bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lev S. Vygotsky on the visual arts followed by a translation of the essay: The graphic art of Alexandr Bykhovsky
Authors: Fróis João Pedro
Published: August 2019

During his studies at Moscow University and thereafter, Lev S. Vygotsky’s (1896–1934) interests focused mostly on the scholarly study of literary and theatre criticism. Shakespeare’s Hamlet served as a leitmotiv to understand the specificity of the arts within western culture: through analysis of the structural particularities of Hamlet, he provided a model for an understanding of how the mind functions during interactions with artworks and reconstructed the internal activity caused by art. His thoughts on the visual arts are few, but fragments are found in his seminal work entitled Psychology of Art (1926). Here, he showed the function of catharsis, the main concept of his theory of aesthetic experience. This paper presents a translation of Vygotsky’s essay published in 1926, dedicated to the art of Alexandr Bykhovsky (1888–1978), a companion since his Gomel period (1919–1924). The significance of this essay is twofold. First, it represents a concise and lasting testimony to the creativity of an important Russian artist; second, the essay goes beyond formal analysis of the artwork. Instead, Vygotsky’s analysis explains the phenomenon of aesthetic experience as the viewer and the artwork interact and transform each other. The paper is preceded by a note on the contextual and biographical settings in which both Vygotsky and Bykhovsky worked.
Dual specificity phosphatase 5 regulates perfusion recovery in experimental peripheral artery disease
Authors: Alleboina Satyanarayana , Ayalew Dawit , Peravali Rahul , Chen Lingdan , Wong Thomas , Dokun Ayotunde O
Published: August 2019

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is caused by atherosclerotic occlusions of vessels outside the heart, particularly those of the lower extremities. Angiogenesis is one critical physiological response to vessel occlusion in PAD, but our understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in angiogenesis is incomplete. Dual specificity phosphatase 5 (DUSP5) has been shown to play a key role in embryonic vascular development, but its role in post-ischemic angiogenesis is not known. We induced hind limb ischemia in mice and found robust upregulation of Dusp5 expression in ischemic hind limbs. Moreover, in vivo knockdown of Dusp5 resulted in impaired perfusion recovery in ischemic limbs and was associated with increased limb necrosis. In vitro studies showed upregulation of DUSP5 in human endothelial cells exposed to ischemia, and knockdown of DUSP5 in these ischemic endothelial cells resulted in impaired endothelial cell proliferation and angiogenesis, but did not alter apoptosis. Finally, we show that these effects of DUSP5 on post-ischemic angiogenesis are a result of DUSP5-dependent decrease in ERK1/2 phosphorylation and p21 protein expression. Thus, we have identified a role of DUSP5 in post-ischemic angiogenesis and implicated a DUSP5-ERK-p21 pathway that may serve as a therapeutic target for the modulation of post-ischemic angiogenesis in PAD.
Men’s reflections on their body image at different life stages: A thematic analysis of interview accounts from middle-aged men
Authors: Malik Mohammed , Grogan Sarah , Cole Jennifer , Gough Brendan
Published: August 2019

This study investigates how men’s body image develops over time. A total of 14 men aged between 45 and 67 years completed in-depth interviews where they discussed their body image since childhood, prompted in some cases by photographs of themselves at different ages that they brought to the interviews. Transcripts were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. From the participants’ accounts, it was evident that body concerns did not steadily improve or worsen, but waxed and waned over time. Results are discussed in relation to understanding changing body concerns in men’s lives, and the implications of these for future research and practice.
Gesture-enhanced recasts have limited effects: A case of the regular past tense
Authors: Nakatsukasa Kimi
Published: August 2019

This study investigates whether gesture-enhanced recasts lead to better production of the English regular past tense. Fifty-nine low-intermediate ESL students at a US university took part in communicative activities in class, during which they received, respectively, no feedback, verbal recasts, or gesture-enhanced recasts, the latter being a verbal recast accompanied by a point-back gesture indicating the non-target-like use or absence of the past tense. All learners also completed two assessments, a grammar test about the regular past tense and an oral production test that was designed to elicit the regular past tense, as a pre-test, an immediate post-test, and a delayed post-test a week later. Then, a repeated-measure ANOVA was used to analyse the linguistic development, using the obtained test scores. The results showed that there was no difference across the conditions in the grammar test, owing to the ceiling effect. On the other hand, learners significantly improved from the pre-test to the post-test in the oral production test, but there were no differences across the conditions. This contradicts a previous finding that teachers’ pedagogical gestures during recasts better facilitated the development of locative prepositions. Further, this study discusses how learning types (rule-based vs. item-based) involved in two different linguistic targets and different gestures used in the two studies may affect the efficacy of recasts.
Visual supports at home and in the community for individuals with autism spectrum disorders: A scoping review
Authors: Rutherford Marion , Baxter Julie , Grayson Zoe , Johnston Lorna , O’Hare Anne
Published: August 2019

Visual supports are recommended in autism spectrum disorder clinical guidelines. They can reduce anxiety, increase predictability, support communication and improve participation. They are implemented regularly in schools, but evidence about home visual supports is limited. This article reports results of a scoping literature review, alongside qualitative evaluation with parents and professionals. We report findings from 34 studies, identifying four categories of visual support and heterogeneity in participant characteristics, intervention methods, environments and outcome measures. Qualitative data from questionnaires (n = 101) and focus groups generated key themes about home visual supports, through thematic analysis: (1) Accessibility, (2) Participation-focussed (3) Individualisation, (4) Teaching Methods, (5) Consistency, and (6) Information and Training. We propose consensus with terminology and implications for practice and research.
The adversarial defence lawyer: Myths, disclosure and efficiency—A contemporary analysis of the role in the era of the Criminal Procedure Rules
Authors: Johnston Ed
Published: August 2019

This article contends that piecemeal changes to the adversarial process since the dawn of the new millennium have transformed the CJS. The advent of (near) compulsory disclosure means the defendant has to reveal many elements of his defence. This dilutes the adversarial battle and leaves a process which is managerialist in nature. The Early Guilty Plea system is a mechanism to increase the efficiency by stemming the amount of cases reaching the trial stage. This has an impact on the defence lawyer’s role and renders him conflicted between advancing the best interest of the client against other pre-trial obligations. This small empirical study suggests that classic adversarial lawyers are seen as a relic of a bygone era. The modern criminal justice system prioritises speed and efficiency. If a case reaches court, the defendant is treated as an ‘informational resource’ of the court reminiscent of his position in the 17th century.
Media scandals, rumour and gossip: A study with an ear close to the ground
Authors: Hammarlin Mia-Marie
Published: August 2019

The abiding interest of researchers in the nature of mediated scandals continues to provoke discussions of what this phenomenon actually is, and how it is best researched empirically. This article argues that despite the claims that a modern scandal is manifested mainly through traditional and digital media, a careful analysis of the lived experience of this phenomenon – using in-depth qualitative interviews with the subjects of scandal – demonstrates that to fully understand it, we must take into account other forms of direct human communication, such as gossip and rumours, which flourish among the audiences as a response to the transgressional acts that started the scandal.

The results of this study challenge the idea of ‘mediated scandals’ as a typically modern conjuncture that can be separated from ‘localized scandals’ or ‘classic scandals’. Instead, I consider the mediated scandal to be above all a cultural phenomenon, which audiences use to debate and negotiate transgressional acts and norms. They also reflect the historical staying power of this phenomenon, and the urgent need to analytically transgress the alleged border between the ‘mediated’ dimension of communication with the word-of-mouth dimension, which may very well be one of the most influential news media in every society.
Estimating real-time infiltration for use in residential ventilation control
Authors: Ng Lisa C. , Zimmerman Stephen , Good Jeremy , Toll Brian , Emmerich Steven J. , Persily Andrew K.
Published: August 2019

Minimum outdoor air ventilation rates specified in standards such as ASHRAE Standard 62.2–2016 are generally based on envelope airtightness, building floor area, geographical location and number of occupants. ASHRAE Standard 62.2–2016 allows for a constant infiltration credit, which reduces the required mechanical ventilation. However, infiltration rates vary based on the weather and system operation. Thus, mechanical systems could potentially operate less if the real-time (RT) infiltration rate was known and used to adjust the mechanical ventilation rate. CONTAM models of two test houses on the campus of the National Institute of Standards and Technology were verified with measurements and used to simulate hourly infiltration rates in three cities. The infiltration rates were passed to a theoretical controller that changed the hourly mechanical ventilation rate to meet the ventilation requirement. Simulated energy use and relative annual occupant exposure for this RT control strategy were compared with ventilation at a constant rate. Implementation of the RT control strategy resulted in annual average energy savings of $66USD across both houses and three cities without increasing the annual occupant exposure compared with ventilating continuously at a constant rate. The authors discuss the advantages and limitations of the proposed RT ventilation control strategy.
New hybrid between SPEA/R with deep neural network: Application to predicting the multi-objective optimization of the stiffness parameter for powertrain mount systems
Authors: Dao Dinh-Nam , Guo Li-Xin
Published: August 2019

In this study, a new methodology, hybrid Strength Pareto Evolutionary Algorithm Reference Direction (SPEA/R) with Deep Neural Network (HDNN&SPEA/R), has been developed to achieve cost optimization of stiffness parameter for powertrain mount systems. This problem is formalized as a multi-objective optimization problem involving six optimization objectives: mean square acceleration of a rear engine mount, mean square displacement of a rear engine mount, mean square acceleration of a front left engine mount, mean square displacement of a front left engine mount, mean square acceleration of a front right engine mount, and mean square displacement of a front right engine mount. A hybrid HDNN&SPEA/R is proposed with the integration of genetic algorithm, deep neural network, and a Strength Pareto evolutionary algorithm based on reference direction for multi-objective SPEA/R. Several benchmark functions are tested, and results reveal that the HDNN&SPEA/R is more efficient than the typical deep neural network. stiffness parameter for powertrain mount systems optimization with HDNN&SPEA/R is simulated, respectively. It proved the potential of the HDNN&SPEA/R for stiffness parameter for powertrain mount systems optimization problem.
Quantifying the feminine self(ie): Gender display and social media feedback in young women’s Instagram selfies
Authors: Butkowski Chelsea P , Dixon Travis L , Weeks Kristopher R , Smith Marisa A
Published: August 2019

A growing body of research suggests that young women tend to replicate normative feminine cues popularized through mass media in their selfies, or self-taken mobile phone photographs. Among these stereotypical cues are posing behaviors documented in Goffman’s gender display framework, which visualize a power imbalance between men and women. We completed a content analysis to investigate gender display in young women’s Instagram selfies alongside its relationship to feedback such as likes and comments. In this study, a novel scalar measure of gender display captures both the categorical manifestation and the exaggeration of gender stereotypical cues. We found that gender display is prevalent in women’s Instagram selfies but presented in subtle ways. In addition, women who incorporate and exaggerate gender displays in their selfies tend to receive more feedback. We suggest that gender stereotyping in Instagram selfies is related to reinforcing feedback and call for closer measurement and contextualization of gender performance in user-generated content.
Categorization for occasioned semantics: Reanalysis of a Japanese Yamagata 119 emergency call
Authors: Hayashi Reiko
Published: August 2019

Without making any reference to traditional linguistic disciplines such as presupposition, implicature and indirect speech acts, this article analyzes how and what implicit meanings were constructed, structured and negotiated through an ambulance request call to the119 call center in Yamagata, Japan in 2011, while enhancing the cogency of the empirical approach independent from analytical theories. Through the occasioned taxonomic analysis of the occasioned semantics of the caller and the call-taker regarding the dispatch, the analysis captured definitive evidence on how a negative response was created from the call-taker’s categorization process. It reveals the process in which the rejection was determined from the talk by the call-taker that was oriented toward and constructed by the conceptual knowledge of motion, which was formulated as ‘walk’. A three-part-list structure was created, which formulated ‘emesis’ into the category of a symptom, but not into that of an illness.

The analysis reports that the call-taker’s method of occasioned semantics was operative and systematically patterned. Based on the results of the analysis, with linguistic evidence, the article critically argues that the rejection of an ambulance request was due in large part to the call-taker’s method of categorization when asking questions, which provides an alternative account to that of a previously reported analysis.
Excessive . . . but not wasteful? Youth cultures of everyday waste (avoidance)
Authors: Collins Rebecca
Published: August 2019

This article contributes to ongoing debates around the cultural production of waste by arguing for a clearer distinction between concepts of ‘waste’ and ‘excess’ and by suggesting the benefits of this distinction for tackling the perceived consumer cultural waste ‘problem’. Drawing on recent qualitative research with UK adolescents, I consider how a range of (youth/consumer) cultural drivers, social norms and moral imperatives shape young people’s everyday material consumption practices in ways that reflect (and produce) varied ways of (de/re-)valuing no-longer-wanted possessions. By exploring the cultural projects within which the young participants and their material possessions were engaged, and by identifying their aims in employing specific keeping and ridding practices, noteworthy differences between ‘waste’ and ‘excess’ materialise. I suggest that the drivers of the ‘excesses’ identified – characterised here in terms of ‘outgrowings’ and ‘hedging’ – highlight a set of distinctly cultural challenges to be met if the slippage of materials from ‘excess’ into ‘waste’ is to be averted. I contend that acknowledging these challenges, and these conceptual distinctions, may prove beneficial in attempts to address some of the societal challenges (e.g. material novelty as a driver of social status) related to the production of waste.
The role of lighting in road traffic collisions
Authors: Raynham P , Unwin J , Khazova M , Tolia S
Published: August 2019

The paper reports a study that examines how to determine if a road traffic collision took place in daylight or in the dark. An innovative method was developed, based on solar altitude, to establish cut-off points of daylight and darkness determined from a study of daylight availability in England, Scotland and Wales. This approach provides a rigorous method to differentiate daytime and night-time collisions. The criteria were used in a study of the collisions reported in the STATS19 data set for the weeks either side of the clock changes that are necessary between Greenwich Mean Time and British Summer Time. By comparing periods with the same clock time either side of the time change, using the aforementioned method, it was possible to isolate collisions within the same time period that during one week occurred in darkness and in the other week in daylight. The initial finding was that there are 19.3% more collisions in the dark periods and there is an even greater increase (31.7%) in pedestrian injuries.
Connecting Primary Care to Community-Based Education: Michigan Physicians’ Familiarity With Extension Programs
Authors: Khan Tamkeen , Eschbach Cheryl , Cuthbertson Courtney A. , Newkirk Cathy , Contreras Dawn , Kirley Kate
Published: August 2019

Clinical–community linkages enhance health care delivery and enable physician–patient partnerships to achieve better health. The Michigan State University (MSU) Model of Health Extension includes a strategy for forming these linkages by focusing on increasing primary care patient referrals and enrollment in health programs. This article shares the results of a survey of Michigan internal medicine and family medicine physicians ( n = 323) to better understand attitudes toward and familiarity with community-based education (CBE) programs and to assess the logistical requirements to make CBE referrals efficient and sustainable. Survey results showed that at most, 55% of respondents were aware of at least one CBE program implemented by Cooperative Extension. Of those who were aware, over 85% agreed that the programs have positive benefits for patients. Thirty-five percent reported at least one referral barrier, and familiarity with the CBE programs was a significant predictor for reporting all referral barriers. The results suggest that increasing physicians’ familiarity of CBE health programs is a key first step in identifying ideal strategies to overcome referral barriers. Data from this study may help determine scalable state level models for increasing awareness of chronic disease prevention and other CBE programs in efforts to improve the health of the nation.
Identification of serum exosomal microRNAs in acute spinal cord injured rats
Authors: Ding Shu-Qin , Chen Jing , Wang Sai-Nan , Duan Fei-Xiang , Chen Yu-Qing , Shi Yu-Jiao , Hu Jian-Guo , Lü He-Zuo
Published: August 2019

It is important to find specific and easily detectable diagnostic markers in acute stage of spinal cord injury for guiding treatment and estimating prognosis. Although, microRNAs are attractive biomarkers, there is still no uniform standard for clinical evaluation of spinal cord injury based on “free circulation” miRNA spectrum. The reason may be that miRNA analysis from biological fluids is influenced by many pre-analysis variables. Exosome miRNAs are widely distributed in body fluids and have many advantages comparing with free miRNAs. The specific miRNAs in the central nervous system can be transported to the peripheral circulation and concentrated in exosomes. Therefore, we hypothesized that there might be some physiological changes associated with spinal cord injury in serum exosomal miRNAs. Using next-generation sequencing, miRNA profiles in serum exosomes of sham and acute spinal cord injury rats were analyzed, and integrative bioinformatics were used to analyze the function and regulation of putative target genes. The results showed that acute spinal cord injury can lead to changes in miRNA expression in the circulating exosomes. The changed miRNAs and their associated pathways may explain the pathology of acute spinal cord injury. More importantly, we determined serum exosomal miR-125b-5p, miR-152-3p, and miR-130a-3p are specific and easily detectable diagnostic markers in acute spinal cord injury. More interestingly, we also found some valuable known and novel miRNAs. Further bioinformatics analysis and functional research will be of great help to make clear their role in the pathological process of spinal cord injury and judging whether they can be used as diagnostic markers.

Impact statement

This research hypothesized that there might be some physiological changes associated with SCI in serum exosomal miRNAs. Using next-generation sequencing, miRNA profiles in serum exosomes of sham and acute SCI rats were analyzed, and integrative bioinformatics were used to analyze the function and regulation of putative target genes. The results showed that acute SCI can lead to changes in miRNA expression in the circulating exosomes. The changed miRNAs and their associated pathways may explain the pathology of acute SCI. More importantly, we determined serum exosomal miR-125b-5p, miR-152-3p, and miR-130a-3p are specific and easily detectable diagnostic markers in acute SCI.
In the Aftermath of Reparations: The Experiences of Female Beneficiaries of Ghana’s Reparations Programme
Authors: Baiden Regina Akosua Dede
Published: August 2019

With increased attention to the needs of women in conflict and post-conflict situations, a multitude of resolutions on Women, Peace and Security have been adopted at the international level. Security Council Resolutions 1325, 1820, and 2122 all reflect an increased recognition of the need to engage, monitor, and increase women’s participation in post-conflict recovery process. Although scholars on reparations have focused on the benefits that a gendered perspective brings to reparations programmes, scare research exists on the experiences of women years after the acquisition of reparation. This article investigates the lived experiences of female beneficiaries of Ghana’s reparations programme 8 years after completion of the programme. It highlights the violence experienced by four female beneficiaries of the programme, showing the long-term impacts of violence on their lives. The article reveals the reparations programme’s inability to adequately address the effect of violence on the lives of female beneficiaries.
Post-Colonial Violence in Zimbabwe and the Significance of Peacebuilding Premised on Civilian Survival Strategies
Authors: Mutanda Darlington
Published: August 2019

Guided by the theory of conflict transformation, this article contributes to knowledge through articulating the significance of peacebuilding that is centred on civilian survival strategies (CSS) of flight, silence, voice, and joining the perpetrators of violence. The purpose is to articulate what could be done to promote reconciliation and build peace in a heavily polarised environment. CSS aid in identifying, from the perspective of the victims and even witnesses, the aspects that need to be built into the reconciliation process in Zimbabwe, and how these can enable reconciliation to take place. The CSS model demonstrated that citizens wanted reconciliation to be effected through truth-telling, ending political violence, and eliminating structural factors that lead to political violence, tolerance, and the mending of relationships. This article thus reveals the utility of reconciliation that benefits from CSS. Zimbabwe can potentially benefit from civilian input in carrying out a locally initiated and durable reconciliation programme.
Assessing National Mechanisms for Atrocity Prevention in Africa’s Great Lakes Region
Authors: Greene Ashley L. , Sentongo Ashad
Published: August 2019

In recent years, states and regional bodies in Africa’s Great Lakes Region have experimented with new models for the development of policies that prevent violent conflict. One such initiative has been the establishment of national mechanisms for genocide and atrocity crimes prevention—multisectorial bodies tasked with developing coordinated national strategies for the prevention of mass violence. This article examines the work of national mechanisms in order to assess their potential contributions to national and regional prevention. The authors argue that despite significant challenges in institutionalisation and funding, national mechanisms are contributing to four critical areas: the development of national prevention infrastructure, the consolidation of national and local prevention efforts, the promotion of trust in national prevention bodies, and the enhancement of interregional prevention networks. The article concludes with recommendations for increasing national mechanisms’ effectiveness.
Managing Expectations? The Opportunities and Limitations of e-Learning Applications in Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding Training
Authors: Demarest Leila , Smith Róisín
Published: August 2019

In recent decades, governmental and non-governmental organisations have increased the number and scale of Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding (CPPB) activities in conflict-affected countries. This development has also led to an increase in personnel in these organisations, posing challenges for staff training. In response, many organisations are looking at e-learning applications to provide cost-effective training at a broad geographical scale. Online courses and “serious games” have in particular received interest in recent years. In this article, we discuss the opportunities and limitations of such applications for CPPB training. We argue that they face challenges in contributing to skills and knowledge development but emphasise nevertheless that these challenges are similar to those faced by current classroom training initiatives. The potential of technology should not be exaggerated, yet digital applications can broaden the scope of participation and professionalization in CPPB activities to a wider range of (non-Western) actors.
Gender-Sensitive Conflict Analysis: A New Training Method for Practitioners
Authors: Close Sophia , Groenewald Hesta
Published: August 2019

The authors have co-designed and co-facilitated an innovative training method and approach to gender-sensitive conflict analysis. International organisations rarely undertake gendered conflict analysis as it is perceived to be difficult, with unclear or inconvenient actions identified. Yet the authors’ practice-based research shows it is essential to understanding and transforming the gendered root causes, discriminatory gender norms, and differentiated effects of violence and conflict. In this article, the authors share the lessons from workshops they conducted across multiple conflict-affected contexts. They detail the participatory process undertaken involving diverse gender groups from civil society and policymakers working in conflict-affected contexts and provide data on the effectiveness and sustainability of this innovative training approach.
The Emergence of Integrative Peacebuilding: A Complexity-Based Approach to Professional Leadership Development
Authors: Redekop Vern Neufeld
Published: August 2019

Integrative Peacebuilding draws on integral theory, complexity theory, and mimetic theory to develop an integrative orientation that leads to integrative actions leading to peacebuilding actors mutually contributing to each other’s goals. The priority is to contribute to the well-being of those from Fragile or Conflict Affected States (FCAS); in particular, it is imperative to enhance the conditions under which they might take independent action to address their own challenges. All of this entails building relationships of mutual trust amongst and between intervening actors and their counterparts within FCAS.
Conflict Intervention Training as Strategic Convening: Lessons From Syria
Authors: Arai Tatsushi
Published: August 2019

This article develops a framework of training design to intervene in active armed conflict. A case study of Syria presents a context of the inquiry. The concept of strategic convening is introduced to describe the kind of purposefully organised activities that bring conflict parties together from across lines of division. Strategic convening develops a safe, humanising social space that helps foster enabling conditions for conflict management and resolution. Building on a first-hand experience of conducting three workshops between 2014 and 2015 for Syrian humanitarian professionals, this study explores how to use training as a means to develop constructive human interaction when training offers a rare opportunity and incentive for people from different community and regional backgrounds to come together. This study builds on an action research project in which the researcher as a trainer interacted closely with training participants and identified patterns of their thinking about conflict management, coexistence, and reconciliation across multiple training sessions. Key findings include the critical roles of pragmatic conflict management skills as well as the skills for orchestrating coexistence amongst adversaries in an effort to secure access to humanitarian aid and development resources.
Applied Theatre in Peacebuilding and Development
Authors: Aguiar Jeff
Published: August 2019

Blending autoethnographic approaches with critical analysis, this article explores the intersection of arts-based praxis in peacebuilding and development in peace studies and conflict resolution (PS/CR). In recent decades, arts-based approaches have emerged across the globe in post-conflict settings. Applied, or process, theatre constitutes a social ontology, analysing and digesting experiences and an acceptance of multiple methods that inform research, theory, and practice. Similar to experiential education, applied theatre methodology connects research, theory, and practice in an integrative setting, but how does it resonate with PS/CR in practice? How can peace practitioners access arts-based praxis in development efforts? What benefits do such approaches provide? The author proposes that applied theatre principles, inspired by Augusto Boal and his system called Theatre of the Oppressed, can strengthen existing connections between peace education and peacebuilding practice, whilst also providing opportunities to enhance leader and learner benefit through active engagement in various settings.
Significance of Societal Customs in the South Sudan Civil War Resolution
Authors: Bedigen Winnifred
Published: August 2019

The South Sudan intermittent conflicts and civil wars have attracted national, regional, and international interventions. Dominated by politically led conventional ideologies of peace approaches that revolve around suppression, negotiation, and mediation, such approaches have not achieved sustainable peace in the region. The case for societal customs presented here demonstrates a contrary view. Historically, the Nilotic Lwo ethnic groups of South Sudan, that is, Dinka and Nuer, have fought each other but utilised their customs in conflict resolution. The use of societal customs has prevailed at the grass-roots level in the face of intermittent interethnic conflicts, which feed into civil wars. This article explores the potential of societal customs in delivering sustainable peace even at a civil war level. It highlights a way of exploring further the themes (customary laws and practices) and of thinking about how/why/when these can be useful in meeting local’s interests, values, and perspectives in the civil war resolution.
A Case Series Representing Dissections in the Abdominal Aorta and Common Carotid Arteries
Authors: Nanni Garth S.
Published: August 2019

Dissections have the potential to occur in a variety of segments throughout the vascular tree. More than 95% of aortic dissections begin within a few centimeters of the aortic valve in the ascending aorta and beyond the branch of the subclavian artery. However, less common dissections are sometimes seen in the descending aorta. Carotid dissections are considered quite uncommon. Yet, they are estimated to be responsible for 5% to 20% of strokes in people under the age of 45. Three cases are presented, which demonstrate dissections in uncommon anatomical locations using diagnostic medical sonography and computed tomographic angiography (CTA). The first two cases demonstrate abdominal aortic dissections. The third case demonstrates a bilateral carotid dissection. One of the abdominal aortic dissections was seen clearly on corresponding CTA, while the other aortic dissection was noticed on sonography, but not on CTA. All three cases are discussed with details of patient clinical findings as well as their medical and surgical histories.
Masculinity Challenges for Men With Severe Hemophilia
Authors: Reinicke Kenneth , Søgaard Ida Stjerne , Mentzler Sarah
Published: August 2019

Hemophilia is a congenital bleeding disorder that mainly affects men. Men with severe hemophilia experience stigma because they are unable to live up to various ideals of masculinity. This study involves a qualitative analysis of how nine Danish men aged 40–54 years with severe hemophilia manage life as functionally impaired relative to their masculine identity. The analytical focus is on how the men manage on a daily basis, how they construct their identity as a result of the disorder, and the body’s importance in these identity negotiations. The source of their biggest defeat is that the disorder often prevents them from living up to social expectations about men as fathers. This results in a variety of management strategies that they apply to neutralize the stigma, allowing them to (a) distance themselves from the disorder in various practical and verbal ways and to (b) assume primary responsibility for managing the disorder, including internalizing being experts on the disorder. The results identify that men with severe hemophilia are frustrated by the lack of advice provided by the health sector. The article proposes initiatives that can be taken to address the lack of knowledge and to create a broader network of peers for men with hemophilia across varying age groups.
Study on dynamic mechanical properties of a nylon-like polyester tire cord
Authors: Tian Liyong , Wang Di , Wei Qufu
Published: August 2019

Tires might be the first technically significant composite out of rubber and play a vital role in the overall performance of a car. The essential functions of a tire rely to a great extent on the properties of tire cords. Polyester and nylon cords make up the majority of synthetic fibers used in tires. A new kind of polyester cord has been developed combining the performance characteristics of both polyester and nylon cords. This article examines the dynamic mechanical properties of this nylon-like polyester tire cord by adopting dynamic mechanical analysis, Instron, and DISC fatigue experiments, as well as its dynamic adhesion property using flex fatigue experiment. It demonstrated that the dynamic complex modulus of the nylon-like polyester cord was higher than that of nylon 6 cord but lower than that of standard polyester cord, which was a favorable characteristic when it came to replacing nylon 6 cord with nylon-like polyester cord in tires. Under cyclic loading, hysteresis loss of nylon 6 cord > nylon 66 cord > nylon-like polyester cord > standard polyester cord was observed. In the DISC experiment, nylon-like polyester had a similar compression resistance property to that of nylon 6 cord. At a temperature below 85°C, nylon-like polyester cord maintained roughly the same level of residual ratio of dynamic adhesion, but beyond this temperature point, nylon 6 exhibited a better performance.
“Only Applies to Research Conducted in Sweden…”: Dilemmas in Gaining Ethics Approval in Transnational Qualitative Research
Authors: Griffin Gabriele , Leibetseder Doris
Published: August 2019

Transnational research funders such as the European Commission and NordForsk increasingly require researchers to conduct transnational research. Yet, there is little research on what this means for seeking ethics approval, not least for qualitative researchers. Much work on ethics approval comes from Canada, the United States, and other Anglophone countries, often in a health-related context, and centers on issues between researchers and research ethics boards (REBs), or on inconsistent or inappropriate decision-making by REBs. Ethical conduct within research has, of course, generated a rich literature but not on gaining ethics approval when conducting qualitative transnational research. Rather, the underlying situation usually is that the research is conducted in the same geopolitical space as where the REB is located. Drawing on two cases studies, in which researchers located in one country, Sweden, sought ethics approval to conduct research in other European countries, we explore some of the challenges that we faced in gaining such approval and provide some suggestions how this process might be made both more efficient and more productive for researchers and research funders alike.
Fractional-order chaotic system with hyperbolic function
Authors: Gugapriya G , Duraisamy Prakash , Karthikeyan Anitha , Lakshmi B
Published: August 2019

In this article, we study bistability, multiscroll, and symmetric properties of fractional-order chaotic system with cubic nonlinearity. The system is configured with hyperbolic function consisting of a parameter “ g.” By varying the parameter “ g,” the dynamical behavior of the system is investigated. Multistability and multiscroll are identified, which makes the system suitable for secure communication applications. When the system is treated as fractional order, for the same parameter values and initial conditions and when the fractional order is varied from 0.96 to 0.99, multiscroll property is obtained. Symmetric property is obtained for the order of 0.99. The fractional system holds only single scroll until 0.965 order and when the order increases to more than 0.99, it is having two-scroll attractor. This property opens a variety of applications for the systems, especially in secure communication. Adaptive synchronization of the system using sliding mode control scheme is presented. For implementing the fractional-order system in field-programmable gate array, Adomian decomposition method is used, and the register-transfer level schematic of the system is presented.
Availability of study protocols for randomized trials published in high-impact medical journals: A cross-sectional analysis
Authors: Spence O’Mareen , Hong Kyungwan , Onwuchekwa Uba Richie , Doshi Peter
Published: August 2019

Background:

To improve reporting transparency and research integrity, some journals have begun publishing study protocols and statistical analysis plans alongside trial publications. We sought to assess the overall availability and characteristics of protocols and statistical analysis plans of randomized clinical trials published in the top five (by impact factor) general medicine journals.

Methods:

All randomized clinical trials published in Annals of Internal Medicine, BMJ, JAMA, Lancet, and NEJM in 2016 were identified. For each randomized clinical trial, we searched for protocols and statistical analysis plans on journal websites (including supplementary material) and in the article, for example, a referenced publication or link to trial or institutional website. Characteristics of randomized clinical trials were extracted from the publication and clinical trial registry. A detailed assessment of protocols and statistical analysis plans was conducted in a 20% random sample of randomized clinical trials.

Results:

Protocols were available for 299 (82%) trials, ranging from 50% in BMJ to >95% in NEJM and JAMA. Statistical analysis plans were available for 182 (50%) trials and varied from <10% for Annals of Internal Medicine, BMJ, and Lancet to 92% for NEJM. Of the 76 randomized clinical trials in the 20% random sample, 63 (83%) had a protocol but less than half (31; 44%) included an a priori (dated prior to patient enrollment) version of the protocol. Statistical analysis plans were available for 35 (46%) trials, and only 5 (7%) included an a priori version.

Conclusion:

Protocols and statistical analysis plans are publicly available for the majority of trials. However, the a priori versions of these documents are only available for a minority of trials. More attention must be paid to ensuring the public availability of a priori versions.
Design and monitoring of survival trials based on restricted mean survival times
Authors: Luo Xiaodong , Huang Bo , Quan Hui
Published: August 2019

Background/Aims:

Restricted mean survival time has become a popular treatment effect measurement because of its nice interpretability. However, study design based on restricted mean survival times often requires extensive simulation studies as the variance structure is hard to obtain analytically. This article aims to provide a flexible approach to conduct study design and monitoring based on the restricted mean survival times without resorting to simulation.

Methods:

We assume that both the event time and censoring time distributions are piecewise exponential, and the accrual distribution is piecewise uniform, with which the restricted mean survival times and their variance–covariance structure can be conveniently computed.

Results:

Since we allow arbitrary number of pieces in the piecewise exponential and uniform distributions, the resulting model can handle a wide range of scenarios. The usefulness of the approach is demonstrated via an example.

Conclusion:

The proposed approach is flexible and useful in the design and monitoring of survival trials based on restricted mean survival times.
Bayesian clinical trials at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center: An update
Authors: Tidwell Rebecca S Slack , Peng S Andrew , Chen Minxing , Liu Diane D , Yuan Ying , Lee J Jack
Published: August 2019

Background/aims

In our 2009 article, we showed that Bayesian methods had established a foothold in developing therapies in our institutional oncology trials. In this article, we will document what has happened since that time. In addition, we will describe barriers to implementing Bayesian clinical trials, as well as our experience overcoming them.

Methods

We reviewed MD Anderson Cancer Center clinical trials submitted to the institutional protocol office for scientific and ethical review between January 2009 and December 2013, the same length time period as the previous article. We tabulated Bayesian methods implemented for design or analyses for each trial and then compared these to our previous findings.

Results

Overall, we identified 1020 trials and found that 283 (28%) had Bayesian components so we designated them as Bayesian trials. Among MD Anderson–only and multicenter trials, 56% and 14%, respectively, were Bayesian, higher rates than our previous study. Bayesian trials were more common in phase I/II trials (34%) than in phase III/IV (6%) trials. Among Bayesian trials, the most commonly used features were for toxicity monitoring (65%), efficacy monitoring (36%), and dose finding (22%). The majority (86%) of Bayesian trials used non-informative priors. A total of 75 (27%) trials applied Bayesian methods for trial design and primary endpoint analysis. Among this latter group, the most commonly used methods were the Bayesian logistic regression model (N = 22), the continual reassessment method (N = 20), and adaptive randomization (N = 16). Median institutional review board approval time from protocol submission was the same 1.4 months for Bayesian and non-Bayesian trials. Since the previous publication, the Biomarker-Integrated Approaches of Targeted Therapy for Lung Cancer Elimination (BATTLE) trial was the first large-scale decision trial combining multiple treatments in a single trial. Since then, two regimens in breast cancer therapy have been identified and published from the cooperative Investigation of Serial Studies to Predict Your Therapeutic Response with Imaging and Molecular Analysis (I-SPY 2), enhancing cooperation among investigators and drug developers across the nation, as well as advancing information needed for personalized medicine. Many software programs and Shiny applications for Bayesian trial design and calculations are available from our website which has had more than 21,000 downloads worldwide since 2004.

Conclusion

Bayesian trials have the increased flexibility in trial design needed for personalized medicine, resulting in more cooperation among researchers working to fight against cancer. Some disadvantages of Bayesian trials remain, but new methods and software are available to improve their function and incorporation into cancer clinical research.
Accrual Prediction Program: A web-based clinical trials tool for monitoring and predicting accrual for early-phase cancer studies
Authors: Liu Junhao , Wick Jo A , Mudaranthakam Dinesh Pal , Jiang Yu , Mayo Matthew S , Gajewski Byron J
Published: August 2019

Background

Monitoring subject recruitment is key to the success of a clinical trial. Accordingly, researchers have developed accrual-monitoring tools to support the design and conduct of trials. At an institutional level, delays in identifying studies with high risk of accrual failure can lead to inefficient and costly trials with little chances of meeting study objectives. Comprehensive accrual monitoring is necessary to the success of the research enterprise.

Methods

This article describes the design and implementation of the University of Kansas Cancer Center Accrual Prediction Program, a web-based platform was developed to support comprehensive accrual monitoring and prediction for all active clinical trials. The Accrual Prediction Program provides information on accrual, including the predicted completion date, predicted number of accrued subjects during the pre-specified accrual period, and the probability of achieving accrual targets. It relies on a Bayesian accrual prediction model to combine protocol information with real-time trial enrollment data and disseminates results via web application.

Results

First released in 2016, the Accrual Prediction Program summarizes enrollment information for active studies categorized by various trial attributes. The web application supports real-time evidence-based decision making for strategic resource allocation and study management of over 120 ongoing clinical trials at the University of Kansas Cancer Center.

Conclusion

The Accrual Prediction Program makes accessing comprehensive accrual information manageable at an institutional level. Cancer centers or even entire institutions can reproduce the Accrual Prediction Program to achieve real-time comprehensive monitoring and prediction of subject accrual to aid investigators and administrators in the design, conduct, and management of clinical trials.