bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The politics of (in)visibility displays: Ultra-Orthodox women manoeuvring within and between visibility regimes
Authors: Wasserman Varda , Frenkel Michal
Published: October 2019

How does the multiplicity of surveilling gazes affect the experience of employees subjected to a matrix of domination in organisations? Building on a case study of ultra-religious Jewish women in Israeli high-tech organisations, the article demonstrates how the intersectionality of gender and religiosity exposed them to a matrix of contradicting visibility regimes – managerial, peers, and religious community. By displaying their compliance with each visibility regime, they were constructed as hyper-subjugated employees, but simultaneously were able to use (in)visibility as a resource. Specifically, by manoeuvring between the various gazes and playing one visibility regime against the other, they challenged some of the organisational and religious norms that served to marginalise them, yet upheld their status as worthy members of both institutions. Juxtaposing theoretical insights from organisational surveillance and gender studies, the article reveals the role of multiple surveilling gazes in both the reproduction of minorities’ marginalisation, and their ability to mobilise it to maintain their collective identities.
The presence, characteristics and correlates of pathological social withdrawal in Taiwan: An online survey
Authors: Wu Alison Fang-Wei , Catmur Caroline , Wong Paul WC , Lau Jennifer YF
Published: October 2019

Objectives:

Pathological social withdrawal (PSW) has become a public health concern, especially in Asia. However, few studies have investigated the presence of PSW and its characteristics in Taiwan. In this study, we aimed to discover whether individuals in Taiwan display PSW behaviours, the demographic characteristics and psychiatric history of those meeting criteria for PSW and the associated psychological risks.

Methods:

An online self-report survey collected participants’ demographic characteristics, social behaviours and their psychiatric history, along with information on adherence to cultural norms and mental health.

Results:

Among 1,046 valid respondents, 9% reported behaviours consistent with PSW for at least 6 months, commensurate with other online surveys in Asian countries. Around 20% of these also reported current or past psychiatric disorders, although this was lower than previous findings (50%–80%). Participants with PSW reported poorer mental health and lower confidence in social/academic/work skills than unaffected participants.

Conclusion:

This study identified for the first time the presence of PSW in Taiwan. Except the lower rates of psychiatric comorbidity (which could be explained by sociocultural factors and sampling methods), data were consistent with previous findings. We also extended our understanding of possible psychological risk factors associated with this pathological condition.
Featuring Mistakes: The Persuasive Impact of Purchase Mistakes in Online Reviews
Authors: Reich Taly , Maglio Sam J.
Published: October 2019

Companies often feature positive consumer reviews on their websites and in their promotional materials in an attempt to increase sales. However, little is known about which particular positive reviews companies should leverage to optimize sales. Across four lab studies involving both hypothetical and real choices as well as field data from a retailer’s website (Sephora), the authors find that consumers are more likely to purchase a product if it is recommended by a reviewer who has (vs. has not) made a prior purchase mistake. The authors define a purchase mistake as a self-identified suboptimal decision whereby people purchase a product that subsequently fails to meet a threshold level of expected performance. This persuasive advantage emerges because consumers perceive reviewers who admit a purchase mistake as having more expertise than even reviewers whose purchase experience has not been marred by mistakes. As a result, in marketers’ attempts to increase the persuasive influence of reviews featured in their promotional materials, they may inadvertently decrease it by omitting the very information that would lead consumers to be more likely to purchase recommended products.
Accidental adult deaths involving ladders: A forensic perspective
Authors: Fronczek Judith , Byard Roger W
Published: October 2019

A retrospective study was undertaken of autopsy cases at the Forensic Science South Australia state mortuary over a 20-year period from January 1999 to December 2018 for all cases aged ≥18 years where a ladder was mentioned in the death scene description and/or police reports. Twelve cases were identified, all of whom were male, with an average age of 56 years (range 21–83 years). The most frequent cause of death was a fall from a ladder ( n = 8; 66%), followed by electrocution ( n = 4; 33%). The falls were associated with deaths from blunt injuries, impalement and laceration. The age range of those who fell was 47–83 years (average 66 years). The three of the four deaths associated with electrocutions involved contact with power lines or live electrical wires; the remaining case involved a sharp metal ladder base cutting through a live power lead. The age range of those who were electrocuted was 21–43 years (average 35 years) – significantly younger than those who had died from falls ( p < 0.05). The increase in mean age of the population with increasing popularity of home maintenance activities may result in more cases of lethal falls involving ladders presenting for forensic assessment.
Application of Item Response Theory to the Assessment of Coping in an Environmental Risk Situation: Perspectives and Limits
Authors: Lemée Colin
Published: October 2019

Classical test theory does not have a clear superiority over the item response theory (IRT) framework, as these approaches are meant to address different kinds of objectives. However, the use of the IRT framework makes it possible to take into account two different parameters in the assessment of coping willingness: the extent to which individuals declare that they use the different strategies and the level of difficulty of these strategies. Also, the IRT framework is strong enough to cope with inconsistent behaviors or missing data and can take into account the social, legal, and cultural influences on the ability to cope of respondents. The data set used in this study was obtained from different areas at risk from coastal flooding located in France. The sample was composed of 315 adult participants (mean age = 47; standard deviation = 15). In the present case, it appeared that just 10 items from an initial pool of 23 were sufficient to assess active and passive coping willingness because these had a good discriminatory power. Also, it appeared that the estimation of participants’ level of coping willingness was linked to their risk perception and anxiety toward the risk. This result has several implications. Firstly, if the IRT calibration is well performed, IRT can be used to compare scores across assessments with different properties and difficulties/locations. Also, the maximum likelihood estimate of participants’ level of active and passive coping willingness using an IRT model makes it possible to study the links between coping willingness and other factors of interest.
Miracles of Organization: Chance and Error in Kafka’s The Castle
Authors: Caygill Howard
Published: October 2019

Kafka’s writings have not only informed our understanding of modern institutions and bureaucratic organizations as forms of domination; they have also knowingly addressed the limits of such understanding, and of theoretical imagination in more general terms. This philosophical essay is situated in the latter mode of thinking with Kafka about the limits of what we assume ‘organization’ to be or to become. It presents a close reading of The Castle as a novel about the miracle of organization. This miracle takes the form of an interruption and temporary suspension of the laws and routines that order and govern the organized world. Yet there is neither a theological higher power nor a mundane organizational power that might save or make use of the miracle (and resolve K.’s predicament). In The Castle, even the miraculous is a matter of mere chance and organizational chaos – a sardonic rebuke to the age-old imaginaries and theologies of rational and hierarchical political organization. More than performing a critique of bureaucracy, The Castle radicalizes the contingency of organizational operations into matters and situations of miraculous chance which, unrecognized by K, leave without a trace.
Democracy, ethnoicracy and consociational demoicracy
Authors: Stojanović Nenad
Published: October 2019

This article questions the notion of ‘consociational democracy’. It argues that it rests on shaky ground, empirically and conceptually. As an empirical matter, a consociation is inherently unstable because it tends either to collapse into ethnoicracy (where the power is shared by the main ethnic groups so that citizens who do not belong to them are politically marginalized) or to become a non-consociational, liberal democracy. At the conceptual level ‘consociational democracy’ is an impossibility because a polity cannot be both consociational and democratic. This article argues that consociations can be at best demoicracies – that is, polities composed not of a single demos but of multiple demoi. Yet the problem of stability remains. The article concludes with the suggestion that the stability problem can be addressed by adopting a weak form of demoicracy – the ‘demoi-within-demos’ constellation – where a thin demos coexists with multiple demoi.
The limits of inclusion: Representation of minority and non-dominant communities in consociational and liberal democracies
Authors: Agarin Timofey
Published: October 2019

Consociationalism starts with the assumption that in divided societies there are multiple groups with reasonable claims which leads to the development of group sensitive mechanisms for political representation. While consociations are put in place to ensure the participation of groups whose past disenfranchisement from (equal) political representation resulted in violence, their disregard for individuals and identities of other, non-dominant groups is comparable to the impact of liberal democratic governments on minority groups. Both the approach observed in consociational practice and the liberal democratic approach of accommodating members of minority groups result from a preference for the political accommodation of majority group identities. Both approaches, I argue, result in the neglect of the input of minority and non-dominant groups. This effect is, principally, a result of the lack of guaranteed representation afforded to their group identities and is exacerbated by the representation of majority interests which is aggregated from individual-level participation.
Pathology in Ecological Research With Implications for One Health: Session Summary
Authors: Haschek Wanda M. , Berenbaum May , Hinton David E. , Cora Michelle , Chernoff Neil , Travlos Gregory , Liu Chih-Wei , Lu Kun , Law Mac
Published: October 2019

This session explored the effects of pollutants on One Health at the ecosystem level that included microbes, insects, fish, and humans. The concept of One Health seeks to synergize medical, veterinary, and other health science disciplines to more effectively advance human and animal health. Presentations explored the interactions of pesticides, pathogens, phytochemicals, and xenobiotic biotransformation in bee colony losses critical for food security (bees have been recently listed under the 2017 US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) veterinary feed directive); the role of pathology in identifying the effects of pollutants on fish as sentinels for human health; the effects in rats of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that can persist in the environment and contaminate drinking water; harmful algal blooms and toxin production leading to animal and human disease; and the processing of environmental carcinogens by intestinal microbiota.
Contemporary Activities of Toxicologic Pathology Societies
Authors: Maronpot Robert R. , Dagli Maria L. Z.
Published: October 2019

Educational activities and training opportunities in toxicologic pathology are major goals of 9 formally established Toxicologic Pathology Societies and the International Academy of Toxicologic Pathology. Some Toxicologic Pathology Societies have examination-based certification programs while others accept certification or registration by veterinary pathology organizations including the American College of Veterinary Pathologists, the European College of Veterinary Pathologists. We summarize here the membership numbers and current activities of formally established Toxicologic Pathology Socities.
The “Refugee Crisis,” Immigration Attitudes, and Euroscepticism
Authors: Stockemer Daniel , Niemann Arne , Unger Doris , Speyer Johanna
Published: October 2019

Between 2015 and 2017, the European Union (EU) was confronted with a major crisis in its history, the so-called “European refugee crisis.” Since the multifaceted crisis has provoked many different responses, it is also likely to have influenced individuals’ assessments of immigrants and European integration. Using data from three waves of the European Social Survey (ESS) — the wave before the crisis in 2012, the wave at the beginning of the crisis in 2014, and the wave right after the (perceived) height of the crisis in 2016 — we test the degree to which the European refugee crisis increased Europeans’ anti-immigrant sentiment and Euroscepticism, as well as the influence of Europeans’ anti-immigrant attitudes on their level of Euroscepticism. As suggested by prior research, our results indicate that there is indeed a consistent and solid relationship between more critical attitudes toward immigrants and increased Euroscepticism. Surprisingly, however, we find that the crisis increased neither anti-immigrant sentiments nor critical attitudes toward the EU and did not reinforce the link between rejection of immigrants and rejection of the EU. These findings imply that even under a strong external shock, fundamental political attitudes remain constant.
Phenomenology in five music education journals: Recent use and future directions
Authors: Joubert Debra , Van der Merwe Liesl
Published: October 2019

The purpose of this comparative case study is to explore the recent use of phenomenological inquiries in music education articles published in five selected journals listed in Thomson Reuters Web of Science between 2012 and 2015. The five music education journals are The British Journal of Music Education, Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, International Journal of Music Education, Journal of Research in Music Education and Music Education Research. An interpretative philosophical worldview and a qualitative research design informed this research. By employing a constant comparative method and analysing 480 articles, the findings of this study revealed that phenomenological inquiry is the third most preferred strategy of inquiry by music education researchers. A heuristic model was developed as an interpretive tool to analyse the data. Although phenomenology is a strategy of inquiry that has a lot to offer music education, several concerns emerged over the quality and proper use as some studies evinced deficiencies regarding the clarity of the research design and disclosure of research procedures.
Energy democracy as the right to the city: Urban energy struggles in Berlin and London
Authors: Becker Sören , Angel James , Naumann Matthias
Published: October 2019

In this paper, we argue that it is generative to link struggles around access to, control over, and the transformation of urban energy systems to the imaginary of the right to the city; and we explore the conceptual, empirical and political contributions of this connection. Our paper starts with two main questions: (1) what do we learn from reading attempts to reclaim urban energy systems from a right to the city perspective? (2) What can this analysis add to debates around the right to the city? We make two main arguments from our empirical engagements with initiatives seeking to remunicipalise urban energy systems in Berlin and London, each of which is premised upon calls for more just, democratic and ecologically sustainable forms of energy supply. First, we argue that these struggles need to transcend concerns around energy infrastructure to raise broader questions around the democratisation of urban space. Second, we contend that appropriating long-lasting urban infrastructure requires the creation of new and durable forms of democratic institutions, providing insights into the notion of self-management (autogestion) beyond more spontaneous and fleeting forms of protest and uprising addressed in much of right to the city literature. Overall, the paper hopes to put the question of autogestion and related strategies at the centre of conversations around right to the city moving forward.
Major depression subtypes are differentially associated with migraine subtype, prevalence and severity
Authors: Pisanu Claudia , Lundin Emma , Preisig Martin , Gholam-Rezaee Mehdi , Castelao Enrique , Pistis Giorgio , Merikangas Kathleen R , Glaus Jennifer , Squassina Alessio , Del Zompo Maria , Schiöth Helgi B , Mwinyi Jessica
Published: October 2019

Objective

Migraine and major depressive disorder show a high rate of comorbidity, but little is known about the associations between the subtypes of major depressive disorder and migraine. In this cross-sectional study we aimed at investigating a) the lifetime associations between the atypical, melancholic, combined and unspecified subtype of major depressive disorder and migraine with and without aura and b) the associations between major depressive disorder and its subtypes and the severity of migraine.

Methods

A total of 446 subjects with migraine (migraine without aura: n = 294; migraine with aura: n = 152) and 2511 controls from the population-based CoLaus/PsyCoLaus study, Switzerland, were included. Associations between major depressive disorder subtypes and migraine characteristics were tested using binary logistic or linear regression.

Results

Melancholic, combined and unspecified major depressive disorder were associated with increased frequency of migraine with aura, whereas only melancholic major depressive disorder was associated with increased frequency of migraine without aura. Lifetime and unspecified major depressive disorder were associated with severe migraine intensity among subjects with migraine with aura but not migraine without aura, while combined major depressive disorder was associated with higher migraine frequency independently from migraine subtype.

Conclusion

This study suggests that melancholic but not atypical major depressive disorder is associated with migraine and migraine subtypes. Future studies exploring pathophysiological mechanisms shared between melancholic depression and migraine are warranted.
Latinxs in the Kansas City Metro Area: Policing and Criminalization in Ethnic Enclaves
Authors: Garcia-Hallett Janet , Like Toya , Torres Theresa , Irazábal Clara
Published: October 2019

This study explores the socio-spatial, economic, and policing inequities experienced by Latinxs in the Kansas City metropolitan using geographic, census, and police data as well as qualitative analysis of interviews and workshops. Data show there has been an expansion of Latinx enclaves over time in the metropolitan area and suggest that enclaves function as both a protective factor for Latinxs against socio-structural hardship and also render them highly visible as targets for disproportionate criminalization. To redress the latter, we offer planning recommendations for community development and policing that promote socio-spatial equity in law enforcement practices while adapting to demographic shifts.
Destinée des produits technologiques remplacés : l’influence de la valeur résiduelle perçue
Authors: Kréziak Dominique , Prim-Allaz Isabelle , Robinot Elisabeth
Published: October 2019

L’accélération du rythme de remplacement des produits technologiques conduit à la mise au rebut de nombreux objets encore en état de fonctionnement. Dans une perspective durable d’économie circulaire, l’objectif de cet article est d’éclairer les destinées des objets technologiques remplacés, en s’appuyant sur leur valeur résiduelle perçue (VRP), définie comme la valeur que leurs propriétaires leur accordent alors qu’ils n’en ont plus l’usage. Dans un contexte de post-usage et de séparation avec les possessions, la VRP permet de prendre en compte simultanément un individu, un objet spécifique et une situation particulière, et d’estimer son influence sur la destinée de l’objet en question. Un outil de mesure de la VRP est développé autour de trois dimensions (utilitaire, financière et affective). Les résultats de régressions logistiques binomiales et multinomiales réalisées sur un échantillon de 1302 répondants, représentatif de la population française, montrent que la VRP explique bien le fait de garder ou non un produit remplacé et constitue un déterminant majeur du choix de filière lorsque cet objet n’est pas gardé. Des implications managériales en sont tirées, montrant comment la VRP constitue un levier pour favoriser la recirculation de l’objet et contribuant à résoudre les problématiques environnementales liées au gaspillage des ressources naturelles.
A rural approach to quality improvement for small rural hospitals: Lessons from rural Texas
Authors: Steele Robert S. , Wenghofer Elizabeth F. , Wagner Tammy , Yu Peter , Dickey Nancy W.
Published: October 2019

This article describes the Rural Physician Peer Review Program (RPPR©) developed by the Texas A&M Rural and Community Health Institute and presents it as an example of a program that could be implemented in rural Canada as an effective means of continuing professional development (CPD) for rural Canadian physicians. RPPR© post review survey responses from 574 physician participants across rural Texas indicate that they are highly satisfied with RPPR© and that their competency in medical knowledge and patient care improves as a result of participation. A pilot project with two to four northern Ontario hospitals would enable RPPR© to be modified to ensure applicability and feasibility in the northern Ontario context to create an RPPR© “North.” New and innovative approaches to CPD for rural northern physicians need to be continually explored to decrease professional isolation, improve recruitment and retention, and ultimately improve the quality and safety of healthcare in rural areas.
Pharmacist-Led Annual Wellness Visits: A Review
Authors: Osae Sharmon P. , Rotelli Alaina
Published: October 2019

Objective:

To summarize findings of pharmacist involvement with Medicare Annual Wellness Visits (AWV), including the number of pharmacist interventions, patient/provider satisfaction, and billing models.

Data Sources:

A literature search was conducted using PubMed, ScienceDirect College Edition Journals Collection-Health and Life Sciences, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Medline, and Academic Search Complete, including dates between January 01, 2011, and November 05, 2018.

Study Selection:

Search was limited to full-text, peer-reviewed articles, published in English which were relevant based on identification of a pharmacist’s role in AWV. Search terms included “Medicare annual wellness visits” and “Pharmacists.”

Data Extraction:

A data extraction tool was used to collect study authors, year published, study design, description of intervention, objectives, primary outcome measures, model of care, clinic setting, location, results, number of patients, and overall effect.

Results:

Of the 139 returned citations, 11 met inclusion criteria. Of the practice settings, 7 (72.72%) utilized a collaborative practice agreement for conducting AWV. Six (54.54%) of the studies measured financial outcomes, 3 (27.27%) measured satisfaction of students/patients/physicians, 2 (18.18%) measured clinical outcomes, and finally 4 (36.36%) measured number and types of interventions. Review revealed that 6 (54.54%) articles had more medication-related interventions than nonmedication-related interventions. Studies evaluating finances as it relates to AWVs had various findings including 38% return on investment, higher reimbursement for pharmacist-led visits, and an increase in revenue.

Conclusion:

In a variety of outpatient health centers, AWV were conducted by pharmacists, had a positive impact on patient care, and had high satisfaction rates between patients and physicians.
Why global? Children and childhood from a decolonial perspective
Authors: de Castro Lucia Rabello
Published: October 2019

In this article, decolonial scholarship inspires a discussion of globalization processes problematizing the concept of the ‘global child’. The antinomy global–local and the issue of the North–South divide are scrutinized, and child scholarship is evaluated from the point of view of a political economy of knowledge production. Finally, some key issues about what a Southern theory of childhood should look for based on a ‘politics of the local’ and its eventual interconnections with the global are discussed.
Optimal green energy source selection: An eclectic decision
Authors: Bhowmik Chiranjib , Bhowmik Sumit , Ray Amitava
Published: October 2019

Various researchers have suggested many qualitative and quantitative criteria for green energy management, which are mostly operational in nature and specific to a particular application. The main aim of this investigation is to develop an innovative integrated analytical framework as a benchmark for selecting the optimal green energy source under various sustainable dimensions. Nine major areas likely; energy management, source selection, environmental dimension, social dimension, economic dimension, technical dimension, institutional dimension, sustainability and importance measurement have been considered for this study. The proposed framework for green energy source selection is relatively innovative as the various key factors are integrated for sustainability level of constructs (environmental, social, economic, technical and institutional) with expert judgment levels (both strategic and tactic). The framework helps to identify the optimum green energy source (solar energy) for cleaner future using analytical hierarchy process. The research can potentially help energy managers, policy makers as well as decision makers to measure and improve the utilization of green energy sources for sustainable future.
Accounting professionalisation in Brazil: Resistance and co-optation in the introduction of a professional entry exam (1999–2010)
Authors: Bicudo de Castro Vincent , Mihret Dessalegn
Published: October 2019

Using actor–network theory, this study investigates how the CFC ( Conselho Federal de Contabilidade – Federal Council of Accounting) in Brazil transformed into a full-fledged professional accounting body with entry controls. The CFC lacked an entry control mechanism after its establishment in 1946, but introduced a professional entry exam in 2010 after failed attempts between 1999 and 2004. In 2004, resistance from higher education accounting students and the Brazilian Ministry of Education led to the suspension of the non-legislated entry examination that the CFC had administered since 1999. After 2004, the CFC co-opted resisting actors and reframed its move by invoking the emerging national agenda of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) adoption. The CFC used this agenda to facilitate co-optation with the state by justifying the need to bring Brazil’s accounting regulatory landscape into line with international best practices suited to IFRS-based reporting.
Plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone concentration in horses decreases after freezing for 60 days
Authors: Haffner John C. , Neal Dwana L. , Hoffman Rhonda M. , Grubbs Steven T.
Published: October 2019

We investigated the stability of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in plasma after freezing for different lengths of time. The plasma ACTH concentrations of 12 horses were measured on day 0 (baseline) and over time, after stimulation with thyrotropin-releasing hormone. Samples were stored at −80°C for 3, 7, 30, 60, and 90 d, or at −20°C for 3, 7, 30, and 60 d, or between ice packs at −20°C for 3 and 7 d prior to determination of ACTH concentration. ACTH concentrations were compared to baseline (non-frozen day 0 plasma) for each storage method using a mixed model with repeated measures in which each horse served as its own control and day was the repeated effect. Statistical significance was set at p ≤ 0.05, and 0.05 < p < 0.10 was considered a trend. Plasma ACTH frozen at −20°C or at −80°C resulted in degradation of ACTH compared to baseline samples at 60 and 90 d respectively. There was no degradation of ACTH after 7 d when stored between ice packs, or before 30 d at −20°C, or before 60 d at −80°C.
Bilateral thyroid follicular compact-cellular carcinoma in a llama
Authors: Carrasco Rodrigo A. , Verhoef Jolanda , Leonardi Carlos E. P. , Lanigan Emily E. , Adams Gregg P.
Published: October 2019

An 18-y-old female llama ( Lama glama) in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan was examined during a routine herd check, and a mass was detected in the ventral cervical area just below the angle of the jaw. No clinical signs were evident except for the mass and chronic loss of body condition. Postmortem examination revealed bilateral enlargement of the thyroid gland with multiple cysts. Histopathology of the thyroid gland revealed follicular compact-cellular carcinoma lesions, with infiltration of neoplastic thyroid follicular cells in regional lymph nodes.
Toxoplasma gondii infection in two captive Patagonian maras
Authors: Østevik Liv , Tysnes Kristoffer R. , Klevar Siv , Debenham John J.
Published: October 2019

Toxoplasma gondii infection was diagnosed in 2 captive Patagonian maras ( Dolichotis patagonum). One animal developed fatal systemic toxoplasmosis and had concurrent localized bacterial and fungal infections; its daughter remained clinically healthy. Microscopic findings included acute, coagulative necrosis, lymphohistiocytic inflammatory infiltrates, and extra- and intracellular parasites in the liver, myocardium, urinary bladder, and adrenal glands of the diseased animal. PCR and subsequent genotyping of parasites from fresh tissue from both cases revealed infection with T. gondii genotype II. Direct agglutination testing of blood from the healthy individual revealed high levels of T. gondii IgG antibodies. T. gondii is a potential cause of disease and lethality in captive and wild Patagonian maras, and toxoplasmosis should be considered when managing and providing veterinary care for this species.
Emergence of Salmonella enterica serovar 4,[5],12:i:- as the primary serovar identified from swine clinical samples and development of a multiplex real-time PCR for improved Salmonella serovar-level identification
Authors: Naberhaus Samantha A. , Krull Adam C. , Bradner Laura K. , Harmon Karen M. , Arruda Paulo , Arruda Bailey L. , Sahin Orhan , Burrough Eric R. , Schwartz Kent J. , Kreuder Amanda J.
Published: October 2019

Rapid identification of the infecting Salmonella serovar from porcine diagnostic samples is vital to allow implementation of appropriate on-farm treatment and management decisions. Although identification at the serogroup level can be rapidly achieved at most veterinary diagnostic laboratories, final Salmonella serovar identification often takes several weeks because of the limited number of reference laboratories performing the complex task of serotyping. Salmonella serogroup B, currently the dominant serogroup identified from swine clinical samples in the United States, contains serovars that vary from highly pathogenic to minimally pathogenic in swine. We determined the frequency of detection of individual group B serovars at the Iowa State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory from 2008 to 2017, and validated a multiplex real-time PCR (rtPCR) to distinguish pathogenic serogroup B serovars from those of lesser pathogenicity. Our results indicate that, since 2014, Salmonella enterica ssp. enterica serovar 4,[5],12:i:- has been the dominant serovar identified from swine clinical samples at the ISU-VDL, with S. Typhimurium now the second most common serovar identified. We developed a rtPCR to allow rapid differentiation of samples containing S. 4,[5],12:i:- and S. Typhimurium from samples containing serovars believed to be of less pathogenicity, such as S. Agona and S. Derby. When combined with enrichment culture, this rtPCR has the ability to significantly improve the time to final serovar identification of the 2 most commonly identified pathogenic Salmonella serovars in swine, and allows rapid implementation of serovar-specific intervention strategies.
Melatonin and Nicotinamide Mononucleotide Attenuate Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury via Modulation of Mitochondrial Function and Hemodynamic Parameters in Aged Rats
Authors: Hosseini Leila , Vafaee Manouchehr S. , Badalzadeh Reza
Published: October 2019

Ischemic heart diseases are the major reasons for disability and mortality in elderly individuals. In this study, we tried to examine the combined effects of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) preconditioning and melatonin postconditioning on cardioprotection and mitochondrial function in ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury of aged male rats. Sixty aged Wistar rats were randomly allocated to 5 groups, including sham, control, NMN-receiving, melatonin-receiving, and combined therapy (NMN+melatonin). Isolated hearts were mounted on Langendorff apparatus and then underwent 30-minue ligation of left anterior descending coronary artery to induce regional ischemic insult, followed by 60 minutes of reperfusion. Nicotinamide mononucleotide (100 mg/kg/d intraperitoneally) was administered for every other day for 28 days before I/R. Melatonin added to perfusion solution, 5 minutes prior to the reperfusion up to 15 minutes early reperfusion. Myocardial hemodynamic and infarct size (IS) were measured, and the left ventricles samples were obtained to evaluate cardiac mitochondrial function and oxidative stress markers. Melatonin postconditioning and NMN had significant cardioprotective effects in aged rats; they could improve hemodynamic parameters and reduce IS and lactate dehydrogenase release compared to those of control group. Moreover, pretreatment with NMN increased the cardioprotection by melatonin. All treatments reduced oxidative stress and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and improved mitochondrial membrane potential and restored NAD+/NADH ratio. The effects of combined therapy on reduction of mitochondrial ROS and oxidative status and improvement of mitochondrial membrane potential were greater than those of alone treatments. Combination of melatonin and NMN can be a promising strategy to attenuate myocardial I/R damages in aged hearts. Restoration of mitochondrial function may substantially contribute to this cardioprotection.
In Silico Screening and Analysis of Broad-Spectrum Molecular Targets and Lead Compounds for Diarrhea Therapy
Authors: Ugboko Harriet U , Nwinyi Obinna C , Oranusi Solomon U , Fatoki Toluwase H , Akinduti Paul A , Enibukun Jesupemi M
Published: October 2019

Diarrhoeal disease kills about 1.5 million human beings per year across the continents. The enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) pathotype has been noted as a major cause of diarrheal disease in human and livestock. The aim of this study is to identify broad-spectrum molecular targets in bacteria and broad-spectrum lead compounds (functional inhibitors) with high efficacy and no significant adverse implication on human systems, in relevance to diarrhea therapy through computational approaches which include phylogenetics, target prediction, molecular docking, and molecular flexibility dynamic simulations. Three molecular target genes, murA, dxr, and DnaE, which code for uridine diphosphate- N-acetylglucosamine-1-carboxyvinyltransferase, 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase, and deoxyribonucleic acid polymerase III alpha subunit, respectively, were found to be highly conserved in 7 diarrhea-causing microbes. In addition, 21 potential compounds identified showed varied degree of affinity to these enzymes. At free energy cutoff of −8.0 kcal/mol, the highest effective molecular target was DNA polymerase III alpha subunit (PDB ID: 4JOM) followed by UDP- N-acetylglucosamine-1-carboxyvinyltransferase (PDB ID: 5UJS), and 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase (PDB ID: 1ONN), while the highest effective lead compound was N-coeleneterazine followed by amphotericin B, MMV010576, MMV687800, MMV028694, azithromycin, and diphenoxylate. The flexibility dynamics of DNA polymerase III alpha subunit unraveled the atomic fluctuation which potentially implicated Asp593 as unstable active site amino acid residue. In conclusion, bacteria DnaE gene or its protein is a highly promising molecular target for the next generation of antibacterial drugs of the class of N-coeleneterazine.
The validity of telemedicine-based screening for retinopathy of prematurity in the Premature Eye Rescue Program in Hungary
Authors: Maka Erika , Kovács Gábor , Imre László , Gilbert Clare , Szabó Miklós , Németh János , Nagy Zoltán Zsolt , Somogyvári Zsolt
Published: October 2019

Purpose

To assess the validity of wide-field digital imaging (WFDI) and telemedicine-based screening compared with examination by binocular indirect ophthalmoscopy (BIO) and to present some of the results from the first five years of telemedicine-based screening in the Premature Eye Rescue Program in Hungary.

Methods

We performed a retrospective analysis in two periods that aimed to assess (a) the validity of retinal digital imaging and (b) routine bedside screening. The validity was assessed in two neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), one in the First Department of Paediatrics and the other in the Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Semmelweis University. The telemedicine-based WFDI (WFDI-TM) screening program was introduced in two phases. In the first phase (from 30 November 2009 to 8 August 2010), BIO and WFDI were performed by the same paediatric ophthalmologist (Group A). In the second phase (from 9 August 2010 to 29 March 2011), BIO was performed by the paediatric ophthalmologist, while retinal images were captured by a trained neonatal transport nurse practitioner (Group B). BIO screening was the reference method as a gold standard in both phases.

Results

During the validity assessment period 634 examinations were performed in 153 preterm infants. Overall, 76 babies were screened in Group A and 80 were screened in Group B. We found lower sensitivity and specificity in cases of any ROP (sensitivity 86%, specificity 99%) compared with those of treatment-requiring retinopathy of prematurity (TR-ROP) (both sensitivity and specificity 100%). In the Premature Eye Rescue Program between 1April 2011 and 31 March 2016, we used WFDI in 3035 infants (4589 procedures). Over this five-year period, 100 (9.6%) infants were treated by laser, and no child who received care in any of the Semmelweis University NICUs became blind from ROP.

Conclusions

(a) WFDI-TM ROP screening is a useful and efficient approach, although it cannot completely replace BIO; (b) no ROP-related blindness developed among the screened preterm babies; and (c) WFDI-TM ROP screening can be implemented in the logistics of a neonatal emergency and ambulance team infrastructure with neonatal transport nurse practitioners as ‘photographers’.
Swingers and polyamorists: A comparative analysis of gendered power dynamics
Authors: Wolkomir Michelle
Published: October 2019

American culture reveres monogamy, holding it up as an ideal moral standard, as a kind of Holy Grail for intimacy, and as a cornerstone for establishing normative social interactions. Monogamy, as often practiced, also prescribes and reproduces binary and hierarchical gender relations. Given these interconnections, how do people in non-monogamous relationships conceptualize gender? To explore this question, this study examines how people experience two varied forms of non-monogamy—swinging and polyamory. A comparative analysis of data from in-depth interviews with 22 swingers and 23 polyamorists illustrates how discrediting varied aspects of monogamy can alter gender power dynamics and, under certain circumstances, substantially erode gender hierarchy.
The “layered method” – A third method of floodlighting
Authors: Żagan W , Skarżyński K
Published: October 2019

The main aim of this work is to present a new method of floodlighting – the ‘Layered Method’. It has been possible to create this method due to the rapid development of linear luminaires with LEDs. When luminaires are located a very short distance from an illuminated wall and are directed at a low angle, the layered floodlighting method gives an unusual and interesting visual effect. In this situation, the length of light distribution on the illuminated wall is the same as the length of the light line and is rather short in width. This gives the opportunity of creating the effect of a layer of light, which can be used, for example, to illuminate Renaissance tenement houses and all types of longitudinal architectural details, such as tympanums or balusters. This paper presents the state-of-the-art use of the layered method of floodlighting. All advantages and disadvantages, in terms of lighting technology and architecture, are carefully described. The ideas contained in this paper could be useful for those who are interested in making architectural objects more beautiful by means of illumination at night-time.
IVUS Assessment of the Crossing Pathway of an Intraluminal Reentry Device Used in the Primary Treatment of Infrainguinal Chronic Total Occlusions
Authors: Tomoi Yusuke , Takahara Mitsuyoshi , Fujihara Masahiko , Fukunaga Masashi , Iwasaki Yusuke , Kozuki Amane , Sasaki Shinya , Soga Yoshimitsu , Ando Kenji
Published: October 2019

Purpose: To examine with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) the crossing pathways of the TruePath reentry device during primary antegrade recanalization of infrainguinal chronic total occlusions (CTOs). Methods: Between July 2017 and September 2018, a prospective multicenter study enrolled 143 consecutive patients (mean age 75±9 years; 101 men) with 146 CTOs treated in an antegrade approach using the TruePath reentry device with IVUS assessment of the crossing pathway in successful cases. Outcome measures were complete success (reentry device reached the distal true lumen), assisted success (reentry device use followed by a conventional guidewire to reach the distal true lumen), reentry device crossing route by IVUS assessment, and procedure- and device-related complications. Regression analyses were employed to identify any relevant associations between baseline patient variables and the outcome measures; results are presented as the odds ratio (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Complete success was achieved in 82 (56.2%) lesions; any success (complete plus assisted) was documented in 117 (80.1%) lesions. Four (3%) perioperative device-related complications were observed. The crossing route was intraplaque for most of the total crossing distance in both complete success cases (95.3%±13.2%) and any success cases (94.8%±14.4%), with relatively short subintimal (3.6%±10.2% and 4.2%±11.2%, respectively) or intramedial (1.2%±5.8% and 1.0%±5.4%, respectively) crossing. CTO length was a significant risk factor for not achieving complete success (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.13 to 2.68, p=0.012), and a history of failed revascularization was associated with not achieving any success (OR 6.40, 95% CI 1.28 to 28.9, p=0.038). Conclusion: The intraplaque route was the primary pathway taken by the TruePath reentry device as it crossed infrainguinal CTOs. Crossing rates were acceptable, with few device-related complications. However, a longer CTO length and a failed revascularization history negatively affected the success rate.
A Case Study of Interpreter-Mediated Prolonged Exposure Therapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Challenges and Recommendations for Effective Implementation
Authors: Woodward Matthew J. , Orengo-Aguayo Rosaura , Stewart Regan W. , Rheingold Alyssa A.
Published: October 2019

Prolonged exposure therapy (PE) is one of the most efficacious and widely utilized treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); however, no empirical studies have examined PE when implemented using an interpreter for patients with limited English proficiency (LEP). This omission is at odds with data indicating the number of individuals in the United States who speak languages other than English has risen dramatically over the past few decades and is expected to continue to grow. Consequently, there is a need to understand whether evidence-based trauma interventions, such as PE, work when utilizing an interpreter to reduce barriers in access to care. This case study presents an overview of the case of Teresa, a 28-year-old monolingual Spanish-speaking Latina female who was treated for PTSD following an armed home robbery. Teresa was treated with PE using certified Spanish-speaking medical interpreters. Teresa received 13 sessions of PE and showed clinically significant reductions in both PTSD and depression. This article details the progression of her case, challenges associated with utilizing an interpreter in PE, recommendations for the incorporation of interpreters in the delivery of evidence-based trauma treatment, and directions for future research.
Is There a Prescription to Treat Pediatric Obesity?
Authors: Srivastava Sneha Baxi
Published: October 2019

Pediatric obesity is complex—in every way. The pathogenesis, which is a result of a multitude of factors combined with social and environmental factors makes it a crisis with overwhelming challenges. It is difficult to treat pediatric obesity; however, guidelines attempt to clarify how to approach treatment. These strategies are mostly interventions in lifestyle because only 1 medication is approved for treating obesity in children. The approach to the treatment of pediatric obesity will need to be a one that relies on the available data, a continued drive for additional research and publication, sharing of practice experience, and continued efforts at prevention.
Design and optimization of inner-rotation nozzle in negative pressure duster
Authors: Guodong Zhai , Cong Ren , Wei Tong
Published: October 2019

This article proposes a design and experimental method of a new inner-rotation nozzle. First, the design model of the inner-rotation nozzle was established based on Abramovich’s maximum flow principle and high-pressure water jet crushing theory. Considering the specific conditions of the negative pressure duster, the reference values of nozzle structure parameters are calculated. The simulation is conducted for studying the relationship between the nozzle’s structure parameters and its performance including water flow velocity at nozzle outlet, atomization effects, and so on. By orthogonal experiment, the reasonable nozzle structure parameters were obtained by analyzing the speed of flow, the amount of air, and so on. Then, a series of nozzles were machined with different size shells and cores. In order to select out the optimum matching of nozzle cores and shells, an experimental system is established. Considering the installation location, wind speed, liquid–gas ratio, and other factors, the optimum matching of the shell core was chosen. At the same time, the application test of the negative pressure duster was carried out on the fully mechanized mining face. The research results show that the removal rate of pulverized coal has a higher improvement, and provides a theoretical basis for the design of negative pressure duster.