bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Implementation and Evaluation of a Risk-Based Approach to Guide Chronic Kidney Disease Care: Protocol for a Multiphase Mixed-Methods Study
Authors: Hemmelgarn Brenda R. , Smekal Michelle D. , Weaver Robert G. , Thomas Chandra , Benterud Eleanor , Tam Kin , Manns Braden J. , Tonelli Marcello , Finlay Juli , Donald Maoliosa , Tam-Tham Helen , Bello Aminu , Tangri Navdeep , Quinn Robert R.
Published: January 2018

Background:

Risk prediction tools are used in a variety of clinical settings to guide patient care, although their use in chronic kidney disease (CKD) care is limited.

Objectives:

To assess the association of a risk-based model of CKD care on patient care, satisfaction, outcomes, and cost.

Design:

Mixed-methods with a pre-post design.

Setting:

We will use mixed-methods and a pre-post design to evaluate use of the Kidney Failure Risk Equation (KFRE) to guide CKD care. The KFRE will be applied to patients currently followed in nephrology multidisciplinary CKD clinics in Alberta, as well as to new patients being considered for multidisciplinary care.

Patients:

Patients with a 2-year risk of kidney failure ≥10% or estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≤15 mL/min/1.73 m2 will be recommended care by a multidisciplinary team coordinated by a nurse clinician and nephrologist, with access to other multidisciplinary resources including dietitians, pharmacists, and social workers as required.

Measurements/Methods:

Focus groups and interviews will be conducted to qualitatively describe patient and provider perspectives of potential barriers and facilitators to implementation of the risk-based approach to CKD care. Patient and provider surveys will also be used to quantify patient and provider satisfaction before and after the intervention. Finally, administrative data will be used to evaluate the association between the risk-based approach to care and outcomes including health care resource use, frequency of testing, modality choice, and death.

Conclusions:

Use of a risk-based model of care has the potential to increase use of optimal treatments such as the use of home dialysis and preemptive kidney transplantation, while reducing costs and poor outcomes related to processes of care such as unnecessary laboratory testing; however, there is also potential for unintended consequences. Our mixed-methods approach will integrate perceptions and needs from key stakeholders (including patients with CKD, their families, and their providers) to guide implementation and ensure appropriate modifications.
Characterisation of the Clothespin Relocation Test as a functional assessment tool
Authors: Kyberd Peter , Hussaini Ali , Maillet Ghislain
Published: January 2018

Method

The Clothespin Relocation Test has been adapted from an arm training tool to create an instrument to measure hand function. It is based on the time to move three clothespins from a horizontal to a vertical bar, and back. To be generally useful, the measures need to have their psychometric properties investigated. This paper measures the characteristics of an able-bodied population to gain an understanding of the underlying statistical properties of the test, in order that it can then be used to compare with different subject groups. Fifty adults (29 males, 21 females, mean age 31) were tested with five runs of three clothespins moved up and then down. Ten subjects returned twice more to observe repeatability.

Results

There was a non-Gaussian range of times, from 2.5 to 7.37 s. Mean time for Up was 4.1 s, and was 4.0 s for Down, with a skew towards the faster times of 0.57 for Up and 0.97 for Down. Over the three sessions there was a small (not significant) increase in speed 4.1 ± 0.5 s first run Down to 3.5 ± 0.4 s for third.

Conclusion

These initial tests confirm that it has potential to be used as a measurement of the performance of arm movement.
Carboxymethyl chitosan–zinc coating for prevention of pin tract infection: An animal model
Authors: Martin Vidmi Taolam , Wang Lei , Zeng Rong , You DeQiang , Zhang XianRong , Elodie Welera Haissou , Yu Bin
Published: January 2018

Background:

Pin tract infection is a common problem in orthopedic and traumatology surgery. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of an implant coated with carboxymethyl chitosan–zinc (CMC-Zn2+) in prevention of pin tract infection.

Materials and Methods:

Twenty-four male New Zealand White rabbits were randomized into two equal groups ( n = 12, uncoated and CMC-Zn2+). The implants were colonized with 1 × 106 colony forming units of Staphylococcus aureus and inserted into the lateral right proximal tibia in each rabbit. In each group, at 2 and 4 weeks post-surgery, five and seven rabbits were killed, respectively, to harvest the soft tissues around the implant as well as the hard tissue for histological analysis. The bone cross-sectional view, X-ray, and micro-computed tomography (μCT) were performed.

Results:

The surgical sites in each animal were evaluated individually at both time points. No evident signs of infections were found in the CMC-Zn2+ group, while a high rate of infection was observed in the uncoated group where minor infections were 85.71% ( n = 12) and major infections 14.29% ( n = 12). The radiography, μCT, and histological analysis showed no evident signs of infection in both groups at 2 weeks post-surgery. However, at 4 weeks, signs of infection were found in all the animals in the uncoated group, whereas in the CMC-Zn2+ group, no infections were observed. The difference between the two groups was highly significant ( p = 0.00).

Conclusions:

Our study showed that CMC-Zn2+-coated implants were effective in preventing pin tract infection.
The Role of Place Cues in Voluntary Stream Segregation for Cochlear Implant Users
Authors: Paredes-Gallardo Andreu , Madsen Sara M. K. , Dau Torsten , Marozeau Jeremy
Published: January 2018

Sequential stream segregation by cochlear implant (CI) listeners was investigated using a temporal delay detection task composed of a sequence of regularly presented bursts of pulses on a single electrode (B) interleaved with an irregular sequence (A) presented on a different electrode. In half of the trials, a delay was added to the last burst of the regular B sequence, and the listeners were asked to detect this delay. As a jitter was added to the period between consecutive A bursts, time judgments between the A and B sequences provided an unreliable cue to perform the task. Thus, the segregation of the A and B sequences should improve performance. In Experiment 1, the electrode separation and the sequence duration were varied to clarify whether place cues help CI listeners to voluntarily segregate sounds and whether a two-stream percept needs time to build up. Results suggested that place cues can facilitate the segregation of sequential sounds if enough time is provided to build up a two-stream percept. In Experiment 2, the duration of the sequence was fixed, and only the electrode separation was varied to estimate the fission boundary. Most listeners were able to segregate the sounds for separations of three or more electrodes, and some listeners could segregate sounds coming from adjacent electrodes.
Black-white Biracial Students’ Evaluations of Blackness: The Role of College in Shaping Racial Regard
Authors: Clayton Kristen
Published: January 2018

This study explores biracial students’ racial regard, an evaluative component of racial identity that captures positive and negative feelings about the racial groups to which one belongs. Drawing on data from interviews with 62 black-white biracial students attending predominantly white institutions (PWIs) or historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), I explore the conditions of educational contexts that promote or hinder development of positive racial regard. HBCU students highlighted the importance of college for improving their evaluations of blackness, while narratives of improved regard were rare among PWI students. Students’ evaluations of blackness and descriptions of contact with black peers support contact theory’s propositions about the type of contact likely to improve racial attitudes; specifically, I show how HBCUs can improve racial regard by facilitating institutionally supported contact between equal-status black and biracial students in the pursuit of common goals. My findings also extend contact theory by suggesting another condition of contact that can improve evaluations of blackness: contact with a heterogeneous group of black peers. These findings add to the literature on biracial identity by exploring racial regard, an understudied dimension of racial identity with important mental health implications. The findings also speak to the importance of HBCUs for fostering positive racial regard at a time when the purpose and longevity of these institutions is often questioned.
Metaphors of Conquest: Towards the Aesthetics of Dalit Feminism through Select Texts and Contexts
Authors: Sarangi Jaydeep
Published: January 2018

One of the aims of writing dalit literature in India has been to reveal to the readers the injustice, oppression, helplessness and struggles of many of the disadvantaged populations under the social machine of stratification in India. Caste politics in India is unique and culture specific. Dalit feminism is unique in Indian context. The stratified Indian society beguiles the dalit women to the whirlpool of social oppression and exploitation. It is against any sort of class distinction. Conceiving the ideology of Dr B. R. Ambedkar: ‘Educate, agitate, organize’ dalit women write back.
Assessing Cortical Thickness in Human Tibiae With Sonography vs Computed Tomography: A Pilot Study
Authors: Mohammad Sundus H. , Hunter Randee L. , Tatarski Rachel L. , Butwin Angela N. , Evans Kevin D.
Published: January 2018

Osteoporosis is a public health problem worldwide that decreases bone strength and increases the risk for fractures. Cortical thickness of long bones has gained attention because of its contributions to the resistance of bone fracture. What is currently lacking is a nonionizing imaging modality that assesses cortical bones with a sensitivity equal to that of computed tomography (CT). Tibiae were utilized to compare cortical thickness measurements recorded with diagnostic medical sonography (DMS) and CT. Four percentage sites (4%, 38%, 50%, 66%) were identified along the tibiae, and cortical measurements were taken from 3 views (anterior, medial, lateral). Medial views at all sites except 38% had DMS full measurements that were not significantly different than those collected with CT. The 4% sites in all views yielded the most cortical thickness measurements that were not significantly different from those of CT. These promising results at DMS full 4% sites open the possibility of translating this methodology to bones that have thin cortices and high risks of fragility fractures, such as the radius.
Rivaroxaban dose adjustment using thrombin generation in severe congenital protein C deficiency and warfarin-induced skin necrosis
Authors: Menon Neethu , Sarode Ravi , Zia Ayesha
Published: January 2018

Key Points

Rivaroxaban was efficacious and safe in a child with protein C deficiency to prevent the recurrence of skin necrosis or venous thrombosis. The dosage of direct oral anticoagulants in children with thrombophilia is unclear; a thrombin generation assay may be useful to adjust it.
Homologous Recombination Deficiency in Patients With Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma and Response to Chemotherapy
Authors: Shahda Safi , Timms Kirsten M. , Ibrahim Ashley A. , Reid Julia E. , Cramer Harvey M. , Radovich Milan , Ibrahim Sulfikar , Allen Brian , O’Neil Bert H.
Published: January 2018

Purpose

Mutations or copy number abnormalities of genes involved in homologous recombination (HR) occur in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). DNA-based measures of HR deficiency (HRD) have been developed and may help identify tumors with better response to DNA-damaging agents. This study aimed to describe the HR pathway mutations and HRD status and determine their association with treatment response and outcome in patients with PDAC.

Patients and Methods

We performed a retrospective analysis of tumor samples from patients treated at Indiana University for locally advanced or metastatic PDAC. Patients were included if they received gemcitabine plus nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel (control) or fluorouracil, oxaliplatin, leucovorin, and irinotecan (FOLFIRINOX) and had adequate follow-up to assess survival and response to therapy. Tumor analysis generated a three-biomarker HRD score and mutation data for 44 genes.

Results

Ninety-one samples met inclusion criteria, and 78 samples (formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded, n = 15; fine-needle aspiration, n = 63) generated mutation data. HRD analysis was successful for 57 samples (HRD score: median, 18; range, 5 to 61); the primary cause of failure was low tumor cellularity. Six BRCA1/ 2 mutations were detected, four with HRD scores in the top decile ( P = .011). There was no statistically significant correlation between HRD score and radiographic response (odds ratio per interquartile range, 1.40; P = .32 adjusted for treatment) in either treatment group. In patients treated with FOLFIRINOX, HRD score dichotomized at the median was not associated with progression-free survival (median, 5.3 v 9.4 months for low v high HRD score, respectively; P = .083) or overall survival (median, 11.9 v 10.7 months for low v high HRD score, respectively; P = .76).

Conclusion

Mutations in DNA repair genes occur in PDAC, and HRD scores can be generated in the majority of patients. The HRD score was not significantly associated with higher response rate or prolonged survival in patients treated with FOLFIRINOX.
The Society of Thoracic Surgeons, The Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists, and The American Society of ExtraCorporeal Technology: Clinical Practice Guidelines—Anticoagulation During Cardiopulmonary Bypass
Authors: Shore-Lesserson Linda , Baker Robert A. , Ferraris Victor A. , Greilich Philip E. , Fitzgerald David , Roman Philip , Hammon John W.
Published: January 2018

Despite more than a half century of “safe” cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), the evidence base surrounding the conduct of anticoagulation therapy for CPB has not been organized into a succinct guideline. For this and other reasons, there is enormous practice variability relating to the use and dosing of heparin, monitoring heparin anticoagulation, reversal of anticoagulation, and the use of alternative anticoagulants. To address this and other gaps, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons, the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists, and the American Society of Extracorporeal Technology developed an Evidence Based Workgroup. This was a group of interdisciplinary professionals gathered to summarize the evidence and create practice recommendations for various aspects of CPB. To date, anticoagulation practices in CPB have not been standardized in accordance with the evidence base. This clinical practice guideline was written with the intent to fill the evidence gap and to establish best practices in anticoagulation therapy for CPB using the available evidence. To identify relevant evidence, a systematic review was outlined and literature searches were conducted in PubMed using standardized medical subject heading (MeSH) terms from the National Library of Medicine list of search terms. Search dates were inclusive of January 2000 to December 2015. The search yielded 833 abstracts, which were reviewed by two independent reviewers. Once accepted into the full manuscript review stage, two members of the writing group evaluated each of 286 full papers for inclusion eligibility into the guideline document. Ninety-six manuscripts were included in the final review. In addition, 17 manuscripts published before 2000 were included to provide method, context, or additional supporting evidence for the recommendations as these papers were considered sentinel publications. Members of the writing group wrote and developed recommendations based on review of the articles obtained and achieved more than two thirds agreement on each recommendation. The quality of information for a given recommendation allowed assessment of the level of evidence as recommended by the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. Recommendations were written in the three following areas: (1) heparin dosing and monitoring for initiation and maintenance of CPB; (2) heparin contraindications and heparin alternatives; and (3) reversal of anticoagulation during cardiac operations. It is hoped that this guideline will serve as a resource and will stimulate investigators to conduct more research and to expand on the evidence base on the topic of anticoagulation therapy for CPB.
Runx1 is sufficient for blood cell formation from non-hemogenic endothelial cells in vivo only during early embryogenesis
Authors: Yzaguirre Amanda D. , Howell Elizabeth D. , Li Yan , Liu Zijing , Speck Nancy A.
Published: January 2018

Hematopoietic cells differentiate during embryogenesis from a population of endothelial cells called hemogenic endothelium (HE) in a process called the endothelial-to-hematopoietic transition (EHT). The transcription factor Runx1 is required for EHT, but for how long and which endothelial cells are competent to respond to Runx1 are not known. Here, we show that the ability of Runx1 to induce EHT in non-hemogenic endothelial cells depends on the anatomical location of the cell and the developmental age of the conceptus. Ectopic expression of Runx1 in non-hemogenic endothelial cells between embryonic day (E) 7.5 and E8.5 promoted the formation of erythro-myeloid progenitors (EMPs) specifically in the yolk sac, the dorsal aorta and the heart. The increase in EMPs was accompanied by a higher frequency of HE cells able to differentiate into EMPs in vitro. Expression of Runx1 just 1 day later (E8.5-E9.5) failed to induce the ectopic formation of EMPs. Therefore, endothelial cells, located in specific sites in the conceptus, have a short developmental window of competency during which they can respond to Runx1 and differentiate into blood cells.
DrosophilaSidekick is required in developing photoreceptors to enable visual motion detection
Authors: Astigarraga Sergio , Douthit Jessica , Tarnogorska Dorota , Creamer Matthew S. , Mano Omer , Clark Damon A. , Meinertzhagen Ian A. , Treisman Jessica E.
Published: January 2018

The assembly of functional neuronal circuits requires growth cones to extend in defined directions and recognize the correct synaptic partners. Homophilic adhesion between vertebrate Sidekick proteins promotes synapse formation between retinal neurons involved in visual motion detection. We show here that that Drosophila Sidekick accumulates in specific synaptic layers of the developing motion detection circuit and is necessary for normal optomotor behavior. Sidekick is required in photoreceptors, but not their target lamina neurons, to promote the alignment of lamina neurons into columns and subsequent sorting of photoreceptor axons into synaptic modules based on their precise spatial orientation. Sidekick is also localized to the dendrites of the direction-selective T4 and T5 cells, and is expressed in some of their presynaptic partners. In contrast to its vertebrate homologues, Sidekick is not essential for T4 and T5 to direct their dendrites to the appropriate layers or to receive synaptic contacts. These results illustrate a conserved requirement for Sidekick proteins to establish visual motion detection circuits that is achieved through distinct cellular mechanisms in Drosophila and vertebrates.
Integrated analysis of single-cell embryo data yields a unified transcriptome signature for the human preimplantation epiblast
Authors: Stirparo Giuliano G. , Boroviak Thorsten , Guo Ge , Nichols Jennifer , Smith Austin , Bertone Paul
Published: January 2018

Single-cell profiling techniques create opportunities to delineate cell fate progression in mammalian development. Recent studies provide transcriptome data from human preimplantation embryos, in total comprising nearly 2000 individual cells. Interpretation of these data is confounded by biological factors such as variable embryo staging and cell-type ambiguity, as well as technical challenges in the collective analysis of datasets produced with different sample preparation and sequencing protocols. Here we address these issues to assemble a complete gene expression time course spanning human preimplantation embryogenesis. We identify key transcriptional features over developmental time and elucidate lineage-specific regulatory networks. We resolve post hoc cell-type assignment in the blastocyst, and define robust transcriptional prototypes that capture epiblast and primitive endoderm lineages. Examination of human pluripotent stem cell transcriptomes in this framework identifies culture conditions that sustain a naïve state pertaining to the inner cell mass. Our approach thus clarifies understanding both of lineage segregation in the early human embryo and of in vitro stem cell identity, and provides an analytical resource for comparative molecular embryology.
Wnt6 maintains anterior escort cells as an integral component of the germline stem cell niche
Authors: Wang Xiaoxi , Page-McCaw Andrea
Published: January 2018

Stem cells reside in a niche, a complex cellular and molecular environment. In Drosophila ovaries, germline stem cells depend on cap cells for self-renewing signals and physical attachment. Germline stem cells also contact the anterior escort cells, and here we report that anterior escort cells are absolutely required for germline stem cell maintenance. When escort cells die from impaired Wnt signaling or hid expression, the loss of anterior escort cells causes consequent loss of germline stem cells. Anterior escort cells function as an integral niche component by promoting DE-cadherin anchorage and by transiently expressing the Dpp ligand to promote full-strength BMP signaling in germline stem cells. Anterior escort cells are maintained by Wnt6 ligands produced by cap cells; without Wnt6 signaling, anterior escort cells die leaving vacancies in the niche, leading to loss of germline stem cells. Our data identify anterior escort cells as constituents of the germline stem cell niche, maintained by a cap-cell produced Wnt6 survival signal.
Dissection of genetic regulation of compound inflorescence development inMedicago truncatula
Authors: Cheng Xiaofei , Li Guifen , Tang Yuhong , Wen Jiangqi
Published: January 2018

Development of inflorescence architecture is controlled by genetic regulatory networks. TERMINAL FLOWER1 (TFL1), APETALA1 (AP1), LEAFY (LFY), and FRUITFULL (FUL) are core regulators for inflorescence development. To understand the regulation of compound inflorescence development, we characterized mutants of corresponding orthologous genes, MtTFL1, MtAP1, SINGLE LEAFLET1 (SGL1), and MtFULc, in Medicago truncatula, and analyzed expression patterns of these genes. Results indicate that MtTFL1, MtFULc, MtAP1, and SGL1 play specific roles in identity determination of primary inflorescence meristems, secondary inflorescence meristems, floral meristems, and common primordia, respectively. Double mutation of MtTFL1 and MtFULc transforms compound inflorescences to simple flowers, while single mutation of MtTFL1 changes the inflorescence branching pattern from monopodial to sympodial. Double mutant mtap1sgl1 completely loses floral meristem identity. We conclude that inflorescence architecture in M. truncatula is controlled by spatiotemporal expression of MtTFL1, MtFULc, MtAP1, and SGL1 through reciprocal repression. Although this regulatory network shares similarity with the pea model, it has specificity in regulating inflorescence architecture in M. truncatula. This study establishes M. truncatula as an excellent genetic model for understanding compound inflorescence development in related legume crops.
Use of helical tomotherapy in locally advanced and/or metastatic breast cancer for locoregional treatment
Authors: Thery Laura , Arsene-Henry Alexandre , Carroll Susan , Peurien Dominique , Bazire Louis , Robilliard Magalie , Fourquet Alain , Kirova Youlia M
Published: January 2018

Objective:

Helical tomotherapy (HT) is a new promising tool whose use remains to be studied. This work assesses its impact for local irradiation in terms of side effects, as well as tumour control in locally advanced (LABC) and metastatic breast cancer (MBC).

Methods:

We retrospectively reviewed data of 66 patients with LABC and MBC. Patients received standard fractionated radiotherapy by HT, with or without concurrent systemic treatment.

Results:

The median age was 60 years (28–77). The median follow-up of the population was 35.9 months (10.6–95.8). For 91% of patients, HT was concomitant with systemic treatments. Three patients experienced grade 3 skin toxicity and all had concurrent 5FU-vinorelbine. One patient who was receiving concurrent treatment with trastuzumab–pertuzumab had a decreased left ventricular ejection fraction by 14%. No late cardiac or lung toxicity was observed. A clinical benefit was observed in 75% of cases. At 2 months after HT, we observed tumour regression in 7/8 patients, as following: 1 complete, 4 partial responses, and 2 stable disease. The median survival for MBC group was 64.4 months (42.6–65.8) and 21.1 (6.1–36.1) months for LABC.

Conclusion:

This study suggests that the use of HT is well tolerated and feasible with a multimodal strategy that includes concurrent systemic treatments for patients with LABC and MBC.

Advances in knowledge:

The survival of LABC and MBC increases and new safe tools are needed to determine optimal strategies of treatment. To our knowledge, this is the first paper describing the use of HT for this population.
What Is Career Success for Academic Hospitalists? A Qualitative Analysis of Early‐Career Faculty Perspectives
Authors: Cumbler Ethan , Yirdaw Essey , Kneeland Patrick , Pierce Read , Rendon Patrick , Herzke Carrie , Jones Christine D.
Published: January 2018

BACKGROUND

Understanding the concept of career success is critical for hospital medicine groups seeking to create sustainably rewarding faculty positions. Conceptual models of career success describe both extrinsic (compensation and advancement) and intrinsic (career satisfaction and job satisfaction) domains. How hospitalists define career success for themselves is not well understood. In this study, we qualitatively explore perspectives on how early‐career clinician‐educators define career success.

METHODS

We developed a semistructured interview tool of open‐ended questions validated by using cognitive interviewing. Transcribed interviews were conducted with 17 early‐career academic hospitalists from 3 medical centers to thematic saturation. A mixed deductive‐inductive, qualitative, analytic approach was used to code and map themes to the theoretical framework.

RESULTS

The single most dominant theme participants described was “excitement about daily work,” which mapped to the job satisfaction organizing theme. Participants frequently expressed the importance of “being respected and recognized” and “dissemination of work,” which were within the career satisfaction organizing theme. The extrinsic organizing themes of advancement and compensation were described as less important contributors to an individual's sense of career success. Ambivalence toward the “academic value of clinical work,” “scholarship,” and especially “promotion” represented unexpected themes.

CONCLUSIONS

The future of academic hospital medicine is predicated upon faculty finding career success. Clinician‐educator hospitalists view some traditional markers of career advancement as relevant to success. However, early‐career faculty question the importance of some traditional external markers to their personal definitions of success. This work suggests that the self‐concept of career success is complex and may not be captured by traditional academic metrics and milestones.
Design Incentives Under Collective Extended Producer Responsibility: A Network Perspective
Authors: Gui Luyi , Atasu Atalay , Ergun Özlem , Toktay L. Beril
Published: January 2018

A key goal of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation is to provide incentives for producers to design their products for recyclability. EPR is typically implemented in a collective system, where a network of recycling resources are coordinated to fulfill the EPR obligations of a set of producers, and the resulting system cost is allocated among these producers. Collective EPR is prevalent because of its cost efficiency advantages. However, it is considered to provide inferior design incentives compared to an individual implementation (where producers fulfill their EPR obligations individually). In this paper, we revisit this assertion and investigate its fundamental underpinnings in a network setting. To this end, we develop a new biform game framework that captures producers’ independent design choices (noncooperative stage) and recognizes the need to maintain the voluntary participation of producers for the collective system to be stable (cooperative stage). This biform game subsumes the network-based operations of a collective system and captures the interdependence between producers’ product design and participation decisions. We then characterize the manner in which design improvement may compromise stability and vice versa. We establish that a stable collective EPR implementation can match and even surpass an individual implementation with respect to product design outcomes. In particular, we show that when the processing technology efficiency and product recyclability are substitutes (complements), a recycling network where processor capacity pooling leads to sufficiently low (high) cost reduction will lead to superior designs in the collective system and maintain its stability, and we propose cost allocation mechanisms to achieve this dual purpose.

The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2017.2897 .

This paper was accepted by Serguei Netessine, operations management.
Technical Note—Signaling Product Quality Through a Trial Period
Authors: Wang Shouqiang , Özkan-Seely Gülru F.
Published: January 2018

It has become a ubiquitous practice for firms that sell new products, such as software, to offer consumers time-locked product trial periods free of charge. We identify trial length as a nuanced signaling instrument, which, together with the price signal, a firm can use to communicate proprietary information about its product quality. We show that a high-quality firm offers a longer trial period and sets a higher price, and is rewarded with a higher profit, relative to its low-quality counterpart. Our finding extends to cases where the firm faces ex ante heterogeneous consumers or when the firm competes with an incumbent product.

The electronic companion is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/opre.2017.1675 .
Cosy up to cooking
Authors: Rawstrone Annette
Published: January 2018

Spending one-to-one time with children in the kitchen can build an interest in food and cooking skills that will last a lifetime. It's best to start small, says Annette Rawstrone, and follow their lead.
Mendamaikan Sains dan Agama: Mempertimbangkan Teori Harun Nasution
Authors: Aprison Wedra
Published: January 2018

The development of science in the Islamic universities requires strong philosophical,ontological, epistemological, and axiological base. The formulation of epistemologycan not be negotiable. From the thought of Harun Nasution, it can be said that “thesource of religion is revelation and the source of knowledge is God’s natural law calledthe sunatullah”. Both come from one source, namely Allah. So between the revelationand sunatullah can not be put into contradiction. Ayat al-kawniyah in the Quran hasencouraged the classic Islamic scholars to study and observe the natural surroundings.The implication of this theory is that any special methodology is not needed to developthe current science. Furthermore Harun said, “because Islam is a religion and culture,and the culture is more than religion, a different research method may not necessary thanthe commonly used.”
Konsep Urin Menurut Ibnu Sina: Kajian atas Kitab al-Qanuun fith-Thibb
Authors: Wahidi Wahidi , Sopari Onang
Published: January 2018

This article discusses the concept of urine according to Ibn Sina in his book al-Qanuunfith-Tibb and its relevance to the modern concept of urine formation at this time. Theconcept of urine formation, according to Ibn Sina is the cooperation process betweenthe liver, (liver), ureter (masaliku al-maiyyah / urinary pessages), kidney (Killi), sweatglands in the skin (‘uruq), gall (sofrowyyu) and bladder urinary. In retaltion with theconcept of urine, Ibn Sina did not mention in detail the tasks and functions of eachorgan that plays a role in the process of urine formation. Meanwhile the modern urineconcept by modern biologists have described up to the molecular level. The relevanceof Ibn Sina’s concept to the modern concept of urine formation, is that in Ibn Sina’sera the concept of urine formation had already at the level of organ and as bases offurther concept development through the molecular level. The modern biology concepthas happened division of the functions of each organ clearly, while the concept of IbnSina, organ is a unified and not specialized yet.
INDIGENIZATION OF ISLAMIC NUSANTARA EDUCATION (Case Study on the Nahdlatul 'Ulama Regional Representative Council of West Java)
Authors: Taja Nadri
Published: January 2018

This paper discusses the values of Islamic Nusantara Education which is considered to be one of the solutions to the various problems related to the fanaticism of groups that occurred in Indonesia. The purpose of this study is to describe the values of Islamic Education developed by the Nahdlatul 'Ulama Regional Representative Council of West Java, which can be used as one source of Islamic values in education. This is done because the Nahdlatul 'Ulama is one of the biggest majority group in Indonesia which still preserves the cultural values which are then internalized to the public. The method used in this study is a qualitative case study. From the research conducted, it was found that there are four things considered as the adopted, maintained, and inherited pedagogical value among members of the Nahdlatul 'Ulama Regional Representatives Council of West Java, which can be used as values in Islamic education – tolerant (tasamuh), balance (tawazun), moderate (tawasuth), and mutual assistance (ta'awaun).
The Dynamics of Islamic Calligraphy Teaching and Learning in South Sulawesi
Authors: Ahmad Abd. Aziz
Published: January 2018

This is a library research studying data collected from library as well as interviews which were then analysed by means of description, arrangement, and interpretation. The result shows that Islamic calligraphy teaching and learning was introduced at the same time as the arrival of Islam in South Sulawesi in 1600s by three Islamic clerics. Pesantren was the main place for such teaching conducted through traditional method in which teacher exemplified handwritten Islamic calligraphy on board then students reproduced the example on paper. The results were then assessed by the teacher. In several Universities in Makassar, such as at Makassar State University (UNM) and State Islamic University (UIN) Alauddin Makassar, Khat (calligraphy) is taught through lecture, demonstration, and assignment. The teachings are performed in class using some media, such as video recording, audio recording, material from the internet, etc. One of calligraphy course institution in South Sulawesi is Lekfiah which was established in 2002. However, this institution experiences decline since the teachers are not fully engaged in managing the teaching. One type of Islamic calligraphy painting technique can be explained over four steps, 1) making basic pattern in form of infinity line, 2) creating background, 3) adding Islamic calligraphy text, and 4) finishing.
Walisongo’s Educational Leadership through Modelling and Fulfilment of Human Basic Needs
Authors: Susanto Nanang Hasan
Published: January 2018

Abstract

This study aims to trace the Walisongo’s (the Nine Saints) leadership model that is often considered successful in Islamizing the Javanese community in a relatively short time and almost without conflict. Through the literature search using analytic descriptive, this study brings the conclusion that based on the conventional leadership model division, the Walisongo’s leadership can be categorized into transformational leadership with characteristics capable of fostering the trust, pride, loyalty and respect of Javanese society. In addition, the Walisongo's leadership also conforms to the characteristics proposed by Tobroni, which include spiritual leadership, with characteristics based on the divine aspect, done with honesty and sincerely, drawing public sympathy and mobilizing them to follow the Walisongo’s teachings. This research also produces a finding that the success of Walisongo in educating the people of Java is due to their concern on the efforts to meet the basic needs of the society and provide models to follow.

 

Keywords: leadership, the Walisongo, model
Parasites in stray dogs from Italy: prevalence, risk factors and management concerns
Authors: Liberato Claudio De , Berrilli Federica , Odorizi Livio , Scarcella Roberto , Barni Marco , Amoruso Cristina , Scarito Alessia , Filippo Margherita Montalbano Di , Carvelli Andrea , Iacoponi Francesca , Scaramozzino Paola
Published: January 2018

Parasites are among the most common pathogens recorded in dogs. High prevalence rates are usually reported in stray and shelter dogs, as these animals are less likely to be tested and treated. In this study a survey was carried out on intestinal and lung parasites of stray dogs at the moment of the admission in a shelter in Central Italy. In the period June 2014-June 2015, 262 individual faecal samples were examined. Twelve parasitic taxa were detected. Helminths were more prevalent than protozoa (61.8% and 25.6%, respectively). Ancylostomatidae showed the higher prevalence (40.5%), followed by Giardia duodenalis (21.4%), Toxocara canis (20.6%) and Trichuris vulpis (17.6%). Angiostrongylus vasorum was the most prevalent lungworm (12.6%), Crenosoma vulpis being recorded just in one dog. G. duodenalis had a high prevalence, probably because of the diagnostic techniques adopted, actually the most sensitive available for its detection. Nevertheless, the zoonotic potential of this parasite in dogs appears reduced, as all the isolates were identified as C (24.0%) and D (76.0%) dog specific assemblages. Taeniidae constituted a high potential zoonotic risk, as from the eggs it is impossible to exclude they were Echinococcus granulosus, the most relevant zoonotic parasite in Europe. The present study underline the importance of stray dogs control, aimed at preventing or minimizing parasitic spread and zoonotic transmission.
A serological study of antibodies to Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in the sera of healthy individuals collected two decades apart
Authors: Kříž Bohumír , Malý Marek , Balátová Pavla , Kodym Petr , Kurzová Zuzana , Daniel Milan , Kybicová Kateřina
Published: January 2018

Sera collected from healthy individuals from the general population in the Czech Republic during repeated cross-sectional surveys were analyzed. Samples collected in the same six districts in two time periods, 1978-1989 and 2001, were compared. The study subjects were divided into six age categories between 10 and 59 years. Overall, 434 samples from 1978-1989 and 270 samples from 2001 were screened forAnaplasma phagocytophilum(AP) andBorrelia burgdorferisensu lato (BB). The anti-AP positivity rates were 13.1% and 11.5% in the first and second period, respectively, and did not differ significantly between the periods (P = 0.559). The anti-BB antibodies were detected in 33.9% and 14.8% of study subjects, respectively. The positivity rates were significantly lower in the second period (P<0.001). No considerable changes were observed in the sex distribution of positive findings between the two periods. The highest positivity rates of anti-AP antibodies were found in the 10–14 year age group: 16.0% in 1978-1989 and 16.7% in 2001. The age distribution of the anti-AP antibody positivity rates did not change substantially (P = 0.872). In 1978-1989, the lowest anti-BB antibody positivity rate (26.7%) was found in the 10–14 year age group, with a gradual increase with age to 41.1% in 50–59 year-olds. In 2001, the positivity rate in the 10–14 year age group was 26.2% and was not significantly different from that in the first period (P = 0.955). However, the positivity rates in the older age groups 15–59 years decreased significantly (P<0.001) and varied between 8.3% and 15.1%.
Two nematode species from freshwater and marine fishes in Thailand, including Ascarophis scatophagi sp. nov. (Cystidicolidae) from Scatophagus argus (Scatophagidae)
Authors: Moravec František , Yooyen Thanapon , Sanprick Amornrat
Published: January 2018

One new and one known species of parasitic nematodes are reported from Thailand for the first time: Falcaustra kaverii (Karve et Naik,1951) (Kathlaniidae) from the intestine of the freshwater fish Poropuntius deauratus (Valenciennes) (Cyprinidae) (new host record) and Ascarophis scatophagi sp. nov. (Cystidicolidae) from the intestine of the marine fish Scatophagus argus (Linnaeus) (Scatophagidae). The morphology of both these species was studied with the use of light (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) (the latter method used for F. kaverii for the first time). The new species (A. scatophagi) is mainly characterized by nonfilamented, markedly elongate-oval eggs (size 42–45 × 18 μm), spicules 555–642 μm and 105–150 μm long, the muscular/glandular oesophagus length ratio (1:13–34), bifurcate deirids, the length of the female tail (159–249 μm) and cephalic structures typical of the nominotypical subgenus Ascarophis. Representatives of Falcaustra Lane, 1915 and Ascarophis van Beneden, 1871 were not previously reported from fishes in Thai waters.
Morphological and molecular characterization of Seuratascaris numidica (Seurat, 1917) (Ascaridida: Ascarididae)
Authors: Chen Hui-Xia , Zhang Kuang , Zhang Lu-Ping , Li Liang
Published: January 2018

Seuratascaris numidica (Seurat, 1917) is a specialized nematode species parasitizing amphibians only. In the present study, the detailed morphology of this poorly known species was studied using light and scanning electron microscopy based on the newly material collected from Hoplobatrachus chinensis (Osbeck) (Amphibia: Anura) in China. We found that the relative length of intestinal caecum in our male specimens (representing 68.4–71.1% of oesophageal length) is slighter longer than the previously reported data (not over 60.0% of oesophageal length). Our SEM observations also revealed the presence of ca. 64–76 small conical denticles on each lip. In addition, Angusticaecum wuyiensis Wang, 1981, collected from Rana schmackeri Boettger (Amphibia: Anura) from Wuyi Mountain in Fujian Province, China was considered as a new synonym of S. numidica. The ITS and cox1 sequences of S. numidica were also sequenced for the first time and there is no nucleotide variability detected in both regions. The present supplementary morphological and molecular data (especially the ITS and cox1 sequences) obtained herein is extremely important and useful to determine the morphological variability, population genetics and phylogenetic position of S. numidica in the future.
Training Bilingual Educators at a PBI
Authors: Montes Amanda Lira Gordenstein , Valenciano Cynthia Kay , Fernandez Miguel
Published: January 2018

While Bilingual Education has traditionally been associated with linguistic diversity, the rise of the number of African-American teacher candidates in a Bilingual Education program at a mid-west Predominantly Black Institution (PBI) is causing the authors to reevaluate the input of this program’s curriculum and the output of the candidates’ understanding. The focus of this article is the training and preparation of bilingual educators at a PBI. The first section focuses on theoretical aspects of bilingual programming, and helps the reader understand how demographics and legislation have a strong impact on the educators who obtain licensure to work in the field of Bilingual and English as a Second Language (ESL) Education. The second section focuses on (1) results obtained in a review of national and state demographics, (2) results from a survey highlighting the experiences of teacher candidates in a Bilingual Education program at a PBI in the mid-west, and (3) results from interviews with teacher candidates regarding the experiences of these same candidates. Results are used to draw conclusions about program strengths and weaknesses to improve and broaden the understanding of the instructional methods needed in this Bilingual Education program curriculum.
Identical Readers, Identical Readings?: First-Generation Twin Brothers and the Process of Constructing Textual Relevance
Authors: Sciurba Katie
Published: January 2018

This study examines the ways in which a pair of identical-looking fraternal twins – first-generation Indian-American adolescent male students at a private all-boys school – construct personal meaning, or textual relevance, as readers. Semi-structured interviews with the two young men were conducted to determine the degrees to which their connections to literature were influenced by a) their racial/ethnic/cultural identities, b) their gender identities, and/or c) other aspects of their identities. The brothers’ responses, which differ significantly from one another’s and demonstrate the complexities of constructing meaning from texts, provide new perspective on how to best reach individual students – particularly students from nondominant groups. The data indicates that educators would benefit significantly from including young people’s perspectives in attempts to represent them and their identities within literacy education contexts. Ultimately, this study calls for a broadened theory of reader response – one that accounts for student diversity, within and across groups, and encourages young people to share how their worlds impact their readings of the word.
A Case of “Consumption”: Nietzsche’s Diagnosis of Spinoza
Authors: Ioan Razvan
Published: January 2018

This paper investigates Nietzsche’s reception of Spinoza in order to develop our understanding of the complex relations between their respective philosophies starting from their shared commitment to ontologies of power. The first three sections of this essay contain a diachronic analysis of Nietzsche’s engagement with Spinoza and a discussion of the major themes in play. The last section consists in an evaluation of Nietzsche’s explicit and implicit criticisms that helps us gain a sense of the coherence running through them, as well of the core similarities and differences between two philosophies steeped in immanence and naturalism. Even if Nietzsche’s criticisms do not always do justice to Spinoza’s thinking, they nevertheless offer invaluable clues to guide our comparative project.
„Einige Sprossen zurück“. Metaphysikkritik, Perspektivismus und die Gültigkeit der Perspektiven in Nietzsches Menschliches, Allzumenschliches
Authors: Navratil Michael
Published: January 2018

This article outlines Nietzsche’s understanding of perspectivism by discussing the critique of metaphysics in Human, All Too Human. In this work, Nietzsche carries out an intrinsic critique of his own enlightened, anti-metaphysical project by drawing both on explicit claims and on formal and aesthetic techniques of relativisation. The concept of dynamic perspectivism can serve as a mediator between these seemingly contradictory tendencies within the work. In contrast to certain tendencies in more recent Nietzsche studies however, this article suggest a reading of perspectivism that does not ensue total subversion or complete relativism but seeks to maintain the validity of individual perspectives.