bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influencing Factors of Social Anxiety Disorder and Body Dysmorphic Disorder in a Nonclinical Brazilian Population
Authors: Tatiana Soler Patrícia , Novaes Jefferson , Miguel Fernandes Helder
Published: November 2018

The aims of this study were twofold: (i) to investigate the prevalence of social anxiety disorder and body dysmorphic disorder in a nonclinical, Brazilian population and (ii) to examine the effects of selected factors such as sociodemographic characteristics (sex, age, marital status, workload, education, and income), body mass index, current diet, physical activity, and use of aesthetic treatment. A total of 428 adults (279 women and 149 men) aged 18 to 60 years ( M = 31.51, SD = 10.73) participated in the study. Social anxiety disorder was measured using a Brazilian version of the Social Phobia Inventory ( Osório, Crippa, & Loureiro, 2009 ). Body dysmorphic disorder by using a body dysmorphic symptoms scale validated for the Brazilian population ( Ramos & Yoshida, 2012 ). The main results showed that 28.7% of the sample reported symptoms of social anxiety disorder. Body dysmorphic disorder was more prevalent among women, individuals who had sought aesthetic treatment and individuals who were physically inactive. Moreover, lower levels of social anxiety disorder were observed in physically active individuals who had sought aesthetic treatment compared with physically inactive individuals who had sought aesthetic treatment. Social anxiety disorder was negatively correlated with age, daily workload, and income, while body dysmorphic disorder was positively associated with body mass index and negatively with income. These results show that social anxiety disorder and body dysmorphic disorder are differentially influenced by the selected factors investigated in this study.
Adult and Community Influence on Sexual Experience Among First-, Second-, and Third-Generation Immigrant Youth
Authors: Coleman-Minahan Kate , Gutierrez Yurico , Bull Sheana
Published: November 2018

Adult and community support may protect against sexual experience among immigrant youth, but it remains unknown whether this support confers protection equally across immigrant generations. Drawing on data from 852 race/ethnically diverse low-income youth recruited from Boys & Girls Clubs, we used mixed effect logistic regression models to examine associations between adult and community support and sexual experience and tested interactions to examine whether adult or community support influenced sexual experience differently across immigrant generations. As adult support increased, the odds of sexual experience decreased. However, adult support increased the odds of sexual experience for first-generation youth and decreased the odds in the second and third generations. Greater community support reduced the odds of sexual experience across all immigrant generations. Thus, adult support may not confer equal protection across all immigrant generations, suggesting youth of different immigrant generations have different needs.
Exploring Social Belonging and Meaning in Religious Groups
Authors: Zhang Hansong , Hook Joshua N. , Farrell Jennifer E. , Mosher David K. , Captari Laura E. , Coomes Steven P. , Van Tongeren Daryl R. , Davis Don E.
Published: November 2018

Participation in religious groups may help religious individuals experience higher levels of belonging and meaning. The current study explored how the makeup of religious groups as either ideologically homogeneous or diverse influences belonging and meaning, and also tested religious intellectual humility as a possible moderator of this relationship. Participants (N = 229) were randomly assigned to imagine themselves participating in an ideologically homogeneous or diverse group, and then completed a series of questionnaires. Participants in the ideologically diverse condition reported lower levels of belonging and meaning than did participants in the ideologically homogenous condition, but this effect was not as large for participants high in intellectual humility. High levels of religious commitment and intrinsic religious orientation predicted lower levels of intellectual humility, and high levels of quest religious orientation predicted higher levels of intellectual humility. We conclude by discussing limitations and areas for future research.
Fine-tuning the Relationship between Religion and Intellectual Humility
Authors: Worthington Everett L.
Published: November 2018

I examine religious humility, which is one content area of intellectual humility. Intellectual humility is the subtype of humility that involves taking a humble stance in sharing ideas, especially when one is challenged or when an idea is threatening. I position religious humility within the context of general humility, spiritual humility, and relational humility, and thus arrive at several propositions. People who are intensely spiritually humble can hold dogmatic beliefs and believe themselves to be religiously humble, yet be perceived by others of different persuasions as religiously dogmatic and even arrogant. For such people to be truly religiously humble, they must feel that the religious belief is core to their meaning system. This requires discernment of which of the person’s beliefs are truly at the core. But also the religiously humble person must fulfill the definition of general humility, accurately perceiving the strengths and limitations of the self, being teachable to correct weaknesses, presenting oneself modestly, and being positively other-oriented. Humility thus involves (1) beliefs, values, and attitudes and (2) an interpersonal presentational style. Therefore, intellectually humble people must track the positive epistemic status of their beliefs and also must present with convicted civility.
Legacy of the State: Prior Shared Experience and Survival of Spin-Offs From Restructured State Enterprises
Authors: Okhmatovskiy Ilya , Suhomlinova Olga , Tihanyi Laszlo
Published: November 2018

Many organizations, especially in emerging economies, trace their origins to restructured state enterprises, and this study explores the implications of such origins for organizational adaptation to changing environmental conditions. We compare the activity choices and survival chances of spin-offs from restructured state enterprises with those of de novo organizations. We argue that prior shared experience of spin-offs’ managers and employees facilitates the redeployment of routines developed in parent state enterprises. This should predispose spin-offs to pursue familiar activities, but this choice is not completely predetermined, and its survival implications depend on the environmental conditions. Our empirical findings suggest that spin-offs from restructured state enterprises are less likely to engage in new activities than de novo organizations. However, those restructuring spin-offs that do engage in new activities before the regulatory regime shift significantly improve their survival chances after the shift. Moreover, we find that the detrimental effect of the regulatory regime shift and the beneficial effect of engaging in new activities are stronger for spin-offs from restructured state enterprises than for de novo organizations.
Do Physicians Prefer to Complete Online or Mail Surveys? Findings From a National Longitudinal Survey
Authors: Taylor Tamara , Scott Anthony
Published: November 2018

Survey response rates for physicians are falling generally, and surveys of physicians tend to have lower response rates than those of the general population. To maximize response, respondents are often given a choice of modes in which to respond. The aim of this article is to describe mode response patterns and identify factors related to physicians’ decisions to complete surveys online rather than by mail. The data are from the fifth annual wave of the Medicine in Australia: Balancing Employment and Life longitudinal survey of physicians, in which there was a 43.5% response rate (10,746/24,711) and 33.7% of respondents completed the survey online. Online completion was more likely when the physician had completed the survey online in the previous wave, was a general practitioner rather than other medical specialist or doctor-in-training, worked in a remote location, and was young and male. Free-text spontaneous comments from respondents indicated that mode choice was based on a combination of preference, previous experience, and feasibility. These results provide support for the use of mixed mode survey designs, which can accommodate doctors with different mode preferences and cast doubt over the possibility of tailoring mode based on respondent characteristics.
Women (Not) Troubling “the Family”: Exploring Women’s Narratives of Gendered Family Practices
Authors: Carter Julia
Published: November 2018

This article is concerned with examining the ways in which young women make choices about their family lives and in so doing reproduce traditional unequal gender norms and family practices. In a time when it is (supposedly) increasingly easy to live alternative lives (living apart together, for example), a significant number of young people continue to marry and live together in heteronormative family units. By exploring the narratives produced in interviews with 22 young, heterosexual British women, this article aims to understand why unequal gender norms continue to guide behavior regarding sexuality in relationships, name-changing on marriage, and household divisions of labor. Exploring how decisions are made in a bricolage of reflexive, habitual, and taken-for-granted ways, this article concludes that by piecing together ideas from past and present, constraint is reconfigured as choice in order to provide legitimacy and power over life decisions bounded by gendered expectations and inequalities.
A Cultural Model of Parenthood as Engineering: How Caregiving Fathers Construct a Gender-Neutral View of the Parent Role
Authors: Kaplan Danny , Knoll Efrat
Published: November 2018

Despite the growing impact of the therapeutic discourse on family life, there is limited research on how it affects lay understanding of parenthood, beyond concerns with gender roles. Drawing on a case study of caregiving fathers in new family forms, we delineate an emerging folk model of parenthood as engineering. It construes parental caregiving as lay expertise in emotion management, which includes active planning and vision, pursuit of information, time management, and emotional engagement. The cultural shift toward parenting as expertise is reinforced by fathers increased participation in child care, as men are often viewed as lacking “natural” maternal competence and more dependent on deliberate acquisition of expertise. Notions of engineering may not be as salient among heteronormative parents who are less compelled to actively reconstruct established familial structures. While this folk model underscores a gender-neutral ideal nested in liberal ideology, the actual shift raises renewed questions about gendered power relations.
Using statewide administrative data and brief mental health screening to estimate the prevalence of mental illness among probationers
Authors: Van Deinse Tonya B. , Cuddeback Gary S. , Wilson Amy Blank , Lambert Michael , Edwards Daniel
Published: November 2018

There is little published information about the measures that probation agencies in the United States use to identify individuals with mental illnesses who are under community supervision. This study used statewide administrative data to estimate and compare the prevalence of mental illnesses among probationers using officer report and offender self-report data. Prevalence estimates of mental illnesses ranged from 15 percent to 19 percent, which is consistent with prior studies that used formal diagnostic assessments. In the absence of costly and time-consuming diagnostic assessments, probation agency-developed mental health scales can aid in identifying those who might be in need of additional mental health assessment.
Disentangling the effects of post-entry speed of internationalisation on export performance of INVs
Authors: Sadeghi Arash , Rose Elizabeth L , Chetty Sylvie
Published: November 2018

This article aims to explore the under-researched topic of post-entry speed of internationalisation (PSI) in the context of international new ventures (INVs). We unbundle PSI and examine its relationship with both financial and non-financial export performance, considering three related, but conceptually distinct, dimensions of PSI: internationalisation intensity, spread and geographical diversity. Building on organisational learning theory, we highlight different mechanisms that contribute to post-entry performance outcomes among INVs. Our findings from a sample of 112 INVs in New Zealand provide evidence that the three dimensions of PSI are distinct and that they have different impacts on financial and non-financial export performance. This article contributes to the limited, yet growing body of literature on PSI by providing a deeper understanding of PSI and its constituent dimensions. In addition, this study offers new theoretical insights into how and why different dimensions of post-entry speed of internationalisation can contribute to stronger export performance.
Post-entry performance of international new ventures: The mediating role of learning orientation
Authors: Gerschewski Stephan , Lew Yong Kyu , Khan Zaheer , Park Byung Il
Published: November 2018

This article investigates the role of learning orientation in the post-entry performance of international new ventures (INVs) by examining the relationships of niche strategy, network resources and learning orientation with the multi-dimensional post-entry performance of INVs. Based on the INV internationalisation literature, we develop and validate a conceptual model, using a sample of 147 INVs from the two relatively small and open economies of New Zealand and Australia. The results show that the learning orientation of INVs positively mediates the relationship between niche orientation and network resources and post-entry performance of INVs. Our study indicates that learning orientation is an important capability through which focused strategies and resources of INVs may influence their multi-dimensional post-entry performance in terms of operational, financial and overall effectiveness measures. We draw key implications for research on post-entry behaviour of INVs by explicating the role played by the learning capabilities of the firms, and how these capabilities interact with their strategies and resources in enhancing the post-entry performance of INVs.
RhoA/ROCK/ARHGAP26 signaling in the eutopic and ectopic endometrium is involved in clinical characteristics of adenomyosis
Authors: Jiang Caixia , Gong Wei , Chen Rong , Ke Huihui , Qu Xiaoyan , Yang Weihong , Cheng Zhongping
Published: November 2018

Objective

This study aimed to investigate RhoA, RhoA-associated coiled-coil containing protein kinase (ROCK) 1, ROCK2, and Rho GTPase-activating protein 26 (ARHGAP26) expression in the eutopic endometrium (EU) and ectopic endometrium (EC), and examine their relationships with the clinical characteristics of adenomyosis.

Methods

Twenty patients with adenomyosis who underwent laparoscopy were recruited. Protein and mRNA expression of RhoA, ROCK1, ROCK2, and ARHGAP26 in EU and EC of patients with adenomyosis and in control endometrium without adenomyosis (CE) was detected.

Results

ROCK1, ROCK2, and RhoA mRNA expression in EU was significantly higher than that in CE, and was highest in EC. ARHGAP26 mRNA expression in EC and EU was significantly lower than that in CE. ROCK1, ROCK2, and RhoA protein expression in EC and EU was significantly higher than that in CE. ARHGAP26 protein expression in EC and EU was significantly lower than that in CE. ROCK1, ROCK2, and RhoA gene and protein expression was positively associated and ARHGAP26 was negatively associated with the severity of menorrhagia and menstrual capacity in adenomyosis.

Conclusions

RhoA, ROCK1, and ROCK2 expression is upregulated, and ARHGAP26 expression is downregulated in adenomyosis. The RhoA/ROCK-mediated signaling pathway is associated with dysmenorrhea and menstrual capacity in adenomyosis.
Biomarkers for Femoroacetabular Impingement and Hip Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Lynch T. Sean , O’Connor Michaela , Minkara Anas A. , Westermann Robert W. , Rosneck James T.
Published: November 2018

Background:

The early recognition and management of patients with hip lesions, such as femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) and early hip osteoarthritis (OA), may preempt significant hip morbidity. The identification of reliable biomarkers may help guide decision making in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

Purpose:

To determine the biomarkers that have been associated with FAI as well as identify serum, synovial, and urinary analytes that have shown clinical utility in the prediction or identification of hip OA.

Study Design:

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods:

The terms “hip arthroscopy,” “femoroacetabular impingement,” “labral tear,” “osteoarthritis,” and “biomarker” were searched in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar, yielding 276 articles. After screening, 7 articles were included. Pooled estimates were calculated utilizing a fixed-effects inverse-variance model weighted for individual study size.

Results:

A total of 1747 patients with a mean age of 37.5 ± 4.5 years (76.4% female) were identified. Forty-three unique biomarkers were assessed. Although general proinflammatory cytokines IL-1 and TNF-α exhibited inconsistent trends in arthritic hips, IL-6 demonstrated a consistent increase (+84.8% [95% CI, 81.9%-87.6%]; P < .05). A significant difference was found in levels of the fibronectin-aggrecan complex (FAC) in patients with OA compared with controls (0.08 ± 0.40 vs 1.15 ± 0.35 μg/mL, respectively; P < .001). It was the only specific analyte to show a significant difference between those with and without OA. In the setting of FAI, cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) was significantly increased in athletes after adjusting for concurrent knee and hip OA. A statistically significant difference was present in FAI-positive hips (9.0 ± 0.1 [95% CI, 8.8-9.3]) compared with controls (8.4 ± 0.1 [95% CI, 8.2-8.4]) ( P < .05). Other biomarkers, such as CXCL3, which exhibited statistically significant differences compared with controls, did not control for underlying factors such as age and concomitant lesions.

Conclusion:

COMP and FAC are specific biomarkers with potential utility in the diagnosis and management of FAI and hip OA, given their ability to differentiate between controls and patients with hip lesions. Further research is necessary to identify their ability in determining disease severity, predicting the response to treatment, and establishing an association with the risk of long-term OA.
Preliminary Psychometrics of Responses to the Youth Externalizing Problems Screener
Authors: Renshaw Tyler L. , Cook Clayton R.
Published: November 2018

This brief report presents preliminary psychometrics of responses to the Youth Externalizing Problems Screener (YEPS), which is a 10-item self-report rating scale intended for use as a screening instrument. The YEPS was designed to function as a companion measure to the Youth Internalizing Problems Screener (YIPS), facilitating the screening of broad mental health problems among students in secondary school settings. Analyses presented herein were conducted with the same small, preliminary samples of urban high-school students as those reported on for the initial development and validation of the YIPS (Sample 1: n = 177, Sample 2: n = 219). Results suggest that responses to the YEPS showed a sound, unidimensional factor structure that is internally consistent, providing initial evidence for the purported internal structure of the measure. Findings also showed that YEPS scores had meaningful associations with other self-reported, theoretically relevant mental health variables, providing initial convergent evidence in favor of construct interpretation. Taken together, preliminary psychometrics support the validation argument for the interpretation and use of YEPS scores as a brief measure of adolescents’ general externalizing problems. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
Burning process characterization of biodiesel pool fires
Authors: Rantuch Peter , Blinová Lenka , Bartošová Alica , Martinka Jozef , Wachter Igor
Published: November 2018

This article deals with the combustion process of biodiesel produced from waste vegetable oil. The main fire-technical properties related to its thermal degradation during pool fire were observed. As a test device, a cone calorimeter with modified specimen holder was used. The measurements were obtained by applying an external heat flux of 20 and 25 kW m−2 and using a spark initiator. On the basis of the measured results, the biodiesel combustion was divided into six consecutive phases described by the heat release rate, CO production, CO2 production and smoke production rate. Mean heat release rate and maximum average heat release energy peaked at 315 kW m−2, respectively at 391 kW m−2 (external heat flux of 20 kW m−2) and at 420 kW m−2, respectively at 504 kW m−2 (external heat flux of 25 kW m−2). The flash point of biodiesel reached a lower value compared to oils. The CO/CO2 ratio in the flue gas showed virtually the same combustion efficiency throughout the whole experiment.
Sorption technique as a tool for reduction of genotoxicity
Authors: Saini Saraswati , Kaur Inderpreet , Katnoria Jatinder Kaur
Published: November 2018

In the present study, the Allium cepa root chromosomal aberration assay was used to determine the genotoxic effects of copper and cadmium ions solutions before and after sorption processes. The sorption process was carried out using unmodified Dendrocalamus strictus charcoal powder, nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA)-modified D. strictus charcoal powder, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The frequency of total chromosomal aberrations was observed to be 24.30–45.13% for copper and 13.16–45.14% for cadmium at different concentrations (1–500 mg/l) before the sorption process. Both metal ions solutions resulted in significant reduction of chromosomal aberrations after all the modes of the sorption processes. However, the order of reduction of percentage chromosomal aberrations for copper and cadmium solutions was found to be 45.29–70.04% and 47.80–84.57%, respectively (NTA-modified D. strictus charcoal powder); >44.53–54.32% and 37.10–79.40%, respectively (unmodified D. strictus charcoal powder); >15.59–48.51% and 13.63–21.50%, respectively ( S. cerevisiae).
The Risk of Nitrogen Dioxide: What have we Learned from Epidemiological and Clinical Studies?
Authors: Samet Jonathan M. , Utell Mark J.
Published: November 2018

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is an oxidant gas which contaminates ambient air in many urban and industrial locations, and indoor air in homes with combustion appliances. The Environmental Protection Agency presently regulates NO2 in ambient air as a “criteria” pollutant. In spite of decades of laboratory, clinical, and epidemiological research, the health effects of NO2 exposure on humans are not well understood. The toxicological evidence suggests that increased susceptibility to infection, functional deficits from effects on airways, and deterioration of the status of persons with chronic respiratory conditions, including asthmatics, are of potential concern. This paper provides a perspective on the present evidence related to human health effects of NO2. It addresses methodological barriers that limit the available data; assesses the adequacy of the data for risk assessment; and proposes a research agenda to obtain needed information on the health effects of NO2.
Adjunctive Techniques for Prevention of Lower Eyelid Retraction
Authors: Douglas Raymond S. , Goldberg Robert A. , Shorr Norman
Published: November 2018

Lower eyelid retraction with resulting scleral show can occur following a variety of cosmetic procedures, including lower eyelid blepharoplasty. Lower eyelid retraction is most often associated with a dense middle lamella scar tethering the lower eyelid to the orbital rim. We demonstrate a comprehensive and systematic approach for prevention of lower eyelid retraction during each phase of the healing process. Biologic and mechanical techniques are employed intraoperatively, early in the incubation phase, and later in the rehabilitation phase of healing. The overall goal of these techniques is to maintain or reestablish the proper anatomic relation of the three lamellae of the lower eyelid and to establish this relationship during the healing process. With proper identification of problem patients and utilizing these techniques, we have minimized the occurrence of lower eyelid retraction and have maximized our surgical interventions to improve lower eyelid position.
An Ergonomic Solution to Surgeon Fatigue and Repetitive Stress from Lipoplasty
Authors: Shippert Ronald D.
Published: November 2018

Introduction

Surgeon fatigue and repetitive stress are disabling entities. They can occur secondary to repeated motion required during liposuction (lipoplasty) surgery. This article compares 10 liposuction handles in an effort to determine the handles that are the most conducive to reducing fatigue and repetitive-stress injury.

Materials and Methods

Ten popular handles broken into 6 groups (by shape) are evaluated, using 12 parameters, which included idea/ergonomic features, fatigue, and torque tests.

Results

The highest score was given to the biplane handle, which had a rating of 12/12. The biplane handle was given the highest rating because it met all the established parameters of an ergonomic handle and tested the highest in torque tests and fatigue tests.

Discussion

The most important factor in fatigue reduction appears to be the biplanar construction, which allows an efficient trapping effect with the fingers and thumb of the hand.
Anatomic Considerations in Cosmetic Blepharoplasty of the Lower Eyelid: An Oculoplastic Perspective
Authors: Burkat Cat N. , Lemke Bradley N. , Rosenberg Paul N. , Lucarelli Mark J.
Published: November 2018

Cosmetic blepharoplasty presents a significant challenge to surgeons, as patient expectations tend to be very high. A sophisticated understanding of the normal topography of the eyelid and periorbital anatomy as well as patient desires and expectations are crucial to achieve the best results for both surgeon and patient.
Effects of Early Enteral Nutrition on Immune Function and Prognosis of Patients With Sepsis on Mechanical Ventilation
Authors: Liu Ying , Zhao Wei , Chen Wenxiu , Shen Xiao , Fu Run , Zhao Yi , Liu Han
Published: November 2018

Objective:

To explore the therapeutic effects of early enteral nutrition (EEN) on patients with sepsis on mechanical ventilation.

Methods:

Patients with sepsis on mechanical ventilation in the medical intensive care unit (ICU) from January 2013 to March 2016 were treated with enteral nutrition. Patients treated within 48 hours of initiation of mechanical ventilation were assigned to the EEN group, and the rest were assigned to the delayed enteral nutrition (DEN) group. Peripheral blood Th17 cells and Treg cells, endotoxin (ET) level, 28-day mortality, duration of mechanical ventilation, lengths of ICU stay and hospital stay, and incidence of ICU-acquired weakness (ICU-AW) were analyzed between the 2 groups.

Results:

The proportion of Th17 cells and ET levels in the EEN group were significantly lower than those in the DEN group, whereas the proportion of Treg cells in the EEN group was remarkably higher than that in the DEN group ( P < .05). The duration of mechanical ventilation, lengths of ICU stay and hospital stay, and incidence of ICU-AW were higher in the DEN group than in the EEN group ( P < .05), but there was no significant difference in the 28-day mortality between the 2 groups.

Conclusion:

Patients with sepsis mainly present with an increased proportion of Th17 cells in the early stage, manifesting as enhanced immune response. Early enteral nutrition can inhibit the excessive immune response, shorten the duration of mechanical ventilation, lengths of ICU stay and hospital stay, and reduce the incidence of ICU-AW, but it has no obvious effect on 28-day mortality.
Design and fabrication of conductive nanofibrous scaffolds for neural tissue engineering: Process modeling via response surface methodology
Authors: Soleimani Maryam , Mashayekhan Shohreh , Baniasadi Hossein , Ramazani Ahmad , Ansarizadeh Mohamadhasan
Published: November 2018

Peripheral nervous system in contrary to central one has the potential for regeneration, but its regrowth requires proper environmental conditions and supporting growth factors. The aim of this study is to design and fabricate a conductive polyaniline/graphene nanoparticles incorporated gelatin nanofibrous scaffolds suitable for peripheral nervous system regeneration. The scaffolds were fabricated with electrospinning and the fabrication process was designed with Design-Expert software via response surface methodology. The effect of process parameters including applied voltage (kV), syringe pump ﬂow rate (cm3/h), and PAG concentration (wt%), on the scaffold conductivity, nanofibers diameter, and cell viability were investigated. The obtained results showed that the scaffold conductivity and cell viability are affected by polyaniline/graphene concentration while nanofiber diameter is more affected by the applied voltage and syringe pump ﬂow rate. Optimum scaffold with maximum conductivity (0.031 ± 0.0013 S/cm) and cell compatibility and suitable diameter were electrospun according to the software introduced values for the process parameters (voltage of 13 kV, flow rate of 0.1 cm3/h, and PAG wt.% of 1.3) and its morphology, cell compatibility, and biodegradability were further investigated, which showed its potential for applying in peripheral nervous system injury regeneration.
Enhancement of radiotherapeutic efficacy for esophageal cancer by paclitaxel-loaded red blood cell membrane nanoparticles modified by the recombinant protein anti-EGFR-iRGD
Authors: Ren Wei , Sha Huizi , Yan Jing , Wu Puyuan , Yang Ju , Li Rutian , Zhang Hang , Yu Lixia , Qian Hanqing , Liu Baorui
Published: November 2018

Paclitaxel is widely used as a radiosensitizer for various tumors, including esophageal cancer, but its therapeutic effect remains to be improved. In this study, we constructed a novel nano-radiosensitizer, anti-EGFR-iRGD-conjugated (iE)-PRNPs, by conjugating the recombinant protein anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-internalizing arginine-glycine-aspartic (iRGD) to the surface of paclitaxel-loaded red blood cell membrane nanoparticles (PRNPs). The iE-PRNPs were confirmed to possess tumor-targeting, high penetrability, and sustained release properties that free paclitaxel does not possess. Compared with that of paclitaxel, the sensitizer enhancement ratio of iE-PRNPs was significantly increased (1.32-fold and 1.25-fold) in esophageal cancer cells with high and low expression levels of EGFR, respectively. Additionally, compared with that of unmodified PRNPs, the sensitizer enhancement ratio of iE-PRNPs in EGFR-overexpressing esophageal cancer cells was significantly increased (1.27-fold), while that of PRNPs in esophageal cancer cells with a low EGFR expression level increased slightly (1.06-fold). The improved radiosensitization effect was associated with enhanced G2/M arrest, increased reactive oxygen species, and more effective induction of DNA double-strand breaks. In summary, iE-PRNPs appear to be a novel type of radiosensitizer with the potential to overcome the bottleneck of esophageal cancer radiotherapeutic efficacy.
“The Disability Rights Community was Never Mine”: Neuroqueer Disidentification
Authors: Egner Justine E.
Published: November 2018

Drawing from contemporary blog data, this article examines an emerging project termed “neuroqueer.” Neuroqueer is a collaboration of activists, academics, and bloggers engaging in online community building. Neuroqueer requires those who engage in it to disidentify from both oppressive dominant and counterculture identities that perpetuate destructive medical model discourses of cure. It is a queer/crip response to discussions about gender, sexuality, and disability as pathology that works to deconstruct normative identity categories. Blog members employ neuroqueer practices to subversively combat exclusion through rejection of able-hetero assimilation and counteridentification in favor of disidentification. Of particular interest for this special issue are the ways in which neuroqueer perspectives build more fluid conceptualizations of both gender and intersectionality through conscious disidentification from neurotypical norms and medical notions of cure on which they are often unconsciously based.
Analysis of the aerodynamic pressure effect on the fatigue strength of the carbody of high-speed trains passing by each other in a tunnel
Authors: Lu Yaohui , Zhang Dewen , Zheng Heyan , Lu Chuan , Chen Tianli , Zeng Jing , Wu Pingbo
Published: November 2018

When two high-speed trains pass through a tunnel, the aerodynamic changes are more complex and drastic than in open air owing to the interference of the tunnel wall and the entry effect. The impact on the carbody fatigue strength is very significant in the fatigue reliability design of the carbody. In this paper, the sequential coupling method was used for the first time to study the effect of pressure waves on the fatigue strength in a large-scale and complex carbody structure. The computational fluid dynamics method was used to calculate and analyze the aerodynamic pressure wave of the intersection of the trains in a long and short tunnel. A full-scale finite element shell model of the carbody structure was established. Then, the time integration method was used to convert the transient pressure wave into the aerodynamic loads bearing by the side wall of the carbody. The inhomogeneous stress concentrations at the restraint points were eliminated by the inertial release method; moreover, a finite element analysis of the carbody was carried out under the combined aerodynamic and mechanical loads. The Goodman fatigue strength curve of the aluminum alloy carbody was drawn. The influence of the aerodynamic load on the fatigue strength of the vehicle body was analyzed and compared under the entry effect of the short tunnel. The results show that the aerodynamic load of the short tunnel has a significant impact on the fatigue strength of the carbody owing to the train's entry effect. The safety factor of the fatigue strength is 15% less than that of the long tunnel aerodynamic load. In this paper, computational fluid dynamics and finite element method were used to analyze and evaluate the impact of the pressure wave on the fatigue strength of the carbody, which is of great reference value in the structural design of the carbody subjected to complex aerodynamic loads.
Composite material structure optimization design and aeroelastic analysis on forward swept wing
Authors: Rongrong Xue , Zhengyin Ye , Kun Ye , Gang Wang
Published: November 2018

The static aeroelastic torsion divergence problem is the main obstacle to bring forward swept wing into massive applications. The aeroelastic tailoring technique-based radial basis function neural networks (RBFNNs) and genetic algorithm (GA) optimization in MATLAB considering the material orientation, thickness, and lay-up are elucidated in the present work. RBFNNs are used to build a surrogate model between the composite parameters and structure displacement, which is proved robust and accurate. Then an optimal structure is obtained by GA global search based on RBFNNs model with the weight constrain. The displacements of the forward swept wing caused by an approximate aerodynamic load are decreased 32.5% through finite element method (FEM) static structural analysis. The modal analysis illustrates that the first mode frequency increases by 33.0% and the second mode increases by 37.9%. A computational aeroelasticity approach is developed by in-house Hybrid Unstructured Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes solver associating an open source FEM code – Calculix. The results of coupling calculations show effectiveness of aeroelastic tailoring optimization of composite forward swept wing without weight penalty. The results obtained demonstrate that for the forward swept wing, the most violent situation appears around Mach Number 1.0 where the aeroelastic tailoring optimization could decrease the torsion angle by nearly 70.0%. The torsion of forward swept wing will increase at subsonic and decrease at supersonic with the increase of velocity.
Progress in Reading Instruction Requires a Better Understanding of the English Spelling System
Authors: Bowers Jeffrey S. , Bowers Peter N.
Published: November 2018

It is widely claimed that the English spelling system conforms to the alphabetic principle, according to which letters or letter combinations (graphemes) represent speech sounds (phonemes). But this is not accurate. English spellings have evolved to represent both phonemes and meaning (through morphology and etymology), and in direct contradiction to the alphabetic principle, spellings prioritize the consistent spelling of morphemes over the consistent spellings of phonemes. This is important because the alphabetic principle provides the main theoretical motivation for systematic phonics instruction that explicitly teaches children grapheme–phoneme correspondences in English without reference to morphology and etymology. Furthermore, this theoretical claim has biased the research literature, with many studies considering the efficacy of phonics but few studies assessing the relevance of morphology and etymology to reading instruction. We briefly describe the linguistic organization of the English spelling system and then outline pedagogical and empirical arguments in support of the hypothesis that reading instruction should be designed to teach children the logical and meaningful organization of English spellings.
Implementation of Recovery Education on an Inpatient Psychiatric Unit
Authors: Passley-Clarke Janet
Published: November 2018

INTRODUCTION: There is a national agenda in the United States for the establishment and implementation of an evidence-based recovery model of care in patients with psychiatric illness. Recovery principles include self-direction, individualization/patient-centered, empowerment, holistic, nonlinear, strengths-based, peer support, respect, responsibility, and hope. Recovery education has shown to improve patients’ quality of life, decrease readmission rates, and increase nursing knowledge of the recovery process in acute psychiatric care settings. Providers, patients, and governmental agencies have supported this agenda to assist psychiatric patients to remain in the community, reduce readmission rates, and improve health outcomes. AIMS: This quality improvement project aims to reduce 30-day readmissions, assess recovery knowledge of nurses, and evaluate patients’ perceived quality of life. METHOD: The quality improvement project featured a pre-post survey design with a convenience sample of nurses and patients across acute two adult inpatient units. Nurses facilitated recovery groups. Comparisons were made pre/post implementation on nursing knowledge and readmission rates. Evaluation of patients’ perceived quality of life was made postimplementation. RESULTS: Readmission was 5% in the recovery group. Nurse recovery knowledge increased ( M = 2.97, SD = 0.35; M = 3.40, SD = 0.21). Significant correlations were noted with patients’ quality of life measures and patient demographic data ( p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Recovery education provided the opportunity for nurses to gain knowledge and for psychiatrically ill patients to obtain patient-centered care that guided the recovery process, improved their quality of life, and decreased readmission within 30 days of discharge.
“This Time It’s Different” Preparing for Release Through a Prison-Model of CoSA: A Phenomenological and Repertory Grid Analysis
Authors: Kitson-Boyce Rosie , Blagden Nicholas , Winder Belinda , Dillon Gayle
Published: November 2018

Circles of support and accountability (CoSA) in the prison-model begin prior to the core members’ release from prison and continue with them on release in to the community. The purpose of this study was to explore the expectations of release of those convicted of a sexual offense and how this develops during their participation in the prison sessions of CoSA. The research question was to consider how the prison-model of CoSA relates to the desistance of crime, in particular the phases of desistance developed by Gobbels, Ward, and Willis. Data were collected using both phenomenological interviews and repertory grids at two different time points; prior to starting the circle in prison ( n = 9) and just before release ( n = 5). The findings suggest the prison sessions provide a sense of support and “no longer being alone” often absent in those who sexually offend. The additional prison sessions enabled the participants to experience this during their approaching release date; a stressful period that was characterized by anxiety. Further research is now required to explore whether circles in the prison-model are able to encourage and reinforce the cognitive change required for desistance, enabling the core members to successfully manage their underlying anxieties surrounding societal stigmatization.
Maternal Caregiving Practices and Child Abuse Experiences as Developmental Antecedents to Insecure Attachments: Differential Pathways Between Adolescents Who Commit Sexual and Non-Sexual Crimes
Authors: Yoder Jamie R. , Grady Melissa , Dillard Rebecca
Published: November 2018

Grady, Levenson, and Bolder’s etiological framework contextualizes sexual offending behaviors through a trauma and attachment lens to suggest child abuse experiences (CAE) are associated with attachment problems that contribute to sexual offending. To empirically test a portion of this theory, this cross-sectional study employed a structural equation mediated-moderated model on a sample of juvenile justice-involved youth ( N = 505) who committed sexual ( n = 355) and non-sexual ( n = 150) offenses. Results revealed a good model fit and statistically significant direct effects between maternal harsh and indifferent caregiving styles and insecure attachment. However, CEAs did not mediate the relationship between caregiving styles and insecure attachment. Results also revealed a moderation effect whereby youth who commit sexual crimes who report harsher and more indifferent maternal caregiving styles were more likely to have higher CAEs relative to youth who commit non-sexual crimes. Implications are discussed using a public health perspective of prevention.
Therapeutic Engagement and Treatment Progress: Developing and Testing an In-Treatment Measure of Client Engagement Among Sex Offenders in a Group Program
Authors: Frost Andrew , Grace Randolph C. , McLean Anthony P.
Published: November 2018

The engagement process of sexual offenders in group-based cognitive-behavioral treatment is an important area of study. Disclosure management style (DMS), a model developed from grounded-theory research of men undertaking a prototypical program, provides a framework to assess engagement in treatment. Our goal was to develop a quantitative measure of DMS, to test its reliability and validity, and to evaluate its utility as a measure of treatment progress by examining relationships between DMS and established measures of treatment change. We studied a sample of men ( N = 93) who undertook an intensive prison-based treatment program in New Zealand. Variables included DMS measures, psychometric measures of dynamic risk and treatment change, static risk, clinician rating of treatment progress, and recidivism outcomes. We found that (a) DMS shows an acceptable level of agreement between independent raters, (b) DMS-based ratings of engagement changed over the course of treatment and were correlated with measures of change based on offender self-reports, and (c) offenders showed heterogeneity in terms of their trajectories of change as assessed by DMS ratings.
Rural Tourism and Livelihood Change: An Emic Perspective
Authors: Xue Lan , Kerstetter Deborah
Published: November 2018

Rural tourism is often considered a good option for rural development and poverty reduction. However, detailed examination of residents’ adaptation to rural tourism as a new livelihood is missing from the literature. In this study, ethnographic fieldwork was conducted in Chongdu Valley, China to gain insight to the transitions experienced by residents whose livelihood previously depended on agriculture and now relies on rural tourism. Detailed livelihood activities before and after tourism development and the adaptation process local residents engaged in were documented. Results suggested that adopting rural tourism as a new livelihood involved continuous negotiation, adjustment, and engagement. Strategies to help rural residents better adapt to rural tourism are discussed.
Comparison of Tirilazad Mesylate (U-74006F) and Methyl Prednisolone Sodium Succinate Treatments in Experimental Allergic Encephalomyelitis in the Guinea Pig
Authors: Karlik SJ , Stavraky RT , Hall ED
Published: November 2018

The effects of the non-glucocortioid 21-aminosteroid, tirilazad mesylate (U-74006F), on MRI and clinical findings in guinea pigs with experimental allergic encephalomyelitis were compared to treatment with methylprednisolone sodium succinate (MPSS). A dose response experiment for U-74006F was performed 1, 3 and 10 mg/kg/day IP on day 0–12 after immunization. Additionally, the 3 mg/kg/day IP dose was extended to 24 and 35 days. MPSS was given in three different protocols at doses ranging from 0.8 to 3.2 mg/kg/day. Abnormalities in T2-weighted images were assessed as measures of edema and inflammation and gadolinium-DTPA enhanced TI-weighted images were used to determine blood-brain barrier integrity. U-74006F improved the clinical status at doses of 3 and 10 mg/kg. For example, maximum clinical score was halved at 10 mg/kg/day (P < 0.01). The presence of gadolinium-DTPA in the parenchyma was also decreased at 3 and 10 mg/kg/day U-74006F although maximum MRI scores were decreased only in the 10 mg/kg U-74006F group. Clinical disease suppression seen with 3 mg/kg treatment on days 0–12 reverted to control at > 24 days of dosing. MPSS treatment considerably worsened the clinical outcome of EAE Mean clinical scores for vehicle and the highest MPSS dose were 0.94 ± 0.66 versus 2.64 ± 1.49 (P < 0.05). The combination of decreased T2-weighted abnormalities, clinical signs and gadolinium-DTPA permeation in the U-74006F treated animals suggested protection of the blood–brain barrier without the severe glucocorticoid effects associated with steroid therapy.
Social media and connective journalism: The formation of counterpublics and youth civic participation
Authors: Marchi Regina , Clark Lynn Schofield
Published: November 2018

Based on a study of US high school students from predominantly working-class, immigrant backgrounds, this article illustrates how young people used social media to share personal opinions, experiences and news about environmental problems affecting their neighborhood, ultimately helping to change public policy. It reveals how the interpersonal connectivity facilitated by social media can create opportunities for youth voice and collective identity that inspire connective action. Youthful online practices of sharing personal stories, links, photos, memes, videos and other online artifacts of engagement exemplify ‘connective journalism’ through which young people create and share narratives about their personal experiences and concerns that, in turn, allow them to see themselves as members of a larger community or counterpublic of people facing similar experiences and grievances. These connective journalism practices have implications for the ways we think about journalism, political activism and youth citizenship.