bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Multisite Study on Knowledge, Perceived Motivators, and Perceived Inhibitors to Precepting Nursing Students within the Clinical Environment in Ghana
Authors: Ebu Enyan Nancy Innocentia , Amoo Sarah Ama , Boso Christian Makafui , Doe Patience Fakornam , Slager Dianne
Published: January 2021

Background. Preceptorship constitutes an important component of the educational process of training nursing students. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge, perceived motivators, and perceived inhibitors to precepting nursing students at the clinical placement sites in the Cape Coast Metropolis of the Central Region of Ghana. Methods. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 442 nurses and midwives aged 27–56 years with at least three years of work experience. Data were collected with a questionnaire and analyzed using frequency counts, percentages, exploratory factor analysis, and point biserial correlation. Results. The results indicate that the participants had a high knowledge of preceptorship of up to 91.2% (n = 404). A significant proportion of up to 88.2% (n = 390) had an intention to precept nursing students in the near future. The three important perceived motivational factors to precepting nursing students were the learning and professional needs of students, helping students to develop skills, and experience and formal recognition of the role of preceptorship. The main perceived inhibitors to engage in a preceptorship role were lack of preparation for the role, lack of support from faculty and nurse managers, and additional work burden. The results further indicate a significant strong positive correlation between experience and professional recognition of preceptorship and the intention to precept nursing students in the near future (r = 0.99,

p
=
0.037

). Conclusions. The nurses and midwives who participated in the study are knowledgeable about preceptorship and have the intention to precept nursing students. Having enough experience on the job and being formally recognized as a preceptor may motivate these professionals to precept nursing students. However, there are critical perceived barriers that need to be addressed, to enable more nurses and midwives with the desire to precept students to engage in the preceptorship role.
Hypertrophic Osteoarthropathy: A Secondary Manifestation of Malignant Melanoma
Authors: Malaty Shiva , Gupta Aditya
Published: January 2021

Background. Hypertrophic osteoarthropathy (HOA) is a rare finding in the setting of metastatic melanoma. A majority of cases of secondary HOA involve lung malignancies. Evaluation of presenting symptoms such as polyarthralgia and clubbing followed by review of imaging studies are diagnostic steps for HOA. Case Presentation. We present a 60-year-old female with a history of metastatic melanoma who presented with bilateral and symmetric polyarthralgia and clubbing. A plain film radiograph demonstrated periosteal thickening involving the metacarpals and proximal phalanges as well as the distal radius and ulna, consistent with HOA. The patient was treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents for supported care. Conclusion. HOA may be a secondary manifestation of metastatic melanoma. Recognition and supportive care of this condition may lead to improved quality of life for patients.
Compactness on Soft Topological Ordered Spaces and Its Application on the Information System
Authors: Al-shami T. M.
Published: January 2021

It is well known every soft topological space induced from soft information system is soft compact. In this study, we integrate between soft compactness and partially ordered set to introduce new types of soft compactness on the finite spaces and investigate their application on the information system. First, we initiate a notion of monotonic soft sets and establish its main properties. Second, we introduce the concepts of monotonic soft compact and ordered soft compact spaces and show the relationships between them with the help of examples. We give a complete description for each one of them by making use of the finite intersection property. Also, we study some properties associated with some soft ordered spaces and finite product spaces. Furthermore, we investigate the conditions under which these concepts are preserved between the soft topological ordered space and its parametric topological ordered spaces. In the end, we provide an algorithm for expecting the missing values of objects on the information system depending on the concept of ordered soft compact spaces.
A New Approach to Concavity Fuzzification
Authors: Alshammari Ibtesam , Alghamdi Azza M. , Ghareeb A.
Published: January 2021

In this paper, we introduce a more general approach to the fuzzification of fuzzy concavity. More specifically, the degree of

L
,
M

-fuzzy concavity is introduced and characterized as a generalization of

L

-concave structure and

L
,
M

-fuzzy concave structure. Based on that, the degree of

L
,
M

-fuzzy concavity preserving and

L
,
M

-fuzzy concave-to-concave of a function are defined. Some properties and relationships between the degree of

L
,
M

-fuzzy concavity preserving and

L
,
M

-fuzzy concave-to-concave functions are discussed.
Botanical from Piper capense Fruit Can Help to Combat the Melanoma as Demonstrated by In Vitro and In Vivo Studies
Authors: Wamba Brice E. N. , Ghosh Paramita , Mbaveng Armelle T. , Bhattacharya Sayantan , Debarpan Mitra , Depanwita Saha , Saunak Mustafi Mitra , Kuete Victor , Murmu Nabendu
Published: January 2021

Piper capense belongs to Piperaceae family and has long been used as a traditional medicine to treat various diseases in several parts of Africa. The present study aims to investigate the effect of Piper capense fruit extract (PCFE) alone and in combination with dacarbazine on metastatic melanoma cell line B16-F10 and in vivo in C57BL/6J mice. Cytotoxic effects of PCFE alone and in association with dacarbazine on B16-F10 cells were studied by 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and colony formation assay. Wound healing assay, immunofluorescence staining, and western blot analysis were performed to evaluate the individual and combined effect of PCFE and dacarbazine on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). For in vivo studies, C57BL/6J mice were subcutaneously injected with B16-F10 cells (5 × 105 cells/mL), and the effect of PCFE and dacarbazine was studied on tumor development. The alteration of EMT was evaluated by targeting E-cadherin, vimentin, and CD133 in PCFE alone and in combination with dacarbazine-treated tumor tissues by western blot analysis. Phytochemical screening of PCFE reveals the presence of certain secondary metabolites. Our results showed that PCFE alone and in association with dacarbazine has a good activity in preventing B16-F10 melanoma cell progression and clonogenicity. This extract also regulated EMT. In vivo results showed that PCFE (100 mg/kg body weight) reduced tumor size in C57BL/6J mice along with the decrease in the expression of vasculogenic mimicry (VM) tubes as well as an improvement in the qualitative and quantitative expression of markers involved in EMT. Our study suggests that PCFE may be useful for managing the growth and metastasis of melanoma.
Efficacy and Safety of Fire Needle Therapy for Flat Warts: Evidence from 29 Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Zhang Ying , Jiang Jing-Si , Kuai Le , Luo Yue , Chen Jia-Le , Wang Yan-Jiao , Xu Rong , Xing Meng , Liu Liu , Li Xin , Li Bin
Published: January 2021

Flat warts are a common and recurrent skin disease that has no specific antiviral treatment. As an alternative or complementary therapy, fire needle therapy has been widely used in the treatment of flat warts. The objective of this study was to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of fire needle therapy for flat warts. Using the search terms “flat warts” and “fire needle,” we searched the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, Chinese biomedical (SinoMed) database, and the China Science and Technology Journal databases for studies until March 12, 2020. Randomized controlled trials comparing fire needle therapies with conventional therapies were also included. We calculated the risk ratios (RR) and mean differences with a 95% confidence interval (CI). We analyzed 29 trials involving 2,666 patients. Results showed that the use of fire needle therapy alone may have a higher efficacy rate compared with that of an immunomodulator (RR = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.03 to 1.20, I2 = 0%,

P

 = 0.006; RR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.03 to 1.37, I2 = 70%,

P

 = 0.02, respectively) or tretinoin (RR = 1.39, 95% CI: 1.25 to 1.55, I2 = 0%,

P

 < 0.00001), with a lower risk of blisters (

P

 = 0.03) or erythema (

P

 = 0.04), but with a higher risk of pigmentation (

P

 = 0.02). We also determined the efficacy rate of fire needle therapy in combination with traditional Chinese medicine (RR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.10 to 1.23, I2 = 21%,

P

 < 0.00001), immunomodulators (RR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.07 to 1.28, I2 = 33%,

P

 = 0.0005), imiquimod (RR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.04 to 1.42,

P

 = 0.02), or as multidrug therapies (RR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.07 to 1.24, I2 = 0%,

P

 = 0.0001) and found that the combination treatments could reduce recurrence rates (

P

 < 0.00001) and provided a lower risk of desquamation (

P

 = 0.006). In conclusion, fire needle therapy seems to be effective for flat warts, with a reduced incidence of adverse events, such as blisters, erythema, and desquamation, but may increase incidence of pigmentation.
Bilateral Congenital Humeroradial Synostostis Presenting with Bilateral Proximal Radius Fractures: A Case Report
Authors: Mahmoud Elsiddig E.
Published: January 2021

Congenital bilateral humeroradial synostosis (HRS) is a rare condition. It is generally divided into 2 categories. In the first group, which is mainly sporadic, additional upper limb hypoplasia typically coexists. In the second group, which is classically familial, HRS is commonly an isolated upper extremity anomaly. HRS can lead to variable degrees of functional disability. The clinical case reported here illustrates a possibly avoidable presentation of this uncommon condition. In this case report, we present a 6-week-old male who presented with bilateral radius fractures. Radiography revealed congenital HRS at both elbows. No other associated congenital abnormalities were detected, and there was no family history of similar conditions in any first-degree relatives. In cases of congenital HRS, movement at the elbow joint is not possible. Parents who are unaware of this information might try to straighten their infant’s elbows, which in turn may result in fractures of the proximal radius. Hence, early diagnosis and proper parental education could prevent fractures as a sequela of HRS.
Ulnar Nerve Compression in Guyon’s Canal by Ulnar Artery Cystic Adventitial Disease: A Case Report
Authors: Afonso João Ribeiro , Carvas João , Quesado Miguel , Vasconcelos João , Vidoedo José , Lopes Daniel Brás , Viamonte Clyde
Published: January 2021

Cystic adventitial disease is a condition where mucinous cyst(s) develop within the adventitia of blood vessels, especially arteries. The most affected vessel is the popliteal artery while the upper limb vasculature is seldom involved. To our knowledge, there are only 2 articles reporting this disease in the ulnar artery. We present a case of a 52-year-old female patient, a manual worker in a clothing factory, with a month history of increasing pain in her right wrist and gradual weakness that incapacitated her for work activities. She was finally treated surgically and an adventitial cyst of the ulnar artery compressing the ulnar nerve was diagnosed.
Cardiac Microvascular Endothelial Cells in Pressure Overload–Induced Heart Disease
Authors: Trenson Sander , Hermans Hadewich , Craps Sander , Pokreisz Peter , de Zeeuw Pauline , Van Wauwe Jore , Gillijns Hilde , Veltman Denise , Wei Fangfei , Caluwé Ellen , Gijsbers Rik , Baatsen Pieter , Staessen Jan A. , Ghesquiere Bart , Carmeliet Peter , Rega Filip , Meuris Bart , Meyns Bart , Oosterlinck Wouter , Duchenne Jürgen , Goetschalckx Kaatje , Voigt Jens-Uwe , Herregods Marie-Christine , Herijgers Paul , Luttun Aernout , Janssens Stefan
Published: January 2021

Background:

Chronic pressure overload predisposes to heart failure, but the pathogenic role of microvascular endothelial cells (MiVEC) remains unknown. We characterized transcriptional, metabolic, and functional adaptation of cardiac MiVEC to pressure overload in mice and patients with aortic stenosis (AS).

Methods:

In
Tie2-Gfp
mice subjected to transverse aortic constriction or sham surgery, we performed RNA sequencing of isolated cardiac
Gfp
+
-MiVEC and validated the signature in freshly isolated MiVEC from left ventricle outflow tract and right atrium of patients with AS. We next compared their angiogenic and metabolic profiles and finally correlated molecular and pathological signatures with clinical phenotypes of 42 patients with AS (50% women).

Results:

In mice, transverse aortic constriction induced progressive systolic dysfunction, fibrosis, and reduced microvascular density. After 10 weeks, 25 genes predominantly involved in matrix-regulation were >2-fold upregulated in isolated MiVEC. Increased transcript levels of
Cartilage Intermediate Layer Protein
(
Cilp
),
Thrombospondin-4
,
Adamtsl-2
, and
Collagen1a1
were confirmed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and recapitulated in left ventricle outflow tract-derived MiVEC of AS (
P
<0.05 versus right atrium-MiVEC). Fatty acid oxidation increased >2-fold in left ventricle outflow tract-MiVEC, proline content by 130% (median, IQR, 58%–474%;
P
=0.008) and procollagen secretion by 85% (mean [95% CI, 16%–154%];
P
<0.05 versus right atrium-MiVEC for all). The altered transcriptome in left ventricle outflow tract-MiVEC was associated with impaired 2-dimensional-vascular network formation and 3-dimensional-spheroid sprouting (
P
<0.05 versus right atrium-MiVEC), profibrotic ultrastructural changes, and impaired diastolic left ventricle function, capillary density and functional status, especially in female AS.

Conclusions:

Pressure overload induces major transcriptional and metabolic adaptations in cardiac MiVEC resulting in excess interstitial fibrosis and impaired angiogenesis. Molecular rewiring of MiVEC is worse in women, compromises functional status, and identifies novel targets for intervention.
Effect of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Positive Airway Pressure Therapy on Cardiac Remodeling as Assessed by Cardiac Biomarker and Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Nonobese and Obese Adults
Authors: Xu Liyue , Keenan Brendan T. , Maislin David , Gislason Thorarinn , Benediktsdóttir Bryndís , Gudmundsdóttir Sigrun , Gardarsdottir Marianna , Staley Bethany , Pack Frances M. , Guo Xiaofeng , Feng Yuan , Chahwala Jugal , Manaktala Pritika , Hussein Anila , Reddy-Koppula Maheshwara , Hashmath Zeba , Lee Jonathan , Townsend Raymond R. , Schwab Richard J. , Pack Allan I. , Kuna Samuel T. , Chirinos Julio A.
Published: January 2021

It is unknown whether obesity modifies the effect of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy on cardiac remodeling and NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide) levels. We compared NT-proBNP and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in adults without OSA (n=56) and nonobese (n=73; body mass index <30 kg/m
2
) and obese (n=136; body mass index ≥30 kg/m
2
) adults with OSA. We also investigated these traits in nonobese (n=45) and obese (n=78) participants with OSA adherent to 4 months of PAP treatment. At baseline, left ventricular mass to end-diastolic volume ratio, a measure of left ventricular concentricity, was greater in both nonobese and obese participants with OSA compared with those without OSA. Participants with OSA and obesity exhibited reduced phasic right atrial function. No significant differences in baseline NT-proBNP were observed across groups. The effect of PAP treatment on NT-proBNP and left atrial volume index was significantly modified by obesity. In nonobese participants, PAP therapy was associated with a decrease in NT-proBNP (
P
<0.0001) without a change in left atrial volume index, whereas in obese participants, PAP was associated with an increase in left atrial volume index (
P
=0.006) without a change in NT-proBNP. OSA was associated with left ventricular concentric remodeling independent of obesity and right atrial dysfunction in participants who were obese. PAP treatment was associated with reduced NT-proBNP in nonobese participants with OSA, but left atrial enlargement in obese participants with OSA, suggesting that PAP-induced reduction in BNP release (which is known to occur during obstructive apnea episodes) may lead to volume retention in obese participants with OSA.

Registration:

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT01578031.
Resting Heartbeat Complexity Predicts All‐Cause and Cardiorespiratory Mortality in Middle‐ to Older‐Aged Adults From the UK Biobank
Authors: Gao Lei , Gaba Arlen , Cui Longchang , Yang Hui‐Wen , Saxena Richa , Scheer Frank A. J. L. , Akeju Oluwaseun , Rutter Martin K. , Lo Men‐Tzung , Hu Kun , Li Peng
Published: January 2021

Background

Spontaneous heart rate fluctuations contain rich information related to health and illness in terms of physiological complexity, an accepted indicator of plasticity and adaptability. However, it is challenging to make inferences on complexity from shorter, more practical epochs of data. Distribution entropy (DistEn) is a recently introduced complexity measure that is designed specifically for shorter duration heartbeat recordings. We hypothesized that reduced DistEn predicted increased mortality in a large population cohort.

Method and Results

The prognostic value of DistEn was examined in 7631 middle‐older–aged UK Biobank participants who had 2‐minute resting ECGs conducted (mean age, 59.5 years; 60.4% women). During a median follow‐up period of 7.8 years, 451 (5.9%) participants died. In Cox proportional hazards models with adjustment for demographics, lifestyle factors, physical activity, cardiovascular risks, and comorbidities, for each 1‐SD decrease in DistEn, the risk increased by 36%, 56%, and 73% for all‐cause, cardiovascular, and respiratory disease–related mortality, respectively. These effect sizes were equivalent to the risk of death from being >5 years older, having been a former smoker, or having diabetes mellitus. Lower DistEn was most predictive of death in those <55 years with a prior myocardial infarction, representing an additional 56% risk for mortality compared with older participants without prior myocardial infarction. These observations remained after controlling for traditional mortality predictors, resting heart rate, and heart rate variability.

Conclusions

Resting heartbeat complexity from short, resting ECGs was independently associated with mortality in middle‐ to older‐aged adults. These risks appear most pronounced in middle‐aged participants with prior MI, and may uniquely contribute to mortality risk screening.
AI and Publishing
Authors: Bhaskar Michael
Published: January 2021

Artificial intelligence (AI) is widely seen as the most important technology of our time and has attracted a huge amount of interest regarding not only its technological capabilities but also its economic and ethical impact. It has, however, been less discussed with regard to the book world and publishing. AI is applicable to publishing at multiple levels, all of them significant. It could change the business-processing aspects of publishing; but, even more importantly, the latest advances in machine learning from the likes of Google and OpenAI demonstrate a powerful capacity to translate and even compose text. Publishing and publishing studies alike need to grapple with the implications of a world where machines as well as humans can produce the core product.
The Big Read Collaboration between Kingston University, the University of Wolverhampton, Edge Hill University, and the University of the West of Scotland, 2018–2019
Authors: Baverstock Alison , Steinitz Jackie , Shelar Tanuja , Squires Kelly , Karodia Nazira , Butler Rebecca , Smith Sara , Sopromadze Natia , Crowley Sara , Clark Alison , Hutchinson Maya , Holderness Rebecca , Carney Clare , Castle Jeanette , Jefferies Richard
Published: January 2021

This paper outlines the experience of four universities that collaborated on a pre-arrival shared reading project, the Big Read, in 2018/2019. They did so primarily to promote student engagement and retention and also to ease the transition into higher education, particularly for first-generation students, to promote staff connectedness, and to provide a USP (unique selling point) for their institution. The paper covers all the associated processes, from isolating the respective aims of the collaborators to the choosing and sharing of a single agreed title. In analysing the outcomes, recommendations are made for future cross-institutional projects of this kind.
The Discourses of Identity in Hellenistic Erythrai: Institutions, Rhetoric, Honour and Reciprocity
Authors: Liddel Peter
Published: January 2021

Recent research in the field of New Institutionalist analysis has developed the view that institutions are grounded not only upon authoritative rules but also upon accepted practices and narratives. In this paper I am interested in the ways in which honorific practices and accounts of identity set out in ancient Greek inscriptions contribute towards the persistence of polis institutions in the Hellenistic period. A diachronic survey of Erythraian inscriptions of the classical and Hellenistic periods gives an impression of the adaptation and proliferation of forms of discourse established in the classical period. It demonstrates the ongoing prominence of the rhetoric of identity in conversations that went on not only between peer polities and within real or imagined kinship groups but also in negotiations between powerful and weak state entities and in inward-facing discourses on euergetism.
Non-refoulement Principle and Its Application to Refugees and Asylum Seekers Who Have Committed Offences in Africa
Authors: Mujuzi Jamil Ddamulira
Published: January 2021

The 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1969 African Union Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa have been ratified by many African States. These treaties deal with, inter alia, the principle of non-refoulement generally and the protection of asylum seekers or refugees convicted of offences. Some States in Eastern and Southern Africa have also enacted domestic legislation giving effect to these treaties and the principle of non-refoulement is provided for in most of these pieces of legislation, albeit sometimes in different ways. This article assesses legislation and case law from Eastern and Southern African States to demonstrate how courts have dealt with the principle of non-refoulement in the context of refugees and/or asylum seekers who have been convicted of offences. It also considers relevant legislation and case law prohibiting extradition if there are grounds to believe that the extradited person could be subjected to torture in a receiving State.
The Value of the Samaritan Versions for the Textual History of the Samaritan Pentateuch
Authors: Schorch Stefan
Published: January 2021

The Samaritan Aramaic Targum presents an extremely literal translation of SP, but the measure of literalness varies between different manuscripts. Further textual differences between these manuscripts can be related to different Hebrew Vorlagen, or to different interpretations of one and the same Hebrew Vorlage. It can thus be concluded that the Samaritan Targum tradition does not represent a single Aramaic translation of SP, but rather consists of several translations, based on different Hebrew Vorlagen. SAT and also the Samaritan Arabic translation are therefore important witnesses for the textual history of SP, relating to the written transmission of SP in the period before the 12th century CE, for which no Hebrew manuscripts are extant, and also to the Samaritan vocalization. This evidence demonstrates that the textual variety found in the Hebrew manuscripts of SP was already present in the transmission of SP between the 1st and the 11th century CE.
Nothobranchius elucens, a new species of seasonal killifish from the upper Nile drainage in Uganda (Cyprinodontiformes: Nothobranchiidae)
Authors: NAGY BÉLA
Published: January 2021

Nothobranchius elucens, new species, from a seasonal habitat in the Aringa system of the Achwa River in the upper Nile drainage in northern Uganda, is described. It belongs to the N. rubroreticulatus species group, whose members are characterised by male coloration of anal and caudal fins with slender light blue subdistal band and slender dark distal band. Nothobranchius elucens is distinguished from all other members of the genus by the following characters in males: body colouration golden-grey with brown scale margins creating irregular vertical stripes on trunk; anal fin yellow with brown spots proximally, with slender brown median band, followed by a slender light blue subdistal band and a slender black distal band; caudal fin brown proximally and medially, followed by a slender light blue subdistal band and a slender black distal band; dorsal fin golden with irregular brown stripes and narrow light blue subdistal band and with narrow black distal band. Furthermore, it differs from the closest known relative, N. taiti, also by the morphometric characters of having a smaller head length of 29.5–33.1 % SL; smaller prepectoral length of 31.2–33.9 % SL; greater head depth of 81–87 % HL; greater interorbital width of 43–49 % HL; and greater caudal peduncle length of 145–152 in % of its depth.
SpyCatcher-SpyTagged ApxIA Toxoid and the Immune-Modulating Yeast Ghost Shells
Authors: Lee Seonhyung , Han Beom-Ku , Kim Yang-Hoon , Ahn Ji-Young
Published: January 2021

Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniaesecretes the hemolytic cytotoxins ApxI, ApxII, ApxIII, and ApxIV, which cause pleurop- neumonia in swine. Of these, ApxI is the most toxic. ApxIA, a repeats-in-toxin toxin-like protein, has strong hemolytic and cytotoxic activities. This study aimed
to develop an immune modulator ApxIA toxoid, with a Spytag/Spycatcher pair (SC::ST pair), in yeast ghost shells (YGSs). These YGSs were utilized as ApxIA toxoid delivery platforms for -glucan components that can be recognized by the innate immune system. The SC::ST pair was used to conjugate
the ApxIA toxoid to YGSs. The YGS-SC::ST-ToxApxIA was successfully phagocytosed by RAW 264.7 macrophages cells, without any toxicity. Further investigation revealed that YGS-SC::ST-ToxApxIA led to defective immune responses, in addition to increased levels of cytokines IL-1β, TNF-α,
and IL-10. A membrane proteomic analysis, to determine preferential major histocompatibility complex binding of ApxIA-derived peptides, was performed and four ApxIA peptides were successfully identified by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry analysis. The identified peptides
may serve as poten- tial vaccine candidates in immunobiology studies of A. pleuropneumoniae. Our results indicate that YGS-SC::ST-ToxApxIA can prevent A. pleuropneumoniae pleuropneumonia (APP) by inducing both humoral and cellular immune responses.
In Vitro Evaluation of Capturing and Dissolving the Clot by Magnetic Nanoparticles Carrying a Thrombolytic Agents Instead of Temporary Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) Filter
Authors: Moghanizadeh Abbas , Ashrafizadeh Fakhrodin , Varshousaz Jaleh , Kharaziha Mahshid
Published: January 2021

This study aims to evaluate the efficiency of a novel in vitro technique in clot capturing and dissolving them by applying magnetic force on magnetic nanoparticles (MNP) carrying thrombolytic agents. It is a quick and simple method to protect patients from a life-threatening
pulmonary embolism in an emergency to provide time for the medical team. To analyze the in vitro efficiency of nano-magnetic capturing and dissolving of clots (NCDC), different levels of process parameter including strength magnetic field (0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 T) and fluid flow rate (2.5, 5 and
7 l/min) are exposed to different blood clots sizes from 5 × 10 to 20 × 10 mm2 (length × diameter), in an in vitro flow model. The results show that by increasing the parameters to their maximum values, it is possible to immobilize 100% of the clots and dissolve
around 61.4% of clots weight. In addition, the clot-dissolving is directly proportional to the magnetic field strength. NCDC is an efficient technique in immobilizing and dissolving the clots and its efficiency depends on process parameters especially the magnetic field.
Unlocking the Secrets of Terminalia Kernels Using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy
Authors: Bobasa Eshetu , Netzel Michael , Phan Anh Dao Thi , Smyth Heather , Sultanbawa Yasmina , Cozzolino Daniel
Published: January 2021

In recent years, the native food industry in Australia has increased in both value and volume due to the discovery of a wide range of phytochemicals (e.g., vitamin C, polyphenols) that have potential health benefits. Thus, plant organs and tissues of these native plants are used in a wide range of applications. In particular, the kernel of a native plum, the Kakadu plum ( Terminalia ferdinandiana, Combretaceae) is considered to be rich in lipids and other phytochemical compounds. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of NIR spectroscopy to analyze and characterize kernel samples and tissues of wild harvest fruit samples. The Fourier transform near-infrared reflectance spectra of cracked kernels, seeds cover tissues, and dry powder Kakadu plum kernels were acquired. Both principal component analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis were used to analyze and interpret the spectral data. A correct classification rate of 93%, 86%, and 80% was achieved for the identification of kernel provenance using all tissues, seed coats, and the whole nuts, respectively. The results of this study reported for the first time the analysis of Kakadu plum kernels and their tissues using NIR spectroscopy.
Impact of Imperfect Data on the Performance of Algorithms to Compare Near-Ultraviolet Circular Dichroism Spectra
Authors: Jones Christopher
Published: January 2021

There is growing interest in the use of algorithms to objectively compare near-UV spectra of protein biopharmaceuticals in a regulated environment. Such use will require that the methods be validated, with International Conference on the Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) Q2(R1) currently being the key document. A key aspect of such validation is to understand how robust the method is to experimental variation. Noise-free simulated spectra, obtained by fitting multiple Gaussian peaks to experimental data obtained from a pharmaceutical protein, were used to assess the robustness of several algorithms in response to spectral data “imperfections”. Sources and magnitudes of these imperfections were derived from published inter-laboratory studies. Spectral noise, wavelength calibration errors, intensity variation, and spectral offset errors were “titrated” into the noise-free simulated spectrum and imperfect data sets were compared with the simulated data using a variety of published algorithms, including Pearson, Prestrelski, and derivative correlation algorithms, and spectral overlap, spectral difference and weighted spectral difference methods, to understand how robust outputs are to imperfect data. Algorithm was assessed by comparing their sensitivity to imperfect data against the pairwise statistical variation between 20 replicate spectra.
Bayesian Hierarchical Multidimensional Item Response Modeling of Small Sample, Sparse Data for Personalized Developmental Surveillance
Authors: Gilholm Patricia , Mengersen Kerrie , Thompson Helen
Published: January 2021

Developmental surveillance tools are used to closely monitor the early development of infants and young children. This study provides a novel implementation of a multidimensional item response model, using Bayesian hierarchical priors, to construct developmental profiles for a small sample of children ( N = 115) with sparse data collected through an online developmental surveillance tool. The surveillance tool records 348 developmental milestones measured from birth to three years of age, within six functional domains: auditory, hands, movement, speech, tactile, and vision. The profiles were constructed in three steps: (1) the multidimensional item response model, embedded in the Bayesian hierarchical framework, was implemented in order to measure both the latent abilities of the children and attributes of the milestones, while retaining the correlation structure among the latent developmental domains; (2) subsequent hierarchical clustering of the multidimensional ability estimates enabled identification of subgroups of children; and (3) information from the posterior distributions of the item response model parameters and the results of the clustering were used to construct a personalized profile of development for each child. These individual profiles support early identification of, and personalized early interventions for, children with developmental delay.
Il voyeurismo e il desiderio dell’io: un’indagine del fenomeno voyeuristico in due testi di Italo Calvino
Authors: Belgradi Davide
Published: January 2021

L’articolo analizza il fenomeno voyeuristico in due testi di Italo Calvino tratti da Se una notte d’inverno un viaggiatore. L’analisi, preceduta da una necessaria introduzione al tema della visualità calviniana, propone una lettura dei testi in questione incentrata sulla relazione tra sguardo ed erotismo, di cui il voyeurismo si sostanzia. Tale indagine ha fatto emergere le correlazioni tra il voyeurismo e la formazione, in senso lacaniano, dell’io. Dei protagonisti-voyeur si sono riscontrati, in maniera differente, gli sviluppi delle dinamiche di pulsione e desiderio dell’io, e si è tentato di mostrare come in questi testi tali aspetti possano rappresentare la manifestazione di un preciso metodo conoscitivo: di un singolare modo di stare al mondo e di definire i confini dell’io nella relazione con gli altri.
An empirical study on artificial intelligence technology based on big data to assist enterprise management decision
Authors: Guo Jie , Wang Dong
Published: January 2021

With the continuous development of China's economy, the level of science and technology has been improved to a great extent. The advent of the era of Internet and cloud computing has brought a major change to China. However, with the advent of the era of big data, a bigger technological change is coming. The arrival of the era of big data has brought a certain impact on China's enterprise management and decision-making, and put forward higher requirements for China's enterprise management and decision-making. Therefore, enterprises need to constantly strive to improve themselves so as to better adapt to the era of big data. In order to keep pace with the development of The Times, major companies and enterprises need to constantly change their internal management methods in order to achieve sustainable and stable development in their own fields and make their management decisions smoother. Among them, optimization and reform of the application of big data are particularly important. Starting from the characteristics of big data and its role in enterprise management decisions, this paper analyzes the current situation of big data management within enterprises and discusses the influence of big data on enterprise management decisions from five aspects, namely, environment, data, participants, organization and technology. And this paper analyzes the construction method and design idea of enterprise decision support system based on artificial intelligence.
Dynamic relationship between meteorological data sharing capability and regional economic development
Authors: Shen Danna , Hu Yanghanchao , Li Dong
Published: January 2021

Based on the data from 31 provincial administrative regions in China from 2003 to 2018, this paper uses the panel VAR model to study the dynamic relationship between the meteorological data sharing capability and regional economic development. The research results show that the meteorological data sharing capability can make a significant difference in a small part of the regional economic development. Relatively speaking, regional economic development has a greater impact on the amount of meteorological data sharing. This study innovatively seeks and establishes data association between meteorological engineering field and regional economic field, and provides a new idea for meteorological data research from the perspective of external macro environment.
Impact performances of monoaxial knitted fabric composites
Authors: Karaoglu İlkkar , Alpyildiz Tuba
Published: January 2021

This study aims to investigate the impact performances of the monoaxial knitted fabric composites to evaluate the effect of straight yarns within the reinforcement knitted fabric. Monoaxial knitted fabric composites have enhanced in-plane properties and it is important to evaluate the effect of yarn insertion on the impact performances because knitted fabric composites are preferred due to their out-of-plane properties. Bending, impact and compression after impact (CAI) tests were performed on the composites reinforced with monoaxial rib knitted fabrics. The flexural properties, the peak force, the damage area and the energy absorption capabilities under drop weight impact loadings and the compression strength after impact of the composites were evaluated comparatively. The results indicated that the monoaxial rib knitted fabric reinforcement enhances the bending and CAI performances of the composites, but it causes detrimental effects on the impact performances of the composites. The use of yarn insertion for the enhancement of the composite performance necessitates considerate planning for an optimization between the in-plane and out-of-plane properties of the knitted fabric composites.
“How Do I Carry All This Now?” Understanding Consumer Resistance to Sustainability Interventions
Authors: Gonzalez-Arcos Claudia , Joubert Alison M. , Scaraboto Daiane , Guesalaga Rodrigo , Sandberg Jörgen
Published: January 2021

Given the increasingly grave environmental crisis, governments and organizations frequently initiate sustainability interventions to encourage sustainable behavior in individual consumers. However, prevalent behavioral approaches to sustainability interventions often have the unintended consequence of generating consumer resistance, undermining their effectiveness. With a practice–theoretical perspective, the authors investigate what generates consumer resistance and how it can be reduced, using consumer responses to a nationwide ban on plastic bags in Chile in 2019. The findings show that consumer resistance to sustainability interventions emerges not primarily because consumers are unwilling to change their individual behavior—as the existing literature commonly assumes—but because the individual behaviors being targeted are embedded in dynamic social practices. When sustainability interventions aim to change individual behaviors rather than social practices, they place excessive responsibility on consumers, unsettle their practice-related emotionality, and destabilize the multiple practices that interconnect to shape consumers’ lives, ultimately leading to resistance. The authors propose a theory of consumer resistance in social practice change that explains consumer resistance to sustainability interventions and ways of reducing it. They also offer recommendations for policy makers and social marketers in designing and managing sustainability initiatives that trigger less consumer resistance and thereby foster sustainable consumer behavior.
Early onset myasthenia gravis in a Malawian woman: Challenges in managing myasthenia gravis in a low-resource setting
Authors: Phiri T , Noah P , Borgstein E , Baker T , Mhemedi B , Finch P
Published: January 2021

Myasthenia gravis is a rare autoimmune disease, which presents with ocular or generalised symptoms. Few publications describe its prevalence in African populations. We describe a young woman who was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis in a Malawian public hospital and outline the challenges encountered in managing this condition in a low-resource setting.
Equitable Access, Locale, Funding, and the Alignment to Performance Ratings in Texas Gifted Programs
Authors: Hodges Jaret , Crutchfield Kacey , Lee Lindsay Ellis
Published: January 2021

Self-assessments utilizing designated, objective standards are critical in program evaluation. Although 2013–2014 Texas policy mandated districts self-assess their gifted programs using the community and student engagement performance rating system, little is known about how districts determined their self-assessment ratings. Following gifted program evaluation guidelines from the Texas State Plan for Gifted/Talented Students and the National Association for Gifted Children Pre-K–Grade 12 Gifted Programming Standards, researchers used logistic ordered regression to examine Texas districts’ 2014–2015 locale, proportional representation, and budgetary allotments in relation to gifted program self-assessed performance ratings. Results indicate proportional representation of Black and Hispanic students in gifted programs did not influence school district self-assessed ratings. On the contrary, locale, proportion of Black and Hispanic students to the overall district population, and budget allocation did relate to self-assessed ratings of gifted programs. Future research directions and implications for the use of self-assessments within gifted program evaluation are discussed.
The liberatory potentials of multimodality: Collaborative Reggaeton music video production in Habana, Cuba
Authors: Butler Eliza D , Flint Tori K , da Silva Iddings Ana Christina
Published: January 2021

This study took place in Habana, Cuba over approximately 1 year, wherein the researcher collaborated with Reggaeton artists. While scholarship in multimodality has explored its potentials for literacy pedagogy, developing new literacies, and expanding identity possibilities, less research has focused on the creation of the spaces, tools, and resources required for composing multimodal products and on the liberatory dimensions of multimodality. This study highlights the backstories of these production processes, including the innovative use(s) of spaces and tools, the resources leveraged in order to construct and distribute multimodal media, and the ways artists made meaning together. The findings elucidate the ways the artists leveraged their ingenuity, collaboratively developed digital literacy practices, and produced multimodal texts to create new possibilities.
Mapping music education research in Mainland China (2007–2019): A metadata-based literature analysis
Authors: Yang Yang , Yin Aiqing , Guan Tao
Published: January 2021

This metadata-based literature study provides a comprehensive mapping of China’s music education by analysing 3,257 Chinese research articles published during 2007–2019. The selection of the articles is based on careful inspections of the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database and rigorous coding of literature attributes. The analysis of descriptive and analytical attributes showed (a) dominance of qualitative over quantitative/mixed-method research paradigm, (b) a strong preference for conceptual over empirical studies and (c) a policy-reinforced research orientation. The prime inference from the findings also raised concerns on several ‘neglected’ research areas and quality issues in the selected literature.
Applying the developmental model of marital competence to sexual satisfaction: Associations between conflict resolution quality, forgiveness, attachment, and sexual satisfaction
Authors: Allsop David B. , Leavitt Chelom E. , Saxey Matthew T. , Timmons Joshua E. , Carroll Jason S.
Published: January 2021

Sexual satisfaction is a complex construct that is affected by many diverse factors. Without a comprehensive framework guiding their work, scholars and practitioners who work with married couples may inadvertently focus on a single factor affecting sexual satisfaction and subsequently limit the effectiveness of their research and practice. Through discussion and an empirical example, the current study explores how the developmental model of marital competence—a comprehensive theory for understanding marital processes—can be used by scholars and practitioners to guide their work on sexual satisfaction and broaden their approach. Utilizing U.S. nationally representative data from 2,114 mixed-sex couples and guided by the actor-partner-interdependence-model, cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between wives’ and husbands’ sexual satisfaction and three factors—conflict resolution quality, forgiveness, and anxious and avoidant attachment—that correspond to the three domains of the developmental model of marital competence—marital communication, marital virtues, and marital identities—were tested. Results of the current study provide empirical support for the use of the developmental model of marital competence when approaching work on sexual relationships among married, heterosexual couples. For both partners, variables from each of the three domains of this model were associated with sexual satisfaction cross-sectionally, and variables in one domain—attachment avoidance and anxiety—were associated with changes in sexual satisfaction over time. The merits of researchers and practitioners integrating the developmental model of marital competence into their work are discussed.
Examining the effects of different English speech varieties on an L2 academic listening comprehension test at the item level
Authors: Shin Sun-Young , Lee Senyung , Lidster Ryan
Published: January 2021

In this study we investigated the potential for a shared-first-language (shared-L1) effect on second language (L2) listening test scores using differential item functioning (DIF) analyses. We did this in order to understand how accented speech may influence performance at the item level, while controlling for key variables including listening passages, item type, and the degrees of intelligibility, comprehensibility, and speaker accentedness. A total of 386 undergraduate and graduate students from China, Korea, and India, who were enrolled in a university in the United States, each took two listening tests. In the first session, they took a standardized listening comprehension test comprising texts recorded by native English speakers. In the second session, they took a listening comprehension test consisting of counterbalanced sets of American English-, Indian-, and Chinese-accented lectures. The results show that the shared-L1 effect is minimal. Effects are consistent for only a few narrow, detail-oriented items, on which Chinese and Korean listeners performed relatively poorly when listening to Indian speakers.