bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Distinct Histopathologic Features of Complicated Sinusitis
Authors: Brown Hannah J. , Ganti Ashwin , Gattuso Paolo , Papagiannopoulos Peter , Tajudeen Bobby A.
Published: May 2021

Background:

Sinusitis complicated by intracranial or orbital extension can be life-threatening and require emergent intervention. Histologic features of complicated sinusitis have yet to be determined and may have significant implications for understanding pathophysiology.

Methods:

A structured histopathology report was utilized to analyze sinus tissue extracted during functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS). A total of 13 histopathology variables were compared between patients with complicated sinusitis (CS), CRS without nasal polyps (CRSsNP), and CRS with nasal polyps (CRSwNP).

Results:

About 24 CS, 149 uncomplicated CRSsNP, and 191 uncomplicated CRSwNP patients were analyzed. Nasal tissue from CS and CRSwNP patients demonstrated similar levels of overall inflammation (66.7% vs. 69.6% with moderate/severe inflammation, P  =  .466). Relative to CRSsNP, CS patients showed significantly greater overall inflammation (66.7% vs. 41.6%, P  =  .019). CS patients demonstrated significantly fewer eosinophils per high power field (eos/HPF) and eosinophil aggregates compared to CRSwNP patients (20.8% vs. 70.7% with 5+eos/HPF, P  <  .0001; 4.2% vs. 33.5%, P  <  .0001). Relative to CRSsNP patients, CS patients demonstrated enhanced neutrophil infiltration (45.8% vs. 28.0%, P  =  .011). About 91.7% of CS patients demonstrated a lymphoplasmacytic predominant inflammatory infiltrate, compared to 69.8% of CRSsNP and 62.8% of CRSwNP patients ( P  <  .0001).

Conclusion:

Significant histopathological differences were evident in patients with CS, CRSsNP, and CRSwNP. CS patients did not perfectly fit either a CRSsNP or CRSwNP profile, underscoring the importance of delineating the histopathological features of CS. This study offers insight into the histologic aspects of CS, providing initial evidence that it is an aggressive neutrophilic inflammatory process.
Evidence That Selecting an Appropriate Item Response Theory–Based Approach to Scoring Surveys Can Help Avoid Biased Treatment Effect Estimates
Authors: Soland James
Published: May 2021

Considerable thought is often put into designing randomized control trials (RCTs). From power analyses and complex sampling designs implemented preintervention to nuanced quasi-experimental models used to estimate treatment effects postintervention, RCT design can be quite complicated. Yet when psychological constructs measured using survey scales are the outcome of interest, measurement is often an afterthought, even in RCTs. The purpose of this study is to examine how choices about scoring and calibration of survey item responses affect recovery of true treatment effects. Specifically, simulation and empirical studies are used to compare the performance of sum scores, which are frequently used in RCTs in psychology and education, to that of approaches rooted in item response theory (IRT) that better account for the longitudinal, multigroup nature of the data. The results from this study indicate that selecting an IRT model that matches the nature of the data can significantly reduce bias in treatment effect estimates and reduce standard errors.
How Perceptions of Caller Honesty Vary During Vishing Attacks That Include Highly Sensitive or Seemingly Innocuous Requests
Authors: Armstrong Miriam E. , Jones Keith S. , Namin Akbar Siami
Published: May 2021

Objective

To understand how aspects of vishing calls (phishing phone calls) influence perceived visher honesty.

Background

Little is understood about how targeted individuals behave during vishing attacks. According to truth-default theory, people assume others are being honest until something triggers their suspicion. We investigated whether that was true during vishing attacks.

Methods

Twenty-four participants read written descriptions of eight real-world vishing calls. Half included highly sensitive requests; the remainder included seemingly innocuous requests. Participants rated visher honesty at multiple points during conversations.

Results

Participants initially perceived vishers to be honest. Honesty ratings decreased before requests occurred. Honesty ratings decreased further in response to highly sensitive requests, but not seemingly innocuous requests. Honesty ratings recovered somewhat, but only after highly sensitive requests.

Conclusions

The present results revealed five important insights: (1) people begin vishing conversations in the truth-default state, (2) certain aspects of vishing conversations serve as triggers, (3) other aspects of vishing conversations do not serve as triggers, (4) in certain situations, people’s perceptions of visher honesty improve, and, more generally, (5) truth-default theory may be a useful tool for understanding how targeted individuals behave during vishing attacks.

Application

Those developing systems that help users deal with suspected vishing attacks or penetration testing plans should consider (1) targeted individuals’ truth-bias, (2) the influence of visher demeanor on the likelihood of deception detection, (3) the influence of fabricated situations surrounding vishing requests on the likelihood of deception detection, and (4) targeted individuals’ lack of concern about seemingly innocuous requests.
Political Upheavals, Tourism Flight, and Spillovers: The Case of the Arab Spring
Authors: Groizard José L. , Ismael Mohanad , Santana-Gallego María
Published: May 2021

This article exploits the Arab Spring, which occurred in 2011, as a natural experiment to study the effect of political upheavals on international travel. We find that foreign tourists’ demand to travel to countries experiencing Arab Spring episodes was sharply reduced and persisted after two years. We also find evidence of two different spillover effects: a tourism diversion to rest of the world, and a regional contagion to geographically nearby countries (other Arab countries that did not experience Arab Spring episodes and the Mediterranean region, although with heterogenous effects across individual countries). To disentangle how spillovers are channeled, we test whether geographical and cultural (Islamic) affinity play any role. We find that diversion is explained by the attitudes of Western tourists but not of those whose origin is Arabic. Furthermore, we find that the contagion caused by the Arab Spring is stronger for the nearest Muslim countries.

JEL codes: F14, F51, H12, O11
University students’ mental health and emotional wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing lockdown
Authors: Visser Maretha , Law-van Wyk Eloise
Published: May 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing lockdown had a profound effect on human life. This research explores the influence of COVID-19-related experiences on the emotional wellbeing and mental health of South African university students 3 months into the pandemic. Research data were obtained from an online survey completed by 5074 students. Students reported difficulties in coping with psychological challenges during the lockdown: 45.6% and 35.0% reported subjective experiences of anxiety and depression, respectively. Students scored low on the mental health continuum. Hierarchical stepwise multiple regression analyses showed that some different dimensions predicted emotional difficulties or wellbeing and mental health – confirming the two continuum theory of Keyes. Students’ serious discomfort during lockdown, difficulty adjusting academically and feeling socially isolated contributed most to emotional difficulties. Females, students in their early years of study and students residing in informal settlements were most at risk of experiencing emotional difficulties. Mental health was most predicted by students’ hopefulness. Social, academic, spiritual and physical wellbeing and positive coping strategies influenced both emotional difficulties and mental health. The research serves to alert university authorities to students’ emotional wellbeing, especially of first-year students and students with limited resources. The results could assist university psychological services to provide appropriate support services to enhance students’ adjustment and promote their mental health amid a public health crisis.
Causality nexus between oil production, industries energy consumption and unemployment in Iran
Authors: Shah Muhammad Imran , Ullah Irfan , Rehman Alam , Alam Afridi Fakhr E , Zeeshan Muhammad
Published: May 2021

The study explores the causality between oil production, industrial production, energy consumption, and unemployment in Iran. We use time-series data, spanning the period 1990–2017 and apply VECM method for the data analysis and our findings suggest that crude oil production significantly causes unemployment through industrial production and energy consumption channel both in the short and long run, while energy consumption and industrial production affect unemployment in the short run only. Furthermore, energy consumption also determines industrial production showing energy as a supplement to the industries. The oil production in Iran substantially contributes to the country’s exports and main energy main input to the local industries. Industrial production increases energy consumption and reduces unemployment in the country. Therefore, the government should formulate appropriate policies, which take into account the fact, that changes in oil production have both short-run as well as long-term effects on employment in the country.
Role for Mucin-5AC in Upper and Lower Airway Pathogenesis in Mice
Authors: Cho Hye-Youn , Park Soojung , Miller Laura , Lee Huei-Chen , Langenbach Robert , Kleeberger Steven R.
Published: May 2021

Mucin-5AC (MUC5AC) is a major secreted mucin in pathogenic airways. To determine its role in mucus-related airway disorders, Muc5ac-deficient ( Muc5ac−/−) and wild-type ( Muc5ac+/+) mice were compared in bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease, and ozone toxicity. Significantly greater inflammation and fibrosis by bleomycin were developed in Muc5ac−/− lungs compared to Muc5ac+/+ lungs. More severe mucous cell metaplasia in fibrotic Muc5ac−/− lungs coincided with bronchial Muc2, Muc4, and Muc5b overexpression. Airway RSV replication was higher in Muc5ac−/− than in Muc5ac+/+ during early infection. RSV-caused pulmonary epithelial death, bronchial smooth muscle thickening, and syncytia formation were more severe in Muc5ac−/− compared to Muc5ac+/+. Nasal septal damage and subepithelial mucoserous gland enrichment by RSV were greater in Muc5ac−/− than in Muc5ac+/+. Ozone exposure developed more severe nasal airway injury accompanying submucosal gland hyperplasia and pulmonary proliferation in Muc5ac−/− than in Muc5ac+/+. Ozone caused periodic acid-Schiff-positive secretion only in Muc5ac−/− nasal airways. Lung E-cadherin level was relatively lower in Muc5ac−/− than in Muc5ac+/+ basally and after bleomycin, RSV, and ozone exposure. Results indicate that MUC5AC is an essential mucosal component in acute phase airway injury protection. Subepithelial gland hyperplasia and adaptive increase of other epithelial mucins may compensate airway defense in Muc5ac−/− mice.
Best Practices of Principals to Increase Attendance in Low-Socioeconomic Status Rural High Schools
Authors: Hall Kelly S. , Liang Ya-Wen Melissa , Riley Libby J.
Published: May 2021

Securing attendance is challenging at rural high schools with a high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic (low-SES) households. Best practices of principals to achieve high annual attendance rates (> 90%) were studied. Interviews were held with principals from 8 of 12 high schools across rural West Virginia that met the eligibility criterion of 100% enrollment of low-SES students. Six best practices emerged. Rural schools striving to increase attendance could reduce student absenteeism by implementing best practices suggested.
Employing with conviction: The experiences of employers who actively recruit criminalised people
Authors: Atherton Peter , Buck Gillian
Published: May 2021

In England and Wales, criminal reoffending costs £18 billion annually. Securing employment can support desistance from crime, but only 17% of ex-prisoners are employed a year after release. Understanding the motivations of employers who do recruit criminalised people therefore represents an important area of inquiry. This article draws upon qualitative interviews with 12 business leaders in England who proactively employ criminalised people. Findings reveal that inclusive recruitment can be (indirectly) encouraged by planning policies aimed to improve social and environmental well-being and that employers often work creatively to meet employees’ additional needs, resulting in commercial benefits and (re)settlement opportunities.
Historical sociology in Japan: Rebalancing between the social sciences and humanities
Authors: Nogami Gen
Published: May 2021

The origin of historical sociology can be traced to Max Weber’s theory of modernization, which is an appropriate approach for studies in Japan. However, the Japanese image of ‘historical sociology’ is not that of a comparative history based on social scientific interests but is a history closer to cultural and social history and the history of ideas with an emphasis on descriptive research. This originates from the high degree of freedom given to the use of sources in the historical study of collective consciousness. Accordingly, it was easy to accept the impact of the linguistic turn. Subsequently, Japanese historical sociology evolved into discourse-historical research, media-historical research, and constructionist-historical research. In recent years, historical research on social issues and quantitative historical sociology have become increasingly popular. Historical sociological research has been differentiated into various separate sub-disciplines so it is difficult to identify a cohesive historical sociology as a field. However, the tradition of a high degree of freedom in terms of the use of sources continues to provide a stimulus for historical sociological studies in Japan.
Effect of medication on risk of traumatic brain injury in patients with bipolar disorder: A nationwide population-based cohort study
Authors: Liao Yin-To , Ku Yu-Hui , Chen Hong-Ming , Lu Mong-Liang , Chen Ko-Jung , Yang Yao-Hsu , Weng Jun-Cheng , Chen Vincent Chin-Hung
Published: May 2021

Background:

Increased traumatic brain injury (TBI) risk was found in patients with bipolar disorder (BPD). Whether the medications for BPD and dosage moderate the risk of TBI is not clear.

Aim:

This study aimed to determine whether an association exists between BPD and TBI and whether the prescription of psychotropics moderates TBI risk.

Methods:

A total of 5606 individuals who had received diagnoses of BPD between January 1, 1997 and December 31, 2013 and 56,060 matched controls without BPD were identified from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database. Cases and controls were followed until the date of TBI diagnosis.

Results:

BPD was associated with a high risk of TBI (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR): 1.85; 95% CI: 1.62–2.11). Patients with BPD, with or without a history of psychiatric hospitalization, had increased risks of TBI (aHR: 1.94, 95% CI: 1.57–2.4 and aHR: 1.82, 95% CI: 1.55–2.1, respectively). The prescription of typical antipsychotics (0 < defined daily dose (DDD) < 28: hazard ratio (HR) = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.19–1.94; ⩾28 DDD: HR = 1.54, 95% CI: 1.15–2.06) and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) (0 < DDD < 28: HR = 1.73, 95% CI: 1.26–2.39; ⩾28 DDD: HR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.02–2.25) was associated with higher TBI risk. Patients receiving higher doses of benzodiazepines (BZDs) (cumulative dose ⩾28 DDD) had a higher TBI risk (HR = 1.53, 95% CI: 1.13–2.06).

Conclusion:

Patients with BPD have a higher risk of TBI. The use of typical antipsychotics, TCAs, or high-dose BZDs increases the risk of TBI in BPD.
Vividness, Clarity, and Control in Auditory Imagery
Authors: Hubbard Timothy L. , Ruppel Susan E.
Published: May 2021

Previous studies of auditory imagery have often confounded vividness and clarity, and the differences between these constructs are not clear. Additionally, it has been suggested that clarity is a more useful construct than is vividness in understanding auditory imagery. The Clarity of Auditory Imagery Scale and the Bucknell Auditory Imagery Scale were administered to participants, and ratings of the clarity, vividness, and control over auditory imagery were collected. All three measures were highly positively correlated. The magnitudes of these correlations were not influenced by participants’ sex, age, ethnic group, handedness, years of participation in a band or choir, or years of formal instruction in music, and possible reasons for the lack of individual differences are discussed. Three analogies for understanding differences between vividness in auditory imagery and clarity in auditory imagery, and suggestions for potential operational definitions of auditory vividness and auditory clarity in future studies, are provided.
Efficacy of different infusion rates of oxytocin for maintaining uterine tone during elective caesarean section: A randomised double blind trial
Authors: Mohta Medha , Chowdhury Rohit B , Tyagi Asha , Agarwal Rachna
Published: May 2021

Most research in this field has focused on finding oxytocin doses for initiating uterine contractions. Only limited data are available regarding the optimal rate of oxytocin infusion to maintain adequate uterine tone. This randomised, double blind study included 120 healthy term pregnant patients with uncomplicated, singleton pregnancy undergoing elective caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia. Following an initial 1 IU bolus, the patients received oxytocin infusion at 1.25 IU/hour (group 1.25), 2.5 IU/hour (group 2.5) or 5.0 IU/hour (group 5) for four hours. Uterine tone was assessed as adequate or inadequate at various intervals. If found inadequate, additional uterotonics were administered. Estimated blood loss was mean (standard deviation) 499 (172) ml, 454 (117) ml and 402 (151) ml in groups 1.25, 2.5 and 5, respectively ( P value groups 1.25 versus 5 = 0.012). Oxytocin infusion at 5 IU/hour resulted in a significantly lower incidence of minor postpartum haemorrhage, defined as blood loss greater than 500 ml, than 1.25 IU/hour ( P = 0.009). No patient had major/severe haemorrhage (>1000 ml blood loss). No significant difference was seen in haemoglobin levels ( P = 0.677) and uterine tone. Fifteen, six and nine patients, respectively, required additional oxytocin ( P = 0.151). The incidence of tachycardia ( P = 0.726), hypotension ( P = 0.321) and nausea/vomiting ( P = 0.161) was comparable. To conclude, 5 IU/hour was more effective than 1.25 IU/hour in reducing total blood loss and the incidence of minor postpartum haemorrhage. Thus 5 IU/hour appears to be an optimal oxytocin infusion rate following 1 IU slow intravenous oxytocin injection for the maintenance of adequate uterine contraction in patients undergoing elective caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia.
Paroxysmal localized Hyperhidrosis, a case-report: When excessive sweating occurs in combination with severe headaches
Authors: van Coevorden Marleen H , Schoofs Mariëtte WCJ , Venhovens Jeroen
Published: May 2021

Background

Paroxysmal localized hyperhidrosis is a rare disorder of the central autonomic nervous system. No association between paroxysmal hyperhidrosis and severe headache has been previously described in literature. Case description: A 65-year-old woman with idiopathic paroxysmal localized hyperhidrosis combined with severe holocranial headache attacks is described in this case report. Extensive diagnostic testing by means of laboratory examinations, 24-hour urinalyses, chest X-ray, abdominal ultrasound and computed tomography scans, and brain and spinal cord magnetic resonance imaging could not identify an underlying disorder. A diagnosis of idiopathic paroxysmal localized hyperhidrosis was made, and the patient was successfully treated with clonidine 0.075 mg three times a day, without any side effects.

Conclusion

Paroxysmal localized hyperhidrosis is a rare central autonomic nervous system disorder that can occur in combination with severe headache. Both the headache and paroxysmal hyperhidrosis complaints were treated effectively with clonidine in the patient described in this case-report.
Response to Moseley
Authors: Hahnel Robin Eric
Published: May 2021

In “A Marxian reply to Hahnel: The relative explanatory power of Marx’s theory and Sraffa’s theory,” Moseley begins by arguing that I misrepresent Marx. For any like myself, who believe that because we now have linear algebra, and the theorems of Frobenius and Perron to take advantage of, we are able to elaborate a better formal framework for understanding prices and income distribution in capitalism than was available during Marx’s time, the past fifty years has become a game of whack-a-mole: whenever anyone rebuts one particular defense of using a labor theory of value framework, a different variation rises in its place.

JEL Classification: B24, B51
Rhetorical uses of precise numbers and semi-magical round numbers in political discourse about COVID-19: Examples from the government of the United Kingdom
Authors: Billig Michael
Published: May 2021

This paper examines how the British government has used statistics about COVID-19 for political ends. A distinction is made between precise and round numbers. Historically, using round numbers to estimate the spread of disease gave way in the 19th century to the sort precise, but not necessarily accurate, statistics that are now being used to record COVID-19. However, round numbers have continued to exert rhetorical, ‘semi-magical’ power by simultaneously conveying both quantity and quality. This is demonstrated in examples from the British government’s claims about COVID-19. The paper illustrates how senior members of the UK government use ‘good’ round numbers to frame their COVID-19 goals and to announce apparent achievements. These round numbers can provide political incentives to manipulate the production of precise number; again examples from the UK government are given.
Derivative-dependent control of a fuel cell system with a safe implementation: An artificial delay approach
Authors: Ramírez Adrián , Sipahi Rifat , Mendéz-Barrios César-Fernando , Leyva-Ramos Jesús
Published: May 2021

The growing demand for energy in recent decades has been followed by an increasing interest in clean energy sources as means to mitigate environmental pollution. Accordingly, renewable energy systems are required to not only guarantee safe operation but also have the ability to regulate their responses dynamically against operational variations and disturbances. Here, we propose a derivative-dependent controller to optimize this dynamic response in a fuel cell system. Since derivatives are in general difficult to measure or construct reliably, it is common practice to approximate them using finite-differences. This approximation, if not performed carefully, may produce undesired control activity and even instability. In this article, we propose to systematically engineer the finite-differences using artificial delays so as to avoid those undesired outcomes. This therefore guarantees a safe implementation of the control scheme. The objective of the proposed controller is to regulate the fuel cell’s output voltage while quickly compensating for parametric variations and unknown disturbances without the need of explicitly measuring or estimating them. Simulation results verify the advantages of the approach demonstrating that the controller with artificial delays is a preferable substitute for ideal derivative-dependent control implementations in fuel cell applications.
Quality of written informed consent forms for electroconvulsive therapy in Australia: a comparative analysis
Authors: Jagadheesan Karuppiah , Walker Frances , Lakra Vinay
Published: May 2021

Objectives:

We compared the quality of the written informed consent forms for electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in Australian jurisdictions.

Method:

For this comparative audit-type study, a checklist was developed to compare informed consent forms from different jurisdictions. The main information sources for consent forms were government health department websites and Google. The directors of clinical services were contacted if a consent form was not available through a web source.

Results:

Majority of the informed consent forms covered information about ECT, general anaesthesia and alternative treatments, supports available for decision making, and a reference to the right to withdraw consent. Missing information affected information areas such as likely outcome if no ECT, lack of guaranteed response and cultural and linguistic supports.

Conclusions:

A standardised consent form that can be used across all jurisdictions can help improve the ECT practice.
Called to Serve: Exploring the Relationship Between Career Calling, Career Plateaus, and Organizational Commitment in the U.S. Military
Authors: DiRenzo Marco S. , Tosti-Kharas Jennifer , Powley Edward H.
Published: May 2021

Experiencing career as a calling has implications for an individual’s career trajectory; yet, little is known about whether calling relates to career plateaus, which have the potential to stall an employee’s career path. This relationship is particularly interesting for members of the U.S. military, who have a relatively prescribed set of career experiences and opportunities. Serving in the U.S. military requires potential sacrifice, loyalty, and a sense of moral duty, all characteristics of what it means to experience one’s career as a calling. Yet, research has largely neglected to examine callings in the context of military service. We address these gaps by examining the relationships between career calling, career plateaus, and organizational commitment. We also examine whether social capital moderates these relationships via complementary or substitution effects. Using a two-wave survey sample of 237 officers, we found that calling negatively related to content career plateaus which in turn mediated calling’s positive relationship to commitment. Social capital moderated this mediation in a manner to suggest substitution effects. We discuss the implications of our findings for research on military careers, career as a calling, and affective commitment, as well as for practicing military officers and their leadership.
Combating IPV With Community Leaders in Honduras: An Evaluation of an IPV Training Program Among Teachers and Health Professionals
Authors: Kim Chunrye , Capellan Joel A. , Sung Hung-En , Orellana Eduardo Rafael
Published: May 2021

Intimate partner violence (IPV) among women in Latin America, including Honduras, is serious. To help IPV victims, a community-based educational program has been implemented. This study aims to examine the impact of IPV training among teachers and health care professionals ( n = 160) on increases in IPV knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy when dealing with IPV victims using a pretest and posttest design. We found that the treatment group who received IPV training showed significantly lower justification for IPV, higher gender equality attitudes, and higher IPV knowledge as well as higher confidence levels in identifying IPV victims and safety planning for victims. We concluded that the IPV training program using the community-based approaches has the potential to help IPV victims in Honduras. More efforts should be made to increase the educational opportunities the community members can receive.
Enabling rapid COVID-19 small molecule drug design through scalable deep learning of generative models
Authors: Jacobs Sam Ade , Moon Tim , McLoughlin Kevin , Jones Derek , Hysom David , Ahn Dong H , Gyllenhaal John , Watson Pythagoras , Lightstone Felice C , Allen Jonathan E , Karlin Ian , Van Essen Brian
Published: May 2021

We improved the quality and reduced the time to produce machine learned models for use in small molecule antiviral design. Our globally asynchronous multi-level parallel training approach strong scales to all of Sierra with up to 97.7% efficiency. We trained a novel, character-based Wasserstein autoencoder that produces a higher quality model trained on 1.613 billion compounds in 23 minutes while the previous state of the art takes a day on 1 million compounds. Reducing training time from a day to minutes shifts the model creation bottleneck from computer job turnaround time to human innovation time. Our implementation achieves 318 PFLOPs for 17.1% of half-precision peak. We will incorporate this model into our molecular design loop enabling the generation of more diverse compounds; searching for novel, candidate antiviral drugs improves and reduces the time to synthesize compounds to be tested in the lab.
A single inferior rectus muscle surgery for treatment of congenital superior oblique palsy with small deviation in primary position
Authors: Huang Lijuan , Wu Yuyu , Li Ningdong
Published: May 2021

Purpose:

To evaluate outcomes of one muscle surgery for treatment of congenital superior oblique palsy (SOP) with Knapp Class V.

Methods:

Medical records were retrospectively reviewed for the patients with the congenital SOP type V who underwent surgical treatment through one muscle surgery between July 2015 and September 2020. The surgical procedure was resection-recession on the contralateral inferior rectus muscle of the hypertrophic or paretic eye. Vertical alignment at nine cardinal gaze positions, and resolution of the abnormal head posture were evaluated pre- and postoperatively. The follow-up was scheduled regularly at postoperative day 1, 1 week, 1 month, and followed by 2-month intervals until 18 months.

Results:

Twelve patients were included in this study, with a mean age of 6.4 years (range from 3 to 10 years). The mean follow-up period was 10.5 months after surgery (range from 6 to 18 months). The average vertical deviation at primary position was 6.33△ ± 2.93△ preoperatively and 0.75△ ± 1.14△ postoperatively ( p < 0.05). The average vertical deviation at downgaze was 23.33△ ± 4.75△ preoperatively and 1.92△ ± 1.62△ postoperatively ( p < 0.05). All patients had an abnormal head position preoperatively. Postoperative results indicated that the patients’ abnormal head position had been improved significantly.

Conclusions:

The surgical procedure of resection-recession on a single inferior rectus muscle is a successful intervention for the correction of superior oblique palsy (SOP) with Knapp Class V.
Prediction of phthalates concentration in household dust based on back propagation neural network
Authors: Sun Chanjuan , Li Kexiu , Zhang Jialing , Huang Chen
Published: May 2021

Field or laboratory measurements are commonly conducted to determine phthalates concentrations in spaces. This study investigated the association between various influencing factors and indoor phthalates concentrations. Back-propagation (BP) Neural Network was employed to verify a prediction model of indoor phthalates concentration with 80% of experimental data and 20% remaining data. The validation of remaining data shows a reasonable accuracy for model application, where the ratios of standard deviations were all greater than 0.45, most ERMS were close to 0 and all the EMR were less than 15.5%. In addition, we used relevant data from the China, Children, Homes, Health (CCHH) study conducted in Tianjin for further inspection. The prediction on di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) concentration was performed, which indicated a high accuracy. Furthermore, the Monte-Carlo simulation was applied to quantify the effect of temperature on phthalates concentration combining with the prediction model. When the temperature increment value was 4°C, the average relative decrease ratio of dibutyl phthalate (DBP), DEHP, diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP) concentration was about 7.8%, 12.8% and 9.3%, respectively. The findings have established the validity of the prediction model and provided a quantification of the influence of temperature on the concentration of phthalates in the indoor dust phase.
Fear of Missing Out as motivation to process information: How differences in Instagram use affect attitude formation online
Authors: Neumann Dominik , Huddleston Patricia T , Behe Bridget K
Published: May 2021

Marketing on social media has become ubiquitous. Consequently, social media platforms are increasing the level of advertising content that users may later encounter when navigating online shopping websites. It is unclear how this amplification of exposure to marketing messages through social media affects consumers’ attitudes to products online. Furthermore, the roles of social media participation and proneness to experience Fear of Missing Out on product attitude remain largely unexplored. In this research ( N = 1002), we employed an online survey of US Instagram users. These data were submitted to three-way moderation regression analyses with attitude toward the product as the dependent variable. Consumers who are more active on social media and had high (vs low) Fear of Missing Out expressed more favorable attitudes toward online products after being exposed to Instagram content (vs not exposed). The theoretical and practical implications for cognitive processing research and advertising strategy and study limitations are discussed.
Moderating Anti-Feminism: Islamism and Women Candidates in the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS)
Authors: Rofhani Rofhani , Fuad Ahmad Nur
Published: May 2021

As Indonesia’s leading Islamist party, the Prosperous Justice Party ( Partai Keadilan Sejahtera, PKS) has attracted much scholarly interest, prompting debate on the extent to which the party’s inclusion in electoral politics has required it to moderate its initially strict ideological vision. In this article, we extend consideration of this “inclusion-moderation” thesis to the party’s attitudes and practices regarding women. PKS has a large and active female support base, but it emphasises that women’s political and social roles should be secondary to their primary duties in the domestic sphere. Through a close study of female PKS candidates in Indonesia’s 2019 legislative elections in East Java, we show that women members of the party are moderating the party’s anti-feminist stance. Though they do not explicitly challenge party ideology, they demonstrate significant independent agency in their campaign practices, engaging in outreach to female voters in a strongly practical rather than strictly ideological mode.
Floating Liberals: Female Politicians, Progressive Politics, and PSI in the 2019 Indonesian Election
Authors: Savirani Amalinda , Al Akbar Nuruddin , Jamson Ulya Niami Efrina , Asworo Listiana
Published: May 2021

This article analyses an experiment in liberal-progressive politics that occurred in Indonesia in 2019. A new party, the Partai Solidaritas Indonesia (PSI, Indonesian Solidarity Party), supported gender equality as part of a broad liberal programme. PSI foregrounded female candidates and focused on gender issues, including controversial topics such as opposition to polygamy. Reflecting party campaign strategies that focused on media exposure, rather than grassroot mobilisation, the party garnered support mostly from educated urban voters. Support for women’s equality – especially on issues such as sexual harassment and gender-based violence – is concentrated in this group and partly reflects recent cultural shifts linked to globalisation and changes in the media landscape. PSI failed to gain representation in the national legislature, limiting its potential to play a major political role in the near future. Even so, this experiment provided opportunities for young women to step forward politically and has popularised discourse on women’s equality.
Endoscopically Assisted Marginal Mandibulectomy Using an Intraoral Approach Alone for Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Posterior Mandibular Gingiva: A Technical Note
Authors: Shudo Atsushi
Published: May 2021

Study Design:

Technical note.

Objective:

Marginal mandibulectomy is a surgical procedure for treatment of mandibular gingival tumors. The intraoral approach to the posterior region of the mandible for marginal mandibulectomy is difficult due to limited access and operating field visibility; the conventional surgical procedure may require some skin incisions. This report discusses the effectiveness of endoscopic assistance in marginal mandibulectomy.

Methods:

This article describes endoscopically assisted marginal mandibulectomy using an intraoral approach alone for squamous cell carcinoma of the posterior mandibular gingiva.

Results:

The advantages of this surgical method are twofold: (1) superior visibility to the lower edge of the mandible without any skin incision; and (2) safe surgical confirmation of important anatomy on the buccolingual side (e.g., mental foramen, lingual nerve, mandibular foramen, and neurovascular bundle). This minimally invasive approach without any skin incision, as well as the superior visibility of the operating field, are important advantages of endoscopically assisted marginal mandibulectomy that cannot be obtained by other surgical methods.

Conclusions:

Endoscopically assisted marginal mandibulectomy using an intraoral approach alone may be useful because it avoids damage to facial skin and improves safety by employing an enlarged bright field.
Platelets and extracellular vesicles and their cross talk with cancer
Authors: Lazar Sophia , Goldfinger Lawrence E.
Published: May 2021

Platelets play significant and varied roles in cancer progression, as detailed throughout this review series, via direct interactions with cancer cells and by long-range indirect interactions mediated by platelet releasates. Microvesicles (MVs; also referred to as microparticles) released from activated platelets have emerged as major contributors to the platelet-cancer nexus. Interactions of platelet-derived MVs (PMVs) with cancer cells can promote disease progression through multiple mechanisms, but PMVs also harbor antitumor functions. This complex relationship derives from PMVs’ binding to both cancer cells and nontransformed cells in the tumor microenvironment and transferring platelet-derived contents to the target cell, each of which can have stimulatory or modulatory effects. MVs are extracellular vesicles of heterogeneous size, ranging from 100 nm to 1 µm in diameter, shed by living cells during the outward budding of the plasma membrane, entrapping local cytosolic contents in an apparently stochastic manner. Hence, PMVs are encapsulated by a lipid bilayer harboring surface proteins and lipids mirroring the platelet exterior, with internal components including platelet-derived mature messenger RNAs, pre-mRNAs, microRNAs, and other noncoding RNAs, proteins, second messengers, and mitochondria. Each of these elements engages in established and putative PMV functions in cancer. In addition, PMVs contribute to cancer comorbidities because of their roles in coagulation and thrombosis and via interactions with inflammatory cells. However, separating the effects of PMVs from those of platelets in cancer contexts continues to be a major hurdle. This review summarizes our emerging understanding of the complex roles of PMVs in the development and progression of cancer and cancer comorbidities.
Survival of HIV/AIDS patients treated under ART follow-up at the University hospital, northwest Ethiopia
Authors: Teka Zinabu , Mohammed Kasim , Workneh Gashu , Gizaw Zemichael
Published: May 2021

Introduction

The survival of HIV/AIDS patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) is determined by a number of factors, including economic, demographic, behavioral, and institutional factors. Understanding the survival time and its trend is crucial to developing policies that will result in changes. The aim of this study was to compare the survival estimates of different subgroups and look into the predictors of HIV/AIDS patient survival.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study of HIV/AIDS patients receiving ART at the University of Gondar teaching hospital was carried out. To compare the survival of various groups, a Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify factors influencing HIV/AIDS patient survival rates.

Results

In the current study, 5.91% of the 354 HIV/AIDS patients under ART follow-up were uncensored or died. Age (HR = 1.051) and lack of formal education (HR = 5.032) were associated with lower survival rate, whereas family size of one to two (HR = 0.167), three to four (HR = 0.120), no alcoholic consumption (HR = 0.294), no smoking and chat use (HR = 0.101), baseline weight (HR = 0.920), current weight (HR = 0.928), baseline CD4 cell count (HR = 0.990), baseline hemoglobin (HR = 0.800), and no TB diseases were associated with longer survival rate.

Conclusions

Fewer deaths were reported in a study area due to high patient adherence, compared to previous similar studies. Age, educational status, family size, alcohol consumption, tobacco and chat usage, baseline and current weight, baseline CD4 cell count, baseline hemoglobin, and tuberculosis (TB) diseases were all significant predictors of survival of HIV/AIDS patients.
Economic policy instruments for sustainable phosphorus management: taking into account climate and biodiversity targets
Authors: Garske Beatrice , Ekardt Felix
Published: May 2021

Background

Phosphorus (P) is a vital and non-substitutable nutrient for agricultural production. However, P is often used inefficiently in European agriculture. To ensure food security while avoiding environmental damage caused by improper fertilization, a sustainable P management is required. Although P-related problems are partly addressed by existing agricultural and environmental legislation, e.g., in the EU, the current regulation lacks sufficient governance effect. In addition, the existing legal framework is strongly characterized by detailed command-and-control provisions and thus suffers from governance problems such as enforcement deficits, rebound and shifting effects. This paper focuses on how these challenges could be addressed by economic instruments. The article highlights not only the impact of the instruments on P management, but also on adjacent environmental areas. We pay particular attention to the governance effects on reaching international binding climate and biodiversity objectives, for which fertilization and agriculture play a major role.

Results

The analysis builds on two economic instruments that ensure compliance with the climate target of the Paris Agreement and the Aichi targets of the Biodiversity Convention: a cap-and-trade scheme for fossil fuels and a cap-and-trade scheme for livestock products. We state that both instruments simultaneously address a large part of P-related problems. Moreover, if the two emissions trading schemes are combined with a livestock-to-land ratio at farm level, only little need for regulatory supplementation relating to P remains. The latter includes in particular a threshold value for contaminants in P-containing fertilizers. Furthermore, we discuss an almost complete phasing-out of fertilizers containing rock phosphate by means of a further certificate trading scheme.

Conclusions

The article shows that a wide variety of problems can be tackled with a few overarching instruments. This is true even for very specific and diverse problems such as those related to P use in agriculture.
Varicella zoster virus anterior uveitis complicated by thalamic stroke
Authors: Anthony Casey L. , Costarides Anastasios P. , Yeh Steven , Shantha Jessica G.
Published: May 2021

We report a case of varicella zoster virus (VZV)-associated anterior uveitis in a patient with weight loss, arthritis and signs of inflammatory bowel disease. Her clinical course included the development of a thalamic stroke secondary to VZV cerebral vasculopathy. Following antiviral therapy, the patient’s neurologic symptoms recovered and her ophthalmic findings improved.
Root Digger: a root placement program for phylogenetic trees
Authors: Bettisworth Ben , Stamatakis Alexandros
Published: May 2021

Background

In phylogenetic analysis, it is common to infer unrooted trees. However, knowing the root location is desirable for downstream analyses and interpretation. There exist several methods to recover a root, such as molecular clock analysis (including midpoint rooting) or rooting the tree using an outgroup. Non-reversible Markov models can also be used to compute the likelihood of a potential root position.

Results

We present a software called which uses a non-reversible Markov model to compute the most likely root location on a given tree and to infer a confidence value for each possible root placement. We find that is successful at finding roots when compared to similar tools such as IQ-TREE and MAD, and will occasionally outperform them. Additionally, we find that the exhaustive mode of is useful in quantifying and explaining uncertainty in rooting positions.

Conclusions

can be used on an existing phylogeny to find a root, or to asses the uncertainty of the root placement. is available under the MIT licence at https://www.github.com/computations/root_digger.
The Coronavirus Network Explorer: mining a large-scale knowledge graph for effects of SARS-CoV-2 on host cell function
Authors: Krämer Andreas , Billaud Jean-Noël , Tugendreich Stuart , Shiffman Dan , Jones Martin , Green Jeff
Published: May 2021

Background

Leveraging previously identified viral interactions with human host proteins, we apply a machine learning-based approach to connect SARS-CoV-2 viral proteins to relevant host biological functions, diseases, and pathways in a large-scale knowledge graph derived from the biomedical literature. Our goal is to explore how SARS-CoV-2 could interfere with various host cell functions, and to identify drug targets amongst the host genes that could potentially be modulated against COVID-19 by repurposing existing drugs. The machine learning model employed here involves gene embeddings that leverage causal gene expression signatures curated from literature. In contrast to other network-based approaches for drug repurposing, our approach explicitly takes the direction of effects into account, distinguishing between activation and inhibition.

Results

We have constructed 70 networks connecting SARS-CoV-2 viral proteins to various biological functions, diseases, and pathways reflecting viral biology, clinical observations, and co-morbidities in the context of COVID-19. Results are presented in the form of interactive network visualizations through a web interface, the Coronavirus Network Explorer (CNE), that allows exploration of underlying experimental evidence. We find that existing drugs targeting genes in those networks are strongly enriched in the set of drugs that are already in clinical trials against COVID-19.

Conclusions

The approach presented here can identify biologically plausible hypotheses for COVID-19 pathogenesis, explicitly connected to the immunological, virological and pathological observations seen in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients. The discovery of repurposable drugs is driven by prior knowledge of relevant functional endpoints that reflect known viral biology or clinical observations, therefore suggesting potential mechanisms of action. We believe that the CNE offers relevant insights that go beyond more conventional network approaches, and can be a valuable tool for drug repurposing. The CNE is available at https://digitalinsights.qiagen.com/coronavirus-network-explorer.