bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On Why Objects Appear Smaller in the Visual Periphery
Authors: Kirsch Wladimir , Pfister Roland , Kunde Wilfried
Published: December 2019

An object appears smaller in the periphery than in the center of the visual field. In two experiments ( N = 24), we demonstrated that visuospatial attention contributes substantially to this perceptual distortion. Participants judged the size of central and peripheral target objects after a transient, exogenous cue directed their attention to either the central or the peripheral location. Peripheral target objects were judged to be smaller following a central cue, whereas this effect disappeared completely when the peripheral target was cued. This outcome suggests that objects appear smaller in the visual periphery not only because of the structural properties of the visual system but also because of a lack of spatial attention.
Review on methodological and normative advances in assessment and estimation of wind energy
Authors: López-Manrique LM , Macias-Melo EV , Aguilar-Castro KM , Hernández-Pérez I , Díaz-Hernández HP
Published: December 2019

In this study, we present a review of articles that address the state of the art in wind energy from different perspectives, specifically focusing on the criteria used for wind energy assessment and wind turbine standards, along with an overview of the technologies necessary to make reliable Wind Power-Grid penetration more efficient. Wind power dynamics are also considered from the perspective of their intermittency and the nature of wind speed variability in order to establish appropriate sampling times for measurements and monitoring. The literature discussed is representative of the technological and methodological advances dedicated to the development, adaptation and application of statistical, computational, numerical and artificial intelligence tools for an assessment of wind energy and wind power forecasting. These applications and methodologies commonly use data registers measured in very short, short, medium and long-term measurement campaigns. Finally, literature on wind power social, environmental and economic policies and trends in costs-capacity-addition and their impact are reviewed from a global perspective. In light of today’s concerns with global warming, it is essential that wind energy interact steadily on the grid with experienced operators and high automatic-control technology worldwide.
The local governance of active inclusion: A field for social partner action
Authors: Scalise Gemma
Published: December 2019

The idea of ‘active inclusion’ was embraced by the European Commission in 2008 and supported financially through the European Social Fund, inspiring national and subnational reforms throughout Europe. This article analyses the role played by social partners in its implementation, using three comparative case studies to assess its transposition at the local level in Spain, France and Sweden. Despite convergence in the vocabulary used by actors involved in labour market governance, translation into local measures is different, with significant implications for policy-making. To explain the varieties of active inclusion, I focus on the interplay between structure and the agency of competing local political and social actors who participate in labour market governance.
Antiphospholipid syndrome and infertility
Authors: El Hasbani G , Khamashta M , Uthman I
Published: December 2019

Antiphospholipid syndrome is a systemic autoimmune disease associated with obstetric complications along with vascular events affecting multiple organ systems in patients having positive titers of antiphospholipid antibodies. Eight to 20% of infertility cases have an unknown cause, part of which could be due to antiphospholipid syndrome. Although still debatable, many studies have addressed the relation between reproductive failure and antiphospholipid antibodies through the relation between antiphospholipid antibodies and unexplained infertility as well as the effect of antiphospholipid antibodies on the outcome of in vitro fertilization–embryo transfer. Few studies and cases have associated the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies with male infertility, describing morphofunctional penile abnormalities and testicular infarction. There are not enough data to support the routine practice of testing antiphospholipid antibodies in patients with infertility.
When Small Signs of Change Add Up: The Psychology of Tipping Points
Authors: O’Brien Ed
Published: December 2019

Things change, but the exact point at which they do is often unknown. After how many loveless nights is a relationship “officially” in trouble? After how many happy days has one’s depression “officially” passed? When do recurring patterns in the climate or economy “officially” warrant a response? When is a person’s identity “officially” accepted? Everyday fluctuations in oneself and the social world create ambiguities about when people will diagnose lasting, qualitative change (and therefore act). Recent research documents these tipping points of change as a psychological process, shaped by individual and situational forces. People judge tipping points asymmetrically across valence and asymmetrically across time. Here, I review discoveries and outline future directions in tipping-points research.
Professional values and ethical ideology: Perceptions of nursing students
Authors: Arries Ebin J
Published: December 2019

Background:

Moral philosophical positions and professional values have been shown to influence nurses’ practice behaviours. Understanding nursing students’ professional values and ethical ideologies, therefore, is important as they may help inform evidence-informed curriculum decisions and education strategies to develop students’ professional reflective competencies. However, there is a dearth in current empirical data on Canadian nursing students’ perceptions of professional values and ethical positions.

Objectives:

This study’s purpose was to examine undergraduate nursing student’s perceptions of professional values and ethical ideology and explore relationships in data and selected participant demographic variables.

Research design, participants and context:

A descriptive cross-sectional research design was conducted with a convenience sample of undergraduate nursing students recruited from a university in Canada. An online encrypted survey consisting of two validated instruments was administered to participants who met study eligibility criteria. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to analyse the data and classify nursing students’ ethical ideologies into four categories based on mean scores for idealism and relativism.

Ethical considerations:

This study received ethical approval from the institutional Behavioural Research Ethics Board and was executed in-line with ethical principles for research involving humans.

Findings:

Nursing students scored high on professional values and ethical idealism and differed significantly on a measure of ethical relativism in terms of age and year of study. Professional values were significantly associated with ethical idealism. Based on mean scores for idealism and relativism, most nursing students in the study were classified as situationists.

Discussion and conclusion:

Findings suggest that faculty pay attention to influences of moral philosophical positions in facilitating nursing students’ professional values development. Implications for future research and curriculum are highlighted to strengthen nursing students’ professional values.
Trends in Performance Management System: A Study of Indian Service Provider Companies
Authors: Agrawal Soni
Published: December 2019

The purpose of the present article is to understand current trends in performance management. For this purpose, perceptions of professionals providing knowledge services are analyzed. In the present article, feedbacks are collected from middle-level executives and HR professionals on dimensions, namely, performance planning, goal setting process, review process, reward discussion, etc. In the present work, qualitative method is applied with multiple case studies. The idea behind is to understand the current aspects, challenges, and the strategies applied by the organizations. Data were collected from nine companies from different sectors such as information technology and information technology enabled services (IT/ITES), consulting, and financial service providers. The results revealed that companies are open in goal setting process and give employees a lot of flexibility as what should be their goals and objectives. They believe in continuous improvement in all the processes, whether it is goal setting or continuous feedback system. Goals may change or can be different for onsite and offsite professionals as per the requirements of the clients. Many firms had removed bell curve from their system. Professional perceived the performance management systems need to be internally aligned, but at the same time pointed towards a need for improvement on the way feedback are communicated. The recent trend is seen in terms of usage of cutting-edge technology even in human resource functions, which gives them better results. Companies believe in recognizing the potential and performance of employees. Promotions are no more based on only past performance.
Key Factors of Disruptive Innovation in Aerospace and Defence
Authors: Rao Shuktij Singh , Banik Arindam , Khanna Ashutosh , Philip Deepu
Published: December 2019

Taking an idea or invention successfully from laboratory to the market is innovation. When such an innovation becomes so successful that it ultimately changes the social practices and thereby forces incumbent market leaders to shut shop, it becomes disruptive innovation (DI). Christensen proposed a framework to analyze an industry for DI and later analyzed five industries—aviation, education, healthcare, telecommunication, semiconductors & innovation overseas—using this framework. However, the business of aerospace and defence is different from conventional businesses and thereby requires additional considerations and modifications to the framework proposed by Christensen. This article focuses on the DI in aerospace and defence industry by developing an analytical framework that captures essential factors based on the original theory of Christensen; literature on and around it; known frameworks and studies of select successful cases of DI in aerospace and defence industry literature. Christensen’s framework is analyzed and evaluated for its strengths and weaknesses and also its applicability to aerospace and defence business. Stakeholder analysis is also conducted, and empirical evidence of the factors is verified. A framework is then developed to analyze DI in the aerospace and defence industry.
Modeling the thermomechanical behavior of carbon fiber–reinforced shape memory polymer composites under the finite deformation
Authors: Gu Jianping , Sun Huiyu , Zeng Hao , Cai Zhongbing
Published: December 2019

In this article, a thermoviscoelastic constitutive model is introduced to describe the unidirectional continuous elastic fiber–reinforced shape memory polymer composites under the finite deformation. Although the shape memory polymers can be used in finite deformations, only a small strain can be applied on the carbon fiber for its small failure tensile strain (about 2%). Using the model, the effective strain of the carbon fiber for the unidirectional continuous carbon fiber–reinforced shape memory polymer composites can be derived. It is found that the carbon fiber–reinforced shape memory polymer composites with the fiber inclination angle in a typical range can be used in the finite deformation, without failure of the carbon fiber. Besides, a simplified buckling model is proposed to predict the fiber buckling under axial compression. It is calculated that the buckling critical stress is rather small. Therefore, it should be avoided in application. As for carbon fiber–reinforced shape memory polymer composites, the bending driving capacity is the crucial property in their applications. Hence, the shape memory effect of the carbon fiber–reinforced shape memory polymer composite beam under the finite deformation is also studied here. The findings can be used to provide guidance for the design and application of the carbon fiber–reinforced shape memory polymer composites and their structures.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ as a Story to Be Told: The “Narrative” Theologies of Eberhard Jüngel and Hans Frei
Authors: Nelson R. David
Published: December 2019

This article explores how Eberhard Jüngel and Hans Frei employ the category of “narrative” in Christian theology. Although Jüngel and Frei receive inspiration from different quarters, they end up drawing some similar conclusions. At the same time, their approaches to narrative theology reveal deep and striking differences between their programs for theology. My comments focus on the problem of language’s referential character, that is, the capacity of words and discourses to signify external objects and states of affairs. As I demonstrate, both Jüngel and Frei seize upon the “problem” (as they both deem it) of the structure of referential language. And yet, how Jüngel and Frei frame this issue and what they do in order to resolve it are conspicuously different in the arguments they unfurl. This difference, I show, folds back upon their distinct agendas for recovering narrative in theological discourse.
Hocus Totus: The Elusive Wholeness of Christ
Authors: Vanhoozer Kevin J.
Published: December 2019

This article responds to David Moser’s essay commending the Totus Christus to Protestants who wish to be biblical, identify with the catholic tradition, and speak truly about the Church. The article recognizes the Totus Christus as an important case study of the relationship between Christology and ecclesiology. The article evaluates Moser’s case in three movements: first, by examining the way in which biblical language of Christ as the “head” of the Church “body” has been interpreted by Augustine and others; second, by comparing and contrasting the Reformed (soteriological) emphasis on mystical union with the Roman (ecclesiological) emphasis on mystical body; third, by examining the metaphysics of the Totus Christus and, in particular, the conceptual coherence of claiming that the Totus Christus designates a “united person” with “two subjects” that are “distinct in their being.” The article concludes by asking about the practical consequences of accepting the Totus Christus, and by noting that the Totus Christus never did receive the necessary creedal support commensurate with catholic doctrine.
Vindicating environmental public interests in China: A balanced approach to institutional interaction in public interest litigation system
Authors: Ma Yun
Published: December 2019

Along with the adoption of environmental public interest litigation (EPIL) in China, the configuration among civil society, administrative, procuratorial and judicial powers is reshaped and transformed. With various actors brought to the public interest ground, the conventional role of governments as a public interest defender through law enforcement activities is distorted. This, on the one hand, spurs and supplements insufficient government enforcement of environmental law, and on the other hand poses the danger of supplanting government enforcement, crowding out statutory responsibilities for governments and eroding their discretion in selecting regulatory tools and administrative procedures. To reach a balance making no power excessively intruding the other and bring PIL’s potential into full play, realignment of their respective roles and functions in the enforcement system is imperative. Government enforcement should be strengthened and given priority in vindicating environmental public interests. Pre-conditions for filing different types of EPIL claims should be established and specified. To develop an internally coordinated EPIL system, the future reforms should be legally underpinned with the order of standing coordinated, concurrent claims screened, connection arrangements established and the usage of incidental litigation promoted.
The Relationship between Spiritual Intelligence and Resiliency of Rehabilitation Staff
Authors: Ebrahimi Barmi Banafsheh , Hosseini Mohammadali , Abdi Kianoush , Bakhshi Enayatollah , Shirozhan Shima
Published: December 2019

This research aims to determine the relationship between spiritual intelligence and resiliency of rehabilitation staff. The reliable and validated spiritual intelligence and CD-RISC resiliency and demographic scales were used to collect data. There is a significant relationship between spiritual intelligence and the resiliency of rehabilitation staff (r = 0.38). Results showed that by increasing spiritual intelligence, resilience could increase.
Fostering spiritual resilience and vitality in formerly incarcerated persons of African American descent
Authors: Banfield Lori E.
Published: December 2019

The process of reentry for formerly incarcerated persons can be a burdensome, stigma-laden transition, and any difficult transition requires resilience. African Americans—the group most impacted by incarceration trauma—commonly depend on faith leaders in times of crisis to provide meaning, encouragement, and guidance, fostering spiritual resilience. This study conceptualizes spiritual resilience and proposes it as a vital quality for successful reentry; giving credence to the significant role clergy and pastoral clinicians play in mediating restorative reintegration.
Exploring the influence of traffic enforcement on speeding behavior on low-speed limit roads
Authors: Zhao Dan , Han Fengchun , Meng Meng , Ma Jun , Yang Quantao
Published: December 2019

Speeding on low-speed limit roads is a common traffic offense in China, which could be due to the mild traffic safety enforcement. The article aims to explicit the impact of traffic enforcement measures on the speeding behavior on low-speed limit roads. First, field data were collected to demonstrate the severity of speeding by investigating speed distribution; second, a virtual traffic enforcement was designed by considering three factors related to traffic enforcement, and a stated preference survey questionnaire including six scenarios was designed and implemented; finally, a series of generalized regret random minimization models were established to study the relationship of speeding behavior and traffic enforcement as well as drivers’ personal characteristics. From the stated preference survey analysis, the research figures out that other vehicles’ average speed is the most important reference to choose speed rather than traffic penalties, and the model estimation results show that speeding violation grows severe if traffic enforcements are lenient. Therefore, increasing the violation costs is a powerful means of lowering the probability of speeding for individual, thus proceeding the drop of vehicles’ average speed, and the fall of average speed will contribute to decrease speeding subsequently.
Framing research into university governance and leadership: Formative insights from a case study of Australian higher education
Authors: Croucher Gwilym , Wen Wen , Coates Hamish , Goedegebuure Leo
Published: December 2019

Ensuring effective university governance and leadership is more important than ever before given contemporary transformations of higher education functions, institutions and social roles. This paper reports contributions which seek to stimulate research in this field. Drawing from the formative case study of Australian universities, it discusses prevailing insights and gaps in leadership research, and articulates theoretical dimensions of good governance, an analytical framework for studying the empirical nature and work of university senior leaders, and the characteristics of contemporary arrangements. The paper contributes methodological approaches, analytical frameworks and empirical insights which are designed to generalize and replicate in broader research.
Differentiated visibilities: RT Arabic’s narration of Russia’s role in the Syrian war
Authors: Dajani Deena , Gillespie Marie , Crilley Rhys
Published: December 2019

This article focuses on the social media content of RT Arabic – formerly Russia Today – the Russian state-funded international news media organization. It presents results of a qualitative analysis of social media posts in order to assess whether and how RT Arabic constructs a strategic narrative of its involvement in the war in Syria. It also contributes to conceptualizations of how state-sponsored strategic narratives operate in practice and can be mobilized as a soft power resource. Our key finding is that, while Russia’s military presence is rendered almost invisible on RT Arabic, its role as a political and diplomatic actor is highly visible. Although Syrian civilians feature as the most prominent actors, they do so mostly as helpless victims and passive witnesses. Syria is represented as a non-sovereign, dysfunctional state, vulnerable to incursion by foreign forces that are vying for power and control in the region. In RT’s representation of the conflict, Russia is portrayed as coming to the aid of Syrians and Syria, as a benign presence promoting the establishment of good governance and skilfully managing the complex diplomatic relations surrounding the conflict. Rather than using straightforward propagandistic or hard-line ideological narratives, RT Arabic creates its own style of persuasive soft power on social media. This style is characterized by the differentiated visibilities afforded to Russia’s military, diplomatic and political roles. Deftly balancing exposure and concealment, RT Arabic performs a legitimating function – rendering Russia’s presence and power in a positive light.
School Nurses on the Front Lines of Health Care: “STICKS & STONES” May Hurt More Than Your Students’ Bones: A Guide to the Recognition of Bullying in Your Schools
Authors: Lucas Christy , Brady Jodi , Olympia Robert P.
Published: December 2019

Although students commonly present to the school nurses’ office with physical chief complaints, there are many mental health concerns in the school-age population associated with emotional and physical consequences. Bullying is considered to be a public health crisis, plaguing students across the nation. It is important to develop a framework for recognizing problematic social and emotional interactions between students, like bullying, given the dire consequences on a student’s physical and emotional well-being. This article describes typical presentations of bullying through a case scenario, providing a mnemonic for recognition and resources for prevention.
The Growing Seeds (Mark 4.26-32): Can Growth Be Eco-Sustainably Translated? Some Preliminary Thoughts
Authors: Arapoglou Paraskevi
Published: December 2019

The emergence of eco-linguistics is a result of the advances in human ecology where interdependencies among different systems (including economic, social, religious, cultural, linguistic, and ecological) are highlighted and explored rather than ignored. Even more importantly, eco-linguistics has been drawing great interest because the consequences of ignoring the ecological embedding of humans are becoming more and more clear. Linguistics inevitably affects many other hermeneutical approaches in diverse fields, including biblical studies. Within this context, language ecology, “the study of interactions between any given language and its environment” (Einar Haugen, 1972), is primarily determined by the people who learn that language, use it, and transmit it to others. This article aims to investigate the connection of language to the notion of “growthism” and how this functions in a specific biblical narrative. Mark 4.26-32 will be examined under an eco-linguistic lens to arrive at a more “eco-friendly” understanding of the passage, as well as potential implications for translation.
A qualitative study of care coordination in community physical rehabilitation
Authors: Symons Jane L , Jamison Julie , Dening Jane , Murray Linda , Pearson Sue
Published: December 2019

Introduction

This study explored the factors influencing effective care coordination in a community physical rehabilitation service. The two research questions answered were “What was effective care coordination?” and “What were the barriers and enablers?”

Methods

This qualitative study, influenced by an interprofessional skill framework, was conducted in a regional service in Australia. Participants were 35 allied health, nursing, and client administration team members. Individual interviews, group observations, and focus groups generated data. This article will present the descriptive thematic analysis method and results.

Results

Care coordination resulted from a suite of informal and formal tools that smoothed the client’s rehabilitation journey. Effectiveness and efficiency were sought alongside client-centred, holistic, and flexible yet consistent approaches to care coordination. All staff undertook care coordination relevant to their managerial, clinical, or administration support roles. The involvement of many people and processes required effective teamwork, notably communication, collaboration, coordination, and navigation of stakeholder differences. The barriers to and enablers of care coordination were the service’s resources including integrated workspaces, transport and communication systems, and the individuals’ resources including clinical reasoning skills in, and familiarity and buy in with care coordination and rehabilitation.

Discussion

Staff viewed care coordination as an integral and valued part of rehabilitation, with some responsibilities shared by all staff. Additional time and support were required for stakeholders to enact their assigned care coordination roles. Effective care coordination required staff to be trained and competent in interprofessional collaboration. Systems that were efficient to use and encouraged accountability were desired.
Identifying people with multiple sclerosis in the Canadian Primary Care Sentinel Surveillance Network
Authors: Marrie Ruth Ann , Kosowan Leanne , Taylor Carole , Singer Alexander
Published: December 2019

Background

We validated a case definition for multiple sclerosis using a clinical cohort linked with the Manitoba Primary Care Research Network of the Canadian Primary Care Sentinel Surveillance Network, and applied this definition to describe multiple sclerosis epidemiology using the Canadian Primary Care Sentinel Surveillance Network repository.

Methods

We developed candidate case definitions for multiple sclerosis in the Manitoba Primary Care Research Network using diagnoses and medications. We compared these case definitions to multiple sclerosis diagnoses identified by applying a validated definition to population-based administrative data (reference standard 1) and multiple sclerosis diagnoses recorded by the provincial Multiple Sclerosis Clinic (reference standard 2) using sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value. We applied the preferred case definition to the national Canadian Primary Care Sentinel Surveillance Network dataset.

Results

The Manitoba Primary Care Research Network included 160,904 patients. The preferred case definition required ≥2 billing records for multiple sclerosis within 2 years or multiple sclerosis listed as a health condition or ≥1 multiple sclerosis-specific prescription. This definition had a low sensitivity versus administrative (44.25%) and clinic datasets (53.41%) but high specificity versus administrative data (99.95%). Specificity was lower versus clinic data (71.43%), but the positive predictive value was high.

Conclusion

We developed a case definition for multiple sclerosis that can be applied to the Canadian Primary Care Sentinel Surveillance Network dataset for studies examining primary care of persons with multiple sclerosis.
Electoral integrity and the repercussions of institutional manipulations: The 2019 general election in Thailand
Authors: Sawasdee Siripan Nogsuan
Published: December 2019

Thailand’s 2019 election was seen from the beginning to be a ritual to transform a military junta into an elected government. This qualitative article draws on the critical analysis of theories in authoritarianism and electoral integrity to shed light on the concept of competitive authoritarianism. The article, utilizing empirical data and historical narratives, illustrates Thailand’s legal and political environment governing this election. The electoral results and post-election political party landscape reveal unintended consequences in manipulating political institutions. Although the newly introduced electoral system and institutional manipulations allowed the military co-opted Palang Pracharat party to select the prime minister even without controlling a majority in the House of Representatives, as projected, the establishment was inadvertently left with two robust opposition parties, namely the old Pheu Thai and the new-born Future Forward parties. The former represents the strongest political machine in Thailand, which has won five consecutive elections, while the latter symbolizes a new divide in Thai politics, armed with the power of social media, and poses a bigger threat to the military establishment. Remarkably, the electoral result not only pointed to a continued polarization, dominated by the cleavages of ultraconservative versus progressive and an urban-rural, rich-poor cleavage, but also a new division between older and younger generations. This article maintains that although Thailand’s civil-military government might be deposed in the future due to several challenges facing them, the undemocratic political structure of military electoral co-optation polity remains ingrained on account of the way that the 2017 Constitution was crafted.
The Impact of Performance Goals on Cheating Depends on How Performance Is Evaluated
Authors: Daumiller Martin , Janke Stefan
Published: December 2019

We investigated how evaluation standards employed in performance tests affect the impact of performance goals (here focused on appearance) on academic cheating. Thereby, we assumed that appearance goals would lead to increased cheating only if students’ performance was presumably evaluated based on results rather than on the strategies they applied to solve questions. A total of 169 university students (68.6% female) participated in an experimental design with 2 (induced appearance goals vs. no goal induction) × 2 (process-based vs. result-based evaluation standards) between-subject conditions. We assessed cheating using a confederate student observing the participants’ behaviors and by measuring whether participants reported that they solved unsolvable questions. Confirming our hypotheses, we found that students were more likely to cheat only when appearance goals were induced and the evaluation standard focused on the results. This new knowledge helps explain the mixed findings regarding how performance goals affect cheating and provides opportunities to reduce cheating in high-stakes testing situations.
How Should the Value Attributes of Novel Antibiotics Be Considered in Reimbursement Decision Making?
Authors: Morton Alec , Colson Abigail , Leporowski Axel , Trett Anna , Bhatti Taimur , Laxminarayan Ramanan
Published: December 2019

Antibiotics have revolutionized the treatment of bacterial infections. However, it is widely held that there is underinvestment in antibiotics research and development relative to the socially optimal level for a number of reasons. In this article, we discuss whether existing health technology assessment procedures recognize the full economic and societal value of new antibiotics to patients and society when making reimbursement decisions. We present three recommendations for modelling the unique attributes of value that are specific to novel antibiotics. We find, based on a review of the literature, that some of the value elements proposed by our framework have previously been discussed qualitatively by health technology assessment bodies when evaluating antibiotics, but are not yet formally captured via modelling. We present a worked example to show how it may be possible to capture these dimensions of value in a more quantitative manner. We conclude by answering the question of the title as follows: the unique attributes of novel antibiotics should be considered in reimbursement decision making, in a way that captures the full range of benefits these important technologies bring to patients, health care systems, and society.
Biomechanical Comparison of First Tarsometatarsal Arthrodesis Constructs Over Prolonged Cyclic Testing
Authors: Prieto-Diaz Cynthia , Anderle Mathew R. , Brinker Laura Zagrocki , Allard Randall , Leasure Jeremi
Published: December 2019

Background:

Traditionally, a lengthy period of nonweightbearing is required following arthrodesis of the first tarsometatarsal (TMT) joint in order to provide a stable healing environment for the bones. The goal of this research was to determine the resistance to plantar gapping of 2 locked intramedullary devices and a medial plate with crossing screw, all specifically designed for hallux valgus correction, and compare them to traditional 2–crossing screw fixation under a cyclic testing protocol. We hypothesized the locked intramedullary devices and the medial plate with crossing screw would better resist plantar gapping.

Methods:

Forty cadaver specimens received 1 of 4 operative treatments: a locked intramedullary device with 2 points of fixation in the cuneiform, a locked intramedullary device with 1 point of fixation in the cuneiform, a medial plate with crossing screw, or 2 crossing screws. We applied dorsiflexion bending forces to the first TMT joint using a cadaveric fatigue model for 20 000 cycles. The plantar gap between the metatarsal and cuneiform was measured at the beginning and end of cyclic testing. Thirty-six specimens were included in the final data set.

Results:

Both locked intramedullary device groups and the medial plate with crossing screw group exhibited significantly less gap widening compared to the 2–crossing screw group (vs 3-hole intramedullary device, P = .014; vs 4-hole intramedullary device, P = .010; and vs medial plate with crossing screw, P = .044). The intramedullary device groups were the most stable during the cyclic fatigue test, exhibiting the smallest gap widening. The medial plate with crossing screw fixation was also more stable than crossing screws in the cyclic fatigue model.

Conclusions:

The locked intramedullary devices and medial plate with crossing screw resisted plantar gapping better than 2 crossing screws when used for first TMT arthrodesis.

Clinical Relevance:

These results indicate that locked intramedullary devices and medial plates with crossing screws may promote superior bone healing and may better tolerate early weightbearing compared with 2 crossing screws.
Mediterranean diet during pregnancy and childhood respiratory and atopic outcomes: birth cohort study
Authors: Bédard Annabelle , Northstone Kate , Henderson A. John , Shaheen Seif O.
Published: December 2019

Evidence for associations between Mediterranean diet during pregnancy and childhood asthma, allergy and related outcomes is conflicting. Few cohorts have followed children to school age, and none have considered lung function.

In the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, we analysed associations between maternal Mediterranean diet score during pregnancy (estimated by a food frequency questionnaire, using ana prioridefined score adapted to pregnant women; score ranging from 0 (low adherence) to 7 (high adherence)) and current doctor-diagnosed asthma, wheeze, eczema, hay fever, atopy and lung function in 8907 children at 7–9 years. Interaction between maternal Mediterranean diet and maternal smoking in pregnancy was investigated.

The maternal Mediterranean diet score was not associated with asthma or other allergic outcomes. Weak positive associations were found between maternal Mediterranean diet score and childhood maximal mid-expiratory flow (forced expiratory flow at 25–75% of forced vital capacity (FEF25–75%)) after controlling for confounders. Higher Mediterranean diet scores were associated with increased FEF25–75%z-scores adjusted for age, height and sex (β 0.06, 95% CI 0.01–0.12; p=0.03, comparing a score of 4–7versusa score of 0–3). Stratifying associations by maternal smoking during pregnancy showed that associations with FEF25–75%were only seen in children of never-/passive-smoking mothers, but no evidence for a statistically significant interaction was found.

Results suggest adherence to a Mediterranean diet during pregnancy may be associated with increased small airway function in childhood, but we found no evidence for a reduced risk of asthma or other allergic outcomes.
High-sensitivity troponin I and all-cause mortality in patients with stable COPD: an analysis of the COSYCONET study
Authors: Waschki Benjamin , Alter Peter , Zeller Tanja , Magnussen Christina , Neumann Johannes T. , Twerenbold Raphael , Sinning Christoph , Herr Christian , Kahnert Kathrin , Fähndrich Sebastian , Blankenberg Stefan , Rabe Klaus F. , Welte Tobias , Jörres Rudolf A. , Vogelmeier Claus F. , Bals Robert , Watz Henrik
Published: December 2019

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of death with a considerable part of the population dying from cardiovascular diseases. High-sensitivity troponin I (hs-TnI) might help to better identify COPD patients at high risk of mortality. We aimed to study the predictive value of hs-TnI for all-cause mortality beyond established COPD assessments, and after consideration of relevant cardiovascular risk factors and prevalent cardiovascular diseases, in a broad population with stable COPD.

Circulating hs-TnI concentrations together with a wide range of respiratory and cardiovascular markers were evaluated in 2085 patients with stable COPD across all severity stages enrolled in the multicentre COSYCONET cohort study. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality over 3 years of follow-up.

Hs-TnI was detectable in 2020 (96.9%) patients. The median hs-TnI concentration was 3.8 ng·L−1(interquartile range 2.5–6.6 ng·L−1), with levels above the 99th percentile reference limit of 27 ng·L−1observed in 1.8% of patients. In Cox regression analyses including adjustments for airflow limitation, dyspnoea grade, exercise capacity and history of severe exacerbations, as well as traditional cardiovascular risk factors, estimated glomerular filtration rate, ankle–brachial index, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptides and prevalent cardiovascular diseases, hs-TnI was a significant predictor for all-cause mortality, both as a continuous variable (hazard ratio (HR) for log hs-TnI 1.28, 95% CI 1.01–1.62) and categorised according to the cut-off of 6 ng·L−1(HR 1.63, 95% CI 1.10–2.42).

In patients with stable COPD, hs-TnI is a strong predictor of all-cause mortality beyond established COPD mortality predictors, and independent of a broad range of cardiovascular risk factors and prevalent cardiovascular diseases. Hs-TnI concentrations well below the upper reference limit provide further prognostic value for all patients with COPD when added to established risk assessments.
Sensitive detection of circular DNAs at single-nucleotide resolution using guided realignment of partially aligned reads
Authors: Prada-Luengo Iñigo , Krogh Anders , Maretty Lasse , Regenberg Birgitte
Published: December 2019

Background

Circular DNA has recently been identified across different species including human normal and cancerous tissue, but short-read mappers are unable to align many of the reads crossing circle junctions hence limiting their detection from short-read sequencing data.

Results

Here, we propose a new method, Circle-Map that guides the realignment of partially aligned reads using information from discordantly mapped reads to map the short unaligned portions using a probabilistic model. We compared Circle-Map to similar up-to-date methods for circular DNA and RNA detection and we demonstrate how the approach implemented in Circle-Map dramatically increases sensitivity for detection of circular DNA on both simulated and real data while retaining high precision.

Conclusion

Circle-Map is an easy-to-use command line tool that implements the required pipeline to accurately detect circular DNA from circle enriched next generation sequencing experiments. Circle-Map is implemented in python3.6 and it is freely available at https://github.com/iprada/Circle-Map.
uap: reproducible and robust HTS data analysis
Authors: Kämpf Christoph , Specht Michael , Scholz Alexander , Puppel Sven-Holger , Doose Gero , Reiche Kristin , Schor Jana , Hackermüller Jörg
Published: December 2019

Background

A lack of reproducibility has been repeatedly criticized in computational research. High throughput sequencing (HTS) data analysis is a complex multi-step process. For most of the steps a range of bioinformatic tools is available and for most tools manifold parameters need to be set. Due to this complexity, HTS data analysis is particularly prone to reproducibility and consistency issues. We have defined four criteria that in our opinion ensure a minimal degree of reproducible research for HTS data analysis. A series of workflow management systems is available for assisting complex multi-step data analyses. However, to the best of our knowledge, none of the currently available work flow management systems satisfies all four criteria for reproducible HTS analysis.

Results

Here we present , a workflow management system dedicated to robust, consistent, and reproducible HTS data analysis. is optimized for the application to omics data, but can be easily extended to other complex analyses. It is available under the GNU GPL v3 license at https://github.com/yigbt/uap.

Conclusions

is a freely available tool that enables researchers to easily adhere to reproducible research principles for HTS data analyses.
The in vivo impact of MsLAC1, a Miscanthus laccase isoform, on lignification and lignin composition contrasts with its in vitro substrate preference
Authors: He Feng , Machemer-Noonan Katja , Golfier Philippe , Unda Faride , Dechert Johanna , Zhang Wan , Hoffmann Natalie , Samuels Lacey , Mansfield Shawn D. , Rausch Thomas , Wolf Sebastian
Published: December 2019

Background

Understanding lignin biosynthesis and composition is of central importance for sustainable bioenergy and biomaterials production. Species of the genus Miscanthus have emerged as promising bioenergy crop due to their rapid growth and modest nutrient requirements. However, lignin polymerization in Miscanthus is poorly understood. It was previously shown that plant laccases are phenol oxidases that have multiple functions in plant, one of which is the polymerization of monolignols. Herein, we link a newly discovered Miscanthus laccase, MsLAC1, to cell wall lignification. Characterization of recombinant MsLAC1 and Arabidopsis transgenic plants expressing MsLAC1 were carried out to understand the function of MsLAC1 both in vitro and in vivo.

Results

Using a comprehensive suite of molecular, biochemical and histochemical analyses, we show that MsLAC1 localizes to cell walls and identify Miscanthus transcription factors capable of regulating MsLAC1 expression. In addition, MsLAC1 complements the Arabidopsis lac4–2 lac17 mutant and recombinant MsLAC1 is able to oxidize monolignol in vitro. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants over-expressing MsLAC1 show higher G-lignin content, although recombinant MsLAC1 seemed to prefer sinapyl alcohol as substrate.

Conclusions

In summary, our results suggest that MsLAC1 is regulated by secondary cell wall MYB transcription factors and is involved in lignification of xylem fibers. This report identifies MsLAC1 as a promising breeding target in Miscanthus for biofuel and biomaterial applications.
Cross-cultural validation of the Functional Vision Questionnaire for Children and Young People (FVQ_CYP) with visual impairment in the Dutch population: challenges and opportunities
Authors: Elsman Ellen B. M. , Tadić Valerija , Peeters Carel F. W. , van Rens Ger H. M. B. , Rahi Jugnoo S. , van Nispen Ruth M. A.
Published: December 2019

Background

To assess cross-cultural validity between Dutch and English versions of the FVQ_CYP, a patient-reported outcome measure developed in the United Kingdom (UK) for children and adolescents with (severe) visual impairment or blindness (VI for brevity) to measure functional vision.

Methods

The 36-item FVQ_CYP was translated and adapted into Dutch using standard guidelines. The questionnaire was administered to Dutch children and adolescents aged 7–17 years (N = 253) with impaired vision (no restrictions regarding acuity). Data were compared to existing UK data of children and adolescents aged 10–15 years (N = 91) with VI (acuity LogMar worse than 0.48). As with the original UK FVQ_CYP validation, a rating scale model (RSM) was applied to the Dutch data.

Results

Minor adaptations were needed in translation-rounds. Significant differences in item responses were found between the Dutch and UK data. Item response theory assumptions were met, but fit to the RSM was unsatisfactory. Therefore, psychometric properties of the Dutch FVQ_CYP were analysed irrespective of the original model and criteria used. A graded response model led to the removal of 12 items due to missing data, low information, overlapping content and limited relevance to Dutch children. Fit indices for the remaining 24 items were adequate.

Conclusions

Differences in population characteristics, distribution of responses, non-invariance at the model level and small sample sizes challenged the cross-cultural validation process. However, the Dutch adapted FVQ_CYP showed high measurement precision and broad coverage of items measuring children’s functional vision. The underlying reasons for differences between countries in instrument performance are discussed with implications for future studies.
‘It’s not because we don’t believe in it...’: Headteachers’ perceptions of implementing physically active lessons in school
Authors: Skage Ingrid , Dyrstad Sindre M.
Published: December 2019

Introduction

Implementation of school-based physical activity (PA) programmes has proven to be difficult, particularly due to schools’ focus on academic performance and lack of organisational support for PA interventions. However, physically active lessons (PA integrated into academic lessons) holds promise as a teaching method that increases children’s PA levels without reducing academic time. Headteachers play a significant role in facilitating change in school, but little is known about headteachers’ attitudes towards physically active lessons and their benefits. The purpose of this study was to explore headteachers’ perceptions of physically active lessons, and identify factors affecting headteachers’ acceptance or rejection of physically active lessons implementation.

Method

A total of 29 semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with headteachers in primary and secondary schools in the city of Stavanger, Norway. Adopting a phenomenological approach, qualitative data were analysed using inductive content analysis.

Results

Although most of the headteachers believed that physically active lessons could contribute positively to pupils’ health and learning, only four of 29 schools decided to proceed with implementation. Physically active lessons were more likely to be adopted when the intervention addressed a clearly defined priority area at the school. Change overload and lack of in-depth knowledge of physically active lessons’ function and intent appeared to be the most important factors for choosing not to implement physically active lessons.

Conclusion

One of the major challenges for headteachers was deciding which of the many proposed changes the school should prioritise. If physically active lessons was to be prioritised by headteachers it is very important to communicate thoroughly to the headteachers what the schools can achieve by implementing physically active lessons and how the innovation aligns with school policies and goals. Given the flexibility inherent in physically active lessons and the schools’ differing needs and priorities, it was important to emphasise to headteachers that physically active lessons could be adapted to different local school contexts.