bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Signaling under the Security Dilemma: An Experimental Analysis
Authors: Yoder Brandon K. , Haynes Kyle
Published: November 2020

One of the most intractable debates in IR revolves around the severity and frequency of the security dilemma. Offensive realists argue that states are compelled to make worst-case assumptions about each other’s intentions, which yields inexorable competition and conflict even between mutually-benign actors. Yet others have argued that rational benign states should always be able to find cooperative signals that are costly enough to be credible, but not too costly to risk sending. If true, this should alleviate the security dilemma and facilitate cooperation, even under high initial distrust. However, there is little empirical work on interstate reassurance and the conditions under which mutually-benign actors can build trust. We address this gap using laboratory experiments to test Andrew Kydd’s canonical model of the security dilemma. We find strong support for the directional effects of the hypothesized signaling mechanisms. However, the frequency of cooperation is significantly lower than the model predicts, and the feasibility of reassurance is highly sensitive to the degree of prior trust. This implies that although reassurance can mitigate the security dilemma, offensive realism may still capture important psychological mechanisms that impede interstate cooperation.
Dysfunctional Parenting and Psychological Symptomatology: An Examination of the Mediator Roles of Anger Representations in the Context of the Schema Therapy Model
Authors: Gülüm İ. Volkan , Soygüt Gonca
Published: November 2020

In this study, we investigated the mediator roles of anger-related schema modes in the relationship between dysfunctional parent modes and psychological symptoms. We focused on specific schema modes (i.e., punitive and demanding parent modes; vulnerable, angry, and enraged child modes; and the angry protector mode). The study included 297 college students (159 women), with the average age of the sample being 19.66 years (SD = 1.53, range = 18 to 29 years). All participants completed self-report questionnaires on schema modes and psychological symptoms, as well as a demographic form. We evaluated two different mediational models to understand two different dysfunctional parenting styles. The results suggest that all variables significantly correlated with each other and almost all the direct paths in the models were significant. However, the mediator analysis revealed that some of the anger-related modes had very low but significant mediator roles in the models (i.e., the angry child mode for both models and the enraged child mode for the demanding parenting model). The vulnerable child mode played a central and key role in the relationship between dysfunctional parenting and psychological symptoms. The study suggests that anger representations might be windows to understand and intervene in unmet core emotional needs.
Enhancing EFL Teachers’ Pronunciation Pedagogy Through Professional Learning: A Vietnamese Case Study
Authors: Nguyen Loc Tan , Newton Jonathan
Published: November 2020

The role of teacher professional learning (TPL) in assisting teachers to teach pronunciation in English as a second/foreign language (ESL/EFL) contexts has received little attention. The study reported in extends this line of research by investigating how six EFL teachers at a Vietnamese university transform and integrate the pronunciation pedagogical knowledge they received from a TPL workshop into teaching practice. It then examines the teachers’ perceptions of the impact of the workshop on their knowledge gains and pronunciation teaching skills. Data were collected from seven lesson plans designed by the teachers, video recordings of 24 subsequent classroom observations, and six individual semi-structured interviews. The study adopted a content-based approach to qualitative data analysis. The findings show that the teachers were all able to translate TPL into classroom practice of pronunciation teaching. The findings further show that workshops designed and implemented in accordance with research-based TPL principles can be effective for promoting teachers’ knowledge of pronunciation pedagogy and refining their pronunciation teaching skills. The study has implications for ESL/EFL teachers’ professional development in pronunciation teaching.
Complicating ‘Victimhood’ In Diaspora Studies: The Saga of Tamils In Exile
Authors: Ganesh Kamala
Published: November 2020

As an interdisciplinary field, Diaspora Studies has drawn from many disciplines, including sociology, especially from its debates on migration, structure and agency. This lecture draws on my ethnographic fieldwork on the Sri Lankan Tamils in Germany. It analyses their transition following the civil war in Sri Lanka, from being refugee immigrants to becoming a successful diaspora, well integrated economically, yet holding a powerful identity as Tamil nationalists. Fuelled by political commitment and digital connectivity, their innovative strategies as a diaspora have contributed to the propagation of the Tamil cause. Their example extends and complicates the classic notion of ‘victim diaspora’, demonstrating the simultaneity of victimhood and agency.
Identifying Meaningful Indicators of Parent Engagement in Early Learning for Low-Income, Urban Families
Authors: Bettencourt Amie F. , Gross Deborah , Bower Kelly , Francis Lucine , Taylor Kathryn , Singleton Demetria L. , Han Hae Ra
Published: November 2020

The purpose of this study was to identify indicators of parent engagement in early learning that would be relevant for children’s academic success; equitable for all families regardless of social, educational, or economic backgrounds; and actionable for urban school districts seeking to promote parent engagement with limited resources. Using a Delphi technique, a panel of parents, school staff, and researchers rated 106 parent engagement indicators extracted from stakeholder interviews. After multiple Delphi rounds and panel discussion, 30 indicators were retained. Retained indicators focused on home-based activities and home-school relationships/communication; no school-based activities met criteria for relevance, feasibility, and actionability.
Regulatory gentrification: Documents, displacement and the loss of low-income housing
Authors: Thorpe Amelia
Published: November 2020

Within the vast literature on gentrification, law is not often discussed. Where it is mentioned, law tends to be discussed as a contributor to wider processes of displacement and dispossession. This article takes a different approach, examining law itself as a site of gentrification. My focus is the regulatory framework for the development of boarding houses in Sydney, Australia, contained within the State Environmental Planning Policy (Affordable Rental Housing) 2009 (ARH SEPP). In the midst of a growing housing crisis, the ARH SEPP introduced provisions to stem the loss of older boarding houses and to incentivise new construction. While intended for low-income accommodation, these provisions have increasingly been used for other purposes. The ARH SEPP has enabled new forms of housing for a far more affluent population, sometimes directly displacing low-income residents. Like other laws noted in other studies, the ARH SEPP can be understood as a contributor to the gentrification of various parts of Sydney. Yet there is more at play. Like so many physical spaces in which gentrification takes place, the ARH SEPP has itself changed in character, becoming a space for more privileged users.
To Guilt or To Vacation: Constraining Effects of Guilt on Vacation Decisions
Authors: Tan Karen Pei-Sze , Li Xiang (Robert)
Published: November 2020

Annual usage of paid leave in America has been declining although employees are granted more time off than before. This study proposes that taking paid leave for a vacation is perceived as a violation of workplace norms, which could partly explain this phenomenon. This violation is presumed to pose a threat to an employee’s social self at work. The accompanying guilt from such a threat is hypothesized to lead to lower vacation intention and more reparative actions (e.g. apologizing and decreasing vacation length). These consequences align with social self preservation theory, which posits that individuals aim to preserve a positive social self. Empirical results indicate that guilt fully mediates the impact of threats to the workplace social self on travel intentions and partially mediates the effects of such threats on reparative actions. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Exploration and mortification: Fragile infrastructures, imperial narratives, and the self-sufficiency of British naval “discovery” vessels, 1760–1815
Authors: Caputo Sara
Published: November 2020

Eighteenth-century naval ships were impressive infrastructures, but subjected to extraordinary strain. To assist with their “voyage repairs,” the Royal Navy gradually established numerous overseas bases, displaying the power, reach, and ruthless logistical efficiency of the British state. This article, however, is concerned with what happened where no such bases (yet) existed, in parts of the world falling in between areas of direct British administration, control, or influence. The specific restrictions imposed by technology and infrastructures have been studied by historians interested in naval strategy, but they can also help to reframe national narratives of power or observe the transnational interactions surrounding access to knowledge and resources. This paper discusses the material, cultural, and diplomatic constraints that could appear when vessels, and especially “discovery ships,” sailed in strange waters or sought technical assistance in allied ports. I argue that the “mortification” of some commanders at their vessels’ unfitness for service was an important – and often neglected – element on the palette of emotions undergone by voyagers, capturing their strong sense of ultimate material powerlessness. Such frustration even became embedded in imperial cartography, as shown by the case study of Matthew Flinders. This perspective highlights the limits of naval technology, complicating imperialistic “success stories” and better reintegrating the navy into the history of maritime travel and transportation, from which it is often singled out.
Why It Is Important to Be Cautious in the Analysis of Military Organizations: A Reply to Hasselbladh and Ydén
Authors: Soeters Joseph
Published: November 2020

This article is a reply to a recent publication by Hasselbladh and Yden in this journal, entitled “Why Military Organizations Are Cautious About Learning?” They argue that there is good reason for military organizations not being very successful in organizational learning. Based on historical experiences related to the military’s bureaucratic character and specific task environment, they argue that military organization’s hesitation to learn is not necessarily dysfunctional. This reply refutes this assertion as it is not based on sufficient knowledge of organizational learning in general, but more importantly because it “scholarly” legitimizes the impeding of attempts to improve military performance in the broad sense of the word.
Walking on Thin Ice: How and Why Frontline Officers Cope With Managerialism, Accountability, and Risk in Probation Services
Authors: Sabbe Mathias , Schiffino Nathalie , Moyson Stéphane
Published: November 2020

Probation officers (POs) operate in a high-risk environment. They are vulnerable to mediatic and political backlash and are confronted with managerial innovations that can conflict with their values. A thematic analysis of 29 interviews with Belgian POs reveals that classical coping mechanisms caused by time shortages, such as rationing and prioritization, are amplified by managerialism. POs also break rules which present limited meaningfulness and routinize offender control to alleviate pressure from accountabilities to both managers and the general public. The study demonstrates that managerialism and accountabilities to the managers, the public, and the politicians model coping mechanisms in high-risk environments.
Accuracy of Frozen Section Examination in Oral Cavity Cancers
Authors: Demir Berat , Incaz Sefa , Uckuyulu Esin Irem , Oysu Cagatay
Published: November 2020

Purpose:

This study aimed to compare the intraoperative frozen section with the surgical margin in the postoperative surgical margins of the postoperative pathology of oral squamous cell carcinomas in order to examine the reliability of the frozen section.

Methods:

A retrospective analysis was conducted for patients who underwent surgery for oral squamous cell carcinoma in a tertiary hospital between January 2018 and 2019. The intraoperative frozen section examinations, grade of the tumor, number of lymph nodes, number of affected lymph nodes, depth of invasion, perineural invasion, lymphovascular invasion, and extranodal extension were recorded from the pathological records. The concordance between the frozen section examination and postoperative pathology 2 methods was examined using the Cronbach α coefficient. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value regarding surgical margins, and accuracy were calculated and reported.

Results:

Overall, 181patients who underwent surgery for oral cavity cancers were included; 118 (65.2%) were males. The mean (± standard deviation) age of the included participants was 57.4 ± 16.1 years. The most common tumour subsite was the tongue (n = 71, 39.2%). There was concordancy between the frozen, positive intraoperative malignancy and the postoperative pathology malignancy. The frozen, negative intraoperative malignancy and postoperative safe surgical margin did not significantly differ.

Conclusion:

As a result of intraoperative frozen examination, we found conformity between the postoperative pathology results of patients with positive and negative surgical margins. Frozen section examination could be used safely to examine intraoperative surgical margins of oral squamous cell carcinoma.
Methotrexate-Associated Lymphoproliferative Disorders Mimicking Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis: A Radiological Diagnostic Challenge
Authors: Tachibana Tomoyasu , Sasaki Tomoaki , Wani Yoji , Komatsubara Yasutoshi , Kuroda Kazunori , Naoi Yuto , Gion Yuka , Orita Yorihisa , Nishizaki Kazunori , Sato Yasuharu
Published: November 2020

Methotrexate-associated lymphoproliferative disorders (MTX-LPD) frequently involve the extranodal organs throughout the body. Among the extranodal occurrences of MTX-LPD, pulmonary involvement is most frequent. In contrast, there are only a few reports of MTX-LPD in the nasal cavity or paranasal sinuses. Moreover, there are no previous reports of MTX-LPD mimicking granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) in imaging examinations. We describe a case of a 53-year-old woman with MTX-LPD mimicking GPA in the nasal cavity and lungs. She complained of left nasal obstruction and discharge, general fatigue, and continual fever for 2 months. The patient had been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and received methotrexate (MTX) for over 10 years. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed unenhanced masses in the nasal cavity and multiple masses with cavitary changes in the bilateral lungs, suggesting GPA. However, histological examination of the nasal lesion and a history of MTX treatment indicated a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma type MTX-LPD. Two weeks after MTX withdrawal, prominent improvements in both lesions were observed. Complete regression of the nasal lesion was observed 3 months after discontinuation of MTX. Thus, MTX-LPD may mimic GPA in imaging examinations.
Endoscope-Assisted Resection of a Vagal Neurofibroma Using a Posterior Styloid Approach
Authors: Han Qiu-Ju , Wang Yan , Wei Hong-Quan
Published: November 2020

It is very challenging to expose and remove tumors above the hard palate in the retrostyloid space using the typical cervical approach. Other approaches, such as the cervical–parotid approach, may result in prominent scars, facial paralysis, or masticatory dysfunction. Here, we report a case of a vagal neurofibroma between the internal carotid artery and internal jugular vein in the retrostyloid space. We used a 3D model to design a surgical approach that reduced the risk to the surrounding vessels and nerves. We performed an endoscope-assisted resection of the tumor using a posterior styloid approach. Following surgery, there were no obvious scars on the face or neck, facial paralysis, or dysphagia, but mild hoarseness.
A Novel Technique for Reconstruction of a Congenitally Absent Earlobe
Authors: Saadi Robert A. , Ziai Kasra , Lighthall Jessyka G.
Published: November 2020

Objective:

Congenital anomalies of the external ear may present a reconstructive challenge, particularly when normal chondrocutaneous components of the auricle fail to develop. Our goal was to develop a novel technique for lobule reconstruction of a congenitally absent earlobe with photographic documentation of the technique.

Methods:

Informed consent for perioperative photography and publication of case details was obtained. A postauricular, turnover flap with ipsilateral conchal cartilage grafting was performed to reconstruct the lobule, and a superiorly based, postauricular, rotation advancement flap was used to close the donor site defect.

Results:

Perioperative photographs are included demonstrating technique and cosmetic results.

Conclusions:

Malformations rarely involve the lobule or lower third of the ear primarily. Literature regarding lobule reconstruction for congenital malformations is scarce. We present a novel technique for lobule reconstruction of a congenitally absent earlobe performed in a single stage that avoids a visible neck scar and allows for simultaneous conchal cartilage harvest. The technique demonstrated satisfactory cosmesis regarding contour and overall appearance and these results remained stable at 1-year follow up.
Systematic review of measurement properties of self-reported instruments for evaluating therapeutic communication
Authors: Granados-Gámez Genoveva , Sáez-Ruiz Isabel María , Márquez-Hernández Verónica V. , Ybarra-Sagarduy José Luis , Aguilera-Manrique Gabriel , Gutiérrez-Puertas Lorena
Published: November 2020

A systematic review was carried out to examine measurement tools of therapeutic relational communication, using an electronic search of the following databases: PubMed, LILACS, CINAHL, CiberIndex, Scielo and Scopus. The project followed the guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis and the protocol recommended by the Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) panel. Thirteen instruments were included in the review. and their measurement properties were tested. The most common communication elements found in the measuring instruments were: empathy, respect, listening, contact, communicative competence, communication quality, and communication skills. Studies that used a theoretical foundation were based on patient-centered humanistic models. Empathy, respect, controlled contact, and other basic elements of interpersonal communication were most commonly found among the measuring regents. In conclusion, this review analyzed the theoretical foundations of the components of instruments used to measure therapeutic relational communication in the nursing field.
Evaluating Recruitment Strategies for a Randomized Clinical Trial with Heart Failure Patients
Authors: Conley Samantha , O’Connell Meghan , Linsky Sarah , Moemeka Lesa , Darden James W. , Gaiser Edward C. , Jacoby Daniel , Yaggi Henry , Redeker Nancy S.
Published: November 2020

Recruiting participants with chronic medical conditions is time-consuming and expensive. Electronic medical record databases and patient portals may enable outreach to larger numbers of patients in comparison to face-to-face methods. We aimed to describe the yields, benefits, and limitations of recruitment strategies used for a randomized clinical trial of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia among patients with chronic stable heart failure (NCT02660385). We used multiple recruitment strategies including clinic-based recruitment, letters to patients identified from electronic databases, the patient portal, brochures and posters placed in clinics, presentations to heart failure support groups, and online advertising. We screened 10,291 medical records, enrolled 231 participants, and 195 participants completed baseline data collection. We enrolled 92 (23%) participants using clinic-based recruitment, 24 and 29 (6% and 10%) using letters to patients from two electronic databases, and 42 (55%) via the patient portal. Multiple recruitment strategies and flexibility are needed to achieve recruitment goals.
Severe aortic regurgitation following blunt chest trauma due to home accident
Authors: Bac Nguyen Hoang , Dinh Nguyen Hoang , Binh Truong Quang , Khoi Le Minh
Published: November 2020

Aortic valve rupture is a rare manifestation in comparison to cardiac rupture or contusion following blunt chest trauma. We report a case of aortic valve leaflet rupture with severe aortic regurgitation after a fall from a ladder. The aortic valve rupture had been missed in the emergency ultrasound and was only detected on comprehensive echocardiography after failure of weaning from a mechanical ventilator. The patient underwent aortic bioprosthetic valve replacement that dramatically changed the clinical course.
Financial inclusion and economic growth nexus: Evidence from SAARC countries
Authors: Singh Dharmendra , Stakic Nikola
Published: November 2020

This article examines the nexus between financial inclusion index and economic growth in all eight South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries, using annual data from 2004 to 2017. In order to determine the possible long-run relationship between these variables, the study adopted the Pedroni panel co-integration test and two types of co-integration regression methods, the Fully Modified Ordinary Least Square (FMOLS) and the Dynamic Ordinary Least Square (DOLS) methods. The Pedroni panel co-integration test confirms the existence of a long-run relationship between financial inclusion and economic growth in the SAARC countries. The coefficients of FMOLS and DOLS indicate that the index of financial inclusion and selected control variables together support economic growth. In addition, the Granger causality test confirmed bi-directional causality between FI and economic growth.
US intervention in Afghanistan: Justifying the Unjustifiable?
Authors: Connah Leoni
Published: November 2020

This article argues that the USA and its Western allies have misused ‘Just War’ narratives to legitimise an external intervention in Afghanistan and their use of force during the War on Terror. It explores the extent to which such external interventions, military strategies, narratives and justifications by the USA may have contributed to state failure in Afghanistan. As the legitimacy of earlier external interventions is called into question, while the road ahead for Afghanistan remains precarious, thinking about a new paradigm of post-war reconstruction becomes important for the country and its people in years to come.
Fragmentation, homogenisation or segmentation? A diary study into the diversity of news consumption in a high-choice media environment
Authors: Slaets Arno , Verhoest Pascal , d’Haenens Leen , Minnen Joeri , Glorieux Ignace
Published: November 2020

A weeklong diary study ( N = 460) into the exposure to news of Belgian (Flemish) adult media users (aged 25–45) shows that their information consumption is currently relatively diverse. An explanation for the observed diversity is that news consumers in Dutch-speaking Belgium have a wide array of internally balanced news titles and channels at their disposal, which they also actively consult. In addition, the study demonstrates that news consumption patterns span across all media platforms. This study thus illustrates that there is a weak influence of ideological attitudes and psychosocial dispositions on news consumption, measured in time of consumption per media title or channel. These findings call for a revision of theories of selective exposure that disregard the influence that the diversity of information supply can have on the selection procedures of recipients.
The age of reaction: Retrenchment populism in India and Brazil
Authors: Heller Patrick
Published: November 2020

Two of the largest democracies in the global south – India and Brazil – have witnessed a dramatic turn to right-wing populism. Careful historical comparison reveals that the form of reaction is markedly different from other recent cases of democratic backsliding. In both cases, reaction has been driven by elites in response to a previous expansion of democratic rights and social inclusion. This form of retrenchment populism is rooted in very similar class realignments that are configured both by economic and socio-cultural interests. Globalization has played a role, but not through the conventionally identified pathways of neoliberalism or modernization. Instead, reaction has been driven by an expanded middle class’s efforts to hoard opportunity and public resources and preserve traditional status privileges.
Measurement properties of step tests for exercise capacity in COPD: A systematic review
Authors: Vilarinho Rui , Caneiras Cátia , Montes António Mesquita
Published: November 2020

Objective:

To determine the level of evidence of the measurement properties (validity, reliability, and responsiveness) and interpretability of the step tests available for assessing the exercise capacity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Data sources:

The data sources Web of Science, MEDLINE, PubMed, PEDro, CENTRAL of Cochrane Library, and Scopus were searched up to June 26, 2020.

Review methods:

Studies of any design that reported results for any measurement property of the step tests for assessing the exercise capacity in COPD patients were selected. One reviewer extracted the data, and two reviewers independently rated the level of evidence by using the Consensus-Based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurements Instruments recommendations.

Results:

Thirty-one studies were included in the data synthesis. Chester Step Test, Modified Incremental Step Test, two-, three-, four-, and six-Minute Step Test, Paced Step Test, and six-Minute Stepper Test were identified. A step test protocol was also found. The level of evidence of their results for the measurement properties was mostly determined as “low” to “very low.” The best level of evidence found was for the six-minute stepper test: “high” on construct validity ( r = 0.56–0.71); and “moderate” on criterion validity ( r = 0.36–0.69), and responsiveness ( r = 0.26–0.34).

Conclusion:

The general level of evidence of the measurement properties of the step tests is “low” to “very low” for assessing exercise capacity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which can limit their application in clinical practice. The six-minute Stepper Test is currently the most appropriate step test available.
Comparing the effects of no intervention with therapeutic exercise, and exercise with additional Kinesio tape in patients with shoulder impingement syndrome. A three-arm randomized controlled trial
Authors: Letafatkar Amir , Rabiei Pouya , Kazempour Sarvenaz , Alaei-Parapari Samaneh
Published: November 2020

Objective:

To investigate if adding Kinesio tape to therapeutic exercise is an effective treatment to improve clinical outcomes compared to therapeutic exercise alone and no intervention, in patients with shoulder impingement syndrome.

Design:

Three-arm randomized controlled trial

Setting:

Outpatient setting

Subjects:

One hundred and twenty patients (mean (SD): age 37.8 (5.4)) with shoulder impingement syndrome.

Intervention:

Patients were randomly assigned to eight-weeks therapeutic exercise alone, therapeutic exercise with Kinesio tape, and control group.

Main measures:

Pain was measured with a numerical rating scale and disability and scapular kinematics were measured with a relative questionnaire and motion analysis software respectively, at baseline and after eight-weeks intervention.

Results:

There was significant differences in therapeutic exercise with Kinesio tape group vs. therapeutic exercise alone and control group respectively for pain ( d = –0.34, P = 0.042; and d = –1.53, P = 0.001), disability ( d = –0.46, P = 0.024; and d = –2.18, P = 0.001), scapular upward rotation at sagittal plane ( d = 0.33, P = 0.033; and d = 0.68, P = 0.001), scapular plane ( d = 0.18, P = 0.045; and d = 0.43, P = 0.001), scapular tilt at sagittal plane ( d = 0.55, P = 0.043; and d = 1.39, P = 0.001), and scapular plane ( d = 0.29, P = 0.034; and d = 0.58, P = 0.001). Therapeutic exercise alone was superior over control group in all significant outcomes ( P < 0.05).

Conclusion:

Although therapeutic exercises alone showed positive effect on clinical outcomes, adding Kinesio tape to therapeutic exercises had more significant effects with larger effect sizes. Adding Kinesio tape to therapeutic exercise may be of some assistance to clinicians in improving clinical outcomes in patients with shoulder impingement syndrome.
URB597 abrogates anxiogenic and depressive behaviors in the methamphetamine-withdrawal mice: Role of the cannabinoid receptor type 1, cannabinoid receptor type 2, and transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 channels
Authors: Ebrahimi-Ghiri Mohaddeseh , Khakpai Fatemeh , Zarrindast Mohammad-Reza
Published: November 2020

Background:

Methamphetamine is an addictive stimulant that possesses toxicity in the brain when taken repeatedly or at higher doses. Methamphetamine neurotoxicity is associated with numerous forms of mental impairment, including depression and anxiety. Evidence has also demonstrated that the endocannabinoid system is involved in the regulation of anxiety and depression.

Aims:

This study was designed to determine the involvement of the endocannabinoid system in anxiety- and depression-related behaviors in methamphetamine-withdrawal male NMRI mice.

Methods:

The elevated plus maze and forced swim test were used to assess the level of anxiety and depression.

Results:

We found that methamphetamine (30 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) evoked depressive- and anxiogenic-like effects at 3 days post-administration. Injection of URB597 (5–10 ng/mouse, intracerebroventricular), 10 min before the test, prevented the emotional deficits induced by methamphetamine withdrawal. Moreover, the cannabinoid receptor type 1 antagonist AM251 (1 μg/mouse) or cannabinoid receptor type 2 antagonist AM630 (5 and 10 μg/mouse) suppressed the antidepressant activity in the methamphetamine-withdrawal mice treated with URB597. The transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 antagonist capsazepine (25 μg/mouse) prevented while capsazepine (100 μg/mouse) potentiated the antidepressant efficacy in the methamphetamine-withdrawal mice treated with URB597. The higher dose of AM630 and two higher doses of capsazepine had antidepressant efficacy, by themselves. Furthermore, capsazepine (50 μg/mouse) increased locomotion in the methamphetamine-withdrawal mice treated with URB597.

Conclusions:

The results suggest that URB597 has a potential for preventing methamphetamine withdrawal-evoked anxiety and depression. Cannabinoid type 1 receptors, cannabinoid type 2 receptors and transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 differently affect depression-related behaviors in methamphetamine-withdrawal mice treated with URB597.
Impact of blood pressure changes in cerebral blood perfusion of patients with ischemic Moyamoya disease evaluated by SPECT
Authors: Liming Zhao , Weiliang Sun , Jia Jia , Hao Liang , Yang Liu , Ludtka Christopher , Jahromi Behnam Rezai , Goehre Felix , Zemmar Ajmal , Tianxiao Li , Hernesniemi Juha , Andrade-Barazarte Hugo , Chaoyue Li
Published: November 2020

Our aim was to determine the impact of targeted blood pressure modifications on cerebral blood flow in ischemic moyamoya disease patients assessed by single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). From March to September 2018, we prospectively collected data of 154 moyamoya disease patients and selected 40 patients with ischemic moyamoya disease. All patients underwent in-hospital blood pressure monitoring to determine the mean arterial pressure baseline values. The study cohort was subdivided into two subgroups: (1) Group A or relative high blood pressure (RHBP) with an induced mean arterial pressure 10–20% higher than baseline and (2) Group B or relative low blood pressure (RLBP) including patients with mean arterial pressure 10–20% lower than baseline. All patients underwent initial SPECT study on admission-day, and on the following day, every subgroup underwent a second SPECT study under their respective targeted blood pressure values. In general, RHBP patients showed an increment in perfusion of 10.13% (SD 2.94%), whereas RLBP patients showed a reduction of perfusion of 12.19% (SD 2.68%). Cerebral blood flow of moyamoya disease patients is susceptible to small blood pressure changes, and cerebral autoregulation might be affected due to short dynamic blood pressure modifications.
A novel molecular magnetic resonance imaging agent targeting activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule as demonstrated in mouse brain metastasis models
Authors: Zarghami Niloufar , Soto Manuel Sarmiento , Perez-Balderas Francisco , Khrapitchev Alexandre A , Karali Christina Simoglou , Johanssen Vanessa A , Ansorge Olaf , Larkin James R , Sibson Nicola R
Published: November 2020

Molecular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows visualization of biological processes at the molecular level. Upregulation of endothelial ALCAM (activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule) is a key element for leukocyte recruitment in neurological disease. The aim of this study, therefore, was to develop a novel molecular MRI contrast agent, by conjugating anti-ALCAM antibodies to microparticles of iron oxide (MPIO), for detection of endothelial ALCAM expression in vivo. Binding specificity of ALCAM-MPIO was demonstrated in vitro under static and flow conditions. Subsequently, in a proof-of-concept study, mouse models of brain metastasis were induced by intracardial injection of brain-tropic human breast carcinoma, lung adenocarcinoma or melanoma cells to upregulate endothelial ALCAM. At selected time-points, mice were injected intravenously with ALCAM-MPIO, and ALCAM-MPIO induced hypointensities were observed on T2*-weighted images in all three models. Post-gadolinium MRI confirmed an intact blood-brain barrier, indicating endoluminal binding. Correlation between endothelial ALCAM expression and ALCAM-MPIO binding was confirmed histologically. Statistical analysis indicated high sensitivity (80–90%) and specificity (79–83%) for detection of endothelial ALCAM in vivo with ALCAM-MPIO. Given reports of endothelial ALCAM upregulation in numerous neurological diseases, this advance in our ability to image ALCAM in vivo may yield substantial improvements for both diagnosis and targeted therapy.
Effects of O-GlcNAcylation on functional mitochondrial transfer from astrocytes
Authors: Park Ji-Hyun , Nakamura Yoshihiko , Li Wenlu , Hamanaka Gen , Arai Ken , Lo Eng H , Hayakawa Kazuhide
Published: November 2020

Mitochondria may be transferred from cell to cell in the central nervous system and this process may help defend neurons against injury and disease. But how mitochondria maintain their functionality during the process of release into extracellular space remains unknown. Here, we report that mitochondrial protein O-GlcNAcylation is a critical process to support extracellular mitochondrial functionality. Activation of CD38-cADPR signaling in astrocytes robustly induced protein O-GlcNAcylation in mitochondria, while oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation showed transient and mild protein modification. Blocking the endoplasmic reticulum – Golgi trafficking with Brefeldin A or slc35B4 siRNA reduced O-GlcNAcylation, and resulted in the secretion of mitochondria with decreased membrane potential and mtDNA. Finally, loss-of-function studies verified that O-GlcNAc-modified mitochondria demonstrated higher levels of neuroprotection after astrocyte-to-neuron mitochondrial transfer. Collectively, these findings suggest that post-translational modification by O-GlcNAc may be required for supporting the functionality and neuroprotective properties of mitochondria released from astrocytes.
Physiological determinants of residual cerebral arterial pulsatility on best medical treatment after TIA or minor stroke
Authors: Webb Alastair JS , Lawson Amy , Li Linxin , Mazzucco Sara , Rothwell Peter M ,   for the Oxford Vascular Study Phenotyped Cohort
Published: November 2020

Cerebral arterial pulsatility is strongly associated with cerebral small vessel disease and lacunar stroke yet its dependence on central versus local haemodynamic processes is unclear. In a population-based study of patients on best medical managment, 4–6 weeks after a TIA or non-disabling stroke, arterial stiffness and aortic systolic, diastolic and pulse pressures were measured (Sphygmocor). Middle cerebral artery peak and trough flow velocities and Gosling’s pulsatility index were measured by transcranial ultrasound. In 981 participants, aortic and cerebral pulsatility rose strongly with age in both sexes, but aortic diastolic pressure fell more with age in men whilst cerebral trough velocity fell more in women. There was no significant association between aortic systolic or diastolic blood pressure with cerebral peak or trough flow velocity but aortic pulse pressure explained 37% of the variance in cerebral arterial pulsatility, before adjustment, whilst 49% of the variance was explained by aortic pulse pressure, arterial stiffness, age, gender and cardiovascular risk factors. Furthermore, arterial stiffness partially mediated the relationship between aortic and cerebral pulsatility. Overall, absolute aortic pressures and cerebral blood flow velocity were poorly correlated but aortic and cerebral pulsatility were strongly related, suggesting a key role for transmission of aortic pulsatility to the brain.
Improving Patient Preparedness and Confidence in Discussing Advance Directives for End-of-Life Care with Health Care Providers in the United States and Japan
Authors: Friend John M. , Alden Dana L.
Published: November 2020

Background

The low completion rate of advance directives (ADs) has received attention in Japan and the United States, as policy makers and health care professionals face aging populations with multiple comorbidities. Among the barriers to AD planning, cultural values and attitudes appear to be particularly influential. A comparison of culturally distinct societies provides a deeper understanding of these barriers. Through such an approach, this study identifies strategies for increasing AD planning among late-middle-age Japanese and US individuals.

Methods

After giving informed consent for the Institutional Review Board–approved study, Japanese and US respondents (45–65 y; 50% female) without ADs completed a language-appropriate online survey. Participants were asked to review a decision aid as part of a scenario-based physician consultation regarding artificial nutrition and hydration (ANH). Hypotheses were analyzed using multigroup structural equation modeling.

Results

Important similarities were identified across the 2 groups. After reviewing the decision aid, both samples strongly preferred “no ANH.” Respondents who strongly valued either self-reliance or interpersonal relationships experienced greater preparedness for AD planning. In both countries, greater decision preparedness and positive death attitude predicted greater confidence to discuss care options with a provider. Finally, cultural values predicted preference for family participation: respondents with a strong interdependent self-concept desired more family involvement, whereas high independents preferred less.

Conclusions

Findings indicate the importance of documenting care preferences and accounting for individual differences. To increase AD adoption, providers should identify patient segments likely to benefit most from the interventions. Targeting individuals in both countries who value self-reliance and interpersonal relationships appears to be a good place to begin. Such individuals can be identified clinically through administration of validated measures used in this study.
Laudato si’ – A Macromarketing Manifesto for a Just and Sustainable Environment
Authors: Klein Thomas A. , Laczniak Gene R.
Published: November 2020

This paper posits that Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical on environmental climate change, Laudato si’ (“Praise be to you, my Lord”), or LS for short, provides a compelling and multi-faceted framework for co-creating a just and sustainable environment. LS includes considerable commentary about how markets and marketing impact the physical and social environment. Additionally, the document provides religion-inspired ethical norms for market conditions, actions, and performance that reflect both (a) the social teachings of the Catholic Church as they have evolved over the past 125 years and, as we will explain, (b) a foundational predicate of macromarketing scholarship – that is, a recognition of market systems as the primary mechanism for effectively and efficiently provisioning goods and services in contemporary society. The intent of this paper is also to harmonize two perspectives of business purpose regarding ecological issues (i.e., ethical efficacy vs. economic efficiency), commonly seen as conflicting and mutually exclusive. Absent that harmonization, those perspectives appear to force a choice between “social values and norms” and “economic incentives and circumstances” – a dichotomy that is neither optimal nor practical. Rather, we recognize that key themes in Laudato si’(LS) - environmental stewardship, concern for social justice, and a “common good” orientation that supersedes economic advantage - also correspond to issues addressed by macromarketing scholars since that sub-discipline emerged. LS is foremost a powerful “Call to Action” for those who care about protecting the ecological environment. However, LS is intentionally vague about specific solutions. It defers to analysts, academics, and policy experts to provide those. This paper outlines how macromarketing researchers are powerfully positioned to suggest the specific market and policy adjustments called for in LS.
Five-year relative survival by stage of breast and colon cancers in Italy
Authors: Mangone Lucia , Mancuso Pamela , Bisceglia Isabella , Braghiroli Barbara , Ferrari Francesca , Vicentini Massimo , Giorgi Rossi Paolo
Published: November 2020

Objective:

To present the changes in 5-year relative survival of patients with breast and colorectal cancer in a northern Italian province in the 2000–2012 period. Changes are presented in relation to stage, period, and age in the screening population.

Methods:

A total of 5073 breast cancer and 4093 colorectal cancer cases were registered. Breast cancer was divided into 5 age groups: <45, 45–49, 50–69, 70–74 (the target screening population is ages 45–74), and >74 years. Colorectal cancers were classified into 3 age groups: <50, 50–69 (screening target population), and >69 years. Survival was analysed by stage, period, and screening program.

Results:

Five-year breast cancer relative survival was 92.9% overall, with 100%, 91.9%, 78.8%, 34.2%, and 76.4% for stages I, II, III, IV, and unknown, respectively. Survival increased from 89.7%, 91.8%, and 93.4%, respectively, in the periods 2000–2005, 2006–2009, and 2010–2012. Breast cancer survival was stable in early stages (although already high); a slight improvement was seen for stages III and IV. Five-year colorectal cancer relative survival was 63.6% overall, with 93.3%, 78.6%, 69.8%, 13.2%, and 55.8% for stages I, II, III, IV, and unknown, respectively. No improvement in survival was seen in the periods analysed, although the introduction of screening in 2005 did lead to a sharp decrease in incidence and mortality.

Conclusions:

For breast cancer, extending the screening target age led to an improvement in survival; for colorectal cancer, the best impact was on incidence and mortality rate.
EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer: treatment paradigm, current evidence, and challenges
Authors: Tfayli Arafat , Mohty Razan
Published: November 2020

Therapy with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) for patients with EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been shown to have superior outcomes when compared to chemotherapy. First-generation EGFR TKI, including gefitinib and erlotinib, and second-generation EGFR TKI, including afatinib and dacomitinib, proved to be effective in patients with NSCLC harboring EGFR-sensitizing mutation. Later, resistance mutations were identified. Consequently, osimertinib, a third-generation EGFR TKI, was studied and demonstrated activity against EGFR-sensitizing and resistant mutations. Osimertinib moved recently to the first-line setting with the positive results of the FLAURA (AZD9291 Versus Gefitinib or Erlotinib in Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Non-small Cell Lung Cancer) trial. The use of these drugs is limited by their cost and availability mainly in middle- to low-income countries.
What if They Are All High-Risk for Attrition? Correlates of Retention in a Longitudinal Study of Reentry from Prison
Authors: Clark Kendra J. , Mitchell Meghan M. , Fahmy Chantal , Pyrooz David C. , Decker Scott H.
Published: November 2020

Longitudinal data are essential to research in criminology and criminal justice. Despite attrition’s implications for validity, understanding its sources is underexplored empirically. We examine the correlates of retention using covariates organized into domains of prediction, prevention, and projection. Data from the LoneStar Project, a three-wave longitudinal reentry study of 802 males recently released from prisoners in Texas, were analyzed to examine the correlates of proximal, distal, and any study retention. The best correlates of study retention are prevention techniques used by researchers to reduce attrition. In contrast, only a few covariates traditionally associated with attrition and no covariates used for attrition projection were related to retention. What researchers do matters more for retention than the characteristics of individuals they are trying to retain. The findings underscore how researchers can improve study retention in longitudinal research while also correcting for non-random attrition in current longitudinal data sources.
Interrater Reliability and Concurrent Validity of the Risk for Sexual Violence Protocol for Korean Sexual Offenders: A Field Study
Authors: Sea Jonghan , Hart Stephen D.
Published: November 2020

The Risk for Sexual Violence Protocol (RSVP) is a set of structured professional judgment guidelines for conducting management-oriented sexual violence risk assessments. We investigated the interrater reliability (IRR) and the concurrent validity of the RSVP in the Republic of Korea. A total of 32 experienced and specially trained correctional psychologists in teams of four used an authorized translation of the RSVP to independently assess 47 adult male sexual offenders through a case history review and interviews. IRR, as indexed using intraclass correlations coefficients, was typically good to excellent for rating the presence and relevance of risk factors. Concurrent validity was also good, as indexed by correlations between RSVP ratings and total scores on two instruments for assessing risk for sexual violence: the Hallym Assessment Guide for Sex Offender Risk and Static-99R. Implications for the use of the RSVP by professionals and agencies, both within and outside Korea, are discussed.