bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Posterior Subdiaphragmatic Vagotomy Downmodulates the IgA Levels in the Small Intestine of BALB/c Mice
Authors: Pérez-López José Alfredo , Rojas-Hernández Saúl , Campos-Rodríguez Rafael , Arciniega-Martínez Ivonne Maciel , Cruz-Hernández Teresita Rocío , Reséndiz-Albor Aldo Arturo , Drago-Serrano Maria Elisa
Published: January 2020

Objective: The posterior vagus nerve trunk innervates the entire small intestine, and elucidating its modulatory role in the IgA response was the aim of this study. Methods: Two groups of six male BALB/c mice underwent sham or posterior subdiaphragmatic vagotomy and were euthanized on the 14th postoperative day; then, the small intestines were dissected. The intestinal fluid was harvested for antibody analysis by ELISA, and cell suspensions from Peyer’s patches and lamina propria were prepared for cytofluorometric analysis of plasma cells and T lymphocytes. The CD4+ T cells were labeled for the intracellular IgA-producing interleukins (ILs)-4, -5, -6, and -10; transforming growth factor (TGF)-β; and the inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interferon (IFN)-γ, and IL-12. In the intestinal tissue samples, myeloperoxidase (MPO) visualization and the enzymatic activity were assessed by immunohistochemistry and ELISA, respectively. The data were analyzed by Student’s t test, and the differences were considered significant at p < 0.05. Results: In the vagotomy group, the IgA levels and the CD4+ T cells labeled with mediators that promote IgA secretion, including IL-4 (only at lamina propria), TNF-α, and IFN-γ, were decreased, whereas the lamina propria IgA+ plasma cells and MPO presence/activity were increased; changes in the IgM levels, IgM+ plasma cells, and CD4+ T cells labeled with TGF-β, which have a role in class switch recombination, were not observed. Conclusion: The downmodulating impact of vagotomy on IgA levels may result from defective IgA secretion without affecting class switch recombination, whereas vagotomy evoked a proinflammatory response regarding MPO. These findings may reflect the role of the vagus nerve on the control of the IgA response in the small intestine.
Intravoxel Incoherent Motion of Colon Cancer Liver Metastases for the Assessment of Response to Antiangiogenic Treatment: Results from a Pilot Study
Authors: Öz Ayşegül , Server Sadık , Koyuncu Sökmen Bedriye , Namal Esat , İnan Nagihan , Balcı Numan Cem
Published: January 2020

Objective: This study was aimed at evaluating the intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) parameter alterations of liver metastases of colorectal carcinoma (CRC) during antiangiogenic bevacizumab combination therapy. Methods: Twenty-five patients with CRC liver metastases treated with bevacizumab in combination with FOLFOX-or-FOLFIRI protocols were enrolled in the study. MRI was performed using a 1.5-tesla scanner pre-treatment (PT) and at 3, 6, and 9 months of therapy. Routine abdominal MRI sequences and an IVIM-DWI (diffusion-weighted imaging) sequence were obtained. The IVIM-DWI sequence was executed with 16 b-values varying from 0 to 1,400 s/mm2. The mean values of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), true diffusion (D), pseudodiffusion (D*), and perfusion fraction (f) of each metastasis were obtained for all b-values, and the time-related changes were recorded to analyze the chronologic responses to antiangiogenic therapy. The RECIST 1.1 criteria were used for the evaluation of treatment response. Results: The diameters of the metastases diminished significantly at 9 months when compared with PT (p = 0.03). The D (p = 0.10) and ADC (p = 0.21) values of the metastases increased at 9 months of therapy. D* was the highest at 3 months (p =0.24); it decreased at 6 (p =0.97) and 9 months (p =0.87) of therapy. The f value had peaked at 3 months (p =0.51) and started to decrease thereafter. At 6 months, f decreased to the lowest values (p =0.12). Conclusion: IVIM parameters, particularly the perfusion fraction, may quantitatively reflect the response to antiangiogenic treatment. The antiangiogenic response manifests after 3 months of therapy before the RECIST-related response.
“Inauguração de uma galeria de arte” e “A Gioconda de Astracã”, de Velímir Khlébnikov
Authors: Zwick Ludmila Menezes
Published: January 2020

Os textos Inauguração de uma galeria de arte e A Gioconda de Astracã foram publicados por Velímir Khlébnikov no jornal político-militar de sua cidade natal, O soldado vermelho, entre setembro e dezembro de 1918, durante uma estadia do poeta na casa dos pais, de agosto de 1918 a janeiro de 1919. Na ocasião, ele publicou quatro textos curtos, dentre os quais os dois ora traduzidos.
A literatura russa da emigração
Authors: Cavaliere Arlete
Published: January 2020

A vida e a obra de Ivan Búnin encarnam um dos dilemas essenciais da emigração russa: a obstinação em salvaguardar a herança e a unidade cultural russas, aliada, porém, a um processo contínuo e irreversível de integração progressiva e dinâmica em outro contexto artístico e cultural. Uma análise detida de textos narrativos de Búnin nos encaminha, para além dos cânones da “grande” literatura russa do século XIX, a uma textualidade aberta a experimentações da modernidade, sempre a preservar uma espécie de russidade essencial.
Consumo, aquisição e detenção para o consumo de drogas
Authors: França Júnior Francisco De Assis de
Published: January 2020

O presente artigo tem como objetivo principal analisar critica e comparativamente a política pública de drogas adotada tanto no Brasil quanto em Portugal. Com a adoção do método da revisão bibliográfica, construímos a hipótese de que o respeito aos valores democráticos só nos será possível em território brasileiro quando a política pública em matéria criminal atualmente em curso sofrer profundas modificações, tomando-se como base o modelo português. Por fim, concluímos que, embora não seja perfeito, o modelo adotado em Portugal é o que mais se aproxima de um substancial Estado Democrático de Direito.
Arqueologia das práticas alimentares de uma vizinhança no Rio de Janeiro, século XIX
Authors: Lima Tania Andrade , Locks Martha
Published: January 2020

Com vistas à liberação de uma área para a construção civil no centro do Rio de Janeiro, foi feita uma intervenção arqueológica no seu subsolo, que recuperou os restos materiais de seis unidades habitacionais oitocentistas contíguas. Em meio a uma abundante tralha doméstica de pessoas comuns, fazendo coisas simples no seu dia a dia, foi resgatada uma expressiva quantidade de restos alimentares, em sua esmagadora maioria ossos de mamíferos e aves. Um estudo detalhado das marcas observadas nesses ossos identificou cortes padronizados que remetem às formas de aquisição de carne à época, e as ferramentas e utensílios utilizados para produzi-los; e também ao modo como eles foram processados e consumidos por essa vizinhança, aqui entendida como um conjunto de pessoas que moram em estreita proximidade. Uma análise comparada do que foi encontrado em cada uma das casas permitiu observar os hábitos de consumo desses grupos domésticos e as práticas alimentares que eles adotaram em suas rotinas diárias no Rio de Janeiro do século XIX.
Alimentação escolar no Brasil
Authors: Conceição Adriana Angelita da
Published: January 2020

A vida cotidiana das escolas públicas brasileiras é marcada pela diversidade social, cultural, política e econômica que constitui o Brasil. O sistema de Ensino Básico é formado por escolas quilombolas, indígenas, do campo e urbanas que são caracterizadas por especificidades que buscam ser mantidas diante dos desafios de políticas públicas educacionais comuns. No início do século XX, em meio aos projetos de formação da nação brasileira, dois grandes problemas precisavam ser enfrentados, a educação e a fome, e que estavam intrinsicamente relacionados à pobreza e à desnutrição, fazendo com que a constituição histórica do sistema público de Ensino Básico fosse acompanhada de um sentido assistencialista. Neste contexto, a alimentação escolar ocupou um complexo lugar dentro da cultura escolar brasileira. A partir desta breve introdução, apresentamos a alimentação escolar como o tema problematizador desta apresentação, que está integrada a uma pesquisa em andamento e intitulada História da alimentação escolar no Brasil (séculos XX-XXI): reflexões sobre políticas públicas educacionais, cultura alimentar e campo. De modo geral, essa pesquisa vem estudando a historicidade da alimentação escolar no contexto da estruturação e consolidação da Educação Básica no Brasil, considerando a alimentação como um ato marcado por aspectos que são econômicos, políticos, ambientais, culturais, sociais e também educacionais, sendo, portanto, um lugar de resistência cultural, como pontuou Jean-Pierre Poulain, na obra Sociologia da alimentação: os comedores e o espaço social alimentar (2002). No entanto, como a alimentação escolar no Brasil, ainda profundamente marcada por características assistencialistas e pouco vinculada à garantia de um direito, se apresenta nas atuais políticas públicas para a educação no Brasil? Destacaremos a trajetória do Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar (PNAE), problematizando questões que vão além da educação nutricional e consideram a educação alimentar na sua relação com a vida social e identitária das comunidades escolares. Identificamos, assim, que boa parte das políticas públicas para a alimentação escolar destaca e evidencia o que o sujeito vai comer, mas pouco considera o sujeito que come, desvinculando a complexa cadeia dos sujeitos que produzem, comercializam, preparam e consomem. Se, por um lado, as políticas educacionais proporcionam esses desajustes, por outro, também geram ressignificações e lutas. Por fim, a partir de um levantamento bibliográfico interdisciplinar, esta apresentação busca mostrar como a alimentação escolar, na consolidação da Educação Básica no Brasil, vem se construindo como um espaço de disputas econômicas e políticas, mas, sobretudo, como um território sociocultural de resistência.
Three-Dimensional Imaging Provides Detailed Atherosclerotic Plaque Morphology and Reveals Angiogenesis After Carotid Artery Ligation
Authors: Becher Tobias , Riascos-Bernal Dario F. , Kramer Daniel J. , Almonte Vanessa M. , Chi Jingy , Tong Tao , Oliveira-Paula Gustavo H. , Koleilat Issam , Chen Wei , Cohen Paul , Sibinga Nicholas E.S.
Published: January 2020

Rationale:

Remodeling of the vessel wall and the formation of vascular networks are dynamic processes that occur during mammalian embryonic development and in adulthood. Plaque development and excessive neointima formation are hallmarks of atherosclerosis and vascular injury. As our understanding of these complex processes evolves, there is a need to develop new imaging techniques to study underlying mechanisms.

Objective:

We used tissue clearing and light-sheet microscopy for 3-dimensional (3D) profiling of the vascular response to carotid artery ligation and induction of atherosclerosis in mouse models.

Methods and Results:

Adipo-Clear and immunolabeling in combination with light-sheet microscopy were applied to image carotid arteries and brachiocephalic arteries, allowing for 3D reconstruction of vessel architecture. Entire 3D neointima formations with different geometries were observed within the carotid artery and scored by volumetric analysis. Additionally, we identified a CD31-positive adventitial plexus after ligation of the carotid artery that evolved and matured over time. We also used this method to characterize plaque extent and composition in the brachiocephalic arteries of ApoE-deficient mice on high-fat diet. The plaques exhibited inter-animal differences in terms of plaque volume, geometry, and ratio of acellular core to plaque volume. A 3D reconstruction of the endothelium overlying the plaque was also generated.

Conclusions:

We present a novel approach to characterize vascular remodeling in adult mice using Adipo-Clear in combination with light-sheet microscopy. Our method reconstructs 3D neointima formation after arterial injury and allows for volumetric analysis of remodeling, in addition to revealing angiogenesis and maturation of a plexus surrounding the carotid artery. This method generates complete 3D reconstructions of atherosclerotic plaques and uncovers their volume, geometry, acellular component, surface, and spatial position within the brachiocephalic arteries. Our approach may be used in a number of mouse models of cardiovascular disease to assess vessel geometry and volume.

Visual Overview:

An online visual overview is available for this article.
Is Rosa × archipelagica (Rosaceae, Rosoideae) really a spontaneous intersectional hybrid between R. rugosa and R. maximowicziana? Molecular data confirmation and evidence of paternal leakage

Authors: SCHANZER IVAN A. , FEDOROVA ALINA V. , GALKINA MARIA A. , CHUBAR ELENA A. , RODIONOV ALEXANDER V. , KOTSERUBA VIOLETTA V.
Published: January 2020

Rosa × archipelagica is a spontaneous hybrid between Rosa rugosa and R. maximowicziana distributed, together with its parental taxa, on the coast of a small Stenina Island in the Peter the Great Gulf, the Sea of Japan (Russian Far East). Its hybrid origin is confirmed by direct electropherogram comparisons of PCR products and maximum likelihood analyses of nuclear ITS 1–2 and plastid intergenic spacers trnH–psbA and ndhC–trnV. The plastome markers indicate R. maximowicziana as the maternal genome donor of Rosa × archipelagica, however, one specimen shows also signs of heteroplasmy. This is the first evidence of possible biparental inheritance of plastids in rose hybrids. The results do not show whether the hybrid plants all belong to F1 or further generations of hybrids.
The genus-group names of Mutillidae (Hymenoptera) and their type species, with a new genus, new name, new synonymies, new combinations and lectotypifications
Authors: LELEJ ARKADY S. , BROTHERS DENIS J.
Published: January 2020

Information is provided for 346 genus-group names used in Mutillidae, including 53 unavailable names: eight nomina nuda, seven lapsus calami, 36 incorrect subsequent spellings and two not considered valid when proposed. Of the 293 available names, 238 are currently considered valid: 208 of these are generic and 30 are subgeneric, 161 are known from both sexes, 40 from males only and 30 from females only (for the other seven one sex is uncertainly associated); of the 55 invalid names, 12 are objectively invalid (eight junior homonyms, four junior objective synonyms), 42 are junior subjective synonyms and one is a nomen dubium. Gender, type species and kind of fixation, taxonomic history and status, sex association, and distribution data are given for each available name. The following new nomenclatural acts are included: Wallacidia Lelej & Brothers gen. nov. (type species Mutilla oculata Fabricius, 1804) is proposed for Radoszkowskius sensu Lelej, 1996, 2005; Mutilla triguttata Lelej & Brothers nom. nov. is proposed for Mutilla africana André, 1895 (not Gistel, 1848); Peringueyella Nonveiller & Ć etković, 1995 and Peringeyotilla Nonveiller & Ć etković, 1997 are synonymized with Acanthomutilla Nonveiller, 1995 syn. nov. which is raised to generic status; Paralletilla Pagliano, 2005 is synonymized with Ronisia Costa, 1858 syn. nov.; Mutilla lobicornis André, 1907 is synonymized with Mutilla argenteopicta Sichel & Radoszkowski, 1869 syn. nov.; Pristomutilla curtispinosa Bischoff, 1921 and Lophotilla makalanga Bischoff, 1920 are synonymized with Lophotilla comparanda Bischoff, 1920 syn. nov.; new combinations are proposed for Apteromutilla aethra (Péringuey, 1899), comb. nov. (from Mutilla), Ceratotilla feminaeformis (Bischoff, 1920), comb. nov. (from Myrmilla), Ceratotilla inalata (Bischoff, 1920), comb. nov. (from Myrmilla) and Trogaspidia cooki (André, 1895), comb. nov. (from Mutilla and Timulla). Lectotypes are designated and illustrated for Ischioceras rugosa Provancher, 1882 (female) and illustrated for Mutilla simplicifascia Sichel & Radoszkowski, 1869 (female).
Measuring Low-Altitude Winds with a Hot-Air Balloon and Their Validation with Cabauw Tower Observations
Authors: de Bruijn Evert I. F. , Bosveld Fred C. , de Haan Siebren , Heusinkveld Bert G.
Published: January 2020

A field experiment with a hot-air balloon was conducted in the vicinity of the meteorological observatory of Cabauw in The Netherlands. Recreational hot-air balloon flights contain useful wind information in the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL). On a yearly basis between 8000 and 9000 flights are taking place in The Netherlands, mainly during the morning and evening transition. An application (app) for smartphones has been developed to collect location data. We report about a feasibility study of a hot-air balloon experiment where we investigated the accuracy of the smartphone’s Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver using an accurate geodetic GNSS receiver as a reference. Further, we study the dynamic response of the hot-air balloon on variations in the wind by measuring the relative wind with a sonic anemometer, which is mounted below the gondola. The GNSS comparison reveals that smartphones equipped with a GNSS chip have in the horizontal plane an absolute position error standard deviation of 5 m, but their relative position error standard deviation is smaller. Therefore, the horizontal speeds, which are based on relative positions and a time step of 1 s, have standard deviations of σu = 0.8 m s−1 and συ = 0.6 m s−1. The standard deviation in altitude is 12 m. We have validated the hot-air balloon derived wind data with observations from the Cabauw tower and the results are encouraging. We have studied the dynamics of a hot-air balloon. An empirical value of the response length has been found which accounts for the balloon’s inertia after a changing wind, and which compared favorable with the theoretical derived value. We have found a small but systematic movement of the hot-air balloon relative to the surrounding air. The model for the balloon dynamics has been refined to account for this so-called inertial drift.
Probabilistic Heat Wave Forecast Based on a Large-Scale Circulation Pattern Using the TIGGE Data
Authors: Lee Hyun-Ju , Lee Woo-Seop , Chun Jong Ahn , Lee Hwa Woon
Published: January 2020

Forecasting extreme events is important for having more time to prepare and mitigate high-impact events because those are expected to become more frequent, intense, and persistent around the globe in the future under the warming atmosphere. This study evaluates the probabilistic predictability of the heat wave index (HWI) associated with large-scale circulation patterns for predicting heat waves over South Korea. The HWI, reflecting heat waves over South Korea, was defined as the vorticity difference at 200 hPa between the South China Sea and northeast Asia. The forecast of up to 15 days from five ensemble prediction systems and the multimodel ensemble has been used to predict the probabilistic HWI during the summers of 2011–15. The ensemble prediction systems consist of different five operational centers, and the forecast skill of the probability of heat waves occurrence was assessed using the Brier skill score (BSS), relative operating characteristics (ROC), and reliability diagram. It was found that the multimodel ensemble is capable of better predicting the large-scale circulation patterns leading to heat waves over South Korea than any other single ensemble system through all forecast lead times. We concluded that the probabilistic forecast of the HWI has promise as a tool to take appropriate and timely actions to minimize the loss of lives and properties from imminent heat waves.
Pre-election violence and territorial control: Political dominance and subnational election violence in polarized African electoral systems
Authors: Wahman Michael , Goldring Edward
Published: January 2020

Cross-national research on African electoral politics has argued that competition increases the prospects for pre-election violence. However, there is a dearth of systematic research on the effect of political competition on pre-election violence at the subnational level. We theorize that in African democracies characterized by competition at the national level but low subnational competitiveness (polarization), violence is often a manifestation of turf war and a tool to maintain and disrupt political territorial control. Consequently, contrary to expectations derived from the cross-national literature, pre-election violence is more likely in uncompetitive than competitive constituencies. Locally dominant as well as locally weak parties have incentives to perpetrate violence in uncompetitive constituencies. For locally dominant parties, violence is a tool to shrink the democratic space in their strongholds and maintain territorial control. For locally weak parties, violence can disturb the dominance of the opponent and protect their presence in hostile territory. We hypothesize that pre-election violence will be particularly common in opposition strongholds. In such locations, ruling parties can leverage their superior repressive resources to defend their ability to campaign, while the opposition can use their local capacity to reinforce the politics of territoriality. We test our hypotheses with original constituency-level election violence data from the 2016 Zambian elections. Data come from expert surveys of domestic election observers and represent a novel way of measuring low-level variations in election violence. Our analysis shows patterns of pre-election violence consistent with our theory on pre-election violence as a territorial tool.
The coloniality of UNESCO’s heritage urban landscapes: Heritage process and transnational gentrification in Cuenca, Ecuador
Authors: Hayes Matthew
Published: January 2020

The article analyses heritage conservation and urban upgrading in Cuenca, Ecuador, in order to reflect on global inequality and rights to the city at the crossroads of transnational lifestyle mobilities and the globalisation of real estate markets. Processes of gentrification in Cuenca reproduce colonial social relations and marginalise the popular economic activities of informal vendors. Under the auspices of UNESCO World Heritage designation, the Inter-American Development Bank and successive municipal governments have sought to increase property values in the historic El Centro neighbourhood. Rather than relying on a local middle-class return to the city, heritage urban upgrading in Cuenca is dependent on higher-income global middle classes attracted to the city’s historic urbanism. The subsequent higher-income appropriation of urban improvements takes the form of dispossession of use and exchange values of lower-income groups, especially of informal vendors.
Giant Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor of the Head and Neck: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Chen Anju , Wang Tiantian , Xu Xianfa
Published: January 2020

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) is a malignant soft tissue sarcoma with high mortality, low morbidity, and poor prognosis. The MPNST occurs mostly in the limbs and torso, and rarely in the head and neck. However, MPNST is insensitive to radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and complete surgical resection with negative margin is the most important and effective strategy. We present a case of MPNST in the head and neck. The tumor invades the left temporal bone, petrous bone, and mastoid bone, and compression changes in the focal cerebellum and sigmoid sinus. The patient underwent the left temporal region tumor resection + surgical reconstruction with temporalis muscle flap and pectoralis major myocutaneous flap. Adjuvant radiotherapy (55 Gy) was given after surgery, and there were no local recurrence and distant metastasis after 31-month follow-up.
The dark side of helping behaviors: Partner support increases daily alcohol use in outpatients with a history of alcohol dependence
Authors: Calkins Frances C. , Brock Rebecca L.
Published: January 2020

The primary goal of the present study was to systematically investigate the role of intimate partner support in alcohol use and to examine whether partner support serves a maladaptive function among individuals with a history of alcohol dependence. This goal was pursued in a sample of low-income outpatients because of increased risk for chronic stress and alcohol use disorders among this population. We implemented a comprehensive, multi-method assessment of partner support and ecological momentary assessments of alcohol use over 14 consecutive days. Results demonstrate the potential “dark side” of helping behaviors that has been proposed in recent literature. Specifically, in a sample of low-income outpatients, we found that receiving more frequent and higher quality support from one’s partner put individuals meeting criteria for alcohol dependence at greater risk for consuming alcohol. Findings converge with research suggesting that helping behaviors might function to enable maladaptive coping mechanisms in the context of alcohol use disorders.
Creating a gap that can be filled: Constructing and territorializing the affordable housing submarket in Gauteng, South Africa
Authors: Butcher Siân
Published: January 2020

As the housing bubble burst in overheated property markets around the world, South Africa’s so-called ‘affordable housing market’ appeared to be bucking the trend. From 2010, affordable housing prices were rising and selling quickly, especially in Gauteng, Johannesburg’s city-region, chronically short of actually affordable housing and with a growing black middle class. Touted as ‘SA’s best-kept investment secret’, the affordable housing market offered a lifeline to the property industry and the potential to democratize segregated property markets. Yet, in practice, the tapping of South Africa’s lower-income housing market by capital has been a limited one, narrowly catering to particular subjects and spaces. Drawing on heterodox approaches to ‘actually existing markets’ and qualitative fieldwork conducted in Johannesburg between 2012 and 2013, this paper traces how the boundaries of the affordable housing and mortgage submarket are produced and shift through the investments of multiple communities with their own theories of housing markets and different interests in ‘making the market work’. Despite these investments and contestations, the submarket is narrowly territorialized within developer-driven housing largely in Gauteng for public-sector workers, to optimize the market within mortgage capital’s frameworks of risk, return, race and space. The South African mortgaged affordable housing submarket is not so much in need of market information or constitutive of a new frontier of global finance, as a territorial fix for domestic capital vis-à-vis development imperatives. To investigate struggles over this submarket, I draw together socio-institutional approaches to markets with critical political economy of housing markets and put them into conversation with critical development studies scholarship on markets. This combination allows us to make space for multiple projects of ‘improvement’ and profit in our analyses of market-making, as well as how these are shaped by, and shape, space and conjuncture. I seek to contribute to a growing literature on the geographies of markets from a Global South context where housing is framed as both a market good and constitutional right by examining a case of apparent ‘market failure’.
Why recruit temporary sponsored skilled migrants? A human capital theory analysis of employer motivations in Australia
Authors: Wright Chris F , Constantin Andreea
Published: January 2020

This article uses human capital theory to analyse employer motivations for recruiting skilled migrants on temporary sponsored visas, a group receiving limited attention within human resource management (HRM) scholarship despite being an increasingly important part of the workforce in many organisations and countries. We address this gap through a survey analysis of 1602 employer respondents who sponsored temporary skilled visa holders in Australia. The findings indicate that cost-effectiveness as a motivator for recruitment decisions can be achieved not only through HRM strategies to maximise worker productivity, as human capital theories emphasise, but also by identifying groups of workers perceived as harder working than other groups. The findings also draw attention to the role of government policy in this identification process, specifically visa regulations constraining the mobility of temporary sponsored skilled migrants, which allows employers to utilise these workers’ human capital effectively.

JEL Classification: J61, M12, M51, O15
Sequential Prediction for Large-Scale Traffic Incident Duration: Application and Comparison of Survival Models
Authors: Li Xiaobing , Liu Jun , Khattak Asad , Nambisan Shashi
Published: January 2020

A quick and accurate traffic incident duration prediction could greatly facilitate traffic incident management. However, at the very early stage of an incident, limited information is available for prediction. Information gathering for large-scale traffic incidents is a chronological process when a multi-agency response is required. At the early stage, information such as incident start time and roadway and weather conditions may be available, but information about response agencies and incident management solutions (e.g., lane closures) remains unknown. The objective of this study is to develop a sequential prediction method to handle the chronological process of incident information gathering. The method is based upon parametric survival modeling, which is often utilized to predict incident duration. This study took advantage of a unique incident database and identified over 600 large-scale incidents in the East Tennessee area from 2015 to 2016. A five-stage prediction method is proposed according to the chronological process by which information becomes available during incident operations. Using the data, this study compared three survival models: frailty model, multilevel mixed-effects model, and finite mixture model. Generally, with more information becoming available for modeling from the first to the last stage, the models’ performance improved according to the root mean square error and mean absolute percent error. The finite mixture model outperforms the other two models and its mean absolute percentage error is between 10% and 15%. Incident-associated factors at each stage are discussed and implications based on the study outcomes are also covered in the paper.
Prior Surgery Negatively Affects Cell Culture Identity in Patients Undergoing Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation
Authors: Ackermann Jakob , Mestriner Alexandre Barbieri , VanArsdale Courtney , Gomoll Andreas H.
Published: January 2020

Background:

Recently, a cell identity assay has been introduced to evaluate the identity of cultured chondrocytes before autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI), which was shown to be associated with graft survival after ACI.

Purpose:

To identify the influence of several patient- and lesion-specific factors on cell identity and viability assays.

Study Design:

Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

A total of 187 patients with second-generation ACI were included in this study. Patient and lesion characteristics, cell viability, cell identity, and biopsy specimen weight were recorded for each patient. A binomial logistic regression model was utilized to determine patient-specific predictive factors for cell product quality.

Results:

The implanted ACI cell products showed a cell viability of 93% ± 2.4% (mean ± SD; range, 84-98) with an identity score of 5.8 ± 2.1 (range, –0.08 to 9.46). Patients with multiple previous surgical procedures on the index knee had significantly lower cell identity scores when compared with patients without previous surgery (odds ratio = 0.31; 95% CI, 0.16-0.59; P < .001). Patients without surgical history had significantly higher cell identity scores than patients with 1 and ≥2 previous surgical procedures on the index knee (6.32 vs 5.32 vs 5.05; P = .006 and P < .001, respectively). Cell viability was not predicted by any preoperative variable ( P > .05). Cell identity and viability were not associated with each other or with biopsy specimen weight ( P > .05).

Conclusion:

Cartilage biopsy specimens from patients with ≥1 previous surgical procedures resulted in implants with lower cell identity scores when compared with patients without previous operations. None of the other patient- or lesion-specific factors were correlated, specifically biopsy specimen weight.
Wnt pathway: A mechanism worth considering in endocrine disrupting chemical action
Authors: Üstündağ Ünsal Veli , Emekli-Alturfan Ebru
Published: January 2020

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are defined as exogenous substances that can alter the development and functioning of the endocrine system. The Wnt signaling pathway is an evolutionarily conserved pathway consisting of proteins that transmit cell-to-cell receptors through cell surface receptors, regulating important aspects of cell migration, polarity, neural formation, and organogenesis, which determines the fate of the cell during embryonic development. Although the effects of EDCs have been studied in terms of many molecular mechanisms; because of its critical role in embryogenesis, the Wnt pathway is of special interest in EDC exposure. This review provides information about the effects of EDC exposure on the Wnt/β-catenin pathway focusing on studies on bisphenol A, di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, diethylstilbestrol, cadmium, and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin.
Mother–Infant Interaction During Postpartum Depression: A Metaphor Analysis
Authors: Beck Cheryl T.
Published: January 2020

Background

Reported in quantitative studies is the negative impact that postpartum depression can have on mother–infant bonding. Metaphors can enhance mothers’ communication with their health-care providers that cannot be captured by medical terminology and provide mothers a different voice to explain their experiences interacting with their infants.

Purpose

The aim of the study was to identify the metaphorical expressions used by women to describe their interactions with their infants during postpartum depression.

Methods

Secondary qualitative data analysis of three primary qualitative data sets of postpartum depression was conducted. The specific type of secondary qualitative analysis used was cross validation where multiple data sets from different studies are compared to expand the results of each individual study to make a more general claim. Data analysis involved using the Metaphor Identification Procedure.

Results

Identified were eight metaphors used by mothers to describe their interactions with their infants during their postpartum depression: a thief, a robot, enveloping fogginess, being at the races, an actor, an erupting volcano, skin crawling, and a wall.

Conclusions

Being attentive to metaphors mothers use can provide a unique approach to helping nurses identify vulnerable mother–infant dyads during postpartum depression.
Cannabis Enthusiasts’ Knowledge of Medical Treatment Effectiveness and Increased Risks From Cannabis Use
Authors: Kruger Daniel J. , Kruger Jessica S. , Collins R. Lorraine
Published: January 2020

Purpose:

To compare cannabis enthusiasts’ knowledge about cannabis risks and effectiveness in treating medical conditions with existing empirical evidence.

Design:

A brief survey assessed cannabis use, information sources, and knowledge about risks and effectiveness.

Setting:

A cannabis advocacy event in April 2019 in a state with legal medical and recreational cannabis.

Participants:

Demographically diverse adults (N = 472) who frequently used cannabis; 85% used cannabis for health or medical purposes.

Measures:

Participants reported the sources of their cannabis information, health conditions they thought cannabis was effective in treating (n = 10), and health risks increased by cannabis (n = 6). Conditions and risks were based on ratings of evidence (ie, from substantial to insufficient) for therapeutic effects and risks identified in a review by The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM, 2017).

Analyses:

Chi-square tests examined the correspondence between participants’ knowledge and NASEM conclusions.

Results:

Most participants’ (95% confidence interval [CI]: 74%-81%) knowledge of cannabis was from their own experiences; 18% (95% CI: 14%-21%) received information from primary care providers. On average, participants’ beliefs matched NASEM conclusions for half of effectiveness (95% CI: 50%-53%) and risk items (95% CI: 55%-57%). Many (95% CI: 38%-42%) thought that cannabis use did not increase any risk. Contrary to NASEM conclusions, many thought cannabis was effective in treating cancer (76%), depressive symptoms (72%), and epilepsy (68%). Those who received cannabis information from their primary care providers had better knowledge of medical effectiveness. Medicinal cannabis use frequency inversely predicted knowledge of medical effectiveness and increased risks of adverse events.

Conclusion:

There were considerable discrepancies between cannabis users’ knowledge and available evidence, highlighting the need for more research and education (by physicians, caregivers, and dispensaries) on effectiveness and health risks, especially for users with specific health issues such as pregnant women and people with depression.
Robotic orthoses for gait rehabilitation: An overview of mechanical design and control strategies
Authors: Jamwal Prashant K , Hussain Shahid , Ghayesh Mergen H
Published: January 2020

The application of robotic devices in providing physiotherapies to post-stroke patients and people suffering from incomplete spinal cord injuries is rapidly expanding. It is crucial to provide valid rehabilitation for people who are experiencing abnormality in their gait performance; therefore, design and development of newer robotic devices for the purpose of facilitating patients’ recovery is being actively researched. In order to advance the traditional gait treatment among patients, exoskeletons and orthoses were introduced over the last two decades. This article presents a thorough review of existing robotic gait rehabilitation devices. The latest advancements in the mechanical design, types of control and actuation are also covered. The study comprehends discussions on robotic rehabilitation devices developed both for the training on treadmill and over-ground training. The assist-as-needed strategy for the gait training is particularly emphasized while reviewing various control strategies applied to these robotic devices. This study further reviews experimental investigations and clinical assessments of different control strategies and mechanism designs of robotic gait rehabilitation devices using experimental and clinical trials.
‘It is not entirely healthy.’ A qualitative study into public appraisals of uncertain risks of chemical substances in food
Authors: Jansen Tom , Claassen Liesbeth , van Kamp Irene , Timmermans Daniëlle RM
Published: January 2020

For some chemical substances in food, scientific uncertainty prevents definitive statements about the presence of risk for human health. In this qualitative study, we explored the public’s understanding and risk appraisal of these substances. During semi-structured interviews, participants from the public were presented with inconclusive risk information about either a food additive or one of two food contaminants. Findings show that interviewees had no prior knowledge and constructed their risk appraisal on the spot. Results suggest that generic and case specific beliefs and inferences affect understanding and appraisal. Respondents’ interpretations of the risk messages used in this study were often not in line with what the message intended to convey. In addition, specific use of scientific jargon was associated with increased risk. In general, respondents were more apprehensive about the presence of the chemical in food than that they were worried about the chance of experiencing health effects.
Continuous Production and New Forms of Labour: A Case for Reclaiming Public Time
Authors: Chakravarty Surajit
Published: January 2020

This article makes two arguments. First, that advanced information and communication technologies (ICTs) have created multiple parallel flows of consumption that allow us to be productive continuously, in the sense of generating value for the economy. Second, the struggle over social time poses emergent challenges for planning and urban design. After introducing the relevant themes, this article explains how value is derived from labour and the process through which time is made economically productive. Next, it is posited that advanced ICTs, especially mobile devices and associated services, create possibilities for multiple flows of time, freeing consumption from territorial and temporal restrictions, and opening up new forms of labour. This discussion elicits some concerns for those interested in communities and urban space. The article concludes with suggestions for adopting a socio-spatial-temporal outlook to urban planning and design, including designing ‘polyrhythmic’ places and planning for public time.
Global Brand Building and Management in the Digital Age
Authors: Steenkamp Jan-Benedict E.M.
Published: January 2020

The rapid spread of the internet and internet-based technologies is reshaping how companies build and manage global brands. While specific platforms and technologies change rapidly, what does not change quickly are the underlying trends. This article identifies the implications of five core underlying digital trends for global brand building and management: (1) rise of digital global sales channels, (2) cocreation of global brand strategy, (3) global transparency of brand activities, (4) global connectivity among the brand’s consumers, and (5) the Internet of Things. For each trend, the author discusses key changes taking place in the marketplace and directions for future research.
Effect of high-frequency excitation on friction induced vibration caused by the combined action of velocity-weakening and mode-coupling
Authors: Sahoo Pradyumna K , Chatterjee Shyamal
Published: January 2020

The present article studies the effects of both tangential and normal high-frequency excitations on a two-degree-of-freedom moving-mass-on-belt which represents a minimal model incorporating both velocity-weakening instability (so-called Stribeck effect) and mode-coupling instability (so-called binary flutter). The method of direct partition of motion is employed for studying the characteristics of the system in slow time scale. Linear stability analysis is performed near the equilibrium point of the system for both with and without sinusoidal high-frequency excitation. It is observed that the instability can be suppressed by the tangential high-frequency excitation only for a specific range of strength of excitation. However, stability does not improve under normal high-frequency excitations, though amplitude of the self-excited oscillation can be controlled to some extent. Direct numerical simulations are carried out in MATLAB SIMULINK to validate the analytical predictions.
Efficacy and Safety of PRC-063, Extended-Release Multilayer Methylphenidate in Adults with ADHD Including 6-Month Open-Label Extension
Authors: Weiss Margaret D. , Childress Ann C. , Donnelly Graeme A.E.
Published: January 2020

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a 16-hr multilayer-release methylphenidate (PRC-063) in a community-based adult ADHD population. Method: In a double-blind study, 375 participants were randomized to one of four fixed doses of PRC-063 or placebo. The primary outcome was the ADHD-Rating Scale-5 (RS). The first 50% of double-blind completers were invited to participate in a 6-month dose-optimized open-label study to assess response and safety. Results: In total, 333 participants completed the double-blind trial; 184 entered the open-label study. PRC-063 produced greater symptom reduction in ADHD-RS-5 total score from baseline compared with placebo in the double-blind study (least-square [LS] mean = −4.7 [−7.7, −1.6], p = .003). The most frequent adverse events were headache, insomnia, and decreased appetite. No significant sleep quality impact was observed ( p = .123). Significant improvements in ADHD-RS-5 scores from baseline continued through the open-label study ( p < .0001), coincident with dose optimization. Conclusion: PRC-063 was well tolerated and significantly improved ADHD symptomatology in adults.
How Do Latinx Dual Credit Earners Describe Their Sense of Belonging in Engineering Programs?
Authors: Allen Taryn Ozuna , Thompson Melissa Laird , Collins Shalun
Published: January 2020

This study examined how 10 Latinx students perceived their sense of belonging in engineering programs. Drawing upon Strayhorn’s definition of sense of belonging, we sought to understand the experiences and individuals that facilitated Latinx students’ connections to their engineering programs and to the larger campus community at a 4-year university in Texas. The findings from this study indicate interactions with faculty members, academic advisors, and peers through student organizations facilitated a strong sense of belonging. However, the size and rigor of classes, distance to campus, outside responsibilities, and feeling like an outsider created challenges to students’ sense of belonging at the university. Recommendations for practice and future research are offered.
Effect of Self-Efficacy on Quality of Life in People With Mild Cognitive Impairment and Mild Dementia: The Mediating Roles of Depression and Anxiety
Authors: Tonga Johanne B. , Eilertsen Dag-Erik , Solem Ingrid K. Ledel , Arnevik Espen A. , Korsnes Maria S. , Ulstein Ingun D.
Published: January 2020

Objectives:

To examine the mediating effects of depression and anxiety in the relationship between self-efficacy and quality of life among people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild dementia.

Method:

A total of 196 patients diagnosed with MCI or dementia due to Alzheimer disease completed structured measures of self-efficacy, quality of life, and depressive and anxiety symptoms. We examined direct and mediated effects by fitting structural equation models to data.

Results:

Our analyses supported that the effects of self-efficacy on quality of life may be partially mediated by depression and anxiety. Both anxiety and depression had significant mediating effects, with depression showing a stronger effect.

Conclusion:

These results suggest that increased self-efficacy may have a positive effect on quality of life in people with MCI or dementia—partly by reducing depression and anxiety. These findings may have important practical implications for tailoring therapeutic interventions.
Abstinence from alcohol consumption and exercise capacity: A pre and post intervention cohort study
Authors: Raj Ashok S , Cobain Charlotte , Abbott Tom EF , Cron Nicholas
Published: January 2020

The benefits or harm associated with moderate levels of alcohol consumption on cardiorespiratory fitness are unclear. We hypothesised that in moderate drinkers, four weeks of abstinence could improve cardiorespiratory fitness. This was a single centre, prospective, pre and post intervention, experimental cohort study. Participants were recruited from healthy volunteers among hospital staff, who were non-smokers, over 25 years of age and regularly consumed ≥3 units of alcohol a day, ≥4 times a week for > 1 month. Cardiopulmonary exercise test was used to provide objective, quantifiable and reproducible data. In all, 30 participated, and data were analysed for 22 participants. Mean (SD) peak oxygen consumption and oxygen consumption at anaerobic threshold were similar before and after alcohol abstinence: 37.55 (10.89) and 39.66 (11.48) (P = 0.21) and 18.52 (5.43) and 16.82 (5.19) ml/kg/min (P = 0.1), respectively. It is concluded that this preliminary study did not establish a correlation between four weeks alcohol abstinence and cardiopulmonary fitness as measured by cardiopulmonary exercise test, among healthy volunteers self-reporting moderate alcohol consumption.