it differs from the latter by body size, lengths of sensilli and interlamellar setae, absence of medial pore,length of epimeral setae. Pergalumna ecuadorensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from all similar species by having theround rostrum, setiform sensilli, long and setiform prodorsal setae, absence of anterior notogastral margin, smooth bodysurface and three pairs of oval notogastral porose areas, and by the very long interlamellar setae. Galumnopsis lanceosen-silla sp. nov. can be distinguished from all similar species (with smooth body surface) by the morphology of sensilli which are lanceolate, with tooth in distal part.
The dog-faced water snakes, a revision of the genus Cerberus Cuvier, (Squamata, Serpentes, Homalopsidae), with the description of a new species
Authors: MURPHY JOHN C. , VORIS HAROLD K. , KARNS DARYL R.
Published: April 2019

Snakes of the genus Cerberus Cuvier, 1829 occupy a unique, widespread coastal distribution and have a salt-tolerant physiology that allows members of the genus to move across a wide range of salinities from full salt water to freshwater. Cerberus nomenclature is revised based upon morphology and builds on previous molecular studies. Three species have been recognized by recent workers, here we recognize five species: the South Asian C. rynchops (Schneider 1799); the Southeast Asian-Philippine C. schneiderii (Schlegel 1837), a new combination; the freshwater Philippine endemic C. microlepis Boulenger 1896; the Australopapuan C. australis (Gray 1842); and a new species from Micronesia. We also select a lectotype for Homalopsis schneiderii Schlegel based upon a figure published in 1837 and restrict the type locality for this species to Timor. Evidence is also presented for a population of Cerberus australis in Indonesia, west of Weber’s Line.
East African odontopygid millipedes 1: Five new species of Xystopyge (Attems, 1909) and a proposal for a new gonopod terminology (Diplopoda; Spirostreptida; Odontopygidae)
Authors: FREDERIKSEN SARA B. , ENGHOFF HENRIK
Published: April 2019

Five new species of the endemic East African genus Xystopyge are described: X. pelecys, X. frontieri, X. proplicatus, X.biacanthus, and X. zanzibarensis. Three are from the Eastern Arc Mountains, Tanzania, two are from the UsambaraMtns. and one is from the Uluguru Mtns. One further species is from the Kenyan lowland bordering Tanzania, and onefrom the island of Zanzibar, Tanzania. Xystopyge robusta hoffmani Vandenspiegel & Pierrard, 2004, is elevated to fullspecies status: Xystopyge hoffmani n.stat. A new gonopod terminology for Odontopygidae, adapted from Hoffman’s(2008) terminology for the related family Spirostreptidae, is used for the descriptions of the new species. New records of previsously described Xystopyge species are given.
The Triatominae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae) of Veracruz, Mexico: geographic distribution, taxonomic redescriptions, and a key
Authors: SANDOVAL-RUIZ CÉSAR ANTONIO , CERVANTESPEREDO LUIS , MENDOZA-PALMERO FREDY SEVERO , IBÁÑEZ-BERNAL SERGIO
Published: April 2019

An annotated list of the triatomine bugs from Veracruz, Mexico, is presented. The list is mainly based on field collections, but also on literature review and museum collections. Ten species in five genera and two tribes are known in the state. Two species, Triatoma dimidiata (Latreille), the most common and widely distributed, and Triatoma gerstaeckeri (Stål), are the most important vectors of Chagas disease in the region. Panstrongylus rufotuberculatus (Champion), Belminus costarricensis Herrer, Lent & Wygodzinsky, and Eratyrus cuspidatus (Stål) are confined to sylvan habitats in the south of the state. Triatoma rubida (Uhler) probably represent a misidentification. The presence of Meccus pallidipennis Stål, Panstrogylus geniculatus (Latrielle), Triatoma barberi Usinger, and Triatoma infestans (Klug) are fortuitous. GARP distribution maps are provided for T. dimidiata and T. gerstaeckeri. A key to species and photographs of the adults of the ten species are also included.
Description of the immature stages of Sigara (Tropocorixa) schadei (Hungerford) (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Corixidae)
Authors: KONOPKO SUSANA AMANDA
Published: April 2019

The egg and the five instars of Sigara (Tropocorixa) schadei (Hungerford) are described and illustrated for the first time. The eggs of Sigara have a very short, basal stalk. The egg of S. schadei has protuberances delimiting small areas on the chorionic surface. The main characters separating the five instars of S. schadei are: the body length and body, head and eye widths; the number of transverse sulcations of the rostrum; the number of setae on the inner surface of the protibiotarsus; the number of long, slender setae on posterior and posterodorsal surfaces of the mesotibia and mesotarsus, respectively; the number of spines on posteroventral surface of the mesotibia; the number of campaniform sensilla on posterior surface of the metatrochanter; the number of spines and swimming hairs on anteroventral and posterodorsal surfaces of the metatarsus, respectively; and the grade of development of the wing pads. Some characters distinguish species or group of species in nymphs of the genus Sigara: the chaetotaxy of the urosternites (instar I); the body length, chaetotaxy of the mesonotum, and number of spines on posteroventral surface of the metafemur, and on posterior and posterodorsal surfaces of the metatibia (instar V).
The Australia-New Zealand connection re-visited, with two new species of Cartomothrips (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripinae)
Authors: MOUND LAURENCE A. , WALKER ANNETTE K.
Published: April 2019

The distribution of the six species in Cartomothrips is considered, and a key provided for their identification. C. tofti sp.n. is described from New Zealand; manukae is widespread in New Zealand but also found in Tasmania; neboissi is infrequent in New Zealand but common in southern Australia; laughlini is known only from South Australia; browni breeds in the seed capsules of some Eucalyptus species and thus presumably is an Australian species but has also been found in Brazil, California, Kenya and New Zealand; C. abrsi sp.n. is described from Tasmania.
Danielita Ng, Clark & Tan, 2010 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Ocypodoidea: Camptandriidae), preoccupied by Danielita Kiriakoff, 1970 (Lepidoptera: Glossata: Heteroneura: Noctuoidea: Notodontidae)
Authors: NG PETER K. L. , CLARK PAUL F.
Published: April 2019

Ng et al. (2010: 252) established a new monotypic genus, Danielita (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Ocypodoidea: Camptandriidae), for an unusual species of camptandriid crab from South Africa, Cleistostoma edwardsii MacLeay, 1838. Unfortunately, Danielita Ng, Clark & Tan, 2010, is a junior homonym, being preoccupied by Danielita Kiriakoff, 1970 (Lepidoptera: Glossata: Heteroneura: Noctuoidea: Notodontidae), a genus of moths.
Description of the adult male, larva and pupa of Topomyia (Topomyia) aureoventer (Diptera: Culicidae) in India
Authors: NATARAJAN R. , EAPEN ALEX , JAMBULINGAM P.
Published: April 2019

The original description of Topomyia aureoventer by Theobald (1910) included only the adult female. Description of the adult male, pupa and larva, with figures of the male genitalia, pupa and larva, are provided. The larva is predacious with well-developed mandibles and inhabits leaf axils of Colocasia plants.
Description of the female of Gnophopsodos ravistriolaria (Wehrli, 1922 (Lepidoptera: Geometridae)
Authors: ERLACHER JOSEPHA , ERLACHER SVEN
Published: April 2019

The genus Gnophopsodos Wehrli, 1945 has recently been under revision (Erlacher & Erlacher 2016). For three out of nine species belonging to the taxon, the females have hitherto been unknown, one of them being G. ravistriolaria. Material collected in the Sayan Mountains in 2015, about 25 km away from the locus typicus of G. ravistriolaria, and recently received, contained two males of that species and a single unknown female. The latter could clearly be assigned to the genus Gnophopsodos by their genitalia. We conclude that the female belongs to G. ravistriolaria based on the following: (1) it belongs to a small series further comprising two males that proved to be G. ravistriolaria based on genitalia characters; (2) all of the three specimens have been collected close to the locus typicus of G. ravistriolaria, where no sympatric Gnophopsodos species are known from; (3) the new female clearly differs from females of other Gnophopsodos species concerning its genitalia characters and (4) its habitus matches that of the known males, including the holotype. The female of G. ravistriolaria is now illustrated for the first time.
Transgender Students in Elementary Schools: How Supportive Principals Lead
Authors: Mangin Melinda M.
Published: April 2019

Purpose: Increased awareness and acceptance of transgender people in the United States is reflected in our nation’s schools. Unfortunately, educational leaders do not typically receive training related to transgender youth and educators express fear about working with transgender students. The purpose of this study is to examine the experiences of school leaders whom parents characterize as supporting their transgender children. Method: Qualitative interviews were conducted with supportive principals from 20 elementary schools across six states. Findings: The findings indicate that supportive principals (a) employed a child-centered approach to decision making, (b) leveraged learning and knowledge to create a positive elementary school experience for transgender children, and (c) characterized their experience as professionally and personally beneficial. Implications: These findings indicate that, in the context of a supportive principal, both the school community and the transgender student can have positive experiences. At the same time, the findings demonstrate that disrupting binary gender norms and shifting the larger school culture to be more gender inclusive is a formidable task. Results from this study may be helpful to elementary principals who hope to create accepting school environments for transgender students or for preparation programs that want to develop supportive principals.
A Protective Model for Suicidal Behaviors in American and Pakistani College Students
Authors: Klibert Jeffrey J. , Aftab Sobia , Tarantino Nicholas , Miceli Matthew , Lamis Dorian
Published: April 2019

There is a paucity of cross-national studies evaluating protective models for suicidal behaviors. Thus, using a behavioral framework, the purpose of this study was to examine whether higher levels of life-enhancing behaviors could mitigate or weaken the relation between depressive symptoms and suicidal behaviors in United States and Pakistani college students. A total of 811 students (449 Pakistani and 362 U.S. students) participated in the study. Results indicated that the strength of the relation between depressive symptoms and suicidal behaviors was stronger for U.S. students. In addition, the association between depressive symptoms and suicidal behaviors weakened in the presence of high engagement in life-enhancing behaviors. This effect was comparable in strength for American versus Pakistani students. The results offer preliminary evidence for life-enhancing behaviors as a protective factor for suicide across unique cultural settings and may serve as a valuable area of focus for secondary prevention programs.
Risk Factors for Future Offending in Child and Adolescent Firesetters Following a Fire Service Intervention Program
Authors: Lambie Ian , Randell Isabel , Krynen Ariana , Reed Peter , Ioane Julia
Published: April 2019

Research has established links between youth firesetting and general antisocial behavior. The current study sought to better understand these links by identifying fire-specific and general risk factors for offending from a national sample of children and adolescent firesetters ( N = 1,790), from a New Zealand Fire Service intervention program, up to 10 years after intervention. Most (62%) had committed an offense post-intervention, primarily moderate or severe offending. Only 5% had committed an arson offense post-intervention. Nearly all measures of victimization, psychosocial/emotional problems, previous conduct problem behavior, and child-welfare history were associated with post-intervention offending and/or offending severity. Pre-intervention offending and being older (aged 12+ years) at intervention were the major independent risk factors for offending. A protective factor was firesetting having occurred at home. Findings highlight young firesetters’ broad patterns of pervasive antisocial behavior and multiple adverse family, environmental, and individual factors that accompany and contribute to wide-ranging, non-fire-related offending.
Othering as soft-power discursive practice: China Daily’s construction of Trump’s America in the 2016 presidential election
Authors: Pan Chengxin , Isakhan Benjamin , Nwokora Zim
Published: April 2019

The relationship between Chinese soft power and Chinese media has been a focus of a growing body of literature. Challenging a resource-based conception of soft power and a transmission view of communication that inform much of the debate, this article adopts a discursive approach to soft power and media communication. It argues that their relationship is not just a matter of resource transmission, but one of discursive construction, which begs the questions of what mediated discursive practices are at play in soft power construction and how. Addressing these oft-neglected questions, we identify a typology of three soft-power discursive practices: charm offensive, Othering offensive, and defensive denial. Focusing on the little-understood practice of Othering offensive, we illustrate its presence in Chinese media through a critical discourse analysis of China Daily’s framing of Donald Trump and the United States, and argue that the Othering offensive in Chinese media that portrays Trump’s America as a dysfunctional and declining Other serves to construct a Chinese self as more responsible, dynamic, and attractive. Adding a missing discursive dimension to the study of soft power and the media, this study has both scholarly and practical implications for analysing a nation’s soft power strategy.
Putative biomarkers of malignant transformation of sinonasal inverted papilloma into squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Yang Zheng , Zhang Yang , Wang Xiangdong , Huang Junwei , Guo Wei , Wei Peng , Li Guojun , Wang Ziqiao , Huang Zhigang , Zhang Luo
Published: April 2019

Objective

To compare genome-wide DNA methylation between samples of sinonasal inverted papilloma (SNIP) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) samples in order to identify aberrantly methylated genes that might be involved in malignant transformation.

Methods

Tissue samples were collected from patients. DNA methylation in C-phosphate-G islands and gene promoters was analysed using a DNA methylation microarray kit. The levels of mRNA or protein from aberrantly methylated genes were measured using real-time polymerase chain reaction or Western blot analysis.

Results

A total of 27 tissue samples were included in this study; 15 SNIP samples and 12 SCCs arising in SNIPs. A total of 11 201 nominally differentially methylated sites were observed between SNIP and SCC arising in SNIPs. Six sites were significantly different at P < 0.01 and contained three genes ( MIR661, PLEC and OPA3). These three genes were hypermethylated. In addition, the levels of mature miR-661 mRNA and PLEC protein were significantly upregulated in SCC tissues compared with SNIP samples. The levels of OPA3 protein were downregulated in SCC tissues compared with SNIP samples.

Conclusions

This study demonstrated hypermethylation and abnormal expression of the MIR661, PLEC and OPA3 genes, suggesting a role for their involvement in the malignant transformation of SNIP.
Real estate in the digital era
Authors: Harris Rob
Published: April 2019

This article describes the relationship between economic and technological change and the design and management of contemporary workplaces. The article describes the changing nature of workstyles resulting from economic and technological change which are driving new business models. General management is increasingly having to address the nature of the workplace in order to attract and retain skilled and expensive workers.
Reasons for Commuter Rail Electrification: Early 20th Century and Since 2000
Authors: Allen John G.
Published: April 2019

Commuter rail electrification is a complex, capital-intensive matter requiring careful study. Between 1905 and 1931, North American railroads inaugurated electrifications for commuter trains that survive today in New York; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Chicago, Illinois; and Montréal, Québec, Canada, as well as for intercity passenger trains between New Haven, Connecticut, and Washington, D.C. A renaissance in electrification is taking hold once more. Since 2000, three new-start electrifications have been placed in service: one for intercity passenger trains (between Boston, Massachusetts, and New Haven, Connecticut), and two others for commuter rail (in Mexico City, Mexico, and Denver, Colorado). Two more are proceeding forward (in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and San Francisco, California). Despite the great changes caused throughout the railroad industry by the mid-20th century switch from steam to diesel, there is little change in the reasons for commuter railroad electrification in the two eras. Although the justification threshold is higher today than in the early 20th century, it has lowered somewhat as various considerations again converge in favor of electric traction. This is important, because electrification both requires and reinforces heavy ridership, and today’s resurgence of electrification is happening amid a sustained upswing in commuter rail ridership.
Comparing the protective effects of three sulfur compounds against acrylonitrile-induced acute toxicity in CYP2E1-induced rats
Authors: Li Fang , Lu Rongzhu , Zhao Ting , Zhang Xinyu , Wang Suhua , Xing Guangwei
Published: April 2019

Cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) can be induced by diabetes mellitus, nonalcoholic liver disease, and obesity. This study assessed the protective effects of three sulfur compounds, namely phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), dimethyl trisulfide (DMTS), and sodium thiosulfate (STS), on acrylonitrile (ACN)-induced acute toxicity in rats enriched with CYP2E1. PEITC and DMTS were administered intragastrically (i.g.), whereas STS was injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) at an identical dose of 0.5 mmol/kg for 3 days in acetone-pretreated rats before ACN (90 mg/kg) injection (i.p.). Acetone-treated rats that expressed high levels of CYP2E1 were more susceptible to ACN-induced acute toxicity. The sulfur compounds reduced the rate of convulsions and loss of the righting reflex in acute ACN-exposed CYP2E1-induced rats; PEITC and DMTS also increased the survival rates. PEITC inhibited hepatic CYP2E1 activity and protected hepatic and cerebral cytochrome c oxidase (CcOx) activities in acute ACN-exposed CYP2E1-enriched rats; DMTS protected hepatic CcOx activity. DMTS attenuated ACN-induced oxidative injury by reducing malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and increasing glutathione content in the brain. STS only reduced cerebral MDA levels, whereas PEITC did not exhibit any antioxidant effects. Collectively, PEITC provided superior protective effects against ACN-induced acute toxicity in rats with increased CYP2E1 activity, followed by DMTS; STS provided limited effects. PEITC and DMTS might be considered as promising chemopreventive agents against ACN-induced acute toxicity in vulnerable subpopulations with increased CYP2E1 activity.
Barriers to Access in Public Adult Literacy Education
Authors: Pickard Amy
Published: April 2019

This qualitative research article explores barriers experienced by a group of African American and Latinx adults who sought to enroll and stay enrolled in a publicly funded literacy class and how these barriers were related to policy. Barriers included (a) an inadequate number and type of available classes, (b) a lack of community awareness of classes, and (c) institutional procedures that determined class eligibility. Barriers were created as practitioners attempted to comply with government accountability policy and funding requirements. These findings provoke questions about whether accountability policies promote inequitable access to public adult literacy services for racially minoritized adults.
The Induced Smoothed lasso: A practical framework for hypothesis testing in high dimensional regression
Authors: Cilluffo Giovanna , Sottile Gianluca , La Grutta Stefania , Muggeo Vito MR
Published: April 2019

This paper focuses on hypothesis testing in lasso regression, when one is interested in judging statistical significance for the regression coefficients in the regression equation involving a lot of covariates. To get reliable p-values, we propose a new lasso-type estimator relying on the idea of induced smoothing which allows to obtain appropriate covariance matrix and Wald statistic relatively easily. Some simulation experiments reveal that our approach exhibits good performance when contrasted with the recent inferential tools in the lasso framework. Two real data analyses are presented to illustrate the proposed framework in practice.
The ‘Scientific’ phrenologist – Bernard Hollander (1864–1934)
Authors: McEniery David F
Published: April 2019

Bernard Hollander (1864–1934), a Viennese-born British physician, scientist, and author, was best known for his late 19th century and early 20th century revival of a ‘Scientific Phrenology’. Hollander, motivated by the advances in cerebral localisation and neuroscience that appeared to justify Franz Joseph Gall’s (1758–1828) initial interests in craniology, hoped to use this new framework to substantively improve the lot of his patients and his community. Ridiculed and derided by his colleagues while maintaining a measure of public prominence, Hollander discussed contemporary issues including notions of human nature, mental illness, education, development, women’s rights, and sociobiology. The current work focuses on Hollander, his writings, and his reception by the contemporary medical and lay community.
Sharing elements of effective practice to address earlier signs of family violence
Authors: Curran Liz
Published: April 2019

This article explores how, as a society, we might be able to better respond to women and children experiencing family violence. Through the lens of reflective practice as a lawyer, researcher, service evaluator and personal experience this article shares elements of good and effective practice to address earlier the tell-tale signs of family violence and lead to improved responsiveness and client-centred practice. It is shaped not just through a legal lens but also through insights from other disciplines and first-hand experiences of how things need to, and could, improve based upon my recent empirical, evidence-based research.
What is a Medical Information Commons?
Authors: Bollinger Juli M. , Zuk Peter D. , Majumder Mary A. , Versalovic Erika , Villanueva Angela G. , Hsu Rebecca L. , McGuire Amy L. , Cook-Deegan Robert
Published: April 2019

A 2011 National Academies of Sciences report called for an “Information Commons” and a “Knowledge Network” to revolutionize biomedical research and clinical care. We interviewed 41 expert stakeholders to examine governance, access, data collection, and privacy in the context of a medical information commons. Stakeholders' attitudes about MICs align with the NAS vision of an Information Commons; however, differences of opinion regarding clinical use and access warrant further research to explore policy and technological solutions.
Who Owns the Data in a Medical Information Commons?
Authors: McGuire Amy L. , Roberts Jessica , Aas Sean , Evans Barbara J.
Published: April 2019

In this paper, we explore the perspectives of expert stakeholders about who owns data in a medical information commons (MIC) and what rights and interests ought to be recognized when developing a governance structure for an MIC. We then examine the legitimacy of these claims based on legal and ethical analysis and explore an alternative framework for thinking about participants' rights and interests in an MIC.
BRCA1/2 Variant Data-Sharing Practices
Authors: Bollinger Juli M. , Sanka Abhi , Dolman Lena , Liao Rachel G. , Cook-Deegan Robert
Published: April 2019

Accessing BRCA1/2 data facilitates the detection of disease-associated variants, which is critical to informing clinical management of risks. BRCA1/2 data sharing is complex and many practices exist. We describe current BRCA1/2 data-sharing practices, in the United States and globally, and discuss obstacles and incentives to sharing, based on 28 interviews with personnel at U.S. and non-U.S. clinical laboratories and databases. Our examination of the BRCA1/2 data-sharing landscape demonstrates strong support for and robust sharing of BRCA1/2 data around the world, increasing global accesses to diverse data sets.
Advertising in Communications: Home Is Where the Scholars Live
Authors: Jack Rotfeld Herbert
Published: April 2019

The question asked: “Where should advertising be taught? In colleges of communications or colleges of business?” The answer becomes obvious when you realize the question is greater than the teaching of a course. To be on a college campus requires that it be assessed by more than the schedules for a course with the advertising title.
Usher syndrome in a patient with Ellis–van Creveld syndrome
Authors: Romano Francesco , Albertini Giorgia Carlotta , Arrigo Alessandro , Leone Pier Pasquale , Bandello Francesco , Battaglia Parodi Maurizio
Published: April 2019

Purpose:

To describe a case of Ellis–van Creveld syndrome with concomitant Usher syndrome.

Methods:

A 24-year-old lady with a diagnosis of Ellis–van Creveld syndrome came to our attention in 2015 complaining of nyctalopia. She underwent yearly ophthalmologic examinations, including visual acuity, dilated fundoscopy, optical coherence tomography and colour fundus photography.

Results:

On the day of her first examination, her visual acuity was 20/20, whereas fundus examination revealed diffuse peripheral retinal atrophy with pigmented bone spicules, waxy pallor of the disc and macular sparing in both eyes, compatible with retinitis pigmentosa. Due to the severe retinitis pigmentosa phenotype for the age and the concomitant neurosensory hearing loss, ancillary electrophysiological and genetic tests were requested. At the end of follow-up, visual function remained stable, with electroretinogram tests confirming the peripheral dysfunction. Interestingly, next generation sequencing test revealed a mutation in USH2A gene, suggestive of an overlapping Usher syndrome. On optical coherence tomography angiography, all plexuses appeared altered, with some degree of impairment also in the choriocapillaris of the spared macula.

Conclusion:

Our report emphasizes the advantage of new genetic tests to investigate atypical presentations of known retinal disorders found in syndromic settings. In addition, we speculate that the underlying ciliopathy might possibly aggravate the phenotype of this case of Usher syndrome.
Off-Label High-Dose Secukinumab for the Treatment of Moderate-to-Severe Psoriasis
Authors: Phung Michelle , Ighani Arvin , Georgakopoulos Jorge R , Vender Ron , Giroux Lyne , Lansang Perla , Yeung Jensen
Published: April 2019

Background:

Secukinumab is an anti-IL-17A monoclonal antibody approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis in adult patients. Despite its favourable safety and efficacy profile in clinical trials, some patients in clinical practice fail to respond adequately to the approved maintenance regimen of 300 mg subcutaneous monthly. Some clinicians manage these patients by using off-label high-dose secukinumab regimens, which include shortening the dosing interval to 300 mg every 2 or 3 weeks instead of monthly, or increasing the monthly dose to 450 mg.

Objective:

This study aims to investigate the safety and efficacy of high-dose secukinumab regimens for the treatment of psoriasis to inform real-world clinical practice.

Methods:

We performed a retrospective chart review at 5 dermatology clinics for adult patients diagnosed with moderate-to-severe psoriasis treated with an off-label high-dose secukinumab regimen. Efficacy was measured using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index or a Physician Global Assessment score of 0 or 1 after dose escalation. Adverse events were recorded to assess safety outcomes.

Results:

Twenty-five patients were included in this case series, and 14 of them achieved efficacy from dose escalation with secukinumab based on our study endpoints. There was 1 case of the common cold and 1 upper respiratory tract infection reported after dose escalation.

Conclusion:

Our study provides evidence that dose escalation with secukinumab results in clinical benefit and is well tolerated among patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis who failed to respond adequately to the approved regimen. This work necessitates larger studies to fully characterize the efficacy and long-term safety profile of secukinumab dose escalation.
Family versus couples: How travel goal influences evaluations of bundled travel packages
Authors: Kim Eun Joo , Tanford Sarah , Choi Choongbeom
Published: April 2019

This research investigates how travel goal activates judgmental heuristics when choosing a travel package. Family travelers must consider the complex needs of all family members, whereas couples face simpler demands. Since motivations vary according to traveling companions, the decision-making processes are different by the travel goal. Pricing is a determinant of decisions for travel packages bundled with add-on items. When the decision process requires less mental effort, the availability heuristic operates when filtering products by travel goal, and the representativeness heuristic works when seeking consistency between add-on items and the travel goal. Dual processing theories suggest that goal influences the motivation to process information systematically or automatically when making choices. An experiment was conducted to examine how the decision-making process differs as a function of travel goal, price bundling, and the consistency between the travel goal and add-on item. The findings suggest that judgmental heuristics influence travel purchase decision when motivation to process information is low. Specifically, the current research supports the proposition that automatic processing influences couples’ travel decisions while systematic processing works for family travel decisions. The research suggests the use of an effective segmentation for vacation packages in the online purchase environment and highlights the importance of a travel goal in decision-making.
UK parents’ experiences of their child receiving a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review of the qualitative evidence
Authors: Legg Hannah , Tickle Anna
Published: April 2019

The purpose of this article is to systematically identify, appraise and synthesise qualitative research concerning UK parents’ experiences of their child receiving a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. In total, 11 articles were located through a systematic search of five databases, reference lists, citations and grey literature. These were critically appraised and their results synthesised using meta-ethnography. The quality scores given to included studies were variable, so suggestions are made to improve reporting of future research. Three third-order constructs were developed: (1) emotional needs, (2) informational needs and (3) relational needs. Each relates to parents’ needs as they navigate the process of making sense of their child by seeking and adjusting to a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. Parents’ experiences of assessment and diagnosis of their children varied, but these needs were evident across the course of the process. Fathers seemed to find it more difficult than mothers to reconcile having a child with autism spectrum disorder, which may have been grounded in a sense of exclusion from the assessment process. The findings should be considered by professionals working with children, particularly those directly involved in diagnosing autism spectrum disorder. Clinical implications emphasise the need for consideration of parents’ emotional needs, provision of information to aid understanding, and strong relationships with professionals. Future clinical research, which should be informed by quality standards, might develop and evaluate standards of assessment and diagnosis, including post-diagnostic support.
Identification of the nonlinear characteristics of rubber bearings in model-free base-isolated buildings using partial measurements of seismic responses
Authors: Yang Xiongjun , Su Han , Liu Lijun , Lei Ying
Published: April 2019

Rubber-bearing isolation is one of the most successfully and widely used isolation technologies to provide lateral flexibility and energy dissipation capacity for reducing structural vibration and protecting the superstructure from damage. The seismic performance of the base-isolated structures partly depends on the nonlinear characteristics of the base isolation system. However, it is hard to establish proper mathematical models for the nonlinear hysteretic behaviors of base isolation due to the complexities of nonlinearities. Consequently, it is strongly desired to develop model-free methodologies for the nonlinear hysteretic performance identification with no assumption on the nonlinear hysteretic models of base isolation. In this paper, a novel method is proposed for this purpose. Firstly, the base isolation is in the linear state when the structure is under the weak earthquake, the restoring force is only provided by linear stiffness and viscous damping of base isolation, and the structural physical parameters can be estimated based on the extended Kalman filter approach. Then, the base isolation is in the nonlinear state when the structure is under the strong earthquake. The nonlinear hysteretic restoring forces from base isolation are treated as “unknown fictitious inputs” to the corresponding structural systems without base isolation. The generalized Kalman filter with unknown input algorithm is adopted for the simultaneous identification of the corresponding structural systems and the hysteretic restoring force of base isolation using only partial structural responses. No information about the structure is needed, and the responses at the location of the base isolation are not required, the proposed method is capable of identifying nonlinear characteristics of base isolation by the direct use of partial structural dynamic response. To validate the performances of the proposed method, some numerical simulation examples of identifying nonlinear hysteretic restoring forces of base isolation in different models are used.
Structural investigation of steel-reinforced epoxy granite machine tool column by finite element analysis
Authors: Venugopal Prabhu Raja , Kalayarasan M , Thyla PR , Mohanram PV , Nataraj Mahendrakumar , Mohanraj S , Sonawane Harshad
Published: April 2019

Higher damping with higher static stiffness is essential for improving the static and dynamic characteristics of machine tool structures. The structural vibration in conventional machine tools, which are generally made up of cast iron and cast steel, may lead to poor surface finish and the dimensional inaccuracy in the machined products. It leads to the investigation of alternative machine tool structural materials such as concrete, polymer concrete, and epoxy granite. Although epoxy granite has a better damping capacity, its structural stiffness (Young's modulus) is one-third as compared to cast iron. Therefore, the present work represents optimization of the structural design of the vertical machining center column by introducing various designs of steel reinforcement in the epoxy granite structure to improve its static and dynamic characteristics using experimental and numerical approaches. A finite element model of the existing cast iron vertical machining center column has been developed and validated against the experimental data obtained using modal analysis. Furthermore, finite element models for various epoxy granite column designs have been developed and compared with the static and dynamic characteristics of cast iron column. A total of nine design configurations for epoxy granite column with steel reinforcement are evolved and numerical investigations are carried out by finite element analysis. The proposed final configuration with standard steel sections has been modeled using finite element analysis for an equivalent static stiffness and natural frequencies of about 12–20% higher than cast iron structure. Therefore, the proposed finite element model of epoxy-granite-made vertical machining center column can be used as a viable alternative for the existing column in order to achieve higher structural damping, equivalent or higher static stiffness and, easy and environmental-friendly manufacturing process.
Field applicability of a machine learning–based tensile force estimation for pre-stressed concrete bridges using an embedded elasto-magnetic sensor
Authors: Kim Junkyeong , Park Seunghee
Published: April 2019

It has been proposed that pre-stressed concrete bridges improve load performance by inducing axial pre-stress using pre-stress tendons. However, the tensile force of the pre-stress tendons could not be managed after construction, although it directly supports the load of the structure. Thus, the tensile force of the pre-stress tendon should be checked for structural health monitoring of pre-stressed concrete bridges. In this study, a machine learning–based tensile force estimation method for a pre-stressed concrete girder is proposed using an embedded elasto-magnetic sensor and machine learning method. The feedforward neural network and radial basis function network were applied to estimate the tensile force of the pre-stress tendon using the area ratio of the magnetic hysteresis curve measured by the embedded elasto-magnetic sensor. The feedforward neural network and radial basis function network were trained using 213 datasets obtained in laboratory experiments, and trained feedforward neural network and radial basis function network were applied to a 50-m real-scale pre-stressed concrete girder test for estimating tensile force. Nine embedded elasto-magnetic sensors were installed on the sheath, and the magnetic hysteresis curves of the pre-stress tendons were measured during tensioning. The area ratio was extracted and inputted to the trained feedforward neural network and radial basis function network to estimate the tensile force. The estimated tensile force was compared with the reference tensile force measured by the load cell. According to the result, the estimated tensile force can represent the actual tensile force of the pre-stress tendon without calibrating tensile force estimation algorithms at the site. In addition, it can measure the actual friction loss by estimating the tensile force at the maximum eccentric part. Based on the results, the proposed method might be a solution for the structural health monitoring of pre-stressed concrete bridges with field applicability.
An International Study of the Contextual Effects of Gender Inequality on Intimate Partner Sexual Violence Against Women Students
Authors: LeSuer Will
Published: April 2019

Rejecting biological and essentialist explanations, feminist scholars posit that gender inequality is a driving force behind sexual violence against women. Using an ecological approach, I test for significant associations between national-level gender inequality and intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV). I use multi-level generalized linear modeling to analyze the responses of 9,126 women from 29 countries in the International Dating Violence Study. I find that while controlling for other risk factors, gender inequality is significantly associated with increased odds of having experienced severe, but not minor, forms of IPSV.
Judges’ Gender and Sentencing in China: An Empirical Inquiry
Authors: Wei Shuai , Xiong Moulin
Published: April 2019

Although mixed results regarding judges’ gender disparity in sentencing have been uncovered globally by comparatists, China has yet to be considered. Based on documents of adjudication decisions collected from two cities, we examined district court judges’ sentencing decisions. Multilevel-multivariate analysis reveals negligible differences between male and female judges. We conclude that the similarities in the decision to incarcerate can be explained by the harmonious “Iron Triangle” relationship among the police, the procuratorate, and the court. We also indicate that the Sentencing Guidelines and the Adjudication Committee are mechanisms that shape judicial behaviors in the same direction.